Fraternity involved in nationwide food drive

Many Ferris students, as well as community members, are busy collecting food and other donations for individuals in need during this Thanksgiving season.

Last year, the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity at Ferris raised over 7,000 pounds of food for the annual North American Food Drive.

This past Saturday from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., the fraternity picked up bags that they dropped off last week at area houses. Attached to the bags were sheets explaining how the food drive worked. Residents were asked to donate canned or nonperishable goods.

This year the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity nationally set a goal of 2.9 million pounds of food, the amount raised last year. As stated by Kirk Sautter, a junior in plastics and the risk management officer for the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter at Ferris, the North American Food Drive takes place on the first Saturday of every November.

"All the food that we collect goes to Project Starburst," Sautter said.

Sautter said that the events that occurred on Sept. 11 have had an effect on people in terms of joining together as a whole to help others. "[The tragedy] is bringing . . . the good out in everybody," Sautter said.

The chapter received donations from Meijer, Carters Food and Deli, Papa Johns and Staples. Meijer and Carters donated grocery bags to store food.

Sautter stated that it is always important to donate food no matter what time of year it is. "You always have to remember there's people who aren't as well off as we are," he said.

The Michigan Harvest Gathering is another food drive and is in its eleventh year. "The Michigan Harvest Gathering is a hospital and state-wide food drive that's launched every year by [many] people. The Mecosta County General Hospital (MCGH) has been a participant for the last four or five years," Tom Hogenson, a member of the MCGH's public relations department, said.

MCGH joins other hospitals, health providers, school children and Governor John Engler in feeding hungry Michigan families through the statewide food collection program, as stated in a press release. Second Harvest Gleaners of Grand Rapids, which helps provide food aid to clients of Project Starburst, WISE and other local human service agencies, collects and processes the items.

Tom Hogenson said in a press release, "Employees here at MCGH find this food drive a valuable and worthwhile program and have expressed support through past generous donations. We encourage each of you to take the time to consider how you can also help throughout this effortless yet well-appreciated gathering."

"Last year I think we brought in almost a ton of food," Hogenson said. "This year it's more like a thousand pounds."

As stated in the Big Rapids Pioneer, "Food banks in Mecosta County are still on solid footing despite fluctuations in donations or requests caused by current events. Each food bank has had a different experience following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 and the recent rash of layoffs caused by the economy's downturn."

Collectively, the North American Food Drive has raised over 10.5 million pounds of food. The Michigan Harvest Gathering has raised over four million since 1991.

Computers are not just for surfing the Net

By Amy McElmurray
Assistant News Editor

Students are claiming that they know how to use computers, but do they really know how to use the applications necessary for a job?

According to a survey conducted by the Ferris State University Partnership for Career Decision-Making (Partnership), high school juniors and seniors in Michigan feel comfortable surfing the Internet, not using common business applications. The survey was conducted to examine the technological sophistication of Michigan teens.

Only emailing and searching the Internet rank high in confidence levels among those surveyed, even though the students are saying they know how to use a computer.

Many jobs require using software such as Microsoft Excel, Access and PowerPoint in today's market, and students are not able to perform these functions. Only 60 percent of those surveyed said they could use a computer program to put graphics and text into columns to form a newsletter, even though this is a common job task. Only 24 percent felt comfortable performing troubleshooting tasks.

"The prevailing wisdom among many adults is that today's young people are all brilliant when it comes to computers," Jim Thorp, Partnership coordinator, said. "Our goal is to measure just what exactly kids know, and what we as educators need to help with."

The Partnership was launched in January 2000 as a research initiative to examine how young people choose careers and career paths, what factors influence those decisions and whether it is feasible to direct students toward high-demand careers. Ferris President William Sederburg and Michigan Lt. Governor Dick Posthumus chair the group. The group consists of representatives from the healthcare and technology industries, statewide business interests, higher education and state government.

Four surveys were conducted by Lansing-based research consultants EPIC-MRA. The surveys targeted three groups - Michigan teens, parents and educators. The first survey was aimed at 450 parents of students in grades 7-12.

It was followed by a second survey targeted at 450 young people between the ages of 16 to 19. The third survey was directed at 400 middle and high school teachers, counselors and K-12 administrators. The last survey asked 400 Michigan high schoolers more specific questions about their career plans and career exploration.

The largest problem the survey found was that schools don't provide much guidance when it comes to choosing careers. Forty-five percent of the students could not identify someone at their school who helped them, and 55 percent of parents saw no help from their child's school. Only 48 percent of parents claimed that they directly helped counsel their child in choosing a career.

