Harmony Wheeler: Professional Writer

BWW Reviews: RACE Challenges Audiences Now Through Nov 13

2011-10-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

In every case there are two fictions, two sides, each trying to tell the better story, each trying to triumph. Law isn't about justice. It's about winning. The truth is elusive. As personal prejudices come into play, the truth sneaks further and further into the background, especially in cases involving race and sex. Pulitzer Prize winner, David Mamet's play RACE explores the various prejudices and positions in racial arguments. Refreshingly, Mamet does not take sides. Instead, he focuses on getting the audience to think and to speak for themselves.

RACE, playing at the American Conservatory Theatre through November 13, follows two lawyers, their assistant, and their client: Charles Strickland (played by Kevin O'Rourke), a rich white man charged with raping a black woman. The black Henry Brown (played by Chris Butler) and white Jack Lawson (played by Anthony Fusco) take on the case and begin to build an argument for Strickland's innocence, while Susan, their assistant (played by Susan Heyward), believes Strickland guilty from the start. As the supposed facts unfold, characters are forced to consider their own prejudices and to confront each other about them.

Rather than attempt to be politically correct, Mamet challenges the euphemisms of race and the lack of discussion on race in the modern world. He writes in a way that does not automatically brand the white man as racist, but that also does not claim complete innocence. The characters of RACE suggest that all people are guilty and that prejudice is unavoidable, even if people try to hush discussion with claims of living in a post-racism world. The white person fears offending the black person while the black person often hates white people and may assume automatic guilt in a case like that of Charles Strickland. Both people need to put aside automatic judgments and start talking.

Mamet writes, "Race, like sex, is a subject on which it is near impossible to tell the truth. In each, desire, self-interest, and self-image make the truth inconvenient to share not only with strangers, but with members of one's own group, and, indeed, with oneself."

Mamet ends his play rather abruptly and leaves the audience unsure of the concluding "truth." While somewhat irritating, this sudden ending leaves the audience to make decisions on their own, the author's intention in the first place.The law drama becomes less about solving or winning a case and more about revealing the evidence of the heart.

The audience must ask, Was it wrong for Jack to investigate Susan more than he might investigate other potential employees purely because she was black? After all, he knew that if he ever had to fire her, she could allege discrimination. And does she have other motives for questioning him? It would appear her own prejudices have influenced her words. When someone acts in a way that changes everything for the case, is that person's actions justified? The person seems to believe that the end justifies the means, but what if that person were wrong? Was prejudice ignorant of the facts? And despite the play's ending, was the client guilty?

Each character has a different prejudice, a different point of view on the case, and a different point of view on the other characters of the play. Who's right? What is right and what is wrong? It appears everyone is guilty in the case of prejudice, and only the audience can decide where the truth lies.

Director Irene Lewis, who has a history with plays written about and for African Americans, has done a wonderful job both utilizing the stage, set in the same law office for the entire play, and helping the actors delve deep into their characters. The four person cast does a superb job with the witty dialogue, much of which has been called "language pyrotechnics" (consider yourself warned - the language in the show is unnecessarily excessive and never ceases in vulgarity).

Chris Butler and Anthony Fusco stand out as lawyers Henry Brown and Jack Lawson, each of which has a strong personality that leads to hilarious remarks throughout the show. The cast plays off each other well, and the dialogue flows organically as each character passes the ball of prejudice and racism. As revelation builds on top of revelation, leading up to an unexpected ending, the actors and the script work together to make the audience think. Indeed, there is not a single moment in RACE that will not have the audience thinking, and the play is certain to leave a lasting impression on all who see it.

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RACE by David Mamet
Directed by Irene Lewis
Now through November 13, 2011
Tickets $10-$85
American Conservatory Theatre - San Francisco, California
415-749-2228
http://www.act-sf.org
Photo: Law firm associate Susan (Susan Heyward) and law firm partners Jack Lawson (A.C.T. core acting company member Anthony Fusco, left) and Henry Brown (Chris Butler, second from right) prep their wealthy client Charles Strickland (Kevin O'Rourke) for questioning. Photo by Kevin Berne.

Published at: http://sanfrancisco.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Reviews-RACE-Challenges-Audiences-Now-Through-Nov-13-20111027#ixzz1c8YubQI6

Was Shakespeare a Fraud?

2011-10-28T20:13:00.000-07:00

Shakespeare did not write a single word of the plays attributed to him. Instead, an anonymous man with political motives orchestrated every word through Shakespeare’s name. So says director Roland Emmerich, screenwriter John Orloff, and an entire cast of characters in the upcoming film, Anonymous, which comes to theaters nationwide October 28, 2011.

With such a controversial topic, it’s hard to tell how audiences will take the film, especially more informed audiences that like to call themselves either “Anti-Stratfordians” or “Stratfordians.” While Stratfordians hold to Shakespeare’s absolute authorship of the renowned works of art, “Anti-Stratfordians” believe there is reasonable doubt that Shakespeare is the real author of the works. Literary greats, teachers, writers, world-renowned actors, directors and scholars such as Sigmund Freud, Orson Welles, Charlie Chaplin, Mark Twain, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman, Sir Derek Jacobi, and Sir John Gielgud all have held to the Anti-Stratfordian position. While some believe in group theories (i.e. that a collective group of writers is responsible for the works), others favor singular writers such as Edward De Vere — the Earl of Oxford, Francis Bacon, or Christopher Marlowe.

Anonymous chooses to focus on the possibility that the Earl of Oxford penned the works so well known today. Was it a pure coincidence that Oxford’s annotated copy of the Geneva Bible marks passages that were used by Shakespeare or that Oxford’s nickname was “spear shaker?”

Orloff said he has been fascinated by the Shakespeare authorship question since first learning about the controversy as a 25-year-old graduate student 20 years ago.

“My first thought was, ‘Why had no one told me this?!’” Orloff said. “My second thought was that this would make a fantastic film. It had everything — murder, sex, lies, betrayal — truly the stuff of Shakespearean drama.”

“Roland has such a feel for the exciting topics that get people out of their chairs,” producer Kirstin Winkler said.

According to Winkler, the film is less about being accurate and more about telling a story that opens the Shakespeare authorship question to further research and discussion.

“I certainly don’t think that the film is trying to dictate his story as the truth,” she said. “It’s just one take on the authorship question, telling one tale.”

Little is known about Shakespeare. Many find it impossible to believe that the son of an illiterate tradesman was the author of such literary masterpieces as “The Merchant of Venice,” “King Lear,” and “Henry V.” His education from a village school could never have provided Shakespeare with a vocabulary extensive enough to write the most talked about literature in the world and there is no proof that he traveled to foreign lands let alone learned to speak their native tongues. The only written documentation historians can ascribe to Shakespeare is several signatures on official documents. Shakespeare’s death in 1616 was met with silence, unlike other celebrated writers of his time, and his will mentions no books or manuscripts of any kind.

“I’m surprised that this topic hasn’t been tackled before,” said Rhys Ifans, who plays the Early of Oxford. “The body of evidence is very, very convincing, and the thought that we might be possibly teaching our students a lie is, in my opinion, shocking. It’s a claim against our intellects and our history and our understanding of the greatest writer of all times. If you re-read or approach these plays with an Oxfordian eye, it opens up new ways of looking at these works that we haven’t even touched on.”

Winker said she expects the film will be controversial.

“There is quite a radical group of Stratfordians out there who feel very strongly about preserving the image of Shakespeare as the writer of the plays and sonnets,” she said.

But controversy aside, actor David Thewlis (who plays William Cecil) said that the film works well simply as a story. “No matter what you believe, it’s a great story,” he said. “Roland is very passionate about authorship question and he wants to put it to a wider audience. He is a very mischievous man, but I think he’s been rather daring to do this story — he likes to push people’s buttons.”

Rated PG-13 for some violence and sexual content, Anonymous will be released in theaters nationwide on October 28, 2011. The cast is headed by Rhys Ifans as Edward De Vere, the Earl of Oxford, and includes Vanessa Redgrave, Joely Richardson, David Thewlis, Xavier Samuel, Sebastian Armesto, Rafe Spall, Edward Hogg, Jamie Campbell Bower, and Derek Jacobi.

Published at http://staticmultimedia.com/movies/features-interviews-movies/was-shakespeare-a-fraud.

BWW Reviews: MASTER CLASS Has Presence Now Through Nov 6

2011-10-28T20:06:00.001-07:00

"Master Class" is all about presence, and Hillbarn Theatre definitely has presence. A small theatre with big ambitions, the company has successfully helmed a play that requires presence - a lot of presence - especially from its actors.

These actors either sing some of the more difficult songs of opera or memorize over an hour's worth of lines without many breaks, the latter being one actress in particular who portrays "La Divina," one of the most famous opera singers who ever lived, the Divina who lived a life as tragic as those of the characters she played: Maria Callas. Callas has so much presence that "Master Class" could very well be considered a one-person show if it weren't for the shining co-stars playing the smaller roles.

With a small stage and minimal sets, "Master Class" demands the attention of its audience as they watch Maria Callas giving master class lessons to three young singers, simultaneously living both the triumphs and the tragedies of her past: love, loss, abortion, criticisms, and the stage. Callas, herself, never sings in the play, but her students do, and they do a lovely job at it, too.

Monica Cappuccini commands the stage as Maria Callas, coming into her own during the second act. While she lacks the more aggressive, intimidating presence found in other portrayals of Callas and is sometimes hard to follow during her first act monologue, Cappuccini has Callas' accent down to a "T," and her mannerisms are spot-on. She especially excels during the softer, more emotional parts of the play, as Callas shows her students how to act as if they are the characters they're singing, how to have presence. Cappuccini's facial expressions are exceptionally moving during her second act monologue in which she recounts Callas' love that led her to get an abortion.

Cappuccini's costars have an equally strong presence on stage. SusAnna Jimenez as the young Sophie DePalma and Jenny Matteucci as the dramatic soprano Sharon Graham (the character is double cast with Marcelle Dronkers playing at certain performances) have beautiful voices for their young age. And audiences may get some extra enjoyment from the fact that Matteucci plays next to her husband, Daniel Lockert, whose fingers easily glide over the piano keys, providing beautiful accompaniment for the few times the students sing.

Gabriel Cohen, who plays the third student, a tenor, does not show as much progress as a student as perhaps he should (especially considering how much praise Callas gives his character at the end of his lesson), but he has a pleasant voice. That's more than what can be said for the one note Cappuccini lets out, which would have been better left out. But it's not a singing role, even if the character is a singer, and Cappuccini succeeds in what she's meant to do - so much so that she earned a standing ovation.

For a community theatre, Hillbarn Theatre certainly deserves a standing ovation. It's a "master" at what it does, and it has a lot of "class." As Maria Callas might say, it knows how to exude presence.

