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Criticism of Oprah’s “dream” project unfounded

OPRAH IS A woman people either love to love or love to hate. Especially when it comes to a controversy. From James Frey and his not so true nonfiction book, “A Million Little Pieces,�? to her claim that she wouldn’t eat another hamburger and the effect she had on the cattle industry — her actions definitely stir up some buzz.

The most recent controversy with Oprah’s name stamped on it appears on the surface not to have two sides to it. Oprah spent $40 million to open The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy, a boarding school for girls in South Africa. The school is opening with spots for 152 girls, grades seven through 12.

The TV-host has called this her dream, something she has worked towards for five years.

To me, it seems like the only way to react to that would be to commend Oprah for sharing her wealth with children who truly need her help. This is her way to provide a once in a life time opportunity to young girls, to give them an education, hope and a safe place to live and learn.

But everyone doesn’t see it that way and Oprah’s critics have come out to voice their opinions.

Newsweek writer Allison Samuels criticized Oprah for the lavish design of the school that is set on 22 acres and divided into 28 buildings. Samuels listed the school’s perks such as a yoga studio, a beauty salon, indoor and outdoor theatres and oversized rooms with scorn, referring to the school as extravagant.

Other critics believed that the school was elitist, that such a beautiful establishment was too much for such an impoverished nation.

Bloggers across the Internet disapproved that Oprah chose to build her dream school in South Africa, rather than in the United States.

More complaints included that Oprah was building the school just for girls and that she should have used the money to buy more schools instead of just one over-the-top school. Others called her school just another publicity stunt.

First of all, Oprah can spend her money anyway she darn well feels like it — it’s her own money for Pete’s sake.

And Oprah is choosing to spend a nice chunk of her $1.4 billion fortune on others — what’s to criticize about that?

For those who condemn Oprah for not building the school in the United States — our country already has a school system where children are guaranteed a free education. Plus, as Oprah pointed out, American children can often be a bunch of spoiled brats. In America, most kids want the latest gadgets while in South Africa, kids just want to learn and have uniforms to wear to school.

Oprah says that this school is her dream but South Africa is the country that really needs a dream. This is a country where the life expectancy is 42.73 years. AIDS is affecting 21.5 percent of the adults in the country, or 5.3 million people. Half of the population is living below the poverty line with 25.5 percent of South Africans unemployed.

On Monday night, ABC featured “Building a Dream, the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy.�? The hour-long program followed Oprah’s journey as she developed her dream school, sifted through thousands of applicants and personally interviewed the finalists who would become the students at her school.

Oprah was looking for girls who had the “it�? factor, girls who were leaders, who had good grades, who loved to learn and who would become the face of South Africa.

These are girls who are scared to walk home, but keep on going with a smile on their faces. They sleep with their families in one-room huts but stay up at night doing their homework by candlelight.

These are girls who desperately want to live a safe and fulfilling life and are excited to learn everything they can. This is not just another controversy or topic of the day to blog about — these are the lives of real girls who just want a chance. And for 152 girls, they have been given that chance.

Now that’s a dream come true.

Reconsidering the “sorority girl” stereotype

A FUNNY THING happened last week: I found myself inside the meeting room of one our campus’s sororities.

It was surreal insofar as my experience was remarkably enlightening, and I came to the startling conclusion that my perceptions of what it means to be a sorority sister were completely incorrect.

As a member of the MTV generation, my entire consciousness of sororities and fraternities has been unfavorable.

Mostly, I just pictured meat-head jocks crushing beer cans against one another’s skulls, and tragic ex-cheerleaders in Juicy sweats talking about their mutual love of Dawson’s Creek.

Alas, not so much. And as painful as it is for me to ever admit being wrong, it was kind of refreshing to note that stereotypical constructs of what college life is supposed to be like have been ridiculously overblown.

Maybe not so ridiculously.

I think one of the six girls I met was wearing pink velour. Four of us had blonde in our hair, though to be fair, I contributed to this number.

And collectively, we frowned on carbohydrates.

If this experience taught me anything, it’s that lives we generally consider to be unlike are own are actually pretty normal. Perhaps we have to acknowledge the folly of cultural pedestals, meant to distinguish some groups from others.

As I rejected the notion of collegiate popularity contests in favor of actually getting to know these people, I realized I was living in an intellectual bubble popular amongst liberal arts educated poseurs who feel the need to pocket themselves into delusional sub-cliques.

Not being in a sorority does not automatically make a person smarter than those who are in them. Here’s the thing: stupid people are everywhere.

You read that right. There are dumb-dumbs all over, even within my major, though I’d never say it to anyone’s face.

Sorority girls are targeted because they are easy to identify — they all live in one big house and have archaic Greek characters on their stationery.

