McRell

For Mike McRell, manager for the Memorial Union bookstore, finding one’s true calling is a matter of taking chances.

McRell, who earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1991, said he initially came to Emporia State with dreams of becoming a teacher.

“I came to Emporia State to be an educator,” McRell said. “But after doing observations, I found out that teaching was not where I was really going to land. I decided to look into the business program and I really liked what they had to offer. I enjoyed the classes, I enjoyed the instructors and I liked the fact that, after half a semester, the faculty knew who I was… I wasn’t just another number.”

McRell said he is particularly appreciative of the one-on-one instruction he received at ESU.

“I actually started school at Wichita State,” McRell said. “I had one professor for three semesters in a row, and that professor did not know me by the end of the third semester because the classes there are so large. I wanted a smaller, more intimate learning environment, and that’s what I found at Emporia State.”

An employee of the Barnes & Noble corporation, McRell said that many people are unaware that the campus bookstore is run by the retail book giant.

“Barnes & Noble contracts with the university to run the bookstore,” McRell said. “With that comes a lot of extras for the university that people don’t necessarily know about. For example, we give $25,000 to student scholarships every year, which goes directly to the students. That does not include the amount of items we donate to student organizations to help support their programming… we’re willing to do just about anything to help a student organization if they come and ask us.”

McRell said that he enjoys working in the college atmosphere.

“Working in a college bookstore keeps you young to some degree,” McRell said. “Being in the college environment allows you to interact with younger people and understand that there’s a different viewpoint from a younger perspective, as opposed to my perspective.”

Jamie Risley, freshman undeclared major, said that her ¬¬¬¬experiences with McRell have all been positive.

“He’s a nice guy, he’s very friendly,” Risley said. “He asks me if I need anything every time I go into the bookstore.”

McRell, who worked as a student employee at the bookstore in years past, said he is a believer in the value of student work experiences.

“I think that getting work experience while you’re going to school is invaluable,” McRell said. “Employers are looking for someone that has the fortitude and the gumption to go out there, hold down a job, get good grades… it shows a lot when students can pull off both.”

McRell regularly employs student workers to assist in the day-to-day operations of the bookstore.

“There’s only seven of us who work there regularly, and two of those positions are filled by students,” McRell said. “During our buyback period and during the beginning of the school year, we hire extra students. We usually end up with between five and seven student employees, so they’re a pretty good percentage of the students that make up our employee roster.”

Gracy Baker, junior elementary education major and student employee at the book store, said that she enjoys working for McRell.

“I’ve worked for Mike for about three years now,” Baker said. “I think he’s great. He handles his job very well. He’s very easy to work with and very understanding and very caring… and we all like his little dances that he does. Halloween is always a fun time around the bookstore. He was Slash from Guns N’ Roses last year.”

McRell was born in upstate New York and has lived in a variety of places throughout his life, including Canada and Germany. However, he said that he considers the Midwest his home.

“The place I call home more than anywhere is the Nebraska-Kansas area,” McRell said. “My father retired in Nebraska, so that’s where I spent the majority of my middle school to high school years, but my family was all from southeast Kansas. My mom and dad were both from Chanute.”

McRell said that he believes his international experiences have helped him appreciate the diversity to be found at ESU.

McRell said he encourages students to venture out of their comfort zones during their time in college.

“In this day and age, you need to get out there and try a little bit of everything,” McRell said. “You never know what you’re going to find that you might end up liking… Don’t turn your nose up at something just because you don’t think it’s where you belong. You may try something and find a career path that you never knew was out there for you.”

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HAAG

For many Emporia State students, Cory Haag is the face of real estate.

Haag, who manages more than 20 apartment complexes here in Emporia, may be the first person students meet when they hunt for a place to live off-campus.

“We treat the place where someone lives as though we were going to live there ourselves,” Haag said. “Not only do we try to provide the highest quality rentals, but also the highest quality servicing. If a tenant does have an issue with anything within their apartment, neighbor issues, or anything like that, we try to handle it.”

Haag earned his bachelor’s degree in business management with a minor in economics from ESU in 2002. A native of Olpe, he has lived in Emporia for the last 15 years.

“Cory is my landlord over at Sundance Apartments and he’s been outstanding,” said Jason Bosch, associate director for student involvement in Greek Life. “He was a big help to me when I first moved here two years ago… I was trying to get into Sundance but it wasn’t open yet, and so he was really good at working with me and was able to get me in over at Prairie Sage Apartments for a couple months while they were finishing Sundance. He’s just been outstanding to work with.”

