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Staff
Co-Editors
Lauren Hightower Matthew Waller

{What' n
Putting a Face to Faith
Look into the beliefs and spiritual lives of students who believe in Islam (Emily Becker, 8), Hinduism (Melissa Limmer, 9) and Atheism (Claire St. Amant, 10). Find .out about the role of Non-Christian Professors at Baylor (Carlie Besier, 11) and missionary kids' lives as Christians in the minority (Katelyn Fo~ter, 14). And peer into spirituality in Waco (Jon Schroeder, 13) through a photo essay.

The Business of

Blessing

(By Anna Woodcock)

(Photos by Jon Schroeder)

Director of Student Publications

Stephanie MacVeigh

Assistant Media Adviser

Julie Freeman

Cartoonist
Ben Humeniuk

Wnters
Anna Woodcock Emily Becker Melissa Limmer Claire SI. Amant Carlie Besier Katelyn Foster Emily Gilbert Gretchen Blackburn Daniel Youngblood Rebecca Lilley

3 Enterprise of Freedom
by Anna Woodcock

15 Bells Above Baylor

by Emily Gilbert

Students get in touch with the community by creating business plans for underdeve loped parts of Waco.

Find out what it takes to play Pat Neff's bells.

Photographers
Jon Schroeder Madeline Clark Angela Buratti Jacqueline Davenport Melea Burke Emily Brown Jennifer Giacoppo Matthew Waller

18 No Strings Attached
by Gretchen Blackburn

Discover the new direction of wireless Internet.

19 The Soldier's Life

by Daniel Youngblood
Focus Magazine is owned and
published by Baylor University. It is produced through the student publications department as a supplement to the university's campus newspaper, The Bay/or Lariat. The entire content of Focus Magazine is protected under the Federal Copyright Act. Reproduction of any portion of any issue by any means, mechanical or otherwise, is not permitted without the express written consent of Baylor University.

Find out how li fe is different for student soldie rs when they come back from overseas.

22 Curbside Treasures
by Rebecca Lilley

Learn cheap and easy ways to spruce up your place with unexpected finds.

Photo by Emily Brown

Focus Magazine

Equal Exchange Coffee $8

The World Hunger Farm gift shop offers fair-trade coffee. The "fair trade" label on products means the makers were paid a fair wage for their work.

Group promotes fair trade and education

orting clothes at Goodwill, serving food at a local shelter and washing puppies at the Humane Society. All three of these activities are wonderful forms of community service that Baylor students participate in throughout their college career. But one associate professor is trying to steer students in a different direction: disciplinespecific service projects, such as teaching a class of middle school students the fundamental principles of financial and ethical success, hoping to make a difference in their future. Dr. Mitchell Neubert, associate professor of management and the Chavanne chair of Christian ethics, sponsors the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) organization at Baylor. He also teaches a senior-level management course,

Organizational Leadership and Change, which is centered on completing a SIFE project [or a grade. SIFE is a global non-profit organization run by student teams on more than 1,600 university campuses in 40 countries. By teaching the principles of free enterprise, students are given the opportunity to develop teamwork, communication and leadership skills through various discipline-specific projects. Concepts include free market economics, personal and financial success, entrepreneurship and business ethics. The SIFE organization holds regional competitions in the spring. Baylor attends the one in Dallas. This isn't just an opportunity to present a project before judges. It's a chance to

Ifs more than your typical service project , Ifs building on your major and some of your business skills,
- Dr. Mitchell Neubert
Chavanne chair of Christian ethics and associate professor of management

meet other business professionals from across the nation. Many students are hired for internships, or even post-graduate entry-level positions, by attending the competition and networking with the business professionals involved. "People really get going about the competition," Neubert said. "Until you go, you don't quite get the picture of how many amazing things are being done because our program is so little." Although tlle organization has been active since 1975, SIFE has only been at Baylor since Neubert introduced it three years ago. H e said he wanted to bring the organization to Baylor for two reasons: to give students the opportunity to gain business contacts through the competition and to get students to go out and do discipline-specific service projects. "It's more than your typical service project. It's building on your major and some of your business skills," Neubert said. Baylor's SIFE President Lauren Epperson, an Allen senior,

Matt Hess, education director for World Hunger Relief.

succeeded in scoring an internship with Walgreens after sitting at a table with a group of district managers at the competition last spring. Epperson said she was astounded by the number of hours students spend on these projects after reviewing them at tl1e competition. Epperson was assigned to the University Middle School group as a student in Neubert's class. Some of the concepts they taught to a class of eighth graders included how to balance a checkbook, how to remain ethical in school and in jobs and how to prepare for a job interview.

"Service proj ects, su ch as painting houses or picking up trash, are wonderful. But with SIFE you make a lasting difference in regards to financial literacy, or even something as simple as interviewing tips, " Epperson said. Coppell senior Leeann Eberhardt also worked on the University Middle School project last spring. She said her "passion for service" inspired her to join the SIFE organization. She serves as project manager for the UMS group, a sort of "go-to" girl for any future classes that work on the same project. "The project made me much more aware of the impact of growing up in a dysfunctional, nonsupportive environment," Eberhardt said. Neubert attributes most project success to the UMS endeavor, mainly because it's the easiest to determine what kind of progress is made through the use of preand post-tests. The department even offers a savings bond to tlle student who obtains a score of 100 on the post-test, proving that the mission of the students teaching has reached at least one eighth grader. Longview senior Patrick Paine, a member of the UMS program, said he's "a bit shocked at the complex level of information they plan to teach." Knowing that as an eighth grader he didn't care about ethics or how to dress in the workplace, Paine said the group has to really "ponder ways to get these kids interested and get them to participate." He said that is a challenge he enjoyed facing. UMS isn't the only group, but most deal with teaching in some way. One group is partnering with Mission Waco's MPowerment program to help teach basic ethical and financial principles to adults in Waco who have either been laid off or need a head start in life. Another group has changed the subject material slightly by offering options to high school students regarding post-gradu-