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Master Class, by Terrence McNally
Now through November 6, 2011
Hillbarn Theatre - Foster City, California
http://www.hillbarntheatre.org
650-349-6411
Photos Courtesy of Hillbarn Theatre

BWW Interviews: Monica Cappuccini as Maria Callas in MASTER CLASS Now Through Nov 6

2011-10-28T20:04:00.001-07:00

Monica Cappuccini returned to the stage three and a half years ago after seventeen years away from acting. Now, she's mounting what she calls a dream role, the role of Maria Callas in Terrence McNally's play Master Class, playing now through November 6 at Hillbarn Theatre.

Master Class recently had a Broadway Revival starring Tyne Daly in New York. The production received high praises from critics. Cappuccini attributes the success of the show to Callas' very human, very relatable life and to the playwright's brilliant wording — wording which required her to memorize two hours worth of lines. Cappuccini spent two months memorizing the lines and researching the life of the real Maria Callas. She says the role and audiences' reactions are very gratifying for her as an actor, and she hopes audiences will continue to support the show and Hillbarn Theatre.

Read the interview here: http://sanfrancisco.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Interviews-Monica-Cappuccini-as-Maria-Callas-in-MASTER-CLASS-Now-Through-Nov-6-20111026#ixzz1c8VkWtGn

BWW Interviews: Playwright and Actor Trevor Allen Talks About His One Man Show, 'Working for the Mouse'

2011-10-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

Everyone dreams of being a prince or princess, or some Disney character. Trevor Allen lived that dream for four years as a college student playing various Disney characters at Disneyland, but he experienced a very different Disney than the one people see at the movies or in Fantasy Land. Now, years later, he gives theatre goers a behind the scenes look at Disneyland and the people who play its characters in his play "Working for the Mouse," which returns to EXIT Theatre in San Francisco this fall.

Trevor says he plays about a dozen different characters in the one-man show. It takes a lot of energy, but he gets an adrenaline rush from his audience and the stage lights. Trevor sat down with Broadway World to talk about the play, his Disney favorites, the Disney rules, his experience as a Disney character, and his book-in-progress based on the play.

Read the interview here: http://sanfrancisco.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Interviews-Playwright-and-Actor-Trevor-Allen-Talks-About-His-One-Man-Show-Working-for-the-Mouse-20111027#ixzz1c8UmqpW5

BWW Interviews: Craig Ashurst, Principal Dancer, RIVERDANCE

2011-10-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

Broadway World speaks with Craig Ashurst about life on the road and why Riverdance has such a strong following.

Ashurst started his competitive dancing career at age 5 in his home town of Melbourne, Australia. By the age of 17, Ashurst had won 9 state and 10 national titles. After moving to England, he went on to win such major titles as the British Nationals, Great Britain's, North American Nationals, and All Ireland Championships. After achieving 2nd at the worlds 3 times with the Doherty Academy, England, Ashurst looked for a professional career, performing in Busch Gardens theme parks and Dance of Desire and Celtic Reign before touring Asia, North America, and Europe with Riverdance. Ashurst is delighted to now perform the lead role with Riverdance.

The Riverdance tour will be in California through December 4 and includes a stop at the Pantages theatre in Los Angeles, where Riverdance opened exactly 15 years to the day before its November 15 engagement. Other tour cities include Fresno, Modesto and Sacramento. See the complete list below.

Read the interview here: http://sacramento.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Interviews-Craig-Ashurst-Principal-Dancer-RIVERDANCE-20111026#ixzz1c8UUoXK7

Update

2011-10-01T19:35:00.000-07:00

A summer has passed and I, the new graduate, am still looking for permanent work. But I'm staying active in the arts and in marketing. I'm doing some work for Hillhouse Opera Company.

I'm sure there are several articles I haven't posted on here yet, so I'll do my best to get those up in the next few months. I also plan on doing some book reviews to keep myself writing. So they may not be my best writing, but at least I'll be writing.

Also remember, I write regularly on my Marketing blog Star Bright Business - www.starbrightbusiness.blogspot.com.

Chorale conductor honors soldiers and families with musical tour

2011-03-16T22:04:00.000-07:00

“Love and Honor” tour inspired by bravery, loss and sacrifice

After her brother was deployed to Iraq last August, Chorale conductor Shawna Stewart’s plans for this year’s Biola University Chorale tour to recruit future Biolans began to take a solid form.

When he left for Iraq, Stewart’s brother left behind a wife and four children. Now, she seeks to honor his bravery and that of other soldiers and their families through performances given by Biola’s talented students.

“I’ve always been moved by his love for his family, but also his ability to have a love for his country and serving the American people, so much so that he would go to war and serve, possibly unto death,” Stewart said.

Bringing attention to the men and women who serve in the military, as well as other people deserving of honor, the “Love and Honor” tour will visit high schools and community colleges in California cities Visalia, Fresno, San Ramon, Lafayette and Bakersfield. The Chorale tours March 15-19. During the tour, the Chorale will do joint concerts with student groups and will host question and answer sessions on college life. The all-male acapella group The King’s Men and Biola University’s Vocal Jazz group will join in on certain songs, as well. The Chorale will present the tour’s repertoire at Crowell Music Building’s Lansing Recital Hall on March 27, 2011, at 7 p.m.

The tour’s program includes several sections, each of which focuses on honoring different sets of people, such as those who have been victims of war. Stewart said the songs “When David Heard,” about David’s loss of his son Absolom, and “Dear Sarah,” Sullivan Ballou’s poem written to his wife a week before he died in the Civil War, will relate to those who have lost loved ones.

The deployment of her brother and the recent death of her grandfather influenced much of Stewart’s music selection for the Chorale’s tour.

“The selection of repertoire for this program is intentional,” Stewart said. “The pieces are honest, and are intended to speak to the many emotions within each person.”

Stewart said a song titled “For Those who Wait for the Kingdom of Heaven” reminded her of her grandfather.

“Jesus was his absolute everything,” Stewart said. “I haven’t personally met a more faithful follower of Jesus. I know he could not wait to be with his savior.”

Stewart said the sense of “honoring” is important for the tour.

“I think about honoring my grandfather who died by addressing what his life was, dedicated to Christ,” Stewart said. “The last song, ‘Hold On,’ means hold on to Jesus your whole life, even when life is so hard.”

Not all the music is solemn, Stewart said. One section of the concert will honor “those that laugh,” the people who bring laughter to life.

“In our music, I hope that they’re inspired, moved emotionally,” Stewart said. “I hope they’ve experienced something beautiful, [that they’ll] musically experience God’s truth. I hope the students that we sing to are inspired to be better than they are.”

The Chorale, which is composed of more than 50 voices from various disciplines on campus, has performed internationally, although this year’s tour focuses on local California. The group performed at Carnegie Hall last year, and it has traveled to Hungary, Germany and several other countries in the past. The Chorale has also performed on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and sang music from The Lion King with Broadway star Alton White at Disney’s inaugural D23 Convention.

Written by Harmony Wheeler. Jenna Bartlo, Media Relations Coordinator, can be reached at (562) 777-4061 or through email at jenna.l.bartlo@biola.edu .

Biola University presents "Into the Woods"

2011-02-22T11:09:00.000-08:00

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2011/feb/16/biola-university-presents-woods/

With a deep voice and an elegant costume, senior Matthew Kellaway becomes Rapunzel's prince.

“It’s just that feeling,” Kellaway said. “As soon as I put on the sword, it makes me feel like royalty.”

Kellaway’s sword is one of numerous props adding to an extensive set -- much of it built by the cast -- that transports audiences to the world of Stephen Sondheim’s well-known musical, “Into the Woods,” a story about what happened after happily ever after. With an orchestra that magically came together in just two weeks of practice, costumes borrowed from a theatre company in Utah and choreography by Michele Stevens, this production is one of the most extensive the Biola Conservatory of Music has ever produced. Kellaway said he hopes it is the beginning of broader horizons for more musical theatre productions.

Production draws packed house

Along with the privilege of having two-time Grammy nominee Amick Byram as the guest director, the production boasted a sold out house for its first few performances last weekend. Cast members reached out to involve the community, putting fliers on cars outside the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and advertising the show with fliers around town.

Biola cast welcomes challenges

Distributing fliers was the least of the cast’s hard work preparing for the show. The cast spend much of the fall semester rehearsing and memorizing their parts. They met regularly to practice, with accompaniment on the piano by senior Trevor Gomes, who also plays the narrator and the Mysterious Man.

Sondheim’s music isn’t the easiest to sing, either, Kellaway said.

Junior Tyler Wigglesworth said much of Sondheim’s music is like “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” with groups singing different things at the same time and with different rhythms going at different times.

“There’s a lot of ensemble stuff you have to work together on,” Kellaway said. “Sondheim, he’s genius for what he writes.”

Guest director encourages cast to own the show

Byram joined the cast in January for a month of extensive, all-day, all-week practices. Many practices went as long as 10 hours.

“It’s been such a great rehearsal process,” said Wigglesworth, who plays Jack. “The expectation was laid before us and he really just pushed. It has been very professional.”

Wigglesworth and other cast members said they’ve learned a lot from Byram about theatre and using it for God’s glory.

“[Byram] pours in these nuggets of wisdom about being a Christian in the business,” Wigglesworth said.

Byram wanted the show to belong to the cast, Wigglesworth said.

“He knows how to get ourselves to create our own version,” Kellaway said. “He gives us an outline and lets us fill [it in]. It really is a fairy tale. Just like being kids and running around in a fantasy world.”

Singing to a cow

Wigglesworth recalled a time Byram told him to pretend he was a toddler playing patty cake with a cow. Jack, Wigglesworth’s character from the classic tale Jack and the Beanstalk, is a child at heart and is forced to grow up throughout the events of the show.

“Who would have thought I would be singing to a cow?” Wigglesworth said.

Gomes and senior Kelsey Seitz, who plays Little Red Riding Hood, also expressed their joy in taking on more silly characters.

“The Mysterious Man, he’s a nut who has lived in the woods for most of his life and is one with the vines and the trees,” Gomes said. “I let myself go, slouched, was awkward and dangly. The Narrator is straight-laced Masterpiece Theatre. It’s just reading more than anything. I take a deep breath, relax, and I’m the Narrator.”

“Into the Woods” offers a little bit of something for everyone

“[Sondheim] goes beyond the surface level and dives into a lot of characters and what they’re really made of,” Kellaway said. “He gives the audience exactly what they need, to feel the way they need to feel.”

“[The plot] is sophisticated, very clever, even slapstick,” Gomes said. “The music is gorgeous, a genre of its own, so well written and bordering on classical.”

Kellaway said he thinks everyone can come away with something, whether a life lesson or just laughs.

“It has a great cast, set, costumes, and an amazing director,” Kellaway said.

