The Montage

MONTAGE

Meramec begins to ‘Transform’

Faculty, adjunct offices in CS vacated; moved to CN

Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

Aheadof scheduled demolition on campus set to begin in a few months, changes due to the “STLCC Transformed” project are already taking place on the Meramec campus.

Following the plan outlined by Campus President Feleccia MooreDavis, faculty and adjunct offices in the Communications South building were vacated this past month. Classes will continue to be held in the building until the end of the semester in December, and is set to be demolished in the spring. Most offices that were in Communications South were moved to the second floor of the Communications North building.

For some faculty, the change is a welcome one. Department Chair Chris Smejkal agrees that keeping the Communications instructors together in one building was the right move.

“We were concerned that we were going to be scattered around the campus,” Smejkal said. “We have a fairly large department, and staying together so we can communicate more efficiently was paramount to us. We are extremely happy that we have a home, and we are all together.”

Smejkal’s comments are ones that longtime Meramec professor Denise Sperruzza agrees with.

“Throughout the workday there are many instances of important communication that occur that could not [occur] if we were not in the

same space,” Sperruzza said. “Unless a department would choose to be separated, I think relocation together should always be the procedure.”

Due to his status as Department Chair, Smejkal has his own office. Sperruzza’s most recent office space in Communications South was only occupied by her, but in Communications North she will be sharing one. Despite the quickness and the timing of the move (Sperruzza said that the move taking place during midterms “was a challenge”) both of the professors and the department as a whole appear to be adjusting to their new environment.

“Well, we just moved into our new space,” Smejkal said. “There are still things to put away, find new homes for, and establish creative solutions for since this office area is different than our previous one. As for my personal office, I am unpacked and organized.”

Sperruzza said that she is adjusting well.

“I am a person who enjoys change, so I’m not experiencing anxiety from moving to a new space,” she said. “I am still unpacking because my job of teaching and grading must come first. I’m trying to unpack a bit every day so I don’t have to work with unpacked boxes around me for too long. Clutter actually makes me a bit anxious.”

Sperruzza also said that she was looking forward to greater collaboration with colleagues in the English department, and appreciated how welcoming and accommodating

they were.

“Some English faculty are still in offices on the second floor where we now are. I’m looking forward to opportunities for collegial collaboration with my English faculty colleagues, as well as the opportunity to foster new friendships,” she said. “The English folks were, and are, welcoming to us. Some of them had to change offices to make space for us to be together, which I really appreciate. I’m especially appreciative of them because when they had to temporarily move when Communications North was renovated [from March 2018 to March of 2019], they were not together as a department.”

Smejkal also expressed his gratitude to his English department colleagues.

“We are very grateful to the English department, as they made a lot of changes to accommodate us on the second floor of Communications North,” he said. “We know that not everyone is as fortunate as we are, and we definitely sympathize with those who may be displaced in a less than convenient manner.”

Smejkal joined STLCC as an adjunct in 2001 and became a full time faculty member in 2007. Sperruzza joined STLCC-Meramec as an adjunct in 1992 and began teaching here full time in 2000. Both say that while they are excited for the changes, they may miss the Communications South building after it’s demolished. While Sperruzza said she has had many offices over the years, Smejkal had been based out of the same Communications South office for sixteen years after becoming a full time faculty member; he had

been working out of the adjunct office prior to that.

“Personally, I will miss my office and the building for sentimental reasons. It was my first home, so to speak, and it’s always difficult to leave your home,” Smejkal said. “There were, however, a lot of design flaws in that building, and it was not efficient when it came to the HVAC setup. Regardless of those shortcomings, it was a great home, and I will miss it. But, I am also excited and hopeful for the next chapter of our department and our college as a whole.”

Sperruzza said, “From a nostalgic perspective, I might miss Communications South a bit when it’s gone. I’m more excited that an old building is being replaced with a new one. That said, we do not know if we will be in the new building. We also do not know yet if the new building plans will accommodate the spaces that are being lost from the buildings that are being torn down. So, it’s possible I will miss Communications South in the future if the new spaces are insufficient for the classes we teach and the students we serve.”

Regarding further office changes across campus, the humanities department is scheduled to relocate to the Social Science building between Nov. 10-11, while the business and accounting department will move to the Applied Science building between Dec. 1-2. The library and Academic Success and Tutoring will be moving to the Student Center and the IT Department will be moving to the Physical Education building, with exact timelines still to be finalized.

The new lobby area of the offices on the second floor of Communications North. This desk was previously used in the Communications South offices. Photo by Jacob Politte.

Professor Denise Sperruzza’s old office in Communications South sits mostly vacant on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2022. While Sperruzza had this office to herself. she will be sharing a new office with a full-time foreign language professor.

Photo by Jacob Politte.

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Veterans at STLCC

EMILY WEBER STAFF WRITER

Veteran’s Day is fast approaching, and Meramec will once again host the traditional rasing of the flag on Friday, Nov. 11 outside the Communication South and Business Administration buildings.

Ahead of the festivities, members of STLCC’s Veteran’s Affairs and other veterans across the college spoke with The Montage to share their stories. They include: George Herrera, the district manager of STLCC’s Veteran’s programs; Stephanie Leonard, the Assistant Coordinator; and Ryan Cody, a STLCC student and club member.

Q: What branch of the military did you serve in?

George Herrera: [The] US Marine Corp.

Stephanie Leonard: [The] United States Army. Ryan Cody: [I am] currently a part of the Army National Guard.

How long did you serve?

Herrera: 14 years

Leonard: 24 years. [I] retired as a chief warrant officer. Cody: It was 12 years [as of] October 28th.

What was your rank?

Herrera: [I was a] Petty Officer 1st class with hospital corpsman, and a combat medic.

Leonard: [I was a] noncommissioned officer when served in Iraq in 2003, [and a] sergeant first class when I served in Iraq.

Cody: [I am] a Staff Sergeant. I am the section Sergeant for a section of bordermen, so I oversee their training, their certifications and when we are in the field, I run the tactics and the direction of fire so where to aim the mortar system, trajectory, making sure targets are hit.

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What prompted you to join?

Herrera: My dad was in the service for 23 years in the United States Air Force and he retired as a chief master sergeant.

Leonard: Because I wanted a challenge.

