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12 a.m. Nightlife cultivates camaraderie, not pumpkins

By Megan Drabek and Sarah Demerly

p. 4

“Living in the dorms is great because I like to be around people all of the time.” - Erin Doyle

8 a.m. Softball team warms up winter By Leslie Banks p. 6“We have the makings of a very good team, but we have to work hard and stay focused.”- Al White, MU women’s softball head coach

11 a.m. Livin’ on a prayer By Cari DeLamielleure p. 8The Feast of the Immaculate Conception offers MU Catholics a chance to celebrate the Blessed Mother and rejoice in her virtues

12 p.m. Take 5 Grill eases more than hunger By Laura Sweeny p. 10Students find love and compassion along with their sandwiches, chips and soups

3 p.m. BCA program benefits from upgrades By Matt Reed p. 12New technology enhances BCA’s production quality and prepares students for real-life studio experiences

4 p.m. Students take non-traditional paths By Peg Krollpfeiffer p. 14For some, education provides a second chance at securing new opportunities

6 p.m. MU hoops: Players prepare for tip-off By Jordan Hoke p. 16Pre-game rituals keep men’s basetball players focused and ready on game day

9 p.m. Madonna transforms after hours By Chris Austin p. 18Even though students no longer roam the halls, the wheels keep spinning at Madonna University

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The clock strikes midnight. By this time, the halls are empty of students and faculty. The sounds of teachers lecturing and students laughing have vanished, and the doors are locked, waiting to re-open and welcome students early in the morning. Madonna University sits still at night and awaits a new day; but just a few steps across campus stands a four-story building that continues to generate life in the darkest hours of the day.

Dorm life at Madonna University gives students the chance to experience a unique and unforgettable time. Its friendly and welcoming atmosphere makes students feel at home, and also provides the opportunity to form new friendships and relationships. During the daytime, students are running in and out of the dorms for classes and sports practices, but at night, a whole different way of life begins. Not only do students complete homework, study for tests and get ready for upcoming classes, they also have the opportunity to hang out with friends and participate in various activities, including card games and movie nights.

“I like everything about the dorms, especially all of the activities that are offered,” said Josh Smith, a sophomore and Nursing major at Madonna. “I like playing poker with the guys and just hanging out.” Smith took the opportunity this year to become a Resident Assistant for the dorms. He not only enjoys his free room, but also the fact that he was able to get to know everyone very quickly.

“I hope students see me as someone they can go to if they have a problem. I want them to see me as more of a leader figure,” said Smith.

The Lakeside Lounge, located in the

Residence Hall, where many friendships are formed, contains a big screen TV, pool tables, chairs and sofas, as well as study areas. This low-key and friendly atmosphere allows students to reminisce and have

fun, while still providing a chance to get work done any time, day or night. Madonna’s Residence Hall gives residents a safe and secure feeling by enforcing curfews and rules. There are separate facilities for male and female students that promote privacy

and safety for everyone. Not anyone can walk into the building at any time; visitors are required to sign in and leave their IDs at the front desk. This aspect of the dorms plays a big part in a student’s decision to live on campus.

The Residence Hall welcomed a new director, Ashley Wisniewski, who took over duties in mid-August. She plans to promote a fun-filled environment where students have the ability to learn, play and live. Madonna

is a “dry” campus, and Wisniewski plans on enforcing that rule.

“There will be no alcohol permitted on

campus,” she said. So far, her efforts

toward making dorm life at Madonna enjoyable and unforgettable have paid off. One of the many testimonies to Wisniewski’s efforts is Noah Williams, Sports Management major, who is adapting well to new life in the Residence Hall. “It’s a place where I can safely live and socialize with my friends without worrying about crime,” he said.

Madonna University provides students with a sense of fellowship and camaraderie. The friendly smiles and supportive reassurance not only take place in the school halls, but also in the residence halls. The Residence Hall is not just long hallways with tile-covered floors and blue stripes along the walls, but more like a family that continues to grow each day. The lives of these students awaken more at nighttime when they are able to sit back and relax with friends and classmates.

