I know.” He says it was freeing to expose his approaching death to others, and he also inad-vertently “became part of a public awareness, a discussion and acknowledgment of death.” Bute used the diagnosis as a vehicle to teach others and created a class at Metropolitan State about death and dying. After describing his physical symptoms, Bute said, “I have felt as low as I have ever felt, some-times wallowing in melancholy. Then there are moments during the process when I feel the most exhilaration for life that I have ever felt, like it is the most incredible roller coaster ride. I know that life is a series of many transforma-tions, but this experience has been the most transformative.” Bute says that more importantly he has reached a certain contentment that often plagues and eludes many people who ask themselves, “Is this enough?” Bute said, “In the great scheme of life found within the millions and billions of years of

BY REBEKAH PAHR Pahrre@go.metrostate.edu

“Even I am getting sick of hearing about me!” exclaimed Monte Bute, a professor of sociology and social science at Metropolitan State Univer-sity. “But knowing that I am going to die,” he said, “caused me to take a different approach to my life.” Bute says that honestly coming to terms with death has been the most exceptional process in his life. After his story came out in the last few months, Bute has given countless interviews. He was featured in the Pioneer Press, the Examiner, and on PBS and CBS. Bute even has a fan page on Facebook, the Monte Bute Fan Club, where readers can follow his progress. Bute says his tale fascinates others because “this story is really not about me—this story ultimate-ly is about the hunger people have to face the taboo of death.” He explains that openly discuss-ing death is uncommon. “Most people approach this topic gingerly, wearing polite masks because death confirms the uncertainty of life.” Bute’s candor and willingness to talk about his own un-avoidable mortality is the element that has drawn so many to his story. Last fall, Bute was diagnosed with stage three granular pulmonary lymphoma, a rare and ter-minal form of cancer with only 500-600 existing cases in medical literature. More than 60 percent of patients with this type of cancer die within five years. His heart function has decreased to about 20-30 percent. His legs are numb from the knees down with almost no feeling left in his feet. However, Bute summed up his physical symp-toms and 36 weeks of chemotherapy treatment in almost one breath. He made it clear that his story is the story of living and, more importantly, continually learning. When Bute was initially diagnosed 18 months ago, he wrote what he calls “a dark op-ed piece” for the Pioneer Press. He explained that the ar-ticle was part of the process of dealing with the reality of death in his life, and when he wrote it he felt a profound sense of despair. Since that time he is back to being “the Monte that

Monte Bute: facing the taboo of death

BY DIANA NEUERBURGNeuedi@go.metrostate.edu

Trenda Boyum-Breen (Vice President of Student Affairs), Cecilia Stanton (Dean of Students), and a “core group” of staff and students have begun planning construction of a student center on Metropolitan State Uni-versity’s St. Paul Campus. Plans for a student center started in December of 2010, which consisted of recruiting architectural company Workshop Architects and developing a core group of Metropolitan State staff—including Dan Hambrock (Associate Vice President of Facilities); Murtuza Siddiqui (CFO); Cecilia Stanton; Phil Fuehrer (Student Life Direc-tor); Mike Eisenbeisz (Project Manager of Student Affairs)—as well as Awo Ahmed (student senator), and Vanessa Young (stu-dent). In addition, the group consists of two students representing each college/school. The existing parking lot (on the Maria Av-enue side) is the expected site of the center. Therefore, in addition to a student center, the University is planning on remodeling the existing parking lot into a tiered parking

structure. While the new parking structure is a given due to rapid growth, the future of the student center depends on the student body. Student senator Awo Ahmed will be send-ing students a survey informing them of the plans and the associated costs by the end of this semester. After the survey is conducted, the student senate will vote on whether to continue. The construction of the parking structure is tentatively scheduled to start in March of 2013 and end in February of 2014. The con-struction of the student center is tentatively scheduled to start (pending a “yes” vote) in April of 2014 and will be completed by July of 2015. Metropolitan State is the only four-year university in the MnSCU system that does not have a student center. Even many of MnSCU’s community and technical colleges have student centers. According to Boyum-Breen, students at Metropolitan State have been talking about building a student center

evolution, my own 66 years of life on this earth is the most blessed gift that I can have.” Bute adds that he will continue to teach saying, “The best place that I could possibly die is at the front of my classroom. I have no plans to stop, I want to continue living and not count a time that it all ends, I just happen to know that it eventually will.” Bute has an unquenchable passion for knowl-edge, and teaching is something that he refuses to abandon. “The vast majority of people on this earth seek immortality in some way, or through wealth and fame they are driven to leave their mark; however, this is not what I want.” Bute said instead, “I have come to realize that what I have left behind is those that have been trans-formed. I don’t teach to pour content into stu-dents’ heads—I teach to transform their lives. I don’t present the answers—I give them the big questions for life that I hope that my stu-dents spend the rest of their lives pursuing the

Student centercontinued on page 2

Monte Butecontinued on page 4

T h e M e t r o p o l i t a n S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y S t u d e n t N e w s p a p e r

Volume 19 Number 8 April 2011

METROPOLITANTHE

for the last 10 years but they were never able to take the appropriate first steps without the University’s involvement. “This is the first time that the University has put forth some of its own resources to get the process start-ed,” said Boyum-Breen. After hearing the student senate and other students express a desire for a student center, Boyum-Breen took action and the Univer-sity hired Workshop Architects—a company that specializes in student center design—to conceptualize the space. The company visited the campus Feb. 15-16 to meet with the core group and conduct random surveys from stu-dents on-site. The company is expected to return on Wednesday, April 13 and Thurs-day, April 14 to meet with the group, discuss program priorities and brainstorm. The cost of the structure will depend on the feedback from students. Boyum-Breen says that the reaction she’s gotten so far from stu-dents is that they want practicality. “Students don’t want a gazillion-dollar, huge facility,”

Boyum-Breen said. “They don’t want bells and whistles. They just want a functional space.” The project will be funded by requesting a revenue bond that must be approved first by MnSCU and the state of Minnesota. A revenue bond is a loan that universities use to purchase structures that will generate rev-enue to pay off the debt. For example, if the student center rented out space to a food ven-dor, the rent for the space would help to pay off the debt. In addition to revenue generated from the operation of the facility, higher student activ-ity fees and parking fees will be implemented. Furthermore, Metropolitan State currently has a sizable account of the accumulated stu-dent activity fees that may be tapped into to pay off the debt. Cecilia Stanton says that this

Plans for a student center begin

Unrest in the Midwest: Wisconsin Rallies

page 4

A healthy bean? The health benefits of coffee

page 6

New exhibit features artwork of students

page 10

answers to.” Bute explains this revelation saying, “Time no longer exists for me. There is no future. Instead, life has become a procession of moments—this is even more real to me because I am not even sure that I have an entire day at a time. And I am not talking about achieving some bullshit list—I am talking about the pragmatic reality that I have been dealt.” Pausing, Bute recalls, “I remember a quote that went something like, ‘Life is a series of contin-gent choices’ and that in life you choose without knowing the outcome. You choose as well as you can and only at the end of the journey your desti-ny will be revealed.’” He said, “I am at the end of my journey and I feel like I know what my des-tiny was—to be a teacher in the broadest sense. I am an obsessive life-long learner and I constantly want to share what I have discovered.” Bute approaches every class he teaches as if it is a work of art and admits, “Some works of art turn out better than others, but my goal is to make my class the one thing in the week that you want to show up for and you don’t want to miss.” Bute went on to say, “I may get in trouble for saying this but the phrase I use at the start of each class is ‘I am here to kill your teachers.’” He added, “certainly figuratively and not literally.” Bute explained that he wants to help students become their own lifetime teachers, “to realize that learning and discovery never stops, and that students don’t need a classroom to continue to grow.” This thirst for knowledge is illustrated by Bute’s addiction to reading and collecting books. Bute says that it is his “vice.” He said, “I collect and consume books like an alcoholic. Even if I had the opportunity to live to 150 years I would never begin to be able to read everything that I want to.”

Page 2 April 2011 The Metropolitan http://themetropolitan.metrostate.edu

Earthquake and tsunami devastate Japan

account should not just be sitting there as if to serve as an emergency account for the University. “Stu-dents really want to see their money in action,” Stanton said. “My role is ensuring what we build meets the needs of students.” Stanton says the loan works a lot like a mortgage—the more money that is put down (from the student activities account), the lower the payments will be (paid via incoming student activity fees). One idea for the student center includes “inexpensive, quick, easy, healthy food,” according to Stanton. Lockers and a play area (similar to a McDonald’s play area) for students’ children have also been suggested, along with lots of places to “plug in.” Ahmed also says that many other ideas have been suggested including a work-out center, quiet study areas, auditorium/event space, and lounge space for socializing. Stanton also said, “Student organizations have no space, Student Senate has a small of-fice…it would be a home for student organizations as well as student life and leadership.” Ultimately, Boyum Breen and Stanton recognize that students need a functional space. “Students need a place to feel engaged in their com-munity,” Boyum-Breen said. “I am here to rally for the students. It’s my job to see that the students’ vision comes to life.” Ahmed, who also serves as the Student Science Association’s pub-lic relations officer and a member of the Muslim Student Organization, says this project should be for the students, by the students. “Our Uni-versity’s mission is to provide a high quality education that would result in a desire to be a lifelong learner,” Ahmed said. “In order to cultivate that potential idea we, as a universi-ty, should be able to provide a space where students can express their ideas [and] inspire their fellow peers with their life experiences.” For more information on the student center planning, e-mail Trenda Boyum-Breen at Trenda.BoyumBreen@metrostate.edu or Ce-cilia Stanton at Cecilia.Stanton@metrostate.edu.

