USF
College Monthly A print production of USF student media.
December 2015 Volume 3 Issue 4 | usfcollegeweek.com
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Looking For a Different New Year’s Resolution?
Say Yes More! By Ryan Howe
In the summer of 2012, I had the good fortune of meeting Dave Cornthwaite, a graphic designer turned professional adventurer who was planning to swim 1,000 miles down the Missouri River, beginning in my hometown of Chamberlain, SD. It was just one of 25 journeys Dave planned to undertake, each one involving 1,000 miles of non-motorized transportation. Dave’s enthusiasm and passion for life were infectious, and his motto has stuck with me ever since. His key for a successful life? It’s as simple as saying yes more. As Dave would suggest, yes is a doing word. Yes is a commitment, an acceptance of an opportunity. A new experience is just one yes away. While it may sound cliché, I encourage everyone to start 2016 off by saying yes more. Too often we shut ourselves off from opportunities by saying we don’t have enough time or money, that we already have too many commitments or that we are worried about the opinions of others. Dave refers to this fear as the “vicious circle of badness.” We can always find excuses to not try something new. All it takes is a few seconds of courage to say yes to a new opportunity. For Dave, that meant quitting his job as a graphic designer and skateboarding across Australia. For you, maybe it’s cooking a new recipe for dinner. Maybe it’s going to a play down at the Orpheum. There are countless ways to begin saying yes more every day. Ultimately, saying yes more is a decision to live every day with less fear. It’s a choice to begin accepting more opportunities and living a life that is full of excitement. We grow from trying new things, not by completing the same tasks day in and day out. Why not spend time searching for ways to leave your comfort zone? “Doing new things, not being afraid to fail and making the most of every day means we have to do what we love,” Dave writes on his website. “Life should be lived with passion, and I’d like people to chase their dreams and enjoy happy, caring, brave lives. With wide smiles.” Join me in eschewing the traditional resolutions of gym memberships and losing weight. Demonstrate the “new year, new you” mentality by looking for opportunities to say yes more in your life this upcoming year.
DECEMBER 2015 | 3
C ollege Monthly Staff & Contributors
Nick Poppens
Media Professor Photographer
Natalie Miller
Ryan Howe
Alecia Martinez
Daniel Bergeson
Simon Floss
Whitney Fryer
Colleen Thompson
Paige Peterson
Ben Gertner
Kristine Reiner
Guest Writer Ad Manager
Guest Writer
Guest Writer
Guest Writer
Jaden Beukelman
College Monthly Advisor
Writer Sports Line Anchor
Writer Reporter
Writer
Miranda Cain
Online and Print Editor
Christin Vander Pol Print Editor
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Writer Audio Director
Writer Photographer
Not Pictured: Shane Fisher, writer
Writer Reporter
Basil & Thyme Tomato Soup with Broiled Cheddar Recipe and Photo by Nick Poppens
Ingredients: 3 Pounds of Roma Tomatoes 4 Garlic Cloves, Whole 2 Shallots, Whole 1 tbsp Fresh Thyme Leaves, Finely Chopped 1 tbsp Fresh Basil Leaves, Finely Chopped 4 Cups Chicken Stock 2 tbsp Olive Oil 4 Slices Sourdough Bread, Toasted, Buttered 2 Cups Grated Cheddar Crushed Red Pepper Salt & Pepper Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place halved tomatoes, garlic, and shallots on large baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until tender. Let cool and remove tomato skins. Transfer to blender/food processor and blend to desired consistency. In medium pot, add tomato, garlic, and shallot puree, stock, thyme, basil, and crushed red pepper (to taste) and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce to simmer for 30 minutes, then remove from heat. For broiled cheddar tops, arrange 4 ramekin dishes on a baking sheet. Fill each dish 3/4 with soup. Top with toast slice and cover generously with cheese. Broil on low until cheese is bubbling and brown on the edges. Garnish with thyme or basil leaves. Let cool slightly, serve and enjoy!