Erin Doyle, an Accounting major at Madonna, enjoys living in the dorms. “Madonna offers a sense of community,” she said. “Living in the dorms is great because I like to be around people all of the time.” However, Doyle, as well as many other students, finds that dorm life can become expensive — especially the meal plans. “I won’t be living here next semester because of expenses,” she said. “Although I am on

scholarship that pays for my room, $1,800 per semester is too expensive for a meal plan.”

Although residence life at Madonna can become expensive, the price is little to pay for the friendships that are gained and memories made.

During the long hours of the day, students are busy learning about topics that include graphic design, writing composition and business management. But at nighttime, students learn about themselves and have the opportunity to experience life on their own. A lot of “firsts” occur when living in the dorms. For some

students, it may be the first time living on their own. For others, it could be the first time doing

their own laundry.

Across the campus, past the gazebo and the pond, stand the empty halls and classrooms, awaiting the arrival of students the next day. The 150 students who reside on the premises are given a unique opportunity that can only be gained once in a lifetime. At the end of the day, students living in the residence halls come back to a safe and relaxed environment for the night.

Under the stars and in the dark, this building stands full of life and chance, community and friendship. Nightlife at Madonna University can sound boring and lifeless to some, but to others, it is their home and chance to learn, gain friendships that will last forever, study hard, play, and experience Madonna University to the fullest extent, 24/7.

By Megan Drabek and Sarah Demerly

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As temperatures started to drop last fall, Madonna University’s softball team started warming up. After a short session of fall ball and a few weeks off, the student athletes began their conditioning program in preparation for the 2010 season.

Bright and early every Wednesday morning, the dedicated team started by running laps together through the campus hallways. In addition to weekly runs, this year’s less structured training plan puts the responsibility on each player to manage her schedule of classes and get to the gym twice per week to work out.

Starting in January, there’s barely a day of rest once formal softball practice starts at 7 a.m. in the gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and a little later Sunday mornings. Friday brings a change of pace with training at Total Sports Complex in Wixom. With a full-size field and batting cages, the indoor sports complex offers the warmth of the indoors for crucial training through the winter.

There’s a lot of independent work during practices, utilizing different offensive and defensive stations for the players to rotate through. Coaches rely on leadership from the upperclassmen to keep practice organized and running smoothly.

Cat Sidor, who plays first base, feels the pressure of losing eight teammates at the close of the 2009 season.

“We’re depending on a lot of the freshman to come out and have starting positions this year because we lost so many players last year,” said Sidor, a senior studying Elementary Education with a focus on Mathematics.

Sidor grew up playing ball with her dad in the back yard. Around first or second grade, she rode the bench as the only girl on a boy’s

baseball team, but her dad encouraged her to keep at it.

Through her years, progressing from recreational slow-pitch to fast-pitch, Sidor has played nearly every position.

She played shortstop through middle school – unique for a lefty – but started playing first base in high school and has stayed there ever since.

Since her early high school years, Sidor started coming to Madonna University to develop her skills at the annual softball camp. Years later, she and her teammates now participate in running the camps for younger players through the winter.

Kids ranging in age from 5 to 18 sign up for softball camp to train alongside Madonna’s team. They split age groups into two sessions, each four weeks long, in addition to a one-day hitting clinic.

The kids are inspired to train with the college team they look up to while the team gains leadership skills from working the program. The camps also provide a great recruiting source for the coaches to scout potential players.

Jess Irwin, star pitcher and a junior studying Education with a focus on Mathematics, has played summer softball every year since she was a young girl. However, this past summer, Irwin took a break

By Leslie A. Banks

from playing to try coaching instead.

“I ended up missing it like crazy,” said Irwin. “I was coaching a team, but it wasn’t the same as playing.” Irwin eagerly awaits the start of the upcoming season to get back in the game.

She started playing softball around age 10. A friend of her mom’s was a softball pitcher and took Irwin under her wing, showing her the ins and outs of the craft.

Irwin maintains a modest disposition with astounding statistics and multiple broken records already under her belt. With two more seasons ahead of her, she’s on track to set more records in her time at Madonna University.

After college, Irwin’s ideal path includes a combination of teaching in the classroom and coaching on the diamond.