UCLA study explores cause and effect of college stress

2011-02-22T11:03:00.000-08:00

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2011/feb/16/ucla-study-explores-cause-and-effect-college-stres/

The emotional health of college freshmen was at it lowest in 2010, according to a recently released University of California Los Angeles study.

Conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute of UCLA’s Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, the survey was part of the Cooperative Institutional Research Program. Over 200,000 freshmen from just under 300 colleges were surveyed for the study, which found that only 51.9 percent of those surveyed ranked themselves among the top emotionally healthy students in their class, compared to the 63.6 percent of students who were surveyed 25 years ago.

Mental health awareness needed

“It is an important topic to be aware of, because it could lead to mental and physical symptoms,” director of Student Health Services Kristin Phelps said.

Phelps said such symptoms include headaches, weight gain, chronic digestive disorders, fatigue, increases blood pressure, insomnia, teeth grinding in sleep, general irritability, reoccurring feeling of hopelessness, depression and anxiety and low self esteem.

Dangers of college stress

Sophomore Julie Brown said she believes stress often affects the mental and emotional health of a student.

“[Stress] shuts you down, and when you try do work, you can’t focus,” Brown said.

Brown and sophomore Emily Irwin said they understand that freshman deal with more stress than they were used to in high school.

“There’s a lot more pressure when you’re at college,” Irwin said. “You have to act more responsibly. Now that I’m a sophomore, I know how to handle it.”

Irwin said she still is “insane” during the first few weeks of classes every semester.

The UCLA study also found that female students were less likely to rank themselves with high levels of emotional health than male students, with a 13.2 percentage-point difference.

Job market and economy impacting stress levels

The study also noted the role of a poor economy and high unemployment in student stress levels. It reported that 4.9 percent of students surveyed said their fathers were unemployed and 8.6 percent said their mothers were unemployed.

“There’s a lot more competition today,” Irwin said. “The economy, the lack of jobs.”

Phelps agreed and cited the economy, money concerns, increase in student loans and debts, school responsibilities and extra-curricular activities as possible causes for the rise in stress.

“Students are coming in with less coping skills,” Phelps said.

Technological speed of society unhelpful

West said the fast-paced nature of today’s society may affect students’ stress.

“Technology has gotten more developed,” West said. “People are generally being more productive, efficient. There’s a need to keep up with that. I assume that begins at the college level.”

West also said a lack of relationships in the technological world could lead to more emotional stress, and recommended students stay connected with friends.

Philip Lewis, a staff psychiatrist at the Student Health Center, agreed.

“I believe there is broad agreement on the fact that there has been a steady rise in mental health problems in the college-age population over the past several decades,” Lewis said. “The most probable reason is the steady deterioration of the nuclear family. In the absence of the security engendered by a loving, stable family environment, students find themselves unprepared to face the stresses of academic challenges in a new environment.”

Preparation and time management key

Lewis said the academic challenges are equally real.

“High school does little to prepare many for the demands of college-level courses,” Lewis said. “This is undoubtedly a stress-producing factor.”

West said that the degree of stress depends on how students go about handling course work.

“[But] the biggest concern, [especially on a Christian campus], is spiritual health,” West said.

"Into the Woods" tells stories

2011-02-10T19:10:00.000-08:00

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2011/feb/10/woods-weaves-serious-and-humor/

Once upon a time, the Biola Conservatory of Music decided to change routes, veering off its regular path of an opera production to take a trip “Into the Woods” of musical theater.

Musical spins a twist on a classic

Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” isn’t far off from an opera, however. Characters spend the majority of the show singing (in English, of course) with very little time in dialogue, while the plot includes dramatic elements found in many operas. Such elements leave Sondheim fans equally pleased and surprised at Biola’s choice for a musical.

With cheating princes, two babies born after undisclosed activities in Rapunzel’s tower–– but still implied–– and other questionable situations, the woods hold far more than a pristine, ever-after ending. In fact, the entire second act takes place after the “happily ever after” we all know from classic fairy tales including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Jack and the Beanstalk, with a quick glimpse of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White.

"Woods" moments relate to real life

Upon second look, however, these “moments in the woods” are the very moments of real life. Sondheim, who also wrote the recent musical made into a film “Sweeney Todd,” has a talent for looking into the souls of men and women, portraying the struggles of life on stage in a way that makes his audience think hard about their own lives. Any Christian would do just as well to think about the Christian response to such struggles. The Bible never promises the perfect life. Neither do the fairy tales in “Into the Woods.”

The show focuses on how people deal with their journeys. While the first act contains familiar characters and stories, the plot goes beyond the books. It tells viewers about the Baker and his wife, who gave the magic beans to Jack in exchange for his white cow. They need the cow to help undo a spell placed on the Baker, one that makes his family barren. The Baker acquired the beans from his father, who stole them from the Witch next door. The Witch took her revenge by taking the Baker’s sister, Rapunzel, and raising her as her own. As the Baker and his wife go “into the woods” to undo the spell, they run into Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and other characters.

In the second act, characters are forced to journey back to the woods, after the giant’s wife comes to take her revenge on Jack for killing her husband. The princes are after new princesses, the stepsisters are on their way to a secret hideout, the Baker and his wife have to take care of their new baby and help Little Red Riding Hood and Jack through the woods, and all while the Witch tries to find a way to appease the giant. Meanwhile, Little Red Riding Hood and Jack struggle to cope with the deaths of family. Anyone who has lost a loved one will be especially moved by the “No One is Alone” quartet that Red and Jack sing with the Baker and Cinderella.

Lighter moments balance out the play

In addition to the more serious moments, “Into the Woods” has plenty of humor to balance the mood, and the cast does an outstanding job of lighting up the stage. The evil stepsisters ham it up; the princes agonize over their inability to find the women they love; and Little Red Riding Hood just loves her sweet pastries.

Though young, the cast impresses

For such a young cast, the singers do a great job with the odd beats and discordant tones that make Sondheim’s music difficult to sing. While not one voice is miscast, the Narrator (Trevor Gomes) and Jack (Tyler Wigglesworth) stand out the most with their silly faces and melodramatic characterizations. The Baker (Arnold Geis) and his wife (Kristen Tucker) fit their parts so perfectly, its hard to imagine them any other way. And the Witch (Danielle Evans) is so animated, you never know what to expect.

The costumes enhance, and sometimes outshine, the sets and characters of the show. From the Witch’s wart-covered face to the wolf’s long snout, it would seem no expense was spared in these extravagant clothes. And, as always, the bad guys get all the best costumes.

Unfortunately, the noisy sets sometimes overpower the actors and distract from the action. Transitions between scenes and a few stagings, such as the witch’s disappearance, can also slow and awkward. Despite these drawbacks, the sets make full use of the small stage space. Rafters transport viewers to towers and the tops of trees. The rafters look a little out of place, but thanks to their lush, green surroundings, they serve their purpose without detracting too much from the overall effect.

The first few rows of the auditorium were removed to accommodate a bigger stage as well, allowing for the edition of an orchestra. Backing up the show, the full orchestra plays behind the sets and a mesh screen, a nice change from the typical piano-driven opera production. And audience members will enjoy the small glimpses of players they receive during set changes.

The ticket prices of $15 for students, faculty, staff and senior citizens or $20 general admission may be too high for some, but is well worth it to see Biola’s production of “Into the Woods.”

Talbot and parking construction continue despite delays

2011-02-10T19:09:00.000-08:00

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2011/feb/09/construction-delays/

Parking and Talbot construction have fallen behind after a rainy winter and delays with city agencies.

Talbot building delayed two months

According to Ken Bascom, senior director of Facilities Planning and Construction, construction of the East Talbot building will not finish until Sept. 15, and fall classes are currently being scheduled without the building in mind. The building originally had a July 14 finish date, which was later shifted to Aug. 15. The projected finish date has now been shifted to September because of delays with Los Angeles County and because of what Bascom called the rainiest December in a long time.

Parking structure on target for fall

Similar delays with government agencies have slowed construction of the $8 million parking garage replacing Lot I near the baseball field. The garage currently under construction was placed between the baseball field and the pool with commuters in mind, Bascom said.

“We still feel we’re in a good position to be finished [with the garage] for the first day of classes in the fall,” Bascom said. “The only thing that could hurt us now is if we had an extremely wet spring.”

According to Bascom, La Mirada requires Biola to comprise 676 spaces for every 1,000 full time students.

“Right now we are below that requirement,” Bascom said. “The city knows that. We talked to the city when economic problems happened [in 2008]. We will have far more than required next fall.”

Traffic redirected through campus

Meanwhile, students are greeted by detours and “watch for traffic” signs by Horton, Hope and the Caf.

Bascom said the university has tried over the years to redirect traffic to the outer parts of campus in order to clear up other paths at the core of campus for students to walk on without worrying about cars.

“When I was a student here, vehicles could drive right by the bells,” Bascom said.

La Mirada has also tried to redirect traffic. Bascom said the city currently requires parking garages be built on the east side of campus to direct traffic onto La Mirada Avenue rather than Biola Avenue. Consequently, the next parking garage in the works, which Bascom said is a long way off in the future, will be next to the Alpha Chi dorm.

Temporary parking lot and off campus parking helps

Bascom encouraged students to use the temporary parking lot next to the fields near McNally. The lot adds 99 parking places.

“Students are just now figuring out about the temporary parking lot,” Bascom said. “At 1 p.m. Monday [the first day of classes] there were only three vacant spots.”

In addition to making the temporary parking lot available, Biola is compensating employees for parking off campus. According to Bascom, 80 employees are signed up to park at the La Mirada City Hall, 35 faculty and staff are signed up to park at Trinity Baptist Church, and 25 faculty and staff are signed up to park at the former Lutheran church up the street from Biola. Biola has also reserved a row of parking spaces under the soccer field for employees who sign up to park there. Bascom said Biola asked those who signed up for the spaces to come in groups, husband and wife, friend with friend.

Faculty spaces needed

“We have far fewer faculty and staff spaces than we have faculty and staff that need them,” Bascom said. “We get several requests a year to increase the number of faculty and staff spaces. We’ve resisted that for a long time.”

Biola has 301 parking spaces reserved for faculty and staff, though there are 900.

Bascom said finishing the new parking garage in time for the fall semester will be a close call, but there is additional money the university can use on overtime and other special measures as a last line of defense to speed construction. The money for the garage comes from some institutional funds put aside without a specific purpose in mind and Auxilary Services room and board funds that Auxilary Services will pay back eventually. The internal payment allows the university to keep all loans internal.

Dreaming about future projects

While current construction continues, Bascom said the university is still looking to the future, working on updating the university plan that involves tearing down single story buildings like Marshburn Hall to build multi-level buildings with basements and selling the Grove modules after all buildings on the plan are finished.

The university plan also includes the Arts and Science building and a multi-purpose building. Bascom said University Planning wants to make the building either an events center or a fine arts performing center. The building will need to hold at least 5,000 people. It would wrap around three parking lots near the Bookstore and Soubirou and would require the music and worship building to be torn down.

