https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/38f9a8c09ee762ccf516f7a91f29b146.pdf 6d211eacad0d4e27f54d95893ee7d63d PDF Text Text April 1, 2022 Casper College’s Student Voice Since 1945 Post-winter wellness in the final stretch Jay M. Roccaforte Chinook Writer As Casper College students emerge from another intense Wyoming winter, students are mentally exhausted from the stress the weather can bring. With the last months of the school year on the way, people are looking for ways to manage their mental health. Kelly Green is a counselor in the Wellness center on the CC campus, located in UU 215. As one of multiple resources for students on campus, Green provided information on what students often go through around this time of year. “For students who are about to graduate, there can be increased anxiety about what life after college might look like,” Green explained. “For students who aren’t graduating, they may experience increased anxiety this time of year if they aren’t sure what their summer plans are, or if they’re returning home to a difficult home or family environment.” Emma Rudell is a freshman criminal justice major in her second semester at CC. Rudell provided insight into her experience dealing with stress. “There’s an extra weight added to people who are only in their first year of college,” Rudell explains. “You have to come back next year. If you fail a class, you have to see that teacher again. That adds a lot of stress.” According to Green, stress is unavoidable. Green stressed that students need to maintain healthy levels of stress, especially later in the semester. “To prevent major stress buildup, I would encourage students to make sure they have regular, sacred time in their schedule to release stress,” Green said. Rudell shared her tactics for releasing stress. She encourages students to surround themselves with people and support. “The best thing that people Jay M. Roccaforte/Chinook A Casper College student visits with Robynne Buckingham, a member of the Wellness Center staff. The Wellness Center is located on the second floor of the Union/University building, Room 202A (UU 202A). Students can seek both counseling and — See Wellness, Page 3 student health services from the Wellness Center. Call 307-268-2267 for more information. Fight for your right to parley! Max Tasche/Chinook Linda Toohey, the associate vice president for Student Services and the Title IX coordinator at Casper College, spoke with the Chinook about communication on campus and best practices going forward. Max Tasche Chinook Writer Students at Casper College are actively seeking better communication channels. Communication breakdown is the most common complaint all around campus, according to dozens of students polled on campus. Constructive criticism and suggestions flow through the air. When asked, the solutions presented by these students included meetings or assemblies to gather and speak up on issues, grievances, and concerns. However, such avenues already exist. Student Senate is an association composed of students and academic representatives that actively advocate on behalf of the student body by voicing concerns and opinions to leadership and administration. The senate meets every Wednesday, at 5:30 p.m., providing a constructive space open to all students. At the helm of this advocacy ship is Student Senate President Logan MacKearney. When speaking on the effectiveness of the senate, MacKearney admitted the biggest issue in student representation is the meetings' low attendance. "It is not what most students want to be doing on a Wednesday evening at 5:30. Or they don't know that they can show up to it," said MacKearney. With measures like Student Senate already in place, one may wonder why students feel unheard. Accessibility plays a part. Linda Toohey is the associate vice president for Student Services and the Title IX coordinator, a position that puts her in the middle of student needs and efficacy. She is also part of another assembly, the CC Care Team, made up of a multidisciplinary group of faculty and staff who actively receive and solve reports ranging from concern over a student to sinister characters on campus, according to Toohey. She is hyperaware that people just do not know she exists, and she said she has noticed that students don't realize there are resources for them out there. She also acknowledged the fear that plays a part in the effectiveness of the college programs. "I feel like I wouldn't hesitate to call any of the Deans, knowing we will collaborate for a solution. But I know from a student perspective, that [comfortability in approaching a Dean] takes more practice,” said Toohey. Students talked about how to amend the ways in which they are able to air grievances and voice concerns. Many students, including some in leadership roles, are spearheading debate over utilizing newer means of communication. These students are advocating for text messaging as the primary form of conversation and even social media campaigns. "My biggest harp is that email is the central communication for everything," MacKearney said. "I would find a way to find a more direct communication approach because emails get lost very easily." A sticking point in the conversation seemingly is generational disagreement. Faculty and staff, when approached with these ideas, heavily favor traditional means of message transmission. Toohey said she recognizes the power of social media but emphasized her preferred message delivery. She said, "I just think if there was a way to streamline email, it is just the easiest way to communicate." To provide accessible communication, a potential solution presented by the students is in the works: The use of QR codes. With small card plaques placed in every building and for every department on campus, Student Senate and other organized advocates can receive feedback and see issues in real-time. Students, staff, and faculty could file a concern or add a suggestion at the height of relevancy. Functioning similarly to the already available Student Senate suggestion box, QR codes act as a visual reminder that your voice is heard if you want to communicate, and the opportunity to do so would literally exist around every corner. MacKearney said he believes Student Senate could easily utilize the codes. "It’s a quick anonymous way to say ‘hey I disagree with how this works on campus,’ and that gives us [those in Student Senate] an idea like, ‘oh this [whatever concern brought up through a QR code] is an issue to somebody, let’s see if this is an issue that more people are facing.’ It then gives us a chance to go around, pull other students, and see if that is an issue." Resident Assistants ensure comfortable campus life Jacob Klaudt Chinook Contributor Working the front desk and enforcing rules isn’t everything that resident assistants at Casper College do to keep students safe and secure around the clock. Resident assistants can get a bad rap due to the fact that they enforce rules that sometimes students aren't willing to follow. In turn, most students fail to recognize the everyday tasks they perform to keep residents happy. "The RAs are students too," Jessica Bailey, Residence Hall Area Coordinator, said. "RAs are educators. They are advocates. They are resources. They’re whatever students need." Resident assistants sacrifice personal time, create programming, and monitor the living quarters occupied by students at CC. Each year the resident assistant roles garner a lot of interest. According to Bailey, resident assistants are not always the stereotypical "super outgoing, super communicative people that people often associate with the RA role," which attracts a lot of different people who bring different strengths to the table. Students can take one of two routes when becoming a resident assistant: an application or a referral. Anyone who believes a fellow resident excels in being a personable student, a great leader, and an attentive listener can refer another student to Student Life to become a RA. CC sophomore and resident assistant Heather Wallace shared that her beginnings as a resident assistant did not follow the traditional path. "I kind of got put in at an awkward time in the school year because they had a very sudden opening," Wallace said. According to Wallace, after a referral, the Student Life office reaches out to the resident with an application. Next, a panel of judges interviews the candidate to make sure they are fit for the job and notifies them a couple of days later with their decision. After one becomes a resident assistant, they take on many different duties that come along with the role. Sorting mail, filling out paperwork, answering questions, and handling COVID-19 cases make up the 12 hours of desk work each assistant completes each week. Assistants also commit to completing 12 to 24-hour shifts of duty work per week, which consists of multiple patrols around the dorms and — See RAs, Page 4 Photo Courtsey Jacob Klaudt Shown to the left is a photo of the Mural Project, which is part of resident assistant programming at Casper College. �Page 2 Chinook Stance Divine's Intervention: “ It doesn’t need to be this hard Rachelle Trujillo Rachelle's Reflections Though I think the days of fad diets are coming to an end, I think our culture continues to have an extremely unhealthy view of, well, health. I remember being younger and obsessing over weight loss. I wish I would’ve known that intense workout regimes and restrictive diet plans were not the best for my mental or physical health. I’m really glad to have moved beyond this mindset, but I think it’s something so many people still grapple with. I have friends who are trying to lose weight or build muscle and are convinced that the only way to do so is to spend hours weight lifting in the gym and cutting out all unhealthy food. Something I’ve been working towards in all areas of my life is making the less enjoyable things enjoyable. It’s so important to listen to our body and not resist our wants, needs, and energy levels. We need to get off of this one track mindset in which there is only one way to do anything. As far as working out goes, I believe the best way to be healthy is to move in a way that you find enjoyable. You don’t have to go to the gym everyday if that’s not what you’re into. You don’t even have to do the same things everyday if you don’t feel like it. If you like to swim, go for a long swim. If you prefer at home workouts, do those. If your energy levels are lower on any given day, allow yourself to rest. Do a short stretch routine or even park just a little further from your classes for a longer walk. If you give yourself options, flexibility and grace, you will have very little resistance to making moves towards your health goals on a daily basis. The same principle applies to healthy eating. Why are we so hard on ourselves for eating unhealthy foods or “falling off track”? Satisfaction matters. Sure, healthy foods should be a major component of anyone’s lifestyle, but negative self talk only makes things worse. It’s so important to plan our meals and account for both healthy foods and unhealthy foods. And regardless, we should be making sure that it all tastes good! Healthy eating is not all salads, chicken, and vegetables. It should be fun, enjoyable, and satisfying. In all areas of life, I think we could all use more flexibility in our mindsets. There are so many different ways to reach our goals even though we often get fixated on one given path. Get creative, try new things, and most importantly enjoy. It’s time we start having fun in life while working towards what we want. Being healthy, just like working towards any of our goals, doesn’t need to be this hard. April 1, 2022 CHINOOK The American educational reformer and President of Antioch College, Horace Mann, once said “Do not think of knocking out another person's brains because he differs in opinion from you. It would be as rational to knock yourself on the head because you differ from yourself ten years ago.” Conflict has always been a part of the human race, and will never be eliminated. Whether we are referencing all-out armed conflict as currently I am certainly not suggesting each of us go through life looking for, and expecting, conflict around every turn, but I am suggesting maintaining a mindset that conflicts may arise at any level of our lives, ensures you will not be taken completely off-guard, and thus be more prepared to meet the challenge as presented. — Darren Divine, Ph.D., Casper College President witnessed in the Ukraine, or something much less violent such as the recent Oscars Ceremony in Los Angeles, or even something as simple as a disagreement between two individuals about what movie to go see, given enough time, conflict is inevitable. Thus the pragmatic question is not will you be involved in conflict, but how will you respond to such conflict when it arises. While I will not try to provide sage advice on how to avoid conflict, or strategies on how to address disagreements once they arise, I will offer one way to be better prepared is always being aware of the possibility, and having potential avoidance or coping strategies at the ready. Whether the issue at hand is where to go to dinner, how to raise children, what to do about crime rates, or how to deal with unwanted neighbors, the possibility of conflict, at some level, is always present and thus simply ignoring that Legacy Thursday, March 24, 2022 -- I sit down on the hospital room floor next to my dad who is quickly failing. The doctors say he only has a few more hours to live. It is hard to explain the feelings that overcome a person at those words, so I will do my best to explain the feelings I am going through. I feel convicted to try my hardest every single day to follow an unbelievable legacy built. I am not angry at God, but I praise Him for the life he has given my dad and the qualities he has instilled in him. I have learned that it is not the physical strength that defines a person, but it is the morals and mental fortitude one exudes. My dad has lost a lot of muscle mass through 14 years of blood cancer and after now being laid up for three weeks on a ventilator. But when I take one look at him, all I can see is strength -- strength to fight through a deadly cancer to be there to raise his kids and be a faithful husband to his wife. Strength to take countless blood transfusions and undergo many surgeries and operations without complaint. As I look to the future, I can only hope to have half the strength my dad possesses as he lays on his death bed. Legacy is not the items you collect or the buildings you establish, but rather the lives you change. I have never heard my dad say a swear word in the 19 years I have been alive, and that is because he believes a man should be able to have self-control and respect towards his fellow man, for which he checks every box. When flashbacks of memories strike the core of my thoughts, the images I see are not the memories alone, but the character he exuded in his every action. When he taught me how to ride a bike, he