SCENE THE
May 4, 2018
Spring Issue 6
www.thescenefp.com
St. Louis Community College at Forest Park
Summer fun See page 3
Fancy feast See pages 4-5
Doubling up See page 6
College approves first adjunct contract By Joshua Phelps The Scene staff
Photo by Destini Clark
Marketing and communications specialist Brittney Aladegbami, right, shows general transfer student Kara Noland, 26, STLCC’s revamped website.
St. Louis Community College Board of Trustees voted to approve the first-ever adjunct union contract on April 26. A 3 percent pay raise will be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2018. The contract will expire on June 30, 2020. Beyond pay, adjuncts will have more job security and access to a 403(b) tax-sheltered annuity. They also will see changes in the course-assignment process and handling of personnel files and student complaints. “Before, we had nothing,” said adjunct
art professor Brett Williams. “Now we have a contract.” Williams is a member of the bargaining committee of the Service Employees International Union, which represents adjuncts. Adjuncts voted 188-15 to unionize in October of 2015. The SEIU bargaining committee spent two years in negotiations with college representatives. Adjuncts voted 222-5 to approve the negotiated contract on Feb. 20-23. Williams sent an email to union members on April 27, notifying them that the STLCC Board of Trustees had approved it.
See Contract page 2
New college website adapts to mobile devices
Decade-old site called ‘definitely dated’ By Joshua Phelps The Scene staff
St. Louis Community College has launched a new website. Perhaps most importantly, it adapts to cellphones and other mobile devices. The old one displayed only the desktop version. “The current website is 10 years old,” said STLCC Marketing Manager Jennifer Reed before the launch. “It is definitely dated.” Brittney Aladegbami, Forest Park marketing and communications specialist, gave students, faculty and staff a preview of the new website on April 25 in the Student Center lobby. “The goal is for outside stakeholders, as well as the internal audience, to find what they’re looking for with fewer clicks,” she said. The new website went live on April 27. Officials said it has: • A “clean, modern” design • More photos of real students, faculty and staff • An enhanced search function • A section that helps current students
quickly find information they need on a daily basis • A section that helps faculty and staff access resources • An easier way for potential students to explore what programs the college has to offer • A quick-start option for navigation • Links for scheduling visits and applying for college admission “People really love the photos of the current students and staff,” Aladegbami said. General transfer student Kara Noland, 26, stopped by Aladegbami’s table to check out the new website. She liked how it was organized. General transfer student Tyler Wilson, 20, disliked the old website, calling it “plain” and “outdated.” “I think it’s a little lacking,” he said. “It could be more inviting.” Automotive technology major Jeremy Clark, 19, had a different view. He didn’t think the old website needed an update. “I got used to the one they already got,” he said before the launch. “I think the current website’s layout is easy to understand. (The college) should leave it alone.” Victor Paletta and Destini Clark contributed to this story.
Monopoly art
Photo by Destini Clark
Art major Kenya Mitchell created a Monopoly-inspired game, called “Kenopoly,” for a soft-sculpture project in her Design III class. It’s displayed between the elevator and staircase on the fourth floor of F Tower. See story on page 2. Images of the old homepage at STLCC.edu, left, and the new one.
News
Student’s 3D design project is ‘Monopoly with a twist’
tography major Kurstin Mecey, 27. “It looks like it tells a lot about the artist’s life, and I think she did a really good job on it.” Kenopoly will be on display at Forest Park through May 11. After that, Mitchell plans to take it home and play it with friends and family. “If anyone wants personalized boards, they can contact me on Instagram or Facebook,” said Mitchell, noting her pages can be found by searching for “Pure Artistry By.Kenya.”
