SPORTS ACROBATICS AND TUMBLING TO HOST NCATA CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 2017 11

LIFESTYLE APU ALUMNA DETAILS HER LIFE AS A NEW YORK CITY NEWS REPORTER 6
OPINION STUDENT ENCOURAGES AMERICANS WITH ELECTION THOUGHTS AND CAT VIDEOS 8

student voice of azusa pacific university since 1965

VOL. 53, NO. 8

WWW.THECLAUSE.ORG

Campus offices accommodate

differently abled students

Faculty and staff

seek inclusion
for those with
conditions,
diseases and
disabilities
Gina Ender
editor-in-chief

In an effort to diversify campus

culture and make APU more
inviting and adaptable for students
who live with disabilities, diseases
and conditions, The Learning
Enrichment
Center
(LEC),
University Counseling Center and
The Center for Diversity, Equity and
Inclusive Excellence have partnered
to meet the needs of this population.
LEC
Director
Elizabeth
Chamberlain said she and the center
are seeking ways to provide more
fairness and equity for students with
disabilities.
We try to be liaisons as well as
advocates for students as much as we
can, Chamberlain said. We want to
make sure they have full access to all
programs and services that will help
them to be successful.
Among other changes, the
LEC is hiring a Disability Services
Coordinator, a new role formerly
referred to as Associate Director.

Chamberlain said the name change

in itself shows a commitment to
serving these students, and she
anticipates that the person hired will
lead the LEC in workshops, provide
Internet resources and help incoming
students transition.
Disability Services, one of four
services the LEC offers, serves
over 400 students between the
undergraduate,
graduate
and
University College populations.
The staff connects students with
departments who can make suitable
accommodations depending on their
needs, which may include classroom,
housing, parking, chapel or dietary
restrictions.
University Counseling Center
Counselor Suzannia Holden, Psy.D.
said it is important for people on
campus to make themselves aware
of the concerns and challenges of
students who have disabilities.
Keep in mind the persons
individual needs and preferences can
be learned by making the effort to get
to know the whole person, Holden
said. It is important not to ignore the
disability because it is a component of
who they are, but also not allow the
disability to define how you view the
person.
Holden served as a panelist
at a workshop entitled Disability
Awareness: Strategies to Enhance
Access and Inclusion of Students
with Disabilities on Tuesday, Nov.
29 alongside Chamberlain and

Freestyle swimmer
competes against
Olympians in
international
championships 10

LEC Tutoring Coordinator Mary

Mercurio Santos.
Susan Warren, Ph.D., director
of diversity programs for The Center
for Diversity, Equity and Inclusive
Excellence, organized the event
and said it was effective because
it helped encourage attendees
to be approachable, supportive,
understanding and gracious toward
students with disabilities.
This work isnt about just getting
knowledge in your head, Warren
said. You can read about diversity,
but youve got to get to peoples
hearts. You only get to that through
hearing stories and discussions.
The event featured six APU
students who live with different
conditions, diseases or disabilities
who explained to attendees how
these experiences impact their lives
on and off campus.
Freshman liberal studies major
Jacqueline Thomas lives with
misophonia, a condition that gives
her extreme sensitivity to the sight
or sound of people chewing, either
of which will put her into a panic
attack. She shared that it has forced
her to live without a roommate, avoid
walking near dining venues and
announce her circumstance in front
of students in all of her classes.
[Misophonia
has]
really
transformed my life, Thomas said.

SPORTS INFORMATION PHOTO

California propositions
stir campus conversation
Students reflect
on ballot
presence of
death penalty,
marijuana and
plastic bags
Nathan Foster
staff writer

In the aftermath of conversations

concerning the presidential election,
the propositions on the ballot in
California received less attention. On
Nov. 8, a total of 17 propositions were
voted on, 12 of which passed.
Proposition 62 would have
repealed the death penalty and
replaced it with a life sentence in
jail without possibility of parole. It
was defeated with 6,913,025 votes to

6,068,675 votes.
Freshman English major Reilly
Fitzpatrick voted yes on Proposition
62.
I think that the death penalty is
putting the role of God into mans
hands, and I dont agree with that.
I think making capital punishment
as part of human government
is something that goes against
my personal Christian beliefs,
Fitzpatrick said.
Helena Mayer, a freshmen music
major, voted no on Proposition 62.
I said no only because from
the last research I had. The amount
of money spent keeping someone
in prison for lifetime means that
taxpayers have to spend a significant
amount of money further. I think the
death penalty is not as barbaric as
people make it sound; its quick and
easy, as long as its humane, Mayer
said.

see PROPOSITIONS 2

RACHEL WATHNE GRAPHIC

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7, 2016

FEATURE

see DISABILITIES 3

Urban Vinyl wins first place Offices plan for spring

Student
in Zuventurez competition The
Center for
SHEPHERD NEWCOMB PHOTO

Communication
studies students
champion
contest with
headphone
startup
Shepherd Newcomb
staff writer

Urban Vinyl won first place in the

ZuVenturez competition on Nov. 15,
earning the $15,000 cash prize. The
contest judge and Urban Vinyl both
predicted that the APU startup will
blow up in coming years.
When Seth Fontaine, a former
APU student and founder of Urban
Vinyl, met Christian Sanchez on
campus, it didnt take long before
they combined their experiences
as entrepreneurs to start working
on what would eventually become
Urban Vinyl.
The company makes high-quality
headphones designed to produce
the best sound. In addition to being
stylish, comfortable and functional,

The Urban Vinyl team wins the $15,000 first prize in their second
year competing in the Zuventurez entrepreneurial contest.
Urban Vinyls products are created
from the same kind of wood that
many instruments are made of.
In 2015, the founders of this
APU startup knew that they were
on to something when they made it
to the final round of pitches in their
first experience with ZuVenturez,
although they placed outside of the
top three contestants.
This year when we did
ZuVenturez, it was different
because we actually had a years
worth of traction, Fontaine said.
We also knew what to expect from
ZuVenturez, so we were prepared

with actual numbers and figures to

back us up, versus last year when we
just had to guess on everything.
With Fontaine and Sanchez,
Chase
Molenaara
freshman
physics major in the honors college
became an additional asset to their
company. After a previous encounter
with Urban Vinyl and his interest in
ZuVenturez, Molenaar approached
Fontaine at the beginning of this
years
competition.
freshmans
passion,
entrepreneurship
and
creative ideas.

see ZUVENTUREZ 3

Reconciliation
and Diversity
and Residence
Life begin
preparations for
next semester
Erika Hunter
news editor

Every mid to late November,

APU updates their fact sheet for
the current school year. This fact
sheet includes, but is not limited to,
the total number of students in the
undergraduate population (currently
at 5,770) and graduate population
(currently at 4,250), as well as the
percentage of female and male
students.
In obtaining this data, the
Director of Institutional Research,
Chris Olson, has seen a significant
increase in the population of transfer
students.
More than 600 students transfer
to APU each year. Due to the
fluctuating number of students,
several offices on campus are

beginning to set goals to develop

their mission and cater to a greater
body of students.
The Student Center for
Reconciliation
and
Diversity
(SCRD) has begun thinking about
some of their plans for the upcoming
semester. As an office that promotes
recruitment and retention, leadership
development and the pursuit of
academic success and graduation,
Executive Director of the SCRD
Aaron Hinojosa is looking to
engage with incoming students by
hearing their stories. He said that
this strategy will help the office gain
perspective on how to better serve
the community.
In an effort to get more students
into the office, Hinojosa anticipates
introducing the SCRD alongside
ethnic organizations during the first
week of spring semester.
[We aim to] help the new
incoming spring students gain
awareness of what SCRD has to
offer, Hinojosa said.
Though the SCRD may be
perceived as only serving students of
color, Hinojosa wants to reinforce
the fact that they seek to work with
all students.
We work with SGA and
Communiversity to expand on this
mission, Hinojosa said.

see FACT SHEET 4

2 WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7, 2016 Clause

campus
safety
Thursday, December 8
report
Christmas Tree Lighting
The following are selected
incidents as reported from
the Daily Media Log from Nov.
22 through Dec 4 courtesy of
Campus Safety.

Join President Jon Wallace for the Christmas tree lighting, hot
cocoa, cookies and caroling in Bode Commons on East Campus
behind the trolley stop at 5:15 p.m.

FRIDAY, NOV. 18
PETTY THEFT
ADAMS HALL

Christmas Celebration Chapel will be from 10:30 to 11:20 a.m. in

the Felix Event Center.

Police

FRIDAY, NOV. 25
GRAND THEFT
UNIVERSITY VILLAGE
Azusa

MONDAY, NOV. 28
PETTY THEFT
SHIRE EXTERIOR

Azusa

Azusa

Re-Imagine Music with J. Michael ONeal &

Friends

Special guests Aretha Scruggs and Teeron Brooks will perform a

night of jazz and pop music from 6 to 8 p.m. in Munson Chapel.

Sunday, December 11

Midnight Breakfast

The end of semester breakfast event will be hosted in the 1899

Dining Hall from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Monday-Friday, December 12-16

Police

Police

SUNDAY, DEC. 4
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTAUTO
UNIVERSITY VILLAGE
CARPORTS/GARAGES
Referred
to
Department.

Sunday, December 11

Above: Two APU students pose by the Prayer Wall on West Campus.
Below: Students smile with Buddy the Elf in anticipation of Christmas.

