UW students bare all for art ... Page 18

Contents & Contributors FALL 2006 Volume XIX, Issue 1

Playing like a girl and loving it Page 2

Immigration bills heat debates Page 4

The real beer of kings Page 7

Making a house a venue Page 8

The home between places Page 10

Coping with traumatic events Page 12

Joe Glenn reveals hidden treasures Page 14

Back-country extreme challenge Page 17

Students bare all for art Page 18

The buck stops here – at UW Page 23

Shaping future of UW leaders Page 24

Research money on the brain Page 26

Freshmen 15: Myth or Reality? Page 30

Obtaining a degree while single-parenting Page 32

Getting to know new faces on campus Page 35

Challenges arise no matter your race, gender, sexual orientation or reli-gion. Time and time again, I will be

approached with a challenge. And when it comes I almost always fear the worst. I fear failure. There are times I have been so para-lyzed by my fear that I allow an irreplaceable opportunity to pass me by. But there are the times when the support of those around me has helped me to learn my own strengths. It is then that I can step beyond my doubts and succeed.

This year will be no exception. I will find myself frozen – full of fear. Afraid to face my challenges head-on, afraid to just get out of bed. But we each must overcome that fear and step beyond ourselves to succeed. Whether you dream to be a member of a committee, president of your fraternity or just to gradu-ate college – live your dream without fear.

Today, skip to class, tell people you love them or sing in the shower – because you have to start somewhere.

Shantana BantaFrontiers

Editor in Chief

Justin Joiner

Editor In ChiefShantana DeeVon BantaAssistant EditorsLauren BeardNicole VirtueGraphic Artist/IllustratorCody McCrearyPhotographersKabe TermesAaron OntiverozJustin JoinerLindsey KorsickWritersKara Peterson

Lindsey Korsick

Lauren Beard

Nicole Virtue

Kandice Hansen

Travis Hoff

Sheena Ernst

Lindsey Kroskob

Kristen Leis

Kate Tucker

Kristina Myers

Collin McRann

Izaak Schwaiger

Amitava Chatterjee

Adrian Molina

Douglas Berg

“This song,

I have this song, to sing

certian words must be screamed

rather than be sung or spoken:

I am alive and vigorous...”

This Song: For The True And Passionate Lovers Of Music – Shai Hulud

Women’s Rugby

Playing like a girland loving it

Frontiers·�

Travis Hoff & Shantana Banta

That’s not the smell of perfume in the air, just a bit of sweat – and that’s not a bouquet they’re tossing, it’s a rugby ball. Since 1985 women of the University of Wyoming of all interests and backgrounds have had an athletic outlet like no other with the Women’s Rugby team.

The team has improved over the years claim-ing four to five wins a season, according to Mike Kusiek, coach of the UW Women’s Rugby team. Kusiek has been the head coach since 2002 and has high expectations for his team in the years to come, including the hope of making it to the championship playoffs.

Team captain Stacey Legler, a junior in pre-nursing, has played on the team for the last three years and agreed. In the fall of 2005 the team played against CSU, even though they were three girls, and therefore three positions, short. They only lost by one try (goal). This was the first time, since Legler had joined, that the team thought they could defeat top-ranked schools.

“Everyone cried and collapsed (after the game) because they had worked so hard,” she said. Legler believes that game helped to build respect for the team.

As her second year as captain, Legler has seen this year’s team push themselves beyond their own limits. She said that when her team steps out on to the field, the 15 players become one.

“You know that every time you step out on the field, everyone is giving all their heart and that is the best feeling,” she said. “The whole team has a personal drive. They compete as ath-letes instead of doing it just as an extra activity.”

The team has many women from different backgrounds, both academically and athletically.

“Even though we are all different, we can come together on the field,” Lindsey Kraich said.

Kraich, a junior in criminal justice with a mi-nor in Spanish, joined the team late last spring and instantly “fell in love” with the game.

“As a relatively new player, I’ve learned that one person doesn’t make or break a team,” Kra-ich said. “You have to trust all you teammates in games and practices to be where they need to be.”

Win or lose, Legler sees the team more like a family.

“Our team is really good about picking each other up when it gets tough,” she said. “I care about the team more than anything.”

Kraich attributes part of the team’s success to the dedication of both the coach and the team captain.

“For me, they both do a lot,” she said. “Mike and Stacey are always willing to help – they will hold special practices or help you at the gym.”

Adrienne Lemmers, fifth year player and graduating engineering student, said every year the team gets better, especially these last two years.

Since the start of the team 20 years ago, many of its players have been placed on select-side teams, such as all-star teams. One gradu-ated player Jaime Lang is currently playing for the USA team. Legler herself hopes to continue playing rugby after she graduates and eventually play for the USA team.

Anyone interested in playing is strongly en-couraged to do so.

“You don’t have to be big and beefy to play, just athletic,” said Kraich.

Both Lemmers and Legler want those inter-ested students not to be afraid to try.

When Legler first joined the team her biggest fear was meeting new people but after the first week she had a passion for the game.

“Don’t be worried about being good, nobody knows how to play when they start, so the first week can be hard but stick it out,” she said.

As they play, each player grows, not only ath-letically but in many other areas of their lives,

regardless of their background or experience, said Kusiek.

Legler’s leadership skills have evolved through her position and the opportunity to be captain. In her position as scrumhalf, she gets the ball out of piles (of girls) so it can be moved down the field. It is also her responsibil-ity to communicate with everyone and put them where they need to be on the field.

“You know that

every time you step

out on the field,

everyone is giving all

their heart and that

is the best feeling.”Stacey Legler

UW Women’s RugbyTeam Captain

Women’s Rugby

Playing like a girland loving it

Frontiers·�

Photos by Kabe Termes

“When I was the captain for (high school) track, I didn’t ever lead vocally, I lead by ex-ample,” she said. “I think rugby has helped me to be more vocal because it is easier for me to reach out to people and help them.”

Being a part of the team helps Kraich keep in shape and focus on her grades.

“It is hard on the body but it is so fun. Mak-ing an open tackle is a great feeling,” she said.

“It also helps you get out a lot of your aggres-sion.”

Team captain Stacy Legler agreed. She feels that games really help her relieve stress and can even dull pain.

In the fall of 2005, Legler broke her hand during a match but finished the game. After-ward she got a cast but by the time the next game rolled around she had broke it off. She

played the rest of the season with a broken hand.

“You don’t notice when you get hurt,” she said. “The next day everyone is showing off their bruises and they don’t even remember how they got them.”

Anyone interested in joining the team should contact the Club Sports Office in Half Acre Gym. F

Frontiers·�

Both houses of congress have recently passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill. These two bills, House Resolution 4437 (HR 4437) and Senate Bill 2611 (S. 2611), combat illegal immigra-tion and look to secure our borders. Both bills call for an increase in manpower along the borders, fencing of portions of the U.S.-Mexico border and verification of aliens wanting to work in the U.S. to ensure their legal status. However, the bills ap-proach these tasks in very different ways. The Sen-ate version has been viewed as a much more liberal bill. It would put into place the guest worker pro-gram allowing many illegal immigrants a means to work in the U.S. legally. S. 2611 would also allow many illegal aliens who have been here for years to apply for permanent resident status. In stark con-trast, HR 4437 would criminalize illegal immigra-tion, allow for illegal immigrants to be imprisoned until they can be removed to their countries of ori-gin and reclassify many immigration violations as felonies. While it isn’t yet clear if these bills could be reconciled, it is clear that there is a problem in this country which needs to be addressed.

In 2003, the Immigration Naturalization Ser-vice (INS) estimated there were 7 million illegal aliens residing in the U.S. They further estimated that the illegal alien population has grown an average of 350,000 each year from 1990 to 2000. At that rate, in 2006 there are now an estimated 9.1 million illegal aliens residing in this country. According to Section 209 of HR 4437, there are currently 480,000 aliens in the U.S. in violation of final orders to leave the country, and every year an additional 40,000 more are added. Of the 350,000 who enter this country every year, 11 percent are caught and ordered to leave but fail to do so.

To combat the problem, in December 16, 2005, the U.S. House of Representatives passed House Resolution 4437, also known as the Sensen-brenner Bill. This act is a sweeping reform of the current immigration laws. It covers everything from fencing parts of the border with Mexico to employee verification by employers. The changes

are many, but of particular interest to immigrant groups, labor unions and charitable organizations are the additions of criminal penalties for entering the country without a valid visa, remaining in this country after a visa has expired or assisting people to come to or remain here, either by employing them or through charitable giving. In addition, many of the minimum sentences for immigration violations, smuggling human cargo, and document fraud have been drastically increased. Document fraud, or using documents such as social security cards and drivers licenses which are not your own, was also reclassified as an aggravated felony.

The Senate passed a different immigration re-form bill, Senate Bill 2611, known as the Compre-hensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006. The Sen-ate bill sparked many of the peaceful protests across the U.S. over the summer. In the Senate version, many of the same changes are made. The criminal penalties for alien smuggling, detention and pass-port and immigration fraud are adjusted to be in line with the House bill. However, there are some important differences. The Senate bill includes the guest worker program, which provides for illegal immigrants who have been in the U.S. for five years or longer and have been working to receive perma-nent resident status, and revises the temporary agri-cultural worker program already in place.

The much gentler Senate bill is not an ‘open door’ policy on our southern border but it does come across as much more forgiving. It doesn’t criminalize the illegal aliens simply for being in the U.S. Illegal immigrants under this bill would still be subject to detention and removal from the country but it would not bar them from ever gaining legal status as the House bill would. It also creates more legal methods for illegal aliens who are already here, and gainfully employed, to find a way to stay.

Under both new laws, immigrants using forged documents or those supplying and/or distributing forged documents would be convicted of aggravat-ed felonies. This would consider immigrants with

forged documents to rank along side with other aggravated felonies such as murder, drug traffick-ing, rape or smuggling firearms. This would also make them permanently ineligible to enter this country as a legal immigrant in the future.

Of particular interest to charitable organiza-tions and immigrant rights groups is Section 202 of HR 4437. It says that, anyone who assists someone to come to or reside in the U.S., even if they receive no compensation, would be guilty of a felony and could be subject to both fines and jail time. Chari-table organizations, such as Justice for Immigrants, are concerned that this provision could be used to prosecute volunteers at soup kitchens and home-less shelters where no effort is made to verify legal status before providing aid to those in need.

Under the new laws, the penalties for hiring illegal immigrants would also be increased sig-nificantly. Employers found to be hiring workers without proper visas would be subject to fines of up to $40,000.

Companies would also be required to verify the status of new employees within only a few days, transferring the issue of verification from the Department of Labor to employers themselves.

Immigrants without visas have no status, few rights and access to almost none of the social ser-vices offered by this country to its citizens. They come to work but to work in the U.S. legally an alien must possess a visa or green card. Those that do not have legal status can find work but it is of-ten for much lower wages.

Both bills have passed in their respective hous-es, but only a bill that has been passed by both houses can be put before the president for signing. Both bills were sponsored by Republican lawmak-ers, but the Senate bill gained the support of the majority of the Democrats, while the House ver-sion was primarily supported by members of the GOP. Both mark a significant shift in the attitude toward illegal immigrants in this country. With the passage of HR 4437 immigrants have come to be viewed as criminals and security risk. F

We need to know who is coming in and if they aren’t

coming here legally they should be sent home … Our

physical and financial security depend on it. Mike Enzi (R-WY)

Immigration bills cross over into debateDouglas M. Berg

Frontiers·�

Adrian H. Molina

While paranoia has reached a new level post 9/11, anti-immigrant sentiments and xenopho-bia over foreigners is nothing new. The recent immigration debates, and the resulting immi-gration reform bills, House Resolution 4437 (HR 4437) and Senate Bill 2611 (S. 2611), are merely the latest chapter in a century-old saga that few Americans are familiar with.

Throughout the 20th century, the United States has had a love-hate relationship with Lati-no/a immigration, and Mexican immigration in particular. While cheap, exploitable immigrant labor has always been a valued economic com-modity, undocumented Latino/a immigrants have conversely served as scapegoats during times of political and economic downturn.

This nation’s first major repatriation and deportation efforts took place during the Great Depression, when resources were scarce and

the future of the U.S. economy was uncertain. Hundreds of thousands of people of Mexican descent, many of whom were American citizens, were put on trains and sent to Mexico. A great number of these people were rounded up force-fully and separated from their families.

A decade later, the U.S. labor force lost many American men of all ethnicities to military ser-vice in WWII. In addition to women entering the labor force in large numbers for the first time, the U.S. signed a temporary employment agree-ment with Mexico called the Bracero Program, which brought millions of Mexican citizens into the U.S for agricultural and other manual labor.

Another decade later, the U.S. developed an initiative called “Operation Wetback” (yes, that was the official name of the program), which again sent hundreds of thousands of Mexicans back across the border.

And the list of shifts in immigration policy goes on, and on, and on, and on, into the pres-ent. What we are seeing today is no different than what took place during the 1930s or the 1950s. As the trends continue, so does the same tired dialogue and national discourse about the way Latino/a immigrants are stealing American’s jobs and ruining American culture.

The greatest threat to the average American is not Latino/a immigration, legal or illegal. The increasing gap between the rich and the poor, the outsourcing of decent-paying blue collar jobs, cuts to educational programming, unaf-fordable health care and the privatization of the prison industry for profit are far greater threats to the sustenance and survival of American families throughout the country. Without a de-cent paying job, educational opportunities and affordable health care, crime will rise.

Reframing the immigration debateEditorial

Immigration

Frontiers·�

And prison labor is one of America’s fastest growing job markets.

Latino/a immigrants do not constitute the 10% of the population that controls 75% of the nation’s wealth.

They do not make decisions to close down American factories that pay laborers $15 an hour and re-open those factories across the border in the maquiladoras that pay Mexican workers less than $1 an hour.

Despite opinions to the contrary, Mexicans and other Latinos/as do not come to the U.S. to “piss Americans off” or to steal their jobs. There are larger things at stake in a World political economy that is making it increasingly more difficult for people all across the globe to make ends meet.

All of this, of course, is not to say that we should have open borders or that we should not have an immigration policy. But in light of all the ignorance and shortsightedness surrounding the great immigration debate, this commentary is a call for more intelligent and comprehensive na-tional dialogue about the various cultural, politi-cal and economic issues that are inextricably tied to the subject of immigration.

With the way the national immigration de-bate is currently framed, one would think that 10

million illegal immigrants suddenly snuck across the border in one big herd and invaded America’s cities. More realistically, the “immigration prob-lem” has been a slow and steady phenomenon, resulting from a national economy that thrives on cheap labor. If they did not find work, they would not be here.

In addition to economic exploitation, a La-tino/a immigrant’s life is defined by racism, dis-crimination, isolation and the constant fear of not only deportation, but anti-immigrant violence. Latino/a immigrants leave their homelands be-cause of World political and economic forces that have made it nearly impossible for them to sur-vive in their native countries. They are suffering from the same processes that are making life diffi-cult for many working class Americans. The only difference is the scale of difficulty they are facing.

Aside from the fact that the recent immigra-tion debate distracts us from larger issues that af-fect people all over the World, the way we frame immigration issues is disturbing.

