Daily Kent Stater | March 15, 2010

DAILY KENT STATER Monday, March 15, 2010 • The independent student newspaper of Kent State University • Weather: Few showers HI 45, LO 34

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Sports: Pentathlete places eighth at NCAA Indoor Championships | Page 10

Closing the

Jackie Valley | Daily Kent Stater

Kevin Justen paid $7,000 in flight fees on top of tuition and room and board during his year at Kent State — money that ultimately led him to drop out of college this semester.

Now, the Toledo native is in the military reserves as a senior airman for the Air Force, hoping to make money through deployments.

“I plan on going back eventually, but probably not in the same major,” said Justen, a former aviation and flight technology major who struggled to get loans last fall.

Justen’s situation mirrors that of many Ohio students who, for a variety of reasons, start but don’t graduate college. Only 51 percent of Ohioans who pursue education beyond high school earn a degree within six years, according to Complete College America, a new alliance aiming to fix what is also a nationwide problem.

Source: Research, Planning and Institutional Effectiveness

Cumulative graduation rates of first-time, full-time freshmen at the Kent campus

Cohort Enrolled 4-year 5-year 6-year

2000 3577 20.8% 40.8% 46.0%

48.7%

44.8%25.2%38412004

44.0%24.3%364020022001 3588 23.7% 43.4% 49.1%

50.1%

26.0%37452005

44.8%24.4%37462003

See GAP, Page 6

OhioOf every 100 9th grade students in Ohio:

45123

enter college the fall after graduating from high school

graduate with a bachelor’s degree in four years

graduate with an associate’s degree in three years

A new alliance of states aims to turn more students into grads

Kent Stater cartoonist wins national awardLydia CoutréDaily Kent Stater

Chris Sharron won the Charles M. Schulz Award for his work as a college car-toonist, the Scripps Howard Foundation announced with its 2009 national journalism awards Friday.

Sharron, a senior general studies major, received the award for his “diverse entry of traditional, alternative and humorous editorial cartoons,” according to the news release.

“It’s one of the first awards that I’ve won where I (am) being nationally recognized,” Sharron said. “I feel like that’s a huge accomplishment, and I’m very proud of that.”

He will receive $10,000 and a trophy for the award. He and other winners will be presented

Newly combined dance festival displays original and diverse student talents

See SHARRON, Page 6

See NIT, Page 6

Kyle McDonaldDaily Kent Stater

Student choreographers, danc-ers and composers displayed their work during the combined Senior Dance Festival and Senior BFA Dance Concert over the weekend.

Throughout the two-hour show, lighting, music and cho-reography combined to immerse the audience in a display of stu-dent talent. The music ranged from Enya to intense and synthe-sized electronic beats to original student compositions, while the

dance themes included repre-sentations of time, chance, new beginnings, death and more.

The show opened with a piece titled Blinking to the Next, which senior choreographer and dancer Sara Ciampa said represents life’s distractions.

“I would take an everyday movement that I do when I’m getting distracted and then create movement out of that,” Ciampa said on how she created the dance.

During the piece, seven danc-ers rapidly moved around the floor, bumping into each other, intertwining and returning to individual movements.

A piece based on chance, I Chose to Run, choreographed by senior Sharon Kriz, allowed audi-

ence members to determine how the piece was performed based on the roll of a six-sided die. Light-ing, music and dance elements of the piece were arranged into three sections and performed in differ-ent combinations depending on how the die was rolled.

Alicia Diaz, a former artist-in-residence for the School of Theatre and Dance, was invited back to Kent State by her former students to choreograph a senior piece.

With just three days to work, Diaz helped choreograph a near 10-minute dance.

“It was extremely challeng-ing,” Diaz said. “We had to work very quickly.”

BRITTANY ANKROM | DAILY KENT STATERDancers pose during the Student Dance Festival piece “Winding Forward,” choreographed by Amanda Black, junior dance performance major. The Senior Dance Festival and Senior Bachelor of Fine Arts Dance Concert was held over the weekend in the Wright-Curtis Theatre. See DANCE, Page 6

Two performances sell out over weekend

SHARRON

with their cash awards at a din-ner April 23 in Tampa, Fla.

Sharron said he attended the dinner last year as a f inal is t , where he was in the same room as people who later went on to win the Pulitzer Prize.

“It’s just a very weird, surreal sort of feeling to be in the same room with all those people, but it’s a huge honor,” Sharron said. “They’re holding you up to the same esteem as them. I can’t put enough emphasis on the fact that it’s just amazing that they do that.”

This is at least the third time he has entered his work to this competition.

graduation gapSource: Complete College America

KENT STATE (23-9, 13-3 MAC) vs. TULSA (23-11, 10-6 C-USA)Where: M.A.C. CenterWhen: 7 p.m. Wednesday Radio: WNIR 100.1 FM (Tom Linder), BlackSquirrelRadio.comInternet: KentWired.com (live blog)

THE GAME

KSU to host Tulsa in NIT first roundCody FrancisDaily Kent Stater

The Kent State men’s bas-ketball team will host Tulsa in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the M.A.C. Center.

Tulsa (23-11, 10-6 Confer-ence USA) is led by senior guard Ben Uzoh, 7-foot center Jerome Jordan and junior guard Justin Hurtt, who average 15.3, 15.2 and 14.2 points per game respectively.

The fourth-seeded Flashes (23-9, 13-3 Mid-American Conference) lost to Ohio University 81-64 in the quarterfinals of the MAC Tourna-ment last Thursday.

Kent State coach Geno Ford said the fact that tournament officials seeded his team on par with some national power-houses says something about Kent State’s regular-season performance.

“When you look at the other four seeds in the NIT, you’ve got UConn (and) North Caro-lina, (the) defending national champs, getting the same seed in the tournament as we do,” Ford said. “Obviously it makes

you feel like the tournament is pretty positive about the season we had.”

The Flashes and Golden Hur-ricane have had two common opponents this season in Ohio and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Tulsa beat Ohio by one point in December and Kent State beat the Bobcats twice in the regular season before losing to them last Thursday. The Flashes defeated UAB in November, but the Golden Hurricane lost to the Blazers in January.

GRAphIc BY ANThONY JANDROKOvIch DAILY KENT STATER

11

Page 2 | Monday, March 15, 2010 Daily Kent Stater

22

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

HAVE AN EVENT YOU WANT TO SEE HERE? Send information to [email protected] by the Thursday of the week before. (Due to space restrictions, not all events may be included.)

CAMPUS CALENDAR For the week of March 15-21

WTM R F S

Sn Kent Anti-Racist Action meetingWhen: 8 p.m.Where: Student Center Room 320

n Rock the Runway ticketsWhen: 1 p.m. Where: Student Center

n Evening with the Boondock SaintsWhen: 7 p.m. Where: Student Center ballroom

n Athletes in Action

When: 6:30 p.m.Where: Student Center Room 320

n 8 ball tournament

When: 8 p.m. Where: Cyber Café n College Republicans meeting When: 9 p.m. Where: Student Center Room 309

n Black United Students information table

When: 11 a.m. Where: Student Center

n Lifeshare blood driveWhen: 11 a.m.Where: Student Center

n Nutrition Outreach Program information tableWhen: Noon Where: Student Center n Rock the Runway ticketsWhen: 1 p.m. Where: Student Center

n Kent State baseball vs. DuquesneWhen: 3 p.m.Where: Schoonover Stadium

n Media Bias: What’s the True Story When: 7:30 p.m. Where: Kiva

n Colleges Against Cancer information tableWhen: 9 a.m.Where: Student Center

n Lifeshare blood drive

When: 11 a.m.Where: Student Center

n Rock the Runway ticketsWhen: 1 p.m. Where: Student Center

n St. Patrick’s dinner

When: 4:30 p.m.Where: Eastway

n USG public meeting When: 5:30 p.m. Where: Student Center Governances Chamber

n American Marketing Association meetingWhen: 5:30 p.m. Where: Business Building Room 106

n Recognizing Disruptive Behaviors When: 10 a.m.Where: Student Center Room 310C

n Ceramics sale


n Rockin’ Around the Rotunda When: 5:30 p.m. Where: Rosies and Tri-Towers Rotunda

n Rock the Runway When: 8 p.m.

Where: Student Center ballroom

n Battle of the Bands When: 9 p.m.Where: Rathskeller

n Comedy night When: 9 p.m.Where: Rathskeller

n Ceramics sale


n Delta Gamma Foundation dinnerWhen: 6 p.m. Where: Delta Gamma House n African Night

When: 7:30 p.m. Where: Student Center ballroom

n Cleveland Orchestra concertWhen: 8 p.m. Where: Cartwright Hall Room 306 n “Up in the Air”

When: 11 p.m. Where: Kiva

n U.S Census Bureau Q&A session trade show When: 10 a.m. Where: Kent State Library Room 18 n “Up in the Air” When: 8 and 11 p.m. Where: Kiva

n Karaoke When: 8 p.m. Where: Rathskeller n Game night When: 10 p.m. Where: Student Recreation and Wellness Center

NEWSNews team leader Regina Garcia Cano [email protected] News team assistant Kelly [email protected] Campus editors Anthony [email protected]

Kristyn Soltis [email protected]

City editor Tom Gallick [email protected]

Copy desk chief Joshua Johnston [email protected]

KentWired editorFrank Yonkof [email protected]

Social media editorAustin Corthell [email protected]

FEATURESFeatures team leader Melissa Dilley [email protected] team assistants Pamela Crimbchin [email protected]

Erin Perkins [email protected] SPORTS Sports team leader Cody Francis [email protected] team assistants Caleb Raubenolt [email protected] Randy Ziemnik [email protected]

FORUM Forum editor Sarah Steimer [email protected] ViSUAlS

Photo editor Caitlin Sirse [email protected]

Assistant photo editor Daniel R. Doherty [email protected]

Design directorJustin Armburger [email protected]

Design supervisorsKristina Deckert [email protected]

Sam Twarek [email protected]

DAILY KENT STATER240 Franklin Hall

Kent State UniversityKent, Ohio 44242

NEwSRooM 330.672.2584Editor Doug Gulasy [email protected]

Managing editor Christina Stavale [email protected]

Multimedia editor Sara Scanes [email protected]

CORRECTiONSThe Daily Kent Stater recognizes the responsibil-ity to correct errors that occur in the newspaper. When errors occur in the newspaper, corrections will appear in this space as promptly as possible.

