What’s Inside:
Banned Books Week
Yaz: Worth the risk?
• Birth control pill faces
increased scrutiny
By Tréza Rosado and Rachel
Armstrong, with additional
reporting by Colleen Royce
As a women’s institution, St. Catherine
University (SCU) and its students are acutely
aware of issues surrounding women’s health.
Oral contraceptives have been particularly
visible in the news over the last few years,
as the reach of these medications moves
beyond birth control.
Today, more young women are choosing
oral contraceptives to treat everything from
acne to menstrual cramps. As the number of
users increase, so does the number of class
action lawsuits.
One of the most popular and widely
used forms of oral contraceptives, or birth
control, is Yaz; however it is also one of the
most controversial.
Katherine Spoelstra, a Junior at SCU learned
about Yaz through her doctor and used it for
about five days before she was admitted to
the hospital for severe headaches.
A week later, she woke up without hearing.
She went completely deaf over a two-
week period and remains completely deaf
to this day.
“I learned about Yaz through my OB/
GYN, who told me Yaz was a birth control
pill that is low in hormones. She did tell
me that there was a slight possibility of
stroke, but really not to worry about it,”
Spoelstra said.
In 2001, Yasmin was approved by the
Where have all the
noodles gone?
• Students concerned about
fewer choices, longer lines
By Devon Arndt
staff writer
Sept 8 marked the beginning of a new
school year at St. Catherine University
(SCU), bringing significant changes along
with it. In addition to a record number of
incoming students and a housing crisis,
returning students were surprised to find
the cafeteria transformed. While many new
students are embracing these changes, some
returning students are unhappy, feeling the
Students anxiously await hand -made sandwiches at lunch. Photo by Dana Bloomquist
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as
an effective form of birth control. In an
effort to expand on Yasmin’s success, the
manufacturer Bayer Healthcare created Yaz,
which was approved in 2006 by the FDA.
Yaz is like many other forms of oral
contraceptives on the market today in
that in contains the hormones estrogen
and progesterone, which help regulate the
menstrual cycle. However, Yaz also contains
drospirenone, a chemical that increases the
body’s production of potassium, and is
used as a moderate acne treatment while
also helping to control symptoms of pre-
menstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD.
“I chose Yaz because it was suggested
to me - low hormones, short [menstrual]
period,” Spoelstra said.
In 2008, the FDA sent a warning letter to
Bayer Healthcare stating that the television
advertisements the company was running
overstated the effectiveness of Yaz in treating
Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), which is a
separate disorder from PMDD. Yaz was not
approved through the FDA to treat PMS,
and the advertisements understated the
serious risks that come with the medication’s
increased potassium levels.
“Drospirenone increases potassium levels in
users and is the only [form of progesterone]
to do so. [This] increase in potassium can lead
to renal and heart rhythm abnormalities,”
Nursing professor Pam Hamre said. “Patients
with risk factors for high potassium levels
should have their blood serum potassium level
checked during their first month using Yaz.”
According to Yaz’s website, women who
have kidney, liver, or adrenal disease should
not use Yaz because of the risk of health
problems; however, this is also a risk with
changes are unnecessary.
Earlier in 2010, Director of Food Services
Webster Peterson and his team conducted
school-wide surveys and focus groups to
discover what SCU students, staff, and faculty
wanted to see in the upcoming school year.
After gathering the information, Sodexo
Food and Facilities Management Services
implemented an action plan in time for the
Opening Ceremony on Sept 8.  staff writer
“We have gone to a more ‘retail look’,”
Peterson said, regarding the changes.
Executive Chef Mike Stoyka cites the
changes as a way  to provide more options
for students. “I recognize the changes may
be difficult for some students to accept, but
I hope that students will embrace the new
menu in time,” Stoyka said.
He also wanted to remind students that
see Cafeteria, pg. 2
This newspaper, like many other things, is recyclable. Please do so.
St. Catherine University student newspaper
other oral contraceptives.
“There is not data to support Yaz as
more problematic than other [similar] oral
contraceptives,” Hamre said. “Virtually all
methods of contraception contain some risk,
whether high rates of unintended pregnancy,
the potential for developing latex allergy, or
other number of other physical problems.
Weighing the risks versus benefits of a method
should be part of making the decision about
what method to use or whether or not to
contracept.”
After undergoing an MRI (magnetic
resonance imaging) scan, doctors explained
that Spoelstra was having small strokes (or
brain bleeds) resulting in her loss of hearing.
Spoelstra was 19 years old when she was
diagnosed with Susac’s syndrome, which
partially accounts for her hearing loss.
“I don’t attribute all [the hearing loss]
to Yaz, but I think it really set it in motion,”
Spoelstra said.
Commenting on the recent trend of
Packing begins for 100
Sisters of St. Joseph
• CSJs prepare to leave Bethany for new home
By Becky Doucette
New and returning students may have
noticed the construction taking place at
Bethany. This construction will result in
a group of facilities known as Carondelet
Village to replace Bethany.
Bethany currently houses retired Sisters of
St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSJ).  Right now,
Bethany holds around 100 CSJs, all between
60 and 90 years of age.  In the last few years,
the CSJs had hoped to renovate the facilities,
but after measures were taken to make this
a reality, it was evident that it would be
more cost-effective to build new facilities
altogether. This led to the development of
the Carondelet Village project that will not
only house the CSJs, but will house those in
the greater community of St. Paul. The CSJ St.
Paul website said, “The $60.4 million project,
expected to be completed in 2012, will include
259 new senior housing units consisting
of 149 independent-living apartments, 46
assisted-living units, 19 memory care units,
and a 45-bed care center.”
The focus of Carondelet Village will be to
provide individualized care for adults’ needs.
“If you and I lived there, and you get up at
10 and you want pancakes for breakfast, and I
get up at eight and want eggs for breakfast, we
both can have that. It’s really individualized
care,” said Donna Hauer, CSJ Consociate and
Multicultural and International Programs
and Services (MIPS) Director.
In addition, the CSJs have focused on the
›› pg. 5
September 24, 2010
thewheel-scu.tumblr.com
Exclusive Interview
with:
Wing
Young
Huie
See
Page 4
class action lawsuits against Yaz related
to blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes,
Hamre said, “Studies showed no difference
between Yaz and other combination oral
contraceptives in the incidence of these
complications. One study showed an
increase, but it was a badly designed study
with unreliable results.”
Today Spoelstra is a successful Healthcare
Sales major. Reflecting on the medical
complications seemingly exacerbated by
Yaz, she said, “You listen to your doctor, but
you never think much of the side effects
because they don’t make them seem like
a big deal.”
Clearly, as oral contraceptives like Yaz
increase in popularity, young women must
carefully weigh their options.
Rachel can be reached at
rmarmstrong@stkate.edu
Treza can be reached at
tjrosado@stkate.edu
potential environmental impact of the new
facilities in their preparations. For example,
the trees students are accustomed to were
not chopped down and used as lumber, but
relocated to new grounds.
Before construction began the CSJs
coordinated a five year process, scouting
the best religious-based, assisted living
facilities in the country. In collaboration
with Presbyterian Homes, the CSJs received
final approval from the St. Paul City Council
soon after their public hearing on July 21.
“Phase I” of construction, which includes
the senior apartments and assisted-living
spaces is estimated to be complete by fall of
next year. Once completed, the CSJs will be
relocated to their new homes and Bethany
will be torn down and replaced with the rest
of Carondelet Village.
Hauer reflects on how the students and
faculty of SCU can help the CSJs in their time
of transition with an idea entitled “Sisters
on the Move!”
“Sister Andrea put together a group of
students moving the library from Derham
to the basement of the Chapel. It was really
cool, like a human line of people passing
books. And I thought ‘what if we did that
again, except with students moving the
Sisters?”, Hauer said.
see Sisters, pg. 2
2 | The Wheel NEWS & OPINION September 24, 2010

