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TABLE OF CONTENTS GALLERY 3-Dimensional............................................................. 2-7 Photography, Mixed Media, Printmaking.......... 26-39 Painting, Design, Drawing.................................... 52-63

YEAR IN REVIEW Quigley Hall................................................................. 8-9 John Wacker............................................................ 10-11 ICE House................................................................ 12-13 Western Ski Team................................................... 14-15 School of Business................................................. 40-41 Awkward Fiction..................................................... 42-43 Mountain Sports..................................................... 44-45 Celebration of Scholarships................................. 46-47

POETRY Telamon.......................................................................... 16 The Box in the Attic...................................................... 17 The Sky Beyond Carcosa............................................ 18 Earth Weavings............................................................. 19 Zombie........................................................................... 20 Waking Dreams............................................................ 21

FICTION The Priest................................................................. 22-23 After the End........................................................... 24-25

NON-FICTION Vinotok..................................................................... 48-51

Note From the Editors Readers,

Our university represents a large number of truly talented writers and artists from across the globe. Within a year there have been a variety of changes that have shaped the face of Western in exciting new ways. We are keen to share the creativity and developments that encompassed this year. This is our second year as

editors; however, it will be our last. Weâ€™ve enjoyed the opportunity to have a hand in sharing the creative minds of Westernâ€™s students and dipping our toes into the realm of editing and publishing. Weâ€™d like to thank Terri Murphy for her guidance, Mark Todd for his encouragement, the designers for their amazing

talent, and all of the writers and artists who submitted their work to create this accumulation of imagination. Sincerely, Editors of Pathfinder: Rebecca Bishop Becca Lubang Kandra Volentine

GALLERY

Hannah McKee Straight path Leap of Faith Jewelry

Holly Rios Coptic 13”x4” 4” Book Binding

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2014-2015

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Ashley Plunkett Cicada 7”x4” Metal, Rock, Glue

GALLERY

Raeshell Tucker Necklace “Viper” Copper, Brass, Jade

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Pablo Payan Comes From The Heart 25”x22” Metal, Wire, Nylon.

Amy Davis Collectivism 5”x7” Porcelain

Holly Rios Domicile 12”x16” Dawing, Book

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GALLERY

Jeffery Erwin Emergence 21”x19”x14” Ceramics 6

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Ashley Plunkett Dragonfly 3”x5” Rock, Copper Wire, Mica

Hannah McKee Pathway 1”x1/2” Silver

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Madison Manning Awake 24”x36” Cut Paper

YEAR IN REVIEW

Quigley Hall to Receive Much-Needed Overhaul by Kevin Noreen

estern State Colorado University received almost $26 million in surplus funding from the State of Colorado in 2014 for the renovation of Quigley Hall. Due to an accelerated schedule, the project is slated for completion in a total timeframe of two years, rather than the four originally anticipated. On September 12, 2014, Western’s president, Dr. Gregory Salsbury, announced to faculty and staff via email that the Capital Development Committee of Colorado had approved the request for $25,779,853. Earlier in the year the funding had been put on hold, but extra revenue generated from sales tax in Colorado made it possible for the state to fund additional capital gains projects. Associate Vice President of Finance and Administration, Julie Feier, was instrumental in getting the project off the ground. She said that Western receives most of its funding from the state through stipulations made each year in a document known as the Long Bill. Obtaining funding from the state involves a considerable process and takes a lot of time. After funds for the project were not obtained last year, the proposal for Quigley was resubmitted, along with a separate proposal for another project. “This year we actually put in for two projects, because my attitude was, if it’s going to take us this long, I’m going to develop the program plan for the library and get that project in the queue,” Feier said. When the funds for Quigley went through as a result of the unexpected funds, the Savage Library proposal automatically moved up in the order of priority. At the end of September, Feier stated that the Savage proposal was somewhere around eleventh on the list. The initial program plan for the Quigley project was first created in 2007, so the money has been a long time coming for many on campus, especially those in the Music and Art Departments, which are both housed in Quigley Hall. The structure was originally built in 1967 and has been in need of extensive repairs for years. “For being the Art Department, it’s one of the ugliest 8

buildings on campus,” senior Art student Jeff Erwin said. Aesthetics aren’t the only concern, however. “Last spring after a heavy rain, I was weighing out minerals for a batch of glaze, when a ceiling panel fell, only a matter of feet from me,” he added. Erwin indicated that health and safety issues, including ventilation concerns, are a big part of why the funding was so badly needed. Feier echoed this sentiment by saying that the building appears to be in better shape than it actually is. “I always tout what a great job the facilities people do,” she said. “The problem is what’s behind the walls, what everyone else can’t see.” Feier said heating and plumbing systems need to be updated for comfort and safety. “I want the asbestos out of there. I want everyone working in a safe environment; I want the students in a safe environment,” she added. Asbestos abatement will begin as early as May 2015, and demolition is scheduled to begin in August. A ten-member committee will be involved in the entire project from start to finish, including both an Art and a Music student. Projects on campus typically have a student representative, but Feier explained the need for two representatives for the Quigley project so as to reach both departments. Natalie Kuenzi is the Art student on the committee. “I am most excited for the students and the faculty who will be able to learn, create, and grow in a healthy building,” Kuenzi said via email. “I will always have a soft spot for the good ol’ Quigley I’ve worked in for the past four years, but it is so, so exciting that the Art and Music Departments will have a building that is fully functional and reflects the high level of work and talent here.” The construction plan is designed as a gut rehab—in other words the only elements of the original building preserved will be the brick walls and the roof structure. During construction, equipment and classrooms located in Quigley will be relocated to Escalante Hall with additional overflow to residence halls as necessary. T his article originally appeared in

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TOP O’ THE WORLD newspaper.

WWW.WESTERN.EDU/PATHFINDER Design, layout and photos by Mikaylla Brown

2014-2015

YEAR IN REVIEW

John Wacker | The Heart and Soul of MusiC 10

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by Corinne Reid

PhotobyNathanBilow

“DR. WACKER LIVED WITH PASSION.” - OLSEN Concerts are meant to be full of raw emotion, and music is made to express the deepest thoughts of the soul. Saturday night during Homecoming weekend 2014, a tribute concert was held in remembrance of Music professor John Wacker. A well-known figure on campus, Dr. Wacker taught students to feel the rhythm to create beauty. Students and faculty alike admired his love for life and music. “Dr. Wacker lived with passion,” said Lily Olsen, a former student of the late professor. Wacker was the director of bands and taught at Western from 2005 to 2014. He also served as the Chair of the Music Department for three years. He passed away in a tragic car accident on May 11, 2014, one day after graduation. Wacker was fifty - five years old and is survived by his wife and two children. The tribute concert was put on by the Music Department to honor him and his impact on the Western and Gunnison communities.

