Movie Review: Get twisted with ‘Looper’

By Petey Brown
A&E Section Editor

Looper is a mind-bending sci-fi film that shows the audience that one can always change the future by the choices we make.

Would you be able to execute your future self?   That is the unpleasant task that Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has in the movie Looper.  Joe is a “looper” whose job is to execute men that future mobsters have a problem with.  In the future, specifically 2074, it is almost impossible to kill a person without getting away with it.

Unless you’re a mobster.  The mobsters found a way by sending their “problems” back to the past through illegal time travel. Then, the “loopers” are waiting to finish them off.

As a “looper,” Joe lives a luxury life with nice cars, house and money to do whatever he wants.  One day, his “job” is killing his future self.  Future Joe (Bruce Willis) escapes because Joe is caught by surprise.

When a “looper” fails to kill a “job,” they get killed themselves.  Joe has to find a way to catch his future self and kill him to save his present life.  

Future Joe has his own plan: to kill the “Rain Man” who killed his wife and all the former “loopers” he worked with.

Many action and twists are in this movie, but Looper also has a solid story to keep the audience entertained.  The future world that director Rian Johnson imagined is unique and captivating.  The film takes place only 32 years in the future, and Johnson did a good job at making a realistic setting for the movie.

Many critics enjoyed the movie. RottenTomatoes.com, a website that compiles movie reviews together to make a rating for the movie, gave Looper a 93%.

Christopher Orr from The Atlantic said that Looper was “a mind-bending ride that is not afraid to slow down now and again, to explore themes of regret and redemption, solitude and sacrifice, love and loss. It's a movie worth seeing and, perhaps, going back to see again.”

Orr could not have said it better.  The movie was very deep, but easy for most to follow and enjoy.  Looper is a must see because of its great story, acting and ability to make the viewer think.  This is a fun and interesting action movie that will keep the audience guessing until the final moments of the film.

Music Review: Mumford and Son’s Babel

By Ashling Meehan
Cardinal Staff

The much-anticipated new album by Mumford and Sons titled “Babel” was finally released in September.  After three weeks, it still holds the number one spot on the Billboard 200.

This was not unexpected.  Ask any of their fans.

Mumford’s first album went four times platinum in the United Kingdom and twice in the States.  It was a heavy expectation to meet after the major success of their first album.  Also, after their “Sigh No More” tour in 2010, the four musicians parted ways for a couple weeks to write and recoup without meeting up again until the New Year in Nashville, Tenn.

Once again, Mumford and Son’s has mastered their artistic symmetry with poetic lyrics and an energetic sound that is uniquely their own. The first song on the album, “Babel,” is an explosion of energy backed with Marcus Mumford’s magical mastery of words and the talents of Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall and Ted Dwane. The sound initiates a switch in the listener’s body and suddenly you find yourself tapping your foot and moving your head along with the furious, orchestrated beat.

A factor of Mumford and Sons that have so many fans dedicating their undying love to the band is that fact that they are real. The four musicians from London play their own music, write their own lyrics and use no machines to enhance to specialize their music. Everything you hear is real, pure music. Even the banjo is real.

Many are saying that Mumford’s second album is better than their first, a sign of a growing and maturing band. But evil critics have also slandered the foursome since they first released “Sigh No More.” The Chicago Tribune gave the album two stars, citing critics who claim that the band has “shallow roots and folkie pretensions.”

What’s pretentious about music that seems to speak to the very depths of your soul, you ask?

Nothing, in my opinion.

Mumford and Sons’ new album does not fail. It is practically impossible for these guys to write bad music. Ashley Fetters, a writer for The Atlantic, agrees by saying that the band is “now using their heads just as much as their hearts.”  She further argues that “Babel” is “cleaner, crisper, and more carefully constructed than their last.”

Besides a few critics, the rest of the world is saying that there is something wrong with you if you don’t like and buy this new album.

SMU softball: Working hard and having fun

By Samantha Borawski
Sports Section Editor

A successful fall season has left the Saint Mary’s University fastpitch softball team ready to work harder than ever in the offseason and excited for regular season to begin.

The softball team recently finished its fall season, which typically goes from the beginning of September through part of October.  The fall season is crucial for players because it is the only time they are allowed to work with coaches until regular season starts in February. Players are able to communicate and discover what each person needs to work on in the offseason.

“Fall ball is essential to the softball program because it is a chance for coaches to teach us how they want things done,” said senior captain Paige Carter. “We learn what SMU softball is about and we have the offseason to perfect that.”

Another reason why the fall season is so crucial is because of the bonds formed between the team. Team chemistry is important to being successful. This season there are many new faces with seven freshmen entering the program.

Freshman Mariah Harper said that the best part about the fall season was “meeting the team and making new friends.”

As part of the bonding experience, the team participated in the Challenge Ropes Course.

“We have a brave team,” said Carter. “Not everyone is comfortable with heights, but it is awesome that everyone was willing to try it and potentially face their fears for the team.”

The end of the fall season brings the next big event for SMU softball: the haunted forest.  The “Walk of Horror” will take place on SMU’s campus on Oct. 26-27 and 30-31.

“I’m looking forward to eating, sleeping and breathing softball when season starts,” said Carter.

The cardinals are excited for the regular season to begin. Until then, they look forward to the team bonding opportunities they have, like the haunted forest.

Running to the MIAC meet

By: Samantha Borawski
Sports Section Editor

Saint Mary’s University’s cross country team beat school records before heading to the MIAC Tournament on Oct. 27.

After having successful races this entire season, the cardinals continued to showcase their speed. In their most recent race, the Jim Drews/Tori Neubauer Invitational in West Salem, Wis., the Cardinals set record-breaking times.

“We are focused on being competitive,” said sophomore women’s cross country member Katie Stolz. “For us it means not only improving personal times, but more importantly, beating every runner to improve our team placement.”

Sophomore Aaron Haley on the men’s cross country team broke school records. His 8k time of 26:00 broke the school record of 26:02, previously set by Rob Edwards in 1996. Haley’s efforts were followed by seniors Peter Borash (26:27) and Jake Traxler (26:39). Overall, the men’s team placed 16th.

“We have worked really hard this summer and in workouts all season long, which has transferred over to successful meets,” said Stolz. “Overall we are mentally and physically stronger than last year.”

Meanwhile, the women’s team placed 18th in the invitational. Stolz ran the fifth fastest time in program history with a 6k time of 23:52 at the invitational. Other top runners in the invitational included junior Kristin Thelen (24:40), freshman Allie Thiel (25:03) and junior Katherine Mockler (25:09).

In their previous races, the men’s cross country team placed fifth in the St. Olaf invitational and first overall in both invitationals held at Saint Mary’s. Likewise, the women have placed third in both invitationals held at SMU.

The Cardinals look to have top runners and continue to break records in both the MIAC Tournament on Oct. 27 and the NCAA Central Regionals on Nov. 10.

Cardinals wrap up improved season

By Wilson Kubwayo
Cardinal Staff

Saint Mary’s University’s men’s soccer team wraps up their regular-season play with record improvements.

The Cardinals marked their third straight win of the season against Hamline University on Oct. 18.  Freshman Joe Bosco secured the game-winning goal in the last six minutes of the game.

“That was a tough game, but Joe saved us at the last six minutes,” said Valentine Reyes-Rodriguez, an Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminarian who plays striker.

Not only did this win allow the Cardinals’ winning streak to continue, but it also marked the first time since 2001 that the Cardinals have won three consecutive games.

This is not the only improvement the cardinals made this season regarding their record.  Their 2-0 victory on Oct. 23 ended a 26-year winless streak against the Macalester College Scots.  Sophomore Matt Graber scored both goals for the cardinals.

The Cardinals currently have a 4-5-0 record for conference play and 7-9-1 overall.  They conclude their regular-season games on Saturday, Oct. 27, in Minneapolis against Augsburg.

B.T.’s Corner: The never-ending question

By Brian L. Thomas
Cardinal Staff

One of the hardest questions that college students ask themselves is: “What am I going to do with my life?”

As if life is one huge problem and all we have to do is figure out the formula! Unless you have access to a crystal ball, planning the rest of your life is practically impossible.

The good thing is that we don’t have to right now; figuring out the rest of your life is not what college is for. The purpose of college is to give you the best opportunity in the career of your choice.

As students, we struggle to make a life decision rather than a career decision. Life can still throw us some major curve balls no matter how much time we spend, how hard we try or how carefully we plan. The best thing we can do to ensure our future is a success is take care of our current and most valuable gift: the present.

Saint Mary’s alumni celebrate Centennial in Chicago

BY JULIANNE BARTOSZ
Editor in Chief

One thousand Saint Mary’s University and College of Saint Teresa alumni and friends gathered in Chicago’s Millennium Park on Sept. 22 to celebrate the Centennial and launch the university into the next century.

Not only did the celebratory event allow attendees to mingle, but it also honored Father Andrew C. Fabian with the Presidential Award for Outstanding Merit, updated alumni on the current status of the university and featured a performance by the Oldie Moldie All-Stars.

“The greatest challenge of planning the event was getting all classes involved,” said Co-Chair of the Event Committee Joe Phillips ’80.  According to Phillips, the event aimed to include 63 consecutive years of SMU alumni spanning from 1952 to 2015.  This span of attendees included notable alumni like President and CEO of the Chicago Blackhawks John McDonough ’75 and former Chicago Public Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey ’75.  The oldest alumni in attendance was Sam Cascio ’48.

