The Profile | March 2015

March 2015

thehendrixcollegeprofile.com

Volume 103 | Issue 5

THE HENDRIX COLLEGE

WORLD TRAVELS

| THE GLOBAL ISSUE |

Mo-Mo and Charlie Hebdo___8 Mission Trip to Guatemala___9 Experiences Abroad with James Owen___10 International Students at Hendrix ___12

THE PROFILE

CONTENTS

Volume 103 Issue 5 March 2015

NEWS

3 Building Closures Plans to save energy

4 The Laramie Project Presented by Hendrix Players

OPINION 6 Vaccines

Herd immunity and falling rates

6 The Zucchini Martin ups party game

7 Sustainability Fund Plans for the future

FEATURE 8 Charlie Hebdo

Student experiences history in the making

9 Mission trips Building relationships through service

pg.10: Hendrix in Oxford

10 Academic Adventure Studying abroad fosters appreciation

12 “Home Away From Home” International students at Hendrix

SPORTS 14 Intramurals

Break from the Bubble

15 Dance Ensemble Preparation for spring performance

CULTURE 16 Dr. Dog

THE PROFILE STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

BROOKE NELSON 817-341-9167 NelsonBT@Hendrix.edu

MANAGING EDITOR

LAYOUT EDITORS CLAIRE DE PREE JACKIE OAKLEY

PHOTO EDITOR LEE ROGERS

JOSH HAMMONS 501-616-0328 HammonsJE@Hendrix.edu

COPY EDITOR

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

PHOTOGRAPHERS

BLAIR SCHNEIDER

Spring concert preview

17 Movie Review 50 Shades of Grey

18 Recipes New recipes from abroad

20 Calendar THEHENDRIXCOLLEGEPROFILE.COM

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MARY KATHERINE BARKER

GRACE OXLEY MADISON DEALING MEGAN PRETTYMAN

STAFF WRITERS

CASEY HAWKINS CHIRAG LALA DANIEL GREAR HANNAH MCCARTHY SYDNEY MEYER RACHEL LORSBACH

BUILDING CLOSURES

NEWS

Hendrix cuts hours to save energy in unused academic buildings

by Chirag Lala

H

endrix College spends an approximate $1.5 million each year on energy expenditures. Several years ago, facilities conducted an energy audit in partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative to find ways in which the college could cut costs. Based on that report’s findings, Hendrix retrofitted most major academic buildings.

It established what’s called a ‘shared cooling loop’ among the temperature control systems of these buildings. This allows facilities to manually set up an ‘off-hours time’ or ‘a setback schedule’ where power usage in a building dramatically

“PRUDENCE [IS KEY.] WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MIND OUR ENERGY USAGE.”

-LLOYD RYAN declines when the building is mostly empty.

Lloyd Ryan, director of facilities, described it as “a computerized system that does the same thing anyone would do to their house if they went on vacation; it stops us from wasting power we don’t need.”

This was done because the audit was quite clear in saying that the easiest way to reduce energy consumption was to stop wasting power in major buildings.

But, despite this new system, there are still unresolved issues.

“We still have students booking events late into the night and not showing up,” Dean Wiltgen said. “We’ve also had cases where students book an event in a building that should be shut down when another building that’s still open would have worked fine.”

This wastes energy, not just because lights and heating are left on, but because it prevents facilities from activating their setback schedule for the building until all events are done. This means that a building like Fausett might still be

photo Lee Rogers running full steam after 5 p.m. just because of an 8 p.m. event. Cases like these are the reason changes are being considered.

It’s important to clarify that everything remains purely hypothetical. Dean Wiltgen mentioned that any changes would account for buildings like MC Reynolds that have specialized equipment or computer programs that students need.

And for Mills, the Dean mentioned that closure times likely wouldn’t be set until after most people were finished using the building.

“Mills is busy most days till at least 9 or 10 p.m.

Closing it any earlier than that isn’t really up for discussion. Even if there is belt tightening, it shouldn’t be anything drastic,” Wiltgen said.

There’s also a question of security. Both public safety and the Dean have concerns about only one or two students staying late in places like the art building or Mills. Especially with the art building, which isn’t on the campus heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, there have been too many incidents where someone leaves a door open past midnight or leaves the thermostat too high or low.

The question is ultimately one that Ryan described as “prudence; we have a responsibility to mind our energy usage. That said, we will work with faculty and students to accommodate their needs. The buildings are there to be used.”

MARCH 2015

3

Possible Closures: • Mills Building • DW Reynolds • MC Reynolds

Hendrix Players Present

THE LARAMIE PROJECT

by Daniel Grear

A

t 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4, Hendrix College’s rendition of The Laramie Project will open in Cabe Theatre. Subsequent performances will be on March 5 and 6 at 7:30 p.m. and March 7 at 2 p.m. The Laramie Project is a docu-drama inspired by the story of 20-year-old Matthew Shepherd, a gay student who was brutally murdered in 1998. It is widely believed that the murder was, at least partially, motivated by homophobia.

The play’s inception started when the Tectonic Theatre Project, a theatre company out of New York City, traveled to the scene of the crime – Laramie, WY – to interview its citizens about the tragedy. Instead of simply offering a biographical retelling of Matthew’s murder, however, the transcripts from these conversations were adapted into a play that documents the way in which a small community grappled with the aftermath of such an intense event.

Because The Laramie Project contains potentially upsetting subject material, there will be talkback discussions after every performance.

Moreover, guidance counselors will be standing by if any audience members should need to debrief more extensively.

Directing the The Laramie Project is HendrixMurphy Foundation visiting theatre director Freddie Ashley, the artistic director of Actor’s Express, an Atlanta-based professional theatre that showcases boundary-pushing and provocative work. On top of this, Ashley also teaches classes at Kennesaw State University (KSU). He heard about this opportunity from Bridgette Rogers, a Hendrix dance instructor and his former graduate school roommate.

“I had done an acting workshop on campus four years ago, also through the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation, so I had visited Hendrix before,”

Ashley said. “Last spring, Bridgette contacted me and the dates lined up perfectly.”

When asked about what interested him in working on such a politically charged production, Ashley spoke about the play’s unique investment in exploring ethical ambiguity.

“There’s not a clear, didactic moral to the story,” Ashley said. “I’m not drawn to plays that do that.

One of things that I love this play so much is that it gives full dignity to all of the varying points of view. The reason this play has stood the test of time is that audiences will find their world view both affirmed and challenged at different times.

The play does each in equal measure.”

Four-night-a-week, three-hour rehearsals for The Laramie Project began in late January.

“When I cast a show professionally, we do it sometimes six months in advance,” Ashley said.

“With The Laramie Project, we cast the day before rehearsals started.”

Even with such a swift turnaround, Ashley has been pleased with the cast.

“I’ve been extremely impressed with the level of talent at such a small school. And we’ve got such a range of experience. There are three freshmen in the show. Also, I’ve been impressed with how serious their work ethic is. This is a play that they believe can do a lot of good in the community.”

In directing the play, Ashley has tried his best to adhere to the standards set by the original cast and crew.

“It’s a human-driven event, not a technicallydriven one. There are almost no props. Each actor just has a chair.”

Additionally, this means that only eight students—four men and four women—were cast for a production that includes more than 60 characters.

Steven Hulsey, a sophomore from Little Rock,

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AR, has been cast in the role of Greg Pierotti, one of the original members of the Tectonic Theatre Project. What this means is that he will mostly play the Laramie townspeople that Pierotti interviewed.

