TheTranscript – Page 6 – The Transcript

Cooking Matters cooks up a recipe for success

By Hallie Sinko, Transcript Correspondent

There are more than 16,000 residents in Delaware County who are food insecure.

Ohio Wesleyan has united with Cooking Matters to facilitate health-related programming for those in the community lacking reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.

Cooking Matters is a national program that addresses “one of the biggest health-related challenges in the U.S. today—that of food insecurity and the related chronic disease burden for those with lower economic resources,” Chris Fink, health and human kinetics professor and program director, said.

Students in the HHK department have the opportunity to transition classroom content to real world experience. As coordinators, they promote the program and recruit participants. As instructors, they work to address personal barriers that prevent the participants from changing health behaviors.

In sync with OWU’s mission, this program is an opportunity for students to impart knowledge and gain the expertise to operate a successful program, Fink said.

The six-week program gathers at Vineyard Church, across from Grady Hospital, on Tuesday evenings.

For two hours, the class explores health topics, recipes, meal preparation, budget and planning strategies.

Group discussions address topics such as the importance of breakfast and physical activity. Instructors also engage participants through activities that address health topics.

“To allow the class to recognize the quantity of sugar in some of their daily beverages, clear cups are filled with one teaspoon of sugar per four grams of sugar in the drink. Participants then try to match up the sugar cups with the correct beverage,” senior Sarah Kohn said.

Each week, recipes are introduced that are created with inexpensive, healthy ingredients.

Next week, the class will be making tacos with lean turkey meat and lettuce wraps. Both inexpensive, lean turkey meat provides a low-fat option and lettuce wraps a low-carb option.

Instructors lead the class through the meal preparation. Along the way, they educate on kitchen safety. The class has made vegetable soup, stir-fry and stovetop mac and cheese.

Participants are educated on how to get the most for their dollar through the power of planning. They are advised to make a list before heading to the store, which allows for effective shopping on a budget.

At the end of each class, participants get to take home groceries. Allowing them to try new things at home for their family, even on a tight budget.

The community has responded positively to OWU’s Cooking Matters program. The high interest prompted a waitlist to be created. Community partners have informed Fink that they are impressed with the work being done. In particular, the pop-up programs at local Farmers’ Markets, food pantries and free meal sites.

In an effort to reach the younger population, there is a new addition coming in spring 2018. The OWU students involved with Cooking Matters will be leading a series of classes for a local school, Woodward Elementary, to educate children on health and nutrition topics.

Not only are OWU students giving through this opportunity but they are also receiving. Both Kohn and senior Patrick Puracchio said they value gaining experience with diverse populations, which they know will help them in their future careers.

To control or not to control guns

By Kienan O’Doherty, A&E Editor

Dear President Trump, it’s time for the United States to put more limitations on guns.

Yet another shooting happened recently, this time in the small county of Sutherland Springs, Texas. Twenty-six people were killed when Devin P. Kelley opened fire in the First Baptist Church of the small community.

And yes, it is, in fact, a situation about guns.

Kelley was able to buy a semi-automatic weapon despite a troubled history that included escaping a mental health facility back in 2012. Put simply, gun laws are not regulated enough, nor that strict.

In an opinion article written on Forbes by Larry Bell, he said he thinks that we have lost hope and it has become too serious.

“So would tougher gun laws make a big difference? Consider that some of the most restrictive bans in the country didn’t stop 52 public school students from being fatally shot during the 2009-11 school years in heavily gun-controlled Chicago,” Bell said.

“No, real solutions must be a great deal more complex, and a whole lot less politically correct to talk about, than adding simplistic, knee-jerk, ‘feel good’ gun regulations. Like addressing the sort of cultural expectations and ethical values we instill in our children and youth, for example.”

How many more shootings will it take? Another mass shooting? For this time, the editorial board at the New York Times reports that Congress hasn’t done anything about the most recent shooting.

“Republican leaders in Congress do nothing,”
according to the Times’ board. “Or really, so far they’ve done the same thing they have always done: offered thoughts and prayers. Soon, they will surely offer warnings not to ‘politicize’ a tragedy by debating gun controls that might prevent such mass killings from happening again.”

When Obama was in office, any time one of these shootings occurred, he was quick to comment and support the victims affected. Now, our president, who has a reputation on blaming national security risks on anything in sight, doesn’t comment on victims at all.

