No. 7 (Dec. 5, 2019)

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THE UNIVERSITY NEWS

VOL. XCVIV No. 7 / December 5, 2019

The UNews is proud to announce:

A b by Wam bac h as the next speaker presented by GIC and SLU Athletics

January 28, 2020 - Wool Ballroom - 7 p.m.

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COVER Design by Rebecca LiVigni

NEWS

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Photo Credit to St. Louis University

SISTER CATHERINE MUTINDI WINS $1 MILLION OPUS PRIZE SLU hosts Opus Prize ceremony honoring exceptional humanitarian efforts worldwide

By CONOR DORN Associate News Editor

n Thursday, Nov. 21, SLU hosted the 2019 Opus Prize ceremony in the Center for Global Citizenship. Sister Catherine Mutindi was announced as the 2019 Opus Prize Laureate, winning $1 million for her charity, Bon Pasteur.

The Opus Prize is an annual award that rewards faith based humanitarian service and leadership, recognizing the “unsung heroes who are conquering the world’s most persistent social problems.” Each year, the Opus Prize Foundation coordinates search efforts that identify leaders and organizations striving to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems.

The Opus Prize Foundation partners with Catholic universities across the United States who host the prize ceremony and also assist in research and evaluation capacities to pinpoint where the Prize money will be best utilized. Once SLU was chosen as the partner university, experts tasked with finding and researching potential candidates submitted nominations to a panel of jurors who were selected by SLU. Student participation is a key element of the Opus Prize. Five students—sophomore Carly Manshum, senior Margaret Kirsch, senior Jordan Glassman, junior Patrick Jones and senior Suzy Kickham— were selected as Opus Prize Ambassadors, and in that capacity accompanied members of the Opus Prize foundation on fact-finding missions to the communities of finalists.

This year, three Opus Prize finalists traveled to St. Louis to share their mis-

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sions with the SLU community in anticipation of the award ceremony. The three finalists were Michael Fernandez-Frey of Caras con Causa, Brother Charles Nuwagaba of the Bannakaroli Brothers of St. Charles Lwanga and Sister Catherine Mutindi of Bon Pasteur.

Mutindi, the 2019 Opus Laureate and recipient of the $1 million prize, is a member of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, an international organization of religious women dedicated to providing ministry for vulnerable children denied basic human rights through exploitation and trafficking.

In 2012, Mutindi’s ministry took her to Kolwezi, a city in the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Kolwezi is an important mining center, containing materials that power the world’s digital devices, from smartphones to Tesla cars. Specifically, the DRC is home to the world’s largest cobalt deposits. Kolwlezi is at the center of this industry, their resources valued at $24 billion dollars.

Kolwezi’s mining industry has come under repeated international scrutiny, especially in light of a 2016 Amnesty International Report that detailed horrendous human rights violations, including child labor and sexual exploitation.

Mutindi’s development program seeks to assist vulnerable groups in the mining communities of Kolwezi, specifically by strengthening child protection systems, increasing the accountability of mining companies, ensuring equitable distribution of resources and guaranteeing food security and steady income to families in the mining community. Bon Pasteurs vision is “an inclusive and democratic

Congolese society where the rights of girls, women and children are respected, protected and promoted.”

Bon Pasteur’s theory of change, which has been recognized by local Congolese government officials as well as international entities like the UN and UNICEF as a “best practice initiative,” seeks to provide alternative and sustainable livelihoods outside of the mine. It particularly attempts to empower children in mining communities through education efforts and foster community cohesion that can act as a check on mining companies.

Fernandez-Frey and Nuwagaba each received $100,000 for their organizations. Fernandez-Frey is the founder and director of Caras con Causa, a non-governmental organization that works to alleviate poverty and improve living conditions for families in Puerto Rico, specifically the Cataño area and Guaynabo.

Fernandez-Frey and Caras con Causa pursue strategies for improvement include a variety of education and sustainability initiatives in pursuit of “a better future for Puerto Rico.” They are committed to pursuing the empowerment of children through education, restoring the wetlands after the destruction of Hurricane Maria and organizing communities to protect themselves against the destruction of their homes by the government.

Nuwagaba heads a primary school in the Kibera slum, Africa’s largest slum in Nairobi, Kenya as a member of the Bannakaroli Brothers of St. Charles Lwanga, an order of priests committed to education and evangelization. The Bannakaroli Brothers oversee twenty-one primary schools, seven secondary schools, ten vocational schools and two orphanages.

His work as director of a primary school in the Kibera slum serves 280 students and 260 young people and is heavily centered around vocational training.

These vocational programs fight poverty by training individuals for success in diverse professions, including programs in “motor vehicle maintenance, hairdressing and beauty, hospitality and computer technology.”

The award ceremony, which was held in the Center for Global Citizenship, was broadcast nationally and gave each finalist a chance to address the SLU community. Each of the finalists ultimately fulfilled the Opus Prize Foundation’s commitment to challenge college students to think globally and live inspired lives of service.

News SLU’S ENTREPRENEUR PROGRAM AMONG TOP IN THE NATION

By CAROLINE LIPSKI Staff Writer ccording to recent rankings by “Entrepreneur” magazine, SLU has one of the most successful programs for entrepreneurship studies in higher education, as its graduate program ranked at No. 20 and undergraduate program ranked at No. 33 on the list.

SLU’s legacy of entrepreneurship academia and deep connection to the burgeoning St. Louis start-up community is evident inside and outside the classroom, where students are challenged to develop and put entrepreneurial mindsets to use.

Senior, and aspiring entrepreneur, Nathan Held has been part of SLU’s entrepreneurship program since his freshman year.

In addition to its great reputation, the quality of faculty is another aspect of the program that stands out to him.

“I like that entrepreneurship is a little broader and gives you a study of all disciplines of business.

I like SLU’s program especially, as we have some great faculty and are ranked highly,” he said.

Faculty in the department include professor Jerome Katz, Ph.D., who holds the Robert H. Brockhaus Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship. He has been involved with SLU’s entrepreneurship program for over 30 years and performs research in many entrepreneurial arenas, including global startup identification and educational opportunities.

His own entrepreneurial endeavors and professional experiences laid the foundation for his textbook “Entrepreneurial Small Business,” which he utilizes in the courses he teaches at SLU. It is also included nationally within higher education entrepreneurship curriculums.

“The book is regarded as unusually hands on and practical for

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an academic textbook ... The stories I’ve heard from the community and the stories created by our SLU student entrepreneurs become the vignettes and case studies students all over the world (there are international and Chinese versions of the text) learn about and from,” he commented.

The program’s emphasis on hands-on learning extends to the wealth of resources offered to students outside the classroom.

The Chaifetz School of Business also puts on annual student competitions such as the Pure Idea Generator, Real Elevator Pitch and Pitch and Catch contests, in which students have the opportunity to develop and pitch their ideas while being exposed to other entrepreneurs in the St. Louis community.

“Students have come to SLU for the entrepreneurship program from all over the world, and when they see what a great startup-supporting community St. Louis is, they decide to stay here. During any given year, we’ll have over 300 local entrepreneurs in our classes as speakers, judges and mentors, and that connects town and gown in all sorts of beneficial ways.

Many SLU alumni have gone on to develop their ideas into corporate, social and independent business ventures, including SLU trustee and benefactor Dr. Richard A. Chaifetz. Chaifetz is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of ComPsych Corporation, the largest employee wellness program today, as well as Chaifetz Group, a private investment firm. He has since donated $15 million to launch the Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship and to support SLU’s business school, which has been named in his honor.

Through SLU’s entrepreneurship program, Katz believes that “We prepare a world of SLU entrepreneurs for the world of entrepreneurship.”

03 Photo Courtesy of Juhi Nayak

STUDENTS PRACTICE JESUIT ADVOCACY IN WASHINGTON D.C.