Cafeteria continued...
some of their favorite dishes will be served
bi-weekly, such as pasta (Monday and
Wednesday evenings) and Tex Mex (Tuesday
and Thursday evenings). The International
section will now follow a four-week cycle
serving Mexican, Indian, and Mongolian
grill cuisines as well as burritos. The weekly
menu can be found on the SCU website.
Many students have already formed strong
opinions on the cafeteria food. First-year
students seem to be particularly satisfied
with the menu selections. First-year student
Taylor Moldan says the Classic Entree section
is her favorite because “it changes daily.”
Some returning students appreciate the
changes as well. “I love the new addition
of the sushi bar. I was studying abroad last
semester, so I didn’t have a chance to try
it until now. I am very impressed,” Senior
Jordyn Arndt said.
Other students voiced concerns. Some
observed that the wait time in line seems
longer than last year, and that there is an
inadequate number of servers to accommodate
the larger number of students.
“I miss the pasta line and having Chinese
food every other day. I loved the system last
year and how smoothly the lines went,” Junior
Sarah Niaz said.
Several students do not appreciate what
they percieve to be longer lines and less
convenient foods. “[The cafeteria] doesn’t
have chicken fingers and [other to-go items]
available. You have to wait more. It used
to be ready all the time,” Jennifer Koch, a
Junior Neuroscience major said. There have
also been complaints that the meal choices
on weekends are not as appealing as those
available during the school week.
Both Peterson and Stoyka emphasized
that the first few weeks of school are always
the most chaotic. They believe that as the
year progresses, the lines will become more
efficient and they will continue to rework the
menu.  Students are urged to give specific
feedback through comment cards and the
dining services website.  The comments and
suggestions will be taken by Peterson and
will help as changes and modifications are
implemented. 
Devon can be reached at Want to register an opinion regarding the cafeteria?
dvarndt@stkate.edu Go to thewheel-scu.tumblr.com
 

Editorial: Moral platforms

poor excuse for
public policy

By Rachel Armstrong
sections editor

I may have had a minor freak out last Tuesday when I found out Christine O’Donnell
had won the Republican Senate Primary in Delaware, just like I did when Sharron Angle
Construction begins on Carondelet Village. Photo by Dana Bloomquist won in Arizona. I was floored, gob-smacked and whatever other superlative adjective
you can imagine. Also, a little scared.
Sisters continued... include going for walks, doing crosswords If you’ve been watching the news in the last few weeks, you may have heard about this
and word finds, coloring, doing small crafts new “trend” in American politics. This year, some Republican candidates for Senate are
Though “Sisters on the Move!” is still in together...and just visiting with the Sisters. so conservative, so far right, that even the Republican Party doesn’t see them as electable.
its planning stages, it should come into full Any students are welcome to join VIA on our The Tea-Party movement has staged upsets in Delaware, in Arizona, in Alaska. Like it or
bloom in time for the move in 2011. If anyone Friday Activities hour starting next Friday,” not, they’re changing the Republican Party’s politics. While Democrats may see someone
is interested in planning this project, Donna Katherine Byers-Ferrian, VIA Coordinator, like O’Donnell to be unelectable, she’s already beaten Mike Castle, a moderate Republican,
Hauer can be found in the MIPS office. said. For more information on VIA, you can in the primaries. Moderate, it seems, to the Tea-Party, is akin to crazy Obama-lovin’ Liberal.
In addition to the “Sisters on the Move!” reach Katherine Byers-Ferrian and Liesl Wolf The Republican Party is fractured and we’re seeing a new, much more conservative party
project, Volunteers In Action (VIA) can (VIA Organizer) at via@stkate.edu. come to the forefront.
provide another way to build relationships Angle has stated that women who are raped should be forced to carry the baby to full
with the CSJs during their transition. Becky can be reached at term because, “there is a plan and a purpose.” O’Donnell spent years working as purity
“I plan activities for the [CSJs] and[SCU] rjdoucette@stkate.edu advocate for the Christian group SALT (Savior’s Alliance for Lifting the Truth) and has
students to do together. Some activities referred to homosexuality as an “identity disorder” that can be cured.
So yeah, I’m scared.
O’Donnell, says she’s “toiled for years in the values movement”, and Angle claims, “I
ST. CATHERINE UNIVERSITY WHEEL STAFF have a very well-developed sense of right and wrong,” which is great, I guess, but makes
me wonder, who’s values are being toiled for? Whose version of right or wrong is being
Volume 78, Issue 2 translated into policy?
It’s not that these people’s ideas or opinions are inherently incorrect. Hey, if you want
Editor-in-Chief: TREZA ROSADO to jump on the Angle bandwagon and go back to the days of Prohibition, go for it. The
Layout Designer: SARAH WENTE problem is when the moral ideals of an individual are translated into government policy.
Sections Editor: RACHEL ARMSTRONG Some politicians believe that their own personal values and morals should dictate laws; if
Photo Editor: DANA BLOOMQUIST something is immoral, it should therefore be illegal.
Adviser: SHEILA ELDRED This idea of legislating morality isn’t new and it isn’t far removed from SCU either. Take
Senior Staff Writers: ELISSA JOHNSON, JORDYN ARNDT, LYDIA FASTE- a look at the newly imposed smoking ban. The idea that because smoking is unhealthy it
LAND, CLAIRE DAVIDSON should therefore be banned is the same idea, dressed up in new rhetoric.
I’m all for less cancer and more birthdays, kicking the habit, whatever. What I’m not
Staff Writers: CLARA JOHNSON, JESSICA JONES, SUMMER JOY YOUNG,
for is the administration’s views being imposed on SCU students. I don’t believe we need
ANNA RUHLAND, BECKY DOUCETTE, COLLEEN ROYCE, DEVON ARNDT, to be protected in this way, as we’re all adults, over the age of 18, and capable of making
ELYSE JOHNSON, NATASHA HOLM our own decisions.
Photographer: JESSICA JONES Morality, especially in socially disputed areas, should be a matter of choice, not a moral
Cartoonist: KATHERINE CURTIS requirement handed down from whatever well-meaning power.
If you would like to write for The Wheel, please contact us at The idea of being protected from ourselves, whether we like it or not, bears striking
wheel@stkate.edu. similarities to the campaign discourse of Angle. “I’m elected by the people to protect, and
I think that law should protect,” Angle said, speaking about the prohibition of alcohol in
Las Vegas.
MISSION STATEMENT Candidates with extreme views aren’t new to American politics. What’s new this election
The Wheel aspires to reflect the diversity and unique atmosphere that compris- season is that these extreme views are becoming more and more mainstream. When we
es St. Catherine University. We strive to provide an inclusive newspaper primar- have potential Senate candidates espousing these ideas based in individual morality rather
ily for the students and by the students. The Wheel promotes the vision of than Constitutional precedent, we have a serious problem.
empowering women to lead and influence as well as an understanding of the
university community inside and outside of the gates. As a staff we aim to meet
the highest journalistic standards and stand in accordance with the 1st Amend- Rachel can be reached at rmarmstrong@stkate.edu
ment of the Constitution of the United States of America and policies of prior
restraint. The Wheel is not a public relations vehicle for any SCU individual,
group, department or for the college as a whole. We welcome feedback and
encourage an open discourse. The Wheel is supported by student funds and is
distributed free of charge.
September 24, 2010 NEWS & OPINION The Wheel | 3

