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(07/07/05 4:06am)
Education is priceless. Practically every university, grade school and government official on the planet has made this statement. Theoretically this might be true, but a college degree comes with a hefty price tag. \nIn October 2004, CNN Money reported the average cost of tuition, boarding and fees for the 2004-05 school year was $11,354 for public universities and $27,516 for private universities. For many, this amount is too much for their bank accounts to bear. That's why thousands turn to the Free Application for Student Aid Web site. But, some of these people have been misled by inaccurate information.\nThe site, which is part of the U.S. Department of Education's Web site, said that in order to be eligible to receive aid, students "must not have any drug convictions," according to an article that appeared July 1 in The Chronicle of Higher Education. This statement, which was corrected July 1, was false because convicted drug offenders are eligible for aid in some cases. \nIn the same article, Tom Angell, the communications director for Students for Sensible Drug Policy, admitted that the false information might have discouraged some students from applying for aid since the Web site was not corrected in time for the June 30 FAFSA application deadline. \n"Even if it has affected one student, that is a big problem," Angell said. "It could be as many as thousands. There's no way to tell."\nAlthough other parts of the site indicate that convicted drug offenders can receive aid and contain special resources for them, it is probable that many did not read these parts since they were displayed after the initial incorrect statement.\nBill Ehrich, associate director of student financial assistance at IU, is skeptical of how many students were actually affected by the false information for several reasons. He questions how many students read the information posted on the Web site because of the number of students who call his office each year asking questions about financial aid that are answered on the Web site.\n"As far as I know, no one has called the office and said 'Oh I read the Web site and I don't think I can apply,'" he said.\nHe also doesn't think that many convicted drug offenders would apply for government aid.\n"It's such a tiny, miniscule number of people," he said. "I'd be surprised if it affected 100 people across the country."\nIU students, however, expressed concern about this issue, whether it personally affects them or not.\n"Everyone makes mistakes (and) those mistakes shouldn't cost someone an opportunity to better themselves through education," said sophomore Meg Zuzolo. "The misleading information on the Web site may have drastically altered the lives of people who deserve a shot at an education and a better life but couldn't afford it without student loans."\nZuzolo also noted that this false information could have cost universities potential students and valuable funds.\n"If enrollment is already low, the university could use more people and more funds to support the campus," she said.\nSenior Mark Fodor shares Ehrich's opinion and questions how many people were actually discouraged from applying for financial aid.\n"It's clearly confusing to students, but (I don't think) many come (to college) with drug convictions," he said.\nFodor recognizes, however, that it is unfair to those who do want a college education and was alarmed that the government made such a mistake.\n"FAFSA (messed) up," he said. "They (needed) to fix it"
(06/27/05 6:55pm)
People adorned in festive African dress and costumes marching and chanting to the lively beat of bongos were a welcome change on Jordan Ave., which has heard nothing but the dull drumming of freshman feet for the past few weeks. \nThe colorful parade kicked off the 7th Annual Juneteenth festival Saturday in Bryan Park. The celebration commemorated the end of slavery, which occurred 140 years ago this June.\n"I really liked the parade and the music," said senior Jasmine Wright, who marched in the parade with her sorority, Zeta Phi Beta. "(The music) makes you feel like you're actually in Africa. Everybody was getting into the music and chanting and waving at everybody else. I think everyone who was there did feel very close to the meaning of Juneteenth." \nWhile many of the people at the celebration knew the meaning of this celebration, there were several visitors who came to the event for the first time or who did not know what the event signifies.\nIU graduate Theresa Schmieder stumbled upon the event when she went to the park to "relax," but she postponed her planned activities and strolled the festival, beach towel in hand.\n"I'm just taking it all in. I really enjoy learning about the festival," she said. "I knew nothing about it (before) so I'm just going to tables, running into people that I know. I guess I never would have thought of it before. It's good to expand your knowledge."\nUnlike Schmieder, Andrew Fowlkes of Indianapolis had been to several Juneteenth festivals but did not know that the event commemorated the end of slavery until he came to Bloomington's celebration.\n"The realization (has made) a stronger impact on me," he said. "I think it's important."\nFowlkes said his favorite part of the celebration was "tasting some of the food," as he munched on his plate of roast turkey, fish, rice and greens. \nVisitors could choose from a wide variety of African cuisine, including many fish and chicken dishes, plantains, rice, greens and curried goat, the favorite of many guests who enjoy the very traditional dishes.\nThe booths themselves were as diverse as the selection of food. There were vendors with tables of African and vintage jewelry, African art, figures carved from wood and hand-designed African fashions. The Mathers Museum had a booth with photographs of black people in the Bloomington community from the 20th century. \nIU's African Studies Department and African Students' Association had a booth filled with artifacts from Tanzania, West Africa and North Africa. There were bowls made from gourds, fans and baskets woven from tree fibers, the beaded sandals of a Masai warrior, cloth wraps and an authentic batik from the Benin Republic. The students chatted with the booth's frequent visitors, answered questions, and handed out pamphlets.\n"There's a lot of misconception about Africa (in the general public) so we want to give people information because people think that Africa is one solid country," said Mohamed Yunus Rafiq, the vice president of the ASA and a native of Tanzania. "Africa is very diverse and it's hard to put it in a simplified form. It's a (continent) of importance because most African Americans can trace their roots back to Africa."\nRafiq thought of the day as a good way for people to come out and learn what Africa is really like.\n"Usually people rely on the media for information but I think it's really nice when we meet people face to face and (they can talk to) someone from that area who has been there and knows (about things)," he said.