With the beginning of each fall semester, changes are sure to come as new students attend college for the first time and additional faculty members join the campus.

SDSU’s Office of Multi-Cultural Affairs is no exception.

Nashma Carrera, OMA’s Multi-Cultural Affairs program adviser, is one new face that occupies the offices this semester. A graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Carrera received master’s and doctoral degrees in ethnomusicology and Latin American studies. She was raised in Florida, as well as in her native Puerto Rico.

Carrera comes from a family of musicians, which deeply influenced her fields of study in graduate school. At a young age, she was exposed to folk music and developed an affinity for dancing. She has participated in several dance groups such as Batey, a Mexican folk ballet group as well as Aconcagua, a mainly Andes music folk group. When she lived in Chicago, Carrera explored Flamenco, Bangra, Bomba and Afro-Cuban beats when she worked for Old Town School of Folk Music.

Raised deeply rooted in culture, Carrera was heavily influenced by diversity and the multi-cultural city life while she lived in Chicago. The city proved to be a source of inspiration, one that she plans to integrate into the cultural programs for OMA.

Amongst her many ambitions to create engaging programs, Carrera hopes to introduce a program called the Multi-Cultural Arts Initiative that would combine spoken word, folk music, visual arts and film to enrich and promote cultural awareness through SDSU students’ vision.

“I feel that culture and identity go along, without culture, you don’t define your identity,” said Carrera.

The idea for the arts initiative came to Carrera after working as the programmer for the First Wave Multi-Cultural Arts Initiative Project for the University of Wisconsin-Madison. An effort like this would create an all-inclusive community based cultural artistic outlet where students could share diversity instead of segregating cultures, an aspect of the city life Carrera witnessed while living in Chicago.

Carrera also plans to establish a speaker series, as well as La Peña music series that would feature mainly Latino folk music and modern music. Her immediate agenda is focused on creating cultural events, and providing advisement to students involved in the Peer Mentoring Program, international students, Black Student Alliance and members of the Latin American Student Association.

The Latin American Student Association is making an appearance for the first time at SDSU. Previously known as Chicanos in Action, the club officially changed its name to LASA.

In collaboration with adviser Carrera, members of the group agreed on the name change due to the growing Latino population on campus. The word “Chicano” catered strictly to the Mexican community and limited other Latinos from forming part of the club.

“The intent is to create a sense of community and appeal to Pan-Americans and all others interested who wish to participate in planning, learning and developing a better understanding of the Hispanic/Latino culture,” said vice-president of the former CIA, Christopher Morales.

“It’s important to not only maintain our identity but also to share our culture with others,” added CIA secretary Bianca Rodriguez.

The club’s first meeting and officer elections took place on Sept. 15, and it plans to meet monthly. The agenda for the fall semester includes planning prospective speakers, musicians/performers, dance workshops, and promoting OMA’s sponsored events, such as the one that is set to take place on Thursday, Sept. 17.

Maria Reyes, part of the Freedom Writers movement, will be speaking in the Campanile Room 169A/B at 7 p.m. in The Union about how she became a Freedom Writer and the importance for instructors to give students a second chance.

All students are welcome to attend the event, as well as LASA’s future meetings. For more information, contact Carrera at Nashma.Carrera@sdstate.edu.

Guest Speaker: Maria Reyes

7 p.m., The Union Campanile Room 169A/B

Reyes is part of the Freedom Writers movement, about which a movie of the same name, partially based on her experiences, was released in early 2007. She travels to schools around the United States as an inspirational speaker.

#1.881518:3064763773.jpg:IMG_2989.1.jpg:Multi Cultural Affairs adviser Nashma Carrera councils a Columbian student looking at coming to SDSU for graduate school.:Marleen Rodriguez

While many students may stay up late studying for finals week, one event at SDSU will ask students to pull an entirely homework-free all-nighter to benefit the cancer community.

For the fourth consecutive year, SDSU’s Colleges Against Cancer is sponsoring the event Relay For Life in hopes of raising $30,000 by April 24. All proceeds entirely benefit the American Cancer Association, which provides funding for cancer research.

