4 How long have you been working at CSS? 14 years Where did you attend college and what was your major? I completed my undergraduate education at <strong>The</strong> University <strong>of</strong> Wisconsin, majoring in Social Work. I later completed a Master <strong>of</strong> Social Work degree at UMD. What is your job title? Where would a student find you? I am <strong>The</strong> Assistant Director <strong>of</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>St</strong>udent Center for Health and Well-being. You can find me in Counseling Services, Tower 2150. Primarily, my role is providing individual counseling to students, but I also get out <strong>of</strong> my <strong>of</strong>fice and work with student groups, talk in classrooms, and <strong>of</strong>fer workshops on topics <strong>of</strong> health and well-being. What do you enjoy about your job? Every day I talk to students about what matters most in their lives. What matters is different for everybody, but essentially counseling is figuring out that troubling question swirling around inside your head that won’t go away. What do I want for my future? How do I handle all this stress? How can I stop worrying? Should I end this relationship? Why can’t I get better grades? What if I don’t get into my major? Why do I feel so down sometimes? What if I’m making a mistake? Counseling is a good way to go about Photo Credit: Zaynab Alwan Co m m u n iT y FaC u lT y/ sTa F F Pr o F i l e s: Th e r e s a al d a c h Roxanne Backowski Contributing Writer figuring that stuff out. <strong>St</strong>udents come to counseling, because despite their best efforts, they just haven’t been able to find a solution to that question, whatever it may be. With support, they find answers that work for their lives. What are your hobbies? Some <strong>of</strong> my favorite conversations with students stem from this question. I don’t like the word “hobbies” because it trivializes what this means. It’s about finding daily activities that create inspiration, feed curiosity, develop intellect, and ensure we experience the moment in the day-to-dayness <strong>of</strong> life. In addition to loving my job, I find particular inspiration in two activities: music and running. I listen to hours and hours and hours <strong>of</strong> music every week. Eventually I had to figure out a way to channel all that energy, and became a public radio DJ at KUMD hosting a show featuring local music (Tune in every other Wed from 5-7pm with DJ Teejay – that’s ME!). I started running about two years ago. My goal is to run Grandma’s Marathon this spring. Running long distances is fantastic fun! What is your best memory from college? I had terrific service learning experiences. Those opportunities were transformational, and prompted my decision to pursue social work. My favorite service learning assignment was volunteering as a reading mentor with children Vo l u m e 58 issue 14 from the Hmong community. <strong>The</strong> experience informed my knowledge <strong>of</strong> the history <strong>of</strong> Laos, the challenges <strong>of</strong> immigration, the impact <strong>of</strong> war. My perspective <strong>of</strong> the world transformed, and deepened my understanding <strong>of</strong> the complexities <strong>of</strong> social justice. What activities, lectures, or sporting events do you enjoy attending on campus? I am an enthusiastic fan <strong>of</strong> the following: Rief Run, <strong>St</strong>ockfest, Music Department Performances, <strong>The</strong> Freshwater Review, Speak Up!, CSS <strong>The</strong>atre Program, Wellness Center Fitness Classes, CSS Women’s Hockey, Well U. What is one thing each student should do before leaving CSS? Take a class in something outside your comfort zone, outside your required course or major, that you suspect might be cool - just because you want to! It might be art, music, drama, history, French, philosophy, gender studies, political science, math, poetry. I enjoyed my social work courses, but one <strong>of</strong> my favorite college courses was a literature course. Taking a course for the purpose <strong>of</strong> exploring a curiosity is one <strong>of</strong> the best ways to experience love <strong>of</strong> learning. P l a y re V i e w : A n d Th e n Th e r e We r e no n e Barbara Patten Contributing Writer <strong>The</strong> opening performance <strong>of</strong> And <strong>The</strong>n <strong>The</strong>re Were None by the CSS <strong>The</strong>ater on February 11 was fabulous. This murder mystery, based on the novel <strong>of</strong> the same name by Agatha Christie, and directed by Merry Renn Vaughan, had humor, suspense, suavity and plenty <strong>of</strong> dead bodies <strong>The</strong> characters, Englishmen and women from a range <strong>of</strong> social classes, are trapped together on an island by a mysterious Mr. and Mrs. Owen. <strong>The</strong>ir flirting, bantering, and scolding is brought to a halt when a record is played <strong>of</strong> a voice accusing them all <strong>of</strong> crimes for which they have not yet been punished. Some characters have more <strong>of</strong> a guilty conscious than others, and the actors differentiate each other well. <strong>The</strong> interplay between the tight-lipped prude Emily Brent, played by Maxey Mitchell, and the s<strong>of</strong>ter, modern Vera Claythorne, played by Amanda Imberg, is one <strong>of</strong> many highlights <strong>of</strong> the performance. <strong>The</strong> sound effects and lighting add to the sinister mood, and some very crafty staging keeps the audience in suspense until the very end. “I got chills,” one woman said as she left the theater, which was packed for the performance. <strong>The</strong> show’s final performance dates are 2/18, 2/19 and 2/20. Tickets, if any are still left, will be available for sale at the door the nights <strong>of</strong> performances. Photo Credit: Bruce Ojard, Anne Woster
THE Ca b l e Co m m u n iT y AND THEN THERE WERE NONE Photos by Anne Woster and Bruce Ojard Performances: TONIGHT - 7:30 p.m. Saturday - 7:30 p.m. Sunday - 2 p.m. 5
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