It’s a matter of restricting the purchasing of weapons or forbidding civilians from possessing them at all. Simple as that.

OWU wrestling team appoints new head coach

By Aleksei Pavloff, Sports Editor

The Ohio Wesleyan University coaching staff adds one more to the family, with the hiring of experienced head wrestling coach Paul Reid.

Reid’s first day on the job was Nov. 1 and the administration is excited to see wrestling back after being absent from OWU athletics since the mid-80s.

“I am pleased that OWU will once again offer men’s wrestling as one of our varsity athletics programs,” said OWU President Rock Jones. “Many alumni who competed on the wrestling team in previous decades now are leaders in business, industry, medicine and academic life.”

Jones also said this will help attract more students to the university and is also confident that Reid is a good fit for the new program with his wealth of experience as a coach and a recruiter.

“Coach Reid is ideally suited to lead the program as it returns to OWU,” Jones said. “He has good experience, will be an effective recruiter and will quickly build a competitive program that attracts student athletes who reflect OWU’s values.”

Reid said one of the reasons he came to OWU was “the opportunity to reinstate” the new program.

“It is a very rewarding experience,” said Reid.

This is not the first time Reid has helped a program get on its feet. Before coming to the university, Reid helped build a wrestling program at Alfred State College where he served as the head coach.

Reid’s experience with wrestling extends way back to his childhood days. From wrestling at a young age through high school, Reid competed at Coe College, which is a division III private school located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

After completing his undergraduate degree, Reid went to the University of North Carolina Pembroke, a division II program, where he studied his master’s as a graduate assistant.

He then was an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and was the head recruiting coordinator for two years.

After his time at Wisconsin-Whitewater, Reid took the position as head assistant coach at Iowa Western Community College for three years. There, he helped start a new wrestling program. The program is now in the top 10 for junior colleges according to theopenmat.com.

His most recent job was at Alfred State College where he was the head wrestling coach for three years and help the program through an “extensive rebuild.”

Reid was first contacted by OWU in late September and said that the mix of academics and athletics was something that he admires about the university.

“That is what division III is all about,” Reid said. “You want a good, well-rounded education but you want a well-rounded experience also.”

Now, Reid is the head wrestling coach at OWU and said he is ready to get to start recruiting and build the program from the ground up.

Reid is planning to “get after it” with recruiting for the 2018-19 wrestling season. He said that Ohio has a “rich talent pool,” but hopes that OWU national reputation will assist him in going to tournaments outside of the state of Ohio.

Men’s soccer team wins NCAC title in dramatic fashion

By Kienan O’Doherty, A&E Editor

After one of the most exciting games in recent North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) memory, the Ohio Wesleyan men’s soccer team captured its 10th championship.

In a classic rivalry matchup between the second-seeded Battling Bishops and the top-seed Kenyon College Lords, the teams battled to a 0-0 draw after extra time, meaning the tournament would be decided by penalties.

After sophomore goalkeeper Mike Heeschen kept the Lords at bay throughout both regulation and extra time, notching five saves in 110 minutes, head coach Jay Martin leaned on sophomore J.P. Baughman to go in goal for the shootout.

“We planned on doing that since the very beginning,” Martin said. “Since high school, [Baughman] has been a very good penalty stopper.”

Baughman lived up to his reputation, saving three shots to keep the Bishops alive, and all the while setting up junior midfielder Jack Shadoan for the winning penalty. Shadoan converted, and the Lords missed their next penalty wide, earning the Bishops the tournament title. The win also gave the Battling Bishops an automatic birth into the NCAA tournament.

Baughman received the Most Valuable Player award in the tournament for his efforts. Four Bishops were named to the All-NCAC tournament team: Shadoan, Heeschen, Baughman and senior back and captain Trey Olsen.

It finally seems the Bishops are hitting their stride at the perfect time, and junior midfielder and captain Will Sharer believes that complacency is key:

“We need to keep working hard in practice and doing the little things that will make a difference in the games,” Sharer said. “I think if we can keep our hard working and defense first mindset then we can make a run in the [NCAA] tournament.”

The Bishops traveled to University Heights, Ohio for their first round matchup against John Carroll University, who beat the Bishops 5-4 in double overtime earlier in the season. Senior midfielder David Robinett said hethinks the team learned a lot the last game, and can’t wait to play them again.

