Emily Susan Black – The Transcript

Why Mindy just gets it

People who know me well know that I love Mindy Kaling. This actress, comedian and writer truly understands the issues women face and she handles them with confidence.

I see Mindy as one the most empowering female figures in the media today. She is a role model for so many women just by being herself.

She deals with the same struggles the average woman deals with in terms of body image, in terms of the idea that women are supposed to fit themselves into a size zero to be perfect. But instead of conforming to that standard, she stays true to herself and reminds women and girls everywhere that she is happy just the way she is.

Sometimes she even makes jokes about the issue, and without bringing herself down, she is able to show the world that she can handle whatever comes her way.

In her show, “The Mindy Project,” she highlights the point mostly through humor. Off-camera, she is just plain inspiring.

For her “Teen Vogue” profile she said: “I get so worried about girls with body image stuff….And I feel like I have been able to have a fun career and be an oncamera talent and be someone who has boyfriends and love interests and wears nice clothes and those kinds of things without having to be an emaciated stick. And it is possible to do it. In life, you don’t have to be that way and you can have a great life, a fun life and a fulfilling love life.”

Not only is she empowering as a person filled with selflove, but she is also someone who is easy to relate to when it comes to race and cultural identity. Mindy, like so many Indian Americans, deals with the cultural conflict of being brought up in the United States while still trying to maintain her roots in India.

In the most recent episode of her show, Danny (Mindy’s love interest) flies to India and viewers are able to understand a little bit about her cultural background. This adds a refreshing layer to Mindy’s character and shows people that she can embrace her Indian heritage while still fitting into American culture.

Mindy shows us that regardless of what people say, she is unapologetically herself.

In other words “It’s so weird being my own role model, I recommend it.”

Political scientist makes the case for drug decriminalization

With Ohio’s upcoming ballot initiative to legalize the sale of marijuana, it is fitting that Ana Arjona, a political scientist and professor at Northwestern University, recently opened a dialogue on the drug war both at home and in Latin America.

Her lecture took place on Thursday, Sept. 24, in the Benes Rooms at Ohio Wesleyan, where students, faculty and Delaware residents filled the room.

Arjona’s primary goal for her presentation was to shed light on an issue that society has a tendency to avoid: drug laws.

“I think we need to have both a political and moral debate about the war on drugs in order for any real progress to be made,” said Arjona.

She explained the allure of drugs and the fact that decriminalization leads to higher rates of both consumption and production. The more government policies that are enacted against drugs, she argued, the higher the likelihood that drug abuse and crime will increase. Arjona called this “The Balloon Effect.”

She showed the audience data documenting high rates of death from drugrelated gang wars.

“Most of the deaths happen to innocent people who are caught in the crossfire,” said Arjona.

She went on to talk about her support for decriminalization of marijuana in Ohio and in all US states.

“There are countries like Portugal who have refocused their drug policies in a way that targets health and that has been much more effective,” said Arjona. “Decriminalization doesn’t mean no regulation, it just means we change how we look at drug charges.”

“The ‘war on drugs’ is a humanitarian, political and economic issue,” said Arjona. “It is one with a widespread impact.”

After Arjona’s lecture, freshman Nicholas Melvin felt that he knew much more about the topic than he had before. “I attended this talk so that I could learn more about a subject I knew very little about,” he said. “I thought this presentation was very informative and did give me a deeper awareness on the subject.”

The program was hosted by the International Studies Program and introduced by the department chair professor Sean Kay.

“This was exciting for Ohio Wesleyan students because it is the kind of expertise that is presented in the corridors of strategic thinking and policy in the United States and Latin America,” said Kay.

Enrollment on the decline

Admission and enrollment rates are used by universities across the country like team records are used in sports: they show who is ahead. And though they are both small liberal arts schools in the Ohio 5, Ohio Wesleyan University and Denison University are putting up very different stats.

Just this year, Denison was able to reach some of its highest application rates; some 6,100 applications from a wide mix of students were compiled by their admissions office. On top of that, according to their website, Denison’s class of 2019 is among the university’s strongest academically, compared to past rankings.

When asked about these exceptional rates of application, Denison’s senior associate director of admissions Mike Hills said that his office’s hard work has paid off.

“Our reputation as a premier liberal arts college is among the best in the country, which makes our job easier in a challenging admissions climate,” Hills said. “In addition to the Midwest and Northeast, which have always been good places for us to enroll high-achieving students, we’ve been working really hard to recruit equally qualified students from the South and West.”

In contrast, Ohio Wesleyan faced an incredibly low rate of enrollment last year with a freshman class of 490, which was significantly below OWU’s annual goal of 600. It was the lowest rate in the past five years.

To counteract those numbers, OWU began re-branding and underwent tremendous budget cuts this year.

As reported in an article on the OWU website, authored by vice president for enrollment Susan Dileno, “Our applicant and admit pool hasn’t really changed that much, but at the end of the day, it is impossible for us to control who does or does not enroll.”

