I feel like I just won a season of that awful TV show Survivor, when I can proudly say that I have successfully survived nearly four years of living on Chartwells food. Is there any way I can get a medal for that?
Only now am I starting to feel the effects of my lack of nutrition. Not to point any fingers, but I do recall a particular moment during my freshman year where I thought I was the token human being in the world suffering from the black plague, but in reality it was just a minor case of food poisoning.
Here is yet another prime example of the quality of food at our university: earlier today I picked up soup from Bishop Café and one of the Chartwell’s employees asked me to let her know how the soup tasted and if I enjoyed it because it looked absolutely awful to her. Seriously?
Yes, this is a dramatic example, but it still is true. A girl can’t survive on the surplus of fried food that is offered all the time on campus. The same unhealthy options are offered every day of the week. Even though I only venture into Hamwil and my personal favorite, though overpriced, Thomson Corner, I still feel that I have very few options.
Just the thought of dabbling with the fine dining at Smith makes my stomach turn.
Smith, to me, is like the Fear Factor of OWU. Out of the three occasions I’ve been there, I felt like I was force feeding myself with an identical, though blander, version of Hamwil in hopes to win some lump sum of cash, but instead I have to settle for an ice cream cone to go.
What’s even worse is that I feel like I’m going to rehab every time I leave for break; I literally undergo withdrawal from chicken tenders and then have to detox my entire system.
After courageously navigating through the silo-obstructed atrium and thoroughly gazing at food-themed artwork in the Hamilton-Williams Campus Center, students were able to learn about the food system by the artwork’s creator, Abram Kaplan.
Kaplan, producer of the sculptures and artworks placed around Ohio Wesleyan University, spoke about the connections between our food system and art on Tuesday Oct. 30.
Kaplan talked about his journey to lift the veil of the food system in an aesthetic manner: “Fine Grain: Visual Immersion in the American Food System.”
He asked questions such as, “are we connected to our food system?” and described how most people have a non-existent connection with their food in this decade.
Kaplan created this series of artworks to challenge students to better understand the food system.
“The artworks aren’t passive 2-D photographs, but 3-D photographs that are in your face,” he said.
“As a teacher, I want my students and viewers to come to their own individual conclusions about the food system.”
Each part of the collection signifies another piece in his journey to learning more about our food system.
On the way he discovered more about himself as an artist and about his own personal identity.
Among the pieces is the prominent “Trifocal,” located in the Beeghly Library lobby.
This huge piece is composed of many rotating 3-D triangular prisms with a different picture on each of its faces.
Kaplan said the piece represents the dairy process and the intermediates from the cow to our refrigerator.
“People seemed to pass over other art pieces but with this, there was a lot of interaction and a child-like enthusiasm,” he said.
“One person would come by and rotate the pieces in one fashion; if anyone came and changed that, the person would get angry and possessive and say ‘don’t you mess with my art!’”
Sophomore Nischal Sodemba said, “the “Trifocal” piece is my favorite because I like how you can see the different stages of what cows go through and the fact that it is interactive.”
Kaplan said this was something he was hoping for.
“I wanted people to make something of them and discover their own sensibility,” he said.
He believes that this process is usually missing when it comes to people and the food system.
Three pieces, “Multigrain,” “Stover Growth” and the “Panoramic Image of the Nutrient Cycle,” stand in the middle of the HamWill Campus Center atrium.
The “Panoramic Image of the Nutrient Cycle” is a fifty-foot long image that has two sides.
The inside represents the cow’s living conditions and the outside is a panoramic year-round image of the crop cycle.
“I wondered what the lives of these cows are like and the dignity of this animal in such a place,” he said.
The image is of the dark, dirty and cramped quarters in which only a sliver of light enters through.
“When we drive down the highway and see fields of green and yellow, we automatically assume that this is the type of conditions cows live in, without exploring what cows really go through,” Kaplan said.
Kaplan believes the cows are contained in the inside of the system, much like humans are contained in their choices regarding the food system.
Underneath the large panoramic image is a circular ground image called “Stover Growth” which represents the idea of immersion, according to Kaplan.
“I went week after week after week, across acres, to that same spot. I immersed myself to try to understand the environment in a way that is emotional,” he said.
“Multigrain” is a large, cylindrical, metallic structure that represents a real multigrain structure.
The huge structure sticks out in the Ham-Wil atrium. To Kaplan, it symbolizes the containment of the food system and how inaccessible it is to the average person.
“Having these impervious structures in the middle of a field is a challenge when comparing to the natural order of things,” Kaplan said.
On the lower levels of the Ham-Wil atrium is the “Four Seasons Room.”
Kaplan believes that it symbolizes “feelings that we have as outsiders coming into the food system,” as well as “what it means to participate.”
When OWU students eat at the Ham-Wil cafeteria and look out the window, the view is obstructed by Kaplan’s art pieces, “What You See is What You Get.”
He placed the windows on top of windows so that students are forced to observe them.
“We have trained ourselves to not see the windows at all and our experience with the food system is similar to that,” he said.
Kaplan believes that 80 percent of human cues are taken through the eyes.
He said that people don’t experience the food system visually at all.
He used the quote, “the real voyage of discovery consists of not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes,” to describe how people should be observing the food system.
Paula Travis, coordinator of the Sagan National Colloquium events said, “It’s amazing that this exhibition ties in so well with the Sagan lecture series this year.”
Kaplan is a professor of Environmental Studies at Denison University.
He received this opportunity to explore the food system through art through funding of the “Great Lake Fund- New Direction Initiative.”
By Margaret Bagnell,
Ellin Youse and Chrissy Wesney
Transcript Reporters
and Correspondent
An important documentary made a return to campus to revisit an important issue – hate.
Nov. 3, students attended a viewing of the documentary “The Anatomy of Hate: A Dialogue to Hope,” which was sponsored by PRIDE and the Women’s House.
In 2008 the director, Mike Ramsdell, began his journey to explore hate.
