Issue 4

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North Iowa Area Community College
Mason City, IA 50401
October 14, 2011
Volume 38, Issue 4
‘Pants on the ground’
Florida law controversial
•Page 4 Dr. Lyn Brodersen joins the NIACC
administrative team
•Page 7 Six NIACC
students participated
in living history lesson
•Page 11 Calum Nimmo
plays a ‘big role’ on the
Trojan soccer team
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Sarah McCarthy
Editor
ecently, Green Day frontman Billie Joe
Armstrong was kicked off of a Southwest
Airlines flight because according to his
Twitter, his “pants sagged too low.”
According to a Rolling Stone article,
a flight attendant asked the singer to pull his pants up but
Armstrong responded by asking if there weren’t better
things to worry about than that. His begrudging attitude led
to his ejection from the flight, which gained national attention.
But airplanes aren’t the only place where saggy pants
have drawn considerable attention.
A Florida lawmaker has also gained notoriety for handing out leather belts to college students after passing a law
banning baggy pants on campuses.
According to NIACC president, Debra Derr, NIACC
has no widespread dress code enacted on campus.
“ The Student Handbook doesn’t have a clothing clause,
but obviously it wouldn’t be appropriate to wear a shirt
with offensive ideas or words,” Derr said. “That would be a
violation of the Student Code of Conduct.”
NIACC does however have a dress code for some professional or technical areas.
Derr says that personally she doesn’t understand why
the baggy pant trend is causing such a fuss.
“It’s the style. Every generation has its own style. It’s
just what they do to express themselves,” Derr said. “As
long as it doesn’t threaten or harass someone, I don’t see
why it’s a problem.”
A Florida legislator, Senator Gary Siplin, has been
pushing for a ban on saggy pants for the past six years. His
law was finally approved last spring.
Florida’s state legislature readily agreed to enforce the
law at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year along
with a punishment for violating the law, including school
suspension.
Logos photo by Caleb Bassey
John Schmaltz, instructor emeritus at NIACC, wholeLow riding pants can be seen across campus and in the dorms. The
heartedly agrees with the new Florida law.
style has become controversial because of a recent Florida court rulContinued on page 3
ing.
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October 14, 2011
Sean Peters
Webmaster
You are what you eat. If you eat
well, you’ll be well. The problem is that
many NIACC students don’t eat much of
anything for breakfast. Because of this,
they won’t be much of anything when it
comes to their classes.
Craig Zoellner, biology instructor,
surveys his Health and Nutrition classes
to see how many of them eat breakfast.
“It’s always less than fifty percent,”
Zoellner said.
To prove this, he asked the students
who were studying in the room to raise
their hands if they ate breakfast. Only one
of the four students had eaten breakfast.
Eating breakfast can help students
in their classes
“It gets your body reenergized,”
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Good breakfast key to success in class
Zoellner said.
Coffee and a donut won’t cut it.
Zoellner said that breakfast should include protein such as eggs or milk, and
complex carbs like whole-grain cereals.
Zoellner has tried in his classes to
get his students to eat a better breakfast
by giving them the assignment of comparing what they ate and how nutritious
it was. Students would try to beat their
classmates by eating the best.
But not all students can be influenced
to eat breakfast.
There are many excuses for why
students don’t eat breakfast such as not
liking breakfast foods or not liking food
in the morning at all. The most common
excuse is lack of time.
Lori Greer, a student at NIACC,
said she starts her mornings off with a
Mountain Dew.
“I don’t get up early enough to make
coffee,” she said. She also said that without enough time to heat up a pot of coffee,
there definitely isn’t time for breakfast.
With kids to take care of and school
work to do, time is a valuable thing she
said.
But she said that the lack of food in
her stomach has no effect on her schoolwork.
“I’m too busy to notice if I’m hungry,”
she said. She said she gets good grades and
feels healthy, so she doesn’t worry about
breakfast at all.
Zoellner said that students should
make time to eat. In today’s world, food
can be found quickly and conveniently.
Someone can grab a breakfast bar and get
on with the day.
You are what you eat. Eat something
so you can be something.
College starts new Human Services Club on campus
Emily Philipp
Entertainment Editor
tudents who want
to find success in
college will enhance
their chances if they join a
group or organization and feel
like a part of the college community.
There are many clubs at
NIACC, one for everyone, and
recently a new one has been
started that could not only
change a student’s life but
another’s as well.
The new club, entitled Human Services Club, is one that
is meant to make a difference.
Being involved not only is
a fun way to meet people, but
also a great way to make a difference in the community and
develop leadership skills.
“(The club’s purpose is)
to help prepare students for
careers in Human Services and
to prepare for transfer,” Larry
Kollman, NIACC Psychology
instructor, said. “A reason we
started this club is that a lot
of students are going into this
field.”
So to help students and
hopefully make a difference,
the Human Services Club was
started.
“It will help students to organize their plans, gain information and show students training
aspects and issues that will
come up in this career area,”
Kollman said.
By doing community
services and outreach work, the
hope is to make a difference
in the community and maybe
change a few lives in the process, according to Kollman.
Students will meet others from NIACC that have
the same mission to make a
difference in someone’s life and
change the world for the better.
