By: Megan Shadrach

The students of Mount Union came together Wednesday evening to write letters for the Up ‘til Dawn fundraiser in Campus Grounds.

The Up ‘til Dawn organization works directly with the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to raise funds and awareness.  The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital opened in 1962 and has been changing lives across the world ever since.

“Up ‘til Dawn is a program, ran through St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, that partners with college campuses all across the United States for research and anything else they need funds for,” said co-sponsorship chair Jessica Jamison.

This is the fifth year that Mount Union has sponsored a letter writing event on campus for the Up ‘til Dawn organization.  The program works by providing letters and envelopes for students to fill out and send to friends and family members who may be willing to donate to St. Jude’s.  The goal of the fundraiser is to raise $100,000. Executive Director Danielle Porter said that it is good to “shoot for the highest we can.” Last year, Mount Union raised about $54,000 for St. Jude’s.

“No family gets turned away for inability to pay,” said Jamison. “St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital costs $1.8 million to run each and every day.”

Before the event began there were about 370 students registered to write letters.  More students continued to sign up as the event went on.  Students who wrote 25 or more letters received a free Up ‘til Dawn t-shirt.

“Even though we are a small campus, we are always ranked in the top 10 of the country because of the amount of money we raise,” said Co-Sponsor Chair Alyssa Betro. Last year, Mount Union outraised larger schools such as Akron and Ohio University. Porter said, “It is good to be competitive, yet all of the money goes to the same cause.” Porter explained that any amount of money raised is important.

“St. Jude’s Hospital is a research hospital,” said Porter. “This means that their information and research results are shared with people around the world.” The money that is raised at Mount Union goes farther than just the individuals it helps, but betters cancer research around the globe.

Junior Chris Colby wrote letters to relatives and close family friends. Colby’s personal goal is to raise $200 within the 25 letters he wrote.  He wrote letters in memory of his aunt, who passed away from cancer.

For Junior Dillon Bright, writing letters also hit home. “I selected to send letters to people that I know will absolutely donate to St. Jude’s,” said Bright. “After going to St. Jude’s last year and meeting some of the children, I wanted to write as many letters as I could.”

Senior Alayna Mucci said she continues to write letters every year because she raised more than she expected during her freshman year. Mucci hopes to help raise $500 this year. Mucci said, “I think the letters give awareness of children’s cancer and the hospital.”

The letter writing event is the main event that Up ‘til Dawn holds on Mount Union’s campus.  There will be an official ‘Finale Event’ in March to reveal how much money the letters raised.  This event will include a picture booth, tie-dye t-shirts, a guest speaker and refreshments.  To make a donation to St. Jude’s log on to www.stjude.org today!

The men of Mount Union brought down the house Friday night during the annual Mr.UMU event. If you were not at the theater, you definitely missed out on one heck of a show. After two packed hours full of comedy, serenading and choreographed dancing, Tom’s Club Representative Sean Eppler was named Mr.UMU 2012.

The competition began with formal wear as the co-hosts, Kyle Dreger and Steve Kandray, gave a brief introduction of each contestant. From the Black Student Union to the Exercise Science Club, organizations from all over campus participated in this year’s event.

Mount Union gear/school spirit was next. Delta Sigma Tau representative, Travis Irwin, left the biggest impression as he “vroomed” in on a vespa with Mount’s very own MuCaw hanging on behind.

The swimwear section of the competition followed and brought out beach towels, sunglasses and numerous shirtless men. Alpha Phi Omega’s representative, Dan Goswick, showed off his “drawn on” abs while Alpha Delta Pi and Phi Kappa Tau’s representatives, Austen Hutton and Ian Perry, sported speedos onstage.

The most entertaining section, especially for the Mount women present, was the talent section. Eppler performed second, stringing on a ukulele and getting the entire audience involved. The crowd was clapping and cheering as Eppler sang “woopy doo, I wanna be Mr.UMU,” all while promoting a cause he strongly believes in, Tom’s Club. He then hopped on one foot and successfully sang the alphabet backwards while juggling scarfs.

Audience involvement continued as College Democrat’s Representative Vincent Van had everyone hold their cell phone lights up as the theater lights dimmed. Van brought awareness to breast cancer, with low music playing in the background, moving some audience members to tears.

