Category: News

ISPGA to Host Food Drive on Campus

The Public Relations Committee for IPSGA Student Senate is kicking off their first food drive this year with the “Winter Giving Tree.”

The “Winter Giving Tree” will be held Nov. 30 through Dec. 23 at IPFW. All students are encouraged to donate canned items and non-perishable goods.

A goal of the food drive is to obtain around 200-300 pounds of food to donate to Community Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Indiana.

“Since it’s the first year we are doing it, I really didn’t want to set the bar too high to see how things went, but hopefully in years to come we’ll continue to grow,” said Jessica Shoaff, Public Relations Committee Chair for IPSGA Student Senate.

When planning the food drive, the committee did not have a place in mind of where they wanted the donated items to go. IPFW has been affiliated with Community Harvest Food Bank in the past and getting in touch with the food bank was easy for Shoaff and the committee.

Community Harvest Food Bank recently was affiliated with “U Can Crush Hunger” food drive that had five colleges in northeast Indiana, IPFW, Saint Francis, Indiana Tech, Ivy Tech Community College Northeast and Huntington University in competition with one another to raise 100,000 pounds of food. IPSGA’s food drive will be held only on the campus of IPFW.

Another one of the goals of the food drive is to show off a side of the IPSGA that they are not known for.

“I know we are pretty business-like and rather than funding the clubs and organizations, I thought we’d show a different side of student senate,” said Shoaff.

In her first year as chair, Shoaff gave the committee a list of ideas to consider but the “Winter Giving Tree” was not on the list. After brainstorming during committee meetings they decided on a food drive.

The unique name of the “Winter Giving Tree” gave the committee an idea on how to advertise the food drive.

“I just got the funding from senate for the two-foot tall (Christmas) trees that will be placed around campus,” Shoaff said.

Along with the trees will be posters put up around campus that describe the food drive and where to donate.

The main tree of the food drive will be located outside the IPSGA office, Walb 225, to put the donated items.

Students who donate to the giving tree can swipe their student ID in the IPSGA office to be entered to win a free IPFW fleece. The number of fleece jackets that will be given away has not yet been determined according to Shoaff and the committee.

If the drive is successful, ISPGA plans to make this an annual food drive.

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IPFW Hosts 2015 Diversity Showcase

Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne hosted its annual Diversity Showcase on Wednesday Nov. 4 in the universities’ Walb Union International Ballroom.

The event, which has been hosted by the university for over a decade, is meant to showcase the unique cultures and identities that can be found on the Fort Wayne campus.

“A lot of people think they know what diversity is, but this type of event gives a chance for students and the community to come out and see what this university really has to offer, there is something for everyone,” said the Kenneth Christmon, who is the associate vice chancellor for diversity and multicultural affairs at IPFW.

Christmon said that this year’s event was the largest of its kind with over 50 vendors that included departments from within the university as well as various student organizations.

Some of the vendors from the university included departments such as the College of Health and Human Services, the IPFW athletic department and the Office of Military Student Services.

Some of the student organizations involved with the event included the Black Collegian Caucus and Hispanos Unidos.

Gladys Calderon, a student at IPFW and a member of Hispanos Unidos, said the Diversity Showcase and other similar events do a great job to raise awareness for not only the organization she is involved with, but all of the other campus organizations as well.

“We do a lot on campus and even more within the community and just getting the word out really helps us out” said Calderon. Calderon said that on top of taking trips to Spanish speaking countries such as Peru, the group also volunteers within the local community.

One of the volunteer services Hispanos Unidos provides is interpreting for non-English speakers at local health clinics. Calderon says members of the group also help interpret during parent-teacher conferences for Fort Wayne Community Schools each year.

“It may not always seem like much but for a lot of families, it is,” said Calderon. “We are glad we can make an impact and this event helps make it possible to make more of an impact.”

Free food was also made available to students and community members that took part in the event. Visitors used a form that required them to visit multiple stations before they could take advantage of the food court. Food was catered by Los Portales, Panda Express, Zianos and Fort Wayne Coney Island.

Este Stoffel, a senior on the IPFW volleyball team, volunteered to serve food for the event. “I think the event is working the way it is supposed to,” said Stoffel. “I have seen a lot of new faces coming through the line and that’s what this event is meant to do, raise awareness.”

