The Echo 3.27.13

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SNU Crew Recreation Team represents university over summer Kendra Nixon, Content Editor In a word, SNU Crew is, “Excit- ing!” according to Shelby Oxner, ju- nior. Oxner was a part of the SNU Crew Recreation team last summer, along with seven others. The SNU Crew recreation teams travel together throughout the sum- mer, providing the fun at camps at several different locations. Camps can include anywhere from elemen- tary-aged kids to high schoolers. According to Courtland Park, who coordinates SNU Crew teams and works in the office of admis- sions, “The Recreation Team rep- resents SNU and the Office of Admissions at churches, retreats, and camps across the South Central Region.” The teams interact and build re- lationships with the campers while providing entertainment and pro- moting SNU. Students can expect to be leading games and events at the numerous summer camps that Nazarene districts hold. “Doing SNU Crew my freshman summer was one of the best sum- mers of my life,” said Oxner. “It presented opportunities to not only grow spiritually and as a person but IT WAS SO FUN, too! The Lord set the stage for us as a team and we were able to build relationships with Study abroad funding policy to change, final version not yet clear Brad Crofford, Editor-In-Chief Funding for study abroad will be changing, but it is not yet clear how. On March 11, the Cabinet had approved proposals passed by the Scholarship Committee, but it is currently reconsidering them, ac- cording to Dr. Scott Strawn, vice president for financial affairs, in a March 15 email to The Echo. These proposals would have made it so that institutional schol- arships no longer apply to study abroad programs, with the excep- tion of international studies majors. The issue will be reconsidered at the next Cabinet meeting, according to Strawn. “What we do know is that there will be changes in how we admin- ister financial aid to students who go on study abroad trips,” Strawn said. “We are taking more time and gathering a bit more data before we make a final decision on exactly how these changes will work and how we will operationalize them.” While the Cabinet had originally approved these proposals on March 11, they had not been communicat- ed to the student body. They were, however, raised during a Cabinet Chat on Tuesday, March 12. “[We] are still trying to sort out how this change might impact our Tuition Remission benefit program. This is why there has been a delay in communication to the campus on this topic,” Strawn said. The proposed changes: Currently, scholarships apply to study abroad programs, according to Director of Financial Aid Diana Lee in a March 13 interview with The Echo. The exceptions to the current pol- icy are scholarships linked to room and board. Also, it is up to academic departments to decide whether de- partmental applications apply for study abroad. Based on the changes the Cabinet had approved on March 11, schol- arships would no longer apply for study abroad programs, with the ex- ception of international studies pro- gram majors, according to Lee. State and federal aid, including loans, would follow students study- ing abroad. In addition, scholar- ships would still apply for students studying at the Quetzal Education Research Center (QERC) in Costa Rica. It seems this exemption for in- ternational studies program majors is because international experience A proposal before the Cabinet could make institutional aid no longer apply in many instances of study abroad. (Photo by Brad Crofford) Continued on page 2 Continued on page 3 6612 NW 42nd St. Bethany, OK 73008 (405) 491-6382 Echo March 27, 2013 Volume 84 Issue 21 echo.snu.edu Letters from abroad: Nat Oliveira is studying abroad...for the second time Read more on page 5 Baseball team heading in the right direction Read more on page 7 The

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The Echo is Southern Nazarene University's online student newspaper.

Transcript of The Echo 3.27.13

Page 1: The Echo 3.27.13

SNU Crew Recreation Team represents university over summerKendra Nixon, Content Editor In a word, SNU Crew is, “Excit-ing!” according to Shelby Oxner, ju-nior. Oxner was a part of the SNU Crew Recreation team last summer, along with seven others. The SNU Crew recreation teams travel together throughout the sum-mer, providing the fun at camps at

several different locations. Camps can include anywhere from elemen-tary-aged kids to high schoolers. According to Courtland Park, who coordinates SNU Crew teams and works in the office of admis-sions, “The Recreation Team rep-resents SNU and the Office of Admissions at churches, retreats,

and camps across the South Central Region.” The teams interact and build re-lationships with the campers while providing entertainment and pro-moting SNU. Students can expect to be leading games and events at the numerous summer camps that Nazarene districts hold.

