2. Editorial
The Ground is the Limit
Emily Syvertson
Slippery Connections
Taylor Roberts
The Communication Revolution
Steven Foster
Culture
Union’s Redeeming Quality
Spencer Way
Atmosphere of Authenticity
Tyler Ellis
Academics
Major Relief
Michael Rohm
Experience
Insights into Freshman Year
Emily Wood
Quantifying College Experience
Cassandra Johnson
Relationships
A Bond not Easily Broken
Katie Morrison
The Family Connection
Dan Carlson
Friendship Fertilizer
Amanda Ashburn
Community
Loving Lincoln
Amber Alas
Spirituality
Reaching Beyond Ourselves
Sarah Ventura
The Face of God
Abner Campos
And Beyond
Learning When it’s not Required
Chelsea Zumwalt
Editor in Chief
Emily Syvertson
Layout Editor
Emily Syvertson
Copy Editors
Aphelandra Messer
Taylor Roberts
Photographer
Cody Blake
Sponsor
Michael D. Steingas
Writers
Spencer Way
Michael Rohm
Chelsea Zumwalt
Steven Foster
Cassandra Johnson
Katie Morrison
Amber Alas
Tyler Ellis
Dan Carlson
Amanda Ashburn
Emily Wood
Guest Writer
Sarah Ventura
TheClocktower encourages reader feedback and strives
to maintain accuracy. If you have comments, please email us
at cltower@gmail.com.
The Clocktower is published during the school year
by the Associated Student Body of Union College, 3800 S
48th St., Lincoln, NE 68506
The opinions expressed are the opinions of the
writers and are not to be construed as the opinions of the
editors, Associated Student Body, Union College, or the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Dear readers,
My goal for this issue
is simple: share a bit
about why we love
Union, the place that
becomes our home
for (at least) nine
months each year. I hope this inspires you
to ponder and share your reasons as well!
~Emily Syvertson
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Table of Contents
A Note
from the
Editor
The Clocktower Staff
3. PAGE 3
EDITORIAL
Emily Syvertson
is a senior studying English
and communication
My past year resembles a five-year-old’s finger painting.
I gleefully plunged my chubby digits into a multitude
of busy hues: gymnastics, full class load (Why did I take exercise
physiology for fun?), internship, The Clocktower editor. Each
activity caught my eye, and I knew that without them my
senior year masterpiece wouldn’t be fit for mom’s fridge.
Mycanvasmayhavegottenabitstickyandbrownintheplaces
where too many colors mingled, but like any stubbornly
optimistic kid I still think it’s my best painting yet.
And this is why I love Union College. At Union, I can
be an editor, a gymnast, and a scholar. Faculty and staff
encourage us to take opportunities suited for our ever-
expanding identities. Our peers cheer us on when we want
to try something new. Forget choosing between the jocks
and the nerds—you can embody both.
At Union, a former inmate can become a classmate. An
introvert can become a leader. A math major can be a poet.
A distracted student can become a competent nurse. An
atheist can be moved by the Holy Spirit.
Unlike a five-year-old, I know I can’t truly be anything I want
to be; the laws of physics deny me the chance to become
a pterodactyl. However, Union helps us become more of
what we want to be by fostering our professional as well
as personal growth through empathetic professors, deep-
rooted friendships, and unforeseen liberation.
Sure, Union educates us to become specialized in a specific
area of study. But the most invaluable thing Union taught
me was how unreliable my perceived limits can be.
“Are you ready to videotape my death?” I asked Mattison
Jenks before attempting a quadruple star drop on the aerial
silks. A triple usually left me dangling uncomfortably close
to the ground. I hesitated before the drop, hanging like a
spool swaddled in teal thread.
My right big toe, just inches from the gym ceiling, began
to sweat knowing it was the only thing keeping me from
plummeting. Or maybe it was just sweating because the dome
catches heat, forming a sauna at the ceiling. Either way, with
just a flick of my foot, I would unravel at an uninterruptable
speed.
I stared at the thin mat below me and doubted its ability to
intervene. Few things could actually save me while I dropped
from a height approximating the third floor of the Dick
Building.
I looked over at Mattie and lifted my right foot.
I spun down until the silks snatched me just a couple feet from
the floor. Air was forced out of my lungs by the interrupted
momentum and my palpable relief.