ate life. They are working together to present the details of how to apply for college, what to expect, and the full range of options in continuing their education after high school. A new group this year is taking a different route and has partnered with the Rapoport Academy in Waco. It is a public middle school educating children from extremely disadvantaged families. The group will raise funds and supplies with the goal of funding college tours. "The big picture here is the long-term advantage of exposing tl1ese kids to a college experience," said West senior Brooke Ferguson. "It will provide a stepping stone for these children to go to college and get out of poverty." Ferguson said this project is a good learning experience for business students. "A lot of the business school curriculum is focused on profit motives and traditional business ideas," she said. "This provides me with another frame of reference in the world of business." Neubert emphasized the impOl-tance of Baylor students going "across the freeway" to get involved. He said that seeing organizational leaders do things in an environment they aren't familiar

Above, Hess (right) talks to members of Students in Free Enterprise about promoting and marketing the World Hunger Farm. Left, Hess and SIFE member Morgan Keish, a Southlake junior, tour the World Hunger Farm gift shop with other members of SIFE. The gift shop promotes and sells items that are dubbed "fair trade."

with is more challenging, especially without enough resources and working with difficult, less educated people. Neubert said he hqpes the projects convince the students that they can have an impact and that they are acting as role models to those who are less for-

tunate in their community. "Our projects don't tend to be jaw-dropping, but if someone can stand up there and say, 'I didn't realize how much I can impact others,' those stories mean a lot to me, even if we don't get a lot of points from the judges," Neubert said.

Focus Magazi ne

Spring 2007

Islam
If you want to learn about Islam learn it from a practicing Mus.lim.
I

Hinduism

Prayer, faith and family

(By Melissa Limmer)
n the early morning darkness, while most students either sleep or cram before the day's exams, Shivam Patel is awake and meditating. Meditation is one of the many aspects of Patel's daily life that separates him from other Baylor students. Patel is one of 105 students at Baylor who practice Hinduism, according to Baylor'S Office of Institutional Research and Testing. "I am just a normal kid who happens to be Hindu," Patel said. He plays video games, does homework and hangs out with his friends, just like any other student. But some aspects of Patel's life, such as meditation, differ from other students. Hindu meditation involves what is called "manthra," the repetition of a singular word, normally the name of a god. "It gives me a sort of peace and allows me to think things through very clearly," Patel said. "I don't sleep much. It gives me a lot of energy." Meditating has also taught him to "think about what I am going to say before I say it," Patel said. Patel said his parents instilled the importance of religion in him at a young age. Going to the temple was a weekly routine for the family. At the temple Patel and his sister, who is also a Baylor student, would attend both academic and religious classes. His parents also took him to Christian Sunday school classes to expose him to what most other Americans believe.

- Broken Arrow, Okla., senior Nohayia Javed on understanding Islam

Photo by Angela Buratti

Nohayia Javed (left) and Bedford junior Hoda Said eat a casual dinner after their weekly Islamic Studies Project meeting.

Defying convention and upholding belief

(By Emily Becker)
hey asked me if I wanted "pink, black or white?" I answered white and realized that was the color of a special Valentine's Day treat handed out at the Islamic Studies Project meeting. Huma Patel, a Sugar Land sophomore, had come up with the idea. The Valentine's Day theme worked since they were talking about relationship do's and don'ts in Islam. The Islamic Studies Project is a group devoted to teaching Islam and creating a community for Muslim students at Baylor. They explore how to live out their religion in a purer way, wading through the differences between cultural and true Islam. Dr. Blake Burleson, a senior lecturer in world religions and assistant dean for administration in the College of Arts and Sciences, said Islam is monotheistic and shares a common structure with Judaism and Christianity. Islam is based on the Bible

and the Quran, which Muslims believe was dictated by God to Muhammad. He said there are five pillars of faith that must be followed to be considered a "good Muslim": reciting the creed ("There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet"), praying five times a day while facing Mecca, going on a pilgrimage to Mecca (the Hajj), charity (zaket), and a season of fasting (Ramadan). The most eye-catching symbol of a practicing Muslim woman is the hijab, or head scarf. Several of the women in Islamic Studies Project wear a hijab because the Quran mandates that women cover everything except for their face and hands. "It's not just to cover the epidermis," Patel said. The hijab's purpose is to protect a woman's modesty and purity, she said. Bedford junior Hoda Said has been wearing a hijab since she was a teenager, but she was one of the first hijab wearers at Baylor. "I never felt like I fit in," she said.