The concert was composed of five musical groups from Western. The Steel Band opened the concert in the lobby of Quigley Hall, and after they had completed their set the Chamber Orchestra took the stage in the recital hall. Chamber Singers performed next before leading people out into the lobby for the High Altitude Dixieland Jazz Band. The concert closed in the band room with Varsity Band. The intention was for the audience to feel a rollercoaster of emotions from performance to performance, which was the reason behind the non-traditional performance flow. People who knew Wacker spoke highly of his passion and love for the art of music. His favorite instrument was the trumpet, which was mentioned at the concert. To honor him, Varsity Band played Wacker’s favorite tune, with one of his students playing the solo that was traditionally saved for the professor himself. This moment was the most touching of the concert due to the raw emotion that was

exposed and shared by everyone attending, and the tribute was clear. The Chamber Singers sang “And So It Goes,” which ended with: “and so it goes, and so it goes, and you’re the only one who knows”—a reference to the passion for music and the love story that entangles artists with their work. High Altitude Dixieland Jazz Band also played a song named “Blues for JW,” which they pointed out was specifically composed for Dr. Wacker. Western pride goes beyond the classroom, and at this event the community reached out to support and remember an amazing person. The legacy that was left behind was the most impactful element of the night. Passion for life, love, laughter, and music filled the halls. People say that Quigley Hall feels different this year, because the laughter and joyous trumpeting is eerily quiet. Yet, the Music Department carries on strong—with faculty determined to help students succeed by supporting them through this tragedy, ensuring that Dr. Wacker’s legacy will live on. This article originally appeared in TOP O’ THE WORLD newspaper.

Photo by Nathan Bilow

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Photo Courtesy of the Wacker Family

2014-2015

Design & Layout by Anna Boyle

YEAR IN REVIEW

Campus Initiative Connects People Around The Valley to Generate Ideas and Involvment by Corinne Reid

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businesses, nonprofits, and everything in between,” Greene nnovation. Creativity. Entrepreneurship. These words continued. “It’s a template for change and it’s experimental.” describe the tools people use to change the world. They The members of ICE made it clear that failing is a part of also happen to make up the name of a new project on the process, as well as rejection—along with learning how to campus, the ICE Project. Chris Greene, a business profesdeal with both. Several of the student leaders were happy to sor at Western, is sponsoring the movement, and several student share their thoughts about ICE. leaders are contributing ideas. “Empowering people excites them to be able to do what Eventually, ICE plans to have an ‘ICEhouse’ on campus that they want to do,” said Greg Graff, a business major in his will function as a place of connection for junior year. students of different majors, community “We are in the process of getting apparel members, as well as faculty. Those involved and ways to market that we exist. ICE is open in the initiative envision the location as a to everyone, and we want everyone to feel coffee shop with beer on tap, with other welcome,” added Justin Hebert, another junior space to allow creative juices to flow. business major. The program isn’t just for business Currently, the project is looking for a home majors, either. Its focus is on inspiring, conon campus, but due to other renovations and necting, and empowering people to make a improvements to facilities, ICE will have to wait. change. “We are working hard towards having a “If you see a problem, you can do collaborative space for campus to come togethsomething about it,” Greene said about the er. The old Escalante Fitness Center could be project. “It’s rare to see someone that wants the perfect place,” Greene said. “We’ve gained to make a change that also knows all of the some community support on the idea and it steps necessary to make an impact, as well could work well and end up being a marketing as how to complete those steps...and that’s Chris Greene, ICE Project Director point for the valley.” where ICE comes in.” In April 2014, the Escalante Fitness Center Typical events that could be held at the was used as the location for the first-ever ICEfest. However, ICEhouse include weekly coffee meet-ups for discussion, TED May 2016 would be the soonest that the ICE Project could be Talk Tuesdays, able to start working in the Escalante space, but the program and several events throughout the year such as ‘ICEfest’ or certainly hopes to make an impact on the campus and the innovation challenges during prospective student preview days. community with other upcoming developments. Rob Wright, an involved Western alumnus and Foundation “Next fall, hopefully some curriculum changes will occur, board member, donated to the cause and to the startup funds allowing students to gain an ICE degree, or WILD (Western for the organization. Innovation Leadership and Development) certificate,” “ICE is not just a Western program, it’s for the community Greene said. of Gunnison and Crested Butte. We want to connect people,” Greene said. “The program will call its members ‘MountainThis article originally appeared in TOP O’ THE WORLD newspaper. Makers.’ MountainMakers are people that make music, skis, crafts, web codes, and much more. MountainMakers make

“

ICE is not just a Western program, it’s for the community of Gunnison and Crested Butte.

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”

Design & Layout by Brenda Suarez

2014-2015

YEAR IN REVIEW

estern State used to compete regularly in NCAA skiing for Nordic and alpine events, which were both major attractions to the college; it just seemed to make sense here in the mountains to have a ski team. Then, in 2008 the program came to an abrupt halt — a sore spot ever since for the Gunnison community and alumni alike. In January, a new version of the ski team competed in their first event in Winter Park. “Team Western has done well for our first race,” racer Shelbie Ralston said via

email after the event. “We do need improvement, but the way everyone has been practicing there will be a strong future for the Western Alpine Team.” Although not an NCAA team, the alpine racing team will compete in United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) events under the umbrella of the Mountain Sports Program, which has already had Nordic athletes for several years. “My first competition was good,” Ralston continued. “Although I may not be where I want to be, it was only the first race of the season.”

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She has been racing since she was sixyears-old and was attracted to the team so she could continue her passion. For the first year back as a ski team the club sport consists of eight to nine members, all women. They have competed in Slalom and Giant Slalom. Downhill and Super G—both considered speed events— are not part of collegiate-level skiing at the club level, nor the NCAA. Obviously, there is a lot of skiing to be had in the valley surrounding Western State Colorado University’s campus, and there always has been. But many people

Photo by Carley Clegg

program originally seemed to lose traction at the administrative level from 2008-2014, there was never a shortage of enthusiasm from elsewhere. “In my mind, that’s neither here nor there now. Let’s just move forward and see what we can do,” Wiens said. He cited a change in leadership with both President Greg Salsbury and Athletic Director Jason Carmichael as a major reason why the program was able to get off the ground again. Racing in the USCSA circuit at the club level is a potential stepping-stone to what many hope will one day again become a fullfledged NCAA program. “I’m excited to see that Western has taken the initiative to come back to skiing,” said alumnus and former Western NCAA alpine racer Bo Maciejko. He said that there is probably a “long road ahead” that would require collaborative efforts between the school and alumni in order to get back to the NCAA level, but he hopes that this is a start. “I think that’s a step in the right direction. I think that the USCSA club division is going to be really good for Western. I’m excited to see how they do as far as competing this winter,” Maciejko said.

Photo by Carley Clegg

During 2005-2008—the time that Maciejko competed on the ski team here— there were around thirty athletes between alpine and Nordic events combined. “I hope the Western alpine team in the future will eventually reach the potential of being an NCAA team once again,” Ralston said. “The USCSA is good for now, and maybe it’s good forever,” Wiens said, “but there are definitely some folks out there, alumni in particular, that have a history with our ski team. They want to see us back in the NCAA. I can understand that.” This article originally appeared in TOP O’ THE WORLD newspaper.

