Emily Allen
Published: April 30, 2009

CHICAGO, IL - Thirty-two Loras College students volunteered to be abducted this past Saturday. They marched in the rain, and stopped traffic in downtown Chicago all in an attempt to be the voice for the voiceless.

Hans Sleichter was one of the 32 Loras Students who was tied with 2000 strangers across the Midwest with nothing in common except a piece of rope.

“To see how passionate people were about it and coming together for the cause of people they don’t even know, it’s just that love for humanity that just kind of moves me and it was really exciting,” says Sleichter.

Students traveled to Federal Plaza in Chicago were they were “abducted” as part of the World Wide Invisible Children Rescue.
“When we walked up the crowd started cheering it was just like one of those moments that gives you goose bumps,” says Joel Allen, a fellow abductee.

“We marched 1.7 miles to Grant Park where we stayed the entire night,” says Sleichter.

Participates in the march held on to a piece of twine reenacting the children in Uganda’s struggle for survival.
“This was just unbelievable, the cops were in on it they were stopping traffic for us on their segways,” recalls Sleichter.

The march blocked the Chicago streets and sidewalks, affecting the entire city.

“Traffic was blocked up 8 blocks. It was just such a cool feeling because it’s like we are forcing you to see what we are doing. You see the buses they are off their routes time wise and people in taxis are paying just to sit there,” says Sleichter.

But an angry crowd and honking vehicles wasn’t the only issue abductees had to face.

“The rain started happening and I was just like, man this is horrible. It went from 40 degrees and rain and you could see your breath, it was horrible,” says Allen.

Allen admits his shorts, short sleeve shirt, and flip-flops weren’t exactly weather appropriate, but he says it was all for a good cause.

“There was a point in time when I just wanted to give up. It had rained about two inches in thirty minutes and I was dripping wet, I couldn’t feel my feet anymore. I didn’t know if I could do it. But Hans reassured me and reminded me that the kids in Uganda don’t have a choice. They don’t get to say it’s too cold let’s just go home,” says Allen.

But despite harsh weather, lack of media attention and multiple location sites Joel and Hans believe the event was a success.
“Spreading the word is what has got the organization as big as it was,” says Sleichter.

It’s been 4 days since the abduction and Chicago is the one city out of 100 cities across the globe that is still in need of a rescue. Sleichter says he is going to back to Chicago tomorrow and along with the rest of the Chicago abductees is going to continue to wait for a celebrity or political figure comes to the rescue.

Today at 11:00am the troop marched to Oprah’s Harpo Studios and moved their location to Lincoln Park Zoo. Currently individuals from the Invisible Children headquarters based out of San Diego are headed to the windy city for the rescue.

Emily Allen can be reached at emily.allen@loras.edu

Felicia Carner
Published: April 1, 2009

Dubuque — A job at the cafeteria lead Loras first-year student Luisa Jimenez on a mission to give back. Luisa began working for the cafeteria at the beginning of this semester and noticed an unfortunate job.

At the end of every meal all the food left on the service lines is disposed. This task of throwing away cooked but untouched food reminded Luisa of a task of her own.

“I know that I am privileged and one of the responsibilities that come through being privilege is to help those in need,” said Luisa

Luisa felt that this is how Loras can assist the community, by donating the food leftover from their daily meals.

The one thing that prevents Luisa from making her idea a reality was standard health codes. Food that is not in a controlled temperature room is exposed to bacteria. If donated, Loras would be held liable for any sicknesses.

This code would not stand in the way of Luisa’s goal, she negotiated.

“What is possible is to give them all the food that is going to go to waste over break,” said Luisa.

Also any prepared but unused food that is kept in a cooler can also be given Her next step came when she contacted Peace and Justice Coordinator, David McDermott. McDermott worked with Jimenez to locate a specific location to take the food.

He says that none of the food will go to waste here, “The Dubuque Rescue Mission. They serve meals everyday they could use all of our leftovers,” said David

Both David and Luisa established a plan of arranging service groups, like the Knights of Columbus and Daughters of Isabella, to transport the food left over from each meal to the center before breaks.

In just two months Jimenez was able to bring her mission this far and she says she is not even close to being done with it. “I have three more years to go here I will be able to give at least once of week meals,” she said.

The Dubuque Rescue Mission accepts all food donations. If you would like to volunteer or donate to the Mission, they are located at 398 Main St.

