final2 issue#1 rangeview fall 2009
TRANSCRIPT
A Publication by the Students of the FRCC-Larimer Campus
VOLUME 10, ISSUE 1 AUGUST — NOVEMBER 2009
HITTING A NEW “PEAK”
BY JENNIFER H ILGENDORF ,
RANGEVIEW REPORTER
―It‘s awesome, I love it,‖ said student Ashley Owen, 20,
about the newly renovated Longs Peak Student Center. Owen
crinkled her nose in response to what she thought of the old
student center. ―It is more welcoming now,‖ she said. Owen
spends a couple of hours between classes on Mondays and
Wednesdays at the student center, which underwent a significant
revamp over the summer break.
First built in 1998, the Longs Peak Student Center had
remained mostly the same since its completion, with its aqua-
marine, purple and gray décor. This is exactly what led to director
of Student Life Erin Fink-Smith‘s cause to remodel the student
hub. ―It was time for a facelift. The old student center felt cold
and stark,‖ said Fink-Smith. Those ―cold‖ colors have been re-
placed with warm, earthy tones.
Talk began in 2005, after an upgrade to the now Study
and Art Lounge. Fink-Smith met with the Student Center
Advisory Board, consisting of students, faculty and staff. She
spoke with the 2007-2008 Student Government Association about
funding the $750,000 project with student fees. Both the 2007-
2008 and 2008-2009 student bodies were assessed by the
advisory board. They surveyed the students throughout the school
year, asking them what they would like to see in a new student
center. After final approval from Interim President Michael
Kupcho, Vice President Dr. James C. Butzek, and dean of
Student Services Kris Binard, construction began on Memorial
Day.
―FRCC is in need of more space. Enrollment is
currently up by 20 percent,‖ said Fink-Smith. An increase in
students means not only an increase in people, but is also a boost
in student fees, allowing for such a project to be undertaken.
While the project didn‘t involve any expansion, it did,
however, ―make better use of the space we did have,‖ according
to Facilities director and design team member Scott McKelvey.
With better organization and relocation of storage space, the
project allowed for an additional office that was not there before.
(continued on page 4)
GOING GREEN AT FRCC
BY ERIN READ, RANGEVIEW REPORTER
A term often heard is ―sustainable living,‖ but do you
truly understand what it means? The Rocky Mountain Sustain-
able Living Fair was held on Sept. 19 and 20 in Fort Collins.
Sustainable living is as simple as recycling every week, or as
complex as converting your whole home to run off of solar
energy. There were many booths set up across the open farming
field located on Lemay Avenue and Vine Drive that represented
various forms of sustainable living. This was a community event,
and all the booths were run by volunteers and employees of the
various businesses, local farms and schools represented at the
fair, including FRCC. The Front Range booth was powered by
faculty and staff volunteers who were busy talking about the
changes to come, starting with the Sustainable Living Committee.
The woman responsible for these volunteers was Patricia
Spears-Taff, who is the recruitment specialist at Front Range.
(continued on page 5)
Left to right: Mohammed Alghadeer, Mohammad Alnassar, Mohamed Own, and an unidentified student stand by one of the many tables displaying information about Arabic culture at the Arabic Awareness Dinner held on campus on Friday, Sept. 25.
Photo by James Neuhalfen
MEET OUR EDITORIAL TEAM
MEET OUR PHOTO TEAM
Faculty Advisor &
Managing Editor………...… Kate Tarasenko
Editorial Team…….…...………..Jeff Collins
………………………………….Ally Hayduk
…………………………..Jennifer Hilgendorf
………………………….Alexander LaBracke
…………………………….Roger Maldonado
……………………………………..Erin Read
Photo Editor.……………...James Neuhalfen
Photo Team………………….Linda Baldwin
……………………………..James Neuhalfen
Layout…….. ..….……...……Kate Tarasenko
Publications Board….... .…….Karl Dukstein
………………………………..….Blair Oliver
………………………………...Rachel Rambo
……………………………Erin Fink-Smith
……………………………….Kate Tarasenko
FREELANCE SUBMISSIONS POLICY:
We welcome feedback, letters to the
editor, original articles and op-ed
pieces (as well as story ideas and
tips) from all members of the FRCC
Larimer Campus community.
Please do not exceed 600 words.
The Rangeview also accepts photos
and artwork in jpg format.
All submissions must be emailed
directly from your FRCC account as
a Word.doc or jpg attachment, and
must be accompanied by full name
and local phone number, to:
All submissions are subject to final
approval by the Editorial Team and
Publications Board, and may be edited
for length, clarity, and potentially libel-
ous content.
Please direct your calendar event inquiries to
ALL CONTENT © 2009 RANGEVIEW
Linda Baldwin and James Neuhalfen Photo by Renee Hibbitt
Left to right: Erin Read, Roger Maldonado, Jennifer Hilgendorf, Alexander LaBracke
and Ally Hayduk. Not pictured: Jeff Collins
Photo by James Neuhalfen
MISSION STATEMENT:
The Rangeview provides a voice for FRCC’s Larimer campus. We strive to give our readers accurate and balanced coverage on a variety of news and events in an effort to keep our campus well-informed about its college community. We approach our responsibilities with the goal of maintaining the highest journalistic standards to the best of our abilities.
2
ALSO
IN THIS ISSUE:
Scholars’ Square
Beverly Byer......…….…...6
Mary Swanson......……….7
How We Serve
Sheryl Harrell……..….…..8
Campus Wellness
Blood Drive………..…….9
Brain Lab………..….…..10
Front Range Faces
Samuel Owen..……..…...11
James Wood……..….…..12
Club Hub
Brandon Devlin: SfS…...13
Medium Cool
Music Recitals……….….15
Jason Downing/SLF….....16
Laura Resau…………….17
Be Our Guest
Susan Marshall..…….…..18
Student Life ……….20
The Rangeview is funded by Student Life
using student fees, and by the
Department of Arts & Letters.
Reporting for The Rangeview
is provided by the
journalism students of JOU-106,
the Fundamentals of Reporting.
Photography is provided by
students of FRCC-LC.
SPRING 2010:
Register for JOU-106,
the Fundamentals of
Reporting,
and write for
The Rangeview!
3 transfer
credit hours!
3
FREE RANGE VIEWS
STUDENT EDITORIAL FROM THE INDIANA DAILY STUDENT (IDSNEWS.COM )
IT'S ABOUT TIME.
WE SAY THE STUDENT AID AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT
IS LONG OVERDUE .
Sept. 20, 2009 — The House of Representatives passed legislation on Sept. 17 that would
take private lenders out of the student loan industry altogether and save U.S. taxpayers close to
$90 billion during 10 years, money which would then be used to increase Pell grant allocations
and pay for community college reforms.
The bill now moves to the Senate, where its legislative success is less certain than it was in
the House.
Currently, when a student takes out a loan from the federal government, they have to go not
to the federal government (that would make sense!), but to private lending institutions.
These institutions are given the money to lend to the student plus substantial subsidies to
encourage them to participate in the program and a federal guarantee on the loan – which makes
providing these risk free-loans an absolute jackpot for banks and other lending institutions that
do nothing to deserve it.
What this bill proposes, however, is to take the banks out of the equation altogether.
Instead of having the federal government give money to lending institutions, plus extra
money on top of that for these banks to then lend to students, this legislation proposes the
revolutionary idea of having the government provide the loans directly, cutting out the
unnecessary middleman and all of the extra payouts that go along with it.
One would think that the bill‘s safe passage through Congress would be a no-brainer, given
the enormous inefficiencies inherent in the current student loan system, but, unfortunately it
seems the health care debate that has infused Congress recently is seeping into and poisoning the
rhetoric surrounding this completely unrelated bill.