Breaking down walls: When Theory to action: Myths I

statistics have faces learned from my
Texan textbook

By Jordyn Arndt By Elissa Johnson

international columnist
As we begin a new school year, it is easy to get caught up in the homework, social events,
and project deadlines of college.  However, it is important not to lose sight of the bigger
picture.  Seeking education is not an end in itself.  Becoming educated is a means of
furthering one’s personal development, obtaining a meaningful career, and moving closer
to enacting the social, political, or economic change one hopes to see in the world.  Study
abroad allowed me to take a step back and re-examine the relevance of the subjects I was
studying on-campus.
Before starting my semester in Senegal, I took the course “Economics of Development and
Growth” with Professor Nasrin Jewell.  This class examined the characteristics of developing
countries, theories of development, and problems and policies dealing with development.
I became transfixed with questions surrounding why poor countries remain poor while
wealthy countries grow wealthier. Why is it so hard to break this cycle? What factors are at
work to ensure this perpetuation? I was fascinated by this academic realm and decided that
one day I would pursue a career that would allow me to address these critical global issues.
Then I went to Senegal.  The struggles of underdevelopment were a regular phenomenon
for my Senegalese host family and friends. Only months before, I had been reading about
the characteristics of developing countries in the comforts of my dorm room.  Now I was
experiencing the reality.
Among my new discoveries, I became increasingly aware of the impact of rapid
industrialization on the environment. I had read extensively about this topic, but I didn’t
realize what it looked or smelled like. Walking along the coast of the Hann Bay, I was struck
by the steady trickle of grey, pungent liquid running into the ocean. Waste products from
manufacturing flowed unabated. Production without proper environmental regulation
caused the Hann Bay, formerly one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, to become
increasingly polluted. This was the cost of economic growth.
I traveled often during the course of the semester. Every Sunday evening, when I returned
home from a weekend trip, I would sit in a cramped Ndiaga Ndiaye (bus) for hours on
end. No matter how carefully I planned, my host mother added at least two hours to my
anticipated arrival time. Transportation was a frequent topic of frustration. Coincidently,
l’embouteillage, traffic jam, was one of the first words I added to my notebook of new
French vocabulary. As I stared out the foggy window of a Ndiaga Ndiaye, I reflected on
this pervasive problem.
Dakar, like many capital cities in the global South, has expanded rapidly during the
past decade. Increasing jobs in industry and decreasing opportunities in agriculture have
contributed to the rural-to-urban migration of young, unemployed Senegalese.  The
growing urban population has created pressure on basic infrastructure. To exacerbate
the situation, effective urban planning has not kept up with this significant demographic
shift. An understanding of this greater social phenomenon made the weekly traffic jams
more bearable.
Looking back on my semester, the most important thing I learned was related to global
inequality. I knew it existed and I knew its reach; however, I did not know how it felt until
I experienced it directly. My semester in Senegal gave faces to the statistics and scenarios I
had previously studied. I understood why the vendors tried, unsuccessfully, to charge me
the highest price possible in the fabric market; why I was frequently engaged in lengthy
discussions with men socializing on street corners around a kettle of Senegalese tea; why I
was constantly fending off jovial marriage proposals from taxi drivers. Underemployment,
unemployment, and the lure of easy access to the United States through a green card
motivated marriage were the causes behind these daily occurrences.
Memories of Senegal still crop up at unexpected moments. On a recent car ride with
my family, I pondered silently to myself, “Why am I able to speed along a top rate highway
in my family’s well kept personal car in the United States while in Senegal, I spent hours
traveling minimal distances in a battered bus?” Differences in transportation are only one
manifestation of the inequality in global wealth distribution. As I move forward with my
studies and eventually my career, I hope to continue exploring how these two divergent
realities continue to exist in the world and how convergence can be facilitated to create a
more equitable, sustainable, and socially just world.
Jordyn can be reached at jearndt@stkate.edu
political columnist
Pop  Quiz! (No, it’s not for a grade, just do it.)
1. Who discovered America?
2. Who was Thomas Jefferson?
3. What name was given to the capturing, transporting, buying, and selling of
people as slaves conducted from the 16th through 19th centuries?
4. What environmental impact (if any) does deep sea oil drilling produce?
Have your answers? So does Texas (and California). And they may surprise you.
Though this is not breaking news, the future of social studies and history education
for schoolchildren will be altered drastically by the events of this summer’s meetings in
the nation’s largest states. You see, Texas is to the realm of elementary and high school
curriculum as deep-sea oil drilling is to the natural world around it: a pretty obtrusive,
generally (ominously) silent, but helpful to the economics and vitality of the systems we’ve
created to depend on it. That is, until it does something really, really stupid.
The greatest issues I have with the standards under consideration by publishers of the
newest versions of textbooks are not the conservative leanings or the enhanced patriotism.
I can even deal with some of the historical inaccuracies. To address quiz question #1: how
many of us learned about the valiant voyage of Columbus and his quest for the New World?
It has become an almost endearing part of my elementary education rivaled only by the
crushing realization that not only did Columbus not discover America, but the Easter
Bunny and Santa Clause were dirty lies as well. I’m certain Columbus did the best he could
without GPS or Google maps.
Yes, the inaccuracies we can thank higher education for dispelling could be construed
as a troubling start to an already tainted world view which reserves the truth for those
privileged enough to have access to it. But what about the latent truth in some of these tall
tales? Let’s look at the idea that out nation was founded on the right to religious freedom,
for example. Thomas Jefferson was not only a founding father and principal author of the
Declaration of Independence, he was also a resounding secularist and is said by some to
have played a key role in the founding notions of a government separate from the Church.
Not anymore. To remain consistent with the idea that this is “One nation, under God”
the new standards portray Jefferson as more of a change-of-heart type of guy possibly
influenced more heavily than not by the Christian values held true by the other founding
fathers. Everyone does some soul searching at some point; Jefferson’s just happened to
make it into this nation’s original documents.
My skin begins to crawl though when the facts, real true facts, begin to change. The answer
to question #3 should be “the slave trade.” “Atlantic slave trade” would also be acceptable.
According to the Texas Board of Education the answer should be “Atlantic triangular trade.”
Trade of what? By taking the “slave” out of the “slave trade” the Texas School Board has
erased the systematic enslavement, murder, and degradation of an entire people. Though
it’s not a part of American history that people enjoy discussing, it is a conversation essential
for the foundational knowledge of the history of institutionalized racism and how and why
it persists today. Coupled with Arizona’s actively anti-immigrant ban on multi-cultural
teaching, we’re in for a rough road for a nation who has deemed itself “post-racial” after
electing Obama.
I’ve been dogging on Texas quite a bit. California, however, decided to throw a little
textbook one-up by inviting British Petrolium (BP) to take a stab at what BP stabs best:
environmental science. The California School Board invited the oil giant to be present at
the table during the discussions of the new science teaching. The role of BP in the disaster
known as the Deep Water Horizon oil rig explosion will be downplayed as the efforts of
BP post-disaster highlight the company’s contributions to oil spill clean-up, environmental
education, and funding of environmental excursions for youngsters.
I find myself torn between the idea that children should be taught factually and the
idea that elementary school might just be a building to hone critical thinking skills. Kids
need to learn to weed out the inaccuracies from the speculation. What could be seen as
wrong to tell a child may in fact lead them to their own epiphany which could be a much
more valuable experience. But during the official, newly required festival titled “Celebrate
Freedom Week” during which all classes will incorporate the joy of American freedoms into
their curricula, I can’t help seeing the image of sixth-graders in physical education classes
practicing strength training by repetitive pulling up on those bootstraps.

