– Page 19 – student news at Spring Arbor University

Have You Heard About SAU’s German Club?

Wir laden Sie ein, Deutsch zu entdecken! (We invite you to discover German!)

A recent addition to Spring Arbor University’s World Languages Department is Deutsch club (or German club) led by Prof. Kim Bowen, which was officially recognized last semester. Students can look for the German flag outside Ada’s Kitchen (in Poling Lobby) on Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m. to practice their conversational German and discover more about the culture.

Events

In April, the club will be putting on a German festival. There will be opportunities to eat German food, study a bit of the language, practice some German dances, and practice Scherenschnitte, an art form similar to making paper snowflakes.

“We are excited to see the campus get involved.” says Bowen.

On April 25, students will be traveling to Ann Arbor based German restaurant Metzgers for lunch. There students will receive an entree and drink, have the opportunity to taste a variety of side dishes and eat dessert for only $13.95, including tax and tip. At 3 p.m. they will be back on campus to watch the award winning Das Wunder von Bern, which tells the story of Germany’s soccer team after World War Two. History professor Dr. Correll will be guest speaking.

Events are open to all students and everyone is encouraged to attend.

Past events included visiting the Christkindlmarket, an outdoor German Christmas market, in Chicago. There students had the opportunity to practice conversational German with the vendors and sight-see in the Windy City.

Additionally, last semester students spent a night taste-testing different German foods, including Spätzle (macaroni and cheese), Bauernbrot (German bread), and Apfelschorle (sparkling apple soda). They then watched Lilo and Stitch in German with English subtitles.

“Generally Germany doesn’t get a lot of attention. This club is just bringing more to the World Languages Program.” says Allie Herkenroder, president of Deutsch club.

Education

Spring Arbor University students have the option to take two years of German classes. During this time students learn about the basics of the language and culture. Prof. Bowen begins every class with a German scripture.

Games are often played to keep the students engaged. “I want my classes to be interactive.” Bowen explained.

A German business class is also available for students who want to be able to use the language in their careers. Half of the class is devoted to German business language, while the other half focuses on the culture. This is beneficial, since there are over 200 German companies in Michigan and over 1000 German companies in the midwest.

Finally, both a study abroad and cross cultural experience is available in Germany. Both of these opportunities are available to students who do not speak the language. The University of Regensburg will be hosting their first Spring Arbor University student next fall, with two more planning to attend in the spring. There the students will have an opportunity to travel throughout Germany and the rest of Europe, including studying art in Rome and politics in London. The program is designed for Christian universities. Students will also have opportunities to do mission work.

“So much of American culture comes from Germany,” says Herkenroder “there is so much going on in the world and it is important to see how other cultures play with each other. Being able to see other country’s perspectives and the relationships between countries can help in a time of crisis.”

By Courtney Applebee

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Tis the Season of Lent

During the months of March and April, many Christian denominations have entered this time called Lent. The word Lent means “springtide” and also “March,” the month which the majority of Lent falls in. Lent is where we remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Starting on Ash Wednesday, this time of remembrance last about six weeks, ending on Easter Sunday. Christians who practice Lent go through the process of prayer, penance, and repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement, and self-denial. In order to do this, believers commit to fasting or giving up certain luxuries as a form of penitence. Now this article is not about what luxuries people are giving up, but on what Lent means to them.

Lindsey, a Catholic, gave me her view on what Lent means to her. “Lent is a time of sacrifice that represents the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert, so we give up something important to us to draw closer to him. It’s important to my faith because it makes it stronger and we can do something for 40 days to honor what Jesus did for our life.”

Sophomore David, a Free Methodist, gave his opinion on Lent. “Lent means giving up something that causes distractions in your life. We live with these distractions every day of our lives when we should be focusing on God. So this period where we give up something that takes up a huge portion of our life, we can then focus on what is really important in our life, God.”

