The Wheel has new
editorial staff!
‘Gender’
debate
•Social justice organization re-names popular task force
By Tréza Rosado and Rachel Armstrong
The Minnesota Public Interest Research
Group (MPIRG) of St. Catherine University
(SCU) agreed to change the name of the
Women’s Initiatives task force to the Women
and Gender task force last week. The change
came as the group aims to broaden its message
and activities on the SCU campus.
Newly elected co-task force leaders Caitlin
Snodgrass and Leah Matz, both first-years,
proposed the title of Gender and Sexuality
task force, to align with other area colleges
and universities. However, the use of the
term “sexuality” in the task force title caused
concern, particularly among the senior
members of MPIRG.
“We just thought that including ‘sexuality’
might not be the best route for MPIRG,
especially given the administration,” MPIRG
Co-Chair Lisa Spano said. “We probably can’t
put that on our fliers; St. Kate’s wouldn’t let
us, to be honest.”
“A lot of the issues that other task forces
work on, because of our Catholic identity
as an institution, we wouldn’t necessarily be
able to work on in solidarity. This is why
News in
brief
• Updates on this week’s
headlines
By Alexa Chihos
assistant editor
Egypt Update:
On Feb. 11 Egyptian President Hosni
Mubarak resigned, leaving the Egyptian
military in charge of political, economic,
social, and domestic affairs. As of Feb. 14
the military has vowed to remain in charge
in Egypt until formal elections take place
and have suspended the constitution as well
as disbanded parliament.
2012 United States Budget:
President Barack Obama released a budget
proposal for 2012 on Feb. 14 which defined
both political parties’ competing views on
the best path toward long term economic
success. The proposed budget would increase
resources in areas such as education and clean
energy, and cut spending in environmental
protection and community services. The
national deficit is projected to be $1.6 trillion
by the end of this year.
Wisconsin Labor Protests:
A bill proposed in Wis. by Gov. Scott
Walker (R) incited controversy surrounding
public labor issues on Feb. 18. Labor unions
protested the bill, taking issue with the
removal of collective bargaining rights and
cuts in benefits to public employees. The
proposed bill is an attempt to cut the state
deficit. Other states, including Ohio, where
similar protests have begun surrounding a
measure backed by Gov. John Kasich (R)
that also would curtail bargaining rights,
are struggling over public labor issues and
state deficit as well.
Alexa can be reached at
anchihos@stkate.edu.
[some members] really wanted to change the
name--to be in solidarity with other chapters
of MPIRG,” Kassy Podvin, MPIRG’s other
co-chair, added. “But our political climate on
this campus is really different, even [compared
to] other Catholic-identified campuses.”
Furthermore, returning members questioned
the removal of “women” from the task force
title as the group has been traditionally
associated with women’s issues on the SCU
campus.
“It became clear that many people, including
past leaders of the task force, felt that ‘women’
was very important to the title as we’re the
only group on campus that works specifically
with women’s initiatives,” Snodgrass said.
“However, we didn’t want to limit ourselves
by excluding the word gender because not
everyone in the world identifies as their
biological gender.”
More specifically, Snodgrass, Matz, and
other members of the Women and Gender
task force hope to create a safe space for
non-traditional gender expression on the
SCU campus by providing resources and
Spotlight: Interpreting
across cultures
Photos
by Dana
Bloomquist.
›› pg. 3
This newspaper, like many other things, is recyclable.
February 21, 2011 - Volume 78, Issue 9
thewheel-scu.tumblr.com
St. Catherine University student newspaper
collaborating with groups like People Respecting organization is pleased with the resulting
Identity Differences and Equality (PRIDE). change and the direction of the task force
“It’ll broaden [our initiatives],” Matz said. this semester.
“We’re still working on Body Love for this “Ultimately, we’re all happy with ‘Women
year. Body Love is going to be even more and Gender.’ And ultimately we all wanted
inclusive than it ever has been. Queer bodies a change--we saw that in the vote. No one
are represented in our body art projects and voted to keep [the title] the same,” Matz said.
we’re going to have a focus on [this].” Podvin agreed, looking ahead to the full
After discussing the potential name change roster of gender-inclusive events to come
with Women’s Initiative members and other this semester.
MPIRG leaders, the issue was brought “I think that the work [the members of the
to an instant run-off vote that included task force] are doing and the activities and
returning MPIRG members, new members, events they are planning really accomplish
and the general student what they wanted
population. the name change
Voters could choose to address,” Podvin
to ke e p “Wo m e n’s “Wewere...acknowledging said.
Initiatives” as the task
force title, or they could
that there was a wide variety The next big
events for the
choose from “Women of feminist identities Women and Gender
and Gender Initiatives,”
“Gender and Sexuality,”
represented.” task force include
Body Love and Take
or “Women, Gender and -Leah Matz, Women and Back the Night.
Sexuality.” Anyone interested
After a heated debate GenderCo-TaskForceLeader in participating in
between “Women and the Women and
Gender” or “Gender and Gender task force
Sexuality”, voters decided on the former. At or MPIRG’s other two task forces (Green
issue were concerns over limiting the outreach Initiatives and Affordable Higher Education)
of the group due to inciting controversy as can get involved by attending a meeting any
well as blurring the organization boundaries Tuesday at 5 p.m. in room 362 of the Coeur
between MPIRG and PRIDE. de Catherine.
“It was difficult,” Matz said. “We were
recognizing and acknowledging that there was
a wide variety of feminist identities represented Tréza can be reached at
at the table and we had to somehow come tjrosado@stkate.edu.
to a consensus amongst all those and find
something that made us all happy.” Rachel can be reached at
Although the name change and the discussion rmarmstrong@stkate.edu.
it spurred were at times contentious, the
Left: Felix Mugisha is a sign language interpreter from Uganda. Mugisha came
to St. Catherine University (SCU) to learn about the university’s sign language
interpreting program and to share his interpreting experiences in Africa with
students, faculty, and staff.
Below: Mugisha speaks at an event hosted by SCU’s American sign language
(ASL) club to field questions about interpreting. Mugisha’s visit was coordinated
by SCU’s CATIE Center, which works to expand interpreting opportunities and
training, in the community, and Global Deaf Connection, a non-governmantal
organization (NGO) which emphasizes on fostering equality and opportunities
for deaf individuals around the world. At the event, members of the ASL club
learned about the possibilites of getting involved with Global Deaf Connection
and working as interpreters internationally.
To learn more about opportunities through the CATIE Center or about Mugisha’s
visit, email catiecenter@stkate.edu.
To learn more about Global Deaf Connection, visit deafconnection.org.
2 | The Wheel NEWS & OPINION
Theory to action:
Sustainable campus
activism
By Elissa Johnson
political columnist
Higher education presents a complicated reality for activist-oriented, socially conscious
student change-makers. They are compelled to address issues of disparity and injustice
around their campuses and create an atmosphere of solidarity within the student body
while simultaneously working with, but under, the administration to achieve these goals.
Through semester-long drives, “entertainment with a purpose” events, petitions created in
Microsoft Publisher and letters-to-editor of the school newspaper, these student-activists
get the issues to the campus public and instigate change in their collegiate atmosphere.
Some large, some small, these changes take many forms but always are intended to alter
campus life for the better.
At St. Catherine University (SCU), campus activism has made available Peace Coffee,
expanded technology options, and created productions by and for the women on this
campus to expose hardships and celebrate womanhood. Student activists give complicated
answers to questions like, “What do you do at St. Kate’s?” because the work they do in
class is only a small portion of the work they feel is important to their student identity
and academic careers.
But what happens after graduation? It seems nearly trivial to fight for something
