December 7, 2012

Baker University Student Media/Baldwin City, Kansas

vol. 120 [issue 5]

CAMPUS NEWS
Freshman educates others on disability

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Born with cerebral palsy, freshman Dani Carlson has never been one to give up. Navigating campus in a wheelchair is not as simple as some might think, as Bakers campus is not as handicap-friendly as it could be.

SPORTS
Teammates show Shoemaker support

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To support her older sisters battle with breast cancer, junior Shea Shoemaker has shaved her head. Shoemaker is a member of the womens basketball team, and her teammates are also supporting her and her sister through this rough time.

VOICES
Campus should be handicap accessible

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For students on campus with injuries and disabilities, staircases can be an inconvenience. While some buildings on campus cannot be rebuilt or changed to accommodate disabilities, an effort should be made to make buildings, including those for sororities and fraternities, more accessible.
Tera Lyons/The Baker Orange

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News

Long strives to personalize ceremonies

Katie Thurbon
staff writer

The winter season is nearly here and along with it comes cold weather, the holidays and Baker University commencement ceremonies. The College of Arts and Sciences, School of Nursing, School of Professional and Graduate Studies, and School of Education will all host ceremonies on Dec. 15 and 16 on the Baldwin City campus in Collins Center. Even with more than 400 students graduating, University President Pat Long says Baker strives to make the ceremonies personal. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a lot of these

students, and its important that we remember that and try to make it as memorable as possible, Long said. The School of Professional and Graduate Studies graduate degree commencement ceremony will be at 1 p.m. Dec. 15. The School of Education graduate degree commencement ceremony will follow at 4:30 p.m. Brian Posler, executive vice president of academic affairs and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, will speak during the SPGS ceremony. Posler, who is new to Baker this year, will be participating in his first Baker graduation. Rusty Meigs will speak to the 87 SOE graduates. Meigs is a board member on the Louisburg school board and long-

time acquaintance of Long. Weve got some great speakers this year, Executive Assistant Myra Glover said. Theyre just some great people and I think the graduates will really enjoy hearing from them. Rich Howell will be the speaker at the graduation at 1 p.m. Dec. 16, which includes the graduates of CAS, SOE undergrad, SON and SPGS undergrads. Howell is a member of the Baker Board of Trustees, but he is also the father of one of the CAS students who will be walking across the stage on Dec. 16. I think its just going to be really special for Rich to speak at the ceremony, especially with his son graduating, Glover said. Martha Harris, the head marshall

for the College of Arts and Sciences, has the job of making sure everyone is in order. I help with figuring out how to seat everyone, getting everybody lined up and getting the procession underway in time so the ceremony can start on time, Harris said. It can get kind of crazy but this is what youre working towards; its the fun part. Harris also carries the mace, a large stick-like object that contains the name of every president of Baker and was made out of wood from Parmenter Hall, at the front of every procession. It does take a lot of involvement from the CAS campus to make the graduations happen for all of them, but after all, we are one university, Glover said.

Q and A with
Courtney Chambers is a senior from Independence, who is majoring in mathematics. She has been a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority for four years and was the president for two semesters. She is graduating a semester early and sees it as an opportunity to venture back to England to be with her boyfriend and to experience the British culture she fell in love with when studying abroad at Harlaxton College in the fall of 2011. What are your plans after graduation? I am going to England. I am trying to find an internship to allow me to be eligible for a work visa, but I have no definite plans. I will be relaxing, exploring, trying Pinterest crafts and recipes, and helping plan my boyfriends brother and fianc plan their wedding. Why did you want to graduate early? I was originally a double major and I was going to have to stay an extra semester to finish that. I then decided that I didnt want to finish out my second major (business), so

Courtney Chambers
eliminating all those classes it saved me a semester and some money. It also gave me a little extra time to decide if I wanted to go right into the work environment or go to grad school. What was your most memorable moment at Baker University and why? The girls soccer team made it to the first-round playoffs two years ago. They played near St. Louis and a group of six girls and I drove down there that morning, watched the girls play, and then drove back. It was memorable because it was a time with my best friends, a road trip to say the least and the girls won. Where do you see yourself in five years? 10 years? I hope in five years Ill be settled down somewhat. I hope I have a job, or at least know what I want to do with my life, since Im still trying to figure that out. In 10 years, I hope Im married and starting a family, working in a steady job. Not sure where Ill be living, possibly somewhere abroad.

Senior

What is one piece of advice to pass along to freshmen at Baker University? Homework will always get done some way or another. Always make time to hang with friends and relax before your next four years are up and gone. I didnt realize how much I was going to miss living with my best friends and hanging out and always having someone to go to Lawrence with until I only had a few weeks left at Baker. Your time goes so fast in college, so hold on to every moment you can. Youre greatest memories will happen outside the classroom, not inside.

Q and a is a section in which a Baker Orange staff writer interviews prominent BU figures about their life and involvement on campus.

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Carlson embraces disability, challenge

Taylor Hensel
staff writer

Dani Carlsons zest for life is apparent the instant you meet her. Like most college freshmen, Carlson deals with loads of homework, late night studying, and if there is time, watching her friends in the latest campus performance of the play Robin Hood. As a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority and Baker University Speech Choir she participates in her own campus activities as well. Carlson is also one of the few disabled students at Baker. Born with cerebral palsy, a disorder that affects her ability to walk, Carlson battles weakness in the muscles of her legs on a daily basis. The 18-year-old has undergone eight reconstructive surgeries on her legs to make them stronger and more efficient. Given the option recently to use a cane or a wheelchair, Carlson has opted to use a wheelchair, partly because weather makes walking a more challenging task. As a student going from class to class, navigating campus in a wheelchair is not as simple as

some might think, and Baker is not necessarily a handicap-friendly campus. People dont notice this, but there is not a lot of easy wheel chair accessibility, Carlson said. To get into the union, I have to go to the back, and up the wheelchair ramp. It is just little things like that that make it kind of a hassle. Even though getting around campus is not necessarily easy, Carlson remains positive. She is strong willed and you can tell that nothing really holds her back, freshman Shalynn Eldredge-McMillan, a classmate of Carlsons, said. Carlsons mental toughness, along with the support of her family, friends and doctors, has pushed her through the tough times. A lot of people who are disabled tend to let it consume their lives in a negative way and my parents never allowed me to look at it like that, Carlson said with a smile. She is open to talking about her disability and willing to educate whoever inquires about it. I love informing people and making sure people are aware that just because someone is different doesnt mean you have to treat them

Jordan Dolbin/The Baker Orange Freshman Dani Carlson is one of the few disabled students at Baker. Born with cerebral palsy, a disorder that affects her ability to walk, Carlson battles weakness in the muscles of her legs on a daily basis.

differently, she said. Katy Runnells, a good friend of Carlsons, said that Dani doesnt see herself as disadvantaged by her disability and is comfortable with herself. Carlsons career goal is to become a rehabilitation psychologist at Childrens Mercy Hospital, where she wants to concentrate on helping children who have to deal with various

physical life-changing situations. I want to help them realize that they are going to face challenges, but there is always going to be someone there, and I want to be that person for someone, she said. Carlson would like to utilize her disability as an example to educate and help others who are struggling. I am truly a blessed person, she said.

