Volume 50 Issue 2 Sept. 11, 2014www.meramecmontage.com

MT H E M O N T A G E

Stay connected with the best apps for students

Pages 6-7

Meramec students, faculty display talents at art fair

Page 12

Search begins for new STLCC Chancellor

Page 3

STLCC launches new GO mobile app for student services

Page 2

Story continued on Page 3

One arrest after gun discharge at STLCC - Florissant ValleyWeapon found in lake after accidental shot firedLIVIE HALL MANAGING EDITOR

A month after the events that transpired in Ferguson, Mo, St. Louis Community College - Florissant Valley students Caitlin Mayhew and Destinn Marcarius Jacobs gave the school its own gun scare by accidentally firing a .45 caliber handgun in the Humanities building.

An arrest record released on Tuesday, Sept. 9 said Mayhew was on the back patio of the Humanities building, smoking and listening to music with Jacobs and a female the record called “Tia.” In the report written by STLCC - Florissant Valley Police Officer David Berryman, Mayhew said Tia pulled a gun out of her handbag after Tia had described an argument she had with her boyfriend. She took the gun from him.

“Mayhew said that after she [Tia] pulled it out, Destinn said something like ‘Let me see it’ and then took the gun from her possession,” the record said. “She said Destinn began fondling with the gun and flipped a lever which revealed a red dot. She said Destinn said that meant the safety was on. He fondled with the gun some more at which time it fired.”

Mayhew said Jacobs fled to the woods near the building and then maintenance worker Byron Austin asked the girls what had happened. Austin was working on the roof of the building when the shot was fired. Mayhew said “I don’t know, but I’m out of here” and left with Tia.

Once apprehended, Jacobs admitted to throwing the weapon in the pond in the woods. According to the report, STLCC - Florissant Valley Police Chief Sandra Turner made the decision to call the Missouri Highway Patrol Marine Division to search the area.

Missouri Highway Patrol Marine Division Corporal Justin Wheatley said their department was called and then dismissed once STLCC - Florissant Valley police found the weapon. The police report said Jacobs showed campus police where

he had thrown the gun. He originally said he threw it in the water, then said he might have thrown it on the bank. Berryman asked him if heard a splash, to which Jacobs said he could not remember.

Mayhew said the discharge was accidental. She would not give the last names of the two students, but said Tia’s name was Satia. Dispatcher Phyliss Clayborne identified Satia as Satia Hutton. Once the name was confirmed, the record said Hutton was a former student of STLCC - Florissant Valley. After preparing a written statement, Mayhew was released.

“We were able to resolve the situation quickly, gather witness and apprehend one of the suspects,” STLCC - Florissant Valley Police Chief Sandra Turner said. “It is resolved now and we want to assure our students that this campus is a safe and secure environment.”

The report said the gun was loaded with five live cartridges in the magazine. Berryman cleared the weapon and emptied it of all cartridges. The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) “revealed no theft of the weapon.”

Jacobs was brought into questioning by Berryman and recounted the story the same as Mayhew told it the first time. He said after he ditched the gun, he went to a nearby QuikTrip to buy a beer and came back to campus to catch the bus where he was stopped by police. Berryman asked if Jacobs was a student and he said he was formerly.

That Friday morning, a tweet was sent from STLCC alerts saying there was an accidental gunshot on campus. Hours later, Director of Public Information and Marketing at STLCC - Florissant Valley Dan Kimack said he believed both St. Louis County and Ferguson Police Departments were involved in the investigation.

Media Relations Officer Brian Schellman with the St. Louis County Police Department confirmed that neither

GRAPHICS BY: MARISSA DIERCKS

STLCC hosts peace expert following Ferguson aftermath

SPENCER GLEASON EDITOR IN CHIEF

Faculty and staff from STLCC gathered at the STLCC-Forest Park Theatre on Aug. 29 for an open forum with speaker David Smith. Smith is a staff member of the United States Institute of Peace.

The workshop was planned following the Ferguson outbreaks of violence and protests as a result of the Michael Brown shooting. Smith spoke about how to engage students, faculty and staff in working toward peaceful solutions within the community.

“People are confused, upset, in despair, reacting and angry. And that’s kind of all over the place,” Smith said. “Part of our job as educators is to funnel that somehow. It’s to give that some sort of a process, so students can park it somewhere to know that it is valid and important and then to take that and pin it to something else, something that creates an outcome or solution.”

Before Smith spoke to faculty members, he talked to students about challenges they have faced, including exhaustion, racism and violence.

“Racism. Students recognize that,” Smith said. “It’s not just Michael Brown

– it’s racism in the community. It’s institutionalized. It’s geographic racism.”

Smith warned students, faculty and staff that it is not possible to fix St. Louis County. “But we can control what we do at STLCC within our capacity,” he said.

As a result, it is important to recognize that the college will need to attend to people who are dealing with mental trauma.

“Our students are important resources that we often don’t look at,” Smith said to faculty and staff. “And often, it’s because we don’t get to know our students. One of the hardest things to do today is to get to know them all. The more time we get to spend with our students, the more we think about the ways that our students can help us out.”

Sometimes students are resistant to talking or don’t know how to start, he said. Smith recommended faculty, staff and administrators find ways to form trusting environments that promote learning to facilitate peace. “We need to learn from our students,” Smith said. “If we are risk takers, we need to go out of our comfort zone and we need to have our students see that.”

NEWS2Sept. 11, 2014

STLCC launches new mobile app for student servicesSoftware company Ellucian provides STLCC with Ellucian GO for students to better access campus resources

BRITTNEY FARROW STAFF WRITER

News BriefsWithdrawal Deadlines

The withdrawal deadline for a full-semester class for Fall 2014, is Friday, Nov. 7, 2014.

