the northerner print edition 02-07-13

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The Northerner The Independant Student-Run Newspaper of NKU Thursday, February 7, 2013 | Ed. 51 Is. 4 News, p. 8 Norse pep band brings unexpected spirit to games Job openings for students, recent grads Wu-Tang Clan member talks hip- hop, leadership Arts & Life, p. 11 First ladies bring awareness Statewide event raises $533,000 Story on p. 2 Sports, p. 15 Photo by Kody Kahle Kentucky’s First Lady Jane Bes- hear (second from right) visited a nearby Kroger to raise money for domestic violence shelters.

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first lady visits local kroger, internet piracy, UCAP, green initative, flipped classrooms, coffee hours, valentines day, local job opportunities, polar plunge, get fit, baseball awards, pep band, eshaunte jones.

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Page 1: The Northerner Print Edition  02-07-13

The Northerner The Independant Student-Run Newspaper of NKU Thursday, February 7, 2013 | Ed. 51 Is. 4

News, p. 8

Norse pep band brings unexpected

spirit to games

Job openings for students, recent grads

Wu-Tang Clan member talks hip-

hop, leadership

Arts & Life, p. 11

First ladies bring awarenessStatewide event raises $533,000

Story on p. 2

Sports, p. 15

Photo by Kody KahleKentucky’s First Lady Jane Bes-hear (second from right) visited a nearby Kroger to raise money for domestic violence shelters.

Page 2: The Northerner Print Edition  02-07-13

EDITION 51, ISSUE 4 News | 3

NewsThere are certain entertainment staples that college

students find difficult to survive without: television shows, movies and music. Rather than pay for this media though, some students choose to download these things illegally, so that they can be entertained for free.

John Schlipp, Steely Library’s intellectual property librarian, said that the whole issue of internet piracy traces back to the general public’s lack of knowledge about intel-lectual property and copyright.

Schlipp, who has started the library’s new Intellectual Property Awareness Center, said the issue isn’t as bad as it was five years ago.

“It’s definitely improved and lessened among students,” he said. “Part of this has to do with more affordable and convenient media options, like iTunes, Amazon, Hulu and Spotify.”

David Renaker, a lead systems analyst for the IT depart-ment who receives the notices from the Recording Indus-try Association of America that copyright infringement has occurred on the school’s systems, said that “things are moving in the right direction.”

Renaker said that IT doesn’t directly monitor internet

traffic to sites like The Pirate Bay or other popular piracy sites. Instead, they get a list of what he called “top talkers,” the websites that are being visited the most.

In the past, websites that streamed copyrighted content were atop the “top talkers” list, said Renaker. Now, he’s seeing sites like Netflix top the list instead.

Even though no one will contest the legality of down-loading copyrighted materials, students don’t always agree on whether or not pirating is wrong.

Ashley Clay, a sophomore, said, “People need to start buying [media], because you’re taking away from people’s livelihoods.”

“It’s not really fair to the author,” said freshman Kristin Peak. “They’re not getting any credit for their work.”

Sophomore Pamela Dickson is on the other side, however, “I’m pro-piracy. I view it as the free sharing of information, which is good for society.”

Not all have political opinions when it comes to internet piracy, though; some people just want to be entertained.

Senior Chuck Rust said, “If something’s good, I’ll pay for it. If I just want to check something out first, I’ll pirate it.”

“I will use pirating to get something I really want,” said freshman Oscar Patmore. Patmore gave the example of the new animated movie, “Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2,” released last Tuesday, which he said he would probably pirate.

College is a time to get out there, meet new people, form relationships and expe-rience new things. You always hear “get involved,” but what does that truly mean and how do you do it? This idea is also known as networking and at NKU, helping students network is the main goal of the University Connect and Persist Office.

UCAP is not a program, but a department promoting networking and helping students create successful networks on campus.

“We’re very invested in promoting proac-tive connections,” said Peg Adams, UCAP director.

UCAP does more than just bring students to their office and teach them how to build a network; they look for opportunities to work closely with various campus programs to teach them how to assist students in building successful connections and networks.

Most students network without even being aware of it; simply befriending people you know in class connects you, through degrees of separation, to people who could be poten-tially helpful. UCAP wants to promote the idea of connecting with more faculty, staff and fellow students who can assist you.

“We’re always backing other programs to make them shine more efficiently,” said

Ashley McDaniels, who works in the UCAP office.

UCAP works with campus organizations to get students more involved and out of a daily routine of going to class and spending the rest of their time holed up in their dorms.

“A lot of students think ‘I don’t need to know people, I already have friends,’” said Tori House, who works in the UCAP office.

However this isn’t the case; students need to build strong networks and connections now, before they run into problems. Adams said many students have problems but don’t know who to go to for help. UCAP’s goal is to make sure students have a network built that they can rely on for assistance before they incur any problems.

Building connections now can help after college. Building a network now gives you the ability to get recommendations from a variety of faculty and staff; you can even be a connection to other students yourself. It’s also extremely beneficial to commuters or students that feel disconnected, simply knowing more people around campus gives you a sense of connection and community.

“You feel like you’re a part of the experi-ence,” McDaniels said.

UCAP also sets up booths at career fairs, holds a presentation at freshman orienta-tion, builds curriculum for UNV 101 courses and holds workshops and mixers on net-

working. They intend to make UCAP acces-sible to all students in creative ways.

“We make it user friendly,” said Caitlin Drouillard, graduate assistant.

One way they’re working to make it user friendly is through their various social media sites, including Youtube, Tumblr, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook.

Their social media connections recently reached to an RA, who used their clothing ideas on professional outfits from the Pinter-est page to decorate hallway boards. This act was an example of how important network-ing is and how it can reach individuals.

Networking isn’t just about students, UCAP hopes to connect faculty and staff as well. Often, two professors may be work-ing with a student and not be aware of one another. To solve this problem UCAP is in the early stages of developing a technol-ogy called MAP-Works, which will make communication between faculty, staff and students more effective. The technology will be extremely beneficial to help students further their networks.

Drouillard, House and McDaniels have all had excellent experiences with UCAP, mak-ing each of them think on an individual and personalized level to create their own path of networks.

The “Keep Calm” Campaign is one of their initiatives. It consists of three ideas: activate

your network, create your network and ex-pand your network. Posters and bookmarks have been placed around campus before, and will return again this month. Each one will feature various tips on developing and maintaining successful networks; you can even take these tips with you by tearing the informational strips off the posters.

All in all, networking is about being open and putting yourself out there. You need to be willing to take advantage of everything out there to connect with your professors and classmates. An easy example of net-working that Adams offered was simply tak-ing the action to go professors’ office hours.

Adams stressed that no faculty is superior to the others when it comes to student assis-tance, it’s on a personal level of who can help you best and who you can make a connection with.

“UCAP’s focus is helping the students and campus make connections and realize the importance of these connections,” Adams said. “Our dream would be that every stu-dent has a network.”