Goswick had everyone in an uproar of laughter during his stand-up comedy performance while Perry received whoops and hollers as he threw green glow sticks into the crowd, engaging in gangnam style dancing. All students bopped along in their seats as they swirled the glow sticks ‘round and ‘round in the air.

The act that made all the ladies blush was that of Exercise Science Club Representative Chase Clark, and “his boys,” who gave a risqué performance to “It’s Raining Men.” The act involved twirling umbrellas, dance floor activity and half-naked back up dancers… and we’ll leave it at that.

“I never knew we had so many male dancers on campus,” said Dreger in between acts.

As the co-hosts asked the judges what they thought of this year’s competition, one judge, Dr. Dick, gave two thumbs up. When interviewed, Dr. Dick stated, “I’m very pleased with the energy this year. It’s obvious that [the contestants] are very prepared.” He then went on to say, “It’s a lot of fun and I’m glad to see that everyone’s having a good time.”

The pageant ended with a Q&A section. When Alpha Chi Omega representative Anthony Mara was asked what his definition of beauty was, “aww’s” rang throughout the audience as he replied “It’s about the personality.” Hutton also appealed to the women when he answered the question “Which arm rest is yours when you’re at the movie theater?” with “Both… unless I am with my girlfriend, then I will, of course, be sharing with her.”

Eppler hoped to gain more than the title of Mr.UMU tonight. When asked “Can you feel the love tonight?” he replied with a grin, “I’d love to – ATO, third floor.” The audience burst into laughter and applause.

While the judge’s results were tallied, the anxious crowd buzzed with thoughts on who they believed would receive the title. Sophomore Allie Vanek said, “It’s gonna be tough. There was lots of talent and heart. They were all reppin’ Mount Union really good.” When asked who she thought would win, she replied “Oh gosh. I don’t know if I can do that. Too tough!”

The contestants were brought back on stage for a final applause as the big announcement was about to be made. The tension built as Irwin was named third runner up, winning $20. Hutton was then named second runner up, taking home $40. Kandray paused, the tension built and a shocked, yet thrilled, Eppler was named Mr.UMU 2012, taking home the title as well at a $60 cash prize.

“I’m surprised. Honestly I had no idea,” Eppler said. Adorned with a “Mr. UMU 2012” sash, he then exclaimed that he was going to see his parents right away to celebrate.

The University of Mount Union sends about 60 students a year to study abroad in 28 different countries around the world.  These students return with experiences and memories to last a lifetime.

It’s time to take a closer look at what drove these exceptional students to leave their comfort zone and become cultivated into another country.  Senior Kelly Arko studied abroad on two separate occasions.  “I knew it would be an amazing opportunity to break out of my shell and experience something that not a lot of people get the chance to do,” said Arko. “I loved the idea of living in a different country for an extended time; it’s more than just a vacation, so you get the chance to become a part of the environment and experience it as a resident rather than a tourist.”

Students choose to study abroad for many different reasons.  Junior Alyssa Greenwell studied abroad for the opportunity to see the world and to be able to live and interact with different cultures. “I can’t even put into words how truly great it was because there are no words that will do it justice,” said Greenwell when explaining her overall experience while studying in London this past summer.

Senior Alicia Switzer chose to study abroad to take a specific course, Intercultural Communication. “What better way to learn about it than taking this course abroad,” said Switzer. Regardless of their reasons to leave, they all seem to return with the similar life changing experiences.

Senior Sydney Mihailoff had a rough start. However, after being lost in India alone, and experiencing major culture shock, Mihailoff said, “I wouldn’t change going there for anything.”

Adjusting to a different language can be challenging, according to study abroad students.  Many of the students implied that this challenge made their experience fun.  Senior Zak Suhar explained that his Spanish host family knew very little English, which left him with the challenge of speaking Spanish every day.

Junior Katlin Gainer, who studied in Pau, France, described her experience as eye opening.  “I saw the Eiffel Tower, climbed the Pyrenees Mountains, walked down the Champs d’Elysées, bought a chocolatine from a bakery before class, and enjoyed the language of a completely different culture,” said Gainer.  “How many 20 year olds can say that?”

