Imagine sitting down in the cafeteria and instead of reading the news or looking at those triangle things on the table, a new, free, fashion magazine is staring back. Lauren and Julie Christopherson and Kerry Chereskin all came together in hopes of launching a new fashion magazine for MSU. The Vogue Project was their idea to bring a new spin on fashion, interior design and entertainment.

Fashion photography will be featured in the new magazine (photo credit: Abby Herber. Ethical note: this photo has been artistically altered.)

“I thought creating a fashion magazine here would be a great addition to MSU’s campus and would unite many students in different majors around a common interest,” Chereskin said. Chereskin and Christopherson are both advertising majors, but anyone who is interested in fashion can become a part of the magazine. “MSU students from a variety of majors are bringing many talents to the project and filling all the necessary positions,” Christopherson said.

Chereskin and Christopherson are learning that starting up a magazine is a lot of work. Organization is key. “To do this right and put out a magazine that is well-done, we have to be committed and put all of our efforts into it,” Chereskin said. They plan on teaming up with local stores and businesses to advertise, where a majority of the funding will come from until the magazine can be recognized as a student group. “We have definitely put in a lot of time in the beginning stages of this magazine!” Christopherson said. “We are still figuring logistics such as printing costs, advertising, etc. With the help of the staff, we can get this off to a good start and running smoothly!”

Chereskin, the editor-in-chief, said her inspiration for starting The Vogue Project came from her experience with a local campus fashion publication in Miami, Up Magazine. Her writing experience at Up, while the magazine was getting started, gave her great insight into how a magazine runs. With Up in her back pocket and knowledge she gained from attending Teen Vogue seminars, she is fully equipped to handle the start-up of the magazine.

Chereskin has high hopes that The Vogue Project will eventually be seen as an elite fashion magazine on campus. “I hope that the magazine will become a topic of conversation in the fashion community at Michigan State University, offering quality writing and photography that will highlight the latest trends in fashion,” she said. The Vogue Project wants to become a print magazine that is offered free to the students. “The overall goal of The Vogue Project is to inspire students to portray their individual styles in the way they think, act and live,” Christopherson said.

There is a small problem with the name, however. “Vogue” already has a strong affiliation with the current fashion magazine, and the new publication’s founders do not want to compete with that.  The Vogue Project got its name because Vogue meant “in style.” So, while the group will be called The Vogue Project the magazine is still trying to find a name, Christopherson explains. Currently their Facebook group is having a contest for the name and the winner receives a $25 gift card to Urban Outfitters.

Interdisciplinary studies in health senior, Cara Ruggeri is thrilled to have a fashion forward magazine coming to campus. “I’ve always had an interest in anything fashionable,” Ruggeri said. Advertising sophomore, Emily Misko, is also excited for the launch of the magazine. “[It’s] something that I would be very interested in. If I saw it on the racks in halls I would definitely pick it up,” Misko said. She is also excited about the fact that the magazine would be free; “Students are broke enough as it is, they probably wouldn’t pay to take their chances on a new magazine that they may or may not like,” Misko said.

Clothes and style will be a featured in the new magazine (photo credit: Emily Lawler).

The main part of the magazine is from a fashion view point, but it will also feature a section that showcases interior design and ideas for decorating dorm rooms and houses on campus. Ruggeri always enjoys looking at interior design layouts. “It inspires me to make my own house look nice,” Ruggeri said. Misko agreed, “I’m always looking for fun ways to make my apartment look decorated, especially since the Christmas lights just aren’t cutting it.”

Chereskin believes that MSU students would be interested in a fashion-oriented magazine, which she hopes can influence and inspire more students to dress creatively. Business general management sophomore Brody Coplai is excited about the different fashion perspectives he hopes the magazine will bring to the MSU community.  “I see a lot of different fashion types at MSU. Indie [the Urban Outfitters look] seems to always be in as of late, as well as the UGG, North Face and black leggings look for the females. I would be very interested if this magazine showed more creative fashions because people are always interested in finding out the newest trends,” Coplai said.

