The Montage

How Does STLCC Score as the Best Place to Work?

St. Louis Community College

College employees speak out about salary disparity, college culture in anonymous survey

Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

Despite the college’s best hopes, STLCC did not pass the test to qualify as a Best Place to Work through the St. Louis Business Journal.

The college submitted itself as a contender in St. Louis Business Journal’s Best Places to Work program. This program, used across the nation in various big cities, determines what organization in the given metropolitan area is the best workplace through a variety of factors, including employee feedback. While Chancellor Jeff Pittman and Board Of Trustees Chair Kevin Martin expressed optimism regarding the college’s future and expressed their intentions to continuously work to improve STLCC, the employee responses told a much different story.

The Numbers Behind the Survey

The survey found that of the 503 employees that participated in the survey, 149 (29.62%) were considered to be “highly engaged” while 159 (31.61%) were considered to be “moderately engaged.” Meanwhile, 66 (13.12%) employees were considered to be “disengaged” while a staggering 129 (25.65%) were considered to be barely engaged.

Meanwhile, the survey found that the college’s benefits score is higher than many colleges of the same size in the region, and four points greater than the average of the finalists.

Pittman touted that result in his email to faculty and staff.

“Our benefits rated high,” he said. “In fact, STLCC’s benefits score ranked higher than the average finalist of similar-sized organizations.”

Regarding the employee participation in

the survey, he said, “We had 503 employees complete the survey – an impressive number that shows people want their voices heard.”

Some employees definitely made their voices heard, and none of the comments contained in the copy of the report provided to The Montage were positive.

Faculty and Staff Responses

One unnamed Meramec employee was not happy with the college, saying “There are many other aspects to the student experience I’d like to divulge but there won’t be enough space in this survey to digress. The lab spaces are antiquated and crowded and equipment needs to be updated as do the science buildings. The lighting is dim and dreary down the hallways, the buildings are covered in mold and the roof leaks. No one on the Meramec campus can understand why we are not getting an Allied Health building, and why so much money is being put into the Florissant Valley campus.”

Later on, this person continued, “The Meramec campus is strategically located to serve a greater population and is in proximity to the greatest number of hospitals (greater opportunities for clinical opportunities) and contains a vast population of students whose needs and desires are NOT being met in the area in which they live, and they will NOT drive to North County to satisfy their needs, they will go to another college, plain and simple.”

Regarding this matter, Pittman said, “The College has strategically planned for an expansion of all its health

care programs across the Region and will construct new health care structures and expanded programming at the Flo Valley and Wildwood campuses as a part of STLCC Transformed. In addition, there are plans to expand our health care programs at South County with the addition of a new Licensed Practical Nursing program. These expansions were carefully planned by assessing area hospital clinical capacities and in aligning with current workforce needs.

He continued, “While Meramec continues to be an important part of the district’s overall expansion plans, the College is dramatically expanding several workforce programs to meet area workforce needs as determined by the employers we serve. Our Meramec campus focus under STLCC Transformed will include the construction of a financial services center and an emerging technologies center. These projects are currently estimated to cost more than $138 million.”

CONTINUED ON P. 4-5

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 1 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

Reva Cobbs Reflects on her Time at STLCC

Non-Traditional Student set to Graduate this May

LYDIA HOWDEN Staff Writer

Saint Louis Community College is home to many students with different goals and academic paths, including Reva Cobbs. She is a nontraditional student here at the Meramec campus. A traditional student typically represents someone who is 25 years old or younger, goes to college full-time, and does not have many responsibilities in terms of work or other things.

Unlike them, Reva attends school part-time, goes to work, and she prefers to take 8-week courses. She is getting her Associates in General Transfer Studies and is set to graduate from STLCC later this spring before going for her Bachelors at Texas Southern University. There, she plans to major in accounting and minor in Spanish.

In her free time, she loves spending time with family because that’s important to her.

“I have a big family,” she says.

She also spends time with friends, reading, and shopping. She considers herself a “sneakerhead,” and so a hobby of hers is to check out the latest Jordans. Her favorite classes at Meramec so far have been anything that has to do with accounting, because she likes “learning the skills you are going to do in your career, that you actually do in your job and that corresponds with what you do every day.”

She has been doing accounting for 15 years now and began when she was 18. Accounting is what she is passionate about. She loves the fact that she can help her friends and family with taxes and that the skills she uses for her job correlate with what she does in daily life. Her long term goals involve getting her Masters degree.

She does not know if she will come

To place an advertisement, contact the advertising manager for rates, sample issues, etc., at 314-984-7857.

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

back to Missouri after Texas, stay in Texas, or go somewhere else.

“And that’s the great thing,” she says. “You never know what circumstances might bring you back. You never know what’s going to happen and the people you might meet. I’m excited.”

One day, Cobbs said she wants her own accounting firm, to create jobs for people, and create generational wealth.

Cobbs said that STLCC has been the perfect place for her career growth at this moment. It offers 8 week courses so that she can get her credits in without having to take several classes all semester, and 8 week courses are a great option for those who work as well as having class. She states that STLCC has “done a good job providing the

essential tools for success.”

She has not had bad experiences with teachers and she appreciates the staff. She likes that she got to create her own schedules instead of having someone else tell her what classes to take and when. “It takes student insight because every person is different and their lifestyles are different,” she says.

Reva’s advice to students both traditional and nontraditional is to “keep your eye on the end goal. Surround yourself with positive people because negativity will bring you down. You will have days when life is really stressful and hard, and you just have to remember your goals, whether they be an Associates, Bachelors, or Masters degree.”

NEWS BRIEFS

Moore-Davis to Receive PTK’s Gordon Award

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society will recognize six college presidents with the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction during PTK Catalyst 2023, the society’s annual convention in Columbus, Ohio, April 20-22.

Feliccia Moore-Davis, Ph.D.Among those to be honored will be Feleccia Moore-Davis, Ph.D., president and chief academic officer at St. Louis Community College-Meramec.

The award recognizes college presidents who have shown support of student success initiatives leading to stronger pathways to completion, transfer and employment. They have taken an active interest in supporting high-achieving students and developing student leaders on campus.

Annual Student Art Exhibition

Outstanding works in studio arts, design and digital media created by Meramec students during this academic school year will be on display in the atrium of the Humanities West

building from Apr. 21- May 4. There will be an award ceremony in the atrium to kick off the festivities on Apr. 21 at 6:00 pm.