In reality though, you will find Debbie-Desperates, beezies, loadies, bone-heads, and the criminally unattractive in all walks of life. And they won’t be so easy to point out.

Some sorority sisters will fall into these categories. I know you’ve met some of ‘em, and it ain’t pretty.

But you’ve also met columnists, custodians, athletes, professors and the like who are just as unpleasant, if not unintelligent.

Identifying features used to peg people into this-or-that tend to fall flat once you actually get to know your classmates.

I ask you, reader, to be a little more open-minded the next time you’re about to buy into one of these stereotypes.

Choosing not to means you consider yourself more intelligent and more informed than you probably are.

Get over yourself; you are just as crazy, self-conscious and overwhelmed as the rest of us. Take a number and get in line.

Acting jaded and enlightened makes you look like a complete rat.

Don’t assume that counterfeit Coach purses and acrylic nails automatically make a person completely unintelligible.

Stop pretending you hate the idea of living with 40 other girls. One of them is bound to be able to help you with your homework.

Plus, think of all of the clothes you could borrow. Jackpot.

Shamelessly, I’m going to thank (and plug) the uber-kind Delta Gammas who made my visit so nice.

You make non-Greeks want to become Gamma girls, and are an example for everyone.

The rest of you might benefit from following their lead.

No, don’t run out and get a new weave to fit in.

Simply be a better person by giving other people a chance to be better than your expectations would ordinarily allow.

Scrumming to play at World Cup

California may be one of the hotspots of American rugby, but few are even aware that Fresno State has its own rugby club.

Yet, many students would probably make good rugby players, according to Fresno Rugby Football Club member Collin Cook.

“If you like hitting people and going out drinking together afterward, then rugby is something to get into,�? Cook, a senior Ag Business major, said. “It’s fun, intense and you play with a good bunch of guys. It’s the ultimate team sport.�?

Many are also confused about what rugby is, according to Jason Geurts, a senior finance major and teammate of Cook.

“Rugby is a cross between soccer and American football, in that it is non-stop like soccer and full-contact like football but without the pads,�? Geurts said. “People in America see rugby the same way as people overseas see American football, and that misconception is that it is ‘brutal and savage.’�?

Geurts is proud of his sport and would like to get the word out to others about rugby. “There are lots of good athletes in the Valley and they think that if they stopped playing football in high school and didn’t get a college scholarship, then they can’t play full-contact sports,�? Geurts said. “But the best rugby players are former football and soccer players and wrestlers. We like players with chips on their shoulders.�?

Geurts said no one should be intimidated to join. “You don’t need to be a big, huge guy to play,�? he said. “There is a position for everyone, of every size and shape. It’s all in the head because you have to be aggressive and not afraid of contact.�?

Geurts has had a lot of success with rugby. Earlier this month, he spent a week in San Diego training with the U.S. Men’s National Rugby team, also known as the U.S. Eagles. Geurts is among the 50 athletes vying to be one of the 30 players who will represent the United States in the Rugby World Cup this September in France.

Geurts, 26, has been playing rugby since he was a freshman in high school and played for the Marine Rugby Team before joining the Fresno Rugby Football Club. Upon graduation, he plans to move to San Diego to play for the Old Mission Beach Athletic Club as a rugby player. He may also get a professional contract from overseas if he makes the cut for the Rugby World Cup, which is the world’s third most-watched sporting event.

Dave Standifer is the owner of Athletic Performance Training in Fresno and has been Geurts’ strength coach for two years. Geurts credited Standifer’s training for carrying him to the next level.

“Our big thing is to keep his strength up,�? Standifer said. “At first we had to work on his speed and there is a heavy-lifting focus during the off-season. But he is a hard worker and is willing to spend the time to get better. He’s really dedicated.�?

Standifer said Geurts has a lot of tenacity. “We punish guys in my training facility and he is really good when it comes to that,�? he said.

The Fresno Rugby Football Club was founded in 1971 and operates with the Fresno State Rugby Football club. The members come from a variety of athletic backgrounds and ages, which currently range from 20 to 45. They play against other clubs from throughout northern California. Those interested in joining Geurts and Cook on the field should go to fresnorugby.com for more information.

Campus mysteries, part 3

Part three: The Collegian braves the Science building’s “dungeon”

Toward the back of the old Science building, just beyond the main lobby’s study area is an unmarked, unlocked door. The door leads down three sets of winding stairs to another unmarked, unlocked door.

Welcome to the basement of the Science building, a place not many students will ever find themselves.

The occasional flickering light and the various doors labeled “Caution: Radio Active Material” adds to the cold, creepy atmosphere of the basement.

“I doubt the average student would know about the basement,” said biology professor Alice Wright. “Or about the The Dungeon.”