Haag, who said he inherited his trade from his father, comes from a family of ESU graduates.

“My dad is still heavily involved with me and works with me,” Haag said. “He was instrumental in teaching me (about real estate). He graduated from Emporia State, my mom did, my sister did… going to school here is kind of a family deal that we’re all part of. There’s a lot of pride in going to Emporia State, and you really see that in a lot of the small communities around Emporia.”

Haag said he believes ESU provides many opportunities for student and faculty interaction.

“Emporia State is a great learning environment, and I often see tenants say the same thing,” Haag said. “We like Emporia State because if you want to get involved, you can get involved, and if you need the one-on-one (interaction), you can have it… That is the case at bigger universities, but it is much harder when you’re dealing with large numbers of students per class. Emporia State is the perfect size. We’re all connected here at Emporia.”

Rob Catlett, assistant professor of economics and one of Haag’s former professors at ESU, said that Haag was a notable student.

“Cory was a student who took his education seriously,” Catlett said. “He was a student who came to class and worked hard and paid attention and applied himself, and it doesn’t surprise me a bit that he’s doing really well now. That look in his eyes that was there was not one of, ‘I wish I was somewhere else.’ He was actually absorbing what we were teaching and he really applied himself.”

Haag also said he is a firm believer in the value of multicultural experiences.

“The university has done a great job bringing in very diverse faculty members and bringing in students from Finland, from Japan, from Korea, from China, from Saudi Arabia,” Haag said. “And that’s really the most important thing in business these days – having a knowledge of what’s going on internationally. So that’s a neat thing to see, this bringing together of all these different people. It’s also neat to bring all these people together in apartments and have a diverse, eclectic group of tenants that get to know each other and learn from each other.”

Haag said that he employs many student workers who help him maintain his real estate business.

“A lot of the maintenance and upkeep of the properties is done by Emporia State students,” Haag said. “I have a couple of individuals that help me lease and show apartments … When a student comes here, they need school, but they also need to work and learn valuable skills. We’ve been fortunate to have all different majors working for us, but we’ve had a lot of business majors too, that can see how the business is run, and they’re able to take that knowledge to another level.

“It’s neat to see them work with me for three or four years and then go out and get the job.”

For Haag, the most challenging part of working in real estate is juggling the steady flow of incoming and outgoing tenants in the late spring and early summer.

“When you get into April, May, June, there’s just a lot of ‘shuffle’,” Haag said. “There’s a lot of tenants moving that don’t know what they’re doing or where they’re going to be moving and it just takes a lot of work to get everyone moved and to make sure that they’re happy when they move in.

“That’s probably the most challenging part, but it’s also very rewarding too – meeting all the new people and developing all the new friendships. That’s one of the fortunate things about being near a university like this. There’s never a dull moment.”

Like many other business owners, Haag said he has been affected by the economic recession.

“I think it affects everyone,” Haag said. “Even though we’re in the Midwest and people say, ‘oh, we don’t feel it as much,’ we all feel it, every business feels it to some degree… Business is a little bit slower. Some people aren’t sure if they have enough money to send their children to college.

“So instead of it being real busy this time of year, it’s a little bit slower. But there’s still a very big draw… When it’s all said and done, there’s still a lot of students coming to Emporia State.”

Haag said that attitude plays an important role in running a successful business during times of financial instability.

“There’s a lot of opportunities in markets like this,” Haag said. “Like anything else in life, it’s all in how you look at things. If everyone stays positive and works hard, good things will happen.”

Haag also has advice for students who want to pursue business opportunities of their own.

“In whatever you do, focus and work hard,” Haag said. “It takes a lot of work these days to get a job, keep a job, and be promoted up or rewarded for work… Even though things might be scary, whether it’s getting a new job or tackling a new task within your job, give it everything you have and you’ll come out stronger. Get out there, focus and try hard in everything you do. Give 110 percent in everything. It pays off.

Ali Nashatizadeh/The Bulletin

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The Program to Improve Emporia will host a community meeting on Flintstock at 6 p.m. tonight at Pyramid Pizza on 6th Avenue.

Tonight’s meeting will focus on brainstorming methods to get the Emporia community involved at Flintstock, said Harrison George, junior sociology major and creator of the Program to Improve Emporia

“The goal will be to discover what we can do to attract community members to come to Flintstock,” George said. “All PIE meetings are open to everyone, student and community member alike. The more ideas, the better.”