In March, the team spends a week in Arizona to open the season in a warmer climate. Other tournaments have taken the team to Kentucky, Alabama and Battle Creek, Mich.

“It’s good for teambuilding,” said Irwin of the trip to Battle Creek. They stayed in a hotel with three or four girls per room. “It’s a good chance to get to know everybody on the team.”

Kelly Lesko has played softball since she was about 9 or 10 years old. She was a pitcher in high school but prefers her current position at third base.

She may be a Business major, but Lesko doesn’t plan to be stuck behind a desk. She loves working with people and would like to pursue something along the lines of hospital management or human resources while making time to coach a summer softball team.

Though the team flies to Arizona, the other trips are left to lengthy bus rides. Fortunately, long hours on the road make for great homework time with few distractions.

Playing softball has enriched the student athlete’s lives in many ways. Head coach Al White’s strict code ranks, in order of importance, family, classes, softball then work. Juggling the practice schedule with school, work and extracurricular activities has cultivated a disciplined lifestyle the players naturally follow.

“You learn that time management is key,” said Sidor. “It’s a regular thing for me. You get so in the schedule that it’s just another day. It’s been more of an advantage for me.”

The student athletes form a tight bond among each other and the coaching staff.

“I think being on a team you have to, at times, make sacrifices for your teammates. You have to stick together no matter what,” said Lesko. “I feel like being on a team is more like a family.”

“My experience has been great so far. The coaches – all five of them – are there for you all the time whenever you need anything,” said Irwin.

Patrick Moore, Director of Sports Information and Athletic Communications, reflects on last year as the most successful season in Madonna University’s history and looks forward to seeing some of the new student athletes make an impact right away.

“It’s going to be another exciting year on the softball diamond, I think, with what’s there and with the new talent that Al has brought in,” said Moore.

“We have the makings of a very good team but we have to work hard and stay focused,” said White of the 2010 season.

The Crusaders’ first home game is April 7 at 4 p.m. against the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

Keep an eye on the 2010 season at www.MadonnaCrusaders.com.

from top: Kelly Lesko, Jess Irwin, Cat Sidor

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By Cari Ann DeLamielleure

The Madonna University chapel, which is rarely filled, overflows with Catholic students, faculty and religious patrons. This day is not an ordinary day as the feast of the Immaculate Conception unites Catholics all over the world in celebration of the Blessed Mother.

Theresa Gase, a math and theology major, prepares for Mass by offering up spiritual sacrifices through prayer. Through these sacrifices, she guides her soul to release all sin in order to receive the Eucharist. She

focuses this time on the issues that occupy her mind and the need for guidance for the day and/or week.

As individuals continue to squeeze into the already filled pews, altar server Christopher Din continues to complete his tasks,

including setting up the sacristy and preparing the chalice. In the back of the chapel, the musicians and singers quickly review the Marian hymns before the priest arrives.

Entering the sacristy, Father Paul, M.C. vests in the violet vestments and signals the commencement of the celebration of Mass. Pianist Katherine Klein, flute player Sarah Kosel, and singers Erin Doyle and Cari Ann DeLamielleure lead the congregation with the hymn “Sing of Mary”.

Being a feast day of the Blessed Mother, the hymns that are sung focus on her sacrifices and virtues. While some consider the music distracting, others believe that it is a way to draw individuals’ attention and focus on the message conveyed in the lyrics.

“Song is a higher form of prayer,” said Gase. The combination of

the music and the message of the lyrics lead the individual into a spiritual communion. Singing, for Gase, is a way of uniting both her dedication for spiritual music and her religious beliefs, she says. “More importantly, it is a way to worship God.”

The holy day of obligation has begun, but the Immaculate Conception has produced confusion among non-Catholics, and even Catholics. Because Advent represents a time to prepare for the coming of Christ, individuals tend to associate the Immaculate Conception with Jesus; however, the feast day actually celebrates the conception of the Blessed Mother who was born without Original Sin. “Mary is a prime example of purity, and it is important we acknowledge that she is the mother of the Son of God,” said Gase.

