quincy university journalism review

JOURNALISM

REVIEW

SPRING { 2016 }

QU Journalism Review2 3QU Journalism Review

CHRISTOPHER CHAPPELL’E IIIn the midst of balancing more than the average, I stand firmly as a fifth-year senior, Journalism major, from Los Angeles, Calif. I am a part-time photographer and full-time volleyball player here at Quincy. After col-lege graduation, I plan on heading somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean to pursue my dream of playing professional volleyball.

CARLY BETTENCOURT A super senior sports communication major with a minor in marketing. A member of Lambda Pi Eta, Sports Director for QUTV and a former women’s basket-ball player, I enjoy sports, outdoor activities, movies and food. I’ve held jobs at WGEM, The Quincy Herald-Whig, and a front desk clerk at the HFC at Quincy University. Upon graduating I plan to return home to California and seek employment in the marketing field.

GET TO KNOW OUR STAFF

CLE’ANNA MOOREBorn and raised in Chicago, Illinois I traveled to Quincy, Illinois to attend Quincy University and earn my degree in Bachelors of Professional Commu-nication. I am a senior and currently interning for QU`s Sports Communica-tion office. I`ve learned to work hard and be consistent. When I’m not working or studying, I enjoy music, entertain-ment news, sports, and having a good time. After graduation I plan to go to Grad school and receive my Masters in Business and soon start my own entertainment company as well as work in radio. I am currently seeking an internship position with 92.3 (Power 92), one of Chicago`s top radio stations for the summer.

IAN HOWELLFrom Ursa, Illinois, I am a senior double-majoring in communication journalism and English. I am the editor-in-chief of The Falcon, the senior editor of Riverrun literary magazine, a member of the Lambda Pi Eta Communica-tion Honor Society, and a member of the Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society. I also work as a tutor in the Student Success Center and interned and worked in the Office of Commu-nications. After graduation, I would like to go to graduate school to get my Masters in Communication as a graduate assistant. If that does not pan out, I hope to be an astronaut or private detective.

SARAH VAHLKAMPI am a senior communication major with emphases in journalism, broadcast, and public relations. I have lived in Quincy since a young age, and my parents both graduated from Quincy College in 1988 and 1989. I am the president of the Stu-dent Alumni Association and have been a part of Quincy University Television for two and a half years as an anchor, reporter, camera woman, director, and producer. I plan to attend graduate school and then pursue a career in news producing.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Get to Know Our Staff3

Blind Date Keepsakeby Sarah Vahlkamp

4

Big Island: Small Townby Chris Chappell’e

5

Sacred Space:A History of the QU Chapelby Ian Howell

6

Communication in the Fieldby Sarah Vahlkamp

8

The Commuter Experienceby Ian Howell

10

Life Through the QU Lensby Chris Chappell’e

12

Protected by the Popeby Andres Martinez

14

Welcome to the Fish Tankby Carly Bettencourt

15

Jeremy CulverWGEM News, Quincyby Marc Everhart

16

A Change of Heartby Cle’anna Moore

18

Meet the “Krazy” Kelleys:Small-town couple, Hollywood talentby Lexie Broemmer

20

Q-U-I-N-C-Yby Carly Bettencourt

22

Awards/Honor Society23


Blind Date Keepsake

Kristen Roof ’98 and Craig Liesen ’98 felt the love the first time they met. It was their junior year, and Kristen was walking by Craig on the stairs leading to the second floor of Francis Hall when her book bag broke, spewing books across the floor. Craig, being a knight in shining armor, helped her picked up the books.

“I thought he was cute and asked some friends who he was. I thought his name was Chris for the longest time!” Kristen said.

Their story was only beginning, however. A mutual friend of the couple, Jen, decided to set them up on a blind date later after hearing about the chance meeting on the staircase. When Jen told Kristen that she would be going on a blind date, Kris-ten thought she would be meeting with the boy she met on the staircase. Both Kristen and Craig hoped they would be meeting each other, but neither knew for sure.

On the night of the date, Craig brought his friend John along in case the date went badly and he needed an escape plan. The two friends greeted Kristen at the door of her senior house, but when they got to the car to leave, John’s 6’6” height made it nearly impossible for him to fit in the back seat, leaving Kristen to ride in the back alone. The date night turned into a movie night and after watching Face Off, what had begun as

a three person night had turned into the young couple alone on the ride back.

“He walked me to my college house, and I remember picking a leaf off the tree on the way there and telling him to keep it. Years later, I found it in a box of cards, etc. My favorite part of our story is that his mom asked how the

date went that night, and he said he had met the girl he was going to marry.” Kristen said.

After that first date, Kristen and Craig had an instant connection. They continued to date throughout college and both graduated in 1998. When Christmas time came, Kristen was an avid believer in all things Christmas while Craig was not. However, one fateful night, Kristen arrived home to her apartment to the sound of bells and the love of her life kneeling in a Santa suit by the Christmas tree.

Craig and Kristen Liesen were married in October 1999, in Unionville, Missouri. They had two girls together, Chloe, 13, and Courtney, 10, and will be celebrating their 17th wedding anniversary this year.

“Love is like the wind, you can’t see it, but you can feel it.”

-Nicholas Sparks

by Sarah Vahlkamp

“The first thing I think of when I think of Quincy is Cape Airlines’ little nine passenger plane. Every time I fly in and out of Quincy, I have to travel for about an hour on the tiniest plane I have ever been on,” coming from a young woman born and raised in Hawaii. Makena Gleed, a junior Health Services major, has found her way to the university by nothing short of random. She plays volleyball here at QU and found herself adjusting quite well to whatever the Midwest has to offer.

“The biggest thing I like about living in Quincy is having the opportunities to travel to many different states, for a mere cheap gas price, rather than expensive plane ticket,” Makena said. “The hardest part about living in Hawaii is not being able to travel to the mainland because it is very expensive. Since I’ve been in Quincy, I have traveled to over five different states. I have even got to visit some of my family in Missouri, whom I have not seen for over ten years.”