Cody: I didn’t like where my life was and I thought maybe that could help fix it or at least give me the opportunities to.

going to segregate what I say. First of all, I would like to say as a woman, as a female soldier, I would not advise women to go into the military at this time. It is full of too much sexual harrasment and far too much sexual assault almost on a pandemic degree. So I would not recommend women going into the military at all, unless they already have classes in selfdefense and know how to advocate for themselves as it pertains to sexual assault and sexual harrasment. The advice I would give a male soldier is to own your own career.

Cody: Look at where life is and see if you can benefit from it. Evaluate the branches and the style of activity you want to do, if it’s active duty or if it’s a reserve/national guard component and see what works best for you, look at the benefits that are available because there are some phenomenal ones: the veteran’s home loan, school benefits, retirement, health insurance.

to share?

Herrera: [I was] the youngest person at the time to earn a pinned fleet marine war force qualification.

Leonard: [I was] the first woman in the state to receive the Bronze Star Medal for the service in Iraq, [and] the first woman to graduate from the National Guard.

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What advice would you have for someone who is thinking about joining?

Herrera: Plan your exit strategy before going in because during the time while you’re in service, the military is going to get everything they want out of you.

Leonard: Being that I already had a civilian job and maintained my civilian job as a reservist, my advice is a little different. So my advice, I’m actually

How did you stay in touch with people back home?

Cody: When I was overseas, luckily it was an established base so there was internet more often than not. So I used a free Wi-Fi communication app to stay in touch with my wife through text and phone calls every once in a while.

Are there any notable accomplishments that you’d like

Leonard: Here at Meramec we are well known for doing our flag raising. Veterans are so much more than raising the flag. Veterans are known for the service of which they joined to serve for the country and for the people who are serving in other countries or for the people back home. So what we wanna do is bring that same service back to our small community of St. Louis and have our veterans and along with their family members and along with any other club that would like to join us for some community service projects.

When was the club founded?

Herrera: The club has been around for a good ten years. Tracy Carpenter Bond helped get the program started throughout the district. Tracy Carpenter Bond passed away back in July of this year and she is the reason why we’re here.

A Q & A with three members of STLCC’s Veterans

ARCHIVE PHOTO

2022 ELECTION GUIDE

Do you know the MO Democratic and Republican candidates on the ballot?

Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

The2022 midterm elections are fast approaching, and there are many different seats, both locally and nationally that are up for grabs this year.

Next Tuesday, countless voters in the area will venture into their churches, libraries and schools to fill out their ballots and attempt to make their voices heard through America’s

US Senate Race:

democratic process.

In this guide, four different races will be highlighted, with information on the canidates, their experience, and what their views and goals may be. This information comes from numerous sources.

In the interest of levity, only Democratic and Republican Canidates will be highlighted.

For more information about what may be on your ballot, visit https://stlouiscountymo. gov/st-louis-county-government/board-ofelections/.

Long-time Missouri State Senator Roy Blunt is retiring. Having served in the United States Congress both as a State Representative and Senator since 1997, Blunt’s vacation of his Senate seat leaves a wide opening for further changing the tone of Missouri’s political reputation.

Eric Schmitt (Republican)

The current Attorney General of Missouri, Schmitt looks to take a similar political path to his predecessor, Senator Josh Hawley, by claiming the coveted Senate seat. Schmitt’s tenure as Attorney General, which began after Hawley’s ascension to national office in 2019, has been notable for his strong stances against many issues, and willingness to sue many.

He has filed lawsuits to have the Affordable Care Act invalidated by courts, sued school districts and municipalities for implementing mask mandates and signed onto, along with others, an amicus brief that argued that LGBTQ+ people are not protected by workplace discrimination bans.

Regarding matters outside of the state, he’s also filed a lawsuit against China’s handling of the pandemic, making Missouri the first U.S. state to do so. He believes that current President Joe Biden did not legitimately win the 2020 Presidential election, and has sued that administration for what he believes to be unjust environmental policies.

Before his tenure as Missouri Attorney General, he had served as the State Treasurer from 2017-2019, and had previously been elected to the State Senate, serving from 2009-2017. Prior to that, he had been an alderman for the nearby city of Glendale from 2005-2008, and had been a lawyer since passing the Missouri State Bar Examination in 2000.

Trudy Busch Valentine (Democrat)

As an heiress to the famed Busch family (part of the St. Louis institution Anheuser-Busch Brewery), Busch Valentine is a political unknown. Despite this, and being a relative late arrival into the race, she prevailed in a hotly contested primary election, finally besting top contender Lucas Kunce at the polls in August to claim the nomination.

She earned a nursing degree from Saint Louis University in 1980, as well as a Master of Arts in Pastoral studies from the Aquinas Institute of Theology in 2007, and currently serves on a nursing board and works with multiple charitable organizations that focus on children’s issues.

Criticism had been directed at Valentine earlier this year. The Riverfront Times took her to task in July when STLToday.com had reported she said that she’d “spend much of the primary election focusing on Democratic voters in the state’s major population areas” and “pledged to make more forays into the rural, red part of the state if she wins.”

Among several issues that led to the beginning of her political career, including the death of son from an opioid overdose in 2020, Busch-Valentine told the Missouri Independent earlier this year that she was also inspired to enter politics out of a desire to speak up for women’s rights.

Analysis: While Busch-Valentine has the finances to continuously campaign and any result is possible, she absolutely faces an uphill battle in getting elected. Her seemingly continuing refusal to campaign in Missouri’s rural, Republican held districts and counties which dominate the state, will not help her campaign. Schmitt may be controversial, but many in the state either agree with his rhetoric or just would vote for him solely because he is a Republican.

State Representative Race (Kirkwood)

Gary Bokermann Jr. (Republican)

Bokermann, a business consultant for Perot Companies, has never held political office. He holds a degree in business administration.

According to reporting from Kevin Murphy of the WebsterKirkwood Times, Bokerman appeared before Kirkwood School District Board of Education meetings denouncing the district’s mask mandate policies at the time. He later appeared before the board and accused them of “being in violation of criminal law, and promised a lawsuit should the mandate continue.”

Bokerman doesn’t appear to have an official campaign website, but according to his personal social media feeds (which are public and can be viewed by anyone), Bokerman is vehemently against COVID vaccinations, and says they cause numerous health issues. He also appears to doubt the legitimacy of elections, even saying in a Facebook post “One would think that my biggest adversaries would be the current Democrat office holder and other Democrats in Kirkwood, however former Republican office holders in the area have tried to become the biggest roadblock to ME winning an election as a Republican in Kirkwood.”