Wright spent eight years working in the basement, but came above ground this semester. The words: “The Dungeon” appear outside the room that once served as her office and laboratory.

“A couple of my students decided to call it that,” Wright said. “I guess the name is rather intimidating, and it doesn’t help that [the room] is hard to find.”

It is no longer there, but inscribed on the door was the phrase: “Abandon hope all ye who enter here.” The line is from Dante’s epic poem, “Inferno.” More specifically these are the words that appear on the entrance to hell.

“The students were just having fun,” Wright adds. “We aren’t trying to scare anyone.”

Those students have since graduated Wright said. Two have earned master’s degrees from Johns Hopkins University.

Their time in The Dungeon was spent studying microbiology and bioremediation, and conducting varying research — hardly the hobbies of your average mad scientist.

“We like to have our jokes,” said Alejandro Calderon, an associate professor of developmental biology.

Calderon is The Dungeon’s new tenant.

“The biology department has limited space and our new microscopy equipment has forced me into the basement,” Calderon said.

Calderon has taught at Fresno State for nine years. He is considering changing his new laboratory’s title.

“It may be dark and cold down here, but it’s just not an attractive name,” Calderon said. “For now we’re just calling it the basement, but we’ll try to make the new name funnier.”

Students who work in The Dungeon now study plant developmental genetics. Graduate student Natalie Powers enjoys the space.

“It’s not really like a dungeon at all,” Powers, said. “It’s just called that because we’re in the basement.”

Powers, 23, a biology student from Lancaster, is working in The Dungeon this semester.

Besides the name, there’s nothing weird about The Dungeon’s laboratory space or the basement Powers said. “Although, there is a rumor that aliens are living in the audio/visual room a couple doors down.”

Do you know of a campus mystery? Share it with The Collegian’s Multimedia Editor Bryan Harley.

Top ‘Dogs on the links

Juan Villa / The Collegian
Fresno State freshman golfer Maria Pia Escandon hits a chip shot on the 11th hole during the Kitahara Fresno State Invitational. Pia Escandon shot a two-day score of 150, earning her a tie for ninth place individually. The Bulldogs also won the overall tournament title, shooting a 20-over score 596, winning by two strokes over UC Irvine. Jennifer Shipley led the charge for the Bulldogs, finishing third overall after a par 72, Tuesday at the Copper River Country Club.

Welcome to our World

Tennis has become a worldwide sport in the past few decades. Nowhere is this as evident as it is on the Fresno State tennis teams.

They have been recruited from around the globe from countries such as the Czech Republic, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, Brazil, Russia, Ivory Coast and India.

These international students have the talent that Simon Thibodeau, head coach of the women’s tennis team, said can only benefit the programs.

The tennis teams have the highest number of foreign athletes of all Fresno State sports.

Many of the teams that Fresno State plays consist nearly entirely of foreign athletes, making this a trend nationally as well. Both the men’s tennis head coach Jay Udwadia and Thibodeau recruit internationally, but also aim to attract as many American students, and Californians in particular, as possible.

“Because the reputation of Fresno State is getting much better, we have been able to attract more Americans than before,�? Thibodeau, now in his fourth year as the women’s head coach, said.

“I want to recruit the best Americans and the best talent from around the world to improve our team. I look for people who have good team spirit, that want to improve their game rather than just sit on a scholarship.�?

Thibodeau is a native of Quebec, Canada, and was a national coach with the Canadian Tennis Federation, which took him around the world. His coaching experience has given him many contacts internationally. Since coming to Fresno State, Thibodeau has worked with recruiting agencies in Russia, South America and France to find the best players for the team.

Many teenage tennis players around the world are anxious for the opportunity to receive a tennis scholarship from an American university, and most universities are eager to accommodate them, Thibodeau said. The experience of intercollegiate tennis is an experience that is not often available outside of the United States.

“You either play sports or you go to college in other countries,�? Thibodeau said. “Early on, you must make a decision to both quit school and devote yourself to a sport, or you quit the sport altogether to go to school. It’s very tough to do both.�?

Still, it is equally tough to move to a new country, thousands of miles away from everyone you know, and to also be faced with a different language. For many foreign students, tennis is one of the few things that remains familiar.

There was also comfort in the camaraderie that develops among the players.

“It was important to me to realize that I was not the only one that has to deal with this situation, like the language and the homesickness,�? Vanessa Heroux, a Montreal, Canada native who is on the women’s tennis team, said. The fact that there are so many others on the team, including her coach and fellow French Canadian Thibodeau, in her situation helped a lot in her transition.