Sharp lines are drawn between “legal” and “il-legal” people, and otherwise good intentioned, hard-working people become criminals as a re-sult of their struggle to survive. Human beings become “aliens,” which makes them inferior to

the “real citizens” of this nation. This is called de-monization: the process of making people appear to be evil, wicked, hideous, repulsive, unworthy and ultimately less deserving. Demonization le-gitimates discrimination, exploitation, and vio-lence against human beings who are thought to be less important than the rest of society.

In many ways, all this talk about “language, borders and culture” translates roughly into rac-ism, paranoia, and xenophobia. And it serves as a great diversion from the larger social and political processes that are destroying the economic gains made by working and middle class people over the last 50 years.

Beyond House Resolution 4437 (HR 4437) and Senate Bill 2611 (S. 2611), and regardless of how we proceed as a nation in solving the “immi-gration problem” we must remember that there is much more at stake than the invasion of little green men and women. We must also keep in mind that these people we call “aliens” are in fact human beings. And in case anybody forgot in the midst of the heated political debates over the past six months, there is an old far-fetched concept called humanity, which, beyond labels and se-mantics, involves genuine concern and compas-sion for humankind. F

Budweiser, Anheuser-Busch:· Over 15 billion dollars in annual revenues.· After water, the main ingredient in Budweiser is rice. From the Anheuser-Busch Web site: “Rice – which is more expensive than malt in many areas – provides Budweiser with its characteristic lightness, crispness and refreshing taste.” According to the German Reinheitsgebot, or beer purity adopted in 1516, Budweiser’s use of rice means that it couldn’t actually be called “beer”.· Three-week fermentation process.· Official beer of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Budweiser, Budvar:· 106 million dollars in annual revenues.· Made as it’s been made since the dawn of time with only water, Moravian barley, Saaz hops and yeast. Still considered “beer.”· Ferments for 72-270 days depending on the recipe.· Official beer of the Holy Roman Empire.

King of Beers v. Beer of Kings: Czech, Please!

Frontiers·�

Izaak Schwaiger

Even in 1265, the beer tradition of the lo-cals was well estab-lished, with Bene-

dictine monks having brewed their own unique style of top-fer-menting beer as early as the eighth century. But with the arrival of King Otakar came a special char-ter and privilege specifically for the unrestricted production of beer in the town of České Budějovice or

Budweis as the town would become known to its largely German population.

By the early 1400s, over forty independent breweries were operating in the town of Budweis, enjoying Otakar’s royal sanction to brew to their hearts’ content. The city was granted the title of the official Royal Brewers of the Holy Roman Em-pire and the beer they produced became known throughout the region as Budweiser, the “Beer of Kings.”

For everything that changed in the world between then and now, the town of České Budějovice still brews beer in much the same fashion that it did six hundred years ago. But in St. Louis, Mo., in 1876, while the jolly brewmeisters of Budweis weren’t looking, a man by the name of Adolphus Busch bottled and trademarked a new beer in the United States. Hoping to piggyback off the respect the Budweiser name commanded among European immigrants, Busch slathered a Budweiser label across his merchandise and was on his way to becoming the most successful brewer in history. It should be noted that the Anheuser-Busch Web site claims that, “Adolphus Busch chose the name Budweiser because it had a slightly Germanic sound that would appeal to both Americans and German immigrants.” No really, it is true.

Ironically, no Czech brewery was officially incorporated under the name Budweiser until 1895, years after Adolphus Busch had staked his legal claim to the brand, but in the early 20th the world was plenty big for the King of Beers and the Beer of Kings to coexist peacefully. In 1911, An-heuser-Busch and the newly incorporated Budweiser Bud-var of České Budějovice signed an agreement that both could sell their respective Budweisers in their own markets, and Budweiser Budvar could specifically distinguish its brew as “the original”.

But as the Czech brewers continued in their unhurried approach to quality brewing (some Budvar beers still take as long as 270 days to ferment), Anheuser-Busch was ex-panding at a staggering rate of speed. In 1939, the American

brewery saw an opportunity to further isolate “the original” Budweiser from its markets. One week before Nazi armies invaded Czechoslovakia, Budweiser Budvar, fearing for its survival, signed a contract to never market their beers in North America. In exchange for their acquiescence, An-heuser-Busch offered Budvar a one-time cash payment the Czechs hoped would sustain their brewery through the war ahead.

In the waning days of World War II, the Soviet army drove the reeling German occupation from Czechoslovakia but brought with them an occupation all their own. For the next forty-five years, the communist party ruled Czechoslo-vakia with an iron fist. Somehow Budvar – like all heroes of these timeless epics – survived. When the Velvet Revolution broke the communist stranglehold in 1989, Czech Budweiser hit the ground running, modernizing their facilities and up-ping production.

Back in America, Anheuser-Busch sensed that this was the time to act. With the fall of the Iron Curtain and the privatization of many industries formerly run by the state, Anheuser-Busch made at least one attempt to purchase Bud-weiser Budvar outright but Budvar wasn’t selling. In fact, the brewery never even went on the market. For little more than nostalgia’s sake, the state government never relinquished control over Budvar, even after democratic movements and a free market economy took hold. As a national treasure and cultural mainstay, Budvar remains the only wholly state-owned company in the Czech Republic, and as such enjoys a particular immunity from hostile takeovers.

With talks between the two companies coming to a stale-mate in 1996, a flood of lawsuits has erupted over who owns what rights where. The Czechs have held their own in many European courts, profiting from a growing world view that globalization and American dominance in the marketplace is not as good for others as it may be for Americans. Anheuser-Busch, forbidden from using the Budweiser name in much of Europe, presently markets its most popular beer as “Bud” or “B” in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Budvar can’t whisper the word Budweiser in the 50 states without facing a lawsuit, though it has had some recent success in marketing its flagship beer as “Czechvar” in North America. (If you can find a bottle, try it.)

In a 2004 interview with Agence France Press, chief ex-ecutive and president of Anheuser-Busch International, Ste-phen J. Burrows, claims that Budvar is “merely trying to trade off the name and reputation established by Anheuser-Busch,” an interesting theory when you recall that the Czechs were brewing Budweiser a hundred years before the discovery of America. A brewery like Budvar has nothing to gain from the “reputation” of Anheuser-Busch, it has one of its own. F

Seven hundred and thirty years before the Anheuser-Busch frogs croaked their way into Super Bowl XXIX, the Bohemian

King Otakar II founded the town of České Budějovice in a

sleepy corner of Europe known today as the Czech Republic.

Budweiser, Anheuser-Busch:· Over 15 billion dollars in annual revenues.· After water, the main ingredient in Budweiser is rice. From the Anheuser-Busch Web site: “Rice – which is more expensive than malt in many areas – provides Budweiser with its characteristic lightness, crispness and refreshing taste.” According to the German Reinheitsgebot, or beer purity adopted in 1516, Budweiser’s use of rice means that it couldn’t actually be called “beer”.· Three-week fermentation process.· Official beer of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Budweiser, Budvar:· 106 million dollars in annual revenues.· Made as it’s been made since the dawn of time with only water, Moravian barley, Saaz hops and yeast. Still considered “beer.”· Ferments for 72-270 days depending on the recipe.· Official beer of the Holy Roman Empire.

King of Beers v. Beer of Kings: Czech, Please!

Frontiers·�

Kate Tucker

The Manor has two things that most music venues do not have – it has Whitney Wulf and Bailey Murray, who live there. That, in and of it-self, may make people hesitate to call The Manor a ‘venue’.

It is after all, a house. A house where two college students live. It has a garage, a kitchen, a mailbox in the front yard and a trampoline in the back. On most days you would find noth-ing unusual about the house with the red front door … except perhaps for the plethora of band stickers littering the various surfaces within. And there is nothing terribly unusual about the two girls who live there. Wulf is the promoter, the one who does the booking and takes the pictures; and Murray, the artist and bouncer, de-signs the posters, takes the cover at the door and acts as crowd control.

Some nights the house is transformed into a venue – The Manor. Some nights you can make your way past a queue of tour vans up the con-crete path – flanked by the faded summer grass – to the red front door.

Some nights, with curtains drawn, the house might look nearly deserted but for the slight fig-ure that is Murray. Shivering in the cold evening air and looking almost menacing beneath the porch light, she’s holding a small painted box. As you approach the red door she side steps deftly, territorially. “It’s five bucks,” she says, “it’s not for beer, it’s for the bands.”

On such a night you step forward through the red door into the golden light of the sud-denly, very obviously, not deserted house.

You find that The Manor is full of people – college kids and non-students, scene kids and hipster kids, punks and drunks, geeks and greeks – all meeting and greeting, sharing drinks and stories, mingling with band members and one another, scattered over the floor and furniture that has been awkwardly pushed aside to make room for incoming amps and drums.

This isn’t just some house party. This crowd is waiting for something. And that something is a show: a bona fide, scheduled stop on many a band’s national or regional tour.

These nights are what make The Manor a ‘venue’.

Bands such as 1090 Club, The Photo Atlas,

Another Dream, Save, my Hero, The Masquer-ade Scene, MS!, Hott Knights, Landing on the Moon, Phat Banditos, theINSULTED, Prince Tuesday, Attractive & Popular, Team AWESOME Pants, Red Orange Yellow, Gigafox, The Con-duit, Cinnemechanica, The Axe that Chopped the Cherry Tree and Train Wreck have taken over a charming living room and transformed the quiet ranch style home into The Manor – a noise-ordinance violation of dance-tastic pro-portions.

The Manor is not the first, nor the only house in Laramie to play host to informal shows, and it does not claim to be.

Laramie itself has a noteworthy music scene that has grown quite a bit in just the past few years. Bands from the surrounding areas – Gil-lette, Torrington, Casper and Cheyenne – travel to Laramie on a regular basis to perform.

With so many local bands and the booming student population, house shows are a regular occurrence and until recently the local bands have held the monopoly. It can be difficult to bring touring bands to a town that does not have a designated venue.

“Bands in Laramie, they have a lot of shows, they play a lot! So that’s cool,” Murray said, “but we want other bands that wouldn’t normally play in Laramie to play and have a chance to get

a new audience and exposure.” The Grounds Internet & Coffee Lounge, 171

North 3rd Street, now regularly books punk shows and recently the Lawrence Arms per-formed there. Coal Creek Coffee Co., 110 East Grand Avenue, schedules folksy performers every Friday or Saturday. The Cowboy Saloon, 108 South 2nd Street, hosts a variety of bands, including Against Me! and The Epoxies.

Still, out-of-town bands coming to Laramie are limited because commercial venues can usu-ally only afford to pay performers on Friday or Saturday nights. Since many bands only drive through (or past) Laramie between gigs in Rap-id City, S.D., Salt Lake City, Utah, and Denver, Colo., that often puts them here on a Tuesday or a Sunday night – not much of an incentive for commercial venues with costly overhead to book them.

The Manor provides bands the option of a free venue and even a place to stay with compli-mentary breakfast, while also helping them earn money to pay for gas.

“The bands do realize that we’re a house and they take that into account. We let them stay at our house and we make them pancakes. That’s always part of the deal. They get pancakes and heart-shaped waffles the next morning,” Murray said.

Courtesy Photos

Making a house a homeVENUE

Frontiers·�

Wulf believes that beyond the money they give the band, the pancakes and waffles are the selling point for most bands to play at The Manor.

“The bigger bands are like ‘O my God, you’re gonna cook us breakfast?!’ and I’m like ‘Yes I will,’ and they’re like ‘Ok, well then we’ll be there,’” Wulf said.

Bands also enjoy the different setting of The Manor for their show compared to a venue, ac-cording to Wulf.

“A lot of bands, the only reason they will play a show here is because it’s a house show, and they just kind of want to get out of their normal venue setting every night,” she said.

Drummer Devin Shipley, of the Denver based group The Photo Atlas, said he enjoys playing at larger venues but he and his band still love play-ing house shows.

“There’s something fun about it being so raw. It’s like we’re just coming here to play. We’re not all mic-ed out. We don’t have our fancy PA. We’re just playing for you – straight out of our amps and it’s raw and it’s so much fun!” Shipley said. “I have more fun here where I can see (people) dancing on the kitchen counter than at the Blue-bird playing to 400 people and no one’s moving.”

The shows are usually arranged by Wulf con-tacting bands to see if they want to play at The Manor, but some bands make it a point to call the owners themselves.

“If someone plays a show at our house,” Mur-ray said, “it’s because Whitney asked them, or they asked us directly. We get a lot of calls like, ‘hey we’re going through Laramie … can you make a show?’”

If you have attended a show at The Manor before, you’re likely to have noticed that if you’re not dancing, you’re probably among the minor-

ity or you’re in the wrong place. “This is the most intimate ‘venue’ I have ever

been to,” University of Wyoming student Tom Benich said after 1090 Club performed Septem-ber 14.

At The Manor, there is no stage, no barrier between crowd and entertainer, and before some of the bands actually set up their instruments and start playing, you may have a hard time dis-tinguishing show-makers from show-goers.

Because The Manor is a house and not a com-mercial venue there have been some complaints about the duo and the bands asking people to contribute or pay cover charges. Shipley said that it simply comes down to gas money to make it to the next town.

“We’re on tour, and no matter how fucking awesome of a show we have, it comes down to having gas money. We’re not trying to make mon-ey to get rich because it’s never gonna happen,” he said. “We’re trying to make money to go to the next town to spread our music. I don’t think peo-ple understand that when you pay a cover charge or when you buy our CD that doesn’t go to us, that doesn’t go to my pocket. I don’t get to buy a fucking cheeseburger with that. It goes straight to our gas tank to make it to the next town to keep playing in front of new people.”

Murray and Wulf also do not reap economic benefits. They don’t keep a cut of the money that comes through the door. So in that sense, techni-cally, they are not a ‘venue.’ They aren’t capitaliz-ing on the shows they host, they just host them.

“The point of these shows is to bring other music to Laramie that people wouldn’t normally hear,” Wulf said.

Wulf and Murray are aware that some mis-conceptions have developed over their efforts to bring outside bands to Wyoming. They find that people think because they are women they can’t do it but that is not the only challenge they face with The Manor.

“We’re also discriminated because we’re not musicians. And a lot of people use that as there’s no way we can appreciate music, we don’t know what bands sound good, we don’t know who to book, how to book bands,” Wulf explained.

Murray and Wulf feel the goal of The Manor is to spread music.

“We’re trying to do the same thing that they are and that’s spread the music,” Murray said, “but apparently there’s some kind of rivalry, like certain people don’t feel welcome at our house. When people show up that we really don’t know, it’s cool! They’re there for the music and that’s the point.”

With different bands coming and going, The Manor has had its fair share of interesting expe-riences In July, the band Envy on the Coast made a pit-stop at The Manor to shower after a show at The Grounds Internet and Coffee Lounge and then planned to hit the road again. At 3 a.m. Wulf received a phone call from the guitarist of the band – they needed a little help.

“When they were leaving they were really tired and I guess one of them didn’t latch the trailer properly. They drove off down the highway and they lost all of their merch, a bass guitar and all of their brand new CDs,” Wulf said. “We were determined to drive all the way to Rawlins.”

