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NIVERSITY
NEWS
UMKC’s Independent Student Newspaper
Vol. 79, Issue 30
8
3
April 23, 2012
FEATURE
Six graduating seniors reflect on their
experiences at UMKC
NEWS
Bloch
School
students take on
human trafficking with
marketing class project
A procession of graduating students heads to the Swinney Recreation Center gym for their final
undergraduate ceremony at UMKC.
Photo courtesy of University Communications
4
NEWS
Relay for Life
volunteers raise
more than $50,000
for cancer research
14
A&E
Going to work in a
suit and tail: Junior
and professional mascot
Andrew Johnson
Johnson works as the Missouri
Mavericks mascot, Mac.
Photo courtesy of Andrew Johnson
2|News
Vol. 79, Issue 30
NIVERSITY
NEWS
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Phil Bolin
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Lindsay Adams
Asst. News Editor
Eric Carrell
A&E Editor
Mal Hartigan
Sports Editor
Luke Harman
Head Copy Editor
Michelle Heiman
Copy Editor
Nathan Zoschke
Copy Editor
Jeremy Van Ryn
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Kynslie Otte
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Jeremy Van Ryn
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Ethan Parker
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Stephen Dilks (chair)
Robin Hamilton
Wayne Lucas
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Chad King
Andrew Kraft
Jordan Brooks
Joseph Salazar
Shannon Jackson
Catherine Saylor
Michael McDonald
Each Monday, 4,000 free copies of the
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Banners for UMKC fraternities and sororities overlook the Student Union commons, in hopes of boosting the groups’ campus presence.
Currently, less than five percent of UMKC students are members of fraternities and sororities.
Photo by Lindsay Adams
Fraternities and sororities unveil new banners
Lindsay Adams
News Editor
Last Monday, UMKC fraternities
and sororities by unveiled new banners
with the Greek letters and color of each
organization. The banners will hang in
the Student Union. The Office of Student
Involvement helped to aid the physical
presence of Greek organizations on
campus.
“It’s just nice to be able to promote
Greek life,” said OSI Assistant Director
Shelby Coxon.
The event kicked off Greek Week this
spring.
“It was an idea I got from another
school,” Coxon said. “They did something
similar. It took a few months. I had to send
them to everybody. Make sure they were
the right color, the right shade. So it took
a few months, but we finally got it rocking
and rolling.”
UMKC has eight fraternities and eight
sororities. Five are Interfraternity Council
fraternities, four are Panhellenic sororities,
one is a local sorority, three are historical
African American fraternities and three
are historical African American sororities.
“I just think it gives them that physical
presence and shows who we have,” Coxon
said. “We’ve got a large presence. There’s
almost 300 people involved in sororities
and fraternities here, so to have this will
be great.”
There was a delegate from every
fraternity and sorority on campus. Some
organizations had many members attend,
like Lambda Theta Phi, Latin Fraternity
Inc.. They were the loudest as their flag
was dropped, interrupting the ceremony
with loud shouting and chanting of their
call.
“We had a few alumni that came too
and participated so that’s fun,” Coxon said.
Tori LoGrassa of Delta Rho Sorority
undid the flag for her sorority.
“It was pretty cool,” LoGrassa said. “I’m
really excited that everyone can see all the
chapters when they come to the union.”
There was a lot of enthusiasm from
participants and very good turnout, with
free refreshments afterward.
“They have been all jazzed about it,”
Coxon said about the Greek response. “It
shows our support of them as an office,
because they’re such a vital piece of our
University.”
Sororities and Fraternities make up 4.5
percent of UMKC’s student population.
“I’m really excited that we have all these
banners and that the office of student
Involvement could do it for us,” LoGrassa
said.
[email protected]
other news
Obama addresses rising student loan debt
Eric Carrell
Asst. News Editor
As student loan debt tops $1 trillion,
President Obama’s “college road trip”
has opened dialogue on how to ease the
pressure on students.
“In America, higher education cannot
be a luxury,” Obama said. “For some time
now, I’ve been calling on Congress to
take steps to make higher education more
affordable – to prevent these interest rates
from doubling, to extend the tuition tax
credit that has saved middle-class families
millions of dollars, and to double the
number of work-study jobs over the next
five years.”
In a Saturday address, President Obama
warned that if House Republicans and the
White House cannot reach an agreement,
more than 7.4 million people will each
average paying an additional $2,800 in
interest payments over the course of a
decade. The Stafford loan interest rate
will hit 6.8 percent unless the House and
White House can agree to additional
allocations of $6 billion before July.
The President has accused Republicans
of not supporting government aid to
students, while favoring tax cuts for
millionaires.
“Over the past few years,” he said,
“Republicans in Congress have voted
against new ways to make college more
affordable for middle-class families, and
voted for huge new tax cuts for millionaires
and billionaires – tax cuts that would
have to be paid for by cutting things like
education and job-training programs that
give students new opportunities to work
and succeed.”
[email protected]
News|3
April 23, 2012
‘It happens here’
x
Bloch School students apply marketing to fight horrors of human trafficking
use of social media in cause marketing.
Nathan Zoschke
Production Manager/Copy Editor
A ‘Generation of
Justice’
Russ Tuttle’s graphic details
Above: A rural Indian
clinic is in desperate
need of expansion
and
modernization.
Clinics in the country’s
rural region vie to treat
a growing population
with limited resources.
Medical treatment is
a critical part of the
process of rescuing
and rehabilitating the
country’s
estimated
2.8 million victims of
human trafficking.
Left: School children
in India perform at an
outdoor concert. Russ
Tuttle’s Project India
focuses on providing
educational resources
to students like these
as part of its efforts to
combat trafficking.
Photos used with
permission of Russ Tuttle
of
sexually exploited children, corpses and
sweatshop labor are not typical lecture
material in the Henry W. Bloch School
of Management.
To incorporate cause marketing
for non-profit organizations into
his curriculum, Gene Brown, Ph.D.,
introduced Tuttle, the founder of the
Stop Trafficking Project, to students
in one graduate-level and two
undergraduate-level marketing classes
this semester.
Tuttle, a former pastor, missionaries’
son and close friend of Brown’s, said
“human trafficking” is a term recently
applied to the age-old problems of
exploitation and forced slavery.
“I grew up in India from the time I
was four,” Tuttle said. “The term ‘human
trafficking’ wasn’t used years ago. The
reality of human trafficking has been
going on a long time.”
The growing involvement of
organized crime in what has been
described as a modern-day slave trade
has propelled human trafficking to the
forefront of international causes.
Brown said he was shocked and
saddened by Tuttle’s experiences
rescuing victims, and by the grueling
anecdotes of victims exploited for their
bodies and physical labor.
Brown is now a board member of
the Stop Trafficking Project, and is
working with students at UMKC and
other universities to bring attention to
the cause.
“The more I became involved, the
more I wanted to help,” Brown said. “I
decided to make it a class project.”
The group project in Brown’s
Marketing 324 classes emphasizes the
“We’re just using basic marketing
principles to help with fundraising and
awareness,” Brown said. “Most of what
we’re doing is trying to establish an
online presence.”
Young adults spend more time than
any other demographic using social
media, and, according to Tuttle and
Brown, are less complacent toward
inequality than the generations before
them.
“One of the reasons we’re getting
college students involved is because this
is a generation of justice that cares about
humanity,” Brown said.
“Generation of justice” is a term
Tuttle coined for the 35-and-younger
demographic.
“What we and other non-government
organizations have found is that a lot of
us who get fired up are 35 and under,” he
said. “They want to do something and
get involved.”
Older adults, he said, are often already
involved in other charitable causes.
Some have become disillusioned by
countless nonprofits soliciting donations
for the same cause. Others don’t see an
end to a problem within reach.
“When good people do nothing, evil
prevails,” Tuttle said. “We need as many
people as we can get to help solve the
problem. No one entity can do it alone.
This is a trickle-up approach. We’re
counting on students to engage their
parents and those older than them.”
Junior Kory McEnaney, a student in
Brown’s class, has filed an application
with Student Affairs to create a Stop
Trafficking Project Ambassadors group
at UMKC.
“I knew human trafficking was an
issue and had heard of it before,” he said.
“I was never as intrigued and interested
in making a difference until Russ visited
our class. Russ’s presentation made me
realize I was one of those people that
just closed my eyes to the issue and
expected someone else to get involved. I
was tired of sitting back and watching.”
Continued on Page 5
4|News
Vol. 79, Issue 30
briefly mentioned
School of Medicine
receives $1.5 million
donation
Eric Carrell
Asst. News Editor
The National Institute of Health’s
Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
recently gave the UMKC School of
Medicine a $1.5 million endowment.
The new grant will fund a postdoctoral
fellowship program for cardiovascular
research that will be based out of St.
Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute,
with a research focus in three areas:
general skills for clinical research and
specialized skills for outcomes research
and hands-on research.
St. Luke’s is already recognized as
one of the country’s leading outcome
research facilities, and the new grant
intends to further develop a joint
venture between UMKC and St. Luke’s
in clinical and outcome research in the
region.