that, by the time graduation rolls around, could be obsolete. What kind of notoriety do
these campus activists hope to achieve by being able to say at graduation something like,
“When I was just a first-year we had to fight for the right to chalk the sidewalks”? What
is accomplished if, over the course of one year (or one semester,) a new group of student
Breaking down walls:
Media biases and the
democratic process
By Jordyn Arndt
international columnist
During my flight from New Delhi to Newark on Saturday, Jan. 29, I was intrigued by the
front page article in the Washington Post: “Cairo falls into near-anarchy.” In a jet lagged,
Dramamine-induced state, I glanced at the image of burning cars and public unrest next
to the black and white text before dozing off once again. That afternoon, having returned
home after a month in India with TV access limited to Hindi music videos and soap operas,
I was stunned to read about the riots in Egypt, though not entirely surprised.
I have been avidly following the political revolution in Egypt over the past few weeks.
Since Jan. 25, tens of thousands of Egyptians have been protesting in the streets in an effort
to force the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. I spent a month in Egypt during Jan.
2008 and was introduced to the complexity of Middle East politics and the strategic role
Egypt plays in the region as a key U.S. ally.
While the sensationalist accounts of what is taking place in Egypt abound, many underlying
causes of this dissent are conveniently omitted in corporate-owned, mainstream U.S.
media sources. The United States has supported the Mubarak dictatorship for the past 30
ST. CATHERINE UNIVERSITY WHEEL STAFF
Volume 78, Issue 8
Editor-in-Chief: TREZA ROSADO
Layout Designer: SARAH WENTE
Associate Editor: RACHEL ARMSTRONG
Assistant Editors: BECKY DOUCETTE, ALEXA CHIHOS
Copy Editor: DANA BLOOMQUIST
Photo Editors: DANA BLOOMQUIST, JESSICA JONES, HEATHER KOLNICK
Adviser: SHEILA ELDRED
Senior Staff Writers: JORDYN ARNDT, CLAIRE DAVIDSON, ELISSA JOHN-
SON, DANA BLOOMQUIST
Staff Writers: MAGGIE WEISS, ELYSE JOHNSON, KATRINA GROSHENS,
MOLLY DAVY, CHEYFAUN BRYANT, CAITLIN SNODGRASS
If you would like to write for The Wheel, please contact us at
wheel@stkate.edu.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Wheel aspires to reflect the diversity and unique atmosphere that
comprises St. Catherine University. We strive to provide an inclusive
newspaper primarily for the students and by the students. The Wheel
promotes the vision of 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 journal-
istic standards and stand in accordance with the 1st Amendment 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 indi-
vidual, 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.
February 21, 2011
change-makers decides that this project you worked on ceaselessly, skipped lunch for, got
a C in that class because of, isn’t a big deal? Will all of the hassle with administration and
lack of a social life matter when you leave this place? Does campus activism really matter
in a broader context?
The quick answer is yes. And here’s why.
The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee played a major role in
organizing students and community around sit-ins, freedom rides and the March
on Washington in 1963 as part of the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
Anti-globalization activists from across the nation gained momentum through
campus buzz and showed up in force to protest the World Trade Organization
Ministerial Conference in 1999, marking the largest anti-globalization protest to date.
The feminist movement met the university when women activists at universities across
the nation who realized that allowing women to participate in higher education was
not enough. They acknowledged that women deserve respect within the institution and
demanded that change come from inside the administration.
Anti-war movements have on flourished onuniversity campuses since WWII, as campus
activists continue to work for peace at home and abroad through various campus-initiated
endeavors.
None of this would have been possible without individuals who saw the necessity in
dedicating what time they had during their short years as undergraduates. Student activists
see that movements may start small, but they are far reaching. Even seemingly insignificant
changes reflect the ability to challenge a system.
Passions shift, power shifts, engagement and possibilities in the campus climate wax and
wane. Students who act on the urgency of issues important to them and to the campus build
a student body that recognizes that, with dedication, a few people can make a big difference.
You may be expecting a famous activist quote by Margaret Mead, something about the
dedication of just a few thoughtful, committed individuals and the world-changing work
they can do. Well, Mead was a woman of merit and many words. As you assess the worth
of your campus engagement, think of these words of hers, with which I tend to agree: “I
must admit that I personally measure success in terms of the contributions an individual
makes to her or his fellow human beings.”
So what will you contribute?
Elissa can be reached at ejjohnson@stkate.edu.
years, perpetuating the oppression of Egyptians’ economic opportunities and access to
political and religious freedoms. The annual 1.5 billion dollars of U.S. aid to Egypt was
predominantly used to support the repressive security system rather than the livelihoods
and wellbeing of the Egyptian public. Increased levels of poverty, corruption, and income
inequality have fostered dissent among Egyptians and helped foster this revolution, led
predominantly by the nation’s youth.
In the United States, freedom, democracy, capitalism, and apple pie seem to be synonymous.
However, in reality, the application of these so-called American values seems to be that
democracy should reign worldwide only if it receives the approval of the United States,
the world’s self-appointed global policing entity. Supporting a brutal dictator in Egypt
was justifiable despite its obvious infringement upon democracy, because it supported
U.S. geopolitical interests in the region.
If the United States is such a strong supporter of democracy, then why are the protests
in Egypt framed in a threatening manner? Democracy is about hearing the voice of the
people. Egyptians are speaking and trying to determine the fate of their country based
on their own needs and interests, rather than those of foreign influences and unwanted
dictators. Why are we trying to silence it in terms of media representation predominated
by sensationalism and in terms of physical suppression through American-made crowd
control products?
The general public is largely unaware that U.S. tax dollars supported Mubarak’s regime
and continue to support the silencing of democracy in the country. The tools used to
suppress the protesting masses were developed in the United States. Egypt is the second
largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid after Israel. While neither Israel nor Egypt is considered
a “developing country,” both countries continue to receive one-third of all U.S. aid. Missiles,
tanks, and engines have been supplied to the Mubarak regime by Lockheed Martin, Boeing,
and General Electric over the past few decades.
If you have been unaware of this disturbing reality and rely on NBC Universal for your
daily news, this convenient omission could be attributed to the fact that NBC Universal is
owned by Comcast and General Electric. As partial owner of NBC, General Electric failed
to reveal its less-than-favorable ties with the oppressive Egyptian regime to the general
public. This revelation could generate negative attention for General Electric and perhaps
initiate a loss in consumer confidence.
The Egyptian revolution is an important moment in history. Egyptians are demanding
democracy despite 30 years of oppression fostered, in part, by the United States. A wave of
protests inspired by those in Egypt and Tunisia has spread through Bahrain, Yemen, Iran,
and Libya. While each protest is different and specific to its region, they are unified by
the desire of the people to hold their governments accountable to the needs and interests
of the majority rather than the elite minority. Now is the time to critically analyze what
is taking place in the Middle East, as it will have an impact on the region and the world
in years to come.
Jordyn can be reached at jearndt@stkate.edu.
The Wheel staff would like to
recognize our Editor-in-Chief,
Tréza Rosado, for her win at
The Associated Collegiate Press’
Best of the Midwest conference.
Treza’s editorial, “An American
in Accra: A Retrospective”, won
first place in the category of
commentary/editorial.
Congratulations, Tréza!
February 21, 2011 FEATURES The Wheel | 3

