TheTranscript – Page 22 – The Transcript

50-Day Club takes off

David Fradkin, Transcript Correspondent

It is finally spring where the weather is getting warmer and the school year is winding down. It is also that time of the year when Backstretch Bar hosts its annual 50-Day Club event.

This year is the 13^thannual 50-Day Club where 57 people signed up to participate. The deadline to sign up was March 21.

The even is open to Ohio Wesleyan students, Backstretch employees and Delaware residents.

Every day, participants are required to spend at least 30 minutes at the bar and order two beverages during each visit for 50 consecutive days. But participants are granted three excuses that must be requested and approved before missing a day.

The event began 13 years ago when two employees, who were also OWU students at the time, created a competition between each other to see how many days they could attend in a row.

The competition lasted 23 days until they were both unable to attend. The bar owner, Joanne Meyers, thought it would be a great way to count down the days until graduation.

She said there are roughly 50 days left of school after spring break, which is when senioritis really kicks in. It has been a tradition ever since.

“A lot of what we stress and what we really promote is kind of developing like a little family unit,” Meye’s said. “It builds a very nice little community of people that you probably wouldn’t have been involved with.”

There are also more interactive activities that are optional such as the elite club.

The elite club is designed for dedicated participants. All participants are given Sundays off as a day of rest. But elite members are required to attend for 50 consecutive days, which includes Sundays anytime between noon and 2 p.m.

There are also team competitions on Wednesday nights for around two hours. For this optional activity, students are randomly divided into groups. Since employees and town’s people make up a smaller portion of the group, they are equally allocated in groups.

The groups compete in these weekly activities which vary each week. At the end, the winning team members get to sign and add some decoration to the winning trophy.

Senior Bridget McQuaide said she is excited to participate in the event for her first time.

“I think that 50-Day Club is a really good way to give seniors an opportunity to do something fun together everyday up until graduation,” McQuaide said. “It’s definitely something that you have to dedicate yourself to, but it’s a really awesome experience where you get time everyday to make more memories with friends and maybe even people you haven’t talked to since freshman year.”

Apiary coming to OWU, bees welcome

Monnett Garden. Image courtesy of owu.edu

Anna L. Davies, Transcript Correspondent

In a partnership with Stratford Ecological Center, Ohio Wesleyan University’s Monnett Garden will get a honey producing and observation apiary on April 22 for students of all majors to use.

The apiary is financed by an approximately $1,000 Theory-to-Practice grant written by junior zoology and nonfiction writing double major Meg Deeter. The grant Deeter received will cover the costs of beekeeping equipment and a stipend for a current lecture series about beekeeping by Stratford apiarist Dave Noble.

Noble’s last two lectures have been about the pollination industry and the honey bee genus Apis, respectively. Stratford will be providing the hives for no charge and will act as the main apiary caretaker and owner. “It’s a growing trend for campuses to have apiaries, and I wanted to bring that here,” Deeter said.

“I’m hoping for a foundation for students like me. I’m not the first and I won’t be the last. I want it to be something that stays when I’m gone.” “My main goal is to have a hands-on experience for parasitology and entomology students,” Deeter said.

Deeter said the apiary would still be open to students of any major. “I emphasized in my grant that this project would be interdisciplinary,” she said. “I don’t like the sciences and the arts being separated.”

Deeter said she was inspired to start the apiary over the summer while interning at a fish and wildlife center and watching her boss breed honeybees. While staying late in parasitology lab last semester, Deeter also overheard OWU professor of zoology Ramon A. Carreno mention wanting an observation hive.

“I also want an outreach for kids. Dave Noble helps with OWjL (Ohio Wesleyan Junior League) and wants to bring kids here to campus to study our apiary,” Deeter said.

Noble’s focus is getting young people interested in bees. “I came to bees when I was in college. My mentors started keeping bees when they were eight,” he said. “10,000 kids on average come to Stratford every year on field trips. I get to interact with all of them,” Noble said.

Like Deeter, Noble said he also wants science, humanities and social science college students to get involved. “I’m a huge proponent of the liberal arts because you have a specific major but get exposed to all these other things to create a wide foundation for life,” Noble said.

Noble’s next lecture is on March 28 and will be about threats to honeybees. The series continues with an April 11 lecture on honey bee genetics and an April 18 lecture on how to not get stung.

All lectures will take place at noon in Schimmel-Conrades Science Center room 163.

Spinal injury, hypothermia caused student’s death

Luke Gabbert. Photo courtesy of battlingbishops.com

Transcript Staff

An injury in the upper cervical spine from falling in the Delaware Run Creek and hypothermia caused freshman Luke Gabbert’s death on Feb. 6, according to the autopsy report by Delaware County Coroner’s office, released on April 8.

