Mar. 17-31, 2020

Looking for a page-turner while you’re stuck inside? Our Driftwood editors and faculty advisor will be passing on some of her favorite light reading picks to pass the time while cooped up at home.

Ms. Rysavy recommends: The Huntress by Kate Quinn

Mar. 17-31, 2020

Local Fitness Opportunities:  

Public places like gyms are at a high risk of being contaminated with Cornonavirus. But since we promised to highlight more local gyms in this issue, here are great local gyms for after the virus passes. In the meantime, look for at-home workout options on the Apple or Android app store, Pinterest, and YouTube–and in upcoming issues of the Driftwood.

Anytime Fitness: This gym offers a wide variety of free weights and weight machines. It also has a yoga room with many different useful pieces of equipment. The gym staff is trained to help anyone from beginners to professional lifters. Anytime Fitness is one of the more expensive gyms in the area; however, it’s for a good reason. They provide a great atmosphere and overall experience, including one-on-one trainers who walk around and offer helpful workout advice.
Cost: Membership starts at $40/month.

Inferno Fitness: This fitness studio is owned by a woman who strives to make each person as comfortable as possible in the gym. Inferno Fitness also has multiple nutrition blogs that have valuable workout and diet tips. If you’re looking to get involved in a weight training program, there are multiple class options to choose from at Inferno.
Cost: $38/month.

YMCA: Looking for a place that’s very lively? Look into joining the Marinette-Menominee YMCA. They offer a wide variety of fitness programs including water exercises, cycling, BodyPump classes, Zumba, racquetball and basketball courts, and more. They also have a full weight room, child care, and even a hot tub!
Cost: Starts at $29/month plus a $50 joining fee.

Community REC Center: This recently opened building provides numerous ways to get exercise and have fun at the same time. There is indoor ice skating during the winter months and a pool for the summer. Year-round, there are multiple indoor tennis courts available to the public. The REC Center is also one of the few places in the Marinette area with martial arts classes.
Cost: $6/day pass or $34/month pass with student ID.

Truth in Function: Are you an athlete suffering from persistent injuries? Or, do you just want some expert help achieving your fitness goals, as an athlete or as a workout newbie? In either case, Truth in Function can help! The experienced trainers at this unique gym will assess your muscular and neuromuscular system, and then they’ll help you develop a workout plan to “micro-progress” you toward your goals with the least amount of injury and soreness possible. They also offer classes in hatha and vinyasa yoga, women’s self defense, adult and kids jujitsu, and group strength training, as well as custom running plans.
Cost: Classes start at $10 for a drop-in pass. Fitness assessment and first workout are free. Contact the gym for cost of other plans/services. 

—A.J Corey, Sports Editor

Marinette Campus Student Advisor

Bethany Welch started as the Marinette Campus Academic Advisor this year after teaching in the International Students program and other classes on campus. She was born and raised in Marinette, WI, and has always been connected to the area. She loves the opportunity to meet with students. The Driftwood talked to Bethany about her personal life and the pros and challenges of her new career. 

Who are you? Where are you from? Tell us anything else about yourself that you wish (hobbies, family, animals, etc.)?

I am the academic advisor at the Marinette Campus as of January 2020. From September 2008-December 2019, I taught a variety of courses including Spanish I and II, Spanish Language Through Culture, English as a Second Language, and a Cultural Identity First Year Seminar. I was born and raised right here in Marinette, WI.

Why did you choose UWGB-Marinette Campus?

I wanted to live and work here in Marinette, where most of my family and friends are. I got my AAS from UW-Marinette in 2002, and I knew it would be a great place to work, with great colleagues—and I was right!

What do you like most about your job?

I love interacting with students, getting to see what interests them and what motivates them. I enjoy working with colleagues who are passionate about education and make lifelong learning a priority.

What can be challenging about your job?

There are certain weeks in the semester where it feels like there just aren’t enough hours in a day to get everything done, or to meet with everyone. I enjoy a challenge, though, and lists help me to prioritize those responsibilities. We can’t really control or manage time as well as we think we can—we can only prioritize!

What made you decide to switch jobs to Academic Advisor?

I really enjoy the opportunity it provides to meet all of the students on campus, not just the ones who take my classes. Advising appointments still feel like teaching, so I’m not missing out on the interaction—just on the planning and grading, which is fine with me! Finally, the International program on campus has not continued to grow, so it was unlikely I would be able to continue teaching ESL in the future, and I was ready for the administrative change that advising presented.

If you are an ice cream person, what would be your favorite flavor?

Of course I’m an ice cream person! Cookies and cream is my favorite.

Mar. 3-Mar. 16, 2020

Ahoy there! This here publication be The Driftwood, courtesy of the students in Marinette Campus’s Practicum in Literary Publishing class. Take a gander at local events, learn about a campus resource, check out the club highlight, scrutinize this issue’s book review, and meet another member of the Marinette Campus team!

