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Vol. 2 No. 1

September 2008

VCU + VCE

advice on internships + insight on study abroad

featured artist Tim Lamb

auras + colors what do they say about you?

VCU’s role in rehabilitation programs

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editor’s letterSara D’Eugenio

EDITOR - IN - CHEIF

Meredith Rigsby

MANAGING EDITOR

Melissa Tablante

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Patrice Dalesandro

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

ink staff

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Kathryn Glushefski

PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR

Amy Joyce

CO-COPY EDITORTenoiya Carter

CO-COPY EDITOR

Matt Schmidt

ART EDITOR

Caroline Evertz

CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR

Christine Erickson

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES EDITOR

Jaime Barnett

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Courtney Mannion

VISUAL STAFFNina Stoddard

VISUAL STAFFLee Khleang

VISUAL STAFFConsuwella Carrington

VISUAL STAFF

Christine Stoddard

WRITING STAFF

Leilani Littlefield

FASHION STYLIST

Shawnee Custalow

GUEST PHOTOGRAPHER

Tim Lamb

COVER ILLUSTRATION

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Why wait to figure

things out the hard way?

Freshman, transfer

and even those who

have been here for over

five years, use this

guide to help make

the most of your time

in Richmond on and

off campus. Numbers

reflect top voted places

based on randomly

surveyed students.

FAVORITE HANGOUT SPOTthe fan

belle isle

oregon hill

SHOPPINGcarytown

need supply co.

short pump mall

WEEKLY SPECIALSlittle mexico dollar tacos

capital ale house

dollar burgers

buffalo wild wings tuesday

wings

CHEAP FOODmc Donalds

7-11

piccolas

ENTERTAINMENT carytown

bryd theatre

first fridays

BEST PLACE TO STUDYat home

upstairs in the commons

4th fl. library

123

123

12

3

1

23

1

2

3

12

3

1

2

3

1

12

3

1

2

12

3

GOOD FOODsticky rice

far east

chipotle

BAD FOODshafer

commons

7-11

BEST DORMSbrandt hall

cary&belvidere

rhoads hall

WORST DORMSjohnson

grc

WHAT TO DO WHEN IT’S RAININGsleep

movies

study

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table of contents

oh the places you’ll go!

campus lifetop things to do

stories of trips abroad

how to be a good roommate

cabaniss happiness

insight on student internships

students create art gallery

free stuff in richmondwe’re there. you should be, too.

VCU basketball’s hopefuloutlook

contemporary issuesVCU + VCE

tips on healthy college eating habits

Does the fan have too many coffee shops?we didn’t think so.

VCU continues to go green

transportation information

arts + cultureview from the top

love reworked vintage?then you’ll love breconstructed.

DIY photos + bulletin boards

Tim Lamb speaksknow who the best AFO teachers are

auras + colorswhat do they say about you?

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Brian McDaniel

My story of traveling abroad

begins with this almost

unreachable goal, a lot of

luck, and taking advantage

of nearly every opportunity

I could get. I was always

interested in world history,

cultures, and understanding

the ways people interact,

so studying abroad seemed

natural for me. However, I

had no idea how I was going

to go about this or even

where I wanted to go. Last

October, I crossed my fingers

and applied to

two national scholarships

because it was my best bet in

traveling. I had several

things going for me, but

nothing is ever guaranteed. I

got accepted to an exchange

program in Hong Kong, and

I definitely hyped it up that I

was leaving, but in the back

of my mind I honestly wasn’t

too sure. The scholarship

committees did not give any

dates about when applicants

would be notified, so for a few

weeks I was a nervous mess.

I’ll never forget, on December

8, 2008 I checked my email

and it was a congratulations

letter from the Gilman

Scholarship Committee.

Receiving that suddenly

sealed the deal for me to go

to Asia.

I hate to sound like one

of those cheesy study

abroad pamphlets, but

studying abroad in Hong

Kong was easily one of the

best experiences of my life.

Hong Kong is a completely

different place from anywhere

else. Imagine going to the

commons during lunchtime

and multiplying that business

by a hundred. In Hong Kong,

there are seas of people

everywhere and I mean

EVERYWHERE. I almost

forgot what it was like to

have personal space and

brian in hong kongThree VCU

students share

their experiences

of studying

abroad.

6

the freedom to wave my

arms around in public. Since

moving out of Johnson Hall

freshman year, I hadn’t lived

in a dorm and I didn’t miss

it at all. I lived in a triple in

Johnson and I got screwed

again, and lived in a triple

all male dorm. However,

I got really lucky with

my roommates, and they

become my best friends

there. Edmond was really

into photography and he had

a girlfriend whom he had

given a special ringtone, and

would talk to her softly on the

phone until the early hours of

the day. Leo was really into

“The Little Prince”, girls from

France, and the movie Big

Fish. Leo was also a great

cook, and when the only

vegetarian dish (rice, tofu and

mushrooms) that was sold

at my schools canteen

became old, one can only

understand why we became

such good friends.

Sometimes I have to pinch

myself and say “I spent five

complete months in Asia.”

While I was there I took

advantage of everything I

could do. As a kid from the

suburbs of Richmond, there

are some places that I never

ever thought I would go or

experience; and there I was

standing on the beaches

of Thailand, or walking

across the Great Wall of

China. Traveling to Vietnam,

the Philippines, Thailand,

Shanghai, and Beijing was

what I enjoyed the most

during my time in Asia.

Seeing how people lived and

how welcoming people can

be was surprising.

My greatest gain was

learning how awesome

people can be. I was treated

like a celebrity and people did

not hesitate to say hello, take

pictures with me, or attempt

to talk to me in the little

bit of broken English that

they knew. Also, while I was

away, people from back

home gave me so much

support. I had never been

away so this was my first

experience of homesickness

and feeling lost.

I gained a greater

appreciation for the city

I came from: the crappy

sidewalks by the commons,

riding my bike in the fan, and

all the people that I love. My

friend from Berlin would

always say “sometimes you

have to surprise others and

yourself,” and I totally agree.

Roberto Curtis

We live at about a mile a minute. From gas cards and GPS‚ to

Google phones and late night drive thru‚ this country is built on

determined nine-to-fivers chasing that certain manifestation

of merit; be it a Gucci suit, a 40-foot yacht or a green lot of

cookie-cutter, suburban paradise. But what if you rather work

to live instead of living to work?

What if there were a place where your corner store opened at

10 a.m., where 3-hour-long-dinners didn’t‚ start until 9 p.m. and

where entire city blocks shut down for local soccer matches

and scores of summer soir√es?

Welcome to Barcelona, capital of Catalonia. Teetering on the

edge of an identity crisis (ask a Catalan if Catalonia is part of

Spain), this Mediterranean Mecca of 1.7 million people holds

incredible allure for about 14 million tourists each year.

Two weeks prior to a summer study program at the Institute

for the Education of Students Abroad, I found myself with VCU

alum Josh Epperson wandering Las Ramblas wondering why

this culture had so seductively struck me with its‚ breezy, hip

swagger and late lunches.

Epperson soon felt strange as an American getting used to

the laissez-faire attitude toward everyday life.

In the States everything is very rule oriented. The rule-

oriented way of Spain was not so much there. People were

always (illegally) hopping the metro and basically doing

whatever they wanted as long as it didn’t affect anyone.

Barcelona’s‚ ultra modern transit system, art nouveau

architecture and wealth of diversity also bring life to a city that

some residents would defiantly claim is not truly Spanish.

Take the historic Raval neighborhood‚ teeming with cultures,

languages and tiendas (stores) from all over the world, the

most cosmopolitan of all the city‚ neighborhoods is not only

home to Pakistanis and Indians alike, but also to two VCU

alums who simply wanted something different.

“It was quite random,” says international relations alum

Matthijs Maruanaya of what got him to Barcelona. Maruanaya,

who ended up at VCU on a soccer scholarship from the

Netherlands four years ago, considered moving to New York

City with his girlfriend Audra Wrisley upon graduation.

Wrisley, a photography and film alum, said the idea of living in

roberto in barcelona

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Barcelona began as a joke.

“We should just move

to Spain,” Wrisley said in a

text message one rainy

day.“If it’s Spain, it’s got

to be Barcelona,”

Maruanaya responded.

Six months later with visas

in hand, they were ready to,

well, stand around for awhile.

“All that relaxed stuff sounds

really cool but once you’re

in a store, you just want to

buy something and leave.

Sometimes it doesn’t always

happen,” Maruanaya says.

Their first day in the city

trying to buy cell phones from

two clerks didn’t exactly

fit the notion of speedy

customer service they were

accustomed to.

“They just start talking

about what they’re going to

do this weekend,” Maruanaya

said. “There was no one else

to help us.”

Your native Barcelonan

tends to generally chill out

and not fret about haste,

red tape or dispatch. So

you adapt.