Elissa can be reached at ejjohnson@stkate.edu

Left: The prospect of a slower-

than-ideal ride home from Da-
kar in a car rapide isn’t daunt-
ing Arndt.

Right: Local youth sell pea-

nuts in a Senegalese village.
While abroad, Arndt had am-
ple opportunity to apply class-
room knowledge of global in-
equality to real-life situations.

Photos courtesy of Jordyn

Arndt.
4 | The Wheel
Exclusive Interview:
WING
YOUNG
& Allison Adrian
For nearly 20 years, artist Wing Young Huie has been documenting the faces of Twin Cities neighborhoods and projecting
those images on the sides of buildings, buses, and in businesses. Selected shots from his University Avenue Project are
currently being projected through the O’Shaughnessy windows at St. Catherine University (SCU) as part of the artist’s
collaboration with professor Allison Adrian for this year’s Core Convocation. The campus projections will run through
the end of September while the University Avenue Project continues through October.
Photo by Tréza Rosado
Interview with Wing Young Huie, who
will be speaking at Core Convocation on
Sept 30 at the O’Shaughnessy.
The Wheel: How did this idea come to you? What is
the draw of taking pictures of people and projecting
their images to those same people--make them viewer
and subject at the same time?
Wing Young Huie: There are already hundreds if
not thousands of photographs that are on University
Avenue. We are inundated with media and marketing
images but do those images really reflect the people
looking at them?
What I wanted to do was photograph the colliding
kaleidoscope of cultures that work, play, go to school,
worship, and shop along University Avenue.
W: In terms of the entire University Avenue Project,
this wasn’t the first time you had done something like
this. You had done a similar project in Uptown...
WYH: It was called Lake Street USA and it was in
the year 2000. I spent four years photographing
the neighborhoods connected by Lake Street from
Uptown to the Mississippi River. I installed 675
photographs in windows and on sides of buildings
and on sides of buses, along six miles of Lake Street.
W: Are you from either of those neighborhoods?
Was there a personal connection to either of those
projects?
WYH: I am a native Minnesotan. Most of
my projects have taken place in Minnesota and
particularly in the Twin Cities. I’ve lived in either St.
Paul or Minneapolis for the last 35 years.
Everyone in my family was born in the same small
village in China. I was the only one that was born
in the US. There is a perception of who we are as
Minnesotans and people like me don’t necessarily
fit that description. I’m trying to create a new
iconography of who we are as Minnesotans because
the perception has not caught up to the realities.
W: When it came to participation in the University
Avenue Project, were people excited about the project?
How did you go about getting people involved, getting
permission to get started?
WYH: Well first, I had to photograph thousands of
people. I would just approach them on the street or
I’d go into the businesses.
We approached over 100 businesses to ask if we could
put up photographs. Most of the businesses said yes,
but not all. Then we had to get permission to put
photographs on the sides of buildings.
W: There’s always this element of size with your
projects, first with Lake Street and then with
University Avenue. Is there a particular philosophy
behind enlarging these experiences to such an
extreme?
WYH: Well, University Avenue is vast. You have light
industrial; you have large streets. We felt that we had
to scale up the photographs to make an impact. We
were fortunate we were able to get 3M to get involved.
They donated $50,000 worth of materials and
installation costs for these large-scale photographs.
FEATURES
HUIE
W: So the idea of putting the University Avenue
Project here at SCU...What do you hope our students
will take from your project, from that community−
which might seem far away when you look at the SCU
bubble?
WYH: It’s true, you live in a bubble here. We all
have our own bubbles. That’s a part of the idea of the
exhibit. We go from one bubble to the other bubble.
We live in ghetto-ized communities. We don’t think
about what’s in-between. We only interact with those
that we feel comfortable with, and technology has
made it easier for us to customize our own bubbles.
As a result, I think, as a society, we find it more and
more difficult to interact with those we don’t’ think
are like us. The project is about all those other places
that we pass by. It’s a microcosm of who we are.
W: What do you anticipate speaking about for Core
Convocation? What are you hoping to get across to
students?
WYH: [I’ll] talk about points of view. We live in a
very polarized culture, arguably more polarized than
ever. Everything is spun. There are no facts; there
are only points of view. We live in a Photoshop era.
All the photographs we see, that engulf us on a daily
basis, are suspect. They represent a point of view.
Whose point of view is that? It’s a small number of
people who decide.
W: But to some degree your photos of University
Avenue are your perspective...
WYH: My very subjective perspective as the only
non-immigrant of a family that grew up in Duluth,
formed by the same myths and cultures of this state.
The Vikings. Paul Bunyon. Mary Tyler Moore and
so on.
So yes, these are all my subjective viewpoints, my
opinions, but I think I present it in a way where it
leaves room for people to form their own narratives.
I’m not saying this is how it is; I’m just saying this is
what it looks like.
W: Have people responded positively to the project?
Has the community responded to the project in any
particular way?
WYH: It’s difficult to qualify or quantify or
evaluate...you can’t go into people’s minds and really
know. And sometimes I think it’s difficult to know
until afterwards, when there’s space and time--maybe
five years from now.
W: Any ideas for your next project?
WYH: I received a commission from the Weisman
Museum to do a project, to have an exhibition in
November of next year...I’ll be focusing, I think, on
[University of Minnesota] culture and it’s intersection
with the surrounding neighborhoods and focus
maybe on 18-22 year-olds.
September 24, 2010
By Tréza Rosado and Dana Bloomquist
Interview with Allison Adrian,
professor at St. Catherine University.
The Wheel: How did you come to collaborate with
Wing Young Huie?
Allison Adrian: I was living on Lake [Street], when
the Lake Street [exhibit] happened. I went and bought
the book and fell in love with it. And it occurred to
me that we were doing a lot of the same things. I was
in graduate school at the University of Minnesota for
ethnomusicology...looking at Lutheran church music
in Asian and African [congregations] and one Latin
American congregation in the Twin Cities. [I was]
doing sort of the same research [as Wing] with the
same sorts of outcomes, but [our] materials were
different.
I was really nervous to approach Wing but I just did.
Of course I didn’t approach him until I had some sort
of funding for him. I said, “Will you take photographs?
I have this grant; it’s not a lot of money.” But he liked
the project and so we went around and photographed
the 15 [congregations] in my dissertation.
When he started working on the University Avenue
Project, he called me and said he wanted to use music.
Wing and I started brainstorming about what the
musical components could look like. We sent out a call
to local artists to contribute and made the soundtrack
from there. There’s a lot of spontaneity...there are a
lot of amateurs on that, [as well as] professionals. It’s
a diversity of styles and musicianship.
W: Why did you decided to transplant the University
Avenue Project to SCU? Where did that idea come
from, and what were you trying to go for with creating
a new soundtrack, a SCU soundtrack?
AA: Well I didn’t want to just have the University
Avenue Project on campus. I wanted it to be really
accessible, too. So I thought, well, what if we do
the same sort of projection idea, but through the
O’Shaughnessy windows? [That way] students,
hopefully, would gravitate toward it. The music
part was how I tied it to St. Kate’s. I wanted it to be
personalized by students, staff, alumnae, and faculty.
W: Did you get a good response from people?
AA: It’s a good mix. A couple of faculty members,
some organized ensembles here, [and] also a
custodian who does jazz. He did a 10 minute piano
piece. I got a pretty good, diverse response in terms of
who contributed and what kind of style.
W: What’s going to happen to all of the music and
images from the University Avenue Project [at SCU]
after the projection is over?
AA: Two volumes of the University Avenue Project
images have been published and there are digital
downloads of songs if you get the second volume.
There will be some [copies]
available at the Core Convocation.