“Doing SNU Crew my freshman summer was one of the best sum-mers of my life,” said Oxner. “It presented opportunities to not only grow spiritually and as a person but IT WAS SO FUN, too! The Lord set the stage for us as a team and we were able to build relationships with

Study abroad funding policy to change, final version not yet clearBrad Crofford, Editor-In-Chief Funding for study abroad will be changing, but it is not yet clear how. On March 11, the Cabinet had approved proposals passed by the Scholarship Committee, but it is currently reconsidering them, ac-cording to Dr. Scott Strawn, vice president for financial affairs, in a March 15 email to The Echo. These proposals would have made it so that institutional schol-arships no longer apply to study abroad programs, with the excep-tion of international studies majors. The issue will be reconsidered at the next Cabinet meeting, according to Strawn. “What we do know is that there will be changes in how we admin-ister financial aid to students who go on study abroad trips,” Strawn said. “We are taking more time and gathering a bit more data before we make a final decision on exactly how these changes will work and how we will operationalize them.” While the Cabinet had originally

approved these proposals on March 11, they had not been communicat-ed to the student body. They were, however, raised during a Cabinet Chat on Tuesday, March 12. “[We] are still trying to sort out how this change might impact our Tuition Remission benefit program. This is why there has been a delay in communication to the campus on this topic,” Strawn said.

The proposed changes: Currently, scholarships apply to study abroad programs, according to Director of Financial Aid Diana Lee in a March 13 interview with The Echo. The exceptions to the current pol-icy are scholarships linked to room and board. Also, it is up to academic departments to decide whether de-partmental applications apply for study abroad. Based on the changes the Cabinet had approved on March 11, schol-arships would no longer apply for

study abroad programs, with the ex-ception of international studies pro-gram majors, according to Lee. State and federal aid, including loans, would follow students study-ing abroad. In addition, scholar-ships would still apply for students

studying at the Quetzal Education Research Center (QERC) in Costa Rica. It seems this exemption for in-ternational studies program majors is because international experience

A proposal before the Cabinet could make institutional aid no longer apply in many instances of study abroad. (Photo by Brad Crofford)

Continued on page 2

Continued on page 3

6612 NW 42nd St. Bethany, OK 73008 (405) 491-6382EchoMarch 27, 2013

Volume 84 Issue 21echo.snu.edu

Letters from abroad: Nat Oliveira is studying abroad...for the second time

Read more on page 5

Baseball team heading in the right direction

Read more on page 7

The

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2NEWS3.27.13

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is a required aspect of their degree program. According to the 2012-2013 Undergraduate Catalog, interna-tional studies program majors are required to have “the equivalent of a minimum of one semester of in-ternational experience which can be satisfied by participation in an inter-national CCCU program or an ap-proved ISP internship.” But what would prevent some-one from simply declaring an inter-national studies major for the sole purpose of receiving scholarships for study abroad? “The decision was made that the student had to be in international studies for at least two years in or-der to apply to study abroad,” Lee said. As of March 13, the plan was for these changes to take effect in Fall 2013 if approved by the Board, ac-cording to Lee.

The process: These proposals originated in the Scholarship Committee. This committee is composed of faculty and administrative staff, includ-ing three vice presidents. There are no student representatives on this committee, according to Lee, who

serves on the committee. After passage by the Scholarship Committee, the proposals were considered by the Cabinet. The Cabinet passed them on March 11. There are no student representa-tives to the Cabinet. Students were able to provide input during Cabinet Chat. While

there had been no public an-nouncement of it, Vice President for Enrollment Management Linda Cantwell said “I think the word is out. The ‘SNU network’ is alive and well.” “Students gave input last night at Cabinet Chat...Dr. Strawn, Dr. Gresham, and I were listening,” Cantwell said during a March 13 in-terview with The Echo. The Cabinet is currently reconsid-ering the issue. They hope to have a decision by early April, according to Strawn. If approved by the Cabinet, these proposals would go before the Board of Trustees. There are stu-dent representatives to the Board.

