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Author: TheTranscript
Bishop Ballers back in action
By: Ross Hickenbottom, Transcript Correspondent
NCAA basketball is back, ladies and gentlemen, and the Ohio Wesleyan University men’s and women’s basketball teams are ready to tip it off the right way.
The men’s team, led by NCAC Freshman of the Year Nate Axelrod, now a sophomore, looks to repeat as NCAC champions and improve from last season, where they went 22Â6, 16Â2 in the conference. After a heartbreaking loss in the opening round of the NCAA tournament to St. Olaf College, an appearance in the 2016 tournament is on their toÂdo list, along with bringing another conference championship back to OWU.
Axelrod, who averaged 16.2 points a game last season, looks to improve his personal play, as well as team chemistry to contribute to the hopeful upcoming season.
“I think we all have high expectations for ourselves this year, considering our success last season and how much we’re returning,” Axelrod said.
As far as returning players go, the Bishops have an abundance of talent returning to the squad from the 2014 season, including senior Claude Grey, who led the team in scoring and junior Ben Simpson, key defensive contribution to the effort, who led the team in rebounds, steals and blocks last season.
“We should be very successful this year, much like last year,” Simpson said, “however, we definitely have a target on our back this year.”
“We’re a big game on everyone’s schedule this year,” Simpson added.
The women’s team returns from a 15Â-13 season, 9Â7 in the conference, which is not ideal for their level of plays. After being knocked out of the NCAC tournament by Wittenberg University, the ladies’ season was over in a bitter fashion.
On top of that, after graduating, five seniors, including LaNiece McRae and Sarah McQuade, who led the Bishops last year in multiple categories, the younger, less experienced players will have to boost their contribution to the team this year in order to achieve success.
Junior Taylor Dickson believes the underclassmen will do just that.
“We definitely have a strong, promising underclassmen presence on our team this year. Our newcomers worked extremely hard over the summer and have proved since stepping on campus that they have the drive and work ethic to get better and compete at this level,” she said.
Dickson, who played in all 28 games last year will look to contribute a lot to the team’s winning
effort, along with junior Megan Kuether, and the two seniors of the team, Kelly Still and Hanna Fedorka. Dickson, Kuether, Fedorka and Still are the only returning players with varsity letters, so this year’s success will rely heavily on the contribution from the younger, more inexperienced players.
WellÂwishers will fill the Edwards Gymnasium this year, in hopes that not one but both of the OWU basketball teams will see their hard work come to fruition.
Men’s rugby tournament hopes come to an end
By: Emily Rupp, Transcript Correspondent
The road to nationals for the Ohio Wesleyan menâs rugby team came to an early end in the final four, semifinal showdown.
The team lost their first game of the season on Nov. 7 against Calvin College at the Great Lakes Conference (GLC). Despite their early tournament, they ended the season with a record of 7-Â1.
âUnfortunately, the loss on Saturday knocked us out of the contention for nationals,â coach Cody Albright said.
Rugby player Carlos Jackson, a sophomore, said, âBeing knocked out of the competition was really tough. We had high expectations for ourselves going into the playoffs because of our perfect regular season so it was really hard to see it all slip away.â
Coach John English said that although they did not qualify this year for nationals, it is their âultimate goal in the future.â
With a past season record 3Â3, the team improved dramatically over the one year period. They hope to continue this trend and finish with a perfect season this spring.
Jackson said, âIâve been with the club since the first practice two years ago so itâs been amazing for me to watch how far this club has come.â
Albright said that the biggest difference in the team is the level of experience some players have.
âThe vast majority of our players had never seen a rugby ball until they stepped onto campus,â Albright said. âOur players are focused and committed to getting better and growing every single day.â
That commitment involves lifting weights Monday and Wednesday and practicing Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The team also watches film as often as possible to help improve their techniques, English said.
The team will continue to work out on their own to advance their strength, speed and fitness until the spring season of rugby starts.
Jackson said, âI know we have a very talented team and if we put in a lot of work this winter we can definitely make it to nationals this spring.â
Calling all artists: the OWL
By: Ross Hickenbottom, Transcript Correspondent
Do you love writing? Do you want others to see your writing? The OWL is your answer.