“I had to keep telling myself,

I’m in Spain‚ this is the way it

goes here,” Maruanaya said.

Never mind that I am

a die-hard FC Barcelona

(Barça to its fans) soccer

supporter or that I can’t see

myself ending up in a city

where palm trees don’t grow

naturally, Catalan culture

grabbed me much like it did

Maruanaya and Wrisley.

I also had a hunch I’d be

witnessing history, for

Barça was on the verge of

accomplishing a feat foreign

to any Spanish team winning

the treble, three trophies

from the top domestic league,

the league cup and the top

continental tournament in

one season.

On my second night,

FC Barcelona, was set to

compete in the Copa del Rey

final. The electricity was in the

air as the plazas, bars

and police forces prepared

for what was certain

to be nothing short of

glorious mayhem.

After being down by one

goal, Barça came back,

lighting up Atletic de Bilbao

by netting four and securing

its first piece of silverware in

two seasons.

As we listened to fireworks

go off from Plaça de

Catalunya, meters away, tens

of thousands of Barcelonans

began to flock to the mythical

fountain, Las Canaletas, as

per tradition. We were feeling

the heartbeat of the city,

skipping with every chant

and flare.

It took me under an hour to

get separated from my VCU

alums and I found myself

huddling with the masses,

cheering like a zealous

Catalan, channeling the

fervor of generations of anti-

Francoist sentiment.

“Madrid! Cabron! Salud

al campeon!” we chanted

for hours. Around 2:30 a.m.

the police hit the streets

to clear Las Ramblas and

Plaça de Catalunya of

what was already an unruly

mob, who tossed bicycles,

fireworks and glass bottles

around like limbs in a feeding

frenzy. I decided it would be

safer to take cover than risk

being beaten by riot police

or catching a brick in the

head. With beer in hand and

plugs in ears, I leisurely took

shelter on a bench behind a

news kiosk on Las Ramblas

with three other locals who

looked like they had done

this before. Safe from the

flying glass, we watched

dozens of officers march past

us, riot shields drawn and

flanked by armored police

wagons. Rubber bullets,

noise grenades and batons

dispatched the vagrants

and contributed to hundreds

of injuries according

to news reports the

following morning.

Twelve days, one trophy

and one riot later saw the

largest riot I’d ever witnessed

after the 2-0 victory over

Manchester United in the

Champions League final. My

temporary town was now

home to the undisputed

greatest club team in Europe.

It was as surreal as a Salvador

Dali masterpiece.

As I continued exploring

the city, taking in the artwork

and scenery while enduring

the less-than-demanding

coursework of my program,

several students began to

express their desires to return,

either for another summer

or to try their luck at living in

the city on a more permanent

basis. Familiar American faces

kept popping up randomly

and in showing them the

ropes, I felt more comfortable

with the idea of becoming

a denizen. I met amazing

tourists and ex-pats who were

as enamored as I was and

who all contributed to my

exposure to the international

community minus the airfare.

In ten weeks I had lived a

satisfying, though incomplete

experience; riots, the seedy

underbelly, local dives,

beautiful people and the day-

to-day routine.

Currently stateside, I

feel like I’ve witnessed the

beginning and end of my life.

How and when to return, is

the question.

Though unemployment is at

an estimated 18%, Barcelona

has more under-the-table

options that any city in

Europe. And while some

Catalans may seem cold,

some simply take longer to

warm up to you.

“That all depends on

who you meet,” Maruanaya

said. Most things said

about Barcelona are true,

it’s beautiful, it’s relaxed,

nobody’s in a rush.People

spend their money on the

right things, I think.

Making connections is not

difficult, even if your Castilian

is less-than-stellar. If you

can take a chance, get off

the computer, apply for

that program or pack your

bags; and go try life at a

different tempo.

We were feeling the heartbeat of the city,

skipping with every chant and flare.“ ”

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The University of

Westminster consists of

four campuses; Regent,

Marylebone, Cavendish and

Harrow. Harrow, being the

school of the arts, was the

one I was placed at. Harrow is

also the only one of the four

campuses that is not located

directly in Central London.

It was a 20 minute commute

from Harrow into Central

London, one which I made

daily. I enjoyed having

a quiet place to come home

to, outside of the main areas

with the convenience of it

still being easy to get back

and forth.

I actually had the

opportunity to do two

internships and get

experience within two

different fields within the

fashion industry. My first

internship with was a Public

Relations Firm located in

Central London called Mary

Lally Associates. With this PR

firm I did a BBC photo shoot,

the BBC is the American

equivalent to CNN, and

had the best time! It was

so amazing to be a part of

something like that. We spent

all day dressing and fitting the

models and moving to and

from locations. The people

were so nice and interested in

me and my aspirations within

the industry, it was really

motivating. Unfortunately,

while I was interning, their

company went under due

to the tough times of the

economy. They had lost

several clients and so I moved

on, due to there being a lack

of work for me to do. My

second internship was with

the buying department of

the UK retailer KRISP. They

are a fashion laggard retailer.

They sell fashion that is in the

late stages of the culmination

stage of the fashion cycle.

Yet, they still do as much

research as innovators do. I

loved working for them; I was

able to create color stories

and merchandising plans for

their 33 stores throughout the

country and did background

research for the fall which

involved theme boards. I was

also their fit model for all the

samples that came in daily.

Some days all I would do is

try on clothes. As a girl and

a fashion major I never in my

wildest dreams thought that

would get tiring, but after

three hours, trust me you are

worn out! I learned a great

deal from them though.

It was nice to see all the

theory I had studied put to

real use and witness how the

process really works. All in

all my internship experiences

were very beneficial and I

strongly intend to take what I

have learned with me in the

future. I made tons of

new friends while I as in

London, a lot of which were

exchange students, just like

me. This was because at

the orientation we all met one

another and bonded since

we were all in the same

situation. Two of my best

friends were Canadians from

Toronto. I also made friends

with lots of Australians,

Europeans from everywhere

ashton in londonAshton Williamson

When choosing a university after high school, I deliberately

sought out those who offered study abroad and exchange

programs. VCU has a lot to offer in both areas. Since freshman

year, I had been waiting for the time when I would be eligible

to travel abroad with the university. My chance came this

past spring semester. I decided to do an exchange with the

University of Westminster located in London, England. It

was a six month program where not only was I able to take

classes that transferred directly towards my major, fashion

merchandising, but also an internship which was included in

the program.

I arrived in London a few days before orientation was

scheduled to get myself situated and allow enough time to

figure out and locate where I would need to be going. It was

a very hectic few days to say the least. You are completely on

your own; it is all up to you to get yourself to your destination.

London relies heavily on public transportation to travel

throughout the city. Yes, there are taxis, but they are very

expensive to take due to the congestion charges London

inflicts on motor vehicles. Pretty much everyone uses the

underground system or takes a bus. Due to my several pieces

luggage, I opted to take a bus, thinking it would be much

easier than maneuvering the tube (underground). After a long

journey, in a direction I assumed was correct, I arrived at my

hotel safe and sound and had the whole day to find my new

campus and investigate the neighborhood.

You are completely on your own; it is all up to you to get yourself to your destination.

“”

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months was such an amazing

experience, I had lived

there for three years prior

to attending VCU and so it

was like going home for me.

London will always be the city

of my heart. The people I met

were so wonderful, friends I

know I will have in years to

come. The experience I gained

from working in my field of

interest and also learning and

adapting to the UK schooling

system will make me a much

stronger and well rounded

individual for the tasks and

opportunities that lay ahead.

and then of course the

British themselves. In the

city that truly never sleeps,

we established where we

liked to go regularly. One of

our favorite places was this

Australian pub called the

Walkabout. We would go

there on their student nights

and karaoke, and by the time

we left England we knew each

bartender by face and name.

Every Friday night we also

loved to attend disco night at

this pub called the Fighters

Arms, they really liked all us

foreigners there.

There is always something

to do in London, not a

chance of someone getting

bored. My friends and I were

constantly on the run, going

new places and seeing the

important museums and

landmarks, monuments etc.

There is still so much I didn’t

get the chance to do. We all

made ‘to do’ lists, prioritizing

what we wanted to do the

most; otherwise you get

sidetracked with something

else fantastic and never get

around to it. My list consisted

of places such as the Tower of

London, Parliament, St. Paul’s

Cathedral and Westminster

Abbey. Then there were the

famous and brilliant markets

of London; Camden Town,

Portobello Markets, Covent

Garden, Brick Lane and

Borough Food Market. And

of course the Theatre shows,

which I fell short on but still

was able to see The Lion

King and The Phantom of

the Opera, both of which

were spectacular.