Bokerman also revealed to Murphy that he had been diagnosed with Stage IV stomach cancer earlier this year, but chose to run anyway.

Barbara Phifer (Incumbent, Democrat)

Phifer, formerly a United Methodist pastor for four decades, was elected to the Missouri House in 2020. During her tenure, she has served on the public safety, ways and means, higher education and transportation House committees.

She obtained a master’s of divinity degree from the St. Paul School of Theology in Leawood, Kansas, and has served as pastor for churches in both Missouri and abroad; as a result she can speak fluent Spanish.

Phifer, along with others, advocated for a standard $15 minimum wage that was later passed for state workers. She also was strongly in favor of expanding Medicaid, especially for women dealing with postpartum depression.

Phifer said she supports the elimination of sales tax on food items, but admits that Governor Mike Parson’s recent reduction of income taxes for the highest earners in Missouri will make that difficult. However, she is willing to reach across the aisle to get it done, as she told Murphy that she “is very good at collaborating.”

Phifer also told Murphy that she supports “a fundamental right to bodily autonomy” for women, that she would attempt to pass legislation legalizing marijuana if voters don’t this election, and also said that Missouri needs common sense gun control legislation.

Analysis: Phifer seems to have this one in the bag, but it’s not Bokerman’s rhetoric that will do him in with many voters. It’s the fact that he has no significant platform other than his social media accounts. Phifer does not have much experience, but she has had a mostly successful tenure, even as part of the minority in the state government.

https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-government/board-of-elections/

Missouri House District 90 will either remain in Democratic control or shift to Republican control in this local election for state-level office.

What You Need To Know to Vote in MO on Nov. 8

US House of Representatives District 1 Race:

“District 1” encompasses all of the city of St. Louis as well as most of north St. Louis County, including the cities of Maryland Heights, University City, Ferguson and Florissant. It is without question, the most Democratic congressional district in the state.

Andrew Jones (Republican)

Jones is the current Executive Vice President of Business Development and Marketing at Southwest Electric, and much like Busch Valentine is new to politics. He was born in Cairo, Illinois, and raised in East St. Louis. He also holds a variety of college degrees, including Bachelor of Science in Economics and a minor in Business Administration from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, as well as an MA in International Business from Webster University and an MBA from Washington University’s Olin School of Business.

Jones’ campaign website outlines his stances on multiple issues. He believes in transparency in education and that parents should be able to partner with educators and administrators on the books that are in school libraries. He believes that government spending is “out of control” and believes that his business experience will be an advantage in helping to set “sound fiscal policies” that guide the federal government’s spending.

He also is pro-life, and “will push to close the border and invest in our first responders.”

Analysis: Bush looks to run away with this one, but anything is possible.

Cori Bush (Incumbent, Democrat)

Bush, the current incumbent, won election to the United States House Of Representatives in November 2020 after surprisingly besting then incumbent William Clay, Jr in the primaries earlier that year. Her website says that since the beginning of her term, she has “championed legislation that puts St. Louis front and center,” and has been a “relentless advocate for racial, social, health care, and environmental justice.”

She graduated from Cardinal Ritter High School and attended Harris-Stowe State University and the Lutheran School of Nursing. She also became a faith leader in the community, becoming an ordained pastor. She also participated in the 2014 Ferguson Protests, helping to provide triage-medical care and resources in the midst of the riots.

Bush’s tenure has seen her unapologetically defend and campaign for a number of causes. For example, Bush took a leading role in fighting to extend the CARES Act’s eviction moratorium, even going as far as to sleep on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to make her point. Her efforts there were successful, as the moratorium was extended.

US House of Representatives District 2 Race:

Ann Wagner (Incumbent, Republican)

Rep. Wagner succeeded Rep. Todd Akin, who vacated his post in an infamous and ill-fated run against then-Senator Clarie McCaskill in 2012. Born and raised in St. Louis, she graduated High School from Cor Jesu Academy in Affton, and from college at Mizzou with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

Six years after graduating, she began her political journey, even serving as the Missouri State Director for then-President George H. W. Bush’s ultimately unsuccessful reelection campaign in 1992. In 1999, she began working in the Missouri GOP, becoming the chair of the organization. Beginning in 2001, she simultaneously held this position as well as becoming a cochair of the Republican National Convention. In 2005, she was named the United States Ambassador to Luxembourg, a post she held until mid-2009. She decided to run for Akin’s vacant seat, and won the election.

During her time holding national office, she “has been committed to regulatory reform, authoring bills such as the Retail Investor Protection Act which protects access to retirement savings for middle class families” according to her website. She also staunchly supports and authors legislation that combats sex-trafficking and online exploitation on the federal level, such as the SAVE Act (2021) and the Put Trafficking Victims First Act and the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (2018).

Wagner is pro-life, even saying on the day that Roe v Wade was struck down that it was “a historic moment for families, for mothers and for the precious unborn children who cannot protect themselves.”

Trish Gunby (Democrat)

Trish Gunby is currently a State Representative that represents Missouri’s 99th District, which encompasses the cities of Des Peres, Manchester, Valley Park and other adjacent townships and villages. She has served in this role since her election to office in November of 2019. She is a graduate of Parkway West High School, and an alumnus of the University of Tulsa.

Last November, she spoke with then-Montage reporter Max Wilson, and said that she was running for office because she didn’t feel like she was being represented in this congressional district. “[Wagner’s constituents] have asked for more from [her] over the years in terms of town halls and trying to understand her votes and positions on certain issues,” she said.

Gunby told Wilson that she and Wagner “were not on the same page” regarding the abortion issue. “If you had told me 40 some odd years ago,” Gunby said, “that we would actually be moving backward, as Texas has, as Missouri has, and other states are doing...I would not have believed that,” she said. “Reproductive health is between that person, their healthcare provider and their partner, and the government should not be involved.”

In the wake of the “Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision by the Supreme Court that nullified “Roe v. Wade,” Gunby referred to that decision as “disastrous” and said that “If we allow extremists to take away our bodily autonomy, everything else is on the table.”

Other goals of Gunby’s include improving healthcare and “strengthening democracy” by passing new voting registration, including the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Analysis: Gunby has good intentions, but Wagner seems to have an iron grip on her seat, whether or not she is trying to. Wagner likely wins this one out simply out of familiarity to many voters, but it will be close.

What else is on the ballot?