I thought spinning three times was my limit. In reality, the
floor was the limit. Instead of being bound by the inability to
accomplish a certain task, I realized I was only limited by the
space in which I could achieve it.
Yes, we do have limits, but they are often far different than
the ones we first perceive. We must learn to recognize the
difference between an immovable boundary and a stubborn
yet surmountable one.
Victor Hugo notes, “One can resist the invasion of an army,
but one cannot resist the invasion of ideas.” If we embrace
the notion that our limits are often different than they first
appear we can reach a better state of Union—one where we
thrust our fingers into vats of shiny, new paint.
The Ground
is the Limit
4. EDITORIALPAGE 4
Light flew across the sky, illuminating three giggling girls as we jumped over
fallen branches and into big puddles on the sidewalk. Thunder followed
soon after, drowning out my squeal as I tripped over a large stick in my path,
barely catching myself from crashing to the ground. We were soon joined by a
few guys as we made our way out to the stretch of lawn between Prescott Hall and
the Don Love Building to play some freeze tag.
It was orientation week my freshman year, and I couldn’t believe what had
happened in the few short days since I’d arrived at Union College.
As my senior year in high school drew to a close, I found myself more and more
reluctant to go to college in the fall. I spent the summer working, filling out my
paperwork, and stressing about the day I’d have to leave my family and step into
a semi-independent state. I was scared out of my mind.
My group of friends split up, each of us going to different colleges to suit our
own personal goals. I knew the girl who was going to be my roommate, but not
very well. My parents were an eight hour drive away from Lincoln.
My family dropped me off on a Sunday. I was on my own. I went through
meetings, took tours, set up my schedule, got a job, and even found some people
I had briefly met at preview days the year before. This isn’t so bad, I thought.
The real clincher, though, was the thunderstorm. Thursday evening of
orientation week it started pouring like nothing I’d ever seen before. We
had rain in my hometown of Longmont, Colorado, but it was nothing like a
Nebraska thunderstorm. I loved the rain and took every opportunity to play in
it, thus finding my way toward a game of freeze tag on a dark and stormy night.
That night I found a group of people to connect with, and they became my
main friend group for the rest of that year. With the ties forged slipping around
on the soaking wet grass that night, I found an anchor that gave me a sense of
security as I opened up to what Union has to offer and explored new paths I’d
never thought of before.
I will always have a special space for Union in my heart. I found myself here,
built up dreams for my future, and am working every day toward making them
my reality. I truly believe that Union has something to offer everybody, whether
you’re looking for friendship, independence, or just a place to discover your
calling. All you have to do is open your mind and let the experience lead you,
even if it takes you to play tag in a thunderstorm with people you’ve never met
before. It worked for me.
Slippery Connections
Taylor Roberts
is a junior studying
language arts education
5. PAGE 5
EDITORIAL
Journalists. Many describe us as a dying breed as the reign of pen paired with
paper has fallen to screen and keyboard. My father worries the day will come
when he will no longer be able to read his daily newspaper in the comfort of his
recliner—the day that print media will cease to be. So we journalists fear for our
job security. We are underappreciated, overworked and on our way out, right?
Not quite. But our landscape has been dramatically overhauled thanks to digital
media.
Today, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook are our daily newspaper while everyone
who engages with their friends online is a journalist. In the age of social media
and online publications, we are the audience and the journalist. News doesn’t
only happen every morning while you sip your coffee and flip through your
paper. No, it happens instantaneously. From a journalistic standpoint, it’s
evolve or die.
In the year 2014, news is typed, photographed, filmed, recorded, GIF’d, listed,
ranted, tweeted, commented, memed, vined, trended and reposted. News is no
longer a weekly publication. At the very least, news is daily. The Wall Street Journal
and The New York Times have shared the playing way to The Huffington Post and Wired.
Journalists of old mourn for the way we were, but I’m excited for what we are
becoming.
We the people have spoken, and we want news now—with a side of opinion, dang
it. We don’t want to wait for TheClocktower to come out weekly, we want it daily. We
don’t want to go out of our way to fetch The Clocktower, we want it delivered to us
in our Facebook feeds. We don’t want to read about a new foreign restaurant in
Lincoln, we want to read about “9 Dishes You’ve Never Heard About.” We want
to watch our news as well as read it. We want to know the facts, but a spoonful of
pop culture makes the medicine go down. I hear you, Union College.
