Photo courtesy of XL Recordings.

Sometimes, something perfect comes along and it is perfect and that is all. That is Vampire Weekend’s new album.

With its electro-Springsteenian vibe and straight amazeballs musicianship, there isn’t much on Modern Vampires of the City that is anything less than flawless.

With his signature high vocals and clever lyricism (“Diane Young” = dying young…homonyms, eh? Eh?) Ezra Koenig brings a vivacity to every song that keeps ears entranced and toes tapping.

The vocals layer seamlessly over instrumentals that shift organically from quiet to sexy to frenetic, in such a way that no two tracks sound the same but still sound connected enough to create a cohesive album.

“Step,” “Diane Young,” “Hannah Hunt” and “Young Lion” are the highest points of an album that is effectively one long high point. Without a doubt, Vampire Weekend is at the apex of their career with Modern Vampires of the City.

The record leaves me close to speechless, but five words seem to emerge from the post-awesome-album glow – Ezra, will you marry me?

Photo courtesy of Columbia Records.

 
 The electronic French duo of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo that is Daft Punk has released its highly anticipated new album Random Access Memories.

Eight years after the release of the 2005 electronic dance sensation Human After All, Daft Punk has pushed on, harder, faster and stronger with the release of another solid album. After strategically teasing the release of what was to come, the robots created a cultural phenomenon around the world by releasing YouTube videos and subtle promotional videos at Coachella music festival between sets hinting at collaborations and what was to be expected. Once the single “Get Lucky,” featuring Pharrell dropped and the new album’s track list was released via social media, all hell broke loose.

Putting their own stamp and signature on what dance music is today, Random Access Memories is full of their traditional synthy-pop talk-box sound that’s revamped for what’s hopefully in store for the future of the electronic dance music (EDM) scene. Though extremely repetitive and catchy, the first single released, “Get Lucky,” features hip-hop legend Pharrell and is both radio ready and house party funky at the same time. The collaboration between the two musical prodigies has given listeners a Billboard Top Ten sounding hit that won’t make you feel guilty about listening to it over and over. The flawless guitar work from Nile Rodgers over Pharrell’s silky smooth vocals bring out the synthesized sound that suggests that “we’ve come so far/to give up/who we are/so let’s raise the bar,” which is exactly what the helmet-bearing Frenchmen have done with Random Access Memories. “Get Lucky” is a stunning blend of house music, hip-hop and ‘80s disco pop music that anyone can get down to.

The album’s eleventh track, “Fragments of Time,” features American house music pioneer Todd Edwards and is about as close as it gets to the breakout sound featured on past albums Homework and Discovery. It’s a catchy feel-good groovy song that is reminiscent of “Face to Face” and sounds like a theme song to an ‘80s John Hughes film.

Random Access Memories is by no means a flawless album from beginning to end, but rather, an innovating and invigorating party album that makes you feel good about listening to EDM.

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

I am neither a Star Trek expert nor a novice, but I think being in between the two gave me the ability to enjoy “Star Trek Into Darkness” for what it is: a fast-paced, exciting display of action, with hot young actors and familiar Star Trek humor.

Within the first 20 minutes of the movie, Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) breaks the Prime Directive to rescue a primitive world, saves Commander Spock’s life, loses his command, is reinstated as captain of the USS Enterprise, and sets off on a mission of revenge to kill the man responsible for killing his friend.

Director J.J. Abrams, who brought the Star Trek franchise back to audiences on the big screen in 2009, delivered an explosive action thriller that takes Captain Kirk and his tight pants/short skirt wearing, fresh-faced crew: Spock (Zachary Quinto), Dr. “Bones” McCoy (Karl Urban), and Lieutenant Uhura (Zoe Saldana), to the edge of a war zone, pitting the crew of the USS Enterprise against a terrorist villain known as John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), who is not who he seems to be.

There was a fight, some witty banter, an explosion and another fight. The movie definitely had a repetitive pattern and the constant short and choppy cinematography of the film made for a lot of missed opportunities to develop the story. For me, the best part of the movie was the development of the characters. It seemed to capture the true essence of the original Star Trek.

Captain Kirk still goes by his gut and throws rules out the window, but we see him grow from a cocky, self-absorbed young man to a humble matured adult who, when forced to make the ultimate sacrifice for his crew, steps up to the proverbial plate. Spock’s relentless by-the-book logic is balanced with glimpses of highly illogical human emotions. Bones posseses just the right amount of cranky and delivers his catchphrase, “Damn it man, I’m a doctor, not a…” — in this case “torpedo technician.” It reminded me that I was actually watching a Star Trek film and not just another action flick. However, since I am a woman that has a soft spot for the “bad boy,” I have to say that I fell hard for the badassery of the villain, Harrison, who effortlessly kicks some Klingon ass.

If you are looking for a mental getaway wrapped up in a non-stop thrill ride, this is the flick for you. But if you are looking for plotline – let’s just say Abrams did not go boldly where no man has gone before.

Jesse Cooper, right, and Harley Rayner, left, perform as the DJ duo Mt Eden at Casselman’s Bar and Venue Friday May 10 in Denver.
Photo by Scott Lentz

It was lights, camera and bass drops when New Zealand’s up-and-coming dubstep duo, Mt Eden hit Casselman’s on May 10.

Casselman’s, a club in the River North Arts District (RiNO) has it all. They have the usual scantily clad club dancers, but also  has a massage table, fire spinners, light spinners, live painting and tissue dancers, not to mention a pop-up tattoo and piercing shop. It was a nightmare of sensory overload. Call me old-fashioned, but when I go to a show, I want to actually see the musicians that I came to see. Both Jesse Cooper and Harley Rayner of Mt Eden put my worries to rest. They were energetic and had awesome stage presence.

While one was at the turntable laying down the tracks, the other was entertaining the crowd. At one point they brought a number of crowd members up to stage dive into the audience.

My ears perked up as their remix of Ellie Goulding’s track “Figure Eight” belted through the speakers. Cooper and Rayner kept the crowd moving, grooving, and occasionally fist pumping as the night progressed.

The duo have a new LP coming out in June, and I will certainly be giving it a listen.

Photo courtesy of Village Roadshow Pictures.

“The Great Gatsby” takes one of the great American novels and corrupts it.

Taking a trip back to high school and remembering F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book may not seem to be a bad thing, but instead of the decadence of the Roaring ‘20s, director Baz Luhrmann brings hip-hop, the most annoying curtains ever and effects so overdone even Daisy Buchanan isn’t interested.

The movie follows the lives of the recklessly wealthy in two New York neighborhoods – East and West Egg. In East Egg live families who come from old money. Among these is the Buchanan family: Tom (Joel Edgerton) and Daisy (Carey Mulligan). West Egg is the neighborhood for the new money, and is the home of Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), Daisy’s cousin and the narrator of the story. The four lives are intertwined as they revel in extravagance, infidelity and alcohol — lots of alcohol.

Plot-wise, the movie follows the novel very closely, with one major deviation. Instead of simply being the narrator as he is in the book, Carraway tells the story from a sanitarium. In the movie, the events and interactions he witnesses between Gatsby and his cousins pushed Carraway to be “morbidly alcoholic,” along with a whole other slew of mental disorders, and he needs psychiatric help to literally recover from the hangover of the decade.

The acting in this movie is phenomenal. Maguire’s Carraway is endearing, adorable, and the most sympathetic character in the film. Mulligan was born to play the part of Daisy, and she does so with a flippancy and an air of superiority that embody everything the debutante is supposed to be. DiCaprio plays Gatsby with all the grace and splendor that are necessary for the part, but he also brings a sense of urgency and madness that perfectly depict the character’s slow boil. Edgerton’s Tom is also perfect — rough, skeezy and easy to hate.

Despite the spot-on acting, the beginning of the movie drags. Too many obnoxious scenes — like an upsettingly long drunken montage and huge, wispy curtains billowing around every space of a room — seem to be trying much too hard to emphasize the decadence of the decade. Not nearly enough screen time is spent setting up the mood of the time period in New York. The implications of prohibition are skirted, a scene in a speakeasy is breezed over, and alcohol flows seemingly from every crack in the flawed personalities of the main characters, but with no concept of consequence.

On top of an awkward-at-best understanding of the context upon which the entire story builds, the editing of the film is choppy and makes it hard for viewers to settle into the story.

