Paws to reflect one final time

By Laura Chene
News Editor

Some say that this year's 2001 "Paws to Reflect" homecoming celebration was one of Ferris' best due in part to planning, involvement and school spirit.

Mary Cairns, the chairperson of the king and queen elections, thought that homecoming overall was successful. "I think it turned out fantastic," Cairns said.

Both Mary Kay MacIver, assistant director of Alumni Relations, and Kim Erickson, an Alumni Relations assistant, agreed. "I think it was the best homecoming ever from participation, organization, to talent," MacIver said. "The homecoming committee did a fantastic job, and I think they all deserve a nap after this."

Kat Majeske, the chairperson of the kickball tournament, said that unexpected changes did not prevent the teams from showing up on time with lots of school sprit at last week's competition. All of the teams showed up ready to play. Some of them were a half hour early. "It was hard to get their attention," Majeske said. "They were all hyped up."

Twelve teams participated in the kickball tournament, which lasted about five hours. Pi Kappa Alpha took first place; Brophy/McNerny second and Lambda Chi Alpha/Delta Zeta third.

"There was a big crowd watching and cheering on," Majeske said. Near the end of the game the weather forced the crowd to thin out. "Nobody dressed thinking it was going to rain."

Because the IM fields were damaged, Majeske was forced to find a last-minute location to hold the tournament. The lacrosse team, who had a scheduled practice at Top Taggart field, was happy to give up the field.

After stating that this year's king and queen election was very close, Sarah Johnson, the overall homecoming chair, announced at the game that Martwuan Owens and Naomi Babel were the king and queen winners. "It was overwhelming," Owens said about winning. "I didn't expect it to be what it was. I'd just like to thank everyone who helped, and I look forward to representing Ferris to the best of my ability."

Cairns said that the voting turnout was good although fewer students voted this year compared to last. She approximated that over 800 individuals voted.

Lisa Joppie was first runner up for queen, and Noelle Pizana was second. Donald Crist was first runner up for king, and Brian Soucie was second.

The Harlem Ambassadors Show basketball team experienced a 76-42 win against the Bulldog Backers last Wednesday night. The game was a fundraiser for the Bulldogs' women's basketball team. President Sederburg and local celebrities formed the Bulldog Backers and played against the Harlem Ambassadors, who have toured Europe, Asia and the Pacific Islands. Last week's game was part of the Ambassadors' tour throughout the heartland of the U.S.

"[There] were a lot of people," Edgar Wilson , the men's basketball coach and a member of the Bulldog Backers, said. "It was a fun show."

Tracy Fisk, the women's basketball coach and also a member of the Bulldog Backers, enjoyed the event but wished more had attended. "But the people who were there had a really good time," Fisk said.

Fisk added, "I was disappointed that there weren't many students who came out to watch." She stated that a couple hundred attended. "We were hoping to pack the gym."

About 867 individuals attended last Wednesday's Lip Sync Contest where Ferris' first annual "Ferris Wheel" karaoke show occurred.

Walter Kacynski, a sophomore in computer information systems, helped out with the parade on Saturday. "This year it was very good," Kacynski said. "We had lots of entries."

Although Erickson was very pleased with last week's overall outcome, she admitted that some elements may need to be looked at when planning for next year. "They could have advertised a little more," Erickson said. "I just think there could have been a little more."

MacIver agreed, "You can never start too early." MacIver said that the organizers did a good job, considering that "they're still in a learning process.

Student volunteers help community

By Oshotayo Adedeji
Ferris State Torch

On Oct. 27, Ferris will participate in the 11th annual Make A Difference Day, a unique program that inspires and rewards millions of volunteers.

Make A Difference Day is an annual day of service recognized nationwide. The Ferris State Student Volunteer Center coordinates this event for the Ferris community. Some of the projects that will be carried out this year include yard work for senior citizens of St. Paul's Campus Parish, as well as maintenance and yard work for Women Information Services Incorporated (WISE), the Metron nursing home, and Eagle Village.

So far five Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) and several individuals have committed to volunteering on this national day of service. The purpose of this event is to get students involved in community service in Big Rapids and surrounding areas.

Amy Fasel, a junior in medical technology and a senior volunteer center staff member, said, "Make a Difference Day gives the Ferris community a chance to volunteer with thousands of people nationwide."

"It's a good opportunity for students and RSOs to get involved in community service," Cindy Horn, a senior in recreation management outdoor adventure education, said.

Michelle Burke, director of Student Leadership and Activities, said, "It's great that more people get involved every year. Even if people are inclined to do community service, this is a day to help out, so it fits into people's schedules."

The National Communities Fund of the Points of Light Foundation supports local volunteer efforts which address serious social problems. The Helping is Healing Fund and the Make A Difference Day Scholarship Fund are set up within the National Communities Fund in response to the Sept. 11 tragedy. Funding can be allocated to designated communities or used on a national basis to support local efforts.

In a television public service announcement, First Lady Laura Bush said, "To the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have volunteered in recent weeks, thank you. To the thousands more who still want to know what they can do, Oct. 27 is Make A Difference Day. Take a minute, an hour or the entire day, and mentor a child, work a food bank or simply offer a word of kindness. You'll find you can make all the difference in the world."

Make A Difference Day, the largest national day of helping others, is sponsored by USA Weekend Magazine and its over 500 carrier newspapers. Make A Difference Day is held in partnership with the Points of Light Foundation. Paul Newman, a supporter of the program, donates 100 percent of after-tax income from Newman's Own to educational and charitable causes.

Volunteers across the nation will spend a day creating a better world by clothing, feeding, educating, entertaining, comforting and lifting the spirits of an estimated 30 million. They'll restore, renovate and repair. They'll pamper, plant and promote.

A high priority for many volunteers is helping those affected by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Americans will remember the victims and their rescuers in many ways. For instance, students at Wrightsville Beach Elementary School in Wrightsville Beach, N.C. have decided to donate recycling funds to victims' relief rather than buy software for their school.

Fifth and sixth graders at Lounsberry Hollow Middle School in Vernon Township,
N.J. will wear red, white and blue friendship bracelets, sell lollipops ("Let's Lick Terrorism") and collect loose change for a relief fund for NYC firefighters.

Honors students at Central Michigan University plan to do yard work or housecleaning for community residents in exchange for a donation to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. In Killeen, Texas, home of Fort Hood, the nation's largest military base, efforts inspired by the attacks are being added to the long-planned project list.

