The Beacon - Feb. 17 - Issue 16

P. 8-9: Special Section: An election for the ages

‘Trashin’ Fashion: A Recycled Fashion’ hits the runway

The

Living, page 5

BEACON The University of Portland’s student newspaper

U.S. College freshmen rate emotional health at all-time low

en eshm r f ge colle

e mag i f l se poor

e

ach

ky b I haehav ve aior he a d

ris

r

te

et

tb

ea

he

n

ca

conf used

o

wh

s

lp

m

e?

sio n

de pr es nd

ie

r

io

av

eh

image o

chill I have a headache

l

emot iona

g

in

al

s

on c s ar

fin

y re as

om

on

ec

I have a headachI ehave a headache r sa i sk y huring emotiona ld b

depression

yb

sk

ri

r

io

av

eh

yb

sk

fr

e

en depress all htmim stre-sadne edn lowio ssedess stress

r

io

av

eh

eh

yb

sk

ri

or

vi

ha

ar

e

ri

or

fe

m

or

outte sa st s screajust ut ju scream m howant st wa nd ness mewto t to o r r is ho s a me d s t r k y be wo neg esse ha rk at i v d v i or it y

r

io

av

d

l

braindea

be

ng

ky

si

em ri ot iona s

ci

s

er

al

ex

l

poor e

fin

or

emot iona

m

caring

ng

m

f fin ear al s

si

chill

ci

conf used

er ex

PA I N

ng

l

ed

l iona emotth heal e eg coll

lost

si

sadness

poor s elf im age

e?

sp he o poor wi image ns lme self ibi th d dr lit depression y aw balance n depression fres

emot iona

ess

de pr homemework es otionacalring sihomework on

st r

d avoi

ri

sk y &

ci

co

er

w ith unseling m

ex

colleg e

poor ov erimage re selffreshmen poor w

college

wrong

self image

overwhelmed

pressure

e PA I or m st ress Nfe ng hate ar si PAteIN em self- ess s ci e er ex c r y s t r hate

ed

college

wn a r ti hd

po Do I fi or t in? m sel idte f im r ms a ag n x i e t y el f e im a ge

im f l e nal s r o

Is

something wrong

oo oti p e e em ipmoaogr se agmag e lfimf i f el sel s r oroo o p p college freshmen

n me sh fre ge

w e r u s with me? pres e ag

lle co

Brenda Greiner Director of the Freshman Resource Center

college freshmen

ess

See Study, page 2

me?

st r

ng wro

wi t h

g re l i n mo s e i s i ng unexerc

Paul Myers Director of the University Health Center

for purposes of this article says she has a positive outlook on her emotional health, but it has been a long journey to feel that way.

“I’ve had anxiety and depression since I was 13, so it’s been a battle for a large part of my education,” Emma said.

“While stress can help motivate you to be a good student, it can also become consuming and unhealthy.”

At the start of her freshman year, Emma was afraid of not fitting in, the difficulty of her classes and the cost of tuition.

Emma’s stress due to the cost of tuition is a common one.

According to the study, the economy is putting added pressure on students. The proportion of students taking out loans to pay for college remains high. In the past five years, the number of UP undergraduate students taking out student loans has varied between 80 percent and 87 percent.

“Students might feel pressure to succeed because so much is being sacrificed (financially) by their families,” Myers said.

According to Emma, her grades have suffered because she has made work a priority above school in order to pay for her education.

“The economy plays a pretty large role in my academic life,” Emma said. “Balancing class and work can be real challenging. It definitely causes me a lot of stress and anxiety,

co

The emotional health of college freshmen has dropped to an all-time low, according to the University of California Los Angeles’ annual survey of freshmen at four-year colleges and universities.

In the survey, “The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2010,” the number of students who rated their emotional health as “below average” increased.

Only 52 percent of students rated their emotional health as “above average,” a decline of 12 percentage points since 1985, when self-ratings of emotional health were first measured.

The results of the survey are based on the responses of 200,000 incoming full-time students at four-year colleges.

According to the survey, female students are more likely to have a negative view of their emotional health than male students. Women were also more likely to feel overwhelmed.

“This has a lot to do with the pressures women feel to be all and do all,” Paul Myers, director of the University Health Center, said.

Myers also sees other societal expectations as factors.

“More women are honest and ready to pursue health care and get help than men who are socialized to take care of themselves,” he said, adding that males tend to abuse alcohol at higher rates, get into trouble and engage in riskier behavior when they do not pursue health care.

A UP junior called “Emma”

ing meth o s Is

n ssio e r p de

Economy, pressure to succeed plague students Caitlin Yilek Staff Writer yilek12@up.edu

www.upbeacon.net

emotional t health s ty wa n als Iall-time l n college sadness ust n fi ntests jdepression iona freshmen t t tivialmlow o u dow d rent i o a em just want tosescream pa g d y t e stressed out homework frightened withdrawn emotional r oo c u f n h e x ie t s res g l p l t n l s li co me n bi s an s ion a hurt pain finals Is asomething n relyme?t uioverwhelmed t ion er m ge f reshcounseling u nse with t s d nes n emot wrong o d d c i s n d r aw e t t e r g e e m d l i w n l r w ? i a i e f o o r n l c love friends i abuselfaith negativity sleep eatit hbetter exercise advising substance w t h relyatcope m b calm d t ve avoid m u m h e o l fi h s t l d t I m n e e l e a h i w t o o stee i n? p h slow he all-t abuse hea alcohol e faiself-esteem down behavor t slee bills food on Dworries hten tuition elf- e rent freerw nal consuming ies c pressure ened risky te st s ig ht ? ove nce abu worr con f usi emot io rk fr ig at iv it y r low s n Do I fi h men r n f o i o g e time balance economy money confusion Do oI fit in? midterms anxiety responsibility a e s poorkself image s y io pres mewor ith m id subst pressu r y mone s help homew eli ng ne y behav con f us lege f re rawn deillness o l d lowg y sickemresources help health scollege freshmen depression tests h death loved o all-time sk vo om ce emotional g w ones g acursed n r e a m d c o u n b u s e r i y m o n e a lt h c d w ith a d v i s i n e s am e ste n e c o n s our c e i o f r s s e l r i c e c e e s a e hurt pain m n finalseIs something dvout just want to homework emotional rri an t to to ssadness re t wanfrightened balscream elm alwithdrawn ng wstressed ohol e econo t ional h f r ig hte exercis su re wo iet y ise a avor low i ick c h c s h r s w t d e x o avoid ksubstance h s love e r abuse pfaith u x me? overwhelmed e nbetter exercise r c nfriends r j wrong with counseling negativity sleep eat advising s e e e e m a e o r r t w t b n r e m t v u o s u w e llc o a l m d b a l a s h el p h o m e e a t b e sorelyacope et t isk y alcohol abuse ter m tests a poor ne s ed o thlow me?self-esteem eemfood c g e rdown consuming e t b calm stbills m idrentofree-time ge essbehavor m ed o srisky u rce worries e ron n i eep tuition n r ope f i mapressure ? v l o t a eep l abus c w n o s s f w i l l e slself e i y g y l g r t l ss ow it se oillness re I fit in? a th sslovedmeones dsick o balance semidterms I fi death ron scrneresponsibility th i n cursed e himage sick tanxiety dsDo d nemoney wconfusion r at iv r low o s deeconomy e n alm a oor d o s g D c g s c e p e p e i l n o s e r e n i n r e aresources p la nc l o s s scream io just ill ow somcollege nt nsellow all-time e f freedepression et h ofreshmen lhealth -t i m ones cu tests i ng sadness yemotional a v havstressed ls Ito f usout e ba en dwant a ly co maghomework t e e a t i me help n i e m b w n r o l l e h m i c fi s t io n y s t d e s i t i I hurt h finals u overwhelmed r e b o n y n e k t f t s d ffrightened l i v o i i s r e s e l e i f m o c a a s r withdrawn emotional pain Is something wrong with me? counseling negativity sleep eat better exercise advising n l n l s u r a f e p l o n st s a j elmed abuse my m ollege l hur t e frie e poor help n th od se out i n fifaith deacalm s forely abu friends l e a d c esposubstance s o v s l t a h e e l i p s e o ravoid n n c abuse love cope down alcohol abuse risky behavor low self-esteem pressure worries consuming tuition s l o e h w t n b c o m se s o o ur h u r s u b s t a n u i t io n st re e? over n alcoh nce ec healt emot i se fait h f ree - t i e s si y illndnesseconomy resodeath loved ones abuuition al free-time t itbalance l midterms l bills poor in? illness nrent a Do Iofit depr food m money bu responsibility w n anxiety a i nt owconfusion l ic k nce cursed ingself image oi d a a o e s d a h a n a m b r v i r t t e s t u i i a s t d b c d s d m i e w o visinghelp iemotional th low al an oo ge ns time locollege s u b u m i ng ot all-time g w pe cdepression con fstressed sick ou cutrsjust want ie t y nals to scream oid homework emresources d wi ubst sadness i ma lp emtests ronfreshmen r es espo health ad bi l ls negativity ones t pai n fi isi ng av s cons ms a n x g w Isresomething tene avoid s counseling y co ll- pain e me? s el f r tests ahurt ci se e wonr xietyemotional frightened withdrawn sleepaeat advising avoid r r ig hoverwhelmed es hwith s l e poor wrong v betteroexercise ie th i nfinals r ved g i t io n f e r r c e d o d n t u e xe r r r l i u h t u n d s k u t m i s e i h worries r behavor a w g s death pressure v m so i m alcohol fr i calme -tdown ise sconsuming Is so rely ecope inself-esteem h e al t t o substance low k re abuse e ad worisky i n? rea m er u re preisdteabuse rms faith love fifriends es nals aith lov ent f re rsed sic ome exercis x mc presponsibility s um to sc er eanxiety re s Do I fit nal billsad w an ilIl nfit n rself image r h y m bills foodr t rent tuition time poor economy confusion Do in? illness ai nfreea ntmidterms cubalance o t temoney d ef t t t p m s i w s o c e co o e e l a e i u o b t ll n e b s i t f ege t b o t re st b out jus tests r ie d on emotional l hu cursed sidepression i l ls lovehelp emo out p eacollege f usi stressed orfreshmen p ea all-time ce a sick lf- elow n bresources death loved sadness just want to to sc shealth e n e e n w e t t p s o o e l iona ones a l s l n n t c e d t e s p r u a o h th bs w tj su es st resse iv it y wrong it y low with em it io s deawithdrawn y oney me? scream homework counseling just emotional d ou d su at iv hurt rces overwhelmed tufrightened pres pain finals fres vor t y r Is something t iv it avoi u m i ng y ill nes ssed out i ng neg teem s a n xie ad ness negat y beha nomy m resou s st resse hu r t ta xe hmen negarisky l s s k calm te st s k love friends l s e o negativity better exercise advising avoid substance abuse faith rely cope down alcohol abuse c e s t re a m s i c i e s w r i l it eat n s r n e f o e n s cons nsibsleep l l t ti mes allse io s i e d t e d ou e sad e d c i c o c s a r n n e lo m e s m o sa h a d d w ex w d e g food it behavor self-esteem rent image sa l-t ituition nbills bal free-time n?consuming n em onbalance st re ness economy lowself resp low el mpressure curstipoor or lo worries gw fit i tests al ou nseli low ver whDo ou ssed me rawcursed emotional ones death ehav midterms oI wr hatet ju st if yresources money n lmresponsibility all- loved time confusion thdones l i ng e depression illness ed c n D ssioanxiety i k yIbfit in? i ng u nsesick s s scream e? o s o love t h u i i w t r s m s e b e in h h u e ve r w d low e te hall-time la help depression tests sadnesscostressed out just om w ithemotional er fr omeworkg sad t e ne eprfreshmen con f college abus health o c oh o e I s s el m e d bet t emwotithdigrahtwenned hol money homework f r ig fi nalshurt en d frightenedowwithdrawn n al h want emotional Isg pa ional alco tomyscream e at m ag er wpain finals d e sh m i n v r i in hu o n f f a m f i rt o e p fi l l s p ? stressed e nals Is r a e ed me leg something with me? ooverwhelmed sle e advbfiehinavao arm sowmethin econ colwrong pe c oor s counseling g negativity depression tests alltime th lov stressed losewlf-estlssseeure s rong I have p th avoid ly c homework a headache negativity sleep eatndbetter he a l s re exercise i me advising low sadness stressedlowout just want to scream money preworrie g money homework t a poor finances e e i e self-esteem d n r e f in emotional o r i money poor something f e poor s sumbills frightened withdrawn emotional hurt pain finals Is wrong s n v s t substance abuse faith love friends rely cope s co n lo e re ion e n p depression r h l tuit d rent e finances t l i i with me? overwhelmed counseling negativity sleep d o ime homework fa down -t nriskyrk behavor eat better exercise advising avoid substance depression foabuse food alcohol free or self ance calm e it y abuse faith love po ge bal m a y o bi l l s o n si bi l im nom h economy w tests all-time behavor s e o I friends rely cope calm down alcohol abuse risky low selfec m e o p ey D low self-esteem ho I have a headache fr monfusion terms res esteem pressure worries consuming tuition bills food rent low sadness free-time con ? m id y ege c r e a m l in ty wh yavoid l t fi family issues o it ie c sillnesses an xfonsibil balance economy money confusion Do I fit stressed out just in? midterms sp e th anxiety responsibility illness death loved ones cursed sick resources want to scream ilrevelndesosndaesear help lo ed sick emotional health college freshmen depression tests all- time low homework sadness cu rs urces homework frightened homework re so stressed out just want to scream homework frightened withdrawn homework p el h low economy rbehavor hurting risky & lost emotional hurt pain finals bestehaemvoPAIN Is something wrong withdrawn with self-esteem ls re balance pressu stress tion bil image ing tui n me? overwhelmed cry counseling negativity emotional hurt sleep eat or self self-e consum e-t ime pohate nfu sio ney co fre pain finals Is nomy mo rr ies better exercise advising woBills avoid substance abuse ecoPAIN in?

