Consuming True Crime Intentionally: What to Follow and What to Avoid

By Austin Price, Staff Writer

With an endless supply of true crime content, I personally believe it is both moral and necessary to understand where you are getting your true crime content from, and how that content is affecting the real-life people involved. 

Choose your true crime content wisely. There are certain programs and producers of true crime content looking to benefit from horrific stories without proper consent from the victims, causing additional grief and inappropriate attention towards the victim’s families. Fans of true crime often forget they are listening to stories that happened to real people in this real world and in turn, lack sympathy and respect for all involved in a case. 

Because the plethora of true crime content can become overwhelming and confusing regarding victim exploitation instead of victim advocacy, I have put together a list of true crime content to follow, and a list of true crime content to avoid. 

Often, the true crime content creators that fight for victim advocacy and basic human decency are smaller entertainers with a smaller audience base. Here are some of my personal favorites to check out: 

Podcasts

• RedHanded – A True Crime Podcast hosted by Hannah Maguire and Suruthi Bala

https://redhandedpodcast.com/home-1

• Murder With My Husband – A True Crime Podcast hosted by Payton and Garrett Moreland 

https://murderwithmyhusband.com/

• True Crime Couple – A True Crime Podcast hosted by Kay and John 

https://audioboom.com/channels/4914727

• Killer Queens – A True Crime Podcast hosted by Tyrella Slemp and Tori Tobi 

https://www.killerqueenspodcast.com/

Documentaries

• Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996) - A documentary focusing on the wrongfully convicted individuals in the triple homicide of three eight-year-old boys

Where to watch: Spectrum TV, Prime Video or Apple TV  

• At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal (2019) - A documentary exploiting the sexual abuse of female gymnasts by Dr. Larry Nassar. 

Where to watch: Hulu, HBO Max, Sky NOW

• Children of God: Lost and Found (2007) - A documentary covering the cult “Children of God” and its crimes. 

Where to watch: Apple TV, Prime Video

• For Heaven’s Sake (2021) - A compelling documentary featuring the members of the victim’s family. 

Where to watch: Paramount Plus, CBC Gem

Books

• Playing Dead – A memoir of terror and survival by the victim herself, Monique Faison Ross.

Where to purchase: Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes and Noble

• Dead in the Water – A forty-year long search for my brother’s killer by Penny Farmer

Where to purchase: Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes and Noble

AVOID

Now on the other hand, here are some true crime sources to avoid due to their exploitation and disrespect of victims and their families: 

• Stephanie Soo – True Crime Youtuber and Mukbang Fanatic 

Stephanie combines her two loves, gruesome murder and the overconsumption of food together in this warped YouTube channel, based on disrespect and ignorance. 

• Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story – A Netflix series nominated for four Golden Globes and winner of one. 

This series shows the murders of Dahmer's victims graphically with no remorse or sensitivity for those affected by these deaths. The families of the victims have spoken out since the show's release, after many of the family members have been portrayed on screen without their consent.

• Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness – A Netflix docuseries that rose to fame amidst the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. 

While advertised as a docuseries with murder plots, arch nemeses, exotic animals, and larger than life characters, whereas the series is actually a story of labor trafficking and sexual exploitation. 

• Crime Junkie – A True Crime podcast designed to be a money maker without following basic human rights. 

A true crime podcast that has become a central place for victim shaming and produces a revenue-generating podcast that has been downloaded millions of times without the consent of victim’s families leading to skewed stories and countless misconceptions. 

• Making A Murderer – A Netflix docuseries centered around the gruesome murder of Teresa Halbach. 

The docuseries focuses on the killer and their history, rather than honoring the victim herself, Teresa Halbach. 

In conclusion, if you’re like me and true crime is your thing, go for it. Enjoy the content through respectful platforms giving honor and dignity to the victims while recognizing the impact this content is having on your personal health. Real true crime enthusiasts listen/read/watch to better understand the human mind, and the impact of death and murder on the lives of so many. They do not enjoy shaming or blaming victims or survivors and they do not target hatred or inappropriate exposure towards the prey in the case, but rather they shine a light on the predators and hold them accountable for their sins. Approach true crime the same way you approach academic research, keep your options open, choose sources you both agree and disagree with, allow variety in your search, and most importantly, show some respect. 