“Living in Quincy does make me reminisce about living in Hawaii,” she said. Her immediate family still lives in Hawaii so she only gets to see them about once a year which has been a challenge, especially over the holidays. Another reason living in Quincy makes Makena miss Hawaii, is the thought of feeling “land locked,” she said. “All my life I grew up next to the ocean, in the ocean.” she added.

For Makena, Quincy has definitely changed her life, and for the better. “It has blessed me with the opportunity to expand my knowledge of cultural differences and geographies,” she claimed, in addition to “gaining experience of living in a small town, relying on a heater to keep me warm in very low temperatures. In which I am not used too, compared to other Mid-West natives.”

There are the simple, finer things in life that everyone experiences, no matter if they are good or bad. Most of them are undeniable because they are what help the growth in one’s journey. The ups and the downs are what make the ride through life all worth it. “I have definitely had my ups and downs while living in Quincy,” Makena stated, “but I will always view my experience as positive regardless of circumstances. I have overcome many obstacles resulting in the development of my character, and lifelong lessons that expanded my knowledge, exchanging my norms for something completely opposite. And most importantly, making lifelong friends from all around the world.”

Quincy University, a small private university, composed of students not only from the Mid-West but from California, Florida and even the Bahamas and Virgin Islands. There is a lot of diversity in such a small area, and with all of which can help broaden the horizons for many whom attend, similar to Makena. If you were to ask anyone on campus that is from the area or within driving distance, they would love to live in Hawaii or at least visit. But of course, for the Hawaiian, going back to Hawaii isn’t the plan.

“I could definitely see myself living in a small town in my future when I marry and have children,” Makena said. She likes the ‘home’ feeling, and getting support from everyone around her in the community. “I think that is a great environment to raise a family in.”

When asked if she could choose any place in the world to live, she chose New Zealand, “Although I have never been there, nor do I own a passport, I have always wanted to travel there.” She said she has, “seen multiple beautiful photographs of the crystal clear beaches, snowcapped mountains, rural mountains and waterfalls. But the ultimate reason why I would love to live there is to learn and experience the culture,” she concluded.

Big Island: Small Townby Chris Chappell’e

Hawaiian native Makena Gleed spends time in the snow at QU. Photo by Chris Chappell’e.


SACRED SPACE

For Friar and professor emeritus of sociology, Joe Zimmerman, the Quincy University Chapel has been a beautiful symbol of the university’s history and values thus far. He believes it is the heart of QU.

“The Quincy University chapel is a building. Someday, it will burn or be demolished, but, for now, it is the home of a living community. For another group, it holds precious memories,” Zimmerman said. “Many alumni of the

University were married in it. Many attended Mass in it, prayed with loved ones in it, prayerfully prepared for exams in it.”

Senior Michael Crotteau has always felt at home in the Quincy University Chapel.“When I enter the chapel, especially when it is quiet and the lights are off, I feel I

am entering into sacred space, a moment of serenity,” Crotteau said.Junior Teresa Gorrell is comforted by the chapel and finds an inner peace in

those walls that is unique from the rest of campus.“When I enter the chapel, I feel myself sinking into an atmosphere of peace. The

sacred images and the presence of Our Lord help draw my heart and mind into the beauty of the silence,” Gorrell said. “Sometimes, when I am alone in the chapel with the Lord, I sing hymns or chant Psalms to praise Him. The musical tones reverberate across the walls and high ceilings. As a student, it is a blessing to have this sacred space set apart as a place of worship.

For more than a century, the chapel has been a guiding light to the thousands of students and faculty that have passed through QU’s doors.

In 1910, gifted architect Brother Anselm Wolff was given a commission to design and construct a chapel for Quincy University. Wolff was a student of the more ac-complished architect, Brother Adrian Wewer.

“Brother Anselm did not live as long as his mentor, Brother Adrian, with the result that he built fewer churches. In fact, I know of only two churches built by Brother An-selm: St. Anthony Church on Meramec Street in St. Louis, Missouri, and the Quincy University Chapel. The University Chapel looks to me like a reduced copy of the St. Louis church,” Zimmerman said.

Before the Quincy University chapel was finished, however, Brother Anselm died after a period of illness.

Finished in 1912, the chapel was made in the Romanesque style of architecture and featured many of the amenities it contains now. These include the 14 Stations of the Cross, the confessional, and the many stunning stained glass windows that adorn the building.

“When you consider that these church buildings have stood for nearly a century, you appreciate the skill with which these brother-architects carried out their work,” Zimmerman said. “Their expectation, no doubt rooted in their European experience, was that the buildings should stand for centuries.”

In 1954, the chapel was redecorated and designed by Father Thomas More Brown, a newly arrived art teacher at Quincy University.

“His religious superiors assigned him to do art, and art he did, from 1954 until his death in 1994,” Zimmerman said. “Through almost all of those years, he put his stamp on practically every aspect of the Quincy College environment. He began his career by redecorating the cha-pel, a bold initiative, when you consider that he had been assigned to the College for only a year or two.”

The dominant feature of the redecora-tion is the massive figure of Jesus the Pantocrator. Other features included the paintings of angels and saints in the sanctuary and on the ceiling and a move from the Romanesque architecture style to the Byzantine style.

Several more minor redesigns and redecorations have taken place since then, adding wooden carved sculptures, holy oils, wall plaques, and renovating the tabernacle and the friary choir area.

The wall plaques commemorate important people who have attended or taught at Quincy University. These include plaques dedicated to Dr. and Mrs. Frank Brenner for their financial support of the 1970 renovation of the chapel; Father Augustine Tolton, the first publicly acknowledged African American Catholic priest in the United States, who attended

Quincy University as a student; and Todd Scrum, a transfer student who was killed in 1987 by an unknown assailant on a drive back to his home. The plaque was placed by Father Dennis Koopman, a professor of chemistry at the time, who knew Scrum and his family.

In 2013, alumni and friends of Quincy University raised over $100,000 toward chapel preservation efforts, which completely funded the exterior repairs including a new roof.

Now, as part of Quincy University’s Forever Forward campaign, the chapel will be renovated in several ways.