And by working together
one never knows the impact it
can have on those around them.
By taking part in this club,
taking a chance, giving ideas
and giving up time to help those
in need, participants can all
make a difference.
“All students are welcome,
and anyone can be a part of the
club,” Kollman said.
To get more information
about the Human Services Club,
call Larry Kollman 641-4224249 or email him at kollmlar@
niacc.edu.
Rebecca Uhl
For the Logos
ost college students would love
to always have
someone there to tell them how
to not get sick or to help with
studying.
NIACC recently created
Student Health 101, an online
magazine filled with tips and
information about NIACC,
available to all students.
The online magazine is
sent to every NIACC student
email account each month.
Student Health 101 contains a large variety of information and provides information
and upcoming events happening at NIACC.
“This is just another avenue to give us information,”
Terri Ewers, dean of Student
Development, said. “It provides
students with information about
our own college as well.”
This magazine allows
students to access facts and
ways to join programs and attend events on campus such as
Be the Majority and flu vaccine
clinics.
This issue not only gives
students their own staff directory but also provides ways
to contact hospitals, legal aid,
food assistance, childcare and
many other assistance programs
around our area.
Not only can students
access it through their email ac-
counts, but also in many places
they visit every day.
It can be brought up on a
student’s Facebook or Twitter
account because of the growing
student population accessing
these online sites each day.
They are posted all over
campus; students can find them
on the walls, in the Activity
Center, the café and even in the
bathroom stalls.
“The purpose is to give
students information about
being in college and how to be
healthy student,” Ewers said.
Student Health 101 helps
students all over the country by
providing students ways to take
action and become a healthy,
highly educated college student.
With tips and interviews
by other college students all
over the world, Student Health
101 has done its job educating
students on how to be the best
college students they can be.
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Online magazine ‘Student Health 101’ now available here
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College officials don’t plan to institute any dress code
Continued from page one
“Students need to be
dressed for success in college.
Your first impression is important,” Schmaltz said. “Students
are affected by how they dress
whether it’s right or wrong.
Perception is everything.”
Schmaltz also said he
believes that the new Florida
law is meant to promote a more
civilized interaction between
people.
“College is a training
ground for the professional
world,” Schmaltz said. “Dressing well is a huge part of being
a professional. The way you
dress has a big factor in your
prosperity.”
While the college age
generation seems to have a
habit of showing up to class in
everything from baggy pants
to pajamas, Schmaltz said he
believes that how you look is a
signal for how you respect the
other person, or in this case,
your instructor.
“Ignorance is not bliss
“People should wear what they
want. We’re old enough to pick what
to wear.”
-Tia Gutierrez, a NIACC freshman
when it comes to this. My generation may have somewhere
dropped the ball when communicating to younger people what
is appropriate and what isn’t,”
Schmaltz said.
Supporters of the law argue
that the style of wearing pants
down to your knees is offensive
because it shows others more
than what they want to see
including underwear or exposed
skin.
“I think the law is right,”
Nolan Murphy, a NIACC student said. “I don’t want to see
other people.”
Jeri Sberal, another NIACC
student agrees.
“I personally don’t like
baggy pants, other people don’t
need to see that,” Sberal said.
“At the same time it’s their right
to wear what they want, but it’s
not attractive.”
However, other students
disagree and say that their style
shouldn’t be stunted.
“People should wear what
they want. We’re old enough to
pick what to wear,” Tia Gutierrez, a NIACC freshman, said.
While the law has many
supporters and adversaries, the
controversial pant trend will
likely not be going anywhere
for a while.
According to Derr, NIACC
students can also rest assured
that their choice of clothing
will not be revoked anytime
soon.
“There won’t be any dress
code enacted as long as I’m
president,” Derr said.
Barry, Walker winners of
Extreme Makeover competition
C
ari Barry of Charles
City and A ngela
Walker of Mason
City have been named the winners of the North Iowa Community College’s Extreme Makeover:
College Edition competition that
was held prior to the beginning
of classes this fall.
Barry and Walker will receive free NIACC tuition plus
textbooks and more for the 20112012 school year.
Barry will enroll in the Early
Childhood Education program at
NIACC.
Walker plans to earn a Medical Assistant Diploma.
The three runners-up include
Dori Ashburn of Mason City,
Mindi Baker of Algona, Wendi
Coen-Ward of Charles City.
They will each receive a
$1,000 NIACC scholarship this
year.
Other opportunities are avail-
able for adults looking to return to
school at NIACC and the Extreme
Makeover competition has been
held for several years now.
For more information, contact NIACC Admissions at 641422-4245 or toll-free 1-888-GONIACC, ext. 4245.
Learn more about NIACC at
www.niacc.edu.
Photos provided by NIACC Community Relations
Winners of the NIACC Extreme Makeover included Cari Barry
(left) and Angela Walker (right)
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October 14, 2011
Brodersen joins administrative team
Nate Johnson
News Editor
NIACC selected Dr. Lyn Brodersen
to serve as the new Vice President of
Academic and Student Affairs.
She began working in the position
in early July, acting as an advocate for
NIACC students and faculty. Brodersen
brings with her experience as a student,
instructor and administrator.
Brodersen earned her PhD in Educational Leadership from Iowa State
University where she studied under Dr.