Even worse, the production has moments of just plain cheesy. As Carraway scribbles on paper or clacks on a typewriter, his words are superimposed on screen. As he contemplates the enormity of life in the city, windows pop forward out of buildings. When Gatsby’s character is officially introduced, fireworks explode in the background as DiCaprio serves the smile that made thousands of “Titanic”-era girls vow they would “never let go.”

By far, though, the worst part of this movie was the soundtrack. When I think 1920s music, I certainly don’t think Jay-Z or will.I.am. Nor do I think of Lana Del Ray or Jack White for that matter, though their songs fit a little better.

The acting is superb, and as a huge fan of the novel, I’d say that the storyline is what every literary adaptation should strive to be. The production and music, however are so detracting that this movie fails to do much but leave me upset and wordy. In the words of Nick Carraway, “I was within and without.”

Photos by Phillip Poston

Freshman women’s tennis player Cara Cromwell earned the RMAC Player of the Year honor. She registered a 15-12 at No. 1 singles, winning seven of her last eight matches. Cromwell also played No. 1 doubles with senior Alicia Holm. The doubles team went 11-17. Cromwell lettered all four years at Rocky Mountain High School and graduated in 2012.

Beck Meares

Tennis head coach Beck Meares was awarded the RMAC Coach of the Year award. She completed her fifth season as the men’s and women’s head coach at her alma mater, and her ninth year on the coaching staff. Meares played four years of tennis at Metro and led the Roadrunners to RMAC championships in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

“I’m pretty excited about it. I checked the rankings. It’s looking like I’ll get to nationals, so hopefully that time holds up,” Erickson said. “I’d like to run faster if I could just solidify a spot, but I’m feeling OK about it.”

This isn’t the first time Erickson has set a provisional qualifying time in the 3,000 steeplechases. He set NCAA provisional qualifying times in 2011 and 2007.

Erickson’s main event is the 3,000-meter steeplechase, but he also runs 1500-meter races and 5k races.

His family has had a lot of influence on him during his track career. His father helped him achieve a lot of what he has done. He showed him how to work hard, and set a good example for him. His mother has set a great example of how to be a good person. He also looks up to his little brother.

“I have a real high opinion of my little brother. He’s younger than me, but I still look up to him,” Erickson said. “He’s mature for his age, and has a really good head on his shoulders. I respect him a lot.”

Erickson has been running track since his senior year of high school. It wasn’t his original choice in sports, but he blossomed once he got on the track. Since then he has never looked back. His most memorable moment was from his cross-country season in 2011.

“We went to nationals. We got ninth place overall, which was the best we’ve ever done to that point — and my little brother was there on the team. It was my last season of cross country eligibility,” Erickson said. “That meet I ran the best 10k I’ve ever run and I finished All-American. My brother was there. We had family in Washington, so some of them came out to see it. That was pretty special.”

Despite all his focus on track this season Erickson hasn’t let his schoolwork suffer. It’s been kind of rough and since switching his minor he is setback a little bit. Other than that, Erickson is excited to graduate and get his degree.

He is majoring in history — which is his favorite subject — and is minoring in political science. He likes Medieval European history, but he enjoys it all.
After college he plans on joining the army. He plans to pursue that goal this summer and see where it takes him.

Breanna Hemming became the first freshman in school history to win a track title and the first Roadrunner to capture two championships at the same meet, with wins in both the 800 and 1500 meters May 7.

Freshman distance runner Janelle Lincks earned all-conference honors in the 1500, and second-team all-conference in the 5,000 meters.

The women’s 4×400-meter relay team of senior Briana Suppes, junior Belle Kiper, sophomore Sarah Macklberg and Hemming finished third with a school-record time of 3:58.14

Junior Amy Nelson received third-team all-RMAC honors in shot put with a school-record throw of 12.57 meters May 6.

Sophomore distance runner Kirk Harvey finished second in the steeplechase during the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships May 6.

Juniors Austin James, Darius Reed, Jon Clarke and sophomore Phil Hill Jr. took third place in the 4×100-meter relay with a school-record time of 41.90 seconds.

Reed was edged out by .003 seconds in his quest for a second consecutive title in the 110 hurdles after the race was re-run due to a camera malfunction in the first running, which Reed won.

James set a personal-best in the 100 meters with a time of 11.01 seconds. Sophomore Michael Warburton finished sixth in the 1500 in 1:54.16, and earned all-RMAC honors.

After missing most of 2013, Aubree Maul is ready to get her senior season back. Photo by Christopher Morgan

“I had a sharp pain in my lower abdomen. When they did surgery they found a tumor,” Maul told Eric Lansing of the Roadrunner Review.

About 20,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year, a disease that usually affects women in their 60s, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About four in 100 women with this cancer are between the ages of 20 and 34. Maul is one of them.

Since her diagnosis, Maul underwent successful surgery that removed the cancerous tissue, and has gone through three rounds of chemotherapy.

“It’s definitely a scary, scary thing,” Maul said. “Especially going to chemo for the first time — I had no idea what to expect.”

Last season Maul was dominant on the mound. She registered a 19-9 record with 132 strikeouts, four shutouts, and 19 complete-game performances in 25 starts, with a 3.29 ERA.

“I’m used to playing softball and used to facing those challenges,” Maul said. “[The diagnosis] was definitely a curve-ball and you don’t really know how to go about it.”

Maul has drawn support not only from her team, but also from the entire RMAC.

The Adams State Grizzlies, a fellow RMAC team, presented Maul with a bouquet of flowers prior to a game, and the Yellow Jackets of Black Hills State (S.D)., wore teal ribbons in support of Maul during a weekend series versus Metro at the end of April.

Before game one with the Yellow Jackets, Maul was honored for her fight against her disease. She threw out the first pitch to commence T.E.A.L. (Tell Every Amazing Lady) Day.

“It was a really emotional day,” Metro softball head coach Kristi Lansford said. “She’s an amazing kid and has got a lot of support.”

Proceeds from donations collected that day went to T.E.A.L., a mom-profit organization started by two sisters who aspire to make a difference in the world. Since 2009, T.E.A.L. has raised nearly $290,000 that directly benefits ovarian cancer research.

Coming into the final regular season series, the Metro men’s baseball team had to sweep the remaining two games to clinch the fifth seed for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament.

Metro split the “Senior Day” doubleheader May 5 against New Mexico Highlands at Auraria Field.

In game one, Metro senior starting pitcher Justin Arceneaux started the game with three shutout innings until the fourth, when he allowed an RBI double. In the fifth, Highlands added two more runs, bringing Metro down 3-0. In the sixth, Highlands added another run, making it 4-0.

In the bottom of the seventh, Metro’s bats finally warmed up. Metro second baseman Zac Baldini hit a single to put the Roadrunners on the board. The next batter, Metro senior catcher Markie Ortivez, doubled two RBIs putting the Runners down 4-3.

In the eighth, Metro sophomore first baseman/catcher Darryl Baca smoked a triple, tying the game at four. In the bottom of the ninth, after Baldini doubled down the right field line, he was replaced by sophomore second baseman/outfielder Chris Spirek.

After Ortivez flied out to right field, senior shortstop Erik Cammall was hit by the pitch, then stole second. Metro sophomore right fielder Jeff Levett hit a line drive to the Highlands’ shortstop, who bobbled the ball. Spirek scored, earning Metro their 20th victory of the season.

“It was awesome, it was a great team battle, the pitchers filled up the zone really well,” Levett said. “It was just a good team win all together.”

In game two, Metro got off to an early lead in the first inning when Levett hit his fifth home run of the season putting the Runners up 1-0. After the Cowboys responded in the top of the second, Metro put up a three spot in the bottom of the second. Ortivez hit his 10th RBI of the season to give Metro a 2-1 lead.
Later in the inning, Cammall scored Ortivez, after which the Runners were up 3-1. Levett then singled down the right field line to score sophomore center fielder Mitch Gibbons.

In the top of the forth, the Cowboys started to figure out Metro senior pitcher/outfielder Forest Carpenter. The Cowboys scored two in the inning, tying the game at four. In the sixth, Highlands took the lead 5-4.

In the bottom of the sixth, Metro had Baca at third base when Ortivez hit into a fielder’s choice. Baca ran home but was thrown out. In the seventh and final inning, Levett was at second base with two outs when Schrupp hit a long single. Levett then went from second to home, but was denied at home plate. Metro fell to 5-4 in the final game at Auraria field for the 2013 season.

“That’s it, their guy made a great play. Jeff was just bang-bang at the plate,” head coach Jerrid Oates said. “The pressure was on them, we just had to run 180 feet. They had to make a perfect throw.”

