December 2020
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‘Hot Eats, Cool Feets’: Professor creates Instagram food account like no other
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r a g u o C Van TEAM December 2020
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emily Baumann
WEBSITE MANAGER Austin Cari
MANAGING EDITOR Brody Voge
REPORTER Tessa Hensley
LAYOUT EDITOR Samantha Deshazer
REPORTER LeeLee Parr
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@thevancougar
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COPY EDITOR Olivia Eldredge PHOTOGRAPHER David Priymak
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Mission
The VanCougar, a student-run newsmagazine, informs and engages the WSU Vancouver community while practicing the highest standards of timely, ethical journalism.
Corrections s r e t t e L to the editor The VanCougar welcomes letters and commentary from members of the WSU Vancouver community on current issues. Letters must include the author’s full name, contact information and WSU affiliation: year and major for students, department for faculty and staff, degree and year graduated for alumni. The VanCougar does not publish anonymous letters. Send letters and commentary to van.vc.editor@wsu.edu. Once received, letters become property of The VanCougar and are subject to editing for length, clarity and style.
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Pairing shoes with tasty treats around Portland, Jordan Curtis, WSU Vancouver communications professor, started his Instagram account @hoteatscoolfeets at the beginning of the pandemic. (David Priymak / The VanCougar)
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Author and WSU Alumna Danica Thurber.
12 Cambri Shanahan, recreation coordinator for OSI.
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Bayleigh Parsons, senior and digital technology and culture major at WSU Vancouver.
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Meet the staff Hot eats, cool feets WSU Alumna writes children's book Opinion: Gift wrapping SUCKS OSI Boxes December Graduates Cougar Bites
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December 2020
~Meet the staff~ Major: Integrated strategic communications Standing: Junior Hometown: Vancouver, WA Favorite holiday food: Green bean casserole
Emily Baumann, Editor-in-Chief
Major: Integrated strategic communications Standing: Senior Hometown: Vancouver, WA Favorite holiday food: Eggnog
Brody Voge, Managing Editor
Major: English Standing: Sophomore Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO Favorite holiday food: Peppermint bark Olivia Eldredge, Copy Editor
Major: Finance Standing: Senior Hometown: Vancouver, WA Favorite holiday food: Pie of any kind
David Priymak, Photographer
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Major: Computer science Standing: Senior Hometown: Camas, WA Favorite holiday food: Apple pie
Austin Cari, Website Manager
Major: Computer science Standing: Junior Hometown: Longview, WA Favorite holiday food: Seitan roast Samantha Deshazer, Layout Editor
Major: Psychology Standing: Junior Hometown: Manteca, CA Favorite holiday food: Pumpkin pie
Tessa Hensley, Reporter
Visit Our Website Thevancougar.com
Major: Public affairs Standing: Senior Hometown: Longview, WA Favorite holiday food: Scalloped potatoes LeeLee Parr, Reporter
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December 2020
'Hot Eats, Cool Feets': Professor creates Instagram food account like no other
Olivia Eldredge | Copy Editor Gathering a carton of delicious stir-fry noodles and placing the dish in frame with his Jumpman shoes, Jordan Curtis snaps a quick photo to post for his 1,600 followers. Combining a passion for sneakers and unique cuisines, this WSU Vancouver professor is the creator of the Instagram food account, @hoteatscoolfeets, where he shares his mouthwatering food discoveries with the world.
Having exposure to many different kinds of dishes, Curtis fell in love with Portland’s food cart culture and was then led to working for Travel Portland. While the company promotes tourism to the city and its surrounding areas, working with Travel Portland allowed Curtis to visit an array of restaurants, which inspired the popular food and sneaker account. “I have worked with Travel Portland on and off for six years, and I really got to do a lot of storytelling with restaurants. So I love that, and that just deepened my love for food online. I also have a lot of friends that work at Nike, so there is the sneakerhead connection. As I have done this account, I have gotten smarter about sneakerhead culture. I don’t have any rare [shoes], just the stuff you can get online basically, and I have kept them in good condition,” Curtis said.