UCAP is interested in collaborating with students, staff and faculty. Please contact UCAP if you would like support with current projects or programs, ideas for new projects or networking materials. Feel free to stop by the UCAP office in UC 330, visit the website at www.ucap.edu and call (859) 572-7703.

Nancy CurtisStaff writer

Mac PaytonStaff writer

Networking for the future is UCAP’s goal

Internet piracy ‘not as big of a problem’

Internet piracy used to be a bigger problem among NKU students, accord-ing to IT professionals. Now, Netflix is a more popular site on the network.

Photo illustration by Emily Lindeau

2 | News February 7, 2013

SGA spring election packets available soonPackets to apply for Student Government Association for

the 2013-2014 school year will be available Feb. 20 at noon for students who elect to run on a ballot for an Executive Cabinet, Senate or Judicial Council position. The following positions are available: president, vice president, secretary of public relations, secretary of student involvement, secretary of administration, 25 Senate seats and five Judicial Council seats. Information regarding the responsibilities of Executive Cabinet, Senate and Judicial Council positions can be found at the SGA website at www.sga.nku.edu. Election packets will be available in the SGA Office and Dean of Students Office. Election packets must be completed and returned to the Dean of Students Office by March 20 at 4:30 p.m. SGA elections will be held on March 27-28.

24-Hour Mobile Innovation Contest in DigitoriumTechAllies, Mind Crate and Business Informatics invite

NKU students to participate in a Mobile Innovation Contest that will last 24 hours. The event will be fast paced and will consist of teams designing creative business-oriented mobile apps. Awards will be given. The competition begins at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 8. Seats are limited to the first 70 participants. Registration for the event can be found at www.surveymon-

The NorthernerFounders Hall Rm 314Highland Heights, KY 41099Editor in Chief: (859) 572-6128Newsroom: (859) 572- 6677 or 5620Advertising: (859) 572-5232Fax: (859) 572-5772Email: [email protected]: www.thenortherner.com

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northernerstaff

furtherdetailsEntire content is copyright of The North-erner and may not be reprinted without prior consent. Views expressed do not rep-resent those of the administration, faculty or student body.The Northerner is considered a designated public forum. Student editors have author-ity to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. The North-erner staff respects the right to a free and open dialogue as allowed under the First Amendment.

ADVERTISING ASSISTANTTyler Eubank[[email protected]]

PHOTO EDITOR Kody Kahle[[email protected]]

BUSINESS MANAGER Kerissa Hicks [[email protected]]

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFClaire Higgins[[email protected]]

MANAGING EDITORStephen Wilder[[email protected]]

ADVISERMichele Day[[email protected]]

STAFF WRITERSKyle Biggs[[email protected]]

Brook Clifford[[email protected]]

Nancy Curtis[[email protected]]

Tara Derington[[email protected]]

Kaity Galanos[[email protected]]

Mac Payton[[email protected]]

Matt Popovich[[email protected]]

Maggie Pund[[email protected]]

Danielle Roberts[[email protected]]

Derek White[[email protected]]

COPY DESK CHIEFMary-Kate Gnotek[[email protected]]

NEWS EDITORKevin Schultz[[email protected]]

PRESENTATION EDITOREmily Lindeau[[email protected]]

PHOTOGRAPHEREmily Chiavelli[[email protected]]

First ladies visit local Kroger

ARTS & LIFE EDITORCaitlin Centner[[email protected]]

This weekend Kentucky’s First Lady Jane Beshear stopped by the Martha Layne Collins Boulevard Kroger as part of the annual Shop and Share event. Beshear was joined by a local girl scout troop, about 30 students, Victor E. Viking and NKU’s First Lady Jennifer Mearns to “stand up against domestic violence.”

“Despite inclement weather, Kentuckians turned out on Saturday to support our domestic violence shelters, victims and victim’s families,” Beshear said in a press release, the Shop and Share event raised $533,000 on Saturday.

A member from a local shelter told NKU First Lady Jennifer Mearns that the money and supplies raised in that one day are enough to supply goods to the people who come for help for one year.

Shop and Share is a joint initiative with Kroger, Kentucky Domestic Violence Association, Ken-tucky Commission on Women, General Federa-tion of Women’s Clubs, the Kentucky Drug Court, Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana and the Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road to benefit the state’s domestic violence shelters. Participants are asked to

shop at Kroger and donate some of their purchased items to the cause.

Spanish education senior Maddie Mann volun-teered at the event not only to help out with the event, but to “show the community we’re there, too.”

“The First Lady seemed really thankful,” she said. “She was really impressed with how many students showed up to help.”

Mearns also said Beshear was impressed because the NKU students were the only college students volunteering throughout the state.

“It was exciting to see the support of students at such short notice,” Mearns said.

Volunteers at each store provided shoppers with a list of needed items, allowing shoppers to purchase and donate the items directly in the stores. Beshear walked through Kroger’s aisles with volunteers and students to collect the donations.

Katie Herschede, President Mearns’ executive assistant, helped out at the event and considered it a “resounding success.” She also heard from the state that “Northern Kentucky hit it out of the park.”

“It was a great opportunity to raise awareness about domestic violence and Northern Kentucky’s Women’s Crisis Center,” Herschede said.

Claire HigginsEditor-in-chief

key.com/s/Y9JSVB3. More information on the competition can be found at informatics.nku.edu/events/24-hour-innovation-2013.html.

Strategic Planning Committee to hold first open forum

Northern Kentucky University will be hosting a series of open forums as part of the “Our Time. Our Plan. Our Future.” strategic planning process this spring. The forums will all have designated topics and audiences. The first open forum will take place on Feb. 11 at 10:30 a.m. in the Student Union Ballroom. The focused audience for this “Our Students. Our Opportunities.” themed event will be fac-ulty and staff. The forum will work to answer the question “Whom does NKU serve and whom do we wish to serve?”

NKU Faculty, Staff and Students Receive ALICE Training

Cheryl Jonson and Melissa Moon from the NKU criminal justice department are partnering with NKU Police Chief Jason Willis to offer ALICE training to fac-ulty, staff and some students. This is in response to the recent tragedy at Sandy Hook which is bringing safety in public places such as offices, malls and schools into mainstream conversations. Jonson and Moon talked to WNKU radio station about why people need to change the way they think about safety. A recording of the discussion can be found at www.wnku.org/post/nku-faculty-staff-and-students-receive-alice-training as well as instructions for how to contact Jonson and

Moon for the training.

Spring 2013 student funding oppor-tunities

NKU Research Foundation is sponsoring three competitive student funding opportu-nities for research projects and/or creative activities. The Student Undergraduate Research and Creativity Award provides up to $600. The Graduate Student Research Grant Award provides up to $750. The Sum-mer Undergraduate Research/Creativity Fellowship Award provides a $3,500 stipend and $600 supply allowance. These initia-tives must be supported by a faculty mentor. March 18 is the deadline. Visit www.rgc.nku.edu for details.

