‘Gypsy jazz’ enthusiasts unite in SGF
Check out the band Bella Donna
Page 4 Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013 | Volume 107, Issue 12 | the-standard.org
‘Psyching up the troops’ event has unseen effects Second year of making cards for overseas troops an emotional event for all involved By Rose Marthis The Standard
The question was, “Why do you think this is important?” That was the moment when Jeffery Latimer, 13-year Navy veteran and president of the Veteran Student Organization entered the room, and, in a quavering and emotional voice, thanked the assembled students. The room fell silent for a moment. Tracie Burt, psychology instructor and
adviser to the Psychology Club, responded with tears in her eyes. “That’s why we do this.” On Monday, Nov. 4, the Psychology Club met during its regular meeting time to participate in Psyching up the Troops, a program created for students to make cards to send to soldiers for the holiday season to let them know that they are being thought of. “The soldiers have been over there a long time, and (the war) isn’t prevalent in the news anymore, so someone at a random university
thinking about them is probably kind of special,” said Jamie Smith, a senior psychology major who has been a member of the club for four years. Latimer said that receiving the cards is pretty special, and that it makes the work overseas more bearable. This is the second year that the Psychology Club has done this program, which is inspired by Veterans Day. The cards are donated and distributed to soldiers through A Million Thanks, an organization that sends letters, cards and emails to service men and women to show appreciation. Burt said that, for some club members, making the cards was personal. Students may have family members who have served in the
military and they are taking advantage of the opportunity to send their support, because they know someone in the field. Alexis Raushel is a junior psychology major and the programming co-chair for Psychology Club. She said that, when people think about sending things to troops overseas, they think a lot about the physical needs but not always the mental needs. Latimer said that it comes down to a morale issue, and when soldiers are thousands of miles away from home doing things they do not want to be doing, it is good when they are reminded of why they are there. “[The troops] do a lot for us, and, someu See TROOPS, page 8
‘There are no easy trails’ By Kelsey Berry The Standard “There are no easy trails.” The clear signage in the parking lot of this recreational area couldn’t more accurately describe the trails that I encountered at Two Rivers Bike Park. As soon as I heard about the 8.5 miles of beautiful Ozark mountain scenery, challenging features and potentially treacherous (and rocky) trails, I was more than ready to accept the challenge that this new bike park offered. Two Rivers Bike Park opened back in August and occupies about 400 acres of land just
south of Nixa. The park is a “purpose built, multi-use trail system” for bikers, runners and hikers, according to www.http://trailspring.org. TrailSpring, the nonprofit organization responsible for building the park, is an organization with the goal of providing Springfield-area residents with health and economic wellness through the building and promotion of natural-surface, singletrack trails. The bike park was built entirely by volunteers, and, if you are interested in being a part of the building process, you can email volunteer coordinator, Bruce Adib-Yazdi, at bruce@trailspring.org.
See page 5 for tips for your ride and house rules at Two Rivers Bike Park.
Evan Henningsen/THE STANDARD
Steven Beanland braves one of the angled paths at Two Rivers Bike Park south of Nixa. The park opened in August and has 8.5 miles of bike trails.
An international affair 35th Annual International Banquet and show set for this weekend
By Taylor Burns The Standard
Get your tickets while you can. Culture, cuisine and performance art come together as the Association of International Students (AIS) presents a “Night of Nations” in the PSU on Saturday evening. The 35th Annual International Banquet and Show is expected to bring a sold-out crowd. Dishes from eight different countries will be prepared by international students and served in the PSU ballroom. After the meal, the party moves to the PSU theater, where about 15 native performances — from singing to dancing to Brazilian soccer skills — entertain the guests. Among the countries repre-
sented are Saudi Arabia, Colombia, India, Greece and Vietnam. Students from these countries cook their native dishes on campus, some starting as early as the night before the banquet. Dishes are chosen to fit AIS resources and budget. “It depends on how much work is needed to cook the food,” said Maan Ayyash, president of the AIS. “If it requires a lot people working a lot of hours, we have to exclude it, because we don’t have that much time to cook.” Ayyash said at least six dishes have been confirmed for the meal, including Colombian meatballs, chicken and rice from Saudi Arabia and a vegetarian Indian dish. Last year’s banquet was at maximum capacity, and Ayyash said that this year should be no
different. “The market indicates we will sell out before the banquet,” he said. “We are selling a lot of tickets already. We sold almost 600 last year, and they’re increasing the number of reserve tickets this year.” Darren Young is in his first year as AIS staff adviser. He said the goal is always to sell out, but the number of seats in the theater limits ticket sales. “Even though there might be more room in the ballroom, we will not sell more tickets than we have room for in the theater,” said Young. “We don’t want someone to pay for a ticket, eat dinner, go down to watch the show and not have a seat.” Proceeds from ticket sales go toward an international scholarship fund. According to Young, any active member of the AIS can apply for the scholarship. “Most of them are not eligible for federal financial aid,” said Young, “but the main qualification for the scholarship is that the student is active in AIS.” Young said even American students can join the AIS.
“You don’t have to be an international student to be a member,” he said. “One of our goals is to find ways that international and domestic students can learn about each others’ culture.” One of the most popular events to introduce new AIS members is the Christmas mixer, coming up in December. “Last year, I gave one of my students a Christmas present, who happens to be Muslim,” said Young. “First Christmas present he ever got. It wasn’t pushing religion, it’s just showing different traditions. Students learn about that cultural exchange, and that’s what AIS is trying to foster.” Seating for the banquet starts at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16, in the ballroom on the third floor of the PSU. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for students. Tickets are sold at the AIS ticket booth on the second floor of the PSU, in front of Bear Entertainment Store, or at the Morris Center downtown. They will be available until Nov. 14, or until they sell out.
There’s a new LGBTQ group on campus By Briana Simmons The Standard
Only about 10 of the over 300 student organizations offered on campus fall under the category of a “socially concerned” group. Say hello to Advocates, the newest student organization for social concern at MSU. Advocates is a new LGBTQ organization that will focus on bringing change to campus through activism, advocacy and education. Emily Boone is a senior wildlife biology major and the vice president of Advocates. “We want to make MSU as safe and supportive as possible for LGBTQ students, faculty, staff and alumni,” Boone said. Adam Crawford is a graduate student in the student affairs in higher education master’s program and president of Advocates. Crawford said the idea of the new student organization came out of experiences like trying to balance the social and activist aspects of the LGBTQ u See LGBTQ, page 8