Focus Faith

7/28/2019 Focus Faith

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of Student

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SI. AmantBesierFoster

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is owned andby Baylor University.

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The entire content of Focusis protected under theCopyright Act. Reproduc-any portion of any issue bymechanical or other-

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{What' nPutting a Face to Faith

Look into the beliefs and spiritual lives of students who believe in Islam (EmilyBecker, 8), Hinduism (Melissa Limmer, 9) and Atheism (Claire St. Amant , 10). Find.out about the role of Non-Christian Professors at Baylor (Carlie Besier, 11) andmissionary kids' lives as Christians in the minority (Katelyn F o ~ t e r , 14). And peerinto spirituality in Waco (Jon Schroeder, 13) through a photo essay.

3 Enterprise of Freedomby Anna Woodcock

St udents get in touch with the community bycreating business plans for underdeveloped partsof Waco.

18 No Strings Attachedby Gretchen Blackburn

Discover the new direction of wireless Internet.

19 The Soldier's Lifeby Daniel Youngblood

Find out how li fe is different for student so ldie rswhen they come back from overseas.

22 Curbside Treasuresby Rebecca Lilley

Learn cheap and easy ways to spruce up your placewith unexpec ted finds.

15 Bells Above Baylorby Emily Gilbert

Find out what it takes to p lay Pat Neff's bells.

Photo by Emiy Bown

The Business ofBlessing(By Anna Woodcock) (Photos by Jon Schroeder)


3/13

Equal Exchange Coffee $8Hunger Farm gift shop offers fair-trade coffee. The "fair trade" abel on products means the makers were paid a air wage for their work .

promotes fair trade and educationrting clothes at Goodwill,

serving food at a local shelter and washing puppies atumane Society. All thr eeactivities are wonder

of community serviceBaylor students participatetheir college ca

But one associate professorsteer students in adirection: disciplinefic service projects, such asclass of middle school

of financial and ethicalhoping to make a differ

in their future.Neubert, associ

of management andof Christian

sponsors the Students inEnterprise (SIFE) organizaBaylor. He also teaches a

management course,

Organization al Leadership andChange, which is centered oncompleting a SIFE project [or agrade.SIFE is a global non-profit organization run by student teamson more than 1,600 universitycampuses in 40 countries. Byteaching the principles of freeenterprise, students are giventhe opportunity to developteamwork, communication andleadership skills through variousdiscipline-specific projects. Co ncepts include free market economics, personal and financialsuccess, entrepreneurship andbusiness ethics.

The SIFE organization holdsregional competitions in thespring. Baylor attends the onein Dallas. This isn't just an opportunity to present a projectbefore judges. It's a chance to

more than your typical service project,build ing on your major and some ofbusiness skills ,Mitchell Neubertchair of Christian ethics and associate professor of management

agazi ne

meet other business professionals from across the nation. Manystudents are hired for internships, or even post-graduate entry-level positions, by attendingthe competition and networkingwith the business professionalsinvolved."People really get going aboutthe competition," Neubert said."Until you go, you don't quite getthe picture of how many amazing things are being done because our program is so little ."

Although tlle organizationhas been active since 1975, SIFEhas only been at Baylor sinceNeubert introduced it threeyears ago.He said he wanted to bringthe organization to Baylor fortwo reasons: to give studentsthe opportunity to gain businesscontacts through the competition and to get students to goout and do discipline-specificservice projects."It's more than your typicalservice project. It's building onyour major and some of yo urbusiness skills," Neubert said.Baylor's SIFE President Lau-ren Epperson, an Allen sen ior,

Matt Hess, education director for WorldHunger Relief.succeeded in scoring an internship with Walgreens after sittingat a table with a group of districtmanagers at the competition lastspring.

Epperson said she was as-tounded by the number of hoursstudents spend on these projectsafter reviewing them at tl1e competition.

Epperson was assigned tothe University Middle Schoolgroup as a student in Neubert'sclass. Some of the concepts theytaught to a class of eighth graders included how to balance acheckbook, how to remain ethical in school and in ob s and howto prepare for a job interview.

"Service proj ects, such aspainting houses or picking uptrash, are wonderful. But withSIFE you make a lasting difference in regards to financial literacy, or even something as simpleas interviewing tips, " Eppersonsaid.

Coppell senior Leeann Eberhardt also worked on the University Middle School project lastspring. She said her "passion forservice" inspired her to join theSIFE organization. She servesas project manager for the UMSgroup, a sort of "go-to" girl forany future classes that work onthe same project.

"The project made me muchmore aware of the impact ofgrowing up in a dysfunctional ,nonsupportive environment,"Eberhardt said.

Neubert attributes most project success to the UMS endeavor,mainly because it's the easiest todetermine what kind of progressis made through the use of preand post-tests. The departmenteven offers a savings bond totlle student who obtains a scoreof 100 on the post-test, provingthat the mission of the studentsteaching has reached at least oneeighth grader.Longview senior PatrickPaine, a member of the UMSprogram, said he's "a bit shockedat the complex level of information they plan to teach."Knowing that as an eighthgrader he didn't care about ethics or how to dress in the workplace, Paine said the group has toreally "ponder ways to get thesekids interested and get them toparticipate." He said that is achallenge he enjoyed facing.UMS isn't the only group,but most deal with teaching insome way. One group is partnering with Mission Waco'sMPowerment program to helpteach basic ethical and financialprinciples to adults in Waco whohave either been laid off or needa head start in life.

