The Montage

The ‘Transformation’ Continues

Demolition of three buildings along Big Bend scheduled to begin in May

Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

While the buildings are still unlocked, all offices and classrooms in the Business Administration and Communications South buildings have been fully vacated. During Spring Break, the library building will be vacated as materials are set to be moved into new spaces in the Student Center during the same week.

“The library’s move won’t occur until Spring Break,” Meramec Campus President Feleccia Moore-Davis said. “We’ll be setting up the tutoring, we’ll be setting up the library during Spring Break so that students won’t have a disturbance of service during that time.”

According to Moore-Davis, the demolitions of these buildings are

scheduled to begin sometime in May, although she noted that the timetable is subject to change.

“The preparation for demolition will occur in April, and we will probably not see demolition until May,” she said. “The buildings have to be decommissioned first. We still have a lot of equipment and other things in all of those buildings that need to be decommissioned and repurposed to the degree we can repurpose them before they actually can be taken down.”

When asked what decommissioning consists of, Moore-Davis outlined, “The electricity, the water, supplies, things like that. Also, there has to be a level of abatement that goes on prior to the buildings coming down. That work will begin after the library moves [to its new location].”

These projects are a part of massive changes that are already being

implemented as a part of STLCC Transformed.

The cafeteria and student center has already seen an overhaul, with new classrooms being added and rooms and areas being repurposed for other uses.

Some spaces have been walled off to create new rooms, including a massive new room that takes up a sizable portion of what used to be part of the cafeteria atrium. An additional new classroom is also now present near the Veterans Affairs office.

The Social Sciences building is also scheduled to be demolished as a part of Phase 1, but will remain standing for at least two more years so that the campus can have more available campus space.

“We kept the Social Sciences building primarily because we needed the number of classrooms,” MooreDavis said. “So we couldn’t take down

these major buildings without leaving something, or we would have had portable buildings adjacent to the campus. Social Science will come down after the new buildings are erected. Subsequently, those classrooms and offices [currently housed in Social Sciences] have all been planned to be incorporated into the new buildings.”

While Moore-Davis isn’t sure of the exact nature of how demolition will be completed, she expects it to be completed in full by August.

“I’m pretty sure by the time we come back in the fall that the demolition will be complete.”

If students have any questions for Dr. Moore-Davis, she will be available to speak with them at the next “Mocha Monday” from 8:30-10:00am on Feb. 6 in the cafeteria atrium located in the Student Center.

Food Service Set To Return To STLCC Contract with American Dining Creations approved by the Board of Trustees

Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

The Friday afternoon of March 13, 2020 was the last time food service operated at Meramec.

During the pandemic, the college’s food service contract with Chartwells expired, and was not renewed; upon many students’ return to campus in 2021, they found that the Campus Bookstore had moved into the old cafeteria space, where its retail operations have remained ever since.

While the bookstore has expanded their offerings to include some hot food, things in the Cafeteria are changing once more.

This past month, a new food service contract with a different vendor, American Dining Creations, was signed by the college and recently approved by the Board of Trustees.

Meramec Campus President Feleccia Moore-Davis said that she and the college as a whole expect to have “some level” of food service by April 1.

Moore-Davis said that student input, which is collected by the college in a variety of ways (through the Navigate app and at Campus Town Halls, especially) was a key factor in bringing food back to campus.

“Some students were actually invited to the presentation that [American Dining Creations] gave as well,” Moore-Davis said. “So there was student representation.”

Moore-Davis also said that the return of food service to the cafeteria won’t have a major impact on the bookstore’s on-going operations in the cafeteria space, as many items sold there will remain.

While the sale and rental of textbooks will be moving to an online framework

through “Akademos” and renovations are being made adjacent to the space to make it a distribution space of sorts, many items will still remain where they are.

“I believe that the bookstore will still be able to utilize the space that is facing the cafeteria right now,” she said. “So most of that activity will move to that front space. Not into where we are creating a distribution space for them.”

This is a story that is continuing to develop. For more information, stay tuned to meramecmontage.com.

From left to right: New classroom SC 197 was previously a storage room; a new, large room has been built in the cafeteria atrium; the former vending area is in the process of being converted into a distribution area. Photos by Jacob Politte.