Misko thinks that most students like to look good and fashion forward while putting as little effort into it as possible. “I think more ideas on how to easily and cheaply, look put together would be beneficial for college students,” she said.
The feedback of a fashion oriented magazine on campus has gotten a lot of positive response from students. There are plenty of fashionable people at MSU who may take interest in this new magazine. As long as the magazine makes itself known, students are bound to show interest. “I have plenty of friends, especially in my sorority, who are always looking through various fashion magazines and I think The Vogue Project will be among those soon enough,” Ruggeri said.

The Vogue Project has already tapped into technology with a Facebook group sporting more than 200 members, and they also update their Twitter account daily. The magazine also wants to offer an online issue letting people blog their thoughts. ‘It’d be nice to hear what students have to say about [the fashions], hopefully encouraging more students to share their opinion as well,” Misko said.

The publication just had its first meeting and organized a staff of over 50 people. Two among those staff include linguistics senior Jack Tarantino and packaging sophomore Alyssa Wisenbaugh. Jack is applying for the photo editor position, choosing which photos go into the magazine. “The magazine will be launched online and in print. Online media is the best way to do things nowadays but printed magazines are so much more fun. There will also be more interactive content online to keep people engaged,” he said.

Wisenbaugh hopes to take the position of women’s fashion director. “I have always loved anything to do with fashion and art, and have spent countless dollars on many magazines…The Vogue Project have set certain standards to follow in the footsteps of the elite high fashion publications,” Wisenbaugh said. Look for the first issue scheduled to come out in Fall 2010.

It is dark. The day has finally slipped away, and an eerie silence has fallen over campus. Outside, life has become deathly still apart from several solo travelers hurrying beneath the glow of the streetlamps. Two girls sit awake in a room. As the clock’s neon numbers flash midnight, the girl on the futon raises her head to say, “It’s starting.” Suddenly a shrill scream rips through the silence, followed by a chorus of shouts, yells and moans. Could this be the thrilling introduction to a terrifying cinematic masterpiece or simply the night of exam week for 46,000 students at Michigan State University?

As December rolls around, college students, young and old, experience the mad rush of fall semester finals. The library becomes the new hot spot and coffee is the drink of choice as students buckle down and forsake sleep for grade point averages. At MSU, exam week means a level of stress so high that it can only be released in the form of an ear-splitting scream.

The Midnight Scream is a study tradition that is quite unconventional. Although its origin is unknown, students have observed this nightly ritual for years. The tradition begins Sunday at midnight, the night of the first exam, continuing through to the end of the week.

In order to scream properly, a student must follow several steps. The first stage is to add an unhealthy amount of caffeine to the bloodstream, making screaming a plausible option for stress relief. Sugary soft drinks plus strong coffee equal one late night. The next step is to choose a prime location from which to scream. Freshman media arts major Michael Daniels saw people all over in the Brody Complex. “At twelve, I could see people in more than just the doors and their rooms but also in the stairwells and lobbies,” he said. Once a student has picked his or her location, there is only one thing left to do: scream.

Students approached the scream in various ways. The Yakeley dorm seemed to reach a high decibel, and the circular shape of Brody Complex only amplified the screams. Some preferred a short and sweet shout, while others favored lengthy conversations, cursing the very existence of exam week. “Two doors down, a kid was blasting ‘Poker Face,’ […] and we could see one room in the hall across from us flashing their lights like a strobe light,” said Alyssa Simpson, a freshman journalism major living in Case Hall.

For freshmen, fall finals are foreign territory. With the new stresses of college courses and an indecent amount of homework, this week can be one of the most difficult. “I would describe exams as stressful and frustrating,” freshman education major Julia McLean said. “Because as a freshman, it was hard to anticipate what to expect from my exams.” She said that she studied an average of eight to nine hours each day in preparation for her exams.

Luckily, finding this new level of stress was balanced out by an opportunity to release every pent up emotion. Simpson described the scream as “exhilarating, relieving and obnoxious.”

“[It was] louder than I thought it would be,” freshman media arts major Joshua Michels said. The Midnight Scream had its own Facebook event, inviting people from all over State’s campus to join in.