Students are responsible for withdrawing from their class until the end of the 12th week for regular semester class.

Withdrawal deadlines for shorter duration classes are:

Sept. 26 – First 8 week class deadline (Classes meet 8/18/14 – 10/12/14 – Part of term 2)

Nov. 14 – 12 week class deadline (Classes meet 9/8/14 – 12/14/14 - Part of term 4)

Nov. 21 – Second 8 week class deadline (Classes meet 10/13/14 – 12/14/14 - Part of term 3)

Student Logo Contest The Missouri Developmental

Education Consortium is sponsoring a logo contest for interested students. The prize is

On Sept. 2, St. Louis Community College students received an email from the Public Information and Marketing Department encouraging them to download a newly-implemented mobile application called Ellucian GO. The email states that the app – provided through education and the training software company Ellucian – will allow all STLCC students to access important college resources from devices such as their cell phones and tablets.

Amongst the many promised features included in the program is the ability to access grades, courses and class schedules.

The application, which has a layout similar to many mainstream social media ports such as Facebook, will also provide registered users with one-click access to the contact information of their professors, as well as any other campus information they might require.

The software aims to be as user-friendly as possible, and accomplishes that with easily-navigated points of interest.

Despite the fact that the application has only been available for download for no more than a few days, Ellucian’s partnership with the college has been established for many years. Associate VC of Information Technology at the Cosand Center Dr. Craig Klimczak said the application’s role in campus life, in particular, is a plan that has been in motion for several months.

Klimczak said the college began to consider advocating for one of Ellucian’s GO apps in

early 2013. “We started with the college’s

leadership team back in April. The application was purchased [by the college] in June of 2013,” Klimczak said.

Klimczak said due to the nature of the project, it took a year to get organized. The Ellucian Company has been providing institutions of higher education with technology services for almost half a decade. According to their website, Ellucian presently collaborates with 2,400 higher education institutes across 40 different countries. As for why they ever began developing a mobile app, Klimczak said he believes it comes down to how technology is evolving.

“Ellucian provides Banner Self-Service. The company knew they had to go mobile,” he said.

Today, the company behind STLCC’s new GO mobile application is responsible for three systems: Colleague, PowerCampus and Banner.

To log into Ellucian GO, students only need their current mySTLCC email and password. Once STLCC is selected from the large list of educational institutions, a tap in the upper-left hand corner opens up a series of navigational commands sorted into six separate categories: Academics, Student Resources, Contact Information, Maps, Social Media and Actions.

The Academics section provides students with all of the information they need to stay on track. From there they can access their grades, see their academic calendar, and even

receive important notifications. Most closely related to this is the Student Resources section, which allows the user access to Blackboard, their library account and their my.stlcc email.

Contact information contains everything a student would need to stay updated with the college; they have access to the directory, news and an event calendar which maps out scheduled speakers and workshops.

For students interested in campus sports, there is also a direct link to a well-updated list of stories pertaining to the Archers.

When envisioning how the Ellucian GO application would be incorporated into the STLCC culture, Klimczak said the staff had only the students in mind.

“It was an attractive idea,” Klimczak said. “We wanted students to keep up with technology through mobile devices. Mobile is convenient. In your pocket you have a device that gives you a whole range of information at your fingertips.”

The application is already a popular download in the Apple iOS market, and has a four-star rating underneath its belt.

Klimczak said the developer hopes to provide an update which will soon allow students to register for their courses completely through the app – a feature that could steadily change the way in which colleges and universities across the country have students enroll.

“It’s extremely obvious that the college is going to have to use technology to keep up,” Klimczak said.

National Depression Screening Day

Thursday, October 9, 2014Business Administration Building--Room 105

10am-2pm4pm-6pm

This event is:

Open to the publicConfidential

Free

For more information, call Jason Duchinsky at:

(314) 984-7565

The Counseling Department at STLCC-Meramec will offer mental health screenings, resources and referrals. We are here to help you.

$150. For information on how to enter and requirements for submission, visit the MoDec website. Deadline to enter is Oct. 1.

The Ellucian GO Mobile application is available through the Apple iOS, Android and

Kindle market. It is free to download and install, but carrier charges may apply.

The home page for the new Ellucian GO mobile app. STLCC students are encouraged to download the app for access for contact and campus information, as well as grades and other resources.

In MemoriamNursing faculty member Mary

Herzog passed away on Sept. 4. There was a visitation on Sept. 7 at Baue Funeral Home. The funeral mass was held on Sept. 8 at All Saints Catholic Church. Friends and family held a vigil at STLCC-Meramec on Sept. 8. There will be a scholarship in her name.

Employment Services to Host Media Boot Camp

A social media boot camp will be held on Sept. 24 from 10 to 11 a.m. in BA 105. Kathy Benard will be presenting. Students will learn how to market themselves and get better at networking.

Learn what social media outlets are most resourceful, tips to having a professional online appearance and how to attract potential employers.

A networking boot camp will be held Sept. 25 from 11 a.m. to noon. Angela LaRocca from Unidev/The Net Impact will be presenting.

This workshop will teach students the best ways to connect with others and reach their networking goals.

National Depression Screening Day on Oct. 9

Meramec’s counseling department will hold a free depression screening for students in BA 105 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m.

For more information, call Jason Duchinsky at 314-984-7565 or the Counseling Department at 314-984-7575.

NEWS 3Sept. 11, 2014

Flo Valley: Campus police sweeps campus

Search begins for new STLCC ChancellorInterim Chancellor Dennis Michaelis term ends June 2015ASHLEY HIGGINBOTHAM STAFF WRITER

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Emails were sent out to the St. Louis Community College faculty and staff Tuesday, Sept. 9, saying that the Board of Trustees is currently seeking people who are interested in joining a Chancellor Search committee. The committee will narrow down the search for a new STLCC chancellor.