Next year, I will be filling the shoes of many great editors before me. The 89th
volume of The Clocktower is in my hands, and I’m ready to give it everything I’ve
got. You can expect to see new columns and a new way to receive your campus
news: online. Every article will have it’s own webpage, and we will be promoting
our sections daily through our Facebook page. You can look forward to having
easy access to The Clocktower whenever, wherever—even on your smart phones.
There’s never been a better time to follow The Clocktower on Facebook.
Prepare yourselves for the communication revolution.
Steven Foster
is a junior studying communication
The Communication Revolution
6. Ibelieve individuals and entities are at
their best when two things happen.
One, they focus on accomplishing a
single thing. Two, that thing happens to
be what they are uniquely suited to do
better than any other.
It took me six years to discover what
Union’s Redeeming Quality
Spencer Way
is a senior studying
business administration
CULTUREPAGE 6
Union College’s focus is. When I reflect
on my time here I realize that this goal
happens to be the thing that Union
College is uniquely suited to do. Union
College has been my redemption and
will probably be yours as well, because
this is Union’s focus, and she is good at
it.
What other institution would send me
from restriction to Dean’s List? From
fistfights in gymnastics practice to
captain of the Gymnaires? From Dean’s
Council to committee member? From
walking out on a final worth most of the
class’s grade to graduating with honors?
I challenge you to find even one person,
no matter how academically achieved,
that has not accepted the grace of
deadline extensions, generous grading,
or the miraculous appearance of enough
extra credit to make a difference. If
policy regarding worship credits, leave
requests, or other rules has not been
molded to help you, then you haven’t
broken enough rules.
Perhaps all small, private colleges
present their students with four years of
merciful trial and error, but I choose
to believe that Union does redemption
more reputably and more effectively
than any other.
Four Star General Stanley McChrystal
said in a TED talk, “Leaders can let you
fail and yet not let you be a failure.”
The tough part about this principle is
forgiveness, the redemptive element is
forgetfulness. It is one thing to be the
student allowed to remain after breaking
rules. It is altogether more significant to
receive a recommendation letter from
the same leaders you once disappointed.
Redemption is what I love about Union
College more than anything. I hope you
experience its spirit too.
This is the story of how Union
changed my life. If you talk to
any person at Union, each will have a
unique Union experience. Some will
have an extremely positive experience,
and some will tell of the worst time
they’ve ever had. Mine happens to be
a particularly positive one.
Before I came to Union, I went to
Atmosphere of Authenticity
Tyler Ellis
is a senior business student
another University that just wasn’t for
me. I was ready to try something new,
so I moved from Orlando, Florida
to Lincoln, Nebraska. I was hesitant
to move to Nebraska, but I felt that it
was the right move for me. Living in
Nebraska may not seem glamorous,
but once a person settles into Union,
everything changes.
(continued on page 12)
7. Ihave a reputation here on campus. When people hear my
slow footsteps echoing down the hall, they retreat to a back
alley, lock themselves in a bathroom stall, or huddle under a
desk and devour a package of bacon because life is short.
You could say I’m the bad boy of Union College. I didn’t
intend to earn such notoriety. Back in my freshman year,
when I was pursuing a degree in international rescue and
relief, I was a normal guy. Well, as normal as one would expect
from a pony-tailed IRR major. The next year was no different,
though I had returned without the tail of a pony.
But something changed my junior year. It was a fateful August
day in the twelfth year of the twenty-first century, if what the
minstrels sing is true. I felt a tug on my heart and heard a
voice spake thus: “Forsooth, mine lad. Thou art a pedant of
internation’l pursoots, yet yore heart melteth with love for
words, both writt’n and spak’n.”
I listened intently, recalling the adage my father proclaimed
before every carving of the roast beast: “When a mysterious
voice speaks in the King’s English, you hearken.”
The voice continued, reverberating in my very soul like a
thing that reverberates. A gong, perhaps?
“Happiness thou shall not find unless yore skills are thus
combin’d.” The rhyming couplet was right. I would never be
happy with a degree in international rescue and relief, just
as I would never be happy with a degree in communication.