In the new program, candidates will
conduct research to identify outcome
variables, pinpoint areas of clinical
care for improvement and engineer
innovations to overcome gaps in existing
healthcare.
“There is a growing regional and
national need for more scholars in
cardiovascular outcomes and quality of
care research,” said John Spertus, M.D.,
Daniel J. Lauer/Missouri Endowed
Chair and Professor at the UMKC
School of Medicine and Clinical
Director of Outcomes Research at the
Mid America Heart Institute. “This
program will expand and improve our
existing American Heart Associationfunded training program, which has
grown to be the central unifying
outcomes research program in the
region and serves as the primary training
program in cardiovascular outcomes
research for UMKC, KU, the University
of Iowa and Washington University in
St. Louis.”
[email protected]
Please recycle!
The survivor lap was the starting lap of Relay and part of the “Celebrate” portion, celebrating those who continue their lives with us after battling cancer
and celebrating the victories medicine has had against cancer. Caregivers joined the survivors for the second lap, and then all participants were invited
to join.
Photo by Michelle Heiman
Relay for Life tops $57,000 in fight against cancer
Eric Carrell
Asst. News Editor
Relay for Life, a 12-hour walk held by
Rockhurst University and UMKC students
lastt Friday night, raised $57,199.58 for the
American Cancer Society.
The event , held in the lower Bourke field
at Rockhurst, began with recognition of
participating cancer survivors and caregivers.
At 6 p.m., survivors were asked to take the
first lap and caregivers joined them for the
second lap.
Finally, everybody was asked to participate
for the third lap, kicking off the overnight
event. There were 55 teams and each was
required to have at least one member walking
at all times. Resting spots were set up at
campsites on the field.
Games and activities were available for
participants when they were not walking.
“A lot of people think you just go there
and walk,” said Lynsey Riemann, Rockhurst
student and activities and entertainment
chair, “but it’s much more than that. It’s a lot
of fun.”
Her committee’s activities included two
live bands, a face painter, a caricature artist,
volleyball, a DJ and numerous games.
This was the second year the event was
organized jointly by Rockhurst and UMKC.
“Almost everybody has been affected by
cancer in one way or another,” said UMKC
Chair Craig Flanery. “A lot of people come
together to fight against it.”
Participants who wanted to remember
or honor those who have battled cancer
The Oreo-eating contest at 9 p.m. featured 10 participants who stuffed down the black-and-white
cookies as fast as possible. Water was provided to aide the process, and the winner, who received
a gift card prize, was finished in less than five minutes. The Oreo-eating contest was one of multiple
events throughout the night with prize incentives, including a scrabble hour, a spelling bee, and a
VIP area for participants who raised the most money, brought the most survivors and sold the most
luminaria. Photo courtesy of the UMKC and Rockhurst Relay for Life Committee
could purchase a luminaria bag. They could
customize their bags with decorations, and
at 10p.m., they put glow sticks in the bag,
lighting up the track.
At 1 a.m., the “fight back” ceremony began.
Each team was given a balloon and members
were encouraged to write how they were
going to fight cancer. Responses ranged from
getting a mammogram to wearing sunscreen.
Participants then cut the ribbons to the
balloons and let them go.
Each participant was encouraged to
fundraise. The top fundraisers were:
• Christina Hayes - $4,765
• Kim Patterson - $3,784
• Taylor Skala - $2,500
[email protected]
News|5
April 23, 2012
Arts & Sciences, Conservatory award honorary degrees to area leaders
Lindsay Adams
News Editor
Four Kansas Citians outstanding for
their community work will receive honorary
degrees at the 2012 University of MissouriKansas City commencement ceremonies.
“This is a great opportunity for the
university - and for me - to honor four
individuals who have given so much
to UMKC and to our Kansas City
community,” said Chancellor Leo Morton.
“We appreciate their giving spirits and are
privileged to call them alumni of Kansas
City’s university.”
The four are Alvin Brooks, an advocate
for justice and a crime fighter; Richard
Carrothers and Dennis D. Hennessy,
both theater owners and supporters of the
visual and performing arts, and Julia Irene
Kauffman, a renowned campaigner for the
arts, new business and learning.
The College of Arts and Sciences will
recognize Brooks, Carrothers and Hennessy
with doctor of philosophy honoris causa
degrees.
Brooks is an alumnus of UMKC,
graduating from the College of Arts and
Sciences with a bachelor’s degree in 1959,
and a master’s degree in 1973. Since then
he has dedicated himself to public service.
Brooks was a founding member of Ad Hoc
Group Against Crime, which was formed to
address the unsolved murders of nine black
women in the area. The organization’s goal is
to combat crime and violence through crisis
intervention and prevention, and to support
youth and families affected by criminal
behavior. Brooks has worked as a Kansas
City police officer and has served as a police
board member. In 2009, Brooks received the
Alumnus of the Year Award.
Carrothers and Hennessy are also College
of Arts and Sciences alumni. They were coowners of Tiffany’s Attic and Waldo Astoria
in Kansas City, which were praisedby the
Wall Street Journal as “two of the most
successful theatres - both artistically and
financially - in the country.” They have
received acclaim on local, regional and
national levels for their work in theatre and
film.
Carrothers and Hennessy co-founded the
New Theatre Restaurant in Overland Park,
featuring such stars as Loretta Swit and
Jamie Farr from “MASH” and Don Knotts
from “The Andy Griffith Show.” Carrothers
and Hennessy received the College of Arts
and Sciences’ Alumni Achievement Award
from UMKC in 1976.
The Conservatory of Music and Dance
will present Kauffman with the doctor of
music honoris causa.
Kauffman has led the Muriel McBrien
Kauffman Foundation and has been the
driving force behind establishing the
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
and the Todd Bolender Center for the
Kansas City Ballet. Kauffman has been a
UMKC Trustee and a board member at the
Kansas City Repertory Theatre. She also has
served as honorary chair for Crescendo, the
fundraising party for the Conservatory.
[email protected]
Human Trafficking: Continued from Page 3
‘ItDefinitions
happens
here’
and estimates of the scope of
human trafficking vary.
“The challenge is measuring an invisible
problem,” Tuttle said.
Brown said human trafficking fits into
one of three categories: slave labor, sexual
exploitation or organ harvesting.
Slave labor exploits persons who work long
hours for meager compensation in dangerous
work environments.
Parents in impoverished countries may be
told that their daughter will be given a job
as a housekeeper, or that their son will be an
apprentice. In reality, these children often
work in brothels and sweat shops, or are sold
for body organs. Sometimes they are killed.
In the U.S., predators scout out early teens
who are vulnerable, many of whom come
from dysfunctional homes. Predators have
taken a tech-savvy approach, making the
most of social media sites and online chat
rooms, another reason Tuttle wants to use
the web to ramp up efforts against human
trafficking.
For some Americans, the problem of
human trafficking seems foreign and elusive,
a television newscast of impoverished victims
in countries halfway across the globe.
“Sometimes I think it takes a tragedy in
the community or family for an older adult
to realize that it’s real and happening in
our own backyards,” Tuttle said. “They fail
to realize the intricacies of all the means a
pimp will use to exploit a young girl. They
are experts at threatening their victims into
submission and silence.”
Of the estimated 27.2 million worldwide
“
Sometimes I think it takes a tragedy in the community or family for an
older adult to realize that it’s real and happening in our own backyards.
They fail to realize the intricacies of all the means a pimp will use to
exploit a young girl. They are experts at threatening their victims into
submission and silence
-Russ Tuttle
victims of human trafficking, an estimated
100,000 to 300,000 are in the U.S.
Kansas City is not immune to the
problem. In fact, its central location has made
it a growing hub for trafficking, according to
a five-part series published last year in the
Kansas City Star.
Last year, two men were among 12
charged with bringing more than 1,000
foreign workers to the Kansas City area over
a 10-year period. Many were brought to the
U.S. on fake work visas and experienced
substandard housing and working conditions.
In May 2007, 11 were arrested after local
and federal law enforcement and immigration
agents raided 16 homes, massage parlors and
other businesses in Johnson County.
According to Tuttle, the area around
College Boulevard and Metcalf Avenue is a
hotbed of trafficking activity because of its
easy highway access and abundance of hotel
rooms.
A report issued last year by the National
Association of Attorneys General may
explain why the Kansas side of the metro
area sees a disproportionate amount of sex
trafficking: Kansas was one of 26 states to
receive an “F,” while Missouri had stiffer
penalties than any other state except Texas.
AThelife
of horror
average age of victims coerced into sex
trafficking is between 12 and 14, according to
”
the U.S. Department of Justice.
“You can’t imagine the horror to discover
these girls are being raped for profit up to 30
times a day,” Tuttle said. “They’re sleeping in
the same bed where men are raping them
for profit.”
Traffickers are masterminds at controlling
their victims. Young girls who have been
arrested for prostitution routinely are afraid
to speak out against their assailants for fear
of retribution.