“It’s behind other buildings [like the Arts and Science building] in priority, no higher than fifth on priority lists,” Bascom said.

Cari De La Cruz: Life after gastric bypass surgery

2010-12-12T12:47:00.000-08:00

Narnia Returns With New Twists

2010-12-12T12:39:00.000-08:00

http://staticmultimedia.com/movies/features-interviews-movies/the-chronicles-of-narnia-returns

The Chronicles of Narnia returns to theaters this Christmas season with The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. The film brings old and new plots to create another magical experience with the Pevensies. This time, Lucy and Edmund return to Narnia through a painting, bringing their selfish cousin Eustace along with them. When they meet up with King Caspian, they join him on a quest that will not only test their physical strength, but their mental and spiritual strength, as well.

On a voyage to the east, Caspian is fulfilling an oath to find the seven lost Lords of Telmar, the best friends of his murdered father. Their journey takes them to five islands, each of which brings the ship’s crew unexpected peril and adventure, and each has its own hidden, seductive secret. Caspian and his men discover the existence of an evil green mist that has powers to kidnap not just people’s bodies, but their minds as well.

A wise old magician, Coriakin, explains to Caspian and the Pevensies, that to break this deadly spell they must find the seven Lords and retrieve each of the swords gifted to them by Aslan to protect Narnia. Once collected and laid upon Aslan’s banquet table, the swords will empower them to defeat the mist and the Witch. Without this union of the seven swords, they and Narnia will be destroyed.

The swords are new to the classic story, originally penned in C.S. Lewis’ famous series. Published between 1950 and 1956 and long regarded as one of literature’s most enduring and imaginative works, Lewis’ books have sold over 100,000,000 copies in over 50 different languages. Voyage of the Dawn Treader takes a new turn with the quest for Aslan’s swords.
“In the book, the narrative thread revolves around Caspian’s search for seven Lords, but in the film, the quest is for seven swords,” director Michael Apted said. “The threat of the Green Mist, as depicted in our film, isn’t really touched on in the book The Voyage of The Dawn Treader – though it does appear in a subsequent book.”

“In the film, the quest for the seven swords is there to reinforce the purpose of Caspian’s journey to the edge of the world,” executive producer Douglas Gresham said.

Gresham, who is C.S. Lewis’ stepson, has made it a lifelong mission to bring Lewis’ books to the screen. “The film’s sword motif is an addition to the book’s story line about the seven Lords of Telmar and has been added to help drive the story forward to keep the audiences enthralled,” Gresham said.

While many fans were disappointed with the changes made in “Prince Caspian,” namely an added battle scene and a romantic subplot, those involved in the third film hope additions will enhance the plot and stay true to the themes of the original story.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a story largely about temptation,” Gresham said. “Along the journey, Caspian, Eustace, Lucy and Edmund and the entire crew of The Dawn Treader face many challenges and adventures, and cope with the accompanying temptations. Each character meets his or her deepest temptations, which we have seen glimpses of in the previous movies.”

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was very much about faith. ‘Prince Caspian’ was about losing and regaining that faith,” producer Mark Johnson said. “This new film is about overcoming temptation. We made sure that theme was an important element of our movie, in the guise of telling a great and magical story.”

As the film mixes the original classic themes with new plot elements, it also takes off in a new direction away from the land of Narnia. The story takes characters away from Narnia to various islands, but it remains Narnian, nonetheless. “In my view, The Dawn Treader is Narnia,” Apted said. “We never go to [the land of] Narnia in this story, so I always made the point that the boat is Narnia. The boat embodies everything that Narnia is. When you’re on The Dawn Treader, you’re in Narnia.”

“The Dawn Treader is more than a set; it’s a character,” Johnson said. "The vessel took about $2.7 million and almost 400 construction workers to build. Workers erected the 140-foot, 125-ton ship in an Australian seaside peninsula called Cleveland Point.

“It’s the most impressive set I’ve ever seen,” producer Andrew Adamson said. “The Dawn Treader is such an iconic symbol. To some degree, it’s almost like Aslan. When I saw the boat fully assembled for the first time and walked onto it, the experience was how I imagined it as a boy reading the book.”

Fans and movie goers will be able to take their own magic ride with the Dawn Treader when the film arrives in theaters December 10.

DVD Review: "I Am"

2010-12-12T12:32:00.000-08:00

http://staticmultimedia.com/blu-ray-dvd/i-am-finds-peace

While, at first look, I Am may seem like a rehashed knock-off of the controversial book The Shack, the film contains little to incite controversy. God takes on the form of an African American man in casual clothes in the film. However, His conversations with the characters of the film seem more like the quiet conversations, pleas and prayers of the heart than like face-to-face, God intervening encounters. The conversations feel like what’s presented in Romans 2:15: “They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them at other times even defending them.”

The true heart of I Am lies in the Ten Commandments, however, as the commandments are shown on the screen throughout the movie as different characters encounter the consequences of their actions taken against the commandments. Some such actions take the form of odd, unexpected sins. One woman, for example, puts “other gods before me” when she has herself frozen in order to keep herself alive. The man who freezes her after she blackmails him has visions of the woman taunting him, tempting him to kill her, and, thus, he creates a “graven image.”

Other applications of the commandments are refreshingly different. Instead of focusing on the common conception of God forbidding the use of his name as a swear word, the film shows a man using God’s name to sell a product, or “taking God’s name in vain.” Another character learns to honor the Sabbath, not by setting aside a day every week for God and church, but by taking time to rest from work and life’s troubles to spend time on the things that really matter, such as being with his family.

These situations are part of a larger plot as other commandments like the commandment to not commit adultery come into play and as the lives of the ten main characters intertwine. There’s no one consistent plot to follow, and the different stories can confuse the viewer because of the way they are organized, but the pieces come together in the end to complete a puzzle that makes viewers think about their own lives.

Ultimately, I Am is not about preaching a bunch of rules and stuffing them in the viewer’s face. Instead, it is about finding peace in life. Revenge, human love, science, alcohol, memorialization of a passed loved one and everything else can never erase the past. As the God in the film says, the past can find justice, but man can never forget. What man truly needs is peace.

Secretariat Feature

2010-11-07T01:11:00.002-07:00

http://staticmultimedia.com/movies/secretariat-is-a-winner

The race is on, and starting Friday, October 8, audiences will be able to race the theater to see Disney’s latest inspirational motion picture film about a race horse and its owner. One is a massive, chestnut-colored horse, known to his friends and family as Big Red. Everyone else will call him Secretariat. The other, a self-described Denver housewife, is less recognized, but she is as gallant and charismatic as her steed. Her name is Penny Chenery Tweedy, and her faith in this horse will galvanize the nation, revolutionize horse racing and, ultimately, change her life’s course entirely.

Based on a true story, Secretariat brings the story of the 1973 Triple crown winning horse to life. The story draws fans of past horse films such as Seabiscuit, following the star horse and its owner as they strive to prove themselves to the world. Housewife and mother Penny Chenery Tweedy (Diane Lane) agrees to take over her ailing father’s Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horse-racing experience. Against all odds, with the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich), she manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years and what may be the greatest racehorse of all time.

“The story is about heart — Secretariat’s and the heart of the woman who owned him. Both were greater than anyone imagined,” said director Randall Wallace, who is the Oscar- and Golden Globe-nominated screenwriter of the global hit Braveheart. “I believe that when Secretariat was running the last of his races, he was no longer running against other horses; he was running for the joy in becoming who he was meant to be.”

Wallace compared the film to an impressionistic painting, one adhering to the basic facts but not to the point of turning into a documentary.

“ESPN compiled a list of the 100 top athletes of the 20th century and Secretariat was 35th — and the only non-human on that list,” said producer Mark Ciardi. “That’s how unbelievable his presence was. What makes it really interesting is going underneath that story . We knew we had the ending, but not many people know about Penny’s story, and that was incredibly compelling to us.”

The actual Penny Chenery approved the film when producers approached her with the story idea. Chenery makes a cameo appearance in the film when Secretariat wins the Kentucky Derby.

The horse, itself, also adds its own momentum to the story.

“Horses speak to our primal nature,” said the director. “When all is said and done, this is a story about a tremendous horse. But, beyond that, I wanted to understand and experience the way this unique animal had affected people who themselves were special. All my life, I have been intrigued by the mechanism and the moment of transformation: What happens when what we call a miracle occurs? What happens when someone, in this case a horse, does something that no one else has ever done or that they themselves have never done? What happens when someone stops doubting and starts believing? And this story is full of those moments.”

Most of all, however, Secratariat is about the remarkable transformation that comes about when people, or animals, believe in each other.

“What’s at stake in the story of Secretariat is something that is fundamental to everybody. Destiny comes knocking on the door of Penny Tweedy. She had given up her dreams of a career. She had become a mother of four, a wife, a prominent member of her community. But when her father becomes ill and her mother dies, destiny knocks on her door and says, ‘Penny, here is an opportunity to do something .’ And it was something that nobody else believed that she could do. That was something else that inspired me about this tale — that time and again, she is told that she can’t do this, that this isn’t her identity, that she’s a housewife . And she keeps reinventing herself, tackling issues in a manner that allows her to make her way in what was a man’s world at the time. She’s a mastermind financially, but most of all, she’s a leader,” Wallace said

Amish Grace Review

2010-11-07T01:11:00.001-07:00

http://staticmultimedia.com/blu-ray-dvd/amish-grace-docudrama-needs-forgiveness

In all regular fashion, Hallmark provides an inspirational, moving film with Amish Grace, a docudrama following the 2006 tragedy in which a man shot and killed five Amish children and injured five others. In similar regular fashion, the film delivers poor, melodramatic acting, annoying TV blackouts place for commercial breaks, and bits of unrealistic and inaccurate information. Luckily, none of these is enough to hinder the film’s message of grace and forgiveness.

The viewer learns to forgive and love others along with the film’s main character, Ida (Kimberly Williams-Paisley), whose daughter is one of the children killed. Ida has difficulty accepting the Amish community’s way of forgiveness, especially when the community won’t forgive her sister for leaving to join the “modern English” world.

Meanwhile, the wife of the shooter deals with her own conscience and has trouble understanding the welcoming Amish community. As her life crosses paths with Ida, their journeys take new turns and they learn the true meaning of grace.

Grace leaves unfilled holes at the end of the film, however. Ida never reconciles with her husband and the Amish community over the issue of her sister’s “shunning.” Viewers are left wondering if Ida will ever see her sister again and how the film’s concept of grace applies to her sister’s “sin.”

Anyone familiar with the Amish culture will likely be annoyed by the small inaccuracies that appear throughout the film. Such factual errors and changes to the story are to be expected with a film adaptation of real events, however, especially when the film is for a TV channel with a strict budget.