Cries of ―government takeover‖ have crept in from the health care debacle, but these should
be ignored.
After all, the government already owns most of the debt that would be taken out of the
hands of these banks – many of whom have received bailouts – so, calling this a government
takeover is quite disingenuous.
This bill decreases government bureaucracy, increases efficiency, wastes fewer taxpayer
dollars, and stops payouts to financial institutions for doing absolutely nothing but shifting their
losses onto taxpayers.
What‘s not to love? Copyright © 2009 Indiana Daily Student
A&L Chair Blair Oliver gets his blood screened at FRCC’s recent Health Fair. Photo by James Neuhalfen
4
(LPSC continued from page 1)
The new study bar, stretching
the length of the north window, is
another feature that capitalizes on the
use of the space. ―It provides seating
for 30 that wasn‘t there before,‖ said
Fink-Smith. The replacement of the
longer tables with smaller tables with
seating for four also increases the util-
ity of the space. ―There is exactly the
same number of chairs, but more
people are able to use them now,‖ said
Fink-Smith.
In addition to more places to
rest your rump, the new student center
boasts three new computers at the
southeast entrance, electrical plug-ins
for laptops and other devices, a stone-
face fireplace, and acoustical panels
along the ceilings. Whiteboards were
replaced with small LCD screens outside of each of the
conference rooms that display information about the events
scheduled for each of the conference rooms.
The Fitness Center received an upgrade, as well. The
carpeting was replaced with durable Mondo™ flooring.
―Carpet really isn‘t the best surface for the sweaty environ-
ment of the Fitness Center,‖ said Fink-Smith. There is also a
The Longs Peak Student Center underwent a $750,000 renovation over the summer, paid for using student fees. Green features were incorporated into its re-design and construction. Photo by Linda Baldwin
new Wellness Zone just north of the Information Desk. ―It will
report information about health and wellness, including H1N1
and stress management, because the wellness of our students is
really important to us,‖ said Fink-Smith.
The design team wanted this project to be ecological.
For instance, the carpet that was removed was sent back to the
manufacturer to be recycled. Additional green initiatives include
the use of energy-efficient lighting and the incorporation of
durable materials, like terrazzo flooring throughout the main
space of the hall. McKelvey pointed out that ―the bathroom
stalls are made of recycled milk cartons.‖ And the chairs were
car seatbelts in their previous lives.
Fink-Smith is particularly pleased with the new multi-
purpose room. Though its main advantage is giving breast-
feeding mothers a private space to pump, it can serve more
purposes than just that one. ―We are a pioneer of this idea,‖ she
said. The room can be reserved on a first-come, first-served
basis for 30 minutes at a time. The room has not yet reached its
completion, but Fink-Smith hopes to have it ready for use by
late October.
―It was a lofty goal,‖ said McKelvey of the 12-week
timeline, ―and it‘s not actually complete.‖ Final touches need to
be made throughout the student center. The finished student
center will be unveiled at the grand re-opening, scheduled for
Oct. 15. There will be food served throughout the day, with a
ceremony set to start at 4:30 p.m.
As for Owen, ―The student center has everything the
students should need.‖ ®
Piano instructor Jeannine Green (left) offers some one-on-one tips to student Cynthia Wilson in her Group Piano class. Read our story on FRCC’s upcoming music recitals on page 15.
Photo by James Neuhalfen
5
(SLF continued from page 1)
A recruitment specialist is primarily responsible for taking care
of the human resources issues related to the college. The 27-
year-old Spears-Taff was raised in Alabama, but moved to Colo-
rado to work on an internship as an undergrad. After her intern-
ship, she continued to pursue her academic career in Alabama,
but moved back to Colorado permanently in August 2008. She
finds sustainable living ―truly is important… There are so many
resources for affordable green living in this community; it‘s so
easy to do.‖
And if you wish to practice sustainable living, Fort
Collins has many resources you can use. Whether you utilize the
bus to get to school or work every day, or just do something
once a year, like volunteer for one of the green programs pre-
sented at the fair, such actions can be considered sustainable.
―There is so much progressive thinking in Fort Collins.
The effects on the planet are visible. The facts are obvious,‖ said
Spears-Taff. She was satisfied with the turnout of the fair this
year. ―It was only my second fair, but it was my favorite,‖ she
said, adding that, to live sustainably, all you have to do is ―be
aware of how you can contribute. Do a little bit at a time.‖
She continued, ―The community at large knows Front
Range has green programs.‖ But not all students at Front Range
Community College seem to know what green living is, or how
to practice it.
Jim Castaneda, who is studying social sciences at Front
Range, doesn‘t really know what it means to be sustainable.
Castaneda, who is 43 and originally from Washington state and
the Southern California area, does recycle. He said, jokingly, ―I
own a lawn, and it puts carbon dioxide in the air.‖ But, beyond
that, he said that he does not really know how to practice
sustainable living, or what it really means. Castaneda is worried
about the future of this planet. ―It won‘t be here forever, and if
you want something to last, like anything else, you need to treat it
right,‖ he said. Castaneda was not aware of the Rocky Mountain
Sustainable Living Fair but he said he plans to ―mark it on my
calendar for next year.‖ He plans to learn a little more about
sustainable living on his own time, and find out how he can
practice it beyond recycling.
If you would like to learn more about how to practice
sustainable living, or become active in the Fort Collins sustain-
able movement, visit the Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living
Fair‘s Web site at www.sustainablelivingassociation.org.
You can also join the Sustainable Living Committee at
FRCC. The first meeting for the committee was held on Friday,
Oct. 2. The meeting‘s agenda included what
sustainable living is, and how to incorporate it at
the Front Range campus.
The presidents of the Sustainable Living
Committee are Jamie Hahn, who is the program
director for the Architectural Engineering Pro-
gram and the Construction Technology Program,
and Leslie Kulbeck, who is the administrative
assistant for the Integrated Technology Depart-
ment. For more information on the committee,
contact Kulbeck at
(BLOOD DRIVE continued from page 9)
facilities. The next blood drive is at CSU on Wednesday, Oct.
14, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Bolchen commented, ―We need to get rid of the
notion that someone else will [give] instead. There are a lot of
fallacies to donating blood, like, you might catch something,
or, ‗I got the flu shot so I can‘t give,‘ or, ‗I recently had a heart
attack.‘ Everything is sterile and latex-free,‖ Bolchen said.
If you know of a business or organization that would
like to host a blood drive, contact the Garth Englund Blood
Center. Patients need volunteer donors, and so does the Garth
Englund Blood Center. If anybody would like to donate blood
or plasma, they may also go directly to the Garth Englund
Blood Donor Center located at 1025 Pennock Pl., Suite 104, in
Fort Collins, or call 495-8965. If Loveland is more convenient,
donors may go to Medical Center of the Rockies located at
2500 Rocky Mountain Ave., or call 624-1510. ®
An unidentified cyclist gets his grub on at FRCC’s booth at the Sustainable Living Fair. Read more about it on page 14. Photo by James Neuhalfen
SCHOLARS ’ SQUARE
6
IT KINDLY STOPPED FOR ME. . .
BY ROGER MALDONADO,
RANGEVIEW REPORTER
Death is everywhere. It is all over the media, in movies
and music. It is in the news everyday. It is even at Front
Range… but not in the way that you may think. Every fall
semester, there is one psychology course that is different from
the rest. It is the Psychology of Death and Dying course. It is
offered only once a year, and it always fills up. There is also
only one faculty member who teaches it. Her name is Beverly
Byer, and when in the Psychology Department in Challenger
Point, she can sometimes be found behind the door with all of
the sticky notes attached to it.