By Joshua Phelps The Scene staff
Buying property in St. Louis without having to pay real money is now possible, thanks to a giant Monopoly-inspired board game made by a Forest Park student. Art major Kenya Mitchell, 28, created “Kenopoly” for her Design III class. It’s being displayed between the elevator and stairs on the fourth floor of F Tower. “I wanted to do Monopoly with a twist,” Mitchell said. “Instead of having the Monopoly man on there, I used my Bitmoji.” Bitmojis are cartoonish versions of people that can be designed through an app from the company Bitstrips. The class project involved creating soft sculptures. “Soft sculptures are 3D installations,” said art adjunct Mario Carlos, who teaches Design III. “(They are) composed of cloth, paper, foam, rubber, fibers or any materials that are non-rigid.” Mitchell’s game looks like a fabric pillow that measures 4½ by 4½ feet. Words and images are either painted on or made of felt. There are two giant dice. “It’s an amazing piece,” Carlos said. “She worked hard on that.” St. Louis locations on the Kenopoly board range from Page Boulevard and Flad Avenue to the Central West End and Lafayette Square. Some properties represent places that Mitchell has lived. That includes the old Darst-Webbe public housing project and Clinton-Peabody apartments. “The first one (the house next to the ‘Go’ box) is the first housing complex we were living in until it got torn down,” Mitchell
Contract
Photo by Destini Clark
Next to“Go” in “Kenopoly” are Clinton-Peabody apartments and DarstWebbe public housing, where game creator Kenya Mitchell used to live. said. “Then we moved into the next one, which is right next do it.” To make the game, Mitchell bought about 12 yards of fabric and 10 pounds of stuffing. Her friends helped her paint on the words. The project took Mitchell about a month to complete. “It was a lot of money,” she said. “I came out about a good $150.” The game includes a pocket full of play money for purchasing properties and cards giving other instructions. Mitchell always wanted to play Monopoly as a girl, but her grandmother was a pastor and wouldn’t allow it. She thought games that involved rolling dice amounted
to gambling. As Mitchell got older, her grandmother changed her mind and let her play. “I thought it was pretty fun and neat,” Mitchell said. “Everyone loves Monopoly. It was one of the biggest known board games.” Mitchell went with a Monopoly-inspired game for her class project after learning that her friend was going to create a Tetris-inspired game. Many students, faculty and staff have done double-takes when walking by the unusual piece of artwork in F Tower in the past couple of weeks. “I think it’s very interesting,” said pho-
from page 1
“This is the result of years of organizing for union recognition and fighting for a strong contract,” he stated. “It will ensure better pay and working conditions for years to come.” Williams also stated that SEIU will be going back to the bargaining table the second week of May to fight for an additional raise for the 2018-2019 academic year. “If recent teacher strikes across the country have shown us anything, it is that educators can make impressive gains in working conditions and resources for students if we use our strength in numbers and take bold action,” he stated.
Corrections
A story in Issue 5 about removal of the Forest Park security booth incorrectly identified a campus police officer. It should have read Gary Payne instead of Bryan Giles. In an unrelated photo caption, Brian Giles’ name should have been spelled Jiles.
CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES! Discover transfer and scholarship opportunities at Webster! Schedule a personalized visit and tour: webster.edu/visit. Learn why Webster University is known as the global university with campuses on 4 continents and fantastic study abroad opportunities. Become a Webster World Traveler, and we will even pay your airfare! For more information on transferring: WEBSTER.EDU/TRANSFER Office of Admission 314-246-7800 or 1-800-753-6765 admit@webster.edu St. Louis, MO
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Campus chatter Gerald Parker, 18, general transfer “I’m planning to take a trip to either New Orleans or Chicago.”
Dylan Volland, 18, general transfer “I’m sleeping and going to my family reunion.”
Gloria Barragan, 18, culinary arts “I’m going to New York City with my siblings for a Korean convention.”
Shawn Workman, 32, culinary arts “I’m taking online courses and working this summer.”
Kamryn Hanes, 19, software development “I got a job at A&P flea market (Super Flea) on Page Avenue.”
What are you doing this summer?
Kristy Kimzey, English as a second language instructor “We just moved, and we’ll be unpacking boxes and organizing.”
Ethan Sipe, 17, general transfer “I’m going to work at St. Louis Bread Co. (Panera) in the Galleria.”
By Timothy Bold
Payman Rashid, 29, English as a second language “I’m going to take care of my mother. She has breast cancer.”
Deonzae Johnson, 24, business administration “I’m going to summer school and building my business. Eventually, I’ll open a club downtown.” Patricia Thomas, 18, general transfer “I’m going to Florida with my family and boyfriend for a vacation and to check out some colleges.”
May 4, 2018
Channell Walton, 30, general transfer “I plan on making some money this summer.”