The Montage Wins 22 Awards at MCMA/MBEA Conference

This year, The Montage once again participated in the state college journalism conference, held this year at Southeast Missouri State University, and took home 22 awards in many categories.

The Montage received a 1st place win for the Back-to-School Magazine and 21 additional staff and individual awards.

The Montage staff competed against several other two-year school newspapers from across the state including newspapers from the STLCCForest Park campus. Entries in the competition were judged for general excellence by members of the Missouri Press Association.

Individual and staff awards received by The Montage staff included 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place wins for news writing,

feature writing, in-depth reporting, sports photography, information graphics, news design and editorial sections. Several honorable mentions were also awarded to staff members.

Spring Blood Drive April 12

xx

The Student Nurses Association will be hosting its spring blood drive 9 a.m.-1 p.m. April 12 in SC 125. To donate, please make an appointment by calling 314-251-GIVE (4483) or visit MercyBloodDonor.net.

Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. Please bring a state-issued ID. See flyer for donor restrictions. All donors presenting donors will receive a complimentary T-shirt.

Advising Registration Workshop

Students are encouraged to attend drop-in advising for assistance with registration on April 12-14 at the advising department. No appointment necessary.

“themontage”

PHOTO BY LYDIA HOWDEN

IS STLCC THE BEST PLACE TO WORK?

is no one on the Chancellor’s leadership team who has indicated an ability to willingness to have tough conversations. As a result, the workforce is suffering, but leadership makes every excuse to blame the workforce and avoid all accountability.”

own bravado that they think they are never wrong and are above reproach. They push their own personal agenda without regard for the best interests of students or staff.”

Faculty and Staff Responses

CONTINUED FROM P. 1

One unnamed Meramec employee was not happy with the college, saying “There are many other aspects to the student experience I’d like to divulge but there won’t be enough space in this survey to digress. The lab spaces are antiquated and crowded and equipment needs to be updated as do the science buildings. The lighting is dim and dreary down the hallways, the buildings are covered in mold and the roof leaks. No one on the Meramec campus can understand why we are not getting an Allied Health building, and why so much money is being put into the Florissant Valley campus.”

Later on, this person continued, “The Meramec campus is strategically located to serve a greater population and is in proximity to the greatest number of hospitals (greater opportunities for clinical opportunities) and contains a vast population of students whose needs and desires are NOT being met in the area in which they live, and they will NOT drive to North County to satisfy their needs, they will go to another college, plain and simple.”

Regarding this matter, Pittman said, “The College has strategically planned for an expansion of all its health care programs across the Region and will construct new health care structures and expanded programming at the Flo Valley and Wildwood campuses as a part of STLCC Transformed. In addition, there are plans to expand our health care programs at South County with the addition of a new Licensed Practical Nursing program. These expansions were carefully planned by assessing area hospital clinical capacities and in aligning with current workforce needs.

He continued, “While Meramec continues to be an important part of the district’s overall expansion plans, the College is dramatically expanding several workforce programs to meet area workforce needs as determined by the employers we serve. Our Meramec campus focus under STLCC Transformed will include the construction of a financial services center and an emerging technologies center. These projects are currently estimated to cost more than $138 million.”

Another anonymous employee did not mince words when criticizing the college and the chancellor, and believes that the college is out of touch with what students, faculty and staff require.

“First, the fact that the institution nominated itself for this award shows just how disconnected leadership is from its employees,” they said. “Anyone with a true understanding of the internal complexities of the institution should not invite this type of attention. The Chancellor’s success is based not on his ability to connect and his commitment to making St. Louis Community College the best it can be, it is based on his political affiliations and comfort rubbing elbows with the Governor.”

This person also goes on to heavily criticize the college’s leadership team.

“It is quite possible that STLCC would be no more if the State showed up and conducted internal audits. Leadership certainly does not give much weight to quality of life. Instead of accommodating the needs of employees, those who are not facing the same issues as the majority of employees make decisions about what those employees need. Leadership does not have the tools to effectively manage, and the management experience of leadership is questionable. The Leadership Team is devoid of real representation and is instead a personification of tokenism, ripe with individuals meant to placate instead of challenge.”

Later on in this person’s remarks, they accused the Chancellor of inappropriate comments and behavior regarding departing employees.

“The Chancellor also has a known habit of making horrendous comments about those who move on to better opportunities and [a known habit of] treating them terribly upon receiving resignations.”

This person also accuses the college’s leadership team of similar behavior.

“The archaic nature of the leadership has resulted in low morale and an ineffective workplace. There is a lack of professionalism and the lack of accountability embedded in the culture of the institution is palpable,” they said. “Leadership’s disregard is evident in the way they speak to others, disregard valuable input, and treat others. For example, it’s not uncommon for management to punish employees for the very type of behavior displayed by management/leadership. Instead of setting expectations, many leadership members gossip about their own employees and complain about insufficient output. There is an “it’s not our job” mentality here, and there is often hostility where there should be collaboration.”

Later on, they continued, “There

Later on, they also accuse the college of targeting employees who speak out against it, saying “It’s worth noting that certain employees are unlikely to complete this survey due to fear of retaliation. There have been instances during which internal “anonymous” surveys have been completed, less than flattering feedback was provided, leadership was able to identify the authors, and those authors were retaliated against. The microaggressions are real here. The disregard for those from different walks of life is real here.”

Criticism of the college administration continued in another review, with another anonymous person saying, “The administrators are so far removed from the day to day activities of the college that they have lost sight of what it takes to properly run the institution. They are so focused on outcomes that they have forgotten about the people pushing to achieve those outcomes.”

Further commenting on employee turnover, this person continued, “The environment has become so hostile that staff turnover has skyrocketed. New people come in and stay less than a year and move on. They realize STLCC is not a great place to work. STLCC has truly gone downhill over the years. Employees are undervalued and treated poorly and unfairly. They are denied the opportunity to advance because the current leadership prefers to hire their friends over internal candidates with years of experience. We were once a place that fostered the growth and advancement of our own, but no more. There is blatant favoritism for those who do not speak out against leadership. If someone wants to advance, they must always agree with leadership and never question them. The college no longer values people who work hard and do their job. Instead, they value employees who show up every day and do the minimum. People who do their job are now expected to pick up the slack for those who do not. Being an employee who takes initiative is discouraged. Professional development opportunities of substance are only afforded to those favored by leadership. For those who have been with the college for years, we have seen this decline firsthand.”

They further continued, “This entire company is a hostile work environment with leadership that is so full of their

This person, like others, stressed that this isn’t the first time that the college has conducted a survey like this.