“They live under such fear and manipulation
that they do not turn on the pimps,” Tuttle
said. “They might kill an animal in front of
her and threaten to kill her family.”
Malnutrition, physical abuse, STDs
and squalid living conditions take a toll on
victims’ health.
“The average lifespan of a child forced into
sex trafficking is seven years,” Tuttle said. “On
average, a girl who is forced into trafficking at
age 13 will die by 20.”
An
uphill climb
Tuttle acknowledges that the problem of
human trafficking is difficult to overcome.
The U.N. Global Initiative to Fight
Human Trafficking found that only one
person is convicted for every 800 trafficking
victims.
“The challenge is getting all of these
organizations to work together,” Tuttle said.
“It’s so hard to raise money in the non-for-
campus fast fact
Summer course
offerings increase
Eric Carrell
Asst. News Editor
This summer, UMKC will offer classes in
more than 90 areas of study, compared to
just 76 last year.
The additional offerings aim to attract
more students by increasing the availability
of summer courses.
UMKC has marketed the courses with
the slogan: “Catch up, stay on track for
graduation or even get ahead.”
The summer program will also have
options for current, new and prospective
students, including students in Kansas City
over the summer who would like to take
advantage of the expanded course offerings.
In addition, the metro rate scholarship
has been expanded this year to include
the Kansas counties of Atchison, Douglas,
Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Osage
and Shawnee in addition to Johnson,
Wyandotte Leavenworth and Miami
counties. The scholarship allows residents
from these counties to attend UMKC for
the same price as Missouri residents.
The summer sessions will start May
21 and run in four-, five- and eight-week
sessions. The dates are as follows:
• First five-week session: May 21-June 22
• First eight-week session: June 4-July 27
• First four-week session: June 4-Jun 29
• Second five-week session: June 25-July
27
• Second four-week session: July 4-July 27
[email protected]
profit world.”
Brown’s classes have helped out by
researching practices for soliciting online
donations.
Tuttle’s efforts involve a five-step process
of awareness, education, prevention, rescue
and rehabilitation/restoration.
Tuttle’s prevention efforts in Indian and
Thai schools and orphanages are helping an
estimated 5,000 youngsters, a number he
suggests needs to be quadrupled.
“We’ve got to start somewhere,” Brown
said. “In the sex trafficking arena, it starts with
rescuing and rehabilitation, which includes
meeting needs for food and shelter. It’s a
huge problem and a very costly problem.”
The prevention efforts focus on shutting
off demand for sex trafficking and providing
opportunities to individuals at risk for
exploitation.
“One of the most despicable things about
child sex trafficking is that the demand is so
high,” Brown said. “If there was not demand,
then it wouldn’t be a problem.”
The rescue process is costly and faces a
number of legal bottlenecks.
Continued on Back Cover
NIVERSITY
NEWS
Apply NOW
to be part of our Fall 2012 staff!
Please submit a cover letter, résumé and samples of
your work to [email protected] by May 7.
Managing Editor- 2 positions
• Responsible for planning
weekly content, including
articles, photos and graphics.
• Responsible for acting as
a liaison between staff and
assigning articles and photos.
• Must have experience interviewing, writing, editing,
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meeting deadlines.
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• Must provide construct
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• Must commit a minimum of
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• This is a salaried position.
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• Responsible for editing articles prior to publication for spelling, grammar, AP Style consistency and factual accuracy.
• Must demonstrate effective command of the English language and
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• Must be available on weekends
and able to commit a minimum of
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• Must be able to attend Tuesday
meetings. Must have Saturday
availability.
• This is a salaried position.
Senior Staff Writer- 4 positions
• Must have experience with journalistic writing and commit to writing
3 articles per issue.
• Must demonstrate familiarity with
UMKC’s campus and enthusiasm
for reporting on topics relevant to
students.
• Must be available to cover events
on campus and willing to commit
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• Must attend weekly Tuesday staff
meetings.
• Must be punctual in meeting article
deadlines.
• This is a salaried position.
Staff Photographer- 3 positions
• Must have extensive knowledge of
photography and know how to operate an SLR camera.
• Must be able to commit 4 hours
each week to taking photos of
events and/or games at UMKC.
• Must be able to attend weekly
Tuesday staff meetings.
• Must provide descriptive captions
for every photo, including names
of persons in the photo when possible.
• Must be punctual in meeting photo
deadlines.
Production Assistant- 2 positions
• Responsible for assisting the Production Manager with photo editing and page layouts.
• Must have familiarity with Photoshop and InDesign or attend ap-
propriate job training sessions.
• Must be able to commit 5 hours/
week (1 shift). One assistant will
work Saturdays. The other will
work Sundays.
BIG
CHANGES
are coming
Sports|7
April 23, 2012
men’s tennis
Roos nail down top seed for men’s Summit League tennis championships
Luke Harman
Sports Editor
The men’s tennis team enjoyed a weekend
sweep with 7-0 victories over Western Illinois
on Sunday and Oral Roberts on Friday
night. Sunday’s victory gave the Roos a 4-1
Summit League record and a three-way tie
for the regular-season championship. They
will be top seeded in the Summit League
Championships.
On Sunday in Macomb, Ill., the Roos won
all doubles and singles matches.
In doubles, No.1 pair Grant Fleming and
Cameron Schoenhofer won 8-3, the same
score as a victory by Gustavo Guerin and
Abdulrahman Alawadhi in the No.2 match.
In singles, No.1 player Fleming was the
only Roo to lose a set. He was pushed to a
tie-breaker and defeated Patrick Hammers
1-6, 6-3, 10-1.
In Friday’s victory on the Rockhurst
campus, the Roos won all doubles and singles
matches.
In doubles, the No.1 pairing of Fleming
and Schoenhofer defeated Alvaro Gutierrez
and Nathaniel Avery 8-4. The Roos then
sealed the doubles point when the No.2 pair
of Alawadhi and Guerin won 8-2.
In singles, Fleming won the No. 1 match
6-1, 6-0 before sophomore Tomas Patino
won the No.2 match, 7-5, 6-2. Alawadhi,
Guerin, Schoenhofer and junior Nino
Hasendedic also won their singles matches.
Hasendedic, the former No. 1 singles player,
returned to play the No.4 match after a long
absence due to injury.
After losing their first Summit League
match to IUPI, the Roos have been
undefeated in conference play. The Summit
League championships will be held at the
Plaza Tennis Center on April 27.
[email protected]
softball
Roos avert the sweep with extra inning win at North Dakota State
Luke Harman
Sports Editor
The Roos needed extra innings to avoid
being swept by North Dakota State in a
three-game series as they pulled out a 6-4,
12-inning victory Sunday in Fargo, N.D.
Trailing 4-1 after four innings, the Roos
enjoyed a three-run seventh inning. Deanna
Friese and Cinda Ramos combined to strike
out seven.
Freshman Danielle Bennefeld led the
Roos as she went 2-for-5 and scored one
run. Senior Kaelene Curry went 2-for-5, and
Anna Sokolik went 2-for-6 and scored once.
Marlee Maples and Caitlin Christopher both
scored.
In the first game of Saturday’s
doubleheader, the Roos lost 7-5 and were
outhit 13-9.
The Bison took a 1-0 lead before the
Roos scored two runs in the second inning,
with freshman Maples and pinch-runner
Lea Diaz each scoring for a 2-1 lead. Bison
infielder Katie Tamayo homered to left field
with two runners on base in the fourth inning
to give the Bison a 7-2 lead. Maples led the
Roos, going 2-for-4 and scoring two runs,
along with freshman catcher Christopher,
who went 2-for-4. Senior Kelly Fischer also
scored a run, but Bison first baseman Tamayo
went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs.
Friese gave up 10 hits.
In the second game, the Roos lost 4-0 as
Bison pitcher Whitney Johnson pitched a
no-hitter, striking out 10 and giving up just
one walk.
track & field
Harriot takes javelin title at Mule Relays
Luke Harman
Sports Editor
Three Roos set UMKC records in the Mt.
SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif., one of three
track and field events in which the team
competed last weekend.
In the Mt. SAC Relays, freshman
Courtney Frerichs’ 3,000 meter steeplechase
time of 10:34.48 set a school record and
earned a 9th place finish in her division.
Junior Sarah Meiners clocked in at 35:52.69
in her 10,000-meter run to also earn a 9th
place finish. For the men, junior Cosmas
Ayabei finished 8th in the Invite Elite
division of the 10,000-meter race. His time
of 29:13.50 shattered his own all-time school
record.
In the 1,500-meter run, senior Aubrey
Frederking claimed the fifth-best time in
school history, 4:43.66.
The Roos recorded a combined total of 14
personal bests at the Mt. SAC and Kansas
Relays.
At the Kansas Relays, sophomore Angel
Gannon recorded the second fastest time in
UMKC history, 2:15.62 in the 800-meter
dash, finishing 12th.