Organizers are trying to remain flexible in case deployments thin the ranks of Killeen's hoped-for 15,000 volunteers, a possibility faced by many bases that traditionally use the day to connect with their civilian communities.

In light of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, BJ's Wholesale Clubs has changed its focus from needy babies, to children affected by the attacks. Notes and bears in bags also decorated by shoppers will be given to the Feed the Children Foundation for distribution.

Everyone who helps others on Oct. 27 and sends in an entry form is eligible for a national or local award and a cash donation to a charitable cause. In addition, every award recipient will appear in USA Weekend Magazine and on makeadifferenceday.com.

Speaker adds touch of culture

By Afzal Memon
Ferris State Torch

Ray Blanco, a film and television producer, addressed participants on Tuesday as part of the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. The event was organized by the office of Minority Student Affairs.

"Overall it was a big and very positive presentation of thoughts, the thoughts that can make things better for us," Matthew Chaney, assistant director of Minority Affairs, said.

"Every year we invite a number of speakers on various occasions. This was the first time we asked Blanco to speak. We heard good things about his knowledge and effective communication skills, and I feel that we have had a successful event and good input of extra knowledge," Chaney said.

"We are here to advise the students academically and personally," Chaney added. "These events are organized as a part of this process."

"Blanco is a frequent spokesperson for minorities in the media and was named as one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in the U.S. with the wealth of knowledge and experience," as taken from Blanco's program.

"He talked about the circumstances of the American society before the census when the Hispanic population was not so conspicuous and influential as it is right now," Chaney said.

"The contributions of the Hispanic community have been significant in various fields recently," Blanco said.

"The speaker explained that we are living in a smaller world, and most of our positive efforts are aimed to bring the people closer from different parts of world. In such situations we cannot afford to ignore someone just because he or she is speaking a language other then we do," Chaney said.

"We should embrace the good things about foreign cultures to improve ourselves, and the process of improvement is not limited to a period of time," Chaney said.

"We, as a society, go through trends, and often these trends expose us to the cultures and customs of the other parts of the world," Blanco said. "These days, we are more aware of the distinctive Hispanic art because of the recent success of singers like Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguilera."

"It is an in-thing to listen to these artists, and this trend has helped American people to explore the mostly unnoticed music flavors from Latin America," Chaney added.

"Blanco showed some video clippings containing works of these artists," Chaney said. One of Blanco's hobbies is to collect art with a specialization in the work of African American, Latin American and Hispanic artists.

Chaney felt that cultural events, such as bringing Blanco to Ferris, spread cultural awareness among the students who are here to learn facts.

"I have been reading the history of Hispanic people in the United States. After talking to a participant who went to the lecture, I felt that I missed an important speech," Jorge Aguirre, a Mexican student, said.

Blanco founded Cutting Edge Entertainment, a production and consulting company. The productions of this company have gained noteworthy admiration. For instance, "Viva!," a series of specials about the Hispanic personalities in America, was produced by the company and has won an Emmy Award.

Another award winning production of the company includes, "Black and White in Exile," a series portraying dramatic exile experiences of Cubans and Haitians in the United States.

Chaney also mentioned an upcoming jazz program which will give an educational angle as the performer lectures about the history of this famous music during the show. The program is scheduled for Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. in the Rankin Center Centennial Dining Room.

SLA program receives grant to help others

By Amy McelMurray
Assistant News Editor

The Board of Trustees approved a $439,742 grant to the Structured Learning Assistance (SLA) program from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant is coming from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) for the "Modeling A Successful Student Retention & Faculty Development Program," known as SLA.

SLA classes are offered at Ferris through various instructors that teach classes that can give many students trouble. SLA gives students extra academic support by providing workshops each week which are mandatory for students with a 2.0 or less in the class.

Those doing well in class have the option to come, but it is common for students to keep attending to receive the extra attention. John Kowalczyk, SLA program director, noted that 91 percent of the students in SLA sections do better than those in the same course who don't take the section with SLA required.

The FIPSE grant comes in recognition of a great program at Ferris, which is to be shared with four other schools that are looking for a way to help their students and faculty.

"We felt we had a proven program," Kowalczyk told the Pioneer. "We do have something very good that we'd like to share with others."

Over the next three years, Kowalczyk and Terry Doyle, associate professor, Center for Teaching, Learning & Faculty Development, will be traveling to the four school locations to train program coordinators, facilitators and staff. The schools will implement the program for winter semester after being trained this month. After the completion of a semester with the program, the coordinators will meet to discuss how the program worked.

The four schools that will be gaining knowledge from the Ferris program are: Benedictine University in Lisle, Ill.; Indiana University/Purdue University in Indianapolis, Ind.; Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Ky.; and San Jacinto Community College in Houston, Texas.

According to William Potter, Dean of University College, the grants are for "experimental programs to be developed or shared; in this case, shared. (We) will contribute our expertise."

"It is a great honor to receive this grant," Olga Dazzo, Board of Trustees member, said.

Ferris is one of 1,500 applicants for a FIPSE grant, of which 75 were awarded money for various projects. The total cost of the project for Ferris is $620,144. The grant covers 71 percent of the costs, and the remaining 29 percent will be paid for by the four schools participating in the project.

Ferris is in its seventh year of offering SLA to students. The schools committed to the program are looking to improve low course pass rates and retention of academically at-risk students.

Students who have taken SLA courses are very proud of their accomplishments. Some comments from students include: "SLA provides a great opportunity for students to gain an extra edge in the classroom," and "SLA helped me improve my study habits and better prepare myself for the tests and quizzes."

Classes that are being offered winter semester with an SLA option are: ACCT 201 and 202; BIOL 111, 122 and 205; BLAW 321; CHEM 103, 114, 121 and 122; DHYG 121; ECON 221; EEET 124; FINC 322; HIST 121; MATH 010, 110, 115, 116 and 126; MRIS 204 and 210; NURS 116 and 236; PSYC 150; READ 176; RESP 119; SOCY 121; and STQM 260.

For further information, please call the SLA office at 591-5947.

Photo by James Bednarick, Photo Editor

D.L. Hughley Even with a rather controversial set, this year's Homecoming concert was an enormous success.

Hughley surprised the crowd with his brand of comedy

By Shannon Vesper
Ferris State Torch

As a crowd of over 1,000 people poured into Williams Auditorium Friday night, the anticipation for the D.L. Hughley show was high.