\nIn addition to the booths, there was musical entertainment, a play about the Underground Railroad, poetry recitations and a keynote speech made by IU alumnus Leroy Robinson.\nRobinson stressed the importance of remembering the true message and painful history behind Juneteenth. He strongly advised that people think of how they can use the past to better the future, and not think of Juneteenth as a day to simply relax and enjoy the food and entertainment.\nWhile people agreed with Robinson, they also thought that the food and entertainment were crucial to recognizing the significance of the event and learning about their heritage.\n"We're all here trying to get an education," said senior Matthew Williams, who walked in the parade with his fraternity Phi Beta Sigma and helped run a booth put together by members of the greek community.\nWilliams thought that the festival offered plenty of opportunities to learn, but that people were also "trying to kick back and enjoy a hot day."\nWright agreed that the best way to educate people is to come together to celebrate.\n"I think you can read a book and learn about slavery and our freedom, but I think one of the best ways to learn about our culture is sitting down together and talking and getting to learn (about) each other one-on-one," she said.\nThis spirit of togetherness carried on from booth to booth throughout the entire day. Holly Bethune, an intern at the Mathers Museum, described the festival as having "a very cool atmosphere on a very hot day."\n"The music is great and I smell all this wonderful food," she said. "Everyone is so incredibly friendly -- everybody stops and says hello and talks for a few minutes, and people have their pets out."\nOyibo Afoaku, the director of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center and one of the people in charge of the event, was very pleased with the way it turned out.\n"Each year has been better than the last, and this is the best (celebration) we've had," she said.\nAfoaku was very appreciative of all of the hard work that went into making Juneteenth a success.\n"I want to thank the committee members; each one of them did a lot of work for this to happen," she said. "We want to thank the community, too, for it's support -- the police officers who worked the parade, the groups that came from Indianapolis, the vendors, everybody. We all put in a lot of work and it paid off. If we hadn't come together and done it, it wouldn't have turned out as well"
(06/23/05 2:12am)
Which holiday commemorates Americans earning their freedom? The Fourth of July seems like an obvious answer, but it is not entirely correct. Some Americans did not obtain freedom until almost 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. \nThis June marks the 140th anniversary of freedom for African Americans in the U.S. and the celebration of Juneteenth, the holiday that recognizes the end of slavery.\nIU has joined with the Bloomington community to host its 7th annual Juneteenth celebration Saturday at Bryan Park from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, all activities will be moved indoors to IU's Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center.\nWhile Juneteenth signifies a time that was particularly important to African Americans, everyone is encouraged to attend and learn about the festival.\n"We are trying to make this a multicultural event," said Oyibo Afoaku, director of the NMBCC. "We want to make it everybody's event so everybody will attend. There are no strangers, we are all doing this together."\nThis year's Juneteenth celebration will offer a variety of events. There will be musical performances, storytelling, a play about the Underground Railroad and a keynote speech given by IU alumnus Leroy Robinson. The keynote speech will be given right after the welcoming remarks at 11 a.m. and the play will immediately follow.\nAttendees, however, will not merely be spectators. They will have the opportunity to make crafts, play games and learn step, a popular form of dance. They will also be able to sample food and purchase items such as African clothes and jewelry from local vendors.\n"We like to have different things," Afoaku said. "That's one of the things that makes Juneteenth special -- there's something for everybody."\nPeople can also participate by joining the parade that will precede the events at the park. The parade will start at 10 a.m. at the NMBCC and travel south on Jordan Ave. to 1st Street, following it west to Henderson and will end at Bryan Park.\n"The parade was added last year and it was very good," Afoaku said. "We enjoyed walking the street and making a little noise and drawing attention to Juneteenth."\nAttendees will be "inspired, informed and feeling good" after absorbing the cultural flavor of the day, according to Eric Love, the director of diversity education.\n"It educates everybody, old and young," said Sachiko Higgins-Kante, a staff member at the NMBCC. "I hope that people will understand that Juneteenth really is a special day and it's a day that should not be talked about just in the sense of 'it was' but also something that is and should be a part of their life everyday."\nThe people involved with Juneteenth hope that those who attend will be able to feel a connection with each other and embrace the spirit of the day, regardless of their race. \n"Today, life is so diversified; people are mixing more, intermarrying," Higgins-Kante said. "(Juneteenth is) a way that children and adults can learn and appreciate their heritage."\nIn addition to educating others and bringing people of all races together, the event helps strengthen the bond between IU and Bloomington.\n"(Juneteenth is) a great program where the campus and community come together," Love said. "Juneteenth is a major bridge between the two"
(05/16/05 1:48am)
As the days get longer and the heat index rises, students feel less motivated to walk anywhere, especially across campus. A nice way for students to beat the heat is utilizing the free campus buses. However, only the A and E routes run during the summer. \nThis fall students will also be able to ride any campus bus for free when they show their student ID. The board of trustees voted to increase the transportation fee to $49.40 per semester in order to fund this service. \nThe former fee, which was issued in 1997 by the IU \nStudent Association and put into effect in 2000, only covered free bus service for Bloomington Transit buses. The new fee was approved by IUSA in January and then by the board of trustees earlier this month and will cover the cost of all campus and Bloomington Transit bus routes for students. \n"We have been supportive of the proposition since it was initiated," said James Hosler, the manager of the campus bus service. "It allows people to ride for a lower fee than the bus passes and it allows us to provide service that will meet the needs of students."\nLewis May, the general manager of Bloomington Transit, agreed that the changes would improve the service.