december 5th, 2012

SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY

XAVIERITET H E E Y E S A N D E A R S O F T H E S T U D E N T S

theWednesday, December 5th, 2012

Vo

l. 82

No

. 12

Pag

e 4

Internet crash causes distress

Pag

e 7

Pag

e 10

Pag

e 13

America needs a makeover

“As White As Snow” Christmas Concert

Handing out the Cougar Awards

Winter Commencement Speaker Chosen

Cougars End Season with 10-2 Record

Continued on 6 Michael Grimm/Media Services

Jade Alexandria Lewis has been chosen as the commencement speaker to address her fellow g r a d u a t e s a t t h e W i n t e r Commencement Ceremony of 2012. Lewis was recommended by a professor to be considered for the opportunity. She is highly-regarded by many at the university and the surrounding community for being family-oriented and her willingless to help others. “I feel that this is an awesome opportunity for me to express through words, what I as a student am able to take away from my college experience at Saint Xavier,” expressed Lewis. She continued, “It’s also great that I have been given this chance to relate to my fellow peers in helping them to look back on the many memories and opportunities that they have made and been exposed to as well at SXU.” During her time at Saint Xavier University, Lewis was involved in a number of extra curricular activities. She was a member of the Saint Xavier cheerleading team as well as a student ambassador, where she was recognized as a leader among leaders.

Lewis also attended multiple retreats through Campus Ministry, served as retreat leader and attended a Spring Break Service Trip in Baltimore assisting with rehab for knee and hip replacement patients. When asked about her u p c o m i n g s p e e c h , L e w i s highlighted the message she hoped her fellow graduates would take with them into the next stage of their lives. “I hope my peers are able to take away that the mistake we make in life are only building blocks. They are there to make us into better individuals. I also hope they are able to see the value of an education, not being how much you have committed to memory, but being able to distinguish between what we don’t know that if what we do and being able to tell the difference between the two,” stated Lewis. Lewis will receive a bachelor’s degree of science in biology at the commencement ceremony. Following her education at Saint Xavier, Lewis plans to attend graduate school in the fall of 2013, where she will pursue a career in occupational therapy. Winter Commencement will be held on Saturday, December 15th, 2012 at 10:00 am in the Shannon Center. Although no extra tickets

are avaiable, graduating students received four tickets each for their guests. Seating is priced at general admission. A reception will be held in the Shannon Center immediately following the ceremony. Prior to commencement, a commencement liturgy will be held on Friday, December 14th, 2012 at 4:30 pm in the McDonough Chapel. Students will wear their academic regalia. Those attending the liturgy do not need a ticket for entry. Directions to the school, as well as restaurant and hotel information for out-of-town guests, can be found at www.sxu.edu, keyword: admission. In addition, those graduates who wish to frame their diplomas can view the Saint Xavier frame styles at http://bookstore.sxu.edu. They can also go to the Bookstore at the Shannon Center. For more information, www.sxu.edu, keyword: commencement. Questions can also be directed via email to [email protected] or the voice mail hotline at (773) 298-3867. Fo r more in fo rmat ion regarding diplomasm transcripts, and academic eligiibilty, Office of Records and Advising can be contacted at (773) 298-3501.

Jade Lewis selected to speak at commencement ceremonyBy Nicole RosalesSenior News Editor

Lewis will address fellow graduates at commencement. Student Affairs

The Xavierite Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Presents

The Beverly Arts Center Professional Theater Series presents: “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play”, based on the heartwarming classic holiday film. The play will be

performed Nov. 30th through Dec. 2nd & Dec. 7th through Dec. 9th. Special discounts are

available on this show for SXU students, faculty, & staff.

Beverly Arts Center –Cultivating Creativity Since 1968

World Bits

Egypt’s controversial new draft constitution will be put to a referendum vote on December 15. The new constitution, approved last week, would greatly increase the power of the Egyptian president, currently Mohammed Morsi. A coalition of liberals, secularists and Christians fear the new document opens the door to a dictatorship. Morsi’s Islamist allies feel the constitution reflects the wishes of most of the country (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20568356).

A survey reveals that 8 out of 10 Irish people want the government to loosen its strict abortion laws. The impetus is the death of a young woman who was denied an abortion and died as a result. Activists are pressing the government to allow abortions in cases when the woman’s life is in danger. The government is looking into the matter and should reach a decision by Christmas (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20568283).

A couple has claimed their $293 million lottery prize. Mark and Cindy Hill from Dearborn, MO won the recent Powerball jackpot, the second-largest in U.S. history. “We’re just normal human beings,” said Cindy Hill, “we’re as common as anybody.” The couple has three adult sons and a daughter who they adopted from China. They plan to help their family members and take a few vacations with the new funds (http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50037581/#50037581).

The XavieriteWednesday, December 5, 2012

Photo Credits from Front Page Bar: plr.org, signstor.com, SXU Athletics

Any undergraduate students may write for The Xavierite. Other interested graduate students, faculty, administration and staff may write a “Letter to the Editor.”

[email protected]

Write

The Xavierite

Saint Xavier University

3700 W. 103rd StreetChicago, IL 60655

Staff:Editor in Chief Tony Bara

Deputy Editor in ChiefGreg Pilafas

Senior News EditorNicole Rosales

News EditorRuby Venus

Senior Viewpoints EditorGenevieve Buthod

Viewpoints EditorGrant Vargas

Senior Features EditorBecki Brown

Features EditorLauren Dwyer

Senior Sports EditorAmanda Magee

Sports EditorWill Weyant

PhotographerKeith Murphy

Business ManagerRay Galvin

Distribution ManagerRobert Lachowski

Copy EditorsJoshua HumphryNermeen Shaabneh

WebmasterNicole Callsen

CorrespondentsAlan PaapeBrandon SwansonBrian LaughranDamone GriffinMatthew Lindeman

Assistant Director of Campus Life Student MediaPeter Kreten

The Xavierite

Saint Xavier University continues its semi-annual “Finals Breakfast” tradition on Monday, December 10th, 2012 from 10-11:30 p.m. in the Diner. Formerly known as the “Midnight Breakfast,” the event is aimed at giving students an opportunity to relax and have a little fun during finals week, according to Samantha Maher Sheahan, Director of Campus Life. One SXU student expressed her appreciation for the chance to wind down. “It’s a nice calm before the storm of finals to be able to sit around with friends and take a break from studying,” says Arriana Brejcha, a senior social science education major. During the event, food is served by Campus Life and Student Affairs representatives. On the menu this semester are plain and blueberry pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, orange

Finals Week to Begin with Breakfast

By Tony BaraEditor in Chief

wedges, fruit yogurt and granola. In addition, the Student Activities Board (SAB) will serve cookies and cupcakes, and music will most likely be played. Mike Wurster, a senior communication and business student, recalls past breakfasts. “It’s one of the best ideas Saint Xavier has ever had,” he extols, “the kicker for me has been the friendly service,” he said. Brittany Klyczek, a junior a c c o u n t i n g a n d b u s i n e s s administration major agrees. “I enjoyed going to the Midnight breakfast for the last two years that I have been here. There was a good variety of food,” Klyczek said. Typically, well over 300 students attend the finals week breakfasts, according to Maher Sheahan. The event is held each Fall and Spring semester. The name was changed from “Midnight Breakfast” to “Finals Breakfast” to better reflect the fact that most students were not able to stay until midnight in the past.

In a move to give students a foothold on more opportunities in the business community, Saint Xavier University’s Graham School of Management (GSM) will soon be opening the doors of its Center for the Study of Financial Markets and Derivatives (CSFMD). After some discussion and planning, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) funded a grant of $100,000 to the Graham School of Management to launch this center. This grant will fund operations for the Center for Sudy of Financial Markets and Derivatives from July 1st, 2012 to Jun. 30th, 2013. The money from the grant is being used to purchase software and equipment to build a trading lab within one of the university-owned houses, at 3839 103rd Street. In this trading lab, students will be able to gain a more in-depth, hands-on approach to learning

about trading, risk-management and several different financial concepts. When asked, Ass i s t ant Dean of the Graham School of Management Laura Earner said she looks forward to the advances in the training lab. “It’s going to allow out students to work with software they use in business when they’re making any kind of trades,” Earner said. The center will be equipped with state-of-the-art financial technology. With the CSFMD in place, students and faculty will be able to collaborate on different projects and perform better research about the financial market and related fields. Dr. Muhammad Chishty from the Department of Economics and Finance has been named the director for the center. The center will be open to both undergraduate and graduate students.

Dr. Chishty and Dr. Monzurul Hoque will be teaching financial classes at the CSFMD during the Spring 2013 semester. Dr. Chishty will be teaching the undergraduate investments class, while Dr. Hoque will be teaching the graduate level futures. Over the summer term, Dr. Hoque will also be teaching a financial trading class open to those who want to learn more about “The innovative teaching techniques will provide students with an in-depth understanding of trading, risk management, and other financial concepts, in order to better prepare them for careers in business and finance,” said Dr. Hoque. From programming to marke t ing and p romot ion activities, students will be able to gain more opportunities in finance and finance-related professions. Outreach programs will enable there to be a connection between SXU’s business students

By Ruby VenusNews Editor

In the spirit of spreading good will, holiday cheer and giving to those who are less fortunate, Saint Xavier University is holding several donation drives ranging from clothing to non-perishable goods and gifts for underprivileged children. While this is not uncommon at the university, whose core values include compassion and service, two different departments on campus are spearheading drives to make some underprivileged children’s holiday season a little bit brighter. S i n c e m i d - N o v e m b e r , University Ministry has been running the Adopt -a -Chi ld program where members of the SXU community can pick a child’s name and purchase a gift for him or her. If one did not wish to pick a child’s name, donations of school supplies, educational games, and winter clothing or accessories are welcomed. University Ministry’s Margaret Shroeder spearheaded the effort.“It’s amazing to see the children’s gratitude for all the gifts they received and see how generous and willing to help the students and staff at the university are to help give these children a bit of happiness during this season,” said Shroeder. Those who wan ted to participate in this effort could donate clothes or educational games and toys. The toys should be wrapped and would have to have submitted

their donations to the Mercy Ministry Center the day before this issue went to print. However, it may be possible to try to still donate to Adopt-a-Child. For more information, contact Margaret Schroeder at (773) 298-3900 or via email at [email protected]. However, for those who were unable to take part in this toy donation drive, the Office of Admission is hosting a Toys for Tots drive. Toys for Tots is a charitable organization forged under the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 1947. Debbie Barkowsk i and John Kelly under the Veteran Recruitment division of the Office of Admission organized the toy drive. To donate to this cause, members of the SXU community should be new, unwrapped toys to the Office of Admission in the Warde Academic Center, room A226. There is no set price range for donations. “Although we live in a world of iPads and flat panel televisions, there are still children who will be without a gift on Christmas morning,” said Kelly. Toys may be dropped off toys in the Office of Admission during business hours: Mon. – Thur. 8:30 a.m. to 7 p. m., Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sat. 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The deadline for this drive will be on Mon., Dec. 17 when the toy donations will be picked up and brought to the United States Marine Corps Reserve.

with local businesses. I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e s e community outreach programs, there are plans in the works of partnering with local high schools to help students become more aware in terms of basic financial concepts. To better serve students, the Department of Economics and Finance has started the formation of an advisory board to gain insight on how best to accommodate the needs of students using the center. Earner explains how this new center will greatly benefit students and community members. She said, “Students will be able to do real-time activities, get the most up-to-date information from financial journals, and have access to equipment that they would use in business.” For additional information about the Graham School of Management or the Center for the Study of Financial Markets and Derivates call the GSM at (773) 298-3600.


