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UNR Student Nutrition Association's Fashion show models

Fashion for Food

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The UNR Student Nutrition Association recently hosted an annual fashion show fundraiser on November 10th in partnership with On Common Ground, a local organization that aims to connect the community with educational tools to help adults and children meet their potential with nutritious food. This show featured Reno’s twelve best local designers along with models of all races, ages, genders, and sizes. The show was hosted in the Joe Crowley Student Union on the UNR campus.

The show began with a pre-act of four local artists performing songs. With hit songs by Whitney Houston and other amazing covers, this section was a hit with the diverse crowd who enjoyed the variety of music being sung.

After the performances ended, OCG (On Common Ground) gave a presentation on their mission. The fashion show was created in order to raise funds for mobile markets to serve areas with limited access to food and a food processing plant to convert food into a shelf-stable products.

Audience members could buy faux cocktails and participate in a silent auction that included art and fashion pieces offered by the designers in the show.

The show then started with a brand called Northern NV Thai Fashion. They showcased designs that represented Thai culture, featuring Thai music and dance. Their garments were vibrant colors with intricate headpieces that represented different parts of their culture.

The show also included Onomé Wowo Ladies Fashion, Drag on A Budget by DemenCha, Taylor Uchytil Designs, Playa Wear a la Haute Trash by Paula Povilitis, Zozobee Bikini & Flexwear, Polyesther’s Costume Boutique, Banana Republic GAP Stores, Lily’s Décor la Barata and Upcycled Youth Trends by Kids-Repurposed apparel.

The show’s closing designer was fashion designer Edward Coleman, who’s brand is Edward S. Coleman Designs. It ended on a dramatic and melancholy note, with dark dresses of black and burgundy, and details with lace and leather. The models walked slowly down the runway with a serious expression. The closing act blew the audience away, however there were some standout designers that I personally loved.

Taylor Uchytil featured outfits that defined the model’s personality. The personable items made this segment fun to watch. Some models walked down in leather with red accents rocking a ‘motorcyclist’ look while some walked down in flowery head garments and long skirts showcasing an ethereal look.

I also enjoyed Lily’s Décor which revealed puffy, sparkly, and sleek dresses that any little girl wishing to be a princess or any teen girl waiting for prom would love to have. Their models ranged in all ages, as well as the designs being made for people of all shapes and sizes.

All of the designers came together to truly make the audience appreciate fashion and all of the hard work the designers and artists involved are put through in the process of showcasing their unique designs.

 

Women at Google

Women in Computer Science and Engineering Strive for More Representation

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In the era of ‘girl power’, encouraging women to shatter glass ceilings and be their own bosses has become incredibly common. In some fields, such as engineering and computer science, there is a huge struggle to see women in visible roles. Women make up half of the total United States college educated workforce but only 29 percent of the science and engineering workforce, according to statistics from the National Girls Collaborative Project. They also received half of the degrees awarded in the biological science in the past year, and only 19.3% in engineering, and even less than that in computer science at 17.9%.

That’s where the Women in Computer Science and Engineering Club, or WICSE, comes in. Their goal, according to their website, is to bring women together who share common interests and support women dedicated to careers in the engineering field. Hosting guest speakers, conferences, and workshops, the club hopes to get women more involved in STEM positions.

Assistant professor Emily Hand is new to the College of Engineering this semester and is the faculty advisor for the club. Hand teaches computer science and engineering, and her research interests include computer vision and machine learning, which is the automation of vision for machines and how they can learn like a human, respectively.

The need for this research is incredibly important as automation becomes prevalent in the workforce. The university is also working to accommodate more engineers, with the creation of Great Basin Hall, a dorm for STEM majors, and the recent groundbreaking of the new William N. Pennington Engineering Building, projected to be finished in the summer of 2020.

Frances Vinlove is the treasurer for WICSE and works as a chair for the Programming Committee, Engineering Leadership Council, and works with students in the MESA program.

“I joined the club because I was looking to meet other computer science engineering people and to be in a leadership role, which I enjoy and thrive in,” Vinlove said.

The club attended the Grace Hopper Celebration for the past two years. It is a massive conference celebrating women in computing. Hosted by AnitaB.Org, a digital community for women founded by computer scientist Anita Borg, the goal of the conference is to envision a “future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for which they build it.”

“We also hosted the Most Significant Bit in April,” Vinlove said, “For the past four years, we invite middle school and high school girls to the campus, supply free food and swag, and they get to learn about computer science engineering in a fun environment with different activities.” Wanisha Holmes is the Events Coordinator for the club, and says that anyone who is interested in supporting WICSE can simply just attend one of their meetings; there is no previous engineering experience or major requirement to be a part of it.