Editorial: The
Meet the new Wheel politics of women’s
health
editorial staff By Tréza Rosado
editor-in-chief

Name: Alexa Chihos
Age: 20
Major: Social Work
Position: Assistant Editor
Why should we get to know you?
I have 5 piercings and 2 tattoos.
Enough said.
What’s your favorite winter
activity? Playing ridiculous riffs
on my guitars.
Name: Becky Doucette
Age: 19
Major: Theology and English
Position: Assistant Editor
Why should we get to know
you? I’m seriously addicted to deep
conversations, caffeine, and pizza.
What’s your favorite winter
activity? Getting snowed in and
being “forced” to watch movies and
drink hot cocoa with friends.
Name: Jessica Jones
The past few weeks have been somewhat of a nightmare if you happen to have ovaries
in America.
First, the Republican party attempted to “redefine” rape—ostensibly, to save taxpayers
money. The bill aimed to make permanent certain bans on federal funding for abortions.
Per this agenda, the bill would only provide funding for those pregnancies resulting from
“forcible rape.” Most people would argue that “forcible rape” is a completely redundant
phrase, akin to saying “ATM machine” when ATM already stands for Automated Teller
Machine. However, Republicans pressed on—seemingly comfortable in the absurdity of their
position. Although Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives eventually dropped
the controversial language from the bill, the bill and its inherent hypocrisy went forward.
The hypocrisy of course being that a leading cause for the current budget crisis can be
directly linked to the financial ineptitude of the previous administration and their insistence
on conducting two long-term wars while simultaneously cutting taxes.
And now, when we’ve finally reached a boiling point on the deficit and our national debt,
Republicans have decided that the best way to rein in spending is to remove funding for
rape-induced abortions. Twisting the knife further into our nation’s collective uterus, the
GOP-led House approved a budget that removed all $75 million of Planned Parenthood’s
federal funding. The bill also erases the $317 million budget of Title X. Title X, if you
didn’t know, helps to fund the clinics where 4.7 million Americans receive their health care,
according to correspondent Sandra Fish of Politics Daily.
I’m not entirely sure where the Republican obsession with controlling women’s reproductive
systems stems from but it’s obvious that their growing obsession (coupled with their growing
power) is seriously undermining both women’s rights and the financial priorities of this
country. It’s as though the GOP sees women’s clinics and free clinics as solely dedicated
to abortions and nothing else. Their inability to see the forest for the trees prohibits them
from recognizing that STD testing, breast exams, and gynecological exams are all provided
by Planned Parenthood and others targeted by this budget proposal. Matters of women’s
health do not just revolve around abortion and birth control.
The budget deadline is Mar. 4. Presumably, the government can reach a reasonable
compromise before that date or we might well see a congressional shutdown.
But who can really say anymore. Rape apparently no longer means rape and women’s
health is somehow expendable these days; Congress’ collective ability to see reason might
well be irreparably impaired.

Age: 19 Tréza can be reached at tjrosado@stkate.edu.

Major: Undecided

Position: Co-Photo Editor

Why should we get to know you?

I ride a motorcycle, my tattoo is of
an iconic child hood rabbit, and
almost all of my clothes are from
my grandma’s closet.
What’s your favorite winter
activity? All of them: sledding, snow
forts, and the winter medallion hunt!
Name: Heather Kolnick
Age: 17
Major: Studio Art & Art History
Position: Co-Photo Editor
Why should we get to know
you? You might find my awkward
presence endearing.
What’s your favorite winter
activity? Playing Oregon Trail on
my iPhone while curled in the fetal
position.
Black history month in
full swing
• MIPS and other organi-
zations raise campus-wide
awareness
By Cheyfaun Bryant
staff writer
When people think of the month of
February, they usually think of chocolate,
love in the air, or pink and red. But Feb. is
also Black history month, and there’s a lot
going on at St. Catherine University (SCU).
Ciara Houston, Multicultural and
International Programs and Services (MIPS)
office coordinator, and Heather Jackson,
MIPS’ multicultural outreach coordinator,
believe Black history month is a time to look
back on the accomplishments of African
American people throughout history.
MIPS is celebrating in a big way.
“[Black history month] is not the only
month we celebrate, [but it’s] the loudest,”
Houston said.
Feb. is filled with events for all students
to attend. Earlier this month MIPS, along
with the St. Kate’s Activities Team (SKAT)
and Leaders 4 Literacy, hosted a play called
“African America” which focuses on the
experience of immigrants from Liberia,
Ethiopia, and Somalia.
This month’s cornbread and chili night
(co-hosted by the Black Student Association)
featured “Untangling the Black Hair Trap”,
which focused on the African American
woman’s relationship with her hair.
Coming up this week is a showing of the
Chris Rock film “Good Hair” on Feb. 23 in
The Pulse. The movie also focuses on African
American women, their hair, and defining
the phrase “good hair”.
Last but not least, MIPS will be bringing
a group of students to the Pan-African
Conference at Minnesota State University,
Mankato. The conference has been held
every year for more than three decades and
is a respected forum for learning more about
issues of importance to African Americans.
With all of these events, everyone at SCU
can enjoy an educational Black history month.
Even when there isn’t a special month, the
MIPS office always has plenty going on. Stop
by the MIPS office on the second floor of
the Coeur de Catherine (CdC) to pick up a
calendar of all this month’s events, to take
their weekly quiz, or to visit their resource
library.
Cheyfaun can be reached at
cvbryant@stkate.edu.
4 | The Wheel FEATURES February 21, 2011