Metro is now the fifth seed in the RMAC tournament. They will play Colorado State University-Pueblo Wednesday in Grand Junction.

Metro Pitcher Eli Ford slings a pitch down the pipe during a doubleheader against New Mexico Highlands University May 4, at Arauria Field. Metro won the first game 12-8 and lost the second 8-5. Photo by Scott Lentz

The Roadrunners won the first game by four as they beat the Cowboys 12-8, but lost the second game as the Cowboys made a push in the final inning to beat the Roadrunners 8-5. With these two games, the Roadrunners’ overall record changes to 19-14, and their conference record changes to 15-19.

In the first game of the doubleheader, the Roadrunners had a slow start, but quickly took control. The first two innings were scoreless. In the third inning, New Mexico scored three runs after senior outfielder Cory Falvey hit a home run with two runners on base. The Roadrunners got one run in the bottom of the third after freshman outfielder Reilly Mau stole home plate to score for Metro.

“Their No. 1 is good,” said head coach Jerrid Oates. “He runs up there in the low 90s and it took us a little while to get his timing down, but I felt like we did a really good job against him and then they went to their bullpen and we were able to get everything rolling after that.”

The Roadrunners took the lead in the fifth inning. The Cowboys were up 4-2 before senior third baseman Jacob Nelson hit a home run with two men on base to get a one-point lead and change the score to 5-4. Metro remained poised for the remainder of the game as they maintained their lead for the remaining four innings.
The Roadrunners finished the game out strong as they got hot in the final innings to win the game with a score of 12-8.

“We knew our bats were hot, so they scored about three or four in that inning and we came back and scored five,” Nelson said. “We really didn’t feel pressure. We just went out there and kept doing what we were doing.”

The second game of the doubleheader favored New Mexico Highlands. Metro got a two-point lead early in the first inning and stayed in control for the first three innings. The score was 2-1 in the third inning. The Cowboys got hot in the fourth inning and scored three runs to take the lead from the Roadrunners. Senior infielder Thomas Lyons hit a home run with two runners on base. The score was 4-3 at the end of the fourth inning.

“We handled it really well,” said sophomore pitcher Nick Hammet. “It was a close game all the way through, and they got hits in the end that we didn’t get. Unfortunately, we came out with the short stick.”

The Roadrunners tied the game back up in the fifth inning when Nelson scored after a hit from sophomore first baseman Darryl Baca. The game was tied at four for the fifth and sixth innings, as both teams played great defensively. In the seventh inning, the Cowboys went on a streak and scored four runs before the Roadrunners were able to get them off the plate, giving New Mexico a four point lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, Metro scored one run before New Mexico struck them out. Nelson hit a home run as the first person up to bat. The Cowboys finished the game with a threepoint lead on the Roadrunners.

The final score was 8-5.

May

“The Great Gatsby”

Whoever thought of combining F. Scott Fitzgerald and Baz Luhrmann is a genius. “The Great Gatsby” is all about painting a picture of decadence and luxury, only to show the emptiness behind it all. Luhrmann is no stranger to decadence—the explosion of movement and color that is “Moulin Rouge” is the best example. Casting Leonardo DiCaprio as the mysterious Jay Gatsby and Carrie Mulligan as Daisy just seems to make perfect sense. If “Gatsby” seems like an over-the-top sensory experience, it’s because it’s meant to be. West Egg is in for one wild party on May 10.

“Star Trek: Into Darkness”

Captain Kirk returns as the fearless yet rebellious leader of the Starship Enterprise. If the movie provides as many pretty graphics as the trailer promises, then this will be an awesome movie indeed. Coming to theaters at the end of finals on May 17, this movie will be a great way to blow off steam and to “live long and prosper” during the sweet summer months.

“After Earth”

Post-apocalyptic movies have not been strangers to the silver screen. And after March 31 we can add “After Earth” to that growing list. One-thousand years after the Earth was evacuated, Kitai Raige (Jaden Smith) and his father Cypher (Will Smith) end up crashing on their once home planet, now infested with species set on killing them. Cypher is severely injured after their extremely rough landing and it is up to his son to insure their survival.

After the disaster that was “The Last Airbender,” it seems hard to trust M. Night Shyamalan with anything. However, by the looks of the previews, this movie looks like a futuristic trill ride with incredible graphics and superb actors.

June

“The Purge”

Imagine a prosperous country where for twelve hours a year, absolutely nothing was illegal. There are no hospitals, no police, and no law. No crime bears conscience and all hell breaks loose. This annual night is known as “The Purge.” Coming out on June 7, “The Purge” is about the upper class Sandin family, who locks itself away in their highly secure house during every Purge. But this year, safety is not in the cards when they let in a stranger who is wanted by a group of thugs that attempt to bring down the house to catch their prey.

This doesn’t seem like any other movie out there. It includes horror, action and philosophical deliberations regarding the morality of humanity. How would civilization handle one night of absolutely no law and order? By the looks of this movie, they would handle it well.

“This Is the End”

Welp… another apocalypse movie. But this time we get a quirky cast and a comedic foundation. A group of real-life comedians and actors play themselves as the world goes to shit during a house party at James Franco’s house. Seth Rogen, Danny McBride, Jonah Hill, and even Emma Watson all appear in the flick and try to survive a world that is falling apart.

The movie started as a spoof when a trailer appeared with the cast joking in a bunker about making a “Pineapple Express 2” trailer. Fans later found out they’d be getting, probably, the best comedy of the year on June 12.

“Man of Steel”

DC Comics will be releasing their newest version of everyone’s favorite boy scout, Superman. Although die-hard fans are hoping it will be better than the last version, “Superman Returns,” Warner Bros. is hinting it will be the first in DC’s own superhero crossovers. Underdog Henry Cavill will play Superman, with Amy Adams playing the sassy journalist Lois Lane. Soaring into theaters June 14.

“Monsters University”

The title “Monsters University” sounds a little forced, especially in the midst of the prequel/sequel craze that has no en in sight. That being said, this “Monsters Inc.” prequel looks awesome. Instead of making this a “12 years later” story with a teenage Boo, they went to the past, when Sulley and Mike Wazowski met in college. This looks like a classic tale of rivalry that turns into friendship. It will make children and adults laugh and, inevitably, cry. Voice cameos by Nathan Fillion, Aubrey Plaza, John Krasinski and Charlie Day can’t hurt, either. Class begins on June 21.

“White House Down”

On June 29, 2012, “Magic Mike” came out. On June 28, 2013, “White House Down” will hit theaters. Summer seems to be Channing Tatum’s thing, but let’s just hope we see less of his “thing” and more of his acting skills. “White House Down” actually looks like a decent action movie: father takes daughter on White House tour, White house gets attacked, father must save it. It may be a little predictable, but with Tatum and Jamie Foxx at the lead, hopefully the acting (and the abs, let’s be honest) will be enough to keep this flick from fizzling.

July

“The Lone Ranger”

This film seems like another sequel to “Pirates of the Caribbean,” which isn’t too far off, considering it’s from the same director, Gore Verbinski. The film, coming out July 3, and its characters look painfully unoriginal. Johnny Depp’s incarnation of Tonto is not only a caricature, but a caricature that’s been done before. He’s basically Captain Jack Sparrow plucked from the sea and placed in the Wild West. No amount of Helena Bonham Carter being badass can save this film from boredom.

“Despicable Me 2”

Minion: definition, according to dictionary.com — “a servile follower or subordinate of a person in power.” Minion: definition, according to “Despicable Me 2” — bouncing, yellow, gibberish-speaking capsule of joy. “Despicable Me 2” comes out on July 3, which is precisely 57 days from now, not that I’m counting or anything. All you need to know about this movie is that is has minions. It will be wonderful.

“Pacific Rim”

Guillermo del Toro is going robotic this summer. After monsters of all shapes and sizes threaten the Earth’s existence, a group of humans piloting gigantic robots try to stop them and protect humanity.

Pacific Rim, which comes out on July 12, looks like Transformers on crack and without the sun — since everything looks like it happens at night. It looks adventurous and entertaining and being directed by del Toro, it should be a fun ride.

Portrait by Brian T. McGinn.

Nathalia Vélez, 22, has mixed emotions about graduating college this month.

“I’m kind of nervous, I really love school,” she said. “I’ve been having a lot of anxiety, like, ‘Oh I want to stay and take more classes [laughs]. But I think it has to do more with going out into the real world, and when you’re in school it’s not as scary.”