@NATHANPRESSPLAY COURTESY

Azusa

Referred to Student Life.

Referred
to
Department.

Saturday, December 10

The gospel choir will perform from 6 to 8 p.m. in Munson Chapel.

TUESDAY, NOV. 22
STANDARD OF CONDUCT
- UNDERAGE POSS. OF
ALCOHOL
TRINITY HALL

Referred
to
Department.

Christmas Chapel

Gospel Choir Concert

TUESDAY, NOV. 22
PETTY THEFT
PARKING LOT F
Referred
to
Department.

Police

Friday, December 9

@TPERKS____ COURTESY

Azusa

compiled by erika hunter

Police

REMEMBER
1. If you see something, say
something.
2. Safety is everyones business.
3. Dial 911 for life-threatening
emergencies.
4. Non-emergencies: Call
Campus Saftety at (626) 8153898.
5. Lock all doors and windows to your dorm, apartment and vehicle.
6. Keep all valuables secured
and out of plain view.
7. At night, keep to well-lit
areas.
8. Always be aware of your
surroundings.
9. Utilize the trolleys, safety
escorts or walk groups.
10. Avoid places where you
are vulnerable and there are
no exits.
11. Avoid texting or talking on
the phone while walking as
you may be distracted.
12. Avoid walking and jogging
alone.
13. Secure your bike with a
recommended Kryptonite
U-lock.

Finals Week

The Clause staff would like to wishour readers a happy finals week.
May you all do well and have a joyous Christmas holiday with family
and friends!

Students discuss voting for state propositions

PROPOSITIONS, P. 1

Mayer also voted yes on

Proposition 66, which was designed
to speed up the process of the death
penalty and eliminate certain appeal
trials that prolong the process by
years and cost the state and taxpayers
millions of dollars a year. It was
approved by a margin of 6,340,488
votes to 6,058,853 votes.
The death penalty was not the
only controversial issue with two
propositions. Propositions 67 and
65 dealt with the ban of single-use
plastic bags. Proposition 67 banned
plastic bags, which has made grocery
stores charge 10 cents per reusable
bag. It was approved by a margin of
6,893,455 votes to 6,082,718 votes.
Proposition 65 would have taken
the 10 cents per bag and dedicated it
to a wildlife conservation fund, giving
grants for drought mitigation; clean
drinking water supplies; recycling;
litter removal; wildlife habitat
restoration; beach cleanup; and
state, regional and local parks. It was
defeated by a margin of 6,987,497
votes to 5,919,018 votes.
Fitzpatrick,
Mayer
and
sophomore communication studies
major Lindsay Goodell all voted yes
on the plastic bag ban propositions.

BALLOTPEDIA COURTESY

Referred
to
Department.

THECLAUSE.ORG/NEWS

Everyone will just get used to

it. A lot of places in California are
already doing that. To me, its not
that big of a deal, Goodell said.
Fitzpatrick shared Goodells
view that its something people will
get used to.
Its a first world problem,
Fitzpatrick said. I think that paying
10 cents for a bag or bringing your
own bag is not that big of a deal, and
we should be able to deal with that.
Fitzpatrick
said
that

Clause
NEWS STAFF
editor-in-chief gina ender
news editor erika hunter
lifestyle editor jamie roebuck-joseph
opinion editor hankyul sharon lee
sports editor brandon rodriguez
photo/design editor rachel wathne
copy editors meghan hui, tyler wilborn
business manager lorraine tan
staff writers alyssa burlingame, walter
cortez, nathan foster, shepherd newcomb,
tyler smith
faculty advisers jessica sherer, kent walls

environmental issues werent as

important to her as others, but they
were still important because she
wanted to keep the environment safe
and clean.
Proposition 64 dealt with the
legalization of recreational marijuana
for people 21 and older. It was
approved by a margin of 7,602,606
votes to 5,744,950 votes. Mayer was
one of the more than 7 million that
voted yes.
You see a lot of teenagers start

drinking because of rebellion. I feel

like its the same thing. No matter
what, its still being produced,
Mayer said.
Both Fitzpatrick and Goodell
voted no on the proposition.
I think its going to cause a lot
more accidentswe already have
enough accidents even with people
that are drunk driving. I think it will
cause a lot more problems than it will
help, Goodell said.
Proposition 58 was concerned
with
bilingual
education.
It
suggested that students who speak
English as their second language
(ESL) shouldnt have to take subjects
like math or science in English, and
can instead learn it in their native
language. It was approved by the
largest margin of 9,530,008 votes to
3,466,275 votes. Fitzpatrick voted yes
on 58.
I tutor kids at the library; a lot
of them are ESL students, and they
have a lot of trouble with a concept
that they would easily grasp if it was
in their native language. I think thats
really helpful for them academically,
Fitzpatrick said.
To view the rest of the
propositions that did and did not pass
in California, visit ballotpedia.org/
California_2016_ballot_proposition.

mailing address p.o. box 9521-5165, azusa, ca 91702

phone 626-815-6000, ext. 3514
website www.theclause.org email editorinchief@theclause.org
The Clause is a student newspaper
dedicated to providing a realistic, journalistic
educational experience for students of
Azusa Pacific University; to seeking truth
and reporting it boldly, fairly and accurately;
to enhancing the university community by
providing a student voice imbued with truth,
responsibility and accountability.
The newspaper is published weekly,
except during examinations and vacation
periods, by the students of the Department
of Communication Studies at Azusa Pacific
University. The newsroom is located on
Cougar Walk in between the Cougars Den
and Paws N Go. The views expressed in all
letters to the editor and opinion articles are
those of their authors, not staff or university.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Please include a phone number for
verification of all letters to the editor.
Anonymous and unverified letters to the
editor will not be printed. The Clause
reserves the right to edit the letters for
length and journalistic style. The opinions
expressed in this newspaper do not
necessarily reflect the views of the faculty,
staff or administration of Azusa Pacific
University.
FOLLOW US!
Our Facebook page: facebook.com/apuclause
Our Twitter handle: @apuclause
ADVERTISE WITH US!
Contact Lorraine Tan at
clauseads@gmail.com.

THECLAUSE.ORG/NEWS

Clause

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7, 2016

Including students with disabilities Zuventurez awards

winning contestants

DISABILITIES, P. 1

ZUVENTUREZ, P. 1

RACHEL WATHNE PHOTO

Students just dont really

understand what it is. They may
understand that I get frustrated, but
they dont understand that I dont just
get frustrated, its an episode that I go
through, a real panic attack. Its not
something that I can sometimes deal
with.
Thomas said she hopes disability
awareness will help students find
better accommodations before the
school year starts. On her first day
of school, a professor ate in front of
her, resulting in panic attack. She
said if arrangements were made
beforehand, situations such as these
could be avoided.
Understand that youre not
going to understand, she said. Be
able to be respectful to whoever has
the disability without understanding
what they have.
Undeclared freshman Carolina
Phillips also served as a panelist
and shared her story of living with
Hashimotos. This autoimmune
disease causes her body to attack her
thyroid and lends itself to extreme
fatigue and sensitivity to many foods.
Its always good to try to explain
and educate people on it, Phillips
said.
A woman approached Phillips
after the event to discuss her own
thyroid problems and said Phillips
story encouraged her to look further
into her own health.
Phillips said she and other people
with disorders often try to go beyond
their capabilities in order to not make
excuses. Phillips said its helpful

Learning Enrichment Center Director Elizabeth Chamberlain speaks

on the Americans with Disabilities Act at the Disability Awareness
workshop in the LAPC Board Room on Tuesday, Nov. 29.
to have faculty who not only ask if
shes feeling okay, but seek to really
understand and educate themselves
on her circumstance.
Center for Diversity, Equity and
Inclusive Excellence Vice President
and Chief Diversity Officer Kimberly
B.W. Denu, Ph.D. said the workshop
was effective in educating faculty and
staff on being more respectful of
students with disabilities.
As many of our students have
shared, they dont want to be pitied
or ostracized or marginalized, they
want to be accepted and valued for
who they are as a person, above and
beyond their ability or disability,
Denu said. The more I look at

disabilities and its important place

in the celebration of diversity, [I
understand] how we value each
person in this community and realize
that they bring something special.
From Feb. 27-March 3, 2017,
APU will hold its second Disability
Awareness Week, focusing on how
students with disabilities contribute
to diversity on campus. Visit apu.edu/
lec/disabilities/ for more information
on the LECs Disability Services.
From June 5-8, 2017, APU
will host the Summer Institute
on Theology and Disability. Visit
faithanddisability.org/projects/
summer-institute/
for
more
information.

At that point, Seth took me on

as part of his team, Molenaar said.
From then on, I began to develop
some skills and have some of my own
abilities come to fruition. I am so
happy to be part of this company.
Since Urban Vinyl had previous
experience with Zuventurez, basic
knowledge of ongoing business
operations and experience in the
market, it elevated them in the
competition. Paolo Narciso, a
successful entrepreneur and one of
the ZuVenturezs judges, took notice
of this.
There were several factors in our
decision, Narciso said, The bottom
line is that they understood their
market, had enough history with that
market with revenue and knew how
to scale.
Narciso explained that although
presenting the right numbers and
showing experience in the market is
important, it takes more than that to
be successful in entrepreneurship.
I love their passion for their
product and for their industry,
Narciso said. You can see that
in their design and how theyve
engineered their product. I also like
their focus. They know what they do
well, and I saw the drive for them to
be the best at that.
With a ZuVenturez title under
their belt, the Urban Vinyl team is
looking to elevate their growth and

success.
Now that we won ZuVenturez,
we have gotten a lot of attention and
momentum. We want to keep this
momentum by landing our deals
with Stack Commerce, Costco and
Coachella, Fontaine said. With
the $15K, we are using it either for
online advertisements, celebrity
endorsements or for more product.
As the end of the year approaches,
Urban Vinyl looks ahead and remains
focused for 2017.