Students, alumni, staff and locals were present for the comedy show, which brought variety to the atmosphere of the show. Everyone seemed to have good expectations.

"I think it's going to be a great time," Jason Johnson, coordinator of the event, said.
D.L. Hughley is a well-known comedian and has been seen in the movie, "The Brothers," with Bill Bellamy, Morris Chestnut, and Shemar Moore. More recently, Hughley has been on HBO's "The Kings of Comedy."

Opening for Hughley was Brad Lowery. Lowery has been performing at colleges and universities across the country. Some of his appearances have been on Star Search, A&E's Caroline's Comedy Hour and NBC's ShowTime at the Apollo. Lowery has also opened for Adam Sandler, Chris Rock and Tommy Davidson. Lowery is currently a resident of New York City.

"I have seen a lot of his shows. I'm just hoping he'll bring new material," Hattie Robinson, former FSU student, said.

The arrival of Hughley to Ferris should bring recognition to Ferris and more popularity to himself. Hughley follows in the footsteps of Carrot Top and Adam Sandler, who have both performed at Ferris during previous homecoming weeks.

"I think the show is gonna be hilarious. I think Ferris State is going to be put on the map with this performance," Jason McNulty said.

Not only were students excited to see Hughley, but alumni were also present.

"I don't know what to expect. My kids told me it'd be great. They said I should go," Diane Joppe, FSU alumni, class of 1976, and parent said.

As Lowery took the stage, he admitted he's a chicken when it comes to shark attacks and saving women from anything frightful. His skits involved talking about Big Rapids being located in the boonies to mentioning the "snow storm" from the 70's, made the audience roar with laughter.

Lowery's style was a great way to prep the audience for the shocking performance of Hughley.

"Brad was awesome. He was a great opening act. I hope he comes back to Ferris," Stephanie Bullard, a sophomore in plastics, said.

When Hughley took the stage the audience automatically began laughing. His skits involved an immense amount of swearing, comparing the races in a negative way, and childhood memories.

Hughley made the audience laugh when he involved the audience members and even his bodyguard, who is Sable from "American Gladiators," in his performance.

"I thought it was excellent, a wonderful job. I laughed so hard my stomach hurt," Jessica Neuendort, elementary education sophomore, said.

Although most of the performance was about comparing the races and singling them out, some people felt he could have used other material to make the audience laugh.

"I was expecting racial jokes, because he was on 'The Kings of Comedy,' but I didn't expect it to be the majority of the show," Jill Mayes, pre-nursing sophomore, said.

"In the state that our country is in, when overall unity is important, he should have united the races, not have separated them," Mike Logan, CNS freshman, said.

Between both of the acts, there was a little repetitiveness with the shark and the terrorist attacks, but many of the audience members thought that the show was worth coming out to see.

"It was really enjoyable. We need more acts like Hughley, even though it was repetitive," LaVarro Jones, television production junior, said.

"It was a great time, but a little too much swearing," Betsy Briggs, FSU parent, said.
"It was humorous and good. I liked the show," Juan Marray, criminal justice senior, said.

Overall the show kept the audience laughing, although morally his skits could have been cleaned up a little. In the future, you can expect more acts like Hughley.

Photo by Mike Termini, Assistant Photo Editor.

Brad Lowery, the last minute replacement for Ruben Paul, kept the crowd laughing throughout his entite set.

A little piece of the 1920's, today.

By Matt Cherry
Assistant A&E Editor

What do you get when you combine beautiful, independent women, the Roaring 20's, jazz music, and murder? You'd get "Chicago: The Musical."

Naturally, this musical takes place in Chicago, circa 1920's. This was a time when the trial of "The Merry Murderess," Roxie Hart, took America by storm.

The trial received a lot of attention, and provoked a couple of movies, a play, and a musical in response. Before this musical was created in 1975, the most popular version of this story was the 1942 movie, "Roxie Hart," starring Ginger Rogers.

Hart was a hopeful actress who confessed to a Chicago murder in order to jump-start her acting career. However, she got more than she bargained for in the courtroom. Ace lawyer Billy Flynn, was at her defense, but Hart soon found she was in over her head.

It was primarily because of this movie that Fred Ebb, John Kander, and the immortal Bob Fosse composed "Chicago: The Musical." Ebb was involved in writing the story as well as the lyrics. Fosse also helped with writing the story, and he did the original choreography. Kander was in charge of writing the musical score, which he did very well.

This play was lost in the bowels of the musical world, forgotten, until 1995, when City Center "Encores!" announced the musical would be in its spring series. Soon after that, "Chicago: The Musical" was brought to rest of America, and it has become a nationwide success.

It takes place in the Cook County Jail's women's block, which Hart gets to know quite well after she kills Fred Casely, her lover, who told her it was over between them. Amos Hart, Roxie's husband, is persuaded by her to take the rap for the murder, until he finds out that she was cheating on him with Casely.

The murder scene is played out in the background while Hart's soon-to-be nemesis and fellow little-known actress, Velma Kelly, is introducing the crowd to life in "the joint" during the song "All That Jazz."

Soon after Hart is in prison, she meets the slickest of the slick lawyers, Billy Flynn. He quickly takes Roxie's case, leaving Kelly without the limelight or a lawyer.

And it's from here that Kelly and Hart's duel for the limelight begins. Each tries to outdo the other, and what comes out of it is an incredibly enjoyable show with great music.

And how does this deal with Ferris? Simple: "Chicago: The Musical" will be playing here soon. And that means that the weeks of work put into this musical by the actors will soon be paying off.

Anyone who has attended the theater productions here for a while will notice a lot of old faces, and a lot of new ones.

Amber Lentz plays the lead role of Roxie Hart, while Chris Miller plays Amos Hart. Mike McCarthy will have to use his suave skills as he plays Billy Flynn.

Julie Laus will play the role of Velma Kelly, and Katrina Dawson plays the role of Matron "Mama" Morton.

And just in the shadow of D. Sabella and the many others who have played the role of Mary Sunshine, the Ferris production has the mysterious J. Frank to portray the media star.

Soon we shall find out as "Chicago: The Musical" comes to Williams Auditorium Nov. 1-4.

For showtimes, ticket information and other information, call 591-5600 between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. any weekday.

Photo by Chris Miller, Editor in Chief

Sophomore Joseph Krainatz mostly spends his time chillin' in his room with his bass guitar. Krainatz is in music industry management, and feels that his friends are the key to his happiness.