showed me patience, encouragement, safety with calculated risk. He also showed me the toughness it takes to get back up after you fall. Failing is something I hardly ever saw my dad do because he had the knowledge and foresight of what can and will happen, and he used wisdom and judgment to execute anything he did to the best of his abilities. The wisdom and trials he conquered are a part of his legacy. I will always measure twice and cut once. I will always pull down on a ratchet strap and say, “that’s not going anywhere,” and I will always try my hardest never to complain because someone has it harder in the world than I do. I truly reality is likely a very poor strategy for either avoidance, or coping. In sum, I am certainly not suggesting each of us go through life looking for, and expecting, conflict around every turn, but I am suggesting maintaining a mindset that conflicts may arise at any level of our lives, ensures you will not be taken completely off-guard, and thus be more prepared to meet the challenge as presented. John Watts J's Journal believe God has placed an innate ability in my dad’s heart, and he has changed the lives of everyone he has touched, which is more than any object or building could ever do. What does a legacy mean to me? A legacy to me is a family surrounding a faithful man during his final breaths and wanting to live up to his standards -- standards that could not be measured by fame, wealth, or money but the influence someone leaves behind on earth. In dedication of Randy C. Watts Sharing the search for recycling resources Jay M. Roccaforte The Roccaforte Rundown When I first arrived at my dorm to begin my freshman year at Casper College, my biggest worry wasn’t food, being away from home, or even making friends. I was worried about trash. Specifically, I was worried about recycling. Freshman college students are often not explicitly informed on places to recycle on campus, and I hadn’t given it much thought until that point. Even after research, the Casper College website showed no clear mention of recycling, only that students should remember to bring a trash can for move-in day. Regardless, the first day of classes came and went, and after using my flex bucks to get bottled water daily, my dorm room was beginning to fill with plastic. The CC campus has designated bins for recycling in most buildings. However, I and many other students have noticed that the Residence Hall is not one of these buildings, even though this is the most logical place to have accessible recycling options. I spend most of my time in my dorm, so I can’t walk to the Union building every time I have an empty bottle. Simply put, I had no effective way of being environmentally conscious in my new home. I’ve attempted to find new solutions to this problem and have come up dry. At one point, I stored plastics in one of my empty clothing drawers just so I didn’t have to see what had piled up. I even brought a bag of plastics on my morning walk from the dorms to class, but that got tedious fast. So, with no better choice, I threw them away in the Residence Hall dumpster. And that’s how I’ve been doing things. However, everything changed Wellness Center introduces Nod app Nod supports students to build social connections in three ways: 1. Ideas: Prompts based on the science of social connection that help you take action. 2. Reflections: Short in-app exercises help students process social experiences, track their mood, reduce self-criticism, and build resilience so you can keep progressing toward your social goals. 3. Testimonials: Real student perspectives on social connection to help you learn from others and understand the ups and downs along the way. Connect with a Wellness Center counselor for a deeper dive into reaching your social goals. Call 307-268-2267 when I went to Coldstone Creamery with my friends last week. We took our ice cream to North Mike Sedar Park just by campus, and as I took another bite of my delicious sweet cream like it with rainbow sprinkles, I noticed something in the distance -- just past the Mike Sedar Aqua Park were rows of dumpsters in the parking lot. These bins looked cleaner than normal ones, and as my friends and I took a closer look, it became clear that this was a drop-off point for recyclables. I was furious. A place to recycle was THIS close? I could have been a much less wasteful college student if I had just known this opportunity was here. Maybe I didn’t get the memo, but this place is a valuable resource for students who want to recycle. Meanwhile, many other CC residents just aren’t aware of this option. I immediately went back to my dorm and pulled together all my loose water bottles. Finally, I’m not drowning in plastic anymore. Now, as I begin April at CC, I have finally properly recycled my trash for the first time since I arrived in Casper. All’s well that ends well, right? I am happy that I have a resource for recycling so close to campus now, but the bar wasn’t that high to begin with. As a school, we need to work to provide more recycling accommodations to students at the Residence Hall, starting with a place in or outside of the building for plastics, aluminum cans, and more. Today’s students are a generation with the privilege to be environmentally conscious. Places to recycle should be the standard in not just Casper, but the world beyond. Join our staff this fall! Practice interviewing & writing Take photos & design Learn sales & advertising Explore social media & promotion The Chinook is a one credit class, titled Independent Publications. Contact our faculty advisor Bri Weigel for more information brianne.weigel@caspercollege.edu �April 1, 2022 Page 3 CHINOOK Wellness................................................. can do is just getting involved as much as they can,” Rudell said. “When I isolate myself, I don’t work on stuff like school. I’m just not productive in any way possible.” According to Rudell, isolation is the worst thing for a student. Rudell avoids this by spending time with her friends and staying involved in extracurriculars. However, according to Green, poor weather can make socializing difficult. With a lack of social health, mental and physical health can also suffer. Green emphasized the value of maintaining health in all areas. “It’s important for students to take care of their mental health year round, not only for their academic success but also for their overall wellness,” Green explained. “If we stop caring for ourselves in even one area, that can cause problems throughout our whole bodies.” The bad weather was a struggle for students on top of other responsibilities, but, according to Rudell, now could be a time to regain that mental wellness as the weather improves. John Watts Chinook Writer the donor’s family. Claney mentioned how the lectures provided by biology instructor Brandi Atnip helped prepare her for what she was getting into when studying cadavers. The secondClaney also said it’s helpful is knowing that both professors Atnip and Johnson offer free council after seeing the cadaver. With many different discoveries to be made, Claney constantly surprises herself with what comes out of her mouth. One day after class Claney told her husband about her experience in the cadaver class. by saying, “She (the cadaver) had the most beautiful adipose in her thigh,.” Claney said. A translucent golden yellow fat caught Claney’s eye, and she could not help thinking that it the color wasis one the most beautiful colors she had ever seen. Claney made a couple of other discoveries in