Felicia Carner can be contacted at Felicia.Carner@loras.edu

Bishal Thakuri
Published: April 1, 2009

Vanceburg, KY - Glenmary Farm, a Catholic run charity, in Lewis County, Kentucky opens its doors each spring to college students who choose to spend their spring breaks helping others.

This year Loras students, along with 42 other students from five different colleges, headed to Kentucky to volunteer.

“Some of these students came here, instead of spending spring break in vacation places; they decided to give back to the people of Kentucky” says Connie Rey Rodriquez, the Assistant Dean of Students at St. Edward’s University, Texas.

The Farm is located in one of the poorest counties in counties in Kentucky with a population of 14,000 residents, of which only three percent are Catholic.

For farm manager Patrick Robertson, students who make trips like these mean a lot to her.

“It is really special that complete strangers take time out of their lives to travel all the way from Iowa, New York, and Texas to come and work in the county,” said Robertson.

The entire week consisted of cutting wood, hammering nails, and painting a farm and the food pantry around the community.

Each day started with a bell-toll and then the volunteers gathering for a morning prayer. Unlike many other service project opportunities, Glenmary farm has offers a retreat-like experience for those who volunteer in the area.

This alternate spring break experience held a common theme among the students who participated.

“Simplicity; we just got back to the basics,” said Pat Moore, a junior at Loras College.

“Simplicity, and being able to go in to the community and help others; those were great experiences,” said Ashley Gezelle, a student at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse.

The Farm divides up the students into different work groups which visit different sites throughout the week. The work these volunteers do does more than help the community, it helps both the people that are helped and the students who volunteer their time to understand each others cultural backgrounds.

“You’re not going to save a whole city or a whole town in a week, you come here to understand the culture, not to save them,” said Daniella Pettinari, a junior at Canisius College in New York.

For more information on the Glenmary Farm and how to volunteer visit their website: Glenmary Farm

Bishal Thakuri can be reached at Bishal.Thakuri@loras.edu

Jordan Rasmussen
Published: April 1, 2009

GALENA - This past weekend was wine lovers weekend in Galena, Illinois. The celebration began Friday night, March 27th and ended with a brunch on Sunday morning. The events were held at Eagle Ridge Inn and Spa and after a weekend of drinking, it concludes with hitting golf balls on the course.

The celebration has spread the love to the entire town of Galena, Illinois. Don Pleau is in charge of food and beverage at the Inn and most of the events start out early, and for Pleau there’s nothing wrong with starting early.

“We are going to drink wine at 9:00 in the morning. Its 5:00 somewhere, so we have to start sometime in the day,” said Pleau.

He helps provide luncheons, entertainment, and wine testing from wine makers from all over the world. Pleau just made sure everyone was entertained and enjoyed there weekend.

There was a class that was taking place to discuss wineries and Greg Gauthier is a winemaker from Napa, California who came to Galena for one reason.

“It’s because people in Galena love good wine and I make good wine,” explains Gauthier.

Over the weekend you can relax, feel loved, and enjoy great wine. But remember it is all about your taste. Gauthier came to present his wine and discuss the winery business and what makes a good wine?

“My taste buds tell me. It’s very simple. If I like it it’s a good wine, if I hate it, it’s a bad wine,” said Gauthier. There were many locals who attended Wine lovers weekend and some from as far as Italy.

For Galena locals Jane and Mark, they live in Galena because of their love for the Inn. This was also their third year attending the wine lovers weekend.

“We learned a lot, and we enjoy wine even more than we thought,” said Jane. One of the biggest bottles of wine that was out for tasting was Pleau’s favorite and it is a ruffaford ranch cabernet, from Napa valley.

“I like it the most because it’s in a big bottle so there’s more to drink,” said Pleau.

You do not have to be a wine expert to enjoy a weekend with the Wine Lovers, it also offers lectures from professionals on how they make a wine taste so well and they also share their vineyard experience. The Inn has a great location that feels secluded and brings that piece of mind to the atmosphere. If you had to take one thing away from the weekend it was that it doesn’t matter if it’s the size of the bottle or 9 am. Wine lovers weekend is a time to enjoy great wine with the one you love.

Next year come on out to Eagle Ridge, take in the sights, relax, try the food, and taste and enjoy a good wine and you will know if it’s good if your taste buds tell you.

Jordan Rasmussen can be reached at Jordan.Rasmussen@loras.edu

Felicia Carner
Published: March 11, 2009

DUBUQUE - Loras College Junior Regina Weber has a common complaint.