“We learned that we need to play hard for the full 90 minutes, so that’s what you should expect this time,” Robinett said. “We know that we’re a talented team and we’re excited to come back and get revenge.”

Martin said he believes the Bishops can take on anybody in the tournament, including John Carroll.

“I’ll tell you what, I don’t think they want to play us,” Martin said. I think they want to play some other team.”

The first round matchup will take place on Friday, Nov. 10, at 5:30 p.m. at John Carroll, with the winner playing either Calvin College or Thomas More College on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m.

HBC and Branch Rickey renovations coming soon

By Aleksei Pavloff, Sports Editor

Ohio Wesleyan University administration approved plans to renovate the House of Black Culture and Branch Rickey Arena.

In late October, many alumni, students and parents enjoyed a festive homecoming while also celebrating the university’s 175th anniversary. With this celebration, the school also announced that OWU’s Connect Today, Create Tomorrow campaign raised more than $140 million in donations.

“Our goal for the leadership phase of the campaign had been $125 million,” said OWU president Rock Jones in an email sent to OWU faculty. “So this is, indeed, a milestone to celebrate.”

Along with the celebration, announcements were made that have some people on campus still celebrating. The Board of Trustees approved the rebuilding of the Butler A. Jones House of Black Culture (HBC) and plans to renovate Branch Rickey Arena.

This is a part of the university’s 2017-18 objectives and plan for 2020.

Through this approval, the board is aiming to raise at least $161 million for the Connect Today, Create Tomorrow campaign by late June 2018. Along with donations, the objective included completing fundraising and beginning construction of HBC. Along with the rebuilding of HBC, the objectives included finalizing the design for Branch Rickey and launching fundraising.

HBC has been a part of the OWU community since the 1970s. The current house is located on Oak Hill Avenue and Jones has said the new building will be in the same location.

He also added that students have assisted in reviewing plans for the new house in efforts to serve “the needs both of the students who live in the house and of the larger community that gathers at the house.”

With the announcements made about plans for HBC and Branch Rickey, some recent alumni are excited to hear about the news.

“I think it’s great that (Branch Rickey Arena) is getting renovated,” said Ben Simpson ‘17, a former member of the OWU basketball team.“This program that has been built over the years definitely deserves it.”

Simpson also mentioned that his memories of playing in Branch Rickey were great.

“It was awesome playing in Branch Rickey,” Simpson said. “The combination of great fans and a great atmosphere makes it fun to play in.”

Branch Rickey Arena is one of the best places to watch and play sports, but according to President Jones, it is time for improvements.

“The time has arrived when much-needed renovation must occur, including replacing the aging floor and bleachers, refreshing the entry and public restrooms, upgrading the training room, and creating a venue that reflects the quality of the programs that compete in Branch Rickey Arena,” Jones said.

The administration has worked with new athletic director Doug Zipp, coaches, trainers and faculty from the health and human kinetics department to identify what needs to be improved.

“This is the most pressing need for renovation among all of our athletics facilities,” said Jones.

OWU looks back on Russian Revolution

By Nicole Popovich, Transcript Correspondent

Be on the lookout for poems attached to red helium balloons tied up around campus.

Starting on Nov. 7 and going through Nov. 10, the comparative literature department will be having events pertaining to the 100-year anniversary of the Russian Revolution.

On Tuesday, Nov. 7 in the Beeghly Media Center, there was a showing of the eighth greatest film ever made , according to film critics from the British Film Institute: Man with a Movie Camera directed by Dziga Vertov.

On Wednesday, Nov 8, Mimi Ginsberg from the University of Maryland gave a lecture on the first woman art gallery owner, Nadezhda Dobychina.

Ginsberg is the sister of a professor in the comparative literature department, Sally Livingston.

“All of the events are going to be great, but I am especially excited for my sister to talk at a couple events that are happening,” Livingston said.

In the Beeghly Library on Thursday Nov. 9, professors Mark Gingerich (Russian history), Sean Kay (Soviet and Russian politics and government) and Stephanie Merkel (Russian language and literature) had a discussion panel.

Gingerich, Kay and Merkel spoke about the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 in the Bayley Room at noon. The discussion debated whether the revolution was good or bad and if it is over.