Broken Arrow, Okla., senior NohayiaJaved started wearing a hijab as a sophomore at Baylor. At times, the girls' parents have discouraged them from wearing it because of persecution from students and people in the community, but they say they wear it for God's reward. Women are not the only ones with clothing regulations. The Quran says men must be covered from navel to knees at all times. Many of the students grew up in Muslim households. J aved's family is steeped in Pakistani culture, but she said she did not grow up living according to the Quran. When she came to Baylor, students started asking her questions about Islam. The more questions she was asked, the more time she spent with a sheikh, or in the Quran or Hadith (a record of the sayings of the prophet Muhammad and others) searching for answers. "I became a good Muslim, practicing every day, not just somebody who just calls themselves a Muslim," Javed said. "If

you want to learn about Islam, learn it from a practicing Muslim." Carrollton senior Nick Howard converted to Islam last year from atheism. He said most people don't realize that he is part of the group because he doesn't fit the American stereotype of a Muslim. The remarks he hears and actions he witnesses by Waco citizens and Baylor students are like "ignorance hitting me in the face," Howard said. Said said some students have not listened to anything she had to say. Others have been genuinely interested in her life and faith. They want to know what she believes and why. "I've had horrible and good experiences. It makes it okay," Said said. Javed, along with Dr. Marc Ellis, formed the Islamic Studies Project to bring Muslim students together and spread truth about Islam, she said. Burleson describes the Islamic students he has met as "dignified but quiet." "They come here primarily for the education," he said. "But they are also attracted to Baylor's religious character. They find solace in being with other students and faculty that are theists." The group doesn't spend all its time discussing the tenets of Islam. Javed and Said throw dinner parties for the group showcasing their authentic Middle Eastern cooking skills. Their religion brings them together, but the community forged there is what keeps them coming.

Hinduism varies, depending on the region of India it comes from. But there is a consistent foundation, Patel said. He said Hinduism recognizes one God, Brahman, who is a kind of supreme spirit. Below Brahman are the different deities, such as Shiva and Krishna, who intercede for men to Brahman. Family is also very important to Hindus. "My family is very close," Patel said. "We are like a castle: nothing gets in or out." Austin senior Gitanjali Venkatrao says family life is also a major part of her religious life. Her family prays together during a ceremony called puja, which they perform at home. Venkatrao said Hinduism "is a way oflife more than a religion because you don't necessarily have to go to a temple to pray. You can pray at home." People at the temple offer their prayers to statues and eat consecrated food, but most of Venkatrao's

Left,Austin senior Gitanjali Venkatrao and San Antonio sophomore Sapna Prasad participate in "puja," a prayer ceremony, in traditional dress. Below, Shivam Patel meditates with the help of red manra (prayer beads). The symbol for "Om," a word of meditation, is shown to the far left.

Photos by Angela Buratli

prayer happens at home, she said. She and her family pray to a guru, a type of spiritual guide through whom they pray to God, "the creator, the one who is allknowing," Venkatrao said. Patel said the biggest misconception about his religion is that it is polytheistic. He compared the different Hindu "gods" to the veneration of Catholic saints, as a way of intercession. Patel, an American citizen whose parents are native to India, said the cultural influences of India also playa part in many aspects of his life, especially concerning

"The cow is an ausplCloUS symbol. Killing a cow would be almost equivalent to a sin," Patel said. Patel said this belief that the cow is sacred began when the early caste system in India decided that killing cows was unnecessary because they could get sustenance from other sources. The cow was also viewed as a symbol of motherhood and fertility. Killing the cow would make it no longer useful, no longer able to give milk. "I don't know how to make a steak, or a hamburger," Patel said. But at home Patel enjoys cooking Indian food. "The things that are different in my life than other Americans are mainly cultural," he said. Patel's religion and culture even influenced his choice in major. He is a premedical, biochemistry major and a member of the Medical Service Organization and the Tri Beta medical honor society. "We were raised to help other people," Patel said. "Charity was a huge part of our life and our religion. I wanted to do something that can help someone."

Focus Magazine

Spring 2007

Atheism

Non-Christian Professors

Unity in Unbelief
(By Claire St. Amant)
hey come from a range of Christian denominations, political affiliations and geographic locations, but they've aJl reached the same conclusion. They just don't buy the whole religion thing. According to fall 2006 enrollment numbers, 24 of Baylor's 14,040 students claimed to be atheist. And while that ratio may not be statistically significant, it does show a group of students have formed radically different beliefs about God and spirituality than most. "In my thinking there is no devil, no magic, no witches, no angels and no God," Roscoe senior Kyle Althof said. Althof identified his core value as "treating people with decency, respect and equality" and said atheism was not his religion. "A religion implies a set of rituals and structured practices that mean a lot to people," he said. "Atheism is highly unstructured and honestly doesn't play a big role in my life." Kyle Mueller, a San Antonio junior and founder of the unofficial Atheist and Agnostic Society at Baylor, defined atheism as "a statement of nonbelief in a god" and said it is carefree and allows for a great deal of variation. "Some atheists are scientifically minded, some are politically

minded and som e are apathetic," he said. "For m ost people, . the starring point is atheism and your values and perspective come out from there." However, Mueller said though , atheists don't necessarily have common principles, he and other members of the Atheist and Agnostic Society all identified the innate value of human life as a driving force in the way they live. "I just think we should care for each other because every person has a right to be happy and have a quality oflife," Mueller said. Many atheists expressed frustration with being misidentified as Christians when doing humanitarian work. "When I go out and help someone or volunteer, people automatically assume it's a God thing," Friendswood sophomore Michelle James said. "They can't imagine someone would do something selfless without believing in a god." Austin senior Bill Walker is a Christian who attends Atheist and Agnostic Society meetings, and he has noticed the commitment to service by MueJler and others. "I think people would be surprised to find that even though they don't believe in God, many of them feel a strong calling to help people and make the world a better place," he said.