By EMMA CARMODY Editor-in-Chief esuits have always been called to advocate for those living on the margins of society. On Nov. 16–18, a group of students practiced this advocacy in Washington D.C. as part of the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice, the largest Catholic social justice conference in the country.

Before making the trip to D.C., however, students put in a lot of time and effort to make sure that they were well-informed on whichever one of the three policy issues they were focusing on: criminal justice, immigration justice or environmental justice.

These issues drew passionate students from across campus, with the groups comprised of students majoring in entrepreneurship, occupational therapy, political science, international business, theology and many others.

While these policy issues resonate with many SLU students, everyone chose their advocacy topic for different reasons. Sophomore Katie Velazquez, who advocated for immigration justice, is a first-generation born U.S. citizen and Mexican American. She has grown up hearing the struggles of her family members who immigrated here and wanted to use the opportunities she has been given at SLU to work to change a

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system that has drastically affected her family and loved ones. Senior Brandon Smith, on the other hand, advocated for environmental justice. He felt that it was his responsibility to use his financial and academic privilege to be a voice for those whose voices have been stifled or who have a harder time getting their opinions heard.

Each of these three groups researched bills that are currently in congressional proceedings in order to participate in the IFTJ Public Witness and Advocacy Day. This preparation included weekly meetings, many hours of research and a mock advocacy day. The extensive research that each group did on these bills allowed them to intelligently and holistically present their findings to representatives.

Three months of work led up to the actual Ignatian Family TeachIn for Justice, where each group met with staffers and even Representative William Lacy Clay from Missouri’s first district to present their research on their respective policy issue. Representative Clay even agreed to co-sponsoring one of the criminal justice team’s bills and offering his support to many others. While advocacy can seem like a daunting task, it is a vital part of democracy and the Jesuit mission. Through the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice, SLU students got the opportunity to be part of this Jesuit tradition and are confident that their actions made a difference to give a voice to the voiceless.

News

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NEW BREWING SCIENCE PROGRAM IS LAGER THAN LIFE

By SAVANAH SEYER Staff Writer his fall, SLU’s School for Professional Studies introduced the Brewing Science and Operations Certificate program, a one-of-a-kind program that teaches students about the ins and outs of beer production.

The University is partnered with the St. Louis Brewers Heritage Foundation to design a special structure for the program. It is made up of six courses that focus on educating students about all aspects of the brewing process including: Brewing Essentials, Brewing and Beer Styles, Conditioning/Packaging and Distribution, Biochemistry of Brewing, Flavor/Quality Control and Sensory Evaluation and Brewery Operations and Accounting.

Faculty includes industry veterans and professional brewers from around the St. Louis Area.

The students learn about brewing their own beer and the details of running a brewery. Part of what makes this program unique is the support from local breweries in the St. Louis area.

According to Mitch Turner, a Brewing Science program faculty member and the Sales Director of the Beer, Wine and Craft Spirits Portfolio at Major Brands, this program is truly unlike any other.

“There has never been a program like this, especially not in St. Louis and really not across the nation,” said Turner. “If you were ever interested in making beer, either recreationally or professionally, this is the place to start.

Few programs have this type of local support and allow this kind of interaction [with local breweries].”

During the first course, which was taught by Turner, the main project required each student to brew their own batch of beer.

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Photo Courtesy of Abby Wambach

ABBY WAMBACH CHOSEN AS NEXT GIC SPEAKER

By REBECCA LiVIGNI Managing Editor bby Wambach, the two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA World Cup Champion, is coming to SLU on Jan. 28, 2020 in the Wool Ballroom at 7 p.m. as the next speaker for the Great Issues Committee in collaboration with SLU Athletics Department.

Her accolades include the 2016 ESPYS Icon award, 2011 AP Female Athlete of the Year and 6-time winner of U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year.

In addition to her extensive career highlights, Wambach is known for her equal rights activism as a speaker on topics related to leadership development for women in the workplace, inspiration, family and health and wellness. At SLU, she’ll discuss her experience as a female and a member of the LGBTQ+ community while being an athlete as well as the unique challenges she faced in finding acceptance and accessing equal opportunities.

In 2018, Wambach spoke at the Barnard Commencement Ceremony and called the female graduates her “wolfpack.” She said in the speech, “If I could go

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back and tell myself one thing, it would be this: Abby, you were never Little Red Riding Hood, you were always the wolf.” Her words of female empowerment and leadership throughout life’s setbacks resonated with the audience and soon went viral. The speech’s commentary on standing up for equal pay and demands for what women deserve became even more relevant in the wake of the 2019 U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team’s lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation for “purposeful gender discrimination.” The viral speech inspired her newest book, entitled “Wolfpack: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the Game,” published in April 2019.

Her first book, “Forward: A Memoir,” traced her childhood beginnings on the boys’ soccer team to becoming the highest all-time international goal scorer for male and female soccer players. Her resilient and courageous journey earned her the title of “badass” from President Obama after winning the 2015 World Cup Championship.

SLU students look forward to hearing from another powerful women after GIC’s last female speaker, Monica Lewinsky.

Turner said that the enthusiasm and engagement from students made the class extra special for him.

“We would get very in depth about all types of different topics, including brewing operations to discussions about why a brewer might prefer cans versus bottles,” said Turner.

The brewing industry is a large part of the St. Louis economy, with over 70 breweries in the larger St. Louis Metro area alone, according to Troika Brodsky, the director of the program. Many of these breweries work with the program by allowing students to tour their facilities and learn a little about what makes them successful. As part of the class, students have visited St. Louis breweries like Urban Chestnut, 4 Hands, BrewHub Tap Room, Steampunk Brewery, AB-InBev and Schlafly, just to name a few.

The program’s connection to the St. Louis brewing market goes far beyond tours as well.

The faculty and advisory board of the program is made up of professionals who have careers in the brewing industry, with representation from Anheuser-Busch, Third Wheel Brewing, Schlafly Beer, Square One Brewery & Distillery, Second Shift Brewing and Major Brands Distributing. This kind of faculty experience and guidance for students is a part of what makes the program so

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News

Illustration Courtesy of Grace Dunlavy

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DPS REPORTS On Dec. 3 at 1:15 p.m. in Griesedieck Hall, a student became trapped in an elevator after the inner doors failed to open. SLU maintenance staff responded to the scene and were able to free the student, who sustained no injuries.

REMEMBERING OUR HISTORY: SLU’S WWII GENERAL HOSPITAL

By KLAUDIA WACHNIK Staff Writer uring March of 1940, the United States Surgeon General Thomas Parren Jr. sent letters out to medical schools across the country in an effort to look for potential sponsors for a general hospital.

The Rev. Alphonse Schwitalla S.J., dean of SLU’s School of Medicine at the time, answered the call for help and began to assemble a crew of medical directors for what would be known as the 70th General Hospital.

The hospital did not actually begin serving soldiers until after the United States entered the war on Dec. 7th, 1941. Deployment for the hospital began in Algeria in North Africa from September 1943 until November of 1944 and then was moved to Italy in December of 1944 until its formal deactivation on Oct. 25, 1945. “This whole notion of a sponsorship, I don’t think we had ever done it before,’’ John Waide, Archivist Emeritus and Outreach Coordinator for Pius XII Library, said of the new role SLU’s School

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of Medicine had found itself in.

SLU’s School of Medicine assembled a capable crew to direct and serve the hospital, with one of their most notable members being the Rev. Harry B. Crimmins S.J., 25th President of SLU, who stepped down from his position as president in order to serve as a chaplain, or religious leader, for the unit, preceding Schwitalla. He initiated the promotion of, and worked closely alongside, Dr. Curtis H. Lohr, who was a former superintendent of the St Louis County Hospital and became the Director of the 70th General Hospital and Chief of Medical Service on March 26, 1942, preceding Dr. Goronwy O. Broun Sr. and Dr. Frank J. Tainter.

