The Woods

By Jade Scott
Editor-in-Chief

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College cross country team ended their regular season and received a bid to nationals on Nov. 4 and 5 in Concord, New Hampshire for another chance at a title.
To finish up the season SMWC traveled to St. Louis on Oct. 23 for the Fall Cross Country Classic and finished second out of nine teams.
St. Louis was a 3.1 mile run (5k) and according to Danelle Readinger, cross country head coach in a campus-wide email, the team of fields was stronger than last year.
“Overall it was a really good course, it was well laid out, and I finished strong,” said Kat Williams, sophomore. “There were a couple of hills but they weren’t as steep or long as Gibson was.”
Three SMWC runners finished the race in the top 15.  Freshman Stephanie Runyon finished with a 19:43, freshman Logan Fry 20:23, Williams 21:13, sophomore Cassandra Barnett, and freshman Lyndsi (Lizard) Woolems with a 21:28.
Runyon and Fry led SMWC in the beginning of the race and finished just as strong.  All runners started the race strong and continued to push through the middle of the race, where many runners are found to slow their pace.
“The kicks, surges, and passes proved to be vital in the race, especially the last 400 meters as the course brought them around to the finish,” said Readinger.
On Oct. 16 SMWC also traveled to Yellow Creek Park in Owensboro, Ky. for the Fast Cats Classic with Brescia University as the hosting team.
“There were rolling hills, one right after the other, and the entire race was very fast paced,” said Fry.  “It felt like I just ran in a circle twice and then I was done.”
As a team SMWC finished fifth out of eight teams, and the top five runners were similar to the race in St. Louis.
Runyon finished with a time of 19:17, Fry 20:06, Barnett 21:31, Williams 21:42, and freshman Danika Espenoza with a time of 21:59.
“Coach prepared us well for the race and the competition was pretty slow so it was a confidence booster to pass as many people as we did,” Fry said.
The regular season ended with the St. Louis race, and the SMWC runners now look towards the USCAA National Tournament in New Hampshire for their second national appearance in the past two years.
“There is always more pressure the second year trying to repeat,” said Readinger.  “Some of that is the fact that you now have a name for yourself and an expectation.”
Since the end of the regular season last weekend, the cross country team has begun to prepare for the upcoming competition in a different way than normal.
“We are cutting down on mileage so our legs are more fresh for the races at nationals,” said Lauren Sutton, sophomore.  “We are still running just as hard as we did in the beginning of the season but we are not doing as long of runs in practice.”
Coming into the 2010 season the team had lost four of their previous members of the 2009 national winning team and brought five freshman in.
“I do think that there was and still is pressure on the freshman to make up for the loss of members from last year,” said Fry.  “But we are running a lot of race simulations and we are learning how to pace ourselves so I feel more confident every day that we get closer to nationals.”
SMWC will travel to Concord, N.H. for the start of nationals on Nov. 5.  The race will start at 10 a.m.
“We are currently placed in the top 3 for Nationals.  A few teams are better than they were last year, and we are in the same vote,” Readinger explained.  “So it will be a tight race, at least it is right now on paper.”

Popularity: 30% [?]