Design & Layout by Stephen Naegele

Photo by Carley Clegg

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are not aware just how much of a role ski racing at Western has played over the years. Western’s ski team goes back as far as the 1946-1947 academic year when two 10th Mountain Division veterans launched the program. According to an article by History professor Duane Vandenbusche that appeared in the Colorado Central magazine in 2012, the team first trained at the local Pioneer Ski Area — home to the state’s first-ever chairlift. Later, in 1949, athletic director Paul Wright was instrumental in getting the NCAA to adopt skiing as a sanctioned collegiate sport. Western was at the forefront of college ski racing, making the loss of the program all the more poignant. Since those early days of skiing at Western, a number of skiers have gone on to be Olympians and NCAA champions. More recently, Sasha Rearick coached the U.S. Olympic Men’s Alpine Ski Team at the 2014 Olympics Games in Sochi. Rearick graduated from Western in 1999. So why has the ski team come back now, of all times? According to Dave Wiens, Director of Mountain Sports, the timing just seems right. “Alpine Ski Racing right now — it’s a pretty amazing time,” Wiens said. “Americans are right up there with the Austrians. They’re just doing really well.” National and international interest, coupled with support at the local level, including a personal donation of $5000 from Vandenbusche, have meant a big leg up for the long-awaited reintroduction of the team this season. Although the

Photo by Carley Clegg

2014-2015

Photo by Carmen Smith

POETRY & FICTION

POETRY

Selected Poets

TELAMON Time is now incomprehensible Nonexistent is mercy for mistakes Perpetual struggle, punishment for battle Various pressures and strains, source the anxiety The excruciating pain builds between the sculpted blades Numbed by an unbearable ache, external, internal, agony eternal Multi-dimensional tension is unreservedly strung throughout the axis The mind vanishes, omitting notions of pleasure, desperate for the boltâ€™s relief Heavens shriek, Love once enduring, cries its concluding call, mortal essence dissolves. Atlas finally falls.

MADISON MANNING

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BOX IN THE ATTIC I walk up the creaking stairs, dust filling my lungs. There are wardrobes and trunks, and pictures of dead guys, their eyes follow my every move. A box catches my baby toe, arousing my curiosity. The box is old, but it comes alive in my hands, begging to be opened. Cold air burns my eyes, revealing a hunting jacket and a handgun. I know there is a secret here, one that I am not supposed to know. The box is evil. Filled to the tipping point of sin. A photograph of a couple of young killers smiling runs chills down my back. They are happy, laughing with no remorse for what they’ve done.

The boy is long gone, shot between the shoulder blades, in a dark empty lot, somewhere in Virginia. His dark curls matted with dirt. The gun is rusty, I feel its power as I hold it against my heart, calling me to his unfinished business. Don’t tell my grandmother… but he likes me. Tells me I’m beautiful, he says he’ll show me how to use the gun.

MASON BRAINARD

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Old wives’ tales creep into my memory, they are why my grandmother could not go out at night when she was young.

POETRY & FICTION

THE SKY BEYOND The time came when my journeys surrendered me to Carcosa. That timeless city, where black stars gleamed above nightshade meadows, and fragrant flowers bled their sickening sweet pulp until it dripped down to form the Lake of Hali below. That sobering city, where twin moons flanked folding reflections as their shapes rippled across Haliâ€™s surface, until the skyline collapsed inward into the cosmic dusk. For some time I was sure I must be trapped there, in that city that never wakes, whose jagged towers pointed like frail fingers up toward Hyades and across forgotten galaxies.

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JAZZ POOL

I lost part of myself there, in Carcosa, where the shadows lengthened into days, and the sultry air turned every living thing into stone.

EARTH WEAVINGS

Sends a flint spark of light Across the sky Balls of white heat Free energy flowing through The heavy hanging Humidity clouds Des Moines heat lightning Waves of petrified sand Sifted high By the long forgotten Yet omnipresent Winds of time

Red sandstone dust Encrusts rusted pickup truck bumper; The slough off of Frozen blocks of the desert. While in Colorado Circular swaths of yellow aspens Stand as Gold doubloons On the hillside South West by North East In Gunnison rivers sink And snow flies In Vermont leaves fall And barns rise South West by North East

Nebraska Contours

2014-2015

SAMUEL LESNIKOSKI

Scraggly green grasses and yellow sage tips Brush in wind A rustle in the understory In the wake of prairie dog

In Santa Fe Red racer two feet long Lies on the side of the house In mound of dead dry leaves And shakes its tail RATTLING A sonic chameleon

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A psychedelic symphony of sonic sight A cacophony of luminous crashes Yet no sound Friction of humidity And jagged clouds

POETRY & FICTION

ZOMBIE She thrust her fist through the Earth. Departed no more, she is an entity at once lost to the grave, now animated through creation. Mortality reaped by vitality. She crawls across the dew-dripped grass. A being of demise recently deceased, yet pulsating palpably. Life after afterlife.

She moans vigorously. A monster in the night. Lost between the living and the dead.

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DONIELLE CARR

She shambles upon a wrought-iron archway. The end begins a new existence, fatality a fleeting moment. Quietus deafened by quintessence.

WAKING DREAMS And in the dark, there was a light that cast an apparition. Intertwining umbrage creates an inkblot of the night, As it clung to the sky, I crossed its path. It being the barrier that existed within my own state of mind, And if that is the case... Then maybe I could, despite trepidation, Break this barrier. Explore the other side and come out alive. Saying alive is too say awake, As in lifting your lids from a slumber so deep, That the fog dissipates, Allowing you to take breath And realize that you create your world. Expand your consciousness, and in it, your reality.

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DONIELLE CARR

DESIGN & LAYOUT BY ADAM SINDA

2014-2015

FICTION

The

Priest

by Tyler Brant

“Intricate hieroglyphs and pictographs ran on down the walls, seemingly as vivid as the day they were painted.”

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“Tell me, Major, are you frightened of what we may find today?” I said. I set aside the file I had been using on my nails and turned to the pudgy man beside me. He shifted in his seat a little and chuckled. “I fought the Boers in the South of Africa. I’ve shot rebels in East India, and I led Her Majesty’s men through the trenches in France only six years ago. I’ve seen plenty of bodies, and today I may see one more. Mummified or not, that’s all it will be,” he said. “That’s quite a confident attitude.” “You’ve seen a lot of life by my age. I should doubt that there’s anything left in this world to surprise me.” I couldn’t keep a brief smile from crossing my face. The Major pulled a glass flask from inside his guayabera and took a deep swig. He proffered the thing in my direction, but I waved it away. I squinted into the hills beyond our campsite

workers brought torches and lanterns from the camp, and they banished the blackness of the hall as they entered. Intricate hieroglyphs and pictographs ran on down the walls, seemingly as vivid as the day they were painted. I only looked them over briefly. “These say that we’re in the tomb of a priest of Osiris,” I said. “Incredible! You can read this mess that easily?” “Certainly, Major. That is what you hired me for.” We followed the passage to its end, where another stone slab blocked our progression. Our young workers took their pry bars to it, and it soon lay at our feet. A large chamber loomed before us. We stepped into the room and brought light to it for the first time in three thousand years. An enormous sarcophagus lay at the center of the room. The workers began trying to lift away its heavy stone lid, with the

Major standing over them. The walls were even more ornately decorated than the ones in the hall had been. Along the back wall a graphic portrait of the priest looked out at the room, his arms crossed over his chest. I stepped up to it. An echoing boom signaled the removal of the sarcophagus lid behind me. I turned to face the Major. “Well, if that isn’t the damndest thing!” said the Major. He took a sip from his flask. He looked up at me. The flask shattered as it hit the floor. With a yell, the Major and the workers fled the room. I sauntered up to the sarcophagus. Only dust lay in it. I leaned against it and looked again at the painting. Of course, I recognized my own face staring back at me. I glanced down to the hands and smiled. The fingernails were perfect. Osiris had been good to me.