Gimp Daddy reigns at Ferris State

By Chris Miller
Editor in Chief

Abraham Lincoln once said, "A better part of one's life consists of one's friendships." This quote is true for Ferris State University sophomore Joseph Krainatz.

"No matter how bad a day you may be having, the friends that you have make things all better," Krainatz, who graduated from Calumet High School in 2000, said. Calumet is a small town located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, a nine-hour drive from Big Rapids.

Those who know Joe, know him as "Gimp Daddy." For the better part of his life, Krainatz has seen the world from a different perspective: from the seat of a wheelchair.

"There are two ways of looking at life," Krainatz said. "Some people look at life and feel that they were given a crappy card. These people do nothing. I have learned not to dwell on stuff and have a good time."

Tim Allen from "Home Improvement" said it best: "More power!" Krainatz can usually be seen on campus zooming around from one place to another with his souped-up wheelchair. On the back of his fast motorized wheelchair are several stickers that read "Blue in the Face," "Mean Cops Suck," "Meat is Yummy" and of course the nickname that has mostly been associated with Joe, "Gimp Daddy." "It's a name that has just stuck with me," Krainatz said.

Another big part of Krainatz's life at Ferris is his room. Once someone walks in the room, there is a lot of character to it. Posters cover all of his walls in Pickell Hall.

Some of the posters hanging up include those of Nirvana, Sid Vicious from the Sex Pistols and one album poster that states "Save the Day, Stay the Way You Are."

Along with his friends, Krainatz has a passion for music. As a student in Music Industry Management, he enjoys playing the bass guitar during his spare time.

"Usually, I get together with a few of my friends that play music and jam. I have always loved music, and I know that I want to do something in this field," Krainatz said. He also considers himself a diverse music follower. Some of Krainatz's favorite bands include Mustard Plug, the Beatles, Nirvana and others.

"For a while, I listened to nothing but hard-core punk music. Lately, however, I have really gotten back to listening to more mellow music," Krainatz said.

Krainatz chose Ferris State after finding out about the Music Industry Management program. So far, he feels that Ferris has treated him pretty well.

"Mostly all the teachers and professors have been great. They have gone out of their way and helped me out," Krainatz said. "On top of that, I have met a lot of great friends at Ferris."

For the future, Krainatz feels that he doesn't know what he wants to do in the field of music. In the next five years, he feels that school is the most important thing in his life.

"I will probably finish school first. After that, working my way up the ladder in the music industry is the road I will take," Krainatz said.

Another topic that Krainatz expressed was the difference in the weather in Big Rapids as compared to the U.P.

"I don't understand what students are complaining about when it comes to the winter. It's not nearly as bad here as it is in Calumet," Krainatz said. "Big Rapids might expect six inches of snow overnight. We get that same amount up there in a matter of 30 minutes."

Krainatz also noted that before this coming winter hits, he will need to fix up his ride a little. "I will probably get new tires for my beast," Krainatz said.

In Calumet, Krainatz lives with his step-mom and two brothers, Chris (17) and George (10). He also has a yellow Labrador retriever named Biggs.

"That dog got its name because he is big," Krainatz said. In high school, Joe was part of the Reserve Officer's Training Corps (ROTC). In the program, Krainatz retained the title of Command Sgt. Major.

"I got to do a lot of things with that position. Most of the time, I was in charge of everyone there, and I also helped out with the scheduling of marching competitions," Krainatz said.

Overall, Krainatz is having a blast at Ferris State. He is meeting new people everyday that he feels he will never forget the rest of his life.

"What Abraham Lincoln said about friendship is true. I thrive on the friends who are around me," Krainatz said.

Deltaplex rocked with five bands

Mike Domerese
Ferris State Torch

What a better way to celebrate one's birthday then with a few cold ones, good friends and good music. Disturbed played the Deltaplex in Grand Rapids last Friday, along with special guests Systematic, Adema, Stereomud and Drowning Pool.

While many of you were attending the comedy show here in the booming metropolis of Big Rapids or starting a little pre-homecoming ritual, there were a few of us that attended the much anticipated show in good old G.R.

First to take the stage was Systematic. We were running a little behind and had to stand in that always-prevalent line to get in thus missed seeing them. Reports inside though confirmed that indeed they had already played. Much to the displeasure of metal-heads, they only played a reported three songs.

Next up, was the new up-and-coming band Stereomud. This new band blazed through a surprising seven-song set. They did stop however about a minute into their third song to try and calm the masses. Evidently fights had begun to breakout. The lead singer expressed his displeasure with this and said, "Look, everyone is here to have a good time, we don't need this (explicit)." They then proceeded to continue on tearing-it up.

In the meantime, between Stereomud and Adema, the lead singer of Disturbed made a surprising walk through the crowd. I didn't see him until the last minute, and fellow staff member Aaron Hatfield spotted him and shook his hand.

Now Adema took the stage. The crowd was obviously starting to get a little pumped up. Adema didn't disappoint. Stopping midway through their set in classic rock and roll style asking to see some female breasts. They played the fan favorite and MTV2 regular "Control," and the crowd went nuts. All in all, they were pretty good but just didn't seem to have that polished sound we heard from the previous band.

There was a break before Drowning Pool played. After waiting off to the side of the sound board and trying to get a five minute sit-down with any of the bands, the lead singer of Disturbed, David Draiman, came over to talk with us. Aaron and I seemed to be the only ones he was interested in. After a brief three-minute conversation with us, a handshake, a bow and thanks for wishing him good luck in the studio, he gladly signed our tickets. My night had been made!

Drowning Pool made the next appearance on stage. The crowd was totally out of control. They seemed to perform like they were rock veterans that had been doing this for ten years. Towards the end of their set they finally broke in with the much-anticipated "Bodies." The pits and madness seemed to explode everywhere. The crowd sang and jumped in unison.

Finally it was time for Disturbed. With a brief video introduction featuring all kinds of pain and destruction that the world has endured since the beginning of time, it was on! Playing approximately an hour and ten minutes they brought the house down.

Early on in the set, they played one of many crowd favorites. Introducing the song our fearless lead singer talk about the much hated Bin Laden and said he wanted us to use our "Voices" to call him out from his cowardness hiding.

Roughly two songs later, he stopped the show and complained once again about the crowd and the ill treatment of women. Draiman stated, "If these girls have the courage to get up and crowd surf or to show their beautiful God-given bodies, we should respect that."