Before the fall semester of 2002, the Psychology of
Death and Dying was going to be taken out of the Front Range
course catalogue because there was no one to teach it. Byer
took the initiative and volunteered to teach the class. ―It started
off as just an important class that had to be taught, but it became
so much more than that,‖ Byer says.
Originally from Orange County, California, Byer
started her college education at California State University at
Long Beach. She moved to Colorado and later went on to
receive her Bachelor of Science in psychology at Colorado State
University, and her Master of Arts in school psychology at the
University of Colorado at Boulder. She is the Developmental
Psychology lead at FRCC and has been teaching here for 10
years. While at Cal State, Byer met the professor whom she
says was the most influential person in her life. Elaine Hagland,
a developmental psychology professor at Cal State,
said the ―most meaningful words‖ to Byer that have helped
her shape her future. She still remembers the words: ―If you
have the passion, be persistent, and your place will find you.‖
She said that they still impact her to this day.
Every fall semester, Byer goes into the Psychology
of Death and Dying course with the same mentality. She says,
―The greatest accomplishment that I could achieve at the end
of the semester is to have enriched the lives of my students
somehow, for whatever different reasons they may be, beyond
just credits or grades.‖ She understands that some people
have other motives, or just may not like the class, but her aim
remains the same because of the great number of students who
have taken the class.
―The course isn‘t only for the students,‖ states Byer.
―I take the class every semester with my students.‖ She does
every assignment, every ―reflection,‖ and even takes tests
with her class, although, she says, ―You never get to see
them.‖
She puts a lot of emphasis on making sure every
student feels comfortable inside and outside of her classroom.
By keeping her opinions a secret, students can focus on speak-
ing their minds and telling their own stories without having to
feel the instructor‘s opinion forced on them. ―I share my
stories all the time, but you don‘t see any political posters on
my wall,‖ she jokes.
This course isn‘t the only way Byer is involved in
death and dying. The main reason that the course is taught
only once a year is because, during fall, it coincides with the
Mexican holiday known as El Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of
the Dead. Each year, Byer and Jimena Peña, who is a mem-
ber of the Bilingual and Multicultural Adult Services, host a
special event in the Harmony Library. This public event is a
collaboration between the Death and Dying class and the
community. On this day, students, along with Byer, create
memorials to honor people they know who have died. It‘s an
event occurring on Oct. 29, from 1 to 4 p.m., and Oct. 30,
from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Longs Peak Student Center, and
she encourages any Front Range student to be a part of it.
Byer chooses to teach only one class of Death and
Dying one semester of the year. She says, ―It‘s so much more
than a class….[T]he bonding and growth that I experience
with the class [is what] gives me the real passion for the
course.‖ She says, ―I love that my job combines two things
that I strongly believe in: teaching psychology, and being
able to help and impact people.‖ ®
Beverly Byer (at right) listens to a student’s response in her Psychology of Death and Dying class. Photo by James Neuhalfen
7
SCHOLARS ’ SQUARE
THE FUTURE OF HISTORY
BY ALLY HAYDUK, RANGEVIEW REPORTER
Mary Swanson knew that after receiving her under-
graduate degree and master‘s degree at Colorado State
University, there was no question that she loved Fort Collins
and wanted to pursue a career in the area. Teaching history in
the Fort Collins area is an ideal job for Swanson, a U.S.
History instructor at Front Range Community College.
―History is my passion,‖ she acknowledged.
A newlywed as of June, Swanson was born in
Minneapolis, Minn., 23 years ago and raised in the
Minneapolis area. When she was 14, her family moved out
West to Colorado. She attended Liberty High School in
Colorado Springs where she took AP history courses and
found that she was very interested in the subject. Excelling in
school was never an issue for Swanson, and she graduated
from Liberty in 2004. She then went to CSU and found out
that she was able to complete her undergraduate degree in
three years, as opposed to the average student‘s four. This is
what she considers to be one of her greatest academic
achievements. After graduating, she went straight into get-
ting her master‘s degree two years later in history.
This is Swanson‘s first year as an instructor at Front
Range. With it comes challenges, as she is the first to admit,
but it also comes with great rewards. As a U.S. History I and
II instructor, she teaches three sections of these courses, and
with preparation time of roughly four hours for each lecture,
they become very time-consuming. While Swanson only
teaches U.S. History, she is qualified to teach other areas of
history, such as Western civilization, African history, and
world history. However, Front Range didn‘t need instructors
for those courses this year. The areas of history she is most
interested in are the ones that she finds herself knowing the
most about, such as environmental studies, which she is
continuously researching, and European women‘s history.
When applying for teaching jobs after getting her
master‘s degree, Swanson knew the first place she wanted to
go and teach was Front Range. After filling out a very
involved application and waiting a few months for it to be
reviewed, she finally found out she had gotten the job.
Teaching at Front Range has been everything she had hoped
it would be. ―The staff is friendly and very supportive,‖
claimed Swanson.
The idea of actually being able to talk to the instruc-
tor after or during class is something Swanson really likes
about the smaller campus atmosphere. After being at CSU for
five years, Swanson realized how much she likes a smaller
school. She also appreciates that it has newer facilities for
students and staff. ―It is more personal, with a smaller staff-to-
student ratio, giving it more of a one-on-one experience,‖
stated Swanson.
While Swanson is not a full-time instructor at Front
Range and isn‘t employed elsewhere, she has plenty of other
goals and activities that keep her occupied. She is now working
to get her Ph.D., which takes up a large amount of her time.
She hopes to have that completed as soon as possible, which
could be anywhere between five and seven years. However,
Swanson insists that she and her husband probably work too
much, but when they get a break, they enjoy ―different… inter-
esting‖ food and relaxing dinners. She also enjoys running,
playing ―Wii Guitar Hero,‖ reading, and her new-found interest
in yoga. ―I am pretty impressed; I can almost touch my toes!‖
beamed Swanson. ®
U.S. History instructor Mary Swanson leads a discussion during class.
Photo by Linda Baldwin
8
HOW WE SERVE
S INGLE, BUT NOT ALONE
BY JENNIFER H ILGENDORF ,
RANGEVIEW REPORTER
Sheryl Harrell isn‘t the most obvious choice to direct
the Single-Parent Program here at Front Range Community
College. She is not a single parent. In fact, she isn‘t a parent at
all. Harrell says, ―I am motivated by the values of sharing and
supporting others, and giving back because of what I have been
given.‖
Harrell, 60, relates to the single-parent students
because she went back to pursue her degree as an adult learner.
At the age of 35, she enrolled in Ever-
green State College in Olympia, Wash.,
where she received her Bachelor of Arts
degree. She went on to earn a Master of
Applied Behavioral Science from City
University Leadership Institute of Seattle
in 1990. Her background as an academic
advisor and manager of the First-Year
Experience Program at Evergreen State
College, and her work with non-profit
organizations in the state of Washington,
led her to her current position as the
director of the Single-Parent Program
here at FRCC, Larimer campus, which
she has held since May 2002.
As the director of the program,
she holds multiple roles. She is an
academic, career, personal, and family
counselor to her students. Harrell noted
that her degree is in the discipline of life
coaching, not to be confused with a
therapist. She is in charge of managing
the budget of the program, and distribution of childcare funds,
as well as coordinating educational and social events for the
participants of the program. She also supervises an intern from
CSU, in addition to other basic administrative tasks. To boot,
Harrell makes sure that she is constantly connected with the
community and the resources it offers to her students, such as
the Zonta Scholarship Raffle Drawing to benefit participants of
the Single-Parent Program.
