ScholarWorks @ SeattleU (Seattle University)

This article explores the millennial generation\u27s impact on society, higher education, and cultural norms, challenging stereotypes often associated with them

Avery Whittington, M J

MAGIS 
Volume 12 Issue 1 Article 8 
2018 
Those Darn Millennials 
M J. Avery Whittington 
Seattle University 
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Recommended Citation 
Avery Whittington, M J. (2018) "Those Darn Millennials," MAGIS: Vol. 12: Iss. 1, Article 8. 
Available at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/magis/vol12/iss1/8 
This Reflection is brought to you for free and open access by the Seattle University Journals at ScholarWorks @ 
SeattleU. It has been accepted for inclusion in MAGIS by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. 
THOSE DARN MILLENNIALS    9 
 
MAGIS: A STUDENT DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL, VOLUME 12 
Those Darn Millennials 
M.J. Avery Whittington, Seattle University 
Millennials have been treated as a 
marginalized population in society, one to be 
managed and assimilated. But we have the 
option to take control over our futures and 
actively shape the word we‘re in. We‘re more 
educated, more politically engaged, and 
according to various news outlets, we‘re killing 
different industries by a whim.   
We‘re entering a time when it‘s not 
uncommon to meet a college freshman who 
was born in or even after the year 1999. Which 
means that the field of student affairs is quickly 
approaching a new challenge on campus: 
millennials. If we were playing a word 
association game, millennial would probably 
elicit phrases like social media, entitled, 
internet, challenging, and participation 
trophies. As a young student affairs 
practitioner, I‘ve already been asked a number 
of time to speak on behalf of my whole 
generation to give reasoning for why we aren‘t 
fitting into this culture crafted by generations 
past. Why we prefer to send a Facebook 
message rather than make a phone call, why we 
prefer to use that same platform to engage in 
critical conversations instead of in a seminar 
room on campus. As a millennial, I can‘t deny 
that there‘s a part of me that is excited that our 
new ways of being are shaking things up. I can‘t 
but have a deep hope and faith in our 
generation to change the landscape of higher 
education, this country, and this world. 
Despite being made to feel like we don‘t 
have control over the narrative in this country, 
Millennials have grown to be the population 
with the most citizens able to vote. We are 
more politically engaged but in more 
nontraditional forms like consumer activism 
and social media engagement and feel less 
loyalty to political parties but are seeking 
solutions, despite what party they may come 
from. Not only that, we are more likely than 
any past generation to hold a college degree, a 
fact that directly challenges the lazy narrative 
of millennials presented in mainstream media. 
But I don‘t think many millennials you would 
come across would need polls and research 
data to know that these negative adjectives 
assigned to us don‘t have the effect of us hiding 
in assimilation with our tails between our legs, 
they embolden us to break the norms. In our 
culture of memes and whole conversations in 
GIFS (pronounced as you wish), it may seem 
like we can‘t take ourselves seriously, but a 
surge in everyday conversations about gender 
expression, climate change, political values, 
consumer activism, and countless other 
substantial topics shows me that while they 
1
Avery Whittington: Those Darn Millennials
Published by ScholarWorks @ SeattleU, 2018
THOSE DARN MILLENNIALS    10 
 
MAGIS: A STUDENT DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL, VOLUME 12 
may be shrouded in jokes, we want to and do 
have some things to say about the world we live 
in. 
We‘re on the verge of a paradigm shift – 
an important change that happens when the 
usual way of thinking about or doing 
something is replaced by a new and different 
way. Change is scary and uncomfortable, but 
comfort and familiarity may be the opportunity 
costs of unimaginable opportunities. They say 
that 85% of jobs that will exist in the next 12 
years don‘t exist yet. We‘re preparing for a 
future that‘s uncertain. We have to lean into 
and rely on ourselves. Find strength within our 
communities, whether those be on our campus 
or our newsfeeds.  
Millennials, this is your call to action: 
Don‘t be afraid to ask why, encourage and drive 
for innovation, do things differently, and don‘t 
be afraid of anyone asking why. When they tell 
us we spend too much time on our phones, let 
them know that our communities aren‘t 
geographically bound like those of generations 
past, but that doesn‘t mean they aren‘t genuine. 
When they shame our requests of safe spaces, 
take pride in our concern for the mental health 
of one another and fight for radical 
compassion. If our institutions aren‘t serving 
you in the ways you need, demand it. Learn the 
policies, the systems, the traditions, and turn 
them on their heads.  
We‘ve reached the point when we can no 
longer deny the rising voice of millennials 
taking over our campuses. As a professional 
and a peer, I couldn‘t be more excited of the 
challenge that this groundbreaking generation 
is bringing to higher education and the rest of 
the world. I can‘t wait to live in a time that is 
uniquely, unabashedly, and radically 
millennial.  
REFERENCES 
Gilman, H. R., & Stokes, E. (2014). The civic  and 
political participation of millennials. Retrieved 
from New American website: 
https://www.newamerica.org/documents/1950/
The 
Civic_and_Political_Participation_of_Millennia
ls_6N2UYUL.pdf 
Graf, N (2017). Today‘s young workers are more likely 
than ever to have a bachelor‘s degree. Retrieved 
from Pew Research Center website: 
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-
tank/2017/05/16/todays-young-workers-are-
more-likely-than-ever-to-have-a-bachelors-
degree/# 
Institute for the Future & Dell Technologies  (2017). 
The next era of human machine  partnerships: 
Emerging technologies‘  impact on society & 
work in 2030.  Retrieved from: 
https://www.delltechnologies.com/content/dam
/delltechnologies/assets/perspectives/2030/pdf
/SR1940_IFTFforDell Technologies_Human-
Machine_070517_readerhigh-res.pdf  
 