Mixed media; many faces
• The Catherine G. Mur-
phy Gallery showcases
work of faculty
By Molly Davy
staff writer
St. Catherine University’s (SCU) Catherine
G. Murphy Gallery, located in the Visual Arts
Building, showcases two faculty artists in its
two new exhibitions which opened on Feb. 5.
In the West Gallery, studio art professor
Carol Lee Chase’s show “The World Behind
The World” is a mid-career survey of Chase’s
work from the beginning of her career
to present. Chase has amassed a body of
work exhibiting her exploration in oil paint,
gouache and wax. The show provides a
collective view of Chase’s experimentation
with media and processes throughout her
career. This experimentation is evident in
her wax paintings, the variety of line, and
diverse use of light in each piece. It is also
interesting to see the growth from realism in
her landscapes to her more recent, abstract
work.
One of the most striking paintings to fit
this description is Coiled: pure gold. It is made
up of a sinewy conglomerate of yellow lines
applied over hints of green, causing the maze
of lines to pop out to the viewer as well as
reference depth and dimension. While viewing
Coiled, one is reminded of coral or sponges
due to the magnified porous imagery Chase
represents. Additionally, the great control
of medium and knowledge of color and
shape would be impressive to anyone – but
especially those who have worked with the
(often troublesome) medium of oil paint.
“[The show is] yet another example of
[Chase’s] incredible ability with color and
her mark-making skills with a paint brush,”
Anna Garski, junior art student said. “Her
paintings are captivating and mysterious. At
the opening, I couldn’t pull my boyfriend
away to go meet her because he was too busy
examining one of her paintings. ”
Chase’s ability to influence a viewer’s mood
through her use of light and color is striking.
Comparing how one feels while seeing what
appears to be a brightly lit landscape in Mirror
gives one a feeling of warmth and comfort,
while a work such as Nocturne I is beautiful,
but slightly eerie with its cooler colors and
sharp lines resembling tree branches lit by
a full moon.
“I identify as an observer of the world and
ask: What can I do with all that I observe? How
do I interpret, filter, and bring something back
out into the world?” Chase said, regarding the
heavy influence of nature in her work. These
questions prompt her into an alternate way
of seeing the world, in which simple things
we take for granted each day are suddenly
given a new beauty under her eye.
In the East Gallery, “The Catherine Portrait:
Paintings by Patricia Olson, Sister Mona
Riley Endowed Professor in the Humanities”
will surely catch your eye as a result of the
numerous members of the SCU community
who may familiar to you as your professors,
fellow students, alumnae, and administrators. from 12 p.m. to
Olson breathes life into her 6 p.m. The showcase ends on Apr. 3.
portraits by considering the
question, “What does it mean
to be an individual with specific
characteristics and gifts, and yet
to be immersed in a community
that has common aspirations
and values?” Olson answers this
question by painting each portrait
individually, on separate canvases
of the same size, bringing out
the qualities of each person that
make her or him unique. This
individuality is shown in things
as simple as a smile, a glint in the
eyes, or a tip of the chin.
“Every time I look at that
portrait, I greet the past Katherine
– I remember who I was, how I
felt, and know how I changed,”
junior art student and portrait-
subject Katherine Curtis said of
her experience with the project.
The artwork can be appreciated
as complete when all forty portraits Above: Nocturne I by Carol Lee Chase is a piece
are viewed as one, collective work. featured in the Catherine G. Murphy Gallery’s
It is then that the artistic intent West Gallery.
comes through in the fascinating Top and bottom: Selected portraits from The
combination between the specific Catherine Portrait: Paintings by Patricia Olson, Sister
individuality within each portrait, Mona Riley Endowed Professor in the Humanities
versus the purpose and function
they all share as a portrait of a Photos by Dana Bloomquist, printed with permission
community. of the Catherine G. Murphy Gallery.
The Catherine G. Murphy
Gallery is open Monday through Friday from Molly can be reached at
8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday mcdavy@stkate.edu.

Put on
Tickets will be sold in advance for $5, and organizations, one SCU academic department More women die from heart disease each
can be purchased the week prior to the show has provided a lasting contribution to the year than from any other cause, and both
in the Coeur de Catherine 2nd floor atrium. event: dresses. As a class assignment, Dr. Halverson and Rivard hope to raise awareness

your little
Tickets purchased at the door cost $8. Anupama Pasricha of the Family, Consumer, of that fact at SCU.
The coordinators of LRD emphasize the and Nutritional Sciences (FCNS) department Both women are passionate about leading
opportunities for charity and education asked her students to create dresses for the heart-healthy lifestyles. They emphasize the

red dress
• Students prepare for charity
fashion show
By Caitlin Snodgrass
staff writer
St. Catherine University (SCU) possesses
a unique, socially conscious spirit due to the
emphasis its community places on issues of
social justice. Throughout the year, there are
many opportunities to see this spirit in action.
One such opportunity for generosity and
simultaneous socializing is fast approaching:
the second Little Red Dress (LRD) Fashion
Show, which will take place on Saturday, Feb.
26 from 7-10 p.m. in Rauenhorst Ballroom.
inherent in this event. All of the proceeds
will fund the American Heart Association’s
Go Red for Women campaign, which the
American Heart Association describes as
“a passionate, emotional social initiative
designed to empower women to take charge
of their heart health.” The fashion show will
support Go Red for Women’s broad social,
educational, and community initiatives to
raise awareness of the impact that heart
disease has on women.
This year, multiple student organizations
have participated in the preparations for the
event, particularly the Public Health Club
and the Medical Interest Group (the original
sponsor of the event when it first occurred
in November 2009). Community businesses
were also asked to contribute gift certificates
and dresses, all of which will be available for
purchase through a silent auction.
In addition to the contributions of student
event. These dresses will be auctioned off
just like the others at the LRD fashion show.
Other students in the FCNS department
created quilts and accessories, also for the
auction.
Planning such an elaborate event has
required the integral assistance of many
individuals, all of whom are committed to
LRD’s mission.
LRD Chair, senior Quinn Halverson, and
junior Abbie Rivard, Co-President of the
Public Health Club, have both been pleased
by the support they’ve received from many
SCU organizations and offices.
“This event has provided a perfect
opportunity for collaboration between
multiple student organizations, which does
not always happen,” Rivard said.
Halverson has had “a blast” planning Little
Red Dress, which she agreed has been “truly a
collaboration of many of the school’s clubs.”
importance of diet and exercise on heart
health. Rivard is particularly dedicated as
both of her parents use cardiac pacemakers
due to heritable heart diseases.
“Little Red Dress is very important to me
as it attempts to spread awareness about the
number-one killer of women in the United
States: heart disease. It is never too early to
begin preventing heart disease, and we feel
that Little Red Dress makes students more
thoughtful about their diet and exercise
regimens,” Halverson said.
Rivard hopes that while students are
enjoying the fashion show, silent auction,
and concert, they will also be increasing their
awareness of their own health.
“This is an issue we all need to work together
[on] and help raise awareness of how to lead
a heart-healthy lifestyle,” Rivard said.
Caitlin can be reached at
cmsnodgrass@stkate.edu.
February 21, 2011 FEATURES The Wheel | 5

And the award goes to...

• 17-syllable summaries of Academy Award Best Picture nominees
capture the essence of this year’s most acclaimed films
Our bi-weekly
By Tréza Rosado
editor-in-chief meetings are now open
to anyone, staffers and
For people uninterested in the spectacle of armored men ramming into other armored men in pursuit
of a strangely shaped ball, February offers an annual event other than the Super Bowl that provides an
non-staffers alike.
equally arbitrary method for losing money on poorly informed bets:

The Academy Awards. If you have an idea

for publication,
As The Wheel always strives for excellence in its reporting, we used a highly scientific method of
statistical analysis to arrive at our rankings. That is, we checked Entertainment Weekly’s rankings and suggestion for future
adjusted them according to our youthful bias.
issues, or an interest in
Summaries of Best Picture nominees, in haiku form: writing, please attend!