Gabbert was found in the creek, south of 28 Franklin St., on the morning of Feb. 7 and was pronounced dead at 10:40 a.m. that morning.

Alcohol at the level of 0.21 percent was detected, which is nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08.

“We know that Mr. Gabbert was consuming alcohol on campus,” said Capt. Adam Moore of the Delaware Police Department. “We cannot get into any specifics at this point since no charges have been filed.”

Dr. Mark Hickman, Delaware County coroner, said, “There was damage to Gabbert’s neck as a result of the spinal trauma. It is unclear as to what the primary cause of death was.”

There was also evidence of hypothermia. “[Hypothermia] doesn’t take too long if someone is in cold water,” Hickman said.

Based on the timeline of events, Hickman said, Gabbert died sometime after 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 7.

According to Moore, a report from the investigation is now being transferred to the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office. Since the incident involved an underage victim, the prosecutor’s office will inspect circumstances surrounding alcohol usage, he said.

The prosecutor’s role, Moore said, is to make recommendations on whether or not to make charges and who to charge. “Some type of criminal violation has occurred, involving specific individuals or organizations,” he said.

There was no evidence of any illicit drugs beside the prescription medicines Gabbert was taking, said Hickman.

“There was no indication of foul play and no external injury found,” said Hickman. “I think it was a tragic accident.”

According to Hickman, Gabbert was wearing a dress shirt, tie and khakis, but no jacket or coat, at the time of his death. His wallet containing his I.D. and some cash was also found in his pocket.

*This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Cartoon of the week: March 28, 2016

*Free t-shirt not included:
A cartoon series by Blake Fajack and Mili Green

Hidden talent in the Public Safety office

Photo courtesy of Facebook. — Photos courtesy of Facebook.

David Fradkin, Transcript Report

Chris Mickens, a Public Safety officer, discovered his passion for designing jewelry on an Ohio Wesleyan mission trip to the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

As an activity to pass time, Mickens and the attending students started making traditional Lakota beadwork. But it wasn’t until the summer of 2013 that Mickens began producing jewelry.

During that summer, Mickens’ mother passed away. His mother had a vast collection of earrings.

“If I didn’t know what to get [my mother], I knew I could always get her earrings,” Mickens said.

Initially, it was a coping mechanism and that fostered his passion for designing jewelry, especially earrings.

For more than 20 years, OWU has had a relationship with the Rosebud Reservation, which is the home of the Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota nation.

“OWU has been sending mission teams for many years now. It was Chaplin Powers’ brainchild basically,” Mickens said.

Creating jewelry also helps him with deal with his mild obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He said designing jewelry helps prevent his OCD from occurring in other places in his life and he can use it as an advantage when creating pieces of work that require fine detail.

As of now, Mickens has only designed some basic necklaces and bracelets and noted he is planning to create some that are more complicated.

Other creations include beading guitar strings and some medallions, specifically ones in Lakota style that are made in a circular piece of leather where beads could be sewed on to make a variety of patterns.

Mickens uses a large assortment of materials in his work. When he does “beading,” it particularly relates to the Lakota style. The beads he used are called seed beads.

“They are very small and made of glass, Mickens said. “And the colors of them span the spectrum.”

One of Mickens’ best pieces is untitled, but it has a larger glass rainbow bead in the middle, surrounded by wire that has smaller beads around it.

He started out with very little supplies: beads, headpins and ear wire. “This is the pair [of earrings] that kind of told me I knew what I was doing,” he said.

Mickens’ jewelry is mainly sold on his Facebook page to friends and family. One of his goals is to use the revenue he generates through his sales to help the Cuba mission team who has some financial struggles.

But he said his ultimate goal is to open a nonprofit organization, where all proceeds would be used for either purchasing school supplies for elementary school kids or provide a scholarship.

His mother helped out the community by donating school supplies to elementary school students, so starting a nonprofit organization honors his mother, he said.

Mickens would not consider labeling himself an artist or someone who comes from an artistic background.

He studied physical education and recreation of dance briefly in college, but came home after his second year when he had a child.

Mozart, Schubert and Fauré fill Sanborn Hall

Sam Ripper, Transcript Reporter

Music filled Sanborn Hall as senior Billie Paulus began her senior recital on Feb. 14 at Ohio Wesleyan University.

Paulus had selected a variety of music to sing, which emphasized and showcased her wide range of vocal ability. The songs centered around love’s plight and anguish.

She performed works by Mozart, Schubert and Fauré, creating a mix of emotions as she sang about lovers’ sweet embrace.

Her mother said Paulus’ appreciation toward music began at a young a age. “[Paulus] loved music as a child [and] played piano by ear.”