The women’s 4x100 relay team of
Shanelle Williams, Jazmine Cooper, Chelsea
Richardson and Michelle Momo placed 6th
with a time of 47.09.
Cooper placed 9th with a mark of 18-9.25
(5.72 meters) in the long jump, while Momo
placed 13th with 18-00.25 (5.49 meters).
For the men, senior Redell Frazier Jr.
placed 2nd in the in the 800-meter run with
1:54.00, which was the fifth-best time in
school history. Sophomore Taylor Spencer
placed15th with a time of 4:50.32 in the
1,500-meter run. In the long jump, senior
Dontay Taylor marked 21-04.75 (5.52
meters) to earn a 23rd place finish.
In the Mule Relays in Warrensburg, senior
Kimoya Harriot won the women’s javelin
throw, recording 148-11 (45.38 meters), the
second farthest throw in school history.
In the hammer throw, senior Denise
Banda earned a 5th place with a personal
best of 168-07 (51.39 meters). In the shot
put, junior Susan Brueggemann finished 7th
with a toss of 42-02.75 (12.87 meters).
For the men, junior Ramon Nelson’s
hammer throw of 173-04 (52.84 meters)
earned him 7th, while sophomore Kris
Leverette placed 8th with a personal best of
172-08 (52.62 meters0.
The Blue & Gold will travel to compete
at the BCS Buster Invitational on April
27-28 in Wichita. It will serve as the Roos’
final preparation for the Summit League
Championships on May 10-12 in Fargo,
N.D.
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News about
YOU-News
UMKC’s Independent Student Newspaper
The Bison clinched the victory with a
three-run sixth inning with Brea Konz’s
double the key hit.
The Blue & Gold will play against the
Kansas Jayhawks in two games in Lawrence
on April 25 before returning to battle
Oakland on April 28-29at the Missouri 3&2
Field in Kansas City.
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Upcoming Events
Women’s Golf
Summit League Championships
Primm, Nev.
April 23-24
Men’s Golf
Summit League Championships
Primm, Nev.
April 23-24
Softball
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kan.
April 25
3 p.m. & 5 p.m. Oakland
Missouri 3&2
April 28
April 29
2 p.m. & 4 p.m.
Noon
Track
BCS Buster Invitational
Wichita, Kan.
April 27-28
Men’s Tennis
Summit League Championships
Plaza Tennis Center April 27-28
Women’s Tennis
Summit League Championships
Plaza Tennis Center April 27-28
Volleyball
JCCC Tournament (Exh.)
Overland Park, Kan.
April 28
Graduating seniors say their farewells
8|Feature
Vol. 79, Issue 30
‘Phantom’ of U-News has unique interests
at the Tivoli,” he said.
Michelle Heiman
Chief Copy/Feature Editor
U-News Online Editor Ethan Parker
will graduate with a bachelor’s degree
in journalism and film. This will be in
addition to his associate’s degree in
liberal arts, as well as a paralegal degree.
His favorite course changes each
semester, but he admits he thoroughly
enjoyed Dr. Thomas Poe’s course on “The
Worlds of Alfred Hitchcock.”
“There’s nothing like taking a look at
films by Alfred Hitchcock and having
the chance to see them on the big screen
Parker said he enjoyed being the
“faceless entity” of the U-News:
“People know I exist, but not who I am.
I like to think of myself as the ‘Phantom’
of the U-News working meticulously
behind the scenes like a great puppetmaster. I’m not a sports fan, so I didn’t
pay attention to anything from that end
of the spectrum, and a lot of activities
that were offered really didn’t appeal to
me.”
He said Professor Robert Unger had a
large impact on his UMKC experience.
“He made me see how much I enjoy
journalism and writing once again,” he
said. “His enthusiasm and experience was
instrumental in my changing my major
and learning a lot about the world.”
After graduation, Parker will stay in
the Kansas City area. His wedding date
is May 2013, and he is working to save
up money. He will also continue to plan
his annual tabletop gaming convention,
KantCon, and would like to attend law
school in the future.
“When I started out at UMKC,
I wanted to do more extracurricular
activities within the UMKC setting, but
that just didn’t happen,” he said. “I would
tell incoming freshmen to relax. The
instructors and students here are very
laid back, and you can learn a lot from
them if you take the time to do so.”
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For film major, success means taking chances
His most memorable U-News experience
Michelle Heiman
Chief Copy/Feature Editor
U-News Copy Editor Jeremy Van Ryn
will graduate with a BA in Communications
Studies with an emphasis in film and media
arts. Reminiscing, he said picking out his
favorite course is difficult.
“I think my production classes were my
favorite and working with my classmates to
make short films,” he said. “Getting to try
out new cameras and equipment was really
fun. Working in a group can sometimes be
stressful, but it’s all worth it when you have
a finished product and get to submit it to
the student showcase for all to see.”
Jeremy said his most memorable
experience was hosting an event for MillerNichols Library.
“It was a lot of fun being a part of that
team and seeing our plan work out and be
able to enjoy that success as a group and not
just an individual,” he said.
was Sunday production, when members
of the newspaper staff edited articles and
designed the paper from scratch.
“We have a lot of characters here, and no
matter how stressful it gets there is always
something someone says or does that just
makes you laugh,” he said.
After graduation, Van Ryn would like to
work in sports broadcasting.
“I’m a major sports enthusiast, and if
I could, I would sit around just watching
sports all day,” he said. “Hopefully one day
I can get paid to do it.”
Van Ryn could not single out one person
who has had the most impact on his
UMKC experience.
“There are so many people, I couldn’t just
name one,” he said. “Everyone I have met
has just had such a big influence on every
aspect of my life here at UMKC.”
Outside of classes, he enjoyed playing
pick-up games at Swinney Recreation
Center.
“Basketball is one of my favorite sports,
and it’s nice to be able to go play whenever
I get the chance,” he said.
He would have liked to live on campus
for a semester, because it would have helped
him meet even more interesting people.
Van Ryn has some advice for incoming
freshmen:
“I would encourage them to embrace
the diversity here. UMKC offers so
many different opportunities for every
type of student. Keep yourself open to
opportunities and have no regrets.”
He also had some general words of
wisdom.
“This sounds cheesy, but it’s a quote I like
to remember: ‘You miss 100 percent of the
shots you don’t take.’ It helps me remember
to take chances,” he said.
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Midfielder is a star in the classroom and on the field
the world. They have given me a chance
Michelle Heiman
Head Copy/Feature Editor
After two years at the National
University of Ireland and three at
UMKC, midfielder and U-News Sports
Editor Luke Harman will graduate with
a Bachelor of History and a minor in
English writing.
Harman said his most memorable
experience was a pre-season trip with
the soccer team to San Francisco. The
team played UC- Berkeley, and Harman
enjoyed the view of Alcatraz from the
training field.
“My teammates have had the biggest
impact on my UMKC experience,” he
said. “Over the past few years, I have
been fortunate enough to make friends
within the team who hail from all over
to experience new cultures, styles of
humor and, unfortunately, dress sense.”
His favorite course was his final
capstone project.
“My topic was centered on the Tonkin
Gulf incident of 1969 and my Capstone
allowed me to concentrate on a subject
which I was extremely interested in and
allowed me to analyze the areas I wished
to analyze,” Harman said.
He also enjoyed meeting new people
while working with the U-News.
“These are people who I would have
otherwise never met around campus and
U-News has provided me with some
‘different’ colleagues,” he said.
Outside of classes and U-News,
Harman was a referee for the annual
intramural soccer league.
“Watching the interest in soccer grow
at UMKC since my arrival in 2009 has
been a great success and testament to the
Athletics program and facilities here,” he
said.
After graduation, Harman plans to
continue playing soccer at some level,
which includes coaching the youth of
Kansas City both educationally and on
the field.
His final reflections on his UMKC
experience:
“I wouldn’t change a thing. Regrets
are for fools. All incoming freshmen
should get involved as much as possible
with campus events. Use the Durwood
Stadium and the great facilities here
and just talk to people you never usually
would.”
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Feature|9
April 23, 2012
Being a workaholic pays off
Lindsay Adams
News Editor
Beth Larson, the president of Students in
Financial Enterprise (SIFE), is graduating
with double degrees with a Bachelor
of Business Administration-Enterprise
Management and Bachelor of ArtsCommunication Studies.
Larson has been in school for five
years and has transferred between three
universities. She finally stuck with UMKC
and for three and a half years.
“My favorite place near campus is Pizza
51,” Larson said. “They have delicious food
and a really cool atmosphere. Their house
salad dressing is the best I’ve ever had! I
enjoy grabbing a slice of pizza and sitting out
on the patio when the weather is nice out.”
Larson is happy to be graduating. She has
many fond memories of UMKC.
“My most memorable experience at
UMKC is Relay For Life,” Larson said. “An
alumna from my sorority was diagnosed with
Leukemia while at UMKC and she was the
driving force behind bringing Relay to our
campus – so it’s something very special to
me. Everyone has a blast at it – walking laps,
playing capture the flag, and in the contests
they have like the dance-off.”
