Michael Harjo

The Clarion •

The ROTC Experience

Ashlyn Erickson looked out her window as her neighbor came home from work. His arms were full, carrying his work equipment. Her best friend, Lucy Helgestad, came running out to greet her dad. Erickson watched as the father dropped everything and knelt to hold his little girl. Helgestad’s dad wasn’t just any father returning from work, he was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Minnesota Army National Guard.
Erickson watched LC Helgestad slowly released his daughter. She smiled as her father rose and col...
ROYAL REPORT •

Beyond the sticker price

Admissions tour guide and business student Zoe Vang shows off the ‘Belong and Become’ wall, a slogan which President Ross Allen said “resonated with a lot of alumni and current students” and helped strengthen Bethel’s cultural identity. | Photo by Michael HarjoBeyond the sticker priceA new pricing model and a mission-driven recruiting strategy are reshaping how Bethel attracts and supports students.Josh PoppieFollow6 min read·1 day agoBy Josh Poppie and Michael Harjo | News ReportersBusiness mar...
ROYAL REPORT •

Love Hurts

By Michael Harjo | News reporterJustin Laidlaw turned on his Xbox and booted up Elder Scrolls: Skyrim. It was a typical routine for his Friday night. Work was done, the house was clean, what else was there to do? His best friend had often wondered why. There were opportunities to go out and meet people. However, Laidlaw would rather sit at home and save Tamriel.“Love is just a game I’d rather not play; that’s what my PlayStation is for.”My best friend of 15 years, Justin Laidlaw, told me that on...
ROYAL REPORT •

Are the rising prices of video games worth it?

By Michael Harjo | News reporterJunior Kaleb Cramer, a graphic design major at Bethel University, turned on his Xbox. It had been a long day of classes, and Cramer needed a break. The Xbox came to life, making a small ring. Cramer navigated to his library and selected Fortnite. He wasn’t into much of the modern-looking games. For Cramer, all he needed was a lobby to have a good time with his friends.“I don’t play many new things,” Kramer said. “I like to stay loyal to one game and play that and...
ROYAL REPORT •

15 video games that should be played once before you die

By Michael Harjo | News reporterCongratulations, you’ve finished all the homework assigned on Friday night. Now you’ve got two glorious days of nothing to do. What are you going to do? Maybe go outside, see a movie, or drive home and visit your mom? Wrong! You need to get those wins and grind them levels! Log on to the old gaming console and give one of these 15 games a try! Best get started now, these should be played at least once before you die!1. The Last of Us: If you’re looking to go down...
ROYAL REPORT •

What it takes to make a game

Q: Can you talk about the jumps you’ve made in your career?A: I went to Indiana University as an undergraduate. I worked on the Indiana Daily Student, which was the student newspaper, which, sadly, is not even in print. It’s like a weekly online thing [now], which is pretty sad, but I did that. In the end, I was able to graduate with a journalism degree.And then my first career job was working at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. I was on the graphics desk, working on informational graphics for th...
ROYAL REPORT •

Defaced by science

Ben Ostlie stared at his canvas of notes. It was a late Wednesday night, almost too late. Facilities management had come in once, trying to clean the classroom. Ostlie politely asked them to come back later. He had spent three hours graffitiing his whiteboard. His eyelids felt heavy, sleep beckoned for him. But sleep would have to wait, his general physics exam was far more important. He’s been in BAC344 every night that week, covering the walls in notes and graphs.

Ostlie is a junior studying
ROYAL REPORT •

A soldier and student

Issac Bei wiped the sweat from his brow, his chest rising and falling with each labored breath. His legs heaved and screamed out in pain, a noise only he could hear, a noise he chose to ignore. This was his first 6-mile ruck, a grueling test of physical and mental endurance that he refused to let conquer him. With only 2 miles left to go, Bei adjusted his straps, squared his shoulders, and continued on. He was motivated. Failure was not an option.

The initial ruck packing list required only thi
ROYAL REPORT •

Innocence and dreams

Rocio fidgeted in her chair as she was interviewed for Textura magazine’s Border of Dreams Documentary by director Nataly Basterrechea. Suddenly, five-year-old Rocio looked beyond the production equipment in front of her and her big brown eyes exploded with joy as a smile burst across her mouth.

“Here comes my dad,” Rocio said.

The Border of Dreams documentary premiered Oct. 12, 7 p.m. at Bethel University’s Benson Great Hall in St. Paul, Minn. Executive Producer Scott Winter counted 350 peopl