100 years of varying temperatures, wind, rain and gravity have taken a toll on the windows, causing them to shift and buckle. Repairs are needed to protect the glass from further damage and preserve their beauty for years to come.

The organ is in need of new pipes and wind regulators to be restored to a fully functioning state. Music and liturgical services will be further enhanced with the installation of a sound system.

Finally, the chapel requires plaster and structure repair to the walls, ceiling, columns, and original moldings and careful preservation and restoration of hundreds of religious paintings found both on plaster and canvas surfaces. The infrastructure requires upgraded plumbing, a fire protection system, HVAC, electric, and lighting to ensure optimum preservation conditions and increased safety.

Friar Joe Zimmerman hopes that the Forever Forward campaign will help keep the chapel in pristine condition because it is an important part of life at QU.

“It is good to remember that this building has served as a space for prayer for thousands of men and women from 1912 to the present. I think, for example, of all the former Franciscans who served here, many of whom were priests and who presided at the Eucharist either at the main altar or on one of the side altars, day after day. I think of all the lay brothers and students who attended Mass and other services here,” Zimmerman said. “Hundreds, and perhaps, thousands, of weddings have taken place in the chapel... If all those people could speak, could tell their sto-ries, we would be kept busy a good piece of the time till judgment day.”

by Ian Howell

“When I enter the chapel,

especially when it is quiet and

the lights are off, I feel I am

entering into sacred space, a

moment of serenity,” -Michael Crotteau

“When I enter the chapel,

I feel myself sinking into an

atmosphere of peace.

The sacred images and the

presence of Our Lord help draw

my heart and mind into the

beauty of the silence,” -Teresa Gorrell

A History of the QU Chapel

Interior of QU Chapel. Photo submitted.


Finding the right story as a Communication Broadcast major is much like playing in a baseball game according to fifth-year senior, Ryan Snyder. Baseball requires a professional uniform, focus for determining where the ball will be hit, and intuition in knowing what the next play should be.

Dressed in esteemed black trousers and a grey polo, Ryan

leads the weekly editorial meeting like he was leading his

baseball team as a captain.

His black hair is slicked back, and he holds himself just high enough to be authoritative without being demeaning. He has an interview with the local police chief later that day, and he wanted to be focused and prepared in professional attire.

Ryan has just recently been appointed as the editorial manager, and he takes his position seriously as the leader of a new idea: the idea that Quincy University gather all of its media outlet editors into one room every week.

For many years, The Falcon and Quincy University Televi-sion, QUTV, have been separate entities with the same purpose of reporting news on campus. It wasn’t until the fall semester of 2015 that communication professors within the department decided that the two outlets needed to adapt to the changing world and work together in one environment. A decision was made to hold a weekly editorial meeting in which the editors and staff of each media outlet were to discuss upcoming and current stories for shows and issues.

The communication department also introduced a new media outlet as well- QU Media. QU Media is a news website run by students who report on different stories every day. This gives students the opportunity to receive news on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis from three separate news sources. Ideas are shared between members to not only encourage other ways of approaching a story, but also to avoid more than one media outlet covering the same story in the same way.

Before transferring to QU from the University of Central Missouri, Ryan completed an internship with Fox Sports Midwest in their pre and post-game broadcasts for the St. Louis Cardinals.

“In my internship, the producers were getting together, the video editors, the on-field reporters, and the in-studio guys- they were all together at the same time constantly coor-dinating what they were doing. I think getting to that level with the editorial meetings really helps,” Snyder continued.

The editorial meetings and the addition of QU Media are not the only changes being made within the department. Beginning in the fall of 2016, students will no longer be able to choose between the current five separate majors: broadcast, journalism, public relations, professional communication, or ad-vertising. Instead, broadcast and journalism will be combined into a Multimedia Communication major, and public relations, advertising, and professional communication will be combined into a Public Relations and Strategic Communication major.

The decision to combine the majors comes with the evolu-tion of new technology and devices within the working news world. Social media, which became popular beginning in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, has developed into such a neces-sity that people in news are being forced to adapt and learn new ways of generating news.

Thirty years ago when knowledge in only how to write for print journalism was acceptable, video production and how to upload short clips to web stories or social media sites were not necessary or considered skills. Now, journalist and broadcast majors are entering into a world of multimedia communication where having experience in both print and broadcast estab-lishes the upper hand.

Sara Belmont, a 2015 broadcast graduate who now works as a Newscast Director and Master Control Operator for KWWL in Waterloo, Iowa, agrees that combining skills and social media have become important aspects in news.

“I wish I (would have) had the time to take the course on social media communications… Social media and web is growing so I would definitely put an emphasis on being com-fortable with writing web stories for any communication job,” Belmont said.

Multimedia skill has also become important in the job market that has previously been print only- newspapers. Andy Martinez, a December 2015 graduate, seized the job oppor-tunity of a page designer and copy editor for the local Quincy newspaper, the Herald-Whig, after graduating. He believes that students enrolled at QU should try any and every opportunity presented to them to learn new skills, whether it be in print or broadcast.

“I believe students should receive a multimedia education. One of our most talented reporters takes a camera with her and, for the most part, shoots her own photos. It’s something very unique and a very invaluable skill,” Martinez said.

A class specifically designed to teach students about the different platforms and uses of social media was also implemented last year by a communication professor who was hired in the spring of 2014 after spending 25 years working in broadcast news. The social media class encourages students to post daily on sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twit-ter. It delves into the analytics and logistics of social media such as followers, page views, and content. As social media becomes a norm in the news world, students are taught not only how to use social media as a college student, but also as a professional.

As Ryan prepares to leave Quincy University, he vows to not only turn the education he received into valuable knowl-edge and skills for his career, but to also encourage future

OMMUNICATIONby Sarah Vahlkamp Changes in the Field

communication students to “learn everything they can in anything they can.”

“The advice I would give freshman is to get involved right away and just ask questions. If you can go and get involved as a freshman, then you can go four years and really show how much you’ve improved. You can show yourself ‘hey, look at what I’ve done, and look at what I’ve accomplished,” Snyder said.