“My characters have an overall arc to them,” Hulsey said. “They’re generally authority figures who are peripheral, but sympathetic. Every cast member’s characters are sort of lumped together.”

When asked about whether or not he enjoyed taking on so many personas in such a small amount of time, Hulsey spoke of both the pitfalls and benefits.

“A pure ensemble cast requires a huge distinction between each character,” Hulsey said. “You turn into the people you’re interviewing. No characters are ever truly off stage. We’re in full view of the audience for the entirety of the play, so we always have to look attentive. There’s no room for laziness or breaks. But this builds an energy that you wouldn’t have if people were waiting to get on and off stage. In the end, we’ll have a series of highly developed, really honed characters.”

More importantly than the theatrical feat set before him, Hulsey is excited about the integrity of the message that The Laramie Project will send to the Conway community.

“This project captures the full spectrum of what the whole town thought,” Hulsey said. “A beehive full of opinions is raised. There’s a lot of nuance to these characters. No stereotypes. Even characters I disagree with have a lot of nuance. I’ve heard a lot of people say, ‘I bet this play is really depressing and sad,’ and it is. It’s describing a really horrific thing, but the play is actually kind of uplifting. Almost hopeful. There’s a great line that comes from Dennis Shepherd, Matthew’s father, where he says ‘Good is coming out of evil.’”

NEWS Nathanael Drahn, a junior from Lopez Island, WA, acted in a production of The Laramie Project in high school.

“As an actor, you’re trained to put yourself into a character, but I was playing someone who had murdered one his fellow students,” Drahn said.

“That process was one of the most confusing experiences of my life, but it allowed me to understand things as more than black and white.

Before that performance, I had really only done Shakespeare before. Combining a social issue into theatre was incredibly powerful. I loved knowing that something I enjoyed doing for fun could actually have a serious impact.”

Drahn added, “I’m really glad that they’re bringing it to Conway. It’s easy to think that Laramie, WY is just a place out in the middle of nowhere where something crazy could happen. At Hendrix, everyone’s friendly and we all know each other, but this kind of thing could happen anywhere.”

photos Madison Dealing

The cast of the Laramie Project rehearses. Each member has a main part but will also appear in smaller roles throughout the play.

Top: Senior Abby Christophel (Mercedes Herrero) Bottom in Clockwise order: Junior Austin Rodgers (Andy Paris), Alexander Atchley (John McAdams), freshmen Kameron Morton (Kelli Simpkins), MaKayla Ealy (Barbara Pitts), and junior Mellissa Rooney (Amanda Gronich)

MARCH 2015

5

The Reasons for Vaccines How they work, why they are important

by Chirag Lala

E

very spring, the Hays Memorial Scholarship competition occurs at Hendrix College, during which prospective students must give a presentation on either a topic of their choosing or an article selected by Hendrix. For the last two years, the article presented to students was one by Eula Biss, entitled “Sentimental Medicine.” The article is an attempt to explain why vaccines are so feared. But, the article also offers the reader a rational theory behind vaccinations.

There’s a famous video done by comedians, Penn and Teller, which involves them knocking down pins (people) by throwing balls (diseases) at them. In their video, vaccinations represent a screen protecting the pins. Without the screen, the balls metaphorically knock down a large proportion of pins.

There’s a name for this symbolic screen: herd immunity. Biss describes it as follows: “when enough people are given even a relatively ineffective vaccine, viruses have trouble moving from host to host and cease to spread.” From a medical standpoint, herd immunity is a challenge to the common perception that vaccines are medical cure-alls. They aren’t. Vaccines don’t cure diseases, but rather stop them from spreading by making it harder for them to infect certain people. When those people aren’t infected, they can’t function as hosts. Eventually, viruses find it too difficult to spread and decline as public health threats. This is the strategy that developed nations used to wipe out small pox and dramatically reduce incidents of whooping cough, measles, and polio.

A guide to covering “vaccine-preventable disease” was recently released by NOVA in part-

nership with Tangled Bank Studios. That report noted that measles, which used to cause 450 annual deaths between 1956 and 1960, fell to only 100 cases in 2000 with absolutely no deaths.

Vaccines helped decrease the incident of vaccinepreventable disease by 72-100%, and results also showed that vaccines will likely save as many as 700,000 lives among children born in the past two decades (the current Hendrix age range).

But this protection from herd immunity only lasts so long as the symbolic wall of vaccinations continues to exist. If enough patients stop getting vaccinated, the effectiveness of herd immunity will wane. That’s precisely what’s been happening in recent years. The NOVA report noted that phantom outbreaks of old diseases we thought we had beaten years ago were rising; 900 cases of mumps surfaced in 2014, 533 of them in Ohio alone. 48,000 cases of whooping cough were reported in 2012, “more than any year since 2012” according to the report. Simply put, the protections established by decades of American vaccination policy are eroding.

Perhaps the saddest part of this whole story is that vaccination rates are falling for all the wrong reasons. Fear about vaccinations has been rising ever since the late nineties and many parents have responded by opting not to have their children vaccinated, a clear reduction in the pool to create herd immunity.

Both Eula Biss and the NOVA Report cite and debunk three common misconceptions. The first is the link between vaccinations and autism, a link suggested by a paper in 1998. However, both the paper and the author were thoroughly discredited by extensive scientific research in the decade since 1998. Another worry is the presence

The Zucchini

of chemicals like mercury in vaccination preservatives such as thimerosal. But let’s be clear: chemicals are in everything. Both NOVA and Biss take great pains to mention that thimerosal is only in some flu vaccines now. Biss goes on to point out that numerous other chemicals in vaccines, like ethyl mercury or aluminum, are present in vaccines at levels far below the rate humans would absorb naturally while out and about in the world.

The final common worry both NOVA and Biss mention is that of how many vaccines children receive. The answer here is quite simple; babies are tough little things and can handle their fair share of shots. Study after study has demonstrated as much. In fact, NOVA states that we want children to receive more vaccines early on to boost immunity.

The alternative is a return to the dark ages of proliferating illness. We’ve grown accustomed to a world without measles or whooping cough. But, just ask the developing world what it’s like not to have an effective counter. Those who would spread misinformation and scientific illiteracy on the issue of vaccines should be found and condemned. To parents who are understandably fearful for their children, I say this: we are social creatures. We interact. But so do our ailments.

Vaccines are a medical necessity and a social responsibility. They are our best hope of protecting the most crucial advantage of modern civilization: our health.

by Casey Hawkins

Martin Hall Revamps Themed Parties

A

nyone who attends, or has attended, Hendrix understands the significance of a good Martin Hall party. The parties themselves are the stuff of legends, but the themes are what really set them apart. However, many students have recently grown frustrated with the repetition of party themes year after year and want themes that appeal to more groups of people. So, this semester, the boys over at Martin Hall are taking their partying prowess to another

level by revamping their party themes, all while keeping things “PG”-rated, of course.

The new themes aim to appeal to any type of party-goer. A few examples of parties students can expect this semester include, but are not limited to, “Wizards and Witch Doctors,” “Teletubbies and Fuzzy Bunnies,” and “Yoga.” The Martin residents hope that these inspire more Hendrix students to attend their parties.

“I mean, our parties were already pretty tight,

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but now we’re taking them to another level,” one Martin resident said. “I’m especially stoked for ‘Selfies and Snapchat Stories.’ The party pics are gonna be strong.”

One freshman said, “I had never really had any interest in going to a Martin party, but after hearing about ‘Sweater Knitting and Basket Weaving,’ I’m planning on becoming a full-on party animal.