the lab that she believes would not have the same learning affect in lecture. The first would be dissecting a heart with calcified blood, which gave a new perspective to the organ, and the second is discovering that synovial fluid continues to be produced behind the knee cap after death. CC student Jacob Parsons who is studying to be a paramedic spoke to what he finds the most helpful in studying a cadaver. “Getting to know structures and how they can be different sizes in people (is helpful,”, said Parsons. He added that he another interesting facet is, “getting to feel if something is a nerve, artery, or vein.” Johnson said he found his fair share of irregularities in human anatomy since working on cadavers since 1999, and he is continuously interested in chasing pathologies alongside his students. Johnson explained that on the first day with cadavers, the class checks for scaring that could lead to a pathology discovery and the bonuses they might find including joint replacements, broken bones, tumors, and strokes in the brain. Many different tools are used to uncover structures such as , scalpels to get through the three levels of skins, scissors that are inserted and spread as not to cut any important structures, a surgical saw provided by the BOCES program, and even the oblong side of a pharmaceutical spoon. In order to keep the privileges of cadaver study, CC follows very strict rules on who is permitted to see the cadaver, and the body is kept behind a double locked door. The process of collecting, presenting, and disposing of the “It snowed so much!” Rudell said. “I know when it snowed, it was just like, ‘ugh, snow. I don’t wanna go to class.’ But now people wanna be outside more.” Spring is here once again. Green said springtime can be a great help in maintaining wellness when she acknowledged the effect that weather can have on students. continued from page 1 “Some students experience a boost in their mood due to the time change, warmer weather and sunlight,” Green explained. “For students who have struggled with a seasonal drop in their mood, that starts to shift, and they see an improvement.” As students and faculty alike look forward to the sunny skies ahead, Green encour- ages students to access free college resources, including the Wellness Center, Student Health Services, and the Student Success Center all located on campus. “It can be intimidating to ask for help,” Green said. “But if you’re struggling with anything related to your physical or mental health, we’re here for you in the Wellness Center.” Learning anatomical features with cadavers Casper College uses cadavers in a human anatomy class to gives degree seeking students a hands on experience into discovering the biological features of an anatomical donor. The study of cadavers is done mostly by medical students and is a mandatory class for occupational therapists. CC anatomy and physiology Professor Scott Johnson spoke to the study of cadavers. “Studying cadavers adds to the overall college experience,” said Johnson, adding that it “rounds out the students education.” Johnson’s goal for the indepth studying he and the students do is to, as he said, “turn out productive members in society.” Johnson explained the purpose of the class. On the first day of dissection Johnson said he aims to, “expose the students to and introduce them to someone who is not alive.” Non-traditional student Brenda Claney, who is working towards her pre-nursing degree, found the study of cadavers intimidating at first. Despite the intimidation, she said that she felt empathy for the cadaver and gratitude towards Tossing and Turning John Watts/Chinook From left to right: Casper College students Brenda Mclaney, Jacob Parson, Macy Sale, and MacKenzy Colemen-Stenko pose for a photo while studying anatomy. corpse is done in, as Johnson says, “a professional and sacred manner.” In a recent interview Johnson talked about the process of handling a cadaver. From stage one of taking a road trip to the University of North Dakota for the collection of the donor to the final disposition and cremation of the corpse. At every stage Johnson made sure respect was kept. As long as students stay eager to learn and become the productive members in society that Johnson talks about, cadavers will lead surgeons to be able to perform surgeries, occupational therapists to better understand muscle groups, and help EMT’s, like Parson, to properly identify structures. WRITING CENTER Abigail Landwehr/Chinook College students are turning to melatonin supplements to help them sleep through the night. Abigail Landwehr Chinook Writer Sometimes the age-old trick of counting sheep just doesn’t cut it. It’s a common joke that college students are often running on a lack of sleep, walking around with bags under their eyes bigger than the backpacks they lug around. And it’s a joke with some truth. According to a study done by Harvard in 2021, 70 to 90% of college students get less than eight hours of sleep a night. In the absence of being able to catch some z’s on their own, students are turning to alternatives. Among the substitutes, melatonin supplements have started to gain popularity. Trevor Tigert, a general studies student at Casper College started using melatonin supplements his junior year of high school. He, like many other students, began using the drug after having trouble falling asleep at night. “My whole family are kind of night owls,” Tigert said. “I use [melatonin] once a night. I can't really fall asleep without it… I think it's a placebo effect, honestly.” According to the National Sleep Foundation in 2022, melatonin itself is a natural hormone that is produced in the body when prompted by darkness. Melatonin is meant to help regulate sleep patterns and cycles during the day or the night. The hormone can be replicated synthetically in labs and is supplemented in four forms: pills, capsules, chewables or liquid. While reported as fairly effective in catching some shut eye, synthetic melatonin’s use also comes with some side effects. According to a study done by the National Sleep Foundation in 2022, some of the effects include daytime drowsiness, headaches, and dizziness. Tigert said he’s noticed some of these occur while using melatonin as well. “I do notice side effects when I do use it, like I’m a lot more groggy when I wake up, and I can sleep for longer,” Tigert said. “I don't think melatonin is FDA approved, so it'll say that you're getting like five milligrams of it, but you could be getting like hundreds. I mean you don't really know.” Tiger is correct. As of 2022, Melatonin isn’t FDA approved. Instead, the National Sleep Foundation reports that it’s regulated as a dietary supplement in the U.S., meaning melatonin has less restrictions than over-the-counter drugs. All melatonin packaging lists the safe dosage amounts on the bottles, but like Tigert said, users have to trust the company’s dosage is truthful. There are other alternatives for sleep deprived college students though. Under the tags ‘wellness’ and ‘sleep’ on the CC’s Screening for Mental Health resource page, an article lists six alternative steps for students to get a better night’s sleep. “Throughout your life, sleep plays an important role in your overall wellness,” the article tagline reads. Developing a consistent sleeping pattern at certain hours and creating a pre-sleep routine are all reported within the article to allow for better sleep. Additionally, creating a supportive sleeping environment that is quiet, dark, cool and free of screens can also give the