Avery Whittington will complete his Master of 
Education degree in Student Development 
Administration at Seattle University in 2018. 
2
MAGIS, Vol. 12 [2018], Iss. 1, Art. 8
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English

Those Darn Millennials

MAGIS, Editors of

MAGIS 
Manuscript 1266 
Editorial Board 
Editors of MAGIS 
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MAGIS: A STUDENT DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION, VOLUME 17  4 
 
EDITORIAL BOARD & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS  
 
Co-editors-in-Chief 
Katie Goehring, 2023 
Katie Hoag, 2023 
 
Editorial Board 
Aaron Zhao, 2024 
Andi Thomas-Sanchez, 2023 
Bizzy Stephenson, 2022 
Daniel Nash, 2024 
Mary Tran, 2023 
 
Authors 
Brendon M. Soltis, 2014 & Douglas McAcy, 2014 
Eli Heller, 2017 
Jireh Reduque, 2024 
Lindsey Pierce, 2013 
Sofia Lopez Bactol, 2022 
Tsetsen Anuurad, 2022 
 
Advisor 
Paige J. Gardner, PhD 
Co-Program Director and Assistant Professor, Student Development Administration Program 
 
Front Cover Art 
Emme Brown 
 
Pearls of Wisdom Art 
Niela Klinghoffer 
 
Acknowledgements 
We would like to thank our faculty advisor, Dr. Paige, J. Gardner, the Seattle University Student 
Development Association (SUSDA) Executive Board, MAGIS Editorial Board, and authors for 
their contribution to the formation and publication of this year’s issue. 
 
Ownership 
MAGIS: A Student Development Journal is published annually by the Seattle University Student 
Development Association, 901 12th Avenue, Seattle WA 98122 
 
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Permissions 
Copyright by the Seattle University Student Development Association (SUSDA). All materials 
contained in this publication are the property of SUSDA. 
 
To contact the Editorial Board, please email magis.susda@gmail.com 
MAGIS: A Student Development Administration Journal can be found online at 
https://susdacommunity.wixsite.com/susda/take-action  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Editorial Board

MAGIS 
Volume 17 Issue 1 Article 5 
2023 
Table of Contents 
Editors of MAGIS 
Seattle University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/magis 
Recommended Citation 
MAGIS, Editors of (2023) "Table of Contents," MAGIS: Vol. 17: Iss. 1, Article 5. 
Available at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/magis/vol17/iss1/5 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Seattle University Journals at ScholarWorks @ 
SeattleU. It has been accepted for inclusion in MAGIS by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. 
MAGIS: A STUDENT DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION, VOLUME 17  6 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
Foreword 7 
Returning to Academia: Tracing Pathways from Student Development Administration  12 
to Doctoral Education  
ADHD, The Neurodiversity Paradigm and Professional Practice in Student Affairs  24 
“For the Hyphenated…” 28 
A Very Precarious Journey Through Higher Education Student Affairs 30 
(Re)member in Love and Healing 34 
Community_Rays of Sunshine 45 
Pearls of Wisdom 47 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1
MAGIS: Table of Contents
Published by ScholarWorks @ SeattleU, 2023