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and saw our crew hard at work. Boys and young men carried Egyptian sand like ants from an anthill. A stone structure was slowly taking form from beneath the waste. Watching them made me happy to be in the shade. An hour later, I had returned to filing my nails. They were nearly perfect. My counterpart had dozed off and was snoring gently. We both jumped when a bronze-skinned kid ran up and shouted at us in Arabic. The Major screwed his eyebrows up in puzzlement, but the words were perfectly clear to me. “They’ve found the entrance and are preparing to open it,” I said. We followed the boy over the hot, cracked ground to the excavation site. Sure enough, several sweating men had metal bars and were working to pry away a sandstone panel on the uncovered structure. There was a loud crack, and pieces of the slab fell away, revealing a dark passageway. Several of the

Design and Layout by Mikaylla Brown

2014-2015

FICTION

by Sarah Benson

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he crawled between the two overgrown hedges, holding the fraying straps of her backpack firmly against her shoulders while the rough twigs pulled back, catching stray threads with their unkempt fingers. With a final tug, she pulled herself free from the undergrowth tunnel, and stretched into the shade of the underpass. The hardy plants had grown around it, broken through crumbling concrete, took water from the dust, and turned the light beneath the underpass a delicate, warm green. The cool air welled up from the ground itself—from asphalt that never saw the sun. She gingerly pulled her pack off and dropped it into her hands, rolling her shoulders back and forth, slowly, painfully, trying to unknot the twanging muscles. This place felt like home, if anything could anymore. She ran her calloused fingers against the pylons, feeling the stony surface and the occasional ridge of rebar, winding her way between the pillars. She’d ripped the doors off of old cars and propped them on dead branches and animal bones between the concrete towers. Her mother told her once that the smell of death and gasoline would keep anything away. She collapsed down into her makeshift nest of thin, torn blankets and let the cool seep up from the ground into her flushed limbs. The canned food she had raided from the houses that day could wait until she was rested. She curled her arm protectively around her backpack in the shade of the underpass. *** She dreamt of her mother. She often did. It was part of the reason she left the old house. She thought it must have memories in the walls, going back generations through her family. She thought that if she left, the dreams would stop. They didn’t. But even so, the house was cavernous when she was the only one in it. The wind shook the walls and the rafters, and they creaked, which spooked her. In her dream, her mother spoke in the voice of the wind and the walls, from the kitchen downstairs, ever so softly, just on the edge of hearing. In her dream, she would creep down the long wooden stairs as they groaned beneath her weight, until she could finally hear her mother whisper Amelia. It was the only time she ever heard her name anymore. *** Amelia woke with a start just before sunset. She stretched her arms up over her head, accidentally knocking her backpack onto the ground. The canned foods rolled into the dust. Struggling to wake herself up enough to gather the cans, she set them next to her. She dug into the pockets of her pack until she came up with a small hammer and an old nail, and pried the lids off. The sharp, metallic scent of aluminum sprang from the punctured metal. Amelia’s mother always wrinkled her nose at it. She said that each year it seemed that the smell got worse, and she missed eating food that didn’t taste of can. Amelia couldn’t even imagine—for her, it was a spice. It was a can of peaches. She stuck her hands in and sucked the little orange slices off her fingers. Thick syrup dribbled down her wrists, and she licked it off. It was so sweet, sweeter

than anything she had ever eaten before. Once, her mother had promised her that she would have a cake for her birthday. It would be hard work, finding flour without worms, and butter that wasn’t yet rancid. But it would be worth it, her mother had said, clapping her on the back, so my daughter can have cake on her birthday. Her mother never did make her a cake that year. But the peaches were still delicious. Amelia hoisted herself up and slung her pack over her shoulder. It stayed temperate in her little vegetative cave, but she could tell the air outside had finally started to cool. She could go out again. She didn’t really need more food, but a whole night wasted on her own plagued her. Amelia and her mother used to have fire nights. They’d build a fire in the fireplace at the old house and roast marshmallows, if they could find them, and talk. They wouldn’t go out scavenging that night; they’d just rest and eat around a fire they didn’t need. Her mother said she used to do something similar with Amelia’s grandmother, but in the woods. It sounded nice. *** Amelia walked down all the cracked streets her mother took her to as a child. She let herself into all the abandoned houses and rifled through the cupboards, picking up cans here and there, sometimes bags of dried foods. She even found a plastic bottle – it was empty, but she collected it anyway. As her mother always said, you can never have too much plastic. Anything to catch the rainwater, right, darlin’? It hardly ever rained. The sky was as clear as a window in a shopping mall. Her mother said that, a long time ago, and Amelia picked it up and repeated it. It was something you said. And why you always needed more plastic. Amelia kicked at the cracking, dry earth with the toe of her boot. She walked along the curb of the street, kicking up dust like a kid, like her mother always told her not to do. It gets everywhere, and then we have to figure a way to wash your clothes for no good reason. And wouldn’t you rather be drinking that water? Amelia sometimes ignored her mother and did it anyway, like a kid would. But now she wasn’t like a kid anymore, so she stopped. She walked up to the big ditch at the end of the road, the one that her mother had said was a construction site. When she looked down the steep hill of piled up dirt, she knew she wouldn’t see anything. She had been torn apart by animals by now. Even the bones were scattered. Even the bones. But Amelia still looked down and listened closely for the quiet ghost of a voice in a dream. Sometimes on her birthday, Amelia wished she had been able to try cake, but more often, she wished that cake had never existed, that the idea of its sweetness could never have taken root, so that she could eat canned peaches on fire nights. Design & Layout by Stephen Naegele

2014-2015

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GALLERY

Caitlyn Stauffer Waters Of The Smoky Mountains Photography

David Maroney Body Photography

Taylor Ahearn La Sal Moonrise 6”x20” Photography

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Skyler Stanley Frames of Clouds Digital Photography

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Madison Manning Hermit Creek Photography

2014-2015

GALLERY

Skyler Stanley West Elk Sunrise Digital Photography

Taylor Ahearn Warren Falls 8”x12” Photography

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Robin Butler Memorial 16”x24” Photography