Do I fit t emotional something ren d foo faith love friends cuddle rely cope calm down alcohol depression abuse risky behavor low self-esteem wrong with me? homework pressure worries overwhelmed fit frightened withdrawn down alcohol abuse risky behavor consuming an in tuition bills counseling consumed em xoietio? negativity sleep food rent free-time low self-esteem pressure worries m n deprtey alid eat better exercise tuition bills low foodsadness rent freessiotner consuming depression tests all-time stressed poor self image advising money poor finances avoid ms time out just want to scream homework frightened withdrawn emotional hurt substance abuse balance economy money confusion Do with something wrong me? overwhelmed faith love I fitpain i finals Is f r e sh m counseling negativity sleep eat better exercise advising avoid depre en substance abuse faith love friends rely cope calm down alcohol abuse risky behavor all-t ssion te e low s sts low self-esteem pressure worries consuming tuition bills food rent free-time stresim balance economy money confusion Do I fit in? midterms anxiety s e d out a d ne s s to ju illness death loved ones cursed sick resources help emotional f r ig hstecrea m h st wa nt responsibility health college freshmen depression tests all-time low sadness stressed out just o n m e ew d em to scream homework frightened withdrawn emotional hurt pain so otieontal hu r t pwa ithd raowrkn want finals Is something wrong with me? overwhelmed counseling negativity in h i mem fi n nals I sleep eat better exercise advising g avoid substance abuse faith love friends rely cou ? overw rong w whelmitsh cope calm down alcohol abuse risky behavor low self-esteem pressure sleepnseli ng n adv isin eat be egat i ed worries consuming tuition bills food rent free-time poor self image vit balance economy money confusion Do I fit in? midterms anxiety tter g avo fait substa exercisye responsibility illness death loved ones cursed sick resources help calhm dlove fid nc r tests allr isk y ow n aiel nd s relye abuse emotional health college freshmen time low sadness stressed out just want to scream homework press behavor cohol a cope frightened withdrawn emotional hurt pain finals Is something tuit ionu re wor low se buse wrong with me? overwhelmed counseling negativity sleep eat bills fo r ies co lf-esteem od re nsum in better exercise advising avoid substance abuse faith love bala nt f re friends rely cope calm down alcohol abuse risky behavor low e -t imge con f unce sion D economy self-esteem pressure worries consuming tuition bills food a n x iety o I fit rent free-time poor self image balance economy money m illnes o in n e confusion Do I fit in? midterms anxiety responsibility resosudeath loverdespo?nmsiidbter mys illness death loved ones cursed sick resources help i healt h rce s ones c l i t y emotional health college freshmen depression tests college fr help e u rsed sick tests all-time low sadness stressed out just want to scream st ressal l-t imeeshmen depmreotional ed o homework frightened withdrawn emotional hurt pain low s ssion scre a d ne s finals Is something wrong with me? overwhelmed counseling w it h a m homewut just s negativity sleep eat better exercise advising avoid substance pain d raw n emork fr ighwa nt to fi abuse faith love friends rely cope calm down alcohol abuse risky wit nals Is otio tened behavor low self-esteem pressure worries consuming cou nh me? someth innal hu r tuition bills food rent free- time poor self image betterseli ng negover wheg w rongt balance economy money confusion Do I fit in? midterms substa e xercise at iv it y s l med f r iend nce abu adv isingleep eat anxiety responsibility illness death loved ones cursed se s a void alcoho rely c fait h sick resources help emotional health college freshmen o low s l abuse pe calm love depression tests all-time low sadness stressed out just want e wor r ieelf- esteem r isk y b dow n to scream hurt apain nc finals e s h p l overwhelmed food re consumin re ss avor counseling negativity sleep eat a b g it nt f re ima better exercise advising avoid substance abuse faith love io u k re e -t imtu monegye balan e poornobr il ls friends rely cope calm down alcohol abuse risky behavor low c w s in? m con f us e econe elf self-esteem pressure worries consuming tuition bills food rent io idte m n Doom omy elf free-time poor self image balance economy money confusion I fit h s econo image r a n x iety Do I fit in? midterms anxiety responsibility illness death loved b m m a y dcoow l a ance n fnusio ones cursed sick resources help emotional health college e r o ambi anlc Do scm ney freshmen depression tests alltime low sadness stressed out just I o behaudsteerm h fi o t s olt ie t in want to scream homework frightened withdrawn emotional hurt ? e ste vor l r isaknnx pain finals Is something wrong with me? overwhelmed counseling worem prow sewlfa-yr tyor advising avoid substance abuse cons r ies esssut r vo s av es - negativity sleep eat better exercise down alcohol abuse risky behavor t uit i um i n t ju hae ieehe-r i eefaith love friends rely cope calm self-esteem pressure worries consuming tuition bills food rent rent on bill g ou be ryr bf roe r t low fr o k s y ios twfree o D poor self image balance economy n D-time money confusion Do I fit in? midterms e f reedeiskfow n o nresponsibility illness death loved rdreanxiety r o ones cursed sick resources help n r s t sse reismeoduemotional ere oodsio usi health college freshmen depression bala tests all-time low sadness stressed e u f f s r u u o n f onwant to scream homework frightened s ls njust mon cest bue sas bs rfeout withdrawn emotional hurt p il finals D esys a rceloinlolpain co ey c Is something wrong with me? overwhelmed negativity bsi omn ybeyeat alocodInhe ofiltcooihnpoofnemusleep faith love friends rely cope calm nbetter exercise advising avoid substance abuse o i n o t n i oalcohol itedouw absuacsohtoeelclmueistdown abuse risky behavor low self-esteem pressure worries consuming tuition bills m t mn y behal -eesagfood poor self image balance economy money confusion Do I fit in? midterms ft- grent y omfree-time nslel mirniosmkresponsibility e sten asevlwf onanxiety n illness death loved ones cursed sick resources help emotional r i o y n o wowo edmoluomw pnrseuewsco seelefcdepression tests all-time low sadness stressed cdolnowsornrsdepression ieconsicme e asnuc re down uimmeijust cout want to scream homework frightened withdrawn emotional hurt pain finals Is t alant gbal alcohol something wrong with me? overwhelmed counseling negativity sleep b risky abuse eat better exercise advising avoid substance abuse faith love friends rely cope calm down behavor alcohollowabuse risky behavor low self-esteem pressure worries consuming tuition bills food rent free-time balance economy money confusion Do I fit in? midterms anxiety responsibility illness death loved ones cursed sick resources help emotional health college freshmen depression tests alltime low sadness stressed out just want to scream homework frightened withdrawn emotional hurt pain finals Is something wrong with me? overwhelmed counseling negativity sleep eat better exercise advising avoid substance abuse faith love friends rely cope calm down alcohol abuse risky behavor low self- esteem worries consuming Photo Illustration by Rosemary Peters and Hannah Gray | THE BEACON tuition bills food rent freetime poor self image balance economy money

counseling

e

Vol. 112, Issue 16

Thursday February 17, 2011

poor self image

pressure

Jeremy Tanzer Adjunct instructor of sociology

Zach Steinkamp Resident Assistant, junior

Tera Jannusch Peer Health Educator, senior

Beth Krautscheid Peer Health Educator, junior Photos by Kevin Kadooka | THE BEACON