Luckily, most of the cargo was found – ex-cluding the bass guitar.

“We think that someone might have actually stolen that off the side of the road. But that’s how we became such good friends with them (Envy on the Coast),” Wulf said.

It is experiences like these that keep bands coming back for more. Envy on the Coast is planning to return to Laramie and play at The Manor.

Wulf has been working on scheduling more shows for the months to come.

“Ben, the lead singer from Armor for Sleep has actually said (to me) that he would play a house show in Laramie … so we’ll see,” Wulf said.

One special show will be this November. It is the mark of the one-year anniversary of The Manor. The roster is full with bands including So Many Dynamos, The Photo Atlas, The Mas-querade Scene and Sedalia, but a date has yet to be determined. For more information on The Manor and the bands performing there go to www.myspace.com/theManorWY. F

The NameThere is some uncertainty as

to who initially offered up the name, The Manor.

“It started as a joke and we just kinda kept it that,” Wulf clarified. “We kept it that way because we have a red door and brothels usually have red doors, or a red light … which, we don’t have that yet but we’re working on getting a red light,” the girls said, laughing, “so yeah, I guess it started because our front door is red, and we named it The Manor to be polite.”

The Manor

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Lindsey Erin Kroskob

The kids are running around, hiding behind doors and chasing each other with baby carriages. It’s 7 p.m., just after dinner, they are burst-ing with energy. It’s nearly impossible to tell which children are foster children and which are not. They look like one big family.

That is because they are.At 10 p.m., once all the children are asleep, Dan and Char Ewart will sneak into

the kids’ rooms to tuck them in. Each night, they stand there for a while just to look at them.

The Ewarts have been foster care parents for two years. They have two chil-dren and have taken a set of brothers into their home. The boys, William, 3, and

Bryson, 2, fit into the family paradigm without a hitch. “We helped them out when times were difficult,” Dan said.

“Once you reach a point, I’m really worried about letting go. If that’s what ends up happening.”

The Ewarts biggest concern in becoming foster care parents was the effect that it would have on their kids. But Ben, 7, and

Morgan, 3, have adapted well. “Ben completely understood that we were taking care of

someone who really needed help,” Dan said. Now that the boys have been in the Ewart’s home for 17

months, however, the main worry is how it will effect the children if the boys go home to their mother, whom they still see two or three

times a week. She is always involved with special holidays whether she is planning

them or simply attending.“The best part of foster parenting is getting to know these kiddos,”

Char said.“We’ve been learning a lot about ourselves,” Dan said, “It’s a cycle

of emotions. We would love to keep them. But if they had to go home, and we all decided it was best, it would be okay.

“We’re a wait and see. Our job is to take care of those guys and wait and see.”

With the recent changes in the foster care system, the Ewarts will be more involved than ever in the

decision making process.As of July 1, 2005, foster parents are part of

the multidisciplinary team who look out for the children entering the foster care system.

They decide to reunite the children with their parents, place them in long-term fos-

ter care, or allow them to be adopted. Any child that is placed in the fos-

ter care system has a multidisciplinary team to represent them, made up of

school officials, mental health pro-fessionals, Department of Family Services (DFS), a county attorney, a child attorney, and their foster parents.

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The home between placesIt’s a cycle of

emotions. We would

love to keep them.

But if they had to

go home, and we

all decided it

was best, it

would be

okay.

Dan EwartFoster Parent

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Currently there are 27 children in Albany County foster care and the kids stay in the sys-tem for an average of 15 to 23 months, according to Betty Malmskog, DFS Casework Specialist.

With the new changes in the system, “fos-ter parents are not babysitters,” Malmskog said, they are a part of the decision making process.

In addition to playing a more active role, foster care parents have also received a “raise” in funding for the foster child’s cost of living. The amount has not been changed since the 1980s.

“Albany County is very fortunate to have a great group of foster parents,” Malmskog said, “They are very supportive of each other.”

The two greatest sources for foster parents are other foster parents and the University of Wyoming.

“I’d say that over 50 percent of foster parents are associated with the university and 60 percent of new parents are referred,” Malmskog said.

To be considered as a foster parent, ap-plicants must be at least 21 years old, in good physical and emotional health, and financially stable. They must not have a history of “substan-tial abuse or neglect” and no criminal history, according to the Wyoming DFS Web site, http://dfsweb.state.wyus. Both married and single adults are accepted.

Becoming a foster parent, however, is no easy task. After the initial contact and application, there are a total of 27 hours of service training, a home study, reference checks, physicals, CPR and first aid training and 18 ongoing training hours. The entire process usually takes about 60 days, according to Malmskog, and then it’s time to wait.

The parents will have a room waiting just in case they get the call to take in a child. The Ewarts had a room open for weeks before DFS called them in the middle of the night.

“We have to look into every call we get – ev-ery allegation,” Malmskog said.

The greatest cause for displacement in Alba-ny County is alcohol abuse, while in the rest of the state methamphetamines are a more promi-nent problem.

Most foster homes have the kids for 15 to 23 months, unless they are put in long-term place-ment. The ultimate goal in any situation is to get kids back home.

Finding homes for adolescent children has always been the most difficult, and the majority of children requiring foster care in Wyoming are between 11 and 18 years old. Fortunately, more and more foster homes are accepting them,

Malsmskog explained.Tom Cresswell, a local junior high

teacher and foster dad to two teenage boys, knows that all the effort is worth it and he takes pride in helping to lay adequate ground work for their adult lives.

“I love what I do, it’s just very, very rewarding. I get some wonderful, wonderful children,” Cresswell said.

Cresswell has been foster-ing teenage boys for 12 years, and has 23 former kids living successfully and working out of town. He is certified in working with specialized foster care, which includes long-term placement and working with “troubled” children.

“I love the one-on-one. Many of the kids stay in touch and come back, just like with any family,” Cresswell said.

Cresswell decided to get into foster parenting af-ter working with kids from rough homes at school. Many of them would come to school in the morning after smoking marijuana and drinking all night, often times with their responsible adult.

Cresswell would let them sleep.“The stories the kids brought were horren-

dous,” Cresswell said, “I thought, ‘how can I help in my position?’”

He helps by giving them regularity and guid-ance.

“The best part of being a foster parent is just knowing the kids, giving them a safe place, a roof, meals and consistency,” Cresswell said.

He and the boys, ages 14 and 17, ordinar-ily eat breakfast and dinner together everyday. They read at 8:30 p.m. and are in their rooms by 9 p.m.

“I put a lot of effort into being a better foster parent,” Cresswell said, they have taken vaca-tions all over the United States, from New York City to California.

“The most difficult part is learning to control my stress. I know that their anger, their yelling, isn’t about me. The kids are extremely reliant and forgiving.”

Statewide, there are approximately 950 chil-dren in foster care, although the number changes

daily. Wyoming is doing well in comparison to regional states and especially nationwide statis-tics. As of 2004, Montana had 1,866 children in foster care and Colorado had 8,754. Each year, the Governor of Wyoming declares the month of May, Foster Care Month, in an effort to raise awareness of the issue. The declaration calls Wy-omingites to action, saying that the children are the foundation of the Wyoming communities and the state as a whole, therefore they need a safe, secure, stable home.

“Foster families, who open their homes and hearts to children whose families are in crises, play a vital role helping children and families heal and reconnect and launching children into successful adulthood,” the declaration said.

Governor Freudenthal encourages more resi-dents to become foster parents because more and more foster families are adopting foster children and also for all citizens to volunteer their talents on behalf of the children in foster care.

Therefore, supporters of foster care month, and the system as a whole, stress that any sort of involvement by opening hearts, opening homes, and offering help can “Change a Lifetime.” F

Foster Care

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Sheena Ernst

To live life is to suffer pain. No human being escapes the experience of physi-cal or emotional pain, suffering or trauma during his or her lifetime. In

the “Problem of Pain”, C.S. Lewis writes, “Try to exclude the possibility of suffering which the or-der of nature and the existence of free-will involve and you find that you have excluded life itself.”

For some, the pain of life has become even more real, perhaps through the loss of a loved one, a sexual assault or combat during military service. Residents of Laramie and students at the University of Wyoming have experienced their own pain as well through past and more recent events – the murder of Matthew Shepard in 1998, the death of eight members of the UW

cross-country team in 2000, the dorm room suicide of a UW student, or the recent double murder-suicide

Kelsey Shatto experienced the pain of life firsthand when she received the news that her older brother, Shane Shatto, was one of the eight cross-country members who were killed by a drunk driver.

Falling Coping with a traumatic event

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“My first reaction was that they made a mis-take and it really wasn’t my brother in the ac-cident. My second reaction was falling to the ground crying, that’s all I could do was cry. To me, the circumstances were huge. I mean, I heard of people getting killed by a drunk driver but when someone kills eight people, it hurts even more,” Shatto said.

Jacob Lee, a junior at the University of Wyo-ming, witnessed tragedy shortly before school began for the fall semester. Lee’s closest friends, Amber Carlson, Justin Geiger and Tony Klochak were involved in a murder-suicide this summer in which Geiger shot Carlson before shoot-ing himself in the head. Another friend, Tony Klochak was sexually assaulted and wounded with a knife during the incident as well.

“We were all on the 12th floor of White Hall last year. It was a ‘group’ of us on that floor – the four of us. We all knew each other very well and could trust anyone. I miss Amber and Justin ev-ery moment of every day,” Lee said.

If suffering and pain become such a part of human life, then how one reacts to pain is the real test – for it is in our reactions to pain and suffering that the quality of our lives are influ-enced.

“I mourned for days. I am still grieving. I did want to be alone at first, but the thing that helps me the most is talking about it. Even though I cry a lot when I talk about it, it makes me feel better,” Shatto said.

Negative feelings following a traumatic event are an appropriate human reaction, according to Dr. Matthew Gray, assistant professor of Psy-chology specializing in traumatic stress.

Many who experience a potentially trauma-tizing event are directly sent to a counselor or given a psychological debriefing (PD) to help them deal with what has gone on. However, these types of early interventions may not be what a person needs after immediately dealing with the pain of such an event.

“People who have been directly exposed to such an event have intense distress. It is not true that if you are exposed to traumatic events you need an intervention – resiliency is really the norm,” said Gray.

This offers hope to those experiencing a traumatic or painful event or for others who are close to those experiencing such an inci-dent. Gray said that according to statistics, 90 percent of people who experience a distress-ing event without an intervention are able to eventually return to normal functioning. It is only 5-9 percent who may need interven-tion in some form or another to cope with the

emotions that they are continuing to experi-ence.

The first thing people need after encoun-tering a traumatic or painful event is time and strong social support.

“We need to allow people to have reactions to trauma without pathologizing it. In everyone it takes time to get back to normal functioning,” Gray said.

The social support from others can also act as a natural buffer for the person experiencing the distress.

“My family was going through the same thing I was, so it was and still is hard to turn to my family for comfort,” Shatto said, “but I main-ly talk to either my best friend or my boyfriend about my pain.”

For those experiencing trauma, they can be-gin what Gray calls the “avoidant coping mecha-nism”. This occurs when people do not like the way they feel and try even harder to avoid it, which actually makes thoughts about the event even more frequent, resulting in them being con-sumed by it. This avoidant behavior can begin to take many forms: isolation from other people or self-medication though drugs and alcohol.

“For the first month I turned to alcohol and large amounts of it. It helped at the time because it kept my mind off what happened. To me, if I could keep my mind off what happened for a few minutes, it was worth it,” Lee said.

After receiving the help of a professional counselor, Lee eventually became comfortable with talking about the death of his friends and coping with what he was feeling.

“I realized then and now that alcohol is not the answer. Talking to my mom about Amber and Justin and what happened helped. Thinking about them as people and our experiences also helped,” Lee said.

However, for the 5-9 percent who continue to experience the negative emotions after being directly exposed to a distressing event, continual avoidant behavior may increase the likelihood of going on to develop Post Traumatic Stress Dis-order (PTSD) or depression.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is described as an anxiety disorder and is characterized by re-current and intrusive flashbacks, dreams or feel-ings of the event, persistent avoidance behav-iors, increased arousal, and significant distress or impairment in specific areas of functioning. Acute PTSD can be diagnosed one month after the event occurs and chronic PTSD is diagnosed three months after the event.

Depression is not considered a disor-der following a traumatic event unless severe

symptoms persist longer than two months fol-lowing. Some of these symptoms may include psychotic features, suicidal thoughts or dis-turbed physical and cognitive functioning.

For those who decide to seek outside help through a mental health professional, it must be something that they want to do when the time is right.

“People differ in when they begin talking about the event. They don’t have to do it as soon as possible, there is no one size fits all,” Gray said.

If there are symptoms of PTSD or depres-sion, it may be difficult for an informal fam-ily member or friend to help with these severe disorders. A licensed psychologist could work with the person in recognizing what it is they are experiencing and how they can be helped.

“The majority of clients do benefit from psychological services,” Gray said.

The University of Wyoming Psychology De-partment Clinic provides those seeking help with expert faculty members and specialty clin-ics that focus on multiple areas of interest that include, but are not limited to: trauma, PTSD, depression, or anxiety. After a case is reviewed, the person is routed to clinical teams that have been specially educated and trained in specific disorders.

The clinic is open to the entire community and if a psychologist on campus is not able to assist the person, they may also be routed to a professional in the community who can meet their needs. An initial assessment fee is $150, and there is no charge for therapy sessions. For more information on the services offered through the Psychology Clinic, they are lo-cated in Biological Science Room 307 on the University of Wyoming campus, or call (307)-766-2149. F

How you can help

If someone has experienced trauma, some signs to watch for that would signal they need help dealing with the it are:1. Avoidant behavior, living

restricted existence or isolation*2. Anxious and irritable*3. Changes in personality*

* Before reacting immediately to any of these signs, give a person a period of allowance to deal with the natural emotions that result from intense distress. Recommend the person to a service that may be of help to them, while remembering that the person has to make their own decision to go.

Coping

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Because my job needed meBecause my job needed me

Because my job needed meBecause my job needed me

Because my job needed me

Because my job needed me

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“I’ve always said that knock on my door was from somebody upstairs, like they were saying, ‘come on, get going again, you can’t sit this season out’.”

Joe Glenn

Photos by Aaron Ontiveroz and Lindsey Korsick

Women’s Rugby

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Collector

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Lindsey Korsick

People develop collections from the time they are children and continue throughout their lives. Some people’s collections fit inside a box, oth-ers inside an envelope. Wyoming head football

coach, Joe Glenn’s collection of antique sports memorabilia takes up his entire Laramie basement.

Glenn’s collection began unintentionally. He caught drift of the idea when a fellow coach had an old 1970s foot-ball helmet sitting out on an end table. Some time later, his wife Michelle began dragging an apathetic Glenn to antique stores.

“When I would go with her (to the antique stores) I was really disinterested,” Glenn said. “Then all of a sudden, it’s like the eggplant that ate Chicago. I started really loving old sporting goods. I had some stuff of my own from my youth that I had saved. I started to put some stuff out then Mi-chelle gave me a room in Montana. I may have only had 15 or 20 items up but now I’m gaining ground.”