ability to drift off faster. The article also recommends to avoid eating, drinking, or exercising close to when going to bed, and to avoid alcohol and caffeine. “I feel like there's better ways [to fall asleep],” Tigert said. “But I'm glad I [use melatonin], Otherwise I wouldn't be able to sleep very well.” The Writing Center at Casper College is here to help our students and members of the community. Brainstorm possible paper topics Create a resume Craft a scholarship essay And so much more! Visit us in Strausner Hall, room 215 or visit the Writing Center Moodle site for additional resources and appointment scheduling! �Page 4 April 1, 2022 CHINOOK RAs......................................................... attention to any emergencies reported to the duty phone, On the topic of COVID-19, not many students at CC know about the resident assistants' extensive role when it comes to cases within the dorms. According to Bailey, resident assistants have done laundry, delivered food, made meals, and communicated with instructors, along with a plethora of other things to make sure students sick with COVID-19 are as happy and healthy as possible. Resident assistants also decorate the halls, promote positive messages through the bulletin boards in their wing, and help console and counsel occupants on many different issues. Another responsibility includes student programming. Resident assistants see that four programs come to fruition per semester, which can be either passive or active programs. Active programming consists of primarily in-person activities like video game nights, DIY demonstrations, craft conclaves, and Bob Ross painting sessions. Passive programming may not be face-to-face, but it still reaches out and impacts residents through things like uplifting notes in mailboxes and attaching residents’ favorite candy to their doors. According to Wallace, residents should be excited about continued from page 1 future programming as an evening of swing dancing in the NPR room is currently in the works. The resident assistant experience isn’t just all work and no fun, as there are many perks that come along with all those responsibilities. Wallace said one of the biggest positives is the sense of community. "I’ve gotten to know a lot of people through the RA role, and I feel like I have a better support system here at Casper," Wallace remarked. Wallace said other benefits include financial compensation in the form of a scholarship, a single room, and getting to know the other resident assistants through movie and game nights. Bailey corroborates the number of benefits saying, "Problemsolving skills, communication, time management, program development, all of these are things they can use especially in the future." Exploring student life Off-campus students enjoy on-campus amenities Rachelle Trujillo Chinook Writer Photo Courtesy of Chris Stier Julie Palomo Rides Student Life’s “Smoothie Bike” during homecoming week 2022. The bike was another effort of Student Life to get off-campus students more involved on campus and allow them to come in at their leisure. Casper College Student Life is currently working to engage more off-campus students in on-campus activities and events. Director of Student Life Corey Peacock described oncampus students as a “captive audience.” It’s easy, Peacock explained, to post flyers on doors and advertise for events in the residence hall. Additionally, living on campus means students are more likely to have a circle of friends who also live on campus to know about and plan on attending upcoming events. Peacock acknowledged that in contrast, communication with off-campus students proves more difficult. “It can be hard for us to get those who don’t live on campus to come to events, which I think every community college struggles with,” Peacock said. “It’s because a lot of our students who don’t live on campus work, and they’re trying to fit classes into an already busy schedule.” Student Life Activities Coordinator Chris Stier echoed a similar sentiment. Stier said many off-campus students have friends from Casper who may not go to CC, which poses another obstacle. “It is a little difficult because students do have an established friend group,” Stier said, referring mainly to students who are Casper natives. Still, Peacock added that off-campus students do want to be involved and meet other students. Many students are excited to have a college experience and want new friends and opportunities. Student Life is working to extend opportunities for off-campus students by implementing new ideas. “We have tried this year to do more fun, stop-by-events at the college,” Peacock said. “That’s just a way for students to meet some new people and engage a little bit and feel more connected with the college.” The “smoothie bike” is one example of Student Life’s latest ways of doing so. Students can ride this bike to provide the power to make their own smoothie. Other stop-by events include movie tickets and Hogadon passes, which allow students to do activities on their own time and with their own friends. Stier called this the “convenience factor.” “Students are busy after school or working. If you’re in relationships, trying to fit all that in is just not ideal,” he said. “That’s kind of one reason we implemented the new ski vouchers this semester.” Stier and Peacock both acknowledged the great success of ski vouchers and movie tickets. Community events and activities tend to draw students because it allows them to go out into the city of Casper, get to know the town and share a connection with the place they live. “Our top priority would be getting them to come to an event that's held on campus so they can meet other students,” Peacock said. “But the reason we put our financial support towards stuff going on in the community is because we also want our students to be good community members.” While off-campus and non-time restrictive activities provide convenience, CC still hosts many on-campus events. Casino Night will return to CC on April 22. Roulette, black jack, poker, among all the most notable games will be available, along with food and an abundance of prizes. Students can also look forward to the campus-wide Easter egg hunt, in which families and off-campus friends can share in the fun. Students that live offcampus can learn about events and activities by checking their CC email and by watching the TV’s around CC. The "Incredible Dr. Pol" visits Casper College Kaley Pieper Chinook Writer Dr. Jan Pol, a veterinarian and Nat Geo Wild TV star, and his wife Diane came to Casper College through the Doornbos Ag Lecture Series to talk about his life and career. “The Incredible Dr. Pol” continues to air after 20 seasons and is available for streaming on Disney+. Based in rural Michigan, Pol and Diane run their own veterinary clinic where they treat animals of all shapes and sizes. From iguanas to draft horses, Pol never turns an animal away and is one of the best at what he does according to past clients. “For me, it’s a calling… helping animals and helping people. My favorite animal is a healthy animal! I’m not God though, and I can’t save every one. But I try, I try my hardest,” explained Pol. On Feb. 28, Dr. Pol took time out of his busy schedule to visit Casper through the Doornbos Ag Lecture Series. Pol isn’t the only famous ag leader to visit CC through the series. According to the CC Foundation and Alumni Association, Colonel Philip Doornbos came to Casper when the army assigned him to the Casper Army Air Base in 1944 to recover from wounds