She added that her daughter’s “love for choir really fueled her passion for music.”

Paulus said she had never expected to major in music, but she knows that she would’ve regretted it if she hadn’t.

Since Paulus is a senior, this recital was her last time performing at OWU.

“She looks, walks, talks like her grandmother… to see her up on that stage meant the world to me,” Paulus’ mother said.

Paulus reflected on what it felt like to sing at OWU one last time, “[It was an] opportunity to share what I’ve been given, but mostly it just feels like I was able to give a gift I really love,” she said.

After graduation, Paulus said she plans on staying in Columbus, Ohio. She also said she wants to attend a postgraduate school for English after she works at her local church.

Men’s lacrosse hopes for another promising season

David Fradkin, Transcript Reporter

Ohio Wesleyan men’s lacrosse team is coming off one of their best seasons in the program’s history in 2015. This year, they are ranked 11th in the preseason USILA Division III coaching polls for the upcoming season.

The Battling Bishops finished with an overall record of 18-1. They lost to Gettysburg in the quarterfinal of the Division III NCAA tournament.

The Bishops won the NCAC conference and recorded their first undefeated regular season finishing 14-0.

A total of nine OWU seniors are returning from last year’s team, one of which is senior captain and defender Jordan Carlson.

“I know that we can be as good if not better this year. We have a lot of guys from last year’s team [who] were contributing to our success,” Carlson said.

The team is looking to recover after losing 10 seniors who were major contributors to last year’s team, including some who were All-American and All-Conference players. But Carlson said he was optimistic that the incoming freshman class can fill that void.

“This year’s freshman class is very talented and a lot of them are going to be playing for us at some point this season,” Carlson said.

Players express their excitement for the season to begin when they play Augustana College on Feb. 20 at home in Selby Stadium. The next game will be on the road at Otterbein on Feb. 24.

“The team’s goals for this year are the same as they are every year,” said junior defenseman Justin Smith. “We want to win the NCAC regular season, win the NCAC tournament, make the NCAA National Tournament and win a National Championship.”

This year, the team will have six coaches. Head Coach Mike Plantholt returned along with assistants Trey Keeley and Jesse Lawrence.

Joining the coaching staff is Keith Long, Ryan Sullivan and Tommy Minkler. Minkler was a senior and starting captain on last year’s team.

Jason LaVessuer is back for Valentine’s Day

David Fradkin, Transcript Reporter

Jason LeVasseur, the most awarded music performer in the history of campus entertainment, according to his website, performed a Valentine’s Day special at 9:30 p.m. at the Milligan Hub in Stuyvesant Hall on Feb. 14.

Ohio Wesleyan offers three overnights during the spring semester for admitted students called A Slice of College Life. It is designed for admitted high school seniors who want to get a taste of what college is like.

The free event was primarily geared toward people attending A Slice of College Life, but was open to all students.

LeVasseur has created and performed music for almost a quarter century. He has toured around the country and opened for many bands such as Dave Matthews Band, Maroon 5, John Mayer, LMFAO and others.

Although singing and performing is one of his great talents, he said he prides himself on his ability to influence others. LeVasseur runs “The Rock Star Project,” which is a creative student leadership program designed to inspire, motivate and educate students.

LeVasseur is also a keynote speaker. He assists students in developing leadership experience, which “focuses on the student leader’s influential role and responsibility to themselves and to their team’s,” according to his website.

As a major in English and secondary education, LeVasseur proves that anything is possible as long as you truly put your heart and soul in it. That is one of the main reasons why he performs at OWU.

He interacted with the future freshman class of enrolled students for 2016 and encouraged them to do what they love.

A part of his performance was his ability to interact with the audience. He encouraged a girl in the crowd to come on stage and perform a song of her own.

LaVesseur noted that one of the biggest downsides of his occupation is the traveling, which means being away from his family. But it is something that he wants to continue to do and make a difference in the lives of students.

LeVasseur has almost one hundred songs that can be found on YouTube or downloaded on Spotify and iTunes.

The final moments of Luke Gabbert

Transcript Staff

A crescent moon had risen in the sky as the temperature hovered around 20 degrees Fahrenheit when Luke Gabbert and a friend wandered back from Clancey’s Pub on Feb. 5. Only one would successfully make it back to campus.

Gabbert, a freshman from Lewis Center, Ohio, was found dead on the morning of Feb. 6. He was spotted in the Delaware Run, a muddy stream flowing near OWU’s campus. The events that occurred in a short span of time would leave people wondering what happened to Gabbert, a soccer player and new pledge of Phi Kappa Psi (Phi Psi)

As of April 13, OWU banned the Phi Psi chapter from campus.