2



On On Campus Campus

THE FINAL SCENE: STUDENTS SELECTED AS SEMI-FINALISTS The Drama department is setting the stage for a show stopping finish this year. Out of 32 students selected in the Northwest region to compete in the Irene Ryan Audition/ Acting Competition semifinals, six students are from the University of Portland.

That means the entire senior drama acting class will be participating in the semi-finals Thursday morning.

“Drama majors are looking to theater as a career and so this is a way for us to introduce ourselves to the nation,” Alex Kirby said. “There are a lot of theater people and professors that will be there watching us perform.”

Seniors Danielle Larson, Connor Bond, Conor Eifler, Alex Kirby, Sammi Boyd and Jamie Kluth all had their pieces selected to move on to the next round and have been working all week to smooth out the wrinkles so their presentations will be flawless.

Each participant will perform their piece with a partner in front of three auditors, a timer and a respondent.

“Right now, we are cramming every available moment to meet with our acting coach, Mindi Logan, and UP director, Andrew Golla, as well as with each other,” Jamie Kluth said. “Things are quite hectic here as a result.”

-Rachel McIntosh VOTE FOR THE ASUP EXECUTIVE BOARD Online voting for the ASUP Executive Board will be on PilotsUP Tuesday at 7 a.m. to Wednesday at 8 p.m. For president and vice president, the candidates are Zack Imfeld/Chloe Ruffin and Danielle Bibbs/Chris Collins.

For treasurer, the candidates are Caitlin Chu and Andrew Ottolia. For CPB director, the candidates are Hillary White and Sean Ducey. For secretary, Kristin Johnson is unopposed.

CORITA KENT ART EXHIBIT Tomorrow, the opening reception for the Corita Kent art exhibit will be in Buckley Center room 163 from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public. The art exhibit runs until March 10 in the Buckley Center Gallery.

Accuracy in The Beacon

The Beacon strives to be fair and accurate.

The newspaper corrects any significant errors of fact brought to the attention of the editors.

If you think an error has been made, contact us at beacon@up.edu. Corrections will be printed above.

Fea ture

NEWS

February 17, 2011

Leonardo’s famous lady gets a spray tan The Beacon’s Samantha Heathcote’s “Mona Snooki” draws web traffic Will Lyons Staff Writer lyons14@up.edu On Feb. 1, The Beacon’s own illustrator Samantha Heathcote ascended to Internet stardom by putting a modern twist on the “Mona Lisa.”

Heathcote’s the “Mona Snooki” caught the attention of celebrity gossip blogger Dena Ross, who featured the piece on her site.

“Dena from Wetpaint.com found me on Facebook, and sent me questions for an online interview to be featured on the site,” Heathcote said. “I was really excited when I found out I was going to be featured on the ‘Jersey Shore’ page.”

The “Mona Snooki” began as an assignment for Heathcote’s Figure Drawing II class to create a modern response to a classical piece of art.

“It kind of just spawned as my modern reaction to the Mona Lisa,” Heathcote said.

The “Mona Lisa” has persevered as an iconic piece throughout history and artists have responded to it in various epochs. According to fine arts professor Mylin Rakich, that is a key aspect of art.

“Relative to art, I think it’s

Samantha Heathcote, senior important that past and present come together,” he said.

After presenting the piece to her class, Heathcote put the “Mona Snooki” on Deviantart. com, a social media site meant exclusively for artists to show off their portfolios. It was on this site that Ross found the “Mona Snooki” and was able to contact Heathcote.

The popular celebrity gossip site coverage gave Heathcote more web taffic, but there is still one person in particular whom Heathcote would like to see the painting.

“I would absolutely die if Snooki saw this piece,” Heathcote said in her Wetpaint interview.

Heathcote created the “Mona Snooki” using a digital art pad, which involves freehand drawing on a tablet connected to a computer via USB port. Working

from two reference photos, one of the ‘Mona Lisa’ and one of Snooki, Heathcote carefully incorporated the two into one original piece.

“The colors the pad gives you are unlike any other medium,” Heathcote said. She has been creating digital art for a year, and it is now her preferred medium.

So far the comments posted about the “Mona Snooki” from Wetpaint, and Deviantart range from, “How dare you defile the ‘Mona Lisa!’” to “That is the best picture I’ve seen all day!”

Heathcote takes the critical comments with a grain of salt.

“Why do you get angry about someone you don’t even know?”

Heathcote said. “It’s supposed to be funny.”

Opinion around campus has

been varied as well.

Freshman Katherine Belusco said of the piece, “It’s taking a classical piece and making it trashy.”

“Jersey Shore” enthusiast Jane Schumacher, a freshman, follows Heathcote’s line of thinking.

“This piece makes me laugh because Snooki is the opposite of fine culture. The stark contrast between Snooki and the Mona Lisa is hilarious,” Schumacher said.

However you feel about the “Mona Snooki,” it does speak across the ages.

“Snooki and her reputation sort of blasphemize the Mona Lisa, but we don’t really know who The Mona Lisa was either so who are we to judge?” Rakich said.

STUDY: Sleep, exercise, nutrition help Continued from page 1 which has cost me academically (in the past).”

Though students’ emotional health declined in 2010, their drive to achieve and their academic abilities are trending upward. Seventy-one percent of students rated their academic abilities as “above average,” and nearly 76 percent rated their drive to achieve in the same terms.

“I would call myself a driven person,” Emma said. “I have always worked hard to get where I want to go in life and stress has helped me push myself.”

However, there have also been times when her stress was distracting to the point of being debilitating, Emma said.

Myers recommends healthy lifestyle choices and planning to avoid that kind of anguish.

“Proactive time management is the most powerful stress intervention,” Myers said.

Adequate sleep, nutrition, exercise, avoiding substance abuse, developing a faith life and building supporting relationships offer the best protection from

depression and stress, Myers adds.

Because freshman year is stressful for many students, many introduction classes at UP are required to give midterm grades, allowing them to take stock and plan accordingly.

“First year students generally come in one of two extremes – either they are way too stressed out, or they aren’t taking things seriously enough,” Jeremy Tanzer, an adjunct instructor of sociology, said.

He recommends following class syllabi to help students pace themselves.

“If you have a good syllabus, you don’t need to wonder what is happening; you can plan ahead,” Tanzer said.

The Shepard Freshman Resource Center works closely with freshmen having difficulty adjusting to college life, oversees counseling and academic advising and helps students explore their academic interests.

Last year, the Shepard Freshman Resource Center expanded its staff.

“The size of the freshman class has increased by 200 students

since 2001,” Brenda Greiner, the director of the Shepard Freshman Resource Center, said.

“Last semester we met with 400 students, whereas in previous years we could only see 200.”

According to Greiner, the Shepard Freshman Resource Center can connect students with the resources necessary to help them succeed academically and otherwise.

“I want freshmen to know that struggling might feel like the most foreign thing they’ve ever felt,” Greiner said. “(We have) all these resources on campus because we know students struggle. We are here to help them.”

Zach Steinkamp, a resident assistant, deals with stressedout students as part of his RA responsibilities. He believes illnesses, death and personal and family issues are the biggest stressors besides school in his residents’ lives.

According to Steinkamp, RAs are trained to communicate with their residents on a regular basis.

The RAs receive training on active listening.

“We try not to dig into the residents’ personal lives, but we

try to communicate with them enough so that if something is wrong it would come up organically,” Steinkamp said.

Peer health educators offer programs about stress relief.

“In December, we taught students how to de-stress using yoga,” Tera Jannusch, a senior and peer health educator, said.

“Students found it useful during finals week and it definitely made an impact on stress.”

During the event, students listened to calming music, drank tea and practiced stretching and deep breathing.

“We are interested in hosting a “de-stress with pets” event in coming semesters,” junior Beth Krautscheid, a peer health educator, said.

The peer health educators are currently planning a fitness event that will also encourage de-stressing.

Every semester right before finals, the Office of Student Activities organizes activities for Stress Reduction Day. Last semester’s activities included crafts, snacks, movies, therapy dogs and a llama.

NEWS

Residence Life goes digital Facebook ads encourage students to squat Philippe Boutros Staff Writer boutros14@up.edu With applications for housing in the 2011-2012 academic year due next week, the Office of Residence Life has taken out ads on Facebook in hopes of helping students better understand the housing process.

“For the second consecutive

year, we took out ads on Facebook, The Beacon and I send out e-mails,” Mike Walsh, director of Residence Life, said.

“I try not to send out too many of them though. A nice thing about Facebook is that I get visual statistics on how many students are actually reading the ads.”

The ads specifically target Facebook users ages 18 to 25 in the University of Portland’s Facebook network.

“So far we’ve paid $155 on the squatter reminder and $108 for the general housing reminder on Facebook,” Walsh said.

‘Squatting’ means staying in the same dorm room for the next year.