The OWL is Ohio Wesleyan’s annual literary magazine and is published during the spring semester for students to showcase their creative writing pieces.
Pieces submitted to the journal include poetry, journalism, fiction, nonfiction and art, making the OWL open to anyone wanting to create.
Robert Olmstead, assistant professor of English and adviser to the OWL, assures students that “anyone can make a submission.”
“Like Ohio Wesleyan, the possibilities for the OWL are endless,” Olmstead added.
The OWU English department funds the magazine and encourages any “satisfying piece of writing and art” to be submitted. In the past, faculty interviews, academic essays and even music have been selected for its pages.
The magazine is put together by English department students. This year, there are six students on the staff, who have been looking at submissions from last year’s literary awards and collecting submissions via email.
Julia Stone, a senior who just joined the OWL this year explained the selection process.
âEach member of the staff reads the piece and says yes, no or maybe,â Stone said. âIf a piece gets two nos, it is cut out of the running. If there is a tie between yes’s and no’s then we discuss as a group to decide whether we include the piece in the OWL or not.”
The OWL receives around one hundred submissions each year, and with nearly 2,000 students on campus, that is not much.
“I want people to look at The OWL and see something substantial and not something disposable,” said Olmstead.
The OWL is currently taking submissions and reminds students that they can only be limited by their imagination and energy.
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Nine out of ten college students admit to using Netflix
Ross Hickenbottom, Transcript Correspondent
On my news feed yesterday, I saw a headline that confused me. It read, “Netflix Binge Watching Negatively Affecting College Students.” Seriously? We get one thing that makes us happy, and there are negative affects from it? No way!
Here are some stats for you:Â “Nine out of ten college students admit to using Netflix.”
“After watching three or more episodes in a row, it is considered binge-Âwatching.”
Are you guilty of being a “binge-Âwatcher”?
The answer is, probably.
Since Netflix was founded in 1997, more than 30 million people worldwide have registered for the online streaming website, and it’s no secret that college students like you and I occupy a rather large percentage of those people.
But, to call myself a “bingeÂ-watcher?” Ouch.
It’s simple. People subscribe to Netflix because they like the ability to watch as much of a show as they would like in one sitting. They like the ability to watch a whole season of âThe Officeâ when they’re laid up in their beds on winter break (or on a Thursday). They like to take study breaks with quick seasons of âBob’s Burgers.â It’s okay. Weâre obviously not alone.
In a world like ours, waiting on that new blockbuster to come out in theaters or a TV show to air next week is a struggle, so we resort to Netflix, where we don’t have to have the patience it takes to wait for the new âGrey’s Anatomy.â Want it now? Here it is!
But, as college students, should we have Netflix at all?
Of course we should.
Netflix’s target crowd is us, with their wide variety of young adultÂ-oriented programs; they’re trying to suck us into their extremely long list of subscribers, and it’s working.
In actuality, Netflix shouldn’t be a “concern.” If binging on Netflix is of public concern, our public needs new concerns. Let’s be honest, we could all be doing something significantly worse than Netflix. Being a couch potato isn’t all that bad, especially when you have a whole world of shows and movies at your fingertips.
Netflix On, my friends. Netflix On.
Ohio Machine leaves Selby
By: Ross Hickenbottom, Transcript Correspondent
The Ohio Machine, Ohio’s only major league lacrosse (MLL) team has called OWU’s Selby Stadium home for the past four years. Starting this year, they are moving on to another venue.
On Oct. 27, the Ohio Machine announced their new host will be Panther Stadium, home of the Ohio Dominican University athletics teams.
Although the organization is moving on, Gregg Klein, Machineâs vice president of business operations, has nothing but great things to say about Selby Stadium and the OWU family.
“Let me start by saying how lucky we were to have such great partners in Ohio Wesleyan University the last four years,â Klein said. âFrom an expansion club in 2012, to hosting a MLL semi-final game at Selby Stadium, our team grew up at Selby.â
The move was part of a plan for the organization to grow, and according to Klein, Ohio Dominican is the perfect place to initiate the growth the Machine is looking for.