“The school was responsible for providing the medical staff.

They didn’t have every doctor [and] nurse, but they were responsible for the leadership and for the primary physicians and nurses at the hospital,’’ said Waide when reflecting on the what the sponsorship of the hospital by SLU provided to it.

Not necessarily every nurse and/ or physician that SLU’s School of Medicine appointed to the hospital were from SLU, but many were from the greater St. Louis community.

Robert “Bob” Dole, Republican senator from Kansas who ran against Bill Clinton for presidency

in 1996, was cared for by the 70th General Hospital in Italy after facing an arm injury during the war.

Dr. Sam Morrenda, a 1939 graduate of SLU School of Medicine, was a doctor at the 70th General Hospital and treated Dole. On West Pine Boulevard that year, Dole held a campaign rally and met with Morrenda again with the help of Waide. “Dr. Morrenda told me later [that] Dole was very appreciative of the care that he received at the hospital,” said Waide.

Daniel Ken Inouye, a senator from Hawaii, was injured during the war, resulting in an amputated right arm and was also treated by the 70th General Hospital.

Inouye sent a letter to one of the reunions of the 70th General Hospital, thanking them for their care.

After the deactivation of the 70th General Hospital on Oct. 25, 1945, Crimmins remained in Europe briefly while other members of the hospital returned home.

Crimmins stayed in the army and was a confessor and chaplain to several German officers who were on trial for war crimes at the time, most notably General Anton Dostler, who was the Commander of the 75th German Army Corps. In 1946, Crimmins left the Army and returned home. “Morrenda said something about Crimmins being

On Dec 3 at 3:19 p.m., DPS officers responded to a call from Hotel Ignacio after an alleged physical altercation by two hotel guests.

Officers mediated the dispute and escorted the two off the property.

Both guests declined SLMPD and medical services.

On Dec 3 at 12:55 a.m., DPS received a call from a student who was walking westbound on Laclede when he was approached by an unknown male who asked him for his laptop. The student fled the scene to the safety of his apartment and called DPS. The suspect remains unidentified. so important to the men and women in the unit because he [was] such a source of hope and inspiration,” commented Waide on the legacy and contribution of Crimmins to the 70th General Hospital.

Although the 70th General Hospital isn’t often mentioned when learning about the history of SLU and its School of Medicine, it impacted the lives of those who served in the U.S. Army during World War II. The legacy of the men and women who served at the 70th General Hospital will be remembered with gratitude.

Arts and life

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A HAPPY AND SAD HOLIDAY

By JACK JOHNSTON Contributor

Kacey Musgraves is undoubtedly the reigning princess of country music, and it looks like she is trying to expand her territory to other areas of pop culture. Move over Mariah Carey! We have a new Christmas debutant in town. “The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show” premiered on Amazon Prime on Nov. 28 and included A-list celebrities such as Kendall Jenner, Camilla Cabello and Lana Del Rey. With Kacey’s charisma and Christmas cheer, the show is a combination of singing, dancing and audience laugh tracks.

This is not the first time Kacey has gotten into the Christmas spirit. In 2016, she released her first Christmas album, directly following the success of her first album, “Same Trailer Different Park.” But that more or less fit the mold. With this year’s “Christmas Show,” Kacey created a visual work of art, as well as fresh festive tunes. Of all holiday-themed art we have seen this season in the mainstream, it definitely pushes the envelope for what a Christmas special can be.

Part of what accomplishes this is the original music made for the show. Dabbling in downtrodden tunes is not new for Musgraves, but there seems to be an extra sparkle on songs such as “Christmas Makes Me Cry” and “Glittery,” the latter being a duet with singer Troye Sivan.

In both of those songs, Musgraves explores aspects of the holidays that are less talked about. Sometimes Christmas doesn’t fix everything. Opening gifts or seeing old friends may lift us up for one moment, but the next we are back to feeling lonely or unfulfilled. Musgraves provides clarity when talking about these messier emotions of Christmas.

We can also see the complete opposite, where Musgraves lets her charisma shine on screen, in original songs like “Present Without a Bow” or the show’s finale “Ribbons and Bows.” This is where Mariah Carey really needs to watch out. The reason Carey’s classic “All I Want for

Christmas” was and still is so popular is because it’s just plain fun. I dance around to “All I Want for Christmas” with my friends, my family and sometimes with complete strangers.

Musgraves’ festive bops do the same. While, yes, there are emotionally negative aspects of the holidays sometimes, these upbeat songs remind us of how the holidays are a time to forget your responsibilities and just dance.

Musgraves also leans into the traditional Christmas spirit both in song and in style. One of the highlights of the show is Musgraves’ duet with acclaimed vocalist and songwriter Lana Del Rey. Their rendition of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.”

There were many other celebrity guests, such as James Corden, Leon Bridges, Camila Cabello, Fred Armisen, Zooey Deschanel and Dan Levy, all contributing to the program in their own unique way. But the star guest appearance was none other than Nana, Kacey Musgraves’ actual grandmother! She rings in the finale, saves the plotline and almost steals the show.

But in my opinion, what really steals the show is the fashion. Kacey just really pulls it off at all times. It’s not surprising—one has to be fashionable if they are the princess of country music—BUT Kacey puts a festive spin on her regular style of western-chic. Kacey changes for every scene, allowing the audience to witness an evolution of gowns, sparkly rompers and pantsuits. Each outfit is perfectly curated to her music and visually adds to the show.

It is through those visuals that Musgraves brings us deeper into her world. The celebrity cameos are fun, but it’s hard to say that any other musician would be able to stand in the middle of a production like this. At least they probably wouldn’t do it as stylishly, as comically or as heartfelt as Musgraves. While there are some more grounded moments throughout the show, in the end, it reminds us of the joy of the holidays and the reason we celebrate at all.

Arts and life

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festive things to do on and around campus

By SARA QUALBANI Contributor

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ith Christmas nearly approaching, it’s time get into the holiday mood. Although this time of year may be stressful due to projects, essays and finals, it still important to take a moment to destress and appreciate the festivities on and around campus.

Off Campus: Missouri Botanical Garden Being right in a major city, St. Louis has an array of things to do around the holiday season. If you’re looking to go somewhere to see some lights, there are multiple places to go. The Botanical Garden hosts a walkthrough of all the lights around the garden called the “Garden Glow.” The experience is a display of over one million luminous bulbs blanketing the garden and lighting up the dark night sky. With each ticket, there is admission to the Gardenland Express Holiday Flower and Train Show, along with s’mores and festive drinks. A single ticket for an adult is $18 and $14 for garden members.

Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo On the subject of lights, what better combination is there other than animals and Christmas? Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo provides an opportunity for people of all ages to enjoy. Once you are inside the zoo, there are several more attractions that you can visit. You can always begin the journey by greeting the penguins and puffins at the coast. If you are with a significant other,

the zoo has set up a romantic stroll through “Love Birds Lookout,” a secluded area overlooking the lake. Seasonal drinks and festive foods will also be sold during the illuminating experience. A ticket to this event includes admission to the 4D theatre presenting “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D” and for a ride on the Conservation Carousel.

Mondays through Thursdays, tickets are $9, and Friday through Sunday, tickets are $11.

Winter Wonderland Located in Tilles Park, the 34th annual Winter Wonderland kicks off the beginning of the holiday season. This one-mile magical adventure consists of a loop street of lights and festivities. When purchasing tickets, guests get the option to walk, take a vehicle or take a carriage on designated nights. Throughout this joyous expedition, there will be festive food and drinks that are available for purchase, and you can even meet the one and only Santa Claus. The park also allows dogs, so you can bring your furry friend along for the ride.