For the program‘s future, Harrell is optimistic. She
says, ―I always see [the program] expanding.‖ Harrell says, ―I
would love to see the permanence of the Personal Excellence
Project.‖ Harrell wrote the grant that funded this leadership
development program a few years ago. This project awarded
scholarships to those who exhibited leadership skills after
devoting 40 hours to community service. Today, the funds for
the Single-Parent Program focus on students who will leave
FRCC and enter directly into the workforce, such as those
seeking technical degrees and certificates. She would like to
see it include students who will transfer to pursue degrees of
higher education at other institutions.
―I would also like the internship I supervise to
become a paid position,‖ she says. Like
so many other barriers in education, all of
this is limited due to funding.
Harrell says she was inspired to
pursue this field of service while under
the leadership of her now-friend,
Christine Wagner, while working at
Evergreen State College. ―Christine was a
single-parent with a presence and a heart
for giving,‖ remarks Harrell.
Harrell is also inspired by the
students she works with. She says, ―The
single-parent population are truly my
heroes. They work so hard to change their
life conditions for themselves and their
children.‖ She recounts the story of one
such student, a mother of three boys, one
of whom was mentally disabled. She
wanted more for herself and her boys. She
graduated from FRCC with a 4.0 GPA,
transferred to CSU, and received a
master‘s degree in speech pathology, and
now teaches at the University of Arkansas. She accomplished
all of this in the seven years Harrell has worked at FRCC,
while coping with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
Harrell‘s message to other single parents hoping to
change their circumstances is one of encouragement and hope.
Harrell says, ―I understand the single-parents‘ resistance to
ask for help. It can often be seen as a sign of weakness. I see it
as a sign of courage.‖ Harrell would like single parents to
know that, ―There are people here who will walk with you,
not for you, to help you build a better future for yourself.‖
Just ask. ®
Director of the Single-Parent Program, Sheryl Harrell Photo by Linda Baldwin
CAMPUS WELLNESS
9
THERE WILL BE BLOOD
BY JEFF COLLINS, RANGEVIEW REPORTER
The Garth Englund Blood Center rolled into the Front
Range Community College parking lot on Sept. 29. The bus,
provided by Poudre Valley Health Systems, is about 37 feet in
length. It may look like an average RV, but this one saves lives.
The Garth Englund Blood Center was named after a pathologist
who was honored by being named as one of its founders in
1997, shortly after his death. He saw a need for a blood center
for Larimer County. The blood donated to the center stays in
the Front Range area. At press time, the event through the
Garth Englund Blood Center was
expecting 30 to 40 donors.
The reason there is a
need for blood drives is because
―a lot of people don‘t have the
time or the want to come across
town to a stationary center, so, in
order for us to keep our blood
supply up, we take our bus to
them. That is why we bought it
five years ago,‖ said Daniel
Bolchen, who is a clinical labora-
tory technician. Bolchen has
been working at the Garth
Englund Blood Center for 17
years. He is also a team leader at
the Donor Center. He explained
that one of the reasons that the
Garth Englund Blood Center
picked FRCC is the number of
potential donors. ―There are
1,000 to 2,000 people wandering
around at any given time. The
facility is willing to let us be
there,‖ Bolchen replied.
―One of the reasons why we try to tap into the younger
generation is to get them started, so that in the future, they will
come to see us on a regular basis,‖ Bolchen stated. ―Right now,
we are losing the World War II veterans to age, and we need the
younger generation to step up and fill that void,‖ said Bolchen.
The process of donating blood is easy, according to
the Garth Englund brochure. First, donors must complete a
form at Front Range. Next, donors enter the mobile bus
where they are escorted to an interview booth. After a short
interview, donors may sit in the donation chair for five to 15
minutes while their blood is drawn. After the donation,
refreshments will be offered—usually juice and cookies.
After that, donors have the satisfaction of knowing they may
have saved a life.
There are some restrictions on who can donate
blood. People on antibiotics for an infection cannot give
until it is clear for at least 72 hours. People with piercings
and tattoos have restrictions. People who travel to the ruins
in Cancun, Mexico are deferred for one year because of the
chance of malaria. Other than those restrictions, people can
donate every eight weeks. Each time a
donation is taken, it is tested for hepatitis,
HIV, syphilis, and other diseases in depth.
If anything is found, a phone call or a
certified letter is sent to the donor.
Sitting at the sign-up table at 10:20
a.m. was a lady named Nancy Schirmer.
Schirmer, 53, who has been volunteering
with the blood center for ―years and years
and years,‖ is not only donating her time,
but also her blood. She is a nursing
student at Front Range, and is the Student
Nurses Association president. She gradu-
ates in December. Schirmer has donated
―millions‖ of times. A former school
nurse at Cache La Poudre Elementary
School, Schirmer knows first-hand the
importance behind these blood drives.
Her good friend lost a daughter to
leukemia, which required a lot of blood
work. Schirmer‘s aunt died from a blood-
related disease. Her mother has a strong
belief in ―helping mankind,‖ Schirmer
said. ―My mother has been donating
blood [for] as long as I can remember. She‘s 87. Just this
weekend at church, she coordinated a blood drive.‖
Schirmer gives her credit for why she is there. It is just a
―very generous thing to do. We can all do it.‖
The mobile blood drive is always on the go. They
can also be found at CSU, churches, high schools, and other
(continued on page 5)
FRCC nursing student Marla Pruitt knows how valuable her blood donation is. Poudre Valley Health Systems drove a mobile donation van to FRCC’s parking lot on Sept. 29 and held a blood drive benefitting the Garth Englund Blood Center. Photo by James Neuhalfen
CAMPUS WELLNESS
10
MAY I PICK YOUR BRAIN?
BY ROGER MALDONADO,
RANGEVIEW REPORTER
French philosopher Rene Descartes once said, ―I
think; therefore, I am,‖ to describe his own existence. He
theorized that the mental activity going on in his brain was
proof enough that he existed. But Descartes never looked at
a real-life human brain. He also
never dissected a sheep brain,
either. Thanks to the Brain Lab
hosted at FRCC, students have
an opportunity to go a step
beyond theory and look deep
into the brains of humans and
sheep, literally.
One year ago, John
Mandley, the lead instructor of
the Psychology 101 and 102
classes at Front Range,
volunteered to do a cow‘s eye
dissection and a sheep brain
dissection that was being hosted
at his son‘s middle school. This
event sparked Mandley to ask the question, ―If this can be
done at a middle school, why not at Front Range?‖
His first line of business was to acquire lab space.
While speaking with the anatomy and physiology instructors
about lab space, Mandley came across the ―Bucket of
Brains.‖ The physiology instructors keep a completely intact
human brain, along with sliced parts of human brains, well-
preserved to present them to physiology students. With the
anatomy and physiology instructors ―being kind enough‖ to
lend their ―Bucket of Brains‖ and lab space for the event, and
the Bio Corporation, located in Alexandria, Minn., supplying
a means of purchasing $9 sheep brains, came the inception of
the first-ever Brain Lab at Front Range.
The first Brain Lab was last fall and was open only
to Mandley‘s psychology students. The lab was held on one
day of each semester, and the roster filled up within two
or three days. It was 90 minutes long, and half of the
students did the human brain demo while the other half
participated in the sheep brain dissection. After the first 45
minutes, they switched roles. ―It just wasn‘t enough time,‖
Mandley says.
