Author: Sara Hollabaugh

Kappa Karaoke invites organizations to sing for charity

By Orion Wright, Transcript Correspondent

Ohio Wesleyan University dents will soon have an opportunity to sing, dance and raise money for children’s literacy all at once.

On April 10, the Rho Deuteron chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma will host Kappa Karaoke. Teams representing Greek-letter organizations, Small Living Units and other clubs will compete in song and dance while raising money for Reading is Fundamental. There is a $5 fee for those who don’t want to participate but still want to watch the show.

“Kappa Karaoke is Kappa’s spring philanthropy to raise money for our national philanthropy Reading is Fundamental,” KKG philanthropy chair Alix Templeman said. “Those who perform get judged by a judging panel and whoever wins gets bragging rights.”

While the final scores come down to the opinions of the judges, “audience reaction and creativity are definitely taken into account,” Templeman said.

Kappa Karaoke has been an ongoing tradition for more than 10 years, with a different theme every year.

Teams are encouraged to choose songs which follow the theme and change the lyrics of their songs to reflect the spirit of the philanthropy, said Templeman.

When the theme was Boy Bands, “. . . it was really awesome. Theta did a performance of NSYNC vs Backstreet Boys.”

Reading is Fundamental champions children’s literacy through “meaningful research, quality content and equal access to impact all kids with the power of reading,” having distributed more than 412 million books to 40 million children nation-wide, according to its website. RIF encourages those whose lives have been affected by its programs to share their stories.

Many teams are already preparing for the event.

“[Our team has] done it every year. We’re still narrowing down our song but the list is all throwbacks that everyone knows and can sing when it comes on,” OWU senior Kevin Rossi said. “Dancing is a given, we might have some props like we did last year. Either way, we’re probably going to win it and it’s going to be fun regardless.”

KKG’s national partnership with RIF was made by Ann Truesdell, once a chapter president of Rho Deuteron, Templeman said. They have maintained a partnership since to further the cause of children’s literacy.

Thetas win gold at DZ dodgeball

By Sara Hollabaugh, Online Editor

The OWU community came together to dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge.

The Delta Zeta (DZ) sorority hosted a turtle-filled dodgeball tournament on Sunday, April 2.

Organized by DZ’s Vice President of Philanthropy, Katie Kuckelheim, the dodgeball tournament supported the Starkey Hearing Foundation.

“Since 1954, speech and hearing has been Delta Zeta’s national philanthropy and since 2006 Delta Zeta, has been partners with the Starkey Hearing Foundation,” Kuckelheim said. “Starkey Hearing Foundation gives hearing aids to those all over the world.”

Kuckelheim said Delta Zeta has participated in a five year ve million dollar campaign to benefit the Starkey Hearing Foundation.

At the dodgeball tournament, held in Branch Rickey, greek teams and sports teams went against each other in a double-elimination-type bracket.

In the final stages of the tournament, Delta Gamma (DG) went against Chi Phi for third place, with Delta Gamma taking the trophy and Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) went against Kappa Alpha Theta (Theta) for rst and second.

After a close match, Theta won gold.

Senior and team captain, Lydia Hall, played in her third DZ Dodgeball tournament.

“We played by the traditional dodgeball rules with an added twist. Throughout the week we collected rubber turtles from members of Delta Zeta,” Hall said. “During each game we could use 3 turtles to bring a player who was out back into the game.”

Hall said she loved the addition of the turtles because it not only helped teams advance but was a fun way for students to get excited for the event throughout the prior week.

“Philanthropy events are always fun but most importantly they are an excellent way to raise awareness,” Hall said. “It was really great to see other organizations on campus be involved and excited about the event. It was a chance for all of us to be together, support our Greek friends, and engage in some friendly competition.”

Kuckelheim said DZ does not yet know exactly how much they raised for the event.

For more info on Starkey, go to their website: https://www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org/.

Black Men of the Future rejoins campus community

By Juwaun Tye, Transcript Correspondent

The African-American community at Ohio Wesleyan has a renewed chance to make its mark on the university.

Black Men of the Future (BMF) has officially been added as a club, and the group has high aspirations as it rejoins the Ohio Wesleyan community. Although BMF has been offered to students in previous years, the club was shut down last April due to lack of participation.