However, Facebook events were not always so widely used. Not every senior had the luxury of knowing about the Midnight Scream as a freshman. “I will never forget it,” music senior Melissa Butman said. “I was sitting at my desk on the very first night, and all of a sudden people started yelling and screaming at midnight. I really had no idea what was going on.” Many of the seniors only heard about the Midnight Scream after a startling first exam night as freshmen.

After three years of practice, the seniors have finally gotten the hang of college life. All day study sessions and all night cramming are no longer an abnormal part of college life. “The day before, I spent all day studying for the two exams that I had,” Butman said, making a ten hour study session seem like a walk in the park.

Despite the gap between freshmen and seniors of age and experience, exams require hours of study no matter what stage of college a student is at. The Midnight Scream serves as a unifying event for State’s student body. Daniels said, “When a lot of people participate in something like this […], it is good to have the feeling that you are not alone and that others are doing the same thing you are.” Through this simple experience, students from freshmen to fifth year share the feeling of stress, along with a gratifying release.

More than a silly diversion from studying, the Midnight Scream may be a healthy stress reliever for fall exams. According to the online medical information site WebMD, one of the best ways to relieve stress is to “let out your feelings.” The site said to, “Talk, laugh, cry and express anger when you need to.” Simpson seconded this opinion. “I [felt] a lot better!” she said. “Now that I got it out of my system, I could focus more, and I felt ready to concentrate.”

In the stress of exam week, it is important to remember a little balance. By doing something a little crazy and setting aside our academics for just a moment, students of every age have the opportunity to connect over a common experience. It fulfills our need for enjoyment on a basic level, and best of all, as Daniels puts it, “a minute of acting like a caveman never hurt anybody.”

City of East Lansing Winter Festival and Chili Cook-off

Dec. 6, 1-4 p.m. at Ann Street Plaza, Parking Lot 1 and the East Lansing Marriott at University Place

Take a break from the cold December weather and head under the heated tent to place your vote for the best soup and chili recipes in East Lansing. Served up by local restaurants, the competitors will be contending for first, second and third place in the People’s and Judge’s Choice Awards. There will be lots of other winter activities too, including a reindeer petting zoo, roaming carolers, photos with Santa, ice carving, roasted chestnuts, hot chocolate and horse and carriage rides.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band: A Creole Christmas

Dec. 4 and 5, Pasant Theatre

Sick of the same old Christmas songs? This New Orleans band is sure to revitalize your favorite classics with their famous jazz and ragtime style. You’ll be ready for the holidays after this gumbo of carols, spiced up with just the right hint of Creole rhythm and blues.

Men’s Basketball vs. Oakland

Dec. 10, 7 p.m. at the Breslin Center

Take a break from studying to cheer on the Spartans as they take on the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies. Make a sign or break out some dance moves to get your five seconds of fame on the JumboTron.

Jerry Seinfeld

Dec. 17, 7 p.m. at the Wharton Center

Hit up this event for some stand-up comedy before you head home for break. Seinfeld is even better in person than the reruns of his sitcom you’ll have on while you’re studying some last minute flashcards before finals.

Meijer Holiday Hoops Invitational

Dec. 26, 11:00 a.m. at the Breslin Center

You might not be ready for a game of hoops after Christmas dinner, but be sure to check out some local basketball teams at the Meijer Holiday Hoops Invitational. All proceeds are donated to the Sparrow Foundation, which has earned $75,000 to date from the event. Tip-offs for the six games are scattered throughout the day and one ticket is good for all admissions.

SCENE

“The Bremen Town Musicians”

November 27-29 & December 4-6, 2009, Riverwalk Theatre Mainstage

A family friendly show about animals looking to live the good life and be musicians.

HEARD

Re:Action Battle of the Bands

December 4, Erickson Hall Kiva, 7 pm, Free

Ten of MSU’s organizations are collaborating to bring 4 local bands to campus and raise awareness for their work to make better world.  It’s a “social event for social justice.”  Bands include: Fields of Industry, Januzzi Watchmen, Empire! Empire! (I was a lonely estate), and Res Publica.