Another group has changedthe subject material slightly byoffering options to high schoolstudents regarding post-gradu-

ate life. They are working together to present the details ofhow to apply for college, what toexpect, and the full range of options in continuing their edu ca-tion after high school.A new group this year is taking a different route and haspartnered with the RapoportAcademy in Waco. It is a publicmiddle school educating children from extremely disadvan-taged families. The group willraise funds and supplies with thegoal of funding college tours.

"The big picture here is thelong-term advantage of exposingtl1ese kids to a college experience," said West senior BrookeFerguson. "It will provide a stepping stone for these children togo to college and get out of poverty."

Ferguson said this project isa good learning experience forbusiness students."A lot of the business schoolcurriculum is focused on profitmotives and traditional businessideas," she said. "This providesme with another frame of reference in the world of business."

Neubert emphasized the impOl-tance of Baylor students going "across the freeway" to getinvolved.

He said that seeing organizational leaders do things in anenvironment they aren't familiar

with is more challenging, especially without enough resourcesand working with difficult, lesseducated people.

Neubert said he hqpes theprojects convince the studentsthat they can have an impactand that they are acting as rolemodels to those who are less for-

a

tsTpsat

tunate in their com"Our projects

be jaw-dropping, bcan stand up thedidn't realize how mpact others,' thosea lot to me, even ia lot of points fromNeubert said.

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5/13

Islam

Photo by Angela Buratt(left) and Bedford junior Hoda Said eat acasual dinner after their weekly Islamic Studies Project meeting.

conventionupholding belief(By Emily Becker)hey asked me if I wanted"pink, black or white?"I answered white and

that was the color oftreat

at the Islamic Studmeeting. Huma Patel,

hadup with the idea. The Val-Day theme worked since

about relationdo's and don'ts in Islam.Islamic Studies Projectgroup devoted to teaching

and creating a communitystudents at Baylor.how to live outreligion in a purer way,

through the differencesIs-seniorin world religions and

dean for administraCollege of Arts andIslam is monothe-and shares a common strucwith Judaism and Christianis based on the BibleFocus Magazine

and the Quran, which Muslimsbelieve was dictated by God toMuhammad.

He said there are five pillarsof faith that must be followed tobe considered a "good Muslim":reciting the creed ("There is noGod but Allah and Muhammadis his prophet"), praying fivetimes a day while facing Mecca,going on a pilgrimage to Mecca(the Hajj), charity (zaket), and aseason of fasting (Ramadan).

The most eye-catching symbolof a practicing Muslim woman isthe hijab, or head scarf. Severalof the women in Islamic StudiesProject wear a hijab because theQuran mandates that womencover everything except for theirface and hands.

"It's not just to cover the epidermis," Patel said. The hijab'spurpose is to protect a woman'smodesty and purity, she said.

Bedford junior Hoda Saidhas been wearing a hijab sinceshe was a teenager, but she wasone of the first hijab wearers atBaylor."I never felt like I fit in," shesaid.

Broken Arrow, Okla., seniorNohayiaJaved started wearing ahijab as a sophomore at Baylor.At times, the girls' parents havediscouraged them from wearingit because of persecution fromstudents and people in the community, but they say they wear itfor God's reward.

Women are not the only oneswith clothing regulations. TheQuran says men must be covered from navel to knees at alltimes.Many of the students grew upin Muslim househo lds. Javed'sfamily is steeped in Pakistaniculture, but she said she didnot grow up living according tothe Quran. When she came toBaylor, students started askingher questions about Islam. Themore questions she was asked,the more time she spent with asheikh, or in the Quran or Hadith (a record of the sayings ofthe prophet Muhammad andothers) searching for answers."I became a good Muslim,practicing every day, not justsomebody who just calls themselves a Muslim," Javed said. "I f

If you want to learnabout Islam learnit from a practicingMus.lim.- Broken Arrow, Okla., seniorNohayia Javed on understand-ing Islam

you want to learn about Islam,learn it from a practicing Muslim."

Carrollton senior Nick Howard converted to Islam last yearfrom atheism. He said most people don ' t realize that he is partof the group because he doesn'tfit the American stereotype of aMuslim. The remarks he hearsand actions he witnesses by Wacocitizens and Baylor students arelike "ignorance hitting me in theface," Howard said.Said said some students havenot listened to anything she hadto say. Others have been genuinely interested in her life andfaith. They want to know whatshe believes and why."I've had horrible and goodexperiences. It makes it okay,"Said said.Javed, along with Dr. Marc El-lis, formed the Islamic StudiesProject to bring Muslim studentstogether and spread truth aboutIslam, she said.

Burleson describes the Islamic students he has met as "dignified but quiet.""They come here primarilyfor the education," he said. "Butthey are also attracted to Bay-lor's religious character. Theyfind solace in being with other

students and faculty that are theists."The group doesn't spend allits time discussing the tenets ofIslam. Javed and Said throw din

ner parties for the group showcasing their authentic MiddleEastern cooking skills. Their religion brings them together, butthe community forged there iswhat keeps them coming.

HinduismPrayer, faithand family

(By Melissa Limmer)I n the early morning darkness, while most studentseither sleep or cram beforethe day's exams, Shivam Patel isawake and meditating.

Meditation is one of the manyaspects of Patel's daily life thatseparates him from other Bay-lor students. Patel is one of 105students at Baylor who practiceHinduism, according to Baylor'SOffice of Institutional Researchand Testing."I am just a normal kid whohappens to be Hindu," Patelsaid.

He plays video games, doeshomework and hangs out withhis friends, just like any otherstudent. But some aspects ofPatel's life, such as meditation,differ from other students.