sustained during World War II. After meeting then Casper College President Tim Aley, he accepted a job at Casper College first serving as the business manager and then as the executive director of the college’s foundation. In 2002, he endowed the Doornbos Lecture Series, realizing an agricultural-based lecture series would benefit programs on campus and across the community. The lectures focus on the agricultural industry in an effort to keep students and community members abreast of the most current information in the field. The series has featured many notable speakers including Temple Grandin and Lowell Catlett. This year’s series, held in the Swede Erickson Thunderbird Gym, drew in over 2,000 attendees from across Wyoming. One family even made the trek from Iowa to see “The Incredible Dr. Pol” speak. When asked what he thought about the city of Casper, Pol said, “I’m glad I’m bald so the wind can’t blow my hair no more!” With his 50 years of experience in veterinary medicine, Pol shared some of his most exciting stories and his path to becoming a Michigan veterinarian. Pol said he immigrated to the United States from the Netherlands. After meeting his wife Diane, he founded their vet clinic and adopted their son Charles. After going to school for filmmaking, Charles had the idea to make a TV series based around his dad. The Nat Geo Wild TV series follows him on his 14-hour workdays, showing urban America the adventures of being a rural veterinarian. When Pol’s son Charles first started production of the series, Pol said many farmers were fearful of the cameras. Pol assured them, “This is not PETA, and we are not trying to make you look bad.” Kadyn Braaten, an ag communication and ag business Major at CC from Townsend Mont. attended the event. “I thought he was a very genuine and smart man who thinks outside the box in order to take care of all animals he encounters,” said Braaten. “He is willing to branch out into the unknown in order to find a solution to every problem that he encounters.” Pol spoke of one of his more trailblazing solutions with an example of a young colt that broke its leg. Pol explained that usually when a horse breaks a leg, the animal must be euthanized because the leg is almost impossible to heal. However, using a wicker basket and other supplies, Pol crafted a custom contraption to hold the young horse’s leg in place while it healed. The colt healed completely and can now run and play like any other horse. Jessy Barger, another ag business major from Cascade, Mont. also enjoyed Pol’s witty Photo Courtesy of Heath Hornecker humor. Pictured from left to right, Kadyn Braaten, Dr. Jan Pol, Kaley Pieper, and Diane Pol. The “He was very funny and fun Incredible Dr. Pol and his wife Diane meet Ag students Kadyn Braaten and Kaley Pieper who to listen to. I can tell he’s quite attended the morning and evening events to listen to Dr. Pol’s speech. the character. His wife Diane also seems very nice. I really enjoyed hearing his advice on marriage and life in general,” said Barger. Barger referred to advice Pol shared in his talk at CC. Pol said, “I’ve been married for 50 years. What’s the secret? Two words; yes dear! But no really, love is important, but depending on each other is more important. That’s what we found out.” The Doornbos Ag Lecture Series has been educating people on the importance of agriculture for many years, and Pol is one of the most famous and exciting speakers hosted in the series. His practical, down-to-earth approach to life and veterinary medicine is what keeps his business thriving, and inspires so many Kaley Pieper/Chinook viewers to watch his show, Swede Erickson Thunderbird Gym was packed on February 28th, with many students, “The Incredible Dr. Pol.” faculty, and community members attending the Doornbos Lecture series to watch Dr. Pol. www.caspercollege.edu/chinook �April 1, 2022 Page 5 CHINOOK College from a different point of view Isabella Coronado Chinook Writer Everyone has a different experience in college whether attending school with a sibling or not. Do you ever wonder what it's like for twins on campus? Students at Casper College shared different opinions on what it is like being a multiple, especially when headed off to college. Leaving a sibling in general can be tough, but imagine leaving a sibling like a twin or even continuing education with them on the same campus. Many factors play into such decisions. Colby Jones is a current student at CC studying accounting and business administration. He plans to further his education in business administration at the University of Wyoming by earning his bachelor's and master’s degrees. His experience at CC is different than most, as he is currently attending CC with his twin brother, Carson. Carson is studying criminal justice and plans to earn his associates degree at CC before transferring to the University of Wyoming for his bachelor's degree. When asked what made them want to attend college together, the Jones brothers said they never planned on going to the same college. They decided they would make their decisions independently before sharing their final choice for college with one another. They said they both happened to choose CC. As of right now, both live in the dorms together and have the same friend group on campus, which makes going to school with each other a lot more positive according to Carson. Colby stated that he and his brother are very similar, but the only thing that he thinks that could be different between the two of them is that they both study different subjects in school. Davion McAdam is another current CC student who happens to be a twin as well. His story is a little different from the Jones' because his twin sister, Tyronica is not attending CC. McAdam is currently studying general studies and plans on graduating this year. McAdam said, “Neither one of us had big aspirations to go to college, and then one of the big reasons why I went to college was to play college basketball, and she wanted to pursue other things like being an influencer.” Tyronica is currently in New York pursuing modeling while also being an influencer on different forms of social media. As McAdam attended CC, he started getting an interest in business and also the more detailed parts of economics like micro and macro. He talked about how going to college without his allows him to create a name for himself and helps him avoid distractions with family members. He said having his sibling at school could also work in his favor at times. “College could be frustrating from time to time, so it would be Photo Courtsey of Jones family Pictured here from left to right is Colby Jones, Lain Mitchelson, and Carson Jones.Colby and Carson attended their friend's basketball game. nice to have a silly (sibling) go to school so you have somebody to count on and to lean on when you’re struggling. That would be the nice part of going to school with a sibling,” said McAdam. He shared how different he is from his sister in saying that she is more outgoing and more of a people person while he is more introverted. He enjoys going to college without his twin because he said he’s become more independent and likes having his own space. Based on McAdam’s own experience at college without his sister, he believes that not going to school with her helped him become his own person and build a foundation for what he wants to do in life. McAdam said, “I honestly think it depends on the type of twins and if they really look to rely on each other for life decisions, but I would suggest not going to