Treza can be reached at tjrosado@stkate.edu
Dana can be reached at dlbloomquist@stkate.edu
For more of our interviews with Wing Young
Huie and Allison Adrian, visit us at thewheel-scu.
tumbler.com
Left: Professor Allison Adrian with artist
Wing Young Huie. Thanks to Adrian’s
efforts and vision, Huie’s work can now
impact students on campus.
Photo courtesy of Allison Adrian
September 24, 2010
Books once censored
now celebrated
• Penguins in love, Frodo, and
Houlden Caulfield
By Elyse Johnson
staff writer
We all know that feeling that comes over
us when we do something that we aren’t
supposed to do. One’s guilty pleasures
may include watching an over-dramatized
reality television show, pouring everything
into a celebrity-focused gossip magazine,
or springing for that extra piece of cake
after dinner.
When thinking about your own list of
things you love to do, but maybe shouldn’t,
does reading a book ever cross your mind?
From Sept 25 through Oct 2, St. Catherine
University (SCU) celebrates Banned Books
Week. Banned Books Week reminds us to
celebrate our access to information as well
as our ability to convey ideas in a resourceful
way. The First Amendment protects our
right to self-expression and freedom of
speech. Banned Books Week promotes the
idea that censoring books limits the ideas
available for consumption and makes it
difficult for readers to make judgments of
things for themselves.
Below is a list of literary classics, provided
by the American Library Association, that
have once been banned and/or challenged
because of questionable “moral content”,
“language and sexual references”, “centered
Formerly Banned Novels
- T h e G re a t G a t s by, F. S co t t
Fitzgerald
-To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
-Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
-The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,
Mark Twain
-Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck
SCU recieves generous
literary donation
•Books from Minnesota Women’s Press
benefit many departments of University
By Natasha Holm
staff writer
Located in the Abigail Quigley McCarthy
Center for Women is an exciting new edition
of literary works dedicated to women and
critical studies. Upon receiving an email
late last May, Sharon Doherty, St. Catherine
University (SCU) professor of Women’s
Studies, and also the director of the Center for
Women, accepted a generous book donation
made by the Minnesota Women’s Press.
“One of the founding publishers contacted
me and other Women’s Studies people
around the Twin Cities…and said that they
had 10,000 books in their library that they
wanted to give away,” Doherty said.
The Minnesota Women’s Press, a publishing
organization dedicated to telling women’s
stories for the past 25 years, recently moved
their location. The move resulted in less
space to house their large collection of books.
“We had to pick and choose which categories
to feature,” Sia Vang, Program Coordinator
of the Center for Women said. “We stuck to
memoirs, biographies, and autobiographies…
which would provide a [literary] selection
centered around what we do [at the Center for
Women].” The literary collection accentuates
the Center for Women’s philosophy: namely,
FEATURES
around negative activity”, etc.
Even children’s books don’t escape scrutiny.
Written by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson,
And Tango Makes Three is a children’s book
based on the true story of two male penguins
that formed a relationship in the Central Park
Zoo in New York City. The couple was given
an egg to raise, becoming same-sex parents.
A children’s book based on two loving, caring
penguins, which happen to be of the same
sex, was reason enough to challenge and
attempt to ban this book.
Twilight is also on 2009’s list of challenged
titles as well as these other familiar titles:
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen
Chbosky, The Color Purple by Alice Walker,
and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. For
some, these books contain moral content,
sexual references, or negative activity that is
inappropriate for some readers.
There will be a display in the library featuring
banned books along with the reasons behind
the attempted bans and challeges.
“It’s really cool that we are able to do this…
we have that freedom, the choice,” Belinda E.
Lawrence, a Librarian at SCU said.
Take Banned Books Week as your opportunity
to exercise your intellectual freedom. Pick
up a book that has been challenged or
banned in the past, and then make your own
opinion about what you should or should
not be reading.
Elyse can be reached at
elysejohnson@stkate.edu
-Lord of the Flies, William Golding
-Harry Potter Series, J.K. Rowling
-The Catcher in the Rye, J.D.
Salinger
-His Dark Materials, Phillip Pullman
-The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R.
Tolkien
sharing the testimonies of women.
“It’s really interesting intellectual work
to make a decision about which [books],”
Doherty said. Senior student Elissa Johnson
was asked to take on the decision-making role.
During the summer, Johnson worked out
of a basement and sifted through hundreds
of print-captured experiences of women.
Thanks to the physical and intellectual work
of Johnson, three handmade bookshelves
now house 300 stories that articulate the
atmosphere of the Center for Women.
“There is something joyful about this
sort of bringing together of generosity and
intellectual excitement,” Doherty said. “I
think the real story is that the Women’s Press
decided to do it this way, decided to donate,
decided be supportive during a time when
money is tight everywhere.”
The sharing didn’t stop at the Center for
Women; it spread to other SCU departments.
The SCU library sprinkled 863 books among
their shelves, while the Sisters of St. Joseph
also received a generous donation.
Doherty and Vang have ideas for spreading
the collection to the student body. One idea
is bag lunches, which is co-sponsored by the
The Wheel | 5
Listen local: Jennings
tackles big
questions
By Claire Davidson
music columnist
With the Aug 2010 release of ‘‘Live at First Ave,’’ a collection of live hits performed at the
prestigious venue in Minneapolis, Minn., Mason Jennings continues to impress legions of
faithful fans and awed new-comers with his distinctive folk-rock drawl.
Jennings is a rare breed of musician whose vocal talent is equal to the beautiful philosophy
found in his words.  He is as much someone who muses and wonders as he is a meditative
mind who accepts the present moment. An eternal existentialist, one who ponders the
big questions in life, Jennings’  lyrics exhibit a quiet assurance in a life of questioning
that has given him tremendous spiritual confidence. Evident in the curious, harmonious
quality of his voice is an ease which eludes to an inner peace achievable only through a
calm appreciation for the present moment. Two main intersecting themes are prevalent
throughout Jennings’ music: change and spirituality.
On one of my favorite tracks, ‘‘Things Change,” Jennings emphasizes the impossibility
with which we try to maintain specific states and how true freedom is in acknowledging
the ebb and flow of life. ‘‘Strange how the moment just can’t last, no way of living inside
the past/Now that you’re gone things can die, they can’t stay the same/Things change.”
Consequently, on ‘‘Some Say I’m Not,’’ Jennings conquers the notion of human mortality
with a Dylan-inspired drawl. ‘‘To look at a baby you’ve gotta be brave/In the black of his
eye is your own grave.’’ Along with questions of mortality, Jennings emphasizes a genuine
appreciation for religious and spiritual curiosity. In reference to the search for a higher
power, Jennings highlights the individuality with which people form their faith. This is
oftentimes coupled with the struggle to define one’s personal relationship with the universe
against such a vast divide of opinions.
‘‘Some call me Allah, some call me Tao./Some call me Buddha, some call me now./Some
call me Jesus, some call me God./Some say I’m real, some say I’m not.’’ Jenning’s raw vocals
and transcendent words are paired expertly on this track and it serves as a great example
of his artistic clarity.
Lastly, on the largely popular ‘‘Be Here Now,’’ Jennings gently urges us to stop taking
stock of what any given moment is lacking and lay down the constant stress of our mind.
‘‘Be here now, no other place to be/All the doubts that linger, just set them free/And let
good things happen, and let the future come/Into each moment, like a rising sun.”
If Jennings sounds too good to be true on this one, don’t discard him just yet. I’d wager
that even the most begrudging cynic in each of us desperately needs a dose of Jennings’
self-awareness and appreciation for the present moment. After all, it’s all we have.  
Jennings will perform at First Ave in Minneapolis on Dec 4. Tickets are on sale now
and start at $40.
 