By Danya Long
Editor-in-Chief

The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College soccer team finished up their last two regular season games on Oct. 19 and 23 against Oakland City University and Robert Morris-Springfield. Although the team didn’t receive a bid to the USCAA National Tournament, they did finish with their first ever winning record in the history of the team.
The game against the Oakland City Oaks at home had a lot on the line for the Pomeroys, one of two games that would decide if they made it to Nationals. The game ended in another tie after two overtime periods. SMWC came out strong, scoring the first goal of the game in the third minute when an assist from junior Jessica Black found senior Erin Pugh. While the Pomeroys controlled possession and made nice runs toward the goal, the Oaks brought their hard tackling and challenging midfield to compete. Toward the end of the first half, the Pomeroys capitalized on a blocked shot and Black found the goal on a long drive. SMWC held on to a 2-0 lead going into halftime.
The Oaks continued their hard playing in the second half, causing some of the Pomeroys to sit out of the game for a while in order to recover. In the 68th minute, the Oaks scored their first goal to bring the score to 2-1. With only about three minutes left on the game clock, Oakland City got around senior goalkeeper April Baranowski to score the tying goal as it hit the post and angled into the net. The score was tied at 2-2 at the end of the game, and after two 10 minute overtime periods it remained the same. This tie brings SMWC’s record to 5-5-2 on the season.
With a bid to the National Tournament on the line, the Pomeroys took on Robert Morris-Springfield on Oct. 23 at home. SMWC ended its regular season with a feat that had never been accomplished in the soccer team’s history. In the 24th minute of the game, senior Briauna Davis passed the ball to freshman Samantha Morrison who scored the first goal for the Pomeroys. Shortly after, sophomore Logan Jones found the goal with an assist by Pugh. SMWC went into halftime with a 2-0 lead over Robert Morris-Springfield.
The second half was another showing of the dominant offense for SMWC. Junior Kayla Leuthold scored her first goal of the season early in the half. In the 76th minute of the game, Baranowski found the goal for the first time in her career on a penalty kick. With only five minutes to play, Davis put up the fifth goal of the game for the Pomeroys on an assist from senior Britt Simmerman. The 5-0 win gave the SMWC soccer team its first winning season, with a record of 6-5-2.
During the Robert Morris-Springfield game, the Pomeroys honored the eight seniors that completed their final season at SMWC. Those seniors include Baranowski, Maureen Brown, Emily Contrarez, Davis, Megan Johnson, Ashley Logan, Pugh, and Simmerman. This is the largest senior class to graduate out as of yet.
The team received news from the USCAA early last week about the national tournament and it was not favorable for the Pomeroys. They will not be returning to the tournament this year.
“We had a great season. We beat some great teams, played some awesome soccer, and created lasting memories,” said Pugh. “It’s a bummer that we didn’t make it to nationals with this team; we would have gone far. As seniors we have the amazing memory of last year’s nationals that can’t be topped, and next year’s team has a lot of potential and a lot to look forward to.”
As the seniors finished up their final season, Brown reflected on her soccer career.
“It’s really weird because I never expected to play in college. I expected to finish in high school,” she said. “I think of the past four years as a gift.”
The Pomeroys ended their season on a high note and hope to go into next season continuing the success that SMWC has accomplished in recent years.

Popularity: 40% [?]

By Allison Foster
Staff Writer

On Wednesday, Oct. 27 the Pomeroys took on Lincoln Trail College in a scrimmage game to open the 2010-2011 season. There were about 40 people in attendance at the Community Recreation Trail Center where SMWC holds their games.
With only five healthy players available for the scrimmage, the team and coaches had a little concern.
“Having only five and a half players and the other team with 10 players is a small disadvantage for us tonight,” said Head Coach Deanna Bradley.
SMWC started the first half with a solid foundation and a good pace.
Freshman Jordan Barton scored the first points of the game for the Pomeroys.
“One important thing for the team to win tonight’s game was to rebound,” said Bradley.
About seven minutes into the first half the score was 32-13 with the Pomeroys keeping a strong lead. The end of the first half ended, putting SMWC on top with a 20 point lead and a score of 43-23.
Once the second half started, Lincoln Trail began to catch up quickly. The score rose quickly to 50-37. While they attempted to close the gap, they couldn’t quite outscore the Pomeroys.
Lincoln Trail’s sideline bench of players started to make lots of commotion to distract the Pomeroys. It took them by surprise, but it did not stop them from staying focused for the game.
With three minutes left in the game the score was 69-60 putting SMWC in the lead, but with a much smaller cushion.
In the end the Pomeroys were victorious with a 74-63 win over Lincoln Trail.
Senior Brooke Brown was a big help on and off the court with her scoring and the helpful cheering on of teammates. The chemistry the team shares is something that a lot of teams struggle with, but the Pomeroys seem to have no problem with.
“Having a few players puts more responsibility on the girls,” Bradley said.  “They know that they must play well if they want to win, but I’m not worried.”

