Volume 50 Issue 14 May 7, 2015www.meramecmontage.com

The STLCC-Meramec campus will be relocating academic services beginning Sunday, May 18. Academic support services will move math and science tutors, as well as the Writing Center, to the second floor of the Meramec Library.

“As it is now, Meramec can be a little hard to figure out,” Academic Support Coordinator Cindy Clausen said. “We have a Math Lab in Communications North and a Math Lab in Science West. We have Academic Support in Communications North. We have all of our student tutors and (Supplementary Instructor) SI leadership over in Science West. I think it can make it hard for students to feel confident about getting help, when they’re partly not sure of where to go.”

Clausen said that Senior Manager of the Library Patrick Mallory was instrumental in introducing the “learning commons” for Meramec.

“More and more colleges across the nation have this model of ‘learning commons,’ like you have your ‘quad’ and you have your “learning commons,’” Clausen said. “Librarians are helping with academic support, too. They help students with research. So you have your Writing

Center in the library and students need to check their source, then they can go ask the librarians and then go back up to the Writing Center.”

Assistant Professor of English Rebecca Winter has been the Faculty Director of the Writing Center since August 2007.

“My hope is that this will be positive because we have such a strong foundation to the Writing Center,” Winter said. “We have everything it takes, whatever space we’re in, to be successful and support the students and offer them (our) services.”

The Writing Center, which will turn 50-years-old in September, will move from the Communication North Room 122 to room 217 in the library. It will extend out into the Quiet Area and private rooms for individual tutoring.

“We were fortunate to have some input as far as where we might be. We wanted a space that would be open and airy — a place that would encourage concentration,

but also creativity,” Winter said. “We wanted a place where you would feel comfortable talking to someone. Writing can be very personal. But we wanted a space that would help build trust — a safe, comfortable feeling.”

Math and science tutors will move to the Confluence Room. SI leaders will use the group study rooms. The

Academic Center, which is currently in Communications North Room 124, will move to the Instructional Design Room, on the second floor of the Library.

The Instructional Design Room will move to a location on the first floor.

The TRiO lab will stay in their current location on the second floor.

“No one who is currently in the library

will be going anywhere else. There are a lot of moves happening all around the campus,” Clausen said. “I think it’ll make the library more dynamic. We’re kind of getting away from that idea of libraries being these quiet areas. I think as group study becomes more of a recognized method for learning, libraries are becoming more dynamic places, too. That’s why downstairs they let people talk and have food.”

Media Services and Information Technology will be moving into the current Writing Center location.

Fran Hooker, the Writing Center Supervisor, who has been with the college for five years and works with students on a day-to-day basis, said the relocation may take time for students to adjust.

“I think students will have a slight learning curve to finding us,” Hooker said. “Students may be disappointed to find that they cannot print in (the Communications North) building. But there is a computer lab in BA, which is close by, that they can use before class. Then, the library is not that far away. I think students will be able to adapt. It will be nice to have us all in one area.”

Professor Rich Peraud turns hobby into sport

Page 12

Math Professor Kelly Ballard teaches outside the box

Page 10

Access Office hosts Disability Awareness Day

Page 3

Art Student Matt Johnson receives $20,000 scholarship

Page 9

Under Construction: Academic Services on the moveSPENCER GLEASON EDITOR IN CHIEF

ILLUSTRATION BY MARISSA DIERCKS

MT H E M O N T A G E

“We have everything it takes, whatever space we’re in, to be successful and support the students.

- Rebecca Winter, Writing Center Faculty Coordinator

NEWS2May 7, 2015

President Pam McIntyre has announced that student Heather Creel is the 2015 recipient of the President’s Merit Award. The President’s Merit Award recognizes a Meramec student who has excelled in academics, leadership, campus activities or community service. Creel plans to attend the University of Missouri - St. Louis and major in accounting.

Have a news brief to include in The

Montage? E-mail us at meramecmontage@

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Meramec’s President’s Merit Award Announced

The Meramec recipient of the Outstanding Professional Staff Award is Fran Hooker, manager of the Writing Center. Staff member Linda McGinnis was awarded the 2015 Extra Mile Award. These campus awards recognize outstanding service of staff members based on nominations from colleagues.

Staff recognized for ouststanding service

Students interested in leadership have the opportunity to get involved in one of the student government programs at all STLCC campuses. Student government is the representative body of the students at STLCC, said Carolyn O’Laughlin, manager of Campus Life.

“Student Government, in general, people bring forth ideas and they bring forth a project they would like to see done. It really gives the students an opportunity to say ‘Wait a minute, I have a question about this’ and this is the place where they can ask,” O’Laughlin said.

O’Laughlin said students who want to join student government must meet academic requirements.

“We want our students to be in good standing, so they cannot be on academic probation. Students must also be enrolled at Saint Louis Community College,” O’Laughlin said.

According to O’Laughlin, Meramec’s Student Government collaborates with governments of the other three STLCC Campuses.

“I think it is always good for student leaders to learn how other student leaders, of different governments, do things at other places. It just helps broaden their perspective and that is always a

good thing,” O’Laughlin said.O’Laughlin said the

organization participates in different projects each year.

“It kind of depends on who the leadership is and who is in the room. This year, one of the things they worked on, with the District Student Government Council, was to address student questions about buses and transportation to the college,” O’Laughlin said.

O’Laughlin said student government can collaborate with any of the other clubs on campus.

“It often takes the time and effort between the leadership of those clubs to orchestrate what it is they want to work on together, but Student Government can work with any of the clubs here at Meramec,” O’Laughlin said.

O’Laughlin said she believes the Student Government can be successful in a variety of different ways.

