Author: TheTranscript

A Cappellooza returning to OWU for third year

By: Emily Rupp, Transcript Correspondent

Street Corner Symphony is the professional a cappella group who will be performing at this year's A Cappellooza.
Street Corner Symphony is the professional a cappella group who will be performing at this year’s A Cappellooza.

Ohio Wesleyan University will be hosting its third annual A Cappellooza event that will bring a cappella groups from all over Ohio together on Nov. 7 in Gray Chapel.

For the last two years, OWU has brought together different colleges from around the state to have their a cappella choirs perform. Each year has a different theme. Last year Denison, Oberlin, Wittenberg and the University of Akron were present. The same groups will perform this year in line with a 1990’s throwback theme.

Along with the college choirs, OWU will bring in a professional a cappella group to perform. Last year, VoicePlay was booked for the event. This year, The Street Corner Symphony will make an appearance.

The Street Corner Symphony is an a cappella group of six men. They perform all different styles of music and competed in the popular NBC competition, “The Sing­ Off”. They came in second place on season two.

A cappella music has recently become a huge sensation again. Shows like The Sing ­Off have helped a cappella gain popularity.

“I think we need to thank both the explosion of Pentatonix after their win on The Sing Off and Pitch Perfect for the aca­popularity,” Pitch Black member and junior Kelly Summers said.

The response to the film “Pitch Perfect” really sparked an interest in college students.

College groups now continue to show their talents on campus giving students a chance to find their home away from home.

“I absolutely love the fact that it’s made a comeback, because I’ve found a family with my group and love the fact that I am still singing,” said junior Sarah Kennedy, president of OWtsiders said.

Pitch Black and the OWtsiders will be the two groups representing OWU at A Cappellooza.

Both women said the choirs are putting in about five hours of rehearsal a week to put on the best performance possible. They are excited to perform.

“We are extremely excited for A Cappellooza,” said Summers. “It’s always a blast performing alongside other groups from our own university and from other colleges!”

“It is exhilarating to stand on that stage with so many people staring at you and cheering.

I love every minute of it,” echoed Kennedy.

The new OWU website is here

By: Hannah Wargo, Transcript Correspondent

website
OWU’s new website was unveiled Nov. 4.

The wait is finally over.

Ohio Wesleyan’s redesigned website is up, running and accessible to all your devices (including smartphones).

The website hasn’t had a full redesign since 2006 or 2007, according to project manager Lindsay Mauter.

In that decade, how we access the Internet has changed dramatically.

“All research points to the fact that students begin their college search online, on devices, so it’s important that this website is happening now,” Mauter said.

The Office of Communications collectively decided, along with President Rock Jones, to invest in a full redesign last November, said Will Kopp, OWU’s chief communications officer.

“The new website will be more attractive, cleaner, better organized, completely compatible with any kind of device, and under one domain, rather than the 70 sub-domains we have now,” he said.

With enrollment on a steady decline, the new website aims to attract more prospective students.

“Prospective students use university websites as a way to window shop,” Kopp said. “Our goal is to make them click… find something interesting about our school that makes them want to go deeper into the website.”

Fastspot, the company in charged of the redesign, interviewed students and faculty last January to discover why they think Ohio Wesleyan is unique. Their findings are emphasized in the design.

Photo galleries on the homepage highlight OWU’s abundance of double­ majors, study abroad opportunities and graduate success.

Each department page features photos of the faculty members and their classrooms.

“Prospective students want to know who their faculty is going to be, what their classrooms are going to look like,” Kopp said.

A “from our perspective” section displays opinions of faculty, students, and distinguished alumni alongside their photos. These will be updated regularly and faculty are already sending in quotes they want to publish, said Kopp.

Current students will find the same benefits as other users of the site, including easier navigation and better search capability, Mauter said.

Kopp said, “The website will give current students more opportunity to interact and to be a bigger and more visible part of the community.”

The bottom of the website bares an Instagram feed, where students can have their pictures featured if they tag #OhWooo or #BattlingBishops.