Heroux’s teammate Bruna Baes, who is from Brazil, agreed that the changes initially can be tough. “It is really hard to adjust,�? she said. “You have different coaches, you are living alone, the food is different, you’re homesick, and then there’s the language barrier.�?

Other members of the team had similar experiences.

“Everything is different, the language and not knowing anyone here,�? Renata Kucerkova, a 20-year-old from the Czech Republic said.

Another tennis player from the Czech Republic is Jakub Cech, a senior on the men’s team. Before coming to Fresno, he had already been to approximately 15 countries because of his tennis background, but even he got homesick when he first moved to California.

He has sometimes been a mentor to the other Czech players, such as Kucerkova and two others on the men’s team, when they started their first semesters, he said.

A lot of things are different about America, things that perhaps many wouldn’t think about, Cech said. “Everything is big here,�? he said. “The meals are big, everything is extra-large. People are also more talkative. Talking to strangers doesn’t happen as much in Europe.�?

Even with the adjustments, the athletes said they were excited to play for Fresno State while earning their degrees.

Heroux agreed that it was an opportunity that couldn’t be ignored. “The tennis team was really good,�? she said. “Plus, it was in California, and they have the physical therapy program that I wanted. I like it here a lot.�?

While all of the athletes said the tradition of Fresno State tennis was a significant factor in choosing to come here, the weather played a role too. “I was always looking for good tennis programs,�? Cech said. “But I also wanted to go somewhere where I could play tennis outdoors all year.�?

Others, like Kucerkova, said that the heat took some getting used to. “But I wanted to study abroad, I wanted to come to California,�? Kucerkova said. “This was a good opportunity.�?

Heroux also said the international athletes contribute a lot to the reputation of the Fresno State tennis team. “It is good that there are foreigners on the team,�? she said. “Around the world there are different styles of tennis, so having those styles on our team creates depth.�?

Thibodeau said this diversity is important. “I want to recruit the best Americans and the best talent from around the world to improve our team,�? Thibodeau said.

It is important to Thibodeau that his athletes excel off the tennis court as well.

“The tennis teams have an average grade point average of 3.61, which is the strongest out of all athletic teams on campus,�? he said.

“The students need to succeed in school and at tennis. That takes discipline. There is not a lot of time for socializing, it’s not non-existent, but it’s not like being a regular student. They need to sacrifice.�?

Exercise Fair to help students shape up their lives

From eating too many cheese puffs while watching “American Idol�? to not getting enough exercise, those who want to learn about why they aren’t in tip-top shape can get information about fun ways to work out at today’s Exercise Fair.

Wellness Services has organized a student-peer educator group, “Wellness Ambassadors.�? Its goal is to provide knowledge about the issues that make people unhealthy. These ambassadors will provide information on how to improve lifestyles at the Exercise Fair today from 2-6 p.m. at the Student Recreation Center.

According to Cherie Pettitt, a Fresno State health educator, two goals should be accomplished by attending the Wellness Exercise Fair.

“One: awareness about the main health issues that are seen on campus, and two: awareness about the different activities that can be considered exercise. Exercise does not have to just include the word ‘treadmill,’�? Pettitt said.

Members of the campus community who signed up to participate in the Exercise Fair will each receive a water bottle upon arrival. The participants will also be included in drawings where incentives will be given to positively reinforce healthy lifestyles.

Visitors of the fair will have the opportunity to win yoga sets, pedometers and other prizes as they proceed to stick to the Wellness Challenge.

“The Exercise Fair is the first of four big WA events that will be hosted this spring. There is also a Nutrition Fair, a Community Fair and a Stress Less Day coming up,�? Wellness Ambassador Coordinator Tara Powers-Mead said.

According to Wellness Services, there are six categories that contribute to a person’s entire wellness, including emotional, intellectual, occupational, physical, spiritual and social wellness.

The Wellness Challenge began Feb. 14 and will end April 25. Those interested in the Challenge will choose 10 WellChoices that may include physical activity, healthy eating, self-nurturing and more. The participants can then track their progress online while choosing three activities to attend on the Wellness Services activity calendar, and later can be entered into the grand prize drawing to receive a seven-day cruise to Mexico.

Students surveyed on college experience

Fresno State is distributing a National Survey of Student Engagement to a random selection of first-year and senior college students.

A letter is distributed by mail and students are asked to answer questions pertaining to their life experiences with things happening at and around Fresno State.

The survey is conducted to gather information on how colleges and universities are perceived by students.

Fresno State has been a participant of NSSE since 2001. More than 1,000 four-year colleges and universities recognize and participate in the survey; 600 are participating this spring.

The survey provides a way for Fresno State to get ideas about how to help students make the college experience more enjoyable.

According to Dr. Paul M. Oliaro, Dean of Student Affairs, the survey is a benchmark to measure how often students participate with campus functions. It also measures student satisfaction or frustration.