Based on Dairy Queen’s classic ‘90s slogan “Hot Eats, Cool Treats,” Curtis created the unique Instagram page to set himself apart from the massive community of other food accounts on social media. When scrolling through his posts, viewers can find colorful pictures of food from a multitude of restaurants or food trucks that Curtis has visited around the Portland metro area. Plus, as a self-proclaimed sneakerhead, he features several pairs of Nike shoes, which will Wanting to stay creative, Curtis often be used as a background started his food account during for each of his flavorful photos. Before teaching at WSU Vancouver, Curtis the COVID-19 pandemic and worked for Edelman, a public relations continues to enjoy the restauCurtis discovered his love of food firm in Portland. rant scene in new and safe ways. while working as a professional (David Priymak / The VanCougar) In a short amount of time with line cook at a restaurant in Portgaining his following base, many land for eight years, before deof his admirers are fellow food accounts veloping a career in marketing and public relations. As from Portland or other interestfor the story behind @hoteatscoolfeets, Curtis had once ed foodies around the world. worked in downtown Portland for Edelman, one of the largest public relations agencies, where he would frequently visit food carts in the surrounding area with coworkers.
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“I just kind of went after it. … I don’t have a lot of followers and in the food Instagram world, it’s like small potatoes. But, I don't even worry about that because I don’t have any aspirations of being an influencer. … All the pleasure that I really get is making the food look awesome,” Curtis said. Support for small businesses around the city has also played a major factor in Curtis’s selection of locations, as Curtis will primarily visit unique food trucks or restaurants, sometimes even outside of the Portland area. He often tags local businesses and gives them shoutouts for the dishes they offer. With the account, Curtis has made a lot of fellow food-blog friends over social media, and will engage with people online asking about their favorite foods, or the best places to eat in their local areas.
Curtis snaps a photo of noodles made from XLB, another Chinese restaurant he frequents in downtown Portland. (David Priymak / The VanCougar)
However, when asked if he plans to expand his social media presence to other platforms, he said he will likely stick to posting on Instagram for now.
Curtis's finalized Instagram post of the noodles he had from XLB. (David Priymak / The VanCougar)
Despite all of the restaurants Curtis has visited, his favorite lies in the heart of Portland. In the hypothetical situation where your best friend visits town, but neither of you know where to eat, Mama Chow’s Kitchen is Curtis’s most highly recommended restaurant, especially when it comes to eating their noodles, dumplings and Asian wings. “It’s a cart in downtown Portland and is only open for lunch. Mama Chow’s Kitchen is owned by a Chinese dude that came here from Oakland, [California] … and he is beloved by the community," Curtis said. "I think the only reason why he doesn’t have a full-blown restaurant at this point is because he’s just the kind of guy that wants to live a balanced life and not work all the time. How can you be mad at that? But I really wish I could go there for dinner or something. So, I would say that is my favorite place to eat."
Wings and dumplings from Curtis's favorite Portland eatery, Mama Chow's Kitchen. (Photo courtesy of Jordan Curtis)
Continuing his exploration of local eateries found in the Pacific Northwest, Curtis captures photos of a wide range of food that features some of the best places to go. Next time you wonder where you should eat, think about checking @hoteatscoolfeets for your dining endeavor.
@hoteatscoolfeets
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WSU alumna publishes her first children’s book on grief and loss Olivia Eldredge | Copy Editor
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oping with death and grief is a natural part of life, but addressing such heavy topics with children is something no parent ever wants to go through. After losing both her father and grandmother at a young age, Danica Thurber, WSU alumna, was inspired to self-publish her book, “Lulu Faces Loss And Finds Encouragement,” a children’s novel that teaches kids how to deal with grief. “I wrote this book as a resource that I wish I had when I had gone through loss. … I think that’s why those books don’t exist, we want to protect our children, and that’s the last book we want to buy for them when something horrible about a situation happens,” Thurber said. “You need to talk to kids about hard things and prepare them well for the tragic things that will happen in their lives.” “Lulu Faces Loss And Finds Encouragement” follows a young girl, Lulu, who watches her grandmother slowly pass as time goes on. When developing the character, Thurber says she based Lulu’s story on her own experiences, wanting to provide children with proper insights when dealing with the loss of a family member. Before graduating from WSU Pullman in 2013, Thurber practiced ministry in college, and was involved with a ministry group where other members had also dealt with the loss of their parents.