Fastspot made many successful university websites in the past, including that of nearby Kenyon College, Kopp said.

He added that prior to launching, the company will conduct usability tests with people who are not familiar with the university website. They will use those results to fix any last-­minute navigation issues.

The redesign gives the university more opportunities to grow, and puts us on a level playing field or a notch above our competition, Mauter said.

The communications office will work out any bugs that come up with the website, but encourages students to reach out if they need help or have questions or requests, Mauter and Kopp said.

Bishop’s swimming and diving kicks off season at Kenyon Relays

By: Ross Hickenbottom, Transcript reporter

 

Photo courtesy of the OWU website.
Photo courtesy of the OWU website.

The Ohio Wesleyan men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams participated in the Kenyon Relays this Oct. 24 in Gambier, Ohio.

In the men’s meet, the Kenyon Lords won their annual home opener with 124 points. OWU finished fifth with a total of 44 points. The Denison Big Red won the women’s meet, scoring 120 points. OWU finished with a total of 16 points, placing seventh.

Junior Greyson Goodwin, was a part of the fourth place 200 meter freestyle relay team. He said the team’s hard practice week paid off.

“Our teams performance was representative of the amount of work we’ve put into our practices,” Goodwin said. “The team defied the expectations we had, and managed to come together to have an exceptional meet.”

Freshman Shannon Bermingham’s introduction to collegiate competition did not disappoint.

Bermingham said the electrifying meet was of a caliber she had never experienced before.

“After the meet I was very tired, but it was a great feeling to have a team fully behind you and cheering you on,” she said. “I loved the atmosphere and I’ve never had support like this before. I thought we did really well as a team.”

Bermingham plans on giving this season her all. She will be happy, regardless of the results, “as long as I have my coach and my teammates by my side anything is possible, even the hardest of times.”

Despite only being in the water for around five weeks, the Battling Bishops were very impressed with their results, but agree that improvements can be made.

Freshman Alicia Margello, a member of the 400 medley relay team that finished eleventh, now knows what it’s like to finish at the end of the pack. She plans on “improving by working hard throughout the season during practice.”

With the first meet on the books, both the men and women look to improve their results for their upcoming home conference opener against Wittenberg College on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Water polo team hosts state champs

By: Beth Ward, Transcript correspondent

Ohio Wesleyan University’s water polo club team had the opportunity to host the Women’s State High School Water Polo Championships. Preliminaries were held on Friday, Oct.

23 and finals on Saturday, Oct. 24.

The OWU water polo club has hosted the event for the past three years at the Meek Aquatics Center to earn money for their water polo fund. Each year ten teams compete for the

title of Ohio High School Water Polo Champions.

The OWU water polo club was responsible for the setup and tear down of the facility, concessions and life-guarding. Concessions were open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, with two

members of the team doing sales. All profits went to the water polo club team.

The OWU team also provided three lifeguards for every hour. Each lifeguard was paid $10 an hour, and all funds made by lifeguards went to the water polo club team.

“The money will be used to help pay for entrance fees at tournaments, transportation, lodging, and the purchasing of new equipment this year,” said senior Bryce Uzzolino, head of the

OWU water polo club team.

Nicki Stanley, head of Meek’s facility and assistance coach, said that the water polo club did a fantastic job hosting the women’s state championships.

“Everything went smoothly, there were not accidents and there were always multiple members of the team here to help. They will be hosting this event again next year to raise money

for the 2017 season,” said Stanley.

The water polo club team is going into its fourth year of competing at a division three level. The team has been small in size over the past three years because of low funds.

Uzzolino hopes that the money raised will help spread word about the club team and allow them to purchase the equipment they need to train properly for the season.

Uzzolino and Stanley will have a meeting in the upcoming weeks to discuss what the water polo club can purchase with the funds earned, to prepare for the upcoming season that

starts February 2016.

Swimming and diving kicks off season at Kenyon Relays

By: Ross Hickenbottom, Transcript reporter

 

Photo courtesy of the Battling Bishops website.
Photo courtesy of the Battling Bishops website.