M
ad
for
adrigal
Story by Daniel Bergeson Photos courtesy of Dave Eggen and the USF Music Department
The Renaissance is well known to have been a time of exciting social change and cultural revolution. Most people have heard of at least a few of these exciting occurrences such as the Black Death or the first appearance of Syphilis. In addition to these enticing diseases, who could forget absolute monarchs like England’s very own fun-loving and entirely reasonable King Henry VIII? Not many could, that’s for sure; and none of these examples create a sense of nostalgia quite like the numerous religious wars that took place in countries like Germany, France, England, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Ah, the Renaissance. A time for mass death and turkey legs. God bless it. Come to think of it, one might describe the Renaissance as an “original Gilded Age”. But nevertheless, among all these— ahem— “delightful” aspects of this unforgettable transitional stage in history, there are, of course, just as many strides that were crucially positive in forming this creative, intelligent society called the modern human race. These strides include major advancements in sciences such as physics and astronomy, with mascots Sir Isaac Newton and Galileo Galilei as the quintessential poster boys.
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Pictured: Steve Patterson (1966)
If you’re a right-brained person (or science just makes your head hurt), then you might find a larger appeal in some of the more artistic aspects of the Renaissance. Believe it or not, Shakespeare and da Vinci were not the only Burckhardtian (look it up) artists. In addition to all the painters and sculptors that you failed to remember from your art history class, or the Elizabethan writers whose words never really clicked even when your English teacher literally acted the words out for you, there is one more crucial element from this time period that cannot be forgotten. No, it’s not turkey legs. Okay, fine, turkey legs. In that case, one could say that there are two additional aspects of this time period. One is turkey legs; duly noted. The other is music. “Well, yeah,” you say. “Obviously they had music ‘back then,’ but why would any modern-day human being give a hoot about centuries-old tunes that, for all we know, could have been written by Gandalf the Grey?” That’s quite the interesting question you came up with. And here’s the answer: It’s good. It’s actually good. In order to prove that this music is actually worth turning an ear to, a select group from the USF Vocal Department has been working their musical tails off with the intention of giving students, as well as general public, an opportunity to expand their cultural awareness while being thoroughly entertained. If that’s not enough, they’re serving dessert to all who attend. And if that’s not enough, it’s free. On Wednesday, December 2nd at 9:00 p.m. in the USF dining hall, 20 students will put on a Madrigal Dessert Show—just for the student body. Aramark, funded by USF Student Senate, will supply a decedent dessert for 136 seats. Attendance to the Dessert Show is on a first come, first served basis, but plenty of standing room is available as well as copious amounts of dessert to be shared with those who aren’t able to nab a seat at one of the roundtables. The USF Student Senate has graciously funded the dessert show for nine consecutive years, making this their tenth. For students interested in something with a little more “oomph” (or they simply can’t make it to the show on the 2nd), they are heartily invited to attend the Madrigal Dinner Show (also in the university dining hall), which opens to the public December 3rd. Performances continue on into the 4th and 5th of December, with each show starting at 6:00 p.m. Attendance to the dinner does require the purchase of a ticket, which is priced at $40. Many students, after reading that number, might have the urge to stop reading. But do the math; when an individual purchases a ticket for this time-warp show, not only are they buying into a night filled with entertainment, but they are also receiving a no-expense-spared four-course meal which is served on beautiful china and eaten with high-quality silver; all atop a table draped in cloth.
Pictured: Ronnie Weberg (2010) DECEMBER 2015 | 7
The performers eat with the audience, remaining in character throughout the dinner. These characters include a king and queen, jester, and many other Renaissance-esque roles such as lords, ladies, and nobleman. The bulk of the show is a fast-paced production showcasing a variety of holiday music. For weeks, the singers have pushed themselves to memorize 12 pieces; two of which include hand bell ringing intermixed with multi-part harmony. Students are expected to reserve a significant amount of extracurricular time for personal rehearsal and memorization. To keep themselves on track for performance success, the students have a memorization schedule. Dr. David DeHoogh-Kliewer, known by many as “Dr. D-K,” directs the musicians. He states, “Our rehearsals are spent mostly gelling as an ensemble and developing a unified sound, as opposed to working on pitches and memorization.” The director went on to say that pitches and memorization are the responsibilities of the individual students. In contrasting addition to most of the show’s quick-witted scripting and energetic musical numbers, the event also features quiet, reverent moments such as a segment featuring a chosen audience member who reads the Christmas story from second chapter of Luke while the choir sings “Silent Night”.