“Women in this field are very rare, and being able to connect and share experiences with other women and help encourage them is an amazing thing,” said Holmes. She says that one thing she enjoys most about engineering is that the topic is constantly changing, and evolving and there is always “something fun and exciting that needs to be solved.”

However, being a female in a male-dominated profession comes with some drawbacks. Holmes says that women can face the challenge of not being good enough or smart enough to be in the field.

“Work hard and believe in yourself, no one can tell you you’re not good enough. Strive to be the best in the world at what you do and you will be unstoppable, is what advice I would give,” Holmes said.

If that isn’t inspiring in today’s challenging world for women, then what is?

 

rolls of money

Money Tips for College Students

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With a cost of $207 per credit hour at UNR (that’s before you even tack on all the other student fees), and the cost of living rising in the Reno area it’s no secret that it’s intimidating, stressful, and discouraging when you’re trying to figure out how you’re going to pay for the next semester of college. It’s hard enough to just focus on school alone, but when you have to work three jobs just to pay your rent it can be easy to lose motivation and to want to drop out.

Looking back at my financial situation in college I know that my mom helped me out with the cost of some of my tuition each year, but other than that I’ve also had to work my a** off, and I know there’s a lot of you out there who do, too. At one point I was working close to 40 hours a week in between the three jobs I had, was taking out the max amount of loans available, and was eating spaghetti noodles with just salt and olive oil because I didn’t want to spend my money on more food. Gross.

However, as a senior I’ve learned some tricks of the trade when it comes to budgeting and saving on a tiny paycheck. I hope some of these tips help you with your financial situation and ease the stress that paying for school can have on you.

  1. Do the money in an envelope method. At the beginning of the month go to an ATM and take out a certain amount of money you’ll allow yourself to spend in a certain category. When the money is out it’s out, and you have to wait until the next month to spend money in that category again. For example I’ll have $20 in an “alcohol” envelope. If I spend all $20 the first weekend, I don’t allow myself to spend any more on drinks for the rest of the month forcing me to budget. This is great for small expenses that you don’t think add up to a large sum of money but do. I’d recommend having an envelope for alcohol/going out, groceries, gas, and eating out at restaurants. It can be depressing at first when you can’t afford to buy that fancy cheese at the grocery store, but it causes you to really only buy essentials and pocket your savings. Hey, if you have extra money at the end of the month, reward yourself and splurge on a fancy coffee or something.
  2. Shop at the 99 Cent Store. A lot of my friends make fun of me for shopping here, but honestly it’s a god sent. The 99 Cent Store is not ghetto or full of nasty old food, it’s full of fresh produce that’s overstock from regular grocery stores which allows for the huge price markdown. I like to do most of my grocery shopping here because they carry most items with the exception of groceries that obviously cost more than 99 cents like ground beef, chicken, or bulk items. They have a wide selection of fresh produce, frozen meals, and canned goods. Best of all, a lot of the brands are similar to those that can be found at more expensive grocery stores. Some trips to the 99 Cent Store leave me walking away with enough healthy and filling groceries that’ll last me the whole week for $20. The closest 99 Cent Store is just across from Meadowood Mall on Virginia Street — I recommend checking it out.
  3. Use the Mint App. Mint is awesome. It tracks your spending on all accounts and divides purchases up by category like fast food, groceries, gas, coffee shops, shopping, business services, and more, so you can see exactly where your money goes. Mint also keeps track of when your bills are due, how much money you’re taking in each month versus spending, and sends you alerts when you’ve gone over budget. The great thing about this app is it’s also customizable. You can set specific budgets that work with you and fit your lifestyle as Mint tracks when you’re getting close to say going over your monthly restaurant budget. Mint also calculates your net worth which is nice when you’re trying to figure out how much money you have total between savings, checking, and credit accounts. It also provides you with your credit score and alerts you when your score goes up or down and the reason why, so you can either continue to improve your score or make adjustments. The best part about Mint, it’s free to download and free to use. A lot of budgeting apps require a subscription or payment up front. Mint is 100% free to use at any time.
  4. Apply for scholarships. This one you’ve got to be persistent with. During my freshman and sophomore years I was extremely discouraged about applying for scholarships because I’d fill out so many applications with little to no return. However, if you can hang on until your junior or senior year and apply for major specific scholarships, there’s a whole pool of money waiting for you that not everyone has access to. I filled out the university scholarship application every year. You know, the one on MyNevada that’s always due before February 1st. For years I got nothing, but the second I actually became a journalism major instead of “pre-journalism” I received five scholarships. This year I received so many scholarships from UNR I actually got paid to go to school this semester which was a huge weight off my shoulders. Don’t think just because you didn’t get anything remarkable in the scholarship department your freshman year that it’s going to be like that forever.
LGBTQ Symbol

Our Center LGBTQ History Month

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Our Center, a local nonprofit that provides resources to the LGBTQ community, hosted several events for LGBTQ History Month in October. The four events featured panels and discussions on topics ranging from the HIV and AIDS to National Coming Out Day.