How the Fifth’s Stole Christmas

December 4, Kellogg Center, $5 tickets at the door

Every Sparty
Down in Sparty-ville
Liked Christmas a lot…

But the students,
Who had to take midterms,
Did NOT!

They hated semesters end! The whole midterm season!
They wrote papers, made projects and wrote blue books for no reason.
High stress during this time of year did not seem right.
Someone must do something, please put up a fight!

To distract all the Sparty’s who long for some cheer.
But, wait. What are those wonderful noises you hear?
The sound wasn’t sad!
Why, this sound sounded merry!
It couldn’t be so!
Midterm season was scary!

The students opened their doors and opened their ears.
And 16 lovely voices ended their exam fears.
They then heard a sound rising over the snow.
It started off low, then it started to grow…

They were “Rockin’ the Suburbs” and asking “Whatcha Say”?
“Falling Slowly” and saying “Hey girl, hey!”
Their heroes had come and at the perfect time
A week before exam week, a time that is fine.
State of Fifths was their name, they had both girls and boys.
They knew that the stage would be filled with lights and toys.

“Let’s walk towards the sound and see this glorious show!”
So they walked and they walked and they trudged through the snow.
Their feet led them to a beautiful scene
The Kellogg Center was before them and their bright lights gleamed.
Inside they walked and for only five bucks
They could watch the show, because studying sucks.

December 4th was the day of this festive event
Even some of Oakland University’s Golden Grizzlies went.
They came to hear the sound of the Vibrations
When the Fifths and GV joined forces they honestly change nations.

So come to hear the sounds that sparked this tale.
And I promise if you leave your books you will not fail.
Come hear the songs that I got to hear
Then after the show have some egg nog and/or beer.

Maybe Christmas, this year, will come after all!
So come hear State of Fifths, you will have a ball.

-      Dr. Steven Seuss Book

MSU’s Home for the Holidays

December 5, Wharton Center, 8pm

Celebrate the holidays with MSU’s Symphony Orchestra, Men’s and Women’s Glee Clubs and the MSU Children’s Choir.

When I heard that all the a cappella groups on campus were performing a concert at the Auditorium this past October, I recruited my roommate and told her we were going; I wanted to experience a different music style.  I’d never been to an a cappella show on campus, and I’m a junior – shameful, I know.

A cappella, a vocal musical performance without any instrumental accompaniment, isn’t exactly topping the charts, according to Ph.D candidate in American studies Mike Spencer. He said a cappella music “represents about 1% of record sales each year.” Not record breaking, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t awesome. The concert, Acappalooza, featured Capital Green, State of Fifths, Spartan Dischords, Ladies First, and RCHApella. I became an instant fan because these groups were making music with their voices, and just their voices; it was amazing to see the the groups’ twists on popular music and their enthusiastic performances.

Journalism junior Anthony Sabella, a member of State of Fifths, provided insider info on performing a cappella and what his group is all about. According to Sabella, his group is different from the others.

“We are the newest group on campus. We’re only a year old. We’re different because we have all different majors. There are even four Spartan Marching Band students, myself included. Most of us didn’t have experience,” he said.

Well, it didn’t show. Even though State of Fifths is the newest group on campus, the group’s performance was not lacking, and was comparable to bigger and older groups. The group practices twice a week, for two hours at a time, and gives free sample performances on each floor of the dorms each month. Practice involves a lot of song choosing and harmonizing.

“I like doing top 40 songs, but that’s a matter of opinion,” Sabella said. “We are working on a Jason DeRulo song that’s popular on the radio, and we’re also doing Ingrid Michaelson.”

Popular songs are more likely to be crowd-pleasers with college students, but some slick moves can impress too. “We’re starting to incorporate choreography in our routines,” said Sabella, “We’d really like to start doing more.”

State of Fifths is really starting to make a name for itself on campus, and Accapalooza was a great opportunity for them to perform. “There is so much camaraderie,” he said, “I’m in a group with people that love music. We get to arrange the music ourselves. It’s great meeting new people and seeing our music get better and better.”