Timeless or Touristy? What to do (and what to skip) on a Trip to Italy

By Madelynn Loring, Staff Writer

I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to study abroad for a year in Montpellier, France. I have tried to make the most of my first time in Western Europe by traveling around to neighboring countries to try to see all that there is to see. I am no tour guide by any stretch of the imagination, and I am only a travel blogger in my wildest dreams, but I figured I would take the opportunity to share some insights with you about my travels in various countries, as well as some opinions about what is worth the visit, and what’s just a tourist trap. So, without further ado, here’s what to do (and what to skip) on a trip to Italy.

Packing

First and foremost, let’s talk packing. A good trip always requires good preparation, but that doesn’t mean you need to try to pack your life into a suitcase. In fact, I would recommend ditching the suitcase entirely. As I’ve mentioned previously, Europe is notoriously lacking in elevators and modern pavement, which can certainly add to its charm and intrigue to Americans. However, you lose a lot of that charm when your airbnb is on the 5th floor of an apartment building with no elevator and you are packed in a large suitcase. 

In reality, you do not need the space of a checked suitcase if you pack and plan smart. And future-you will thank you for ditching the extra bulk when you are faced with the winding alleys, uneven cobblestone, and seemingly endless stairs that Italy has to offer. 

I would recommend investing in a travel backpack (or backpacking bag if that suits your needs better). This will make navigating much less awkward and will also prevent you from overpacking. Like I said, it is not necessary to bring a large suitcase full of things unless you plan to go to fashion week in Milan. I will always be a proponent of traveling light to free yourself up to explore more without being bogged down with stuff. 

I understand wanting to dress cute so you can get good pictures for the ‘gram, but opt for lighter clothes (especially during the summer, fall, and spring, you won’t be cold), and make a plan to do laundry abroad. Many bed and breakfasts will have places you can do laundry and even if you end up having to buy detergent, it's a small price for the freedom you’ll gain by not having to lug a suitcase around. 

I spent 10 days in Italy during the fall, and I packed in my school backpack (20 liters, whereas many traveling backpacks are 30-40 liters) and a fanny pack. I am a chronic overpacker, so trying to pare down for the trip was painful, but believe me, it was worth it. 

More likely than not, you won’t need the 18 extra pairs of socks and let’s be real, if you aren’t reading those seven books at home, it’s unlikely you’ll read them when you’re on a sightseeing trip in Italy (unless you’re just headed to the beach, at which point, pack away). And if worst comes to worst, you will be able to find practically everything you might end up needing (from ankle braces to cold medicine to extra socks) in any city in Italy larger than a village, so don’t bog yourself down with “but-what-if” items.

Now, onto the trip itself. There is so much to do in Italy it can be overwhelming. But it is all a lot closer than you think, especially with Italy's high speed rail system. The pace at which you want to take your trip is going to depend on your travel style and preferences, but I’ll be exploring the trip I took, which was five major tourist stops in 10 days. Now, this is definitely a lot to take on in one trip, but I definitely feel it was worth it, especially given how expensive it is to cross the Atlantic ocean and what limited time you’ll have, even if you’re studying abroad. 

Rome

I left early on the Friday morning that led into my week-long fall break and arrived at around 3 p.m. in Rome. My group and I spent the next two nights there, with about two-days worth of time to explore. The question of whether or not this is enough time for Rome is going to depend on personal preference. Rome is massive, and you could spend a whole ten days there doing a deep dive into the history and major attractions and easily not run out of things to do. However, it is packed 24/7 365 days a year. This makes it easy to navigate and seek help as a non-Italian speaking tourist, but also means it's a prime place to fall into tourist traps and to be targeted for theft and scams. 

