You’ve finally made it.  Four years and several thousand dollars later, the moment that makes all the blood, sweat and tears worth it has finally arrived.  And now, you have to choose.  Between relatives, that is. As Boise State’s commencement ceremonies approach, graduates have been informed that for the first time ever at Boise State, the graduation ceremony will be a ticketed event.  For those of us with larger families (or heaven forbid any friends who may want to share in the moment), Grandma may have to stay home this year. Or, someone can drive her over to the Hatch Ballroom.  An “overflow” location, it has been set up for the relatives and friends who don’t make the seven ticket cut.  Never fear, the ceremony will be streamed live and coffee will be provided. As Boise State’s student population continues to increase, the campus is struggling with many of the pains that accompany growth without the structural support needed to make that growth smooth.  This year’s graduation ceremony is one... ...

Election season is over.  The candidate banners have all been taken down and our television commercials have gone back to being about fast food and footwear.  Though this may seem like an unlikely time to start a conversation about our civic duty to vote, here I am.  My argument–for those who may find politics a little on the daunting side, now is the perfect time to start educating yourself a little at a time, when the candidates, the news and the commercials are not all up in your face. I confess that I haven’t always taken advantage of my civic right and responsibility to vote.  For me, turning 18 meant that I could finally move out of my parents’ house, and very little more. As an young adult in the world, I understood that I should vote, but I also felt strongly that it was irresponsible of me to show up at the polls and vote for candidates I knew nothing about.  The only politics I had exposed myself to... ...

Boise State has a rather large—and growing—international student population.  The International Student Services Department is challenging all domestic students across campus to step outside of their comfort zones, and meet some new and friendly faces.  DARIA Daria Ursol was only 15-years-old when she journeyed from Muldova (which is tucked between the Ukraine and Romania) to Wenatchee, Wash., completely by herself. She spent a year in Washington with an exchange family, then traveled back to Muldova to finish high school. In 2010, Ursol had found her way back to Wenatchee and attended a small community college.  Two years later, she transferred to Boise State to pursue a degree in Multi-Ethnic Studies with a minor in Spanish.  She didn’t know a soul in Idaho when she picked Boise State, but she was awarded a great scholarship and  would still be fairly close to her friends in Washington. Ursol has an almost unnoticeable accent.  Though she said her accent was very strong when she first came to America, she says she has worked... ...

Morning is a busy time on campus; people are driving in search of parking, bicyclers traverse  to get to class and pedestrians are everywhere. How do you get to school every day?  More than likely, convenience rules the day. Most people with cars want to drive them. Others may prefer to bike, walk, carpool or take the bus. Typically these alternate forms of transportation are associated with not having a car but there are people on campus who use these forms of transportation with a car left behind in the driveway. It’s no secret carbon dioxide emitted from cars is bad for the environment, but it actually accounts for almost a third of the greenhouse gases.  So, what’s a kid late for class to do? Students have several options. The first is to bike to school. Bicycle racks are scattered around campus and there are bicycle barns in Lincoln Garage. The bike barns are intended for  long-term parking and hold up to 1,000 bicycles. The Cycle Learning Center (CLC), located... ...

  Need a distraction?   Search for “Skeleton Does Gangnam” on YouTube. This entertaining short film is an example of the kind of shorts the Dead 8 Productions film club produces. And the skeleton is real.   Two new club members helped produced this during their very first meeting with the club.  “It was my first time coming to Dead 8. I wasn’t sure how it would turn out because I’d never done anything like that.  But when I saw the finished product I thought it turned out really well,”  senior said Ebenezer Makinde who helped move “Fred” the skeleton through the video.   During a typical meeting members might participate in small workshops or hang out and talk about movies. By sharing opinions about movies they’ve seen, they are able to ponder the creativity behind the making of different movies and these brainstorming sessions often lead to ideas for their own films.   There are no prerequisites to join the club and participation in the club is not tied to Boise... ...

Taking environmental measures can seem like a lot of extra energy for a payoff that is neither felt nor seen. Some people may even wonder if a little bit of effort makes any difference in the big picture. However, Boise State has some sustainability measures in place which can be easy for students to access. There are some visible initiatives in place; for example, students can refill water bottles with filtered water at 13 drinking fountains located on campus. Refilling water bottles saves students from having to buy a bottle of water, which in turn is one less empty plastic container that needs to be recycled. There are also things the university does in an attempt to ensure that a lighter carbon footprint is left. The more aware of them students become, the more likely students will participate.  When people see how small the effort required truly is and what a huge impact it can have (little steps add up quickly), more people will want to help with this environmental... ...

  Students will soon have the option of choosing between two different Subway restaurant locations on campus. The Subway in the Education building will remain on campus, but the Student Union Building (SUB) will be welcoming an additional Subway in the dining area. Subway will be replacing University Bread Company, the sandwich shop that was there last spring. Bob Beers, Marketing Manager for University Dining Services, said, “Subway has a strong following and good brand recognition. We wanted something fresh and healthy for the students, and healthy options for vegan and vegetarian students.” The decision to put a second Subway came as a part of student surveys which showed students want sandwiches, specifically from Subway and they would like it to be located in the SUB. The new Subway will be open Monday and there will be a grand opening on Friday, Oct. 12 with prizewheels and giveaways which will include many of the menu items. Two other merchants became part of the campus dining options on Aug. 27. Papa... ...