Flintstock is Emporia State’s annual outdoor music festival. This year’s festival will go from 6-9 p.m. April 22 near Kellogg Circle, on the lawn between Plumb Hall and 12th Avenue. UAC and PIE are co-sponsoring the event.

Flintstock was once a popular annual spring tradition at ESU, with live music and various outdoor games and activities. However, the festival was not held in 2008 because of economic concerns, said Lacee Hanson, sophomore communication major and UAC live music chair.

George said he hopes that, through student involvement, Flintstock has the potential to increase in quality and participation.

“Flintstock has been kind of mediocre the last few years I’ve been here,” George said. “It’s very sad that the event has become less than what it was in the past… UAC and PIE are really interested in turning it back into the yearly program that it was.”

In the past, UAC has contracted nationally known bands like Better Than Ezra, Superdrag and Veruca Salt to perform at Flintstock.

Hanson said that three local bands, The DeWayn Brothers, Radio City and Kids Can Dream, have been contracted to play at this year’s event.

Aside from live music, Hanson said that UAC is also in the process of planning other outdoor activities for Flintstock, though little has been finalized yet. Promotional materials for Flintstock will become available as these plans are finalized, Hanson said.

George said that a block party is among the potential ideas for Flintstock that will be discussed at tonight’s meeting.

“One idea (for Flintstock) is to set up the event in the same vein as the block party that happens every August,” George said. “That would be a good way for local businesses to meet and greet with students.”

George said he encourages all students who are interested in discussing possibilities for student and community involvement during Flintstock to attend tonight’s meeting.

“I hope Flintstock will be a fun, easygoing event with lots of good music and a chance for community members and students to improve Emporia,” George said. “I hope that we can start to rebuild it into something that will bring people out and have a good time.”

For more information about the Program to Improve Emporia, students can join the group on Facebook or contact Harrison George at hgeorge@emporia.edu.

Ali Nashatizadeh/The Bulletin

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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALI NASHATIZADEH & KELLEN JENKINS

When Meghan Roe was in the seventh grade, her grandfather attempted to take his own life.

“He had just lost his wife and had a really hard time moving on,” Roe, a senior psychology major, said. “He takes heart medication and lots of other medication as well, and he decided to take them all and then drink an entire bottle of whiskey. Then he called our home to tell us goodbye.”

Roe said that authorities were quick to respond to the scene.

“My mom answered the phone and rushed over to his house,” Roe said. “On her way, she called the police, who were already taking him into custody when she arrived.”

Roe said that her grandfather left a note on his garage indicating where his body could be found. Much to Roe’s relief, however, her grandfather survived.

“To this day, the doctor still can’t believe that the police were able to find him alive,” Roe said.

Thousands of others who attempt suicide each year do not share the same fate.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, over 32,000 people in the United States commit suicide every year. It is the 11th overall leading cause of death in the U.S., and the fourth leading cause of death for U.S. adults between the ages of 18 and 65.

Approximately 13 out of every 100,000 Kansas citizens die by suicide each year.

According to Bill Persinger, executive director of the Mental Health Center of East Central Kansas, the relationship between suicide deaths and time of year remains uncertain.

“The research is somewhat divided on which time of year poses the highest risk… we tend to focus on the winter holidays as a time prone to increased stress, particularly emotional distress,” Persinger said. “The winter holidays are also considered a time for giving to others, which increases our awareness of financial stress, job loss and a struggling economy.”

However, the arrival of spring often presents unique troubles of its own.

“The spring season poses significant challenges for individuals who have lost loved ones or are without social connections,” Persinger said. “Spring also brings warmer weather and a flurry of activities outdoors, which can be daunting for those struggling with chronic illness or immobility.”

Pamelyn MacDonald, associate professor of psychology, pointed to increased energy levels as a possible cause for springtime suicides.

“Someone who is deeply depressed lacks the energy to plan and follow through with a suicide attempt,” MacDonald said. “Once a depressed person starts to come out of his or her depression a bit, they have enough energy to formulate a plan to end their life… If a person’s depression is cycling with the seasons, spring would be an obvious time for moods to improve, and energy levels to follow.”

“Any talk of suicide should be taken very seriously, no matter the season,” MacDonald added.

Though it is often difficult to predict whether an individual will attempt suicide, various factors are associated with an increased risk for suicidal behavior.