I love their passion

for their product and
for their industry.

Next year, if we land these deals,

we will just continue to grow. You
can expect Bluetooth headphones
and earbuds to be released sometime
in 2017, Fontaine said. In five years,
Urban Vinyl will be a multi-million
dollar company with all kinds of
audio equipment such as speakers
(both portable and systems) and vinyl
record turntables. We also hope to
host our own festival, kind of like
Coachella, but with the artists that
we work with.
With this upward trend, Narciso
can see the expansion of the company
and its bright future.
They could become the next
Beats, Narciso said. They could be
the next Nixon watches of the music
industry.

THECLAUSE.ORG/NEWS

Clause

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7, 2016

FACT SHEET, P. 1

Hinojosa said the SCRD is

looking forward to hearing from
more students in the spring. They are
hoping to get more students involved
in some of their upcoming events,
like the PIO luau in April and the
monthly speaker series featuring both
faculty and staff members.
Residence Life is also putting
together a plan of action to effectively
integrate their transfer students into
their mission .
[We are] creating spaces for
residential students to explore their
God-given identity and purpose
within the communities they live,
Smith Hall Resident Director (RD)
Scott Kolmer said.
Though Kolmer doesnt expect
many new students in his hall this
spring, he is looking to accomplish
his second semester goal of going
deeper with his current residents
and the few new ones he does have.
He, along with his staff of 11 resident
advisors (RAs), will be using much
of their time to focus on things like
life stories. With the understanding
that many residents experience
homesickness, Kolmer said that
Residence Life is hoping to make
sure that no one, whether they are a
current resident or a new one, feels as
if though they dont belong.
I think we just go out of our way
to not just make sure that person feels
welcomed, but also fast-track some
of that connection so they can jump

right into going deep, Kolmer said.

With a resident hall of roughly
130 students, he anticipates losing
a few students due to transfers. In
welcoming new students, he wants
for all students to know him, their
RAs and neighbors.
Ill make sure that the RA
welcomes them and make sure
that the RA keeps an eye on them,
Kolmer said.
Though its primary goal of
first semester was to get residents
connected, Residence Life is
encouraging students to dig a little
deeper in the spring and to thoroughly
comprehend and understand their
neighbors and brothers and sisters in
Christ.

We are creating
spaces for
residential students
to explore their Godgiven identitiy and
purpose within the
communities they
live.
-Scott Kolmer,
Resident Director

to implement
faith in the
classroom elicit
student response
Shepherd Newcomb
staff writer

In light of a seminar hosted by the

Office of Faith Integration on Nov.
10, students voiced their opinions
about two of the four cornerstones
applicable to this idea: Christ and
scholarship. Students spoke out
about faith integration as well as its
significance and sometimes a lack of
it in the classroom.
I think it only really exists in
Bible courses, senior social work
major Stephanie Shaull said. I wish
it was valued more in all our classes
because its important to understand
the value of the connection of faith
and work.
Shaull said she believes faith and
work should go hand in hand.
I believe it is important because
as Christ-followers we must be
prepared to recognize that if we are
to represent Christ, we must know
how to in our specific professions
and career, Shaull said. APU
can improve their faith integration
assignments and lectures by
emphasizing the presence of faith
in our professions and how we
can reflect Christ even in secular
settings where it may not always be

appropriate to be outward on ones

faith.
Senior English major Michael
Ayetiwa said he has seen faith
integration implemented in the
classroom.
One of my English teachers
opens and closes each class session
in prayer. He sends around a prayer
list so that students can share their
prayer requests and praises, Ayetiwa
said.
In
that
class,
Ayetiwas
experience has shown him how faith
can be represented in the subject and
the class itself, as well as in various
assignments regarding personal
responses about faith.
I really appreciate that [the
professor] does prayer for the sake
of his students and their needs,
not just to fulfill a faith integration
requirement, Ayetiwa said.
For junior music major Andrew
Washington, it is more difficult
to think of examples of how faith
is integrated into the classroom
environment.
The closest we get to faith
integration is, like, a G-sus chord,
Washington said jokingly while
thinking about his music performance
classes.
He said some of his professors
joked about faith integration as well,
but one made a connection between
music and the Bible.
In some of my classes,
my teachers will mention faith
integration in a joking way. If they
mention the Bible, theyll be like,
Oh, by the way, thats your faith
integration, Washington said. In

RACHEL WATHNE GRAPHIC

APU staff prepares for Students discuss faith integration

Campus efforts
incoming students

my music business class, my teacher

gave an interesting correlation
between music business and David,
and the power of music in the Bible.
He pretty much called Dave like a
roadie to King Saul. I thought that
was interesting, but other than that
theres not a lot.
Emily Mirrilees, a journalism
alumna, transferred from Wheaton
College to APU in fall 2013 before
returning to Wheaton to graduate
in May 2015. Having attended two
different Christian universities,
she said she has seen differences
in how faith integration has been
implemented into the classroom.
I would say that APU does a less
consistent job, but they include it in
a more meaningful way, Mirrilees
said. While at Wheaton, the faith
integration was in every class, but
it always seemed to be a stretch.
At APU, the faith integration was
better thought out and applied to
real life examples in tangible ways,
particularly through the journalism
classes I was in.

Lifestyle

Drive-In Movie Night

Students
gather on West
Campus to watch
Christmas film
Tyler Smith
staff writer

With finals around the corner and

anxiety on the rise, students gathered
to relieve stress at a free Drive-In
Movie night hosted by Campus Life
Crew on Friday, Dec. 2.
Campus Life Crew showed
the renowned Christmas classic,
The Santa Clause, a film about
an ordinary man named Scott
Calvin (played by Tim Allen) who
accidentally kills Santa on Christmas
Eve and ends up becoming Santa
when his son encourages him to put
on the Santa suit.
Christmas classics like The
Santa Clause are helpful for students
to get into the holiday spirit and ease
their mind from the tension of finals
week, according to Campus Life
Crew.
I think it was a really fun idea.
I like movies, and I love hanging
out with my friends so I think it
was a good combination, junior

journalism major Hailey Gomez said.

Me and my friends went in our cars
and stayed close together in the area.
We left the trunk of my friends truck
open and watched from the back.
Students found that the event
was convenient to have right on
campus.
I watch a lot of Christmas
movies with my family, so being able
to watch The Santa Clause here
with my friends was a fun thing to
do, junior international business
major Melissa Mahurin said. My
friends and I also took a lot of snacks
and blankets to the Drive-In to make
it feel extra comfy.
In preparation for the dreaded
Dead Week, students found it
helpful to have this de-stress event
in preparation for the difficult week
ahead.
Dead Week is always an
extremely stressful time for me
because of all the sacrificing I do. I
dont get lots of sleep and Im super
busy studying, senior journalism
major Rudy Reynoso said. Most
of this week has been pulling allnighters studying and writing papers,
so its hard to find time for myself. Im
also a commuter, so it sucks driving
back and forth. So when theres an
event on campus that I can use to
relax, I try to take advantage of that.

APU students compete for

Miss California USA title
Ashley Lawrence
and Juliet
Weaver compete
for pageant
crown
Jamie Roebuck-Joseph
lifestyle editor

Junior
journalism
major
Ashley Lawrence and freshman
communication studies major Juliet
Weaver competed in the Miss
California USA 2017 competition
from Dec. 3-4 at the Long Beach
Convention
Center.
Although
neither went home with the crown,
both reflected on their journey and
hopes for the future.
Lawrence,
crowned
Miss
Century City USA, sacrificed both
social gatherings and free time
to prepare for the competition.
Lawrence explained that she spent
most of this past year in the gym and
focusing on mental preparedness.
It took a lot of mental preparation
to stand confidently on stage, she

explained, but with the help of her

previous state-holder colleagues,
Lawrence was able to realize her
unique inner and outer beauty.
After transferring [to APU]
last year, I had to find out who I
was. I found my core values, beliefs
and ethics during this past year,
Lawrence said. Ill never forget this
quote by football head coach Victor
Santa Cruz: Doubt nothing, take
everything. I never doubted my
journey, and I took every obstacle,
opportunity and lesson to help me get
to where I am today.
Lawrence shared that the most
rewarding part of the experience was
having younger pageant girls come
up to her after competitions and
inspiring them to chase their dreams
to get to where they want to be.
Weaver,
crowned
Miss
Huntington Beach USA, has grown
up in the entertainment industry
since she was six. Weaver explained
that the industry took a mental toll
on her, and since then, she has found
that pageants are a good platform
to talk about serious issues young
women face, like dating violence.

The biggest and hardest part

of the preparation for me is to be
vulnerable, wear my heart on my
sleeve and show and embrace my
imperfections, rather than fit the
perfect pageant stereotype mold,
Weaver said.