After graduating, she plans to work as
analyst with a company in Kansas City.
Her goal is to come back to UMKC’s Bloch
School for an MBA.
Larson has few regrets over her academic
degree, but she said, “If I could change
anything about my time at UMKC, it would
be going to more athletics events. The games
that I did go to were always a lot of fun – but
I wish I would have gone to more.”
Her favorite courses were Public Speaking
for Professionals taught by Dr. Linda Kurz
and
Organizational Effectiveness and
Leadership taught by Dr. Pamela Dobies.
“Both classes were difficult and challenged
me academically but they were rewarding,”
Larson said. “I learned a ton about myself
and gained valuable knowledge and skills to
help me in my future.
Larson said her classmates, SIFE
teammates, and members of Delta Rho had
the most impact on her UMKC experience.
“They were the people that I hung out
Ballin’, Lambda style
Lindsay Adams
News Editor
John Phan will be graduating with a
bachelor’s degree in chemistry. It took
him five years to complete this degree.
His favorite class was Organic
Chemistry taught by Dr. Kathleen Kilway.
Phan said that Kilway, “made me enjoy
the class more than I would of course.”
Phan’s favorite memory at UMKC was
joining his fraternity, Lambda Theta Phi.
His goal is to apply for and attend
graduate school.
When asked who had the most impact
on his UMKC experience, Phan said, “Dr.
Kilway, she is a really good teacher and
she makes you want to learn.”
When asked if he would change
anything about his time at UMKC, Phan
said, “I would participate in more events
with on campus and spent my most time
with,” Larson said. “Whether it was studying
for a DSOM test with other Bloch students,
practicing the SIFE Presentation on the
roof of the Student Union, or participating
in a campus scavenger hunt on campus with
my sisters – those were the times that I felt
the most tied to campus and really felt like
UMKC is my home.”
Larson shared advice for incoming
freshman.
“You get out of it what you put into
it,” she said. “Get involved with student
organizations, make new friends, and be
open to new possibilities and the doors that
open for you. You never know when & where
you’ll meet your best friend, a potential
employer, or discover a new hobby. Especially
if you come in as a transfer student, it can be
hard to meet people and feel like you are part
of the UMKC community. You have to try
new things and put yourself out there. Get
involved, get great experiences, and make
great memories.”
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and do more community service.”
Phan’s favorite extracurricular activity
at UMKC was playing basketball at
Swinney Recreation Center.
His favorite place on campus is the
Lambda House. It is where he goes to
“chill with the bros.”
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In three years, a degree and tons of memories
Lindsay Adams
News Editor
Vanessa Salas is graduating with a
bachelor’s degree in Spanish. It took her
only three years to complete. Salas has
many fond memories of UMKC.
“My favorite time was always the
beginning of the school year, to have all of
the beginning of the year gatherings and
bbq’s and meeting new people,” Salas said.
“The warm weather and the excitement
in the air before the busy school year got
underway was always exciting.”
Salas could not choose a favorite course
out of the many she has taken in her time
at UMKC.
“I’ve enjoyed most of my classes at
UMKC,” she said. “All of the faculty
members are wonderful in the foreign
language department. You can really tell
that they each enjoy what they do and
they are always willing to help in any way
that they can.”
Salas’ most memorable experience at
UMKC was with her sorority.
“I really enjoyed being a part of Greek
Life, and I have made so many memories
with my sorority sisters,” she said.
“Being involved is what makes all those
unforgettable memories. I love being in
Delta Rho and I couldn’t be happier to
have made such special lifelong friends.”
After graduation Salas plans to have
a, as she put it, “much-needed” vacation.
Salas is going to take an Eastern
Caribbean Cruise with her family.
When Salas started at UMKC the
Student Union was not constructed. As a
student at UMKC she was able to see the
new Student Union completed and she
cited that as her favorite place at UMKC.
“The Student Union is a great meeting
place and it offers so much to the students,
something that the campus really
needed,” she said. “You can do so much
there, watch movies and performances
in the theater, eat some good food, hold
meetings, and of course study.”
The only thing that she would change
about her time here at UMKC is to attend
more athletic events at UMKC.
“The UMKC experience is awesome
because there is so much offered in
the heart of a great city,” she said. “Get
involved, UMKC has so many clubs and
groups that you can become a part of
which helps you to become a great leader
and helps you to create connections as
well as make lifelong friends and helps to
create a family away from home.”
[email protected]
10|Arts & Entertainment
Vol. 79, Issue 30
Not naked,
but totally famous
‘The Naked and
Famous’ rock the
Midland Theatre
Mal Hartigan
A & E Editor
The Power & Light District’s nightlife doesn’t only flourish
on weekends.
New Zealand’s electro-alternative band “The Naked and
Famous” headlining tour attracted hundreds of fans to the
Midland Theatre last Tuesday, accompanied by supporting
artist “Now, Now and Vacationer.”
The crowd flocked toward the stage even for the opening
performances, shouting with approval during Vacationer’s
performance. Fans squished even closer together as The
Naked and Famous took stage, bewitched by the band’s
electronic melodies and stage presence.
After releasing the debut album “Passive Me, Aggressive
You” in 2010, The Naked and Famous gained quick attention
in not only New Zealand, but worldwide. Topping New
Zealand’s music charts, the group’s popular single “Young
Blood” helped to cultivate an American following after being
featured in multiple commercials and television shows. To
keep the audience on their toes, the group performed their
popular single at the very end during the encore.
The group’s live performances prove consistently captivating
and unique. Opening song “All Of This” immediately
demanded audience attention.
The Naked and Famous not only performed with musical
expertise, but delivered one of the most visually appealing
shows to date. Behind the group was an LED backdrop
Last Tuesday’s performance of ‘The Naked and Famous’ brought New Zealand’as top talent to the Midland Theatre. The group’s hit
single “Young Blood” has helped cultivate the band’s U.S. following.
Photo by Matt Cook
divided into several broad panels, displaying images or
scrolling lyrics to individually accent each song. The LED
screen would collectively light up with neon colors on heavy
downbeats during electronic intros or interludes. Images of
moving mouths or eyes darting from side to side gave songs
an eerie edge.
The stage lighting shone swirling shades of magenta and
turquoise onto the Midland’s balcony during “The Sun.” The
fluctuating colors flashed across the stage and swept across
the crowd.
As vocalist and guitarist Thom Powers and vocalist/
keyboardist Alisa Xayalith sang the lyrics “All the lights go
down” from “Bells,” the lights cleverly dimmed until the
song’s climax. During an instrumental break in “Frayed,”
Xayalith’s body swayed rhythmically on the second downbeat
of each measure, adding to audience excitement.
After ending with “Girls Like You,” the crowd demanded
an encore where the group concluded the show with “Da Da
Da” and “Young Blood.”
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Kristen Cothron takes listeners to the ‘edge’
Debut album ‘Show Me Where the Edge Is’ instantly impresses
Kynslie Otte Photo Editor
Artist Kristen Cothron from Nashville,
Tenn., started her music career at just 16
years old. Nearly a decade later, release of her
debut album “Show Me Where the Edge Is”
marks her 10th studio project and first fulllength record.
According to Cothron’s website, she is
“Born from a dark Southern psyche charred
by half-burned cigarette ash, then soaked
in sweet tea.” This eccentric description
becomes clearer after taking a listen.
“Edge,” the first track, has a sultry
southern jazz feel with an electro-pop beat.
Cothron’s vocals are startlingly unique. She
was described by The Memphis Playbook
as “Tougher than Fiona Apple, edgier than
Norah Jones.” Cothron seductively croons
“I’ve got an appetite for what you sell/ so
show me where the edge is.”
Cothron’s lyrics are edgy and smart. In
the chorus to “Anthem,” she sings “Give you
promise and a handshake/ a secret and a
smile/ but I’ll write the last check.”
“Darkside” features a subtle jazz beat and
an impressive piano solo. It is reminiscent
of mid-‘90s Fiona Apple both lyrically and
musically. The sound is crisp and clean, and
Cothron’s raspy vocals contrast the music
beautifully.
In “Maybe It’s You,” Cothron shows her
softer side. It begins with a simple chord
played on an organ, followed by a gentle
guitar riff. The brass instrument feature is a
nice touch to contrast the rest of the album.
“You’ve got me mesmerized/ you’ve got me
hypnotized/ I never expected this moment to
arrive,” Cothron swoons.
Cothron covers the song “Tart” by one
of her biggest influences, Elvis Costello.
Cothron’s rendition brings a fresh, new
perspective to the song, which is arguably
better than the original. The music is more
complex, featuring a synthesized solo in the
bridge resembling a music box, along with
a gospel organ and a French horn in the
background.
The French horn reemerges in “What a
View,” soloing beautifully at the beginning.
The song focuses less on Cothron’s vocals,
which brings out the brass line’s beauty.
