0 0. 0 0 ofthe T here has been a lot of contro- versy surrounding former Michigan Student Assembly presi- dent Chris Armstrong's term as MSA president. He was the target of ver- bal harassment by former Michigan assistant attorney general Andrew Shirvell. In light of this, it's easy for people to forget everything else Armstrong has done this year. But Armstrong hasn't. "I've been a part of a lot of really big changes," Armstrong said. The push for the University to adopt an open housing policy was one of the most talked-about changes on campus. The goal is to allow students of any gender identification to live with each other in University resi- dence halls. Though the University has only agreed to allow transgender students to live with students of the same gender, Armstrong says the pol- icy is a step in the right direction. "Even though it wasn't specifi- cally what people or I wanted, it was a really big step - a step towards something bigger," said Armstrong. Armstrong hopes that MSA has a bright future. "I think the MSA in the future needs to realize they can do amaz- ing things as long as they pick some- thing, focus on it, com- mit to it and show their passion," Armstrong said, add- ing he hopes MSA will start work- ing on issues regarding the University's environmen- tal sustain- ability. He credits the Universi- ty with teach- ing him to be passionate about helping the world and to work hard to meet goals. "This school is constantly teach- ing me how to learn and care about different issues," Armstrong said. "I will always say these four years defined me and gave me the oppor- tunity to be who I am, even 50 years from now." Armstrong - who was the Uni- versity's first openly gay MSA presi- dent - is graduating with a sociology degree and plans to move to Wash- J t is said that nobody is perfect. But redshirt junior Kellen Russell's wrestling record would suggest otherwise. Russell, who recently com- pleted a perfect regular season with 39-straight victories en route to a national championship in his weight class, isn't like most top-ranked wrestlers. He doesn't usually win by huge margins. He doesn't rack up pins. But he just doesn't lose. Wrestling is unlike any other sport. When on the mats, just one mistake in _one split second can instantly turn into a pin: match over. Everyone makes mistakes - including wrestlers - but not Russell, at least not in his last 39 competitions. Michigan wrestling coach Joe McFarland often says Russell has a "quiet confidence" about him. His teammates, who say he tends to keep to himself, praise his focus and determination, neither of which cease after he walks off the mats. "If you work hard in wrestling, it's just going to carry over into working hard in the classroom," Russell said. "It's the same as if you slack off in the classroom, then you might start slacking off on the mats, too. So, I think it's important that if you're working hard at one, you've got to work hard at it all." A year from now, the High Bridge, New Jersey native will be set to graduate from the School of Rinesiology. And though he will leave Mich- igan, he doesn't plan to leave collegiate wres- tling. Russell wants to con- tinue competi- tive wrestling and ultimately return to college as a wrestling coach. But for now, the University is fortunate to have its nation- al champion returning for one more sea- son. "I have another year, so I've got to start training for next year," he said, trying to catch his breath after winning national title number one. And with his work ethic, Rus- sell is sure to be a contender in the championship next year. - DANIEL WASSERMAN ington D.C to pursue a career in poli- tics. "I want to have balance in my life. I want to be able to do a lot of differ- ent things - have a social life and a vigorous work life," Armstrong said. Despite the negative and unwant- ed attention he received this year, Armstrong refuses to be hampered by the Shirvell controversy. , "I won't let it define me," Arm- strong said. - ANNA ROZENBERG S tudents have to be extremely talented to make it into the musical theatre department at the University. But to be one of its brightest stars takes determination and a knack for teamwork, which is exactly what senior A.J. Holmes possesses. In the School of Music, Theatre & Dance, Holmes, a musical the- atre major, has performed star- ring roles in shows like "Ragtime." Holmes is also involved with MUSKET, where he was the musi- cal director for "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" and Witt's End, an improvisational comedy team. In addition, he co- wrote three musicals in four years of college. "I tend to overcommit myself," Holmes said. In his recent projects, Holmes has been more than committed. He was a co-writer for the highly acclaimed viral Team Starkid suc- cesses "A Very Potter Musical" and "Me And My Dick." "I was a sophomore, and I was crazy enough to want to write a musical," he said. "Me and My Dick" started as an overzealous attempt to write a musical in 24 hours, but Holmes pulled through. "Me and My Dick" rose to No. 11 on Billboard's Top Cast Albums chart last year. Now a senior, Holmes co-wrote the musical "Gibson Fleck" with Music, Theatre & Dance senior Carlos Valdes and Music, Theatre & Dance junior Ali Gordon. Holmes regards this as his most significant achievement in his college career. But more big achievements are to come post-graduation, he said. After the Department of Musi- cal Theatre Senior Showcase in New York City, Holmes plans to move to New York for the sum- mer to audition for roles on Broad- nd now in his second year as Michigan's man-up- front, from Marietta, Georgia, Drum Major David Hines Jr.!" The 100,000-plus crowd goes bonkers. But one person doesn't way, take a job as a rehearsal and notice. audition accompanist and maybe "From the second I take off and start an improv team. Even in his start running to do the jump and unforeseen future, Holmes wants the kick and then the backbend - to keep his dreams big and varied silence for me," Hines Jr. said. "I by dipping his musical toes in any- don't hear anything." thing he can. This intense focus is what drives "People try to push you in one David Hines Jr. Once he has a goal, direction and say you need to focus he makes it happen. on this and focus on that, and real- Hines Jr. always knew he want- ly if I focus for one thing for too ed to join the Michigan Marching long I tend to get bored," he said. Band, but there wasn't a section for "It's a dangerous way to live one's bass clarinet - the instrument he life, but it's been working so far - I played in high school. But, he found don't see a reason to change it." out that the band needed euphoni- - ARIELLE SPECINER ums. He picked up the instrument, practiced for a few months and made the squad. Once Hines Jr. decided he want- ed to be the band's drum major, he tapped into the same bottomless well of self-determination. "Coming out of high school, I couldn't touch my toes," Hines. Jr. said. But with his sights set on being drum major, he started stretch- ing and learning how to twirl. He successfully pulled off a backbend by his sophomore year. The rest is history. As drum major for the past two years, Hines Jr. has taken his role far beyond the spectacle he puts on every Football Saturday. "Your job as drum major, in my opinion, is to serve the band and ultimately the University through Snly a handful of filmmakers have their work selected to screen at the Traverse City Film Festival each summer and even fewer of those selected are students. Though LSA senior Bhanu Chun- du has not yet received his degree, that hasn't kept him from creating films with the same cinematic qual- ity as professional film- makers. Over the past year Chundu has served as president of both the Film and Video Student Association and MFlick. These clubs aim to bring popular movies to the University, sometimes even before they hit the- aters as sneak previews. But watching block- buster movies is only : part of being a film stu- dent. Chundu is just as much a creator of movies as he is a fan of them. "It's really cool to go in rehears- als and go with the actors because that's where the movie changes the most," Chundu said. "And it also branches out to everything, so per- formances affect cinematography and production design and music. So it's cool being at the base level SCHUe I NDU_ Page 8 what you do," he said. "(If students) need help learning how to march, need help with their music, need help with life ... my whole idea is that if I can serve you, then you know I want us to get to the high- est level possible." In addition to his deep con- nection to the band, Hines Jr. - a mechanical engineering major - has taken a rigorous curriculum. He plans to eventually combine his technical knowledge with an MBA in hopes of reaching his dream career: roller coaster designer. With his tremendous resolve, a Hines Jr.-created roller coaster could soon come to a Disney World near you. - KAVISHEKHAR PANDEY