Vegan Four-Alarm Chili

Vegan Four-Alarm Chili by Alexandria Rodriguez
Videography and Production by Marissa Rodriguez

Alexandria Rodriguez, a junior business marketing major at St. Mary’s University, is a vegetarian who knows how to make delicious and appetizing meals. She has a deep appreciation for every ingredient that goes into making a dish. Rodriguez proves thatvegan dishes are not bland because her favorite dish, vegan four-alarm chili, is packed with flavors and spices that would make any meat-eater question their carnivorous ways!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 canned tomatoes
  • 4 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 canned beans (garbanzo, pinto and black-eye peas)

Directions

In a large pot,  sauté the garlic in olive oil for about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, chili powder, cayenne powder, cumin powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and water.

Bring to a slow simmer, and allow to cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the beans and simmer for at least another 30 minutes.

Coming to the end: skills learned, but never forgotten

Before enrolling in Media Production 2, I was worried that I would fall behind and not grasp onto the concept of Final Cut Pro. Now, towards the end of the semester, I can proudly say that I no longer have to fear technology. Though I had used Final Cut Pro in the past, I feel more confident now because my video and audio editing skills have greatly improved over the course of just one semester. I will not deny the fact that I still have a lot of learning to do, but I will say that I will take what I learned from this course and use it to my advantage.

Through editing audio and recording video, I learned that I can now use those skills to impact the world. Though I still have a preference for writing, I now combine my passion for writing with my interest in technology. I thoroughly enjoyed that we started off with audio and then worked our way up to video because I was able to learn at my own pace. Though it took a lot of time and dedication, I am very happy with all that I have learned. I am even delighted to say that it did not take me as long to finish my final project because I became accustomed with Final Cut Pro and all its features.

Though I learned a lot through Final Cut Pro, I also had to get accustomed to capturing snippets of time through photos. Before this course, I used to just snap photos and be satisfied with the first one. Now, however, I pay more attention to details and I am always interested in finding unique angles that will attract my audience. However, that is perhaps something that I still have to work on because I know that there are lots of details when it comes to photography and capturing the perfect image.

However, none of this would be possible without the help of other people. This course introduced me to some wonderful classmates and I was able to form a bond over the struggle of completing media projects. I was also able to interact with students all over campus and that made me realize that talent comes in various forms and shapes. Thanks to the interviews I had to conduct, I was able to capture a glimpse of each of my interviewee’s life and get to know them outside of class time limits.

Overall, Media Production 2 was perhaps one of the most influential courses I have ever taken. I say this because it was through this course that I learned what I really want to do in life. Before, I was not too sure how I would combine writing into my career, but I now realize that I can make videos, conduct interviews, and record audio to help me stand out against any competition I may face. Though I am saddened that this course is over, I know that I will cherish the memories and keep what I have learned so that I can be a successful communications professional one day!

Scene on Campus: Hip-Hop Workshop Moves.

Michelle Vogel, junior English Communication Arts major, hosts a hip-hop workshop at St. Mary’s University and teaches some fun moves. Vogel, who has been dancing since high school and currently dances for The Spurs, has some words of wisdom for aspiring dancers.

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Conquering Miles, Keeping Love!

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Reba Cupp, a Junior Psychology major at St. Mary’s University, keeps love alive despite being many miles away from her girlfriend, Brittany Wilson. They have Gaia Online to thank for being the root of their four-year long relationship. Are you wondering how they keep their relationship going or what their future looks like? Well, listen in to find out more about their heart-warming story.

Everyday Life: Tackling Common Tasks!

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A Singer’s Music-Filled Heart!

ImageSara Torres, a Forensic Science Criminology major with a minor in Art Education, is a junior at St. Mary’s University. Her passion for singing and “Striking Chords” bloomed from inspiration by Adele and Amy Winehouse.

Overcoming Challenges, Gaining Confidence.

Although we are barely in the second week of classes for the fall semester, I am definitely looking forward to taking EA 4360: Media Production 2. However, aside from the excitement I feel, I am also nervous for both this semester and this specific course. I hope to not only do well in this class, but also go above and beyond my own expectations. I want to gain more knowledge in media-related content and become confident with programs such as Photoshop and other types of video-editing software. The top three things that I am most excited to do in this class are interviewing people, maintaining a WordPress blog and, of course, learning tips and tricks about making videos. Yet, I am worried that some of the challenges I might face are taking too long on a project and also being overly concerned about wanting projects to look absolutely perfect. I believe that the best strategy to combat those challenges is making sure that I do not procrastinate so that I have enough time to tweak my projects. After all, this course is vital to my future career because I hope to one day be influential and one of the ways that I can achieve that is through the use of media! I am very grateful to have the chance to be a part of a class like this and be surrounded by people who are just as knowledgeable as I am.