“We go out there for the night and really try to represent those that couldn’t make it,” said Tanner Johnson, a faithful Relay contributor who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma at the early age of 6.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Relay for Life. The event is set to start on April 24 at 5 p.m. at the Campanile Green, which is located directly behind the South Dakota Art Museum. It will end at 5 a.m. on April 25.

Family, friends, students, survivors and everyone else is encouraged to bring their chairs, sleeping bags, tents and radios and partake in a night packed with activities, including: music, food, games, laps around the track, remembering loved ones and celebrating those who have battled and survived cancer.

This year’s ’80s theme centers around the motto “Beat It! Get Physical with Cancer!” Participants will get the opportunity to dress up and to perform in talent shows and an open mic time. Males have a shot at taking home the coveted title of Mr. Relay.

Currently, 44 teams, including 369 participants, have helped raise over $20,000. Organizers said they hope Friday’s goal of $30,000 will be reached with the participation and help of all others wishing to contribute to a cause which has affected many.

The American Cancer Association reported that one in three people will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime. In 2008 alone, 1,437,180 people were diagnosed and 565,650 died from the disease in the U.S.

“The challenge that Relay for Life poses is getting people educated on what Relay is, what cancer is, how the American Cancer society can help,” said Carrie Delvaux, chair of Relay for Life and president of Colleges Against Cancer. “People hear the word cancer, but do they really know what it means?”

Delvaux has been a key player in helping organize the event and overseeing the preparation in her third year. Her involvement began when SDSU alumna Molly Fendrich decided to form the university’s chapter of Colleges Against Cancer. The group has been an outlet for support to survivors, victims and anyone who can relate.

“Survivors often think they’re alone, and Relay is a way to come together and fight,” said Delvaux.

Although Delvaux has never been diagnosed with cancer, she has lost family members to the disease.

“[My involvement] was a personal thing,” said the agricultural journalism major. “In my family, people have had [cancer], and they have died. I feel this is something everyone can relate to.”

Delvaux and other participants will commemorate lost loved ones and even survivors during what Delvaux considers to be one of the most emotional activities of Relay for Life. During the Luminaria Ceremony, everyone is given a white paper bag in which a candle is lit. The name of the cancer victim with a picture decorates the outer front side. The lighted bags are aligned to form a track, and a song is sung in memory of those that have perished.

There is no deadline to register for the event, and registration costs $10 per person. Anyone interested can visit the Facebook group Colleges Against Cancer at South Dakota State University or the Web site http://events.cancer.org/rflsdsu.

“Even if people haven’t been affected, they need to realize how many lives the disease claims,” Johnson said. “If we can find a cure, we can bring an end to cancer. Every dollar makes a difference. Get out there, donate and participate, whether it rains or snows.”

Throughout the years, SDSU professor Christine Larson has urged the next generation of math teachers to find new and exciting approaches to education.

“I tell my students they’re going to have to figure out how to make a difference in their students’ lives and show them how much fun math really is,” she said. “That attitude really does help.”

Larson, professor of mathematics and statistics, has been teaching courses at SDSU since 1992. This year, the Council of Teachers in Math held a conference in Huron on Feb. 6 where Larson was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award for her active involvement and contributions to math education at SDSU.

Larson currently teaches Calculus I and II and occasionally Calculus III, as well as the Capstone course which she personally designed for math majors going into early childhood education. The focus of the course is to prepare students to teach in classrooms where laptops, smart boards and other new technology are being applied.

“It is a spring course that has never been taught in math education at SDSU. My idea for teaching it is to see what kinds of things need to be done,” said Larson.

Throughout her years of teaching, Larson has placed an emphasis on math education mainly due to her student teaching experience. Larson tries to teach future math teachers to deliver course material in dynamic and interactive manners.

“Chris is very involved in teacher education, and it shows in the way she transfers her enthusiasm and information to students,” said Dan Kemp, professor of mathematics. “I enjoy having her as a colleague.”

Having finished her undergraduate studies at Augustana College, Larson went on to receive her master’s in mathematics and doctorate for math education from Montana State University. As part of her assistantship as a graduate student, Larson was given a classroom where she discovered her talent for teaching. She then completed a series of internships, each lasting from a year to three years, in which she taught mathematics at different academic levels, ranging from third grade to fifth grade, middle school and even high school.