Some of the questions on the survey ask students how they spend their time and what they have gained from classes. They are also asked to assess the quality of the interaction between faculty and students.

Dennis Nef, Dean of Undergraduate Studies, said the last survey in 2005 gave the university insight into life as a college student. It was found that more students spent time at a job, commuting or taking care of dependants than focusing on schoolwork and socializing.

According to NSSE, Fresno State wants to know if course work is challenging enough, if learning has been made active and collaborative, if the college is enriching the experiences for students and if the campus provides support of the student environment.

As a result of first-year student responses in 2002, Oliaro said the Mentoring Institute at Fresno State was developed to increase first-year student engagement with faculty and staff under the guidance of a mentor.

The survey provides a way to understand the gripes and frustrations as well as compliments and satisfactions from students that would normally never be heard.

The result of NSSE is primarily to help Fresno State learn about the interactions between students and the institution; however, it serves other purposes as well.

From the 600 schools participating this spring, the students asked to participate will be put into categories so that the nation can collect data on how to make institutions and administration more appealing.

According to a NSSE Web site, statistics will also be available to determine how opinions change from freshman to senior year, how male and female students’ opinions compare and contrast and how college students cope in different cities across the nation.

A raw takeover of the SMC

Juan Villa / The Collegian
WWE Raw superstar Randy Orton, left, takes a hard hit from John Cena at the WWE Raw event at the Save Mart Center Monday night.

Revised surveillance policy awaits OK

From eating too many cheese puffs while watching “American Idol�? to not getting enough exercise, those who want to learn about why they aren’t in tip-top shape can get information about fun ways to work out at today’s Exercise Fair.

Wellness Services has organized a student-peer educator group, “Wellness Ambassadors.�? Its goal is to provide knowledge about the issues that make people unhealthy. These ambassadors will provide information on how to improve lifestyles at the Exercise Fair today from 2-6 p.m. at the Student Recreation Center.

According to Cherie Pettitt, a Fresno State health educator, two goals should be accomplished by attending the Wellness Exercise Fair.

“One: awareness about the main health issues that are seen on campus, and two: awareness about the different activities that can be considered exercise. Exercise does not have to just include the word ‘treadmill,’�? Pettitt said.

Members of the campus community who signed up to participate in the Exercise Fair will each receive a water bottle upon arrival. The participants will also be included in drawings where incentives will be given to positively reinforce healthy lifestyles.

Visitors of the fair will have the opportunity to win yoga sets, pedometers and other prizes as they proceed to stick to the Wellness Challenge.

“The Exercise Fair is the first of four big WA events that will be hosted this spring. There is also a Nutrition Fair, a Community Fair and a Stress Less Day coming up,�? Wellness Ambassador Coordinator Tara Powers-Mead said.

According to Wellness Services, there are six categories that contribute to a person’s entire wellness, including emotional, intellectual, occupational, physical, spiritual and social wellness.

The Wellness Challenge began Feb. 14 and will end April 25. Those interested in the Challenge will choose 10 WellChoices that may include physical activity, healthy eating, self-nurturing and more. The participants can then track their progress online while choosing three activities to attend on the Wellness Services activity calendar, and later can be entered into the grand prize drawing to receive a seven-day cruise to Mexico.

Campus team bowls for knowledge

Winning money on shows like “Jeopardy!,�? “Win Ben Stein’s Money�? and “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire�? has been a mini-career for Fresno State alumnus Ron Trigueiro.

Before he started basking in the game show limelight, he was a member of the Fresno State College Bowl team in 1980, when it was the national champion. “We are the most obscure school to ever win the national championship,�? Trigueiro said.

Trigueiro believes it was his College Bowl experience that gave him the skills to face the likes of Regis Philbin and Alex Trebek on syndicated television.

“Regis was very nice and you could tell that he wanted his contestants to win,�? Trigueiro said. “Trebek is much more formal. Regis is a lot more fun.�?

An interesting fact about “Jeopardy!�? is that the show makes you sign a waiver stating that if your episode doesn’t air, then you won’t get paid. In Trigueiro’s case, he received his money about 7 months after his shows taped, he said.

“On the other hand, I got my money three days after “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire�? aired, which was about 12 days after taping,�? Trigueiro said.

Recounting his experience on “Win Ben Stein’s Money,�? he laughed about being called “a strange little man�? on national television by then co-host Jimmy Kimmel.

Personal anecdotes aside, the fact remains that he cleaned up a tidy sum after appearing on these shows. As a four-day “Jeopardy!�? champion in 1988, he won $50,000. His stint on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire�? earned him another $125,000. Perhaps it is unsurprising then that he is planning to try out for “Wheel of Fortune�? when they hold open auditions at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore on Trigueiro’s birthday weekend of March 10 and 11.