School officials said they plan to continue the event for many years to come.

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Success at IPFW’s Third Annual Community Service Fair

IPFW hosted its third annual Community Service Fair on Tuesday from noon to 2 p.m. in the Walb Student Union Classic Ballroom as an effort to connect students and community members with local not-for-profit agencies.

Over 40 agencies were present at the Community Service Fair to offer students, staff and faculty members information about the various volunteer opportunities available within the community.

“Most of the agencies will take volunteers for different activities throughout the year and try to get them engaged throughout the community by volunteering and networking with the organizations they might be interested in working with now or in the future,” Casey Eisenreich, graduate assistant for the office of student life and leadership, said.

A wide variety of not-for-profit organizations and volunteer opportunities were available at the fair including Fort Wayne Habitat for Humanity, Literacy Alliance, American Red Cross, Big Brothers-Big Sisters, Junior Achievement and many others.

“A lot of students assume volunteer work means picking up a shovel or getting your hands dirty,” Eisenreich said. “This event allows students the opportunity to see all of the organizations that need volunteers for really diverse causes, and that there’s a fit for anyone who wants to make a difference.”

According to Eisenreich, the goals for this year’s Community Service Fair include connecting individuals with agencies they are interested in, creating awareness of the various volunteer opportunities and increasing the number of volunteers to support the not-for-profit organizations and each of their causes.

“I think all three of those goals have been met,” Kasey Price, assistant vice chancellor for student life and leadership, said. “Given that over 200 people attended the fair and were able to witness just how many opportunities there are to help the community.”

In addition to the multiple volunteer opportunities, the Community Service Fair offered free food and giveaways. The students were also able to earn a free lunch if they filled out their Community Service Fair passport by visiting 12 agency tables.

“As a Don to Don coach, I see this event bringing more community to the campus, along with the added benefit of allowing students to network with various organizations to make connections,” Hideto Tanimura, student employee for the student success and transition office, said. “It’s amazing what can sprout from just a simple hello.”

This year, the Community Service Fair was sponsored by the Office of Student Life and Leadership, the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, the Chancellor’s Council on Diversity and Career Services.

The Community Service fair is one of several events that occur during IPFW’s Diversity and Community Engagement Week, a week dedicated to promoting opportunities for community engagement and supporting IPFW’s diversity and beyond.

In addition to the Community Service Fair, IPFW will be hosting another community service event in the spring called The BIG Event. The BIG Event is a one-day service project where students, faculty, staff and alumni connect with the Fort Wayne community by volunteering a day of service for over 50 local not-for-profit agencies. This year The BIG Event will take place on April 16, 2016.

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John Kaufeld: The Perfect Storm of Talent

When walking into John Kaufeld’s office you will most likely see one of two things happening: he is working on the IPFW Chancellor’s newsletter, or working on a dozen other projects that are displayed on his computer screen.

His office is decorated with Star Wars themed Mr. Potato Head figures, Looney Toons mailing stamps, and other items that are not typically seen in someone’s office that works within a university’s head administration, and has the job title that Kaufled holds.

He reads the work he has done so far that day fact checking every little detail to make sure he has left nothing out or mistyped any key information. He fixes grammatical errors meticulously and quickly like his life depended on it.

He is the voice of IPFW. Almost everything and anything relating to news about the university goes through Kaufeld.

If anyone has a question regarding the school they are sent to talk to him, because he has all of the answers. He runs the university’s Twitter news account, creates newsletters regarding faculty achievements on campus and publishes content on his personal blogs.

John Kaufled’s experiences in life have all played a role in getting him to where he is today.

“I really enjoyed being a journalist. I liked the idea of writing,” Kaufeld said about what his interests were as a young man. “I wrote for every school newspaper at every school I was ever at, because I just found that fascinating.”

His interests in writing led to him becoming a best-selling author of the international book series “…For Dummies.” His books have sold almost 3 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 15 different languages.

His primary work focused on teaching people how to use computer software and programming. His books not only influenced readers in the U.S., but all around the world.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Ball State where he first found that he had an interest in computers. During his time in college, Kaufeld said, “At one point I had seven majors. I changed my major a lot, and I ended up falling in love with computers. I found that I really enjoyed system design.”