Photo by Madelynn Loring

In the day and two-halves I had in Rome, I took a 4-hour tour of the Colosseum and Palatine Hill, visited theVatican City, tossed a coin in the Trevi Fountain, and spent a good time wandering through the city just to see things like the Pantheon and the Spanish Steps. Even for my rapid-fire travel style, I felt like the time I had was not enough to go into as much depth as I would have liked at certain sites. 

If you want to do a deeper drive into one or two sites, and then just check the rest off your list just by seeing them, you won’t need much more time than two days. However, if you want to get a real understanding of all that Rome has to offer, or you like to travel at a more leisurely pace, definitely opt to take more time in this city. 

All major tourist sites are going to be packed year round, so be sure to plan ahead and look to skip the line tickets, as they will definitely be worth it in this city. Also be sure to prioritize based on your interests. The Vatican city was a must see for me, but didn’t feel as worth it for my non-religious travel buddies. 

Florence

Up next, we took a train to Florence. We spent another two nights here, but because we arrived late and left early, we only had about a day to explore. This was definitely not enough time. Florence has the class and charm that most associate with Milan, but with a lower price tag and much more to explore as a tourist. 

I unfortunately did not have time to visit the Galleria Accademia Firenze, which hosts some incredible works from the Italian Renaissance. However, I did get the chance to visit the Florence Duomo, as well as the Ponte Vecchio. You’ll see plenty of churches and cathedrals during your time in Italy, but the Florence Duomo is not one to skip out on. It is massive, truly a feat in terms of engineering, and a spectacle to behold. It also hosts some more of the painted ceilings characteristic of Italian cathedrals. The lines can be long, but believe me it is worth the wait. 

The other place we visited, Ponte Vecchio, is less of a tourist destination you stand and look at, and more of one that you have to explore. It is lined with various shops and places to grab food (including gelato and cannolis). You’ll also frequently see street musicians performing here, so it's a great place to go poke around. 

Then we headed north to Venice for one night.

Venice

Photo by Madelynn Loring

This was probably my favorite day of the trip. The weather wasn't perfect, but it didn’t hinder my experience of the day whatsoever. Just to wander Venice was a timeless experience in and of itself. There are no cars in Venice proper, and there are endless alleyways and little stories to explore. It is a very touristy location, but I definitely still feel it was worth it, especially the standard tourist activity of a gondola ride. 

It will cost 80 Euro as a flat fee and you can put up to five people on the gondola. Of course, this is only something that tourists do, but you can’t truly experience the charm of this floating city without getting on a board that can navigate through the tighter, more quiet canals. Venice is not something you should skip on your trip to Italy, but it is quite small compared to the other locations I visited. You could easily operate at quite a leisurely pace and still see all of the major sights in two days. 

Milan

Milan duomo Photo by Madelynn Loring

Finally, we spent the last four nights of our trip in Milan and used it as a springboard to take a day trip to Lake Como. In hindsight, I honestly would have reversed the time allocations. In fact, when I return to Italy, I plan to skip Milan entirely. Milan unfortunately does not have the high class, bougie-air that is typically associated with it by Americans (much like Paris, but more on that in a later article). Instead you’ll find a pretty standard bustling city with some notable tourist attractions, but when you compare it to the other popular destinations in Italy, it falls short. 

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II Photo by Madelynn Loring

The first of the two major attractions I looked into in Milan Was the Duomo di Milano, Milan’s cathedral. It certainly would have been impressive if it had been my first stop, but after almost a week of exploring cathedrals, including those in the Vatican, it failed to impress. Not to mention being incredibly crowded even during the off-season, and surrounded on all angles by an unholy amount of pigeons. It wasn’t a bad experience, but when you have all of Italy to explore, I would recommend passing on this particular cathedral. 

The other famous area of Milan I looked into was the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Italy’s oldest active shopping mall. It holds the world's first Prada store, which we stopped into on the request of a friend of mine, who is very much a designer girly. It was my first and only trip to a designer store ($800 bucket hats aren’t really in my budget) so I don’t have much to compare it to. However, my friend said that our experience at the flagship Prada was the worst she’d had at any “high-brand” store, so take that as you will if you are a designer person as well.