The internships proved to be a learning experience even for Larson, who described the younger children as being generally more excited about everything, even learning math. The high school level presented different challenges during which Larson found it rewarding to push students at a more advanced stage to excel, but more importantly she discovered that what happened in grade school affected what happened in high school.

“It’s always interesting because people will tell me they were never good at math or even liked it. I’ll ask why and invariably it comes back to a bad experience they had in their early childhood,” said Larson. “I think that’s so sad because math is very fun and exciting.”

Another unique aspect in her curriculum is the introduction of female mathematicians to prove that math is not just a field for men. Mathematicians include Sophie Germain, Emmy Noether and Sonia Kovalevsky, whom she even named one of her dogs after.

“We talk about the fact that although female mathematicians are not in the history books, they’re there, and girls, especially in middle school and high school, need to know that math is also for girls,” she said.

Though Larson encourages more women to become involved with math, her passion for education translates to both genders.

“I enjoy her teaching style, she makes herself personally involved and has conversations with students making her more approachable,” said Tom Strubel, one of Larson’s sutdents and civil engineer major.

Larson’s involvement and service has not been limited to academics. The community has benefited from her contributions just as well. Larson is the current president of the Brookings chapter of the American Association of University Women, which promotes equity for all females, positive societal change and lifelong education. During the fall, the Foundation hosts a book sale to raise money in order to grant a scholarship to an incoming SDSU female student.

She also volunteers once a week to teach a weekly math lesson in her children’s classroom, which happens to be first and fourth grade this year. The knowledge she has gained through her experience in her volunteer work is used to help Larson’s students better prepare for a teaching setting.

“I can actually say I know certain methods work, because I use them to teach,” she said.

During the summer, Larson maintains a busy schedule by giving workshops for the three-year grant South Dakota Counts, which was created to increase the amount of Kindergarten to fifth grade math teachers as well as improving the math academic achievement of students.

Adding to the list of service-oriented involvement on her resume, Larson is a faculty adviser for SDSU’s Council of Teachers of Math, as well as the scorekeeper for SDSU’s women’s basketball games. Having initially been an English major, she is also a member of a monthly book club.

Larson dreams of one day doing research and some sort of publishing, but at the moment, she is determined to continue with the Capstone course and finding ways to improve the Math Department at SDSU.

“I like being a role model for students.”

At 19 years of age, Kelsey Heer is cancerfree and enjoying every minute of life, but she can still vividly recall her painful journey from the initial moment she was diagnosed with cancer.

“I was surprised; I didn’t know how to react,” said Heer, a freshman human development major. “I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, but I didn’t want anyone to know.”

Heer, who fought Stage IV Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, a common soft tissue childhood cancer found in her pelvis, will share her story during the second annual Cure Kids Cancer Radiothon. Sanford Children’s Hospital in Sioux Falls is hosting the program to raise funds for children battling the disease.

The hospital has joined forces with Results Radio for the event, which is set to take place March 25 to 27. Stations joining the cause include MIX 97.3, KIKN Country 100.5 and B102.7 and will feature the journeys of local survivors from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

Heer received her shocking diagnosis during November of 2006 when she was a 16-year-old junior attending Dolan High School in Dolan, S.D. Aside from maintaining an impressive academic record, Heer was a tri-athlete involved in softball, basketball and volleyball.

Immediately following the diagnosis, Heer began 18 weeks of chemotherapy and roughly five weeks of radiation.

“It was a seven-hour drive to the clinic. It was hard to keep up with schoolwork since I had missed so much,” said Heer, who underwent treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Treatment quickly took a toll on Heer’s once athletic body, plummeting her weight to a frail 98 pounds.

“If anyone touched me, I bruised. I was incredibly pissed off I had lost all my muscle because I was particular about being in shape,” said Heer.

Driven by athletic achievements, Heer found herself struggling to learn how to walk again.

“Once, I tripped 10 times a day. Someone had to go with me everywhere to pick me up in case I fell,” Heer said. “One day I fell in the hospital, and I sat on the floor and cried for 10 minutes. I just wanted to be done.”

Despite her physical vulnerability, Heer did not succumb to her advanced cancer and instead found an immense support network in those who surrounded her.