There are, undoubtedly, many remarkable aspects of the USF Madrigal Dinners, but the most remarkable of all might just be the variety. On top of the holiday music, gorgeous costumes, and multiple courses of delicious catered food, the performers also prepare humorous, often satirical skits with an Elizabethan flair. That’s right; in addition to a multi-course feast and essentially a professional-level concert, audience members also get the delicious intellectual treat of a play. Brittany Kurtenbach supplies acting direction for the scenes, as well as coordination for ticket sales. One of this year’s Madrigal performers, USF sophomore Travis Balt, plays the role of the “Town Crier” who, prior to the commencement of the royal dinner, has the honor of announcing the arrival of the King and Queen, as well as ceremoniously directing the assigned seating. Balt says that the role of Town Crier requires a “big voice,” and he admittedly believes that to be the reason he was chosen for the role. Last year, Balt participated in the Madrigal production as a firsttimer. This year, in addition to portraying the Town Crier, he will also be taking on the role of Surveyor Two and Tyrone, whom he proudly proclaims to be “the sassy diva.” The plot of this year’s dinner centers around a group of Medieval actors whose motivation is to entertain the King and Queen. “We’re performing as actors, and those actors are then acting as something else,” Balt explains. This presents a challenging role for those involved in the production because, as many actors might agree, portraying the role of someone portraying a role creates a multilayered stage dynamic, which can often render itself quite complicated. “Our goal is that no audience member ever has time to look at their watch,” says Kliewer.
USF Madrigals late 1960s
In reference to the challenge of acting in the Madrigal production, Balt states, “You have to constantly think, ‘what role am I playing now?’” Balt emphasizes that performers must always be on their (respective) toes.
“If you like puns and clever humor, this is totally a show for you,” says Balt This production format is one that, in addition to generating a challenge for the performers, also pushes audience members to be constantly engaged. It’s an energetic style that can leave an audience enthralled and often exhausted. Good thing they have that fourcourse meal to keep them energized. USF has a prominent reputation for tradition, and the Madrigal Dinners are no exception. Next year, the USF Choral Department celebrate it’s 100th anniversary. This is Kliewer’s tenth year putting on the Madrigal Dinner, but the show itself has been a USF tradition for over 50 years. The late Lois Harchanko (1931-2013) founded the USF Madrigal Singers in 1963. Since then, the ensemble has grown dramatically; often pulling in sell-out performances.
USF Madrigals late 1960s
“(Lois) was known to write about four hundred Christmas cards a year, mostly to former Madrigal Singers of hers,” Kliewer mentions. “Unfortunately, that is not a tradition that I have kept,” he jokes.
Pictured: Emily Englund, Travis Balt, Victoria Dwyer, and Simon Floss (2014)
USF Madrigals late 1960s
USF Madrigals 2014
DECEMBER 2015 | 9
According to Kliewer, Lois Harchanko was a sort of “living legend”. Having begun her tenure at USF in 1961, she made quite an impact on the university’s music department. An example of the incredible mark she made can be found in her seemingly countless body of past students (who all probably received a Christmas card). When Harchanko passed away in 2013, she had already been retired for 15 years, but in accordance with her evident passion, she continued teaching voice lessons at the university until 2008. In that same year, she was able to attend the 45th anniversary Madrigal performance, which featured a reunion choir, given the fact that for every fiveyear anniversary (the next occurring in 2018), the USF Choir Department invites Madrigal Dinner alumni to participate in a Saturday night “Reunion Performance,” with rehearsal for that performance taking place the prior afternoon. Harchanko’s funeral in 2013 took place at First Baptist Church, and featured an honorary Madrigal performance including 50 Madrigal alumni as well as current Madrigal singers at the time, tallying out a total performance clan of about 75. Because the Madrigal performance is an historical tribute, it’s a given that the USF Choir Department did not create this jolly performance style, but each year, they nevertheless make it their own. Many readers may find it interesting (and possibly slightly deceiving) to know that most of the pieces that the USF Madrigal performers sing are actually not Madrigals at all. The dictionary definition of Madrigal is: “A secular vocal music composition, usually a part-song, of the Renaissance and early Baroque eras.” Most of the pieces that audience members will enjoy on December 2nd- 5th will be a mix of popular Christmas carols and upbeat Renaissance-genre holiday tunes. By creating this performance format, the USF Vocal Department has transformed the secular Madrigal performance into a holiday celebration bursting with Yuletide festivity.