Hindu meditation involveswhat is called "manthra," therepetition of a singu lar word,normally the name of a god."It gives me a sort of peaceand allows me to think thingsthrough very clearly," Patel said."I don't sleep much. It gives mea lot of energy."

Meditating has also taughthim to "think about what I amgoing to say before I say it," Patelsaid.Patel said his parents instilledthe importance of religion inhim at a young age. Going tothe temple was a weekly routinefor the family. At the temple Patel and his sister, whois also a Baylor student, would attendboth academic andreligious classes. Hisparents also tookhim to Christian Sundayschool classes to exposehim to what most otherAmericans believe.

Hinduism varies, dependingon the region of India it comesfrom. But there is a consistentfoundation, Patel said.

He said Hinduism recognizesone God, Brahman, who is akind of supreme spirit. BelowBrahman are the different deities, such as Shiva and Krishna,who intercede for men to Brahman.Family is also very importantto Hindus.

"My family is very close," Patel said. "We are like a castle:nothing gets in or out."Austin senior Gitanjali Venkatrao says family life is also amajor part of her religious life.Her family prays together during a ceremony called puja,which they perform at home.

Venkatrao said Hinduism "isa way oflife more than a religionbecause you don'tnecessarily have togo to a temple topray. You can prayat home."People at thetemple offer theirprayers to statuesand eat consecra tedfood, butmost ofVenka-t rao 's

prayer happens at home, shesaid. She and her family pray toa guru, a type of spiritual guidethrough whom they pray to God,"the creator, the one who is allknowing," Venkatrao said.Patel said the biggest misconception about his religion is thatit is polytheistic. He comparedthe different Hindu "gods" to

the veneration of Catholicsaints, as a way of intercession.Patel, an American citizen whose parents are nativeto India, said the cu lturalinfluences of Indiaalso playa part inmany aspects ofhis life, especially concerning

Photos by Angela Burat"The cow issymbol. Killing a

almost equivalentsaid.Patel said thiscow is sacred beearly caste systemed that killing cowsary because theytenance from othecow was also viewof motherhoodKilling the cow wno longer useful,to give milk."I don't know a steak, or a hatel said. But at hjoys cooking Indithings that are dilife than other Amainly cultural," hPatel's religioneven influencedmajor. He is a prchemistry major aof the Medical Sezation and the Tri

honor society."We were rother people,

"Charity was our life andwanted tothat can hel

Sprin


6/13

Atheismin Unbelief

Claire St. Amant)hey com e from a rangeof Christian denominations, political affiliations

locations, but've aJl reached the sameThey just don 't buything.to fall 2006 enroll

numbers, 24 of Baylor'sstudents claimed to beAnd while that ratio maystatistically significant, it

show a group of studentsformed radically different

about God and spiritualmost.my thinking there is no

no magic, no witches, noand no God," Roscoe seKyle Althof said.

identified his core"treating people withrespect and equality"said atheism was not his re

religion implies a set ofand structured practicesa lot to people ," heis highly unstruc

and honestly doesn' t playrole in my life."a San Antonio

and founder of the unoffiand Agnostic Society

defined atheism as "aof nonbelief in a god"said it is carefree and allows

great deal of variation.are scientifical

some are politically

minded and some are apathetic," he said . "For most people,. the starring point is atheismand your values and perspectivecome out from there ."

However, Mueller said though, atheists don ' t necessarily havecommon principles, he and other members of the Atheist andAgnostic Society all identifiedthe innate value of human life asa driving force in the way theylive."I just think we should carefor each other because everyperson has a right to be happyand have a quality oflife," Mueller said.Many atheists expressed frustration with being misidentifiedas Christians when doing humanitarian work.

"When I go out and helpsomeone or volunteer, peopleautomatically assume it's a Godthing," Friendswood sophomoreMichelle James said. "They can'timagine someone would dosomething selfless without believing in a god."

Austin senior Bill Walker isa Christian who attends Atheistand Agnostic Society meetings,and he has noticed the commitment to service by MueJler andothers."I think people would be surprised to find that even thoughthey don't believe in God, manyof them feel a strong calling tohelp people and make the worlda better place," he said.

In my thinking there is nodevil no magic no witchesno angels and no God.

Focus Magazine

Photo by Jacquelne DeavenporlSan Antonio junior Kyle Mueller answers interview questions from Katy junior Claire SI.Amant at the Atheist and Agnostic Society meeting about his belief in atheism.

While MueJler and Althof areboth atheists, how that looks intheir lives is quite different.Mueller, an avid reader, citedinfluences such as Karl Marx,John Rowels and Albert Camusas the social and political theorists who have most affectedhim. Althof, raised in a Christian home, said he "doesn ' t readvery much" and instead relies onreason, logic and his own common sense."I don't think it takes a bookor a supernatural being to tellyou what is right and what iswrong," Althof said.

Houston junior Cody Cobbattributes his lack of faith to acombination of factors in hisyouth. Cobb said he never felt areal commitment to the churchand just drifted away as he became old enough to make hisown decisions.

Mueller was also raised in aChristian home, with a militaryfather he described as "a veryconservative Republican."

When Mueller was 15 yearsold, he became an atheist. After examining all religions andstudying advanced science, hesaid it was easy to see how theworld made sense without religion.

"It wasn't a very far stretchto go from saying maybe Christianity is wrong to maybe aJl religions are wrong," he said.

In light of the small numberof atheists at Baylor, Muellerand Cobb wanted to clarify a fewthings about themselves."We don't worship the devil,and we don 't eat babies," Cobbsaid."We also don't apologize forbeing offensive," Mueller said.