\n"I think it's an excellent decision," he said. "It increases the transportation choices available to students. It can only help improve the mobility for students accessing the campus area."\nThe new policy, however, will most likely cause more students to ride the buses and could cause buses to be overcrowded. Overcrowding would be a nightmare for students like senior Danielle Weisberg, who is a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority and has no choice but to ride the bus because the distance to campus would be too far for her to walk.\n"More people would ride the bus because bus passes are so expensive," she said. "Too many people might ride the bus and buses would be filled faster."\nThe increase in ridership Bloomington Transit saw on their buses after the fall of 2000 suggests that bus overcrowding could be a problem.\n"Total ridership went from one million in 1999 to two million in 2004," May said. "(Since the fee has been implemented) it has helped us to double our ridership in a five-year period."\nThe campus bus service has recognized that this could be a problem and plans to look at its ridership patterns to determine where ridership is the highest and at what time of day this occurs. They will try to alter their bus schedules and routes in order to accommodate the heavier demand for buses, but they still anticipate first semester to be an adjustment period.\nDespite the possibility of overcrowding, students are still excited about this change because it means they will no longer have to purchase expensive bus passes that not all students need. \nJunior Bernice Darkoa, who will be living in Campus View apartments this fall and will have to ride the bus frequently, looks forward to the cheaper fee.\n"I won't have to spend $150 just to get to class," she said. "A lot of students don't have $150 to spend on a bus pass. It helps us out economically."\nThe change in policy has also brought confusion for students who signed up to purchase bus passes when they registered for fall classes. The Office of the Bursar is deleting the list of people who requested bus passes and students will not be charged. Any questions or concerns on this matter should be directed to the Bursar.\nSchedules, route maps and information are available online at www.iubus.indiana.edu.
(05/16/05 1:06am)
Ever since it began a few days after IU student Brett Hershey's death, the Web site www.rememberhersh.com has been a place where family and friends can share pictures, stories and information about Hershey and events to honor him with each other and the world. \nHershey died in Afghanistan when his vehicle drove over a land mine earlier this year. \nAt first, the site served as a way to post information regarding funeral and memorial services, but it soon expanded, according to Webmaster Dave Fladung and Liz Keller, Hershey's fiancée.\n"(We wanted) to have a place to post memories, photos and stories about Hersh to focus on the man he was, not just on what happened March 26," Fladung said, "because Brett was a larger-than-life guy who had a character and personality that you always wanted to be around." \nTo date, there are three pages of various photo albums submitted by Hershey's friends and family, and most have been viewed 500 to 700 times since the time of their posting. There are also five pages of stories and memories of Hershey that anyone can read and add to.\n"It's neat to have a tangible Web site where people can write stories," Keller said. "Brett has friends everywhere and it's a good way to stay connected. I appreciate all of the hard work people have put into creating it and maintaining it."\nFor those who do not know Hershey's story, there are links to newspaper articles about him, a list of his military awards and a link to a Christian Web site, since the "central part of Brett's life was following after Christ," according to his brother Nate Hershey. His friends and family said Hershey tried to teach others about religious faith. \n"(It was) a part of the site that I know Hersh would have wanted me to include because the ability to have a chance to accept Christ as their savior was most important to him," Fladung said. "I made sure to put that on the site because it wouldn't be an accurate picture of Brett without it."\nIn addition, the site contains information about the Brett Hershey Memorial Fund, which will help "finance ministries and projects that were meaningful to Brett," according to the Web site. Purchasing information for black "BMH" bracelets that benefit Campus Crusade for Christ, an organization Hershey was very passionate about, is also featured on the site. The money raised through bracelet sales will go toward a fund that will pay for students to go to religious retreats and conferences, said sophomore Ty Childers, who is involved in Campus Crusade for Christ.\nThe site also features two other striking attributes: a picture of Brett with a young Afghan boy portrayed on a billboard that stands on the west side of Bloomington and a quote from the book of John that reads "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."\n"When I look at (the site) it conveys this man who loves people," Childers said. "The picture with the little boy and the quote really represent the kind of person he was."\nNate Hershey agreed that the pictures particularly show his brother's true personality.\n"He always had his arms around people," he said. "He was very affectionate and loving. He made people feel important."\nHershey's friends and family are glad they have this site to share his love and his memory with the world.\n"Creating it was great for me because it was a great way to honor Brett and remember so many things that I loved about him," Fladung said. "I know that I will see my friend again in Heaven since we both have a relationship with Christ, but I have no idea when that will be so all I have now are memories of him"
(05/12/05 2:19am)
Enjoying sunny, warm weather, sleeping until 10 a.m., walking the nearby pristine beaches and stargazing at night sounds like a fantasy vacation, but for senior Betsy Mills, an astronomy major, it was all part of a 10-week internship at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in La Serena, Chile this past semester.\nMills, however, often had to ignore the gorgeous weather and beaches to work in front of a computer all day and take measurements through a telescope all night. She spent her time studying planetary nebulae, which are the remnants of "dead" stars' atmospheres.\nA typical day for Mills started around 10 a.m. when she would work with data for awhile and then discuss astronomy with her colleagues over coffee. She also worked during the afternoon and some evenings after dinner, and had Spanish lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays. \nIn addition to a full day's work, during one week out of her 10 she had to work three consecutive nights in the observatory. There, she took various measurements and looked through telescopes, which were not as advanced as she might have hoped. She had to manually set them and collect most of the data by hand. At times, she said this process could be "nerve-wracking."