Campus News PollHow many hours do you think you will

spend studying for finals?

60%38%56%

*50 SXU students were randomly polled.

Under 4 hours4-7 hours

7 hours or more

Celebrate Christmas with Toys for Tots

SXU Graham to Open CSFMDNew Graham School learning center to open soon


HUMAN-CENTERED TECHNOLOGYHumanities degrees designed for careers in the digital age

www.iit.edu/csl/hum

when I had to print it from my email, my email wouldn’t open,” explained Romisha Taylor, a senior psych major. “ I t w a s a l o n g morn ing , ” she con t inued . C a m p u s I n f o r m a t i o n Resources and Technologies (IRT) are tr ying to prevent similar crashes in the future. Saint Xavier is currently serviced by a network that runs at a speed of 100 Megabits per second (Mbit/s.) Campus IRT hopes to upgrade the network to 250 Mbits/s before next semester starts. “We are optimistic that it will be up by January term,” said Dan Lichter, Director of Data and Network Infrastructure. The crashes that occurred last week in particular were caused by problems with routing Internet traf f ic between the Campus and its two ser vice providers AT&T and ICN. “Numerous changes had occurred behind the scenes in their outside telecommunications environments that led to all of our return traffic from the Internet being forced through a singe return carrier as opposed to load sharing between out two providers,” said Brian Goebel, Network Engineer. “This lead to connection i s s u e s a n d a n o v e r a l l s lower internet connect ion experience to the end-user.”

L a s t w e e k , t h e S a i n t Xavier community experienced a temporar y collapse of the university’s wireless Internet. While the Internet connection was eventually restored, the time it was down caused the resident students some grief. Students who were on campus while the Internet was down were unable to access their emails, Blackboard, or CLAWS. This apparent lack of Internet made common, everyday tasks l ike turning in assignments electronically or using the web to work on homework impossible. “I had to submit an assignment on Blackboard and I was docked a grade for being forced [by the lack of internet connection] to turn it in late,” said Kristen Mabry, a first-year psychology major. John Frederickson, a junior biology major, voiced a similar complaint. “I tried to get my homework from online and I couldn’t, so I had to use my phone instead,” said Frederickson. With the Internet unavailable, students also found it hard to print papers using the school’s wireless printing. “It took me an hour to print a paper using webprint, and then

Campus IRT hopes to keep increasing the bandwidth a s f u n d i n g a l l o w s w i t h 500 Mbit/s being the goal . “In order to improve the end-user Internet experience now and into the future, we have a major upgrade that is nearing completion.” “This upgrade will effectively quintuple our available Internet bandwidth campus wide so as to put an end to the slow and unresponsive wireless Internet we have been deal ing with

in the past , ” sa id Goebel . O v e r a l l , I R T a r e optimistic about being able t o a v o i d f u t u r e o u t a g e s . “Moving forward, as we repair and upgrade from previous outages, it becomes unlikely for a similar outage to occur again,” said Goebel. “ G i ve n t h e n a t u re o f technology, however, and the fact that we must rely on many outside company services, we simply cannot guarantee there will never be another outage.

Despite that, we are committed to improving our infrastructure and capabilities to further lessen the chance and/or impact of future problems.” If students wish to assist IRT in dealing with improving the connectivity of the campus’s Internet, it is important that students both look for solid wireless connections and to inform I.T. Services of any problems that are experienced with the Internet. I.T. Services can be reached at extension 3291.

By Joshua HumphryNews Correspondent

IRT Responds to Technology Turmoils

Students utilize the library to access Blackboard, complete homework, and more. Keith Murphy/The Xavierite


The Bright Side of the Apocalypse

The semester is ending, Saint Xavier! As you make that last push through final exams you can look forward to a month-long break filled with friends, family and the complete, unmitigated destruction of the earth and all life within it! Yeah! In case you have not heard by now, the ancient Mayan calendar ends on December 21 2012, which has prompted some to believe that the world will end with it. So basically, you don’t even have to study for finals because by the time grades are posted the planet could be barren, devoid of all humans, animals and vegetation. In fact, you should all go on a carelessly irresponsible shopping spree and spend all your tuition money because you won’t need it anymore. The end of the world does not need to be a bad thing. In fact, depending on who you talk to, they might welcome it. So allow me to present to you some people who can see the bright sides to the apocalypse. Probably the happiest people around if the world ends will be our “public servants” in Washington D.C. One of my colleagues writes about the approaching fiscal cliff and how if Democrats and Republicans fail to compromise,

then drastic spending cuts will automatically take place, likely leading to economic disaster. Armageddon is just what our politicians need to take the spotlight off of them, so that they can go back to getting nothing done. There is no doubt in my mind that Congress would rather see the sun burn out then come to a bipartisan agreement on anything, so I am sure they are counting down the days to the twenty-first. Another happy group will be conservatives. After President Barack Obama’s surprisingly large electoral victory in the 2012 election, many conservatives feel that the world is going to end anyway. Texas has even started a secession movement, racking up over 100,000 signatures in support of breaking away from the U.S. Fortunately for them, the 2012 Mayan apocalypse will expedite the process. If the world ends on time, conservatives will never have to see Obama sworn in for a second term. Moving on, have you ever seen the show Doomsday Preppers? These are people who are expecting the end of the world and build underground bunkers stocked with various supplies and weapons to serve them post-apocalypse. They probably cannot wait to try out their survival skills and are banking everything on the world ending on December 21. Fans of singer-songwriter Ke$ha will also welcome the end. They must wonder day after day why they are fans of Ke$ha and

Students Come FirstBy The Xavierite Staff

Letter Policy

Editorial Policy

All letters to the editor must be signed. Anonymous letters will not be printed. For students, we ask that letters be signed with your full name, major and year. For faculty and staff, we ask that your letters be signed with your full name and university position. All letters can be sent to [email protected]. Please include “letter to the editor” in the subject bar to ensure prompt review and printing. Thank you for your time and support. We cannot wait to receive your letters!

Saint Xavier’s Board of Trustees have adopted a new vision for the university. “Vision 2017” outlines six major goals to improve the university over the course of the next five years. In i ts second goal , the university plans to better use its available resources. This effort includes creating more environmentally sustainable ways to run the university. We already have two green dorm buildings, but we could certainly use more environmentally friendly practices. For instance, some of the school’s choices in the diner need re-vamping. Food cho ice s may not seem like they have a significant relationship with environmental sustainability, but it becomes clear when we start to consider where the food comes from, how it was produced and how it came to our very own diner. Many of our options in the diner are pre-packaged, individually-wrapped single servings of highly processed food. Everything from “Uncrustables” to power bars to Cheetos line the shelves, right next to deeply browned bananas and apples that are on their way to being applesauce. If we put more of an effort on fresh produce instead of processed goods, we could better serve the student’s health and simultaneously increase our environmental responsibility. Plants are better for the earth than fried chicken strips and Cheetos. They have far fewer steps in production and consume far fewer resources to grow. One way, SXU could meet its Vision 2017 environmental sustainability goal is to become more conscious of the effect its food choices have on the earth. By 2015, the university plans to, “Attract 10 new named and endowed scholarships.” This goal in particular displays Saint Xavier’s commitment to student welfare. With threats to federal aid always lurking, we can use all the scholarship opportunities we can find. The push to attract more scholarships shows that Saint Xavier understands the financial burden students must overcome to achieve their education. By making this effort, our university puts us first in its goals and priorities. In addition to a greater number of available

The Xavierite welcomes and encourages letters to the editor. Letters will not be edited for content reasons, though we reserve the right to not print letters that are libelous. We also reserve the right to edit for length but promise that no content will be compromised.

scholarships, students can look forward to a $20,000 Student-Faculty Partnership Endowment by 2013. This endowment is intended to “support collaborative student-faculty research or creative project.” If we had better funding, we would have so many more opportunities to pursue specialized research projects and work with supportive professors on issues that interest us. We could have a broader range of choices to take what we are learning in our classrooms and apply it to real-world problems in our own research. This endowment, which is expected to grow each year, shows that SXU is making and effort to be a stand-out research school where students can train for careers in applied sciences. In addition, having research experience will help students choose a graduate school and be better prepared when they get there. As part of a broader plan to promote thought leadership, Saint Xavier will also make sure that each college within the university hosts at least one regional or national academic or professional event. Some departments are already practicing this goal. For instance, Dr. Flo Appel in the computer science department recently hosted ChiWIC, the Chicago Women in Computing conference. Alumni returned to attend and support the event, local businesses came to recruit and students had the opportunity to network with professional women in the technology industry. With this new requirement, each school could serve its students in the same way. This change would not only increase student involvement, it would help us all in our hunt for a career or graduate school. In Vision 2017, the university plans to do even more to strengthen academic programs and support services. SXU will track undergraduate acceptance to graduate and professional programs and plans to increase the overall acceptance rate by at least one percentage point each year up until 2017. Students will benefit from this record because it with our university backing us up, we will have a better chance of succeeding. With all of these goals in place, students at Saint Xavier can look forward to a brighter five years ahead. As these goals are met, we can know that we belong to a university that takes our needs seriously and puts us first.

