Hispanic communities lacture
USC*ARCO lecture series on education, society and
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Johnson, a geography profesaor at the University of North Carolina, Mill address newly emerging Hispanic communities in the United States.	See p*. 2 for anotlwr py,
USC faHt short Oregon quarterback Akili Smith led the Ducks over the Trojans, while USC couldn't
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Higher learning. Bryan Singer. USC alumnus, follows The Usual Suspects* with a disturbing psychological thriller ‘Apt Pupil.”	a
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Cool, clear morning will lead to warm and sunny afternoon.
NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
USC students, graduates travel world to be volunteers
Military. Seventeen join the Peace Corps to aid with development, health and education
By RACHEL CAMPBELL
Staff Writer
Poverty, disease, hunger and destitution plague many parts of the world. Some USC students and recent graduates have joined forces with the Peace Corps to fight these ills and improve the lives of others around the work).
Currently, 17 USC graduates and students are serving overseas in the
Peace Corps. These volunteers help in developing education, health, business, agriculture, engineering and the environment in countries that otherwise would not be able to do so on their own.
The three goals of the Peace Corps, started in 1961 under President Kennedy, are to provide volunteer social and economic development in other countries, provide a better understanding of Americans among people who volunteer service and strengthen Americans' understanding about the world.
"Important changes don’t happen overnight," said Anne Gretter, public affairs manager of the Los Angeles office of the Peace Corps. “The Peace Corps helps to make those long-term changes."
The Peace Corps changes lives and opens volunteers to a variety of experi-
ences that wouldn’t be possible by staying in the United States, said Richard Cone, who served on the Peace Corps from 1964 to 1966 and is now program director of the Joint Educational Project
‘I grew up in the Midwest in a primarily white community and went to college at a time when the students were mostly white," Cone said. “I never had experience in another culture, and it was a real eye-opener to see people who think and act differently. It forced me to grow up and look at myself."
Cone entered the Peace Corps with his wife after graduating from Cal State Long Beach. Both he and his wife served in Turkey and taught English as a second language in junior high, high
school and adult school classes.
Jose Madera, who earned a master’s degree in education from USC in 1976, served in Costa Rica from 1978 to 1980 and worked with delinquent youth through an education ministry.
Madera said he learned most from the culture itself. "I learned about the different ways (people) go about living their everyday lives. They lead a slower pace of life For example, they took two-hour lunches. Costa Ricans are very religious, moral and simple people," he said.
The quality of life in other countries impressed many volunteers. “They live in shacks and mud homes," said Melanie Moya, a USC alumnus who served in Paraguay from 1993 to 1995 as a midwife and nurse. ‘Many times there are
(see P*ace, page 1%)
Read • USC student’s personal account of two years with th# Peace Corps on page!
'SC SPOTLIflHT
Tricks of the trade
Crime: Apartment graffiti and office door disturbance spur DPS investigations
By CHRISTINE FREY
Assignment Editor
Two incidents of anti-gay vandalism occurred on campus last week, bringing the total number of 1998 hate crimes at USC up to six, Department of Public Safety officials said.
Adam Law, an undeclared sophomore, discovered the word "gay” written in four-inch letters with blue marker on the wall outside his single apartment in Fluor Tower Friday morning.
Law, an openly gay student, said he discovered the marking when be left his apartment at 9 a.m. Friday. Law said he did not notice the graffiti when he came home at 3 a.m. Friday. Authorities said the vandalism occurred during the night. Law reported the crime to DPS, which is now conducting an investigation of the incident.
Three days earlier on Oct 20, DPS received a report that news articles pertaining to gay and lesbian issues were removed from an office door in the Social Science Building between Oct 15 and 19, said Bob Taylor, deputy chief of DPS. News clippings posted on the door that dealt with other issues were not disturbed.
Both acts of vandalism were classified as hate crimes, Taylor said.
The incidents occurred days after USC's Oct. 16 vigil for Matthew Shepard, a gay student who was the victim of an alleged hate-crime murder in Wyoming during National Coming Out Week, earlier this month.
"I think you can probably justify saying that this is a response to the visibility of gays and lesbians on campus in the last month,” said Erik Sanjuijo, a member of the Gay, Lesbian, Bi Assembly executive board and a graduate student in political science.
"I think it’s extremely unfortunate that this has to occur, especially on a campus where diversity is such a focus," said David Corbitt, the president of GLBA and a senior majoring in theater.
"If it’s not stopped at this end of the scale it will just get worse,” Law said. *1 encourage anyone who fells victim to this crime to come forward at any cost. It’s too important to be kept silent.”
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October 26, ltM Vol. CXXXV, No. 37
Hate crimes on rise with vandalism
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USC sophomore earns status as magic contributor to world-renowned David Copperfield
By ANUSHA RAMANATHAN
Staff Writer
Thomas Meier never fails to amaze his audiences.
He can change one playing card into another before a group of friends, or make a finger ring appear inside an ice cube in front of an international crowd.
It’s magic - and that’s what earned this USC sophomore majoring in philosophy the title of World Magic Champion in July 1997.
Meier entered USC last fell and was an immediate standout in his freshman class.
The trick that helped Meier win the prestigious title was crafted by the young magician himself and . ^ ninvol.es an effect where a ring, borrowed Sv from an audience member, disappears and reappears inside an ice cube. Meier recently sent a videotape of himself performing this trick to one of the worid’s most weD-known magicians, David Copperfield. The videotape was accompanied by a mes-J	sage which expressed that
Jt Meier would be honored if Copperfield chose to incorporate the effect into his magic, Meier said.
A while later, Meier was flown out to Las Vegas, where Copperfield was performing at the time, to discuss the trick with the famous magician in person.
On meeting and talking with Copperfield, Meier said, “He's great, he’s a really friendly guy.” Meier stayed at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for one night, after which he agreed to sign a contract with Copperfield, allowing Copperfield to adopt and use his effect. In exchange, Meier agreed not to perform his trick on television, and said he
(see Spotlight, page 9)
Thomas Meier, a sophomore majoring in philosophy, performs one of his tricks.