Manager Lori Cantor330.672.0887, [email protected] manager Tami Bongiorni330.672.6306, [email protected] manager Evan Bailey330.672.0886, [email protected] officer Norma Young330.672.0884, [email protected]

Classifieds ad manager Kelly Pickerel330.672.0883, [email protected] adviser Carl Schierhorn330.672.8286, [email protected] adviser Susan Kirkman Zake330.329.5852, [email protected]

ADvERtISINg 330.672.2586Sales Manager Rachel Polchek 330.672.0888

StUDENt MEDIA 330.672.2586

Account executive Michelle Bair 330.672.2697 Account executive Korie Culleiton 330.672.2697 Account executive Bethany English 330.672.2590 Account executive Schuyler Kasee330.672.2585

Account executive Katie Kuczek330.672.2590Broadcast representative Daniel Meaney330.672.2585Online representative Kevin Collins330.672.3251

Daily Kent Stater Monday, March 15, 2010 | Page 3

33

POLICE BLOTTERThe blotter is a record of charges

filed by the police. The listings do not represent convictions or reflect guilt. It is the Daily Kent Stater’s policy to publish on-campus and off campus arrests, charges and incidents of interest to the public.

CITYTHURSDAYn Fadel M. Alqahtani, 24, of Kent was charged with driving under suspension at the 700 block of South Lincoln Street.

FRIDAYn Kyle D. Buttermore, 19, of Harrisburg, Pa., was charged with drunken driving and

underage drinking at the 1400 block of East Main Street.

n Andre E. Gomez, 20, of Kent was charged with underage drinking at the 1400 block of East Main Street.

CAMPUSWEDNESDAYn Robert A. Collins, 19, of Canfield was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and a miscellaneous drug offense at the intersection of Jackson Drive and Loop Road.

n Criminal damage was reported at Dix Stadium.

n Theft was reported at the Midway C-lot.

n Criminal mischief was reported at Verder Hall.

THURSDAYn Jake J. Spiccia, 19, of Mayfield Heights was charged with underage drinking at Prentice Hall.

n Jacob Presser, 18, of South Euclid was charged with underage drinking at Prentice Hall.

n Domenic A. DiFranco, 19, of Mayfield Village was charged with underage drinking at Prentice Hall.

n Michael F. Skolaris, 19, of Willoughby Hills was charged with underage drinking at Prentice Hall.

n Dylan C. Lusk, 19, of Saxonburg, Pa., was charged with underage drinking at Olson Hall.

n Disorderly conduct was reported at Allerton Buidling A.

n Theft was reported at Koonce Hall.

n Motor vehicle theft was reported at the Heer S-37 lot.

n Criminal mischief was reported at Prentice Hall.

FRIDAYn Christina L. Connor, 19, of Deering, N.H., was charged with underage drinking at Hilltop Drive near Franklin Hall.

n Disorderly conduct was reported at Verder and Moulton halls.

n Criminal mischief was reported at the Bowman R-7 lot and the Tri-Towers Rotunda.

n Theft was reported at the Tri-Towers Rotunda.

n A miscellaneous drug offense was reported at Eastway S-37, Midway C-lot and Fletcher Hall.

JESSICA KANALAS | DAILY KENT STATERMelissa Olson, 23, and Daniel Schultz, 23, walk around downtown Kent yesterday afternoon despite the rainy weather. Olson, who used to go to Kent State but transferred to Akron, said she still comes here often. Schultz, who is from California, said he was in town visiting Olson. The two were downtown to go to The Vineyard.

Rainy days and Sundays

Lauren Vogel Daily Kent Stater

March is Women’s History Month, a time to honor memora-ble women in history by offering Kent State students and faculty the opportunity to expose history and make it Herstory.

The Women’s Liberation Col-lective is, as member Beth Vild explained, a broad social justice group. They cover issues from sex-ual assault and pro-choice, to race and class issues.

Herstory is a publication that the collective has put together to highlight predominant women leaders who have received little recognition throughout history. Students and faculty were offered the chance to write a piece for the collection.

One of the stories that will be included in the collection is a piece on Helen Keller, with a focus on the end-half of her life and her involve-

Turning history into HerstoryCollective puts together untold stories of women throughout history

ment as a Marxist as well as her involvement with disability and women’s rights.

“We’re trying to show the other side of history that not many people know, even in some of your classes, stuff that’s not talked about,” Vild said.

Senior English major Gabz Ciofani is also writing for the collection. She is doing a piece on Mary Wollstonecraft, a revo-lutionary writer and advocate for women’s rights.

“I feel like it was important to highlight an under-appreci-ated woman author because it’s important to look back at history, where women in history fell pre-viously and look at where they are today,” Ciofani said. “Look-ing back is kind of a way to map out the future to see where we want to take our futures and the futures for our children and for women yet to come.”

Suzanne Holt, head of the women’s study program, also wrote for Herstory. She submit-ted a short piece on her hero Susan Sontag, an author, literary theorist and political activist.

Holt said she feels that Her-

story may offer students a signifi-cant missing piece of the puzzle of humanity. She explained that even if students aren’t looking for anything, something could fall into their hands that may give them the epiphany that brings the puzzle together.

“I was reading something about somebody that, every day, put on a cross and a little statue of Buddha, and somebody asked him why he put on all of these things and he said it might not help but it couldn’t hurt,” Holt said. “I think if (students) pick it up, it might not do anything for them, but it might.”

Herstory will be on sale at all of the group’s events, at a table from 10:30-12:30 every Wednes-day in the Student Center and also at their meetings every Wednesday at 8 p.m. in 314 of the Student Center.

Contact student life reporter Lauren Vogel at [email protected].

React to this story and more at KentWired.com


DKS EDITORIAL BOARD

ABOUT THE OPINION PAGEThe Stater hopes to encourage lively debate

about the issues of the day on the Opinion Page. Opinions on this page are the authors’ and not necessarily en dorsed by the Stater or its editors.

Readers are encouraged to participate through letters to the editor and guest columns. Submissions become pro perty of the Stater and may be edited for mechanics, Associated Press style and length without notice. Letters should not exceed 350 words and guest columns should not exceed 550 words.

Submit letters to:■ Letters to

the EditorDaily Kent Stater

240 Franklin Hall/KSU

Kent, Ohio 44242■ [email protected]

Subject: Letters to

the Editor■ Fax:

(330) 672-5064■ Be sure to include your phone number.

The Opinion Page is an outlet for

our community’s varied opinions. FAMOUS QUOTE

“In these times you have to be an optimist to open your eyes when you awake in the morning.”—Carl Sandburg

OPI

NIO

N

Doug Gulasy Editor Christina Stavale Managing editor Sarah Steimer Forum editor

Thomas Gallick City editorCaitlin SirsePhoto editor

VIEWour

How do you find truth in the news?

SUMMARY: Some programs at Kent State are thinking about or making the jump to increasing the number of hours for a bachelor’s

degree. That’s fine, as long as it can help graduates in the real world.

“Government is the servant of the people, and not the master of them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know.”

— Original legislative preamble to West Virginia’s Open Meetings Act, since amended.

In the 10 years I spent covering state government in West Virgin-ia, I didn’t see a whole lot worth emulating. But the statement above laying out the rationale for the state open meetings act is a shining exception.

I’ve never seen a better, more concise explanation of the philos-ophy behind open government.

The language in the first sen-tence has been modified and diluted a bit over the years, made less visceral and more legalistic. It now speaks of citizens not yield-ing sovereignty to governmental agencies. But the second sentence remains intact. And it cuts to the heart of the issue: People, not government officials, are the boss. Government officials do not have the right to tell the people what they can know about how their business is conducted.

Compare that bold declaration to Virginia’s far wimpier counter-part: “The affairs of government are not intended to be conducted in an atmosphere of secrecy since at all times the public is to be the beneficiary of any action taken at any level of government.”

That doesn’t rest the right to open government on the fact that the people are the master of gov-ernment. It rests it on the far flim-sier foundation of the fact that the people are supposed to be the ben-eficiary of government action.

The West Virginia language accomplishes something else important: It makes it explicit that open government is a right of the people, not just of the press.

Every year when we highlight open government during Sun-shine Week, I worry that read-ers will see it as self-serving. Of course, we’re in favor of open government laws. They make it easier for us to dig up dirt on politicians.

But open government laws are not about digging up dirt — though they do facilitate that. They are not about making the

DID YOU KNOW?

On this day in 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson addressed a joint session of Congress to urge the passage of legislation guaranteeing voting rights for all.— History.com



5 years of Kent State? Just prove its worthSome Kent State programs are raising the

number of credit hours it takes to graduate with a bachelor’s degree.

That’s fine — as long as it’s clear to the students entering the program, and the rea-son for increasing the number of hours is strong.

“We’ve had sort of degree creep over the years where people add more and more and more into degrees, and employers sort of give us mixed messages,” Provost Rob-ert Frank said. “They want our graduates to have more, but on the other hand, they want graduates to come out with more work-ready skills, so you get caught up in how to best prepare people.”

We’re sure most Kent State students would agree; if an extra semester or year is going to secure us a long-term gig, sign us up. However, there needs to be seri-ous, open discussion when this decision is made.

Surely Kent State doesn’t want anyone to think they’re just pulling a fast one on students for a quick buck. We don’t believe that’s the case, and we wouldn’t want any other students to have reason to think that.

But the university and its advisers need to shoot straight with students.

Tell us why a program requires more hours and how this could help us in the real world, especially the job market. Don’t lead a person to believe they can graduate in four years if they can’t comfortably. In short, don’t sugarcoat anything. We’re adults, we can make our own decisions about how long we need to, or can afford to, stay in college.

Also, if you can incorporate new mate-rial required to keep the program certified or competitive into already existing courses, that should be the first option. We’ve all tak-en classes within our major that seemed out of the early 1990s or maybe the 1890s.

Kent State just needs to make sure that

a program isn’t just becoming a five-year process just because it’s too hard to edit out antiquated material.

So show us the money, Kent State. By that we mean the increase in salary we’ll receive from graduating from your five-year pro-grams as opposed to some lesser college’s four-year program.

In other words, just prove the curriculum is worth its weight in gold in the real world. If not, students will flock to the four-year schools. College life is kind of expensive, as you might have heard.

The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Kent Stater editorial board,

whose members are listed to the left.


Molly Cahill

Truth, lies and the meaning of integrity

Public servants must know their place

job of the press easier — though they do that, as well. Open gov-ernment laws are there for the people, the masters of govern-ment, to ensure that government actions really are designed to benefit the public.