If you’re an a cappella fan, don’t limit yourself to the MSU scene. Patrick Monks, human resource management senior and President of Fish n’ Chips A Cappella group at Central Michigan University (CMU), said they does things similarly to MSU’s groups.

“As a group, we try and do a lot of newer songs, stuff that is on the radio or pretty recognizable,” he said, “The newer music is usually what we get the best crowd reactions out of.  We do throw in a couple of older tunes, anything from boy band music to older rock and roll.  As long as we think it’s a crowd pleaser, we’ll sing it.” When asked what Fish n’ Chips performances were like Monks said, “We try to put on a show for our audience, not just sing.  We try and incorporate a little bit of choreography, a little bit of humor. Whatever we think will help the audience enjoy their time.”

A lot like MSU, CMU has other a cappella groups as well. But Monks says, “we are all similar groups; we like to do similar music and are in it for the same reasons, but we are all original in the way that we perform and interact with our audience differently.” So has Fish n’ Chips visited East Lansing? “Yes,” Monks said, “we have gone to many other schools, both to see other groups and to perform with them.  We’ve been to U of M, Western, and MSU.” I think it’s safe to say that no matter what school you visit, these groups love performing and have fun putting their own spin on popular music.

It seems as though group performances involving popular music, a cappella, co-ed choirs and glee clubs are getting more attention these days due to the popular television show “Glee” on FOX. Although the show isn’t based solely on a capella performances, Spencer said that “Glee has helped popular culture dig down and bring a cappella out and create more interest in it.” When talking with Monks and Sabella they both said that their groups enjoy singing more popular songs and these get positive reactions from the college crowd. Spencer said this is largely due to the fact that the groups “rearrange the songs. They are all songs we know and love. We want that familiarity. We accept it easier because there’s no change, just a new twist on our classic favorites.” Spencer also said the appeal of many a cappella groups is that, although it’s a different genre, it’s still what we like.  If the groups were singing lesser-known music, it wouldn’t be as popular. Popular music has a positive effect on us, no matter how it’s presented.

After I left the Accapalooza concert, my roommate and I made a vow to never miss another concert. We had so much fun singing along to some of our favorite tunes and watching our peers amaze us with their talents. I also have to admit that boys who can sing aren’t half bad to watch either. All ogling aside, I definitely realized how diverse our campus is. All the performers got up on that stage to have fun and put on a show, not because they are music majors, but to make music with their friends because they love it. When the show ended with the crowd swaying to MSU’s alma mater, and a group sing-along to the MSU fight song, I left with a smile on my face, and many songs stuck in my head.

Editor’s Note: This piece is a creative non-fiction, and is meant to represent the views and experiences of its author- not TBG or our sponsoring organizations.

When Christine Pageau tells people her major, she tends to get strange reactions: raised eyebrows, interjections and awkward pauses. Many people are shocked to find out that she is a junior in civil engineering because, well, she is a girl. Pageau just laughs it off. Yes, she is a woman who doesn’t mind calculus or getting a little dirty working on a construction site.

Yet, she is not surprised by people’s reactions. She is, after all, majoring in a male-dominated profession. According to Judy Cordes, director of the women in engineering program at MSU, only 16 percent of MSU engineering students are women, even though nearly 54 percent of undergraduates are female. Women are in the minority in engineering, and they know it.

Pageau has a core group of three to four girls in her major. They tend to stick together and sit with each other in class. “The guys generally tend to think we’re smarter just because we’re girls in that area, which is usually not the case,” said Pageau. “But it’s not so bad. I think they’re kind of intimidated because they’re used to being with all guys.”

Not many females walk the halls of the engineering buildling. (photo: Emily Lawler)

Cordes said engineering classes range from five to 15 percent women, varying by major. Chemical, material science and biosystems engineering have the highest amount of women, while computer, electrical and computer science have the lowest.