With schools and parents not counseling high schoolers on career options, where are students coming up with their future plans? This question is still left unsolved.

Another concern of the survey is the four-year bias. Parents and educators feel very strongly that their children/students need four-year degrees to live up to their potential success. Of the students surveyed, 67 percent planned on attending a four-year institution of higher learning, and only 26 percent planned on going to a two-year community college or technical trade school. These findings, perhaps, could be the reason why Ferris dropped many two-year programs.

It was also found that many parents, students and educators feel a sense of embarrassment about vocational training programs. The majority of those surveyed feel the "best jobs" require four-year degrees. Students felt that specific job-training programs would limit their career options.

A surprising finding of the survey is that most young people are not making career decisions based on the availability of jobs.

Students are more interested in jobs that hold their personal interest and perceived strengths and abilities. A good example of this is that 32 percent of the students thought computer areas hold the greatest opportunity, but only 6 percent intend to pursue this field, none of them female.

Inflated self-image was also shown across the boards in the survey of students. These over-assessments of personal abilities may lead students to pursue unrealistic careers, which could cause major disappointment either in college or in the "real world."

On a scale of four to one, students average themselves as a 3.45, while educators only rank students as a 2.67 in the 11 areas of employability skills. There is a particularly large gap between educators and students' points of view regarding dependability, ability to follow directions and responsibility; an area which educators can easily assess.

A disturbing finding to the Ferris community is that the big name schools, Michigan State University and University of Michigan, rank highest as the most career-oriented institutions, even though the mission of Ferris is to be a "national leader in providing opportunities for innovative teaching and learning in career-oriented, technological and professional education."

As a result of this survey, the Partnership has made the following recommendations for action:

• enhance the image of key careers,
• accept the four-year bias,
• emphasize career preparation in K-12 system,
• partner with Michigan's employers and
• collaborate to benefit career development and education

The mission of the Partnership is as follows: "The Partnership for Career Decision-Making in Technologies and Health Sciences will bring together leaders in education, public opinion and policy with the customers of higher education - students, parents, business and industry - to help foster a higher-education system that is responsive to and responsible for meeting the needs of its clientele; a system which stresses accountability, recognizes and addresses its shortcomings and strives to develop and maintain innovation in career education," according to the Ferris website.

All information for this article was obtained from the Partnership website. For more information on the Partnership or the complete results of the surveys, contact Jim Thorp at (231) 591-2043 or visit the Partnership website.

Freshmen organize rally

By Laura Chene
News Editor

Freshmen are encouraged to attend the second annual Freshmen Rally on Nov. 15 in Williams Auditorium at 11 a.m.

The event, which is organized, hosted and attended by freshmen, is scheduled to include guest speakers including President William Sederburg, Student Government President Rocky Byington and Al Uniacke. "There's a full slate of speakers," Student Government Vice President of Public Relations Tony Aloia said. A new band, Exit 139, will also debut. Hollywood is the theme.

"Freshmen Rally is for all freshmen students to celebrate almost the end of their first semester and bring themselves together as a class," Aloia said. "It's going to be a good time, and there will be lots of activities and prizes. They're having lots of handouts for the students."

Nada Broderick, coordinator of the FSUS program and also an FSUS professor, said, "The Freshmen Rally is by freshmen, for freshmen. They get to decide what happens there."

Broderick said that the students decide and plan the event's agenda. "It depends on what the students want," Broderick said. "Last year it was like a show. This year students were interested in having speakers, and so the students made this discovery and brought it in."

"I guess the way it's good for freshmen is it gets them involved because freshmen find things they never knew existed," Broderick said. She added that it was a time to share discoveries.

Broderick spoke positively of the event. "We're doing something really awesome," she said.

"Last year it was a huge success, I was told," Aloia said. "Freshmen are encouraged to attend." Approximately 1,200 students are enrolled in the FSUS classes this semester.

Publicity Photo
Mike Mizanin will bring his wild-self to Ferris on Nov. 13.

Ferris gets a taste of the Real World

By Rachel Theabo
A&E Editor

This coming Tuesday, all of the MTV fanatics on this campus will get a special treat. The speaker series had a little bit of money left over this year and they thought, who better to bring to our campus then some people who have had some bizarre real-life experiences.

They have decided to bring in Theo Von Kurnatowski from Road Rules 2000 "The Maximum Velocity Tour" along with Mike Mizanin from the tenth anniversary season of the Real World in New York. Ferris students can catch them at 7 p.m. in Williams Auditorium.

Students may remember Kurnatowski from the "Theoisms" he so kindly shared with the viewing audience.