Those 15 or 20 items have grown to a random collection of sports memorabilia and cowboy artifacts.

Glenn could have put up simple shelves to house his treasures, but instead designed the entire basement to ac-commodate his prized possessions. The foundation of the basement isn’t all the sports artifacts but the walls built be-hind them.

When deciding on the background for his collection, Glenn and his wife, originally wanted the walls to be barn wood. But after Michelle came across an advertisement while thumbing through the Yellow Pages, they chose to use a Wyoming snow fence. The carpenters finishing the basement put a coat of paint on it to make it appear worn. The snow fence adorns the walls and gives the basement a really rugged feel.

As you walk down the carpeted staircase, leading to Glenn’s collection, the first wall that catches your eye is sur-prisingly not the football wall but the baseball wall.

Thirty plus baseball gloves, ranging from new gloves to gloves with only three fingers and a thumb, cover the Wyo-ming snow fence. Surrounded by the baseball mitts, is an oversized painting of Mickey Mantle’s first Topps baseball card.

Beside the gloves and the painting hangs a matted frame holding a large autographed photograph and eight baseball cards. The photo is of Don Larsens, who threw a perfect game in the 1956 World Series against the Dodgers. It was as perfect as baseball games come – no hits, no runs, no er-rors. This is why Larsens’ signature reads perfection. Glenn said Larsens used to stop by when he passed through Mis-soula, Mont., to play sports trivia with the Glenns. Larsens would ask him about his 1956 Yankees team.

“Larsens said, ‘If you’re all so smart why don’t you

name the guys who backed me up when I threw my perfect game?’” Glenn said.

“This has always intrigued me, the guys who played that day for the Yankees. I saw this at an auction, and I bought it (the signed picture of Don Larsens). And then thinking of that day when he named all the guys that backed him up, I went and got the 1956 baseball cards. They’re all original except for Mickey Mantle’s. Mickey’s would’ve been over $1,000.”

To the left of the wall of gloves, the wall of footballs is found. Glenn has footballs from when Wyoming won the Skyline Championship, national championship balls from the University of Northern Colorado and the University of Montana and an old little league football from a friend in Montana.

The national championship footballs also came with football helmets. The helmets hang one underneath the other on a string from the ceiling. At the bottom of the string hangs Glenn’s son Casey’s college helmet from his national championship at Carroll College in Montana.

Most of Glenn’s collection is just random pieces put together like a strategic puzzle. But there are two signifi-cant pieces, a jersey and an old photograph, that may have changed the path of Glenn’s life and career.

The orange jersey hangs on the wall, with the words Burger King written across the chest, and the photograph is of a bunch of fifth and sixth graders with a couple of coach-es. One of those young athletes keeps Glenn committed to coaching.

The year Glenn was fired from assistant coach at the University of Montana, he worked selling beer and wine while watching his two children at night as Michelle at-tended night school to receive her educational certificate.

One night before Michelle had left for class, Glenn got a fateful knock on his door from a young boy that would eventually return him to the profession he loves.

“I was at home watching my two kids,” Glenn remem-bered. “Toby Hubbard knocked on my door. He knew I wasn’t coaching, and that I was selling beer and wine. He said, ‘Coach – he knew me as coach Glenn – the bread man is coaching our little league team, and he doesn’t know any-thing about football. Would you be interested in helping?’ So, I looked at Michelle and I told him, no I can’t. I walked back from the door and Michelle said, ‘go get him.’ So I hol-lered out the door, ‘Toby, what time is practice?’ And he said, ‘right now’. So I grabbed my hat and my whistle, and I became the offense coordinator for the Burger King Fal-cons.”

Hubbard’s original jersey now hangs next to the team photo on Glenn’s wall. Glenn thought back on that day and said, “I’ve always said that knock on my door was from somebody upstairs, like they were saying, ‘come on, get going again, you can’t sit this season out’.”

Hidden TreasureUW football coach’s collection holds years of memories

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A season sat out would have ruined his record of 32 straight years of coaching football and 47 consecutive years of involvement in organized football.

Glenn’s loyalty to his fellow coaches is displayed on his wall of coaching staffs. The wall has a photograph of every group of coaches he has ever been involved with. A famil-iar face in the photos is Mike Breske, Wyoming’s assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. Glenn and Breske have been a coaching duo for the past 20 years. The current Wyoming staff has been together for the past seven years.

The pictures are among scattered priceless sports trea-sures, such as Francis Ayer’s jersey from Nebraska when he became the 6-mile champion and beat world record holder, Glenn Cunningham, from Kansas. A blue ribbon won by Michelle’s mother in 1937 for the high jump and the Cow-boy football pants from a former UW player, Ken Cook, also hang on the walls.

When Glenn began to be serious about his collection, he came across one of his best finds. Glenn mentioned his collection to Cook, who then told Glenn that he had just thrown out his old Cowboy football pants. Cook played for the Cowboys from 1938 to1942. Glenn said he asked Cook when the garbage was picked up, only to find out the pants were still in the trash. Glenn dug and found the pants and they now hang on the wall.

Next to the pants continues a wall of Wyoming football souvenirs. Pieces of goalposts from Brigham Young and Colorado State, along with a shadow box of mementos from the 2004 Las Vegas Bowl victory are suspended from the wall. Joe said the victory over UCLA in 2004 might be more satisfying than his other three national titles.

“That (the Las Vegas Bowl win) at least equals, if not more than, the three national championships that we coached,” Glenn said.

Glenn’s most sentimental piece isn’t a sport collectible at all.

An old cowboy’s hat hangs from the snow fence walls, above a poster of the late Chris LeDoux, with nothing but dirt to tell its story. Glenn said he bought the hat at an an-tique store in Saratoga and the lady who ran the store told him the hat’s story.

“The lady told me the story about the cowboy who had worn it,” Joe said. “He had just died about a year before and she said he was a real cowboy. It was a brown cowboy hat. The rest of my stuff is kind of sporty, but the guy who wore that hat was a real Wyoming cowboy. That’s pretty senti-mental.”

Before taking a last look at Glenn’s sports masterpiece, he pulled out the picture that embodied why he lives his life in sports. The photo was of him after winning a national cham-pionship at the University of Northern Colorado. The picture showed Glenn held up by his team, with the press surround-ing them. The expression on his face reads satisfaction.

Glenn’s basement is a collection of pieces some would see as gems and others possibly as junk. But, the objects that fill that cellar are those that have shaped Joe Glenn’s life and career. To Coach Glenn, his basement is loaded with treasures. F

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Back-countrychallengeEXTREME

Collin McRann

The signs of winter’s approach is evi-dent, and along with it comes the ski season. For many, the ski season is a long-awaited annual event that can

involve anything from getting the first tracks through fresh powder to who can do the best jump off a kicker.

Some skiers prefer to go to a ski resort to get all of their winter ambitions out, but some head into the back-country for a different experience that is rarely found on groomed and over-skied trails. Skiing in the back-country is like a combi-nation of Nordic and downhill and is described by Ken Cramer of the Cross-Country Connec-tion as being about “solitude and the wilderness experience.”

The back-country also has the appeal of less competition for first tracks and according to Dan McCoy, director of the Outdoor Recreation Program (OAP) at the University of Wyoming, it is quiet and beautiful with a good chance for un-skied powder.

Back-country skiing is a very different type of skiing. It requires more work and patience but results in shorter lines and better experiences. The ski resort is usually a fun place with medio-cre snow with lines to get on the lifts and almost everything is crowded.

Most ski resorts are at an elevation between 7,000 to 11,000 feet above sea level, while loca-tions in the back-country can have a huge range in elevation and very unique snow conditions at each one. In Colorado and Wyoming the el-evation can easily exceed 14,000 ft. But with the timberline at only 10,000 to 11,000 feet, skiing above it can lead to wind-blown snow and hid-den rocks, so lower elevations can be better. It is also safer to ski within the timberline, because of the reduced avalanche danger.

Since the back-country is usually a place that is only accessed in the summertime, most of the trails through it are not marked. However, there are a few in the Medicine Bow National For-est, such as Libby Creek, that are marked and close to the road. Others in Colorado, such as Cameron Pass, are a longer drive and offer lots of skiing opportunities, but are very avalanche prone. Anyone going there should go through

some level of avalanche training beforehand. Avalanches are one of many dangers in the

wilderness during the winter and sometimes spring seasons.

“You and the people you’re with are your worst enemies when it comes to avalanches in the back-country,” said McCoy.

The slope plays a critical role in starting an avalanche. Knowing how to use an avalanche beacon, or how to judge the steepness of a slope is important. Most avalanches occur above a 37 degree slope.

“It’s not something you can read about, you must experience it to know it,” said McCoy.

Avalanche training frequently occur in the Snowy Range Mountains and in Colorado. For more information visit the Colorado Avalanche Information Center Web site at http://geosurvey.state.co.us/avalanche/. The OAP will be offering a training course possibly in January, a date has yet to be determined.

Safety in the back-country also involves skill at skiing.

“To safely ski in the back-country, you should be competent on a double black diamond,” Mc-Coy said.

In the wilderness you need to be able to handle diverse snow conditions and terrain that can quickly change as you move. Cramer said that while a person who may be very good in terms of skill at a resort, it takes more than skill to know how to use good judgement.

A study on heuristic traps, or mental short-cuts, and avalanches done by Ian McCammon at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), says that 83 percent of accidents involving ava-lanches are due to decision-making errors.

Equipment used in the back-country is also something that separates it from a resort. Stan-dard downhill skis or snowboards may work great at a resort, but they will make longer trips much more difficult and slow.

When deciding on what ski equipment and technique to use it is important to understand the sport. Getting an edge is when the ski, or snow-board is literally put on one of its edges to turn left or right, and generally the better someone can get an edge, the better they can turn.

In skiing, there are generally two techniques for getting an edge, telemark and alpine touring. Ali-pine touring requires no change in turning tech-nique from the parallel turns that are used with standard downhill equipment. The style of alpine touring itself involves modified downhill bind-ings with both heel and toe pieces that allow for two modes, uphill climbing with the heel free and downhill turning with the heels locked down.

Telemark bindings, however, are simpler and do not change modes, but they do require a dif-ferent turning style. The heels are always free, which makes the skier push one foot in front of the other to gain an edge. Telemark turns are generally not as sharp or powerful, and more difficult to do. Unlike alpine touring, only some telemark bindings are designed to release at a given pressure, however most do not.

Either technique can be used for the same type of ski, but the bindings make the biggest difference because of the skills involved. Specific skis are made for each technique. Both the al-pine touring and telemark techniques have their advantages, but telemark is usually a bit more versatile in the wilderness and the bindings are a little cheaper.

Longer snowboarding trips might benefit from what is known as a split-board. The split-board does what its name implies, it splits into two parts that can be used to travel. The dis-advantages of split-boards are that they are ex-pensive compared to regular boards and more complicated.

Most other equipment used in the back-coun-try is pretty universal across techniques, things like climbing skins or wax, appropriate amounts of warm clothing, maps/compass, first aid kit, shovels and avalanche beacons are all needed, as well as standard winter camping gear. One thing to remember when going into the back-country during winter is to be ready for anything.

Overall, the best thing to take into that back-country is good judgment, because while resorts may have help near by, in the wilderness help can be hours to days away. When going into the wilderness to ski, it is important to remember that it is a dangerous place, and while you can still have fun, you need to make good decisions.

Women’s Rugby

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Because my job needed me No boundaries

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UW students bare all for art

Behind the doors of room 227 in the Fine Arts

building is something few people see everyday.

The tall ceiling is met by large white walls ex-

tending from the smooth concrete floor. All natural light

is blocked out leaving the room in a sleepy, dim illumi-

nation given off from a few spotlights. Grand symphony

music matched by the sound of an eerie choir spills from

a CD player and fills the interior. The room is littered with

tackle boxes and wooden cases filled with charcoal, pen-

cils, erasers and other supplies. Students with large sketch-

pads stand and sit in front of twenty easels, poised to face

an elevated platform framed by black metal poles. Some

students seem quite comfortable with their shoes kicked

off and a beverage at their side, while others crouch in

front of their drawings for the duration of the class. Many

students step back, often under the professor’s advice to

“move yourself out of the drawing you’ve been immersed

in.” He says this because the room is consumed with in-

tensity. It is a quiet frenzy of students drawing quickly but

carefully to capture the subject at that moment. There is a

constant sound of dusting and blowing the loose charcoal

from their paper. Over and over their heads nod up and

down to first study then recreate the mix of shapes, angles,

shadows and lines of their subject – a nude model.

Kristen Leis

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It is not out of the ordinary to see this other student posed on the platform for the artists to draw. It is not shocking. It is not uncomfortable. This person, who is only known as “the figure” or “the form” within these walls, is a crucial contribution to this atmosphere. In fact, it is a reciprocal relationship between the model and the environment – one would not exist without the other. The model is needed to create this intense atmosphere, being much more difficult yet interesting to draw than a vase or a bowl of fruit. Likewise, without the comfort and profes-sionalism created in this room, the use of a nude model would not be possible.

However, the question arises that even if the environment is appropriate and professional, who is comfortable enough with their self to stand completely exposed for artists to study in a class?

The class is Art 3050 Life Drawing and the use of nude models is integral to the curricu-lum. Doug Russell, who is currently teaching the class, explained that ever since the classical traditions of Greece and Rome, the use of nude models has been pertinent to art.

“The body is fascinating and there is a history

of this interest and need,” Russell said. “A class like this is a long extension of that tradition.”

Providing students with such a candid view of the human body allows them to dwell into the most basic knowledge needed for under-standing and creating art. Knowing the under-lying construction and how to accurately draw the human form is the needed foundation for most other applications such as painting and sculpture.

The knowledge the students gain may be ba-sic but it is also intense and the syllabus reads more like one of an anatomy class. There are re-quirements for students to learn many specific bones and muscles – something that could never be learned using a clothed model.

To help art students improve their skills in accurately drawing the human figure, the Uni-versity of Wyoming’s Art department is continu-ally looking for people who are willing to bare all for this unconventional job and offers eight dollars an hour to do so.

According to Russell, nobody should count him or herself out because, for the most part, the only job requirement is that the individual have a professional demeanor. Otherwise both women and men of various ages, sizes, shapes

and ethnicities are wanted so that students can gain experience studying diverse subjects.

“I always try to get a variety of people,” Rus-sell said. Although this is somewhat of an ob-stacle in a town of Laramie’s size.

Just as with any other job, there is an appli-cation to fill out and tasks one must do. Rus-sell usually meets with the person interested in modeling before they are to work in a class. He shows them the room and the changing area and introduces them to the professional side of the class to make them feel more at ease.

Models must not only be comfortable enough with themselves to take on this job but also to perform the deceivingly difficult poses.

The classes usually begin and end with short poses, called “gestures,” where models pose for anywhere from thirty seconds to two minutes. These are dramatic poses that would often be too strenuous to be held for long periods of time.

They are encouraged to create poses at their own discretion that show muscles and angles that the students sketch freely. For the long poses the model is usually given a pose already strategically selected by the professor that helps students concentrate on the focus of that day’s lecture.