Student centercontinued from page 1

BY SHELAGH CONNOLY Connsh@go.metrostate.edu

On Friday March 11, 2011, Japan’s north-ern region suffered a 9.0 earthquake. The quake triggered a tsunami wave at least ten feet high that traveled at 800 kilometers per hour, equal to that of a modern jet plane. Japan’s National Police Agency said Monday, March 21 that the casualties numbered 8,649 with another 13,262 missing since the earthquake and tsunami struck on the coast near Sendai. Thousands of others have been evacuated from the region to shelters in Tokyo and elsewhere. Serious damage occurred at the tsunami-stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Okumamachi, Fukushima Prefecture. Japan issued a nationwide nuclear emergency immediately after the catastrophe. It has been a tense scene at the plant as cooling systems have failed due to an electrical outage cutting off the flow of water necessary to cool the fuel rods inside the reactor. The Japanese govern-ment has taken unprecedented measures to supply water to the plant including employing helicopters to drop seawater into the reactors. The massive earthquake and tsunami that wiped out entire villages in northeast Japan caused up to $235 billion in damages, the World Bank said on March 20, making the natural disaster one of the most expensive in modern history. The quake severely damaged a highway near Tokyo and leveled buildings in northeast Ja-pan. A train was missing in the coastal area hit by the tsunami. Surreal images from TV foot-age showed the force of water, darkened by

the debris, decimating everything in its path. Houses, cars and boats were tossed around like toys as they were destroyed by the killer wave. Even for a country accustomed to earth-quakes, the devastation was beyond any-thing in memory. Records of earth-quakes in Japan date back 140 years. Many charities have set up relief funds for the victims of the disaster, including the Salvation Army, Globalgiving.org, the United Way and the Red Cross. The Salvation Army and United Way have reported several incidents of fraudu-lent use of their name and logo in e-mail solicita-tions for relief donations. Caution is urged when giving to any charitable organization online. The staff of The Metropolitan is spreading the word on how students can help those affected by the disaster in Japan. Our hearts go out to all members of the University who have been af-fected by such devastation. Any amount of funds donated can help a fam-ily survive such a crisis. The organizations listed below are accepting donations for survivors. Please consider giving support to the people of Japan.American Red Cross To donate online, go to redcross.org. You can also text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10. The Red Cross has also launched a Causes campaign on Facebook to raise at least $25,000 for relief efforts. By logging in to Facebook, you can donate anywhere from $10 to $500 to help Tsunami victims and their families.

Students can also donate to the Red Cross by signing into iTunes and donating anywhere from $5 to $200 with one click.Zynga and Save the Children Students can purchase digital crops using Zyn-ga, a social gaming company (www.zynga.com). Zynga will donate 100% of the proceeds from the purchases of sweet potatoes in CityVille, radishes in FarmVille or kobe cows in Frontier-Ville. Zynga is parterning with Save the Chil-dren’s Japan Earthquake Tsunami Emergency Fund in donating money.Hello Bar By embedding code on your Web site, students can donate to relief efforts. The Hello Bar (www.hellobar.com) places a noticeable message at the top of your web site prompting users to donate. W hile the service is in private beta, signing up with the code helpjapan will give you access to the code snippet. International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Rescuers from the IFAW are assessing animal injuries and assisting with animal rescue efforts. To donate to the IFAW, visit http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw_united_states/media_center/press_releas-es/03_25_2011_69882.php.Music for Relief Music for Relief, an organization for artists, music industry professionals and fans, lists their mission as “to support disaster relief and re-duce global warming.” Students can learn more about ways to help the victims of Japan by visit-ing www.musicforrelief.org/donate.

Mobile options Students can text a donation from a mobile phone through the following organizations: • Text JAPAN or TSUNAMI to 20222 to donate $10 to Save the Children. • Text 4JAPAN or 4TSUNAMI to 20222 to donate $10 to World Vision, Inc., a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization that works with children, families and com-munities in need.• Text MERCY to 25283 to donate $10 to Mercy Corps, which focuses on disaster re-sponse, sustainable economic development, and health services.• Text SUPPORT to 85944 to donate $10 to ADRA Relief, the Seventh Day Adventist charitable initiative whose emergency man-agement initiatives provide aid to disaster sur-vivors.• Text MED to 80888 to donate $10 to Assist International Medical Corps, a group dedicat-ed to relieving the suffering of those impacted by war, natural disaster and disease• Text JAPAN to 80888 to donate $10 to the Salvation Army, which has three emergency service relief teams working in areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami• To donate to World Relief Corp., the hu-manitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals, text WAVE to 50555• To donate to Convoy of Hope, a faith-based organization that does community out-reach and disaster response, text TSUNAMI to 50555.

April 2011 Page 3 http://themetropolitan.metrostate.edu The Metropolitan

Reminder: We’re online!Visit http://themetropolitan.metrostate.edu to view archived articles,

see staff information and check out our calendar!

BY RENEE NORENNorere@go.metrostate.edu

In October of 2004, Bonnie Fournier, a Metropolitan State University alumna with a B.A. in communications, was standing with her twin sister, Barb, in the atrium of her apartment building in St. Paul. It was a pub-lic art event, and clearly an inspirational place. A photograph was taken in that moment as Barb kissed Bonnie on the cheek. This picture ended up framed in Bonnie’s home and greet-ed her whenever she entered. Looking at the smooch only half-captured in the photograph lifted Bonnie’s spirits, no matter her mood. Several months later, Fournier decided to take an introduction to Buddhism class at a lo-cal meditation center and stumbled into her spiritual home. The 2,500-year-old teachings explained why she found so much joy out of the photograph of her and her sister. Mudita, or “appreciative joy,” is a word used to de-scribe the emotion one feels when witnessing another’s good fortune. As Fournier describes, “We feel happy when we see happiness in someone else.” From here, Fournier set out to test the centuries-old Buddhist teachings and to see if she could duplicate the experience of mudita. Thus began The Smooch! Project. The next chapter is best described by Fourni-er herself: “As a lifelong artist who has worked in several media, I have never had trouble coming up with ideas for work I wanted to do. My challenge was choosing which ones were compelling. Often I had two or three large projects moving forward at the same time. I held the first public Smooch! shoot out of curiosity. Would photos of strangers smooch-ing their loved ones have the same effect on me as that original photo of my sister and me? Not only was the answer a definite ‘Yes,’ I was also pleasantly surprised by the reaction of the participants who encouraged me to continue the project. It was that encouragement, along

The Smooch! Project: A labor of love by a Metropolitan State alumna

with my own reactions towards these photos that compelled me along this path.” Almost five years and over 1,000 photo-graphs later, The Smooch! Project is still bringing mudita to its participants. Now, Fournier’s goal is to reach 10,000 images. “The archive grows very slowly so there are many moments when I feel like I will never make it,” said Fournier. “At the moment, I cannot imagine not working on The Smooch! Project so it is likely I will continue to collect images after that goal is reached.” Each image is taken at a Smooch! shoot, which are often set up near or as a part of a public event. The next event, the Smooch! Project’s internationally-themed five-year an-niversary celebration dinner will be taking place Saturday, April 30 at the Sheraton Min-neapolis Midtown. Ticket information for this dinner can be found at www.thesmoochproject.com. Also, the next Smooch! shoot will be on Sunday, May 1 from noon-8 p.m. in St. Paul’s Cosmopolitan Building (no reservations re-quired). “Working on The Smooch! Project has been the most rewarding of all my creative efforts,” said Fournier. “In my mind, this project is now much more than a personal art project. It is very much a community-encouraged art project. With luck, financial support and some staff, I am hopeful the goal can be reached.” To spread the word (and the love) tell your friends and family about the project. Bring your parents, children, siblings, friends, or pets to the next event. Or, donate to help Fournier spread the mudita! Donations go toward moving The Smooch! Project towards its goal. More information can be found by visiting www.thesmoochproject.com or by e-mailing Bon-nie Fournier at photogirl@thesmoochproject.com.

Above: The orginal Smooch! photograph of Barb kissing Bonnie on the cheek.Below: Smooch! photographs taken at an event.

Photos courtesy of Bonnie Fournier

Organ and tissue donation

BY HOLLY KLUVERKluvho@go.metrostate.edu

Did you know you could make a difference in someone’s life? Quick, before you set off for class or scan the next newsletter article, STOP! Take out your driver’s license or state identification card. Does it say “DONOR” anywhere on your card? If so, let me be the first to say, “thank you.”My Experience Organ and tissue donation has affected my immediate family in a way you might not think. I wish I could tell you that I witnessed a miracle watching my close friend or neigh-bor patiently wait for and receive a life-saving organ, but I cannot. My name is Holly Kluver and I am a donor daughter. In the summer of 2009, I lost my mom, Corrine Stein, to a horrific bicycle ac-cident. One nice, sunny evening, my parents and brother were enjoying a bicycle ride in the neighborhood. Out of the blue, my mom fell to the pavement hitting her head. Now imagine this—I got a phone call from my aunt with the devastating news, and those

two words, “be prepared.” I dropped every-thing, left our kids with the in-laws, and my husband and I rushed to the metro hospital. We wait and pray, pray and wait. It is not until we are called into a private room that we got the news: My mother is brain dead . A respirator was keeping her body alive, but her brain ceased to tell her body how to function. We started to say our goodbyes to her, this shell of a body only recognizable for the tip of her nose and the wedding band on her finger. Facts about Organ and Tissue Donation. • Right now there are over 110,000 peo-

ple in the United States waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.

• More than 3,000 of those people are in the upper Midwest.

• Every 12 minutes another name is added to the donor list.

• In four hours, 20 peoples’ names are added to the list.

• In one day, 18 people on the list die waiting.

• One person can save and heal up to 60 lives through organ and tissue donation.