The potential effects: The changes to study abroad funding could potentially af-fect a number of areas, including the number of students studying abroad, the programs they choose to attend and, indirectly, university enrollment. Dr. Dunnington, director of the

SNU Center for Global Engage-ment, discussed the significance of the proposals. “I have been a strong advocate for SNU funded scholarships to be applied for at least one semester of approved study abroad programs for SNU students,” Dunnington wrote in an email to The Echo on March 13. “I have supported this because SNU has strongly affirmed a commitment to helping students develop a global perspective--and I know of nothing that helps this develop and grow than a semester abroad.” Dunnington also noted that it is also worthy of support “because of the Church of the Nazarene’s strong commitment to be a global church, taking the gospel to all cor-ners of the world.” Dunnington is currently on sab-batical at Africa Nazarene Universi-ty in Kenya and was not part of the current discussions about potential changes. The ability to study abroad may play a role in the university’s attrac-

tiveness to prospective students. “I believe our somewhat long-standing generous (more than many other schools) policy has been an attractive feature in marketing SNU to potential students---particularly those having already come to value cross-cultural educational experi-ences,” Dunnington said. Based on her intuition and 18 months at SNU, Cantwell does not believe the changes approved by the Cabinet on March 11 would af-fect enrollment. “I did not see it as an inhibitor to growth, or I would not have voted ‘yes’,” Cantwell said. “I’ve yet to have a prospective student or par-ent ask me about study abroad op-portunities.” Cantwell emphasized that there would still be opportunities to “enhance a global perspective” through QERC, mission trips and possibly the Morningstar Institute.

Unanswered questions: There are some aspects of the

Study abroad funding policy, continued from page 1

“The Cabinet is currently

reconsidering the issue. They hope to have a decision by

early April.”

QERC, where Heather Cox is studying abroad this semester, would not be affected by the proposed changes. (Photo provided by Heather Cox)

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Study abroad funding policy, continued from page 2proposed policy that remain un-clear. Cantwell and Dunnington were unsure whether aid would still ap-ply to students studying in Kenya as part of the Morningstar Insti-tute. According to its website, “The Morningstar Institute is an interna-tional development and poverty al-leviation training institute, housed in Southern Nazarene University’s School of Business.” Strawn declined “for now” to answer a question regarding Morn-ingstar in a March 15 email, citing the Cabinet’s reconsideration of the proposals. Cantwell was unclear in answering a question regarding how students should plan for the fall of 2013. According to an email sent to students by Dr. Dennis Williams on March 7, “Application deadlines to study abroad are quickly approach-ing in the next few weeks.”

The regular deadline for fall 2013 study abroad programs through the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) is April 1, according to BestSemester.com. Enrollment for fall classes at SNU began on Monday, March 25. In a March 13 interview, Cantwell said she was unsure whether the Board would be considering these proposals by electronic vote or dur-ing a May meeting on the campus. With the status of financial aid for study abroad being unclear until the Board’s consideration, it is unclear how students planning to study abroad in fall 2013 are to know in March whether they can afford it.

Other universities’ policies:

Policies regarding institutional aid for study abroad programs seem to vary widely.

Trevecca Nazarene University’s (TNU) policy seems similar to the proposed changes. TNU reminded students in an email on March 11 that “no state or internal financial aid can be used for study abroad programs (e.g., PK scholarships, HOPE scholarship, etc.). Only federal aid can be used,” according to information provided by Tyler Whetstone, editor-in-chief of TNU’s student newspaper, Trev-Echoes. Olivet Nazarene University (ONU) allows some aid to apply, according to information provided by Meagan Ramsay, editor-in-chief of ONU’s student newspaper, The GlimmerGlass. “Financially, Olivet students are allowed to use 50 percent of Olivet scholarships, up to a maximum of $2,500. However, any government funds may be used but no more than $2,500 Olivet financial aid may be provided. This does not ap-

ply to programs over the summer. This puts a large damper on stu-dents who attend Olivet because of their scholarships, not giving them as likely an opportunity to study abroad,” Ramsay said. Taylor University, a CCCU uni-versity in Upland, Ind., appears to have a comparatively generous fi-nancial aid policy. Its “Financial Aid Study Abroad Policy” available through its study abroad website states: “Students enrolled in Taylor Uni-versity’s established study abroad programs will receive financial aid as though they were on campus. Students may receive institutional financial aid for their first study abroad program. Federal finan-cial aid is available for additional study abroad programs. No finan-cial aid (federal or institutional) will be awarded to students attending study abroad programs not offered through Taylor University.”

teens that we found we needed more than they needed us.” Although being a part of the SNU Crew involves a lot of high-energy tasks, many personality types are perfect for the job. Park, who was also on the recreation team when he was a student, didn’t necessarily fit the stereotype for

SNU Crew Recreation Team, continuedthe job, but still considers it one of the best times of his life. “I was on the SNU Crew for two summers and I would firmly place myself in the introverted category. I like to think that I was good at it,” said Park. “In reality the important thing is that you are able and willing to build relationships with Sr. and Jr. High Students at camp as well

as have a passion for SNU. That’s what counts.” Applying is simple. Applications can be filled out online and you will also need to have two character ref-

erences filled out by faculty, staff, or employer. Once you have fin-ished filling out your application, there will be a link for you to sign up for an interview time. Oxner breaks it down by provid-ing three reasons someone should apply for SNU Crew. One, “It is such a unique way to serve and be used by God that will stretch you more than you can imagine.”