A Transcript investigation has pieced together Gabbert’s final moments on that night and the following morning by talking to a variety of sources, some of whom requested and were granted anonymity because they feared retribution. One of those who did talk to the newspaper on the record was freshman Phil Foisie, also a new pledge of Phi Psi.

Captain Adam Moore of the Delaware Police Department said, “A gentleman on Saturday morning was walking to the [NAPA] auto parts store on Spring Street and while walking on Franklin Street discovered Mr. Gabbert.”

The cause of death is being investigated by the Delaware Police. As of Wednesday, Feb. 17, only preliminary autopsy results have been released by Delaware County Coroner’s office.

“We have the autopsy report, and no obvious cause of death has been found,” said Moore. “No visible traumatic injuries were found and the coroner is now conducting forensic testing for internal injuries and also for toxicology, the results of which are awaited.”

A detailed autopsy and toxicology report is expected to take 8-10 weeks, according to the coroner.

Investigators have been on campus trying to piece together where Gabbert would have been prior to his death, said Moore. In addition, President Rock Jones said Public Safety has cooperated with the police as requested.

Investigators have been talking with a large group of people, including sports teams and friends, according to Moore.

Clancey’s Pub declined to make a statement to The Transcript. Gabbert’s family also declined to comment.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Timeline of Events

Friday, Feb. 5

Around 10:00 p.m. – Phi Psi finished its pledge ceremony.

Around 10:15 p.m. – Pledges allegedly began drinking alcohol.

According to one source, Gabbert brought his own alcohol, while another source said it was served to pledges by Phi Psi. The fraternity would not answer questions from The Transcript.

Saturday, Feb. 6

Between Midnight-12:30 a.m. – Gabbert went to Clancey’s Pub.

Around 12:45 a.m. – He vomited inside the bar and was asked to leave.

12:51 a.m. – Upon seeing police, who had stopped a car on Spring Street, Gabbert and a friend split up fearing being questioned by the police.

Between 1-1:30 a.m. – The same friend went to Gabbert’s residence 256 W. Central Ave. to check if he had returned and then to Smith Hall to look for him.

10:24 a.m. – A passerby found Gabbert’s body in Delaware Run adjacent South Franklin Street.

10:30 a.m. – New Phi Psi pledges gathered at the fraternity house and a source reported this was when the fraternity brothers noticed Gabbert’s absence.

10:40 a.m. – Gabbert pronounced dead.

Shortly before noon — President Rock Jones notified about Gabbert’s death.

12:42 p.m. – Transcript editors notified of a student’s death.

2:06 p.m. – OWU community informed.

Saturday, Feb. 13

Funeral for Gabbert held at Grace Church in Powell.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

This is an ongoing investigation, if anyone has any information they should call the Delaware Police Department at (740) 203-1111.

Seniors break OWU Moot Court record

Evan Walsh, Transcript Reporter

An Ohio Wesleyan record was broken when two OWU students earned a Top-5 finish in last month’s American Collegiate Moot Court Association’s national championship.

In Moot Court, students argue for or against a fake case that requires each team and its members to interpret constitutional rights that apply to it.

OWU was eligible to send four students (or two teams) to this event, which was attended by more than 350 schools from across the country.

Michael Esler, a professor of politics and government, accompanied seniors Katherine Berger and Rhiannon Herbert and juniors Forrest Dearing and Chloe Dyer on the trip.

California State University in Long Beach hosted this year’s championship.

Seniors Katie Berger (left) and Rhionnan Photo courtesy of Facebook. — Seniors Katherine Berger (left) and Rhiannon Herbert (right) show their awards. Photo courtesy of Facebook.

“It’s a great opportunity to cultivate and begin the process of developing arguments, learning the necessary forensics and getting arguments ready for competition,” said Michael Crum, one of the team members.

The team, which meets several times each week to discuss different cases, earned praise from President Rock Jones for their commitment to the program.

“Our students who participated in Moot Court worked very hard in preparation for the competition and did very well against very strong teams,” Jones said.

Berger and Herbert earned a Top-5 finish in the American Collegiate Moot Court Association’s national championship, setting a new OWU record. Last year, they had a top 20 finish.

In a press release, Essler said, “At last year’s nationals they won every round in the preliminaries, one of only six teams to do so but they were undaunted, knew what they had to do, and took care of business with the determination that has characterized their performance throughout their moot career.”

The team proceeded to win three consecutive rounds against higher-ranked teams, including two of the nation’s top-ranked teams.

Jerry Lherrison, a former team member, spoke highly of the Berger and Herbert’s record-setting performances.

“I think they are both phenomenal debaters,” Lherrison said. “They’re going to make incredible attorneys one day.”