“Sometimes, it is looking outward and saying ‘How do we help the state?’ and ‘What is our role in the state of Missouri about Community Colleges?’ Sometimes, it is looking inward and saying ‘what is our role for the students at STLCC – Meramec, in getting the things we need here?’” O’Laughlin said.

O’Laughlin said it is crucial to have good teamwork within the

Governing the massesCHRISTIAN HARGAS STAFF WRITER

On April 22, the Student Center Quad was filled with booths by campus organizations, clubs, departments and community resources such as Barnes Jewish Hospital and the Mid-East Area Agency on Aging.

Students browsed the booths, sipped on smoothies, gathered materials about health and safety and discussed campus services available from Campus Police, the Access Office and the Counseling Department.

Meramec hosts Health & Safety Day

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Join the team.The Montage is currently taking applications for staff positions for the 2015-2016 academic year.

APPLY TODAY in SC-220A or Contact Shannon Philpott (sphilpott@stlcc.edu).

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NEWSBRIEFS

St. Louis Community College has slated commencement for 7:30 p.m., Sunday, May 17 at the Chaifetz Arena at St. Louis University.

STLCC commencement set for May 17

Incoming chancellor Dr. Jeff Pittman will host open forums on each STLCC campus to receive input from faculty, staff and students. The Meramec forum is planned for 12:45 - 2:15 p.m. Friday, May 8 in Student Center, Room 200. Participants are encouraged to bring questions.

Incoming chancellor to host open forums

PHOTOS BY: ALEX WHITE

STLCC will offer a new compressed class schedule format at the South County Education and University Center beginning Fall 2015.

The 7-one-7 format splits the semester into two seven-week terms, separated by a one-week break. Students interested in the compressed class schedule should inquire at the Advising Office.

College launches 7-one-7 course schedule

The Meramec Art Department will host a juried student art exhibition April 17-May 6 in the Meramec Gallery.

Art gallery hosts student work through May 6

The Meramec Music Department will host an orchestra and concert choir performance at 3 p.m. May 10 in the Meramec Theatre, featuring grammy award winning multi-instrumentalist Sam Bush. The event is free.

Music at Meramec

The Meramec Theatre program will host the annual children’s play, “Wiley and the Hairy Man” at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. June 8-10 and an evening performance at 7 p.m. June 9.

“Wiley and the Hairy Man” will be directed by Michelle Rebollo.

Upcoming theatre productions June 8-10

Art Professor Ken Wood has been selected to compete with more than 460 international artists at a solo exhibition at the Print Center in Philadelphia.

STLCC commencement set for May 17

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1 year lease and security deposit required.

For more information, contact Pat Hyde at 314-256-0241Property is located at 8740 Decorum Dr. in Affton, MO

Story continued on p. 3

NEWS 3May 7, 2015

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STLCC-Meramec students, faculty and staff were treated to a theatrical performance, academic honors and professor acknowledgement for Meramec’s 23rd Disability Awareness Day on Friday, April 24. The campus’ Access Office and Focus on Ability Club collaborated to put the event together in the Meramec Theatre.

“I think it’s so important to educate the public,” Manager of Meramec’s Access Office Linda Nissenbaum said.

The day was highlighted by an awards ceremony, in which Meramec students who live with disabilities were honored for their academic achievements in the classroom.

Following the Spring 2014 semester, 77 percent of students living with disabilities across all STLCC campuses, had a

cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above. Of those students, 35 percent had a cumulative of 3.0 or above.

Those numbers rose after the Fall 2014 semester. Eighty-three percent had a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above and 36 percent had a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.

“We want to dispel this rumor that if you have a disability than you can’t succeed in college or in life,” Nissenbaum said. “For people to come up here and get awards for making good grades and meritorious effort — all of these different things that we give awards for, is to dispel the myth that because you have a disability, you can’t succeed. And we’ve proved that.”

In addition to the students, 18

faculty and staff members were recognized for their meritorious effort helping students with disabilities.

“Students have nominated these faculty and staff members because of the important impact that they have made on their education,” Access Office Specialist Jane Tucker said

during her introduction. “Those recognized have provided extra encouragement and support to students to help them achieve

their academic goals.”

Prior to the ceremony, Gale Rublee performed a one-woman show that she co-wrote along with a friend. In “When your mind betrays you,” Rublee shared her personal story of living with Bi-Polar Disorder.

She acted out one of her manic and depressed episodes, then portrayed “experts” who have helped her along the way.

“We always look for dynamic speakers to educate Meramec’s

staff, faculty and students about living with disabilities,” Nissenbaum said. “We’ve had Heather Whitestone. She was the first deaf Miss America. We’ve had Josh Blue, from ‘The Last Comic Standing,’ (before he became famous). We’ve had multiple people over the years. We try to vary it, from year-to-year. I had several sources recommend (Rublee).”

In her play, Rublee shares what she has learned to do to manage her illness. Self-awareness, medication, counseling, trustworthy positive friends and family and finding what brings her joy and peace in her life all help bring order to living with bi-polar disorder.

“There is no simple, quick fix,” Rublee said. “But there is hope.”

disAbility Awareness Day focuses on AbilitySPENCER GLEASON EDITOR IN CHIEF

At left, Linda Nissenbaum, manager of the Access Office, introduces guest speaker Gale Rublee (middle) at the April 24 Disability Awareness Day in the Meramec Theatre. At right, a representative from the Focus on Ability Club addressed the crowd after Rublee’s presentation, “When Your Mind Betrays You: A One-Woman Show on Living With Bi-Polar Disorder.”

PHOTOS BY: SPENCER GLEASON

“We want to dispel this rumor that if you have a disability than you can’t succeed in college or in life.

- Linda Nissenbaum, Access Office

student government because of the different circles of influence, skill sets, and experiences everyone can share.

