SPORTS SEE PHOTOS FROM BASKETBALLS WINS OVER CBU 12

LIFESTYLE APU OPERA TO PERFORM ARIODANTE 5

OPINION HOW TO BREAK YOUR NETFLIX ADDICTION 9

ClauseWEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 2015 VOL. 51, NO. 12 WWW.THECLAUSE.ORG

student voice of azusa pacific university since 1965

Brooke Seipel staff writer

PROFILE

Freshman basketball player brings big personality to team 10

@Snoble_ | Spencer Rose:The rock next to me started walking away. Aka it was a very dirty turtle. #iheartapu

@courtknee104 | Courtney:That moment when your grandma and Pres Jon Wallace take a selfie on Grandparents Day #iheartapu

@lean_sadoian | Leah:running a 5k tomorrow morning so naturally going to donut man before the race #RezLifeFunRun #iheartapu

@brensuzanne | Brenna:Ive never seen the 5 Great American Lakes, but I assume Lake Lot H is equivalent to Lake Superior. #iheartapu

weets

To see your tweets here, hashtag #iheartapu.

@apuclause

APUs marking of season part of religious awareness in student body

APU Office of Institutional Research and Assessment COURTESYThis chart shows the 2013 statistics of total undergraduates by reli-gious preference.

Ash Wednesday started off the Lenten season last week at Azusa Pacific University during morning chapel through placing blessed ash-es from the previous years Palm Sunday on the foreheads of partici-pants. For many students on cam-pus, that's not done in their home church, as it is part of a high church tradition.

There are a number of different denominations and traditions with-in the Christian faith represented at APU, but within that diversity as a university weve generally found our commonality in the core be-liefs of historic Christian doctrine and practice, Campus Pastor Jason Le Shana said. In chapel, weve tried to stay in step with that ethos by observing a number of practices from various streams of the faith. For example, for many (but not all) students, the first time theyve been exposed to historic practices of the church like Lent of Advent happen at APU.

According to the Statistics Office of Institutional Research and Assess-ment 2013 Undergraduate Survey, 6.5 percent (or 426 students) claim Cathol-icism as their religious preference.

Evangelical denominations make

up a majority of the different student backgrounds.This reinforces the idea that many students encounter unfa-miliar chapel experiences.

"APU was my first exposure to those more traditional aspects of a church service," said junior political science major Anna De Graaf. "When first attending liturgical and prayer chapels freshman year, it was an interesting ex-perience, since I grew up in a Free Methodist church that hard-ly ever referred to or participated in the traditional aspects of a church service."

Many students have been ex-posed to various spiritual practices on campus.

Their experience with different traditions has created a unique under-standing.

"I have appreciated the oppor-tunity to find new ways to worship and learn about Christ. Since being at APU, I have had the opportunity to grow in my understanding of the traditional church and have over-come some of my ignorant preju-dices against more formal and tra-ditional religious practices. I think services such as Liturgical Chapel or Ash Wednesday are an impor-tant part of APU's chapel programs as they give all students, no matter their denominational background, a chance to worship in multiple ways," De Graaf said.

APU was founded in 1899 by Christians from the holiness tradition and remains a predominately evan-gelical institution in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition.

According to Chapel Programs Director Tim Peck, this continues to

inform religious diversity and the for-mat of chapels on campus.

In chapel programs we ac-knowledge that most of the worship experiences we are going to be craft-ing are going to be in the evangeli-cal Holiness traditions, yet with an acknowledgment that the Christian community is broader than that, Peck said. So we actually use the six categories of a book by Richard Fos-ter called Streams of Living Water

that identifies six different catego-ries throughout church history of how to approach the Christian life theologically and they are: evangel-ical, holiness, charismatic, incarna-tion (or sacramental), social justice and contemplative.

According to Peck, the Office of Chapel Programs uses these six streams to pick chapel speakers each year as well.

The Executive Chapel Com-

mittee selects these after praying over those rec-o m m e n d e d ,

c o n s i d e r i n g the following years learning out-comes, university passage and the representation of different denomi-nations.

Lent reminds students of religious diversity on campus

Kai

ty B

ergq

uist

ILLU

STRA

TIO

N

You can locate all denomina-tions throughout Christian history within those six streams. ... We try to build around that, representing the other streams. Liturgical Chapel is a great example of the incarna-tion sacramental stream, where the center of it is around communion. Evening Prayers is a good example of the contemplative stream, where there is a focus of silence and listen-ing, Peck said.

The committee is co-chaired by Lead Campus Pastor Woody Mor-wood and Peck.

Also on the committee is the dean of the School of Theology, the vice provost, dean of students and the executive director of the Stu-dent Center for Reconciliation and Diversity.

see RELIGION 2

Students get their units in with CLEP testing Exam offers added advantages to students wanting to get credit fast Angel Eleyaestaff writer

Azusa Pacific University offers students a chance to bypass a class through the Credit for College Level Examination Program. Undergradu-ates can take a 90-minute CLEP test and have the opportunity to skip a 15-week course.

According to the official website, CLEP helps you receive college credit for what you already know, for a fraction of the cost.

Each test is multiple-choice and the results are shown immediately after the online exam is completed.

The program offers 33 tests; however, APU does not accept them all. The list of exams accepted by Azusa Pacific can be found on the

Learning Enrichment Center's web-site and under the "Credit by Ex-amination" section of the course catalog, according to LEC Office Manager Anna Smith.

Those who pass the test get the full number of units that the class is worth.

Senior business administration major and ethnic studies minor Tessa Caudie, who CLEPed out of Ana-lyzing and Interpreting Literature, weighs in on this.

[Taking the test] was good be-cause I was just taking a class for units. I didnt really need one, and so it was good, and it freed up my sched-ule more, Caudie said.

Before taking the test, there are study materials that each person can use.

At the LEC, students are able to look at the CLEP Official Study Guide to get a glimpse of what the exam would be like. The study guide consists of examples of all 33 tests and tells the reader dif-ferent items one needs to review to prepare.

Kimberly Smith GRAPHICStudents taking the CLEP examination have to keep the pros and cons in mind prior to taking it.

Students can come in here and look at this any time and get an idea, Smith said. Sometimes just looking at this will give you an idea of yeah, no, my skills are not that strong.

Inside the LEC, there is a binder that has additional information for test-takers to utilize.

It contains a description of each exam and is similar to the study

guides on the College Board Web-site, which cost about $10 each. The binder lets prospective CLEP-takers know how the tests are bro-ken down, what is covered, a com-plete description and how many questions there are as well as see a sample question and recommenda-tions of what to review.

see TESTING 3

APU Sports Information COURTESY

2 WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 2015 Clause THECLAUSE.ORG/NEWS

The following are selected incidents as reported from the Daily Media Log from Feb. 8 through Feb.14, courtesy of Campus Safety.

SUNDAY, FEB. 8BOWLES CAR PORTS Officers observed a subject in a vehicle driving unusually slowly and loitering on campus. Officers made contact and determined that the subject was waiting for a student.

SUNDAY, FEB. 8PARKING LOT HOfficer observed a suspicious subject pacing back and forth and entering and exiting a vehicle. Other officers responded and determined the subject was clear to be in the area.

SUNDAY, FEB. 8BOWLES WEST COURTOfficer reported that two students were on the roof. Officers made contact with the subjects, who were compliant and left the area.

TUESDAY, FEB. 10ALOSTA CENTER OFFICESOfficers contacted a subject in the underground garage area who was sleeping. The subject departed the area without incident.

SATURDAY, FEB. 14DILLON RECREATION COMPLEXOfficer advised of subjects in the area about to use the field. Officer contacted the subjects, advised them of private property and they left campus.

Weekly NumbersKeys lost/found....................3ID cards lost/found...............8Cellphones found..................4Unsecured bikes found.........6 False fire alarms.....................1

REMEMBER 1. If you see something, say something. 2. Safety is everyones business. 3. Dial 911 for life-threaten-ing emergencies. 4. Non emergencies: Cam-pus Saftety (626) 815-3898.5. Lock all doors and win-dows to your dorm, apart-ment and vehicle. 6. Keep all valuables se-cured and out of plain view. 7. At night, keep to well-lit areas.8. Always be aware of your surroundings. 9. Utilize the trolleys, safety escorts or walk groups. 10. Avoid places where you are vulnerable and there are no exits. 11. Avoid texting or talking on the phone while walking as you may be distracted. 12. Avoid walking and jog-ging alone. 13. Secure your bike with a recommneded Kryptonite U-lock.

campus safetyreport

CALENDAR

Blake Standal PHOTOAPU students welcome California Baptist University to the Zu at the mens basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 21.