Page 3: The Northerner Print Edition  02-07-13

EDITION 51, ISSUE 4 News | 5

Two of Steely’s librarians are working to implement a new for-mat into classes across campus.

This new format, called the “flipped classroom,” is going to be “more active, with less lectur-ing,” according to librarian An-drea Brooks who is spearheading this project with librarian Mary Chesnut.

In a flipped classroom, the instructor does less lecturing in class and more work with the students, according to Brooks. The lectures are done outside of the classroom, in the form of vid-eos. After watching the videos, students will take an assessment to see how much they learned.

Parmita Kapadia, a professor who has worked with Brooks and Chesnut, said that the assess-ments were helpful. “I was able to see where the most confusion was and address those issues in class.”

Chesnut said that the purpose of doing the work in class, in-stead of doing homework out of class, is to help the students if they get stuck.

Brooks and Chesnut have been working with the English depart-ment only so far—specifically, with ENG 291 Advanced College Writing and ENG 151 Honors Freshman Composition, typi-cally only bringing the classes in for one lesson.

The two work with these class-es to get them familiar with using advanced search methods, evalu-ating sources of information and how to properly use the library.

Kapadia teaches some of the

sections of ENG 291. She said that her class has a large re-search component to it. While she wants her students to be fa-miliar with how to use Google and Wikipedia and the internet in general to find information, she does want them to “be aware that there are these other schol-arly resources out there.”

Despite Kapadia’s good expe-rience working with Brooks and Chesnut, and the positive experi-ence that she feels her students had, she’s not entirely sure if she’d teach an entire class in this format.

It’s difficult to know if a stu-dent actually watched the videos, she said. “I think students would find it difficult to watch the vid-eos between everything else that they’re doing, and their atten-tion wouldn’t be on the video so much,” she said.

However, it is Brooks and Chesnut’s hope that flipped classrooms become the norm in classes, and not just something that is being tried out.

“We’ve had a really positive experience, working with the English department,” Brooks said. “It makes us want to work with more departments.”

Chesnut said that they have a three-year plan to spread flipped classrooms across the university, working with other departments, much like they’ve worked with the English department so far.

According to Chesnut, they plan on talking to three depart-ments this semester, although she did not specify which ones, because they have not yet spoken to those departments.

A plan to help further progress NKU’s sense of individuality and school spirit is in the works by the university’s Student Government Association.

The plan, a resolution presented for the first time by SGA Senator Clayton Castle at the group’s Feb. 4 meeting, would recommend several physical changes and promotions across campus to help the school’s branding.

Castle’s changes include the purchase and display of student artwork on campus (already in progress by the university’s Beautification Committee and a previously passed SGA resolution), the addition of a Norse viking statue to the plaza area of campus and the addition of a large NKU light (such as the one on the library) to the wall of the Lucas Administrative Center.

Clayton’s plan also suggested the recommendation of further promotions of NKU colors, logos and other symbols across campus.

The initial idea for this plan originated from SGA President Erik Pederson’s “Big Eight Goals” he set for the 2012-13 school year, one of which was to “...im-prove the branding of NKU.”

Pederson said this resolution is an important plan to recommend to administration because it will en-dorse the beautification project that is already in ef-fect, while offering student-based input as to what else could be done to beautify campus.

Pederson believes these changes or beautifications on campus are an important part in NKU’s branding; creating and maintaining school spirit and individu-ality.

“Beautification processes and branding, while hav-ing some differences, can work hand in hand,” he said. “[branding] is of the utmost importance because it is what makes NKU, NKU.”

“Overall, you pick a school that has the right feel for you,” Pederson said. “That’s the kind of thing we are trying to work on here.”

SGA Senator John Jose also said, at the Feb. 4 meeting, that working on branding through beauti-fication is important. “It can enhance school spirit,” he said.

If Pederson could personally choose one improve-ment to see at NKU, he said it would be to see more students wearing NKU clothes and gear on campus.

“More NKU students wearing more NKU clothes on campus means a stronger investment from stu-dents in the university,” he said.

And while there currently may not be the level of school pride and NKU individuality on campus as there is on most other major state universities, Ped-erson noted that this is changing every day.

“The progress in this over the past few years has been monumental,” Pederson said. “That’s really what we’re trying to continue.”

This resolution will be presented for a second read-ing at the group’s Feb. 11 meeting, where it, according to Pederson, is expected to pass.

Mac PaytonStaff writer Kevin Schultz

News editor

Steely Library works to flip classrooms across campus Senate wants to rebrand to progress

‘individuality’ and ‘spirit’ of NKU

SGA plans to improve university brand

Stud

ent S

enat

esn

apsh

ot

• Three new senators and two new justices were appointed to the group.

• The group received a special presentation about the new Student Success Center by Vice-Provost Pat Moynahan, who announced that the plaza level of the center is set to open in mid-February.

• SGA’s midterm grade reso-lution is set to be discussed by the Faculty Senate at next month’s meeting, according to President Erik Pederson.

• The group’s adviser Sarah Aikman strongly recommended all SGA members attend President Mearns’ Strategic Planning open forums to better represent the student body

4 | News February 7, 2013

The impact of the eco-friendly programs on campus may appear minor to an outsid-er. If you were to get a look at what goes on behind the scenes, however; you would be-gin to see the bigger picture of what NKU’s green programs are doing to make the cam-pus cleaner and more efficient.

The overall work is much larger than what you see from the blue and black re-cycle bins in each building, according to Ed Herschede, supervisor of custodial services and material handling. The recycling bins have made an impact on campus; accord-ing to Facilities Management, in 2011, the campus recycled almost 62,000 pounds of plastic bottles and cans.

“It’s not just one part of the university that recycles,” Herschede said.

Within Facilities Management at NKU, many forms of recycling occur, such as scrapping metal from old vehicles rather than sending it to a junkyard, and recycling worn down tires to help make new ones. These are just a few of the many things they do to save resources, according to Her-schede.

It’s not all going on behind the scenes though. Many of the green initiatives are happening in plain sight, such as the new practices in Northern Fare Food Court, according to Celeste Manning, marketing manager for NKU Dining Services. Accord-ing to Manning, certain restaurants give

incentives for students who are looking to help the university “go green.”

For one, coffee shops have a deal that if you bring your own refillable cup or mug, they will put your drink in your cup. By doing so students would save ten cents on their purchase and save another paper cup from possibly going to a landfill.

Another program is centered on a prod-uct called the “Eco-Clamshell.” For a one-time charge of five dollars you can get a tray to put your food on instead of having paper food containers for each entrée and side. This isn’t a one-use item; when you’re done with it, take the tray back and they will wash it. The trays will be there for you to use the next time you come to eat.

In 2011, the campus recycled over 350,000 pounds of paper. If that amount of paper had made it to a landfill it would have filled 605 cubic yards of space, according to Facilities Management at NKU.