I’d like to see someone try to get in the way of my knitting skills.”

OPINION

Hendrix Votes for Greener Campus

Students, Board approve proposal to aid sustainable projects

by Hannah McCarthy

T

he sustainability fund passed! Didn’t it?

Like many other students, I wasn’t so knowledgeable on the process of the funding approval, unsure if the 80% student endorsement marked the incorporation of the fund, or if more work was necessary to make the proposal a reality. To get more information, I accompanied the Environmental Concerns Committee (ECC) on a trip to Creek Cove Natural Area to remove invasive plant species, led by the group’s chair and the student who started the movement, senior Elisa Rivera.

While hiking the creek side trail after hours of pulling privet, Rivera detailed the process of the proposal, saying the voting results had been taken to the meeting of the Executive Board of Trustees the past Tuesday. She noted happily that they “approved the general fee structure for the campus,” although she admitted she wasn’t too sure what that meant.

In fact, the fund was only introduced at the meeting, along with other changes in tuition. The real day would come on Saturday, Feb. 14, when the Board of Trustees planned to meet officially to cement changes in tuition. The Board officially approved the fund on Feb. 20.

“We knew that when we took the campus sustainability fund to the Board of Trustees that we would need a big show of student support,” Rivera said. “Everyone in the ECC worked really hard the day of the vote. We tabled at the sun porch all day, reminding people to vote and taking pictures of people holding up an ‘I Voted’ sign. Then, from 6:30 p.m. to about 8 p.m., we split up and knocked on all of the doors in all of the living areas on campus encouraging people to vote.”

After a full day of work and months of planning,

the results came in around 11:30 p.m. that night.

“We saw that we had gotten 50% of the student body to vote. That many Hendrix students all participating in one thing is incredible. We’re very happy that 80% of those students wanted a campus sustainability fund,” Rivera said, adding that she felt confident in taking the results to the Board.

The proposal is the result of an Odyssey project centered at Colorado State University (CSU), which Rivera visited to learn more about the student-led efforts toward sustainability. There she met with the school’s club, the Student Sustainability Center (SSC), which leads successful and well-known environmental programs.

“When I asked the student in charge what he would do if he could do one thing with the SSC, he said he would try for a sustainability fund,” Rivera said. She added that while CSU conducted the very same vote on the incorporation of the fund, in the end, not enough students supported the proposal.

“That made me even more proud and excited when we got as many students voting in favor for the fund as we did,” Rivera said.

With her new knowledge of a sustainability fund, she returned to Hendrix, eager to share her discovery.

“I brought the idea back and I did a presentation in front of Senate explaining what I learned and what the fund would be,” Rivera said.

Equally excited over the prospect of a sustainable movement, vice-chair William O’Brochta got to work on the proposal.

“William O’Brochta laid the groundwork for the whole thing. He wrote this beautiful, nine-page proposal that laid out what the fund would be,

what it would and would not cover, who would be on the campus sustainability fund committee, and how that would work. He put a lot of time, effort, and heart into getting the fund to the point it is today, and without him it really couldn’t have happened,” Rivera said.

The fund is essentially like that of the Odyssey budget, except that it is strictly for sustainable efforts on campus. Like an Odyssey, students would propose a project to make Hendrix more environmentally friendly, requesting money to carry out the proposal. Of the many outcomes, such a fund could allow for a more efficient sprinkler system, a greenhouse for the school garden, and a compost system (currently, there is a small compost bin in the student garden behind Public Safety).

“The fund will give student leaders the means to enact the change that they want to see at Hendrix,” Rivera said, adding that the “fund will attract prospies interested in a college that seeks to better its environment.”

Rivera recalled happily that she and her partner, O’Brochta, wore their familiar green jump suits on voting day in a last attempt to rally student support. They were even able to talk to a few prospective students on campus who seemed excited about the proposal and its possible outcomes.

Months of hard work from both Rivera and O’Brochta, as well as from other members of ECC, are most likely soon to pay off.

“I can’t wait to come back to campus years after I’ve graduated and see all of the sustainable changes that have been made to campus because of the fund,” Rivera said.

Hendrix President Bill Tsutsui even had something to say about the new parties.

“You know, as the president of the ‘#1 Up-AndComing’ liberal arts school in America, I was initially concerned with all the emphasis placed on the parties going on this semester,” Tsutsui said.

“But after I heard about ‘Godzilla Roast,’ I was in full support of the idea. It’s safe to say that I, myself, will be making an appearance at this party. I might even break out the Godzilla costume I wore for Halloween that one year.”

The parties themselves will even feel very different from what students have come to expect.

Gone are the days of wild antics while running around on the first floor and sipping on red Solo cups (filled with water, of course). The new ragers will feature partying staples such as trivia and karaoke. During the craziest parties, they might even break out the classic game of Twister.

“I’m honestly scared about how turnt up these parties might get,” a first floor Martin resident said. “You ain’t ever seen a trivia game so intense,

especially when you go to a school like Hendrix.”

The Martin residents hope that these new themes become staples of the Hendrix partying scene for years to come.

“When my grandchildren come here I want them to be able to tell me about what a great time they had at ‘Jazzercise,’” one Martin sophomore said. “We’re trying to leave that kind of impact.”

MARCH 2015

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Mo-Mo And Charlie Hebdo

photos Mo-Mo Filat

Sophomore experiences history in action

by Sydney Meyer

“

I had no anticipation when I woke up that morning that I was going to be a part of history.“ On Jan. 7, 2015, two Islamic terrorists stormed into the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical newspaper, and fired assault rifles at those inside. They killed twelve people and injured eleven more. The newspaper was targeted because it had printed a comic depicting the Islamic prophet Mohammed.

While this act of murder and aggression was taking place, Hendrix sophomore Mustafa “Mo-Mo” Filat was abroad, doing what most people can only dream of: backpacking across Europe.

“It was the night before I was going to Paris before I had even heard about the rally,” Filat said. “A friend asked if I was going to the march and I said, ‘No, I hadn’t planned on it.’

He then said that they were expecting like a million people to show up so I said, ‘Oh, well then I have to go!

That sounds amazing.’”

“I started reading up on [Charlie Hebdo] the night before I left for Paris. I began to realize how big of a deal it was when I was on a train from Brussels to Paris and a news reporter came up to me and asked me if I was going to Paris for the Je Suis Charlie demonstration,” Filat said.

Filat was raised Muslim. To him, this act of terrorism hit home. “It was very frustrating that anyone would use my faith as a means to cause something so horrendous,” Filat said.

When Filat arrived in Paris, a friend asked if he wanted to join him at the rally.

“That turned out to be the best thing because

he took me to the center of the action. He knew exactly where to go and he could translate things I couldn’t understand,” Filat said.

Once at the march, Filat experienced a peaceful demonstration of unity and support.

“It didn’t seem like an anti-Muslim rally, but more of an anti-terrorist rally, which was refresh-

people there. You can’t get three million people in the city of Chicago to act peacefully the way these people did,” Filat said.

“It was a beautiful situation going on,” Filat said. “The cause was awful, but the French people, along with many others, were light-spirited.

We were walking by people’s houses and they were playing John Lennon’s ‘Believe’ from their houses and people in the crowd would sing the chorus.”

Citizens and world leaders alike joined together in Paris for this display. Filat recalls seeing flags from the U.S., Spain and even Ecuador. The phrase “Je suis Charlie” went viral, and demonstrators carried signs with variations on the phrase. Filat mentions seeing a Muslim man in the crowd holding a sign that read, “I am Charlie, I am Muslim, I am French.”

