VALENTINE’S DAYWays to celebrate

Cupid’s holiday without being

cliché, Page 7

February 11, 2016 — Vol. 94, Issue 8

DUHAWK SPORTSHere’s the 411 of everything you

missed over J-Term,

Page 10

India: The ultimate in culture and history

Duhawks du service in New Orleans

by AVA LALOR|executive copy editor

On Jan. 23 at 3 a.m., a group of sixteen Duhawks met in the Keane parking lot to begin the sixteen hour drive to New Orle-ans, LA. The students who participated in the trip were Allison Bentz, Shannon Mc-Quillan, Anna Sweeney, Heather Everding, Luis Sanchez, Tessa Botka, Emily Erickson, Jacob Formella, Louisa Pavlik, Nicole Ple-ggenkuhle, Allegra Johnson, Kayla Barnes, Monica Vallejo and Mary Sutarik. Loras staff members Lynn Gallagher and Patti Burg-meier also came with the group.

Only 10 people originally were planning to spend their J-Term break in New Orleans with the remaining six people listed plan-ning to trek to Camden, NJ. However, the massive Winter Storm Jonas that pummeled the East Coast with snow brought the two groups to work together down south. The group stayed at one site together for the majority of the week, getting dusty from the constant sanding of drywall which required masks to avoid breathing it in.

Arrival at Camp Hope couldn’t come fast enough after driving seventeen hours in the vans. The group was greeted by Walt, a volunteer who runs Camp Hope by cook-ing meals from scratch and tending to the needs of groups who reside there. The food included a make-your-own pizza night, be-ing a group favorite, as well as the much-an-ticipated Cajun Night.

“I had such a good time. I learned so much about Cajun food,” junior Tessa Bot-ka said.

That Sunday offered sunshine and tour-ism throughout the famous New Orleans French Quarter since volunteer work did not begin until Monday. Low, colorful buildings lined each street with quirky voodoo stores and daiquiri shops sandwiched side by side. Shiny decorations of green, purple and gold were woven all around Bourbon Street and the surrounding area in anticipation of Mar-

di Gras. Spotting Sandra Bullock in her own backyard as well as eating the deliciously crisp and fluffy beignets while live music played were among that day’s highs.

When Monday approached, the group was ready to head to the St. Bernard Proj-ect’s Headquarters to receive background on the continuing devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

“Even after 10 years, it’s crazy to see how much still needs to be done,” Botka said. “Our Americorps volunteer director said it’s going to be thirty more years of recovery.”

Lynch Learning Center staff member Lynn Gallagher was kind enough to share her thoughts on spending January 23- 29 in New Orleans, LA:

"It is unbelievable to imagine that after 10 years, there are still survivors of Hurricane

Katrina who are waiting for their homes to be inhabitable. The St. Bernard Project has partnered with various volunteer organiza-tions to ensure those individuals have homes to return to. Loras students witnessed, first hand, the devastation of the 9th ward and the work needed to return it to its former state. Kudos to those students who worked tirelessly to help bring a family home."

The work from Monday to Friday proved a bit more difficult to catch onto than an-ticipated. “Mudding,” or as most of the stu-dents called it “spackling,” wasn’t nearly as easy as the Americorps volunteers that managed the site made it look. Sanding the walls to smoothness was important for the family who would soon live in the home the Duhawks were working on. Senior Luis Sanchez proved to be a great student-leader

with tips on the worksite. His background in construction and willingness to help the other students definitely made the work go more smoothly.

The students worked hard but still found the ability to have fun and make jokes, forg-ing bonds that will last beyond the com-bined 34 hours spent in big white vans and the week working in close proximity. Patti Burgmeier and Lynn Gallagher were simul-taneously fun and supportive staff mem-bers to go on the trip, keeping the students laughing and reflecting on the importance of the volunteer work. Allison Bentz and Kay-la Barnes, who was the leader of the group originally planning to go to Camden, worked together to make the trip flow smoothly with lots of giggles and meaningful experiences in the New Orleans community.

by LOUISA PAVLIK|staff writer

Participants of the J-Term service trip pose for a photo in New Orleans.

photos submitted

“ Even after 10 years, it’s crazy to see how much still needs to be done.

Tessa Botka Junior who attended service trip ,,

During J-Term, a group of 24 students and two professors were given the oppor-tunity to study eleven and a half hours across the globe in the country of India. In the months before the trip, the expec-tations dreamed about were nothing in comparison to the actual country that the group experienced firsthand. Between the culture, the history, and the people, a new perspective was placed before them, one that will likely affect them for the entirety of their lives.

The trip started on Jan. 4, the first day of J-Term. After two seven-hour flights and a five hour layover in Frankfurt, Ger-many, they finally arrived in Delhi, the capital of India. Smog was the first cul-ture shock they encountered as one could see the haze it created down the hallway in the airport. Besides the air, Delhi had so much to offer. They visited mosques and temples, mausoleums and museums in Delhi and throughout the entire journey. Since the class focus was on Gandhi, the group went to the Gandhi Smriti, which is where Gandhi lived the last 144 days of his life before he was assassinated on the grounds. With the building transformed into a museum and the grounds dedicated as a shrine, it was both an informative and an emotional site.

Next, the DuHawks took the bus to Agra, home of the famous Taj Mahal. While this mausoleum was impressive with the intricate marble inlay and the precision of the entire grounds (only a 2% error), this 400 year old monument was only one of the many Mughal structures they were awed by everywhere in India. Agra also gave them the wonderful oppor-tunity to visit Sheroes Café, a restaurant that employs acid attack survivors. Before

the trip, many in the group were complete-ly unaware of this horrible problem in In-dia. The women they met at Sheroes Café had a beauty of their own as they were able

to look beyond their scars by empowering themselves through their work and pursuit of their dreams.

From Agra, they drove a few hours to

catch the train that would take them to Rathambore National Park, the tiger pre-serve which is home to many other Indian animals such as the sambar and spotted deer, crocodiles, a variety of birds includ-ing peacocks, antelope, wild boar, sloth bears, and langur monkeys. Between two safaris, the group was able to see all the animals either up close or at a dis-tance. That night at the hotel, they even witnessed a traditional Indian song and dance.

The group then drove to Jaipur, one of the more modern cities in India. Here they visit-ed one of the famous forts, the Amber Fort. Of all the sites visited, many agreed it was

photos by AVA LALOR

continued on page 2

their favorite. Between the elephant ride up to the fort, the intricate painting along the walls, and the room of mirrors, they couldn’t help but love every moment of it. Jaipur also led them to the Monkey Temple which felt like a scene from the Jungle Book.

Lastly, they flew to Ahmedabad, the southernmost stop during the trip. During those six days, they centered their focus on Gandhi by visiting the Gandhi Ashram, the community of equality he founded and lived at for many years. They also met with Fr. Prakash, a Jesuit priest who has worked to peacefully instill interfaith relationships in Ahmedabad, specifically after the massacre in 2002. While Muslims and Hindus have lived in the same country for hundreds of years, their history is not without conflict. They were fortunate to visit Fr. Prakash as only four days later he would be leaving India to work as a missionary in Lebanon to help with the refugee crisis. He also in-vited the group to say mass with him at the

Mother Teresa Ashram Home for the Sick and Dying Destitute where they talked with two of the Missionaries of Charity as well as met some of the men living there. Finally, on the last full day in the city, they were grant-ed the opportunity to walk through one of the slums. Here they met with a group that works to educate and care for those living in this extreme level of poverty. However, the students were surprised to see that, despite the poverty, everyone was joyful.

Overall, the trip to India was one of the most life changing experiences for many, if not all, in the group. These DuHawks experi-enced a different culture by walking through the streets, learning the history, and loving the people through their brief interactions. Yes, they got stares from many people be-cause they were different, but they learned how similar everyone is. The culture was so colorful and tasteful that many said they would love to visit again. For now, they will have to be content with the moments they created during their fifteen days in India.

continued from page 1

India: J-Term provides memories and lessons to all

photo SUBMITTED

2 The Lorian Feb. 11, 2016 News

What is a ‘knight’ to remember? A typi-cal response would be something along the lines of a night spent with good company over a meal or entertainment. While this definition describes a night to remember, it doesn’t explain what a ‘knight’ to re-member is all about.

The Loras Col-l e g e K n i g h t s o f Columbus are get-ting ready for one o f t h e i r l a r g e s t fundraisers of the year: “Night with a Knight.” This annu-al event, which has been going on for over a decade, rais-es money for a local charity important to the group’s cause. This year’s event will provide all who attend, male and female, a chance to experience the heart-pounding auction and bidding for the ultimate prize: a five-course meal and delightful conversation with a Knight of the winner’s choice later this month. The

fun does not stop there, however- there is a surprise announcement awaiting those who attend the auction this year. Intrigued?

The auction will take place in the Pub at 6:15 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 26, and the din-ner will be held two days later at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28 at Nativity Church on

Alta Vista Street. No worries if you cannot find the lo-cation; the Knights of Columbus are trained in escorting their auction win-ners to the dinner.

A s f o r t h e Knights who were up for auct ion, names will be an-nounced as we get closer to the mo-mentous event, so check back with The Lorian in a

couple weeks. It truly is a ‘knight’ to remem-ber, so mark your calendars and do not miss out on being part of a Night with a Knight: where memories, charitable work, and good cheers come alive.

News The Lorian Feb. 11, 2016 3

Ever wanted to see your name in print next to a story you wrote? The Lorian is always looking for new writers. Sophomores and older get paid! If interested, let us know!

Cassandra BuschCassandra.Busch@loras.edu

Ashley PudilAshley.Pudil@loras.edu

A ‘Knight’ to remember

by ASHLEY PUDIL|news editor

Loras celebrates interfaith harmony

by ANNEMARIE ELSINGER|staff writerby KENZIE ELSBERND|for the lorian

Knights of Columbus suit up for annual auction and dinner to raise money for Dubuque charity

This past Friday, Feb. 5, the College Ac-tivities Board hosted the appearance of ac-tor, musician, and comedian Kel Mitchell here at Loras. From the start of the event, Mitchell brought down the house with his impressive combination of witty remarks, humorous quirks, and overall hysterical mannerisms.

From hilariously illustrated backstories to improvised interaction with the audi-ence, Mitchell provided a rousing hour and a half of side-splitting entertainment.

