RCTC Echo, April 2015

1. Rochester Community & Technical College
Volume 83 - Issue 7 - April/May 2015
By Zechariah Sindt
Editor-in-Chief
Zechariah.sindt8464@mb.rctc.edu
Can you imagine cramming a year’s
worth of math, reading, and writing into
your head in a matter of a couple of weeks?
This nightmare may soon become reality for
many students entering the MnSCU system
– including right here at RCTC.
Educational reform bills, HF 647 and SF
352, which call for the elimination of all
developmental classes in math, reading, and
writing, are making their way through the
Minnesota House and Senate. These bills
will affect the majority of students entering
RCTC.
According to The National Center for
Public Policy and Higher Education, nearly
60% of first-year college students in the U.S.
discover that, despite being fully eligible to
attend college, they are not actually ready
for college level courses.
This has not been a problem in recent
years, because students simply enrolled
in the class levels designated by their
Accuplacer scores and class requirements.
Even though they have to pay for them,
students do not receive college credit for the
developmental classes, but at least they have
been able to start at the correct level and
move forward from there into college level
classes.
The new bills, however, will expect all
incoming students to enroll directly into
entry-level-college courses. Students will
be expected to supplement their classes
by working with a tutor or some other
supplemental program in order to catch up to
the rest of the class – all while maintaining
the level of work required for the class they
are enrolled in.
The bills are being promoted at the state
level by Complete College America. CCA
cites studies that were conducted in Texas
of students who placed near the cut-off
mark for college-level courses. The study’s
authors came to the conclusion that students
who took developmental courses did no
better in college-level courses than those
who did not have to take developmental
courses.
RCTC English instructor Sheryl
Scholer says the report fails to take into
consideration that students who take
remedial courses have known risk factors
such as poverty, minority status, and
first generation status, resulting in being
underprepared for college.
Scholer says that while supplemental
instruction may be adequate support for
those students whose skills are close to the
actual placement level scores for college-
level courses, one size does not fit all.
For those who lack the most basic skills,
a few hours of supplemental instruction
will not suffice. Those students require
developmental classroom courses devoted
solely to the skills they lack.
Scholer says that students who do not
qualify for college classes, and cannot get
the education they need, face a long, hard
struggle at minimum-wage jobs in order to
support a family in their immediate future.
RCTC student AJ Schrupp received his
GED from Hawthorne. Schrupp said that it
was the developmental classes that made it
possible for him to succeed at RCTC.
“I don’t know why they are cutting
classes that most of us who come here really
need,” Schrupp said. “Almost everyone I
know has had to take some sort of remedial
class in order to make it in the other
classes,” he continued. “As a two-year
college, they should make sure they are
actually serving the needs of the students in
our community.”
Echo Photo by Kyong Juhn
Sheryl Scholer teaches English 960, one of the classes that will be cut if bills HF 647
and SF 352 get passed through the Minnesota Legislature.
Echo Photo By Zech Sindt
The Avalon Hotel was the first hotel in Rochester to accept African-American visitors to Rochester.
By: Jennifer Rogers
Managing Editor
jennifer.rogers9107@mb.rctc.edu
Up until now, the Olmsted County Historical Society
has never displayed accomplishments of people of African
heritage in the area. The Council on Black Minnesotans,
whose local office is located at RCTC, is currently working
with the Historical Society to change that.
Executive Director Lisa Baldus is working with Kolloh
Nimley from the Council on Black Minnesotans to create a
display that recognizes the many accomplishments of people
of African heritage in the area.
The Cultural Diversity rotating exhibit hopes to shed
light on the ethnic and cultural diversity of the thousands of
individuals who have made Olmsted County their home for
generations.
“We plan to rotate the display every two months,” Baldus
said.
The exhibit is currently displaying information about The
Avalon Hotel, opened by Verne Manning. Manning was an
African American who purchased the Northwestern Hotel
from a local Jewish resident named Samuel Sternberg in
1944. Manning later renamed it The Avalon Hotel.
The Avalon Hotel was the only hotel that accepted African
American visitors from 1944 until 1965 when the Civil
Rights Act was passed.
Are remedial classes on death row?
New display to celebrate African heritage in Olmsted County
Are educational
reform bills
a path to failure?
Page 4
RochesterInternational
FilmGroup
20th
AnniversaryFestival
Page 11

2. 2 NEWS
2 NEWS
2 NEWS Rochester Community & Technical College | The Echo
Surround yourself with UW-La Crosse.
UW-LA CROSSE
• Attracts students who want to be challenged academically.
• One of only two in Wisconsin named to Kiplinger’s 100 “Best
Values in Public Colleges.”
• Offers transfer opportunities and assistance in planning your
transfer with online transfer guide.
total
students:
10,427
average
class size:
27
student to
faculty ratio:
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undergraduate
programs:
91
www.uwlax.edu
608.785.8939
Admissions Office Hours:
Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
By Philip Sample
Staff Writer
Philip.Sample5928@mb.RCTC.
edu
When the high-density plastic
brake for RCTC student Cody
Schmidt’s wheelchair broke, he
reverse-engineered a new one in his
CAD class.