Pictured: Laura Ebbeson (2014)
So why call it Madrigals? The answer is simple: It’s a traditional term for a traditional performance style. The first Madrigals were written in Florence, Italy in as early as 1520. Composers by the names of Bernardo Pisano and Jacques Arcadelt (you’ve probably heard of them) were some of the first Madrigal composers. So, for those of you out there feeling a little lied to by your very own collegiate choir, keep in mind that, though The USF Madrigal Dinner may not be, by definition, a traditional “Madrigal dinner,” it’s an experience that is deserving of all kinds of recognition. All things considered: the elegant accents, Elizabethan garb and literature, and, of course, the Royal Dinner all scream “Madrigal.” In addition to the Madrigal Dessert Show and the Madrigal Dinners, the entire university campus is invited to attend Christmas Chapel on December 6th at 7:00 p.m. in the Meredith Auditorium. USF Madrigal Dinners is one of the most anticipated choral events of the year. Madrigal performers want to stress that these Dinners are a unique event that is not often reproduced. “You don’t usually flip on the radio and say, ‘Oh, I’m going to listen to Renaissance music today,’” says Balt, playfully. Speak for yourself, Mr. Balt. “I love singing with this group,” proclaims Balt. “It can be difficult at times, but these are memories that I’ll hold forever with me after I graduate from USF.”
Pictured: Nate Lethold (2010)
USF Madrigals late 1960s
DECEMBER 2015 | 11
Gift-Giving Guide Colleen Thompson
for the bff
findmeagift.co.uk (smartphone projector) findmeagift.co.uk (floating speaker)
The Christmas season is here at last! You might be the one breaking out the Christmas décor as soon as the calendar is flipped to November, and people have to hold you back from listening to Mariah Carey’s Christmas album until after the turkey is served. Or you might be a firm believer in respecting November as purely Thanksgiving time and are the one restraining the ones who celebrate Christmas for two months. But the inevitable fact is that Christmas will be here before you know it. That means that you’ve got some shopping to do!
for your bro
thinkgeek.com (guitar pick) asos.com (basket case)
Gift giving is a struggle for many. When you’re such a lovable person, it’s a tough burden to have to buy the perfect present for each loved one. You might be in a gift-giving rut. You’ve defaulted to getting Dad a tie every Christmas since 2007. Mom’s already got so many candles she could cover the whole house. And bae says she doesn’t need anything, but you know that’s not true . . . so should you get her chocolate or flowers . . . or chocolate and flowers . . . or jewelry? Do not fret! There are lots of different people in your life, which means there are lots of different personalities. Lucky for you, there are multiple holiday gifting options. Here’s a breakdown of some gift-giving categories to get you started. Hopefully you can find a gift for your honey-boo, mother, and BFF without pulling out your hair . . . or too much money from your wallet.