"Also if they chose to do this, it is not an offer to molest or fondle them, if I see anymore of this, I will personally come down there and kick you're (explicit)," Draiman added.

The crowd loved it and heeded his words. They then followed up with the 80's cover of the Tears for Fears song "Shout." Alas, the show seemed over as the lights came on.

The crowd managed to bring them back out on the stage for an encore, and Disturbed played two more songs. The much anticipated "Sickness" and then finally a blistering rendition of "Stupify." The crowd went nuts as the show ended with Draiman leading the chant of "We are…Disturbed!"

Overall, the show seemed to rock and I was amazed at the following of women all the bands have seemed to gain. This type of music five years ago would have only seen about five to 10 percent of the crowd being women.

Today that number has quadrupled, which is another sign that once again, music is the true universal language.

For those of you wondering and that had enjoyed my article last week about mullets, there were a few sightings Friday. In fact, all together the final count was 13.5 (the .5 for a weak attempt.) The mullet is still alive and well in today's society, which is somewhat frightening.

Photo by James Bednarick, Photo Editor

Freshman QB Tom Maarsan barks out the offensive calls in FSU's 35-0 win over Michigan Tech Saturday.

Huskies like it Dawgy-style

By Nicholas Wasmiller
Sports Editor

The passing game proved to be the deciding factor as Ferris State defeated Michigan Tech 35-0 at the 75th annual Homecoming game held at Top Taggart Field this past Saturday. Ferris State compiled 291 yards passing and three touchdowns on 21 completions, while MTU gained only 98 yards passing on 15 completions.

The Huskies entered the game averaging 37.8 points a game before meeting up with the Bulldogs. Ferris State's defense was mainly successful stopping the potent Huskie air attack, Michigan Tech entered the game averaging 231yards through the air per game.

The Bulldogs opened scoring in the first quarter, with freshman quarterback Tom Marsan completing a 82-yard pass to flanker Robert Giles for a touchdown. The drive started on the six-yard line for Ferris, but the Bulldogs managed to put the ball in the endzone in just three plays.

The Ferris State defense also came out on fire, as the Huskies were unable to get a first down on their next possession and Ferris State scored again with 1:10 left in the opening quarter. Giles was also on the receiving end of this touchdown pass from Marsan. The 12-yard TD pass concluded an eight-play drive that traveled 40 yards.

The score remained 14-0 until the opening drive of the third quarter, when Marsan connected with wideout Doug Searles on a 31-yard touchdown pass. Searles also recorded his first completed pass of the season earlier in the game.

Harlon Hill canidate Clarence Coleman put the game out of reach later in the third quarter with a 53 yard punt return for a touchdown. Coleman broke down the right sideline and made a couple moves on would-be tacklers before reaching the endzone.

Sophomore tailback Derek Fudge rounded out the scoring for Ferris with a 58-yard touchdown run that moved the score to 35-0.

Marsan finished the game with 281 yards passing in his three quarters of action, completing 19 of 27 passes for three touchdowns.

Fudge led the rushing attack with 76 yards on 11 carries, most of the yards coming on the third-quarter touchdown run.

Next week, the Bulldogs travel to Northern Michigan to take on the Wildcats. Northern is currently 3-5 on the season, with a 2-5 record in the GLIAC. Game time is at 7 p.m.

Bulldog Bites

· Junior flanker Robert Giles is averaging 29.2 yards per catch in his last two outings to date. He totaled a personal career-high 107 yards on three catches vs. Michigan Tech and recorded 68 yards on three receptions at Mercyhurst a week earlier.

· Although the Huskies were dominated by Ferris in all phases of the game, they did manage to break a school record as Tech punter Jake Caspar set the school record for most punts in a game, with 13. The previous record was set back on Sept. 22, 1984, by Alex Bitto.

· Ferris State's 35-0 triumph over Michigan Tech represented the Bulldogs' first shutout since the 1996 season opener, a 26-0 win at Ashland (8/29/96). The last time the Dawgs recorded a home shutout was in 1990, on Nov. 10, when the Bulldogs tallied a 30-0 victory over St. Joseph's (Ind.) in the season finale.

· The Bulldogs have now beaten Michigan Tech in 13 of their last 16 games, a streak dating back to 1978.

Coleman Closes In On More Records

· Senior flanker Clarence Coleman, the NCAA Division II all-time leader in receptions and receiving yardage, is one pass reception shy of tying Nevada's Trevor Insley (298 career catches for 5,005 yards; 1996-99) for sixth place on the NCAA's all-time reception leaders chart.

· Coleman has currently compiled 297 career catches in 39 contests and is eight catches away from moving into third place with Stephen Campbell of Brown (305 for 3,555 yds.; 1997-00).

· Coleman is six all-purpose yards away from 14th place on the NCAA's career leaders list and has recorded a current 7,331-yard total to date. The FSU wideout would tie Wagner's Rick Sarille (7,337 yds.; 1995-99).

· Coleman, who has amassed a present 4,629-career receiving yard total, needs 64 more receiving yards to tie Mississippi Valley State's Jerry Rice (4,693 career yds. on 301 catches; 1981-84) for fourth place on the NCAA's all-time receiving yardage leaders chart. 

Photo by Mike Termini, Assistant Photo Editor

Junior forward Matt Prater fires a shot at MSU's goalie during Saturday's game in Big Rapids. Ferris split its two games against MSU.

The jinx is over

By Jason Nelson
Assistant Sports Editor

One would think the Sahara Desert has a better chance of getting rain than the Ferris State men's hockey club has of beating the Michigan State club team.

However, it must have poured in Africa as the Bulldogs club hockey team split a weekend series with the Spartans. The old cliche, "even the sun shines on a dog's behind every now and then," rang true for the Bulldogs as they destroyed the Spartans at Munn Ice Arena. For the first time in five years, the Bulldogs snatched a victory from the Spartans in East Lansing 4-1.

The Bulldogs were tripped up the following day, as MSU returned the favor with a 4-1 victory of their own in Big Rapids.

"Overall this was a big weekend for us," forward Tony Hurd said. "We want to make it back to New York for the nationals and win it this year instead of finishing third," said Hurd.

Having a big weekend for the Bulldogs were goal scorers Gordy Schaffler with two, Derek Hool, Matt Praiter, and Fred Jasmund each chipped in a goal over the weekend.

"We know that we are on the right track," Hurd said.

