featured – Page 20 – The Transcript

Moot Court robbed in Miami

The Ohio Wesleyan Moot Court teams did not expect great success at nationals, and they certainly did not expect to get robbed on their last day of travel.

OWU sent two teams to the national Moot Court competition in Miami, Fla. The first team consisted of seniors Jordan Bernstein and Lidia Mowad. Juniors Rhiannon Herbert and Katherine Berger made up the second team. Each pair went far in the competition, and according to Mowad and Berger, they were surprised at their success.

“No, I did not expect it,” said Mowad. “But the best part was that the founder of the Moot Court Association of America judged us and gave us the winning ballot. So really, how much better can we do?”

On the last day of their trip, both teams went on an airboat tour.

The boat went through “the Florida Everglades looking at alligators,” said Herbert.
“We left everything in the car because we did not want to bring any valuables on the boat.”

When the group arrived back at the car, two purses, a backpack and a briefcase were missing. All of the luggage for their flight was still in the car.

“When I noticed what was taken from the car it was just a moment of sheer panic,” said Berger. “I just thought ‘there is no way,’ I’ve heard about this happening to people, but I never expected it would ever happen to me.”

In many of the stolen bags were wallets with credit cards and IDs. This made boarding the return flight difficult. But after going through a Transportation Security Administration background check, they were able to fly home.

“I kissed the ground in Ohio when I got off the plane,” said Berger.

Everyone that lost property in the robbery had cancelled credit cards. Some even wiped their cell phones remotely with software. As for the rest of their personal property, they are responsible for its replacement.

Public Safety hunts for break-in bandit

smith tv missing 2 — Wall in Smith Dining Hall where a television used to hang.

On Oct. 24, 2014, the Thomson Corner Store was broken into and $100 was stolen from the cash register. The intruder gained entrance to the store by smashing one of the door’s windows. This mode of entry is consistent with many break-ins that would take place in the months to follow.

On Dec. 2, a window in the Smith Dining Hall was smashed, although nothing was taken. The Hamilton-Williams Campus Center was broken into on Dec. 13. This time the intruder entered by breaking a door. Initially, nothing was found to be damaged or missing.

“On Dec. 14, it was discovered that a TV had been taken from The Marketplace,” Richard Morman, an investigator for Public Safety, said. Morman believes the stolen TV was not discovered until the following day because The Marketplace was far from where the intruder had entered.

On Dec. 23, the Thompson Corner Store was broken into again. This time the intruder made away with an envelope of $50.

The following day, Smith Dining Hall was burglarized yet again. The same window that was smashed during the earlier break-in was destroyed with a brick. A television valued at $500 was stolen.

Three days later, on Dec. 27, an intruder gained entrance to Welch Residence Hall through an open window. According to Robert Wood, director of PS, the window was in the Welch kitchen. There PS officers “found a safe that was broken into, however was empty.”

On Jan. 9 Smith Dining Hall was burglarized for the third time. Another television was stolen, bringing the count of stolen televisions to 3. According to Morman, “Chartwells is currently in the process of replacing them.”

PS officers and investigators are working diligently to figure out who is responsible for the break-ins. Wood said they “have persons of interest” who they believe are connected to the case.

“There is no indication of these persons of interests to be OWU students because students were on their winter break during the time of the break-ins,” Wood said.

“During this time, Public Safety struggled with the decision of whether or not to send out a Public Safety alert to Ohio Wesleyan students,” Morman said. He elaborated that it is the responsibility of PS to not only keep students safe, but to avoid unnecessary panic.

“The breaks-ins on campus are extremely concerning, however, I am confident that Public Safety will soon find the people doing this,” senior Ali Smith said.

PS does not believe these incidents to be indicators of great danger. Regardless, Morman advises students to “go by your instincts; if you see something suspicious, report it.” Wood said to take precaution and “never let anyone into the buildings on campus.”

Eber sentenced to six years

By: Editor-in-Chief Emily Feldmesser and Managing Editor Adelle Brodbeck

Held in the arms of his 19-year-old brother, Nicholas Eber entered the Delaware County Court House Monday morning to be sentenced for the stabbing of Anthony Peddle (‘14).

On Dec. 12, 2014 Eber was found guilty on counts of attempted murder, felonious assault and aggravated burglary for events that took place at the Chi Phi fraternity house in May. On Monday, Jan. 26, 2015 the charge of felonious assault was dropped.

Judge Everett H. Krueger sentenced Eber to six years for attempted murder, and three for aggravated burglary, both to be served concurrently. This means he will serve both sentences at once, spending a total of six years in prison. Upon release from prison, he will serve probation for five years. Eber must pay restitution to cover the remaining cost of Peddle’s medical bills.

Krueger emphasized the importance of the court’s objective enforcement of the law. He declined to consider the weight of Eber’s petition of innocence, compiled by his mother Christine.

The families and friends of both victim and defendant were present during the sentencing. Melissa Peddle, the victim’s mother, told the courtroom of her and her husband’s hardships since the stabbing last spring.

“We are both disabled veterans,” she said. “We suffer from severe depression and PTSD.”

She continued to comment on the fact that Eber’s attack on her son has, and will, continue to affect her family’s livelihood forever.

During his mother’s speech, Anthony Peddle could be seen wiping tears away from his eyes.

“Shouldn’t Mr. Eber’s sentencing be as long as Anthony’s?” Mrs. Peddle said.

Anthony Peddle told the court how his mental state has been altered by Eber’s actions. Peddle said he is unable to be alone and has trouble sleeping through the night.

“I still have a sledgehammer and screwdriver under my pillow,” he said. Before Eber addressed the judge, his attorney Joel Spitzer made his last remarks.