The Venezuelan native came to Colorado just four years ago and entered MSU Denver as an international freshman to pursue a degree in journalism with a concentration in magazines. Vélez said that for the most part, she had always wanted to be a writer and that reading and writing were subjects that came naturally to her, and which brought her joy and confidence.

“When I was about nine, my dad gave me my first Harry Potter book and that’s pretty much when I fell in love with reading,” she said. “I always subscribe to a magazine and then when my subscription ends, I’ll subscribe to a new one.”

She has brought her passion for writing to The Metropolitan since 2011. With a wide variety of interests, including books, underground art, music, science, film (she has a minor in cinema studies), and the exposure given through writing profile pieces, Vélez will have plenty to write about in the future.

“I definitely would like to do freelance writing for magazines,” Vélez said. “I did an internship at Westword and they asked me to stay writing as a contributor, so there’s just a lot more opportunities here [in the U.S].”

A straight-A student (minus the one B she received in music class), Velez recently received the “Outstanding Student Award,” which is handed out to one student in each academic department. One of her professors, Shaun Schafer, said that while she wasn’t the loudest student, she was one of the most thoughtful.

“Her use of language and thoroughness always impressed me in her writing. I also appreciate how versatile she was, working for The Metropolitan and Metrosphere,” Schafer said. “I see a great future for her in whatever she does. Her amiable nature, shy smile and whip-sharp intellect make her a force.”

To those still in school, Vélez tells them to pursue what they find enjoyable no matter what comes their way. Vélez may be returning to continue her studies in grad school, but for now, nerves and all, she is still positive about post-graduation.

“I’m looking forward to putting all of the things l learned into practice and being out there in the real journalism world and gaining all that experience.”

Photo courtesy of Scott Watson.

Scott Watson fills his time with music, sports and work, but he isn’t your average college student. Watson, 26, is graduating from MSU Denver debt free.

“One of the most difficult parts of my college career was balancing work and school,” Watson said. “Sometimes I felt like I did not have time for school, but I needed the money to pay for school. I was able to pull it off, working around 20 hours a week while also attending school full time.”

And even after balancing school and work since he began at MSU Denver in the fall of 2007, Watson isn’t ready to leave education completely. Instead, he wants to be on the other side of the classroom.

“After graduation, I would like to find a job teaching either elementary school general music or middle school band/orchestra,” Watson said. “I can really see myself teaching music for a long time.”

Watson is graduating with a degree in music performance in percussion and in music education. With a GPA of 3.88, he will be graduating cum laude. The path to get there wasn’t always easy, though.

“About halfway through my degree, I got really bogged down, thinking that I would never finish my degree,” Watson said. “I really lost the motivation. Through the support of my friends and classes that took me into the classroom, I found the fire again to finish my degree.”

Though he admits it can be difficult for students to make time for anything, he encourages everyone to carve out time for themselves.

“Stay motivated: it gets hard sometimes, but you will get through it,” Watson said. “Find time for yourself: find time to do things you enjoy, it will keep you sane. Keep friends close: they will help you through the tough times. Take your time: get the grades and learn the material. Don’t just rush through your degree.”

And now, as he is about to enter the tough job market, he keeps his optimism up and is enthusiastic about his future and his past.

“I am so proud of my accomplishments at MSU Denver,” Watson said. “I am so excited to be graduating and entering the workforce. I can’t wait to represent MSU Denver as a teacher.”

Photo courtesy of Rachel Van Devender.

The MSU Denver basketball team didn’t just have fans to cheer them on, they had Rachel Van Devender and the MSU Denver Pep Band in their corner.

Van Devender, 24, started attending MSU Denver in the fall of 2006 and is graduating with a degree in music education. Since 2009, she and her mellophone (a marching French horn) have been jamming away to support the school’s sports teams.

“I have gotten to travel to Missouri, Kentucky, and Atlanta with the Pep Band to cheer on Metro’s fantastic basketball teams,” Van Devender said.

It hasn’t been all songs and games for Van Devender, though. She is graduating, despite having to balance mourning and learning.

“My mother passed away from cancer less than a year ago and especially while she was still alive, it was really difficult to keep with my studies,” she said.

Van Devender will be the first in her family to graduate from college, and now hopes to become a music teacher at a middle or high school.

“I have known that I want to be a teacher for as long as I can remember,” she said. “I also love playing music, so it just seemed like a natural fit to put both of those things together.”

Portrait by Brian T. McGinn.

Though Dale Lim has attended two other colleges, MSU Denver inspired him to find his future. He may not be graduating this semseter, but he is a stand-out senior to watch.

“Prior to coming here, all I wanted to do was skate all day, kick it and hang out with my friends,” Lim said. “But after that, I came back here, and seeing 50-some-thousand kids all on campus at the same time, all trying to get an education and do something with their lives, it kind of just hits you that maybe I should try harder, maybe I should strive for something higher.”

Since he transferred to MSU Denver from Arapahoe Community College two years ago, he has strived for just that. Lim, 24, has achieved a 3.92 GPA and is close to graduating with a double major in Political Science and History.

“I love it, because I’m doing history and political science, and those two, I think, are so necessary for each other,” Lim said. “Only in this atmosphere can you get in a heated debate, and then leave and just be like, oh that’s cool.”

Though he isn’t sure where he wants to go after graduation, he is proud to even be in a situation in which he has the choice.

“After high school, I just really was not doing anything productive, and I’m really proud of myself that now I am going to graduate and I have taken a lot of credits,” Lim said. “Just the whole fact that I can be doing this now, and that I’m actually doing something that’s productive, interesting, enlightening, educational and essential.”

From the moment many people graduate high school or take their first steps on a college campus, they have a dream — one that includes wearing a goofy gown and taking the steps across a stage to receive that sacred college diploma.

Graduation time has come around once again, and students couldn’t be more excited. Since February 8, when members of the class of 2013 applied to graduate, they have been counting down the days until the end of the semester along with the rest of us, but will be entering a world that doesn’t involve doing the FAFSA every year.

Chelsie Smothers will be graduating this semester with her Master of Arts in teaching, and has her sights set on elementary education.

“I was so impressed [with MSU Denver] and just became prepared. I was really excited about the program,” Smothers said.

Like the other students that will be graduating, Smothers picked up her cap and gown from the second floor of the Student Success Building during this year’s senior send-off celebration, “Grad Finale.” The floor was littered with boxes packed full of gowns.

Herff Jones employee Peggy Sherpard has been helping students pick up gowns for four seasons. According to her, there were 1,109 pre-orders for graduation gowns. She also said she had more than 200 hundred walk up students for rental gowns May 7.

Each school in the university has a certain color tassel to go with graduates’ caps. The School of Professional studies has “peacock;” Letters, Arts and Sciences has white; and the School of Business’ is “drab.”

MSU Denver African American Studies professor Omar Montgomery speaks at the African and African American Graduation Celebration May 7 in the Tivoli Turnhalle. Photo by Ryan Borthick

Students with the highest GPAs are awarded summa cum laude and wear a yellow and blue cord. The next group is magna cum laude, with silver and blue cords. Cum laude students wear gold and blue cords.

Once graduating students were done with all the official business inside the Student Success Building, members of the Student Alumni Association were outside waiting to serve root beer floats in special alumni mugs.

The Student Alumni Association differs from MSU Denver’s regular Alumni Association. According to the organization’s vice president (and today’s float chef), Tyler Antikainen, it is an organization for current students to create a network with the school’s alumni.

Antikainen said the organization has been with the campus for three years and that it tries to promote student leadership and communication skills with events like Bowling Networking Night. They are also trying to make the root beer float a tradition for new soon-to-be alumni.

The countdown to commencement is getting shorter. For these students, this part of their academic career is over. For students still remaining, Smothers had some advice.

“If you don’t know what you want to do, don’t feel like you have to do something,” Smothers said. “Travel, take time to figure yourself out. Be yourself, and be respectful to people no matter who you meet.”

Calendar of graduation ceremonies

May 1 GLBTQIA Lavender Graduation Ceremony

May 7 African and African American Graduation Celebration

May 9 Latino Graduation: 5 – 8 p.m. at Tivoli Turnhalle

May 17 Veterans’ Graduation Celebration: 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. at St. Cajetan’s Center

May 19 Commencement Ceremony: 9 a.m – approximately 1 p.m. at Auraria Athletic Fields

Go to page 2 for some graduation tips.