Studying abroad takes students out of their comfort zone and forces them to adjust to a new and different culture.  “Despite being uncomfortable, I had to accept the culture for being different and make the best of those differences” said Switzer.  “I had to learn to laugh at frustrating things.”

Suhar described his experience abroad as life motivating. “I learned to be more independent, live completely on my own, combat a language barrier, how to budget travel, how to overcome my fears, and how to simply enjoy what had to be offered.”

Studying abroad gave Greenwell the confidence to know that she can do anything she sets her mind to. Mihailoff agreed and said, “You really get to know how strong you really can be.”

Gainer encourages other students to take advantage of this opportunity, “It is an amazing experience that you may never get the chance to do for the rest of your life, and it allows you to discover things about yourself you didn’t even know.”

All of these students agreed that they highly recommend studying abroad to any Mount Union student.  The best advice they have to offer students is to conquer your fear and to keep a positive attitude and an open mind.

Homecoming: a word that many become familiar with during high school, and then are reintroduced to again while in college. What exactly does the term “homecoming” mean? Where did this university tradition come from? How did Homecoming Week develop into such an important event?

The University of Illinois was referred to as the first school to have a homecoming celebration during October 14 and 15 in the year of 1910. Although, a paper published by the Archives Staff of the University of Illinois actually stated that schools including University of Michigan, Indiana University, Northern Illinois University and Baylor University conducted similar festivities before the year 1910. Alumni reunions and an athletic event, usually a football game, were incorporated. Also, banquets, initiations, class competitions and other activities occurred.

Another homecoming theory dates back to 1891, during the “Boarder Wars” between the University of Missouri Tigers and the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The teams were to play on a different field than normal, which was at Missouri’s campus.

According to an article written by Dale Wright, Missouri Athletic Director Chester L. Brewer wanted to incorporate more excitement in the competition and invited alumni to “come home” for the game. A parade and a pep rally was also included. In 1911, more than 9,000 fans crowded into what was called Rollins Field at the time, beginning the homecoming tradition.

At the University of Mount Union, homecoming weekend consists of many activities. Some of these include the Run-A-MUC 5K race, an alumni brunch, reunion class group photos, alumni athletic competitions, Greek open houses and more. A parade also takes place on Saturday, before the football game.

This year, to generate enthusiasm prior to the weekend, Raider Programming Board organized a pep rally and bonfire that was held in the Quad on Thursday.

What do Mount Union Students think of when they hear the term “homecoming”?

Senior Hillary Carle said that she thinks of high school, but also her friend Alexa Farmerie comes to mind, who made Mount Union’s Homecoming Court this year. Since Carle is a cheerleader, she participates in homecoming by marching in the parade before the football game. After she graduates, Carle plans to come back with her family for the legacy brunch. “My mom and my dad both went to Mount, and my sister probably will too,” she said.

“I associate homecoming with football and cute girls,” said Senior Zach McMurray. During homecoming weekend, McMurray loves to go to the homecoming brunch and the game afterwards.

Jacqueline Pfenninger, a junior, associates homecoming weekend with alumni coming back and the Mr. UMU event. She usually does not attend the football game, but said that she would like to go to the legacy events if she were able. “My mom is an alumna, but she lives in France, so that makes it tough,” Pfenninger said.

“When I hear homecoming, I think of all current students and alumni of the raider family, joining on a special weekend of the school year,” said Zak Suhar, a senior at Mount Union.

Senior football player, Cody Forbus, has a similar idea of homecoming, and thinks of past alumni and past Raiders venturing back to spend a weekend with current students, family and friends. “It’s a weekend to enjoy quality time with everyone, watch some football, and have some fun!” Forbus said.

The tradition of homecoming is embraced by all, and for years to come, students and alumni will continue to gather on campus to enjoy this special time of year.

Mount’s new Hispanic organization showcased its culture, in celebration of Hispanic heritage month, with a recital in Presser hall, last Thursday night.

The recital featured Sophomore Charlie Avila, his mother Maria, his sister Jessica, and father George taking their audience on a tour through the culture, music and dance of Mexico. Maria did dances from various regions of Mexico and Jessica sang songs in both Spanish and English.