I wanted the best of both; I wanted to be a writer without
sacrificing my passion for international studies, community
development, and rescue skills. So I created a degree that
allowed for both: international relief and communications.
Creating a personalized degree is an option available to
everyone, but few are aware of the opportunity. Because
the majority of students are satisfied with one of the many
degree pathways offered at Union, there is little demand
for personalization. And, while it is true that most students
want diversity in their educational experience, the range and
number of elective credits often satiates this desire, keeping
students content with their degree.
Major Relief
But, there are a few undergraduates who are fundamentally
unsatisfied by any one degree. They are usually students who
want a little of everything because they seek a life that will
require a little of everything. And because Union doesn’t (yet)
offer the little-of-everything degree, we have to create what we
want from the choices available to us.
But here’s the thing: creating a degree is a headache. Mostly
for the fine people on fifth floor, but for everyone else
involved, too. Advisors, academic council, and the student—
they all suffer. The process requires letters addressed to
various members of the faculty, multiple curriculum changes,
scheduling conflicts, direct study classes, and hundreds of
emails and visits to the fifth floor. I’m sorry fifth floor!
By the end of the process, however, the student has tailored a
degree that includes exactly what he or she wants. Every class
becomes meaningful, because you crafted your schedule. The
faculty—the ones that will still look at you without grimacing—
have invested themselves in your future. But, perhaps the
most rewarding incentive of all: you will emerge with a degree
that nobody else has.
If you are interested in personalizing a degree, talk to your
advisor today, then brace for the storm.
Michael Rohm
is a senior pursuing a personalized degree
in international relief and communication
PAGE 7
ACADEMICS
8. EXPERIENCEPAGE 8
Insights into Freshman Year
Emily Wood
is a freshman studying
communication
You mean I have to carry my stuff up three flights of stairs and the boys have
an elevator?” My first lesson of freshman year began the moment I realized
I had packed enough for a small country. You could say I had a flashing “first time
living away from home” sign on my forehead.
Thankfully, what followed was classic Union hospitality. Not only were fellow
students willing to help, but professors and their families were eager to haul up my
overflowing suitcases.
However, next week brought the shocking realization that, while I had taken
college-level courses previously, they were not going to compare when looking at
my courses’ syllabi.
Challenges aside, this year has flown by. With it have come memories to cherish
long after graduation. But don’t just take my word for it. Fellow freshmen offer
their lessons learned this year:
Responsibilities don’t just
disappear, despite Netflix binges
and hours of procrastination.
Aerlice Leblanc learned this the
hard way. “Remember that lovely
moment last semester when I
ditched [class] because I didn’t get
my paper done? Well, I learned
that papers don’t write themselves,
and it’s best to just do it.” As Ava
Carlos, now a sophomore, adds,
“Time management is number
one. Besides Jesus.” Perhaps the
best solution then is to pray–about
time management.
You can try. And you might fail.
Rudy Rodriguez received a double
dose of that this year. “When you
like a girl, never try fixing her
phone to impress her. All you get
is an even more broken phone and
a broken relationship.” I would say
keep trying when this happens, but
I’m slightly afraid of what might
end up broken next.
“I finally understand what the
expression ‘It’s all Greek to me’
means,” comments Eliezer Roque-
“
Cisneros. Since he is taking Greek,
I think he might be taking it more
literally than most. But we can all
admit confusion at some time.
“Experience an all-nighter at least
once!” Belle Kuo advises. While it
may be something to cross off your
bucket list, the only thing that may
get you through the next day is a
strong pot of coffee. Even then,
falling asleep in class is inevitable
and highly frowned upon.
Even though the endless hours
of studying may make you want to
cry, you’ll be thankful for them
eventually. Audrey Hatfield assures
that professors “aren’t trying to kill
you. They want you to succeed and
follow your dreams.”
Don’t limit your “favorite teachers”
to just your major. “Three of my
professors in particular have been
a blessing and encouragement.
Not only are they there to help
with homework, but to talk about
anything, encourage me on bad
days, and show me how to strive for
better,” shares Jessica Santee. Yes,
it can be tempting to hang around
humanities and lounge for hours,
but there are other interesting
divisions on campus.
It’s easy to tune out the world
when you have a busy schedule,
but don’t become sucked into the
selfish “me zone.” Sammie Sosa
shares why you don’t have to leave
campus to be reminded of this.