Larry Ebers, who worked with NIACC
in the past. He influenced her to join the
NIACC administration.
“He always spoke highly about
NIACC and the quality of the faculty and
staff and students here,” Brodersen said.
She began working at Western Iowa
Tech in Sioux City, IA, teaching English,
English as a Second Language, Geography
and American and European History.
Her first administrative job was as a
public library director in South Sioux City,
NE. She also served as the director of the
South Sioux City Chamber of Commerce’s
School to Work Program.
“Those two positions gave me some
good administrative background, even
though they weren’t in education,” Brodersen said.
Brodersen then attended the University of Notre Dame to attain her Master’s
Degree when it was difficult to find work
as a history teacher.
She then worked at Metro Community College in Omaha, NE as Assistant
Dean for Communications and Industrial
Technologies for six years before moving
on to Central Lakes College in Brainerd,
MN working as Dean of Liberal Arts and
Sciences.
Brodersen also served as the University of Wisconsin-Richland as the Campus
Dean.
She said she enjoys working in a rural
area as well as with the staff and students
of NIACC. Brodersen is currently working on adding a dental hygienist program
and a diesel engine program, including
agricultural equipment and locomotive
focuses, to the NIACC course offerings.
“I’m very committed to being an
educator here in rural Iowa,” Brodersen
said.
Logos photo by Nate Johnson
NIACC Vice President Lyn Brodersen (left) works on scheduling with faculty
member Doreen Lechner.
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‘Faith is reason grown courageous’
Remember when
Emily Philipp
Entertainment Editor
[email protected]
“Faith is reason grown courageous,” – Sherwood Eddy.
We all reason things in our
heads trying to figure out how
something is possible, how it will
work out or if that ‘something’ is
really true. Believing is not always as easy as you may think.
Faith or should I say keeping faith is one of the hardest
things in this present time to
hold on to.
We have so many things
thrown at us from every direction, such as health, food, family
and all those little annoying de-
tails in life, that it can be hard to
try to catch any one of them.
Especially for college students still trying to figure out
what on earth is going on and
how am I going to get to where
I want to be, faith is a foreign
concept.
And not only that, but it
takes courage to be able to say
and share what you believe.
Society doesn’t like what they
can’t explain or seems different.
People don’t like coming out of
their comfort zones. Guys don’t
like sharing their feelings think-
ing it makes them seem girlie.
But the fact of the matter is we all need to believe in
something, whether it be God,
ourselves or just the motto of
living life to the fullest.
From the creators of Fireproof, Facing the Giants and
Flywheel, comes a new movie
called Courageous.
It tells the stories of four
men with the same calling, to
serve and protect. But behind
that calling is another that will
take courage to fulfill, a calling of
faith. How can they live and share
what they believe if everyone
thinks they are crazy?
Life is too short to let others put you down for what you
believe. Whether you are Atheist, Christian, Catholic, Muslim
or any other religion, we are all
just people with bleeding hearts
and feelings inside every one of
us. We should be proud.
We all laugh, we all make
mistakes, we all cry and we all
are just trying to reach the same
goal, to live. And faith is one of
those things that can help reach
that goal.
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October 14, 2011
Activity Center loses trees due to root, bug issues
Brodie Long
“The trees were at the end of their life
Staff Reporter
and had chronic bug problems,” Grove
As students arrived for the fall se- said. “There were also problems undermester, they may have noticed various ground with the trees’ root systems, which
changes around campus including the caused one of the trees to tip over.”
removal of the trees from inside the AcGrove also said that replacing the
tivities Center.
trees is not currently under discussion.
According to Kathy Grove, vice
Grove said a meeting was held bepresident of Administrative Services, the tween herself, Rachel McGuire, director
trees were in place for eight years, and of Admissions, Tony Pappas, Facilities
were planted to replace a set of trees that manager, and Debra Derr, NIACC presihad been there for ten years since the dent.
renovation of the Activity Center in the
They decided that the trees should be
fall of 1990.
removed due to the bug problem, and also
The trees served no special purpose- due to safety, in case a tree would happen
they
were just part of 1the
building’s
fall on
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People using the facility also said
that the trees were often an obstacle when
special events were going on in the Activity Center.
“While we aren’t replacing the trees
as of yet, we have added a foosball table,
ordered new seating for the upper level
and we’re currently deciding on soft-seating for the lower level,” Grove said.
Some may have not even noticed the
change.
“I didn’t even notice the trees were
gone,” Arianna Thomas, a freshman at
NIACC, said.
She also said that changes to the Activity Center might attract more students
to use the center.
“The Activity Center is a great place
to hang out or catch up on homework during breaks, and adding new things would
be a good idea because the younger generation is always attracted to new things,”
Thomas said.
Grove noted that there aren’t any
other big projects being started.
“The staff is evaluating and prioritizing issues,” Grove said.
Grove also said that if students have
ideas, that they should share them.
“We’re always open to what students
want or think,” she said.
Chloe Kline
Staff Reporter
Iowa education leaders revealed
a plan for change in Iowa’s education
system on Tuesday, September 6 that
will generate a debate on how teachers
should be evaluated and paid in Iowa.
This plan would include pay tiers
for teachers, exit exams for high school
students and international academic
exams.
Kacy Larson, an education instructor at NIACC, described this plan
through a teacher’s prospective.
She mentioned there would be
higher based salaries and tiers to progress through to earn a higher salary in
the profession.
The way teachers would progress
through the levels would also be based
on student performance.
“(The higher starting pay) could
attract more people into this profession,”
Larson said. “We do work to earn a
paycheck.”
The pay tiers would include the
steps apprentice, career, mentor, and
master teacher.
With each level increase teachers
receive an increased salary.
“The concept of the tiers sounds
okay to me, but the reality of it is a little
scary,” Larson said. “Depending on how
we define the four levels would depend
on how I react to it. If it makes more effective teachers, then I’m for it.”
Exit exams are another area that
concerned Larson.
“Requiring students to take an exam
doesn’t guarantee what they know,” Larson said. “Many times I ask students how
many did their best on standardized tests,
many of them didn’t.”
R.J Atkinson, an Elementary Education major at NIACC, couldn’t agree with
Larson more.
“I like the idea of paying teachers
more but I don’t know about the pay
based on performance,” Atkinson said.
“Standardized tests are not always effective. A teacher may be lucky and the students do well even though their teaching
wasn’t great, and vice versa.”
The plan hasn’t passed yet, and is
merely just an idea on paper at this point.
“Any plan sounds good on paper, but
it needs to be reevaluated,” Larson said.
“They need input from teachers, community, students and teacher prep students.
Involving them will be good.”
The plan will go through much more
discussion before any changes are implemented.
Iowa reveals new ed plan
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War re-enactment a living history lesson
Jim Wenzel
Staff Reporter
ix NIACC students helped
re-enact battles during the 18th
annual Civil War Battle and
Encampment on September 10 and 11 at
East Park in Mason City.
Participating in these types of events
requires those involved to assume roles of
those in the various battles. Involvement
in the events also offers a unique learning experience that would be difficult to
duplicate in a classroom.
Melissa Harris, a sophomore in accounting from Davenport, IA, portrayed
a limberman or powder monkey with the
8th Texas Artillery Company.
“Many women dressed as men and
participated on the battlefield,” Harris said.
“I have learned more doing civil war reenactment than in any history class.”
For Harris and many others Civil War
re-enactment participants it is a family
tradition. Harris said she was born into it,
doing it the entire 29 years of her life.
“I’m a mother of two, a fulltime
student and just purchased a house,” Harris said. “It is good to come out here for
the weekend to unwind with good friends
and family.”
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Participation in re-enactments can involve the whole family. NIACC student
Al Cannon shows off his hand stiched
replica Civil War clothing he made.
Harris said she averaged 21 re-enactments per year from April through October. “Most of my re-enactment friends are
like family,” Harris said.
Al Cannon, full time paramedic and
pre-nursing student at NIACC, is treasurer
of the Mason City Civil War Council that
presented the event.
After 15 years in Civil War re-enactment, Cannon is a Corporal Brevet, 1st
Sargent Brevet, and also a 2nd Lieutenant
with the 32nd Iowa Company.
“I switch rank depending on the need
of the event by changing hats,” Cannon
said.
Rank is based on knowledge and to
replace people who retire or resign. He is
also at times a confederate marine.
As an infantryman he carries a ninepound replica of an 1853 British Infield
rifle with bayonet. It was the first mass
produced rifle with a rifled barrel.
“My late father and cousin, who
started the 32nd company, got me started in
Civil War re-enactment,”Cannon said.
He does six to eight re-enactments per
year along with 12 parades and numerous
cemetery memorial services in Minnesota,
Wisconsin, Nebraska and Iowa. The farthest away has been in Texas.
“I plan to continue doing this until I
can no longer march, then switch to being
an officer or join the artillery,” he said. He
said it gets in a person’s blood and you
can’t get away from it.
“I don’t consider myself a hard core
re-enactor because I wash both my body
and eating utensils,” he said.
According to Cannon the only thing
an infantryman had to clean was his rifle.
He does wear Authentic replica cloths,
some of which he made himself without
a sewing machine or zippers.
Cannon is proud that he designed and
hand stitched period civilian clothes for
himself, his son, infant daughter and exwife all out of the same bolt of cloth.
In August at Boscobel, WI both he
and Kassia Christensen, a freshman in
human services, participated in and were
tapped by a Discovery Channel documentary of the Civil War, called “Stories of the
Civil War.” Christensen, a mother of two,
is a member of both the 32nd Iowa and 8th
Texas companies.
Christensen, who did 20-30 events per
year, said she likes reenactments because
7
Logos photo by Jim Wenzel
Six NIACC students participated in the 18th annual Civil War Battle and Encampment re-enactment on September 10-11 in East Park. They included NIACC
students Melissa Harris (center) and Allen Fogle (right).
she likes traveling to events in neighboring
states and around Iowa.
Allen Fogle, a freshman in video
gaming design at NIACC, said she tried reenactment for the first time on September
9 wearing borrowed period clothing with
the 8th Texas Company.
As a “fresh fish”, which is slang for
a new participant, other experienced reenactors watched over him to keep him
safe.
The night before another member of
the 8th Texas fractured his hand against the
metal rim of an artillery wheel.
“I was told that when an infantryman
makes a mistake during a battle he needs
a trip to the ER,” Fogle said. “However,
when an artilleryman makes a mistake,
he needs a coffin.” Safety is emphasized.
It took courage for Fogel to try out for
re-enactment.
“I am descended from the famous
post Civil War outlaw Jessie James,”
Fogle said.
Anthony Reysack, a freshman in
history from Ventura, started Civil War
re-enactment at age eight with his dad and
has done it for twenty years.
Reysack, who is a member of the 8th
Texas, said he loves history. “I want to get
a job after graduation with the National
Park Service as a guide at historic battlefields,” he said.
Reysack also participated in fur trapper rendezvous for ten years and recently
started doing WWII re-enactment, with an
event on October 8.
Jason Hausman, a single parent of
three who is a freshman in education at
NIACC, has been in re-enactment for 15
years since the 5th grade.
Hausman did re-enactment every two
weeks in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa until
having children. Hausman’s most distant
event has been Gettysburg, PA.
“I read Civil War history books and
have a lot of Civil War period clothing both
soldier and civilian along with Civil War
equipment,” Hausman said.
Hausman is a member of the 8th Texas
artillery because he likes the big boom.
All six of these NIACC students feel
that participating in the re-enactments has
helped them discover more about history
while enjoying the shared experience with
others who have similar interests.
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October 14, 2011
Technology needs restrictions
A few weeks ago, Kentucky’s education commissioner said
in a USA Today article that one of the state’s public high schools
will soon be issuing an iPad to all 1,250 of its students. This is
only one isolated example of a booming technology trend.
Schools nationwide are applying for iPad grants and replacing
textbooks with tablets. Supporters of the transition say that the
computers cut down on paper usage and lets students conveniently
talk to teachers, hand in homework and tap out notes.
However, no evidence has shown that the drift toward tablets
is making a dramatic difference academically. School officials
nationwide are torn between the expensive technology upgrade
and operating under a balanced budget.
But iPads may be more of a distraction than benefit for students and schools may notice more tweeting than studying.
Replacing real life interaction between students and teachers
also hinders growth of important people skills that students will
need for the real world.
Writing skills like sentence structure and mechanics are
already deteriorating, which is evident when reading posts on
Facebook or text message conversations. Adding more technology that automatically checks and corrects spelling and grammar
mistakes leaves students unable to rely on their own skills.
If we let education become too reliant on technology, students
will lose connectivity with real people. They may enter the workforce and find they are missing crucial tools they need.
Absolutely, students need to be kept up to date with the latest tech products and programs, because those are also skills that
future employers will expect job candidates to have. However,
there is a balance that needs to be observed.
By no means should technology like iPads be eliminated
from schools, but it should be limited.
the
logos
Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the editorial board.
North Iowa Area Community College
500 College Drive • Mason City, IA 50401
(641) 422-4304
Editor
Section Editors
Sarah McCar t hy
Mitc h O’Connor - Spor ts
Assistant Editor
N ate Johnson - N ews
Er ic Debner
Sarah McCar t hy - Opinion
Adver tising Manager
Er ic Debner - Feature
Jacey Wood
Emily Philipp - Enter tainment
Adviser
Caleb Bassey - Photo
Paul Peterson
www.niacc.edu/logos
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Logos is published every other week throughout the year to inform, educate and entertain
the students and staff of the North Iowa Area Community College. We encourage readers to write letters to the editor on matters of concern. Letters should be delivered to the
editor of the Logos in room 210 in the Acitivity Center on the NIACC campus. Any one
student may write one letter per issue. Letters must be signed. The staff reserves the
right to edit letters for length or libelous content. The staff will not print letters that are an
invasion of privacy. Letters should be limited to 250 words. All opinions expressed on the
opinion page are those of the writer and not the newspaper staff, administration or board.
Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the editorial board.
Avoid Generation Limbo’s mistakes
A recent New York Times
article has dubbed recent college grads and other 20-somethings, Generation Limbo.
These educated young adults
have left their university lecture
halls and stepped out into the
real world, only to find themselves in the thick of a broken
economy offering no job opportunities.
However, instead of fighting for positions at companies,
many new graduates are settling
for waiting tables and living
with their parents until the
economy turns around. According to the article, 15 percent of
students who earned degrees
between 2006 and 2010 are still
looking for full time jobs.
But waiting for the economy to pick up and a surplus of
jobs to become available isn’t
going to put any of these grads
in a position for success a few
This writer’s reality
Sarah McCarthy
Editor
[email protected]
years down the road.
So how do people like me,
who are still in school, avoid
this predicament altogether?
It starts with being successful in what we’re doing
now. Simply showing up for
classes and scraping by with
a C average isn’t an option in
today’s competitive job market.
Not only do we have to be the
best at what we do, we have to
do more.
Finding internship opportunities, volunteering, scoring a
promotion at work and networking with professionals in our
fields, are all things that we,
as NIACC students, should be
considering.
When we leave school, not
only will we be competing with
people our own age, Generation
Limbo will also be looking to
finally enter the workforce.
While finding a job may
seem like something we don’t
need to worry about for a few
years, if we want that dream job
or financial security in our thirties, we have to start today.
So go out and find those
opportunities, because they certainly won’t come to you. Learn
to be proactive, persevering and
involved now because it will
pay off in the future.
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A little OCD creeps into almost all our lives
Bring stability
Eric Debner
Assistant Editor
[email protected]
Start taking those vitamins
because obsessive-compulsive
disorder has been spotted in college campuses across northern
Iowa and it’s spreading rapidly.
Better known as OCD, it’s
classified by the website PubMed
Health as an anxiety disorder.
Symptoms include, but not
limited to, continuous hand washing, checking that the oven is
turned off, making sure doors are
locked and cleaning obsessively
These repetitive thoughts,
feelings, ideas, and sensations
(obsessions) or behaviors can
make a person feel driven to do
something (compulsions).
There are varying degrees of
OCD. These range from a simple
urge in the back of a person’s head
to severe and sometimes even
crippling incapacitation at the
thought of a fear or sensation.
Fortunately, in most instances OCD isn’t serious.
One of the most common
examples of OCD is an excessive
fear of germs and the compulsion
to repeatedly wash the hands to
ward off infection. I experience
this compulsion every day because I’m extremely health conscious about my environment.
So whenever I shake hands
with someone or touch the door
knob of a commonly used entrance or exit I feel compelled
to wash my hands immediately
after.
While I do wash my hands
often, I don’t let this interfere
with my daily interactions with
other people.
However, OCD can become
a real problem if it starts to interfere with your life. For example,
people with a severe degree of
excessive fear of germs might
experience such strong sensations that they’ll only eat foods
prepared by themselves.
Everyone possesses the anxiety disorder in some form or
another to a certain degree.
You can test this out. First,
make a list of your daily activities.
Second, make a list of what you
do while on the way to those activities. Do you count the cracks
on the sidewalk as you walk to
class, do you wash your hands
every time you go to the bathroom
or do you notice picture frames
that are slightly off balance?
Congratulations! If you answered yes to any of these questions then you have OCD.
Health career students will learn the
“workings” of the healthcare environment that may provide a better
understanding of their chosen field
and help in seeking employment.
Aside from the benefits of volunteering for career and employment
development, hospital volunteering
will actually make you feel better
physically.
Yes, that is a true statement.
Offering both physical and emotional
advantages, volunteers experience an
overwhelming sense of well being
known as the Helper’s “High.” This
refers to the rush of endorphins the
body releases during and after performing an act of volunteerism.
Volunteers often describe the
euphoric feeling as being similar to
the way one may feel after a strenuous physical workout.
This initial rush from the Helper’s “High” is followed by a longerlasting period of improved emotional
well-being.
Basic requirements for volunteering include: completion of
application; criminal, adult & child
abuse background checks; health
assessment which includes TB testing, and signing of a confidentiality
agreement. The time commitment is
2-4 hours a week.
Although volunteering does not
guarantee hospital employment, volunteering does guarantee the growth
and development of skills needed for
employment and personal satisfaction gained from helping others.
Current volunteer opportunities include: surgery waiting room,
same day surgery, data entry, patient
registration, front lobby escort, gift
shop, critical care waiting room,
and Cancer Center greeter or infusion helper.
Once the new Emergency De-
partment opens, volunteer support
will be needed for that area.
If you are interested in learning
more about hospital volunteering,
you may contact me at moorec@
mercyhealth.com or by calling 641428-7753.
Remember, volunteering is
good not just for the person who
receives, but also for the person
who gives.
Letter to the editor - Hospital volunteers gain valuable experience
To the Editor:
Mercy Volunteer Services offers
a variety of ways for college students
to give back to the community, experience first-hand the benefits of
volunteering and network for future
careers or employment.
A unique aspect of hospital volunteering is the professional setting.
Good communication, listening and
following procedure are vital to the
hospital environment.
Volunteers become involved in
the hospital environment and grow in
their communication, listening and
follow through skills – skills that are
needed in any type of employment.
Candace Moore
Director of Volunteer Services
Mercy Medical Center-North
Iowa
PHOTO OPINION: “Do you think there should be any restrictions on clothing on campus?” By Caleb Bassey
“I don’t believe there should be restrictions on clothing with the exception of people complaining.”
Beth Boleneus
Algona
“No, I think we need to focus on
having our own opinions and making
our own choices...”
Marcus Chisholm
Minneapolis
“No, you paid your money. So whatever, you should be able to wear what
you want.”
Robert Peterson
Chicago
“Yes, I do think there should be
restrictions on clothing.. because
students need ...to be presentable.”
Carmeel Fluffy Watson
Chicago
“No, we already have enough to worry about... Most students probably
wouldn’t be able to afford dressing
in nice clothes everyday.”
Colton Cockman
Clear Lake
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Coonrod a ‘dynamo’ on volleyball court
With a twenty-six inch vertical leap, this sophomore generates excitement
W
Heidi Hain
Staff Reporter
ith a height
of only five
foot five
inches, as
soon as Nakita Coonrod steps
to the front row, people may be
quick to underestimate her ability on the volleyball court.
That is, until they see her
twenty-six inch vertical leap
when she plays the sport.
“Nakita is a very focused
athlete who surprises people
with her ability,” Chris Brandt,
NIACC women’s head volleyball coach, said of her 2011
team co-captain.
Although a sophomore
academically, Coonrod, who
grew up in Janesville, MN, is a
freshman in terms of eligibility
since she did not play volleyball during her first year on
campus.
She did play softball for
the NIACC Trojans last spring
but decided to make the switch
to the indoor court for this fall
season.
“I wasn’t ready to be done
with athletics,” Coonrod said.
“So that’s when I contacted
Coach Brandt (about the opportunity to play volleyball).”
Coonrod said she loves the
atmosphere surrounding volleyball, especially the noise in
the gymnasium.
Her excitement for the
game shows. “Nakita plays
with heart and it really shows,”
Sara Reed, a teammate, said
about Coonrod’s enthusiasm
and her relationship with her
team members.
And Coach Brandt is
excited to have a player with so
much flexibility on the court,
especially during an injuryplagued season for the women’s
volleyball team.
“Nakita rolls with the
punches,” Brandt said about the
five foot, five inch dynamo.
Coonrod has had some
strong performances this
season including notching
nine kills in a recent win over
Gustavus Adolphus,JV on
Sunday, September 25 during
a triangular held in the NIACC
gym.
In addition, Coonrod had
13 kills and 18 digs in a win
against Ellsworth on Wednesday, September 28.
With all the success Coonrod has had this season, people
are wondering whether or not
she will return to compete
for another season with the
NIACC women’s volleyball
team.
“I haven’t decided,” she
replied. “But it is a good possibility.”
Coonrod plans to continue
giving Coach Brandt, her
teammates and fans the kind of
excitement that this “dynamo”
can generate.
proverbial “white elephant.”
With an endless conveyorbelt of young, hungry and talented upstarts all desperate to
seal their own sporting legacies
coupled with the ever growing
physical demands of modern
day athletic competition, it is becoming increasingly difficult for
some of sports “elder statesmen”
to attain the kind of success to
match their sporting longevity.
However, there are some
ageless wonders who have managed to resist the temptation
of retirement after cresting the
40-year-old threshold to do
amazing things at an age when
most of us will have been rel-
egated to the La-Z-Boy.
One such man is the late,
baseball Hall of Famer Satchel
Paige.
Paige became the oldest
rookie to play Major League
Baseball on July 9, 1948, and at
age 42 and threw his final pitch
on June 21, 1966 at age 60.
Another “ageless” sporting
wonder is current WBC and “The
Ring” Light-Heavyweight champion boxer Bernard Hopkins.
“The Executioner” turned
back the years recently to become
boxing’s oldest ever world champion at age 46 years, 126 days.
At an age that would be
considered “elderly” in sporting
Logos photo by Caleb Bassey
Nakita Coonrod may get underestimated on the volleyball court
but when she brings her twenty-six inch vertical leap to the game
they know she packs a punch.
‘How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are’
J Here’s my pitch
Mitch O’Connor
Sports Editor
[email protected]
They say age is just a number. Yet in the pantheon of sports,
athletic success beyond the age
of 40 has tended to become the
terms, to what can we attest their
successes to? Training? Nutrition? Sheer pigheadedness?
Paige, who when asked about
his age often replied with phrases
as “age is mind over matter, if you
don’t mind, it don’t matter,” even
penned his very own “Rules for
Staying Young.”
These were a set of lighthearted laws that included advice
like “Avoid fried meats which
angry up the blood.”
Hopkins, attributes his success to “the gospel of healthy
living.” Eating meals comprised
of strictly organic ingredients,
Hopkins also swears that he
gulped his last alcoholic beverage
and savored his final doughnut
over 20 years ago.
Whether it be down to organic ingredients, sobriety or
avoiding those fried delicacies
that “angry up the blood” one
thing is for certain, a long career
takes character and discipline.
These types of characters are
few and far between, with most
athletes not ready to give in to the
discipline a long and successful
sporting career requires.
They say age is just a number, but to coin another infamous
Satchel Paige phrase, “How old
would you be if you didn’t know
how old you are?”
Nimmo plays a ‘big role’
Stefi Lyles
Staff Reporter
s the NIACC soccer
team looks to continue its success, international student Calum Nimmo
will play a big role.
Nimmo, like many of the
other members of the soccer team,
has traveled overseas to play for
head coach Mike Regan.
Nimmo, a nineteen-year-old
freshman from Fleet, England,
comes from a family of his mom,
dad, older sister and younger
brother, who boxes.
NIACC became an option
for Nimmo when a captain from
the soccer team last year gave him
Regan’s email address.
Regan flew to watch him
play and after that Nimmo knew
NIACC was where he wanted to
start in America.
Nimmo stands 6’5” and
plays the role of central defender.
He is easily one of the tallest players on the team.
“His height is a weapon,”
Regan said. “He is a danger when
the ball is in the air.”
The central defender plays
in the back line of the defense,
to stop strikers and midfielders
attacks, to regain possession and
to set off the attack.
A
He has the ability to read the
game and to spot where the attack
will come from.
Defenders do not usually
score goals, but Nimmo has had
a few this year, which is proof of
his versatility and athleticism.
Not only does Nimmo have
height, but he is also quick.
“If the ball gets behind him,
he is able to get there before the
other team,” said teammate Mark
Hiller who is also a defender and
plays alongside Nimmo.
Hiller described Nimmo as
a good tackler and easy to play
with. “He’s very vocal and communicates well,” Hiller said.
Nimmo is a very driven
player. He has set goals for himself and the team.
“My main goal is to make it
soccer wise,” Nimmo said.
But if that doesn’t work out
then he would like to pursue a
career related to sports.
He wants to play every game,
win conference and then help his
team to the national tournament,
which NIACC has never reached
before.
“His high expectations of
himself make him a good player,”
Regan said.
Despite Nimmo being a
standout, he does not put himself
before the team.
“Every single player trains
and fights for their position,” he
said. The team has great depth
at each position, which makes
everyone work harder.”
As for the future, Nimmo
said he hopes to return and play
for NIACC again next year.
He knows it could prove difficult due to the new rule allowing
only four international students
per roster, but he would love to
have the chance. He said it would
give him a better chance to move
on to the next level here.
Nimmo knew there would be
obvious differences between his
home and coming to the states,
but the one he did not expect was
the heat.
He said it was the hardest
change to adapt to and took some
getting used to. He said he enjoys
the team though, which continues
to become a stronger squad at the
right time.
As the soccer season progresses, Nimmo will continue
to play a big part in the team’s
success.
He has a bright future and
his work ethic combined with
his natural talent and ambition,
should lead to success now and
in the future.
Mitchell O’Connor
Sports Editor
Sport much like any business,
takes investment to be successful.
You will inevitably get back what
you have put in, and for sophomore cross country athlete Ashley
Ubbelohde that investment could
be about to pay off.
For a year and a half Ubbelohde has pounded the grounds
of NIACC and beyond come rain
or shine, displaying the type of
dedication that comes only from
pure love of the sport.
“I really enjoy the rewarding
feeling that cross country gives
me,” Ubbelohde said. “It doesn’t
matter if it’s after I compete well
in a meet or complete a hard
workout, I feel accomplished.”
For Ubbelohde, a Waterloo,
IA native, shirking the high demands that are part of collegiate
running has never been an option,
an attitude coach Curtis Vais believes has provided the catalyst
for past and future successes.
“Ashley is an extremely hard
working and dedicated athlete,”
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Calum Nimmo, who stands 6’5”, plays a big role on the Trojan
soccer team this fall. He recently had three assists in a 7-0 win
over Kishwaukee College on Sunday, September 25. The Trojans
continue to be ranked nationally.
Ubbelohde dedication contributes to progression
Logos photo by Nate Johnson
NIACC cross country runner Ashley Ubbelohde goes
through her workout.
Vais said. “It’s what has helped her
achieve all-region honors (in her
freshman year).”
Vais said he believes the
experience gained from such
past successes could be pivotal in
reaching such heights again this
season. “After getting all-region
last year, I think Ashley now
knows exactly what it takes to
succeed at this level,” Vais said.
“She has definitely improved as
an athlete from last season.”
As NIACC’s cross country
team rapidly approaches the “business end” of its athletic calendar,
Ubbelohde feels as though she has
evolved as an all-round athlete
since last season’s success.
“I feel much stronger physically and mentally than last year,”
Ubbelohde said. “I know what
techniques work for me.”
It is this progression as an
athlete tied with Ubbelohde’s
devotion to the sport that has led
her to set high targets for this
season,.
“As a team, we’re looking to
win at regionals and finish in the
top 10 at national,” Ubbelohde
said. “My personal goals are to
break 19 minutes for the 5k and
get into the low 24’s in the 6k.”
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Still time to join intramural competition at NIACC
Eric Debner
Assistant Editor
NIACC Intramurals is a
great way for students to meet
new people, be active and have a
broader college experience.
Dan Juhl, NIACC Housing
head resident and intramural
coordinator, encourages both
students and faculty members to
start signing up for the upcoming intramural programs held on
campus this Fall semester.
“I recommend participating
in as many of the events as you
can,” Juhl said. “In addition to
intramurals, I advise trying to attend all NIACC clubs and events
that your schedule allows.”
There are many intramural
programs to choose from according to Juhl.
To name a few, students can
form teams to compete in the
flag football, dodge ball and soccer leagues. League teams can
be signed up for by filling out a
team entry blank in the Student
Housing office.
Participants can win prizes.
“We usually give out NIACC Intramural t-shirts to the champions
of the legaues and tournaments,”
Juhl said. “There’s also eternal
glory.”
Students who want to join in
on the fun but don’t want to join
teams can participate in Nintendo
Wii Bowling nights.
Juhl said this particular event
holds his interest. “I enjoy the
wide variety of students who
participate in this in these games,
and that everyone involved has a
great time,” he said.
According to Juhl, most of
the intramural events start in the
second week of October.
Those who don’t meet the
deadlines can still participate, all
they have to do is contact Juhl.
“If the event has already
started I can find a team to put
them on,” he said. “However, I
can’t let newly formed teams in
if it’s past the deadline.”
Anyone interested should
contact Juhl for more details via
email at [email protected] or
his office phone 641-422-482.
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we see you – and meet you where you are.
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