They ranged in topic from how he is always the one who has to pull the stop cord on the bus because the rest of the world is too timid, to how his back gets too hot when he wears a shirt and a backpack at the same time.

Students can still catch some of Kurnatowski's "Theoisms" at the University of Louisiana website, where he wrote for their opinion section. He was a bizarre character with a lot of imagination and emotion. He promises to entertain as well as inform.

Mizanin, on the other hand, did not portray himself as the deep kind of man Kurnatowski did. Mike was a 19-year-old from Parma, Ohio at the time and more into partying, heavy metal, and saying all the wrong things at the wrong times than sharing his thoughts on life.

If you ever had a chance to catch any of the Real World episodes this year, Mizanin was often caught with his foot in his mouth. He just couldn't manage to keep himself out of the doghouse and is not the self-proclaimed "King of the Doghouse."

Kurnatowski and Mizanin have both had training in how to speak to college-age crowds prior to going on this tour. They were trained how to handle all of the prying questions that are sure to be asked, as well as how to talk about their experiences in a way in which college students can relate.

They will talk about topics such as what it is like living with a bunch of strangers, diversity and growing as a person over time-things just about anyone can relate to in one way or another.

As a student at Ferris State University last year, you may have taken advantage of seeing Melissa, the rowdy party girl from the Real World New Orleans cast, who came to speak here. Originally David, the bitter, angry, slapped-a-roommate guy from Seattle was supposed to come with her, but due to flight problems he was unable to make it.

The show was a great success last year, there was a great turnout and the crowd seemed to really get into what Melissa was talking about. Not to mention the jokes about the Pikes, which had the audience rolling on the ground.

This year the presentation will follow the same sort of format, besides the fact that there will now be two speakers instead of just one.

Both Kurnatowski and Mizanin will speak for a while on all of their topics, and then there will be a section where students in the crowd can approach some microphones and ask the two guys some questions, so come with questions in mind.

After the presentation, there will be a meet-and-greet-time with photograph and autograph opportunities. This is not open to the general public, but there will be a group of people selected to go.

If students are a member of an RSO on campus you should check your mailbox for an invitation.

"Dungeons and Dragons" world

By Matt Cherry
Assistant A&E Editor

There was a time in our society when there was no television. It's quite hard to imagine, I know. However, if you were to ask your parents about it, they'd probably tell you that they were rarely, if ever, bored.

That's because they knew how to use something that most of us have forgotten: our imaginations. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines imagination as the "act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or not previously known or experienced."

So what does that mean in plain English? Well, remember when you were a kid and you'd play house, or war or anything like that? You play that by using your imagination.

Of course, thanks to television (and everything that goes with it) and the internet, we usually never use our imaginations for much more than thinking about how good it would be to have some food right about then.

However, there are some of us who actually use our imaginations. In fact, there are many different ways you could use your imagination. Read a book, write a book, play a board game, play a role-playing game (not a video game) and many others.

Personally, I like to play an RPG as often as I can. There are many different types of RPG's out there, so I'm sure there's one that will appeal to you.

The RPG that most people have heard about is Dungeons and Dragons. Now, before anyone says something about this, it is not, and I repeat NOT, evil in any way, shape or form.

All it does is allow the players to become immersed in a world of fantasy and magic. Of course, in order to become fully immersed in a world such as this, you have to have an imagination.

You need one because you have to do everything in the game. You need to create your own character. What would he/she do? Are you an elf, dwarf, human, etc.?

And, of course, you need to imagine what it would be like to see a party of orcs running after you, brandishing their battle-axes and wanting to kill you.

Of course, not everyone likes fantasy. And not everyone likes D&D. That's why there are so many other alternatives. Some take place in the future, some take place in a fantasy world and some take place in a historical time and place. There's bound to be an RPG for everyone.

The FASA Corporation makes two of my other favorites. They're called Shadowrun and Battletech.

Shadowrun takes place in the not too distant future. Corporations rule the world, and magic has been reborn. Along with magic come magical beings such as wendigo, orcs, dwarves, elves, and others. There's also a huge Internet-type place called the Matrix.

In the game, you are a shadowrunner, basically a mercenary trying to help "stick it to the man." You can be a samurai warrior, a shaman, a mage, a decker (sort of like a hacker) and some others.

In Battletech, you are a mechwarrior in control of a 10-14 meter tall battlemech. It's basically a time of civil war between the Inner Sphere and the Clans. And you're stuck in the middle of it.

The Inner Sphere is made of Houses for the nobles, while the clans are on a more chieftain-esque system.

