Conor McGeeney – The Transcript

Diwali celebration lights up Benes

Laughter and music echoed throughout the Hamilton-Williams Campus Center Benes Rooms on Nov. 8 as Diwali, the festival of lights, was hosted by SANGAM.

SANGAM, an Ohio Wesleyan organization that represents and supports South Asian events and culture, organized and executed the festival.

Diwali originated in Indiaand is one of the largest festivals of the Hindu religion. Traditionally Diwali is held in the fall for five days, the third day being celebrated as the main day, the “Festival of Lights”

SANGAM president, Shashwat Rijal, said that the name “Diwali” derives from the Sanskirt word “deepavali.” The first half of the word “deepa” means lights, and the second half “vali” means row of lights, hence the name “festival of lights.”

Rijal also said the festival is an official national holiday in Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore and Fiji.

Another SANGAM member, senior Vrinda Trivedi, said the meaning behind the Diwali festivals is to “celebrate the victory of good over evil” and “light over darkness.” Trivedi also said homes in many countries that recognize the festival are decorated with candles or diyas to signify the message behind Diwali.

During the event, free Indian food was out for attendees to enjoy and Akram Hossain, another SANGAM member, presented a brief Hindi prayer. A Bollywood inspired dance performance, choreographed by Trivedi, was the highlight of the festival. Trivedi described her song selection for the performance as “upbeat” and “fun.” Each performer wore kurtis and kurtas, traditional Indian clothing

While Trivedi said hosting the festival was intended to be fun and help international students experiencing homesickness, Rijal said the event was simply to educate OWU and introduce them to something new.

“The purpose was just to introduce the [OWU] community to the a major Hindu festival,” Rijal said. “By organizing such cultural events, we hope to connect and contribute to the Ohio Wesleyan community.“

Student magician raises money for philanthropy

Ohio Wesleyan student magician, sophomore Bill Boaz. Boaz has been performing professionally since the age of ten. Photo courtesy of Bill Boaz

On a night of magic and mischief on the appropriately timed date of April Fool’s Day, nearly 500 people made their way to the Strand Theatre for a philanthropic performance.

Last Tuesday sophomore Bill Boaz preformed his renowned magic tricks as a way to raise money for his fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon, philanthropy event.

“I became interested in magic at the age of four,” Boaz said.

“I was watching TV and saw David Copperfield making a glass ball float – an illusion I now perform a version of in my own show – so I told my parents, and they saw I was instantly enamored by the art,” Boaz explained.

This event was a first time production for the fraternity.

In the past, “Miss OWU” was hosted as Sig Ep’s spring philanthropy.

Former Sig Ep president, senior Jake Miller, said the fraternity decided last year would be their final “Miss OWU” pageant.

“We decided to change our philanthropy event this year because the magic show attracts people of all ages, Greek life or no Greek life, whereas Miss OWU attracted a more narrow audience,” Miller said.

“We also got to open the event up to the community of Delaware,” Miller added of the magic show.

Boaz said the fraternity’s switch paid off and that the money they raised nearly doubled what they received last year.

Boaz performed two sets of magic to benefit Sig Ep’s national philanthropy, Big Brothers Big Sisters.

“A number of our brothers are now, or have been involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters,” Boaz said.

“This organization was especially important to Jakob VonDerVellen, a brother who was very active in BBBS before he passed away in a car accident two years ago.”

“In addition, it was just recently named as our fraternity’s national philanthropy,” Boaz added.

By charging five dollars at the door, the brothers were able to raise about $2 thousand for their cause.

All is fair in love, war and ‘Heartbreak House’

Cast members of Ohio Wesleyan’s rendition of George Bernard Shaw’s period piece “Heartbreak House.” Photo by Megan Pinto for Communications

The largest war to ever engulf the globe is happening right outside, but the inhabitants of George Bernard Shaw’s “Heartbreak House,” are more concerned with their love affairs.

In “Heartbreak House,” the feminist writer depicts the course of a day in a mansion in Sussex, England.

Over the course of the show character’s become fixated on romance while ignoring that they are living in the middle World War I.

Ohio Wesleyan’s theatre and dance department’s rendition of the play was directed by Professor Elane Denny-Todd.

Denny-Todd said that after 22 years of working at OWU, she was excited to finally produce one of Shaw’s works.

The cast of “Heartbreak House” is comprised of ten students from various class years.

Making the first appearance on stage was Ellie Dunn, played by senior Jenea Dominguez.

Dominguez’s character struggles throughout the show with the decision of whom she will marry. Eventually she settles on the absent-minded Captain Shotover, played by junior Luke Steffen.

Dominguez said she auditioned for the play because she wanted to perform something of Shaw’s as well as work with Denny-Todd.

Senior Kati Sweigard takes on the role of Hesione Hushabye. Sweigardvdescribes her character as having an “intense personality and a ton of confidence.”

Sweigard said that Shaw intended to write the play as an examination of wartime upper-class British society.

Junior Hannah Simpson, who plays Lady Ariedne Utterwood, agreed with Sweigard. Simpson added that Shaw’s play is a critique on how self-absorbed people can be.

“Shaw wrote this play to point out the follies of mankind, particularly those of the upper-class, on the eve of WWI,” Simpson said.

“Instead of being concerned with the consequences that will inevitably rise from war, the characters in ‘Heartbreak House’ fill their minds with trivial matters,” Simpson continued. “Such as who gets the last word in an argument, or not receiving a ‘proper’ greeting when he or she has entered the house.”

Students as teachers create lasting memories at the ECC

Children at the center plant in the center’s garden. Photos from the Early Childhood Center — Children at the center plant in the center’s garden.
Photos from the Early Childhood Center

While the Early Childhood Center is a fundamental resource for the education department, many members of the Ohio Wesleyan University community are unaware of the day-to-day dealings of the brown brick building they pass everyday en route to the academic side of campus.

The Early Childhood Center strives to utilize unique, hands-on teaching methods in an attempt to capture children’s attention. 110 children between the ages of three and five attend the center on a part-time basis throughout the week.

Director and teacher at the center, Kellie Hall, said much of how the children learn is through hands-on activities that give them a chance to immerse themselves in the curriculum rather than just hearing about it.

“Unique to our school is our curriculum,” Hall said. “We utilize an emergent curriculum which means we pay close attention to the interests of the children and what is happening in the world around them. We plan activities based on these observations, while also taking into account the state learning standards for early childhood.”

The center also offers, on average, a 10:3 student to teacher ratio in each class. This ratio is higher than the average classroom because of the OWU students who work at the center.

OWU students are able to work in the Early Childhood Center as student teachers, field study students, legacy education administrative interns, work-study students, psychology students, drama students, health and human kinetic students, Tree House volunteers, in StAP positions and completing community service for education classes.

Senior Tim O’Keefe works for the Center, and said he believes it is a crucial resource not only to students of the center, but students of OWU’s education department as well.

“The Early Childhood Center does a lot of emergence teaching with its students,” O’Keefe said. “If children start to express interests in a certain topic, then the teachers will integrate that topic into the classroom. For instance if children are discussing cars during snack time or during guided exploration, then teachers will incorporate cars as well as more lessons on transportation into their lessons. This style allows for the children of the center to be more engaged in lessons as well as show that the teachers of the center adapt to what their students are interested in.”

Current sophomore and Delaware resident Alanna Spalsbury attended the center as a child, and said she remembers “loving” her time there, and described her experience as being very “hands-on.”

“I remember having show and tell (one boy even brought his pet goat) and the teachers were always very compassionate and actively engaged with us,” she said. “Also I know we were active outside daily with there being a track in the backyard and many sensory areas like a sand box and seed station.”

New coach, new team

New women's lacrosse Head Coach Chelsea Huguenard. Photo from BattlingBishops.com — New women’s lacrosse Head Coach Chelsea Huguenard.
Photo from BattlingBishops.com

The women’s lacrosse team has a fresh start this season with new Head Coach Chelsea Huguenard, accompanied by new assistant coach Jim Leake.

After a 3-11 last season, the team hopes to get back on track and has set high expectations for this year.

Huguenard, who was previously head girls lacrosse coach at Olentangy High School, hopes to bring motivation and positivity to the team.

“This team has the talent and drive to win games,” she said.

“They work well together on and off the field. We want to finish in the top four of our conference, and get a chance to play in the NCAC conference tournament.”

Players also have high expectations for the season.

Sophomore attack Meghan Doherty is eager to get the season started and believes the team’s hard work during the preseason will pay off.

“I am optimistic that our team has the talent and drive to make it deep into the post season,” said Doherty.

“We currently have a low NCAC preseason ranking but I see us as an underdog.”

Junior defense Eilee Foley believes that the team’s leadership will help guide them to more wins this season.

“All of our players lead us in some way,” said Foley. “For example, (senior)Jenna Ortega is one of the team’s strongest motivators and (senior) Cate Bailey and (senior) Theresa Wolfgang help run the mid-field.

“You have (sophomore) Patricia Ryan on attack leading the way and setting pace, and back on defense you have (senior) Steph Martineau and (junior) Sara Lawrence playing some of the best defense. Another example is (junior) Abbie Love, who helps transition the ball really well from defense to attack.”

Huguenard’s enthusiasm and determination have spread throughout the team according to senior defense player, Jenna Ortega.

“She is fully involved in our team and there for us when we need her,” she said. “She believes in us and makes us work to our potential.”

“I believe myself and my assistant Coach Leake have showed them we can be successful this season,” Huguenard said.

“That will be put to the test when we open with Otterbein March 5th.”

Blind golfer helps others to see

Jeremy Poincenot spoke at Ohio Wesleyan on Feb. 18. He was brought to OWU by the Inter Fraternity Council (IFC). Poincenot is the 2010 Blind Golf World Champion. Photo from Jeremy Poincenot's website — Jeremy Poincenot spoke at Ohio Wesleyan on Feb. 18. He was brought to OWU by the Inter Fraternity Council (IFC). Poincenot is the 2010 Blind Golf World Champion.
Photo from Jeremy Poincenot’s website

Inspirational Speaker and 2010 Blind Golf World Champion, Jeremy Poincenot, encouraged students to live each day to fullest.

Poincenot, 23, presented at a trilogy event put on by Inter Fraternity Council (IFC), on Feb. 18 in Grey Chapel.

Poinecent lost his sight within two months by the age of 19 due to a rare genetic disorder called Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). At the time, Pincenot was a sophomore at San Diego State University.

Pincenot decided to take time off school after hearing the devastating news.

After months of being depressed and not wanting to go back to San Diego State, one of Poincent’s Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity brothers, Josh, called Poincenot and told him he would take classes with him and help guide him through his new dark world.

Poincenot decided to take Josh up on his offer.

“What Josh did for me was monumental,” said Poincenot, who graduated in May 2013.

After returning to school, Poincenot was determined to help others who were suffering for the disease.

He began C.U.R.E., a bicycle ride fundraiser and over the past five years the annual bike trip has raised over $125,000 for the cause.

“I determine my happiness,” he said. “Don’t let others determine your happiness.”

Since his diagnosis, Poincenot has been featured on MTV’s “True Life” documentary series, traveled to places such as China and Japan to raise awareness of LHON and won the Blind Golf World Championships in 2010 with his father as his caddy.

Coming to OWU

Poincenot’s appearance at OWU was made possible after he reached out to his fellow Sigma Phi Epsilon President, junior Sam Abbott, about coming to campus.

Abbott was then inspired to present the idea of making Poincenot a speaker for an IFC trilogy event.

“After seeing how amazing his story was and how charismatic he was when speaking, I immediately thought that he would be a tremendous person to bring in for a possible trilogy event for our Greek community,” Abbott said.

“I told him that I would present the idea to IFC as a possible trilogy event.”

Residential Life Coordinator Levi Harrel said that IFC was eager to have a fraternity man share an important message with other Greek life members.

“Being a fraternity man is more than being part of a campus organization, it is a commitment to growing with understanding others, and Jeremy’s message was just that,” Harrel said.

“The time, effort, and dedication in making this event successful speaks highly to the character of the fraternity men who were vital in bringing this event to campus and demonstrates their roles as campus leaders and highlights their commitment to the fraternity and sorority community here at OWU.”

Harrel said he enjoyed Poincenot’s sense of humor and a Plato quote he continued to reference throughout his presentation, “Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”

Abbott said he enjoyed the question and answer session at the end of the presentation and the story of Jeremy playing the Blind Golf National Championships.

“He shared his story when he competed at the National Championships when he was paired with a short old man named John Casolo,” said Abbott.

“John shot a 324, and Jeremy shot a 97. It was eye opening when Jeremy said he was pissed after the round and John was happy and said that he had a great time playing with Jeremy.”

Fresh voice on Board of Trustees

Senior Jake Miller, the new representative on the Board of Trustees. He was elected by fellow seniors to represent them on the board. Photo from Jake Miller — Senior Jake Miller, the new representative on the Board of Trustees. He was elected by fellow seniors to represent them on the board.
Photo from Jake Miller

After an arduous election process, current Ohio Wesleyan seniors chose Jake Miller to represent their class on the university’s Board of Trustees.

The month-long election process consisted of 10 percent of the graduating class signing a petition for the candidates. Next, campaigns were held and seniors voted online using myOWU.

Members of the Board of Trustees are responsible for overseeing and managing university operations.

Julia Hatfield, assistant director of alumni relations, said there three graduating class trustees serve at any given time, and they are considered full Board members. Therefore, she said, they have full voting privileges on the Board, attend full meetings and participate on committees.

“The (graduating class trustee) is meant to serve as a voice for students and younger alumni who would not otherwise have a representative for their interests on the Board,” Hatfield said.

During his three-year term, Miller hopes to assist the board in making decisions that will benefit students.

“Because I have been able to participate in a number of different organizations on campus, I have a good understanding of what Ohio Wesleyan does well and also what can be improved,” he said. “I hope to bring up discussions on ways to improve the day-to-day life at Ohio Wesleyan by improving things like residential life and food services.”

President Rock Jones said he believes Miller will be an excellent representation for students.

“Jake has been a strong leader as a student on campus, and he will take those same leadership skills to his service as a trustee,” Jones said.

“He will continue the long-standing tradition of graduating class trustees who participate fully and actively in all deliberations, decisions and activities of the Board of Trustees.”

OWU students ‘SHO’ their love for favorite couples

The ladies behind “SHO Your Love Day” pose for a photo during their event. Photo by Lizzy Wynne — The ladies behind “SHO Your Love Day” pose for a photo during their event.
Photo by Lizzy Wynne

Love was in the air last Wednesday for SHO Your Love Day, culminating in the second annual “Cutest Couple” competition.

The event was hosted in the Hamilton-WilliamsCampus Center and raised 614 food points to pay for food for future tailgates and other events sponsored by the Spirit and Homecoming Organization (SHO).

Sophomore Brittany Spicer, SHO’s public relations chair, said SHO puts on events throughout the school year to help raise school spirits.

“We put on SHO Your Love Day to boost the morale of students, especially since this is the time of the semester that students begin to stress about upcoming exams,” Spicer said.

Spirit Event Coordinator, sophomore Meghan Finke, said the event had “a little something for everyone.”

“We had free cookie decorating, free hot chocolate and have a Valentine making station where students could make valentine’s and have them delivered to your friends’ mailboxes,” she said.

Students voted for their favorite OWU couple during the “Cutest Couple” contest. Photo by Lizzy Wynne — Students voted for their favorite OWU couple during the “Cutest Couple” contest.
Photo by Lizzy Wynne

The “Cutest Couple” competition featured four couples; seniors Cate Bailey and Spencer Schnell, seniors Caroline Block-Wilkins and Drew Daigneault, junors Brittany Hupp and Tom Horsfall and junior Philippe Chauveau and sophomore Lizzy Wynne.

“The main component of our event is a cutest couple contest, where we have students nominate couples weeks in advance, then vote using their food points,” Spicer said.

With 242 votes, Hupp and Horsfall won the title and a gift certificate to 1808.

“Brittany and Tom won because they are truly OWU’s most adorable couple,” Finke said.

The couple said being nominated and winning as an awesome feeling.

“Tom and I act pretty weird 90% of the time, but the fact we can act weird and be still be considered ‘cute’ is a beautiful thing and just one of the many reasons why we love this school,” Hupp said.

SLUsh 2014 brings scores of students

Senior Jessica Harpel watches from the foreground as freshman Megan Marren listens to sophomore Sarah Richmond and senior Alex D’Amore-Braver describe the House of Thought. Harpel, Richmond and D’Amore-Braver are current residents. Photo by Spenser Hickey — Senior Jessica Harpel watches from the foreground as freshman Megan Marren listens to sophomore Sarah Richmond and senior Alex D’Amore-Braver describe the House of Thought. Harpel, Richmond and D’Amore-Braver are current residents.
Photo by Spenser Hickey

The snow and ice were an appropriate setting for many students who found new homes for next semester in this year’s Small Living Unit (SLU) recruitment.

SLUsh is the week-long period where the campus’s SLUs recruit residents. This year, they had a much larger number of applicants than usual, according to house moderators.

Applicants were informed of each SLU’s decision on Feb. 4 and have until the 10th to decide.

The process began with an all-SLU event Jan. 27 in Stuyvesant Hall to introduce interested student to each of the seven houses on campus.

Each SLU has a central theme. Houses include the Modern Foreign Language House (MFL), Citizens of the World House (COW), House of Thought (HoT), Interfaith House (IF), House of Peace and Justice (P&J), Tree House, and Women’s House (WoHo).

Freshman McKenna Brewer, applied to both COW and WoHo, and thought the process was fairly straightforward.

“I liked the smaller events at each of the houses I went to as well,” she said.

Brewer found out on Tuesday that she was accepted as a new member of WoHo.

Senior Alex D’Amore-Braver, moderator of House of Thought, said his house had five spots to fill and held 18 interviews.

He said this made the process very time-consuming, as they spent ten and a half hours holding interviews and deliberating.

While this may have led to some students being written off early, D’Amore-Braver said they “have a fantastic roster for next year.”

Senior Ashley Madera, moderator of Citizens of the World House, said they also have five full-year spots, as well as two for fall semester.

When searching for potential members, they consider three major aspects: passion, individuality and willingness to make COW their home.

“We want applicants who want to make COW their second home and not just a bed to sleep in,” she said.

Madera said they received 25 applications, which made the process a lot longer than usual.

“We really had to pick those individuals who stood out from the rest in all these areas rather than just one or two,” she said.

Sophomore Margot Reed, a resident of P&J, said her house accepted seven new members for next semester out of 21 applicants.

“I think one of the biggest challenges that created was trying to pick people that would please everybody already in the house,” she said.

Reed said it finding a consensus among the 17 current members on one person is difficult, and even more so when there are eight spots.

Like House of Thought and Citizens of the World House, the Modern Foreign Language House also has five spots open.

Senior Kate Johnson, MFL moderator, said they look for dedication to the house’s mission, an open mind and a personality that matches well with current members.

“We are looking for students who are studying languages or native speakers of non-English languages who have a strong interest in promoting intercultural understanding,” she said.

To evaluate interested students, each SLU held a two-hour long open house, providing applicants with interview sign-ups for Feb. 1 and 2.

The week’s events concluded on Jan. 31, with a screening of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” by the House of Thought, other SLU residents and non-members.

Students honor MLK legacy, look to make racism part of the past

On April 4, 1968, African-American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed outside of his hotel room in Memphis, Tennessee.

In honor of Martin Luther King Day, students and professors organized events throughout the week to continue spreading King’s message of social equality and to bring attention to racial discrimination – an issue that many Ohio Wesleyan University students and faculty members believe is present today.

OWU organizations including Black Men of the Future (BMF) sponsored events in remembrance of MLK.

BMF organized an event in honor of King, which occurred in Hamilton-Williams Campus Center at lunch hour.

“We organize an event every year to commemorate MLK and his contributions to the quest for racial equality,” said senior Lucky Mosola, BMF President.

“…This year we performed an excerpt from MLK’s Letter From Birmingham Jail; ‘I, Too,’ a poem by Langston Hughes, and an original piece by myself about MLK and his Birmingham Campaign.”

Several other events hosted throughout the week were not only for OWU students, but the Delaware community as well.

An annual breakfast was held Monday morning at 8 a.m. in Benes Room B in honor of Dr. King. That evening, a screening of clips from “Freedom Riders” was shown in Beeghly Library’s Bayley Room at 7 p.m.

The “Freedom Riders” screening – about civil rights activists who challenged segregation in interstate busing – was followed by a discussion guided by Dr. Hasan Jeffries, associate professor of history at Ohio State University.

Jeffries showed three clips from the documentary, which was created by PBS as part of its American Experience series.

They involved interviews of those involved, re-enactments of some sequences, and photos and newsreels of the actual events.

Those who went on the 1961 Freedom Rides faced beatings from Ku Klux Klansmen and other white supremacists, sometimes with the approval of local law enforcement officers, while the federal government tried to convince them not to challenge the segregated system.

When they weren’t beaten, many riders were jailed in Parchman Penitentiary, but this backfired on supporters of segregation.

Their time in prison only increased the riders’ commitment to ending segregation, and made them better organized.

During the discussion Jeffries asked how many audience members would have been willing to go on the buses and risk their lives; only one person raised her hand.

On Thursday, a screening of the documentary “White Like Me” was shown in Benes Room B. The documentary is based off anti-racism activist Tim Wise’s book.

The documentary reflected on white privilege, discrimination and how many people think racism was solved decades ago, it is still a prominent issue in today’s society.

After the film, Sociology and Anthropology professor Dr. Paul Dean asked audience members to share their opinions on racism at Ohio Wesleyan and if they believe racial discrimination is still a prominent issue in the U.S.

In a question and answer section following the screening, some students who attended questioned why more did not.

Jim Mendenhall, ‘73, also attended the screening and said he thought it would have been nice to have more faculty and administration staff present.

“I think that racism is still a large issue in the United States,” said freshman McKenna Brewer, secretary of Sisters United.

“The fight for racial equality is not over, it continues every hour of every day.”

Sisters United and Black Men of the Future are both umbrella organizations of the Student Union on Black Awareness, which was founded in 1968 – the year of King’s assassination – to provide a voice for students of color on campus.

Mosola also expressed concerns about racism in modern society, stating that while racism may not be blatant, it does still exist.

“Racism is still a huge problem, but the nature of it has changed,” Mosola said. “(Now it’s) much more has to do with expectations, stereotypes, and institutional advantage (and) discrimination.

“There is still a long way to go, but changing how a culture thinks takes time. I think that with younger generations it will continue to improve in our lifetime.”