“Every time they conduct one, they ignore the results because they are critical of leadership.”

Regarding these accusations, Pittman expressed disbelief and denied the allegations.

“I disagree with this anonymous comment,” he said. “And it is impossible to understand what this is about given there are no names or details provided. I do not make ‘horrendous’ comments about current or past staff, and, in fact, I often serve as a coach and supply references for those who wish to further their career at other colleges.”

Pittman then cited two examples of assisting two former high-level administrators of STLCC acquire CEO positions at other Colleges and assisting another high-level leader obtain a similar job at a larger college. He also says that prior to COVID, he had offered the Chancellor’s Leadership Academy to provide leadership training to aspiring community college faculty and staff, and post-COVID, “we are working on plans to begin this program once again in the not-toodistant future.”

Pittman also addressed the criticism of college leadership by saying, “It is difficult to respond when there are no employees named or specific incidents identified. I have not witnessed unprofessional behavior or gossip personally and believe our leadership team is working very hard to create an environment where people feel valued.”

Lastly, regarding the allegations of the college seeking to identify those who may respond in an anonymous survey, Pittman said, “I am not aware of any incident since I’ve arrived in 2015 where any employee has been identified or retaliated against because of completing an anonymous survey. There is no way for us to connect comments in these surveys back to the participants.”

He continued, “I find the faculty and staff here very forthcoming in stating their opinions about any topic they feel compelled to comment about, as illustrated at our board meetings for the past several years. And yes, the fact we are committed to the work associated with the ‘Best Place to Work’ initiative illustrates that I and the other leadership members value the input and contributions of nonadministrative employees.”

April 6, 2023

Survey Says ....

Salary Disparity and the college budget come to the forefront

Another issue that arose from the surveys was a perceived disparity in salaries.

“And if the college doesn’t get a clue and start paying their classified employees a better salary (I have an Associates Degree and the housekeepers make almost as much as I do.....) they will lose a great population of hardworking people who have been dedicated to the college for a long time. We are the ones at the ‘bottom’ making all of the magic happen for the students, supporting the professors, etc. The administrators make far too much money, and receive ridiculous bonuses and this doesn’t bode well from our viewpoint,” said one responder.

Another employee said that their raises have stopped because they were told that “they make too much money.”

They said, “This was very insulting to me knowing that I have gone above and beyond my job responsibilities, have always gotten great evaluations, and positive feedback from students, staff and external stakeholders but I make too much. Several salary studies have been done in my time at the college yet none have amounted to anything. Several organizational studies have been done and again not followed. To me these studies would be more important than ever given everyone here is new(and making more money than predecessors who were highly experienced). Experience should count for something.”

Administrative salaries

During their November 2022 meeting, the Board of Trustees unanimously approved extending Chancellor Pittman’s contract through June 30, 2027.

Kevin Martin says that the Board takes its role in hiring and evaluating the chancellor, who he deemed the Board’s “sole employee” very seriously.

“Dr. Pittman goes through an extensive evaluation process each year, which is outlined in Board Policy,” Martin says. “Generally during a midyear check, the Board has a discussion about any contract extensions and we initiate the conversation with the Chancellor. The Board has been very pleased with the performance and direction the College is heading.:

Chancellor Pittman is set to receive a near 13 percent raise this year compared to last year. Pittman’s 2022 salary was listed as being $304,281 and his 2023 salary is set to equal a total of $343,227, marking a $38,946 increase. General Counsel Lucy Singer and IT Security Director Matthew Gioia are set to receive 18.39 percent raises this year, and for the 2023 year are set to earn $169,179 and $117,861, respectively.

The top earners behind Pittman are Vice Chancellor Andrew Langrehr and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Christine Davis, who both are set to receive raises of 7.63 percent, thus clearing the way for them to make $197,930 and $182,909, respectively. Right behind them is Chief Operating Officer Hart Nelson, who is set to earn $177,581.

Meramec Campus President

Feleccia Moore-Davis is also set for a 7.63 percent raise, and will make a total of $170,715. This is the exact same amount that Forest Park Campus President Julie Fickas is set to make this year, but both are behind Florissant Valley Campus President Elizabeth Perkins, who is set to make $173,939.

Other administrators are also set for raises. Outside of Pittman, Langrehr and Davis, the largest raise percentage increase went to Vice President of Student Success Julie Massey, who received a 10.96 percent raise, bringing her 2023 salary to $120,000.

Overall, the college will spend a total of $5,387,177 paying its salaried employees. Pittman said that the College continually analyzes salaries based on available market data that allows them to compare the different levels of employee groups in the College with similar positions at other organizations in the St. Louis market. He also said that STLCC recently utilized a third-party vendor to do a market analysis on its professional positions unit and will soon be getting underway with a market study for the unit and non-unit classified positions.

“As demonstrated by the last study, he said, “the College has adjusted compensation for employee groups as needed to align with the area market, and we typically, at least since I have been here, have offered competitive salary increases for all employee units each year, or an increase based on compensation agreed to in negotiations with specific bargaining units.”

He continued, “For the faculty, we have historically had the highest salaries for all community colleges in Missouri, as more than one-third of our full-time faculty make well over $100,000 per year based on recent W-2 data.”

Regarding his own salary, Pittman said he believes he is one of the lower paid administrators when compared to similar size colleges.

“Regarding my salary, again, the board takes market data into consideration. While I do not have exact data, I would estimate I am one of the lower paid administrators of similar size colleges and universities in the St. Louis market, however I truly appreciate that the board continues to make efforts to keep this position competitive in our area,” Pittman said.

Martin clarified the Board’s influence over salaries.

“The Administration presents the Board with recommendations. However, we have many unions that we negotiate with on a good faith basis,” he said. “Each union group determines the salaries of their members through this process. The Board has final approval on such. As a college, we continue to examine and compare our salaries to that of others to remain competitive. This includes not just salaries but also our rich benefit package. The market is currently in a phase that we haven’t seen lately and the Administration is working to present to the Board some possible adjustments in the near future.”

How STLCC got involved with the St. Louis Business Journal

“The College works closely with the St. Louis Business Journal on a variety of initiatives and sponsorships to reach the business community, a critical audience for our Workforce Solutions Group as well as all our career programs. Aligning with companies who need well educated workers is a critical part of serving the many key constituents of our service region,” said Pittman.

Pittman himself was a panelist last Friday for the organization’s most recent workforce development panel, and said that STLCC was featured prominently in the Business Journal’s most recent Workforce Development Guide.