“I got to be the U.S. Ambassador abroad, which was apparently a big deal and I had no clue,” Filat said. “Apparently the U.S. didn’t send anyone to the rally. We sent our ambassador to France to ating.

Typically, A demonstrator holds up a sign during a rally in Paris on Jan. 7. Politi- tend the event, but Fox News cians from around the world participated in the demonstration. was criticizing the Obama adwhen things like ministration for not sending this happen, it becomes very negative toward the aggressors,” Obama or another high ranking official.”

Filat said.

Overall, the march and the rest of Filat’s time He also mentioned that people at the rally difabroad in Europe was life changing. ferentiated between Muslims and the terrorists “It’s never going to sink in for me, since I wasn’t home to watch the coverage, just how big this responsible.

“Security was ramped up. But what’s crazy is event was and how big of a deal the march was. I that there was anywhere from 1.5 to three million got to be a part of history and I had no anticipation of that.”

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FEATURE

MISSION TRIPS ABROAD Students repair bathrooms, build bonds across the world

by Hannah McCarthy

W

hat does a Miller Center mission trip entail? Does one have to be a devout Christian to participate? Could the average student afford it, given the already mounting student loans? I sat down with junior Ty Spradley and Reverend Wayne Clark to find out more about Hendrix’s Miller Center mission trips, which provide participants with somewhat overlooked opportunities to travel and serve both in the U.S. and abroad.

The most recent mission trip occurred in the last week of winter break: a trip to Guatemala in which students worked on a local chaplain’s home, laying tiles throughout the house and building bonds within the community.

The trip consisted of nine students and two faculty members, including Reverend Wayne Clark.

Most days consisted of working in the chaplain’s home, with days off left for exploring the area as well as the Mayan culture.

“It’s a good way to see different parts of the world and even your own country from a different perspective,” Spradley said. “You get to meet people from campus you wouldn’t be able to meet otherwise.”

Other Miller Center mission trips this year include hurricane disaster relief in New Orleans, economic development in the Arkansas Delta, and construction work on a Native American reservation in South Dakota. As these trips are at times expensive, the Miller Center covers most of the cost. The Guatemala trip amounted to only $300 per student, while the rest of the trips this year do not exceed $150.

The Guatemala trip was highly sought-after, as almost half of the students who applied for this year’s trips ranked Guatemala as their first or second choice. The process of choosing who gets to go on the trips is “very involved,” according to Reverend Clark.

“We want our trips to be diverse in every way-gender, classification, majors, ethnicity, religion, etc. We want students who have never been and students who have been,” Reverend Clark said.

Contrary to popular belief, “You do not have to be religious to go on the trip,” Reverend Clark said.

89 students applied for the trips this year through an extensive application process that includes interviews. Once the decisions were made as to which students would embark on each trip, a four-hour meeting was held to go over the particulars of the mission. The meeting served not only to prepare the students for the details of the trip, but also to prepare students for the emotional aspect of such a mission.

“We talk about the philosophy of the trip and the mind set you need to go in with,” Spradley said.

Each mission is centered on “vocation, ethics, and calling,” and these themes are stressed

throughout the trip through reflective journals and devotional discussions.

“For us, it is not so much the work we do but rather the relationships we are building--within our group and with the people we serve. If they leave a trip looking very differently on the group they served, it will have been a successful trip,” Reverend Clark said.

Top: The sun rises over the mountains around Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. Hendrix students spent most of their free time in the city. Bottom: Students Ty Spradley, Assira Ba, Kevin Krajcir, Blake Cooper, Hannah Shelton, Joy Spence, Mckinley Sparling, Mitchel Griffin and Elizabeth Ayers stand outside of a small church in Quetzaltenango. The group performed service projects for the church over the course of their one-week stay.

photos Ty Spradley

MARCH 2015

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AN ACADEMIC ADVENTURE: Studying abroad fosters appreciation

by James Owen, guest writer

F

og clings low to the streets, fighting a losing battle against the sun. With each passing minute and every subsequent shaft of sunlight, ancient edifices and neoclassical architecture are unveiled for the new day. As time keeps ticking, the cobblestone streets finally surrender to the sunlight.

The sun reveals the city of Oxford, England.

Known as the city of dreaming spires, Oxford is a compilation of 38 colleges that make up the University of Oxford. Although a tourist might know Oxford for its majestic buildings, it might be more apt to say that Oxford is the city of winding hallways for a student.

There are winding hallways to access many of the professors offices within the separate colleges; the catacombs of the Lower Gladstone Link in the Old Bodleian Library snake below the streets through tunnels closer resembling a bomb shelter than a library.

Just an hour by train from London, Oxford represents a perfectly symbiotic relationship between an ancient city and a timeless academic tradition.

I was able to spend the fall semester getting acquainted with the morning fog, winding passages, and academic experience of Oxford.

And it truly was an academic experience.

There is evidence of teaching going on in Oxford as far back as 1096. In that time, the University has mastered the tutorial approach.

For each of the two classes that an Oxford student takes, he or she meets only once a week for a oneon-one session with a professor who is a master on the given subject.

Most professors, or tutors, have been studying their area of expertise since their teens.

During the course of a tutorial, the student defends an essay to the professor before covering other important areas of the topic in the onehour meeting. It is a white-knuckle experience.

All this is to say that Oxford makes sure you know what you’re talking about.

Even compared to the small class sizes that Hendrix touts, the tutorial system is truly unique.

And learning does not end when THEHENDRIXCOLLEGEPROFILE.COM

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FEATURE

photos Grace Oxley and James Owen you step out of your tutorial or after a long day in the library. Much like the Hendrix Bubble, Oxford is a place with an inordinate amount of intellectual stimulation around every corner – or in every pub.

The preferred method of exchanging of ideas is in the form of debate, the calling card of the Oxford Union.

Similar to the debates hosted by the Union, one of the events that challenged my ideas on political, economic, and social policy was Port and Policy. This event consisted of port wine, three debates in a church reception hall, loud dissenting, even louder praise for a good idea, and a joyous singing of “God Save the Queen” at the end.

If the debates weren’t enough stimulation for you, the discussions would often shift to the King’s Arms, one of Oxford’s oldest pubs.

Once, after discussing the merits of England’s claims to the Elgin Marbles, a man that had overheard our conversation recommended Michael Sandel’s book What Money Can’t Buy. It’s still on my reading list.

Everyone at Oxford reads. Copiously and compulsively.

While Bailey Library is certainly

not the Bodleian Libraries, reading independently just for general edification was one of the most important takeaways I took from my experiences abroad.

But the adventures abroad did not end with Oxford.

I spent time in five different countries: exploring, getting lost, figuring out metro systems, and becoming well acquainted with constant change in surroundings.

Amsterdam stood out because despite being in a large city, the semicircle canals provided sight lines that made the city seem airy despite it’s size. The Dutch have also mastered the art of large urban green spaces.

Dublin was the opposite; it was spread out. None of the buildings were tall, and the city lazily sprawled like wondering moss on a rock. Despite the short buildings, the city was vibrant with character, not to mention it was the only city in which I saw Mexican food while in Europe.

Much like the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, Paris exceeded any possible expectations. For any Englishspeaker, the Shakespeare and Company Bookstore has to be at the top

of the list.

Switzerland is the definition of picturesque but ungodly expensive.

You really pay for a room with a view.

And it is worth every penny.

On the other hand, austerity measures have taken their toll on Greece, but cannot detract from the Mediterranean country’s rich culture.