Class of 2011 graduate Katy Gannon said that she enjoyed being with so many people who are all a part of SMU.  “I can go talk to anyone and know that they’ve had a great four years,” said Gannon.  “They’re all here because they love SMU.”

The Centennial celebration also included an outing at the Chicago Cubs game on Sept. 21, an alumni boat cruise and mass at St. Peter’s Church.  The street posts outside of the church displayed SMU Centennial banners similar to the ones throughout the Winona campus.

Throughout the event, alumni and guests were encouraged to share their experiences on Twitter using #SMUMNChicago100.

SMU will continue to celebrate the Centennial with Centennial artwork being revealed during Family Weekend, a School of Graduate and Professional Programs alumni reunion in March, a student celebration later in the year and an all-class reunion during the 2013 homecoming.

Brother Leopold residence hall designed to meet students’ needs

BY REGINA BARBOSA

News Editor

Saint Mary’s University’s new Brother Leopold Residence Hall opened this fall with a variety of housing styles and abundant community space to accommodate students living there.

Despite work completed after classes commenced, students were able to move into Brother Leopold Hall, named after the first Christian Brother to serve as the university’s president.

“It’s great to see that it arrived on time and that people moved in on time,” said Director of Residence Life Brendan Dolan. “We wanted students to feel at home when they got here. It’s exciting to see people in it after watching it be built.”

The residence hall houses sophomore, junior and senior students in double-occupancy, single-occupancy and apartment-style suites.  According to Dolan, this structure allows the university to give as many options for living styles as possible.

“People still have their own private bedroom but still live in a community through shared space,” Dolan said.

Each floor of the new building contains at least community space. The spaces range from large lounges with multiple couches and lounge chairs to smaller study areas with a few tables and chairs. The lounges contain smart televisions that can connect to the Internet.

Dean of Students Tim Gossen shares Dolan’s value for community space.  Gossen said that community space was important when designing the building to offer “places for people to hang out with friends, groups or study; whatever it might be.”

Brother Leopold Hall also contains a cardio room, a chapel and numerous study areas, “giving options for holistic wellness: physical, spiritual and mental,” said Dolan. “It’s designed well and it’s very clear that the design is based for the students’ needs.”

“It was a long process of getting a new residence hall,” said Gossen. “The last new residence hall was actually Hillside Hall and that opened in the fall of 2001.”

The university will use the new building as a year-round residence hall, housing those who stay on campus during the summer as well as during the school year, according to Gossen. He said, “I hope it’s something that they like and they want to live in this year and many years to come.”

Family Weekend to offer fun for all ages

BY MATT WUBBEN
Cardinal Staff

Family Weekend at Saint Mary’s University is all set to take place next weekend, Oct. 5-7.

The weekend brings with it, for most freshman students, the first visit their parents have made to campus since move-in day. The weekend itself is going to be jam packed with activities, athletics and plenty of fun.

The weekend kicks off on Friday, Oct.5, with the unveiling of a timeline wall mural of the university’s history created by Brother Roderick Robertson, FSC, professor of art and design. This will take place during a public reception on Friday, Oct. 5, at the Toner Student Center.

For any parents that decide to arrive a day early, a performance of “Let Us Remember” will also be on Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the Page Theatre. The show will also be performed Thursday, Oct. 4, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 6, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Also on Saturday from 8 a.m. until noon, check-in for Family Weekend will be taking place in the Hall of Fame Room. At the same time, any late entries for the Fall Frolic 5k run/walk will be accepted until 9:45 a.m. The run/walk will begin at 10 a.m. with the starting line in between the baseball and softball fields.

Dave Evans will be back this year to make shapes with balloons. According to Lance Thompson, director of student activities, this is Evans’ fifth year at the weekend and he can make anything from a sword to a Millennium Falcon. He will be joined this year by caricaturist Bill Luse, who will also be in the Toner Center.

Outside of the Toner Center, inflatable games will be found from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The baseball and softball “red and white” games will start at 11 a.m. and will consist of two separate inter-squad games played on each of the team’s respective fields. Brunch will be served from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.

In terms of athletics, the weekend also includes a Men’s soccer game on Saturday against Hamline University at 1 p.m.

The afternoon will start off with the challenge rope course, which begins at 2 p.m., located in between the outdoor track and baseball field. Following this at 2:30 p.m. tours of the new Brother Leopold residence hall will be available.

The Study Abroad information session will begin at 3 p.m. in the President’s Room located in the Toner Center. This meeting is primarily for parents, according to Thompson, but any interested students are encouraged to attend as well.

Liturgy will begin in the Saint Thomas More Chapel at 4 p.m. but will also be available on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Dinner will be available from 5 p.m to 7 p.m.

English honor society welcomes distinguished guest

BY KEOTTA HOUSE
Cardinal Staff

Sigma Tau Delta brought Emily Budick, Ph. D. to Saint Mary’s University to speak to the Winona community about the good and bad of fictional literature of the Holocaust.

Budick is the chair of American literature and chair of the program of American studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel. She spoke on how the fictional literature of the Holocaust can be a good thing, but it also can contain negative connotations about the Jewish characters that are portrayed.  Budick spoke to a crowd of at least forty students, faculty, staff and community members.

SMU English professor Erin Clark, Ph. D. was attending a seminar at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum where Budick had been speaking. After hearing Budick speak, she knew she had to get her to SMU.

“I teach a class for seniors on Holocaust literature and I felt it would be good to have her here,” said Clark.

This event marked the first of many presentations from the Sigma Tau Delta speaker series of the 2012-13 academic year. According to Clark, the English honor society was quite lucky to have Budick speak because the doctor is returning to Israel this fall.

Clark said, “I am grateful to Sigma Tau Delta for hosting the event, as well as to Dr. Aronson [SMU’s Vice President of Academic Affairs] for her support of what was a very well-attended event here on campus.”

Colleges Against Cancer dedicated to raising cancer awareness on campus

BY SKYLAR FINKELSTEIN
Cardinal Staff

Saint Mary’s University’s Colleges Against Cancer (CAC) aims to raise cancer awareness throughout the academic year leading up to SMU’s Relay for Life.

CAC is a student organization associated with the American Cancer Society that aims to raise cancer awareness on campus while supporting SMU community members whose lives have been impacted by cancer and raise funds to fight back against cancer. The group’s main event is Relay for Life, which will take place at SMU on March 15, 2013.

“We all have a connection to this event. Therefore we should all participate,” said CAC Co-President Julie Pierce.

In addition to Relay for Life, CAC is also committed to putting on monthly events to raise awareness, said CAC Event Development Chair Julianne Bartosz.  Since September is prostate cancer awareness month, CAC put up informational decorations about prostate cancer throughout campus.  They also hosted a dodge ball tournament called “Knocking Out Cancer.”  Students were able to compete by creating a team with 8-10 players who each paid one dollar to play.  The funds raised at the tournament will be put toward SMU’s Relay for Life.

CAC is currently in the process of planning for October’s breast cancer awareness month.  Bartosz said they are trying to organize a bowling fundraiser.  Future events may also include an event in coordination with the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smoke Out in November to fight against lung cancer.

CAC is dedicated to take a stand against cancer.  According to Pierce, they hope to have 40 teams and 400 or more participants for this year’s Relay for Life.  Pierce said CAC is challenging SMU participants to raise $40,000 to help the American Cancer Society’s research and to support the Hope Lodge, a facility where families can stay while a loved one is undergoing treatments.

To learn more about CAC and its events, keep an eye out for their posters throughout campus or email Julie Pierce (Jmpier07@smumn.edu) or Kim Puk (Kapuk08@smumn.edu) to get involved.

New dean of Campus Ministry joins SMU community

BY KELSEY HULBERT
Feature Editor

Saint Mary’s University welcomes a new Dean of Campus Ministry this year who said he is excited to “expand and grow the community at SMU in order to meet the diversified needs [of the students].”

Steven McGlaun, the new Dean of Campus Ministry, was previously an editor, author and marketing coordinator at St. Mary’s Press.  He said that the opening at SMU was a great way for him to be involved in ministry again.

“It opportunity that I couldn’t pass up,” he said.

McGlaun said he is most excited to experience everything that goes on around campus with Serving Others united in Love (S.O.U.L.) Council, Buddies, Together Encountering Christ (TEC) and Big and Little Pals. “It should be a year of discovery,” he said.

McGlaun was involved in high school parish ministry in Texas before working for Saint Mary’s Press. He added that it is an adjustment having to learn everything over again.  McGlaun said that the biggest challenge is being integrated into a new community.  

However, McGlaun said that SMU is a great fit for him.  “My daughters were convinced that I work at the coolest place in the world when they saw the swimming pool,” he said.

SMU challenges international students from Vietnam and China

BY KELSEY HULBERT
Feature Editor

International students from Vietnam and China say it’s a challenge adjusting to the educational system at Saint Mary’s University.

Tran Nguyen previously studied at an Australian school in Vietnam, and she said that schooling in the U.S. has more everyday homework.  Back home, she said, the assignments are longer and due at longer intervals.  “It’s challenging to get used to a new system, especially when English is your second language,” Nguyen said.

However, she said that the environment at SMU is favorable.  “The professors are great,” said Nguyen. “They are supportive when you have questions and really help you to improve.”

Yuting Li, a transfer student from China, said that she is very thankful for the helpful teachers in the international department.  “It’s different adjusting to a new culture and being separated from family and friends back home,” she said.  

Nguyen is an entrepreneurship major, and Li is undecided but thinking of majoring in education.