When he’s not auditioning for game shows, Trigueiro can often be found at his day job, where he acquires new materials for the Fresno County library. But he also enjoys passing the torch of trivia to the next generation, at his alma mater Fresno State.

For the past 20 years, he has been a moderator for the College Bowl and he is Fresno State’s College Bowl Coach.

Fresno State’s team was founded in 1977 and has been to the national championships twice, in 1980 and 1982. The team of eight competes in region 15, which includes all of California, Nevada and Hawaii, in an academic decathlon.

“It is a chance for students to socialize and show off their knowledge while acquiring new knowledge,�? Trigueiro said.

The team captain is senior Tim Ellison, who is majoring in classical studies. Ellison has eventual plans to earn a doctoral degree and said that many of the team is exceptionally bright. All but one are in the Smittcamp Honors College, mainly because the team heavily recruits Smittcamp freshmen. The team is all male, which is something that puzzled Ellison.

“Every semester a few girls come to practice,�? Ellison said. “I don’t think we’re particularly chauvinistic. By the time we form a varsity team, the women aren’t that interested”

While there may not be a diversity of sexes, there are many differences in their majors, which is a strength of the team since the questions could be anything from popular culture, math, science or history, Ellison said.

“Our majors go across the board,” Ellison said. “The questions in the tournaments go all over the place, so having students with different areas of expertise really helps us. People just have weird information.’

Ellison said that he does a lot of reading and that many of the team are also fans of “Jeopardy!�? Just like on “Jeopardy!,” the buzzer plays a crucial role for College Bowl contestants.

“The oldest players have the most experience and don’t fear the buzzer,” Ellison said. “Freshmen are often not confident of their answer and won’t buzz in. You have to learn to put it out there and if it’s wrong, it’s wrong.”

The goal of the team is simple. “There is a small bit of pride that we get in showing off,�? Ellison said. “Plus, maybe we can beat a couple of UCs.”

All tournaments played on campus are held on the third floor of the University Student Union. Students and members of the public are welcome to attend. The team holds try-outs every fall.

Saturday, Fresno State hosted the regional tournament, which is the qualifying round for the nationals.

The team was satisfied with getting to beat one UC, UC San Diego, and finished fourth out of 10 overall in the regional tournament.

The University of Southern California won, which means that they will be one of 15 teams at the national championships. USC is also the host school for the national event this year.

Further information about the College Bowl is available to collegebowl.net.

Stories to inspire first-time college students

When Christina Leimer began her career at Fresno State in the Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning Department a year and a half ago, she did not know anyone she was working with.

As she started to introduce herself to her new co-workers she found she had one very important thing in common with quite a few people: she is a first generation college graduate.

While looking through her research, Leimer also found there was a large proportion of first generation students attending Fresno State. In fact, half of the entering students for that year’s class were the first generation.

First generation could mean that a student’s parents never went to college, or that a student’s parents never finished college.

Leimer and the faculty started talking and realized that more students and faculty had this in common than anyone had previously known. “You can’t see first generation status like you can see race or gender,�? Leimer said.

The “First Generation Stories Project,�? was born.

The project’s creators hope to collect and compile the experiences of Fresno State faculty to influence students and encourage them to continue in their education.

“It is important for students to have role models,�? Shirley Armbruster of University Communications said.

All faculty and staff are invited to submit their stories to the project.

The stories will be used to encourage students in the Mentoring Institute, the Student Success Services CSU Program and in the outreach programs to high school and junior high students.

Fresno State President Dr. John Welty put out a message via e-mail in January to all faculty and staff encouraging the contribution of stories to this project.

“I am a first-generation college student and intend to submit my story for this project,�? Welty said in his message. “I invite you to join me.�?

Armbruster and Leimer said that it is important to have a sense of community.

Leimer and Armbruster are thoughtful of the current situations of students and how hard college is. They want students to have encouragement, role models and to have a positive feeling about attending college.

Welty and his four vice presidents will all have stories submitted for this project. There is no exact plan for the outcome of the production. There are hopes for a Web site where faculty can submit their stories. Leimer and Armbruster said there have been discussions about a possible video of first generation college students sharing their stories.

There is no exact time scale, Armbruster said, as to when there will be a finished product. However, she said that the committee is hoping to have the final product ready for the fall semester.

The product will be used for students attending Fresno State in the fall as well as high school students who will be looking into colleges for the first time.

The committee members have asked that all stories be submitted by March 29, 2007. Early submissions are always welcome, Leimer and Armbruster said. Stories should be no more than 1,200 words. The story is suggested to be reader friendly and aimed at high school and college students.