The Social Network The Fighter 127 Hours

Meetings are
The Facebook movie It’s like The Wrestler Climber cuts off arm held in the Student
Better than you might expect Mark Wahlberg is a boxer I hear James Franco is great
Somewhat sexist though Family drama Must have strong stomach Organization Center of
The King’s Speech True Grit Winter’s Bone
the Coeur de Catherine
Colin Firth stutters Remake of John Wayne What even is this? at 5 p.m.
Helena Bonham Carter Hailey Steinfeld is unreal Excuse me while I Google
Probably will win Coen Bros. for life “Meth in the Ozarks”
Next meeting:
The Kids Are All Right Inception
Kids find sperm donor Your dreams are not safe The Academy Awards will take place on March 6.
Lesbian moms in crisis Hans Zimmer score will change you Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. CT, and will be televised
Unwanted plot twist Was it all a dream? on ABC.
Email wheel@stkate.edu
Toy Story 3 Black Swan for more information.
The one film you’ve seen Dancer goes crazy Tréza can be reached at
Toy owner outgrows his toys Mixture of horror and drama tjrosado@stkate.edu.
Existential angst Is overrated

Listen local: Ntxhais

Center for Women. Hmong Daughters now
meet monthly.
“We pull out the Kaj Siab box…we usually
just write questions or things that are on our

Daughter’s Hmoob mind and we throw it in the box. Someone

draws one, we read it, and whoever wants
to share the answer can,” Xy Xiong, a senior

Debut • Hmong student group

builds community on campus
By Claire Davidson By Becky Doucette
music columnist assistant editor
When you hear of a band named Communist Daughter, it might be easy to assume St. Catherine University (SCU) has more
your eardrums are in for a true hipster treat, and in this case you wouldn’t be wrong. Truly than 200 Hmong students currently enrolled
an amalgamation of local and national indie-rock influences, the home grown musical as day students. Since the population of
chameleons of Communist Daughter offer everything good about independent music and Hmong students at SCU continues to increase,
leave a lasting impression far beyond their radio hits and obscure moniker. a student leadership group has been formed
Like many people, I had only heard of the band’s debut single, “Not the Kid”, from to reach out to Hmong students.
The Current several months ago. Much to my surprise, the rest of their breakout album, Ntxhais Hmoob (Hmong Daughters) of St.
“Soundtrack to the End” outshines the already spectacular first impressions I had gathered Kate’s is not recognized as a chartered club
from my limited exposure. From beginning to end, the album is beautifully composed and on the SCU campus—a conscious decision
a brilliant example of Minnesota’s rich independent music scene. by group members.
If you focused on lead singer Johnny Solomon, for example, you’d find much more than “When you say ‘club’, there’s always some
your typical indie rockstar. As the former front man of Friends Like These, Solomon also sort of leader positions. However, as a student
dabbled in the food industry, opening up a Southern-style restaurant named The Boxcar in leadership group, everyone is the leader of
Prescott, Wis. after a brief hiatus from the music scene. After forming Communist Daughter the group,” Gao Nou Vang, a junior Hmong
(inspired by the Neutral Milk Hotel song) Solomon & Co haven’t stopped promoting their student, said.
debut album on Grainbelt Records. Sia Vang, Hmong Daughters’ co-adiviser,
Now, if you’ve read this column before or are just a local music fan to begin with, you’ll explained the decision to remain unchartered.
notice that once you start paying attention to the countless outstanding acts our city has “I think many groups thrive in their own
to offer, it’s impossible not to draw comparisons between them. Like any great art form, way and their own right,” Sia Vang said, “It’s
the collection of local musicians our city has birthed seems to inspire each other flawlessly important to acknowledge that different
and without restricting the individuality of each separate act. For example, as a vocalist, groups are all unique and there is not just
Solomon sounds like a mixture between The National’s lead singer Matt Berninger and fellow one way to [thrive].”
Minnesota locals Peter Wolf Crier. I also couldn’t help but notice a similar sentimentality The group began with Chuayi Yang,
to Jeremy Messersmith on one of my favorite Communist Daughter tracks, “Speed of the Assistant Director Multicultural and
Sound.” “I still live for sound, but lately all the people seem to talk too loud./And my feet International Programs and Services (MIPS),
are on the ground but all the words I say are comin’ out like clouds,” Solomon sings with Deep Shikha, an economics and women’s
a detached frankness. studies professor, and Sia Vang, the Program
Not confined to one genre or influence, however, Communist Daughter truly display Coordinator in the Abigail Q. McCarthy
their uniqueness in the sense that no one song sounds the same on the entire album. We all Center for Women.
know artists whose whole album could have been digested through listening to one song, Shikha had become aware of the struggles
however Communist Daughter triumphantly escape that faux pas. On another favorite her Hmong students were experiencing.
track, “The Lady is an Arsonist” they deliver a noticeably more pop-influenced vibe, “[Yang, Sia Vang, and I] met and decided
complete with punchy, upbeat verses and fast-paced instrumentation. “I write the letters that we would invite all the Hmong students
you burn before you read, but who could read you better/Than me? A southern boy with on campus for a community gathering,”
a can of gasoline.” Appealingly playful, “Soundtrack to the End” is equal parts indie-rock Shikha said.
brain-candy and the product of truly meaningful lyricists. “From that first gathering, it was decided
Don’t miss their upcoming spring concert on Apr. 15 where you can see them live at by the students that they wanted to maintain
First Avenue. this support/community group,” Sia Vang said.
Hmong Daughters began with eight
Claire can be reached at cedavidson@stkate.edu. students; however, in the fall of 2010 they had
to fit 60 students in the Abigail Q. McCarthy
Hmong student, said.
Sia Vang calls the Kaj Siab box the
“anonymous thought box” and the questions
from students are about topics that vary from
culture-specific, to school, to gender, and to
everyday situations.
Hmong Daughters participates in the
Hmong National Development Conference.
Lasting two days, the conference holds
various workshops centered around Hmong
traditions, marriage, hate crimes, and more.
The workshops are led by multiple age groups
– from high school and college students to
professionals.
“[W]e get to connect with other students
like us and especially with professional Hmong
leaders and professional Hmong women,”
Gao Nou Vang said of the importance of
attending the conference.
Even though they are not chartered,
funding for Hmong Daughters has never
been a problem.
“It’s like a potluck. You don’t need a pot
of money to pool funds from to have an
event. Everyone chips in; everyone helps
out,” Sia Vang said.
In the past, the Abigail Q. McCarthy Center
for Women, MIPS, and Senate have provided
support by helping with registration costs.
Above all, Hmong Daughters is a place
for support.
“I have heard a lot of other [students]
mention similar struggles [to ones I have had].
My parents want me to have an education
and at the same time they want me to keep
the culture and traditions alive, and I can’t
do that. It’s like living in two worlds, you
don’t know where you belong…Hmong
Daughters is like family to me, especially
when I was struggling with so much my first
year, they were there to support me all the
way,” Xiong said.
For Sia Vang, this community is vital to SCU.
“Seek a community. If you don’t see it,
build one,” Sia Vang said.
Becky can be reached at
rjdoucette@stkate.edu.
6 | The Wheel FEATURES February 21, 2011

“What are you Up and Coming at the O’Shaughnessy

wearing?” Compiled by Elyse Johnson

Macalester College Choral Festival

• A look at St. Kate’s most fearless and fashionable Saturday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m.
Tickets: Free
Compiled by Jessica Jones
“The Wizard of Oz” Presented by Out on a Limb Dance Company
and School
Times: Thursday Mar. 3, 7 p.m.
Friday Mar. 4, 7 p.m.
Saturday Mar. 5, 2 p.m.
Tickets: Adults: $22, children/students: $18, group rate (10+): $15
Tickets can be purchased at the door or by contacting Out on a Limb
at 651-644-3802