The sounds of MSU Denver are changing.

Bright tones, clean harmonies and passionate vocals drifted from the doors of St. Cajetan’s Center during the First Annual Fiesta de Mariachi May 7. The two-hour festival featured three mariachi groups, including MSU Denver’s own Mariachi Los Correcaminos de MSU Denver (Mariachi Roadrunners of MSU Denver).

For the group’s faculty adviser Peter Schimpf, the fiesta was an opportunity for the newly formed group to showcase its talent and hard work.

“We just started this semester,” Schimpf said. “In order to promote the club and their activities, and just let everyone know about their existence, they put together this event with help from Student Activities.”

Outside of its performance at the fiesta, the group has played at Las Fuentes Mexican Restaurant for tips. The group hopes to attract more members, and eventually book more performances both on and off campus.

Isahar Mendez, the president of the club, was surprised and excited about the turnout of the event and the interest in the group.

“We’re really new,” she said. “We’re trying really hard to do a lot of things and have a lot of people that are so interested in the group. I did not know how many people would actually want to try out and want to be a part of this group. A lot of people who are helping out with this event aren’t even part of this group, they just want to come and help because they just like it.”

Mendez said that though organizing the event was stressful, busy and at times confusing, it was a rewarding process.

“I really, really appreciate everyone’s help, because without them, this event wouldn’t have even happened,” Mendez said. “Right now, during this event, I’m actually getting a lot of ideas for next year’s to make it even better, so it’s great.”

Luis Salazar sings with the group Mariachi Lupe Vargas at the First Annual Fiesta de Mariachi May 7 at St. Cajetan’s Center

For Mendez and other members, the music is personal. It is a part of their culture and their individual histories. Mendez bonded over mariachi music in high school.

“I did it with a bunch of friends, and a lot came to Metro and we thought we would try it out,” Mendez said.

She went on to say that mariachi is what she hopes to do with her future. However, she acknowledged that mariachi as she knows it is always changing.

“[Mariachi] is an evolving style,” Mendez said. “It’s becoming more Americanized, I guess you can say, but it still has the culture aspect to it. It’s so much fun for everybody that’s in the group.”

At 4 p.m. every Tuesday, the group holds its meeting and rehearsal.

“This is a totally student-driven effort,” Schimpf said.

For some members of the group, including Ava Francisco, the club brings a chance to branch out and explore a unique type of music and different instrumentation styles. Francisco is primarily a saxophonist, but she also plays the accordion.

“I thought it was a different type of music I’d enjoy to play, and it’s a chance to improve my accordion skills and play in an ensemble, which you don’t get to do often,” Francisco said.

One thing that makes this organization unique is that each musician in the group has varying skill levels.

“I have been playing [trumpet] since 2007, but I just play by ear,” said Victor Becerra, treasurer of the club. “I’m still learning how to read music and taking beginner classes.”

Trumpeter Angel Brito, on the other hand, is more experienced.

“I have been playing trumpet for nine years, mariachi music for five or six years,” Brito said.

True to mariachi music’s form, each member participates in the music’s vocals.

The mariachi festival was catered by Berries & Biscuits and featured booths from several campus organizations, including the MSU Denver Chicana/o Studies Department and the Pi Lambda Chi sorority. The other two groups who performed were Mariachi Lupe Vargas and Mariachi Azul Tequila.

“We want to make a name for ourselves on campus and have other people join, because it’s fun,” Mendez said.

Fifty-seven wins. No advancement in the playoffs. This is what happens when a team doesn’t have any true superstars. When the postseason comes, superstars take over games and series. Whenever I watch the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Miami Heat, I observe teams with real superstars. When those intense playoff moments come, their superstars make sure they win. Kevin Durant of the Thunder and LeBron James of the Heat understand how to play playoff basketball. The Nuggets looked scared. Their defense was inept. Their formerly great scoring looked weak. Their rebounding was nonexistent. The Nuggets looked like a three seed pretending to be an eight seed. Compare that to the Warriors and their star, Stephen Curry.

The Denver Nuggets didn’t choke during this postseason. They lost this series because they don’t have a superstar. They don’t have a guy who can win a series or two. Look at the Denver Nuggets’ roster — there are no superstars. Heck, there aren’t any stars on this team. As much as I enjoy watching Ty Lawson or Danilo Gallinari play, I understand they aren’t superstars because they have faded too much in the postseason. Lawson disappeared this postseason. If he was a true superstar the Nuggets would’ve won this series, because that is what superstars do — win series. Even though Gallinari was out this postseason, he has struggled the last two postseasons.

Superstars are defined in the postseason. It should be a given that teams without a superstar don’t advance in the playoffs. It’s a fact. But Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri, thinks they don’t need a superstar. That sounds bold and daring, but it doesn’t make sense. A team that wins 57 games in the regular season should not look lost in the postseason. That might be the reason Ujiri doesn’t go after superstars every offseason. I think Carmelo Anthony is a star that is on the brink of superstardom. He just needs to win a few more postseason games to become a superstar.

With all the postseason troubles, the Nuggets do have a few solutions to make sure this won’t happen again. If I were Ujiri, I would call up Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert and ask “What do I need to give you for Kyrie Irving?” If it is half of the Denver Nuggets roster, then I am fine with that because I have seen Irving play a few times this year. If that doesn’t work, then the Nuggets could trade a few of their players to the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans for Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers. Both those players are potential superstars. Davis has all the makings of a great big man in the NBA. Rivers has also shown flashes of superstardom.

This playoff defeat should be the perfect learning opportunity of what happens when a team who has superstars takes on a team that doesn’t have any.

Sure the argument can be given that all of these holidays are material schemes to get people to spend money and pretend they care about a subject for a day. Mother’s Day can fall into this argument, but its meaning goes deeper than turkey, candy hearts, or green beer — it truly comes from the heart.

My mother has been a guiding light for my entire life. She has done everything for me, from looking after my well-being, to taking care of my sick face and being the strong support I need.

Of course there have been times —especially in my adolescence years — where things got tense, but deep down there is nothing that could ever tarnish the undying love I will always have for my mama.

My mom has a caring mother who has been a wonderful Nana to my sister and myself. Though their relationship was stronger than King Kong, there were many opportunities that were not available to them in earlier years. Because of this fact, my mom has worked herself to the bone to make sure my sister and I have everything we could every need.

From attending all my youth soccer games to buying my first musical instrument, from listening to the heavy metal shaking my bedroom walls to reading every article I’ve published in a newspaper for the last eight years — she has never left my side.

There is no way I would be the person I am today without my mom. Her intelligence and determination have been inspiring beyond belief. From all the hardships she has faced in life, she remains strong and resolved and gets through it all with a glowing heart and perfect smile.

I cannot say I want to be just like my mom when I get out of college — mainly because I could never stand being in a preschool room full of toddlers with whiny mouths and poopy diapers.

I want to have her compassion, determination, strength, love, and flawless soul. I will strive to reach this goal, but it may be next to impossible — because my mother is perfect.

I love you mom — happy Mother’s Day.

He was two weeks late. I was given a flower at church as one of the mothers in the congregation. Somehow or other, the gesture wasn’t the same without an infant waiting for me in the nursery.

When he was 9 years old, he bought me a little red candle. The votive cup was shaped like a flower pot, and the candle smelled like cherry. It was one of the first gifts he’d bought for me without being prompted by an adult.

I put the candle in the kitchen window where I would always see it. It was another six or seven years before I found out that he thought I hated his gift because I never lit the candle. The revelation broke my heart because I loved that candle.

I have never received a pricey Mother’s Day gift. It has never bothered me. Every time I have ever gotten a homemade card, a second-hand gift or breakfast in bed from a kitchen that was subsequently covered in pancake batter, blueberry jam and bacon grease always meant far more.

I have never considered myself a good parent. I have been told by others that I’m not. But every gift that I have ever received from my kids on Mother’s Day has come from their hearts.

I have also never been one for the same “awww” moments that others seem to like — calling the kids to the front of the church to collect flowers to give to the mommies in the congregation. It doesn’t mean anything.

But a bottle of Mexican Coca Cola from a teenager who hasn’t spoken to me in five years means so much more than the symbolism of flowers or jewelry or dinner out because it’s the thing to do on Mother’s Day.

I don’t need the traditional. I have a cherry-scented candle shaped like a flower pot on my nightstand.