Senior mechanical engineering major Eva Reiter has been the only woman in class a few times, but she gets along well with the men. A lot of the same students have been in her classes over the years, so she has become friends with many of them. Despite the lack of females, Reiter feels comfortable in school. “It’s not too bad being the only girl in class,” Reiter said. “You don’t really get treated differently.” Though, she does feel like, as a woman, she needs to work harder and be at the top of her game in order to compete.

Cordes thinks that female students sometimes put the pressure to work harder on themselves. “But I think there are some expectations that to be as good as the guys they have to work harder and perform better because they are carrying the weight of all the women,” Cordes said. “It helps them with the acceptance by the rest of their peers.”

Not all women in the college agree. Junior mechanical engineering major Rachel Maurer says she likes her classes and finds that everybody always helps each other out. She has never had anyone be rude to her because she is female. “It may even be the opposite,” she said. “Teachers are extra nice, and some of the guys might help me out, and they won’t help anyone else out. So far I’ve had no problems.”

The overall climate for women engineers seems comfortable for students at MSU. Cordes does not hear many complaints from female students about mistreatment. “I’m sure there’s things that happen, but it’s not like it’s a chronic problem all the time,” she said. While women seem to feel content in the college, they may still reach out to other female students for support.

Society of Sisters

Since it can be difficult for students to find other women in their major, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) brings women together. The MSU chapter of the national organization has the mission to help women achieve their full potential. Approximately 50 students are involved, including some men.

Cordes said that having an organization for women is a good way for them to support each other. “It’s very foreign to most women when they come into a classroom or a situation and they may be the only woman, and it’s a difficult major,” said Cordes. “So between those two things sometimes they need extra support or extra incentive to keep going.”

SWE offers an opportunity for women to make friends, form study groups and hear from different companies. “Women don’t tend to leave engineering because they aren’t doing well,” said Cordes. “They tend to leave because they can’t connect to it or can’t relate to it, so this group helps them relate to their major.”

Most of the members of SWE are very active, but Pageau has found that the group is not the best way for her to adapt to the engineering world. “In SWE you’re kind of learning to talk with other girls,” she said. “Yeah it’s good to do, but it’s not how the real world is going to be – with all women. I wanted to do more clubs that were with guys because I need to be more comfortable working with guys.”

Male-Dominated Field

Many women face more obstacles in the workforce than at school. Cordes said that women often feel more pressure when they get out into the real world. “I think the working engineering arena is very different from the school experience,” she said.

Reiter has had three different internships, and each company had different amounts of women and respect. She hasn’t experienced any blatant discrimination, but interning at an oil refinery last summer put her in a tougher climate. “There was a little bit of resistance by some of the older skill workers to kind of communicate with you,” said Reiter.

Pageau interned at an asphalt plant with very few women. She would experience little “cutesy things” like being called “girlfriend” by the truckers. “It’s not a huge deal, but people definitely treat you differently,” she said. “You just have to learn to stand your ground and show that you’re there for a reason and that you worked hard to get there.”

Women’s experiences differ greatly by company. Maurer interned for a biomedical company where about half the employees were women. Everybody was friendly and she got along well with all the employees. She has found that many companies are looking to recruit more women. “A lot of them are happy to see that I’m female, that I have experience and have a good GPA,” she said. “I actually think that it gives women kind of a boost.”

Cordes said that being female may give students a little bit of an edge, but they still have to be very qualified. “It’s not just an automatic at all,” she said. “That idea to get [a job] just because you’re a woman is not true.”

Balancing Act

Female engineering role models are scarce within the college. Many students have never had a female professor, pushing some students to look outside of school to find mentors. When Reiter had an internship at an aviation company, both her boss and her boss’ boss were female. Seeing women in charge inspired her.

“I have found quite a few women in engineering that prove that you can work your butt off and put in the effort, but you can also do it with a smile on your face and be respectful to the people around you,” said Reiter. “Meeting all of those people has helped.”

Many women look up to female engineers who can balance a career and a family. Reiter said work-life management is a challenge for male and female engineers, but she sees it as a greater challenge for women. “You are faced with that ‘OK if I want to have kids, how is that going work out with day care?’” she said. “Obviously I’m only 22. I’m not quite there yet, but I know that it’s something that I’ve thought about and something that I know is going to be a challenge.”