Gase typically sings with the other students, but she spends this day in communion with the rest of the church by focusing on the tabernacle and the cross. Prior to the day, she spent time reflecting on the upcoming readings in order to get more out of the homily, she says. “The church was founded by Jesus so we can come closer to God and get to heaven. As a Catholic, I have a duty to worship Him,” said Gase. Mass becomes and remains the time of reflection and honor.

Her second duty, as a Catholic, allows her to become

one with God through receiving the Holy Eucharist. Mass, as Pope John Paul II explains, is “heaven on earth,” and our liturgy falls in communion with the liturgy in heaven. During Mass, the power of the Holy Spirit transforms, through transubstantiation, the bread and wine into the body and blood of the

eternal life of Jesus Christ. By consuming the Eucharist, we ourselves become a tabernacle for the son of God. Daily communion not only connects us with the Lord, but it acts as a safeguard and shield that limits Satan’s temptations that cause us to fall from grace.

After she receives the Eucharist, Gase spends the next few minutes in thanksgiving as the student participants rejoice Mary’s purity with the hymn “Stainless Maiden”.

Father Paul, M.C. offers the final blessings, and the choir

glorifies the Madonna with the recessional hymn, “Immaculate Mary”, filling the chapel with sounds of love and reverence.

The Immaculate Conception is celebrated by Catholics all over the world on Dec. 8

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From the moment the building opens until early afternoon, two friendly faces welcome students, faculty and staff into the Take-5 Grill when they come to get a snack or lunch.

Tracy Salinitro and Carrie Masters work the early shifts at the Take-5 and offer pleasant service, making the people of Madonna University’s time more enjoyable. For the past five years, Salinitro has been seen talking and smiling when students come in. Her easygoing style helps students improve their day.

“We just want to make sure they all feel comfortable and welcome. And then we try to make them laugh and take some of the stress off from testing and all of the heavy stuff they go through. We giggle with them, tease them, and we all have a lot of fun down here,” said Salinitro.

Her genuine feelings toward her customers, who walk in on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, shine through and make her job seem more like a pleasure and less like a necessity.

Working five days a week, Salinitro can empathize with the students and employees who spend numerous hours on campus.

“This is everybody’s home here. We spend

a lot of time here, more than we do at home - students and faculty both,” she said.

Although she thinks of Madonna as her second home, her family does not stray far from her thoughts. “My kids…that’s who I work for,” Salinitro responded when the pictures of her children, hanging in the kitchen, were pointed out.

But do not get these children confused with the other ones on campus who call her mom. “You see everybody walking by saying ‘Hey, Mom. Hey, Mom.’ The new students walk around going ‘Do you really have that many kids here?’ I say ‘No, I’m their mom away from home’,” said Salinitro with a huge smile on her face.

The pride she gets from becoming a part of the students’ lives is evident when she talks about them. One story is especially close to her heart.

One year, she formed a special relationship with a young couple who attended Madonna University. Their parents were deceased, lived far away, or were not part of their

lives anymore. Salinitro filled this gap in these two students’ lives, and they began to call her “mom.”

“They got pregnant. And everyday she would come up to me and say ‘Mom, what should I eat today?’” said Salinitro.

Throughout the pregnancy, Salinitro helped her make the correct food choices daily and supported both of them in the next nine

months. Salinitro gave them her phone number in case they ever needed to contact her. And they did. One day, she got a call from the soon-to-be father. “Mom, she went into labor. Please come here!”

Salinitro responded like any other mother would. “I spent the whole entire day with them. I was there when the baby was born, and to this day they have the baby call me grandma,” she said.

Her whole face glowed as she was telling the story, and it showed the pure joy she receives from her job.

“I love it here. Students are great, food’s good,” said Salinitro. “If you got good food, good service, and happy employees, what else could you ask for?”

The Take-5 is not just a second home for Salinitro, but a cozy haven for studying or socializing with friends. “The library is too quiet and would drive me crazy,” said Dana Welch, a freshman in the Nursing program. Mary Ann Watts, also a freshman Nursing student, and Welch come to the Take-5 weekly.

“We come every Wednesday because we have a gap,” said Watts, as she flips through some note cards.

The business coming in from students, faculty, and staff keeps Salinitro and co-worker Masters, who’s in her second year at Madonna, active during their shift.