Schmidt is a laid-back young
man who enjoys technical work.
When asked about his choice of
academic programs, he said, “here
at RCTC, the CAD program really
caught my eye.” Described as a
“great young man” by his CAD
professor Pam Benson, Schmidt is
quickly learning his way around
Computer Aided Drafting.
Schmidt used a measuring tool
called a calipers to take careful
measurements from his old brake.
Then he put those measurements
into a CAD software tool called
Solidworks.
Unfortunately, his first tries
were not successful. Schmidt said,
“I’d get a couple weeks out of
them, and then the plastic would
break.”
Eventually he found someone
who could use a Haas CNC
machine to create a more durable
brake from aluminum. It is now
much sturdier than his original
plastic part, and it is still going
strong.
Schmidt grew up in
Cottonwood, Minnesota.
Describing it as “rural” and “near
Marshall,” he said, “most people
don’t know where Cottonwood
is but they have an idea where
Marshall is. Southwest Minnesota.”
He says he doesn’t enjoy much
around Rochester, but at home
he enjoys target practice with
various handguns and rifles. Mostly
he shoots at paper targets, but
occasionally enjoys bringing out
a few explosive ones. He owns a
Polaris RZR all-terrain vehicle. He
also enjoyed adaptive skiing this
winter.
Schmidt is currently involved
in designing a “Lotion Application
Device” to help elderly and anyone
else reach difficult areas of the
body.
“We’re kind of just doing some
brainstorming at the moment,”
Schmidt said, referring to his team
members.
By Zech Sindt
Editor-in-Chief
Zechariah.sindt8464@mb.rctc.edu
Numbers released this month by MnSCU
show that there was a 3.6 percent overall drop
in MnSCU enrollment
this year that resulted in
a $44 million decrease in
MnSCU’s budget.
Vice President of Student
Affairs and Enrollment
Management Alex Herzog
says this is nothing to
concerned about at RCTC.
“Whenever we see an
increase in the economy, we
see a decrease in full-time
enrollment,” said Herzog.
RCTC Vice President of Finance and Facilities
Steve Schmall said that full-time enrollment at
RCTC has dropped, closely matching MnSCU’s
overall numbers, but the amount of total students
has actually remained about
the same. Schmall said the
increase in the economy has
put more people back to work,
but many of the students that
went back to work are still
going to school part time.
Herzog said RCTC is
involved with the Rochester
Area Journey to Growth (J2G)
Plan and the Destination
Medical Center (DMC)
project to make sure they are staying focused on
the future needs of the community.
The Rochester Area Journey to Growth Plan is
a five-year plan being put together by Rochester
Area Economic Development Inc. (RAEDI),
and the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce.
Their goals are to keep
their eye on the growth
and diversification of the
Rochester area, and ensure
proper management of that
growth.
DMC has said their
project will bring over
40,000 new staff to the
Rochester community over
the next 20 years.
Herzog said they have
their sites set on the future.
“Each additional DMC staff means several
additional positions in other fields that will need
to be filled,” said Herzog. “From construction to
hospitality, RCTC will be adding and expanding
programs to meet the needs of the
community.”
Herzog also said President
McClellon’s vision for the future
is fresh, and she knows where the
school needs to be.
“Good enrollment strategies
surround good relationships, and
our strategic management council
is working on retention and
recruitment plans to stay ahead of
the game,” Herzog said.
Photo courtesy of Pam Benson
RCTC student Cody Schmidt displays a project he designed using
computer-aided design software.
Lower enrollment doesn’t
worry RCTC administrators
StudentusesCADskills
tofixreal-lifeproblem
Alex Herzog
Steve Schmall

3. 3
3
3
NEWS
NEWS
NEWS
Rochester Community & Technical College | The Echo
TUESDAY, MAY 19
6 p.m. at Bethel Lutheran Church
Be our guest for dinner at 5:30 p.m.
Register at augsburg.edu/rochester
Bachelor’s degree options:
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Join us for an information session:
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When I decided to continue my
education, there were a few
factors that I needed in an
institution. I wanted a school with
a SUPPORTIVE, ATTENTIVE FACULTY
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intellectually, and one with a
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BSN Student
To schedule an appointment with us in
HS134 call 507-288-2886
By Zech Sindt
Editor-in-Chief
Zechariah.sindt8464@mb.rctc.edu
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is planning an “Out of the
Darkness Campus Walk” on April 25 to shed light on the importance of suicide
prevention.
Registration for the walk will be in the RCTC Atrium starting at 8:30 a.m. The
walk will be from 10 a.m. to noon. RCTC will be the first campus in Minnesota to host
an “Out of the Darkness” walk.
According to AFSP, suicide claims more lives every year than war, murder, and
natural disasters combined. However, suicide prevention doesn’t get anywhere near the
funding given to other leading causes of death.