“Hello Dolly”, Presented by St. Catherine University Theatre

Times: Friday Mar. 11, 7 p.m.
Saturday Mar. 12, 7 p.m.
Sunday Mar. 13, 2 p.m.
Tickets: Adults: $17, ACTC students/community: $7
Tickets can be purchased at the O’Shaughnessy box office or by calling
651-690-6700

The 2010-2011 Body Enlightened Dance Series: Ragamala Dance

Yathra (Journey)
Times: Friday Mar. 25, 8 p.m.,
Saturday Mar. 26, 8 p.m.,
Sunday Mar. 27, 2 p.m.
Tickets: Adults: $29, students/children/seniors: $16, group rate (10 +):
$24
Tickets can be purchased at the O’Shaughnessy box office or by calling
651-690-6700

The end
conservative estimates, it’s been nearly 500
years since they have tracked the Ancient
Long Count calendar. However, more than
seven million people of Mayan descent still

as we live today, and a group of these living Mayans

in Guatemala urgently want it to be known
that their ancient prophecies have been

Kayla Rose,
Senior
Major: Food Nutrition and Business
What are you wearing? My bag is
Kate Spade from Nordstrom’s; boots,
jeans, and scarf are all from Nordstrom’s
Rack, and my sweater and coat are both
from J. Crew.
Any deals? I tend to be drawn to the
bargains and sales.
Where is your favorite place to shop?
Nordstrom’s or J. Crew
What inspires your fashion sense? I
think my mom inspired me a lot with
the sophisticated business yet feminine
look that’s also classy.
What is one thing you would never
wear? Any of the cliché things like Ed
Hardy or Coach.
What most excites you about fashion
and style? I express exactly who I am,
no matter if I dress up or down. I always
can have my signature.
Think your department or major has some exceptionally
stylish students or professors? Let us know and your
department may be featured in a future fashion article.
Contact wheel@stkate.edu with suggestions.
Aryin Wong,
First-Year
Major: Nursing
What where you wearing? My sweater
and dress are from Target, my necklace
is from Charlotte Russe, my belt is
from Vanity, and my boots are from
my neighbor.
Any deals? Sadly, not really any good
deals.
Where is your favorite place to shop? I
love to shop at thrift stores like Goodwill
and Unique because most of the stuff
you find there is one-of-a-kind and
affordable.
What inspires your fashion sense?
People on the street. I try to add my own
spin from there.
What is one thing you would never
wear? I would never wear Crocs [or]
leggings as pants.
What inspires your hair and piercings?
I don’t really know-I did them on a whim
and ended up really liking them.
know it?
• A look at Mayan
prophecy and 2012
By Katrina Groshens
staff writer
The year is 2012. It’s a leap year.
The Summer Olympics begin in
London. Flag Day falls on a Thursday.
Yet another Twilight movie is set to be
released upon the world. And the Mayan
Long Count calendar completes a “great
cycle” of thirteen b’ak’tuns.
2012. Hooray or help?
The year 2012, and more importantly
Dec. 21, 2012, has spiritual and cultural
significance, including prophecies and wisdom
from around the planet. Referring more
precisely to the ancient Mayan culture, the
importance of 2012 dates back to roughly
1500 years ago when this ancient civilization
was using twenty different holistic calendars
simultaneously. The Mayans took into account
everything from biological patterns to aid in
personal and agricultural needs to sun spots
and enormous galactic successions.
According to Mayan calendars, the Earth
entered a new “creation cycle” in 3114 B.C.E,
which is written in Mayan long count as
13.0.0.0.0. This cycle is 1,872,000 days long.
Every day from that beginning point was
measured and on its completion date on the
21st of Dec. 2012, this cosmic odometer will
reset and the planet will return to 13.0.0.0.0.
Will oil peak? Will galactic alignment cause
magnetic north to shift? Will Earth narrowly
miss being hit by an asteroid? Will there be
peace in the Middle East? Will 2012 mark a
new era of telepathic unification for humanity?
Will Twilight still be a box-office hit?
Well we could ask the Mayans, but by
distorted and misrepresented as doomsday
predictions.
The Mayans do not advocate for the
hysteria that has been sensationalized by
others regarding the Mayan prophecy.
St. Catherine University (SCU) senior Gwen
Anderson doesn’t buy into all the Hollywood
frenzy either, but she does believe 2012 could
be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
“If anything does happen, it will be because
of people’s personal beliefs. We should be
cautious,” Anderson said.
“I am concerned about the use of religion
to give secret answers in response to anxiety.
Anxiety is real and there are many things
to be anxious about,” associate professor of
Theology Bill McDonough said.
Rather than encourage or sensationalize,
McDonough offers an explanation of
prophecies: “[P]rophets didn’t see ahead as
much as they saw into the depth of what was
going on around them,” McDonough said.
Other students are not so worried. SCU
student Sarah Hoerr is confident and hopeful
about next year’s potential.
“2012 will teach people that you can’t
believe everything,” Hoerr said.
Even though it may not be clear what is
to come, we can be sure that we are living
in times of great uncertainty. In this time
of doomsday prophecy, we must work on
motivating ourselves not from fear but
from awareness and be encouraged to take
a deeper look into the universe around us.
As we contemplate what the world might
hold into and beyond 2012, we ought to
remember that the future of this next era will
be created first within our own imaginations.
Katrina can be reached at
krgroshens@stkate.edu.
February 21, 2011 HEALTH The Wheel | 7