“We do great between 11 and 1. We’re non-stop, constantly busy. We have a lot of varieties. We have two different soups everyday. We have the Simply To Go, which is the salads, the fruit, the cheese, the sandwiches, and pitas. “

During the lunch hours, students line up to be cashed out by Masters, and Salinitro’s voice can be heard when hot food, like grilled cheese, hamburgers, and French fries are ready.

“We have everything you could ask for. We got the candy, pop, juice,” she said. “Coffee,” chimed in Masters. “We got it all,” Salinitro finished.

In preparation for the many customers coming throughout the day, Salinitro and the people of the Take-5 have others help them.

From 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., students with autism go to the Take-5 and help stock food and supplies.

“They fill up the chips, they fill up the napkins, they wipe down things, they fill up cups and it really makes them proud that they are part of a job,” said Salinitro.

After the early lunch rush, skill center adults, “fill up and they get things going. That also gives them an accomplishment of being part of the Take-5. They do a great job,” she adds.

Salinitro works at Madonna because she loves the people, and that is why she loves her job.

“I work at it for the love of all the great, wonderful and awesome people that are here. Paycheck small, but the love is big.”

Paycheck small, but the love is big.

By Laura Sweeny

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Michigan production history!”

Throughout the year, the BCA students have been recording weekly episodes of the Michigan Movie Magazine, which highlights events related to the movie industry that are happening across Michigan and features many local filmmakers, writers, actors and production crews. The show expects to air in January 2010, but this could be subject to change.

The students, taught by Derry, film the show every other week and learn all of the positions of the control room and studio that are used in every day film and television production at the same time.

The students have also produced an episode of Madonna Magazine in the new studio and are looking at filming about six episodes per semester starting this winter.

“It’s good to have our students go out into the real world of film and television/radio and know what they are doing,” stated Derry. “Our television studio is professional and has all of the same things that major commercial television studios have, which makes it a great place for the students to pick up real-world experience and learn the different positions while working together in the studio.”

The upgrades to the television studio have also allowed Madonna to be sought after in terms of renting out the space by other companies to come in and produce shows. According to Sr. Rose Marie Kujawa, President of Madonna University, money that Madonna makes

from renting out the studio goes right back to the students. The money is used to pay for equipment and anything else that can be used to further the educational opportunities that students depend on to learn the fundamentals of television, radio and film production.

The BCA team has also been known to pull long hours and extra time on the weekends to produce television shows for Lumen Christi, Sign Language Studies and Michigan Movie Magazine, further showing the dedication that the students have to this profession. The production class crew records two Michigan Movie Magazine shows every other Wednesday, which takes a bit over three hours to do (not including editing), and sometimes takes longer than the time allotted for class. Students don’t seem to mind staying voluntarily because it is a fun learning environment.

Of course they earn extra credit, which helps their grades as well. Just recently, an all-volunteer group of students worked with the Sign Language Studies program and Sue and Dan Boyd to produce a five-minute music video to be shown at the Lebanese American Chamber of Commerce and then shown internationally after that. The production took 26 hours to shoot over two days plus editing. The students who participated said it was worth every minute of it.

By now, we are all well aware of the new Franciscan Center that was completed before the start of the fall 2009 semester here at Madonna. What many may not be aware of is that the new building comes equipped with a state-of-the-art television and radio studio. This studio is home to numerous broadcast students and produces many television shows within its walls.

This much-anticipated studio is a big upgrade from the last one, complete with a professional control room equipped with all of the latest and greatest equipment. All of the hard work, dedication and donations that made this studio what it is really show in every piece of equipment and in every person who is seen in this section of the new building. Some of the big upgrades include a new postproduction-editing classroom, six new editing suites, a new green room and conference room and a new announce booth used for automated dialogue replacement for films such as the Capstone Film Class

productions, voiceovers and film tracking. The addition of the new RED ONE camera rounds out the cinema production equipment so students can work with professional cameras just like the one used in “Gran Torino” when it was shot here in Michigan.

The biggest upgrade comes to the studio itself. The new studio features 100 percent digital equipment, a floating studio floor (used to eliminate background noises that come through the building underground), full soundproofing, a jib and 1080i High Definition cameras.