VIEWPOINTShow to cure that condition. I can only imagine how rough that life must be. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel, so Ke$ha fans should make the most of these next few weeks like they are going to die young, as their hero so aptly puts it. While we are on the theme of popular culture, Twilight fans horrified that their saga has finally come to an end must feel like they have little to live for. What is the point of continuing on without new movies about sparkling vampires? I am sure they would like nothing better than to see this now “Twilight-less” planet burn. If they are lucky, maybe these “Twi-hards” will come back as vampires after doomsday. Final ly, the end of the world brings an end to the long, torturous existence of Chicago Cubs fans. They have had their spirits lifted and crushed for over 100 years. At long last, they all can rest and not worry about facing further disappointments. I am sure that they, more then anyone, will embrace the respite that the apocalypse will bring to them. So there you have it. Not everyone is unhappy about the world ending. For many, it is actually an ideal situation, an end to the sorry state in which they now find themselves. For those of us who do not fall into any of the above categories, the bright side is that we can save money on Christmas shopping.

[email protected]

The Unbarable TruthTony BaraEditor in Chief


United Nations Affirms Human Right to Body Autonomy

T h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s Population Fund added to its declaration of human rights last week. In addition to universal human rights to education, clean water and free marriage, humans everywhere now theoretically have the right to contraceptive methods. According to Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, executive director of the U.N. Population Fund, “Family planning has a positive multiplier effect on development.” Not only does the ability for a couple to choose when and how many children to have help lift nations out of poverty, but it is also one of the most effective means of empowering women. Women who use contraception are generally healthier, better educated, more empowered in their households and communities and more economically productive. Women’s increased labor-force participation boosts nations’ economies.”(CBS news) In many developed nations, however, higher education and greater economic power are simply correlated to living in a generally wealthier nation.

Maybe societies that ensure women have access to contraceptives are the same ones who make sure their people have other basic rights as well. The right to not be pregnant is absolutely fundamental. Counter arguments have said that this new declaration challenges the right to have a family if you want to. It is important that we address this confusion here and now. The assertion that women should have control over their own reproductive choices is precisely that: a re-statement of the importance of the freedom of choice. This could be the choice to have a baby now, later or never. In any case, the focus is on the choice’s existence and presence. This freedom in no way challenges the choice to have children. In fact, freedom enhances choice by emphas i z ing the importance of women’s decision-making power in their own lives. The Center for Reproductive Rights commented on the UN amendment , “Reproduct ive freedom lies at the heart of the promise of human dignity, self-determination, and equality embodied in both the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights…” “We envision a world where every woman participates with

full dignity as an equal member of society.” Equality is the key point here and the report symbolizes a breakthrough in the way we see human rights in general. The most impor tant aspect of this breakthrough is that it fundamentally conflates the word “woman” with “human,” and vice versa. We have long seen documents, everything from Humanae Vitae to magazine articles, confuse the specific male subject with the general implied human subject. This trend has its founding in a very traditional way of thinking, but it is alive and well today. We take for granted that masculine terms refer to the general human population. Pronouns may seem like a small sticking point, but they gain significance when considered in their larger context. The idea that the subject is always male, and that any human male deserves to be and automatically is considered the subject, makes it very difficult to see the world in the eyes of anyone else’s needs. This problem does not exist in a vacuum. It falls within the broader social tendency to confuse the specific with the general, to assume that one type of person accurately or even adequately

They further their point, “In developed countries, too, h igh l eve l s o f un intended pregnancy exist, especially among adolescents, the poor and ethnic minorities.” This clarification shows that the U.N. sees this issue as a world problem, not just as a women’s problem. We can see from their example that issues affecting some of us affect all of us. First, in the practical sense, anything that contributes to our respective nations’ poverty and quality of life affects each of us, not just those capable of bearing children. In the bigger sense, though, it rectifies a long-term problem in the course of humanity. When we collectively decide to reject oppression of one specific group of people, we acknowledge that oppression is worth rejecting, and in that mindset, we can move forward. This new meaure is exciting not because it claims that half of humanity adequately represents the whole of humanity, or that their issues are superior and deserve special consideration. The United Nations’ new declaration proves that equality can be achieved by acknowledging that we have made mistakes in the past, but we are fully capable of solving them.

represents all people. Evidence of this trend persists in advertising, television, and government right up to the Oval Office. When we let one specific type of person represent us, we lose ability not only to see ourselves in our media and leaders, but also to influence the decisions that specifically affect our lives and our issues. The United Nation’s recent declaration is a step away from this tradition. “By choice, not by chance: family planning, human rights and development” states as its reasoning, “Studies have shown that investing in family planning helps reduce poverty, improve health, promote gender equality, enable adolescents to finish their schooling and increase labour force participation.” The report posits reproductive rights as not only intrinsically valuable, but also as means to other valuable ends. When women have control over their own reproductive choices, they have a greater chance of being able to use their other rights, such as the right to education. The United Nations believes that An estimated 222 million women lack access to reliable, high-quality family planning services, information and supplies.

Fiscal Cliff Calamity

With the election now over, there is a much bigger crisis looming over the horizon. This is the much talked about fiscal cliff that is set to happen January 2013. Indeed, if Democrats and Republicans do not reach a budget deal by that date, then income taxes for almost everyone in the country will rise. Also, about $1.2 trillion of spending cuts in entitlements and military will take place. Military spending will be cut by roughly 9.4%, Medicare will be cut by 2%, and other discretionary entitlements will be cut by about 8.2%. The Bipartisan Policy Center estimates that if these cuts and tax hikes took effect then the damage would be devastating and could kill up to a million jobs in 2013 and 2014. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that economic growth would decline by 2.9% for the first half of 2013 and unemployment could rise as high as 9.1% by the year’s end. So now that we understand the situation, what can we do about it? Well, we already hear some Republicans like Representatives Tom Cole, Peter King, and Scott Rigell along with Senators John McCain, Bob Corker, Saxby Chambliss, Tom Coburn, and

Lindsey Graham all say that they are willing to compromise on taxes and break Grover Norquist’s Taxpayer Protection Plan. We also see Democrats and President Obama willing to bend on entitlements, at least when it comes to Medicare. I say that we have to take a balanced approach. I think that the most important thing is growing the economy. The more people who work, the more revenue will flow into the government. I also think that letting the tax cuts expire for people making over $250,000 is a good idea and will not hurt the economy. First of all, the rich right now have some of the lowest taxes in history. The highest the top tax bracket has ever been was in 1945 when it was at 94%. Obviously that was mostly caused by World War II, and we were in a lot of debt. Then the top tax bracket was lowered to 91% in 1946 and stayed mostly there for the next 15 years. It is important to know that these were some of America’s most prosperous times. Now, lowering taxes usually creates short spurts of economic boom, but raising the top tax rates is not something that will automatically stop growth. Also, I am not talking about stripping the rich for everything they have, just going back to what they were under Bill Clinton at 39.6%.

Taxes are only a small part of the solution, however. Medicare will only be able to run as efficiently as it does for the next 12 years. Although this is not an immediate problem, we have to do something about it now before it gets too late. Most of the public opposes cuts to Medicare, but we are not being realistic with ourselves if we do not do anything about it now. We definitely cannot take away benefits from seniors already receiving Medicare, but maybe we could raise the Medicare tax of 2.9% to 3.2% by 2014 and then maybe 3.5% in 2015. There is also the issue of raising the eligibility age of Medicare. I propose raising the eligibility age to 66 for anyone under the age of 60 and raising it to 67 for anyone under the age of 55. I feel that this is not only reasonable but also probably necessary given the rising life expectancy. Of course, we can also cut the amount of benefits that we will receive from Medicare in the future. I personally would rather have to wait a little bit longer before receiving Medicare then having my benefits cut. There are also many other cuts that can be made to the providers of Medicare. Overall, this fiscal cliff is a pretty big deal. I only talked about two of

pain. If we are all kind of disgusted over the deal that takes place this December, then it might actually be a pretty good deal.

the main issues that are going to be addressed one way or another coming this December. There are many other issues that might get cut if a deal gets struck. So what is a good bill you might ask? One that stings. Cutting is not fun, but it is important before we spin out of control. Growing our economy is the most important, so most cuts should take place on a long scale, but to be fair we should share the

Journal of the ApocalypseGenevieve ButhodSenior Viewpoints Editor

Matthew LindemanViewpoints Contributor

This crisis is one issue money can’t solve. Photo: economiccrisis.us

SourcesNew York Timeshttp://www.syracuse.comhttp://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-tax-rates


Hadrian’s WallGrant VargasViewpoints Editor

Crusader of SanityBrian LaughranViewpoints Correspondent

Battlefield Christmas, Part III

BREAKING NEWS! This is Brian Laughran, your wartime reporter, on the frontlines of the warzone known as Battlefield Christmas. With December now upon us, consumers have finally fallen to Christmas. I repeat: we are being occupied by Christmas. T h i s o c c u p a t i o n i s approximated to la s t unt i l December 26 when the Boxing Day liberators are expected to make a play in this ongoing conflict. We are near the end folks. For the last two months, Christmas has stolen the limelight from Halloween and Thanksgiving. The hype for Christmas is to culminate in a matter of weeks and the months of planning and preparing will all be laid to rest. The after-Christmas feeling of another year come and gone will begin to set in and set our sights forward to New Year’s. It is incredible that one day (two if you count Christmas Eve) gets practically three months of hype. For some, this can be a splitting headache; there are people who hate the Christmas season and see it as a commercial sell-out. Then there are those on the opposite side of the spectrum who soak in all three months of

Christmas glory. Halloween and Thanksgiving are formalities to these folk. Then there are a select few who try to embrace Christmas without really embracing it. The White House , for example, fits into this category. For the first time in this country’s history, the White House called its light-clad pine tree a “holiday tree” as opposed to the Christmas variety. Certain municipalities also resort to this tactic of celebrating but dodging the celebration. It’s like they think people are stupid. What the hell is a “holiday tree?” Everyone knows what that pine tree is doing in your house; calling it anything different just comes across as pandering to morons who think being hyper-politically correct is something to be proud of. If one day this country elects a Jewish president, I doubt that president would go out of their way to refer to the White House menorah as “a holiday candelabra with eight arms” or the White House dradle as a “holiday festive top.” I am not going to go so far as to say that the public is attacking Christmas; the three months of Christmas decorum being sold in retailers everywhere is proof of the contrary. But, I will say people are too sensitive. Anything religion-related immediately becomes taboo when spoken about in a public forum. It

is hypocritical, really. This country was up in arms in 2008 when it was alleged that then presidential candidate Barack Obama was Muslim (this would have deviated from the streak of Christian presidents that have held office). I don’t get it ; how can Americans be so enraged that someone in our nation’s highest office may not be a Christian and then force that same person to ignore their Christian beliefs? I am not advocating that church and state be viewed in the same light. I am just asking that we call it spade-for-spade, otherwise it is patronizing and it panders to the wrong people – the overly sensitive. Now, I am sure some of you readers are wondering why I am now defending the title of Christmas tree when I have been complaining about Christmas for the last few months. Well, yeah, but if I am going to have something shoved in my face then I do not want to be patronized as if it is not. I would just like to conclude this series by actually wishing you all a very merry Christmas and thanks for playing along with this faux-wartime report. So, for the last time on the subject, I’m Brian Laughran reporting from the frontlines of Battlefield Christmas. Good night, good luck and happy holidays.

