College Times - May 2021

11 THINGS STAR QUALITY EVERYTHING ELEVATED IDEAS FOR AFTER GRADUATION

HOCKEY’S JOSH DOAN LOOKING TO SNOW EXPECTATIONS

MAY 2021

MILLS MODERN SOCIAL TAKES OVER FORMER POOL HALL

EST. 2002

SEEING STARS

Jason Achilles Mezilis finds second career in space

contents student life 4

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Seeing Stars

Jason Achilles Mezilis finds second career in space

Star Quality

Hockey’s Josh Doan looking to snow expectations

11 Things

Ideas for after graduation

entertainment 7

Everything Elevated

Mills Modern Social takes over former pool hall

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STUDENT LIFE

SEEING STARS JASON ACHILLES MEZILIS FINDS SECOND CAREER IN SPACE

CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI • COLLEGE TIMES

W

hen Jason Achilles Mezilis saw the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover land safely, he admits, with a laugh, that he “cried like a little bitch.”

He had reason to, though.

The Studio City, California, musician worked with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena to perfect Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover’s microphone used to record sounds inside the 28-mile-wide (45 kilometers) Jezero Crater.

“Music was always a dream,” Mezilis says. “It was an attainable dream.

Space is rad, but I didn’t think it would ever be a real thing. The last number of years, though, I thought, ‘Maybe it can be a thing.’”

Encouraged by ASU professor Jim Bell, Mezilis made both of his dreams come true.

“Jim Bell was one of my main guys who said, ‘Don’t worry. You can do this,’” Mezilis says. “Weirdly enough, he was right.”

Mezilis connected with NASA by banging on doors and rattling cages, he says with a laugh. He broke through after pitching David Gruel (assembly, test and launch operations manager for Mars Perseverance at JPL) his concepts for informing a working audio selection, largely based on his work as an audio engineer for the past decade.

“When I was hired as a consultant for JPL in 2017, I had to incorporate because they couldn’t hire me as an individual,” Mezilis says. “I had to start a company, Zandef Deksit Inc. Since then, we’ve been developing an idea for this selfie cam for rocket landings.

It’s this Lunar ExoCam.” Mezilis landed a $650,000 grant from NASA’s Flight Opportunities program to develop that. The grant calls for him to work with an educational institution, so he chose ASU. Once Lunar ExoCam hits the surface, it can visualize a landing as if the viewer was standing there watching it.

Besides ASU, the Lunar ExoCam project also includes contributions from Honeybee Robotics, Ecliptic Enterprises Corp. and Masten Space Systems.

“I didn’t go to school for this type of work or study it,” Mezilis says. “I’m a 4 ECOLLEGETIMES.COM | MAY 2021

professional musician. It’s something I’ve just wanted to do.”

Mezilis has been a professional musician since high school. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, he toured as a solo instrumentalist under the name Jason Achilles, accompanied by drummer Forrest Mitchell.

He also runs his Downtown LA boutique analog recording studio, Organic Audio Recorders, and is working with Dizzy Reed (Guns N’ Roses) on his forthcoming solo album.

“People had a hard time remembering my last name,” says Mezilis, who loves The Rogue Bar in Phoenix. “I would just get blank stares.

“But music and science are my everything. For me, it’s personally been wonderful. One of the cool things about working with NASA is Perseverance had to land that day.

This was beyond the programs of the world. NASA pulled this off and made it work just incredibly.”

Mezilis is set to release a new EP later this spring, which was launched with the release of the single “RTL (Ready To Launch)” in December. The second single, “Eurotrash,” debuted February 26 across all streaming platforms.

He rolls his two loves into talks with students in grades kindergarten through sixth grade students.

“I’ve been a big nerd about space since I was a kid,” he says. “I like going and talking to kids about this stuff.

I’ve been doing Zoom classes with third graders ever since this thing landed. I’ve had a lot of requests to talk to kids about this stuff. I try to tie in the music aspect of things. Rocket science is an unreachable goal to kids.

Music is already something that’s already part of their lives. That might seem crazy, but this is something you’re doing already.”

The whole experience has been a thrill for Mezilis. But there is a “but.”

His name is nowhere on the NASA website.

“If you go on the NASA website, my name’s not associated with anything anywhere. I have no idea if history recognized the involvement or not.

It’s pretty (expletive) cool to me. I would love to be attached to this,” he says. “We did play a relevant role in it.

I don’t think it’s undeserved.” CT

Jason Achilles Mezilis jasonachilles.com

STAR QUALITY HOCKEY’S JOSH DOAN LOOKING TO SNOW EXPECTATIONS ETHAN GRENI • COLLEGE TIMES

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or an entire generation, the name Doan was synonymous with not only the Arizona Coyotes but desert hockey as a whole. Shane Doan became the face of Arizona hockey through his excellent play on the ice and diligent community work.

Now, his son, Josh, is doing his best to honor that legacy as he prepares for his first season at ASU this fall.

