Author: TheTranscript

Women’s soccer team honors Baby Lou

By Jesse Sailer, Transcript Reporter 

The Ohio Wesleyan woman’s soccer team kicked off their 2017-18 season on Friday, Sept. 1 against Earlham in honor of OWU alumni Megan (‘09) and Dan (‘08) Dyer, and their newborn daughter Lou.

All proceeds from Friday’s game went toward the Dot’s Tot’s Foundation to help Baby Lou combat the effects of cerebral palsy that were caused by complications during her delivery.

Dot’s Tot’s Foundation is a nonprofit charity that was founded in 2012 that aid families who foster, have teenagers pursuing a higher education, or have children with disabling diseases/illnesses or injuries.

All eyes were on Baby Lou as Megan and Dan acted as honorary captains for the coin toss at the start of the game, before making their way off the field and into the arms of family and friends.

President Rock Jones said the alumni who came together for Friday night’s game “are still connected and caring for one another and supporting one another in good times and bad,” and “that there’s a really powerful sense of family.”

Honoring families, individuals and advocating just causes is nothing new to OWU athletics. Concerted efforts have been made to involve the OWU student body in events, such as these, that extend beyond the field.

Jones said it would be wonderful if more OWU games would be organized to benefit foundations and struggling families.

“I credit the people who had the idea to do this and made it happen,” Jones said. The Battling Bishops rallied to beat Earlham 1-0, with a goal by freshman forward Emily Sheridan.

“We are playing for a very special family,” said junior Megan Price, who plays forward for the woman’s soccer team. “They’ve brought such a miracle into this world.”

It’s one thing to start your season off with a win on home turf, but to play for a family like the Dyers, it makes the win that much sweeter.

Taylor Swift’s single makes waves with its new sound

By Madeleine Matos, Transcript Reporter 

Taylor Swift is back again with her new chart-topping single, “Look What You Made Me Do,” which is coming off of her upcoming studio album Reputation.

The song is a departure from her music styles in the past. When thinking of the country artist turned pop phenomenon, the idea of angry is not what comes to mind.

Yet, the sound isn’t necessarily bad.

Swift is known for writing from the heart, with many of her songs being connected to her former boyfriends, bullies or her childhood.

The song’s lyrics are more difficult to interpret but still pack a punch. Lines such as, “I don’t like your little games / Don’t like your tilted stage” or “But I got smarter, I got harder in the nick of time / Honey, I rose up from the dead, I do it all the time” showcases Swift as someone unlike the innocent pop princess of years past.

Swift has been accused of playing the victim card in this song, as listeners question who the song is directed toward. After many repeated plays and looking at the lyrics, I presume the song is about the Kanye and Kim Kardashian-West feud that Swift has been at the center of for more than a year.

The song is catchy and energetic in all aspects. “Look What You Made Me Do” has a similar sound to the infamous “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred.

The musical group is credited as co-writers on the song. I recommend giving the song a chance before the album comes out as a precursor to see what Swift has in mind.

With empowering lyrics and a beat that you cannot get out of your head, “Look What You Made Me Do” is a song that any Swift fan will enjoy, and allows those who are not fans of her previous music a chance to explore a new style.

Wesleyan Players host sketch comedy show

By Alameina White, Transcript Reporter 

Ohio Wesleyan students performed monologues constructed in 45 minutes.

The Wesleyan Players hosted a sketch comedy this past Saturday in Chappelear Drama Center’s Studio Theatre with special co-host Dave Winnyk.

About 25 people went to see the Wesleyan Players, Babbling Bishops and theatre members put on a 45-minute comedy show, constructed of several monologues.

Winnyk graduated from OWU in 2013 and went on to open the Real Good Sketch Company in Chicago, Illinois. The Real Good Sketch Co. travels around the Midwest, putting on comedy sketch shows for varied audiences as well as teach them about comedy and “how to be funny.”

In just a few hours, Winnyk taught students how to look at and write comedy from different points of view. Winnyk then sent each student to construct their own comedic monologues in 45 minutes. Afterward, the students brought their monologues together to create an entire show in three hours.

Similar to the Wesleyan Players’ events, the 23-Hour Play Fest and the Too Late Show, students had less than 24 hours to create and perform their pieces. Event with the little time they had, the performers still had the audience laughing and throughout the entire show.