During her time there, Thurber discovered therapeutic techniques to help others deal with their own grieving experiences. Currently living in Boise, Idaho, she now works as an art ministry director and is the founder of Project Grief, an organization that offers classes for grievers on how to use art as an expression when dealing with loss. “I am a huge believer in art and healing, as a theme that goes together. … Personally, I like to say loss takes us beyond words, and so we have to go beyond words in order to heal,” Thurber said. “I discovered the role of art and healing for myself when I was in ministry … from there I developed my website, my business called Project Grief and from there w r i t i n g the children’s book.”
December 2020 The children's book had been a concept in the works for nearly 11 years. Instead of waiting for the opportunity to formally publish her book, Thurber decided it would be best to self-publish for her own creative control. With the help of her husband, Tony Thurber, she was able to put the book together by making executive decisions independent of a publishing company. Also serving as the illustrator for her book, Thurber could then select her choices of colors and editing decisions in terms of writing and organization.
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Thurber explains the decision to include a craft project in the book stems from her goal to help kids grieve through art. Thurber states the “encouragement flowers” craft was inspired by a very personal event that happened before her grandmother passed. While her grandmother was sick, Thurber reached out to family and friends through email, asking them to send kind words or prayers. She would then collect those messages on paper for her prayer box. Thurber gave the box to her grandmother in hospice, who had later requested to be buried with the box.
While the book takes readers through Lulu’s grief journey and “It meant so much to the loss of her grandme that I was able to mother, it also reigns give encouragement to in Thurber’s passion my grandma, that was for art. Her book not a tangible thing I could only showcases colordo. … I think Lulu ful illustrations, but an needed that action [of opportunity for kids to creating encouragement interact with its conflowers] to give her tent. By including a grandma support, to let craft project, children her know that she was can make their own there," Thurber said. paper “encouragement "Those tangible things flowers” to follow Danica Thurber says her inspiration to write her first children's book were what meant the along with Lulu, who "Lulu Faces Loss And Finds Encouragement," comes from the most to Lulu, even afcompletes the same relationship she had with her grandmother when she was young. ter her grandma died. I craft in the story. Since (Photo courtesy of Danica Thurber) have that memory of the flowers are a comprayer box, and Lulu mon gift to share receives the encouragewith those who are “You need to talk to kids about hard things and ment flowers back at the in the hospital, and flowers made of prepare them well for the tragic things that end, as a tangible thing remind her of her paper do not wilt, will happen in their lives.” - Danica Thurber to grandma’s memory." Lulu’s “encouragement flowers” serve as a lasting handmade present to her grandmother. When experiencing the loss of a close family member or friend, expressing emotions in a healthy way can be a difficult task. The By making the flower craft in the story, children can mourning process is different for everyone, but talking with othprocess their feelings of grief through art, allowing ers, locating a support system or finding a creative outlet to help them to project hope and encouragement onto others. cope with grief are all options to help facilitate the natural process of grieving. Although Thurber’s book is best suited for children, she states anyone can gain something from Lulu’s journey.