Campus mysteries, part 2

Part two: The Collegian delves into the history of the observation deck jutting from McLane Hall’s roof

Juan Hernandez parks his bicycle outside the D wing of the McLane Hall building every Wednesday. As a civil engineering student, Hernandez, 22, often finds himself in this area of campus.

But he’s never noticed the 10-foot tall, metal, plank-like structure protruding from the roof of Room 162, the D wing’s lecture hall. None of his friends have noticed the mysterious object either.

“Is it part of the air conditioning unit?” Hernandez asked.

Far from it, according to retired physics professor John Donaldson. It’s actually exactly what it looks like: an observation deck.

“It was Ralph Jack’s little project. An old Navy man,” Donaldson said.

Donaldson taught in the physics department for more than 45 years. He arrived at Fresno State two months before Jack retired in 1956.

“Ralph was chair of the physics department at the time,” Donaldson said. “He would stand up there on that thing and just watch people. It originally had a purpose, but was never used.”

The plank looks like something right off the top of a submarine. In the middle of it is a four-foot pole that supports a round, metal plate. Donaldson says the plate was meant to hold a heliostat.

“A heliostat is a motor-driven device that uses mirrors to track the movement of the sun,” Donaldson said.

The heliostat would have directed sunlight through a hole in roof into the lecture hall below. The sunlight could then be split with a prism and used to teach students about the visible light spectrum.

But the heliostat was never constructed and the hole never drilled.

“It just never happened,” Donaldson said. “For one reason or another.”

School year after school year, the structure sat atop the roof, unused and unnoticed. That is until astronomy professors began using it as an observation area for their telescopes.

Fredrick Ringwald, an associate professor of physics and director of the campus observatory, teaches a majority of his classes in Room 162, including astronomy.

“Professor [Raymond] Hall used to have a telescope up there,” Ringwald said. “He was quite fond of it. He used it to observe Halley’s comet in 1986.”

The telescope used to be mounted to the metal plate in the center of the plank so an observer could rotate around 360 degrees.

“It was a really horrible place for a telescope,” Ringwald said. “The trees would block your view, and during the day the roof soaks up all the sunlight and at night it all radiates out creating a very undesirable haze.”

Major leaking in the roof forced the university to make repairs last spring. Prior to that, the roof had become too unsafe to walk on, resulting in the abandonment of the metal plank once again.

Thanks to the Downing Planetarium and its companion campus observatory there is now little use for the structure. Could the heliostat concept make a comeback? Not likely, according to Ringwald.

“I have seen similar exhibits elsewhere and they are quite complicated and require a lot of maintenance,” Ringwald said. “There are easier ways to learn about the light spectrum.”

While there are no current uses or future plans for the metal plank, it will undoubtedly remain atop the D wing of McLane Hall, looming over Room 162 and continuing to mystify students who pass by.

‘Dog Bites

Men’s Basketball

Fresno State men’s basketball head coach Steve Cleveland seems to have his team peaking at just the right time. The Bulldogs stretched its win streak to four games and ended New Mexico State’s 19-game home winning streak.

The Bulldogs reached the 20-win plateau with the 60-58 victory and also moved into a three-way tie for third place in the WAC with Utah State and Boise State.

The hot outside shooting of Eddie Miller and Hector Hernandez fueled the Bulldogs offensive attack against the Aggies 2-3 zone. Miller scored 15 points on five 3-pointers. Forwards Dominic McGuire and Quinton Hosley hit 12 of 16 free throws to preserve the victory for the Bulldogs.

Baseball

The Fresno State baseball team was the victim of a sweep at the hands of No. 15 Pepperdine over the weekend, losing the finale of the three-game series 10-4.

The Bulldogs (5-9) were only able to collect five hits in the loss, which becomes the sixth in a row for the Bulldogs on the road.

In addition to the struggles at the plate, Fresno State continued its struggles on the mound, with eight of the 10 runs scored earned, and gave the Waves additional help by handing out six free passes.

Offensively, Loren Storey proved to be a bright spot for the Bulldogs, going 2-for-4 at the plate, including a triple and two runs scored.

Men’s Golf

Chalk it up as a learning experience.

The third and final day of the John Burns Intercollegiate proved to be the worst statistical day for the Bulldogs after shooting a third-round 299, securing a 19th place finish in a 22 team field.

The Bulldogs were led by freshman Brad Wyatt, who finished in a tie for 44th in the individual standings, followed by Matt Ryan (tie for 75th place), Matt Shaw (tie for 97th place) and Todd Angel (tie for 116th place). Angel had the top round for the Bulldogs in the final day of the tournament, shooting a 1-over 73.