It was through his experience of being an IT manager and working with computers in the corporate world that he was able to write his books helping people understand computers easier because he wanted to understand how and why computers worked the way they did for people. A career in computers services had to end though as Kaufeld said that he felt that “burned out” by all of the work.

Though the stress of his corporate career began to get a little too overwhelming, there was another passion that Kaufeld could go to help relieve the stress. A passion that started long before everything else.

“I was an only child… so with board games I found that I had an easier time connecting with people my age. As I got older and became a parent, I found that there were moments I was having trouble connecting with my kids, and I learned that when we were playing those games we were connecting and communicating better,” said Kaufeld about what board games have meant to him throughout his life.

That passion for board games, especially foreign board games, led Kaufeld to own and run his gaming business in Fort Wayne and writing a column in the News Sentinel newspaper. Kaufeld describes his column on his LinkedIn page as, “…gives hope to frustrated, time-stressed dads. The Dad Game gives you hands-on advice about connecting with your kids by using board games as a tool, specifically European-style board games like The Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Carcassonne. (But not Monopoly. Never, ever Monopoly. Ew.)”

Among his work in business, communications and journalism, he also does speaking seminars on the side. He is currently doing work in a concept he refers to as, “imposter syndrome.” He speaks to college students about embracing their accomplishments and ideas rather than believe that no one will care or appreciate the work they are doing. His speaking engagements are something that he sees himself doing more of in the future.

His journey to IPFW began when Kaufeld was working as a communications manager at STAR Financial Bank. Before working at the university, a friend working at IPFW asked him to join her in the social media department. Soon, he became the social media manager of the school. While working for the university, he also became a student. He was able to earn a Masters of Arts from IPFW in 2013.

In 2014, he was introduced as IPFW’s new chief communications officer.

“John is a unique professional who brings a singular set of skills, insights, and experiences to our executive team,” said Chancellor Vicky Carwein in the university’s online news letter announcing Kaufeld’s new position. “Our ability to communicate with our partners, constituents, faculty, staff, and students is a key part of IPFW’s future. John’s expertise will help us continue to grow and develop in those areas.”

Dr. Dan Tamul, who is an assistant professor in IPFW’s Department of Communication, has worked with Kaufeld before. Tamul has brought him into his journalism classes as a practice interview subject that students can use to talk to and is familiar with Kaufeld’s work.

“The kind of position he occupies here, if he were at Purdue or one of those big universities, he would have a team of people helping him, but it’s just him,” said Tamul “I’m really glad that we hired him. He is the perfect storm of all the talents and skills to do that job really well. He’s all about IPFW.”

IPFW has a published author, business man, marketing strategist, computer wizard, journalist and professional speaker in one man. His office located in Kettler Hall is open to anyone who has questions that need answered. Kaufeld can provide help to any student seeking his experience, or anyone who just wants to play some board games.

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Family Dairy Farm Offers Fall Fun

FORT WAYNE, Ind. –Fall is here and with the change in season comes a change in scenery. Haunted houses, and frightful décor and pumpkins emerge in the community this time of year.

The Kehnuert Dairy Farm stands out as a place with family fall fun.

The Kehnuert Dairy Farm is located on Cook Road. It is a family owned and family-friendly dairy farm. The Kehnuert Dairy Farm opened its doors on Oct. 3 for its third annual fall festival.

“It was our family’s idea to start the fall festival,” Sara Kehnuert, marketing director, said. “We all have an interest in educating the general public and we all decided that we were going to do this (fall festival) together as a team effort.”

The fall festival has a variety of activities to offer all members of the family. Such as a corn maze, Straw Mountain, hayrides, educational and nutritional stations for the children, mock cow milking, pumpkin painting, face painting and Halloween themed games.

The ever changing corn maze, is intricate, five acers long and friendly to all ages. The hayride is 45 minutes long and takes visitors on a tour of the functional farm. The employees will demonstrate how they milk and care for 700 cows, and how a bottle of milk gets to the grocery store.

“This started as a way for the general public to get a peek into what we do and for us to educate them on nutritional values while having a fun fall day,” Kuehnert said.

Visitors can enjoy a break near the employee controlled bonfire. Visitors can also make s’mores and roast hotdogs.