Lent has been around for a long time, but back in the early years no one really had the actual practices and duration of Lent set in stone. Church authorities worked together and concluded around the 4th century that there was going to be a 40-day period of Easter preparation known as Lent and its main spiritual exercises would include prayer and fasting. This 40-day practice is meant to be fasting for six days a week over the course of six weeks. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of Vatican Council II stated, “The two elements which are especially characteristic of Lent – the recalling of baptism or the preparation for it, and penance – should be given greater emphasis in the liturgy and in liturgical catechesis. It is by means of the celebration of Easter, while they hear God’s word more frequently and devote more time to prayer.”

By Jennifer Kilbourn

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2 Ways to Make SAU Safer (and help disabled students)

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been disabled. My leg was partially paralyzed by a virus when I was nine months old. As a student at Spring Arbor University (SAU) for the past three and a half years, I’ve had the chance to experience some amazing things. For the most part, my disability hasn’t held me back while I’ve been a student here. However, there are still a few things that SAU could change to make their campus not only more accessible but also safer for all students.

1. Sidewalk on the east side of Cottage Street

I know there’s a sidewalk on the west side of Cottage Street, but students coming from Gainey Hall or Andrews Hall will agree, walking down Cottage Street itself is easier than crossing the street, then crossing back over because your class is in Smith Music Center or Sayre-Decan Hall. This puts students in danger of vehicles. Additionally, in the winter months, treatment of Cottage Street is neither as rapid nor as complete as the snow removal and deicing of sidewalks on campus. Additionally, there is no crossing area marked on the road for people to cross near Gainey Hall or Deitzman Hall’s ground floor access.

2. Card access to the South Wing end door of Gainey Hall

SAU’s ground maintenance crews do an excellent job of trying to clear student parking lots over the winter with student cooperation. However, parking lots cover a lot of ground and they don’t need the same sort of salting that sidewalks do. They can remain icy when there are melting-refreezing periods in the winter. While I’m not arguing for the treatment of all student lots, Gainey Hall is especially difficult to enter from the parking lot in the winter. To enter via the back door, one can go up the sidewalk that leads to the south wing, then through the snow to the circle drive at the back of the building. The circle is typically maintained, though not as well as streets or sidewalks. Following the circle to the back door, one can walk up the short sidewalk and then swipe in. To enter via the front door, one must follow the sidewalk that leads to the Resident Director’s apartment. It has a semi-permanent ice patch, crossing the entirety of the path, next to the parking lot due to the slant of the sidewalk. Additionally, one must step through the rock garden across the paving stones, attempting not to catch anything on the bushes or trip over bikes remaining on the bike rack. This paving stone area is difficult to maintain in the winter because it isn’t sidewalk. Snow sometimes freezes into the shape of bootprints that you have to fit your foot in in order to get through. If the snow does melt down to the point of the stones, it can freeze and leave the paving stones icy. Try to get into Gainey Hall from the parking lot with your arms full of groceries in winter could easily lead to slip-and-falls. The sidewalk leading to the door of the South Wing of Gainey Hall is always maintained in the winter, making it the best door to get in.

Implementing these recommendations could make students, especially those living in Gainey and Andrews Halls safer.

By Bethany Hart

Sam Hunt: On The Rise

One of Nashville’s biggest up and coming artists has a lot more to him than people may realize. The chart-topping Sam Hunt once was a highly touted high school football player who went on to play quarterback at Middle Tennessee State before transferring to play at UAB. His talents on the field were enough to warrant him an invitation to an NFL training camp but his NFL career never took off. That may not be a bad thing, especially for us.

After making the move to Nashville to pursue music, Hunt wrote songs with the likes of Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban and Billy Currington. Chesney’s “Come Over,” Urban’s “Cop Car,” and Currington’s “We Are Tonight,” are a few of the well known songs he has written.

Hunt’s style is also unique, traversing genres to bring a blend of R & B, Country, Pop and even some EDM influences. In an October 2014 article interview with Marissa R. Moss of the Rolling Stone he explains his unique sound saying, “I am from the country, and I grew up mostly influenced by country music,so by the definition I have, these are country songs, not pop songs. Even though there may be a pop element, pop is an ambiguous word and can mean a lot of different things. I’m not trying to become a pop artist, and I’m not trying to make sure I stay a country artist. I’m just trying to make sure I make the best music I can, according to my way.”