Kel Mitchell has been active for over two decades now. Though a master of many fronts, he is perhaps best remembered for his performances in several Nickelodeon television shows. Having kicked off his ca-reer at an early age, Mitchell’s first well-known role was as Ed, the energetic but dimwitted fast-food employee featured in the “Good Burger” sketch of the comedy program “All That.” He later had a star-ring role as Kel Kimble in the hit sitcom

“Kenan and Kel,” and subsequently ap-peared in several cartoons and live-action movies, including a full-length motion picture adaptation of “Good Burger” in 1997. Currently, Mitchell is involved in the

new Nickelodeon show, “Game Shakers,” playing the part of a rapper and superstar named Double G.

Mitchell’s appearance on Friday night was met with great enthusiasm by all stu-

dents attending. For many, it was a chance to see and meet a figure from their bygone younger years.

“Kel made my childhood a little more enjoyable,” said sophomore Broderick Hooker.

Loras College is greatly honored by Mitchell’s visit, and hopes to see him again sometime in the near future.

Some other large events presented by Loras this month include CAB’s sold-out movie night at Mindframe theatres, Year Experience’s trip to the Kalahari resort in the Wisconsin Dells, and free tickets to the Dubuque Fighting Saints hockey game.

Interfaith Harmony Week (IHW) is a worldwide event that promotes awareness and communication among people of reli-gious and nonreligious backgrounds. Bet-ter Together, the interfaith group at Loras, tabled the first week of February to spread awareness and love for people of various backgrounds. There were post-ers and buttons to encourage people to choose loving oth-ers for their differences rather than fearing them. Their but-tons state, “I choose LOVE over FEAR” and can be found in the Campus Ministry Office.

IHW is important because accepting others is crucial to global relations. If humans continue to fear those differ-ent from them, the world will continue to judge and hate others.

Senior and foreign exchange student Sara Alfayoumi gave a presentation about the struggles she faces as a Muslim in Syria and América.

“You know people, you understand them, you love them and there will be absolutely no war but peace,” Alfayoumi

explained. When people start to understand why

people hold their beliefs, it helps bring to light the similarities between humans. It helps people to see that Christians, Jews, Atheists, Agnostics, Buddhists, and Mus-lims are all similar. It helps people to ac-knowledge that everyone is different, and

that knowledge makes for richer and more fruitful friendships and conver-sations. If everyone was

the same, the whole world would be bored out of their

minds. If everyone was the same, there would be no room

to grow into more accept-ing and loving individuals.

Loras, in partnership with Clarke University and

the University of Dubuque, will be hold-ing an Interfaith Leadership Conference from 8:30am-6:30pm on Saturday, Feb. 20. If you are interested in attending or learning more about the conference please contact Peace and Justice Coor-dinator Stacia McDermott, at Anastacia.McDermott@loras.edu.

This year’s event will provide all who attend,

male and female, a chance to experience the heart-

pounding auction and bidding for the ultimate prize: a five-course meal

and delightful conversation with a Knight of the winner’s

choice later this month.

by BRENNAN PIVNICKA|staff writer “ Kel made my childhood a little more enjoyable.

Broderick Hookerattended Kel Mitchell event,,

photo by BRENNAN PIVNICKA

CAB brings laughs to campus with Kel ‘Good Burger’ actor Kel Mitchell visits campus, meets students to kick off 2nd semester and series of CAB events

Legacy Symposium deadline nearing

As the spring semester begins, the Leg-acy Symposium committee is encouraging students to mark their calendars for the third annual Loras Col-lege Legacy Symposium on Wednesday, April 27, 2016.

Started as part of the college’s 175 year anniver-sary, this event is an op-portunity for students and faculty to share their schol-arly accomplishments with the Duhawk community. Classes are canceled for the entire day on Wednes-day, allowing all students, faculty, and staff, to at-tend presentations, view posters, and experience the creativity in the Loras College community.

The symposium en-courages students to present their research, creative projects, service trips, and honors projects they have worked on over the past year or fall semester. Starting this year, the symposium is including internship presen-

tations as an option. Any type of presen-tation, from creative writing recitations, to musical performances, to study abroad presentations are welcome. The 2016 Stu-

dent Awards Luncheon will take place at the symposium, as well as a film festival at nighttime.

There are many for-mats available to present in, including posters, oral presentations, and creative displays, and all majors and years are wel-come to present work at the symposium.

The deadline to sub-mit work to the commit-tee for review is Wednes-day, Feb. 24. To submit work, go to www.loras.edu/legacysymposium, follow the links at the bottom of the page, and

fill out the form. Submissions will be select-ed and presenters will be notified within the next few weeks. Any questions regarding submissions can be sent to Legacy.Sympo-sium@loras.edu.

The symposium encourages students

to present their research, creative projects, service trips, and honors projects. Starting

this year, the symposium is

including internship presentations as an option.

Want to write articles for the Lorian?

With the caucuses there was also an ending of several

campaigns.

Getting back into a routine after a long

break at home isn’t always easy. If you’re anything like me, you probably spent way too much time on Netflix and in your mom’s kitchen. However, now that I’m back at school, I’m trying to get back into the routine of classes and work and actually doing

something with my life. Some days it sounds downright unappealing, but then I realize that I only have three semesters (minus a week and a half) and I better make the most of it while I still have the chance. And if you’re younger than me and are thinking that this doesn’t apply to you because you still have plenty of time at Loras… think again. Excuse the cliché, but it will flash right before your eyes, and before you know it you’ll be in my shoes, already missing the lights of the Rock Bowl, the strange but oddly comforting smell of Hoffmann, and going up for seconds (and thirds and fourths) in the caf, especially when they have that one amazing mac & cheese. So please, no matter how old you are, heed my message.

My roommates and I made a promise to ourselves the night that we returned from home back to good ‘ol Byrne Oaks. We decided that this semester we are actually going to emerge from the little comforting cocoons that we have created and re-enter civilization at Loras College. This means that we will return to our yesteryear selves: taking advantage of free sporting events, attending plays and musicals, going to CAB events (such as the Kel Mitchell comedy show we attended last Friday night in the ballrooms), eating in the ACC, etc. Last semester it was too tempting to go from apartment to class to work and back again, always in a rush and not being able to truly appreciate the life on Loras campus. And wow, is our

campus pretty great.I went on the J-Term trip to Italy

this year, and it reopened my eyes to the amazingness that is Loras College and the community that inhabits it. As we get farther in our college education, most of us end up going to classes with the same small group of people that share our major. Not a bad thing whatsoever, especially if you’re an English major (English majors are pretty cool, not that I’m biased or anything). However, that also means that we can be pretty limited in our exposure to other students and faculty.

My J-Term was a philosophy course, and while I readily admit that philosophy is NOT my forte, I’d like to think that I gave it a pretty good shot. Even if the class wasn’t my usual interest, I did get to meet and get to know a lot of really cool people that I hadn’t previously spent a lot

of time with from a variety of majors. Also, hanging out with Father Joensen and Mick (a Loras security guard), as well as Professor Kohlhaas and two members of the wider Dubuque community, was pretty fun too (but don’t tell them I said that. Gotta keep up that super cool, disinterested persona). This group of people

reminded me how lucky I am to be at Loras, where J-Term trips to Italy, advanced gen eds mixing majors and disciplines, and a small enough campus to enjoy lots of friendly and familiar faces are not things that students from every school can enjoy. Therefore, I am going to do my best this semester to really show how grateful I am by taking advantage of the amazing (and often free or low-cost) opportunities that Loras offers, and bursting outside of my self-created junior bubble. And I think everyone could benefit from leaving their comfort zones and taking part in campus. If you do, you’ll end up with a lot more memories than just being able to remember the plotline to every episode of FRIENDS (although this is a great show and you should still totally watch it.) And so, get up, get out, and do things!

executive editor:

CASSANDRA BUSCHfeatures editor:SAMANTHA VATH

news editor: ASHLEY PUDILsports editor:

DREW BRASHAWassistant features editor:

ELLEN J. HORST

assistant sports editors:

MEGAN TEWS

NATALIE DROESKE

executive copy editor and web editor:

AVA LALOR co-advertising

managers:

ANNA SWEENEY EMILY MASTmoderator:

TIM MANNING

Editorial staff

CASSIE’SCORNER

Cassandra BusCh

executiveeditor

Smashing the 2nd semester slump

What is restorative justice? It is justice that focuses on the victims and community

harmed by a crime. It is not punitive justice which simply punishes the criminal. Restorative justice rehabilitates both parties to help heal the community from the offense. When the U.S. imprisons people, the victims do not receive real healing or payment for their losses; however, if offenders paid back their debt, apologized, or built a relationship with those they hurt, they would have a better understanding of the terrible scars they created.

Peace activists all over the world use techniques like peace circles to help bridge the gap between offenders and victims. Deacon Bill Hickson, the Jail and Prison Ministry Coordinator, uses restorative justice and support systems to help repair damages caused by crime.

Deacon Bill came to Loras last week to discuss his ministry. His motivation is imbedded in Jesus’ words, “I was in prison and you visited me” (Mathew 25:36). Jesus asks us all to love and

care for one another, especially the most vulnerable. Deacon Bill believes we have a duty to help ex-offenders reenter communities in order to create more functioning members of society. We do not need more people committing crimes, so this program uses support circles and mentors to aid ex-offenders. It gives them a support system to fall onto when they are struggling, rather than falling back onto criminal behavior.

An ex-felon who attended the circle meetings said he would either be dead

or back in prison if it were not for Deacon Bill’s support. He said this program was the best thing that happened to him after prison.

If more people positively support ex-felons instead of avoiding them,

there will be a decline in crime, as previous offenders will find new life and rehabilitation in restorative justice measures like peace circles. They will learn how to have healthier relationships and function more positively in the greater world. For more information on Restorative Justice or to join a support circle contact Deacon Bill at dbq060d2@dbqarch.org.

Peace activists all over the world use

techniques like peace circles to help bridge

the gap between offenders and victims.

Restorative justice offers a peaceful way to find healing

We decided that this semester, we

are actually going to emerge from the

little comforting cocoons that we

have created and re-enter civilization

at Loras College.

haley meyer

MORE FROM MEYER With November only

being nine months away, strategy is being

discussed every day, and the drive to win back the

White House is strong among conservatives,

regardless of which candidate they support

at this point in the election process.

On Monday, Feb. 1, the Iowa Caucuses

took place. I was at Roosevelt Middle School where 16 precincts of Dubuque County were located for the Republican Caucus. The Iowa caucuses were still the first in the nation to vote, and all eyes were on Iowa to see what would

happen. Record numbers were reported across the state, Dubuque County being no exception. The previous caucus that took place in 2012 saw 695 people come out to vote; this year there were 1,610 votes cast at Roosevelt Middle School.