Matene Jerome performs at the Increasing Opportunities for Native American students Conference May 4. Photo by Melanie J. Rice

Today, Native Americans are leading the way in environmental issues, but struggle to overcome an achievement gap among their youth.

“There is a vibrant Native American population here. It’s not a community or a history stuck in the past that when you go to museums it’s just something that you tell your kids, ‘Oh, you know, this is what used to be here,’” said Ernest House, executive director of the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs. “We still are here — the continuous, longest residents of the state.”

The Increasing Opportunities for Native American Students Conference brought together over 200 Native American students, educators and advocates to address issues and inspire one another.

The conference was held May 3 and 4 and was the first of its kind hosted by the Region VIII Equity Assistance Center at MSU Denver. It was co-sponsored by the Colorado Indian Education Foundation, the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs and the Office of Institutional Diversity at MSU Denver.

The conference included keynote speakers, a panel on Native American education and sessions on pow-wow etiquette, language, and dance demonstrations.

Joyce Silverthorne, director of the U.S. Office of Indian Education, said the large, persistent achievement gap is not necessarily associated with poverty, but is linked to students’ heritage.

“Once people identify as American Indian, then you’ll see the data that follows and shows that there is an achievement gap and that it is large,” Silverthorne said.

The U.S. government is responsible for providing an education for American Indian children, targeted to meet their needs in elementary and secondary education. Title VII of The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is part of federal legislation that intends to level the achievement gap between them and other U.S. students.

Conference attendee Rose Marie McGuire, Denver Public Schools Indian Education Program manager, said on a local level, many Native American students are not receiving all services available to them, especially gifted students.

McGuire said these issues need to be addressed with the administration and school board.

House said Denver is fast-becoming a national hub for Native Americans, making this an important local issue.

Keynote speaker Walt Pourier, the creative director of Nakota Designs and executive director of the Stronghold Society, emphasized the importance of working with youth.

Pourier is originally from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, said more than 50 percent of residents at Pine Ridge are under the age of 18.

“Their numbers are bigger than the baby boomers and their ability to communicate is unlike any generation ever,” Pourier said. “So how do you work with this current generation to be these leaders about knowledge, about education, about anything, but most of all about life as a whole, about this earth as a whole?”
Pourier said having the conference at MSU Denver helped Native youth see opportunities before them and to understand how far they can go.

One theme at the conference was the Native American role in protecting the environment. Pourier said indigenous DNA is embedded with knowledge of what it means to be a caretaker of the earth.

“My theme is ‘red is green,’” Pourier said.

Sky Roosevelt-Morris, another keynote speaker, agreed that Native Americans have this caretaker role and she urged against what she called “invisibilization” of Native Americans and other indigenous peoples. Roosevelt-Morris, a senior at UCD, is a member of the Native American Student Organization.

“It doesn’t just affect indigenous people. this is a global issue,” Roosevelt-Morris said, referring to Native Americans’ role in defense of the environment and human rights.

Silverthorne echoed a theme of the conference — that Native Americans have much to offer the nation and the world as mutual participants in the global community.

“We have an incredible, valuable history to offer to other people in this country, and that has never been appreciated,” Silverthorne said. “Our kids are bright, capable young people and they need the encouragement of their whole community.”

Despite Auraria’s sobering history, Sonia Sotomayor addressed cultural misrepresentations and personal strength at MSU Denver.

Sotomayor, the first Hispanic and third female U.S. Supreme Court justice, visited the Auraria Event Center May 2. The event was co-sponsored by MSU Denver and the Center for Colorado and the West at the Auraria Library. Performers with El Centro Su Teatro also presented pieces from their book “Where the Rivers Meet.”

Luis Torres, MSU Denver deputy provost and one of two moderators at the event, prefaced Sotomayor’s conversation with some of Denver’s history, complied by the Center for Colorado and the West at the Auraria Library.

Torres said the area of Auraria, before the campus was built, developed a heavy Latino population because of the gold rush along the Platte River in 1858. He added that in 1965, when Auraria was being developed as a campus, that Latino population was forcibly removed.

“Unfortunately, Latinos in Denver are considered to be a recent immigrant population,” Torres said. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”

Sotomayor briefly addressed this issue of presumed immigration when Polly Baca, a former state senator and second moderator of the event, asked her about the heavy significance she places on Puerto Rico, in her book “My Beloved World.” Sotomayor’s family is from Puerto Rico and she said one of the purposes of her book was to introduce the United States, and the world, to the island and to explain that Puerto Ricans are not foreigners.

“Do you know how many people ask me whether I have a Puerto Rican passport or a US passport?” Sotomayor asked. “Scott Pelley did a beautiful interview with me on ‘60 minutes’ and introduces my family as immigrants. And I’m sitting there in a group of friends and I say ‘We’re migrants, we’re not immigrants.’”

Sotomayor also spoke about her life experiences found in the book. She has faced challenges in her life including childhood diabetes, living in poverty and an alcoholic father. Despite all odds and successes she has experienced, Sotomayor said she was “an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary experiences.”

“I wrote this book talking about the challenges in my life, hoping that everyone who read it would see a little piece of their own lives in my book and in my life story,” Sotomayor said.

Ultimately, Sotomayor’s message to MSU Denver was love. She said the ability to give and receive love, despite peoples’ flaws, is the quality that moves someone to success.

“If you can come out of your sense of despair and look around and find the joy in knowing that there are people who care around you, they can give you the strength to do the impossible,”

Because of her “grit, hard work and fairness,” MSU Denver President Stephen Jordan presented the Golda Meir Center for Political Leadership award to Sotomayor Jordan compared Sotomayor’s path to Supreme Court justice with that of MSU Denver students and Golda Meir, who lived in west Denver before becoming the prime minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974.

“At MSU Denver we use the word ‘scrappy’ to describe this kind of determination and resilience that we see in our students,” Jordan said. “I would venture to say that the late prime minister of Israel and Justice Sotomayor have lived the spirit of this adjective, as individuals emboldened by challenge, who nonetheless set about building purpose-driven lives.”

Metro senior Lauren Lautenschlager, a physics major, stands in front of her poster presentation during this year’s Research Fair May 3 in North Classroom.

About half of the 190 participants gave oral presentations in front of an audience, which included three to five judges. The other half displayed their work on posters arranged in the atrium.

Students with 34 different majors participated in the daylong event, according to Pamela Ansburg, one of the faculty associates for the program. All students worked with a faculty mentor.

Research projects were quite varied. Topics included measuring aggression in rap music, studying olfactory stimuli on memory performance, analyzing genetic colorectal cancer mutations, and exploring climate change’s effect on squirrel behavior.

MSU Denver senior Lauren Lautenschlager, a physics major, held a guitar as she stood near her poster presentation. Her project measured changes in guitar string vibrations when the metal frets were replaced with crystal.

“It’s a more abrupt sound. I think it’s better. It makes it a more pure tone. You’re getting more of the note,” Lautenschlager explained as she plucked one of the strings.

About 90 students submitted an additional abstract, which made them eligible to receive an award. A team of 52 faculty judges reviewed the abstracts, Ansburg said. Ten finalists were chosen, five each from oral and poster presentations. The faculty judges intentionally reviewed abstracts from fields outside their disciplines. Once finalists were chosen, judges from the community reviewed the presentations and selected winners.

“In science, you have to be able to communicate,” Ansburg said. “You communicate to your peers, but you also have to communicate to others who are not experts. That’s part of the skill of being a good researcher.”

Caitlin McConnell, an MSU Denver senior majoring in psychology, was a finalist in both oral and poster presentations. She won “Best Poster Presentation” for her project, “Reading Comprehension: Reading Rate as a Predictor of Student Success.”

“I signed up for the awards thing because she would have yelled at me if I hadn’t,” McConnell joked as she gestured to Lesley Hathorn, her faculty mentor.

As McConnell sat with fellow poster finalists Rebecca Addison and Lucero Herrera, one of the community judges who had just reviewed the students’ posters leaned over to tell them that they were exceptional and that it had been almost impossible to choose a winner.

Awards were presented May 3 in the Tivoli Turnhalle to the winners of this year’s research fair that took place in North Classroom.

Jennifer Kane and Leslie Wall, both MSU Denver seniors majoring in nutrition, worked on an ongoing project exploring the impact of skin-to-skin contact on breast-fed infants. Both are graduating this month but said they will continue to help with the project. They were also finalists in the poster presentation category.