His debut full-length album “Montevallo” reached #1 on the country charts and the top 3 in nearly every other. The first single off of the album, “Leave the Night On,” went platinum (at least one million sold). No matter what kind of music you’re into, you’re bound to find a song on it that you enjoy.

In an article written by Dacey Orr of Wondering Sound, Hunt gave his opinions about the direction country music is headed and the changes in the overall sound of country music. He said, “I do believe that it’s breaking down some of the stereotypes that have prevented people historically from giving country a chance. So I think that’s a good thing.”

Hunt has recently embarked on his first major headlining nationwide tour, of which many shows have sold out. This summer he will be touring with the likes of Lady Antebellum and playing some of the country’s biggest festivals.

Though he has only released one full-length album to date, Hunt has found great success in a hurry. Look for him to build on this momentum and release new music in the coming year.

By Jesse Gentry

SAU Thrift Is Still Boomin’

Most students at Spring Arbor University are aware of the booming Facebook group called “SAU Thrift,” which allows students to post their random items for someone else to purchase or bargain for. Created by Marcella Lampe, this Facebook group started off with only a few handfuls of people but has now expanded to over 900 students and continues to grow. But because of the large amounts of members, the thrift page has almost become overwhelming and can become a bit difficult to navigate through at times. Even though many students have had great success and made some major “moolah” on the thrift page, some other students see little action on their thrifty posts because their post gets knocked down to the bottom of the page within minutes.

So you may be thinking: “What can be done about this?” Or, “Are my items ever going to sell?” And maybe even, “I’m never going to afford laundry without selling my scented candles on SAU Thrift!” Well, don’t you fret because here are a few tips that could potentially make SAU Thrift a bit easier to navigate through and a bit more successful when selling your junk.

1. Make your own album.

The thrift page offers an option to make your own albums and even give them some witty name that may attract customers to view your products! If you’re trying to get rid of your entire collection of 8th grade flared jeans, then make an album instead of individually posting each and every pair of flared pants. When doing this, it will cause much less chaos and people will be able to choose their favorite flared beauty out of your selection in a much orderly fashion. Not only that, but it will prevent you from taking over the entire page with your denim so that other’s that post will actually get a chance to show off their flare as well. Be considerate when posting multiple items because other college students are trying to save up for their weekly Ramen Noodles as well.

2. You can sell junk, but not actual junk.

Let’s be real for a second. Don’t try selling half of a bottle of hand lotion for a quarter on the thrift page. If anything, give that lotion to someone to the person on your floor who envies your scent every time you walk by. You have to actually think about whether or not the junk you have in your room is actually going to sell and if it’s even worth the time for you to walk to the Cougar Den and exchange it for a shiny quarter. This type of junk should either be thrown away or donated to someone on your floor rather than posted on a page filled with 900 other students. So if you have any unwanted hair ties, used deodorant, half-eaten granola bars, or super stinky shoes, decide what else to do with them because some people on the thrift page might just not want them.

3. If it’s a dud, take it off the page!

If you have an item that hasn’t sold and it’s been floating around the thrift page for over 2 months, it may be time to move on. It doesn’t mean that your item isn’t wonderful, it just means that it is probably never going to be bought. This mostly only applies to those who might try to sell used hair ties on the thrift page, but for the most part it’s a rare occasion. Be concentious about whether or not your item is ever going to be bought. If it never gets sold there may be a Goodwill in the area that may have better luck than you.

4. Lastly, if it’s sold, let the people know!

Keep up to date with your items when you post them on the site. If your Gilmore Girls DVD collection finally sold, let your customers know and delete your post. When sold items are kept on the thrift page, it’s pointless to keep hogging up the thrifty space. If every sold item was eventually deleted then the page could be much more clean and organized. So when your lovely Avril Lavigne CD sells, don’t keep all of your eager customers wondering whether or not they still have a change at snagging that gem.