The Music Program at Meramec offers courses and ensembles for all students. Classes are available for general education credit and the Associate in Arts degree with a concentration in Music to prepare for transfer into a Bachelor of Music program.

I,II,III,IV

Meetings every Tuesday at 3 PM via Zoom or in Student Center, Room 220A

I,II,III,IV

MUS 150 Fundamentals of Music Technology

MUS 152 Audio Engineering

MUS 154 Music Recording with ProTools I

MUS 211 212 Music History I II

Interested in performing in an ensemble?

All Meramec students may participate. No audition is required! MUS131, 132 and 134 are CORE42 performance courses!

ENSEMBLES

Music 131 – Concert Choir

Music 132 – Orchestra

Music 134 – Symphonic Band

Music 138 – Jazz Improvisation

All ensembles hold a seat/part assignment hearing during the first rehearsal. Members of the Concert Choir may audition for the Chamber Singers

For more information, contact Music at Meramec Dr. Jerry Myers, Program Coordinator, gmyers34@stlcc.edu, (314) 984-7638

To get you where you need to go, PTK offers opportunities to help you develop and discover your personal, academic, and professional potential.

Contact Shannon Philpott-Sanders at ssanders147@stlcc.edu

Honors offers qualified students a variety of opportunities in and outside the classroom, including honors classes, special projects, workshops, and mentoring. New students can qualify through high school GPA, ACT score, or Accuplacer. Returning students qualify through their college GPA. Once admitted, honors students are never obligated to pursue a minimum amount of honors work each term.

PHI THETA KAPPA - XI LAMBDA CHAPTER

INTERNATIONAL

HONORS SOCIETY FOR TWO-YEAR COLLEGES

Phi Theta Kappa is an international honors society for two-year colleges. It’s mission is to recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students, as well as to provide opportunities for individual growth and development through participation in honors, leadership, service, and fellowship programs.

To be eligible to join Phi Theta Kappa - Xi Lambda, Meramec’s local chapter, students must have a GPA of at least 3.5, have taken 12 or more credit hours, and must be enrolled in at least one course currently at Meramec.

If you are interested, contact Chapter Advisor Jerry Meyers at gmyers34@stlcc.edu or 314-984-7638.

If you are interested, contact Chapter Advisor Jerry Myers at gmyers34@stlcc.edu or 314-984-7638

If you are interested, contact Chapter Advisor Professor Rich Peraud in CN 217 or go to PTK.org for more information.

Humanities

Shannon Philpott-Sanders Faculty Adviser

Dr. Braddix Promotes Inclusivity for STLCC

LYDIA Howden STAFF WRITER

In July of 2022, STLCC welcomed Dr. D’Andre Braddix onto the team as the executive director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Ever since, he said he has been striving to make differences on campuses behind the scenes.

As someone with more than 15 years of experience in higher education, Braddix said he has an authentic passion for his work. “I am motivated by being of service to others. Any time I’m able to help people meet their goals, whether they be personally or professionally…and seeing other people thrive and complete what they set out to do,” he said.

various issues that the average person may not fully be aware of that can lead to people not feeling included or valued or be able to continue with their employment or education.”

With Black History Month coming up, he is supporting ways to further diversify the workforce. 73% percent of our faculty identify as white, while only 27% of them identify as people of color. 56% of staff identify as white and 44% as people of color. “We want to close those gaps,” said Braddix.

Facebook.com/ meramecmontage/ Instagram.com

THE

Youtube.com

To provide an example of the type of work Braddix is a part of, on Jan. 24, the cabinet approved for students to be able to put their preferred name into the system. Previously, if a student chose to do this, the system they put it into did not “speak to the other systems,” Braddix said. This also includes employees being able to put in preferred names, which was not a system put in place before now.

This is a big victory for any students or employees with preferred names, especially those who are trans or nonbinary, said Braddix. He said he appreciates that in his current position, he can help to “shed light on issues and experiences that are often overlooked by others” and aide in “spotlighting

He said that he loves to interact with students, too. Braddix participated in welcome back events for Meramec. “That’s my jam right there,” he said. He said he loves any given opportunity to speak face-toface with those on campus and as his office expands, he will be confronted with that ability more often. He said he hopes that this summer, his office will be able to expand, as there are “more ideas than time to execute.” In addition, Braddix said that he has a “litany” of things he would love to see happen at the college that can happen much quicker without the burden of this being a one-person job.