Cheap TV productions come with cheap acting, as well. While the actors in Amish Grace deliver in more intense, emotional scenes, their day-to-day lines come across as canned, unrealistic, and melodramatic.

The faults of Amish Grace, however, are typical of made-for-TV dramas, and such faults have been much worse in other films than they are in Amish Grace. Viewers who watch Amish Grace without high expectations are still sure to be pleased by its inspirational message and extend some grace of their own to the film.

“You Again” has all the ingredients for being a hit Family Comedy

2010-11-07T01:10:00.001-07:00

http://staticmultimedia.com/movies/you-again-has-all-the-ingredients-for-being-a-hit-family-comedy

High school. The biggest fight for survival that has ever existed. But when the fight between the popular kids and the not-so-popular kids makes its way to the world of adults, things get messy.

Messy doesn’t even begin to describe what’s in store for Marni (Kristen Bell) when she learns from her mother, Gail (Jamie Lee Curtis), that her arch nemesis from high school, Joanna (Odette Yustman), will be marrying her brother (James Wolk). When her family easily warms up to the bride, Marni becomes determined to prove to her family the nightmare she knows Joanna to be. The rivalry intensifies when Joanna’s aunt Ramona (Sigourney Weaver) shows up to help prepare for the wedding. Ramona is Gail’s own high school enemy, and suddenly, everyone begins to take sides.

“I’ve always been interested in producing or writing comedy with heart that is grounded in believable story-telling,” said producer John J. Strauss, screenwriter of the mega-hit There’s Something About Mary as well as Disney’s The Santa Clause 2 and “The Lizzie McGuire Movie.” “I like a relatable story that has people behaving in ways that we wish we could in real life but don’t quite. This script had those elements.”

With a classic theme and an all-star cast that includes Betty White, Kristin Chenoweth and Victor Garber, You Again promises non-stop comedy.

Weaver commented on the fun director Andy Fickman brought to the set.

“He is the only director I know who seemed to love all of us as a cast and all of our individual characters at the same time” Weaver said. “He had us all out each day singing and dancing. It was hysterical. He is a sweetheart.”

“The rapport between the cast evolved, thanks to Andy Fickman, who from the very first day set the tone,” Garber said. “The bottom line: We all really enjoyed each other. I think that’s going to translate onto film.”

Betty White also kept the cast laughing, on and off screen.

“No one is funnier than she is—on camera and off,” Fickman said. “She kept the cast and crew laughing every day . Her generous heart and spirit is matched by her beauty and grace.”

A few musical numbers will also contribute to the fun with Mary Ann Kellogg (Twyla Tharp Dance Company) choreographing.

“When you have a movie starring Kristen Bell, Victor Garber, Sean Wing, James Wolk, Christine Lakin and Kristin Chenoweth—all veterans of musical theater, if you don’t throw in two or three musical numbers, you are being wasteful,” Fickman said.

You Again has all the ingredients for being a hit family comedy: familiar family situations—an upcoming wedding, rivalries, high school nemeses—and lots of music, combined with slapstick comedy that will make people laugh out loud.

“There’s so many ways that this movie will reach you,” Weaver said. “Even though there is a lot of broad comedy, this story tackles real feelings people have left over from the struggles of high school, lost friendships and missed chances. It’s a story that resonates with all of us.”

The Point... on Halloween

2010-11-07T00:42:00.000-07:00

http://pointmag.biola.edu/read/article/2010/oct/23/whats-point-halloween/

The Point on Halloween from The Point on Vimeo.

Great CA Shakeout at Biola

2010-11-07T00:40:00.001-07:00

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/oct/25/biola-safety-quake-californi/

As part of the Great California ShakeOut, La Mirada held its annual earthquake drill at Biola’s Facilities Services building last Thursday.

“Every year they choose a specific location,” said Carissa Brooks, emergency operations manager for Campus Safety. “This year, they chose us. It’s exciting for us.”

Participating alongside the city

In past years, Biola participated in the state-wide ShakeOut by holding emergency preparedness meetings and having practice dorm evacuations. Such activities were done with little contact with the city, but, this year, Biola held an actual drill side-by-side with the city.

“It’s different being able to work with outside agencies,” Brooks said. “Communicating, building that relationship; that aspect is really huge. We have a strong working relationship [with the city, but the] fire department, we don’t have them come out as often.”

Working with other teams

“It gives us a chance to work with their emergency response team in a real type situation,” said Justin Shelby, public information officer for Campus Safety. “We learn an awful lot just from the way they handle the disaster.”

Held on the morning of Oct. 21, the drill involved Campus Safety, Biola staff and La Mirada emergency response teams acting as they would if a 7.8 earthquake occurred. Volunteers planted in the Facilities building pretended to have been injured and trapped by an earthquake, and Campus Safety employees, city response teams and the La Mirada fire department responded to the scene with medical assistance and search and rescue. The inside of the Facilities building was also prepped to appear and sound like a real earthquake had happened, Shelby said.

Simulating realistic appearances

“It was a lot more realistic than I expected it to be,” Shelby said. “They did a lot of work trying to make it look like there’d actually been an earthquake, sound effects, lighting. It looked kind of like a disaster area.”

Shelby said the broad purpose of having such a realistic drill is emergency preparedness. Brook’s position came out of Campus Safety’s decision to focus on preparedness.

“The better Campus Safety can do its job, the more students can focus on being students,” Shelby said. “This is also a good opportunity to put the focus on what are you, yourself, going to do during an emergency. It’s so we can come up with a good plan.”

Planning for emergency

Although such plans are never set in stone, Campus Safety has made a continual effort to have plans, or guidelines and checklists, as Shelby called them, in place to give them a place to start and to remind them of their job in the event of a real emergency.

Campus Safety chief John Ojeisekhoba said Campus Safety employees receive “tactical map books” that give them such guidelines. Campus Safety has also partnered with Auxiliary Services and Facilities Services to buy three storage sheds for emergency supplies. According to Brian Phillips, senior director of operations for Facilities Services, the sheds cost about $25,000 each. One shed contains three days worth of food and water supply that won’t expire for another five years. Campus Safety calculated how many students would stay on campus in the event of an earthquake, Ojeisekhoba said, and purchased $11,000 worth of food, about 3,000 meals ready to eat.

The other sheds contain about $13,000 worth of supplies, Ojeisekhoba said. The second shed contains Facilities supplies such as regenerators, power tools and lanterns that can be used in major situations such as an earthquake or a power outage like the one that occurred last spring. The third shed has supplies for the Health Center that include IV bags, bandages, wheelchairs, stretchers, and other medical supplies.

Such supplies would be needed if a high magnitude earthquake occurred, an event which Brooks said is highly possible.

Keeping Biola safe

Brooks said last week’s drill was an important part of keeping Biola safe, especially in light of Biola’s earthquake-prone location.

“A lot of people have never been in an earthquake,” Brooks said. “The reality of being in one in four years at Biola is pretty big. We’re not taking this lightly.”

According to Brooks, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake is more than likely in the next 30 years.

“You’d be silly to think that it’s not going to happen at some time,” she said. “The reality of an earthquake hitting in our lifetime is something [scientists] are all virtually convinced of.”

Southern California lies on top of several faults, including the San Andreas fault. According to a 2007 Southern California Earthquake Center forecast, California has a 99.7 percent chance of having an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 or higher in the next 30 years. The likelihood of an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 or higher in the next 30 years is 46 percent.

Thanks to drills like the one Biola hosted last week, Campus Safety would be prepared if a major earthquake shook Biola.

Shelby said he was pleased with how the drill went overall.

“It went really well,” he said. “We had good participation both from our staff, La Mirada public safety, and other agencies.”

Pre-law dinner introduces new minor

2010-11-07T00:39:00.001-07:00

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/oct/08/pre-law-dinner/

Last week’s pre-law dinner introduced about 35 students interested in pre-law to four guest attorneys, as well as to the new pre-law minor, which is available for the first time this year.

Attorneys Josh Phelps, Alicia Dewey, Kevin Lewis and Riley Todd spoke on the evening of Sept. 29 about their own experiences and talked about how to survive as a Christian in the world of law. Hosted by the department of history, political science and social science, the dinner has been held every other year in the past without the minor, but was held for the second year in a row this year, according to Dave Peters, pre-law advisor and professor of political science.

Interest in pre-law has grown over the years, Peters said, warranting the implementation of an annual dinner and a full pre-law minor.

“There were those that felt that we needed to have something delineated, identified; something we could recommend as a good foundational basis for entry into law school,” Peters said.

Biola’s pre-law minor launched this year

The new minor, which has been in the works for at least 10 years, includes a maximum of 18 units. Students can choose from pre-existing courses such as Colonial Period American Revolution, American Democratic, Rise of Modern America, U.S. Since 1920, Economics, American Constitutional Law and Studies in Political Science. Peters said additional recommended classes may be supplemented as well.

Peters emphasized that anyone could enter law school with any degree, but said many parents of prospective students look for a college with a specific pre-law program. The need to bring in new students warranted the creation of a pre-law minor. While there is no pre-law major, Peters said the pre-law minor can work with any major.

Junior Steven Haddadian is one such case. Haddadian, a marketing major, said he wants to get his law degree for entertainment.

“[Law schools] want your mind to be a clean slate and they want to be able to train you in the manner that they have in mind,” Peters said. “You could be a biology major, sociology major, any kind of major.”

Students excited about the new minor

Students at the pre-law dinner, however, expressed their gratitude for the introduction of a pre-law minor.

Junior Havilah Steinman and freshman Bre Phillips said they’re considering becoming pre-law minors.

“They’re preparing us for law school, teaching us to read, think and analyze,” said junior, pre-law minor Sarah Jurkiewicz.

Steinman said she would like to attend law school and felt the pre-law dinner helps her and other students prepare for law school.

“It’s a great place to network and make connections to get there,” Steinman said. Peters agreed. The minor assures a certain degree of preparation in logic, reasoning, and other areas needed to succeed in pre-law, he said. It also prepares students to be Christians in pre-law, which is why Peters invited only Christian attorneys to speak at the dinner.

Law a divine calling for Christians

“Law school is a very liberal institution,” said Todd, who currently works in the L.A. county district attorney’s office. “Go in as a conservative, you won’t be having tons of friends on Facebook.”

Even in a liberal environment, there is still something to be held accountable to and a reason, as a Christian, to hold others accountable for their actions. Law provides a way bring justice, Lewis said.

“The Bible is divided into law and gospel,” said Lewis, who has his own law firm with his brother. “Both are divine callings because God hates sin, and you can help right a wrong. You’re doing justice.”

Dewey, who is also a history professor at Biola, said Christian integrity also plays a part in law.

“I think integrity is probably the most important opportunity for a lawyer,” Dewey said. “It’s a critical character quality to have. You have to be strong. You can minister to a person.”

Peters said he thought the dinner was successful.