Other features of the new studio include new lighting equipment and professional mixing and editing programs, which make the Madonna television studio one to be admired.

“One of the things we kept was the clock from Channel 7 that we used to time breaks and the Soupy Sales Show” said Chuck Derry, Director of the Broadcast and Cinema Arts Program. “It keeps us grounded in our

By Matt Reed

Our television studio is professional and has all of the same things that major

commercial television studios have...

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themselves,” she said.

Gablowski, who worked as a nurse’s aide while her husband went to school for his engineering degree, knows what it means to be a non-traditional student. After her husband graduated, she worked night shifts and went back to school to obtain her bachelor’s degree – taking about 17 credit hours per semester. Gablowski remembers how difficult it was for her to combine work, school, marriage, cooking and cleaning. “There was no time for fun and now I understand why my marriage was in jeopardy,” she said.

Working as a special education teacher, Gablowski returned to school five years ago for her master’s degree in counseling. “I have learned from my past experiences and took only one or two classes per semester,” she said. When she got pregnant with twins, she had to put her education on hold. “I still have to figure out how I can finish my master’s with two little kids,” she said.

Morris was well aware of these complications and had her doubts. “I kept asking myself if this was the right thing to do,” she said. “But when the Obama Administration started promoting for moms to go back to school, I knew I wasn’t going to be alone.”

Over the years, Morris has learned that older students have incredible advantages over younger ones. Equipped with experiences people have made as they reach a certain age, older students have the advantage of knowing how the corporate world runs. They know what it takes to be successful and what kind of opportunities are out there.

“Life experiences have taught me everything I’ve fallen into,” she said.

Although the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, it is quite difficult to find enough time for school when the circumstances and other responsibilities don’t change for the better. Non-traditional students still

have their jobs, their families, children of their own or mortgage payments. “You have to have an income and you’re your own health insurance,” Morris said.

While counseling hours fall during the daytime and largely target the traditional students, non-traditional students often find answers without help. “Madonna got better over the years and most things can be resolved by e-mail,” said Morris.

Non-traditional students have to carry this burden longer than it takes traditional students to graduate. With a full-time job, it is hardly possible to be a full-time student, so it’s unlikely the student would finish a bachelor’s degree in four years or an associate’s degree in two years. Other than the non-existent time for full-time credits, some classes are offered only once a week and students like Morris are constantly trying to balance schedules.

Despite all the difficulties non-traditional students have to face, it is well worth following your goals and not waiting for something that may never come.

As Mother Teresa said, “Yesterday is gone, tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

By 4 p.m., traffic increases to the usual after-work chaos. Most people want to end the workday and hurry home to a relaxed evening with family and friends. They go to the gym, cook dinner, read a good book or watch a movie. But some of those commuters make their way from a meeting at work straight to campus for class. One of those commuters is Tonja Morris.

Morris, a 38-year-old Language Arts major, is one of the many non-traditional students on campus who works full time and attends classes to obtain the degree she’s always wanted. Others want to expand their education by working toward a bachelor’s or master’s degree, or realize their current career reached a dead-end or simply doesn’t make them happy.

Morris reached a dead-end in her career working in the hospitality business. “I’ve worked at the hotel for about 10 years in several hourly positions,” she said. “When I got offered a salary position, I talked to my coworkers in management and found out that I’m making about the same salary considering all of the unpaid overtime that would come with the new position.”

Morris was ready for a change and taught Pre-K for two years, during which her wish changed to become a grade school teacher. In need of health insurance, Morris started a new job with the Northville School District. “I started as an aide to get kids on the bus and later became a school bus driver,” she said.

As a driver, she was stuck in another dead-end position. “You work early in the morning to pick the kids up for school and drive again when classes are over,” she said. “And you only get paid for the time you drive.”

Sometimes it takes tragic milestones in life for people to realize that life is short – in some cases very short. “One day I came home and my mom had to tell me that one of my best friends had died in an accident,” said Morris. While her dad was successfully fighting several severe forms of cancer, she decided to finally do it – go back to school.