Sunday, March 1Bel Canto PerformancesThe APU Bel Canto Womens Choir, under the direction of Dr. David Hughes, will be the featured guest choir at Faith Lutheran Church in San Dimas. Services are at 8:30 and 10 a.m.

Sunday, March 1Mens Chorale PerformanceThe APU Mens Chorale will be performing under the direction of Harold Clousing at Glendora Community Church from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

compiled by gina ender

Thursday, Feb. 268th Grade Majors FairThe Center for Academic Service-Learning and Research is coordinating this years 8th Grade Majors Fair. The fair provides middle school students with information about specific college majors, encouraging students to attend college by increasing their knowledge of and interest in higher education. The event will be held at Memorial Park North Recreation Center from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 26APU OperaAPUs Opera will perform Handels Ariodante in Munson Recital Hall free of charge. The pre lecture is at 6:30 p.m. and the show is from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. A second showing will be held on Feb. 28.

Friday, Feb. 27Photo FridayThe Office of Career Services will be taking professional-quality headshots outside of their office free of charge. Stop by any time from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. dressed professionally.

Friday, Feb. 28BSA ExpressionsThe Black Student Association will host Expressions at 7 p.m. in the Cougar Dome. There will be chocolate covered strawberries, sparking cider and entertainment.

Saturday, Feb. 28Video Game TournamentAPU Intramurals will host a Mario Kart video game tournament. Registration is $5 and the winner will walk away with a Nintendo 3DS XL. Sign up on IMLeagues.com/APU.

Clausemailing address p.o. box 9521-5165, azusa, ca 91702

phone 626-815-6000, ext. 3514website www.theclause.org email editorinchief@theclause.org

NEWS STAFFeditor-in-chief kaity bergquist

news editor jessie gomezasst. news editor gina ender

lifestyle editor becky kay opinion editor kelyn struiksmasports editor katie richcreek

asst. sports editor landon trokaphoto/design editor kimberly smith

chief copy editor kayla johnstoncopy editors faith vander voort, sara champlain

business manager blake standal staff writers brianna rodriguez, sam

quintanilla, alex perez, brooke seipel, lauren duran, sydney potter, arianna ruvalcaba,

angel eleyae, kianna mourer FACULTY ADVISER dr. kyle huckins

The Clause is a student newspaper dedicat-ed to providing a realistic, journalistic educa-tional experience for students of Azusa Pa-cific University; to seeking truth and reporting it boldly, fairly and accurately; to enhancing the university community by providing a stu-dent voice imbued with truth, responsibility and accountability.

The newspaper is published weekly, ex-cept during examinations and vacation pe-riods, by the students of the Department of Communication Studies at Azusa Pacific Uni-versity. The newsroom is located on Cougar Walk in between the cafeteria and Cougars Den. The views expressed in all letters to the editor and all signed opinion articles are those of their authors, not the staff or university.

LETTERS TO THE EDITORPlease include a phone number for verifica-tion of all letters to the editor. Anonymous and unverified letters to the editor will not be printed. The Clause reserves the right to edit the letters for length and journal-istic style. The opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect the views of the faculty, staff or administration of Azusa Pacific University.

FOLLOW US! Our Facebook page: facebook.com/apuclauseOur Twitter handle: @apuclause

RELIGION, from P. 1

APU students practice denominational differences

However, some students still feel like they don't necessarily see their specific practices reflected on cam-pus.

Senior English and economics double major Jeremy Verke is a Cath-olic student who said, Catholicism isnt represented in any capacity in any of the chapels.

I think I see a pretty common formula for APU chapel. Im not say-ing it's a bad formula, but it seems to follow a Western evangelical tra-dition of the church service. I dont think theres really any diversity in that," Verke said. "I think the closest they come is Liturgical Chapel, but I think at the core of Liturgical Chapel it is still evangelical by the way they treat the Eucharistic rite. It would seem they treat it as symbolic, which is a staple of evangelical services."

Additionally, Verke added, "Li-turgical [Chapel] is a good attempt at portraying Catholic liturgy," but that it does not fully portray it.

Im happy that no one ever claims Liturgical Chapel is the same as Catholic liturgy because it's not, and Im happy that chapel programs doesnt claim that it is, Verke said. However, I think a common mis-conception among students is that it would be similar to a Catholic liturgy is dismaying to me. Im happy that

What would it look like to be excited about the possibility that God is working in hearts other than mine?Jason Le Shana

students are exposed to a liturgical format. Its a liturgical service, but it isnt Catholic."

For students experiencing some-thing new in chapel or those who aren't particularly keen on a speaker, Le Shana says he can relate.

"I'll speak confessionally: If my own heart is right (which is definitely

not all the time), when I am listen-ing to a chapel message or sermon at church and its not connecting with me, I am hopeful it is connecting with someone else," he said. "Maybe a speakers message or their style

just doesnt do it for me for whatever reason, but what would it look like for me to recognize, 'Wow, theres a distinct possibility that God is using this message in somebody's life, and it's exactly what they need to hear.' What would it look like to be ex-cited about the possibility that God is working in hearts other than mine?"

Kaity Bergquist PHOTOAzusa Pacific University students practice prayer in unique ways.

THECLAUSE.ORG/NEWS Clause WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 2015 3

There are also study guides that are specific to each subject sold on-line and in most bookstores.

I studied and passed, it was great, said senior social work major Jordyn Pfeifer, who tested out of In-troduction to Literature. I did think it was kind of pricey, but at the same time I was thankful for it because I would have had to stay for a sum-mer term, so it would have cost more money. In the end, I thought it was worth it. Signing up was really easy. I studied for three weeks. I wished I would have CLEPed more.

The office is open all year and holds exams Monday through Friday at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. On Fridays, the last test is adminis-tered at 1 p.m. Students can take any

test on any day, but must make an ap-pointment beforehand.

I would suggest it to people, Caudle said. Its cheaper. The time you spend studying you would be spending in class anyways, and if you think you can do it and youre self-motivated, go for it. Beware that the LEC does get booked, and make an appointment earlier than later.

CLEP participants also have the opportunity to take their exams at other locations where the test is pro-vided.

We encourage students to take them over the summer at home. They can take them over Christmas break, spring break, Smith said. So everything is on this CLEP

website thats there. You will put in the city and state where you live. It will pull up testing centers, and you can take it at another center. Once finished, the answers go straight to the office.

To register for CLEP, visit clep.collegeboard.org, and fill in the re-quired information. Then call and make an appointment with the LEC office.

The test costs $100.Its a great way to save time

and money, because most of the gen-eral education requirements you can CLEP out of, Smith said.

For more information, contact the Learning Enrichment Center at (626) 815- 3859, or stop by the office lo-cated near Adams Hall.

How to test out of classes

Kimberly Smith GRAPHIC

Dr. Brooke Van Dam COURTESYTEDxAzusaPacificUniversity is the first ever TEDx talk the university will host and organize for the student body. Only a select few will attend.

TEDx comes to Azusa Pacific University First ever TEDx event to be hosted on campus

Paige Smith staff writer

Azusa Pacific University stu-dents will have a unique opportu-nity to see an independent TEDx live on campus with various pro-fessors presenting their research and ideas. The event is scheduled for April 7 and will be held in the UTCC.

Dr. Brooke Van Dam, interim director of the Center for Research on Ethics and Values and assistant professor of communication stud-ies, started the conversation last June with the head of research at APU.

"It had to go through the Aca-demic Cabinet first. I proposed it and then I had to get the license from the TED organization, and that took about eight weeks," Van Dam said. "This has been in the works for a while. But until I got that license, I couldn't say anything about it, and we couldn't start plan-ning it.

One hundred tickets were made available to students, staff and fac-ulty. In order to get tickets, students had to apply February 1620 or be nominated by a staff member to at-tend the TEDx event.