This year, Mandley, along with Beverly Byer, the
Developmental Psychology lead, and Lucinda Baker, an
instructor currently getting her Ph.D. in neuroscience at
Colorado State University, have a new plan. The lab is going
to be held over four days, and now it is open to all students of
Front Range currently enrolled in at least one psychology
course. The labs have already filled beyond capacity, but there
is always an opportunity for psychology students to do the
brain labs next semester. Two of the days are dedicated to the
sheep brain dissections, and the
other two are focused exclu-
sively on the human brain demo.
Each of these labs is at least an
hour long so that there is enough
time for the students to get the
full experience.
One of these labs was
scheduled on Monday, Sept. 28.
The students all filed into
Challenger Point 228 just to be
greeted by a smell reminiscent
of rubber gloves and raw lamb
chops. Diffusing in the room
was the smell of 14 refrigerated
sheep brains. The students were
paired up and given a scalpel, scissors, and a blunt probe for
dissection purposes, followed by the rigid and lumpy sheep
brain.
The students handled the cold, gray, hand-sized brains
in many different ways. Some picked the brains up with
gloved hands trying to pull thin, resistant layers apart,
some used scissors to attempt to cut through layers of tough
membrane, and some just sliced merrily through the brain it-
self, and some got brain juice excreted somewhere on their
faces.
Dayna Newby, a Colorado State University student
taking classes at Front Range, joked around, saying, ―My
favorite part was the smell.‖ She admitted later, ―My favorite
part was doing the cross-sections of the brain.‖
With an in-lab lab report, students demonstrated what
they learned from the lab and turned it in to their instructors in
their psychology classes.
With every lab having so many students, Mandley
asked, ―Since there is an obvious interest in lab from students,
how can we keep meeting their interest?‖
(continued on page 14)
Missing anything?
Photo by James Neuhalfen
FRONT RANGE FACES
11
COMING FULL CYCLE
BY ALEXANDER LABRACKE ,
RANGEVIEW REPORTER
As one ascends the stairwell to the single-bedroom
apartment above a pub in Old Town, it can be noticed that the
entire railing of the second floor is occupied by bikes and bike
locks. ―Only six of them are mine,‖ said FRCC student Samuel
Owen.
Owen is a 23-year-old
bicycle mechanic for the Fort Collins
-owned and operated Lee's Cyclery.
Originally from Kentville, Nova
Scotia, he is pursuing a business
degree to further his ―entrepreneurial
skills within the cycling industry.‖
When not at school or the shop, he
can frequently be found near Horse-
tooth Reservoir at the Maxwell Trail,
one of his favorite local rides.
When asked about his early
cycling career, Owen looked back to
11 years ago when he first got into
cross-country biking. He described
his first ―real‖ bike: his red Giant
Rincon, with ―big fat tires and bull-
horn handlebars,‖ Owen said, waving
his arms passionately.
Before leaving Canada,
Owen was an instructor at a mountain
biking school in Quebec for three
seasons. There, he spent his summers
leading pre-teens on cross-country
rides and taught them fundamentals
along the way. Being the only instructor on these rides, he had
no choice but to repair problematic bikes. Knowing that they
―had to get back [to the school],‖ his trailside mechanical skills
were developed. It was then that Owen discovered his knack
for fixing bikes by problem-solving.
In 2002, he moved with his family to Loveland and
began his first shop job at Pelton Cycles. Eventually, when he
started taking classes at Front Range, he began working for
Lee's Cyclery where he's been for the last three seasons.
Perhaps you will see Owen commuting his 10 miles a
day from his apartment in Old Town to Lee's Cyclery. Other
than his daily commute, he tries to get out and do a ―mountain
ride‖ at least once a week. He explained the ―love/hate rela-
tionship‖ the locals have with Maxwell Trail. The trail is
loved because of its proximity to town, but hated because it is
crowded with bikers of all skill levels.
When remembering his old stomping grounds, Owen
compared the trails of the East Coast with those surrounding
his new home on the Front Range. ―The big difference is wet
and dry.‖ He explained that riding condi-
tions back East are commonly wet and
muddy. ―You have to look out for wet
rocks and roots,‖ he explained, because
―both can be means for an ugly, muddy
crash.‖
These days, riding the Rockies, Owen
observes that, rather than wet and slip-
pery, conditions are dry and sharp. The
jagged rocks and ledges of the local trails
tend to produce ―pinch flats,‖ a common
problem that occurs when the tube of the
tire is punctured between the rim and the
sharp edge of a rock.
Recalling his notable crashes, Owen
smiled, sighed and, while sitting back and
crossing his legs, said, ―Ha! Well, where
do I start, eh?” He began a story about
the summer of 2001 when he was at-
tempting to hop over a concrete structure
and drop off a ledge. His back tire got
caught and he was tossed over his handle-
bars, landing directly on his head. This
resulted in two fractured vertebrae and a
trip to the emergency room.
His most recent and intense crash took place in February
of 2007. Riding home from class one night, Owen was ―T-
boned by a drunk driver in a Ford F-250 half-ton pickup truck
going 45 mph.‖ Having been relocated 90 feet from the spot
of contact, he suffered five broken bones, including a few
ribs, a bone in his right ankle, and, most painfully, his pelvis.
He also punctured a lung and severed a tendon.
(continued on page 14)
FRCC business student and bike enthusiast Samuel Owen repairs bikes at Lee’s Cyclery.
Photo by James Neuhalfen
FRONT RANGE FACES
12
WOOD WORKS
BY ERIN READ, RANGEVIEW REPORTER
It is 10:45 on a Tuesday morning, and there are
several people out and about on this warm day, scurrying to
class, near the apartment of James Wood, an instructor in
human sexuality at Front Range Community College. There
seems to be an abundance of families living in the complex,
which appears different from typical university housing, as
children are out playing as their parents fondly look on.
Wood, who is 30 years old, has been on the road of
education for some time. Not only is he currently an instructor,
but he is also a student in the
Ph.D. program at Colorado
State University.
Woods was born in
the academic community of
Cambridge Mass., where
Harvard University and the
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology are located. He
spent his childhood years
mainly in Cambridge, but
eventually moved to Dorches-
ter, Mass., with his parents.
―When I lived in Cambridge,
I was just a baby, so I don't
really remember it,‖ he says.
―I lived in Medford for most
of my childhood and Dorchester for most of my adolescence.‖
When he began his college career, Wood decided that
going to the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Mass.,
was the best choice for him. Amherst is about 100 miles from
Boston, but ―Amherst was very different from these places.‖ It
has ―a lot of natural areas, and people were more friendly, all
of which I really enjoyed.‖
He wasn‘t use to living in a place so small, but he
finished his undergraduate schooling there and moved to Colo-
rado in 2002 to attend Colorado State University for a graduate
program. He pursued his master‘s in applied social psychology.
It was at Colorado State that Wood met his mentor, Pamela
Jumper-Thurman. He related to her because they both come
from a Native American background, and they quickly became
friends. They worked in a research lab together on the campus
of Colorado State. ―My research with Pam was mostly on
domestic violence, and also some on historical trauma
experienced by Native Americans.‖
After moving to Colorado, not only had Wood
received a master‘s degree, but he also got married. He soon
began teaching at CSU, and working on his Ph.D. which, he
says, is ―tough but educational.‖
Now Wood works at Front Range Community
College and says he enjoys it very much. He enjoys teaching,
he says, because he finds it rewarding informing people and
staying current and cutting-edge on subjects in psychology.
―Teaching pays my bills. That‘s definitely a reward.
But you don‘t just do it because you have to, to live. People
would do it even if they didn‘t get
paid,‖ he says. Wood likes the fact
that, at Front Range, he has smaller
class sizes, which is perfect for the
discussions he likes to hold in class.
He finds it more rewarding when the
students can voice their opinions
with him and share experiences in a
more intimate class setting.