school with your twin because you end up figuring out what you do or don't like without another person influencing your decisions.” The Jones twins voiced the opposite opinion. When asked if twins should consider going to college together Colby said, “Yes, if y’all can even stand each other. You grew up with each other anyways, and it makes living with someone easy. “ Carson echoed his brother. “It would have to depend on the twins, but if they are similar like my brother and I, then yes you won’t regret that decision. If you don’t have a lot of the same desires and goals, then I could understand where it doesn’t look like sunshine and rainbows,” Carson said. Despite what the Jones’ and McAdam think, ultimately not everyone is going to do the same thing in life. Based on all three viewpoints, there are many different aspects to take into account when deciding whether or not all twins should attend the same college or go their separate ways. Photo Courtsey of Davion McAdam Shown to the left is Davion McAdam and his twin sister Tyronica at one of his high school basketball games Taking online or hybrid courses? Students: We make sure you are able to access online learning resources needed to learn in your classes. We will also help you learn to utilize the digital tools available to you for all your classwork. Examples of items we can help with: 1. MyCCMoodle — including how to submit assignments, participate in forums, etc. 2. ZOOM – help you learn to access and use Zoom for your remote course meetings and collaborations 3. Google Suite — Google Docs, Drive, GMail, etc. 4. Accessing Office 365 .- such as MS Word and PowerPoint 5. Online tutoring — How and where to get extra help as you need it, using NetTutor. Plus a lot more! Contact us. Don’t wait! Get your Questions answered now. Teresa Pat Mike Tyler For help or more information stop by Liesinger Hall, room 132 or contact us at 307-268-3882, dlc@caspercollege.edu, and av@caspercollege.edu. Dave Camille �Page 6 April 1, 2022 CHINOOK Price increase for off-campus housing Julie Seidel Chinook Writer Landlords for the Preserve at Greenway Park, an off campus facility, will increase property rent in April, leaving Casper College students until the end of March to decide if they will continue residency. The 368-unit buildings house students as well as community members. Approximately 89 Casper College students take residency, according to the Preserve. Nathasha Green, the resident manager and apartment manager at the Preserve informed residents of the decision on Feb 25. Rachel Retherford, Kait Wassum, and Avril Sims are among the dozens of local college students who will need to make a decision on housing before April. Retherford said she and her friends make about enough to cover the rent as it is. Although this may be true, they said they are still debating whether to find someplace new. Had the facility approached them sooner, they would have saved money for the increase in pricing or relocation costs, Wassum said. “We will be cutting our living expenses to the bone,” added Retherford. Though the Preserve maintained a steady rate for years,Green said she hopes the increase won’t change much of anything. For new residents, the maximum payment inflation rate is $300. For current residents, the increase will total $150 per month. “Casper is getting busy and more populated,” said Kevin Kapeles, resident coordinator. “It is all about supply and demand. Although this may be true, in the end it will be a good thing for all residents.” The Preserve admits there is a clear increase in market rate for Casper, Wyo, as a whole. Casper is expanding in population and units are filling up so fast that their waitlist is the longest it has ever been, said Kapeles. The Preserve has a total of nine different types of units ranging in size. Their Julie Seidel/Chinook Pictured above is the kitchen area in one of the three bedroom, two bathroom apartments at the Preserve at Greenway Park. one bedroom, one bathroom units called the Meadowlark, Eagle and Wren increased by $45. The two bedroom, two bathroom units called the Goldeneye, Herron, and Hummingbird all increased by $175. The three bedroom, two bathroom unit called the Falcon increased by $75. Retherford currently lives in a two bedroom apartment to herself. According to her, her old roommate moved out due to a disagreement. Retherford got help from her parents to keep the apartment, but with the new prices, she is not quite sure what her next move will be. Due to her recent surgery, she is unable to move by herself and feels obligated to stay. Wassum and Sims started their lease in May of 2021 and despite the increase, the two made the decision to continue their lease for another year. Sims, a newly added roommate, said she did not expect the rental increase. “For now we will keep doing what we are doing,” stated Wassum. “The apartments are the nicest in town, and the staff is too great to give up.” Incoming residents, Gabriel Scheuerman and Dawson Rogers, considered the Preserve for housing next fall semester. Due to the price increase, the two said they might consider other apartments. Rogers stated that they cur- rently live on-campus at CC and would like to get their own place. The two are freshmen on campus and one year at the dorms was enough for them, said Scheuerman. “Living on campus has its perks, but off-campus would be a delight,” said Scheuerman. In addition to the renters increase, the Preserve announced a new one bedroom, one bathroom unit called the Bobwhite. Starting at $1,025 a month, Bobwhite is a 750 square foot floor plan that is scheduled to commence building at the end of April. “In the end, we hope this new floor plan will push our current residents to upgrade and vacate the Meadowlark units,” said Green. Julie Seidel/Chinook Shown here is living room of the two bedroom, two bathroom unit at the Preserve at Greenway Park. Fitness center woes Student Senate and administration work towards solution Violet Wright Chinook Writer Casper College’s Student Senate and President Dr. Darren Divine are working together to improve accessibility to campus fitness facilities for students and faculty. Currently, the school operates a fitness center that is open to students but with a caveat -- students must be enrolled in the fitness class and pay a $30 fee. However, anyone who walked into the facility would describe it as lackluster. The space includes limited equipment in a small space that is easily overcrowded, creating a point of frustration for many students and faculty members. Jordan Stauffer, a computer science major at CC explained, “The gym isn’t that big. They Violet Wright/Chinook had nice equipment, but it Logan MacKearney studies in the courtyard outside of Doornbros Lounge during a rare break would have to be pretty cheap from Sudent Senate roles. to pay for it.” Stauffer, and many other students, have taken notice of CC’s lack of a proper fitness center. In fact, both the Faculty Senate and Student Senate are currently discussing the issue. Last year, now Student Senate President Logan MacKearney, brought the issue to the Student Senate, which resulted in the Student Senate writing a resolution to the school. “Right now, the current fitness center is too small and ill equipped to properly handle the amount of students, athletes, and faculty that want to take advantage of it. We requested them to find an alternate option to make it more accommodating,” said MacKearney. Eventually, the actions of the Student Senate led to a meeting between MacKearney and