AFSP has 75 local chapters and events nationwide. It is headquartered in New
York, and is headed by CEO Robert Gebbia. The organization funds research, creates
educational programs, advocates for public policy, and supports survivors of suicide
loss.
There has not been much recent or local research done on suicide rates, but the
University of Minnesota website says that data from the 2004 Student Health Survey
conducted by Boynton Health Service indicate that 0.9 percent of students reported
attempting suicide within the past 12 months.
An August 2013 St. Paul Pioneer Press article stated that there was a surge in
suicide attempts in 2011. Jon Roesler, an epidemiologist supervisor in the department’s
Injury and Violence Prevention Unit, offered up the following statistics in that article:
• The suicide rate was 31 percent higher in rural areas than in the seven-county
Twin Cities area.
• Poisons and overdoses were used in 47 percent of female suicides.
• The male suicide rate in Minnesota was four times higher than the female rate.
Dan Reidenberg, director of Suicide Awareness Voices of Education of
Bloomington, told the Pioneer Press that suicides are twice as common as murders.
Photo courtesy of The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
A suicide prevention campus walk is scheduled for April 25 at RCTC.
‘Out of the Darkness’
walk set for April 25

4. April/May 2015
Volume 83, Issue 7
CC-209
507-285-7246
RCTCecho@gmail.com
www.rctc.edu/echo
Editor-in-Chief
Zech Sindt
Managing Editor
Jennifer Rogers
Graphics Manager
Kyong Juhn
Sports Editor
Ben Haney
Photo Editor
Emmy Miller
Arts/Entertainment Editor
Ellen Corbett
Business Manager
Kohl Hanson
Staff Writers
Grace Boyum
Philip Sample
Betty Truitt
Faculty Adviser
Dwight Boyum
We want to hear from
our readers. Send your
comments, story ideas
or upcoming events to:
rctcecho@gmail.com
The Echo is a free publication
written by RCTC students who
are dedicated to freedom of
press, while reporting on issues
affecting the student body, faculty,
administration and staff. Letters
to the editor are subject to editing
for content and length, and opinions
expressed within The Echo do not
necessarily reflect the views of
Rochester Community and Technical
College’s administration, faculty,
staff or student body.
4 OPINION
4 OPINION
4 OPINION Rochester Community & Technical College | The Echo
By Michelle Cochran, Nikka Vrieze and Sheryl Scholer
Everyone has a right to an education, and Rochester Community
and Technical College’s mission is to make that possible.
That right will disappear for many if the current bills on the floor
of the House and Senate, HF 647 and SF 352, become a reality.
These bills are being promoted to our legislators by an organization
called Complete College America (CCA), and to bolster their
influence, they have enlisted a supposed student organization called
Students for Educational Reform (SFER) even though many of
their members are not really students at all but are indeed lobbyists
posing as students for the Koch brothers, who are billionaires using
their money to promote their version of educational reform.
As the current bills are written, students whose skills fall below
college level will be immediately placed into college-level courses.
Sounds good so far, right? In the past, remedial classes were
required for those testing significantly below college level reading,
writing and math. But with these bills, those students would skip
over the remedial courses necessary to raise skill levels to match the
demands of college classes. Students who test near the cutoff score
on college entrance exams may successfully make this transition
with some supplemental tutoring; however, without effective
developmental education programs like those currently offered at
RCTC and other two-year colleges, students whose current reading
writing and/or math skills fall significantly below college level
will likely experience frustration and are at high risk of failing to
complete college. Without the traditional post-secondary, pre-college
remedial instruction offered by RCTC and other two-year colleges,
these students will fail and face no available public access to a
college education.
People argue that colleges should not offer developmental
coursework in such fundamental disciplines, that students should
have learned reading, writing, and math skills by the time they reach
college. Ideally, that would be the case; however, because 40 percent
of our students come from poverty, many moved multiple times
when they were in K-12, and many are dealing with family issues,
they come to college underprepared to meet the demands of college
coursework. And because the majority of our students are the first
in their family to attend college, they often lack a support system to
help them deal with challenges of college.
In light of this need, my fellow RCTC educators and I disagree
with being limited to a single avenue for assisting students who
need remedial instruction. We know who our students are and what
learning deficiencies they bring with them when they come to
college. Developmental reading, writing, and math classes are what
some of our students need, and to deny them the basic background
they need to be successful in college-level course work would be a
travesty.
Michelle Cochran, Nikka Vrieze and Sheryl Scholer are RCTC
faculty members.
By AJ Schrupp
There has been unpalatable rumor leaving
crumbs throughout the halls of RCTC – a
rumor so dim and quiet, but one that could
have destructive consequences for many
possible future students, and
devastating results for many of
the faculty on campus as well.
I recently found out that this
rumor is actually true. They
are planning to kill necessary
remedial classes. If HF 647 and
SF 352 get passed through the
House and Senate, RCTC may
no longer be allowed to offer
developmental classes starting in
the fall of 2016.
Why would colleges want to
drop developmental classes? Who would
want to push for this radical idea of having
student’s dreams of ever wanting to become
a person of value to their society shattered?
