Category Archives: Features

Students Heading to New Orleans for Alternative Spring Break

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – At 5 a.m. on Saturday, March 15, 50 Illinois Wesleyan University students and 10 faculty and staff members will board a charter bus headed for their spring break destination: a work site in a New Orleans district heavily hit by hurricane Katrina. They will volunteer with Operation Nehemiah through Friday, March 21.

Upon arrival, participants in the program known as Alternative Spring Break (ASB) will explore the Ninth Ward and French Quarter regions of New Orleans in which they will work, said ASB sponsor Kevin Clark, assistant dean of students.

Most of the volunteers will perform a variety of tasks that will change daily, but special arrangements have been made for a group of nursing students and Associate Professor of Nursing Kathy Scherck. “They are going to work specifically with healthcare issues,” said Clark. “They will be able to go into the community and use the skills they have from classroom training and clinical experience.”

“We don’t know exactly what we will be doing while we are there so I am keeping a really open mind to everything,” said Sara Baldocchi, a senior psychology major from Glen Ellyn, Ill.

The trip was arranged through Break Away, a service trip organization company that provides a list of sites across the country and the world that want to work with or have worked with colleges or universities. ASB programs have been available at schools across the United States for a number of years, but the program was inaugurated at Illinois Wesleyan last year when Clark, Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Danielle Kuglin, and a student organized an ASB trip to Pascagoula, Miss.

ASB publicity began at first-year orientation and during the first week of classes last August. “I think catching students right away made a difference in the number of volunteers,” said Clark, who expects that the program will continue to grow in future years.

Beware? The Ides of March is Coming

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Beware! March 15 is right around the bend, and with it the infamous Ides of March. We all have heard the phrase “Beware the Ides of March,” but is the date really that threatening?

“Historically, the Ides of March was a day to settle accounts, a day when bills were due,” said Jason Moralee, assistant professor of history at Illinois Wesleyan University, who noted we usually associate the day with a settling of another kind of account – the assassination of Roman emperor Julius Caesar in 44 B.C.

According to Moralee, whose focus is ancient Rome, Caesar was the last in a line of generals who ruled the late Roman republic. “These men had used their glorious victories to carve out political power, and many thought Caesar went too far.” After squelching a civil war, Caesar had been declared Dictator Perpetuus, or perpetual dictator, and renamed monuments in honor of himself, said Moralee. “This was just too much, and those who conspired against him took up the motto libertas! or liberty.”

The fact that the assassination took place on the 15th of March could have been a symbolic “settling” of Caesar’s acts of tyranny, or it could have simply been a matter of timing. Caesar was planning on leaving for a military campaign shortly after the Ides. Moralee thinks both explanations are right – the day had symbolic and practical significance. “I always like the really practical explanations. Even historical figures generally thought in practical ways,” he said.

What’s in a Year? Leap Year Proof It’s All Relative

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Time does not really exist.

Certainly the sun rises and sets, the Earth spins, but time as we know it – chopped into months, hours and milliseconds – is a fabrication of mankind. Never are we more aware of this fact than on that rare day, February 29 of leap year.

“Leap year is one of those ways we keep the clock that we live by in sync,” said Linda French, associate professor of physics at Illinois Wesleyan University. “If we didn’t have leap years, then over decades, we would find the seasons start to drift, and instead of the first day of spring coming in at the end of March, it would come at the beginning of March.”

In other words, leap year works out the kinks in our calendar. The Earth takes about 365 days to go once around the sun – 365.24222 days to be exact. The idea of adding one more day every four years is to take care of all of those numbers past the decimal. “If you add in one day in the calendar, it catches us up so that we still have the first day of spring around March 21,” said French.

Noticing this slipping of seasons, Pope Gregory XIII decided in 1582 to revamp the old Julian calendar. His Gregorian calendar we follow today set down leap year as every four years. This, of course, included exceptions that sound a bit like the disclaimer portion of pharmaceutical ads:

Every year that is exactly divisible by four is a leap year, except for years that are exactly divisible by 100; the centurial years that are exactly divisible by 400 are still leap years. For example, the year 1900 is not a leap year; the year 2000 is a leap year.