When it comes to saving paper, there is one other thing you may have already no-ticed if you eat in the Student Union often. It may have come to your attention that there are no longer napkins at each table. This is part of a plan to save paper, accord-ing to Manning. Although Manning said, “it may seem like a pain,” to have to get up to go get napkins, the school has already saved over 10,000 napkins from going to a landfill just from this plan.

Throughout the coming weeks there will be even more ways to recycle around the Student Union with Recyclemania coming

to campus once more. The event started on Feb. 3 and runs through March 30; it will be a chance to recycle products bought on campus.

Recyclemania, in its sixth year on NKU’s campus, is a recycling program practiced all over the country. It adds a sense of friendly competition amongst any organi-zation on campus that is interested in join-ing.

Soon there will be large barrels in the Student Union to put your used plastic products in; the competition comes in when whoever has the most recycled prod-ucts at the end of each week wins. For first, second and third place there will be awards and prizes including free pizza for on-cam-pus events for the top recipients. There are still spots available for any organiza-tion interested in getting involved. You can find application forms at the information booths on the second and third floors of the Student Union.

Something NKU would like to emphasize to students is that all the green programs on campus are mainly for the preserva-tion of the environment, according to Jane Goode, environmental design planning co-ordinator for NKU.

“We are doing this for the environment, not for a profit,” said Goode.

Overall, Recyclemania’s main purpose is to raise awareness about the environment, according to Herschede, who urges stu-dents to, “think about it when you have a bottle in your hands.”

Derek WhiteStaff writer

NKU to save more resources with Recyclemania

Green initiatives on campus on the rise

Logo provided by Ed Herschede

Page 4: The Northerner Print Edition  02-07-13

EDITION 51, ISSUE 4 Arts & Life | 7

WHATTo dothis weekend...

Have a chance to get off

campus this weekend? Check

out the nightlife and events

happening in Cincinnati and

Northern Kentucky.

Mardi Gras CelebrationFeb. 8-9Main St., Covington, Ky.The festivities begin at 8 p.m. and end at 1 a.m. both nights. Cajun food will be featured and entertainment will be available in bars and tents. Big Head Parade is Friday night and the Grande Parade will follow that on Saturday night. You must be 21 and up to attend.Price: FreeMore info: mainstrasse.org

Jim Breuer at The Funny BoneFeb. 8-9Newport on the Levee, Newport, Ky.He has over 20 years of stand-up comedy experience and is one of today’s top entertainers. His shows will be at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on Friday and 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Saturday. To attend you must be 21 and older. Price: $25More info: funnybonecentral.com

“Shen Yun” and “Elvis Lives”Feb. 7-9Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut St., Cincinnati

Ohio Falun Dafa Association presents “Shen Yun” Feb. 7 - 8.The rich culture of China is brought to life through choreographed dance and orchestral compositions.Cincinnati Arts Association presents “Elvis Lives: The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Event” Feb. 9.“Elvis Lives” is a live musical journey across Elvis’ life featuring four Elvis tribute artists, a live band, back-up singers and dancers, plus an Ann-Margret tribute artist.Price: Prices varyMore info: cincinnatiarts.org/tickets_events

“Freud’s Last Session” by Mark St. GermainJan. 23-Feb. 17Ensemble Theatre, 1127 Vine St., CincinnatiThis hour-and-a-half show presented by the Cincinnati Ensemble Theatre will be at 8 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. The drama centers on psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud who invites a then little-known professor, C.S. Lewis to his home in London. Price: $16-$42More info: ensemblecincinnati.org

If your Valentine’s Day dinner usually ends in the blaring sound of the smoke detectors going off on account of your badly burned pot roast, then maybe a romantic evening at home isn’t the best option for you and your date. No worries – there will be plenty for the two of you to do around Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky come Feb. 14.

Cincinnati Observatory Center, $50/coupleOne romantic option is to snuggle up and gaze at

the starry sky at the Cincinnati Observatory Center in Mt. Lookout. From 7 - 9 p.m., they will be hosting a special event, in which couples can view the stars and planets through telescopes and then tour the historic building, all while enjoying music, drinks and sweets. Price is $50 for couple, and space is limited so reser-vations are required.

Dean Regas, outreach astronomer at the Observa-tory Center, said that their Valentine’s Day event would make for a unique and wonderful date. “The observatory center has a very romantic history....We had astronomers getting married here over a hundred years ago,” he said. “There’s just something about sit-ting under the stars that evokes romance.”

Carriage rides, prices varyCouples can also gaze up at the night sky together

as they ride in a horse-drawn carriage, courtesy of one the greater Cincinnati area’s carriage businesses. These include Carriage Occasions and Cincinnati Custom Carriages in downtown Cincinnati and El-egant Carriage in Covington, Ky. Reservations may be required.

Karen Thompson, manager of Carriage Occasions, recommends a horse-drawn carriage ride for couples who want something intimate and romantic for their Valentine’s Day celebration. “We provide our custom-ers with a complimentary rose and box of chocolates, and we have heated blankets and radio in each car-riage,” she said. “So couples can enjoy their ride while staying cozy and warm, eating sweets and listening to music.”

Ice skating, 2-for-1 admission price dealIf anyone is looking for something a little less lei-

surely and a little more lively, then they can come to Fountain Square for a night on the US Bank Ice Rink, where skaters will receive two-for-one admission price and skate rental from 7 - 9 p.m. In addition, they will have an opportunity to win a prize package including a dinner for two at Via Vite, opening night tickets to Broadway’s “West Side Story” and an evening stay at

the downtown Hyatt with a complimentary breakfast for two the next morning.

Ballets and plays, prices varyFor arts lovers, there are plenty of shows going on

around town on Feb. 14. Cincinnati Ballet, alongside the Cincinnati Symphony orchestra, will be perform-ing “Romeo and Juliet” at 8 p.m., at the Aronoff Cen-ter for the Arts. Other on-stage productions to catch that night, while not quite in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, would be “Freud’s Last Session” at 7:30 p.m. at the Ensemble Theatre and “Abigail/1720” at 8 p.m. at Playhouse In The Park.

These are just a few of the options for couples looking for an entertaining night out in the greater Cincinnati area which includes more than just the typical dinner and a movie. Brittany Lindsey, an NKU senior, is among those who prefer to be a little on the unorthodox side when it comes to Valentine’s Day plans for her and her husband.

“I’m not sure what we’ll do this year, but in the past, we’ve gone to museums, gone rock climbing and have even taken strolls through cemeteries,” she said. “We like to celebrate Valentine’s Day in a way that’s defi-nitely different than the average Thursday night, so that we can look back on it when we’re older and have fond memories.”