“When you host [preview day]
students, share experiences with
them and they will open up! It will
create fun times and giggles. And
treat them to Coopers once in a
while!”
And of course, freshman year is
all about adventure. As Bretlyn
Kelly shares, “Everyone else is just
as nervous as you. Nobody wants
to make the first move, so be the
bigger person.” Sitting down
with someone spontaneously at
the cafeteria may spark a new
friendship–or it may be awkward.
Either way, lesson learned.
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9. PAGE 9
EXPERIENCE
Infographic designed by Emily Syvertson
Cassandra Johnson
is a senior pursuing a business
pre-med degree
As graduating seniors of 2014, we are a class that enjoys stalking the PG,
breaking Union rules, and crying in Malcolm Gaskin’s office. The highlights
(and low points) are often overshadowed by the repetitive cycle of homework,
veggie meat, and trips spent huffing up the Dick Building stairs. It’s easy to let the
monotony blur over the life-changing, mind-expanding moments that occur in
just four years.
How, then, can we quantify the college experience? How can we bring the life-
changing moments to the forefront, casting a shadow on the relatively lackluster
moments of the daily grind? In an attempt to show just how momentous four years
can be, I surveyed 40 Union seniors.
Quantifying College Experience
10. RELATIONSHIPSPAGE 10
I’m not going to lie: During my
senior year of high school, I
thought Union was the lamest place to
go to college. I thought that Union was
for people who didn’t know what they
wanted to do in school. People went to
Union to “find” themselves, then they
went somewhere else to pursue their
dreams.
I decided to go to Andrews University
because I thought that I would grow
up more quickly if I were further away
from my family. But I didn’t fit in
Though Union College is known for
its familial atmosphere, friendly
faces, and intense spiritual aura, some
may not be aware of what Warriors
Athletics has to offer. As a student at
Union College, one has the option
of joining a number of sports teams:
volleyball, basketball, gymnastics,
or golf. These teams each offer
unparalleled opportunities to develop
skills on the court, lifetime friendships,
and a deeper relationship with God.
Although I played basketball all four
years in high school, I was blown away
by the difference in playing at the
college level. From the very first week
of tryouts, I worked harder than I ever
The Family
Connection
A Bond not Easily Broken
at Andrews. The culture was different
than what I was used to. Getting help
and making friends were difficult. I was
miserable at the semester break, but I
decided to stick it out until the end of
the year before exploring other options.
Toward the middle of summer, I
received an email explaining that
Union had just added a new emphasis
to its communication major: emerging
media. This was just what I was looking
for. I sent my application in the next
Katie Morrison
is a sophomore studying business
administration
had. My teammates were better than me
in every way, and the only chance I had
to keep up was through practice. The
girls on the team encouraged me and,
to my surprise, became some of my best
friends that year. The bond of basketball
brought us from all corners of Union’s
campus, drawing students from nursing
and business and international studies.
If I hadn’t joined the basketball team, I
never would have developed friendships
with those girls.
I will never forget the road trips. For
away games, the team always traveled
in a twelve-person van. On one trip
I managed to nab the front seat and
started playing “Would You Rather?”
with our coach, Ryan Perry. We played
it with a positive spin; he would give me
two dreamy scenarios, and I would have
to pick just one.
“Would you rather go on a double date
with Dylan O’Brien, Ariana Grande,
and Nathan Sykes, or go on tour with
One Direction for a month?” Our
coach knew my weaknesses for boy bands
and Dylan O’Brien. We had developed a
real relationship that was not limited to
basketball and strategy. The girls I got
to know throughout my two years as a
Warrior have become real friends. We’ve
created memories no one else can share:
victory dinners at Red Robin, grungy
locker rooms at away games, early Friday
morning practices. These moments
have created a bond not easily broken.
Gymnastics at Union College is a
massive time commitment. Having two-
hour-long practices four nights a week
gives gymnasts the time to get to know
their teammates. They take weekend-
long tours back to back to back. They
spend hours together on buses and in
communal gym showers. You might
think they would get sick of each other,
but the opposite is true. Mattison
Jenks has been on the team for a year
and a half and has only positive things
to say about her experience. Instead of
landing a new trick or developing a new
skill, Jenks’s favorite memories involve
just talking late at night on tours with
her teammates. “The fact that we are
more like a family that enjoys the same
sport makes our team really special,” she
says.