Ill never forget this

quote by football head
coach Victor Santa
Cruz: Doubt nothing,
take everything. I
never doubted my
journey, and I took
every obstacle,
opportunity and
lesson to help me get
to where I am today.
-Ashley Lawrence,
Miss Century City USA

Highly anticipated movies to watch this holiday season

A list of movies
expected to
rock box office
numbers during
winter break
Walter Cortez
staff writer

Man Down
Man Down stars Shia LeBeouf
as Gabriel Drummer, a Marine who
is returning to his hometown after
serving in Afghanistan. He quickly
finds out, though, that his home isnt
as he remembers it, and his family
is put in danger. With the help of
a fellow war-hardened Marine, he
does whatever it takes to ensure his
familys safety. Man Down is in
theaters now.
La La Land
What better thing to do in Los
Angeles than watch a movie about
Los Angeles? An aspiring actress

(Emma Stone) and a musician (Ryan

Gosling) meet in the City of Angels
and fall in love as they pursue their
respective careers. However, as
their careers begin to take off, it also
threatens to tear their relationship
apart. La La Land premieres Dec.
9.
Office Christmas
If comedy is more of your style,
Office Christmas takes it up a notch
this Christmas season. When a CEO
(Jennifer Aniston) tries to close the
branch of her party-loving brother
(T.J. Miller), he must gather the
employees of his branch to create the
best office party to impress a potential
client and close a sale that might just
save their jobs. Office Christmas
hits theaters Dec. 9.
Star Wars: Rogue One
Taking place between two
trilogies of the franchise, Star Wars:
Rogue One tells the story of a ragtag
team of rebels united under the
common goal of bringing down the
Empire. The team has the daunting
task of stealing the plans to the
Empires super weapon, the Death

CHARLOTTE VAN HOUTEN

Star, in order to give the rebellion a

fighting chance against the Empires
ever-growing tyranny. This chapter
in the Star Wars story brings
together a star-studded cast (Felicity
Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen and
Forest Whitaker), and is sure to be
an action-packed film for both Star
Wars lovers and moviegoers alike.
The film hits theaters Dec. 16.
Collateral Beauty
Putting a modern tw
ist on the classic Christmas carol
story, Collateral Beauty stars Will
Smith as a successful advertising
executive that suffers a personal
tragedy when his daughter dies.
Asking the universe for answers, he
is met by the personifications of love,
time and death. Spurred on by his
friends and through his encounters
with death, time and love, Smith
starts the journey to becoming whole
again. Collateral Beauty debuts
Dec. 16.
Passengers
If youre fond of romance stories
and science fiction, then Passengers
will put a refreshing spin on the

typical love story for you. Starring

Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence,
the story takes place in the not-sodistant future, when a ship with space
travelers in cryostasis (deep space
sleep) journeys to find a new habitable
planet. Along the way, however,
two sleeping pods malfunction and
awaken two of the passengers (Pratt
and Lawrence) 90 years before the set
time. Now that they have ample time
to get to know each other, Pratt and
Lawrence begin to see each other as
more than crew members. However,
the safety of the ship is put into
jeopardy, and they are the only ones
who can save the fate of the ship and
its crew. Passengers debuts Dec. 21.
Assassins Creed
Framing itself within the
universe of the game franchise,
Assassins Creed delves deeper
into the mythos of the actual game
and presents an original storyline
that envelops history, science fiction
and action. The main character,
Callum Lynch (played by Michael
Fassbender), is rescued from his own
execution by an organization named

Overheard @ APU

Abstergo Industries, a modernized

personification of the Templar
Order (or Knights of the Templar).
Indebted to the people who saved
him, he is forced to participate in
a project that makes him relive the
memories of one of his ancestors,
leading him to discover that he is
descended from a member of the
assassin order during the Spanish
Inquisition. As the film continues,
Fassbenders character also finds out
more about his present-day saviors
and their secrets. Assassins Creed
premieres Dec. 21.
Sing
Animated movies can provide
the charm that fits perfectly with the
Christmas season, and Sing seems
to be just that animated movie. In
the film, a koala in show business
(voiced by Matthew McConaughey)
tries to revive his struggling theater
with what he says is his greatest idea:
Holding the worlds greatest singing
contest. Among the contestants of his
show are a gorilla, pig, mouse, timid
elephant and a punk-rock porcupine.
Sing debuts Dec. 21.

Overheard at Celebrate Christmas:

I want to do something to help you feel better, like make you soup, but I cant right now because Ive got to sing about
Jesus Birthday.
SHANTEL STRICKLAND

Overheard on Cougar Walk:

Girl 1: So baby pull me closer tell me this semesters over..
Girl 2: ... That I know you cant afford.
JENSEN KIRKENDALL

This morning two facilities management workers were playing in the snow by Trin Lawn. As I rode past on my skateboard,
the woman shouted random citizen! while throwing a snowball at me.

ES

THECLAUSE.ORG/LIFESTYLE

Clause

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7, 2016

Yasaman Khorsandi
guest writer

It is 9 a.m. in Hells Kitchen,

New York City, and coffee is
brewing and everything is routine.
Tracee Carrasco just woke up with
Duke, her 4-year-old child who
also happens to be a pug. Carrasco
spends the morning in her apartment
reading the news, checking Twitter,
taking Duke on a walk, working out,
running errandsthings she wont
be able to do once 1 p.m. hits.
Everything about the morning
is calm, but nothing can prepare
Carrasco for what kind of day itll be.
Her job revolves around the unusual,
like the daily disturbances that make
a day far from normalcar accidents,
shootings, fires and crimes. Her job
is contingent upon breaking news.
From a young age, Carrasco
knew she wanted to be a journalist.
I remember being a little girl
and watching 60 Minutes and 20/20
with my parents, Carrasco said.
I have always been a very curious
person. I always wanted to be in-theknow.
Carrascos job as general TV
reporter at CBS 2 News was not
instantaneous. After a few internships
and applying to numerous small
market jobs, she landed her first
TV reporting job in Duluth,
Minnesota. After a year-and-a-half
in that newsroom, she advanced to a
medium-market job in Nashville.
Whats amazing is how her
career progressed. She went from
Duluth to New York City in less than
four years. That is stellar, Joseph
Pleasant said, Carrascos coworker
and reporter at WKRN-TV in
Nashville of two years.
In February of 2013, while

working in Nashville, Carrasco got

a call from her agent who said CBS
wanted to fly her out for an interview.
Although New York was never part
of her plan, she said, How do you
say no to that? You dont turn down
market number one.
Although typical is far from
Carrascos job, the following is just
one work day in the life of Carrasco:
1:30 p.m. - Carrasco makes her
way from Hells Kitchen to 57th St.
and Tenth Avenue. The Upper West
side building on the corner of Tenth
Avenue is home to the CBS 2 News
Station. Carrasco walks in and begins
to prep for her 2 p.m. meeting she is
always early.
2 p.m. - The editorial meeting
with all the managers, producers and
reporters begins. There are 15 people
in the room, and they are planning the
evening news for the more than six
million viewers who will be watching
CBS tonight.
The first order of business is the
5 p.m. show. Next, the 6 p.m. show.
Following that, the 9 and 11 p.m.
shows, which contain Carrascos
segments. Each reporter goes around
and pitches the story ideas they will
report on in a handful of hours. This
may be the only consistent, routine
part of Carrascos work day. There is
no typical day at CBS.
2:50 p.m. - The meeting is over
and each reporter has their stories for
the night, or so they think. Carrasco
spends the next couple of hours
gathering information, press releases,
interviews and planning out her
stories.
4:00 p.m. - The group of three,
which entails the reporter, the
photographer and driver, head out
to Queens for their first story. Theres
been a recent situation for Queens
residents in which red traffic lights
were issuing tickets to drivers, even
though a traffic agent was directing
them to drive. By the time the trio
arrives, they find out the traffic issue
only happens in the morning and that
nothing can be reported. On to the
next story.

6:30 p.m. - The group leaves the

scene in Queens to go to their next
assignment in Long Island, covering
a mystery story: Two sets of human
remains were found near each other,
thought to be linked to gang-related
violence.
7:30 p.m. - Carrasco and the crew
arrive on the scene in Long Island
and begin to gather information. She
has 90 minutes before she goes live
for her segment. Carrasco grabs an
interview with someone on the scene
and begins crafting her script and
gathering voiceovers.
8:30 p.m. - Carrasco finishes her
script for the 90-second segment
while the crew prepares to go live in
30 minutes.
Every day is different. There
could be some days where you are
checking out five different breaking
news scenes. You go to a fire, but its
not really as bad as they thought. You
go to a car accident, but its not what
they thought, or theres a shooting
that turns out to be in a really bad
area. We call it the five borough
tour, Carrasco said.
12:30 a.m. - After concluding
both her 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. segments
on the Long Island story, Carrasco
returns to her Manhattan home and
manages to fall asleep by 1:30 a.m.
Being a familiar TV face who
delivers breaking news is far from
a glamorous or consistent lifestyle.
While it may be easier to live a
nine-to-five lifethe hours, nor the
paycheck, matter as much to her as
storytelling itself.
My first year as a reporter, I was
probably making the same amount as
a person in Starbucks. Coming from
marketing and PR, my salary in TV
was about a third of that, which was
a hard place to be, Carrasco said.
But I just said, Thats the trade-off.
Itll pay off one day. A lot of people
are just in a job, and its not really
something theyre passionate about.
Its just a paycheck to them. To me,
its a lot more. This is what I wanna
do, so I have to try and see what
happens.