Popularity: 28% [?]

By Annie Jones
Staff Writer
The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods hunt seat team hosted the first show for the region on Saturday, Oct. 16.  The hunt seat team claimed the title of High Point Team. The next Hunt Seat shows are on Nov. 6 and 7 at Purdue.
RESULTS:
Open Fences
Alex Amos 6th
Intermediate Fences
Whitney Mahloch 1st
Novice Fences Class A
Hannah Reeley 1st
Ali Mahloch 3rd
Novice Fences Class B
Darby Hall 4th
Hannah Bardo 6th
Open Flat
Alex Amos 3rd
Intermediate Flat
Whitney Mahloch 1st
Hannah Reeley 3rd
Darby Hall 4th
Novice Flat Class B
Alexandra Mahloch 1st
Novice Flat Class D
Karen Cannon 1st
Cortni Bigley 3rd
Advanced Walk/Trot/Canter Class A
Devin Lintzenich 1st
Advanced Walk/Trot/Canter Class B
Jordyn Perrott 1st
Chelsey Sears 2nd
Natalie Brown 3rd
Abigail Paul 5th
Beginning Walk/Trot/Canter Class A
Tracey Dykstra 2nd
Beginning Walk/Trot/Canter Class B
Lauren Nelson 1st
Walk/Trot
Whitney Damron 5th

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College’s western team kicked off their first two shows for the season on Saturday, Oct. 25 at Gifford, Ill. The western team took sixth place then took Reserve High Point Team. The next two shows will be Oct. 30 at SMWC. The first show begins at 9 a.m. and the second at 1 p.m.
RESULTS A.M. Show:
Open Rail
Morgyn Purdy 3rd
Advanced
Ashley Bruner 2nd
Whitney Mahloch 4th
Chelsey Sears 5th
Novice
Alexandra Mahloch 1st
Erika Stanley 5th
Intermediate 2
Karen Cannon 4th
Victoria Toy 5th
Emily Theising 6th
Intermediate 1
Abigail Paul 1st
Tracey Dykstra 4th
Walk/Trot
Kaitlin Wainscott 3rd
RESULTS P.M. Show:
Open Reining
Morgyn Purdy 4th
Open Rail
Morgyn Purdy 1st
Advanced
Chelsey Sears 3rd
Whitney Mahloch 5th
Novice
Erika Stanley 2nd
Jordyn Perrott 4th
Intermediate 2
Katrina Muhs 1st
Intermediate 1
Abigail Paul 1st
Tracey Dykstra 3rd

Popularity: 26% [?]