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December 2020
Opinion:
Gift wrapping sucks LeeLee Parr | Reporter
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very year, I reluctantly dedicate an entire day to wrapping Christmas presents. As the warmth of the fire settles in and “O Holy Night” plays from the radio, there’s only so much sticky tape and torn paper a girl can take before it kills my holiday spirit. As I thought about how the COVID-19 pandemic will affect this season, I realized gift wrapping is the one tradition I won’t be upset to forget about this year. With an industry generating an estimated $7 billion annually in the U.S., according to Popular Science, people have grown fond of the gift wrapping tradition. However, I think it’s time we reevaluate this festive activity. The time commitment, rising costs and environmental impacts all persuade me to find another wrapping alternative. Between the shopping, meal preparation, decorating and event planning, gift wrapping seems like additive stress. Wrapping all my gifts takes at least one day every year and serves as a big time commitment during an already hectic season. After the third or fourth hour, I get a little irritated when I trip over yet another roll of wrapping paper. Even if some forms of wrapping take less time than others, there’s still a decent price to pay to make your gifts look festive. Also, the expense of meals, decor and travel put an additional burden on students who have to pay next semester’s tuition, just days after the festivities end. In fact, research from Hallmark says Americans spend $3.2 billion annually on gift wrap, according to Vice.com, so the costs certainly add up. While folks financially struggling shouldn’t feel obligated to feed into this holiday tradition, gift wrapping also harms our fragile ecosystems. Wrapping paper and shopping bags account for an annual 4 million tons of trash in the U.S. alone, according to The Atlantic. Some may use the excuse to just recycle the paper, but often other supplies are mixed with plastics, glitter, foil and other additives making that material no longer recyclable. Considering we are way overdue in developing more eco-friendly habits, this old tradition should be left in 2020. To make one thing clear, I’m not advocating for shutting down the gift wrapping industry in its entirety. However, I encourage us to use this unconventional holiday season to ditch the usual gift wrap in exchange for more creative, cheaper and eco-friendly means. Let us know if you have a favorite gift wrapping alternative, because together we can develop a less stressful and more sustainable tradition for this holiday season.
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December 2020
Get involved with OSI involvement boxes Although it may be a challenge to keep students in good spirits this semester, the Office of Student Involvement has proven happiness can come from a box.
Tessa Hensley | Reporter
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hile many become overwhelmed with the stress of possible, and as we get more of a need we finals, the Office of Student Involvement has found a solu- will amp up how many [boxes] we can do.” tion to bring a little cheer back into the lives of VanCougs. The Great Outdoors Recreation Box was filled with OSI’s new “involvement boxes” are themed boxes filled supplies for hiking and camping, encouraging stuwith useful items for students to take a break and dents to enjoy from the go outside. Included in comfort of their own home. the outdoor-themed box Cambri Shanahan, recrewere graham crackers, ation coordinator for OSI, marshmallows and chocoexplains there are typically late for s’mores, as well as three different boxes, each a waterproof notebook, a with a different theme, for cooking pot set and other students to choose from Backpacks part of the Great Outdoors Recreation Box. items all wrapped up in each month. Every student Chocolate, marshmallows, a headlamp and other camp a small hiking backpack. can apply each month, but necessities are included. For football lovers, the priority is given to those (Emily Baumann / The VanCougar) Go Cougs Football Box who have not yet received included a WSU blanket, a box. Additionally, students can make recommendations a school spirit cup, chips, salsa and a small salsa dish. on what themes they would like to see for upcoming boxes. Katelyn Sedig, a senior social sciences major, For November, the three box themes included a Cougs works at the OSI office and assembles the involveW h o Cook Box, Great Outdoors Recreation Box and a ment boxes on campus. Sedig notes giving out boxG o Cougs Football Box. OSI prepared 25 packag- es can be a great way for students to interact with es for each box, except for the Cougs Who one another, even if it is only for a brief moment. Cook Box, which included a crockpot, tortilla chips and other soup items. “I always have a fun time assembling the involvement boxes and handing them out. Usually, the office is very “We did 30 of the crockpot ones quiet, but on involvement box days, it gets busier and it is because we thought those might refreshing to socialize with students. We have even had be a little more popular,” Sha- students coming in to pick up boxes for friends or family, nahan said. “We are trying to so it is great to see these boxes getting word-of-mouth. get as many students to This is a fun program that I hope we continue,” Sedig said. know about them as Each involvement box also includes fliers that typically involve virtual events and an opportunity for students to win a prize. In October, a pumpkin painting event was planned, where students could paint pumpkins at home and post a picture on social media, entering them for a chance to win a gift card. This month, OSI is opening their prize opportunity to all students.
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“So whether you get the box or not, if you go outside in the month of November, and just send us a picture and a little description, you can be entered in to win a two-person tent. It is pretty awesome,” Shanahan said. “And so anyone who does that will be entered in to win and you can do it each week to increase your chances.”