Both men said they were "verytolerant" of religion and had nodesire to take God out of publicschools or abolish religion."We value diversity," Mueller said . "We wouldn't want torestrict anyone's beliefs, and wejust ask that the same respect isshown to our nonbelief."

Practicingwhat theyteach(ByCarlie Besier)

O f the 14,000 students oncampus, more than 370aren't Christian. Andwhile religious diversity amongstudents increases each year, forprofessors it is at a standstill.Baylor's policy on facultyrecruitment and employmentstates that "Baylor University hasthe right to discriminate on religious grounds in the hiring of tsemployees."Dr. Marc Ellis, university professor of ewish studies and a follower of conservative Judaism,came to Baylor in 1998 as a guestlecturer and was then recruitedto join the faculty. Although hewas recruited, both former President Robert B. Sloan Jr. and theprovost, Dr. David Jeffrey, stillasked specific questions regarding his Jewish faith. "They werevery interested in the way I talked about my Jewish faith. Theysaw it as something that couldbe of importance to Baylor," El-lis said.

Dr. Tom Offit, professor ofanthropology and a foJlowerof Judaism, began his career atBaylor as an adjunct lecturer. Because he was in the anthropologydepartment, the questions abouthis faith were minimal, he said.When he decided to be a fulltime faculty member, he underwent the same process as Ellis.Jeffrey conducted his interviews,and he was "very knowledgeableabout the Judaism," Offit said.Ellis now works to bring diversity to campus through theCenter for Jewish Studies, founded in 1999. Guest speakers, whoare of a non-Christian religion,

Non-Christian Professors

PhoProfessor of anthropology Dr. Tom Offit stands beside a picture of Jacob wrestling an angel. He says it reminds hstruggles of faith.are brought to campus to discussnot only the Jewish faith, but alsoother world religions and ethniccommunities.

"Students love it when I bringin these speakers. They learn alot," Ellis said. "And our guests,who are from these diverse backgrounds, love Baylor. So it's agreat exchange."As for everyday teaching, EJlissaid he has never had an argument with a student about faith.He said he's had several discussions with students, "but mosttake my Jewish faith as authentic." Offit likewise said he hasnever felt discriminated againstand enjoys students' curiosityabout his religion.Dr. Robert Baird, professorof philosophy and member ofLakeshore Baptist Church, hasnoted faculty changes throughout his 39 years of teaching atBaylor and his undergraduatestudies at Baylor in the 1950s.

"There is so much more diversity on this campus now thanthere was then. And it's all tothe good," Baird said. "I thinkhaving a few faculty membersfrom different religious traditions would just be a marvelousaddition to that diversity."

Baird said he understandsthat since Baylor is religiously affiliated, the faculty must remainpredominantly Christian, but hebelieves religious variety won ' tundermine Baylor's Baptist tradition.

"A crucial part of universityeducation is intellectual stimulation. And diversity certainlycontributes to that," Baird said.

"Students should get a broadexposure and gain further understanding of different culturesin order to become critical thinkers and to not ust accept an ideajust because it's what you've beentold your whole life," Offit said.He believes it's important for students to learn that 'Just becauseanother culture has different beliefs doesn't make it bad."

"The world is a diverse place,"Ellis said. "And since college issupposed to be a time of transition into the real world, it's important for students to be introduced to different cultures andreligions."

Offit has a picture on a waJlin his office of Jacob wrestlingan angel. He said he keeps itthere to remind him of what hisfaith means to him. He said thatfighting with ideas and ethics

make one's faith gnot weaker."I think a Chrsity should sponsofor their own sak"Christians live in the world is diversno-brainer."

Houston uniorfollower of Hinduferent opinion. Heat a Christian schpect to be taughtprofessors. He sasity has made it thtrue to its Christiait shouldn't changnow."Baylor's profescellent job at leavoutside the classrmanage to teach manner," Ratanji s

Ratanji said hemore devoted in hcoming to Baylor,had gone to anothmight have beenstereotypes aboutNow, however, heanity "is beautiful

"It almost lineswe believe," Ratanbottom line of alsame - to be a bett

1 Spring 2


7/13

Christian ImagerySchroeder)

up against the dome ceiling of St. Francis Catholic Church at 315 Jefferson Ave.Focus Magazine

Extending beyond Baylors Baptist tradition, thisphoto essay expresses the spirituality of other Chris-tian denominations. Top left , metal figurines hangat St. Francis Catholic Church as tokens of thanksfor answered prayer. A leg, for instance , may sig-nify gratitude for a healed injury.Also at St. Francis,sculptures grace an entry way (left) .Above, astatueof Jesus looks out from St. Paul Lutheran Church .Right, a statue of King Louis IX of France peersdown from St. Louis Catholic Church. Louis IX wascanonized into sainthood in 1297. Also at St. LouisCatholic Church (below) a fountain shaped like aclay pot spouts water.


8/13

iss ionary kidsoutside the

ligious norm[By Katelyn Foster)or many, these trips arethe highlight of the year:a chance to witness to oth-

grow in their own faithsame time. But for a se

gro up of students, overseasare a lifestyle, a lifestyleis hard to grasp, except for

actually experience

or MKs,given the choice to raisefor an upcoming mission

that will last days, but liveworld entirely devoted to

the word of Christ, towitness where Chrisare the minority.