Bryan Clocker Little Zig Zag Falls Photography

2014-2015

GALLERY

Heather Troglia Untitled 5”x6” Film Photography

Kim Weincek Hiking Optical Illusion 8”x11” Digital Photography

Skyler Stanley Uncompahgre Storm Digital Photography

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Pablo Payan Creative Release 25”x22” Graphite, Watercolor

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Christine Belgarde Leapold 32”x24” Coffee

Nate Bard The Tower 17”x12” Chine-Collé Intaglio

2014-2015

GALLERY 32

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Natalie Kuenzi - Blue 3 - 30”x40” - Porcelain Clay Slip, Oil Paint, Graphite

GALLERY

Aissa Lea Perez Prosaic Motions 12”x8” Watercolor, Pen, Charcoal

Corbett E. Nelson Feeling Trapped? 11”x17” Mixed Media

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Holly Rios K 15”x22” Intaglio Print

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Vann Taylor Jungle Owl Woodcut Print

Heather McDonough The Little Dancer 12”x14” Linoleum Print

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Rob Cushman Rainbow Trout 9”x5” Intaglio Print, Watercolor

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Corbett E. Nelson Ontsnappen 18”x24” Light Transfer

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Ange Edwards Moss & Sill 15”x22” Lithographic Print

Thomas Berry Decalcify Your third eye 11”x14” Intaglio Print, Watercolor

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2014-2015

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Nate Bard Judgment 13”x18” Relief Print on Hand Marbled Rives

YEAR IN REVIEW

Photo courtesy of Harlaxton College

Photo by John McKeith

Western Enters Partnership with Harlaxton College in the U.K.

by Kevin Noreen

estern State’s School of Business isn’t even a year old yet, but it’s already helping make new deals happen. Beginning this year, Western entered into a partnership agreement with Harlaxton College in the county of Lincolnshire in England. The program will give students from Gunnison the opportunity to study abroad in several unique ways. Dr. Peter Sherman was hired earlier this fall to be the Dean of the new School of Business. Western has typically had departments, not individual schools, and this is now the first of its kind at the university. Given the popularity of the Business Major around the country, it’s not a big surprise that Western is seeking to bolster its own program. “Previously it was the Department of Business, Accounting and Economics, and now it’s the School of Business,” Sherman said. “The most obvious change is that there’s now a Dean,” he continued. However, he added that Dr. Kevin Nelson is still doing much the same thing he was doing as the Chair of the Department before the change, but now, in addition to being the Chair, Nelson is also the Associate Dean of the new school. “My role is much more external,” Sherman said. “If I were to summarize it in one thing, it’s just about opportunities, and creating the opportunities for our students.” Sherman hopes to provide more support and resources that relate to careers for students. One opportunity that has already materialized as a result of Sherman’s previous connections is this new partnership with Harlaxton College. The deal will be unique among Colorado institutions of higher education—in other words, no other 40

schools in the state will offer the same program with Harlaxton. Harlaxton College is unique in part because of its location in an old English manor house, which was built in 1837 and is currently owned and operated by the University of Evansville. The partnership with Western will be in collaboration with the University of Evansville, where Sherman held the position as Dean of their School of Business prior to coming to Western. He has visited the college in England numerous times, both as a participant in the courses, and as a visiting professor. Studying abroad at Harlaxton College will ultimately take three different educational forms. Perhaps the most interesting and broadly appealing option is a full semester study-abroad experience in the U.K. at the manor. For the full semester abroad, students would still be eligible for any financial aid they receive here, making it an affordable opportunity. “The tuition will be similar to what it would be going to Western,” Sherman said. He added that most students take around 12 credit hours and attend classes Monday through Thursday, giving them time to experience the surrounding area. The program will be open to all majors, and although the core subjects are tailored to individual areas of study, the semester course does include six credit hours of British Studies. Three of those credit hours would fulfill one of Western State’s Liberal Arts General Education requirements under Area I. Students may also study abroad during a 10-day course in May, which will be similar to some of the other “Maymester” programs Western has offered in the past. During their stay, students in this program would be involved with intensive coursework, focused in contemporary European business.

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Photo by Greg Smith

The in-country experience would also involve field trips to nearby areas of interest, including Nottingham. The third option available to students will be a summer program, beginning with a “Tourism in Europe” course, taught by the Associate Dean of Western’s School of Business. The Maymester and summer programs for 2015 will kick off the new partnership. These three options are an initial foray into some of the types of opportunities that the new School of Business may open up for Western Students. Sherman stressed that the partnership is between the university as a whole, and not just the new school. The Dean seems to have his ambitions set high for the future as well, saying that part of what he hopes to do is “to increase salaries, placement rates, [and] the types of opportunities, and a lot of that involves bringing employers to campus.” As part of that effort, he mentioned that he would like to have more potential employers visit campus to meet with students, to talk and give presentations. In the past, there really has not been much of an emphasis on this kind of outreach, which

Photo courtesy of Harlaxton College

means that Sherman has been taking a very hands-on approach so far. “To give you an example, there was a career fair for business students in Denver, and so I drove the students down there,” he said. To some, it might seem unusual that the Dean himself would step into such a role. Then again, the willingness to do whatever needs to be done may just be something that Sherman picked up while studying or teaching abroad himself. “I think a lot of students maybe haven’t given much thought to what opportunities [for studying abroad] might be out there because there just haven’t been what I would call standardized programs where it’s easy to,” Sherman said. “In terms of just why should we internationalize—it changes people. It transforms them in a positive way in terms of their self-efficacy, in the way they view just doing things here in the U.S.,” he continued, adding that it is also appealing to potential employers. “When I was teaching, I could actually walk into a room and almost pick out the people who had studied abroad. They just carried themselves in a different way.” Sherman said that things don’t always

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go perfectly when studying abroad, but that is part of what makes it a valuable experience—learning how to get out of jams and figuring things out. He also said that one of the best times to go abroad is as a student, before other things stand in the way. “You learn so much more about what’s happening in the world when you go to one of these countries, and what I have found is that, both for myself and with students, when you go to Brazil, or England, or China, that suddenly you find yourself watching the news and paying attention to those things that maybe you didn’t really even care about before. It heightens your interest as a lifetime learner, and so I think this is just the opportune time to go.” For more information about Western’s new School of Business, go to western.edu/academics/undergraduate/ business-school, or email psherman@western.edu. T his article originally appeared in

TOP O’ THE WORLD newspaper.

