Cavalier College Courier

Western College Newspaper

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Dark Arts

This short film is a dark comedy/ supernatural thriller project for video production - studio. All the footage was filmed in La Crosse, Wisconsin. I want to ...

Film project by Bao Xiong

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Western’s Honor Society- Where Actions Meet Academics

By G.R. Kirscher

            Naomi Miicke seemed oblivious to the biting north wind that sent temperatures plunging into the upper ‘30s on what was supposed to have been a pleasant April afternoon. Neither did she mind the pelting, icy rain that blew in as she tied up pole bean stringers for the Hunger Task force at the Kane Street Community gardens. She simply enjoys the outdoors.

While the gardens might seem like a strange place for an honor student to hang out, Phi Theta Kappa makes sure that society life isn’t just all about brain work.  Members periodically shelve the books, don their work clothes and head out into the community.

As Vice President, Miicke helps co-ordinate volunteer service projects.  “April is volunteer month,” said Miicke. “We’re helping the Hunger Task Force work on their gardens.” So Miicke and four other volunteers from the honor society cultivated relationships as well as gardens while they helped feed La Crosse’s needy.

With a lime green hat pulled down to her eyebrows, Miicke talked about Phi Theta Kappa’s contributions to her development as a student as well as her future plans. “Volunteering with the Hunger Task Force has really confirmed my career choices,” she said, flashing one of her signature smiles. “I love being outside, everything from mushroom hunting to just being in the woods.”

 A native of Seattle, Miicke arrived in Wisconsin via Medford where she cared for her terminally ill grandmother. As a grandmother herself, she had come to value relationships, so when time came to move again, Miicke headed to La Crosse where she had friends.

While enrolled at Western, Miicke soon found another place to cultivate relationships. She was invited to join Phi Theta Kappa, Western’s honor society. Appointees are expected to enter with a 3.5 grade average and maintain at least a 3.0 throughout the duration of their membership.

“Phi Theta Kappa helps you mature as well as network,” explained Miicke, “especially through projects and regional conferences where we work on leadership skills.” These opportunities forced Miicke to spend some time in self-discovery. “You really find out things about yourself,” she added.

Miicke recalls a regional conference where a personality activity helped her understand group dynamics.  “Everyone in my group was yellow and I was a green which meant I was the class clown,” she said. “I realized that I wasn’t unique, just different.”

For Miicke, this discovery shed new light on how groups operate. She understood her peers better, and visa-versa. “They realized we’re not just being a jerk,” she said with a smile.

“Part of the reason I joined Phi Theta Kappa is that I’m independent and this gave me a chance to work in groups. It changed my way of thinking.”

  Honor society campus projects also offer members a chance to experience new challenges, as well as give back to the college. Last year’s project found the group working in conjunction with President Lee Rasch to design a survey that would determine if student mentors would benefit academics.

“We need to do more research,” Miicke said, but the data seems to be leading toward program specific meetings with faculty.”

Now armed with her experiences from Phi Theta Kappa and three and a half years of “Gen-Eds,” Miicke is again packing her bags. This time her destination is the University of Wisconsin at Madison where she hopes to study botany; a field of study that will most likely keep her just where she wants to be - outside.

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Phi Theta Kappa helps the Hunger Task Force at the Community Gardens

By Bao Xiong and Dylan Overhouse

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Dylan Overhouse panting with light.

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Phi Theta Kappa helps Huger Task Force

By G.R. Kirscher

           Western’s honor society isn’t just books and brains. When Vice President Naomi Miicke saw a flyer on Western’s Campus soliciting volunteers to work the Hunger Task Force gardens, she recognized a potential service project for Phi Theta Kappa, as well as a way to give back to the community.

Using the information from the flyer, she made flyers of her own and distributed them to the membership. Within a few days, Kim Butterfield, Rozanna Weaver and several others had signed on to help.

The Hunger Task Force gardens, located at Kane Community Park provide organically grown vegetables for people who are willing to put in a little time and work or for needy La Crosse residents. “You don’t have to be down and out,” said Miicke, “just come and volunteer some time and get food from the harvest, that’s what this garden is about.”

Miicke and the students from Phi Theta Kappa had strung about two hundred fifty feet of “ladders” for pole beans when an early spring storm cut short their efforts. But for Miicke, the experience is as much cultural as it is physical.

“Hmong women usually come and work with their children,” said Miicke. From their interaction, Miicke has learned native Hmong farming techniques and different ways of using vegetables, such as making Kim Chi, a spicy sauerkraut, and pickled garlic using the scapes. “They use everything,” she said. The Phi Theta Kappa team also hauled mulch to round out their day.

The Kane Street Gardens began in 1998 and produced about five hundred pounds of vegetables.  Since then, the gardens have expanded to almost two city blocks and yield nearly thirty thousand pounds of produce.

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Saying Goodbye to Cindy

By Jonny Tippetts

Cindy Munson is retiring. After 26 years at Western, she will be done. I, as well as many of you, will be sad to see her go. I had the privilege of taking two of her classes: economics and sociology. Her approach to teaching is different than anything I was used to and I know I will never experience anything like that again. Her style is a mixture of real life experience, genuine sarcasm, subtle sass, and humor. And it’s a winning mixture.

One student said, “I learned more in the first week than I do in most classes in a whole semester.”

After taking two of her classes, I can testify that this is true. Not only that, but she makes classes bearable. Not sure how someone can make economics interesting, but somehow she did it.

“Cindy did a terrific job of making something as potentially dull as economics easy and understandable,” another student said.

I interviewed Cindy and asked her a few questions about the things she liked at Western, the things she’ll miss, and her greatest moments here. All her answers revolved around students. What she liked most at Western? Her students. What she’s going to miss the most? Her students. Her greatest moments at Western? “Seeing students make it.” All teachers are special people, but Cindy takes it to another level.

“I transferred to UW-L and have taken several economics courses there, but Cindy takes the cake,” A past student said about Cindy.

Cindy really does care about her students. That is something Western excels at. Many of Western’s teachers are wonderful, but Cindy is a blessing.

I asked her if she had any advice to students before she leaves. She said “Be persistent.”

At the end of the interview I asked if there were any last words she would like to share. She paused and thought for a moment.

“Only that I loved you all.” She responded, “but that’s too cheesy for writing.” I’m writing it anyway because honesty isn’t cheesy.

I would like to personally thank Cindy on behalf of the student body. Cindy’s impact at Western is immeasurable and if you get a spare minute, which you will, thank her. Her office number is C225. Go thank her right now.

Cindy, we wish you the best. Enjoy your last week of school, enjoy retirement, enjoy your grandchild, and enjoy life. We will all miss you, and we all love you. Thank you, Cindy.