“For the College,” he said, “the purpose of participating in the Best

Place to Work Survey aligns with our new strategic initiative of becoming a “Best Place to Work” in St. Louis as will be illustrated in the Strategic Plan. While we were not expecting to win the competition this year, we wanted to establish a baseline of information to allow us to assess where our strengths and opportunities are, and to assist us with planning to improve the workplace for the future.”

Regarding the results, Pittman said, “While many of us think STLCC is a great place to work given the overall score of the survey – data reflected that 61% of survey respondents reported they were moderately to highly engaged – for the other 39%, we realize that COVID, prior years of very tight budgets, turn-over caused by a tight labor market, and likely other factors have contributed to dissatisfaction and concern to some about the value of employees at STLCC.”

He continued, “We are greatly concerned that only 26% of the respondents feel that senior leaders of the organization value people as their most important resource. Hence, we have developed plans going forward to listen to and address concerns as appropriate to the mission of the College.” Pittman then noted that the “Engage and Listen” plan is available to anyone who would like to review it.

Martin said, “We believe we are a great organization to work at, but also acknowledge we always have room to improve. This is one reason why we began this process. It is a formal way to gather additional feedback on celebrations and opportunities. We need individuals to provide honest, real feedback about the organization. Although this survey is anonymous, we value the information it has provided and allows us to create plans to better engage our stakeholders to meet their needs. We look forward to this becoming an annual thing.”

An extended version of this story is available at meramecmontage.com.

Behind The Scenes of Spirit Week

A Q & A with Campus Activities Board member Giavarra Azhar Abdullah

MACY GILLICK STAFF WRITER

The Campus Activities Board promotes events for students throughout the academic year. Recently, the organization has been planning activities for a “Spirit Week” to be held later this month. Member Giavarra Azhar Abdullah describes the next upcoming event and the work that went into it, as well as what motivates her to be apart of the organization.

Q: When is Spirit Week and what are the themes?

Abdullah: The Spirit Week will be April 17th to April 20th. Monday is PJ Day, Tuesday is Western Day, Wednesday is Dress Like You’re on Vacation Day and finally Thursday is Decades Day.

Q: What goes into planning events like spirit week?

Abdullah: This is a two part answer. The first thing that goes into planning events is meeting with the team to discuss and share ideas. Collaboration, communication, and listening are needed to plan and have successful

events. The second part of the answer would be executing the plan. This includes potential dates and times of when to hold the event, delegating tasks to board members, deciding who will be the main person in charge of each event, and what the event will look like.

We are able to come up with different themes and match a day of the week with each theme. After going through all the details of the event, we start on advertisements and potential prizes for students. Right now, everything is ready including flyers and prizes. Now we are waiting for a date closer to the event to distribute the flyers and advertise the event.

Q: Why are you involved in this club?

Abdullah: I believe that there should be an equal balance, focus, and emphasis on extracurricular activities and academics. I’m the type of person who needs to be involved in activities in order to do well in school. I have always participated in many extracurricular activities.

I wanted to help the Campus Activity Board provide students with activities

they need to do well in school, and feel connected to the STLCC community.

Q: What are the benefits of being in a club?

Abdullah: [The] first perk is meeting new people and connecting with students. I’m part of four different clubs here at STLCC, and I’ve met many great people due to involvement in clubs. Second, I think it’s fun. Finding a club that interests me allows me to explore things outside of what I’m majoring in. Also, for those who plan on transferring, universities want to see your involvement in extracurriculars outside of academics, and it can show them what else you’re interested in beyond academics.

Webster University PTK Scholarships

Webster is the perfect place to finish your bachelor’s degree. We offer the $1,000 Phi Theta Kappa scholarship as well as the competitive Phi Theta Kappa Distinguished Achievement full scholarship—the deadline is April 15!— making a private education with Webster University affordable and within reach.

Scan the QR code to learn more. webster.edu/transfer

“I will always recommend Webster University because of the culture of the school and because of the people—the professors want to see you succeed.”

Igho Ekakitie

Giavarra Azhar Abdullah

Top 10 Tips To Survive The Rest Of The Semester

Coming back from Spring Break can be more challenging than it appears

ELIZABETH NAGUDI STAFF WRITER

Spring break is always a way to refresh and take a break from school. Balancing school, life, and work can be a bit challenging for any college student as there is so much confined in each category.

You have to maintain excellent grades while at the same time keeping your family relationships strong as you also pursue personal interests. In the same manner, given that most college students are working, they are also tasked with balancing this aspect of life.

Regardless, you should have great appreciation for scholars that thought it wise to have the spring break. Five days of no school work. It sounds like just a few days, but students immerse in many non-academic refreshing activities in these few days. Some students get to travel to other states to visit family and friends, while others go on tours, adventures, or any other social life catching up that they missed while at school. Some students also opt to have more work hours at their places of work and earn that extra dime.

Regardless of how you spent the spring break, soon Monday comes crawling at your door, and school went on like before. In no particular order, here are the top ten ways to regain momentum post-spring break:

First-day rules remain. It can be boring to stick by the rules, but it

is what it is. You could have set the rules yourself, your professor, or the academic tutor at the beginning of the semester in January. These could be guidelines on how you want your semester to run. It’s like having a new semester resolution that you keep at the back of your mind. Follow the rules.

Let the mid-term results you receive motivate you. Look at you making your grades look better. Even if you didn’t perform as expected, it’s this time to awaken you and make a complete shift in the semester post-spring break.

Catch up with your friends

Share your experiences with your friends and listen to them share theirs.

lecture room and vice versa. It’s time to explore the campus and learn about fun activities to engage in. In addition, with the ongoing revamping of campus buildings, you could learn about the new organization of facilities and where to find services.

It’s never that serious. It sounds like a lazy person’s slogan but within lies great wisdom. Spring break has just ended, but when looking ahead, summer break is not that far away. Focus for now, you’re almost done for the school year.

Talk to your professors. You are probably not the type to engage with your professors, but another perspective could help you engage greater with the class. Even if you are to give a one-word response, go ahead and give that response. It will soon develop in your character to engage in class and get drawn to engaging more with your class work.

Remember why you joined college. Why did you select that particular class? While jogging the treadmill is considered one of the most boring exercises by many, you are always encouraged to visualize the goal you are chasing. Maybe you want to reduce your body weight by 15 lbs at the end of two weeks. Think of how much joy it will bring to you. Similarly, think of the future ahead of these classes and endless tests.