People do not see the full extent of the endeavors Braddix has been managing behind the scenes. Some aspects of his job involve “cleaning up”

systems, and many wins go unheard of, even if they directly impact students on campus. He said he wants students to know that inclusivity is an ongoing effort and that we have to work together. If there are any concerns, he insists that he wants to be informed, as he cannot fix what he does not know about.

According to Braddix, “there will always be a divide between student and advisor,” and he wants there to be open communication to close that divide. Braddix said his favorite part of the job is broadening inclusivity in areas of opportunity. “That fulfills me. Addressing those opportunities.” He wants students to feel “seen, respected, valued, and heard. Like you belong. I’m behind the scenes working to make that happen,” said Braddix.

STLCC’S SPRING ACADEMIC CALENDAR

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MONTAGE

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Editorial views expressed or content contained in this publication are not necessarily the views of St. Louis Community College, the Board of Trustees or the administration.

The Montage is a student publication produced seven times per semester at St. Louis Community College - Meramec, 11333 Big Bend Blvd., Kirkwood, Mo., 63122.

One copy of The Montage is free of charge. Up to 10 additional copies available, $1 each, at the office of The Montage, SC 220. Bulk purchases may be arranged with circulation manager.

Editorial policy: All letters should be no longer than 500 words and must include identification as a student or faculty member, phone number and address for verification purposes. Phone numbers and addresses will not be published. All letters are subject to editing for content and length. All letters submitted will be published in print and online.

Proud member of www.MeramecMontage.com

Women's History Month Events

Voter Registration

The League of Women Voters

Thursday, March 2nd, 10-1 p.m. Meramec cafeteria

Women in Stand-up Comedy

Thursday, March 2nd, 4:30- 6 p.m. Meramec, Lecture Hall 102

Learning from our Leading Women

Thursday, March 9th, 2-4 p.m. Meramec, Lecture Hall 102

Dr. Shelly Lemons on Oklahoma Farm Women

Monday, March 20th, 1-2 PM Meramec, Lecture Hall 101

Women in Sports

Wednesday, March 29th, 2 & 4 p.m. Meramec, Softball Field WHM Bingo

Thursday, March 30th, 12:15 p.m. Meramec cafeteria

For more information, contact Dr. Sahar Joakim (sjoakim@stlcc.edu)

FAWWAZ ASHRAF STAFF WRITER

Money With cholarships

Money is one of the largest barriers to higher education, but STLCC and its partners have many scholarships available to help students save money. Here’s some notable scholarships available to many students.

STLCC Scholarships

Student Leadership Scholarship

$ Awarded on a semester basis (renewable for an additional semester)

$ May be nominated by the campus manager of Campus Life, or the appropriate activity sponsor

$ Must have a cumulative 2.0 GPA

$ Must assume a leadership role in a student organization or extracurricular activity

$ Full-time award = 12 credit hours; Part-time award = 6 credit hours

Last Chance Grant

$ Must be 9 credits away from degree completion

$ Must have a 2.0 or above cumulative grade point average

$ Ineligible students include:

◊ Pell Grant recipients

◊ Federal loan recipients

◊ Third party payment recipients

$ Students with a prior degree can apply

$ Award amount = 3 credit hours, non-renewable grant

Athletic Scholarship

$ Must be nominated by the appropriate coach on the Scholarship Nomination Form

$ Must have a 2.0 or higher cumulative high school GPA, or an appropriate GED or ACT/SAT score

$ Athletic scholarships will not exceed the amount of aid designated by the NJCAA, and will be awarded by the athletic director through the Financial Aid office, who will maintain records of eligibility and disbursement

$ Decisions on the athletic scholarship will be based on balance between sports and equity between male and female athletes

Book Scholarship

$ Awarded for one semester; must reapply each semester

$ “Expected Family Contribution” requirement of $4,000 or higher

$ Ineligible students include:

◊ Pell Grant recipients

◊ Federal loan recipients

◊ Third party payment recipients

$ Students with a prior degree can apply

$ Continuing Student Academic Scholarship

$ Awarded for 2 semesters covering 12 credit hours per semester

$ Must have completed 24 credit hours with an overall 3.0 GPA or better

$ Automatic renewal if in compliance with scholarship criteria

Emerging Scholars Scholarship

$ Awarded for 2 semesters at 6 credit hours per semester

$ Automatic renewal for second semester if in compliance with scholarship criteria