Brooks-Torres, Keagen

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
1-22-2025 
2025-01-22 Little Shop Hops: Gargoyle Statuary 
Keagen Brooks-Torres 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
The Spectator • January 22, 2025 • https://seattlespectator.com/2025/01/22/little-shop-hops-gargoyle-
statuary/
Little Shop Hops: Gargoyle
Statuary
Keagen Brooks-Torres, Arts & Entertainment
Editor
Picture it: France, 13th century. Gargoyles with spouts in
their mouths emerge as a gutter-like tool to divert
corrosive rainwater away from buildings, and remain
popular as symbols of Catholicism across Western Europe.
Though gargoyles are harder to come by in the modern
world, these ornate creatures are far from obsolete in the
21st century, as is made clear upon visiting the Gargoyle
Statuary.
The Gargoyle Statuary, located at 4550 University Way NE,
has provided a home for both gargoyles and local artwork
since 1992. With a focus on locally made gothic, pagan and
celtic pieces, the statuary has the distinctly haunting yet
comforting aura of an abandoned European castle
inhabited by modern wizards. The warm aroma of incense,
cedar and hay envelops patrons and passersby, drawing them into a
tarot reading or lively conversation with of the statuary’s three
employees. Beside burbling fountains and beneath hanging lanterns,
a large, colorful collection of stony creatures observe patrons and
passersby. 
“We do it because we love art, and we wanted local art that was
accessible to people,” Gayle Nowicki, owner of the Gargoyle
Sanctuary since 1994, said.“Some [artists] we’ve been collaborating
with for 30 years.”
Some local artists featured in the store include Braden Duncan,
known for their intricate paintings of cats and cat-like creatures, and
Dan Westfall, known for his black and white digital and film
photography of gothic architecture. 
In 1993, the Gargoyle Statuary faced a major setback after moving into the former Unicorn Pub; an electrical fire damaged large
swaths of inventory in the store. While the statuary was met with enthusiastic support from the community and was able to rebuild,
they were left with a vast quantity of burnt merchandise. The store offered major markdowns on the scorched gargoyles and singed
skeletons in a Valentine’s Day sale that became an annual tradition still in effect today.
Alan Behar
Three small matching gargoyles are displayed in a row.
A gargoyle fountain stands surrounded by other
gargoyle statues in the background. (Alan Behar)
The Gargoyle
Statuary is part of
the U-District Art
Walk, and hosts an
art show every
third Friday. The
current open
exhibit, “Rampant”
by Nikol King,
features hanging
banners with
screen-printed art
inspired by
medieval heraldry:
banners or coats of
arms with symbols and colors that indicate family lineage and distinguish royal
houses. 
“[Heraldry] created its own symbology of language. Heraldry and banners used to,
at some point, be the only art that sages and peasants would ever see,” King said.
King, like several of the artists whose work is featured at the Gargoyle Statuary, used to visit before formally collaborating with the
store. 
“This was definitely a foundational place for me that helped inspire my aesthetic and the things that I’m interested in,” King said.
The Gargoyle Statuary is located on a street near UW, often referred to as “the Ave.” Known as a center for art and music, “the Ave”
is home to a variety of local businesses.
Eva Johnson, an owner of Innervisions, a record and poster store
neighboring the Gargoyle Statuary, described a supportive
relationship between local businesses along “the Ave” that have
been integral to maintaining the status of University Way as a hub
of local art. Johnson noted strong connections between nearby
businesses such as Shiga’s Imports, Lucky Dog and Al’s , but
particularly highlighted Nowicki and the statuary as a pillar of
interconnectedness along “the Ave.”
“[Nowicki is] a wonderful neighbor. You couldn’t ask for better,”
Johnson said. 
If you or your loved ones are impacted by a proclivity towards local
gothic art, rest assured there is hope for you at the Gargoyle
Sanctuary, along with a pair of custom fangs and a sizable family of
resin dragons. While gutter systems and major religious
movements may come and go, creepy little guys will last forever. 
Gargoyles sit alongside local art on display. (Alan
Behar)
A small angel-shaped gargoyle on display.
(Alan Behar)
A selection of small gargoyles on display for sale. (Alan
Behar)