“Our main goal was to bring a vision of diversity and culture to Mount Union and I feel like we succeeded in that in these two days,” says Charlie, one of the Hispanic American students on Mount Union’s campus.

Thursday night began with “El Tilingo Lingo” a dance from the Veracruz region of Mexico. Dancers wear white crinoline skirts and carry handkerchiefs that originate from the Valencian and Andalusian regions of Spain.

“El Tilingo Lingo” was followed by Jessica singing. She sang Mi Tierra or ‘My Land’ by Gloria Estefan in Spanish and Rolling in the Deep by Adele in English.

The second dance of the recital was “El Son de la Negra” of the Jalisco region. A love song showing the passion and need for a man to find his long lost love. Women wear colorful double circle skirts with ribbons; while the men wear traditional garb of a Jalisco cowboy or “Charro.”

It was followed by a teaching period where the audience learned to dance. Meanwhile Jessica sang, “Where did the feeling go” by Selena, in English and “Amor Eterno” by Rocio Durcal and Juan Gabriel in Spanish.

The night ended with “El Jarabe Tapatio” or the Mexican hat dance of the Jalisco region. The man is in the traditional garb of a Jalisco “Charro” or cowboy and the women dance away from the Jalisco cowboy while he tries to impress them with his footwork. He eventually wins them over.

Charlie said, “We have a very rich heritage that I am proud of and to share it all with the Mount Union Community means a lot to me.”

The Avila’s are hoping to do this every year and to get a better turnout each year they come back to diversify Mount.

By. Marissa Dioneff

October is the national month for Domestic Violence Awareness. In previous years, the Association of Women Students (AWS) and Alpha Chi Omega sorority have teamed up with the Alliance Domestic Violence Shelter and the Alliance YWCA to sponsor ‘Take Back the Night,’ an event focused on raising awareness for domestic violence. This year students at the University of Mount Union were asked to wear purple and support Domestic Violence Awareness.

Along with being our school color, purple is the national color for Domestic Violence Awareness. Alpha Chi supports domestic violence through their philanthropy. Locally, they help at the Alliance Domestic Violence Shelter in order to raise awareness about violence in relationships and different types of abuse that can occur. The shelter’s mission is to assist the survivors of verbal, emotional, financial, sexual and physical abuse by providing education, resources, emergency shelter and transitional support services.

Member of Alpha Chi Omega, Gabby Nemec, made sure to sport her purple in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Day. Nemec revealed her point of view on domestic violence, as she said that it concerned her deeply because one out of every four people will become a victim of domestic violence. In response to how Mount could help put an end to the violence, Nemec stated, “I think that we could offer more support by raising awareness through fundraisers and other informational activities.”

Domestic violence can occur in any relationship. While it is common to believe that only women are victims of such violence, men and children are often targets as well. Sadly, men are often turned away from shelters in cases of domestic violence, strictly because of their sex. In honor of Domestic Violence Month, join the ladies of Alpha Chi Omega and AWS, and do what you can to raise awareness to the cause.

By. Giang Le

In honor of National Bullying Prevention Month, the University of Mount Union held “Bully Awareness” on October 10th  at the Mount theater. This event was presented by Dr. Sarah Torok, associate professor of psychology at the University of Mount Union, the University’s Ralph and Mary Regula Center for Public Service and Civic Engagement and Synergy Alliance.

Wednesday night, the theater was full of orange suits, showing support for kindness and standing up for those that have been bullied. There were four panelists invited to the event: Stephen Fowler, M.ED., assistant principal at Alliance High School, Detective Matt Shatzer of the Alliance Police Department, Susan Micheal, M.S.Ed., education consultant for the Stark County Education Center and Dr. Bobbi L. Beale, group programs director of Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health.

The event kicked off with a video about the story of a boy, named Jamie, who was bullied while in middle and high school by his peers and principal, because he is gay. The story, told by Jamie, revealed that he experienced an extremely tough time, having to deal with ignorant slurs, beatings and threats, all without protection. He was lost and depressed, questioning if he did something wrong and why he had to suffer.