The Office of Residence Life encourages squatting because it adds to dorm ambiance and simplifies the housing

selection.

“I decided to squat because I really enjoy the camaraderie of Christie – I’ve made a lot of great friends,” Hunter Lee, a freshman, said. “I’m looking forward to making many more next year.”

The online application for squatters is due Feb. 21, and all other housing applications are due Feb. 26.

All students except for incoming freshmen can choose between living on or off campus.

“Squatting is the easiest way to get housing,” Walsh said.

The housing process has undergone changes in order to streamline the process.

“The biggest change is that this year (for the upcoming housing selection process) we’re splitting into two pieces,” Walsh said.

“Upperclassmen will choose first, and then everybody else picks, even for junior/senior housing.”

Residence Life also has a new online tool enabling students to track available rooms in real time.

Students who want to squat, however, have no need to worry about availability.

“I saw the ads on Facebook – they were pretty helpful,” Lee said. “I’m all set now for next year, and I’m excited.”

The Beacon — www.upbeacon.net  3

Update: Chapel renovation Alissa White | THE BEACON

Problems with The Chapel of Christ the Teacher’s original infrastructure have surfaced, requiring updates.

“The sound system was failing and on its last leg, and the lighting systems tracks were failing and needed to be replaced,” Fr. Gary Chamberland, C.S.C., director of Campus Ministry, said.

It was not until November when Chamberland and the rest of the church discovered how bad the lighting had become.

“I came out here (to the aisle) and I tripped over a pew. I had never realized how dark it was,” Chamberland said.

Construction began Dec. 20. “(The issues) are mostly electrical and we wanted to brighten up the ceiling so it can reflect the surrounding light instead of sucking it up,” Paul Luty, the director of Facilities Planning and Construction, said.

The ceiling was painted and will soon have all the metal wiring for the new lights hidden behind long planks of lighter colored wood.

In addition to the lighting upgrades, the fire detection system will be updated, a skylight will be added and the top six feet around the cupola will have an ice and water shield.

“The Chapel should be ready by the first week of March,” Luty said.

“All Masses are being held in BC Auditorium, which is pushing the size limit for times like Junior Parents Weekend and Ash Wednesday,” Chamberland said. “But if we need to, Christie Chapel is helping a lot as well with overflow.”

Junior Douglas Orofino, a member of the Chapel Choir, is excited about the chapel updates.

“The lighting will make it easier to read the music we’re singing and the other elements will give the building better acoustics, which will make it easier to hear the choir and produce a more balanced sound,” he said.

-Joanna Goodwin

4



NEWS

February 17, 2011

ASUP’s resolution creates buzz

Senate tables amendment to CIF policy, pushing the vote back a week

Graphic Courtesy of UP Marketing & Communications

Sarah Hansell Staff Writer hansell14@up.edu The resolution to spend the ASUP capital improvement fund (CIF) on a new recreation center has created quite a buzz

2

on campus, generating enough disagreement to bring senators and executive board members to compromise with a revised resolution.

Students have shown strong opinions about the issue, starting two Facebook pages,

one in favor of putting ASUP financial support toward a new recreational center and another against using student funds for the center, a key component of the University’s $175 million fundraising campaign known as the RISE campaign.

The resolution was tabled at Monday’s ASUP meeting, so senators will vote Feb. 21. By a show of hands toward the end of the Feb. 14 meeting, 10 out of 30 senators were against the resolution, and their arguments sparked enough debate to keep the senate in discussion right up to 6:59 p.m., one minute before ASUP meetings end.

The resolution would put the CIF, a fund that goes toward a physical improvement on campus every semester, toward a replacement for Howard Hall for three consecutive fall terms, starting with the 2011 fall term.

The original resolution put the entire CIF toward the new recreational facility until it was completely funded starting this semester. However, many senators and constituents did not want to lose their CIF freedom and the smaller, immediate improvements to campus.

On Feb. 9, the Executive Board and certain members of the Senate reached a compromise, which leaves the spring terms open for the CIF to be used for immediate improvements to campus. “(With the compromise) we’re able to meet these smaller projects, but also help and assist with something that’s much bigger than our time on campus,” ASUP President Colin Dorwart, a senior, said.

Some senators who were against the old resolution are in favor of the new compromise.

“It’s a true compromise,” Senator Julia Balistreri, a sophomore who was formerly against the resolution, said.

“We’re dedicated to Howard Hall, but we’re also allowing the students to still have their CIF.” However, not all senators agree. Senator Nicholas Williams, a freshman, says ASUP shouldn’t use student funds for something already being funded by the RISE campaign.

“We are going to get the money for this no matter what we do,” Williams said in the ASUP meeting last Monday.

Senator Brock Vasconcellos, a sophomore, said although the resolution provides for future students by giving them a new recreational center, it gives current students the short end of the stick.

In response, Senator Kyle Hamm, a sophomore, said not only do future students greatly outweigh current students in numbers alone, but the resolution does benefit current students by giving UP a reputation and allowing them as a student body to be able to say they were part of the RISE campaign.

“This is all part of the grand scheme of things,” Hamm said.

Senator Clinton Malson, a freshman, said there were better ways to help the RISE campaign than to donate money.

“Our money could do much more here on campus,” Malson said.

Other senators, however, believe it’s important to build something for future students.

“It may not affect us, but is it really even about us anymore?”

Senator Danielle Bibbs, a junior, said.

ASUP Vice President Katie Scally, a senior, is more excited about the awareness this resolution has created than anything else.

“Above anything else, I’m just glad we’ve generated such a good discussion on campus,” Scally said.

Whether or not it passes, the discussion resolution started has caused the both senators and members of the executive board to see the potential the CIF has.

“It just opens up so many more possibilities to what the CIF can be,” Balistreri said.

The UP Public Safety Report 1. Feb. 11, 3:45 p.m. - A student reported his bike stolen from Villa Maria. The bike was not secure or registered with Public Safety.

2. Feb. 11, 11:30 p.m. - Public Safety received noise complaints from two neighbors about a house in the 6700 block in N. Van Houten. Public Safety officers contacted the renter, and the party broke up. Officers remained to make sure people cleared out.

3 1

3. Feb. 12, 3:10 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a medical call at Corrado Hall. A student passed out and was not responsive. Upon arrival, the student was awake and responded to questions. AMR was called for evaluation because alcohol was involved. The student refused transport and was turned over to Residence Life. The student was allowed to remain in his room under the care of his roommate.

LIVING

The Beacon — www.upbeacon.net  5

Trash turned fashionable

College Ecology Club hosted “Trashin’ Fasion: A Recycled Fashion Show” on Feb. 11. Students created outfits that consisted of at least 75 percent reused and recycled material, including bubble wrap, floppy disks and copies of The Beacon.

Design by Andrea Jackle | THE BEACON Photos by Kevin Kadooka | THE BEACON

6 

February 17, 2011

Villa residents make kills and take names

Luke Riela Staff Writer riela14@up.edu

Alissa White | THE BEACON

Since the game started last Monday, Assassins has claimed the imaginary lives of 45 Villa Maria Hall residents.

According to junior Kurt “The Godfather” Berning, codirector of the game, Assassins is a free-for-all competition in which players with chosen nicknames attempt to “kill” the rest of the participants by placing a green sticker on a target without him noticing for 15 seconds. As a guide, players are given an ordered list of targets that changes daily.

“Players must go down the list and eliminate everyone,” Berning said.

According to Berning, players may not be killed while in their own dorm rooms, in study areas, in the bathroom, during Mass or during sporting events.

Some assassins strategize around these safe zones to stay alive in the game.

“You want to get as fast as possible from safe zone to safe zone,” freshman Sergio “Lt. Serge” Rangel said.

Berning said one player was planning out all of his routes to classes to minimize the risk of getting tagged while away from safe zones.

According to Ben “Big Daddy” Helms, hall director of Villa Maria Hall, residents will try to declare some areas unofficially safe during activities.

“They’ll call safe zone for 20 minutes while they play video

Amanda Blas Staff Writer blas13@up.edu

games, but that doesn’t really mean anything,” he said.

According to Berning, in Assassins you can’t trust anyone to cut you a break. Berning says people have been killed cutting cakes, signing cards for a birthday and even during a serious talk about a relative’s death.

“It’s a game about opportunity, regardless of the situation,” Berning said.

Even good friends won’t hesitate if they have the chance.

“I killed one of the bros. It was tough, but I had to do it,” freshman Jason “Fried Rice” Celino said.

While there are certain safe areas, Assassins is fueled by the sense of danger.

“Assassins is all about paranoia,” Berning said. “People are a little more reserved when the game is going on.”

Residents commented on the tensions in Villa Maria Hall.

“People get suspicious when you’re standing next to them,” Celino said.

Rangel added, “you do a lot more turning to see who is behind you.”

Even trying to get a wrap at The Cove can be a frightening experience for assassins.

“When you’re in line and there are people standing right next to you, it gets pretty scary,” Rangel said.

Helms pointed out the social nature of the game, despite the tension.

“It gets much more paranoid, but much more active as well,” he said.

Helms said the game gets students involved who don’t typically take part in events.

“I killed one of the bros. It was tough, but I had to do it.”

Jason Celino freshman

According to Helms, students may actually spend more time socializing in the lobby than they did before because they are waiting for their target to show up.

“It provides a really fun environment,” Helms said.

According to Berning, the game began with 75 participants.

“The majority of Villa is doing it,” Helms said.

However, many players are eleminated at the game’s beginning because they don’t know how to survive or don’t try to, according to Berning.

“Not everyone is as devoted, or they don’t know how to protect themselves,” he said.

Helms said many of the freshman fall soon after the game begins.

“Freshman usually don’t get all that is entailed with Assassins.”

According to Berning, there are quite a few players who are set on winning and know how to

do it.

Rangel took someone out with a landmine, a sticker placed upside down for the target to step on. That’s just one technique.

“The most effective way is to throw a sticker into their hood,” Rangel said.

Freshman Garrett “Gunther” Athman tried attaching the sticker to a nerf gun bolt, but he was taken out before he could make use of it.