Being in London for six

Tenoiya Carter

Whether you’re moving into a dorm or finally moving on from dorm life into an apartment, having

a roommate is almost inevitable. Finding a roommate and moving in is the easy part. For those

who already have roommates, remember how happy you were on move in day??!! Well things

can quickly spiral downward if one doesn’t know proper roommate etiquette.

roommate etiquette

DON’TS:DON’T assume that because you share a

space that you also share everything in

it. Ask before using things that clearly

belongs to your roommate.

DON’T expect for you and your

roommate to become best friends. You

don’t have to be good friends to be

good roommates.

DON’T expect for everyone to live the

way that you are accustom to. No two

households are run exactly the same. Be

open to new ideas.

DON’T date your roommate’s friends, if

you can help it.

DON’T throw parties without at the least

informing your roommate.

DO’S:DO clean up

after yourself and your guest

DO be mindful of your roommate’s

schedule.

DO make rules and regulations when you

first move in, this will avoid some of the

issues that may come up later.

DO keep lights, music to a minimum if

your roommate is sleeping.

DO strive to make necessary payments

on time to avoid money conflicts.

DO speak up If you are unhappy with

something going on in your household, it

will avoid or get rid of unwanted tension.

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the joys of cabanissChristine Stoddard

Getting assigned to Cabaniss Hall does not mean instant

banishment from VCU and the city of Richmond’s social

scenes. When I first transferred from a tiny liberal arts school

to VCU for the top-notch art and creative writing programs,

Monroe Park’s campus housing was completely full. Not

especially familiar with the area and without the time to

research apartments, I knew that renting would be a bad idea.

So I signed up for campus housing with the naive hope that

I would get a spot in GRC, where I stayed for the Summer

Governor’s Japanese Language Academy during high school.

At first I was disappointed to live so far from all of the other

undergraduate dorms, and the prospect of boarding the bus

everyday hardly thrilled me. I considered storming the housing

office in a tank (black and gold for emphasis) and demanding

a room change. Maybe then they would listen. But the pacifist

in me defeated the thespian. If I wanted to be happy and make

the best out of my first year at VCU, logic would have to trump

my penchant for drama and I made sure that’s what happened.

After looking at maps, reading Richmond tourist books, and

simply talking to people, I forced myself to explore everything

Cabaniss had to offer. By November, I began to love Cabaniss;

as would have surprised my early transfer year self, I even

missed it when May finally rolled in and I had to move out.

Here’s how you, too, can make the most out of living in “Canabiss Hall”

1 Appreciate the bus ride I know. Especially during Welcome Week and the first few days

of class, it’s annoying that most of your freshman and first-year

transfer friends live right on campus. They can easily walk back

to their dorms right after class while you have to wait for the bus,

endure the bus ride, walk from the MCV bus stop to your dorm

building, and then take the elevator. Even if you’re not a Math

major, you look at their two minutes versus your twenty, and realize

that you’re spending a lot of time in transit. There are, however,

advantages to the extra travel.

Waiting for the bus truly becomes a social activity. You can

chat with other Cabaniss students; chances are you’ll meet MCV

students, VCU faculty, and anyone else who simply has to get from

Point A to Point B, too. If you’re shy or a total misanthrope, view

your waiting time as an opportunity to read, catch up on homework,

listen to music, or think without

a professor’s voice blaring in the background. The bus ride itself is

an excellent time to cram study or just close your eyes after a

long day.

If the forced gel time that the bus ride provides doesn’t convince

you, consider this: since you take the bus everyday, you have a

better understanding of the how the GRTC Transit System works.

Find out how to take the bus anywhere around the city at no cost

to you (Hint: go to the VCU Parking and Transportation Office on

Broad Street for a bus pass and map.)

2

Build a community Every Cabaniss student complains about living ten minutes away

from campus during the first month. That’s not only normal, it also

opens up the chance for new friendships. At the very least, even

if you have nothing else significant in common, you can whine

together. If the friendship is meant to last, you’ll still crave each

other’s company once you have all come to accept Cabaniss. Then

Cabaniss pride blossoms. When I was there, Cabaniss always had

activities going on. Sometimes there were organized philosophical/

intellectual discussions on controversial topics; other times there

were movies nights or ice cream parties; often RAs rallied together

their hall to bake cookies together.

Visit Eastside It’s a mistake not to visit Shockoe Bottom and Churchill when you

live in Richmond, but it’s even more unforgivable for you not to

check it out when you live downtown. Cabaniss might not be in

the heart of the Fan, but it’s close to plenty of fun and fascinating

sites that people on Monroe Campus don’t necessarily see.

Suggestions? The Edgar Allen Poe Museum (find out about their

monthly “Unhappy Hour”), Havana ‘59, The National, White House

of the Confederacy, Fall-Out, the Virginia Holocaust Museum,

Market at Tobacco Row, Libby Hill Park, River City Diner, 17th

Street Farmers’ Market, Valentine Richmond History Center, Papa

Ningo, John Marshall House Museum, Taylors Hill Park...to start.

Google any of these places and you’ll gather the what-when-

where-how much that you need.

Make MCV your home I felt somewhat amiss amongst all of the MCV graduate students

when I first lived in Cabaniss but I soon became accustomed to it,

especially when I found out the pluses of living on the MCV campus.

The hospital is nearby and that translates into access to late-night

Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s, Alpine Bagel, and Subway--a privilege the

average, car-less freshman living on Monroe campus can’t enjoy. You

can also easily attend MCV’s guest lectures, which should be useful l

if you plan to go on to medical school or are simply interested in the

life sciences. There are MCV social events you can check out every

once in a while, too.

Savor the silence Cabaniss is the number one undergraduate study hall at VCU.

Why? Because it’s quiet enough for you to actually study, read,

and write your papers. Granted, you may get stuck with

rambunctious neighbors but the hall as a whole is relatively silent.

The only places it normally gets loud are the Community Rooms

and the basement--but, then again, those rooms are supposed to

serve recreational purposes.

If you’re still not persuaded that living in Cabaniss is not a punishment, it’s because you have yet to experience its benefits. Put this magazine down the moment you finish reading it and put that pith helmet on. It’s time to go on your Eastside safari. Reveal the joys of

Cabaniss.

If you’re still not persuaded that living in Cabaniss is not a punishment, it’s because you have yet to experience its benefits. Put this magazine down the moment you finish reading it and put that pith helmet on. It’s time to go on your Eastside safari. Reveal the joys of Cabaniss.

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11

student internshipsLee Khleang

These individuals have gained hands on experience and

enhanced their knowledge of a career field they wish to be a

part of. They could easily have stayed home

this summer and watched endless hours of “The Hills” while

laying on a couch with a 21 oz. slurpee and bags of gummy

bears, but they didn’t. Hear what they have to say about

their experiences.

Jason Mamaril

Senior

22

Graphic Design major

intern for Interbrand-

a brand agency in

New York City

James Cross

Senior

20

Marketing major

intern for Frenchkiss

Records & Pitchfork

in New York City

Kellie Soto

Junior

20

Mass Communications

major

concentration in

Broadcasting

intern for Star-Radio

in Fredricksburg

Tida Tep

Senior

21

Graphic Design major

intern for The Groop-

a digital agency in

Los Angeles

12

What

are you

passion-

ate about?

James I’d

like to say

music (but

who isn’t

“passionate”

about it

nowadays?).

Kellie Life in

general. I want

to put the most

effort possible into

everything that I do.

I feel that if you go

the extra mile you will

eventually

be rewarded for

your efforts.

Tida Color.

Jason Graphic Design.

How did you find this

place?

James Frenchkiss: I spent

last summer interning

with the A&R department

of Columbia records. I

submitted a band by the

name of Chairlift who

eventually got signed.

Columbia Records shares

a band with Frenchkiss

records (Passion Pit.)

Luckily I was able to get

someone to introduce me

to the guys at Frenchkiss

and we hit it off. Pitchfork:

I saw a post they put up for

interns. I applied and luckily

got it.

Kellie I completed an

assignment for Masc 203

interviewing several people

that worked in the Star

Radio Group. Online, I saw

that they were going to have

internships available for the

summertime. I immediately

turned in my cover letter

and resume. A few days

later, I received a call saying

that they would love to

have be as an intern for the

summer.

Tida Design job listings.

Jason Matt Woolman and

Jeremy Grimes sent an email

out to the GDES students.

How do you feel about the

company?

James I love them both.

Equally.

Kellie I think the company

is amazing. They are all very

strong willed and passionate

about what they do for

a living.

Tida They are very

sharp and unbelievably

imaginative.

Jason Great atmosphere! It’s

a really cool place to work.

Everyone’s young and very

knowledgeable.

Currently, do you feel you

are doing what you love?

Kellie To a certain extent.

My internship has opened

my eyes to real world

scenarios, but my ultimate

goal has not been reached.

Tida Absolutely, I geek out

over kerning....that’s the life

if you ask me.

Do you see yourself

working there?

James At FrenchKiss

records definitely, but not

so much Pitchfork. I love it

there, but I don’t see

myself doing that kind of

stuff forever.

