The Michigan Daily.- Monday, March 1, 1993 - Page 3 Seminar focuses on minority education by James Cho Daily Staff Reporter "If a boy wants to dream about being Shaquille O'Neal, let him dream. The only way to be like Shaquille is to go to college," said Dr. Elizabeth Allen, the opening speaker of Friday's career confer- ence presented by the University's Women of Color Task Force. More than 800 men and women attended the 11th annual conference, which focused on empowerment through education. "We must save our children, or else we're going to lose a whole generation without an education," said afternoon keynote speaker and poet Sonia Sanchez. "If you watch ,MTV, you would not know there was a women's movement.' . Conference Co-chair Tamaria Conner summed up the goal of the conference: "The conference is dedi- cated to drawing upon people of color from various cultures so that we can continue to strengthen our- selves and emerge as a powerful force in this society." Through empowerment, change can happen, added morning keynote speaker Helen Zia, executive editor of "Ms." magazine. "We can change things when we're in power. "The glass ceiling does exist and it's called discrimination. Job dis- crimination is covert and hard to fight. We need to know our rights and get organized," Zia said. "Asians are not mobilized in the political process. The Asian com- munity is still in the beginning stages. We don't have any national organization," she added. Conference presenters provided tips for personal and professional *development at 35 workshops throughout the day. Topics included health issues, interviewing skills, r6- sum6 writing and multicultural issues. Dr. Patricia Coleman-Burns, di- rector of the University Office of Multicultural Affairs, conducted a workshop entitled "How to Incorporate an Afrocentric Perspec- tive Into Your Supervisory and Leadership Styles." "You can't depend on others to cover your back," she said. "We need to stop thinking like a minority and start being responsible for who we are." Lynne Dumas, program associate for the Affirmative Action Office said the conference has a positive impact on the University. "As (people of color) become nmore satisfied with themselves, they are able to aspire and go places and build people up to meet the struggle." Religious cult leader kills four federal agents, injures others WACO, Texas (AP) - A fierce gun battle erupted yesterday as more than 100 law officers tried to arrest the head of a heavily arched religious cult. At least four federal agents died and the cult's leader said a 2-year- old was killed. At least 15 agents were wounded in the 45-minute shootout at the iso- lated compound of the Branch Davidians' sect about 10 miles east of Waco. Several sect members were also reportedly wounded, officials said. Sect leader Vernon Howell, who also is known as David Koresh, told CNN a 2-year-old child was among- those killed. He said. he was wounded. The battle began when federal agents hidden in livestock trailers stormed the main home of the sect, witnesses said. The agents had war- rants to search the compound for guns and explosives and to arrest Howell, said Les Stanford of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in Washington. After a cease-fire was negotiated, ambulances and helicopters removed wounded agents as other law en- forcement officers remained en- camped at the scene. A spokesperson for Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco that three agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms brought to the hospital are dead. At least 12 other agents were being treated there. "The rest of the injuries are a ma- jority of gunshots, but the other in- juries range from stable to critical," said spokesperson Marsha Jepson. "We have one that has a couple of broken limbs." The other dead agent was re- ported at Providence Hospital in Waco. Spokesperson Charlotte Avalos said two more agents were being treated. The standoff continued into the night, and at about 6 p.m. violence flared again, the ATF said, when three members of the sect came out of the compound and fired on the agents. One was killed, one was cap- tured and the third retreated back into the compound, the ATF said. The sect, an offshoot of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, moved its base from Los Angeles in 1935. The 77-acre compound is situ- ated about 10 miles east of Waco. In a lengthy report on the group Saturday, The Waco Tribune-Herald said that it was known to have a large arsenal of high-powered weapons. Howell acknowledged having guns but said they were all legal. The article quoted investigators as saying Howell may have abused children of group members and claimed to have at least 15 wives. , - Howell, who denies the accusa- tions of abuse, said he has had only two children. He and his wife, Rachel, were married in 1984 when he was 24 and she was 14. "If the Bible is true, then I'm Christ," Howell told the newspaper. "But so what? Look at 2,000 years ago. What's so great about being Christ? A man nailed to the cross. A man of sorrow acquainted with grief. You know, being Christ ain't noth- ing. Know what I mean?" Howell told The Associated Press on Saturday that his group has "regular, legally bought" guns. "Do we not have right to bear arms?" he said in a telephone inter- view. The Tribune-Herald said it spent eight months investigating the cult, including talking to more than 20 former members. Authorities had studied the group but found insufficient evidence of child abuse, the paper said. JOSH DETH/Daily Pretty as a picture Ann Arbor photographer Chris Lauckner packages one of his pictures for a customer yesterday. Lauckner sells his work on the corner of State Street