Cincinnati/NKY offers variety of options for couples on the holidayValentine’s activities abundant in area

Danielle RobertsStaff writer

6 | Arts & Life February 7, 2013

arts & life

The Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) held the first Inter-national Coffee Hour of this semester last week. The International Coffee Hour, held once a month, is organized by NKU stu-dents of a different country each month.

January’s coffee hour showcased the country of Palestine. Current NKU international student Amy Jabrah utilized various foods, coffee, garments, music and a slideshow presentation to describe her home country.

With help from Megan Lindle, immi-gration program adviser at OISS, and Ian Olson, senior French major with a minor in international studies, Jabrah organized the event which drew a crowd of more than 30 students and faculty.

Lindle said she feels the monthly event has the potential to grow as more students discover the event via OISS’s Facebook page and weekly Norse News Network bulletins.

According to Jabrah, a freshman double majoring in visual communica-tion design and anthropology, the coffee hour was a way for her to explain why she thinks Palestine is a wonderful country.

“What I like very much [about NKU] is how I get to share my culture. They give me a nice opportunity to teach other students how my county is exactly, other than what they see as stereotypes,” said Jabrah.

Jabrah came to America three years ago and, after a slight culture shock, has

assimilated well into the new culture. She began her college career in the United States at a small community college. The students there had not been exposed to many Arabs before, she said, and discov-ering American cultural nuances was a difficult task for her.

“When I first started attending that school, everyone viewed me as very dif-ferent,” said Jabrah. “Once I was able to show them my culture, things became much better.”

Jabrah went on to say that after she explained her culture to the students who attended her small college, she was able to make friends. She said she enjoyed enlightening those students and showing them that the Middle East can be a very friendly and fun place.

Olson’s reasons for volunteering with OISS are similar to Jabrah’s. Olson, who speaks four languages, began helping with the NKU International Student Orienta-tion program at the beginning of this semester. Once he got involved, he began to really enjoy working with international students.

“I just want to be a welcoming Ameri-can they can meet,” said Olson.

Lindle, like Jabrah and Olson, is a passionate supporter of international students at NKU. Lindle began working at NKU last August; she helps prospective international students with the applica-tion process. She also organizes and promotes the monthly coffee hour events. She said she enjoys the work she does with students at the university.

“I think it’s always nice to educate all the students on campus about many different cultures, so that they can learn that there are so many different cultural norms out there, there’s not just one,” said Lindle.

According to Lindle, the coffee hour is meant to provide an environment where students can interact with fellow students from different cultures in a relaxed and

friendly environment. Coffee, food, music and relaxed conversation make the NKU International Coffee Hour an enjoyable way to get to know your fellow students and broaden cultural awareness.

For more information regarding OISS’s monthly International Coffee Hour or how you can get involved with OISS, con-tact Megan Lindle at 859-572-6517 or via email at [email protected].

A student at last week’s international coffee hour poured a cup of coffee for himself to sample. Palestine was the country of choice for January’s event.

Photo by Matt Popovich

Matt PopovichStaff writer

Monthly coffee hour blends culture, fun

Page 5: The Northerner Print Edition  02-07-13

| 98 | Arts & Life

For anyone seeking seasonal employment for the summer, they need look no further than Kings Island in Mason, Ohio or Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. Kings Island is now accept-ing online applications to start filling about 4,000 open positions for the 2013 operating season, which will commence on April 27 and go until the beginning of September.

Don Helbrig, public relations area manager for Kings Island, said that seasonal employment en-compasses various departments including rides, games, food and beverage, life-guarding and se-curity. “We’re very flexible, and employees can work 40 hours a week or more if they want to,” said Helbrig. “Employment at Kings Island looks great on a resume, and workers have opportuni-ties to move up in the ranks and even make a ca-

reer out of working at our park.”

At Great American Ball Park, a multitude of

positions are opening up for the Cincinnati Reds

upcoming season, which goes from April until

September. Some job opportunities at the sta-

dium are positions in security, food service, ush-

ering and ticket-taking. Hiring will begin in mid-

February, and those interested should visit Great

American Ball Park’s website, where they will be

directed through the application process.

Alongside these chances for paid employment,

opportunities for volunteering and internships

can also be found at the Cincinnati Zoo, the New-

port Aquarium and Great American Ball Park.

Between the numerous grand openings of establishments in downtown Cincinnati and the approaching summer season that is sure to bring big business to some of the area’s popular attractions, job seekers are now seeing ample opportunities for local employment.

The Horseshoe Casino in Cincinnati is set to open on March 4, and although they have been doing a rush of hiring over the

past few months and have already held multiple job fairs, they still have plenty of positions to fill.

Some of these include jobs as valets, servers and bartenders, attendants for the table games and workers in the facili-ties department. Employment can vary from full time to part time, from seasonal to on-call and can range from day shift to graveyard shift. Updated job listings and descriptions, as well as the online applica-tion process, can be found on the Horse-shoe Casino’s website.

Those in pursuit of employment may also find it at one of the many tenants of The Banks development in the business district of Cin-cinnati. In addition to the diverse selection of restaurants and bars that have already begun doing business in this venue, three more are set to open in the spring: The Yard House, an “upscale-casual” eatery specializing in Ameri-can fare and draft beers, Jefferson Social, a Mexican restaurant and bar and a Jimmy John’s sandwich shop.

According to The Yard House’s website, the Cincinnati location is set to open on March 24, and hiring began on Feb. 5. Job-seekers can apply online, or in person, through March 1 at the business’s hiring center location in the Na-tional Underground Railroad Freedom Cen-ter, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on any day of the week except Sunday. Representatives for Jefferson Social and Jimmy John’s have not yet announced when they will be doing their hiring.

This time of year marks the annual hiring season for many previously existing attractions in the area as well. On the Kentucky side of the river, Newport Aquarium is hiring for year-round positions, both full time and part time. These positions could include jobs in admissions or maintenance, service in the café or sales in the gift shop, just to name a few.

Linda Kraft, human resources assistant for the aquari-um, said that even though their job fair was back in Jan-

uary, they still are looking for applicants. “We’ll be doing most of our hiring between February and May, so anyone who’s interested should continuously check our website for updates on our job listings,” she said.

“I don’t know for sure, but we could possibly even have another job fair in the near future. If we do decide to, then that information will definitely be posted online.”

Kraft added that all information about the application process can be found on the Newport Aquarium website.

Danielle RobertsStaff writer Plentiful opportunities for both temporary

and year-round employment are also up for grabs at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gar-den. Jarrid Vaughn, assistant manager at the zoo, said that they go through three phases of hiring each year, granting jobs to about 25 -30 applicants in March, about 50 more in May and another 50 in November when the zoo’s special event “Festival of Lights” is approach-

ing. “We hire people for all different positions,

like admissions, food service and security,” said Vaughn. “All positions are part time, and we can usually be pretty flexible with college students’ schedules. About 95 percent of our part-time employees are college students.”