Another really cool set of games are from White Wolf Publishing. These are called "Werewolf: The Apocalypse" and "Vampire: The Masquerade."

They are both set in the modern day, but some of the vampires are hundreds of years old. Both games interact with each other, as the werewolves and the vampires hate each other.

In fact, if you play Vampire's "Chicago" setting, a couple of years ago there was a werewolf attack, and many of the Chicagoan vampires died.

Of course, these are only a small portion of the many RPGs out there. In fact, many RPG players make their own games by using the already existing games as a base.

With all of the diversity within the gaming world, you can get a completely unique experience playing with every different group of people you play with.

And while it's handy, just like any game, to have someone who knows what he/she is doing, it is not necessary. The rules in the rulebooks are designed to be easy to understand for first-timers as well as battlehardened veterans.

And cost is barely an issue. For around the price of a new video game, you could get all of the sourcebooks you need for any of the games I've mentioned. Of course, it may become a little harder to find stuff for FASA, as they're starting to shut down their online store. However, eBay is a great place to find any of the sourcebooks you need.

At any rate, the next time you're in your favorite store and you see some sourcebooks for these games, do yourself a favor. Pick them up, and begin to use your imagination. In the long run, you'll thank yourself for doing this.

Circle K comes full circle in 2001

By Shannon Vesper
Ferris State Torch

While running a busy schedule around the clock, finding something positive to do in the community is sometimes hard.

Circle K, a student community service organization, is welcoming new students and members to help the Big Rapids community.

Circle K is a division of the local Kiwanis Club. The Kiwanis Club is an organization of community service leaders in the area who support children and adults around the world through different fundraising activities.

Gary Horn, a Kiwanis member and Ferris professor, founded Circle K here three years ago. Since then, the community service level has been growing. From the first year, only about 12 members attended the meetings, the second year about 20, and this year Circle K is proud to say they have about 30 members. Currently most of the members are honor students, but other students are equally encouraged to join.

With a goal of community service and working hand-in-hand with the Kiwanis, Circle K wants to better the community and campus around Ferris.

Recently, Circle K was part of a haunted house in downtown Big Rapids. This event was very successful, breaking the records from the previous year.

Upcoming events include being bell-ringers for the Salvation Army, and hosting the district convention in March.

The district convention will take place March 22-24 at the Holiday Inn. This convention will bring Circle K groups from colleges all around Michigan. While having the convention in Big Rapids, the students will perform services around town, which is a great way to give back to the community.

"This is a really great thing for us. It shows how much our group has grown over the years, and shows we're accepted and trusted by the other schools," Matt Eickhoff, bulletin editor, said.

Joining Circle K is as easy as joining the meetings every Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m. in the Rankin Center rooms 216 and 217. Community service ideas and assignments are discussed at each meeting, and about once a week a community service project is done.

"We're always looking for people to help bring new ideas to the meetings. Everyone is welcome who'd like to join the group," Emilie Matteson, president, said.
If you have any more questions concerning the group, you may contact their advisor Carole Jones at 591-3940.

Publicity Photo from Scaleshealth-fitness.com

Dr. Bobby Scales enjoys talking to students about their health, different exercises and proper nutrition.

Dr. Bobby Scales talks health

By Shannon Vesper
Ferris State Torch

Attending college and being away from home can really change your lifestyle. One of the biggest things that could possibly change is your diet. With Mom back home and you away at school, maintaining daily exercise and nutrition is often difficult.

If you are looking to change your lifestyle while away at school, Delta Sigma Pi will be presenting Dr. Bobby Scales this evening in the Rankin Center Centennial Dining Room from 6 to 8 p.m. All students are welcome to this free event.

Dr. Scales' presentation will teach you how to learn the importance of weight control, nutrition, diet, diabetes, high blood pressure and weight loss, while building self-esteem.

"Dr. Scales is a great speaker. He'll make you want to live a healthy life," Carrie Grayson, a senior and president of Delta Sigma Pi, said.

Dr. Scales has experience as an emergency room doctor for the Baldwin and Reed City Hospitals. Dr. Scales is also a competitive body builder and professor here at Ferris State University.

Dr. Scales has a bachelor of science degree in Biology from Chicago State University, a doctorate of medicine from the Chicago Medical School, and a personal trainer certification through the National Strength & Conditioning Association.

Dr. Scales' work experience includes Internal Medicine, family case, and cardiac rehabilitation. His bodybuilding experience has won him several awards. He received first place in the 2000 Hercules Championship in New York, as well as several awards in Michigan in the cities of Traverse City, Petoskey and Bellaire in 1999.

