April 25, 2017
The following are questions asked to graduating members of The Dominican Star editorial staff. The Star staff would like to thank its readers for the continued support.
Question #1: Favorite/Most memorable moment at DU?
Question #2: Favorite class?
Question #3: Favorite memory on the Star/Favorite story you reported on?
Question #4: What you’ll miss most about DU?
Christopher Sich, Sports Editor
1. My favorite and most memorable moment at Dominican will be when I walk across the stage at graduation; it is going to be a very special moment for me. But since that moment has yet to happen, I would say my most memorable moments are the memories I have with my friends and colleagues. They are the ones that brought joy and laughter into my life each and every day.
2. It is difficult to pick a favorite class because I truly enjoyed each and every CAS class. Regardless if it was hard, easy, a lot of homework, time consuming, etc., I enjoyed every class that pertained to my major. But if I had to pick a class or two, I would say Multimedia Web Production with Daniel Martin, and Intro to Journalism, as well as Intermediate Journalism with John Jenks.
3. First off, I am glad I decided to join the Star back in the Fall of 2015. It has helped me grow and develop my writing, and it has created close bonds and friendships that I am grateful for. My favorite memories are from our Saturday productions; being trapped in a room for hours doesn’t sound pleasant, but being trapped in a room doing what you love surrounded by friends, and pizza, is something I won’t forget. I enjoyed every story that I reported on, but if I had to pick one I would say my feature story on the men’s soccer team star goalie Gabe Gongora (Arepas con Futbol), and my story on the LGBTQIA rights at Dominican.
4. I am going to miss the close the friends I have made and the all of the great professors that have I have had the pleasure of getting to know. Each professor has had a profound impact on my life and college experience. Lastly, I am going to miss the campus mainly because it has become a second home; I have made several memories here and I feel at home when I walk the hallways.
Emily Lapinski, Managing Editor
1. My most memorable moment would have to be the first time I ditched class. It was a gorgeous day and my best friend and I decided to take a break and just walk around campus. This was the first time I realized how beautiful our campus and the surrounding area are.
2. My favorite class that I took at Dominican would probably be Abnormal Psychology with Professor Greenwald. Not only was the course material extremely interesting but the professor was phenomenal. There was never a dull day.
3. My favorite memory working on the STAR was coming to production every other Saturday. It was hours of hard work but it was a lot of fun. The favorite story would have to be the one I wrote about the non-profit Opportunity Knocks. It was one of my first stories as a freshman and I remember going in and doing the interviews and being so happy with how it came out.
4. The thing I will miss most about Dominican is the newsroom. It’s probably the size of a walk-in closet and no one would know where it is, but it’s my favorite spot on campus. Any time I needed to get away for a bit I would always go there and automatically feel better.
Marty Carlino, Executive Editor
1. My junior year, after one of the very first days of class, a girl came up to me after class and told me that she taught I had really nice eye lashes. I told her that I thought her shirt was super cool (it was a fall out boy shirt, which is one of my favorite bands, so it was super cool!) After that, we continued to talk and became really great friends. Fast forward about a year later, and we started dating. Now, we’ve been dating for eight months.
2. This is a tough one. I have so many to choose from. I would have to say my favorites are, The Legislative Process, Politics in Film and Intermediate Journalism.
3. Another tough one! I started out on the Star as a sports reporter. I loved covering sports, so all those stories will always be among some of my favorites. In addition to that, my stories on Chris Kennedy announcing his bid for Governor, breaking the university announcement of a tobacco-free campus and my column after the Cubs won the World Series are among my favorites. My favorite memory is without a doubt the life-long friends I have made while on the Star.
4. I am going to miss the great people who fill this campus the most. That includes the wonderful professors, staffers, administrators, workers and students this university has. I want to personally thank everyone that has open their door and taken the time out of their days to help us here at the Star. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the Star over these past four years. Your work is greatly appreciated. It was an honor to serve as your editor.