Whats amazing is how her career

progressed. She went from Duluth to New York
City in less than four years. That is stellar.
-Joseph Pleasant,
Coworker and reporter at WRKN-TV

TRACEE CARRASCO COURTESY

Tracee Carrasco
becomes a
broadcast
reporter at CBS 2
News

TRACEE CARRASCO COURTESY

APU journalism alumna lands high profile New York City job

Opinion

Once upon a fateful beginning

A reflection on my
time at The Clause

RACHEL WATHNE GRAPHIC

Gina Ender

My time with this

newspaper has been
the most influential part
of my APU experience.
I have had the pleasure
of learning alongside
other writers and
editors for three years
who have taught me
a lot about teamwork,
truth-seeking and
storytelling.
of this semester was printing the
results of the presidential election
the morning after it happened. In
a moment when all I wanted to do
was react, I wrote instead. This
experience forced me to work under
pressure, and it proved that The

MAUREEN WOLFF COURTESY

Almost immediately after I

moved into my dorm room in
Adams Hall, I went to Cougar Walk
on a mission. I was not hindered by
the 110 degree heat, nor was I going
to wait any longer to establish my
purpose on campus, though Id only
been there for a matter of hours.
I walked up to The Clause office
and swung the door open, finding a
room full of editors staring at me.
I want to work for The Clause,
I said.
The editor-in-chief (EIC) stepped
outside with me, and said I might be
able to start writing if she thought I
was ready after reading some of my
clips.
I went back to my dorm to get
my pink monkey-shaped flash
drive with all my writing samples.
A semester later, I joined the
newspaper workshop as a staff
writer.
Flash forward to now: Im
serving in the position I had only
dreamed of as a freshman.
I know it the best and love it the
most, I said during my job interview
to be editor-in-chief.
I stand by this. Ive been all in
since day oneliterally.
My time with this newspaper
has been the most influential part of
my APU experience. I have had the
pleasure of learning alongside other
writers and editors for three years,
who in the process have taught me
a lot about teamwork, truth-seeking
and storytelling.
Each
year
has
provided
something unique. As a freshman
staff writer, I honed my interviewing
skills, and I got to see my byline on
the front page for the first time.
As assistant news editor, I
was challenged in being one of the
youngest on staff, and spent most
of my time sifting through Campus
Safety reports to put on page two.
As news editor as a junior,
I coached writers and wrote
controversial stories, which needed
to be told but no one wanted to talk
about. As EIC, Ive learned to stand
up for a group of people and defend
articles on tough issues.
One of the most surreal moments

GINA ENDER PHOTO

editor-in-chief

Top: Senior journalism major Gina Ender served with APU student
media for the past three years, holding positions as a student staff
writer, assistant news editor and news editor, culminating in her
current position as editor-in-chief of the Clause. Bottom: Gina stands
in the center of the fall 2016 converged student media staff.
Clause could produce something
just as quickly as a professional news
organization
I have had the privilege of writing
and editing everything from jazz
concerts to racial equality activist
movements, and the purpose of those
and everything else we do for this
paper is the same: to inform and give
students a voice.
Thank you to all who have
contributed to my experience with
The Clause at some point along my
journey.
Thank you to the fall 2016 Clause
staff for seeking to cover stories that
were compelling and important,
and allowing me to learn alongside
you. We put out eight strong issues,
and Im proud to have my name
beside yours on all of them.
Gratitude to our advisers Kent
Walls, Jessica Sherer and Charity
Capili for their insight, support and
trust.
Thanks to the 2015-16 Clause
staff for curating fun, facilitating
teamwork and playing sweet jams.
Thank you to the 50 years
worth of EICs who came before me
(especially Kaity Bergquist, Kelyn
Struiksma and Michael Clark) for
leading by example, encouraging
me in my role and abilities
and passing down a legacy of
empathetic storytelling.
Thanks also to my parents,
who have always encouraged me
to pursue my dreams and act like
theyre receiving a Pulitzer Prizewinner every time I give them the
latest issue.
Thanks to my sister Elena
and roommates Jess, Emily and
Cassondra for bringing me burritos
on production nights, helping

I have had the privilege

of writing and editing
everything from jazz
concerts to racial
equality activist
movements, and the
purpose of those and
everything else we do
for this paper is the
same: to inform and
give students a voice.
with distribution and for proudly
displaying The Clause on our coffee
table.
Lastly, thank you to all who have
picked up The Clause and read it.
We keep writing because of you.
On behalf of everyone at
The Clause and the larger APU
community, the opinion section
would like to thank Gina Ender
for making The Clause such a
powerhouse of strong articles,
expansive coverage and solidarity
with marginalized perspectives this
semester.
The Clause would not be the
same without your spot on insight
and unstoppable passion for student
voice representation. You have made
your imprint in the legacy that will
follow you at The Clause, and we
will dearly miss your high school
musical singing, burrito eating and
neverending compassionate and
supporting presence on Monday
production meetings. We love you!

Dinner Conversations as a weekly column seeks to bring politics

back into our daily conversations on campus to foster sincere
dialogue between diverse people and perspectives in an attempt to
understand each other.

A time to re-learn how

to have conversations
A call to thoughtful
reflections about
the election results
and good cat videos

Melody Jan
guest writer

I know, I know. Yet another

opinion article about the election?
Youre probably thinking: Its
already been a month. When can
we finally stop talking about the
election?
Well, I hear you, fellow human
being
and
person
anywhere
in the blast zone of American
politics (which would appear to
be just about everybody, quite
unfortunately).
Youre tired. Im tired.
The last year-and-a-half has
been absolutely exhausting, and
we all wish we could just shut out
the noise and go back to the good
ol days, when a person could safely
snuggle into a cute Internet video of
a kitten jumping into a box, without
the niggling reminder of Pussygate
or a basket of deplorables in the
back of our minds, the dark fuzz of
things we never should have had to
see or hear.
But here we are.
Its December 2016, America has
a new President-elect, and we have
indeed seen and heard those things.
So its time to face our shared
reality together. And our reality is
this: Our country is ugly, divided
and sore.
It has become a place where
arrogance, scoffing and rage
dominate political exchange, a
place where taking a stance of peace
and encouraging dialogue and
compromise has, in and of itself,
become controversial.
My friend, this cannot continue.
A house divided cannot stand. If we
continue to hurl insults at each other
and grind our wheels into the sand,
we will be unable to heal and make
true progress.
If youre an avid Trump
supporter, I would like to gently
remind you that Obama began his
presidency eight years ago with a
Democrat-controlled
Republican
controlled?Senate and House.
Within two years of his
presidency, the government was
gridlocked. Within eight, the tables
have clearly turned. So now you

know, perhaps from personal

experience, that if a group of
losers are laughed and scoffed
at repeatedly, they will eventually
retaliate.
If you supported Clinton, I
would like to gently remind you
that this election clearly didnt end
as you would have liked it to. This
shows that your tactics didnt work,
and that you need to be able to
appeal to a wider base of people in
order to succeed within the existing
framework of our countrys political
system.
And, well, if you voted for a third
party candidate or didnt vote at all,
I respect your right to choose what
you wanted to do with your vote
and voice.
But in truth, I wish we could
move beyond this petty discussion
of tactics to win and lose, as if our
country is made up of opponents
that must always gain the upper
hand. Are we not all Americans?
Do we pledge allegiance to the
Democratic Party, to the Republican
Party or to any political party?
We need to learn how to have
conversations again. We need to
learn how to communicate with
people with different opinions. In
fact, we need to practice this skill,
just like any other.
The
next
time
someone
expresses an opinion that you
disagree with, pause. Take three
seconds to either audibly or
internallythough
preferably
audibly, because this will allow the
other person to correct you if youre
wrongrephrase what they have
just said (So, what youre saying
is).
This practice of patience
will ensure that you dont make
assumptions of the other person,
of what theyre saying based upon
preexisting stereotypes. It will slow
down and measure the pace of
the conversation, so that it doesnt
devolve into shouting and namecalling.
I can tell you from personal
experience that this will be difficult.
But it is only by doing so that we
can learn to humanize each other
again, that we can come to realize
that we arent made up of only
winners or losers, and to realize
thatjust like you and meevery
person will make decisions that
make sense within the context of
their lives.
Because admit it: Who doesnt
like a good cat video?

Clause

THECLAUSE.ORG/OPINION

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7, 2016

Finding my path
post-graduation
with a new role in a
familiar setting
Iris Ortiz
guest writer

So, what are your plans after

graduation?
We all know that dreaded
question. After all, Ive been avoiding
graduation for four long years. There
are countless things Ill missfootball
games, late nights at the library, even
the chaos of finding parking right
before chapelbut now, as family
members probe about my plans, my
anxiety has finally dwindled. I can
proudly answer that Im going back
to school, but this time, as a teacher.
As a student at APU, Ive kept
myself busy as a liberal studies major
and spent countless hours of service
learning at various local elementary
schools.
It wasnt until I started
volunteering with students who
despite their potentialwerent given
the same opportunities I had, that I
started to see the systemic injustices
in this country up close. The power
and centrality of education had never
been clearer to me.