“During my stay at the hospital, I was never alone once. I don’t know what I would’ve done without someone in the hospital every night.”

In addition to her family’s loving support and regular visits, Heer received gifts and donations from friends and strangers who had learned of her disease. Another factor during recovery was the emotional and moral support Camp Bring It On – a Canadian-based camp for cancer patients that provides children with an environment of normalcy – provided.

After surviving painful months of therapy, hair loss and being confined to a wheelchair, Heer was officially declared cancer-free on January 14, 2008, one day before her 18th birthday. During the summer of 2008, the Make-A-Wish Foundation granted Heer’s wish of taking a Caribbean cruise, an experience that she recalls as the most amazing time of her life.

Heer’s journey has renewed her sense of purpose in life. As a human development major at SDSU, she actively volunteers for the Children’s Miracle Network and intends to return to Camp Bring It On this summer as a morale leader. This February, she participated in the State-A-Thon, which donates all proceeds to the new Sanford Children’s Hospital in Sioux Falls.

Although the disease is in remission, Heer’s check-ups are still a pivotal part of recovering from cancer. She now takes life more seriously and looks up to the younger children who have also had to endure the painful process.

“It makes you wonder if they understand how serious it is and how strong they have to be,” Heer said.

As a sign of empowerment, she recently got a tattoo with the saying, “What doesn’t destroy me only makes me stronger.”

Heer will be actively participating during this weekend’s Radiothon, answering questions about coping, retelling her experience and even DJing. Last year’s Radiothon, in which Heer also participated, raised $150,000. All proceeds will entirely benefit Sanford Children’s pediatric cancer patients. Camp Bring It On will also benefit from the event.

#1.881767:3007220895.jpg:Cancer.CMYK.MR.jpg::Marleen Rodriguez

Every day students hear coverage of poverty stricken countries and global climate change concerns, but do they really know the implications of these issues? Reading groups, discussions and movies nights sponsored by the SDSU Global Studies Club could help inform members and the student body of these global topics.

The idea to start a club was proposed by Nels H. Granholm, professor of Global Studies, to students interested in doing something with value. The club, which initially formed last year and was formally recognized by the Students’ Association on Feb. 9, is a proactive service-oriented group with a focus in raising global awareness and advocating for global justice and equity in regards to social and environmental causes.

“If people knew what was really going on [in the world], if they had a sense of injustice, they would know what to do,” he said.

Granholm’s broad interest in the world and belief that people need to become authentic global citizens has become the basis for his courses and part of the foundation of the Global Studies Club.

“Global Studies is multidisciplinary based”, said Granholm. “It fits in so well with so many other majors.”

Despite its recently established status, a range of potential activities already fills the club’s agenda. The president of the club, Suzanne Roth, a triple major in global studies, biology and microbiology, has been working hard on creating an interactive environment for students who are very passionate about global issues and want to get together after classes. Included in the scope of possibilities is the plan to join a United Nations organization, along with forming on-campus reading groups that would discuss books with relevance to global matters.

“We want to foster open forum discussions to promote awareness on a variety of topics,” said Roth, a native from Sioux Falls who graduates this May. Topics range from national poverty to environmental concerns, such as global warming.

Among some of the goals, the club sees the importance of helping students find employment in the global studies field.

“Dr. Granholm recognized the need to bring students together to give them ideas for future careers,” said Roth.

“I can greatly benefit from this club. The Global Studies program has made me realize how interconnected the world is and the impact that our personal involvement in global causes can have,” said Bianca Rodriguez, 23, a junor global studies major. “In the same sense, it would be beneficial for me to join, not only so that I can contribute, but I’m sure it would open my eyes to the wide-ranging career possibilities.”

Additional club goals include supporting SDSU organizations, as well as other regional organizations that are conducting global citizenship-related activities, sponsoring informational speakers, working with the International Affairs Office, organizing movie nights, sponsoring a trip abroad, hosting workshops on global citizenry and working to secure funding for scholarships for Global Studies students.