Dulan leaves BU for Kiewit construction company

Jenna Stanbrough & Chris Duderstadt
managing editor & editor

After almost three years in his position at Baker University, Director of Multicultural Affairs Silas Dulan will be leaving to take a position at construction company called Kiewit. They do power, infrastructure, building, lighting and energy, and Ill be under the energy and power district, Dulan said. Dulan will be performing project management related tasks dealing with power and construction. While he has been part of the administration for just shy of three years, Dulan has been on BUs campus since 2001, when he was a student. I had a wonderful time as an undergrad at Baker University, he said. So bringing all that to my current position right now, for me to

come back as an administrator was almost like a dream come true to come back and give back to a school thats given so much to me. Aside from being the director of multicultural affairs, Dulan was involved in many other areas on campus. He took over as the coordinator of the intramurals program, Mungano adviser, GSA co-adviser and has been on various boards for the administrative cabinet. As the director of multicultural affairs, Silas has done so much work within the multicultural affairs area, Dean of Students Cassy Bailey said. Hes really put a large emphasis on the educational months, so each month we highlight some kind of diversity ... whether it be age, sex, race, whatever. He has done a great job of really bringing that to the forefront of the university. Dulan impacted many students at

Baker, including senior Previn Moore, whom Dulan works closely with through Mungano and intramurals. Probably on a weekly basis, I spend maybe six to six and a half hours with Silas, just talking about business stuff throughout the week, Moore said. And then I can also text him and talk to him outside of that, so I know him on a real personal level. Moore said Dulan was part of the reason he decided to stay at Baker after thinking about transferring, and is thankful for Dulan because he allows students to open up to him. Hes a voice for the people who dont feel like theyre getting heard or they feel like they just want to be able to talk to somebody, Moore said. Silas will pretty much stop everything hes doing to sit down and talk with any student that were ever to come into his office.

That is what Dulan will miss most about Baker University. Ill miss everybody in general, but definitely my students, he said. Just being a part of their lives, watching them grow and just being an ear, being a friend, being somebody they can just talk to. The director of multicultural affairs position will be filled, but Bailey said the job entailment could change depending on funding and time. A drop-in reception for Dulan on Thursday allowed people to thank him for his service to the university. One thing Dulan wants to make clear is that while he may not be working at Baker, he will continue to keep the university a part of his life. Baker University has a great spot in my mind and in my heart, he said. My heart will always be with Baker University no matter where I am.

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News

Twitter trends among BU students

Meagan Thomas
online projects coordinator

Freshman Kennedy Beck is a busy woman. Shes a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority, a dancer on the spirit squad and a member of Baker Universitys choir. But Becks daily activities dont just include practice and homework. She is a dedicated Twitter user and tweets about 40 to 50 times a day. Sometimes I cant put my phone down, which is probably bad, Beck said. Beck doesnt make it a goal to tweet as often as she does. Sometimes she tweets 10 times, other days she tweets 200 times, but her tweets are something that come naturally to her. I will think of something and tweet it, Beck said. I try to be funny I dont tweet boring things like what Im doing. I try to make things funny so people dont think theyre boring. Beck is at about 21,500 tweets on her account, which she has had since 2010. Since school started in August, Beck has gained about 200 followers and has almost 700. She doesnt know all of the people who follow her, but that doesnt bother her. Its fine if (strangers) want to follow me, Beck said. Thats why my accounts not private. If they message me or something, though, I block them, but I dont think (following a stranger) is creepy. Beck isnt the only person who has many followers. Freshman Jalen

Lynk has more than 1,000 followers and wants more. Famous people have thousands of followers, Lynk said. Why cant I? When Beck gets one or two new followers, she does not get very excited, but if she reaches a big number like 700 followers, it is an accomplishment. She also realizes that sometimes the large number of times she tweets can cause her to lose followers, but it does not bother her. I wont be offended if people unfollow me after they follow me because I know I do tweet a lot, Beck said. Lynk and Beck both dont follow everyone one who follows them. Lynk follows friends from school and home, while Beck follows her friends and some parody accounts like @Cuteemergency and @spoiledbratprbz. Unlike Beck, Lynk thinks parody accounts are more like spam and doesnt follow them. Beck doesnt personally have a parody account because she thinks the upkeep of tweeting on it would be a lot, but she follows the comedic accounts related to BU, such as @Baker_Probz and @baker_squirrels. Baker has a number of parody accounts online, ranging from @Baker_Probz and its counteraccount @Baker_Solutions to accounts for the residence halls. They dont tweet a lot, but sometimes theyre funny and I go to school here so sometimes I can relate to them, Beck said. The number of accounts relating

Tera Lyons/The Baker Orange

This is part three of a three-part series on social media and how it is utilized by Baker University students, staff and faculty.
to Bakers campus has increased this year as Twitter has become more popular. Dean of Students Cassy Bailey said there have been a couple of instances when the university has had to talk to students about information on Twitter, but for the most part the school doesnt closely follow what students are doing online. We trust our students, Bailey said. We dont monitor or troll their Twitter accounts, but if something is brought to our attention we do act upon it. As for the parody accounts, if there is an account with false information or that casts a negative light on the university or breaks the student code of conduct, it could cause concern. Parody accounts can be good fun as long as they dont harm individuals or put the university in jeopardy, Bailey said.

Follow freshmen Kennedy Beck (@keekerdeek) and Jalen Lynk (@Jlynk34)

Baker Twitter accounts

@Baker_Probz @Baker_Solutions @boysofgessner @NLCLife @girlsofirwin @bakerarthistory @bakerorange @baker_squirrels @bakersports

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page 5

BU students borrow less than average debt

of college graduates struggle with loans
Average debt:

2/3

5 percent increase from 2011

$26,000
$19,129

Change in borrowed amount of federal loans

$21,207
(2007) What can $26,000 get you? (2011)

or 19.1

vs 8.8

The unemployment percentage for high school graduates is over double that of college graduates.

Percentage of people who think college is a good investment. Down from 81 percent in 2008.

57%
Tera Lyons/The Baker Orange

be aware of what they are going to school for. managing editor & staff writer I would not want to borrow $150,000 to go to Harvard to become At a time when college graduates an elementary school teacher just should be finding a job and beginning because elementary school teachers the next chapter in their lives, twodont make that much and its hard to thirds of them are struggling with a daunting amount of student loan debt. pay that back, Grant said. It is also important for students to According to reports released this fall by the Project on Student Loan, the begin the Free Application for Federal Student Aid process early, and make 2011 national average for student debt sure theyve applied for everything is $26,600, a 5 percent increase from that theyre eligible for, Mott said. 2010 and an amount greater than the You could be the neediest Kansas national credit card debt. resident and if you do your FAFSA Part of the increase in loan after April 1, you close the door to indebtedness is due to parents not state grant eligibility, she said. The being able to apply for parent loans second thing is students need to look because of the economic struggles that for outside scholarships, not just when theyre having, said Jeanne Mott, theyre in high school, but they need to Baker University director of financial aid. Because of the difficult times that do it when theyre in college as well. While it is a national concern, some parents are having, the loan burden is students at Baker University seem moving more to students. unfazed by the fact that they will have With a tuition increase from $22,280 to begin paying back their loans just in 2010 to $24,470 in 2012, Baker six months after graduation. University has seen a gradual increase Im done with school after this in the graduating class default rate year, so Im not really worried about over the past two years due to the the student loan situation after the next economic climate. four months or so, senior Dylan Berg This year, Bakers default rate said. I guess it makes me worried in was 4.0 (percent), which is excellent the fact that when I eventually have when you consider that for four-year kids that want to go to school. Im privates nationally, its 5.2, and the worried about how affordable it will be national default rate is 9.1, Mott said. So, we think Baker is doing a good job for them and whether or not they can of giving students an education theyre get the kinds of loans they need at a reasonable rate. willing to pay for. The issues of student loans and While Bakers increasing default college tuition costs were topic of rate is in sync with the national trend, debate during the 2012 presidential the average amount of federal loan election. President indebtedness for Barack Obama Baker students has People dont think twice about came up with gone against the borrowing $26,000 to buy a car a plan to allow grain. The average that will last them five years, but all students the borrowed amount opportunity to everybody is furious about borrowing in federal loans attend college and has decreased from $26,000 to obtain a college education afford payments. $21,207 in 2007 to that will pay dividends for the rest of According to $19,129 in 2011, the your life. The Chronicle of last year for which Alan Grant/professor of business and Higher Education, full statistics are Obamas Pay As economics available. You Earn program, Although which will cap student debt is a monthly federal point of frustration student loan repayment at 10 percent among college students, not everyone of monthly discretionary income, has believes college debt is a bad thing. been officially established as of Nov Student loan debt, paying for 1. This program will help students college, borrowing for collegethis choose where they want to attend is all an investment, said Alan college based on their career plans Grant, professor of business and rather than the tuition price. As long as economics. People dont think twice students make payments on time, they about borrowing $26,000 to buy a will have to pay only the amount they car that will last them five years, but can afford. everybody is furious about borrowing Tyler Kingkade, a journalist for the $26,000 to obtain a college education Huffington Post, believes that fewer that will pay dividends for the rest of Americans than in the past consider your life. college a good investment. In a study In addition to being a valuable done in 2008 by Country Financial and investment, having an education compiled by Rasmussen Reports, 81 can increase graduates chances of percent of adults thought college was a finding a job and provides more good investment. Now, only 57 percent financial stability down the road. The of people think of it as a valuable way unemployment rate for high school to invest money. graduates is 19.1 percent, compared to However, for many people, the college graduate unemployment education is still valued as the path to rate of 8.8 percent. a better career, higher paying job and College graduates do make higher status symbol. more than people that dont have a Keep remembering that your car is college degree, Grant said. And going to wear out and you are going to college graduates have a much lower get angry and annoyed and frustrated unemployment rate than people that with it, Grant said. But your college dont have a college degree. And if it degree will stay with you a lifetime. takes some borrowing to get to that point, I think thats just fine. One way for students to lessen the For related stories visit thebakerorange.com amount of debt they accumulate is to