In particular, Greece offered many lessons on life.

By talking –and listening – to an old man in a café next to the Agora in Athens, I learned the depth of the Greek crisis on the individual person. It’s hard to get that perspective from journalism. Even if it’s Ernest Hemingway telling the story.

There were economic lessons in Greece too - like make sure the checkbook is balanced before hosting the Olympic Games.

The degradation of the Greek economy is readily apparent. Graffiti is not rare. There are a few new building projects, but there is a strong parallel between the ruins of the Ancient Agora and the city of Athens.

The modern Acropolis museum is an exception to the rule, and war-

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rants a visit. It was my favorite museum in Europe.

Studying internationally helped me develop a deep respect for linguistics. I had trouble deciphering the German and French tram system in Basel, Switzerland. Yet, it was incredibly moving to be in a place like Basel that had four languages: Swiss, French, German, and English.

Speaking English worked, but understanding and trying to speak the native tongue is essential to full immersion in a culture. That’s my goal for the next trip.

When abroad, even simple tasks become a challenge.

Figuring out a city’s transportation system or ordering from a foreign menu is a confusing process. But once it’s over, once you’ve reached the destination, you realize that it is about how you got there.

Maybe Hendrix has something going by promoting a personal Odyssey.

A huge part of my Odyssey was the feeling of a new day rising out of the Oxford fog. It’s enough to inspire me to start planning my next adventure.

Home Away from Home:

by Casey Hawkins

Hendrix welcomes foreign exchange students

From left to right: International students Lilja Vignisdóttir, Pauline Mary, Aldmar Joubert, Alexandra Alzamora, and Babsi Pro have fun at the fountain. These students are all studying abroad for a year through the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP).

F

or most international students, the first thing they imagine about American colleges probably doesn’t have anything to do with a 1400-student liberal arts school in Conway, Arkansas. So, when Hendrix’s international students arrive on campus for the first time, they might have some natural reservations.

However, Hendrix goes the extra mile in making these students feel at home, whether it’s through activities sponsored by the International Club or the general hospitality of everyday Hendrix students.

The first step toward helping the international students settle in is a week-long orientation that takes place the week before the incoming freshmen move in. During this time, they’re able to move in before the hectic antics of Welcome Week and acclimate to the campus with their fellow international students. They’re also able to go on orientation trips and participate in the annual Hendrix tradition of Shirttails.

“We [the international students] got to know each other very well and we were ready for the semester to start,” David Steinmayr, an Austrian foreign exchange student who attended Hendrix last semester, said. “I was very skeptical about Shirttails, but now I am glad I did it. It makes you kind of feel like you’re being part of the Hendrix family and I guess that’s what being on exchange is about: leaving your comfort zone and being part of something new.”

Lena Marks, this year’s director of the German house, was a German international student for

one semester last year and returned this year to lead the German house. She had similar feelings when describing her first few days on campus.

“When we came here we had a really great orientation week,” Marks said. “Everyone took really great care of us and introduced us to another culture. We [the international students] also got to know each other better because of that week.

Even though there were sometimes cultural differences or times when you felt a little homesick, it wasn’t a big deal because everyone was so nice and interested in getting to know you and getting to know more about where you’re from.”

The International Club also promotes activities to further acclimate the international students.

Through events such as the international food bazaar at the end of International Week in November or foreign film movie nights, the international students are able to experience a taste of home while the rest of the students on campus have the opportunity to observe different cultures.

“Our role is basically to facilitate interaction between our international students and the Hendrix community and Conway community around that,” senior Kyle Wicks, president of the International Club, said. “We organize events and we will also take the exchange students on various trips. One of the things that has kind of become a staple for us is the [Altitude] trampoline park down in Little Rock.”

Aside from the campus-sponsored events, the general warmth of Hendrix students goes a long THEHENDRIXCOLLEGEPROFILE.COM

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photo Madison Dealing

way towards making the international students feel comfortable.

“I think a lot of it comes down to Southern hospitality and just the friendliness and openness of people here,” Wicks said. “I think it’s important just to stress in the beginning that if they [the international students] need anything or just have any questions to let us know. We have people who can answer the questions. And if I can’t answer myself, then I will find someone who can. I think that’s the biggest thing to get across to them early on that really helps them get adjusted.”

“What I liked most about Hendrix is that it is a small school and they actually care about you,” Steinmayr said. “My university at home [in Linz, Austria] counts 20,000 students. Their students are more or less just a number. At home it’s hard to get in touch with professors and you would never spend your free time with faculty members. At Hendrix I even went climbing with one of my professors. That was pretty cool.”

“Hanging out with the local students kind of made me feel American,” Steinmayr added. “I liked getting to do things like having Thanksgiving dinner, going to a football game or just watching some stupid show on TV. That might not sound like a big deal, but I was just like, ‘Alright, that’s what Americans do; this is so cool.’ My advice for every exchange student is to not just hang out with other exchange [students], but also with local students. You see America in a different way if you get to know the people and their traditions.

I guess I am a little bit American now.”

WHAT’S A WATSON?

FEATURE

Students submit proposals for global grant

by Chirag Lala

E

ach year, Hendrix College attracts students with a major financial incentive: the Odyssey program. It’s the closest thing we students have to an open-ended project grant.

Within reasonable limits, we can use the money to go overseas, finance difficult research, receive an internship stipend, and so much more. But, after four years, this path closes. Then, a much more prestigious and lucrative one opens: the Watson Fellowship.

The fellowship grants a graduating senior from a participating institution the opportunity to go abroad for one year and receive funding for a project of their choosing. In other words, it’s the Odyssey program with the shackles of practicality removed.

Applicants design an independent study that will take them in some capacity outside their home country; they then leave to fulfill their designs and return once the year and the journey are through. To get an idea of what kinds of projects these are, I spoke to two Hendrix applicants.

Meet Lila Coco, a senior international relations

and psychology major. She’s long been doing research into post-conflict societies. In particular, she studies the effects of cross-cultural trauma on groups like military populations, along with the way such trauma is often memorialized.

She spent a summer in Israel researching mental health policy used for members of the Israeli defense forces and on other vulnerable populations.

This work led her to apply for the Watson Fellowship, for which she proposed a project that would help her study the memorialization of tragedies, particularly in post-conflict societies.

The journey would have taken her through areas like Rwanda, Bosnia, Russia, and other areas in Europe.

“I didn’t get the fellowship, unfortunately. But I don’t regret applying at all. The fellowship was an extension of work, including Odyssey projects, I’ve been doing the past couple of years and it was truly a rewarding experience. Brit Murphy deserves a thank you for running this so well,” Lila reflected.

Her remarks were echoed by Jordan Spennato, another Watson applicant whose project would involve “observing and learning how different cultures use different forms of expressive art therapy. This ranges from woodworking, to felt making, to paper making, to dance.” Spennato, one of the finalists, is awaiting the final decision on March 15. She’s calm, despite the high stakes.

“I am so happy for the journey I got to partake in. The connections I made and experience I have because of the application process are things I wouldn’t trade for anything. The Watson helped me define what I want to do with my life.”

Lila Coco and Jordan Spennato, through all their fascinating work, are testaments to the ingenuity of Hendrix students. They both demonstrate the key lesson of distinguished awards: whether you receive them or not, learning from your experiences and using the application as an opportunity to explore yourself are the legacies that will stay with you far beyond the funding.

This summer, earn 10 credits while you gain valuable work experience as an intern.

Complete coursework that is relevant to your future career— and apply that knowledge directly in practice.