The club is composed of approximately 45 members. Meetings are still tentative, but more information will soon be advertised on flyers across campus. Otherwise, SDSU students can get additional information by checking out the Global Studies Club’s Facebook group or by meeting with club members during the Festival of Cultures on April 3 at the Global Studies Club booth. Club representatives include Suzanne Roth, president, Trifon Theodosopoulos, secretary, Shay Sorlie, treasurer and Karl Schmidt, co-adviser.

Students from the Honors College found themselves reflecting on more than just homework this semester.

The First Lady’s Literary Circle allowed honors students to join a group that would provide them with a sense of community and at the same time, the prospect of contemplating questions such as the meaning of life through literature. The dean of the Honors College, Timothy Nichols, formed the circle with the intent of giving students a social group in which they could collectively discuss and reflect on thought-provoking material.

Questions posed to the group included: “Where do we find meaning of life? How can we make that meaning form part of our experiences?” said Nichols.

Nichols has been a faculty member at SDSU for 14 years, but it was not until last August that he became the dean of the Honors College. He seized the opportunity to create a unique experience he never had during his college years.

“We don’t get a chance to think about big important questions, and Honors College was a place for that,” he said.

The First Lady’s Literary Circle discussed the book Man’s Search for Meaning, written by the psychiatrist and neurologist Viktor E. Frankl, a survivor of the Holocaust. In addition to the book, students watched the 1967 comedy-drama The Graduate, which tells the story of a university graduate who has not defined his purpose in life.

“The common theme between book and movie is that they both deal with looking for and finding meaning, said Nichols.

“I encourage students to connect with others on big important questions and small silly other ones as well,” Nichols said. “The search for meaning is a lifelong process, students shouldn’t feel like they have to have it all figured out.”

He further said that students should enjoy and explore the journey.

Members of the circle also participated in an interactive project that required them to ask either someone they respected or an elder their personal opinion on the meaning of life.

“Answers varied, but there was a main focus on religion and on helping others,” said the circle’s student leader Allison Crisler, a senior English major from Arlington.

The circle may have only met three times during its course, but each encounter left members with much to think about.

“You know you’re going to die, but the idea that you’re not going to be alive some day is something members really thought about,” said Crisler.

“The meaning of life is being involved in all levels of life, not just nationally but globally,” said another member of the circle Patrick Weber.

For Weber, being involved can be doing well in every aspect of life and using it to help others.

The final discussion was held on March 1 at Woodbine Cottage. First Lady Marcia Chicoine baked brownies, and Aramark catered hors d’oeuvres. Nichols said the last discussion was exciting since every single member contributed to the discussion.

“If I hadn’t joined the circle, I would have thought about these ideas but probably after college. I don’t think I would’ve participated in a discussion like this if I hadn’t joined the circle,” said Weber, a senior math major from Montrose, S.D.

With 25 members, the circle’s first run was a success, said Crisler. It was named after Marcia Chicoine, SDSU’s first lady, who not only was thrilled about the idea of the circle but also served as the sponsor.

“It was a way for her support to be acknowledged, and the name lent prestige,” said Nichols.

The meetings were also made possible thanks to the contributions of Charles Woodard from the English Department, who served as the faculty facilitator, as well as the student facilitator, Crisler.

The First Lady’s Literary Circle will not meet during the fall semester due to the academic demands most students must comply with, especially freshmen. Instead the circle will be available for students to join during the spring semester of 2010. Nichols said spring semester is ideal because snowy weather conditions usually force students to stay in, and reading is a great activity to engage in during that time.

Interested students can find discussions from this semester’s meetings on the circle’s Facebook group. To join, students must be in the Honors College, which requires a score of 26 on the ACT and a standing within the top 10 percent of their graduating class for immediate admittance. Honors College students must graduate with a 3.5 GPA and take honors classes as part of their curriculum.

“My advice for future students is to keep an open mind and be willing to question ideas about the world,” said Weber.

#1.881814:455051525.jpg:IMG_8555.1.jpg:(L to R) Lyntausha Kuefil, Meredith Saher, Elizabeth Bosworth, Charles Woodard, Mark York, Timothy Nichols, Emily Tschetter, Daniel Breit, Jessica Graham and Ericsson Shin gathered for a recent meeting of the First Lady’s Literary Circle. They were discussing Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E.Frankl.:Ethan Swanson