\n"I would have to say the most high-tech piece of equipment in the control room was the stereo system," Mills said.\nDespite the unfamiliar setting and equipment, the observations still enhanced her knowledge of research and analysis.\n"It was a great experience to do a different type of research than I had been doing previously and to get to work with astronomers that I might work with again in the future," she said.\nBefore her internship, Mills had never been outside the United States, so she was also grateful to witness astronomy from a "different perspective." \nCaty Pilachowski, a professor of astronomy, has known Mills for two years and agreed that the international perspective Mills gained through her internship helped her.\n"The experience of living in a foreign country really gives a person a greater perspective on the world beyond the boundaries of Indiana and the U.S. and also builds confidence and self-reliance," Pilachowski said. "The research Betsy did also gave her a chance to broaden her interests in astrophysics, to interact as a junior colleague with some of the top astronomers in the world and to learn to use different telescopes and techniques."\nMills' internship was part of the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program which links students to internships in the different fields of research funded by the National Science Foundation. Each year about 700 students apply for the 150 highly coveted summer astronomy internships that the program funds, according to Pilachowski. \nIan Roederer, an IU senior majoring in astronomy and physics and a friend of Mills', had an REU internship last summer.\n"REU programs offer students without the opportunity for research at their home institutions the chance to do research during their undergraduate careers," he said. "For students from universities with established astronomy programs, such as IU, (the REU program) is an opportunity to interact with students and researchers from other institutions while broadening their research horizons."\nMills is especially fortunate because this summer she gets to return to Chile because one of the mentors she works with has observing time at Cerro Tololo. Mills will get to work with some of the same people and she will have another opportunity to sharpen her research skills.\n"Betsy has a knack for these types of research projects," Roederer said. "I expect her to do quite well"
(05/09/05 12:57am)
Three days. 72 precious hours of freedom. That's all summer session I students and professors have between finishing a grueling week of finals and starting a new assortment of classes.\nDespite the rapid turnaround, summer session I still has higher enrollment than session II, according to Monica Halcomb, who works with the data management department at the Registrar's Office. Both sessions offer a variety of classes and provide students with an opportunity to catch up, get ahead, or retake classes to improve their grades. \n"Summer school is good because you can get classes done and out of the way in a short amount of time," said sophomore Reese Shulman. \nShulman is taking some of his required courses over the summer so he won't have to deal with them during the school year.\nSummer classes also allow students to focus on fewer classes at a time during a less hectic time of year.\nJunior Sarah Moravec, a theater and drama major, is taking a lighting class over the summer because it is an intensive class that consumes a lot of time outside the classroom.\n"I spent 62 extra hours outside class for my previous [theater] tech class," she said. "I wanted to take my last tech class when I didn't have so much going on."\nJunior Mike Gurrieri, an education major, found himself in a similar situation.\n"I was going to take [classroom management] last semester but I already had too many credit hours," he said. "I decided to take it over the summer because it would be easier." \nElaine Rivron, a professor in the School of Optometry, enjoys summer school because it is more informal. \n"In many ways it's more fun," she said. "There's a smaller group and I get to know students faster. There's still a feeling of summer."\nRivron, however, recognizes summer school can be challenging for students.\n"The courses are very intensive, which makes it hard for students to do all the readings," she said.\nFor students, the negatives of summer school are just as varied as the positives. Moravec doesn't like the fact that there is so little time to regroup after finals and prepare for summer classes.\n"I feel like I don't have a break after all that studying because I have to move out of [my sorority] and into an apartment," she said.\nShulman, however, likes starting immediately after the spring semester finishes.\n"If we wait a couple weeks to start [summer school], that doesn't give us time to get a job or do anything," he said. \nInstead, Shulman sees the setback to summer school as not being able to do other things.\n"You could be getting a job and making money or doing something more enjoyable," he said.\nGurrieri has a different complaint. He doesn't like staying on campus after all of his friends leave.\n"The hard part is seeing people leave and knowing you're still stuck here for another six weeks or the whole summer," he said. "Campus is empty and lonely. It's like a ghost town"
(10/28/04 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>What are you going to be for Halloween this year? This question echoes throughout campus as everyone prepares for the one night of the year when they
can be anything they want. Costume choices are as diverse as the students, and Halloween offers students the perfect opportunity to get creative and express themselves through costume selection and design.
Students usually have their own reasons for their costume choices, but Sara Harvey, owner of Vintage Wearhouse, a popular costume rental store near campus, notices the same trends every year in the costumes customers choose.
"Girls always want to look cute and sexy," Harvey said. "Guys just want to go to participate and want to be something recognizable."Harvey's observation seems to be more accurate for the girls. Many girls enjoy dressing as French maids, nurses, schoolgirls or any other costume in which they can catch a guy's attention.
"This year I'm going as a turn-of-the-century whore," sophomore Meredith Morris said. "The reason I am doing this is because … the point of Halloween is to look really, really sexy, so I think that I've accomplished that goal."
Freshman Lori Ballard's costume proves girls can be creative and get guys at the same time.
"This year I'm going to be a 'sweet surprise,'" Ballard said. "It's like one of those girls that jump out of cakes at birthday parties. The bottom (of the costume) is a cake, and the top is like a little tube top. It's really cute."