Although ballot entries will vary by district, voters in Kirkwood will also see the following:

STATE SENATOR - DISTRICT 24

GEORGE J HRUZA REPUBLICAN

TRACY McCREERY DEMOCRATIC

LaDONNA HIGGINS LIBERTARIAN

COUNTY EXECUTIVE

MARK MANTOVANI REPUBLICAN SAM PAGE DEMOCRATIC

RANDALL HOLMES GREEN

STATE AUDITOR

SCOTT FITZPATRICK REPUBLICAN

ALAN GREEN DEMOCRATIC JOHN A. HARTWIG, JR. LIBERTARIAN

PROSECUTING ATTORNEY

WESLEY BELL DEMOCRATIC THEO BROWN SR. LIBERTARIAN

COUNTY ASSESSOR

PETER A. PFEIFER REPUBLICAN JAKE ZIMMERMAN DEMOCRATIC NICHOLAS (NICK) KASOFF LIBERTARIAN DON FITZ GREEN

COUNTY COUNCIL - DISTRICT 3

DENNIS HANCOCK REPUBLICAN

VICKI LORENZ ENGLUND - DEMOCRATIC JEANNE CHICKANOSKY LIBERTARIAN

MISSOURI SUPREME COURT

ZEL M FISCHER

ROBIN RANSOM

MISSOURI COURT OF APPEALS

KELLY C BRONIEC

THOMAS C CLARK, II MICHAEL E GARDNER JOHN P TORBITZKY

“District 2” encompasses the remainder of St. Louis County, including Affton, Maplewood, and Kirkwood. It has been represented in Congress by Rep. Ann Wagner since January 2013.

Inspiring Meramec’s Minds for Over 20 Years

BRADY YANKO STAFF WRITER

Karl‘Dirk’ Voss has been teaching at Meramec for over 20 years; most of his time has been spent teaching several different engaging history courses. Dr. Voss is from the southwest region of Germany near the corner of Switzerland and France.

Remembering his childhood and young adult life in Germany, he said, “Our travel sometimes included international borders […] we would spend weekends sometimes in northern Italy, or Austria. But that is typical for Europeans, international borders are just around the corner. It was a very nice hilly country, and I understand why some Germans like to settle in Hilly areas like Herman [Missouri].”

As someone who is very welltraveled, one country stood out and changed his teaching style the most.

“The United States,” Voss said. “That’s the most influential country of my teaching because my first very good teachers were American. First in Germany, then when I came here, they were really good. Other countries changed my attitude, like Vietnam and China in many ways. But the most

important impact was in the United States. That is why I stayed here; I like the American teaching style so much better than the German teaching style.”

Dr. Voss explained the difference in the teaching style between Germans and Americans.

“First of all, German classes are not funny at all, ever. They are very dry, and sometimes occasionally, Professors read a lecture to you,” he said. “It’s terrible. My first American history teacher was walking around, he was free speaking… sometimes you get the feeling they are reading their own book manuscript. That had an impact on me. Not all American professors are funny, but some of them influenced me very much.”

The most important time in history for Dr. Voss is something that echoes through many of his courses, “I think the most important change in world history is the beginning of the development of industrialization. The factory system changes everything. Power relations between nations, it also totally changes the way we approach time and work.”

Living in a new city can be strange at first. Something that initially surprised Voss about St. Louis is how segregated it felt.

“What surprised me when I came here was how segregated Saint Louis is. I lived in Texas and Arizona, but segregation is so strong here. I had no explanation for this. For example, Meramec twenty years ago had very few African American students and I was puzzled. I was not used to it in Texas or Oklahoma. I have to say we are much more diverse nowadays… What I like about St. Louis is that it is an old city, it really is old. Even in Germany, the cities aren’t this old because of World War II.”

Dr. Voss also noted, “I think America is so much more innovative right now in beer brewing, the microbrewers around the area. Big German companies have become so concentrated, big corporations. When I tell Germans that the best beer in the world is now brewed in America, they think I’m crazy. Places like Urban Chestnut

and [the other] micro-breweries in St. Louis are doing great.”

Photo By DAKOTA PULCHER

Professor Dirk Voss discusses history, St. Louis and German beer

Meramec Student Resources: The Math Tutoring Center

FAWWAZ ASHRAF STAFF WRITER

Mathis an expansive and complex discipline but the Math Tutoring Center at Meramec is dedicated to making sure everyone can understand any level of math offered at St. Louis Community College (STLCC). It can be found on the second floor of the library, to the right if one goes up the central staircase, and it’s open from 8 AM to 8 PM on Monday through Thursday and 8 AM to 4 PM on Fridays. However, with “STLCC Transformed” kicking into gear, the location will change to the Student Center cafeteria soon. There’s also an online version that’s open everyday.

Getting help at the Math Tutoring Center is simple. There’s no need to make an appointment; just sign in with your A-number, work on your math, and raise your flag if you have a question. Then, one of the many experienced tutors will walk you through the problem and make sure you understand how to solve it.

The Math Tutoring Center at Meramec is run by Jeff Howell who joined the program in June of 2020 and is also an STLCC alumnus. After completing his associate’s at STLCC, he went to the University Of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) to pursue a bachelor’s in political science. He then returned to school in Chicago to study engineering and computer science and there he built a strong math background. During this time, he was also tutoring math, and that’s where he got his start in education. As the director, he handles the hiring and payment of tutors,

coordinates with the math department for embedded tutoring, and works on the online tutoring system, but he’s also one of the tutors and a resource for students to be successful in any class.

Other than Howell, there are many others dedicated to helping STLCC students:

Arian Moslehi

Moslehi is currently pursuing his master’s in health data science at Saint Louis University and has a bachelor’s in math with a minor in computer science and statistics. The highest level of math he’s completed is real analysis, a class where you learn the proofs for calculus formulas. His favorite part about the Math Tutoring Center is the people and

sharing the tricks he’s learned for math with other people.

Jaden Jones

Jones is currently a student at STLCC and plans on pursuing his bachelor’s in electrical engineering. Right now, he’s taking Differential Equations meaning he’s completed up to Calculus 3, and he’s planning to take Linear Algebra in the spring. Outside of his academics, Jones also plays for STLCC’s baseball team, the Archers.

Tony Willett

Willett has completed his bachelor’s and master’s in math from University of Central Missouri. His favorite part about working at the Math Tutoring

center is getting to fulfill his passion for teaching and seeing improvement in students, and one of his favorite concepts in math is topology, the study of how objects can be transformed into different objects through math.