“All it takes to put on a good performance is creative people and dedication,” said junior Ares Harper, president of the Wesleyan Players Club.

These sketches weren’t like shows put on by standup comedians such as Kevin Hart and Dave Chappelle. Each monologue entailed its own joke.

“It’s not like standup comedy,” said sophomore Rose Jonesco. “Your monologue is your joke. The question is what is funny about your perspective?”

The show’s overarching theme was politically inclined with a focus on the end of the world. But the topics ranged from “Putin and President Donald Trump’s last phone conversation” to a man’s lack of knowledge of the female anatomy.

“In the end, we learned to expand our comedy and where our comedy comes from,” Jonesco said. A live-stream video of the performance can be found on Dave Winnyk’s Facebook page.

Letter to the Editor: WCSA addresses textbook affordability for students

By Ryan Bishop

Going to college is an expensive journey and our student government, the Wesleyan Council on Student Affairs (WCSA), acknowledges the financial difficulty that comes with it, including the cost of textbooks.

Since the spring of 2016, Sens. Ryan Bishop and Nicholas Melvin have been exploring various ways in which WCSA can aid students with textbook affordability.

Work will continue to explore options such as open access books and textbook exchange programs with appropriate campus departments and groups. This semester, however, we are proud to present one affordability pilot project already in motion – the “WCSA Library of Textbooks.”

Last spring, WCSA’s full senate passed a resolution to allocate $13,000 of Initiative funds to a pilot project that would expand the print reserve holdings at the OWU Libraries.

During the spring semester and over the summer, the Libraries staff did some incredible work communicating with WCSA, TLCCP, individual faculty and the bookstore to create selection criteria and compose a suitable list of titles to be placed on course reserves.

The final list contains more than 90 titles and targeted books in 100-200 general education requirement courses. After purchase, items were then placed on print reserve at Beeghly or the Hobson Science Library.

Books can be checked out for four hours at a time (and later renewed if no one is waiting) and pages can be conveniently scanned for use at home.

You can look up title availability at library.owu.edu/reserves. We hope that this program will be useful to all and help alleviate some the struggles of affording textbooks. If you have feedback or would like more information on the program, please, do not hesitate to reach out at wcsaexec@owu.edu.

The violence beyond football

By Kienan O’Doherty, A&E Editor

Football is widely regarded as the most popular American sport, but it is also considered to be the most violent.

Fans love to wake up every Sunday and flip on the TV to watch their beloved teams beat up each other on the field. We, as fans, consider these players heroes and role models.

What no one seems to realize is that most of the violence may occur outside of the stadium.

While we treat these players like deities, we tend to overlook their histories.

Now I know most of us tend to prefer to live in the present, but everyone has a past. Look into someone’s and you may find some surprises.

If you look into an NFL player’s history nowadays, you may find something far more alarming, a record of physical and sexual assault. I’m not saying that every football player has physically assaulted a woman, or anyone for that matter. I’m simply saying the problem the league faces is much larger than on field play.

According to the league’s own Personal Conduct Policy, “It is not enough simply to avoid being found guilty of a crime. We are all held to a higher standard and must conduct ourselves in a way that is responsible, promotes the values of the NFL, and is lawful.”

Now the league does have a protocol if such an instance has occurred, where the commissioner has the right to take action on a player, even if that player is legally cleared.

For example, Dallas Cowboys’ running back Ezekiel Elliott was recently suspended for the first six games of the 2017 season after alleged incidents of domestic assault.

According to an article written by Sean Wagner-McGouh on cbssports.com, Elliott received an injunction and will likely play the season.

Former Baltimore Ravens’ running back Ray Rice was caught on camera assaulting his girlfriend. The tape was released by the team and Rice was indefinitely suspended by the league in 2014.

As of 2015, 44 players have been accused of domestic violence and that number continues to grow. But will this ever end? At the moment, it sure doesn’t look like it. Two teams, the Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders, added fuel to the fire this year when they both took players convicted of assault. In the first round.

Stephen L. Carter, who wrote a story titled “The NFL has a serious violence problem,” which was published by the Chicago Tribune, said it best: “There is no perfect balance to be struck between the presumption of innocence and the need for the NFL and other sports leagues to set a proper example.”

While the league’s public image is getting worse and worse by the incident, fans need to take caution as to what is acceptable to cheer for.