Saint Mary’s welcomes four new hall directors

By MARC HARTMANN
Guest Writer

This year the Saint Mary’s University community and the Office of Residence Life welcome four new hall directors to campus: Al Beseler ’09, Keith Donovan ’06, Mary Bambenek and Angie Glodowski.

After his graduation from SMU in 2009, Beseler spent a two years volunteering with AmeriCorps, educating youth in both science and education.  Now, as the hall director in Saint Edward’s Residence Hall, Beseler said that he is extremely excited for the opportunity to work with freshmen this year.

Donovan, who is also a recent graduate from SMU, has returned after spending several years teaching and working at a high school in Chicago.  Donovan said that SMU has always been a second home to him and that he was extremely excited for his return.

“I’m looking forward to being with a group of young men who are full of dignity, brotherhood and pride in who they are, where they live and the impact they will have on this campus for the next four years,” said Donovan who will be the hall director of Saint Benilde Residence Hall.

The third new hall director is Bambenek who will be continuing her long-time work at SMU, but in a new department. She said that she is extremely excited to be back working with students in such a close capacity.

As the hall director of Lasalle Residence Hall, Bambenek is especially excited about the living-learning component it will entail.  She said, “I look forward to providing a safe, comfortable and enjoyable on-campus experience for each member of this newly-remodeled and beautiful residence hall. “

Glodowski, who is new to the university, is the hall director who oversees Skemp and Heffron Residence Halls. Glodowski, who got married this past summer, will be joined in Skemp hall by her husband Roy and 8-year-old son Colton.

All four hall directors have expressed great excitement to be at SMU because of its environment.

Bambenek said that SMU is a special place that can be compared to a beautifully wrapped gift.  “The ‘wrapping paper’ is our extraordinary campus setting and well cared for grounds and facilities,” she said. “However the true gift of Saint Mary’s has to be the dedicated faculty, staff, coaches, students, alumni and families who comprise this unique Lasallian Catholic community.”

The Oldie Moldie All-Stars play in Chicago

By PETEY BROWN
Arts & Entertainment Editor

The Oldie Moldie All-Stars performed in Chicago’s Millennium Park for Saint Mary’s University’s Centennial celebration on Sept. 22.

The group consisting of 12 SMU students who are members of SMU’s Phi Mu Alpha music fraternity played an hour set at the event for alumni, family and friends of SMU.

“It made me realize that I’m part of something bigger than I imagined,” said SMU junior and leader of the Oldies Miles Dunna. With the ability to meet alumni who were members of Phi Mu Alpha, Dunna said he’s proud to be part of the “long tradition that is growing bigger and stronger throughout time.”

As the group grows this year, it is also “the first time that the group will be playing out of the state of Minnesota,” said Bob Fisher, faculty advisor of the group and horns player in the band.

Fisher said he is excited because the group is very different than last year’s. Seven of the 12 members are new and had not performed together.  Therefore, prior to the event, the group had a tune-up performance in SMU’s Common Room on Sept. 20 before Saturday’s show in Chicago.

“It is great to see the group grow together when we practice,” Fisher said. “The show in the Common Room helped us get some jitters out before our big show in Chicago.”

SMU junior Aaron Fimon is a baritone singer and first year member of the group who was excited and nervous for this big opportunity.

“We will be ready for the show, but I have to admit I am a little nervous,” Fimon said prior to the Chicago event. “I am excited to represent the school and fraternity; I will have to bring even more energy to make the show the best it can be.”

Remembering history and heritage through art

BY RAQUEL ROMO
Cardinal Staff

The performed narrative “Let Us Remember” will celebrate Saint Mary’s University’s history and accomplishments prior to and during Family Weekend, Oct. 4-6.

“Let Us Remember” is a program that was written and will be directed by 1979 SMU alumnus and Dean of the School of the Arts Michael Charron.

The program will consist of a new arrangement of compositions composed by SMU Director of Choirs Patrick O’Shea, Ph.D., and SMU Director of Jazz Eric Heukeshoven.

“We have been working on these music creations since the beginning of last school year until this past January,” said O’Shea. “I am very curious to see how everything falls into place.”

According to O’Shea, the program will allow SMU’s history to be explained and celebrated while allowing the School of the Arts to create new music compositions and dance routines that give students “a platform to show off their talents.”

This Centennial show includes monologues performed by students from the theatre department. Sophomore Ashley Curry will be presenting one of many monologues for “Let Us Remember.”

“I am excited to be representing someone close to my heritage. Not only do I feel proud, but I also look at it as an honor to be recounting my character’s story,” said Curry.  “The whole idea is fascinating, has amazing potential and has a great representation of the school’s history.”

Additional features of the program include a piece based on the words of Saint John Baptist de La Salle and the performance of music by SMU’s Concert Choir and Chamber Singers that was debuted in the Convocation held earlier this school year.

With a mix of fanfare, concert band and an arrangement of melodies, O’Shea hopes these new compositions will be used for the Centennial show as well as other occasions.

Deer park provides close interaction with nature

BY PAUL SCHMITT
Cardinal Staff

Although spotting deer on Saint Mary’s University’s campus is common, it’s generally difficult to get up close and personal with the creatures.

The Lefty Hymes Memorial Deer Park, located near Prairie Island Campground, provides such an up close experience. The deer park is about the size of a football field and is surrounded by 12-foot fences that contain numerous deer, including two bucks.  This pen includes a man-made shelter for the deer along with feed troughs and an elevated patch of land in the case of a flood.

“The experience is terrifying and awesome at the same time,” said SMU junior Mitch Lawler.

Due to continued exposure to humans, the deer are fairly docile and approach visitors regularly, even allowing people to pet and feed them.  The real challenge comes with visiting at a time when the deer are most active: dusk and dawn.

Lawler was disappointed that visitors are not allowed in the pen, which is a safety precaution taken by the park.  He said, “It wasn’t the Snow White-ness I was hoping for, but still acceptable.”

The park was established in 1974 in memory of Henry G. “Lefty” Hymes by the Will Dilg chapter of the Izaak Walton League, a non-profit conservation organization.

Movie review: Don’t rush for The Words

By Ashling Meehan
Cardinal Staff

The Words, which premiered Sept. 7th, is co-starring some of the industry’s biggest rising names like Olivia Wilde, Zoe Saldana and Bradley Cooper. The cast is supported along with Dennis Quaid and Oscar-winner Jeremy Irons. With such big names, and no doubt big talent, one would think this all-star cast would be able to pull off a real hit.

Sadly, you’d be mistaken.

The story line is good.  Writer Clayton Hammond (Quaid) reads from his newest book, The Words, which is centered on Rory Jansen (Cooper). Jansen is an aspiring writer who can’t get published. While on his honeymoon with wife Dora (Saldana), Jansen discovers a beautifully written manuscript. After copying it to his laptop, Jansen’s new bride mistakenly believes the story to be his own and pushes him to meet with a publisher.

Can you guess what happens next?

The manuscript is published, the novel is a hit and Jansen becomes an awarded author. But the true owner of the script (Irons) takes the stage and explains what inspired him to write the story.

While most critics are spewing out disappointing words like “unimaginative” or “boring”, CNN Entertainment said that Cooper “held his own” while Quaid and Iron’s performances are sadly mediocre.

As for Wilde and Saldana, CNN describes them as either “Doe-eyed with admiration or walking out the door, with precious little in between.”

While the movie wasn’t the box-office hit like everyone was expecting, it wasn’t the biggest flop to date either. Cooper’s performance was pleasantly surprising, the actor is steadily proving that he can play in-depth characters and won’t be type-casted as the funny guy.

As a whole, the idea for the movie is beautifully imagined. Though it’s not in any way a classic, it may appear similar to Atonement, a movie about a guilt-ridden writer coming to terms with their past by ways of telling a story performed by agile actors. There’s always room for improvement; however, the female performances in The Words were disappointing. Nevertheless, the movie wraps itself up in the end, tying everything together in one big knot.

While it wasn’t horrible, unless you’re a fan of Bradley Cooper I wouldn’t rush in desperation to see this one.

Music review: The Carpenter connects with everyday people

By ANNA SEGNER
Cardinal Staff

It has been three years, but The Avett Brothers are back with their new album, The Carpenter. In many respects, this album is the perfect modern folk album.

The Avett Brothers have a very authentic way in which they use the folk instruments.  Nevertheless, they have found a new way to mesh the intensity of both their bluegrass and rock ‘n’ roll style. This album has a lot more slow ballads than their previous album, I and Love and You, which was much more upbeat and electric bluegrass.

The Carpenter is a very thoughtful album; there are heavy themes of life and death, particularly in the song, “The Once and Future Carpenter.” This song is about the life and the movement of life and how ridding yourself of fear of life helps you shed the fear of saying goodbye to it.

The most appealing aspect of this album is the appeal to the common man. The album weighs the very abstract but real troubles of life by relating these issues to things that are real such as nature.  The song “Winter in my Heart” relates depression to seasons to show the reality of the depression.

When first hearing The Carpenter, listeners will be wondering where the intensity and excitement of the rock ‘n’ roll banjos and folk instruments that they heard in I and Love and You have gone. Some of that intensity may have been poured into the more heavy themes of life and death in The Carpenter. However, there is an equal balance between the soft ballads and the upbeat songs. The backwoods folk are consistent throughout the whole album. Therefore, it represents a strong folk/rock album that connects with everyday people.

Tibetan Monks create sand mandala at SMU

By Julianne Bartosz
Editor in Chief

The Tibetan Monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery visited Saint Mary’s University and created a sand mandal.