Go!OWU strengthens leadership on campus

Go!OWU is a campus-wide event that provides a variety of diverse educational workshops for student leaders and seeks to strengthen all campus organizations.

The event was held on Sept. 12. Each organization was required to have at least two members in attendance, including the treasurer and one member of their executive board.

The main message behind Go!OWU is to Get Organized (GO) and to bring the campus community in a way that allows everyone to become familiar with their resources, specifically OrgSync and AdAstra. Students are also encouraged to utilize the Wesleyan Council of Student Affairs (WCSA).

“I think Go!OWU is a great way for new and returning student leaders on our campus to become familiar with the different aspects of managing their organization,” said senior Morgan Christie, one of the event’s organizers. “So many student leaders have the capabilities and skills to run successful organizations, but sometimes figuring out the logistics of doing soespecially if you are new to your positioncan sometimes be confusing and overwhelming.”

Shelli Reeves, senior class president, said,“Many people thought about walking away from some of the activities that they could not grow in, did not like, and/or were too time consuming.

Having this impact on my colleagues was an amazing experience to me and I was glad that I was able to promote positive change.”

Nancy Rutkowski, the assistant director of the Student Involvement Office, said, “Due to the fact that this event occurs early in the fall semester, it is a chance to meet other organization leaders for networking purposes and opportunities to collaborate on future projects which allows for a successful start for campus organizations.”

The event promoted marketing, financial management and general planning and allowed collaboration and deep learning between student leaders across organizations.

OWU dances for peace

The 7th annual EarthDance brought together students from all walks of life. Photo by Shashank Sharma.

Ohio Wesleyan students promoted peace Saturday, Sept. 19 through dance, participation and community.

The seventh annual EarthDance occasioned this uplifting event. It is a tradition that started in 1997. It has presented more than 600 music and dance events in over 60 countries in the last 19 years and has featured thousands of DJs and musicians.

This year several returning organizations were a part of the event, including the dance composition class, OWU Rhythms Tap Club and members of Orchesis, the annual dance showcase held by the theater and dance department at OWU.

Junior Jeremy GriffithJackson played a central role in the the event.

“My role in Earthdance was to create a piece to represent Orchesis. The event went very well and I felt that the dancers represented the company swimmingly,” said Jackson.

The faculty were also involved this year. Chemistry professor David Lever was the DJ for the event.

“In honor of the international EarthDance, I played an eclectic mix of music, in at least six different languages, ranging from Bhangra to Turkish pop to dubstep and dancehall, and everything in between. The goal was for it to feel like people were going to a European dance club,” said Lever.

As the EarthDance website states: “EarthDance is a world of communities, working and playing together to create a culture of peace, through music and dance events, synchronized global link- ups, and social activism. More than just an epic party, EarthDance is a flash forward to an alt peaceful future.”

The event was able to capture the essence of that message, Rashana Smith, a planner for the event and professor of dance said. “The event truly brought the community together and in doing that was able to achieve EarthDance’s goal.

“While I’m the primary producer and organizer, it wouldn’t happen without the help of lots of people, for whom I’m very grateful,” said Smith. “In fact, we could use more volunteers through the summer, people to help with publicity and communication.”

EarthDance events are synchronized globally, in conjunction with the annual United Nations’ Peace Day.

Medieval combat not just a thing of the past

Those students with an interest in swords and swordfighting can find an outlet for their passion in the Ohio Wesleyan Medieval and Renaissance Recreational Combat Association (MARRCA) club.

The club was formed in the 1970s and was originally called ARMA (Association for Renaissance Martial Arts). It has changed focus and direction many times, but it has always been about exploring Western martial arts and historical combat.

Between 2012 and 2014, the club practiced less combat and looked to games instead. The members learned various sword positions and some obscure moves, like “the wheel.” They also focused on two-handed long swords and roundel daggers.

Since 2014, Mark Wicker, assistant circulation manager at Beeghly library, has helped teach combat. This has allowed the club to move into a more practical, pared down fighting style that is more useful for self-defense. Last year, they also introduced new, more durable swords, and the short swordshield or buckler techniques.

“Most of our techniques are based on research of the actual techniques that Medieval and Renaissance soldiers used,” said senior Luke Steffen, a member of MARRCA.

“Really, the members create the club experience,” said senior Christine Mendiola, the MARCCA president. “I’m hoping as president to encourage and promote any direction the members want to take us in.”

HBC a ‘home away’ despite damage

The House of Black Culture (HBC), while due for maintenance, continues to draw students to its doors.

The house serves as a dynamic living-learning environment for people who want to explore the culture and tradition of the African-American experience.

However, over time, the physical appearance of the 40-year-old house has declined.

Some of the damages include peeling paint on both the interior and exterior of the building, issues with worms entering showers and faulty wiring (the result of a 1994 robbery).

President Rock Jones is aware of these problems.

“The issues are being addressed,” said Jones. “While we look forward to new SLUs, we remain committed to ensuring the health, safety, cleanliness and hygiene of the existing buildings as long as they are in use.”