The Afro- day however, it became clear that the class

workout
• Aerobics with Soul gets
students moving
By Maggie Weiss
staff writer
Music has been known to do extraordinary
things. Recently, it has used to bring soul to
aerobics classes across the country, and here
on the St. Catherine University (SCU) campus.
Aerobics with Soul, a one-credit course at
SCU through the Exercise and Sport Sciences
department, is a movement of aerobics
exercises that is a growing interest among
people of different ethnicities, crossing racial
and cultural bridges using African rhythms.
Participants are encouraged to feel the music
and to move their bodies in response to the
rhythms.
“The backbone of Aerobics with Soul is the
music,” senior Esther Moss said. “Traditional
African rhythms and up-beat musical themes
accompany us as we move our hips, shoulders,
wrists, knees—just about every joint in the
body gets a workout.”
Moss is a student in this unique exercise
class, along with fellow SCU senior Sarah
Hollows. The class meets every Saturday
from 9:15 to 11:15 a.m. in the Fontbonne
gym. The students usually stand in a circle
for a majority of the class period and at the
end of the workout they can free dance to
the music.
“When I first signed up for this course,
I didn’t know what to expect. On the first
was going to be unique and a lot of fun,”
Moss said. “So far, we’ve learned the basic
steps for both the warm-up and aerobics
sections. We sometimes use scarves to add
a little weight to the movements and help
express the emotion of the dance.”
Aerobics with Soul combines various forms
of instrumental and traditional music with
aerobic exercises for a new and enlightening
experience in cardiovascular workouts. SCU
students are more than happy to participate
in this eye-opening class. The course does
not only promote health and wellness, but
it also allows the students to have fun while
working hard.
The instructor, Nëdy Windham, also
teaches Aerobics with Soul at the University
of Minnesota.
“[Windham] is an incredibly inspiring
and powerful presence...who has thus far
sported both tiger and zebra print tights,”
Hollows said.
She is already known to her students for
her bon mots, such as: “The dance is in your
face.” Overall, it seems to work wonders as
an analogy; it helps break down the walls
and limitations that most people would have
when dancing in public. 1. Science affects your day-to-day life. In my three years at St. Kate’s, I’ve seen the realm
Hollows is partial to Windham’s summation
of the course: “Aerobics with Soul isn’t just
about the soul music, it’s about the soul of
the person moving around.”
“This comment is almost always immediately
followed by a laugh that echoes over the
beat of the music and often causes more
than one set of lips in the room to curl up
at the edges into a genuine smile reflecting
the soul within,” Hollows said.
“It’s fun to look across the room at the
smiles on other’s faces after we master a
step,” Moss said.
Maggie can be reached at
maweiss@stkate.edu.
The Melting Point:
Why YOU should
read a science
column
By Dana Bloomquist
copy editor
The Wheel has pages of information about sports, music, travel, politics, news (of course),
health, and an abundance of other noteworthy topics. But I think there is one idea that
unites and encompasses all of these, one whose presence has been sorely lacking in this
publication. What is it, you ask? Take a look at this excerpt from the Merriam-Webster
dictionary:
science: \’si-en(t)s\ noun.
1 : the state of knowing : knowledge as distinguished from ignorance or misunderstanding
Science, you say? You may be asking yourself why I find this so important and why I’ll
be writing about it in subsequent issues of The Wheel--a fair question, considering that no
one seems to talk much about the role of science in the newspaper. So why am I writing
about science? I could go on for a while, but I’ll give you three main reasons.
of science bandied around on campus in a host of ways. There are humanities majors who
look upon it with disdain for being too impersonal. There are health sciences majors who
use it as little more than a tool to graduate, learning just what they need to get by. There
are hard science majors who understand and worship it, but only in an academic setting.
The simple truth is that “science” is all around us. It has become the main framework we
have (in Western cultures at least) for gathering knowledge about the world around us,
and the fruits of this framework make both our modern conveniences and our careers
possible. It’s high time we recognize the relevance of science’s contributions to our lives.
I’m here to say that science matters! We learn this in school to some extent, but I just
want to reiterate: Almost everything we do almost all the time is possible because once,
someone asked “I wonder if...” Almost everything we know is available to us because once,
someone asked “I wonder if...”
2. Now we have the opportunity to do the wondering. Isn’t that exciting? We--all of us
who have the privilege of attending or being affiliated with St. Catherine University--should
care because we are able to. For too long in history, women were left out of the discussions
at the forefront of discovery in almost all disciplines. Now that this is increasingly less and
less the case, let’s celebrate it! Part of what St. Kate’s founding mothers fought so hard
for was an opportunity for women to exercise their passions in all academic disciplines,
including the sciences. Are we going to let this drive and all their hard work fall by the
wayside? Part of the privilege of attending a liberal arts university is having the prerogative
to explore and utilize the myriad of departments that make up this institution; the St.
Kate’s mission enjoins each of us to avail ourselves of the opportunities afforded here to
obtain a cohesive and complete education.

3. It’s fascinating! Around the world, hundreds of thousands of people are devoting their
lives to developing knowledge about the world, and making such knowledge available to
us so we can change the world. There is literally no end to discovering what is out there.
If you begin to develop an interest in the realm of science, you may surprise yourself with
how downright fun and delightful it can be to learn about, and how easy it can be to
incorporate scientific understanding into your life and work.

Happy investigating!
Above: Moss and class instructor Nëdy Windham practice moves in front of the
class during free dance time of Aerobics with Soul. Photo by Dana Bloomquist. Dana can be reached at dlbloomquist@stkate.edu.

Ask Katie!
• The Ask Katie! peer health
advisers answer your health-
related questions
Compiled by Dana Bloomquist
Facts and Fiction about STDs:
Sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, are
something that most of us know relatively
little about. But increasing evidence suggests
that STDs may play a bigger role in many
of our lives than we may think. Worst of
all, STDs are uncomfortable to talk about,
which can fuel myths and unhealthy behavior
around them. So, here are some common
myths dispelled and some little-known facts
revealed.
FICTION: There is no cure for STDs.
This all depends on which STD you are
talking about. For some, such as herpes and
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
(AIDS), there is no known cure. Some STDs,
though, are easily cured: for example, STDs
such as gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia
are all cured with antibiotics.
FACT: 65 million Americans are currently
living with an STD. Half of all sexually active
Americans will be exposed to an STD before
they turn 25, according to the Center for
Disease Control (CDC).
FICTION: You have to be promiscuous
to get an STD.
First of all, some STDs can be spread without
any sexual contact! STDs that involve open
sores can be contracted by any contact with
the sores (these include syphillis, herpes, and
trichomonas). Furthermore, because some
STDs have no initial symptoms, you can be
with one sexual partner for a long time before
either one of you realizes you have one.
FACT: The only STD that affects more
men than women is syphillis. Women’s risks
of being affected by STDs is higher than
that of men according to the CDC. When
women contract an STD, they are less likely
to develop symptoms quickly than men, so
they are less likely to seek treatment. Because
women are often unaware they have an STD,
they are more likely to spread infections and
are more likely to experience serious health
problems as a result of them. What to do
about it? Get tested often, even if you don’t
have any signs or symptoms of STDs!
FICTION: Once symptoms of an STD go
away, you no longer have to worry about it.
Actually, this is wrong for a couple of reasons.
First of all, just because the symptoms are
gone doesn’t mean the disease is gone. For
example, herpes is an STD that may become
dormant, but can still be transmitted even when
it’s not apparently there--so you should ask
any and all sexual partners if they have had a
history of herpes. The second reason is that
untreated STDs, even if they are eventually
cured, can cause long-term problems. For
example, untreated chlamydia can cause
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), which
can cause incurable infertility according to
the CDC. Some STDs are also associated
with cervical cancer (such as some forms
of genital warts, according to the CDC).
FACT: Having one STD can make it more
likely to contract another, such as AIDS.
Some STDs cause you to have open sores on
or around your genitals. These sores provide
extra “access” for bacteria or viruses, such
as the virus that causes AIDS, to infect you,
according to the CDC. And having multiple
Test your knowledge with this STD quiz!
Check for the answers in the next issue of The Wheel.
1. What STD is characterized by what
begin an painless bumps on the genitals,
but if untreated can develop into fleshy,
cauliflower-like sores?
a. chalmydia
b. genital warts
c. AIDS
2. Pregnant women can pass an STD
to their child only at certain periods in
pregnancy.
a. true
b. false
3. Lesbian women can’t get STDs.
a. true
b. false
infections can make your immune system
less able to combat either one. This means
you should always be aware of what’s going
on down there to help protect yourself.
Please note that the Ask Katie! advisers
are not trained medical professionals;
contact your health care provider with
immediate questions or concerns. AskKatie!
should not be used in place of professional
consultation.
Do you have a question you want answered?
Look for the Ask Katie! stalls in your residence
hall or email healthwellness@stkate.edu.
4. Which of the following sexual practices
is most dangerous in terms of contracting
an STD?
a. oral sex
b. masturbation
c. anal sex
5. About how many American teenagers
contract an STD every day?
a. 120
b. 1200
c. 12,000
All this information and more can be
found on the CDC’s website with STD
information: www.cdc.gov/std
8 | The Wheel HEALTH & SPORTS February 21, 2011

