The independent
To uncover
newspaper serving
the truth
Notre Dame and
and report
Saint Mary’s
it accurately
Volume 48, Issue 83 | Friday, february 6, 2015 | ndsmcobserver.com
Conference to celebrate women in business Undergraduate Women in Business conference will focus on non-traditional career paths, networking By CAROLYN HUTYRA News Writer
This year will mark the seventh meeting of the annual Undergraduate Women in Business (UWIB) Professional Development Conference, which will take place Feb. 13-14 in the Mendoza College of Business Atrium. Conference co-chair and junior Patricia Bartlett said this year’s theme is “Finding a Career Path You Love,” which will focus on the many career paths available to business and non-business majors. “The conference is a great opportunity for women to connect with each other on various topics, for undergraduates to learn from
experienced professionals and for companies to promote their brands,” she said. The conference aims to provide undergraduate women the necessary skills to discover their interests and abilities in order to better understand how those skills translate into a career, Bartlett said. “We feel that it’s important to open the eyes of undergraduate women to the variety of opportunities, including non-traditional career paths, available after graduation,” she said. Fellow co-chair and sophomore W hitney Spiegel said the conference will include two keynote speakers: Kristin Boyd, a vice president see BUSINESS PAGE 5
ERIN RICE | The Observer
Sixth annual Polar Bear Plunge to benefit Hope Initiative By SELENA PONIO News Writer
Hundreds of willing participants will pay $5 to submerge themselves in icy water for charity during the sixth annual Polar Bear Plunge on Saturday. The event, co-sponsored by Badin and Dillon Halls, will take place in St. Joseph’s Lake from 2-4 p.m. “We are hoping for record participation this year and would love to see over 500 plungers,” Corinne Sullivan,
sophomore and president of Badin Hall, said. “The weather looks warm for Saturday, so that should help.” Every year, proceeds from the plunge go to the Hope Initiative, an organization founded by assistant professor of industrial design and Badin’s Hall Fellow, AnnMarie Conrado. According to Sullivan, all of Badin’s signature events sponsor the Hope Initiative. see PLUNGE PAGE 5
Observer Staff Report
MONICA VILLAGOMEZ MENDEZ | The Observer
Seven new departmental editors w ill round out The Obser ver’s 2015-2016 Editorial Board, incoming Editor-in-Chief Greg Hadley announced Wednesday night. Juniors Erin Rice, Tabit ha Ricketts a nd Ha leigh Ehmsen a nd sophomores Zach K lonsinsk i, Erin McAu lif fe, Ma rga ret Hy nds a nd Zach L lorens w i l l assume cont rol of t heir depa r t ments Ma rch 15. Ehmsen, orig ina l ly f rom Mt. Vernon, Iowa, w i l l ta ke over as Sa int Ma r y’s Editor. Ehmsen is a junior English a nd communicat ion studies double major. She has been a news w riter for The Obser ver
Aaron Bremyer, head of the English writing center at Saint Mary’s, reads a poem by a student during the “Then and Now” poetry reading.
see STAFF PAGE 5
EMILY McCONVILLE | The Observer
Students plunge into the icy cold water of Saint Joseph’s Lake at last year’s Polar Bear Plunge.
Poetry reading features student work By OLIVIA JACKSON News Writer
For Saint Mary’s Heritage week, seniors Kelly Konya and Sarah Prezek hosted a “Then and Now” poetry reading featuring professors who read poems by Saint Mary’s alumnae and students who read their own work. Prezek said the idea for the reading was Konya’s [Editor’s
News PAGE 3
note: Konya is Saint Mary’s Editor at The Observer] and was based on a similar event held during Heritage Week 2014. “Last year, students did not read their own work, and the poetry was mostly by Sister Madeleva [Wolff] because it was the 50th anniversary of her death,” Prezek said. “John see POETRY PAGE 4
Viewpoint PAGE 7
Observer names new editors
scene PAGE 8
Men’s basketball PAGE 16
women’s basketball PAGE 16