“I think coming back home, having a chance to play at home in the desert again, is something special,” Josh says. “Not a lot of kids get the opportunity, especially from the West Coast, to play college hockey at home, and then also what coach (Greg) Powers has done with that group, and the name he’s made for ASU hockey, is something special, and I want to be a part of it.”

The 19-year-old spent the last two years with the Chicago Steel in the USHL, the country’s top junior hockey league.

“I love it. It’s been awesome. It’s helped me develop so much on the ice, but also off the ice,” Josh says. “The coaches here, they treat us well, and they want to do everything possible to help us get better and move on to the next level.”

Toward the end of his impressive sophomore season in Chicago, Josh signed a National Letter of Intent to play at ASU on April 12, after verbally committing to the Sun Devils in 2019.

“I think it’s a new program that’s looking to get better, and they’re already a good program in college hockey … but they’re always striving to get better,” Josh says. “That’s something you like to see: a school

student life that’s looking to be one of the top 10 schools every year and wants to compete for a national title. The winning culture that they’ve created is something special.”

After going 43-24-4 over the prior two seasons and reaching their first NCAA Tournament in 2019, the Sun Devils finished 7-16-3 in 2020-21.

With a new arena on the horizon, Josh says he’s confident ASU can be competitive again.

“I really like the (team’s) chances,” he says. “You look at the guys they brought in last year, who were ranked in the top five as an incoming class. Some of the guys I’m coming in with are really exceptional players,” Josh says.

“And then the guys coming back for their extra year because of COVID are great. It’s looking to be a really strong team.”

Another incoming freshman worth noting is Jackson Niedermayer, son of Hockey Hall of Famer Scott Niedermayer.

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In its short time as a Division 1 program, ASU has recruited the sons of several former NHL players, including hockey legend Mario Lemieux’s son Austin, who played at ASU from 2018-20 after redshirting his freshman year.

Josh isn’t naïve to the fact that his name carries a lot of weight in Arizona. He says he knows there will be expectations, but he’s not worried.

“I try not to think about it too much,” he says. “I don’t think expectations have been anything that’s bothered me growing up. I think once you get to a certain point in your hockey career, everyone’s going to carry expectations. It’s just how you deal with it.

“I think my dad has done a good job of helping me deal with it, knowing at the end of the day it’s a game and you’re just there to have fun.

So, I think as long as I can keep that mentality, I can kind of keep (the expectations) in the back of my head.”

Aside from his father, Josh has been grounded by his Steel coaches.

“What the coaches have done for me here is something that I cherish, and I want to thank them for it,” Josh says.

“When I got here, I was a young guy looking just to get in the lineup.

They’ve now developed me into a player who can make it to the next level now.” CT

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student life

11 THINGS TO DO AFTER GRADUATION ANNIKA TOMLIN • COLLEGE TIMES

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hether it’s financially, emotionally or physically, college takes its toll on everyone. Once you graduate, the world is wide open for you — and it can be a little daunting. Here are 11 things to consider doing after graduation.

11. REGROUP AT HOME For over a year now, the pandemic has reshaped college attendance, from virtual and hybrid classes to Zoom graduations. It’s mindnumbing to consider what’s next.

Reconnect with family by moving home, getting back to a noncollege mindset and exploring your options in a comfortable environment.

10. WORK AT YOUR COLLEGE If moving back home isn’t an option or a preference, consider getting a job at a place you know well — your college or university.

You could work in the department that you majored in or as a teaching assistant. Also consider the administrative departments, such as admissions, development and academic advising. As a recent graduate, you have the most up-todate knowledge of what it means to be a college student and could use that knowledge to pass along to future students.

9. BECOME A RESEARCH ASSISTANT While most people associate

“research” with science majors, there are research assistant positions for other majors, including journalism, international relations and art history. Contact your college or former professors to see if there are any available research opportunities.

8. FIND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES One way to boost your resume while still looking for a full-time job is to volunteer. Volunteering helps skills such as task management and leadership while also improving soft skills such as communication and adaptability. In some cases, a volunteer position could lead to a full-time job within the organization. At the very least, you can make connections within the industry.

7. TEACH ABROAD A large number of countries outside of the United States are looking for native English speakers to teach the language. The best part: most of the time you don’t even need a degree in education or any teaching experience. Oftentimes, all you need is a bachelor’s degree and the willingness to learn how to teach what needs to be taught. This gives recent graduates the opportunity to travel, experience a new culture and develop strong transferable skills.

6. MOVE TO A NEW PLACE Sometimes the best way to start a new chapter in your life is by

moving, if you have the financial means. You could simply move into a new apartment or do something drastic and move to the other side of the country. Now that school isn’t tying you down — and especially if you were recently hired for a job in a different state — don’t be afraid to pack up everything and get going.

5. CONTINUE EDUCATION Want to refine your skills or learn something new? Consider community college. They’re great and inexpensive ways to obtain new skills without returning to a university. In other cases, a master’s degree or doctorate may be required to acquire the skills needed to go into a specific field, such as medical, social work or law.