Practicing what they teach

(By Carlie Besier)
f the 14,000 students on campus, more than 370 aren't Christian. And while religious diversity among students increases each year, for professors it is at a standstill. Baylor's policy on faculty recruitment and employment states that "Baylor University has the right to discriminate on religious grounds in the hiring of its employees." Dr. Marc Ellis, university professor ofJewish studies and a follower of conservative Judaism, came to Baylor in 1998 as a guest lecturer and was then recruited to join the faculty. Although he was recruited, both former President Robert B. Sloan Jr. and the provost, Dr. David Jeffrey, still asked specific questions regarding his Jewish faith. "They were very interested in the way I talked about my Jewish faith. They saw it as something that could be of importance to Baylor," Ellis said. Dr. Tom Offit, professor of anthropology and a foJlower of Judaism, began his career at Baylor as an adjunct lecturer. Because he was in the anthropology d epartment, the questions about his faith were minimal, he said. When he decided to be a fulltime faculty member, he underwent the same process as Ellis. Jeffrey conducted his interviews, and he was "very knowledgeable about the Judaism," Offit said. Ellis now works to bring diversity to campus through the Center for Jewish Studies, founded in 1999. Guest speakers, who are of a non-Christian religion,

Photo by Jon Schroeder

Professor of anthropology Dr. Tom Offit stands beside a picture of Jacob wrestling an angel. He says it reminds him to embrace the struggles of faith.

Photo by Jacqueline Deavenporl

San Antonio junior Kyle Mueller answers interview questions from Katy junior Claire SI. Amant at the Atheist and Agnostic Society meeting about his belief in atheism.

In my thinking there is no devil no magic no witches no angels and no God.

J J

While MueJler and Althof are both atheists, how that looks in their lives is quite different. Mueller, an avid reader, cited influences such as Karl Marx, John Rowels and Albert Camus as the social and political theorists who have most affected him. Althof, raised in a Christian home, said he "doesn't read very much" and instead relies on reason, logic and his own common sense. "I don't think it takes a book or a supernatural being to tell you what is right and what is wrong," Althof said. Houston junior Cody Cobb attributes his lack of faith to a combination of factors in his youth. Cobb said he never felt a real commitment to the church and just drifted away as he became old enough to make his own decisions. Mueller was also raised in a Christian home, with a military father he described as "a very conservative Republican."

When Mueller was 15 years old, he became an atheist. After examining all religions and studying advanced science, he said it was easy to see how the world made sense without religion. "It wasn't a very far stretch to go from saying maybe Christianity is wrong to maybe aJl religions are wrong," he said. In light of the small number of atheists at Baylor, Mueller and Cobb wanted to clarify a few things about themselves. "We don't worship the devil, and we don't eat babies," Cobb said. "We also don't apologize for being offensive," Mueller said. Both men said they were "very tolerant" of religion and had no desire to take God out of public schools or abolish religion. "We value diversity, " Mueller said. "We wouldn't want to restrict anyone's beliefs, and we just ask that the same respect is shown to our nonbelief."

are brought to campus to discuss not only the Jewish faith, but also other world religions and ethnic communities. "Students love it when I bring in these speakers. They learn a lot," Ellis said. "And our guests, who are from these diverse backgrounds, love Baylor. So it's a great exchange." As for everyday teaching, EJlis said he has never had an argument with a student about faith. He said he's had several discussions with students, "but most take my Jewish faith as authentic." Offit likewise said he has never felt discriminated against and enjoys students' curiosity about his religion. Dr. Robert Baird, professor of philosophy and member of Lakeshore Baptist Church, has noted faculty changes throughout his 39 years of teaching at Baylor and his undergraduate studies at Baylor in the 1950s. "There is so much more diversity on this campus now than there was then. And it's all to the good," Baird said. "I think having a few faculty members from different religious traditions would just be a marvelous addition to that diversity."

Baird said he understands that since Baylor is religiously affiliated, the faculty must remain predominantly Christian, but he believes religious variety won 't undermine Baylor's Baptist tradition. "A crucial part of university education is intellectual stimulation. And diversity certainly contributes to that," Baird said. "Students should get a broad exposure and gain further understanding of different cultures in order to become critical thinkers and to not just accept an idea just because it's what you've been told your whole life," Offit said. He believes it's important for students to learn that 'Just because another culture has different beliefs doesn't make it bad." "The world is a diverse place, "Ellis said. "And since college is supposed to be a time of transition into the real world, it's important for students to be introduced to different cultures and religions." Offit has a picture on a waJl in his office of Jacob wrestling an angel. He said he keeps it there to remind him of what his faith means to him. He said that fighting with ideas and ethics

make one's faith grow stronger, not weaker. "I think a Christian university should sponsor diversity just for their own sake," Ellis said. "Christians live in the world, and the world is diverse. To me, it's a no-brainer." Houston junior Neil Ratanji, a follower of Hinduism, has a different opinion. He said students at a Christian school should expect to be taught by Christian professors. He said the university has made it this long staying true to its Christian values, and it shouldn't change its policies now. "Baylor's professors do an excellent job at leaving their faith outside the classroom but still manage to teach in an ethical manner," Ratanji said. Ratanji said he has become more devoted in his faith since coming to Baylor, and that if he had gone to another school, he might have been deceived by stereotypes about Christianity. Now, however, he thinks Christianity "is beautiful and great." "It almost lines up with what we believe," Ratanji said. "The bottom line of all of it is the same - to be a better person."

10 Focus Magazine

Spring 2007 11

Envisioning Spirituality
WacoJs Christian Imagery
(By Jon Schroeder)

Extending beyond Baylor's Baptist tradition , this photo essay expresses the spirituality of other Christian denominations. Top left, metal figurines hang at St. Francis Catholic Church as tokens of thanks for answered prayer. A leg, for instance, may signify gratitude for a healed injury. Also at St. Francis, sculptures grace an entry way (left). Above, a statue of Jesus looks out from St. Paul Lutheran Church. Right, a statue of King Louis IX of France peers down from St. Louis Catholic Church. Louis IX was canonized into sainthood in 1297. Also at St. Louis Catholic Church (below) a fountain shaped like a clay pot spouts water.