The Ohio Wesleyan men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams participated in the Kenyon Relays this Oct. 24 in Gambier, Ohio.

In the men’s meet, the Kenyon Lords won their annual home opener with 124 points. OWU finished fifth with a total of 44 points.

The Denison Big Red won the women’s meet, scoring 120 points. OWU finished with a total of 16 points, placing seventh.

Junior Greyson Goodwin, was a part of the fourth place 200 meter freestyle relay team. He said the team’s hard practice week paid off.

“Our teams performance was representative of the amount of work we’ve put into our practices,” Goodwin said. “The team defied the expectations we had, and managed to come together to have an exceptional meet.”

Freshman Shannon Bermingham’s introduction to collegiate competition did not disappoint.

Bermingham, from Orchard Park, New York, said the electrifying meet was of a caliber she had never experienced before.

“After the meet I was very tired, but it was a great feeling to have a team fully behind you and cheering you on,” she said. “I loved the atmosphere and I’ve never had support like this before. I thought we did really well as a team.”

Bermingham plans on giving this season her all. She will be happy, regardless of the results, “as long as I have my coach and my teammates by my side anything is possible, even the hardest of times.”

Despite only being in the water for around five weeks, the Battling Bishops were very impressed with their results, but agree that improvements can be made.

Freshman Alicia Margello, a member of the 400 medley relay team that finished eleventh, now knows what it’s like to finish at the end of the pack. She plans on “improving by working hard throughout the season during practice.”

With the first meet on the books, both the men and women look to improve their results for their upcoming home conference opener against Wittenberg College on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Letter to the editor: the labyrinth

By: Tom Wolber, associate professor of German

 

OWU's labyrinth. Photo courtesy of Connect2OWU.
OWU’s labyrinth. Photo courtesy of Connect2OWU.

Thanks to a generous gift from the Rhinesmith family, Ohio Wesleyan University now has a spiritual labyrinth. Modeled after the circular labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral near Paris, it is situated in the shady, idyllic grove between Merrick Hall and the Delaware Run where it blends into the landscape. The official dedication and asperging (cleansing and blessing with water) took place on Monday, Oct. 5, 2015. But the labyrinth had already seen hundreds of curious visitors before that, after it was completed just prior to the start of the 2015­2016 academic year.

Passersby are clearly intrigued, but many may wonder what it all means and how it relates to OWU’s mission. Here is a humble attempt to explain some of the mysteries.

A labyrinth is not a maze, with false leads and dead ends. Unlike a maze where you lose your way, OWU’s labyrinth has a single trustworthy path that can help you find your way. However, that path follows an enigmatic series of 35 tracks that take the visitor through eleven circuits divided into four quadrants each. With a circumference of 47 feet (about 15 meters), the total length approaches 1,000 feet (about 300 meters). During medieval times, pilgrims are said to have negotiated the circuitous path on their knees, which was both humbling and challenging.

That the labyrinth is sacred ground and a magical place is obvious. For some, it may simply be a sanctuary to patiently sit and rest for a while and to meditate in peace and quiet – a much­-needed respite in our noisy, fast­-moving world. There is a demand for retreats that encourage introspection. For others, the path may simply be a metaphor for the many unpredictable twists and turns that the journey of life has in store for us. The path can also be seen as a teacher in the never-­ending quest for knowledge and enlightenment. That would certainly jive with OWU’s educational mission. Is the path the key to a deeper understanding of the human condition, both conscious and subconscious? That, too, would be a perfectly plausible explanation. Some look at labyrinths as medicine tools and their paths as vehicles for hope and healing of that which is broken. Is it the path to the mysteries of the divine? That, likewise, goes well with OWU’s legacy as a religious institution founded by Methodism. The labyrinth is probably all of the above, and more. Thus, it is a laboratory where all kinds of research can be conducted, epiphanies had, and discoveries made. For example, some scholars have argued that the four quadrants may represent the four earthly elements of water, fire, earth, and air and that the twelve circles (including the center) may represent the planetary zodiac signs.