and North University Avenue. - a e Students: experience in research needed for med school admittance . I by Tondra Bowman While most students will be enjoying their fun in the sun this summer, LSA se- nior and pre-med student Paul Boyce will be spending his warm vacation days doing medical research at the University. Boyce said he hopes to gain work ex- perience in radiation rehabilitation to bol- ster his r6sum6 and help him gain admit- tance to medical school. Boyce is not alone in his search for a good summer internship. Many other pre- med students are also looking for a way to gain experience in their areas of study. They said this type of training-is becoming increasingly important in attaining their aspirations of becoming doctors. Representatives of the Office of Admissions at the University's School of Medicine said they are looking for the most qualified students to fill the spaces in the entering class. Director of Admissions Katie Horne said research positions are considered in the admissions process. She added that students' jobs from as far back as high school are examined. "The most important factor in the health care field is something that lets us know that they know what it's going to be like to be a physician," Horne said. Max Ashford, LSA senior and Black pre-med association president, has worked with the research program at the graduate medical education building on campus. Ashford said his research took an alterna- tive route to medicine - focusing on in- novative ways to teach medical students how to be physicians. Ashford said he believes the program was an excellent experience. "It helped me in knowing what's ex- pected of medical students," he said. He added that any experience a pre- med student may gain can be a worthwhile learning tool. "It shows that the student is interested in medicine - that's important," Ashford said. "Admissions wants to see what you have done to prove you want to be a doctor." One medical student said her hard work as an undergraduate paid off unex- pectedly after she began medical school. "It was my experience and research during undergrad that got me the job I have now," said medical student Lila Weems. Weems now works as a cardiopul- monary technician on permanent salary in the Department of Surgery at University Hospitals. Here's my card Dexter resident Tim Waidley uses the card catalog at the Graduate Library yesterday. He was helping his wife, who works at the library. Students find easy parking in Ann Arbor during vacation by James Cho Daily Staff Reporter Not all of the 36,000 University students headed home or flew to far- away places over Spring Break. The students who remained on campus last week found prime parking spots, peace and quiet, a free table at their favorite restaurant and heavy snow fall. "It was cool last week because we could park anywhere and traffic was not as bad. We did not have to line up at the banks and the noise level in our apartment was low," said Takashi Sugiyama, an Engin- eering junior. Tyler Ford, a junior in Engineering and LSA, said, "I spent the week in the attic jamming with my nine-piece, double-kick Tama drum set and my friend who is a gui- tar player. We did some recordings. "I work at O'Sullivans and it was pretty dead and barren," he added. Shirley Moraes, a graduate stu- dent from Brazil, said she enjoyed a break from the chaos of normal campus life. "I live in a dorm and it was great. It was so calm here. Many students went home," she said. "I was not able to do much because it snowed every day last week." For many international students like Moraes, returning home would have meant coping with jet lag and expensive plane tickets. Student groups Q Environmental Action Coali- tion, meeting, School of Natural Resources, Room 1040, 7 p.m. Q Indian American Students As- sociation, weekly board meeting, Michigan League, Room A, 7p.m. Q Michigan Student Assembly, temporary meetings to discuss Diag policy, Michigan Union, 3rd Floor, 7 p.m. Q Rainforest Action Movement, meeting, Dana Building, Room 1046,7 p.m. U Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Club, practice, beginners welcome, CCRB, Martial Arts Room, 8:30- 9:30 p.m. Q Society for Creative Anachro- nism, medieval recreation group, workshop, 7p.m.; meeting,8p.m.; EECS Building, Room 1311. Q TaeKwonDoClub,regularwork- out, CCRB, Room 2275, 7-8:30 p.m. Events Q Violence Against Violence Q African AmericansandtheMov- Against Women: An Avant ies, exhibit of posters, NCC Garde for the Times, WestEngi- Atrium. Q Computer Simulation of Blood Flow in the Heart, Chemistry Building, Room 1400,4 p.m. Q Dialogue Series Between and Among People with Disabilities & People Without Disabilities, Chemistry Building, Room 1706, 7-9 p.m. Q Dynamic Systems Model of Forces in the Community Af- fecting Substance Abuse, Michi- gan League, Henderson Room, 4- 5 p.m. Q The Molecule: A "Pass of Thermopylae" for the Design of New Materials, Superconduc- tors and Ceramics, inorganic seminar, Chemistry Building, Room 1640,4 p.m. Q Smoke-Free - A Stop Smoking Program, University Health Ser- neering Building, Women's Stud- ies Lounge, Room 234, noon. Student services Q The Adoptee Gathering, drop in to discuss specific issues that con- cern adult adoptees, 117 N. Divi- sion St., 6:30-8:30 p.m. U ECB Student Writing Center, Angell Hall Computing Center, 7- 11 p.m. Q Northwalk Nighttime Safety Walking Service, Bursley Hall, 763-9255,8 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Q Peer Counseling, U-M Counsel- ing Services, 7 p.m.-8 a.m., call 764-8433. Q Psychology UndergraduatePeer Advising, West Quad, Room K210, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Q Safewalk Nighttime Safety Walking Service, UGLi, lobby,