SMU students were able to watch the Tibetan Monks complete the sacred tradition that includes creating intricate designs from colored sand then destroying the creation.

The Tibetan Monks spent one week at SMU, which concluded with a closing ceremony on Friday, Sept. 21.  During this ceremony, the sand mandala was destroyed and some of the sand was released into Gilmore Crekk.

Volleyball team names Bushlack an honorary captain

BY MEGAN HAFNER
Cardinal Staff

Driven by her strength and determination, Saint Mary’s University’s volleyball team names Sabrina Bushlack an honorary captain.

After being critically injured in a car accident this summer, Bushlack has inspired the volleyball team with her fight to recover.  The team is dedicated to working harder than ever to do their best, not only for themselves, but also for Bushlack, who cannot be on the court with them.

“Sabrina is the hardest working person that I have ever met, both on and off the court,” said senior volleyball player Tara Rasmussen.

Bushlack has been described as being a great friend, classmate, student and someone to look up to. As an athlete, she has a drive and passion for the game of volleyball and is always pushing herself to do her best.

Head Volleyball Coach Mike Lester said, “Bre’s personality and leadership role was apparent when the team took a blind vote and nominated her as a captain, even though she is not physically present on the team.”

Bushlack’s absence has had a large impact on the team. They have been commemorating her this year by taking her jersey with them to every game and placing it on the first seat on the bench.  Also, all of the volleyball players have wristbands for Bushlack that they have on their water bottles or shoes so that she is always with them.

Senior volleyball player Carissa Hahn said, “It means a lot to the team to have Sabrina named as an honorary captain, because it shows that we still think of her and she is still a part of our team and our family.”

The volleyball team is helping to host a 5K Run/Walk called “Strong is the New Beautiful” to benefit Bushlack. It will start at the Toner Student Center and continue through the bluffs of campus on Sunday, Oct. 21.

‘M’ Club and Hall of Fame

BY SAMANTHA BORAWSKI
Sports Editor

Saint Mary’s University inducted alumni into the Hall of Fame and honored current student-athletes for their outstanding achievements at the annual Cardinal ‘M’ Club Awards Program on Sept. 7.

This year SMU inducted three members into its Hall of Fame: Chris Kendall ’79 for Baseball, Anne Erickson ’89 for Women’s Soccer and Alex Kugel ’99 for Men’s Soccer.  Each were selected for being outstanding athletes in their particular sports during their four years at SMU.  The speeches by Kendall and Kugel shared some common themes: be a supportive teammate, put a hundred percent into every practice and game and have pride in your school.

After speaking about his love for sports, especially soccer, Kugel provided the student-athletes in attendance with advice: live in the moment. He said it is important for student-athletes to appreciate their sport and give it their all because that ability can be taken away in the matter of seconds.

Kendall also mentioned the importance of the support and love of family in his speech. Besides immediate family, Kendall talked about the importance of having the SMU family behind him, not only when he was an athlete, but also during his time working at SMU.

Prior to inducting the three stellar athletes into the Hall of Fame, SMU student-athletes were honored for a variety of achievements including being named Academic and Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) All-Conference. This year over 50 student-athletes representing an array of sports teams received awards for one or both of these two categories.

SMU also honors four student-athletes for their achievements. Jake Traxler and Regina Quandt were named SMU’s Outstanding Male and Female Scholar Athletes for their academic success in addition to both of their athletic success in Indoor Track and Field. Kevin Gannon for Baseball and Bailey Edwards for Women’s Tennis were also honored as SMU’s Outstanding Male and Female athletes for their stellar athletic seasons during the 2011-12 academic year.

The Cardinal ‘M’ Club Awards reminds the SMU community of the accomplishments that each student-athlete has earned and continues to be a celebration even in this Centennial year.

B.T.’s Corner: The importance of rest

By Brian L. Thomas
Cardinal Staff

As college students, we perform an amazing amount of activities on the daily basis. Our brains are constantly working and our bodies are constantly fighting to keep up.

We work to organize our busy schedules and become frustrated or discouraged when things don’t work in our favor.

Very rarely, do we take time to truly rest our minds. We often confuse watching TV, surfing the Internet or spending time with friends with relaxation.

Mental rest is important because it grants perspective. With a better perspective, we can find better, more efficient paths to success in class, in our social sphere and in life.

I challenge you to take 15-20 minutes out of each day, find a quiet place and simply rest your mind.  

Clam shells replace current to-go boxes

By Emma Stenzel
Managing & Advertising Editor

In an effort to become more sustainable, Saint Mary’s University will be eliminating the cafeteria’s disposable to-go boxes and replacing them with reusable “clam shell” containers beginning immediately in the fall semester of the 2012-2013 academic year.

The clam shells, suggested by Students Organizing Sustainability (SOS), were approved by SMU administration who is finalizing details with Chartwells staff, said Chris Kendall, vice president of Student Life.

Kendall said that next fall when, students want to take a meal to go from the cafeteria, they will be charged a one-time $5 deposit for clam shell access for the entire school year. Students must return their used containers in order to receive a new container each time they take a meal to go. If students give their clam shells back after each use without throwing them away or losing them, they will receive their $5 deposit back at the end of the year, said Kendall.

He added that administration still needs to determine how to track checked-out containers, either by monitoring them electronically by swiping student IDs or by exchanging a poker chip for the clam shell.

“This will take some serious cooperation and personal responsibility for people who do this,” said Kendall. “Like any change, it will take a little while to get used to, but I think it will work well. We’ve seen other schools carry this out successfully, so we know it’s possible.”

Founder and President of SOS Tina Swanberg also noted that students will need time to adjust to the change and take more initiative towards responsibility.

“Once this is implemented, I’m afraid of it becoming an inconvenience for everyone, like if they forget to bring it back and then can’t check out a new one,” said Swanberg. “We will just have to find ways to remind ourselves that we have to return the boxes, and
eventually the inconvenience will go away.”

Foam and paper products will not be available for taking meals to go from the cafeteria. Kendall said that clam shells will not be implemented into the Cardinal Club or Cotter Café until later in the school year, if at all.

“This is just another piece of a long series of awareness of our impact on the environment,” said Kendall. “Frankly, I am delighted in the fact that the students are concerned with what we consume and waste. We’re becoming part of the solution instead of part of the problem.”

For more information about the clam shells, contact Chris Kendall at ckendall@smumn.edu or SOS at sosustainability@smumn.edu and visit www.ecotakeouts.com.

Row Ride Run turnout best in six years

By Kelsey Hulbert
Cardinal Staff

Saint Mary’s University’s annual Row Ride Run Triathlon to benefit Serving Others United in Love (SOUL) retreats will take place April 28 at 9 a.m. at Lake Lodge in Winona.

The event consists of canoeing or kayaking 2.5 miles around Lake Winona, biking 14 miles from Lake Winona to SMU and running 3.1 miles through the bluffs surrounding SMU. Over 100 people will participate in the event, which is the best turnout in six years according to Director of Campus Ministry Chris McClead.

The idea for the triathlon originated from a student initiative and provides service opportunities for SMU students in diverse communities around the world.

McClead said the triathlon is unique because it uses the athletic talent of students to teach others about social injustice, and it is something not typically associated with a service trip.

“SOUL trips extend the Lasallian Catholic tradition from the classroom into the hearts and minds of students, which is then brought to vulnerable communities,” McClead said.  

The race this year will be hectic, McClead added, and he is excited to see everyone support the race all in the name of SMU.

For McClead, the most exciting part of the race is seeing one hundred canoes lined up in Lake Winona, hearing someone say “Go!” and seeing all of the chaos unfold.

Registration is $30 per individual or $60 per team. Awards will be given to the top finishing team and the three fastest individuals.

Quandt and Mockler named Outstanding Seniors

By Julianne Bartosz
Editor-in-chief

Regina Quandt and Michael Mockler were named Saint Mary’s University’s 2012 Outstanding Seniors during the Founder’s Day Ceremony on March 27.

The Outstanding Senior Award has been given to a male and female senior the past 46 years for their demonstration of the ideals of scholarship, character, leadership, service to colleagues and the university community, as well as their genuine concern for the needs of others.

“I have always admired the people here at SMU, so it is an honor to be able to represent SMU to the outside world,” said Quandt.

Quandt is an elementary education and Spanish double major who has been active on campus in a variety of ways.  She has been a member of SMU’s cross country and track and field teams for four years.  Also, Quandt has been involved in liturgical ministries, Volunteer Services and SOUL Council.  Furthermore, she has served as an admissions ambassador, a resident assistant, a Literacy Clinic tutor, the secretary of ASCD and the treasurer of Students Organizing Sustainability.

After graduation, Quandt would like to teach kindergarten in the Twin cities or in Winona.  Then, she would like to volunteer teach in South America before teaching at a Spanish-immersion school.

“It was an honor to even be nominated,” said Quandt who spoke highly of her fellow nominees.

Quandt said that she is proud to share the Outstanding Senior title with Mockler, a fellow member of the cross country and track and field teams.

“It is an honor and a humbling experience,” said Mockler.

Mockler is an environmental biology major with a Spanish minor who has participated in TEC, Knights of Columbus, intramurals, phonathons, SOUL Trips, Relay for Life, Cardinal Plunge, liturgical ministries, SMU volunteer services and three honor societies.

Mockler will spend three months after graduation working with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) aquatic invasive species program.  In the future, he would like to continue to work with animals and volunteer in his community.