 

What I consider a successful life

By Spencer Pauley, Copy Editor 

Are the expectations we set for ourselves too high?

Maybe not all of us will go on to do life-changing work in the future, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be successful.

I read an article by the New York Times titled, “You’ll Never Be Famous—And That’s O.K.” The article discussed that too many college students have extraordinary aspirations.

Not every student is going to become the owner of a multibillion dollar franchise, star in a movie franchise, publish a best-seller or make the next big scientific discovery, but students often set high goals like these for themselves.

With goals like that, disappointment might be inevitable. But it just seems wrong to “settle for something smaller” when it comes to my life after OWU.

Then the author of the New York Times article, Emily Smith, said, “The most meaningful lives, I’ve learned, are often not the extraordinary ones. They’re the ordinary ones lived with dignity.”

There is more to life than how much you make, where you live and what kind of car you own. It’s about the respect you’ve earned from those you’ve met that matters more in life.

The satisfaction people have in life does not come from the material goods they obtain, but from the people around them. Whether that be family, friends, or coworkers.

Once you realize that you’re genuinely happier when you’re with the people who you love and love you back, then you know your life is full of success. So as each of us students continue our time here at OWU, understand that it’s not going to be the end of the world if you don’t reach your ultimate goal in life. Work hard and take life in stride, we’ll be all right.

Meet the associate dean for student success

By Alameina White, Transcript Reporter 

After conducting a nationwide search, Ohio Wesleyan chose Kristin Weyman to be the new associate dean for student success.

Before coming to Ohio Wesleyan, Weyman was the associate dean of students at Claremont McKenna College in California. Claremont is a small liberal arts college with a similar atmosphere to OWU; one of the reasons Weyman wanted to come.

Another reason why Weyman wanted to come to OWU was because of the students’ involvement with the community.

“Students who don’t want to just be a part of a community but want to help create the community,” Weyman said. “The students who want to expand their horizons and have a genuine interest in learning.”

As the associate dean for student success, Weyman oversees Residential Life, Health and Counseling Services, Multicultural Student Affairs (MCSA) and Student Conduct.

Weyman was hired to oversee ResLife while OWU looks for a new director. Weyman is also acting as director of MCSA until they find someone to replace the former.

“My whole role is connecting students to the resources they need,” Weyman said. “I hope students will think, ‘I don’t know where else to go, so I’ll go to Kristin.’”

Dwayne Todd, dean of students and vice president for student engagement and success, said he chose Weyman because of her experience and dedication.

“I decided to go with her because this has been her line of work for a long time,” Todd said. “We needed someone who was ready to jump in with both feet.”

Weyman was raised in St. Louis, Missouri, but since she first left, she has been all over the U.S. But no matter where she worked and lived, she always came back home.

“I always seemed to come back to the Midwest,” Weyman said. “It feels more like where I grew up.”

Weyman said she has had a great start at OWU so far. Right now, she is getting know everyone on campus and trying to make students aware of all the resources they have on campus.

“I want to eventually get to where everyone knows where they can turn to me on campus,” Weyman said. While there are students who are still unaware of Weyman’s role on campus, she is still working one person at a time with hopes that word will spread.

OWU students launch Xnox Fitness

By Aleksei Pavloff, Sports Editor 

Two Ohio Wesleyan students have taken what they have learned in class and turned it into their own business and passion while still keeping up with school work.

Junior Ben Mudzinganyama and sophomore Connor King have created their own company called Xnox Fitness.

The company focuses on personal training, dieting and sports performance.

King is a finance major with a minor in exercise science and is currently trying to get certified to train clients. Mudzinganyama is certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine and works directly with clients on a daily basis. He is also majoring in exercise science and minoring in business administration.

It didn’t take long for both students to relate to one another.

“We met last semester and just talked about what we wanted to do one day in the future,” King said. “Then we just started talking about ideas and what we were passionate about.”

Both students played sports here at OWU. But they found the stress of playing a sport while going to class wasn’t as rewarding as creating something that would “last a lifetime,” according to Mudzinganyama.

King and Mudzinganyama met last semester and talked about what interested them. Mudzinganyama said he originally wanted to be a physical therapist but eventually decided that wasn’t his passion. He also added that the injuries were taking a toll on his physical capability.