"It is a great opportunity to be part of something as a student that has become a platform for inten-tional, thought-provoking conversa-tion." said Eliana Tarazon, a senior business management and social work major. "Meaningful conver-

sation is how things happen, ideas spark, and change that matters oc-curs."

This is not the only way for stu-dents to view the discussion. Live streaming will be available on the day of the event for those who are not at-tending in person.

"We are encouraging profes-sors to turn on the live stream if they have class during that time. We are going to try to put together some viewing parties in the com-mon areas so that students can get together and be a part of it," Van Dam said.

According to Van Dam, the event is set to have three sections, with 20-minute breaks in between. Van

Dam and Dr. Ryan Montague, as-sistant professor of communication studies, are hosting the event.

Each speaker is allotted an 18-minute time frame for a presen-tation. According to Van Dam, this window of time allows presenters to hone in on their topic.

Among the selected speakers for the talk is Dr. John M. Thornton, Leung Chair of Accounting Eth-ics. His presentation is titled "Filthy Rich."

"Most people think rich peo-ple are born that way. Truth is, they probably weren't. But in-stead of asking how to get rich, we should be asking why.'" Thornton said.

Without giving too much away, he discussed how college students should recognize where they are financially, which is es-sentially flat broke, when looking at the larger perspective, includ-ing debt.

Currently, there are four con-firmed speakers ranging from various departments on campus. Speakers include Leung Chair of Accounting Ethics Dr. John M. Thornton, interim chair of Art and Design Department G. James Daichendt, assistant professor in the department of practical theol-ogy Dr. Michael Bruner, Executive Director for the Student Center for Reconciliation and Diversity Edgar

Barron and associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Sci-ences Dr. Ryan T. Hartwig. More speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

TEDx events are a branch of the TED organization allowing people to independently organize their own program. The individuals who re-quest to have a TEDx event must get a license.

To follow the event and up-dates, visit the official website at www.tedxazusapacificuniversity.com. You can also find more infor-mation on the organization's Face-book and Twitter pages, as well as updates for giveaways as the event approaches.

TESTING, from P. 1 WE #HEART

APU NEWS.Follow us to

get the latest.

The Clause: Azusa Pacific University Student Press

@APUClause @APUClause

4 WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 2015 Clause THECLAUSE.ORG/NEWS

Ethics Bowl team succeeds in national competitionRico Vitz COURTESY

Ethics Bowl team poses for the camera while the wait for morning round results. Rico Vitz COURTESY

The team prepares their presentations during Feb. 22s national competition.

First time team makes it to quarterfinalsJessie Gomeznews editor

APU's Ethics Bowl team went to the Nineteenth Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl Competition, held at the APPE Annual Conference last Sunday. Af-ter several morning rounds, the team was able to place into the competi-tion's quarterfinals, the squad's first accomplishment of this kind in four years.

"When we first went on to com-pete four years ago, no one knew who or what APU was," said Ethics Bowl coach Rico Vitz, associate profes-

sor in the department of philosophy. "This time around, I remember over-hearing a student ask what school we were from and the another student responding with 'Azusa Pacific Uni-versity.' We have definitely grown a reputation."

Vitz has been coaching the Eth-ics Bowl team for four years and is responsible for the program's start at the university. As a professor and coach of the team, Vitz teaches a three-hour class that team mem-bers are enrolled in to prepare their cases for debate during the compe-tition.

"Every week we meet during our class period, which is three hours, [and] then twice a week as the semester progressed," senior political science and philosophy major Justin Manassee said. "But for the last couple of weeks, we

met every day for a minimum of three hours in order to prepare for the competition."

In December, the team went in the regional division of the compe-tition and was victorious against 20 other teams. At the national match, the team was up against 175-200 university teams ranging from Maryland to California. Additional-ly, many students on the six-member squad had never competed at the na-tional level before.

"I think personally, I was more nervous because for the first three rounds, my cases were the ones being called," senior philosophy major Marisa Espinoza said. "But I was calmed down because I was there with my team and I knew they had my back. We were all pretty ex-cited, and it was a big accomplish-ment."

The team is ranked eighth in the nation and is composed of both junior and senior APU students.

"Every year we have three goals, which are to manifest Christ-like virtues, manifest intellectual virtues and a performance goal," Vitz said. "My hope is that we hit our stride as we keep going forward and that we build on the previous year."

According to Manassee, he is "excited to be part of a team that is leading the conversation" in topics that are prominent within society.

"I think its great for a Christian university to take a large part of these types of discussion. When you see public debates like this, they carry certain stigmas and there's expecta-tions to quote the Bible," Manassee said. "It's wonderful to go to these

competitions and display certain qualities [that] other universities also admire."

Aside from national recogni-tion and a hardworking spirit, many team members feel their involve-ment with the group has helped them advance their personal speak-ing skills.

"I started as a sophomore back in 2012, and I didnt get to perform that year, but I still got my foot in," Manassee said. "I didnt have much of a voice or presence, but over the year I got that voice, got that foot-ing. When I talk in a subject I'm confident in, that confidence is very present."

According to Vitz, he is proud of the team and wants to continue the model of humility even if "that team didnt have the success others had."

Science classes talk hazardous waste cleanup APU covers strict guidelines in order to properly dispose of chemicals Alex Perezstaff writer

Science labs are not the only place where hazardous chemicals can be found; dangerous waste may be hiding in the comfort of your own home. This waste includes anything that would not be permitted to go into the environment in its raw state because it is harmful to both human health and nature.

Hazardous waste shouldnt go into a landfill, down the drain or down storm drains because it can get into the environment and have a variety of consequences, said Dr. Sarah Richart, an APU microbiology professor.

Students who are involved with the sciences handle all types of chem-icals, and among them, hazardous materials. Since students work with these items, faculty members need to properly dispose of them.

Anything that is corrosive, tox-ic, reactive or ignitable is considered to be hazardous waste, said APU Chemical Hygiene Officer Nicole Mulcahy, a lab manager.

Not disposing of the hazardous materials properly can result in them breaking down and eventually find-ing their way into the water supply. That supply either goes out into the environment or gets packaged into drinking water at supermarkets.

For waste thats generated in the

labs, it all has to be collected, labeled properly, and we have 90 days to get it picked up, Richart said. We hire a service to pick up our hazard-ous waste, but they want everything labeled. They want to know all the proportions. It would be a differ-ent procedure for different kinds of chemicals, and thats why they want to know exactly what kind of waste because that would determine how they are going to treat it.

Hazardous materials found at home include nail polish, pharmaceu-ticals, batteries, electronics and more. There are several lists on the U.S. En-

vironmental Protection Agency and local Department of Public Works websites that list the different types of waste. These agencies ensure the safe and proper disposal of hazardous materials so both the environment and public are safe from contamina-tion.

According to the EPA, in 2012, Americans accumulated about 251 million tons of trash and about 87 million were recyclables, approxi-mately 34.5 percent. Mixed in with all this trash were hazardous waste items that people may not have re-alized were unsafe. However, then

and now, landfills are equipped with monitoring systems that help ensure groundwater remains uncontami-nated from leaks from any of the waste.

People tend to throw waste in the garbage, which ends up in a landfill. With time and problems at landfills, hazardous waste could possibly seep out and get into groundwater. Re-gardless of what precautions are tak-en, once hazardous waste is in the in the water supply, it is extremely hard to get it out.

Depending on where you get your drinking water, [hazardous

Creative Commons COURTESYAPU and the Azusa community generate high levels of hazardous waste through chemicals, waste products and electronics.

waste] could end up as drinking wa-ter, said Richart.

If people are in possession of any hazardous waste, they are asked to store it in a safe place and at their earliest convenience take the waste to a collection site. The Depart-ment of Public Works hosts collec-tion events all around Los Angeles County in order to collect the pub-lics items.

On March 21, a new collec-tion site will open in Azusa at the Northrop Grumman Corporation at West Third Street and Zachary Pa-dilla Avenue.

LifestyleAPU Opera presents Ariodante in Munson Chapel February brings APU Operas spring production

Melissa Quinterostaff writer

APU Opera will be putting on its spring production, Ariodante by George Frideric Handel, on Feb. 26 and 28. The show will be-gin at 7:30 p.m. both dates in Munson Chapel. No tickets will be required and the event will have open seating, which means first come, first serve. The doors open at 7:05 p.m. for anyone who wants to arrive early to find seats.