Chalk it up to a stubborn universe that refuses to go on Greenwich time, but in fact none of our closest celestial neighbors tend to roll by our watch. “It’s a big inconvenience, really, that no astronomical events happen commensurate with each other,” said French, who teaches students how time would be different if we judged it by a star other than the sun. “The time it takes the Earth to go around the sun and the time it takes the Earth to rotate on its axis simply don’t divide into each other evenly.”

Alumna Fulfills Her Artistic Dreams

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Amanda “Gwydhar” Bratton, a 2004 Illinois Wesleyan graduate, is beginning to make a name for herself in the Chicago film community. With her new film The Persephone Project in its finishing stages, Bratton hopes to progress into a promising future as a director and producer.

An inherent interest in art brought Bratton to Illinois Wesleyan University as an art major. She quickly learned that she was able to foster her curiosity for cinema while attending the University, and made a film for an independent research project titled Anti-Hero. Illinois Wesleyan graduates Liz Schroeder, class of 2006, and Daniel Vendt, class of 2005, assisted Bratton with the movie. She recently collaborated again with both for The Persephone Project, with Schroeder acting as costume designer and Vendt composing the original score.

The film’s story revolves around the Greek myth of Persephone, who was captured by Hades and made goddess of the underworld until she was rescued. Using an experimental interpretation of the myth, the film focuses on a visual representation of the story. Each character wears a mask that was specifically designed and handmade for the film.

The production company behind the film is Blue Damen Pictures, founded and operated by Bratton. The organization, she explains, is a nonprofit Chicago-based ensemble of individuals dedicated to promoting and nurturing up-and-coming talent within the film community. “Our mission statement is to give anyone interested in learning or getting involved with filmmaking the opportunity to work hands-on on a film,” she said. Bratton felt that to really establish herself as a player within the film community, she would have to create her own production company so people would take notice. While The Persephone Project will be the first major short film Blue Damen Pictures has produced, they have created several smaller shorts, such as Man Jam, Big Brother and Single’s Awareness Day.

Sophomore Tests Mind Power in International Bridge Competitions

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – While classmates were home for the Thanksgiving holiday, enjoying traditional feasting and relaxation with family, Illinois Wesleyan sophomore Sam Katz spent 10 days competing in the North American Bridge Championships (NABC) in San Francisco.

Katz achieved his personal best in “blue ribbon” pairs competition. His father also competed, placing fourth in “open pairs.”

Whether influenced by nature or nurture, Katz stands to inherit impressive skills: Both of his parents and his grandparents are competitive bridge players. His mother won in national competition at a young age. His grandparents compete regionally, and his father, Ralph — the most successful of the Katz clan — placed second in recent World Team Championships, sponsored by the World Bridge Federation.

Last summer, Sam Katz won a NABC Mini-Spingold team event in Nashville, Tenn. Before enrolling at IWU, he competed in World Bridge Federation contests in Thailand and in Verona, Italy.

Katz explains his enjoyment of the card game by quoting his dad, who says, “You never stop learning in bridge, because there are so many hands and so many things you can do.”

A Hinsdale Township Central High School graduate and resident of Burr Ridge, Ill., Katz is majoring in economics at Illinois Wesleyan with a minor in math. The analysis of probabilities that he enjoys in his math studies relates directly to the mental competition of bridge.

“It really uses your mind,” Katz said. “You think and visualize all the cards in everyone’s hands. You can figure out what they have from what they’ve played.”

Tips for Dealing with Stress During Finals Week

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — As finals week descends upon Illinois Wesleyan University, students may find themselves struggling with stress. IWU Staff Counselor Bob Rogers offers students some tips on getting through the week.

Set goals and reward yourself:

With projects coming due and multiple tests looming, students can easily lose sight of what is important, said Rogers, who works with the University’s Counseling and Consultation Services. “The best thing a student can do is to plan and organize,” he said, noting students should think about the “the Ps”: prioritize, plan and protect. “Students need to identify what their top priorities are, understand how much each project or test is worth, and make sure they understand what needs to be studied or done,” said Rogers. Creating a plan of attack when it comes to finals can help. “Decide the best time to focus on each topic, and then stick to it and protect that plan,” he said.

When students do meet goals in their plan, Rogers advises them to reward themselves. “If you’ve set a goal of studying for two hours, or finishing typing several pages, then reward yourself,” said Rogers. “Just make sure the goal precedes the reward. Goals should be realistic and achievable and can often give people a much-needed sense of direction.”