Steinberg Ice Skating If you’re looking for something a little more adventurous to do, then head down to the Steinberg Skating Rink in Forest Park. You can skate some laps around the rink whilst enjoying the vibrant holiday atmosphere. You can also take a visit to the Snowflake Cafe, which provides food such as burgers, hot dogs, gooey butter cake, s’mores funnel cake and many more mouth-watering options.

The cost of general admission is $7 a person, but it is an additional $5 for skate rental.

On-Campus: Make a Gingerbread House You can never go wrong with making a gingerbread house while listening to some Christmas music. Whether it’s with your roommates or even just friends, coming together to create an icing-covered house will bring you closer. Some of the places around campus that sell gingerbread houses are: Schnucks (within a mile), Target (under 5 miles), or trader joes (around 5 miles).

Attend Christmas On the Quad: Christmas on the quad is an annual lighting ceremony that SLU hosts to bring the community together. On the evening of Dec. 7, the quad will feature a craft station, face painters, food trucks, hot chocolate and a s’mores station. Student groups will be in attendance to carol, and you can even visit Santa Claus. Starting at 6 p.m., the blessing and tree lighting ceremony will begin. At 6:30, there will be a reading of “The Night Before Christmas” By Mrs. Claus, and the rest of the night is self-guided so you can enjoy all of the attractions.

Arts and life

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By SARA QUALBANI Contributor Now that December has crept up on all of us, it is only appropriate to begin bingeing holiday movies, if this process has not already started for some. To get into the holiday spirit, what better way is there than to curl up and have a Christmas movie marathon? Scrolling through Netflix to find the perfect movie can be a painfully long process, so I have compiled a list of the best mustwatch holiday movies on Netflix.

“The Knight Before Christmas” This feel-good rom-com is the perfect movie to set the tone for the holiday season. In the film, Brooke, played by Vanessa Hudgens, has lost all hope in finding her true love when a knight from the 14th century is sent forward in time and unintentionally brings that hope back into her life. The knight, Sir Cole, had been sent there by a magical sorceress for a mission he is unaware of when he comes across Brooke. As she helps Cole navigate the modern world, they grow closer. This movie gives into the fairytale fantasy of falling in love with a knight in shining armor and is perfect for all of the hopeless romantics out there.

“Klaus” This family-friendly animated film is filled with humor and a heart-warming story, perfect for just about anyone. This fictional film depicts a character, Jesper, the worst postman at the mailing academy, who is sent to Smerensberg, a small island that never delivers letters. He is then forced to take his job seriously, where he eventually comes across an old woodsman, Klaus.

Soon after, Jesper finds himself partnering with Klaus, which later leads to an incredible friendship and bond. This film is so inspiring and uplifting to watch, and the animations are done with such detail.

Through the amazing storytelling, this film is sure to entertain, inspire and leave people feeling happy.

“The Princess Switch” “The Princess Switch” is another feel-good movie consisting of humor, romance, holiday spirit and...

Vanessa Hudgens again. In this film, Stacy, a young woman, travels to Belgravia for a baking contest. In the process, she runs into a Duchess who, to both of their surprise,

looks just like her. The Duchess, Margaret, explains how she wants to experience a normal life and proposes they switch places, and Stacy agrees. Throughout this film, the two women have to navigate each other’s lives and, in the process, end up falling for each other’s significant others. On top of the film’s similarity to Hallmark movies, it also portrays a number of life lessons on love and honor. “The Princess Switch” is undeniably charming and definitely worth the watch.

“A Holiday Engagement” This Hallmark movie is sure to entertain and leave people’s hearts feeling a bit lighter. In this film, the main character, Hilary, plans to take her fiance home for the holidays when he suddenly leaves her. She then hires an actor, David, to play her fiance, and the two characters grow closer. While the plotline is almost predictable, that does not take away from the romantic allure behind this film. The light-hearted, feel-good romance makes this movie perfect for watching during the holidays.

While these are all amazing films to watch, not everyone is a movie person. If you prefer TV shows but still want to get into the holiday spirit, don’t worry—I’ve got you covered. In the list below, I have put together a variety of Christmas episodes from some of the most iconic television shows.

The Office, “Christmas Party” (Season 2, Episode 10) Parks and Recreation, “Citizen Knope” (Season 4, Episode 10) Friends, “The One With the Holiday Armadillo” (Season 7, Episode 10) The Simpsons, “Grift of the Magi” (Season 11, Episode 9) That 70’s Show, “Winter” (Season 7, Episode 11) Arrested Development, “Afternoon Delight” (Season 2, Episode 6) Supernatural, “A Very Supernatural Christmas” (Season 3, Episode 8) Gilmore Girls, “The Bracebridge Dinner” (Season 2, Episode 10) Black Mirror, “White Christmas” (Season 2, Episode 4) Glee, “A Very Glee Christmas” (Season 2, Episode 10)

UNIVERSITY CHOIRS CONCERT @ COLLEGE CHURCH

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7:30pm to 9:30 pm

CHRISTMAS ON THE QUAD

DECADENCE @ SAINT LOUIS ROOM

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december

STRING ORCHESTRA PREFORMANCE @ UNIVERSITY THEATHER

MEn’s basketbal @ Chaifetz arena

WOMENS BASKEtBALL V. PRINCTION @ CHAIFTEZ ARENA

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13 14 15 Street fleet Not as much 18 19 17 Noggin 22 23 20 21 Old Mogul capital 26 27 28 29 25 Form of ether Cove 30 31 Roulette color 38 35 36 37 Actress Purviance 41 42 40 Verboten “Sesame Street” 45 46 47 44 Muppet 50 48 49 Roof overhang Place for a comb 51 52 Slump Month before 59 60 61 56 57 58 Nisan 65 66 64 One of the Three 63 Stooges 69 68 Ivan or Nicholas Clod 71 72 Lurch Copyright ©2019 PuzzleJunction.com Auctioneer’s shout 8 Moravian, e.g.

38 63 Men in Black Hawaii’s Mauna 9 Kind of part 42 actress Fiorentino ___ 10 Crown covering 43 65 Misfortunes Any day now 11 Jessica of Sin 45 67 Lyric poet Pigpens City 47 68 Abatement Heroic deed 12 It’s a gas 49 69 Old dagger Zoologist’s foot 16 Water tester 50 70 ___ of Wight Miami basketball 21 Mollify 52 71 Volcano feature team 23 Film coating 53 72 Feudal worker Large lizard 27 Ballerina 54 73 Prophet Rock concert 29 Antediluvian venue 30 Mark of 55 Down Poverty-stricken perfection 56 Increases 31 Meadow mom 57 1 Walking sticks Hawaii’s ___ 32 Greek village 2 Plato’s plaza Coast 33 Stable color 58 3 Fetch Australian runner 34 Info 60 4 Rani’s wear Astringent 62 5 Loser at Antietam 35 Stadium substance souvenirs 64 6 Take to one’s Like Darth Vader 36 Turn ___ profit 66 heart Bushed 37 Painter Bonheur 7 Whale finder

Last Issue’s Solutions

4 7 89 4 2

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62 67 70 73

Take a load off Flat hat Stole Pelvis Weed eater Soft-nosed slug Common allergen Oasts Expunge First name in country music Milk dispenser Entirely Emulated Pinocchio Golden rule word Workshop gripper Wading bird Gibbon, for one Bishop’s jurisdiction

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University News 12/5/19 Word Search Copyright

R M C A L C U L U S Y K F S C O E R

©2019 PuzzleJunction.com

PuzzleJunction.com

The Vernacular of Math

5 8 Q F A C T O R X P R O B L E M T G R

41 2 1 4

6 3

9

1

6 3

7 4

8 53

4 2 3

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39

8 3 5

9 6

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4 24

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To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