“I think that often, people think individuals can get things done on their own, but it is not until you can collaborate with other people. Whether it is people directly on your team, or people in other organizations, we can get much more done if we

work together,” O’Laughlin said.According to O’Laughlin, one

of her main goals, for student government, is to give people a voice at the Meramec campus because it is a way to connect to people. “Another one my main goals would be to provide people with fellowship and opportunities to meet other students who are interested in the same things they are interested in,” O’Laughlin said.

SGC: Focus on collaborationStory continued from p. 2

#STRESSLESS WEEK: Student Amanda Nahm steps on bubble wrap May 5 in the Student Center Quad. The Meramec Student Activities Council hosted events during the last week of classes to help students de-stress as finals approached. The week began with outdoor games on Monday, bubble wrap in the quad on Tuesday and visiting puppies on Wednesday. On Thursday, May 7, students can participate in mediation from 12:45 - 1:45 p.m. in the quad and Friday, May 8, the “Rocky Horror Picture Show” will be shown at 7:30 p.m.

PHOTO BY: AUSTIN SCHUMANN

OPINIONS4May 7, 2015

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Editorial views expressed or content contained in this publication are not necessarily the views of St. Louis Community College, the board of trustees or the administration.

The Montage is a student publication produced seven times per semester at St. Louis Community College - Meramec, 11333 Big Bend Blvd., Kirkwood, Mo., 63122. 314-984-7655.

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Editorial policy: All letters should be no longer than 500 words and must include identification as a student or faculty member, phone number and address for verification purposes. Phone numbers and addresses will not be published. All letters are subject to editing for content and length. All letters submitted will be published in print and online.

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EDITORS

ALEX WHITEPHOTO EDITOR

FOR THE HEALTH OF IT

Sweat it Out

AUSTIN SCHUMANNONLINE EDITOR

LYRICAL LAMENTS

Words as Weapons

When the temperature during the summers seems to get higher and higher it can be pretty hard to find the motivation to get outside and run. Don’t let the weather stop you from getting in that run, just be smart about it.

During the times of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. is when the sun is at the highest point and this means that the temperature is going to be at it’s highest too. During this time it is best to not do too much outside, try swimming or going for an easy walk instead of any

type of strenuous activity.The best times to run in the

summer is early in the morning and late at night when the sun isn’t too prominent. It will be cooler than during the day and poses less of a threat of getting sun burnt or sun poisoning. Personally, no matter when I run sunscreen is a must, otherwise I turn as red as a lobster and no one is having fun at that point. Sunscreen that is meant to be worn while sweating will work just fine.

Of course drink plenty of water, running makes us sweat which draws out moisture and so does being out in the sun. This means drink more water than thought to be needed, the body will thank you later.

Also do not wear any clothing that is tight fitting, keep everything light and loose. This will help the body cool down by allowing more of a breeze. I also like to

run with a hat on to keep the sun off my face and to help prevent any sweat from getting into my eyes.

Running outside in the summer does not have to be torture but make sure every precaution is taken and the run is done safely.

ILLUSTRATION BY: MARISSA DIERCKS

Buildings were burning, there were riots and looters wherever you looked; police cars were on fire and both civilians and police officers were injured and taken to hospitals. This is not about the recent trouble in Ferguson; instead it came from the arrest and subsequent death of 25-year-old black man Freddie Gray of Baltimore, Md.

Gray was arrested the morning of April 12, was put into the back of a police van and suffered a spinal injury that resulted in his

death seven days later.Baltimore is following an

uncomfortably similar path as Ferguson did after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. Reports say that there were a total of 15 buildings and 144 cars set on fire. There was also a fair amount of looting, including the looting and burning of a CVS Pharmacy. The bottom line is that there is no excuse for this kind of behavior.

That does not mean that all involved were treated appropriately. They still had the right to be treated fairly and with respect.

I will not say that there is no such thing as police brutality or racism by police officers against black people.

These things are both undoubtedly true for at least a fraction of police officers in America. The entire thing is a vicious and often violent cycle with each side assuming the worst of the other. It then goes

on and on with neither side coming out on top. At this point the view is almost taken away from the original supposed police brutality and focuses on how the community reacts.

From here it becomes hard to support one side when they do the very thing that they claim that they don’t do.

Violent protests do nothing for either side. How does stealing and property damage make you seem like the sympathetic cause? Some of the most successful protests have been of the non-violent type. Gandhi himself pushed for India’s freedom from Britain with marches and sit-ins, and of course there is Dr. Martin Luther King’s own non-violent protests that made huge steps in the fight against racism and segregation. To those that are upset with the state of police brutality in this country, something should definitely be done – not with violence and riots, but peaceful demonstrations.

ILLUSTRATION BY: MARISSA DIERCKS

Math Anxiety: It’s Real

Math is a subject that causes many students stress throughout their schooling. It is a subject that requires patience, attention to detail and perseverance. It is no walk in the park. Just look at all the math resources there are on campus: a math lab, a computer lab and signs for math tutors litter the hallways.

With stress already being present, there’s no need for any more to be added. Unfortunately, that seems to be the case with the online programs the math department utilizes; in particular, MyMathLab and Connect Math. Homework and quizzes are uploaded onto the website and then given a due date and sometimes a time limit.

The problem with this is that technology is not as reliable as society likes to believe it is. There are often glitches and lags. Students struggle to complete assignments on time as the website crashes or loads a page very slowly. When some problems already take several minutes to complete, the lost time can add onto anxiety.

Students already have a heavy schedule during semesters, with jobs and other classes. For every

hour of class, there is an expected two hours of homework. Students simply do not have the time to wait around for a glitchy program to load, or to rework problems that were originally right but marked wrong. Late nights turn into later nights as math problems turn into website problems.