Claire can be reached at
cedavidson@stkate.edu
Women’s Studies and Critical Studies of to have a role and relationship with the
Race and Ethnicity department. The bag [Center for Women]. One of those ways is
lunch event is held monthly, where faculty, through the books.”
students, and staff can come together and Wi t h m em oi r s , bi o g r a ph i e s , a n d
talk about their research and creative work. autobiographies, the wooden shelves in the
Additionally, the 700 remaining books Center for Women hold powerful testimonies.
not living on the shelves of the Center for Women’s experiences are caught on printed
Women will be given away to members of paper that transcends time and identities.
the SCU community. So the next time you snag a chai latte at the
“I think we’ll always continue to honor SCU Coffee Shop, slow your pace as you walk
the story of how we got this collection, and by the Abigail Quigley McCarthy Center for
why we have these books . It honors so many Women and check out the latest selection.
women’s lives,” Vang said. “[This collection]
is not restricted to students or professors, Natasha can be reached at
but is for the whole community. The whole njholm@stkate.edu
community at large is invited and welcome
Johnson enjoys the new selection of reading material at the Center for Women.
Photo courtesy of Sia Vang.
6 | The Wheel FEATURES September 24, 2010

“What are you Tune In:

 

wearing?”
• A look at St. Kate’s most fearless and fashionable RadioHere
Compiled by Jessica Jones
  • Student-
My first day on campus I almost assumed St. Catherine University (SCU) had a dress
code of sweatpants and flip-flops. But as the week went on, I noticed a handful students
run station
who stood out of the sea of sweats and work-out shorts. So here you go, St. Kate’s: have a
look at your most daring, fearless, and fashionable. broadcasting
soon from SCU

By Anna Ruhland
staff writer

Zora Rabb,
First-Year
Major: Associate of Arts
What are you wearing? A lace turtleneck
long sleeve from a super random store on
Lake Street. Pants from Macy’s and the shoes
come from an online shoe retailer.
What is your favorite store at the moment?
La’ Mecha. You can get a ton of good deals
there and it’s super close to the Minneapolis
Campus where I am now.
What inspires your fashion sense? It all
depends on the day, my mood and what’s
going on at the time. I like to wear lots of
different styles and try different things all
the time.
What’s one thing you would never wear?
SWEATPANTS.
What most excites you about fashion,
clothes, and style in general? The fact that
you can express yourself with your clothes
and give off a different vibe every day. It
can totally uplift you too; clothes can give
off a good feeling.
Jackie Delgado,
First-Year
Major: Fashion Merchandising
What are you wearing? Lots of Heart
Breaker and Forever 21.
Any Deals? $15 shoes on sale.
What is your favorite store at the moment?
Forever 21. I used to work at the store in the
Mall of America until I started school, so I
could get a great discount.
What inspires your fashion sense? I
really just like to stand out, because at my
high school (Southwest) all the girls showed
up like clones wearing sweats and the whole
work out get-up. I just liked to look different.
What’s one thing you would never wear?
A Pleather trench coat or any type of sneaker.
What most excites you about fashion,
clothes, and style in general? Just being
able to stand out in a crowd and make
myself feel good.
Last autumn a group of St. Catherine University (SCU) students, Senior Milan Wilson-
Robinson, Senior Annette Dias, and Juinor Maret Tindal, got together because each of
them shared a common desire to form a school radio show. It has taken a whole year
for these women’s bright idea to become a reality. But after all the waiting, planning and
determination, RadioHere has arrived at SCU.
Wilson-Robinson, Dias, and Tindal were guided by the knowledge and expertise of
Joshua Haringa, a Communications professor at SCU.
“The interest was there, [RadioHere] just needed a couple of point people,” Haringa said,
regarding the construction of the show.  
The founding members, along with Haringa, want RadioHere to be a student-run
radio station, meaning all the shows and managing of the radio itself will be up to the
responsibility of SCU students.
Potential radio shows do not need to be strictly musical. It can be anything SCU students
have a passion about. As an independent, diverse radio station, RadioHere’s goal is to let
students decide what they hear. Choices can range from radio documentaries to comedies.
“This radio station is a blank canvas. Find an opportunity to be voiced,” Haringa said.
RadioHere is a global radio, meaning that the day, the hour, the minute, the second, the
show airs, it will be heard around the globe. RadioHere is also an internet-based radio
station. Students can access the RadioHere’s website and all of the shows through the SCU
website. This makes tuning in more convenient and will allow listeners to instant message
song requests or questions to hosts via the website.
According to Haringa, fall semester will be a “soft launch”,  meaning the station will be
aimed at the SCU student body before expanding across the globe.
Student DeeJays will have access to the studio from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m., seven days a week.
Each show is allowed a two hour time block. After 10 p.m., music will be a random playlist
from that day’s shows, available for students even as they write those 3 a.m. philosophy papers.
RadioHere isn’t only for SCU students.Faculty and staff are also welcome to host their own radio shows.

RadioHere is located in the Speech Building behind the O’Shaughnessy. Applications are
Think your department or major has some exceptionally due Sept 24, and can be picked up in room 204 of the Speech Building.
stylish students or professors? Let us know and your
 
department may be featured in a future fashion article.   Anna can be reached at
If you have suggesstions, contact wheel@stkate.edu. amruhland@stkate.edu
September 24, 2010 HEALTH The Wheel | 7

A picture of health: What a muscles can reduce the blood flow to your brain, which can induce headaches.
For relief from this type of headache, get a massage around the neck and upper
body, which will increase the blood flow to the brain. Lowering your stress

headache levels will also help prevent stress headaches.

• Dehydration. Headaches caused by dehydration occur when people do not

drink enough water. When a person is dehydrated, the blood vessels in their
body constrict, reducing the amount of blood and oxygen that are able to get to
the brain. To relieve the pain, drink more water! The recommended amount of
water for the average person is about eight to ten eight-ounce glasses of water a
day.