Featured in Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness magazine in 1994, 1997 and 2000, he was also on ESPN after a win at the Tennessee Natural Bodybuilding Championship in 1997.

Dr. Scales' motivation came to him when he felt that he didn't have a happy self-image. With an injured back and chicken pox at the age of 30, Dr. Scales felt like he was falling part.

Shortly after in 1991 he was hooked on natural bodybuilding, which is bodybuilding without the use of chemicals, and from there things just took off.

Dr. Scales' accomplishments have brought him here to Ferris State University to teach in the Department of Leisure Studies and Wellness.

Not only does Dr. Scales practice what he preaches by working out four to five hours a week and watching nutrition six days a week, he and his personal trainers have developed a 12-week program which can change your body, health and life.

These sessions meet three times a week for 90 minutes. The program is designed to increase strength, fat loss, and a lean body tissue to improve cardiovascular fitness.

If you have any questions about the program, you may contact the Student Recreation Center at 591-2679, or Dr. Scales at 591-2670.

If you have questions about his presentation tonight at 6 p.m., please contact 591-7545.

Photo by James Bednarick, Photo Editor

Forward Chris Kunitz chipped in two goals in this weekend's series sweep (2-0, 6-2) over Lake Superior State.

GVS.......who?

By Jason Nelson
Assistant Sports Editor

When the season began, most experts in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference had the Ferris State women's soccer team at the bottom of the standings in the pre-season GLIAC predictions. The only thing the experts managed to prove with the prediction was how much they did not know about the young and determined Bulldogs.

All year long, the Bulldogs have been battling to show that they belonged at the top of the conference. Last Saturday, in their final game of the year, the Bulldogs proved that this year was not a fluke.

After a tough stretch of games in the last week, the Bulldogs watched as they fell from the top of the standings to the middle of the pack. A loss on Saturday to Grand Valley State University would have certainly ruined an otherwise surprising season.

The Bulldogs came out of the gates hungry as they scored only four minutes into the game. Danielle McAllister took a pass from leading scorer Emily Rogers and scored to give the Bulldogs a early 1-0 lead. The game was even in the first half, as neither team really dominated the play. Ferris State took four shots on goal compared to the Lakers attempting three.

An injury to the Bulldogs second-leading scorer Jen Gaylor late in the first half seemed to fire up the Bulldogs in the second half. Without Gaylor, the Bulldogs could have easily folded up the tent and called it a year. However, a victory against Grand Valley was something the team wanted more than anything.

Thanks to some timely goaltending by Connie Bigott, the Bulldogs were able to hang on to the 1-0 lead that McAllister provided. After a short flourish by GVSU, the whistle sounded and the Bulldogs had beaten the lakers to cement themselves as one of the better teams in the GLIAC conference. Though the Bulldogs did not have the lofty expectations of a team such as league power Mercyhurst, the season was still a success.

"The season we had was definitely above expectations," goalie Connie Bigott said. With the steady improvement the soccer team has shown over the last couple of years, it could only be a matter of time before the Bulldogs are mentioned as the frontrunners in the conference.

"I think next year we will only improve. We should be at the top of the conference, maybe first," Bigott said.

One of the biggest reasons for success this year for the team would have to be head coach Pete Watkins who has done a tremendous job of putting some very talented girls together. "Coach Watkins is a good coach, and he plays the players we have to their strengths," Bigott said.

The outlook for the Bulldogs is good as they return the majority of their team for next year. Early indications are that the Bulldogs will have respect to start the season, instead of having to earn it game by game.

The victory over GVSU is not only a victory over a bitter rival, but a reason to demand respect.

"The highlight of the year was beating GVSU," Bigott said.

The biggest reason for the Bulldogs good play this year might be traced to the fact that on the field the Bulldogs were playing together.

"We played as a team this year, and it really helped." Bigott said.

In a year where the Bulldogs were picked to finish near the bottom of the conference, a strong finish is something that will definitely help in carrying momentum into next year. The Bulldogs could very well be the team to beat come next September.

The win over GVSU ends the season for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs finish the season with an 8-8-3 overall mark and 4-4-1 in the GLIAC.

Photo by James Bednarick, Photo Editor

Alaina Olds and teammates finished off the season on a high note with a victory over Grand Valley State.

Bulldogs split a pair in preparation for the GLIAC Tournament

By Adam Gasper
Ferris State Torch

Ferris State volleyball geared up for next weekend's GLIAC tournament by hosting a pair of conference match-ups this week. The Bulldogs swept Saginaw Valley State on Thursday before falling to Northwood, 3-1.