The emails were sent out with an attachment titled “Search Committee Nomination.”

If interested, recipients will fill out the form and submit it via email no later than Sept.15.

“A search committee’s role is to work with a consultant to review written applications,” STLCC Board of Trustees Chair Craig Larson said.

That consultant is Dr. Presson Pulliams, owner of Gold Hill Associates, a company that focuses on finding chancellors and presidents for community colleges.

“We wanted a person that would really focus on our search personally,” Larson said.

The Chancellor Search Committee will be filled with around

15 members from all campuses. The members will look over

applicants and choose six to eight candidates who will either be brought to St. Louis or interviewed over Skype.

After the interview process of those candidates, the committee will narrow down the number again to anywhere from two to four.

“Those candidates will be sent to the board to interview as finalists,” Larson said.

He said he hopes to have finalists by February or March of 2015 and to name the new chancellor of STLCC by March or April.

The entire process is confidential until the board has interviewed the finalists, at which point their names will be announced.

During Sept. 23-25, around seven forums will be held at all campuses to give the public a chance to hear about what problems face the college, what they would like to see in a chancellor, if they are open to a previous four year university and more about the process.

“As we’re searching for

candidates and interviewing them, we will know what to look for,” Larson said.

In regards to what the board wants in a chancellor, Larson said the board will have a discussion for about 45 minutes and find the ones that they feel will be best.

The top three are not in any order. He said the board wants a chancellor who has experience in working with an elected board, because that is how STLCC is run.

“We want someone who can improve the climate through the school,” Larson said.

He said they want a chancellor who listens and provides input.

“We are facing a whole bunch of issues as a community college,” Larson said. “We are declining in enrollment, we have had a number of mistakes made in the past two years that has put a bad light on the college and we need someone who can work to help the employees feel better about working here.”

Lastly, Larson said they want an experienced chancellor that reaches out to the community as a whole.

“It’s critical for employers and individuals to see us as the right place to go for the next step,” Larson said.

He said while working with an elected board and changing the climate of the school are at the top of the list, reaching out to the community “could be the top

characteristic” that the board is looking for.

Larson stressed that declining enrollment is an issue not only with STLCC, but with all community colleges.

“We’re just about average, and that just isn’t good enough for St. Louis,” Larson said.

Interim STLCC Chancellor Dennis Michaelis speaks to Meramec faculty and staff during his interview process in Fall 2013.

ARCHIVED PHOTO

St. Louis County or Ferguson Police were involved in the investigation. Berryman said in the report he had called the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and spoke with APA Dave Truman. Truman said since the shot was accidental and the gun was never concealed that

the state would not press charges.Kimack said the campus was

not placed on lockdown when the incident happened.

“The protocol in this situation was that we immediately alerted campus police who conducted a sweep and we did send out the alert which was to notify faculty,

students and staff,” Kimack said. The report said Jacobs was

booked and charged with UUW/Discharging a Firearm Within City Limits. He was warned for trespassing. Attempts to locate Hutton will be made. The case is being forwarded to the Ferguson Municipal Court.

OPINIONS4Sept. 11, 2014

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EDITORS

RYAN OBRADOVICOPINIONS EDITOR

THE WAY IT IS

Westboro-Slimy Individuals

To Protect and ServeSABREE BLACKMON COPY EDITOR

The recent events out of Ferguson, Missouri have brought forth a breadth of local issues to the international

stage. One of the most visibly stunning reports came out of the use of police force in the protest rallies. In the subsequent days, the topic of “police militarization” became a national conversation. The use of rubber bullets and teargas was seen as an injustice to many, however to local law enforcement, these were seen as necessary tools used to protect property and ensure public order.

Regardless of where one stands on the current issues of the “police state”, there seems to one thing certain — the seemingly conflicting relationship between public safety and the protection of personal liberties is one Americans have struggled with for generations. I believe though that our inconsistency on these issues makes the policy enacted muddy and often shortsighted. Our fast news cycles and tendency to forget often means real fundamental

and difficult policy changes never comes about.

Historically, incidences of national prominence that have involved police have consistently changed the public’s tone and attitude of policing policies. Incidences of force used against the public or of perceived discriminatory use of power, like the controversial New York City stop-and-frisk policy, spur calls for investigation and criticism. However, incidents like the Beltway sniper attacks, the attacks on 9/11, or the Columbine High School massacre garner support for more force capable and tactical local police departments.

Our local police forces are the first responders to incidents of internal terror and to major threats of public safety. As such, there is often outrage when police forces are ill-equipped or do not receive the proper training or funding needed to respond adequately to these threats. Are we then talking out both sides of our mouths when we now criticize the arming of our local forces that many of us demanded in the past?

Good students of history and politics may cynically note that

this repeating pattern of hyper reaction occurs among many social issues that we struggle with as a society. However, it is almost impossible to enact fairly reasoned, pragmatic and lasting policy decisions on the backs of crises. It appears though that only during times of crises do many people seem to pay much attention to these important policy questions, often leaving many decisions to be made without much public insight.

I am glad that the national debate around local policing has gotten as vigorous as it has today — these are policy decisions in which every American should have a say. However, we also need watchdogs keeping the policy making process fair and accountable when the media has its attention elsewhere. We can ensure our police departments are protecting our liberties and serving our communities fairly while also giving them the tools they need to keep us safe.

We can only effectively do that however if we are constantly involved as a public, and not solely engaging when tragedy strikes. Let us keep the conversation going this time.