“What was any

art but an effort

to make a sheath,

a mold in which

to imprison for

a moment the

shining, elusive

element which is

life itself.” Will Carter

Life Drawing

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These poses are to be held anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours.

Russell mentioned that some of the best models he has worked with have been athletes or people who practice yoga because it is es-sential that the model be strong enough to hold still.

“It’s really tough to get people to hold long poses,” Russell added.

Although breaks are allowed, too many could greatly affect the fragile atmosphere cre-ated in the studio.

“At the very least,” Russell explained, “it’s going to throw the artist off if the model breaks the pose.”

It is evident that it would take a certain type of individual to perform this job and blend properly into the environment. Just as with any part of the equation when considered alone, the model can make or break the delicate situation

created within the room. It is their responsibility to be the key element in the curriculum for this class. Students will carefully study and sketch them over and over as to better understand and familiarize themselves with their particular hu-man form.

The subjects behind the sketches created this fall for Life Drawing are Joe Howdyshell, 23, and Mark Voorhes, 31. They are both students at the University of Wyoming – Howdyshell is a senior majoring in Kinesiology and Health Promotion and Voohres is a junior majoring in Anthropology. The two work in shifts to split the class time between them which totals five hours each week. This is not the first time that either of them has modeled nude for an art class. Though the two share many similarities in their attitudes and feelings towards this line of work, each has had a unique experience.

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“And who is so

barbarous as not

to understand that

the foot of a man is

nobler than his shoe,

and his skin nobler

than that of the

sheep with which he

is clothed.” Michelangelo

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Howdyshell initially heard about the need for nude models in the art department through his Nordic skiing coach’s little sister, who was an art major. For a few years they had discussed the need for people with different body types to model for classes. It wasn’t until he saw an ad-vertisement in the campus paper last fall that he decided to pursue such a job.

“It was just one of those things where it seemed like something that could help me grow,” he said. “It’s an exercise in self-confidence. If you can sit there completely naked in front of thirty strangers and be okay with it, you can pretty much do anything.”

Voorhes’s first experience working as a nude model was for a friend who ran an art gallery in the Black Hills this past summer. It was initially a joke but he found himself enjoying the work and sought out further opportunities when he returned to Laramie. He felt it was a humbling experience to put himself up there in front of people completely naked.

“I haven’t met very many people that would want to do it. Whenever I tell people I do that they are almost embarrassed,” Voohres said. “I don’t know if they are embarrassed for me or if they are embarrassed to think of themselves up there. I get a kick out of their reactions.”

When Voohres goes to model, he is more concerned with holding a pose than worrying about being nude. He doesn’t think about the students judging him and realizes that they are there to do a job just as he is. And, for the most part, he tries to detach himself from the situa-tion and the students through meditation.

“I kind of go into my own mind when medi-tating,” he said. “It really makes the time pass faster. You sometimes even lose track of time, then you don’t focus on your pain from holding poses as much.”

But when he can’t meditate through the pain he said, “I just grit my teeth and get through it.”

During most of the class, Howdyshell con-centrates on staying still in the pose he must hold. He has to be highly conscious of the posi-tion of his body as any small change in move-ment can completely change the image that the artists are rushing to capture.

“In order to be a good model and really help the artists, you have to stay really still for thirty minutes or more,” he said. “Sure I’m there be-cause it is something I want to do, but I also feel a strong obligation to do what I can to make their learning experience the best it can be.”

Another aspect of becoming a good model, he said, is to learn how to position his body to

better avoid pinching nerves or limbs falling asleep – problems that cause the model to break the pose and therefore disrupt the artist’s focus. Howdyshell enjoys looking around the class-room while modeling.

“It’s kind of fun for me to see how people work,” he said. “Some people will sit there re-ally close and really focused on (their work) and some people sit back and step back and look at it.”

While most people would be racked with fear and insecurities when trying to undertake such a job, Howdyshell and Voorhes exude a certain level of self-confidence few people have.

Howdyshell said that because American so-ciety is conditioned to think that nudity is bad, it is always a little awkward the first time he goes to pose nude for a class at the beginning of the semester.

“It’s the basic anxiety you would feel when you put everything out there – whether it be a performance or something like that. You’re not holding anything back,” he said. “You kind of sit there and wonder if people are going to judge you or if people are going to laugh but you just kind of drop the robe, and everything is fine.”

Voorhes self-confidence is something that he attributes in part to having been in the Marines.

“From being in the military, it seemed like they humiliated you to the point that you weren’t really self-conscious about your body anymore,” he said. “At least I wasn’t.”

Voorhes sees the environment that Russell cre-ates as an important part of being able to model.

“He keeps it really relaxed in there and

maintains a professional approach,” he said. He understands how Russell goes to great

lengths to keep things professional by main-taining a quiet classroom and never referring to Voorhes personally when he is on the plat-form.

“I feel respected for being up there,” he said.But, Howdyshell feels that some interaction,

such as friendly banter while posing and talking to the students before and after class, is a posi-tive thing. He believes an interaction between the model and the artist is good.

“It gives them a little more insight into how I think and how I move and things like that. It gives them more of a perspective to draw from. If I can connect with the artists, then they can connect with me and have more of me on their paper. It’s a better interpretation,” he continued. “It’s lying to yourself to not think of the model as a person.”

At the end of each class, students display their best drawing from that day on a wall outside of the classroom, something both Howdyshell and Voorhes like to see.

“Seeing what people see in me and other people’s perceptions is fun,” Howdyshell said. “It’s really cool to see the evolution throughout the semester of people’s drawings. I think it gives you a more accurate self-image.”

Voorhes has even gone as far as trying to purchase artwork from when he has modeled. He wants to continue modeling because of this contribution to art.

“You kind of sit there

and wonder if people

are going to judge

you or if people

are going to laugh

but you just kind of

drop the robe, and

everything is fine.”Joe Howdyshell

Model

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It is clear that both Voorhes and Howdyshell have escaped the barriers that hold many peo-ple back because of their body image and fear of being judged by other people. What must be re-alized, however, is because of the environment in which this class is held and the mindsets the students take on, it really is not as if a naked person is in the room. They are a form that the students use as a tool for learning

It is almost bizarre to think that some of the students don’t even know the models’ names and they are spending five hours a week with them in what could be considered quite an inti-mate environment.

But some students don’t and, in fact, if they are ever discussing the class outside of room 227 they continue to address the model as “the form” or “the figure.” This is just an example of how incredibly professional the class is and how the students’ mindsets are changed.

Heather Storey, a senior majoring in Art, said that inside the classroom “(the model) re-ally transforms into another thing – it’s their shadows, their movements, the contained ener-gy in their muscles, the contour in their body.”

She said with this class, the nudity involved was never an issue. The issue is the challenge to accurately draw the human body that was in mind.

“It’s a lot easier to pare down and concen-trate on your drawing when they are nude. With clothes, the figure is oversimplified.” She said she never finds herself wondering about the model as a person or what they are thinking because the atmosphere is so intense and the task at hand is so demanding. She does however recognize and appreciate the work that they do.

“I’m so proud of them,” she said.Steve Van Asma, who is also a senior Art

major, said he is grateful for the opportunity to use such a “learning device.”

“I was more excited than anything because normally you don’t have the chance to draw a person and their physical attributes,” he said. He sees it as a chance to better his drawing skills and accuracy of the human figure.

“It pushes my art and it pushes my concepts,” he said.

Another Life Drawing student, Anne-Marie Collins, is now taking the class for the second time as an independent study. She is a senior Art major looking to build her accuracy and drawing skills with the human form.

“You can empathize with people’s bodies

more,” she said.She believes that because of this class she

now better understands the variations of the human structure. She still finds herself chal-lenged with different angles and postures.

“You want to respect what is in front of you,” she said, “and you want to do it well.” On the other hand, she describes the classroom as a home where all the people are focused on the same goal at the same time and place.

Just as the models are an integral part of the environment, the students greatly help cre-ate it as well with their professional demeanor, high level of respect for the models and desire to learn – not something commonly found in every class on campus.

When the professor announces the end of the model’s last gesture pose, the fine-tuned scene inside this room cracks and, almost in-stantly, everything changes. The model slips into a closet to change, doors immediately open, natural light floods the classroom and the students break into conversation.

The jargon of lines, shapes, angles and shad-ows is replaced by typical college banter about classes and evening plans – the rhythm of snap-ping of the cases, shuffling of papers and gather-ing of tools replaces the classicaL music in the background.

They wash their hands and faces clean of any charcoal smudges and the strange smell of fixa-tive is inescapable as students spray drawings to display on the wall. The model walks around to examine the day’s drawings and talks with some of the students.

The professor finishes critiquing and com-plimenting others. Within mere minutes, they are all gone and the room becomes vacant and lifeless. In a way it feels sad because all the cap-tive, intense and inspiring energy that was held within the plain white walls for hours has been drained and is nowhere to be found. But what is lasting is the impression that was made while it did exist. It is something very few people see but the opportunity remains open to all. F

Top: Anne-Marie Jandura CollinsMiddle: Jonathan HickersonBottom: Tyler DoakFront Cover, Page 18, 20, 21: Allison French19: Christy Johnston

ARTISTS

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Nicole Virtue

Coal covers his face, hands, coveralls, hair, hat and everything else but his white smile. The first thing Tim Braunagel asks is “Do you think the football team will do any good this year?”

Braunagel, plant crew supervisor at North Antelope Rochelle Coal Mine, is always happy to hear a good story about the University of Wyo-ming. As they work, the coalminers at NARM (North Antelope Rochelle Coalmine) often lis-ten to Cowboy games, both football and bas-ketball. It might be the only regular connection some have to the university, but for most, the pride Wyoming coalminers have for UW doesn’t come from the fact that they fund a vast major-ity of the amenities on campus. It sprouts from the fact that many of their children attend the university – blue-collar men and women send-ing their sons and daughters to school. Their pride for UW shines through the coal dust and so do their profits.

The men and women of North Antelope Ro-chelle Coal Mines are part of an industry that funds the brunt of state spending in Wyoming. The mineral industry keeps Wyoming in the black when much of the nation is struggling to make ends meet. Coal, oil, uranium, natural gas and trona, otherwise known as minerals, provide a huge income for the state by way of Severance Tax, The Permanent Mineral Trust Fund, min-eral royalties and property tax. In a presentation given to the American Association of Petroleum Geologists in July of 2006, Buck McVeigh said, “Mineral income currently makes up close to two-thirds of (Wyoming’s) total revenue.”

Here at UW the coalminers work has a big im-pact, as big as the turf at War Memorial Stadium, as big as the renovation of the Classroom build-ing, as big as the amount of money the univer-sity receives from the state, as big as the wattage of mineral energy produced by Wyoming’s coal companies. All these big things have one thing in common: they impact UW students in a big way.

Some of the students at UW come from min-eral families that have helped provide for the university. Students like Tony Roberts, majoring in political science, sociology and economics, have seen the coalminer’s life first hand.

His guardian, Juanita Rhoades, has worked in the coal industry for more than 11 years.

“It was them working long hours, obviously it was always understood that it was the bread-winning thing to do. They encouraged me to get a higher education. Juanita didn’t want me to have the physical stress associated with mining. She didn’t want me to live in the limiting nature of manual operating labor,” Roberts said.

In fiscal year 2006, Wyoming had a budget surplus of $1,800 million. Roughly, $700 million of that surplus went to fund higher education in Wyoming, which consists of the University of Wyoming and the state-funded community col-leges scattered throughout the state.

Funding for UW is run through a complex system of grants, fees, donations and endow-ments, but most of the money used to run the university comes from a few important places. According to the University of Wyoming Foun-dation Web site, 44 percent of the university’s funding comes from the state and only approxi-mately 11 percent comes from tuition. This big amount of state money translates into many of the renovations seen around campus.

It is not just the big benefits from the mineral industry that affect UW, but the small ones too, like the Hathaway Scholarship.

The state of Wyoming provides money for the Hathaway Scholarship, to the tune of $400 million. All students who graduate from a Wyo-ming high school with a GPA of at least 2.5 and an ACT score of 19 get some money from the state. The amount increases with higher grades and ACT scores. That $400 million comes from the mineral boom that the state has been expe-riencing but the money won’t go away in the event of a bust. The state legislators have put the money into a trust fund that collects interest and keeps the money coming. The scholarship is the reason for almost all of a 16 percent increase in freshmen enrollment, said Noah Buckley, inter-im director of Admissions.

The budget surplus, fed by mineral money, also provides for an $105 million endowment to professors. This endowment helps the uni-versity pursue new professors and keep the ones they have. This will help to keep class sizes at the

minimum and provide a more personalized at-mosphere at UW.

Most importantly to some, the mineral boom is keeping the University of Wyoming’s tuition cheap. In an article from the Denver Post, Jenni-fer Brown writes, “Wyoming provides more state funding per college student – $12,354 – than any other state in the country.” And all the renova-tions and intellectual advancements being made at the university are not costing the students a penny in tuition and fees.

The men and women of Crew Number One at North Antelope Rochelle coalmine might not realize it but the University of Wyoming benefits from their hard work. Whether they work in natural gas, trona, oil, coal or uranium, mineral workers all over the state are the people produc-ing the money that UW spends. Stroll down any sidewalk at the university and you will find hard earned mineral money at work. The anthropol-ogy building, the students here because of Ha-thaway Scholarships, the new professors and the newest books at Coe Library are all here because of state money provided by the blue-collar min-eral boom. F

The buck stops hereWyoming mineral money funds benefit university students

Nicole Nirtue

Mineral Money

Women’s Rugby

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Shaping the future of UW leaders

Kristina Myers

It is a quintessential fall evening, with a steady drizzle falling from the dismal gray sky. The air remains crisp and bites at your uncovered nose and ears. The smoky clouds that continue to roll in over the Snowy Range veil the mountainside, giving the golden aspens an eerie presence.

However, the ambiance of the outdoors does not reflect the radiant energy inside the main lodge at the University of Wyoming Recre-ational Camp, which is nestled among the pine trees at the base of the mountain range. There are 16 freshman students inside who couldn’t

be happier to be spending their third weekend of college life participating in the University’s first-ever First-Year Institute (FYI!) session. The overnight program focusing on leadership and civic engagement was designed specifically with first-year students in mind.

This could be a total life-changing thing for you. This

is when you can really develop a sense of vision for

your life, and experience a change that will affect

everything you do in college starting today.Clint Jasperson

Student-Faculty FYI!

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The goals were to motivate them to become active in organizations on campus and to help them realize their potential as future leaders. Matt Caires, Assistant Dean of Students and one of the creators of FYI! is also reflecting the same enthusiasm as the student participants.

“It’s so uplifting and inspiring to see this program take shape and come together,” he said.

Caires believes that civic engagement is a big part of the college experience and this program will help first-year students to real-ize that.

“To me, it’s really meaningful for civic en-gagement to be a part of the college experience for these students, and we have a responsibility to provide the programs that will allow them to realize their own leadership qualities and inspire them to be upstanding citizens of the University and of their country,” Caires said.

FYI! attendants participated in a series of activities over the weekend. There were “ice-breaker” activities so they could get acquainted as a group, and small group discussions to cre-ate closer relationships with their peers.