Kellie Unfortunately, no.

Working as an anchor is my

ultimate goal.

Tida Yes, I definitely would.

It’s a small company, I

already feel like I’m a part of

the family.

Jason Sometimes...

Have you met new friends?

James Of course. I generally

like everyone I work with.

Kellie Yes. Another

intern, named Ashley, is

a journalism student at

George Mason University.

We have learned a lot from

one another and I think she

has helped me get even

more out of the interning

experience.

Tida Yes, two sausage dogs

named June and Henry.

Jason YES! I’ve made a lot

of new friends.

Is it something you were

expecting?

Kellie Yes. I tend to be able

to make friends easily. I

found out very soon that

I was going to have an

amazing experience.

Tida I wasn’t expecting the

amount of responsibility I

was given. I’m really grateful

for the opportunity to work

on actual client work and

become an important asset

of the team.

Jason Some of it I was

expecting, but I’ve done a

lot of things that I thought I

wouldn’t have worked on.

Did you get free shit?

James Mainly advance

copies of CD’s and I was

able to get into shows for

free. Also the occasional

Jamba Juice.

Kellie Haha. I like the

language. Yes! I received

free tickets to Barbarian

fight nights and concert

tickets, along with free

shirts, stickers and those

sorts of things.

Jason Yes. Free food

everyday. Haha. And a lot of

other things.

Did they buy you lunch?

James On rare occasions.

Kellie Usually people

would provide food for the

radio stations when we

13

were out doing remotes or

promotional events. So that

was nice.

Tida Yes, and usually when

we’re working late (which is

most of the time). Beer too.

Jason Breakfast is provided

everyday. Sometimes lunch

is provided.

What projects/tasks have

you been assigned?

Kellie I have done several

broadcast remotes and

appearances along with

voice overs for commercials

and promotional spots. They

have taught me the basics of

editing on Adobe Audition

to help produce spots

as well.

Tida I have done illustrations

for Savings.com, worked

on a pitch for Orange (a

french telecom company),

a pitch for the Disney

Studios website, iFreek (an

iphone app), the new Groop

logo and Groop marketing

collateral such as business

cards, stickers, and paper

dolls (my favorite)!

Jason Created logo

concepts and design

approaches; made

internal flyers; completed

competitive audits; image

search for presentations;

create applications for client

presentations; present work

during client meetings; let’s

just say I’ve done a lot!

Describe your daily day.

James The cool thing is I

really don’t have an average

day. One day one of our

artist’s album could leak, so

we spent all day trying to

minimize the damage from

that. On other days I could

walk in and we spent all day

playing air hockey.

Kellie Depends. Somedays,

I had to be there early in

the morning (as early as

6am) to shadow the jocks in

their morning shows. Other

days, I just had promotional

events to go to which

were normally later in the

day. Each day at the radio

station was really something

different. I liked that a lot

because the internship never

got boring.

Jason Walk and take the

subway to work. Wait for the

elevator. Get free breakfast.

Start work. Meetings.

Lunch break (sometimes

do work and eat at the

same time). Start up work

again. Meetings. Critiques.

Meetings. More meetings.

Work again. Home.

How is the environment?

The city? Studio? Office?

Apartment?

Kellie The environment is

home to me. My house is

about 20 minutes down the

road. I love it there.

Jason I think everyone

knows, but in New York

there are so many different

things to do and so many

places to eat! The Interbrand

office was remodeled soit

looks very modern

and professional.

Initially what did you want

to take from this?

James More experience

I guess; times are tough

out there, I really doubt a

college degree by itself is

going to do anything for

you. You need real world

experience. I also wanted

to meet more people that

would help me move up in

this industry.

Kellie I wanted to listen and

learn from people who have

been where I am now and

are in a similar position that

I want to be in the future.

Jason I wanted to gain more

experience in the field and

learn about the process

behind how they create

their work for clients. I also

wanted to have work to add

to my portfolio.

How have you dealt being

away from home?

James It’s not that bad, I

already have friends up

here and I’m never really

home anyways.

Jason Well, I’m staying with

my sister, so I still feel at

home. We try and

call our mom, dad and

brother everyday.

How different is this

compared to class?

Kellie It’s just much more

hands on. Even though I

haven’t gotten into many

of my major classes as a

journalism student, I don’t

think it could compare. As

an intern, you are placed

into a real world setting

where you possibly

could be working

in the future. Going to

class and listening to

your professor lecture

could never have the

same impact.

The creative

industry is stressful

and demanding—

but it’s also fun

and completely

rewarding.

Jason Very

different! There

are no excuses.

Deadlines are

deadlines.

You have

to time

manage

very well

and keep

track of

meeting

14

times. You can’t be late to

meetings because you are

wasting a lot of company

money. Also as far as design

goes, it’s kind of like class,

but in the end you have to

sell your ideas and concepts

to the clients and back up

your ideas with strategy and

research. Also, you have to

do some projects and tasks

very quickly!

More demanding? Less

demanding?

Kellie To me my internship

seemed less demanding than

class. This is probably due to

the fact that it was just much

more fun. To me, going out

to do remotes or recording

funny commerical spots is

a lot more interesting than

reading books or listening to

a lecture.

Jason It is more demanding.

Are you cheating on your

loved ones? Jk.

James You only live once.

(don’t print that haha)

Kellie Maybe? Just kidding.

hehe.

Jason HAHA wow these

questions are getting

controversial here. No, I would

be killed.

Have you addressed

your weaknesses for

improvements?

Kellie Yes. I believe I could

improve on just believing in

myself more at times. It’s

hard when you can’t get

something right. It can get

extremely frustrating when

you know how you want

something to turn out, and

you just seem a little short

each time. I think that the

Star Radio Group has shown

me that yes, this can be hard

and frustrating, but in the

long-run with some extra

effort and motivation - you’ll

be fine.

Any advice for those who are

seeking an internship?

James I think networking is

probably the most important

thing in the world. Like,

if you’re applying for a

job through craigslist or

something you’re basically

(to the company) a sheet

of paper. But with someone

else writing an email

recommending you, you’re

already ahead of the crowd.

Also make sure for whatever

company you’re applying

to, you know the company’s

history. I’ve heard so many

horror stories.

Kellie Just go for it. It can

seem a little overwhelming at

first but there is nothing else

like it. Going to class cannot

compare to the experiences

you gain in the real

world situation.

Tida Look early. If you’re

planning on a summer

internship, I would start

over winter break and

begin emailing prospective

places. Dig deeper and

try to directly contact the

creative director or whoever

has a lead position. Have an

online portfolio and make

a résumé. Showcase your

work and personality. If a

creative director only spends

a mere 30 seconds browsing

your portfolio—make an

impression. Write a cover

letter and do your research.

Relate a personal anecdote

to one of their campaigns for

instance. In return they learn

more about you as well as

acknowledge your interest in

their work. Don’t get picky.

Even if the internship isn’t at

the most progressive agency/

studio, I guarantee you will

value the experience. Be

aggressive but don’t annoy.

You will be ignored and

rejected. I contacted over 50

places and of those maybe

only 25 responded and only a

handful were interested.The

search can be frustrating but

don’t falter!

Jason Have a great resume

and be prepared for the

interview. Study the company,

what they do, what work they

have done, etc. Also study

interview questions and figure

out answers before going to

the interview so that you

are ready.

15

Christine Erickson

In a city flourishing in the art and music scene, it’s harder

for young and upcoming artists to get their names out.

Galleries can be found all over Richmond, but new artists

struggle to display their work in them.

Friends Conor Backman, Ross Iannatti, James Shaeffer, and

Edward Shenk have been working to help solve this problem.

Hoping to make their apartment also function as an art

space, three of the boys chose to live together through

means of business, recruiting a friend in the process.

Together, the four have transformed their rather large

storage space to provide Richmond with its newest art

gallery, Reference.

The plan collaborated through VCU student James

Shaeffer, former MICA student Ross Iannetti, and Conor

Backman, a VCU sculpture major experienced in hosting art

shows from his previous apartment. The three roommates

were joined by VCU graduate Edward Shenk.

Introducing emerging, hard-working artists that have seen

little payoff is their mission. The four gallery owners hope

to give a space for artists to exhibit in Richmond, while

providing fresh inspiration to spectators by displaying artists

from other cities and abroad.

“We want to excite the art scene in Richmond by bringing

in outside artists”, said Backman.

After moving into the apartment in June, they immediately

began building the space. In July, A VCU sculpture class was

given the space for critique and show. Through their website,

the public was informed much ahead of time for their debut

in September’s First Fridays Art Walk.

As the gallery was built, the possibility of growth was

already being discussed. Not just limited to art exhibit,

there’s a good chance the gallery will also host future bands,

dance parties, and movie nights.