In 2004, Morris began her studies at Madonna toward her goal to become a teacher. A short time afterwards, she landed a full-time job at Cooke Special Needs School in Northville as a paraprofessional, the assistant to the teacher. “I work with severe multiple or cognitive impaired kids.” Morris said many of “her kids” have Down syndrome, birth defects, are debilitated, or dually diagnosed.

Working in this area is extremely challenging, according to Michelle Gablowski, a special education teacher at Jefferson Elementary School in Sterling Heights. Gablowski works with emotionally impaired kids. Many of them have been abused, come from homes with poor parenting skills, or are highly medicated. “Sometimes they become so violent. They might hurt others or

Life experiences have taught me everything

I’ve fallen into.

A non-traditional path

toward higher education By Peg Krollpfeiffer

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It’s 90 minutes before tip-off and sophomore guard Mitch Cieslak walks into the locker room to get suited up for the game. After Cieslak gets dressed and puts his ankle braces on, he is off to the training room to heat his knees and thighs. A few minutes later, junior guard Bryant Slaughter walks into the locker room with his iPod in his ears listening to Lil’ Wayne. “The lyrics get me motivated, pumped up, and get me focused on the game,” said Slaughter.

Now it is 60 minutes before game time. The whole team is on the court shoot-ing jump shots, free throws, three-pointers, and off the dribble as we prepare for the game ahead. Junior Ryan Bahn-miller gets warmed up by jogging a few times to half court and back to the base-line. After warming up, Bahnmiller starts shooting 5-foot shots then gradually moves back to the three-point line.

With 40 minutes on the clock, Coach Noel Emenhiser calls everyone into the locker room for our pre-game talk. At this time, we go over match-ups, strategies to defeat our opponent and our offensive and defensive sets so they are fresh in our heads.

Once we come out of the locker room, we begin our active warm-up which consists of high knees, butt kicks, bicycles, high knee skips, backwards runs, defensive shuffles, and an 80-percent sprint. While warming up, we break a sweat, allowing our muscles to loosen. We circle up and stretch to a count of 12 to loosen up for the game.

With 25 minutes until game time, we start our pre-game warm up. We start on the right

side with “rip-through” layups, followed by “snake” layups or reverse layups, dribble, drive, dish off for a layup, and finally, dribble, drive kick out to a shooter in the corner for a jump shot. Then we switch sides and repeat the same routine from the left.

After finishing our layups, we move to our four-ball layup and jump shot drill, then make 20 three-pointers from three differ-

By Jordan Hoke

An in-depth look at Crusaders’ game-day rituals before tip-off

Coach Noel Emenhiser rallies the troops before the game.

ent spots in a minute or less. “This is a great game-like look for the team because in our games we shoot a lot of three-pointers along with jump shots,” said Cieslak. After shooting, we do a 3-on-3 defensive shell drill. “Again, game-type look,” Cieslak said. “In the games, we will face ball screens along with screens away from the ball, dribble drives, and jump shots. This drill helps us pressure the ball, get through screens, close out on the shooters, and get to the help line on defense.”

Back in the locker room, with nine minutes before the game, we finalize match-ups for the contest and get a last-minute pep talk from our coach, who tells us to focus on the little things in the game, like catching the

ball strong, dribbling down before passing to the post and having fun. Standing up, the team interlocks arms as sophomore Tyler Coker leads us in prayer.

We head back out to the court and start shooting layups and taking jump shots until the buzzer goes off. Then we line up on the sideline in front of our bench for the National Anthem followed by the starting line-ups for the game. The starting line-ups are over and the team circles up on the court for our ritual “M-Who? MU” chant led by Slaughter in the middle. Now the team is pumped up and the game is on!

19revelations

The parking lot outside of Madonna Uni-versity begins to thin as 9 p.m. rolls around. Students walk briskly to their cars, fighting the frigid, icy air as it swirls and churns through the barren branches of the trees in a way that only winter winds can.