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B R O T A N I M O N E D C O P Z A C J M G X D K I R J N U A W B E C G T N O I T C A R F R R J Q L D O G M X S S Y A V A V E O P G F I M Z T S E G P T Y E G R J N Z S A P N Q E L I I L O E E I A Copyright Q B O N ©2019 U O EPuzzleJunction.com O H E P C T U L B V F U A M T U Solution G R Y I E N L Q K U Y T E A O E I K S T F I A G 4 M 5 9C 6E 3 A L L Q V S P G I 7 T 1 B2 V8 P 8 3 6 7 9 2 1 5 4 J O R S T O O R E R A U Q S U D 4 5 9 3 1 6 7 2 8 N Y T Y J K M F U M P M I B K I 1 4 7 6 3 9 2 8 5 J R I S K L O C F M I C T L F V 9 2 3 5 8 4 6 7 1 A N F 5H 6 R8 R2 C 7 B 1 3L 4U 9 X R D D I I D E C 3 I 7 M4 A1 L2 K 8 5C 9B 6 A C P B C D E M X 2U 8 B5 W9 U F 4S 1C 7 A G N D D E 6 3 T A L 6U 9 C1 L4 A 5 C 7 8T 3L 2 B S O K M U D A S P E R C E N T T H E O R Y

Copyright ©2019 PuzzleJunction.com

ABSTRACT ACCURATE ANGLE AXIS BASE CALCULATE CALCULUS COMPUTE CURVE DECIMAL

3 6 9 2 1 8 7 5 4

DENOMINATOR DIVIDE EQUATION FACTOR FORMULA FRACTION GEOMETRY INTEGER LOGIC MEDIAN

MULTIPLY PERCENT PRECISE PRIME PROBLEM RATIO SQUARE ROOT SUBTRACT THEORY VALUE

Solution

5 1 2 4 3 7 6 8 9

4 7 8 9 5 6 3 2 1

6 9 4 7 2 1 8 3 5

8 2 1 3 6 5 9 4 7

7 5 3 8 9 4 1 6 2

9 8 6 5 7 2 4 1 3

1 3 5 6 4 9 2 7 8

2 4 7 1 8 3 5 9 6

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photography

Twelve Hours later...

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6 Photos By MADISON SMITH Staff Photographer

1. Various SLUDM groups join together in a mass dance party.

2. SLUDM Morale leaders teach the crowd new moves to a dance they’ve been adding to since the beginning of the day.

3. A wonderful time for giving back, having fun and dancing the night away.

4. Dance Marathon leaders and groups engage in one of the miracle children’s moving story.

5. Students have a dance break while celebrating every new donation goal reached.

6. Guest speaker recounts the story of her friendship with a little girl named Ella.

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photography Dance Marathon leaders teach the participants Nick Bernard’s moves.

SLUDM participants have fun dancing together.

Photos and Story By TRENTON ALMGREN-DAVIS Photo Editor SLU Dance Marathon filled the Wool Ballrooms with emotional stories about kiddos, strobes, glow sticks, smiles, tears and eclectic choreography for 12 hours on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019 as it capped off the fundraising campaign with a total of $228,729.09 for Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.

Throughout the night, the morale leaders, a group of energetic student leaders wearing tie-dyed shirts, taught the DM participants a dance that mixes a variety of musical genres, cultural references and dance techniques. There were wacky songs like “S.I.M.P. (Squirrels In My Pants!),” Disney classics like lines from the “Beauty and the Beast”: “Here comes the baker with his tray like always. Good morning, Bell, Good morning, Monsieur,” and audio from SLU’s iconic crosswalk: “Grand Avenue. Walk sign on the cross. Grand Avenue” in the generated male voice.

Nick Bernard, Morale Chair and mastermind behind the 2019 DM dance, stood out in the rain recording the crosswalk underneath his hoodie to capture the SLU gem.

“I thought it was an essential piece to the SLU experience,” Bernard said on the including the crosswalk audio.

Bernard curated the lyrics and musical elements over several months, starting in February and finalizing them in the summer. Bernard and the morale team spent two weeks choreographing the song. He got inspiration from Millennium Dance Studios and Disney Channel music videos.

Bernard’s favorite piece of the song was “Look What You Made Me Do” by Taylor Swift.

“I just always wanted Taylor to make it to the song, and she finally did,” he said.

Along with Bernard, there were 19 other executive members and 100 core members who planned Dance Marathon, making sure the night ran smoothly before the event took place. The central planning team was chosen the day after last year’s DM. “Seeing everyone’s smiles for a dance that you worked so hard all year long” was Gaby Lawson, the Vice President of Marketing’s, favorite thing about the event.

“We get to bring joy to people. That’s really cool.”

Five-year-old Evie smiles on the Dance Marathon stage while her mother shares her story. Evie was diagnosed with spina bifida before she was born.

Morale members and emerging leaders hold up the fundraising total during the closing ceremony. The goal was to raise more than the previous year’s total of $244,747.08

PHOTOGRAPHY Elizabeth Drone, a junior Morale leader, strikes a heroic pose in her neon glasses and cape.

Morale leaders let it loose during the rave hour.

Junior Joseph Laughlin goes berserk on the stage. Going berserk is the only way to describe his dance style. He won the night’s dance competition with approval from the crowd.

The DM participants raise their arms to the sky as they learn a new part of the dance.

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photography

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5 Photos and Captions By RILEY TOVORNIK Photo Editor

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1 & 2. Attendees partook in the “Morale Dance,� a group dance with a variety of moves.

3. Students of the Filllipino Student Organization dance on top of benches.

4. A student participates in the Morale Dance 5. SLU President Fred Pastello, Ph.D. addresses students. He would later donate $100 to Dance Marathon 6. Various fraternities, sororities and student organizations compete in a tissue box race. Groups have to complete a variety of humorously absurd challenges in order to win.

7. Dance group XQuizit performs together.

sports

15

GETTING TECHNICAL: SLU ALUMNUS CONTINUES SOCCER CAREER AS AN ENTREPRENEUR

By SAM GLASS Sports Editor “It’s hot in here,” Adam panted to his dad 20 minutes into his training session with 2019 SLU Soccer alumnus Anthony Brown. They shared a quick laugh and a splash of water before the continual “thud” of the soccer ball enveloped the room again.

Brown graduated with a degree in finance and was able to get a job working at World Wide Technology, but the former soccer standout could not leave the sport that gave him so much. So when Brown’s pro trials did not land him in the MLS, Brown knew he needed to stay connected to the game and give back.

Therefore, he started his own soccer training business called AB Technical Training—training athletes ranging from seven to twenty-two and even current professionals.

AB stands for Anthony Brown and technical refers to the specific type of training Brown teaches. “I’ve been there before, not being the best guy on the team,” said Brown.

“I realized that I was behind … The technical ability just was not there.

So I felt really insecure about it.”

That is when he started practicing on his own with just a ball, a wall and some music in his basement.

Brown started the company back in May but had been training kids before that. Brown was really able to kickstart the training program when his older brother, also a soccer coach, put in a good word, and the good word spread like wildfire.

Brown has reformatted his business for the winter. The program consists of a six-week package deal in group or individual sessions.

Brown also offers something that is not as common in the soccer training market. He made it his mission to teach kids what he wishes he

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knew when he was young, giving them practical drills and knowledge they can use on their own. “I’m trying to sell everything that I didn’t know for players at that age … If I could go back as a young player with the knowledge that I know and the mentality I have, things would be so much different.”

Part of what drew Brown to using his abilities to teach others came from his time at SLU. The team would spend every Saturday morning in the spring volunteering with the Special Needs Soccer Association. “We would play soccer with special needs children and just seeing how happy they were … It can be something so small and it can make someone’s day,” Brown recalled about his motivation.

Brown is able to bring the hard-

work mentality and service focus he learned from his soccer experience as a youth and at SLU and merge them into a great business. Brown currently trains people on the side of his full-time job, working from around 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., going home to grab food and change, training for clients and then training to keep himself in shape so he can keep playing soccer.