Though young and ambitious, the four owners are far from

unprofessional, taking the gallery very seriously. Not only

was the summer spent on the space, money and legalities

attached to registering a business proved to be

bigger obstacles.

Coming up with a name alone proved difficult when almost

every existing word has been trademarked.

What’s astonishing is the entire project has been financed

through budgeting paycheck to paycheck.

“No loans, no funding,” said Iannetti. “We’re working for it, I

sleep like 9 hours a week, on the usual.”

The boys received their license this month and Reference

Art Gallery is now a project of Reference Fine Arts L.L.C., a

Virginia Limited Liability Company.

Money, however, is not what they seek in return for their

hard labor. Any commission will be at a much lower rate than

regular galleries, solely to keep business running.

“Although we are not technically a non-profit we are hoping

that what makes our space different than other local galleries

is that we are not driven by sales,” the boys say. “The artists

that we are choosing are people whose work we are excited

about, rather than people we think will sell.”

Reference Art Gallery held its first show September 4, but

is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 12 p.m.

to 6 p.m. The gallery is located at 216 E. Main St.

contact informationEmail mail@referenceartgallery.com

Website http://www.referenceartgallery.com/home.

html

Flickr Photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/

referenceartgallery/

Blog http://referenceartgallery.tumblr.com

reference: student owned gallery

16

Meredith Rigsby

“One man’s trash is another

man’s treasure,” is a common

anecdote often used in

reference to yard sales and

thrift stores. The problem

with these two resources is it

still costs money for someone

else’s “trash.”

Walk through Monroe Park

on the last Saturday of each

month and it may seem as

though someone moved out

of their house and left their

belongings for the homeless.

The miscellaneous items

strewn across the lawn

are not cast off items but

rather potential treasures

up for grabs.

The event is known as the

Really Really Free Market.

From noon to sunset the

unique free market attracts

the residents of Richmond,

from newcomers to regular

attendees.

“It is a FREE market, there

is no exchange of money or

anything,” said regular free

market attendee, Maxwell

Fisher. “You bring the stuff

you don’t want anymore and

if you see anything you pick it

up and take it.”

Contributing to the Really

Really Free Market does not

necessarily mean bringing

physical items. Bands

have attended to show off

their talent and entertain;

others have read poetry and

shared jokes.

Hanging out and meeting

people in the community is

the central aim of the Really

Really Free Market.

“For a city we are really small

but there is still that feeling of

disconnect,” said co- founder

and VCU graduate, Ramey

Connelly. “I was hoping it

would be something that

would bring people together

but it’s worked out so much

better than I really could have

ever expected.”

The free market has

experienced considerable

growth since Connelly and

Mo Karn coordinated the first

few events. The market was

originally held at Holly Street

Park but has since migrated

to Monroe Park located

on the corner of Main and

Laurel streets. Connelly and

Karn hoped to reach a larger

demographic as a result of

the move.

While the free market has

expanded since its start there

is still a need for more people

to help out and organize

events. Connelly and Karn

both agree that they are just

there to help facilitate; that

the free market should be a

community driven activity.

“I think it could expand more”

said co-founder, Karn. “We

tried to have workshops so

people could come and teach

people some skill or talk

about something and that

hasn’t really functioned yet at

the Richmond one but there

is a huge potential there

for the community teaching

each other.”

A universal flyer advertising

the Really Really Free Market

can be found in various

no money, no problem: rva free market

places around the community

as well as the event’s myspace

page at myspace.com/

rvafreemarket. Those who

wish to spread the word are

encouraged to print

off copies of the flyer and

hand them out around the

area.The Free Market can be

found year around during

the summer as well as the

winter. The winter does

experience a smaller crowd

due to weather conditions but

it has never been cancelled

due to lack of attendance.

The event is open to everyone

and no permission is needed

to contribute to the cause via

donation, performance, etc.

If one day the founders leave

the city of Richmond their

hope is that the Really Really

Free Market will continue to

be held on a monthly basis

and bring people in the

community together.

All items left behind at the

close of the event are donated

to diversity thrift.

contact information Ramey Connelly

rameysaurus@yahoo.com

Mo Karn

xveganarchistravax@gmail.

com

Really Really Free Market

rvafreemarket@yahoo.com

17

players predict another successful season

According to team members the new guys are keeping up with the switch from high school level basketball to college level.

”“

Meredith Rigsby

After the loss of two seniors,

the NBA draft of player

Eric Maynor and the addition

of three new freshmen,

students can expect an

exciting season from the

VCU basketball team.

The VCU basketball team

has been placed in the

spotlight over the past

months since their recent

NCAA championship win.

The NBA draft of one of the

team’s well known players,

Eric Maynor has also attracted

more attention to the team

that was once considered

an underdog.

“We are working hard

getting ready for next

season” said senior player,

Kirill Pishchelnikov. “We just

don’t think oh Eric Maynor

left so we will play bad. No,

we have a lot of guys who can

switch in.”

The team has also had

to adjust to a change

in coaching staff since

previous coach, Anthony

Grant decided to transfer to

the University of Alabama.

The pressure continued to

increase when popular player,

Joey Rodriguez announced

he did not plan on returning

to VCU after the 2008-2009

season. Rodriguez later

reversed his decision to leave.

The addition of three

new freshmen players

has the team’s spirits and

expectations set high for

the fall season.

“I think they will be just fine”

said former VCU basketball

player, Eric Maynor. “Joey

going back so they are going

be straight.”

The three freshmen that

have joined the team, Isaiah

Grayson from Atlanta

Georgia, Troy Daniels from

Roanoke, Virginia and Darius

Theus from Portsmouth,

Oregon have been practicing

with the team since late June.

“I like the campus and they

have a good education

program and I like the

coaching staff” said freshman

point guard, Grayson. “I

thought it would be the best

decision for me.”

A new member of the

coaching staff, Mike Jones

coached at Grayson’s high

school in Atlanta and was a

key player in his decision to

attend VCU.

According to team

members the new guys are

keeping up with the switch

from high school level

basketball to college

level. Senior players are

helping the freshmen get

to know the area and become

comfortable with the other

members on the team.

It is nice to have the support

of older players but Grayson,

Daniels and Theus have been

able to comfort and support

each other during their

shared new experiences.

“It’s very beneficial knowing

that you got two other

freshmen so you don’t have

to go through the whole

struggle that the coach staff

put you through and college

puts you through just by

yourself” said Grayson. “You

have others to relate to you. I

like it a lot.”

The new players are not the

ones the team predicts will

step into the limelight in the

coming season. Players on

the team agree that senior

Larry Sanders, who is already

a lottery pick for the NBA, will

likely be the focus of fans and

scouts alike. “Larry Saunders

is dominant on both ends”

said Maynor.

The VCU basketball team

may have specific stand

out players but their main

goal is the same; to live up

to the precedent set by the

team the year before and

participate and win the NCAA

championship title.

“We are family and our goal

is to win the championship

and we just try to help out our

team” said Pishchelnikov.

VCU’s basketball season is

planned to begin on Sunday,

November 16th and will end on

Thursday, March 15th.

18

Rehabilitation for prisoners comes in many

different forms in order to assimilate inmates

into the work force, but when does the prison

world get in the way of the real world?

Caroline Evertz

buildbarsVCU’s rprisone

19

Business retailers

claim that line has

been crossed by

government programs

mandating agencies to

purchase from them.

Businesses claim a monopoly

is being created, while the

prison programs stick with

the goal of rehabilitation.

Virginia Commonwealth

University, along with other

Virginia government-owned

entities, is required by the

Virginia Department of

Procurement to purchase

their furniture or office

supplies from Virginia

Correctional Enterprises

(VCE). VCE is a provider

of numerous services that

government-owned agencies

are mandated to use, while

they employ prison inmates to

manufacture those products.

“We try to mirror as close

as possible the employment

of citizens in the free world,”

Don Guillroy, director of

VCE, said.

VCE has 30 shops across

the Commonwealth and

hire inmates in 20 different

prisons, overall employing

1,600 inmates. These workers

create goods such as license

plates, uniforms, dentures and

office furniture depending on

which prison they work in.

“It’s just a myriad of stuff,”

Guillroy said.

VCU purchased about

$1.044 million in furniture for

offices at the new School of

Business and dorm rooms

from VCE for the upcoming

2007 fiscal year.

“[VCE is] good as anybody

else,” interior designer for

VCU Facilities Management

Caren Girard said, comparing

them to other providers.

In spite of the fact that VCU

is required to purchase from

VCE, if the furniture does not

meet quality standards, VCU

may look to other bidders.

Director of procurement

for VCU Betty Lowther, said

VCU’s main concern is to

“keep a good appearance” in

the final product.

“[We] try to find a balance,”

when purchasing VCE and

other companies’ products.

For competing furniture

suppliers, VCE is an obstacle.