Ferris defeated SVSU (9-24, 2-14 in the GLIAC) by the scores of 30-15, 30-21, 30-22. The team picked up 47 kills and four aces to the Cardinals' 30 kills and two aces.

Kate Pickvet led the attack on Thursday, chalking up a team-high 11 kills to go along with a block. Alaina Olds led the team in blocks with four. She was also credited with 10 kills. Erin Minnis, Ashley Green, Annie Foster and Erin Rind all picked up an ace. Emily Williams earned 23 assists, a team high. Williams and Angie Desmarais each picked up eight digs.

Saturday's match-up featured a Bulldog victory in the third game and two 2-point losses, including the last game of the match. Northwood prevailed 30-28, 30-24, 21-30, 30-28 to boost their record to 21-8, 12-6 in the conference.

Olds led the team in both kills with 17 and blocks, earning all eight of the team's blocks. Minnis also chipped in with 14 of the team's 61 kills. Olds and Stephanie Speed each picked up two aces on their serves. Green helped out with 40 assists and 10 digs. Desmarais led the team in digs with a dozen.

FSU, now 19-10 overall, 12-6 in the GLIAC, will travel to Battle Creek next weekend to play for the conference championship at theKellogg Arena, Nov. 8-10.

 Defense takes a bite out of Hillsdale

By Nick Wasmiller
Sports Editor

Sometimes the best offense is a good defense. The Bulldogs came out with a heavy dose of defense this past Saturday, and with the help of six turnovers from the Hillsdale offense, brought Ferris State a 38-21 road victory.

The offensive attack was guided by freshman QB Tom Marsan's 134 passing yards on 13 completions. Harlon Hill candidate Clarence Coleman made eight grabs, including two touchdowns, pulling himself closer to more NCAA records for catches and receiving yards, while breaking the GLIAC record for TD grabs.

Hillsdale did manage to outgain Ferris State despite the turnovers, 336 yards to 275 yards, but trailed the Bulldogs in time of possession 36:38 to 23:22.

The Chargers of Hillsdale claimed a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter after senior quarterback Joe Williamson plunged in from one-yard out.

Ferris State wasted no time returning the game to a tie, after recovering a second quarter Charger fumble. The Bulldogs tied the score at 7-7 on a 10-yard pass from left-handed quarterback Tom Marsan to Coleman.

Hillsdale claimed its final lead of the game at 4:19 of the second quarter on a two-yard rumble by junior runningback Kevin Clive, making the score 14-7. Ferris State responded with only 23 seconds left in the first half on a one-yard run by senior runningback Matt Otero. The score tied the game for the last time at 14-14.

After stopping the Hillsdale offense to open the second half, the Bulldogs grabbed their first lead early in the third quarter with a one-handed grab by wide receiver Robert Giles from Marsan for a 30-yard completion. Hillsdale then fumbled on the next kickoff and Ferris State increased its lead to 28-14 on a 4-yard pass at 10:05 in the third quarter from Marsan to Clarence Coleman, who claimed the GLIAC touchdown reception mark on the play. The touchdown was Coleman's 39th of his career.

With just under four minutes left in the third quarter, Bulldog kicker Tom Perez knocked in a 35-yard field goal to give Ferris State a 31-14 lead at the end of the third quarter. Ferris State wrapped up a unanswered 31-point onslaught at 10:54 of the fourth quarter when backup senior quarterback Kyle Park found Coleman from nine yards out to give the Bulldogs a 38-14 lead.

Hillsdale cut into the lead with 9:13 left in the game when Joe Williamson found senior wide receiver Ed House for a nine-yard touchdown pass. With the touchdown, House claimed the Hillsdale career touchdown reception mark with 22 career scoring grabs.

Neither team mustered a scoring drive the remainder of the game and Ferris State dropped Hillsdale by a final score of 38-21.

Next week the Bulldogs finish off the season with a home contest against Indianapolis. The game will pit the two teams currently tied for third in the GLIAC. Each team comes in with a 6-3 record in the conference. Game time is set for 1:30 p.m. at Top Taggart Field.

Photo from University Photo Services

Leader in goals and assists for the Bulldogs, Emily Rogers looks to improve next year's team with her experience.

Miss Emily Rogers' Neighborhood

By Jason Nelson
Assistant Sports Editor

Emily Rogers is good-real good. The sophomore from Traverse City just concluded the year for the surprising Bulldogs soccer team.

In the final game, Rogers assisted on the game-winning goal by Danielle McAllister. Assisting is not something new for Rogers-she led the team in assists this year with nine. Rogers also poured in a team high 10 goals into the opposition's net.