“Absolute Celebrity” starts with a bluesy
guitar riff, bursting into a big band/jazzy
chorus. The lyrics are clever, and Cothron
showcases her robust vocals. “Am I sober/
well that depends on what comes next,”
she sings. This feel-good song is one of the
album’s best.
Cothron also covers “Town Cryer” by
Elvis Costello. A steel guitar line is prevalent
throughout, giving the song a country feel,
but Cothron’s vocals are all soul. The brass
solo creates an interesting dynamic, providing
fresh insight on an old piece. Cothron’s
cover is tasteful and easier on the ears than
Costello’s choppy vocals.
“Traveling Alone” differs from the album’s
other songs. It grooves like a country ballad
rather than a jazz or soul piece. Though
Cothron’s vocals shine, the song doesn’t
accurately represent the rest of hr music.
“Traveling Alone” is the weakest song.
“Show Me Where the Edge Is” is an
impressive first full-length album. Every
song is unique, and Cothron has effectively
developed her own, completely distinctive
style. Her vocals are seductive and clean,
assuring the album’s instant success.
Costello, Fiona Apple, Amy Winehouse
or jazz fans would enjoy Cothron’s April 25th
performance at the Czar Bar in Kansas City.
[email protected]
Arts & Entertainment|11
April 23, 2012
Spring public speaking contest
showcases student talent
Kate Baxendale Staff Writer
The Faye Kircher Public Speaking Contest
was held April 16 at the Student Union.
All seven contestants were finalists after
participating in a preliminary round that
included one student from each of the thirtyone sections of Communication Studies
110. Each finalist received prize money: 1st,
2nd and 3rd place received $200, $100 and
$75, respectively. Fourth through 7th place
received $25 each.
McGraw-Hill, the publishing company
from which UMKC purchases its public
speaking textbooks, donates $400 so the
contests can be held. In the audience were
hundreds of students from various sections
of the communications course.
Dr. Linda Kurz, assistant teaching
professor and undergraduate advisor, has
organized the speech contest every year since
1997. Kurz is also the director of Speech 110.
“Since I have been the director of Speech
110, I thought it would be a good idea to
have a speech contest,” she said. “It started
with about five sections of the course and
now it has grown to 31.” Since the growth
of the Speech 110 program in recent years,
two contests are held: one in the fall and one
in the spring.
Master of Ceremonies Professor Michael
Schaefer looked sharp in a classic black
tuxedo. At 7 p.m., Blake Bixler took the stage.
He spoke professionally about incorporating
the Star Wars saga into the American
education system. During each two-minute
interlude between speakers, a solo cellist
played melodies appropriate for the occasion.
Next on stage was Shadae Carr, who
spoke passionately about the evils of capital
punishment. Alex Chang, whose speech
was entitled “The Un-Social Network,”
explained why social networks like Twitter
and Facebook are sabotaging face-to-face
relationships.
Chang was followed by Lena Samford,
whose topic was “The Effects of Sleep
Deprivation.” Haleigh Sternickle was next;
her speech explained the negative aspects
of online dating. Marie Whelan delivered
a speech persuading her audience to agree
on public smoking bans. Bethany Woodson
concluded the evening with a speech about
tuition hikes in education.
The judges, including News Anchor
Cynthia Newsome of KSHB-TV, tallied
the scores. Schaefer announced Alex Chang
the 1st place winner. He told the story of
a young man who decided to log off social
networking sites for a period of time in an
effort to improve his direct social interactions
with people.
When asked how he got the idea for his
speech topic, Chang replied, “I read a news
story on Yahoo! about the young man I
talked about in my speech and I believed in
the idea.”
Chang proved his speech experience with
his expert delivery tactics and natural ability
to impact an audience.
“I participated in Future Business Leaders
of America for several years and I was also a
member of the debate team,” he said.
The spring public speaking contest was
dedicated in memory of two important
figures in the UMKC community. Faye
Kircher, for whom the contest was named,
was a Professor of Communication Studies.
Winner Alex Chang.
Photo by Kate Baxendale
She served as the Director of the Speech
110 program until her retirement. Kircher
received the Outstanding Teach of the Year
Award from UMKC in 1990. The prize
money is funded by a generous endowment
from friends and family of Kircher. It has
ensured that the contest will continue for
many years to come. The contest was also
held in loving memory of Dr. Carol Koehler,
who passed away in December. Koehler most
recently served as an associate professor Chair
of the Communication Studies Department.
A commemorative bench inscribed with her
name l will be officially unveiled on April 27
outside Haag Hall.
[email protected]
Tattoo of the Week
For the love of literature
Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ inspires Hunter Capps’ new ink
Kynslie Otte
Photo Editor
Hunter Capps expresses his
passion for literature through many
of his 10 tattoos, most of which
coincide to form one large piece. He
got his first tattoo at age 18.
Though all of his tattoos have
unique significance, his most recent
tattoo depicts Satan from John
Milton’s epic poem “Paradise Lost”
on his chest. It is modeled after an
illustration by French artist Gustave
Doré.
“At the same time that I became
highly involved in Queer Theory, I
was taking a Milton class in which
I was able to read the epic through
a much different lens,” Capps said.
“In my research, I realized that not
only was the portrayal of God quite
despotic, but also that Satan was
the true hero of the epic because he
subverts the hegemonic norms of
God’s discourse.”
Capps perceived Satan in
“Paradise Lost” to have many
relatable human qualities rather
than Satan’s common association
with villainy.
“Satan’s role in the notorious
Western narrative as an evildoer
was something that fascinated me
as I read ‘Paradise Lost,’” Capps
said. “When one digs a bit more
into Milton’s narrative, it can be
seen how Satan really isn’t as bad
as he has been made out to be. As
a queer, I empathize with Satan’s
struggle of being misunderstood and
mislabeled as deviant simply because
he does not fit into nor agree with
the narrow discourse of his ‘society.’”
The tattoo is currently only an
outline. After it is filled in, the whole
project will cost roughly $480.
Though Capps doesn’t recall a
memorable moment while getting
his new ink, he said he “enjoys the
pain of the process and each tattoo is
equally important, so therefore each
experience is a good one.”
Capps received mixed reactions
from his family and friends.
“As far as my family is concerned,
they are supportive because I have a
legitimate and logical understanding
of what the tattoo means to me,”
he said. “Despite my explanation of
the tattoo, I did lose a friend over
it because they had such a problem
with what they thought the tattoo
represented. Other than that, my
friends like it.”
Capps plans to cover his body
with tattoos someday.
Want to be featured in “Tattoo
of the Week” for the upcoming
summer issue of U-News? Contact
Mal Hartigan at mhartigan@unews.
com.
[email protected]
12|Arts & Entertainment
Vol. 79, Issue 30
Lip sync
for
your life
Queer Alliance
hosts drag show
fundraiser featuring
local favorites
Roze Brooks Staff Writer
As part of its Gaypril celebration, UMKC’s
Queer Alliance hosted its third annual
Spring Drag Show. The night’s event was
co-hosted by Kansas City drag persona Butt
Weiser and UMKC’s Mr. Congeniality and
Mr. Gay Pride 2011 Seto Herrera, known
on stage as KC Sunshine. Donating a $1
cover charge was recommended to support
two charity events chosen by QA. The event
raised $60, which will be split between Relay
for Life and AIDS Walk.
Opening the show, KC Sunshine briefed
the audience on the evening’s rules and
expectations, teasing those who had never
been to a drag show before. Butt Weiser then
took the stage, performing to Celebration,
which set the bar for other performers.
Each performer had two solo acts with an
intermission in between.
Following acts included junior Cyrus
Manian, known on stage as Phoenix Rishon.
She chose a Lady Gaga/Marilyn Manson
From left to right: Butt Weiser, Seto Herrera, Cyrus Manian, and Daniel Beeman perform on stage.
mash-up as her introduction piece. Freshman
Daniel Beeman, performing as Danny Kage,
followed with a live vocal performance of
“Animal” by Neon Trees.
“It’s definitely interesting to see the
dynamics of drag performances now,”
Beeman said. “What used to be primarily
men dressing as women and vice versa
has now widened to include any form of
impersonation or performance. I think it’s
more inclusive and allows people who do not
necessarily want to do the gender-bending
style of performance to still perform.”
Kansas City local drag king Pluto gave
a blast from the past with the popular
Backstreet Boys anthem “Larger than Life.”
Next up was junior Ryan Hall, taking the
persona of Amber Lesque. Lesque strutted
to “Jealous of my Boogie,” a song by wellknown drag performer Ru Paul. Lesque was
a crowd pleaser, receiving numerous tips.
freshman Danice Shilling presented an
original Spoken Word poem called “She
Is.” The final act of the first round was KC
Sunshine delivering live singing and hiphop dancing to a mash-up of songs by The
Wanted.
The show then segued into an audience
participation game called “Are you Smarter
than a Drag Queen?” Performers Kage
and Rishon played against two teams of
audience members called Team Britney and
Team Gaga. After rounds of questions about
popular music, Team Gaga was eliminated.