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS Job OppOrtunitieSc r e a t e i n f l u x o f

THE bANKS

NEWpoRT AqUARIUm

CINCINNATI zoo

KINgS ISlANd & gREAT AmERICAN bAll pARK

Page 6: The Northerner Print Edition  02-07-13

EDITION 51 , ISSUE 4 Arts & Life | 11

At the beginning of the year, many people make New Year’s resolutions to get fit, but often their drive fades within a few weeks. Having a more exciting workout plan may be one way to inspire people at NKU to start working out.

CrossFit, for example, is a unique workout that anyone can try.

“We don’t use machines. It’s all your own body and your body weight,” Kristie Bey, public relations major, said. “We do a lot of sit-ups, squats, pull-ups and we use a lot of barbells for all of our lifts.”

CrossFit is more than just a workout, it’s a lifestyle. “It’s everything, it’s not just physical. It’s mental, it’s your entire body,” Bey said. “It’s not just a workout program.”

If people are interested in starting Cross-Fit, they can go to Fort Wright CrossFit in Fort Wright, Ky.; the facility offers classes for people at any fitness level.

“We have our regular CrossFit classes, which are for people that are familiar with all our movements, weightlifting, stuff like that,” Kyle Stark, owner of Fort Wright CrossFit, said. “We have an introductory boot camp

class that teaches you all those movements and how to scale those to your ability.”

Bey said that when people work out at Fort Wright CrossFit, it creates a strong commu-nity between the people there.

“If you miss a day, everyone is going to get on your back, and give you a hard time for not showing up,” she said. “It’s the friends and community that we’ve built that keeps us going on tough days.”

“Come try it. You never know how some-thing is going to be until you try it,” Stark said. “You don’t have to be in shape to start CrossFit.”

When doing CrossFit, it’s important to make time to work out when they aren’t in the gym.

“I try to run and we follow a diet that goes along with CrossFit that definitely helps, but it’s about keeping yourself active,” Bey said. “Even on days where we have a rest day, we’ll still go in and just work on stuff to try and get better at what we do.”

Bey and Stark have advice for people who want to start doing CrossFit. Bey suggested that people should not be intimidated by what CrossFit trainers do because a lot of people are afraid to start.

“You don’t have to be an elite athlete to start CrossFit. A lot of the girls that I started

with all started a little overweight and we were not in the best shape,” Bey said. “A lot of people think they can’t do it because they aren’t an elite athlete already. You can cater the workout to any shape, size and strength level.”

Stark suggests that people should just come and try it.

Another workout to try is using Kettlebells. A Kettlebell is a ball that has a handle made out of cast iron. The weights vary from 18 - 106 lbs., and the weights can even be heavier than that. It’s different than traditional weight training; it’s functional fitness.

“What that means is that it’s training for your life,” public relations major Michelle Forlenza said. “With Kettlebells, it’s full body all the time. It’s weight training and cardio, it gets your heart rate up and tones your muscles at the same time.”

Compared to regular weights, Kettlebells are a lot safer. “If you just learn how to use them the right way, your risk of injury will de-crease significantly,” Forlenza said. “It would be just working with your trainer the first few times, and then doing it by yourself.”

Forlenza had advice for people who are thinking about starting the use of Kettlebells. She suggested that people should learn from someone who is experienced with this kind of

training. If they can’t afford to work out with a trainer, they should go on YouTube and search “Kettlebell Swings.”

Joe Daniels, owner of Swing This in La-tonia, Ky., has a YouTube channel where he teaches the correct way to do it.

Forlenza also said not to be afraid to start with a light weight. “It’s very different than what you expect so be careful.”

When Forlenza isn’t in the gym, she makes sure that she is cognizant about her diet. “I really watch my carbs and I really count my calories. Just try to stay healthy.”

Molly Doody, public relations major, said people should schedule a session with a personal trainer. “Even though it’s expensive, try to get one personal training session. Try to ask as many questions as you can.”

When people work out, they experience a lot of benefits. People will have more energy during the day and sleep better at night, ac-cording to Doody.

“Once you start, it’s kind of an obsession. It’s an addiction and I’d rather be addicted to something like this,” she said.

When it comes to getting in shape, “Get fit in the gym and lose weight in the kitchen,” Doody said.

New York-based rapper Cappadonna visited Highland Heights to speak about leadership in hip-hop and his experience as a member of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan Tuesday evening in the Student Union.

The lecture consisted of a history lesson on hip-hop, as well as guide-lines for leadership, maturity and how to evolve with the ever-changing popular culture.

Cappadonna started his lecture with details about how he, and other members of Wu-Tang, grew up together and how they struggled and hustled “with no direction.”

“We had to fend for ourselves,” Cappadonna said. “Just to keep the burden off of our single parent, or whoever raised us.”

He said the group members joined together, at ages as early as 15, because there is strength in numbers.

“It was something for us to do to get out of that struggle,” he said. “We didn’t know the business aspect of it and we didn’t get paid at first, but we kept fighting.”

When it comes to leadership, Cappadonna said his role is to shape and mold hip-hop to present it to the next generation.

“My duty is to inform everybody that there’s no community without that unity,” he said. “My responsibility is to give you the bare truth and facts about what’s going on in hip-hop today.”

He said he is not a bookworm, but a realist, and that most of his knowledge comes from common sense and life experiences.

“I didn’t get the opportunity to be blessed with a college education,

but I’m still here in your college and speaking to you,” he said.Cappadonna said he spoke to a student before the event, who said

school is getting in the way of his dreams to get into the hip-hop game. He replied to the student by saying that school is the basic foundation to success.

“You gotta have something to fall back on,” Cappadonna said. “Hip-hop is really trendy at times and it can change in the blink of an eye.”

He also gave advice to students, who are aspiring artists, about the business side of hip-hop.

“Keep doing what you are doing, but don’t quit your day job,” Cappa-donna said. “You can go as hard as you want in music, but guess what? You still have to deal with corporate hip-hop and these guys don’t necessarily give a crap about what you’re rapping about. They want to make money. So it becomes a marketing process at that time.”

Cappadonna said corporate hip-hop funds the foolishness that can be seen in today’s newer artists in order to “deceive the masses and to be able to take more control over the game.”

“The more control that corporate gets, the more watered down and less real it becomes,” he said.

He said that doesn’t just go for hip-hop, but for real life too.“Unless you’re trying to become an independent contractor, you’re

going to be working for someone,” Cappadonna said.Sophomore Jimmie Reynolds attended the event and said he

learned to always know what’s right from wrong in his personal views, as a fan of hip-hop and as a fellow rapper.

“Just to always stay conscious and always keep my mind open to what’s truthful and what’s not,” Reynolds said.

Stephen WilderManaging editor/Sports editor

Jessica KopenaContributing writer

Cappadonna (pictured) talked with students about his life in the hip-hop business and offered advice on how to adapt to the ever-changing popular culture.