The final result of his six years of traveling was a documentary that goes inside multiple hate groups and explores what drives their protests and hatred.
The documentary covers topics such as white supremacy, Christian fundamentalism with an anti-gay platform, Muslim extremism, Israeli settlers and the U.S. in Iraq.
Ramsdell put together all of the footage from his travels in accordance with various academic experts to show that hate is triggered by the human species out of fear.
Compiled with principles of psychology and neuroscience, the documentary gave a well-rounded look at the origins and specifics of hate.
Junior Anthony Peddle, president of PRIDE, was one of the students that helped organize bringing the film back to campus.
“(The documentary) was here on campus in spring 2010. They wanted to come back to OWU this fall and present the newest student body of OWU with ‘Anatomy,’ to educate more and more people,” said Peddle.
PRIDE also helped sponsor the documentary to promote their organization’s principles.
“The executive board of PRIDE this year decided our main goal was to educate our campus, so that we weren’t known as the Alphabet Soup Group but rather a representation of the LGBTIQA community, and for all students and faculty to know what these letters represent … who these letters represent,” said Peddle.
Junior Jenna Culina and sophomore Meredith Harrison were also involved heavily in organizing the viewing as their house project for the Women’s House, and as executive board members of PRIDE.
Culina said she brought the movie to campus to help raise awareness of hate. She said she hoped that the film might change the way of thinking for a least one person.
“I think it was extremely moving, I think it was something that this campus needed because we can be very divided, even though we see ourselves as a liberal campus. It’s easy for us to separate and become two distant entities. And in lieu of some things that have happened on campus lately, some hate acts, I think this is what we needed.”
Culina said she was disappointed about the great difference in turnout from the previous viewing.
“I was a little disappointed in the turnout but I was comparing it to the huge amount of viewers that came to the showing in 2009, due to the threat of the Westboro Baptist Church to picket our showing of the documentary and which sparked a campus-wide Love Day, a peaceful rally against the church,” she said.
She explained the previous showing had hundreds of people whereas this one did not, but that the director felt they had a great turnout and that she was proud of the Ohio Wesleyan community for showing up.
After the viewing, the director held a question and answer session with the audience, wherein he thanked everyone for their attendance.
“You all came together on a night when I’m sure you have better things to do. But you came to watch a film about hate. Right there, that shows a tremendous amount,” Ramsdell said.
“The question’s not how you get involved. The question is when you do it and what you get involved with, because there has never been a time, and this is what gives me hope every single day, when the world has been more connected or more capable of being connected.”
Culina said that the documentary significantly changed the way she views the world.
“The documentary, as cheesy as it sounds, changed my perception completely. I was a tried and true ‘people hater.’ I wanted to be holed up in a museum as my work for the rest of my life so I would never have to deal with human kind,” Culina said.
“So cynical, but anyway, this film put me in a whole different mindset. The documentary was amazing and quite literally changed my perception of humankind, so I think that bold of a statement definitely gives one the knowledge of how important ‘Anatomy of Hate: A Dialogue to Hope’ really was,” she said.
Despite not making the playoffs, the Ohio Wesleyan women’s soccer team knows the season was not a complete loss and the team is already getting ready for their next season.
During their fall season, according to the Ohio Wesleyan Athletics page, the team posted a 6-11-1 with key conference losses to Otterbein, Depauw, Wittenberg, Wooster and Allegheny. Although their home record was positive at 5-3-0, road games didn’t work in their favor, as they were 1-7-1.
Freshman defensive midfielder Danielle Kaylor said the team’s record does not reflect how well they played.
“Our season didn’t go as planned,” Kaylor said. “We had our ups and downs but we stuck together as a team. The whole season we played well, but when it came down to it we didn’t really shoot that much, and obviously you need to shoot to score. Most games we just couldn’t get the job done at the end.”
The final game of the season for the lady Bishops came last Saturday when they played at Wooster.
Freshman goalie Makenzie Howell said the Bishops made a strong comeback against the Scots but it was too late in the game.
“We were down the whole game,” Howell said. “By the time there was only 10 minutes left we were losing by three, but we had a spurt of energy, and we scored two goals before it was over,” Howell said the lack of scoring is what hurt the team all season. She said one of the problems is no one took the lead on the field to be the one to score.
“I wish my team would have been a little more selfish when wanting to score, especially when the game was on the line,” Howell said.
Howell said a highlight during the season came when the team played Denison at home.
“It was the best game we played together all year,” Howell said. “We really finished strong, and won the game 1-0 in the second overtime.”
Kaylor agreed with Howell and said some of the team members had stand-out performances during the game.
“Although we all contributed, some of our players that really did well were Jessie Huschart, Hannah Zacharias and Sarah Stachowiak,” Kaylor said.
According to the Ohio Wesleyan Athletics page, Huschart accumulated the most points on the team with 14, Stachowiak added 4 points and Zacharias had a team high .792 save percentage.
Unfortunately for seniors Devon Bradley, Jessie Huschart and Ally Miess this was their last season, but the underclassmen are very optimistic about the future.
Kaylor said the team members who will return next season plan to learn from this season to build into next year.
“I think we will work hard in the off season, and do much better next fall,” Kaylor said. “I think we will use our motivation from this fall to help us succeed next year.”
Howell also had high hopes for the future of the team.
“We need everyone to come in ready to go, be able to score, and win games,” Howell said.
Similar to most division three sports, the woman’s soccer team will get an opportunity this coming Spring to have a short month long season that will consist of around four practices a week, and one or two scrimmages at the end of the season.
The women’s track and field team started training for the winter indoor season with a goal to win their seventh straight NCAC Championships.
Senior Nicole Lourette, a triple jumper and long jumper, said the runners who do not run cross country began non-mandatory captain’s practices in the third week of school.
“That time is used to build the sprinters, jumpers and throwers up and prepare them for the regular season, as well as to build close relationships with the freshmen,” Lourette said. “It is a crucial part of our training that is less intense, but a vital first step in the preparation process.”