4. TAKE AN INTERNSHIP/ APPRENTICESHIP You might have already completed

an internship as a requirement for your degree, but that doesn’t mean that this is not the right time to take on another one. If nothing else, you’ll get interview practice for potential jobs. An apprenticeship is similar to an internship but gives more hands-on assignments and real-world problems to solve.

A mentor will guide you in the necessary skills and steps to master the job. Both can be paid experiences that could lead to a full-time job.

3. START YOUR OWN BUSINESS If you have an idea for a great product or a strong passion, start your own business. For example, if you majored in business and had the knowledge and passion for physical fitness, you could found a personal training company.

2. GET AN ENTRY-LEVEL JOB As the saying goes: “gotta start somewhere.” Entry-level positions help people gain skills and experience that will lead them toward getting a higher-paying, more experienced-based job. The entry-level job doesn’t need to be within your field. Any real-world, full-time job will help build your resume and give you the support you need to plan your future.

1. TAKE A GAP YEAR You just spent however many years solely focused on getting that one or multiple degrees. Now is the time to take a break and explore.

Meet new people, experience new cultures, and along the way you might find a new passion. A great way to spend a gap year is to get involved in programs such as Peace Corps, AmeriCorps or City Year, all of which offer essential life lessons to strengthen your resume and provide great resources and references for future job search. CT 6 ECOLLEGETIMES.COM | MAY 2021

ENTERTAINMENT EVERYTHING ELEVATED

MILLS MODERN SOCIAL TAKES OVER FORMER POOL HALL NEAR ASU CAMPUS

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ANNIKA TOMLIN • COLLEGE TIMES

our years ago, Jason Chance and his pro pool player friend Scott Frost opened a pool hall off Mill Avenue and Broadway Road and dubbed it Freezers.

Just before the pandemic, Chance thought it was time for a change.

So, he founded Mills Modern Social.

“We were like, ‘Something isn’t working,’” says Chance, who lives in Des Moines. “It’s a nice place but just not nice enough to really draw people in and to really make money.

So, we changed the whole concept.”

They renamed it Mills Modern Social and brought Justin Jereb on board. He formerly ran Sandbar and then CB Live, both of which are in Desert Ridge Marketplace.

He rolls his 20 years of experience into his general manager position at Mills Modern Social.

“Before Mills Modern Social, it was Freezers and primarily a pool hall with 32 pool tables,” Jereb says.

“We wanted to reinvent it and make it more of a cool place. The only thing that is from the original venue is the (pool) tables.”

When COVID-19 hit the Valley last year, Chance and his brother/ co-owner Greg remodeled and rebranded it. “(At Freezers), when you walk in, there would be a pool table 8 feet from the entrance,” Chance says.

“I’m not trying to intimidate people.

“People were like, ‘Do I really want to be here? If I’m not playing pool, I feel like I am bothering the people playing pool.’ Now you can walk in and go to the bar, you can sit (at a range of locations). … Before, the pool tables owned the whole

place; now they don’t, and that’s on purpose.”

Construction on the 60,000-square-foot space began in August to turn the strictly pool hall into a multigame venue with a new menu, an arcade, darts and an updated outdoor layout.

“It wasn’t like a crazy demo, but it was a lot,” Jereb says. “The people who were here before will walk in and (give a look) like it is a whole different world.”

Jereb calls the revamped menu “more of an elevated gastropub with burgers, sandwiches, flatbreads” in lieu of pool hall snack food. Jereb is adding more entrees, including salmon, ahi and chicken. Unlike its predecessor, Mills Modern Social even has a full wine list.

“Right now, the menu that they had before is completely erased,” Jereb says. “We didn’t keep anything from the original.

“The grilled pesto chicken sandwich ($12) — it’s phenomenal.

The executive chef (Rey-jen Stanya) and I wanted to do a Cuban ($12) because we know that a lot of places don’t have Cubans.”

Those two dishes are the fastestselling entrees. The wings even have a new spin.

“Our wings ($14) are kind of different, too, because we don’t fry them,” he says. “We bake them and then we grill them, and they come right off the bone.”

Following his queue at Sandbar, Jereb will launch Taco Tuesdays.

The brunch menu will resemble his at CB Live.

“We just wanted to get the ball

rolling (first),” Jereb says.

Mills Modern Social opened on February 17, without a grand opening due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“I’m not having a G.O. that way,” Jereb says.

He’s hoping to still have his “G.O.” when the COVID-19 restrictions lift. Meanwhile, they’re trying to find their flow, he says.

“We’re trying to just have a cool

place and dope vibe in Tempe,” he says. “We want to actually have a nice place to come and sit and not feel like you’re on Mill. It’s very comfortable. We want people to come in and stay for a couple hours.” CT

Mills Modern Social

83 E. Broadway Road, Tempe millsmodernsocial.com

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