Brown remains dedicated to giving back to the soccer community in all he does. Whether it is his work at World Wide Technology or AB Technical Training, he is committed to living out SLU’s mission as a graduate.

That mission is passed on through the training Brown does. Jamon,

2019 SLU Alumnus Anthony Brown tosses a ball to the feet of one of his trainees, Jamon. Brown uses a combination of agility and technical training to teach players proper ball control.

(Sam Glass / The University News)

one of Brown’s returning clients, is getting a lot out of the mission with incredible dedication and passion sweating from his focused face.

AB Technical Training is Brown’s passion, and while he does not have plans to make it his full-time job at the moment, he hopes at some point he will make it that big.

sports

16

BILLS UNDEFEATED AT HOME EARLY IN THE SEASON

By ERIN MCCLELLAND Associate Sports Editor he women’s basketball team is off to their best start since the 201617 season, with a current record of 6-2. The Billikens’ offense has been impressive, averaging 61 points per game and 52 given up to opponents.

The Bills are being led by freshman Rachel Kent, who has an astounding 22 three-point field goals, 105 points and averages 13.1 points per game through the first eight games. Kent stepping up as a freshman has been extremely beneficial to the team and a key to their early success.

The Bills have started their non-conference season beating strong teams like Cincinnati and Colgate, which has laid the groundwork for what fans can expect to be a strong conference run. The Bills were picked in the A-10 Preseason Poll as fourth in the conference, after finishing sixth a year ago.

After going on the road for much of the start of the season, the Bills are looking forward to a homestand to close out the year before going into conference season in the new year. They have been an exciting team to watch in Chaifetz Arena, as they have gone undefeated at home so far this year.

In Tuesday night’s win over Southeast Missouri State, the Bills posted their largest offensive game of the season, scoring 76 points for the first time since their win over VCU at the end of last season. Four players were able to score in double figures to propel the team to the victory, showing that the team can be an offensive threat with depth in their roster.

Sophomore Ciaja Harbison continues to show her capabilities in her newfound leadership role, as

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she led the team with 19 points in the win. Senior Kendra Wilken has also settled into the season nicely as she scored over 15 points for the fourth straight game, and fifth game of the year. The new faces that have proven to be forces for the Billikens have been very welcome in a program that has lost some extremely solid players of the last two seasons.

The team is going to be tested tonight as they head up to Columbia to take on Mizzou. Although Mizzou sits at 2-6, they have played some high-level teams already this season. A common foe of the two teams is SIUe, which, based on scores, would pin the teams as virtually even, with the Bills getting the edge in points surrendered.

Both teams won the game by scoring 68 against the Cougars, but Mizzou gave up 58 points, whereas SLU had a strong defensive game, only allowing 35. Will the homecourt advantage help the struggling Tigers against a finely tuned Billikens defense?

Following the Mizzou game on the road, the Bills will be back in Chaifetz Arena for three of their four remaining games of 2019. These will be crucial matchups before starting their conference season with Davidson at home in January.

The team has established Chaiftez as a truly challenging place to play, allowing opponents an average of only 54 points at home.

The team is made up of an offense that can score, led by Kent’s ability to shoot from deep and Harbison’s talent for driving to the net—along with a defense that can back it up.

They are establishing themselves very quickly as a young team that hopes to shock the A-10 this season. The team motto of #OneMore has been something that they can count on each other for whether it’s in the practice gym or on the court.

The Billikens will be back in Chaifetz Arena on Sunday against Illinois State in their last game before Christmas break. Take a finals study break and come out to help show why Chaifetz Arena is so difficult for opponents to play in.

Graduate student Hannah Dossett looking for a pass in the Billiken’s second home game of the season against Colgate. The Bills have spent the early season matches on the road, but are 3-0 at home in Chaifetz Arena.

(Trenton Almgren-Davis / The University News)

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sports

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KENT STARTS CAREER STRONG, IS A “PROGRAM-PLAYER”

Rachel Kent has fit into the SLU Women’s Basketball system very smoothly early in her young career. She is the “program-player” the team has been looking for.

(Photo Courtesy of Billiken Athletics)

By JEREMIAH KIRSCH Contributor oach Lisa Stone has continued to recruit well in her eighth season leading the women’s basketball team. From landing high-profile recruits like Jackie Kemph and Ciaja Harbison, to keeping local players like Brooke Flowers and Kendra Wilken close to home, Stone’s ability to land players who fit her program has been instrumental to the Billikens’ recent success. While Harbison was the A-10 rookie of the year for 2019, another newcomer is making an early case to keep that honor in St. Louis for the 2020 season. Freshman Rachel Kent has had a tremendous start to her Billiken career. The 5-foot-11 wing player from the Chicago suburbs has started every contest for the Billikens to this point while remaining on the floor an average of 35.5 minutes a game.

With a tough, defensive-minded philosophy, Stone expects her players to play fundamentally on both sides of the basketball.

Well-rounded players who make intelligent decisions excel in Stone’s

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system, and Kent checks all the boxes. She is not ultra-athletic, but Kent has a “nose for the ball” and plays excellent help-side defense, a must in the Pack-Line defense. Kent can guard one through four and is rarely overmatched defensively.

On the other end of the court, Kent’s stats speak for themselves.

She is shooting 39 percent from the field and 45 percent from behind the arc. Her 13.1 points per game leads the Billikens while she also averages just under 4 rebounds and 2.25 assists. Kent is a key contributor to the team in all facets of the game.

Kent credits off-season workouts for giving her “a feel for the team and a feel for the pace of the game” to help with the transition to Division 1 basketball. Adapting to the faster pace of the college game and performing well at the “3” guard spot that was long-filled by SLU’s all-time 3-point leader Jordyn Frantz is no small feat. Although, it has been easier due to a “next-play” mentality and “having teammates who are there for us,” remarked Kent. She credits those teammates for helping her maintain the necessary confidence throughout the ups and downs of a game.

Kent’s ability to shoot well from deep while being a threat off the

dribble not only proves fruitful for the physical therapy major, but it also takes defensive pressure away from the Billikens’ leading threat— Harbison.

Kent is a quality complement to Harbison’s dribble penetration and the respectable post threats of Wilken and Flowers. She allows for the offense to have at least three options to score every possession. Despite early success, she is still quick to assert areas that can be improved.

“Finishing at the rim, ball-handling and finding open teammates” are just a few of the topics Kent mentioned. With a focus on those areas of improvement, it is exciting to think about the potential player Kent could become and the potential success the Billikens could have with pieces like Harbison, Flowers and Jaidah Stewart.

Every now and then, a player comes along that just fits a particular program. A “program-player” so to speak. Kent is that “program-player” Stone has been searching for, the epitome of the player needed for the program to excel. The soft-spoken, yet confident, freshman never takes a play off and rarely makes a bad decision, on or off the court.

The even-keeled Kent knows her role and feels comfortable as a Bil-

Kent has been a threat for SLU’s with her shot from deep. She leads the team with 22 3-point field goals.

(Trenton Almgren-Davis / The University News) liken. “The coaches are true. They’re genuine,” stated Kent. She trusts the staff and her teammates, while those around her have much faith in the guard. The Billiken women’s basketball team and Rachel Kent are just a good match, “like peas and carrots,” as Forrest Gump would say.

sports BILLIKENS’ SUCCESS ATTRIBUTED TO DEPTH OF TEAM BENCH

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By MISHAL MUSTAQUE Sports Writer he Billikens men’s basketball team extended its winning streak to four against the Southern Illinois Salukis on Sunday, Dec. 1, defeating them 69-60. Chaifetz Arena was more vacant than usual as students and staff were still either getting back or recuperating from their Thanksgiving breaks.