An altarpiece rises up against the dome ceiling of St. Francis Catholic Church at 315 Jefferson Ave .

12 Focus Magazine

Christians in the Minority

Missionary kids live outside the religious norm
[By Katelyn Foster)
or many, these trips are the highlight of the year: a chance to witness to others and grow in their own faith at the same time. But for a select group of students, overseas missions are a lifestyle, a lifestyle that is hard to grasp, except for those who actually experience it. Missionary kids, or MKs, aren't given the choice to raise funds for an upcoming mission trip that will last days, but live in a world entirely devoted to teaching the word of Christ, to be Christ's witness where Christians are the minority. Becky Robertson, a third-year Truett Seminary student, grew up in Ivory Coast, West Africa, in an Islami c village of large families where men can have up to four wives. Until recently, h er family members were the only Christians in the area. "After returning [to Ivory Coast] I always felt that it was a lot easier to follow Christ in a setting where I had to really work at it every day," Robertson said. "Here, 1 could just assume that the people were Christian, and I let my guard down. I knew returning to Africa 1 had to be spiritually strong." Jolie Shelton agrees with Robertson. She was born and raised in Mendoza, Argentina, and she is now a freshman at Baylor. "Growing up in a Christian family in a place that Christianity isn't proclaimed, you have to make a decision whether to follow Christ and stick with it," Shelton said. "It's more black and white. Here you can be a Christian and go to church and not live your faith out."

Photo by Matthew Waller

Becky Robertson, a third-year Truett Seminary student, holds a Bible written in Arabic open to the book of Acts. Robertson grew up in Ivory Coast, West Africa , where her parents worked in an Islamic community.

Mark Laymon, a Richardson senior and student body presid ent, lived with his missionary parents in Moscow, Russia from ages 8 to 15 and then moved to Asia for two more years before returning to the United States. He said he often felt the pressure to be a good Christian kid and to be an example of his faith. "You can either rebel or follow it, " he said. "1 was one who followed it." Robertson compared the missionary life to living in a fishbowl. Since her family lived in a small village with no other Christians, she said most people were keenly aware of everything they were doing. "I was being observed not only as a white person, but as a Christian," she said. "It's a lifelong interv iew. People are trying to see if what you said matched up with the way you live." Living in an Americanized family in the midst of Argentine culture, Shelton said it can be h ard because an MK is never completely identified with one society.

Robertson, Shelton and Laymon all agreed that a benefit of being an overseas MK is the formation of a globalm indset. Robertson said she tends to think of everything in the mindset of cultures . "I view differences as less of good or bad, but more as different," she said. Laymon said he can relate to a broad range of people because of his overseas experience. An MK's lifestyle may present challenges at times - moving long distances, being separated from family and needing constant dedication to the faith but Robertson has considered it to be rewarding a nd has become involved with missions again. Robertson, who now works international students with through Baptist Student Ministries, remembers her calling to the ministry at 17 years o ld. During the summer, visiting missionaries went on a prayer walk through Robertson's home village. They reported sights of dirty children and poverty-stricken people - sights that she saw

daily but had never recognized. "My eyes were opened to the needs around me," she said . "As a human being born into that situation, there was a responsibility to do something about it." Laymon said from a faith perspective, being in a missionary fami ly is a great example since one can see what it looks like to completely live for God. "It's not about m oney or power, but faith in God," he said. "We were happy and we wouldn't have had a better life by living in Dallas with a lot of mon ey. "I was always really excited," Laymon said. "My parents viewed that to be a supernatural thing because m ost kids are not excited about leaving their friends. God gave us a lot of grace, and they didn't have to force us to go." Shelton said the term MK can have two meanings - missionary's kids or missionary kids. "MK's prefer missionary kids, because it means the whole fam ily is there," she said. "God called the entire family and the kids are not just a long for the ride."

14 Focus Magazine

The McLane Carillon bells connect to the clavier keyboard (top right) inside the bell tower. The carillon has 48 bells, and Baylor's carillonneur is Lynnette Geary, assistant to the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

he bells of Pat Neff are more than just a way to tell time. They are part of the McLane Carillon, a musical instrument made of 48 cast-bronze bells that cascade music from the bell tower to the campus. One of the few maestros behind the carillon's musical renditions is Lynnette Geary, university carillonneur and assistant to the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "The job itself is a service to Baylor, but as a musician, it is what I do," Geary said. "It feeds my soul." The carillon's keys, collectively called a clavier, look like broomsticks and are played by striking them with a loosely formed fist. The foot pedals play the heavier bells. The intensity of each note depends on how hard the key is pressed. Fast-paced music looks like a workout because coordinated hands and feet must keep up with a quick tempo. "If you playa busy song, then there is a lot of work, but for the most part, playing the carillon is not physically demanding, " Geary said. Most music played throughout the day has been pre-recorded using a mechanical keyboard that looks like a miniature piano. A seemingly antique computer then plays back the songs. Students may also catch the occasional carillon piece that Geary practices throughout weekdays and on Saturday mornings.