Open government laws pro-vide tools — the Freedom of Information Act and access to meetings by government bodies — that allow all citizens the abil-ity to keep an eye on the govern-ment that’s supposed to be repre-senting them.

Yes, the press makes good use of these tools, too, but on the public’s behalf — which makes open government an issue that all concerned citizens should pay attention to.

These laws, after all, work only if public officials follow them or if citizens hold those who don’t accountable.

Public officials often believe they have good cause to shut out the public. Sometimes they even do. The Virginia open government act has more than enough exemp-tions to cover such instances.

But sometimes it just comes down to convenience. It would be easier to meet in private, less messy. It would protect some-one’s reputation or prevent unnecessary controversy. Excuses abound.

When you hear such excuses, just remember this: The people do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know.

Do your best to make sure public servants remember it, too.

Open government isn’t always easy, and it is often messy. But a government open to its citizens is a fundamental right.

The above column was originally published March 14 by the Roanoke Times. Content was made available

by MCTCampus.


In an era where we increasingly rely on the various social media, occasionally the phone and especially e-mail to communicate with each other, it seems like the tendency to lie has dramatically increased. We have begun to focus so much on getting an immediate answer that the honest one has fallen by the wayside. The truth has become less something we expect and more something we have to fer-ret out.

Looking someone in the eye while commu-nicating makes it more difficult to spout off a bold-faced lie. A large part of how humans communicate with each other comes from body language and facial cues. The disconnect caused by our increasing reliance on electron-ic forms of communication has made people more dishonest than ever before. How much easier is it to send off a text to your parents telling them you’re studying for a midterm when in actuality you’ve been toking up on top of one of the heating vents around cam-pus?

The fast-paced and distant way with which we can communicate these days has fostered a greater understanding between people who may not have met otherwise. But it has also allowed us to become more like the dissemi-nating politicians whose promises we mis-trust.

Just because you now have this digital bar-rier between you and the person you’re shin-

Every so often, I like to log onto Rocky-MountainNews.com to view the remnants of what used to be a great Web site. A little over a year ago, the Rocky went out of business, weeks shy of its 150th birthday.

Even after a year, I still find myself get-ting upset when visiting the site. Perhaps it’s because I’m a journalism student who will have to compete for a job in this troubled industry upon graduation. But more than anything, I think it’s a sign of the times. If the Rocky can go under, we are all vulner-able in this economy.

I recently came across one of the features that looked back at some of the featured work they were most proud of. One series followed former nuclear power plant work-ers who were either sick or dying as a result of the Cold War arms race.

Back in 2000, it was agreed that the gov-ernment would compensate them, but by the time the series ran in 2008, only one in four workers received aid.

The series included a story about Janine Anderson, who was a secretary at one such plant for seven years. Her prognosis was bleak, and it was determined her liver, which had already swelled to 25 pounds, would eventually burst.

Still, the government denied her claim.It was only when the Rocky started this

ing on does not release you from the social obligation to communicate the truth.

People spend so much time and energy trying to make others happy that they forget what they believed in the first place. We are not meant to be identical clones of our fellow human beings. We are born with brains and live lives that give us the opportunity to form our own unique opinions.

In classes, students like to adopt their pro-fessor’s point of view in hopes of getting a better grade. Any teacher worth his salt can spot this routine a mile away. Which student is he going to admire? Not the ones who can parrot back the lecture word-for-word, but the students who took what they were taught and formed their own theories.

If you don’t want to do something, don’t. So often it seems like people will agree to do something and either do a poor job or not do it at all. The only thing that is accomplished with such avoidance tactics is a loss of trust. The next time you consider promising to help

series that the public became aware of this atrocity. And for months, the paper contin-ued to print follow-ups, the last one being 23 days before the paper closed. It sure does make you wonder who is looking out for these sick workers now.

That’s why it was upsetting to see the Rocky get shut down. As cliché as it may sound, they just don’t do stories like that nowadays. The Rocky was really one of the few publications that was willing to tackle these issues and demand answers.

Today, news is based too much on ideolo-gy and dominated by personalities. Twenty-four-hour news stations and blogs exclusive-ly cater to one political ideology and often spin headlines to better please their base.

This is why it’s so hard to find truth in anything you read. In its nuclear power plant series, the Rocky had the truth. The govern-ment claimed responsibility and never deliv-

someone without any real intention of follow-ing through, remember that with every burned bridge you’ve alienated a potential contact. That person will no longer trust you, and oth-ers will hear about it.

We need to learn to be more honest with each other.

Stand up for yourself. You have an opin-ion and a legal right to express it simply as a byproduct of the fact that you live in this country. There is always going to be someone out there who doesn’t agree with you. But, the thing is, pretending to agree with them is not being polite. What you’re doing is showing how little respect you have for both yourself and for them.

We each have our own moral code, a system of beliefs that guide us in our everyday lives. They are unique to each of us, and the truth can sometimes be relative to those beliefs. But we owe it to others and ourselves to be as hon-est as we can and hold to our word because in the end, the strength of our integrity is mea-sured by how readily people can believe what we say.

Molly Cahill is a senior pre-journalism major and columnist for the Daily Kent Stater.

Contact her at [email protected].

ered on its promise.But how do you find truth when two ideo-

logues are debating on cable news? Have any of us ever walked away from one of these debates feeling like we’ve learned some vital information?

How many times have we seen a cable news debate and heard the anchor say “All right guys, we will have to leave it there,” after one person makes some outrageous and unverifiable claim? Where is the truth in that?

To blame these media outlets for appealing to a certain political ideology is not complete-ly fair. After all, we as an audience demand to be entertained while watching the news. Just look at Fox News’ ratings to see Americans want this type of news.

As Americans, we enjoy political debate and like to watch it in the context of news, and I suppose there is nothing wrong with that. At the same time, we have to acknowl-edge that when we embrace these ideological programs and Web sites, we lose something important, like the Rocky.

Frank Yonkof is a newspaper journalism major and columnist for the Daily Kent Stater.

Contact him at [email protected].

DON WRIGHT’S VIEW

Frank Yonkof

Dan Radmacher

Guest Columnist

VIEWtheir

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Dan RichardsonDaily Kent Stater

Kent State is hosting scholars throughout the year from develop-ing countries across the world to fur-ther expand expertise in their subject areas, enhance their teaching skills and increase their knowledge about the United States.

The International Leaders in Education Program, now in its fourth year of operation, was cre-ated to improve the quality of primary and secondary education throughout the world by introduc-ing scholars from developing coun-tries to deserving universities.

Kent State has been selected for the program all four years, this year hosting 16 of the 52 international

scholars involved in the program. Clemson University, the University of Minnesota, Northern Kentucky University, and the University of Alabama-Huntsville were also cho-sen as part of the program.

“The program helps with Kent State’s plan to internationalize the university,” said Jennifer Myers, Kent State’s International Leaders in Education Program co-director. The branch is a position the university had to apply for and must compete with other schools each year in order to be a participant, she said.

The program also fits Provost Robert Frank’s vision to have all Kent State students be a part of an international experience while at the university.

As part of ILEP, the scholars are required to take two graduate level

courses, meet with faculty advi-sors once a week, and intern twice a week in northeast Ohio middle and high schools.

“Between my internship, work-ing with the teachers, and going from class to class, I have picked up new methodologies,” said Imam Taufik Hidayat, an English teacher from Indonesia.

The opportunity for these schol-ars to develop their teaching skills and share their experiences gives them the opportunity to be educa-tional leaders who can contribute to the economic and social develop-ment of their home countries, accord-ing to the International Research and Exchanges Board, which runs ILEP.

“Few people in Brazil know about technology,” said Katia Melchiades, an English and Portuguese teacher

International scholars share, expand knowledge with KSUfrom Brazil participating in the pro-gram. She said she has learned much about new technologies during her stay in the United States, and she hopes to put this knowledge to use when she returns to Brazil.

“I want to teach my students, and make them teach their par-ents,” she said.

The frequent exposure to tech-nology has helped Melchiades and other scholars open up to new ideas in their teaching methodologies. For some, including Mamatha Shaman-na Megaravalli, a math teacher from India, the benefit of this exposure has been of more personal gain, as she has grown more familiar with com-puters and the application of graph-ing calculators. She said her lack of exposure was because of India’s cultural beliefs in education, which

don’t allow calculators in classrooms until 10th grade.

“We encourage students to use their minds for every application, from addition to subtraction, but also for finding square roots and such,” Megaravalli said.

Through the scholar’s intern-ships and studies, Ohio’s educa-tional system has stood out among what the scholars had previously been used to.

“The amount of time teachers get to spend with students is inspir-ing,” Melchiades said. From her experience, she has found Brazilian classrooms from middle school to high school typically have 35 to 40 students to a room. For Hidayat, the voice of the students is what he would most like to take with him.

“It’s very difficult to make

my students talk, whether it is to ask a question or have a say,” Hidayat said.

He said it is part of his culture for students to listen for informa-tion instead of being active in it. Through his experience with Kent State, Hidayat hoped he can work to change this.

“I want to learn how to make them talk and build their critical thinking,” Hidayat said. “I’m not going to just spoon the knowledge to them, I want to make them think.”

Contact education, health and human services reporter Dan

Richardson at [email protected].


Lindsy NeerDaily Kent Stater

Todd Kamenash’s first day as Kent State’s director of judicial affairs was March 1, replacing R. P. Flynn.

The 35-year-old New York native was the assistant director of judicial affairs at the Univer-sity of Buffalo for 11 years before making the move to Kent State.

“I was able to be picky about where I wanted to go,” Kame-nash said. “It was more about Kent State (that brought me here) than it was Ohio. I feel like the transition time for me here is going to be a lot quicker because I’m familiar with a lot of the dif-ferent nuances.”

Kamenash’s original major was business administration, focusing on marketing. During his college years at Buffalo, he worked in stu-

dent activities, where he helped plan homecoming and other on-campus student activities.

For his graduate assistant-ship, he was placed in the judi-cial affairs office.

“I didn’t walk in thinking judicial means helping stu-dents,” Kamenash said. “But I learned our role is to make sure we give students the opportunity to learn.”

The Office of Judicial Affairs helps students understand what happens after they get in trouble with the law and violate Kent State, state or federal laws.

“We cover all the materials they’re going to need. We give them a copy of the incident report that we have so that they have the same information that the hearing officer is going to have,” Kamenash said. “Then they go into the hearing, hope-fully, with as much information as they need.”