There was no break for the SLU men, though. While the rest of SLU went home by early Wednesday, the Bills travelled to Boston College to take on the Eagles. In the game that tipped off at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 4, freshman guard Gibson Jimerson came into the spotlight with 11 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals. The Billikens

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won the game 64-54, and Jimerson built on his performance against SIU, where he scored 9 points coming from 3 successful makes from three-point range on 5 attempts. Jimerson made the Atlantic 10 weekly honors list earlier this week by being named co-rookie of the week, alongside La Salle’s Sherif Kenney, for his two performances.

Aside from Jimerson, junior guard Jordan Goodwin and forward Hasahn French are tied for 20th in the NCAA for rebounds, and 2nd in the A-10, just one rebound behind Rhode Island’s Cyril Langevine. The two have very similar and impressive records for points-per-game—Goodwin is averaging 15.9 and French 14.5. The Billikens’ current 7-1 record is their best start to the season eight games in since 2011-2012.

The trip to Boston for the Bills

wasn’t just about playing, though.

It was made extra special through a slightly impromptu meet-and-greet with Marcus Smart, a former protegee of coach Travis Ford during his time at Oklahoma State and, of course, a guard for the Boston Celtics. The Billikens were invited to a special tour of TD Garden and also sat in for the Celtics’ game against the Kings— which the Celtics won by a slim margin, 103-102. Before and after the game, Smart dropped in to hang out with the men’s team and talk to all of them on an individual level. Ford was overwhelmed by the gesture of his former player, calling him “as real as it gets.” The Bills’ head coach is a big fan of Smart’s playing style and work ethic, apparently even compiling a video to show to his team.

Smart sees the whole situation as a complement to his career thus far in the NBA. “It says I’m doing something right … The hard work and everything I do is paying off.” Indeed, whether it be the video, the talks or the entire experience altogether, the Bills came back from the trip with spirits rejuvenated, and those spirits were in full display this past Sunday.

Against the SIU Salukis, junior for-

Javonte Perkins had a stand out game against SIU, posting a career-high 18 points.

(Michael Place / The University News)

ward Javonte Perkins stood out with a SLU-career high 18-point haul. Goodwan also had a solid performance where he posted his third consecutive double-double, with 14 points and a career high 19 rebounds. The staggering amount of rebounds is the most by a guard in a single game in the NCAA so far this season.

It seems that leadership is coming from several fronts this season for Saint Louis, something Ford stressed prior to the start of the season. It’s no coincidence that with such stellar performances from individuals rising to the needs of the team, SLU as a whole has made leaps and bounds of progress.

Next for the Billikens is a trip to Pheonix, Arizona for a neutral site matchup with Tulane University on Sunday, Dec. 8, where they will hope to add to their four-game win streak.

The Bills will close out the non-conference season with two Power-5 teams in Auburn and Kansas State, two that will be a last test of the depth of the team before conference season starts in the new year.

Hashan French and Jordan Goodwin are currently tied for 20th in the NCAA for rebounds.

(Michael Place/ The University News)

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Opinion

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IMPEACHMENT continues

By JAKOB BENEDETTI Staff Writer

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ith the impeachment proceedings against President Trump chugging along and now entering a new round of hearings, I think it’s a good time to reflect on the accusations made against Trump, their validity and whether or not there’s a chance he’ll actually be removed from office.

The core claim made against Trump to justify the current impeachment proceedings is that he engaged in something legal experts refer to as a “quid pro quo,” which is a Latin phrase that basically means to demand something from someone in exchange for something else. In this case, Trump is accused of demanding that Ukrainian President Zelensky open a criminal investigation into Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, in connection to dealings they had in Ukraine when Joe Biden was serving as President Obama’s liaison to the Ukrainian government. In exchange, Trump would give military aid to Ukraine in their fight against Russian-backed rebels. But here’s the kicker: the aid was already promised to Ukraine by law. This means that by conditioning the aid on providing dirt on Trump’s political rival, Biden, Trump probably broke the law by abusing his power as President and using taxpayer dollars for his own personal political gain.

Of course, Trump supporters claim that there was no wrongdoing as the aid was eventually delivered and no dirt on Biden was ever produced. However, simply the act of asking for that dirt prior to delivering the aid is a potential violation of campaign finance law and, in any case, an act that meets the standard for impeachment according to House democrats.

To me, whether or not Trump actually broke any laws is irrelevant. Frankly, I think he should’ve been impeached his first or second year in office for profiting from a hotel he owns in D.C., where, among other things, the Saudi Arabian government openly stayed and overpaid at when they came to discuss increased military aid to their country, which Trump promptly agreed to even after (I would argue, correctly) blaming the Saudis for 9/11 during his election campaign.

Normal people call this a “bribe.”

In terms of the Ukraine scandal, I also think that Trump should be impeached and removed from office whether or not one believes he actually broke any laws.

If anything, the fact that it’s potentially legal to leverage taxpayer aid mandated by Congress for dirt on a political rival from a foreign government says everything one needs to know about America; the legal system itself is unable to prevent the abuse of power in the highest levels of government, and so we’re stuck relying on the same corrupt politicians who wrote the laws to keep themselves in check.

Make no mistake, Trump absolutely is guilty of quid pro quo and leveraging aid to Ukraine for personal political gain. In fact, he admitted as much to reporters on the White House lawn, saying when asked what he wanted from Ukraine: “It’s a very simple answer. They should investigate the Bidens.” Which is why the Trump defense has pivoted from originally denying the quid pro quo, to now saying it wasn’t a problem because his goal was to expose Biden’s corruption. If Trump himself was uncorrupted and actually had fought to “drain the swamp” like he promised, I might be able to accept this.

But anyone paying attention can clearly see that Trump has not only failed to fight corruption in Washington since taking office, he has in fact become corrupted by

the big donors and interest groups, aka the swamp, that have been corrupting both establishment Democrats and Republicans for decades.

That said, there is absolutely no way Trump is getting removed from office for the Ukraine scandal, or for any reason except losing the election in 2020. The obedience demanded by the leadership of both parties and the sheer polarization in the country means that very few, if any, Republicans will vote to impeach—and 20 of them would need to in the Senate for Trump to actually be removed from office.

We’ve already seen how willing they are to smear public servants who are daring to speak out about Trump’s misconduct in order to distract from the accusations— even if Trump’s own Ukraine ambassador has testified against him. The moral rot at the core of both parties enabled Trump to become president. Now, when the Republicans could redeem themselves, they’ve chosen to scream “fake news” at anyone who reports negative facts about Trump and his conduct instead of actually doing self-reflection and taking a moral stand against the wannabe demagogue that they created.

“The moral rot at the core of both parties enabled Trump to become President.”

Opinion

21

The opinions expressed by writers do not necessarily represent those of the university news editorial board

The Reinert Statement Resisting Modernity

By ADAM RYAN & MARK FREEMAN Contributors

e, the concerned students of Saint Louis University, are deeply unsettled by the deterioration of the Jesuit values upon which this University was founded.

Many of us came to Saint Louis University contingent upon the promise that we would receive a Jesuit education guided by SLU’s Mission: the pursuit of truth for the greater glory of God and the service of humanity.

Many of us had no previous exposure to Catholic or Jesuit education but recognize the inherent value in developing students as contemplative, well-rounded citizens able to think critically, engage with their communities and effect positive change in the world.

All of us, regardless of our personal history, are united in discontent.

We are disappointed in the failed leadership of the current administration. We are frustrated by many faculty who are indifferent towards SLU’s Mission. We are insulted by the spineless (in)action of the Student Government Association. But most of all, we are fearful of the modernist influence that has taken hold of Saint Louis University.

What we mean by modernism, in this case, is the ongoing subversion of our Jesuit academic tradition in favor of instrumental rationality.