Robertson, a third-yearstudent, grewIvory Coast, West Africa,Islamic village of large

where men can have upwives. Until recently, herly members were the onlyin the area.returning [to IvoryI always felt that it was

easier to follow Christ inwhere I had to really

at it every day," Rob ertsonHer e, 1 cou ld just assumewere Christian,et my guard down. I kn ewto Africa 1 h ad to be

ually strong."Shelton agrees with RobShe was born and raised

Argentina, and shea freshman at Baylor.ing up in a Christian

in a place that Christian-you havea decision whether toChrist and stick with it,"said. "It's more blackwhite. Here you can be an and go to church andyour faith out."

Focus Magazine

Christians in the Minority

Photo by Matthew Wal erBecky Robertson , a hird-year Truett Seminary student, holds aBible written in Arabic open to the book of Acts. Robertson grew upin Ivory Coast, West Africa ,where her parents worked in an Islamic community.

Mark Laymon, a Richardsonsenior and student body president, lived with his missionaryparents in Moscow, Russia fromages 8 to 15 and then moved toAsia for two mor e years beforereturning to the United States.He said he often felt the pressureto be a good Christian kid and tobe an example of his faith."You can eit her rebel or follow it," he said. "1 was one whofollowed it."

Rob ertson compared themissionary life to living in afishbowl. Since her family livedin a sma ll village with no otherChristians, she said most peoplewere keenly aware of everythingthey were doing."I was being observed notonly as a white person, but as aChristian," she said. "It's a life-long interv iew. People are tryingto see if what you said matchedup with the way you live."Living in an Americanizedfamily in the midst of Argentine culture, Shelton said it canbe hard because an MK is nevercomplete ly identified with onesoc iety.

Robertson, Shelton and Laymon all agreed that a benefit ofbeing an overseas MK is the formation of a g lobalm ind set.

Robertson said she tends tothink of everythin g in the mind-set of cu ltures ."I view differences as less ofgood or bad, but more as different," she said.

Laymon said he can relate toa broad range of people becauseof his overseas experience.

An MK's lifes tyle may present challenges at times - movinglong distances, being separatedfrom family and needing constant dedication to the faith -but Robertson ha s considered itto be rewardin g a nd has becomeinvolved with missions again.

Robertson, who now workswith international studentsthrough Baptist Student Ministries, remembers her callingto the ministry at 17 years old.During the summer, visitingmissionaries went on a prayerwalk through Robertson's homevillage. They reported sights ofdirty chi ldren and poverty-stricken peop le - sights that she saw

daily but had never recognized."My eyes were opened to theneeds around me ," she said . "Asa human being born into thatsituation, there was a responsibility to do something about it."

Laymon said from a faith perspective, being in a missionaryfami ly is a great examp le sinceone can see what it looks like tocomp lete ly live for God."It's not about money orpower, but faith in God," he said."We were happy and we wouldn'thave had a better life by living inDallas with a lot of mon ey."I was always really exc ited," Laymon said. "My parentsviewed that to be a supernatura l thing because m ost kids arenot exc ited about leaving theirfriends. God gave us a lot ofgrace, and they didn't have toforce us to go."

Shelton said the term MK canhave two meanings - m is si on ary's kids or missionary kids."MK's prefer missionary kids,because it means the whole fam i-ly is there ," she said. "God ca lledthe entire family and the kids arenot ust along for the ride."


9/13

Carillon bells connect to the clavier keyboard (top right) inside the bellThe carillon has 48 bells, and Baylors carillonneur is Lynnette Geary, assistantof the College of Arts and Sciences.

Focus Magazine

T he bells of Pat Neffare more than justa way to tell time.They are part of theMcLane Carillon, amusical instrument made of 48cast-bronze bells that cascademusic from the bell tower to thecampus.One of the few maestros behind the carillon's musical renditions is Lynnette Geary, university carillonneur and assistant to

the dean of the College of Artsand Sciences.

"The job itself is a service toBaylor, but as a musician, it iswhat I do," Geary said. "It feedsmy soul."

The carillon's keys, collectively called a clavier, look likebroomsticks and are playedby striking them with a looselyformed fist. The foot pedals playthe heavier bells. The intensityof each note depends on howhard the key is pressed.Fast-paced music looks likea workout because coordinatedhands and feet must keep upwith a quick tempo."If you playa busy song, thenthere is a lot of work, but for themost part, playing the carillonis not physically demanding, "Geary said.Most music played through-out the day has been pre-recorded using a mechanical keyboardthat looks like a miniature piano.A seemingly antique computerthen plays back the songs. Students may also catch the occasional carillon piece that Gearypractices throughout weekdaysand on Saturday mornings.

"I like practicing on Saturdaymornings because I don ' t haveto keep looking at the clock,"Geary said, "It's hard to playalot during the day because it interrupts class."

Geary said that when mistakes are made, playing the carillon can be more of a hassle thanother instruments."If you mess up, the soundjust keeps going," Geary said."Once you playa wrong note youcan't move on. You just have towait for it to sound out."Even though the carillon is located inside one of Baylor's mostfamiliar icons, many people areunaware that there is occasionally an actual person playing.

"The carillon is a part of Bay-lor you don 't typically see eventhough you pass by it every day,"Geary said.

Along with unseen musicians,the engraved details on the bellscount as another one of PatNeff's hidden treasures. Eachbell is adorned with the officialBaylor crest, inscribed with aquote or Bible verse and toppedwith a detailed leaf trim."My favorite bell is the Brooksbell," Geary said. The C-sharpbell features a quote from Samuel Palmer Brooks, Baylor president from 1902 to 1931.

It reads, "Because of what Baylor has meant to you in the past,because of what she will meanto you in the future, oh, my students , have a care for her."