(continued on page 9)
11. PAGE 11
RELATIONSHIPS
Dan Carlson
is a sophomore studying
communication
Amanda Ashburn
is a junior studying language
arts education
What do I love about Union
College? I love that Union is an
incubator for friendships. Not just those
I’m-going-to-act-like-these-people-
are-my-friends-because-we-have-the-
same-classesfriendships.No,thisschool
has provided me with opportunities to
form lifelong friendships.
Friendship, much like Red Bull, gives
you wings. Okay, maybe not literal
wings, but friendship can definitely
broaden perspectives and help you
grow as a person. Sometimes it starts in
extraordinary ways, and other times it’s
as simple as a smile. Friendship is also
the fertilizer for great stories.
I’ve given my veins for IV practice,
prepared for a quiz on football referee
hand signals, heard way too much about
high Fowler’s position, and eaten a
Sabbath meal at a business division
mentor’s house all because of the
friendships I’ve formed right here at
Union.
It’s not just the students who are friends
either. Maybe there are other colleges
where it’s possible to form a real
Friendship Fertilizer
friendship with your professors, but I
like to think that Union has something
special. I have genuine friendships with
several faculty and staff members here.
Plus, it’s a whole lot nicer to sit down
with a professor and talk about your
favorite Starbuck’s drinks than to only
see her when you’re worried about your
grades.
Taking the time to personally know the
people behind the success of Union
can be rewarding. I’ve gone camping in
western Nebraska with Darla Hornby’s
family; I’ve joked around with my
advisor and boss, Dr. Moses (yes, it’s
possible); and I’ve sat on Dr. Cochran’s
couch, eating grilled cheese sandwiches,
discussing the rhetorical value of Glee.
I know it might sound cliché, but the
Campus Ministries team got it right
when they started calling vespers Family
Worship because the people at Union
really do feel like family. Maybe it’s the
small campus, maybe it’s the Mid-West
air, but either way, something about
Union feels like home.
Union is an incubator for friendships.
day. I had just committed to the one
school that I swore I would never attend.
Within my first month at Union, I
realized I was experiencing something
very different than I had expected.
Everyone was extremely nice, my advisor
actually cared about my progress and
plans for the future, I enjoyed being
close to my family, and Lincoln was
slowly but surely growing on me. Tyler
Morrison had told me this would
happen if I came here. He was right.
(continued from page 8)
It’s true! That’s why, when I joined The
Clocktower staff, I told Emily I wanted to
write the Student Spotlight column. I
believe that there are people right here,
people you walk by every single day,
people you stand in the Union Market
line with, who are just waiting to get
to know you. My goal this semester was
to encourage you to get to know more
people, to form those friendships that
you may not have thought possible.
So, how about it, Union? For the last
time, get out there and make a new
friend. It’s never too late. You might
just discover someone truly remarkable.
If I had to pick the thing that I like
most about Union, it would be that
it brings me closer to my family. I
have one brother and two cousins
attending Union, my grandma is two
miles away from here, and home is
only a six-hour drive away. I thought
that I wanted to be on my own, but it
is nice to have family to fall back on.
12. COMMUNITYPAGE 12
Union is one of the few Adventist
colleges placed right in the middle
of a state’s capital—a friendly city that has
dozens of options for eating, shopping,
exploring and entertainment. Lincoln
always has something fun to offer, no
matter the time of year.
When I ask people what the best thing
about Lincoln is, many say they love that
Loving Lincoln
Amber Alas
is a senior nursing student
My first positive Union experience
began as I was walking around the
booths to sign up for a club, and
student Josh Kanin asked me my
name. This simple question turned
into a two hour session of him
getting to know me and showing a
genuine interest in me as a person.
This is when I knew that Union was a
different place. Someone who didn’t
(continued from page 6)
Lincoln experiences all four seasons—
yes, even our winters. After all, when
we do have a freezing day that makes
you want to snuggle in bed, there’s The
Mill. This little coffee shop across the
street will make your day once you get
your hands on your favorite hot drink.