“The kids love it here,” Amber Fisher, who was spending her Sunday evening at the farm, said. “It’s great for them and us, we learn a lot and we get to be together.”

The Kuehnert Dairy Farm will have a special event for Halloween with trick-or-treating in the corn maze and one dollar off admission. For both adults and children who come in costumes. The Kuehnert Dairy Farm Fall Festival has been running for five weeks and concludes Nov. 1.

The Kuehnert Dairy Farm Fall Festival’s hours of operation are: Friday 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $8 per person. Price of admission includes all activities on the farm.

“I think this place is awesome,” Sandra Mavil, who was enjoyed her second year at the fall festival with her husband and two children, said. “It’s a great day for everyone, no one ever wants to leave.”

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Tasting Wine the Simple Way, the Only Way

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Pictured above: Wine barrel where the wine is aged and wine tanks where the wine is made at Two EE’s winery. Photos by Sarah Goodman.

The “pop” of a cork coming out of a freshly opened bottle of wine is enough to get most wine lovers excited about pouring themselves a glass. But is simply sipping wine enough to get a fulfilled wine drinking experience?

“Actually, tasting wine is so much more than a lot of people think,” Eric Harris, owner and wine maker at Two EE’s Winery in Huntington, Ind., said. “It’s a simple process but most just drink wine, not actually taste the different elements of it.”

Agreeing with Harris, Gary Skeel, owner of Wine Down Tasting and Tapas in Fort Wayne, said the proper wine tasting process is a simple one that many people do not practice.

Skeel said the appropriate wine tasting steps are the “five S’s: sight, swirl, smell, sip and savor.” Harris said the same five steps as the most substantial parts in properly tasting wine.

“Sight is a very important step,” Harris said. “You have to visually inspect the wine to insure that it isn’t flawed.”

Skeel said if a wine has a brown tint to it, chances are that the wine has gone bad. Another indicator of wine being flawed is if the cork falls apart or breaks easily when opening the bottle.

The next step in wine tasting is swirling the wine. “Swirling wine in the glass allows the wine to open up,” Skeel said. “Red wines need to open up more than whites do, so you don’t always need to do this step with white wines.”

“I always make sure to swirl my wine before tasting it,” Brittainy Ellis, a wine enthusiast, said. “Swirling the wine lets me see if the wine is a big bodied wine and how intense it will be on my palate.”

According to Paul Gregutt, author of the online magazine article, “How to Taste Wine” from winemag.com, Swirling the wine can reveal which wines are riper, more mouth filling and dense.

After swirling the wine in its glass, smell the wine’s aroma. “Surprisingly, smelling the wine is something that people often skip,” Harris said.

There are three types of wine aromas that are identifiable according to Madeline Puckette, author of the online blog, “Learn How to Taste Wine & Develop Your Palate” from winefolly.com.

There are primary aromas that carry fruit, herb, and floral notes, secondary aromas that come from the yeast of the wine and finally tertiary bouquets that smell like oak, vanilla, spices or nuts.

Skeel said the smelling step in wine tasting is vital because it can help you determine if the wine is sweet or dry. People who enjoy sweet wines will typically want to smell fruity aromas compared to those who enjoy dry wines, who will want to smell more nutty and oak scents.

After smelling the wine, take a sip, absorbing the flavor and structure. “Tasting is something that we do naturally,” Harris said. “But actually thinking about the different flavors of the wine is key to knowing if you really like it or not.”

Savoring, or thinking about what is tasted, the wine is the final step. This is when it is determined if the wine is one that is enjoyable, as well as if it is balanced.

“Balance is everything when I’m drinking wine,” Ellis said. “If the wine is out of balance to me, then I don’t really enjoy it.”

“Acidity, body, mouth feel, bitterness and sweetness are all things that determine if a wine is balanced or out of balance,” Harris said. “If all of the key elements aren’t in harmony to whoever is tasting the wine, then the wine is out of balance.”

Overall, the key to wine tasting is finding wines that are enjoyable. If all of the proper steps are covered while tasting wine, then finding wines that are enjoyable should be no problem, Skeel said.

Now that the proper steps for wine tasting have been identified, experiment with various types of wine to discover the right one. Cheers!