Lake Como

Photo by Madelynn Loring

Lake Como, on the other hand, lived up to expectations entirely. With the gorgeous mountain views and beaches and the multitude of quaint Italian villages to explore, it's no wonder that celebrities such as George Clooney have chosen to make Lake Como their top choice for vacation homes. The pictures of Camo can honestly speak for themselves in terms of its value as a lovely place to spend a beach vacation. The one thing to note about Lake Como however is that there isn’t a whole lot to do in terms of sightseeing. This makes it a great place to wrap up a sightseeing heavy trip to Italy, but plan to bring something to do and be sure to check that the weather won’t interfere with your beach days.

All in all, I wouldn’t change much from the trip aside from some timing allocations, and even though there were things I enjoyed more than others, all that I saw of Italy was incredible, and left me wanting to come back for more. 

Rome? Timeless, but very touristy

Colosseum? Timeless

Trevi Fountain? Touristy, watch your valuables

Vatican City? Touristy, but worth it if you are into art and/or religious history.

Florence? Timeless and you’ll want more time.

Florence Duomo? Timeless, one of the prettiest churches I saw in Italy.

Ponte Vecchio? Timeless.

Venice? Timeless, but you won’t need longer than two days at most.

Milan? Too touristy unless you're into lots of pigeons and designer shopping. 

Milan Duomo? Too touristy. Impressive, but not if you’ve spent the last week looking at cathedrals.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II? Too touristy, and not a great shopping experience if you aren’t super wealthy. 

Lake Como? Timeless vacation spot, but not a whole lot to do in terms of sightseeing. 

To learn more about studying abroad, contact the Regis University Office of Global Education at oge@regis.edu or online at www.regis.edu/academics/global-learning-opportunities/study-abroad. 

SASE West Regional Conference

By Sandra Vo, Staff Writer & Publisher

Photo by Sandra Vo

At 3:30 a.m., the Regis van whirs to life with barely more energy than its occupants. Five members of the Regis’s Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) are about to head out to the airport, where they will be flying to San Diego to attend the SASE West Regional Conference hosted by University of California San Diego. Although exhausted and running on various amounts of sleep, there is a sense of excitement in the air that in just a few hours, they will be in a different state with weather 60 degrees higher than in Denver. 

Photo courtesy of Sandra Vo

SASE has a reputation as a “career development” club, but there is more than building a resume and learning how to connect to people on LinkedIn. SASE is about connecting with people in real life, getting first hand advice from job recruiters, and also having the time of your life on a trip with the majority of the expenses covered by Regis. At San Diego, the members arrived a full day earlier before the start of the conference, where they power-napped, ate dim sum at the famous San Diego Din Tai Fung, and explored the beach at sunset. 

Photo by Sandra Vo

The West Regional Conference itself was a well-organized and impressively designed event. The SASE team at UCSD worked tirelessly to create t-shirts, stickers, advertise on social media, bring in job recruiters from Lockheed Martin, Pfizer, HRL Laboratories, Illumina, and the Keck Graduate Institute. The result was workshops featuring Q&A’s with UCSD professors, working professionals, networking opportunities, dumpling making, and a tour of the gorgeous UCSD campus. Both breakfast and lunch were provided, with conference attendees eating Einstein bagels and banh mi respectively. 

Photo courtesy of Sandra Vo

Overall, the SASE conference is ideal for people looking to break into the job market as Asian students, people working in STEM/engineering, or even as just a weekend getaway. Requirements to attend the conference only include being an active member of SASE (attending roughly half the meetings) and expressing interest in going to the conference. 

For those interested, please contact regis@saseconnect.org to learn more, and SASE looks forward to seeing you at our conference next year!

Face Vocal Band Concert at Regis

By James Ortiz, Staff Photographer 

This acapella group originated in Boulder Colorado. Has been all around the world and came to Regis to give a private concert on January 31. They have been together for more than 21 years and have even been a part of the tv show “Sing-Off”. They also are the first vocal band to headline Red Rocks. 