Editorial Staff

From the 3/3-3/16 issue:

Marinette Campus English Literature & Writing Lecturer

Tracy Fernandez Rysavy teaches English at the Marinette Campus. While she mostly taught composition her first year, this year, she moved to literature and creative writing. She’s also The Driftwood’s advisor and teaches the Practicum in Literary Publishing class behind this newsletter and the 2020 Northern Lights Literary & Arts Journal. 

Who are you? Where are you from?
I teach literature, creative writing, and the occasional composition class here at the Marinette Campus. While I grew up two hours south of Marinette in Random Lake, WI, I’ve lived all over the U.S. and even in Seoul, Korea.

What brought you to UW-Green Bay, Marinette Campus?
My original career goal was to teach college English, but I married a Naval officer who moved us around every two years, so I became a nonprofit magazine editor-in-chief on a telecommuting basis and taught creative writing workshops and college writing on the side every once in a while for fun. When my husband retired from the Navy, we settled here, and when a spot opened up on campus, I knew I’d love to go back to teaching full time.

What are your plans for Northern Lights Literary & Arts Journal? 
I’m the faculty advisor for the campus Creative Writing Club, and last year, we published Northern Lights as a club project. (The journal has a long history on the Marinette campus, but it hadn’t been published since 2015.) The English department chair liked it and asked me to make it the centerpiece of a Practicum in Literary Publishing class, so this year, that class will be creating and publishing the journal. (And we don’t even have to have a bake sale to drum up money to print it!) While we’re waiting for submissions to roll in, that class created The Driftwood e-newsletter. I’m pretty proud of their work and look forward to seeing what they do with Northern Lights. (Please submit your work to Northern Lights by March 27th!)

What is the most challenging part of creating a good publication piece?
For me, it’s facing the blank page. To paraphrase an apocryphal quote from Dorothy Parker, my favorite part of writing is “having written.” Once I’ve blasted out a rough draft (which I do while figuratively holding my nose and trying not to worry about being perfect), it’s so much easier for me to go back and edit or fix things. I love the part where I get to tweak and polish something that’s already in existence.

How would you represent your writing and publishing to others?
During my 20-year career as a journalist, I published hundreds of articles in magazines and have been in a couple of nonfiction anthologies. In addition, I’ve published eight romantic suspense novels with Harlequin and Kensington/Zebra, though I hit pause on fiction writing when my daughters were born. Honestly, though, my favorite part about creative writing is teaching it!

When did you first decide on becoming an English Professor?
Fresh out of grad school, but life had other plans until now. So far, I really love my mid-life career switch!

If you were a crayon, what color would you be and why?
Red. It’s my favorite color, and it doesn’t make me look like I have ebola when I wear it (like every pastel in existence). As it’s known as an emotional color, I’ll also say that it fits me since I tend to be rather passionate about the things I love, like my family, really good books, and the Oxford comma.

—Interview by Breanne Bedgood, Profiles Editor &
Driftwood Social Media Coordinator

From the 3/3-3/16 issue:

Local Sports Games:

For the next two weeks, there are currently no local games or meets to attend. However, here are some upcoming Green Bay Gambler games. Show up and support our area Tier 1 hockey team!

Green Bay Gamblers:

• Fri., Mar. 6: Gamblers Hockey (Girl Scout Night): Home game at the Resch Center, Green Bay.

• Sat., Mar. 7: Gamblers Hockey (Bud Night/Heavy Metal): Home game at the Resch Center.

Local Fitness Opportunities:  

Many people don’t realize the great gym opportunities in the Marinette area. Listed below are some of the best local gyms and the perks that go with each one. (More gyms to come in the next issue of The Driftwood.)

• • BlissFIT Studio: This fitness studio is women-only and offers personal training, tanning, and fitness classes ranging from High-Intensity Interval Training to Mommy & Me Movement Hour. For women who prefer a smaller gym focused on high-quality studio classes, BlissFIT is the perfect option. In addition, the gym offers free child care while you work out.
    Cost: Classes start at $7 per drop-in and $25/month (per class type), or choose a $50/month unlimited 9 a.m. or 5:30 p.m. class option. Open gym times (held when classes are NOT in session) are available only to those who purchase an unlimited class option. 
  • UW Marinette Field House: Our campus Field House offers more than just a gym and weight room. It’s free to enter with your Marinette Campus ID, and best of all, there is a pool! Also known as the River Cities Community Pool, the Field House pool offers open swim hours, plus water aerobics and water yoga classes, which are also free for Marinette campus students. You can even rent the pool for a private party of up to 30 people for only $60/hour.
    Cost: Free with your Marinette Campus ID!
  • Planet Fitness:
    This gym offers shiny new aerobic and weight-lifting equipment, a circuit area, and free virtual workouts via its app. In addition, a Black Card membership gets you access to massage chairs, tanning, and infrared light therapy booths. Planet Fitness is open 24/7, and on the first Monday of every month, they offer free pizza! The Basic Membership is an affordable option on a student budget.
    Cost: $10/month for a Basic Membership; $22.99/month for a Black Card Membership, which allows you to bring a free guest.
  • IronHouse Family Fitness: Many people locally have heard of the IronHouse because of their very experienced trainers. However, most don’t know that staff will watch your children while you work out, and they have a protein shake bar! This independently owned gym offers all the equipment you’ll get at fitness chains, plus CrossFit classes, 24/7 access, and small-town service.
    Cost: $19.99/month with your student ID. (Other memberships start at $27.99/month.)
  • To be continued in the next issue….