We have all heard about the passings of Robin Williams, Joan Rivers and Michael Brown in the news or on social media. It is everywhere and Westboro Baptist Church is everywhere as well; picketing and preaching unnecessary hate.

At William’s funeral they said “Robin is in Hell” for no reason. I am sure Robin Williams has never done a thing to offend the church besides being hilarious.

Westboro also put a picture on their Instagram account labeling Rivers a “Fag Enabler in Hell” and said she did not give a care about her children or God. Sure, Rivers did make a living making fun and crushing other people’s self-esteem, but that is no reason to try and disgrace her by saying she “enables fags.”

A part of me wants to believe that these people at Westboro are not so insane that they actually believe what they preach. Rather, they do it for attention and make money off of the people who cannot contain themselves over Westboro’s vicious comments and those who use force to display their own emotions.

That is how Westboro gets a lot of their money. They spend around $200,000 in travel fees, said Dan Morris a documentary photographer, to go picket these funerals. They sue people for assault which technically violates their freedom of speech and religion rights. After all the long court dates the loser, which is typically not Westboro because their congregation contains a

mass of lawyers, has to pay for the court fees and all other fines.

Does anyone else see this as ridiculous? Why would a loser in a case against a hate group have to give money to that hate group? If I was not involved in a case and I decided to give some money to al-Qaeda or the KKK I would be in a lot of trouble with the law. But not when I lose a court case. Then it is okay for me give them money? That is America.

Although it is hard to contain ourselves from saying something or even physically doing something to the people of Westboro Church, you have to. They want you to get mad and defensive because they are a bunch of slimy individuals.

If you want the Westboro pickets to end or at least lessen, then do not give them the time of day. Do not get sucked into their scheme or else you might be the one paying their court fees or more.

PHOTO BY: DAVID KLOECKENER

State troopers help Ferguson residents set up their pop-ups to help support community rebuild.

ILLUSTRATION BY: DALILA KAHVEDZIC

OPINIONS 5Sept. 11, 2014

I was appalled to read Sharon Holt’s comments about mathematics in the last edition of the Montage, but my feeling turned to horror when I saw that she had signed her letter as a member of the STLCC administrative staff. From the many meetings I have attended where we were reminded of the STLCC Mission Statement, I took away the impression that all STLCC employees were expected to work together to fulfill the mission of the college. I cannot see how Ms. Holt’s letter supports the essential work that we do as mathematics educators to provide our students with the real skills they will need for their educations, careers, and lives.

I summarize the theme of Ms. Holt’s letter to be that non-traditional students should not be required to take “unneeded” classes, particularly mathematics. I love teaching non-traditional students – in spite of their additional responsibilities and busy schedules, they tend to have high motivation, clearly defined goals, and mature study habits. I fail to see why a non-traditional student should be “excused” from the required curriculum. What would we think of someone making this statement: “I never really learned to read that well, but I’m doing all right. Why don’t you change the graduation requirements so that I don’t have to be able to read to get a college degree?”

For those students who believe that they will never be able to pass College Algebra (MTH 160), we offered a new alternative course this fall: Applications of College Mathematics (MTH 161). This course emphasizes math topics that would be more relevant to students who are not interested in a high-technology program of study. The level is still rigorous enough to count as math credits towards a degree, but the focus is on real-world applications. It is not designed to be “easier”, but I believe that a student who lacks either the intellect or the perseverance necessary to pass College Algebra or the new Applications course is not qualified for a bachelor’s degree. College Algebra is high school Algebra II, which typically is taken by sophomores and juniors. I know that many of our students come to Meramec without an adequate math preparation from their high schools, but we can help them overcome that! We had to cancel three out of four Meramec sections of MTH 161 this fall due to low enrollment. Students, please ask your advisors whether this class might be an appropriate way for you to complete your college math credit requirement.

If a student wants to obtain credentials without expending too much effort, I could suggest a few diploma mills in the St. Louis area or online, but I would warn that student to not borrow too much money to “earn” that diploma, or expect many calls from employers requesting an interview. Resume reviewers all know which institutions are meaningfully accredited and which ones are not. They also can learn many things about a job applicant’s qualifications by looking not only at transcript grades, but the kinds of courses he or she took. No matter what the job title, strong grades in math courses indicate not so much genius, but logical thought process, precision of expression, problem-solving skills, consistent attendance and work habits, attention to detail, and mental toughness. None of these characteristics are directly about “finding x”!

What does a college degree represent? It is more than just a piece of

paper to show a prospective employer, although it certainly does change the employment prospects and earning power of a graduate. In the medieval universities, seven main branches of study were defined as essential for a liberal arts education: Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Geometry, Arithmetic, Music, and Astronomy. The Latin root of liberal is “liber”, meaning free – liberal arts were what free men studied (as opposed to slaves). The focus of liberal arts has always been on general knowledge and rational thought, as opposed to vocational studies like engineering or law. Of the seven original branches of Liberal Arts, two are pure math, Logic is inseparable from math, and Music and Astronomy both depend heavily on it. To this day, a college education is understood to include a certain level of proficiency in mathematics, and national college accreditation standards (which, thankfully, cannot be modified by STLCC) reflect this assumption.

“STEM majors” (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) is the higher education buzz-phrase of the decade. Math is the cornerstone of Engineering (power generation, transportation, manufacturing, construction, national defense), Computer Science (communications, data management), Medicine (immunology, imaging, microsurgery, chemotherapy), and Business (accounting, finance, insurance), to name just a few. We all depend on these disciplines for a better 21st century everyday life. Do a web search (thanks to Computer Science!) to find any list of high-demand professions of the future, and notice how many of them require a thorough preparation in mathematics.

