The Brain
Maurice Torres
Stepping into Firestone Fieldhouse on a Friday night, one might hear the announcer shouting, “Maurice Torres” as he gains another point for the Waves. But outside the volleyball court, his passions surpass his athleticism. Raised in a household with deaf par- ents, Maurice has developed a balance between the deaf and hearing worlds. “Learning ASL as my first language was a necessity to communicate and has shaped my whole life,” Torres said. 
Additionally, Maurice is fluent in English, Spanish and is in the process of learning Italian. Since leaving home, Torres said he is proud to represent the deaf community. He volunteers as a freelance interpreter and has served as the referee in a deaf volleyball tournament. He said his parents both com- peted in the deaf Olympics and have always encouraged him to be the best in his sport through faith and hard work. “Even with the challenges of balancing schoolwork with practice, my family has always given me the support and love to accomplish anything.” While establishing a successful volleyball career, Maurice also is able to balance school and a job. He hopes to represent the national team and plans to play professionally.
The Athlete
Amber Scholl
Don’t let the lipstick and the polished nails fool you. This former pageant girl may be perceived as delicate and girly, but she is undoubtedly a fierce competitor on the ice. “People stereotype me as the girly girl, but I know how to work hard, and it gives me the upper hand in competition,” Scholl said. 
From the age of 6, she spent her mornings and evenings around school figure skating in the rink and training for competitions. Though the intense lifestyle caused Amber to leave the sport after eight years, she said that it taught her the value of hard work and discipline. “Being in the public eye and learning how to work hard influenced my love for performing on stage,” she said. With ambitions of becoming a future reporter, Amber said her experience in the public eye will work to her advantage on camera.
The Basketcase
Stephen Vidovich
“Resilience is what unites people,” Vidorich said. “You can still decide to turn a new leaf,” Vidovich said. A free spirit, Vidovich says he likes meeting and talking to all types of people. Yet, when he lost his sister in January, Vidovich found consolation from people far more disadvantaged than he is. Vidovich volunteered with Standing on Stone, a community outreach program aimed at serving the poor, needy and lonely in Malibu. 
“After it happened, I started going to SOS,” Vidovich said. “I felt most comfortable sharing what happened with the people there because they relate [to hardship].” A business administration major and Spanish minor, he hopes that succeeding in the business world will enable him to create jobs for people. After graduating, Vidovich plans to move to Madrid.
The Princess
Jacey Sisneros
The term ‘princess’ often elicits thoughts of a perfectionist who gets whatever she wants. But for Jacey, the word is redefined to signify something more meaningful that would inspire many to reconsider the common stereo-type. She believes that a modern– day princess “doesn’t care about a crown. She cares about serving and loving God and people.” 
After experiencing the sudden loss of her father, her mother’s battle with cancer and watching over her developmentally disabled brother, Jacey has embraced God’s love and found strength. “I could hop back into life, or I could sit and mope about how sad my life was and how rough I had it. I chose the first one,” Jacey said. The compo- sure, confidence, class and strength through trials, according to Jacey, are what make her a true princess.
The Criminal
Mark Allen Alford
“I was Austin for a full 24 hours,” Alford said. “But I looked so much like my father that my name was changed to Mark Allen: Mark Allen Alford Jr., but I’ve been called MA since I was a baby.” Thus, it follows that identity would be one of the major issues Alford confronts in his art. Alford gained notoriety for creating “designer” body bags, some of which bear the logos of haute couture labels like Chanel and Prada. More recent works are branded with the logo of Alford’s alter ego, Mark Allen. 
The artist describes his infamous body bags as “memento mori,” or art intended to incite contemplation about death. He remarks that the purpose of the work is performance and participation. Alford even encourages viewers to get inside a body bag, if they dare. A stunt in which Alford posed inside a body bag in an art gallery in Miami resulted in his detention by police