Jenna Stanbrough & Shawn Deegan

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Page 6

Accessibility limited for handicapped students

e diToriaL
Students constantly complain about having to hike the steep staircase of Case Hall to get to class. For the students on campus with injuries and disabilities, the complaints are legitimate. They arent just happening because students are sore from practice or tired from staying up late the hall isnt handicap accessible and it isnt the only building on campus not to be. Baker is good at accommodating students who have disabilities if their classes arent on the main level of a building like Case, but the number of buildings on campus that dont have accessibilities for people with injuries or disabilities is just limited to classrooms. Other places like greek houses and Liston Stadium arent designed to easily accommodate a person with a handicap or disability. Alpha Chi Omega sorority recently had a ramp built at its house and has bedrooms on the ground floor, but most other houses on campus dont have those conveniences. Liston Stadium has seating if youre in a wheelchair, but the fan must sit on the visitors side rather than in the home seats with friends and other Baker University fans. Even though the university will move classes from halls such as Case or Pulliam so handicapped students can still be in the class, professors and department offices are still located in those buildings, making it impossible for students to access without making special plans ahead of time to meet elsewhere. Something as simple as turning in paperwork could turn into asking a friend to do it or making arrangements to meet a department secretary or professor in advance for a task so small. Unless it directly affects you or someone you know, this isnt something people might realize. However, it only takes an injury to prevent a student from sitting on the home side of Liston Stadium or going to a professors office to ask a question. Some buildings cannot be rebuilt or changed to accommodate disabilities, but administration should make every effort to fix the ones that can be fixed, greek houses should do what they can to make their shelters accessible, and students should make an effort to be more aware of the difficulties facing a person with a disability.

[a BBey s s keTch P ad ] a BBey e LsBernd

Bechard suggests that the R-word is for respect

A variety of terms in our English language have become slang, commonly used to degrade someone or something in society, and while words may not break bones like sticks and stones, they can certainly hurt. One word is used in an inappropriate fashion so frequently it has become hurtful to the people it once defined. Well call it the r-word. The term mental retardation was introduced for medical use, clinically defining those persons with a lower intellectual capacity than average. Retard and retarded are used in a derogatory sense, and whether its known or not, they are insulting. When used as a synonym for stupid or dumb, the r-word cuts deeper than any stick or stone could, reinforcing a stereotype of people who besides their intellectual capacity are no different than you and I. About 3 percent of America has an intellectual dysfunction, and nearly 600,000 people ages 3-21 have a disability requiring special education. These human beings cant help what they go through every day. They cant help that they learn at a slower rate than average, but what they can do is adapt to a range of experiences and emotions, including joy, anger, pride and hurt. Even when its not directed toward those with an intellectual disability, the term taken from doctors, psychologists, and other professionals is still hurtful to them. The alteration of the r-word isnt the first issue of its kind. In fact, mentally retarded actually took and family suffering than any other condition in American life. It has been tolerated too long. It has troubled our national conscience, but only as a problem unpleasant to mention, easy to postpone and despairing of solution. The time has come for a great national effort. JFK made his stance clear that the use of the word feeble-minded was misleading and negative, and so he went forth replacing it. Just as it did 40 years ago, our federal government has acknowledged a need for change and has begun taking steps toward achieving it. On Oct. 5, 2010, President Barack Obama signed bill S. 2781 into law, nicknamed Rosas Law. Inspired by 9-year-old Rosa Marcellino, who was diagnosed with an intellectual disability called Down Syndrome, Rosas Law removed the terms mentally retarded and mental retardation from federal education, health and labor laws. The correct term is now intellectual disability, and the signing of Rosas Law has initiated a change that offers dignity and respect for those affected by the r-word. I want you to put yourself in the shoes of the 3 percent of our nation targeted with this term. See yourself hurting from the use of one word. See yourself being abused for the life you live, when its not something you can control. See yourself feeling like less of a human because of one term that defines who you are. See yourself with an intellectual disability. Its not something easily imagined. We need to realize who we are hurting when we use the derogatory term that was once used to define their being. We need to realize that we are hurting a group of people no different than you and I, and then stop. I had a chance to talk to a bus driver who drove a team of intellectually disabled kids to Special Olympics. One point the bus driver had that I agree with and will always remember. When referring to the kids he was driving, he told me, I often wonder if they arent the normal ones and everybody else should be seen as having a problem. The derogatory use of the r-word has been a problem for far too long. It will remain a problem until it is fixed, and to fix it, we need to remove the r-word from our vocabulary,

L auren B echard
the place of a different term, feebleminded, which was also becoming derogatory. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy recognized the issue and addressed it at the Presidents Panel on Mental Retardation where he said: I sent to Congress today a series of proposals to help fight mental illness and mental retardation. These two afflictions have been long neglected. They occur more frequently, affect more people, require more prolonged treatment, cause more individual