These engravings aren 't theonly things that lend the bellssome gravity. The smallest of heBaylor bells is 29 pounds, while

the largest is 4,3 70 pounds, witha total weight of more than 22tons."Students don 't even knowwhat real heavy metal musicis," Geary said as s he pointed tothe largest of the bells. "This isheavy metal. "

Geary pr act ices for rec ita lsand teac hes a carillon class ev-ery semester. Many semestersshe teaches three to five students, but this semester she onl yha s on e student, Jo e Gastler, asenior church music majo r fromH ouston.

Geary, like her pupils , studied the carillon at Baylor. Herteacher was Herbert Colvin. Colvin passed down the role as theuniversity carillonneur to Gearyafter he retired in August 2006.Geary had remained devoted tothe McLane Carillon with Colvin as his assistant for 14 years.Colvin was among the fewwho selected the particular bellscalled Paccard Bells, which werecast for the university at a foundry in France .

Several people have donatedbe lls, but most of the carillonhas been donated as a gift fromthe Drayton McLane family. TheMcLane Carillon, dedicatedNov. 4, 1988, is one of 15 Texascar illons.

Carillon recitals usually occuronce a month, and the bells alsoplay for memorial services andRing Out, the ceremony for thegraduating class to pass on Baylor traditions to the junior class.

Students don t even know what real heavy music is, This is heavy metal,- Lynnette Geary, carillonneu r, on the combined 22-ton weight of t

Spring 2


10/13

for Bandwidth--

and organizations spread free wireless InternetGretchen Blackburn}usinesses offer it to customers. Apartment owners offer it to residents.locals, armed with theirrouters, offer it to neigh

the eyes of many, wirelessis becoming a necessity.more often than not it's

free service.Day, manager of netservices at Baylor's InTechnology Services,

the use of wireless InternetBaylor campus has moredoubled since its establish

is convenient," Day"Apartment owners and

owners use wireless asset up a network

customers' use."topic of free wirelessis being watched

anticipation around theGoogle and Earthlink

their partnership inwith the San Franciscoto provide free wireInternet access to the city's

Earthlink hasannounced efforts for mu-Focus Magazine

nicipal WiFi in Philadelphia andNew Orleans.Temple senior Joseph Rafferty said he thinks municipal wireless Internet would be a goodpublicity tool for Waco, as wellas a convenient service for local

residents."I think it would be a lot lesscostly in a city like Waco," Rafferty said. "There's a much smallerpopulation to provide for. Youcould probably put a tower ontop of the ALICO building andprovide free wireless Internetfor the entire city."Waco Chamber of Commerce's communication director Lesly Rasco said there are noplans for municipally supportedwireless Internet service, andthat she is unaware of any ongoing local wireless projects.

"I don't know that it has beenexpressed as a need in Waco,"she said. "I think there are ample services currently availablearound the city."

In other Central Texas cities,volunteer groups have organizedtheir efforts to encourage businesses to provide free wirelessInternet access for communitymembers. Austin Wireless City

Project, a nonprofit organization that helps businesses provide free Internet to customers,currently has 85 businesses thatparticipate in the wireless project, according to its Web site.

In the meantime, Raffertysaid he has joined an international organization of peoplewho share their home wirelessconnections: FON. Establishedin Madrid, Spain, in 2005, FONconnects a network of people- c al le d Foneros - who agreeto share their WiFi connectionwith other members. After purchasing a FON router, Raffertysaid he uses his personal wirelessconnection at his apartment andalso shares his connection withFoneros.

According to the FON Website, there are three types ofFoneros: Linuses, Bills andAliens. Rafferty said he's aLinus, which means he pays foran Internet connection but usesthe FO router to create a hotspot for other Foneros. If Rafferty should travel to anothercity, state or abroad he can access other Fonero's wireless freeof charge.Bills, on the other hand, are

more than likely business ownerswho want to create wireless hotspots for their customers. Billscharge customers to use theirwireless and split their profitin half with FON. Th e Web sitealso explained aliens as wirelessusers who pay for temporary access to FON hotspots - they canpurchase a day, week, month oryearlong subscription.Like the Less Network thatthe Austin Wireless City Projectuses, FON routers create twonetworks for Foneros - one forpersonal use, and one for publicaccess.

"This allows security for users," Rafferty said. "But at thesame time, no network is immune to security risks. Usersmust register, so you can't beanonymous. If anything criminalwould happen, they can at leastsee who's responsible."

Rafferty said he recommendsFON to frequent travelers, buthe added that it doesn't cut thecost of his Time Warner Internetservice."It's not cheaper for me, butso many apartments offer freewireless Internet that it would becheap for most people," he said.

Student soldiers readjust to Baylorafter overseas deployment

Edensenior Adam Torres mands the guns of a convoy team at Camp Scania in Iraq.

{By Daniel Youngblood}

I f you take a walk across any college campus, you'll hear the phrase "a matter oflife and death" used to describe a lot oftrivial issues. For a handful of Baylor students, that phrase has a deeper meaning.You may not be able to pick them outof a crowd, but there are dozens of Baylorstudents who have served overseas in theUnited States military and know what realdanger is.Since the war on terror began, Baylor students enlisted in the military have frequentlybeen pulled out of class to serve their countr y, and nearly all of them return to schoolas changed people with stories to tell.David Kaye, a Katy senior, is one suchstudent. After making the decision to jointhe Army Reserve in the summer of 2003after his freshman year at Baylor, Kaye waseployed for Kabul, Afghanistan, in April2 05. Given two days to report to basic training, he was asked to put his education on

hold and report for duty.He did just that.Eden sophomore Adam Torres did thesame. He enlisted in the Army National

Guard to help out with college expensesin August 2002. By January 2005, he wasin Iraq at Camp Scania, 60 miles south ofBaghdad.