2025-01-22 Little Shop Hops: Gargoyle Statuary

Editors of The Spectator

Spectator 2025-02-06

Ahmed, Hadia

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
1-29-2025 
2025-01-29 DeBi TiRAR MaS FOToS: Political, Personal, and 
Unapologetically Puerto Rican 
Hadia Ahmed 
Keagen Brooks-Torres 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
The Spectator • January 29, 2025 • https://seattlespectator.com/2025/01/29/debi-tirar-mas-fotos-
political-personal-and-unapolegetically-puerto-rican/
DeBi TiRAR MaS FOToS: Political,
Personal, and Unapologetically
Puerto Rican
Hadia Ahmed and Keagen Brooks-Torres
Bad Bunny has delivered an album that is holding the
world’s attention. DeBi TiRAR MaS FOToS, which
translates to, “I Should’ve Taken More Photos” is about the
colonization of Puerto Rico and the oppression of its people
at the hands of the U.S., but is also a testament to the
generations of resistance, and a preservation of Puerto
Rican culture.
For two weeks in a row the album has been at No. 1 on
Billboard 200 and Billboard Global 200. With 17 tracks on
the album, three music videos, one short film and five
features, Bad Bunny has expressed not only his love for
Puerto Rico, but amplified resistance to colonization,
oppression, and erasure of his home.
To understand the scope of Bad Bunny’s political
commentary, some historical context is necessary. Puerto Rico was handed over from Spanish colonial rule to American colonial rule
in 1898. Puerto Rico is currently an “unincorporated territory,” meaning it is under U.S. control, but the citizens of the island do not
have the benefits that full citizenship should ensure, such as the right to vote. Puerto Rican independence movements have been
consistently and violently suppressed by the U.S. government. Puerto Rico has a struggling economy as a result of American
exploitation and mismanagement. Locals are driven out to make way for American businesses, particularly those in the all-
consuming tourism, military, and agriculture industries. 
Additionally, lack of tax regulations in Puerto Rico lead to wealthy Americans buying property across the island. As a result of all of
these factors, Puerto Rico’s population has declined, and many native islanders who have lived in Puerto Rico for generations can no
longer afford to inhabit their home.
The song DtMF is short for DeBi TiRAR MaS FOToS, and it captures the fight of honoring Puerto Rico’s culture and the heritage of
the island. The song made waves on TikTok as people all over the world started a trend of sharing images and videos of Puerto Rico
montage style. The message it conveys has resonated with people everywhere whose homes have been gentrified. 
In the short film/music video directed by Bad Bunny titled DeBi TiRAR MaS FOToS, we follow an elder man, played by renowned
Puerto Rican filmmaker, actor, and poet Jacobo Morales and Concho, his friend portrayed by a CGI coquí—an endangered Puerto
Rican crested toad. The short film explores Puerto Rico’s spirit devolving with displacement and gentrification.
Sasha Volovnikov
Starting with Morales digging up a time capsule (which Bad Bunny can be seen burying in the music video for El CluB,) he shows his
old photos to Concho, reminiscing. On his way down to the neighborhood bakery, American genres of rock and country drown out
the natural world. Morales finds the original owners of the neighborhood bakery gone, and the cashier there doesn’t speak Spanish.
She doesn’t understand the local terminology he uses, and only the Puerto Rican man in the back knows what he is ordering. When
the cashier charges him a steep price and informs him they no longer take cash, another local pays for him, gently telling him:
 “Don’t worry, Sir. We’re still here.”
At the end of the film Morales sees a car driving by blasting a Bad Bunny song and he finds himself feeling hopeful that maybe the
Puerto Rico he knows isn’t completely gone. 
While the coquí in little rain boots is one of the many elements of levity, the short film is dripping with a heavy loss. Morales
reminisces by looking back at old photos, wishing to preserve the island that has been forcibly taken from him before it’s too late.
Both the endangered coquí and Morales are losing their homes to money hungry non-natives. The bakery is unsettlingly sterile, and
even phrases like “cashless environment” bring the eerie sensation that this establishment exists at the literal expense of native
Puerto Ricans. The only people eager to help Morales are other locals, and they highlight the resilience of Puerto Ricans. Despite
the U.S. doing everything in its power to exploit the island, erase its culture, and drive out its people, Puerto Ricans will always
remember their home and protect their communities.
Another standout is BAILE INoLVIDABLE, “Unforgettable Dance.” The intro of the song and Bad Bunny’s deep voice immediately
captures your attention. The song is about an ex that Bad Bunny sees as defining the way he experiences love, but also an ode to
Puerto Rican salsa music. He longs for his home island and his lost love, both of which he thought would stay the same forever. The
song includes melodic references to the Puerto Rican salsa classics of Hector Lavoe, such as “Juanito Alimaña” and  “Periódico de
Ayer.” The instrumentation for this track was made by students at the Ernesto Ramos Antonini Free Music School in San Juan, most
of whom were between 17 and 20.
In LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii, Bad Bunny compares U.S. colonization of Hawaii to that of Puerto Rico, highlighting the sinister and
cyclical nature of U.S. occupation. In the chorus, he returns to the biting lament:
“Thеy want to take my river and my beach too
They want my neighborhood and grandma to leave
No, don’t let go of the flag nor forget the lelolai
‘Cause I don’t want them to do to you what happened to Hawaii”
LA MuDANZA, “The Move,” is the closing track on the album, where Bad Bunny holds pride for his parents, his upbringing, and his
Puerto Rican heritage. Following a reference to Eugenio María de Hostos, an activist for Puerto Rican independence, he concludes
the album with:
“No one’ll kick me out of here, I’m not going anywhere
Tell them this is my home where my grandfather was born
I’m from Puerto fucking Rico,”
Bad Bunny’s DeBi TiRAR MaS FOToS is a global hit. It is, too, an ode to Puerto Rico and call to action. It acknowledges the pain
without despairing, and reminds us to keep fighting.


2025-01-29 DeBi TiRAR MaS FOToS: Political, Personal, and Unapologetically Puerto Rican

Editors of Fragments

Fragments 
Volume 66 Parallel Article 4 
2024 
Table of Contents 
Editors of Fragments 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/fragments 
Recommended Citation 
Editors of Fragments (2024) "Table of Contents," Fragments: Vol. 66, Article 4. 
Available at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/fragments/vol66/iss1/4 
This Table of Contents is brought to you for free and open access by the Seattle University Journals at 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Fragments by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks 
@ SeattleU. 
£ izgjM 
Table  of  contents  
•i 
Mirror, Mirrored by Samantha Taylor 
Looking at the rare seed catalog by Sylvie Wang 
Timeless trails & Emerald River & Tears in the Soul by Ashley Miya 
Withering by Sophia Modica 
The Man in the Alley by Emma Caplinger 
Encounter/self by Fern Creson 
Natures Natural Disaster: Forgiveness by Isabella Paco 
April by Kelsey Walker 
Reflection & Encompass by Hannah Sutherland 
introducing the centerpiece by Rose Lindsey 
Atop a Hill by Gina Roseman 
children on this enlightened path by Megan Takushi 
Skin Red Like Fruit by Fox Robinson 
M E D I C I N E  
rotten 
BIOHAZARP 
Noise 