“As we grew over the years, our front office analyzed our season ticket member demographic and asked for feedback from our fan base,â Klein explained. âWe discovered that finding a location central to the downtown Columbus area was an important next step in the teamâs growth.â
Despite Kleinâs helpful explanation, news of the move has not been widespread.
Junior Doug Sanders considers himself a “pretty informed” sports fan and said he had not heard about the move.
“I never even knew they were moving to Ohio Dominican,” Sanders said. “But I can see why the Machine would want to move closer to downtown Columbus. More people, more attendance, it seems smart.â
“I personally never went to a game and don’t know anyone who did, so honestly, I don’t think the OWU student body will miss the Machine too much,” said junior David Pugh.
In their new stadium, the Machine will add extra seats for the 2016 MLL season, planning to expand their seating capacity in Panther Stadium to over 3,000, which is 6,000 less than Selby Stadium.
The Bloodmobile comes to OWU
By: Cuckoo Gupta, Transcript Correspondent
Students at Ohio Wesleyan almost missed donating blood this semester. But Circle K, a community service club at OWU, collaborated with the American Red Cross to bring the bloodmobile, a donation center on wheels, to campus.
âThe American Red Cross, comes to Ohio Wesleyan three times a year, twice in spring semester and once in fall. This semester the blood drive almost didnât happen,” said Circle K president NâToia Hawkins, a senior. âIt usually takes place in the Benes Rooms, but this semester it was booked. I contacted Fred Moses, the representative for OWU at Red Cross, and he suggested the bloodmobile.â
It was the first time the bloodmobile had come to OWU. Even though âit was easier to set up and very successful,â Hawkins feels that âthere might have been a loss of donors due to lack of space.â
âIt was my first time giving blood in a bloodmobile,” said sophomore Haley Jacobson.
âIt felt strange and claustrophobic at first, being in such a tight space. But the nurses, doctors and volunteers comforted me throughout the experience.â
âOnce I was at the table, I forgot I was in the parking lot of our student center. Overall it was a great experience and I would donate blood in a bloodmobile again,” Jacobson continued.
Sophomore Kimberly Liang said, âIâve always donated blood at a center but this was a completely different experience. It was comfortable but the space was just too tight, but it didnât matter because it all goes to a good cause.â
âA lot of people are unable to donate due to whatever reason, and there are other ways they could help, by providing their time and volunteering at these blood drives,â said a nurse on the mobile, who requested to be anonymous.
The bloodmobile will not be returning for next semester, as the Benes Room has already been booked for the spring semester blood drive.
Sneak peak: Orchesis 2015
By: Gopika Nair, Assistant Copy Editor
This yearâs Orchesis is unlike past performances. For the first time in several years, Ohio Wesleyanâs theatre and dance department joined forces with the music department to devise the annual contemporary dance concert.
Orchesis features 24 dancers performing eight pieces created by students, faculty and a guest choreographer. The theatre and dance department at OWU will present âOrchesis 15/16â on Nov. 13, 14 and 15 in Chappelear Drama Center.
The choreographers of the show are primarily students who have taken a dance composition class, Rashana Smith, the artistic director of Orchesis and a professor in the theatre and dance department, said.
âIt seems like the thread thatâs going through all of our pieces is inter-connectivity,â Smith said.
The concert will conclude with the 24 dancers performing Smithâs piece, titled âEffort of Interface.â
The piece examines how much effort people put into being connected with one another, especially through technological devices and personal interactions. Smithâs inspiration stemmed from wanting to understand what the point of interface is.
Through dance, she explored the extent to which technology, besides making life easier, has improved the quality of life. The performance will feature original music by Jennifer Jolley, assistant music professor at OWU.
â[The collaboration with the music department] has been really nice because of how we all compose similarly, differently and trying to make all those things come together has been an interesting challenge,â Smith said.
All student pieces have varied musical elements. Junior Jeremy GriffinÂ-Jacksonâs piece explores breaking the traditional lines of dance and features original music composed by his cousin.
âItâs much different than what people would hear at Orchesis,â GriffinÂ-Jackson said. âItâs piano- heavy, itâs violinÂheavy and it kind of has a cyclical nature, so it sounds like it repeats itself, but itâs just a lot of the same instruments used in different ways throughout the piece.â
Griffin-ÂJackson said that one of the most memorable moments from the rehearsal process was watching the dancers in his piece perform to the music for the first time. Their excitement gave him energy and they picked up the routine fast.