Revisit topics. The break looks and may even feel short, but the human brain tends to forget what has been taught and has been studied. Use this return to class to revisit the old topics to prepare you for the final tests better.

Spend more time on campus.

It is estimated that the average time spent on campus out of class by over 90% of students at STLCC is 5 minutes; essentially this is just the time one moves from their car to the

Spotlight on Meramec

Below: Food Trucks were present in the Student Center Quad during the week of Mar. 20. The trucks were a part of the MidTerm Break Bash festivities at Meramec, and were present over a two day period in conjuction with the event. Students recieved tickets from the activities inside the Student Center to get food from the trucks free of charge.

Above: The Career Fair took place in the Meramec Gymnasium on Wednesday, Mar. 29. Participants had opportunities to speak with employers and apply for current openings within the many companies that participated. The event wasn’t just exlcusively availible to Meramec and STLCC students, however. All career fairs are free and open to STLCC students, alumni and the public.

Evaluate the last half of the semester. What did you do great at? Was it waking up at the sound of the alarm clock and getting to class on time? What didn’t you do great? Was it the math tests? You have this next half of the semester to redeem all those areas you feel you need to.

Finally, engage in schoolbased activities. These could be career-related or fun-filled activities. The schedule can be pretty tight as we balance school, work, and life, but work without play isn’t healthy either. Several activities take place on campus, and you could at least attend one once in a while.

Below: The “Midterm Break Bash” continues inside the Caferteria Atrium on Thursday, Mar. 23. In addition to the food trucks present outside, events and activites included giant games of “Connect 4” and “Jenga.” Funnel Cakes were distributed to students, and a DJ was present on the premises to play live music to those in attendance.

Above: “Women’s History Bingo” takes place in the Cafeteria Atrium on Tuesday, Mar. 30. This was the concluding event in STLCC’s slate of events that celebrated Women’s History Month. Other events throughout the month included Stand Up Comedy and lectures on Women History that took place in Lecture Hall Room 102, as well as a sporting event on the Softball field.

Above: The new Meramec Library, as pictured on Thursday, Mar. 23. The new library opened following the conclusion of Spring Break. The current space that the library occupies is the site of the old Meramec bookstore, and is intended to be a temporary location while the STLCC Transformed projects continue.

DAKOTA PULCHER PHOTO EDITOR

‘Cocaine Bear’ delivers plenty of cocaine and bears

The star-studded epic is mindless fun

Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

“Cocaine Bear” is quite the film for any adult ready to indulge in violent, mindless fun. Based loosely on a true story, it features a stellar, notably award-winning cast doing their best 80’s stereotypes, and features one of the final performances of actor Ray Lottia, who plays what amounts to be the most antagonistic role in the film as the drug trafficker Syd.

Centered in the year 1985 primarily within the Chattahoochee–Oconee National Forest in Georgia but featuring plenty of scenes set in St. Louis, drug smuggler Andrew C. Thornton II (Matthew Rhys) drops a shipment of cocaine from his plane, but accidentally knocks himself out before falling to his death in a front yard in Knoxville, Tennessee. Most of the cocaine landed in the forest in Georgia, where a black mother bear finds a stash and quickly becomes addicted. And, uncharacteristically aggressive.

A unique cast of characters are also in the forest, and many of them come in direct contact with the crazed, violent bear. This includes two children, who are among the bears initial victims. Both children survive (although they do try the cocaine), but many others don’t. In particular, the park ranger

played by actress Margo Martindale has a particularly brutal final few hours, as do the three hoodlum teenagers harassing everyone.

“Cocaine Bear” is one of the more aggressively violent films of the last year or two, and the kills absolutely make the movie. There’s a lot of intriguing stories there, but they often aren’t explored very much by the end of the film. It’s definitely not a movie for those with a weak stomach, and the movie is largely not afraid to get as disgusting as possible. It’s not afraid to be as shockingly violent as it is with such a respected, A-List cast on tap. This cast includes Keri Russell, who is featured prominently throughout the film (an on-screen reunion with her “Americans” co-star Rhys would have been cool, but wouldn’t have made much sense), as well as Isiah Whitlock Jr., who actually has one of the more depressing parts of the film to contend with, but isn’t afraid to be wholesomely funny.

It feels strange to view a drugfueled bloody rampage as funny, but it largely is. Almost none of that has to do with the bear, and instead the acting delivery from the cast carries the film’s humor and even some of its drama. In particular, O’Shea Jackson Jr.’s Daveed is probably the most well-rounded and fully realized character of the bunch, and Jackson plays both sides of the

coin extremely well.

Arguably, however, the bear isn’t portrayed as any sort of villain throughout. People do crazy things after doing drugs, and animals are no different. Even when at her most violent, the bear is often hilarious in its own way, even falling asleep from exhaustion on top of Syd’s adult son Eddie (Alden Ehrenreich) at one point. The bear is violent, but she’s somehow still a sympathetic figure. Not to mention, the GCI Bear is incredible to see.

Without further spoiling the film, “Cocaine Bear” is worth a watch, but viewers should be aware that they’ll see a molotov cocktail of brutality mixed with genuinely funny humor. If you’re a kid, don’t watch this film, and if you have a weak stomach or hate violence, please do not watch this film.

‘The Last Of Us’ Season 1 does not disappoint

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey do justice to Joel and Ellie

Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

“The Last Of Us” ran from January 15 to March 12. This HBO adaptation of the legendary video game honors its namesake with tons of references to the original, while sprinkling in just enough new elements to add to the presentation.

This includes the opening scene, set in a television studio in 1968, where two scientists speak to the host about a number of deadly funguses, including the Cordyceps fungus that would eventually mutate and find its way into the food supply in the year 2003, kicking off an unstoppable, world-ending pandemic. It grabs your attention from the outset, and the extended episode’s prologue helps set the tone for what’s to come in the second half of what may have been the best pilot episode in television history, and that is not hyperbole.

While the show could have benefited from a longer season and perhaps a few more “clickers,” there’s so much to enjoy and appreciate, regardless of whether the viewer has previous knowledge of the game or not. Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) are complete, loveable characters, with Ramsey in particular shining rather bright, especially in the season’s closing episodes. But aside from the two leads, the other characters that they cross paths with help make the story memorable.

Other new additions in HBO’s iterations include an entire episode

set around the popular character Bill which changes his story from the game entirely, and the addition of Kathleen from Kansas City. Both are completely different takes than what the video game presented, despite involving the same characters from the game in both plotlines, and despite some backlash, the additions only add to the series.