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page 7

Black Friday has no limits

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays because of the five Fs: fun, football, food, friends and family. There are definitely more things I am thankful for outside of those five things. But this year in particular, it seemed like Thanksgiving was not recognized on the national level. While Christmas is another one of my favorite holidays, it continues to overshadow Thanksgiving more and more each year. Americans have become accustomed to Christmas music playing on the radio immediately after Halloween, and many people begin to decorate for the Dec. 25 holiday in early November. Thanksgiving was overlooked even more this year after stores such as Walmart, Toys R Us, Target, Sears and K-Mart opened Thursday night instead of waiting until midnight for Black Friday deals. Have people become so needy to buy presents either for others or themselves that they cant wait three or four more hours? Instead of spending more time at home or at a relatives house on Thanksgiving, some people focus more on gearing up for Black Friday shopping to the point where it has become Black Thursday. Take into consideration those who had to work at stores that opened at 8 or 9 p.m. Im sure there are a number of other things those employees would have rather done than work for the end of their Thanksgiving. Fortunately, I was able to spend Thanksgiving with most of my family members without Black Friday being a distraction. While I did not plan to partake in Black Friday shopping, my inability to go to sleep at a decent hour and curiosity to see people fighting over Christmas presents intrigued me to make a few stops at some Johnson County stores. So, around midnight, I ventured to Walmart to see how packed it still was after opening at 8 p.m. Although it was not as chaotic as it probably was at 8 p.m., there were still more people shopping than I normally see at Walmart. Since I figured I might as well make the trip worthwhile, I made my first ever Black Friday purchase. I bought a smores and hot chocolate kit with two mugs for a total of $9.98 in order to get a Secret Santa gift. Even though I probably spent far less money that most Black Friday shoppers spent, it bugged me a little bit that I actually bought something even though I was not about to fight someone over the kit. Unsurprisingly, I did not feel anywhere close to being tired, so I went to check out the zoo of people at Oak Park Mall and see if Barnes and Noble was open to get a gift card for someone. While it seemed like everything else in Oak Park Mall was open, Barnes and Noble was not, but my curiosity to see how desperate people were to buy certain items fueled me to walk around for a while. At first, I thought the lines inside of American Eagle were long, until I walked past Victorias Secret Pink. There were long lines outside of these stores, but evidently I came about an hour and a half after all hell had been breaking loose. It was not until watching the news that I saw how crazy the scene at Victorias Secret Pink was. When the doors opened a half hour sooner than expected, customers nearly knocked over security guards and store employees to get their hands on $12 yoga pants. I am certainly not the expert on how much a good pair of yoga pants cost, but the sun will still shine another day whether or not a customer is able to purchase some. That brings me back to the point of what to be thankful for. Are people more thankful to spend hours plotting on how to obtain replaceable items such a pair of $12 yoga pants or being able to spend quality time with close friends and family members? Next year when Thanksgiving comes around, take some time to think what the holiday is really about and what you are thankful for before you find yourself like the people bull-rushing at Oak Park Mall to buy a few discounted items.

Word Around

baker
Going home to spend time with my family and getting the dollar bills, also known as working.

What are your plans during break for the holidays?

C hris D uDerstaDt

Maranda Stendebach, senior

Hanging out with my loving friends and family. Watching The Christmas Story over and over again.

Justin Lane, senior

I am starting an internship with Drake CPA Group and spending time with friends and family.

Jacob Nowak, senior

Shuck shares holiday feelings

Chestnuts are roasting on open fires, Jack Frost is nipping at peoples noses and I love it. But when did Christmas change from a Christian holiday to a capitalist holiday? According to BIGresearch, a Worthington, Ohiobased consumer research firm, total spending in America for the Christmas season will be a record $154 billion this year. Why? So kids can have more toys they dont need? How many celebrators of Christmas actually recall the historical account of how Christmas came to be? In the Roman Rite, Christmas does not actually begin until Dec. 25. The time prior is Advent, a time of penance and preparation for the actual day. Abu Dhabi erects the most expensive (artificial) tree at the Emirates Palace Hotel, totaling $11 million. Dhabi is in the United Arab Emirates and is an extremely Islamic country with strict Islamic laws. While they do believe that Jesus was a prophet, they do not believe that he was the Son of God. Yet they erected an $11 million Christmas tree to celebrate the birth of Jesus? Seems a little fishy. Society celebrates Christmas because its a chance to receive gifts. Granted, giving gifts is just as fun, too. But you dont see Muslims celebrating Lent or Christians celebrating Passover. I did some research about the number of people who celebrate Christmas and according to FoxData, 96 percent of Americans say they celebrate Christmas, while only 76 percent consider themselves as Christian. One person commented on a blog on the topic, saying I just use the holidays as an excuse to get free (stuff) or eat tons of food in one sitting. Is this what our holiday season has turned into? A chance to stuff our faces and spend all our hard-earned cash? Christmas has turned into the ultimate capitalist holiday. They start playing Christmas music on the radio before Ive left my grandmas house from Thanksgiving. Nearly 40 percent of shoppers have already started shopping before Halloween decorations have been put away, Business Insider said. Commercials are urging holiday deals and special prices for the holidays to trick consumers into thinking that the holidays are closer than they appear. And all of it is to boost consumerism. As a society we cheapen our holidays by buying unnecessary goods and forgetting about what is really important. Im not saying we need to have an all-out war on Christmas. I love the season just as much as the rest of you do. I just want people to question if its really necessary to spend what Business Insider says will average more than $700 per person on Christmas this year. But I urge everyone to try to remember how it all started and what the true meaning of Christmas is; after opening all of your gifts of course.

Chris Duderstadt Sara Bell Jenna Stanbrough Sara Bell Abby Reynolds Meagan Thomas Tera Lyons Callie Paquette Hannah Schaake Megan Perry Megan Perry Abbey Elsbernd Dave Bostwick

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December 7, 2012 www.thebakerorange.com

GALLERY
Football falls to University of Saint Francis 22-17

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Mens cross country places 10th in nation

Sara Bell
MANAGING EDITOR

On the morning of Nov. 17, the Baker University mens cross country team was ranked No. 27 in the NAIA Coaches Poll, but by the afternoon it had earned a spot as one of the top 10 teams in the country. During the NAIA Championships in Vancouver, Wash., three Wildcats nished in the top 100 to push the team to a 10th-place nish. Senior Aaron Caldwell said prior to the race talks had surfaced that the Wildcats did not even deserve to be at the national meet. However, this was silenced after the nal results were announced. Cross country is one of those sports where there is no such thing as underdogs, really, Caldwell said. If you are good and you nish high in a race, you are good and its because you have talent. And for us to do that was just unbelievable. Freshman Jeremy Bryan led BU with a time of 25:34 in the 8,000-meter race, which earned him a 46th-place nish. Caldwell nished 12 seconds behind Bryan in 61st place. Senior Eric Larson and freshman Justin Bryan rounded out the top four runners for BU, as they nished close together in 99th and 102nd place, respectively. Larson ran a time of 26:08, and Justin ran a time 26:11. The nishes helped the Wildcats place higher than any other team from Kansas and prove that their national recognition was not a coincidence. I dont think I can describe how much work has gone into that and how much of a joy it was to get that, Caldwell said. When the results were rst posted, members of the team could not get to the area to see what place they had received, but the moment they heard the news is one Jeremy Bryan said he will always remember. None of us were expecting for the team to get 10th, Jeremy said. We were expecting maybe 17th or 18th. When a coach nally told us what we got, we all went crazy. It was just incredible. Head coach Zach Kindler felt as though the Wildcats were a top 15 team all year, but they were simply not receiving the national nod they deserved. For them to go out and be in the top 10, and really only be a few points out of ninth place, its

amazing, Kindler said. They actually just did what they have been doing all year ... and had outstanding races across the board. Juniors Lauren Jaqua and Ashley McBride and sophomore Kerry Kurta also represented the Baker womens team in the 5,000-meter race after qualifying at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championships Nov. 3. The meet marked the thirdconsecutive trip to nationals by Jaqua and McBride, but was Kurtas rst appearance on the national stage. Jaqua placed 60th with a time of 19:04. McBride nished in 135th place and nished the race in 19:45. Kurta posted a time of 20:24, which put her in 216th place. Both the mens and womens teams will look to return runners to the NAIA Championships next season. However, that trip would be much closer and on a familiar course for the Wildcats. The NAIA announced in November that the 2013 and 2014 national championships will be hosted at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence. To celebrate the end of the cross country season, members of the team ran in the Hollywood Half Marathon Sunday in Hollywood, Fla. Caldwell won the race outright with a time of 1:12:24. Rosa had the second fastest time among the female runners and Jaqua followed in the third. They nished with times of 1:27:30 and 1:29:02, respectively. For their performances, Caldwell, Rosa and Jaqua qualied to participate in the marathon during the NAIA Outdoor National Track and Field Championships. Caldwell beat the qualifying time by a little more than 30 seconds and Rosa and Jaqua had to nish faster than 1:31:00 minutes. We knew if things went well for them, they should be able to hit those times and run those paces, Kindler said. For us, its just another benchmark of where they are at right now tness wise and what they are capable of doing as runners. After returning from Florida, the Wildcats have begun preparing for their indoor track and eld season, where both the mens and womens teams will work to repeat as conference champions.