They were split into groups and each group made an action plan to keep their commitment to FYI! moving past the weekend, and wrote mission statements with the help of Robyn Paulekas, program advisor for the UW Center for Volunteer Service.

Exercises were also conducted to help them realize their leadership qualities and what types of roles they can fill as young lead-ers in the future.

However, the highlight of the evening was no doubt listening to guest facilitator and re-nowned inspirational speaker Dr. Will Keim. Keim has traveled to every state in the country, speaking at over 2,000 campuses with a mes-sage that has reached more than 2 million stu-dents. “The Keys to Success in College and Life” was the title of Keim’s speech.

“This is a talk that I love to give because this is a crucial time in these young people’s lives when they need to decide what they believe and who they are,” Keim said. “Most students go to college so they can get a job, find their voca-tion. I want them to be here and realize that in doing that, they can also make the world a much better place by becoming employed do-ing something they are truly passionate about.”

Keim sites the top ten characteristics of ex-cellent leadership as listening, empathy, action, delegation, enthusiasm, reflection, stewardship, humor, integrity and lastly, passion.

“When thinking about these key personal

qualities, I like to express an idea to students, that they are setting the banquet table for their lives based on these attributes and college is when they set the feast for the rest of their lives,” Keim said.

Many student participants said that Keim’s speech was the most memorable part of the weekend for them.

“Everything he (Kiem) said just made so much sense to me and really helped me begin to realize how to sort out the whole college life and having responsibility thing,” Michael Molony, a secondary education and English major said.

The student faculty were also a source of ample inspiration for the young future leaders.

“This could be a total life-changing thing for you. This is when you can really develop a sense of vision for your life, and experience a change that will affect everything you do in college starting today,” Clint Jasperson, Interfraternity Council Chair, told the first-year students.

The students seem pensive, and you can sense they are taking these words of wisdom seriously and realize their potential for great-ness is not something to be taken lightly. The student faculty served as great examples for the freshman and definitely made an impression on the new students.

“Hearing about the community service that our leaders have done around campus and the community was rewarding in itself,” said Ella Childress, history major. “I personally am so excited to get involved the way that they are.”

Students had an overwhelming positive re-action to the experience as a whole. The partici-pants are aware they were a part of something that is important to the university’s future and the direction of their own personal lives.

“I thought that the best part of all was the fact that we were the first group to do this kind of thing and that we are starting a new tradition at UW,” said Sean D’Albergaria, an elementary education major. “I learned that I am my own person, and no one else can tell me otherwise.”

FYI! is the result of a joint effort among Residence Life and Dining Services, the Stu-dent Leadership in Civic Engagement Com-mitee (SLiCE) and the hopes and goals that some UW leaders have for incoming students.

There are also nine upper class students who already hold prominent leading roles through or-ganizations at UW serving as the student faculty for this premier FYI! session. These individuals were selected based on applications, nomina-tions and their involvement in and commit-ment to academics, community service, campus

activities and civic engagement.Sara Axelson, Vice President of Student Af-

fairs agrees and commends SLiCE for their ef-forts surrounding FYI! and future programs.

“It is so important for students to be able to have connecting points to help enrich their un-dergraduate experience. This way they can take those connections and carry what they learn and experience through to graduation and be-yond,” Axelson said.

As we all know, timing seems to be every-thing and Axelson will tell you the young lead-ership situation at UW and around the country is no different.

“The time is ripe for new leaders to step up,” she said. “We want all the leadership programs and events to work together to accomplish this now. I think once people know that how we achieve things isn’t nearly as important as what we achieve, it will get easier for students to get engaged with that bigger picture of what is pos-sible for them.”

However, not all the key players are on the same page as Axelson and Caires.

“There is still a lot of convincing to be done,” Caires said of having approval and cooperation from some already prominent groups on cam-pus. “We need to make everyone see how criti-cally beneficial this will be for students, especial-ly if we can get them involved on campus from the get-go when they arrive as new freshman.”

Caires credits Axelson with a lot of the work it took to get SLiCE started which helped a great deal with the formation of FYI!

“It’s key to have Sara as a part of this. This work would never have gotten off the ground and she makes the vision a possible reality through her hard work and dedication to this project,” Caires said.

As a whole, the university has been support-ive of the change in leadership roles amongst students on campus.

“We are really blessed that UW has been so receptive and supportive of these endeavors,” Caires said.

As for the future of FYI!, Caires said he is confident that the program will only get better with time.

“We are making this first session as suc-cessful as possible. We will, of course, learn as we go forward, but we have to start some-where,” he said. Caires has faith that the ulti-mate goal of FYI! will resonate. “We want to see them as psyched as we are, and know that there are great things in the future of this uni-versity because of the student leaders we are helping to create.” F

First-Year Institute

Women’s Rugby

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Women’s Rugby

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Research money on the brainAmitava Chatterjee

Touch, sight, sound. These senses run our daily lives. They determine how we interact and approach our lives. New sensory experiences, like trau-

ma and pain, leave enduring traces within the brain that change the very organization of the brain and direct our future actions.

The human brain is comprised of billions of nerve cells or neurons; each neuron makes thou-sands of connections with other neurons. It is hard to imagine the complexity of the intercon-nections within the brain and how the organi-zation of the brain enables us to perceive, learn, think and act.

The National Institute of Health is hoping to clarify those connections by awarding the Uni-versity of Wyoming a $10.3 million, five-year Neuroscience Center grant for research aimed towards understanding the effects of sensory experience on the development and organiza-tion of the brain. The grant will also support the academic mission of the Graduate Neuroscience Program.

“Collectively, the research projects supported by the Neuroscience Center grant will define how sensory (light, touch, etc.) experience changes and determines the organization of the brain. Through our collaborative research and team ap-proach, we will identify common processes that underlie nervous system development, organiza-tion and plasticity. With a better understanding of the normal brain processes that determine its or-ganization and function, we will be positioned to identify abnormal neural processes that underlie neurological pathology,” said Dr. Bill Flynn, prin-cipal investigator and director of UW’s Graduate Neuroscience Program.

Our sensory organs include not only the tradi-tional sensors, such as the touch receptors of the skin or receptors in the eye, but include sensors within the brain itself that detect concentrations of chemicals such as sodium, or sensors in the heart and vessels that detect changes in blood volume. These sensors relay this information to the brain.

Sensory experience and the resulting neu-ral activity shape the organization, structure and function of the brain. Activity-dependent

changes in neuronal function are essential for the survival of the animal and normal brain func-tions. The impact of restricting neuronal activity through sensory neglect is evident in the human population. Each year in the United States alone, over 500,000 children suffer from “neglect.” These children have a much higher probability of emo-tional, behavioral, cognitive and physical delays than normal children. Neglect may result from visual birth defects, such as the presence of cata-racts. Research aimed at identifying mechanisms underlying activity-induced plasticity of brain cir-cuits and brain function, have immediate health relevance. Flynn and his team members’ thematic focus are the mechanisms underlying and the functional consequences of activity-dependent changes in brain function. Research investigators are Drs. Bill Flynn, Donal Skinner, Qian-Quan Sun, Jeff Woodbury, from the Department of Zo-ology and Physiology, and Dr. Steven F. Barrett, from Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Nutrition: Diet affects brain organization of unborn

Proper nutrition is important to maintain a healthy life at any age. Dietary habits of pregnant mothers and the quality of nutrition after birth af-fect the neural development of offspring. Proper nutrition starts before you are even born. Simple changes in the mother’s diet during pregnancy could affect the child’s brain organization. Dr. Flynn’s laboratory studies how prenatal and the immediate postnatal period sensory experience determine the organization of the brain.

“One line of research in my laboratory focuses on how dietary sodium consumed by the preg-nant mother changes the brain of the offspring. Dietary sodium may directly affect taste sensory systems, sensors within the brain that detect so-dium, and neurons in the brain, by increasing the extracellular sodium concentration,” Flynn said.

Consumption of high amounts of sodium by the pregnant mother affects the organization of the offspring’s brain. For example, in humans, high salt intake by the pregnant mother predis-poses the offspring to hypertension and height-

ens the salt intake by the offspring. Thus, neural systems controlling both behavior and the auto-nomic nervous system have been affected by the early exposure to dietary sodium.

“During our studies, we identified that the ef-fects of dietary sodium on the offspring’s brain chemistry were similar to the effects of amphet-amine on brain chemistry. Our experiments are examining the parallels between two seemingly different phenomena – salt ingestion and drug ad-diction!” Flynn said, “We can study the parallels by testing for cross sensitization. Cross sensitization is a term used to describe when one drug treatment enhances the response to another drug.”

“Interestingly, prenatal experience with low dietary sodium sensitized the offspring to am-phetamine when tested as adults. We speculate that like amphetamine, dietary salt is affecting the transmitter dopamine and the structure of neu-rons in specific brain regions, such as the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex,” Flynn said.

Flynn’s ongoing experiments raise the pos-sibility that low salt diets during pregnancy and the early postnatal period may be an unsuspected contributing factor to individual differences in am-phetamine sensitivity and possible drug addiction.

Chronic Pain: Injury to brain can influence aching

One of the amazing characteristics of our brain is its ability to learn and to adapt. This capacity of learning is enormous when we are young. But at this time, brains are sensitive to any kind of injury and can result in elaborate reorganization. Many studies have shown that the immature brain is able to change its structural or functional archi-tecture after only a very short period of excita-tion, these changes can last throughout the life-time. “We are trying to understand how learning takes place inside the normal developing brain and how maladaptive reorganizations take place in the injured brain, with a goal to use this infor-mation for therapeutic purposes,” Dr. Qian-Quan Sun, one of the project investigators, said.

The organization of the adult cortex part of the brain is formed during embryonic development,

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Research Grant

UW uses grant to fund neuroscience research

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by the migration of neurons from the proliferative ventricular zone to the developing cortical layers.

After birth, drastic changes of the fine structure of the human immature brain continue and are largely regulated by sensory experiences and brain activities. At least 30 human syndromes disrupt the normal brain architecture. Sun’s research focuses on the potential mechanisms from which early brain abnormalities arise. In one of their recent projects, Leah Shelby, an EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) summer research fellowship recipient, worked on Fragile-X mental retardation syndrome (FXS) with Sun.

FXS is the leading form of inherited mental re-tardation. She uncovered the cellular problems in-trinsic to the brain leading to the FXS syndrome in mice, and pathways that regulate the action of in-hibitory neurons in the cerebral cortex. “This result will help to correlate between onset of micro-struc-tural changes and onset of behavior deficit,” Sun said. “Brain malformations are highly correlated with cognitive disabilities and other neurological disorders such as developmental delay, dyslexia, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and schizophre-nia. Our future research work will provide insights into the mechanisms of neurological disorders de-veloped due to early life experiences.”

Injury experienced around the time of birth in humans can result in permanent changes in the functional organization of pain pathways. Dr. C. Jeffery Woodbury’s lab is trying to track the key aspects of the development and plasticity of pain-processing, or nociceptive, pathways in the spinal cord and brain. Nociceptors are the sensory recep-tors found throughout the skin, muscles, joints and internal organs, that are activated by and signal the presence of noxious, or tissue damaging, stimuli to higher brain centers. The activation of these sen-sory neurons ultimately leads to the perception of pain. Normally, the signals from these nociceptors are kept in check by the act of removing oneself from the offending stimulus. One area of research in his lab is how these pathways respond to injury during very early life. “What we would like to know are the mechanisms underlying these changes, how this happens, so that ultimately we may be able to zero in on better, more appropriate treatments to prevent these injury-induced changes”. Woodbury’s research is also examining the mechanisms that un-derlie changes in nociceptive pathways and process-ing that often follow injury in adulthood. Peripheral injury, especially if it involves injury to a nerve, can lead to a variety of debilitating chronic pain states, and a better understanding of how this occurs will ultimately lead to enhanced treatment and patient care, both short-term and long-term.

“Our recent work strongly points to nociceptors

as playing a critical role in a number of chronic pain states following injury,” Woodbury said. “Imagine intentionally trying to keep your finger on a hot stove. You can’t, nor can I, which is quite normal. Nociception and ensuing pain is a normal, highly valuable and adaptive sense that protects the body from injury.”

However, individuals suffering from chronic pain due to a previous injury or debilitating disease state are seriously disconnected from this normal cause and effect relationship. Instead, it is as if their pain pathways are always turned on. In many cases, excruciating pain can be elicited in these individu-als simply by light touch to the skin, something that is normally quite innocuous and even pleasur-able. Not only can innocuous stimuli such as these elicit pain but stimuli that are normally noxious, such as a pinch or excessive heat or cold, elicit an even greater amount of pain than normal. These individuals simply cannot get a break, which is why these conditions are so terrible and why such a large percentage of healthcare dollars are spent on pain management.

“Our work hopes to tease apart the mechanisms of this plasticity in nociceptive pathways following injury. One area we’re very excited about concerns an entirely new class of nociceptors that we’ve re-cently uncovered,” Woodbury said.

These new sensory neurons exhibit a number of very interesting properties, most peculiar of which are exceedingly low activation thresholds. Also, Woodbury’s work suggests that these appear likely to play a significant role in generating some of these chronic pain states after nerve injury. These neurons are normally silent at the level of the spinal cord, in that their information does not get through to higher centers where it can be perceived as pain.

“However, we hypothesize that injury opens up the floodgates to allow this information to pass through the system. Since they are activated by relatively innocuous stimuli, the latter are capable of eliciting pain under these conditions. Our fu-ture work will examine how these new classes of nociceptors influence nociceptive circuitry under normal and injured conditions to test some of these hypotheses,” Woodbury said.

Daylength: Hormonal rhythms in animals

Pain, injuries or dietary irregularities at the time of early life are not the only factors that control the organization of the brain. Several environmental fac-tors, like daylength, are also known to play a role. Dr. Donal Skinner’s research in neuroscience will show us how daylength, and in particular season, controls hormonal rhythms in animals.

Francis W. (Bill) Flynn, Ph.D.Professor, Director of Neuroscience ProgramZoology and Physiology20 years at UW

Personal goals for project:The research goals are to have the experimental results contribute to understanding human neu-ropathology.

Favorite part about the research:The sense of discovery, learning new techniques to address experimental questions, and working with fun students. Then we get to travel to exciting locations to present the research at conferences.

Personal goals for the future:See the continued growth of Neuroscience at UW. My programmatic goals for the National Institutes of Health Neuroscience Center is for continued renewals of the grant and individual grant success of the investigators. Then my goal is to retire to our place in Steamboat Springs and “work” as a ski ambassador.

C. Jeffery Woodbury, Ph.DAssistant ProfessorZoology and PhysiologyThree years at UW

Personal goals for project: To understand how nervous system pathways involved in pain processing become altered in chronic pain states.

Favorite part about the research:Problem solving and unexpected results are great rewards, but it really all comes down to the ability to eavesdrop in on electrical activity in the ner-vous system. It’s incredibly exciting to hear neu-rons respond when we stimulate the skin. Some are exquisitely sensitive and become revved up by light touch, others may require pinch, while oth-ers may require changes in temperature (heating or cooling) or even noxious chemicals such as capsaicin, the hot ingredient in chili peppers.