Both Quandt and Mockler expressed gratitude to their parents, family, friends, coaches, teammates, classmates, teachers, Campus Ministry and Brother William.  Mockler also expressed great appreciation to everyone at SMU, specifically those who started the Cardinal Plunge.

Senior gift doubles past figures

By Emma Stenzel
Managing & Advertising Editor

Three weeks after launching its Senior Gift Campaign, the Saint Mary’s University Class of 2012 has already more than doubled past donation figures.

As of April 13, 42 percent of the senior class had pledged a total of $3,181.14 in a one-year commitment, well surpassing the average one-year senior class gift total of about $1,200 in past years, according to statistics provided by the Senior Class Gift Committee.

“We could not be more pleased,” said senior Emily Munns, co-chair of the committee. “People have been very responsive about this so far, and we never imagined we’d receive this kind of support already.”

With the theme “Birds of a Feather Give Back Together,” the committee began the campaign by holding an evening event in the Cardinal Club where SMU seniors were invited to make a one-year pledge to be fulfilled June 1, 2012-May 31, 2013.

Along with the kick-off event, Munns said the Senior Class Gift Committee set up tables, visited classrooms and sent emails to raise awareness about the importance of giving back to their alma mater and encourage seniors to pledge.

Rather than selecting one project, this year’s class gift will be given to four different areas at SMU: Financial Aid, Athletics, Friend of the School of the Arts and the Saint Mary’s Unrestricted Fund.

“We wanted seniors to choose where their money should go,” said Munns. “When I personally made my donation, I kept in mind what has impacted my life at SMU and how I wanted to contribute to that in the future.”

Seniors may pledge until April 27. The Senior Class Gift Committee will thank all seniors who contributed toward the fund at the Senior Gift Benefactor Reception on May 8 at 5-6 p.m.

PR/Business Club visits 3M Corporation

By Mary Nordick
Cardinal Staff

The Saint Mary’s University Public Relations and Business Club visited 3M Corporation and Peterson Milla Hooks (PMH) Advertising in the Twin Cities on March 27.

In the morning, the group went to PMH Advertising, a small advertising agency located in Minneapolis. The firm specializes in advertising for corporations such as Gap, Target and JCPenney.

Dean Beckman, SMU professor and PR/Business Club advisor, said trips like this are advantageous and that this trip especially was “good for the public relations and marketing majors in order to show them what real advertising is like.”

In the afternoon, the group traveled to St. Paul to visit 3M Corporation.

“3M is a huge corporation with over 30 separate divisions,” Beckman said. “It had a more corporate feel, which was able to give the students a different taste of what a larger corporation is like as compared to the smaller advertising agency.”

Beckman said that the trip was a great success overall.

“[It’s] good for the students to get out of the classroom,” Beckman said. “That’s why we take these trips, so students can go out and get this experience of being at both a small and large business environment.”

Diversity Coffee Hour

By Keotta House
Cardinal Staff

A discussion panel is held every Friday to invite and welcome Saint Mary’s University students to talk about the issue of diversity on campus.

SMU is home to a growing number of diverse students. Though the diversity is growing, students’ attitudes toward this diverse population are growing at a slower pace. A program called Diversity Coffee Hour was recently implemented by the SMU Wellness Center to help start the discussion on diversity with the possibility of bringing up ideas of how to maintain it at SMU.

Jeff Walter, a counselor at the SMU Wellness Center, said that the point of the coffee hour is not to discuss only racial diversity but every kind of diversity presenton campus.

“There are many types of diversity on campus,” Walter said. “Class, gender, sexual orientation and other groups.”

An example of one of these other groups that sometimes feel discriminated against, which people in attendance recently learned, is vegetarians.

SMU senior Chelseanne Davidson talked about the perils of being a vegetarian.

“The food service often will serve pasta with meat in the same pan as without leaving random chunks of meat,” Davidson said.

The Diversity Coffee Hour is not a “group” on campus but more so a diversity panel which takes place every Friday from 3-4 p.m. The group has a wide variety of people that attend on different occasions. During the coffee hour’s name tag event, the students in attendance got to label themselves a different stereotype than they had been called throughout their life, and there was a wide range in attendance.

The coffee hour serves as an educational experience for the people in the Saint Mary’s community. They want to have a ripple effect and have friends invite friends until they get the whole campus talking about diversity.

SMU senior moving up in the U.S. Army ranks

By Meg Beerling
Feature Editor

Saint Mary's University senior David Weir has a long journey ahead of him after graduation this May.

On the same day he graduates from SMU, Weir will become 2nd Lieutenant and will head to Fort Benning, Ga., on July 8 for a 16-week infantry basic officer leadership course. After that, he will spend nine weeks at Ranger school, then Airborne school. Next March he will report to his first unit in Texas.

Weir always knew he was interested in the military, and freshman year he joined the National Guard. From there he went to basic training, and his sophomore year he joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC).  Since, Weir has served simultaneously with the National Guard and ROTC.

Weir joined ROTC because he has always been a natural leader, he said. Whether it was on sports teams or elsewhere, he was always told that he had natural leadership skills, he said. Weir said he wanted to utilize those abilities and maximize his potential by joining ROTC.

This May Weir will graduate with a degree in political science and criminal justice. Weir said his political science degree will aid him because he will have a better understanding of the United States as a political system. Being overseas he will be more well rounded, he said.

He said his criminal justice degree fit nicely, and it’s something in which he has always been interested.

Ultimately, Weir would like to get a rotation into Afghanistan before the war is over, he said. And someday he’d like to make colonel, said Weir.

Weir’s favorite part of the process has been his own development, he said. Weir said he couldn’t see it at the time, but looking back he sees how much he has changed.  He has also really enjoyed working with the people he has gotten to work with, saying “they’re great people.”

What Weir has enjoyed least about the entire process has been going into the gas chamber.

Weir said he is looking forward to graduating from ranger school, which he said is a very intense combat leadership course. “It’s 62 days of very little sleep and very little food,” said Weir.  He said it is the most challenging thing he’s ever done and ever will do.

In December 2013 Weir will make 1st Lieutenant.

SMU senior accepted into pharmacy school

By Kelsey Haugh
Cardinal Staff

Saint Mary's University senior, Sarah Adie, decided to take a not-so-traditional path after graduating with a degree in education.

Adie recently applied and was accepted to pharmacy school. That may seem a bit odd to some, but to Adie, it makes perfect sense.

Adie said she wanted to do something related to the health field, but she also wanted to help educate people. She had been volunteering at a hospital, and when her dad saw an opportunity in the pharmacy department, she jumped on it, said Adie.

Adie loved it so much that she decided to apply for pharmacy school so that she could help educate people about their medicine while interacting with them, she said. When she graduates, Adie said she hopes to work at a children’s hospital, preferably close to her family, educating people on how to handle their medicine.

Adie applied at three different pharmacy schools and has decided to go to Creighton University in Omaha, Neb. The wait to find out if she was accepted was only around two weeks, which she said  worked out well because she was full of nerves.

Along with actually applying to the school, Adie had many requirements she had to fulfill. She had to take classes that would allow her to even think about pharmacy school, said Adie. She said she had to take the PCAT test in addition to being interviewed at each school.

To add to her nerves, when Adie was talking to other kids being interviewed, she found that they were applying to multiple schools – one having applied to 21 schools.  Her worries and nerves jumped through the roof, she said, but they all disappeared when she found out that she was accepted to Creighton.

Senior makes plans to run across Minnesota after graduation

By Jenna Capelle Cardinal Staff Senior Robby McGuire, a Secondary English Education major, is currently planning a three-week run for about 475 miles after graduation.
McGuire is going to run from Rochester, Minn., to Split Rock Lighthouse north of Duluth, Minn. He es

timates that his “adventure” will take about three weeks, lasting until early June. McGuire said he will pack clothes and a tent in a jogging stroller that he’ll push the entire run.
Although he hasn’t been training for this type of activity, he’s been running on the Saint Mary’s University cross country and track and field teams throughout college.
“This isn’t the type of run you can train for,” said McGuire. “I’m going to run 20ish miles per day, stop somewhere, set up a tent, get up and do it all over again.”
Besides planning a run across the state, McGuire thinks of what he wants to teach his students as an English teacher in middle and high schools. McGuire said he wants students to choose their own books, but he would love to teach Into the Wild by John Krakauer because it will provoke interesting classroom discussions.

“I'm a big proponent of students picking a lot of their own books,” said McGuire. “Reading a book you can't get into really kills the experience.”

When it comes to hunting for a job, McGuire is open to many places. He’s been applying at middle and high schools throughout Minnesota, with a handful of small towns.  He said he’s applied for a job in Colorado and one in Iowa, and is contemplating applying in Alaska.

“The male to female ratio in Alaska is 80 to 20, so I’m not sure if I want to be in that sort of situation,” said McGuire.

After graduation, McGuire said that he will miss running in the bluffs, chatting with professors and spending times with all of his friends. He will mostly miss his favorite breakfast of blocks of scrambled eggs, he said.

When thinking back on the “best four years of his life,” McGuire recommends that underclassmen make a bucket list of things to do before they graduate and then follow through. He also advises students to not eat their vegetables because they are gross, and to wear socks to prevent itchy feet.

Poly Sci./English grad off to law school

By Laura Polzin
Design Editor

In the fall of 2012, senior Trisha Stachowski will be attending William Mitchell College of Law after graduating from Saint Mary’s University with a degree in political science and English literature.