A little digging sheds some light.
Some people are saying that it is the
Koch brothers and the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation, working through Students
for Education Reform and Complete College
America, who have been lobbying to get
those bills through the Minnesota
House and Senate to eliminate all
developmental classes. Reading,
writing, and math classes are all
on the chopping block.
This action will leave
deserving students in need of
remedial classes, but unable
to pursue higher education in
Minnesota.
I have been attending RCTC
for three years. Prior to my
arrival at RCTC, I had dropped out
of high school at the age of 16. I received
my general education diploma at the age
of 22 at Hawthorne Education Center in
Rochester. That same year I took my first
placement test at RCTC and was placed in
Math 0093 and English 0960, both of which
are developmental classes.
The high school supplemental program
at Hawthorne Education Center and GED
programs did help, but they clearly did not
leave me prepared enough to enter into
college-level course work. If I had not
been placed into developmental classes,
but would have instead been forced to go
straight into college level classes, I would
not be taking microbiology, precalculus,
and English 1118 classes that I’m enrolled
in today. Rather, it would have been next
to impossible for me to ever have a fighting
chance at success.
MnSCU needs to realize who is behind
these bills. They also need to realize that
their job is to serve our community. They
should put the needs of our community
ahead of big corporate interests.
AJ Schrupp is an RCTC student.
Educational reform bills are a path to failure
Developmentalclassesmakesuccesspossible
“All national institutions of churches,
whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish,
appear to me no other than human
inventions, set up to terrify and
enslave mankind, and monopolize
power and profit.”
-- Thomas Paine, (1737-1809), The
Age of Reason, pt. 1
Echo Staff Editorial
E
ducational reform bills HF 647 and
SF 352 proposed in the Minnesota
Legislature seem like a very good idea
on the surface. Eliminating supplemental
classes would potentially save us thousands
of dollars in student loans by the time we get
around to paying them off.
However, there needs to be better solutions
put into place before we just start chopping
classes that so many of us have relied on to
make it at RCTC.
While talking about this issue in the Echo
office, we discovered that one of our editors
had previously taken classes at Hawthorne
Education Center in Rochester to further her
reading and writing abilities before coming
to RCTC. When she took her placement
test, her advisor recommended that she go to
Hawthorne where the courses are free to brush
up on her skills. She was informed that when
she completed the course, she would be able to
go directly into college level English. She had
some extra time before school actually started,
so she took the advice. Because of that, she
was able to test out of all remedial reading and
writing classes. She is planning to go back to
Hawthorne and brush up on her math skills.
After her completion there, she will be eligible
to return to RCTC at college-level math. This
happens to be the most logical solution to her
problems.
Another one of the editors came here straight
out of Century High School. She fortunately
did well on theAccuplacer test and was able to
enter directly into college level classes for every
subject.According to The National Center for
Public Policy and Higher Education, she is in
the minority. Only 40 percent of incoming
college students achieve this status.
Another one of the editors was never even
told about Hawthorne. He says that had he been
informed of that option, he would have chosen
to brush up on his math, reading and writing
skills before registering for expensive remedial
classes that he never received college credit for.
Sadly, his advisor never informed him that this
was an option. The student is now stuck with
close to $1,600 (plus interest) debt that he could
have avoided, had he been informed of the
choices available to him.
We have collectively come to the conclusion
that the bills are a good idea, but only if there
are solutions available to help every prospective
college student in the state to prepare them for
their college experience.
The first step in Rochester would be to
require RCTC advisors to make every single
adult student who scores low on theAccuplacer
test aware that there are alternatives besides the
remedial classes offered at RCTC. The next
step to this process would be to hold Hawthorne
accountable to those adult students who seek
their services.
There also needs to be laws passed that very
clearly hold the heads of the school districts
around the state responsible for every college-
bound student graduating from their high
schools. Every single student should be able
to place at college level on placement tests,
and if they fail to do so, it should be the school
districts responsibility to help that student
become college-ready.
It is only after those steps are in place, and
operating efficiently, that we can effectually put
bills HF 647 and SF 352 into place.
Encourageoptionsforremedialclasses
Schrupp

5. OPINION 5
OPINION 5
OPINION 5
Rochester Community & Technical College | The Echo
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There’s a fine line between
alienating and engaging
From a young age, we are
taught to consider the feelings
of others. We’re also taught to
be expressive and individual. As we get older, we
begin to learn that these two lessons often come in
conflict.
America is often described as a melting pot.
There is a lot of diversity and minorities in our
country, and right now, political correctness is
considered extremely important. If you’re not
careful to be neutral and all-inclusive, you will
likely be considered insensitive and bigoted.
But sometimes, it’s difficult to tell when
being politically correct is the right thing to do
and when it’s restraining to freedom of opinion.
Two recent examples come to mind that illustrate
the conundrum of freedom of expression and
sensitivity toward others.
The first example is the debate over the name of
Washington’s professional football team and, for
that matter, any sports team whose name is related
to the American Indians.