Junior Antoinette Jolliff, who runs the 400 meter hurdles and pole vaults, said from now until the first meet, the team will be strengthening themselves and preparing their bodies to run 100 percent at meets.
The track team has not had success in just the indoor season, but also in the outdoor season in the spring. Coach Kris Boey, who is entering into his eleventh year as the coach for the men’s and women’s team, said the women’s team has also won four straight outdoor championships.
Senior Clare Duffy, who participates in the heptathlon, said the strong freshmen class will be wonderful additions to the “dominating upperclassmen.”
Lourette said their numbers and the depth of the team is a strength that they can use to compete with other teams. She said if the freshmen combine their skill with the skill of the upperclassmen, the team could be “unstoppable.” However, she also cited success as a potential weakness for the team.
“Our weakness could possibly be getting complacent at the top of the conference,” Lourette said. “Our tradition of winning has been so strong, that the younger members on the team may just take it as a given – but it’s not. We have to continue to work to get that title and, as our coach always tells us, we need to ‘stay hungry’ because that target is always on our back.”
Throughout the season, the men’s and women’s teams practice together. Lourette said the teams work together all of the time and often lift together as well.
Jolliff said her brother, Silas Jolliff, is a senior on the men’s track team and it has never been a problem.
“Personally, I get along very well with the men’s team,” Jolliff said. “…We practice together and cheer for each other at meets, so I like the atmosphere. The girl’s and guy’s team overall get along well, (and) every once in a while there is a little competition between the two, but it makes everyone better.”
Duffy said the team has some goals going into the season for continuing their winning tradition.
“We’re looking to have the senior class graduate with a perfect record (winning every conference title indoors and outdoors),” Duffy said. “Through the indoor season, I’m hoping for the team to remain healthy. It’s difficult to stay healthy and injury free for four months of competition, but we set ourselves up to come as close to that as possible.”
Lourette said she is hoping to reclaim her spot in the top three of the triple jumpers in the conference during the indoor season. For a team goal, she said she would love to see the team win the conference championship again.
“We definitely have what it takes skill wise, we just have to stay hungry for it,” Lourette said. “During indoor, the most important thing is to not get complacent before outdoor starts. It’s a whole new season and all the other teams are going to step it up; that means we have to as well.”
Jolliff said that while she likes to win, she also wants to have fun.
“I want to have fun mainly,” Jolliff said. “Yes, I like to win. But some days that won’t happen, so I think just doing my best every meet and working harder for the next one is my goal.”
Boey said he and the team will work to continue to be the best overall program in the NCAC.
“I want each individual to improve, stay healthy, have success (individually and as a team) and have fun in the process,” Boey said. “We will represent OWU, our team, and ourselves in the best possible manner regardless of the results.”
The first indoor meet for the team is the Marietta Open at Marietta College on Dec. 1.
Michelle Obama speaks passionately to the crowd in Branch Rickey Arena on Oct. 15 about the importance of voting, re-electing her husband, President Barack Obama and moving the country forward.
By Marissa Alfano
Editor-in-Chief
Amidst a crowd chanting, “Four more years. O-BAM-A, Ohio. Four more years” First Lady Michelle Obama delivered a dynamic speech at Ohio Wesleyan University on Oct. 15 about early voting and the importance of keeping her husband, President Barack Obama, in office.
According to, Charlie Cooperider, Delaware County fire marshal, 2,000 people attended the event in the Branch Rickey Arena.
The arena was set up with a small podium on a black stage with the lone word forward, which has become the trademark slogan for the Obama campaign. Behind it, center stage, hung a large American flag with an Ohio flag and an Ohio for Obama poster on either side.
OWU’s a capella group, Pitch Black, performed from the stands as students, professors and Delaware community members filed in one by one, being cleared by secret service and lining up as close to the stage as they were allowed.
The OWU pep band also was positioned to the left of stage with Pitch Black and performed a number of songs while people were getting situated.
Excitement was palpable in the air, as spontaneous cheering by the crowd erupted intermittently, alternating with the band and Pitch Black.
Chaplain Powers began the event by inviting everyone in attendance to enter into prayer with him.
“We pray for the blessings of the women in our midst,” Powers said. “May God bless her heart, her head and her family as the First Lady of her land.”
Gerald Schardt, a retired soldier and accountant from Sunbury, O.H., led the pledge of allegiance. Following this, the national anthem was sung.
First Lady Michelle Obama encourages students and members of the Delaware community on Monday, Oct. 9, in Branch Rickey to vote for her husband, Barack Obama, in the 2012 presidential election. Katie Keating, a Delaware county regional field director for the Obama campaign spoke next. She said her and her mother became involved in the campaign process for Obama four and a half years ago. She said she wanted to help with the campaign, but never realized how it would truly benefit young people like herself.
“I can now stay on my parents’ insurance until I am 26, student loans interest rates are down and tax cuts save families money,” Keating said. “But it’s not just the president’s work; it’s our work. Changes happen because my mom and myself knocked doors four years ago.”
She stressed the importance of early voting and informed those gathered that there would be a bus available after Michelle Obama’s speech to transport people to the polls. There were only 22 days left until the election, and according to Katie, each day is important.
Former first lady of Ohio, Frances Strickland, spoke next.
She said she was especially excited to see all of the OWU students in the crowd and hoped they would take the time to vote.
“This is one study break you will remember for the rest of your life,” Strickland said. “I urge everyone to vote early; the election is too important to wait. The first lady is a partner with the president for the forward thinking project, Staying Healthy. The choice is clear and the way you can help is clear. Vote early, volunteer and use the power of your voice.”
Junior Hayden Barns took the stage as the next and final speaker before Michelle Obama.
She said she initially decided to get involved with the campaign because she felt strongly that President Obama should be in the White House for the next four years.
She applied to be a summer organizing fellow in her hometown of Charlottesville, Va., because she said, “it sounded like it would be a challenge and fun experience — which it was.”