Stachowski’s inspiration to attend law school occurred on a fifth grade trip to a courtroom, she said. “We had a mock trial with Goldie Locks and the Three Bears,” she said. “We also got to see her judge chambers.” From that experience alone she knew she wanted to go to law school and become a lawyer and possibly a judge one day, she said.

“I was influenced by my parents in the sense that they always told me to try my best and to try and accomplish as much as I can,” said Stachowski. “My grandparents also influenced me by telling me to step out and reach for the stars.” Another influence on Stachowski’s life was her brother. Their healthy competition pushed her to her fullest potential, she said.

“The application process [to law school] itself was not that hard; all of the schools in the metro area used the same method,” said Stachowski. “The difficult part was the LSAT because I did not know what was going to be on it. It was the type of test that
helped predict how someone would do in law school rather than what someone actually knew,” she said.

Stachowski said she decided on William Mitchell after she had the opportunity to visit the school and other schools as well. She knew it was the right school for her when she stepped foot on the campus, she said, because it was the same feeling she had when she visited Saint Mary’s, a decision she is still happy with. She anticipates being equally happy with her decision to attend William Mitchell.

Stachowski said she hopes her English major will give her a strong foundation for law school in terms of research papers and academic writing in general. Additionally, it has prepared her for the amount of reading she will be doing in law school, said Stachowski.

Her political science major has given her a good idea of how the government works and how the legal system works, said Stachowski. She said it has also given her a global perspective of the world.

Stachowski said her goal is to practice corporate law or some type of mediation or litigation, but she is open to the idea of that changing and pursuing other opportunities.

SMU senior accepted into SMU education master’s program

By Samantha Borawski
Cardinal Staff

Senior Annie Ivansek will be attending the Saint Mary’s University Graduate School of Education next year to pursue her dreams of becoming a teacher.

Ivansek applied last year to the program. She completed an online application that included a writing portion in addition to an interview process. She was required complete all the general education requirements for Elementary Education majors.

Ivansek has always wanted to be an Education major; however, she will be graduating this year as a literature major with a theatre minor.

“I always wanted to be a teacher,” said Ivansek. “I had great teachers throughout all of my education, and I want to inspire kids the way that I was inspired by my teachers.”

Because Ivansek has not taken any of her education classes yet, she does not know what class she wants to teach. Shhe said she is leaning towards kindergarten through second grade.  Besides teaching, Ivansek hopes to start an improvisation class for kids and coach lacrosse. Eventually, she wants to return to the Chicago area to teach.

Like other applicants, Ivansek had fears of not getting accepted because of the long process.

The most exciting part about entering the master’s program is finally being able to start teaching and taking education classes, said Ivansek. By being accepted into the master’s program, Ivansek said she is finally able to work to become the teacher she always wanted to be.

Short Play Showcase is a SPlaSH for SMU

 By Trisha Stachowski
Arts & Entertainment Editor

Saint Mary’s University students directed and acted in the short play showcase (SPlaSH) on March 28 through April 1 in the Valencia Arts Center’s Academy Theatre.

The SPlaSH productions are held one time each semester, typically featuring three one-act plays.

SMU junior and SPlaSH participant Aaron Henry said, “It is an opportunity for student theatre majors to gain experience directing and sometimes writing pieces in a very professional manner.” Henry said the students present their ideas to the theatre department and the department then chooses which one-act plays will be performed.

This year the three one-act plays were: “The Swing Set,” written by senior Tom Conry and directed by theatre faculty Judy Myers; “So, I Wrote This Play…!,” written and directed by senior Rick Baustian; and “Blackout,” adapted from Davey Anderson’s original play and directed by junior Mary Doctor.

Senior art show dazzles the SMU community

By Trisha Stachowski
Arts & Entertainment Editor


The second segment of the senior art show is now open in the Lillian Davis Hogan Art Gallery. The senior art show gives seniors the opportunity to showcase their work at the end of the semester. The show occurs twice a year, once at the end of the first semester for seniors graduating in December and once or twice at the end of the second semester depending on how many graduating seniors there are. Four seniors participating in this semester’s show have shared their experiences about the art show and their artwork.

Laura Polzin
Majors: Graphic Design and Studio Art Minor: Electronic Publishing.

What did you aim to do with your pieces?
LP: I hope to spark an interest in others or a feeling that compels them. I assume that everyone will interpret them in different ways. I hope that people are able to follow the path through the paintings.

Do you have a theme or any influences?
LP: My theme is nature and the paths that take you through life. The things I see and feel every day and the changing of seasons influence me.

Who have been your major mentors or influences?
LP: I have been influenced by many people that have crossed my path in life. It started in middle school with my teacher Mr. Wyman, and then was pushed further in my career when I entered Saint Mary's. I felt like I really belonged in Preston Lawing's classes as well as my advisors, Rob McColl, and I was always inspired by my professor John Whelan.

Favorite art-related memory?
LP: My favorite art-related memory was when I painted a picture for my aunt and uncle's 40th wedding anniversary this past summer. They both went through a rollercoaster of emotions. To evoke that much emotion from a painting is priceless.

Maria Harris
Major: Graphic Design and Studio Art

What did you aim to do with your pieces?/Do you have a theme or any influences?
MH: All of my pieces are of something very valuable to me. My theme was "Home." I have artwork of my family members, one of the First National Bank building in downtown Saint Paul and the rest are from my cabin. These are places or people that I am most comfortable with. I could have kept going, but I ran out of room and stopped before it looked cluttered. I guess they are just some of the many people and places I highly value in my life.

What are your artistic plans for the future?
MH: I plan to keep creating drawings and paintings on the side, but I would love to get a job in graphic design. If there were one thing I have learned is I would not be me without art in my life. It gives me balance.

Favorite art-related memory?
MH: One is when I would babysit; I would draw with the kids. I would draw anything they would ask me to draw. Watching their faces was priceless. Even to this day I love drawing with my younger cousins. I would sit down and draw Scooby Doo, Madeline, SpongeBob and more.

Maggie Villaume
Majors: Graphic Design and Studio Art.

What did you aim to do with your pieces?
MV: Make an impression and create a new twist on something traditional.

Do you have a theme or any influences?
MV: Combining both of my majors, and family.

What does the show mean to you?
MV: The show is a culmination of everything I've learned in college and how I've progressed as an artist. It lets my friends and family see that being an art major really does take an effort, like any other major at this school.

What are your artistic plans for the future?
MV: Hopefully to be employed as a designer and to do freelance studio work.

Favorite art-related memory?
MV: When I was in preschool, I remember having to draw pictures in pudding on the tables, and instead of drawing, I ate the pudding.

Sarah Kennedy
Majors: Studio Arts and Graphic Design

How long has art been a part of your life?
SK: All of my life. I have a VERY long history of artists from both my mom and dads' sides of the family, so art has been incorporated within everything I do.

What did you aim to do with your pieces? /Do you have a theme or any influences?
SK: I didn't necessarily have a concise theme. I really just wanted to show my diversity and range of media in a way that was still a little bit, for a lack of a better word, “different” like myself.

Who have been your major mentors or influences?
SK: I'd have to say that my grandfather has been, by far, my greatest influence in my life. I remember him drawing me cartoon characters on sheets of paper as a little kid, and I would sit there and color them in for hours.

Favorite art related memory?
SK: Well, it most definitely wouldn't be MY favorite art-related memory, but I'm still hearing about the time that Preston had just gotten done telling us how dangerous a tool we were using can be, and to be EXTRA careful as to not slice your finger when using it. He left the room, and five minutes hadn't even gone by when I sliced my finger down to the bone. To make a long story short, there was blood all over the floor, and I had to finish up the semester doing everything left-handed. As a right-handed artist, that wasn't ideal.

SMU clubs keep their names

By Nick Bravos
Sports Editor

In an April 20 decision, Vice President of Student Life Chris Kendall announced that the names of each athletic club team on campus will not be forced, but can instead choose, to adopt the Cardinal name and logo.

Kendall said he initially raised the issue of whether or not all athletic teams on campus should look the same to promote feedback from the student body, and he learned a lot about how people connect with each other and the clubs during the process.

“The way I see it, how you represent Saint Mary’s University matters more than what you’re called,” Kendall said. “I value some counter-culture, it creates some room for individuality, and so, as long as I’m here, [clubs] will stay the way they are.”

It’s been a university initiative to keep improving the safety and quality of club sports, said Kendall. For this reason, he said, an athletic advisory board was established two years ago to promote club sports, recreation and healthy lifestyles.

“Club sports are a great vehicle for attracting people to SMU,” Kendall said.

Kendall added that he is working on establishing funds so that each club team will have a coach, access to athletic trainers and an athletic club coordinator position. He said a decision hasn’t been made yet if he will implement any of these.

However, sophomore captain of the MUTs Eric Amerling said, “Before all club teams are given coaches in the future, we need to consider the benefits of being student-run, most importantly the skills that the leaders are gaining.”

Amerling said that he has gained valuable organizational skills and leadership qualities in his role as a captain. He added that “captains of these club teams need to be more than just a player but also the role of an accountant or secretary, and all these positions are explored without the aid and hand-holding of a coach.”

SMU hockey player goes national

By Keotta House
Cardinal Staff

Playing at the international level of any sport is rare opportunity and it is almost unheard of for a NCAA Division III.  However, Saint Mary’s University senior Sheree Haslemore joined the New Zealand National Women’s Hockey team at the age of 14 and has never looked back since.

“I have been playing for the team since I was 14,” she said. “There is nothing better than putting on the black NZ jersey and singing my national anthem.”