Even for those who do not want to be an accountant or immunologist, math is essential. As citizens and voters, we must be able to read and interpret a graph from a newspaper, understand how statistics are used (and potentially abused!), and judge an argument based on logic rather than emotion. As employees, we must be able to analyze a pay stub and file a tax return. As consumers, we must be able to construct a budget, evaluate the terms of a loan, determine the “better buy”, and compare investments.

Traditional middle class career opportunities are changing radically, and those who wish to live a comfortable life and provide one for their children must do whatever they can to obtain increasingly necessary high-level skills. Reducing the mathematics requirements for a college degree would be going in exactly the opposite direction of what we should be doing. To use a so-last-millennium metaphor, those who are content to ride in the technology cart instead of helping to pull it (and that’s you if you spend all day on your smartphone but mock “misfit” STEM majors) may eventually find that there are not enough pullers to keep us all moving forward.

What do you think will happen then to those still sitting in the cart? In a civilization increasingly dependent on technology, each one of us faces a choice: embrace mathematical literacy and the benefits it brings to all of us, or be left behind. It’s that simple.

On behalf of the Meramec Math Department,Julie Tucker – Assistant ChairMS EngineeringMA Mathematics

Letter to the editor

SABREE BLACKMONCOPY EDITOR

EAT. SLEEP. MOVE.

Sleep and Your GPA

While the importance of your GPA is sometimes overstated, good grades during the early years of college is still a major factor in academic success. Motivated students put effort in learning study and time management skills in attempts to utilize their waking moments better. What they often neglect, sometimes to the extreme, is their sleep.

According to a 2014 study by the University of Michigan, 70 percent of college students report not getting enough sleep. By now, students know the consequences of getting poor sleep —decreased cognition, moodiness, and increased risk of depression according to the 2014 study —but students often do not make the

connection between sleep and academic performance. Sleep quality was found to be the most significant personal health factor correlated to GPA among first-year students in a 2000 study performed by the University of Illinois.

It is then sensible that students should be making a concerted effort to improve their sleep.

Unfortunately, many student habits make this difficult. Constant use of technology and prolific cramming sessions keep students from a good night’s rest. If students approach sleep in a systematic way, over time they can improve the quality of their sleep, even if increasing the amount of sleep is not always feasible.

Our sleep environment plays a key role in our overall sleep quality. Light controls our bodies sleep hormone, melatonin, and sources of blue light, like computers and cellphones, highly disrupt college student’s melatonin levels and subsequent sleep according to a 2011 study by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Students should try to eliminate all uses of technology and artificial light in that crucial hour before bed. Sleeping in a blacked-out or dark room has also been shown to increase melatonin regulation and keep you in deep sleep longer.

The sounds we hear during sleep can also promote sleep or derail it.

White noise, for instance, has been shown in studies to be beneficial. You can even download white noise generators for your smartphone. For some, simply the sound of a fan can be soothing. Disruptive background noise can often be blocked out effectively with inexpensive ear plugs but investing in a pair of noise-canceling headphones may be necessary for particularly noisy environments.

We have all had nights where we have been physically exhausted but mentally wired. It is also important to create a mental state of relaxation before bed. Abstaining from stimulant use later in the afternoon certainly helps. However, techniques like meditation, yoga and box-breathing can not only slow down your brain, but they also have other cognitive and mood

improving effects. It is a win-win for students.

If all else fails, we can use pharmacological means to put our bodies into a better state for sleep. Melatonin, magnesium and zinc supplementation all have extensive clinical track records. Herbal supplements, such as hops, valerian and lemon balm have also shown to produce effective and safe results. However, it is important to do your research before taking any supplement for possible side-effects and interactions with other medications.

Make incremental changes and attack your sleep with the same diligence that you attack your studies with and you will feel the benefits immediately. The use of a sleep tracker application or device can help you track your sleep improvements over time and give you some data to geek out over. It is a long journey, but your GPA will thank you.

INDEPTH6Sept. 11, 2014

Having issues with procrastination? Rescue Time can provide a quick fix! This nifty app tells you how much time is lost to digital distractions such as social media websites and email, and notifies which ones are the top distractions. This awesome app makes sure time is used productively and sends alerts when too much time is spent scrolling down twitter or playing words with friends. Keeping track of time usage and distractions is the main goal here.

Hate writing bibliographies for research papers and fumbling with MLA on websites? This app is perfect! RefMe lets students scan the bar code on journals and books and paste a URL to get various-styled citations such as Chicago and Harvard.

Note-taking in a class for hours and getting horrible hand cramps is not quite anyone’s cup of tea. Do not fear! Evernote has come to the rescue. Providing a huge mass of information that can be stored, labeled, and organized with easy access when it’s needed. To go above and beyond, this app can also record voice reminders, make to-do lists, and capture photos of notes or professors’ Power Point slides.

Tu parle français? Don’t know what that means? Well thanks to Babylon: translations, translations, and more translations! Whether finishing that foreign language gen ed that is not necessarily liked or being a French major, this app provides translations and dictionary results for numerous languages.

Being a college student makes it hard to keep track of your spending, especially with those random I-don’t-really-need-to-eat-this-but-I-will-anyway-because-I’m-in-a-rush splurges. Mint keeps track of your spending ranging from tuition and books to food and club fees.

Having endless amounts of screenshots on your phone of articles and pages you want to read can simply not be good for your phones storage, thank the heavens for Pocket! This mobile app saves articles, websites and videos you want to view later, with an easy-to-use layout as well! This app allows offline viewing as well and it syncs with your phone, tablet or computer so viewing it anytime on any device without an internet connection is no problem! A dream come true for the typical college student!