She claims, “There’s not much you can do after any kind of practices or engagements of some sort. If you’re under twenty-one you can’t go to a bar and relax. What can you do?”

She’s not the only student at Loras who feels the Dubuque Community lacks in its opportunities.

Sophomore Daniel Dobson states, “It’s hard to find a place to go and just hang out.”

However, there are some students that feel differently.

“Open your eyes and just venture out. I’m sure you’re bound to find something, Dubuque’s endless,” is the advice Loras Junior and Chamber intern, Meghan Willis gives to those unaware of the opportunities in Dubuque.

Wallis is a life-long Dubuque resident and says she is not disappointed in what Dubuque has to offer, even for minors.

Wallis says that there are some students that say “we don’t experience the college life because we’re not twenty-one and we can’t go out have a couple of drinks, and that’s not true.

And although the law says those under 21 have to be out of an establishment by 9:00pm if 35% of the sales stem from alcohol,

Wallis says the fun doesn’t have to stop then, especially with the recent expansion of the Diamond Jo.

“We have a great new casino and a great new bowling alley upstairs called Cherry Lanes.”

Wallis also mentions the numerous festivals that take place in downtown Dubuque or if you’re looking for a place sit down, socialize, and do some homework there are a variety of coffee shops located downtown.

And with the recent addition of free wireless internet access for all of the downtown, Wallis says you are able to do your work in the park.

So it seems there are things to do in Dubuque even if you’re 21.

Trick is, knowing where to look.

For upcoming events and attractions you can check out Dubuque 365’s website.

Felicia Carner can be reached at Felicia.Carner@loras.edu

Felicia Carner
Published: February 25, 2009

DUBUQUE - Loras Junior Carolyn Zens interned last semester in Chicago and she’s doing it again in Dubuque as the Special Events intern for the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium.

There’s a catch to all her hard work, Carolyn says she does not get paid.

“It’s more about gaining the hands on experience. I don’t look at it as getting money after doing so many hours I look at it as having a press release that I have actually worked on,” said Zens.

These skills are important for one to gain for their future careers but with the falling economy the question asked is are internships getting harder to find?

Academic Intern Coordinator, Faye Finnegan claims she doesn’t believe there is necessarily a decline in internships, but there may be a decline in paid internships.

Obtaining the work experience of an internship, whether it’s full-time, part-time, paid, or not, is vital for building a strong resume for any student, especially in these hard economic times.

“How are you as a student going to set yourself apart?” said Finnegan.

This is the question that Finnegan has students, like Zens, thinking about when considering an internship. Finnegan says internships are what prepare students at a professional level.

“It becomes more real for them as well as makes them more marketable when they look for positions following graduation,” said Finnegan.
These are the reasons Zens continues to intern.

“The most important thing to do is to put it on my resume and have the professional experience when I go to find a job,” explained Zens.

To find out more information about internships visit the Center for Experimental Learning on Loras’ campus.

Felicia Carner can be reached at Felicia.Carner@loras.edu

Emily Allen
Published: February 11, 2008

Dubuque - Nicole Hayden, a junior at Loras College, was one of millions who gathered in Washington D.C. on January 20, 2009.

“I didn’t have a view of Obama when he was speaking but I could hear the word. I couldn’t see everybody that was sitting up there, but I knew what was going on and I was surrounded by literally two million people all there for the same reason,” says Hayden.

Hayden and her twenty-four J-Term classmates, gathered to witness the Presidential Inauguration, but for her it was not just any inauguration.

“I worked on the Obama campaign for half a semester, being able to finish that process and see it actually happen, and seeing the inauguration was just something that I couldn’t imagine missing out on,” she says.

While Hayden and her classmates were in Washington D.C., other J-Term students were 4,000 miles away in Germany. There, Loras College senior, Scott Frank was focusing on a dimmer past.

“The holocaust has always sparked my interest. It’s just one of those things that you talk about and you are just like ‘how could this happen’,” says Frank.

Frank, along with twelve other Loras students, were documenting the holocaust and remembering the past.

“It’s just one of those things where if I could understand it better I think I could teach my students to understand it better and therefore everyone can have a better comprehension of it,” says Frank, who is a history major.

Frank plans on sharing his experience with future and Hayden plans on sharing her story as well.

“I look forward to telling my kids and grandkids about it. I think that’s probably when it’s going to be most exciting to me,” says Hayden.