It also adds high amounts of frustration. Many times I have sat in the math lab and overheard conversations of disheartened students, and the occasional tutor, complaining of the website counting their answer wrong, even though it was right. Or they had the right answer, just left out a parenthesis or comma in their answer and had to start all over.

I have witnessed my fair share of students being unable to finish quizzes or tests online because the website kept freezing up.

I have seen many frustrated students look as though they are ready to pull their own hair out as an already tough subject begins to excel in stress.

As this semester ends, and a new one approaches, the search to find an efficient program should continue. I am aware that there will be hiccups in every way homework and quizzes can be taken, but students should not need to worry about the instability of a website over the actual material.

Progress must be made in order to keep students down from an unhealthy stress level. Students should be reworking problems they actually do not understand, not problems that we’re mistakenly marked wrong.

HALEY KINDLERSTAFF WRITER

OPINIONS 5May 7, 2015

The ‘Good’ in GoodbyeIt has been

a long time coming, but all good things must come to an end.

For the past few years, The Montage has played a significant role in my life. While it has given me the

tools that I need to succeed in this career, it has given me so much more in the process.

The relationships with people that I have built with those inside and outside of the newsroom mean the most — whether we have agreed or agreed to disagree. And for each relationship, I am eternally grateful.

Inside the newsroom, it is a family — much like a sports team. And during my time with The Montage, teamwork has made the dream work (if I can be cliché). That atmosphere begins and ends with our advisor.

The year I lost my mom to breast cancer, and each year that has followed, not every “family” member has known. Personal lives are just that — personal. But there are times to let those around you know just how much they mean to you.

This is one of those times.When you find something that brings

you joy, the joy can burn out the pain.

***(Excerpt from my mom’s eulogy)Buttload.

It is a word you cannot say with a straight face.

Buttload. And it is one of the more clever words

my sisters have in their language. If there was a meaning to the word

“buttload,” it would be — to have much of something. ‘A buttload of this.’ Or ‘A buttload of that.’

In a more private moment, when my sisters and brother-in-law were leaving to go to California — only to return a few days later — we found ourselves all together in the room where my mother stayed.

After the hugs and kisses had been through, my younger sister chimed, “You’ll have a buttload of help while we’re gone.”

My mom looked up at us and smiled. “Buttload,” she said. Her humor was still there.

***Just a couple months later, my mom’s

eight-year battle with breast cancer was over. She was no longer suffering.

***The fall before my mom left, I received

a letter in the mail, much like many other mass communication students at Meramec, about The Montage student newspaper. I had dabbled in sports radio at Lindenwood University, prior to attending the community college’s Kirkwood, Mo. campus, and knew I wanted to enter the world of sports journalism.

The Montage seemed like the right fit. Beyond the hands-on experience of

working on a newspaper; the resume samples and networking connections; The Montage has given me lifelong friends that

have played the role of family for the past several years of my life.

Even without knowing, the Montage family was there to help take my mind off of the outside world.

The outside world was one where my mom was only alive in my heart and mind — and my dad was spinning deeper and deeper in a downward spiral — to the point of knowing what to say in his letters, he just needed to figure out where to put them.

Immersing myself in something that I love to do was my outlet. And for the past several years, I have put every ounce of effort I have into The Montage.

That drive is all I know. It is in my nature.

***(Excerpt from my mom’s eulogy)I was not there when it happened. I was

at work – bartending. That was my duty. That’s what my mom would have wanted. As she, herself, was teaching second graders up until the day before she was put in hospice care – her duty. I received a text message and phone call from my little sister saying that things were changing rapidly and to come home.

Although I made good time, it was only a moment or two after my sister and I hung up that she passed.

As I’m leaving work — driving home — as much of a hurry as I was in, there

was a sense of peaceful calmness that came over me. Maybe that was her saying that it’s okay.

Slow down. Everything is okay.

***I am not the first Editor in Chief to

leave The Montage, and I surely will not be the last. The paper will live on and it will continue to succeed in telling the good about this campus. And bring light to issues that students and faculty have a right to know.

That is our duty as student journalists. And it should be taken, as such.

That is owed to the journalists on staff before, the journalists of present and the journalists of the future — to tell the story and to preserve it.

And if you are lucky — make a few friends along the way.

Signing off for Meramec’s Montage, I’m Spencer Gleason.

SPENCER GLEASON

Montage gan

g out to e

at Busch Stadium

Pics

SPJ Convention in Nashville

We won a Pacem

aker

Chillin’ in Florida

ILLUSTRATION BY MARISSA DIERCKS

INDEPTH6May 7, 2015

Your typical college student has multiple jobs and responsibilities. They are usually rushing on the go with food in mouth and forgetting one absolutely necessary item for class.

Finding time to reconnect with oneself and appreciate our surroundings is essential to catching a break yet it is seldom found.

Students get so caught up in a set schedule and a set due date that it is hard to do much outside of that. It is hard to do

much out of the perimeters of phone and laptop screens.

When is the last time we gave all our attention to a beautiful sunset and nothing else? Or the sound of birds chirping in the morning instead of our phone vibrating?

We often forget how fortunate we are in just having the privilege to live on this beautiful planet.

Here are some ways to catch a much needed break.

Finding Time to Relax

Listen to Music 8

Play with your Pets 5

Read a Book 5

Playing with pets and being around them improves moods significantly. Pet owners are proven to have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels which are related to heart disease. Pets help immensely with exercise, companionship and routine to daily obligations.

A given; listening to music is how many people escape the world for a while. Getting lost in the music is one of the best ways to forget about everything and relax.

Experienceing a story that someone else wrote can give us a better and broader perspective on different situations. Having an improved vocabulary can do no harm either.

DALILA KAHVEDZIC ART & LIFE EDITOR

ILLUSTRATIONS BY JASON WATERS ASST. GRAPHICS EDITORILLUSTRATIONS BY MARISSA DIERCKS GRAPHICS EDITOR

INDEPTH 7May 7, 2015

3 Aromatherapy

6 Release your Frustrations

3 Forgive Yourself

5 Daydream

Read a Book 5

Laugh 4

Oil aromas stimulate the part of our brains that affects emotion. Aromatherapy encourages restful sleep and relaxation. It enhances the body, spirit and mind.

Living in the past and constantly replaying old memories makes it impossible to move forward in life. Forgive yourself for whatever it is that makes it a little harder to breathe every day. It is in the past and there is no point in replaying scenarios and how it could have turned out differently. It is done. It is okay. Make new memories.

Experienceing a story that someone else wrote can give us a better and broader perspective on different situations. Having an improved vocabulary can do no harm either.

Enter a world of your own which is usually a happy place. Daydreaming lets our minds wander while activating different areas of the brain.

Close your Eyes 5

Serious education. Serio

us value.SM

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ART & LIFE 9May 7, 2015

Meramec student wins $20,000 scholarshipBRITTNEY FARROW COPY EDITOR

M a t t Jo h n s o n , an art student at STLCC – Meramec, r e c e n t l y r e c e i v e d a $20,000 scholarship to the K a n s a s City Art

Institute – a private college of fine arts and design. Graduating from Clayton High School in 2009, Johnson has been taking classes at Meramec for four years. Like most art students, he started by taking the basic classes such as Drawing I and Painting I and worked his way up. He is now at the advanced painting level.

Despite being in Ohio and living in Pennsylvania for a period of time, Johnson said he considers himself a native, and has been living in St. Louis for 20 years. He says he was attracted to art at a very young age and that he enjoyed participating in the city’s art scene; however, he didn’t expand upon his interest in art until much later on in his life.

“I don’t think it really hit me as a viable option. For a long time I had all of these plans; I wanted to be an architect or an actor. Once things kind of settled I realized

I’d much rather be an artist and do something visual because I think that’s something I can keep up with, and it’s something that I really enjoy continuously doing, whereas all those other things I think were kind of fads,” Johsnon said.

Johnson credits the change in his perspective to an art class he took his junior year of high school. He said that while the work he was doing was not his best, he found it satisfying and it spoke to him as something he wanted to do.

It wasn’t until the previous year when Johnson was able to show his work in a gallery, though, that he realized just how much he wanted to make a successful living off of his artwork.

“I realized how much effort is actually going to be needed to be successful to [make a living] off of doing this. I think I just found that super appealing. It verified exactly what I wanted to do. It propelled me to the level of motivation that was required,” Johnson said.

Meramec Fine Arts and Painting Instructor Margaret Keller said she was not surprised to discover that Johnson received the highest award in painting from the Kansas City Art Institute. As a student, she said that Johnson has been focusing on developing his own individual style so that he

can stand out in the art world.

In the past, Johnson has done a variety of projects and has worked with several different mediums. For his first gallery show, he displayed a series of drawings he had done while studying at Meramec, and his portfolio is full of sculptures of mixed media projects. Currently, he recycles his past work by painting still lifes over the surface of the old paintings and allowing it to create a unified visual.

He said that while many people would paint over the old image and prime the surface, he enjoys the features and qualities of the past subjects, and wanted to incorporate them into his final piece.

“He’s really, really passionate about art and finding his own style and so now that he’s in Advanced Painting what he’s been doing is creating his own unique style of painting – which I’ve never seen anything like it,” Keller said.

As an art student, Keller describes Johnson as a very

serious, very well-informed individual. She said that he spends a great deal of time following the events happening in the art world, and that he

knows famous artists and their work. She also said that Johnson is very hard-working, and that he himself credits that to taking the right amount of time to consider his true passions.

After graduating from high school, Johnson took a few years off of college to work and to discover what he was most interested in. A few academically-rigorous semesters set him back on his path, but he said that he is grateful for those experiences because they reminded him of what he truly wanted, he said.

“I am definitely glad I had

that experience to show me when I was ready. So I’m thankful for that,” Johnson said. “It’s really important to me that I take this seriously, and so I needed to fail first to show me that.”

As for advice for future or current Meramec art students, Johnson said to not be so concerned with time. He said to be patient with academic progress and to spend time doing the tedious and difficult assignments.

“What worked for me [as a Meramec art student] was just doing everything I could to sit down and do the projects and

give it my all. My first three semesters I didn’t get to do my own work, and as frustrating as it is I think that’s where I learned a lot of the skills I use today,” Johnson said. “I would just recommend people keeping their nose to the grindstone. It works out. It’s difficult, but it definitely works. It may seem fruitless at the time, but it’s a great way to improve yourself and get better.”

Johnson’s goals for Kansas City include “not starving” and putting his work out into the public. He said he hopes to have another solo gallery showing either by graduation or before his graduation. Johnson said he feels very supported in his journey and is thankful for the support of his family, his boyfriend Scott and his friends on the Meramec campus.

Art student Matt Johnson plans to attend the Kansas City Art Institute

MATT JOHNSON

PHOTOS BY: BRITTNEY FARROWARTWORK BY: MATT JOHNSON

ARTWORK BY: MATT JOHNSON

ART & LIFE10May 7, 2015

Adding by subtractingDALILA KAHVEDZIC ART & LIFE EDITOR

STLCC-Meramec Professor Kelly Ballard teaches outside of the box

How to plan for summer

Summer is sneaking up and so are the vacations we worked long and hard overtime hours to save up for. The next step is to actually plan the trip and what to do there.

DALILA KAHVEDZICART & LIFE EDITOR

1) Choose your travel partnerwisely.

Do not go with the Debbie Downer or the complainer. Go with someone who has the same goals and wants the same or similar experiences from the trip.

2) Pick a place.Middle of the dessert with

the breathtaking starry sky or beachside with palm trees and freshly chopped open coconuts? The limits are endless. Pick what kind of destination you want and go from there.

3) Get organized.It is said that getting lost in an

unfamiliar place is the best way to explore. While this may be true, having set times and days to visit certain destinations is a must considering opening and closing times.

4)Research your costs.Hotels, restaurants, taxi

fees. Take everything into consideration, calculate an average daily expense and always have an extra stash of money if things go sour.

5) Booking.Book a flight and

accomodation early so you can have a guaranteed spot for both.

6) Packing.Make a checklist of things

needed and check off as you go so nothing is forgotten. We all know of that one person who forgets their phone charger and has to buy another.

7) Get travel insurance.It covers things such as a

broken camera, a cancelled flight or even if something is stolen.

8) Plan for relaxation.Although vacations involve

sightseeing and exploring, do not tire out too quickly. Relax poolside and enjoy the breezy air.

Planning a vacation can be a super-stressful duty but once all is said and done, nothing replaces relaxing with no obligations.

The spark for an interest in teaching was discovered by accident for STLCC-Meramec Professor Kelly Ballard.

Ballard has been teaching at Meramec since 2000 and graduated as a math major from Mizzou and philosophy and religious studies from Washington University. Ballard now teaches math and philosophy full time at Meramec.

“I didn’t know that I could do it until I started it and then I realized that people need help. You know, they struggle. And apparently my way of saying things and my personality either puts you at ease to try or makes it clear for you to understand,” said Ballard.

Philosophy and math go hand in hand. Whether a question has a very analytical or a very philosophical response, it is the curiosity in the questions we ask.

“A lot of times I don’t come back with answers, most of my students would say the same thing, I can’t get the dang answer but that’s life right? It’s the quest of it that I love,” Ballard said. “If I’m looking for ‘x’ or if I’m looking for the nature of the universe, isn’t it about the same? I mean it’s the unknown isn’t it?”

Ballard’s favorite part about teaching is making her life valuable.

“If I only take and I don’t really give back I realize that when I can help a student be successful, when they can move on in their goals and I was there along the way, then I did something that makes my life fine,” Ballard said. “I think our problem that we have right now is that we don’t take care of each other, we don’t care about the other more than we should. What I worry for in society is how we have our stereotypes and

misunderstandings. When you put a stereotype, misunderstanding and ignorance together that’s dangerous.”

The toughest problem Ballard faces in teaching is when her students have problems outside of her content and it affects them academically.

“When you’re in physical danger, when you’re unhealthy, when you’ve been abused, school becomes a secondary thing. You see this person struggling with trying to do the student side but their personal lives are just completely out of control,” Ballard said. “I struggle with that because I worry for people.”

Another problem Ballard faces in teaching is wanting her students to succeed, sometimes more than they want it for themselves.

“Even though I might want it more for the students, the students’ responsibility is to go after their education. So, I can stand on my head and I could bring in a circus, I could bring in all kinds of tricks and stuff just to try to capture them but if they don’t want it – you have to accept that sometimes you want it more than the student and that you have to let it go, Wu-Wei,” Ballard said.

Wu-Wei is a concept in Taoism of action without action, a sense of going with the flow.

There are always students who take Ballard’s courses for the credit and take nothing else from it.

Ballard said her most memorable teaching moments would include students coming back and inviting her to the next stages of their lives, such as graduation or marriage.

“Those students who are just like ‘give me my grade I gotta

get outta here’ - it’s okay because there’s plenty of professors that I didn’t need to see ever again but then there’s those ones that you connect with, those are like the best moments for me. Because I want to know they’re okay after this moment,” Ballard said.

Ballard has no favorite religion to teach in her world religion’s course.

“If I had a favorite one I shouldn’t be teaching the class,” Ballard said. “Do I have a better grasp on one more than the other? Some days. I even grow in my connection to the content the more that I read about it, the more that I want to discuss it. When you ask me questions in class it activates something in me so it’s always a give and take but you can’t have a favorite,” Ballard said.

In her courses, Ballard offers to take students on field trips.

“We should always be outside of a textbook. There’s an academic way to experience life and then there’s a visceral way of experiencing life and learning. I also want to make parts of St. Louis less scary for people, that they feel comfortable or brave enough to go somewhere that’s not familiar to them,” Ballard said.

Ballard has traveled to many various places including Turkey, Syria, Russia, Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, India, Spain - the list goes on. Many places showed different levels of beauty, but also of poverty.

“Every place, you know, for me I fell in love with it because I saw in it what made it beautiful,” Ballard said. “In each country, it can be the people that I meet or the beautiful buildings and temples or signature architecture, or it could be even the food,

but there’s always something that basically touches my heart. There’s always something that makes me so thankful that I went. I’ve never regretted a trip.”

Traveling is enriching for Ballard.

“I go to these other places to meet myself,” Ballard said. “Even though I read about them, I talk to people, it’s not the same unless you’re there.”

Ballard suggests that students do their research before they go on a trip, including customs.

“Allow for the unknown. You have to roll with it, you have to expect that something is going to fall apart or fall through and you can’t let it be the end of your travel but you have to educate yourself before you go somewhere,” Ballard said. “Not every place is here, you can’t expect it to be where you are right now but there’s still value in it.”

If students want Chesterfield, stay in Chesterfield, said Ballard. If students are going to go to India, they have to take in everything India has to offer, Ballard said.

Traveling is always a moving experience but can sometimes call for danger as well. It is very easy to get scammed in another country, so safety first, she said. Ballard said she was in an uncomfortable situation once where she was not robbed of her money, but more so scammed.

“My grandmother would say that maybe he needed it more and that’s why it happened that way,” Ballard said.

Ballard said she does not have one specific favorite travel destination.

“When life is rich there is not only one,” Ballard said. “A rich life is not only just one thing it’s lots, lots of beautiful things.”

PHOTO BY DALILA KAHVEDZIC Ballard teaches her college algebra class Wednesday, April 29 in the Social Science Building.

SPORTS 11May 7, 2015

Archers heading to regionals

After finishing 16-10 in their conference and with a 28-20 record in the regular season, the next step for the Archers baseball team is the NJCAA tournament.

The regional tournament is an 18-game double elimination tournament. The Archers have 16 freshmen and 11 returning sophomores to fill out the roster to proceed to regionals. Head Coach Scott Goodrich said players were able to step up to help push the team to get where they needed to be.

“We counted on guys that were sophomores who did it for us last year. We leaned heavily on them and had guys step up for us in new roles,” Goodrich said. “All in all, I think this season is a success. We are headed into our playoffs and how we do in the playoffs will define how our season ends up.”

Goodrich said there were not just sophomores stepping up when needed, but freshmen players such as Mitch Miller and Luke Boyster did, too.

The bracket for the tournament is full of 18 teams capable of anything while in postseason, Goodrich said.

Goodrich said starting off regionals with a win is key for a successful tournament.

“When you play an 18-game double elimination tournament, anything can happen. Day one of the tournament is huge. You never want to get stuck in the losers bracket on day one because you’re looking at an uphill battle the rest of the weekend,” Goodrich said. “I don’t have any predictions, but I know whoever stays in the winners bracket the longest is probably going to have the most success.”

Lady Archers sum up seasonDAVID KLOECKENER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

The Lady Archers started off the season with a record of 2-4 and were able to end the season 13-7 in their conference. Despite having an overall record of 18-26, the Lady Archers could not find a constant rhythm, but were able to end the regular season with highlights.

First time STLCC Head Coach Brad Wilson said the Lady Archers did not give up throughout the season.

According to Wilson, the Lady Archers started strong, but faded throughout the season and bounced back at the right times to hang in there as a team.

“I think our win-loss ratio should’ve been better than what it was, but I think we hit our stride at the right point,” Wilson said.

Wilson said with four returning sophomores and six total sophomores playing a part in holding the rest of the

team together, they not only started, but also were able to lead the Lady Archers. All sophomores had a .280 batting average and combined 72 runs batted in (RBI).

“Sophomores played a big part. They all started and played a big part in what we did. Becca Vogt was our number one pitcher,” Wilson said.

In 44 games played, the Lady Archers had 146 RBIs and a team batting average of .301.Wilson said freshmen were able to hold their own to get starting time, but some had other reasons for getting playing time.

“Kelsey Brodbeck is a freshman that played phenomenal at shortstop. We only had one catcher, Nadaley Wilson, for 90 percent of the season. To catch every game, but one is unheard of. Without her, we would’ve been in a world of hurt,” Wilson said.

DAVID KLOECKENER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Striking Interest

CHRISTIAN HARGAS STAFF WRITER

STLCC-Meramec offers a bowling course for students to earn a credit in physical education. Bowling Instructor Tony Dattoli teaches a class of 24 students as they learn the techniques and terminology of the sport.

“It is just one of our physical activity courses that allow people to do something of interest. Students get graded on a series of games they bowl, working with manual scoring, vocabulary familiarity and the phrases and terms involved with bowling,” Dattoli said.

Meramec Student Joe Hamilton said he chose to enroll in this class because he has always been interested in bowling and saw it as a fun activity.

“It is very fun. I bowl two games each day since the class has started. My interest in bowling has increased big time,” Hamilton said.

Dattoli said he believes each STLCC Campus offers this course, not just Meramec.

“In years past, we have had similar classes at the three other campuses [Wildwood, Forest Park, Florissant Valley]. I know the Wildwood Campus used to have

their gatherings at West County Lanes,” Dattoli said.

According to Hamilton, he is going to continue to bowl even when the semester is over.

“Just because the class is almost done, that does not mean that bowling gets kicked to the side. I will continue to bowl a lot more because I love to bowl,” Hamilton said.

Dattoli said his favorite thing about the bowling course is seeing the students come together and have fun, doing something they are interested in.

“I love seeing the excitement on their [students] faces when they bowl a strike, convert a tough spare, and I also like seeing the comradery and the interaction between them,” Dattoli said.

Dattoli said the class has a laid back atmosphere.

“You are not necessarily being assessed or judged on your ability, you are just being assessed and judged on your participation. We want students to be there, enjoying the game and learning how to get better at it,” Dattoli said.

Hamilton agreed and said it is not

about the competition or how many games he wins.

“Just remembering how bad I was at the beginning of the semester, my main focus of the class is just learning how to improve. I have improved my game, drastically, since the semester started when I was bowling 86. Now, I am bowling 115 consistently,”Hamilton said.

Dattoli said several of his students get together, outside of class, to bowl on their own time.

“Several of my students go to Du Bowl, because they have a special on Thursday nights when games are just $1. They [students] will organize their own social gatherings on Thursday nights,” Dattoli said.

Hamilton said he is one of those students who participates in the Thursday gatherings at Du Bowl Lanes.

“I like going to the bowling alley every day because I know I am constantly improving my game. Also, I like hanging out with the guys and just having a fun time,” Hamilton said.

Dattoli said the main focus of the course is for the students to know the

roles and terms of the game of bowling.“The focus is not to become pro-

bowlers. The purpose is to educate them [students] on the game of bowling and give them the opportunity to earn their P.E credit. Also, another focus is for them to learn the techniques so they can be successful,” Dattoli said.

Interest in PE class keeps on rolling

Archer Colby Holloway winds up for a pitch during a game against Kaskaskia College.

PHOTOS BY: DAVID KLOECKENER

The Lady Archers consult in between plays during a game against Kaskaskia College.

ILLUSTRATION BY: JASON WATERS

SPORTS12May 7, 2015

Pedaling Peraud

ALEX WHITE PHOTO EDITOR

When Meramec Professor Richard Peraud is not teaching English he competes in a sport called cyclo-cross.

“Cyclo-cross started in Europe for a way for road racers to stay in shape on the off season. Fastest growing segment of cycling in the U.S.,” Peraud said.

Peraud competes in the Bubba Cross series hosted by Big Shark Cycling Company. The races are held at local parks from mid-September to mid-January on Saturdays, rain or shine.

The races consist of short laps ranging between 1.5 to 2 miles long with obstacles throughout the course, Peraud said. These races are nowhere near considered easy,

but he has a strategy to help him through the tough times.

On the handle bars of his bike is a small caped buffalo that rides along through all his races.

“This totem reminds me of my goddaughter, Bridget, who at the age of 1.5 was diagnosed with cancer. When I want to quit, I think of this little kid going through chemo and it helps me push on to the finish,” Peraud said.

As the youngest of five, cycling for Peraud actually started when he was 11 years old and right then fell in love with biking, he said.

Then from seventh grade to high school

he began racing BMX bikes and rode long distances. When he was 16, Peraud and a friend rode 350 miles to an uncle’s house during the summer.

Through the years, he found groups to ride with.

“Big Shark offers Tuesday night worlds, Wednesday time trials and Thursday night rides,” said Peraud.

Besides competing in cyclo-cross, Peraud commutes via bike to school on certain days. Riding either nine to 15 miles each way, depending on the route he decides to take.

“When other people want to be indoors, I like to be outside,” Peraud said.

English Professor takes biking from hobby to sport

For the love of the game

I have struggled with how I wanted to write this. I wanted my final “For the love of the game” column to have merit — but not be too over the top with “words of wisdom” or the sappiness of my time covering Meramec and STLCC athletics coming to a close.

There have been twists and turns influencing my journey toward sports journalism. So for a column titled “For the love of the game,” why not finish by telling how the story began.

*** It started out as a joke. But for me,

the joke was the only way I knew of to stay around the game of baseball. The writing was on the wall that I would not be playing the game much longer.

My 15-year-old self was serious about wanting to be the public address (PA) announcer for our home high school baseball games, but I was not sure if people would take me seriously. Nobody had ever done that for baseball games at Webster Groves High School before.

Basketball and football games — yes. Not baseball. This was a first.

Since before I was 10-years-old, I remember turning the TV volume off and doing play-by-play for my make-believe Nintendo baseball games in the basement of the house I grew up in. Typically, nobody else would be around. The play-by-play was just for me. But it was from there, the PA announcer idea originated.

After I was cut from the Statesmen team my freshman year in high school, the creative way to stay around the game — and my friends — was born. I did make the club and hit .444 my sophomore year. But I was back behind the mic as a junior. And it was during that year, that the story caught the eye of Channel Five’s Mike Bush and I was featured on his “Sports Plus” program.

After graduating, Webster Groves High School continued what began when I was a 15-year-old. And, speakers atop the backstop fencing play music — something that was integrated into Statesman baseball since my days there.

My PA days eventually switched toward sports journalism and through “The Montage”, doors have been opened that I never thought possible.

***Whether your “game” is athletics,

cooking, teaching or writing, follow it. Follow the passion that drives you to wake up every day. And from there, your “love for the game” will open up doors that you never thought possible.

Game Over: Reaching the Finish Line

SPENCER GLEASON EDITOR IN CHIEF

STLCC – Meramec has a variety of clubs and organizations to test and exercise both physical and mental skills, ranging from Improv Club to Fencing and Outdoors Club. One particular club has emerged as the new kid on the block - The Competitive Gaming Club.

Club founders and STLCC-Meramec students Dan Wichern and Evan Delia said they organized the club to create a friendly, interactive and cooperative environment for casual and hard core gamers.

“[The club’s purpose is to] meet new people, learn cooperative and strategic gameplay and enjoy gaming around peers,” Delia said.

The club currently provides console gaming from titles such as: Super Smash Brothers, Mortal Kombat, and Call of Duty. Talks for PC gaming may come around in the future.

The competitive Gaming Club is

open to anyone regardless of gaming skills. Joining the club will build a person’s strategic coordination on certain moves,

techniques and analysis on character strengths and weakness. Discussions on competitive strategy and coordination have brought on the attention whether competitive gaming is considered a sport. Considering the amount of mental

preparation and coordination, whether with a teammate or a game controller, gaming is considered an electronic sport.

Similar to chess and golf, they take as much strategic preparation as gaming. Playing against a human opponent can be challenging and exhilarating, whether it is on an outdoor court or on a computer monitor.

With the popularity of video games rising, it is no wonder the Competitive Gaming Club has taken a chance in Meramec. It is an interesting and more interactive way to learn about other games and new techniques to improve gaming skills. Gaming also provides a way to relax and immerse to a whole

new environment. The club almost brings a nostalgic era of learning games and completing levels by talking to friends about the game, instead of searching for cheats in the internet. Anyone interested in gaming is welcomed to join, as long as “rage quitting” is kept to a minimum.

Competitive gaming club launched at MeramecDAREN HEMBRADOR STAFF WRITER

English Professor Rich Peraud bikes through Buder Park during a Big Shark sponsored race in November 2014.

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY MICHAEL DAWSON

ILLUSTRATION BY MARISSA DIERCKS