“This is a faculty project that we were invited to participate in,” Kane said. “I’ve been working on it for two years. We won’t know the full findings until all of the [research data] is back in.”

Keynote speaker David Gingerich, a senior staff engineer with Lockheed Martin Space Systems and affiliate faculty member at MSU Denver, gave a talk titled “Help Wanted: Researchers, Social Scientists and Engineers to Transform Terrestrial-Bound Human Beings into a Space-Faring Species.” He described how numerous things beyond just technical problems need to be considered with space travel. One example was how nutritional needs change in space, which could also impact something as simple as an over-the-counter medication dosage.

“It’s going to require novel approaches and new thought leaders. The new thought leaders are in this room. You’re the people that are going to be solving them,” Gingerich told the attendees over lunch in the Tivoli Turnhalle.

Conference attendance has grown significantly since last year. About 430 people registered to attend, including students, friends and faculty, according to Karina Hultgren, the undergraduate research program coordinator. Some teachers required their students to attend the conference in an effort to inspire them, and some asked students to participate as part of their senior projects.

“The work was absolutely outstanding, and the variety that we saw, along with the quality of thought that went into the projects and the presentations, really demonstrate what a high impact undergraduate student research has on student outcomes and student learning,” said Vicki Golich, provost and vice president for academic and student affairs. She announced the poster presenter winners.

President Stephen Jordan spoke during the awards ceremony and announced the oral presentation winners.

“You guys just rock. I got to tell you, it’s really cool to see,” Jordan said about the growth of the conference and the effort involved. “It’s going to pay huge dividends for you when you leave the university and go out and begin to apply the knowledge that you gained here. So, students, I congratulate you for challenging yourself in this way.”

2nd Annual MSU Denver Undergraduate Research Conference Finalists and Winners

Oral Presentation Award Finalists:

David Haddad and Julia Woodward, Anthropology
The Philippi Mummy Project Historical Analysis

Jennifer Jennings, Biology (Winner – “Outstanding Oral Presentation”)
The Phototactic Response of Planktonic Marine Crab Larvae to the Wavelength and Intensity of Light

Caitlin McConnell, Pyschology
Penchant for a Verbosity: Does Reading Ability Translate to Writing Skill?

Nick Nelson, Biology (Winner – “Honorable Mention”)
Investigation of Extracellular Microenvironments and Small Molecule Chemistry for the Maintenance and
Differentiation of Pluripotent Embryonic Stem Cells to Foster Neural Specification

Sharon Wharton, Human Development (Winner – “Best Oral Presentation”)
Stressed and Depressed: The Role of Self-Compassion in College Students’ Well-Being

Poster Presentation Award Finalists:

Rebecca Addison, Chemistry
Analysis of the Combinatorial Effects of a Dual P13K/mTOR Inhibitor PF-04691502 with the MEK Inhibitor
PD-0325901

Lucero Herrera, Psychology
Olfactory Stimuli and Memory Performance

Jennifer Kane, Leslie Wall and Kaitlin Hornbostel, Nutrition (Winner – “Honorable Mention”)
The Effect of Immediate and Continued Skin-to-Skin Contact on Breastfeeding Duration and Exclusivity

Caitlin McConnell, Psychology (Winner – “Best Poster Presenter”)
Reading Compensation: Reading Rate as a Predictor of Student Success

Jacob Paschall, Biology (Winner – “Outstanding Poster Presentation”)
Reducing the Flash-Lag Effect Using Spatial Reference Cues

The change of plea will take place May 13 at a pre-trial hearing.

In March, Judge William Sylvester of Colorado’s 18th Judicial District gave a traditional “not guilty plea” on Holmes’ behalf after his defense attorneys said they weren’t ready to make a decision, according to the LA Times.

Sylvester also ruled the controversial decision that Holmes could be subject to “truth serum” drugging, likely sodium amytal or sodium pentothal, according to ABC News, if he decided to plea not guilty by reason of insanity.

Sylvester has since stepped aside and been replaced by Judge Carlos A. Samour Jr.

On April 1, District Attorney George Brauchler rejected the defense attorney’s plea of “guilty without the possibility of parole,” if the district attorney’s office dropped the death penalty, according to the New York Times. Brauchler announced in court that “justice is death” for Holmes.

Once the insanity plea takes place, Holmes will have to undergo psychiatric evaluation at a state hospital and by law cannot be put to death if deemed insane or suffering from a mental defect. An insanity plea refers to the accused’s mental state at the moment of the crime and does not mean he or she did not premeditate the crime.

According to ABC News, the plea will also give prosecutors access to whatever Holmes wrote in a notebook to his University of Colorado psychiatrist, Dr. Lynne Fenton, which was intercepted by police.

Experts say the “not guilty by reason of insanity” plea, along with the death penalty, will add months, if not years, to the trial, which is set to begin in February of 2014.

Holmes is charged with 166 counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder and weapons charges.

“Iron Man 3″ hits theaters today, and trust me – it definitely steers clear of the sequel slump. With excellent performances from all of the movie’s leads and some of the best special effects I have ever seen in a superhero movie, “Iron Man 3″ may well be my favorite in the trilogy.

The story centers around our favorite hunk of metal – and man, do we mean hunk: just wait ’til you see him dance – Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in part three of his saga as the “genius billionaire playboy philanthropist” superhero. This time around, he is facing serious emotional fallout from the traumatic events that took place in New York in Marvel’s “The Avengers.” He can’t sleep and can’t keep up his relationship with his longtime lady Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow). All he can focus on is building more and more advanced versions of the Iron Man suit, including one that responds to subdermal implants in his skin.

When evil comes a’calling, Stark ends up in a small town with a pint-sized sidekick (Ty Simpkins) aiding him along and egging him on. Come on, a cute kid makes any superhero movie better.

This film is explosive. No, literally – baddies spontaneously combusting, mansions falling to bits and a surprising fireworks show in the end.

The special effects don’t end there. The iron man suits are spectacles, giving every single scene an extra whoa factor.

And even more so than the effects, the acting is superb. Downey Jr. plays Iron Man with the same cocky finesse he always has, alternating between funny and vulnerable with ease, and taking the audience along to the verge of Stark’s breakdown for a glimpse into his genius. The other standout in the movie is the ever-remarkable Ben Kingsley. I won’t give away much here, but just expect to absolutely love his character, as unlikely as it seems in the beginning.

“Iron Man 3″ is funny, endearing and sensational. Even in the booming superhero industry, it stands out. See it.

Metro diver Hannah Herbold. Photo courtetsy of MSU Denver Swimming and Diving Club

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Herbold said.

Herbold won the 3 meter diving title April 20, then brought home a second title, winning the 1 meter on April 21, setting new ECC championship records with both performances.

“It was really hard work,” Herbold said. “We put in a lot of time, but it’s awesome. It feels good.”

Being a student didn’t hinder Herbold from finding enough time to prepare for the meet hosted by the Georgia Tech Swim Club. She trained three days a week, despite a busy schedule, to ensure her spot at the top of the podium.

“One of her main struggles is that she is a full time college student. She is working nearly full time on top of trying to train,” head coach Kevin Sage said.

Sage said that Herbold brings a lot of competitive experience to the team. She has been diving since she was in middle school with the Mile High Dive Club, where she competed against some of the best competition in the United States before she graduated from Eaglecrest High School. It has been 10 years since Herbold has been involved in the sport, but she is slowly getting back into the groove of things and plans to continue diving for Metro’s club until she graduates.

Metro softball won three of four games versus Black Hills State April 27-28 at Auraria Field to conclude its 2013 season.

The Lady Runners led 6-3 after four innings in game one, but a three-run fifth, six-run sixth, and two-run seventh inning by the Yellow Jackets handed Metro a 14-6 loss. Junior center fielder Dani Sandel went 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Junior starting pitcher Monique Hernandez took the loss, with 11 runs (six earned) on 12 hits, over 5.2 innings.

Metro won game three, 10-2. A five-run second and three-run fourth inning propelled the Lady Runners to the five-inning mercy-rule win. Sophomore shortstop Susie Oury scored four times from the leadoff spot. Sandel and junior catcher Kelsey Tillery knocked in two and three runs, respectively. Hernandez earned the win, giving up two earned runs on seven hits, over five innings.