Personal goals for the future:To understand the anatomical and molecular bas-es underlying the physiological percepts of touch, temperature, and pain and how these different systems have evolved, how they develop and how they adapt during life to changing conditions.

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“As we go towards the poles, we find that day-length changes are very dramatic. Changes in day-light control the secretion of a hormone, called melatonin, by the brain. This interesting secretion of melatonin induces some physiological and psy-chological changes in mammals,” Skinner said.

Secretion of melatonin in the human body is natural and the amount of secretion changes with daylength. In winter, when days are short and nights are long, there is a high secretion of mela-tonin at night. Humans and other mammals are able to track the changes in the melatonin signal. Mammals change their appetite and reproductive capacity in response to the changes in melatonin secretion.

Secretion of another hormone, prolactin, is controlled by melatonin and is responsible for many physiological effects, including milk pro-duction in mammals. Skinner is trying to find out the mechanisms by which daylight drives a spe-cific sensory-neuroendocrine system to regulate changes in prolactin secretion.

“High concentrations of prolactin make hu-mans infertile and the seasonal prolactin undula-tions drive coat-growth changes in mammals. We want to know the pathways to control prolactin se-cretion by melatonin. We have discovered a specif-ic factor that may be secreted by the ‘pars tuberalis’ portion of the pituitary gland to regulate prolactin release,” Skinner said.

Vision:Seeing through the eyes of a fly

Among all sensory organs, eyes are the most vi-tal in animals. Dr. Steven F. Barrett and a graduate student are trying to understand the mechanism of vision processing inside the eyes and to develop a vision system based upon the commonly available housefly (Musca domestica).

“In the Wyoming Information Signal Processing and Robotics Laboratory (WISPR), we are trying to develop a computerized vision system based upon the common housefly. In humans most of the vision processing is taking place in the brain, whereas in the case of flies, most of their vision processing takes place within their eyes,” Barrett said, “In our point of view, it is very accessible to insert electrodes to learn about the vision processing mechanism. It is easier to measure the signals from their eye and how they are assimilating information inside their eye.”

Barrett and his research team members want to mimic these vision mechanisms in electronics. The housefly has a very parallel vision system. Most vi-sion systems of today, like the video camera, gather the whole image at once, but the processing of that image is done by a host computer. The connection

between the image and the computer is very slow, based on a single serial connection, meaning only one piece of data can go through the system after the other. The fly on the other hand is massively parallel. The fly, which has compound eyes containing 3000 ommatidia, the major modular structural unit of the eye, processes visual information in parallel.

“Each ommatidium can be regarded as one individual mini camera, called a vision cartridge. There are cellular connections among the vision cartridges that support this vision system. Each small cartridge contributes a small piece of the im-age and then shares the information with neigh-boring units,” Barrett said. “The interesting thing is that these 3,000 vision cartridges are working simultaneously. It is collecting the massive amount of data at the same time and that we want to dupli-cate. The other interesting feature of the housefly vision system is that image collected by individual photoreceptors overlap; for this reason it can de-tect the slightest movement in their field of view.”

Four graduate students working with the re-search team – Travis Anderson, John Benson Gavin Phillips, and Leslie Popp – are working on different aspects of development of this computer-based vision system.

Anderson is modeling the function of the fly eye sensor in software. The major thrust of the software development is to add motion capability that will help to perceive the motion of an object in front of the visual sensor. Benson is engaged in developing the hardware part of the system, which will integrate the software-generated information. Part of his research work is to generate the software to measure the angular speed or momentum of an object in front of the photosensor. Popp is measur-ing the actual electrophysiological response of the fly’s vision system to various stimuli.

Beside these advanced neurological research works, this research grant will be used to support the Microscopy Facility, directed by Dr. Zhaojie Zhang, and the Macromolecular Core, directed by Justin Jones, for imaging brain structures and analyzing biological chemicals within the brain and other tissues. These facilities have received sig-nificant financial support from the Neuroscience Center grants and have state-of-the-art equipment, which are available to all faculty and students on campus.

The research grant will sustain the ongoing neurological research projects, which will help to unveil the mysteries of neurological disorders, their cause and development. The outcomes will be helpful to find out the probable solutions to these neurological disorders and provide the possibility for a healthier life for future generations. F

Donal C. Skinner, Ph.D. Associate Professor Zoology & Physiology Over four years at UW

Personal goals for project: Discover the specific function of the pars tuberalis division of the pituitary gland.

Favorite part about you research is?Breaking new ground.

Personal goals for the future:Get my kids through their teenage years in one piece.

Steve F. Barrett, Ph.D.Associate ProfessorElectrical and Computer EngineeringSeven years at UW

Personal goals for project:Working with students to achieve the project objectives.

Favorite part about the research:Working with talented graduate students.

Personal goals for the future:Provide a quality education experience for UW students.

Qian-Quan Sun, Ph.D.Assistant Professor Zoology and PhysiologyTwo years at UW

Personal goals for project: Find the critical period of the brain maturation and understand factors influencing this process.

Favorite part about research:We get to see live cells glowing in the dark everyday and punch holes on these cells with patch-electrodes!

Personal goals for the future:Having a balance between doing good science and enjoying life in Wyoming.

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Kara Peterson

The dreaded freshman 15. The extra 15 pounds that freshman suppos-edly gain when they start college. Is it just a myth? Or is it a reality for college students?

Truth be told, on average freshman don’t gain the entire 15 pounds. Washington University in St. Louis found that the average was more around nine pounds in a study they conducted on 764 students. The study showed about 70 percent of those students gained weight.

“The general consensus from these small studies,” said Andrea Coryell, a coordinator at the University of Wyoming’s Wellness Center, “is that fresh-men typically gain four to seven pounds.” Although the ‘freshman 15’ is not entirely true, students still need to be aware that weight gain in college is the norm.

Most college students would not receive an “A” in the area of a proper diet and exercise routine. This is especially important because the habits formed in the college years of a young person’s life will shape the habits they have after college, researchers from the study at Washington University said.

“The weight gain during the college years is very prevalent. If a student lacks cooking skills and relies on restaurant meals, has no health goals or standards, consumes too many calories in alcohol or high fat foods, or stops being active, they will gain weight. It is simple math, calories in need to equal calories out for weight maintenance,” Shelley Knutsen, Sports Dietitian for the University of Wyoming Athletic Department, said.

There are several factors that combine to wreak havoc on a student’s healthy lifestyle and lead to a lack of nutrition and exercise. The change in lifestyle upon entering university for the first time is a main one.

“Changes in diet when entering college are pretty normal. Suddenly, stu-dents are forced to deal with things they’ve not encountered before – dorm life, heavy course loads, juggling a job or making new friends. For many, it’s their first time away from home and it can be very stressful. As a result, stu-dents may eat because of this stress rather than out of hunger,” Coryell said.

“If it’s something you truly want, go ahead and have that slice of pizza or sundae, but slow down and make sure that you enjoy it! We don’t believe in deprivation, because when you do decide to eat that ‘forbidden’ food, you are more likely to binge,” Coryell said. “Food is one of life’s greatest pleasures and we don’t want anyone to ever feel guilty because of that piece of dessert or extra helping of mashed potatoes.”

She suggests students eat what they desire but always in moderation. Students living at UW have the opportunity to purchase meal plans at

the Washakie Dining Center, which is set up like a food court and offers a variety of meal choices. “Washakie is a great option for healthy eating,” said Knutsen, “as long as you make smart choices.” Studies by Washington University found that students who eat in the dining halls are more likely to eat something like pizza, chicken fingers or a cheeseburger, while the salad bar goes neglected.

Brenna Harkins, graduate student in history said her secret to success-ful Washakie eating was the salad bar. “You can have a whole meal in a salad,” Harkins said.

Healthy eating is also an issue for students that eat and prepare their own meals at home.

Freshmen 15: Myth or Reality?

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Results from the Tufts Longitudinal Health study found that 66 percent of students did not eat enough fruits and vegetables a day, 50 percent didn’t get enough fiber and 60 percent ate too much saturated fat.

One obstacle keeping students from healthy eat-ing is the stress of grocery shopping. Students may be used to their parents making meals and buying food, so when they leave home grocery shopping now has consequences. Since what students buy is now their choice, there is freedom to eat what they choose, not what mom and dad would choose. Your mom isn’t the only one who was right when she said green things were good for you and your body needs them. Students should try to purchase foods that are high in nutrients and low in sodium and trans-fats.

The cost of groceries is also a factor. Fresh food is usually more expensive. “The most bang for your buck,” is one way to phrase students’ shopping hab-its. Mac n’ Cheese and Ramen Noodles are quite popular, but they lack the nutrients needed for healthy living.

“Once students are responsible for their own food preparation, they get less motivated to spend the time preparing balanced meals,” Knutsen said.

A student’s schedule makes it difficult to eat healthy. On top of classes, some students work 20 to 30 hours a week to finance their college education. After that, there are late nights spent on studies. A busy schedule can mean no time to go to the gym, cook dinner and, most notably, no time to even sit down and eat a meal.

“Regular mealtimes can be difficult, so rather than choosing more nutritious options, they grab whatever is most convenient, which may or may not be healthy,” Coryell said. “Try mini-meals through-out the day rather than waiting until lunch or din-ner to eat, you will be more satisfied throughout the day and have more energy.”

She suggested students pack snacks that are nutrient-dense and loaded with complex carbohy-drates and lean proteins. Sugary snacks, which are usually made up of mostly simple carbohydrates, are processed by the body more quickly and will leave you hungry after an hour or two. It is impor-tant not to skip meals, especially breakfast because it helps your body’s metabolism to begin and can help students concentrate during class.

College students are notorious snackers. Some student’s meals come out of the vending machines in between classes. User-friendly food which only takes a second to unwrap and consume is common.

“Gardettos, Sun Chips and granola bars are some of the better choices. They are not extremely high in fat or calories compared to other vending machine snacks, and they will stick with you a little longer.

Candy bars, cookies and pop tarts are tempting but have a lot less nutritional value,” Coryell said.

Students’ social habits also contribute to their di-ets. “Probably the number one cause of weight gain during college is alcohol intake. Alcohol is not uti-lized as an energy source, so the extra calories con-sumed get converted to fat and deposited,” Knutsen said. Most social events center around food, usually whatever is inexpensive and accessible.

Eating out tends to be limited to fast food be-cause it is so cheap. Many fast food companies mar-ket strategies to college age people, hence the “Dol-lar Menu,” which is a student’s best friend when money is short.

“Any restaurant can be a good option, it is just a balancing act. Moderate portion sizes, lots of whole grains, vegetables or fruit as side dishes and low-fat (remember excess fat in the diet goes to fat on the body),” Knutsen said.

French fries that come with a Big Mac don’t count as a vegetable, and neither does the side of ketchup that comes with them. A student must also be aware of their consumption of high-calorie con-diments like mayonnaise and salad dressing.

Along with healthy eating comes regular exercise. “We would like to see UW students work more

activity into their day. Our data tells us that less than half of our students are getting the recom-mended amount (National College Health Assess-ment, 2005). Interestingly, though, more than half of students reported exercising to lose weight,” Co-ryell said. “People sometimes think that being fit means they need to spend an hour or two at the gym every day, which is not true. The gym is only one option.”

Walking or biking to class, jogging, hiking or playing frisbee are some other fun options.

Although the freshman 15 is really more of a myth than a truth, a small amount of weight gain is common in university students. To combat the weight gain, students need to make healthy choices. They need to examine their habits closely and start or continue to try and improve on these habits that will lead to a healthier lifestyle. But too much pre-occupation with weight gain can be detrimental.

“Awareness of weight gain during the college years has led many students down the road of dis-ordered eating. Too many calories on some days, then feeling guilty and consuming way too few calories for as long as the body can stand the star-vation. Then the roller coaster starts again, many times leading to a full blown eating disorder,” Knut-sen said. Balance between healthy eating and exer-cise is the key.

The Wellness Center, located inside Half Acre Gym, has two nutrition consultants and a registered dietician to help students customize their habits. F

Source: Andrea Coryell, a coordinator at the University of Wyoming’s Wellness Center.

EXERCISE: ∙ 30minutesofmoderateactivity

7daysaweek -walking to class or taking the

stairs -accumulate 30 minutes over

the course of the day∙ 20 minutes to an hour of aero-

bic activity three to five days aweek

-brisk walking or playing bas-ketball

-elevating your heart rate to improve fitness

-incorporate weight training and flexibility two to three days a week.

EATING:∙ Fast food – it’s bad for you.

∙ Moderation is a good idea, de-privation is not!

∙ Eat more than two or three meals a day – make them small.

∙ Pay attention to the small things – condiments pack calo-ries.

∙ Think about why you are eating

Healthy lifestyle reminders

Lifestyle

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Kandice Hansen

Beginning a new semester means a

fresh start. This new beginning means

having the ability to have a perfect

attendance record, making good impressions,

and showing a true commitment to education

– above all else. Then reality hits – you are a

single-parent and family comes first.

Life lessonsHelping your child grow while

obtaining an education

Photos by Kandice Hansen

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It’s a complex combination – student and parent – although no complexity could erase the enjoyment found in parenthood. It is one of the greatest experiences, as well as challenges, that one can ever face, according to Tony Tinsley, a single-parent at the University of Wyoming.

“As a parent you stress, you work hard and you stress, and then you see it all pay off. Like when you see that something you’ve taught your child is sticking … Like when they don’t know you’re there or watching and you see them using what you’ve taught them. Then you know it has actually all paid off,” Tinsley said.

Balancing academic achievement with being a successful parent can be tricky, however, espe-cially when you’re going at it alone. Single-parents account for 27 percent of family households with children under the age of 18, according to the 2000 Census Bureau of Household and Family Statis-tics. The State of America’s Children Yearbook 2000 states that one in two children will live in a single-parent family at some point during child-hood. Although each single-parent student comes from a different background, they all have com-monalities and face many of the same dilemmas.

“It is harder (to be a student with children) but I’m doin’ it … college isn’t easy anyways,” Seiley Mann, a UW pharmacy student, com-mented. She began school after becoming a parent, so she says that she doesn’t really know what it would be like not to be a parent while in school.

Many of the college complications single-parent students face are the same as a traditional student, but there are definitely exceptions to that rule.

First, there is the issue of scheduling. Not all college courses fit into the nice 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. public schooling schedule. Childcare for rotat-ing days of the week is not easy to find, nor is it inexpensive.

Night classes are also difficult to work around for a number of different reasons.

“I have tests at night. There’s no daycare that extends into the late night hours. Without friends that are willing to help out, I don’t know what I would do,” Mann stated.

Late classes also interfere with children’s extra-curricular activities. It can seem like it is college education versus ballet and swimming lessons, Mann said. Another challenge single-parent students face is becoming involved in campus clubs and organizations, as they most often meet during the evening hours as well.