"I like practicing on Saturday mornings because I don 't have to keep looking at the clock," Geary said, "It's hard to playa lot during the day because it interrupts class." Geary said that when mistakes are made, playing the carillon can be more of a hassle than other instruments. "If you mess up, the sound just keeps going," Geary said. "Once you playa wrong note you can't move on. You just have to wait for it to sound out." Even though the carillon is located inside one of Baylor's most familiar icons, many people are unaware that there is occasionally an actual person playing. "The carillon is a part of Baylor you don't typically see even though you pass by it every day," Geary said. Along with unseen musicians, the engraved details on the bells count as another one of Pat Neff's hidden treasures. Each bell is adorned with the official Baylor crest, inscribed with a quote or Bible verse and topped with a detailed leaf trim. "My favorite bell is the Brooks bell," Geary said. The C-sharp bell features a quote from Samuel Palmer Brooks, Baylor president from 1902 to 1931. It reads, "Because of what Baylor has meant to you in the past, because of what she will mean to you in the future, oh, my students, have a care for her." These engravings aren't the only things that lend the bells some gravity. The smallest of the Baylor bells is 29 pounds, while

the largest is 4,370 pounds, with a total weight of more than 22 tons. "Students don't even know what real heavy metal music is, " Geary said as she p ointed to the largest of the bells. "This is heavy metal. " Geary practices for recitals and teaches a carillon class every semester. Many sem esters she teaches three to five students, but this semester she only has one student, Joe Gastler, a senior church music m ajor from H ouston. Geary, like h er pupils, studied the carillon at Baylor. Her teacher was Herbert Colvin. Colvin passed down the role as the university carillonneur to Geary after he retired in August 2006. Geary had remained devoted to the McLane Carillon with Colvin as his assistant for 14 years. Colvin was among the few who selected the particular bells called Paccard Bells, which were cast for the university at a foundry in France. Several people have donated bells, but most of the carillon has been donated as a gift from the Drayton McLane family. The McLane Carillon, dedicated Nov. 4, 1988, is one of 15 Texas carillons. Carillon recitals usually occur once a month, and the bells also play for memorial services and Ring Out, the ceremony for the graduating class to pass on Baylor traditions to the junior class.

Students don It even know what real heavy metal music is, This is heavy metal,
- Lynnette Geary, carillonneur, on the combined 22-ton weight of the bells
Above,an ornate, bronze cast bell hangs within Pat Neff. Geary (left) plays the carillon, which usually requires hitting the keys with a loose fist (shown far left).

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Bonding for Bandwidth

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Student soldiers readjust to Baylor after overseas deployment

Businesses and organizations spread free wireless Internet

{By Gretchen Blackburn}
usinesses offer it to customers. Apartment owners offer it to residents. Some locals, armed with their own routers, offer it to neighbors. In the eyes of many, wireless Internet is becoming a necessity. And more often than not it's viewed as a free service. Scott Day, manager of networking services at Baylor's Information Technology Services, said the use of wireless Internet on the Baylor campus has more than doubled since its establishment. "Wireless is convenient," Day said. "Apartment owners and business owners use wireless as an easy way to set up a network for their customers' use." The topic of free wireless availability is being watched with anticipation around the world. Google and Earthlink finalized their partnership in January with the San Francisco government to provide free wireless Internet access to the city's 900,000 residents. Earthlink has since announced efforts for mu-

nicipal WiFi in Philadelphia and New Orleans. Temple senior Joseph Rafferty said he thinks municipal wireless Internet would be a good publicity tool for Waco, as well as a convenient service for local residents. "I think it would be a lot less costly in a city like Waco," Rafferty said. "There's a much smaller population to provide for. You could probably put a tower on top of the ALICO building and provide free wireless Internet for the entire city." Waco Chamber of Commerce's communication director Lesly Rasco said there are no plans for municipally supported wireless Internet service, and that she is unaware of any ongoing local wireless projects. "I don't know that it has been expressed as a need in Waco," she said. "I think there are ample services currently available around the city." In other Central Texas cities, volunteer groups have organized their efforts to encourage businesses to provide free wireless Internet access for community members. Austin Wireless City

Project, a nonprofit organization that helps businesses provide free Internet to customers, currently has 85 businesses that participate in the wireless project, according to its Web site. In the meantime, Rafferty said he has joined an international organization of people who share their home wireless connections: FON. Established in Madrid, Spain, in 2005, FON connects a network of people - called Foneros - who agree to share their WiFi connection with other members. After purchasing a FON router, Rafferty said he uses his personal wireless connection at his apartment and also shares his connection with Foneros. According to the FON Web site, there are three types of Foneros: Linuses, Bills and Aliens. Rafferty said he's a Linus, which means he pays for an Internet connection but uses the FO router to create a hot spot for other Foneros. If Rafferty should travel to another city, state or abroad he can access other Fonero's wireless free of charge. Bills, on the other hand, are

more than likely business owners who want to create wireless hot spots for their customers. Bills charge customers to use their wireless and split their profit in half with FON. The Web site also explained aliens as wireless users who pay for temporary access to FON hotspots - they can purchase a day, week, month or yearlong subscription. Like the Less Network that the Austin Wireless City Project uses, FON routers create two networks for Foneros - one for personal use, and one for public access. "This allows security for users," Rafferty said. "But at the same time, no network is immune to security risks. Users must register, so you can't be anonymous. If anything criminal would happen, they can at least see who's responsible." Rafferty said he recommends FON to frequent travelers, but he added that it doesn't cut the cost of his Time Warner Internet service. "It's not cheaper for me, but so many apartments offer free wireless Internet that it would be cheap for most people," he said.

Eden senior Adam Torres mands the guns of a convoy team at Camp Scania in Iraq.