Harvey's observations about guys' costume choices also seem to be true to an extent. Guys pick sports figures or other more recognizable costumes, but they also tend to add their own unique twist to this stereotype.
"This year for Halloween I'm going as Walter Peyton," sophomore Stephen Noffke said. "I'm going to put on my Walter Peyton jersey, paint myself black and wear my '80s sunglasses. I'll also wear the football pants I still have from high school."
Freshman A.J. Etsch is also planning to go as a celebrity.
"For Halloween, I'm going to be Hugh Hefner," he said. "He's one of my personal role models in life … I admire his entrepreneurial skills."
Harvey's theory, however, does have exceptions. Not everyone wants to be omething recognizable or generic. Many students seize the opportunity to get creative and come up with costumes out of the ordinary.
"I was thinking about maybe being grapes this year, like taking purple balloons and taping them to myself," freshman Carley Knapp said. "I also thought it would be funny if someone dressed up as toothpaste and put a lampshade on their head with a sheet around them that said 'Colgate' or 'Crest' or something."
Some students, like Knapp, enjoy capitalizing on their creativity by making their own costumes instead of renting them.
"I'm a costume design minor so of course costuming is a big deal for me," freshman Quinto Ott said. "This year (my friend) Emma and I are going together as Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, so that's really fun. Also, I'm making twelve different costumes for people on my floor, (including) two can-can girls, a pirate wench, a fairy and a leprechaun."
For most students, costume creativity and individuality is not a new concept.
Many students have been dressing up in unique costumes since they were kids.
Despite their shared obsession with dressing as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, guys seemed to have the most creative of the childhood costumes.
"I was Dick Tracy one year," sophomore Tim Transon said. "I had the little yellow costume and coat in kindergarten or first grade."
Freshman Adam Hausman also had creative costumes as a child.
"My favorite (costume from childhood) was when I dressed up as a tree stump," Hausman said. "I think I was in fifth grade and I did it to be a joke. I'd lie down in somebody's lawn and somebody would come come along and I'd jump up and scare them."
Some students, like senior Mike MacDonald, didn't get to exercise their own creative freedom because they were at the mercy of their parents when choosing Halloween costumes.
"My mom always took pride in making (my siblings and I) costumes. There was a year when I was a popcorn box, there was a year when I was fall clean-up, and it was basically a garbage bag with leaves coming out of it," MacDonald said. "Then there was one year when I was a banana. My mom took a lot of pride in the costumes, and it was more of a competition between the parents to see who could come up with the best costumes … I was always jealous of the sports people. I always wanted to do that but I was basically my mom's puppet, and I always wore what she wanted me to wear."
Sophomore Abi Peterson is familiar with MacDonald's situation because her mom made her Halloween costumes as well.
"My mom was always creative and she would make really ornate, cool costumes and I remember being a princess the first five years of my life," Peterson said. "I had big crowns and big hats, and all this fabric. I have three brothers and they were always fighting hero guys and I was always the princess."
Whatever the reasons behind costume choices may be, students should enjoy the experience and take advice from Noffke --
"If you're going to dress up, you might as well go all out."
(10/28/04 3:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>What are you going to be for Halloween this year? This question echoes throughout campus as everyone prepares for the one night of the year when they
can be anything they want. Costume choices are as diverse as the students, and Halloween offers students the perfect opportunity to get creative and express themselves through costume selection and design.
Students usually have their own reasons for their costume choices, but Sara Harvey, owner of Vintage Wearhouse, a popular costume rental store near campus, notices the same trends every year in the costumes customers choose.
"Girls always want to look cute and sexy," Harvey said. "Guys just want to go to participate and want to be something recognizable."Harvey's observation seems to be more accurate for the girls. Many girls enjoy dressing as French maids, nurses, schoolgirls or any other costume in which they can catch a guy's attention.
"This year I'm going as a turn-of-the-century whore," sophomore Meredith Morris said. "The reason I am doing this is because … the point of Halloween is to look really, really sexy, so I think that I've accomplished that goal."
Freshman Lori Ballard's costume proves girls can be creative and get guys at the same time.
"This year I'm going to be a 'sweet surprise,'" Ballard said. "It's like one of those girls that jump out of cakes at birthday parties. The bottom (of the costume) is a cake, and the top is like a little tube top. It's really cute."
Harvey's observations about guys' costume choices also seem to be true to an extent. Guys pick sports figures or other more recognizable costumes, but they also tend to add their own unique twist to this stereotype.
"This year for Halloween I'm going as Walter Peyton," sophomore Stephen Noffke said. "I'm going to put on my Walter Peyton jersey, paint myself black and wear my '80s sunglasses. I'll also wear the football pants I still have from high school."
Freshman A.J. Etsch is also planning to go as a celebrity.
"For Halloween, I'm going to be Hugh Hefner," he said. "He's one of my personal role models in life … I admire his entrepreneurial skills."
Harvey's theory, however, does have exceptions. Not everyone wants to be omething recognizable or generic. Many students seize the opportunity to get creative and come up with costumes out of the ordinary.
"I was thinking about maybe being grapes this year, like taking purple balloons and taping them to myself," freshman Carley Knapp said. "I also thought it would be funny if someone dressed up as toothpaste and put a lampshade on their head with a sheet around them that said 'Colgate' or 'Crest' or something."