Who is on the donor list? Your neighbor, friend, co-worker, or someone you held the door for yesterday. Tomorrow, after you go to work, drive home, take care of your kids, and go to bed, 18 people on the list will die.You Can Make a Difference. Imagine you are in a horrendous accident and are on life support. The team of doctors tells your family you are brain dead. There is nothing that can be done medically to save you. Your brain, the control center of your body, is destroyed. If you have “DONOR” on your license, your wish to be a donor will be granted. (If you do not, your family will be asked to make the decision on your behalf.)

The Donation Process There are six transplantable organs: Heart, Kidneys (2), Lungs (2), Liver, Pancreas, and Intestine. Laboratory tests are done to deter-mine which, if any, organs are transplantable. From there the waiting list of potential re-cipients is consulted. Matching an organ with a recipient is based on the following factors: • The severity of the person’s illness• Length of time waiting for a transplant• Blood type• Size of organThere are six types of transplantable tis-sue: • Bone is used to replace lost or damaged

bone from trauma, cancer or spinal fu-sion.

• Connective tissue is used to repair knee tendons and ligaments.

• Skin serves as a temporary covering for third degree burns.

• Vessels are used in bypass surgeries.• Heart valves are used to replace dam-

aged ones in children and adults. • Eyes or corneas replace diseased or dam-

aged ones. Age and health do not matter. These are both evaluated on an individual basis at the time of death. People of all ages are eligible to donate. In fact, the oldest known donor today, was a 93-year-old gentleman from Texas. Have you heard enough? If you support donation there are two steps you can take. First, share your wishes with your family. Second, the next time you renew your driv-er’s license or state ID, register to become a donor. Don’t want to wait that long? Log on to www.donatelifemn.org to register. It only takes a few minutes. My mom did not have “DONOR” listed on her license. We (my dad, brother, sister

and I) were asked on her behalf to consider donation. My mom was a giver. She gave of herself every day. The answer was easy. We said yes, she would want to give the gift of life to someone else. My mom was not a spring chicken or in top health. She was almost 59 and was a dia-betic, using an insulin pump. Our family was informed later on that our mom was able to give the gifts of her two kidneys, liver and tissue. Fast forward a few weeks later—we get a letter in the mail from LifeSource, an organ and tissue donation procurement organiza-tion covering Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and parts of Wisconsin. It states that a woman not much older than my mom received her liver and kidney. A man in his mid-thirties got her other kidney. Lastly, countless others got her gift of tissue. Bottom line: Donation works. For more information on organ and tis-sue donation go to www.lifesource.org or call 888-5-DONATE.

Holly’s mom, Corrine Stein, with grandsons Gavin and Benjamin Kluver taken in September 2008.

Photo courtesy of Holly Kluver

Page 4 April 2011 The Metropolitan http://themetropolitan.metrostate.edu

News in

BriefYour information

destination for Metropolitan State’s

student organizations.

Alcohol and Drug CounselingStudent Club (ADC)

ADC meetings provide opportunities for networking with future co-work-ers, learning the steps to earning your license, discussion of class materials, community service work and more. Upcoming meeting dates are on April 21 and May 19 from 4:30-6 p.m. in Library room 301. A light dinner will be provided. For more informa-tion, e-mail Alex Davis at davial@go.metrostate.edu.

Computer Forensics Student Association

The newest student organization is the Computer Forensics Student Asso-ciation, an organization based on the High Technology Crime Investigation Association (HTCIA), a group of law inforcement and computer profes-sionals that inform people of the latest technology for computer investigators. Members are entitled to free training from the HTCIA and the ability to at-tend training conferences several times a year. For more information, contact Aleta Ruffin at Aleta.Ruffin@metro-state.edu.

Film Club

The film club and the Metropolitan State Screenwriting Program are host-ing the first annual Metropolitan State Film Festival. The event will take place on April 7 from 4:30-9:30 p.m. on the third floor of the library. It will fea-ture nine short-films by the Film Club along with other student submissions. For more infomrmation, e-mail metro-filmplus@gmail.com.

Hope Within U

Hope within U will be hosting a health and wellness expo on April 6 from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the New Main Great Hall. The event will feature free massages, a self-massage demonstra-tion, a blood drive sign-up, mental health assessments and booths from the Nursing and Psycohology Depart-ments, Life Source, Aikido martial arts and more. For more information, visit www.hopewithinu.weebly.com.

LGBTQ Student Organization- Lavendar Bridge

Lavendar Bridge is hosting an open mic night Friday, April 1 from 6:30-9 p.m. at the Educated Palate. For more information, e-mail Sidney.Gardner@metrostate.edu or call (651) 793-1544.

Muslim Student Organization

The Muslim Student Organization (MSO) invites you to their end of the year banquet on April 20 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in the New Main Great Hall. The event will feature Emmy Award-nominated Liza Garza, a poet, vocalist and songwriter. For more in-formation, visit http://mso.metrostate.edu.

BY SHELAGH CONNOLLYConnsh@go.metrostate.edu

A delegation of 175 people from Education Minnesota boarded charter buses to join the 100,000 union labor protesters in Madison, Wis. at 8 a.m. Saturday, March 12. Political organizing specialist Jim Meyer of Education Minnesota coordinated the event. “We got a call from the AFT (American Fed-eration of Teachers) and the NEA (National Education Association) asking us to get people down to Madison because they were really in trouble with this bill,” Meyer said. “We talked to the leadership and got the okay to charter as many buses as we could.” Meyer was only able to charter three buses, leaving a waiting list of about 90 people. The contingent made the trip to welcome home the group of 14 Wisconsin Democratic senators who left the state in order to block the passing of newly elected Governor Scott Walker’s bud-get repair bill. Although Republicans control the State Senate by 19 to 14, 20 senators must be in the room to call a vote on fiscal matters, so the twentieth would therefore be a Democrat. The delegation of Minnesota teachers and their supporters arrived to find a city where burning sage permeated the air and the sounds of chanting, drums and guitars enhanced the peaceful atmosphere. Taxi cab drivers honked their horns in support of the union, a staccato rhythm mimicking the chant, “This is what de-mocracy looks like!” Other drivers responded in kind. The crowd marched peacefully through the streets of Wisconsin’s capitol city to show soli-darity with the public workers of Wisconsin. Among the protesters were delegations from Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Min-nesota. A significant number of the protesters were teachers and their families. Their stories

were similar: multiple certifications, double master degrees, thousands of dollars in student loans—coupled with decreased wages and ba-sic benefits—were putting a financial strain on households nationwide. Many expressed con-cern about Governor Walker’s lack of a bach-elor’s degree. Jennifer Kranic, an art teacher from Franklin, Wis., said that collective bargaining is impor-tant because maintaining a voice in labor nego-tiations is crucial in creating a decent environ-ment for her students—as well as maintaining a decent standard of living. “It ultimately comes down to our students,” Kranic said. She has taken a $4,000 a year pay cut and pays $6,000 a year for her double master’s degrees. Many other groups—including families of teachers, students and political activists—were on hand to show their support for the work-ers of Wisconsin. All 14 Wisconsin Democratic senators spoke at the podium on the front steps of Wisconsin’s capitol building. Reverend Jesse Jackson opened his remarks with a prayer for earthquake-damaged Japan. Actress Susan Sarandon spoke as “a mother whose children you have fed, clothed and kept safe…and as a union member myself.” She pointed out that the United States Constitu-tion gave no rights to workers. She said that the unions were responsible for safeguarding the workplace and eliminating draconian child labor practices, creating the eight-hour day and helping to pass minimum wage laws, as well as social security and unemployment benefits. Other noted speakers included actor Tony Shalhoub, and Ohio congressional representa-tive Dennis Kucinich. After leaving the state on Feb. 17, the 14 Democratic lawmakers returned after the GOP-controlled legislature took all the spend-ing measures out of the pending budget legis-lation—and a special committee of lawmakers from both the Senate and Assembly approved the revised bill a short time later. The unex-pected and simple procedural move caught the Democratic lawmakers off guard, ending a stalemate that had threatened to drag on indefinitely. Until the surprise vote on March 10, it appeared the standoff would persist until Democrats returned to Madison, ostensibly to

negotiate with Governor Walker. Many see this legislative move, citing open meeting laws, as an illegal maneuver, whose sole intent is to break Wisconsin’s public labor union. “In 30 minutes, 18 state senators undid 50 years of civil rights in Wisconsin. Their dis-respect for the people of Wisconsin and their rights is an outrage that will never be forgot-ten,” said Democratic Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller. “Tonight, 18 Senate Republicans conspired to take government away from the people.” What may seem like union-busting to some is mere fiscal responsibility to others. Governor Walker’s supporters assert that the measures taken to weaken the public unions are a neces-sary step to balancing the state’s budget. Public worker supporters consider this leg-islation to be a death knell for workers’ rights across the country. Opponents of the new bud-get measures say the GOP’s goal is to weaken the country’s public school system, thereby cre-ating a cheap labor force who will not be able to advocate for their rights due to fear of em-ployer retaliation. The general chorus is that the Republicans threw the dice thinking that they could pass this type of legislation, deal with dis-appointed workers for a short time and move on. The push-back from workers and their sup-porters was not expected. Petitions for the recall of the Republican lawmakers who passed this legislation were cir-culating the crowd. Governor Walker will not be up for recall until he has served one year in office. All Wisconsin legislators elected in 2008 are vulnerable to recall once a sufficient amount of signatures are collected. An average of about 18,000 signatures per lawmaker is necessary to start recall proceedings. The presence of any support for the bill was barely perceptible. A lone sign of opposition held by a man read, “The union gravy train is coming to a halt.” Rallies are expected to be held across the coun-try until the matter is resolved. The resolution desired by the supporters of union labor work-ers is the recall of Governor Walker and the 18 Wisconsin Senators who passed the legislation, and the overturning of the anti-union provi-sions passed by the Republican lawmakers.