The next game for the club team will be on Nov 20, against Central Michigan University at Ewigleben Ice Arena at 9 p.m.

Fans are encouraged to come out and cheer the team on, according to Hurd.

"As many fans that can come out and support us, it really gives us a lift" Hurd said.

The Bulldogs are 3-3 for the year with wins over MSU, Grand Valley State University, and Lake Superior State University.

Last year the club team made it all the way to New York where they had an outstanding performance and bowing out in the late rounds. The Bulldogs finished third in the nation last year in the Division II club hockey standings. 

Moving on up

By Jason Nelson
Assistant Sports Editor

Maybe the Ferris State women's volleyball team should travel more often. The Lady Bulldogs hit the road last weekend to take on Michigan Tech in Houghton, Mich. in a GLIAC showdown. The Bulldogs came into the match having won their last three GLIAC matches and were looking to keep a solid season going. Michigan Tech at 13-7 overall and 6-5 in the GLIAC, was looking to build some momentum as well.

The Bulldogs came out like world-beaters as they destroyed MTU in the first game of the match by a score of 30-12. The Bulldogs had all facets of the game working, as the strong start has become a trademark of this year's team. In past weeks, the Bulldogs had come out aggressive and won the first game. However, to prance into another team's building and obliterate them like they did, built momentum for the Bulldogs throughout the match.

In the second game of the match, the Bulldogs rode the momentum from their first victory into the second game as they again handled the Huskies rather easily. Though not as dominating as the first game, the Bulldogs handed the Huskies a 30-23 loss in game two.

The third game of the match was closely contested throughout, as the Huskies put up their best fight of the match. However, with such a poor start to the match, the Huskies were never able to recover. The Bulldogs took advantage of the 10 errors the Huskies committed in the third game and swept the match by winning game three 30-27.

Although a victory was expected, a sweep was even sweeter for the young Bulldogs.

Perhaps the key to the game for the Bulldogs was having only 19 errors for the complete game match, compared to 27 for the host Huskies.

Pacing the Bulldog offense was Alaina Olds with 13 kills, Erin Minnis with 10 kills, and Kate Pickvet and Stephanie Speed with nine kills. Ashley Green helped set up most of the scoring as she assisted 33 times to help the offense run smoothly.

Speed led the Bulldogs in the serving part of the game with three serving aces, Minnis chipped in with two. Defensively, Speed had 20 digs, while Olds had 16, and Minnis chipped in with 12. Minnis, Olds, and Karla Fairbanks also helped defensively with five blocks apiece.

The final game statistics had the Bulldogs with 45 kills compared to 34 for the Huskies. The Bulldogs had seven service aces, while the Huskies were only able to manage one. The Bulldogs also had 68 digs to the Huskies' 63.

The Bulldogs thoroughly dominated the Huskies this weekend, moving their overall record to 16-9 and 9-5 in the GLIAC.

Ferris State then traveled to Northern Michigan last Saturday to meet the nationally ranked Wildcats. The Bulldogs once again came out of fire, winning the first game 30-28. The Dawgs kept the momentum up against NMU and took a closely contested 31-29 win in the second match, before finishing up with a 30-26 win in the final game of the match.

The win moved the Bulldogs record to 10-5 for the season in the GLIAC, and into second place in the GLIAC North Division behind Grand Valley (15-0 in GLIAC).

Ferris State will play host to Grand Valley tomorrow in a showdown for the top two teams in the GLIAC North Division. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

Photo by James Bednarick, Photo Editor

Freshman midfielder Danielle McAllister puts the clamps on an apponent's offensive maneuver in this past weekend's action.

Jekyll and Hyde performance

By Jason Nelson
Assistant Sports Editor

What a difference a week makes! The Ferris State women's soccer team was riding a wave of momentum that was unprecedented in their brief history. The Bulldogs had just beaten Saginaw Valley State University for the first time ever, and the Bulldogs had beaten Hillsdale and tied Northwood. Fans would predict that the Bulldogs would ride this good fortune in their games against Northern Michigan and Gannon a week ago.

Those fans would be half right as the Bulldogs laid an egg against NMU, as in a 4-0 loss. Then they came back and beat Gannon last Saturday.

On Saturday, the Bulldogs took on bottom-dwelling Gannon in a game that the Bulldogs were expected to win. However, nobody informed Gannon that they were supposed to lay down and play dead, as they came out and quickly scored on an Anna Sander shot to make it 1-0 in favor of Gannon at the 4:50 mark of the first half. The Bulldogs were up to the challenge as they responded a couple of minutes later with a goal of their own. Julia Hitchingham scored her second goal of the season to tie the game at one on a pass from forward Emily Rogers.

Christy White then gave the Bulldogs the lead with her second goal of the year at the 22:00 minute mark of the first half, on an assist from Amanda Kirkwood, to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead at the half. In a fairly even first half in which Gannon out-shot the Bulldogs 15-12, goaltender Connie Bigott again played a good half, stopping eight Gannon shots.

Early in the second half, Gannon brought the score back to a 2-2 tie when Kristin Lysiak took a feed from Joy Pelger and beat back-up goalie Alana Dombrowski to tie the game at the 54:00 mark of the second half.

Twenty minutes later, leading scorer Emily Rogers notched her ninth goal of the year off of a pass from Jen Gaylor to give the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead at the 77:10 mark. Gaylor then added some insurance for the Bulldogs with her eighth goal of the year to close out the scoring and give the Bulldogs a 4-2 victory over Gannon.

Pacing the Bulldogs' offense were Emily Rogers and Jen Gaylor with a goal and an assist each. The same duo also paced the team with shots on goal as the duo recorded three and four respectively. Alana Dombrowski played a good second-half picking up the victory by stopping three shots to keep the Bulldogs in command. The win moves the Bulldogs to 7-5-3 for the year and a surprising 3-1-1 in the GLIAC conference.

Long bus rides can be attributed to losses such as the one the Bulldogs suffered against Northern Michigan, as the Bulldogs never had a chance. Instead of Bulldog forwards Emily Rogers and Jen Gaylor netting goals, it was NMU forward Carolyn Kunas who stole the show.

In a David Copperfield-like display, Kunas would make the ball seemingly dissappear, only to have it reappear in the back of the Bulldogs' net three times for a hat-trick.

The Bulldogs started sluggish, as NMU took an early lead on a Carolyn Kunas shot 10:50 into the contest. Kunas struck again 30 minutes later as she notched her second goal of the game to make the score 2-0 in favor of NMU.