Burning the Kingdom of Heaven

As the world’s last great imperialist nation, America has a rather confusing foreign policy. We claim to be the protector of peace and provider of democracy throughout the world, but the truth is far from that. The same countries we spend billions to aid are the same countries we are bombing. We encourage free elections on the condition that the candidate is American friendly. There is at least one case that the US has been consistent with: Israel. Since 1948 when Israel was established, America has always provided substantial monetary and military aid to the country. However, consistent does not mean moral. The relationship between Israel, its neighbors and its own population is one of oppression and murder. If America is to live up to its claims of being a protector of peace and justice, it needs to withdraw all support of Israel. Sometimes you have to cut ties to grow. America had just come out of the Great Depression, ended World War II and established the United Nations just a few years

prior to Israel’s creation, and we saw that supporting an Israeli nation as a way to flex our new muscles. Of course, there was a humanitarian side, but in the grand scheme of things, America only does what is favorable to itself. We supported Iraq, when it attacked Iran in the 90’s only to invade Iraq twice (we all know how well that turned out). We helped the Philippine revolution in 1900’s, but then denied them full sovereignty until 1946. We supported the recent free elections in Egypt after President Mubarak resigned, but complained about having the new President being a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. The hypocrisy is endless. America just likes to wave its big stick at anything that moves, and Israel has adopted the same tactic. Israel is sandwiched between hostile nations on every side and being the younger nation, they feel the need to prove their sovereignty through bombing and assassination. Much like how America started with the genocide of the Indian tribes and fighting the War of 1812. With an estimate $100 billion in aid since 1948 (over half of which is military supplies,) Israel has become a country dedicated to killing. Due to its small size, every male and female is drafted upon turning 18 to serve 3 years and 21

months respectively. Once active duty is served, everyone remains in military reserve and could be called to duty within 72 hours. Thi s means the ent i re population is indoctrinated with militarist ideals, making the prospect of regional peace as likely as men enjoying the Twilight saga. The causality figures from ever y Israel i conf l ict (s ince 1920-present) confirm this with an estimated 160,000 killed and wounded between Israeli aggressors and 60,000 for Israeli forces. Instead of spending $3 billion annually on perpetuating the violence, we should paying tribute to the people who we robbed and killed to build our country. T h e c o n d i t i o n s o f Indian Reservations are worse than appalling, yet the rest of America does not take notice. We have a national average of 7-8% unemployment, while the Reservations suffer a chronic 50-70% unemployment rate. T h e c u r r e n t a n n u a l contribution to both Israel and the Reservations are nearly the same, but it is clear who really needs the funds. In addition to the poverty crisis, 1/10 persons living on a reservation will be victims of a violent crime (robbery, assault, rape). Our forefathers decimated their cultures and dishonored nearly every treaty, and we continue

cannot decide whom to give Band-Aids or bombs, but who cares as long as we remain the biggest kid on the block. In the mean time, Israel will continue to stif le peace in the Middle East with their gung-ho military. If America honestly cares about freedom, justice and all that jazz, it should start supporting the nations we are indebted to.

to allow such injustices to plague them because of irresponsible prioritization and the influence of lobbyist money. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee has an annual budget of over $60 million to persuade Congress, while the lobbying power of the Reservations is split between all the various tribes and communities. The real problems are here at home, not in the opposite hemisphere. America must stop sending $3 billion worth of taxpayer money to Israel because it is unnecessary and immoral. Of course, this will not happen over night because America

Chicago’s own Corky Siegel and Jim Schwall, with their legendary Siegel-Schwall Band, put their unique blues spin on the holidays in A Blues Christmas. The show is Saturday, Dec. 15th at 8 p.m.

Second City invades on Dec. 29th at 8 p.m. for their hilarious: Dysfunctional Holiday Revue. A sketch comedy show with a little improv and song thrown in for good measure.

For tickets call 773-445-3838 or buy online at www.beverlyartcenter.org

An Israeli Defense Force tank going out for a Sunday stroll. Photo: mideastobs.com

S o u r c e s : b b c . c o . u k , huffingtonpost.com, wrmea.org, census.gov, globalsecurity.org, jewishvirtuallibrary.org, indian.senate.gov, justice.gov, cqpress.com


One big thing about Christmas I always get excited for is the great deserts that come with the holiday. One of my

favorite recipes that my mom creates every year is Gingerbread cookies. Although it is much easier to go and

pick them up from the store, nothing beats eating homemade gingerbread men! There are quite a bit of ingredients,

but none that are too expensive!

To get started you will need1 (3.5 ounce) package of butterscotch pudding mix

A half cup of butterA half cup of brown sugar1 egg1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon1 and half teaspoons of ground ginger1 and half cups of flour1 half cup of baking soda

First in a decent sized bowl, mix together the butterscotch pudding mix, butter and brown sugar until it is smooth.

Next stir in the egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon; stir into the pudding mixture. Cover and

chill dough until firm, about 1 hour.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets. On a floured board, roll dough out to

your desired thickness. Go crazy with this next part; create whatever shaped gingerbread man you would like to

see and eat!Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are golden at the edges.

Enjoy them while they’re fresh!Polar Express Hot Chocolate

As it gets colder outside and the holidays draw near, it is the perfect time to snuggle up in

front of a fire with slippers and a cup of hot chocolate! I have found the perfect hot chocolate

recipe and I’m going to share it with all of you. First, you’ll need these ingredients:

1.5 cups of heavy cream

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

2 cups of bittersweet chocolate chips

6 cups of milk1 tsp. of vanilla extract

After you gather all of your ingredients, combine them all in a large pot and put the pot on

the stove over low heat. Make sure you stir the ingredients regularly for about 35 minutes

until all of the chocolate is melted.

To finish the recipe off, make sure you add a big marshmallow to the top of your hot choco-

late.I bet this will be the best hot chocolate you’ve ever tasted. So, be sure to find your favorite

mug, light the fire and enjoy your hot chocolate. You may as well turn on the movie, “The

Polar Express,” while you’re at it to really get into the holiday season!

Happy holidays and enjoy!

Trimming (Your) Perfect Tree

Ingredients:

An evergreen tree, (Can be real or fake, whichever you prefer. Also, could be a maple tree if you are an individual

and not interested in conformity.), strands of Christmas lights (colored or white), bulbs (Usually those glass bulbs

with the hooks, but they could be light bulbs, too. Hey, it’s your tree, I won’t judge.), various tree decorations (Or

whatever garbage you find laying around that you think is awesome.), a tree skirt (Or at least a semi-clean towel),

and a tree topper.

Now that you have all of the necessary ingredients, it is time to put together your perfect Christmas tree.

First, put up your tree of choice where you will be able to marvel at its beauty everyday. Put the strands of lights

on first, as they are the worst part of this entire experience. As you curse and fumble your way through this step,

just think that it will all be worth it in the end. Next, put on the bulbs. Be sure to spread them out on all sides of the

tree. When I was young, I liked to put them all in the same spot, because I thought that was the most effective way.

However, my mother crushed my creativity and said I had to spread them out. Ignore what I said before, put them

on however you wish. Now you are ready to throw some various tree decorations on here. Have a really cool sock

you love? Well, throw it on. What about that old soda can? Yeah, that will look great too. Anything you find interest-

ing will look great on your tree, I promise. Next, put the tree skirt around the base of your tree. This step is pretty

self-explanatory. Now it is time for the most important part…it is tree topper time. Tree toppers are usually things

like stars, angels, etc. However, this year I have trained a kitten to sit on top of my tree all season. As you can see,

a tree topper really can be anything you want it to be. Be sure to keep it creative and never let any of those Grinch’s

out there tell you that your tree looks like a pile of garbage with a kitten on top. Merry Christmas to all and to all a

good night!

There is nothing better than making some delicious cookies to get everyone in the holiday spirit!!

Ingredients48 HERSHEY’S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates1/2 cup shortening/butter3/4 cup

Creamy Peanut Butter1/3 cup granulated sugar1/3 cup packed light brown sugar1 egg2

tablespoons milk1 teaspoon vanilla extract1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking soda1/2

teaspoon salt Additional granulated sugar

Directions1 Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2 Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated

sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together

flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3 Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4 Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of

each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool com-

pletely. About 4 dozen cookies.

Check out these cool Christmas

recipies!


Trimming (Your) Perfect Tree

Ingredients:

An evergreen tree, (Can be real or fake, whichever you prefer. Also, could be a maple tree if you are an individual

and not interested in conformity.), strands of Christmas lights (colored or white), bulbs (Usually those glass bulbs

with the hooks, but they could be light bulbs, too. Hey, it’s your tree, I won’t judge.), various tree decorations (Or

whatever garbage you find laying around that you think is awesome.), a tree skirt (Or at least a semi-clean towel),

and a tree topper.

Now that you have all of the necessary ingredients, it is time to put together your perfect Christmas tree.

First, put up your tree of choice where you will be able to marvel at its beauty everyday. Put the strands of lights

on first, as they are the worst part of this entire experience. As you curse and fumble your way through this step,

just think that it will all be worth it in the end. Next, put on the bulbs. Be sure to spread them out on all sides of the

tree. When I was young, I liked to put them all in the same spot, because I thought that was the most effective way.

However, my mother crushed my creativity and said I had to spread them out. Ignore what I said before, put them

on however you wish. Now you are ready to throw some various tree decorations on here. Have a really cool sock

you love? Well, throw it on. What about that old soda can? Yeah, that will look great too. Anything you find interest-

ing will look great on your tree, I promise. Next, put the tree skirt around the base of your tree. This step is pretty

self-explanatory. Now it is time for the most important part…it is tree topper time. Tree toppers are usually things

like stars, angels, etc. However, this year I have trained a kitten to sit on top of my tree all season. As you can see,

a tree topper really can be anything you want it to be. Be sure to keep it creative and never let any of those Grinch’s

out there tell you that your tree looks like a pile of garbage with a kitten on top. Merry Christmas to all and to all a

good night!