Mariah Richardson, communications professor “I’m teaching this summer and then going out to Los Angeles (to hang out with friends).”
The Scene www.thescenefp.com
Page 3
Photo by Antonio Lloyd
Above, a platter of breaded chicken with wild mushrooms. At right, Camilla Rabaga, 21, scoops Hawaiian curried pork dumpings from the deep fryer.
Fan
Forest Park culina plated a dinner pineapples, breaded sauce; San Francisc asparagus risotto, a leeks and bean spro blue cheese. Then Photo by Antonio Lloyd
Above, chef Jeff Seaborn points to the breaded chicken with wild mushrooms and sour cream sauce to students, from left, Max Ferrugia, 27, Camilla Rabaga, 21, Samantha Schwah, 20, and Chase Wakefield, 21. Below, a detailed shot of the entree.
Photo by Antonio Lloyd
Layout by
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The Scene www.thescenefp.com
May 4, 2018
Photo by Timothy Bold
Photo by Timothy Bold
ncy Feast
Clockwise from above, Conlan Heirty, 21, places avocado soup on the buffet table; Tyronne Pitts, 44, dices red and green peppers while Camilla Rabaga, 21, chops pineapples for the Hawaiian curried pork dumplings; and a bowl of San Francisco cioppino, which is a seafood stew.
ary students at the capstone level prepared and r on April 26. The menu included pork and d chicken with wild mushrooms and sour cream co cioppino, Hawaiian curried pork dumplings, avocado soup, Asian snap peas, ginger carrots, outs; and field greens with pears, walnuts and n came the fun part: Sampling the dishes and providing feedback.
Photo by Timothy Bold Photo by Antonio Lloyd
Jayy Dixon
May 4, 2018
The Scene www.thescenefp.com
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Sports
Former Forest Park student directs documentary
today, according to the St. Louis Browns Historical Society. Tolliver works at HLK, a digital design agency in St. Louis, which began working with the Historical Society in 2014 to improve its website. That’s how the idea to make the documentary got started. By Jake Balmer “I’m not really a huge sports fan, but I do The Montage appreciate the drama,” said Tolliver, who Reprinted with permission took classes on both the Meramec and ForThere are few recent graduates of St. Lou- est Park campuses of STLCC. is Community College who exemplify the “To me (the Browns) are almost more of value of a degree from STLCC better than a human interest story, in how they really Justin Tolliver. weren’t very good, but there are fans who Tolliver, a 2014 graduate of the graphic stuck with them when they were here and design program, directed the documenta- even 60 years after they left. If they were ry “The St. Louis Browns: The Team that still around, I think I would probably root Baseball Forgot,” which aired on KETC-TV for them.” (Channel 9) in S T L C C March and will was Tolliver’s “They really weren’t very good, s p r i n g b o a r d air again in July. St. Louto HLK, as he but there are fans who stuck is has happily enrolled after supported the with them when they were here already comCardinals for pleting a bachdecades, but and even 60 years after they left. elor’s degree in from 1901 to film production 1953, the city If they were still around, I think I at Webster Unialso played host versity. to the Browns, Tolliver credwould probably root for them.” known primarits the port– STLCC graduate Justin Tolliver ily for their folio design heavy losses class he took at and subsequent promotional antics, which Meramec, taught by Michael Swoboda, as included trotting out players like 3-foot-7- key in his career development. Swoboda inch Eddie Gaedel and one-armed Pete Gray could tell early on what Tolliver could acto bat. complish. Despite -- or in some cases because of “What Justin was good at was iteration – their hardships, the Browns still had a -- coming up with a strong concept and moderate number of fans who endure even making version after version as he builds to-
The Browns played in St. Louis from 1901 to 1953
Justin Tolliver directed the documentary “The St. Louis Browns: The Team that Baseball Forgot,” which aired on KETC-TV in March and will air again in July. He’s a 2014 graduate of St. Louis Community College. wards an appropriate or dynamic solution,” Swoboda said. “He wasn’t afraid to experiment, to work hard (and) to collaborate with others, which are exactly the kinds of things professional designers do.” While at STLCC, Tolliver also served as layout editor at The Scene student newspaper at Forest Park. There were some challenges in making the documentary, largely centering around getting in contact with enough interviewees, many of them of advanced age. That includes Chuck Stevens, the oldest living former pro baseball player, born in 1918. Tolliver also took Don Larsen, predominantly of New York Yankee fame but who
pitched his first pro season as a Brown, to the former site of Sportsman’s Park in North St. Louis, although footage of that meeting did not make it into the film. To Tolliver, these were minor hurdles, and he said reception to the movie has been great. “I love hearing people say that this movie meant something to them,” he said. “St. Louis has so much interesting history, and the Browns and the people involved with them will always be a part of it.” “The St. Louis Browns: The Team that Baseball Forgot” is available to watch online through the KETC-TV, also known as Nine Network, at ninenet.org.