As the editorial meeting comes to a close and all ideas have been expressed, Ryan asks for any last remarks before adjourning the meeting. No one has any final thoughts so he quietly closes his laptop, and thanks everyone for coming.

He places the laptop in his book bag and closes the zipper slowly, seemingly concentrating on the day ahead; and just like

if he were playing right field in a baseball game, he leaves the room

with focus and determination to lead again next week.

Darek Lambert, left, and Ryan Snyder, right, anchor QUTV All Access, April 2016. Photo by Sarah Vahlkamp.


experienceStaring intently at a computer screen, junior Bryce Moore works on his Photoshop homework in the 4th floor computer lab in Francis Hall. Moore, wearing a beanie, a hoodie, and skinny jeans (a casual outfit common to the campus’s populace), hums softly to himself as he makes minute changes to his picture of waves crashing to shore. It’s 7:30 on a Monday night, and he would not normally still be on campus, but he does not have access to Photoshop at home and is only able to work on his project in this lab.

Bryce Moore is one of the many commuter students at Quincy University. Commuter students do not live on campus and travel from their home to

the university, whether that is several blocks or several towns away. QU’s Office of Institutional Research and Academic Assessment estimate the number of undergraduate commuters at the university to be roughly 490 students, 46% of the student population.

Though commuter students make up nearly half of the student population, some feel as though the university does not give them enough or any accommodation.

“Most of us are lost between the cracks. Most communication does not dis-seminate down to commuters and transfers. It takes a longer time to build a unit to gather info on campus,” Moore said. “There are a lot of conversations that happen organically on campus that I feel like most commuters miss. There seems to be little attempt at spreading the news through channels like social media.”

Other commuters believe QU is attentive to commuters in some aspects.“I think it tries to accommodate commuter students. There’s a lot of tutoring

services that are available that are good that I use. There’s the gym that’s open, and I use it frequently,” Senior Ethan Cowgill said. “I think the parking sucks for the most part, if I’m going to be honest. The parking is probably the biggest issue, because I’ll usually park in the HFC parking lot when I go work out or go to class, but then they’ll just close it off for basketball games or something like that, and it just seems really infrequent why they do that. It’s a pain. Like I pay $16,000 a year, let me park here.”

A common misconception about commuter students is that they are not involved on their campus nor do they care about their school. A recent research project conducted in Senior Seminar in Communication may help begin to dispel this stereotype. 50 students, 30 on-campus students and 20 commuters, were surveyed anonymously on their lev-els of involvement, presence, and feeling of belonging at QU.

Out of 20 commuters, 15 were in-volved in at least one organization at the time of the survey. 13 of 20 also felt that they belonged to QU and held a sense of loyalty to the school.

Junior Roza Panos is one of many commuter students who still retain a sense of loyalty despite not living on campus.

“I feel school spirit. Maybe not like how other people do, since they live on campus so they are like automatically getting the experience, but, even though I’m a commuter, I have a lot of respect and loyalty to QU. I wish I had this extra spirit that they have, but I don’t,” Panos said.

Commuters were split, however, on the survey in regards to attendance of events on campus, with slightly more than half stating that they rarely or never attend events at QU.

Amber Bevier, a commuter student who graduated in December, lives in Nauvoo, a town about an hour away, and cited distance as one of the main reasons she did not often attend events on campus.

“I was not very involved with campus events or organizations. Part of this was because it took me an hour to drive one way to school, so I tended to not want to make the drive if I didn’t absolutely have to,” Bevier said. “And if the event ended late, I would still have to make the hour drive back in the dark. I also rarely felt like waiting on campus for hours until the event would actually start. My commute definitely made attending extra things rather inconvenient.”

Overall, most commuters state that Quincy University was accommodating to them and provided a satisfactory place to study.

“I had an overall positive experience at QU. Professors were always very understanding about my commute and were willing to work with me around my drive time, plus the library, the SSC (Student Success Center), and the commuter lounge in Francis were good places to hang out and work between classes,” Bevier said.

Others, however, believe that, though QU is nice, it would not have been their first choice if they would not have been a commuter student.

“QU gets the job done. If I was a traditional student or freshman, I never would have come to QU for the college experience,” Moore said. “However, I do like the small class sizes and the one-on-one attention I get from my professors. I feel like I will leave my program having the tools I need to be successful in a job.”

the

by Ian Howell

commuters

46%population

Current Assessment of the QU Student Body.

490students

commuter

A student enters the QU Commuter Lounge. Photo by Chris Chappell’e.


Photos by Chris Chappell’e.


T om Huynh looked over his notes for an upcoming test with a sense of fearlessness. “It’s challenging, but I enjoy it,” Huynh said.

Then he begins to clench up just a little bit as an issue is brought up. The thought of talking about the Vietnam War – a topic banned to talk about in his native Vietnam – made him uneasy, even if he wouldn’t admit it.“Too much to talk about,” said Huynh as he moved around in his chair with a slight sense of restlessness. “We are forbidden to talk about it. It’s a very big restriction of government.”

It’s the only time anyone might ever see Huynh seem uncomfortable. When Huynh speaks, he does it in a matter-of-fact voice that oozes with charisma. It’s just the character that Huynh is.

When Huynh left his home in Ho Chi Minh City– Vietnam’s capital and largest city with a population 7 million– to come to the United States, he never felt nervous, he was enthusiastic. “It was kind of an adventure,” Huynh said. “Good fun. Good fun. It was a long and very exhausting journey. [Never] scared. Excited, opposite of scared.”

Huynh -- whose real name is Cuong Huynh, but uses Tom as his “American” name -- grew up in Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, where both his parents partake in business operations. Huynh’s father, who is originally from Taiwan, manages a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City and his mother owns a coffee shop in the bustling metropolis.

Growing up, Huynh spent time helping at his mother’s coffee shop. Primarily, Huynh spent time crunching numbers and helping in other aspects of the business’ finances. It would lay groundwork for his future intentions.“I just run daily help with daily operations,” Huynh said. “Mainly, with the numbers– accounting.”