There is nothing better than making some delicious cookies to get everyone in the holiday spirit!!

Ingredients48 HERSHEY’S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates1/2 cup shortening/butter3/4 cup

Creamy Peanut Butter1/3 cup granulated sugar1/3 cup packed light brown sugar1 egg2

tablespoons milk1 teaspoon vanilla extract1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking soda1/2

teaspoon salt Additional granulated sugar

Directions1 Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2 Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated

sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together

flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3 Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4 Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of

each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool com-

pletely. About 4 dozen cookies.

Do It Yourself Snowman

Ingredients:

1 small ball of snow, 1 m

edium ball of snow, 1 large boulder of snow, 1 orange stic

k of vegetable matter,

some small

pebbles found after h

ours of digging through snow, 1 top-hat, 2 small branches fo

r claws, 1 s

carf, severa

l liters of

pure undiluted evil

Instructions:

First, pack a ton of snow until yo

u have what is best d

escribed as a large boulder. T

his will be you base.

Next, make a two similar balls of snow: a medium size

d one and a small one for the body and head respectiv

ely.

Stack them according to size with the largest a

t the bottom and the smallest

at the top.

Then find some sort of long vegetable (prefer

ably a carrot) and stick it in

to the small ball of snow to serv

e as a nose.

Arrange some pebbles in a half cir

cle right beneath where t

he vegetable was inserte

d.

Use two more pebble to crea

te eyes so

mewhere above th

e vegetable (yo

u may substitute a flat chunk of ice/glass if

your snowman happens to be a British Gentleman.)

After that, find two (or more) s

ticks of decent length and form to serv

e as arms.

Finally, put a scarf and a hat (prefer

ably an old fashioned top-hat) around/on the head for some decoration.

It should come alive as soon as you turn your back and stalk the unwary until warm weather co

mes around.

How To Re-Gift A GiftWhat you’ll need:1. A gift to re-gift2. Wrapping Paper

3. A lot of free time1. Rewrap the gift in question to make sure that it looks brand new. Make sure that you do not use the

original wrapping paper or the new recipient may get suspicious.

2. Decide who the new recipient is going to be. Make sure they are someone that you do not care too

much about. You are giving them your sloppy seconds, after all.

3. Do some research on the person that originally gave you the gift and the new recipient. MAKE

SURE THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW EACH OTHER. As a matter of fact, make sure that you are

the only mutual friend that they have. Play a few games of six degrees of separation and

make sure you never expose them to each other or even the other person’s friends. That

way they can never meet, and you will not have to worry about the slight chance that

your re-gifting might be discovered.

4. If you do not want to put that much effort in to doing steps 1-3, then

might I suggest that you stop being such an ungrateful piece of garbage

and be glad that people give you presents at all.

Recipies by:

Becki Brown, Lauren Dwyer, Joshua Humphry, Amanda Magee, Brandon Swanson, Will Weyant

Layout by:

Becki Brown

Photos from:

americanhiking.org, bioweb.edu, colorado.edu, free-clipart-pictures.net,


Saturday, December 8th will be a very important day for the SXU Orchestra and the SXU Wind Ensemble. The two groups will be coming together for their Holiday concert, “As White As Snow”. The concert, which starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Performance Space, will be an exciting night filled with beautiful songs and holiday happiness. Pr. Lara Reagan will be featured on the saxophone in both ensembles. She will be the soloist for “Sonata for Alto Saxophone” by Robert Muczynski during Wind Ensemble’s portion of the concert. Pr. Reagan will be playing the vocal line made famous by Frank Sinatra in his rendition of

By Becki BrownSenior Features Editor

Irving Berlin’s famous Christmas tune“White Christmas,”; she will be accompanied by the orchestra for this song. Members of both ensembles are excited to be playing with Pr. Reagan. “I’m really excited because this is the second time I’m going to be playing with a soloist, and I feel honored to play with Lara Reagan since she’s an amazing musician and person,” beamed Miguel Esquinca, a junior biology/music major and member of both the orchestra and wind ensemble. This concert will host the world premiere of Emily Lawlor’s “As White As Snow”. The Wind Ensemble, who will be playing the piece, was able to video chat with Lawlor earlier in the week. “Being the first band to play ‘As White As Snow’ and actually being able to skype with the composer, Emily Lawlor, makes

me feel honored not only to be the first band playing it, but having the opportunity to talk to a living composer is amazing and I may never have that opportunity again,” said Jaclyn Heuser, a first year music education student and member of both the orchestra and wind ensemble. This is not Lawlor’s first composition or her first premiere for her compositions. As a child, her parents nurtured her love for music, and she began studying music at age six. By the ripe old age of twelve, she had created her first piece of music. Her music has been performed by the UNLV Brass Band, the Canyon Del Oro High School Concert Band, and the UNLV Women’s Choir, just to name a few. Lawlor attended Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher, AZ, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, from which she received her undergraduate degree in Euphonium Performance and Music Composition. Currently, she is working on her Master’s of Music in Composition at Brigham Young University. “As White As Snow” is actually just one part of a seven song cycle for wind ensemble, on which Lawlor is still hard at work. Each piece is based on a verse of the book of Isaiah and can be played separately or together. “As White As Snow” is based on Isaiah 1:18 and is meant to

A Concert “As White As Snow” and as Good as GoldSXU Wind Ensemble/Orchestra to Host World Premiere of Emily Lawlor’s “As White As Snow”

repre sent the washing away of our sins through the forgiveness and everlasting power of Jesus. O t h e r pieces featured in the concert cover a large range of music. The wind ensemble wi l l be playing John Philip Sousa’s “People Who Live in Glass Houses,” a collection of songs based on different types of beverages, as well as William S c h u m a n ’ s “Chester”. T h e orchestra wi l l be playing a few selections from t h e i r r e c e n t S h a k e s p e a r e -themed concert as well as “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson. Some members of the wind ensemble will be joining the orchestra for this timeless holiday classic. Esquinca said, “The audience is going to be exposed to a combination of not only classical music but also Christmas classics, and this is a perfect concert to end the fall season.” This event begins at 7:30 p.m.

on December 8th in the Music Performance Space. It will be free to SXU students, staff, faculty, and prospective students. It is $5 for senior citizens and $6 for general admission. Santa hats and festive holiday wear are strongly recommended, but they are not required. For more information, contact Jeff Malecki at [email protected] or (773)298-3422.plr.org

This concert will be a mix of classical and Christmas.

The official poster for “As White As Snow”. Jeff Malecki

Songs To Get You Through FinalsBy Lauren DwyerFeatures Editor

Finals week is upon us. A frightening thought, right? Well, since music is the cure for all of your woes. I am going to give you a a few examples of songs so that you can put together a play list to get you through the end of the semester. The first step to having a successful finals week is to pump yourself up to get all of that last minute studying and cramming done. That means you need to choose something upbeat.Out Here Grindin’ by DJ Khaled This song has some great beats that will make you want to get up and move. However, keep in mind that this is meant to get you up to move your way to the library. Also, if you are trying to get inspired with the lyrics, too, I am sure you can find some sort of inspiration in this song. Either way, it will definitely start to get your blood pumping and flowing to your brain.Give It All by Rise Against You better be giving it all when you are studying, so this song is perfect. Fast paced, upbeat, and great to get you psyched for studying. Bad Girls by MIA Not only is this an excellent song, but it also has such a great meaning. In the song, she states, “bad girls do it well”. By that, she means bad girls are really great at studying, right? Now that you are pumped up and ready to study, what could you be listening to while you are studying? Choose something quiet, chill, and calming, not too calming though since you are supposed to be studying and not sleeping!Sleeping Sickness by City and Colour Dallas Green has the most beautiful voice in the entire world, which is a fact. And his acoustic guitar only adds to the beauty of his

songs. This song is the perfect tempo for when you are studying. It is a good music of chill and soothing with a little faster tempo in some parts.The Cave by Mumford and Sons Like the previous song, this song is an excellent mix of chill music and some parts with a bit of a quicker tempo added to it. Many songs by Mumford and Sons will apply nicely to what we are trying to achieve here.Be OK by Ingrid Michaelson This song is lighthearted and a bit of a pop feel. Hopefully, it will keep your spirits high as you prepare for your finals. The last part of your playlist will be the songs you listen to after you take your finals. Since you will be in celebration mode, these songs are definitely going to be upbeat and exciting.Hey Ya! by Outkast Hey ya, it is time to party, because you are done with finals! What a great song to kick off your party. Shake it like a polaroid picture and hope that you passed all of your tests!We Are The Champions by Queen How could you have a victory or celebration playlist without this song? You are a champion, you really are. Way to go on finishing those finals.Celebration by Kool & The Gang Celebrate, because it is time for you to relax after a stressful couple of weeks and head home for Christmas break. Congratulations, you have finished the first semester of the year! If you follow these guidelines when making your playlist for finals week, you are sure to be successful in your endeavors. To those of you that do not, well...good luck everybody else!

(Editors note: This playlist will not guarantee you an A.)

COUGAR WEEKEND EVENTSThursday, December 6SXU Women’s Basketball vs. Trinity International7:00 p.m.

Shannon Center

Friday, December 7, 2012Strong Interest Inventory WorkshopsDiscover your top areas of career in-

terest. Pre-registration is required. Contact Jean Riordan at [email protected] to register. Open to all students,

fulfills GSM ACE first year requirement if not completed in Transitions course.

2:00 p.m.Career Services Conference Room

(modular behind Pacelli hall)

Friday, December 7, 2012Women’s Prayer Group3:00 p.m.McDonough Chapel Sponsored by: University Ministry

Friday, December 7, 2012Semester Celebration for First-Year

Residents7:00 p.m.

Regina Lobby - Wii game, pool table, board games, food

Friday, December 7Trip to see the Lincoln Park Zoo lights!Depart from SXU at 5:00 p.m. and De-part from Zoo at 9:00 p.m.The bus will pick students up in front of the Butler entrance of Warde at 5pm. Sign up in Campus Life December 3-7 from 11am-1pm.$5 must be paid at time of sign up to hold your place for the trip. The $5 will be returned to students at the end of the trip. Sponsored by: Tri Beta and SAB

Sunday, December 9Blessing of Graduating Students at

Sunday Student Mass 8:00 p.m. (Choir practice at 6:30pm)

McDonough ChapelSponsored by: University Ministry


The Rainy Day Movie List: Football EditionBy Damone GriffinFeatures Correspondent

Hello, and welcome to the Rainy Day Movie List: Football Edition. Do you love the sound of crashing helmets, cheerleaders, and underdog victories? If so, this list is for you.Remember the Titans (2000). This is simply one of the best football movies of all time. The film based off a true story stars Denzel Washington portraying Coach Herman Boone. Coach Boone is hired to lead the football team at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia. Boone must coach a newly integrated football team while fighting racial tension at every turn including on his own team. The Titans end up embarking on a journey that ends up showing a whole a community to ignore the skin color of a man and judge him based on his character. The amazing film shows how they persevered through internal strife to hit, run, pass, and dance

their way to a championship. It was a truly astonishing movie as it is testament to the powerful effect sports can have on and off the field.