Callie Paquette/The Baker Orange Freshman Jeremy Bryan runs to the nish line for a rst-place nish in the Heart of America Athletic Championships Nov.3 in Lamoni, Iowa. Bryan helped the Wildcats earn a 10th-place nish at the NAIA Championships Nov. 17 in Vancouver, Wash. He is also one of ve runners from Blue Valley West High School who now compete for Baker. See page 13 for more on this story.

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Tera Lyons/The Baker Orange (Left) Junior Dillon Baxter runs the ball during the Baker University football playoff game against the University of Saint Francis Nov. 17. Baxter rushed for 102 yards and had a 5-yard touchdown run in the Wildcats 22-17 loss to USF. (Right) Head coach Mike Grossner reacts to a penalty that erased a quarterback sack against University of Saint Francis. The Wildcats had 13 penalties called on them during Nov. 17 playoff game.

Penalties cost Wildcats in playoff loss

Chris Duderstadt
editor

In its first appearance in the NAIA playoffs since 2008, the No. 11 Baker University football team fell to No. 6 University of Saint Francis 22-17 Nov. 17 in Fort Wayne, Ind. Head coach Mike Grossner said after the game he isnt one to complain about officiating, but he was not pleased about a season-high 14 penalties for BU. The better team lost, no doubt about that, Grossner said. We had to play against the 12th man today. Were not that type of football team. Turnovers were also an issue for the Wildcats as they committed four of them. The Cougars capitalized early off an interception by senior Sam Vossen to take a 6-0 lead. The Wildcats responded with two drives to set up field goals from senior Steven Stewart, but he missed wide left on attempts from 38 and 40 yards. After the two misses by Stewart, USF placekicker Emerson Ueber converted from 26 yards out to push the Cougars lead to 9-0. Baker fought back on the ensuing drive and got on the scoreboard with 4:59 to go in the first half as senior Jesse Schultz punched it in from a yard out to bring the Wildcats within 9-7. The Wildcats defense appeared to follow that up with a three-and-out after a sack by junior Emmerson Clarke, but Baker was called for an illegal hands to the face penalty to extend the USF drive.

I thought we played good football all day and made the plays we had to. It is very disappointing to get to this point in a top 16 game and we cant get a better (officiating) crew than that, a fair crew, Grossner said. Ive never been so mad to see something taken from such a special group of kids. USF went on to score when quarterback Josh Miller shed two defenders on a 13-yard touchdown run with 33 seconds to go before halftime. The touchdown run gave the Cougars a 16-7 lead, but the Cats were not done scoring before halftime. Freshman Dylan Perry gave Baker good field position when he returned the ensuing kickoff 44 yards to put the ball at midfield. Vossen fired a 23yard pass to senior Reggie Harris to set up Stewart for his third field goal attempt. Stewart nailed the 44yard attempt to bring Baker within 16-10 at halftime. Baker forced its lone turnover in the third quarter when Clarke hit Antoin Campbell and sophomore Andre Jolly recovered the ball on BUs 14-yard line. Emmerson was athletic enough to make that play between the quarterback handing it off to the running back and he forced the fumble, Jolly said. I was lucky to be right there to fall on it. The Cats did not hold on to the ball for long, however, as Vossen was sacked and fumbled on the second play of the drive to give it back to USF. Baker held the Cougars to another field goal from Ueber, though, and USF pushed its lead to 19-10. Junior Dillon Baxter fueled BUs ensuing drive as he rushed for 49 of his 102 yards and scored a 5-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 19-17.

The BU defense thought it followed up the scoring drive with another three-and-out, but a penalty for roughing the passer on a third-and-1 play kept the Cougars drive alive. The disappointment is that every time we had an opportunity, whether it was going in or coming out, something happened that wasnt in our hands, Grossner said. I dont complain about referees, but that gutless head (referee) wouldnt even come over and talk to me. If you make a call, you have to back it up and he didnt all day. The Cougars converted another third down later in the drive for a 47-yard passing play to set up first-and-goal from the BU 7-yard line. Senior Josh Fairley came up with a pass breakup in the end zone, though, and USF had to settle for a field goal. With Saint Francis up 22-17, BU had a chance to take the lead with 3:44 left. Two first downs put Baker in USF territory with 2:30 to play, but Jamael Green intercepted Vossen to halt the drive. (Vossens) a senior who played his last game and played his heart out, Grossner said. If he could have one back, he would have one back. The Cougars ran out the clock to seal the victory. (Saint Francis) is a good football team, Grossner said. They won the game on the scoreboard and theyre going to move on. BU ended the year with an 8-3 record. It was definitely pretty cool because we havent been able to (make the playoffs) as long as Ive been here, Vossen said. Even though we lost, it was something we all felt good about.

Womens soccer closes season at nationals

Lauren Bechard
staff writer

The No. 14-seeded Baker University womens soccer season came to an end Nov. 26 after the No. 3 seed Vanguard University defeated the Wildcats 5-1 in the second round of the 2012 NAIA Womens Soccer National Championship tournament. I think a lot of us were surprised. Nobody seemed to come out that first half of the game, sophomore Rachel Theobald said. Vanguard took control of the first half in which the Lions scored all five of their goals. A mere four minutes had passed in the game when shot leader Jordan Davidson found the back of the net for VU by beating the Baker defense and finishing a pass from teammate Amanda Couch inside the box. The duo teamed up again in the 22nd minute

with a pass from Couch allowing Davidson to face Theobald one-on-one. As Theobald came out of the goal, Davidson made a move past her and scored. Vanguard went up 3-0 and Couch picked up her third assist of the match at the 27:34 mark as teammate Lindsey Holman-Kelly got her foot on the ball following a free kick. Just more than a minute later, Davidson crossed the ball in front of the goal giving Holman-Kelly the opportunity to connect for her second goal. The Lions final goal belonged to Lauren Skachenko, who scored just before halftime. BU picked up intensity after halftime as Theobald and the defenders kept VU from scoring. Freshman Shalynn Eldredge-McMillan took a point-blank after receiving a pass from senior Finola Corley to end the shutout in the 86th minute. We had a lot more energy in the second half,

sophomore Taylor Hensel said. I think we stopped trying to react to what they were doing and started to actually play our own game. Vanguard took 22 more shots than BU during the game. Of the nine shots the Cats took, senior Jordan Dolbin led the team with four. Eldredge-McMillan recorded two attempts of her own and the other looks came from junior Ashley Sampson, sophomore Alexa Fryer and Corley. Doldin and Schiraldi were also named NAIA AllAmericans Monday. They were second and third team selections, respectively. I was super shocked. I wasnt expecting it at all, Schiraldi said. I was jumping up and down in my room when I found out, I was so excited. I couldnt have done it without my team and my coaches though. BU finished its season with a record of 13-7-1.

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Wrestling team faces tough schedule

Sara Bell
managing editor

Head wrestling coach Jimmy May feels as though his team is competing against some of the countrys top wrestlers week after week. While at first this might seem like an exaggeration, but May has planned such a competitive schedule this season that it appears to be true. We have upped the level of competition in our schedule and made it so our kids are seeing better competition, May said. We feel that the better the competition, the better they are going to get. The team wrestled in the KaufmanBrand Open Saturday in St. Louis, Mo., and despite elite competition in the tournament, four Wildcats placed. May said the 33-year-old tournament is prestigious within the sport, but organizers made it a bit more interesting this year. Typically elite and amateur divisions are separated in the Kaufman-Brand Open, but they were combined this year, which created another challenging tournament for Baker. The open featured major programs such as University of Missouri, Oklahoma University, University of Iowa, University of Illinois and Northern Illinois. It was a really tough tournament for some of our young kids, May said. Even some of our more experienced kids had their hands full. Senior Brandon Gebhardt led the way once again for the Wildcats by finishing second in the 285-pound weight class. Gebhardt posted a 4-1 record during the tournament,

only falling to University of Missouris Devon Mellon during the championship match. Mellon was able to grab the victory on a 3-2 decision. Junior AJ Gassman also placed seventh for Baker. After receiving a bye in the first round, Gassman was able to go 3-2 the rest of the day, with wins over Ouachita Baptists Robert Lewis and Maryville Universitys Brandon Oshiro. I was really, really happy about this tournament, Gassman said. After having a rough start to the season, I went up there and won my first match right off the bat, which is a really good feeling. Sophomore Dylan Coppenbarger and senior Nathan Sommer each finished eighth to round out the Wildcats who placed. Coppenbarger, 149 pounds, had a 3-2 record going into the seventh place match but was pinned by Nic Stella of King College. Sommer went 3-3 on the day in the 165-pound weight class, losing in his final match to NCAA Division I wrestler Dan Burk of Northern Illinois. May said although the tournament was challenging it was beneficial for the Wildcats to experience wrestling against elite-level athletes. It was good for us to see that kind of competition, May said. Thats what we need to see to get ready for our regional tournament and our national tournament. Coppenbarger agreed with May, saying that he believes the tough schedule will pay off when they wrestle NAIA competition. I think it really is genius having a tough schedule, Coppenbarger said. If you havent seen that kind of

Callie Paquette/The Baker Orange (File Photo) Senior Joe Pace wrestles in the Dan Harris Open Nov. 4 in Collins Center. The Wildcats have competed against a number of NCAA Division I and II athletes so far this season and will continue to tackle their difficult schedule Dec. 16 in Las Vegas for the Desert Duals.

competition and you just walk into regionals, obviously it is going to be tough. But I think wrestling the guys weve been wrestling, is really going to give us the upper-hand when we go to regionals. The Wildcats will continue their tough schedule Dec. 16 when they head to Las Vegas for the Desert Duals. The tournament will be a homecoming for May and many of his wrestlers, too.

During the Desert Duals, Baker will see the No. 3 ranked NCAA Division III team, Cole College, and the No. 1 NAIA team, Grandview University. We are going to struggle just to go compete with those teams but thats what we need to see, May said. Its a matter of our kids buying into it, surviving those matches and getting ready for our regional tournament, which is at our place Feb. 16.

1 - on - 1 with

Dylan Coppenbarger Sophomore

Dylan Coppenbarger is a You placed eighth at the Kaufmansophomore wrestler from Tuttle, Brand Open Sunday. How pleased Okla. During the Kaufman-Brand were you with your performance? Open Saturday in St. Louis, Mo., I was pleased. I finally feel like Coppenbarger was one of the I turned the corner a little bit. Ive handful of wrestlers who kind of been struggling placed in the prestigious For more of the 1-on-1 up to this point, but I tournament. He finished put a bunch of good interview with Dylan eighth in the 149-pound practices together, and weight class with a 3-2 this weekend I really Coppenbarger visit record on the day. thebakerorange.com just wrestled good. I was pretty happy, not satisfied, Head coach Jimmy May but happy. has really upped the competition level of the As a sophomore, what wrestling schedule this has been the biggest season. What kind of competition difference in your performance do you think you have faced so far? from last season to this season? We have seen a lot of Division I Knowing what to expect, not athletes. This weekend, there was being a freshman anymore. To come five or six teams there, and most of in and know what I have to do to be the time its their backups, but still successful. theyre Division I guys, so they are really good. I feel like when we go What are some of the most back down to our level, hopefully it important things that coach May will be beneficial. and the rest of the staff have taught you this far in your career? What tournament or dual has been Just to buy in to his plan. He the most challenging for you so far? knows what he is doing. He has been If you think about it, we had two doing this for 30-something years divisions at the (Nebraska-Kearney and he wins, so buying in to what he Holiday Inn Open), which separated has us do. the top guys. This weekend they mixed them all together, so it was The team has the Desert Duals actually harder I guess. coming up in Las Vegas, which is a

wrestler

pretty big tournament. Many of the wrestlers are from Nevada, so how special is it going to be for you to compete in that tournament? Its going to be really cool. Coach May hasnt talked much about it being like a homecoming, but I think he is really excited and wants us to go out there and perform well and show everybody back home what he has been up to. Will this be your first time to be in Las Vegas? This will be my first time ever going to Vegas. Im pretty excited and its going to be really cool. We are staying right on the strip in the Hilton, and its going to be really nice and a lot of fun. Do you have any big plans for the trip? No, not too big. My parents will be there. So maybe I can hang out with them and do something fun. Coach May said he had a special treat for us after the tournament, so who knows.
1 on 1 is a section in which sports editor Sara Bell interviews a prominent Baker sports figure about his/her sport and life.

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Bowlers unify to finish sixth in tournament

Abby Reynolds
entertainment editor

Working together and being supportive of each other has been the theme for success of the Baker University bowling team as the semester winds down. BU has placed in the top 10 in three of the four tournaments it has competed in this fall. In Bakers last tournament, the National Collegiate Team Match Games Nov. 24 in Belleville, Ill., the team finished sixth and had two women place individually in the top 10. Senior Caitlin Campbell placed sixth and made the all-tournament team, while sophomore Carly Schmidtlein placed seventh. Junior Brittani Kelly also placed in the top 25, with a 21st-place finish. We did really well again at this past tournament, senior Chloe Mercer said. I believe the success of the team lies within the teams energy and attitude throughout the whole tournament and how we worked together as a cohesive team. Head coach Cheryl Keslar is proud of the team and thinks the Wildcats chemistry has helped them accomplish more than in previous years. I changed the structure of practices, making them tougher and having the team have a focus like they would during a tournament, Keslar said. A motto we have been living by this semester is that its not about you, its about the team, which has led us to come together as a team. The bowling teams next tournaments will be in Las Vegas. The first one will be Dec. 17 and 18 for the Collegiate Shoot Out and the second will be Dec. 19 and 20 for the Glen Carlson Las Vegas Invite. In the past, the team has been successful at these tournaments and it expects to do as well as last year or better. Keslar hopes to place in the top five. Junior Brittany Barker said being a part of the team this semester has been beneficial to her in more than one way. She has counted on her team to pick her up when she isnt doing well and feeding off of her teammates support. It makes her want to try harder to do the best she cannot only for herself, but for them. We really have jelled together as a team, more than we ever have in the past, Barker said. We play as a team, talk to each other as a team and are an actual team. Barker believes next semester will be more successful and the Wildcats will accomplish the goals they have been striving for all year. What we hope to get from next semester is to first, make it to sectionals, then go even further to make it to our first national tournament, Barker said. She really believes in her team and knows that it can accomplish anything from the determination and teamwork its had this year.

Jordan Dolbin/The Baker Orange Sophomore EJ Carter goes up for a shot against Missouri Valley College Saturday in Collins Center. Carter scored nine points and pulled down five rebounds to help Baker defeat the Vikings 74-61. After their 80-39 loss against Evangel University Tuesday, the Wildcats are now 1-2 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.