By Jena Thralls
Columnist

I could feel the beads of sweat forming on my forehead. Seriously? Did she just say she wanted to hook me up with her son? I struggled for words. I should have just said no.
I had been working at this local tanning salon for a while and I saw a lot of the same people every day.  We’ll call her Susan. She had been coming in for a long time now, and she’d obviously taken a liking to me.  So here she was, looking at me as wide-eyed as a toddler on Christmas Day. I was still trying to look for an excuse to turn her down. I had nothing.  Hell why not. I was 18 and feeling adventurous.
When I was finally at the date, all fantasizing was done and I met the tall lanky Adam. He was very polite and… average. I’d hate to admit, but I could already tell we probably wouldn’t go on another date.
We went to The Outback and enjoyed a nice dinner and he was really easy to talk to. Maybe a little too easy. He soon informed me that his ex-girlfriend was pregnant—by him. I felt my face turn white because I was so shocked. He then added that she was “crazy”.  Great. I believe I said something like, “Oh, wow. Eh, congrats!”
We then headed to the movies, but the cheesy zombie movie that Adam wanted to see wasn’t going to be on for another hour so he decided he wanted to drive on back roads and look for deer. Alrighty then. So we’re driving around on back roads and he decides to pull over his truck. I looked at him from the corner of my eye and plotted how I would kick him right in the—“So do you want to drive?” he asked.
If anyone knows a country boy, they know that if you decline the opportunity to drive their truck it would be the biggest ego-buster ever. I mean the truck was just okay. Sigh. I should have just said no.
So I drive his “okay” truck. I was having a horrible time. He was just too into this whole thing. Talking my ear off about his crazy pregnant ex-girlfirend…
And then it happened. It was like slow motion. It was almost as if this deer was skipping with joy as it frenzied across the road and straight into the front of his “okay” truck. Clump. I heard it as it tumbled underneath the engine and eventually I ran it completely over.
I slammed on the breaks and jumped out of the truck, and Adam did the same. I stood there looking at the damage I had just done to his stupid “okay” truck.  I was humiliated and so ashamed I couldn’t breathe. I noticed Adam was missing. I turned around to see that he was over in the ditch looking at the deer. Of the entire night, he looked the dumbest right then and there. He breathed, “I think it’s alive.”
I felt my face get hot. I didn’t give two shits about the deer.  I totally should have just said no.
Adam wasn’t really all that upset about his truck, thank God. But he did call me for the next three weeks non-stop, even when I didn’t answer—which was never. And I heard about it every day from his mother just as well. To top it all off, he showed up to my work one day with a dozen roses and food. Aw. How sweet. Not. It was one date. One terrible, literally wrecked date! Though I wish him best in everything, I have not seen or spoke to him ever since.  True story.

Popularity: 21% [?]

By Juliette Faraone
Staff Writer

Last semester, seniors Nicole Weig and Nicole Gilberti were walking around the Conservatory of Music on Saint Mary-of-the-Woods campus, discussing the building’s need of repair and general upkeep. SMWC’s Conservatory is 97 years old, and the two students felt strongly that changes needed to be made in order to preserve the building for future generations.
Weig, president of the music therapy club, said that little changes were mentioned first, such as adding a garden with flowers. However, she went on to say that one of the larger goals is the renovation of the Cecilian Auditorium.
“I feel that it is incredibly important to take on a ‘if you want change than do something about it’ attitude. A new auditorium won’t be handed to us, cracks in the wall won’t magically disappear, and other disrepair won’t fix itself,” Weig said.
Together with SMWC’s student senate, a fundraiser was planned in order to raise money for this worthy cause. A bingo night with the Sisters of Providence was scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 26 in Owens Hall.
Sophomore and music therapy club member Megan Neyer went to play bingo because she had seen the posters around campus and thought it would be a fun way to help the cause. “I had a really great time,” Neyer said. “The sisters are all so nice, but they are serious about their bingo.”
There was a great student turnout, and the night was a success. Sophomore and student senate member Cathleen Flynn said the amount raised totaled $170.
The intention of “Conserve the Conserv” is to motivate current SMWC students to contribute to the school and not to wait until they have graduated before giving back. As Weig said, “Our campus is so beautiful and it is very important to do all that we can to help preserve the beauty that is Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.”

Popularity: 25% [?]