“There are many risk factors associated with suicide,” Persinger said. “These can include past suicide attempts, family history of suicide, feelings of hopelessness, mental illness, social isolation and lack of support systems.”

Other risk factors include substance abuse, unemployment or change in economic status, major life transitions and chronic illness.

Roe described the emotional turmoil she felt after her grandfather attempted suicide.

“It was very difficult to handle,” Roe said. “He and my grandmother raised me for half my life. I just lost my grandmother who was like a mom to me, and now my grandpa was falling apart as well.”

According to Persinger, individuals who suspect one of their friends may be suicidal should be supportive.

“Encourage the friend to continue reaching out to you, other friends and family, and to seek professional help quickly,” Persinger said. “Support the friend in their efforts to find help and to remain honest and open about their thoughts and feelings.”

Persinger urges individuals who are considering suicide to seek professional help.

“Seek help from a caring professional immediately,” Persinger said. “You are valuable, and your life and the meaningful contribution you make to others is worth seeking help and being helped.”

According to Persinger, anyone in immediate danger of harming him or herself should call 911. In addition, the Mental Health Center of East Central Kansas offers 24 hour emergency services and can be reached at (620) 343-2626.

Roe encourages individuals with suicidal thoughts to be hopeful about the future.

“People deal with issues in so many different ways,” Roe said. “But from my personal experience with my grandpa, I think people need that one bit of hope to make it through the next hour… My grandpa still has lots of issues that he is dealing with to this day, but he held on to one thing at a time and can now say that there are some things in life that are just worth living for.”

Ali Nashatizadeh/The Bulletin

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For many students, springtime may conjure up images of sunshine, weeklong trips to exotic locales, and flowers and trees in full bloom.

But while many students may be reaching for their t-shirts and flip-flops later this month, others may find themselves reaching for their allergy medication.

Allergies affect as many as 50 million Americans, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. A recent national study suggests that over half of all U.S. citizens demonstrate allergic reactions to one or more common environmental substances.

“I’m allergic to a lot of things,” said Tara Trent, freshman nursing major, who has suffered from allergies since she was in middle school. “I’m on medicine so my allergies are not really bad, but when I’m off them, I have the typical runny nose and watery eyes.”

Other common allergy symptoms include rash, itchiness and impaired breathing. The most severe type of allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis, may lead to cramps, vomiting, diarrhea and even death.

Contrary to popular belief, allergy season never really begins or ends.

According to the National Pollen Network, tree pollen is a common cause of allergy symptoms in the spring, while grass and weed pollen tend to trigger allergies in the summertime. Ragweed and mold allergies are more common in the fall, and “indoor allergy season” occurs during the winter months when people are more exposed to indoor allergens such as dust mites, cockroach droppings and pet animals.

“Around March is when I usually start being affected by pollen,” said John Meara, experimental psychology graduate student. “I also have allergies for pet dander. And dust is another one… if I’m in a room and there’s a bunch of dust flying in the air, that really gets to me.”

Any substances that are foreign to the body may potentially trigger an allergic reaction, including food, medications or microorganisms. Allergic reactions occur as a result of too much immunity in the body. These reactions have different names depending on where in (or on) the body they occur. For example, reactions in the nose and sinuses are called “hayfever,” while reactions on the skin are called hives or angioedema.

Another common allergic reaction, asthma, occurs within the lungs.

“I also have asthma, and that’s seasonal as well,” Meara said. “The asthma comes in the spring, when there’s all that pollen and stuff, as well as when it starts getting colder in the fall. It’s something I’ve had for as long as I can remember.”

Meara, who treats his asthma with an albuterol inhaler, said that his condition does not cause him to experience significant impairment.

“I usually only use my inhaler when I’m wheezing,” Meara said. “Most of the time I’m fine. In the summer, I can do sports and physical activity just fine. Only certain times is it ever kinda rough.”

However, it is not always clear which substance causes a given allergic reaction.

“You don’t really know what people are reacting to when they come in with nasal allergy-like symptoms,” said Mary McDaniel, assistant director of the Department of Student Wellness. “Sometimes you can figure it out, but you won’t know specifically unless you go through allergy testing at an allergist’s office.”

Antihistamines, such as Benadryl, Allegra, and Zyrtec are among the most commonly used anti-allergy medications.

“No matter what you’re allergic to, histamine is one of those chemicals released during an allergy attack,” McDaniel said. “So an antihistamine is aimed at blocking the effects of that chemical.”