Photo by Stephen Wilder

Wu-Tang Clan rapper offers real-life advice

Getting fit in new ways in Northern Kentucky

Hip-hop and leadership came together, took center stage Tuesday

CrossFit and Kettlebells strengthen students through intense, addictive workouts

10 | Arts & Life February 7, 2013

Through the snow and the cold, eight members of the Phi Alpha Delta Hoffman Chapter from the Chase College of Law and their team participated in the 2013 Polar Plunge to raise money for the Special Olympics on Feb. 2.

PAD has been participating in the Polar Plunge annually, at least since Casey Robinson, group president, has been in law school, she said. The plunge is one of the few philanthropy events they do per semester.

“Those who revitalized our chapter started the tradition of doing the Polar Plunge,” Robinson said, “we’re just continuing that.”

“The most positive experience I’ve had is just seeing how people who don’t normally get involved come together, and are so willing to do something and to sacrifice time by raising money and going out in the freezing water, all for a good cause.”

Before jumping in the freezing cold water set up in a pool in Joe’s Crab Shack parking lot in Bellev-ue, Ky., participants of the plunge had to hand over their shoes and jackets and wait for emcees Jon Jon

from Q102 and Stephanie Woods from Fox19 to count down.

“You get up there and you’re freezing anyway and then jumping in, it’s just cold. There are no other words for it,” Robinson said. “You’re shaking so hard and your body just goes numb.”

PAD won an award from their national commit-tee for the best community service project for their participation in Polar Plunge in 2011, according to Robinson. They raised over $3,000 in both 2011 and 2012.

This year they set a goal to raise $1,500 but fell just a bit short of that goal. Robinson said money raised is heavily funded by donations from family and friends.

At the time of the event, according to Special Olympics Kentucky, $130,000 had been raised. This event is the first of six Polar Plunge events in Kentucky alone.

“In 2012, the six events saw a record of more than 3,000 people take the Plunge, raising more than $750,000 for Special Olympics,” according to Special Olympics Kentucky. The event costs a minimum of $75 per jumper.

Robinson said she can see this event being one that she participates in beyond her collegiate years.

Caitlin CentnerArts & Life editor

Phi Alpha Delta partakes in Polar PlungeChase College of Law fraternity braves the cold for philanthropy

Members of the PAD team jumped in a pool of freezing cold water to show their support for the Special Olympics this past weekend at the Polar Plunge.

Photo by Tara Derington

Page 7: The Northerner Print Edition  02-07-13

EDITION 51, ISSUE 4 OpEd | 13

Just for laughs

Provided by MCT Campus

12 | Views February 7, 2013

Joey CunninghamSenior

Organizational leadership

“I support it because Kentucky does kick

ass!”

Emily SingletonJunior

Theater

“I would personally say I support it, but couldn’t take the state seriously

with that slogan.”

Bryan O’DanielJunior

Management

“No because it would give Kentucky a bad

reputation towards the rest of the country.”

Should Kentucky change its slogan to “Kentucky

kicks ass?”

Compiled byKevin Schultz and Mary-Kate Gnotek

norse poll responses

Douglas GautraudJunior

Marketing

“Yes, of course they should. I think it’s

funny!”

pOLL RESPONSESNORSE

Views

It’s no far stretch to say that perhaps the most dreaded class during most college students’ experience is public speaking. The very thought of having to address an au-dience of two dozen peers plus a professor judging you can cause rueful feelings of fear, nausea and anxiety. For most, the experience is not as bad as they first think, and they are able to make it through in decent fashion. For some, however, actually giving a presentation is not quite as palatable.

This may leave many students wishing there was an-other way to both meet the public speaking requirement all students need in order to graduate, and help them overcome some of their fears of speaking in public. For-tunately, NKU offers a special section of public speaking that does just that. Developed by retired NKU professor, Vicki Ragsdale, NKU offers one section of a CMST 101 Speech Apprehension class each semester.

This section of public speaking is specially designed to help students who are particularly nervous at even the

thought of giving a speech. While it meets the same de-gree requirement as the CMST 101 class most students will take and still requires students to give four major speeches, there are many differences. The class size is considerably smaller and students will experience a va-riety of small group oriented activities; both designed to help the class get to know one another before having to speak. Perhaps the largest difference is the time and devotion students spend on self-identifying the causes of their nervousness, then learning and practicing a variety of techniques to help overcome them.

Some of the strategies used include cognitive restruc-turing, where students learn to change how they think about public speaking. Relaxation and breathing tech-niques are also a big part of the class, allowing students to take time and calm themselves down before facing any daunting challenge. Other methods employed are exten-sive desensitization wherein students gradually work their way into giving a full-fledged speech, as well as de-tailed goal setting activities that allow students to design realistic and attainable benchmarks for success.

Unlike the typical CMST 101 class, where students fo-

cus primarily on learning how to prepare, organize and deliver a speech and then have to perform, this section frontloads the semester with coping techniques for ner-vousness, then focuses on preparation and organization and then delivery separately. This gradual, focused ap-proach allows students to acclimate themselves into a public speaking situation. The results can be subtle or drastic, depending on the student’s devotion to imple-menting the strategies.

While Ragsdale can still be seen roaming the campus, as she’s teaching CMST classes as an adjunct professor, I’m excited about taking over this course. I have been teaching at NKU for five years and have recently joined NKU as a full-time communication lecturer. My affable personality and approachable style to teaching serve to help make students feel comfortable at the prospect of presenting in front of an audience. I greatly enjoy getting to know students and helping them reach success in my classes. If you feel you would benefit from this class con-tact me at [email protected], 859-572-7678 or stop by my office in GH 428. I would enjoy the opportunity to discuss whether or not this class would be right for you.

Stephen JohnsonContributing writer

Special section of required course offers help for apprehensive students Nervous about public speaking?

Page 8: The Northerner Print Edition  02-07-13

EDITION 51, ISSUE 4 Sports | 15

When watching any college basketball team, the band is often something heard echoing in the background but not seen. The same is often the case with the NKU Pep Band, a group comprised of on average just 40 students. But don’t be fooled by their size; this small group gives off big energy in the stands. They’re often seen being very animated and loud on the sidelines.

The band would tell you the “ship is ran tight” with practice and dedication to attendance for each and ev-ery home game. It’s hard to miss them in the stands as they’re always prepared and ready to be loud for the men and women in black and gold.

If you were to ask the band what keeps them hyped up and ready for each game, they would simply tell you be-ing a part of the school is enough to “throw their Norse up,” according to Sean Fitzpatrick, trumpet player for the pep band and senior at NKU.

This isn’t a band that goes unnoticed at games. In fact, away teams often compliment them for their playing and energy on the baseline, which makes it all worth it, according to Fitzpatrick.

“To have other basketball teams come up to us and say we’ve never heard or seen a band like you, it’s a nice feeling,” Fitzpatrick said.

Cody Patton, junior drum set player for the pep band agreed that admiration for what they do helps them “get overall confidence” with comments from fans like, “You guys were great.”

