Merry Castle

Junior Visual Communication major Lily Bauman finds beauty in everything. When her digital influence course required her to pick a sustainable interest to promote online, Bauman said she knew right away that she would choose photography. Bauman created a photography Instagram account and developed a website to showcase her work.

Photography is a big interest for Bauman. “There are so many photographers in the world, but everyone goes about it differently,” said Bauman. “I am constantly learning new things from seeing the different styles that each different photographer showcases, and it inspires me to get creative and unique with my own photography.”

Bauman said she believes photography is a sustainable topic because it’s something she can enjoy for the rest of her life. “I have a passion for photography and producing images that point to the beauty of our Creator and the beauty of the things He has created,” Bauman said. “I have been into photography for about five years now.”

Sports are Bauman’s favorite subject to photograph. “I started taking pictures for my high school’s sports teams in my sophomore year of high school and haven’t stopped since,” Bauman said. “I have been blessed with the opportunity to continue gaining experience in this area, as I work here at Spring Arbor as a sports photographer.” 

Her goal is to someday become a photographer for the Seattle Seahawks. “Whether or not that happens, or whether or not photography becomes my main career, I know it will always be sustainable for me,” said Bauman.

As an assignment, Bauman had specific goals in mind. “My goals for this project were to stay active on my photography Instagram account through posts, interacting with other photography accounts that I follow, and making connections,” she said. “Another goal was to update my website and always look for ways to improve it.”

This experience has been educational for Bauman. “I have learned that it takes time to be intentional,” said Bauman. “I did not want to be posting just for the sake of posting, but rather I really wanted to be intentional with my account and my content.” 

Bauman hopes others will learn something from her project. “More than anything else, I hope people see and experience God’s beauty and love,” said Bauman. “I hope that a picture of sunset, a person’s smile, or an athlete using their gifts points directly to the Creator of them.”

Students can view Bauman’s photography by visiting her Instagram or her website.

Emily Selby

I started writing for The Pulse because I love to write and I was looking to be a part of some groups that shared the same passions as I do. I have gained a lot from this experience and I am truly thankful to have had the opportunity to join. I got to work with some amazing people this semester and even work as an editor, which was truly incredible. I got to broaden my experiences and take a few steps out of my comfort zone, so I am thankful for that. My favorite part about The Pulse is getting to learn about new topics and the opportunity to share my voice with others. I believe that we will only make a difference if we speak up, so I am thrilled to be using this platform to do so.

Leslee DeRossett

I started writing for The Pulse as a required assignment for my Multi-media and News Reporting course at SAU. Being a commuter, I was not aware of all the different groups and activities that are offered around campus, so it has been really neat to be apart of those and get a better look into the community life outside of my on campus courses. I enjoyed the people that I have met while writing for The Pulse. I like that I had the freedom to chose topics that interest me to write on. I really hope that others join The Pulse because we sure could use more voices and opinions!

Sarah Williams

I started writing for The Pulse to learn about journalism. The Pulse has taught me how to become a better interviewer, editor, and writer. I really enjoy spending time with fellow members and meeting new people. My favorite part is turning information into an entertaining story. I recommend the Pulse to anyone who enjoys writing!

Elizabeth Pruitt

I joined The Pulse as part of my Multi-Media Reporting class. I had been wanting to write for The Pulse for a few years but always found an excuse not to do it. I’m so glad I finally joined and regret not joining sooner. This has been a really rewarding experience, as I’ve seen growth in myself as a news writer. I’ve even found myself applying to be a reporter when I graduate next week. My favorite part about writing for The Pulse has been learning about things happening on campus and getting to have fun and engaging interviews with a wide variety of people.

Merry Castle

I started writing for The Pulse because I wanted to apply the skills I learned in my News Reporting and Media Writing classes. Writing for The Pulse has allowed me to grow more confident in my abilities as a writer. Additionally, this has been a fantastic opportunity for me to gain valuable experience and develop marketable skills. My favorite part about writing for The Pulse is having the opportunity to reach out to people, form connections, and tell their stories. Every article I write is an opportunity for me to help someone feel like their voice is being heard.

Sarah Williams

SAU senior communications major Elizabeth Pruitt’s love of thrift shopping made her 2020 less boring when she opened her own thrift store on the app Depop.