“Students were asking meaningful questions and getting honest answers,” Peters said. “People were there until 10 [p.m.] staying and talking to panelists.”

Enrollment cap

2010-11-07T00:37:00.000-07:00

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/oct/06/biola-enrollment-cap/

Biola on-campus enrollment is coming close to the school’s set students limit with 4,878 “full-time equivalent” (FTE), on-campus students, according to final fall 2010 enrollment numbers released by Biola Institutional Research.

“There are procedures for increasing that [FTE] limit, and we are now considering whether we want to apply for an increase,” said Ken Bascom, senior director of facilities planning.

This fall, 3,907 undergraduates are attending Biola along with 1,239 total graduate students. According to Biola Institutional Research, this year’s incoming class marks the school’s largest incoming class ever, with 909 freshmen, 328 transfers and 56 reapplications, while a total of 2,614 continuing students are currently attending Biola.

With enrollment numbers so high, Biola is well on its way to growing beyond the set cap on full-time students allowed on campus. According to Bascom, that cap includes “full-time equivalent” students physically attending the 95-acre campus, although there is no limit on the number of students Biola can enroll worldwide. There are 6,123 Biola students worldwide this fall.

Set enrollment cap limits growth

“The cap is in place so that we can maximize our space without compromising the educational enterprise,” said André Stephens, senior director of undergraduate Admissions. “Biola will continue to work with city officials to determine the number of students we can enroll given the size of our current facilities and parking. Our growth up to this point is under the cap that has been set.”

Biola set the cap in the late 1990s when enrollment was about 3,200, Bascom said. It allowed city experts to create an Environmental Impact Report, which the State of California requires. The enrollment cap became law in a city ordinance in March 2005. The ordinance was part of a master plan developed by Biola.

“When the City Council approved our master plan, that approval was done in the form of a La Mirada city zoning ordinance,” Bascom said. “They classify our campus as a ‘Planned Unit Development.’ The standard procedure for any PUD in the city is that the development plan, or master plan, becomes a city ordinance.”

Sophomore Stephanie McEachen said she thinks Biola should be allowed to grow beyond the cap.

“But that means that the campus needs more space to put those students,” McEachen said.

Enrollment cap does not affect campus construction

Bacom said the cap on enrollment does not affect the physical growth of the Biola campus.

“Biola has several hundred thousand square feet of buildings that it can build without any problem,” Bascom said. “These have already been approved by the city; they are just awaiting donor funds. These include Talbot West, the Center for Science and Health, and the Center for the Arts. These three buildings would add about 250,000 square feet to the instructional space on campus; that is equivalent to more than eight Sutherland Halls.” Bascom said that Biola has permission to build several more buildings beyond the ones he listed. In reaching its enrollment limit, Biola would still be able to expand in building square footage.

“We have a total of nearly 400,000 [sq. ft.] of future building space that we are approved to build under our current plan,” Bascom said. “Most of this space is entirely new buildings rather than remodeling of old buildings.”

Biola continuing recruiting efforts

Despite the cap on enrollment, Admissions will continue to recruit new students, Stephens said. Ongoing efforts include Admissions staff recruiting locally and out of state, campus preview events and tours, student ambassador blogs, the Biola Ethnic Advancement Team visiting local churches and schools, and using Facebook as well as other online marketing efforts.

“I can't say that there is ‘one’ thing that we are doing differently that has made the difference for students choosing to attend Biola,” Stephens said. “However, I do think some of our social networking marketing efforts (specifically on Facebook) has helped, as well as the effort we made to pursue students who fit the Biola profile who initially did not respond to our letters. Biola's reputation in the marketplace as a strong, Christian university with stellar academics resonates with students and families as well.”

Freshman Andrew Cleary said his positive experience with Admissions was part of his decision to attend Biola.

“Admissions was great,” Cleary said. “My counselor did a great job of checking up on me and was genuinely interested in what I was doing.”

Sophomore Cydney Sinner said the community influenced her decision to attend Biola.

“I love this campus,” Sinner said. “I love how everybody comes from different backgrounds of church and can talk about it in a mature manner, and I’ve never been so involved with people just caring about you.”

Stephens also acknowledged the role of a positive community in bringing students to Biola.

“We know that Biola is successful not because of the work that we do, but because of the work of the entire campus community making it a place where students desire to come,” Stephens said. “Obviously, God is the one who directs our paths, so we trust that He is bringing in the increase.”

LA experiences record heat

2010-11-07T00:36:00.000-07:00

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/sep/28/los-angeles-record-heat/

Despite record high temperatures in the Los Angeles area this week, Biola students say the generally good weather of Southern California remains an attractive feature of the campus.

“It’s amazing,” senior April Gregory said. “I didn’t realize how perfect it’d be [until I got here].”

While Facebook statuses and local news outlets reported Monday’s record high temperatures, Newsweek recently named Biola one of the top “25 Great Schools With Great Weather.” Ranked at 23, Biola is one of three Christian colleges on Newsweek’s list, along with Westmont College and Pepperdine University. Several of the schools listed are in California, including Stanford University, UC Berkeley, UC Los Angeles, UC San Diego and Chapman University. Arizona State University came in at number one.

“I would agree with that assessment,” senior Hannah Tyer said of Newsweek’s decision to highlight Biola’s “perfect” weather. “We have very few bad days. It’s an appealing part of Biola. But I’m biased. I like the heat.”

According to Newsweek, Biola has an average temperature of 63 degrees, with an average of 186 sunny days and only 35 rainy days per year.

Monday was not so pleasant when temperatures hit a record high of 112 degrees in La Mirada, according to Weather Underground. At 113 degrees at 12:15 p.m., Downtown Los Angeles melted in the hottest temperatures since the National Weather Service began keeping records in 1877. The new record was one degree above the previous record of 112 degrees, recorded on June 26, 1990.

“Yes, I’d say Biola has good weather on any other day but today,” sophomore Francis Jones said while sitting near Fluor Fountain on Monday. “Today is one of those days when you stay inside. But generally, I don’t have to worry about snow or rain. I don’t recall it ever raining to the point where we weren’t able to go to class. And it’s nice to sit out and feel the breeze.”

The second floor of Sutherland perhaps took the heat the hardest. Facilities Services was already aware of air conditioning failures there, but [Monday’s] temperatures made the failures even clearer, said Chris Reyes, manager of environmental systems. Overall, however, Reyes was pleased with how the systems held up in the heat.

“We did not have any problems meeting the demand of the campus,” he said. “It was really to its max, but we were able to hold it.”

The systems in place at Biola and La Mirada as a whole are not designed to handle heat that extreme, he explained. But it isn’t economical to purchase massive fail-safe systems to meet once-in-a-century demands, Reyes said.

“We had angels around our equipment,” he added.

Sports teams also suffered from the high temperatures.

“It was hot, stupid hot,” freshman DJ Schwab said. “I had baseball practice outside and half the guys on the team almost passed out from dehydration.”

Other students, like freshman Lety Trujillo, said they enjoy the heat. Trujillo said the heat still kept her indoors Monday, however.

“I made sure I brought a water bottle to stay hydrated,” Trujillo said. “I stayed indoors to study and drank water the whole day.”

According to the Student Health Center, Trujillo had the right idea.

“In general, students should stay in an airconditioned room when temps are 111,” Kristin Phelps, director at the Student Health Center, said. “Or stay in a room with window blinds pulled with portable fans going. If outside stay cool by sitting, working, eating and taking a break in the shade during the hottest hours of the day.”

Phelps also suggested students wear wide-brimmed hats to shade their faces and necks. A portable hand fan or a wet bandana or scarf tied around the forehead can help avoid heat stress, Phelps said.

“Drink plenty of fluids like water, gatorade, or a drink with electrolytes,” Phelps said. “One can also suck on ice chips.”

Phelps also gave advice for athletes and those with respiratory problems on warm days. “If it is hot and the air quality is bad those students with heart disease, asthma or other respiratory disease should minimize outdoor activities and stay in an air conditioned room if possible,” Phelps said. “It is advised that students with respiratory disease or heart disease should not participate in P.E. or outdoor physical activity and should stay indoors as much as possible.”

Students examine the ethics of abortion

2010-11-07T00:35:00.000-07:00

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/sep/21/ethics-abortion/

Pro-life supporter Scott Klusendorf gave students key arguments against abortion Friday night at a class sponsored by the Biola apologetics department.

“You never want to be on the pro-choice side and have to debate this guy,” comparative religion and apologetics professor Craig Hazen said, introducing the night’s speaker.

About 25 students attended the three-day class, which was offered to the general public, graduate students, and undergraduate students for a $95 fee. The class was also recorded and is available for purchase through the Apologetics office. It will eventually be placed on iTunes University for free viewing.

Klusendorf was one of two speakers for the class entitled “Ethics at the Edge of Life.” Scott Rae, a professor of philosophy of religion and ethics at Biola, spoke at the Thursday and Saturday sessions. Rae brought light to controversies over reproductive technologies and end of life issues, while Klusendorf spent Friday night discussing stem-cell research and abortion.

“I think people are unprepared in situations like infertility or maybe someone thinking about [getting an] abortion, and how they answer them and guide them in what to do,” science and religion graduate student Noelle Delacruz said. “I want to be able to answer questions for people in my church and be a go-to person for them when it’s not being talked about.”

The basics of the abortion debate

Klusendorf said the abortion issue comes down to two questions: Is truth true? And what is it that makes a person valuable?

Several years ago, Nick Cannon wrote a song in which he imagined himself in his mother’s womb, pleading with her to make the right choice, to not “go through with the knife incision.” Klusendorf said people became critical of the song, challenging Cannon’s right to claim to know what would be right for his mother. Such criticisms show the popular assumption that truth is subjective.

Illustrating his second question on the value of life, Klusendorf told students about a time he met a mother in a park who said she was against abortion, but was glad it was legal because she didn’t think it right to impose her view on others. Klusendorf asked her why she opposed abortion, and she replied that she opposed abortion because it kills babies.

“If I hear you correctly, you oppose abortion, but you think it should be legal to kill babies,” Klusendorf said he told her. “‘You know what?’ [she told me,] ‘I’ve never thought of it that way, and it doesn’t sound good when you take the spin off it.”

Approaching the pro-choice position

Klusendorf said it’s important to clarify the issue as he did that day in the park.

“The abortion issue is not complex,” Klusendorf said. It is a matter of “what is the unborn? And can I kill the unborn?”

People who are pro-choice assume that the unborn are not human, Klusendorf said. He encouraged students to look for the assumptions in pro-choice arguments and to “trod out the toddler,” a technique Klusendorf said he uses in his debates.

“Your first words have to be, ‘I have a two year old in front of me,’” Klusendorf said, explaining that a baby in the womb is no different than a two year old.

A parent might want to execute his child in order to save money to pay the bills, but he can’t do that, Klusendorf said. Why? Because the child is human. The moral issue cannot be reduced to a matter of preference.