Chasen’s Business Interiors,

a supplier of Herman Miller

products, sold items for

the VCU Medical Campus

and office and classroom

furniture for the new business

school. The head of sales for

Chasen’s Business Interiors

in Richmond, David Druff,

said products from VCE are

costing agencies more

money then they would

obtain commercially.

Girard defends VCU’s

purchases saying VCE is not

set up as a money saving

option, just rehabilitation

for prisoners.

VCE causes taxpayers to

pay for inferior products

leaving the end user receiving

furniture they have to replace

because of poor quality and

warranties, said Druff.

Another problem is the

bureaucracy that agencies

must go through deny

mandates to purchase from

VCE. In order for state

agencies not to purchase

from VCE, they must receive

permission from VCE to go to

another vendor.

“[Agencies] have to go to

the person they are forced

to buy from and ask to buy

products from Herman

Miller or others because VCE

product does not match up,”

Druff said. Overall, Druff

calls VCE “an anomaly to

a free market.”

Guillroy believes VCE

doesn’t hinder the furniture

industry because it can

only sell to government

institutions, while other

privately owned company’s

selling power is unlimited.

Virginia furniture retailers

are not the only ones

fighting the federal prison

manufactures, the Business

and Institutional Furniture

Manufactures Association in

Grand Rapids, Mich. is against

these mandated programs.

Director of government

affairs for the Business

and Institutional Furniture

Manufactures Association

(BIFMA) Brad Miller said such

organizations are creating

a monopoly.

“It’s in opposition to the free

enterprise system,” Miller said.

“If [federal programs] have

the business they don’t need

to try harder.”

For those pushing towards

more correctional programs,

Miller said there is a common

ground that can be met.

“There are things that

the prisons can do that are

positive,” Miller said.

Miller said the programs

in place now leave many

inmates out of prison without

a positive experience.

Buyers forced to purchase

shrug their shoulders at

the opposition.

“I’m mandated to use it, so I

use it,” Girard said.

According to Girard, VCE’s

mission is to give quality

products at a competitive

price, but to also instill work

ethic in inmates.

In order for an inmate to

start working with VCE, they

go through an interview

process. Upon arrivial,

inmates work eight to nine

hour days, including lunch

breaks and time for line ups

to enter and exit the facility.

Inmates receive training on

the item they are supposed to

create and depending on the

product, can start and finish it

in one day.

“They wouldn’t start a piece

and not finish it,” Guillroy said

about the workers.

The inmate receives 45

to 80 cents per hour. They

are paid depending on their

amount of talent. The pay is

twice as much as what they

would usually receive at a

prison job, said the director

to VCE. Workers also have

an opportunity to receive

promotions to reach higher

pay. They can be promoted

to a “lead,” who is the head

inmate on the job.

Although giving inmates a

working experience seems

beneficial, some believe it

only seems good in theory.

Having the inmates work in

a factory line is “not

necessarily worthwhile,” said

VCU’s Girard.

“Will they ever use it when

they get out of prison? I

doubt it,” he said about

the inmates.

Whether the inmate’s

benefits are apparent or not,

the consensus is as long as

VCE and other subsidized

federal programs attempt

to be a business then they

should compete like one.

Overall, Druff

calls VCE “an

anomaly to a

free market.”

“

”

20

Buy a meal plan that makes

sense: The most expensive

meal plan isn’t necessarily

the best. Conversely, you

shouldn’t get the cheapest

meal plan only to save

money. If this is your first

time ordering a meal plan

at a college, you should

probably buy one that covers

14-21 meals a week, especially

if you’re living in a dorm

and don’t have access to a

kitchen. Skip a meal plan only

if you’re confident that you’re

willing to prepare meals for

yourself. It’s harder than you

may think! Remember that

neither starving nor eating

cold cereal three times a day

is healthy.

Make time for breakfast:

Especially if you have morning

classes, it can be hard to have

breakfast every morning.

But eating breakfast doesn’t

necessarily mean sitting

down for 30 minutes leisurely

reading the newspaper,

either. If you can’t hit the

cafeteria before class, pack

breakfast for when you’re on

the go. This will require that

you occasionally go grocery

shopping but it will be worth

it for your health and will be

lighter on your checkbook (or

parents’ checkbook), too. Buy

juice boxes in bulk (usually

10-24 packs) and save. You

can also try cow’s or soy

milk, which often come in

small boxes like juice. Cereal,

fruit, or yogurt bars are other

good choices. Try pastries,

which you can easily wrap in a

napkin. Other options include

dried fruit and nuts.

Have a large lunch: Don’t pig

out (unless, of course, it’s a

special celebration!) but do

eat a full, well-rounded meal.

Your lunch should definitely

feature some kind of protein

to give you energy for the

day. This is the time to go

grab that juicy hamburger or

steak or veal parmigiana or

tofu delight-not at dinner, if

you can help it. The reason

for this is because eating a lot

at dinner causes your body

to digest very slowly. Chances

are, you go to bed not

too long after dinner. Since

your body isn’t as alert

when you’re sleeping, it

won’t process the food as

quickly as it would’ve earlier

in this day. More eating

at dinner time can also result

in a stomachache right

before bed. That’s never

a good ingredient for a

comforting rest.

Snack (smartly) throughout

the day: If you can, try to

eat 5 or 6 smaller meals

throughout the day instead of

2 or 3 big ones. As previously

mentioned, lunch (which for

most people falls between

about 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.)

should be your biggest meal

of the day. Eating only when

you are hungry prevents you

from over-eating. Remember,

each small meal should

include one to three snacks,

depending on what you eat.

Healthy snacks you may enjoy

include granola bars, peanuts,

fresh fruit, mozzarella sticks,

strawberry smoothies, forest

ham, or celery sticks. An

example of a wise smaller

meal would be a carton of c

hocolate milk, dried apricots,

and carrot sticks.

Drink lots of water: It’s very

important that you stay well-

hydrated at all times. It helps

your body function properly,

which includes ensuring a

normal metabolism. In other

words, drinking water is

good way to control your

weight. (And with the horror

of the Freshman 15 being

a reality for many college

students, who doesn’t like the

thought of that?) Always try

to carry your own thermos

or water bottle because you

might not have access to a

water fountain throughout

the day. Even if there’s a

water fountain near all of

your classes, you probably

shouldn’t escape class every

time you need a sip of water.

Remember that water also

boasts zero calories!

Don’t forget your fruits and

vegetables: Not everybody

likes fruits and vegetables

and cafeteria food usually

doesn’t make this fact any

easier. If your cafeteria

regularly carries bruised

or otherwise unappetizing

fruit, it’s worth it to buy

fresh apples, bananas, pears,

grapes, and oranges at a

grocery store. The same rings

how to eat healthy in college - and like it

Christine Stoddard

It’s not always easy to eat right. America’s obesity epidemic

provides evidence of this. But just because you’re at college

doesn’t mean you’re doomed to walking through four years of

a nutritional desert. There are ways to eat well and it doesn’t

always mean adhering to a Spartan diet, either. You can eat

healthy and like it. Here’s how:

21

true if your cafeteria doesn’t

prepare vegetables the way

you like them. Don’t sacrifice

your health just because the

food is unsatisfying! If you’re

lucky, though, your campus

normally serves fruits and

vegetables that you like so

don’t skimp on them. Try

to have one fruit or vegetable

at every meal. Real fruit juice,

quality fruit yogurt, and

fruit bars and smoothies

made with fresh fruit count

are good alternatives.

But blueberry cobbler?

Probably not.

Avoid empty calories: Sadly,

chocolates and milkshakes,

when eaten excessively

everyday, are not the best

choices for your body. With

that in mind, avoid “empty”

calories by eating food with

low nutritional value only

sparingly. Skip soda and bug

juice whenever possible (limit

yourself to drinking it only a

couple times a week, if ever).

Eat smaller servings of desert

(i.e., one little cookie instead

of two big ones) and save

junk snacks, like potato

chips and pork rinds, for

special treats.

Jessica Porter

The fan area, especially

around VCU, is crawling with

independent businesses

that give the area its charm.

Even with the presence of

chain corporations, locally

owned coffee shops are

able to thrive.

Crossroads Coffee & Ice

Cream, on Morris St., is

often packed full of people

who choose to spend their

money at an independently

owned business rather than

the Saxbys Coffee near the

dorms, two Starbucks on

campus and the three more

Starbucks in the area.

The owner of Crossroads,

Jeff Kroll, does not view the

chains as competition.

“The population hungers

for something different that

reflects the neighborhood,”

He makes sure to incorporate

things that appeal to the

diverse residents of the fan

and VCU students. A larger

menu and the option of ice

cream make the experience

at Crossroads different from

that of a chain.

Employees “developing

relationships” with customers

is just one benefit of going to

locally owned coffee shops.

“A person’s coffee can be

started as soon as they walk

in the door,” said, former

owner, Scott King, of recently

closed Common Groundz

located on Broad Street.