Taylor, Samantha

Fragments 
Volume 66 Parallel Article 5 
2024 
Mirror, Mirrored 
Samantha Taylor 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/fragments 
Recommended Citation 
Taylor, Samantha (2024) "Mirror, Mirrored," Fragments: Vol. 66, Article 5. 
Available at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/fragments/vol66/iss1/5 
This Poetry is brought to you for free and open access by the Seattle University Journals at ScholarWorks @ 
SeattleU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Fragments by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. 
Mirror, Mirrored bySamantha Taylor 
(she is) (incorrectly configured) 
(flesh curving in) (too early) (or too late) 
(skin dimpled) (and tender) 
(she bruises) (easily) (but I thought) 
(she had) (thick skin) 
(it is raised) (and pink) (translucent) 
(ripples of silk) 
(nails tear at) (delicate fabric) 
(shear away) (layer by layer) 
(reveal) (sheets of) (weeping red) 
(pool) (around her ankles) 
(too thick) (not smooth) 
I do not elect this state 
flesh but rather am 
mortification of longing 
to be hated and 
critical lens teeth 
seeping out liquid 
crushing scrutiny 
choking regurgitating 
made into your 
moral shortcoming 
to be lazy to be selfish 
sin in excess in evil I 
free from this body if I 
force exist naturally to 
beautiful not just for a 
b9ldi6m otni gniviBO 
b9tq900B otni b90iot 
9on9teix9 y869 ton ai t\ 
b9tnioq i9bnu b9liv9i 
rl89ft 9lqqus gniqmBb 
to tr1ei9w 9fit trigihsts 
gnirlgusl gn bloom 
gniytqm9 noit09i9i 
gnitsoibni 9iBmtr1gin 
tn9miisinuq to ydhow 
ni 9d ot lutrltols 9d ot 
9d Ot 9800fl0 bluow 
tuoritiw os ob bluoo 
bns ydtiow SB 0993 9d 
.hig tBt 
Looking at the rare seed catalog by Sylvie Wang 
Glass gem corn 
I'm in shock like the people who walk into ERs with their own severed hands 
Lillian's caseload pea 
Their bodies don't know how to tell them what has happened to them 
Mouse melon 
A transformative experience is defined by the fact that you cannot predict in any way what 
and how inside you will change when it happens to you 
Sugar baby watermelon 
You'd loved me into an unrecognizable liberation 
Split second morning glory 
Now on the other side 
Double diamond pearl yarrow 
Sitting in rooms with the lights all off 
Falling in love poppy 
I want to wait for you 
Hanover ground cherry 
You want to sleep with other people 
Mortgage lifter tomato 
I ate baby carrots slowly for lunch 
Fairy snow balloon flower 
I had really truly planned to have your babies 
Sugar rush pepper 
Or at least adopt 
Majorette hollyhock 
Bowing my face into my bowl hands 
Alaska salmon nasturtium 
Inside my heaving attempt to think anything at all 
White bride mullein 
The bare cortisolic reality is this 
Five color silverbeet chard 
The haven in the curvature of my palms in which I stoop 
Kissing tulip 
Will always be for your chest 
Your arm 
Your belly 
Your knee 