After playing on a national team one would think a Division III team would have little to offer, but Haslemore disagrees.

“I have enjoyed the professionalism that is brought to the athletic programs and that you are continually held to a higher standard,” she said.  “You learn so much about yourself through your interactions with your teammates, but also through the balancing act of being a student-athlete.”

The SMU Athletic Department is happy to have not only someone with her experience, but someone with her personality. As SMU Women’s Hockey Head Coach Terry Mannor said, someone with her sense of leadership and a positive attitude is a good thing for any team to have.

“Sheree was a good influence to the girls on the team and she added a bit of maturity that we were more than happy to have,” he said.

Athletic Director Nikki Fennern felt similarly to having Haslemore here at SMU.

“She has brought [SMU] to a country we have never been before, and it’s a lot of good promotion to have someone like Sheree here,” she said.

Haslemore is a senior and she said she will always have a special place in her heart for SMU after she graduates. As for hockey, she said she will always have a special place for it as well, but that doesn’t mean she is done.

“I plan to continue playing as long as my body will let me,” she said.  “Hockey is something that I have been a part of so long that it has become engrained in my being.”  

SMU hosts Ultimate Frisbee tournament

By Brandon Matis
Guest Writer

Ten collegiate Ultimate Frisbee teams from across the MIAC and parts of Canada and South Dakota gathered at Saint Mary’s University to compete with hopes of going to regionals and nationals in Appleton, Wis.

With three teams ranked in the top ten in nationals (St. John’s, St. Olaf and Carleton-GOP) and only four spots available for regionals, the pressure and nerves were high.  The games were played on April 14 and 15, with pool play on Saturday and bracket play on Sunday.

Due to the powerhouse teams in the top three seeds, the other seven teams fought hard and long to get the all-important fourth spot to advance to regionals.  This made for incredible competition.  All but one of SMU’s own MUTs’ games were within five points, which was a testament to how long and competitive the weekend was.

As expected, number three ranked St. John’s won the tournament with a perfect 5-0 record.  St. Olaf and Carleton-GOP took second and third respectively, each with one loss to each other.  Augustana finished in fourth, allowing them to join the top three finalists at regionals during the weekend of April 28 and 29.

The MUTs finished in a slightly disappointing seventh, but overall played very well. This was yet another reminder of how close their games were throughout the whole year.

The MUTs will lose five players this year: Captain Nick Bravos, Mitchell May, Mike “Sunshine” Ostman, Jeff “JT” Thomas and Tim Sheedy.  However, they look to continue to rebuild into next year and make the regional and national tournament.

Baseball holds game to battle prostate cancer

By Sam Nord
Guest Writer

The Saint Mary’s University baseball team, along with all other MIAC baseball teams, participated in the second annual Strike Out Prostate Cancer Week April 15-21.

For the Cardinals, the week included double-headers against St. Olaf and St. John’s. Much like the SMU Volleyball team’s Dig Pink for women, Strike Out Prostate Cancer was held in an effort to raise funds and awareness about a good cause.

Assistant Baseball Coach Pat Jacobsen is the founder of the week-long awareness campaign that involves all of the MIAC baseball programs.

“It all started when I realized that the men’s sports teams at SMU did not have a disease awareness week like the Volleyball team’s Dig Pink,” said Jacobsen. “Around the same time, my friend’s father was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which really sparked the beginning stages of starting Strike Out Prostate Cancer.”

The SMU baseball team helped raise awareness by wearing baby blue baseball jerseys along with coaches and the other MIAC baseball programs wearing baby blue wrist bands and sweat bands.

SMU’s first baseman and designated hitter Jon Schlemmer  said, “I look forward to this week each year now because of how well it went last year.” He said, “It’s awesome having people come out and watch us while helping support a great cause.”

This is the second year the SMU baseball program and the rest of the MIAC baseball programs have participated in the weekly campaign.

Letter to the Editor

Steve Schild
Associate Professor
Mass Communication Program

I write to commend every student who’s had work in the recent art shows in the Lillian Davis Hogan Gallery. It takes courage to publicly display something as intimate as artistic expression, and it takes talent to create work of the quality that has impressed me about student shows over the years.

I enjoy the show not only because of the artwork itself, but for the glimpse it gives me of the huge slice of student life I don’t encounter in the classroom. Students’ artwork provides a lovely and telling insight into the multi-faceted human beings they are.

To the student artists, thanks again. And to anyone who hasn’t yet seen the show, I urge you to go.

Chapel unveils refurbishment

By Emma Stenzel

Managing & Advertising Editor

Saint Mary’s University’s Saint Thomas More Chapel is now open for prayer and liturgical services after the completion of its interior refurbishment.

During the past two months, construction crews and maintenance staff have been cleaning, painting and reconstructing the chapel in accordance with the designs of Father James Notebaart, architect of the refurbishing and the liturgical consultant.

On Tuesday, March 13, the SMU community celebrated the refurbished chapel’s Rite of Dedication, where Bishop John Quinn consecrated the new stone altar. Along with nearly 200 attendants, special guests Notebaart, artist Alec Smith, local contractors and members of the maintenance staff were also invited to the event.

Dean for University Affairs Sister Judy Schaefer said that the refurbishment was necessary since the Saint Thomas More Chapel is a place of importance at the SMU Winona campus and needed updates. In addition, she said that the changes were made in preparation for the university’s upcoming centennial celebration.

Notebaart said that he wanted to create a different character for the chapel, giving it a “quieter” façade while incorporating the nature in the Winona area.

“We wanted to restore the material that was here,” said Notebaart. He explained that the tapestry stone used for the 7,000-pound altar was cut from the earth only a few miles away from the Winona campus. The altar also reflects the four seasons of the area, depicting different images of nature in four square medallions.

Notebaart also added lattice screens to the front of the chapel, which he said act as a gate that invites the congregation within. “The screens are placed in front of the tabernacle, and to me they say that something special lies beyond,” said Notebaart.

Though there is not yet a crucifix in the refurbished chapel, Notebaart said that a bronze crucifix will be installed in May or June.

“It’s so nice to have a beautiful space to pray in,” said Schaefer. “Several people made a comment to me that they feel more comfortable and more drawn to pray in the chapel. And that was our goal: to make it more welcoming and prayerful for everyone.”

The chapel now resumes its daily liturgy at 12:10 p.m. Monday through Friday and its weekend liturgy at 10:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Date set for SMU lockdown drill

By Julianne Bartosz

Editor-in-chief

The lockdown drill at Saint Mary’s University will be held during an academic day within the coming weeks of April, said Vice President for Student Life Chris Kendall.

Kendall said that only a few faculty members will be informed of when the drill will occur.

“The community will not know when it will be because you cannot be prepared,” said Kendall. He said that this allows the SMU community to get the most effective practice out of the drill.

The drill is a part of SMU’s updated emergency response plan, said Kendall. This plan includes the use of Blackboard Connect to send an emergency alert via email, phone call and text message.

SMU community members are encouraged to update their personal emergency contact information on WebTools to ensure that they receive emergency notifications.

More information about the lockdown drill and SMU’s emergency response plan can be found in February’s “SMU to practice lockdown drill” article on the Cardinal blog, cardinal-smumn.blogspot.com.

Lockdown drill procedure:

1. Stay in room or classroom meeting space

2. Keep calm

3. Immediately secure doors

4. Turn off lights

5. If possible, stay out of sight of windows and doors

6. Silence all electronic devices and limit use

7. Faculty/staff take attendance

8. Stay put until you hear “All clear”

Plans for Nordic Ski Center in new residence hall

By Julianne Bartosz

Editor-in-chief

Saint Mary’s University has partnered with the Winona Nordic Ski Club to develop the Brother Jerome Rademacher Nordic Ski Center in SMU’s new residence hall.

The Winona Nordic Ski Club is helping fund the Nordic Ski Center which will be housed in the basement of the new residence hall’s north wing, said Vice President for Student Life Chris Kendall.

“It will bring together several key pieces of campus life,” said Kendall.

The Nordic Ski Center will house the Outdoor Leadership Office and the Environmental Awareness Center. Kendall said it will also include a large open room that will be available for a multitude of events, including events through SMU’s Office of Residence Life and Athletic Department.

In addition to campus life, the Nordic Ski Center will also allow campus to connect more with the Winona community. For example, Kendall said that the Nordic Ski Center will also be headquarters for the Winona Senior High School’s Nordic ski team.

Relay for Life raises money, fights back

By Kassondra Burtis

News Editor

Saint Mary’s University’s Relay for Life event was held Friday, March 16, through the early morning hours of Saturday, March 17, and raised more than it ever has before, easily surpassing its donation goal.

Relay for Life is an overnight event where participants join to remember everyone who has suffered from cancer, both those who have won the fight and those who have lost it. It is a way for people affected by the disease to create awareness and raise money to help fight back against cancer.

Senior Laura Larson, co-president of SMU’s Colleges Against Cancer, said the university’s goal for this year’s event was to have 30 teams, 300 participants, and raise $30,000. The event consisted of 28 teams, 275 participants, and raised just over $36,000, though donations are still accepted until August 2012 and will likely raise even more.

“The amount we’ve raised is more than double what we raised last year and is at least $10,000 more than SMU has ever raised before with this event,” Larson said. “I am very proud of how well we did as a community this year.”

Relay does not only rely on the money raised by donations before the event, but also on activities during the event.