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House Fires: They Can Happen to Anyone

Above: The Fort Wayne Fire Department offers home fire inspections and suggests that families have a plan in case of a house fire. Photo by Erin Martin.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – When Maddie Clay’s mother had woken pre-dawn hours on Nov. 21, 2014 to retrieve the family dog from downstairs, she saw smoke coming from the basement’s utility room and she immediately headed back upstairs to the 11 people sleeping there.

The night before, Clay’s father was finishing up a project that involved staining a door and when he was done, he set the rag down that he had been using for the night and headed upstairs. No one could have expected that mixed with the dry air, that same rag would spontaneously combust near a piece of plywood in the utility room and create a fire in the Clay’s basement.

“A fire can happen any time of year at any time of day, but there does happen to be an increase in house fires in the winter because of people turning on their heat and gas in their homes or even building a fire in their fireplace if it hasn’t been properly cleaned,” said Captain Dave Meadows of the Fort Wayne Fire Department and Safety Education Division. “Preparing for a fire is extremely important to plan for your safety, and your family’s safety too.”

“Once my mom woke up my dad and he became aware of what was happening, he woke up the house with a shout to get everyone up and within 30 seconds everyone had their coats and were by the back hallway,” said Clay.

With no initial plan or meeting place, the Clay family quickly had to decide what to do right then and there which led to the decision to meet in the cul-de-sac of their addition while a family member called 9-1-1.

“Make copies of important documents and pictures or keep the originals and place them in a fire safe box that you can keep in an accessible place,” said Cpt. Meadows on what to do in preparation for a house fire.

Brooks Huffer, a second-generation captain of the Warsaw Fire Department, has had his experience with house fires. “Keep an eye on your appliances – dryer, washer, toaster, and especially any heaters or your furnace,” said Huffer. “They are likely to catch fire if the lint trap is not cleaned out, crumb tray emptied periodically, and so on.”

Clay’s family did not have a fire extinguisher nor had they checked their smoke detectors recently. Both Cpt. Meadows and Cpt. Huffer suggested having a full fire extinguisher on hand, as well as checking your smoke detectors once a year.

“New smoke detectors are wireless and send corresponding signals to the other smoke alarms in your home, meaning if one goes off they will all go off making it difficult to ignore,” said Cpt. Meadows.

Cpt. Huffer said young children sleep deeper, making it more difficult for them to be woken up in the case of an emergency.

“Children 15 years old and younger sleep through 85% of smoke detectors because they do not hear them which is why it is extremely important for families to come up with escape plans,” said Cpt. Huffer.

Both captains expressed families should create multiple plans and practice them for different situations such as an instance where the door is too hot to open or climbing from a window. In cases where they are separated, family members must know where to meet – by a mailbox, a specific tree, or even at a neighbor’s house.

“If it’s predictable, it’s preventable,” said Cpt. Huffer. You can call the Fort Wayne Fire Department at (260) 427-1478 and ask about a home fire inspection or visit http://www.fortwaynefiredepartment.org/ for more information on how to prepare for a fire.

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Seasonal Camping: Where to Go and What to Do

Warmer months have come and gone, and you begin to notice the trees are changing colors. Residents of northern Indiana are beginning to take shelter as winter is coming, but for some fall is the time of year to enjoy the change of the outdoors.

Fall camping can be an enjoyable pastime for some, and northern Indiana has the resources for many to go to and enjoy the fall season. Being educated on where to go, what to do and what to bring are essential to any successful camping trip.

As residents of northern Indiana know, weather can change any second. In October, weather is starting to change quickly and to know when to go fall camping. According to a foliage report by Susan Mckee, the peak of fall colors changing is during the second and third week of October. These weeks would be the most ideal time for you to enjoy the fall colors and weather.

With the October setting in mind, you have to decide on where to go. In northern Indiana, there are so many places for you to go camping and enjoy the fall weather with activities. Pike Lake Campground in Warsaw, Ind., can give everyone the ability to do a lot of activities during the fall months.

Shaun Gardner, the maintenance director of the Warsaw Parks and Recreation department, which is involved with the campground, has suggestions on what activities campers can do while there.

“When campers stay at the campground, there is a lot of things for them to do,” Gardner said. “Since we are right next to a lake, campers can go fishing, kayaking, boating and so on.”