For both Hayden and Frank, their J-Terms were not just a trip or a moment in history, but an opportunity that changed their lives.

“When this hard stuff came it hit us in ways that we couldn’t have expected and I think we’re all better for it,” says Frank.

To learn more about all of the different courses, you can attend the J-Term showcase during Common Time on February 18.

Emily Allen can be reached at emily.allen@loras.edu

Abhishek Agarwal
Published: February, 10, 2009

DUBUQUE - Her name is Mishereen Ellis.

“Misherine has been a delight and a real asset to have here at the college,” says Alejandro Pino.

She is the project coordinator between the admissions and intercultural office.

“I think Misherine brings new blood to the college; in terms of new ideas,” says Alejandro Pino.

One of those ideas was the first minority overnight student visits.

“One of my goals is to increase the amount of minority students, domestic and international,” says Ellis.

That’s because she believes in the college’s push for diversity.

“They recognize what a richness that diversity can bring to a community whether it’s the Loras or Dubuque community as a whole,” says Ellis.

That diversity is present in the activities she organizes.

“She’s help organize and plan various months throughout the academic year such as women’s history month, Native American history month, as well as black history month; so she has done a lot of events,” said Alejandro Pino.

It’s all in an effort to prepare students for a life after Loras.

“The more diverse campus we have, the more students are able to learn from each other, the better prepared they are for the real world,” says Ellis.

Abhishek Agarwal can be reached at Abhishek.Agarwal@loras.edu

Justine Kuboushek
Published: October 1, 2008

DUBUQUE - Warm fire and friendly chatter; add a few friends and that’s Emily Full’s idea of a good night out. It’s a college party without the alcohol courtesy of the newest student organization at Loras College, C.H.A.R.G.E.D.

“I think that it’s a lot more fun to find other ways to party than going out and drinking,” said Emily Full, a first-year student at Loras College.

The organization, headed by Loras College students Emilio Alvarez and Neil Mohlman, has taken flight this year. The acronym C.H.A.R.G.E.D. stands for “Creating Healthy, Aware, Responsible, and Goal-Educated Duhawks.

The group promotes healthy decision making for students to improve their lives, as well as the life of the campus as a community.

“Students can take the initiative to promote their own wellness either being mental, spiritual, physical, or even emotional. It all depends on what they want to do and what their goals are,” said creator Emilio Alvarez.

Overall wellness also includes the social activities you choose to participate in.

“It’s a way to show people that there is an alternative way to have fun other than just partying and drinking all the time,” adds Co-Coordinator Neil Mohlman.

That was scene is exactly what Emily was looking for on campus.

“I guess I just like meeting other people that have the same beliefs and values as I do,” said Emily.

If you would like to get on the e-mail list for upcoming activities sponsored by C.H.A.R.G.E.D. you can send an e-mail to charged.projectx@loras.edu.

Justine Kuboushek can be reached at Justine.Kuboushek@loras.edu

Abhishek Agrawal
Published: October 15, 2008

DUBUQUE- For some Loras students, October is not just for trick-or-treaters. It is a 15 day celebration of Dashain, a Nepalese festival that is an emotional journey back to their traditional roots.

Bishal Thakuri, a senior at Loras from Nepal, wanted to bring a slice of Nepalese tradition to Dubuque.

“We organized this event so that the people who are far away from their home and family could celebrate it like its celebrated back home,” said Thakuri.

He’s talking about Dashain; the biggest festival in Nepal about the triumph of good over evil.

The students from Nepal celebrated Dashain last week in Rohlman Hall on the Loras Campus.

The story of Dashain stems from a Hindu legend about a battle between the goddess Durga and a demon named Mahisasur. On the 10th day, the goddess was triumphant, symbolizing that good conquers evil.

Although it was emotional for those who were far from their family, they found a new community to celebrate the festival with.

“When I celebrate Dashain I feel like I am in my home and Loras is my home away from home,” said Utsaha Maharjan, a Loras student from Nepal.

It was an enjoyable experience, even for those who had never celebrated it before.

As a German I obviously had no idea what Dashain was all about, but I had a great time and I got so much culture and was introduced to so many traditional things that are come in Nepal; that carry so much value for the Nepalese students,” said Christian Helmholz, a Loras student from Germany.

The students accomplished their goal of bringing a piece of their homeland to the Loras College campus.

“We wanted to raise awareness in the Loras community,” said Thakuri.

Abhishek Agrawal can be reached at Abhishek.Agrawal@loras.edu