In particular, Bill’s (Nick Offerman) story attracted a lot of attention, in large part due to perhaps the most dramatic game diversion and a small bit of internalized homophobia from some viewers. The character Frank (played by Muarry Bartlett) also gets to play a much larger role than he ever did as a video game (where he only appeared as a corpse).

The story is an unusually cheerful hour of television for a show as dark and violent as this one, but it does what none of the other hours over the course of the season did: it showed harmonious domesticity in the midst of the apocalypse, and it did so better than perhaps any other show of its kind.

Kathleen, played by prolific actress Melanie Lynskey, is an original character created for the TV series, but she is a wonderful addition that enhances the plot concerning Henry and Sam (Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Montreal Woodard, respectively), which does end the way that it did within the game.

The circumstances getting to that point, though, are much different, and the extended two-episode arc is one of

the show’s more bold choices. But it’s very entertaining, and everything ties together nicely.

But while some additions threw fans off, there is plenty of material that is straight up adapted from the game. While the set pieces may be a little different, Ellie’s interactions with David (Scott Shepard) are ripped straight out of the game. It’s quite the experience playing the game, then seeing that particular ending scene at the lodge recreated in all of its brutal fashion.

The ending to the season is also ripped straight out of the game, although the tone of the ending is much different this time.

Whereas in the final level of the game, Joel’s actions were viewed almost as heroically flawed, those same actions are instead can be viewed as desperate narcissism on the show. Joel does not come off as a good guy, despite

the fact that he largely is one. It’s an interesting deviation, and perhaps it can be perceived that way because the viewer doesn’t have any control over Joel’s actions like they would in the gaming world.

“The Last of Us” is a triumph. Season 2, however, is sure to divide its fan base further.

Get your golf clubs ready.

But if you’re neither of those, buckle up for a 90-minute rollercoaster ride.

WWE 2K23 is another substantial improvement

2KSports’ latest WWE game is another home run, despite room for improvement

Jacob Politte MANAGING

EDITOR

“WWE 2K20” was objectively terrible. The gameplay was clunky, the graphics regressed, and everything about the game itself felt stale and uninspired. It was exceptionally bad for a once revered video game franchise, and so poorly received that 2K took what ended up being an over two-year break to figure out its next step. That next step was “WWE 2K22” which was released in early March 2022 after months of delays. It was a much needed improvement, and was one of the better offerings from 2K in quite some time.

WWE 2K23, released March 17, continues to improve upon its predecessors, and in particular addresses one limitation that 2K22 had. In particular, the MyGM mode, where you book and promote your own brand on a weekly basis, greatly improves from last year’s offering. The allure of the mode is essentially running the business side of things, and unlike last year, includes the ability to book more diverse match types, more championship titles for your roster to compete for and even features more brands to compete against.

In a way, the mode is more challenging because of these aspects; superstars are more subject to injury and the money a brand has to work can’t accommodate every superstar, match or even event. If anything, a successful MyGM season relies heavily on booking well-balanced shows and paying attention to one’s fiscal budget. Not every disgruntled superstar can get the $100,000 bonus they demand or the pay they’re asking for. There is still room for improvement, but 2K23’s MyGM is miles ahead of last year’s offering.

The game’s Universe mode is, as usual, also a bit confusing and a bit of a waste of time, but it also is essentially MyGM without the limitations of financial aspect. Players may be less stressed with this mode.

It’s also worth saying that the game’s “Showcase” mode, which this game centers on the iconic John Cena, isn’t a letdown like last year’s mode

involving Rey Mysterio. But it is a lot more frustrating, and a lot of that has to do with the mode’s strangest twist: instead of playing as John Cena, you’re trying to defeat John Cena in every single Showcase match. John Cena had a reputation for no-selling an opponent’s offense throughout his full-time professional career, and the game acts the same way; in almost every single match, Cena is extremely difficult to beat.

It’s certainly a unique choice, and the unlockable arenas and superstars are rich in detail. But players should be prepared for how difficult it is to obtain victory.

Where the “Showcase” mode falters, the “MyRise” mode once again thrives. That mode, where you take a superstar that you create and usually have them progress from the bottom to the top of the company, is a ton of fun, filled with fantastic and inspired storylines with a lot of variety. The modes’ many choices actually affect the stories that you’re playing through, and how your character is perceived. And the mode itself is once again extremely creative.

Like the showcase mode, there’s a bit of an unusual twist for the male story: the created superstar you make is an accomplished independent wrestler who comes into the company, gets saddled with a lame, dumb gimmick that kills your career (a sort of meta joke, as WWE prefers to rename people when they sign them to a contract so that they own your likeness and name), then get fired from the company and have to return the independent scene to work your way back up the industry like many other superstars have before. For the women’s story, a sort of legacy tale plays out, where a second-generation performer attempts to navigate their own path in the company. It’s not as exciting, but it’s still a lot of fun.

As for the gameplay itself, the graphics don’t appear to have changed much on a surface level, and like its predecessor the game is still a lot less glitchy than many previous entries in the series. The game’s extensive combo system is still a bit challenging to deal with, especially during the Showcase mode where certain objectives can only be met by performing combos perfectly. But punching and kicking alone won’t

fill your stamina meter that allows you to perform your signature and finishing moves. The combo system needs simplifying, but it’s a necessary evil during gameplay.

A new, welcome addition to the series is the implementation of the WarGames Match, and the experience of playing the 6 or 8 person, two-ring tag team cage warfare bout is well worth the price of the game on its own. The former World Championship Wrestling creation finally makes its video game debut in a stellar way after being embraced by WWE in recent years, and it’s infinitely playable.

As with every addition of the game there are a few inaccuracies when it comes to the talent and arenas that are featured, although the former isn’t really the fault of the game developers.

That’s because the characters in the game change their personas rather frequently; because of this, the game feels a bit outdated in some ways. It’s not a massive issue, especially this year, which features arenas and gimmicks that were seen as recently as November, or in the case of gimmicks, even January. It’s also worth noting that an extended roster is on the way, with multiple groups of downloadable characters still to come.

WWE 2K23 is a masterclass of a professional wrestling game despite the room for improvement that hopefully will continue next year. While time will tell how the game holds up, it’s safe to say that it is the new benchmark which all games in the series going forward should look to emulate.

WWE 2K23 RATING:

ARE YOU READY TO GO TO WAR? The WarGames Match, which can either be a three-on-three or four-on-four tag team, two ring cage match bout, is a new edition to the gaming series, and it delievers in spades. The match can be played in three different arenas, one of which is an unlockable achievement. Photo courtesy of 2K Games.