Photos by James Ortiz

Iranian Protests and the Future of Iran

By Danny Gonzales-Hyde, Staff Writer

The 11th of February 1979 the United States puppet ruler in Iran, Mohammad Rezawho Shah Pahlavi, who had served as monarch of Iran since 1941, was finally ousted from office by the Iranian people. In the wake of the ensuing power vacuum, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini comes out on top and along with taking over as the head of state he also declares Iran an Islamic republic. Ayatollah had previously been exiled for 15 years by the Shah's government, due to the Shah perceiving him as a threat to his rule. It was during Ayatollah’s years in exile where he critiqued the country’s Westernization and secularization projects that the Shahs' regime was putting underway. This right wing government that seized power after the Shah is still in power to this day. As a result, for the past 43 years, the Iranian people have resorted to protest a number of times only to be crushed by the government's use of force. The most recent wave of Iranian protests have been the outcome of Mahsa Aminis death in September 2022. She was a 22-year-old Iranian woman, who was in police custody at the time of her death for “improperly wearing her hijab”. 

Recently, I have had the pleasure of interviewing Mary, an Iranian woman studying in Izmir, Turkey. Mary offered her insight into the recent Iranian protests, which are being spearheaded by the youth. Mary cites Iran's complications with human rights, economic downturns, and right wing politics as being some of the issues that the Iranian people are taking to the streets demanding reform. This isn't the first time that the Iranian people have protested against the government, with the last large scale protests being in 2009 with a number of smaller ones since then. Despite this, Mary makes the claim that what sets this newest round of protests apart from past ones is the amount of international attention that they have received, which has given the Iranian people a platform to make their voices heard. The protesters have been resisting through nonviolent means, while the government is fully armed and has shown its willingness to use force. Mary described this forceful behavior by the government as making her feel powerless. Despite this feeling of powerlessness, internet spaces such as Twitter have given people a place to share what is happening and help build momentum and support for the movement inside and outside of Iran. 

The reaction of the international community so far has been to impose more sanctions upon the Iranian state, which has made it increasingly difficult for the everyday citizens of Iran. Different forms of sanctions have been in place against the Iranian government since the establishment of Iran as an Islamic republic. The only difference since then has been the severity of these sanctions. According to Mary, the most recent round of sanctions has negatively affected the Iranian people, who can't find some of the basic products that they had previously relied on, such as certain medicines. The sanctions have also cut the Iranian people off from the rest of the world. She gave the example of wanting to pursue an education outside of Iran, where it would be impossible to pay for it with Iranian Rials, since banks no longer accept that currency. 

Despite the dire situation, Mary retains hope as she claims the Iranian people are taking the necessary steps towards building a better future. In order to further support the people of Iran from our own communities, you can share information about the protests with your peers or contact your local Human Rights organization on behalf of the Iranian people.

Meet the Candidates: 2023-24 RUSGA

By Morgan Jacobus, Editor in Chief and Election Committee Member

RUSGA elections are coming up! With the official start to the campaign season beginning, here’s an opportunity to get to know the candidates. Voting will begin on February 22 at 8:00 am, with results announced February 24 at 6:00 pm.

Student Body President

Madelaine Johnson & Moose

Year at Regis: Third

Academic Program/ Degree: Gender Justice and Law with Psychology

Interest in being a RUSGA Elected Officer:

“If a student comes to me with an issue, I will ALWAYS take appropriate actions. I will ALWAYS include the student in the process, and I will ALWAYS serve the Regis community. As a first-generation student, I believe that leadership begins with service and grassroots community involvement and ultimately student voice, interest, and representation are vital for a successful campus environment. Growing up in a low-income family, I learned from an early age the value in working together and the importance of collective growth. This year, I have restructured RUSGA to be more inclusive, and have empowered our students to take direct action and follow-through within their advocacy and relationship with administration. There is a difference between hollow promises and solidified action, and I would like to reinforce my mission and standard of student centrism within our community. The standard that I have implemented is one of representation, diversity, and transparency. Through my current presidential leadership, I have ensured that the University is accountable for its promises.”

