The Beacon's Top Stories of 2015

| January 1, 2016 6:24pm
beacon-2015

by Clare Duffy and Malika Andrews |

525,600 minutes. 525,000 memories made. Another 365 days have passed and, at times, it's been a bumpy ride. Here at The Beacon, we're proud to be your source of information through it all, and we aim to report on what you want to hear, so if there's ever anything you think we've missed, don't hesitate to let us know.

This past year, The Beacon’s news section penned UP students' first-hand experiences of events that will go down in history.

In the sports world, four-year basketball player turned runner, Korey Thieleke, shared his escape from gang violence in Bakersfield, Calif. and female athletes on The Bluff voiced their struggles surrounding body image.

Opinions were shared and discussions sparked within the Beacon's pages. As we enter 2016, and the final semester of The Beacon’s print edition, here is a roundup of the Beacon’s 12 most exciting, powerful and compelling stories of 2015. As the great philosopher Nicki Minaj once said, "Greatness is what we on the brink of."

Valentine's Day: Recent UP Alums Share Their Love Stories

Recent UP alums shared the stories of meeting their significant others on The Bluff. A highlight: Freshmen friends Michelle and Kenny King ('12) reconnected at Dance of the Decades their junior year shortly before they started dating (Ah, college romance). 

His Way Out: Korey Thieleke's Second Chance

During his five years on The Bluff, Korey Thieleke was known as an athlete - first as a basketball player and, his final year, as a member of the track team. But to get there took overcoming gang violence and poverty in Bakersfield, Calif. A highlight: Don't take your eyes off Korey just yet, he's training to run the 400m at the 2016 Olympic trials. 

When Purple Turns Red: How the University of Portland addresses the "Red Zone" Phenomenon

UP students have suffered sexual assault during the "Red Zone" - the period between the start of Fall Semester and Thanksgiving Break, during which 50 percent of college sexual assaults occur. Members of the Pilot community are standing up to this phenomenon with the "Green Dot" prevention program, by encouraging reporting and offering confidential resources for survivors in the Health Center and campus ministry. A highlight: "Students might fear reporting a sexual assault for many reasons...There might be fear of student conduct repercussions if underage drinking was involved. But, according to the Life on the Bluff Student Handbook, 'The University will not pursue the conduct process against a student who reports interpersonal violence for lesser policy violations that occur in connection with the reported incident.'"

Students Witness Refugee Crisis

Few Americans could fully grasp the reality of the European refugee crisis which began near the end of August largely due to violence in Syria and Iraq, and by late September, Germany reporting receiving upwards of 10,000 refugees each day. UP students studying abroad in Salzburg, Austria, whose train station was flooded with migrants, were advised not to travel, but they didn't see it as a burden but, rather, a chance to witness history in the making. A highlight: Sophomore Salzburger Molly McSweyn, who called witnessing the crisis, "one of the most humbling experiences I have ever had in my life," recently volunteered with a refugee aid group in Salzburg. 

Transgender Student Finds Home in Mehling Hall

Junior Zeke Pralle first began exploring his gender identity when he arrived at UP, and found a group of friends with whom he could discuss LGBTQ issues, unlike those in his conservative hometown of Wasilla, Alaska. Assigned female at birth, Pralle has found a community in Mehling Hall and has been working to educate others on campus, including professors within his gender and women studies minor, on how to be transgender allies. A highlight: After a transphobic incident occurred following the publishing of this report, Pralle responded with hope and a desire to educate, organizing a panel on the experiences of non-binary students on campus. Watch the panel here.

Socially Constricted: UP Female Athletes Confront Body Image Standards

Unrealistic body standards are no secret to just about anyone, but for female athletes, what society's deemed a "perfect body" is in direct contrast to the strength, height and muscle tone they need to be successful in their sports. Hypersexualization and feelings of imperfection also come into play, making female athletes almost two times more likely than the average woman to develop disordered eating and issues surrounding body image - a problem that extends beyond The Bluff. A highlight: “What I try to do is instill confidence so that hopefully when they graduate here, they are still tall, beautiful, confident women that are taking things on in the workplace,” Head women's basketball coach Cheryl Sorenson said.

Pilot House Implements New ID Scanning Tool to Combat Fake ID Use

With fake ID use highly popular amongst college students (including here on The Bluff), head of Bon Appetit Kirk Mustain knew he'd have to take measures to avoid it at the new Pilot House bar. A new scanner will flag IDs that may be tampered with, damaged or false, and also features an "eighty six" feature to flag patrons who have had issues at the bar in the past. A highlight: Mustain said that any fake ID use would be handled internally by Pilot House staff

It's a Balancing Act

Between classes, going to practice, finding time to do homework, eating and squeezing in time to be with friends, student athletes have a lot to balance. At the University of Portland, they seem to balance their workloads better than most, graduating 93 percent of student athletes. With a graduation rate seven percent higher than the national average, UP has become known for emphasizing the “student” preceding “student athlete.” A Highlight: Being dominant on the court and in the classroom are not mutually exclusive.

Behind the Game Face: The Story Beneath Alec Wintering's Smile

When junior Alec Wintering first stepped foot in the Chiles Center, The Oregonian called him a “5-foot-11 problem solver.” Little did they know the problems he had overcome at home to get there. Wintering was named WCC player of the week on December 28, 2015. A Highlight: “It’s just the kind of stuff that makes me who I am today. Not a lot of people know it, really very few people know it about me. Because that’s in the past now so I just try to move on and be positive and make everyone around me positive,” Wintering said.

Faculty to Administration: 'I'm Underpaid'

Dissatisfaction with salary, class sizes and a lack of transparency from administration. That's what an anonymous survey of UP faculty - conducted in the spring and published in Nov. - revealed, some respondents even going so far as to say they are having trouble making ends meet. A committee of faculty led by Provost Tom Greene was created to address the top eight concerns noted in the survey. A highlight: Data from Forbes showed that the cost of living in Portland is 6.6 percent higher than the national average, exacerbating the issue of low pay.

Knowledge as Power: Members of the UP Community Tackle Hereditary Breast Cancer

After learning that she had a hereditary genetic mutation - and an 87 percent lifetime chance of breast cancer - Hannah Hoeflich had a double mastectomy at the age of 28. After losing her grandmother and three of her grandmothers four sisters, junior Emma Guintini plans to get tested for the same genetic mutation. Knowledge of and about hereditary cancers is growing, and with options for screening and prevention. A highlight: “I realized that I am born in this time in history when I have choice. There’s so much knowledge. I feel like, in some ways, it was this gift I’ve been given," Hoeflich said.

Good Grub on Mississippi

Food truck fare can be a perfect college student option - speedy, cheap and tasty. But, when eating out of a metal box parked in a car lot, it's important to be informed. The Beacon tested out some food trucks in the popular foodie neighborhood on Mississippi St. and has some suggestions about where to go for the best street grub. A highlight: Don't miss $4 Asian-Mexican fusion sliders from Koi Fusion!

Clare Duffy and Malika Andrews can be reached at duffy17@up.edu and andrewsm17@up.edu.

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