Two, “You get to meet the COOLEST teens and kids!” And three, “It’s the funnest!” If you aren’t convinced of how much fun it is, Park speaks from experience. “SNU Crew is probably two of the most fun summers I’ve ever had,” Park said. “While it is work, you just can’t beat being at camps for the entire summer. Getting to lead games and be counselor/mentor to the students in the South Central Nazarene region is immensely rewarding.” “It was such a unique experi-ence of growth, excitement, fun, exhaustion, and dependence, not only on your team but most im-portantly on the Lord. I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Oxner con-cluded. Anyone who is interested in be-ing a part of the SNU Crew Rec. team can apply online by Friday, March 29 at 5pm.

“It was such a unique

experience...I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

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OPINIONSTheEcho March 27, 2013 Page 4

Ronna Fisher, Assistant Editor

Susie Shellenberger is a variety of things: editor, speaker, writer and more. She spoke in chapel on March 14. Learn more about her in our interview with her.

What were you like in college? What was your major?

My major was speech communi-cations with a minors in education, English and creative writing. I en-joyed being involved in campus ac-tivities—playing four years of varsity tennis, student government and be-ing the first elected female as student body president.

How did you get into publishing or in-volved with Focus on the Family, especially from being a youth pastor and drama teach-er?

I was a youth pastor for 8 years and then entered the public school system to teach high school speech, English, drama and creative writing. I’d fill my summers by speaking at youth camps. One weekend between camps, I flew home and sorted through my mail and noticed a Focus on the Family magazine in my stack. I’d never seen this publication be-fore. I thumbed through it and no-ticed an announcement saying they were going to start two new maga-zines—one for teen guys and one for teen girls and were looking for a male editor and a female editor. So I simply sent in my resume and a letter. I’d written one book by that time and several published articles, Sunday School curriculum, etc. They flew me out for an inter-view in Southern California. Fortu-nately, for me, they were searching

for someone with youth ministry experience who could also write. They felt it would be much easier to teach someone with a youth pas-tor’s heart how to edit than to try and teach a journalist how to have a passion for teens. Fortunately, I had both: I’d been a youth pastor and was currently teaching high school students and was passionate about youth ministry—traveling several weekends a year to speak at youth events—but also had some writing and publishing experience. A week later, they offered me the job. I took three weeks to pray through on it, and resigned my teaching job and moved to CA and created Brio magazine for teen girls. A year and a half later, Focus announced we were moving to Col-orado Springs. I served as editor for nearly two decades. Have you always liked writing? Or

Our interview with Susie Shellenbergerpublic speaking? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Not all speakers can write. Not all writers are speakers. I happen to love both. I wrote my first “book” in fifth grade. We had to read a book and do an oral report on it. After doing that, I decided I want-ed to create my own story, and the teacher allowed me to do so and give an oral report on it. And that was the birth of my love for the written word.

What advice would you give for people who want to write, get into publishing or public speaking but don’t know where to start?

Advice for public speaking: Get all the experience you can right now

Study abroad changes: Prioritizing Kira Roberts, Layout Editor

Let me just preface this by saying that my intention is not to attack the school in any form or fashion, but simply to express my concerns about the system in general.

As you may have heard, there have been some rumors going around about the changes in financial aid for study abroad students. Specifi-cally, the one that comes to mind is that academic scholarships may not transfer for studying abroad. I understand that the school has important reasoning behind big changes like this; however, I can’t bring myself to understand how it’s acceptable for a university of any kind to keep students in a bubble and not support them in attaining real world experience.

So far the only thing I’ve heard anything about is academic money, but I can’t help but wonder, if aca-demic scholarships don’t count, why would athletics? After all, the school wouldn’t be supporting students to play sports at a differ-

ent school; they would be helping broaden their horizons and im-prove their global vision as they transition into the real world after graduation.