The performance will be sung in Italian, but there will be English subtitles above the stage for the audience to follow along.

A pre-lecture will begin at 6:30 p.m. before both shows in Room 116 of the Warren Music Center. Melanie Galloway, the artistic director and associate professor of vocal studies, ex-plained that the purpose of the talk is so attend-ees can learn about the story and the music be-forehand in order to fully understand the opera and appreciate it more.

The pre-lectures for this show will have our costume director there, our fight combat will be there to talk a little bit about what sword fighting is, and so its really neat. I strongly en-courage people to go, Galloway said.

The story of this production follows two people who have fallen in love but the mans jealousy pushes him to destroy it. Fortunately, in the end, true love triumphs. The story is set in 1735, so the costumes are very traditional.

Everything is custom-designed to fit that period of time, thanks to the talented costume designer Kate Fry.

Opera is an art form that encompasses very difficult singing, the highest level singers can do. Opera communicates the voice mostly, but there is also dance and orchestra, who supports as an equal partner. So its different than theater in that everything is sung, and its different from musical theater in that everything is sung and theres no spoken dialogue, Galloway said.

Mekela Tyler is a sophomore music ma-jor with an emphasis in vocal performance who will be playing the role of the princesss best friend. She started off auditioning for a voice teacher her freshman year and met

with Galloway and Edwards after her audi-tion, who mentioned to her that she would be the perfect fit for opera. Although she never anticipated being a part of the opera program, she decided after much thought to give it try.

After I did the opera camp, I just fell in love because it imitates human life and it allows you to be as expressive as you possibly can. Op-era doesnt want you to hold back at all, and that was an emotional release for me, Tyler said. Growing up, I felt hindered in that way, but I just threw myself entirely into opera, and its been wonderful ever since.

The School of Music is proud to present APU Operas program and all the hard work

that went into the preparation of Ariodante. There is guaranteed to be some intense sword-fighting to catch the audiences attention.

There will be other performances by APU Opera to look forward to, but one in particular that Galloway mentioned will be coming up in April.

Douglas Sumi, the opera music director and conductor, professor Alex Russell, head of string department, and I will be doing a con-cert April 9 here in Munson. It is a collabora-tive recital, so Ill be singing, Douglas will be playing, Alex Russell will be playing and we also have another cellist coming in, so it will be a very neat concert and its all music by German composers, Galloway said.

APU Opera COURTESYSome of the performers getting ready in their dressing room.

APU Opera COURTESYThe stage being set for the Ariodante rehearsal in Munson.

A season of sacrificeStudents reflect on what Lent means to them and what ways they plan to partake in it

Brianna Rodriguez staff writer

The Lenten season kicked off with Ash Wednesday on Feb. 18. Traditionally on this day, people attend church masses to receive ashes in the sign of the cross on their fore-head. Here at APU, ashes were offered during Wednesday chapels so that students could par-ticipate in the observance.

Lent is a period of 40 days beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Easter Sun-day that encourages the sacrifice of some-thing with the intention of gaining some-thing else usually, more time spent with God.

Junior English major Eric Dong is an evan-gelical Christian who does not practice Lent within his denomination, but has taken up the sacrificial season for the past three years since coming to APU.

In the busyness of my life, there sometimes is not room for me to practically and systemati-cally set apart time to [be] devout and practice my faith, Dong said. So I practice Lent be-cause it gives me an excuse almost to show my faith outwardly.

Sophomore AnaMaria Padro, a Spanish and allied health major, expressed that she practices Lent because it is part of her Catholic tradition.

Personally, I really appreciate this time of deep reflection in which I put aside time to look at how much I am reflecting Christ to his people. I want to show others how im-portant his great sacrifice was to me and how it has opened the gates of heaven for us to

enter and share in his eternal glory, Padro said.

Most people take the time during Lent and use it to fast, withdrawing from physical habits or specific foods until Easter. People also use this period to commit to doing good deeds and giving back to charity.

I decided to give up meat because it is something so integral in my everyday life, Dong said. Giving it up will have me make the conscious decision to abstain from it, there-fore making the choice to [be] devout myself to Christ further.

Padro, who has been practicing the season of Lent since grade school, is not only giving up sweets during this time, but she is taking up something.

I am also challenging myself to go to daily Mass at least twice a week because I need to spend that extra time with my God, it is also a sacrifice of sleep, Padro said.

There are a variety of ways to practice Lent in order to show deep commitment to God.

Junior business management major Rhi-annon Tylutki grew up Catholic, which has encouraged her practice of Lent for many years. She believes that what is important during this short season is remembering its purpose.

I think its important to be aware of it. You dont necessarily have to practice as in giving something up or taking something up, because those things can really play into your pride, Tylutki said. It can turn really negative really fast, because you dont know where your moti-vation is coming from.

By acknowledging the time of Lent, indi-viduals refrain from certain practices that are not related to God yet strongly attract them. By keeping themselves from something that they do or consume often, they are able to reflect on their faith and renew their relationship with God.

And the Oscar goes to ...Birdman wins big on Hollywoods biggest night

Camille Frigillanaguest writer

The 87th Academy Awards, more com-monly known as the Oscars, took place Feb. 22. Hosted this year by actor Neil Patrick Har-ris, the annual ceremony honors the past years movies and the people who had a hand in them, from the actors to the costume designers.

This year, eight films were up for the Best Picture Award, each film very different from the others. The nominees included Wes Andersons comedy, The Grand Budapest Hotel, that tells the story of a concierge (Ralph Fiennes) who is framed for murder, as well as director James Marshs biopic of Stephen Hawking, The The-ory of Everything. But perhaps the two most anticipated movies to win big at the award cer-emony were Boyhood and Birdman.

Directed by Richard Linklater, Boyhood follows a young boy over the course of 12 years as he grows up with divorced parents. What makes this film unique, however, is the fact that the movie was actually shot over a 12-year pe-riod, from 2002 to 2013. Actor Ellar Coltrane played the main character of the movie through-out those years, but was not nominated for any Academy Awards.

However, actress Patricia Arquette was up for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Col-tranes mother in the movie. Arquette was seen as a favorite to win since she practically swept the previous award ceremonies, from the Gold-en Globes to the Screen Actors Guild Awards. And it seemed as though she proved everyone right, nagging the Oscar and beating out ac-tresses such as Meryl Streep (Into the Woods) and Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game).

Ultimately, it was Birdman that took home the Oscar for Best Picture. Directed by Alejandro Gonzlez Irritu, the film is

about a washed-out actor (Michael Keaton) who tries to revive his career and fix his family and himself. Irritu also won for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay while Emmanel Lubezki won for best cin-ematography, giving Birdman a total of four Oscars.

The film failed to take home any awards for its actors, however. Birdman lead Mi-chael Keaton lost for Best Actor, while actress Emma Stone, who plays Keatons daughter in the movie, lost to Arquette for Best Supporting Actress.

Instead, actor Eddie Redmayne won Best Actor for his portrayal as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything. Actress Julianne Moore won Best Actress for her portrayal of a linguistics professor who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimers in the movie Still Alice. Both Redmayne and Moore were favorites to win, as they won practically all the honors for their roles during this award season.

Neither Clint Eastwoods American Snip-er nor Morten Tyldums The Imitation Game won any major awards that night, but the two films won Best Sound Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay, respectively.

The film Selma, which depicts the 1965 voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, was among the eight films nominated for Best Picture and left with the award for Best Original Song. Writ-ten by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn, the song Glory was performed by musicians Common and John Legend at the awards cer-emony.

Other notable wins that night included the movie Big Hero 6 for Best Animated Fea-ture. The Disney movie beat out films like Dreamworks How to Train Your Dragon 2 for the award. This is the only honor the film has won this season, losing to How To Train Your Dragon 2 at the Golden Globes and The Lego Movie at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards.

6 WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 2015 Clause THECLAUSE.ORG/LIFESTYLE

Become a student reporter with just a click on your smartphone. Wherever you are and whatever time of day, you are able to snap a picture and upload it to Instagram with the hashtag of #claustagram or #iheartapu. Tell us what is going on around campus. Your instagram may even be used in the next issue of The Clause.