Ferris State was outshot in the first half 13-2, with goaltender Connie Bigott keeping the game close by saving eight shots. At halftime the only thing in doubt was whether Kunas would net herself a hat- trick.

The crowd of 107 did not have to wait long for the answer, as Kunas finished off her tremendous day with her third goal of the game 45 seconds into the second half, to make the score 3-0 in favor of NMU. Northern Michigan then turned into a defensive juggernaut, clamping down on the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs were able to outshoot NMU in the second half 8-7, and forcing Wildcat goaltender Jamie Rocho to make three saves. Northern then put the game out of reach at the 71:36 mark of the second half as Kerri Vander Velden scored to make it 4-0 in favor of NMU.

For the game the Bulldogs were outshot 20-10, with Connie Bigott keeping the Bulldogs in the game in the first half with eight saves. The four shots that the Bulldogs were able to muster came from Sara Ideran, Jen Gaylor, Kerry Wolfe, and Frances Kilbride. The loss dropped the Bulldogs to 6-5-3 overall, and 2-1-1 in the GLIAC.

Photo by James Bednarick, Photo Editor

Shawn Orcutt (#2) and Amanda Kirkwood (#18) help clear the opponents out of the Ferris end in recent action. The Bulldogs will finish out their season with four games on the road.

MSU skates around Ferris

By Jeff Mier
Ferris State Torch

To most people, a loss is a loss, but to coach Daniels, a two, nothing lose to the number one ranked college hockey team a lose is not that bad. Saturday night the Bulldogs traveled to East Lansing to skate against the Spartans in a one-game match.

Typically the teams would play both Friday and Saturday but in this case they only went toe-to-toe on Saturday, with the second game coming in January on a Tuesday night.

"The one game had an impact on the week" Coach Daniels stated. "It was tough to stay focused because by Friday you're ready for a game. It made for a long week of practices."

In a game that only saw 8 penalties for the whole game, it was a real defensive battle. Michigan State got onto the board with a goal from forward Adam Hall at the 3:29 mark of the first period. Brad Fast and Duncan Keith assisted the goal.

Later in the second period of play, freshman Ash Goldie slid one past Ferris goalie Mike Brown at the 14:13 mark. Keith and Fast also assisted him on his goal. Brown made a total of 38 saves in his second game.

Michigan State goalie Ryan Miller made 23 stops for the Spartan win.

"Overall I think we played very well, even without goals. We had some missed opportunities with the net half open and a guy at the back door, but obviously, Ryan (Miller) played very well," Daniels stated in a phone interview.

When asked who would be the starting goalie for this weekend's action against Miami, Daniels replied, "They (Brown and DeCaro) will split time, we only played one game this weekend so this why Mike (Brown) got the start."

Miami was ranked only behind Michigan State last year in the final CCHA standings, so the Bulldogs will have to be on their best performance this weekend to come away with a victory.

The Bulldogs are back in action this weekend, when they have their regular season home opener when they take on Redhawks from Miami Ohio with the puck dropping at 7:35 p.m. on Friday and 7:05 Saturday night.

Dorm door regulations need to change

By Mike Domerese
Ferris State Torch

Has anybody looked at the weekly publication in the illustrious Torch entitled On The Record? Probably not. This is the answer I was sure you would respond with, so let me summarize it.

It usually reads something to the effect of something stolen from such and such hall. A room was broken into in such and such hall. A female was assaulted in such and such hall. I don't think I need to continue on, you get the point. If you don't understand this, then you shouldn't even be here.

The point I'm trying to make is that dorms are not as safe as they could be. Have you noticed those cute little ornaments outside most entrances?

They are normally black in color and have three pretty little light on them that light up when and if you have to swipe your card. Yes, I said "if," meaning there seems to be a new trend spreading across campus, propping doors. Whether its shoving a loose piece of change in around the latch, piling dirt up so it keeps it open or just simply shoving whatever is handy between the door and the door frame.

People, let me explain something, those doors latch and need a card to open for a reason: SAFETY. Not just mine, not just yours, but all of ours. The statistics for articles stolen and break-ins is staggering. I won't bore you with stats, but doors are locked for a reason.

A question I would like to pose to you, the public, is why in the world would you spend all this money on the technology to keep unwanted, undesirables and people who just don't belong there if you are going to leave doors wide open for them? To me this makes no sense whatsoever. I understand the university's concern for our safety, but isn't this defeating the purpose?

I have heard complaints all over campus about this. I thought I was the only one who ever took the time to think about this.

I'm not going to single any dorm specifically, but I do know that a hall director on response from several residents' complaints is trying to get this changed. Not only is it a distraction, but it's pointless and there should be no reason for it. I partially blame people that work at the so-called "front desk" in these places. I mean, how many times have you taken a stroll through a dorm you don't live in?

Whether visiting a friend or study partner or just simply taking a "short cut," have you ever noticed or seen a front desk worker? Usually they are watching TV, checking their email or talking on the phone and getting the latest gossip on whose sleeping with who and so on.

Their "job" is to watch the front desk and help individuals who come through the front door. I'm not saying they should know all of the residents, but they should have some kind of idea who people are.

Recently North Bond Hall has become the "corridor" or "shortcut" to and from Center Ice. This would not really be a problem, but there is cause for concern. Now before you get your panties all in a bunch, just listen. With Center Ice's hours being late night (8-11p.m.) this is causing some disruptions. Residents have complained about loud groups yelling and carrying on, dry erase boards being stolen and other items ripped down. I know not all of these individuals taking this so called "short cut" are to blame. It only takes one or two bad apples to ruin the whole bushel.

So why the hell are so called "quiet hours" or "courtesy hours" even established if all this nonsense is going on? Courtesy hours are defined just as it sounds. How in the world are people suppose to study or sleep when all this crap continues to go on? I realize that cold weather is on the way, and that it even gets cold out now, but you can't get in one door, so why cut back through?

This is just one in a long list of instances of locking the front doors all the time or even after 5 p.m. The fact is, to repeat myself, what is the point in those expensive little door decoratives if there are just going to be other possible entrances for people to come through?

The next time you decide to take a short cut, do two things: 1. Think about what you are doing. Would you want people who don't belong there strolling through your dorm? 2. Show a little common courtesy if you are just too damn lazy to go back the same way you came.