Take care of yourself:

It sounds like an easy idea, but during finals week, health is an early casualty, said Rogers. “Sleep is usually one of the first things students sacrifice, which makes studying tougher because it is difficult to function or retain information on limited sleep,” he said.

Though finals week may make the sales of Red Bull rise over the nation, Rogers advises students to watch what they eat and drink. “When students get stressed out, they may find themselves drinking a lot of caffeine to stay awake and study, or skipping meals and then eating a greasy snack late at night,” he said. “Students may think this helps in the short term, but although caffeine and carbs give a quick boost, it is followed by a big crash, which means students will not be feeling their best when they wake up the next morning. Take care of your body – eat well, sleep enough and exercise to burn off excess stress and energy”.

Give yourself space:

When it comes to studying, Rogers suggests a quiet space where students can focus. “Think about where you are studying. Will there be distractions like phone calls or friends stopping by? Or would you be better off in a quiet nook of the library?” he asked.

Cramming for finals may be a time-honored tradition for college students, but Rogers said it may actually cost students valuable study time. “Students who try to cram in a semester’s worth of knowledge in five hours will probably find they have only been able to truly focus for an hour and a half,” said Rogers. “The rest of the time will have been wasted.” Instead, he suggests an hour of studying with short breaks in between. “Give your mind time to process everything, and give your body time to relax,” he said, even if it is just a quick trip for a healthy snack.

Face reality:

One of the toughest things for students to see during finals week is the big picture. “Students are not going to be successful if they exaggerate the situation. You can’t do well if you look at a test and say, ‘If I fail this test, I will not get into graduate school.’ That’s too much pressure for anyone,” said Rogers, who said if students have done well in a class throughout the semester, they will most likely do well on the final. “Worrying and panicking is not helpful, and will only hinder students in their overall goals. Practicing techniques that help you relax is also very important.”

The best defense against panic during finals week is to locate a middle ground. “The key is finding a balance of work, rest and play,” said Rogers. “Try to be happy with a less than perfect performance from yourself. All you can do is your best.”

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Senior Builds Filmmaking Repertoire

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Sehaj Sethi expects a bright future working on film sets after graduating from Illinois Wesleyan University.

The senior English-writing major from Inverness, Ill., who is co-head of IWU’s filmmaking organization, 9×9, has already helped to coordinate a film festival for Cinema/Chicago, a not-for-profit multicultural and educational organization, and worked on several projects for 9×9. A producer in her own right, Sethi has also made three independent films.

“In my films, I always like pushing the boundaries and doing things no one else has done because the moment you take people out of their comfort zones, you have their attention,” said Sethi.

For example, in the opening scene of Sethi’s third independent film, Piccavi, which means “I have sinned” in Latin, “a terrible act is combined with beautiful imagery and sound,” said Sethi.

With one line of dialogue, “He weighed 155 pounds,” Sethi presents the viewer with the first subtle clue that something is amiss, using this single phrase to manipulate the viewer’s perception of the lead character’s seemingly innocuous actions.

Both Piccavi and Sethi’s first independent film, Baby Boy America, were chosen as official selections for Cinema/Chicago’s 2007 Future Filmmakers Festival, which accepts film submissions from filmmakers 20 years of age or younger.

Undaunted by sensitive subjects, Sethi based Baby Boy America on a poem by Patricia Smith titled “Skinheads.” The seven-minute film is composed of images relating to this poem.

“When Baby Boy America was showing at the festival, I was shaking and hyperventilating because I didn’t know what the audience would think,” said Sethi.

Sethi’s anxiety about the film’s reception was relieved when two viewers gave a standing ovation while they applauded.

“It hit me like a boulder to my chest. I was stunned that I had impacted some audience members that way,” said Sethi, adding that the moment, which has remained a pinnacle in her life as a budding filmmaker, marked her decision to use cinema as her medium to continue influencing others.

Sethi’s fascination with film began when she was seven during her first trip to the movie theater, to see Jurassic Park with her uncle and cousin. “They were terrified of the film and I was head-over-heels in love with this magic movie world that came to life for me.”