Divine to discuss the issue. While the school wants to make improvements, there is no way to expand the fitness center, explained MacKearney. Such improvements would require building a new facility, the budget to do so, and planning and construction to occur. Stauffer explained if the oncampus fitness center were less costly and more accessible he would be more active. “It's more convenient. I don't have to drive across town. It would also be a bit more private as well because it’s not open to the public,” said Stauffer. While CC is not proposing construction plans just yet, the college hears student and faculty calls to improve access to a better fitness facility. According to MacKearny, Casper College is working with the YMCA of Casper to offer discounted rates for students. In the meantime, there is hope that future CC students will see the fruit of the Student Senate’s labors. �April 1, 2022 Page 7 CHINOOK 2021-2022 basketball season wrap-up Photo Courtsey of Sofie Pinegar The Lady T-Birds won 71-57 against Eastern Wyoming College during the Region IX Tournament at a home game on March 5. Celina Arnlund is pictured to the left cutting down a section of the net. The win qualified the team for the NJCAA Championship where they lost 70-73 to Hutchinson Kansas Community College during the first round. The men's team lost 72-78 to Trinidad State Junior College when they were in La Junta, Colorado for the quarterfinals of the Region IX Tournament. PJ Ngambi is shown above driving past his opponent at the team's last home game. The difficulties of a student-athlete Elena Tzelou Chinook Writer The life of an athlete studying abroad, as Mariona Cos explained, is not always as nice as it looks, especially when dealing with mental health issues. Without mental health support when it is needed, a student-athlete may lead themselves to give up. Over 30% of student-athletes admit to suffering from some kind of depression or anxiety, and only 10% ask for help. One student-athlete from Barcelona, Spain experienced exactly that in her first year at Casper College. Her freshman year proved very demanding and difficult with many obstacles and a battle for survival. Cos is just 18-years-old. Cos began sports at an early age, always having great aspirations for the future and a goal that came closer and closer as it grew. The main goal was the life experience in America and acceptance into a very good college such as CC that helped her to develop her first professional steps in basketball in conjunction with her studies. Cos said she always wanted to take such a major step and come somewhere where she’d need to work hard and show discipline to cope; yet, there has never been a day in her life when she wanted to give up or alter her mind about what she truly wanted to achieve. Of course, the difficulties did not take long to come, turning her into a fighter and a decisive athlete. The difficulties started at the age of 17 when she admitted that there were many people who either did not believe in her or tried in many ways to reduce her psychology. However, as she stated, no matter how much she hurt and no matter how many questions bloomed inside her, she never let anyone affect her or distort her thoughts about what the path she chose to follow. Cos shared the reason why her story stands out from any other student-athletes -- four months before her dream became a reality and she came to America, she faced a tremendously serious surgery that brought her a lot of pain and discomfort until she managed to get through every difficulty the injury brought her. "They told me that I wouldn't be able to play basketball again," said Cos. Cos said those were the first words she heard when she came out of surgery and more specifically when she was told that the serious shoulder injury from basketball was the reason she would be kept from what she loves so much. “It's unbelievable that what you love so many times can destroy you," Cos said. She shouted it with tears in her eyes, enraged by all that had transpired up to the day of the flight. She stated that she never gave up. Cos tried and proved day-by-day that her dream to travel to America would come true, but at the same time she was so scared that her mental health changed dramatically. She said she was even more afraid to report her injury to the new coaches who were waiting for her in the new continent. However, all of these things she described made her stronger, and she said it was the moment she grew up into the a mature woman she is now who faces all the difficulties on her own, preparing her for life in America if she really managed to make it happen. Cos said that she finally succeeded and felt more proud than ever, but she was not through with her training. Dayby-day the workouts were more and more demanding and difficult, making her go through the worst she had experienced in her life. Moreover, even if she never said anything to anyone, she said that she is coming to face pain even today, a year after her surgery, something that saddens and troubles her. "Even the pain could not stop my American dream," Cos said. Cos said her dreams and aspirations make her feel a little better now that she has reached the end of her first difficult year in the CC. However, she did not forget to add that sport, even if it troubled her and tested her through difficult phases of her life, never disappointed her and always made her happy. She said, "Being a studentathlete is incredibly difficult and demanding at all stages.'' Cos said it is necessary to understand all the external factors and people involved. Cos also shared that she regrets that she never shared her pain and difficulties with anyone, which kept her away from friends and pleasant moments. "Asking for help is not a shame," Cos said. She said with great confidence and joy that sharing your problems should be the first way to deal with them, because in order to get through very difficult times, one must be able to think clearly. Cos’ opinion is shared by her friend Julia PalomoVicente, her teammate from Spain who also followed her dream to the U.S and CC. Palomo-Vicente said, “I could never imagine myself being productive without a stable mental health.” Join us as we build PB & J sandwiches to help Stop Hunger in Casper! Thursday April 28th (Pay It Forward Day) Tobin Dining Hall 2:30pm to 4:00pm Volunteer via email to: Angela.alexander@sodexo.com In Tobin at Lunch Tuesday April 19th! $4 Bucks extra � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Chinook Student Newspaper Online Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 2019-2026 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text; image Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Casper College Chinook Student Staff Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Chinook Student Newspaper, CCA 08.i.2023.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 08.iii.2023.01_Chinook_Digital Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Online Chinook Newspaper 2022-04 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 2022-04 Description An account of the resource This is a copy of the online Chinook Newspaper from April 2022. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text; image Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Casper College Chinook Student Staff Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Chinook Student Newspaper, CCA 08.i.2023.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA_08.i.2023.01_2022-04 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF