In a time of two overseas wars, economic crisis and the rise of fundamentalism, The Talon takes a look at the stories of students and patriots to answer what it means to be a 21st century American.

Pilgrims and Football In 1620, sophomore Brenna Reid’s ancestor stepped off the Mayflower. Nearly two centuries later, her great-great-great grandfather conducted his station of the Underground Railroad. Flashforward to 2010, and Brenna sits in an air-conditioned library declaring her disdain for hamburgers and football. Read more.

Immigrants “In mind and culture, I’m going to be half American and half Korean.” -freshman Daniel Jang Read more.

Multicultural Life for first-generation Americans like sophomore Sarah Yam is a mix of cultures and patriotism. It’s a constant clashing of the “Pledge of Allegiance” and the “Hora”; it’s a fierce battle between hot dogs and spicy curries. Even though as elementary kids, we sang “It’s a Small World After All,” it really isn’t—and definitely not for first-generation Americans. Because sometimes, their world is too big with both hot dogs and spicy curry, and life for the first-generation is a story of juggling all their inheritances. Read more.

Soldiers Senior Marika Lee hardly notices the mosquitoes and rain as she prepares for combat. It’s not even 4 a.m. Read more.