Pruitt’s store is named that’s hot thrift. The name was inspired by Paris Hilton’s catchphrase ‘that’s hot’. Pruitt said she wanted the name to have an early 2000’s feel since she sells mainly vintage and early 2000’s clothing. She has sold hair accessories, purses, and shoes, but mainly clothing.

Her items come from her own closet, garage sales, her friends, and thrift stores. She then lists the items on her Depop and adds a description that covers the basics, like size and condition. Pruitt also uses her Instagram account to boost her sales. She posts pictures of the clothing on her account and Instagram Stories to tease what she will list later. She offers any of her Instagram followers 10 percent off any item in her store.

She was inspired to open her thrift store after a friend told her own experiences selling on Depop. The friend did not make a business out of it and supported Pruitt when she did. Another friend models the clothes for Pruitt’s pictures. She also gets support from her brother who reposts her Instagram posts. Her brother’s girlfriend, an artist, drew a logo for the shop. Pruitt hopes to make stickers out of the logo one day to either sell or include in orders as a source of advertising.

As a communication major seeking employment in social media marketing, the thrift store has given Pruitt much practice in that field. It has also taught her about the fashion industry.

“Some of the items I list I think, ‘this will never sell’ and it sells right away. Other things I think, ‘this is going to sell immediately’ and they either still haven’t sold yet or took a long time to sell. It has been interesting to see what people want in the fashion industry,” said Pruitt.

Pruitt has received many positive reviews due to her shipping and customer service. She said she tries to get the items shipped the day they sell to give her customers an easier experience. She also tries to be upfront and honest about the conditions of the item and people have appreciated that.

When shipping, she tries to use packaging that is made out of recycled materials and can be reused or recycled. She believes thrift stores are a great alternative to fast fashion.

“…It’s just a way to help the environment because the clothing industry wreaks a lot of havoc on the environment, so I am just trying to do my part,” said Pruitt. “I am pretty environmentally friendly.”

The price of the items depends on the brand. The price range is around $10 to $20. She usually sells the stuff cheaply because they are secondhand goods, but occasionally there is an exception. One of her sales involved a vintage Calvin Klein 100% leather jacket. Since the brand, style, and materials were in style, it was one of her most expensive items.

Since Pruitt sources her items quite cheaply, she makes enough money to turn a profit. She has made around $500.

When asked if she recommend others opening a thrift store, Pruitt responded:

“Oh, yeah. I would recommend this to anyone, especially college students. Not only is it a good way to sell your own old clothes…it is a fun way to make extra money and I know us college kids are always looking for that so I do recommend it.”

By: Emily Selby and Leslee DeRossett

By: Elizabeth Pruitt

Besides germs from hundreds of other students and improper diets, college students are meant to be relatively healthy. We are young and often think of ourselves as invincible. Many college students, however, are suffering from a wide range of chronic illnesses.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) defines chronic illnesses or diseases as “conditions that last 1 year or more and require ongoing medical attention or limit activities of daily living or both.” They estimate 6 in 10 adults in the United States suffer from a chronic illness.

College students are not immune from being diagnosed with a chronic illness, and I, like many other students, had to learn that the hard way.

Since my junior year of high school, I have been in immense pain for days on end. My sophomore year of college, I began experiencing sharp pain in my lower left abdomen. Consultations with doctors, MRIs and CT scans, and emergency room visits were no help at diagnosing me.

After dealing with this pain for six months, I received an unofficial diagnosis of endometriosis. According to endometriosis.org, endometriosis is a disorder in which tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside the uterus. It affects about 176 million people throughout the world.

I took a semester off of college after my diagnosis because I was in too much pain to continue attending classes. The severity of my symptoms vary depending on the day, but I can always guarantee some sort of pain and exhaustion.

SAU’s sophomore, Arielle Knight, struggles with two chronic illnesses: ulcerative colitis (UC) and stage four kidney failure. UC is a chronic, inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation in the digestive tract and affects an estimated 750,000 North Americans. After a diagnosis in March of this year, Knight has been struggling with a myriad of symptoms, such as kidney stones, flare-ups of pain, and rapid weight loss.

Although our diagnoses are very different, we share things that those without a chronic illness would often not be able to understand. Loss of friendships, a change of diet, a severe lack of energy, and cancelled plans due to a flare-ups are just to name a few.