The Lady Runners ended its season with a 6-4 victory. Tillery collected two RBIs with a solo homer in the bottom of the first and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third inning, giving Metro a 2-0 lead. The Yellow Jackets tied the game 2-2 in the top of the fourth, before sophomore left fielder Mary Towner blasted her team’s second solo-shot of the game. Metro scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and hung on after the Yellow Jackets pulled within two in the top of the seventh. Senior pitcher Brittany Moss ended her Roadrunner career with a 106- pitch, complete game victory.

Metro baseball swept a four-game series versus Adams State April 26-28 in Alamosa.

Game 1
Metro won 7-2. Senior third baseman Jacob Nelson collected five RBIs on two-run and three-run homers. Sophomore starting pitcher Patrick Gojan gave up one earned run and struck out five for his fourth win of the season.

Game 2
A six-run second, four-run third, and three-run sixth inning propelled the Roadrunners to a 16-10 victory. Nelson went 3-for-4 with another five-RBI performance, and senior outfielder Alex Schrupp contributed to the winning effort by going 4-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs.

Game 3
The Roadrunners won 15-2 in game three. Sophomore starting pitcher Mike Thill threw a four-hitter over six full innings. Sophomore catcher Darryl Baca went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs.

Game 4
Grand slams by Nelson and freshman outfielder Derek Stimpson gave Metro eight of its runs in a 21-7 blowout of Adams State in the series finale. Stimpson’s hit came in his first career at-bat. Sophomore starting pitcher Nick Hammett earned the win, throwing 103 pitches over five innings.

Track & Field

Metro track teams captured medal honors in six events April 27 at the Colorado School of Mines pre-conference meet.

Men
Senior Kellen Focklyer ran a personal-best 5K in 16:03.70 for second place. Sophomore Erik Boss won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 10:00.83. Juniors Tim Townsend place third in the 1,500-meter, while Austin James earned medalist honors in the 100-meter in 11.23 seconds, and Darius Reed won the 110-meter hurdles in 14:02.

Women
Freshmen Janelle Lincks and Elysia Erickson won the 1,500-meter and 800-meter respectively. Junior sprinter Belle Kiper won the 400-meter in 58.88 seconds.

Metro sophomore left fielder Mary Towner hit a homerun during a 6-4 win over Black Hills State April 27 at Auraria Field. Photo by Cos Lindstrom-Furtutani

Down 3-1 entering the bottom of the fourth inning, sophomore left fielder Mary Towner pulled Metro within one on her solo shot to center field.

“I just went up there not thinking too much into it,” Towner said of her home run at-bat. “Just relaxed and went from there.”

Sophomore shortstop Susie Oury tied the game with a double to center field, and junior catcher Kelsey Tillery capped Metro’s five-run inning with an RBI double.

The Yellow Jackets scored one run in the top of the sixth inning, after a one-out single and double, but senior starting pitcher Brittany Moss forced two groundouts to end the game and seal the victory.

“We had nothing to lose other than to play hard, play for each other and have fun,” Moss said. “I wanted to play hard for Aubree. I wanted to play hard for her and for our team.”

Moss did just that, pitching all seven innings for the Lady Runners. She threw 50 of her 78 pitches for strikes, giving up only two earned runs on seven hits, over the span of 33 batters.

“B-Moss threw a great game, and she threw a lot better than the score indicated,” head coach Kristi Lansford said.

Metro registered its 15th win of the season with the victory over the Yellow Jackets of South Dakota.

“We got key hits and I think we settled down defensively in the last couple innings to get outs,” Lansford said. “We came through when we needed to.”

Metro overcame six errors to pull out the win.

“We’ve been pretty strong defensively this year, we really have,” Lansford said. “It definitely wasn’t pretty but we got it done.”

Strong can be used to describe senior pitcher Maul, who just finished chemotherapy.

“The support for Aubree has been amazing, it’s been overwhelming,” Lansford said. “All the other teams in the RMAC have been very supportive.”

Metro wore teal jerseys for the game in support of their teammate.

“It was a really emotional day,” Lansford said. “She’s an amazing kid and has got a lot of support.”

Maul’s teammate and close friend Towner added, “[Maul] is a really close friend of mine. We’ve gotten really close since I’ve been a freshman, and just all the support shows what an amazing person she is all around.”

Image courtesy of School Knights

Three-and-a-half years since this dirty, punk-inspired birth, the now Denver-based quartet has aged perfectly. And, May 3 will mark the physical release of School Knights’ new album Lethargy.

Despite its title, this effort is full of life. But it has a different sort of vivacity than the band’s previous material — less youthful and more long-lived, each track comes complete with a hint of newfound wisdom and bittersweet acceptance.

Yes, the snarling vocal hooks of co-frontmen Michael Stein and Ben Donehower carry on the group’s inherent gritty-garage attitude, especially on certain cuts like “Heritage” or “Weird Times.” Now each song has been taken further by the exciting fret-wizardry of both Stein and main guitarist Morris Kolontyrsky.

Meanwhile, bassist Donehower and drummer Cameron Rottner subtly and fluidly weave their way through various tempo changes and shifts in time signature.

The result is eight riff-driven, sonically complex compositions that, arguably, are School Knights’ most significant pieces of work. Granted, if each member keeps moving in the direction of Lethargy, then, perhaps, just like life itself, the best is still yet to come.

Photo courtesy of Phoenix

The alternative rock band from Versailles followed up their 2009 epic synthesizer-filled alt-rock album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, with a similar yet satisfactory album. Since making the jump from being an underground cult favorite among indie fans to becoming a festival headlining mainstay, Phoenix have been just as consistent with their anthems since day one.

Ten years and four albums have enabled vocalist Thomas Mars, bassist Deck d’Arcy and guitarists Laurent Brancowitz and Christian Mazzalai to become a household name among music fans. Through this process, Mars’ lyrics have provided listeners with a sort of catchy feel good listening vibe that pleases the ears.
Bankrupt! is no different.

It’s the first album from the French foursome since making it big and the typical Kings Of Leon or Black Keys slump of becoming arena rockers is not present.
Bankrupt! is an emotional tsunami that bobs and weaves through low key synthesizers and trippy Pink Floyd-esque guitar solos. The opening single, “Entertainment,” bears a perplexing similarity to the Wolfgang Amadeus hit “Lisztomania,” but comes with less of a contagious chorus and drumbeat.

The solid bass lines from d’Arcy bridge the gap between the song’s strengths as a catchy radio pop gem and the charismatic passion behind Mars’ crisply produced vocals. The long awaited bridge which finally comes in with about a minute left leaves listeners wanting more from this obvious hit with lyrics suggesting that Mars would “rather be alone.”

Much of the rest of the album leans towards a ‘70s synthy pop sound that transitions well to a wonderful take on Purple Rain-era Prince. The album’s fourth track “Trying to Be Cool” is a pleasant take on just that. It possesses more of a love ballad type feeling with solid guitar work to back it. It’s a bold and successful attempt at not being a carbon copy of songs like “1901” and “Fences.”

Overall, Bankrupt! is a solid album full of off-kilter pop songs, which Phoenix does so well.

Stock up on food, have plenty of water, and arm yourself — another zombie movie is coming.

“World War Z,” adapted from Max Brooks novel “World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War,” is set for a June 21 release. It focuses on main character Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) who travels around the world after a zombie pandemic consumes the world while he tries to find its origin.

Marc Forster (“Quantum of Solace,” “Finding Neverland”) directed the flick and dissected its entrails during a conference call on April 24.

KW: For fans of the book “World War Z,” what is the biggest difference they can expect if they go see the movie?

MF: Basically Max Brooks’ book sets the table for our film, but it is more a template, not a standard minion narrative. Therefore, when we adapted it into an enigmatic narrative we sort of expanded into different areas. The main thing is, in Max’s book, they’re telling the story from the past and our film starts sort of in the present. And him, Gerry Lane, is the lead character trying to find out where the origin started versus in [the book] you’re talking about the past.
Obviously in Max’s book you have the whole discussion between slow zombies and fast zombies and those fans are divided. In the book, there are obviously slow zombies — we have fast zombies and slow ones in the movie as well.

KW: Zombies are clearly a big part of entertainment right now. What was your reasoning for going for “World War Z” for a movie?

MF: I basically chose “World War Z” because I was fascinated. I always love zombies as a metaphor; I loved the potential of the story.
There’s very seldomly where you have a story where I thought, “Oh, this could be such a fun ride, an entertaining ride, but at the same time there’s the second layer to the story.” Which I thought it is so fun because everybody has their own interpretation of the movie and some people prefer pure entertainment and other people read more into it. I think it was a great opportunity to make a film like that.