Wednesday
September 25, 2002
Vol. 113. Issue No. 25
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ANSAN Former walk-on Brett Ballard takes to the air waves p.1B
Students study abroad, teach children in Ecuador
By Erin Beatty
ebeatty@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Two KU students spent a month in Ecuador this summer, teaching children in a native language spoken by about 11 million people in South America.
Skylar Frasier, Burr Oak junior, and Angela Loucks, Newton senior, taught in Quichua, a language spoken by the indigenous peoples of the Andes, predominantly in Ecuador and Peru. This was the first time KU Quichua students have gone on such a trip.
have gone to last semester, Martina Masaquiza, who teaches Quichua I, II, III and IV at KU, offered Frasier and Loucks the opportunity to stay with her sister, Rosa Maria, in her home in Ecuador. Frasier and Louks lived in Salasaca, 150 kilometers south of Quito, in June. They taught 8- to 12-year olds — about half of the of the 25 children at the school. Maria operates for free the Montessori-style school, which emphasizes self-education through experience.
While they were there, the two spoke almost no English and learned what it was like to be the minority.
Loucks said that the trip let her practice Quichua like she couldn't in the U.S.
"I just figured, why learn it if you're not going to use it?" Loucks said.
was wise to be one of "Being one of the only white people in town was definitely eye-opening." Frasiersaid.
studies director.
Masaquiza said the trips such as these were valuable because they helped students learn about native cultures and know that they still flourish.
Frasier said he couldn't afford a study abroad trip with a large group, so teaching in Ecuador was a viable option. He received three credit hours for his major, and living costs were cheap — rent at
Maria's house was $15 per day, with laundry and meals included.
KU is one of about 10 universities in the nation that teaches Quichua, said Elizabeth Kuznesof, Latin American studies director.
"All the history books say, 'This is the way the Incas lived,' but people should know we're still here and we keep living on," she said.
Frasier and Loucks took Quichua classes at KU. The department of Latin American studies has offered Quichua classes since fall 1997.
Skylar Frasier, Burr Oak junior, works with students at a school in Salasaca, Ecuador. Frasier taught the students the indigenous language of Quichua last summer.
Contributed photo
- Edited by Jessica Hood and Adam Pracht
Pastor's guidance inspires students
By Aaron Passman
apassman@kansan.com
Kankan staff writer
Students live in a world full of questions, and it is the Rev. Thad Holcombe's job to try to help answer the spiritual ones.
ones. Holcombe is campus pastor at Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread. He said 20,000 people took advantage of the programs and services at ECM last year, including a core group of about 40 people and another group that was involved off and on.
Lindsey Burch, Overland Park senior, became involved in ECM in Sept. 2001 when she was looking for a group to connect with spiritually and discuss spiritual issues with. She said she met with Holcombe and he quickly helped her find her place at ECM.
Burch said her experience with ECM had been overwhelmingly positive. She said it allowed students to question their beliefs and talk to others about them.
"Through just knowing Thad and through involvement in ECM I've realized that there's more than one perspective that you can use to connect with God and find out who you are spiritually," said Burch. "It's helped me to find out who I am and helped me to live life better."
Holcombe, who has been at ECM for 11 years, said his job involved more than just church service. He said it embraced about six different areas: vocation, ("What do I want to do with my life?"); sexuality; global and environmental issues; racial and ethnic issues; hospitality; and faith dynamics ("How do I
SEE HOLCOMBE ON PAGE 5A
The Rev. Thad Holcombe presides over the Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread, where he served for the past 11 years as pastor, teacher, and friend.
John Nowak/Kansan
Photo illustration by Aaron Showwalter and John Nowak/Kansai
When supply is outweighed by demand, people can't get high like they used to. Lawrence pot smokers are down over an area marijuana shortage which has left them unable to find adequate supplies of the drug.
Where's the weed?
Students say Lawrence is a dry town, for now at least, and police credit eradication efforts and drug busts for cutting down the supply of pot
By George Schulz
gschulz@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Having trouble finding pot? Some students say they are.
One student, who preferred to remain anonymous, said she was having a difficult time finding a hook-up for pot, and what she did find was too expensive.
"I went from being able to find an
ounce whenever I wanted it to having to beg for a quarter-[ounce]," she said.
Another student, who also wanted to remain anonymous, said he had to seek out different sellers each time he made a purchase and no connection had been consistent for months.
"Me and my roommate buy about a half-ounce every week," he said. "But we've been getting it from different people every time because no one has a steady dealer."
Such complaints from illegal drug users are exactly what law enforcement officials love to hear. Officials said the decline in availability gave some indication that drug law enforcement was working and would continue to work in the future.
"We've had a lot of success, especially over in Douglas County," said Jeff Brandau, special agent for the Kansas
SEE POT ON PAGE 5A
McNair program helps students get into graduate school
By Katie Nelson
knelson@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The McNair Scholars Program is attempting to diversify graduate schools across the U.S.
The program's purpose is to prepare minority students and low-income, first-generation college students for graduate schools.
schools.
"Nowadays, everyone has a bachelor's degree," said Kristy Croom, an Independence, Kan. junior who has a Cuban heritage. She has been a McNair Scholar since last March. "Having a masters or doctorate puts you ahead of the game so
Students in the program receive help with their search for a graduate school and get fee waivers for applying to those schools. They also get help obtaining financial aid. To take part in the program, students must have at least a 2.8 cumulative grade point average. The U.S. Department of Education that runs the program prefers students be at least sophomores in college.
much more. If there are more minorities with that stature, it will only benefit us so we can begin leading ourselves."
sophomores in college About 100 students became McNair scholars since the University of Kansas branch was established in 1992, at least two-thirds of those received graduate
degrees or are enrolled in graduate school, said Robert Rodriguez, program coordinator.
Rodriguez has been overseeing the U.S. Department of Education-funded program at KU for the last five years.
"Programs like this are needed in order to provide equal educational opportunities for all," he said. "Through this process we hope to diversify the ranks of our nation's university facilities."
In 2001, at KU,7.8 percent of graduate school students identified themselves as minorities, and 9.4 percent of undergraduates were minorities. This percentage difference hasn't changed in the last five years, despite efforts by the McNair Program and the 156 others like it across the United States and Puerto Rico.
Rodriguez said the McNair Program was a way for under-represented groups to set themselves apart from other graduate school candidates because of the program's research requirement.
The Summer Research Internship is a mandatory dissertation project for McNair scholars. Students select a major-related topic and complete a project under the supervision of a professor in that particular field.
Students get a $2,800 stipend and a $1,200 for room and board. They also get three credit hours of independent study.
McNair Scholars Program
To get more information about joining the McNair Scholars Program, go to the School of Education Joseph R. Pearson Hall, room 305, or visit the program's web site, www.soe.ku.edu/sep/mcnair. Questions can also be e-mailed at mcnair@ku.edu.
don't think I would have thought about graduate school very seriously." said Isley Unruh, a first-generation college senior from Valley Center who has been in the program for a year. "But now, I'll apply and know that I have that option open."
"If it wasn't for the McNair program 1 — Edited by Melissa Shuman