OWU sophomore Adedayo Akinmadeyemi, is responsible for bringing the group back into existence.

“Our main goal right now is to establish a name for ourselves again. I want to be a strong organization on this campus and not just another minority,” Akinmadeyemi said.

Akinmadeyemi also expressed that the club’s biggest goal is to form a brotherhood within the group. “[We want to] truly stick together and have each others backs because it doesn’t seem like the black males on this campus do that,” Akinmadeyemi said.

Treasurer of BMF, Daniel Delatte believes that the group will not only impact OWU, but also the enrollment size of the student body. A successful BMF group could potentially help the university achieve its goal of “2,020 students by 2020.”

“We’re going to leave our mark and do something to make Ohio Wesleyan better, and hopefully bring more black men to the school as well,” Delatte said.

Akinmadeyemi believes that the best way to increase the number of students in the group is simply to start recruiting as soon as possible. 20 African-American men have reportedly joined already.

Akinmadeyemi hopes that by focusing on the incoming freshmen, BMF will have students that are going to grow with the club, and continue the tradition.

“This past year, the upperclassmen and the freshmen had no reason to communicate, BMF will help them through that transition,” Akinmadeyemi said.

BMF will perform multiple service projects around the OWU campus in an effort to give back to the university. The club’s executives have been planning activities to be held next fall.

Administration for this club include President, Adedayo Akinmadeyemi, Vice President, Marvin Sehna, Secretary, Kesh Charles, Treasure, Daniel Delatte. All of the officers live in the House of Black Culture.

The club will meet twice a month in Stuyvesant Hall to build community and connect with one another. Delatte encourages any black male on campus to come to the meetings, which will be held on Thursdays.

“You want to build community with the same type of people as you. Those people that have been through the same struggles as you growing up,” secretary Kesh Charles said.

OWU students discuss sexual assault and lead campus march

By Alanna Henderson, Managing Editor

1 in 3 women worldwide experience some form of sexual violence or intimate partner violence. 1 in 6 men experience sexual violence. Less than 50 percent of victims report these crimes, according to Take Back the Night’s website.

Take Back the Night (TBTN) began in the late 1960’s. This international event and non-profit organization is committed to its mission of ending sexual assault, domestic violence, relationship vio- lence, sexual abuse and all other forms of sexual violence.

Ohio Wesleyan has participated in TBTN for over ten years. The Sexuality and Gender Equality House (SAGE) led the annual speak out and walk on the evening of Mar. 30. The evening began with a talking session and was followed by a walk around campus.

More than 600 communities around the world have held TBTN events, ranging from college campus demonstrations, to biking events and yoga events.

Senior Lissette Gonzalez, house moderator for SAGE and head of speak-out committee at TBTN, helped foster an environment where those who were speak- ing and those who were listening could feel comfortable.

“TBTN is a national event where other campus’ host it, and it’s really nice to have that type of support from a bigger organization like that,” Gonzalez said.

The Benes room was filled with survivors of sexual violence, as well as allies showing support for victims. Prior to the speak-out session, allies spoke of ways others can recognize abuse, the availability of resources and the importance of speaking out.

Junior Paul Heithaus spoke as an ally and said it was a powerful event; one that allows students to become closer with one another.

“It was empowering to be a part of the process. You feel like you’re more a part of the tight-knit community across Ohio Wesleyan,” Heithaus said. “But at the same time, you’re going through a roller coaster of emotions; you’re feeling for the people that have been through some traumatic situations but at the same time, they are standing there defeating whatever happened to them.”

The speak-out portion of the event allowed survivors to break their silence, reflect and share their story with peers.

“It’s the one time in the year where we allow survivors of sexual assault to talk about their experiences. It’s something that is really empowering to them and is something that can be emotionally draining, but in the end, has a powerful message,” Gonzalez said.

Purple candles in hand, students walked in solidarity from Hamilton Williams Campus Center to the previous house of Peace and Justice.

TBTN was held during Women’s Week and is the first event SAGE hosts with their new members. Gonzalez said it is a fun way to collaborate with their new members and couldn’t be held with- out their help.

To learn more and get involved, visit takebackthenight.org.

Women’s Resource Center makes a splash in sex education

By Allie Smith, Transcript Correspondent and Sara Hollabaugh, Online Editor

The Nimbus 2000: a toy for all ages.