Mirror, Mirrored

Mack, Rhyan

Fragments 
Volume 66 Parallel Article 22 
2024 
The Crash 
Rhyan Mack 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/fragments 
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Available at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/fragments/vol66/iss1/22 
This Prose is brought to you for free and open access by the Seattle University Journals at ScholarWorks @ 
SeattleU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Fragments by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. 
The Crash by Rhyan Mack 
The flashing lights of the ambulance were no longer blinding. The crunching of gravel 
under boots had faded into background noise. The chatter over walkies sounded like Charlie 
Brown's parents were urgently trying to tell me something. My eyes focused and unfocused but 
didn't immediately cooperate when a figure stood before me, blocking the ambulance's lights. As 
I attempted to refocus, the red and blue glow created a brilliant aura around a woman I did not 
know well enough to trust. 
"Is this your car?" 
The voice wasn't unfamiliar, but the clarity of the words made it feel brand new. I nodded, my 
eyes following her gaze to the totaled mess scattering the highway and merging with the other 
vehicle. 
"Yeah, it was." 
I turned my head to inspect the damage I hadn't taken in yet. Debris had littered the side of the 
road, tumbled into the embankment, and buried itself both in my skin and that of the shrouded 
form being loaded onto a stretcher. The impact hadn't felt that destructive despite the 
mechanical and organic carnage I knew had been inflicted. The pain in my neck showed just 
how much it had done to me, though I'd refused the cervical collar. The ache wasn't unbearable. 
It made me feel more alive than I had the moment before the collision. 
"You wanna tell me what happened tonight?" 
"I hit him." 
I dragged my eyes up to the figure as I made my declaration. Of course, I'd hit him. My car was 
heavily damaged, but his was decimated. The driver's side door had folded in upon itself. The 
entire car looked like it had been used to demonstrate an elaborate piece of origami, then been 
discarded due to a misplaced fold. More glass littered the road than still fitted into any of the 
windows. It seemed like an endless reflective sea, with water stung and drew blood and sharks. 
Sharks that were loaded up into stretchers under white sheets who were hunted for sport after 
they took chunks out of surfers or divers. 
"Y'know, as jarring as it is, accidents like this happen all the time. Sometimes they're 
tragic, and someone doesn't make it." 
Tragic. That wasn't the word I'd use to describe it. I felt like I was staring through her, focusing 
on the light shining over her thin shoulders and behind her tied-back hair. Her heavy jacket, or 
at least one like it, had been offered to me what felt like a dozen times. Despite how cold I had 
been and still was, I'd shaken my head. My gaze tracked back to the ruined bits of the car. It 
couldn't even be sold for parts, not like the parts he stole from me again and again and again. No 
one bit was entirely salvageable, nothing for greedy chop shops or vultures to pick over. Not 
even empty bones or an annihilated chassis. For once, he got to experience what it felt like to be 
nothing. 
"Do you know how fast you were driving tonight? Any drugs or alcohol in your 
system?" 
"Not fast enough." 
Read the rest online.. 
Egomania byJosephine Whittock 
He told me it was like looking in a mirror. Sometimes we come out wrong, he said. The 
differences aren't substantial, or else we wouldn't be useful. Same organs, build, blood. But the 
arrangement of our faces, the slant of our cheekbones; slight technological distortions. But he 
said I was perfect. An exact copy. Uncanny. 
I know what 111 be used for. I wait in my room until then. He calls it my room. It's small. 
Cold. All of us, one after the other, lining the walls, watching and waiting. I don't know why he 
arranged us like this. I don't have his memories. But we line the walls, and we watch. 
He comes for us one by one. I think there are certain things he can't do unless we're 
perfect. But other procedures are easier. He smiles when he unlocks the doors to our rooms. At 
least, I think it s the same for the others. I don't have a view of most of us, usually, but there are 
so many of us that I can see those positioned across from me; they're a long distance away. The 
place where he keeps us is large. But if I crane my head to the right as much as the wires will let 
me and squint right underneath the operating lamp, I can see him at eye level. I'm lucky. My 
room lets me look at all the screens. I can't read them - they're too far away - but I can see the 
heartbeat monitors and the anesthesia cart and a direct shot of the table. He put me right in the 
center. 
We don't get put on the table right away. He has to measure us first, to confirm our 
similarities. Height, weight, BMI, blood type, blood pressure. MRI scan, CAT scan, bone scan. It 
takes a while. Not as long as it used to, he says. He's got the process down pat now. We come 
out standard. Less hiccups, less challenges, more progress. It's easier this way. For him and for 
us. Who likes being measured? 
The last time I got taken out, I got to sit in a bigger room, with beanbag chairs and 
posters on the walls. Everything was so clean. Really kind of him, to provide that for us. There 
were two more of me. We were waiting to be measured. We don't often get to talk with each 
other, the others and me. I didn't really know what to say. I asked what they were going to be 
used for, if they knew already. I didn't at the time. 
One said that he had a slight defect in his jawbone so he couldn't be used as a control for 
anything important. He knew that his procedure would involve his liver, but he didn't know 
exactly what would be done to it, or how long it would take. The other me was quiet. I don't 
think they wanted to talk about it. So instead I said that the posters on the walls were funny, and 
they agreed with me, and we talked about that for a bit instead. I think being agreeable is 
normal for us. We're very nice. 
Eventually he came in. He, capital H, the first of all of us. He put his hand on my 
shoulder and I knew it was my turn to go back into the large room, where all of us sleep and 
spend most of our time. I remember thinking that I must have a very charming smile, because 
his smile was charming, and looking at him is like looking in a mirror. He talked to me the 
whole time he was taking my vitals. That was a while ago. He laughed at me when we finished, 
said we were like two peas in a pod. I'm just like you. I told him that was silly, because there are 
a lot more than two of us, but he wasn't paying attention to me at that point. 
Read the rest online... 


The Crash

Lopez-Ramirez, Erika

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound 
Projects College of Nursing 
6-1-2025 
A Case Study of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy 
Erika Lopez-Ramirez 
Seattle University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/dius-projects 
Recommended Citation 
Lopez-Ramirez, Erika, "A Case Study of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy" (2025). Bachelor of Science in 
Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects. 17. 
https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/dius-projects/17 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the College of Nursing at ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. It 
has been accepted for inclusion in Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects by an authorized 
administrator of ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. 
CASE STUDY 1 
A Case Study of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy  
 