Some students, like Knapp, enjoy capitalizing on their creativity by making their own costumes instead of renting them.
"I'm a costume design minor so of course costuming is a big deal for me," freshman Quinto Ott said. "This year (my friend) Emma and I are going together as Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, so that's really fun. Also, I'm making twelve different costumes for people on my floor, (including) two can-can girls, a pirate wench, a fairy and a leprechaun."
For most students, costume creativity and individuality is not a new concept.
Many students have been dressing up in unique costumes since they were kids.
Despite their shared obsession with dressing as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, guys seemed to have the most creative of the childhood costumes.
"I was Dick Tracy one year," sophomore Tim Transon said. "I had the little yellow costume and coat in kindergarten or first grade."
Freshman Adam Hausman also had creative costumes as a child.
"My favorite (costume from childhood) was when I dressed up as a tree stump," Hausman said. "I think I was in fifth grade and I did it to be a joke. I'd lie down in somebody's lawn and somebody would come come along and I'd jump up and scare them."
Some students, like senior Mike MacDonald, didn't get to exercise their own creative freedom because they were at the mercy of their parents when choosing Halloween costumes.
"My mom always took pride in making (my siblings and I) costumes. There was a year when I was a popcorn box, there was a year when I was fall clean-up, and it was basically a garbage bag with leaves coming out of it," MacDonald said. "Then there was one year when I was a banana. My mom took a lot of pride in the costumes, and it was more of a competition between the parents to see who could come up with the best costumes … I was always jealous of the sports people. I always wanted to do that but I was basically my mom's puppet, and I always wore what she wanted me to wear."
Sophomore Abi Peterson is familiar with MacDonald's situation because her mom made her Halloween costumes as well.
"My mom was always creative and she would make really ornate, cool costumes and I remember being a princess the first five years of my life," Peterson said. "I had big crowns and big hats, and all this fabric. I have three brothers and they were always fighting hero guys and I was always the princess."
Whatever the reasons behind costume choices may be, students should enjoy the experience and take advice from Noffke --
"If you're going to dress up, you might as well go all out."
(10/13/04 6:02am)
Sophomore Annica Loftstedt arrived in Bloomington for the first time on official move-in day last fall.\nThe native of Sweden had never visited IU, had yet to completely master English and wasn't even sure where Bloomington was located on a map. \n"You just sit on a plane and think 'Oh my gosh, I don't know anything about this, what am I doing?'" Lofstedt said.\nFreshman Frederique Meeuwsen, who hails from the Netherlands, had similar feelings of anxiety when she first arrived on campus a few months ago.\n"I thought maybe because I'm Dutch and don't speak English as well, (people) wouldn't talk to me," Meeuwsen said.\nLoftstedt and Meeuwsen have more in common than being international students at IU -- they are both varsity athletes.\nSome IU community members, sports fans or not, might find the following statistics surprising: There are approximately 28 athletes representing 15 different countries among 10 men's and women's varsity sports. They all come from different backgrounds and have different stories, but all have been brought together through their love of sports and their desire to simultaneously play sports and receive an education.\nSince most countries do not have school-sponsored sports, many athletes travel to the U.S. to play competitively and get a degree at the same time.\n"If I didn't come over here, I don't know what I would've done," Lofstedt, a member of the women's swimming team, said. "I had to come here (if I wanted to continue to swim)." \nMany of the international athletes became interested in their respective sports because their family members preceded them with talent. Loftstedt's grandmother was a swimmer and won the Swedish Nationals, and her three older sisters swim as well. Meeuwsen, a member of the field hockey team, and her siblings were taught the sport by their father, who was a field hockey player in her home country. \nJunior Sarah Batty, a native of England and member of IU's women's tennis team, became interested in the sport at a very young age and went to her older sister's tennis lessons to help retrieve balls.\nBut not all of the athletes followed in family members' footsteps. Tyson Beattie, a sophomore punter for the football team, was inspired to pursue a career in football Darren Bennett from his hometown of Attadale, Australia, became a punter in the NFL. \nBeattie honed his kicking skills while playing Australian Rules Football and entered a punting competition sponsored by Bennett. He did well, and although it took him some time to learn to kick a different type of ball and get used to bulky American football equipment, he decided to pursue his dreams. \nFor Stephanos Ioannou, a sophomore from the Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus, a successful track career came as a surprise. Ioannou was a dedicated soccer player and was selected by his gym teacher to run track in seventh grade.\n"My P.E. teacher had us run for 20 to 30 minutes, and he picked people he thought were fast," Ioannou said. \nInternational athletes often begin their competitive sports careers by joining sports clubs, facilities separate from schools designed which serve to help children learn sports and compete as individuals or as part of a team. Clubs, however, are not affordable for everyone.\nBen Ishola, a junior defensive end on the football team from Berlin, waited until he was 17-years old to start playing football. Before then clubs did not provide football equipment, so players had to buy their own.\n"I've always wanted to play football," Ishola said. "In Germany football is not as popular, so they said I had to buy my own equipment. Equipment was $500, and it was too expensive."\nIshola prospered despite his limited experience playing club football. He turned down offers to play for the NFL Europe league so he could play college football in the U.S.\n"I didn't want to give up an education," Ishola said. "I didn't want to give up football either. I had been thinking about (coming to the U.S.) since I was 17. Everybody who plays football in Germany dreams of this."