“He always sought out experi-ences that would help him learn what the best practices were in judicial affairs,” said Elizabeth Lidano, the director of judicial affairs and student advocacy at

University of Buffalo. “He really enjoys talking to students.”

His absence at the University of Buffalo is felt by his former co-workers.

“It takes a lot of people to fill his shoes here,” said Teresa Dean, secretary in the judicial affairs office in Buffalo. “He was the go-to guy here for a lot of things, and he left a big void. We definitely miss him.”

His involvement with stu-dents extends past the Judicial Affairs office. Kamenash has coached women’s volleyball in the past.

Although he isn’t planning on coaching at Kent State until he and his family are fully set-tled in, Kamenash said he’d love to get back to it, just not in the immediate future.

For now, he’s focusing on his new role at Kent State and get-ting his wife and 14-month-old twins settled in to life in Ohio.

Conact student affairs reporter Lindsy Neer at [email protected].

Kent State appoints new director of judicial affairsKamenash comes from University of Buffalo to join KSU


Megan DunickDaily Kent Stater

Service, community and uni-versity appreciation are the three words Brittni Cortright uses when describing the Kent Stu-dent Ambassador organization.

“To me, Kent Student Ambas-sadors is an organization about giving back to the university,” said Cortright, a senior psychol-ogy major and three-year Kent Student Ambassador member. “It’s about showing your appre-ciation through service to Kent State, its alumni and its prospec-tive students.”

The Kent Student Ambas-sador organization was created in 1983 by Anita D. Herington, a Kent State alumna. As a branch of the Kent Alumni Association, KSA consists of students rang-ing from freshmen to seniors, all participating in on-campus and community service events.

“Student Ambassadors really allows students to help with organizations on campus,” said KSA faculty adviser LeAnn Star-lin Galea. “It also allows students to network themselves.”

In order to become a part of the KSA, students must turn in a writ-ten application to the Williamson Alumni Center during the upcom-ing fall semester.

If the applicant is accepted, he or she is asked to go through an inter-view process, where the Alumni Association selects the best candi-dates for the organization.

“Through KSA-related events, I have experienced new service opportunities while meeting a lot of great people who care about this campus and value student involve-ment,” Cortright said.

Each KSA member must main-tain a GPA of 3.0 or higher and attend a certain amount of events. During the fall semester, they must participate in four events, and in the spring semester, they must partici-pate in three events. In addition to these seven occasions, KSA mem-bers must attend Homecoming in the fall, along with Relay For Life in the spring. While these are the minimum requirements, members are encouraged to attend more. If a member does not maintain the grades or attend the events, they will no longer be in KSA.

While on-campus events are

stressed, KSA members are very involved in charity work as well as community service affairs.

“The KSA recently did a commu-nity service event called ‘Teens for Jeans’ where jeans were donated to Haiti through the store Aeropostale,” Galea said. “Members have also done walks for specific causes, such as ‘The March Of Dimes.’”

Members will help the university with campus tours and campus-wide departmental events, and, every now and then, they get the honor of sit-ting in the President’s loge for home football and basketball games.

Every other Monday at 9 p.m., KSA meets at the Williamson Alumni Center to discuss upcoming events and community service projects.

“Being a student ambassador has largely expanded my knowledge of KSU: the history of our campus, the educational mission and the oppor-tunities it has to offer students,” Cor-tright said.

Contact graduate affairs reporter Megan Dunick at

[email protected].


Kent Student Ambassadors give back to the university


66

Ohio recently joined the alli-ance, along with 16 other states, to explore ways to boost the state’s graduation rate — a key compo-nent of Chancellor Eric Finger-hut’s strategic plan for higher education.

Since Fingerhut unveiled Ohio’s blueprint for higher educa-tion almost two years ago, he said progress has been visible in the plan’s three main goals: graduate more people, keep them in Ohio after graduation and attract more talent to Ohio. But it will take more time to see numbers move dramatically.

“I want Ohioans to not only know how we’re doing but how we compare to other states,” he said, referring to one benefit of joining the alliance.

Ohio currently ranks 35th among states for the number of people ages 25-64 who possess a bachelor’s degree. Thirty-six per-cent of young adults in Ohio have a college degree, according to Complete College America.

Tom Sugar, senior vice presi-dent for Complete College Amer-ica, said those numbers need to increase, especially given the changing landscape of the U.S. economy. Sixty percent of U.S. jobs will require education beyond high school by 2020, he said.

“At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you go (to col-lege) but have nothing to show for it,” Sugar said. “You just end up in debt.”

The alliance, which officially launched in March, will meet for the first time in May to set state goals and create common ways to measure progress, Sugar said. It also will explore policy levers to accommodate today’s students and create public reporting sys-tems that give information about state schools.

From Page 1

SHARRONKent Stater cartoonist wins national award


“This is my last semester, so it’s nice that I was able to final-ly win before I leave college because this was my last chance to be eligible to enter,” Sharron said.

Sharron started working for the Daily Kent Stater the sum-mer before his senior year of high school and has continued on the staff since then.

Students applying for the

From Page 1

NITKSU to host Tulsa in NIT 1st round


From Page 1

DANCENewly combined dance festival displays talents


From Page 1

GAPClosing the graduation gap


“Our higher education insti-tutions are designed for students that were traditional students 40 years ago — the residential stu-dent, the full-time student,” Sugar said. “That only represents 25 per-cent of college students in America today.”

Today’s students often balance school, work and families, which force many students to drop out because of affordability or sched-uling issues.

“It’s a struggle to make it to graduation day when you’re jug-gling so many balls,” he said.

Sugar said the alliance will look at specific ways to help students graduate college, such as putting a cap on the number of credit hours required to graduate and altering college class schedules to make it easier for students to handle work and family responsibilities as well.

Among the states already in the alliance, Sugar said Ohio is a lead-er in higher education reform.

“We really have to reinvent higher education and give serious consideration to new models,” Sugar said. “One of the best ways to cut college costs is to graduate college on time.”

At Kent State’s main campus, the graduation rate for first-time, full-time freshmen has increased about 1 percent for the past few years, according to data from Research, Planning and Institu-tional Effectiveness. About 50 per-cent of freshmen in 2003 earned a bachelor’s degree within six years, the state’s benchmark for measur-ing graduation rates.

Provost Robert Frank expects that upward trend to continue, based largely on Kent State’s recent efforts to track students’ progress, improve advising and identify students at risk of failing or dropping out of college.

“We believe (graduation rates) should go up,” he said. “We want it to see it in the 60s and eventually the 70s.”

To help foster these improve-ments, Fingerhut said he hopes

the alliance will lobby Washington for funding to aid cash-strapped states like Ohio.

“I think we are going to be working together to get help at the federal level,” Fingerhut said. “It is an important aspect to say that funding at the federal level should focus on states putting an empha-sis on higher education.”

In the meantime, Justen, who will be deployed to South Korea this summer, knows the road back to college won’t be easy.

“Everybody was trying to get me to stay in because once you get out of college and take a semester or two off, it’s hard to go back,” he said.

Sugar hopes the growing Complete College America alli-ance eventually helps stem that problem — making sure students enrolled in college make it through to graduation day.

“Access (to college) is a won-derful thing,” he said. “But access without success is a broken prom-ise, a missed opportunity.”

Contact enterprise reporter Jackie Valley at [email protected]

award submitted an entry of between 10 and 20 samples, Shar-ron said. He submitted about 16 — half from the print version of the Daily Kent Stater and half that were published on KentWired.com. He said about half were edi-torial and half were more humor-ous samples.

“I thought that the work would be a little bit more well-rounded this year, and so I decided that I would enter,” Sharron said. “(I) included a lot of different things as opposed to just editorial car-toons. I felt like I would have a better chance.”

Sharron said the award is a motivation for him to further

his passion.“I mean, if other people rec-

ognize that in you, sometimes it’s hard to recognize that in yourself because I know in my case, I’m sort of my own worst critic,” Sharron said. “So, to have other people that are saying ‘Well, his work’s good enough to win,’ then that sort of says to me, ‘Well, maybe this is something that I could do.’”

Contact news correspondent Lydia Coutré at [email protected].

Kent State is 13-2 at home this season and hasn’t lost at the M.A.C. Center since Jan. 17 against Bowling Green. Ford said while every team plays better at home, the crowd Wednesday will be impor-tant for the Flashes to break their eight-year postseason drought.

“Getting to play at home is a great deal for us,” Ford said. “Our kids enjoy playing in front of our fans, and we’ve had great, loyal fan support all year. They’ve been a big part of our success, so hopefully on Wednesday we’ll get a big crowd.

“We haven’t won a post-season game in eight years, so to get a home game in a postseason tournament and have a chance to end an eight-year drought is something the team’s very excited about.”

Tickets for Wednesday’s game are $4 for students, $10 for general admission seats, $15 for lower reserved seats and $20 for chairback seats. For ticket information, call the Kent State ticket office.

Contact sports editor Cody Francis at [email protected].

The fusing of the Senior Dance Festival and Senior BFA Dance Concert is new this year. In the past, the programs were separate, but they have many similarities. Both programs display contemporary modern dance and give students the opportunity to debut unique and original material that has been composed specifically for this show.

Joan Meggitt, faculty artis-tic director for SDF, said the shows were combined because of scheduling and financial restraints. Although combining

the shows was a new and exten-sive experience, it proved to be a success. Both the Friday and Saturday night shows sold out.

SDF Student Director Katie Naso helped to ensure clear communication while combin-ing the two programs.

“If I didn’t have so much support and help from every-one, I don’t think it would have come together the way it did,” Naso said.

Contact performing arts reporter Kyle McDonald at [email protected].


Heather ThomasDaily Kent Stater

Josh Thomas participated in Tri-Sigma Night Live because of his fraternity’s connection with Sigma Sigma Sigma. He showed the audience his choreography skills and impressed his team’s coach. What he didn’t expect from the event was that coach becoming his girlfriend of more than two years.

Thomas, a senior, and junior Anne Brately are among the many couples whose involve-ment in Greek life has allowed their relationship to flourish.

“Participation is one of the best ways to meet people and have the potential to build relationships,” said Thomas, a member of Sigma Tau Gamma. “Even if you’re just participat-ing in something silly and danc-ing around … you’re doing it to raise money, so it’s a good ice-breaker.”

Thomas caught Brately’s eye immediately after the Tri-Sigma Night Live event, and they began dating a month later.

“After we did TSNL that night I asked my sisters, ‘What do you think of Josh?’” said Brately, a nursing major. “I think it was his eyes that got me, those baby blues.”