Upon returning to OWU, she decided to be a fellow in Delaware County. Barns said she is working hard to re-elect the president.
“The president has fought so hard for us, and that is why I am fighting for him,” Barns said. “I have knocked on hundreds of doors, made thousands of phone calls and registered over a hundred voters.”
She expressed her concern at there only being so few left to make a difference in the election.
“The time to act is now,” Barns said. “I am asking you to join me and your fellow classmates to do your part to move this country forward. Even if you’ve only got a little time, even if you can only get one of your friends to vote for President Obama, it will make a huge difference here in Ohio.”
Barns said that she was excited to announce the First Lady because she truly believed Michelle Obama was a role model for all Americans.
“I now have the pleasure to introduce our special guest–someone who has worked hard her whole life to get to where she is, and inspires me with her commitment to her family and her country,” Barns said.
“Her leadership as an advocate for women, military families and children’s health makes her a role model for me and Americans all across the country. She inspires me to work harder in school and in my community so that I too can make a difference and help change the world. So please join me in welcoming the First Lady of these United States, Michelle Obama.”
The room erupted with loud cheering and applause as Michelle Obama walked across the stage with a huge smile on her face and hugged Barns, who said the experience was incredible. Michelle embraces junior Hayden Barns after Barns introduced Michelle to the crowd.
“Michelle Obama is someone who I admire so much,” Barns said. “Just to have her visit our school was such an honor, and to get to introduce her and meet her backstage was ridiculous. I only got to speak with her for probably 20 seconds before I went on stage, but her appreciation and warmth was so genuine.”
As Michelle Obama took the stage, she thanked Barns for her work on the campaign, President Rock Jones and his wife Melissa for hosting her and everyone from Delaware and Ohio Wesleyan for attending.
“Well, sounds like you all are pretty fired up and ready to go,” Michelle said. “I have to tell you that I am pretty fired up and ready to go myself, especially because this morning I cast my vote early for Barack Obama. Yes. It felt so good.
“Right now, my absentee ballot, it’s on its way to Illinois, my home state — which means that we are one vote closer to reelecting my husband and moving this country forward for four more years. So forgive me if I’m a little excited today; for me, it was Election Day.”
The Obamas’ decisions to vote early marks the first time a presidential candidate and his wife have voted absentee and not shown up to the polls on election day.
This reflects the Democratic campaign’s emphasis on early voting. Michelle continued her speech by talking about why she loves Barack.
“See, when I’m out on the campaign trail, I get to do one of my favorite things in the whole wide world, and that is to talk about the man I’ve loved and admired since we first met 23 years ago,” Michelle said. “Yes, he’s kind of cute. And he’s charming, and he is incredibly smart. But let me tell you, that is not why I married him. No, what truly made me fall in love with my husband was his character.”
She said he has been consistently working to achieve the dreams of his mother and grandmother, that hard work would be rewarded and those who did well would then help others, too.
She talked about the kind of America her and Barack hoped to build.
“And they also believed that when you’ve worked hard, and you’ve done well, and you finally get the chance to walk through that doorway of opportunity, you don’t slam it shut behind you,” she said. “No, you reach back and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.”
“We believe in an America where we all understand that none of us gets where we are on our own — none of us; that there’s always a community of people lifting us up; where we treat everyone — everyone with dignity and respect, from the teachers who inspire us to the janitors who keep our schools clean,” Michelle said.
“See, in this America, when one of us stumbles, when one of us falls on hard times, we don’t tell them, tough luck, you’re on your own. No, in this America, we extend a helping hand while they get back on their feet again.”
Michelle waited for the applause to die down before explaining what her experience as First Lady has taught her.
“And over the past three and a half years as First Lady, let me tell you, I have seen up close and personal, really, what being President really looks like,” Michelle said. “I have seen it. And I have seen just how critical those values are for leading this country. Let me tell you, I have seen how the issues that come across a President’s desk are always the hard ones — always. The decisions that aren’t just about the bottom line, but they’re about laying a foundation for the next generation.”
She interacted with the audience when they yelled “we love you” or “we love Chicago,” by responding to their comments with a broad smile or a few reassuring words.
She addressed the issue of education and what it means to young people today.
“And when it comes to giving our young people the education you all deserve, Barack knows that like me and like so many of you, we never, never could have attended college without financial aid,” Michelle said. “We wouldn’t be here without financial aid. In fact, when Barack and I first got married, our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage. So when it comes to student debt, Barack and I, we’ve been there. This is not a hypothetical situation.”
Her voice became more serious as she began to explain why this next election would be so important and how Ohio voters could make a difference.
“And as my husband said, this election will be even closer than the last one,” Michelle said. “That is the only guarantee, and it could all come down to what happens in just a few key battleground states like right here in Ohio. Right here.
“So let me put it in perspective for you, especially to young people who are — many of you will be first-time voters. Now, back in 2008, let me just explain what happened in Ohio. We won the state by about 262,000 votes. Now, that may sound like a lot, but when you break that number down, that’s just 24 votes per precinct — you hear me — 24. Everybody in here knows 24 people, 24 people who may not vote or may not vote for Barack Obama.”
Michelle also emphasized the importance of voting, especially for younger voters.
“So, see, the thing that I want particularly our young people to understand if there is anyone here who might be thinking for a minute that their vote doesn’t matter, if there’s anyone you come across who might think that their involvement doesn’t count, that in this complex, political process, that ordinary folks can’t possibly make a difference, I just want you to keep those 24 votes in your mind,” she said.
Michelle revealed a plan for the Democratic Party for the next 22 days.
“The press is looking; it’s a secret plan,” Michelle said, laughing. “Don’t tell anybody about the plan. But for the next 22 days, we are going to need you to work like never before. Sign up with one of our volunteers here today to make calls, knock on doors — 22 days.