What if a fall camper wants to enjoy other activities like hiking, sitting around a campfire or wanting to be completely engulfed by nature? There are other places like the Salamonie Reservoir, Pokagon State Park and Chain O’Lakes State Park, all in which are within driving distance from Fort Wayne.

Quinten Stamper, a local and recreational camper said he has been to Salamonie Reservoir and Pokagon State Park, said that he enjoys three different activities that he does when he goes fall camping.

“Literally, I will hike any trails there might be,” Stamper said. “Being out and enjoying cooked meals over a fire is great. Being around a campfire, fishing and hiking are the simple things I enjoy a lot.”

When Stamper talks about making campfires, fishing and going hiking, you must also think about what essentials they might need to bring on their fall camping trip. Brysten James, an expert hiker guide in Washington, has advice on what you might need on a fall camping trip.

“General camping for one’s needs are a tent, sleeping bag, layers of clothing, hiking boots, jet boiler, water filter pump and food,” James said. “You also need things like a knife, hatchet, matches and fire starter. Having a hiking backpack can help you carry these things.”

Other things that you might consider bringing on a trip include fishing pools, kayaks and bikes James said. Everything depends on how you want to go camping and what you want to enjoy which he says, “can be an endless list.”

Now that you know what the weather will be like in October and how to prepare for your fall camping trip, it is time to gather your supplies and head out. If you want more information, you can go to http://www.northernindianagetaways.com, which can help you find other trails, activities and getaway ideas for your fall camping trip.

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Brett Gauger: The Man Who Does It All, Successfully

By definition, a college student is simply a person enrolled in a college or a university. But, what this definition lacks, is the special experience that coincides with being a college student. Whether it is athletics, clubs, a job or volunteer work, most college students today are involved in an activity other than just simply going to school.

Brett Gauger, a senior at IPFW, said without his involvement on and around IPFW’s campus his college-student experience would have been completely different.

He holds a position as the Social Media Coordinator for IPFW and he is a Student Success Coach with Don2Don’s. He has been involved with volunteering as a Marketing Leader for A Better Fort Organization, he is the Social Media Manager for Electric Promotions and he is a part of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership- Millennial 2020.

He is able to participate in activities such as new student orientation, meetings on city development and press conferences because of his involvement.

For Gauger, it is not just “an activity,” it is “all activities”… his list of involvement goes on for hours, literally. The balance between his academic life and personal life came easy to him. He said it is all time management.

Gauger said he is lucky to be so involved. He said he is excited because of the way his involvement has helped shape him for his future.

Gauger has not only made a name for himself, but he has also created an impact throughout campus and northeast Indiana due to his multiple involvements.

Gauger is studying healthcare administration. He said, like many other college students, he has switched his major a few times, but he considers himself a “unique one” because he has never had to switch his degree.

His involvement dates back to a COAS W111 class during the fall semester of his freshman year in 2011.

Jennifer Oxtoby, project manager, office of the chancellor, explained COAS W111 is a class for new students’ success. Oxtoby said the main premise and goal of the course is to connect the students with each other, with their professors and with the university.

Oxtoby taught the COAS W111 course, alongside Greg Anderson, that Gauger was enrolled in during the fall semester of 2011.

“He was a confident, prepared, organized, friendly student,” Oxtoby said about Gauger. “He is just one of those people that knows how to make you feel special.”

Originally, Gauger had plans of transferring to a bigger university such as IU Bloomington or Purdue. He said without COAS W111 helping him become so involved with the professors, other students and the campus in general he would have stuck to his original plan of leaving in December 2011.

“It was around mid-September back during my first semester when I had my ‘this is where I belong’ moment,” Gauger said.

Gauger said he admits to being a busy guy, but during COAS W111 Oxtoby said something which has become a major backbone to his time management during his crazy years of involvement:

“Jennifer Oxtoby said that for the five or so days you are in class, keep your mind in the books, but on Friday, or whenever that academic week ends, treat yourself,” Gauger said.

Gauger said he has lived his academic and social life accordingly.

“Keeping your social life is going to keep you feeling human, rather than just like a robot,” Gauger said.

Gauger always begins his non-school nights asking if what he wants to do is worth it. He uses time management in three categories: priority, value and future. He said if he knows he has an assignment due but he also has an event, he asks himself if it will be worth holding off until the morning or if it is just best to complete it before heading out.