Many people will argue that there’s nothing
wrong with using those names. After all, no one
complains about the name of the Vikings or the
Yankees. But there is a difference. Vikings and
Yankees have no offensive connotations attached,
no recent negative history. And even if you argue
that there is nothing offensive about the name,
you’re still missing the point. The point is that
someone is hurt by the use of the name, and for
that reason, if for no other, we need to consider
whether it is really worth it to continue using
controversial names.
Another more recent example is the French
magazine Charlie Hebdo. There’s been a great
reaction against the terrorists who carried out
the shooting and rightly so. Terrorism has no
capacity for good, and it’s an insecure person who
reacts to insults with murder. But I can’t help but
wonder if the cartoonists who drew for Charlie
Hebdo were right to do as they did. They certainly
didn’t deserve to die, but were their cartoons truly
justified? And yet, the cartoonists had the right to
express themselves.
We need to be willing to accept that others have
the right to hold differing opinions. Society can
be quick to discipline those who don’t conform,
as was discovered by the CEO of Chick-fil-A
not too long ago when he stated his view on gay
marriage. There’s a fine line between condemning
insensitivity and repressing freedom of opinion.
Every situation is unique, and the solution for
one will not always apply to another. There might
not even be a right answer or decision. When it
comes to political correctness versus free speech,
it isn’t so much about your rights as about how do
your actions affect others and what do you hope to
accomplish.
Will the injury you cause lead people to ignore
you or listen to you?
Grace Boyum is a sophomore majoring in
liberal arts and sciences at RCTC.
By Grace Boyum
Grace Notes
grace.boyum4051@mb.rctc.edu
How important is political correctness?
By Ellen Corbett
Arts and Entertainment Editor
ellen.corbett2829@mb.rctc.edu
Summertime is approaching, and
that means warm weather. With warm
weather comes shorts and other breezy
clothing. But for many women, warm
weather comes with a chore: shaving.
American women
started shaving their
armpits when the
magazine Harpers Bazaar
advertised sleeveless
dresses in 1915, and
told women to remove
“objectionable hair.”
When pinup figures and
short hemlines became
popular in the 1940s,
women also started
shaving their legs of that
same “objectionable hair.”
Fast-forward to today:American
women are still taught that they must
shave, wax, or laser away any hairs that
are considered “gross,” and this lesson
seems to cover our entire bodies besides
the hair on our heads. There is an
expectation we must be hairless in order
to be a beautiful adult woman.
Comparably, men don’t have this
issue. Men generally have a lot more
body hair than women, but are free to
flaunt it with tanks and shorts without
any negative comments or looks. People
somehow see that for men, body hair is
completely natural and in some cases
attractive, but for women it’s unnatural
and unseemly, even though we grow
hair just as men do.
It’s perfectly fine if you enjoy
shaving your legs. (Who
wouldn’t want to have their
legs feel as smooth as baby
dolphins?) But for many of
us, we don’t have the time,
or the care, to do it, and we
shouldn’t receive any back lash
for allowing hair that grows
naturally to stay on our skin.
So this spring and summer,
I encourage all of you who
feel pressured to shave, but
are really lazy about it, to
try putting down the razors, and wear
those shorts and skirts anyway.Accept
it. Think of the time and money you’ll
save, and the gentle breeze flowing
through that glorious hair. I promise you
will never be feel freer.
And to those who still hold the
opinion that women’s natural body hair
is disgusting: grow up. Our lives don’t
revolve around your unrealistic beauty
standards.
Summer is coming
I encourage you to put down your razors
Corbett

6. Rochester Community & Technical College | The Echo
6 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
6 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
6 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Rochester Community & Technical College | The Echo
6 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
6 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
6 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Start at RCTC and finish with WSU-Rochester
www.winona.edu/Rochester
507.285.7100
rochscs@winona.edu
Path to Purple Programs:
• Accounting
• Human Resources
Management
• Business Administration
• Individualized Studies
• Computer Science
• Nursing
• Elementary Education
• Social Work
• Healthcare Leadership
and Administration
Stop byWSU-R Student & Campus Services, next
to the RCTC Cashier's Office, or the UCRWelcome
Center to schedule an admissions appointment.
By Ellen Corbett
Arts and Entertainment Editor
ellen.corbett2829@mb.rctc.edu
Students now have an advantage to pur-
sue their dreams of becoming a rock star.
Beginning Class Guitar, taught by
professor Denny McGuire, is now being
offered as a three-credit class. This course
(MUSC 1431) was traditionally offered as
a two-credit class, which fulfills Goal 6 for
humanities in the Minnesota Transfer Cur-
riculum. Consequently, students who took
the course would have to take an additional
class to fulfill that requirement.
“The Beginning Guitar class has always
been a popular class, but now it’s expected
to fill up even faster this coming fall semes-
ter,” McGuire said.
Students may want to stay on top of
registration if this class brings interest in
scheduling for the fall semester.