These are only a few suggestions on how to keep this page going so that new members can use it’s wonderful perks. The thrift page has had much success and many students have happily paid for their half-off Applebee’s appetizers thanks to selling their items on SAU Thrift. This page is only going to continue to grow in size, and there will be Frank Sinatra records for every thrifty student to grab, so let’s keep it going by helping the page become more functional. It’s an awesome way to make some money, get rid of unwanted items, meet new people, and help that struggling hipster to become even more hip than they could have ever imagined.

SAU Thrift shall live on.

By Ryne Larsh

5 Things to Restore Your Faith in SAU’s Humanity

It was Monday, and we all know what happened on Monday. I was in the library being a good little barista and caffeinating the campus when I heard about the bomb threat. Being in the library I, of course, overheard the news and I overheard it from one guy leaning over a computer console and saying “Yeah man, when I heard that, I lost all faith in humanity.”

I thought that statement was sad, whatever they were talking about. It wouldn’t be for a few minutes until I heard about the threat. And it wouldn’t be for a few days until I learned the threat had taken the childish form of a handwritten sticky note taped to the church front door.

So yes, the silverware was stolen. White auditorium has been vandalized. A threatening sticky note appeared in the early morning. These things get at us, they seep into our consciousness and solidify into little wedges of doubt. I want to fight that, we need to fight that or else these self-absorbed pranks stay focused upon the doers. So I give you five things to restore your faith in SAU’s Humanity.

1) That Art Show, Though.

SAU just hosted a Small College Invitational Art Show and SAU students took all but one category prize! You can read about this art show here on the Pulse page.

2) Chapel still happened.

Yes, the bomb threat shook everyone up. Yes the speaker wasn’t there and it was hosted in the RCF, which holding-wise, was like hosting the Republican Convention in an anthill, but the show went on. Some people have said this only happened because it was Arbor Days, which could have been true, but students didn’t show up because it was Arbor Days. It still happened and that anthill was packed!

3) SAU Handing Out Checks
In order to help students who want to go back to school (and er, incentivize them to go to SAU) the campus is handing out $250 checks to adult students newly attending satellite schools this semester. Way to lend to a hand!

4) Students Are Giving Back Too

A group of students recently sent out an e-mail in an attempt to found a new scholarship in coalition with the alumni foundation. Some of the plans are still under wraps, but these people are typing their fingers off in e-mails to make sure future students have a little extra help to make college happen.

5) Spring is Coming/ Spring is here

What does this have to do with humanity, well Spring Break may leave the campus vacant, but that week is also forecasted to be the weather shift of the season, warming up out of winter. And do you know what that means? SAU will soon shine in all i’s community glory on the plaza with students reading outside, playing plaza ball, and doing what we do best: not freezing.

By Alexandra Harper

Three Tips For A Great Spring Break

Spring break season is officially upon us! We rejoice for the time off, without having to stress about assignments or deadlines. Some people have big plans, while others want to just go home and relax. In either case we can be thankful for the days off. Here are a few tips to help you make spring break great!

1) Put down the controllers

A huge temptation for us in America is to fill our free time with screen distraction. “Don’t have to do anything tonight? Let’s watch 4 hours of Netflix! Let’s play Xbox One forever!” When we find ourselves with a lot of time off we tend to turn to our screens to fill the void.

This spring break I encourage you to avoid filling your time with endless television or video games. Instead why not try something new? You could read a good book, learn a new instrument, paint a picture, or even talk to people!

By putting down the controller, you are freeing yourself up to do something meaningful. Do something that matters. Video games are fun, and TV is entertaining, but it doesn’t lead to anything that lasts beyond the immediate. Not letting yourself binge-watch a show or play hours of games will help show you how much life there is to live! The screens will be waiting for you when you get back.