Responding to common arguments

Klusendorf also rebutted several common arguments that seek to prove the embryo is not yet human.

Many claim that the embryo’s ability to become twins several days after fertilization proves an embryo cannot be a whole human being. Klusendorf said a flat worm cut in two becomes two worms, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a living whole before it was cut. A twin can also be formed of any grown human, but that does not make the original not human.

Klusendorf said the high number of miscarriages cannot be counted as proof that an embryo is not human, either.

“Does it follow that because they die sooner rather than later they were never whole living beings?” Klusendorf asked. “Does it follow that because nature kills, I may deliberately kill [a baby]?”

Klusendorf also pointed out the difference between a car, which is constructed from the outside by parts, and an embryo, which has an inner nature that drives its development.

“From the earliest stages of development, the unborn are distinct, living and whole human beings,” Klusendorf said. “The sperm and egg are only part of a being. The embryo is a whole, living entity.”

Klusendorf said that, in addition to clarifying the issue and answering objections persuasively, Christians should teach and equip others on the issue.

“I think it is one of the issues that is important and timely, an issue that Christians often times don’t have answers to,” graduate apologetics student Rob Baird said. “[Klusendorf] is able to instill confidence in us to present evidence as efficiently and effectively as we can.”

Enrollment impacts many areas

2010-11-07T00:34:00.000-07:00

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/sep/02/enrollment-impacts-many-areas/

All students on the fall housing waiting list have been placed, according to André Stephens, senior director of undergraduate admissions. Stephens said the waiting list held about 75 students throughout the placement process.

Housing Impact

With more than 1,200 freshmen, transfers and re-admits arriving at Biola, Biola housing has added extra triples and converted the floor lounges in Hope Hall into dorm rooms to accommodate the flow of new students. Each of the large rooms holds three to four students.

Beth Tabor, associate dean of residence life, said the converted rooms are only a temporary solution. Housing will plan further ahead for next year and set aside more rooms as triples.

“The hope and plan is that it will be a one year solution, and if we can break them down earlier, then will will,” Tabor said.

While students like junior Lauren Wilk who live in the converted rooms are enjoying the extra space, others expressed disappointment.

“The lounges were a good semi-private place to do things like go work out or watch movies, or have some bonding-time,” said sophomore Kristin Walti, who lives in Hope. “Now we can only do that in the floor lobby where it’s often crowded with large groups who tend to be loud.”

“Students are disappointed because the lounges are great spots for community, but it does get 30 more students [housed],” said Hope North residence director Scott Barrett .

Acceptance

Biola needed such extra space this year with the largest incoming class, according to Laura Springer of Biola Institutional Research. Springer said she expects the number of registered students to grow as students finish registration and finalize payments between now and the September 7 deadline.

“I’m more excited than I’ve ever been,” said Biola president Barry Corey, who is entering his fourth year as president. “There are so many signs that God has been blessing the university as we’ve been faithful to Him.”

“We did not lower the standards on admissions. We have a record number of those qualified by the same standards we’ve been using,” Corey said.

Biola has an acceptance rate around 85 percent, according to Stephens. Accepted students must have at least a 920 on their Critical Reading and Math SAT or a 19 on their ACT. In addition to being a believer, admitted students also need at least a 3.0 high school GPA.

“Students who don’t meet those minimum standards, depending on how far below they fall, either are not admitted or have to go through a committee process evaluated by staff and faculty,” said Stephens.

Stephens said Admissions denied almost 200 student applications this year because the students didn’t meet Biola’s standards or didn’t seem to fit the university.

As far as returning students are concerned, Bascom said Biola has one of the best retention rates among schools of its kind, and university leadership spends just as much effort on retaining students as it does gaining new students.

During the three previous fall terms, Biola had an average undergrad retention rate of 93 percent, according to Springer.

Every year, university leaders meet to set goals for the number of incoming and returning students, Stephens said. “[We try] to recruit based on that.”

In addition to its regular efforts, Admissions has put extra emphasis on Facebook and other multimedia methods in its most recent recruiting efforts, Stephens said.

Aspiring for Affordability

Corey said Biola has done its best to stay consistent in the financial awards it gives to incoming students and to make students aware of what aid they will receive over the course of their education.

Stephens pointed to affordability as one of Biola’s 12 goals and aspirations and said there are several reasons other than financial reasons that students leave.

“A lot of families make sacrifices to be here because they believe this is where God is calling them,” Stephens said. “There are definitely more families where parents lost jobs or reduced hours. It’s just a reality we have to work with. It’s exciting for us to be in this economy that’s really tough and to see family and students and faculty committing to Biola.”

Nystrom and Pierce added to Biola staff

2010-11-07T00:33:00.000-07:00

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/sep/01/nystrom-and-pierce-added/

Biola welcomes more than 15 new faculty members this fall including the new provost, David Nystrom, and the new vice president for business and financial affairs, Michael Pierce.

Pierce is assuming the role left vacant in February by Carl Schreiber, who served in Biola’s finance department for 22 years. Nystrom takes the place of interim provost Patricia Pike, who returned to her original vice provost role last month.

“Hanging out” with Nystrom

“Students will like [Nystrom] a lot,” Pike said. “He’s very student oriented. He enjoys teaching and wants to continue teaching in the classroom.”

“My goal is for students to not even think twice about coming up to see me,” Nystrom said. “[I want to be] a normal, natural part of the campus environment. I’ll be spending a lot of time in the cafeteria, places where students hang out. I’ve been a youth pastor. I’m used to having students over for dinner.”

Pierce pays tuition

Pierce also relates to students and their families. For Pierce, tuition dollars aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet; rather, they’re what he just signed away in a check to Biola University to pay for his sophomore son’s fall semester.

Pierce said paying tuition was a reminder of the plight of many families. As the new head of finances, he determines how to manage revenue from student tuition and fees, which amounted to $110,523,139 in the 2008-2009 fiscal year alone, according to the university’s most recent tax documents.

“You have entrusted Biola with those finances, with that tuition,” he said, adding that it is his responsibility to manage that money effectively and responsibly.

Goals for the Future

Pierce said a conservative approach to the university’s budget is the appropriate one, given the current economy. He emphasized that affordability will continue to be a priority-one discussion. But affordability isn’t the only issue Pierce and his finance team are up against.

“Straight out of the gate, maintaining quality education amid booming enrollment numbers will be a challenge for the finance team,” said Dave Koontz, who temporarily filled the position left by Schreiber. “There will be some finance aspects to that as we hire professors to cover various sections.”

Nystrom expressed his own goals for his time at Biola.

“I don’t hope to change Biola into some preconceived image,” Nystrom said. “I hope to help Biola grow into what is its natural next step.”

Nystrom said he plans to trust and support faculty and students and to help them raise the bar for their expectations of others and of himself. As provost, he said he also wants to demonstrate fidelity to Scripture and awareness of what Scripture says about the human condition.

“The Gospel says there’s no true peace between human beings because we are captive to our desire to have what we want,” Nystrom said. “[But] we can be reconciled to God and to each other.”

Nystrom said such reconciliation includes the union of people of different nationalities. After living in one of the most diverse neighborhoods of Chicago, he brings new insights to the ongoing diversity discussion at Biola.

“I’m as white as they come when you look at me, but have been involved in a number of experiences that have to do with understanding the Kingdom of God in all its diversity,” Nystrom said. “We’re all part of the same body.”

Previous Experience

Nystrom comes to Biola from his role as the vice president for academic affairs at William Jessup Univeristy in Rocklin, Calif. He received his B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California at Davis, and his M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminar--returning later to teach at both schools. He also spent 12 years at North Park University and Theological Seminary in Chicago, as professor, chair of biblical and theological studies, and director of the Institute for Christian Studies.

Pierce, on the other hand, has little experience in higher education. After earning his MBA in finance from California State University, Fullerton, and a bachelor of science in accounting from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pierce spent his career in the business world. Before coming to Biola, Pierce worked in top financial positions at Johnson & Johnson and the Center for Innovation and Strategic Collaboration in Irvine, a research and development company of St. Jude Medical, Inc.

Finishing the Transition

But many of the principles in the for-profit and the not-for-profit world are the same. Koontz said Pierce’s lack of exposure to the world of higher education might actually prove a help rather than a hindrance, as “the current model of higher education is being challenged in some respects,” Koontz said.

“Mike is a sharp guy,” Koontz said. “He’s asking the right questions.”

While the last week has been a “massive orientation,” as Pierce put it, the transition could have been tougher.

“We’ve had a chance to come up to the bookstore and buy the required T-shirts and sweatshirts and mugs,” he joked. “… It made the assimilation to Biola a little bit easier.”

Campus construction continues

2010-11-07T00:31:00.000-07:00

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/sep/01/campus-construction-continues/

Green will once again cover the bare dirt of Metzger Lawn this week. According to facilities officials, the lawn will be re-sod and open later that week along with the section of sidewalk that is currently blocked off in front of the library. Meanwhile, construction continues on other parts of campus including the Fitness Center and the East Talbot building, and plans are in development for a new parking garage.

Construction Back on Track:

Construction fell behind during the summer due to delays with permits and a late shipment of supplies, but Biola plans to have the East Talbot building ready in time for Fall 2011 classes, said Ken Bascom, senior director of Facilities Planning. If all goes according to plan, the Fitness Center expansion will finish by September 7.

Bascom said future plans may include a Health and Science building and a Center for the Arts building to replace the current McNally buildings. For now, however, the Talbot buildings and the parking garage remain the school’s main priorities.

Possible Parking Structure:

A five level structure, the parking garage would hold about 640 parking spaces and would be located between the baseball field and the pool.

“That could be ready in October of next year,” Bascom said, but stressed that the garage has yet to be fully approved by the President’s Council and the Board of Trustees.

Bascom said the parking this year will likely be the worst in six years. The parking structure under the track and soccer field has already been 100 percent full several times since school began.

“Last year there were 200-400 spaces empty,” Bascom said. “About a dozen are empty today.”

“I park on the street on Biola Avenue,” said sophomore commuter Amanda Sansonetti. “It’s a hassle trying to look for parking. And with the freshman class being the largest, we maybe need a new garage. If half the freshmen have cars, the demand is going to increase.”

On the other side of campus, the re-sodded Metzger Lawn includes updated water piping which will allow sprinklers on one side of the lawn to function when tents and tables cover the other side of the lawn for events.

Talbot Complex:

Workers continue preparations for the nearby Talbot building, with several weeks left before they can lay foundations. The building will house faculty from the Biblical Studies and Theology departments, Biola’s Philosophy of Religion program and all faculty who teach undergraduate Bible classes. Once construction is completed, workers will begin the second phase of the project, which consists of remodeling Feinberg Hall beneath Calvary Chapel and demolishing Myers Hall to make room for the new West Talbot building. The entire building project is estimated to cost $55.4 million, with funding coming from donations and fundraising efforts.