#CLAUSTAGRAM

WELCOME TO THE ZUName: India MyerscoughInstagram Name: @welcometoindia

APU BEAT CBUName: Christine MurphyInstagram Name: @christeenmurphy

CROSS THE LANDName: Nathaniel Instagram Name: @nathaniel.serrato

RAINBOW ON WESTName: Natalie ChanInstagram Name: @natcww24

5K Fun Run put on by Rez Life includes slip n slide and more

Kimberly Smith PHOTOStudents dance to Zumba as they warm up, waiting for the race to start Saturday morning.

Kimberly Smith PHOTOA slip n slide was provided as one of the fun stations of the race.

Kimberly Smith PHOTOJunior UV RA Adrian Kim cheers on participants.

Kimberly Smith PHOTOAt 9:00 a.m. runners get set and begin under a balloon arch made by Rez Life RAs.

Kimberly Smith PHOTOSenior Amanda Allison and Trinity RA leads the Zumba warm-up.

Opinion

Stephany Romerostaff writer

Remembering war and our soldiers

We will never forget.Sept. 11, 2001, will always be

remembered. Some of us may recall listening to the radio and watching the Twin Towers crumbling to ashes as 2,753 lives were taken after hi-jacked flights 11 and 175 intention-ally crashed into the North and South towers.

That night, President George W. Bush addressed the nation: America and our friends and allies join with all those who want peace and security in the world. And we stand together to win the war against terrorism.

This is what started the war against the Taliban.

Within a month of the attacks, Operation Enduring Freedom began Oct. 7, 2001. It involved air strikes on Taliban and al-Qaida forces, in-cluding the search for Osama Bin Laden. The operations purpose was to stop the Taliban from providing a safe haven to al-Qaida and end the latter groups use of Afghanistan as a base for terrorist activities. As this operation developed, countries such as Germany, Italy, Netherlands, France and England became involved by sending thousands of troops to Afghanistan to aid the United States Army.

Many Americans were fueled by patriotism after the attack that

September morning, and enlistments rose all around the U.S. as thousands joined to fight in the war against ter-rorism.

Since 2001, more than 2 million people have been sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. Nearly 6,000 soldiers have been killed and 52,000 declared wounded in action. Many of the sol-diers who returned after their tour of duty suffered post-traumatic stress, major depression or traumatic brain injuries.

The war that started as a strong fight against terror with avid sup-porters quickly seemed to become a conflict that many American citizens were tired of hearing about and soon frowned upon.

On May 2, 2011, a United States Navy SEAL team killed bin Laden in Abbotabad, Pakistan, and NATO

leaders endorsed an exit strategy for withdrawing forces just one year later.

President Barack Obama and De-fense Secretary Chuck Hagel each issued statements proclaiming the termination of the combat mission in Afghanistan in December 2014 after 13 years of action.

With American troops being brought back home, the ones who remained had to help Afghan troops transition into defending themselves. What seemed to go unnoticed was that even though America had spent so long at war, the Taliban was not exactly packing up and going home. The enemy stayed together and, as many assumed, made a comeback af-ter the U.S. and its allies went home.

With crises like those in Iraq and Syria dominating the White Houses

foreign policy agenda, many fear that Obama and his administration will lose sight of Afghanistan and every-thing that has happened since Sept. 11.

The 1 percent who volunteered to serve in the armed forces and their families are some of the few Ameri-cans who still vividly remember these 13 years and the graphic details endured. They remember the pain, the struggles and the efforts. Howev-er, apart from this low percentage, ev-eryone else seems to be trying to for-get the long war that brought so much tragedy, ignoring what is currently happening with ISIS and Americas focus on new threats.

It sounds like the Bush adminis-tration all over again, when the White House and Congress wanted a war and the media were more than happy

Recognizing needs to be actively involved in efforts of supporting Americas armed forces

Flicker Creative Commons / U.S. Army COURTESY

After nearly 14 years, the impact of Americas longest war is quickly becoming forgotten among citizens today as new cyberattacks and terrorists threats that are being made throughout the world beg for attention.

A new war may be on the horizon, but we cant just forget about the 13 years we went through and all the brave men and women who served our

country, and sim-ply flip the page to

something new.to cover it. The Obama administra-tion recently submitted a draft war authorization against ISIS, according to an article in the New York Times written by Peter Baker.

Baker recently stated on CBS: [The authorization] is not going to change whats happening on the ground. President Obama has made clear whether it passes or not, hes going to continue to do the exact same thing.

Even though the United States has no actual reason to go to war, the president and Congress have found loopholes that have our country head-ing into a new conflict and the media seem to be getting all of us ready for what is to come in this new battle against ISIS.

A new war may be on the hori-zon, but we cant just forget about the 13 years we went through and all the brave men and women who served our country, and simply flip the page to something new.

We cant forget those who en-listed soon after 9/11 and learned to cope with trauma, heartbreak and the fading public interest with the fight in the Middle East.

Clinton and Bush ... again?Refocusing direction of 2016 electionAngel Eleyaestaff writer

Many things in our culture tend to repeat themselves, such as Friends episodes, Taylor Swift songs and apparently the names on our countrys voting ballots.

In the upcoming election, we will most likely see both a Bush and a Clinton in the running to be the next president. Aside from the vote in 2012, U.S. citizens under the age of 38 have always seen a member of one of these two families cam-paigning for either president or vice president.

Whether or not each candidate is qualified for the position is a dif-ferent issue. Instead, the question is whether or not it is beneficial that we continue to elect the same fami-lies? This isnt Greek life, where be-ing a part of a legacy automatically gets you in. Its time to let the other kids play.

Have millennials and Genera-tion X become accustomed to these names or can they them aside and focus on the policies for which each candidate actually stands?

Neither Hillary Clinton nor Jeb

Bush have formally confirmed their presidential candidacy for the 2016 election. However, this past Novem-ber, CNN reported that a member of Clintons team had stated, If she hasnt said no by January 2015, its a sign she is running, while on Dec. 16 Jeb Bush tweeted, I am excited to announce I will actively explore the possibility of running for the President of the United States.

Bushs tweet linked to a Face-book post that went into more detail about his decision to run for presi-dent. Under the post were multiple comments that primarily spoke to him as a member of the Bush family rather than his political efforts.

This shows that ties to the fam-ily name run deeper than what each person has done in the past. Already, American citizens are basing their views and potentially their votes on the past four decades.

Bush is a Bush. Clinton is a Clinton. They cant escape that, but as for the Bush family: three presi-

Change is a word that politicians like

to throw around, but its time for the word to be put into action.

dents really? The first time was exciting, for most. The second time was endearing, due to the whole father-son relationship, but a third time?

What does this say about our so-ciety? Is it presumptuous of me to say that we have learned to let the politicians fend for themselves and when voting day comes, we cast our vote for whichever dynasty we pre-fer? Do we see the two candidates as capable or as American poster children? Or are we going to care about the issues that each candidate discusses?

Change is a word that politi-cians like to throw around, but its time for the word to be put into ac-tion.

Though campaigning for the 2016 presidency has yet to begin, I have to make sure that I wont look at the pasts of the candidates fami-lies and instead focus on the future change they will enact.

Even with the scandals and the decisions that each family has been scrutinized for, I know I cant have those at the forefront of my mind. That is not the way to vote for the leader of the free world and certain-ly not the way to vote for a person who represents me as a citizen.

In the next election, I will vote based on the candidates plans, rath-er than his or her last name and I en-courage you to do the same.

Flickr Creative Commons / COURTESY

Candidates for the 2016 election have not been officially released and-campaigns are projected to begin in June. The Republicans and Dem-ocrats will officially choose their partys nominiees at their respective conventions which are both scheduled to take place mid-July 2016.

THECLAUSE.ORG/OPINION Clause WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 2015 9

Dear Activate,Its me, again.Im not uninformed. Ive read

everything youve put out there and Ive been to your info meetings. I know what youre trying to do and how youre trying to do it, and I do not agree. As a student of color, I do not agree.