Erika Lopez-Ramirez 
Seattle University 
 
 
Abstract  
This case study describes a 78-year-old woman who presents to the emergency 
department with chest pain, vomiting, and dizziness. Often mimicking myocardial infarction, 
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is triggered by emotional stress or physical stressors which 
predominantly affects post-menopausal women. Various studies were conducted to differentiate 
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy from myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease, this includes 
troponin levels, electrocardiogram, and coronary angiography. This case emphasizes the role of 
echocardiography in diagnosis and its importance in predicting clinical outcomes and ruling out 
possible complications in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Echocardiography revealed apical 
ballooning with hyperkinetic basal and mid-segments of the left ventricle with a mildly reduced 
ejection fraction of 45-50% as interpreted by the Simpson's Biplane method. The patient was 
consulted for guided medical therapy for the management of the cardiomyopathy. Increased 
CASE STUDY 2 
awareness and thorough echocardiographic assessment are essential for improving diagnosis and 
healthcare outcomes.  
Keywords 
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, apical ballooning, differential diagnosis for myocardial infarction, 
differential diagnosis for coronary artery disease, left ventricle dysfunction 
Introduction 
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy presents with 
regional wall motion abnormalities and 
symptoms similar to a patient with a 
myocardial infarction or acute coronary 
artery disease (CAD), misdiagnosis can 
occur due to similar presentation.1 In most 
cases, left ventricular systolic dysfunction 
can be reversed. This cardiomyopathy 
predominantly affects postmenopausal 
women which makes up 80-90% of cases 
and is triggered by emotional or physical 
stress.1,2 
Diagnosing this cardiomyopathy will 
require multiple labs to rule out an acute 
myocardial infarction (AMI) and CAD. 
Furthermore, this can be a recurrent 
cardiomyopathy which makes up one to ten 
percent of cases2 and it is important we 
evaluate the patients progression closely to 
prevent additional heart damage. Careful 
echocardiography evaluation of patients 
with takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC)  is 
crucial to ensure favorable prognosis. 
Case Report 
A 78 year old woman presented into 
the emergency room with intense chest pain, 
dizziness, and vomiting. The patient has a 
history of similar symptoms which occurred 
in July 2023 at a different hospital. Due to 
the patient's history of uncontrolled 
hypertension (HTN) and diabetes mellitus 
type 2 (DM2) they performed an emergency 
coronary angiogram to rule out coronary 
artery disease in July 2023, there were no 
abnormal findings. Coronary artery disease 
CASE STUDY 3 
is not expected to progress significantly 
within four years.3  The two cardiac events 
happened within a year, so a repeat coronary 
angiogram was not performed. For further 
investigation, an electrocardiogram (ECG) 
12 lead test was  
conducted. There were no findings 
associated with a myocardial infarction, the 
patient was in sinus rhythm. For further 
investigation, a troponin blood exam was 
ordered, and the patient had highly elevated 
troponin levels with the second blood test 
within 6 hours of admission at 408 pg/mL. 
 
 
Figure 1. Apical 4  end systolic chamber 
with Simpson’s Biplane method calculates a 
moderately reduced left ventricular ejection 
fraction (LVEF) of 32.7% with apical 
ballooning and hyperkinetic mid and basal 
segments.  
The physician ordered a stat echocardiogram 
to pinpoint the source of the chest pain. The 
echocardiogram showed  
apical ballooning in systole (Figure 1) due to 
akinesis of the apex. The mid and basal 
segments of the left ventricle were 
hyperkinetic. By Simpson’s biplane in the 
apical four chamber there is a moderately 
reduced LVEF of 32.7%. In the apical two 
chambers the LVEF by Simpson’s biplane 
calculated at 58.1% and when averaged 
between both planes it gave an LVEF of 
49.4% (figure 2). This is mildly reduced 
LVEF for women.4 
CASE STUDY 4 
Figure 2. The apical 2 chamber showed a 
preserved LV EF at 58.1%. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
There is diastolic dysfunction of the left 
ventricle (LV). There is E/A wave reversal, 
the E/A ratio is 0.6, there is reduced tissue 
Doppler velocities in both the lateral (<10 
centimeters per second) and septal (<7 
centimeters per second) walls in the apical 
four chamber, and the max tricuspid 
regurgitation (TR) jet is at three meters per 
second. There is grade I diastolic 
dysfunction.5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 3. Pulsed wave Doppler is used at 
the mitral valve (MV) leaflet tips  to 
evaluate diastolic function with reduced 
LVEF, there is E/A wave reversal.  
 
The patient was consulted for 
medication therapy management for her 
diagnosis, which is the standard care. Patient 
was prescribed lisinopril which is an 
angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) 
inhibitor, which helps control hypertension 
and aid in heart recovery.6  In some cases, 
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy goes away on its 
CASE STUDY 5 
own within a few weeks.1,2The patient was 
discharged with a follow up echocardiogram 
in three months. However, there was no 
follow up echocardiogram within the three 
months for comparison. 
 