Winter scores even more points due to
the new seasonal outdoor Railyard Ice
Rink in downtown Lincoln. Everyone
flocked there this past winter, even
when it was 30 degrees outside.
In the spring everyone enjoys hitting
up the parks around campus such as
Pioneers Park and Holmes Lake for
good ol’ barbeques, bike rides, relaxing
in their hammocks, or taking a walk. For
those who enjoy staying inside, catching
a movie for five dollars at any theater in
Lincoln is always an option on Tuesdays.
And who can complain about the new
arena that opened last year? Because of
the new Pinnacle Bank Arena, we have
welcomed so many artists to Lincoln—
and, I would like to add, for a lower
know me from Adam took the time to
genuinely care who I was.
As the weeks continued, more and more
people did the same thing. Then, a few
weeks in, Union had their soup supper
weekend. Dr. Allen invited me to his
house. At this point, I was blown away by
how nice everyone I had come in contact
with was. This kindness continued on
for all of my many years at Union. From
Peter Blankenship to Dr. Wagner, from
Lori Brussel to Linda Becker. everyone
at Union has a genuine love for one
another.
Each Adventist college and university
is known for something. What about
Union? Well, Union is full of some of
the most genuine people in world. At
the end of the day, that’s all I need in
a school.
price than if we were located in a bigger
city.
During the summer and through fall
Lincoln has so many places you can
explore without being bundled up all
day. There’s the Haymarket downtown,
the Railyard, the Sunken Gardens,
Nebraska’s State Capitol, the Memorial
Stadium and more. So many options
and so little time!
When I first came to Union College,
I wasn’t overjoyed at being the newest
member of Nebraska’s population.
Over the years, though, I have grown to
love this place. And when the day comes
that I have to leave Lincoln, it’s going to
be tough, especially when I look back at
all the places around Lincoln where I’ve
made memories.
13. Aten-year-old girl with almond
skin grins up at me after slicing
my paper with her scissors. I moan
dramatically, laughing as I hand her my
last two pennies and grasp a fold of her
sleeve. Trailing behind her, I cheer as
she conquers the masses, working her
rock-paper-scissor magic and ending
the game with four “slaves” and forty-
odd pennies. She is one of several
winners in a game which models the
world we live in, a world where the rich
often get richer and the poor often get
poorer.
Every year, Union’s Conflict and
Peacemaking class contributes to Peace
Camp in downtown Lincoln. This
year I joined a team that taught third,
fourth, and fifth graders the four pillars
of peacemaking: dialogue, justice,
fogiveness, and reconciliation.
Two years ago on a chilly Saturday night,
I offered a coat to a homeless man and,
instead, got an invitation to church.
The next morning I walked into the
Bourbon Theater, grabbed a cup of free
coffee and worshipped with my new-
found friend. Afterwards, he told me
that he could use a good backpack—he
gave me Jesus (Bourbon Theater style)
and I gave him my backpack.
Every year I get to join my school in
Project Impact. I get to watch my friends
and faculty fill up jars with pennies and
donate the money raised to Tiny Hands
International. I get to drop jeans off in
boxes around campus, knowing that my
clothing surplus will be given to local
girls who actually need it.
I love Union because I am surrounded
by people who care for their neighbors.
I love Union because its professors
teach me to look outside of myself. I
love Union because my fellow students
Union gives off a unique aroma, kind
of like freshly-cut grass or blossoming
trees. People know that this school
does not have the newest facilities, the
largest population of students, or the
highest graduation rate in the Midwest.
However, everyone knows Union.
I think Union knows how to love. I
wouldn’tcallthislovespiritual,religious,
or Adventist–although at times it might
be. Union’s love is very human. Union’s
love is relevant. Union’s love is raw and
real and tangible.
Union saves lives. Girls are at risk of
Sarah Ventura
is a junior exercise science major
are changing the world, in small,
sustainable,inspiringsteps.IloveUnion
because, though we have done much
good, there are endless opportunities to
do more.
Reaching Beyond Ourselves
PAGE 13
SPIRITUALITY
being trafficked for sex, so we hold
Penny Wars.
At this school I can find Jesus between
the trees, in class conversations, at ASB
events, while sitting on the Campus
Ministries couch, or through a stranger
paying for my meal at Union Market. At
Union, God is literally everywhere. It’s
as if God breathed into Union, and now
Union’s lungs pulse in rhythm with His
purpose.