Recently, I posted a letter to Activate on my blog and the only response I received was from those who agreed with me and those who, in my opinion, didnt really under-stand what I was trying to say. For those of you who didnt get to read it, my letter was about feeling misrepre-sented and how we at APU can do a better job of lovingly educating other people in a way that challenges the ideas of Activate.

I wrote this blog because I felt that Activate needed to hear it. I didnt just write to criticize or demean, and Im sorry if I did. But, above all, I wrote it because I felt shamed along with my white friends. I felt shamed because I felt like if I didnt go along with Activate, I was being racist to-ward minorities as a minority myself. It was either join Activate or be racist and I was not going to tolerate either, so I decided to speak up.

I am not a victim and I refuse to let anyone else make me one. Only I can validate my own experience, and I definitely dont need anyone else to do it for me.

I dont deny the cultural igno-rance here at APU, and I dont deny that it can be pretty hard sometimes, but I believe that you, in Activate, are going about solving this problem the wrong way.

At the info night on Feb. 18, I

asked this question: What do you plan to do with the $60,000 youre demanding from the university? Be detailed and specific. The president of Latin American Student Asso-ciation said that it would be used to provide better retreats, help pay for annual high school conferences and fund whatever else comes up. He was not able to be detailed and specific because the club has never had that amount of money in funding and its leaders do not have the imagination to dream up what they will do.

Im sorry, but in the real world that would not fly. You would not re-ceive any money without a detailed budget as to where it will be spent. You cannot demand from the univer-sity if you do not have concrete plans. The question still stands as to wheth-er you should be demanding from the university at all.

The Alpha program was also called into question by the president of LASA. He asked why the Bridges retreat was given so much funding. As an Alpha leader, I was slightly of-fended at this. This program reaches almost every single undergraduate student that walks onto this campus. Bridges is not only a retreat, it also is service. Students do not go on this re-

treat for the sole purpose of fun; they go to serve.

Your club is not comparable to the Alpha program, so do not try. Its not fair to you. Youre asking for more money than you know what to do with, and youre asking for more money than any other clubs on cam-pus. If each of your clubs receives $15,000, then I think its only fair that every other club receives the same amount, right?

Please recognize that despite your well-meaning intentions, white students feel shamed and unwelcome in the movement. You want them to recognize their privilege, but recog-nize your own. We go to a private university, which is a privilege. You are able to speak up about your situa-tion, which is a privilege. We all have a certain amount of privilege as edu-cated Americans, and it has nothing to do with the color of our skin.

So, again, I implore you to be pa-tient. Be vocal, but dont push others out of power only to put yourselves at the top. This is not a power struggle. Its a struggle to have other people understand us. If you want a good picture of how to go about it, look to International Chapel. Those people have got it down pretty well.

Learning to cope with Netflix addictions Saying goodbye to binge watchingLauren Duranstaff writer

Just one more episode.These are infamous words that

almost every Netflix user has uttered at least once in his or her lifetime, as there is only 15 seconds to make a decision before the next episode automatically begins.

In a day and age when technol-ogy has taken over, Netflix remains the leading online multimedia net-work. According to the Netflix Media Center, its number of new subscribers rose nearly 20 percent from the count in 2013, totaling 13 million at the end of 2014. The da-tabase now serves over 57 million users worldwide.

From the website or mobile app, viewers are able to navigate through the hours of movies and episodes that Netflix offers for a flat monthly fee of $7.99, depending on the type of service.

With access to Netflix in over 50 countries, more than 2 billion hours of TV shows and movies are being viewed each month.

Unlike traditional television, Netflix can be enjoyed whenever Internet is available and the service

accommodates all ages by provid-ing a wide range of commercial-free shows for both children and adults.

In a generation of we want it and we want it now, Netflix is ideal for many TV and movie lov-ers, but the question is, have view-ers become too addicted? Is Netf-lix causing people to neglect their lives while they are glued to their screens?

The problem seems to be hit-ting viewers the most in the form of binge watching. In 2013, Harris Interactive, a market research firm, conducted a survey among 1,500 TV streamers on behalf of Netflix. The survey discovered that 61 per-cent of streamers participated in binge watching regularly.

According to the survey, A majority (73 percent) defined binge watching as consuming between 2-6 episodes of the same TV show in one sitting.

The reasoning behind binge watching was that viewers now have control over when and what they watch. They are no longer con-fined to the restrictions of the televi-sion networks that determine which shows or movies will air and at what times.

Aside from the amount of con-trol viewers now have, 76 percent of users agree that Netflix is a good

distraction from a busy schedule. However, even as this seems to be the best thing that ever happened to TV viewers, it also has its negative effects.

Instead of completing important tasks such as work or school, many young adults are mesmerized by the computer monitor and their favorite sitcom character.

If I didnt watch Netflix, I would probably study more and procrasti-nate less, said junior art major Beth Benson.

Not only can binge watching af-fect both social and work lives, it can

also hurt overall health, especially sleep patterns.

Undeclared freshman Katrina Williams explains that her sleep-ing habits suffer most when watch-ing Netflix. In order to reduce binge watching, Williams will decide prior to consuming Netflix how many epi-sodes she will watch and what time she will shut off either the movie or show.

This is a good way to avoid binge watching. If you set a time frame in which you are allowed to watch, you will prevent overindulging.

Another good way to stop your-

Kimberly Smith ILLUSTRATION

self from binge watching is by disabling the auto-play feature on Netflix. This will prevent the next episode from automatically starting once the previous one ends.

Our generation is consumed by instantaneous media in the forms of news, music, movies and espe-cially TV shows. Although Netflix can cure boredom for a low price, it ultimately wont allow you to ac-complish the most important things in life.

As with everything, moderation is key, and sometimes you just have to say no to one more episode.

Paying less than $100 a year, users are able to suscribe to Netflix, allowing commercial-free access to thousands of television series and movies instantly.

Pursuing privacy Keeping up with impact from reality televisionPaige Smithstaff writer

The first time I heard the name Kardashian was June 2012. I didnt watch a whole lot of televi-sion and laughed at reality shows, knowing that programs like Keep-ing Up with the Kardashians werent actually portraying reality. (Sorry to break that to you.)

Keeping Up with the Kardashi-ans may be one of the most popu-lar ongoing reality TV shows of our generation; the daughters, the drama and the damage. The show portrays the blended family of Kim Kar-dashian, including the members of the Jenner family.

Speculating rumors regarding Bruce Jenners gender identity have recently surfaced as over the past couple years he has had numerous plastic surgery procedures.

Speaking as a female, many of the women on the show put down men, contradicting national efforts to minimize gender discrimination.

One of the villains on the show, Scott Disick, explains how, in his experience, the women are on top and the men are on the bot-tom. During one of the episodes, Disick has a conversation with Kris Humphries, Kim Kardashians ex-husband, calling the men on the show to be whipped.

This is not acceptable.We are living in a world where

feminism is working to equalize men and womens rights, but shows like this are going against these ef-forts. These women in the public eye are not empowering females, and in-stead are bringing others down.

However, with the portrayal of women on the show, there should also be privacy for the family at

some point. For Bruce Jenner, his situation should be just that pri-vate.

We can look back on different paparazzi encounters and how me-dia impact the lives of celebrities, but as always, there are exceptions to the rule and the Kardashian/Jen-ner family is one.

It has been noted (not verified) that Jenners own biological daugh-ters were the ones who leaked the information about his current trans-formation in becoming a woman, and there is debate on whether or not the Kardashian family supports this decision. However, his mother has spoken with the media in full support of Jenner and his most re-cent decision, according to an article posted on RadarOnline.

As there are many different viewpoints and issues within this family, the media are the main influ-ence and it is important that we rec-ognize the impact that media have on our society.

It has been said that those in the Kardashian and Jenner families crave the attention that the media provide our culture, which is prob-ably not a surprise. This is some-thing we cannot blame them for, as it is something we all deal with, in craving to be noticed and have our 15 minutes of fame.

While I may not agree with ev-erything that goes on in Jenners day-to-day life, I do not know him personally and cant begin to un-derstand what he is going through. With that said, If Jenner has decided to become a woman, then that is his decision.

It is wrong for publications to mock him by Photoshopping pic-tures for their front covers because of his decision. It doesnt matter if you disagree or agree with what an individual or family is doing; there should be some level of respect be-tween the media and celebrities in situations like Jenners.