Monte Butecontinued from page 1

Rally20

In the last year he has sold or given away over 3,000 books and still has about that many left at home. Bute amassed his collection over years of traveling; he would bring an empty suitcase with him on any trip to fill with books for the return trip home. He said, “I kept a list in my head of books I wanted and would haunt book-stores looking for out-of-print titles. Now you can just go online and have the books delivered to you in a matter of days. This is more conve-nient, but it also takes the fun out of the search and discovery.” He hopes that his students “will look back in five years and be embarrassed by what they are reading today, and if not, then they are not growing.” Bute explains that the process of con-stantly looking back and “seeing how ignorant you were during that time in the past, and recog-nizing how little you know and knew is how you continue to learn and grow.” Bute’s life is an example of learning and teach-ing through his experiences. He discovered that “the tools that I needed to teach I gained through the first phase in my life.” Bute explains that, “I

was absorbed in two crafts that eventually came together.” Bute spent the first part of his life as an activist. His involvement in activism grew out of his work in the newspaper and journalism world. He was involved in the counter-culture of the 1960s and ‘70s and organized one of the first peace marches. Bute says that in 1973 when the ‘60s eventually ended, he developed a commit-ment to a new career of community organizer. Bute quotes a line from Herman Melville that reads, “A Whale ship was my Yale College and my Harvard”, and explains that, “Organizing was my Harvard and my Yale.” Bute worked closely with people that had very few resources and organizations that advocated for those in the state tenement units, the unem-ployed, union members and students. Bute says that he was “trying to help them win with the limited resources that were available to them.” This passion eventually led to the study of the social sciences. Bute’s socially deviant history helped him ap-ply social theory in the classroom and brought theory to life for many of his students. Mid-ca-reer, a colleague recommended that Bute apply for a position at Metropolitan State University, saying, “You know Monte, you are just weird enough to work at Metro State.” At that time,

Bute explains, “Metro State was the most radi-cal higher education establishment in the area. Students were encouraged to find a mentor and learn through demonstrable goals and experi-ences.” There were no traditional classes or tra-ditional degree programs and, at that time, no accreditation. The first class that Bute taught at Metropolitan State was titled “Interpersonal and Social Power: A View From Below.” Bute reflects on his first teaching experiences saying, “I was just an inept novice that learned by the seat of my pants.” Bute was an under-graduate from the University of Minnesota and taught classes in a variety of places (including the state prison system) while earning his B.A. Bute laughs and says, “I was like a very old baseball player who is still stubbornly playing but is will-ing to learn how to throw a new pitch.” Bute eventually earned his M.A. while work-ing at Metropolitan State. As he saw how his life experiences and education came together, Bute realized that, “it does not matter what the con-tent is but that learning reveals a window on the human soul—the point of a liberal education is to provide a window to the human soul.” You can contact Bute at Monte.Bute@metrosate.edu. To follow Bute’s story, readers can visit The Monte Bute Fan Club on Facebook.

Protestors gather in Madison.Photos courtesy of Shelagh Connolly.

April 2011 Page 5 http://themetropolitan.metrostate.edu The Metropolitan

BY RANDI JOHNSONJohnra01@go.metrostate.edu

When I was growing up, there were two things in life I wanted to accomplish. One was to become a professional race car driver. The second was to make the perfect cup of coffee. I grew up in a house of coffee. There was your morning cup, your mid-day jolt, your afternoon java and your evening sludge. I learned how to make a pot of coffee before I could ride a bike; I even had a cat named Folgers. That, my friend, is a sign of a serious love affair with the bean juice. While I have learned to limit my intake of coffee for fear of bursting my heart open, I still appreciate a good cup of joe. As most journalists know, coffee is a staple for meeting deadlines. In between working full-time and attending college full-time, I drink an average of four cups of coffee a day to keep myself from dropping unconscious in the hallways of Metropolitan State University. This average doesn’t even take into account paper dead-lines or finals, when the number jumps to an embarrassing high that I refuse to publish for fear of having my coffeepot taken away. So you can imagine my interest in the idea that coffee may not be that bad for you. Of course, I knew that coffee, like most vices, is healthy in moderation. However, say mod-eration to me when I’m writing three papers and building a SharePoint site in one day and the word may as well be in a native Australian dialect for all the meaning it has to me. Luck-ily, a dietician friend shared an article from EatingWell magazine (www.eatingwell.com) that helped curb some of my guilt. It turns out that there are a few things to keep in mind before giving a lecture on the dangers of coffee. The most compelling fact that I learned was that 200 milligrams of caf-feine provides relief from headaches, since

caffeine boosts the activity of brain cells, which may help relieve the pressure of a painful head-ache. That is, if said coffee drinker was blessed enough to not be super-sensitive to coffee and able to avoid shaking or twitching from too much caffeine, which was apparently not the case for my household. The most beautiful word that every coffee drinker should learn is antioxidants:• Coffee has more antioxidants than blueber-ries per serving, which suppress inflammation on arteries.

• While the whole point (and pleasure) of cof-fee is to raise your heart rate, it has a long-term effect on lowering your blood pressure with the triggering of nitric oxide. • The antioxidants in coffee might also inhibit cancer cells, studies suggest. The chlorogenic and caffeic acids found in a 2-cup increase in daily coffee intake were recently found to re-duce the risk of liver cancer.• Some studies suggest that the antioxidants ingested in drinking between one and five cups of coffee a day may ward off brain cell damage.

• Your cells sensitivity to insulin is also boost-ed in drinking coffee. Some studies report that those who drink 4 or more cups of coffee a day may have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. To read more in-depth research on the ef-fects of coffee drinking, read the article in the March/April 2011 issue of EatingWell. By the way, that dream of becoming a racecar driver never did become a reality. With my caffeine intake, that’s probably safer for everyone.

Staffreviews

To bean or not to bean...

For thehealthof it

A worthy readBY COLLETTE DENETDeneco@go.metrostate.edu

A book revolving around one topic is hard enough to generate, let alone one that encompasses multiple perspectives, credentials, histories, and opinions. In the wake of perhaps the most devastating natural disaster of this decade, Dr. Martin Munro undertook the painstaking chal-lenge of relating the Haitian earthquake of 2010 to the world at large in Haiti Rising: Haitian History, Culture, and the Earth-quake of 2010. With an event so fresh in the minds of so many, Munro provides a collective yet introspective look at a nation too often ne-glected. Yet, with countless history books at our disposal, why should we devote our time to his anthology? Is he a credible au-thority on the subject? Does the layout of his book provide an interesting approach to the subject matter? For whom does he focus the goals of his enterprise? To answer the first question you will need some background on Munro him-self. Munro obtained a master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Aber-deen. As French and Francophone litera-ture professor at Florida State University, Munro has edited and co-edited four books involving Caribbean history and literature, as well as multiple journal ar-ticles on the subject. He has had ample experience living among the islanders of Trinidad and Tobago for over seven years. He is an African language expert and he is immensely passionate about spreading the knowledge of these island nations, which is evident by the selection of contributors found in Haiti Rising. Encapsulated in the 194 pages are the testimonies of over twenty individuals

of varying backgrounds and beliefs. Their unifying connection lies in their shared ex-periences of the earthquake that struck the Caribbean island on Jan. 12, 2010. Munro divided the book into four sections (Survivor Testimonies, Politics, Culture, and Society, History and Haiti and Me), which provide the reader with many different perspectives in which to digest the material, as well as per-tinent background to aid the reader in com-prehension of the subject matter. The often dry retelling of history is instead given in the form of short essays, which each highlight a different focus. Munro’s selection of authors is intrinsic to the book’s overall design and appeal. From Haitian born activists to Hai-tian historians, no stone is left unturned by these authors, whose diverse specialties en-rich each page. As editor, Munro translated much of the text from French or Creole dia-lects, including slang terms and expressions, giving it a more authentic vibe. A unique characteristic of this book is that it appeals to any reader, with any level of knowledge regarding Haitian history. Al-though the historical essays presume that the reader has a general idea of concepts regard-ing Haiti—such as Haitian Independence in 1804, or Haiti’s status as a free state—more complicated information is presented in an easily digested manner. Coupled with the changes in perspective comes a change in the narrative voice with each new author. This shift keeps the reader intrigued and com-pelled to continue reading. For novice histo-rians, however, the simple addition of a map, diagram, or photo would’ve aided in the un-derstanding and enjoyment of the historical section of the text. For whom does Munro focus the goals of

his enterprise? He strives to briefly summa-rize Haiti’s troubled history for the greater populace and to inspire, through descrip-tive anecdotes, continued hope and prog-ress. His contributors emphasize the way in which French laws and policies have shaped the typography, geography and social divide of present-day Haiti. The themes of Haitian unity, humanity, and strength as an often forgotten nation are constant throughout the pages. Munro emphasizes the three prominent re-ligions in Haiti as well as their prospective followers’ reactions to the quake. In every in-stance, the issues are looked at from a pleth-ora of angles. A testimony from an elderly Creole woman and active voodoo follower precedes that of a foreign exchange student to incorporate multiple viewpoints. The American and British media are at-tacked on a number of occasions due to the apparent misinformation and exaggerations represented in its broadcasts. A general re-sentment is also expressed regarding the neglect and lack of organization among aid groups. However, much more importance is placed on the future and resolve of the na-tion. Nadeve Menard, professor of literature in Port-au-Prince, expresses that “if Haiti is to rise again, the movement can only come from within. Everyone would do well to re-alize that—Haitians and foreigners alike. We need to help ourselves. A nation cannot be saved or run by NGOs. Nor is the answer to flee the sinking ship.” Munro does not restrict his collection to stories of shock and awe. Nor does he at-tempt to press upon his readers opinions oth-er than truth, optimism, and possibility. This is a time for Haitians to rebuild. The reader is

pulled into a world that is typically outside our scope of thought and confronted with the commonality of humankind. On the coattails of innumerable histori-cal atrocities and injustices, Haiti Rising is worth donating the short amount of time it takes to absorb its humanity. Munro meets all the criteria for a heart wrench-ing—yet important—look at a devastating moment in time. As Deborah Jenson, a French professor at Duke, so poignantly sings out in the book, “Haiti, dear Haiti, no matter how tested and remapped by disaster, is not, in itself, disaster… Haiti is not disaster.”