APU gave me the opportunity

to challenge myself and allowed me
to be surrounded by motivating and
inspiring individuals.
After graduation, I want to
continue to push myself out of my
comfort zone. I want to jump head
first into a career that will give me
an opportunity to have an immediate
impact. Thats why I chose to become
an elementary teacher in the Las
Vegas Valley with Teach for America.
I believe that a classroom is a
powerful place for social change.
When I think about the social
issues Im most passionate about
immigration,
equality,
racism
and discriminationIve come to
realize that theres no better place
to tackle them than head-on in the
classroom. After all, education is the
most powerful tool at our disposal
to disrupt inequity and create
opportunity.
As a corps member, I know Ill
face incredible challenges as I tackle
these complex and systemic issues.
I also know that my experiences on
campus have equipped me to take
on these obstacles on behalf of my
students.
And if not me, then who? As
a classroom leader, Ill continue to
shape my values and beliefs, find my
voice and more clearly define the
impact I want to make on the world.
I look forward to creating a

community with my students full

of pride and school spirit, and I
cant wait to bring what Ive learned
at APU into my classroom in
Las Vegas. I hope to inspire my
students to attend higher education
institutions like APU. When I think
about the things I love most about
being on this campus, I realize I have
many experiences to take with me.
Im excited to step out of my
now-comfortable
lecture
halls,
libraries and coffee shops to start my
path as a leader in a different kind
of classroom. This classroom will
be one where Ill get to impact the
lives of the next generation as their
teacher, a classroom where Ill have
the opportunity to make a positive
change in a community Ill call my
new home.
So, as you consider which
path youll forge after graduation,
I encourage you to step out of your
comfort zone.
Listen to the moments that have
defined your college experiences
thus far. Someday, we all have to
leave APU, but I can think of no
greater privilege than helping the
next generation of students have the
opportunity to become Cougars as
well.
Iris Ortiz is a liberal studies major
with a concentration in Psychology.
She is also a 2017 Teach for America
Las Vegas Valley corps member.

When the holiday fails to cheer

GOOGLE IMAGES COURTESY

Making Christmas
more enjoyable in
light of tragedy
by creating new
traditions
Erika Hunter
news editor

Christmas time is near, and were

reminded of this everywhere we go.
Decorations burst from the aisles of
our local convenient stores, Santa
Claus is at every mall waiting to take
pictures with children and people are
already decked out in Christmas hats
and sweaters. Regardless of how we
feel about this holiday, its safe to say
that excitement fills the air at this
time of year.
However, if youre anything like
me, you may be dreading it. Maybe
your new reality is that youll be
spending this holiday differently than
previous years.
If this is you, youre probably
thinking through the traditions you
still wish to continue and some that
you want to change. Allow me to
assure you that you are not alone.
Personally, Im usually my
happiest during this time of year.
After finals, I have many traditions
to look forward to, from my moms
home-cooked meals to watching the
Home Alone series and even doing
a little after-Christmas shopping.
This year, however, I face the reality
of a loved one no longer being with
me, which forces me to practice old
traditions with others and come up
with a few of my own.
Ive created some of my own
traditions, like sending out personal
Christmas cards to family and
friends, reminding them of how
much I love them, senior graphic
design major Taylor Allen said.

Adjusting your yearly Christmas

plans can be frustrating. Suddenly
you have to find a sense of belonging
with those you dont normally spend
the holiday with, which forces you to
step out of your comfort zone.
Breathe. It will be okay.
Before you throw Christmas
away entirely, let me offer you a few
traditions that may be useful to you
this year.
While home-cooked meals,
the Home Alone series and afterChristmas shopping will still be
among the many things I do this
year, its my hope to also do more
intimate things, like spending hours
decorating my Christmas tree,
writing long lists of things Id like
to get from Santa and even making
cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve.
I even anticipate playing Nat
King Coles radio on Pandora to
uplift my spirits. Youd be surprised
at how much fun you can have
doing these things, whether youre
by yourself or with dear friends and
family members.
I anticipate going to church, too.
I desire to spend time around other
believers to feel Gods presence that
way. That is a tradition I havent
always done, but wish to implement
this year especially. Oftentimes, I
forget that Jesus is the reason for
the season, so spending intentional
time with Him is of the utmost

importance.
Though Christmas is a joyful
time for some, we have to be cautious
of those who are entering into this
season with a few reservations,
senior theology major Angelique
Pickett said. Theres so much hype
about it on campus, which is great,
but to be sensitive to those who
arent the most excited about it is
something we havent practiced as a
community.
My prayers are with those in the
midst of figuring out their Christmas
plans. I pray that God gives you the
courage to enter this holiday season
with cheer. May you find comfort in
the presence of God and still honor
those loved ones who may not be at
the dinner table with you this year.
You are still loved, valued and most
certainly deserving of an enjoyable
holiday season.
There are no words that can
describe the pain ones feel during the
holidays because of the loss of a loved
one, freshmen music major Lauren
Vasquez said. I pray they draw close
to Christ during this time.
You are deserving of a good
holiday. After all, you survived finals
and you have great things to look
forward to in 2017. May your holiday
be memorable with whomever
you decide to spend it with. Take
courage, and create some of your own
holiday traditions this Christmas.

RACHEL WATHNE GRAPHIC

Graduating to go back to school

Dinner Conversations as a weekly column seeks to bring politics

back into our daily conversations on campus to foster sincere
dialogue between diverse people and perspectives in an attempt to
understand each other.

A very hurtful election

The pain caused
by the election is
beyond what the
eye can see and the
heart can feel
Anthony Cifuentes
guest writer

Fear,
worry,
starvation,
loneliness and a lack of wealth
accompanied my mother and father
as they migrated from Guatemala to
California. My parents said the trip to
get from Guatemala to America was
approximately $15,000 per person,
with no guarantee of safely arriving
to America. During the month-long
journey, my mother was pregnant.
My parents sacrificed their culture,
family and homeland to provide me
and my brothers with a prosperous
future. That was their American
dream.
Without the ability to speak
English, my parents werent able
to find jobs right away, but they
eventually found good paying work.
At home, we are oftentimes limited in
space and resources, but my mothers
motto has helped us cope: God will
provide, mijo.
Now that my parents have
achieved their American dream,
they encourage us to do the same in
pursuing higher education, finding
a good job, a car and securing an
apartment or house.

Ive always believed in

the American dreams
ability to lift my family
out of our difficulty
until our nations recent
presidential election.
Following the election results,
I called my mom to hear her sobs
through the telephone. My entire
family cried on that day. I shed tears
with them. Prior to the election,
my family, church, friends and I all
agreed to pray for our nations future
president. My extended family stayed
up Tuesday night watching the news.
My mother fears that Trump
can revoke any government aid that
low-income Latinos are receiving.
My family is fortunate to have
something to eat every day because
of government-aid programs like the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP), which provides
food stamps to families in need,
Medicare and the Women, Infants
and Children Food and Nutrition
Service (WIC).

Without these resources, survival

will literally be a daily challenge
for my family, which consists of six
people surviving on an income of
under $20,000 per year. We are very
thankful for our government and
God.

Without the ability

to speak English, my
parents werent able
to find jobs right away,
but they eventually
found good paying
work. At home, we are
oftentimes limited in
space and resources,
but my mothers motto
has helped us cope:
God will provide,
mijo.
Following the election results,
my Facebook feed consisted of
negative comments about Donald
Trump. All my Hispanic friends from
Los Angeles expressed their anger,
frustration, worry and fear by posting
threats and hate comments toward
Trump including: Donald Trump is
not my president, I HATE Donald
Trump and Donald Trump is not
our president; it is a disease.
Though this language is volatile,
and I do not support hate crimes of
any kind, the anger behind these
statements should be seen as valid.
In the third presidential debate,
Trump referred to immigrants as
bad hombres or bad men who
were going to get out. It took until
the third presidential debate for
Trump to invoke Spanish culture
and language, but unfortunately,
his use of it only devalued, labeled
and enhanced the typical stereotype
for Latinos as lazy and dangerous
criminals.
I am deeply broken by all the
hatred Trump has expressed toward
Hispanic people. I am worried about
the future laws he will create. I am
fearful of what he will do with the
bad hombres. And I am frightened
of what he will do with my immigrant
family.
As a Christian, I understand
that we are called to suffer on Earth.
We will never be able to find peace,
simply because we are not from here.
We live on Earth but John 17:14 says
we are not of this world. This verse
has helped me keep my chin above
water during the election season. As
we enter into a new year with a new
President, the voice of my mother
still echoes in my mind: God will
provide, mijo.