On Friday, Nov. 10, professor Anne. E. Sokolsky, the chair of the comparative literature department, will be speaking about her forthcoming book, “They Call Him Sok: A Granddaughter’s Search for Her Grandfather Journalist George Sokolsky through Archives, Memorabilia, and Family Lore.”

“Professor Sokolsky is giving a talk about her family’s connection to the Russian Revolution through her grandfather, George Sokolsky, who was a journalist then,” said Merkel.

These events have been being planned for many months. “Professor Livingston and I talked about it over a glass of wine on a Delaware July evening, and the whole thing took off from there,” Merkel said.

Education department welcomes new professor

By Reilly Wright, Photo Editor

The newest assistant professor of education at Ohio Wesleyan, Sarah J. Kaka, comes armed to teach those to teach.

Currently, Kaka teaches the introductory course to education, the role of the school, but her concentration is in secondary education with seventh through 12th grade. OWU students are enrolled in her secondary social studies courses and adolescent to young adult and multi-age education program field experiences.

“I get to go out and observe student-teachers in the field and see what’s happening,” Kaka said. “And I’m able to keep current and relevant on trends in schools today because I’m out in the field.”

Kaka spent her undergraduate at Illinois State University before attending the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, to get her master’s in curriculum and instruction and her Ph.D. in educational leadership, research and policy.

With published work in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at local and international conferences, Kaka’s research concentrates on improving educator preparation programs.

“Kaka was highly experienced,” said Amy McClure, the department chair of education. “She has worked with accreditation and the edTPA, a rigorous national assessment all our students must complete, supervised students in field experiences and student teaching.”

Before teaching higher education, Kaka taught high school social studies in Virginia and Colorado for 10 years before realizing she wanted a larger hand in the classroom. In graduate school, she found she was on a path toward more administrative positions, such as a dean or principal, instead of teacher.

“When I was doing all the director stuff, I was only teaching one class a semester,” Kaka said. “The rest of it was all administrative. I missed teaching.”

After years of attending and teaching in a larger graduate audience, Kaka says the change to a small midwestern campus is a welcome for her, her husband and two children to set roots.

“When I saw this job … I jumped at it because it’s a small institution and it’s heavy on the teaching,” Kaka said. “I’d teach three classes each semester and still be able to do the research and the scholarship that I love doing.”

Kaka said she loves getting to know her students individually and understanding their diverse backgrounds as they learn and gain experience.

“I feel incredibly blessed to be here and lucky and just happy,” Kaka said. “My colleagues have all been so supportive.”

The Historian to depart from OWU

By Kiersten Bender, Transcript Correspondent

The editorial staff of The Historian are slowly clearing the shelves, editing one book at a time, in preparation to terminate a historical organization that has operated at Ohio Wesleyan University for 25 years.

The Historian will be leaving OWU in the fall of 2018, ending 25 years of connecting students with universities, historians, and authors from all over the country. Richard Spall Jr., professor of history, has been the editor of the book review section of The Historian since it arrived at Ohio Wesleyan in 1993.

The Historian is a quarterly journal published by the national honor society for history, Phi Alpha Theta.

Phi Alpha Theta encourages the research, publication and teaching of history, which is why the journal includes articles and book reviews that discuss all fields of history.

The journal allows students, historians and teachers from around the world to make connections, according to The Historian’s website.

The contract with Phi Alpha Theta connecting OWU and The Historian included a six-year term with Spall as editor. Ending his fourth term, Spall is ready to pass the torch to someone else and continue teaching.

The journal was initially intended to leave in the fall of 2017.

But when the person who was intended to replace Spall as editor declined, the OWU staff had to keep the book review section operating for another year. Meanwhile, Phi Alpha Theta has been searching for a different editor willing to take on the responsibility.

Since its establishment in 1993, The Historian has provided Ohio Wesleyan students with $475,000 in scholarships and more than $1.3 million in books. In addition, 32,654 history books have been added to Beeghly Library.

“The history collection is as good or better than any other,” Spall said.

Along with the extensive list of contributions, The Historian has provided jobs to OWU students through work study opportunities provided by the school.

The OWU editorial staff currently includes six editorial assistants and four senior editorial assistants. Spall said the book review section has had up to 21 students working for it at one time.

