Andrews University Agenda

Andrews University Agenda http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/ News and Events at Andrews University en-us Copyright 2024, Andrews University Mon, 25 Nov 2024 05:42:00 +0000 Mon, 25 Nov 2024 05:42:00 +0000 webmaster@andrews.edu webmaster@andrews.edu Signal Boost: Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/60208 04.13.2021         I am a sucker for a period drama, even more so a Korean period drama. When I started “Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung,” I expected the usual aspects you would see in K-drama: romance, humor, and the classic enemies to lovers. I got that part, but I also received so much more. It’s a story of standing up to those who would keep people in darkness, breaking old, misogynistic traditions, and being true to yourself.         The show opens up with the titular character, a 26-year-old upper-class orphan with a penchant for speaking her mind, without care of who she is talking to. She also has a love for reading and works as a reader for upper-class women, who prefer to hear steamy romance stories rather than the books she prefers to read. She is unmarried, a strange thing at that time for a woman her age. She finds a posting from the palace about the hiring of female royal historians, typically a male position. A royal historian is a person that writes the lives of the king and royal family to keep as a record generations, and she found this as an opportunity to escape marriage and make money for herself. Hae-ryung and the other female historians find themselves fighting against the male historians who feel as if their positions are being jeopardized and the other court ladies who don’t approve of their presence. She encounters several events that were erased from the historical records and sets out to right the wrongs that were incurred.         What I enjoyed so much about this show was the force of a character that Hae-ryung was. She did not care if she was talking to the crown prince or a little boy, she always spoke frankly and to the point. She was confident in her intelligence and her abilities, and through every trial she faced she stood up for herself and her colleagues. Her passion for the truth really shone in the 20th episode when she delivered this message: “Even if you slash my throat, our brushes will not stop writing. If I die, another historian will take my place; if you kill that historian, another will take their place. Even if you kill every historian in this land, and take away all the paper and brushes, you won't be able to stop us. From mouth to mouth, teacher to student, elder to child, history will be told. That is the power of truth.” Goo Hae-ryung is one of the best female characters I have had the pleasure of watching and I hope I can see more like her in Kdramas in the future. “Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung” is available to stream on Netflix now. Thu, 24 Mar 2022 03:04:51 +0000 Celebrating National Poetry Month http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/60207 04.13.2021 I have always loved words - especially words that made me feel something. I love tragedy, love stories, long, flowing sentences that cascade across clean pages like songs riding on the wind.         We have a name for these strings of words, and that name is “poetry.” It’s been around since the beginning of creation, really. Remember that Adam spoke bars when he first met his soulmate: “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of ‘man.’”         And there were many poets after Adam - from King David and King Solomon, to Dante and Shakespeare, to more recent poets like Maya Angelou, Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, and the wonderfully talented Amanda Gorman.         Over the years, poetry has been a means of expressing humanity’s deepest desires for love, joy, and connection. It has been a means of sharing opinions and viewpoints. And, within the last century, it has become an important platform for addressing important social and cultural issues.         I find poetry convincing in the honest beauty it presents. It is at once simple and intricate, straightforward and thought-provoking. It’s sometimes flowery, sometimes raw, at times joyful, at times sad - but always beautiful. It has the ability to give you the chills, and there’s always something for every individual.         April is National Poetry Month. Launched by the Academy of American Poets in April of 1996, National Poetry Month “reminds the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters. Over the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K-12 teachers, librarians, booksellers...and, of course, poets, marking poetry’s important place in our lives.” This April marks the 25th annual celebration of poets and poetry, and as such, it seems appropriate to highlight just a few of the many talented student poets on the Andrews University campus. They answer a few questions about why they believe poetry is important and why they personally choose to use this creative form as a means of expression. Why do you believe that poetry is still important today? Do you believe that poetry holds power?         An active member of the Scriptorium, the creative writing club on the Andrews campus, Karenna Lee (freshman, English, business administration) responded: “Poetry holds power because it invites you into someone else’s experience in a very small amount of space. It’s the human element of historical events and current issues, because as it brings awareness, it carries with it the author’s emotions. Like most forms of art, it creates the impact the facts need to inspire empathy and change.”         