Melissa Rohman, Co-Editor
1. It’s hard to pick just one, but hanging out with my friends in our dorms in Murray and Power is high on the list. Transferring to Dominican my sophomore year I never thought I would make as great of friends as I did. We’ve done and gone through so much together and they have made my experience at DU unforgettable.
2. Junior Seminar with Dr. Dianne Costanzo. If you have never taken one of her seminars, do it and I promise you wont regret it.
3. My favorite memory being on the Star was always Saturday production. Yes, it would last sometimes eight hours and take up our entire Saturday, but I got to spend it with working with co-editors who are great friends. My favorite story I’ve reported one was about the Silence No More protests last year and this year.
4. The people. The gothic architecture. Chilling out on the quad on a sunny day. The Dominican Star. Playing piano in the chapel and social hall late at night. Going on short term study abroad trips to Guatemala and Tijuana, Mexico. Performing in the Lund and Martin. Lucky charms rice krispie treats in the dining hall. Visiting my dad in his office. Chatting about life with Sister Melissa in her office. Studying on the third floor of the library. The Noonan Reading room. Midnight breakfast. Dancing with Estilo y Sabor. The list could go on…
Nayah James, Ad Manager
1. Students Stand Up for Black Lives Matter Protest, I believe this was most important for me to not only care about, but to be involved in. Standing outside, protesting, chanting, participating and committing was absolutely necessary at that time in October. It was important to stand up for all Black and Brown lives on campus who’ve ever felt racially discriminated against, racially profiled, racially stereotyped and for anyone (friends or not) who has experienced microagression (intentionally or not) from the mouths of Dominican’s faculty, staff, administration or student population. It was just as important that day in 2016 as it is was throughout the 1960s.
2. Professor Calabrese’s Interpersonal Communication. I enjoyed this class because for me, it brought back the old way of communication in time where communication is solely text-message or social media based. This class talked about open and personal communication between two people, getting that one-on-one time with someone. I remember practicing exercises where we’d get to know about one’s favorite color, family-life, hobbies and interests. Also, I remember learning how to engage in conflict resolution, tactics which I still use today.
3. Hollywood Comes to Dominican, my story on Award-winning actress, dancer and singer Jasmine Guy. I as well as the African American population on campus grew up watching the show she starred in, A Different World. That show was most of our first look at a positive Black image, the image of Black kids in college, going after their education while dealing with the ups and downs of adulthood. Listening to her speak about her life outside of ‘Whitley Gilbert’, her asking us about our college experience and getting the chance to see the chill side of her was an unforgettable experience.
4. What I will miss most about DU is the people. I say the people because I’ve meet people who are now my life-long friends, life-long mentors and resources that I’m sure I’ll come back to visit. It was always easy for me to make friends here and it’s just easy to do so at Dominican in general.
Mary Alice Maloney, Features Editor
1. I went on the Mission to the Mound retreat this year over spring break, and I now feel so connected to the Dominican spirit and heritage. I learned so much about the history of Dominican and I got to hang out with a bunch of wonderful people and meet so many cool sisters during the three days in Sinsinawa. I wish I had gone on this retreat earlier in my college career, but it was also the perfect experience to wrap up my four years here.
2. I took Film Comedy with Patricia Erens during sophomore year and it was one of the most fun and interesting classes I’ve taken. I learned so much about the history of film and comedy as we know it.
3. The coverage I wrote on the lack of MAP grant funding was important, and I learned a lot about the journalistic process while I was writing those stories. The most fun I had writing though were my study abroad columns from Limerick, Ireland. It was such a great way to document my experience while sharing it with everyone at the same time.
4. I’m going to miss how lovely it is to walk around campus on a beautiful day, because I still find myself in awe at the beauty of this place. I’m going to miss the Hogwarts life.
Sarah Tinoco, Digital Editor
1. It’s a three-way tie between co-directing the apparel department’s senior fashion show and studying abroad in Spain and Cuba.