Mattel designed this item as a children’s toy, but the now discontinued Harry Potter battery-operated broomstick is also available in adult sex shops.

The conclusion of a lecture held last Friday mentioned the Nimbus 2000.  

“I Love the Female Orgasm,” sponsored by the Ohio Wesleyan University Women’s Resource Center (WRC), Panhellenic Council and the Sexuality and Gender Equality House (SAGE), discussed topics that ranged from simple masturbation techniques to achieving multiple orgasms.

Senior Emma Nuiry, an intern for WRC who planned most of the event, said she reached out to the Inter-Fraternal Council (IFC) about collaborating, but ultimately the Panhellenic Council decided to partner with them.

Funded by WCSA, Nuiry said the event exceeded her expectations.

Chairs filed in rows stood from the front to the back of the Benes room in the Hamilton-Williams Campus Center (HWCC). Almost every seat was full by the start of the lecture. The event has been very successful in past years, sometimes so crowded that students have piled onto the floor in order to be a part of the talk.

“So many different communities from campus were brought together on this topic and from all the feedback I’ve received, they loved it,” Nuiry said.

Lindsay Fram and Marshall Miller, sex educators, hosted the lecture. They conveyed their ideas and information in a humorous and effective way. They also supplied an overall message of sexual health and women’s empowerment.

Fram and Miller included genders across the spectrum in the lecture. They were LGBTQ-inclusive and spoke of both cis and trans people, binary and nonbinary. They focused the lecture around women who are born with a vagina and trans women who are not.

Fram spoke of the significance of body and genitalia types, expressing that every shape and size is normal.

“My favorite topic would be talking about the diversity of bodies and the diversity of genitals that are absolutely normal and beautiful just the way they are,” Fram said. “Everyone has the right to believe in the [inherent] value of their body, simply because it exists.”

Both Fram and Miller were interactive with the audience, asking questions such as “What have you heard about orgasms?” and “What have you heard about masturbation growing up?” The speakers got various participants to answer these questions as truthfully as they wanted.

At the end of the lecture, Fram and Miller revealed the Nimbus 2000 that they had concealed on a table underneath a black tarp. They held it up to show the audience and read comments that had been left on Amazon.  The students laughed at the thought that a toy designed for children could  be so scandalous.  

The lecture was a component of the Trilogy Series, a series of events required for members of fraternities and sororities to attend. The lecture was open to non-affiliated students as well.

Taylor Shinaberry, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, explained that the Panhellenic Council and Greek Life host the Trilogy Series to inform the Greek community with various events. Taylor said she enjoyed the lecture since it was informative on various topics.

“Not a lot of people feel comfortable talking about [these] subjects . . . I think the speakers did a great job to keep the audience engaged throughout the entire event,” Shinaberry said. “I think I would go again if they come back.”

Fram expressed the same idea that these subjects are often taboo in our society, and that the messages culture offers about our bodies tend to be negative.  

“Fighting against the mainstream and learning not to judge the bodies we have is a great first step toward learning to talk about and experience pleasure in meaningful ways,” Fram said.

However successful the event, Nuiry believes this event isn’t enough to normalize the female orgasm.

“Although the speakers did an impeccable job of working in gender neutral and inclusive terms, there is still a need for centering the topic of women’s sexuality and pleasure-hence the name, the female orgasm,” Nuiry said. “It is relatively normalized in our culture for young men to explore their sexuality at an early age, yet this luxury is not afforded to women.”

“I Love the Female Orgasm” has toured around over 800 programs in 42 states, according to the official program website. All of the presenters have backgrounds in the field of human sexuality and bring their experience in their field of work as educators. In the past they’ve also presented lectures on sexual health and sexual assault prevention, safer sex and LGBTQ topics.

To get involved with the program, visit their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. Spread the word with the hashtag “I love female orgasm.” Marshall Miller has also collaborated with author Dorian Solot to write the orgasmic guide “I ❤ Female Orgasm.”

For more information, visit their website: http://www.sexualityeducation.com/coolstuff/orgasm-book.php

Commencement speaker revealed

By Ben Simpson, Transcript Correspondent

On Senior Night at The Backstretch, President Rock Jones revealed that Andres Duarte ’65 was chosen as this year’s keynote commencement speaker.