Mens basketball falls to Evangel to drop to 1-2 in conference play

Sara Bell & Chris Duderstadt
managing editor & editor

After the Baker University mens basketball team picked up its first conference win Saturday with a 74-61 against Missouri Valley College, the Wildcats fell to 1-2 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tuesday when they lost to Evangel University 80-39. We need to come out with better energy and buy into the system fully, senior Todd Eils said. I think we do it in spurts, but we havent put together a consistent full game yet, so we have to get after it in practice and prepare to go for the full 40 minutes. Evangel had control of a 31-20 halftime lead, but after the break it outscored BU 49-19 to claim an 80-39 victory. They were doing the same thing they were doing in the first half, Honore said. It wasnt like they switched up their strategy. We got lazy and kind of laid down there for a second. The Crusaders had four players score in double figures, while holding all of the Wildcats to less than 10 points. Senior Ben Steinlage had nine points and five rebounds, to lead the Wildcats. In the Wildcats first HAAC win, BU was in control of a 26-point lead early in the second half, but 21 turnovers helped put Missouri Valley back in the game. That was definitely disappointing, head coach Sean Dooley said. Normally when you lose a lead like that it matters what you are doing both offensively and defensively. They sped us up and we got careless with the ball. Despite the turnovers, the Wildcats shot 53 percent from behind the arc and 62 percent from the field. These statistics helped the team grab a 41-25 halftime lead, and

Baker continued to pull away after the break. The Wildcats went on a 15-5 run but Missouri Valley responded with a 21-4 rally to put itself back within nine with less than five minutes remaining. Baker was able to hold off Missouri Valley in the final minutes, though, to end its three-game losing streak. We really feel like we can beat anybody and we can also lose to anybody, Dooley said. Its all about us playing the way we need to play, playing hard for 40 minutes. Steinlage was the anchor for Baker once again with 13 points and 14 rebounds. He leads the team in both categories this season with 89 boards and 141 points. Eils and Honore also chipped in 12 points apiece for the Wildcats. Both players went 2-2 from the 3-point line. The Wildcats played Avila University in their first conference game, and after being down just one point at halftime, Baker allowed the Eagles to go on a 14-2 run to begin the second half. With less than two minutes to go, a 3-point shot by senior Corey Anderson would put Baker back within three, but Avila shot 7 of 10 from the free-throw line in the final minutes to seal the 66-59 victory. Steinlage, junior Julian Mills and Anderson all scored in double figures. BU is now 7-5 on the season, and will play its next game Dec. 14 against William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo. Eils believes the team will be able to work on a number of things in practice in the week and a half. Not necessarily getting better shooting wise or anything, but its all about court position and helping each other out on defense and communicating, Eils said. Communication is what weve been talking about the most. That is was this years team has been lacking that last years team had.

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Shoemaker shaves head to support sister

(Top) After her older sister was diagnosed with cancer, junior Shea Shoemaker shaved her head. Her teammates on the womens basketball now plan to wear wigs in support. (Right) Junior Shea Shoemaker (left) stands with her sister Jaci Turnipseed (right) after Shoemaker shaved her head. Turnipseed was diagnosed with cancer in the beginning of August. (Above) Jordan Dolbin/The Baker Orange and (right) Shea Shoemaker/Submitted Photo

Womens basketball team provides encouragement

Sydney Gathright
staff writer

Junior Shea Shoemaker really is her sisters keeper. She has shaved her head to support her sister, who is suffering from cancer. Jaci Turnipseed, Shoemakers older sister, was diagnosed with cancer in the beginning of August and started chemotherapy Oct. 24. She was home alone when she received the devastating news over the phone. This was only five short months after her grandfather died. I wanted to cry when I found out because I felt so bad for my sister, Shoemaker said.

Shoemaker was worried because there was no history of cancer in their family. This was the first time a family member has had a severe illness, and it took a toll on the entire family. It almost kept Shoemaker from attending Baker University this fall. To show her sister shes not in this alone, Shoemaker shaved her own head. Turnipseed, who is 31, attends regularly scheduled chemotherapy sessions, which have caused her to lose her hair. It will suck for a little bit, but I will get used to it, Shoemaker said. I want my sister to feel comfortable. Shoemaker said she was relieved

to learn that there was no cancer in her sisters lymph nodes, so the cancer wont be returning. In early October, Turnipseed had both of her breasts removed and the process of her hair thinning began. Her husband, Brandon Turnipseed, has been by her side supporting her all the way. With October as Breast Cancer Awareness month, there was an abundant outpouring of support from many Baker students, faculty and staff through different awareness events, such as ribbons being distributed to students. Shoemaker is a member of the womens basketball team, and her teammates are also supporting her

and her sister through this rough time. At some point, Shoemakers teammates plan to wear different colored wigs to show their support. Sophomore and teammate Sarah Lowry said Shoemaker is the type of person who would do anything for her loved ones, and by shaving her head, it shows. Shoemaker made it known she is glad her teammates are helping her support her sister. This shows how much family means to Shea, said Ericka Simpson, Shoemakers roommate and teammate. She cant leave the room without her hair all done up, so her shaving her head is a big deal.

Cats earn two wins to begin conference play

Lauren Bechard
staff writer

The Baker University womens basketball team is off to a 2-0 start in its Heart of America Athletic Conference regular season after defeating Avila University and Missouri Valley College. After a last-place finish in the HAAC last year, head coach Ben Lister is excited about how the team has started off this season. Its hard to describe how much better we feel right now than we did at this point last year, Lister said. Last years group gave everything they had, but this year we actually have the ability to get it done. On Nov. 29, the Wildcats traveled to Kansas City, Mo., to defeat Avila

76-60 on its home court. Lister was satisfied with how well the team took care of the ball, as the Wildcats only turned it over 12 times compared to the 20 turnovers Bakers defense forced on the Eagles. Junior BriAnna Garza led the team with 23 points and senior Rece Huddlin followed with 15. I had the highest scoring game of my college career at Avila, so it was a really good feeling, Garza said. I was just extremely focused and felt like I was right in my role as a point guard which kept the momentum going for my team. My team was really supportive, too, which helped a lot. Huddlin picked up her second double-double of the season against Avila with 10 rebounds as well, but that is just the beginning of her

achievements on the court this week. On Saturdays game against Missouri Valley, Huddlin recorded 20 rebounds and 17 points to lead the Wildcats to a 77-62 victory. When we went into halftime, we had to take a double look at the stats because she had 14 rebounds already, Lister said. But she played great, and I am very pleased with her effort and outstanding job on the glass today. The 5-foot, 11-inch forward is proud of herself, but is mostly excited about the teams victory. I dont ever really keep track of my stats, Huddlin said. I heard I had about 14 rebounds in the first half, and I thought it was pretty cool, but I was just focused on playing the rest of the game and getting the win. For her performance, Huddlin

was awarded the first HAAC Athlete of the Week honor of the 2012-2013 season. Thirty-three of the Wildcats points were scored off the bench, something Lister thinks is a key factor in their success this season. We have felt from the beginning of the year that we are very deep, Lister said. We have a lot of kids that can come off the bench and score. For example, Avery Vogts doesnt get in the game at Avila, but comes in (against Missouri Valley) and hits 3-6 from the 3-point line. We have so many kids that can step up and play with this group. Thats why theyre fun to coach and fun to watch. Baker is now 8-3 on the season and will travel to Liberty, Mo., Dec. 14 to take on William Jewell College.