• Arts & Culture • Business & Management • Communication • Graphic & Web Design • International Studies • Politics, Public Policy & Law • Psychology Research & Practice • Public Health & Social Policy

BOSTON UNIVERSITY SUMMER STUDY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM Learn more.

may 18–august 14, 2015

617-353-0556 bu.edu/summer/internship

Pub: Hendrix

Run Date: 3/2

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Size: 7.5x5

Color: b/w

photo Grace Oxley

INTRAMURAL SEASON

Sophomores Ellen Martin and Megan Prettyman compete at an intramural soccer tournament in February. 10 teams entered the tournament, which lasted for six days.

Activities offer relaxed environment for athletes, non-athletes to play

by Sydney Meyer

I

t may seem that there is a divide in the student body between athletes and non-athletes. Often times, the sports teams roll in groups and appear exclusive, while non-athletes partake in activities, clubs and organizations that athletes can only dream of. But there is one athletic event that every student can participate in: any one of the nine intramural sports that the Wellness and Athletic Center (WAC) offers throughout the year.

“Not everybody gets to compete in regular athletic sports.” assistant baseball coach and director of intramural sports Andrew Thames said.

“It’s a great way to get to meet people, especially as a freshman. You’ll see a lot of freshman come out early in the year to try and meet people, and it’s encouraging because at the end of the year they’re still playing

intramurals. To see people on different teams at the beginning of the year and on the same team at the end of the year is really awesome.”

Intramurals offered at Hendrix include sand volleyball, basketball (either 5v5 or 3v3), dodgeball, the Santa Claus Classic volleyball tournament, indoor soccer, another round of basketball, kickball, and then the year will end with softball.

The games are all refereed by Hendrix students, athlete or non.

Signing up a team for any intramural is as easy as stopping by the sun porch across from the cafeteria between 11 and 1 and looking for the sign-up sheet.

One might expect that intramurals are overrun by athletes looking for easy wins and a fun chance to dominate other teams, but Thames says that non-athlete participants are

actually more common.

“Athletes are allowed to participate depending upon their coach, but for the most part coaches say no during season,” Thames said.

This conflict leads to limited availability for a majority of athletes who have to wait until their season finishes and opens up the courts to mixed teams of athletes and students.

It’s no big secret that finals are a very stressful time to be a student.

But intramurals can provide stress relief and study breaks. The Santa Claus volleyball tournament is often a big draw during December, and while you’re enjoying a mental escape, you’re helping children in the surrounding area have a wonderful Christmas.

This year was the 8th annual Santa Claus classic, a volleyball tourna-

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ment that benefits Toys for Tots.

The tournament typically takes place right after Thanksgiving and the only sport in intramurals that charges a participation fee. Students are asked to either bring a $5 donation or a toy equivalent to $5 as their entry fee.

Thames, the Toys for Tots representative, said that Hendrix’s donation was “by far the most from one donor that they had all year. We did really well.”

Whether you play for fun, for competition, for charity, or to make new friends, intramurals offers more than just a workout.

“It also gives you a break from studying and a break from across the street,” Thames said. “You come over here and you get to have fun and then you go back and study. It’s a great getaway.”

photo Megan Prettyman

Without dance,

Dance Ensemble members balance in a final pose. The spring performance is in April.

WHAT’S THE POINTE? Dance Ensemble prepares for spring performance

by Rachel Lorsbach

W

ith the dreary and long winter days slowly drifting away, and springtime just around the corner, Hendrix is frantically revitalizing itself.

Not only are warmer days quickly approaching, but so is Hendrix’s highly anticipated dance ensemble spring concert.

The students at Hendrix who so actively pursue their love for dance all have different reasons behind their decisions to be proud members of the dance ensemble team.

“I joined the dance ensemble because of the scholarship fulfillment, and I couldn’t give up dancing. [I have danced for 15 years.] I am so thankful that I can receive an amazing education and still dance,” freshman Jess Hunter said.

Sophomore Emily Hardick also has a long-term devotion to dance.

“I’ve been dancing since I was two, and trained pre-professionally in ballet until I got injured at the end of high school, and then I came to Hendrix. I joined dance ensemble as a way to get some exercise and do dance in a lower-pressure environment,” Hardick said.

Before rehearsals and practices for the spring performance even begin, though, work must be fulfilled to ensure that each dancer is included in the appropriate dance with the necessary choreographer.

“We audition for 5 or 6 pieces and sort of rank which ones we’d like to be in, and the choreographers do the same for who they want in theirs. We get casting and basically start rehearsing the next week,” Hardick said.

With the big spring concert quickly approaching in April, the dance

ensemble team members have been avidly practicing and preparing for months.

“We rehearse all year long on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In addition, you have an hour rehearsal for every piece you are in or understudying once a week. A lot of dedication goes into the choreography and the desire to perform well,” Hunter said.

Despite the hard work, freshman Kathryn Bolt appreciates the fun that comes along with being a part of the dance ensemble.

“We all have to put a lot of energy into the pieces, and I’m really excited to see them be performed in April. My favorite part of preparing for it has to be the camaraderie that has developed between those who are in each of the dances; we each have funny jokes that have devel-

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SPORTS oped during the individual piece rehearsals,” Bolt said.

Not only are non-dancing Hendrix students excited for the performance, but the performers are, as well.

“I’m extremely excited for the spring concert, but of course, I’m a little nervous. Personally, I think that our spring concert is the culmination of a year’s worth of hard work. I believe that the concert gives each of us dancers a chance to dance outside of our usual comfort zone of choreography,” Bolt said.

“Each of the pieces is unique and has its own difficulties. Preparing for the concert has been such a joy because it has allowed me to expand my techniques as a dancer,” Bolt added.

“I’m really excited for it. My favorite part of preparing for the show is exploring different styles of dance that I might have never tried, if not being cast in a piece. Usually, I’m cast in pretty lyrical stuff because of my background in ballet, but I’ve gotten to be in really contemporary and hip-hopish stuff,” Hardick said.

Although the consistent practices and the spring concert are essential aspects of the dance ensemble, so is the importance of teamwork.

“I feel as if we are all a family. We have to be; otherwise, our dancing just wouldn’t work out. When dancing, we have to pay attention to and work with each other in order to make the dances perfect. We all have each other’s backs,” Bolt said.

“I love the other members on the ensemble. I love spending time with the dance ensemble twice a week.

They are my friends and family,” Hunter added.

“Everyone in dance ensemble is really great. The dancers are very supportive, and I’ve learned a lot because we all bring very different skills to the studio. We spend so much time together taking class and rehearsing for shows that we’re very much a family. We have a lot of fun together,” Hardick said.

The Hendrix dance ensemble is comprised of many talented students who have come together as one to create and perfect the show of a lifetime. As shown by the dancers themselves, dance is a part of who they are; it was, is and always will be. The dance ensemble at Hendrix allows these students, who have dedicated their lives to dance, to express themselves amongst people who have the same passion and desire.

Spring Concert Preview: Dr. Dog

photo www.drdogmusic.com

by Casey Hawkins

Anna Conard’s recommended songs: 1) “How Long Must I Wait” (from their album Be the Void)

4) “We All Belong” (from their album We All Belong)

2) “Hang On” (from their album Fate)

5) “The Rabbit, The Bat, and The Reindeer” (from their album Fate)​

3) “Shadow People” (from their album Shame, Shame)

6) “Jackie Wants a Black Eye” (from their album Shame, Shame)

T

he spring semester brings more classes, tests, and endless nights of hopeless studying, but one bright spot students can look forward to is the annual spring concert. With recent acts such as Chance the Rapper and Cherub, students have become accustomed to concerts with only one or two performers on stage. However, this semester’s concert featuring six-member indie band Dr. Dog seeks to break the mold and provide a refreshing change for Hendrix music-lovers.