Sports

Swimmer one step closer to Olympic dream

Rosalee Mira
Santa Ana
represents APU
in international
championships

Nathan Foster
Azusa Pacific junior swimmer
Rosalee Mira Santa Ana hopes to
swim in the Olympics someday.
While her next chance will not come
for another four years, she received
the opportunity to swim against
Olympians at the 10th Annual Asian
Swimming Championships in Tokyo
from Nov. 14-20.
It was a good experience to
be part of it because the Asian
Championships are only every
four years, Santa Ana said. To be
given that chance to be there is a
lifetime experience that I will always
remember.
Santa Ana represented the
Philippines at the championships
and swam against athletes from over
33 countries across Asia and Europe.
European countries were invited to
participate as it was designated an
open meet.
I just really thank God for the
opportunity that He blessed me with.
I had lots of adversities that I went
through during the semester, but He
was able to help me and give me the
strength I needed to swim very well,
Santa Ana said.
Santa Ana competed and placed
in three events. She got 8th in the 800
meter freestyle, 11th in the 200 free

Junior swimmer Rosalee Mira Santa Ana competes internationally.

and 12th in the 400 free.
Im really thankful for the times
and places I got, Santa Ana said.
Just to travel around the world was
a cool thing.
Santa Ana will get the chance
to swim against Olympians again
at the 13th International Swimming
Federation
(FINA)
World
Championships from Dec. 7-11 in
Windsor, Canada.
Despite her excitement, Santa
Ana said she feels pressure to
compete well.
Im a little nervous, but it preps
me up to be in these world level
meets, Santa Ana said. Just being
there makes me nervous. Theres a lot
of things behind the scenes that you
have to do.
This process includes going

SPORTS INFORMATION PHOTO

staff writer

through a warm room and cold room

to prepare, and then walk through
specific hallways to enter the pool
area and get introduced on the
big screen in front of thousands of
spectators.
This will be Santa Anas first
time competing at the world
championships. She doesnt see it as
her last.
The world championships are
just the next step. Its actually the
step before reaching the Olympics.
I feel like its a stepping stone to the
highest dream that Ive been trying to
reach for, Santa Ana said.
The Olympics have been a goal
of Santa Anas for years. She said she
wants to keep getting better until she
reaches that level.
My dream [has been] to be an

Olympian ever since I was young.

Its a big dream that you always think
of, but I wasnt sure if it would be a
reality. Just to be a part of world-level
meets make me feel really humbled,
Santa Ana said. If God gives me the
chance to be in the Olympics, that
would definitely be a dream come
true.
Santa Ana holds the APU record
for the 500 meter free, 1000 meter
free and 1650 meter free events. Right
now, she is focusing on cutting time in
her events to qualify for the A group
for the NCAA Championships.
My goal is to qualify for the
NCAA Championships this year. Im
very excited if Im given that chance
again, Santa Ana said.
Santa Ana was not able to go
to the NCAA championships last
year, but she went as a freshman and
ranked 25th in the nation for the 500
meter free and 1650 meter free events.
Head coach Tim Kyle said he has
seen Santa Anas growth in her time
at APU.
Shes grown in every which way:
in her faith, as an individual and really
just being grounded in developing.
She works tremendously hard in the
pool, Kyle said.
Kyle said Santa Ana is a great
representation of APU and is a
supportive teammate.
Im proud of her for the things
that shes accomplished, and I know
shes going to do great things. She
has the motivation and the skill; if its
Gods will, she could reach or attain
all the goals she has set for herself,
Kyle said.
Sophomore Elodie Poo Cheong
has also helped Santa Ana as a friend
and fellow swimmer.

Rosalee is a hardworking and

focused person. She knows what her
goals are and she will work hard for
them no matter what, Poo Cheong
said. Shes also doing a great job at
balancing her studies and swimming,
which is hard at a collegiate level.
Competing at an international
level means a lot. All the work and
sacrifices she put in are paying off.
Poo Cheong spoke from
experience, having also competed at
the international level. She has only
known Santa Ana for about a year,
but said their friendship grows every
day.
Were really close friends and we
genuinely care about the other. We
share a lot, whether fun times or less
fun times. We push and encourage
each other in and out of the water to
become better swimmers and better
people, Poo Cheong said.
Along with her goals of making
it to the Olympics and NCAA
championships, Santa Ana hopes to
inspire and teach others to swim one
day.
She wants to take the stories of
these championships and help others
learn with them. For right now
though, shes focused on the present.
Im just trying my best to take it a
day at a time, Santa Ana said. Time
goes by quickly.
Santa Ana and Poo Cheong
both helped APU close out 2016 by
earning B cut times in the 500 free,
200 free and 50 free in the Winter
Invitational.
As a team, the Cougars are 3-2
on the season and will continue their
season next semester, starting out
with a meet against Cal State East
Bay on Jan. 14.

2016 fall sports year and accomplishments in review

Highlights from
this season of
Cougar athletics
Brandon Rodriguez
sports editor

Cross Country

Cross country had another

winning season for both the mens
and womens teams. The men were
led by junior runners Cody Drisko
and Jeremy Porter, and the women
were led by Eileen Stressling and
Elise Larson.
In the PacWest Conference
Championships on Oct. 22 in
Hawaii, the men finished third and
the women in fifth after running
through wet and muddy conditions.
Porter (fourth place) and Stressling
(fifth place) were the first Cougars to
finish in their respective races.
On Nov. 5 the team competed in
the NCAA Division II West Region
Championships, where the men
finished in 16th place and the women
in 18th. Drisko was APUs top
male finisher, coming in 37th place.
Stressling finished fourth overall in
the womens race to earn her way to
Nationals for a second consecutive
season.
On
Nov.
19,
Stressling
competed and finished 21st overall
at the NCAA Division II National
Championships, earning her second
All-American honor and becoming
the first two-time Division II AllAmerican for APU.

Football

The Cougars football team

finished their historic season with an

overall record of 9-3. Led by a veteran

defense and a young passing offense,
the Cougars finished with a perfect
8-0 record in the Great Northwest
Athletic Conference (GNAC).
The only two regular season
losses for the Cougars came against
non-conference opponents Colorado
Mines and Colorado Mesa.
However, the winning campaign
led to the Cougars getting into the
NCAA Division II playoffs for the
first time in school history. The
Cougars entered the playoffs as the
seventh seed and traveled to play the
number two-seeded Sioux Falls (12-0
at the time) in South Dakota. Sioux
Falls defeated the Cougars 34-21.
Junior quarterback Andrew
Elffers was named GNAC Offensive
Player of the Year, wide receiver
Weston Carr was named GNAC
Football Freshman of the Year and
head coach Victor Santa Cruz was
named GNAC Coach of the Year.

Mens Soccer

The mens soccer team constantly

found themselves in close games
throughout the season. Both their
first and last four games of the
season went into double overtime.
In addition, the Cougars did not
get their first win until the seventh
game of the season. Despite the
challenging start, the team went 6-74 on the season, finishing in eighth
place in the PacWest Conference.
Senior forward Tim Ogunniyi
and
senior
defender
Chris
Brusenback were recognized as
all-conference players for their 2016
campaigns.

Swim and Dive

The womens swim and dive

team is currently 3-2 on the season

after having just participated in their

Winter Invitational on Dec. 2-4. With
less than half of the season remaining
in 2017, the swim and dive team has a
lot more work to do to accomplish its
goal of sending athletes to Nationals.
Junior swimmer Rosalee Mira
Santa Ana just finished competing in
the Asian Swimming Championships
in Tokyo, and will be competing in
the FINA world championships
Dec. 7-11 in Canada, all while still
competing in the APU swim season.
The Cougar divers will compete
next in the UCLA Bruin Diving
Invitational on Jan. 13, and the
swimmers will compete against Cal
State East Bay on Jan 14.

Volleyball

The womens volleyball team

finished with a six-game win streak
to conclude the season with a 16-13
record. Overall, the team went 12-8
against PacWest opponents, going
8-2 in home matches this season.
The Cougars accomplished this
winning record with predominately
freshmen on the team. Nine of the 14
athletes on the roster were freshmen,
which included five of the six starting
players. With only one senior and
one junior on the team, the women
learned to quickly bond with each
other, using each match as a learning
experience.
Freshman
middle
blocker
Julianne Miller was named PacWest
Freshman of the Year and was also
selected to the second-team allconference. Shes the first Cougar
volleyball player to win a specialty
award since APU joined the
PacWest conference four years ago.
Miller led the entire PacWest in
hitting percentage (.363) and was

seventh in total blocks. Miller played

in all of APUs 116 sets this season.
Throughout the season, Miller,
Madison Ogas (OH), Bailey
Henington (Libero) and Aliyah
Morrison (MB) were all recognized
as PacWest Players of the Week.
With 12 of the 14 players slated
to return for next season, the
Cougars aim to become a PacWest
powerhouse.

Womens Soccer

The womens soccer team

finished their season 12-4-4, capping
it off with another Division II playoff
run. This season marked the teams
19th consecutive season with at least
10 or more wins.
The Cougars won first place in
the PacWest conference, earning
their spot in the playoffs. They
won their first playoff game against
Sonoma State, but lost their second
match up against UC San Diego.

Before the loss to UC San Diego on

Nov. 12, the Cougars had not lost a
game since Sep. 24, marking their
first in over a 12-game span (nine
wins, three ties).
Senior
midfielder
Allyn
Brown earned National Soccer
Coaches Association of America
(NSCAA) First-Team All-Region
and Conference Commissioners
Association (CCA) Second-Team
All-Region honors after this season.
Brown received all-regional honors
for her second straight season.
Junior
defender
Hayley
Patterson earned NSCAA and CCA
all-region honors along being named
CCA Honorable Mention AllAmerican and NSCAA Third-Team
All-American. Patterson became the
programs 20th All-American while
also receiving all-conference honors
for her second straight season and
being named PacWest Defender of
the Year.