Often, they are the ones giving confidence to the team by belting out the fight song and revving the fans up throughout the game. Not only do they get acknowledg-ment from away teams, the Norse teams often invite the band to away conference games.

The band is always looking for new ways to help get the crowds going. Getting painted up in black and gold and wearing viking hats are some of the most popular rituals among fans, according to Chris Lawrence, bass

guitarist and senior at NKU. Lawrence, one of the band members who gets all “decked out,” said he “loves being at the games.”

Since NKU has switched to Division I, more fans have been showing up to the games, according to the pep band. The band stresses that they can’t do it alone and

urges everyone to come out to help root for the home teams.

The next home game the pep band will attend is on Feb. 14, where the NKU athletic department has called for a “black out” and asks everyone to wear black to sup-port the men’s basketball team at 7 p.m.

NKU’s Pep Band performed at the women’s basketball against Mercer Jan. 28. Opposing teams have complemented band mem-bers for their playing style and energy, saying that they have never heard or seen a college pep band like that before.

Photo by Kody Kahle

Derek WhiteContributing writer

School spirit is strong among members at Norse basketball games

Pep band energizes players, student section14 | Sports Febraury 7, 2013

sports

Five NKU baseball players have been named top players to watch in the Atlantic Sun Conference by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. All of them are returning players from last year who helped the team go to the NCAA Division II tournament for the fifth year in a row. The team’s first game is on Feb. 15 against Lamar.

Compiled by Brook CliffordStaff writer

Baseball team at top of A-Sun players

cody cooper

mike nastold

matt jefferson

brad clement

brett loeding

Major: Organizational LeadershipPosition:Pitcher,1stbaseandoutfield.Number: 3 Year: SophomoreFun Fact: “I have a fear of roller coasters.”

“It’s cool, it’s an honor because I’m a sophomore and to be put on that list is cool.”

Major: Criminal JusticePosition: PitcherNumber: 29 Year: SeniorFun Fact: “I like really long walks on the beach and romantic movies.”

“It’s pretty cool, big honor.”

Major: Criminal JusticePosition: Right handed starterNumber: 34 Year: SeniorFun Fact: “I have a son who will be three in May.”

“It’s kind of an honor to be named that after everything I’ve went through on and off the field. I’m grateful to be on that list.”

Major: Integrated Studies Position: PitcherNumber: 28 Year: JuniorFun Fact: “I have an eyelash that grows longer than all the other ones.”

“I’m honored but it doesn’t mean that much because we haven’t thrown our first pitch yet. Try not to think about it too much.”

Major: Business InformaticsPosition: Utility playerNumber: 2 Year: SeniorFun Fact: “I’m pretty scared of heights and I like to watch the Bachelor.”

“It’s an honor to get picked out of everyone. It’s somewhat of a challenge to go out and produce and prove it wasn’t a fluke.”

Range of experience and talent brings home 5 Player to Watch awards

Page 9: The Northerner Print Edition  02-07-13

16 | Sports Febraury 7, 2013

NKU men’s basketball senior guard Es-haunte “Bear” Jones scored the College Sports Madness Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week for two consecutive weeks. The title is awarded each Monday nationally and is given to the player who has made the biggest contribution toward their team.

Jones currently averages 16 points a game, leading the Norse, and plays an average of 31 minutes a game. Making 43 percent of his shots throughout the sea-son, he scored 21 points in the game last week against East Tennessee State Uni-versity. He also has a total of 82 rebounds and 38 assists for the season.

He previously played Division I for Ne-braska University and came to Northern Kentucky to be closer to his family. Jones has two kids, Eshaunte and Elyseana, three and two, respectively.

“I came here last year because of the lo-cation, closer to home,” Jones said. “I’ve grown a lot being here mainly because the coaches talk to me, off the court, and to have someone there for you like that, helps on the court.”

Eshaunte is one of only three seniors on a team of mainly freshmen. He is now 24, born in 1988 in Los Angeles, Calif.

“He’s a really good kid,” NKU head coach David Bezold said. “He’s got a great sense of humor and very polite. He’s more mature and like a big brother to the rest of them.”

Jones has three things that inspire him on and off the court, according to him it can motivate him to do anything. God, his family and his friend Ronald who played basketball for a university in Indiana and collapsed and died while playing.

“God first,” Jones said. “Those things are huge for me, those three things can always get me going in any aspect of my life.”

Not only does Jones attend manda-tory practices regulated for the team, he makes plenty of time to lift weights and condition on his own according to NKU Athletic Director Scott Eaton.

“I think that he is just a hard worker,” Eaton said. “He works out more than any-

one I’ve ever seen, he’s always lifting and working out to make sure his strength and conditioning is where it needs to be.”

As a Division II team, NKU never re-ceived any awards of this stature in their conference, according to Bezold. Jones was the first player to be awarded the men’s basketball player of the week title.

“It means a lot to get this award,” Jones said. “We’ve just built a foundation and we’ve started to win. It’s a real privilege to learn and build off this.”

Jones has had a basketball in his hands since age two when his older sister taught him how to play. His favorite childhood memory is scoring the buzzer beater in eighth grade to win his city’s champion-ship.

Being on this team means a lot to him and he loves to hang out with his team-mates on and off the court, according to Jones.

“It’s a family here,” Jones said. “We

have fun. When we’re on the court, it’s all work. But off the court we like to have fun and watch TV and play video games. It’s a great team to be on.”

Lately, Jones has reached and broken his career-high of 25 points. But accord-ing to Jones, winning is more important to him than his own achievements.

“As a person, he is one of the nicest young men I’ve ever been associated with,” Eaton said. “He’s very soft-spoken and mild-mannered. He’s very selfless, what he does on the court is for the whole team, the team’s four wins in the last two weeks are more important to him than the awards.”

The team plays tomorrow at 7 p.m. against Lipscomb. NKU is overall 8-11 right now and is ranked sixth in the conference while the Bisons are ranked ninth. The team will return home Feb. 14 to face Florida Gulf Coast at 7 p.m.

ESHAUNTEJoNES

#40

p l ay e r s n a p s h o t

s e n i o r

f o r wa r d & g u a r d

Major: ORGANIzATIONAL

LEADERShIP

o r i g i n a l l y f r o m l o s a n g e l e s , c a l i f o r n i a

Favorite Food: Shrimp

Favorite teams: Lakers and Colts

f e a r s : s c a r e d o f h e i g h t s a n d s p i d e r s

In spare time: Loves to watch

movies

Brook CliffordStaff writer

Eshaunte “Bear“ Jones took a 3-point shot against Kennesaw State Jan. 26 at The Bank of Kentucky Center. He is averaging 16 points a game and shoots 41 percent from behind the arc.

Photo by Kody Kahle

“Bear“ Jones acts as a big brother to the younger players

Leading scorer cares more about team success than personal gain