“But talk to everyone you know: your friends, your neighbors, that cousin you haven’t seen in a while, that student sitting in your next class — you know he’s kind of a knucklehead and may not be — you know the one. Just tap him on the shoulder; be nice. Don’t call him a knucklehead, not to his face.
“You just want to encourage him to get to the polls. In fact, right after this event — don’t leave yet — we have a bus that is going to take any of you here who wants to go straight to the Board of Elections to cast your ballot for Barack Obama.”
Michelle said voters should stay strong during the election season.
“Don’t let anyone talk down our country or our future,” she said. “You all have every reason to be optimistic about what lies ahead for you, because here in America, we always move forward. We always make progress. And in the end, that’s what this is all about. That’s what elections are always about. Don’t let anybody tell you any differently. Elections are always about hope.”
After her speech, Michelle shook hands with those seated behind her on the stage and others who came forward. People filed out of the arena, leaving it empty again, but for the lone podium with the word forward.
According to President Rock Jones, the university did not solicit the visit from the First Lady, but was contacted by the campaign and asked if it could visit the campus to explore possible venues for a visit.
He said the administration has received similar requests from both campaigns and has done its best to accommodate all of the requests, as he believes that making such events available to students is beneficial to a life-long involvement in politics.
“Attending rallies gives students the opportunity to see the political process in a close and personal way,” Jones said. “This can inspire students to become much more engaged in the political process throughout their lives.”
Jones said preparing for the First Lady required much effort by many people on campus.
“We organized a team of people, led by Sue Weil, to work with the First Lady’s staff to prepare for her visit,” Jones said. “Other faculty helpers included Dr. McLean from the Arneson Institute; Roger Ingles from athletics since Branch Rickey Arena was selected as the venue; Art Reitz from Public Safety; Cole Hatcher from Media Relations; and Dennis Wall from B&G.”
Barns said she had a great deal to do preparing for the First Lady as well.
“To prepare for FLOTUS (First Lady of the United States), we made hundreds and hundreds of calls to Obama supporters in Delaware letting them know about the event,” she said.
“On the Friday before she came, we distributed tickets from the OFA office and in HamWill. I found out I would be introducing her on Friday night, submitted my speech for vetting on Saturday morning and got it back Saturday night to practice it. I think I was selected because I have been a dedicated volunteer on the campaign for 4 months.”
Many students wondered why all classes were not cancelled on the Monday Michelle Obama visited. Jones said there was a reason for this.
“Many classes had mid-term examinations scheduled for this time, and it would not have been appropriate to require faculty to change their course schedule, particularly at the time of examinations,” he said.
Sophomore Eilee Foley was afforded the opportunity to watch Michelle Obama’s speech from the limited stage seating right behind where she was speaking.
“Standing behind Michelle Obama was a once in a lifetime opportunity and the fact that it was my birthday makes it even better,” Foley said.
“Her speech was very personable. For example, she kept referring to her husband as Barack not Obama and related to what Ohio Wesleyan students care about. I was very impressed with how she worked the crowd with her words and actions because afterwards she went around and shook everyone’s hand, showing that she really is a First Lady,” she said.
Foley said she has been active in the election by casting her vote.
“I have already voted absentee in the state of New Hampshire and am really looking forward to the results of this election, but one thing I wish is that I would’ve voted as an Ohio resident instead of a New Hampshire resident because my vote would have made a greater impact in the swing state of Ohio,” she said.
OWU has a long tradition of being politically involved and having important speakers come to campus.
Jones said he thinks students this election year are living up to these high standards.
In the coming days before the election, OWU students are expected to continue this political involvement and to make a difference in the swing state of Ohio.
Governor Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential candidate, greets the crowd outside of Buns Restaurant on Oct. 10 as part of his election campaign. Students and Delaware residents alike gathered to hear Romney speak. Students who volunteered to canvas the neighborhood before Romney’s arrival were given VIP tickets that allowed them to sit inside or on the patio of Buns, where Romney spoke. Those who didn’t have VIP tickets gathered outside across the street to catch a glimpse and listen to Romney.
By Marissa Alfano
Editor-in-Chief
Presidential candidate, Governor Mitt Romney, spoke about how the people of America, and specifically Ohio, could not afford another costly four years with Barack Obama as president during a rally at Buns Restaurant on Wednesday, Oct. 10
West Winter Street was closed for the event, as Ohio Wesleyan students and Delaware residents crowded the sidewalks, holding “Ohio is Romney Country” signs and cheering as the motorcade arrived.
Romney entered the Buns patio with Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, standing in a position where both were visible to the outdoor audience, indoor diners and the street crowds.
Christie began the rally by speaking about the future of America and then presenting Romney.
“We just have four more weeks to put up with Barack Obama in the White House,” Christie said. “We have been traveling all across Ohio together for the last day and a half or so, seeing so many wonderful folks who have such great dreams for their children and grandchildren.
Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Republican presidential candidate, rallies students and other members of the Delaware community at Bun’s Restaurant in downtown Delaware on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
“They want this country to be, for those kids, what it has been for us and we are willing to fight for it and sacrifice together to get it. All we need to do is get a leader to lead us there and we have that person and I’m thrilled to call him my friend and you’re going to be proud to call him the next President of the United States Governor Mitt Romney.”
Romney took the microphone and began to interact with those in attendance by asking questions and inciting lively audience responses.
“The question I have for the people of Ohio is this: can you afford four more years of Barack Obama?” Romney said.
The audience responded with a loud, enthusiastic and unanimous, “no!”
Romney continued by explaining the importance of considering this cost when voting.
“I hope people understand just what he would cost,” Romney said. “He would be very expensive for the people of Ohio if he were get reelected. I hope people calculate this; I want them on Nov. 6 to — well if you’re early voting you can start thinking about it right now — which is how much would it cost to have Barack Obama president for four more years?”
Romney spoke about how Ohio and America in general could not afford four more costly years under President Obama.
“There’s the Obama economy tax,” Romney said. “That’s meant that the income of the average American has gone down by $4,300 a family. We can’t afford that.”