Brately and Thomas both emphasized the advantages of dating in the Greek commu-nity. Brately said it’s easier to understand when Thomas has a fraternity meeting and they have to make plans for a differ-ent time.

“You understand that your time gets split between hanging out with your brothers or sisters and hanging out with your girl-friend or boyfriend,” Thomas said. “It’s like a balancing act.”

Not only are they busy with Greek obligations, Thomas said his demanding architecture major keeps him preoccupied. However, Brately’s bubbly, care-free attitude keeps him stable.

“She’s always happy and in a good mood,” he said. “She keeps me happy and in a good mood even though my major likes to bring me down.”

Brately said despite having different schedules and chal-lenging majors, they make time for each other and it works out.

Sophomore accounting major Johnny Flood, also a Sigma Tau Gamma member, and his girl-friend Louise Killius, an Alpha Phi, have a similar problem with finding time to see one another, but he said Greek events bring them together.

“We have to put more time

Kelly MaileDaily Kent Stater

The contract between NBA superstar LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers is up at the end of the season, forcing LeBron to either re-sign a contract with the Cavs or to leave his hometown. Austin Briggs, a junior entrepre-neurship major at Kent State, has founded a campaign to keep LeB-ron in Cleveland.

T h e c a m p a i g n , P l e a s e -dontleave23.com, started out as an idea for last fall’s Entrepreneur-ship Experience class. In the class, students start a business in the first semester and run and grow their business in the second.

“ I c h o s e t o d o P l e a s e -dontleave23.com because I already have some insides with the Cavs and the local news from when I painted Witness on the side of my car last year,” Briggs said. “My Witness mobile made it into The Plain Dealer, and I basically want-ed to carry over that momentum and do something that was related to LeBron.”

Everyone has an opinion on Briggs’ campaign, whether people think LeBron is staying in Cleve-land or is going to sign a contract with New York at the end of the season.

“It is definitely a topic of inter-est, and I think it is good that it stirs up controversy and conversa-tion,” Briggs said. “A lot of people really like that we didn’t just start a Web site that’s taking donations, but we are actually getting people hyped by doing our big promo-tions and putting our money and our sweat into it.”

Briggs’ instructors were also excited about the idea and encour-aged him to make his campaign one of a kind.

“When Austin pitched me his unique campaign, I knew it was going to be big and successful just by the way he talked about it,” said Craig Zamary, Briggs’ instruc-tor in the entrepreneurship class. “Austin is a motivated individual. I love seeing young entrepreneurs like Austin really go after their ideas and put them into action.”

Briggs received initial funding for his campaign from a team of investors at the university and contributed his own funds. He gained corporate sponsorship, created a logo — the state of Ohio wearing a sad face — and estab-lished a Web site.

“Austin is extremely bright, and when I see how successful his campaign is, I feel a great sense of pride and hope,” said Julie Mess-ing, the director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation. “He has a very good knack at sharing and communicat-ing his ideas and getting people on board with him.”

Briggs wants to do what he can to help keep LeBron in Cleveland because he realizes what LeBron means to the economy of North-east Ohio.

“LeBron creates jobs, he is a phenomenal athlete and he is an inspirational role model to the kids,” Briggs said. “He is going to have a huge impact here in Ohio if he stays in his hometown, bigger than the impact he would have in New York or in any other market he could go to.”

LeBron’s impact is evident in the way he has influenced Briggs’ own life. Briggs has been inspired and motivated to donate his time, money and even his car in efforts

Couples find love in Greek life KSU student campaigns to keep LeBron in Cleveland

BRITTANY ANKROM | DAILY KENT STATEREntrepreneurship majors Austin Briggs and Brittany Neal stand by the mascot they created as a part of their class project, which campaigns for LeBron to stay in Ohio. They also created T-shirts, which are sold online and at the University Bookstore.

to keep LeBron in Ohio.“I didn’t know exactly what to

expect going into this campaign, but this is definitely what I hoped and aimed for,” Briggs said. “I wanted to get all this exposure and now we just have to keep doing bigger and bigger things to keep this campaign going.”

In the beginning of his cam-paign, Briggs went to Cavs games to pass out fliers and free T-shirts. He also posted footage on the campaigns YouTube page (www.youtube.com/pleasedontleave23) of adoring LeBron fans with the Please Don’t Leave 23 large, red foam mascot “Gilbert,” named after the Cavaliers’ owner, Dan Gilbert.

Briggs also filmed commercials that show a broken-down Cleve-land without LeBron and people begging LeBron to stay.

“Some people may take offense to that, but what is impor-tant in the campaign is that it has to have some type of entertain-ment value outside of the state of Ohio,” Briggs said. “There are a lot of Web sites out here that are try-ing to keep LeBron in Cleveland, but nobody outside of Ohio cares about it.”

Briggs kicked off his campaign on Feb. 6, when the Cavaliers played the New York Knicks, by handing out 15,000 Gilbert masks for fans to hold up at the game.

“The free marketing and the media attention really pushed the campaign forward and we were able to capitalize on the expo-sure,” Briggs said. “We had got a lot of our sponsors from that big promotional event.”

Plevin and Gallucci law firm, Villa, a clothing store in tower city that sells Please Don’t Leave 23 T-shirts and Alien Ink sponsor Briggs’ campaign.

Currently for the campaign, Briggs is working with Alien Ink to turn his 1987 Cutlass Supreme into a revamped “Witness Mobile”


that will say Please Don’t Leave 23 on the side of it.

“Fox is going to bring it out on their network to reveal the mobile,” Briggs said. “We are doing a whole bunch of work to it, so it won’t even look like the same car after we’re done. I expect it to be bigger than the Feb. 6 promo-tion.”

Briggs is also working to get more retail stores to carry his merchandise. For now, Kent State students and Cavs fans can go to the campus bookstore to purchase T-shirts or go to the campaigns Web site.

Briggs has a short period of time to make a difference and reach LeBron on an emotional level. If Briggs could talk to LeB-ron face-to-face, he would tell him that the fans in Ohio genuinely care about him.

“We have been watching LeB-ron since he was a freshman in high school, so we’re not people that just want to draw him here for entertainment and as soon as he starts missing three-point shots, we’re going to boo him,” Briggs said. “That’s not going to happen here because he has genuine sup-port in Cleveland.”

Briggs hopes to have more donations for his campaign so he can do promotional events in the future to show LeBron what he means to the people of Ohio.

“I think that’s the fun part, knowing I am having an impact on people, the Cavs and LeBron,” Briggs said. “It’s good to be a part of history and to do something that hasn’t been done before and hopefully people will remember.”

Contact Business Administration reporter Kelly Maile

at [email protected].

PHILIP BOTTA | DAILY KENT STATERJosh Thomas and Anne Brately walk in front of the Student Center. The couple has been dating for one year and nine months.

into doing our (Greek) things and we don’t have the opportunity to see each other quite as much,” Flood said. “But at the same time, we do a lot of stuff together through Greek life.”

Flood and Killius, a sophomore political science major, met in high school and have been together for more than four years. They made the decision to go to Kent State, as well as to join Greek life, together.

The couple has participated in multiple Greek rituals, which Flood said has brought them closer. Kil-lius was chosen by the fraternity to be its chapter sweetheart, a woman who represents the brothers. She was chosen based on her commit-ment to the fraternity and for hav-ing upstanding morals and honor.

Another feat for the two, and their favorite moment in Greek life together, was Flood lavaliering Kil-lius. This is an uncommon, impor-tant Greek ritual that involves a fraternity member giving a piece of jewelry to his girlfriend that con-sists of the fraternity’s letters. The couple must get approval from the fraternity, must be dating for a sig-nificant amount of time and have frequent involvement in the Greek community.

Killius said because of this ritual, she is now a member of the fraternity and she can wear Sigma Tau Gamma’s letters.

While Brately and Thomas’ fra-ternity and sorority already had a historically close relationship, Alpha Phi and Sigma Tau Gamma have improved their interaction because of Killius and Flood.

“I noticed that before we didn’t have a lot of Alpha Phi (members) that came to our house, but now there’s definitely an increase,” Flood said. “Louise has been bring-ing a lot of them around.”

“My sorority never really did stuff with Sigma Tau Gamma, but now we are doing socials and community ser-vice with them,” Killius said.

Having fraternity and sorority events together has made it more fun to organize and participate in them, Flood said.

Getting involved in Greek life has helped Brately, Thomas, Kil-lius and Flood gain closer ties to the Greek community, as well as those to each other.

“(Louise has) gotten to know all my fraternity brothers really well, and they all love her to death,” Flood said. “So it’s pretty cool. She’s as much in the fraternity as I am.”

Contact Greek life reporter Heather Thomas

at [email protected].


Megan DunickDaily Kent Stater

A sweet 16 usually consists of an over-the-top birthday party and a flashy driver’s license; however, Amanda Gentry celebrated her 16th birthday applying to colleges.

“I guess I have always been more mature for my age, so I like to think of myself as any other col-lege student,” says Gentry, the now 17-year-old ROTC Army cadet freshman.

Gentry’s tall, lean frame is dressed casually in a red hooded sweatshirt and a pair of blue jeans. Her auburn hair is tied back in a bun and a camouflage backpack is slung over her shoulders as she sits down to talk about what it’s like to be the youngest cadet Kent State has ever seen.

Growing up, Gentry was always surrounded by the military lifestyle. Having her mother, who served for 10 years, her father, a disabled veteran, and her brother, who is currently in the military, it was almost destined for Gentry to keep the family ‘tradition’ alive.

“She knows what the military is like and it has made it easier,” says her mother, Melissa Gentry. “She’s

17-year-old freshman welcomes stresses of college life and ROTC

a baby and I’ve given her wings and let her fly, but I have a safety net there for her in case she wants to fall back.”

Before college, Gentry, an Alli-ance native, skipped both 8th grade and her junior year of high school, permitting her to graduate at the

age of 15. With a double major in pre-med and psychology, along with a minor in geography, Gentry breathes stress.

“My workload is extremely stressful,” Gentry says. “But I (thrive) on stress well, and I work the best when I am stressed, so it all works out.”

Each semester, Gentry plans on taking a full course load with total credit hours ranging from 17 to 21. By the time she is 20, when most students are in their second year of college, she will be eligible to graduate.

On top of the ROTC and school-work, Gentry involves herself in Kappa Phi, a service group for Christian university women. She also makes time for other activi-ties, such as physical training and shooting at the rifle range.