Cambri Shanahan, recreation coordinator for OSI, enjoys creating involvement boxes to help students cope with academic stress. (David Priymak / The VanCougar)
LaShay Wesley, a senior digital technology and culture major, received the pumpkin painting box for October and thinks the boxes are beneficial for students, granting them a small period of relaxation during the semester.
“I think they are a good idea because now that we have the coronavirus, we are not on campus and we are just on our computers all day and everybody needs a break. One of the issues was getting people involved and I think this is a good way of getting people involved,” Wesley said. Although it can serve as a challenge to get the supplies for over 50 boxes each month, Shanahan said students have been showing their satisfaction with the boxes, which makes the hard work worth it. “It has been nice. People are so appreciative, like they are so stoked about them. They love them because we have not been able to do a lot of programs. So it has been a really nice way to just give back and do some fun things for people, then they can do fun things on their own time,” Shanahan said. As Shanahan gears up to plan for newly themed boxes, she gave a sneak peek for this month, stating December’s box is a themed finals survival kit intended to help busy students de-stress with chocolate, games, coffee and tea. OSI plans to keep up with the involvement boxes throughout the academic year as long as it serves the students’ interests. If you did not get a chance to request a box in the fall, be sure to sign-up early for a box during the spring semester. If you are nervous about finals, OSI encourages students to sign-up for a finals survival kit when forms are available after Thanksgiving break.
Katelyn Sedig, senior social sciences major, works at the OSI office to assemble and pass out boxes to students. (David Priymak / The VanCougar)
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December 2020
The challenges and advantages of December graduation With the current job market threatening thousands of positions, not all hope is lost for VanCoug graduates
LeeLee Parr | Reporter Approaching graduation is usually accompanied by feelings of angst and uncertainty as students prepare to apply degrees toward full-time positions. However, this year brings a new looming fear over students' heads as they leap into the workforce during a full-fledged pandemic. Bayleigh Parsons, digital technology and culture major, serves as the Associated Students of WSU Vancouver’s director of communications and will graduate in DeBayleigh Parsons, digital technology and cember of 2020. While Parsons culture major, highlights her concerns highlights that many of her peers about the job market after graduation. in previous years have landed a (David Priymak / The VanCougar) job before they graduated, she still has concerns nearing graduation.
as people are less focused on traveling and holiday gatherings. She explains spring is when companies normally experience a high volume of applications as many students and recent graduates search for summer jobs. Oddly enough, Grigar’s CMDC December graduates could experience a hiring surge since creative media is sought out now more than ever. “With COVID, things are a little bit weirder. People are not traveling to their families, they're not having office parties.
“There's not anyone to go to and ask, ‘Hey, what does this whole process look like?’ They can tell me what a normal job hunt… [and] a normal interview would look like. But as for having to job hunt from home and not being able to meet anyone in person and [instead] being over Zoom, it's totally different. There's no one I can really go to that knows exactly what that process is like,” Parsons said. Professor Dene Grigar, director of the Creative Media and Digital Culture program, notes that certain technologically-based industries like coding, marketing and social media have actually seen an increase in hiring when compared to last December
Professor and CMDC Program Director Dene Grigar familiarizes students with the technology platforms used in the job market.