($4.99) Turning a smartphone into a scanner without the fancy scanner price? Don’t mind if we do! CamScanner scans, syncs, edits, shares and manages various content on all devices and scans with optimum quality (as long as the camera is not of the dinosaur ages). High quality scans with no watermarks from a phone? Yes, yes, yes.

Rescue Time RefMe Babylon Camscanner

Evernote Mint Pocket

‘App’lying to the new age:

INDEPTH 7Sept. 11, 2014

Providing definitions, antonyms and synonyms on the go! This app is more than perfect for a quick word-look up!

Typing can get tedious and tiring and absolutely time consuming at certain times, so dragon dictation lets one speak into the microphone and see words in text form. Speaking over writing a preference with this app and saves time as well. Time is of the essence!

Another perfect app to rid oneself of distractions! SelfControl blocks certain websites by adding them to a so-called “blacklist.” The blacklist prevents notifications from these websites and apps to get through to the phone. Once a timer is set, though, there is no way to negate the timer, so if you finish early you’re outta luck for those certain apps!

A free mobile app versus paying about $100 for an actual scientific calculator! But then again if a professor doesn’t allow calculators on cellular devices to be used, this is not a very useful app.

So how many times has one sat through a class and all of a sudden heard that way too loud and embarrassing version of “Ice Ice Baby” going off as someone’s ringtone? Prevent these few embarrassing seconds by getting Studious! This gnarly app accommodates a phone to a set schedule whether it is in silent mode or not. Never have to worry about mom calling in the middle of a lecture ever again!

Creating flashcards with text? No, way more fancy. Creating flashcards with text, pictures OR audio. Apart from creating flashcards, there are millions already available online to be put to use. Getting even fancier, this app provides tracking study session progress, quizzing, messaging with classmates, and much more.

($2.99) This app provides complex mathematical formulae and in-depth explanations of almost every single topic imaginable. Many answers to questions in topics such as math, computer programming, chemistry, biology, medicine, finance and much more. Difference between this app and Google? Much more straight-forward answers.

SelfControl Wolfram|AlphaRealCalc Scientific Calculator

Dictionary.com Mobile Dragon Dictation StudyBlue Flashcards Studious

Staying one click aheadMARISSA DIERCKS GRAPHICS EDITOR

ART&LIFE8Sept. 11, 2014

Breaking out of her shellSTLCC-Meramec instructor Michaella Thornton finds her words teaching EnglishASHLEY HIGGINBOTHAM STAFF WRITER

If students ask English and fiction writing instructor at STLCC-Meramec Michaella Thornton where she comes from, she will say “I come from squirrel and spumoni.”

In every class, she said she makes sure to tell her students where she comes from.

“I always tell people I came from a long line of people who ate squirrel and spumoni,” Thornton said.

She said her father’s side of the family was rural and lived off the land.

Her mother’s side was Italian, German, and Irish. While growing up with a diverse family may seem fun, she said she had a rough start with school.

“You are probably going to find this hard to believe, but I was exceptionally shy,” Thornton said.

Growing up, the extroverted, loud-laughing teacher struggled during her childhood. Her parents divorced when she was 7 and after moving from a rural school in Blue Springs, Mo to a suburban school in Blue Springs, acclimating to the changes were extremely hard for her, she said.

“I sat in the back of the classroom, did not talk much, and it was like that for several years,” Thornton said.

Until seventh grade hit, that is how everyone knew Michaella, whose name was always mispronounced.

“My name is not spelled phonetically, so everyone has called me McKayla, Mishayla; I’ve even been called Michelob,” Thornton laughed. “So I just go by Kella.”

In seventh grade, she came across an extracurricular activity that she actually liked - speech and debate. It was not until high

school hit that she actually joined the club, though.

“I did it for four years in high school after my middle school exposure,” said Thornton.

Thornton debated on topics from the environment to immigration laws. She said she loved it so much that she made it to nationals.

“I went to nationals and I did horribly,” Thornton laughed.

She and her debate partner were not ready for the “Speed and Spread” round, which is to go as fast as you can and obtain as many points as possible, she said. Thornton said she feels that her Mid-Western accent kept her from taking the win. This was the last of Thornton’s speech and debate days, but it was then when she realized that she wanted to stick with writing.

“I had always loved to write and once I found my voice, I really liked learning,” said Thornton.

Thornton was accepted to the University of Missouri – Columbia, where she began her studies as a history major, but that was short-lived. After her first semester, she changed her major to anthropology, where she mostly studied cultural and biological anthropology. She then was a double major after adding on magazine journalism.

“I have a BA in anthropology, a BJ in magazine journalism and then I have an MFA in Creative writing with an emphasis in creative non-fiction,” Thornton said.

Reflecting back on her college years, Thornton said she grew up watching powerful female characters and wanted to be like Josephine March of Little Women and a journalist like Jo.

While her grandmother suggested that she find a nice boy

and settle down, her granddad had other words to say.

“He just always said, ya know, study hard, work hard, you can do it,” Thornton said while grabbing the photo of him and her grandmother that she keeps above her desk.

She wanted to be a powerful, independent woman like Josephine and Jo, which did not mean finding a nice boy and “settling down”, as her grandmother did, she said.

After college, keeping her granddad in her mind, she packed up her red pick-up truck that she purchased with him, and headed East to North Carolina, where she began her first teaching job out of her undergrad.

“My first job out of my undergraduate degree was a program called Teach for America,” Thornton said.

She taught sixth grade language arts and social studies.

“Doing that experience made me want to combine my love for writing and journalism with my love for teaching,” Thornton said. “So after I figured that out, I went back to school and got to teach at the collegiate level.”

She never forgot her grand- dad in the process.

“He thought it was really important as a young woman to be educated,” Thornton said.