“If I get five hours of sleep, I’m lucky,” Gentry says. “My life is very busy, but I can get the most out of my college experience that way.”

Not only does Gentry’s age set her apart from the rest of the ROTC program, but her sense of maturity does as well.

“You would think that for a 16-year-old in a world where

everybody else is 18 years old or older, she would be swallowed up and intimidated,” says Master Sgt. Wesley Gilmore. “But she wasn’t, and she is very aggressive and out-going, and that is a good thing.”

Gentry, who holds a four-year, tuition-free scholarship, applied for colleges nationally, with Kent State being one of her top choices. After reviewing her application, The Kent State ROTC program called Gentry back for an interview.

“I was definitely a little sur-prised when I found out about her age,” says admissions officer Lt. Col. Joe Paydock. “And I was con-cerned and I still am concerned.”

Even though Gentry is very aggressive and mature, Paydock believes there is a lot of living to do between the ages of 16 and 18.

“It is more of a concern about her development than it is for our program,” Paydock says. “I’ve seen a lot of growth over the past year, but that is because she had to.”

Gentry says she was intimi-dated at first and everything was a big wake-up call, but she has really been taught to build leader-ship skills, which is what the ROTC program strives for. She says she understood she had to grow up

and she understands no one will walk her through each step, hold-ing her hand.

“The ROTC has taught me a lot about the real world,” she says. “You are taught what it is like to be an adult. They give you adult responsibilities, and what you do with them will affect you for the rest of your life.”

Already gaining some strong and everlasting connections, Gen-try values the friendships she has made so far. While she is still a minor, her friends acknowledge her maturity and intelligence levels.

“She is at the same matu-rity level as any other freshman I have met,” says sophomore nurs-ing major and ROTC Army cadet Maria Strawn. “She’s not behind the game for a freshman, she is actually ahead of it.”

Gentry believes everyone, male or female, is treated exactly the same. She encourages females to join, mainly because the ROTC offers a lot of opportunities and can really help students adapt to the college life.

“The program has done a lot for me,” Gentry says. “They helped me with school, leadership skills and have shown me the physical

strengths that I never thought I was capable of.”

After college graduation, Gentry has an eight-year commitment with the Army. She would like to go to medical school and become a sur-geon, but she is more than satisfied with any job in the Army and is look-ing forward to all the opportunities.

“She has adapted better than I thought she would, being a minor and all,” Melissa says. “It will be so strange when she turns 18, that is for sure.”

Gentry recommends everyone at least try a semester with the ROTC program, for some people may find that it is new path for their lives that they would have never expected.

“Mainly, I will definitely gain leadership, and I have already gained a lot of confidence from the short time I have been in the program,” Gentry says. “I will gain experiences that I could have never had without being in the program.”

Contact ROTC reporter Megan Dunick at [email protected].


RACHEL KILROY | DAILY KENT STATER17-year-old freshman Amanda Gentry is a double major in pre-med and psy-chology with a minor in geography.

In an effort to give back to the city of Kent and surround-ing areas, the Greek community has developed a week’s worth of community service events.

“We want to give our time and service, and people are so will-ing to help that we want to take advantage of it,” said Valerie Fisher, vice president of philan-thropy and community service in Pan-Hellenic council.

Every day of Greek Commu-nity Awareness Week, there are at least two programs that mem-bers of fraternities and sororities will participate in to help out various local organizations.

Fisher, a junior nursing major in Delta Zeta, organized the week

Frats, sororities develop week of service eventswith her counterpart, Brett Fodor, a member of Delta Upsilon.

Fisher hopes that Clean Up Downtown Kent on Tuesday will have the most involvement. Pita Pit is sponsoring the event and will give a voucher for those who participate for 30 minutes. Fisher said volunteers will throw away trash, recycle and do whatever is needed to clean up the town.

“We do a lot of national phi-lanthropy work, but it’s impor-tant to help out within the com-munity too,” Fisher said.

Members of Greek chapters have signed up to help organiza-tions like Hattie Larlham, Safer Futures and The Lord’s Pantry.

Greek Community Service

Week will run from today to Saturday. Contributors will be awarded points for Greek Week based on their involve-ment in the week’s events.

“Greeks shaould learn the value of giving your time to someone,” Fisher said. “A lot of times people get lost in fundraising, and this is all just donating time and service to someone who needs your help.”

— Heather Thomas


77


Jennifer ShoreDaily Kent Stater

The Political Science Club and the Political Science National Honor Society, Pi Sigma Alpha, formed this semester to promote political interest and scholarship among students at Kent State.

Julie Mazzei, assistant pro-fessor of political science, is the adviser for both organizations. She said for anybody interest-ed, the groups facilitate being involved with political issues or just having well-rounded, informed discussions.

“Professors teach in a class-room environment and we give you information, but the empow-erment comes from being able to apply that, and that’s what student organizations do,” Mazzei said.

The act ivi t ies are some-what intertwined but have defined differences that ben-efit students in various ways.

Political Science ClubKevin Hogan, senior politi-

cal science and economics major, is the president of the club. As a student representative for the political science department, he said one of the biggest obstacles was trying to figure out a way to recruit and retain political science majors.

“It’s designed to be beneficial for the students,” Hogan said. “To help them network, to help them understand what different things you have to do to get a job and also how to prepare for grad school.”

Although it is geared toward political science, economics and international relations majors, Hogan said all students can join and benefit from seeing the speakers and attending meetings to learn more about politics and

the career field.The club and honor society are

co-sponsoring an event on April 8 to bring a speaker from Wash-ington, D.C., to talk about getting a job, working in the government and how your degree helps you to do so, Hogan said.

Pi Sigma Alpha

Pi Sigma Alpha has a national chapter that Katie Norton-Smith, senior political science and soci-ology major, joined last year. Once political science majors have junior standing, a cumula-tive GPA of 3.0 and a political sci-ence GPA of at least 3.2, they are invited to apply for the national chapter. Many students have been involved with the honor society nationally, but this is the first time Pi Sigma Alpha has had a chapter at Kent State, Smith said.

“It really opens up a different kind of leadership opportunity for political science students,” Smith said. “It focuses on aca-

Political science gets students activedemic achievements and increas-es scholarship within the political science field.”

Andrew Marvin, senior politi-cal science major, joined as a junior without knowing any-thing about it. He said because of that, he wants to raise awareness before the credit hour require-ment arrives. Smith and Marvin hope to give students who have taken at least one political science course the chance to become asso-ciate members, which would be a non-voting position with a differ-ent GPA requirement.

“This is a chance to really take our interests and expand them more and become more intellec-tually driven,” Smith said. “It’s a way to springboard you off of your undergraduate degree.”

Contact arts and sciences reporter Jennifer Shore at

[email protected].

Michelle BairDaily Kent Stater

Students can begin their St. Patty’s celebration by spend-ing an evening with the Boon-dock Saints.

The sequel, “The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day,” will show at 7 p.m today in the Stu-dent Center Ballroom.

“After the film, the creator, writer and director, Troy Duffy, and the cast will come onstage to show footage that takes the audi-ence ‘on set’ as the film was being shot,” said Mike Szabo, USG pro-gramming director.

Szabo said this gives students a one-on-one opportunity to hear what goes into the creative and technical decision-making process and have an “inside dialogue”

with Duffy and the cast about their personal challenges and suc-cesses along the way.

“Actor David Della Rocco and producer Chris Brinker will be there also,” said Mike Dukles, Center for Student Involvement graduate assistant.

“A surprise guest appear-ance will be in attendance as well,” he said.

Students can experience this Irish twist with their Kent ID for $5 and $10 for the general public. There will be free small popcorn

with every ticket.

Contact on-campus entertainment reporter at

[email protected].


Boondock Saints’ cast comes to KSU


Pi Sigma Alpha and Political Science Club promote interest

Classified ads can be placed by FAX at (330) 672-4880, over the phone at (330) 672-2586 or by e-mail at [email protected]. If you fax or e-mail an ad, please be sure to include run dates, payment info and a way for us to contact you.

For information about placing a Display ad please call our offices at 330-672-2586 or visit us at 205 Franklin Hall, Kent State University. Our office hours are from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

By Nancy Black and Stephanie Clement

Today’s birthday (3/15/10). Chaotic events this year challenge you to manage willful behavior and assert your practical side. Love relation-ships grow as you pursue your desire for increased harmony in relationships. Stress signals the need to back off a bit.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is a 7. Although harmony is in the ear of the beholder, you choose to power your way to gratifica-tion. They put a soft pedal on the piano for a reason. Use it to tone it down.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is a 6. Prepare for the drill sergeant to run everyone ragged. Extra effort is needed to please a powerful female. Don’t try to get creative today.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) Today is a 6. Share your weekend experiences with the female who set you on the right path. Notice how much more relaxed you are?

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Today is a 7. Your partner puts everything into perspective. The new view includes more harmoni-ous furnishings in a room the two of you will share.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is a 7. Break out of a dull pattern at work and bring in some new data to shake things up. It won’t take long for people to get the picture.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)Today is an 8. Clear the decks in order to do all your work as quickly as possible. Order in your work environment goes a long way.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is an 8. You may not have a PowerPoint presentation, but you have a powerful message to deliver. Add sugar to make the medicine go down.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 7. The office despot ar-rives early and stays late. Create a diversion with a female associate or friend. Chatter abounds. Distract with chocolate.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)Today is a 6. Redirecting your mind to the task at hand takes some doing today. Get practical, and get going on necessary changes. It’ll be worth it.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is a 5. Add feminine touches to your home (even if it’s a home full of guys). Water the plants and check supplies. Everyone benefits today from a softer touch.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is a 5. To love your neighbor, you must take care of yourself first. Work out a win-win agreement, then fulfill your end of the bargain.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)Today is a 7. Your associates believe they have the final say, yet an older person has reserved veto power. Focus your persuasion on that person.

horoscopePregnancy Center of Kent. Here to Help (330) 839-9919

Mike’s Place Monday nights32 cent wings - $2 margaritas

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Local part-time furniture mover needed. Must be available at least 2 full days a week. Monday-Sunday. $11/hour to start for helpers. $13/hour for drivers (clean license required) 330-689-1900.

Bartenders needed - no experience required. Earn $20-60/hour. Call us at 740-205-6432.

NIGHT CLUBNOW HIRING ALL POSITIONS

ARENASports & Entertainment Complex

(Formerly Mustang Salliz)1543 Streetsboro Plaza Drive 44241Apply in Person Mon, Tues & Wed

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Hudson’s Restaurant Now Hiring Exp. Line cooks, Servers, Hostesses & Dishwashers. Apply at 80 N. Main St., Hudson.