According to Berning, many assassins are eliminated at the end of the week because players are required to get at least one kill each week.

“There’s always a frenzy at the end of the week because people are trying to get their one kill,” Berning said.

Berning said after a kill, the assassin must submit the information of the assassination, including a rich narrative on how it was performed, and they certainly get creative: According to a daily Assassins “communiqué” e-mails, one narrative spoke of a chariot, a silenced RPG and defending orphanages from bears.

It may be all fun and games, but players take winning to the extreme.

“I think it’s special because of the amount of devotion and planning the guys put into it,” Berning said. “The defending champion moved out of Villa, so the title is up for grabs.”

Honor among assassins The guidelines for Villa’s Assassins game

1

Kill must take place without target noticing for 15 seconds

2

No kills in the bathroom, class, The Library, Franz computer rooms, study rooms, in one’s own dorm room, during Mass or during sporting events

must get at 3 Assassins least one kill each week

4

Hall receptionists are safe during their shift ROTC students cannot

5 kill or be killed in uniform

Alissa White | THE BEACON Page designed by Roya Ghorbani-Elizeh | THE BEACON

Students prepare to take the plunge

When most people think about spring break, they dream of somewhere fun in the sun. But for some UP students, chilling in Alaska is the way to go.

This spring break, 15 UP students will travel to Sitka and Juneau to take part in the Native Alaskan Plunge through the Moreau Center for Service and Leadership .

“I think it’s a very good and positive way to spend spring break: immersed in a different culture and world view,” senior Taylor Bergmann, a student coordinator for the plunge, said.

During the plunge, participants will explore the Native Americans’ social and cultural aspects by involving themselves in the community.

“It’s about immersing ourselves in Native Alaskan culture and just learning about how things are different in a tribal

community as compared to a more western community,” student coordinator and senior Rachel O’Reilly said. “Overall, it’s about just learning more about the Native American community as a whole.”

Participants will also address the struggles and issues Natives Americans face. These issues include topics such as healthcare, education, alcoholism and domestic violence.

“We are definitely going to be learning about their education and health systems,” sophomore Kylee Green, who will be attending the plunge, said.

They will also have the chance to see how tribes address these issues.

“Not only will we look at the challenges tribes are provided with, but at how tribes work positively to address social problems,” Bergmann said.

Because the plunge is a service learning trip, participants will do some volunteer work.

“One service opportunity involves holding three workshops for three high

schools in Sitka,” Bergmann said. “We’re going in to create a dialogue about opportunities after high school.”

This service project gives the plunge participants a chance to relate to the Native American youth with whom they will work.

“We have experience dealing with these issues,” Bergmann said. “So it gives us common ground.”

Plunge members’ preparation for their upcoming immersion in Native Alaskan culture also includes fundraising for the plunge. One such fundraiser was their “Love in the Arctic: A Night of Music and Improv” event last Friday night.

“It was a lot of fun,” Green said. “The first half of the show was music with singers and instruments, and the second half was improv, a lot like ‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’.”

The event also gave them a chance to pull in money outside of ticket sales.

“We sold cookies and brownies,” Green said. “And donations were ac-

cepted.”

The plunge participants were pleased with the success of the show.

“Mago Hunt Recital Hall was completely full,” O’Reilly said. “All the chairs were being used and people were even sitting on the floor.”

Student coordinators and plunge members did not pull together their successful event alone.

“Plunge members April Vanderkamp and Eleanor Johnson, along with the improv team, were the biggest asset,” Bergmann said, “We really appreciated it.”

With all the hard work they have put into the plunge, participants are eager for spring break.

“I don’t know what to expect, which is exciting,” Green said. “I’m keeping an open mind, hoping to take away great memories, meet new people and looking forward to getting immersed in a culture completely different from my own.”

Bryan Brenize | THE BEACON

Your vote

The Beacon — www.upbeacon.net

7

Photos by Alissa White | THE BEACON Design by Rosemary Peters | THE BEACON

ASUP Elections 2011

Your choice

An election for the ages

On Feb. 22-23 students will vote for the 2011-2012 ASUP Executive Board. The winners will have the power to distribute over $400,000 in student funds, write resolutions that will alter your future and represent your voice to the administration. Whom will you choose?

President and Vice President

Name: Danielle Bibbs Year: Junior Major: Communication studies Please briefly state why you wish to be part of the ASUP Exec. Board: I would like to be

a part of the ASUP Executive Board for two reasons.

First, I would like to represent the voice of the students of UP. I want to play a big role in making sure our students are heard and that they are answered either by discussion or by action. The only way to ensure that is by working with the administration, Board of Regents and with the school president. Second, this is my only chance to run as I’ll be a senior next year. So it’s now or never.

Please list the activities and groups with which you have been involved at the University of Portland: School activities that I have

Danielle Bibbs & Chris Collins

been and am currently involved in include: Army ROTC, Associated Students of the University of Portland (ASUP), Ohana/UP Connections, Organización Latinoamericana Estudiantil (OLE), Guam Club, Mariachi Performance Club (Los Chavos), Black Student Union (BSU) and Encounter With Christ (Campus Ministry).

I am also a big supporter and frequent volunteer of the College Republicans, the Hawaii Club and Movi-

Name: Christopher Collins Year: Junior Major: History and German studies Please briefly state why you wish to be part of the ASUP Exec. Board: I want to be part of

the AUSP Executive Board because I have gained a great amount of experience by serving in ASUP as both the Shipstad Senator my freshman year and as one of the Off-Campus Senators this year. Also, I feel like I am well equipped to both listen to students’ concerns and work to fix any problems they see on campus.

Please list the activities and groups with which you have been involved at the University of Portland: I was a Senator for Shipstad

my freshman year and an Off-Campus Senator my junior year. I did not participate in Senate my sophomore year because I was studying abroad in Salzburg for the year. This year in addition to being in Senate, I am on the APA Committee.

Please list your goals as an ASUP Exec.

Board Member. How are you going to accomplish them?: Some of my goals as a member of the ASUP Executive Board are to continue the current Executive Board’s work on making ASUP more transparent and accessible to a larger portion of the student body. I have already spearheaded resolutions such a comprehensive e-mail newsletter to allow stu-

Name: Caitlin Chu Year: Sophomore Major: Accounting and finance Please briefly state why you wish to be part of the ASUP Exec. Board: I want

to be a part of the ASUP Exec. Board because I have been a part of ASUP for almost two years now and I love being able to be the voice of the student body. This is also a great opportunity for me to do something I have wanted to do since I came to UP.

allocated funds each semester and encouraging clubs to reallocate funds in order to spend all their funds before budget meetings. I will fairly allocate funds to clubs and organizations that have spent their funds well or ask for modest funds by reviewing a club’s past spending. I will uphold the finance policy and ensure the Senate and Finance Committee are regularly reviewing the policy. I will work closely with the Inventory Committee to ensure funds are not being allocated toward additional items that already exist within a club or organization.

Please list the activities and groups with which you have been involved at If elected, what will you do to reach the University of Portland: I have been your constituency?: As a former senator, I a freshman workshop leader, a peer mentor, an ASUP Senator (Mehling Hall Senator, Financial Management Board), involved in Relay for Life (general committee member, Accounting and Registration Chair), and currently active in Alpha Kappa Psi.

Please list your goals as an ASUP Exec. Board Member. How are you going to accomplish them?: I will motivate clubs and organizations to spend all of their

sent out monthly e-mails to my constituents to update them on issues discussed in senate. I believe e-mail is the most efficient way of reaching my constituency because every student at UP has to check his or her e-mail at some point in the day. I will also use Facebook groups to reach out to those constituents who are always on Facebook and not so much on their e-mail.

miento Estudiantil de Chicanos de Aztlán (MECHA.)

Please list your goals as an ASUP Exec.

Board Member. How are you going to accomplish them?: My goals as an ASUP Executive Board member include maintaining my position to the best of my abilities. This includes learning everything that I can and doing everything in my power to make sure the Executive Board and the Senate are at their personal best. I hope to inspire others to become involved in student government or just take a greater interest in their academics.

If elected, what will you do to reach your constituency?: If elected, I would like to reach my constituency by being where the people are. I would like to attend club meetings, participate in a variety of school events and have a greater hand in serving our community. I hope to create informal events in which my constituents could come and find me outside of the ASUP office or other ASUP events. I also would like to be a frequent user of social media including Facebook and Twitter in order to contact, inform and hear from my constituency.

EL

plays an important role in UP students’ lives. I would love the opportunity to positively affect the lives of my fellow Pilots because I truly love this university and the people on this campus. I would be able to speak clearly and confidently to the administration and university community as an ambassador for the students. Also, I currently have relationships with several members of the administration, and I believe the connections I currently have will allow me to effectively communicate the needs of my fellow students to the administration to make a positive change to our campus.

1 1 20

If elected, what will you do to reach your constituency?: If elected, Danielle Bibbs and I will work together to host numerous events to get the student body and us together and enable us to communicate about different problems on campus and how and what they want to see changed on campus. We will also work to get the ASUP office known as a place where students can stop by not only to voice a concern or complaint, but also to socialize and know ASUP is here for them.

hall receptionist and a student ambassador.

Please list your goals as an ASUP Exec.

Board Member. How are you going to accomplish them?: My goals include listening to the

students and doing my best to get their voices heard, working with the administration to make our campus better, fixing the West Side Quad and spending the money students pay for their Student Government fee, and have those monies affect our current UP student population. I will accomplish these goals by maintaining regular office hours, being a good listener and available to my fellow students, building strong ties with the administration to get work done on campus and encourage clubs to spend money and dream big!

If elected, what will you do to reach your constituency?: Frankly, I will do whatever it takes.

Please list the activities and groups with Whether it’s e-mails, office hours or meeting people which you have been involved at around campus, I will encourage open communicathe University of Portland: tion with every UP student because all of our voices

N O I ECT

dents quick and easy access to the happenings of ASUP and other clubs on campus. Also, I will work with the University to create a more diverse UP community in regards to people with different social, economic and cultural backgrounds and try to get the diversity to overarch into all aspects of the University’s motto of teaching, faith and service. One way I can do this is by engaging and working with the Moreau Center and clubs on campus to use ASUP to better promote and help facilitate diversity in a positive and tangible way.