As a requirement of the Vietnamese government, Huynh was required to learn English growing up. During his sophomore year in high school, Huynh and his parents began to explore the possibility of him pursuing his education abroad. “Me and my parents we were considering the alternative of

Singapore, which is also a very developed country in Asia with a very good education system,” Huynh said. “But we planned for the U.S since we knew more about the U.S. than Singapore. Of course, the U.S. has (a) much better academic system.”

So Huynh packed up his belongings and traveled for Seattle, where he would stay with a host family and attend high school. During high school in Seattle, Huynh already knew where he wanted to attend college, Quincy University.

“One of the priests I know back home, Father Ken, recommended this school,” Huynh said. “He’s doing Francis-can mission in (Vietnam). Fr. Ken was a very good friend with family, even when I went to high school back home.”

So when he got to Quincy, he knew what he wanted to major in. “I figured I would pursue the academic in business, specifically in economics or finance, something with numbers,” Huynh said.

Huynh, a finance major, has to go home every summer as a requirement of the U.S. department of security to renew his student visa.

Quincy allowed him to continue with his spiritual life. Huynh’s father is not religious, while his mother is Catholic, just like he is. While Catholicism is legal in Vietnam, it is not something that is openly praised by the government. “The government does not like Catholicism,” Huynh said. “They’re OK with us, they just don’t like us.”That does not scare Huynh. “We’re protected by the Pope,” Huynh said.

Huynh hopes to stay in the United States after completing his undergraduate. He just may look for other places to com-plete any graduate school programs, possibly acquiring an MBA. “I like (Quincy), but it’s too small,” Huynh said. “I like Chicago. I (would one day) like to work there.”

Huynh returns to focusing on his notes for an upcom-ing test. In that moment, he spots Apple’s newest product, an iPhone 6. “It’s beautiful,” Huynh said, his fingers grazing through seams and corners of the shiny phone. In that moment nothing else is important. Even in Vietnam new technology can be appreciated without any problems.

PROTECTED BY THE POPEby Andres Martinez

Tom Huynh studies for a test. Photo by Andres Martinez.

Quincy University added its first swim team in school history this past season. With the experi-ence of head Coach Rachel Schlatter and a group of girls determined to make a name for the team and themselves, the season was

destined for success. “I am excited about the opportunity to join

Quincy University as the school’s first swimming coach,” Rachel Schlatter said. “I want to thank Marty Bell for the opportunity to start this program, and I’m thrilled about the direction we’ll be able to take it.”

According to the Quincy athletics page, Schlatter is a former four-time NCAA qualifier at the University of Nebraska. She came to Quincy after two years as the head coach and head Senior II coach with the Kansas City Blazers in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. Schlatter was a member of the 2011 Men’s NCAA Coaching Staff of the Year while coaching as assistant coaching at Division III power Denison University.

“We will make this program successful by bringing in high quality student-athletes both in the pool and in the classroom,” Schlatter said. “The GLVC is a strong swimming conference and there is an expectation of excellence.”

The Quincy University Swim team finished eighth overall in conference, had a 96% personal best time overall, nineteen school records, five top eight relay finishers and seven top sixteen individual finishes.

Senior Kelsey Krekeler said her first and only year of swimming was, “only the starting point of a great and suc-cessful program. This season has been a great journey and

has definitely been one of the hardest training schedules”. Coach Schlatter was pleased with how her team finished

off the season, and plans to expand the program further. She wants to add men to the program within three to

four years. As for next season, she is adding more girls to complete

a full women’s roster (15-16 girls). The team

already has two commitments, and Coach Schlatter is looking to

add six to eight more for next year, mostly to help add depth

in the strokes and sprints. The goal is to make the team more

competitive. Once the men are added, that will total

up to 50 combined swimmers. With this number, she also hopes to add on two or more

assistant coaches. “We want to have a good coach to swim-mer ratio”, Coach Schlatter said.

The future of the program is something that the team has constantly spoken about, being the first swim team ever at QU there is pressure to set the bar and create a lasting legacy.

“It’s a big deal. There was a little pressure just because we were the ones who set the stan-

dards for the future teammates. We were the baseline of how

people would look at QU swimming” Wallenczyk said.

This season was full of firsts; first to host a home meet at QU, first one to set records, they are the face of QU swimming. Wallenczyk says that it’s going to be amazing to look back when they are all old and say. “That with the help of our coach’s we grew the QU swim team up from its roots”.

WELCOMEby Carly Bettencourt

to the Fish Tank


In a blue tank top and black shorts, a first glance at Jeremy Culver

screams typical college graduate.The carefree and lax attitude he carries

reflects his youth, and his happy go lucky outlook on life would make an

old man jealous with envy. His black sunglasses rest on his forehead,

ready to block the sunshine on a usually warm spring April day.

Dripping in sweat from a run around the campus, Jeremy looks ready to take a break. In front of the Hawks Hangout is where he stops, anxious to catch a break from his exercise.

Zyra, a short black haired dog that Jeremy considers his child, pants aimlessly while Jeremy ignores her.

For a guy like Jeremy Culver, life is good. As a recent Quincy Uni-versity graduate, Jeremy has found success in his field and is reaping the benefits.

After graduating in 2014, Culver is living in Quincy, and working as a news reporter.“I am currently a Multi-Media Journalist for WGEM. I live in Quincy and am

finishing up my second year as a full time reporter. I also anchor radio segments and help fill in random spots when it is needed,” Culver said.

As a Broadcast Major, Jeremy walked into the perfect job that fits his career path. He attributes the path that he has taken to his time spent here at Quincy University.

“The small school size allowed me to get my hands on everything when it came to the television industry. In QUTV, I was a reporter, anchor, producer and was a teacher assistant for Professor Travis Yates. I can’t stress enough the impact QUTV has had on my career so far,” said Culver.

It’s clear that Culver has a bright future ahead of him. Coming from humble beginnings, Jeremy knows the value of diligence and perseverance. It has gotten him this far, and is a constant reminder for him to keep pushing.