The Express (2008). It is based on the incredible true story that not enough people are aware of. Back in the 1950s and 60s racism and discrimination ran rampant in the United States and that included college football. This set the stage for a young man once known as Ernie Davis that became of the hero of this story by leading his team to a national championship and becoming the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy. The film “The Express” depicts the story of how Ernie Davis helped change the landscape of college football and inspire so many people. Davis was recruited as a running back for the University of Syracuse back in 1958. The film does a great job of capturing how hard he fought on and off the field to gain the respect of peers and fans. The film

is very accurate in depicting how he handled adversity, triumph, and unfortunately tragedy. It stars a great actor in Rob Brown as the film will make you stand up in cheer for a true hero in society that displayed great character and intestinal fortitude.

Varsity Blues (1999). In some towns football is religion. The coach is God, the star player is Jesus, the rest of the players are apostles, and everybody else is a disciple. Varsity Blues is an example of what happens when the Coach truly believes he is a god willing to do anything to protect his status and the player that decides to challenge him. The movie stars James Van Der Beek, Paul Walker, and John Voight. The movie shows great examples of what happens when sports figures, particularly young high school athletes, act when they are treated like Gods among men even though it is just a game played on the field once a week.

J ames Van Der Beek ’ s character realized that whether you’re a superstar on the field or not there is more to life than football games on Friday nights which is a very positive message to send to young teens in the audience.

Rudy (1993). The famous author Mark Twain once said, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” Those words could ring truer when talking about the film Rudy, based on the unbelievable true story of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger. All Rudy has ever wanted to do since he was kid was attend the University of Notre Dame and play football for the Fighting Irish. Rudy does not have the grades or talent to initially get into Notre Dame and achieve his dream but he does not give up. That’s the number one message of this movie to never give up on your dreams no matter how far away they seem and no matter how many obstacles are

in the way. Rudy shows us all that with perseverance, some help, and little luck an individual can achieve anything they want.

The Waterboy (1998). I think some people feel this movie shouldn’t be on this list but performance Adam Sandler put on was to entertaining to pass up. The hilarious film is about a unique boy in high school that plays the water boy on the football team but he makes the team when he and the coach find out he has an incredible gift. The amazing gift he has is to knock the tar out of people on the football field during fits of rage. He also has an overbearing overprotective mother that doesn’t want him to play football or even have a new girlfriend which makes the story all the more playfully entertaining. This will have viewers laughing for two hours as this is Adam Sandler at his comedic best as he plays the part to perfection.

These movies are definitely a touchdown!amazon.com, syracuse.com

Are you a writer? A Poet? A Literary Genius?Show us your best, strangest, or most creative work!

E-mail us at [email protected] with a message titled “Inkwell content”. Make sure your work is attached.

We want to show off the best stuff from your inkwell, so do not wait!

All That’s Left To Go OnBy: Joshua Humphry

With regular infrequency,we try to make trivial essential

and preach belief as public relief.

When oratory eloquenceis what is wanted

to be heard on massand the mob decides

the words of this poem,one wonders what

was said andwhat was really meant.

One set of written scribbleand yet can be used

towards different goals,when one says one thing,

then everyone assumes another.

Fact is now accepted fictionand illusion is known

as well established reality,and ideals are nowincommunicable

and words are nowwithout real worth,

yet Guildensternwas right,

“They’re all we have to go on.”

A Cry in the NightBy: Becki Brown

I heard a cry in the night,Not of pain, not of joy, not of fear

Just a cry

There was not a soul in sightNot a breath or footstep I could hear

Just a cry

I tried to figure the source with all my mightI did not know if it was far or near

Just a cry


Join Us In Saying Goodbye To...


When I decided to go to St. Xavier University after high school, I had no idea what I was getting into, or what I even wanted to study as my major in college. My first year of college I decided to stay undecided and take all of the required core classes I could take until I decided what I wanted my major to be. Throughout my second full year here at St. Xavier I became involved with the Xavierite and WXAV, and I decided that I wanted to be a Communications Major. When I first started writing for the Xavierite I was not sure how much I would actually like it because I have always hated writing anything in general.

Writing for the Xavierite taught me that writing can actually be quite enjoyable. Writing for the Xavierite did not feel like a job for me because I enjoyed have the ability to write about sports, one of my favorite things. While writing for the Xavierite, I had the opportunity to have many, many great experiences. Last year I was able to follow the 2011 National Champion St. Xavier Football team. I was also able to write about the experiences I had with the Men’s Basketball team on their trip to Notre Dame and the Women’s Basketball team on their trip to DePaul. Over the past two years of working at the Xavierite I have worked with many different people who I have become friends with, and not just co-workers. I will greatly miss everyone that I had the experience to work with over the past two years at the Xavierite. I wish the current staff the best of luck in their futures and I look forward to reading what you guys will print in the coming semesters. I would also like to thank everyone who have read my articles in the past as well as everyone who helped me throughout this experience.

After two and a half years at the Xavierite, my legacy as being the crazy chaos-ensuing member of the team has finally come to an end. I do not really know how to put into words how I feel about all of this, except bittersweet. It will be bittersweet for two very big reasons. First, it will be bitter because I will admittedly miss all of the people that were a part of the paper throughout the time I have been there. And secondly, it will be the sweetest of things to finally not drive myself up the wall trying to perfect the weekly edition. I have the fondest and most hostile memories of the paper… I remember giving Gen the ride of her life with my incessant mood swings that seemed to

come from nowhere. The current tsar, Tony, has gotten his fair share of my insanity. Admittedly, I will miss being the two versions of Ruby at the Xavierite office—the Teletubbies version and the Al Pacino version. I will miss running out of that office, screaming my head off about how unfair I thought all the work was. I will fondly remember being every position under the news sections from correspondent to senior editor. I am grateful for the wonderful news staff that I will be ending the year with; they have made it truly worthwhile. I cannot wait to see Pete sigh his sigh of relief that he does not have to deal with my drama anymore. From the day I realized he was adamantly passionate about his hatred of Ke$ha, to the day I realized he really was there for all of us, I knew that I would be the pain in his side that he would grow to love making fun of. Pete, thank you. For the entire Xavierite staff, thank you for being a B-O-S-S, boss team. Thank you for the laughter, the tears, the insanity, and the creatively fantastical rollercoaster ride. Those late nights that turned into early mornings, laying out a single section only made me even surer that the Xavierite owned my soul. Just like everyone in that office, I will be leaving a part of me behind. I bid you adieu. May all your wishes come true after I leave! Love you!

By Alan PaapeSports CorrespondentWXAV Sports Director

The Xavierite Staff would like to wish Alan and Ruby the best of luck in the future. Throughout their time here, they have had an impact on the paper as well as the staff. We would like to thank them for their time and effort that they have put in over the years, and we are truly sad to say goodbye to great coworkers and even better frineds.

To everyone, we hope that you have a good rest of the semester and a safe, relaxing and happy winter break.

The XavieriteThe Xavierite


Magee’s MinuteAmanda Magee

Senior Sports Editor

To finish off an impressive season, two seniors on the women’s volleyball team have been named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association NAIA All-Mideast Region First Team. Desiree Aramburu and Kelly Knudsen were two of fourteen players in the Mideast Region to receive this honor. A r a m b u r u h a s h a d a phenomenal season for the Couagrs, leading the team with 1,425 assists. She also is one of the top servers on the team, finishing the season with 42 aces. Aramburu was named a first team all-conference selection at the conclusion of the season and to top off her senior year season, was named the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Knudsen was second for the Cougars with 451 total kills. She also contributed 39 service aces and 352 digs throughout the season. Along with Aramburu, Knudsen was named a first team all-conference selection after her final match. Both Aramburu and Knudsen have left their mark this season and are truly deserving of this honor. Congratulations ladies!

Ashley Shares Qualifies for NAIA Track and Field Championships

Bold Predictions for NFL Week 14

By Will WeyantSports Editor

VS. VS.Brandon Swanson- Falcons

Atlanta will prevail but it will not be easy.

A.J. Paape- Falcons

This game will not even be close, the Falcons will blow out the Panters.

Greg Pilafas- Falcons

The Falcons look unbeatable and Carolina has struggled all season long. The game will be close, but Atlanta prevails.

Joshua Humphry- Falcons

I do not think we need an explanation here.

Amanda Magee- Falcons

The Falcons are clearly the better team and the score will show that this coming week.

Will Weyant- Falcons

The Panthers have had a rough season this year. The Falcons are having their best season ever!

Brandon Swanson- Texans

Both teams have a very potent offense, but it will be the defense that will end up winning this one.

A.J. Paape- Texans

The Texans will continue their dominance over the NFL and beat the Patriots to remain the best team

Greg Pilafas- Texans

This will be an amazing game, but I think the Texans have the better overall team.

Joshua Humphry- Texans

The Texans are 6-0 on the road and they will continue their road dominance.

Amanda Magee- Texans

This will be a close game but I like the Texans logo better so I’ll have to go with them this week.

Will Weyant- Texans

I don’t think any team can stop the Texans right now.

Recipients of the Cougar Awards!MVP: Making its long awaited return is the winners of the Cougar Awards. The Xavierite staff chose the most valuable players for football, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s soccer and men’s and women’s cross country. These players led in their respective sport and deserve this honor of being called the most valuable player. Congratulations to all of the Cougar Award winners.

Rookie of the Year: The following players have played tremendously in their first season with the SXU Cougars. Each one of these athletes shined in their sports. This is a difficult award to win, but these ‘rookies’ played great and have very bright futures as there will be some departing seniors. The rookies are the future of their respective teams.

Most Consistent: The following athletes have shown tremendous consistency and dedication in their respective sports. T h e s e a t h l e t e s h a v e performed very well and time and time again, they are always coming up huge for their teams. These athletes have earned the right to be called the most consistent player on their team. Congratulations to all winners!