After the votes were counted there were three that came

out on top: Rubio, Trump, and Cruz. Rubio topped out at Roosevelt with roughly twenty-four votes separating him from Trump, who came in second. Although Rubio won several caucus sites across the state, Cruz stood strong to win the Iowa Republican Caucus. Cruz winning out over Trump led many to see a blow to Trump’s campaign, who stayed silent on Twitter for over fourteen hours. Trump was silent until the controversial statements made by Cruz’s campaign concerning Dr. Ben Carson came out. Although this may have been seen as a ploy to get more

votes for Cruz, the voters who potentially changed their minds on Carson could just have easily moved their votes to Trump who pushed for a new caucus. Whether or not this actually happened is unknown. Trump came in

second with 5,000 votes separating him

from Cruz in the state of Iowa.

With the caucuses there was also an ending of several

campaigns. Mike Huckabee had vowed several months ago to end his campaign

if he didn’t end up in the top three in Iowa. He finished near the bottom and suspended his campaign before all the precincts had even been reported. Santorum suspended his campaign the morning following the caucus after also finishing near the bottom. The most recent candidate to suspend his campaign was Rand Paul, who finished fifth in the state. Political experts speculate that he ended his campaign in order to focus on his race for reelection in the Senate.

Although the Iowa Caucuses are over, there are still many primaries coming up. The Republican field will continue to narrow down leading up to the

national convention where the nominee will be selected. With November only being nine months away, strategy is being discussed every day and the drive to win back the White House is strong among conservatives, regardless of which candidate they support at the this point in the election process.

4 The Lorian Feb. 11, 2016 Opinion

Republican caucus filters candidates

by ANNEMARIE ELSINGER|staff writer

6 The Lorian Feb. 11, 2016 Features The Lorian Feb. 11, 2016 7 Features

A fiery horizon on top of an orange hill;

Scent of coffee in the early morning;

Apple picking with friends in a crowded orchard, sweaters galore!

Pumpkin carving with a special someone, giggling at the feel of

gooey insides, collecting seeds for an afternoon snack;

An apple pie in the oven, the aroma of sweet cinnamon fill the halls;

Sounds of family laughter ring through the house;

The chill of nature, the warmth of a fire;

Wool socks make no sound on hard wooden floors;

Books aplenty, tea in hand after a long-day’s fun.

An Autumn Day

You’ll need an oven safe casserole type dish to cook this dip.

Directions:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the cream cheese

evenly across the bottom of the pan, then layer the can of chili on top of the cream cheese. Top with shredded cheddar cheese (as much or little as you desire). Cook for 30-35 minutes and let cool for 5 minutes. Top with chopped scallions and scoop some of this deliciousness into your mouth.

And that’s a little cooking with Jazz!

by LIZZY HOFF | staff writer

Nothing short of astronomical expectations sur-rounded the theatrical release of the long-antic-ipated Star Wars: The Force Awakens this past December. Announced following the purchase of Lucas film by The Walt Disney Company in 2012, the latest installment in the iconic space adven-ture film series had been in talks and production

for several years. Directed by renowned filmmaker J.J. Abrams, who also helmed the sci-fi pictures Super 8 and Star Trek, it marks the newest entry in what is perhaps the most

popular franchise in film history.The movie takes place rough-

ly thirty-some years after the events o f the or ig ina l S tar

Wars trilogy, in which the gal-axy is threatened by a regime

known as the First Order, a remnant of the once-powerful Galactic Empire. Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), a dark side Force user and agent of the Order, has become obsessed with the eradication of the Jedi, and his subsequent attacks result in the mysterious disappearance of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.

The story follows the actions of Finn (John Boyega), a rogue stormtrooper who wish-es to flee the horror of the First Order, and Rey (Daisy Ridley), an orphaned desert scavenger who longs for something more than her harsh environ-ment. Aided along the way by hotshot pilot Poe Dameron, service droid BB-8, Rebel Alliance gen-eral-turned-smuggler Han Solo and his Wookie first mate, Chewbacca, the two of them embark on an incredible interplanetary quest to deliver a star map containing the secret of Skywalker’s location to the freedom fighters of the Resistance. High-flying adventure ensues as the unlikely he-roes must battle the military might of the First Order, as well as their own personal fears, to ac-complish their goal.

In addition to the new actors, most of the origi-nal cast of Star Wars returns for this installment, with Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, and Peter Mayhew all repris-ing their roles from the first trilogy. In addition,

the film hosts bit parts with several other notable actors, including Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings), Warwick Davis (Willow), and Max Von Sydow (Flash Gordon).

In an effort to recreate the look and feel of the original Star Wars films, The Force Awakens uti-lizes an impressive array of practical effects and sets to create several imaginative places, vehicles, and creatures, which populate the screen at every turn. The movie’s whimsically epic soundtrack was scored once again by veteran Star Wars com-poser John Williams.

Due to the film’s impressive performance, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is still playing in most theaters. For all fans of classic adventure and sto-rytelling, charter a starship and head to the near-est cinema for a return to the long-awaited galaxy far, far away...

by BRENNAN PIVNICKA | staff writer

CHILI-NO-BEAN DIPby JASMINE SRONKOSKI | staff writer

There are some films that just reek of what’s known as “Oscar bait”. These films are usually helmed by a renowned director, have big names, and deal with a topic that’s the equivalent of a dangling carrot. It’s usu-ally a biopic about a famous person or event. From the above criteria, “Bridge of Spies” qualifies as Oscar bait. The good news is that it’s pretty good Oscar bait, even though in a field of unusually good competition, it doesn’t stand a chance.

The fi lms strings together a series of events. It’s the height of the Cold War, and insurance lawyer James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks) has the unenviable task of represent-ing in court Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance), a spy working for the Soviet Union. Donovan successfully prevents Abel from meeting death, despite it being a rather unpopular decision. However, things get increasingly dangerous when U-2 pilot Francis Gary Pow-ers (Austin Stockwell) is shot down and is held captive by the Soviet Union. To make matters even worse, the Berlin Wall is being erected, and American economics student Frederic Pryor (Will Rogers) is caught on the wrong side of the wall. Donovan now has the unenviable task of flying into Germany after a proposal to swap Abel for Powers is floated, but Donovan also wants Pryor, and things get really tricky.

Nothing warms the hearts of the Academy members like a biopic, if we’re to believe the cliché. In particular, it’s almost too easy to rake in the nominations when you channel the halcyon days (if you can call them that),

where the biggest fear anyone had to worry about was a nuclear war. The relative stabil-ity of domestic life, the ornate suits, the be-lief in our country: one might feel nostalgic about the period if we didn’t factor in all of the obvious baggage that came with it.

As for the film itself, it’s a well-made, well-acted piece. The acting is solid, with Rylance getting a nomination for his surpris-ingly good performance as a Soviet spy who’s more human than you would initially expect. The Coen brothers co-wrote the script with Matt Charman, but unlike other Coen movies of the past, this one doesn’t imbue itself with the weirdness you’d expect from the Coens. Steven Spielberg also keeps a sure hand in the director’s chair, although that is nothing particularly new.

One flaw the film struggles to overcome, however, is the density of the material. For many of us who grew up outside of the Cold War, the events taking place on screen may seem like the part of history class you might’ve glossed over. The story is told well, but making it more digestible might have made it more accessible. Then again, this movie is perhaps targeted at adults old enough to either remember these events or know them by heart.

“Bridge of Spies” is now available on DVD and Blu-ray, so you are be able to watch the Oscar-nominated film before the ceremony. One thing’s for certain: This movie is weak tea compared to some of the other feats of cinema that have graced the Best Picture field. Nonetheless, there are worse films to choose from than this Cold War drama.

IN THE SHADOW OF WAR, ONE MANSHOWED THE WORLD WHAT WE STAND FOR

The stores go from Christmas trees to red and pink hearts. Flowers and chocolate go on sale. And people begin to proclaim hidden true love; well, we hope. But it’s the same mushy, gushy romantic antics every year and it’s time for a change. So this year, try a little something differ-ent on Valentine’s Day to avoid the stereotypes of the Hallmark holiday and really enjoy the day of love, single or taken.

1. Be everyone’s valentine! Instead of ravaging for a winter romance or not speaking to anyone

but your significant other on the fourteenth, spread the love. Your par-ents, siblings, grandparents, roommates, and friends would all love to hear from you and about how much you care about them. So send a letter, card, or a text just to let someone know you’re thinking about them.

2. Fancy dinners can be duds. Expensive candlelit dinners complete with five courses and tuxedo-dressed waiters are so overrated these days. And honestly, what college student can afford them? You can talk just as long and have just as much fun at a Subway or HyVee Market as you would somewhere where you’d drop a few $50’s. In fact…

3. Ditch the traditional date night altogether. Do something more excit-ing. Try heading down to the Mississippi River Museum for the Sherlock Holmes Clocktower Mystery exhibit, hiking the Mines of Spain, or a new culinary creation you found online. Make a list of things you’ve always

by NATALIE DROESKE | staff writer

by NINO ERBA | staff writer

EMBRACE THE CHEESE

wanted to know and research them. Make a photo collage of all the important people in your life. Craft day something. Whether you’re with friends or your boo, spice it up and try something new.

4. Save the bank. Why spend money on fancy cards that will get recycled or flowers that will die when you could put some love and effort into making your own V-Day tributes free of charge? Pinterest is a great resource for card designs and crafting is a great way to relax and relieve stress. And come on, will you ever actually reach your maximum number of prints?

5. Don’t forget the man upstairs. Treat Valentine’s Day as a second Thanks-giving to thank God for all the love He’s put in your life. Never hurts to score some points with the Big Man, plus the holiday is on a Sunday this year, so while you’re there...

Whether you’re spending the day solo, with some buddies, or a special someone, there are plenty of ways to liven up the tired traditions of stereo-typical Valentine’s Day. All in all, the day is what you make it. Shut down those crappy sappy Netflix movies and show someone how much you care.

THIS V-DAY, AVOID THE CLICHE:

1. Giving adults stuffed animals – we are no longer children. Don’t get me wrong, I still sleep with my childhood bear, my CHILDHOOD bear, but I don’t need a new thing to haul around each time I move res halls.2. Those damn conversation candy hearts. THEY TASTE LIKE CHALK AND SAY THE SAME THING TO EVERYONE.3. Paper hearts littering the surface of the earth. Those better at least be on recycled paper.4. Photo collages on social media. Yes, dear, I would love to share our “special day” with 14 million other people around the world.5. Red food coloring – Why? Dye? They’re similar because no.6. Reserving spaces in restaurants. That seat has my name on it, get up. Again, we are ADULTS. You think planning ahead makes you deserve food faster? False.7. Heart-shaped pizza. This growing phenomena is an outrage. You do realize you are basically just taking out a WHOLE SLICE of pizza to make that shape, right? The shape that isn’t even close to anatomically correct.8. Cheesy pick-up lines. I love cheese as a noun, hate it as a verb.9. Sparkles. Enough said.10. Originality.. where is it? Why does everyone say the same thing, give the same candy and eat the same crappy heart-shaped food?11. No one knows the real reason behind the day… look up Saint Valentine, fools.