Jennifer Schwarz, a West junior, joinedthe Army Reserve for college money whenshe graduated from high school. She deployed in November 2003 for Taji, a camp15 to 20 minutes north of Baghdad.

Houston senior Julio Osorio is a memberof the United States Marine Corps. He returned to Baylor in fall of 2006 from his firsttour of duty in Iraq and is preparing to redep loy in April of this year.Since their return, these students' livesseem the same as any other college students,but their stories and college careers are anything but ordinary.

While most students were studying fortests and stressing over papers, these four

Photo cour

were learning how to deal withof imminent death.

Kaye, who frequently traAfghanistan laying down comlines, said there were many timnerable to attack.

He said the way he dealt wiwas to rea lize the circumstancehis hands."At first it was really hard," Kter that, you learn to put yourand trust that he's going to getit."

Torres, who was a gunnerteam, said "you learn how totions," but he said it was his fhim through.

"You've got to find some tor you'll go insane," he said. "believe in something, and I justrength through Christ."

Along with constant dangecation with their families andoverseas was also difficult.

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fram the 820 Signal Campany take aplane to. Kuwait an route to Afghanistan where cammunicatians tasks await them.e-mail, instant messen

and occasional phone calls,kept in touch with loved

But most of their liveswere spent fulfillingduties, sleeping or think

about the next days' work.of returning home

of livingf you think too much longyou' ll drive yourself crazy

it to get there," Kaye"Because I always knewmuch time I had left, Ireally tried to think aboutit was going to be like whenhome."

and toat Baylor has come withfour

spent about a year overand all four were told upon

home that the transifrom military to civilian lifeFocus Magazine

would be difficult.Upon their return, many sol

diers opt to take a break of threeto four months to become reacquainted with civilian life . ButKaye, Torres, Schwarz and Osorio jumped right back in, re-enro lling in school imm ediately.

There were challenges forsome . Because their militarystints extended their college staya year or two beyond what theyoriginally expected, these students often had trouble relatingwith friends they left behind.Schwarz said because she waspulled out after her freshmanyear, she never got the chanceto know people as well as shemight have liked."I still don ' t talk to manypeople in class and stuff," shesaid. "I feel like I relate better topeople who have that militarybackground. "

Torres said he also had a littletrouble since his return."I jumped into it so fast, tome it didn't feel like there wasany transition. But looking back,I was constantly struggling to fitin somewhere, whether it waswith a certain group of people- old friends or new friends," hesaid. "Not until recently have Iaccepted the fact that I'm hereat Baylor, but things are different."Kaye said he matured a lotduring his time overseas andhad no trouble with the transition from the military to civilianlife. He said most of his friendsfrom before he left have gradu-ated, and that allowed him a"fresh start" to make new ones.

Osorio also said his time inthe military helped him focus.

"Over there, everything'sso structured that you pick up

on that and bring it back withyou," he said. "Now I use that inschool to help me prioritize andfocus."Because military duty madetheir college stays so much longer, many soldiers want to getout of school and on with life.Torres, Schwarz and Osorio saidtheir priorities had changed andthey no longer needed the college experience.Kaye, on the other hand, saidhe was glad his stint with theArmy prolonged his educationbecause it helped him focus onwhat he wanted to do with life."If I had graduated in 2006,I'd be really unhappy with theway my life is now because I'd bedoing ajob I really didn't enjoy,"he said.Kaye, who called his timeoverseas an "eye-opening experience," said getting outside the

Baylor Bubble changed his perspective and returning can bedifficult."I love Baylor, but the stu

dents get on my nerves a lot oftimes because their priorities areso out of whack," he said. "It's abad trap to fall into. That's justnot the kind of person I want tobe after going through all that."

Torres said his biggest prior-ity shift was spiritual. He saidmilitary life is a simple one thatfosters a closeness to God that 'shard to replicate in civilian life .

"In Iraq, there was nothingholding me back from experiencing that intimacy. There wasnothing to put before God," hesaid. "I definitely grew there,and getting home, I could defini tely tell."

Another change that students serving in the mi li tary encounter is how they are seen byot he rs.Oso rio said it's an instanttalking point, but he has to becareful how he talks to people.He said being a Marine is his jo band he doesn' t want to allow hisservice to bring him into a poli tica l debate. He said he enjoystalking with others about histime in Iraq, but he has to usegood judgment.Torres said he thinks somepeople are almost intimidated byh is mi litary background. He saidhe t ries to hide it until he knowssomeone well so it doesn' t scarepeople off.

"I think right off the bat thereare stereotypes," he said . "Afterthey found out what kind of obI d id, they approach me different ly. They don ' t want to ask metoo many questions for fear ofupse tting me, when really I'mpre tty laid back. "Regardless of their reasonsfor joining, where they werestat ioned or the jobs they perfo rme d while overseas, thesestudent so ldiers have a commonbond. They are members of asma ll group that garners instantrespect.

"Support our troops" bumper stickers are seen on millionsof cars nationwide and are often give n little thought. But forthese students , they hit close tohome.

Photo courtesyAbave, West juniar Jennifer Schwarz (battam right) sits with wamSchwarz jumped right back into. callege after her deplayment to2003. Left,Katy seniar David Kaye cuts a cable dawn after a ire

Photo courtesy of Davd Kaye stan.