Other anti-allergy medications include decongestants and steroid nasal sprays.

McDaniel emphasized the imprecision of treating allergy symptoms.

“Allergy treatment isn’t specific based on what you’re allergic to, no matter what the Zyrtec commercials say, because they all block certain chemicals that are released during an allergic reaction,” she said.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America provides several tips for managing allergy symptoms at home and on the road.

They recommend dusting and vacuuming often to reduce the amount of dust mites in one’s living space. In addition, keeping doors and windows shut while employing the use of an air filter is an effective way to decrease the amount of pollen one is exposed to indoors.

When taking a trip, those with allergies may find it helpful to travel in the early morning or late evening, when air conditions are better. It may also be helpful to turn on the air conditioner before entering a vehicle and travel with the windows closed to avoid exposure to airborne particles.

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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALI NASHATIZADEH AND KELLEN JENKINS

Imagine gazing into your bathroom mirror and being utterly disgusted by the image before you. The outlines of your body appear warped and bloated, like a reflection from a funhouse mirror. Although you have barely eaten anything in days, you make a mental note to minimize your portions in the future. Skipping breakfast, you head outside for your daily ten mile jog.

Though your morning routine is likely quite different, this scenario is not far from reality for many of those who suffer from an eating disorder.

“I would get teased in school because I hit puberty much earlier than the other girls,” said Trishelle Miller, junior special education major, who struggled with her body image as a young girl. “So I started purging after meals to stay small.”

The week of Feb. 22-28 is recognized as National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, the purpose of this weeklong event is “to ultimately prevent eating disorders and body image issues while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment.”

Eating disorders involve extremes in eating behavior, including extreme reductions in eating, extreme overeating or feelings of extreme distress over one’s bodily appearance.

According to a 2007 study conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 1% of women and 0.3% of men reported having anorexia at some time in their life, while 1.5% of women and 0.5% of men reported having bulimia.

“I think women are more susceptible to eating disorders because of the standards that are placed on them by society, to be thin and to look a certain way,” said Patrick Garrick, licensed Master’s level psychologist for the Mental Health Center of East Central Kansas. “Women are also more likely to report having eating disorders. Men are generally less likely to report symptoms for fear of social stigma or being seen as weak.”

Although most people are dissatisfied with aspects of their physical appearance, individuals with eating disorders may view themselves in far more negative ways.

“I was always pretty thin but I saw myself as overweight, so I would eat hardly anything and then purge what I did ingest,” Miller said.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the two most commonly diagnosed eating disorders.

Anorexia involves an unwillingness to maintain a normal or healthy body weight combined with an intense fear of gaining weight. Individuals with this disorder often possess distorted self-perceptions and view themselves as fat, despite being significantly underweight and malnourished.

Bulimia involves periods of ‘binge eating,’ during which an individual overeats while experiencing an intense lack of control over his or her food intake. Such periods of binge eating are followed by behaviors intended to compensate for the overeating, such as self-induced vomiting, the misuse of laxatives and diuretics, or excessive exercise.

When a person has an eating disorder, his or her relationships are also often affected.

“I was bulimic for about seven years,” Miller said. “I think most of my friends just didn’t know what to say, but I’m sure all of them knew. It aggravated my boyfriend… he didn’t understand why I did it, but he also was supportive in the healing process.”

For Miller, though, many of those close to her were not as supportive.

“My stepdad thought I was being stupid and weak,” she said. “He would tell me that I was being selfish and that I needed to grow up and stop it. His constant berating made it worse for me.”

Aneta Bodkin, licensed Master’s social worker and assistant director of the Department of Student Wellness’ Counseling Center, believes that individuals suffering from eating disorders must be treated with compassion and respect.

“They need support, and they need to know that there is a place they can go to get help,” Bodkin said.

Bodkin encourages all students to complete the free online mental health screening test available on the Counseling Center’s Web page at http://www.emporia.edu/counseling, which includes an eating disorder assessment.

The Department of Student Wellness provides free counseling services from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Bodkin also recommends that students who suspect one of their friends has an eating disorder should not remain silent.

“Encourage the person to get help, and consider going with them if they feel it’s appropriate,” she said.

Miller also has advice for the friends of those with eating disorders.

“They need to be supportive whether or not they agree with what is happening or not,” Miller said. “When a person is going through something like that, being told to just stop actually makes us feel worse. Also, don’t try to force them to stop – when they are ready for help, they will take it, but people don’t change unless they are ready.”