Remembering that he lived through the Great Depression and used to thresh wheat helped her realize that it was important to her grand- dad that she would not have to work as hard as he did.

Thornton began teaching in 2000 and became an adjunct teacher at STLCC-Meramec in 2008. She recently became full-time in January 2014.

“A student once said to me, ‘you know, you really made

me work for this grade, but I appreciate it.’” Thornton said.

The student continued to say that he understands himself as a writer now and knows what he needs to work on, she said.

“I want [students] to know that they have an immense level of talent,” Thornton said, noting that she likes to start the writing process in the classroom.

“I feel like a lot of writing classes will sometimes hand out the assignment and say, ‘now go do it,’” Thornton said.

She wanders around the

classroom and help students out so they do not go home confused.

“I like to show them things in action,” Thornton said. “Last but not least, I do bring food occasionally,” Thornton laughs. She knows writing can get exhausting and said she believes a little substance cannot hurt.

Telling her students that she is on the newer side of teaching at STLCC-Meramec does not bother her in any way.

“I’m less concerned about being right and more concerned about being fair,” Thornton said.

English instructor Michaella Thornton, right, discusses the writing process with her students while sitting in a circle in the classroom.

English instructor Michaella Thornton listens as her students discuss a writing assignment.

PHOTOS BY: ASHLEY HIGGINBOTHAM

ART&LIFE 9Sept. 11, 2014

New author strives to help students find their voiceMeramec student publishes book to ‘inspire people to use music as a form of exercise therapy’BRITTNEY FARROW STAFF WRITER

Amy Shapiro is proactive. When she speaks, her passion for her cause can be recognized in her voice.

As a student who has struggled with learning disabilities for most of her life, she said she understands the incredibly burdening academic obstacles that some students face when they try to pursue an education. For many years, feelings of defeat and frustration interfered with her studies, she said. It was not until high school when she joined the choir that she found the confidence she needed to keep working toward her goals.

Now, years later, Shapiro has written her own book which she said she hopes will inspire people to use music as a form of exercise therapy.

When asked about the struggles that came with her learning disabilities, she took a

moment to reflect. “I was born with a brain tumor that caused me to have epilepsy. It [the tumor] was removed when I was three…I’ve been called names,” Shapiro said.

Through her book, Shapiro wrote frequently about how her struggle affected her, and how she felt while being teased. It left her with a self doubt that she carried until her music studies helped her find assurance.

As for her involvement in music, Shapiro does not really feel like she “discovered” it.

“I always had an interest [in music]. I grew up with music,” Shapiro said, shifting the focus of her answer. “I did it in high school. I was in choir.”

While she enjoyed singing in high school, Shapiro credits a lot of her success with it to her instructor.

“My choir teacher helped me

see that I had a talent. She helped me develop the confidence to pursue my education.”

While Shapiro said she feels passionately about what she has written, it was not her first intent to write a book. At her high school, seniors were given the chance to be awarded a college scholarship through a small essay. Shapiro completed hers early as a junior, but found out the next year that she had not written it to meet the standards. Instead of dropping her work completely, she expanded the concept and began turning her words into a novel – a process she said took about five years.

After completing her first version, she self-published in April of last year through lulu.com. Because of the nature of self-publishing, Shapiro was responsible for every detail of the

book’s development from design and editing to promotion. Now that her second version with edits has been released, she is eager to get the word out.

“I wanted to educate people. Yes, I have challenges; yes, I have struggles – but that doesn’t define me and it doesn’t define anyone else,” she said.

Presently, Shapiro is an assistant at Stages Performing Arts Academy in St. Louis, and says the proceeds from her book sales will be donated there. As stated on their website, Stages is a nonprofit company that aims to advance musical theater through education and performance. At the academy, Shapiro works with special needs students – something she believes has impacted her life greatly.

Through teaching music education, she said she has found that music encourages students

to develop more certainty with themselves, and has inspired them to be who they are and have a good time.

“We sing, dance, act; they perform for others,” she said.

Most of the promotion for Shapiro’s book – titled The Music That Gave Me a Voice – has come from the novel’s Facebook page, which now has almost 1,000 likes and has been flooded with kind messages.

Greatly appreciative for all of the support, Shapiro has said that she has more books planned. As for her everyday life, she is driven by the work she does with music. “[My favorite part has been] getting special needs students involved. They can do so much more than anyone realizes.”

To purchase Shapiro’s book, contact her through the book’s Facebook page. Copies are sold for $15.

Meramec student Amy Shapiro displays the book she published. The book “The Music That Gave Me A Voice” details her struggle with learning disabilities and how music helped her cope.

PHOTOS BY: DAVID KLOECKENER

“The Big Overview” • Saturday, Oct. 18 • 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. (financial aid, scholarships, tours, preliminary admission decision, lunch)

“Meet the Geeks” • Tuesday, Oct. 28 • 7 – 9 p.m. (cyber security, partnership in engineering, computer science & more)

“Educate The World” • Saturday, Dec. 6 • 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. (deaf education, speech-language pathology,

education/special education, family & consumer sciences)

3 Good Reasons to Visit

Fontbonne University Transfer Preview Days

Learn More or Register: www.fontbonne.edu/meramec

1. Unique programs like cyber security, bioinformatics or applied (web/digital) design.

2. A personalized approach to transferring that’s hard to find.

3. Faculty dedicated to YOUR success and career preparation.

SPORTS11Sept. 11, 2014

The STLCC Archers women’s soccer team returns to Meramec this fall under the supervision of first time collegiate head coach Erin Hesselbach. Hesselbach joined the Archers after leading Incarnate Word to the Class 2 State Tournament in the spring.