At first it was reallyhard, After that you learn to put your faiGod and trust that he1s going to get you through it,- Katy senior David Kaye on his deployment in Afghanistan

Photo courteEden seniar Adam Tarressits an tap of an armared vehicle in acanvay during his 2005 deplayment to Camp Scaniaa gunner who. says he relied an hiS faith In Gad to. help him through his time averseas.

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any students adjust tolife away from homeby making their Wacoas "homey" as posThis, however, is hard to

on a college studentBut it's not impossible.of us find creative waysa comfortable environ

on a cheap budget. On emethod is thrift store

Some of us, however,idea one step further:"curb shopping."

perfectly usableend up on the curb because

out of date , they've beenor it's simply time forcleaning. Many of these

are useless as they are, but

Focus Magazine

they can easily be transformedinto something new. The smartcurb-shopper knows to look atthings for what they could be,not necessarily what they are.

Mount Vernon junior EmilyWade decorated her room with"transformed" items."I didn't pick it up off thecurb, but I found this window inmy garage at home and thoughtit would look nice on the wall,"Wade said, pointing out the sixpaned window hanging besideher bed. The window isn't theonly thing in Wade's room thathas been remade."I needed a headboard, soI found this garden trellis andjust nailed it to the wall," Wade

said.I learned much of what Iknow about curb shopping frommy mother. She has a uniqueeye for seeing how things can betransformed. My television standis made out of an old screendoor. We made a table out of awindow and some pickets fromon old fence. My roommate andI made a shelf out of an old bedfootboard, and the headboardserves as a sidebar in our dining

Bedford junior Sharmada Srikant andAtlanta junior Leeann Schultz talk abouttheir coffee table, which was purchasedfrom a second hand store and restored.Their former community leader fromSouth Russell also gave them an armchair. Their red and black table (far left)was made from adoor.room. Many things people thinkare useless and throw out can beuseful in a college student livingspace.Usually when an item is onthe curb, it's up for grabs. However, sometimes it's polite toknock and ask. Blake Seidler, aDallas senior, found a fully functional, 52-inch, 1978 big screentelevision on the curb."I saw a car in the drivewaywith its hatch open and I thoughtsomeone was inside negotiatinga deal on it," Seidler said. "So Iknocked and offered 50 dollarsto buy it, but they told me it wasfree and just to take it."

Bedford junior SharmadaSrikant and Atlanta junior Leeann Schultz have a coffee tablethat was inherited from one ofSrikant's friends."It was really ugly," Srikantsaid. "It had huge marble slabson it and it was really beat up."

The girls removed the marble

We decided to do the work ourselves,We hadno idea it would cOl1le together this beautifully- Leeann Schultz, Atlanta junior on her curb-shopping success.

slabs and replaced them withblack-and-white pictures of themand their oth er roommates,then painted the rest o[ the tableblack.

"No one moved in with anything," Srikant said. "We had acouch and the coffee table."

The girls visited their friends'apartments and got inspired."We wanted our apartmentto be cuter, but also cheaper,"Schultz said. "We decided to dothe work ourselves. We had noidea it would come together thisbeautifully."

The key to curb shoppingis knowing when and where tolook."In Dallas, they have bulktrash pick-up on the first of every month," Seidler said. "Meand m y friends would go out late

and comb through the neighborhood looking for stuff. I knowthis is immature, but at first wewere looking for stuff we couldthrow off buildings. But then Ifound an entire set of Encyclopedia Britannica and sold them[or $600. That's when I startedrea lly looking."Waco may not be an idealplace for curb shopping, but anexperienced curb shopper canstill make great finds."I found my couch in Wacoin 2005," Seidler said. "It's a bigleather sofa with recliners on either side. It's kind of dirty, butit gets the job done."Seidler has made a number of

finds over the years. He pickedup a small boat in perfect conditi n that he uses regularly, alongith four television sets and anold Coke machine."I found the Coke machinein The Colony," Seidler said. "Itwould work except it's out of Freon, so it doesn't keep anythingcold." Seidler pu t the Coke machine on the stairs of his apartment for decoration.

Of course there are certainr isks involved in curb shopping.It 's probably not a good idea tocurb-shop alone late at night.It' s also a bad idea to cram ahuge find into a small car. It

helps to have a friend with anSUV or truck for transportingpurposes.It could also be dangerous tograb certain items if they appearnew or unusually nice. Propercurb shopping etiquette dictatesthat it is polite to knock and askbefore taking something nice.However, if no one answers theknock, it's perfectly acceptableto stuff the item in the car anddrive off as fast as possible.It's also nice to have a network of lookouts. Every timeone o[ my friends sees a dooror window on the curb, he givesmy mom or me a call so we cango check it out. This is how Igot the screen door that wouldbecome my television cabinet.And this way, students can covermore than one neighborhood atonce.Curb shopping offers an affordable method for furnishingan apartment, but it 's also aneasy way to make an apartmenthomier."It's comforting in a way,"Wade said. "I know it soundscorny, but all this stuff takes meback to when times were simpler."

With graduation coming,many seniors will be cleaningout their living spaces, so be onthe lookout for great trash-totreasure items.

Above, Blake Seidler, 21 , sits on his couch and watches his '80s-styleTV.Both items were discovered curbside. Below, Seidler looks in theJection screen TV while holding another curbside treasure.

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Smashed chewing gumsticks to a tree besidethe entrance of St. Fran-cis Catholic Church.Anearby sign says,"Please put all chewinggum on the gum tree."

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