(Photo courtesy of Holly Slocum)
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Alex Duffield, humanities and communications major, encourages his peers to continue practicing their skills while waiting for job opportunities. (Sydnie Kobza / The VanCougar) So I'm finding that people are actually looking to hire during the [winter] season in a way they wouldn't have. … Despite the fact there's bad stuff going on and things are unsettled, there still is the interest in hiring because you know there are a lot of companies that are looking to grow,” Grigar said. However, the rise in employment has not been experienced by everyone. Industries that have a hard time maintaining social distancing have suffered since the pandemic began last March. Among the hardest hit include food service, brick-and-mortar retailers, airlines, manufacturing and event planning, according to Politico. Unfortunately, employers are learning to adjust with a smaller labor force, meaning many job losses are likely permanent. This means recent graduates could face stiff competition from more experienced applicants when applying. As more students get shaken up by the thought of graduating in the current job climate, both Grigar and Parsons explain several students have put off their senior seminar until at least Spring 2021. While communities try to adapt to social distancing guidelines, Grigar and the WSU Vancouver
CMDC program have taken proactive steps to prepare students with the tools and technologies they need to utilize their skills in the job market. In terms of preparation, Alex Duffield, December graduate studying humanities and integrated strategic communications, offers some advice when it comes to students waiting for the right career opportunity to come knocking. “I think just staying active and staying sharp is going to help you feel a little bit better about your skills. I think as humans if people aren't paying us or aren't paying attention to the work we're doing, we often take it personally. But if you just do it for yourself and strengthen that muscle, I think it'll help you through those times when it's just you working on your craft,” Duffield said. For students who have continued onward with their plans to graduate soon, Grigar laid out a few job seeking tips that students of all majors can utilize. This includes visiting your adviser for resume reviews, setting up your LinkedIn account to connect with people in your field and cleaning up social media profiles in case potential employers review your profile. While VanCougs may be anxious with December graduation rolling around the corner, Grigar urges students to stay hopeful and give themselves plenty of grace as they work through post-graduation job hunts.
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December 2020
Cougar Bites:
Delicious holiday drinks for 21+ Tessa Hensley | Reporter
The holidays are approaching, and relaxation tends to be at the bottom of everyone’s shopping list. To help with de-stressing after finals, The VanCougar has found some drink ideas that can help you stay warm, festive and positive during this winter season.
RumChata Hot Chocolate My favorite festive drink of all time is a delicious hot chocolate. Made with whole milk, Nestlé Rich Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix, marshmallows, chocolate syrup, ground cinnamon and RumChata, this drink is perfect for staying warm and happy despite the cold and rainy weather. For this recipe, make your hot chocolate according to the directions on the packet of your brand of choice. After mixing hot milk or water with your cocoa packet, add a tablespoon of chocolate syrup and a dash of cinnamon to your mix. Once these ingredients are added, stir everything together. Next, add your desired amount of RumChata. I recommend adding small amounts of RumChata at a time until you achieve your desired taste. To finish it off, add some marshmallows on top and drizzle them with chocolate syrup or another dash of cinnamon.
SPIKED EGGNOG This holiday drink is incredibly simple and only requires two ingredients: RumChata and eggnog. To begin, pour the eggnog of your choice into a festive glass and add your desired amount of RumChata. Stir with a spoon or a straw, then top it off with a good dollop of peppermint whipped cream. You can also sprinkle some cinnamon, crushed peppermints or sprinkles for added flavor.
Poinsettia Mimosa Saving the best for last is a mimosa holiday classic. Mimosas made with cranberry juice are popular around this time of year and are sometimes called poinsettia mimosas. To make this vibrant colored drink, simply fill half a glass with cranberry juice, then the other half with prosecco sparkling wine. I found this to be a great drink when paired with dinner. To add some extra pizazz, I also recommend adding the rim of your glass with sugar. We hope these drinks can help kick off a great start to your winter break. Let us know which drink was your favorite and as always The VanCougar wishes you a cheerful holiday season.
Editor’s Note: The VanCougar does not encourage individuals under 21 to consume alcoholic beverages.
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December m a r k yo u r c a l e n da r . . . BaCE Workshop, “Disability Etiquette” 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
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Wellness Exams 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Land Grab Universities Discussion Group 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
THURS.
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Meet Alice Wong, editor of “Disability Visibility: First-person Stories from the Twenty-first Century” 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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Live Better, Stress Less: Maintaining Connection While Physically Distant 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Scholarships 101 Virtual Information Night 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
10 Morning fog seen on the quad at WSU Vancouver (Laura Dutelle / WSU Vancouver)
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Finals week begins
Admissions 101 5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Finals week ends Hanukkah ends
Seventh Annual One River, Ethnics Matter Conference 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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thurs.
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Let’s Talk VanCougs! 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
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Christmas Day
SAT.
Kwanzaa
Hanukkah begins
Next issue of The VanCougar ships Jan. 11
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December 2020