Max Ptasiewicz

Ptasiewicz has completed his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from University of Colorado- Boulder and has completed differential equations, linear algebra, and many computer science math classes. His favorite about the math center is getting to do math all day and keeping his skills sharp. His favorite classes are Calculus 3 and Linear Algebra due to their practical uses.

Flooded With Photographers: Peterson Lecture Exhibit Returns

JACOB POLITTE MANAGING EDITOR

exhibit 10 years in the making, The 9th Annual Kristen Peterson Lecture and Exhibition Series was a celebration of local photographers in

An

St. Louis. The exhibit was on display from Oct. 6-27 in Humanities East Room 133. Photographs from many different photographers showcase snapshots of various locations across the city taken from 2012 to the present day. From documenting city celebrations to dilapidated structures,

to people of all ages living their lives, the exhibit highlights the struggles St. Louis faces or has faced.

In selecting work for display, Photo Flood Saint Louis Founding Director Jason Gray scoured the club’s archives of over 80,000 images to sequence a display that illustrates the spectacular

and diverse artistry of its members. The work exhibited spans the entirety of the organization’s timeline and demonstrates the visual richness of the city of St. Louis.

More information about Photo Flood Saint Louis can be found at http://www.photofloodstl.org/.

Meet the Tutoring staff that is ready to help students ace their math classes

Clockwise from L-R: Howell, Willett, Jones, Ptasiewicz and Moslehi.

PhotoS By Fawwaz ashraf

Retro Review: A trial that never happened

Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

StephenL. Carter’s 2012 novel “The Impeachment Of Abraham Lincoln” is likely not a widely known work. It never hit the bestseller lists despite previous novels from Carter achieving that feat, and the Meramec library doesn’t even have a copy of it.

“Impeachment” however, is a bold piece of historical fiction. The novel opens with Lincoln miraculously surviving his assassination attempt at Ford’s Theatre while the assassination attempt at Kirkwood House against his Vice President, Andrew Johnson, succeeds. Two years pass, and history has changed significantly. Lincoln has no Vice President, is a widower, and is facing impeachment proceedings on a variety of grounds. The charges are: suspending habeas corpus, censoring newspapers and seizing private telegrams, failing to protect freedmen, and plotting to overthrow the authority of Congress itself through military means.

Carter, a Yale professor who is currently on leave, is a big fan of Lincoln, and he says that these charges are all based on things that Lincoln actually did or was suspected of doing.

He takes a revered, near perfect character in Lincoln and puts him through the wringer, exposing his fictional and sometimes real world flaws while never really betraying the version that history has taught American citizens for generations.

Lincoln, however, proves to ultimately be a supporting character

in a novel bearing his name. He makes significant appearances throughout the novel, and even has quite a bit of dialogue. The novel, however, instead focuses on his legal team, primarily a young, educated black clerk named Abigail Canner.

Canner, despite many involved trying to minimize her role in every way, proves to have many more ties to the case than even she originally thought. Her role grows when one of the lawyers in Lincoln’s inner circle is murdered, and despite pleas from everyone to leave it alone, she pursues the matter on top of her legal duties. What follows is a fascinating story that combines legal drama, crime and history for a fantastic, if bloated, work of fiction.

Admittedly, the level of historical detail may hurt the book in the eyes of some. The impeachment procedures are described in mostly accurate and lengthy detail, but this may not appeal to readers that prefer action over exposition. The dialogue is detailed and accurate for the time period, but there are absolutely points where the “telling, not showing” problem that some novels face comes into play. Some readers may enjoy the first 26 chapters more, which detail the happenings and story twists that occur before the trial officially begins. That being said, there are quite a few twists and turns, and the story does remain engaging throughout the length of the trial.

The trial itself has a shocking ending, which may surprise some readers, although it really shouldn’t, given the context of actual, legitimate history. However, it also makes little sense, and

unravels the book’s narrative a bit. It is still exciting, and it brings the book to a satisfying, if muted conclusion.

The book itself contains characters both fictional, and real. The book has a lengthy afterward where Carter makes it clear exactly what liberties he took

‘Halloween Ends’ for Jamie Lee Curtis

Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

2021’s “Halloween Kills” was not what many people expected. Laurie Strode was basically a non-factor in a movie whose franchise centered mostly around her and a film where she receives top billing; Jamie Lee Curtis’ Strode essentially does absolutely nothing but spend time in a hospital room for the entire film. She didn’t even interact with Michael Myers (played by actors James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle) once, except for a phone call in the Extended Cut of the movie released on DVD. It certainly was a choice, and that gamble didn’t pay off. “Halloween Kills” was a very action-packed gorefest, but it was not a good film.

“Halloween Ends” has a lot of work to do to make up for its predecessors shortcomings. Does it?

No.

At the very least, the film should be commended for taking a few very big risks. It’s certainly a different kind of “Halloween” film. It’s not a bad film, but it’s not what most viewers probably expected or wanted. It’s not really a slasher film at all. It’s more of a psychological horror film, although it absolutely returns to its slasher roots toward the end.

But “Halloween Ends” parallels “Halloween Kills” in one distinct way: instead of a sidelined Laurie Strode, this time there’s very, very little Michael Myers.

There have been tons of “Halloween” movies without Laurie Strode. There’s been exactly one without Michael Myers. Halloween movies don’t typically work well or are as well received without Michael Myers in the center of it all. This movie has Michael Myers in it, but he’s not really the main villain. Four years after the Haddonfield, Illinois massacre in 2018, Michael is living in the sewers of the town, while everyone above him has mostly moved on. Even Laurie Strode herself.

The specter of “The Shape” hangs over Laurie throughout the film, even if she’s doing considerably well moving past the trauma he caused her. Michael is mostly absent, appearing mostly in brief segments and only significantly appearing in the film’s closing act. For a film promoted heavily around the supposed final confrontation between the two leads, the Laurie-Michael showdown is almost a side dish. It’s certainly a very satisfying side dish, and it finally delivers a definitive, stellar end to this latest saga and the franchise as a whole. But it’s basically an epilogue to the movie’s actual plot.

The main story of the film centers around a new character, Corey Cunningham (played by franchise newcomer Rohan Campbell). About a year after the events of the latest two films in this particular “Halloween” continuity, Corey was babysitting a young child when things went terribly wrong. He’s blamed for the child’s death, and Haddonfield shuns him intensely. Laurie, in the process of writing her memoirs and living with her granddaughter Allyson (played by actress Andi Matichak), sees Corey and takes him under her wing. Laurie, much like Corey, has become somewhat of an outcast in the town, as many citizens (including some that Michael violently attacked, but actually somehow didn’t kill) blame her for inciting the 2018 incident.