JEREMYby Marc Everhart

WGEM News, Quincy

C U L V E R

“I’m originally from Aurora, Illinois. However I spent most of my life in a small town called Walnut, Illinois. My family situ-ation was average. My parents did their best to provide for my sisters and I, but sometimes the money just was not there. It really made our family close and led us being very open and loving of one another,” Culver said.

Those small town beginnings is what prepared Culver for his time here at Quincy. As the baby of the family, he is the last of his parent’s children to graduate college. Although his parents did not attend college, they always taught their children to do better than them.

“I have two older sisters named Tamra and Stephanie. Neither of my parents attended college. My father dropped out of school his senior year to start working and get a job. My mother finished high school. Both of my sisters finished college,” Culver said.

As most boys growing up, Jeremy was an athlete.

“I was a very active kid grow-ing up. I played multiple sports (six all together). I also liked to run and hang out with friends,” Culver said.

“I started out with football be-ing my favorite sport, and I was really good at it because of my quick speed. As I grew older, it shifted towards basketball and now as an adult, I would say soccer is my favorite,” said Culver.

Aside from sports, Jeremy also played his fair share of video games growing up.

“I played a lot of video games growing up. I also read a lot of books, with fantasy titles being my favorite,” Culver said.

Coming from such a wholesome background, it was hard for Jeremy to make his college decision and leave his family for school. But after careful consideration, Jeremy chose Quincy University, and never doubted his decision.

“I applied to various schools, but the big three would have been Drake University in Des Moines Iowa, North Central Col-lege in Naperville, Illinois, and Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. I got accepted into Tulane University in New Orleans, but never visited it because of the distance,” Culver said.

Culver chose Quincy University because of the financial benefits on him and his family.

“I chose QU because they ended up giving me the most money. My family was rather poor, and I made the decision to not pull any loans in my parent’s name. If I was going to attend college, it was going to be on my own name and my own money. I think that’s what made me so determined to push

myself in college and make my decision a good one,” Culver said.

The atmosphere at Quincy University attracted Culver as well, and still keeps him active around the university after graduation.

“I went to a very small school where everyone knew every-one. I really thought attending a big university was my ultimate goal, but QU ended up feeling like home when I visited. The location was convenient, and I could go home for the weekend when I felt homesick,” said Culver.

The biggest adjustment to col-lege life for Culver was not one that you would expect. Most new stu-dents get homesick or have trouble adjusting to a time based schedule. Culver, however faced some other challenges.

“Not being in a sport was hard to get used to. As I stated, I played a lot of sports. Typically, I went from sport to sport seasons without any breaks. Knowing that I did not have to rush from class to practice or a game, it was filled with a lot of free time. I steadily found myself asking “What should I be doing?,” said Culver.

Although Jeremy had a genuine college experience, there are some things that he wish he had done differently. “The only thing I wish I could change from my experience is to go back and enjoy my time more at Quincy University. I was always focused on my end goal of graduat-ing and getting a job that college went by fast for me. I can only say for those still in college enjoy the time in there. That includes with school and fun,” said Culver.

Jeremy Culver lives a rock star lifestyle. The man is simple. He loves his family and friends. He loves his beloved dog Zyra. He loves his job. He loves video games. He loves sports. But above all, Jeremy Culver is a lifelong Hawk, and he loves Quincy University.

“The atmosphere at Quincy is awesome. The teachers are there to help and encourage you along the way. They know when you are missing and will email you when you are gone. That helps make a student more responsible about being on time, showing up to class/work and getting your assignments done,” Culver said.

Quincy University did its part in helping Jeremy Culver chase his dreams. From humble beginnings in Walnut, Illinois, to full time reporting for WGEM. If this great university could do it for him, then the opportunities are endless once you make the decision to become a Hawk.

I F I W A S G O I N G T O A T T E N D C O L L E G E , I T W A S G O I N G T O B E

O N M Y O W N N A M E A N D M Y O W N M O N E Y .

I C A N ’ T S T R E S SE N O U G H T H E I M P A C T

Q U T V H A S H A D O N M Y C A R E E R S O F A R .


Attending school and completing school can be two completely different undertakings. Attending school requires students to do the basics such as homework, class work, and attend classes. Completing school is meeting all the necessary requirements to graduate and receive a degree or diploma.

All schools have requirements to graduate. Quincy University requires students to graduate with experience in service learning. Service learning is when students take the opportunity to share with or help other people who are less fortu-nate, and maybe even more fortunate, than themselves.

Whether it’s donating clothes, passing out food, serving senior citizens soup, or working in the community. Any act using a helping hand is considered making a difference.

Father John Doctor, a Friar at Quincy University, helps lead the school in service opportunities and events. His office is located in the main building of Francis Hall where the president of Quincy University also has an office.

As I stepped foot into the president’s office, Father John stood up with his hands behind his back as he welcomed me into his office for an interview. He asked ‘Are you ready?’ to which I replied ‘As ready as I can get’ and smiled.

Fr. John made me feel welcomed and comfortable, even though the room still looked like a typical office. There was a desk, a computer, some sitting chairs, book-shelves with books, biographies and bibles. John Doctor then sat and crossed his legs and began to look at me with a straight face and we began our interview.

He started off asking about me. “How are you….What’s your major…..When do you graduate….What are your

plans after graduation?” Showing concern about me said something about Father John.

Instead of racing through the interview, he wanted to know more about me. That was surprising. He was able to change the environment from serious to comfortable for us both. As we talked before the interview everything seemed easier. This was my first time meeting with a friar, but you could have never guessed that by our comfort-able conversation.

Service learning at Quincy University is completely different than other colleges.

“We do service learning a bit different and with being a Franciscan university,

we are constantly reminded of why helping others and serving others is important in the bible.”

—Fr. John Doctor

“There are three components to the service learning procedure, the first one is orientation, said Fr. John. “These orientations are scheduled once a month, and these are usually the first Monday or first week of the month.”

“The second component would be the actual experience of the service oppor-tunity the student chooses, weather its course related or through campus ministries and athletics,” Father John stated.