The University pours tens of millions of dollars into STEM and business resources while imposing systemic reductions of humanities tenure lines, deploys an undergraduate recruitment strategy that has starved humanities disciplines of undergraduate enrollment, and excludes the liberal arts from its stated strategic priorities. To add insult to injury, the UUCC’s Core Curriculum Proposal is a caricature of Jesuit education masking an insipid appropriation of our academic tradition.

While modernity has provided expansions of personal liberty, privacy, self-awareness and self-fashioning, people often are no wiser, less articulate, and trapped in the paradox that their happiness depends on social practices that cannot thrive amidst modern individualism. Under modernity, instrumental reason becomes nihilistic; it undermines human solidarity in favor of individualism; it is based in a metaphysics of totality and utopia; it is anti-foundational and relativistic; ultimately, it is destructive of value and meaning. Modernism is the antithesis of

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Jesuit thinking and the pendulum has swung too far in the wrong direction.

Some would have us believe that we should be content with the modern state of the University, that we should celebrate the pursuit of competition in “productive” sciences and that our Jesuit academic tradition is antiquated and futile in the modern era. This is not the case. Timeless values have timeless value. We cannot hope to “compete” by abandoning what makes SLU unique or surrendering to the demands of external forces.

We seek to preserve the Jesuit identity of Saint Louis University by instantiating the values which we claim to uphold.

We envision SLU as an institution able to move beyond modernism by drawing on the symbolic materials and intellectual traditions that modernism has suppressed.

We, the students of Saint Louis University, resist the modernist temptation that has infected our University and demand that SLU recommit itself to its foundational ideals.

“Resisting Modernity” is only one of three sections of The Reinert Statement. For a more comprehensive analysis of the values the authors espouse and the demands they make, scan the QR code below:

Opinion

22

Stand with SLUH Nurses

By KENNY WARNER Contributor ver the past several months, union nurses at Saint Louis University Hospital have been fighting ongoing aggression from SSM Health against their right to a democratically elected union and to bargain collectively for measures that would improve patient care. Both SSM Health management and faculty from the SLU School of Nursing have engaged in intimidation and coercion of SLUH nurses to revoke their union membership.

These are not the values of justice and economic equality that SLU professes to uphold. If President Pestello and the rest of the administration wish to honor Catholic teachings that support the right of workers to organize, they must use their power to support and protect SLU nurses. The administration and broader SLU community should stand with SLU nurses against efforts that put profits over people.

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This Week’s Games Solutions

While SSM Health manages the dayto-day operation of the hospital, SLU’s hands are not as tightly bound as President Pestello and the administration has attempted to portray. Not only do the two organizations have numerous financial ties, but they also work together to determine the daily operations of the hospital. The anti-union and anti-patient practices conducted at SLU Hospital tarnish the values and ethics that both SLU and Catholic healthcare profess to share.

Employees who work directly for SLU have conducted themselves in ways that undermine the educational and patient care mission of SLU. At least two educators employed as faculty at SLU Nursing School have used mandatory class time provided for training to encourage newly hired SLU Hospital nurses to sign a petition for removal of the union. Shockingly, they did this under false pretenses in which nurses were told they were only signing the petition to get SSM Health to provide

more information.

As nurses and SSM Health continue contract negotiations, a main point of contention between SLU nurses and SSM are staffing levels at SLU Hospital. In these negotiations, nurses have proposed staffing standards that have been proven to improve patient health outcomes and reduce mortality rates.

Despite this, SSM Health has declined to seriously respond to the nurses’ proposal for safe staffing levels.

SLU Hospital is unique in the St. Louis area in that the majority of its patients are low-income and African Americans.

It does not deny entry if someone cannot pay due to lack of insurance. For this reason, many other hospitals in the region regularly reroute patients there.

Patients often come to SLU Hospital when they have no other options. To help heal the immense health inequities in the St. Louis region, it is critical that SSM Health and SLU take steps to improve the level of care at SLU Hospital. SLU’s mission statement includes

the University’s goal to “extend compassionate care to the ill and needy.” SLU Hospital often falls short of this goal because it fails to properly staff the hospital in order to save money.

SSM and SLU are both Catholic-led institutions. The Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services authored by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops clearly defends the right of workers to have a democratically elected union. Through their actions, SSM Health and SLU are turning their back on their foundational principles. Such principles are meaningless unless acted upon.

President Pestello should call on SSM Health to end its hostility towards those at the frontlines in providing care for those most in need in the region.

Opinion

23

Chick-fil-A is Ruffling Some Feathers

By LEXI KAYSER Staff Writer Chick-fil-A has been the source of a lot of conflict lately, finding its name among newspaper headlines, Twitter trends and on the tip of most food-lovers’ (and politics-lovers’) tongues.

Who knew something as simple as chicken could cause so much controversy?

Unless, of course, it isn’t that simple.

Chick-fil-A has always been an openly Christian-based brand—this is most clear from its closure of all restaurants on Sundays, the Biblical day of rest. Yet, debate only really sparked when the company was found to be donating to other Christian organizations with openly anti-LGBTQIA+ platforms. Tax filings released earlier this year showed that in 2017, Chick-fil-A gave to Fellowship of Christian Athletes (which requires employees to “refrain from homosexual acts”), the Salvation Army (whose media relations director has said that gay people “deserve death”) and the Paul Anderson Youth Home (which teaches that same-sex marriage is a “rage against Jesus and his values”).

After facing much scrutiny, Chick-fil-A made a post on their news blog, The Chicken Wire, on Nov. 18, 2019. The company stated that it would be “introducing a more focused giving approach to provide additional clarity and impact with the causes it supports.” This will be implemented

by giving to organizations that work exclusively with education, homelessness and hunger.

This decision led to even more public discontent—but this time, it was coming from the political right. Twitter users are coming for the company, writing statements like “You caved to the extremists and are no longer a Christian company” and “When you bend a knee to the outrage mob they only ask for more and more. You sold your soul.”

So here’s my unsolicited opinion: it doesn’t matter.

It doesn’t matter where Chick-fil-A’s charitable arm is focusing their time and energy, because they have every single right to do whatever they choose. Where Chick-fil-A donates their money is entirely their choice. They’ve built a successful, booming business and have every right, as an American corporation, to spend their rewards however they please. But. It’s important that the public is always aware of this, so that we can make informed decisions about the organizations that we might be supporting indirectly.

It is certainly the corporation’s right to do what they wish with their money, but equally, it is the consumer’s right to maintain the same authority over their own money. I personally don’t support businesses that use child labor in their manufacturing or that test products on animals; for me, an avid supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community, this situation feels very similar. I would much rather get my food at one of the many establishments that supports my personal belief system and gives to charities that I align with. This way,

I am contributing to the economy in a way that I feel is ethical, instead of shopping and swiping mindlessly.

I do think that it’s a good thing that Chick-fil-A is seemingly moving in the right direction when it comes to progressivism and human rights.

Whether or not this is a media ploy or if it’s going to be an actual, sustained brand change, only time will tell. But hey, progress is progress.

And to the people who are upset that Chickfil-A stopped funding openly homophobic organizations—it’s not like they stopped donating to charities altogether. They’ve just taken a more accepting, centered approach when it comes to their giving habits. They’ll still be closed on Sundays. Don’t ruffle your feathers.

“It is the consumer’s right to maintain the same authority over their own money.”

UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITORIAL BOARD 2019-2020 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EMMA CARMODY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF eic@unewsonline.com MEREDYTH STAUNCH eic@unewsonline.com MANAGING EDITOR REBECCA LIVIGNI managing@unewsonline.com ONLINE DESIGN EDITOR SOPHIE PERRY webmaster@unewsonline.com SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR GRACIE SIMON travel@unewsonline.com OPINION EDITOR KELLY SIEMPELKAMP opinion@unewsonline.com

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