January 23, 2020 Volume 102 Number 03 THE DUQUESNE DUKE www.duqsm.com PROUDLY SERVING OUR CAMPUS SINCE 1925 Chuckle up: Comedy Club holds first event DU hosts workshops to help future entrepre- neurs River Chapdelaine staff writer Duquesne’s Small Business De- velopment Center, more com- monly known as SBDC, started its 2020 business workshops in early January. They are being hosted at Rockwell Hall Room 108 for anyone who is interested in starting up their own business and is curious to see what's need- ed in becoming an entrepreneur. SBDC is a non-profit organiza- tion that is federally funded by the Small Business Administra- tion (SBA) and, at the state level, by the Pennsylvania Department Griffin Sendek / Photo Editor of Community and Economic Sam Espirtu (far right), a senior music therapy major, performed at the Duquesne Comedy Club's event in the NiteSpot. Troy Smajda (standing middle) is the president of the Duquesne Comedy Club. This is their first event of the semester, with plans to hold one every month. see SBDC — page 2 Duquesne student helps Puerto Rican relief efforts the population of Puerto Rican Jessica Lincoln citizens at Duquesne is grow- staff writer ing extensively, and I think it’s important not only for us, the Ericka Correa was at home for Puerto Rican community here Christmas break when, on Dec. at Duquesne, to give back to our 28, her mother called her at- community on the island, but I tention to a story that had just think it’s important to spread broken on the Spanish-language awareness of what’s happening," news channels: a magnitude 4.7 Correa said. earthquake had struck near the Since the end of December, southern coast of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico has been struck by where most of Correa's family lived. more than 2,000 quakes large Now, as more quakes continue enough to be felt, according to to hit the island, Correa has part- the National Earthquake Infor- nered with the Office of Resi- mation Center, all of which had dence Life and the Puerto Rican epicenters near the southwest- Student Association to set up a ern part of the island. Of those, fundraiser for those affected. 30 had magnitudes over 4.5, "I think it’s really important to start a fundraiser now because see AID — page 2 Courtesy AP News ... opinions features sports a & e Follow us on... The dark side of Drum major for Michael Hughes An Elephant in organ donation justice is on a tear the Garden The international Woodruff duo Dukes' center One-woman black market of recognized at one of nation's show explores organs thrives MLK Breakfast best blockers World War II family @theduquesneduke PAGE 4 PAGE 6 PAGE 7 PAGE 10 2 THEDUQUESNEDUKE POLICE briefs Students collect donations for earthquake victims AID— from page 1 the page will be used to purchase It’s been rather chilly up on the more items to donate to the citi- bluff, so it seems the criminals zens of Puerto Rico, as well as have been hiding indoors. meaning they were capable of covering shipping costs, accord- causing considerable to severe ing to Correa. On Jan. 19, a student was found damage. Most recently, three "Puerto Rico is going through to be intoxicated near Towers quakes registering around 4.5 something very, very terrible, LLC. An acquaintance of that occurred on Jan. 20. and I would like [Duquesne stu- student was denied from re- The island has been in con- dents] to spread awareness and turning to campus. tinuous recovery since Hurricane do some research," Correa said. Maria made landfall there in "Donate. Anything really helps. On Jan. 19, Duquesne Univer- 2017. Ricardo Rossello, the gov- A lot of people are in need." sity dispatch received a call ernor of Puerto Rico at the time, For Correa, the recent swarm for an intoxicated male in the estimated in 2018 that the hurri- of earthquakes hits very close School of Music. Duquesne po- cane had killed 2,975 people and to home. On her mother's side lice officers arrived on the scene caused $90 billion in damage. of the family, her three aunts and contacted the non-affiliat- "Some believe the island’s are living in tents because their Courtesy of AP News ed male. He was then escorted plights have been forgotten about houses, virtually destroyed, are Rubble from one of the buildings destroyed in a recent earthquake in Puerto Rico. from the building and taken to and that they have been left to not stable enough to stay in. the Public Safety Building. A recover on their own," according On her father's side, her grand- Last spring, 38 enrolled students off non-perishable food items, non-traffic citation was issued to Charity Navigator, a nonprofit mother, her uncle and her uncle's who listed Puerto Rico as their saltines and crackers, bottled for disorderly conduct. evaluation