Hesselbach began playing soccer back in kindergarten.

“My dad coached my sister's team and my cousin's team,” Hesselbach said. “I would go to practice and jump into drills. Soccer came easy for me.”

She continued playing through high school at Incarnate Word Academy and then went on to play at the collegiate level at Indiana University.

“After my senior year, I decided to become a volunteer coach with IU. From that point on, I knew I wanted to coach. My college coach taught me a great deal the year I volunteered,” Hesselbach said.

Hesselbach identified her college coach Mick Lyon and her father as her greatest influences.

Her father still attends her games. “They both are very knowledgeable

and were also both great players,” Hesselbach said. “It's great to have someone in my corner that allows me to bounce ideas off of.”

One of Hesselbach’s favorite things as a player was playing under the lights on a Friday night.

“There is something special about putting on your uniform, lacing up your boots and stepping onto the field under

the lights,” she said. As coaching is

concerned, Hesselbach enjoys watching a team have success and meshing together and playing great soccer.

“As a coach, you know you had a small part in their success,”

Hesselbach said. Hesselbach said she has wanted to

return to the collegiate level for some time. She described STLCC as “the right fit.”

The Archer’s next home game is Thursday, Sept. 11 at 4 p.m. against the St. Charles Community College Cougars. They play the Hawks from Heartland Community College Saturday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m.

Hesselbach said she does not follow a specific team, but enjoys watching international matches, hockey, and baseball and is a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Blues.

“I enjoy watching all the teams on a nice fall Sunday,” Hesselbach said.

The Archers have had consecutive trips to the National Junior College Athletic Association Championship Tournament and lost many players to graduation. Hesselbach remains optimistic.

“We’ll all be on the same page. Every game and every practice, we’ll grow stronger together,” she said.

New soccer coaches kicking it into high gear New women’s coach welcomes challengeWILL BRAMLETT STAFF WRITER

New men’s coach brings fresh startRYAN OBRADOVIC OPINIONS EDITOR

The STLCC Archers men’s soccer team is under the direction of new head coach Tim Mosby.

Mosby is the third men’s coach since the program went district-wide, starting in July 2011.

Mosby said he has been playing soccer all his life, including for the University of Missouri St. Louis and STLCC-Meramec along the way. Even though he said he cannot play as well as he used to, he still loves being involved in the game, which is why he started coaching.

“The older you get you cannot play as well so I like to pass on my knowledge to students of the game,” Mosby said. “I coached at Marquette which was a very successful program and ranked number one last year.”

Mosby has a knowledge of the game from both playing and learning from his own coaches, he said.

With previous coaching philosophies rubbing off on him and ideas all his own, Mosby said he is looking to bring his coaching style to Meramec in an effort to lead his team to a winning record.

“I get thrilled teaching them skills,” Mosby said. “Defense, intensity and ball work on offense are things I really like and will implement into this program.”

The men’s soccer program performed below their own expectations last season, though.

Winning a total of two games for the 2013-14 season, Mosby said as the new head coach of the team he is looking

forward to changing things and making this a contending team. Mosby acknowledged that the change will not simply happen. He said it is a process that will take some time.

“We’re very young with not many returners,” said Mosby. “We are going to take [this] one game at a time but we have very skilled players that come from winning programs and have the hunger to win which I cannot really teach.”

The skill is what sets this year’s team apart from teams of the past, said Mosby.

With the team predominantly made up of freshmen, Mosby said he hopes the players will come back, so the Archers can have a solid framework for next season.

Mosby said building this team step by step is going to take time, but he is very optimistic as to what this team will become in three years.

“Hopefully we will win some playoff games by the end of this year. If we get everyone back healthy we will have 11 returning starting freshmen as sophomores which will help us peak and therefore help recruiting,” Mosby said.

“The journey will not be easy”, Mosby said.

“We just have to hang onto wins and score under pressure; we are going to have to fight and refuse to lose,” he said.

The sound of thunder and an incoming storm cut practice short for the STLCC Archers baseball team on Sep. 9. During the off-season, the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) allows eight hours of practice a week and the team is taking full advantage of the added off-season time to keep sharp and ready for fall exhibition games. The Archers play their home games at Heine Meine Fields.

PHOTO BY: DAVID KLOECKENER

Tim MosbyErin Hesselbach

That is a wrap: The STLCC baseball team in the off-season

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OUT ‘N ABOUT12Sept. 11, 2014

Meramec makes it way to the national art scene

Members of the STLCC family joined artists at the St. Louis Art Fair Sept. 5-7. It was also the second year STLCC has been a sponsor for the St. Louis Art Fair.

The festival hosted 187 artists from 38 states and Canada. Approximately 130,000 art

enthusiasts visited during the weekend event.

Faculty from STLCC spent time in the STLCC booth distributing ceramic cups and fans to spectators.

Art faculty also passed out nearly 3,000 fans for overheated guests.

DAVID KLOECKENER PHOTO EDITOR

PHOTOS BY: DAVID KLOECKENER

Ruth Reese jokes with spectators on Saturday, Sept. 6. Reese is a ceramics instructor at Meramec.

Jim Ibur (left) and JJ Skiver (right) from Flying House performing during Saturday of the St. Louis Art Fair. Ibur is a ceramics instructor at Meramec.

Dave Hanlon talks with spectators that came by the STLCC booth to get ceramic cups made by students and faculty. Hanlon is a photography instructor at Meramec.

Joe Chesla answes questions while working in the STLCC booth. Chesla is a sculpture instructor at Meramec.

Flying House performs during the St. Louis Art Fair on Saturday, Sept. 6. Meramec ceramics instructor Jim Ibur plays guitar in the band and his brother, Ted, plays the drums.