Page 90 - ThePhoenix1989-90

Page 21 western Maryland Collegel April 19, 1990 Focus On A Student: Ben Gonzales by Julie Baile learning Hungarian, Gonzales become a student again. worked asa linguist with meNSA U All of a sudden, I had no in- Our Focus this wcckfallson for four years. come," he says, and income is a student who is, as he admits, Gonzales traveled a 10(while necessary for the many expenses "right in between" the traditional working for the NSA, which he involved in competing in triath- and non-traditional students here says was "how Igot more fluent Ions, including travel costs, entry at Western Maryland College. and developed the languages." fees.andcquipmcntmaimenancc. However, at age twenty- He notes that the travel was Fonhisrcason.hcisnotcom- seven, senior Ben Gonzales is not "the best part of the job, but also petingatthepresenltime,although in between or average; he stands whylleftil." he "misses it terribly" and is "still out among his peers in experi- Gonzalesoriginally intended training" in hopes of resuming ences and accomplishments. to pursue a degree in linguistics. competition soon. Gonzales,an Arizona native, However, in 1981. he began par- Meanwhile, he keeps him- did not follow the traditional post- ticipating in tnarhlons in Califor- self fit by focusing his energy on high school route to college. nia. WMC'scross-country,swim,and As a high School junior, he He states that he "began rae- track teams. took a trip to Egypt with a school ing, pretty much ignorant [of the Ben also pursues his musical musical group and,as hestates, "I sport) ...for fun." talent by playing violin in the fell in love with Arabic. It's such Sponsored by Trans-World Western Maryland orchestra. a preuy language, the way it's Airlines and a local bike shop, he Asa member of the Reserve written." began competing in the U. S. Officer's Training Corps, Ben is As a senior, he decided to Triathlon Series and was ranked on scholarship and will take his takenightc1assesatArizona State in the top ten nationally for his a marathon run of-26.2 miles. huge school, in the middle of the military assignment in the fall at University to learn Arabic. age group from 1984 to 1986. While racing, he met many city ....lwas treated likeanumber, Madigan Hospital in Seattle, In 1984, Gonzales went to Gonzales had his first top ten exercise physiologists and doc- just one of many biology stu- Washington, as a platoon leader work for the National Security finish in the Boston Triathlon in tors who were involved in triarh- dents." in the medical service branch. Agency. In addition to speaking 1984, and he won his first East Ions. He heard about Western He will marry WMC senior Arabic, Italian, and Spanish, the Coast race, the Richmond Triath- GonzaJesrea1ized that he was Maryland from Dr. Samuel Case. Denise Betlyon in Baker Memo- last of which he learned from his lon, in 1985. interested in exercise physiology a member of the physical educa- rial Chapel on September 2, and father, he speaks Hungarian. He notes that the average and asked himself, "Why don't I tiondepartmentat Western Mary- he says that "everyone is invited." The NSA sent him to the U.S. Triathlon Series triathlon in- do it for a living, instead of just for land and a WMC alumni. Denise will pursue her Defense Language Institute in c1udesa 1500-meterswim,a210- fun?" He discovered that the Master's degree while Ben is on Monterey, California, where he kilometer bike race, and a 10- Gonzales original! y intended smaller school had a good biol- assignment and, later, in medical spent a whole year learning Hun- kilometer run. to pursue his biology degree at ogy program and that the sur- school, where he will pursue his garian. In addition, Gonzales won Johns Hopkins University, where rounding area was beautiful and ambitions in exercise physiology. Allliough these are the main his first Iron Man in San Antonio, he was enrolled as a pan-time conducive to triathlon practice. The Phoenix sends congratu- languages he has used, he knows Texas, with distancesof2.4 miles student However,Gonzalesnoresthat lations and best wishes to both others, although notas well, After swimming, 112 miles riding, and However, he states, ..It wasa it was a shock 10 quit work and Ben and Denise. Western Maryland College Earth Week Calender of Events Elementary Courses Will Be Today More Flexible Waft Michael & Company, Ira Bernstein, and Doug Elliott , will appear in classrooms throughout the day. S p.m., The Forum, Decker College Center, concert by Walt Michael & Corrpany, Ira Bernstein, and Doug Elliott. Continued from page 1 lect the time that is convenient for does admit that "the workload will Tomorrow week including contact with ap- them, and, consequently, if a stu- be less. One can't cover as much Walt Michael & Company, Ira Bernstein, and Doug Elliott prentice teachers) courses will be dent needs additional help or in three [contact] hours per week will appear in classrooms throughout the day. once again revisions of past pro- practice, she or he will be able to as in four hours per week." Evening Film sponsored by the Student Environmental grams. watch the video several times. She estimated that next year's Action Coalition. Dr. Deveny asserts that the According to Dr. Deveny, the elementary level foreign language Saturday, Aprtl21 new program will "maintain more flexible schedule will shift students will spend "about four 4:30-5:30 p.m., outdoors on campus, Walt Michael something we've been doing the "instructional- focus to the hours less of studying and out-of- &Company, Ira Bernstein, and Doug Elliott will perform as [while] introducing new things." learner" and will also"pJacemore class work per week" than this part of the annual May Day Celebration. Students this year For example, there will be responsibility on the student to do year's students. have moved the day of festivities up a week to coincide with opportunities to learn via com- lhework." She added that all foreign lan- Earth Week. Food will be available. purer. Moreover, it is noran inferior guage classes will be three credits 7 p.m., McDaniel Lounge, Irish Ceilidh. The week's In addition.apprentice teach- system to the intensive program. next year, and she noted a new performers, as well as professors and community members, ers will no longer be a part of the Dr. Deveny cited a study done at policy for all foreign language will join for a loosely organized shindig of music, dancing, program, but departmerual rutors theUniversityofYaicthatshowcd majors: Spanish, French, and storytelling, recitations, etc. Participants will join in as the will be retained "as a safely net," that the traditional language lab- German. spirit moves them. However, the most promi- oratory is no more beneficial or Foreign language majors will Sunday, April 22 -- Earth Day nentcbangescome in the flexibil- productive than the flexible frame- be allowed to take up 10 two 1 p.m., Harvey Stone Park (rain location, Alumni Hall ity of the new progmm, which work to be implemented next fall courses in English related to their Mainstage), Outdoor servicel communion with nature. will count for only threecredits atWMC. major inside or outside of the 12:30 p.m.-5 p.m., throughout campus, Student Environ- instead of four. Another positive result, ac- foreign language depanment. mental Action Coalition will offer naiural food for purchase. There will be three hours of cording to Dr. Martine Motard- Dr. Deveny concluded con- 3 p.m., Baker Memorial Chapel, College Choir Concert, contact time per week, but the Noar, professor of French, is that fidently that the curricular criteria including music appropriate for Earth Day. videos will beshown several times "dual majors will become more reform "will be a positive step for 7:30 p.m., Baker Memorial Chapel, peace and environ- each week, so students can choose feasible"becauseoftheextratime the program" in a search for the mental activist William Sloane Coffin, Jr., will address the the day to watch them. SIOlthat will be opened up. "optimal learning environment." audience on preserving the environment. Students will be able to se- However, Dr. Motard-Noar