“Face and name recognition is

very important.

Independent coffee shops

can create a more more

personal atmostphere by

choosing what music to

play and how to decorate,”

said Kroll.

The atmosphere is not

as structured. It supplies

an “environment around

creative people” not provided

at a chain like Starbucks,

Crossroads employee, Will

Gowdy said.

Rostov’s Coffee & Tea is

different from the others

because it is not a café.

Rostov roasts and sells their

coffee by the pound as well as

tea, mugs and other drinking

accessories. Owner Tammy

Rostov, 41, is confident about

the coffee provided.

“What we do is unique,

there’s no coffee that has not

been roasted and ground

in the store, Anyone who

sells coffee actually helps us

because people realize what

we have is better.”

The “big green monster

on campus” is not a worry

Kroll said.

“There is enough population

for independent and chain

coffee shops.”

This is not the case for

all independently owned

coffee shops in the area. The

Common Cup, located near

Crossroads, recently closed

for reasons that are not clear.

There is speculation from a

neighboring business that

the closing was due to the

economy. Attempts to reach

the owner of the Common

Cup were unsuccessful.

But many people have

chosen to stay loyal to chain

business like Starbucks

due to more convenient

locations. Nikki Thompson,

a VCU Student agrees that

convenience is the

reason for her morning stops

at Starbucks.

independent vs. chain coffee shops: room for both in the fan

With so many choices for food and

beverages in the fan area there can’t

be too many coffee shops.

22

vcu students add green to their everyday wardrobeLauren DiLisio

A new color has swept through Virginia

Commonwealth University. Aside from the

school’s labeled colors of black, white and

gold, green has been widely revealed to

students around campus.

Although Global Warming is a controversial

subject among students, the majority

agree that doing simple things to help the

environment can make a difference in the

long-run. Recycling, switching to energy-

efficient light-bulbs and even remembering to

turn off lights and unplug appliances will help

not only the power bill but the environment

as well.

Labels have been put on “Going Green” since

the start of the movement. Some have even

gone on to call it a fad. However, this “fad” has

affected students, whether they’ve expected

it or not.

‘Going green’ began as a fad when NBC

made a big point to go green and many

celebrities publically supported being

environmentally friendly,” said VCU Social

Work major Libby Tofflemire. “It inspired and

motivated many individuals to do the same,

but I think that people have continued to

work towards being environmentally friendly.”

From large networks to local neighborhoods,

students and universities alike have

climbed on board to become more

environmentally friendly.

“Students are becoming much more aware

of green issues, and there are now a handful

of student green organizations on campus,”

said Brian Ohlinger, Associate Vice President

of Facilities Management for VCU. “Most of

the energy savings and conservation will come

from student activities, especially the 5,000

living on campus.”

Since VCU faculty believes that students will

become a large part of the campus’ efforts to

become more “Green,” the school has placed

handfuls of recyclinaround campus to

encourage recycling.

“I definitely think VCU’s efforts to recycle

and conserve energare being noticed. It seems

like a lot of people are catching on Though

recycling is pretty easy on its own, using

alternative household products is another

simple way to “go green.”

“It’s surprising the range of household

materials you can buy that are naturally made;

like soaps, cleaners, kitty litter and for the

most part they are the same price as your

standard ‘toxic’ chemicals,” said Graphics

Design major Zane Bevan.

Anything from kitchen napkins and light

bulbs to cars can be altered to become

friendlier to the environment. Although some

people think the extra work won’t make

much of a difference in the future, something

as small as recycling can reduce a person’s

“carbon footprint.”

“Every person has a carbon footprint and the

more people working to minimize their own

footprint is beneficial,” said Christina Gleixner,

a VCU Graphic’s Design major. “Think of how

many people there are living on our earth and

how many businesses there are that could

work to be greener.”

Aside from VCU’s efforts to “go green”,

students have been inspired not only by the

school, but also by sheer interest and concern

for the environment. Their contributions, no

matter how small, have shown others how

effective and easy it is to do simple things to

“Go Green.” As far as VCU students are aware,

they are stepping even closer to adding green

to their everyday colors.

23

know your rights for equal fightsSara D’Eugenio

As a cyclist in Richmond who must ride down Cary Street to get to class in a timely manner, getting hassled everyday is

something I have unfortunately learned to accept. However, it continues to bother me when motorists get riled up over a

cyclist ‘getting in the way.’ Therefore, I outlined an easy to read guide that illustrates Virginia’s law on transportation rights for

bicyclists, mopeds and pedestrians.

So go on! Grab this guide and carry it with you on your next alternative transportation adventure!

bicyclistsYour rights

Same rights as any other vehicle on the roadway,

unless otherwise noted.

Ability to ride on the highway shoulder.

Full lane in certain circumstances (see below #2).

mopeds + motorized skateboardsYour rights

Generally the same as bicyclists!

Considered a vehicle on highways.

Your responsibility

Generally the same as bicyclists!Riding on sidewalks is okay in some areas.

Motorists must pass you at a reasonable speed and at

least two feet away.

Your responsibility

Ride with flow of traffic, on the right side.

If you are moving slowly, move as close to curb as

possible. However this is voided if:

Bicyclist is overtaking and passing a vehicle moving in

the same direction.

Preparing to turn left

Avoiding unsafe conditions (the numerous potholes,

for example).

Avoiding lane direction change.

A one-way road which is not large enough for cyclist to

ride safely to the side.

walking + joggingYour rights

Turning traffic must yield to you.

In intersections, you always have the right of way

when indicated.

Your responsibility

Use crosswalks.

Walk against traffic.

Do not enter or cross an intersection in disregard of

approaching traffic.

1

2345

12

A

B

C

D

E

Obey traffic signals, signs, etc.

Do not ride between two lanes of traffic, unless one is a

turn or separate lane.

To note and obey areas where cycling is prohibited (some

controlled access highways).

When riding on sidewalks, yield to pedestrians and give

audible signals.

For safety reasons, you are not permitted to wear

headphones in both ears. Also, unless you have a tandem

or other bicycle specifically designed to, you cannot carry

more than yourself on your bicycle.

Use bike lights. The least amount of light permitted is a

front white headlamp visible from at least 500 feet. Roads

with a speed limit 35mph or greater need a red taillight in

addition to front white headlamp.

When riding on highways, you need to have breaks.

34

5

6

7

8

9

12

No access on sidewalks or bicycle paths.1.

Carry some sort of identification.2.

You may not drive faster than 35 mph on a highway, otherwise 3.

you are considered a motorcycle and need to have

proper licenses.4.

You may not operate under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 5.

1234

5

The following information can be found on

VDOT’s website. For a more in-depth

analysis, you can access this information

by visiting www.virginiadot.org and

www.dmv. gov.

12

123

24

Tenoiya Carter

View from the Top: an ironic

name for a group of guys who

are so down to earth. They

hail from West Point, VA, but

with their love for music and

their talent, they plan to go

much further.

The four-member pop-punk

band has been active since

their high school years.

With a couple of member

changes, they finally found

all the key components that

make up the View from

the Top we see and hear

today: Russell Redmond,

McGill Jackson, Kyle

Hermann, and Alex Herman.

Their sound is influenced by

a wide variety of musical

styles ranging from rock to

hip-hop. They have

an interesting way of

describing themselves.

“If Blink-182 and Taking

Back Sunday had a love

child,” explained Jackson,

“the end result would be us.”

While all four of them have

obligations outside of the

band, whether they attend

college or work full time,

they each have managed to

overcome logistics and make

the band an important part of

their lives.

The VFTT members all

get their musical inspiration

from different places. For

example, Hermann, guitarist

a little view from the top

25

for the group, finds himself mostly inspired by older rock music

such at the Beatles, while Redmond most often listens to

current music.

“He knows everything about the new stuff and nothing about

the old stuff,” said Hermann. “But you don’t know where you’re

going until you know where you’ve been.”

VFTT is going in a direction that is sure to bring them much

success. After playing shows in Richmond and the surrounding

areas, the band kicked off a two week tour down the

southern coast.

When attending a VFTT show, one can expect to never

experience a dull moment.

“We really believe that a rock show is all about the presentation

and the energy,” says VFTT. “People go to rock shows to be

entertained visually as well as aurally.”

A crowd filled the Canal Club on July 16, 2009 and was able

to witness a live VFTT show.

Before the show started, the group practiced, mingled with

the audience, and right before going on stage they huddled in a

circle and exchanged words of encouragement.

“One, two, one, two, three, jump!” said the members of VFTT

in unison and the show began. They encourage the audience

to come a little closer and jump along with them. Most find it

hard to not be influenced by the bands energy. Before long,

everyone is jumping and singing along.

Two teenage girls, who drove from Roanoke, VA to attend the

show, expressed how much they enjoyed VFTT’s performance.