Hailing from West Grove, Pennsylvania, Dr. Dog is led by guitarist Scott McMicken and bass player Toby Leaman, who have been playing music together since the eighth grade. They also share duties as the band’s lead singers.

Early on, Dr. Dog performed mostly in Philadelphia, but their first real success came in 2007 when they released their first major album called We All Belong. Since then they have released six more albums, with their most recent one being a live album released in 2015 called Live At A Flamingo Hotel.

Students who are fans of Dr. Dog have described their sound as mostly indie-pop, but there are still tinges of influences from other genres pres-

ent throughout their music.

“It really just depends on which album of theirs you’re listening to,” student activities director Tonya Hale said. “In simpler terms, they’re a folky/alt-rocky/rootsy jam band with a retro vibe. If you’re a fan of Spoon, The Shins, and Delta Spirit, you will probably like Dr. Dog.” “I would call [Dr. Dog] an indie/folk/rock band with lots of influences from the past,” sophomore KHDX promotions director Anna Conard said. “They definitely have an integrated sound with lots of keys and tambourines. I’d say they definitely have strong Beach Boys influences; you could definitely draw comparisons with them.”

Dr. Dog represents a change in tone from recent Hendrix concerts. Acts such as Chance the Rapper and Cherub featured only one or two performers, but with Dr. Dog being a six-person band, the stage is set to be full of energy. Students who have seen them live in concert attest to this.

“They’ll jump around the stage a lot,” freshman Emma Gaither, who saw Dr. Dog live at Bonnaroo 2014, said. “They’re one of those bands that don’t have their fixed positions on stage. They definitely maximize the stage that they have and will move around a lot. Expect a lot of audience

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interaction as well when they’re singing. So I think even if not as many people like Dr. Dog, it’ll still be really fun to be there.”

“You just really get into the grooves,” Conard added. “You can just tell that they have so much fun playing together. They’re constantly coming over to their other band mates and jamming together and having these little moments on stage, which is super fun to watch.”

Dr. Dog may not be the most well known act to perform at Hendrix in recent years, but Conard says the unique genre Dr. Dog encompasses has led to positive reactions from students.

“I think it’s like a breath of fresh air, just changing it up from what we’ve been doing recently with other concerts,” Conard said. “I think the people who like indie/rock bands are definitely excited because it’s finally their time.”

“It’s been a long while since KHDX has booked a band like this for a major concert,” Hale said.

“The past few big shows have been hip-hop, electronic, or dance-pop. I think more than anything this is a band for the music lover; someone who truly values musicianship and quality song writing.”

CULTURE

50 Shades of Grey:

A Less-Than-Dangerous Dud

by Daniel Grear

D

espite the fact that “50 Shades of Grey” has been panned by critics and viewers on all sides of the ideological spectrum—conservative, moderate, and liberal—I still frequently run across people who don’t know exactly what the franchise is all about, plot-wise.

In short, Anastasia Steel (Dakota Johnson), a college student, gets tangled up in a relationship with a young, enormously successful businessman named Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan).

At first, it seems that the central conflict is that Anastasia is interested in something romantic while Christian only wants the physical. Within a couple of scenes, however, Christian reveals that he’s after something much more “singular,” as he would say: sexual dominance.

One of the reasons this movie has been the subject of such harsh criticism is that instead of displaying a relationship in which sadomasochism is entirely consensual, “50 Shades of Grey” presents a woman that is only submitting herself in hopes that Christian will eventually crave commitment. Although Anastasia is occasionally excited to play Christian’s games, most of the time, she’s participating with ambivalence or against her will.

Some have claimed that “50 Shades of Grey” is dangerous in that it sets a bad example for impressionable youth. Though this isn’t necessarily an incorrect assessment of the film, Christian Grey is so insufferable and unsympathetic that, to me, it seems like more of a cautionary tale than anything. It’s difficult to imagine someone who could actually find this kind of relationship more than just a little intriguing. On top of that, this photo jamiedornanews.com

MARCH 2015

17

isn’t a one-sided story: Anastasia actually offers up a few glimpses of solid agency, moments in which she uses sex for her own manipulative purposes.

In my opinion, the reason people are attracted to this film is for the same reason we’re drawn to other movies about danger and atrocity. We’re not all dying to be abused; it’s just a thrill. The only thing I find legitimately problematic about “50 Shades of Grey” is that its particular depiction of a bondage-indulgent partnership is so unhealthy and frightening that it could encourage further marginalization of individuals in the BDSM community.

Aside from the politics of this film, it’s just as absurdly bad as you’d expect. Anastasia and Christian are one-dimensional, their affair escalates at a ridiculous speed, practically every line of dialogue is a sexual innuendo, and more than a few times it felt like I was just watching some high-budget, soft-core pornography. That said, its over-the-topness is so obviously highlighted by caricatured performances from Dornan and Johnson that the film borders on self-aware.

Even the other patrons who shared the theatre with me, actual fans of the series, found a lot of humor in the melodrama.

Even more disappointing than the acting and character development, however, is the film’s narrative arc. I knew going in that it is only the first of three movies, but I didn’t expect it to float along so boringly. By the time its conclusion rolled around, not even a cursory attempt had been made to up the stakes or create a cliffhanger.

Studying {Food} W

hat is the best part about studying abroad? you may ask. Well, I think we all know what the answer is: food. While various Hendrix students were studying abroad, they were given the incredible opportunity to experience the foreign culture through meeting new people, exploring new places and most importantly, partaking in unfamiliar (but delicious) food.

A

famous and decadent recipe native to the country of France is the renowned galette. A galette consists of a cake-like outer layer with a savory filling of choice. First, the dry buckwheat flour, salt, milk and eggs should be mixed together in a large mixing bowl. These ingredients should be continuously stirred to form a smooth batter. After the consistency is as desired, the bowl can be placed in the fridge to chill. After 30 minutes, the chilled batter should then be poured into a large frying pan on the stove, in order for it to properly cook. After the edges of the batter turn golden, the internal ingredients should be added. These ingredients may include cheese, ham, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes or an assortment of spices. Finally, let these ingredients cook and sizzle in the buckwheat batter. After cooling, dig in! “[Galettes] are savory crêpes made with buckwheat instead of regular flour. The best I’ve had that I would love to recreate was one with goat cheese (chèvre), honey (miel) and sage (romarin),” senior Gretchen McCarthy said. McCarthy has eaten plenty of galettes while studying abroad in France this semester. photo Gretchen McCarthy

S

tudying abroad gives students the opportunity to expand their horizons, in both intellectual and social ways (not to forget gastronomical ways, too).

It’s an unforgettable opportunity, with not only incredible people, but incredible food, as well.

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CULTURE

Abroad

by Rachel Lorsbach

A

nother famous recipe known for its simplicity, yet deliciousness, is fish and chips. Fish and chips is a simple, British recipe that consists of golden-fried fish with a side of delicious and greasy French fries. To make this, you must first heat oil in a deep fryer. Then, you must peel the potatoes and cut them into chips that are approximately the size of your index finger. The chips should then be placed in the oil in the deep fryer for 2-3 minutes. After completely fried, add Kosher salt to the chips to give it additional flavor. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and eggs. Additionally, pour in soda water and mix to form a smooth batter. Distribute this batter onto a plate, while drenching the fish in it.