Read Madelaine’s Full Profile

Eric Novelo

Year at Regis: Third

Academic Program/ Degree: Neuroscience and Philosophy

Interest in being a RUSGA Elected Officer:

“To answer this question wholeheartedly, I must first say that for me personally becoming an elected RUSGA officer is not an interest but a passion. A passion stemming and continuing to grow from my involvement and engagement here at Regis University. What’s more, in running specifically for Student Body President, I hope not to only continue serving my community, but also the community this institution is surrounded by. With this, it has become extremely important to me that the role of Student Body President fulfills its responsibility of being a voice for those who don’t usually speak up for themselves. Being that voice, has recently become extremely important to me as result of my work with the Global Inclusive Program, the Diversity Office (ODEIE), the Hispanic community, the Venezuelan refugees, the Asian American population, the African American and Afro-Latinx community, and the LGBTQ+ community. With that, I’d like to finish by adding that my passion in becoming Student Body President is driven by my ability to do what is needed when it’s necessary for the good of others.”

Read Eric’s Full Profile

VP of Representation

Iris Jaramillo

Year at Regis: Third

Academic Program/ Degree: Neuroscience and Education

Interest in being a RUSGA Elected Officer:

“I am interested in becoming a RUSGA elected officer because, throughout my 3 years on RUSGA, I have been in awe of all the good work the organization does for the student body. Being a part of RUSGA for one last year will ensure the good work my fellow officers and I have done these past few years will be continued and consistent all whilst being receptive to new ideas.”

Read Iris’s Full Profile

VP of Diversity, Social Justice

Ashley Garcia Torres

Year at Regis: Second

Academic Program/ Degree: Politics and Pre-Law

Interest in being a RUSGA Elected Officer:

“I found a lot of difficulty in deciding if I should stay at Regis after my first semester of my freshman year. I felt isolated, overlooked and as though my voice as a person did not matter. I had forgotten what it felt like to be one of if not the only person of color in a classroom, a feeling that I was reminded of upon entering Regis. This institution has made wonderful strides to being more diverse, but I have yet to see a fundamental shift in culture that this establishment so desperately needs. I decided to stay at Regis because I want to ensure that no one else feels the same way I did. I am interested in becoming a RUSGA elected officer because I wholeheartedly believe that I will be able to start the process of not just hearing but amplifying and giving power to the minority voices within our community.”

Read Ashley’s Full Profile

Yelenne Martin

Year at Regis: Second

Academic Program/ Degree: English and Psychology

Interest in being a RUSGA Elected Officer:

“I’m interested in becoming a RUSGA Elected Officer due to the simple importance there is in being involved within your community. Involvement comes in all forms and I feel that when given the opportunity and ability to do so one should participate. My interest in being involved within my community as a RUSGA Elected Officer is due to how I feel that being part of RUSGA makes a huge impact within the community due to the various responsibilities they have on campus that have positive effects on the community that they have been able to successfully do. Another aspect of this is that as the current first-generation representative, it has already been meaningful to try and voice the opinions of not only those who I represent but as well as others who have come to me. This aspect is something I feel is so crucial and I believe that continuing as a RUSGA Elected Officer is crucial to continue this and keep amplifying the voices of Regis students.”

Read Yelenne’s Full Profile

VP of Academic Life

Lauren Manzanares

Year at Regis: Second

Academic Program/ Degree: Political Economy

Interest in being a RUSGA Elected Officer:

“After spending a year on RUSGA senate, I have found my calling with my peers. The moment I stepped foot on ranger soil I knew that this school would bring me opportunity. With strong Jesuit values, I have been able to seek Magis. As a RUSGA elected officer, I know that I can bring strong leadership and inclusivity to campus. If I had the opportunity to be VP of Academic life, I would seek to support my fellow students in every way possible as well as creating lasting relationships.”

Read Lauren’s Full Profile