“I love their energy, and how they get the crowd involved,”

said NNeka Lewis. “They were very energetic, and down

to earth.”

While all the members of the VFTT have different

personalities, whether extremely laid back or over the top, love

for music is a trait that is evident in each of them.

“Music is my itch in life,” expressed band member McGill. “We

love being on stage, and we love playing music. Music can help

you through anything.”

All band mates agree that this is not just a passing phase.

They plan to see how far their music will take them. The goal

for the future is to do music for a living without having to

supplement it with other forms of employment.

“We want to travel the world and touch as many people with

our music as possible” explains VFTT.

breconstructedChristine Erickson

Shopping for clothes that fit perfectly is hard, and it can be

expensive. Although thrift stores are a low-priced alternative, a

lot of times that dress or shirt you find would be perfect, if only

you could tweak a few little things.

Designer Bree Langford is inspired by those little things.

With her mother’s sewing machine, what began as personal

interest in college has resulted in her very own clothing line,

breconstructed.

Through thrift stores or by donation, Langford manages to

turn outdated into fresh vintage. Plaids, polyester, and any

horrendous piece from your grandmother’s old wardrobe

are a fun challenge for the designer, resulting in something

completely new and unique for you.

The line mainly consists of dresses, although she’s tried her

hand at making bags, belts, and even underwear. Ranging from

$13 to $30, each dress is one-of-a-kind, because the designer

herself doesn’t even know what she’ll find next. Different

All band mates agree that this is not just a passing phase. “

“

VFTT can be contacted by e-mail at

viewfromthetopband@gmail.com. You can also listen to

music and keep up with the band performance schedule

at www.myspace.com/viewfromthetopva or follow them

on twitter www.twitter.com/viewfromthetop.

26

It makes people happy having something cheap and original, ”Langford says.

“

patterns, necklines, and

small details are what inspire

each piece.

Cheap is hardly the word

one should use to describe

her work. The amount of time

put into each piece ranges

anywhere from one to six

hours, or until Langford feels

what she’s produced is the

same quality for customers as

if it were her own.

The line began through Etsy,

an online marketplace for

artists and crafters. Keeping

up with business online

and providing customers

with accurate sizing proved

difficult, and Langford found

she liked local design work

better so she could see

people try her pieces on.

After moving to Richmond

in January, Bree stumbled

upon Rumors Boutique, a

consignment shop that

not only encourages fashion,

but also local artists

to express themselves

through independent

ideas and thinking.

Langford showed her work

to Rumors owners, Marshe

Wyche and Casey Longyear,

and breconstructed was soon

in the store. Starting with just

a few pieces, Langford sold

out in a week. Now, she works

at a rate of about 15 new

pieces every two weeks.

“Her line is doing well,”

Wyche said. “Anyone

into vintage would love

Bree’s line.”

Recycling fabrics and

clothing to make functional

and affordable apparel and

accessories is not only a

smart option for buyers, it

also ties breconstructed with

Langford’s environmental

science degree. Using

second-hand clothing keeps

it out of landfills, and when

the average American throws

away about 68 pounds

of clothing, reconstructed

retail is beneficial to

the environment.

Although breconstructed

is seeing more business

these days, the designer’s

main motives are still for

the customers and her

love of sewing. In a small

studio near Carytown with

just a mannequin, a sewing

machine, and the most

random assortment of

textiles, breconstructed is

local entrepreneurship at

its finest.

When asked if she’d ever

own a store, Langford simply

states, “I don’t want to

take it to the point where I

hate sewing.”

contact informationmyspace.com/breconstructed

breconstructed@gmail.com

Rumors Boutique

404 N. Harrison St.

27

In dorms and apartments, we’re always looking for ways to

utilize the small space we’re given. One of the main challenges

in doing so is maintaining a desirable aesthetic, which isn’t

always easy. Bulletin boards are a great way to keep your space

organized and practical, to display photos, keep important

information handy and reduce paper clutter on countertops.

However, they don’t come in many color options which can

promote an uninteresting, boring wall. Here’s a quick, easy and

inexpensive way to alleviate the drabness of an everyday bulletin

board into an appealing element with added function!

SuppliesBulletin Board

Paint & Paintbrush

Scissors

Fabric

Dull Knife

Thumbtacks

Paint the wooden frame your desired color. (We suggest

using a color that matches the pattern of your chosen fabric.)

After letting it dry for an hour, cut the fabric to the size of the

board with half an inch excess on all sides.

Center the fabric and pull it taut, working out all wrinkles

from the middle to each edge.

Using a dull knife, tuck the fabric in between the frame

and cork board. Repeat this step while smoothing out any

wrinkles to create an even surface.

Place a thumbtack in all four corners to stretch and secure

the fabric in place.

diy fall issue what your walls are wearing.

Bulletin Boards — From Drab to Fab

Looking for another great way to turn a blank wall space into

a mini photo gallery? Forego frames and try this simple do-it-

yourself method for displaying some of your favorite shots.

SuppliesPhotographs

String

Clothespins

Hammer & Nails

Attach two nails at a desired distance on any wall.

Tie an end of the string to each nail.

Use clothespins (which can be found in many fun shapes and

sizes) to attach your pictures to the line.

Clotheslines aren’t just for clothes.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

Alternative IdeasCheck out www.poladroid.net to create a

“polaroid” of any digital image. Ritz Camera

prints 3.5”x5” prints for 6 cents every Tuesday

and Wednesday, so go print crazy and string a

couple layers of photos up for just a few bucks!

28

Tim Lambjunior in painting

& printmaking

29

30

what’syour

31

Kithie Lee Vintage Jumpsuit from Kulture on 18th Street ($35), and Vintage White Belt

Can you tell what your

aura is? Each person

has a unique color and

intensity that they give

off. Learn more about

the color you emit and

what it says about you.

32

33

Cuban Fedora Hat from Oakley, at Stony Point Fashion Park ($45); Eco Heather Crew from Need Supply Co., at Cary Town ($22); Olive Green Corduroys from Rumors, on Harrison Street ($11); and Vintage Bracelet

Blue means people are

relaxed and balanced.

These people tend to be

highly spiritual, generous,

on the right path with new

opportunities coming.

Unfortunately, this dark color

of blue means that one has

fear of the future, fear of self-

expression and fear of facing

or speaking the truth.

A purple aura indicates

spiritual thoughts. This is the

most sensitive and wisest of

colors. Purple is the intuitive

color in the Aura, and reveals

psychic power of attunement

with self. These people are

intuitive, visionary, futuristic,

idealistic, artistic, and magical.

Turquoise indicates dynamic quality of being, highly energized

personality and capbility of influencing other people. These

people can do many things simultaneously and are good

organizers. They feel bored when forced to concentrate on one

thing. People love bosses with turquoise Auras, because such

bosses explain their goals and influence their team rather than

demand executing their commands. These people tend to be

sensitive, compassionate, healers, or therapists.

Green results in a person that is restful, modifies energy and

has a natural healing ability. They also love gardening and

usually have a “green hand” - anything grows for them. When

seen in the Aura this usually represents growth and balance,

and most of all, something that leads to change. These people

tend to love the love of people, animals, nature; are teachers;

and are social.

Pink equals love (in a spiritual

sense). Pink auras indicate

that the person achieved a

perfect balance between

spiritual awareness and the

material existence. These

people tend to be loving,

tender, sensitive, sensual,

artistic, affectionate, pure

and compassionate.

Gray auras refer to dark

and depressing thoughts,

unclear intentions, and

presence of a dark side in the

personality. A residue of fear

is accumulating in the body,

with a potential for health

problems, especially if gray

clusters seen in specific areas

of the body.

34

Violet Ruffle Tank from Need Supply Co., at Cary Town ($44); Purple Skinny Leg Jeans from Rumors, on Harrison ($12); Clear with Violet Jupiter Sunglasses from Oakley, at Stony Point Fashion Park; and Vintage Purple Bag

Eco Heather Crew from Need Supply Co., at Cary Town ($22); Turquoise Windbreaker from Rumors, on Harrison ($18); and Vintage Jeans

35

Eco Friendly Crew from NEED, at Cary Town ($22); Vintage Dark Grey Vest from Express; Vintage Grey shorts; and Vintage Pocket Watch

Special Thanks to

Rumors, NEED Supply

Company, Kulture, and Oakley.

Photographer Shawnee Custalow

Cheif Stylist Leilani Littlefield

Models Ally Farrish

& Christopher Wagner.

Hair & Makeup Stylist Hannah Elvington.

Fashion Assistants Dena Spruill &

Ashton Williamson

Jack BB Dakota Pink Halter from Kulture, on 18th Street ($28); Candy Pink Skinny Leg Jean from Need Supply Co., at Cary Town ($78); Crystal Pink Ravishings Sunglasses from Oakley at Stony Point Fashion Park ($49); and Vintage Shell Necklace.