Treasurer

Name: Zack Imfeld Year: Junior Major: Theology Please briefly state why you wish to be part of the ASUP Exec. Board: The Executive Board

I have been an ASUP Senator, the Committee Chair of Oversight and ASUP Awareness, Villa Maria Hall President, a Praise and Fellowship leader, a Villa Mass musician, an Encounter team member, a Villa Maria

Name: Chloe Ruffin Year: Junior Major: Education Please briefly state why you wish to be part of the ASUP Exec. Board: I love UP.

The three years I’ve spent on The Bluff have been the best. I love the people, the sense of community, the spirit of service and the cooperative commitment to achieve excellence demonstrated by students and faculty alike. My experience has been particularly enriched as a result of my three years of service in the ASUP Senate.

Please list the activities and groups with which you have been involved at the University of Portland: During my time at the University,

I have been ASUP Mehling Hall Senator, ASUP sophomore class senator, ASUP School of Education senator, ASUP Campus Affairs Committee member, ASUP Committee on Infrastructure Chair, ASUP Club Recognition and Advisory Committee Chair, on the ASUP Elections Committee, a CPB Coffeehouse Coordinator for two years, Treasurer of Kappa Delta Pi and on the Founder’s Day Committee for two years.

Please list your goals as an ASUP Exec.

Board Member. How are you going to ac-

Caitlin Chu Andy Ottolia

are equal. I will effectively present the views of the students to the university community, so I believe that listening and effectively communicating our needs will be important. I would like to hold office hours outside of St. Mary’s in the Bauccio Commons or Pilot House because those buildings get the most foot traffic and that way the students will have easier access to the Executive Board so their voices can be heard.

complish them?: First, I would be to improve com-

munication between ASUP and clubs. This year, $15,000 was wasted by clubs not spending their budget. I would create a “Club Liaison” position within the Senate to work with clubs to ensure they best utilize their funds.

Second, I would improve the West Side Quad. I would form a committee that included administrative/facilities staff and student representatives whose sole purpose would be to address this issue. Lastly, I would increase awareness regarding ASUP as a student resource. I feel more students need a better understanding of how ASUP can serve them and that their voices can be heard. We could invite particular groups of students to each meetings (ex: engineering, seniors, intramurals, etc.)

Zack Imfeld & Chloe Ruffin

If elected, what will you do to reach your constituency?: You name it, and I will do what it takes to reach my constituency. I am willing to hold my office hours on campus during a time/place when the largest majority of the students are there. I’ll also utilize media and technology to reach my constituents. I will work with the Tech Department to utilize the Portal/ My Communities. I would also create a Facebook group where members of my constituency could openly discuss any concerns or suggestions. Twitter and texting are also viable options. I will reach my constituency by active listening. Sometimes, people just want to be heard. A majority of the compliments/complaints that Senate receives is by word of mouth.

Name: Andy Ottolia Year: Junior Major: Business Please briefly state why you wish to be part of the ASUP Exec. Board: I am a UP business student with a large interest in financial success. As an ASUP Exec. Board member I will do everything in my power to help ensure financial decisions in a successful manner.

Please list the activities and groups with which you have been involved at the University of Portland: I have been a Senator from 2009-2010, an E-Scholar and the Founder and CEO of P-Town Global LLC.

Please list your goals as an ASUP Exec.

Board Member. How are you going to accomplish them?: Communcation will be

key in how I will accomplish my tasks as ASUP Treasurer. I plan to keep an organized and consistent record of all the finances within ASUP.

If elected, what will you do to reach your constituency?: I will have weekly office hours. I am also very open-minded toward anyone who would like to dicuss any concerns.

Secretary

Kristin Johnson

Name: Kristin Johnson Year: Junior Major: Political science Please briefly state why you wish to be part of the ASUP Exec. Board: I wish to be a part of the ASUP Exec.

Board because I want to increase awareness of ASUP around campus, and its related activities, in order to get students more involved in the UP community.

Please list the activities and groups with which you have been involved at the University of Portland: I

was the Relay for Life Co-advocacy Chair and member of Colleges Against Cancer.

Please list your goals as an ASUP Exec. Board Member. How are you going to accomplish them?:

As an ASUP Exec. Board member, my goals would be to provide a well-organized foundation for the Senate and Exec. Board as well as be a positive representation and advocate for the UP student body. I would accomplish these goals by taking great responsibility in my duties as ASUP secretary.

If elected, what will you do to reach your constituency?: If elected, in order to reach my constituency I would make sure to be an active participant in Senate and Exec. Board meetings and take responsibility in providing and advertising important information to the students.

10

February 17, 2011

Voter’s PaMPHLET: ASUP Executive Board 2011-2012

Campus Program Board Director

Name: Hillary White Year: Junior Major: Organizational communication Please briefly state why you wish to be part of the ASUP Exec. Board: The Campus Program Board is such an important component of UP life and culture. It helps to build community among students and is a major player in campus life. I, as the CPB Director, want to continue to bring students fun events they are excited to attend. CPB events are a great way to bring students together, and I want to continue to be the leader of such an important cornerstone of campus life.

Please list the activities and groups with which you have been involved at the University of Portland: I currently hold the position of CPB Director, and last year as a sophomore I was the CPB Films Co-Chair and the Spring Dance Co-Coordinator. In fall of 2009, I was on the Election’s Committee, and I was an orientation assistant. I’m a member of Alpha Lambda Delta.

Please list your goals as an ASUP Exec. Board Member. How are you going to accomplish them?: From my experience as a member of the ASUP Exec-

utive Board, I know how important it is for all of the members to keep in touch with their constituents. Our job is to be the voice of the students, and that is done best when we are in con-

tact with as many students as possible. It is really important to turn that communication around and make ASUP transparent.

My goal is to increase transparency by getting students to want to know what is going on in both ASUP and CPB. Name recognition is the most important vehicle for this change. I think that if students start to connect CPB and ASUP together, then we can start to influence their views of either organization. We need to create a culture of students looking at the ASUP My Communities page for information regarding senate meetings, CPB events and club support. Only then can ASUP become a vibrant, recognizable life-force of this campus.

If elected, what will you do to reach your constituency?: CPB already uses e-mail, Facebook and posters,

but I want to do more to reach off-campus students. To do this, I want to make CPB updates and news more readily available.

I want to make the background on the library computers upcoming CPB news so any student who logs on to a computer has CPB updates ready for them. I want to add a calendar to the St. Mary’s Student Center and the Pilot House with CPB events for the semester. Also, I want to continue to increase the turnout at CPB meetings. If more people attend our meetings, then we will have even better input on what students want, which makes CPB events that much better.

Sean Ducey

ties fair coordinator, a member Name: Sean Ducey of the League of Extraordinary Year: Sophomore Major: Secondary English and Gentlemen. Also a proud Eagle education

Please briefly state why you wish to be part of the ASUP Exec. Board: As an

Scout, where I Still work during the summer.

Please list your goals as an ASUP Exec. Board Memactive leader in CPB for the past ber. How are you going to two years, I have had the oppor- accomplish them?: I want tunity to observe many different CPB activities through a supportive yet critical perspective. By attending weekly meetings, movies and many other events, I recognize the need for a unique style of leadership – one I would be honored to provide. I would like to serve as the CPB Director so that I can use my many experiences to improve CPB: effectively promoting activities voiced by the students, for the students. I want to influence change, enhancing each student’s time on this campus. I am involved in many aspects of campus, so I have a good sense of what students would like. I have plans to get more feedback from our constituency. I have served in essentially every program CPB does. I hope to broaden my service to improve our programs.

Please list the activities and groups with which you have been involved at the University of Portland: I have been on CPB in the past. I was the Dance of the Decades coordinator for the last two years, a CPB sound technician and a member of the Villa Drum Squad. I have been involved in Relay for Life, a Hall Intern, have participated and led on Encounter with Christ Retreat and the Alaska Plunge, am an admissions tour guide, a receptionist in the School of Education, an altar server, a hall retreat coordinator, an activi-

to bring a big name performer to campus. I attended a class to learn how to do it. I understand the work it will take, but I want to see this happen. I will use Facebook and the “new” Portal to better communicate CPB events. I want to see better communication with off-campus students. I want to obtain more feedback on events, and I want more student say in movie selections. I want to add new activities to keep students interested in the events while simultaneously keeping events that are highly successful and popular.

Finally, I want to move funds to have one more Coffeehouse per semester.

If elected, what will you do to reach your constituency?: First, I would include as

many student voices as possible.

In doing so, CPB can restructure the budget to better suit the wants and needs of students. Second, I will implore my fellow students to offer more suggestions to form programs. Once we establish this program for the UP community, CPB will effectively incorporate as many opinions as possible.

If elected, student opinion – not the decisions of a select group of individuals – would lead this campus to events our constituents would enjoy. Finally, I look to better promote programs and activities organized by the Campus Program Board.

How to vote • Online voting starts at 7 a.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 22nd and ends 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23rd.

• To vote, go to PilotsUP.

Hillary White

FAITH & FELLOWSHIP

12  February 17, 2011

Women strengthen Bluff community

Christine Patterson Guest Commentary ‘Woman’ is a group of people (women) who carve out a space in their schedules every other week to come together and share life.

Throughout my four years here, I have found The Bluff to be a place of strong community.

I have been involved in everything from Bible Studies in the dorms to frisbee late at night to cereal breaks in the halls of Shipstad. But one thing that I always craved for more of was

a time and a space for women to come together and just be women. I wanted it to be formal in intentions, yet a place to be comfortable. This is the vision that brought about the group ‘Woman.’ Somehow, amazingly, Vinci (Patterson, assistant director for faith formation) and I had the same vision even though we had never talked to each other before and last spring we began laying the framework for this group.