Computers Are Getting Smarter Will That Make Us Dumber?

FAWWAZ ASHRAF STAFF WRITER

Late last year, the world was blessed with ChatGPT, one of the most powerful AI chatbots ever released to the public. It could craft strong, informative responses to just about any question and change its style based on the context. Students didn’t take long to realize they could use it to complete their assignments. The writing can be nearly indistinguishable from a student’s writing, and even tools, like GPTZero, that try to detect AI-written essays aren’t perfect. So, how can educators make sure their students are still learning?

The most apparent solution to deter the use of AI is forcing students to complete their assignments in class, but this isn’t a very elegant solution. Especially with the rise of fully online and hybrid classes, this just isn’t an option for many people. Even for in-person classes, this isn’t a viable approach for large out-of-class essays that need time for research.

However, one way this could be implemented is through a flipped classroom approach where students are expected to learn the material outside of class and then apply those ideas in class. While I’m not particularly fond of this teaching style, it’s likely one of the most effective ways to combat the use of AI.

Requiring peer-reviewed sources is also a strong deterrent against AI-written essays. ChatGPT doesn’t provide any sources for its claims, and Bing doesn’t always provide strong sources. Instead, students can use AI as a starting point. Using the general ideas that an AI model might provide,

a student can have an idea of where to begin their research. This way, the student still learns how to find and use strong sources, and the analysis of these sources is still left to the student.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, teachers can ask students to relate the contents of a lesson to their personal experiences. However, this latter method isn’t as effective, as ChatGPT can create fairly convincing narratives given enough context.

For English teachers, an effective way to reduce or negate the use of AI, and even reduce other methods of cheating, would be to move required reading towards less classic works. Books like The Great Gatsby and Of Mice and Men have been analyzed

millions of times, so just about any opinion on them has already been said. This leaves AI models with a myriad of data from which they can form essays. By choosing less iconic books, students will have to be more reliant on their own thoughts and understanding when writing essays. It’ll also make cheaters easier to catch due to the limited amount of public analyses on the book, limiting the number of ideas and perspectives the AI has to work with. ChatGPT is also not fully up to date on the latest works, so choosing something published recently could also be an effective deterrent. There’s also the added bonus of helping smaller authors grow.

One of the most significant issues,

though, is that this only reflects the current state of AI. As these technologies continue to advance and more specialized models are developed, it’s completely possible that computers could be capable of writing wellarticulated multiple-page essays with peer-reviewed sources and formatted citations within the next few years. It’s also not unreasonable to assume that AI may be able to read and analyze a book within minutes soon.

As much as teachers try to mitigate the use of AI, students and developers will grow increasingly creative with their techniques, and I can’t wait to see how this will affect our stagnant education system.

Jake’s Take: A Bittersweet Homecoming

Revisiting a brief, but important chapter of my life long before STLCC

JACOB POLITTE MANAGING EDITOR

Long before my tenure at STLCC, I gave another higher institution of learning the good old college try.

I guess at this stage of my life, I’m what many would consider a nontraditional student. Just a week short of turning 27 years old, I’m a bit older than a significant portion of students that are currently on campus. And before my return to my college education a few years ago, and prior to a long break before that return, I spent a school year living on and attending classes at the campus of Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO).

Revisiting that year is hard to talk about. It was my first time being away from home, and I did not make many good choices. Some resentment of those bad choices has faded over time, and some have largely remained but shaped the person I’ve become since.

My time at SEMO, though, taught me a lot about being independent and learning to take care of my issues on my own. It taught me that time management is impeccable and of the dangers of procrastination. I learned very quickly how to set up a television. It taught me that the music videos only show up on MTV at 3:00am. And it taught me a lot of other things that you can only learn living away from home.

But it also taught me that if you’re not serious about your education, that the system itself can be rather

ruthless. I remember during my original orientation, how an older lady (I’m fairly sure she was the Dean of Students at the time) said that half of us wouldn’t make it through 4-years at the college. I thought it was a harsh, stoic reminder that success isn’t guaranteed, and I also thought she was full of crap. Who was this woman and why did she just tell me the odds are stacked against me right out of the gate? I made it a personal mission to prove this woman wrong.

And then I failed that mission.

I lasted one year at SEMO. I crashed and burned extremely hard at the end of my first semester, due to a lot of different factors that don’t warrant mention here (I’m fairly transparent about most things, but I think some stuff should stay private). At the end of the day though, it was my fault that I didn’t succeed, no matter the people or circumstances that I may have blamed at the time. After playing a game of catch-up the following semester, one C grade in my World Religions class sealed my fate… my financial aid was toast.

Over the next three years, I spent my time working mindless full-time jobs, including a factory job and my current job working at a Wallis Companies location. The latter especially offers steady pay and little travel, and quite a few of my customers are actually really big fans and regular readers of this publication. But retail in particular makes a worker extremely disillusioned. Even so, I was scared

to go back to school, especially because SEMO wasn’t an option. Sometimes messing up something on that scale leaves a man truly frightened to fail at anything else again.

It took awhile, but of course I ended up at STLCC, and I’ve had so many great opportunities and accomplishments here that I’m very proud of. Even so, my time at SEMO still left me largely unsatisfied. I didn’t like the way I left, and I never really got to properly say goodbye.

But a recent conference for this very organization has allowed me to receive a small measure of closure this past weekend. This year’s Missouri College Media Association Conference (MCMA) was my first one, and coincidentally was held at the SEMO campus. No one from my time there was left, but the buildings were all still in the same place that they were when I departed. It was a surreal rush of emotion seeing them all again, with eight long years of experiences separating my time there.

In particular, looking up at the eleventh floor window in Towers East where I lived was more emotional than I expected it to be. I spent a whole year of my life looking out of that window

every morning. Someone put nice curtains in there, which is a lot better of a design choice than I made.

The Montage took home 22 awards at Saturday night’s banquet. I’m very proud of that. And I’m very proud of my staff. I don’t regret a second of my time here, even if I didn’t ever plan on being here. SEMO was the plan and that plan went awry.

But SEMO taught me a lot about how to handle certain things properly, and how to not handle other things. It may not have ended the way I would have wanted it to, but I learned a lot there. And I’m glad I got the chance to achieve some sort of closure.

The Women in Power or The Women in the Kitchen?