Daring to challenge ActivateRecognizing what privilege means as a minorityJosephine Jimenezguest writer

Brooke Seipel PHOTO

Members of Activate challenge the Azusa Pacific student body to address the issue of racism on campus.

SportsSerbian big man brings big personality to APU

I dont want to sound cocky, but Im pretty much popular around cam-pus. Everybody wants to talk to me when I go to the Den, so sometimes it can be overwhelming, Petar Kut-lesic said.

This is the type of quip that has endeared the basketball team and many around campus to the freshman forward from Serbia.

Im 6-foot-8, Serbian and have red hair so I understand why. You dont see that every day, he clarified.

The freshman is averaging 5.3 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game. His rebounding number leads the team.

I have an American team. Im a 6-foot-8 European and I love to shoot and I love to pass. They find it weird, Kutlesic said.

Kutlesic is the tallest player on the team but plays a European style rather than in the post like the other big men, Will Ward and Christian Katuala. He models his game after Dirk Nowitizki of the Dallas Maver-icks. Kutlesic is shooting 34 percent this season from beyond the arc.

Hes a good fit for us because we play a five-out motion, so we need players who can stretch the floor and can play both inside and out, head coach Justin Leslie said.

The freshman has made an im-mediate impact with the Cougars, joining the teams deep rotation and playing over 15 minutes a game com-ing off the bench.

Hes really blossomed com-ing off the bench. Hes our lead-ing rebounder and hes found his niche for this team. We all recog-nize that, and hes good at it, said Robert Sandoval, senior guard for the Cougars.

Coach Leslie does see improve-ments that Kutlesic can make in his time at APU. The freshman is still new to APUs system, and theres room for the forward to grow and learn to take advantage of the places in the system where he can excel. Ad-ditionally, the team wants the Serbian to work on his post game.

In the future, I would expect that he would be an equal mix of inside and out, Leslie said.

In 40 minutes of play spread be-tween the last two games, Kutlesic has recorded 17 points, 16 rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal. The efficiency he has shown is why the Cougars are optimistic about his fu-ture.

Kutlesic has also found favor with the Zu and APU fans, who have taken to chanting Serbia! after the forward makes a basket.

Over winter break, Kutlesic stayed with Sandoval. I kind of re-gret it because my family loves him more than me now. But it was cool to go deeper and hear his story, San-doval said.

That story begins back in Serbia. I was a chubby kid and a little bit shorter than everybody, so my par-ents were like, You should go play something because youre a little bit chubby, Kutlesic said.

He started with soccer, but switched to basketball on the recom-mendation of his coach and stuck with the sport through his childhood and into high school.

When I realized Im a little bit better than everyone at basketball, I de-

cided that that was my dream, he said.This dream came at a price. In

Serbia, its either college or basket-ball you cant do both.

Kutlesic got in contact with a manager who promised to find him a place to play collegiately in the United States. The manager told him in early February of his senior year that he had found him a place to play. However, the manager went out of contact until June and came back with no opportunity for Kut-lesic.

During that time, Kutlesic needed to take his SAT and make other prep-arations for the difficult jump from Serbian high school to a college in the U.S.

However, his father became very sick and could no longer work.

It was a serious disease. My mom did everything she could for me. She had three jobs, Kutlesic said.

He was ready to give up on his dream and just stay in Serbia.

I couldnt even go to univer-sity [in Serbia] because I skipped the tests, so I was gonna go play low-di-vision basketball somewhere, Kut-lesic said. It would be some small place and just playing basketball for 300 or 400 bucks a month. It would be horrible.

Kutlesic got a call from Igor Vrzina, a Serbian coach at Lee Acad-emy, a prep school in Maine. Prep schools offer a place for players to become academically qualified to before moving to a four-year univer-sity. The Serbian coach brought over many players from his homeland and

found them landing spots at four-year schools. That was exactly what Kut-lesic needed.

The team at Lee Academy was made up of players in the same situa-tion as he was: trying to land a schol-arship to continue their careers.

Those who didnt play just sat on the bench and didnt cheer when you made a basket, Kutlesic said. They actually cheered when the oth-er team made a basket because that would mean they would get to go in and play.

While Lee Academy served a purpose for Kutlesic, he didnt find comfort in the Northeast.

In Maine, I missed my fam-ily and I missed my home, he said. After the first week, I came to the point where I downloaded a timer and counted the days until I got to go home.

After becoming academically eligible and having what he called a decent year on the court, Kut-lesic began receiving interest from schools, including Division I pro-grams.

Azusa Pacific expressed interest after an assistant coachs contact on the East Coast pushed through some of Kutlesics tape to the coaching staff at APU. The player chose APU because Leslie pitched him a differ-ent message than he had heard from others.

I really liked coach Leslie and its in LA. I didnt know I had to go to chapel at the time, but everything else sounded nice and I just went for it, Kutlesic said.

Its not hard to understand the ap-peal of a school near LA to Kutlesic. Lee Academy is in a remote part of Maine in a town with less than 1,000 people.

Last summer, prior to coming to APU, Kutlesic returned to Serbia, where he was invited to participate in a camp for the under-20 Serbian na-

tional team leading up to the world championship.

At the camp, he competed with 25-30 of the countrys top young players for 15 days. Although he didnt make the final cut, Kutlesic says that it was a tremendous honor to be chosen to participate in the camp. The team eventually finished third in the world championship.

I came back to Serbia to see my parents and be with my parents, and I couldnt when I was at the camp. It was tough. When I got cut, I was kind of relieved. Kutlesic said.

He finally found himself on cam-pus at a U.S. university last fall, a 20-year old freshman.

It was a really big concern how the team was going to accept me, Kutlesic said. I came here and I was a little bit lonely because they just came back from their Costa Rica [trip] and had bonded while they were there.

Kutlesics fears were quickly put to rest as the team began to take a lik-ing to his sense of humor and affinity for lighthearted argument.

Hes got a good sense of humor; hes definitely secure in his personali-ty. He says his opinions, Leslie said.

Its apparent that he and Leslie have gotten along as they chase down a humorous argument during the in-terview about Kutlesics play with Leslie offering improvements the freshman could make.

Hes easy to argue with and fun to banter back and forth with, Leslie said.

His original plan after gradua-

Kutlesic finds home at Azusa Pacific

Landon Trokaassistant sports editor

tion was to return to Europe and play professionally. However, hes found another passion in his computer sci-ence major.

Finally, Im interested in some-thing, so I might stick with it, although I still have a long way to go. But I like basketball, too, he said. Although, in order to stay in [the] U.S., I have to get married, and I dont want to get married. ... Dont write that, because Im gonna get a lot of offers.

His witty quips and sense of hu-mor make it no secret why hes found a home at APU.

When they saw how much I wanted to come, they were really supportive, Kutlesic said about his family.

Kutlesic is over 6,000 miles and a nine-hour time difference away from his family, but they get to Skype often. His father often wakes up to watch the 7:30 p.m. games tip off at 4:30 a.m. in Serbia.

Im here trying to show my grat-itude and make them proud, Kutle-sic said.

The Cougars are currently 23-4 (16-3 PacWest) and tied atop the con-ference standings.

This is the best team Ive ever been on, team-wise, he said. They did everything they could to make me not feel alone.

Kutlesic paused before answer-ing what he brings to the team. I hope I bring something, he said.

The humility and deference to everything that his teammates con-tribute is telling of Kutlesics heart. Its apparent that he holds a certain respect for the group that took in the tall freshman from thousands of miles away.

Im just hoping we can finish it in the right way. We can go really far, he said.

Hes found his niche for this team. ... and hes good at it.

Robert Sandoval, senior guard

I didnt know I had to go to chapel at the time, but everything else sounded nice. Petar Kutlesic, freshman forward

Katie Richcreek PHOTOPetar Kutlesic lays in a basket against California Baptist in the Cougars 84-68 win. He scored 7 points and pulled in 9 rebounds in the win.

Stefany Romero contributed to this story.

THECLAUSE.ORG/SPORTS Clause WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 2015 11

Azusa Pacific Universitys class-rooms host a plethora of transfer stu-dents and so do the Cougar sports teams.