“We went backwards today,�? Fresno State coach Mike Watney said. “We’re going to have to practice a lot to get ready for the Classic.�?

The Bulldogs will now look forward to the Fresno State Lexus Classic March 12-13 at Sunnyside Country Club in Fresno.

Men’s Tennis

The Fresno State men’s tennis team dominated Arkansas 6-1 on Friday at the Wathen Tennis Center.

Fresno State dominated the Razorbacks, as the team won the doubles point two to one and also won five of the six singles matches.

Four of the Bulldogs five wins in singles play were in straight sets. The only stumble in singles play for the Bulldogs was the three-set loss of Jakub Cech, ranked No. 81 nationally, to No. 72 Blake Strode.
The Bulldogs remained unbeaten at home with the win and improved to 4-3.

Softball

It wasn’t the performance the Fresno State softball team had hoped for in the Palms Spring Classic, but it ended on a good note.

After dropping their first three games of the tournament to No. 1 Tennessee, Ohio State and Virginia, the Bulldogs rebounded to collect victories against Long Island and Penn State, respectively.

On the tournament’s final day, the Bulldogs were able to push across one run against the Nittany Lions, and it would hold up, as Fresno State ace Robin Mackin threw a three-hit, complete game shutout in the 1-0 win for the Bulldogs.

The win improves the Bulldogs overall record to 8-6 this season.

Women’s Tennis

The Fresno State women’s tennis team hit the jackpot when it traveled to Las Vegas over the weekend for the UNLV Rebel Classic.

Fresno State won all three of its matches; each against teams in the top 45, and the 18th ranked Bulldogs improved its record to 6-2 on the season.

The Bulldogs dominated the competition, outscoring its opponents 16 to five over three days.

Fresno State started the weekend with a 5-2 victory against No. 31 Florida International on Friday afternoon and then continued its dominance, Saturday, when it handed UNLV its first loss of the season in a 6-1 blowout.

The stellar weekend was capped with a 5-2 victory over Long Beach State on Sunday.

Beating a zone defense is as easy as one, 2-3

The Fresno State men’s and women’s basketball teams have both struggled to score against zone defenses this season. On Saturday, both teams executed and dissected the 2-3 zone to perfection.

The key to success against a zone defense is to exercise patience. Being patient is often difficult for teams like Fresno State that revel in playing at a high tempo. Quick shots play right into the defense’s hands. Good spacing, crisp passing, unselfishness and penetration are necessary to open the defense and create the best scoring opportunity.

Normally, isolation and dribble penetration can be effective ways to penetrate the defense. However, against the zone, dribble penetration becomes much more difficult. The need for good outside shooters is often recognized to help bust-open the zone defense.

In addition to shooters, teams must also have a talented player in the high post that can pass and score.

Both the men’s and women’s basketball team’s both used talented players in the high post to help break New Mexico State’s zone.

Fresno State women’s head coach Adrian Wiggins used forwards Brittani Green and Jenny Thigpin to flash to the ball at the free-throw line extended and set screens at the top of the key for guard Tierre Wilson. Through ball-screens, the two forwards were able to allow Wilson to penetrate the Aggies’ defense and create scoring chances. Thigpin was also a scoring threat inside and her ability to score forced the Aggies’ defense to collapse inside and allowed Fresno State player’s like Paige Diggs to cut to the basket for easy buckets.

The Fresno State men’s team also used high-low plays to score easy baskets inside. While Wiggins used his power players up top, men’s head coach Steve Cleveland utilized his versatile forward Quinton Hosley. The ability of Hosley to knock down mid-range jump shots allowed Fresno State to attack the zone inside and outside.

Hosley continually found forward Dominic McGuire cutting to the basket underneath. When McGuire wasn’t open, Hosley used diagonal passing to find outside shooters Eddie Miller and Hector Hernandez spotted up from the outside.

Although he only had two assists in the game, Hosley constantly exploited the zone when it was out of position by finding guard Kevin Bell. With two strong shooters on the outside, the Aggies’ defense sat off of Bell, daring him to shoot.

Quick passing from Hosley combined with penetration and swing passes from Bell created the openings from the outside that Miller and Hernandez exploited.

The Bulldogs only made nine of its 31 3-point attempts, but Fresno State was able to exploit another weakness of the Aggies’ zone defense after missed shots. Zone defenses are susceptible to giving up offensive rebounds because players underneath do not have traditional block-out assignments.

The Fresno State men’s team was able to grab 14 offensive rebounds and the women’s team grabbed 16 offensive rebounds against the 2-3-zone defense. Offensive rebounds lead to second chance points inside and open outside shots on kick-out passes.

If Fresno State’s basketball teams are patient, unselfish and execute, the difficulties against the zone will continue to be a problem of the past.

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