ELIZABETH NAGUDI STAFF WRITER

I have been thinking, pondering, and wondering what to pen down as my initial opinion article for The Montage. I had a couple of ideas, but none made the cut for my writing moods. This week, we were working on the analysis essay during the college composition class. Bang, I got my idea! I will not bore you with the ups and downs of analyzing any classworkjust a realization of the differences of perspective.

Communication is always risky, and the meaning is always in the sender or the receiver but not the message. This concept made more sense when I exchanged my analysis essay with my neighbor to the left, who presented me with his. Coincidentally, we selected the same ad to analyze, “Get the Power” by Clorox. After reading his first paragraph, which had remarkable coherence and citations, I got utterly lost in the second paragraph. I was quick to draw judgment and comment, “What is the correlation between the ad and housewives?”

For context, the “Get the Power” ad utilizes Rosie the Riveter to symbolize power, given that she strikes a power pose like a bodybuilder trying to show off their muscles (strength). Mark this, “It’s a woman.”

I bet you have seen Rosie the Riveter’s image at some point, but you may not have comprehended why it is

famous. History has it that the image which first appeared in the 1940s in a newspaper in Pittsburgh was an artistic impression to attract women to join the labor force, as most men had been recruited into the army for World War II. It’s been “humpty dumpty” to locate who the real woman that was captured is, but all it comes to the fact that the woman portrayed had joined the labor force. The significance of the ad is estimated to have attracted over 27% of women into the workforce compared to the 37% previously in the workforce. Most women at the time were housewives. Furthermore, after World War II, most women who joined the labor force opted to stick in the employment world rather than return to being housewives.

My interpretation of the “Get the Power” ad was that this effectively used the image and passed the right message for the product. The image used seemed great, given that it’s a power pose and symbolically, the detergent has the power to ease the cleaning of any dirt. It passed off as an efficient cleaning product for one to have in their store room.

I rained praises over the ad and felt it was related to the article that also spoke about the great significance of the artistic impression. But I was surprised when I received my neighbor’s paper to read and give him feedback that he had a completely different interpretation of the ad. It actually made sense, and I nearly felt like changing my

understanding.

He argued that the image used in the ad was such an abomination and undermined women. He felt like the ad was completely trashing the original use of the artistic impression. The initial use of the artistic image was to draw women into the workforce, but in this case, the ad was drawing women back into housewife status. He created a substantial cause for argument relating to the cleaning aspect of the ad, the detergent, and the use of a woman to represent the product. For a generation where tasks are no longer gender-based, he was disappointed in the ad. He closed off his argument with the statement, “So this ad is naive to the idea of changing demographics; it’s a back step in the progress of equity.”

What more can I say other than we have different perspectives? Those different perspectives significantly affect how we communicate, relate, and see the world.

This incident reminded me of what my oral communication professor said sometime during one of his classes, “If we had a car crash of someone driving a flashy car and we had three witnesses to give an account of what happened,

each would give a different version.”

The first person could have been focused on the flashy car and admiring it since it is their dream car and was unaware of the woman crossing the road. The second person could have been physically around but mentally aware and was awoken by the loud hooting and the sudden bang hence witnessing only that point of contact. The third person could have been staring at the woman crossing the road and maybe involuntarily blinked at the point of the accident since they had witnessed another traumatic incident.

Our differences give us a reason to go to bed, hoping to wake up the next day! Cheers to more differences in life.

Archers Win!

Archers Baseball played the University of Health, Science and Pharmacy (UHSP) on Tuesday, Mar.14, pulling out the win with a score of 9-4. Overall, as of press time, the team’s record is 11 wins and 21 losses.

Top Left: Justin Keuss up at bat and gearing up to hit the ball.

Top Middle: Tuhedirk Rosa on the pitchers mound.

Top Right: Luke Smith batting and getting striked out.

Middle Left: Riley Clancy at bat.

Middle Right: UHSP’s batter Robert Uhlmeyer and Archers catcher Sam Ebbs.

Bottom Left: An unnamed player at bat.

Bottom Right: Zach Williams throws the ball.

Archer’s Athletics Department Supports Athletes, Improves Overall GPAs with Community Support

MORGAN DANIELS STAFF WRITER

Student-athletes have an undeniably loaded schedule. Between workouts, practices, homework, studying, and the occasional out-of-state travel, they work hard to be good athletes and students. At Meramec, studentathletes receive immense emotional and academic support from coaches and staff committed to ensuring they succeed in the classroom.

An influential person behind the academic success of each athlete is Shelly Ethridge. She’s been with St. Louis Community College for 15 years, initially working as the head coach for Women’s basketball. Some students might know her as a professor, but she wears multiple hats.

Ethridge is the retention coordinator for the athletic department, and her role is to provide leadership support and monitor academic success. Working with roughly 150 athletes can present challenges, but Ethridge said her passion stems from her love for working with student-athletes.

“I love working with them. It gives me a way to keep in touch with the

athletes after retiring from basketball,” she said.

One of Ethridge’s initiatives as coordinator is to ensure each team has access to the resources they need. Most teams utilize the tutoring, advising, and writing center.

For example, Terry Collins, the head coach of the Men’s basketball team, requires that his athletes attend study halls three times a week for an hour and a half. He has seen an improvement in his team’s academics and appreciates how caring Meramec’s academic resources staff are with his athletes.

Alongside connecting teams to such resources, Ethridge works year-round with athletes individually.

In those sessions, she will review current grades, discuss comments from instructor feedback, and offer additional assistance to ensure the athlete is on the right track toward graduating.

In her career working with hundreds of students, she has experienced first-hand the dejection athletes may experience when their grades impede their eligibility to play. Ethridge’s oneon-one sessions allow her to empathize with athletes, encourage them to take

advantage of resources like study halls, and let them know that their academic goals are attainable.

The commitment and passion of Ethridge and every athletic department staff member explain the department’s steady rise in team GPAs. Archer athletes have obtained a respectable B average academically from all seven teams. Furthermore, according to Ethridge, their average GPAs are increasing each semester and “moving in the right direction.”

Student-athletes at STLCC-Meramec have a large supportive community devoted to their athletic prowess and academic success, she said.

It’s easy to become overwhelmed taking on the responsibility of an athlete and full-time student. It is, as Jerry Collins describes it, “taking on two jobs, and you don’t get paid for either.”

However, with the support of coaches, directors, and coordinators

Photos by: Elizabeth Nagudi

like Ethridge, the Meramec athletic department continues to help their students succeed in the classroom so that they can perform outside of it.

DAKOTA PULCHER PHOTO EDITOR

Photos by: Elizabeth Nagudi