Photo courtesy of Adam Torres

{By Daniel Youngblood}

f you take a walk across any college campus, you'll hear the phrase "a matter of life and death" used to describe a lot of tri vial issues. For a handful of Baylor students, that phrase has a deeper meaning. You may not be able to pick them out of a crowd, but there are dozens of Baylor students who have served overseas in the United States military and know what real danger is. Since the war on terror began, Baylor students enlisted in the military have frequently been pulled out of class to serve their countr y, and nearly all of them return to school as changed people with stories to tell. David Kaye, a Katy senior, is one such student. After making the decision to join the Army Reserve in the summer of 2003 after his freshman year at Baylor, Kaye was eployed for Kabul, Afghanistan, in April 2 05. Given two days to report to basic training, he was asked to put his education on

hold and report for duty. He did just that. Eden sophomore Adam Torres did the same. He enlisted in the Army National Guard to help out with college expenses in August 2002. By January 2005, he was in Iraq at Camp Scania, 60 miles south of Baghdad. Jennifer Schwarz, a West junior, joined the Army Reserve for college money when she graduated from high school. She deployed in November 2003 for Taji, a camp 15 to 20 minutes north of Baghdad. Houston senior Julio Osorio is a member of the United States Marine Corps. He returned to Baylor in fall of 2006 from his first tour of duty in Iraq and is preparing to redeploy in April of this year. Since their return, these students' lives seem the same as any other college students, but their stories and college careers are anything but ordinary. While most students were studying for tests and stressing over papers, these four

were learning how to deal with the thought of imminent death. Kaye, who frequently traveled across Afghanistan laying down communications lines, said there were many times he was vulnerable to attack. He said the way he dealt with the danger was to realize the circumstances were not in his hands. "At first it was really hard," Kaye said. "After that, you learn to put your faith in God and trust that he's going to get you through
it."

Torres, who was a gunner on a convoy team, said "you learn how to numb emotions," but he said it was his faith that got him through. "You've got to find some type of peace or you'll go insane," he said. "You've got to believe in something, and I just found my strength through Christ." Along with constant danger, communication with their families and friends while overseas was also difficult.

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Saldiers fram the 820 Signal Campany take a plane to. Kuwait an route to. Afghanistan where cammunicatians tasks await them.

Using e-mail, instant messenger and occasional phone calls, they kept in touch with loved ones. But most of their lives overseas were spent fulfilling their duties, sleeping or thinking about the next days' work. Thoughts of returning home were avoided in favor of living day to day. "If you think too much long term, you'll drive yourself crazy wanting it to get there," Kaye said. "Because I always knew how much time I had left, I never really tried to think about what it was going to be like when I got home." But returning home and to school at Baylor has come with its challenges as well. All four students spent about a year overseas, and all four were told upon returning home that the transition from military to civilian life

would be difficult. Upon their return, many soldiers opt to take a break of three to four months to become reacquainted with civilian life. But Kaye, Torres, Schwarz and Osorio jumped right back in, re-enrolling in school immediately. There were challenges for some. Because their military stints extended their college stay a year or two beyond what they originally expected, these students often had trouble relating with friends they left behind. Schwarz said because she was pulled out after her freshman year, she never got the chance to know people as well as she might have liked. "I still don't talk to many people in class and stuff," she said. "I feel like I relate better to people who have that military background."

Torres said he also had a little trouble since his return. "I jumped into it so fast, to me it didn't feel like there was any transition. But looking back, I was constantly struggling to fit in somewhere, whether it was with a certain group of people - old friends or new friends," he said. "Not until recently have I accepted the fact that I'm here at Baylor, but things are different." Kaye said he matured a lot during his time overseas and had no trouble with the transition from the military to civilian life. He said most of his friends from before he left have graduated, and that allowed him a "fresh start" to make new ones. Osorio also said his time in the military helped him focus. "Over there, everything's so structured that you pick up

on that and bring it back with you," he said. "Now I use that in school to help me prioritize and focus." Because military duty made their college stays so much longer, many soldiers want to get out of school and on with life. Torres, Schwarz and Osorio said their priorities had changed and they no longer needed the college experience. Kaye, on the other hand, said he was glad his stint with the Army prolonged his education because it helped him focus on what he wanted to do with life. "If I had graduated in 2006, I'd be really unhappy with the way my life is now because I'd be doing ajob I really didn't enjoy," he said. Kaye, who called his time overseas an "eye-opening experience," said getting outside the

Baylor Bubble changed his perspective and returning can be difficult. "I love Baylor, but the students get on my nerves a lot of times because their priorities are so out of whack," he said. "It's a bad trap to fall into. That's just not the kind of person I want to be after going through all that." Torres said his biggest priority shift was spiritual. He said military life is a simple one that fosters a closeness to God that's hard to replicate in civilian life. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Schwarz "In Iraq, there was nothing holding me back from experiAbave, West juniar Jennifer Schwarz (battam right) sits with wamen fram her unit. encing that intimacy. There was Schwarz jumped right back into. callege after her deplayment to. Iraq in Navember nothing to put before God," he 2003. Left, Katy seniar David Kaye cuts a cable dawn after a fire in Kabul, Afghanisaid. "I definitely grew there, Photo courtesy of David Kaye stan. and getting home, I could definitely tell." Another change that students serving in the mili tary encounter is how they are seen by others. Osorio said it's an instant talking point, but he has to be - Katy senior David Kaye on his deployment in Afghanistan careful how he talks to people. He said being a Marine is his job and he doesn't want to allow his service to bring him into a politica l debate. He said he enjoys talking with others about his time in Iraq, but he has to use good judgment. Torres said he thinks some people are almost intimidated by his mi litary background. He said he tries to hide it until he knows someone well so it doesn't scare peop le off. "I think right off the bat there are stereotypes," he said . "After they found out what kind of job I d id, they approach me differently. They don't want to ask me too many questions for fear of upse tting me, when really I'm pre tty laid back." Regardless of their reasons fo r joining, where they were stationed or the jobs they perfo rmed while overseas, these student soldiers have a common bond. They are members of a sm a ll group that garners instant respect. "Support our troops" bumper stickers are seen on millions of cars nationwide and are often given little thought. But for Photo courtesy of Adam Torres these students, they hit close to Eden seniar Adam Tarressits an tap of an armared vehicle in a canvay during his 2005 deplayment to. Camp Scania, Iraq. Tarres was home. a gunner who. says he relied an hiS faith In Gad to. help him through his time averseas.