By Emma Campbell
Staff Writer

Some students may have noticed several new posters placed around campus.
These posters feature a drawing of a female being led away from a group of friends by a male. Black, with a static styled background and bold green lettering, the posters urge the viewers to think about what they are doing at parties.
“Don’t look the other way. Woodsies stick together,” the posters read.
These posters are a result of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College being a recipient of a social marketing grant from the Indiana Campus Sexual Assault Primary Prevention Project.
Research behind the grant supports the theory that exposure to a message over an extended period of time is more effective in changing behavior than an single isolated exposure to a message.
For example, the research states that billboards or repeated commercials with messages such as “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk” or “Be a parent, not a bartender” are more effective than a one-time event, such as a speaker.
According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center 2008 study, roughly 25% of women may be sexually assaulted during their college years. In nine out of ten cases reported to this NSVRC study, victims knew the perpetrators.
Additionally, NSVRC researcher Antonia Abbey concluded that nearly 50% of sexual assaults among college students is a result of alcohol. “Intoxication by the victim can decrease her ability to resist assault effectively,” said the NSVRC 2008 study.
This is why the writing on the ICSAPP posters ring especially true for SMWC students who enjoy the party scene. The words, “Don’t look the other way: Woodsies stick together” and “Be there when it counts” are important phrases to remember on a night out with friends.
These posters target the bystander, the friend who is at the party with individual getting targeted.
“The posters promote the idea of consistently being there for other women on campus, and when people do see something that seems fishy or abnormal – SPEAK UP and stand your ground!” said Courtney Schrink.
Schrink organized and executed the process of getting the grant and deciding on the message and content students wanted to send.
For more information about the ICSAPP and their list of resources for victims of sexual assault, visit http://www.purdue.edu/incsapp/

Popularity: 23% [?]

By Jena Thralls
Staff Writer

The current generation has become the generation  of spending money. Students that have loans are everywhere, and America is in an economic turmoil.
On Wednesday, Oct. 20 a nationally recognized group, Money Smart, visited Saint Mary-of-the Woods College to advise the community on how to better manage money. This event was a part of Indiana’s Money Smart Week sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. It was held in Hulman Hall in the Hayes Auditorium.
College students as well as high school students attended the all-day event.  Speakers presented from 9:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Amanda Vester, an SMWC graduate and marketing director at the Indiana State University Credit Union, opened the event by sharing her personal experience during and after college and how she dealt with credit card debt and finding her job.
“Yes, I over-drew my checking account.  Yes, I had credit cards with astronomical interest rates,” Vester admitted. “I finally had to come up to the surface for air and ask my parents for help.”
Vester advised students and staff with three main points: stay away from store credit, read the fine print, and be smart about your credit. Vester said there should never be a time restraint and that reading over a contract is always necessary.
The organization Money Smart has come together to help make a better financial future. It is usually held in Indiana and Wisconsin and West Virginia has most recently joined the organization.
Several speakers followed Vester throughout the day including SMWC’s Susan Gresham, director of Career Development, who offered job hunting tips. Darla Hopper, director of Financial Aid, also spoke and warned students about loans and offered advice for payment options.
The program was closed with Karla Bensinger from Old National Bank. Bensinger was introduced as a “favorite” returning spokesperson.
Bensinger explained the benefits of good credit and talked about how to build good credit.
“Most of us might agree that we’ve come to a generation of spending money,” Bensinger said.
She also strongly encouraged IRA and 401K plans.  Bensinger promised brochures with more information about opening checking accounts at Old National Bank that can be found in the bookstore in Hulman.

Popularity: 23% [?]