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Photo by John McKeith

Photo courtesy of Harlaxton College

Design & Layout by Brenda Suarez

YEAR IN REVIEW

AwkwardFiction Keeps Audience in Stitches By Morgan Davis

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If you’re in need of a good laugh, watching Awkward Fiction perform will do the trick. This campus group, spearheaded by Cole Wadsworth, who graduated in December 2014, performs roughly twice a semester. At their show on October 28, 2014, eleven actors participated in a variety of activities, including videos, games, and random improvisation. Creating a highly interactive environment for the audience, the master of ceremonies, Carter Cain, encouraged audience members to participate and used their ideas to guide the show. Wadsworth explained that Awkward Fiction is a great escape from reality for both the actors and the crowd. “It’s relaxing, stimulating, and a morale booster all at the same time,” he said. Some of the highlights of their show consisted of the Dating Game, Real Estate Agent, and Lines. During the Dating Game, a couple from the audience had to answer questions about their first date,

and from there the actors performed an exaggerated version of the couple’s first date. After, the troupe demonstrated Real Estate Agent, where the audience members would choose a random location, an actor from Awkward Fiction, and a volunteer. The chosen actor then became a real estate agent and tried to sell a property in Utah to the volunteer while the other performers acted within the scene. Then, as a wrap up, the group depicted lines that the crowd wrote down before the show using random scenes. This student-led group started in 2011 and has only grown since then. The assembly is actually not considered a club, but practices several times a week and demonstrates their skill during shows. The performers range from choir singers to football players, ultimately creating a diverse and entertaining sense of humor. Awkward Fiction primarily focuses on improvisation, which is basically acting

without preparation. Almost everything seen at their shows is original and off-thecuff acting. Performers show their improvisational skills through props, different scenes to perform, and people to act out. According to Wadsworth, it’s something people do all the time anyway. “Improv is easy,” Wadsworth said. “Every conversation you have is improv. To be good enough for a performance, however, you have to be brave.” The show relies on both audience members, and the actors’ creativity for a great show. To be successful, the actors must be able to not only make up one funny line, but also create a humor-filled environment throughout the show. Fb AwkFIC. T his article originally appeared in

TOP O’ THE WORLD newspaper. Photos by Bradley Archer Design, Layout & Illustration by Kim Weincek

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“The performers range from choir singers to football players, ultimately creating a diverse and entertaining sense of humor.”

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YEAR IN REVIEW

U S C S A N AT I O N A L S

MOUNT BACHELOR/BEND,OREGON

w riting and p hotos b y ta y lor ahearn / p reston ho f f man design and la y out b y ta y lor ahearn

Western’s Mountain Sport’s team traveled to

Bend, Oregon, for the USCSA Nationals competition in March. Western competed in freestyle ski and snowboard events, and Nordic ski events.

Tuesday, the first day of

competition at Nationals consisted of a rail jam for the ski and snowboard freestyle team, and a 7.5k classic ski for the Nordic team. It was a warm and sunny day at Mount Bachelor and the conditions were great. The rail jam consisted of three different lines of boxes and rails. Judges wanted the riders to change up their lines and to use all of the features available. Western had both men and women riders make it to finals, and everyone competed at the top of their game. Overall, the women’s snowboard team got fourth, men’s skier got third place, and men’s snowboard got second place.

With the 7.5k classic not being a typical race that the Nordic team competes in, it was a new experience for the crew and was a great way to kick off the week of competition for the team. Racing through mossy-coated forests provided a series of challenging uphills that the team had to overcome, but the team’s stoke level stayed high and they were happy to race in new territory.

Wednesday was slope style,

which consisted of either a rail or a box, into a two-jump line, followed by a rail, a pole jam, and ending with a wall ride. Everyone competed well and we had a bunch of W’s in the finals. Micaela Lambeth in fourth place, and Grady Shoop finished in third place in the slopestyle comp. The Nordic team broke out the wax and iron early Wednesday morning to prepare themselves for the Freestyle race. The short race tested the team on endurance as each competitor full out sprinted the short lap.

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Samantha Maddox held down the fastest time for the women on the team finishing a respectable 19th place out of all 41 competitors. Although it may not have been exactly what she wanted, she gave it her all and was a perfect example of a Mountain Sports athlete that refuses to quit.

L e a r n i n g E l e vat e d . C o m p e t i t i o n E l e vat e d

Final Results were strong for Saturday, Western athletes capped

Friday was a board and ski cross day

Grady Shoop completed with the fastest time for the team finishing 18th out of all 40 snowboarders.The Nordic team’s last race was an awesome three-person, three-lap relay race. The women’s team finished strong in fourth place overall. It was hard to beat a fun Nordic race in the 60-degree sunny weather in Oregon.

boarder and ski cross. The race consisted of a single rider qualification, followed by heats of four depending on qualifying times. No one from the team made it to finals, but everyone gave it their best.

for the women, and the men’s freestyle team spent the day in the big park at Bachelor filming and progressing tricks.

The Nordic team competed in a 7.5k race, where each skier had to make two big laps and two smaller laps before finishing the race completely. This race was a mixture of endurance and pacing each lap out. Instead of doing intervals starts, like the team had been doing the past two races, they all started off at the same time which made for a more exciting and challenging start.The race streamed in fans that scattered themselves along the course, giving each racer encouragement as they pounded through the lengthy race. Kevin Geisen lead the Western males in the 7.5k race placing 17th out of 44 competitors, and Bob Maddox lead the woman’s standings for Western placing 15th out of 40.

off the week with a warm bluebird day as their final day competing in Men’s and Woman’s Snowboard GS. Athletes race down the course weaving through colored gates, maintaing as much speed and control as possible.

Western Mountain Sports had an amazing week at Mount Bachelor in Bend, Oregon, and we took home some medals to prove it. Thanks to our sponsors, and to everyone that was able to come compete. To see more photos from the event, check out our website.

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Thursday, the men raced in

the Mountain Sports team. Micaela Lambeth finished in the top 10 for women’s freestyle snowboard. Dom Pucherelli and Morgan Hunter Haymans both finished in the top 10 for men’s freestyle sking. Ethan Field, Hunter Knoll, and Grady Shoop all placed in the top 10 for men’s freestyle snowboarding. Grady took home fourth place overall. The men’s snowboard team took third place over all. Good work, everybody.

YEAR IN REVIEW

Celebration of Scholarship â€œThe purpose of Celebration of Scholarship is to allow students the opportunity to exhibit their hard work and scholastic accomplishments within their chosen fields.â€? by Graham Ruhman

The First Steps of the Experiment: Injecting adult frogs to induce mating

To begin the experiment, adult frogs are injected with a hormone which induces mating so that embryos

Xenopus Laevis: African clawed frog A female frog is typically larger than the males.

can be used for the remainder of the experiment. Tissue samples from the embryos are used to extract RNA

The embryos from these adult frogs are used for

molecules which will then be analyzed using an RT-QPCR machine to determine gene expression. Hope-

the experiments we conduct since each adult

fully differences in gene expression between embryos from methoxychlor treated frogs and normal frogs will

mating produces many embryos which progress

provide evidence of the impact of endocrine disruptors on this species.

quickly through the early stages of development.

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Biography: Hello, my name is Graham Ruhmann, and I am currently in my fourth and final year at Western. I was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but moved to Colorado at the age of 11. I greatly enjoy being outside and have always been a fairly active person. Mountain biking has been a somewhat new hobby of mine, and racing for the Western team has given me the opportunity to see some really neat parts of the state. Throughout my collegiate career I have been fascinated with the fields of biology and chemistry. The challenges and applications of these fields led me to pursue a double major in cell biology and biochemistry. After graduating from Western I would like continue exploring these fields by entering a graduate program. Although I do not have clear career plans, teaching has been in the back of my mind as a career that would be both interesting and fulfilling.