The commencement speaker is chosen by the senior class president and Jones. Lee LeBoeuf is this year’s senior class president and she said she is excited for what Duarte has to say to the class of 2017.

“I think his ongoing dedication to his country and the university will be inspiring to our class as we leave OWU to impact other communities around the United States,” LeBoeuf said.

LeBoeuf and Jones began brainstorming for a speaker over the summer and worked together to narrow the search.

“Ultimately we were both very excited to ask Andres,” LeBoeuf said. “He is also extremely honored by the invitation.”

Duarte graduated OWU in 1965 with a major in geology and economics. Duarte continued his education and earned his Master of Science degree in geology from the University of Oklahoma in 1967.

He then enrolled in the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern for a year and then nished his Master of Business Administration in Venezuela.

“His presence as our commencement speaker gives us the most opportunity to hear from one of our most interesting and accomplished alumni as well as to af rm OWU’s commitment to the value of international engagement,” Jones said.

Duarte still has strong ties to OWU. Over the years, he helped recruit several Venezuelan students. He also served as an at-large of the Board of Trustees from 1996 to 2005. In 2006, he became a life trustee and currently serves on the board’s marketing committee.

Mike DeWitt, men’s basketball head coach, selected as interim athletics director

By Sara Hollabaugh, Online Editor

Men’s basketball head coach Mike DeWitt will serve as the interim athletics director.

According to a campus-wide email from Chuck Stinemetz, provost, DeWitt will take over Ingles position in mid-May.

”Roger leaves big shoes to fill, but Mike’s stellar career with the Battling Bishops—as a student-athlete, a coach, and a leader in Division III athletics—makes him the ideal person to serve as interim director of athletics,” Stinemetz said.

Stinemetz added DeWitt’s experience at OWU, especially as the winningest men’s basketball coach at OWU will be beneficial to his new post.

“Mike has served as an associate athletics director since 2011 and was an assistant athletics director from 2004-11,” Stinemetz said in the email. “Furthermore, he has been a leader at the conference and national levels, serving on the NCAA Division III Great Lakes advisory committee from 2003-06, and he was on the NCAA Division III national committee from 2009-13, serving as committee chair during the 2012-13 season.”

Stinemetz also announced a committee that will search for the new athletics director, which he will chair.

“I will be joined by the following individuals: alumni Christie Allen, Kevin Hinkle, Bob Morrill; head coaches Kris Boey, Kirsta Cobb, Jay Martin, Cassie Cunningham; faculty Barbara MacLeod, David Eastman, Shala Hankison; admissions Ross Grippi; [and from] advancement, Colleen Garland.”

Stinemetz also said two students will join the committee but they have not been selected yet.

DeWitt said he was asked by Stinemetz to be interim director at a meeting after it was made known Ingle’s was leaving.

“I am honored to be asked by our administration to lead our department in this time of transition, and I am extremely fortunate to work with an outstanding group of coaches that will make this transition go as smoothly as possible,” DeWitt said.

DeWitt said he and Ingles will work closely before he leaves.

“Having been a part of the administrative staff over the years certainly will help me be aware of most of these issues as I serve in this role until a new Director of Athletics is hired,” DeWitt said.

DeWitt was not certain of Ingle’s official date of departure and when he will start as interim director.

Queer Film Festival showing its last movie

By Liz Hardaway, Arts & Entertainment Editor

The International Queer Film Festival is closing the curtain after a successful first season.

Since it began showing lms in early February, the festival plays movies to better represent queer people from around the world through cinema.

The upcoming lm, “The Handmaiden” will be featured in the Benes rooms at 7 p.m. on April 4. The lm is a mystery-drama that takes place in early 20th century South Korea. Sook-Hee, played by Tae-ri Kim, is hired as a handmaiden to Japanese heiress, Lady Hideko, played by Min-hee Kim. This critically acclaimed lm directed by Park Chan Wook uses historical context to discuss sexual exploration and love.

“Queer people have existed always and everywhere,” said junior Ryan Bishop. “We would like to see cinema move toward a point where queer characters can be main characters in any genre, any role, and their queerness might not be [the] center, but is validated and explored in the depth it deserves.”