Discussion 
A 2D echocardiogram gives us an 
assessment of hemodynamic of the heart in 
real time to rule out critical findings and act 
promptly when needed.  There needs to be 
careful evaluation  to distinguish from an 
AMI or CAD, similar symptoms will arise, 
such as chest pain. Although no other 
cardiac imaging modality was used for this 
case, the echocardiogram gave strong 
evidence for TTC non-invasively and 
without radiation exposure. 
Echocardiography also offers  global 
longitudinal strain (GLS) which is a high 
sensitive method for assessing left ventricle 
systolic and diastolic function with TTC and 
helps distinguish cardiac event from an 
AMI.7 GLS may provide better predictors of 
clinical outcomes during recovery.7,8  A 
normal expected GLS should be around -20 
+/-  and a normal LVEF greater than 5527,8
 In abnormal LV function, GLS will %.8
become a smaller absolute value number, 
closer to zero and LVEF will typically 
decrease with abnormal wall motion.  
In patients that present with apical 
ballooning and apex akinesis, additional 
apical sweeps and imaging enhancing 
contrast may be used to rule out an apical 
thrombus. However, it is important to  note 
that there are a variety of presentations of 
TTC and some subtypes may have a lower 
chance of thrombus formation when 
compared to apical ballooning. 
Echocardiography can improve outcomes 
for patients by ruling out or capturing acute 
in real time and avoid further clinical 
complications.  
Furthermore, although TTC has 
favorable prognosis with LV systolic 
CASE STUDY 6 
function recovery,1,2 It is important to note 
that there are possible complications that 
sonographers should rule out with classic 
apical ballooning and hyperkinetic basal 
segments. Evaluation in echocardiography 
in hyperdynamic basal LV segments with a 
prominent septal sigmoid may present with 
an outflow obstruction (LVOTO) or systolic 
anterior motion (SAM) of the MV.2 In apical 
ballooning it's important to evaluate for 
mitral regurgitation (MR) due to papillary 
displacement and leaflet tethering, and 
apical thrombus due to stagnant blood flow 
in the hypokinetic or akinetic apex.2 This can 
put patients at risk for a cardioembolism 
stroke or systemic embolism event.8 
Thorough evaluation of this cardiomyopathy 
will lead to patients having better outcomes.  
Conclusion 
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy can present 
similarly to an AMI or CAD and can be 
misdiagnosed. It is important to carefully 
evaluate labs to rule out CAD and AMI. 
Assess LV function, rule out possible critical 
complications with TTC, and track recovery 
of left ventricle through GLSl for follow up 
echocardiograms to predict clinical 
outcomes during recovery. Given the 
underrepresentation of women in 
cardiovascular research, it is essential to 
continue collecting specific data on 
cardiovascular disease in women to enhance 
treatment strategies and address existing 
health disparities 
Ethics statement 
Ethical approval was not sought for the 
present study because the information 
provided serves for educational purposes.  
Informed Consent 
Informed consent was not sought for the 
present study because all case data 
deidentified and followed ethics committee 
or IRB guidelines. 
Declaration of conflicting interest 
CASE STUDY 7 
The author declares that there are no 
conflicting interest with respect to research, 
authorship, and or publication of the article. 
Funding  
The author receives no financial report for 
the research, authorship. And/or the 
publication of this article. 
References 
1. Scafa-Udriste A, Horodinschi RN, 
Babos M, et al. Diagnostic challenges 
between Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and 
acute myocardial infarction—where is 
the emergency?: A literature review. Int 
J Emerg Med. 2024;17(22). 
doi:10.1186/s12245-024-00595-4 
 
2. Matta AG, Carrié D. Epidemiology, 
pathophysiology, diagnosis, and 
principles of management of Takotsubo 
cardiomyopathy: a review. Med Sci 
Monit. 2023;29:e939020. 
doi:10.12659/MSM.939020 
 
3.  Rowe R, et al. Repeat coronary 
angiography with previously normal 
arteries: a futile exercise? Catheter 
Cardiovasc Interv. 2015;85(3):401-405. 
doi:10.1002/ccd.25589  
 
 
4. Lang RM, Badano LP, Mor-Avi V, et al. 
Recommendations for cardiac chamber 
quantification by echocardiography in 
adults: an update from the American 
Society of Echocardiography and the 
European Association of Cardiovascular 
Imaging. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 
2015;28(1):1-39.e14. 
doi:10.1016/j.echo.2014.10.003 
 
 
5.  Nagueh SF, Smiseth OA, Appleton CP, 
et al. Recommendations for the 
evaluation of left ventricular diastolic 
function by echocardiography: an 
update from the American Society of 
Echocardiography and the European 
Association of Cardiovascular Imaging. 
J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 
2016;29(4):277-314. 
doi:10.1016/j.echo.2016.01.011 
 
 
6. Olvera Lopez E, Parmar M, Pendela VS, 
et al. Lisinopril. StatPearls. StatPearls 
Publishing; January 2025. Updated 
October 5, 2024. 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NB
K482230/ 
 
 
7.  Citro R, et al. Standard and advanced 
echocardiography in Takotsubo (stress) 
cardiomyopathy: clinical and prognostic 
implications. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 
2015;28(1):57-74. 
 
8. Wani A, et al. Trend of global 
longitudinal strain in Takotsubo 
cardiomyopathy and clinical predictors 
of recovery. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 
2021;34(4):452-453. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE STUDY 8 
 
 
 
 
 


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