• Sleep. Sleep is essential for our bodies to be able to function properly.

By Lydia Fasteland
health columnist
Every college student gets them. They are a pain, literally. Headaches are a the part of life
that we wish we didn’t have to deal with. Unfortunately, they can occur almost any time,
especially when it is particularly inconvenient to have a headache. To cure the average
headache, most people usually reach for a medication bottle such as Tylenol, Advil, or
other types of pharmaceutical pain relievers. However, not every headache needs to be
cured with a pain reliever. Before continuing this article, I must remind readers that I am
not a medical professional; therefore please consult your doctor before making any major
lifestyle changes.
There are several simple practices that can help alleviate a headache. By identifying the
trigger of the pain, you will find a way to relieve it without medication. Here is a list of
common headache triggers and ways in which you can relieve your pain:
• Caffeine. After the first few weeks of the beginning of the semester, caffeine
becomes a regular stimulant to stay awake late at night in order to write papers,
study for tests, and complete the large amounts of reading that need to be done
for the next day. Caffeine lurks in coffee, soda, tea, chocolate, and some over-
the-counter (OTC) drugs such as Midol and Excedrin, as well as some allergy
medications. The remedy is easy: avoid caffeine. Though the headaches might
seem to get worse at first, as the caffeine leaves your system the headaches will
start to fade.
However, as college students, sleep is not always easy to come by and sleep
deprivation can be responsible for a headache or two. Too little or too much
sleep can cause headaches. Trying to get seven to eight hours of sleep should
help to resolve these headaches. However, bad sleeping habits can also lead
to headaches. Sleeping with too small or too large a pillow can throw the
alignment of your neck off and strain it. Another bad habit that can cause pain
is sleeping with the blankets pulled up above your head. As oxygen can become
scarce under the blankets, a build-up of carbon dioxide can occur in your
blood stream, meaning less oxygen is getting to your brain.
• Hunger. Waiting too long in-between meals can also lead to headaches, due
to metabolic changes in your body. To prevent this, eat a small snack between
meals, such as fruit, cheese, or an energy bar.
I have tried all of the methods listed above and guess what? They really work! I have been
taking less pain medication because I tried to find the reason behind my headaches and
took preventative measures to stop them before they started. I no longer drink caffeinated
beverages, try to drink more water, and eat regularly throughout the day. I try to avoid
stress, but as a college student, that’s not easy. I make an effort to relax at the end of the day
to relieve my mind and my body of tension. These methods have worked for me as well as
for others. I hope that you can use these remedies to find relief from your own headaches
without always reaching for a bottle of pills.

• Muscle tension. Many headaches result from stress-induced pain from tension Lydia can be reached at
in the back and neck muscles. This can be caused by the way people hold their lbfasteland@stkate.edu
heads while working, driving, and, of course, studying. This strain on your

Gear up for Study aid or

than the parent virus,” Susan Campbell, a temporary spike in concentration, stamina,
Nursing Professor at SCU, said. and overall performance—a particularly
Since the flu virus strain is continually important goal for student athletes who

2010-2011 flu changing its genetic composition, it’s not

• Experts predict more typical
season
By Alexa Chihos
staff writer
The H1N1 influenza virus emerged in
2009, causing the first worldwide influenza
pandemic in over 40 years. At that time,
no vaccine had been developed to help
prevent the spread of H1N1. Returning
students, staff, and faculty remember the
precautions St. Catherine University (SCU)
implemented last year for the 2009 H1N1
influenza virus. Those in the community
who made the choice to get a flu shot last
year were recommended to get both the
2009-2010 flu shot and a vaccine for the
H1N1 virus strain.
One of the biggest improvements from
last year is that anyone who gets vaccinated
this year will get covered for both the
seasonal flu and for H1N1.
“The 2010-2011 seasonal influenza
vaccine will provide protection against the
2009 H1N1 flu strain as well as three other
strains of seasonal flu,” Jeannine Mueller-
Harmon, Assistant Nursing Professor and
Family Nurse Practitioner said. “There will
not be a vaccine for H1N1 alone.”
This year’s vaccine will provide protection
against three main flu virus strains. According
to the Center for Disease Control and
Protection (CDC), research has indicated
that these three virus strains will potentially
cause the most illness: H1N1, H3N2, and
the influenza B virus. However, the CDC
expects the H1N1 virus and the other
seasonal flu viruses to spread.
“Predicting which flu viruses will be
most prevalent is a difficult task because the
influenza virus gradually changes its genetic
composition during replication in the infected
human host cell, resulting in viral offspring
with slightly different antigenic properties
unusual for new virus strains to appear.
This is one of the main reasons why the
CDC is recommending three actions to
help prevent and fight the flu:
– Get a flu vaccine for the 2010-2011 season
as soon as it becomes available.
– Take the everyday preventative actions
to help stop the spread of germs (i.e. wash
your hands and cover your cough, etc.).
– Take flu antiviral drugs if they are
prescribed to you.
Even though the 2010-2011flu season is
not projected to as severe as last year’s, SCU
is still advocating basic precautions.
“I think our recommendations are similar
to last year. We highly recommend getting
vaccinated,” Dr. Amy Kelly, Director of the
Health and Wellness Center at SCU, said. “In
addition, people should continue to practice
good hand washing, covering their mouth
and nose when they sneeze or cough, and
stay home when they are ill.”
Just like last year, the Health and Wellness
Center will be offering the flu vaccination
to students, faculty, and staff on campus.
“Our flu shots came in this week so they
are now available to students in the clinic,”
Dr. Kelly said. “We will have vaccination
clinics as well in the Coeur de Catherine
over the next few weeks. Faculty and staff
can get them through HR, and HR usually
has several ‘Flu Vaccine Clinics’ on campus.
The cost will be $20 and [is] covered by
SCU insurance. Other insurance holders
will have to consult their plan.”
“I always get my flu shot. Even if it doesn’t
protect against future developing flu strains,
it’s better to be safe than sorry,” Sophomore
Caitlin Connolly said. “As a Nursing major,
I don’t really have time to get sick.”
For more information on the 2010-2011
flu season, visit the CDC’s website (http://
www.cdc.gov/h1n1) and be on the look-out
for flyers and tabling events sponsored by
the Health Wellness Center.
Alexa can be reached at
anchihos@stkate.edu
health risk?
• Debate continues over energy
drinks
By Courtney Hampton
staff writer
A cartoon opens with a lawyer sitting
behind a desk, reading the will of a wealthy
man. He declares that the deceased has left
everything to his young mistress who sits idly,
flipping her blond locks. The older widow,
seated with two children, is incensed; so she
reaches into her purse, pulls out a Red Bull,
grows wings and flies to heaven to give her
late husband a thorough beating.
It is no secret that Red Bull and other
similar energy drinks do have a unique
effect on those who consume them—but at
what risk? Smatterings of reports on health
risks appear in newspapers, magazines, and
the like from time to time. However, the
question of whether or not energy drinks
are detrimental to one’s health is still being
debated.
The major concern comes from the high
caffeine content found in most popular energy
drinks. One can of Red Bull is estimated to
have 80 milligrams per 8.3 oz serving and
Tab has roughly 95 milligrams per 10.05
oz serving. That is in comparison roughly
36 milligrams of caffeine per eight oz in a
standard brewed cup of coffee.
Energy drinks do provide a convenient
alternative to coffee for some students. “I
need caffeine everyday and don’t like coffee,”
Senior Kasie Rust said.
Grace Dupre, also a Senior, enjoys the
benefits energy drinks provide. “Yes, [I drink]
Red Bull and Monster. Mostly for the taste,
but the effects are nice. Red Bull is a lifesaver
during theatrical shows.”
The concentrated amounts of caffeine,
once absorbed into the body, are generally
perceived by the consumer as beneficial. The
overall feeling is one of increased energy,
which is, after all, the whole purpose of energy
drinks. This increase in energy also creates a
consume said drinks.
The adverse effects of drinks like Monster
and Rockstar, particularly if one’s intake is
habitual and frequent, can and usually do
include: nervousness, irritability, insomnia,
rapid heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and
sleep disruptions. This is why Junior Kaley
Peterson does not consume energy drinks.
“I don’t drink them! [T]hey make you feel
like you don’t need to sleep and aid in the
creation of unhealthy sleeping habits. Sleep is
sooooo important. Also, most of them taste
pretty gross and have lots of sugar.”
Echoing Peterson’s sentiment is Senior
Haley DeMers, who states, “I don’t drink
energy drinks because they make me feel
too jittery and you crash after they wear off.”
The concern can be especially dire for
athletes who use energy drinks before practices
or competitions as the risks of heart attack,
dehydration, and tremors become greater.
Coincidently, although energy drinks perpetuate
a message of “enhanced performance” in
athletics, many are technically illegal by
NCAA standards. Red Bull, Rockstar, Monster,
and the like all contain caffeine (sometimes
cited as guarana), which has been deemed
an illegal stimulant by the NCAA.
While caffeine is the most obvious sore
spot in regards to the adverse effects of energy
drinks, high amounts of sugar can also be
worrisome due to the “high and crash” effect.
As Senior Amanda Vance stated of the sugar
rush, “I’d rather [just] eat candy to get that
kind of sugar.” Some energy drinks have
moved towards incorporating alternative
ingredients in their products, including herbs
such as ginseng and ginkgo balboa—both
of which are said to boost energy naturally
without the harsh side effects of caffeine.
Coffee and many teas, with less caffeiene
than sugar-filled energy drinks, are also
possible alternatives. However, they are not
free of caffeine.
Ultimately, the debate is not over; busy
students should weigh the options about
energy drinks carefully.
Courtney can be reached at
clhampton@stkate.edu
8 | The Wheel SPORTS September 24, 2010