Rogers was also once voted Player of the Week in the GLIAC conference this year. Her team-leading nine assists were seven more than anybody else on the team, which helped demonstrate the unselfish player that she is.

For Rogers, the best part about this season wasn't all of the personal goals and stats, but the way the team played and came together. Rogers says that the team and its chemistry were great this year.

"I thought that we played really well together. Even the games we lost, we played really well," Rogers said.

The highlight of Rogers' year took place last Saturday when the Bulldogs were able to beat their arch-rival Grand Valley State University in a thrilling 1-0 victory.

"Beating Grand Valley was the highlight of the year-they are our biggest rivals. It was sweet," Rogers said.

One of the things that helps Rogers stand out from other players is her tremendous work ethic, and her desire to always play better. One would think that a player who scores 10 goals and nine assists in 18 games would be glowing about their play, but Rogers isn't.

"I played all right, I could have done better. This summer I am going to work on strength and conditioning," Rogers said.

After starting the season slowly, the Bulldogs picked up the pace in the middle of the year. Most experts had the Bulldogs at the bottom of the conference. However, at the halfway point the Bulldogs were in first place, a spot that Rogers says they belonged in.

"I thought that we belonged there. We beat some of the weaker teams, but we also played well against the better ones," Rogers said.

According to Rogers, the element that she can bring to every game that can help the team win is her competitiveness.

"I play as well and as hard as I can," Rogers said.

Rogers is quick to give the accolades to her teammates, especially a certain defender.

"I think Julia Hitchingham is our team MVP," Rogers said.

The Bulldogs had a tremendous year in large part to the play of Emily Rogers. Next year the Bulldogs could be at the top of the division for good.

"Next year we are going to do a lot better. We will bring in a few more players, plus we will be more experienced," Rogers said.

Besides Rogers having a great year, coach Pete Watkins also deserves some praise as well, as he has earned the respect of his team.

"Coach Watkins is a great coach, he is a nice guy and he brings the team together," Rogers said.

With so many starters returning to next year's team, the Bulldogs will have a very good chance to challenge for the GLIAC title. With players like Emily Rogers, the Bulldogs are showing the rest of the teams in the GLIAC conference that they will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

It is only a matter of time before teams fear having to play at Ferris State University-when they have to come into Miss Rogers' Neighborhood.

Celebrating St. Antler's Day

By Brian Van Steenkiste
Opinions Editor

This week, I felt the need to write about a truly American holiday, St. Antler's Day. It happens every Nov. 15, and marks the official (legal) start of the gun portion of deer hunting season. We do have a Torch coming out on Nov. 15, so I may be jumping the gun on this article a little bit, but I figured anyone who'd really care would be too busy getting ready to pay my writing much mind on the eve of the big day.

As I said, St. Antler's Day is a truly American holiday. More than that, it's a man's holiday. Women can have their holidays and celebrate things such as Martha Stewart's birthday, but there's nothing like the kickoff of rifle/shotgun season. Deer hunting is by no means a male-exclusive activity, but the ritual has historically been associated with the un-fair sex.

This is the time of year when men all over the great state of Michigan, and the country, are cleaning their guns, stocking up on beef jerky, alcohol and ammunition and getting all their camouflaged gear together in preparation for the hunt. As one of my buddies stated, deer hunting is an excuse for men to get away from the ladies and drink, be with their buddies and hunt the other half of the time.

Men of all ages, social standing, races and geographic locations practice this sport. If you go to class on Wednesday, Nov. 15, look around. Chances are there won't be that many people there. Why? Because everyone's out in the woods drinking with their firearms! It's the same way every year.

So why doesn't Ferris cancel classes? It's because they're scared of students drinking too much. Come on, Ferris didn't even cancel classes on the day of the greatest American tragedy of all time! We, the students, can't be trusted.

If classes are canceled, all the students will be drinking, not just the ones who skipped school to go do it in the woods holding a gun.

How American is that? FSU may have the flag on our school's webpage, but the school's actions tell the real tale of how much it loves this country. How would you like it if everyone showed such disrespect towards this hunter's holiday?

Taxidermists would go out of business and their kids would have to stand in front of K-Mart begging for "spange." The northern Michigan tourism industry would stand up and gasp its dying breath. Countless families would be without the meat they trust their providers to bring home and hang from the garage rafters every year. Worst of all, gun stores that didn't supplement their revenues with liquor sales would shut their doors for business. This could very well lead to the second amendment to the constitution only being upheld by those who reload old shells and black powder enthusiasts.

Now I'll bet you're glad everyone doesn't feel the same way about St. Antler's that Ferris does.