From MIAC You are

to NCAA
• SCU student-athlete prepares to
compete nationally
By Alexa Chihos
assistant editor
During the last weekend of regular season
meets, St. Catherine University (SCU)
junior diver Sarah Moody became the first
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
(MIAC) diver to qualify for the 2011 National
Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
Championships.
To qualify for the NCAA Championships, a
diver must achieve the NCAA qualifying score
or higher twice during the regular season, or
once during the conference championship
meet. Then, each diver must send in a video
of their best six dives on both boards, and
go through a selection process by an NCAA
committee to be formally selected to compete
in the NCAA Championships.
Moody qualified multiple times on the 1m
and 3m springboards during Jan., shattering
pool, team, and school records. Moody
qualified four times on the 1m board and
twice on the 3m board in Jan.
In comparison to last season, Associate
head swimming & diving coach Nicole
Hempler emphasizes the benefit Moody has
on qualifying several times before the MIAC
conference meet.
“Going into the selection process last year
with only qualifying the one time at [the
MIAC conference competeition] and only
on the 1-m board hurt her chances of getting
into the meet,” Hempler said.
Diving coach Scott Smith reflected on his
first year coaching at
SCU and the impressive
season Moody has had
in her junior year at
SCU.
“The results thus
far have been quite
amazing. To date, we
have set two school
records, a pool
record, and qualified
for both 1m and 3m
springboards at the
NCAA level. We
haven’t even had the
conference meet yet,”
Smith said. “The fact
that we did it earlier
than she has in the past
says something about
the program and her
personal growth.”
what
you eat
• USDA reveals updat-
ed national nutrition
Moody has to be
formally selected by guidelines
the NCAA committee
a f t e r t h e M I AC By Becky Doucette
championship meet to assistant editor
compete in the NCAA
Championships The United States Department of Agriculture
in Mar. Moody’s (USDA) released an updated 2010 Dietary
successes so far this Guidelines for Americans (DGA). The DGA
season have not was created to help the U.S. population as a
surprised any of whole to be healthier citizens.
the coaches in the The DGA is the platform for federal
swimming & diving nutritional policies and it is followed by
program at SCU, but healthcare, education, and food professionals.
her performance Some of the updates highlighted eating
improvement from less, in order to reduce the overall incidences
Above: Moody prepares for a dive at the Butler Center pool.
last season have in obesity in the US.
Below: Moody (left) and diving coach Scott Smith (right).
surprised her. “What I think is revolutionary about the
Photos by Alexa Chihos.
“Qualifying last ‘eat less’ message is that it’s the first time
year twice on the one we’ve included that in [federal] dietary
meter [springboard] at our last meet of the “Being able to continue on with diving as guidelines,” Jill Hamilton-Reeves, food and
season set up my goal plan to qualify multiple well as getting a higher education has meant nutrition department assistant professor said.
times and to do it on both the one meter a lot to me, sports have always been a huge “As far as the government actually putting
and three meter [springboards] this season. part of my life and I’m very happy to be that in the dietary guidelines – that is quite
I wasn’t completely surprised to qualify this diving with the team and the coaches that I significant.”
year; however, I was surprised at how much have. I hope to finish this season off strong The DGA has also put more emphasis on
my dives and scores have improved from last and am looking forward to my senior year vegetables and fruits.
season,” Moody said. here at St. Kate’s,” Moody said. “I think some Americans simply don’t
Moody’s accomplishments so far this season “Working with [Moody] has been a great follow the guidelines. The old standard food
and in her diving career at SCU have not only experience. I had known her only a bit before, pyramid shows that we should eat more fruits
had an impact on herself, but on the rest of and becoming a coach for St Kate’s has and vegetables than meat and dairy every
the SCU swimming & diving community. been a very rewarding and day. I mean, really who can say they get in
fun aspect in my career. I their 3-5 servings of vegetables consistently?”
am glad I was given the sophomore Alice Fasnacht said.
opportunity to work with Hamilton-Reeves added,“Health is more
such a driven athlete,” than what we eat. It’s about your individual
Smith said. choices.”
Head swimming coach Not all sources agree with the DGA updates.
Shana Erickson reflects on A critique titled “In the face of contradictory
how the success Moody has evidence: Report of the Dietary Guidelines
had during three seasons for Americans Committee (2010),” found in
at SCU will affect future the journal “Nutrition,” addresses on macro
swimmers and divers that and micro levels why the DGA uses weak
go through the program. and contradictory evidence to support its
“St. Kate’s is not just a recommendations.
place with a swimming and Hamilton-Reeves doesn’t necessarily think
diving team, but has a team we should disregard the guidelines. “I don’t
that is striving to gain more think there is anything controversial about
of a national presence, the guidelines, none of these are going to
one swimmer and diver hurt you.” Hamilton-Reeves said.
at a time,” Erickson said. So what should St. Catherine University
(SCU) students do?
Alexa can be reached at “Eat foods closer to their original form,
anchihos@stkate.edu. such as an apple instead of apple juice.”
Hamilton-Reeves said.
“We don’t typically read between the lines,

Upcoming SCU sporting events:

and end up consuming things that are much
more calorie-dense and chemical-dense than
nutrient-dense,” Fasnacht said. “Reading
the label should consist of more than just
glancing at numbers, but actually reading the
DATE   SPORT   OPPONENT   LOCATION   TIME   ingredients, because that is where the food is.”
2/25/2011   Hockey   College  of  Saint   St.  Cloud     7:15  p.m.   In the SCU dining room, Sodexo has
been in the process of providing more
Benedict   materials on how to determine portion size.
2/25/2011   Track  &  Field     Ole  Open     Northfield  (STO)   TBA   For example, they have a pamphlet titled,
“Portion Distortion,” which makes an effort
2/25/2011   Tennis   Northwestern   U  of  M  Baseline   3:30  p.m.   to teach portion control and gives serving
College  (MN)   size estimates.
Fasnacht expressed her ideas about SCU’s
2/26/2011   Hockey   College  of  Saint   Inver  Grove   3  p.m.   options.
“As a self-described veggie-a-holic, who
Benedict   Heights   does not eat pork or chicken, I feel that
2/26/2011   Tennis   Carleton  College   U  of  M  Baseline   6  p.m.   [SCU] has a good variety of food available. I
know some students have issues with Dining
3/1/2011   Hockey   MIAC  Play-­‐Offs   TBA   7  p.m.   Services, but usually I feel these are…aimed
3/3/2011   Hockey   MIAC  Semi-­‐Finals   TBA   7  p.m.   at something bigger than the food served.
There are days when I feel like there should
3/4-­‐5/2011   Track  &  Field   MIAC   TBA   3  p.m/12  p.m   be some more options available, or like
Championships   they have been serving the same thing for
days. But when I look at [dining options at]
3/5/2011     Hockey   MIAC   TBA   7  p.m.   other schools, I’m glad to be at St. Kate’s,”
Championships   Fasnacht said.

3/5/2011   Tennis   College  of  Saint   U  of  M  Baseline     5  p.m.   Becky can be reached at
rjdoucette@stkate.edu.
Benedict