Marcel Mattox (sophomore, graphic design), who also enjoys writing and sharing poetry, says this: “Poetry is a way of expressing emotions. Painting them, in a way. You can see and feel them in such a raw way. Poetry can be rhythmic, like a song flowing and harmonizing from stanza to stanza. I find poetry important because it’s a way of expressing how I and how others throughout history have experienced this human adventure we call life.”         Andrew Pak (freshman, music) a musician as well as a writer, goes in depth: “Poetry is unique to me in that it’s the manipulation of language, the very tool we use to think. In that sense, our thoughts can only be as complex as our vocabulary. Additionally, as the Observer Effect in physics describes, the act of observing can change reality - in the same vein, observing and describing reality through language changes reality. Subjective perceptions of reality are often more relevant to the reality of our actions than objective reality. If we can change our perceptions of reality by using different language to describe it, then we can effectively change reality through mere words.” He adds, “I think poetry makes something new out of the old, and through this transformation of ideas, poetry can make a real change in the way people think. By reimagining the way people think about reality, poetry can make us more conscious and aware of certain things we usually already have an idea of, whether these be stereotypes, simply generalizations/presumptions, or mundane things we don’t usually give attention to. Otherwise, it can be a form of self-expression that links humans in fellowship of a universal or specific feeling. It’s always comforting to know, ‘Hey, someone else out there in the world knows this feeling too.’” What forms of poetry do you enjoy writing and why? What got you started on writing poetry?         Karenna says, “I haven’t pinned down what kind of poetry I like to write yet. Generally speaking, I haven’t explored much in terms of rhyme or structure. I have so much respect for people who can correctly use things like the heroic couplet, but right now, I work in free form. It’s mostly because I never planned to write poetry. So far, it’s served as a simple way to get thoughts on paper, but I’m very open to learning more!”         When asked what got him started on writing poetry, Marcel explains, “I started writing poetry [as] another way of expressing myself. In a catchy way, too - the way others could show their emotions and tell stories through poetry. I think I wanted to experience that [as well].”         Andrew describes his experience like this: “I started writing poetry in the spring of 2020, during my senior year of high school right before the pandemic shutdown. I was inspired by this writer I found on the internet named Savannah Brown, whose poetry really resonated with me [because of] its accessibility and modern style. I decided that I could start writing some of my own poems as modes of self-expression and an outlet for my bottled up feelings. I think that poetry for me personally is just a method of pouring out my thoughts and emotions in an eloquent and relatively structured way. Writing things down also helps me process ideas, because there’s only so much I can hold in my brain.”         This April, I encourage you to explore poetry in all of its forms. Discover newer poets, older poets. Explore modern poetry and classic poetry. Try writing some poetry yourself, if you haven’t already!         I guarantee that you will find something to fall in love with. Thu, 24 Mar 2022 03:02:58 +0000 April Current Favorite Songs http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/60206 <div> 04.13.2021</div> <div>  </div> <ol font-size:="" ibm="" plex="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "> <li style="box-sizing: border-box;"> “Merry Go Round of Life” from “Howl’s Moving Castle” - Crystal Collins (sophomore, psychology)</li> <li style="box-sizing: border-box;"> “Vitali Chaconne” as played by Sarah Chang - Noelle Koliadko (sophomore, mathematics)</li> <li style="box-sizing: border-box;"> “Hold Us Together” by H.E.R. And Tauren Wells - Tuma Gabasiane (junior, pre-physical therapy)</li> <li style="box-sizing: border-box;"> “Good Days” by SZA - Alyssa Sussdorf (senior, psychology)</li> <li style="box-sizing: border-box;"> “Just the Two of Us” Grover Washington Jr. - Andre Crayton (sophomore, pre-physical therapy)</li> <li style="box-sizing: border-box;"> “Passacaglia, op. 20 no. 2” as played by Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman - Noah Koliadkon (freshman, physics and computer engineering)</li> <li style="box-sizing: border-box;"> “Blue Jeans” by Gangga - Patricia Jennesha (junior, computer science)</li> <li style="box-sizing: border-box;"> “Heartbreak Anniversary” by Giveon - Nathalie Batres (sophomore, psychology)</li> <li style="box-sizing: border-box;"> “Deserve You” by Justin Bieber - Megan Napod (senior, speech-language pathology and audiology)</li> <li style="box-sizing: border-box;"> Lastly, my personal recommendation: “In a Week” by Hozier and Karen Cowley</li> <li>  </li> </ol> Thu, 24 Mar 2022 03:01:32 +0000 Signal Boost: Canvas http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/60192 03.03.2021 Short film is one of my favorite art forms. It takes the same spectacle and wonder of cinema and gives us a bite size version. Since there is a shorter time to tell a story, everything has a purpose and meaning. It gives me the same feeling that I get watching a full feature film. One that stands out to me is “Canvas”, a silent film recounting a story about overcoming the pain of loss and dealing with grief with help from family.         “Canvas” is about a grandfather with a passion for painting, but who stopped after his wife died. Everywhere he is reminded of his previous love for creating and even sees signs to paint, but stops himself. His granddaughter comes to visit him every day and he leaves her to draw pictures every time she is there. She tries to get him to draw with her, but he declines. One day, she finds the room where he keeps all his paintings, particularly the one of his late wife. He starts to get angry, but stops as he sees his wife in the painting. He sees a vision of her embracing him and he decides it is time to take to the easel.         My favorite part is at the end where the grandfather realizes he wants to paint again and he sits at the easel outside once more, where he painted the love of his life, and hesitates. You can see the pain in his eyes as he debates once again whether he should keep going. His granddaughter and his daughter stand beside him in solidarity, and it is only then he takes the first stroke. It shows the strength of family and how it takes time to heal, but our passions will always be there––even if we lock them up, waiting for us when we are ready to come back.         Just because this part of us is waiting for our return does not mean that it won’t take time to relearn the fine aspects. Just as the grandfather is relearning his love of painting, he is relearning the support and love of family after distancing himself from them. Grief is a process, but it's not one that a person needs to take alone all the time. When you restart a hobby, you can be clumsy and make mistakes, but that should not stop you doing what you love. As grief is a process, renewal is also, but the end result is worth the struggle.         This beauty is available on Netflix with a bounty of other short films. So when you have some spare time on your hands, such as eight minutes, it’s the perfect time to relax and enter the world of Canvas. Thu, 24 Mar 2022 02:38:53 +0000 Current Favorites: March http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/60191 If you’re looking for something new to check out or try, you’ve come to the right place. We collected answers from a plethora of students on what they are currently loving, whether that is a hobby, show, song, book, you name it. Chris Mata (junior, medical laboratory sciences): Hablot Brown - R&B artist Nathalie Batres (junior, psychology): “Save Your Tears” by The Weeknd - song Skye Anderson (senior, pre-physical therapy): calligraphy - hobby Mahayla Toews (junior, speech-language pathology and audiology): NCIS - show Dave Cosejo (sophomore, exercise science): NBA Live Mobile - app Cassidy Lawson (sophomore, pre-physical therapy): painting - hobby Felix Gillett (senior, general studies): My Hero Academia - manga Karla Torres (freshman, graphic design): El Último Tour del Mundo - album by Bad Bunny Kristin Ferrer (senior, biology & public health): Moloka’i by Alan Brennert - book Cameron Mayer (senior, speech-language pathology and audiology): Sherlock - show Precious Nant (sophomore, biology): playing the piano - hobby Evin Musgrove (junior, psychology): TheStrive Studies - YouTube channel Adoniah Simon (junior, social work): The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss - book Kelli Coffen (sophomore, elementary education): WandaVision - show         My current favorite thing is GIVĒON, who is an R&B artist. His NPR Tiny Desk Concert is everything. <div>  </div> Thu, 24 Mar 2022 02:36:41 +0000 Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/59133 Aya Pagunsan (AP) (junior, nursing) Xochitl Graham (XG) (senior, nursing)   Rachel Rajarathinam (RR) (junior, nursing)   Interviewed by TJ Hunter   When did you get the Vaccine? AP: I got the vaccine on January 21st. My appointment was at 11:40 but I got it closer to 12 because there was a little bit of a line to get it. XG: I got the vaccine on the 12th of January when I was back home in Georgia. RR: I got the vaccine on January 21 at 2 PM.    Where did you get it? AP: It was a fire station in Grand Rapids XG: The health department in Woodstock, Georgia RR: We got it at fire station that was converted into a drive thru clinic for the vaccine   Why did you get the vaccine? Did you get a choice? AP: I did have a choice, but it also made sense to do for nursing school since we were actually going into the hospitals so much. However, it wasn’t mandatory for nursing students to get it. I don’t know anyone that didn’t get it. XG: I got the vaccine because I was working at my Dad’s office and they were offering it, and I didn’t really know when it would be available to me again so it was a smart choice to make. Personally, I believe that there are going to be unknowns with it, but we need to trust the science. And if you’ve done your research, you can read that nothing’s really different with this vaccine, meaning that they took the same route that they took to make all the other vaccines. And there’s a whole process that goes behind the FDA approving a vaccine. They’re not just going to approve anything. I also got it not just for myself, but also for the protection of others as well, because the goal is kind of that enough people get the vaccine in order to create group immunity. RR: We did have a choice. The nursing department gave us an option and showed us a list of people that could get the vaccine, though they said it wasn’t required. If someone didn’t get the vaccine, they would still be able to go to classes and clinicals, they would just have to be really careful. I did it because I genuinely trust the science behind it, and I did my research on both types because I didn’t know which type I was getting until I got there. I feel like having access to the vaccine right now is a great opportunity, so I was definitely going to take it.   