But in all fairness, I shouldn't say Ferris hates deer season. I'm sure good old Woody didn't feel the same way our current school administration feels about this majestic time of year, when all the deer are running through the forest terrified. No, our founder, even though he wouldn't have put up with 90 percent of the current party-oriented enrollment, would've tolerated the nobility of students venturing forth into the woods to participate in a ritual as old as the hills themselves.

Woody picked this spot to build his Ferris Institute for many of the same reasons most of us chose to come here for our degrees and education. University Advancement may trumpet that FSU is a technical this, and career placement that, but when most of us think of Ferris we think of escaping the hustle and bustle of schools like State and relaxing in the north woods of Big Rapids. Ferris draws us here with the promises associated with the surrounding countryside, but once we're here, we can be penalized for taking advantage of it.

With under three weeks to bag a buck, Ferris should be more lenient during this yearly period. Students can still be mindful of their scholarly endeavors while devoting a little time to the pursuit of bringing home some venison steaks.

Big trucks, mud and beer; the redneck way

By Mike Domerese
Ferris State Torch

Greetings fellow students, staff and residents of Big Rapids. As I look out my window at a rainy damp day, I reflect on happy times spent with friends. Summer has finally drawn to a close, and fall will be over before we know it.

There always seems to be a problem at Ferris with keeping students in town on the weekends. I have come up with an idea and/or a plan that I believe will help for at least one weekend in the spring. With fall being almost over, the conditions just are not quite right for my little plan to be put into action right now.

OK, I know some of you are a little lost, so I'll fill you in on my fun little activity. How about, and are you ready for this…….a good old fashioned MUD BOG!!!! Now before anyone starts protesting, having a fit or just simply laughing it off, let my idea process for a minute.

I came up with this brilliant, yet festive, little brainstorm all by myself while thinking about home. Believe it or not, I have often been referred to as a "redneck" or a "hick." I come from a small rural town on the outskirts of what was a once the booming metropolis of Flint. Over the years, this has more or less turned into a barren wasteland, but I digress.

In true redneck fashion, I own a big truck. I'm not talking about the kind that pulls trailers and almost runs you over on the expressway, but the kind with the real big tires. Usually these types of trucks tend to be Chevys or Fords, but I have seen a few big Dodge trucks around campus too.

These trucks are far from their original factory condition, sometimes muddy, sometimes beat up, with giant scratches or dents from proving their worth on road or in the woods.

You may be in disbelief as you are reading this, but just take a look around campus the next time you are driving or walking around campus. These awesome machines are hard to miss.

Now the next $10,000 question you're probably asking is, "Where are we going to host such an exquisite event?"

Well, after careful consideration, taking the many factors into consideration, such as where is there room for everyone? How about concessions? Will there be room for a live band to play and other things? I have come up with the premier spot. Where else would be better than our very own Campus Quad?

Now think about it. There's plenty of room, it's centrally located, we keep people on campus and we could rope it off similar to the Earth Day activities! It's got to be genius! I mean unless you've been living under a rock for the last year this campus, the quad has been at times muddier than muddy, so why not take full advantage of it?

The quad has a perfect spot for "the pit," the giant flower-type bed just on the south of Woody's statue is as good as it gets.

I figure if we bring in about three to five thousand gallons of water from some of Big Rapid's finest (F.D.) and run some of the heavy equipment tractors around there through a couple of times, conditions in the quad would be perfect!

I know some are in shock and amazed at an idea such as this, but think about it for a minute, you get school camaraderie, a festive atmosphere and a band playing (preferably a local one to keep costs down).

Donations from some of the local businesses around town could contribute pop, alcohol (yes that's right, for those of us old enough), food and other goodies. Criminal justice students and the police corps could be used as security for a bar type situation with wristbands.

We could erase the idea of selling alcohol at this local event by keeping it true to hick style by letting those who are old enough simply bring their own frosty beverages!

The roof and upper floors of that huge spectacle known as the library would actually be a huge asset for seating and observation purposes. Also, for seating, what could be better than good old lawn chairs and lawn furniture?

We also wouldn't have to worry about any costs for bringing monster trucks in either. Between students, locals and people from the surrounding area we would have plenty of vehicles. With one or two people willing to donate their time and gas, and a couple of big farm tractors (that would solve the problem of people who get stuck) we'd be all set.

Ahhh yes, muddin' on the quad, what could be better? Now I know there are some holes in my plan, but think about what a good time it could be!

There is nothing better than heading out with some friends, big trucks and good music to make a wonderful fun-filled afternoon!! Sometimes being a "redneck" can be a lot of fun!