As college students, struggling with a chronic illness can be tough. Assignment deadlines and absence policies often are a source of anxiety for those with chronic illnesses, as we never know how our bodies will feel that day. Thankfully, the professors at SAU have been extremely kind to both myself and Knight. They have offered extensions and virtual class attendance.

The social lives of college students with chronic illnesses are also affected. As previously stated, Knight has lost friends because of her diagnosis, and we both have had to miss out on plans with friends because of a bad flare-up, or just pure exhaustion.

“I don’t know when a flare up is going to happen. I don’t know how I’m going to feel 10 minutes before I’m going to have to leave my house. I used to be able to hang out with my friends for hours and hours on end and go fun places with them. Ever since I got diagnosed, one hour into hanging out and I want to go home and go to bed,” said Knight.

Knight has a close friend who recently got diagnosed with endometriosis. My best friend was recently diagnosed with the chronic illness laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). We both are able to have a friend who understands what we are going through.

Although there are no cures for our illnesses, we do our best to manage pain and other symptoms through medicine, homeopathic treatments, and self-care. Knight has created an Instagram to document her journey with UC and kidney failure and you can follow it at @aknightucfight.

If you have a friend with chronic illness, please be patient with them. Know that the things they are feeling are out of their control, and often cannot be helped. Although you cannot cure them, offer them a shoulder to cry on, grace and understanding when they cancel plans, and a prayer for peace and relief.

For more information and resources on battling a chronic illness in college, check out this link.

By: Leslee DeRossett

Packaging for SAU Cougar Brew

When Thomas Hess and Margaret Barley met during their freshman COR100 class at Spring Arbor University (SAU), I am sure they didn’t expect in ten years to get married, own a local coffee company, and be collaborating with SAU to create a custom coffee blend specially for the Spring Arbor community.

Thomas and Margaret Hess both graduated from SAU in 2014 as business majors. During their time at SAU, they had many marketing projects where they chose to incorporate their love for coffee. After they graduated, they set out to open a business and in 2016 Fortress Coffee was founded. The Hess’ started Fortress Coffee right in their own home, and since then have moved to a local warehouse.

In 2018 the Hess’ collaborated with family and opened their brick and mortar location of Fortress Cafe in downtown Jackson. For location details check out their webpage.

In order to find the perfect blend for SAU there was a blind taste testing done that included SAU alumni, students, and staff. This group of participants chose an ethically sourced guatemalan roast. This medium roast is sweet and savory with toffee, lemon, and cocoa notes. 

Proceeds from every bag purchased will support student scholarships through the Arbor Fund. The Arbor Fund provides need-based scholarships to SAU students each semester.

There are multiple options when ordering a bag of SAU’s custom brew, Cougar Brew. There is an option to order a half pound bag or a full pound bag. There is also an option to receive your coffee as whole beans or ground.

CLICK HERE for more information on how to order your very own bag of Cougar Brew coffee.

If you would like to learn more about the Hess’ experience at SAU and building a business, you can find it here.

“Here at Fortress Coffee, we like to say that our coffee is good coffee for regular people.”

Margaret Hess

By: Sarah Williams

On November 10, Cougar Den Manager, Barbie, sent out an email announcing the three winners of the Pumpkin Decorating contest.

First Place Winner

Ryan Bloom won first place with his Pumpkin Spice Latte pumpkin. Bloom said his job at the Sacred Grounds inspired him. His friends and fiancé helped plan the decoration out.

Bloom won fifty dollars to the SAU bookstore.

“…I shared the winnings with the friends who helped make the project,” Bloom said.

Second Place Winner

Hunter Tuckerman won second place with his dinosaur pumpkin. Tukerman said he saw the dinosaur at the store and the idea hit him. It took him two hours to make.

Tuckerman won twenty dollars of cougar cash.

“When I found out that I won I was pretty happy, because my work paid off, literally,” Tukerman said.

Third Place Winner

Noah June won third place with his hollowed out pumpkin. He said it took him a couple of days to finish it. He broke the pumpkin in half on accident and the idea came to him.

“I thought, ‘Hey, a party inside the pumpkin would actually be pretty funny’,” June said.

June won five dollars to Sacred Ground.