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Blue Valley West alumni

Former Jaguars anchor BU cross country team
Sara Bell
managing editor

run in top four for Wildcats

After spending a decade as teammates, seniors Aaron Caldwell and Eric Larson ended their college cross country careers in a position they likely wouldnt have imagined when they began running together in middle school. As they crossed the finish line for the last time and heard the results of the NAIA National Championships, the roommates tackled one another in celebration of the teams 10th-place finish. While looking at the individual results from the race, it is clear that the efforts of the alumni from one Overland Park school have helped turn the Baker University mens cross country team into the nationallyrecognized program it is today. The No. 10 Wildcats are led by a group of former Blue Valley West High School runners. Caldwell, Larson and fellow senior Kellen Kristoffersen joined the team together in 2009, and freshmen Jeremy and Justin Bryan later followed by signing to run for Baker in 2012. As high school seniors, Caldwell said he and his teammates werent necessarily looking to go to the same college, but Baker seemed to be the right fit for everyone. When we were first looking at Baker, it was one of the worst schools in the (Heart of America Athletic Conference) at the time in cross country and track, Caldwell said. But we saw a lot of potential in (head coach Zach Kindler), his running philosophy and coaching philosophy. We just really saw that there was potential for growth here and really potential for success, and we wanted to be a part of that. Despite having just one year to run with Caldwell, Larson and

Kristoffersen in high school, Jeremy Bryan said the former Jaguars served as mentors to him and his brother throughout their careers. They taught us the ethics of working hard, giving everything you have in workouts and races and how to be a good team member and leader, Bryan said. Its been wonderful to come to Baker and be able to run with and learn from them again. While Caldwell, Larson and Kristoffersen helped the Wildcats earn the Heart of America Athletic Conference title in 2011 and a 25th-place finish at the national championships, the Bryan brothers pushed the team one step further. However, these five runners are not the first Blue Valley West alumni to have success in a Wildcat uniform. Andrew McGregor, a BVW and Baker alumnus, graduated from BU in 2008 after running as the lone senior on the mens cross country team. He then went on to serve as the assistant coach for BU and helped recruit Caldwell, Larson and Kristoffersen. Kristoffersen said running with these familiar faces throughout his career has helped provide individual motivation and inspiration. Just to be there for each other and get to know each other through this entire process, words cant really describe it, Kristoffersen said. They have always been there just to see each other succeed. Caldwell said running together for an extended amount of time has strengthened the teams bond and created a familiar atmosphere for the Wildcats. Its a family and I think thats something that my class from Blue Valley West really brought, Caldwell said. Were just a bunch of brothers who have a love/hate relationship, but we are really close and really care for each other at the same time.

Callie Paquette and Tera Lyons/The Baker Orange (Above) Senior Eric Larson, freshman Jeremy Bryan, senior Aaron Caldwell, freshman Justin Bryan and senior Kellen Kristoffersen stand with Mike Webb, head Blue Valley West High School cross county coach. These runners are alumni from Blue Valley West and have found success on the Baker University cross country team. (Below) Senior Aaron Caldwell and freshman Justin Bryan run together in the Maple Leaf Invitational in September. Bryan and Caldwell were teammates at Blue Valley West and were able to run together again during Caldwells final year at Baker.

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Four theater students nominated for awards

Taylor Shuck
staff writer

One senior will be leaving Baker University with three majors and a minor. It was this devotion to theater and vocal music that got him nominated for the Irene Ryan national scholarship. Senior Patrick King, who has yet to have fewer than 20 credit hours a semester, will be graduating December 2013 with theater, vocal music and business administration majors and an economics minor. It sounds rough and yes, its not the typical college experience that everyone comes to college for, but at the same time, I think this will help me in the long run, said King, who referred to his efforts as training for the real world. The Irene Ryan Foundation of Encino, Cali., has been awarding scholarships to outstanding student performers since 1972. The generosity of the scholarships comes from the late Irene Ryan, otherwise known as Granny Clampett from The Beverly Hillbillies. According to the website, the scholarship provides recognition, honor and financial assistance to outstanding student performers wishing to pursue further education. The Irene Ryan Foundation awards 19 regional awards and two fellowships annually. This scholarship could literally pay for going to any acting school, King said. I dont want to get too excited about it, because you never know what could happen, but Im still honored. Three other Baker University students were nominated along with King. King and junior Abby Jones were recognized for their work in Robin Hood, while freshman Jesse Miller and sophomore Jillian Miller were recognized for Out of Order. Im excited to have the opportunity to showcase my talents and receive feedback, Jones said. Im also really excited to see others compete. It gives you a fresh perspective on what other talent is out there. All the nominees are required to find two duet acting pieces to perform in January. They are taken through a weeding-out process, and then winners are chosen based on performance. The scholarship winners are then invited to attend the University/Resident Theatre Association (U/RTA) final

Hannah Schaake/The Baker Orange (Top Left): Sophomore Jillian Miller performs a scene from the theater production Robin Hood. Miller was a nominee for the Irene Ryan award. (Top Right): Senior Patrick King and freshman Jesse Miller act out a scene from the theater production Robin Hood. Miller and King were also nominated for the award, alongside Miller and Jones. (Bottom Right): Junior Abby Jones prepares for the fall production of Robin Hood in a planned frenzy at dress rehearsals.

auditions at the annual National Unified Auditions and Interviews. I wasnt expecting (to be chosen,) thats for sure, Jones said. But Im honored that I was. Im just thankful that I get to participate in January as well as see others hard work. The scholarship would definitely change things for me. Jones, like King, has a major other than theater. Jones is an art history major. Both agreed that the scholarship would give them a reason to further their acting careers. King also said that he can only do what he does because of how much love he has for his majors. How do I find time? I dont, King said. But every theater production has been a way for me to release some of my stress. Same thing with the choirs -- its a great way to release all the pent up emotion, pent up stress and release it into something productive, beautiful, artistic.

Sports Communication
Contact Ricky Thein richard.thein@bakeru.edu

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Vespers continues tradition of bringing holiday spirit

Abby Reynolds
entertainment editor

Callie Paquette/The Baker Orange Director of Choral Activities Matthew Potterton takes a bow as fake snow fell on stage at the 82nd Annual Christmas Candlelight Vespers performances Sunday in Rice Auditorium. Vespers is a winter concert that has traditionally taken place in the Baldwin First United Methodist Church, but with the success of the program was moved to Rice Auditorium this year.

The 82nd Annual Christmas Candlelight Vespers continued its tradition of kicking off the holiday season Sunday. Vespers, a winter concert performed by the different musical ensembles of the University, has traditionally taken place in the Baldwin First United Methodist Church, but with the success of the programs and the impact it has had on the community, this years show was moved to Rice Auditorium. The move, in my mind, means that Vespers is a success, Director of Choral Activities Matthew Potterton said. It means that we have more opportunities for space, lighting and overall for a smooth production. It means people value the show and its fantastic that so many people want to come to these performances. Potterton always starts from scratch for the shows and takes pride in picking the works one-by-one to put together the whole show. I usually have one or two pieces that I have to do, which serves as my starting point, Potterton said. Then from there it begins the journey to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. Vespers is not only another musical

concert, but a time for people to come together and hear the traditions that hold true at Baker University. From the starting piece being a big African work to non-traditional Christmas songs, the concert highlighted a wide variety of music. I look forward to Vespers each year because I look at it as a gift to the community where we present the best we have to offer as a Christmas present to the audiences, Potterton said. For freshman Jenna Warmund, Vespers was something brand new, and she didnt recognize the longlasting tradition behind it until she got there to perform. I thought it was a cool experience that I got to be a part of, Warmund said. I literally had no idea it was such a big thing until I was standing up there and saw the whole community there to see the show. Senior Paul Eltschinger never thought his last Vespers would come so quickly. He has been in every program for the last four years and has enjoyed being a part of such a big tradition. It was so weird to be up there and think this is my last one, Eltschinger said. Especially during the second performance is when it really sunk in. It never really hits you until your actually here and it smacks you right in the face.

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Martha Harris/Submitted Photo Baker University students and faculty stand in front of a Christmas Tree in the Great Hall at Harlaxton Manor in Grantham, England. They finish their experience studying abroad and return to Kansas this week. From left to right (Front) seniors Zach Reeb and Chad Forrer, Vice President and Dean of the School of Education Peggy Harris and junior Matt Fry (Back) seniors Salyna Webber, Corinna Papps and Brittni Sayers, Instructor of Sports Administration Dan Harris, seniors Josh Vossen and Gloria Atanmo.