Even before I got wind of this latest conflict, I have always strug-gled with the way the school sys-tem works. I feel like we live in a culture that puts sports above aca-demics, no matter how many times you emphasize the word placement in “student-athlete.” How is it that athletes get paid thousands and thousands more in scholarships than brilliant and/or hard work-ing academes (not to say that there aren’t people who fit in both cat-egories)? I know it’s strange for me to be bothered by this since I am an athlete, but it’s hard to understand how schools can pour money into developing athletic ability that is only going to matter for four years (for most athletes) but don’t put nearly as much into the academic

realm, which is much more impor-tant in the grand scheme of things. In my opinion, what you learn in school and the experiences that come along with it are what are go-ing to make a lasting impact, not only on individual students, but also on the effect our generation will have on the world (as dorky as that sounds). Ever since freshman year I have wanted to study abroad in Austra-lia. It’s been a dream of mine since middle school to live there at some point, but because I am an athlete, the only semester I will have off is my very last one. If it doesn’t work out because of finances, I know I will find a way to go soon after col-lege, but it would be a tragic thing for any student to not be able to go because of a surprise like this one.

“We live in a culture that puts sports

above academics”

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5OPINIONS3.27.13

Interview with Susie Shelenberger continuedright where you are. Teach Sunday school or a Bible study or start a debate club. Volunteer when you hear of a group who’s looking for a speaker. Take as many speech classes as you can, and become very comfortable thinking on your feet. Consider joining a Toastmaster’s group. For writing: Take your English classes seriously. Take as many cre-ative writing and journalism classes as you can. Journalism and creative writing are really different. Jour-nalism focuses more on the facts, whereas creative writing allows you the freedom of putting yourself into your writing—letting your feel-ings seep through in your writing. This would be editorializing in jour-nalism. A good blogger is usually a good creative writing. A good jour-nalist focuses on the facts and the big five: who, what, when, where, why.

I’ve read that you’ve been on every con-tinent? Is this true? What is your favorite place you have ever travelled to?

Yes, I’ve traveled to every con-tinent. My favorites are Africa and Antarctica. There’s something about Africa that’s simply piercing. Once you’ve been, you have to go back. You’re drawn to the beauty, the darkness, the mystique about the continent. And Antarctica? There’s nothing better than being surrounded by literally hundreds of thousands of squawking penguins and kayaking around icebergs. It’s magnificent. It’s like being on an-other planet. You write a lot about mother-daughter

relationships. Where do you get your in-formation or insights?

When working with Brio maga-zine I’d get around 1,000 letters and emails a month from teen girls. They were telling me—and ask-ing me—things that would have been great conversations with their moms. So I began writing about it. For a teen girl, every minute can be a different crisis. It can be over-whelming. I really believe every teen girl ought to have someone with whom she can say or ask any-thing. Nothing’s too risky, noth-ing’s too sensitive, nothing’s too “dirty”—and ideally that someone should be her mom. But when a girl can’t talk with her mom, she’s going to find another female she trusts. And thousands of teen girls feel they “know” me. Therefore, they trust me. So I’m getting the questions their moms should be answering. I love having these dialogues with girls, but at the same time I don’t want to take away an opportunity for a girl and her mom to bond. So I always encourage girls to talk with their mom after I answer their questions. And then I started writ-ing books for moms so I could help them draw out of their daughters what they were dying to talk about. Sadly, many girls don’t talk with their moms, because at one time when they did dare to share some-thing confidential, the mom told her prayer group or Bible study or close group of friends. So when I’m writing or talking with moms, I really stress that what your daugh-ter does share with you should stay

between the two of you. Breaking her confidence is a recipe for disas-ter, and she’ll look for someone else to talk with.

The paper/magazine industry is strug-gling because of the internet and e-readers. What helped you make a decision to start a new magazine after Brio [...]?

Brio doesn’t exist anymore. It was a paper magazine for nearly two de-cades—and also online—but Focus stopped publishing teen magazines in January 2009 and dismissed our staff due to the economy. I felt that teen girls weren’t ready to give up an actual paper magazine yet. For a teen girl, a magazine is more than a magazine—it’s a rela-tionship. It’s all about something they can smell, touch, look at, stuff in their backpack, pull out, share with a friend, etc. They feel they know the staff. It’s all relationship. When you read a magazine online a lot of the relationship is gone. You can’t actually touch it or smell it, etc. And many moms don’t want their daughters online more than they already are. So I feel the need for a teen girls’ magazine still exists. So when Focus discontinued Brio, I launched a new magazine with a different publisher. They in-sisted we call it SUSIE. I didn’t want that, but they explained that my name had actually become a brand, and that it served as familiarity for Christian teen girls. So we launched in May 2009 as SUSIE in print and online. Almost four years later, I felt it was safe to now transition to a new name that really explains us better. So in January of 2013, we

switched to SISTERHOOD. This is who we are—a group of Chris-tian teen girls around the world who want to raise the standard; girls who believe in and practice purity; girls who know they’re worth wait-ing for. We’re the only paper maga-zine for Christian teen girls in the world. We’re also online, but we’re also an actual paper magazine.