By Juliette Faraone
Staff Writer

The mission statement at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is to “think critically, to communicate responsibly, to engage in lifelong learning and leadership, and to effect positive change in a global society.”
To fulfill the mission statement SMWC is taking steps to address the increasingly important issue of working toward a sustainable society.
Greening the Woods was first brought together by the initiative of Sister Joan Lescinski, former president of SMWC. In 2007 Lescniski sent an email regarding her concern over environmental and sustainability issues at the Woods. In the email she announced a meeting to be held on such subjects and asked those present to recommend faculty and staff members they would like to see on a committee to deal with these issues.
Sister Terri Boland became one of these committee members and now is a key figure in the progress being made at SMWC.
Boland came to SMWC after working for some time as a school principal. In the summer of 2003, after taking a sabbatical to spend time with her mother, she interned at the White Violet Center for Eco-Justice. The White Violet Center, a ministry of the Sisters of Providence, works to provide opportunities for people to participate in creating systems that support justice and sustainability through organic agriculture, eco-justice education and social advocacy.
Wanting to do more for the environment, Boland began another internship, this time at Genesis Organic Farm in New Jersey.  At Genesis, Boland worked in the Earth Literacy Center for seven months and learned a great deal of information on environmental issues.
Inspired by Father Thomas Berry, Passionist priest and author of The Great Work, Boland began to think more on the matter of ecology. Berry’s writings advocate a transition into the “Ecozoic era,” a time for healing the damage done to Earth and learning to live in harmony with it again. This, as opposed to the “Technozoic era,” which attempts to fix man-made problems with man-made technology.
“We do not want to lose our technology, but rather use it hand-in-hand with ecology to help the earth and its future,” Boland said.
Boland uses her role as a professor at SMWC to develop new ways of thinking about our environment in an educational setting. She is currently developing the ED-366 class, Children and Nature, which can be used with the new Environmental Sciences minor for Education majors.
This course features an outdoor classroom complete with areas for math, science, language arts, and social studies. Many students might recognize the classroom, as it occupies the space of the old kiln in the back of Hulman Hall. Over the summer, Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity members from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology helped disassemble the kiln and make room for the shelter and gardens currently behind Hulman Hall. Boland hopes to use this area to get children involved in the outdoors.
There is a weather station surrounded by perennials, which records information such as wind speed, air pressure, humidity, and rain fall. Also featured in the area are traditional four-by-four garden beds with vegetables growing in them.  As well, there is a circle bed with flowers for pollinators like bees. This circle bed was built with an area in the center for directional shadow casting, which is useful for telling both time and direction.
When taken in all together, the outdoor classroom is a way to show what schools can do in their own backyard because.
“What better way to teach our children?” Boland said.
The outdoor garden and the work done by Boland is just one example of SMWC’s efforts to make the campus more sustainable.
The college is starting to realize that students, faculty, and staff are interdependent members of the campus community. They must work together to successfully achieve mutually agreed upon goals to enhance the sustainability of the campus
The Woods also recognizes its unique position as an institution of higher education sponsored by the Sisters of Providence, who have done much to advance the notion and practice of eco-justice and living sustainably.

Popularity: 22% [?]

By Jade Scott
Editor-in-Chief

On Nov. 4 the National Players will perform Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the first installment of the 2010-2011 Four-Star event program at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.
Even though the posters that have been seen around campus for this event look creatively different, the production by the National Players will be a true reading of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The National Players have been performing all across the world for more than 60 years.  Each year they only perform two plays, and the two chosen for this year are A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Scarlett Letter.
They will be performing the Scarlett Letter at Indiana State University the night before they come to SMWC.
“When they called me and offered to perform either one of the plays, I didn’t want to have the same one that was going on at ISU,” said Jeff Malloy, director of Campus Life.  “This way the SMWC community can go to both productions, especially since students get in free to all Four-Star events.”
The same day that the National Players are performing at SMWC they are also offering a theater workshop for both theater students and anyone else that is interested.  This will take place at noon on Nov. 4 in the Little Theater in Guerin Hall.
The four events that the Four-Star program puts on each year are chosen by a committee that is made up of both students and faculty. Those on the committee are senior Jill Storm, senior Maureen Brown, Director of Conferences and Non-Credit Programs Julie White, Assistant Professor of music Michael Boswell, Interim Vice president for Academic Affairs Janet Clark, Technical Director Tyler Hutcheson, and Malloy.
“We try to get events that would cover a variety of disciplines to appeal to not only the SMWC community but also the surrounding community as well,” said Malloy.
This year there will only be one event in the fall semester and then three in the spring.  The first event in spring is to be the Grammy winning Quartet San Francisco on Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. in Cecilian Auditorium.
The production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by the National Players will be on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. in Cecilian Auditorium.

Popularity: 20% [?]