The Los Angeles Loyolan, Volume 91, Issue 41 - April 18, 2013

LOYO LAN on UJ Ш и z < on о ESTABLISHED 1921 April 18, 2013 Volume 91, Issue 41 www.laloyolan.com YOUR HOME. YOUR VOICE. YOUR NEWS. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY Students’ research examines relationships First to Go hosts awareness week For First Generation Awareness Week, the First to Go community hosted an event called First-Gen Cafe, held yesterday on the fourth floor of the Malone Student Center. Senior studio arts major Chanel Mit'chell (left) painted her reflection while freshman psychology and dance double major Sarina Ramirez-Ortiz (right) presented a reflection through dance. For more photos of First-Gen Cafe , visit the Loyolan's Facebookpage. First Generation Awareness Week brings together students who are the first to attend college. By Ali Swenson Asst. News Editor “1 just didn’t want to be like everybody else I was surrounded by” said freshman sociology major Paige Coleman. “Growing up in Compton, it’s negativity all day, every day. I just knew I didn’t want to be there my whole life." Coleman was one of several first-generation college students participating in events for the University’s first-ever First Generation Awareness Week. This week includes a series of on-campus programs from April 15 to April 18 that celebrate students, staff and faculty who are the first in their families to go to college. Coleman spoke to the Loyolan at Monday afternoon’s event on Lawton Plaza, called Mosaic. It was an opportunity for first- generation students to share theft stories in a dialogue format to anyone who was interested in hearing and discussing them. Events so far this week have included a debate and a cafe event to showcase first- generation students’ art, Tbnight will conclude the week with a 7 p.m. film screening of “Against the Grain,” an audience favorite at this year’s Pan African Film Festival, open to eveiyone in Seaver 100. See First To Go | Page 3 NEWS FEATURE Honors psychology thesis focuses on romantic relationships’ role in social identity theory. By Jenna Abdou Asst. Managing Editor “You are worthy,” joked senior psychology majors Elizabeth Flanigan and Jeremy Dunford as they reflected on their study examining the ways that individuals view single and romantically coupled people. Flanigan and Dunford were both part of this year’s honors psychology thesis course, which focused on social identity theory (SIT). As they sought to connect SIT to an area of study that interested them, they arrived at a topic directly relevant to college students: romantic relationships. Their project, which the students said is among the first of its kind, examines how being single or romantically coupled influences a person’s perception of his or her group as measured by how deeply the person aligns with his or her social identities. “We wanted to see [if these perceptions] would be moderated by how strongly people identify with certain groups,” Flanigan said. See Relationships | Page 2 Leslie Irwin | Loyolan Student reflects on effects of Boston bombing FIRST-PERSON REFLECTION A Boston native describes how she felt when she heard the attack was near her dad’s office. By Adrien Jarvis Senior Editor Patriots’ Day was always my favorite holiday growing up. A city built on pride, Boston loves to celebrate its history with a number of holidays you won’t find on the West Coast, but Patriots’ Day was special. My dad and I would watch the Red Sox play at Fenway Park, pick up my cousin and then head over to the Boston Marathon finish line to watch the racers just two blocks down from my dad’s office. So, for years before I came to LMU, I would watch the race from exactly where - and typically around the same time - Monday’s explosion went off. At the time of the explosions, I was in a meeting and without my phone. When I stepped out an hour later, my phone was flooded with text messages and emails from friends, asking if my family was OK. But what was scariest was an email from my dad titled “Marathon.” Addressed to my mom, brother and me, the email simply said: “Looks like there was an explosion a couple of blocks from my office — I am fine - it shut down the marathon. Staying put for now. Will check with security.” Monday’s bombing was the type of tragedy that no words can fully explain. It was five minutes of terror between receiving my dad’s email and finally getting through to him on the phone to hear that he was safe and out of the city. Then, it was listening to him describe in vivid detail the attack on Boston, followed by waiting an additional half an hour to receive confirmation that my cousin was not at the finish line at the time of the explosion. And it was knowing that for hundreds of other families out there, they were not getting that same reassurance of safety. But as tragic as this attack was, as indescribable as the images and video that captured the explosions are, what was just as captivating to me was the footage of the countless Marathon workers racing into the smoky uncertainty to assist those who were hurt. How could one not be moved by the reports of the numerous Marathon runners who continued on See Boston | Page 4 Associated Press Two bombs detonated at the Boston Marathon finish line on Monday, April 15. According to multiple news sources, three people died and more than 170 people were injured. Although Boston is on the otherside of the country, LMU students felt the effects ofthetragedy. GOING PRO Г ' s Learn our tips on how to avoid a stressful search for the perfect job post¬ graduation. L- r t 4 Business & Technology, Page 7 Index THURS FRI Classifieds . 4 ✓'""Ч x— 4 Opinion . 5 V J y y Business & Technology. . 7 -ът ir - ssr A&E . 8 SAT SUN Sports . 12 О о 71 •- 59" 69' - 58' GRAB SOME BREWSKIES Tbc next issue of the Ljyolan will he printed on April 22. 2013. The Loyolan looks into the art of crafting beer and visiting breweries in the Southland. A&E, Page 8