Gauger said he surrounds himself with the people whom he loves. He said living with his family during his college career has helped him tremendously in growing into the person he has become.

“My family is, and always will be, my biggest supporter, I have a good life,” Gauger said.

It is not just Gauger who is supported. He is often the supporter too. Oxtoby said she first started noticing the impact Gauger created when she came across his Twitter feed.

“It is crazy- you will get on his Twitter page and five minutes later there will be a tweet of someone saying their day was made running into Brett on campus,” Oxtoby said.

Gauger has no official plans for “what’s next” upon his graduation in December, but he said if the opportunity were to present itself he would love to stay involved at IPFW.

From a self-proclaimed timid and quiet college freshman to an obviously successful and outgoing college senior, Oxtoby said it best; “He is, I think, somebody that has had significant impact on other students. He is encouraging, and he empowers others to be successful. I think he makes people feel important- and that is what makes him so special.”

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Seasons on Tap

This year’s fall season began with leaves changing from green to red, pumpkins blossoming in the fields and hot apple cider returning to menus at local cafes. Another element that helped kick off the fall season was the release of fall seasonal craft beer flavors and styles.

Fall beer may not be the first thing people think about when the season begins but, the flavors and styles of autumns’ beer selection tend to excite the population of craft brew drinkers.

“Fall seasonals are the most popular of the beer seasonal styles,” Meghan Storey, author of the online blog, “Craft Beer Fall Seasonals 2015” from CraftBeer.com, said.

You do not have to be familiar with craft beer to begin appreciating the robust flavors and styles of this season’s beer variety.

“Pumpkin beer is so popular because everyone associates pumpkin with this time of year,” Jeremy Zuber, a craft beer brewer at Mad Anthony Brewing Co. in Fort Wayne, Indiana, said.

Pumpkin flavored everything is nothing new during fall and this is no different for the craft beer world. However, pumpkin is not the only popular type of beer for fall.

Michael Pound, author of the online blog, “Beer Me” described flavor profiles such as clove, ginger, cinnamon and honey, as being associated with fall beer styles. Dark and heavy styles of beers, like stouts and porters carry many of these flavor profiles.

A stout is a beer brewed from full-flavored roasted malts and top-fermenting yeast, sometimes with caramel sugar and high hop content, and a porter is brewed from well-roasted barley. Both beers are full-bodied and dark in color, as defined in 2basnob.com’s Beer Dictionary.

“People like stouts and porters during fall because they taste better when it’s cold out,” Zuber said. “Dark, deep beers and their flavors are comforting during the cold season.”

Mallory Sykes Carter, a Mad Anthony Brewing Co. regular customer, agrees with Zuber about these styles of craft beer for fall. “It doesn’t have to be fall for me to drink a dark beer but I definitely enjoy them more during this time,” Carter said. “They are heavy and have a well-rounded taste with some spice.”

Fall seasonal beers tend to be heavier and more unique than other seasonals, like summer lagers or spring wheat beers. Lagers are beers made with bottom-fermenting yeasts at almost freezing temperatures for a long period of time, as defined in the Beer Dictionary from 2basnob.com.

These types of beers are easy to access all year round, while many breweries usually release a larger variety of stouts, porters, and pumpkin beers only during the fall and winter seasons.

“I serve a lot of heavy styles and pumpkin flavored beers during the fall,” Stefanie Rice, a bartender at Salud Tapas n’ Tequilas, said. Salud Tapas n’ Tequilas is not a local brewery, but it serves a large selection of craft beers. They particularly serve styles for fall.

“I personally love dark beers like stouts and porters during fall,” said Rice. “I like them mainly for their roasty taste and because they go really well with this seasons pallet.”

The popularity of autumns’ seasonal beer flavors and styles continues to grow, much like the pumpkin spice craze. Different types of dark, spicy, and heavy beers come out getting more elaborate each year, Pound said.

Beers like imperial pumpkin stouts that contain a higher alcohol by volume or ABV, are very popular during fall. Not only because of the alcohol content but also, the heavy and spicy features that go right along with the season, Rice said.

For this fall season, forget the mug of apple cider or hot cocoa. Why not curl up next to the fireplace with a spiced and flavorful fall beer with a high ABV to help keep you warm?

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