$ Must have completed 24 college-level credit hours with an overall 3.0 GPA or better

$ Testing into two or more developmental courses

Honors College Scholarship

$ Must be qualified to participate in an honors program, or be taking an honors course

$ Scholarship will cover up to 12 credit hours per semester; automatic renewal if in compliance with scholarship criteria up to two semesters

$ Can be nominated by the Honors Advisory Board

$ If not nominated, then student must have a cumulative 3.5 GPA

3rd Party Scholarships

Carroll J. Donohue Endowed Scholarship

$ Must have financial need but cannot eligible for a Pell grant

$ Must have submitted a FAFSA to the Student Financial Aid Office

$ Must have a 2.5 cumulative GPA and good academic standing.

$ Compose an essay on the topic “Provide details of your community service, awards, academic and career goals”

$ Award varies

Glynn E. Clark Endowed Scholarship Fund

$ Must be enrolled at STLCC - Meramec

$ Must have submitted a FAFSA to the Student Financial Aid Office and is determined to have financial need

$ Must have 2.5 GPA and be in good academic standing

$ Award varies

Dreamer Foundation Scholarship

$ Must have graduated with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 from a U.S. high school after July 1, 2012.

$ Student has a 2.5 cumulative GPA (at STLCC and prior institutions) and is in good academic standing

$ Award Varies

Transfer Scholarships

Washington University - Elizabeth Gray Danforth Scholarship

$ Each year a two-year, full-tuition scholarship is given to two students from STLCC

$ Must have a record of high academic achievement

$ Must be in the process of completing 60 transferable credit hours

$ Finalists will be interviewed

University of Missouri, St. Louis - Community College President’s Scholarship

$ Covers tuition and mandatory fees for 15 credits in the fall and spring semesters for up to two years, up to 60 credits

$ Must have a 3.5 GPA

$ Must have a transferable associate’s degree by term of enrollment

$ Must be admitted by April 1st for consideration for the fall 2023 term

Saint Louis University - Community College Award

$ All students transferring in from a community college are eligible for $2,000/year for up to 10 semesters

$ Stackable with their many other transfer scholarships

How to apply

Students match with scholarships based on major, GPA, enrollment status and other qualifications. Prior to applying for scholarships online, students must:

$ Complete and file your FAFSA

$ Submit an online admissions application

$ Activate MySTLCC username and password

$ Register for classes

Once these steps are complete, students can log in to STLCC’s online scholarship application at stlcc.academicworks.com/

ART & LIFE

Top 10 Low-Key Things For Anyone To Do On Valentine’s Day

MACY GILLICK STAFF WRITER

Valentine’s Day Trivia

EMILY WEBER STAFF WRITER

Whether you’re with someone or spending the day by yourself, Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be stressful, or even expensive. It doesn’t matter if you consider the day to be a big one, or just another day. Sometimes, the less extravagant something is, the more enjoyable it can be.

In no particluar order, the following suggestions are ten low-key ways to enjoy your day on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023.

1. Have a game night with all the favorite games.

2. Have a movie night at home or go to the movies and see a favorite movie.

3. Do an outside activity if the weather is nice, like walking on a trail or walking around the neighborhood.

4. Make dinner at home, like make your own pizzas, or have everyone make their own appetizers.

5. Bake some cookies and decorate them together, or for yourself.

6. At night time together create a fire and look at the stars with someone you care about.

7. Have a self care night: face masks and a spa night are two good examples of this.

8. Wear Valentine Day colors and eat food that associate in those colors or food that you “love.”

9. Valentine day crafts for example make cards or decorations for your house.

10. Get yourself something fun for Valentine’s Day, like chocolate strawberries, chocolate or candy.

5 7 9

Students Weigh In:

How do you feel about Valentine

’