organization. family were living in the garage. permanent residence according water, batteries, diapers, insect To help, Correa initially Then, her grandmother became ill to official enrollment data. This repellent spray, flashlights, femi- On Jan. 21, a Duquesne student planned to set up a donation box and had to be flown to mainland fall, nine more Puerto Rican stu- nine hygiene products, tooth- in St. Martin Hall was found to in Des Places, where she works as U.S. for treatment, since the aid dents enrolled, said Emily Brzus- paste, toothbrushes, baby wipes be in possession of marijuana an RA. However, resident direc- she needed was unavailable on towicz, the assistant director of or other items at Des Places. The paraphernalia. They were re- tors from other buildings soon the island. undergraduate admissions and GoFundMe can be found online. ferred to the Office of Student expressed their support, and the "I know that in the news, a the campus advisor for the Puerto As of print time, the GoFund- Conduct. project became a campus-wide lot of people have been focused Rican Student Association. Me was $6 away from its $200 initiative. Camila Arieiro, the more on Australia and the war in "As part of the Puerto Rican goal, and Correa said that many JOKE CORNER! president of the Puerto Rican Iran and all of that, but I think community here on campus, I items had already been donated. Student Association, also reached we also really need to take a step feel kind of isolated [from other "That really gives me a lot of out to collaborate on the project. back and look at what’s happen- Duquesne students]," Correa joy and appreciation for the stu- Q: What do you call a fish Now, anyone at Duquesne ing here in our own country, our said. "In doing this fundraiser and dents here on campus and the joy without eyes? can drop off items at Des Places own territories," Correa said. spreading awareness on campus, I that I know my family and others A: FSH or donate via the project's Go- At Duquesne, the number of think that's bridging the gap." are going to have when they see FundMe page. Funds raised on Puerto Rican students is growing. Interested students can drop all of this," she said. Q: How do poets say hello? A: Hey, haven’t we metaphor? Small business workshops begin at DU FOLLOW Q: What do you call a pig according to the SBDC website. on Jan. 23 at 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. that does karate? SBDC— from page 1 However, not all workshops are Main subjects will include rec- A: a pork chop Development. It offers individu- THE DUKE hosted at Duquesne; SBDC splits ommended tools and resources alized confidential consulting to up its workshops between the for digital marketing, how your Q: If you walk into a owners of small businesses or in- forest and cut down a Community Development Cor- business can design and create a ON THE dividuals who want to start up a tree, but the tree doesn't poration of Butler County and cost-effective website, anticipat- small business in the Southwest- understand why you cut Duquesne. ing a timeline for building a site WEB it down ... is it stumped? ern Pennsylvania area. It offers The SBDC workshops are spe- and more. free business consulting after cially tailored for all different The next workshop, Simple participants take a pre-business facets of building and managing Strategic Planning,will feature seminar that costs $25. a small business. This includes speaker Ken Sevick.. He is a Instagram Business consulting can be not only having workshops re- well-known business coach with @TheDuquesne volving around logistics of taxa- scheduled at its offices, located 15 years of experience and also tion requirements for your busi- Duke in Lawrence, Butler and Bea- affiliated with the global Action ness, but includes workshops Coach organization. ver counties along with SBDC’s focusing on a modern approach JOIN THE DUKE! This workshop will focus on Downtown Pittsburgh office. on the profitability of advertising important business aspects like Facebook If you’re interested, email thed- The first workshop of the year, through social media, appealing [email protected] or stop by our titled, First Step: Business Start to the technological marketing six key areas essential to execut- The Duquesne Duke newsroom located in the basement Up Essentials, was on Jan. 9. The aspect of business building. ing plans on a regular basis, a of College Hall (Room 113). topics of discussion were insur- Speakers such as Chris Vendil- solid structure and format for planning as well as ways of im- ance, financing options, govern- li, CEO and founder of inbound proving team productivity and Twitter ment procurement and major marketing and website develop- optimal ways to improve time components of the business plan.