Sherrie Scaffidi, an Our Center volunteer, explained that the events provide education on LGBTQ issues for people of all ages. Scaffidi believes this is vital due to the limited resources in Northern Nevada for LGBTQ youth in particular. “I appreciate the education for the LGBTQ community and their allies,” said Scaffidi, “It’s very important.”

The events discussed the topics of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, National Coming Out Day, the history of LGBTQ politics in Nevada featuring representatives from the ACLU, and Trans History.

Scaffidi said that while every event attracted attendees, the panel on National Coming Out Day was the most popular. “Probably 25 to 30 people were at the National Coming Out Day panel,” said Scaffidi. The event featured a moderator and several panelists who answered questions and discussed their own coming out stories, according to Scaffidi.

Scaffidi said that the National Coming Out Day panel helps people to have a deeper understanding of the difficulties involved in coming out. “The coming out stories seem to impact so many people when they realize the difficulties that people go through when they’re coming out, and how strong you have to be to come out as LGBTQ,” said Scaffidi.

Scaffidi also explained the extreme psychological toll staying in the closet can have on some LGBTQ people. Scaffidi said, “A lot of people say, ‘Oh you guys are heroes,’ and ‘Oh you guys are really strong.’ What people don’t realize is at some point, if you’re in that community, you have to come out, or it can kill you.”

Scaffidi believes that increasing LGBTQ community education can create more allies, and a greater sense of safety for LGBTQ people to come out. “People would understand what it’s like and maybe give someone the power to come out,” said Scaffidi.

According to Scaffidi, Our Center hopes to host LGBTQ History Month events next year as well. Going forward, Our Center hopes to attract new volunteers and attendees. “We’re trying to get some new volunteers, get some new blood, some new thinking,” said Scaffidi, “Looking forward, we’re going to be way better than we are now.”

A Star is Born characters

A Star is Born Review

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In his directorial debut and her first ever major movie role, Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga shine in A Star is Born. Offering performances that will undoubtedly receive multiple award nominations, the duo play on each other’s strengths as an actor and musician to deliver the definitive version of the 1937 film of the same name.

Cooper portrays rock star Jackson Maine who discovers Gaga’s character, Ally, while she performs one night at a local drag bar after her shift as a restaurant worker. Her unrecognized talent as a singer doesn’t stop her from performing there every week, but when they lock eyes during her performance, time slows down and it’s clear Jackson sees something in her. What follows is an intimate journey as Jackson helps Ally discover herself as an artist that leads to her own fame and success she’s always dreamed of. The two fall in love in the process, but Jackson’s long battle with addiction and alcoholism cause strain on their relationship the audience gets to see unfold.

Watching the film and seeing Cooper portray a character go through such a real struggle that every generation has seen claim the lives of so many great musicians left me feeling as helpless as his character. As the fourth remake of the original 1937 film, the story isn’t meant to be original, but it shows just how familiar we are as a culture with watching the stars we love battle with their demons in the limelight. Cooper’s version of the film tells a story people can still learn from so the next time they witness or know someone struggling with addiction, they can have a better understanding of what it’s like and try to empathize.

The biggest strengths of the film are undoubtedly its soundtrack and musical performances that were shot live at real festivals and concerts. The film’s opening sequence of Cooper rocking out and performing to a screaming crowd instantly showcased his remarkable transformation from actor to musician, and the soundtrack solidifies Gaga as one of the most versatile artists of this generation, The film’s lead hit single “Shallow” not only sparks the beginning of Ally’s career in the film, but is also one of Gaga’s greatest hits she shares with Cooper. With hard rock songs like “Diggin’ My Grave” and “Black Eyes,” country songs like “Music to My Eyes,” and pop songs like “Hair Body Face” and “Why Did You Do That?,” there is a song for nearly everyone to enjoy.

With a runtime of 2 hours and 15 minutes, the film felt lengthy and slow at times, but the musical performances typically broke up any monotony found later in the story.

A Star is Born succeeds in telling a familiar story of love, passion, family, fame, and struggle that will have you leaving the theater in admiration for both Cooper and Gaga’s honest performances they clearly gave their all. Believe in the hype and catch this must see movie in theaters while you still can!