Both junior Alyssa DiPadova and senior Kyle Rabung said their experiences as senior editorial assistants have provided them with skills and relationships that they would not have received anywhere else.

“I cannot stress enough how proud this campus should be over the 20 plus years of excellence that we have contributed to a nationally circulating academic journal,” Rabung said.

Former Peace and Justice House sold

By Alameina White, Transcript Reporter

The Perkins House, which formerly housed members of the House of Peace and Justice (P&J), has been sold because of a need for extensive renovations.

According to Lauri Strimkovsky, vice president for finance and administration and treasurer, after 30 years of being a part of Ohio Wesleyan University’s campus, the Perkins House has been sold because it is no longer being used as a residential spot for students.

“Rather than allow the building to sit empty and deteriorate, the decision was made to sell it and reinvest the proceeds into other residential life housing projects,” Strimkovsky said.

Members of the P&J House were moved to one of the new SLUplexes built last year, including three current seniors who previously resided in the Perkins House.

Ellen Sizer, Kieran Tobias and Izzy Taylor said they were glad to hear that someone bought the former P&J House instead of it being torn down.

“I think it’s good that it’s being sold, so that hopefully someone can clean it up and return it to what it was,” Taylor said. The residents have noticed a few changes since the site of the P&J House was moved.

Tobias said the former house didn’t have a television, and with the addition of TVs, the house has felt a bit more modern.

“The old house was like a portal into the 70s,” Tobias said. “When you walked in, all you saw were people drawing in sketchbooks or writing in their journals.”

Sizer added that since they moved to a newer house, they’ve attracted a new and wider range of students she doesn’t think would have notice the P&J House before. ButTaylor said the house still holds positive vibes and great energy.

Though they are happy to see the house being sold instead of torn down, these seniors still hold memories in the house that can’t be replaced.

Last year, the house celebrated its 30-year anniversary and held a lunch with new and old members of the P&J House where everyone discussed their memories in the house and where life has led them. Tobias and Taylor said they enjoyed meeting generations of people as far back as the 90s who had shared the same home.

Sizer, though she doesn’t dwell on the past, said she will miss waking up in the quad in the former house.

“The greatest feeling was waking up from a nap in the quad and all you see is sun around you,” Sizer said.

Each of the seniors, though sad to part with the former house, want to emphasize the point that the Peace and Justice House’s meaning is more important than the physical home.

“As important and historical as the old house may have been, I think it’s the spirit of the house that matters more than anything,” Tobias said.

Sizer said, “Our house did everything we could to live in it the longest we could and I am positive about the future.”

Annual contemporary dance concert set to premiere

By Kienan O’Doherty, A&E Editor

As one of the most anticipated events of the year, Ohio Wesleyan’s annual contemporary dance concert will look to wow with its most interactive piece yet.

“Orchesis 17/18” aims to be unlike any other production in OWU history. For one thing, it has a title, “The Time it Takes.”

“‘The Time it Takes’ relates to how much time it takes to actually go through this space together,” Rashana Smith, assistant professor of theatre and dance, said. “Can we hint at, get at, invite a sense of belonging at different levels? Not everyone is going to feel a belonging in the same way.”

One interesting aspect of the performance to look forward to is that it’s one extended piece, instead of the multiple pieces past concerts have been. Also, the performance starts right when you walk in the door, rather than waiting for the audience to be seated.

Smith also brought in renowned performer Erik Abbott-Main as a guest choreographer, who said he hopes his experience in immersive dance theatre will help these performers make it the best concert they can.

“I hope to supply some other techniques that I’ve developed over the years working in this genre and share it on to them,” Abbott-Main said.

The performance will also have no pauses in the show, making it around 50 minutes instead of the usual hour and 15 that previous concerts used to run.

The cast number is lower this year compared to previous years because only 16 students were able to perform. There happened to be a large level of interest, but scheduling conflicts got in the way.

Junior Kelly Coffyn, who has been to the past two concerts, said she is very excited for this installment.

“I really am excited to go because I love seeing people who I didn’t know were passionate about dancing do something they enjoy,” Coffyn said.

“The Time it Takes” will be performed on the Main Stage inside the Chappelear Drama Center.

Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for senior citizens, Ohio Wesleyan employees, and non-OWU students. Admission is free for Ohio Wesleyan students with a valid OWU ID. Performance dates are Friday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.