We meet every other Friday for about an hour and a half – or however long people can stay in the small lounge of the Kenna basement. We talk. We have fun. We eat chocolate (and other healthy things). Those who come define the space – what they want it to look like, how

serious or light-hearted. Something unique happens within the group. Women share about their past and about their future. It is something truly special.

The group is open to students, faculty, and alumni. In the past we have talked about our identities as women, what our hopes were and are for college, and even about holiday traditions as we decorated cookies. In general, when we are all coming in, we eat snacks and treats that are provided by Campus Ministry, then everyone participates in the discussion or activity that has been planned for that meeting, and we usually close with a brief prayer.

Anywhere from 8-12 women have come to our Friday gatherings. No one in the group really

plays a different role from another – we all come to share our experiences and to listen to others.

Also, while this group is faithbased, there is no restriction on religion or spiritual background and any woman is welcome to come.

I personally have found it to be a space of reprieve where I am still challenged to truly listen and grow with a bunch of other women. So whatever it is that you’re looking for, I invite you to come and shape the space with us – as long as you are a woman.

Christine Patterson is a senior nursing major. She can be contacted at patterso11@up.edu

Woman Friday 25 at 5:30 p.m. in the basement of Kenna Questions?

E-mail Christine at patterso11@ up.edu

Drawing by John Overmyer

The Beacon

Making news so fashionable, you’ll want to wear it.

Apply for next year’s staff today: www.upbeacon.net

Opinions

The Beacon — www.upbeacon.net  13

Our two cents on ASUP candidates Bibbs for President Danielle is highly personable and involved in a diverse amount of activites and clubs and thus Danielle Bibbs can better represent UP students.

While Zack Imfeld has an impressive résumé, he appeared to favor the adminstration’s needs over the students’ needs during the debate. His focus also seems too closely limited to Villa Maria and ASUP.

Collins for Vice President Chris is friendly and understands the interests of students and will stand up for us in the face of Chris Collins the administration. He is ambitious and approachable.

While Chloe is energetic and caring, most of her activites are centered in just ASUP, and she may be stretched thin because of student teaching next year.

Chu for Treasurer Caitlin is a highly organized and genuine candidate who has forward thinking ideas and Caitlin Chu experience with the budget in the ASUP Finance Committee.

While Andy is enterprenurial and ambitious, he appeared unprofessional and apathetic during the ASUP debates.

Editorial Policy

White for CPB Director Hillary is currently an organized, professional and successful CPB Director with Hillary White great ideas for next year. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Sean clearly has valuable experience and great potential for leadership and no doubt will be a strong candidate after Hillary graduates.

Johnson for Secretary Kristin runs unopposed.

Regardless, she appears to be an organized, positive and responKristin Johnson sible candidate who will do a good job on the ASUP Executive Board.

The editorial reflects the majority view of The Beacon Editorial Board. The editorial does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the collective staff or the Administration of the University of Portland. Other submissions in this section are signed commentaries that reflect the opinion of the individual writer. The Student Media Committee, providing recommendation to the publisher, oversees the general operation of the newspaper. Policy set by the committee and publisher dictates that the responsibility for the newspaper’s editorial and advertising content lies solely in the hands of its student employees.

Students helping orphans

Little Prinz Children’s Help Project Guest Commentary Africa is the world’s second most populous continent, and its 61 nations are home to 1 billion of the earth’s inhabitants. Located on the east coast, Kenya borders the Indian Ocean and neighbors Tanzania and Somalia. Kenya is only twice the size of Nevada but there are over 40 million people living within the country’s borders. Forty million can be a hard number to visualize, but even harder to imagine is that the median age is a mere 18.8 years. Can you picture yourself living in a country where 42 percent of the people who live there are under 14 years old? It’s statistics like these that make you wonder about a country’s future

welfare, but also its potential.

Last Sunday Taylor woke up at 5 a.m., reached for his laptop and opened it to Skype with his dear friend Collins Lumumba. Collins tilted the webcam to show Taylor his adopted son Lorenzo, a chubby-cheeked, havoc-wreaking two year old. This is a completely different Lorenzo from when Taylor and Collins first met in June 2010. Nine months ago, Collins and his best friend Lewis Oyemba founded Lorenzo through the outreach work of the child welfare organization that they founded together. At the time, Lorenzo was 18 months old and weighed just under 10 lbs, which put him in the bottom of the fifth percentile of weight for his age.

Both of his parents were victims of the HIV epidemic and after their death Lorenzo was cared for by his extended family. He became another mouth that needed to be fed, and unfortunately there was not enough for him to eat. He was malnourished, had intestinal parasites and his toes and fingers were covered with jigger, a flesheating flea. Thanks to the care and attention of Collins, Lorenzo is now a healthy, walking, 28 lb. boy.

Lorenzo is just one of 2.5 million orphaned children in Kenya according to UNICEF. In the poorest and least developed region of Kenya, Western Prov-

Submission Policy

Letters and commentaries from readers are encouraged.

All contributions must include the writer’s address and phone number for verification purposes. The Beacon does not accept submissions written by a group, although pieces written by an individual on behalf of a group are acceptable.

Letters to the editor must not exceed 250 words. Those with longer opinions are encouraged to submit guest columns. The Beacon reserves the right to edit any contributions for length and style, and/or reject them without notification. University students must include their major and year in school. Nonstudents must include their affiliation to the University, if any.

Advertising in The Beacon

For advertising information, contact Emily Lindgren, business and advertising manager, at beaconads@up.edu.

Subscriptions

Subscriptions are available at $26 for the year, covering 24 issues. Checks should be made payable to The University of Portland: The Beacon. For more information about subscriptions or billing questions, contact Business and Advertising Manager Emily Lindgren at beaconads@up.edu.

ince, the HIV epidemic has left many children without a supportive and healthy family environment. Since there is no foster care system in place, these children lack that important safety net and are forced to be taken in by whoever can care for them. While Taylor was interning in Kenya last summer, he realized we could no longer turn a blind eye to this problem. Recognizing the need for an interim place where children could be taken in and treated until they were healthy and adopted, he, along with four friends, formed the Little Prinz Children’s Help Project. Created with a holistic approach to child welfare, Little Prinz will operate as a children’s home for vulnerable children whose current situations put their health and welfare at risk while also providing vital support to young mothers and their children in the home.

But what will these children do with their healthy lives once they leave the home? It is our hope that they receive education and learn trades in order to support themselves and their future families. We hope that these young leaders will invest in their communities and East Africa, helping to foster organic sustainable development through supporting local East African coSee Orphans, 14

Power UP green Polly Peterson Guest Commentary I don’t think I am alone in my increasing feelings of panic regarding my pending graduation just weeks away. Pressures to find a job, pay off debts, and actually be an adult, are looming. The million-dollar question “So what are you doing after graduation?” makes my palms get clammy, and I always feel a bit defeated answering truthfully, “Well, I don’t really know…”

If you share in these symptoms of anxiety regarding your imminent future, fear no more.

You can answer with a much more inspiring, and still truthful: “I’m going to change the world.”

Because we are. University of Portland breeds world-changers. And our world, regardless of your political beliefs or your sense of responsibility for being involved in the transition, is facing changes. Climate change is here. Whether you blame humans for it or not, it’s happening. And we can do things to slow it down.

Pilot entrepreneurs can capitalize on the blooming green-collar job market. Our engineers, fresh out of the LEED-certified Shiley

Hall are going to be designing the next generation of more efficient buildings, vehicles, etc.

The University of Portland has already produced many of these cutting-edge individuals with the eye for a certain need, so why not you and me next? Whether we stay in Portland, move back home or move to an entirely new place, we will be equipped with the skills to make a positive difference in the lives of others and the intuition to know that now is the time to act and be on the cutting edge of an exciting transformation.

Regardless of whether you feel the pull to do something about climate change because you feel morally obligated to preserve the environment, or because you like saving money on your bills, the fact that there is an emerging market for climatesolution industries is undeniable, and we are going to be a part of it.

I want the Saudi Arabia of wind energy to be in the United States, creating American jobs and increasing our national security by decreasing our dependency on foreign oil. I want those living in poverty to have the same access to clean water that I have. I want a good job after graduation!

We can sit around and wait while our peers find a solution for us See Green, 14

THE BEACON Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief. . . . . . . ����� Rosemary Peters News Editor . . . . . . . . . . ��������� Hannah Gray Opinions Editor . . . . . . �������� Megan Osborn Living EditoR �������������� Roya Ghorbani-Elizeh Sports Editor . . . . . . . . �����Aaron O’Connell Copy Editor. . . . . . . . . . . �������� Lisa McMahan

Contacting The Beacon E-mail: beacon@up.edu Website: www.upbeacon.net Address: 5000 N. Willamette Blvd. ● Portland, OR 97203-5798

Staff Writers

PJ Marcello, John McCarty, Bruce Garlinghouse, Elizabeth Vogel, Jocelyne LaFortune, Caitlin Yilek, Sarah Hansell, Philippe Boutros, Amanda Blas, Will Lyons, Corey Fawcett, Rachel McIntosh, Joanna Goodwin and Luke Riela.

Photographers

Alissa White, Kevin Kadooka, Bryan Brenize and Scott Chia Designer. . . . . . . . . . Alexander Domingo and Andrea Jackle Business & Ad Manager . Emily Lindgren Artist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Samantha Heathcote Web Technician . . . . . . . . . . . . Bob Alger Circulation Manager. . . . . . . Sal Liotta Adviser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nancy Copic Publisher . . Fr. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C.

Opinions

14  February 17, 2011

ORPHANS: students care GREEN: Go Faces on The Bluff Continued from page 13

operatives. In Kenya and many other developing countries, it is hard for farmers and small businesses to compete with larger companies in the world’s economy. Fair trade is a solution that can have a tremendous impact on helping these people earn a living. By paying fair prices to producers in developing countries, they can provide for themselves and their loved ones.

This is why Little Prinz is partnering with the Fair Trade Club to put on a film screening and bake sale Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. in Mago Hunt. Will you join us

in making the Little Prinz Children’s Help Project a reality? The future of Africa, the future of Kenya and the future of a just and hospitable world lay in the hands of the youth. Help us to change the lives of the next generation and ensure that they have the same childhood we so lovingly cherished ourselves.