Inside, the hallways are empty. An eerie silence has taken over, spreading through the hallways like a dull fog, as if the school were waiting in limbo for life to resume. The Take-5 Lounge stands empty, devoid of the usual chatter and exuberance that emanates from within during the day. The stale smell of ketchup lingers in the air while decayed food litters the tables and candy wrappers and French fries line the floors. Trash receptacles are on the verge of overflowing after a long day of students passing through and grabbing a quick snack in between classes. One of the most social areas on campus during the day is poignantly still during the nighttime hours.

That will all change when students arrive early in the morning for their first classes of a new day. The tables will be spotless, the floors will be immaculate and the lingering stench of ketchup will be replaced by the smell of fresh food on the cookers.

Madonna takes on a different life after hours. At about 10 p.m. most nights, push carts filled with cleaning supplies begin to move through the hallways as members of the custodial staff come on for the first hour of their shifts. They seamlessly move in and out of the rooms lining the hallways so students can enjoy a clean learning environment during the day.

“We clean the classrooms and rest rooms ev-ery night,” said Delores Wadsworth, a mem-ber of the Madonna custodial services staff for the past two and a half years. “We pull the trash, straighten out desks and wipe down the boards and make sure there’s plenty of chalk up there. We also dust the surfaces and mop

the floors.”

Wadsworth said that she enjoys the people she works with and takes pride in the job she does on a nightly basis.

“In my opinion, when you come into a clean-er classroom, your experience of learning is more positive and that’s what this place is all about - people furthering their education, get-

Madonna

As the day draws to a close, the energetic campus transforms into a reserved nightBy Chris Austin

ting a good education and learning.”

In a different part of the building, Megan Bean stares at a computer screen behind the main circulation desk of the university library. She’s getting ready to make her final call over the loudspeaker and let library patrons know that the library will be closing soon.

“I’m here to help people find books or to answer ques-tions that they may have,” Bean said. “I can help them find information or articles and make sure everyone is all set before we close.”

During the fall and winter semesters, the library stays open until 10:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, even though most classes get out between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. The library also offers weekend hours for students.

Although sometimes she wishes the library closed soon-er so that she could get back to the dorms and study for her own classes, she said the late hours provide a timely resource for commuter students with busy schedules.

“The late hours are great so that students can come after class and pick up a book or do some research,” Bean said. “They can come in and do some reading or

study before going home.”

Maria Farris and Ikn Hyun Choi are two students who take advantage of the late library hours. At close to 10:30 p.m., they are still at a small table near the win-dows discussing class work.

“The late hours work well with my busy schedule,” said Farris. “I wish it was open until midnight.”

Farris said she prefers to study on campus instead of other locations, such as coffee houses.

“The library isn’t a social area; it’s a place for study-ing. You go to a coffee house and everyone just wants to talk,” she said. “I like the atmosphere. It’s quiet and clean and efficient.”

Across campus in the dorms, as the time nears 11 p.m., Stacy Szczesniak sits at the front desk as students come

and go through the main entrance. She looks at ID cards and signs in guests that the students bring into the dorms.

“You get to know most of the names and faces,” Szcz-esniak said of the 165 students who reside on campus.

Visitors are allowed in the dorms until

midnight on weeknights, Szczeniak said. On Fridays and Saturdays, visitors are allowed from noon until 2 a.m.

Most of the dorm students hang around the student lounge at night where there are plenty of activities for them to participate in.

“(Dorm students) play poker and pool, or they watch TV or study,” Szczeniak said. “Commuter students don’t have much to keep them here after hours. Take-5 is closed, and there isn’t much else to do, so most people go home. People in the dorms can talk and hang out in the student lounge, but travel students don’t have that.”

Back across campus, the parking lot is empty now. Inside, at the Registrar’s Office, Christmas music plays from behind the glass windows and resonates down the hallways. The lights are on behind the closed blinds and a push cart waits outside of the entrance to the office.

A woman comes out the door and walks to the front counter with a rag in her hand. She smiles softly and says hello before going back to her work. When prompted about the Christ-mas music, she smiles bashfully as if she is keeping a secret.

“I enjoy the mu-sic,” she said. “It makes me smile.”

The second hand keeps ticking as the hours whittle away, and soon enough cars will again appear in the empty spaces in the lots, echoes of laughter will again fill the hallways and the 24-hour cycle will begin again.