Lawn Fertilization Company seeks employee. No experience necessary, must have valid Ohio drivers license 4 points or less, please call 330-688-3389

WANTED: PT concession help. Ravenswood Golf Course. 10 minutes from campus. Call 330-296-4103.

SERIOUS INQUIRIES ONLY! What if you could get paid .25 - $2.00 for every license plate number you write down? You want to know how? Contact me at [email protected]

Seeking Part-time personnel to help prepare online listings for eBay store. Flexible hours, pay based on experience. Must have extensive knowledge of eBay. Transportation required to office in Bedford. Contact Dan (330) 294-1045.

Landscape design/construction company in Hudson seeking full-time laborers. $8/hour. Call 330-650-4337.

The Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative (MVOC) is seeking a part-time data entry person. This individual will work directly with the Communications and Business Manager to assure that all data relating MVOC events and those working in partnership with MVOC is entered into the MVOC database. Applicant must be proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Excel and Access.

Job Duties:-Data entry for neighborhood contacts, MVOC events and partners.-Managing the database to assure that all contact information is constantly up-to-date-Occasional Mailings

The Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative is an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in the Youngstown/Warren Region by identifying and developing leaders, organizing neighborhoods, and building capacity to achieve healthy communities.

Please forward inquires and resumes to [email protected]

Sales assistant needed Friday & Saturday 10-7p, Sunday 12-6pm.

Near Chapel Hill Mall. Tasks: Sales, Cash register use, greet

customers, general organization and cleaning. $8.50/hour. Send resume

to [email protected]

Free Psychic Readings 3-5 pm every ThursdayEmpire 135 E. Main St. Kentwww.empirekent.com

Free St. Patrick’s day temporary tattooSaturday, March 16, 12-5 pmEmpire 135 E. Main St. Kentwww.empirekent.com(330) 968-4946

Free Celtic temporary tattoos for St. Patrick’s day.

Wednesday 3-6pm at Empire.

The Kent State University Police Department is currently disposing of evidentiary and found property.

Persons who can properly identify any items as theirs may claim it by personally appearing at the Kent State University Police Department, Stockdale Safety Building, Kent, Ohio, Monday through Friday, 9-4p.m. The property will be held until March 22, 2010 4 p.m. Property not claimed during this time will be disposed pursuant to the provisions set forth in the Ohio Revised Code.

Buyer Beware!We make every effort to screen

for fraudulent advertising, however, we cannot guarantee

the veracity of the advertisers and their messages in this section.

It is important for consumers to respond to any advertisement

with the utmost caution.

NOW LEASING FOR FALL5,4,2,1 bedroom Houses.Efficiency. Good Location Near KSU.Call (330) 554-8353

Whitehall East Townhomes - 4 or 5 bedroom leases, with 3 bathrooms, great rent options with all inclusive plans. Some newly rennovated, all units washer/dryer and dishwaher included. Call or text today 330-990-4019. www.whitehall-east.com

LUXURY 4-BEDROOM UNITSlarge, clean, all appliances + FREE washer/dryer. (330) 714-0819

Shrewsberry Rentals 3, 4, and 6 bedrooms starting at $900. 4 bedrooms $1475. 6 bedrooms $2,000. Trash, sewer, and recycling paid. 330-221-2881

Spacious 2&3 bdrm apts @ Holly Park. Gas heat paid Sign up now for fall and receive $100 off first 6 months based on a twelve-month lease. (330) 678-0823

Now leasing for fall. 2br apt $699-750 a month includes gas, water and trash. Many great amenities. Hurry in now, before you get locked out. (330) 673-8887

Now accepting applications for summer and fall! Studios, 1&2 bedrooms still available-Hurry In! 330-678-0746

**Summer and Fall Specials** Furnished/unfurnished studios, 1&2 bedrooms, Call now 330-678-0123

Enjoy spacious 4&5 bedrooms duplexes with 2 full baths. Great condition, great location, A/C, W/D, dishwasher, deck, garage. $350/bedroom includes all utilities. 330-808-4045

GREAT PRICES! GREAT PROPERTIES!3, 4 & 5 bdrm properties starting at $1000/mo. Call Rich at 330-807-6090 Now Leasing for Summer and Fall.2 BR Apts. Heat, Trash & Water pd.Pool, Pets welcome, $665-$725.Close to KSU 330-673-5364

NO WATER BILL! NO GAS BILL!4&5 Bedroom duplex available for fall starting at $330/mo!Each side has 2 bath, W/D. Dishwasher, deck, garage, etc. Close to campus and on bus route. Last one I have available! Call Sweeney (740)317-7294.

Remodeled, University Town Home, 5 BR, W/D, Dishwasher, 2.5 Baths, $275 per room, Will go fast, 330-808-4045

Stow: 2 & 3 bed townhomes with one car garage. Pets welcome, 10 min from KSU. Prices $665-$850 call (330)686-2269.

Kent- 3&4 bdrm townhouses for fall, $395 pr rm includes gas & trash 330-678-3047 or BuckeyeParksMgmt.com

Kent- 1 bdrm & efficiencies for fall, starting at $450 pr mth includes ALL UTILITIES 330-678-3047 or BuckeyeParksMgmt.com

Kent- 2&3 bdrm for fall, starting at $425 pr rm some include ALL UTILITIES 330-678-3047 or BuckeyeParksMgmt.com3 bedroom, 3 bath, 2 car garage, condo-styled duplex, on two acres, $1100/mo. 330-221-4533

All real estate advertised herin is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” State and local laws forbid discrimination based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate that is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. If you feel you have been wrongfully denied housing or discriminated against, call the FHAA at 330-253-2450 for more information.

KENT/BRIMFIELD. Newer 3 & 4 Bdrm duplexes. 1 car garage. $900-$1100 per month. 330-338-5841 or 330-329-1118 kentarearentals.com

Kent - 1,2&3 bedroom. $500, $590 and $750. 330-677-5577

STUDENT RENTALS FOR THE ‘10-’11 YEAR

Are you looking for a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment, a studio, a duplex, a house, or a student

rooming house with 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 bedrooms?

Our staff is ready to help you with all your housing needs.

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www.jkohlre.comclick on Rental Management,

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Now Leasing for Fall a beautifully newly redecorated 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath duplex. $275/person, (330)687-6122.

NOW LEASING FOR FALL1 block from KSU Beautiful newly redecorated 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath townhouse apartments $325/student 330-687-6122

Available Fall 2010. Act now!Looking for 5 responsible students for newly renovated university townhome. Call after 8pm (440) 622-3630.

Apartments for Rent:3 bedroom apartment Half of a home. Living Room, kitchen,bath. No pets. One bedroom available now $330/month. 330-673-85051 bedroom apartment in a house. Kitchen, living room, bath. Separate entrance. No pets. One year lease. Available in August. 330-673-8505

2 Bedrooms, 1-1/2 Baths. Close to Campus. $660/month. No Pets, go to www.lincolnwoodrentals.com or call 330-835-7737

Available For FallHuge 4 or 5 bedroom units in great condition. Deck/patio, garage, large yard, washer/dryer hook up. $300/bed includes water and trash. (330) 612-4057

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Now Leasing for Fall. Kent 4 and 8 bedroom houses. 330-626-5910

For Fall: 4 bedroom and 3 bedroom apartments $400/month per room, security deposit required. Heat included, laundry room. No pets. Across from KSU. (330) 554-3024

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2 Bedroom Duplex close to downtown & 2 Bedroom Condo close to campus, both available August (330) 678-7901

3 Bedroom Newly Remodeled House, close to campus, 2 of 3 must be related (330) 678-7901

4-5 bedroom University Townhomes for rent August 2010. Starting at $270/month. Water included. 440-336-6761 www.kenttownhomes.com

2 bedroom 1.5 bath apartment $585/month + deposit & electric.1 bedroom loft with private balcony $485/month + deposit & ElectricHeat, water and trash included(330) 312-0066 or (330) 968-4930

University Townhomes 5 bedroom, 2.5 bath, washer, dryer, dishwasher, and microwave included. 1 year leases available. Call 330-501-9239 for more information.

House for Rent, 6 Bedrooms, Across from campus, On-site parking, $350 per room plus utilities. 330-221-0460.

Campus Pointe 4 bedroom Apartment - 3 bedrooms available - $564/room/month all utilities included except electric. Private bathroom for each bedroom. 724-650-2573

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CLASSIFIEDSwww.KentWired.com


SPORTSSports editor: Cody Francis • E-mail: [email protected]

ON THE WEB AT KENTNEWSNET.COMON THE WEB AT KENTWIRED.COM

Lance LysowskiDaily Kent Stater

After the Kent State women’s basketball team struggled in its Mid-American Conference Tournament quarterfinal vic-tory, coach Bob Lindsay said the team could not repeat the per-formance if it expected to win its semifinal game against Toledo.

The Flashes’ offensive play actu-ally got worse, shooting 25 percent from the field as they fell to Tole-do, 51-49, Friday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

Lindsay said he was disap-pointed with the outcome, but he was more than content with Kent State’s determination — which was witnessed when

senior guard Rachel Bennett broke her hand early in the game but still finished the game play-ing 35 minutes for the Flashes.

“I’ve never been prouder of a team’s effort, of a group’s effort, than the group that was on the floor for the last eight to 10 min-utes of the game,” Lindsay said. “It didn’t come out in our favor, and there were two very, very good basketball teams playing against each other today, and somebody had to win. With that being said, these guys left every-thing they had on the floor, and I can’t ask a team to do anything more than that.”

With 8:04 left to play and Kent State down 47-35, the Flashes slowly narrowed Toledo’s lead. A 3-pointer by Bennett started a 14-4 run, which junior guard Jamilah Humes capped off with four straight points.

After driving to the paint and making a layup, Humes stole the ball from Toledo sophomore guard Naama Shafir and sank a jumper to pull the Flashes within two points with 24 seconds to play.

“We really just wanted to win,” Humes said. “We really did not want this to be our last game, and for us to go out like

that, we knew we were capable of competing with this team. The score didn’t show that. We just wanted to come out, play aggressively and keep chipping away at the lead as much as pos-sible.”

On the ensuing possession, the Flashes attempted to foul the Rockets, but it took 18 sec-onds for the foul to be called. Toledo junior guard Jessica Wil-liams missed both free throws, setting Kent State up for a pos-sible tying possession with 6.6 seconds left to play.