Add the seasoned fish to the deep fryer and keep submerged for 4-5 minutes. The completed product should be served with malt vinegar and/or tartar sauce.

Junior Claire Comeaux, who is currently studying abroad in Plymouth, Great Britain, said that the most common food in Britain was, hands down, fish and chips.

“Since Plymouth is on the coast, at every harbor you can buy fish and chips approximately every 20 steps,” Comeaux said. photo Claire Comeaux

O

ne amazingly satisfying recipe that’s native to country of Spain is something known as a tapa. A tapa is simply a slice of bread, conventionally served with salmon, cheese or onions on top. First, you must cut a baguette into slices that are one quarterinch thick. Lightly toast the slices of bread and allow to cool. You can then place your choice of cheese on top (i.e. goat cheese). Additionally, you can place smoked salmon on top, which can be purchased at any local grocery store or market. Alternatively, rather than using salmon (or in addition to using salmon), you can use a different ingredient, such as a caramelized onion. After the preparation, you can serve the much-desired tapa with a lemon wedge to add a bit of flavor.

Senior Ples Spradley studied abroad in Spain.

“Spain is known for its tapas, and for good reason. I ate tapas all [the time] because I couldn’t get enough of them. The best one I had was a thick piece of good bread with a layer of goat cheese and a caramelized onion on top. It was toasted, so that the cheese was warm and creamy,” Spradley said.

photo Ples Spradley

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march

Sons of Bill

CALENDAR Conway, Little Rock, & Central Arkansas March 1st-9th Sunday, March 1st

8 a.m. Little Rock Marathon. Little Rock City Hall. Little Rock.

12 p.m. Warrior Baseball. Hendrix vs. Sewanee.

Conway.

2 p.m. Warrior Softball. Hendrix vs. Austin. Conway.

4 p.m. Warrior Softball. Hendrix vs. Westminster (Mo.). Conway.

8 p.m. Jonathan Richman. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

Monday, March 2nd

7 p.m. Senses Fail, Kublai Khan. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

Tuesday, March 3rd

Kristen Diable

7:30 p.m. Women of Ireland. Reynolds Performance Hall. UCA. Conway.

8 p.m. Ewan Dobson. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

9:30 p.m. Foul Play Cabaret. Stickyz Rock ‘n ‘Roll Chicken Shack. Little Rock.

Wednesday, March 4th

7 p.m. Mary Poppins. Show through April 12th.

Arkansas Repertroy Theatre. Little Rock.

9 p.m. Lincoln Durham. Stickyz Rock ‘n ‘Roll Chicken Shack. Little Rock.

Friday, March 6th

6 p.m. Lanterns! Wildwood Park for the Arts.

Little Rock.

8 p.m. The Revolutioners. Stickyz Rock ‘n ‘Roll Chicken Shack. Little Rock.

9 p.m. Little Rock Salsa Presents: Salsa Dancing.

Juanita’s. Little Rock.

9 p.m. 2015 Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase Finals. The Rev Room. Little Rock.

Saturday, March 7th

10 a.m. AnimeCon Arkansas. Marriott Hotel.

Little Rock.

11 a.m. Warrior Women’s Lacrosse. Hendrix vs.

Oglethorpe. Conway.

9 p.m. Barrett Baber. Stickyz Rock ‘n ‘Roll Chicken Shack. Little Rock.

9 p.m. Kingsdown, My Brother, My Friend, Becoming Elephants. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

Monday, March 9th

5 p.m. Warrior Men’s Lacrosse. Hendrix vs. Defiance. Conway.

7 p.m. Warrior Women’s Lacrosse. Hendrix vs.

Oklahoma Baptist. Conway.

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CULTURE Civil Twilight

March 10th-14th Tuesday, March 10th

6 p.m. Warrior Baseball. Hendrix vs. Henderson State. Conway.

7:30 p.m. Salsa. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

Wednesday, March 11th

5 p.m. Warrior Softball. Hendrix vs. Ozarks (Ark.). Conway.

7 p.m. Warrior Softball. Hendrix vs. Ozarks (Ark.). Conway.

8 p.m. Fleetwood Mac. Verizon Arena. Little Rock.

9 p.m. AMFMs. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

Thursday, March 12th

8 p.m. Whitechapel. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

Friday, March 13th

Lincoln Durham

9 p.m. The Giving Tree Band. Stickyz Rock ‘n ‘Roll Chicken Shack. Little Rock.

9 p.m. Little Rock Salsa Presents: Salsa Dancing.

Juanita’s. Little Rock.

9 p.m. Wade Bowen. The Rev Room. Little Rock.

Saturday, March 14th

8 a.m. Downtown Dash 5K/10K. Junior League of Little Rock Building. Little Rock.

9 p.m. White Reaper. Stickyz Rock ‘n ‘Roll Chicken Shack. Little Rock.

9 p.m. X Ambassadors, Cruisr. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

9 p.m. Snakedriver. The Rev Room. Little Rock.

March 15th-23rd Sunday, March 15th

8 p.m. Brokencyde, Saigon. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

Monday, March 16th

8 p.m. Civil Twilight. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

Tuesday, March 17th

7:30 p.m. Salsa. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

Thursday, March 19th

8 p.m. Alien Ant Farm. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

Friday, March 20th

7:30 p.m. Thomas of The Spill Canvas, Wind In Sails, Runaway Saints. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

9 p.m. Little Rock Salsa Presents: Salsa Dancing.

Juanita’s. Little Rock.

Saturday, March 21st

11 a.m. Warrior Women’s Lacrosse. Hendrix vs.

Millsaps. Conway.

Monday, March 23rd

1 p.m. Warrior Women’s Lacrosse. Hendrix vs.

Huntingdon. Conway.

8 p.m. Kristin Diable. Stickyz Rock ‘n ‘Roll Chicken Shack. Little Rock.

8 p.m. Circa Survive, Balance and Composure, Chon. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

March 24th-31st Tuesday, March 24th

6:30 p.m. Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Memphis Tigers. Dickey-Stephens Ballpark. Little Rock.

8 p.m. Sons of Bill. Stickyz Rock ‘n ‘Roll Chicken Shack. Little Rock.

8 p.m. Kevin Devine & the G****** Band, Dads, and Field Mouse. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

Wednesday, March 25th

8 p.m. Bronze Radio Return. Stickyz Rock ‘n ‘Roll Chicken Shack. Little Rock.

4 p.m. Warrior Softball. Hendrix vs. Nebraska Wesleyan. Little Rock.

Friday, March 27th

7 p.m. WinterJam. Verizon Arena. Little Rock.

9 p.m. William Clark Green. Stickyz Rock ‘n ‘Roll Chicken Shack. Little Rock.

9 p.m. Little Rock Salsa Presents: Salsa Dancing.

Juanita’s. Little Rock.

Sunday, March 29th

8 p.m. Stolas. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

Tuesday, March 31st

5 p.m. Warrior Baseball. Hendrix vs. Ozarks (Ark.). Conway.

7:30 p.m. Salsa. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

8 p.m. Single Mothers. Juanita’s. Little Rock.

Thursday, March 26th

2 p.m. Warrior Softball. Hendrix vs. Nebraska Wesleyan. Little Rock.

MARCH 2015

21

Lincoln Durham: facebook.com/lincolndurhammusic; Civil Twilight: facebook.com/civiltwilight; Kristin Diable: facebook.com/kristindiablemusic; Sons of Bill: facebook. com/sonsofbill

1600 Washington Ave Conway, AR 72032