Despite the physical problems, the sense of community and mission of the house are being well-maintained.

“HBC’s conditions are very poor to a point where things continue to fall apart or deteriorate,” said Twanisha Taylor, a senior living in the house. “However, this hasn’t interfered with the role that it plays within the minority community. It serves as a home, a safe space, a communal gathering location and a place where we identify with multiple cultures.”

The house’s Resident Adviser (RA), senior Kaila Johnson, also spoke to the house’s condition, saying that the community, not the physical structure, is what makes HBC important.

“I’m really excited to be the RA of HBC – I hope to foster and preserve the legacy of community and safe space that the house has provided over the years,” said Johnson. “Despite the damages, HBC is a home away for many students on campus, and the OWU community actively supports that and hopes to continue to build that.”

“HBC is a treasured place on the OWU campus,” said Jones. “It is far more than a building, though it is important that we care well for the building in which the community lives and interacts. I am personally grateful to all who have contributed through the years to making this a valued community on our campus.”

Psychology professor elected to office

Psychology professor Sarah Bunnell received the good news in June; she had been elected vice president of the United States region for the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSoTL).

According to the organization’s website, “The goal [of the organization] is to foster inquiry and disseminate findings about what improves and articulates postsecondary learning and teaching.”

Bunnell began serving as vice president on July 1.

The position entails establishing quality guidelines and teaching and learning practices, as well as fostering collaboration over scholarly works.

Professor Bunnell says that she hopes that her position will help increase recognition of the scholarly teaching and learning done on liberal arts campuses and promote the value of a liberal arts education.

After receiving her PhD at the University of Kansas, Bunnell joined the Ohio Wesleyan psychology department in 2010. Bunnell teaches psychology courses at all levels.

Bunnell’s colleagues support her new leadership role. “Dr. Bunnell’s active participation and leadership in this organization has helped her promote important discussions,” said professor Lynda Hall, chair of the department.

“Over the next three years, I’m looking forward to increasing the profile of Ohio Wesleyan and other liberal arts campuses, to contribute to the larger scholarly body of work on teaching and learning and to hopefully increase student involvement in this conversation and collaborative process,” says Bunnell.

Class of 2019 settling in

Members of the Class of 2019 move in. Photo by Lisa DiGiacomo.

After much anticipation and preparation, the class of 2019 has finally arrived.

Continuing the tradition of welcoming freshmen to campus, Ohio Wesleyan students called on the Greek community to organize and assist with move-in day.

“I love move-in day,” said senior associate director of admission Patricia “Pat” Kelly. “It’s such an exciting time, and it’s my favorite time of the year because it’s when I get to see freshmen settle into their home away from home.”

Since then, organizations like the Campus Programming Board and the office of Residential Life have been staging orientation activities, free events and socials exclusively for freshmen.

Although statistical information about the class of 2019 was not available when this article was written, convocation data suggests an actively involved freshman class.

Specifically, the class of 2019 comprises 267 varsity athletes, 117 varsity sport captains, 92 high school musicians and 224 students who participated in community service and volunteer work.

Christopher Bonner, a freshman from Parma, Ohio, falls into one of those categories. “I chose OWU because my football coach at Valley Forge High said great things about it, and I visited and loved it, too,” he said.

In an attempt to combat low enrollment, this summer, OWU expanded its publications, developed its website and hired a new marketing firm to design banners that currently line campus walkways.

“The reason we are developing all of this is to develop a better way to share the OWU connection,” said Director of Admissions Alisha Couch.

No matter how the numbers turn out, or what the banners look like, the freshmen are here to stay.

COW Week aims to promote diversity

The Citizens of the World (COW) house plans to promote its mission of bringing cultural diversity and awareness the week of Oct. 20.

The members of the Small Living Unit (SLU) have planned a variety of events each portraying messages the house wants to share.

“I hope for the best, but I’m just going to be passionate about what I’m personally doing and what we are doing as a house and hope that it rubs off and reflects well to others,” said junior McKenna Brewer, a new member of COW.

While the overall goal is for the house to share its message, the OWU community will also be able to communicate their own personal interpretations of these ideas through “I Stand For.” The event will allow students to make shirts that announce their personal values. According to senior and house moderator Kerrigan Boyd, “these shirts are an avenue for the campus to actively vocalize their social and cultural awareness passions.”

For those who are interested in participating in less hands on methods, two documentaries will be screened on campus during the week. The first, “In Whose Honor,” addresses the problem with having culturally offensive depictions of Native American mascots, and the issues of merchandising and appropriation towards Native American symbols and culture. The other, “The Coca-Cola Case” raises awareness about unethical actions of major corporations abroad. Both movies will be brought to campus in the hopes of spreading awareness about major social and economic issues.

COW is also planning to hold events raising awareness for education issues.

To end of the week, the house hopes to host a celebratory feast with an assortment of food from various cultures around the world and will actively celebrate cultural diversity through food.