Romney also spoke about his position on Medicare and Obama’s universal health care.
“And then of course there’s his plan for Medicare cutting, $716 billion dollars out of Medicare. We can’t afford that. I will put that money back in Medicare and honor our promises to our seniors,” he said. “We can’t afford Obamacare. Obamacare would cost the average family $2,500 a year more in insurance premiums. I will repeal Obamacare and finally get real health care reform in our country.”
Romney went on to talk about the problems with the current budget and the difficulties it is causing the American economy.
“We can’t afford another series of budget deficits of roughly a trillion dollars a year,” he said. “I mean recognize this isn’t just bad for the economy; it’s bad for jobs because as debt gets larger and larger the economy slows down, we don’t put as many people to work. It’s also bad for the coming generations. I think it’s immoral for us to keep spending massively more than we take in, passing on those burdens to our kids.”
Romney also emphasized how Obama’s plan to cut military spending would be detrimental to the American economy.
“Four more years of Barack Obama would also cost you a very different military,” Romney said. “Four more years of Barack Obama would mean that our military would see roughly, well at least $500 billion in cuts and if sequestration is sustained, another $500 billion on top of that.
“Jobs would be lost here in Ohio; tens of thousands of jobs would be lost here in Ohio. Across the country, the job loss would be extraordinary and of course our military would be devastated. In the words of the Secretary of Defense, ‘we can’t afford that additional cost of Barack Obama. It’s one more reason why we are going to vote for a change in Washington to keep America strong and to keep those jobs.’” Romney addresses the crowd both inside and outside of Buns. Romney emphasized the country’s inability to survive another four years of President Obama’s policies. He also spoke about his plans to reform the economy, the health care system and military spending. Romney stressed the importance of job creation and retention in the US, especially in the state of Ohio.
Romney said he, unlike Obama, would utilize America’s natural resources to lower gas prices.
“And let me mention one more thing, I don’t think you can afford another doubling of gasoline prices under Barack Obama…The president has not taken advance of our energy,” he said.
“When I become president we are going to double the number of permits on federal lands and on federal waters for drilling, make sure that we can get more oil and gas and use our coal and our nuclear renewables. We are going to have an energy abundance in America and keep our prices more moderate.”
In conclusion, Romney left those at the rally with a series of questions to consider before going to the polls.
“Do you really think we can afford Barack Obama?” Romney asked. “How much more do you think he’s going to cost us? How much more in wages going down? How much more in health insurance costs? How much more in gasoline prices? How much more in weakening our military how much more in cuts to Medicare? All these things Barack Obama is costing the people of Ohio.
“Let’s just give him four more weeks; it’s time for new leadership over the coming four years.”
After his speech, Romney shook hands with people in attendance, signed posters and enjoyed a meal at the local business, which reaffirms his commitment to small businesses.
Senior Kayla Henderson said attending the Romney rally was a rewarding experience and sparked her enthusiasm for this year’s presidential election.
“Being able to hear him speak from 25 feet away and getting to shake his hand was awesome,” Henderson said. “I was an undecided voter for a few months; however, after some research and keeping up with the campaigns, I decided that Romney’s policies would be the best for the country. I do disagree with the Republican Party on some social issues, but to me, they are secondary for the time being, and the president would not have the absolute final say on a controversial issue.”
Henderson said she has been involved in campaigning the past few months and plans to continue in the final days before the election.
“This election cycle I have volunteered with the College Republicans and plan on continuing throughout the election,” Henderson said. “I’ve also made phone calls urging people to vote in this election. Being in Ohio during this close election will be extremely important since no Republican has won office without carrying Ohio. I am excited to be able to vote for the first time.”
Sophomore Natalie Mangene said she was happy to live in a swing state, which allowed her the opportunity to meet Romney, and on a different occasion, his Vice Presidential Candidate, Paul Ryan.
“Getting to meet Romney was an incredible experience,” Mangene said. “It’s really great going to school in a swing state because the candidates come much more frequently, so there are a lot of opportunities to meet with them. I also got to meet Paul Ryan earlier this semester. As part of my internship I got to be a part of his motorcade when he came to Columbus, which was a great experience.”
Mangene said she is trying to be involved in the election because politics is just as important for younger generations as it is for her parents.
“I am voting the way I am because I feel that Mitt Romney has what it takes to turn our economy around,” Mangene said.
“I think it’s important to get involved, especially as young people, because I think most adults see us as apathetic towards politics, so it’s really important that we prove otherwise.”
Junior Stephen Ford said he was excited to meet Romney because he supports national defense, which is an important issue for Ford.
“I introduced myself to Governor Romney as LCPL (Lance Corporal) Ford in the USMC (Marine Corps) and Governor Romney was kind enough to thank me for my service and even stopped to take a picture with me,” Ford said. “I appreciated that he took the time to say that to me and the main reason — among many — that I will be voting for him, is his promise to rescind President Barack Obama’s 10 percent cuts on the USMC (Marine Corps).”
Some Ohio Wesleyan students did not attend the rally with the College Republicans, but instead stood across the street with many other Delaware residents and students who watched from outside.
Junior Hannah Walls said she was happy to have even had the opportunity to attend the rally, even if her view was from the street.
“My view from the street was decent, but I only saw Romney for a second before he went inside,” Walls said. “I was glad just to be able to be there and support him. I wanted to see Romney because it seemed like a once in a lifetime opportunity and I was hoping for a chance to shake his hand and wish him good luck.”
Walls said she thinks this election will prove important for the American people and that everyone should participate.
“I feel that this election is an extremely important one and everyone should get involved by voting,” Walls said. “Our country is at a very delicate state and every vote counts.”
Junior Tim Alford, president of College Republicans, said he enjoyed the rally and was pleased with his experience.
“It was a great and incredibly unusual experience and opportunity to shake hands with someone who could be elected president, especially this close to the election,” Alford said. “It was exciting to see the community and student body turnout to this event.”
