Category: Features

Posted on: May 14, 2023 Posted by: Aidan McGuire Comments: 0

Contactless connections in post-COVID world lead to loneliness

As the scent of freshly ground coffee beans wafted throughout the C building, something was amiss at the newly built White Sheep Cafe. Where the cashier once stood a few weeks earlier, a massive touchscreen display was now installed. Students gathered in a line to order off this display while a single barista prepared the orders. There was an eerie quietness about the interaction–or lack thereof– between the students and…

Posted on: May 14, 2023 Posted by: Abby Hobbs Comments: 0

Sing, paint, write: Creative expression helps fight anxiety

Graphic by James Landgraf By Abby Hobbs, JRN-111 Student Picture this: You settle down into your chair, accompanied by only a pen and paper. As you begin to journal about your stress-ridden thoughts, a sense of relief washes over you. The words flow from your mind and onto the page, and the tactical sensation of the paper beneath your fingertips grounds you.  With each word you write, you hear the…

Posted on: May 13, 2023 Posted by: Niki Kowal Comments: 0

Ash Hermosillo closes chapter on her time as Moraine librarian

By Niki Kowal, Arts & Entertainment Editor If someone wrote a book this semester on the Dr. Sylvia M. Jenkins Library, the first page would feature librarian Ash Hermosillo in action. Whether she’s getting body parts for anatomy students to study or grabbing podcast equipment, Hermosillo is one of the first–and brightest–characters library patrons will meet.  For the past two years, the 20-year-old Moraine Valley student has sat at the front…

Posted on: May 8, 2023 Posted by: Aidan McGuire Comments: 0

Moraine helps preserve Illinois prairie space

Photo by Aidan McGuire By Aidan McGuire, News Editor A smell of smoke wafted through the air on campus earlier this semester. Students gathered at classroom windows, and in the parking lot, as they witnessed what appeared to be the campus of Moraine Valley burning to the ground. In reality, this was just one of the bi-yearly prescribed burns that Moraine organizes in the nature study area’s tall grass prairie…

Posted on: May 7, 2023 Posted by: Abigail Niedospial Comments: 0

Speech professor Owens-Klotz creates community in the classroom 

Photo by Glenn Carpenter By Abigail Niedospial, JRN-111 Student Marjorie Owens-Klotz has won many awards, but her classroom is where the award-winning moments happen. Speech fundamentals instructor Owens-Klotz is no stranger to the fear that occurs when it comes to public speaking. To counter it, she makes the experience more than just a class–she creates a community. “I work to make everyone as comfortable as possible in every classroom,” said…

Posted on: April 23, 2023 Posted by: Abby Hobbs Comments: 0

MV artist Rita Jennings reveals the self behind the portrait

Rita Jennings shows one of her pieces, a family portrait, in the Robert F. DeCaprio Art Gallery. By Abby Hobbs, JRN 111 Student Her vibrant work often features playful and colorful backgrounds that are sure to catch the eye. Behind the whimsy, however, lies a personal narrative that has shaped both her life and art. Meet Rita Jennings, a 22-year-old student majoring in Studio Fine Arts. With three years at…

Posted on: April 9, 2023 Posted by: Aidan McGuire Comments: 0

Tianna Conway takes Moraine’s fine arts in a new direction

Photo courtesy of Tianna Conway By Aidan McGuire, News Editor Tianna Conway keeps a color-coded calendar for her deadlines. She loves Star Wars, loves to organize, and most importantly, she loves to leave an impact on future generations of artists.  Conway is the new managing director of the Fine and Performing Arts Center at Moraine Valley, but her deep passion for the arts extends far past the MV community. She…

Posted on: April 2, 2023 Posted by: Isabelle Deane Comments: 0

Meet Elizabeth Scott, MV alum who proves life with diabetes can still be sweet

By Isabelle Deane, JRN 111 student Elizabeth Scott has a laugh that is contagious and a personality that uplifts anyone who interacts with her. Friends adore her spontaneous adventures to get ice cream or to go out on a weekday. Everything she does is with a smile, even if she doesn’t feel her best.  At just 13, Scott was diagnosed with diabetes. The diagnosis was overwhelming for her, as she…