Even in college, engineers do not have much free time for a social life. It’s not unheard of for students to clock 60 to 80 hours in the Engineering Building weekly.

When Reiter finds time to go out, her friends have told her not to talk about her major with boys. “I joke around with my girlfriends that it’s the fastest way to get a guy to run away from you,” she said. She finds that it takes a strong-willed man to hang out with a bunch of engineering women who are surrounded by men daily. “I can talk like a pirate if I have to and boss around people twice my size,” she said. “But if a guy is intimidated by a fact that you’re an engineer, you probably shouldn’t be dating him anyway.”

Likewise, Pageau has found that when she talks to guys about her major, it can be unsettling. “I think the idea of a girl being on top can be intimidating,” said Pageau. “So they are kind of shocked. I think it has a huge effect on them.”

Why So Lonely?

While the number of women in engineering has increased dramatically over the past decades, men still greatly outnumber them. In fact, Cordes said the number of women enrolled at MSU has dropped 6 percent over the last seven to 10 years, following a national trend. The reason for lack of female participation continues to perplex women in the field.

One reason may be that girls are not pushed into engineering. Cordes said, “They’re not encouraged by their teachers, by their counselors or by their parents necessarily because they don’t really know what engineering is so they don’t think about it traditionally as a female role or career.” Many women interested in science and math are choosing other routes such as medicine.

Reiter only realized engineering was a career option for her when she attended a conference in high school that showed women different careers in science. “I think if I hadn’t have had that, I wouldn’t have come to Michigan State knowing that I wanted to be an engineer for sure,” she said.

Many women might not be interested because they do not understand the applications of engineering. Cordes thinks that some women cannot connect to it or see how it can make a difference in the world. “Women tend to want to have a career that’s going to help people, to help society or to help the environment and it’s very hard for them, sadly, to see how something like computer science or electrical engineering is going to help; yet, it does.”

Population might also be a factor. The size of the engineering college has gone down overall. Cordes has been trying to figure out why there is a lack of female engineers for a long time. “If I could answer that question, I would be in Washington,” she said. “It’s a very hard question, and we just don’t know.” For now, Cordes will continue to recruit students like Pageau who have a love for math and don’t mind hanging out with the guys.

Two falsely-named correspondents take a playful approach to a serious issue.

Women’s Leadership Conference
Nov. 8th at the MSU Union

Get in touch with your feminism side at the 7th Annual Women’s Leadership Conference. This year’s theme is “The Courage to Lead, the Power to Make a Difference” with keynote speaker Ingrid Saunders Jones, senior vice president of the Coca-Cola Company and chairperson of the Coca-Cola Foundation.

Spartan Idol

Nov. 14, 8 p.m. at the International Center

Let out your Simon Cowell side (fake British accent encouraged) as you watch the final contestants of MSU’s version of American Idol compete for prizes including an iPod and an iTunes gift card. Hopefully there won’t be any Sanjayas in this crowd.

The Make Every Mile Count 5K Run
Nov. 12, 8 p.m. at Jenison Field House

A tree will be planted for every runner who takes part in this completely free event. Check out the 2010 Honda Insight hybrid vehicle and Daniel Martin’s magic show once you’ve made it to the finish line. Free food and raffle prizes are up for grabs and t-shirts go out to the first 100 runners. Register ahead of time at www.everymile5k.eventbrite.com.

Mictlan in Aztlan
Nov. 1, 5:30 p.m. at MSU Museum Auditorium

Celebrate the Day of the Dead as the sun goes down with this performance sponsored by the MSU Museum. Learn more about how Mexican Americans remember and celebrate their departed ancestors and make sure to eat some sugar skulls and pan de muerto for dessert.

Marathon of Majors
Nov. 12, 5 p.m. at Bessey Hall

Undecided on a what you want to be when you grow up? Thinking of switching your major to Interior Design or Entomology? Make sure to stop by Bessey Hall to talk with advisers and professors from every department at MSU. And don’t be afraid to stock up on some free pens.