\nFor foreign athletes, playing varsity athletics at an American school is not easy. Many athletes have to do their own research and recruiting. \n"I want to go into the (American) NFL, so I thought the college route would be the best way to go," Beattie said. "I did all the research on it myself. I looked on the internet, sent videos and e-mails and made phone calls. No one could come over to recruit, so I had to do the recruiting myself."\nMany athletes, like sophomore Susanna Ernst, a swimmer from Austria, find it extremely complicated to act as their own recruiters because of the amount of research and continuous communication the process entails. \n"I started to send out e-mails and (look) for information on Web sites," Ernst said. "An American coach from Nebraska came to coach at my club and gave me last-minute advice. He told me about IU, and if it hadn't been for him, I wouldn't be here."\nOther students do get help from scouts, agencies and their coaches. After playing in competitive leagues and working for a few years, Ishola was noticed by an NFL Europe scout who knew IU football coach Gerry DiNardo and referred him to the IU program. Ishola was given the opportunity to play for IU when he was 22.\nMeeuwsen was aided by an agency in the Netherlands called Lancon that sends videos of athletes to schools in America. IU field hockey coach Amy Robertson responded to Meeuwsen, who committed to play for one year. \nIoannou's coach set American schooling as a long-term goal for the track star. With his coach's encouragement, Ioannou decided to come to America during his last year of military duty in Cyprus and talked to some of the coaches at IU.\nInternational athletes appreciate being able to experience sports and competition in a new environment, and appreciate the different aspects of sports in America -- particularly the intensity of practice, the sense of spirit and tradition surrounding competition, and the fact that there are teams. \n"Practice is different," Ernst said. "It's insane ... I thought I was training hard at home, but it's so much harder here."\nPlaying college sports in America gives foreign athletes the opportunity to experience teamwork.\n"I never experienced a team before. There's so much closeness and enthusiasm, and I didn't have that in Germany," Ishola said.\nThe athletes also noted that the support they gained from their teammates helped them make an easier transition to the new culture.\n"I was scared to leave my family and friends, but (the team) is just like a new family," said sophomore Cecile Perton, a women's tennis player from France. "I've never been happier since I've been here. I love it."\nMeeuwsen also had an easier adjustment, thanks to her teammates.\n"If I have questions, (the girls) are willing to help me," Meeuwsen said. "They're very kind to me all the time. They want me to feel at home."\n-- Contact staff writer Carrie Ritchie at ccritchi@indiana.edu.
(10/05/04 5:00am)
Growing up, children often dream about having exciting careers when they become adults. Some want to be doctors or lawyers. Some dream of becoming singers or actors. Others, like junior Kevin Anderson, dream of being involved in professional sports -- yet not many are lucky enough to live their dream.\nHowever, after his internship with the Indianapolis Colts this summer, Anderson, a sports marketing and management major, is one step closer to living his dream. \nAnderson spent his summer working for "Colts In Motion," a program that travels around the tri-state -- Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois -- area to promote the Colts and rally fans for the upcoming season. \n"The underlying goal of the 'Colts In Motion' program is to reach as many parts (of the area) as possible to spread Colts cheer and help the fans keep high energy in the summer," he said.\nThe program gives fans free Colts gifts and an opportunity to win Colts tickets. While the group traveled to a variety of locations and met with many audiences, its target audience was children. \n"We want to create a younger generation of Colts fans," Anderson said.\nThe constant traveling required a lot of careful planning, and Anderson had numerous responsibilities. He had to work out all of the logistic details of each trip, from talking to event planners to coordinating events with the Colts cheerleaders, who appeared at "Colts In Motion" events. He was also responsible for updating the program's Web site and filing reports.\nIn addition to arranging visits to different events and doing paperwork, Anderson also had to drive the "Colts In Motion" truck and trailer to the events. \n"We traveled to over 40 different events in Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois," he said. "I went a little over 6,000 miles in three months. I'm not a big road trip guy. Six thousand miles is a lot of miles. ... It can be a little frustrating, especially when you are driving a 45-foot vehicle that's difficult to control at 1 o'clock in the morning after a 12-hour day."\nOn several occasions, the program traveled to multiple events in one day or was on the road for several days at a time. Coordinating these successive events proved to be Anderson's greatest challenge. \n"When you are coordinating with many different types of people from different venues, keeping (everyone) on the same page can be very challenging," Anderson said.\nWhile most events were designed to promote the Colts, there were some designed to give back to the community. Anderson said these events were the most fun.\n"(We) traveled to Columbus, (Ind.,) along with 12 cheerleaders to Camp Atterbury military base and spent two hours with a troop entirely made up of Hoosiers and Colts fans soon to be departing overseas," he said. \n"A two-hour break from military life for these soldiers was a good chance for them to put aside any negative thoughts or frustrating feelings and have fun with their favorite sports team. Having 12 cheerleaders on a military base didn't hurt things, either," Anderson said with a laugh, pulling out his photo album.\nDespite the long hours of traveling and planning, Anderson said he truly enjoyed his internship and is grateful he had this unique opportunity.\n"This internship confirmed that I want to remain in the sports industry, but it educated me on the many different areas of the industry that I was not already aware of," he said. "It prepared me with simple business environment skills, such as (the knowledge of) what happens in large sales meetings. It also gave me the opportunity to watch full-time employees interact with their clients." \nAnderson said he had the freedom to direct the program without too many advisers looking over his shoulder. \n"When you have the freedom to run a program on your own, you run the risk of making more mistakes," he said. "You not only make mistakes, but you learn how to resolve them and make sure they don't reoccur."