How did you come to speak at SNU? What brought you here?

Bethany is my hometown; I grew up here. My dad, Elmer B. Shel-lenberger, chaired the Business di-vision for years. I moved back to Bethany last summer, so I actually live here now. Blair Spindle sent me an email and asked me to speak. I was honored to do it. I always love speaking on our Nazarene campus-es. I’ve done revivals at ONU and TNU and have spoken at all the others.

From traveling with Rebecca St. James to speaking on Fox News, editing a mag-azine to leading mission trips, you have done an enormous variety of things. Is there anything you have done where you have surprised even yourself?

The past 16 years, I’ve taken more than 6,000 students on inter-national mission trips. We use col-lege students at LITS (Leaders In Training), and it’s always an amaz-ing trip with miracles to talk about later. This summer we’re going to Peru. If you’d like to join us, go to: www.neverthesamemissions.com. God always surprises me on these trips! He’s so faithful!

Natalia Oliveira, Guest Writer As some might know, I am a Bra-zilian studying in the U.S. They were not kidding about the “best years of your life” being in college. I have had so much fun, had so many dif-ferent experiences, met unforget-

table people and learned a lot inside and outside of the classroom. But sometimes a life time opportunity within another life time oppor-tunity just knocks on your door, and you definitely do not say no to those. Somehow I was blessed

to study abroad again, this time to even further lands, into a language I was less acquainted with than Eng-lish. Honestly it was not real to me until the very day of my flight to Spain. The driving towards the airport

Letters from Abroad: Natalia Oliveirawas excruciating; I realized that I wouldn’t be spending my last se-mester with my friends, there would be no more volleyball team to rely on, and all the cultural knowledge

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I fought so hard to adapt during my four years in America were just not going to work in Europe. I was a freshman all over again. Needless to say that my family no-ticed the panic in my face right away. My sister dealt especially well with it; she laughed as hard as she could of my obvious fear. The sudden con-trast between my tears and her laugh brought me to reality, and I realized how silly I was being. I was present-ed with a blessing; a big one! How many people get to have their stress-ful senior year with half of the load they are used to? I was no longer a student athlete that tried to work a few hours as possibilities allowed. I became a student, a student in Spain, a student in Spain who had infinite possibilities of time use. As I arrived in the country and my nerves start settling down, I found myself among at least 70 more “out-casts” as lost as I was, anxiously wait-ing for the beginning of our adven-ture, and willing to put their guards down in order to find friends to rely on. From there on, everything just started developing naturally as the ISA program had already schedule excursions in Madrid, Málaga and Toledo on our way to our final des-

tination: Seville. Honestly, those places were so full of beauty and history that the last thing we had to worry about was to come up with small talks. When we arrived in Seville the real deal started: meeting the host families, start of classes, walking

around a city that has no regional sense (you never know if the streets will suddenly curve around and take you to the completely opposite di-rection you originally intended to). Personally, I’ve had a great ex-perience with my Señora. She is a sweetheart that pays attention to every detail in our tastes and lives. Once I didn’t eat the lettuce in the plates, and now I always get ex-tra tomatoes. I don’t have time to come back home to have lunch, and she will make me a take out. I leave the house in a hurry because I overslept and forget to make my bed; I come back to a perfectly tidy room. The biggest struggles here are the

classes. Only one is actually held in Spanish, which I am doing surpris-ingly well in. All the others are held in English; however, the grading and testing systems are different. They are a lot more critical thinking than I am used to in the U.S., plus there is no such thing as an “outline”. If you have been through 150 pages during class time until test date, you better study each one of those, be-cause questions are very broad to the point that to get full points they request specific answers and rela-tionships between the various sub-jects studied. In other words, if you get above an 80, you have excelled, and a 50 is considered average (yes, very strange). And the language? My Spanish is coming up decently well, thank you very much. As for my extra time in hands? It really was not that hard to fill in. I have found a great group of friends that loves to walk around and get to know new monuments and spots. I signed up for the in-tercambio program that provides the students with a Spaniard that wants to improve his/her English in exchange for helping us with our Spanish. I get to run along a huge and marvelous river that is 5 min-