11 Things I Hate About Valentine’s Day

by ELLEN J. HORST | assistant features editor

Ingredients:

1 package of cream cheese (8 ounces)1 can of Chili (with no beans, or if youprefer, with beans)Cheddar cheese (shredded)Scallions (optional)Tortilla Chips (I prefer scoops)

As far as movie-lovers go, those specifically partial to musicals tend to be the most protective of their cult favorites. For this reason, the newest tele-vision trend — live re-makes of classic musical films — has been met with some resistance.

Starting with “The Sound of Music” - which fared pretty well with both the lead, Carrie Underwood’s name recognition and powerful voice - the trend continued with musicals like “Peter Pan Live!” and “The Wiz Live!” with star power coming from crowd favorites like Christopher Walken, Queen Latifah and Mary J. Blige. Ratings varied on the live premieres, but the concept has done well enough that television producers aren’t done yet.

Recently, Fox joined the fun and premiered the live re-make of beloved classic, “Grease.” which earned 12.2 million viewers on its opening night . This came in second only to the first live musical, Miss Underwood’s “The Sound of Music.” Singer and actress Vanessa Hudgens lit up the stages (there were twenty one in total) as Rizzo. Broadway and film singer (includ-ing “Les Miserables”) re-creating the head T-Bird in a way that still paid homage to John Travolta’s Danny. Surprise appearances from celebrities like Joe Jonas, Mario Lopez and Boyz II Men entertained throughout.

But overall, Julianne Hough stole the spotlight as Sandy Young — dancing, singing, and cheering her way into our hearts. The added scenes for Sandy really helped make her character more dynamic than the original, in my opinion, making her more relateable and sympa-thetic. Because of this, her transformation at the end was less out-of-nowhere and gen-uinely substantive.

The actors, songs, dances, costumes and sets all exceeded my expecta-tions for a live show. So if tele-vision producers want to keep airing live versions of my favor-ite musicals, I say go right ahead. The purists may not enjoy them, but I certainly will.

by SAMANTHA VATH | features editor

Opinion The Lorian Feb. 11, 2016 5

For those of you who don’t know me, my

name is Julie. I am a junior this year, and I am spending my semester in England. Currently, I’m writing to you from the bed at my homestay in Teddington (yes, this is a real place). I am located approximately 30

minutes southwest of Central London (by train). London is as amazing as people describe it to be and better. It will exceed all expectations; you have my word.

This column is going to be real. I will tell you the positives and negatives, dos and don’ts of studying abroad and traveling the European continent. Promise.

I have always dreamed of living in London. It stems from a deep love of William Shakespeare and The Beatles. Both have had significant roles in my life, so I got really lucky. And I ended up here: St. Mary’s University Twickenham of London (also a real

place).I am currently in the settling in

period. You all remember the day you showed up to campus and had time to find your way around. You had the chance to explore Dubuque and are constantly doing so. Well, that’s kind of what I’m doing.

Unfortunately, I am only here for about four and a half months, which means that I have to fit the four years other students have in college into four months.

It’s more difficult than you might imagine. Not to mention the meaninglessness of a dollar here. If you plan to travel to England, make sure PLAN is the operative word.

On the other hand…This is England. This is all of

Europe. I have a whole continent at my fingertips…thanks to mobile phones and easy to book plane tickets. Two nights ago, I planned my first trip. Amsterdam. It’s important to do a lot of research before you go. When it comes to planning, book your

flight and accommodations as far in advance as possible. The earlier you book, the cheaper it will be. I just re-read that, and I sound like my mom…or a travel agency, but it’s all true.

Traveling is a learning experience.

Expect to get lost, and be thankful for whatever you see on the way. It could be your favorite part of the entire trip. Be open to people and ideas. Remember that you probably won’t know these people forever, but you will be traveling with them. No matter what, it’s not about who you are with, but where you are. Forget what people tell you because this is a time for you to be truly selfish. I know. It’s not what your parents would advise, but they won’t be there holding your hand.

It’s time to grow up real fast. Studying abroad will teach you so much. I have learned more in the past two weeks than in my first two years at Loras. Traveling, whether it’s to another country or to visit your friend at University of Missouri, is good for the soul.

So if you want to study abroad, or just live vicariously through my stories of triumph or tragedy, follow me.

Keep jet-setting with Julie!

Mind the gap: Crossing the pond to study abroad

Julie white

JET-SETTING WITH JULIE

This column is going to be real. I will tell you the dos and dont’s of studying abroad and

traveling the European continent. Promise.

Since when do Democrats attack

one another on universal healthcare? The question was first asked by then Senator Hillary Clinton during a campaign stop in Cincinnati in 2008. Today, Bernie Sanders supporters are asking the same

exact question.In recent weeks, as her lead has

slowly been chiseled away, Hillary Clinton has done just what she preached against in 2008. At a recent campaign stop in Iowa, Secretary Clinton said that Bernie Sanders’ single payer health care plan will “never, ever come to pass.” Her campaign has also spread a wealth of misinformation and fear amongst Democratic voters. They wish you to believe that under Senator Sanders’ plan: the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will be dismantled, Medicaid and Medicare will be destroyed and that your taxes will rise drastically. In reality, under Sanders’ plan the ACA will be replaced by a much more comprehensible and reliable plan, Medicaid and Medicare will be expanded and while a progressive tax will be implemented, the average American will save $5,000 a year on health care costs.

Why won’t she go further? Why doesn’t she support a single payer system (like Sanders’) as she did in the 1990s? Where has the strong support that she had as First Lady for universal healthcare gone? Do her ties to large pharmaceutical companies have anything to do with it? After all, during the first six months of her campaign she accepted $160,000 from them. That’s more than any other candidate,

Republican or Democrat. Yet, she claims the industry is one of her biggest enemies. Perhaps that’s where her passion for universal health care went.

Her campaign’s knee jerk reactions to Senator Sanders’ successes in Iowa, New Hampshire and across the country are apparent. Is this surprising that her campaign has resorted to the use of such tactics? No, not really. You can say it’s establishment politics as usual. Can you blame them? Yes and no. Yes, because her campaign’s blatant distortion about Sanders’ plan is completely disingenuous and is deceptive to voters. No, because if you were the presumptive

nominee for three years leading up to now and saw your lead slip away, you might react similarly.

Secretary Clinton, the moderate-centrist-liberal-progressive who gets things done, shamelessly seems to be doing exactly what she preached against in 2008, attack a fellow Democrat on health care. Debate is healthy; by all means she can elaborate on the distinctions between her and Sanders’ plan, and she should, but she shouldn’t go around distorting other plans and using cheap tactics to fear voters into believing things that simply are not true.

Clinton’s campaign is pitting Democrats against each other

I’ll ‘Grant’ You That

Charlie Grant

Letters to the editor are welcomed!

Do you have an opinion on something and want to write a “letter to the editor?”

Do you have more questions about an article you read? Corrections or clarifications? A differing opinion about an issue brought up that you want to be heard?

We want your input.In every published Lorian, all members of the Loras community are

able (and encouraged) to write a “letter to the editor.” We encourage differing opinions, so take the time, speak your mind and let us air your thoughts.

It’s not just the writers for the Lorian that have print-worthy material; you do, too. To submit a letter, please e-mail Cassandra Busch at cassandra.busch@loras.edu.

In addition, everyone is welcome to submit story ideas to The Lorian.

If you or an organization you are a part of is doing something noteworthy, or wants to get news out about an upcoming event, we also accept articles from guest writers as long as we are told a few days in advance.

Last month, one of the few things that made January worth bearing came to light: the announcement

of the Oscar nominations. Sadly, amidst the various surprises, something stood out glaringly. For the second time in a row, the thousands of Academy members failed to nominate a single actor or actress of color, and the only director of color was once again Alejandro González Iñárritu. We know that Hollywood loves sequels, but this is more than ridiculous.

As a response to the first whitewashing, the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite went viral and deservedly so. You can’t give every acting nomination to only white people and not think that the public wouldn’t notice. Now, as a white person, I understand that I run the risk of “whitesplaining” this issue. However, as an avid moviegoer, this is something that not only I can feel angry about but everyone should.

For the more obvious reason for anger, all it takes is looking at two of the most prominent black/race issue films of the last year, “Creed” and “Straight Outta Compton.” The near-shutout of both films for nominations has eerie similarities to that of “Selma” the quite excellent MLK drama concerning the fight that resulted in the Voting Rights Act. However, both of last year’s films have the dubious distinction of not only getting one nomination each, but the people who were nominated were white! Clearly, the Academy lacks self-awareness when it comes to optics. (For “Creed,” it was Best Supporting Actor; for “Straight Outta Compton” it was the writers for the original screenplay.)

Not only does this almost-complete whiteout by the Academy make them look bad, it’s insulting to the intelligence of the audience. Does the Academy truly believe that the people they chose for nominations are more worthy than the myriad of other performances displayed last year? Best Supporting Actor, in particular, is truly unforgivable. This year’s field is weird, if only for the fact that Tom Hardy, while usually intense, got a nomination for “The Revenant” despite sporting some form of American accent. What makes it beyond hope is the fact that Idris Elba, who gave a powerful performance in “Beasts of No Nation,” was shut out despite not only getting both Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations, but also winning the SAG award! (Though, he won this award after the Oscar nominations were released.) Let me put it another way: a documentary called “What Happened, Miss Simone?,” which followed the rise and fall of legendary singer Nina Simone, and was also released by Netflix (though “Beasts” also scored a theatrical run thanks to film company Bleecker Street), scored a nomination for Best Documentary, so the Academy isn’t completely averse to Netflix. And yet, “Beasts of No Nation” got nothing. Not even a nomination for Elba, despite the wide acclaim he’s received for that performance. THAT’S why #OscarsSoWhite matters.

However, it’s been circulated that the Academy will double its share of women and minority members by 2020. But despite this, how much more condescension from the Academy can we take? I mean, the event will likely be fun (and if for nothing else, watch it just to see Chris Rock lacerate the Academy for this crap). However, if the Academy still manages to pretty much give people of color the cold shoulder, then the boycott won’t be a fluke. The Academy doesn’t have a monopoly on giving actors and other filmmakers recognition for their work in movies. The worst thing it can do is make a mockery of itself by removing much of the prestige it has built up over the years, simply because its members won’t recognize the achievements that people of color accomplish in movies.