for your sis
yellowoctopus.com (manatea strainer) oldnavy.com (fuzzy socks)
for dad
for him
llbean.com (fishing wallet) birchbox.com (shaving kit)
dormify.com (pingpong set) asos.com (cookbook)
for her
worldmarket.com (spa gift basket) 31bits.com (fashion necklace)
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for mom
riflepaperco.com (books) articleapparel.etsy.com (mittens)
Chocolate
& Peppermint Cookies
Layer in the following order
Add in
1/2 C sugar 1/2 C brown sugar 1/4 C cocoa powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 and 1/4 C flour 2/3 C chocolate chips 2/3 C peppermint chips
1/2 C (1 Stick) Softened Butter 1 Egg Mix and roll into small balls Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes
DECEMBER 2015 | 13
Love More Than Just Your Melon Story by Natalie Miller | Photos courtesy of Keisha Sarpong
With winter in full swing, it’s time to bundle up and protect ourselves from the harsh South Dakota weather, with a heartening mission may make you reconsider pulling out that old hat from last year. Love Your Melon, orginally a non-profit company, is built on a mission to provide a hat to every child battling cancer in America. USF has been involved with this organization since last winter, thanks to junior Keisha Sarpong’s initiative in bringing this program to campus. “It was over winter break of last year, and I was thinking, ‘Wow, I am not a part of anything here at USF,’” Keisha says. “I heard about Love Your Melon through social media, and at that time South Dakota didn’t have any school representatives. I remember thinking, ‘This is so awesome, and I would love to get on board.’“ Sarpong says she didn’t even go home for J-term as she had planned because she was excited about this organization and wanted to stay on campus to help bring this special mission to USF. Since then, Love Your Melon has taken off to partner with the organizations CureSearch and Pinky Swear. CureSearch is a mission promoting innovative cancer research, while the Pinky Swear Foundation offers emotional and financial assistance to families of cancer patients. Love Your Melon can’t take direct donations, but when a hat is purchased from this campaign another is donated to a pediatric cancer patient. Additionally, 50% of the proceeds go towards the aforementioned organizations.
Pictured: Alison Klostergaard with Emerson Mathers
Sarpong has been an active ambassador of Love Your Melon since last spring, but until this year many students were unaware of this campaign. “Technically we were not a recognized group on campus last year. Now, things are different. People know who we are.” Currently, there are 19 girls involved with the USF Love Your Melon crew. While each crew can only hold 20 members, volunteers are more than welcome to help out with events. Sophomore Erin Van Tol followed all of USF Love Your Melon’s social media accounts last year. When she saw that they were looking for new members, she was quick to hop on board and was excited to be a part of a worthy organization. Pictured: Erin Van Tol, Carly Johnson, Kallie Vrovold, Keisha Sarpong, Camille Pepper surprised Kallie with with new LYM hats 14 | COLLEGE MONTHLY
Recently, USF Love Your Melon partnered with Augustana’s Love Your Melon crew and held an event at the annual rivalry football game. “We are trying to put on as many events as we can right now to raise awareness,” says Van Tol, “We had hats for sale at the football game, which was awesome, and we were completely sold out before the game even began.” Students will have more chances to purchase Love Your Melon hats on or around campus, as the members are working on plans to host more events in the future. Of course, students can also buy hats or other Love Your Melon apparel online at any time. While students are welcome to volunteer at these future events, there are additional ways to become involved. Both Sarpong and Van Tol suggest following USF Love Your Melon on their social media sites and “liking” or “retweeting” posts to spread awareness. Students can help this cause by purchasing Love Your Melon hats as Christmas gifts for friends and families. Many options are available, and Love Your Melon released 30 new products for their Winter Beanie Release on November 30th, their largest release yet! Sarpong asks that when students make a purchase, that they select the University of Sioux Falls Love Your Melon crew during checkout to help our campus become more active with this organization. While it may warm your heart to hear about such a wonderful cause, just reading this article won’t keep your head warm when the snow starts to fly! Pick out the perfect hat for yourself or one a family member would love and become involved with an organization that helps children and their families through this battle. What’s better than owning such a stylish piece of apparel and giving a gift that keeps on giving?
@usflymcrew
Pictured: Kayla Crane sporting a LYM beanie
@USFLYMCrew
University of Sioux Falls Campus Crew
- www.loveyourmelon.com DECEMBER 2015 | 15