2. I cannot choose a favorite class but classes I always looked forward to included: Jose Blanco’s Cultural Perspectives in Dress, Derek Ruth’s Business Policies and Bill Kerr’s Intro to Graphic Design.
3. The profiles I did on apparel design student (now alumna) Megan Knape, Dominican sister and Dominican Republic native Xiomara Mendez-Hernandez, and the apparel department’s newest professor (and soon-to-be department chair), Jose Blanco.
4. The professors. Between their expertise, knowledge, guidance and wisdom, I learned SO much from so many of them. (Shout out to Jose Blanco, Bill Kerr, Derek Ruth and Alexis Howe!)
Jonathan DeLeon, Staff Writer
1. Being able to play for the Men’s Golf team was an awesome experience. It was mainly one of the reasons I chose to come to Dominican. I remember at one point in my junior year shooting 82 and 81 in back to back tournaments and feeling like I was on top of the world. Through good and bad days I always had good teammates to talk to, hang out with, room with, and work on our games together.
2. Junior Seminar Technology and Spirituality. I never thought in my life I would have a class that would combine these two things and make it sound logical but that was the case. The class was discussion based but I learned so much not only from teacher, who was a former corporate business man, but my peers as well. We talked about Apple, The Pope, Cults, and other cool topics.
3. The Dominican Stand Up story was cool. It was my very first cover story with help from Melissa and Emily of course. It was surreal that the paper was being used in the student protest and marked one of the most significant events in Dominican’s history. Also the Michael Sam article was a cool piece. His story was touching and even though he didn’t play a down in the NFL, he was still a good player and even better person.
4. The people, different social interactions I had. I met so many different people of different races, backgrounds, skills, etc. Whether it was Marty or Chris to talk sports, Rachael to talk spiritually, my roommate and golf teammate Nick Drake, it didn’t matter. I shared valuable moments with everyone I was around. Even with professors like John Jenks, Bret Rappaport, Terry Brown, and others, I enjoyed their teachings and learned so much.
Melinda Czifrak, News Editor
1.This is a tough one. It’s hard for me to pick just one memorable moment, because I view my whole experience at DU as memorable. I believe, however, that finding a job on campus my first semester at DU has been one of, if not the most, memorable moment of my college career. My coworkers have become lifelong friends over the past few years, and my supervisors have become my mentors. I am lucky to have been a part of the Office Services family.
2. As an international student, I was required to take an integration course my first semester at Dominican, geared toward helping foreign students get used to student life in the US. I had already been living in the country for two years and had attended a community college for the first half of my undergrad career, so the class seemed useless to me in the beginning. However, after the first few weeks, I realized that it wasn’t so much about learning how to write emails, but about interacting with people from different cultures, different countries, different ethnicities, and religions. I made lifelong friends in that class, friends who shaped my experiences at DU in many ways, and I found a mentor in Prof. Laurie Riggin. I believe that, had it not been for that class, my two years at Dominican would have been much more colorless.
3. The feature story I wrote about the Saudi Club president remains my favorite. There are many stereotypes surrounding Muslim women, in particular, that I disagree with and wished to debunk. What better way to do so than to dedicate a story to the female president of a Saudi male-majority club? The process of writing that story, including the interview and actually sitting down and typing it out, was enlightening.
4.The DU community, the friends I have gained along the way, and my mentors. College is a time of growth, and I believe I did a lot of growing up here, figuring out who I wanted to be, what I wanted to do, which path I wanted to choose in life. I will miss the time I have spent inside classrooms, learning from professors I now look up to, who have taught me to never stop learning, from within the pages of books or from the experiences I will have in life. I will miss the friends I have gained along the way, who have become my family, my home away from home, and all the memories I am a part of and that are a part of me. Finally, I will miss being a part of such a welcoming, supportive, close community – I am proud to be a DU alumni.
domeditors@yahoo.com