Mann has also struggled with required class-es that start early in the morning. Before both of her children were in elementary school, she had to drop her daughters off at two separate loca-

tions, plus use the park-and-ride system to get to campus. This meant finding a daycare for the younger one that would accept early morning hours, and having her elementary-age daughter eat breakfast at school. She feels that she arrived on campus frazzled and out of breath, while her classmates were fresh out of bed, in sweats and enjoying their first cup of coffee.

Time management is also a big struggle for Tinsley.

“Kids are unpredictable. You always have to plan around them and as soon as you think you have something planned, you have to change it,” he said.

Tinsley is new to being a full-time single-par-ent while continuing his education. He feels he is still adjusting to the change. He pointed out that it is completely different having so much more responsibility.

“It’s the fact that you have everything that you have to do as far as school goes, and now you also have another life in your hands as well,” he explained.

One of the most common complaints from UW student-parents was the inability to find a place to fit in. Elise Overstreet, a UW student that is married and a parent, is one of the many who encountered this issue. She became in-volved with the Non-Traditional Student Center, also known as the Adult Student Center, located in room 104 of the Union. She is grateful to the center, as it helped her make the much-needed connections with others that were in similar situations, she stated.

The commonality of this issue is surprising considering that nearly one in three students at-tending UW is a non-traditional student, accord-ing to the Non-Traditional Student Council Web site.

“A non-traditional student includes anyone from a single-parent, to a married student, to an Iraqi vet returning to complete their education,” said Mary Ann Stout, the manager of the Non-traditional and Gender Programs at UW. She urges non-traditional UW students to become more aware of the services and opportunities that the center has to offer.

Married parent Walt Wheat, 46, credits the center for helping him solve problems through referrals. He’s found that an issue one non-tradi-tional student needs help with, another one has probably been through.

One example of this could be dealing with attendance policies. The days of choosing to sleep in and use up an unexcused absence are over. As a single-parent, it’s not an anomaly to plan life around childhood illnesses and acci-

dents. Being the only one a child depends on places even more emphasis on the ability to be there when needed. Choosing quality parenting over extra-credit, or losing attendance points, can become a frequent occurrence.

The single-parent balancing act is one that requires skill and flexibility.

Once a parent, the need for quality time with one’s child becomes almost insatiable. The inva-sion of lack of time is a constant battle. As with other elements in life, priorities must be set to structure and ensure that valuable time is set aside for parent/child relationships as well as achieving academically.

Mann knows that there is no way she could achieve good grades and be a good parent with-out federal aid from the government.

Single-parent

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Kandice Hansen

The first week of school this semester was great. As a senior, I am finally submersed in classes that fit my major, and I am able to spend my time doing what I hope to be doing for the rest of my life – writing and taking pictures. As I was relaxing over the long Labor Day weekend, I had high hopes and aspirations for the next 15 weeks. With my college career about to finally be over, I mentally laid out some academic objec-tives for myself.

A few moments later, my daughter came into the room with a red face and blurted out, “Mom-my, I don’t feel so good.” Without hesitation, I grabbed the thermometer and found out what I already knew, she had a fever. Panic took over and my prior aspirations fell from the sky and splattered onto the ground.

The caretaker in me went to work, hoping that my baby would feel better while the student in me took a beating. “Already missing class will look really great,” I thought. I envisioned myself once again becoming readily recognizable to the woman who gives out university excuses…I’m pretty sure that I hold the record for having the most of those little yellow slips.

This scenario is probably all too familiar to those of you who share the joys of parenthood while taking on a college student lifestyle.

The lifestyle of a parent-student truly is dra-matically different than that of a traditional stu-dent, and I would know. I began my college career as a traditional student, fresh out of high school. I attended a Colorado university and spent my freshman year living the “typical” college exis-

tence. It wasn’t until 2005 (five years later) that I tried full-time student status again – this time with a daughter that would also be starting school. We started our new journeys together, her, a kinder-gartner and me, a college sophomore. This com-mencement included moving to Laramie, leaving a two-level house for a two-bedroom apartment, and learning to live on a strict budget. I quickly learned that being a full-time student as well as be-ing a mother is an interesting way of life.

Even though it seemed like yesterday that I had been an incoming freshman, when returning to college I suddenly felt like I needed to invest in dentures. The life I now lead is completely dif-

ferent from those around me. My priorities were no longer centered on doing the best keg stand, attending each and every athletic game, or spend-ing hours each day in the gym. What spare time I had, if any, was delegated to family time.

The “balancing act” took some adjustment, and it continues to be a day-to-day challenge to fit all of the right priorities in at the right times.

I applaud any and every student that is earn-ing an education along with raising a child. Your child will see your determination and your fervor, and the model being set for them will be one of goal setting, priority tending and fulfillment.

Author Lauren Slocum may have said it best when she stated, “As parents, we must trust the wisdom God has blessed us with in order to make decisions for ourselves and our children – deci-sions that feel right. Remember, the decisions you make may not always achieve your desired result, but no decision is wrong if you choose to learn something from it. What an extraordinary role model you will be for your child, if you approach life with this type of attitude. Your child will see a parent willing to make mistakes, but not will-ing to give up! Adopting a calm, determined and sometimes daring approach to life is an excellent lesson for your children and possibly the wisest step you will ever take for yourself.”

If you are a parent daring to take on college as well, remember not only that you are improv-ing yourself, but that you are setting an example and teaching your child an “excellent lesson” in the process. I wish all parent-students the best of luck on their journeys. F

“My Pell grants cover tuition and most books, giving me the ability to live off of stu-dent loans,” she said. “Without the financial aid and other services offered by the state, I couldn’t successfully be a good parent and stu-dent at the same time.”

The financial aspect of being a student and a parent can be overwhelming. Lynlee Johnson, now a nurse at Ivinson Memorial Hospital, un-derstands the struggles that come along with joining parenthood and college education. She has a son and a daughter, both of whom she sup-ported throughout her education.

“I wish I would have come into contact with a student center that could aid me in making finan-cial decisions throughout school,” Johnson said.

The Non-Traditional Student Program can help with budgeting, assistance connections, money saving tips, etc. A single-parent student may be busier, may be spread more thinly, and have less social time, but many realize the impor-tance of appreciating each day and the joys of life.

Tinsley expressed this joy and satisfaction when he said, “Kids just make you smile. They’ll make your day because no matter what happens, for some reason, it seems like kids will always do something just to make you laugh … something that you weren’t expecting. That’s the reward of it … that’s the best thing in the world. They make you wanna pull your hair out and then they make you smile.”

Amidst the extra responsibilities of being

a parent as well as a student, is the duty to re-main a positive and optimistic role model. In the words of author Rachel Carlson, “If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excite-ment, and mystery of the world we live in.”

Therefore, though it may be a struggle to har-monize academics and parenting, the responsi-bility of nurturing is of utmost importance to a single-parent.

Whether beginning a new semester, or be-ginning a new discovery with a child, the life of a single-parent student seems to incorporate complexities with fresh opportunities, joys and fulfillment. F

Leaving the ‘typical’ college life for parenthoodEditorial

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Travis CochranASUW Director of External Affairs

1. How do you feel about your new position?

I am very excited about being involved as an executive forASUW. This will be a fun year, and I am looking forwardto potential changes to ASUW programs (SafeRide, BikeLibrary).

2. What are your goals for the year?

I have several goals for my position. I really want to find a home for the Bike Library and for the SafeRide dispatch. A permanent place will help secure the future for these programs. I also want to look at other funding sources for the SafeRide program. Sources that I plan to look into are Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Wyoming Technical Institute (WyoTech) and Wyoming Department of Transportation (WyDOT). I also want to work with Ryan Mc-Connaughey, ASUW Chief of Staff, and get the DIA Shuttle Program running again for Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks.

3. What are your long-term goals?

After my undergraduate degree I plan on attending physical therapy school at the University of North Dakota. After physical therapy school...the sky is the limit. I would love to work in acute care or a private practice setting.

4. Are there any people that have inspired you?

My dad has definitely inspired me the most in my life. He raised three kids almost entirely on his own, put two through college and one on the way.

Caroline MorrisASUW Director of Public Relations

1. How do you feel about your new position?

I am so excited to have the opportunity to work for ASUW. I think my new position will be both fun and challenging. It is an empowering experience to work for students and I think I will have an important role in promoting ASUW to students.2. What are your goals for the year?

My goals for next year relate to many of the executive and senate goals. I want to make the Web site more accessible to students, revise the RSO advertising policy, establish an even stronger relationship with the Branding Iron and look into the possibility of designing a new logo for students. Further, I want to in-crease the visibility of ASUW.

3. What are your long-term goals?

After I graduate in May, I am hoping to finish another degree in accounting at UW. As far as long-term goals after college, I would like to spend a few years working and/or teaching abroad or possibly doing the PeaceCorp. Eventually, I would like to attend law school and/or graduate school on the East Coast.

4. What are you looking forward to the most this year?

I am most looking forward to promoting student government in every way I can and working with the other executives, senators, RSOs and members of the university administration.

5. Are there any quotes that have inspired you?

My mom always told me that confidence is key in everything you do. Favorite Quote: “Opportunity dances for those who are ready to dance on the

dance floor.”

Darcy DeTienneDirector of the Union

1. How do you feel about your new position?

I’m very excited! Becoming a Union Direc-tor was the obvious next step in my career and the opportunity to do it here at the University of Wyoming couldn’t make me happier! 2. What are your goals?

We have a beautiful facility currently, but need to make plans for the future – general repair/replacement of furniture, fix-tures, and equipment; maintaining and/or upgrading opera-tional systems, renovations, the growth of services and pro-grams. As the students needs change, so must we, and so must the programs and services we provide.

3. Where did you graduate from college?

My undergraduate degree is a B.S. in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Systems Analysis/Design from Montana State University-Billings. I received a Master of Science in Coun-seling and Human Development with a College Student Person-nel emphasis from Minnesota State University–Moorhead.

4. Did you imagine yourself with this career growing up?

I had no idea this type of career existed when I was young. I discovered it during college after I became involved with stu-dent activities and the Program Board. I then realized that all the things I enjoyed as a student leader could continue on into a career. I could give back to students what my advisors and directors had given me.

5. Are there any quotes that have inspired you?

“Successful is the person who has lived well, laughed often and loved much, who has gained the respect of intelligent people and the affection of little children, who has earned the appreci-ation of honest critics and endured the betrayal of false friends, who leaves the world better than they found it, who has never lacked appreciation for the earth’s beauty, who never fails to look for the best in others or give the best of themselves, whose life was an inspiration, whose memory is a benediction.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pieces of UWNew faces in new positions contributing on campus

Information compiled by Lauren Beard

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Jennifer ReeceASUW Director of Legislative Affairs

1. How do you feel about your new position? My new position is wonderful! I am currently a third-year law student at UW and so being involved in government and policymaking is really one of my interests career-wise.2. What are your goals for the year?

My goals for next year are to continue the development of ASUW’s student legal services and implement additional marketing strategies, including a new software system and client reporting methods. Also, the need to pro-vide additional marketing strategies for both the Student’s Attorney Pro-gram and the Student Legal Services Clinic need to be further developed and implemented.

3. What are your long-term goals? My long-term goals are to live in Wyoming and practice law. Upon gradua-

tion, my immediate goal is to pass the bar exam and to obtain employment in a prosecutor’s office somewhere in Wyoming. I hope to eventually be involved in policy-making for Wyoming so that I can contribute to making Wyoming the best state that it can be.

4. What are you looking forward to the most this year? This year, I look forward to new challenges that allow me to venture outside

of my comfort zone and enjoy new experiences. I especially look forward to all of the new contacts that I will make, on the University of Wyoming campus, and around Wyoming.

5. Are there any certain people that have inspired you? Since I am an aspiring attorney, my father, Judge Norman Young, has been

my inspiration. He is a wonderful judge, attorney and father. I hope to someday be just like him and to possess his traits of objectivity, patience and compassion. Also, my mother has been a constant inspiration to me to stay true to myself and to have self-confidence in all that I do. She is an amazing woman and a wonderful friend.

6. Are there any quotes that have inspired you? I once was lucky enough to attend a national convention for my sorority in

college and listened to a woman speak about being a “strong woman.” She said many meaningful and moving things, but I will never forget one state-ment that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. She stated: “You can’t grow a wishbone where a backbone should have been.” It has been a constant reminder to be strong so that you don’t have to wish for something different down the road.

Becca FreeburnASUW Vice President

1. How do you feel about your new position?

I could not be more excited to be representing stu-dents as their ASUW Vice President for a second term. So many times after serving a one year com-mitment we say that if we got one chance to do it over, we know exactly what we would do differently

– this is my chance to make changes and have an absolutely great year after learning what action could create even more success for ASUW and UW students.

2. What are your goals for the year?

I could talk about the ASUW goals for pages! There will be a focus in ASUW this year on the following topics: ASUW Transportation Services (i.e. SafeRide and the DIA Shuttle), ASUW Finances, ASUW Student Legal Services, student leadership and civic engagement, and finally ASUW outreach to students. Personally, my goal is to make the most of my senior year and the opportunity I have been given to serve students.

3. What are your long-term goals?

I intend to go to graduate school somewhere next year in some ma-jor that is currently undetermined. My ultimate goal is to end up in a place I love with a job that excites me each and every day; stay involved in my community so that I end each day with happiness, purpos, and contentment.

4. What are you looking forward to the most this year?

I am very much looking forward to all the promise that 2006-2007 holds for me. I am excited about my opportunity to serve students and grow individually through my interactions with others. In addition to my extracurricular experiences, I am anticipating making some amaz-ing memories with my friends during my senior year of college!

5. Are there any certain people that have inspired you?

My parents have been a constant inspiration in my life. They consis-tently support, encourage, and challenge me in every aspect of my life and make me want to, and believe that I can, change the world. In addition to my parents and family, I find I am ever grateful for many of my peers at the University of Wyoming who challenge me daily to perform positive action in order that I may be the best I can be, and to expand myself individually to better understand and serve the world that surrounds me.

6. Are there any quotes that have inspired you?

“Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate. So practice happy thinking every day. Cultivate the merry heart, de-velop the happiness habit, and life will become a continual feast.” – Norman Vincent Peale,

“Wonders never cease.” – Greek Proverb, “If we listened to our intellect, we’d never have a love affair. We’d never

have a friendship. We’d never go into business, because we’d be cynical. Well, that’s nonsense. You’ve got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the w a y down.” – Ray Bradbury

It wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t have my dad on the list with

“Think...Pay Attention...and Try Hard.”

Sara AxelsonVP for Student Affairs:1. How do you feel about your new position?

I am thoroughly enjoying serving as VP for Student Affairs at UW!2. What are your goals, both short and long-term?

My goals for next year are to continue implementation of our support service plan, refine student retention ef-

forts, broaden support services for students taking classes through Out-reach, implement a Student Advisory Council for the Office of the VP for Student Affairs and support the departments in Student Affairs in their efforts.

My long-term goals are to serve UW for many years to come and enjoy life in Wyoming!

3. Where did you graduate from college?

I received my BA from UW, and my MPA from the University of Colorado at Denver. I am currently a doctoral student in the College of Education at UW.

4. Are there any people that have inspired you? My husband, Dave Axelson, who believes that we must improvise, adapt,

and overcome!

UW students bare all for art ... Page 18