When romance begins to blossom between Corey and Allyson, Laurie begins to regret her choice, as she senses something off about Corey. She turns out to be right, as following an assault, Corey ventures into the sewers and encounters Michael himself. Michael lets him go, but the encounter leaves an impression on Corey, and Corey progressively becomes more and more like Michael before he completely goes off the deep end.

This Corey arc doesn’t make for a bad viewing. It’s actually very

with history, and how exactly he took real people and real events to make an impressive, daunting work of fiction.

“The Impeachment Of Abraham Lincoln” can be purchased on Amazon, or on iTunes in ebook and audiobook form.

entertaining, and Campbell excels in his role. But it’s not “Halloween.” If this movie were called anything other than “Halloween” many more critics may have loved it. It’s not terrible, and again, it has a stellar ending. It also has a soundtrack that elevates the film, because John Carpenter always delivers.

But that ending doesn’t nullify the strange and controversial direction that the story took before arriving at that point. While “Halloween Ends” is a film worthy of a watch, it’s certainly going to be an underwhelming ending for some.

“Halloween Ends” can be seen in theaters, or it can be streamed exclusively on Peacock now for a limited time.

‘The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln’ is a detailed piece of historical fiction

Jake’s Take: On Biden and Washington

Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

Daysbefore this paper went to publication, Montage Photo Editor Dakota Pulcher and I returned from a journalism conference in Washington D.C. The trip, while a work trip, provided plenty of opportunity for sightseeing. There’s no feeling quite like walking the streets of the District of Columbia. There’s no feeling like walking up to the Capitol Building, or walking along the National Mall. There’s no feeling quite like walking up to the gates of the White House and marveling at how such an important building can look so tiny.

The trip was also a very unique opportunity to be in the center of the action right before a consequential mid-term election.

Before election day, President Biden has really made some big moves, including: pardoning those with simple majaruana offenses, student debt relief and becoming more direct in his condemnation of Trump supporters who still are quite off their rocker.

It’s his new stance on marijuana that comes as a big shock to me. Even in recent years, and even while he campaigned for the Presidency, Biden has been notably against marijuana legalization. More than anything else, this change in attitude and personality comes as a genuine jolt for both supporters and detractors of the President, whether they’ll say it publicly or not.

This change, in hindsight, came after Biden suffered from two separate bouts of COVID-19. It’s easy to make the joke

that “COVID made Biden just not care anymore” and while it’s a funny joke, it’s quite a startling turnaround from the guy who campaigned (and won) on wanting to heal the divide.

His administration, on the whole, has become much more aggressive in condemning those who seek the downfall of democracy in favor of a crazed wannabe dictator. That’s what Trump is, as uncomfortable as it is for some people to hear. He’s going to be indicted, not for his horrible actions as President, but for his crimes after he left office. He SHOULD be indicted.

Is Biden better? So much better. It doesn’t matter if he stumbles over his words. Literally everyone does. He’s old. That’s a valid point. But it’s not his defining trait, no matter how badly anyone who opposes him wants it to be.

For every failure or shortcoming of this administration (and there have been plenty), it’s still better than living under Donald Trump’s America. It’s like people forgot what a normal Presidency was supposed to look and feel like. People will say what they want about the man, they will question his mental capacity. None of that matters, all of it is speculation. He’s old, but he’s getting stuff done. Even if it’s not stuff that’s universally beloved.

Is Biden doing this because he genuinely believes in all of it? Is it just a goodwill move to help form a blue wave to try and sweep the midterms? Does any of it matter?

The answer to that last question, at least, is simple. No. These moves, these new policies and laws benefit the majority. They benefit people on both sides. That is progress, no matter what

right-wing political pundits want to say.

I’m looking at you Tucker Carlson, you bow-tie wearing honorary Neo-Nazi. I’m looking at you, Candance Owens and Steven Crowder, who literally can’t have an intelligent opinion if one hits you in the face. Also, the suspenders don’t make you look cool, Steven. They make you look like a dork. Whatever Tomi Larhen is doing these days, she’s wrong, too. And so are many others like them.

It may sound hypocritical to say in this particular medium, but I think it’s important to not let media with an obvious agenda influence you too much. The discourse brought to the table by these people I’ve listed has done so much damage to society, one political side in particular.

That particular discourse has led to horrible, rather unintelligent people like Majorie Taylor Greene, and Lauren Boebert being elected to office. Both of those people are complete wastes of space, and they were elected because no one knows any better. And because the people that those voters likely listen to don’t care, as long as their views are spread on the national stage.

The Republican party, at one time, was honorable. It is possible to be a conservative and be honorable. However, in this election cycle, there

are very few honorable Republicans. Liz Cheney is one. I don’t agree with a majority of what Cheney says, but her resistance to the direction that the Republican party is heading in is admirable. It also cost her her seat in Congress. That’s the saddest thing.

I don’t like being labeled as a Democrat. I don’t like being labeled in general, but there really isn’t much wiggle room here. This upcoming election is about a lot of things, and morality is definitely one of them.

The future is rather uncertain. But one thing isn’t: the American people electing Joe Biden wasn’t a mistake. History will prove that. In the future, it’s important to embrace the younger generation if we want actual, systematic change. But in the meantime, having an old, reliable grandpa in office may not be the worst thing.

To Hijab or Not to Hijab: How the death of a Kurdish woman has changed Iran

BRADY YANKO STAFF WRITER

On Sept. 16 2022, Mahsa Amini died three days prior to being taken into custody by Iran’s Morality Police, the official cause of death being a heart attack, but most believe it was the result of three days of extensive torture. She was taken into custody while visiting the capital city of Tehran for violating dress code; she was wearing the Hijab incorrectly. After the news broke, women of all ages and social groups took to the streets to protest what had been another unjust death.

The middle east and the Islamic world at large is a complex place. It seems especially complex for Americans and Westerners. When an American sees Iran, some see a land very different from theirs, a land that doesn’t have similarities with their own. Although I think that’s untrue, I can understand the misconception. Mainstream media can portray Iran as a nation that has always been primitive and regressive.

Popular media often shows us little to none of the feats of Islamic nations, and more of the ‘American Sniper’ side of things. To make things worse history of this part of the world is not often

taught in schools, instead it is replaced by authors such as E.M Forster or Rudyard Kipling, and their account of the east. They paint the image of an exotic land filled with vices and chaos. The rich history of Iran during Greek and Roman times now seems more distant than ever.