2) Spend time with people

Investing in relationships and making memories with other people is one of the most meaningful activities anyone can engage in, ever. Catching up with old friends, spending quality time with your family, or maybe even going on a date or two are great ways to make the most of your time during spring break. Don’t get me wrong, having alone time is important too, but don’t let your time slip away from you.

I encourage you to let loose, get wild and make memories! But don’t shy away from those deep, vulnerable conversations either. Whoever you choose to spend time with, try to open yourself up. You might get hurt, but you might also make a friend you wouldn’t have otherwise.

People matter. Relationships matter. Make time for them during your break.

3) Do nothing

Don’t forget that spring break is just that, a break! It’s time off! Take time to do absolutely nothing during your break. Maybe grab a cup of joe and head out to your porch and just think. In order to rest effectively, it’s essential to have periods of time with no distractions or activities.

Rest is a crucial element in leading a healthy life. Burning the candle from both ends leads to a mushy pile of wax on the floor. You don’t want to be a mushy pile of wax. Rest helps us to do the things we do with excellence, which leads to us being satisfied with our work.

So enjoy the view that’s outside your window, pray, meditate, sleep in, really do whatever it takes for you to recharge your batteries. You need to be able to come back rested up and ready to finish the semester strong!

Give these three tips a try this spring break! Mediocrity is overrated. Make something special happen with your time off this year.

By Zack Martin

Star Trek Tech

Many people could recognize the voice of Leonard Nimoy, the logical Spock from the Star Trek series. If not from there then from his numerous other acting roles, such as King Kashekim Nedakh from the Disney movie Atlantis: The Lost Empire or even the narrator for the video game Civilization IV. This talented man passed away on February 27, much to the chagrin of many fans.

To honor his passing, a list of technologies that were inspired by the show he is most famous for acting in, Star Trek, was compiled by CNN News. The first is cell phones. On the show, many characters use small, portable communicators in order to talk to each other when on distant planets or even just on other parts of their ship, the Enterprise. The shared appearance between their communicators and the original cell phones is no coincidence, because the original creator of the cell phone Martin Cooper said that he was inspired by Captain Kirk’s golden flip communicator.

Another modern technology owed to the crew of the Enterprise is the automatic door. Their super advanced high-tech ship had doors that opened automatically for people who walked up to them. A mere fantasy at the time, we now have the same kind of technology in most department stores.

The third technology is fairly recent but incredibly handy. On the show, the crew had a universal translator to eliminate the language barrier between any different alien species they ran into in their adventures. We might not use it for space invaders just yet, but Microsoft developed a translating tool on Skype which lets us understand fellow human beings, even if we don’t speak the same language.

In the sixties, the idea of massive television screens was a wonderful work of fantasy, which showed up on Star Trek in their main control room. Their large screens let them see the captains of other ships and communicate with ease, which our modern day huge televisions can do if hooked up to cameras. We can even do it on our computers, phones, and tablets.

Communication wasn’t the only way the crew of the Enterprise was more advanced though. Medical Doctor McCoy could easily see a person’s vitals by moving a sensor over a patient and read it on his “tricorder.” In modern times, our “tricorder” is really called the “Scanadu,” and it is placed on a patient’s forehead. After a few seconds, it measures the person’s blood pressure, oxygen level, heart rate, temperature, and even a complete ECG reading.

Even more strange is the idea of artificial intelligence. On the Enterprise, crew members could talk to the ship’s computer and get a quick response. In modern times we don’t need a massive computer to do that though, our phones work just fine. Siri and Google Now might be a little ways off and slightly buggy, but they’re getting pretty close. They even have a sense of humor, which the Enterprise never really got the hang of.

Leonard Nimoy might be gone, but he is immortalized from his work on Star Trek. The technologies he pretended to work with in the sixties he lived to see in our times today. Star Trek may have been science fiction, but it seems to be more science than fiction now.