Team Britney won a tiebreaker against the
Drag Queens with a final question about
what items every drag queen should carry at
all times.
In the second round of performances,
Kage opted for an intricate dance number
to Lady Gaga’s “Marry the Night” while
wearing an all-leather outfit. Butt Weiser
followed with “My Wish” by Rascall Flatts,
sporting a custom pair of jeans with “Butt”
written down one leg. Lesque presented a
rendition of Christina Aguilera’s “Hurt” and
received a $20 tip.
Photo by Roze Brooks
When technical difficulties arose,
performers gave seamless impromptu jokes
or inspirational statements. KC Sunshine’s
second act included rapping and dancing to a
hip-hop mash-up, changing costumes several
times during the number. Rishon took a
comedic approach, performing to Ke$ha’s
“Your Love is my Drug,” implementing a
drunken stagger and white powder under her
nose. The second round ended with Pluto
sporting a blue “pimp” hat and dancing to
Lou Bega’s “Mambo No. 5.”
Concluding with a grand finale, UMKC’s
representatives on the Show Me Pride
Royalty court were featured in a montage
of impersonations. Herrera, Manian and
Beeman entered the stage dressed as Michael
Jackson, Jessie J, and Adam Lambert,
respectively, finishing with a performance
of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by
Whitney Houston.
[email protected]
album review
The Mars Volta continues its legacy with ‘Noctourniquet’
Mal Hartigan
A&E Editor
The Mars Volta, one of the decade’s
most experimental and musically diverse
progressive rock bands, continues its 11-yearlong success with the March 26th release of
“Noctourniquet.”
The
band’s
sixth
studio
album
characteristically contains Cedric BixlerZavala’s unique vocals, wailing high notes
over mathematically complex guitar riffs
and complicated drum patterns. Each track
is distinctive and avoids repetition, especially
since some songs do not feature a chorus.
The album doesn’t start with a bang, but
listeners shouldn’t be fooled; the opening
track, “The Whip Hand,” makes up for
its slow intro with Zavala’s powerful and
enthusiastic vocals. An electronic keyboard
line surfaces as the vocals build, adding an
exotic texture.
“The Malkin Jewel,” the album’s single,
proves slower and darker. Zavala’s vocals
remain surprisingly low until the song’s
climax, demonstrating his versatility while
providing a change of pace.
Like previous albums, “Noctourniquet”
shares rhythmic expertise between drums,
bass and guitar melodies during long
instrumental breaks. “Aegis,” the second
track, begins with more prominent drums
and flirts with intricate rhythms throughout.
“Zed and Two Naughts,” the concluding
track, is the album’s gem. Starting with light
vocal harmonies, it transitions to a haunting
verse that builds into a flawless chorus. The
vocals are catchy and most memorable.
“Noctourniquet” has notable differences
compared to the group’s debut, “De-Loused
in the Comatorium,” such as the incorporated
electronic sounds. It was also rumored the
band recently found a new drummer.
Formed in 2001, the group has seen
several band members come and go,
including bassists, multiple drummers and
keyboardists, but retains its charismatic
and unique reputation. John Frusciante
played guitar in the studio for six years and
occasionally performed at The Mars Volta’s
live shows. The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea
was in studio for the group’s debut album
and played trumpet on the second album,
“Frances the Mute.”
Omar Rodríguez-López and Zavala, who
formed The Mars Volta after leaving the
band At The Drive-In, have been the only
consistent members. Rodríguez-López, the
director, producer and back-up vocalist, is
the mastermind behind each song. After
“Noctourniquet,” Rodríguez-López said he
wanted to increase members’ involvement in
creating future songs rather than controlling
it himself.
For long-term fans, this album proves
musical growth and experimentation, but
may lack the same edge from the group’s
debut. The Mars Volta’s relentless energy has
transformed into subtler vocals and electronic
additions. “Noctourniquet” features more
slow-paced songs, but remains fresh and
vocally varied.
Fusing jazz, progressive rock, math rock and
Latin American elements, “Noctourniquet”
continues The Mars Volta legacy.
[email protected]
Summer Session What are you doing
With
your
Catch
5 weeks
downtime?
stay
ahead 4 weeks
UMKC
2012
Dates
Registration opens for current
students April 2
up,
Open registration begins April 23
on track
or get
.
Amp up your graduation plans with Summer
Session. All the information you need is at
umkc.edu/summersession/unews.
First Five-Week Session
May 21-June 22
Second Five-Week Session
June 25-July 27
First Four-Week Session
June 4-June 29
our volunteers come back again and again
because we build relationships and make you
feel at home. you’ll receive compensation for
your time, and for referring others.
Second Four-Week Session
July 2-July 27
8 weeks
Eight-Week Session
June 4-July 27
to learn more about participating in a clinical trial,
go to prastudies.com or call (913) 410-2900.
14|Arts & Entertainment
Vol. 79, Issue 30
Student Profile
Junior Andrew Johnson goes
to work in a ‘suit and tail’
Kynslie Otte Andrew Johnson pleases the crowd as the
Missouri Maverick’s mascot.
Photo courtesy of Andrew Johnson
Photo Editor
Junior business major Andrew Johnson
has a quirky and more unique occupation
than making balloon animals or dressing up
as a clown. Instead, he works as the mascot
coordinator for the Missouri Mavericks,
serves as a backup mascot for the Kansas
City Chiefs and a mascot assistant for the
Kansas City Royals.
Johnson has been performing as various
mascot characters for six years. He received
his first job as a sophomore in high school,
and went on to perform as “Bobby Bearcat”
at Northwest Missouri State University.
Opportunities for Johnson poured in
during his freshman year at NWMSU. His
mentor, Dan Meers, has been the primary
mascot for the Kansas City Chiefs for 23
years, and offered Johnson the opportunity
to serve as his backup. Johnson accepted,
and still serves as backup mascot. During
the same year, Johnson was accepted as the
mascot assistant for the Kansas City Royals.
Finally, during the following summer,
Johnson was offered the mascot position for
the Missouri Mavericks.
Becoming a mascot has always been
Johnson’s dream.
“Most kids grow up wanting to become
firefighters and police officers,” he said. “For
some strange reason, at the age of 5, I knew I
wanted to become a mascot.”
Attending sporting events during his
childhood sparked the inspiration.
“My family and I went to many Royals
games and I can remember watching
Sluggerrr from afar and thinking he was the
coolest thing to walk on two legs,” Johnson
said. “Unfortunately after graduation, most
students will go to work in a suit and tie. My
goal is to go to work in a suit and tail.”
Though Johnson enjoys his job, it has its
fair share of dangers.
“Most people don't realize how physically
demanding the job truly is,” he said. “The
costume weighs about 20 pounds and I can
lose 10-15 pounds of water weight every
game. Each of my games begins 24 hours in
advance when I have to begin to pre-hydrate.
Exercise is extremely important during the
week to make sure I can keep up while in
costume.”
Being a mascot requires more than wearing
a costume and delivering an entertaining
performance. There are many responsibilities
outside of each routine.
“Much of what I am learning in the Bloch
School applies to my position, which includes
many aspects of sales and marketing,”
Johnson said. “As the mascot coordinator, my
job is to develop the character of Mac, run
Junior Andrew Johnson.
the mascot’s social media outlets (Facebook
and Twitter), write and perform skits, sell
appearances, run the reading program, create
community awareness and help enhance the
Mavericks brand.”
Johnson’s involvement has also helped the
hockey team’s mascot program.
“I am extremely proud of the progress
that we have made with the mascot program
for the Missouri Mavericks,” he said. “Our
character now makes over 150 appearances a
year, plus all of the home games.”
According to Johnson, the hardest part
of his job is coming up with a new routine
for each event. With 33 home games, 3540 percent of the crowd consists of season
ticket holders who see Johnson perform on
a regular basis.
Though the job proves demanding,
Johnson finds it rewarding.
“My favorite part of being a mascot has
to be seeing the smiles on kids’ faces after
interacting with Mac or the Wolf,” he said.
“It is also cool getting away with things that
most people would probably get arrested for.”
[email protected]
Young entrepreneur has an eye
for video production
Kallie Hartigan discusses ‘Eyeperture Productions’
Kynslie Otte Photo Editor
Kallie Hartigan’s passion for videography
piqued the St. Joe native’s interest in KC’s
up-and-coming market for photography
and video production. With help from
friend Adam Hirst, Hartigan established
Eyeperture Productions in 2011.
Severe glaucoma left her partially blind
as a toddler, but has not obstructed her
goals. Since the company’s debut, Hartigan
has edited and produced a music video for
artist Mike Borgia and the Problems, which
recently aired on Australian television.
Her comedy DVDs have also been
successful. Two of Hartigan’s short films have
been featured in the Griffon International
Film Festival. She has also filmed five
commercials, two of which aired on local
television.
Establishing a company isn’t an easy feat.
Hartigan answered some questions about
her experiences and recent success in the
industry.
Why did you begin your own
company?