Abstract Recent studies have raised concern about the effects of EDCs on many different species due to the ubiquitous nature of these compounds and the hormone mimicking action they have on organisms. Aquatic ecosystems are especially vulnerable to EDC exposure because many of these compounds are not water soluble, allowing the compounds to migrate in agricultural runoff and industrial waste. Methoxychlor (MXC) is an endocrine disruptor that was developed as a pesticide to replace DDT, and has been found in low concentrations in various waterways. Acting as an estrogenic and anti-androgenic compound in vertebrates, MXC can cause a cornucopia of deleterious effects. A particularly harmful effect of MXC involves epigenetic alterations to the genome of the organism exposed to MXC, which can subsequently alter the genome of the progeny of that organism. The group of genes called fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) is pivotal to the proper development of all

vertebrates, including Xenopus laevis, the model organism used in this study. Previous research that involved treating Xenopus laevis embryos with endocrine disruptors, including MXC, caused the froglets to have altered swimming behavior which could be linked to malformed neural circuits that rely upon proper migration and differentiation of neural crest-derived Rohon-Beard sensory neurons. For this study, the regulation of the FGF-2 gene in Xenopus laevis embryos will be quantified using the RT-qPCR machine. Embryos from the adult mating pairs that have been treated with MXC will be used to observe FGF-2 gene regulation between the control and treatment groups. Examining the gene regulation effects of MXC on Xenopus laevis embryos could provide evidence for the developmental problems observed in previous studies, and provide insight into the effects of MXC on vertebrate development.

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Research I have been extremely lucky to be able to participate in undergraduate research throughout my years at Western through the Thornton Biology Research Program. The opportunity to work closely with professors and students further along in their academic careers will be an experience I cherish long after graduating from Western. All of the research I have been involved with revolves around examining the effects of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) on the model species Xenopus laevis (African clawed frog). This semester I am working with Dr. Cassandra Osborne and Dr. Shan Hays to examine the effects of a compound called methoxychlor on gene expression in Xenopus laevis. This article originally appeared in TOP Oâ€™ THE WORLD newspaper.

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To The Right: Undergraduate Research: a unique experience available at Western State Colorado University. Throughout my time at Western, I have had the opportunity to work with Dr. Osborne and other students on undergraduate research projects. The projects are funded by the Thornton Biological Undergraduate Research Program and supervised by faculty members. This form of research allows students to expand their knowledge of topics covered in classes, and provides the participants with great real-world experience.

Designed, illustrated, and photographs by Kim Weincek

PhotobySamMoore

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VINOTOK byananonymousauthor

CRESTED BUTTE, CO

NON-FICTION

aded fall colors cascaded from my bag the day I decided to turn it up. “Okay, so I bought a maxi-skirt at the Tobacconist and then a bunch of glitter and face paint at Walmart. Do we need anything else?” Becca looked at me with a huge grin on her face. “Yeah, here!” she handed me a can of Pabst, “drink up!” We spent the next two hours emptying beer cans into our mouths, paint tubes on our faces, and glitter packets into our hair in preparation for Crested Butte’s Vinotok celebration. *** I have attended Western since I was an innocent little freshman, but never have I truly partaken in the Vinotok celebrations, unlike so many of my fellow classmates. My freshman year I didn’t even know what Vinotok was, and so the weekend it was held passed by without a second thought from me. It wasn’t until the Monday after, when I finally paid attention, that I sort of understood what Vinotok was. In all of my classes I heard almost everyone talking about how much fun they had drinking or tripping up on Oh Be Joyful. What’s Oh Be Joyful? How do you even get there?

What were you tripping on? Vinotok is a pagan festival? There was a fire? What just happened this weekend? These thoughts raced through my mind and in the end I was determined to get to know Vinotok better next year, but that was just it… I had to wait a whole year to have my own experience while everyone was still raving about the one this year. I stuck through it and salivated at every mention of Vinotok I heard over the next year. I daydreamed about what my own experience would be like on Oh Be Joyful until that weekend came again. The next thing I knew the weekend of Vinotok was among the college kids again and I begged my boyfriend to take me. He was never particularly enthused about the whole pagan aspect of the festival and had never been to Vinotok himself, but he was down to have a little fun. I, however, was on the balls of my feet waiting to go. I always imagined Vinotok would be like my own personal experience of the witchcraft scenes in The Crucible. I just wanted to feel a sense of freedom in union with nature. I wanted to provoke the supernatural and get spirits to dance with me. I just wanted that one memory in college that

I could never forget, to look back on with a smile, but that memory wasn’t ready to be made just yet. When I went to Vinotok my sophomore year it did not coincide with my imagination of it, and I realized I was entirely unprepared for the Vinotok I really wanted. When I arrived up in CB with my boyfriend, Alex, everyone was dressed up and we weren’t. That was the first issue and there were many more to follow. Since Alex was driving he didn’t drink and so I didn’t either, but we did take edibles when all our friends took shrooms. Those edibles put me on my ass during the festival and while seeing the Trial and Burning of the Grump was awesome, I didn’t have the surge of energy I wanted. Instead, thanks to the Cheba Chew I had earlier, I just wanted to go to sleep. In fact, the whole idea of sleep was much more attainable than my witchcraft extravaganza because I had to work early in the morning the next day. So, after the Grump was put to sleep in his bed of fire, I shortly followed suit in my bed of cotton. The next morning I woke up in Gunnison, not Oh Be Joyful. My pagan night with nature ended before midnight and I

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“An aspen tree branch, and leaves were painted across my face, and my wavy hair was littered with glitter and topped off with a band of flowers.”

PhotobySamMoore

2014-2015

NON-FICTION

Photo by Matt Burt didn’t even dance. I was disappointed in my Vinotok attempt and left for work in a solemn silence. I racked my brain trying to understand why nothing went entertainingly right last night. I wondered how hard it was to just have a good time and why everyone around me seems to experience it with ease, and I realized that maybe I needed to recreate my entire environment before the next Vinotok. I was being honest with myself. I didn’t have fun last night with my boyfriend. I needed to let loose with friends instead of being extremely paranoid and self-conscious on weed with Alex. While Alex was a good guy, I just couldn’t be myself around him, and I definitely couldn’t be a true witch around him. I needed to be around someone on Vinotok who wanted to be a witch as bad as me, someone who would dance with me as we tried calling the spirits. I needed someone who could fully get into everything Vinotok was about, so I waited another year searching for my fellow witch. *** “I think you’re ready,” Becca said, smiling at me as I twirled around in my finished outfit. I was wearing a floor length turquoise skirt with an autumn orange jacket. An aspen tree branch, and leaves were painted across my face, and my wavy 50

hair was littered with glitter and topped off with a band of flowers. Becca’s outfit reflected my own in our makeshift pagan attire. We didn’t have the means to create an authentic pagan dress, but these were close enough and really all we needed. We looked at each other and our smiles lit up the devils in our eyes. “One more shot of liquid luck before we go?” Becca asked, already pouring a round. “Of course! Tonight we are witches!” I proposed as a cheer to our drink. Our glasses clinked together, slammed down on the table, and then the gin slid down our throats. Tonight I was finally prepared for Vinotok. We arrived in CB while the drum circles were still happening, so Becca and I immediately joined in the dancing. We flittered through the crowd following the beating music and running into friends. Every person I saw seemed to reflect in their eyes the same happiness I felt, and I was excited with Vinotok so far. Eventually, we met up with Alex and his friends and I went off with him before the Trial of the Grump. Alex and two other guys took me to where they had parked to give me the final ingredient for my night of witchcraft.