Jamie ran away from home twice in order to find people who could help him. With the help of his family and people he met in Minneapolis, he won in the battlefield against bullying and gained the fairness he deserved. He did it. The story addressed the problem of bullying and focused on encouraging both personal and community responsibility to prevent bullying. “If I can do it, you can do it,” Jamie said.

Many Mount students reacted strongly to the film. “It is an emotional film about bullying. I am so glad that he won,” freshman Jessica Wolfe said. “We all know about [bullying] and more people need to be coming forward” Wolf added.

Anh Le, an international student, was very moved after watching the film, “I am going to research more about bullying and share my knowledge to friends [so we can] stop bullying together,” said Le.

According to Fowler, it is not only about Jamie; it is about all kids. “No kids should go through that,” he said. He also shared his story when he was a shy kid in 7th grade, as he learned the “bully schedule” and tried to avoid being around during those times. As an educator, Fowler investigates bullying, listens to students that stop by the office and gives them advice.

Psychological/social knowledge is key for looking into people’s issues. Dr. Beale explained how psychology effects bullying. Culture change is one of the main reasons why there are bullying issues. Kids who have problems often do not speak up, and this is important because we need to work with them and teach them about how to deal with bullying. “We also need special rules to fight for right things,” Dr. Bobbi commented.

Another film was then shown to the audience, entitled “Cyberbullying: Cruel Intentions.” Primetime reported on how cell phones, digital cameras and social media websites encourage and amplify the frequent cruelty of teenage behaviors. “The technique has a huge influence on mental bullying problems,” Michael commented.

For more information about National Bullying Prevention Month, refer to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center at www.pacer.org/bullying.

Mount Union’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter invited a student guest speaker from Kent State University to speak on campus Wednesday night.

Ryan Collins is senior public relations major at Kent State University. Collins came to Mount Union’s campus to share personal advice and tips on how to be a successful student. Collins has had several internships and studied abroad in Italy. He is currently Kent State’s PRSSA online media manager; in which he is responsible for their website, Twitter account and photography.

Collins first tip for success was to “take every advantage to study abroad.”  A study abroad experience can add a lot to a resume. “Employers will love it,” said Collins. Studying abroad shows independence and initiative to potential employers.  It is important to be able to understand another culture that is different than your own, according to Collins. “You can go out and learn something new every single day,” he added.

Collins second tip was to become a “rock star student” by finding a niche within the organizations students are involved with. He explained that it was important for students to find something they are good at and enjoy doing. Being passionate about PR will help students land spots in internships. Collins advised students to have at least two internships before graduating and to network with professionals whenever possible.

The third tip for success that Collins gave was extending online media and making a “personal brand.” Creating a blog and expanding writing skills will provide students with work to show potential employers. Collins advised students to “write when you feel passionate.” Blogs are a great way to reach out to potential employers and show them what you’re made of.

Mount Union’s PRSSA chapter had Collins visit as a kick-off event for the year. This organization holds bi-weekly meetings and is planning some larger events within the upcoming month. PRSSA is an active organization on campus that is always welcoming new members. For more information on how to join PRSSA, e-mail President Hannah Shaffer or Vice President Sarah Kelly.

Free food and gift cards are just two of the many ways the Raider Guides tempt the freshmen to participate in their weekly events on campus.

The Raider Guides work for a program called Exceptional Beginnings (EB). The program is new to the Mount Union campus this academic year.  This program replaced the previous First Year Experience (FYE) program. The FYE program was limited to approximately 220 students who applied to be a part of the program. This year there have been many changes made to the program, as it has been expanded to the entire freshmen class.

“We have had a great success with the First Year Experience program during its first six years, so it was a good time to expand it to all first year students,” said Director of EB Jesse Douglas. “With the change in the academic curriculum and the end of the Liberal Studies 100 class, there were some transition issues that weren’t going to be addressed.”

The program is made up of 34 Raider Guides and four student coordinators.  The Raider Guides are trained upperclassmen whose job is to help guide the freshmen students through social and academic affairs during their freshmen year, according to Student Coordinator Patrick Yackmack. As student coordinator, Yackmack’s job is to oversee a group of Raider Guides and help facilitate the program.