Alford said his information about the rally was limited before the event.
“We didn’t find out that Romney was going to be in the area until Monday afternoon from our College Republican National Committee Field Representative Allie Keane, but even at that point, we didn’t know where he would be or what time he would arrive,” Alford said. “By Monday night, we found out that we would be at Bun’s sometime Wednesday afternoon.”
He said Romney’s campaign was willing to give out VIP tickets to the rally to students who helped canvas for the Romney/Ryan ticket.
“To get into the event, Romney’s campaign asked that we as a club knock on 500 doors by the end of the week,” Alford said.
“To do this, we took groups of students out volunteering in more shifts and on more days than normal, but we ended up surpassing the 500 doors mark. Those who volunteered to help us reach this mark got to come to the event with us.”
On the day of the event, Alford said the College Republicans went to Bun’s between 11:15-11:30 a.m.
He said they were all given VIP wristbands and were taken to the patio of Bun’s. He said there were about 20 College Republicans there. Some helped the campaign pass out posters and get set up for the event.
Alford said he has been heavily involved in the election process this year.
“Over the summer, I worked as a campaign intern for Stivers for Congress,” Alford said.
“Congressman Steve Stivers is running in the district that includes my home town, Lancaster, O.H. I did various research projects and district profiling for Congressman Stivers, as well as compiled data for walk lists. It was an amazing experience to work with Congressman Stivers. His Campaign Manager and Political Director, Grant Shaffer and Colton Henson, were great people to work with and learn from. I appreciate the positive campaign that Stivers has had.”
Senior Kenneth “KC” Callahan also has been politically active this election year. He worked for Josh Mandel (US Senate) and Dave Joyce’s (running for US Congress in Ohio’s 14th district) campaigns this past summer.
Callahan said he first met Romney last spring at Otterbein College after a speech and shook his hand again at Buns Restaurant due to connections he has with OWU alum Tim Carney ’12, who is now working for Romney’s advanced campaign staff at the headquarters in Boston.
Callahan said he has strong views about the current issues and the direction he would like to see America move.
“I believe in: a small federal government, tax codes that will lighten the burden on small businesses, a strong well-funded military to enable President Reagan’s ‘peace through strength’ strategy as well electing public officials that will end the gridlock in Washington,” Callahan said.
“I believe all of these things are all essential to the future of the United States. I believe very strongly in these principles and I got involved with campaigns because I think it is very important to help get people in Washington who can bring about a positive change to the United States of America.”
Callahan also expressed his disappointment with Obama’s economic policies.
“While President Obama’s stimulus package had a great intentions it has not worked as evidenced by the 1 million manufacturing jobs lost since 2009, 43 straight months of unemployment over 8 percent and failing on his promise to cut the country’s debt in half.”
For OWU students, attending Romney’s rally was yet another opportunity to be a politically responsible citizen and to live up to the university’s high standards of civic involvement.
In the weeks to come, students will be phone banking, door knocking and attending additional rallies that will help determine the outcome of the 2012 election.
Freshman Maddie Stuntz and sophomore Ayana Colvin take measurements for the Tamarind Institute’s Fabulous at Fifty show in Ross Art Museum as part of the gallery management class.
By Emily Hostetler
Assistant Copy Editor
While meandering through the Richard M. Ross Art Museum and discussing the art on display, few people recognize the amount of work needed to get the exhibition ready for the public.
On Oct. 16, “Tamarind Touchstones: Fabulous at Fifty,” an exhibition of fine art lithographic prints opened to the public in the Ross Art Museum.
However, only a select number of students and Ross Art Museum Director, Justin Kronewetter, will understand the years of planning and days of measuring it took to complete the exhibition for opening day.
Kronewetter said exhibitions must be scheduled one or two years ahead of time because the museum brings in professional work that must coincide with other schedules.
“The average viewer has no idea what happens to it (art work) before and after the exhibit,” he said.
Before the art work is physically laid out and prepared for hanging in the museum, there is a walk through to decide which pieces would fit best on the walls and next to each other.
“The relationship of the work, the way they fit the walls and the coloration are all taken into consideration when considering the location,” Kronewetter said.
Students in ART 492, Gallery Management, have the chance to help prepare the exhibit for the public by helping to layout the artwork in the exhibition visually during the walk through and physically by hanging the pieces on the wall.
“They become integral members of our museum staff. Without them, we could not undertake the ambitious exhibitions that we do,” Kronewetter said.
He said he sets times for students to work during the weekends or week nights so students are more available.
Freshman Maddie Stuntz, a Gallery Management student, said they unloaded the show Oct.7 and spent the next Saturday and Sunday hanging the art work.
“It gets easier,” senior Matthew Turner, a Gallery Management student, said. “I’ve been helping since my first semester freshman year.”
Senior Logan Osbourne and Hayes High School senior Wyatt Hall mount a piece for the Tamarind Institute’s Fabulous at Fifty show in Ross Art Museum for the class.Kronewetter teaches the Gallery Management class that gives students hands on experience when they help change the exhibitions every six weeks. This year, the museum will show 13 exhibitions.
“The students are learning skills that could indeed lead to employment after graduation,” Kronewetter said. “We have a history of students gaining full time employment around the country.”
Under Kronewetter’s supervision, the students measured, hammered in nails and hung the 61 pieces of art, each by different artists for the fine art lithography exhibition.
According to Tamarind Institute, lithography is a print process that uses a press to transfer an image created on a stone or metal plate to paper.
Rather than depending on carved lines such as an etching process, lithography depends on the mutual repulsion of grease and water.
The “Tamarind Touchstones: Fabulous at Fifty” exhibition originally opened at the University of New Mexico in September 2010. It is currently on a national tour and traveled to Ohio Wesleyan from Tulane University.
The exhibit celebrates the 50 year anniversary of the Tamarind Institute, a division of the College of Fine Arts of the University of New Mexico that specializes in lithographic prints.