She attributes one of her teachers at William Fremd High School who “was as crazy about film as I was” with sparking her interest in the filmmaking process during her senior year. “Until I took his film appreciation class, I didn’t realize what effect editing, sound editing, camera angles, or lighting had. After that, I was starving for information,” said Sethi.

Upon arriving at IWU, Sethi began working with 9×9 and its founder, Mike Gabriele, class of 2007. Along with Gabriele, Sethi researched and compiled filmmaking equipment for the group.

Professor Explores African Expressive Arts

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Men dance in celebration, wooden ships race across the water and hands beat handcrafted drums. It is a celebration on the East African island of Lamu, and for Illinois Wesleyan University Associate Professor of Anthropology Rebecca Gearhart, it is an opportunity to learn.

“The expressive arts that I study are challenging to describe in words, which is why I use visual media,” said Gearhart, who has been exploring traditions off the coast of Kenya. “These traditions include the dance competitions performed during festivals and rituals, wood carving, handmade ship building – all visually spectacular Swahili expressive art forms.”

Although anthropologists often use photographs and video to illustrate their ethnographic research, Gearhart explains that it is rare for anthropologists to have been trained to use visual media as a methodology in a “visual anthropology” course. “There are very few of us who teach visual anthropology, which is why it is so unique for our anthropology program at IWU to be able to offer it to our students,” said Gearhart. “The issues that visual anthropology raises allow us to teach the visual methods course as a course on anthropological ethics.”

An instructor at Illinois Wesleyan since 1999, Gearhart explains to her students that taking a photo as a visual anthropologist is more than illustrating what you write about the society under study, it is part of a methodology used to gather information in a collaborative way. And taking images of people must always be done with the ethical implications in mind. “When an image of a person is taken, that person is often viewed as representing an entire culture and rarely if ever has any input on how the image is interpreted or used,” said Gearhart. “The best visual anthropology is collaborative in nature and allows members of the society under study to participate in their own representation.”

According to Gearhart, taking photographs of people is a great way to build rapport. “Giving people copies of the photos you take of them is an important way to earn their trust, especially since most visitors promise to send photos but never do.” In addition, Gearhart uses photographs in the interview process. “You need to talk with the people in the photos, so they can explain what’s going on in the image,” said Gearhart. “It sounds simple, but those conversations provide detailed information that leads to a greater understanding of the culture.”

Wasabi Ice Cream and Other Lessons in Culture

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The purpose of international travel is to become immersed in different languages and cultures, to expand horizons and discover commonalities. It also provides a way to discover new possibilities, from customs to cuisines.

“I tried a lot. Tofu ice cream? Wasabi ice cream? It was all new to me,” said Preston Prior, an Illinois Wesleyan University junior, who traveled to Tokyo this summer as part of the Technos Program. Sponsored by the Tanaka Ikueikai Educational Trust, the program encourages students from across the world to learn about Japanese culture and study at the Technos International College of Tokyo.

“I fell in love with Japan,” said Prior, whose grandfather was stationed in Japan after World War II, and grew up hearing stories about the country. “I also learned to be more accepting. We may do different things, but we are all human beings.”

Fellow junior Kari Irwin was also chosen for the program, which sends students who have never been to Japan to Tokyo and the surrounding area for two weeks. “The trip was the highlight of my existence – so far,” said the 20-year-old Irwin. “It taught me to look at my studies in a whole new way.”

The two students traveled with Nancy Sultan, Illinois Wesleyan professor of Greek and Roman Studies, and soaked up culture by visiting everything from ancient temples to modern malls and classrooms. “You can study a foreign language all you want in a textbook, but you are not going to understand the culture until you have lived the culture,” said Sultan.

Five Books to Read Before You Die

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – It seemed a simple request – ask Illinois Wesleyan University English professors what one book they would recommend people read before they die. Perhaps it would be something moving, profound – a book with which you would want to be buried so the words could remain close to you.

Even in their kind responses, there were questions. What if everyone says The Bible? Do you mean every book ever written? How do we choose JUST one book?

In the end, several brave faculty members overcame all worries and submitted their suggestions, even in the midst of preparing for their fall 2007 semester classes. Their replies, as rich and fulfilling as the books they chose, may offer insight into their personalities, perspectives and interests. Or perhaps they are simply a great introduction to the diverse and wondrous English faculty at Illinois Wesleyan.

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