THECLAUSE.ORG/SPORTS

Clause

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7, 2016

11

Mens and
womens
teams aim to
succeed as they
begin PacWest
Conference play
Kiyhanna Dade
guest writer

Womens Basketball
With an overall 3-6 record, the
womens basketball team hoped for a
better start to the season.
After a stretch of games against
non-conference opponents, the team
looks to hit their stride as they enter
PacWest conference play.
Our team is new; we only have
a few returners and the rest of the
team are either freshmen or transfers.
The process right now is just trying
to figure each other out and come
together, freshman point guard Zoe
March said.
After beginning the season with a
few losses, the team and head coach
T.J. Hardeman agreed they have a lot
to work on to prepare them for their
challenging conference.
We have a complete new team.
We have a lot of good pieces, but to
be a good team we have to be good

Junior forward Petar Kutlesic takes a hook shot against Seattle Pacific.
teammates, work together and get to
know each other, Hardeman said.
Following last years 28-4 record,
the Cougars are looking to have
another winning season despite the
fact that they have only four returning
players.
My returners have the best idea
about the traditions of Azusa Pacific
and what we do and what we stand
for. Its [on] them to kind of carry
on the tradition and be leaders,
Hardeman said.
Although they are off to a slow
start, members of the team are quick
to point out their key strengths to
build upon moving forward.
Our ability to uplift each other is
our biggest strength. We understand
that were new, but its important that

SPORTS INFORMATION PHOTO

Basketball looks to rebound after challenging start

we encourage each other on the court

and dont let our mistakes go without
encouragement, March said.
Even in the midst of conference
play, Hardeman said he believes
that patience is critical to the teams
improvement.
I tell them just be patient with
the team, be patient with each other
and yourselves. If youre working
your best and trying your hardest to
get better, then just hold your head
up high and play, Hardeman said.
Averaging 26 minutes a game,
March acknowledged that her faith
and the motivation of her teammates
are what keep her fire ignited.
Teamwork
is
the
most
important part on the basketball
court. Our teamwork, our belief in

God and the fact that we integrate

God in everything we do is the glue
that keeps us together, March said.
Approaching mid-season, the
women expect to get better mentally
and physically.
Im just excited to see what our
team is going to do. We have great
potential, and Im excited to live up to
it, March said.
The Cougars won their first
PacWest matchup of the season,
beating Concordia 75-57 on Dec.
1, but lost their second 81-71 to Cal
Baptist on Dec. 3.
The Cougars will take on Biola
University at home on Dec. 6 in a nonconference game before returning to
conference play in a home match up
against Dixie State on Dec. 10.

Mens Basketball
Mens basketball is also a young
team and is currently in the midst of a
rebuilding season.
The Cougars currently stand
at 4-7 overall with an 0-2 record in
PacWest play.
Head coach Justin Leslie believes
that the team, despite being very
talented, has yet to reach its fullest
potential.
Our potential is going to get
better as the season unfolds. We
havent played anywhere near our
best yet, but I think we have an idea
of who we are and the things we need
to work on, Leslie said.
After a winning season last year,

Leslie and the team are looking to

continue the legacy of victory.
Junior
forward
Corey
Langerveld, one of the top-scorers
this season so far, admitted that the
early part of the season has been
difficult.
Weve played a very tough
schedule, one of the toughest in
the west region. Our record is not
where we want it to be, so weve been
exposed in some areas. Its been a
process, Langerveld said.
There are a few weaknesses
Langerveld said the team needs to
build on as the season progresses.
We need to develop trust in each
other and communication on the
court. As that unfolds, we will be fine
moving forward, Langerveld said.
With the help of their coach, the
Cougars are hopeful in the process of
finding themselves and recognizing
their potential.
Coach gives us honest feedback,
which really helps motivate us. When
he sees good things, he lets us know,
Langerveld said.
Despite the 4-7 start, Leslie
said he has faith in his returners and
believes the team can excel, especially
with much of the season left to go.
This team is very talented.
They have the potential to be a very
great team as soon as they develop
chemistry with each other as we get
into conference play, Leslie said.
The men will play their next
game at home against Dixie State on
Dec. 10 in the Felix Event Center.

Alyssa Burlingame
staff writer

The mens and womens track

and field teams are preparing for their
upcoming seasons. After winning
the PacWest title last season, each
team is focusing on performance and
sending more athletes to nationals
than last year.
To track and field Director Mike
Barnett, an emphasis on community
is most important.
We take relationships and unity
within the team seriously, Barnett
said. Coaches are very intentional
about trying to build those
relationships.
Leadership on the team is
held at a high standard alongside
relationship building. Captains are
chosen by team members primarily
based on the leadership skills they
display.
The captains we have this year
are very methodical in their approach
to building relationships by having
Bible studies, praying for one another
and modeling and communicating
the importance of the gifts theyve
been given, Barnett said.
After last years success at the
Division II Outdoor Championships,
APU is looking to capitalize and
expand the number of athletes each
team is able to send.
Our goal is to take as many
athletes to nationals as possible,
Barnett said. The goal is to score as
many points as you can. We feel the
more athletes that qualify, the better
opportunity to score points.
Before last season, coaching staff
changes affected certain athletes such

Sophomore Shakiel Chattoo runs.

as senior vault athlete Zoe Wilkens.

She noted her excitement and
motivation at the start of the season
and her eagerness to improve from
last year.
I didnt do as well as I thought
I was going to [last season], Wilkens
said. This year, Im in a better mental
state than I was. Now that we have
a consistent and dedicated coach, its
helping out a lot, and I feel like its
going to be a good season this year.
Multis
athlete
sophomore
Shakiel Chattoo said he is hopeful for
what this season holds and is ready to
overcome personal obstacles that he
faced last season.
Last year I suffered a back injury
coming to the outdoor season,
Chattoo said. The school has
provided immense opportunities
for me to get my back intact for the
upcoming season, not only [in] track
and field, but [also] my well-being.
Since winning the NCAA D-II
indoor heptathlon championship
last season, Chattoo is hoping to
maintain that confidence springing
into this season.
Once we are a unit, we can
conquer anything, Chattoo said.
Were the main target this year
because we are the number one
from last year. I think we should just
continue doing whats supposed to be
done. I want us to stay focused and
stay together.
The Cougars first meet will be
on Dec. 8 at the Colorado Mines
Alumni Classic. After returning
from winter break, their next
competition will be on Jan. 14 at the
UCS National Pole Vault Summit.

The Felix Event

Center will hold
the NCATA
Acrobatics and
Tumbling event
for the first time
since 2014

Erika Hunter
news editor

Azusa Pacific University has been

chosen to host the 2017 Acrobatics
and
Tumbling
championship
competition. In April, 13 teams from
all over the country will have the
opportunity to compete in hopes
of being one of eight teams in the
championship-bracket in Azusa.
In June, the National Collegiate
Acrobatics
and
Tumbling
Association (NCATA) asked APUs
athletics department to host the
championship competition. Since
then, Athletic Director Gary Pine and
the rest of his team have been putting
together a flow chart of the work
that needs to be done. Currently, the
preparation team meets once every
three weeks, though Pine anticipates
meeting more frequently in the spring
to ensure that the competition is as
organized as possible.
Our goal is for every studentathlete to walk out of here saying,
This was a great championship
experience, whether they win the
championships or not, Pine said.
Since APU hasnt hosted the
competition since 2014, Pine also
noted the importance of making this
years competition even better than
the last.
I think we did a good job of
hosting the meet in 14, and were
looking to make this an even better
experience for all involved this time

around, Pine said. I want the

coaches and athletes to walk out here
saying, Azusa Pacific did it right,
Pine said.
In an effort to make this an
exciting event for those in attendance,
Jackson Stava, the director of
operations for the NCATA and
former APU staff member, suggested
APU as the perfect place to have
this event since it is in Los Angeles
County.
In all likelihood, well have folks
coming from Pacific Northwest,
the East Coast, the South, Texas,
Hawaii and California, Stava
said. For those folks, there is an
additional level of excitement when
your national championship can be at
a place in Los Angeles.
As the Cougar acrobatics
and tumbling team prepares for
their season, they anticipate their
seventh year of competing in the
championships. Though the season
begins in February, head coach
Colleen Kausrud is looking forward
to how this competition will pan out.
With a group of 24 athletes this
year, Kausrud understands the value
of strengthening her team both
mentally and physically. Considering
this team as one of her most talented
thus far, she said she isnt afraid of the
outcome of the competition.
All my teams have wanted the

championship bad, but this team

knows they have to work harder in the
off season and work hard at knowing
how to motivate their teammates to
get to the championship, which is
kind of a different flavor from what
weve had before, Kausrud said.
They know it takes a lot of hard work
now [even] when were not in season.
This year, APU will compete
against top D-I programs from
around the nation, hoping once again
to place among the top teams.
In conjunction with the
competition and to bring further
recognition to acrobatics and
tumbling, the NCATA, with the help
of Stava, is currently working toward
being recognized by the NCAA as an
official collegiate sport.
Our goal is to work ourselves
out of a job so that the NCAA adopts
this thing, and it becomes an even
more ingrained part of the collegiate
athletic culture across the country,
Stava said. At the end of the day,
if this is an opportunity for more
young women to have an opportunity
to compete in college, to earn
scholarship money to go to college
and to have a great experience, its
absolutely worth it.
The acrobatics and tumbling
championship competition will take
place in the Felix Event Center from
April 27- 29, 2017.

SPORTS INFORMATION PHOTO

Both mens and

womens teams
are focused on
nationals and
team unity

SPORTS INFO. PHOTO

Track and field preps for Azusa Pacific to host 2017 Acro &
season with new goals
Tumbling Championships in April

APU will host the 2017 NCATA Acrobatics and Tumbling Championship.