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This year it wasn’t a Cheba Chew, instead it was a hit of acid. I chewed the little piece of paper a bit under enthusiastically because it tasted bitter to me, but I still wanted it to make my night complete, so I swallowed. “Do you guys have any water?” I felt like the paper was stuck in my throat. “Did you swallow it already? It’s only been five minutes!” One of the guys said as Alex searched for some water. “Babe, you’re supposed to keep it in your mouth for a while because that’s how the acid gets to your bloodstream fastest.” Alex handed me a water bottle. “You guys should have told me earlier! You know this is my first drug!” I was a little upset, but I felt my hit would still work. The guys all mumbled something, maybe an apology, and we headed back to the festival. I wouldn’t let this small trip in my plans ruin my trip as a whole. We found Becca again right as everyone was gathering for the Trial. She knew where I’d gone and looked at me expectantly. The loud speakers boomed as the trial began, and all I could do was shrug. Throughout the trial everyone constantly checked to see if my trip had kicked in yet, but it hadn’t. I kept trying to fake myself into tripping, but couldn’t keep away the feeling of be-

My friends set up camp. I could hear and see other camps all over the mountain. Everyone was shouting and getting excited, but personally I wasn’t feeling too good. I think the acid was starting to work. We all went and sat around the fire drinking sake and rum, but no one let me have any on the account that it would fuck me up too much during my first trip. I didn’t mind at first because I thought it was sweet and I was really starting to feel nauseous anyway. Not far into our fire I got up and disappeared into the woods while everyone took the rest of their drugs and continued drinking. My body was shaking and I felt weak, so I listened to Mother Nature and puked on a tree. I came back to the fire watching everyone celebrating, while I took things a little slow. Vinotok was almost perfect this year, but it also wasn’t over just yet. There was plenty of time for me to fulfil my pagan daydream. Everyone asked what and how

I was feeling, or if I was tripping, but I knew the second hit hadn’t worked either. Apparently this acid won’t work when you swallow it and it definitely doesn’t work when you throw it up. So, instead I drank a little, despite the weary glances from Alex who was sure I was probably tripping. A few hours around the fire left everyone sufficiently drunk and eventually a few wandered off to other camps. I moved close to my fellow witch and we began to become intrigued by the forest at our backs. Becca stood me up and we went off to explore. We were tired of the fire and, because it was still Vinotok to us, we decided go off and celebrate the pagan way. We walked through the woods at first with a flashlight, but ditched it before we even lost sight of our fire. We explored the forest by moonlight, and being with your best friend/fellow witch makes it all the more exciting and liberating. I was feeling much better as Becca and I discovered open meadows where we could see each other as easily as if it were day. We danced and shouted in the fields, sometimes climbing up or jumping off rocks. Eventually the rain came, but while everyone else disappeared into their tents, we stayed out and climbed the mountain hills around our camp. We were soaked to our skirts and kept the location of our camp in mind as we climbed higher up a hill overlooking it. By the time we reached the top the rain had stopped and we could see clouds rolling through Oh Be Joyful. We laughed together as witches. This was the moment I had been waiting for. This is the memory and the friend I will never forget as a part of my college experience. In that moment everything I had hoped for during the first few years of college was finally working out and I was finally happy I had seized the moment. We continued dancing and laughing under the moonlight for hours while the rain came and went with the clouds. I felt like I was in The Crucible except no one would ruin this witchcraft fun, until I heard a voice screaming my name from the woods.

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ing completely sober. The few drinks with Becca had already worn off and I stood there sober in a crowd of belligerents. It brought down my mood. The acid was supposed to be my magic. The rest of the festival went by much like it had last year, but compared to last year I knew my night was nowhere near over. When the drummers dispersed after the bonfire, my group of friends reconvened and drove off to Oh Be Joyful. On our way I took another hit of acid with two other people and made sure not to swallow until they did. The festival was exciting, but this half of our celebration would be empowering. We drove through a creek where the water went up to the windows and then up a hill with a slope that could’ve been ninety degrees. If Mother Nature wanted to be close to people this seemed like the spot. She offered these obstacles but it was almost like she was playing with us.

Design & Layout by Anna Boyle Photo by Sam Moore

2014-2015

GALLERY

Rebekah Corah Scared Of The Truth 26”x26” Oil Paint

Anna Boyle Paradise Divide 8”x11” Ink, Watercolor

Heather McDonough Pioneer Point 24”x20” Oil Paint

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Austin Searle Gregory 24”x28” Oil Paint

GALLERY

Ricker Fox Tourmaline 16”x11” Watercolor

Rebekah Corah Metanoia 18”x24” Oil Paint

Heather McDonough Nepali Village 15”x11” Watercolor

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Aleesia Haverdink Untitled 9”x12” Ink, Watercolor

Patrick Rulh Untitled 16”x24” Acrylic on Canvas

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GALLERY

Heather McDonough Halifax 24”x18” Oil Paint

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Taylor Ahearn CFS Logo Graphic Design

Taylor Ahearn All Sports Bike Jersey Graphic Design

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GALLERY

Anna Boyle Landscape Arch 15”x23” Digital Illustration

Stefano Ballesteros Into the Depth 24”x16” Digital Illustration 58

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Stephen Naegele Russian Constructivism 10”x17” Graphic Design

Stefano Ballesteros Sunset in Dubai 8”x11” Digital Illustration Max Mulleneaux Six Word Story Graphic Design

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Stephen Naegele Eager Wolf 12”x14” Graphic Design

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Cierra Redding Lake Sylvan 18”x28” Chalk Pastel

Elise Picard Daddy’s Hands 18”x24” Charcoal

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Cierra Redding The Crow & The Butterfly 17”x19” Charcoal, Graphite

Patrick Rulh Self Portrait Ink

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Emily Woods Im Alive But Dead On The Inside 11”x14” Graphite

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Raeshell Tucker Basil 18”x24” Ink

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Jakob Andersson Helsingborgs Vandring 8”x11” Graphite

TOPOâ€™THEWORLD contributors morgan davis corinne reid KEVIN NOREEN EDITOR

CREDITS DESIGNteam EDITORS REBECCA BISHOP

MIKAYLLA BROWN BRENDA SUAREZ STEPHENNAEGELE

BECCA LUBANG

SAM MOORE

KANDRA VOLENTINE

ANNA BOYLE

MARK TODD

KIM WEINCEK

fac advisor

ADAM SINDA TERRI MURPHY FAC ADVIsor

thank you !

STUDENT BODY + LOCAL COMMUNITY of gunnison, colorado

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