Students who have little or no experi-
ence tend to be more driven in a social-class
setting than if they were to take private
lessons, McGuire said. Even students who
have experience or who are self-taught can
learn important foundational skills that they
may not know. And now with three-credits,
it is an advantage to students so they won’t
have to taken an additional class to make up
for that one credit that past students lacked.
In this course students learn a standard
and more traditional knowledge of music
concepts, music theory and improvisation
skills. Students are able to progress from
chords to scales to melodies and so on. Stu-
dents will progress even more in their stud-
ies now that the class is longer. The class
will run 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. on Mondays
and Wednesdays. The class previously was
twice a week for 50 minutes both days.
Need a humanities goal?
Try Beginning Guitar
By Ellen Corbett
Arts and Entertainment Editor
ellen.corbett2829@mb.rctc.edu
World Drum class has allowed students to
visit different parts of the world all within
the time span of an hour each Tuesday and
Thursday.
Throughout the semester, students have
been learning different drumming styles
from various cultures around the world.
Students learn on authentic drums from the
culture where the style originates, such as
Afro-Cuban music on conga drums. World
Drum class allows students to experience
cultures hands-on.
Instruments that are included in World
Drum are conga drums, various bells, rattle
and gourds. Led by Denny McGuire, stu-
dents also learn various rhythm techniques
of each music style.
“Studying an instrument is a pretty
special thing.” McGuire said. “You’re doing
something you really want to do.”
World Drum class was in jeopardy last
year when, for one semester, the class was
canceled due to low enrollment. Now the
class is thriving, with more than 20 students
involved. World Drum fulfills Goal 6 and
Goal 8 of the Minnesota Transfer Curricu-
lum requirements for RCTC.
Students from the World Drum class will
be putting on a free concert 7 p.m. May 5 in
the RCTC cafeteria.
Experience a global beat
at World Drum concert
Photo courtesy of Denny McGuire
Denny McGuire leads a group of Beginning Guitar this semester.
A World Drum class has performed at Thursday on First in downtown Rochester.
Second Chances
Comic by Nick Price
Echo Photo by Ellen Corbett

7. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 7
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 7
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 7
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 7
Rochester Community & Technical College | The Echo
Music, pressure
and motion at Hill Theatre
GET PHYSICAL
RCTC students, with the help of audience participants, show how if weight is distributed between many
balloons instead of just one, it takes a lot more pressure to pop them.
Physics and Engineering Club adviser Rod Milbrandt and student
Linh Huynh use a leaf blower to keep a ball suspended in the air.
A student directs audience volunteers to make music using PVC pipes and sticks.
A Physics
and Engi-
neering Club
member
demon-
strates how
a bass guitar
works.
By Ellen Corbett
Arts and Entertainment Editor
ellen.corbett2829@mb.rctc.edu
Since 2008, the RCTC Physics and Engineering Club has put on a physics
demonstration show to show how we use physics in our everyday lives.
This year, the club incorporated a musical element to the show. The show is a
favorite among younger audience members.
The proceeds of the show benefit the Physics and Engineering Club field trip,
as well as a selected charity.
Echo photos by Kyong Juhn

8. Softball schedule
Tuesday, April 14
3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
at Minnesota West
Friday, April 17
3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
vs. Anoka-Ramsey
Saturday April 18
Noon and 2 p.m.
vs. St. Cloud
Friday, April 24
2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
at Ridgewater
Saturday, April 25
Noon and 2 p.m.
at Minnesota State
Tuesday, April 28
3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
vs. Minnesota West
Thursday, April 30
3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
vs. Riverland
Thursday, May 14
NJCAA Tournament
at Rochester
Friday, May 15
NJCAA Tournament
at Rochester
Saturday, May 16
NJCAA Tournament
at Rochester
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Apply in person or
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EMAIL: jkavitz@gentletouchhealth.com
By Ben Haney
Sports Editor
benjamin.haney0206@mb.rctc.edu
Every month the Echo will feature an athlete who stands out
as a top performer. This month we will know about Ashley
Bunting, who was recently honored as MCAC Softball
Player of the Week.
Where did you go to high school?
Redwood Valley High School
Why did you pick softball to play?
It was a family thing. We all did it.
I’ve been doing it since I was five.
What was your high school career
like?
We were almost state champs. We
were conference champs a few
times. I was honorable mention my
freshmen year and All-Conference my
sophomore junior and senior year. I
was picked to play in the all-star game in high school.
How has your college career been so far?
It has been good. I am All-American. I’m a captain and a
leader last year.
Do you have any play at the next level?
I didn’t until recently. I am looking into it now. No school
specific right now but I am looking into Division I and
Division II schools.
What’s one of your most memorable games?
I would say last year when we were playing Minnesota
West. I had two home runs off of a bunt. It’s pretty funny.
Who is your athlete or team and why?
My favorite softball team is the Oregon Ducks. They won
the title last year and I like following them.
Sophomore infielder Ashley Bunting has a .644 batting
average and 26 stolen bases.