Letters from Abroad: Natalia Oliveira, continuedutes away from my home stay. I am volunteering for Asociación para el Progreso y Desarrollo del Pueblo Gitano, which helps with the economic integration of gyp-sies into the Spaniard society. I am assisting with English as a Sec-ond Language classes for 6, 8 and 13 years old of a private school (ironic, no?). Furthermore, have I mentioned I have been to France, Portugal, Morocco and planning to visit England and Germany as well? I was provided with an opportu-nity that was very scary at first, but as soon as I opened my mind and my heart to it the most incredible things have been happening. I am living a dream I have not dreamed of. A dream that was only pro-vided to me with the help of many other people who did everything within their power to make it hap-pen: my coaches, Veritas workers, my parents, and many others. And as always, the emotional and prayer support of my friends and fam-ily cannot be ignored, nor can my sister’s hysterical laugh at the right moment. God gave me an early graduation gift, and I love it!Correction: An earlier versions showed Natalia’s name incorrectly as Natalya.

Nat takes on the challenge of studying abroad...for the second time. Photo from Natalia Oliveira.

“I was a fresh-man all over

again”

Continued from page 5

Page 7: The Echo 3.27.13

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TheEcho March 27, 2013 Page 7The Right Direction

snuathletics.com For the first time this season Southern Nazarene picked up a Great American Conference series sweep by taking the third game of the series 10-1 over East Central Saturday afternoon. The Crimson Storm (11-16, 6-12 GAC) jumped on the Tigers early and really never took the foot off of the gas to complete the three-game sweep and notch their fifth straight win. SNU got its third straight com-plete game from its starting pitch-er as Nate Saquilon (3-3) went the full nine innings and allowed just one run on six hits. He also struck out three. Riley Morrow was perfect on the day as the sophomore went 4-for-4 with two runs scored as the Storm had 16 hits as a team. Scott Stanley was also 2-for-3 with an RBI. Southern Nazarene scored four runs out of the gate in the bottom of the first. SNU had five straight base runners with an ECU error and four straight singles. Chance San Miguel drove in the first run with a single to center before Kyle Fultz singled through the left side to make it 2-0. Stanley then laced a single to right center before Aus-

tin Samulowitz hit into a fielder’s choice to put SNU up 4-0. SNU added another in the sec-ond when Jacob Inbody singled through the left side to score Mor-row to make it 5-0. The Storm pushed three more across in the sixth with the first two coming across on a Ryan Brosnan single to center. Brosnan then got in a run down between first and second to allow Morrow to score from third to give SNU an 8-1 lead.

ECU finally broke through in the top of the seventh with one in the top of the seventh, but scored two more on a Daniel Martinez double down the left field line to give the Storm a 10-1 lead. The Storm step back outside of GAC play when they travel to Oklahoma City, Tuesday, for a 7 p.m, against former Sooner Ath-letic Conference rival Oklahoma City.

SNU

Athletics

Congratulations to the Women’s basketball team for finishing out

their season as NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!

Morrow went 4-for-4 for the first time in his career. Photo from snuathletics.com

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Freshman Meagan Green poses with a 30-pound Amberjack caught in the Gulf of Mexico. (Photo submitted by Meagan Green.)

Colorado. (Photo submitted by Kira Roberts)

Grace Williams, Class of 2016 Sociology and Spanish major, with her mom Joyce Williams and younger sister Abby Williams at Roman Nose State Park. (Photo submitted by Grace Williams)

“This is of me the first day of break. We hiked a small peak and I climbed up this rock in Clyde, NC, where Caleb Grosse lives. Casey Myers, Sam Duce, Allie Oakes, Allie Mercer, Laura Miller, and Shelby Oxner were also on the trip.” (Photo submitted by Caleb Grosse)

“Christopher Troutman (alumnius of SNU) and I went to Niagara Falls for our honeymoon over spring break! Canada, eh?” (Photo submitted by Courtney (Richey) Troutman)