The final part of the process is a reflection piece. “Students are asked to complete a reflection, the reflection piece is for students

to explain as well as understand what was done,” Fr. John explained.

Daniel Lee, senior at Quincy Univer-sity has been on several QU sponsored mission trips. Lee has been to New Or-leans, Louisiana and Biloxi, Mississippi.

“I’ve lead the New Orleans mission trip with a previous Friar here at QU, Father Ferd....I was invited by him and asked to be a captain by him as well,” Lee said.

“The experience was amazing, it was my first time in New Orleans and to be helping and serving others made me feel good.” Lee said with a smile and a bit of a glow on his face.

Lee has been on the New Orleans mission trip twice. First time was spring semester of 2013 and again in spring semester of 2014.

Some mission trips range between $150-$250 depending on the location.

Lee was given an opportunity of a scholarship his first time going on his mission trip, which cost him nothing!

All students have the opportunity to apply for mission trip scholarships and pay none or only some of the fee for that particular mission trip.

The chance to travel and learn about different parts of the world is an experi-ence. New places lead to new cultures and new lingo.

“Learning new cultures was a great experience for me. In the morning we worked and by the afternoon we`d wash up and eat the lunch that’s provided, so we didn`t have to bring food or money for food or anything,” Lee said.

Students don`t only work hard, but they also get the opportunity to explore and hang out in the different locations during their down time.

Lee was brought closer to peers he`s seen before on campus but never spoken to until attending the many mission trips. The opportunity of building a bond with friends, Friars, and strangers you help is beneficial.

“The experience is always the most important and memorable part of life,” Lee stated.

Service learning is not just a require-ment, but it’s also a connection to others. It may start with a helping hand, but ends with a full heart.

by Cle’anna Moore

A Change of Heart

Daniel Lee walks through campus on way to class. Photo by Chris Chappell’e.


Victoria Kelley walked into Krazy Cakes in downtown Quincy on a chilly, late-October morning. Upon her arrival, she went to her husband’s table, and he told her he left their tab open at the register so that she could get coffee and a cupcake.

However, a jack-o-lantern cake caught her eye instead. She rushed back to her husband and asked him if they could get it. He said yes, so she went back to the counter and asked the barista about the cake. Victoria was disappointed to learn that it had been made for a customer and was not for sale. De-jected, she walked back to her husband and told him the news.

It is in places like Krazy Cakes that Victoria and Chris Kelley, the husband-wife duo behind the production company Table Sixteen Productions, have made their dreams of making movies into a reality.

The Kelleys talked to the Krazy Cakes employees like old friends. They waved and shouted hellos and goodbyes as they entered and left the café. As Victoria and Chris sat at their table and sipped their coffee, they reminisced about their past and how they have gotten to where they are today.

Chris, who was born and raised in Quincy, began to find his calling at Quincy University, where he went to college. He was originally an English major, but after tiring of the reading, he switched his major to communication. Chris graduated from Quincy University in 2000.

Meanwhile, Victoria, who is originally from nearby Ursa, attended Quincy University and majored in psychology. She graduated in 1998, but the couple didn’t meet until September 2002 and didn’t start dating until 2003. Chris first saw Victoria at a nightclub.

“I was there by myself. I saw a few people I knew, but I didn’t want to hang out with them, and I just sat there and stood against one of those support beams staring off into the dance floor, and as the crowd kind of parts, I see this woman there, and I’m like ‘Oh my God, she is gorgeous. I think I should talk to her,’ but I’m too shy. I don’t have any confidence, but I was determined, so she came off the dance floor, I was like ‘Just go, go,’ and so I just jumped up and said ‘Hi, you might have heard this before, but the doctor gave me two weeks to live, and I was hoping I could appeal to your good nature and ask you to dance with me,’ knowing that she would either laugh in my face or just kind of like shrug and walk away,”

Chris said. “But she laughed, and she accepted, and we danced the rest of the night, but I lacked the confidence to ask for her number.”

Two weeks later, he saw her again. “I was so excited because I knew her name. I just said

‘Don’t make a Victoria’s Secret joke,’” Chris said. “So, she walks past me, and I’m like ‘Hi, Victoria,’ and she just gave me kind of an eyebrow raise, like, ‘Hey,’ and then she just kept walking, and I said, ‘Oh, that’s the end of that then.’”

Chris didn’t see her again for another eight months.“Well, my sister went to QU as well. She found a flyer look-

ing for actors for a short film being shot in Quincy and wanted to go tryout, and so she’s like ‘Hey, you want to go do this?’ and she picked out a monologue for me. I believe it was ‘The Bell Jar’ by Sylvia Plath,” Victoria said. “So, I walk in the door and there he sat, and I said ‘You didn’t die.’”

“I got better,” Chris said. “And I got the part,” Victoria said.The two started dating in 2003. They married in 2005 and

just recently celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary as well as the 10th anniversary of the opening of Table Sixteen Productions.

Chris worked at local news station WGEM for almost ten years, but it was during the filming of a video for his sister’s high school German class that he realized he wanted to make films for the rest of his life and left WGEM.

“It was the most fun I’ve ever had in my entire life. This was back in 1998. I said ‘That’s it, everything’s changed now. I’m going to do this for the rest of my life. I’m going to make mov-ies. I’m going to figure out how to do this movie thing, even if takes me thirty years,’” Chris said.

The Kelleys always planned for Chris to start Table Sixteen Productions, which he did in 2005, and for it to be its own entity. Victoria was able to fully join the company in 2010.

As Table Sixteen Productions, the Kelleys make TV com-mercials, corporate videos, web videos, and feature films. They rely on the income from the commercials and corporate work as their main income. They also use this income to make their feature films, which is their real passion.

Chris is the creative half of the company. He writes, shoots, edits, and directs the feature films. Victoria takes care

by Lexie Broemmer

Meet the

of things like scheduling and fielding emails and calls.It generally takes a year to finish a film from writing the

script to filming, editing, and producing the project. The Kelleys can only shoot their feature films on the weekends since they and their actors are typically busy during the week with day jobs. The year after a film is finished is primarily used to travel to different film festivals to try to get the film exposure and to determine the best direction for the film, whether it is selling it online or trying to get it distributed to theaters.