Jimmy Coy (SR, Quarterback, Football)—2012 Mid-states Football Association (MSFA) Mideast League Player of the Year. 265-440 for 3,427 yards and 35 touchdowns. 71 rushes for 336 yards and one rushing touchdown.

Nick Cemeno (FR, Defensive Lineman, Football)—Played in all 13 games for Saint Xavier, tied for second on the team with 3.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for losses, one forced fumble and 43 total tackles.

Nick Pesek (JR, Running Back, Football)—180 carries for 1,188 yards and eight touchdowns. Averaged 93.8 yards per game and also became the leading rusher in SXU history and first running back to reach 2,000 career rushing yards.

Kayla Mullaney (SR, Outside Hitter, Women’s Volleyball)—Led the team in kills (459), service aces (50) and also kills/set (3.14). Second on the team in points scored with 520. Earned second team all-conference honors.

Meghan Falsey (FR, Right Side, Women’s Volleyball)—Fifth on the team in kills with 230, third on the team in total blocks with 74 (8 solo). Accounted for 273 points (fifth on team).

Desiree Aramburu (SR, Setter, Women’s Volleyball)—Team leading 1,425 assists and added 432 digs in 2012. Sixth on team in points with 158 (1.12 per set). Also won 2012 CCAC volleyball player of the year.

Ashley Shares (SR, Runner, Women’s Cross Country)—One first place finish, six top-10 finishes. Brian Corcoran (JR, Runner, Men’s Cross Country)—One first place finish, four total top-ten finishes.

Dana Martin (FR, Runner, Women’s Cross Country)—Three top-30 finishes. Eric Hancock (FR, Runner, Men’s Cross Country)—Four top-20 finishes and qualified for Nationals.

Jordan Wallace (JR, Runner, Women’s Cross Country)—Three top-20 finishes and also qualified and ran at NAIA Nationals. Shane Kenney (JR, Runner, Men’s Cross Countr y)—Two top-20 finishes four top-25 finishes total.

Football Women’s Volleyball Women/Men Soccer W/M Cross Country

Lexi Cozzi (FR, Forward, Women’s Soccer)—Tied for team lead in goals with 7, also first in points (15). Kyle Breitenbach (SR, Midfielder, Men’s Soccer)—Led the team in goals (8), also second on team with 19 assists.

Lexi Cozzi (FR, Forward, Women’s Soccer)—Led offensive attack with 24 shots on goal (41 shots total). Brandon Simoes (SO, Midfielder, Men’s Soccer)—Led team in points (21) and second in goals (7).

Saint Xavier Cross Country and track star runner, Ashley Shares, qualified for the 2013 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in May. Shares was able to qualify for the event by being finishing the marathon with an amazing qualifying time of 1:24:15 in the Schaumberg Half Marathon in Schaumberg, IL Saturday, November 24th. Shares finished the race in 28th place and she was the fourth female competitor to finish the marathon. Ashley set a school record with her qualifying time of 1:24:15. She is currently the

first and only Saint Xavier track member to qualify for the National Championships. The last time she competed was the in the NAIA National Championships where she placed 66th overall to end her collegiate Cross Country career. To add on to all of Shares’ achievements from the recent cross country season, she was named the World Hyundai-Saint Xavier University Athlete of the Month. In the month of November, she had two of her personal-best times, competed in the Nationals for cross country, and qualified for the Track and Field National Championships. The month of November was very good for Shares!

T h e T r a c k and Fie ld Nat ional Championships will be taking place May 23 – 25 at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. It may be a long ways away from now, but good luck to Ashley and hopefully we will see more SXU athletes qualifying once the Track and Field season kicks off!

[email protected]

Cortney Jerzy (FR, Goalkeeper, Women’s Soccer)— In 18 games, posted a record of 10-6-1 with six shutouts. Kyle Held (JR, Goalkeeper, Men’s Soccer)—11-4-1 record with seven shutouts in 16 games.

SXU AthleticsSenior Ashley Shares.

K n u d s e n a n d Aramburu Receive

Honor

The Xavierite Wednesday, December 5, 2012Men’s Basketball Riding Win StreakShares Named World Hyundai November Athlete of the MonthBy Greg PilafasDeputy Editor in Chief

By Greg PilafasDeputy Editor in Chief

The Saint Xavier men’s basketball team is on a two game win streak following two wins over Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) foes, Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.) and Judson University. SXU now currently owns a 5-3 record overall and a 5-2 record in the CCAC. Beginning with the road game against Calumet College of St. Joseph (CCSJ) on Wednesday, November 28, SXU was led by four double digit scorers highlighted by junior guard Brad Karp who racked up a game-high 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds en route to an 86-60 victory. Senior point guard Anthony Grant and sophomore guard Jack Krieger each scored 13 points in the contest and senior point guard Roosevelt Green chipped in 11 points and 10 assists. On Saturday, December 1, the Cougars rolled to a big victory over Judson University, 85-51. Saint

Xavier was led by Krieger who scored a game-high 20 points and recorded nine rebounds which was good for another game-high. Karp and senior forward Dominique Harvey scored 17 points apiece and recorded seven and eight rebounds, respectively. SXU played stifling defense and forced 28 turnovers by Judson University. Green led the Cougars in steals with seven and he also posted eights points and seven assists. Karp and Krieger each picked up four steals and Saint Xavier had 21 steals in total in the game. SXU led 34-29 after the first half, but used a big second half to propel the Cougars to victory after outscoring the Eagles 51-22 in the second period. The Cougars had their largest lead with 4:34 to go in the second half at 38 points. Saint Xavier takes on CCAC rival University of St. Francis (Ill.) on Wednesday, December 5, at the Shannon Center in Chicago. The game is set to tip-off at 7 p.m.

Senior Ashley Shares from the Saint Xavier women’s cross country & track team has been named the World Hyundai-Saint Xavier November Athlete of the Month following an impressive month. Shares achieved two personal best times which were both school records, qualified and raced at Nationals and also qualified for the 2013 NAIA National Track and Field Championships. Shares wi l l be publ ic ly recognized with an award prior to the Saint Xavier University men’s basketball game on Wednesday, December 5, at the Shannon Center. The game will begin at 7 p.m. and Shares will be honored at around 6:50 p.m. Shares, a senior history major, was named a 2012 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete with her 3.875 cumulative grade point average (GPA). Shares led SXU to a third place finish at the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Cross Countr y Championships on Saturday, November 3. With the finish for Shares at the CCAC Cross Country Championships she achieved a personal best time of 17:44.44 (best 5K record in school history) and qualified for the 2012 NAIA Women’s Cross Country National Championships where she finished in 66th place for the Cougars. Shares participated in the Schaumberg Half Marathon in Schaumburg, Ill., and finished with an “A” qualifying time of

1:24.15 which was good for another personal best time. With the time, Shares qualified for the 2013 NAIA National Track and Field Championships in May 2013. Shares passed her old record which she accomplished last year in the same race where she ran the half-marathon in a time of 1:28.44. Shares ran beat last seasons time by nearly four and a half minutes after she ran a time of 1:24.15 this season, good for a 6:25 mile pace. Congratulations to Ashley Shares on this accomplishment.

World Hyundai is located in the Matteson Auto Mall at 5337 Miller Circle Drive (at Route 30 and Interstate 57) in Matteson, Ill. The dealership takes pride in making new or used car shopping not only easy, but also as enjoyable as possible. With a knowledgeable and well-trained staff, plus outstanding service facilities, World Hyundai Matteson looks forward to helping you with all of your auto needs. Check out the dealership website at www.WorldHyundaiMatteson.com.

SXU Athletics

SXU Athletics

Junior Brad Karp.

Senior Ashley Shares was named the November Athlete of the Month.

Women Continue Their DominanceBy Brandon SwansonSports Contributor The SXU women’s basketball team has been on a tear lately. Going into their game against Calumet College of St. Joseph the Cougars had won 3 straight games and they were looking to go for a fourth. SXU was just coming off a huge 77-50 victory against rival Cardinal Stritch University and was carrying a lot of momentum into a game that many figured Saint Xavier would handle easily. The Cougars came into the game ranked No. 7 overall and showed their dominance as they had three players score in double figures. Sophomore guard Suzie Broski paced the offense with 21 points as she hit 8 of her 11 shots on the night. Morgan Stuut continued her dominance with 17 points and 10 rebounds for yet again another double-double performance. In her first game back from an ankle injury junior point guard Jordan Brandt had a very impressive game scoring 10 points in addition to 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. The Cougars had the game in hand from the beginning as they led 26-6 at one point mid-way through the first half. Saint Xavier shot 51% from the floor in the first half and found themselves up by as much as 28 points early in the second half. The Cougars roared on to win 80-65, which was their fourth win in a row. They were led to their win in big part because of their ability to protect the basketball. They turned the ball over just nine times while they collected 11 steals throughout the game. The Cougars were 5-1 and were ready to take on Judson University next. The Cougars next test was indeed Judson University which took place on Saturday, December 1. Both Saint Xavier and Judson started off cold as neither team made a basket until

over four minutes had gone by in the first half of play. The Cougars continued to play lights out defense as they forced a whopping 30 turnovers and had an impressive 16 steals. The Cougars held the Eagles to a lowly 30 percent shooting from the floor. Stuut was surprisingly the only Cougar who scored in double digits as she achieved yet again another double-double scoring 17 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Broski and Niara Harris both had 3 steals while Broski had 5 points and Harris had 8. It was a good team effort on Saturday by the Cougars. Saint Xavier went on to win the contest by a final of 57-38. It was another strong victory for SXU and they have now extended their winning streak to 5 games. The Cougars will now take on Trinity International University this Thursday December 6 in the Shannon Center. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip-off.

HUMAN-CENTERED TECHNOLOGYHumanities degrees designed for careers in the digital age

www.iit.edu/csl/hum

SXU AthleticsSophomore Morgan Stuut.


Athlete Spotlight: Brendan RyanBy Greg PilafasDeputy Editor in Chief

SXU AthleticsBrendan Ryan.

Q: What has the transition been like so far for you coming here to Saint Xavier?

A: The transition has been good so far, I have met a lot of people. I came from a community college in Moraine Valley. This is my first year out of the house, so that has been fun. It is my first time having

a roommate and it has been good.

Q: What are your goals this season? A: To do well in school first off. Golf related I want to really develop as a player the best I can and develop a mental side of the golf game as well instead of just swinging related.

Q: What are your thoughts on first year head coach Mike Mandakas?

A: So far, everything has been good. He has us really working hard, up at 6 a.m. running, so he is not that joke around guy even though it is still really fun.

Q: Who is a team leader?

A: We all push each other, everyone is vocal in their own way even though some are quieter and some are more vocal. We all just really push each other and try to get the best out of each other.

Q: Who in your mind is the best golfer in the world?

A: The best golfer in the world right now is Rory McIlroy. Q: What is one aspect of your game that you think needs the most improvement?

A: Right now I think my driving has been struggling at the moment. We have been working on the short game so that has been really sharpening up. Everything is coming into shape really because we have been working a lot.

Q: Have you ever gotten a hole in one in golf?

A: Nope. I have only been playing golf for four years. I have come close, like a couple of inches away, but I have not gotten one just yet. Q: What is the most challenging

thing about golf? A: There is so many different aspects that you need to be good at. You could be a good driver of the ball, but you may not be good at putting. The mental aspect plays a role as well because you may be out there for four hours, but you are only hitting the ball about 10 to 15 minutes.

Q: Anything that you carry with you in your bag?

A: My mom gave

me to put in my bad is an Irish rosary so I just have that sitting in one side of my bag for a little good luck hopefully.

Q: What are some of your hobbies?

A: I am just a big fan of sports in general; I still like to play soccer. I also like playing fantasy football and just things like that.

Q: Any things that you like to collect?

A: Anytime that I go to an event

including sports events or concerts, I like to save the tickets. I stick them in a box and save them.

Q: What are your favorite television programs?

A: I am a fan of That 70’s Show and I watch the Golf Channel as well. I am a more comedian type of guy.

To view the video interview of this athlete spotlight along with other video interviews please visit sxucougars.com and click on the Cougar Close-Ups link. Junior golfer Brendan Ryan lines up for a shot. SXU Athletics

Athlete Spotlight: Christine BoweBy Greg PilafasDeputy Editor in Chief

SXU AthleticsChristine Bowe.

Q: You, Kayla Mullaney and Kelly Knudsen have been here since freshman year, what is that feeling like having all three of you here for all four years?

A: It is wonderful, even today we were talking about how he went to team dinner and there was some controversy about it. Kelly, Kayla and I all said that we had been

doing this since freshman year and we are very keen on keeping our traditions alive and that we all share that commonality means so much to us.

Q: What is the best thing to do during practice to really enhance your game?

A: Let’s say if our energy is running really down, something that we like to do is crack little inside jokes. I look to the energy from the group,

it’s not something that I can find in myself, I need everyone else to pull together and I think volleyball is such a great sport because you depend so much on your team.

Q: Your major is nursing, what would you like to do with that?

A: I would like to do critical care nursing so eventually I would like to do ICU work and furthermore from that I would like to do Nurses without Borders. Wherever there is a natural catastrophe they send nurses there and I would like to do that.

Q: Do you want to stay in the game of volleyball once you are done at Saint Xavier?

A: I do. I coach right now and I would like to continue coaching as well as playing maybe on some recreational team. I do not think that I will go to Olympic level, but I would like to just continue playing.

Q: What is one thing that you like to do pregame?

A: Kelly {Knudsen} was just talking about this and she has so many little superstitions. I like to go to the athletic room and I like to heat, but I also like to in my own mind start with music.

Q: What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened on the volleyball court?

A: Ok, not to me, but this is

to Kelly. This is last year and I had rotated out so middle was serving and someone hit the ball on the other side of the net over and it hit Kelly square in the forehead and it just soared back over the net. I did not even ask her if she was ok, I just fell to the f loor laughing because it was so funny.

Q: What a re some things that help you distress? A: I like to make ‘To Do’ lists and

I like running. Worst case scenario, I will just put my books aside and put volleyball aside and just go take a nap.

Q: Is there anything that motivates you?

A: This is based off myself, I have torn my ACL twice and I think that is self-motivating that I have been through so much physically and I think that says a lot about me and how much I love this sport.

Q: Do you have a favorite Disney character?

A: The Little Mermaid. When I was younger I had the chicken pox and I made my mom rewind that like 28 times in the span of two days.

Q: What is your preferred method of travelling?

A: Flying. We drove to Colorado one time and I will never drive to Colorado again, just get me there fast.

To view the video interview of this athlete spotlight along with other video interviews please visit sxucougars.com and click on the Cougar Close-Ups link. SXU AthleticsSenior libero Christine Bowe lines up for a serve.


SPORTS

Michael Grimm/Media ServicesJunior Nick Pesek rushes towards the endzone against Cumberlands (Ky.) in the NAIA Quarterfinals.

The St. Xavier Cougars were only one win away from punching their ticket back to Rome, Georgia for the NAIA National Title game. The team that the Cougars had to conquer this past Saturday was the Morningside College Mustangs. The Cougars have reached the NAIA Semifinals in each of the previous three season leading up to this year. In the 2009 season, the Cougars traveled to the University of Sioux Falls in South Dakota, and lost that game 48-6. In 2010, the Cougars traveled to Helena, Montana to take on Carroll College in a game that they would end up losing 27-5. In 2011, the Cougars finally conquered the NAIA Semifinals hurdle with a 30-27 victory over Marian University, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Coming into the game, Morningside College was ranked number three in the nation with a perfect 12-0 record. On their way to the Semifinals, the Mustangs beat Montana Tech University 40-35, and Southern Oregon University 47-44 in overtime. The Cougars came in to their Semifinal matchup ranked number four in the nation with an 11-1 record. The Cougars cruised through the first two rounds of the playoffs with a 31-0 victory over William Penn University, and a 35-21 victory over the University

of the Cumberlands. The Cougars also entered this matchup with a perfect 5-0 record on the road this season. If the Cougars wanted to go on to win this game, they would have to limit the Mustangs offense which has averaged over 45 points a game. The Mustangs offensive attack has been led all season by senior quarterback Joel Nixon who has averaged 278 passing yards per game, just under 60 rushing yards per game, as well as tallying a total of 57 all purpose touchdowns on the season. Two other big names on the Mustangs offense were receivers Joel McCabe, and Kyle Schuck who on the season have combined for an average of 170 receiving yards per game, and a total of 26 receiving touchdowns. To begin the game the Cougars won the opening coin toss and elected to receive the ball to start the game. In each of their previous two playoff games this season the Cougars began the game on offense and were able to produce points on each opening drive. This t ime would be no different after driving 30-yards on six plays the Cougars were faced with and early third and long situation from the Morningside 41-yard line. On the third down play Jimmy Coy was able to elude the pressure of the Mustang Defense and throw up a bomb down the left sideline which found Chase Catton for a 41-yard touchdown pass. The Mustangs would not let the Cougars hold on to the lead for very long though. On their

very first offensive possession the Mustangs drove down the field with ease. Less than three minutes after the Cougars took the lead the Mustangs tied up the game on a seven yard touchdown run by Fred Jones, which capped off an eight play 78-yard drive. On the very next play for the Cougar offense after the Mustangs tied up the game when Coy dropped back to pass and his pass was intercepted by defensive back Jared Goforth and returned to the Cougar 36-yard line.

three plays and were forced to settle for a field goal to pull themselves within four points. After scoring two touchdowns on their f irst two of fensive possessions of the game, the Mustangs looked to continue their offensive dominance. The Cougar defense still was not able to figure out the Mustang offense, and the Mustangs drove right down the field and scored a touchdown which capped off seven play 65-yard drive. This touchdown was Joel Nixon’s second touchdown pass in as many drives, and the Mustangs now lead 21-10. The Cougars offense would be able to score one more time before the end of the first quarter when Coy capped off a seven play 72-yard scoring drive with an eight yard touchdown pass to Wes Gastel. After the ensuing extra point attempt failed the score at the end of the first quarter was 21-16 in favor of the Mustangs. After the first quarter of play Morningside’s offense did not cool off, they came out in the second quarter and continued scoring right where they left off in the first quarter of play. On a third and 23 play, Joel Nixon was able to step up in the pocket and throw a deep pass downfield which was hauled in by Colby Henderson for a 44-yard touchdown reception. Morningside would now take their biggest lead of the day so far, eleven points, 27-16. The Cougars offense would only be able to muster up a late field goal towards the end of the second quarter to cut the deficit to only eight points. At the half the Cougars trailed the Mustangs 27-19. The second half of play was dominated by the Mustangs from

the start. On their very first possession of the second half the Mustangs put another touchdown up on the board. Fred Jones was able to punch in the ball from three yards out and the Mustang lead grew to 34-19. Throughout the rest of the game the Cougars offense failed to produce any points offensively and the Mustangs’ offense continued to keep their foot on the gas pedal. The Mustangs would go on to add two more touchdowns and the game would end by the score Morningside College- 47, St. Xavier University- 19. With the win Morningside University advances to the NAIA National Title to face Marian University on December 13 in Rome, Georgia. The Cougars finished the season with an 11-2 record, and a share of the MSFA Mideast League title with a 4-1 Conference record. Jimmy Coy led the team in passing with 3,427 passing yards, 35 touchdowns to only 10 interceptions, and Coy also had 229 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. He also finishes his career at 25-2 overall. Nick Pesek led the team in rushing with 1,125 rushing yards, and eight rushing touchdowns. Shane Zackery led the Cougars in total receptions with 80 receptions, Zackery also led the team with 1,122 receiving yards and 13 receiving touchdowns. Defensively Zach Dolph led the team in tackles with 128 total tackles, and 19 tackles for a loss, Greg Hayward led the Cougars with seven sacks, and Jeremy Rhodes led the team with six interceptions. Next Season the Cougars will return four offensive starters and five defensive starters.

Cougars Fall to Mustangs in NAIA SemifinalsSaint Xavier finishes season at 11-2; Jimmy Coy finishes career 25-2

By Alan PaapeSports Correspondent

from page1FOOTBALL >

Once again i t wo u l d n ot take long for the Mustang offense t o p u t m o r e points back on the board after the tu rnover. On the th i rd play following the turnover Joel N i xo n fo u n d J o e l M c C a b e in the end zone for a four yard t o u c h d o w n pass. The Mustangs now led 14-7.T h e C o u g a r offense looked to keep pace with t h e M u s t a n g o f f e n s e o n their very next possession, but a f t e r m ov i n g i n s i d e t h e M o r n i n g s i d e ten yard line the Cougars drive stalled and they were only able to gain one yard on

Michael Grimm/Media ServicesTim Ladd (Left) celebrates with Shane Zackery (Right) after scoring a touchdown.

december 5th, 2012

Documents

e w i s

n g s p e e c h

commencement liturgy

stated lewis

saint xavier cheerleading

fellow g r

fellow graduates

fellow peers