In my hometown of St. Joseph, there are
very few options for someone pursuing
video production, so I decided to create my
own. I chose to start Eyeperture Productions
from the ground up so I could do what I love
every day. There is an untapped market in this
area, and since we live in such a visual era, I
only see the desire for video growing.
What interested you in video
production/editing?
The limitless possibilities. There are
a dozen ways to shoot any scene, and
a million ways to edit it. The fact that the
smallest detail can change the whole feel
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
of a single video fascinates me, and I love
developing my own sense of style in the video
world.
What was the first video you ever
edited? How old were you?
After realizing I wanted to film, I would
take a video camera with me when I
hung out with friends, on the weekends and
at cross country races, etcetera. From there, I
made videos for our cross country team and
a video for my senior high school project. It
only grew from there.
You were diagnosed with glaucoma as
a child. Does your visual impairment
affect your job?
Sometimes it is hard while shooting
live video, but I have never produced a
poor quality product because of it. I like to
think that having sight in only one eye lets
me see the world in a different way. Really, I
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
think my limited vision only influences and
distinguishes my style more as an artist.
How did you acquire the necessary
skills?
Simply by doing it. The more I work
with it, the more I push myself on each
project. I try incorporating something new
and unfamiliar into each project to push my
growth as an artist. I also owe a lot of my
knowledge to Adam Hirst and Jeff Meyer,
who taught me so much along the way.
Reading books on the subject certainly hasn’t
hurt.
How did you make your company
possible?
By completely devoting myself to it.
I still work full time at my blue collar
job, but I come home every day and work six
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Continued on Page 15
Forum|15
April 23, 2012
DISCLAIMER: U-News is the official newspaper of UMKC. However, we remain an independent student newspaper. The views of individual writers do not represent the
publication or university as a whole. All students are given an opportunity to join and participate in U-News.
Getting your motivation back
Nathan Zoschke
Production Manager/Copy Editor
My spring semester is usually
accompanied by a slump and loss
of motivation. When coupled with
seasonal allergies and pleasant
weather, the stresses of school and
personal life usually result in my
morning ritual of counting down
the days until finals are over.
The temptation to slack off and
loss of interest in the daily grind of
life affects most of us at some point.
Young adults are particularly prone
to emotional fluctuations.
What many students do not
realize is that the prefrontal
cortex of the brain, which controls
reasoning and restricts impulsive
behavior, is not fully formed until
age 25, according to the National
Institute of Health. For males,
brain maturity takes longer than
females (ouch!).
Consider the following:
• About 50 percent of all American marriages end in divorce, but
60 percent of couples who marry
between the ages of 20 and 25
end up getting divorced.
• The prison population of those
ages 18-29, especially among
males in this age group, is alarmingly high compared to the same
demographic group’s proportion
of the U.S. population.
• Males under the age of 25 pay
higher car insurance rates than
females of the same age group.
However, young adult females
also pay higher rates relative to
older females.
• Drug and alcohol abuse is higher
among young adults than other
demographics.
In other words, college students,
as young adults, are naturally
impulsive, thanks to biology.
This isn’t news to older adults,
but few of us young folk actually
take the time to stop and realize
that our emotional fluctuations are
a byproduct of being young.
Like children and teens, young
adults crave stimulating, highenergy activities. Some like to
party, be physically active and feel
like we’re on top of the world.
Just like high school kids who
push homework aside to waste
their lives in front of a video game
console, college students who
push school to the side to enjoy
the thrills of life will also reap the
consequences.
My problem isn’t intentionally
brushing off my academic
responsibilities, but the loss of
energy and enthusiasm as the
school year draws to a close. I was
already feeling worn down after
taking 20 credits last semester, an
idea my friends all warned against.
The ones who had burnt themselves
out on school, regardless of their
ability levels, felt the exact same
way.
Young adults’ short attention
spans, too, are a byproduct of
age. (I’m sure being constantly
surrounded by social media and
technology has plenty to do with
this as well.)
Whenever I feel my motivation
trickle away, I focus on the success
skills instilled in me by my parents,
instructors, role models and my
own quest for success.
It must be the annoyingly cliché,
but spot on advice I have been
retold time and time again: “The
only mistakes are the ones you
never learn from.”
In other words, the behavioral
patterns established as the
Nathan Zoschke
prefrontal cortex is developing have
a lasting impact on long-term brain
development.
I used to roll my eyes at my
dad’s cautionary advice of “Make
good choices,” and “Be careful.”
I assumed he thought I was a
reckless idiot.
Now, I realize his wisdom. After
all, he was in college, too … once
upon a time.
[email protected]
Out of my comfort zone and into the hot seat
Mark LinvilleEditor-in-Chief
In my year as Editor-inChief for The University News, I
learned a lot about myself. Other
than having the ability to endure
constant challenges, the job taught
me I actually can be a leader in life.
I shocked myself when I applied for
the job, just as I did when I applied
to write for U-News in 2009.
I never saw myself pursuing
a managerial job, nor practicing
journalism. It was completely out of
my comfort zone.. I never thought
I would have the depth to be in
charge of another free-thinking
individual. Being the immediate
supervisor of every aspect of a
weekly
collegiate/community
publication allowed me to gain skills
I never knew I needed. I am not
referring to processing paperwork
or supervising employees, but skills
that build character.
Prior to taking the job, I was a
bit unprofessional when it came to
meeting deadlines and handling
the independent variables of life.
I avoided scenarios that involved
relying on others to accomplish a
goal. I lacked the capacity to allow
others’ input or a helping hand.
After working with a team of
skillful people with a mutual end
goal, my preference of working
alone was shaken. Working with
others helps finish tasks in a
fluid manner and everyone gets
knowledge and experience from it
all.
My rationale has also changed
with the job. Working with budgets
and deadlines requires careful
thinking and strategizing to keep
the boat afloat.
Another attribute I gained
was keeping a level head. As
editor, I would receive dozens
of emails daily, some of them
junk and others very important.
Occasionally I would receive emails
from readers who were upset over
printed content. Regardless of the
complaint, it was imperative that I
approach the reader in a calm and
logical manner. Previously, I would
have responded immaturely or
unprofessionally.
Keeping a level head in any
situation gets you far in life. I can
admit that a few of the printed
errors of the past year were my own
mistakes. I simply rolled with the
punches and took the adversity as
means for improvement. All I can
do is grit my teeth and transform all
criticism into constructive advice.
But all in all I learned that stress
is an ever-present fact of life that
everyone faces, and the only way
to deal with it is by practicing
patience.
As this issue prints, it marks the
end of my tenure at U-News. As
this chapter of my life ends, I take
away many experiences applicable
to the even more professional life
ahead of me.
Through
being
Editor-in-
Mark Linville
Chief, I have confidence when I
say you should never be scared to
do something out of your comfort
zone. Take risks in life, but don’t be
too impulsive.
[email protected]
A&E: Eyeperture Productions: Continued from Page 14
or more hours with video to make my dream
come true. I am passionate about my work
and my clients. I think pairing that with the
visual integrity of my company has made
it grow so quickly. The company’s website
is almost launched, there are Eyeperture
Production T-shirts for sale and you’ll even
be able to “rent” a viewing of the DVD
specials the company has produced through
our website. Big things are happening!
What do you typically film? How do
you like to film/edit?
I have filmed and will film anything.
I have filmed several comedy specials
that are available for purchase, many “roasts,”
live music, scripted music videos for bands,
weddings,
commercials,
promotional
material, instructional videos and more.
Q.
A.
However, what I love doing most is making
short films.
I like to direct and edit as much as the
situation allows. I feel like being able to
control both aspects can really allow for some
fresh and innovative ideas and looks. I like
shots with a lot of movement. I have Adam
to thank for opening my eyes to different
shots and techniques. As far as editing goes,
I’ve been told I have a pretty unique style.
Eyeperture Productions’ website is
currently under construction. To view
Hartigan’s completed projects, visit her Vimeo
profile at http://vimeo.com/user4843062.
[email protected]
GAMES
5
Human Trafficking:
Continued from Page 5
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“With the dramatic need, the challenge is the
tremendous resources needed,” Tuttle said. “It takes $4,500
to rescue one victim from human trafficking.”
The reaction from students, Brown finds, has been
positive.
“Students want to know how they can help and most
are shocked to know the problem is so rampant,” he said.
Brown pointed to a rally against human trafficking
recently held at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. He
would like to see UMCK students stage a similar event.
McEnaney said efforts to establish the Ambassadors
group have been successful, and that he has received
followup from the Student Government Association.
He is in the process of recruiting officers and organizing
a meeting before the end of the semester. The group will
focus on building a social media presence and holding
public events to raise awareness of the issue.
“Once the group gets started and gets its feet on the
ground, it is my goal to take a group, with Russ and Gene
as well, to a national or perhaps local human trafficking
event with motivational speakers,” McEnaney said. “I
think it would be an eye-opening experience and challenge
all of us to really think about why we’re in this group and
encourage us to make a 110 percent difference.”
[email protected]
6
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