According to Raider Guide John Laux, the Exceptional Beginnings program plans “two events every week, one social and one educational.”  Laux also added that the programs are all planned and managed by the Raider Guides in each residential building.

The incentives for the program include monthly gift card prizes and one iPad raffle each semester.

“The purpose of the events is to bring first year students together in a care free environment that encourages them to meet new students, help the students feel more comfortable throughout their first year and help the students to learn about the resources on campus,” said Raider Guide Dylan Spangenberg.

Freshman Meghan McGary said, “I like the idea of having events in the building because I don’t have to worry about going to another building.”

According to Yackmack and Laux, Raider Guides and events help the freshmen in a way they do not realize. “The educational events allow freshmen to get an insight to the Raider Guides knowledge of what they can expect at college,” said Laux.

Spangenberg added that the events are beneficial because “they help the freshmen make new friends and they give them a place to relax and concentrate on something other than school.” The Raider Guides continue to plan their events in hopes to reach out to the freshmen population.

For the third consecutive year, Mount Union’s Alpha Xi Delta chapter hosted Karaoke for a Cure, a singing contest to raise money for Autism Speaks, one of several national organizations dedicated to finding a cure for the disease.
According to Alpha Xi Delta (AXD) philanthropy chair, Sophomore Alyssa Cuffman, the purpose of the event is to raise money for Autism Speaks, but also to raise public awareness about the disease.
Danielle McCoy and Kate Kuhomann of Autism Speaks said they enjoy the partnership they have formed with Mount Union’s AXD chapter over the past few years.
“As an organization, we’ve been partnered with AXD for four or five years,” said McCoy. “It was done through our national organization and their national organization; I think it’s a great partnership―I really do.”
Members of Autism Speaks assist the sorority with organizing fundraising events, including serving as judges at Karaoke for a Cure.
AXD president, Junior Cassie Siskovic, shared why she feels autism is a great cause to support.
“It’s such a prominent problem in society right now that’s so commonly pushed aside,” said Siskovic. “People don’t know that more children are affected and diagnosed with autism every day than a bunch of [other] mentally-handicapped diseases, so it’s really great to just raise awareness and funds for something that touches so many people’s lives.”
So far this year, AXD has raised nearly $5,000 for the cause.
Siskovic explained why a karaoke contest was chosen as one of the sorority’s fundraising events.
“It was something that our nationals came up with just as a fun event to do on campus to try to get people involved and it’s something different that no one’s really done on Mount Union’s campus,” she said. “It’s actually drawn a pretty good crowd the past few years, so we’re hoping to just keep improving.”
Cuffman agrees, “It’s fun and it gets a lot of people involved.” She then added, “It’s not just a lecture or a speaker; it gets people up and moving.”
One of the performers, Freshman Michael Gates, said he enjoyed participating in the contest.
“I figured it was a good way to market myself as an enjoyable human being and it seemed like fun,” said Gates.
Gates, who won the prize for “Best Vocal” with his performance of the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way,” said that the fact the contest raised money for autism made the event that much better.
Audience member, Freshman Alex Waitinas, enjoyed merely watching the performances.
“Everyone looked like they were having a lot of fun,” said Waitinas. “It was really entertaining to watch because it wasn’t too serious―even if you’re not the best singer, you could still have a good time.”
Cuffman and Siskovic also commented on the night’s performances.
“They were fun,” said Cuffman. “People didn’t take it serious, which is the point of it.”
Siskovic agreed.
“I think they were hilarious,” Siskovic continued. “They’re hilarious every year though so I guess it’s kind of hard to compare, and they only get better.”
Siskovic revealed what her favorite performance of the evening was.
“It’s got to be the new AXD members that sang Barbie Girl,” she said. “They’re just fresh in our sorority; they all got up there and sang.”
Other songs performed included Spice Girls’ “Wannabe,” Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Kelly Clarkson’s “Because of You,” and a slew of Disney songs.
The award for “Funniest” went to the performance of “Hakuna Matata” by several AXD members and “Most Creative” to the performance of “A Whole New World.”
AXD’s next fundraising event for Autism Speaks is Football Frenzy, the powder-puff football game between all the sororities, which raises the majority of funds for the cause.