Recently, I was at the Sunken Gardens
and I began to converse with an elderly
lady. She asked where I went to school. I
replied, “Union College.”
Her response was immediately positive.
It was then that I knew beyond a shadow
of a doubt that Union’s heart breaks for
that which breaks the heart of God.
How could I not want to be a part of
this?
Union College reaches in and out.
Union College is personal. People
at Union care. People at Union are
broken and sinful, and through them
God shines brightest. In my personal
experience, I have received nothing but
love.
Thank you, everyone, for showing me
the face of God.
The Face of God
By Abner Campos
14. AND BEYONDPAGE 14
For some students, this summer
marks the beginning of your
independent lives and the final farewell
to Union College. The urge to light
your books on fire may seize you. By
all means, indulge this desire if you so
choose. All I ask is that you do not give
up on learning entirely.
Rediscover your passion. College is
overwhelmingandmayhavestrippedyou
of your natural motivation. Some stress
is normal and works as a great motivator;
unfortunately, we begin to rely on
our stress to complete assignments
and pass exams. When the school year
ends, remember what inspired you in
times of relaxation. Did you have an
all-consuming love of books? Was the
ocean constantly on your mind? Maybe
sports drove you to wake up early or stay
up late. Whatever consumed your time
during the summer or over breaks is a
good indication of where your passions
lie.
Seek out opportunities to learn.
Education does not just happen in the
classroom. In fact, much of learning
involves personal experiences and the
guidance of others. Your local YMCA
can connect you to your community
through sports such as basketball,
hockey, tennis, soccer, volleyball, and
golf teams. Most people know that the
YMCA offers aerobic and running
groups, but what you may not be aware
of are the non-traditional groups such
as pottery classes, cooking classes, book
clubs, and even group traveling. Now
that you are done with the classes you
were required to attend, why not sign-
up for a class that you actually want to
take? Many community colleges offer
cheap classes for students who wish to
further their knowledge with anything
from business 101 to language and
art courses. Community colleges also
provide discounts to state residents.
Connect with others who share your
interests. Finding someone who enjoys
your hobbies as much as you do can
encourage you to continue developing
those talents.
No matter where life takes you, never
stop learning.
There is no end to education. It is not that
you read a book, pass an examination,
and finish with education. The whole of
life, from the moment you are born to the
moment you die, is a process of learning.
-Jiddu Krishnamurti
“
Chelsea Zumwalt
is a senior studying nursing
and pre-allied health
Learning When it’s not Required
Online Learning Resources
For when you leave Union’s campus
TED
Devour dynamic lectures that
span a range of topics. The ideas
presented may motivate you to look
at things from a new perspective.
Lumosity
Tryoutthese“braintraininggames”
and potentially improve your
brain’s health and performance in
memory and attention.
Khan Academy
Feast your mind on “free, world-
classeducation”resourcesprovided
by this nonprofit, including
scholarly topics (such as algebra) as
well as everyday ones (such as how
to file taxes).
15. PAGE 15
ETCETERA
“That’s what you call ‘shoe-
icide.’”
-Chris Blake administering pun-ishment to
Vernee Norman after observing her broken
sandal.
“If there are vases in this building
it is too classy for us.”
-Cassandra Johnson talking about any
building whatsoever.
“I feel like a lesbian trapped in a
man’s body.”
-Mike Mennard when explaining his love
for both his wife Michelle and reading Jane
Austen.
“If I had realized sooner how little
work I could do and still get good
grades, I would have more friends
and probably be married by now.”
-Spencer Way after contracting a bout of
Senioritis.
“There’s a lot of incompetent
boobery out there.”
-Tamara Seiler coining a new phrase to
describe the phenomena which results in
nothing being done correctly.
Capturing when someone at Union says
something funny that is worth repeating,
preferrably out of context.
Quotables
Instagrammers (left to right, top to bottom): @kaylau92; @simplystell;
@joshwa_barnett; @lindzaza; @xrgrentzx; @codamagilacudy; @mailehoff93;
@mailehoff93; @ucollegene; @mnsven; @unionasb; @dudemanbrospence
#UNIONUNITED
A YEAR OF EVENTS
IN INSTAGRAMS
´
