Patrick Wellever said his desire to create global awareness is why he wants to be a journalist. A 2004 research trip to China with 10 other students and an adviser resulted in an article on the social impacts of environmental protection initiatives. "Part of my story was to show the side that isn't told," said Wellever, an anthropology and journalism junior.
A proposed intersection with traffic lights that would replace the traffic circle at Bogue Street and Wilson Road would better control the flow of pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles, administrators say. As part of the 2020 Vision plan, Wilson Road between Farm Lane and Conrad Hall and Bogue Street between Shaw Lane and the Veterinary Medical Center parking lot will be reconstructed, adding bicycle lanes and changing the intersection. The MSU Board of Trustees will vote on an architect and engineer for the project at its meeting Friday. The proposed reconstruction of the traffic circle to include a traffic light fits with the priorities for pedestrians first, bicycles second and vehicles third, said Jeff Kacos, director of Campus Planning and Administration and chairman of the Campus Infrastructure Planning Work Group. "While traffic circles are very efficient for moving vehicles, they're not pedestrian-friendly," Kacos said.
Zeke the Wonder Dog was taken to the MSU Small Animal Clinic last Friday after he chewed some carpet in the home of his owners, Jim and Terri Foley. He was taken in for surgery after the carpet became stuck in his intestines, and he went home Monday evening. Zeke, whose real name is Dexter, is best known for catching flying discs during pregame and halftime events at Spartan football games and other locations. Terri Foley, Zeke's owner, said he might not have meant to eat the carpet. "We think he may have gotten sick from something else and tried to clean it up, but ended up eating the carpet, too," Terri Foley said.
In a season of low economic conditions in Michigan, 55 percent of Michiganians still say the state's cities generally are important to them. This data was part of a bigger State of the State Survey, which is conducted by MSU's Institute for Public Policy and Social Research. While the percentage of Michigan residents who value the state's cities is down from 71 percent in 2002, Doug Roberts, director of the institute, said the data is still positive for Michigan's cities. "When you look at the state with all the things that are going on, the economy is not particularly great," he said.
Competitors only had one minute to complete their task — guide cattle into a pen without using ropes or their hands. People on horseback directed the cows and raced to beat their opponents, with varied success. About 150 people — ranging in age from about 6 to 80 — competed with their horses in Cowboy Christmas, a horse competition held at the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education during the weekend.
By Danielle Grondin Special to The State News Shannon Hoffman said she sang holiday songs in the dark Saturday morning, waiting to help crafters line their cars up before the 42nd annual Holiday Arts & Crafts Show. "Why else would you want to be at the Union at 4:45 a.m.
Philip Lauri was inspired while interning in Houston this summer. The supply chain management senior decided to write a speech reflecting on his time at MSU and approaching his final semester. "I had been working and sitting in a cubicle, and I thought, 'What am I going to do here with my life?'" Lauri said.
A program teaching the art of origami will be held from noon to 1 p.m. today in the Ohio State room of the Union. At "Origami — Holiday Ornaments from Paper," event participants can learn the Japanese craft of paper-folding to create holiday ornaments and decorations. The MSU Women's Resource Center is providing all supplies, and the program is free to the public.
Maureen Kennedy dances with horses. After a four-year hiatus following an injury, the MSU police sergeant is back at practice for dressage competitions — where a mounted horse is trained in a series of movements such as prancing in place and pirouettes. Kennedy said she trained with Royal Canadian Mounted Police and is now working with horses Gigi and Winzig — each with their own personality — to get ready for competitions this summer. "He's as brave as they come, but he's like a big, fuzzy lumpkins," Kennedy said of Winzig with a smile.
As of 6 p.m. Thursday, 420 members of the MSU community discovered they had "contracted" the AIDS virus by going online. The Alliance of Les-Bi-Gay-Transgender and Straight Ally Students, with the help of other campus organizations, created an interactive Web site in honor of World AIDS Day on Thursday.
The 42nd annual MSU Holiday Arts and Crafts show will be held this weekend at the Union. Featuring goods from more than 200 artists, the show is free and open from 9 a.m.
For three days this weekend, 400-500 teams will be competing in "Cowboy Christmas" at the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education. The event features timed team penning and sorting competitions with groups of 30 cattle each.
By Gabrielle Russon Special to The State News Ben Hamlin has his drivers and his putters in his disc golf bag.
On a volunteer trip one month after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, Ashley Wright couldn't believe the town of Pass Christian, Miss., was still in ruins. "I felt like I got dropped off in the woods and had to pick up trash," the economics senior said.
After decades of working with hunger and the poor, animal science professor Sam Varghese has focused on his home country of India this last year. Last month, he returned from another trip to India, where he worked with relief efforts for the tsunami that hit Southeast Asia in December 2004.
For some MSU students, the theme of this holiday season is "students helping students." The Graduate Employees Union, or GEU, began a food drive at the start of November for the MSU Student Food Bank.
Luke Massie, co-chairperson for the national Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration & Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary, or BAMN, will discuss the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative at 7 p.m.
The Alliance of Lesbian-Bi-Gay-Transgender and Straight Ally Students, with the help of other on-campus groups, is making use of a new resource to raise awareness for World AIDS Day on Thursday. An interactive Web site, www.spreadthis.org, will be launched Thursday and will be accessible to everyone. The alliance is trying a simulation with their site so students can virtually see how the AIDS virus can spread. About 60 students working with the alliance will arbitrarily hand out 3,000 red business cards around campus, which students can use to access the site.
A nursing shortage has plagued the country for the last five years, so the MSU College of Nursing started a new program to help alleviate the problem. Allowing students who have already received their bachelor's degree to return and train to be a nurse in one year, the Accelerated Second Degree BSN program cuts the time it usually takes to train in half. The first group of students in this program started in September. The students in the program have already had other careers, so it is harder for them to commit the time to returning, said Marilyn Rothert, dean of the College of Nursing, adding that this is much more efficient. "We wanted to look at creative ways to bring folks who are inclined to help people and have a strong science background into the field," Rothert said.
Black power is a sense of community — this is the definition Ashley Hall keeps with her in her everyday life. "(Black power) is a term used to express a sense of pride and to rejoice in the ethnic roots we have accomplished so far," the journalism senior said.