‘Whiteout’ heating up the Oscars

by NINO ERBA|staff writer Traveling is a learning experience. Expect to

get lost, and be thankful for whatever you see on the way. It could

be your favorite part of the entire trip.

8 The Lorian Feb. 11, 2016 Community

Last semester I had an on campus job that stretched my patience, zapped my energy, and made me shake my fists at the heavens. Every Saturday and Sunday morning I would hoist myself out of bed at 4:30 a.m. to clean up after the messiest and most wasteful creatures in the known world -- college students.

I would hike to the Information Center to pick up the keys for Beckman and Binz no matter how inclement the weather was. Snow, negative temperatures, you name it. I recall once wearing pajama pants under my jeans to keep my legs warm. I started on the girls’ floors, which always took the longest. This was part of the reason the job had to be done so early, so I hopefully would not run into any girls having to use the restroom. But occasionally I would, and it usually had a minimum of awkwardness. But one weekend in particular it seemed everyone and their mother had to use the bathroom before dawn. An inordinate number of boys used the bathrooms on girls’ floors -- suspicious.

But this is barely worth mentioning, only minor inconveniences compared to the horrors I witnessed. For one, it seemed that the bags meant for sanitary napkins would collapse only at their goriest, but as this is a biological function, it is easily forgivable. The girl’s floors rarely gave me that much trouble, but the boy’s floors, especially in Beckman, were sometimes war zones. The walls on the second floor of Beckman were stripped bare, and exit signs were knocked out. It gave me the impression of a dystopian hellscape. Somehow, within the course of a Saturday, one trashcan could easily be overfilled enough for two or three garbage bags. The floor was sticky, more often than not. People have somehow gotten the idea that it is just fine and dandy to throw away open containers still filled

with liquid.I saw a sink stuffed with vegetables.

I saw a stall door completely bent one weekend and subsequently removed. That same toilet was later stuffed with cheese balls and excrement at the same time. A paper towel dispenser was smashed. One morning, I came into the second floor bathroom of Beckman to find that the trash cans were missing. Gone. Somebody took them.

The most common type of trash I en-countered might explain all of these other hijinks. You guessed it -- empty alcohol containers. Look, I don’t really have an issue with college drinking, but if it makes you do things that make my job harder, we have a problem.

I don’t want you to walk away from reading this with the impression that it was all bad, though. The solitude gave me countless opportunities to be alone with my thoughts. I started composing haikus. I would write encouraging messages or draw funny pictures on friends’ dry erase boards. Once, in Binz A-level, on Hallow-een as I recall, I walked into the dregs of what might have been a wonderful night. Three sleepy friends at 6 a.m., giving each other a hard time.

This was not my favorite job, but I do not regret it. I would urge anyone reading this to please change your habits to make the custodial staff’s jobs easier. If you see them, thank them. Do your part. Break down boxes, pour out drinks, space out when you dispose of your garbage, and keep bodily fluids to a minimum, or at least in their proper places. How anybody can clean up after college students and retain any respect for them is beyond me. Remember, you are future leaders, politi-cians, lawyers, scientists, business people. Have fun, of course. But don’t look back on your college days and realize you were an asshole.

Dear transfer students, welcome to the nest. I mean that. You really are welcome here. If you don’t believe me, let me tell you a few things about my experience. I spent my entire first year of college at Loras College under the direction to do so by my mother. I was resentful of this and later transferred out to the school I had originally planned to attend, but wound up back here.

So yeah, I get how it feels to be a transfer student.

You could say that I got lucky. I got to experience the freshman year at the school I plan to graduate from. I got to learn who my people were and who to find and where to go when I want to know more. However, I also understand that transition from the familiar to the unfamiliar.

Things weren’t the same coming back here. The buildings changed, the faculty changed, and a whole lot of people changed. My experience away shifted my perspective in ways

I still don’t understand. My place had shifted and I didn’t expect that.

These first few weeks are going to be rough. I can sugar coat it however the admissions department would like me to, but that’s simply not it. Transferring is hard. Finding your place is harder. Cliques are already formed and the organizations lobbied their new members in the fall. Trust me though, the wariness is okay. The resilience will build, and you’ll understand why people feel the way they do about this community.

Finally, I need to tell you that you’re here for a reason. I can’t tell you what that reason is or that you’ll fall in love with it, but I can guarantee that being a member of the Loras community will change you. The experiences you’ll come across will establish your values and will lead you in whatever direction you need to go. You are not forgotten.

Dear Transfer Students ...

by BRODERICK HOOKER | staff writer

As the second semester begins, it brings about a new beginning, new aspirations, and that’s right, new goals! After being off of our usual routines from school during the holidays, it’s easy to fall into a funk of not working out and eating junk. Yes, we all do it at times, but consider this your kick in the rear to get back at it! There’s no time like the present, so why not start now by reading this article. As we get into routines and repeat the same action for a certain number of days, we tend to form habits. The habits can be positive or negative, but during the holidays we tend to form more negative health habits rather than positive. In this article, we will get after ways of breaking the bad and building the good.

Step number 1: Identify what you do on a regular basis. Is it that espresso in the morning with the extra pump of sweetener? Maybe the afternoon pop with dinner, or even staying up too late at night which makes you crave sugar more and less likely to be active the next day. Knowing what you do on a regular basis will help you know which things to cut back on or what to add in.

Step number 2: Decide where you want to go this semester, and take actionable steps to get you to that end goal. Maybe you want to drink more water this semester, get more sleep, lose a few pounds, or gain some muscle. I have good news for you: you CAN do it! The only person in your way of

becoming the person you want to be is you, so be your own best friend and support yourself in your goals by doing small things each day to get you closer. When you break down your goals to what you can do on a daily basis, they will be closer and closer within reach with each day. I would encourage you to set a few deadlines for these goals and make sure they are measurable. Remember that article I wrote on goal setting? You put it up on your refrigerator right? No? Well that’s ok because I’ll give you a quick low down on how to set some quality goals. Make sure they are S.M.A.R.T.! This stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely! Do this, and I have no doubt you will achieve anything you set your mind to.

Step number 3: Go get it! Now that you know what you want and you’re ready to start a positive routine for yourself, hustle, grind, and go get it! Your sacrifice today will translate into your success later. Then once you get that goal, tell me about it! I love hearing about people accomplishing what they set their minds to and who knows maybe I’ll even feature you in my next article. Dream big kids, and get back at it.

Your certified personal trainer,Kylie DeWees NASM-CPT Email me with questions or

comments at kylie.dewees@loras.edu.

by KYLIE DEWEES | staff writer

Back at It

confessions of a loras trashman

by ADRIENNE PEARSON | staff writer

A column centering on sustainability & college kids by a sustainability intern:

Alas, second semester has begun. There’s lots to think about, and there will soon be lots to do as classes pick up. As the sustainability student worker on campus, I’m going to try to make sustainability practices, ideas, stories and facts part of what everyone thinks about. Climate change is affecting the world we live in and the people we share it with. Rather than succumb to sulking in bed while pondering the doom of the human race via global warming or angrily shouting facts about how the hamburger my mom tries to feed me is contributing to deforestation, animal cruelty and a slew of other catastrophes, I’m going to try to do something about it.

What better format than The Lorian to continue to spread the culture of sustainability on campus? (Yeah, it’s printed on paper. Paper that came from a tree. A tree that was cut down. A tree that can no longer process the exorbitant amounts of CO2 that enter the atmosphere every day). Too much? At least we’re thinking about it. That’s the aim -- to think critically about the resources we use every day and to learn more about how we can help keep our earth balanced.

That being said, I’m going to share some wisdom I just read from a lovely book called “No Impact Man by Colin Beavan”. I would recommend it even if you are a novice when it comes to environmental issues. In the book, Beavan makes the argument that

individual and collective actions are NOT mutually exclusive. What does this mean to people who want to try to live more in balance with the earth? It means that the naysayers who say that you do no good in shopping at thrift stores, biking to work or cutting down meat intake are wrong. Such naysayers argue that global warming is a collective action problem -- they say that lifestyle changes like going vegetarian or buying local are a metaphorically insignificant drop of water in a now highly acidic ocean.

People who say that are likely too lazy to change their own habits to try to hinder further environmental catastrophe and thus want to convince others that they are incapable of making a difference. To be honest, I sometimes feel like I can’t make a difference. Beavan argues that all we can do is try. Will you resolve yourself to being powerless and remain in anxiety over climate change? Or, will you at least be the person to try to make a difference?

Should you answer yes to the latter question, I challenge you to get further involved in sustainability efforts on campus/in Dubuque. There are a million avenues to take to environmentally serve the common good. The beauty of collective action, Beavan argues, is that it takes multiple individual actions to make a difference. You never know who you can inspire with your actions or engage with your words. Hopefully in this first issue, I’ve engaged you with mine. Let’s try to make Loras happier and more sustainable.

G r e e n W o r d sby LOUISA PAVLIK | staff writer

Mind & Soul The Lorian Feb. 11, 2016 9

Dear Trish,

It’s baaack. The dreaded Valentine’s Day is here, and I am, yet again, single and alone. I try to tell myself it doesn’t matter, that I’m young and that not having a significant other doesn’t mean I will never have one. The truth is, it sucks being single on the most romantic day of the year. Will I ever find my soul mate and be the lucky recipient of chocolates, dinner and a romantic movie paid for by someone other than myself?

Thanks, Single and Alone

Trish says,

Well, the good news is that you’re not alone in being alone. A recent article in Huffington’s Post said that more than 100 million unmarried people in America are having more trouble than ever finding love this Valentine’s Day. Here are some things to think about that might be getting in the way of you having a healthy and intimate relationship with another person.

First, watch your expectations and consider leaving the rose-colored glasses at home. The Cinderella story is not realistic, so stop expecting or comparing love to this and other fairytales. Not waiting for your prince does not mean that you can’t find love that is extraordinary, however. Create your own definition, and don’t compare it to the definition of others. It’s okay to get some help from the movies. Just remember that many of those movie stars are in dysfunctional relationships themselves. It is easier for all of us to play the part than actually live in the real world.

Second, take an honest hard look at yourself. What is the baggage that you may bring into a relationship? Who were your role models growing up that taught you what a healthy relationship looks like. I don’t mean the ones where they never fight, have all the same interests and are constantly professing their love for one another either in person or on social media. I mean the ones where they do disagree but agree to be partners no matter what and find solutions that work for both of them. Ones where they are free to be independent and have their own friends and unique interests but still enjoy each other’s company more than anyone else. The ones where they communicate about the things that don’t work or hurt in their relationship and make a commitment to do better. Those are the real ones. Have you seen any or know of any? If not, this is a good place to start. Find some and associate with people who can teach you how to love.

Lastly, love yourself. Work to improve what you don’t love about yourself before expecting that a relationship will work. Whether it’s looks or personality or purpose, make a plan to change what needs to be changed and work towards it. Stop complaining and spending your time vying over the love that others share. Remember what we all learned years ago. If you don’t love yourself, how are others supposed to love you? It’s the truth.

Signed, Trish

We always used to hear that peer pressure is bad and that just because someone else, someone “cool,” did something doesn’t mean that we should follow. But what if what we heard was wrong? What if we figured out how to use peer pressure as a positive? 41,149 suicides were completed in 2013, 1 every 13 minutes. In 2015, 1.3 million adults, age 18 or older, attempted suicide (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). These numbers are HUGE, and are the reason why we need peer pressure. How do the rates of suicide and peer pressure link? Why am I telling you peer pressure is good? Because peer pressure is also what spreads the word about suicide prevention and the breaking down of the stigma around suicidal thoughts, depression (a factor highly correlated with suicide) and mental illness, it raises the rate of people who will get help and support. Knowing how peer pressure works, and the prevalence of peer pressure on young people today, the media, our peers, and social media are ways in which we can spread a positive message and awareness about topics like suicide

that are engulfed in stigma. The media and the rapid spread of information in our current day and age is what enables us to reverse these stigmas, show our support for those around us silently or vocally suffering, and change the rates of not only suicide, but so many other important issues and topics in our world today. So, with the advancement in technology, the ability to spread positive messages, and the abililty to post messages anonymously, why is it still difficult to speak our minds on difficult topics? Because it is personal. Sharing stories on topics that are surrounded by negative stigmas IS scary and hard, but once you hear a personal story being shared, it’s a lot easier to share your own. On Thursday, February 11th, Breaking the Silence hosted a Day of Silence -- a day dedicated to suicide awareness and prevention. There were events throughout the day, ending with a personal story and reflection in the Arizona room at 5pm. It was at this event that I shared my story. I jumped. Will you?

If I Jumped Off a Bridge, Would You?

Valentine’s Day

MASS TIMESChrist the King

5:15 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday

9 p.m. Wednesday5 p.m. Sunday

ADORATIONSt. Joseph’s Chapel1 to 4 p.m. Monday

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday thru Friday

The Lorian is continuing a column by Tricia Borelli, director of counseling services. Here she will answer student questions concerning anything that relates to keeping it together while doing this crazy thing called college. Send questions or comments to Ms. Borelli, Loras Box 100, or to the e-mail address tricia.borelli@loras.edu. All names of those sending questions will be kept confidential.

TIPS with

TRISH On Jan. 1, Loras College took nine students, four missionaries, and one col-lege chaplain down to Dallas, Texas for the FOCUS national Student Leadership Summit (SLS). This five day conference had a life-changing impact on many of the 3,000+ college students that attended, including those from Loras. SLS is a leadership conference for Catholic college students geared toward teaching students what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, first by following Him more closely and second by build-ing up disciples for His eternal kingdom. The three main areas that the conference focused on were prayer, authentic friendship, and leading small group Bible studies. Each of the nine stu-dents from Loras were impacted by the confer-ence and grew in both their spiritual lives as well as their leadership skills. They come back to cam-pus this spring ready to set the campus on fire with the love of Christ and His gospel message. Here is what some of them had to say about it:

“SLS was a life-changing experience that I will never forget. It complete-ly re-directed my focus from myself to God. Thank you FOCUS for allow-ing me to go on SLS and see the world through God’s eyes,” said sophomore Kylie DeWees. “SLS was different from other retreats

because, rather than just discussing our personal relationships with God, it also gave us tools to help others deepen their relationship with God. I left SLS with a burning zeal to know more about God, and with a clearer idea of God’s mis-sion for me,” said sophomore Stephanie Harpenau. “The conference was all about teach-ing young people the basic roadmap for holiness. It was about fostering our own love of Jesus Christ and teaching skills to others to know and love him. At SLS, I saw the vibrancy of the youth of the

church hearing that they don’t need permission to spread the gospel be-cause they have been commissioned in bap-tism to do so,” said Fa-ther Dennis Miller. The Student Leader-ship Summit takes place every other year, alter-nating with the other FOCUS national confer-ence, SEEK. SEEK is a Catholic conference for all types of college stu-dents, no matter where you are in your faith!

Last winter, Loras brought over 75 students to SEEK 2015, making sure all the J-Term students still got back in time for their first class. In January 2017, SEEK will be happening in San Antonio, Texas. We hope to take over 100 students next year and you can register early at SEEK2017.com. You won’t want to miss it!

by MARY VERCOLLONE |for the Lorian

Student Leadership Summit 2016

“The conference was all about teaching young people the

basic road map for holiness. It was about

fostering your own love of Jesus Christ

and teaching skills to others to know and

love him.”

by ELLEN J. HORST |assistant features editor

The track-and-field team competed last weekend in the Keck Invitational at Illinois Wesleyan University where the men finished in a close second overall while the women took fifth. Regardless, there were a number of personal records set as well as a new school record for the men.

On the women’s side in the field events, junior Sofia Lyskanowski threw a huge PR with the mark of 10.27 me-ters. This was her first throw over 10 meters as her best throw last year was only 9.89 meters. First year Savannah Nesvik also threw a PR of 9.53 meters. In the pole vault, ju-nior Elizabeth Bran-denburg just missed the indoor school re-cord of 3.75 meters, taking first place with a 3.74 meter vault. It’s only a few inches shy of her All-Amer-ican performance at the NCAA Division III Outdoors National meet last year as well. She and junior Audrey Hooks went sec-ond-third respectively in the 60 me-ter hurdles as well. Other outstanding performances from the Lady Duhawks on the track come from senior Brittnee Powers and first year Allie Serres. Pow-ers had a lifetime PR of 8.03 seconds in her 60 meter dash. Serres became the fastest 800 meter runner on the team in her first 800 of her collegiate career with the time of 2:22.4. Junior Emily Day also ran a lifetime PR of 11:14 in the 5,000 meter run.

On the men’s side, first year Garrett Hammond has continued to improve his marks in both the shot put and weight throw. His marks of 11.75 meters in the shot put and 12.63 meters in the weight throw are both a meter over his perfor-mances at the Monmouth Invitational three weeks ago. Other exceptional performances include junior Nathan

Kimbrell running an 8 second lifetime PR in the indoor mile with the time of 4:31.2. Sophomore Mason Tope and Senior John Paul Sevcik finished first and second in the men’s 5,000 meter run with times of 15:22 and 15:35. In the 60 meter hurdles, soph-omore Gerrand Moody broke the previous school record of 8.44 seconds by a tenth of a second, and he took home the win in the finals of the hurdles. Finally, first year Jack Carroll won the mile with the time of 4:23.85, the fastest on the team right now.

“[It] has been going pretty well,” Carroll said when asked about his season. “I’ve

won two races out of the three I’ve been in, and I’ve run two indoor personal bests already.”

During the J-term break, some of these Duhawks traveled to Florida and got the chance to see Olympi-ans like LaShawn Mer-ritt train as well as talk with them after prac-tices.

“They discussed mentality with us and how they train and prepare for races,” Car-oll said. “I learned a lot just from talking to them.”

“I’m personally aiming for breaking 4:20 in the mile and an All-Conference finish in the mile.” He also added, “On top of anything else my coach expects of me.” Finally, he had some words of encourage-ment for the rest of the team as the indoor season dwindles down: “Keep training hard and don’t lose focus. Trust the work you’ve put in and trust yourself.”

The coaches’ “Duhawks of the Day” at the Keck Invitational were Garrett Ham-mond for men’s field, Gerrand Moody for men’s track, Audrey Hooks for women’s track, and Elizabeth Brandenburg for women’s field.

The Duhawks compete this weekend at UW-Platteville on Saturday.

Despite a disheartening 1-12 record in dual meets this season, you won’t find anyone in Randy Steward’s wrestling room hanging his head.

“I decided before Christmas that you can either be negative--because it’s really easy to do--or you can say ‘hey, we’ve got to do more,’” Steward said. “We’re not happy about losing, but you still try to take positive things from it and move forward.”

The Duhawks’ most recent, and perhaps most heartbreaking dual meet loss came last Thursday in the AWC against cross-town rival University of Dubuque. Sophomore Dayton Olson and first-year Sam Schuler scored pin-falls for Loras, and Senior Malcolm Watson and first-year Quinn Gilliam added a pair of decisions, but the Spartans held on for the victory, 24-18.

“I’m disappointed for the kids,” Steward said. “It’s a cross-town rival, and the freshmen have figured out that it’s a pretty big deal, and they wanted to do well. I’m disappointed for them more than anything else.”

Olson brought the home crowd to its feet in the closing seconds of the first period of his 125-pound match, pinning UD’s Marcus In-galls to give Loras a 6-0 lead to open the dual. Olson was dominated throughout most of the period, but utilized one of his favorite holds to secure the fall just two seconds before the horn.

“I love cow-catchers,” Olson said. “Once I know I have that in there and I get him over,

he’s done. It felt great to get the fall.”“We keep talking about [Olson] trying to

be a sparkplug,” Steward said. “Doing what he did tonight, getting the pin, that’s being a sparkplug. The place went nuts, the kids were fired up. It was a great thing.”

Unfortunately, Olson’s spark failed to ignite a fire for the Duhawks, and UD wrestlers claimed victories in the next four bouts. Sophomore Michael Triplett dropped a 6-1 decision to Dubuque’s Ste-phen Rosenburg at 133 pounds, and junior Evan Weaver lost to Jeremy Melendez, 9-5. A pair of first-period pinfalls over Colin Griffin and Jimmy Davis gave the Spartans an 18-6 lead halfway through the meet.

Schuler brought the Duhawks back to life, earning a third-period fall over Alek Aragon in their 165-pound match. Like Olson, Schuler was behind in his match before grabbing the pin.

“Sam Schuler started out the year tough, and it’s been a struggle,” Steward said. “For him to come out and get a win like that in a close match, it’s a big deal. Hopefully it’ll give him some confidence. It should.”

Schuler’s fall made the score 18-12 for the Spartans and kept Loras’ hopes for vic-tory very much alive, but an 8-1 loss by first-year Chris Malone at 174 pounds steepened the Duhawks’ climb. A neck-and-neck tri-ple-overtime loss by 184-pound sophomore Awais Arain all but locked up the dual for the Spartans.

Needing pins in the final two bouts to tie the team score and send it to criteria, Wat-son and Gilliam both earned convincing decisions, but the Duhawks’ rally came up six points short.

“I was looking for bonus points, trying to help my team out,” Watson said of his 10-4 victory over UD’s Cosmo Halwix at 197 pounds. “I was fighting until the end, but he was running from me a little bit. I’m happy for my win, but I wish our team would have won.”

Far from dejected, the Duhawks are keeping their eyes focused squarely on what’s ahead.

“The season isn’t over,” Watson said. “The second you go into regionals every-body has a zero-zero record. We’ve got to beat some guys who beat us earlier in the year. We’ve got to bring it back to them and work harder than we ever have.

“Excuse my language, but we’ve got to work our asses off.”

Wrestlers staying positive, focused

‘‘Keep training hard and don’t lose focus. Trust the work you’ve put in

and trust yourself.Jack Carroll

first-year distance runner,,

What you missed...It’s been a long break but we’re back! Here’s what you missed while we were away:

Men’s soccerThe men’s soccer team finished the season

just one victory shy of claiming the NCAA Division III National Championship. The Duhawks dispatched DePauw and Whea-ton on their way to Loras’ fifth Final Four appearance since 2007. Jonah Jacke, son of Green Bay Packers Hall-of-Famer Chris Jacke, scored the game-winner in the semi-final match to push the Duhawks past top-ranked Calvin and send them to the National Championship game against Amherst. Loras scored first in the title game, but Amherst took the match and the NCAA Champion-ship by a score of 2-1. To go along with his team’s national runner-up finish, head coach Dan Rothert earned his 14th Iowa Confer-ence Coach of the Year award this season.

Men’s cross countryAfter earning its second consecutive Iowa

Conference title, the men’s cross country team claimed an at-large qualifying bid to compete in the NCAA Championship in Winneconne, Wis. Sophomore Mason Tope earned All-American honors at nationals, pacing the Duhawks to a 14th-place finish. Tope finished the race 30th, and sophomore Timothy Sevcik finished 63rd in a field of 278 runners.

Men’s basketballSince December, the men’s basketball

team finished their nonconference season and dove into conference play. The Duhawks are tied for second in the IIAC with a 6-4 record, 11-10 overall. Despite two losses to crosstown rival Univ. of Dubuque, the Du-hawks secured thrilling victories over oth-er opponents such as Luther and Coe. The team’s success is a result of a true cohesive effort under the leadership of senior Mirko Grcic and junior Justin VanWambeke.

Women’s basketballThe women’s basketball team has expe-

rienced an exciting season thus far. During the nonconference season, the Duhawks de-feated two nationally ranked opponents in Wash.-St. Louis and the Univ. of Chicago. This tough competition helped prepare Lor-as for conference action as the team is tied for second in the IIAC with a 7-3 record, 14-7 overall. The Duhawks were forced into over-time twice this season, both times against the rival Spartans from up the street. Each team secured a victory leaving them dead-locked 1-1. Only four games remain in the regular season for the Duhawks.

WrestlingThe numbers in the win/loss columns

don’t look good for the 2015-16 Duhawk matmen, but it has been a season of signifi-cant individual growth and achievement for

Loras wrestling. Topping those individual accomplishments is the selection of long-time Loras coach Randy Steward to the Na-tional Wrestling Coaches Association NCAA Division III Hall of Fame. Steward, who has spent 22 seasons as the Duhawks’ coach, will be inducted on March 10.

Men’s and women’s swimming & diving

At the Grinnell Invitational on Saturday, the Loras swimming and diving programs’ athletes posted numerous seasonal bests as the men went on to finish sixth and the women took eighth. Freshman Mac Faldet finished the 100m breaststroke with a time of 57.91 sec., overtaking a Loras College school record. The men were able to snag 11 of the top-15 spots while the women grabbed nine.

Men’s and women’s track & field

The Duhawk track and field program com-peted at the Division III Keck Invite, hosted by Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington, Ill., on Saturday, Feb. 6 with many positive out-comes. The women took fifth place overall, with three top-five finishers. Senior Bree Power and junior Emily Day both post-ed career-best times in the 60m dash and 3000m run, respectively. Junior Elizabeth Brandenburg also reached a new personal record in the pole vault with a height of 3.74 m., demolishing her previous record.

The men’s performance was highlighted by their 10 top-five finishers, and second place final ranking. Freshmen Jack Carroll and Nathan Kimbrell both posted personal bests in the 1 mile, Carroll taking the event. Sophomore Gerrand Moody posted the top time in the prelims and finals for the 60m hurdles, setting a Loras all-time record by placing himself as the 31st overall in Divi-sion III. The Loras Track and Field team will next take on the UW-Platteville Invite this Saturday, Feb. 13.

Men’s volleyballIn their second season as a program, it

is clear to see the men’s volleyball team has experienced much growth. After securing a 3-0 victory in their season opener, the Du-hawks have improved to a 5-6 record on the year. A highlight of the season was winning three of their four matches at the Loras Invi-tational, hosted on campus in January. The team has already begun conference play, but they have yet to collect a win over an MCVL opponent.

Men’s tennis The Loras men’s tennis team has only

had one match thus far in their spring sea-son in which they fell to the Judson Baptist Eagles, 9-0 on Sunday. Most notably in the match, freshman Riley Michel took five of 12 sets in third singles and four of eight sets in second doubles with partner Neil Kane.

Track-and-field teams racing to the top

by MATTHEW MARTER| sportswriter

Several Duhawks start off strong while breaking personal records at Keck Invitational

photo by CHRISTINA NEY/LORAS COLLEGE ATHLETICS

10 The Lorian Feb. 11, 2016 Sports

Playing hard and together will be the key for the men’s basketball program as the end of the season approaches. While there are some standout players, the cohesiveness of the team as a whole is what will bring the Duhawks success.

Loras is currently tied for second in the Iowa Conference with Simpson, just behind the University of Dubuque. Strong performances from returners, as well as deep talent in the recruiting class, has gotten the team to this point. Even though the season is coming to a close with only four regular season con-ference games remaining, there is a lot to look forward to from the Duhawks.

First on the list is a career accom-plishment from se-nior Mirko Grcic. With an average of 17 points per game, it is safe to say that Grcic is more than likely to reach 1,000 career points this season.

As of Loras’ game on Saturday, Grcic is only 10 points away from the mark. He will be the first Du-hawk to join the 1,000 Point Club since 2008 and the 39th in the history of the program. Grcic ranks fifth in the confer-ence in scoring and third in rebounding with 8.3 boards per game. Although this is an incredible personal achievement, the Lake Zurich, Ill. native is more fo-cused on the success of his team.

“It is a nice accomplishment, but my overall goal is to win a conference championship. Right now I’m focusing on winning our last four games and not worrying about my own personal stat line,” Grcic said about reaching 1,000 points.

This statement is a perfect example of the leadership Grcic brings to the court. His skill and knowledge about the game of basketball has been a crucial influ-ence for the Duhawks this season, but he is not alone in terms of Duhawks with experience.

Junior Justin VanWambeke has been a dominant offensive threat for Loras

this season. As a sophomore, VanWam-beke averaged 11.4 points per game. This season he ranks third in the IIAC with 20.1 points per game. He has recorded eight games of more than 25 points, in-cluding a 35-point performance in an 84-61 victory over Luther earlier this season. The Machesney Park, Ill. product also leads the conference in 3-point percentage with a .486 clip from behind the arc. The combination of VanWambeke and Grcic is a force to be reckoned with.

While these returners are providing great experience and leadership, there

is also a lot of talent to be seen from the recruit-ment class. Freshmen Mi-chael Mims and Demond George are virtually un-stoppable. The duo find the most success from beyond the perimeter as Mims shoots 40.9 percent from the 3-point line and George 37.9 percent. Even though these players typ-ically come in the game

off the bench, they make their presence known on the court and have become cru-cial elements to the team.

Although these players have exhibited standout performances, it is their ability to play as a team that is most important. The combination of their efforts has led the Loras to an 11-10 overall record, 6-4 in conference. In order to achieve Grcic’s goal of winning a conference champion-ship, however, there is still work to be done.

“Right now we are trying play the best basketball we can play before the confer-ence tournament starts. As long as we play hard and play together each and every night, I think we have a great chance of winning the league,” Grcic said.

The Duhawks travel to Storm Lake, Iowa on Saturday to face Buena Vista af-ter topping the Beavers 82-76 earlier this season.

Sports The Lorian Feb, 11, 2016 11

Basketball teams remain near the top of conference standings

After completing a season sweep of the Coe College Kohawks in a 72-57 victory on Feb. 3, the Loras women’s basketball team returned home to take on their rival, the University of Dubuque Spartans. Earli-er this season, the women took down the Spartans in overtime on the road. They looked to once again sweep a conference opponent and maintain their place near the top of the Iowa Conference standings.

Early on, the contest was back and forth with neither team being able to open up much of a lead. The Spartans held a slim lead for most of the first half, thanks to the play of junior Emily Brinker. After explod-ing for 41 points in the first matchup be-tween these schools, the junior tallied 26 points and six rebounds on Saturday after-noon. Her 3-pointer right before halftime left the Spartans with a 35-28 advantage at the break.

In the second half, Loras continued to fight to grab the lead, but the Spartans would not give up that easy. Whenever the Duhawks would get within striking dis-tance, UD would respond to maintain their lead. The poor shooting of the Duhawks did not help their cause, as they finished shoot-ing 39 percent from the field and only 11 percent from behind the arc. This inability to get the ball in the basket hindered the offense throughout and left the Duhawks trailing as the fourth quarter loomed.

In the final period, juniors Terese Mc-Mahon and Lori Obendorf combined to give the Duhawks their first lead since early in the game with a 6-0 run, good enough for a 52-47 advantage. McMahon was able to stretch the lead out to eight after a layup, putting the Duhawks within reach of their eighth Iowa Conference win. However, the Duhawk offense fell into a rut over the final five minutes of the contest and were unable to add to their lead. This inability to score allowed the Spartans to erase the deficit and take the lead with only 35 sec-onds left to play. With only one chance left to even the score, Coach Justin Heinzen put the ball into the hands of junior guard Kat Cabrera. Cabrera took the ball hard to the basket and earned a trip to the line after taking contact. The Arizona native calmly stepped up and knocked down both free throws to even the score, sending this con-test into overtime. In the extra session, the Spartans were able to jump out to a lead

with six unanswered points following a McMahon layup. Trailing by four with un-der two minutes remaining, the Duhawks attempted to get back into the game via the charity stripe. Unfortunately, the women were only able to connect on one out of four attempts, adding to their lowly .680 free throw percentage for the game. Still behind with time winding down, the Du-hawks resorted to sending the Spartans to the free throw line to preserve the clock. This would end up being their downfall, as UD buried seven out of eight free throws to put the game out of reach. They held on for a 71-64 overtime victory, dropping the Du-hawks to 14-7 overall and 7-3 in the IIAC. Despite the loss, McMahon was able to set a new career high in points with 26. The Duhawks also saw strong performances from Obendorf who added 16 points, and Cabrera with 12.