Defining
Athlete Spotlight: Division III
• A closer look at MIAC

KIM By Clara Johnson

staff writer

ENGEL For sports, St. Catherine University (SCU)

By Summer Joy Young
staff writer
Soccer Captain Kim Engel has had a
phenomenal history at St. Kate’s and is
continuing to do her senior season. She has
not only lettered in soccer: track and field has
been added to this rigorous schedule these
past three years as well. Miss Engel holds eight
school records in track and field, the MIAC
sportsmanship award for the 2009 season,
and a prestigious All Conference award.
In 2008, she also received All Conference
Honorable Mention.
Head soccer coach Steve Bellis comments
on Engel, “Her work ethic is second to none
and she is the leader in all of our events. She
has been one of the best athletes at St. Kate’s
for a very long time. Kim exemplifies what
a student athlete should be. Engel’s GPA is
4.0 and her commitment to her academics is
outstanding. Engel reads the game well and
has a huge impact on all of her teammates.
Positive, energetic, caring, and thoughtful
are all words I would use to describe her.
We will miss her both on and off the field
when she graduates next year.”
Kim Engel herself states some of feelings
about the team this year: “The dynamics on
the team this year are amazing! We are so
lucky to have such a group of talented, fun
ladies who work hard all the time. The team
has many different personalities but we all
bring something different and wonderful to
the team. We have a very good time together
whether we are in 95 degree heat sweating
our butts off or playing capture the flag in
Photo courtesy of Steve Bellis
the dark at some random field!”
This talented athlete also says that for anyone
to succeed in a collegiate sport, especially in
a conference as competitive as the MIAC
one, has to be willing to always work hard.
She very much believes in the saying “you
play as you practice”, hence the intensity in
practice and during the 90 minute games.
Modest about her past accomplishments,
Engel states, “It is a lot easier to be successful
with such amazing teammates and coaching
staff!”
Summer can be reached at
sjyoung@stkate.edu
is a Division III school. According to the
NCAA the focus of this division is to be on
the accessibility and variety of opportunities
in athletics available to students, as well
as “conference and regional in-season
competition.” About 80% of the third division
is made up of private schools. Levels of
participation and athletic ability may vary,
but on average a Division III school sponsors
about nine sports for women and eight
sports for men. “Division III offers an intense
and competitive athletics environment for
student-athletes
who play for the love of the
game, without the obligation of an athletics
scholarship.” NCAA Division III Information.
What that means for our student athletes,
is that they do not receive scholarships or
financial aid based on athletics, and recruiting
is restricted compared to the upper divisions.
Further, our sports department is staffed and
funded more like any other department at the
University to focus on athletics as enrichment
to the education of the student athlete.
Locally, SCU participates in the MIAC,
which is a conference consisting entirely of
private undergraduate schools. We compete
with many of the private schools in the area
including all of the ACTC Schools: Augsburg
College, Bethel University, Carleton College,
Concordia College-Moorhead, Gustavus
Adolphus College, Hamline University,
Macalester College, the College of Saint
Benedict, Saint Mary’s University, St. Olaf
College, and the University of St. Thomas.
Teams however, may travel across the country
during the school year or between terms to
participate in tournaments with schools
outside the conference.
St. Kates sponsors Volleyball, Track & Field,
Tennis, Swimming & Diving, Softball, Soccer,
Hockey, Golf, Cross Country, and Basketball
as varsity sports.
For more information on varsity sports,
visit the Butler Center home page, NCAA,
or the MIAC official websites.

Clara can be reached at

Upcoming SCU Sport Events clarajohnson@stkate.edu

DATE SPORT OPPONENT LOCATION TIME DE

9/24-25/2010 Tennis at Gustavus Adolphus College St. Peter ITA Regional Tournament De
9/25/2010 Soccer vs St. Mary's St. Paul 1 p.m. De
9/25/2010 Volleyball at Hamline University St. Paul 3 p.m. De
9/29/2010 Soccer vs Hamline St. Paul 4 p.m. De
9/29/2010 Volleyball at St. Olaf College Northfield 7 p.m. De
10/1/2010 Cross Country at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI 4 p.m. De
10/1/2010 Volleyball at Central College Dubuque, IA 4 p.m. De
10/1/2010 Volleyball at Coe College Dubuque, IA 8 p.m. De
10/2/2010 Volleyball at Loras College Dubuque, IA 8 a.m. De
10/2/2010 Volleyball at University of Dubuque Dubuque, IA 12 p.m. De
10/2/2010 Soccer vs Augsburg St. Paul 1 p.m. De
10/6/2010 Volleyball vs Bethel University St. Kate's 7 p.m. De
10/6/2010 Soccer at Macalester St. Paul 7:30 p.m. De
10/8/2010 Volleyball vs Gustavus Adolphus College St. Kate's 7 p.m.