So far, Table Sixteen Productions has made three feature films, “Hampshire: A Ghost Story,” “Villainy for the Lonely,” and “Full Frame.”

The Kelleys showcase local talent and the city of Quincy in their films by holding auditions and sometimes even writ-ing characters for particular people and shooting their films primarily in places like the WCU building, Boodalu Steakhouse, Second String Music, and Gallery Solaro.

“It’s great to find people that either believe in what you’re doing or are curious enough to see what it is you are doing that they let you come in for free,” Chris said.

Frankie Murphy-Giesing, who starred in “Full Frame” as The Photographer, has known Chris Kelley since the 90s when they were in high school.

“They’re just very, very special. I don’t know how to put it. Everybody who comes into contact with them who actually gets to know them, they’re just like die-hard fans of them,” Murphy-Giesing said.

As filmmakers, Chris and Victoria have dealt with people who don’t take them seriously. However, they both think that they’ve made progress since Table Sixteen Productions was first started. The Kelleys feel that they are proof that people don’t have to live in California or New York to make films.

“Quincy is beautiful, you have great sets, you can fly people here if you need a name actor, you can pay and fly him here. It’s all about that story and somebody that can pull it off, too,” Victoria said, her eyes wandering back to the counter at Krazy Cakes.The jack-o-lantern cake was obviously still on her mind. She looked at Chris, a question in her eyes. They both got up and went to the counter to see if they could have their own cake made.

“Krazy”Small-town couple, Hollywood talent

Kelleys

Victoria and Chris Kelley. Photo submitted by Chris Kelley


Every year Quincy University has several intramural games offered to students. The games range from darts and bowling to soccer and basketball. This year Blake Allison is in charge of organizing and running the entire intramural program. Blake spent part of his summer planning and organizing what games were going to be played this year. He decided on the games based off the popularity of the sports from previous years along with what sports he thought students would enjoy. Intramurals offers roughly 15 sports between the Fall and Spring semesters and is played all over campus. Allison stated that requests are often taken in regards to what events students want, “This year we added an extra darts four week session because of popular demand from students”.

His biggest obstacle this year was getting people to show up for the events. The smaller events like sand volleyball and dodgeball were more difficult to help gain attention, whereas basketball, darts and bowling were extremely popular and had intense amount of students wanting to participate.

Intramurals gives students a chance to let off steam and have a good time; it gets them out of their rooms and into a social environment. With games running all through the year at different times it opens itself up to a variety of students.

Senior Tatyana Peck said, “Intramurals is a fun time, it gives me a few hours to forget about homework, win prizes and just relax”. Peck was this year’s dodgeball winner.

Intramurals is not only for athletes but for non-athletes as well, senior volleyball player Ian Lawson said it perfectly when he spoke about the relaxed easy going nature of most intramu-ral sports, darts in particular, “It offers a great way for students to interact in a relaxed but still competitive environment and is

Q-U-I N-C-Yby Carly Bettencourt

not physically straining”.Football player Chris Harris

commented on how he enjoys bonding with students outside of

football through intramurals, “It’s some-thing I look forward to every year”. He also

noted that five on five basketball was his favorite of the sports this year because of the competitive nature but also teamwork needed to participate.

Senior Ryan Snyder said that darts were his favorite of the year because it’s something everyone can enjoy, “it’s fun, relaxed, co-ed and allows everyone to hangout in a relaxed situation”. Snyder among other intramural participants also suggested that co-ed softball be added to the mix for next year.

Morgan McGinnis a member of the women’s tennis team mentioned that as an athlete it’s always intense, “intramurals gives athletes like her a chance to be competitive in a friendly way, with no added pressure”.

Obviously for non-athletes they don’t deal with a competi-tive nature on a daily basis, so what’s the attraction for them? According to Senior Terrell Gage playing intramurals is a way for him to not only step away from the books but showcase his own talent, “even though I’m not on an athletic team I still know how to play sports, I like to go out and play competitive games with the top athletes at Quincy University”.

Intramurals is a place where the entire school can come together to enjoy something, it’s not all about winning but about meeting new people and stepping outside of ones com-fort zone. The program allows students who may have never spoken the ability to be outgoing and make connections that could last a lifetime.

“It’s something I look forward to every year.”—Chris Harris

“It’s fun, relaxed...and allows everyone to hangout...”—Ryan Snyder

COMMUNICATION AWARDS{ FOR 2014-2015 }

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTSSara Belmont Carly BettencourtMarc Everhart Jevante FrancisCourtney Gear Ian HowellJack Jones Amanda KleinAmanda Klingele Patrick KuhleOscar Martinez Colleen McCormackGrant Meyer Stephen PhillipiT.C. Pierceall Julianne TouhySarah Vahlkamp Pasha Yates

GRADUATE STUDENTSTaylor Jacobs Nick KedzuchMitchell Leppke Kristen LiesenDominic O’Donnell Christopher Spears

LAMBDA PI ETA HONOR SOCIETY { 2014 }

LAMBDA PI ETA HONOR SOCIETY { 2015 }UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTSCameron Walker Ethan CowgillAlexa Broemmer Ryan SnyderJack Gainer

GRADUATE STUDENTSPasha Yates Danielle Dunn

HONORARY MEMBERLinda Moore

ANDRES MARTINEZAndres Martinez won a 2015 Award for Excellence from the Illinois College Newspapers Association. He won first place in the sports category for his ar-ticle “Hawks debut new turf field in style” for the March 31, 2015 issue of The Falcon. Martinez graduated in 2015 and works for The Herald Whig in Quincy.

ICPA AWARD { 2015 }

QUJR STAFF 2016: (left to right) Carly Bettencourt, Sarah Vahlkamp, Ian Howell, Cle’anna Moore and Christopher Chappell’e II

QU Journalism ReviewCommunication DepartmentQuincy University1800 College Ave.Quincy, IL 62301-2699

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