By Ben Haney
Sports Editor
benjamin.haney0206@mb.rctc.edu
WAYNE, Neb. — The RCTC
wrestling team finished first at
the NCWA Great Plains Regional
Tournament, scoring 179 points and
losing just four matches.
The Yellowjacket wrestlers needed to
be in the top three in their weight class to
advance to the national tournament. Ten
individual RCTC wrestlers, including
six regional champions and four second-
place finishers, accomplished that goal.
The first-place individual finishers
in the regional tournament were Mason
Moreno (141 pounds), Trevor Scott
(149), Tyler Vogt (165), Cory Berry
(174), Michael Dyer (235) and Luis
Pinto (285). The second place runner-ups
were Carson Henry (133),Thomas Miller
(157), Connor Hanson (165) and Wesley
Schultz (184).
Eight teams competed in the Feb. 28
tournament held at Wayne State College.
Echo staff report
ALLEN, Texas — Rochester Community and Technical College’s wrestling team
finished third in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association tournament.
RCTC wrestler Wesley Schultz placed second in the
184-pound weight class, falling 13-8 to Anthony McLaughlin
of Air Force in the finals.
The Yellowjackets had a team score of 120.5, following
first-place Liberty University, which had 194 points, and
Middle Tennessee State University, which placed second with
127.5 points.
RCTC 149-pounder Trevor Scott was third and Cory Berry
(174) fifth. RCTC’s Carson Henry (133), Connor Hanson
(165), Michael Dyer (235) and Luis Pinto (285) were each
seventh. Thomas Miller (165) placed eighth.
Eighty-six teams participated the March 12-14 tournament
held in Allen, Texas.
Two home runs
off a bunt? Yes,
it can happen
Wrestlers cruise to first-place
finish at regional tournament
Wrestling team places
3rd in NCWA nationals
Schultz
Bunting
Photo courtesy of the Rochester Post-Bulletin

9. Baseball schedule
Thursday, April 16 at Iowa Central
Saturday, April 18 at Anoka-Ramsey
Sunday, April 19 vs. St. Cloud
Wednesday, April 22 at Western Technical
Saturday, April 25 at Ridgewater
Sunday, April 26 at Minnesota State
Tuesday, April 28 vs. Western Technical
Saturday, May 2 at Central Lakes
May 14-17 at St. Cloud tournament
SPORTS 9
SPORTS 9
SPORTS 9
SPORTS 9
SPORTS 9
SPORTS 9
Rochester Community & Technical College | The Echo
By Ben Haney
Sports Editor
benjamin.haney0206@mb.rctc.edu
The Rochester Community and Technical College men’s
basketball team bounced back from a loss in the national
semifinals to finish third in the nation.
The Yellowjackets have had an
outstanding year with a regular season
record of 26-4. The Yellowjackets
went on to compete in the NJCAA
Division III national tournament in
Loch Sheldrake, N.Y., winning a
quarterfinal game against Sandhills
Community College of Pinehurst,
S.C., 90-69. The Yellowjackets then
went on to face No. 1-ranked Rock
Valley College of Rockford, Ill.,
in the semifinals game. The Yellow
Jackets played hard, but fell short by a final score of 73-53.
“We were down 12 in the first half, then cut it to eight at
halftime, but they made some free throws that got us in foul
trouble,” said Head Coach Brian LaPlante.
In their next round, the men faced Hostos Community
College of Bronx, N.Y., for third
place. The Yellowjackets dominated
the game by building a double-digit
lead and would eventually go on to
win the third-place game by 92-60.
Ben Ratliff led the Yellow Jackets
with 20 points and 9 rebounds. Justyn
Galloway added on another 17 points
and 5 rebounds.
“It was a great end to our season,”
said LaPlante, whose team finished
with 28-5 overall record.
Basketball team
places 3rd in nation
Galloway
Ratliff
Echo photos by Zech Sindt
Dante Huffcutt-Grant delivers a pitch against Iowa Central Community College on April 12. Huffcutt-Grant was
the winning pitcher in a 15-4 victory in the first game of a doubleheader. The Yellowjackets took three of four
games in a weekend series against Iowa Central, putting their overall won-lost record at 14-5.

10. 10 CAMPUS
10 CAMPUS
10 CAMPUS Rochester Community & Technical College | The Echo
Step 1:
Take a moment and imagine
yourself in your sweet new ride.
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How to:
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Apply online, stop in or call
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Drive off in your new ride
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By Betty Truitt
Staff Writer
Elizabeth.truitt6915@mb.rctc.edu
1. Ever have a problem with a stuck zipper at the wrong time and
place? The zipper won’t go up or down when your date is wait-
ing for you to leave the house and you feel ready to die? Try
these cheap fixes to see what works for you.
• Grab a bar of soap, rub up and down the zipper to make it
easier to slide.
• Use a lead pencil in place of the soap. The graphite works
wonders!
• Many people use a candle wax. No candle? Try lip balm. Rub
it briskly up and down the zipper …good luck.