This article was jointly written by Taylor Bergmann (bergmann12@up.edu) Daniel Boettcher (boettche12@up.edu) Danielle Knott (knott14@ up.edu) Lindsey Morris (morrisl14@up.edu).

Continued from page 13

and we can piggyback on their discoveries, or we can make the discoveries ourselves. Come to Focus the Nation on Feb. 26, and let’s transform our energy future together. Why continue all the risks of business as usual and go down, when there are so many opportunities to go UP? Whatever the reason that drives you to get involved, come engage with the community about how to make your vision for a transformation a reality.

Polly Peterson is a political science and Spanish studies major, she can be contacted at peterson11@up.edu.

By SCOTT CHIA Photographer

We asked:

What is your favorite movie from this last year?

“A-Team.”

“Kick Ass.”

Clinton Malson, freshman, business administration

Michael Paton, sophomore, chemistry

“The Town.”

“The Social Network.”

Jeffrey Hundahl, senior, finance

Shane Moser, senior, electrical engineering, computer track

SPORTS

The Beacon — www.upbeacon.net  15

UP Baseball Preview PJ Marcello Staff Writer marcello13@up.edu After finishing second in the WCC last year, Pilots baseball looks to turn out an even better season with a mix of veteran stars and fresh newcomers.

The team graduated five seniors last year, and junior Zach Varce was drafted to the New York Yankees.

“We’ll miss guys like Zach Varce, who was our Friday night starter, Rocky Gale, our starting catcher, and CJ Cullen, who played first base, but we have some guys to look out for this year,” junior short stop Kris Kauppila said.

The Pilots aren’t without leadership; they will have eight seniors and eight juniors leading an experienced team and some returning stars.

“We have some key guys coming back in. Kyle Kraus, who was outstanding last year, and also Chris Dennis, who is a preseason All-American and put up huge numbers last year,” sophomore Colin Feldtman said.

Many young players are looking to fill the roles of graduated seniors. The competition for the jobs is improving the team.

“This year, look out for Brian Fratalli at first base, as well as Chet Thompson and pitcher Chris Johnson to be major contributors,” Kauppila said.

Freshmen are looking to make an early impact this year and have proved to be a hard-working class.

“The freshman class has been competing and playing really well, especially this early in their college careers,” Feldtman said.

With this blend of veteran leadership and young talent, the Pilots plan on making a run at the WCC title and a shot at advancing in regionals. Last season the team finished second in the WCC. It’s predicted to finish second in the division again in preseason polls, but the team’s expectations are above that bar.

“Last year was our first top three finish in a long time,” Kauppila said. “We have a lot of returners with the same mentality we had last year. We’re going to be dangerous this year.”

The team has a new look with incoming freshmen and new players in some key positions but the work ethic and team camaraderie has remained with the team.

“Our team chemistry is what makes us unique. We hold everyone accountable both on and off the field,” Feldtman said.

The season begins tomorrow in Tennessee. The team will face Middle Tennessee State in a three-game series. The first home game is on Feb. 22 at 2:00 p.m. against George Fox. “It’s going to be a good season. We’re going to do something special this year,” Kauppila said.

16  February 17, 2011 Pressure. Some athletes crumble in the face of it, others thrive on it. To be a closer in baseball, you have to be among the latter.

It is a scenario baseball players imagined countless times: pitching to an imaginary batter with 3-2 count and two outs at the bottom of the ninth.

Senior Chris Dennis has made it a reality.

Last season Dennis simultaneously became the all-time saves leader and set the record for most saves in a season in UP history.

He recorded 14 saves, solidifying himself as the best closer in Pilots baseball history.

His secret: focus.

“I like the pressure. I like being in the spotlight and having the responsibility. It makes it fun and exciting,” Dennis said.

Dennis goes through the same warm-up routine before each outing. He sits on the top of the dugout, then runs some sprints.

Teammate Colin Feldtman said Dennis, or ‘Diesel’, is a “nononsense guy during the games.”

“He removes himself from the side conversations, and we know to let him be during the games,” Feldtman said. “He is able to block everyone and everything out and that’s what makes him so effective.”

Dennis began his baseball career at the age of four when his dad signed him up for T-ball.

“He was always watching it, and we’ve had season tickets to Mariners games my whole life,” Dennis said.

When asked what his favorite moment watching the Mariners was, there was no hesitation.

With a big grin on his face he immediately responded, “Edgar’s double in the 1995,” also known as “The Double.”

Dennis also played football and golf in high school, but baseball has remained his favorite.

“It was the first sport I ever played and the one my parents really pushed me to play. I love the competition and being able to play every day,” Dennis said.

What makes Dennis’ record-

Sports Preseason All-American Chris Dennis: The Beacon

www.upbeacon.net

A Master Under Pressure Bruce Garlinghouse Staff Writer garlingh13@up.edu

For a full preview of the 2011 Pilot Baseball season, check out page 15

setting 2010 season so significant is the fact that last season was his first at Portland. Before making his way to The Bluff, Dennis played at Edmonds Community College in Washington.

“He’s a great player and teammate,” Pitching Coach Larry Casian said. “ He works hard, does everything you ask.”

Dennis, who wasn’t recruited out of high school, helped his team win the NWAAC Championship in 2009 and posted a 1.58 ERA earning him a spot on the Second Team All-NWACC North Division Team.

“I first noticed his breaking

ball. I said to Chris, ‘I don’t know where you’re going to pitch here, but you’re going to pitch,’” Casian Said.

Dennis said winning the NWAAC championship was the highlight of his career but added that a WCC championship would mean more.

“Winning a championship here would top that for sure,” Dennis said.

For Dennis, his team’s success has always been more important to him than his own.

“Saves are a team stat. So if I’m getting more saves it means I’m helping the team,” Dennis

said.

Dennis was named a Preseason All-American as well and many consider him to be a top candidate for Stopper of the Year.

Dennis was also one of five candidates for the award last year, but Dennis said he doesn’t put a lot of thought into the honors.

“It’s definitely an honor but it just means more pressure,” Dennis said.

When Dennis isn’t on the mound, he’s probably playing Call of Duty with teammate and housemate sophomore Matt McCallister. According to McCallister, Dennis’ pitching skills don’t

exactly translate to the sticks.

“Well, he’s better at baseball; I’ll just say that,” McCallister said.

But baseball isn’t the only field Dennis looks to master. While being drafted is something he said he hopes for, it is not something he is counting on.

“It would be great to be drafted but its not something you can count on. I’m big in finance and am applying to graduate school,” Dennis said.

So if you don’t find Dennis closing games in the Majors, it is probably a safe bet he’ll be closing deals on Wall Street.

Pilots mobilize to finish conference play strong John McCarty Staff Writer mccarty12@up.edu

Following a pair of wins over West Coast Conference opponents Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine, the women’s basketball team heads to California this week to face off against the University of San Fransisco and Santa Clara.

The Pilots held out against the Pepperdine Waves to win 78-73 in double overtime before dealing the LMU Lions another loss 78-69. These two wins bring the Pilots to 5-5 in conference and 14-11 overall.

Though the Pilots were picked to place fifth in the WCC by a preseason coaches poll, Head Coach Jim Sollars hopes to lead the women to their third straight postseason appearance.

“A strong performance is all we can really be concerned about

right now,” Sollars said. “We don’t really control our fate in the WCC but if we win out we will be somewhere between fourth and second.”

The Pilots remained in control throughout Saturday’s bout with the LMU Lions, maintaining the lead for 39 of the 40 regulation minutes. Junior forward/guard Natalie Day garnered two double-doubles to bring her career total to four with 26 points and 10 rebounds against the Lions and 23 points and 16 rebounds against the Waves.

Senior guard Tara Cronin earned the second double-double of her career against the Waves with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

“I’m very happy with our team after these huge wins in the upper half of the conference,” Cronin said. “We stuck with it and battled through and showed our best on the boards.”

Sollars echoed Cronin’s senti-

ments and acknowledged that UP out-rebounded both LMU and Pepperdine which, according to Sollars, was a main factor in each win.

“We had a lot of people show up tonight and that’s what we needed, especially since we are essentially playing with four guards and a post,” Sollars said.

Cronin, Day, freshman guard Alexis Byrd and junior guard ReZina TecleMariam totaled 12 three-pointers against the Lions, tying the team record for most three-pointers during a game for the third time this season.

TecleMariam led the Pilots with a game high of six assists while Cronin and Byrd contributed 19 and 12 points, respectively.

Though the Pilots led the entire game against LMU, their Thursday night battle with No. 2 Pepperdine was a much different story. As the final minute of regulation play was winding down,

the Pilots, ahead 67-64, seemed assured of a win.

Everything changed when Day missed the first of a one-andone free throw.

Pepperdine’s Jasmine Jackson snatched the rebound and heaved the ball up court for a last ditch three-pointer before she was fouled in the final seconds of the half.

Amid the murmurs of unbelieving fans, Jackson made all three of her free throws, sending the game into overtime.

Tied at 67, the Pilots and Waves exchanged four points apiece but were unable to break the deadlocked score due to missed shots and turnovers on both sides. Pepperdine pulled ahead with a layup early in the second overtime before Day sunk a two-pointer from the lane and was fouled.

After Day converted the andone, the Pilots were up 74-73. Senior forward Lauren Angel helped

seal the Waves’ fate, making both her free throws after being fouled on a rebound. TecleMariam was also fouled in the waning seconds of the game and sunk both of her free throws for a final score of 78-73.

“I sort of feel like we played with them at first. We missed some key free throws and jumpers and also got into some foul trouble, but I’m proud that we were able to persevere and get the win,” Day said.

The Pilots currently sit in the middle of the WCC pack, below Gonzaga (10-0), Saint Mary’s (8-3) and Pepperdine (6-5).

With four regular season games left, including the final home game against St. Mary’s, who beat the Pilots 76-78, the women hope to make an appearance in the WCC championships, which begin March 4 in Las Vegas.