We have become a very attrac-tive landing spot for transfer stu-dents, said Assistant Athletics Di-rector Jackson Stava.

Stava credits this to APUs pri-vate-school environment and nation-ally renowned location.

NCAA transfer rules allow stu-dent-athletes with remaining eligibil-ity after completing their undergrad-uate degree to continue competing while receiving a second degree at another member institution.

Staci Foster spent four years run-ning track and cross country at the University of Colorado at Boulder while studying for a degree in psy-chology. Foster said it was the phe-nomenal track program that drew her to Azusa Pacific University, and she had initially intended on earning her masters degree while running as a Cougar. Instead of becoming a gradu-ate student, Foster is working on her second undergraduate degree in soci-ology.

I redshirted my freshman out-door track and cross country [sea-sons], and then my junior indoor track [season], Foster said. Because she redshirted, she was able to have enough eligibility left to allow her to run the mile for indoor season and the 1,500-meter outdoor season at APU.

Jacqueline Carlin, on the other hand, decided to use her excess eligi-bility to take the masters route. The Cougar softball catcher is currently working toward a graduate degree in physical education and sports man-agement.

Carlin graduated from the Uni-versity of Charleston in West Virginia in three years, and on top of that, she took a medical redshirt her junior year due to tendinitis in her shoulder, leaving her with two seasons of eli-gibility.

After graduating from the Uni-versity of Charleston, Carlin took one year off to stay home, work and prac-tice softball.

It was rough at first, but I was glad to be back here at school, Car-lin said of the difficulties she faced coming back to the diamond after a whole year without competing.

Baseball player Christopher Ty-ler Neal attended a series of schools before landing at APU. His undergrad began at Biola University, where he played baseball for two years, and then he transferred to Bakersfield College for one semester to play football. After that, Neal traveled across the country to the University of Tennessee-Knoxville for 2 1/2 years, leaving him with one semester of eligibility left.

Following the completion of his business management degree, Neal set out to find a Division II or III school that would take him in for his final semester of competition.

I basically emailed every D II and D III baseball coach in the na-tion, and I got some responses, but APU gave me the most favorable response about playing time, Neal said. He is currently studying toward his masters degree in business ad-ministration.

APU hurdler Shujaa Benson is

Quinn Robertson is currently studying for her masters degree in business management if that didnt sound challenging enough, she is do-ing that while swimming competitive-ly in her final season as a Cougar.

Robertson is a rare athlete, one who excels in every sport shes played. In high school, she ran track and participated in basketball. In both sports, she was crowned a champion.

Prior to her arrival at APU, Rob-ertson was fairly new to competitive swimming. She started in the ninth grade, and with just four short sea-sons under her belt, moved on to break a school record in the 50 meter free with a final time of 24:18 during her first season as a Cougar.

The sport became a huge part of Robertsons life, as it often does for athletes. She spent most of her time practicing, getting her technique down and hoping she would reach nationals.

Swimming and diving is [a] whole new, different monster, Rob-ertson said, comparing the sport with those she previously played. We have two-a-days every day. I spend 28 hours in the pool a week.

Throughout her first three years, Robertson encountered nothing but success. She reached nationals her

Veteran swimmers last chapter at Azusa Pacific

Sam Quintanillastaff writer

Record-breaker Robertson is in her final year

freshman and sophomore seasons, and in her junior year broke a pro-gram record for the 200 meter free, registering a time of 1:53.60.

That all changed her senior year. Although she remained the same tri-umphant swimmer, Robertson was redshirted and swam as an unat-tached swimmer. The only way she was able to contribute to the team was through encouragement, as she watched teammates compete in the

Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference championships.

Redshirting was definitely the biggest challenge in my five years at APU. Youre putting in all the work but cant compete, Robertson said. It was fun being able to encourage my teammates, watching them thrive, but it was hard not being able to get in there and compete.

However, sitting out made her the best leader she could be. She

said her redshirt season allowed her to re-evaluate herself in order to be-come the captain she wanted to be.

Head coach Tim Kyle gave in-sight on Robertsons leadership.

Quinn is an individual that is a natural-born leader. She has an out-standing knack for roles of leader-ship, Kyle said.

With the 2014-15 PCSC Cham-pionships rapidly approaching, Rob-ertson, alongside her teammates,

has been preparing vigorously for the competition. Robertson has the opportunity to reach nationals for the first and final time as part of the NCAA.

Quinn is athletically capable of great things. She has put in a tremen-dous amount of hard work and her hard work and effort will show at our conference meet, Kyle said.

Kyle added Robertson has a strong chance of making it to nationals.

If [I] got the opportunity to reach nationals, it would truly be the cherry on top of the sundae, Robert-son said. Theres no better place to showcase your talent alongside your team than nationals.

APU Sports Information COURTESYSenior Quinn Robertson finishes her fifth year and final season of competition with the Cougars.

Azusa Pacific becomes transfer landing spot

also finishing his eligibility while earning a masters degree. Benson started his undergrad at the Universi-ty of Illinois and transferred to Texas Tech in 2012. The amount of remain-ing eligibility for indoor and outdoor seasons is still being determined.

Faith Vander Voortcopy editor

Transfer athletes turn heads with schools NCAA membership

APU Sports Information COURTESYShujaa Benson (right) finished third in the 60-meter hurdles at NAU Tune-Up.

Womens Basketball (17-9)Last game: W, 92-84 (OT) vs. California Baptist*Upcoming: vs. Fresno Pacific* at 1 p.m. on Saturday

Mens Basketball (23-4)Last game: W, 84-68 vs. California Baptist*Upcoming: vs. Fresno Pacific* at 3 p.m. on Saturday

Softball (7-8)Last game(s): L, 3-5 & L, 4-9 vs. Academy of ArtUpcoming: vs. Notre Dame de Namur* (DH) at 4 p.m. on Friday

BaseballUpcoming: @ Academy of Art* (DH) on Friday

Track and FieldUpcoming: Rossi Relays

Water Polo (4-7)Upcoming: @ Tina Finali Invitational (Cal Lutheran)

Womens TennisUpcoming: vs. Westmont on Wednesday

Mens TennisUpcoming: vs. BYU-Hawaii on Thursday

*conference

AROUND THE DEN

Provisional qualifiers: Quinn Robertson, Erica Knudsen, Heidi Zuniga and Sydney Bello 800-yard freestyle relay (7:38.78)* Rosalee Mira Santa Ana: 500-yard freestyle (4:53.91)*

Qualifiers: Hailey Viehman: 3-me-ter diving (261.15) Kiana Mourer: 1-meter (256.05)* and 3-meter diving (295.50)*

*program records

NCAA QUALIFIERS

Transferring schools can be ex-tremely challenging, but when eligi-bility is in the mix, its a whole dif-ferent ballgame. APUs recent NCAA membership has begun to turn the heads of transfer athletes from all over the nation.

APU Sports Information COURTESY

Jacqueline Carlin (left), Christopher Tyler Neal (center), and Staci Foster (right).

THECLAUSE.ORG/SPORTS Clause WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 2015 12

For full coverage: theclause.org/sports Follow us on Twitter @ClauseSports For live updates, scores and more

Cougar basketball sweeps rival California Baptist

Katie Richcreek PHOTOJunior guard Cydnie Jones scored a season-high 25 points in Saturdays 92-84 overtime victory over CBU.

Blake Standal PHOTOKatie Powell went 2-for-3 from beyond the arc on Saturday. The senior guard has averaged .365 on the year.

Blake Standal PHOTOSophomore forward Maggie Dumphy contributed 12 points, two assists and four steals in the win.

Katie Richcreek PHOTOChristian Katuala recorded 10 points and three rebounds in the 84-68 win over the Lancers. The senior guard averages seven points per game.

Blake Standal PHOTOSophomore forward Will Ward dunked the ball twice in the win. He finished with 13 points.

Katie Richcreek PHOTOSenior guard Troy Leaf posted 29 points, three assists and five re-bounds on Saturday. Leafs 22.7 points per game leads the PacWest.

Bryan Scott COURTESYMore than 3,000 fans poured into the Felix Event Center on Saturday night for the doubleheader against PacWest rival California Baptist. The women won 92-84 in overtime and the men won 84-68.