“To be in this business, you have to have an able body,” Mudzinganyama said.

Both students said they have been interested in health and fitness for some time now. It wasn’t until the summer they thought that it would be a good idea to work together.

“We both have the same passions and bring different ideas and experiences to the table,” King said.

With sports no longer being a factor in their daily lives, they still have a very busy schedule to keep up with.

“Running your own business is a grind,” King said. “It’s not for everybody,” Mudzinganyama said. “You have to put in odd hours.”

Xnox Fitness is working out of the Delaware Fit Factory, a crossfit gym that is located on South Sandusky Street. They are currently working with the owner Eric Sutliff and Mudzinganyama said their partnership has been “fantastic.”

The company is looking to expand its brand with an informational video on their Facebook page that currently has more than 1,500 views. They have also been in contact with local high schools in the Delaware area.

“We want to dominate the sports industry and the fitness world,” Mudzinganyama said.

Some other students on campus have noticed how dedicated they are in their business. “I think that it’s awesome that they are doing this,” said junior Lauren Carpenter. “[Mudzinganyama] is an insightful guy and loves to work with people.”

Executive assistant to president ready to help students succeed

By Reilly Wright, Photo Editor 

Janet Lewis was recently given the title of executive assistant to the president and secretary to the Board of Trustees at Ohio Wesleyan University, but she said she prefers the title Janet.

The position was granted to Lewis after a full search process led by an OWU committee reviewed dozens of applicants.

“I was very impressed with her from the opening minutes of my first meeting with her,” said President Rock Jones. “Her experience, professionalism, personality and deep commitment to higher education and to the welfare of the entire campus community will serve all of us very well.”

In recent years, Lewis was an administrative associate to the executive director and development team and the Central Ohio American Heart Association. She supported their board of directors and programs such as Go Red for Women Luncheon and the Central Ohio Heart Walk.

When Lewis spotted the job listing, she initially hesitated due to her passion for her job with the Central Ohio American Heart Association. But after weeks of curiously visiting the listing, she applied for the opportunity to work directly with Jones.

“[Jones] is not only an engaging and eloquent speaker, but is also clearly a committed and passionate advocate and leader for OWU,” Lewis said. “I love that he is so accessible to the students and enjoys interacting with them.”

She holds a bachelor of science in chemistry from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and has a master of business administration with a marketing emphasis from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Lewis grew up in Tennessee where most of her family lives, but she has called Ohio home for the last 12 years. Both her sons go to school in Ohio while she and her husband of 26 years are active in Columbus’ recreational volleyball leagues.

“As she gets to know the OWU community and the OWU community gets to know her, I am confident Janet will become highly regarded for her work, for the warmth of her personality and for her commitment to our mission as a residential liberal arts university,” Jones said.

Communication professor brings video expertise to campus

By Spencer Pauley, Copy Editor 

With a new major being introduced this semester at Ohio Wesleyan, new faculty comes as well.

Kyle McDaniel is one of the new faculty members for the journalism and communication department and is helping lead the way for student success in the major.

McDaniel, from Jonesboro, Arkansas, went to school at Arkansas State, which is located in his hometown. After that he got his master’s at the University of Missouri-Columbia and then his Ph.D. at the University of Oregon.

The classes that McDaniel is teaching are: Video Production, Conflict Resolution and Communication Theory.

The classes are new to OWU so there are not a lot of students in each class, but McDaniel said he sees an increase in student interests in the classes in the future.

“I’ve talked to quite a few students already who have already been thinking about registering or have but dropped,” McDaniel said. “But I do think more people are going to take it in the future.”

The video production class is a half unit course but may change to a full credit class by next semester. The class is one of the highlights of the new courses added to OWU.

“The goal of the class is to get the students to learn how to be professional and use the equipment,” McDaniel said. “But it’s a lot of work, so hopefully after this semester it will be a full unit class.”

McDaniel is coming from a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Oregon. Oregon’s enrollment from 2016 was 23,634 compared to OWU’s enrollment of 1,650. So McDaniel has experience with both a state school and a small private one.

“There are a lot of similarities across the board, that’s being engaging in the classroom,” McDaniel said. “Trying to think of new ways to engage students is very important” McDaniel said. “Ohio Wesleyan students are very impressive. You guys seem really engaged and interested.”