\nThough Anderson did much of his job on his own, he still worked closely with other members of the Colts' full-time staff and some volunteers.\n"The two men that I spent the most time working with were Matt Gonso and Will Brown," he said. \nGonso is currently the MBNA account manager for the Colts, and Brown is a sophomore at Depauw University who volunteered his time to help Anderson on the "Colts In Motion" trips.\n"Matt Gonso was the very first 'Colts In Motion' intern, who, thankfully, allowed me to share his office since I had an overwhelming amount of questions, concerns and fears," Anderson said. "Matt taught me every detail about the entire program and my experience would have been extremely difficult without his guidance."\nBrown, who volunteered his time to travel on the majority of the trips, assisted Anderson with setting up and tearing down displays.\n"I enjoyed working with Kevin," Brown said. "He's a goofball, and it took me a few days to get used to that, but everything was good. I think we learned a lot about cooperation, and when you're on the road as long as we were, you get time to talk about a lot."\nAnderson and Gonso also developed a close relationship.\n"Kevin was an exemplary employee for the Colts," Gonso said. "In my opinion, the 'Colts In Motion' internship takes more responsibility than any other Colts internship. Kevin took the bull by the horns (and) rolled up his sleeves. He could've coasted through the motions, but instead, he got involved and learned the things it takes to make it in the sports marketing industry."\nAnderson noted how lucky he was just to get this internship because he not only got paid for doing what he loved and working with people he enjoyed being around, but he also earned academic credit for it. \nInternships like this are not prolific, and Anderson attributes his success in getting his internship to the connections he made several years ago. \nIn high school, he met the manager of the Indianapolis Ice hockey program who later became vice president of sales and marketing for the Colts. He gave Anderson the opportunity to shadow different Colts employees during his junior and senior years of high school. \nEarlier this year, Anderson learned about the Colts internship positions at a sports marketing conference sponsored by the Indiana Pacers at Conseco Fieldhouse and submitted his application. He believes his prior involvement with the Colts gave him an edge over the other applicants.\n"My advice is don't take anyone you meet anywhere for granted because you never know who will get your foot in the door," Anderson said. "I had no idea that four years ago introducing myself to a minor league hockey general manager would help me get an internship in the NFL years later."\nAnderson also emphasized the importance of applying for many internship positions. \n"I would encourage you to have at least two internships because (each) one is different and you are bound to learn different skills," he said. "Apply everywhere because I applied for eight different jobs, and the one I got was my last interview."\nGonso also gave advice for future interns.\n"Practice interviewing (and) get comfortable speaking with superiors about yourself and your achievements," he said. "Stay positive. If it's your dream to work in sports marketing, keep working hard at it. If you want it bad enough, you'll get what you want. Don't settle for a lackluster dream."\nGonso said internships with the Colts are very hard to get. \n"As an interviewee, you don't want to be bothersome but you want to be noticed," he said. "It's a fine line you have to walk."\nAnderson thinks it is helpful to keep an open mind and realize even internships that may seem less glamorous can still be very beneficial.\n"I was extremely fortunate to work for a team in such a high league as the NFL, but I definitely would be satisfied working with any team at any level," he said. "When I first heard that my job would entail driving a truck around the state all summer, I was only half excited. But if I had to do it over again, that would be the one internship I'd pick out of all the (internships) the Colts had to offer."\n-- Contact staff writer Carrie Ritchie at ccritchi@indiana.edu.
(09/22/04 4:38am)
For the past two years, billiards has been conspicuously missing from the long list of intramural sports offered by the IU RecSports program, but this fall marks its return. The program initially left campus due to lack of participation, but because students missed the program, it is back by popular demand. \n"The intramural sports schedule is determined by student interest as demonstrated by participation and also by the Intramural Sports Council," said Stacey Hall-Yanessa, program director for Intramural Sports, Club Sports and Student Development. "Our job is to provide the sports that students want to play. Billiards has been added back to the calendar after significant interest was demonstrated by numerous students last year."\nBilliards enthusiasts will be able to enjoy the competition and each other's company while learning and perfecting their billiards skills. Unlike traditional, crowded pool halls, RecSports provides a different type of atmosphere.\n"I think there is a negative connotation toward people who hang around in pool halls all of the time shooting pool," said senior Jordan Wolfe, an intramural billiards participant. "I think it's a great thing, and it keeps people out of trouble. Bringing back the intramural sport will give students a chance to revive such a beautiful and pure game that has lost its appeal to people of our generation."\nIntramural billiards works well for even those with extremely busy schedules, as it does not require an excessive time commitment -- participants can select the time and day they would like to play. Times are chosen on a first come, first serve basis, so early registration is important. Registration will be open until all the spots are filled.\nAccording to the RecSports Web site, all matches will be played at the Indiana Memorial Union in the eight-ball format and must be completed in 30 minutes. Participants will play a three-game round robin, and the top two teams from each league will advance to the playoffs. In the event of a tie, all teams involved in the tie will advance to the playoffs.\nThere is a $5 entry fee per person, which includes the cost of the table rental, balls and cues. Playing categories include men's and women's singles and doubles, co-IM, and fraternity singles and doubles. Today is the last day to register. For more information, call RecSports at 855-7772 or visit its Web site at www.recsports.indiana.edu. \n-- Contact staff writer Carrie Ritchie at ccritchi@indiana.edu.