If left untreated, eating disorders may lead to a wide range of negative consequences, ranging from negative self-image and depression to organ failure or death.

Miller was hospitalized for her bulimia on four separate occasions.

“Three times were because I was forced, due to collapsing and worry from my mom and teachers, and the last time was because I was ready for change and I admitted myself (to the hospital.)”

Miller also has advice for individuals who are considering seeking professional help for their body image issues but are too afraid to do so.

“I would tell them that if they are ready for help, to seek it, because they will not be judged for what they are doing.” Miller said. “They are still important and special and they deserve to be happy and have another chance at life.”

Ali Nashatizadeh/The Bulletin

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WOLF BORDONORO

For Gaelynn Wolf Bordonaro, assistant professor and director of Emporia State’s art therapy program, providing care to people in crisis is more than an occupation – it’s a passion.

Wolf Bordonaro earned her doctorate in art therapy from Florida State University. Her dissertation was over short-term art therapy with hospitalized children.

“I would have them do a before, during, and after drawing series…” Wolf Bordonaro said. “The kids would draw themselves before they came into the hospital, while they were in the hospital, and then draw themselves leaving the hospital.”

While working alongside pediatric medical specialists, Wolf Bordonaro used children’s drawings to get a glimpse into their underlying thought processes.

“There would be stylistic things in the images that would let me know that there was something that they didn’t understand about what was happening to them in the hospital, or how it was going to impact them going home,” Wolf Bordonaro said. “When I could see that there were things that weren’t making sense for the kids, I could be a liaison and a translator between them and the medical team.”

Wolf Bordonaro is currently serving her second year on the board of directors for the American Art Therapy Association. She is also the clinical director of Communities Healing Through Art (CHART), an international non-profit organization founded in 2005 in response to an Asian tsunami. CHART’s other humanitarian projects include disaster relief for the U.S. Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina and the creation of an art therapy conference in Southeast Asia.

Providing humanitarian aid to crisis-stricken areas has been a longtime goal for Wolf Bordonaro, and her experience as a certified art therapist has led her to many worldwide travels.

“When I decided I wanted to do my doctorate, I thought it would be to facilitate what I saw as something like working with Doctors Without Borders… being able to respond to psychosocial needs while those physicians are responding to saving lives and limbs,” Wolf Bordonaro said. “Art was a wonderful non-verbal bridge that would make it possible to work cross-culturally.

“Within five years, when I found myself actually going to Thailand after the tsunami, and India, and South Africa, it was like, ‘This is exactly what I wanted to do,’ which was very fulfilling.”

Despite the fact that she has witnessed a great deal of human suffering during her travels, Wolf Bordonaro said she has fond memories of her work with survivors of natural disasters.

“In India, kids drew elephants helping with the cleanup of the tsunami and drew them with such beautiful detail, because they were part of their everyday life,” Wolf Bordonaro said.

Before joining the faculty at ESU in 2005, Wolf Bordonaro taught art therapy courses at Florida State, the University of Louisville and La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia.

Wolf Bordonaro said she enjoys sharing her international experiences with students.

“I really liked her discussion oriented teaching style,” said Tegan Fanders, graduate student in clinical psychology and former graduate of the art therapy program. “She just has so much experience working in other countries and working with different populations, and she brings all of that into her classroom… She’s been there, she’s done that, and it seemed like no matter what topic we’d learn about in class, she had lots of good experience to share.”

According to Wolf Bordonaro, cultural competency is an integral part of the art therapy curriculum.

“I think that the faculty of the art therapy program pride ourselves on making sure that multiculturalism permeates all the courses in the curriculum, so that we are not just culturally sensitive, but culturally competent,” Wolf Bordonaro said.

Wolf Bordonaro is a strong believer in the healing power of art therapy.

“Art is a non-verbal symbol system,” Wolf Bordonaro said. “It can be an alternative to just talking, but I think it also serves to bypass our filters and our defenses, so it can be a more direct connection to the internal world. It can be very pleasurable at the same time it’s being therapeutic… The idea of making art while processing something that can be painful is really a unique way to facilitate healing.”

Even outside of a therapeutic context, Wolf Bordonaro said she believes people of all ages can benefit from making and appreciating art.

“For people who are just working through normal life challenges, sometimes just the witnessing or the presence of art can be important,” Wolf Bordonaro said.

Ali Nashatizadeh/The Bulletin

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