In addition to working on his
Ph.D., Wood works as a youth coor-
dinator at the Village Apartments,
where he resides, for children from 7
to 11 years. ―It is the same idea as a
Boys and Girls Club, just on the
property of the apartments,‖ Wood
says. He enjoys this position because
not only does it pay for his rent, but it also gives him deeper
insight to the different elements of social psychology. He also
does grounds-keeping occasionally. He says he enjoys that job
because ―it keeps me humble.‖
Wood was inspired to become a teacher of human
sexuality, a branch of psychology which explores the sexual
mind and reactions of a person, because of a professor he had
as an undergrad, and how many social issues tie in so well. He
enjoys how it focuses on the ―human experience.‖ As far as
future career goals are concerned, he aspires to become a
tenured professor. He also wants to teach abroad. Being
familiar with Chinese culture, he says he would love to teach
in China someday. ®
Human Sexuality instructor James Wood
Photo courtesy of James Wood
BE OUR GUEST : CLUB HUB
13
STUDENTS FOR SUSTAINABILITY
BY BRANDON DEVLIN, GUEST COLUMNIST
During spring semester of 2009, the Larimer campus
saw its number of active student groups almost double. At the
beginning of the 2008 fall semester, the campus had around 10
active clubs, and by the end of the ‗08-‗09 school year, more
than 20 clubs were active, with a few more in the works.
Groups like the Student Nursing Association, Writers on the
Storm, the Zombie Defense Council, and the Wolf Riders have
done their part, all boosting the level of student involvement on
campus. Another of the newest members to the club/
organization family, with arguably the widest-reaching
purpose, is the Students for Sustainability Club (SfS).
Created in the fall of ‘08, the SfS began simply as a
class project. Working with Megan Ricks in a Sociology 101
course, Donna Pursel, the club‘s current president, created a
three-page proposal outlining the hosting of a sustainability fair
on campus. The two attempted to implement their proposal on
campus, but as winter break came and went, involvement
fizzled and their idea didn‘t quite come to fruition. Despite
initial difficulties, Pursel finally found support from Rachel
Rambo, our Student Activities coordinator. Rambo recognized
the passion and flair for creativity Pursel possessed and
recruited her, along with Student Government Legislative
Representative Ryan Rasmussen, to participate in the 2009
Green Spring Fling steering committee. Immediately, Pursel
and Rasmussen found common ground and knew they had the
perfect opportunity to gauge student interest in an attempt to
spread their passion for sustainable practices in everyday life.
They then created a survey asking students what sustainability
meant to them. From this grassroots initiative, they found
inspiration and a new group of students to help hoist their green
banner.
―We hope to use people‘s definitions of sustainability
and going green to try and come up with an idea that is of the
students. I mean, it‘s not just us. We want anyone to get
involved because I feel sustainability is limitless when it comes
to people. There is no gender or age limit,‖ said Pursel. Last
semester, the SfS was composed of Pursel, Rasmussen,
Nicholas ―Olas‖ Jones and Ben Palm.
By themselves, they could accomplish a lot, but with
their advisors Jeff Borg and Naomi Johannsen, the SfS is sure
to have a strong presence on campus as they gain momentum
this semester.
Driven by the abundance of opportunities to
implement sustainable practices at home and around campus,
the SfS intends to create a ―Green Council‖ that will assist
FRCC as it implements sustainable practices in future events.
―We want to educate people. We want to provide fun,
waste-free activities for friends and family, but we also want to
be involved in the community. Sustainability is all about
getting involved with the community—volunteering. It makes
people feel good about themselves,‖ Pursel stated.
Recognizing the myriad ways to get involved through
sustainability and green initiatives, the SfS is open to sugges-
tions and hopes that new members will bring fresh goals and
ideas upon joining. The plan is to operate as a team, developing
sub-committees and working with the other clubs and organiza-
tions on campus. While SfS recognizes individual goals, there
is still the main focus of fostering sustainability and green
initiatives on campus and in the community, and bringing all
students together, whether they are actively involved or just
beneficiaries of the SfS‘s initiatives. Sustainability is more
than just recycling and taking your own bags to the grocery
store; there is a lot that can be done at home and in the commu-
nity, like composting and buying a share in a local farm, which
saves money and helps our community, as well as our environ-
ment.
The SfS message of unity and progress extends further
than just our campus and city. Along with Phi Theta Kappa
(the International Honor Society of FRCC and other two-year
colleges), and the Office of Student Life, the SfS is working to
develop national and international service trips. Recognizing
that, while there is a lot to do in our own backyards, we might
not comprehend the impact our actions and the actions of
others are having on the global environment. With goals as
lofty as visiting the Amazon and Africa, the SfS and its
partners also know there are places much closer that could use
a helping hand. CSU currently supports an alternative break
program that allows their students to take trips using student-
raised funds to help communities in and out of state. Taking
their lead, the SfS hopes to bring a message of unity, peace,
hope, and self-sustainability to a greater audience.
(continued on next page)
BE OUR GUEST : CLUB HUB
14
(SfS continued from previous page)
The most wonderful concept in
all this, I think, is the idea that, as the
SfS grows, they will create a general
sense of responsibility to our environ-
ment and our fellows, effectively creat-
ing a self-sustaining energy based on
progress and goodwill. So, in practice,
the Students for Sustainability are creat-
ing a group that will feed off of itself and
grow of its own accord—a utopian
vision, to be sure, but I think not one so
far-fetched. As Rassmussen put it, ―We
want to create opportunities for students
to get involved, bring their own
initiatives, and educate each other.‖
If you are interested in joining
the Students for Sustainability Club,
contact SfS faculty advisors Naomi
Johannsen at
Jeff Borg at [email protected]
for information on upcoming meetings
and events. ®
Brandon Devlin is the Club Coordinator for Student Life, and a sophomore studying English. He will be finishing his Associates of
Arts this spring and plans to begin at CSU in August 2010.
Fitness Center Director Elaine Milligan dishes up some food for a visitor to FRCC’s booth at this year’s 10th Annual Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Fair over the Sept. 19-20 weekend in Old Town. The volunteers are part of an effort to bring the concept of sustainability to the Front Range campus. One way is through the Students for Sustainability Club. See related story about the Sustainable Living Fair on page 1.
Photo by James Neuhalfen
(OWEN continued from page 11)
After a week in the hospital, he remembers the terrible acci-
dent every day by the scars on his lower back that he got from
sliding down the street, and a scar on his calf from a severed
tendon, as well as an arthritic clavicle that acts up when it is
going to rain, which he called ―my own barometer, eh?‖
To Owen, the ultimate dream come true would be to
establish a cycling-themed bed-and-breakfast. He envisions it
as the perfect place for a cross-country biker to rest his/her
head. Upon arrival, visitors would drop their bikes off at the
shop for an overnight tune-up and whatever other work might
be necessary. Then they could either retire to their comfy
rooms for the night or head to the restaurant/bar for a beer and
a burger.
For the immediate future, however, Owen's plan is to
finish school, keep working in the bike shop, and, of course,
―keep on riding.‖ ®
(BRAIN LAB continued from page 10)
He also pointed out that, ―The interest in the brain
lab is just a small part of a bigger picture.‖ Mandley, along
with others from the Psychology Department, are developing
a class for those aspiring psychology students to take. For the
upcoming spring semester, a one-credit late-start class is
being offered. Because it is only one credit, it is inexpensive
so that it can be an option for most students. ―We were
thinking [of holding the class on] Fridays, in the early after-
noons,‖ Mandley said. As for the future, he hopes for
―expanding psychology by using labs, incorporating them in
how we teach psychology.‖
So, with the smell of fresh sheep brains lingering in
the air and brain juice on their faces, students anxiously await
their chance to take a step above animal brains and look deep
into them. ®
MEDIUM COOL
15
THE HALLS ARE ALIVE WITH
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
BY ALLY HAYDUK, RANGEVIEW REPORTER
Front Range Community College offers a wide variety
of music instruction courses, including private instruction for
voice and a wide selection of instruments. Instrument lessons
vary from mandolin to trumpet, and from trumpet to guitar. With
these private instruction courses come the opportunity to perform
in music recitals toward the middle and end of every semester.