Now I'm sure I'm going to get all kinds of feedback and crap on this. Well, I'll borrow the line of one of my fellow writers, "I have done my job then."

Looking at violence's true sources

By Aaron Hatfield
Ferris State TorcH

As an outlet, music, mainly metal and rap, can often serve up a harsh main course. The choice on how you choke it down is where some people differ. Many say that some forms of music promote violence. Music does not promote violence. Music is just another person's release and outlet.

Why is it that if a band speaks of harsh deeds others see that as promoting violence? This is no different than poets, Edgar Allan Poe in particular. In Poe's classic "The Black Cat" he speaks of performing grotesque acts of violence upon a black cat such as removing its eyes from the socket. He then speaks of murdering his wife by burying an ax into her brain.

After these acts, Poe proceeds to stuff his wife into the wall and patch the hole. I don't get it. Poe can write this down on paper and it is a classic that's read by schools all over the nation, but if a band speaks of these same acts they are ridiculed.

Throughout history painters have been vividly depicting grotesque acts and violence. In a painting by Francis Bacon there is a human carcass ripped open at the sternum revealing the inner rib cage with a man emerging from the body. An even worse depiction comes from Gregory Gillespie. In this picture there is a Vietnamese head with blood spattered all over the background. The lower jaw is blown off and shrapnel is piercing through the skull.

You mean to tell me that visually depicting violence is better than verbalizing it? Personally, I get even more angry when I see grotesque pictures than when I hear someone speaking of them. I don't buy it. I refuse to stand and allow others to pick some forms of music, metal in particular, to the bone and say that it promotes violence.

So you killed someone; I don't believe that an entertainer held a gun to your head and made you do it. Those in the past who claimed that music caused them to do harm or commit violent acts should not be moving freely about in society. These are the types of people that can be set off from any type of mental stimulation. It just happens to be that hearing a violent act from a song set them off on that particular day. It could have been a movie. It could have been the grotesque works of Francis Bacon and others. It could have even been good old Edgar Allan Poe.

Music is not the cause of violence. Music is just a medium that humans use to get out their emotions. Music is the deepest art form. Music is a part of the human soul. It speaks, it sings and it screams out its voice. If anything, the media is the one to blame for violence in America over music.

Americans stood by in 1963 and watched President Kennedy's head get blown off while he sat next to his wife, waving to America. We also sat by and watched as the media spoke in detail about President Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky. Is it perfectly normal or fine for children to sit and watch/listen to this. They hear more acts of violence in an average day from the news than they do in one day from music.

Religion in a sense could be more to blame than music for today's violence. We live in a world where every day, people are murdering each other in the name of God. People are ramming planes into buildings for the sake of a divine plan. Some Americans go to church and hear a pastor speak of love and forgiveness but then go home, turn on the news and participate with the rest of the world in the most simultaneous, widespread act of gluttony known to man.

Before music even came about people were murdering. Take Cain and Abel for example. In the Bible, Cain smashes his brother's brains out because of jealousy, not because of music. All through the Bible there are heinous acts of violence committed not because of music but because of religion and their God. Then, these murderers use the argument that they killed in the name of God. Whatever happened to "Thou shalt not kill"?

Still, to this day, people blame music because they are not smart enough as individuals to determine between right and wrong. These people can be set off by anything. The fact that we as Americans have overlooked the real essence of violence and that it will never be gotten rid of bothers me without an end. It is troublesome to know that we as humans grab the most vulnerable icon and unload all of our speculations and judgments onto musicians when in fact they are the innocent. Think about whom you blame for your problems, and unload the judgments and speculations onto your own shoulders.

The advantages and disadvantages of changing schools

By Oshotayo Adedeji
Ferris State Torch

When you leave home for the first time, you have no idea about what you will face in college or what kind of decisions will be made. Many freshmen students will go through this because this is the first time they're granted independence from their parents.

So sometimes students come to college and stay undecided about what they want to do when they get out of college. But what really bothers me is when people change schools many times. It could be because of financial problems, different majors, location, environment or the people in general.

I'm guilty of this too, so people, including some of my friends, wonder why I have changed schools so many times. They thought that I was insane for changing schools that many times. What people don't realize is that we all have different problems that arise at particular times.

For example, my dad was transferred from his job in Texas to Michigan; I was a freshman in Texas. I left because I miss my family and I wanted to be close to them. So people might have many reasons to leave their universities to go somewhere else.

Let me ask you some questions. What do you really want to gain when you leave your old school and you start to attend a new university? Is it to meet new people, get different major or you're just not sure of what to do?

Here at Ferris we have some professional majors such as pharmacy, optometry, criminal justice and technology. Some people might be attending Lansing Community College and they decided to transfer to Ferris State University because they have taken and passed the pharmacy entrance exam and they are ready for pharmacy school.

That is understandable, but some people just want to transfer for the sake of it. There are some advantages and disadvantages of changing schools many times.

One advantage of changing schools is that you will get a chance to meet new people. When I was attending Prairie View A&M University in Texas, I really didn't like it that much because it was an all- black college. Don't get me wrong, I did like the people there, it's just that I am a diverse person and I like to meet different people of many different races including Mexicans, Asians and South Americans, just to name a few.

Another reason why changing to another school might be of benefit is that one can learn from his/her mistakes from the old school and then make some changes at the new school. Say for example you used to get drunk a lot, skip classes or didn't take notes when the professor talked in class. You might be responsible enough to stop doing all those bad things and start acting like an adult.

A disadvantage I have seen in changing many schools is that you will lose some of your credits. Say you took 50 credits at your old school and you were trying to transfer all of those credits. The new school might only accept 35 credits and that means that you will have to take all those credits over, plus the remaining credits for your new classes.

People might ask how do I know all this? I know this because when I transferred from Illinois State University to Ferris State University I lost about four classes and that was why I could not graduate. Some people ask me why I always use myself as an example. Well, as a writer, we always have to get our facts straight.

Another disadvantage is that you are always going to miss your old friends, and it will seem like you are starting all over again. It was like that for me three times before I finally decided to be serious about what I wanted out of life.

To all my brothers and sisters out there, I am not saying that you shouldn't transfer if it is necessary. What I am saying is that you shouldn't do it if you don't have to and you should also think about the consequences when you do decide to transfer to another school.

I hope that after you read this story, you will know what to do in the near future. If you have any problem we your classmates or anything in general, you could talk to your advisor, or you could send a letter to the president about your concern on campus.