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VOLUME 53, ISSUE 13 | THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2018 | WWW.MERAMECMONTAGE.COM
Graphic by Noah Sliney
What STLCC administrators are doing to protect student data after FERPA flub
STLCC releases personal information of 362 students in accidental email attachment Official response includes heightened security, procedural review to reduce future incidents Melissa Wilkinson | Editor-in-Chief
On Feb. 28, 2018, a file containing personal identification information for 362 STLCC students was accidentally emailed to a limited number of other students. The file, attached by mistake instead of the correct attachment about campus events, contained names, emails, home addresses and school identification numbers (A-numbers) of the 362 students. According to Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Tony Cruz, there was no malicious intent behind the incident, and the college is already working on security improvements to prevent future incidents. “It was human error,” said Cruz. “It’s been addressed with that individual [who made the mistake.]” All STLCC students were sent an email explaining the situation on March 1, but students whose data were included in the mishandled attachment were sent an additional email informing them of the situation. Meramec’s Eric Pollack was one of those students. Pollack first learned of the data breach on the news after the college released the information to the press, after which he checked his email. He expressed
concerns with the way the news was conveyed. “Not everybody checks their student emails. The only reason I found out was I have it attached to my gmail account,” said Pollack. “[STLCC] could have easily put this on Blackboard. I would have even accepted a phone call whether it’s prerecorded or in person. Even a face to face thing. It’s disturbing that they sent me an email and expect me to come to them for the specifics.” But according to Cruz, email is STLCC’s “official means of communication” with students. Cruz said that news of the breach was emailed to students before it was released to the media and that it wasn’t a situation that called for student response, making an immediate method of communication less important. “We were taking actions on our end,” said Cruz, “but I don’t think students could take much action on their own.” Pollack did just the opposite, however, and contacted Kim Fitzgerald, Dean of Student Development and Enrollment Management at Meramec. According
to Pollack, Fitzgerald told him that most of the information in the attachment, such as address and phone number, is available in the student directory. “I voiced my concern about the data breach to her and told her my information, the A-number was compromised. I told her, that A-number is attached to financial information as well as my student ID which is a debit card. And her exact wording on the phone was ‘Oh, I didn’t think of that,’” said Pollack. Pollack requested that his A-number be changed and all the information from his old account moved to the new one. However, according to Chief Information Officer Matthew Gioia, the change would not solve the problem, as the new number would still be attached to the old one. “It’s not that it can’t be changed,” said Gioia. “We don’t want to give people the false impression that that would potentially fix the issue.” What will fix the issue, said Gioia, is making sure that student information is only given to students themselves. According to Gioia, STLCC’s plan to
continued on page 3
Meet the Artists Behind Some of Meramec’s Sculptures
How Military Recruiters are Taking Advantage of Minorities
Archers Softball Going Strong Despite Rainy Season
-Art & Life, Page 9
-Opinions, Page 10
-Sports, Page 12
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Page 3 | News 4 April 19, 2018
New math program is major plus for number haters Statewide “Math Pathways” offers students more choices in place of college algebra credit Stephen Buechter | Staff Writer
new options for college-level math courses include Math 160, which is currently called college algebra but will be renamed to pre-calculus, Math
gy, engineering, math, business, those kinds of programs,” said Walsh. “[Math 180] is for students who are interested in the social sciences, health sciences, and
180, which is statistics, and Math 161, quantitative reasoning. “[The 160 class] is for students who are interested in science and technolo-
criminal justice... [Math 161] is for students who are interested in liberal arts, fine arts, humanities.” According to Walsh, all three of the
college-level classes meet the standards for Core 42, a program allowing students to graduate with an associate’s degree in general transfer studies in fewer hours. Any classes taken through the Core 42 program on an STLCC campus will transfer to any public four-year institution in the state of Missouri, said Walsh. However, students are still heavily encouraged to contact the college they wish to transfer into to ensure that they are taking the proper course for their area of study. There will also be new developmental courses to help ensure that students are able to graduate in their first semester at the college, said Tucker. Math 50, a developmental course, is “something new for math” and can be taken as a corequisite with the college math courses. Walsh is excited to see the effects of the program. “It’s really going to help a lot of our students be able to take a math class that’s more geared to their field of study and hopefully improve the number of students that complete the sequence faster, with good grades, and on time,” said Walsh.
Graphic by Noah Sliney
There’s good news for those trying to avoid algebra: as of Fall 2018, STLCC will be adding more options for students in need of a mathematics requirement. Math Pathways, a statewide program, will allow students to take other classes, which are more tailored toward specific majors and areas of study, in place of the college algebra credit. “What the state wanted schools to do... is to offer alternatives to college algebra that are more appropriate to some kinds of majors,” said Professor Julie Tucker, Department Chair of Mathematics. According to Tucker, the program was created in part to help solve the issue of math courses causing many students who tested into the developmental levels of the subject to be unable to meet degree requirements. “It’s about 60 percent of students that pass each of those developmental classes,” said Tucker. “By the time a student actually has passed their college level math class, it’s a very small percentage of students who can actually graduate if they come in taking developmental level math.” Dean Janet Walsh said that the
STLCC recovering from mishandling of student data continued from page 1
es to some of those processes to make sure that this doesn’t happen again,” said Gioia. Both Cruz and Gioia have stated that it is “very unlikely” that a similar incident will occur in the future. Despite this assurance, Pollack remains unhappy after what he considered a “nonchalant” follow-up with Fitzgerald. “I felt dismissed. ‘Oh, we’re taking care of it, don’t worry.’ To me, it just felt like they were covering their own ass. I had to initiate [the follow-up],” said Pollack. Pollack said he doesn’t believe that
EDITORS
Melissa Wilkinson Jordan Morris Will Murry Mary Wilson Amanda Harris Noah Sliney Shannon Philpott-Sanders
Editor-in-Chief Production Manager Art & Life Editor Opinions Editor Photo Editor Graphics Editor Faculty Adviser
his A-number can’t be changed in a secure manner, and that the whole experience has “left a bad taste” in his mouth. With one semester to go before graduation, Pollack is now contemplating leaving Meramec. “I can only do so much with what I have. I just want other students to be aware of what’s going on,” said Pollack. “Check your emails, stand up for yourself and ask questions. Being a 42 year old man, I can stick up for myself. Some of these other students, they can’t. It’s hard, when your identity gets stolen. It’s hard to recover from that.”
STAFF
Stephen Buechter Tania Robin Lauren Johns Monica Obradovic Kyah Probst Briana Heaney Jake Balmer Victoria Williams Syed Ali
Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Editor Staff Photographer
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strengthen security includes placing extra precautions on student-facing employees, including mandatory FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) training and requiring more information to confirm student identities when a student wants to make changes to their records, both in person and online. Gioia said there are also security improvements planned on the administrative end. “We’re looking at all of the steps in the process that lead to this and then we’ll make recommendations for chang-
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.
Page 4 | Art & Life April 19, 2018
Zombie Squad Encourages Using Brains, Not Eating Them
Locally-born organization promotes disaster preparedness and relief education using undead theme Melissa Wilkinson | Editor-in-Chief Cliff Mirabella is a Meramec student whose interests include scriptwriting, yoga and preparing citizens for a zombie apocalypse. After his retirement, Mirabella joined the St. Louis branch of Zombie Squad, a national organization dedicated to disaster preparedness education. The group educates the masses through seminars, demonstrations and training activities and gives back to the community through charity work such as volunteering, disaster relief drives and blood drives. “We use the zombie apocalypse as a metaphor,” said Mirabella. “Basically, if you’re prepared for the walking dead, you’re pretty much prepared for floods, fires, earthquakes, power outages, et cetera. The same prep steps apply.” St. Louis branch leader Craig Mackin said that a major goal of Zombie Squad is to help people prepare for the several-day period in between a disaster and government relief response. “Homeland Security, FEMA, American Red Cross, they’ll tell you it takes up to 72 hours for them to get all their assets in place for them to be able to assist a community,” said Mackin. “If, in a small way, we’re able to pass on some education to people so they’re able to prepare in advance, it can help them survive during that period.” To be prepared, said Mackin, is to have a plan. Citizens should know where their fire extinguishers are, have a meeting place in mind in case of family separation and prepare what he calls a “bug-out bag,” an emergency kit containing survival supplies. “Maybe your house is on fire. You’d have to go somewhere and if you have a pack and sturdy shoes you
can get to a cleared area like a park,” said Mackin. “That’s the purpose of a bug-out bag, to take yourself out of a dangerous situation.” Zombie Squad has branches all across the United States, but St. Louis is where the organization was born 15 years ago. St. Louis remains one of its most active chapters. Mirabella, a former military man, was inspired to join after attending a meeting with his wife. “I’ve been in places around the world where stuff hit the fan,” said Mirabella. “I think Americans can be prepared a lot better and be more aware that, as charmed as most of our lives are, stuff happens and you need to be ready for it, not only as an individual but as a community.” Zombie Squad’s St. Louis Branch hosts a free monthly meeting every third sunday of the month at Shrewsbury Lanes, but the organization also hosts member events such as movie screenings, trivia contests and the upcoming Zombie Con 2018, where members will meet in Irondale, MO in June for a fiveday camping trip. More information on Zombie Squad can be accessed via their website, zombiehunters.org, or on the St. Louis branch facebook page. According to Mirabella, there are plenty of things the average citizen can do to be more prepared. Having a disaster plan and keeping simple supplies like water, canned food and a radio are the first steps to handle a disaster, be it fire, flood or zombie apocalypse. “Drowning men have no business trying to save someone else. Get your head above water and then you can help someone else,” said Mirabella. “Look around you. Be aware and prepare.”
HOW TO SURVIVE THE
ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE 4.
1.
Have an emergency supply kit on hand containing items necessary for survival such as food, water, a flashlight and a first-aid kit.
2.
Form a group with similar-thinking individuals to serve as a support system in a disaster situation.
3.
Learn skills, like First Aid or CPR, which will help you survive in a disaster and practice them regularly.
Have an escape route planned in case you have to evacuate. You should have a meeting point for your friends and family.
the news and be aware 5. Read of the world around you.
Graphic by Noah Sliney
Campus Life
Photos by Syed Ali (left) and Amanda Harris (right) Top Left: Students line up in the gym for the International Club’s dodgeball game on Friday, March 30. Bottom Left: Local poet Matthew Scott Freeman reads from his collection of poems entitled “How to Take a Nap” during the Meramec Writing Festival on Tuesday, April 10. Top Right: Dean of Student Development and Enrollment Management Kim Fitzgerald (right) congratulates Academic Adviser Sebrina Colvin (left) on 10 years of employment at STLCC during the 2018 Meramec Service Awards on Wednesday, April 11.
Page 5 | Art & Life 4 April 19, 2018
Ceramics Professor Wins $20,000 Artist Grant
Jim Ibur calls the money ‘a game changer’, plans to travel to Greece and construct new kiln Five years ago, the Regional Arts Commission (RAC) realized that in order for artists to reach their full potential, they need more time and adequate funds. As a result, the organization changed its focus to support grants Since then, these grants, given to a select few artists per year, allow awardees to cut back on work hours and focus on what they do best; creation. On Feb. 12, one of Meramec’s own artists, ceramics professor James “Jim” Ibur, was awarded a $20,000 fellowship grant to further pursue his passion for ceramics. Ibur was one of only 10 St. Louis area artists to receive the honor. Ibur’s artistic journey started early. As a child, he was always fascinated with sculpting and pottery. It wasn’t until age 17, however, that he started truly exploring his interests. And, like many other artists, his first few attempts yielded less than desirable outcomes. “My sister took a pottery class and I remember always thinking it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen,” said Ibur. “I was terrible, horrible at it actually, so why I’m sitting here in front of you right now is not really clear.” Mediterranean culture plays a large role in many of his works. Ibur said he’s drawn to items lost in shipwrecks like oil or storage jars, especially when they’re encrusted with sea life and decay. “They hold stories of where they’ve been when they’re brought back up,” said Ibur. Ibur began teaching at Meramec in 1993. He often incorporates his inspirations into class projects, requiring his students to do research beforehand. His class’s current project involves gratitude jars, a project for which students must write ten things they’re grateful for on slips of paper and create a vessel for
Photo by Syed Ali
Lauren Johns | Staff Writer
Ceramics professor Jim Ibur in his classroom at Meramec. On Feb. 12, Ibur was named one of the Regional Arts Commission’s fellowship grant winners. Ibur was one of 10 recipients and received $20,000. storage, taking an ordinary item and remixing it by adding a sculpted animal, human, or alien head. Aside from ceramics, Ibur also participated in music, growing up a drummer and eventually switching to guitar and playing with his friends in a band, “Flying House,” which still exists to this day. Their next performance is on May 12 in Delmar Hall. “Both [ceramics and music] have been duking it out ever since,” said Ibur. “Creativity is my bag.”
As much as Ibur loves both his job and his band, his true aspirations lie in traveling to the places that inspire his work. He called the grant money “a game changer” and already has plans to put it to good use. “I really work hard at teaching and being an artist, but just having that extra bit allows me to go to Greece for research on Mediterranean pottery,” said Ibur. “I’m also building a new kiln in my yard.” Ibur stressed the importance of
avoiding isolation as an artist in the face of criticism. It’s worthwhile, he said, to network, find a supportive community, and keep an open mind. “We are all very sensitive people. Because we put so much of ourselves into our work, rejection feels like a personal diss. You’ve just got to figure out how to roll with it and get back up on the horse,” said Ibur. “It’s easy to say ‘develop a thicker skin’, but rejection still hurts. All you can do is keep making.”
‘Competition is Creativity’ says Meramec Entrepreneur Student Brad Riaze launches online clothing brand “Lite Apparel” Briana Heaney | Staff Writer
event. During the Entrepreneur Showcase, Riaze showed off his brand in the cafeteria alongside his model and
fashion consultant Viri Suarez. “When people say ‘wow Brad, that looks really cool’ he tells them
Photo by Tania Robin
“Lite Apparel” is a new St. Louis-based clothing company that’s about “more than just fashion,” says founder and Meramec student Brad Riaze. Officially opened in fall 2017, “Lite Apparel” is the culmination of Riaze’s hard work alongside his best friend and co-founder Tobi Schweiger. The website, lite-apparel.com, offers a selection of hats, sweatshirts, t-shirts and other unique clothing items. According to Riaze, the young entrepreneur drew ideas from another venture. “I got inspired by a friend who had his own business,” said Riaze. “Once I saw what he was doing, I thought, ‘I can do that.’” After running the idea past Schweiger, the two chose “Lite Apparel” as their domain name and began creating their own designs. Riaze describes his style as “Vaporwave retro-minimalistic.” “Retro will always be in, whatever retro at the time means. The 2000’s are on the cusp of this,” said Riaze. “Minimalistic is in. You definably see it in a lot of groups; you see it in a lot of rap or hip-hop inspired clothes and you see it in a lot of Korean style.” Riaze debuted his clothing line at Meramec during a Black History Month
Brad Riaze, founder of “Lite Apparel,” shows off his website with model Viri Suarez during a Black History Month entrepreneurial showcase.
it’s not that hard, you can go out and set up your own website and create a brand, and encourages them to go out and do it,” said Suarez. “I hope [“Lite Apparel”] goes far. I have really positive vibes about it.” Although Riaze loves clothing and fashion, he considers “Lite Apparel” a side project meant as practice for the future. An engineering major, Riaze plans to use the experience gained from operating his clothing line to open his own firm. Ultimately, says Riaze, his passion is business. “Whatever I want to do, I want to do it big,” said Riaze. “You can apply [the experience] to almost anything that you’re interested in. If you want to do medicine or law for example, you can open your own practice. You can always make more money. It’s all about the learning experience.” According to Riaze, the non-monetary benefits from “Lite Apparel” are the most valuable, which is why he encourages others to give entrepreneurship a try as well. And when it comes to competition, Riaze isn’t concerned. “Competition equals creativity,” said Riaze.
Page 6 | Art & Life
4
April 19, 2018
‘Avenue Q’ is More than a ‘Raunchy, X-Rated Puppet Show’ Popular musical is Meramec’s final spring 2018 theater production Melissa Wilkinson | Editor-in-Chief
the
supportive Nicky and child actor Gary Coleman, who is traditionally played by a woman. Kalen Riley, who plays Nicky, said he couldn’t have asked for a more accurate casting. The message of the show, said Riley, is that one can always find somewhere they belong. “I think that’s been the message of our entire theater season,” said Riley. “Even though they live on a dinky street they’re still getting better every day.” Ultimately, said Rebollo, ‘Avenue Q’ is about more than a college student’s journey through life. “We have so much division in our country right now. Many of the things these puppets are singing about have a lot to do with that. Maybe the message comes out in a way where people listen more coming from a puppet than coming from a person,” said Rebollo. “That sounds strange, but we learned through puppets when we were kids.” ‘Avenue Q’ debuted Wednesday, April 18. Repeat performances will be offered every evening at 7:30 p. m. through Saturday and Sunday afternoon at 2 p. m. Admission is free of charge. Seating is first come, first served.
Photos by Amanda Harris
Meramec’s spring theater season ends this week with a short run of ‘Avenue Q,’ a unique half musical, half puppet show featuring Jim Henson-style characters. With songs like ‘Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist’, “If You Were Gay”, and “The Internet is for Porn”, ‘Avenue Q’ is the perfect “show-stopper” to cap off the season, according to Director Michelle Rebollo. “We had almost 50 people audition for roughly 13 roles,” said Rebollo. “The cast is phenomenal. Most of them are not puppetry experts but some of them have lots of experience. We’ve pooled our resources and learned from one another as we’ve gone along.” Students may relate to Princeton, the protagonist of ‘Avenue Q,’ a 22-year-old recent college graduate struggling to find his purpose in life. Evan Turek, who plays Princeton, called his character a passive protagonist who reacts to the things that happen to him rather than making things happen himself as would a typical musical hero. “I think you can be anyone in the world and relate to [Princeton],” said Turek. “He’s so optimistic. He just wants to be a good person and do the right thing. It’s very pertinent of what the show is about. You think it’s this raunchy x-rated puppet show but then you realize there’s a lot of heart behind it. There’s a lot of good messages in between the weird things.” According to Turek, to prepare for their roles, puppet-wielding cast-members were encouraged to practice using their puppets in everyday life in order to become comfortable with them. “You wouldn’t believe how much work it takes to make this look easy. Any traditional puppeting is done where the actor is hidden,” said Turek. “That’s what’s different about ‘Avenue Q’. We’re on stage and we’re symbiotically part of the relationship. [Princeton] is the character, yes, but I am out with him. We’re the same person.” Meramec’s theater had options when deciding how to obtain the puppets used in the show. According to Rebollo, the puppets could either be rented or built from kits according to specified instructions. Rebollo went with the former option, renting the puppets from an amateur theater company. Other cast members of ‘Avenue Q’ include Kate Monster, a kindhearted kindergarten teacher, closeted investment banker Rod, the oblivious but
Top: The Bad Idea Bears (Abby Cockerham and Madeline Finn) coax Princeton (Evan Turek) and Kate Monster (Scarlett O’Shaughnessy) into drinking long island iced teas. Bottom Left: Trekkie Monster (Travis Pfeifer) interrupts Kate Monster’s song about the usefulness of the internet to inform her that the internet is for porn. Bottom Right: Princeton and the singing boxes perform the song “Purpose” while Princeton ponders about his purpose in life.
MONTAGE student voice What makes you feel alive?
“Waking up, facing the unknown of the future, knowing you have so much power in that.”
“Running, because it gives me a chance to slow down. You aren’t thinking about your phone or getting something done, you’re just running.”
“Loving people, being loved. I feel so good when I help people. I wonder why I don’t do it more.”
“A lazy, slow drive with friends, where you get to talk about anything and everything.”
-Christian Van Camp, Sophomore
-Colleen Messerly, Freshman
-Tyler Wilson, Sophomore
-Felicity Jones, Sophomore
Page 7 | Art & Life 4 April 19, 2018
‘Bride of the Desert: An Exploration of Palmyra’
Meramec professors, students contribute to Sheldon Art Gallery exhibition of ancient Syrian city Monica Obradovic | Staff Writer
In the middle of the Syrian desert lies the ancient city of Palmyra. Once a thriving metropolis of trade, only the ruins of Palmyra remain due to recent destruction by terrorist group ISIS. While its history and architecture are known by few, one such person is Meramec photography professor David R. Hanlon. Since the second of March, Profes-
sor Hanlon’s exhibition, “Bride of the Desert: An Exploration of Palmyra,” has been on display at The Sheldon Art Galleries. The gallery is the culmination of centuries of documentation on the remote city of Palmyra. “It really is a remarkable space,” said Hanlon. “It has a pervasive feeling of the second and third centuries that
Pottery, Streamlined
The Artstream Nomadic Gallery stops at Meramec as part of its yearly tour Will Murry | Art & Life Editor
At the tail end of March, the courtyard in front of the student center played host to “Artstream”, a vintage airstream trailer converted to a mobile art gallery, complete with shelves, countertops and lots of pottery. “The guy who started the Artstream trailer, Alleghany Meadows, grew up with a sort of nomadic lifestyle,” said participating artist Lisa Kay Orr. “He grew up with his mom living in a converted school bus and they moved around a lot. At some point he got the chance to buy an inexpensive airstream trailer to give it to his mom as a present. When she didn’t want the trailer he was stuck with it and didn’t know what to do with it, until he had the idea of outfitting it as a pottery gallery and bringing pottery to the people.” The Artstream trailer has been touring across the country for 17 years, each tour featuring different artists. On this particular leg of their tour, Artstream displayed the works of three ceramics artists from around the nation; Lisa Kay Orr, John Cohorst, Justin Donofrio. Artists also traveled alongside the trailer to show off their works and offer their expertise at several learning institutions along the way. “There’s a huge variety of artists’ work from a huge varieties of styles, but they’re all ceramic artists. Some are professors, some are studio artists, some work in all different types of ceramics. There’s just this amazing variety of ceramics. It’s like a survey of contemporary
American ceramics,” said Artstream assistant Harry Levenstein. While stopped at Meramec, the traveling artists participated in workshops with Meramec ceramic students, giving them a look into a professional ceramic artist’s creative process. “I like to say that I learn something new every day in ceramics,” said Orr. “Even here at Meramec, during one of the workshops. I learned something new.” Though featured artists change each tour, past works can be found at art-stream.com, along with more information about the gallery and its creator.
chance to add their skills to the gallery. “I lent my knowledge in virtual reality and motion a little bit to the students as they created those virtual experiences… Each student went and researched themselves about the project as they would a research paper and I helped with the technology aspect of putting it into motion,” said Linder. STLCC students contributed a motion graphic and a virtual reality walkthrough of Palmyra. Visitors wanting to learn more about the ancient city can sit in the gallery and watch a video narrative of Palmyra’s architecture or partake in a tour using virtual reality glasses. “It wasn’t just submitting the project for a grade,” said Linder. “We took it to the next level and used some different kinds of technology, then polished it a little bit more so it looked more professional and worthy of being in a gallery show.” While the photography and student-made graphics portray most of Palmyra’s past, Hanlon said he remains hopeful for the city’s future. “I think there’s an anxious desire in the part of the Department of Antiquities to rebuild the site to become a place where people can visit again,” said Hanlon. Admission is free to the Sheldon and the gallery is open every day of the week excluding Monday and Sunday. “Bride of the the Desert: An Exploration of Palmyra” will remain open until April 21.
Photos by Syed Ali
Photo by Monica Obradovic
overhangs everything.” The Sheldon gallery is meant to educate the public on the history of Palmyra through Hanlon’s photography and that of others, along with etchings, engravings and visual graphics. The photographs in the exhibit capture Palmyra before its destruction by ISIS. Hanlon, who photographed Palmyra for years before its destruction in 2015, described himself as both lucky and sad that he is the final generation to see the site. “We were hoping to make an exhibit that would allow people to feel the character of the city. There’s a number of ancient sites in the middle east that you don’t hear about in the west,” said Hanlon. In conjunction with photographs and illustrations, the gallery also incorporates visual graphics created by STLCC students to make the city feel real for the gallery-goer. Under the guidance of STLCC professor Tim Linder, graphics stu“Bride of the Desert: An Exploration of Palmyra”, an exhibit at the Sheldon Art dents were given the Galleries, features photographs by Meramec professor David Hanlon.
“Artstream”, a mobile trailer filled with pottery, stops at Meramec during its seventeenth tour across the nation.
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Page 9 | Art & Life 4
Artists of Meramec
April 19, 2018
Monica Obradovic | Staff Writer
When sophomore Shelby Goggin was at a loss for what to do for her sculpture project, she turned to music. “I was listening to Jimi Hendrix and his song ‘Red House’,” said Goggin. “As a kid listening to it I always imagined it as a little red house with butterflies.” Since its conception last spring, hundreds of students have walked by “Little Red House”, Goggin’s 16-foot plywood sculpture outside the Humanities East building. With brightly spray-painted plywood walls of red and orange, Goggin utilized her childlike imagination to turn a run-down shack into a beautifully surreal image. Multicolored butterflies screwed to tree branches tower over the main structure of the sculpture. The nineteen-year-old’s sculpture has the semblance of a ragged home with a history of being beaten down by time. Construction of “Little Red House” proved to be the most challenging part of its creation. Goggin used popsicle sticks to create a miniature version of the sculpture. Once the design was set, she began construction on the full piece with two sheets of plywood which were then cut with a table saw. “It was fun,” said Goggin. “I felt like a manly man.” The sculpture was originally intended to be only four feet tall, but the mentorship of her teacher, Joe Chesla, encouraged her to think bigger. Outside of STLCC, Goggin takes inspiration from her father, with whom she listened to Jimi Hendrix, as well as some of her favorite artists. 1950s painter Francis Bacon’s work, which leans toward the macabre, is what makes him appealing,
Photo by Monica Obradovic
Shelby Goggin: The Woman Behind ‘Little Red House’
Sophomore Shelby Goggin shows off her sculpture piece, “Little Red House.” The piece was created under the instruction of sculpture professor Joe Chesla and is currently located outside the Humanities East building.
said Goggin. “Little Red House” was Goggin’s first sculpture. “It makes me nervous that people are walking by it all the time,” said Goggin. “People push you here. They’re
nice but they can also be jerks. But it’s nice because they make you work.” Like her fellow art students, Goggin simply wishes to continue to do what she’s doing for the joy of it. In an age where having a career in a creative
field is increasingly difficult, Goggin remains hopeful. “My goal would simply be to have a career. Most of the time it doesn’t work out. My goal would be to keep doing it, to not stop,” said Goggin.
Lacey Call: From Graphic Design to Sculpture Submitted Photo Lacey Call stands next to her sculpture, “Pine”, a repurposed tree stump smoothed with an angle grinder tool. “Pine” was one of 42 pieces selected for the St. Louis Varsity Art show and was on display for most of March at the Regional Arts Commission.
This spring, “varsity” isn’t only for sports. Last month, Meramec student Lacey Call was one of 42 student artists chosen to have their work displayed at the St. Louis Varsity Art Show. Call’s piece is a sculpture called “Pine”, a tree-trunk she smoothed and ground into art. A graphic communications major, sculpting became a way for Call to work with her hands and get away from the computer screen. “There’s things I love about every medium of art. Sculpting is more physical labor, and it’s a lot more tiring, but right now I think sculpting is my favorite,” said Call. Call created the sculpture using an angle grinder tool, taking advantage of open studio hours on Saturdays to get the work done. Construction of “Pine” required peeling off bark and grinding until the trunk was smooth. “There was all this weird fungus and bugs and stuff that I had to scrape away,” said Call. “Every time I grinded the branches it showed this red color that I thought was really cool.” “Pine” was submitted to the competition by Call’s sculpture professor, Joe Chesla. The piece was displayed for most of March at the Regional Arts Commission near the Delmar Loop. Outside of sculpting and digital design, Call practices many mediums of art in-
cluding painting and printmaking. She calls herself, “a jack of all trades.” “Pine” is neither Call’s first sculpture nor her first recognition in the St. Louis art world. Call once made a ceramic piece of Mike Wazowski from Disney movie “Monsters Inc.” that was entered and subsequently displayed at a St. Louis Artist Guild show. Along with the support of her professors, Call finds inspiration for her art from her family, friends and St. Louis Community College. “I think because of the art teachers, the facilities and the resources, STLCC is a good creative environment for sure,” said Call. Call also draws inspiration from Chuck Close, a painter most notable for his portraits containing paintings within paintings. While some of Close’s work is on display at the St. Louis Art Museum, Call isn’t hoping to one day have her work hanging alongside his. She would prefer her work to be personally fulfilling. “I always have the goal to work the hardest that I can at something,” said Call. “To make something really meaningful with hard work.” Call will attend STLCC next semester to take Sculpture II. “Pine” is currently displayed in the Humanities East building.
Page 10 | Opinions
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April 19, 2018
Military Recruiters are Targeting Poor Minorities How the armed forces are attempting to entice black youths and what we can do about it Will Murry | Art & Life Editor these young eyes more zeros than they’ve ever hoped for and top it all off by dangling a fat bonus check in front of their face and they take it immediately because they think they have nowhere else to turn for help. The military have preyed on a whole generation of young, concerned Americans just trying to do what’s best for them and their family. It’s absolutely deplorable and there are better alternatives out there. FAFSA, grants and plenty of minority-based scholarships will help you pay your way through school without having to sign your life away to the very system that wants you dead in the streets. Before anyone says “I’m going into ‘x’ branch, they don’t treat people that bad,” yes, they do and it doesn’t matter to them what branch you want to be in. They’ll put you wherever they need cannon fodder. Like history has shown time and time again, the American government, and its military, doesn’t care about black youths. Not then and not now. Fight the status quo by refusing to be part of a system that takes advantage of the least privileged group of young people.
Graphic by Noah Sliney
For a lot of today’s American youth, the question of how they’re going to pay for their post-secondary education is becoming harder and harder to answer. For a lot of America’s lower class black youth, the military sometimes seems to be the best, or only, answer. I’m here to tell you that if you’re young and black, the military is the last place you want to be, because they don’t give a single care about you. In 1966, political activist Huey P. Newton spoke out in response to the drafting of young black men into the Vietnam War: “We believe that black people should not be forced to fight in the military service to defend a racist government that does not protect us. We will not fight and kill other people of color in the world who, like black people, are being victimized by the white racist government of America. We will protect ourselves from the force and violence of the racist police and the racist military, by whatever means necessary.” I quote Newton not to state the obvious but to show that the situation remains unchanged. To our government, recruits are just another number to their roster, just another statistic. The recruiters will swear up and down that the military is trying to do the youth a favor by paying their way through college and giving them an “opportunity” they would have never had before, which in a way is the truth. But opportunities, hopes and dreams for the future mean nothing if you die on whatever front lines the government plops you on. To their credit, they’ve come up with a fool-proof plan for an endless supply of able-bodied recruits and it’s been 100 percent effective. They show
On Autism and Cocktail Party Awareness
Why ‘lighting it up blue’ does nothing for autistic people and only acceptance can change society Mary Wilson | Opinions Editor cation system. Reciting the latest autism statistics does nothing to promote
greater acceptance of autistic people. Cocktail party awareness does not help
Graphic by Noah Sliney
It’s April, which means several things: warmer weather, the return of major league baseball and, of course, April Fool’s Day. I do not hate warmer weather. I do not hate major league baseball. I don’t even hate April Fool’s Day. I do hate Autism Awareness Month, which dominates April. Buildings and hospitals are lit up in blue. The Home Depot sells blue light bulbs. Facebook feeds are flooded with fundraisers, imploring us to donate to help those poor kids with autism. Retail chains partner with the autism charity giant Autism Speaks, which leads the increasingly-successful “Light it Up Blue” campaign. I’ve written about being autistic before. I’ve written about how acceptance of autistic people benefits all of us. And while we all likely know at least one person who is on the autistic spectrum, that’s all most of us know. Such awareness, often called “cocktail party awareness”, is akin to pinning on a blue ribbon, putting in a blue light bulb, or spouting out the latest diagnostic rates from the CDC. Blue ribbons do nothing to help the millions of autistic kids and adults around the world. Installing a blue light bulb doesn’t make it easier for autistic people once they age out of the edu-
those on the autistic spectrum, but it makes non-autistic, or allistic, people feel like they’re doing a good thing. One thing that does help autistic people is acceptance. Autistic and otherwise disabled people are sometimes denied organ transplants solely on the basis of their disability, on how doctors and other professionals perceive that individual’s quality of life. There are brutal murders of autistic individuals, usually by their parents or caregivers, every year. The average autistic person only lives to age 54, with suicide as one of the leading causes of death. The supports in some areas are few and far between. This all needs to change, and ‘Lighting it up Blue’ doesn’t cut it. So what can be done? We can move past cocktail party awareness. We can stop “Lighting it up Blue” every April. We can stop ending the conversation about autism with the latest numbers from the CDC and continue it with autistic voices. We can have a cultural mindset shift, leaving behind the notion that autistic people are somehow damaged, broken, need to be changed, pitied, fixed, or trained in some way and move forward with the idea that autism is okay. Being autistic is okay. Autistic people have been speaking. It’s time to listen.
Page 11 | Sports 4 April 19, 2018
En Garde: Fencing Club Springs into Action Will Murry | Art & Life Editor
Photo by Noah Sliney
While Meramec oftime Meramec fencing fers a fencing class, which class coach Bill McDestudents may take for vitt. Its current presphysical education credident is sophomore it, there’s good news for Matt Willerding. Willethose who can’t fit it into rding started attending their schedules. the club as an extendMeramec’s fencing ed interest after taking club, though usually an acMcDevitt’s class. cessory to the class, is not “I started fencing exclusive to those enrolled when I was 15,” said in the course. Any Meramec Willerding. “My friend was student is eligible to learn taking a fencing class and the basics of how to fence. his dad was a fencer and “It’s difficult to find he taught us some stuff. places to fence around St. Then I started fencing with Louis without paying monhim and his brothers. They ey, so when I found out ended up not sticking with when we had a fencing it but I did. For some reaclub here I thought it was a son it clicked with me. You perfect opportunity,” said either like the sport and sophomore Paul Cognac. “I the psychological aspects always liked it when it was of it or you don’t. The club in movies and video games has been around for a reand I thought it would be ally long time. It really got pretty cool to do.” me interested in teachFencing club provides ing people how to fence a good look into the ba- Students practice fencing together during a club meeting. The club, advised by fencing coach Bill the basics.” sics of fencing. For those McDevitt, teaches the basics of fencing to those who want to experience more than what Meramec’s Fencing club meets in students who might not fencing class offers. Fencing club meets Wednesday evenings in PE 201 at 6 p. m. and entertains all PE 201 on Wednesdays at 6 be sold on the idea of tak- experience levels, from the novice to the knowledgeable. p. m. All equipment is proing the full class, the club semesters and it turned out that it was be much of a spectator sport. It’s a lot vided. No prior knowledge offers a taste of the course to help a lot more enjoyable that I thought it more engaging when you’re actually of fencing is necessary. Fencing club participants decide. was going to be,” said sophomore Jim playing it.” welcomes people of all interest levels, “I took Fencing 1 in one of my spring Mahood. “I don’t really consider it to Fencing club is advised by long- from the casual to the serious.
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Legends of st. louis
Page 12 | Sports April 19, 2018
Archers Softball Aims for Success On and Off Field Through both physical and mental training, the team is gearing up for regionals in late April Jake Balmer | Staff Writer them in their jobs and lives after softball. “Both on and off the field, [the coaches] are on us with grades, the next schools we’re going to, family lives, everything,” pitcher and outfielder Chloe Johnson said. “I came here to play softball because of the coaching style; there’s a lot of one-on-one time with the coaches and it’s a family atmosphere.” Consistency of coaches is the main aspect of the team that Swiderski credits for the recent success. Where, in the past, several head coaches in a row would often be with the team for as little as a year, Swiderski and her husband, assistant coach Joe Swiderski, are committed to making sure every STLCC softball player is taken care of to ensure their greatest overall success. “We push them, we push them to be better than they thought they could be… We had a lot of freshman last year who had no intention of playing a second year and here they are,” Swiderski said. “It’s neat for them to see that we as coaches believe in them and their ability. We’re just blue collar workers; we work hard, we’re scrappy and we get it done.” A key turning point for the team this year was the spring break tournament in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Last year’s group went 7-1 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina over spring break, but Swiderski said that tournament was against primarily below average competition and gave them a false sense of what they were as a team. This year, however, saw STLCC facing Division 1 teams with national rankings, winning several games, and confirming that if they can win there, they can win here, and they have done just that, unifying as a team throughout the whole process. The goal for the team now is to win regionals, beginning April 28. STLCC lost in the last inning of the regional championship game last season, a hard pill to swallow, but the team is confident looking forward from here. “We beat everyone in our region already, so we know we can beat them. It’s just a mindset of getting there, doing it, executing, not making mental mistakes, being consistent,” Goers said.
Photos by Amanda Harris
Aluminum bat strikes ball, ball hops from dirt to infield glove and encouraging chatter floats around the ever-repeating cycle; “It’s alright, you got this, there you go.” These are the sounds of spring, playing out on college campuses across America, among them howling winds and light raindrops on the dugout roof. In fact, in describing the STLCC softball season so far, head coach Kristi Swiderski could not have been quicker to answer “rain.” “We’ve had at least 14 games cancelled this year...It’s been really hard to stay in a groove at times, when one day we’re playing and the next day it’s rain,” Swiderski said. “We’re forced inside, where the gym floor is a lot different than dirt and it limits what we can do practicing fly balls.” Nevertheless, the club has dominated this year, posting a 20-9 record at press time. This is in no small part due to their high-powered offense; the team has .325 batting average and scores six runs per game. First baseman Sarah Goers even chose “dingers” (slang for home runs) as her word to encapsulate this year’s campaign, though a complete offensive game is the main goal. “Homers are rally stoppers, so we look for more line drives to collect more hits, just put the ball in play and get more people on base, so when we do get homers, they’re even better,” Goers said. The high offensive output is a testament to coaches devoting much of practice to hitting all kind of pitches, inside and outside, fast and offspeed, as well as strength training. “We have a really good weight training program that the girls have bought into, where we work on power and being explosive,” Swiderski said. “Some of them are hitting home runs for the first time in their lives and it’s really fun to see them grow in their strength.” Swiderski named several players who have become key contributors as a result of their improvements; Sadiya Collins, who came to Meramec as a below average hitter and now takes up the third spot in the batting order; Morgan Moss, who “always had bat speed” but now leads the team in home runs with seven, some of which “are still gone” and Anna Counts, who can drop a bunt for a base hit or hit a ball in the gap for a triple anytime she wants. Just as important to winning as putting the bat on the ball and properly fielding ground balls, however, is the mental aspect of the game and not letting a mistake on one part of the field lead to another one later on. “We might have all the ability in the world, but the biggest challenge is our mindsets, our attitudes and not letting our heads get in the way,” outfielder and first basemen Eva Rasey said. “We always try to pick each other up. If someone does make an error we say ‘It’s fine, you’ll get the next one.’” Of course, the other side of staying mentally sharp on the field is staying mentally sharp off of it, which includes making safe choices and getting plenty of rest on the weekends, and most importantly grades, one of the main components Swiderski deals with as head coach. She cites work ethic, time management and intensity as qualities that softball instills in players that will help
Above: Archers watch game progress from the dugout during an April 16 game against St. Charles Community College. Below: Outfielder Jenn Luebbert runs toward first base after batting.
Archers softball team is introduced to the crowd before two April 16 games against St. Charles Community College. The team was victorious both games, winning the first 7-3 and the second 8-0.