1. Approximately how many Valentine’s cards are swapped each year?

a) 500,000

b) 1 million

c) 25 million

d) 150 million

2. In what year did the first written valentines appear?

a) 100

b) 1931

c) 1415

d) 1647

3. How long was the longest marriage recorded?

a) 80 years

b) 85 years

c) 90 years

d) 95 years

4. In which city can you find the “I love you wall”?

a) Sydney

b) Venice

c) Barcelona

d) Paris

5. Which group of people get shown the most love with Valentine cards during this holiday?

a) Girlfriends/boyfriends

b) Wives

c) Teachers

d) Bus drivers/firefighters/doctors

6. Which color rose stands for “love at first sight”?

a) White

b) Pink

c) Red

d) Lavender

7. Which of the following has sold 36 million units for Valentine’s Day?

a) Dozens of roses

b) Engagement rings

c) Boxes of chocolates

d) Greeting cards

s Day?

“I like Valentine’s Day and this year I have a boyfriend so I’m kind of excited to celebrate by going out to dinner. It’s the first time in a while I’ve had someone to celebrate with, not to mention Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays.”

- Amber Germuga

“On Valentine’s Day, there is a mix of social pressure to be with someone on that day but also it’s seen as something couples enjoy. Overall, Valentine’s Day is neutral for me. This year, I have nothing specific planned except studying.”

- Devin Ford

“I don’t have any strong opinions about Valentine’s Day and I don’t think it’s a huge deal. On Valentine’s Day me and my boyfriend are going to dinner and possibly the Botanical Gardens.”

- Hanna Hiromitson

“I don’t have strong opinions about Valentine’s Day. I just see it as another day for people to do what they want. I have no specific plans on Valentine’s Day; to me, it’s just another day.”

- Austin Lynch

MACY GILLICK STAFF WRITER

8. About how much does the average person spend on Valentine’s Day?

a) $75

b) $40

c) $140

d) $15

9. Which king declared Valentine’s Day to be a public holiday in England in 1537?

a) King Henry VIII

b) King Richard the Lionheart

c) King James II

d) King Edward I

10. How many candy hearts are produced for Valentine’s Day each year?

a) 100 million

b) 500 million

c) 1 billion

d) 8 billion

11. How many pets also get gifts on Valentine’s Day?

a) 9 million

b) 15 million

c) 20 million

d) 22 million

‘That 90’s Show’ honors the legacy of its predecessor

Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

“That 70’s Show” was always a show with heart, as long as that heart was a big stoner. It was a show that launched the careers of much of its ensemble, and was genuinely funny in a way that many sitcoms these days cannot recapture.

Reboots and revivals are often tricky to pull off successfully, as many fans often have high expectations for what they want to see and aren’t always happy if they don’t get it.

“That 90’s Show,” set 15 years or so after the conclusion of its predecessor, drops viewers back into Point Place, Michigan. Not much has changed, except for maybe the layout of Donna Pinciotti’s old house.

And of course, the new kids that are now running amuck across town.

Donna and Eric Foreman (Laura Prepon and Topher Grace) are back in town from Chicago visiting their parents for Fourth of July weekend in 1995, and their daughter Leia joins them, quickly falling in love with the small town in the process.

After making her thoughts clear to her father, she gets to stay with her grandparents for the summer.

Red Foreman (Kurtwood Smith), aside from gray hair and a slightly softer personality, is still very much Red Foreman. And his wife Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp) is literally the exact same; she shows no sign of having aged at all.

Kitty might as well have hopped in a time machine back in 1979, because she looks, sounds and acts the exact same. Instead of being jarring, it’s actually very comforting.

Red and Kitty were always sort of surrogate

parents to Eric’s group of friends, and they jump right into doing the same for Leia.

Smith and Rupp carry the show in its first few episodes while the new cast figures out its chemistry, but by the mid-way point of the 10 episode season, everything gels.

The new gang shares some similar traits to the old one and there are a few obvious counterparts, but there are enough differences in personality and backstory to help them stand out on their own.

The show is genuinely funny and adapts its 90’s theme exceptionally well.

In the background, it’s worth noting that the original gang (all of whom make appearances except for Danny Masterson’s Hyde, whose absence is never explained) never really interact with each other, although to be fair Grace, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis’ appearances are all brief; only Prepon and Wilmer Valderrama’s Fez make recurring appearances.

It does seem, however, that aside from the original group’s couples, there has been a sort of schism that has separated them. Perhaps that will be addressed in a possible season 2.