With only four games remaining on their regular season schedule, the Duhawks are tied for second place, behind Luther.

“There aren’t many conferences in the country better than ours,” Heinzen said. “Our message has always been about devel-opment of consistent habits. When games are tight and situations tense, habits and tendencies take over, so we’re relying on our instincts and everything we’ve done the first 70 or so practices.”

With only one game separating the two teams, these next four conference match-ups will be huge for the Duhawks as they determine the seeding for the upcoming conference tournament. The women have struggled away from home, posting a 5-5 record away from the AWC, and they will have back-to-back road games starting this Wednesday. If the Duhawks can pull out those two contests, they will be sitting pret-ty as they head back to Dubuque to finish their regular season slate.

“We’ll play wherever we need to and whoever we need to once tournament picture shapes up,” Heinzen said. “It’d be outstanding to have a home game in there though. I think positioning ourselves at the top of the league would be a tremendous gift to give to three seniors that have given a lot more to us.”

On Wednesday, the Duhawks began their final stretch run in Waverly against the Wartburg Knights. The team will head to Storm Lake, Iowa on Saturday to face Buena Vista. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.

‘‘As long as we play hard ad play together each

and every night, I think we have a great chance of winning the leage.

Mirko Grcicsenior forward,,

by FRANK FERNANDEZ| sportswriter

Duhawks fall short in rival game against UD Spartans

photos by CHRISTINA NEY/ LORAS COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Returners and rookies rally going into postseason

by MEGAN TEWS| asst. sports editor

Grcic and VanWambeke provide leadership and offensive force through the Duhawks’ final 4 games

Junior trio of McMahon, Obendorf and Cabrera provide spark during the remainder of IIAC season

After a tough inaugural season in their 2015 campaign, the Loras men’s volleyball team started their second season in the best way possible: vic-tory. The Duhawks opened 2016 with a 3-0 win on the road against the Il-linois Institute of Technology (IIT) on Jan. 15. The team currently sits at a 5-6 overall record on the season. There is already evidence of growth as the team finished 3-20 last year, and head coach Jeremy Thornburg is more than pleased.

“I think that we have made growth from last season to this season and it shows, not just in our win/loss record, but in our overall level of play. Our team has bought into the hard work needed every day to be better than the day before, and that is our goal,” Thornburg said.

This hard work has definitely been showing, and the stats prove it. The Duhawks are not even halfway through the season, and they are already per-forming better than last year. In 2015, the Duhawks averaged 8.62 assists, 9.20 kills and 1.71 blocks per set. The team’s attack percentage was .110. In 2016 the team is averaging 9.98 assists, 10.71 kills and 2.16 kills per set while recording a .215 attack percentage.

The cause of this success is truly a team effort as each member of the

Duhawk roster plays an important role. Due to the nature of volleyball as a team sport, coach Thornburg ex-plained that any number of his players could stand out this season.

“I think that our team will continue to show its depth, and with our lead-ers from last season and new ones de-veloping and emerging, anyone could make an impact any given night,” he said.

Thornburg is right as not one but several Duhawks have made their way into the spotlight this season. As for the returners, Dylan Ross has been a dominating force in the front row av-eraging 1.90 kills and 0.85 blocks per set. He tallied a season-high 14 kills in a victory against Calumet College of St. Joseph (CCSJ) earlier this sea-son. Another strong player at the net is sophomore Dawid Kasprzak. In a match against Lakeland at home in February, Kasprzak recorded his 100th career kill after just 1 ½ seasons of col-legiate play. Returning setters Shayne Marquez and Danny Krasich continue to impress with their 5.29 and 4.05 as-sists per game, respectively.

While these Loras veterans are pro-viding leadership and experience for the team, the recruiting class has been a source of new talent. Freshmen Greg Kinney and Ryan Galvan lead the Du-

hawks in attacking with Kinney’s 2.25 and Galvan’s 2.03 kills per set. Freshman Alfredo Lopez has already broken the Loras all-time record for service aces in a match with seven against IIT. He leads the team with 0.58 aces per set.

The combined contributions of the team has led Loras to victories over IIT, CCSJ, Benedictine and Briar Cliff so far this season, but there is still a long way to go. As conference season gets underway, the Duhawks have a tough sched-ule ahead of them. Not only are they facing their opponents from last year in the Midwest Colle-giate Volleyball League (MCVL), they will play some new compe-tition as well as six teams joined the MCVL in 2016. Nevertheless, coach Thornburg is hopeful for the rest of the season.

“Our conference is deep and we have to show up every day to compete and have the opportuni-ty to win matches. Our goal is to get better every day and we hope with that goal, we can make some waves in the MCVL,” he said.

The Duhawks will travel to Naperville, Ill. on Friday to face North Central in conference ac-tion.

12 The Lorian Feb. 11, 2016 Sports

Cam Newton’s touchdown celebrations have been the topic of much

conversation this NFL season. Some folks think Newton’s flamboyance is ruining football (thus, America), and others say we should let the man have his fun. The criticisms of Newton’s celebratory antics have run the gamut from innocent

curmudgeonry to thinly-veiled racism, and there’s been no shortage of opportunity for his haters to hate; Newton scored a lot of touchdowns this year.

Newton’s response to his critics? “If you don’t like it, don’t let me score.”

The Denver Broncos took Newton’s advice on Sunday night. The league’s top defense pounded the MVP like an oversized drum, and kept pounding all the way to a 24-10 victory in Super Bowl 50. He didn’t get to dance, he didn’t get to hand any footballs to the millionaires in the front row (who wastes a Super Bowl ticket on a little kid, right?), and he didn’t get a chance to pretend there was a big red “S” beneath his jersey.

I don’t care about Newton’s dancing (although “dabbing” has an entirely different connotation in Denver than it does in the Carolinas), and I think it’s great when he gives some kid a football for his dad to sell on Ebay, but that Superman thing…it’s never sat quite right with me. My doubts were confirmed Sunday night.

There was nothing super about Newton on Super Bowl Sunday. On the field, he looked more like Bizarro, Superman’s utterly-inept, otherworldly double. He showed flashes of the super powers at his disposal, but displayed complete incompetence in wielding them.

Above all, Superman is super heroic. It’s kind of a prerequisite for being a superhero. On Sunday night, with all of his teammates and fans counting on him, Newton was a coward. He was a coward when he made no effort to recover the football after having it stripped by Von Miller (again) in the fourth quarter. Superman would dive for that ball like it was baby on a subway track, or a ticking nuclear weapon that needed to be rushed into outer space before it destroyed everyone he cared about. When the time came for Newton to be brave, he said, “No thanks, I’m good.”

Even more un-heroic than his give-up on the loose ball, even more cowardly, was the way Newton carried himself after the game. All it took was one bad day for “keep pounding” to turn into “keep pouting.” Even superheroes fail sometimes. But when they do, they take responsibility for it. They own it, and then get right back to work punishing evil-doers. Newton had the opportunity to do just that in his postgame presser. He could have stood tall, chin up and arms akimbo, and answered Jimmy Olson’s questions like a professional.

Instead, he folded like a stolen laptop.Perhaps Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib said

it best after the game: “There ain’t no Santa Claus, there ain’t no Easter Bunny, there ain’t no Superman.”

Additional takeaways from Super Sunday:- The Peyton Manning/John Elway comparisons

should stop. Elway put that team on his shoulders and carried it to Denver’s first championship in the ’97 season. The Broncos claimed Sunday’s title in spite of their quarterback.

- Just like the Broncos learned two years ago when they were blown out by the Seahawks, defense still wins championships.

- Josh Norman is the real deal.- Who was that gorgeous woman who sang the

national anthem so beautifully? I thought they were going to have some freak in a meat dress do it.

- Did you see the look on little brother Eli Manning’s face at the end? That’s the look of a man who just lost all of his bragging rights forever.

DREW

’S V

IEW

S

Drew Brashawsports editor

DREW’S VIEWS

Super Bad

Men’s volleyball team shows signs of growth in 2nd seasonA strong team effort contributes to the Duhawks’ success

by MEGAN TEWS | asst. sports editor

The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have wrapped up their regular seasons and are prepar-ing for the Liberal Arts Champion-ships on Feb.10.

The Loras men have garnered a fairly successful season, finding key victories in the Simpson Dual as well as the Knox Dual. The team will look to carry the momentum of their sig-nificant season into the Liberal Arts Championships.

Seniors John Maevski and Zach Benson look to continue their success-ful performances in the past meets and pull out solid results for the Duhawks. In addition to Maevski and Benson, freshman Mac Faldet, who has made a huge impact in his first year with the team, looks to carry his success into the championship season. He collected two first place finishes at the Grinnell Invitational and had many impressive performances before that. Expect the men to make a big splash at the Liberal

Arts Championship.The women’s swim team has en-

joyed their fair share of success this season as well, chalking up a couple key wins for the team and establishing themselves as a consistent competitor. Sophomore Kim Breaux has had a sol-id season for the Duhawks, recording several finishes within the top five in competition. The teams’ success has had a big help from freshman Kasey Jacobsen who has not only posted multiple first place finishes in sever-al competitions, but was even named the Liberal Arts Conference Swimmer of the Week for the week of Jan. 19. Jacobsen has been a key newcomer to the team and will be a key contributor to the Duhawks’ success in the Liberal Arts Championship. Seniors Heather Black and Elise Amo look to lead the women in a successful run at the Lib-eral Arts Championships.

Last year’s Liberal Arts Champion-ship was a solid run for the Duhawks as they recorded four school records

that may be challenged yet again this year. Two of those school re-cords belong to senior Zach Ben-son and Junior Ike Casey, who look to take down their own re-cords and cap off even stronger performances. Zach Benson has rewritten three school records in his time at Loras, and he looks to rewrite more in his final year with the Duhawks.

Both the men’s and women’s teams finished the 2015 Liberal Arts Championship in fifth place, and look to finish just as well if not better in this year’s competition. Strong performances from mul-tiple athletes on both the men’s and women’s side will help the Du-hawks push for success to cap off the season. Head coach Ben Gill and assistant coach Ann Foust will lead the men and women to Prin-cipia, Ill. to take on a strong field of competitors and finish the season on a high note.

Duhawks cap regular season, prepare for Liberal Arts Championship

by AARON BROEGE| sportswriter