“Since this is a fundraising event, there is also food and games at the event to raise money,” Larson said. “Mr. Relay is one event that I see people getting into. This is an event where males dress up in women’s clothing and we have a pageant. For about the next half hour, the guys walk around the [facility] and try to get as many donations as they can. The guy that raises the most money wins.”

Along with the fundraising efforts, there are many ceremonial aspects. The night begins by introducing and celebrating cancer survivors. There is also a “Remember Speech” given by someone who has been affected by cancer and a luminaria ceremony where all luminaries are lit and everyone at the event takes a few laps around the track together.

“The part that I get into the most is the Remember Speech and the luminaria ceremony,” Larson said. “It is a time to remember those we have lost and to keep in our hearts those who are fighting. The room just becomes a place with everyone caring for one another, and it is really great to see that we have someone to lean on.”

Larson encourages those who have never been to a Relay for Life event to try one out and also encourages those who have gone to get others involved.

“In the four years that I have been here, the event has grown so much, and I hope to see it grow more in the future,” Larson said. “Let others know how great it was. Start a team next year!

“Cancer affects each and every one of us one way or another. Relay for Life is a great way to feel like you can do something about it.”

More information can be found at www.relayforlife.org/smu and any questions can be directed to collegesagainstcancer@smumn.edu.

SMU students to take Alcohol and Other Drug Survey

By Julianne Bartosz

Editor-in-chief

Saint Mary’s University’s Jay Johnson Wellness Center’s biannual CORE Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) survey will be sent out to undergraduate students around the third week in April.

SMU students will receive the AOD survey via email from the CORE Institute. It is a brief voluntary survey.

“It is important that students fill out the survey,” said Director of Counseling Services Dr. Ruth Mathews. “We use the data a lot within the Wellness Center and other parts of campus life.”

The AOD survey is used by the Wellness Center “to better understand alcohol related issues and programming needs of our students,” said Mathews. She said that psychology research students also use the data.

The 2010 AOD data showed that alcohol and other drug use was associated with lower grades and experiences of harassment and violence.

To encourage students to complete the survey, Mathews said that students will have the opportunity to win prizes. Survey participants will be entered into a drawing for prizes and the residence hall with the greatest participation will win a pizza party.

SMU student publishes book

By Marissa Johnson

Cardinal Staff

Saint Mary’s University junior Brian Thomas has recently published his first book, The College Life 101, a transitional guide to assist college freshmen.

The book covers a wide range of topics including financial aid, choosing a major, involvement in extra-curricular activities and saving money on textbooks.

“I saw high school students who weren’t prepared for college,” Thomas said. “I thought, what better way to help than by writing a guide?”

His book stresses the importance of balancing students’ lives both inside and outside the classroom, especially since it is the first time many of these students are living on their own.

Thomas, an English major, is involved with the First Generation Initiative program at SMU and plans on spending the summer working on the Countdown to College program, which is designed to help prepare high school students for college.

Thomas said that his book is “not as much about monetary gain as it is about helping students.” He believes that if students are prepared for college during high school, they are more likely to succeed in college and beyond.

The College Life Guide 101 will be in print by the end of March. In the meantime, it is available as an eBook on his website www.collegelifeguide101.com.

Hop on the SOUL Train!

By Marissa Johnson

Cardinal Staff

Saint Mary’s University’s Serving Others United in Love (SOUL) program was once again on the road, as ten different student-led groups, each with a faculty advisor, visited many different locations over this year’s spring break.

A few of the destinations for this year’s trips included New York, Rhode Island, Arizona, Iowa and Montana. The students involved helped in various ministries such as education, social work and construction.

Chris McClead, the faculty advisor of SOUL, participated in the St. Louis, Miss., trip. He described the sense of awe he felt when he saw how “sixteen people who didn’t know each other were put in a very uncomfortable position for anyone, woke up each morning and asked how to serve the community they came with and the community they were entering.”

SOUL has two purposes. The first is to provide as many students as possible with the chance to serve others; and the second is to enable the SMU community to connect with diverse communities throughout the nation and world while enriching the lives of those individuals.

Although every trip has different people and perspectives, each decision and course of action is based on the four pillars of SOUL: faith, service, community and transformation.

Every student encounters SOUL differently. Depending on the ministry of the trip and the experience of the participant, one could walk away from a trip with new friendships, greater humility, or even a simple understanding of what life is like on the other side of the spectrum.

SMU sophomore Bill Van Wagner participated in the trip that visited a Blackfeet Indian reservation in Browning, Mont. The students on this trip spent the week helping in the eighth grade classroom of a San Miguel school. The focus of his trip was primarily on helping to motivate the students to work hard in school and strive to attend college so that they can break the cycle of poverty in their community. Van Wagner described his experience as “a reminder to be grateful for the many blessings I have in life as well as to appreciate the joy of a life of simplicity.”

Although it is not possible for a group of college students to completely fix the problems in the communities they visit through SOUL, the trips allow them to become more aware of the issues in the world and, if the students serve with the Lasallian spirit, they are able to make a lasting impression on the people they serve.

Library extends Friday hours

By Kassondra Burtis

News Editor

Saint Mary’s University’s Fitzgerald Library has extended its hours on Fridays by an hour and a half and is now open until 6 p.m.

Library Director Laura Oanes said the idea of extending the library’s hours came from student input and she is hopeful that students will use those extra hours and prove that the decision was a good one.

“We are really hoping that students will take advantage of it,” Oanes said. “We are here to serve [the students] and what their needs are.”

The reasoning behind the hours being extended as they were, Oanes said, is to give students a little extra time after classes get done on Fridays to do any homework, group work, or printing they need to finish before the weekend.

The extended hours are, for the remainder of the semester, on a sort of trial run. The decision was put into place just after spring break to give the staff a chance to use the end of the year to see if people would get used to the hours and use them.

Oanes said that the library staff would love to hear students’ feedback on the extended hours. Any feedback or suggestions helps with looking at long term decisions and if the new hours are helpful to students. Feedback may be directed to the library’s email,

wlibrary@smumn.edu.

Kendall’s career continues at SMU

By Julianne Bartosz

Editor-in-chief

When Chris Kendall graduated from Saint Mary’s College in 1979, he never would have imagined he would continue his career at SMU for 27 years.

Kendall majored in language arts and minored in philosophy. He later earned his Master’s degree from Saint Mary’s in human development with an emphasis on outdoor leadership.

“I was an average student,” said Kendall. “I also benefited a lot from the number of Christian Brothers here.”

His best memory from Saint Mary’s was taking a statistics class with Brother Leo Northam. Kendall said that the class did not advance to the next chapter until everyone earned a perfect score on the quiz.

“I was living what it meant to be Lasallian in this learning community without realizing it,” said Kendall.

Kendall lived in Saint Edward’s and Saint Joe’s residence halls before moving off campus. He said he enjoyed living in Saint Joe’s because the current art department was a gym where he spent a lot of time.

He also spent his time playing Frisbee, competing in intramurals and hang gliding. In addition, Kendall played baseball all four of his collegiate years.

He currently holds four all-time rankings: 4th in most hits (137), 4th for most triples (8), 6th for most total bases (196), and 9th for most at bats (389). His athletic success was honored as he earned All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors in both his junior and senior seasons. He was also selected as an NAIA All-District outfielder in 1979.

Kendall continued his involvement in Saint Mary’s athletics as both assistant and head baseball coach and later as the athletic director.

In addition to these titles, Kendall was also the student activities director and the dean of students before gaining his current position as vice president of student life.

He said his experiences as a student gave him a unique perspective.

“I became the dean of students with an idea of sitting on both sides of the desk,” said Kendall.

Kendall said he is amazed with his decision to attend Saint Mary’s and the impact it has had on his life. It was the only college he applied to and he didn’t visit campus, he said.

“I didn’t know it then, but it was the most significant decision of my life,” said Kendall. “It has been an interesting journey, and I still learn a lot every day.”

University alum Leibundguth ‘Back in the Day’

By Jenna Capelle

Cardinal Newspaper Staff

Admission Counselor Neil Leibundguth didn’t always spend hours talking on the phone with parents, attend college fairs and visit high schools throughout Wisconsin.

Leibundguth recently graduated from Saint Mary’s University with the Class of 2009. In college, he was involved with the campus radio station, KSMR. He hosted a radio show on KSMR and served as the Technology Director for a period of time. Leibundguth also installed the sound board that’s currently in the KSMR broadcasting room today.

With the Office of Admission at SMU, Leibundguth works with prospective high school students from the greater Wisconsin area along with the St. Paul area. He helps students through the admission process by meeting with students when they visit. Also, he talks to students and parents on the phone to figure out necessary paperwork for transcripts and financial aid.

Becoming an admission counselor was an easy choice for Leibundguth because he had such a great college experience.

“When you love your school so much it’s easy to tell students about it,” said Leibundguth.

“I loved seeing students adding the online feed of KSMR,” said Leibundguth. “It’s great to see the station get bigger and more popular.”

Three years out of school, Leibundguth continues to be included with the men’s music fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha, in which he was a member during his undergraduate days. Since graduating, the fraternity has occasionally asked for his assistance onstage and offstage in preparation for the Blue Angel music variety show on campus.

“Being on campus still allows me to stay a part of the fraternity when they need me,” said Leibundguth.

Leibundguth suggests that students in college should get as involved in college as possible. However, it’s important that students learn to prioritize their time with school and activities so they don’t overstretch themselves.

“You’re not going to remember every paper you wrote about, but you will remember all the great things you did with your friends,” said Leibundguth.