Which variation of the vaccine did you get? AP: Moderna XG: Moderna RR: Moderna   Were you nervous before getting the vaccine? AP: Kind of, not going to lie. I’m not scared of needles or anything, I think it’s just because not a lot of people have taken the vaccine, so it’s still pretty new. But it was really chill, it wasn’t anything bad. XG: I was way before. I’d say months before, when I heard the vaccine was coming out, I didn’t want to get it because you don’t want to be one of those people that gets something from it, but as time passed I became less nervous. RR: I was actually super excited and then right before I left it really hit me that I was getting the vaccine.   How did you feel physically after getting the vaccine? AP: I was feeling fine, but closer to the end of the night, I started to get a headache and I experienced a few flu-like symptoms. Meaning that I started to get a little bit stuffy and I felt like how you feel the night before you’re about to get sick, but I took some Tylenol and then the next day I was perfectly fine.  XG: Physically I was good. I felt like I slept harder that night. 24 hours after that, though, when I was going to sleep I got a headache, and then I got dizzy when I was going to sleep but I woke up and I was fine. RR: It was definitely less painful than a tetanus shot. I just had a little bit of soreness but no major symptoms.   How did you feel emotionally after getting the vaccine? AP: I felt fine, except nursing school is stressing me out. XG: I was excited RR: I was really excited to be a part of something like this. I think it’s cool.   Walk me through the experience. How easy of a process was it? AP: It was an easy process- it was just a drive thru at a fire station, like I said, and after filling out some paperwork, you just drove up, the worker asked you to open the door, and then they administered the vaccine while you’re still in your car XG: It was in an office setting, I signed up as a group with some of my coworkers, we made an appointment, went there, filled out some paperwork, waited for them to call our name, they gave us the shot, and then we waited for like 15 minutes after they gave us the shot, made the appointment for the next dosage there, and then we left. RR: Like I said, it was at a fire station. When I got there I had to stop and wait and fill out paperwork, just verifying that it’s me. Then I just drove up, they opened my door, sterilized my arm, and gave me the shot. Then we drove forward and they monitored us for 15 minutes to make sure that there was no serious reaction or anything like that.   Any advice for students who are apprehensive about getting the vaccine? AP: Just get it to protect yourself. Nothing wrong has really happened, and it’s really not a scary process. Everyone is really nice. So it’s a super chill process, just breathe through it. XG: Do your research and don’t feed into all the conspiracies that other people are saying. It’s the same exact process that we went through with all the other vaccines and we’ve actually had the technology to do it this fast for so long, and again, it means a lot for the FDA to approve this vaccine.   <div> </div> RR: If you’re apprehensive, figure out the reason why you’re apprehensive, then do your research about that. Educate yourself and figure out what’s best for you.  Wed, 15 Sep 2021 23:53:15 +0000 Creative Spotlight: Brent LaPorre http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/59132 What is your grade and major? I am a Junior studying MLS (Medical Laboratory Sciences). What got you into songwriting/producing? I started writing music when I was 16 years old. I always had a habit of imagining beyond the songs I was listening to. Songwriting allowed me to bring to life the ideas in my head and make music out of them. When starting out, it was very difficult finding people to help me produce my songs. Eventually, I made the decision to do everything myself. I immersed myself in the art of music production and mixing. My development as a producer was very unconventional but it has led me to create music that has reached listeners worldwide.   Fun fact: The first literature I ever read on music production was a pirated textbook PDF file from Full Sail University.    Who and what are your inspirations? Quincy Jones, Luther Vandross, Michael Jackson, & James Ingram.   What is your favorite part of the entire music-making process? It’s definitely submitting my track to my publisher. The hard work it takes to create a finished product makes it all the more satisfying when submitting it for release.   Do you have an ultimate goal with making music/producing? My ultimate goal is simply to make more music. I have many experiences in my life, both good and bad, and I want to continue expressing them through my music.   What do you want people to know about you through your music or what do you want people to get from it? My music always has an element of beauty to it. There are many things in my life that I have found very beautiful, whether it be the people I love or experiences that I had. I express this beauty through my music and I want people to see that when they listen to it.   What is a favorite piece you’ve produced and what is the story behind it? My favorite song is “Something New.” The song is about the feeling a person gets when they are truly in love with someone. The song expresses how true love is more than just infatuation and how one’s first time to experience this is something they will never forget, hence, “Something New.”   Here’s the link to Brent’s song “Something New,” take a listen! <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/7Hko8joOMWIKWi1bA1cwnL?si=5EjxQ__VTAGy4ZSgfnpk3A" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span background-color:="" color:="" font-variant-east-asian:="" font-variant-numeric:="" new="" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: " text-decoration-line:="" text-decoration-skip-ink:="" times="" vertical-align:="" white-space:="">https://open.spotify.com/track/7Hko8joOMWIKWi1bA1cwnL?si=5EjxQ__VTAGy4ZSgfnpk3A</a> Wed, 15 Sep 2021 23:36:55 +0000