Photo courtesy of www.amazon.com.

Page 6 April 2011 The Metropolitan http://themetropolitan.metrostate.edu

Writing Center Spring 2011 workshops

Walk for animals on April 30BY ALEXANDRA HEDINHedial@go.metrostate.edu

On Saturday April 30, the 37th annual Animal Humane Society (AHS) Walk for Animals will be held at Theodore Wirth Park in Golden Valley. The fun, activity-filled five-mile walk attracted 10,000 walk-ers last year alone, as well as nearly 5,000 animals—including dogs, cats, parrots, fer-rets, rabbits, pot-bellied pigs, guinea pigs, rats, goats, and even snakes. Over one mil-lion dollars was raised last year, and AHS hopes to reach that goal again this year. This goal can only be reached with the sup-port of the community, so animal lovers are encouraged to put their best fundrais-ing efforts forward and attend the Walk for Animals. The money raised is used to support the nearly 36,000 animals that the AHS cares for each year. AHS has five Twin Cities lo-cations— Golden Valley, St. Paul, Buffalo, Coon Rapids, and Woodbury—that offer services such as pet adoption, outreach, pet boarding and training, and humane inves-tigations. Public Relations Associate of the AHS, Carrie Libera, explained that since 1878, the AHS has been helping animals and the people who love them. “In 2007, the AHS came to be what it is today, from the merger of three different animal welfare organizations in the Twin Cities metro,” she said. “The walk was created as a way for the community to get more involved in our work and support the animals that need their help—and to celebrate the animals in their own lives!” Not only does the money raised go to help animals in need, but prizes are also given to those who participate and raise money for the walk. Any amount raised makes for an early check-in, which is great to avoid the

lines on the morning of the walk.Prizes and benefits for amounts raised • $50: Walkers receive a limited edition

Walk for Animals pet bandanna, and vaccinations for two stray cats will be funded.

• $100: Walkers receive a limited edi-tion Walk for Animals t-shirt, and ster-ilization surgery for two puppies will be funded.

• $250: Walkers receive a limited edi-tion AHS baseball hat, and x-rays for two injured animals will be funded.

• $500: Walkers receive the benefit of VIP check-in and a pre-walk breakfast, plus a Walk for Animals hooded sweat-shirt. This amount also helps three dogs through the Adoption Prepara-tion program, which readies shy or fearful dogs for adoption.

• $1,000: Walkers receive the benefit of VIP parking, plus a limited edition AHS jacket. This amount also provides housing and care to 67 animals in the shelter for one day.

• $2,500: Walkers will receive a digi-tal camera, and medical supplies and medications for 41 spay/neuter surger-ies will be funded.

• $5,000: Walkers will receive a Kindle, and also help fund a cruelty investiga-tion and animal rescue.

• $10,000: Those who raise $10,000 will receive a night out with one guest, and the CEO/President of the AHS, Janelle Dixon. $10,000 will also sup-port the operating expenses of the AHS Woodbury location for six days.

Anyone interested in registering and fundraising for the walk can register as

an individual or as a team of five or more people. People from all over the country at-tend this event. “The Walk for Animals is a super fun event that both people and pets should definitely not miss out on,” said Libera. “It’s such a cool thing to bring your pet and hang out with thousands of animals and animal lovers.” Activities include special appearances from personalities at Fox 9 and Cities 97, the “Flealess Market” for pet and people vendors, games for dogs and dog owners, Radio Disney dancers, a pet microchip and nail trim clinic, and pet contests. Registra-tion and activities begin at 8:30 a.m., but the walk begins at 10 a.m., and can last as little or as long as walkers wish. Post-walk activities will run until 2 p.m. and food and beverages will be available for purchase. Starting at 8 a.m., every ten minutes, free shuttle buses will pick walkers AND their pets up, and shuttle them to AHS’s Golden

Valley campus at 845 Meadow Lane North. Walkers can park for free in Golden Valley at the OptumHealth parking lot, located at the northeast corner of Olson Memorial Highway (Hwy 55) and Douglas Drive; the Honeywell Plant parking lot at 1985 Douglas Drive; or the Golden Valley Tech Center at 6305 Sandburg Road. This event should not be missed. Ani-mals are in a great need of help from the community and animal lovers everywhere. “As a private, non-profit organization, we receive no federal, state, or government funding,” said Libera. “That’s why raising funds at the walk is crucial to our success in helping all the animals who come through our doors.” The AHS also hopes to engage the community more deeply, since they couldn’t operate without the help of others. For more information on the 2011 Walk for the Animals, please visit www.animalhu-manesociety.org/walk.

Drew N. Melendres was appointed associate vice president of enrollment management by President Sue K. Hammersmith. The appoint-ment became effective March 1. In this position, Melendres oversees the offices of admissions, financial aid, Gateway Student Services and the registrar. He reports to the stu-dent affairs vice president and is a member of the President’s Cabinet, collaborating with colleagues across all divisions of the University to provide strategic and operational enrollment management leadership. Melendres comes to Metropolitan State Uni-versity from Texas Tech University where he has worked since 2006, most recently as assistant di-rector of recruitment and admissions, but also as a regional recruitment director and graduate assis-tant professor. Previously he worked for Dell Inc. and the University of Texas at Austin. Melendres holds a B.A. in economics from the University of Texas at Austin and an M.B.A. fo-cusing on leadership and management from Tex-as Tech University, Rawls College of Business.

Associate vice president of enrollment management appointed APA style workshops

The Metropolitan State University Writing Center welcomes you to parici-pate in workships on APA style. These workshops are for the competent, the cu-rious and the confused. No reservations are necessary; just come ready to work on Monday, April 11 from 4-6 p.m. in New Main L209.APA Drop-in Clinics on Citations and Formatting All members of the University com-munity are welcome to the Writing Cen-ter drop-in clinics on APA style citations and formatting. Bring your documents to these lab sessions and the staff will help you polish them. Attend as many sessions as you wish. These clinics take place in computer labs, so bring your work saved to a porta-ble device or your H-drive. The staff will help you with printed documents. The workshops are every Wednesday through April 27 from 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. in Library 312; or Thursdays through April 28 from 4-5:30 p.m. in Midway Center

36.Driving, Not Ditching: A Writing Center workshop on how to write ef-fectively to enhance learning and avoid plagiarism In this workshop, experienced, friendly writing center consultants walk students through each step in the academic writ-ing process, from understanding your assignment to comprehending sources, dialoging with them in your writing and citing them correctly. Students will take away a reliable step-by-step method for finishing a paper on or before the dead-line and feeling confident it is their own good work. The method is transerferable to any writing project; students will use it in every college course taken. Bring ques-tions, assignment instructions and any other writing concern on Thursday April 14 from 3-5 p.m. in Library 306. All workshops are open to students, faculty and staff of Metropolitan State. For more information, contact the Writ-ing Center at centerfolk@metrostate.edu or call (651) 793-1460.

Top: Participants walk in the 2010 Walk for Animals. Bottom left: Cocoa takes a break after a long trek. Bottom right: A team of walkers pauses for a photo in matching gear.

Photos courtesy of Alexandra Hedin

Photo courtesy of Alexandra Hedin

April 2011 Page 7 http://themetropolitan.metrostate.edu The Metropolitan

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BY ALEXANDRA HEDINHedial@go.metrostate.edu

On Feb. 19, the U.S. House of Repre-sentatives passed a measure that could cause many low- or middle-income college students to transfer to different institutions—or even drop out altogether. Many students depend on grants to help pay for the high cost of col-lege tuition. The measure will reduce next year’s maximum per-student Pell Grant by $845, making the new maximum $4,705—a big leap from the previous maximum of $5,550. This is a big chunk for those who count on financial assistance from the largest federal grant program available to students. The Federal Pell Grant is targeted to “the neediest students in the country.” To quali-fy, students must be undergraduates. The amount of money awarded depends on en-rollment level, such as full time or part time. Due to the recession, more students than ever are eligible—which is one of the reasons that the Pell Grant program is becoming so costly. From 2008 to 2009, 11.3 percent of Pell re-cipients earned at least $40,000 a year, and 1.1 percent of them earned more than $60,000. Thomas Mortenson, senior scholar at the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education, explained his thoughts on the issue to Inside Higher Ed news: “We need to make a straightforward economic ar-gument, challenging the notion that it’s more important to subsidize kids who don’t need it at the expense of educational opportunity for kids from lower economic families,” he said.

According to the Minnesota House of Rep-resentatives, “The state grant program—the need-based financial aid awards available to Minnesota college students—faces a $41.6 million deficit for the current biennium. To fix it, beginning next fall, students who re-ceive state grant money will see a $300 aver-age reduction in their total award.” The $300 that students may need to pull from their checking accounts could easily be the money they need to spend on their books for the se-mester. Without extra financial assistance, students may be unable to continue their education since there are many other expenses that come into play for college students. Spe-cifically at Metropolitan State, students pay $2.50 to park at the St. Paul Campus, and $5 at the Minneapolis Campus. These expenses can add up quickly. Being a full-time college student doesn’t always leave time to work enough hours to pay for tuition and tuition-related expenses. “Instead of being able to concentrate fully on my studies, if the grants were cut, I would have to start worrying about where my tu-ition money would be coming from, or how I was going to get money to simply pay rent or buy groceries,” said Metropolitan State student, Amanda Kissner. “Depending on the amount of money I would need, I might have to get a full-time job which would result in taking a longer time to graduate and more

stress and less focus on my studies.” Kissner explained that at one point during her educa-tion, she was working full time and going to school full time, but had to make a change. “I was drained,” she said. Metropolitan State is targeted to working students, and the tuition is much cheaper than many other universities in Minnesota. For an undergraduate Minnesota resident at Metropolitan State, the cost per credit taken on campus is approximately $197, compared to the cost at the University of Minnesota, which is $376 per credit. While Metropolitan State is inexpensive compared to other uni-versities in Minnesota, students still depend on the extra money they receive from Fed-eral Pell Grants. “If Metro offered more as-sistance, I would take advantage of it,” said Kissner. “I think it should be part of the school’s responsibility to help the students fi-nancially, and sometimes it feels that schools more or less are more focused on their rev-enue over the education they are providing to their students. Sometimes it feels more like a corporation than a place of knowledge.” Whether or not Metropolitan State can do anything in the future to assist students in need, something must be done so that stu-dents stay in school and get the education they need in order to reach their desired ca-reer goals. If students think that their finan-cial aid could be cut in the future, they may not see a point in going any further now.

Possible decrease in financial aid awards starting Fall 2011

Page 8 April 2011 The Metropolitan http://themetropolitan.metrostate.edu

Help us Gardy, you’re our only hope

For this month’s column, I had originally planned on writing something about Kevin Love’s amazing streak of double-doubles—but it’s kind of boring focusing on the freak-ish statistical achievements of a single player on a terrible team. Maybe the Wild’s late-season surge to the NHL playoffs? Looks like that storyline will have to wait for an-other year. March Madness? The insanity will be over by the time you read this. Instead, let’s look ahead to the only thing this state has going for it (in the realm of professional sports, at least). I’m basking in the warm Southern California sun on spring

break as I type this, and the topical intake of vitamin D has my thoughts drifting to the boys of summer and the impending season for our beloved Minnesota Twins—their second in the great outdoors of shiny new Target Field. Alas, aside from the magnificent new ven-ue, 2010 was another typical year for Ron Gardenhire and his plucky squad. The Twins played inspired ball for the first 162 games, and looked hopelessly inept for the final three—once again peeing down their legs and getting swept right out of the playoffs by those damn Yankees of New York. Min-nesota’s postseason losing streak is now at 12 games—the second most in MLB history (the Boston Red Sox lost 13 in a row from 1986–1995). So, will this year be any different? While the majority of the 2010 roster remains in-tact, there are several question marks—es-pecially among some of the core veterans. How will Justin Morneau hold up after be-ing sidelined by a nasty concussion since last July? Will Joe Nathan still be effective after undergoing Tommy John surgery and miss-ing out on all of last season? Is last season’s powerhouse version of Delmon Young for real? Will the starting rotation—led by the re-signed Carl Pavano and mercurial Fran-cisco Liriano—be strong enough to get this team back to the playoffs? Does Jim Thome have one more year in him? How will Jason Kubel be used now that Michael Cuddyer is back in right field? Will Alexi Casilla once again disappoint as an everyday player? Can cocksure Danny Va-

lencia duplicate his breakout rookie season? Most interesting perhaps, will be seeing how new middle infielder Tsuyoshi Nishio-ka performs in his first MLB season. A bona fide rock star in Japan, the Twins signed Nishioka to a three year, $9 million deal in the offseason—making him the first Asian-born player in franchise history. While the experts suggest tempering expectations, I’m excited—simply because of the stoic stability a Japanese player can bring to an already po-tent lineup. In theory, he’ll be a solid singles and doubles guy in the two-hole, setting the table for the meat of the order. If nothing else, it’ll be fun to follow the insatiable en-tourage of Japanese press shadowing Nish-ioka’s every move. The bullpen—a staple of Minnesota’s suc-cess over the past decade—may be the big-gest area of concern. Long-time Twins Matt Guerrier and Jesse Crain have departed for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox, respectively. If Nathan can re-claim his role as closer, set-up duties will likely be handled by the hefty duo of José Mijares and 2010 mid-season acquisition Matt Capps. As for the other four spots in the ‘pen, look for an assortment of familiar faces: Pat Neshek, Jeff Manship, and Glen Perkins alongside newer names like Jim Hoey and Anthony Slama. Pending a trade, one of last season’s starters—Kevin Slowey or Scott Baker perhaps—will likely slide into middle relief as well (the emergence of Brian Duen-sing late last season has created a logjam af-ter Pavano and Liriano).

Sports, sports, sportsBY DAVID JARNSTROM

Jarnda@go.metrostate.edu

Barring injuries (the one great equalizer in a league devoid of a salary cap), Minnesota should have a great chance of winning the Central Division for the third consecutive year. While the Twins’ leash with their fans is longer than most (outdoor baseball alone should sell out games for years to come) the natives may get a tad restless if another limp postseason showing goes down this October. I know I’ll be. (Hey, how about that? Not a single men-tion of Joe Mauer! Sorry ladies…)

I was rocking the sideburns long before that catcher guy came along.

Last-Ditch Effort By John Kroes

Expressions

April 2011 Page 9 http://themetropolitan.metrostate.edu The Metropolitan

We students working in the Veter-ans and Military Student Services Cen-ter, along with the students belonging

to the Metropolitan State Veterans Net-work (MSVN), would like to congratu-late Steve Campos. Steve is a part-time student working in the Veterans and Military Student Services Center and a recently retired veteran who proudly served his country for 35 years. Steve’s retirement ceremony took place at Fort Snelling on Feb. 25, 2011, allowing co-workers, friends, and family to pay hom-age to a man who served with integrity and fortitude for the better part of his adult life. Along with being a dedicated husband, father of three daughters and grand-father to one granddaughter, Steve is pursuing his bachelor’s degree at Met-ropolitan State University, and he stays active in many organizations. Washing-

Veterans CornerBY RICHARD DOWNS

Downri@go.metrostate.edu

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Life, liberty and the pursuit

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During my 2010 winter depression (a time when I’ve been known to actively seek out trouble), I read an article about something called the Black Dog Syndrome, which basi-cally means that every black colored dog that enters the shelter is almost certainly destined for

euthanasia because people are drawn to lighter colored dogs. Some experts blame Hollywood for depicting “good” with white and “evil” with black. Some say superstition plays a role in the doggy color war. Still others claim people are so busy looking for their next “designer” dog that they pass right by the black labs, presum-ing them to be both ordinary and boring. On some level I understand this discrepancy because even though I recognize certain physi-cal characteristics as sexy on a man of any color, I’ve only ever been attracted to Caucasian men. The two are entirely different, I realize, but subconscious attraction plays a role in every-thing, men and dogs alike. But the story broke my heart, especially when paired with another study showing that senior aged dogs are almost impossible to place in rescue homes, and are therefore killed in higher numbers than their younger counterparts. I immediately texted my husband, “I’ve just decided we’re adopting black seniors,” and it was a testament to his patience and love for me that he answered not with confusion or out-rage, but instead, “Do they have adoption pro-grams for the elderly?” Before the end of that day, I found our ten(ish)-year-old black lab mix on a shelter’s Web site, and begun corresponding with the foster family regarding him. His name was Grandpa. Real original, right? Grandpa? Why not call him Rookie or Junior or something equally as empowering? But Grandpa he was, and that

BY CAT USHERCampca@go.metrostate.edu

Long live the king (of dogs)quickly evolved (via my baby voice, employed against my husband’s willpower to convince him we NEEDED THIS DOG) into “Bam-pa.” After a week of incessant husband-haranguing, he looked at me and said, “Well. I guess you’d better figure out when we can pick him up. I’d hate for your dog to wait very long.” That was the beginning of the end for us, adopting our black senior citizen. We fell hopelessly and in-stantly in love with his calm demeanor, slow gait, and excessive panting. We hooked him up with some pain medication for his osteo-arthri-tis, and soon he was trotting, climbing stairs, and breathing more comfortably. We took Bampa on our honeymoon, which was a road trip across the country to camp in places like Yellowstone National Park and Redfish Lake in Idaho. We purchased our first home with Bampa in mind, choosing a five minute commute to work so we could spend more time with him every day. When his tummy began causing him trouble, we fed him a homemade diet of rice, eggs and cot-tage cheese. When he began to lose control of his bowels, we cheerfully bathed, wiped and cleaned him, all the while assuring his bash-ful face that he wasn’t in any trouble, that it couldn’t be helped. That he was such a good boy. One morning in February, we ended up at the emergency vet because Bampa couldn’t move or breathe properly. X-rays showed several large cancerous lumps had invaded his poor

Retired at a hundred miles an hour

little body, and one of them had ruptured, causing him to bleed internally. His gums were turning white. He was anemic. He was scared. He was slowly dying. We made the decision to hold him and com-fort him while he slowly went to sleep forever. We ran to the Subway next door and bought a fist-full of bacon for his last meal. When it was time to call the vet into the room for his last rites, Bampa pulled himself up and looked at the door as if to say, “Good grief people, just DO it already. I’m tired, and frankly, the waterworks are getting old.” He really was such a good boy.

Beast on the Moon performances April 14–23 Beast on the Moon, by Richard Kalin-oski, will be performed April 14, 15, 16 and 22 at 7 p.m., plus matinées April 16 and 23 at 1 p.m. Performances are at the Stagedoor Theater, located in the Whit-ney Fine Arts Center on the Minneapolis Campus of Metropolitan State University and Minneapolis Community and Techni-cal College (MCTC), off Loring Park at 1424 Yale Place. The parking ramp is at 15th Street and Hennepin Avenue. Directed by Reggie Phoenix, Beast on the Moon is a tender play about starting again in America, shadowed by the horrors of the 1915 genocide against the Ottoman Empire’s Armenians. This rich, humor-ous play tells the story of two Armenian survivors and their marriage in America, when a mail-order bride comes to Mil-waukee to begin a life with her new hus-band. While he desperately wants a large family, she is barren from years of torture and starvation. Then a young stranger en-ters their lives and changes them forever. An international award winner, Beast on

the Moon was first produced at the Huma-na Festival at the Actors Theater of Lou-isville in 1995, and has since been staged in 17 countries and 12 languages. Beast on the Moon is a memory play cen-tering upon a theme of redemption and a willingness to move forward instead of bitterly and obsessively clinging to the past. “It speaks to so many of the issues that affect us as a nation and a global community today,” notes Phoenix. “How do two young people, Aram and Seta To-masian, create a new life for themselves in America after the tragic loss of their families? What do second chances at life look like? And the question at the center of the play—what constitutes a family?” Call (612) 659-7222 for reservations. General admission is $5. There is no charge to students with an ID. Persons with disabilities who need a reasonable ac-commodation to participate in this event should call Disability Services at (651) 793-1549 or (651) 772-7687 (TTY).

ton County recently elected him Presi-dent of the Yellow Ribbon Network. He also serves as part of the Cottage Grove Yellow Ribbon Network, AMVET Post 599, Federal Executive Board Diversity Committee, USPS, Starbase (as a gradu-ation speaker), Air Force Association, JROTC, Civil Air Patrol, Navy Sea Ca-dets and the Minnesota National Guard Youth Camp. If you see this man in the hall at one of Metropolitan State’s campuses, please, stop him and thank him for his service. Worry not; he has time to chat now that he’s retired. It’s not like he has any com-mitments or anything. Just kidding, he’s still running a mile a minute using his experience and life skills to help others. Steve, we salute you.

Beast on the Moon director Reggie Phoenix Photo courtesy of www.phoenixtheaterworks.org

Bampa, the beloved and missed pooch of the Usher house.

Photo courtesy of Cat Usher

Photo courtesy of Steve Campos

Page 10 April 2011 The Metropolitan http://themetropolitan.metrostate.edu

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his

individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Arts & Metropolitan State

announces new art exhibit Strange Attractors 23: Festival of New Music and Intermedia is on Fri-days, April 1 –29, at 7 p.m. at the Fine Arts Studio, 677 East Seventh Street, on Metropolitan State University’s St. Paul Campus. This season’s festi-val features Dain Girodat’s “Cakewalk II” on April 1; Steve Goldstein with Rahjta Ren on April 8; Liz Schultz and Debra J. Hobbs on April 15; and Ab-dul Gindeel with David Means and the Nobles eXperimental interMedia Group on April 22. The festival concludes April 29 with San Antonio composer-performer Johnny Rodriguez premier-ing “The Rose of Jericho,” a collabora-tive intermedia installation, with David Means and the Nobles eXperimental in-terMedia Group. “We are pleased that this April’s fes-tival will present several current and former student works,” said Means. “In addition we’re proud to welcome back

San Antonio composer and performing artist Johnny Rodriguez in a new com-missioned premier ‘The Rose of Jeri-cho’. As usual the Nobles eXperimental interMedia Group will be busy assisting in collaborations with Abdul Gindeel and Johnny Rodriguez.” The festival brings a collection of re-nowned artists to the University in a celebration of new work and creativity. It offers a flexible and interactive envi-ronment for artists to present and dis-cuss their work to audiences who have a unique opportunity to experience these works in diverse and creative ways. Strange Attractors 23 is produced and presented by Metropolitan State’s Ex-perimental Music and Intermedia Arts program, Communication, Writing and the Arts Department, College of Arts and Sciences. For more information, visit www.dsmcompositions.com/strangeat-tractors23 or call (651) 999-5963.

Experimental intermedia art festival, Fridays April 1-29

Metropolitan State University’s Gordon Parks Gallery is pleased to present Student Salon 2011. The exhibit opens with a reception on Thursday, March 24 from 4–7 p.m. and continues through April 15. Gallery hours are Monday–Thursday, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; and Friday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. The gallery is located in the Library and Learn-ing Center, 645 East Seventh Street, St. Paul. Student Salon 2011 features multi-me-dia works produced by Metropolitan State students enrolled in both undergraduate

and graduate programs. From sculptural objects made of paper to photographic abstractions, this exhibit surveys the di-verse forms and content explored in class and beyond. Visual artists include Teresa Arrazola, Harris, Wis.; Sherrie Larson, Fridley; Karen Marchese, St. Croix Falls, Wis.; Nazara Matos, Minneapolis; Nadine Mercil, Minneapolis; Sara Ruhnow, Maple-wood; and Laura Sourdif, St. Paul. For more information about the exhibit contact Erica Rasmussen, gallery director, at 651-793-1631 or e-mail erica.rasmus-sen@metrostate.edu.

“Children of Peace” painted by Teresa Arrazola will be displayed at the Student Salon 2011 exhibition along with art by other Metropolitan State students.

The graphic above was designed by Wendy Danko, a Metropolitan State student who won first place for her design and $250. The second place artist was Zong Pha who received a $100 giftcard to the

Metropolitan State bookstore for his piece called “The Delicate Dress.”

Metropolitan State University is hosting the first annual Global Food, Fashion and Awards Celebration on Sunday, April 10, from noon–3 p.m. at the Midtown Global Market, 920 East Lake Street, Minneapo-lis. This event is an opportunity to rec-ognize and celebrate diversity initiatives across the Metropolitan State University community. Sarah Colvin, MNFashion, is acting as mistress of ceremonies, bring-ing her extensive background in manag-ing, producing and organizing fashion shows to the event. Along with the Spring 2011 Global Fashion Show, the event features the pre-

sentation of awards by the University’s Anti-Racism Leadership Task Force. Ad-mission is free, and Metropolitan State University students, faculty and staff who present their University ID will be given five Global Bucks, redeemable for food or other items at the market’s vendors. This event is produced in collaboration with the University’s Anti-Racism Lead-ership Task Force and Diversity Learn-ing Task Force. Persons with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event should call Dis-ability Services at 651-793-1549 or 651-772-7687 (TTY).

Metropolitan State hosts Global Food, Fashion and Awards celebration

April 2011 Page 11 http://themetropolitan.metrostate.edu The Metropolitan

BY ALEXANDRA HEDINHedial@go.metrostate.edu

Poetry lovers, writers, or anyone who is simply interested in performance poetry will be thrilled to hear that on Friday April 15, Metropolitan State University will be holding the third an-nual Global Poetry Festival, in celebration of National Poetry Month. The festival will consist of performances from the National Poetry Slam championship team—the same three features as last year, since the team won the National Poet-ry Slam championship for the second time in the summer of 2010. These talented performers are Khary Jackson, Guante, and Sierra DeMulder. While the performers will be performing all new work during the 2011 Poetry Festival, some of their previous work can be found on YouTube. Sierra DeMulder can be found online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvxQnT9Luqk; Khary Jackson at www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsbsYjjohok; and Guante at www.you-tube.com/watch?v=EAC9Hrpn44U. The festival begins at 7 p.m. in the Founders Hall auditorium of Metropolitan State. The fes-tival is a free, catered event, which is open to the public, and free parking will be available on the street and in the parking lot across from Found-ers Hall. Metropolitan State students are encouraged to invite their friends, even those that normally may not be interested in poetry. The event is sure to be a great time, and a plus is that it’s free entertainment, so students should not miss out. Those who attend will also get a chance to listen to a wide variety of poetry, since an open Poetry Slam will begin at 8:30 p.m., and later judged by the National Poetry Slam champion-ship team. Sign-up for the slam is held between 6 and 6:45 p.m., so those who are interested should be sure to go early to sign up. Last year’s festival attracted 120 people, and

two of the openers were Metropolitan State alumni. One of the openers, Louis Murphy, graduated in 2009 with an english and writing major, and is now a graduate student pursuing an M.F.A in creative writing at Hamline Uni-versity. Murphy raves about his experience in the festival, and says he wishes the festival were a full weekend long so that more students could get their work out there for others to hear. “Despite it being only one day, it was so worthwhile to take part in,” said Murphy. “Last year, Ed Bok Lee gave me the opportunity to be part of the Global Poetry Festival, and it was well worth taking part in. It allowed me to be heard in a larger public space and to participate in an event that helps share what is going on at Metro in the writing community, and with Haute Dish.” Murphy explained that the kind of pressure he felt to perform in the festival helped him under-stand how big of a deal it is to read publicly, and how fulfilling it is in the end. “The experience of the festival was electric. I had no idea what to expect except that there were two other poets from Metro and the team of slam poets from the area. Everyone performed well.” Unfortunately, Murphy is unable to attend this year’s festival, but he would attend again in the future. “I would definitely do it again,” he said. “It was an honor to be a part of something so fulfilling, to be there with other poets, and to see such performances, especially from the slam team. They proved to me again that slam is an important part of a poetry community, and re-minded me of the importance of performance arts.” Another opener from last year’s Festival, Jo-nah Volheim, graduated from Metropolitan State in December 2010 with a double major

Celebrate National Poetry Month at the Global Poetry Festival

in screenwriting and creative writing. He is now pursuing an M.F.A. in creative writing at Min-nesota State University Moorhead. Volheim also greatly enjoyed his experience performing at the festival. “It was an incredible experience,” he said. “I was honored to share my work with a large group of people. Also, the other talent, from the National Slam Team, to the poets that put themselves on the line in our own Poetry Slam contest actually made me a bit less jaded on the state of writing today. These people really had something to say, and they were not going to let anything stop them.” Volheim explained that he would be inter-ested in performing at festival again, if asked. “It would be a privilege and an honor to help the festival in any way I could,” he said. “The event last year had a great turnout. We had students from the U of M, local members of the com-munity, and Metro students all signing up to perform in the slam section of the festival. Of course, I should mention the tasty catered food that was provided and also the fantastic artwork of fellow Metro State students that was on dis-play.” Volheim explained that the festival is a good time, but more than just that. “It’s about poetry and fellowship,” he said. “By hearing some of the amazing multicultural works that were given at the festival, we can embrace the ever-chang-ing landscape—both racial and socioeconom-ic—that dominate the world we live in. And by embracing it, I mean trying to change the social quid pro quo. The written word has the ability to do this.” Don’t miss out! Come to The Global Poetry Festival and experience something new and cre-ative. For more information on this event, con-tact Ed Bok Lee at edward.lee@metrostate.edu.

ACROSS1. To the rear6. Jump lightly10. Glance14. A solitary person15. Anagram of “Edit”16. Sea eagle17. New Zealand native18. Absent without leave19. Memo20. Deadlock22. Biblical garden23. Scrape by24. Express26. Docking facility30. Happen again32. Happening33. Genuine37. Nipple38. Brilliant39. The peak of a hill40. Incorrect42. Flying machine43. A strong tightly twisted cotton thread44. Hotdog45. A hardy wheat47. Fall behind48. Box49. Judge56. Albacore or bluefin57. Flair58. Directed59. Portent60. Back of the neck61. Homeric epic62. Whip mark63. Adolescent64. Porous

DOWN 1. Donations2. Ship3. Dwarf buffalo4. Nonflowering plant5. Neptune’s weapon6. Condition7. New Zealand bird8. False god9. Transparently clear10. Vulnerable11. Chip away at12. Go in13. Avid 21. Music with jazzlike riffs25. Egyptian boy king26. Distribute27. Affirm28. Backside29. Narrow-minded30. Variety show31. Goddess of discord (Greek mythology)33. Six-stringed instrument34. Fiber source35. Solitary36. Pitcher38. Cassock 41. Zero42. A plait of braided hair44. Is, formerly45. Froth46. A jury or board47. Cloth from flax48. Put away50. Wings51. Be slack-jawed52. Anger53. Dogfish54. Furniture wood55. Swirl

http://www.mirroreyes.com/crossword/2011/c110322.html

Entertainment

Photos from the Global Poetry Festival 2010.

Page 12 April 2011 The Metropolitan http://themetropolitan.metrostate.edu

ever. We hope your life is changed by reading about it.

A view of a castle in Prague.Photo courtesy of Mai Lee Yang

The students of History 312 pose in Prague in front of Franz Kafka.Photo courtesy of Ka Vue

Student employmentWeb assistant for The Metropolitan

Job Description:• Support the online administrator in

managing The Metropolitan web site using WordPress

• Edit and proofread web site content• Assist in updating content per issue

and as needed• Work with editors and writers on

site updates and additions• Write at least one article for each

issueRequirements: The web assistant should be able to com-mit at least one to two hours weekly for web site updates. In addition, the first week of the month, the web assistant will need at least three hours dedicated to updating the web site for the new issue. The web assistant is expected to be avail-

able via e-mail or phone to work with the web editor, content editors and writers. He/she should be able to respond to e-mails or phone calls within one day. In person meetings may be required at the descretion of the online ad-ministrator and/or editor at any time. The web assistant, along with all staff mem-bers, is required to submit at least one article for each issue. This may require in person interviews and correspondence via e-mail or phone. The web assistant is responsbile for selecting his/her own article topic, although topic suggestions will be offered at bi-month-ly writers meetings. Research, interviews, and writing an article may take up to two hours each month.• Strong writing skills• Knowledge of AP style• Knowledge of MS Office, Adobe InDe-

sign and basic HTML• Experience with FTP and WordPress is

preferred• Previous experience with web site man-

agement and maintenance• Ability to take direction and work well

within time deadlines

Updating the Website entails:• Assist in taking articles from an Adobe

InDesign file and making edits as neces-sary for use on the web

• Each article must be posted on the web site using WordPress

• Download and post photos as they cor-respond to each article following built-in templates; cite the source

• Updating the archives as necessary. Pre-pare to move archives from Dreamweav-

er to WordPress by Fall 2011• Update the Masthead and any staff

changes as needed

Other: The ideal candidate is a student with at least two semesters left and the ability to meet on campus at least twice a month. The assistant position will have the expectations of tak-ing over for the online administrator position when it becomes vacant.

For more information contact the editor, Ran-di Johnson, at Johnra01@go.metrostate.edu.

Copy editor assistant for The MetropolitanJob Description:• Assists copy editor and other edi-

tors in article edits• Contributes at least one article for

the paper each issue• Reviews web site for any copy edit-

ing errors• Assists in proofreading final veri-

son of paper layout for editing and style

• Notifies editor of any major edit-ing mistakes that may have gone to

print and would require any kind of a correction in the next issue

Requirements:• Must pass a copy editing test at 90% or

above• Five hours spent in production stages

every month• Five to ten hours per month spent re-

searching/interviewing/finding stories• Ability to attend bi-montly meetings as

well as production meeting

Qualifications• Currently taking or have taken and

passed Writ 371: Editing• Extensive knowledge of AP style• Ability to adhere to a style sheet• Knowledge of copy editing marks• Strong attention to detail• Strong communication skills• Knowledge of news writing and ability

to write news articles

Other: The ideal candidate would have a work-ing knowledge of Google Docs and the ability to meet at least twice a month on campus. The ideal candidate is a student with at leaast two semesters left; the as-sistant position will have the expectations of taking over the copy editor or associate editor position when they become vacant. For more information contact the editor, Randi Johnson, at Johnra01@go.metrostate.edu.

Global learning is life-long learningBY SUZANNE NIELSENSuzanne.Nielsen@metrostate.edu

As interim coordinator for the Power of YOU program (PoY) I couldn’t help but rec-ognize the level of energy rise among some PoY /TRiO students and student workers in the student affairs offices over the month of February. As time drew nearer to depart for Prague, Czech Republic, students upped the ante in discussing such things as attending their first opera, connecting with literature, and making sure there was enough memory within their cell phone cameras to capture mo-ments in time too important not to revisit. On March 4, 2011, 18 Metropolitan State University students boarded a plane and left the country to do just this. To read two stu-dent perspectives on how this trip changed their lives, see the box to the right. Each year at Metropolitan State, Dr. Jeanne Grant and Dr. Danielle Hinrichs’ History 312 classroom is privileged to go on a global ex-perience overseas to a country in which the class has been studying since the beginning of spring semester. On March 4, 2011, the group of 18 guided by Andrew Cseter, Hinrichs and Grant journeyed over 4,500 miles at 450 mph to Prague, Czech Republic—making the air time just over 10 hours. No matter how you calculate it, it’s a far way from St. Paul, home to the majority of the PoY/TRiO participants. This marked the beginning of an interesting weeklong global experience. This year—more than any year—14 students received $1,500 to supplement the $1,800 cost of the trip. If not for this grant, low-in-come students would not have been able to participate. This year’s group was especially

diverse in terms of gender, ethnicity, age and various majors—which created an interdisci-plinary experience. Almost all are PoY/TRiO students that had been specifically chosen to take the course and travel abroad. Stepping out of the airport in Prague, the group experienced an added seven hour time difference (compared to the time back at home). Despite this fact, students did not let jet lag overcome their curiosity to explore their new environment to its fullest. It was definite-ly an interesting experience for students to go on tours around Prague and witness specific concepts that we have been learning about since the beginning of the semester. Monu-mental statues, historical and architectural buildings, busy town squares, scenic parks and prominent restaurants were a few of the loca-tions students visited. The group also visited the neighboring small town, Kutna Hora, and took a tour inside a prestigious high school in which students learned from and interacted with area youth. In addition, the group also visited Terezin, a small town that is famous due to its historical WWII concentration camp located right out-side the town perimeters. This course is a great example of how Metro-politan State creates cross-cultural experiences to not only meet students’ learning objectives of subject matter, but also for students to learn about their own individual cultures and how they relate to the world. It sets out to improve each student’s personal and professional devel-opment by making history come alive. I hope you’ve gathered a sense of what

a global experience meant for these two stu-dents. Situations like these change lives for-

From the students “Students who attended this trip agree that the combination of class readings and actually being there made it more possible to imagine what life was like in Prague 800 years ago. The trip was well worth my spring break and it will make a lifelong difference in my future.”

-ZONG PHAJUNIOR, SOCIAL WORK

“The Global Experience were among the best ten days of my life. I can’t believe I was actually in Prague! I miss the ornate architecture, the stat-ues, and the beautiful views that the city had to offer. Now I’m planning my next trip to Europe after graduation. We had eight weeks to prepare for the Global Experience. We had numerous readings, starting from the medieval period to the late commu-nism and post-communism periods. Also, there were many in-depth group discussions involv-ing history, literature, and culture. Overall, the class had a good understanding of Prague and the Czechs—the professors prepared us well for the trip. All of us were anxious to leave the Minneapolis airport, but in no time, we were in Amsterdam connecting to our final destination. When we landed in the Czech Republic, my blood was

pumping with adrenaline. Despite the jet lag, I was excited to be in Prague and wanted to take full advantage of my time there. Being in Prague with an understanding of the context behind each statue, bridge, or area was extremely meaningful. I remember walk-ing through St. Charles Bridge for the very first time—I was in awe. Tony Krosschell, one of my classmates whispered to me, “Who do you think has the sword?” When I looked up and saw groups of children nearby, and it reminded me of the story we read in class by František Langer, The Sword of St. Wenceslas—the famous tale about the miraculous sword and its hiding place (next to a child’s heart symbolizing Czech nationalism and its future). Some of my favorite moments were walking through the St. Charles Bridge at all times of the day—6 a.m., mid-day, nighttime—I could nev-er get enough of it. Also, in Old Town Square, it was amazing to see the Orloj, and the Astro-nomical Clock. I loved walking Prague’s Royal Route (where the Royal Court walked for coro-nation and other occasions) that leads up to the castle. And finally, the Observation Tower—which is a mini version of the Eiffel Tower.”

-LORI YANGSENIOR, MANAGEMENT