Griffin-Jacksonâs piece was born out of his distaste for the more refined lines in dance such as the ballet line, which is the outline of a dancerâs complete body while performing steps or poses.
âTo me thatâs not pretty. Thatâs just mechanical,â he said. âSo the idea [for this piece] just came from my own body and movement patterns.â
Each choreographer drew inspiration from something that resonated with them. Sophomore Alexia Mintonâs piece, titled âSolitude of the Soul,â is an adaptation of a statue by the same name that she saw in the Chicago Institute of Art.
Mintonâs piece explores the idea that no matter how closely people are connected, no one truly knows each other.
âWhen I went to Chicago and saw the statue, it was the one thing that really stood out to me,â Minton said. âWhen I got back to the university setting and had the opportunity, I thought it would be really beautiful to place movement into it.â
Some, like junior Diana Muzina, chose to express societal issues through dance.
The piece she choreographed deals with a specific thematic question involving societyâs impact on women and the potential for messages to make them feel less human, she said.
âIâm really trying to comment on the socialization process, and allow the audience to place themselves in the piece.â
Over the last few years, Muzina encountered several physical and health problems that prompted her to modify her movements. One of the challenges she faced during the rehearsal process was choreographing for bodies that could do more than hers could, she said. Communicating certain movements to dancers that she could not demonstrate was also tough.
Rehearsals for the show have been underway since the second week of classes, Smith said.
Though the dancers have faced their share of challenges during the rehearsal process, they are excited to share their complex ideas with the audience.
âA lot of the work you will see will really make you think, and I believe it will have a huge impact on the audience,â Muzina said. âThere is something for everyone to find a connection to in the overall performance.â
Tickets are free for OWU students with a valid student ID. Orchesis will be performed on the Main Stage in the drama center at 8 p.m. on Nov. 13 and Nov. 14 and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 15.
Eco containers available for all
By: Hannah Wargo, Transcript Correspondent
Itâs easy to be green with the new reusable takeout containers in the HamiltonÂ-Williams Food Court. And soon it may be even easier.
The âgreen container program,â implemented by Chartwells and the Wesleyan Council on Student Affairs (WCSA) this fall, allows students to save takeout containers from reaching the landfill by placing a $5 deposit on a reusable container.
âItâs just another step toward a more sustainable campus, and thatâs something we can all get behind,â said junior Jessica Choate, chair of the Residential Affairs committee and the author of WCSAâs endorsement of the program.
Chartwells cashiers credit the $5 back to studentsâ accounts once they return their clean or dirty container to HamÂWill or Merrick CafĂ©, according to WCSAâs sustainability website.
According to WCSAâs Oct.12 minutes report, there is a possibility of pulling disposable takeout containers and permanently replacing them with green containers if the program rises in popularity.
Since its startup, the eco container program has saved about 1,100 containers from being thrown away, said Chartwellsâ resident district director Gene Castelli.
âBut there is a long way to go,â Castelli said. âThis is not a decision Chartwells can make, rather, it will be a decision made through student government.â
He estimated that WCSA will not force the green containers until student participation is at about 75%.
Currently, only about 200 of the 80 dozen containers are be used per day, Castelli said.
The number of paper products Chartwells orders weekly varies, Castelli said, but that number would greatly decrease if all of the green containers were used or if they replaced disposable takeout containers.
âWhile reducing the landfill is the goal, the current program is the best environmental course we can take when using disposable containers,â Castelli said.
The Food Courtâs disposable containers are biodegradable, according to Chartwellsâ website, but the green containers reduce landfill waste and can be reused.
The challenge for some students is the responsibility of returning the container, Castelli said.
What students may not realize is that the eco containers can be returned for a refund at any time.
Eco containers have a leakÂresistant design, are highly durable, microwave safe for reheating and cost nothing, if students return them.
However, disposable containers give the Chartwells team time to clean, dry and return containers for service, Castelli said.
Though it may be a while until disposable takeout containers are replaced with eco containers, âthe important fact is for every eco container used, thereâs one less container that gets thrown out,â Castelli said.