―Mid-semester and end-of-semester
recitals are an informal opportunity for
students taking lessons to perform for
other students, faculty, family and
friends,‖ stated Jeannine Green, a
private lesson and course instructor at
Front Range.
―Participating in recitals is
taking small steps to gaining confi-
dence as a performer,‖ beamed Green.
The range of levels varies greatly at the
recitals. The performers‘ abilities range
from beginner to advanced, from stu-
dents who have never played or sung a
note of music in their lives to students
who have been playing for 50 years. It
doesn‘t matter if students are just look-
ing to pick up a new hobby by taking
lessons, or if the lessons are to aid them
in the process of going to a four-year
university and studying music. All
students are accepted into private-
instruction lessons. There are no
audition requirements for the recitals.
The only requirement is that the student
is in private instruction at Front Range.
―When students sign up for private-lesson instruction,
they are getting taught by experienced and mastered teachers,‖
said Green, who has a master‘s degree in music from Colorado
State University.
Laura Dunlap has been a private-instruction piano
student at Front Range for the past year. Originally from the Mid-
west, Dunlap has been playing piano her entire life and is now
learning and working to improve her performing skills.
―Right now, I have the musical knowledge. Now I
need to learn to improve my performance aspect as a
musician,‖ said Dunlap. Before she moved to Fort Collins five
years ago, she had a panic attack while playing the organ at
church. Ever since then, performing has been a challenge.
Dunlap has performed in three recitals, but before each of
them, she has to prepare mentally and physically. She prepares
herself slowly with a process for recitals by opening the
windows to her home in Old Town and playing so people walk-
ing by can hear her. To warm up to the idea of performing even
more, she will perform her piece or pieces for her family.
―Anything we have in our everyday lives
teaches us about ourselves,‖ said Dunlap.
―Everyone has a different musical
talent at the recitals. It is like musical pot-
pourri,‖ stated Dunlap. She described the
recitals to be very relaxed, and everyone is
very sympathetic for every other person
performing. Students do not perform for a
grade, and memorization of music is
optional. Dunlap views the recitals as a fun
way to listen to and enjoy what other stu-
dents have been learning and working on.
The recitals feature all different genres
of music. Genres can range anywhere from
classical guitar to operatic vocals. It is be-
tween the student and the teacher as to
what the students perform and work on in
rehearsals. Debra Throgmorton is the
Music Department chair and Green gives
her praise in making the recitals what they
are today, ―thriving and enjoyable.‖
More than 90 students are involved
with private instruction lessons, and Green
expects that about half of them will be per-
forming in the first recital. With so many
students involved in private instruction at Front Range, the
three lesson rooms are always full, and the lessons fill up
quickly. ―I would recommend students sign up early for next
semester‘s lessons because they fill up fast,‖ stated Green.
On Friday, Oct. 9, the first music recital of the semes-
ter will be held in the Mount Antero Music Room 173 at 2:30
and again at 4 pm. The event is open to the public free of
charge, and refreshments will be provided. ®
Student Laura Dunlap prepares a piece for her upcoming recital under the watchful eye of music instructor Jeannine Green.
Photo by Linda Baldwin
MEDIUM COOL
16
PEACE W ILL WIN
BY ALEXANDER LABRACKE ,
RANGEVIEW REPORTER
The 10th Annual Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living
Fair was held the weekend of Sept. 19 and 20 at the corner of
Lemay Avenue and Vine Street in downtown Fort Collins. The
event was put on by the Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living
Association, whose mission is to educate people in the area to
―make healthy and sustainable choices.‖ Sponsorship for the
event came from many innovators in sustainability, such as New
Belgium Brewing Company, Clif Bar and Toyota, as well as the
City of Fort Collins.
Jason Downing, a sociology instructor at Front Range
Community College, was the main stage MC both days for the
fair, and his band, Muskateer Gripweed, played a two-and-a-half
-hour set beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday. Downing explained
that, although the band's songs have themes like sustainability
and peace, they are ―covert‖ so as ―not to be preachy.‖ Instead
of ―shoving [sustainability messages] down people's throats,‖ he
presents sustainable ideals to his audience in indirect ways, such
as: ―Here‘s how you can save some money.‖
The fair played host to dozens of workshops, including
one in which attendees learned how to convert their diesel
engines to run on strictly vegetable oil, and another explaining
how to capture and utilize rainwater, which is especially appli-
cable to the arid climate of the Front Range. The fair also hosted
several vendors serving up local and organic foods for fair-
goers. Downing explained that a huge part of the success of
the fair lies in the fact that the workshops, vendors, activities
and music are all ―united for a notion‖ and that they all work
to complement each other.
Regarding the success of the fair, Downing is excited
about it and the fact that its fan base has expanded steadily
every year. Originally from Freeport, Ill., where there are no
bike lanes, Downing said that, there, ―the notion [of sustain-
ability] isn't ingrained in people.‖ In Fort Collins, ―the green
economy is booming.‖ He said that, ―[Fort Collins] is the fu-
ture,‖ and that the people here are ―positive and enlightened.‖
Downing, a husband and father of two boys, incorpo-
rates sustainable living lessons in all aspects of his life.
Between his classes, the band, and his family, Downing said,
―the line is the same.‖
All five of his classes at Front Range, including one
online course, involve finding solutions to social problems.
Downing stressed the importance of ―getting out and doing
things‖ both inside and outside the classroom. Each semester,
Downing's classes collect coats and hundreds of pounds of
food for needy people, an active way of solving social prob-
lems while, at the same time, being sustainable. As far as his
own children are concerned, Downing was pleased to say,
―They get it.‖ Downing's wife, Julie, an artist, painted the
backdrop for the stage with all-recyclable paper and non-toxic
inks.
Fair Director Kristina Cash, artist and mother, origi-
nally from the Arkansas Valley in southern Colorado, stressed
the notion of ―thinking about the future with the choices we
make now.‖
Cash explained that a crucial goal of the fair is to
spread the notion of being balanced, as far as the
energy we use goes, and to make sure we are
―not consuming more than our fair share.‖
The Colorado Carbon Fund offsets the
fair's ―carbon footprint‖ as way of promoting
energy efficiency, as well as the renewable
energy process.
(continued on next page)
Jason Downing addresses his Social and Behavioral Sciences class. The FRCC instructor recently performed with his band, Muskateer Gripweed, at the Sustainable Living Fair, now in its tenth year.