The only thing that truly hampers proceedings is the fact that there weren’t more episodes.

Perhaps a renewal from Netflix can fix that issue by ordering more episodes, if Smith and

‘Grateful’ reimagines what an autobiography can be

Bischoff’s 2006 memoir “Controversy Creates Ca$h” and there are a few notable differences this time around.

Eric Bischoff is opinionated and unapologetic about it. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have the resume to back all of it up.

“Grateful” is the follow-up to

“Grateful” is about half as long, and it covers Bischoff’s exploits from right where “Controversy Creates Ca$h” left off. There’s a different co-author, as Bischoff chose Guy Evans (the author of the long, detailed and acclaimed NITRO: The Incredible Rise and Inevitable Collapse of Ted Turner’s WCW) as his partner this time around.

The book is formatted in a similar way to Evans’ NITRO, as there are no indentations and the text is mostly plain. Quotations, too, are structured differently, as there are no quotation marks and quotes are stylized in italics. It can be a bit jarring to those who are used to the normal way that books are structured.

But make no mistake… Bischoff’s voice is present throughout. Every single word on the page is his. And, Bischoff has quite the story to tell.

After his historically relevant presidency of WCW

and his acclaimed mid-2000’s WWE run, Bischoff thought he was done with the professional wrestling business and attempted to move on to other projects. But his association and personal friendship with Hulk Hogan ended up with him getting involved with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and he found himself back in the game.

Bischoff doesn’t have much fondness for those years in TNA, and he doesn’t mince words when criticizing the company, which has since downsized and changed its name. Bischoff’s primary frustrations are targeted towards TNA’s seemingly reluctant funding partner Panda Energy (a company that has since dissolved) and its owners, the Carter family. He actually is mostly fair to Dixie Carter, the then longtime president of TNA, and is perhaps one of the few people in the industry that have had nice things to say about her, even if he didn’t think she was made to run a wrestling company.

Most of his criticism is directed toward her parents Bob and Janice, and the fact that the company attempted to put him in positions he largely didn’t want to be in. But he also talks about his positive experiences with the company, including getting the opportunity to work directly with his son.

After a few years dealing with filing for bankruptcy and the resulting changes in his life, Bischoff details the beginnings of his forays into podcasting, why it didn’t work out and how he met and began a business relationship with podcaster Conrad

Thompson. The resulting podcast, 83 Weeks (a reference to NITRO beating WWE’s television in the ratings for 83 weeks in a row), has become a huge success, and may have partially been responsible for Bischoff getting the call to return to the WWE in an executive role in 2019.

That role lasted a total of five months, and came to an abrupt end. For the first time in print since his firing, Bischoff speaks on the circumstances surrounding it, why the job wasn’t what he thought it was and his working relationship (and sometimes lack thereof) with then-WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon.

Bischoff also briefly speaks on McMahon’s abrupt “retirement” this past summer, as well as his highly publicized feelings regarding Tony Khan, the co-owner and CEO of All Elite Wrestling. While McMahon has returned to the WWE since the book’s publication under the auspices of facilitating a sale of the company, Bischoff’s words on the matter are respectful and no less meaningful.

Evans’ most notable visible contributions concern something rarely ever seen in a book before; there is a QR code at the end of each chapter that when scanned, leads to exclusive content, usually an interview between Evans and someone else involved with the chapter. It’s certainly a unique thing to include, and it helps make the book feel more personable.

“Grateful” is available to purchase through several outlets, including directly from the authors at https:// guyevansbooks.com/.

Rupp are game for it.

Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

‘The Year’ isn’t the Year You Think

JACOB POLITTE MANAGING EDITOR

‘The Year That Broke America,’ according to author Andrew Rice, isn’t the much maligned 2020. It’s the year 2000.

In his extensive recounting of the first year of the millennium (and some of the years that preceded it), Rice details the trials and tribulations regarding the big stories of the year: the media circus surrounding then six-year old Cuban immigrant Elián González, the political circus surrounding George Bush, Al Gore and that year’s presidential election, and of course, whatever the reader wants to characterize the circus around Donald Trump as.

Rice also covers lesser known events, such as the saga surrounding Kevin Ingram, a Wall Street executive that made some extraordinarily bad calls, the big city trials and tribulations of United States Attorney General Janet Reno and the indoctrination of Ziad Jarrah, one of the terrorists that flew a plane into the World Trade Center.