Waelterman doubled her pleasure in STLCC career Engineering student juggled two sports
incredibly coachable.” Waelterman plans to continue her basketball career in the fall at Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla. Following is a question-and-answer interview with Waelterman. The Scene: Why did you choose St. Louis Community College? EW: I was able to get two free years here from the A+ program, plus the great basketball and softball programs. The Scene: How many hours a week did you juggle between school, athletics and work? EW: Sometimes it could be up to 60 hours a week, depending on practice, games, school work and side jobs. The Scene: What is your most memorable moment playing for STLCC? EW: In the nationals (her freshman year),
By Timothy Bold The Scene staff When she graduates this month, engineering student Erica Waelterman will have a rare opportunity to take a break. In her two years at Meramec and Forest Park, she endured a hectic schedule that included playing both basketball and softball while carrying a full credit load. In her spare time, she earned extra income in side jobs, one of which included mowing grass. Waelterman, 20, has been playing sports since kindergarten. One of her memories is watching her grandfather coach her uncles and a cousin at St. Francis Borgia High School in Washington, Mo. Watching sports on television added to her motivation. “I never really had one person I looked up to,” she said about professional athletes. “The older I got, the more competitive I became.” Waelterman played both sports at Webster Groves High School, concentrating more on basketball, and she wanted to continue playing. “It was dream for me to play college sports,” she said. At STLCC, she captained the basketball team both seasons. Coach Shelly Ethridge said, “‘Walt’ would set the tone for practices by her work
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Erica Waelterman plans to play basketball next season at Missouri University Science and Technology in Rolla. ethic. She lifted our practices by the intensity and speed. She will be greatly missed.” On the softball team, she played catcher and center field. Coach Kristi Swiderskie praised Waelterman, saying, “She comes in no matter what we need, no matter what capacity, she’s there. Incredibly intelligent and The Scene is a publication written and designed by students at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park, 5600 Oakland Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110.
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I scored 22 points, defeating Essex County in the fifth-place game. (Ethridge said at the time, “She just had one of those nights where she could not miss.”) The Scene: What has been your biggest disappointment? EW: Losing to North Central Missouri College in the Region 16 Championship game (this season). It was frustrating and very disappointing because we beat them twice (during the regular season). The Scene: Which sport do you like the most? EW: Basketball because I took it more serious, more action and better success. Softball was more something fun to do. The Scene: Why did you choose to attend Missouri-Rolla? EW: I like seeing how things are built. I’m more hands-on.
Like us on Facebook “The Scene Forest Park” The office is in F Tower, Room 408. The telephone number is (314) 644-9140. The email address is the_scene_fp@yahoo.com.
May 4, 2018
Opinion
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Photo By Destini Clark
Fashion design major Jessica Turner, 23, writes encouraging words on a denim banner for Denim Day and Domestic Violence Day in Cafe East on April 25.
A Day in the Life of Forest Park
Photo By Antonio Lloyd
General transfer students, from left, Eric Habonimana, 21, Hamdi Ali, 18, and Aminata Kamam, 18, study for finals and enjoy warm weather in the courtyard on May 2.
Photo By Destini Clark
Photo By Destini Clark
Forest Park hosted several activities for Denim Day and Domestic Violence Day on April 25. Counter-clockwise from above, YWCA representative Jordan Crane, left, and author and student Gloria Williams share their stories; Officer Terri Buford demonstrates self defense for pregnant women on general transfer student Kara Noland, 26; and music major Willnelle Warren, 19, culinary major Teaira Wilhite, 20, and nursing major Cyreonna Murphy, 23, go through a buffet line. Photo By Destini Clark
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May 4, 2018