Photo by Linda Baldwin
MEDIUM COOL
17
(continued from previous page)
To find the whole set that Muskateer Gripweed played
at the fair and live recordings of their previous shows, as well as
their latest CD, ―Peace Will Win,‖ log on to Archive.org and
search ―Jason Downing,‖ or visit JasonDowning.com. ®
“MY WORD !” OFF TO AN
INSPIRATIONAL START WITH
LOCAL AUTHOR LAURA RESAU
Fort Collins author Laura Resau kicked off the new
academic year‘s ―My Word!‖ visiting writers‘ series on
Sept. 20 at the LPSC in a presentation of her book, ―Inside Red
Glass: Inspiration and Reflection.‖ Dealing with the topic of
immigration, Resau‘s novel has won several international
awards, and was selected as an ―Oprah's Pick‖ and this year's
Fort Collins Reads companion book. A starred review by
Publishers‘ Weekly calls ―Red Glass‖ a ―vibrant, large-hearted
story.‖
The event coincided with Student Life‘s offering for
National Hispanic Heritage Month. Resau spoke about the
inspiration for her award-winning novel, drawing on her
experiences during two years as an English teacher and anthro-
pologist in rural Oaxaca, Mexico, as well as her travels in
Central America, and her friendships with immigrants and
refugees in Arizona and Colorado. During her presentation, she
showed photos of people and places that inspired the characters and settings for her book, and told personal stories about issues
faced by immigrants, refugees, and indigenous people. This event also offered writers workshops and advice from the author.
Resau now writes full-time after nearly a decade of teaching ESL at FRCC. ®
Special thanks to Blair Oliver, John Feeley and Student Life for information used in this story.
ARTS & LETTERS AND STUDENT LIFE ANNOUNCE
THE 2009-2010 V ISITING WRITERS’ SERIES, “MY WORD !”
Featured authors will be offering creative writing workshops and reading their work aloud in a series of presentations
which are free and open to the public. FRCC students will also have the opportunity to submit their writing to be considered
for publication in the Front Range Review, alongside the work of emerging and established authors of regional and national
reputation, be a featured guest in the visiting writers‘ series, ―My Word!‖ on April 28, 2010, and be eligible for the Front Range
Review Award, a three-credit scholarship for in-state tuition at FRCC.
For more information, visit www.frontrange.edu/MyWord and www.frontrange.edu/FrontRangeReviewAward. ®
Fort Collins author Laura Resau presented her award-winning novel, “Inside Red Glass,” on Sept. 20 as part of FRCC’s visiting writers’ series, “My Word!” Photo by James Neuhalfen
BE OUR GUEST
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HELPFUL HINTS FOR
FALL COMPOSITION :
IS YOUR WRITING “PHONEY”?
BY SUSAN MARSHALL, GUEST COLUMNIST
It‘s fall semester and many of you are enrolled in
writing classes at FRCC. You‘re already aware (or quickly
becoming aware) of the term ―plagiarism‖ and how it involves
certain levels of phoniness that are unacceptable and can cause
serious penalties. For example, if you pay $7.99 for an essay on
video games and violence and submit it as your own work…
well, that‘s pretty much the ultimate form of plagiarism. If you
pay $7.99 for an essay on video games and violence and use
only one paragraph from it in your essay because you think the
rest of it is bull… well, that just means you‘re getting less
plagiarism for your buck. If you have your roommate ―fix‖ all
the grammar in your essay… well, you might find that you have
even more errors than you started with—and a penalty for
plagiarism. For the most part, concepts of plagiarism and
phoniness are pretty clear-cut, though I still wonder why Holden
Caulfield hated ―phonies‖ and yet was willing to try and write a
descriptive essay for Stradlater….
Perhaps an even more timely and prevalent concern in
college writing courses is something known as ―phoneyness.‖
Roughly defined, the term refers to the insufferable habit of
relying on your phone for nearly all aspects of your written
communication. Students, trust me: Your instructor will not
―lol‖ if you continue to abuse your potential as writers this way.
Not sure what I mean? Okay. As a qualified writing instructor,
let me give you five warning signs. (Please don‘t rely on
amateurs or Wikipedia for this information.)
1. You believe that the concept of capitalization has something
to do with Karl Marx, and it is surely irrelevant to most of your
writing. Exceptions might include a few proper names (the ones
that you just think look kind of silly in all lower case).
Sometimes, you will capitalize every letter in a word when you
are trying to shout (but, really, MLA advises the use of italics
for this). Ultimately, you believe that capitalization is a hassle
when texting, and your true friends can still understand you, so,
what the hell?
2. You believe that punctuation is more of a musical concept,
but perhaps even more of a super-hassle than capitalization
when texting on your phone. Actually, you‘d prefer to just
stick with one kind of punctuation for convenience. Commas
seem to have a bit more personality, a certain wink to them
that periods don‘t have, so they win your vote for popularity.
3. You love how technology can anticipate what you really
want to spell. It‘s like working with an academic psychic.
Sometimes, though, why even bother to spell a word
completely? Let your readers be the psychics. Related to this,
you love how the people around you can hear only one side of
the conversation when you talk on your phone. Great writing
should usually be about one side of a conversation so that the
readers get to be more active...
4. You always feel like you‘re expected to text…er, write…
but you always wonder what you really have to say. As in:
―Hey. What‘s new?‖
―Nothing much since two hours ago. What‘s new
with you?‖
―Oh, nothing. Let me know what you‘re doing later.‖
On the other hand, everything you say has value. Isn‘t it
great? If you have an audience, it must have value, right?
5. Did I mention that you expect immediate and supportive
feedback on your writing, as well? Why hasn‘t she texted me
back by now? Damn! She is so slow! I bet she‘s partying with
that guy that I like. What a b#$@&. She‘d better say some-
thing real nice to me when she writes back.
Okay, students. This is all a bit tongue-in-cheek. But consider
this. What would have happened if Stanley Kubrick and
Arthur C. Clarke were preeminently ―phoney‖ writers for
―2001: A Space Odyssey‖? (Caution: semi-spoilers ahead.)
RING TONE (sounding several times), using sample
from Lady Gaga‘s ―Love Games‖:
DAVE: Hello? Oh, excuse me, HAL. You just
caught me in the can putting on my underwear. Anything
wrong with the future of the mission?
Later….RING TONE (sounding several times), now
changed to a sample theme from ―The Good, The Bad, and
The Ugly‖:
(continued on next page)
LOOK FOR OUR NEXT ISSUE IN NOVEMBER,
AND WATCH FOR FLYERS ANNOUNCING FREELANCE DEADLINES.
PRINTING BY THE IMPRESS TEAM AT OFFICEMAX IN FORT COLLINS , COLO.
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(continued from previous page)
DAVE (fumbling with his phone): Hello? Hello? Oh, hi.
What‘s up? Nothing much….Yeah...That sounds
great….Hey, can I call ya back? Why? Well, it‘s too long a
story. Yeah…Sorry, can‘t quite hear you….Really? Did they
say that? Wow. Fascinating!
Later….
DAVE (travelling in a space pod at warp speed
through mind-bending, previously unrealized visions that
alternate between what seem to be primordial glimpses of the
Earth‘s past topography and futuristic cosmic landscapes—
and fumbling with his phone): Hello? Hello? Oh, God!!!!!!
Help me!!!!! Uh, yes…. I‘m sorry. I‘m a little, uh….
Oh!!!!!!! Oh!!!!!!!! The colors!!!!!!!!!!!! Uh, sorry….
Can you hear me? Really?! I can‘t believe it….Oh!!!!!! The
pressure!!!!!!!! I can‘t!!!!!! Look at that!!!!!!! Ah!!!!!!!!!
Oh!!!!!!! You still there? Sorry, I know the connection‘s a
little…. Ah!!!!!!! Hold on!!!!!!! No, sorry…. I didn‘t mean
for you to hold on. You can go if you need to. Wait!!!!!!
What do you mean I should call you back?!?!?! How many
minutes do you think I have???????????? ®
Susan Marshall has taught English composition and
creative writing as an adjunct at FRCC (and one of these
days, she’d still like to follow through with her Writing
Forum Project). You can find her helping out a bit at the
Writing Center this semester, but, for the most part, she’ll
be reclusive while she tries to write a book about writing.
Hold all calls…
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