Humes hauled in the rebound and drove the ball to midcourt where Williams tipped the ball from behind, which forced the ball to roll off Humes’ knee and into the arms of Toledo senior forward Tanika Mays as time expired.

Lindsay sa id the team’s switch to the trap in the defen-sive zone was successful, but the switch could not have been made earlier or the team would have tired out.

“We had switched between

man-to-man and zone pretty much the whole game,” Lind-say said. “We really weren’t very aggressive defensively, and I thought that was the one thing we had to do a little bit better job of. We weren’t using any subs, so when we went into (the trap) the people that went in stayed on the court.”

The Flashes’ offense looked impressive in the game’s open-ing minutes, but after starting the game 5-for-9 from the field, the team went 1 for its next 19. Despite Kent State’s shooting woes, Toledo only gained a slight three-point advantage in that time.

S e n i o r f o r w a rd Yo s h i c a Spears’s two free throws with 8:36 left in the half gave Kent State an 18-16 lead, but Toledo took the lead for good less than two minutes later.

Following her 24-point per-formance against Central Mich-igan, Humes finished with 16 points and six rebounds.

Lindsay said Humes not only had a solid tournament, but a


DANA BEVERIDGE | DAILY KENT STATERSenior forward Yoshica Spears dives to keep the ball away from Toledo during Friday’s game at Quicken Loans Arena.

Katie CorbutDaily Kent Stater

There were smiles and tears as Kent State’s four seniors entered the gym with their parents before yester-day’s gymnastics meet. They were introduced to the crowd as leaders and achievers, and Sunday’s 195.275-191.200 win against Bowling Green in the M.A.C. Center showcased everything the women had been working for for the past four years.

A glossy-eyed Sam Heydlauff, who competed in floor and exhibi-tion vault, was happy with her final home performance in front of her family and friends. She said she will miss many things about Kent State gymnastics, but she will miss her teammates the most.

“I’m really going to miss the team, making friends and building together,” Heydlauff said. “This year Abou helped me the most. I look up to her. She’s a wonderful gymnast.”

Junior Christine Abou-Mitri won the all-around with a score of 39.375, and her teammate, junior Christina Lenny, took second (38.925).

Like Heydlauff, Carly Conroy was emotional about her last home meet with the Flashes. To her, the atmosphere of having her teammates constant support is what she’ll miss the most, as well as the coaching that got her to where she is.

“I’ll miss Sharon (Sabin), just with being on beam so much, she’s helped me so much,” Conroy said.

Conroy competed in the exhibi-tion beam, after struggling to find her confidence throughout the sea-son, and she executed a near-flawless routine that scored a 9.875.

“She did a great routine. That’s what we’ve been looking for all season,” Kent State coach Brice Big-gin said of Conroy. “Good for her because now we know we have a

solid person if we need her.”The Flashes went eight for eight

on beam and counted no falls for the second meet in a row.

“The girls did an OK job today; everyone met their goal of staying on the beam,” assistant coach Sharon Sabin said. “Judging was a little tough, but our girls gave them an opportunity to take those deductions.”

Conroy was happy for her beam teammates for sticking their routines and performing to their capabilities. Biggin was also pleased with the girls, but agitated with the scoring once again, which he felt did not reflect their performances.

“They weren’t the best routines, but we’re gaining confidence,” he said. “We get that mental advantage going into next week.”

On the vault, Abou-Mitri placed second (9.850) and Lenny placed third (9.825). On the bars, Lenny tied for third (9.725) and freshman Rachel Guida tied for first with Abou-Mitri (9.800).

Kent State swept the beam awards with freshman Sarah Moore placing third (9.700), senior Brittany Kopp placing second (9.750) and Abou-Mitri earning top honors with a 9.875. On the floor exercise, Abou-Mitri tied senior Lydia Barrett for first place with a score of 9.850.

At the end of the meet, the junior class presented the seniors with a personalized plaque of photographs illustrating their career as Kent State gymnasts. To the underclassmen, Heydlauff extended some words of wisdom that she hopes will help them in their athletic careers.

“I tell them to have fun and to keep working. No matter what, keep working and you can keep improv-ing,” she said. “Throughout my four years I improved tremendously.”

As a walk-on her freshman year, Heydlauff was behind the curve when it came to the floor exercise,

but she had a lot of help and now is a contributing floor performer for the team. She said she is extremely thankful to the coaching staff for pushing her to be the gymnast she is today, especially to Biggin, who helped her overcome her fear of tumbling.

Similarly, Conroy also made large progress in her athleticism through-out her career and is thankful for the experience. She also extended some advice to the team before the meet began that she hoped will help motivate them in the future.

“I told them to enjoy the season. Every senior says it goes by really fast, and it really does go by fast,” she said. “Even the bus trips. Just being together is a lot of fun. I told them to take their time and enjoy it.”

Both Conroy and Heydlauff agree the Mid-American Conference Championships will be the highlight of their senior year, as it has been the highlight of the past two. Kent State has won the championship the past two years.

“MAC Championships is always the most exciting,” Conroy said. “That’s what we work for, it’s one of our biggest goals.”

As the MAC competition draws closer, now only two weeks away, the team aims to become more focused on the prize.

“Championships are the best part (of the season),” Heydlauff said. “Winning the last two years has led up to this year and hopefully we can do it again.”

The Flashes are on an upward curve just in time. They have now posted two team high scores that will help boost their national ranking.

Contact sports reporter Katie Cor-but at [email protected].

Senior gymnasts fare well in last home meet


Women’s team falls in semifinals

DANA BEVERIDGE | DAILY KENT STATERJunior guard Jamilah Humes dribbles the ball past Toledo defense during Fri-day’s MAC Tournament game at Quicken Loans Arena. The Flashes lost 51-49.

Brad TanseyDaily Kent Stater

The Kent State baseball team traveled to Tointon Stadium this weekend to take on Kansas State, but the Flashes came away empty-handed after losing four games.

In the last game of the road trip, Kent State (5-9) was unable to prevent the big inning, allow-ing seven runs in the second inning of yesterday afternoon’s game.

“It (the big inning) happens when you make an error or give up a hit,” Kent State coach Scott Stricklin said. “It’s hard to stop.”

The Wildcats (13-2) scored 39 runs in the four-game series against the Flashes.

Out of the 39 runs given up by Kent State, 35 were earned.

“We need to get ahead of hit-ters,” Stricklin said. “We aren’t throwing enough strikes.”

Senior left fielder Anthony Gallas hit Kent State’s second grand slam of the season in Fri-day’s game. Gallas went 5-for-14 with eight RBIs against the Cats this weekend. The Flashes lost Friday’s game 11-8.

In game one of Saturday’s doubleheader, Kent State lost 10-9 in 10 innings before losing game two, 7-1.

Sophomore Jimmy Rider hit his first home run of the season in game two of the doubleheader.

Yesterday, the Flashes’ bats couldn’t connect as Kansas State won the game 11-0. Kansas State sophomore Justin Lindsey (2-0) pitched a complete game for the Wildcats, picking up the win. Junior Kyle Hallock (0-2) was the losing pitcher for Kent State, giv-ing up 10 earned runs in 4 1/3 innings pitched.

Kent State will open its home season at 3 p.m. tomorrow at Schoonover Stadium against Duquesne.

Contact sports correspondent Brad Tansey at [email protected].


Baseball team loses four against Kansas St.

solid season, which ended with f irst - team All-MAC honors.

“She’s played very, very well,” Lindsay said. “There are times where she’s been great, and there were times where she tried to do a little bit too much. When she’s your best player, and you’re relying on her to get some-thing going, sometimes that happens.”

The Flashes’ season may not be over, though. The team will find out tonight if it earned an opportunity to play in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament.

Contact sports reporter Lance Lysowski at

[email protected].

Late run not quite enough to overcome offensive woes

Jody MichaelDaily Kent Stater

Kent State’s Diana Dumi-trescu finished her sophomore indoor track and field season as the nation’s eighth-best colle-giate women’s pentathlete at the NCAA Championships in Fay-etteville, Ark.

Dumitrescu earned 4,055 points, breaking her own school record of 4,016 set in February. She was a point shy of seventh place and six away from sixth place.

Finishing in the top eight in the pentathlon also earned her All-American designation.

“Maybe I don’t realize what it means to be All-American, but I feel like this is the best thing that could ever happen,” Dumitrescu said. “This eighth-place made me more confident and more deter-mined to improve my result in the future.”

Kent State coach Bill Lawson agreed with Dumitrescu while praising her accomplishments this season.

“It’s been a great indoor season for Diana Dumitrescu,” Lawson said. “She has had a really good season being an indi-vidual MAC Champion, part of a team MAC championship, broke the school record twice in the pentathlon, breaking the school record in the long jump and now an NCAA All-American.”

Dumitrescu broke another school record during the long jump. Her leap of 19’-9.75” was a quarter-inch farther than the mark set by LaShan-non Foster in 2003.

“Assistant coach Phil Rickaby did a great job with her in the long jump today,” Lawson said. “The long jump and the shot put catapulted her into the elite group of girls.”

Sitting in 10th place after the 60-meter hurdles and high jump, Dumitrescu’s third-place finish in both the long jump and shot put moved her into fourth place overall before the 800-meter run dropped her to eighth place.

“She recorded a seasonal best in the 800 meters, not one of her stron-gest events, to close out the day,” Lawson said.

Dumitrescu is the eighth woman in Kent State track and field history to earn indoor All-American honors. She now owns two school indoor records along with her outdoor hep-tathlon record.

“It was such an unbelievable year for Diana,” Lawson said. “She has been such a great addi-tion to the program. We are very

proud of her. She was only one point out of seventh and six points out of sixth in a very close competi-tion. It was an unbelievable sea-

““Maybe I don’t realize what it means to be All-American, but I feel like this is the best thing that could ever happen.DIANA DUMITRESCUTRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE


Dumitrescu sets KSU record, earns All-American status

DUMITRESCUson and a great meet for her.”

Dumitrescu has won consecu-tive Mid-American Conference championships in the pentathlon, and now she will move outdoors and look to both win the MAC heptathlon title and advance to the NCAA Championships for the second straight season.

Lawson said the best is still yet to come in Dumitrescu’s col-legiate career.

“We are very proud of her,” Lawson said. “I think there is going to be a lot more accolades for her in the future.”

Contact sports reporter Jody Michael at [email protected].

ONLINEKentWired.comView an audio slideshow of the game on KentWired.com.

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Daily Kent Stater | March 15, 2010

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