Bascom said 80-90 percent of the $18 million needed to build the East Talbot building has been raised. The construction contract receives $11 million, while $2.2 million goes toward design and permits. Another $2 million pays for furnishings, equipment and other odds and ends. Bascom said an endowment fund has also been raised for any surprise operating costs.

Fitness Center Remodeling:

Construction also continues on the remodeling of the Fitness Center. The expanded workout area will allow for an added row of equipment. The remodeled gym will also include a new facility to be finished in the coming months for the athletic training staff.

According to Bascom, a shipment of supplies that arrived a month late made Facilities Planning prioritize what it needed to finish first. That meant getting the expanded offices and classrooms ready for the fall semester before finishing the Fitness Center.

“We had some crews working seven days a week to get this done,” Bascom said.

The gym has grown by 30 percent, according to Bascom. Four additions to the gym have been made and offices have been rebuilt. The size of the wrestling and weight rooms have increased and all of the coaches’ offices were remodeled to be slightly larger

The entire remodel of the gym cost $1.3 million, which was paid for by unused emergency funds and by Auxiliary Services fees. Bascom said funds for academic buildings like the East Talbot building come from fundraising, while funds for services that directly affect and serve students come from student-generated income.

“We’re very excited about the changes, very thankful for what’s happened on this end of the campus and how it’ll affect the campus,” said athletic director Dave Holmquist.

DBC Comments on the Changes:

“The projects are a sign of a growing, strengthening campus,” said Biola president Barry Corey. “We’re not a great school because we have great buildings, but the strength at Biola is fortified by the fact that we have quality places for students to study and for faculty to serve.”

Former Biola president dies

2010-11-07T00:29:00.000-07:00

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/aug/22/richard-chase-former-biola-president-dies/

Former Biola President Richard Chase died Friday, August 20 of natural causes at age 79. Chase, Biola's sixth president, served for 12 years. | Photo courtesy of Biola

Students compared him to Abraham Lincoln. His eloquent speech, tall height, and angular features earned him the comparison, but it was his relationship with the Lord and his vision for Biola that made him the respected man many remember today.

Richard Chase, who served as Biola’s president from 1970 to 1982, died of natural causes Friday, Aug. 20. The 79-year-old man died in his home at Windsor Park Manor retirement community in Carol Stream, Ill., leaving behind his wife, Mary, two children, and a grateful university.

“The strength and position of Biola University today can be credited in large part to Richard Chase and [his] unwavering, inspiring commitment to godly living and Christ-honoring education,” current Biola president Barry Corey said in a statement.

Chase's legacy at Biola

Biola named Chase Gymnasium after the former president, who, friends of Chase said, frequented the gym to play basketball with students and faculty. Chase also helped Biola merge with Rosemead School of Psychology in 1977.

Ken Bascom, senior director of facilities planning at Biola, said Biola owes much of its academic standing to Chase.

“I remember him coming back from a trip to colleges and universities across the country,” Bascom said. “There was active discussion about Biola changing its name. Many people from Chase’s era felt like we were never outgrowing the image of being a Bible institute. Chase came back from that trip and said, ‘We have turned the corner; the Biola name has grown to be respected and has outgrown its humble beginnings.’ After that, there was no more talk about changing the name of Biola.”

Chase graduated from Biola in 1951 with a bachelor’s degree in theology and worked as the chairman of Biola’s speech department. In 1970, five years after becoming Biola’s vice president, Chase became Biola’s sixth president. Chase served at Biola for 12 more years before moving to Illinois to become the sixth president of Wheaton College. There, he served 11 years before retiring in 1993.

Chase returned to Biola for the ground breaking of Biola’s current library in 2000 and for Biola’s centennial celebration in 2008.

Biola's favorite memories of Chase

Bascom said he still remembers watching the former president walk into Mayers Auditorium to teach a speech class Bascom took in 1967.

“The students I hung around with had a tremendous respect for him from the start,” Bascom said. “The 60s were turbulent. We had our share of political discussions. Chase was a really good pressure release valve. He got sent in to talk to some of us students who fancied ourselves to be intelligent and ahead of the times. He handled those situations very well.”

“I remember him as a warm and friendly person, but also was impressed by his thoughtful and professional approach to his work as president,” said Keith Edwards, who worked at Rosemead and took part in negotiations when it merged with Biola. “The merger was a major move for Biola and it had several potential challenges. [Chase] had a deep conviction that this was in Biola’s interest and pursued it. He was kind and thoughtful, but assertive and decisive.”

“He was a very intelligent and capable person,” said David Holmquist, who has been Biola’s athletic director for 33 years now.

Holmquist, who recalled many pleasant tennis games with the former president, said he knew Chase as a young boy. His relationship with Chase grew when he began working at Biola in 1978. “He was a man of deep faith. There was also a kindness about him, an ability to listen to people. I just felt he was a very easy person to be with, a very humble and unpretentious man.”

When Biola was struggling to gain credentials, Bascom said God used Chase to turn Biola into a Christian university.

Chase honored at Biola

The Chronicle of Higher Education named Chase one of the 100 most effective college presidents in America in a 1986 nationwide survey, and Biola awarded Chase a legacy award for “A Distinguished Lifetime of Leadership and Service” in 2008.

“I am so encouraged by the caliber of the Chase family and honored to be able to express on behalf of Biola University our prayers and sympathy for the loss of such a wonderful father, husband and Christian leader,” Corey said in his statement. “I knew when I met him I'd met a giant. Not only was he a man of academic vision and administrative strength, he was a servant of the people and he loved students.”

Provost Candidate Meets Campus Leaders

2010-07-26T14:43:00.000-07:00

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/jul/01/provost-candidate-meets/

David Nystrom, candidate for Biola’s provost and senior vice president position, met with campus leaders Thursday during his visit of the school. The 16 leaders in attendance included President Barry Corey, AS President Lizzie Neely, and several deans from different departments.

“The process of finding a new provost has truly been ordained,” Corey said at the meeting.

After a year-long search for Biola’s next provost that located about 150 applicants, Corey announced Nystrom’s candidacy last month.

“Nystrom is open, honest, humble, and interesting,” said Bruce Narramore, a psychology professor who co-chaired the search committee with Corey. “Barry and David will be a great complement to each other.”

Nystrom’s vision for Biola

Nystrom said his goals for Biola would revolve around how to practically apply Biola’s mission statement over the next 10 to 15 years.

Nystrom also commented on trends in higher education.

“Technology and what it allows us to do plays a large role in higher education,” Nystrom said at the meeting. “[One trend is] the ability to expand more professional education (i.e. nursing, business, sciences). And the cost of it will rise, which means we need to find more funds to allow for growth.”

Nystrom successfully found such funds in his previous work at William Jessup University in Rocklin, Calif., where he taught as an adjunct and served as the academic dean. During his four years at WJU, the school dropped the price of tuition - one of only two schools in the country to do so.

Nystrom said his main contribution at WJU involved influencing people to give money to the school.

“I gave people a sense of what the future should be, confidence in the future, how to accomplish the future, and the patience to get there,” Nystrom said.

Nystrom brings his experience with diversity and multiculturalism to the position as well. He has lived in Sweden, spent time in Greece and Turkey, and lived in a diverse neighborhood of Chicago with his family. He has also cultivated friendships with people of different nationalities when he lived in San Francisco.

Nystrom’s qualifications and history

Nystrom grew up in Northern California the youngest of three and attended a conservative church. He spent five years as an associate high school pastor before becoming an associate college pastor. Nystrom attended Fuller Seminary and received his B.A. and Ph.D at the University of California Davis. He taught at North Park University and Theological Seminary in Chicago for 12 years as the chair of biblical and theological studies and the director of the Institute for Christian Studies.

Nystrom was one of two candidates interviewed for the provost position. He did not seek out the position originally, but made a strong impression on Corey after meeting with him in December.

The provost search committee contacted several references, all of which confidently supported Nystrom. He has also been endorsed by Talbot deans Dr. Dennis Dirks and Dr. Michael Wilkins. If Biola offers the provost position to Nystrom and he accepts, he will assume the role later this summer.

Provost Candidate Announced

2010-07-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/jun/24/provost-candidate-announced/

After a year of diligent searching, President Corey has announced the selection of David Paul Nystrom as candidate for Biola’s the position of provost and senior vice president. Nystrom, who was one of two candidates interviewed, will visit campus July 1 to discuss the possibility of taking the job.

“I have invited Dr. David P. Nystrom for a daylong conversation with a number of Biola’s constituencies,” Corey said in a release from the Office of the President. “If the offer is extended and accepted, he is prepared to assume the role later this summer with his faculty appointment appropriately reflecting his academic background in classical history and New Testament.”

Introducing David Nystrom

Nystrom, currently the vice president for academic affairs at William Jessup University in Rocklin, Calif., received his B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California at Davis, and his M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary, returning later to teach at both schools. He also spent 12 years at North Park University and Theological Seminary in Chicago, as professor, chair of biblical and theological studies and director of the Institute for Christian Studies.

In his statement, Corey describes Nystrom as having “great charisma” and being a “natural team-builder.” Although Biola is a larger school than Nystrom has been working with – William Jessup reported student enrollment of 578 in fall 2009 – all of the colleagues contacted for reference said they are confident Nystrom can transition from the smaller to larger stage with ease.

“I believe that David Nystrom is a rising presence in the world of Christian higher education, and his potential at Biola University will be significant as we move forward academically,” Corey said in his statement.

Nystrom discovered by Search Committee

Corey first met Nystrom in December after he was deemed as a potential candidate by Biola’s Search Advisory Committee. Corey said the search committee looked for a candidate with certain characteristics including strong interpersonal skills, a deep grasp of integrative thinking from a Biblical worldview and confidence in leading faculty to higher levels of excellence. Though Corey and the committee reviewed profiles for other candidates throughout the spring semester, they kept in contact with Nystrom, who continued the extensive interview process.

Corey has said he admires his “spirit of Christian humility,” emphasizing that Nystrom did not seek out the position at Biola. With a teaching and administrative background at both secular and Christian colleges, Nystrom has been an outstanding and beloved leader wherever he goes.

Nystrom endorsed by Talbot Deans

“His theological core is conservative, and his ability to analyze contexts and arrive at solutions has made many identify him as a gifted leader,” Corey said in his release.

Nystrom is committed to helping institutions maintain a strong biblical foundation. He has been interviewed by Talbot Deans Dennis Dirks and Michael Wilkins, who have fully endorsed his theology.

Nystrom will be visiting campus with his wife of 27 years, Kristina, and their 11-year-old daughter Annika.

Introduction

2010-07-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

My name is Harmony Wheeler and I am a professional writer and public relations practitioner. Aside from my website, harmonywheeler.com, this is where I will regularly post my published articles.