By Evan Roberts

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Small College Invitational Art Exhibition

SPRING ARBOR, Mich.—Spring Arbor university art students have 42 works displayed in the Small College Invitational Art Exhibition that opened February 8 in the Ganton Art Gallery. The exhibition includes Spring Arbor University, Sienna Heights University, Hillsdale College and Cedarville University. Spring Arbor University students won the award in the painting, sculpture, graphic design and drawing/printmaking categories. A Sienna Heights University student won the award for photography.

Out of 207 pieces entered, 77 were accepted into the show. The juror was a professor of photography from Michigan State University, Peter Glendinning. An awards reception was held February 8 where Glendinning made comments about the winning pieces. Kerri Conrad, winner of the graphic design award, said he noted the quality of her work and that it was portfolio-worthy.

Professor of 3D design J.D. Garn said he is biased but SAU’s art program is impressive, especially compared to other schools the same size. The schools competing in this exhibition are about the same size and focus their art programs on good ideas, good technique and good design. Together, the schools donated $1000 to the exhibit. Glendinning decided to divide the money amongst the five categories, with $100 going to each winner and $50 to each honorable mention. Shannon Bardwell, winner of the painting award, said she spent her cash prize to buy another book about painting.

Kim Bigos won the sculpture award for her life size wheelchair made out of little green army men. She said she wanted to convey the concept that veterans sacrifice much when they serve and we honor them for their service, but we don’t really think about the effects. Bigos used more than 1000 army men, spending 60 hours on the sculpture. Bigos said, “I get asked a lot if I have a family member in the military and I do, but that wasn’t what I was thinking of when I created this piece.”

Amelia Harris won the award in the drawing/printmaking division for her illustration of a fairy escaping from a jar. She tried different drawing techniques before deciding on stippling, which means it is created with tiny ink dots. Harris said she was thrilled to be accepted into the show and shocked when Glendinning called her name to receive the award. She said, “I was just really honored that he chose my piece, because there were so many good pieces.”

Kerri Conrad said, “We have a close-knit community at the SAU art building, and I appreciate the ability to comfortably approach other artists for their opinions.” She said it is constructive to receive criticism and she values others’ critiques. Shannon Bardwell said the encouragement of her peers motivated her to keep working even when she felt her painting wasn’t going to turn out or when she thought she ruined the painting with a brushstroke.

By Jenny Croizer

Bomb Threat at Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church

Around 9:00am on Monday morning, students at Spring Arbor University (SAU) received an email explaining that because of a bomb threat at the Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church (SAFMC), Chapel had been cancelled.

Early in the morning, SAU students reported seeing caution tape and police vehicles in the SAFMC parking lot. Damon Seacott, Chief of Staff at SAU, said, “Our campus safety folks saw a sticky note on the door that said there was a bomb at the church.”

Campus Safety Director Scott Krebill said that the threat was likely the work of a student or the relative of one. The note was a threat to the SAFMC rather than the Spring Arbor campus, but the time indicated was that of SAU’s Chapel hour.

Krebill said that this threat could be related to some earlier campus vandalism, including destruction in White Auditorium several days previous and defacing of trash cans the night before the note was found.

“The impact on campus was minimal,” said Krebill. The incident had far more of a repercussion for the church and the preschool meeting there. “I don’t think this person knew what they were doing,” said Krebill. “They probably just wanted to cause some trouble for the university. They didn’t think about how this would affect those kids in the preschool.” Some of the children’s parents still have concerns about whether the church is safe, he added.

According to Seacott, “The local and state police are handling it, if they do find out who did it, it’ll be very serious. Once they find out who, it’s no longer a school disciplinary issue.”

SAU students were informed of an alternative Chapel service that would take place in the Ralph Carey Forum (RCF) on campus. “We only had an alternative service because it was an Arbor Day,” said Seacott.

The prospective students visiting SAU’s campus and a small gathering of current SAU students gathered in the RCF at 10:00am for worship to hear SAU Chaplain Ron Kopicko speak.

“Still having chapel speaks louder than whatever this person meant to say,” said Krebill. “The bomb threat created an opportunity for the university to overcome adversity. And they succeeded.”

By Amber Cekander and Heather Clark