At first it was really hard, After that you learn to put your faith in God and trust that he1s going to get you through it,

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Curb Home
Bedford junior Sharmada Sri kant and Atlanta junior Leeann Schultz talk about their coffee table, which was purchased from a second hand store and restored. Their former community leader from South Russell also gave them an armchair. Their red and black table (far left) was made from a door.

any students adjust to life away from home by making their Waco apartments as "homey" as possible. This, however, is hard to accomplish on a college student budget. But it's not impossible. Many of us find creative ways to create a comfortable environment on a cheap budget. One popular method is thrift store shopping. Some of us, however, take this idea one step further: we go "curb shopping." Every day, perfectly usable items end up on the curb because they're out of date, they've been replaced, or it's simply time for spring cleaning. Many of these items are useless as they are, but

they can easily be transformed into something new. The smart curb-shopper knows to look at things for what they could be, not necessarily what they are. Mount Vernon junior Emily Wade decorated her room with "transformed" items. "I didn't pick it up off the curb, but I found this window in my garage at home and thought it would look nice on the wall," Wade said, pointing out the sixpaned window hanging beside her bed. The window isn't the only thing in Wade's room that has been remade. "I needed a headboard, so I found this garden trellis and just nailed it to the wall," Wade

said. I learned much of what I know about curb shopping from my mother. She has a unique eye for seeing how things can be transformed. My television stand is made out of an old screen door. We made a table out of a window and some pickets from on old fence. My roommate and I made a shelf out of an old bed footboard, and the headboard serves as a sidebar in our dining

room. Many things people think are useless and throw out can be useful in a college student living space. Usually when an item is on the curb, it's up for grabs. However, sometimes it's polite to knock and ask. Blake Seidler, a Dallas senior, found a fully functional, 52-inch, 1978 big screen television on the curb. "I saw a car in the driveway with its hatch open and I thought someone was inside negotiating a deal on it," Seidler said. "So I knocked and offered 50 dollars to buy it, but they told me it was free and just to take it." Bedford junior Sharmada Srikant and Atlanta junior Leeann Schultz have a coffee table that was inherited from one of Srikant's friends. "It was really ugly," Srikant said. "It had huge marble slabs on it and it was really beat up." The girls removed the marble

We decided to do the work ourselves, We had no idea it would cOl1le together this beautifully
- Leeann Schultz, Atlanta junior on her curb-shopping success.

slabs and replaced them with black-and-white pictures of them and their other roommates, then painted the rest o[ the table black. "No one moved in with anything," Srikant said. "We had a couch and the coffee table." The girls visited their friends' apartments and got inspired. "We wanted our apartment to be cuter, but also cheaper," Schultz said. "We decided to do the work ourselves. We had no idea it would come together this beautifully." The key to curb shopping is knowing when and where to look. "In Dallas, they have bulk tr ash pick-up on the first of ever y month," Seidler said. "Me and my friends would go out late and comb through the neighborhood looking for stuff. I know this is immature, but at first we were looking for stuff we could th row off buildings. But then I fou nd an entire set of Encyclopedia Britannica and sold them [or $600. That's when I started rea lly looking." Waco may not be an ideal place for curb shopping, but an experienced curb shopper can still make great finds. "I found my couch in Waco in 2005," Seidler said. "It's a big leather sofa with recliners on either side. It's kind of dirty, but it gets the job done." Seidler has made a number of fi nds over the years. He picked up a small boat in perfect conditi n that he uses regularly, along ith four television sets and an old Coke machine. "I found the Coke machine in The Colony," Seidler said. "It would work except it's out of Freon, so it doesn't keep anything cold." Seidler put the Coke machine on the stairs of his apartment for decoration. Of course there are certain r isks involved in curb shopping. It's probably not a good idea to curb-shop alone late at night. It's also a bad idea to cram a huge find into a small car. It

helps to have a friend with an SUV or truck for transporting purposes. It could also be dangerous to grab certain items if they appear new or unusually nice. Proper curb shopping etiquette dictates that it is polite to knock and ask before taking something nice. However, if no one answers the knock, it's perfectly acceptable to stuff the item in the car and drive off as fast as possible. It's also nice to have a network of lookouts. Every time one o[ my friends sees a door or window on the curb, he gives my mom or me a call so we can go check it out. This is how I got the screen door that would become my television cabinet. And this way, students can cover more than one neighborhood at once. Curb shopping offers an affordable method for furnishing an apartment, but it's also an easy way to make an apartment homier. "It's comforting in a way," Wade said. "I know it sounds corny, but all this stuff takes me back to when times were simpler." With graduation coming, many seniors will be cleaning out their living spaces, so be on the lookout for great trash-totreasure items.

Above, Blake Seidler, 21 , sits on his couch and watches his '80s-style projection screen TV. Both items were discovered curbside. Below, Seidler looks in the mirror of his proJection screen TV while holding another curbside treasure.

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Smashed chewing gum sticks to a tree beside the entrance of St. Francis Catholic Church. A nearby sign says, "Please put all chewing gum on the gum tree."