“This Spring Break, I had the chance to visit Kauai, Hawaii, with my family. On my first day there, my dad and I took our cameras our to take pictures of our tropical environment. I was immediately captured by the pure white hibiscus flowers that had just been washed clean by an afternoon shower.” (Photo submitted by Jenn Wachtel)

Spring Break Photo ContestClockwise, from top left:

Results on page 10

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Arts ENTERTAINMENTTheEcho March 27, 2013 Page 10

In praise of online movies: My favorite discoveriesBrad Crofford, Editor-In-Chief I love movies, and what a time to be a movie-lover! When my friends and I want to watch a movie, we have so many options. We can watch a DVD or Blu-Ray we already own. We can borrow a copy from the public library. We can rent a copy from Family Video, 7-Eleven or another store. We can go to one of the three Redbox ki-osks at the intersection of 39th and MacArthur. We can watch one on Netflix, Amazon Prime or Hulu. And, if these options are enough, we can go to a store and buy a movie. Of all of these methods though, my favorite is watching movies on Netflix and Amazon Prime. Because there is one regular fee instead of a fee per use, I am more adventurous

in terms of the films I choose to watch. When I rent a movie, it is typically a widely-known film, and I read reviews ahead of time to ensure I will like it. When I watch on Netflix or Prime, however, I am less limited, and I have discovered many great films I would not have otherwise watched. Here are some of my fa-vorite discoveries. Jodhaa Akbar-- Part love story, part historical epic and part les-son on historic Muslim/Hindu tensions, this Bollywood films succeeds on many levels. Be fore-warned, though: its 205 minute running time is not for the faint of heart. (2008; NR; 205 min-utes; Hindi with English subtitles; available via Netflix) Ek Tha Tiger-- This spy movie

about an Indian secret agent who falls in love with a Pakistani agent is an intriguing mix of James Bond-type action and Bollywood conventions; for example, a high-speed chase may be followed by a brief musical interlude. With action taking place from India to Ireland to Cuba, this film, the sec-ond-highest grossing Bollywood film of all time, is worth a look. (2012; NR; 132 mins.; Hindi with English subtitles; available via Netflix) The Warlords-- This Chinese epic is part war movie and part historical drama. While some movies in this genre sacrifice sto-ry for action (e.g., Bodyguards and Assassins), The Warlords manag-es to combine intense action with a touching storyline. It contains

one of the most powerful, mov-ing scenes I have seen in film. (2007; R; 113 mins.; Cantonese with English subtitles; available via Netflix and Amazon Prime) Lumumba-- This understated film chronicles the final days of Patrice Lumumba, the first dem-ocratically-elected leader of the Republic of the Congo. (2000; NR; 109 mins.; French with Eng-lish subtitles; available via Netflix) Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog-- This quirky short film stars Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Castle) and Felicia Day (The Guild). It is a hilarious, musical satire of the superhero genre. Its catchy tunes and wit will stick with you. (2008; NR; 42 mins.; English; available via Net-flix)

The ECHO is the weekly student newspaper of Southern Nazarene University and is a long-standing member of the Oklahoma Collegiate Press Association. Viewpoints expressed in the paper are not to be considered official standard-bearers of the university or its sponsoring denomination. Editorials on the op/ed pages that are generated by the ECHO staff--and therefore have no byline--express the opinions of the editorial staff but not necessarily of the administration, faculty or staff of Southern Nazarene University. Personal columns with bylines as well as opinions reprinted from subscription wire services or other publications by permission express the opinions of the writer and not necessarily of the editorial staff of the ECHO or the administration, faculty or staff of Southern Nazarene University. The ECHO publishes a public forum called “Letters to the Editor” and invites readers to express themselves here. The editorial staff requests that letters not exceed 250 words and reserves the right to edit them for clarity and brevity. All letters must be signed. Send them to The ECHO, SNU Box 2541, or through e-mail at [email protected]. Letters will not be returned. Unless otherwise marked, letters received by The ECHO that deal with newspaper content or practice will be considered for publication. Information on advertising can be obtained by contacting the editor-in-chief at [email protected].

Editor: Brad Crofford

Adviser: Melany Kyzer

Content Editor: Kendra Nixon

Layout Editor: Kira Roberts

Assistant Editor: Ronna Fisher

Spring Break Photo Contest Winners*:$15 gift card-- Grace Williams$10 gift card-- Jakob Williams$5 gift card-- Meagan Green

Thanks to those who submitted entries!

*winners were drawn randomly from those submitting entries