Kronewetter said when the institute advertised that the exhibition would be available in 2009, he traveled to Albuquerque, N.M., to attend a reception at the university where he was able to schedule the exhibition for OWU.
Today at 3:15 p.m., Bill Lagattuta, a master printer and journalist, will be having a gallery talk at the Ross Art Museum to discuss the lithography exhibition.
The gallery talk and an opening reception for the exhibition following the talk, is free and open to everyone.
“Tamarind Touchstones: Fabulous at Fifty” will be on exhibit until Dec. 20 and can be viewed during the Museum’s regular hours.
Junior Mason Espinosa prepares to pass the ball to a teammate in the game against Kenyon Collge. The Bishops defeated Kenyon with a score of 33-13 to secure a conference win. By Taylor Smith
Transcript Reporter
After beating the Carnegie Mellon last Saturday 34-25 the Ohio Wesleyan football team is now 7-0 on the season, their best start since 2001.
The 7-0 start already guarantees a winning regular season record for the Bishops, a turnaround from last year’s 4-6 record and 2010’s 2-8 record.
First year head coach Tom Watts said everything he has done since being hired started with a large commitment from the administration that enabled the football program to hire a new staff.
Second year coach and co-offensive coordinator Mike Ward, who coached under former head coach Mike Hollway, said the biggest change that happened was the staff growing from two full-time coaches to five full-time coaches.
The team also has seven other coaches who are either part-time or volunteer, bringing the total number of coaches for the team this year to 12.
Watts said the coaches have been “absolutely phenomenal” and serve as a good role model for the guys on the team.
Watts and Ward both said that the players have done a great job of buying into what Watts has changed and the enthusiasm he brings and the team has come together as one.
“We have a really good staff coaching the kids like crazy,” Ward said. “I think what Coach (Watts) has tried to do was bring his own spice to things. Bring his type of culture in.”
“He came in with a lot of energy and it’s a young staff and practices are energetic. That’s his coaching style and I think our kids really like it.”
Sophomore running back Kevin Herman said the team has reacted well to the change and there is a lot more optimism.
Junior quarterback Mason Espinosa said Watts and the other coaches have done a great job of bringing a sense of discipline to the team and it is something the team feeds off of as one.
“We feel like we’re one team, one unit, and I think they have done a great job of instilling that in everybody,” Espinosa said.
Ward said the team has really talented players who have matured and the biggest difference this year is the amount of coaching they’re getting and the energy that goes into it, which was a problem in the past.
“What’s keeping you here, if you came to play football?” Ward said. “It’s tough when you bring in a freshman class, some of them start, some of them don’t. There are kids who think they should be playing from seven states over. Schools tough and they go home and you start the cycle over the next year trying to keep those kids.”
Watts said the team has new slogan this year “JOA” which stands for “Just One Agenda.” He said when on the field he tries to be extremely organized and not waste anyone’s time.
“They hit the field and they’re moving,” Watts said. “They’re moving, every single minute is accounted for. Coaches and players both know that.”
Herman said the practices are very efficient and they place a higher emphasis on playing how they practice so everyone is forced to go hard at all times and not take a day off. Junior Rayce Risser holds the ball for sophomore kicker Miles MacKenzie to attempt a place kick for the extra point. MacKenzie was named Division three player of the week last week.
“Off the field we have a new weight room and have meetings everyday so everyone is on the same page and we don’t have to waste time during practice teaching the new stuff everyone knows what their job is before practice starts,” Herman said.
“We also watch film of our practices and games to fix our mistakes.”
Espinosa said the key to success for the team so far has been the hard work they have put in, both in the season and in the off-season.
“Everyone, every person on the roster, has come out everyday focused and worked their hardest to better themselves; to make the team better,” Espinosa said. “Saturdays are just a reflection of how hard we have been working through the week.”
Herman said the key has been the mindset of the team.
“There’s been a change in attitude where we expect to compete no matter who we are playing and are not satisfied unless we win,” he said.
Herman said the success of the team adds to their confidence. He said every win brings them closer to their goals and builds momentum. Espinosa said the team does a great job of making success bring more success.
“Everyone loves to win, loves the success, but everyone has been doing a great job of not letting the success make them lazier or content,” Espinosa said. “The win every week makes us want to work that much harder the next week, so we go out and do it again. Hopefully we can keep that streak going.”
Watts said there is leadership from all around on the team, including seeing the younger kids step up and be leaders as well.
Watts said under the “JOA” slogan there are no individuals. He said the team is playing one game and every player understands there can be only one way if they want to do it right.
“Football is 11 guys going in one direction in order to be successful,” Watts said. “That’s what we’ve preached to our kids to understand. You have to put your own opinions aside and come together.”
Fire Chief John Donahue said his team responded to a fire alarm at 20 Williams Drive, Delta Tau Delta, at 11:11 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9. “We arrived on scene at 11:15 p.m., and when we saw we had smoke coming out of the house, we upgraded it to a working fire assignment,” Donahue said. “The fire was contained quickly to the single room, and everyone was accounted for at 11:38 p.m.” The next morning, Cole Hatcher, Director of Media and Community Relations, sent out a campus wide e-mail, saying no one was harmed and the residents of Delta have been relocated until repairs can be made. It was determined the fire was started in a student’s room on the second floor due to a cigarette that was not properly extinguished. Residents will be displaced until November 30.
The fire was put out quickly, but firefighters and trucks stayed until the coast was clear and the investigation was completed.
The fire was put out quickly, but firefighters and trucks stayed until the coast was clear and the investigation was completed.
Firefighters discuss the incident. The ladder behind them goes to a second story window, one of the many access points they’ve set up into the house.
Damaged items sat on Delt’s lawn the morning after the fire. Among them was the desk, chair, bed, bedframe, the door to the room and miscellaneous personal items. Deltas were able to make supervised trips for belongings the day after the fire. Police tape currently marks the house and a portion of the lawn off limits to any casual visitors.
The window closest to the tree, on the left is where the fire originated.