—A.J. Corey, Sports Editor

From the 3/3-3/16 issue:

Featured Book: Contemporary Debates: Poverty and Welfare in America, Examining the Facts 

by David Wagner

Many people have felt the effects of poverty in the United States, whether they have lived through it or watched someone else endure it. However, what some may not understand are the sheer amount of myths and untruths surrounding the topic of poverty in today’s society. This edition of the Contemporary Debates series gives excellent, unbiased insight to not only the politics of poverty, but also the current, personal issues around which poverty could rear its ugly head.

As a question-and-answer formatted book, I highly recommend picking up a copy and at least skimming through.  Who knows? Maybe it’ll answer some questions you’ve had but couldn’t find the words to express. Better yet, it could help you relate to what politicians are referring to when they talk about poverty, and perhaps you’ll gain a more insightful understanding of whom you’d like to vote for in the coming elections.

Other New Historical Nonfiction Books in the Marinette Campus Library

• Southern History on Screen: Race and Rights, 1976-2016 by Bryan M. Jack.
• In Theaters Everywhere: A History of the Hollywood Wide Release 1913-2017 by Brian Hannan.
• Immigration and the American Ethos by Morris Levy and Matthew Wright.
• Refugees in America: Stories of Courage, Resilience, and Hope in Their Own Words by Lee T. Bycel.

—Emily Burns, Books Editor

From the 3/3-3/16 Issue:

Featured Services: Tutors and Brainfuse

What’s the difference between crafting a B-grade paper and an A-grade paper? A second pair of eyes! While you have spent many hours refining, trimming, polishing your paragraphs, you might be desensitized to any remaining flaws. Enter: Brittany Daigneault and Ms. Rysavy! They can view your work through a fresh set of lenses and offer you tips on how to make it even better. And we don’t just have tutors for English; we also have Sophia Dao for Math. All our tutors are knowledgeable in their subjects, and they can also help you use Brainfuse for the subjects they can’t cover. Stop by the Learning Center in M-113! (Tutor hours are posted outside the Learning Center and on our website.)

Plus, don’t forget about Brainfuse. This online tutoring service offers 24/7 tutoring in math, writing, and many other subjects, and it’s free for all UW-Green Bay students. Visit the Marinette Campus Learning Center website and click on the Brainfuse logo, or click here to go directly to our UW-Green Bay Brainfuse site.

—Indigo Ramirez, Campus Clubs & Services Editor

From the 3/3-3/16 Issue:

Featured Event: Menominee High School Presents Legally Blonde: The Musical!

March 12th, 13th, 14th, & 15th: Come on down to Menominee High School to see this year’s musical: Legally Blonde! Watch as sorority girl Elle Woods tries to get into Harvard to win back her ex-boyfriend. Tickets are required and are $10.00 at the door, or they can be purchased in advance for $9.00 at Menominee High School and the Jack’s Fresh Market in Menominee. Performances start at 7 p.m. on March 12th – 14th, and at 2 p.m. on March 15th.

On-Campus:

• Tues., March 3rd: Danica Oudens Visiting Artist Talk: Theater Gallery, 12:30 p.m.

Off-Campus:

• Tues., March 3rd: Vintage Truck Sign-Making Class @ Prickly Pear Studio and Ceramic Cafe. Pre-registration required. Cost $45. 5:30-8 p.m.
• Fri., March 6th & Sat., March 7th: Harry Potter Nights @ Spies Public Library. Pre-registration required for 2nd-6th graders. 6 – 7:30 p.m.
• Thurs., March 12th: “Sip and Paint” Bob Ross-Inspired Painting Class for Teens @ Stephenson Public Library. Pre-registration required. 2 – 3:30 p.m.
• Sat. March 14th: Ordinary Person EP Release Show/ Celebration with Musician Abigail Nygren @ EnJoy Gifts and Gathering. 6:30 p.m.
• Sat. March 14th: “Beautiful Sunset” Acrylic Painting Class with Sherry @ First Street Art Gallery. Pre-registration required. Cost $30. All supplies provided. 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.
• March 12th, 13th, 14th, & 15th: Menominee High School Presents Legally Blonde: The Musical.

—Cassidy MacArthur, Theater & Arts Editor

From the 3/3-3/16 Issue:

Visual Arts Club

Say hello to Visual Arts Club (formerly known as VPAC)! President Abigail Marquardt and Vice President Nikki Grom lead this club, and lately they’ve been combining the arts with movie nights. So far, they’ve explored latch hooking, crochet, and clay! This is a great club for exploring creative interests, so I highly recommend you swing by their next meetings on March 5th or March 12th! (See the “Campus and Community Events” section for locations and times.)

—Indigo Ramirez, Clubs & Services News Editor