The labyrinth is symbolic of the indomitable quest for truth and fulfillment. It is a place where the body and the mind connect. Essentially built with rock and sand, the labyrinth nevertheless allows visitors to leave behind everything that is earthly and to soar above the mundane. It is a testimony to the dual nature of humankind, which is at home in both the physical (flesh) and metaphysical (spirit). Also, is it a coincidence that the convoluted path of the labyrinth is reminiscent of the twists and turns of the human brain, resembling a map and a blueprint? This labyrinth, and all mazes and labyrinths, has archetypal depth and fulfills a primal need, for “man does not live by bread alone.” Thus, the labyrinth is a mystical place that allows us to dream and to raise our soul to a higher level. It is also a place where body and soul, solitude and community, freedom and captivity, heaven and earth, cosmos and chaos meet and form a mystical “coincidentia oppositorum” where time and space are suspended and transcended. As such, however, the labyrinth also instructs us that certain things will forever remain unknowable and unfathomable, given the limits of human epistemological understanding.

Life Trustee Kathe Law Rhinesmith, class of 1964, has referred to the labyrinth as a tribute to and celebration of the human spirit and soul. She has also made it clear that OWU’s labyrinth is not about proselytizing. Instead, it was constructed with a non­-denominational, non­-sectarian goal in mind. The labyrinth is intended to resonate with people of all faiths, or no faith at all. The internationally renowned builder, Marty Kermeen of Illinois-­based Labyrinths in Stone, and his assistant, David Keller, are in agreement with that tenet, pointing out that labyrinths have been in existence for many millennia, pre­-dating Christianity by thousands of years. The labyrinth is also designed to be open and accessible to the public – school children, church members, concertgoers and dog walkers. There are no barriers, fees, or rules of any kind. Everyone is invited to seek knowledge and wisdom. The labyrinth does not require that its path be followed.

But the path is there, patiently awaiting anyone ready and willing to go on a transformational adventure.

CROPWalk returns to OWU, raises money for the hungry

By: Cuckoo Gupta, Transcript correspondent

 

Photo courtesy of kzoolf.org.
Photo courtesy of kzoolf.org.

Ohio Wesleyan University and the Delaware community came together on Oct. 11 to help raise awareness and funds for hunger.

The Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty (CROP) Walk, is an annual community event created to help support the Church World Service (CWS). CWS helps provide food, water and resources for people in need.

The Community Service Learning Center (CSLC) at OWU organizes CROP Walk. Students walk 3.1 miles with other community members to raise money. Sally Leber, the director of CSLC said that it is one of the larger services and advocacy programs at OWU.

For five years, student participation has dwindled, but this year it saw “more than 250 walkers overall,” and it raised $2,273 in total, according to CSLC and CROP Hunger Walk’s website.

“Students here at OWU have always loved participating in CROP Hunger Walk,” Leber said. “It has grown exponentially this year, many athletic teams, Greek organizations and SLUs represented. Also, other unaffiliated people got involved.”

OWU volleyball team member Brianna La Croix, a sophomore, said, “CROP Walk was a great way to meet new people who care about raising awareness. Crop Hunger Walk was well organized. I am so happy that I was able to volunteer with my teammates and coach, and walk for such an amazing cause.”

Leber was satisfied with the turnout of students and community members. “Everyone enjoyed the weather and each other’s company,” she said. “They all had fun, mingled, as well as gave importance to issues surrounding hunger and food scarcity.”

“I think it is a great cause and something that many students at OWU feel strongly about,” junior Shashank Sharma said.

Junior Khayyam Zubair, a participant at the walk, said, “As a young person I feel it is my responsibility to help bring about change, to actively participate in well being of the world.

CROP Hunger Walk is a way I can do this.”

Currently, over 2,000 communities across the U.S. join in more than 1,300 CROP Hunger Walks each year. More than five million CROP Hunger Walkers have participated in more than 36,000 CROP Hunger Walks in the last two decades alone.