The large cast of characters, all real people, are apart of a bunch of big stories that took place throughout the year, and Rice subtly connects all of them together to explain everything that happened at the end of 2000, the events that led up to them, how that all had implications for every single year that followed it, and how some of it continues to affect us today.

Rice paints a rather large, sometimes overwhelming picture of chaos and the cast of characters that participated in it. But in the end, everything ties together to make “The Year That Broke America” quite the masterpiece that will interest any student of history.

“The Year That Broke America” can be purchased in multiple formats at your local retailer or in e-book form.

As of today, the audiobook, which runs 15 and a half hours in length and is narrated by Keith Sellon-Wright, costs $3.99 to purchase through iTunes.

Jake’s Take: ‘A New Home’

Local documentary is now available to view on Amazon Prime Video

JACOB POLITTE MANAGING EDITOR

The Bosnian War from 1992-1995 is arguably one of the more horrific atrocities of modern times. A multi-nation conflict fought mostly over a clash of religion, the “Serbian aggression” led to a mass genocide.

America did not intervene.

“It’s a war that I don’t really think resonated with a lot of people in the US because it seemed so far away,” former St. Louis Post-Dispatch journalist Doug Moore said in the documentary. The Clinton Administration and the United Nations decided to regard the situation as a “humanitarian problem” and declined to step in and help.

“A New Home” doesn’t shy away from showing those intense images from the brutal conflict. Some footage shown is hard to stomach for those who have never seen war.

The “talking heads” in the documentary also detail some of the horrific things they went through and the feelings they had at the time. There are so many to name, and all of the refugees have their own horrific, tragic stories.

Ibrahim Vajzovic says, “Something you cannot understand… what neighbors can do to each other. And how hatred exists in some people. How people change. Or maybe they were able to hide that behavior or attitude to others. It is still hard for me to understand that part. How could you be a good neighbor, friend, or even cousin with someone, and kill that person the following day without reason, without that person making any harm to you?”

The fallout also had major implications for the St. Louis area. In current times, the city of St. Louis has the largest Bosnian population outside of Bosnia itself.

What a lot of people don’t know is that the US usually takes the healthiest first. So, if you’re a 25 year old man and wife and you have a couple of healthy kids then you’re going to be able to enter the workplace, chances are you aren’t gonna be sick and be a burden on

the healthcare system… that’s the folks who resettled first.”

Many refugees settled at first in the Bevo neighborhood in South City, and then moved out to more suburban areas.

“It’s important to remember that refugees are persecuted,” said Ajlina Karamehic-Muratovic, an Assistant Professor of Sociology at St. Louis University. “They’re displaced by force, which is very different than being an immigrant. An immigrant chooses to resettle, a refugee doesn’t.”

I have a closer connection to the subject matter discussed than you might think, even if that connection is simply based on my relationship with others. I spent most of my secondary education career as a student in the Bayless School District, which is featured briefly in the documentary.

Bayless, at least during the time I attended, was the most diverse school in the state. Many of these refugee families had children who attended school there. There was even a student

from my graduating class who was talked about, as he went on to attend Harvard, one of the first people from our school to do so. We weren’t close by any means, but his family sacrificed a lot even before coming to America.

Many of my friends to this very day are Bosnian. Over time, I’ve become more familiar with their culture. As such, “A New Home” resonated with me in a way that few documentaries ever have.

I also know so many more stories than what was able to be told in the 58-minute runtime. Every refugee has a story. Some don’t always feel comfortable sharing theirs publicly. But “A New Home” is an education for a potentially uneducated viewer. And for those who are aware of the trials and tribulations that some endured, it’s a powerful reminder of the past and how it continues to affect people today. It is absolutely worth a watch.

“A New Home” is streaming now on Amazon Prime.

“Outlaws” set for residency in Humanities East

After the Peterson Exhibit departed late last fall, a new exhibit has set up shop in Humanities East Room 133. “Outlaws,” an installation consisting entirely of Ceramic sculptures both large and small made by professors from all over the region, will be in place through February 18th. It is available to view from 12:00pm to 4:00pm every Monday through Thursday.

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Photos by: DAKOTA PULCHER