The lm was based on Sarah Walters’ novel “Fingersmith,” a lesbian romance set in Victorian England.

“Beautiful Boxer,” a lm from Thailand that was shown Monday night, tells the story of Muay Thai kickboxer Parinya Charoenphol, played by Asanee Suwan. Charoenphol identities as khatoey, “a third gender known in Thailand with similarities to identifying as a transgender woman,” said Bishop.

“Beautiful Boxer” shows the protagonist’s childhood in poverty, her days as a travelling monk and her journey to raise enough money for gender-af rming surgery.

New athletic opportunities for upcoming school year

By Aleksei Pavloff, Sports Editor

Ohio Wesleyan recently announced the addition of several new athletic teams and a marching band for the coming academic year for new and current students to join.

Before they were approved, OWU offered 23 different sports which were separated into 11 male varsity sports and 12 female varsity sports. Men’s wrestling and women’s rowing now join the growing Bishop family. It is not just sports being added, however, as a marching band will support OWU athletics during games.

“I used to be a part of the marching band in high school so I think that it is really cool that the school will now offer it,” said ju- nior Emma Stilgenbauer.

Athletic Director Roger Ingles said that after the two sports were chosen it took two years before they could be approved. He said this will provide more opportunities for students to continue their athletic careers after high school.

Questions about funding the teams remain. So do questions about where these teams will practice and play.

The athletic department has created a sample budget for the administration’s approval.

According to Ingles, this will provide help for OWU’s goal for admission of 2020 students by 2020.

Wrestling was once offered at OWU but was dropped in 1984. This decision was made before Ingles led the position as athletic director.

“I am excited [wrestling] is coming back,” Ingles said, adding that the sport is growing and popular in the area with maximizing recruiting opportuntiies. During his time as athletic director, Ingles has brought softball, and now wrestling, back to OWU.

He said he is very proud of that accomplishment.

“I think it is awesome that [wrestling] is now a varsity sport,” said freshman Max Aaronson who is in the wrestling club at OWU. “A lot of guys were happy to hear that it was being considered.”

Ingles also said that he spoke with members of the club and that there was a definite interest for it to be a varsity sport.

Women’s rowing was added because of its growing popularity in the area, according to Ingles.

Coaches for the new sports are being considered, and a hiring decision will be made late this spring. Ingles said that he is looking for coaches that are knowledgeable about the sport and that are committed to starting fresh.

State representative inspires at talk

By Evan Walsh, Chief Copy Editor

On Nov. 8, 2016, Donald J. Trump was elected as the 45th president of the United States. Ilhan Omar, a Somali-American woman and follower of Islam, was elected to her state’s legislature that same day.

As part of the Butler A. Jones Lecture Series, Omar shared her story as an immigrant and a public servant with the Ohio Wesleyan community and friends of the uni- versity this past Tuesday.

Fleeing the violence of a civil war in her native Somalia, Omar and her family came to the United States in 1995.

Like so many people who come to America in search of a better life, Omar imagined that she, too, would be afforded those opportunities necessary to make her dreams and her family’s vision a reality. But as she grew up, her faith in an “American Dream” would be tested.

Omar said that most of the time she felt welcome and accepted as she made a new home in Minneapolis, Minnesota. However, there were times where people did not respect her because they were intolerant of her religious identity, ethnic identity or gender.

She recalled one experience where she had her hand raised to answer a math problem on the board at the front of her class. She was the only one who knew it, yet her teacher was unwilling to let her answer.

That did not stop her. Rather than remain silent and let the class continue, Omar got up and made her way to the board where she wrote out the answer to the problem.

She said she believes that that kind of strong, independent attitude has made it possible for her to face the injustices she sees and experiences everyday as a minority.

In addition to all that she has accomplished in her public and private lives, Omar’s example has inspired and given hope to so many that identify with her and the message of a more equal America that she is fighting for.

Quoting the ancient Greek philosopher Solon, Omar said, “Wrongdoing can only be avoided if those who are not wronged feel the same indignation at it as those who are.”

That message resonated with Omar Hashi, a Columbus resident with degrees from Ohio State University in both political science and international studies

“As Somalis, and as immigrants in the Trump era we look at Ilhan Omar and see a beacon of hope,” Hashi said.