2. Pierced earrings can be expensive when we have to buy them
constantly when traveling. We tend to think that by keeping them
in our purse they are secure; but are they? A good way to keep
track of both of your earrings is to place them through the holes
of a loose button.
3. Do you have tall boots that keep falling over? No need to buy
one of those expensive inflatable shoe forms. Dash right over to
the Dollar Store and buy a noodle (a swimming noodle) and cut
it to the size of the boot. You may need two pieces for each boot
if it doesn’t hold it.
4. Don’t have a toaster oven? Don’t want to dirty a frying pan? But
you really want a grilled cheese sandwich? Turn your toaster on
its side, slide in a 1 piece of bread with 2 pieces of cheese, then
push down the lever. Enjoy your sandwich. Yum!
Stuck zippers, lost earrings,
tipsy boots, and grilled
cheese sandwiches
Simple solutions to irritating problems

11. CAMPUS 11
CAMPUS 11
CAMPUS 11
Rochester Community & Technical College | The Echo
14,747
students (fall 2014)
100
majors
800
faculty
18:1
student :faculty ratio
14
athletic teams
compete in Division I
ndsu.edu/visit
NDSU IS
RECOGNIZED
AS ONE OF
THE NATION’S
TOP 108 PUBLIC
AND PRIVATE
UNIVERSITIES BY
THE CARNEGIE
COMMISSION
ON HIGHER
EDUCATION.
By Jennifer Rogers
Managing Editor
jennifer.rogers9107@mb.rctc.edu
The Rochester International Film Group (RIFG) will be
hosting their 20th Anniversary Festival at the Rochester Gal-
axy Cinema on April 17-23.
RCTC students will be able to watch the movies for
$6.50. All they have to do is bring their school ID.
RCTC student Alexis Sarros is on
the RIFG committee. She says that
the benefit of attending the festival is
that RIFG is bringing films to Roch-
ester that most people will never have
the opportunity to watch at any other
time.
This year RIFG will be showing
Foreign films, Art films, Independent
Films, Documentary Films, and Nar-
rative Films. These films will appeal
to a wide variety of students studying
foreign languages, arts, communica-
tion, and many other subjects. There will be a variety of
unique genres.
For more information, visit rifg.org.
Here is the film festival schedule:
Friday, April 17
5:30 p.m. Opening Reception with hors d’oeuvres and live
music
7 p.m. Tokyo Fiancée (Belgium/Canada/France/Japan)
9:10 p.m. Ida (Poland) - 2015 Oscar winner Best Foreign
Language Film
Saturday, April 18
12:30 p.m. Marie’s Story (France)
2:30 p.m. Secrets Of War (Netherlands)
4:30 p.m. The Dinkytown Uprising (US/MN) plus
filmmaker Q&A
7:15 p.m. Grandad (Iceland)
9:15 p.m. Voice Over (Chile)
Sunday, April 19
12:30 p.m. Antarctic Edge: 70° South (US/Antarctica) plus
Second Nature short film
2:40 p.m. Hello! Jun’ichi (Japan)
4:40 p.m. Miss Tibet: Beauty In Exile (US/India) plus
filmmaker Q&A
7:10 p.m. Beatles (Norway)
9:30 p.m. Nowhere in Moravia (Czech Republic)
Monday, April 20
1 p.m. Grandad (Iceland)
3 p.m. Citizenfour (Germany/US/UK) - 2015 Oscar win-
ner Best Documentary
5:30 p.m. The Owners (Kazakhstan)
7:30 p.m. The Golden Era (China/Hong Kong)
Tuesday, April 21
2:15 p.m. Beatles (Norway)
4:45 p.m. Timbuktu (France/Mauritania) - 2015 Oscar
nominee
7 p.m. Happy Times (Mexico)
9 p.m. Breakup Buddies (China)
Wednesday, April 22
2:15 p.m. Antarctic Edge: 70° South (US/Antarctica) plus
Second Nature short film
4:30 p.m. Theeb (Jordan/Qatar)
7 p.m. Nena (Netherlands/Germany)
9 p.m. Citizenfour (Germany/US/UK) - 2015 Oscar
Winner Best Documentary
Thursday, April 23
1:30 p.m. The Golden Era (China/Hong Kong)
5:00 p.m. Ida (Poland) - 2015 Oscar winner Best Foreign
Language Film
7:00 p.m. Timbuktu (France/Mauritania) - 2015 Oscar
nominee
9:15 p.m. Happy Times (Mexico)
Photo Courtesy of IMDB
“Tokyo Fiancée” will be the opening movie to the festival
Students welcome to International Film Festival
Sarros

12. Finish
what you
started.
Transfer to St. Scholastica and earn your 4-Year Degree
St. Scholastica offers you a seamless transfer of credits, credit for prior
learning, personal advising, and an affordable pathway to a four-year
degree in two years or less. Transfer to our beautiful Duluth campus, take
evening/weekend classes at our downtown Rochester campus, or choose
from a wide range of online programs.
go.css.edu/TransferToday
(507) 424-0144