After the 1979 Iranian revolution the country started to become more radical, much more religious than it had before. Where the Shah unveiled women, opened universities, and attempted to dismantle the Ulama (the conveyers of Islam) ; Ayatollah Sayyid Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini wanted a return to traditional Islamic values. He connected with many Iranians, who felt disenfranchised by the new liberal and western ideals.

Hijabs may seem intrinsically sexist to westerners; some find it hard to understand how clothing meant to conceal a woman’s natural features can be in any way just or moral. But many Muslims feel that it is quite the opposite. Many feel that the covering up of women is a sign of modesty. A sign of respect to Allah and to the women who wear them. It essentially boils down to personal choice. The protests started with simple questions. Should the wearing of hijabs be enforced by law? Should a woman be able to be murdered with little to no

repercussions? Women all around Iran protested, danced and burned their symbols of oppression. This is their right, and I will stand firmly with them on this fact. Women should not and cannot be forced to wear something they view as oppressive.

The murder of Mahsa Amini is a bright ash that has been lifted to the sky from a large wildfire, a wildfire that has been brewing in Iran since the Iranian revolution of 1979.

Twenty-five million Iranians live below the poverty line, and that number is estimated to be increasing with the recent protest, growing inflation within the country and global economy, as well as a stagnation in the nuclear talks with the US have thrusted these women’s rights protest into the spotlight. These types of protests have been scattered throughout the past 30 years in Iran, with protest blossoming before being quelled by the Iranian government. However, the question may be turning from ‘To Hijab or not to Hijab’ to ‘Democracy or despotism’. Workers have put down their tools and taken up signs in protest of the Iranian government. Men and women from Iran’s various economic groups have joined together for arguably the first time in recent memory. These protests feel different. Long gone are the days of the “Arab Spring”, a movement in

which many Iranians did not identify with for a variety of reasons.

A new movement is on the horizon, a movement specific to Iran, and it is gaining rapid support. “Death to the dictator” rings out in every corner of the country. It is not just about another abuse of power that led to murder. Masha Amini’s death is now the symbol of an oppressive class system. No longer will the citizens of a corrupt government sit idly by.

I do feel as if change is coming in Iran. The movement seems to be too widespread, too strong to stop at this point. Hijabs burning is something very many people expected to ever happen in Iran, especially myself. The protestors have crossed their proverbial “Rubicon”, there is no going back. It seems that the regime must be toppled, no number of changes in the law or structure of the Islamic Republic will bring an end to this movement.

On the morning of Sept. 16, Mahsa Amini’s killers may have thought nothing of her death. They presumed that her death would go unnoticed, like the many deaths before her. In Persian Mahsa translates to “Moon like”, which is Ironic to say the least. To the people of Iran, her name means something. To them she matters. Because of them, her death did not go unnoticed. A new moon is rising in Iran.

As the midterm elections loom, Joe Biden seems to be rebuilding his legacy

Was iOS 16 beneficial? Was it neccessary?

FAWWAZ ASHRAF STAFF WRITER

Applebrings a lot of new features in their updates every year, but this is by far one of the best updates they’ve done. They went all out this year with a completely overhauled lock screen, significantly improved iMessage experience, Mac webcam substitution, and many other small tweaks.

The new lock screen is a breath of fresh air. I’ve been using iPhones for almost 10 years now, and the lock screen has barely changed. Now, it features customizable widgets, fonts, and colors so that you can further personalize your experience. While the fonts and colors are neat, the standout feature is the widgets. Apps can now display certain information on your lock screen, and you can customize what you want to show. I love this feature since it means I don’t have to open my phone as much and potentially get distracted. You can also create different lock screens and easily swap between them in case you get bored of one or create a background with shuffling photos. One neat detail is that if your background photo has a clear background and foreground, a small part of the clock will be hidden by the foreground to create a unique sense of depth on the lock screen.

I’m a hasty, impulsive, and inaccurate texter, so the ability to edit and unsend iMessages is a godsend to me. Now, iOS 16 allows users to edit messages within 15 minutes of sending them. This implementation is one of the best, as it gives people a chance to go back and correct minor mistakes and minimizes abuse. For example, had this 15-minute limit not been there, a text could be edited so that someone agreed to something they didn’t want to. There’s also a mark on edited texts, which makes it harder to abuse, but I am disappointed that an edit history isn’t available. Messages can also be unsent within 2 minutes of sending, and it leaves a message in chat so that the recipient knows something was deleted. Both features were implemented in a way that improves the messaging experience without significantly compromising the integrity of transcripts.

Apple has been improving its webcams, but they still pale in comparison to dedicated webcams. However, Mac users can now use their iPhone as a webcam with iOS 16 and MacOS Ventura. The latest iPhone can record in 4K at up to 60 FPS and has fantastic video processing software, and all of that can be used in webcam mode. While it may seem inconvenient for your phone to be unusable while serving as a webcam, Macs can already send and receive texts and calls, and many apps also have websites you can use while your phone is occupied. One unique feature that comes with these webcam capabilities is Desk View. If your phone is mounted on top of your monitor, it can use the Ultra Wide lens and some clever processing to create a top-down view of your desk. It functions similar to an overhead camera a professor might use to put a paper on the screen, and it can do this while still recording your face.

Besides the substantial changes, all iOS updates come with a myriad of smaller changes, and iOS 16 is no exception. One of my favorite new additions is the haptic keyboard. This feature adds vibration feedback with every keystroke to make typing on the iPhone feel more like typing on a physical keyboard. Apple also improved one of my most used features, dictation. It can now use punctuation automatically, and the keyboard stays open while dictating, allowing easier editing. Lastly, iPhones can now provide live captions for FaceTime calls, so people like me with terrible hearing can rejoice.

This update provided long-requested improvements to not just the iPhone but to the Apple ecosystem. However, most of the change is at the user’s own discretion. By default, features such as widgets, keyboard haptics, and FaceTime captions are disabled. Apple hardly forces changes in user experience, and their transitions always feel smooth. When I pick up my iPhone, despite how much the software has changed over time, it still feels like the same smooth and intuitive experience I bought ten years ago.

Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

Simplyput, I don’t like radical change. And I’m not going to pretend like I have Fawwaz’s immense tech knowledge. I don’t. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with upgrading a phone’s operating system. But was all of that change necessary at once? I don’t think so. In particular, I don’t think this new iOS is the smooth and intuitive experience that Fawwaz believes it to be. But I am not Fawwaz, and I am not as cool or hip to technology as Fawwaz is.

Admittedly, there’s probably more to like about all of these upgrades than there is to not like. My issue lies primarily with the cosmetics of it all.

My iPhone looks different to me now, and not in a way that’s easy on my eyes.

I don’t like how the notifications are all scrunched together on the lock screen towards the bottom, stacked on top of each other like they’re files.

Apparently, I’m told that there is a way to undo this, but why was it done in the first place?

Did anyone think it was a good idea? Did anyone think that would look aesthetically pleasing?

The feature to unsend messages is very cool to most people, but I truly believe that if you feel the need to unsend a text message that you probably shouldn’t have sent it to begin with.

Also, typos are usually very funny, and I say that as a long-running editor of this newspaper.

Someone messing up a word or relying too much on Autocorrect is just something that should be expected, and accepted. Is that ridiculous? Yes.

Does it feel like sacrilege to me that messages can now be edited? Also yes.

Fawwaz said that “Apple hardly forces changes in user experience” and while I don’t know much about their product to argue with that, I do think that these changes really don’t benefit every single user.

Most of them? Sure. But sometimes if something isn’t really broken, you shouldn’t make massive changes that alienate some users.

I do suppose it’s still better than using an Android phone though.

Do you like and/or enjoy the upgrades and changes that iOS 16 provides? Or do you think that some things should have been left alone?

Scan the QR code below with your phone to make your voice heard!

New Director, New Direction for STLCC Athletics

MORGAN DANIELS STAFF WRITER

SharonMarquardt has a long history with sports and athletics. She played volleyball and softball at Lewis and Clark Community College for two years and transferred to McKendree University to continue playing softball. Her athletic prowess led to her receiving numerous accolades for her pitching and batting abilities. From All-Conference and All-America recognition to competing in the NAIA Softball Tournaments both seasons, her work ethic is far from average. Her accomplishments led to her recent induction into the McKendree Hall of Fame for her contributions to Bearcats athletics.

Marquardt maintained the same drive and ambition when she came to St. Louis Community College in 2003 to coach the women’s softball team. She coached for 13 years until deciding to take on a more administrative position at the college.

“I went to the administrative side and found that I was good at being behind the desk and helping people get their teams to where they thought they were competitive enough for the national competition, and [I] sort of just progressed from there,” said Marquardt.

She matriculated through faculty and staff positions until settling as

the Assistant Athletic Director for the STLCC district. This fall, she assumed the role of Director of Archer Athletics.

For those unfamiliar with the history of St. Louis Community College’s athletic program, before 2011, each campus had its own sports teams. Prominently Forest Park, Florissant Valley, and Meramec. Since the transition, all campuses joined to form a district-wide sports program with Men’s and Women’s Soccer and Basketball, Women’s Volleyball and Softball, and Men’s Baseball. According to Marquardt, the transition had an overall positive impact on the program.

“It made our teams more competitive. Instead of having three teams that were average [and] weren’t competing for national championships, now, we have more teams that are participating in the national tournaments. Five out of the seven teams have been to the national tournament where they are actually competing for the national championship,” she said.

Marquardt said she hopes to continue fostering a program of success by providing coaches and athletes the support they need so that the Archers can bring home more plaques from national tournaments.

While a successful athletic program is vital to her and her department, they

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

emphasize each individual studentathlete and their academic success.

“Our ultimate goal here at the district is to have student-athletes that come here and are successful in the classroom and graduate within two years. The bonus is they are a good athlete and help us compete for the national championship. So, if we can help a student-athlete not only be successful on the field but in the classroom, that makes us a better-

rounded person and our department better off. It’s a win, win for our students,” she said.

Marquardt is tangibly tracking the academic progress of her athletes. She noticed that last year, three of the seven teams had cumulative GPAs higher than 3.0. She plans to support those teams and encourage them to strive for higher averages.

on pg. 12

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.

an Honors Program at

We

Sharon Marquandt inside the Meramec gymnasium. Photo by Dakota Pulcher.

Archer Volleyball ends season with Region 16 semi finals

New Director: Marquardt encourages students to support athletics

(cont. from page 11)

However, Marquardt wants to get the other four teams to the same level.

“I want our department to really be showcased for the quality athletes that we bring to campus but also the quality students,” she said.

This fall, she sat down with each team and set academic goals. As a district, their goal is to have a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher. For the teams with at least a GPA of 3.0, the goal is to attain an average of 3.6 to qualify as a National Academic Team with the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). The recognition will showcase the team’s academic fortitude and honor each athlete’s work for their academics.

“I tell them every year; you are a student-athlete first. You are not an athlete student. So go to class, do your homework, get those grades, which make you a better athlete in the end,” she said.

Marquardt and her department are working with several on-campus resources to promote athletics. She hopes to influence more college community involvement by intentionally communicating upcoming sports events.

“As the athletic director, I have to get out there and show the students, faculty, and staff that we are involved. We are invested in the district, and we are here to make the great experience that we want not only student-athletes

but all students to have,” she said. “You’re not going to see us on TV, but we can give you the same fun entertainment at a basketball game, volleyball game, or softball game, as they do at the bigger schools. We want to create a well-rounded community within the college, but we have to get people involved to do that.”

Supporting the Archer athletics is one of the best ways to encourage Marquardt and her department’s work for their athletes, she said. She encourages students, staff and faculty to come out to an Archers game and support classmates as they showcase their talents not only on the court or field but in the classroom. Currently, Meramec hosts all but one of the Archer

sports teams. While the baseball, volleyball, and soccer seasons are coming to an end, November marks the beginning of the winter sports season. Marquardt said she hopes students will put on some school spirit, and cheer on the Men’s and Women’s basketball teams. The athletics department posts each team’s schedules on its website at archerathletics.com.

“I want people to know we are here. Come out and see us. We’d love to see more fans, spectators, faculty, staff, and students. Ask questions. Know that we are here, and we welcome everybody to come and partake in a game. Hopefully, we can bring a national championship to the district. That’s the goal,” she said.

Photos by: Dakota Pulcher

The Archers Volleyball team ended the season with a 4-32 record following a loss to Metropolitan Community College during the Oct. 28 Region 16 Semi Finals.

The team scored its final two wins on Oct. 1 against Southeastern Illinois College.