“For the most part he was a law-abiding citizen,” Spitzer said of his client. “If Nick wanted to ‘finish the job’ so to speak, he had the opportunity.”

In a brief statement, Eber attempted to convey his remorse. “I have been trying to live my life the way I’m supposed to,” Eber said. ”Go to school, get a job, start a family. I did everything I was supposed to do, and this still happened.”

Three members of Eber’s family spoke, including his father and younger brother. His father, Patrick Eber, said, “Nick has always been one of the most responsible people I know…I just ask for mercy.”

His brother John spoke of their relationship and how Nicholas Eber taught him to face high school bullies without using violence.

After Krueger handed down the sentence, Eber declared he would go through with the appeal process and requested an attorney.

As Eber was escorted out of the courtroom, he asked a deputy if he could say goodbye to his mother. Upon the deputy’s rejection, Mrs. Eber began to sob, and whispered to her son, “Stay strong, I love you.”

Even after the sentencing, she continued to proclaim Eber’s innocence.

New goals for familiar faces

Every new Wesleyan Council on Student Affairs (WCSA) administration has grand plans for their tenure, and this administration is no exception. President Jerry Lherrison and Vice President Emma Drongowski, both juniors, have ambitious plans and are willing to tackle them head on.

Their platform centered on three main ideas: the marketing of resources on campus, working with the university to build better relationships with freshmen and increasing sustainability on campus. One of their main goals is to create a welcome packet for every incoming freshman, so that they would be better acquainted with WCSA and everything it provides, Lherrison said.

“Every president has new things they want to do, every vice president has new things they want to do,” Lherrison said. “So what you get are a bunch of things you want to get done…what we want to do is continue [the previous administration’s work] but also include things like the work with the freshmen.”

Both Drongowski and Lherrison want to increase student group involvement within WCSA. Previously, WCSA encouraged ex-officio members of groups to come to WCSA meetings, but both Drongowski and Lherrison said very few groups participated or sent representatives.

“Engaging clubs and having them recognize that WCSA does more than just fund them is important to us, because oftentimes clubs don’t realize we have other resources available to them, like leadership support, organizational support…They basically come to us when they need money, and the relationship can be strained between WCSA and clubs and organizations if the only interaction they have with us is if we reject their funding,” Drongowski said.

The new treasurer, sophomore Graham Littlehale will also take an active role with student groups. He is planning on increasing budget management system (BMS) training, which is required in order to apply for funding. Instead of having only one session, he is increasing it to two sessions a semester, which allows for more training opportunities for the groups.

“We would see students send in budget requests but not attend BMS, and obviously they couldn’t receive funding and would be very angry about it. It’s just how it works, we have to inform them and have a proper session, and they would have to attend it,” Littlehale said.

Before funding requests are due, Littlehale is planning to meet with the executive boards of clubs and groups to answer any financial questions they may have to make the process smoother for everyone involved.

WCSA has regular meetings with the university’s administration, also known as Archway. They meet from once to as much as three times a month, and discuss issues involving the community and “OWU as a macroscopic view to be better,” as Lherrison puts it. Drongowski and Lherrison attend the meetings, and are planning on putting in a rotating chair for other members of WCSA to be a part of this process.

Drongowski and Lherrison also spoke of the possibility of the administration having focused meetings, open to the entire student body to discuss a specific topic. They said the administration brought up the idea and are very open to it.

One new initiative both Drongowski and Lherrison are very excited about is their push to get rid of all plastic water bottles on campus and moving towards reusable water bottles. WCSA recently purchased six new hydration stations and will be installed this semester in residence halls.

“It is in the university’s long-term plans to have them [hydration stations] installed in every building and have upkeep,” Lherrison said. “We wanted to foot the bill at first to show that we really wanted to push this thing forward, but it is well within their budget.”

Both Merrick Hall and the Simpson-Querrey Fitness Center will have the hydration stations.

Drongowski cautions this is still in the very early stages of development, and many of the logistics still need to be figured out.

“I think we would be in the first school in Ohio to do so,” Drongowski said. “As an organization, we are very excited to investigate it.”

The Importance of Grit

By: Dr. Thomas Wolber

As a teacher, I have long felt that intelligence is overrated. It alone does not lead to successful outcomes. Over the years I have seen many smart students fail, and I have seen students with average intelligence and sophistication do well. You do not need to be super smart to succeed. Whether you achieve your goals or not is determined less by your cognitive abilities than by noncognitive factors such as personality and grit. Character is at least as important as intellect.

You have heard the word “grit” before. These days it is widely used – in education, athletics, the military and the job market. But what exactly is it? What are the necessary components? Why is it important and why do employers seem to value it above everything else?

Let’s start with the dictionary and the original etymological meaning of the word. Like many other four-letter words of the English language, it has a Germanic origin, suggesting deep roots indeed. Grit is far removed from the French Enlightenment and modern intellectualism. You are more likely to find it in your guts than in your brain. In Old Icelandic, the word “grit” meant “stone, pebble, rock, boulder.” No wonder then the dictionary defines grit as “firmness of character, indomitable spirit, pluck” and lists “resolution, fortitude” as synonyms. Other words to describe “grit” may include ambition, dedication, determination, drive, endurance, hardiness, passion, perseverance, persistence, resilience, stamina, steadfastness, tenacity, toughness, zeal, zest and the like.

Thus, we can now define grit as “the will to act and succeed,” “the refusal to fail,” “the strength to overcome adversity,” “the tenacity to achieve long-term goals,” “the ability to face challenges,” “the capacity to set and accomplish goals,” “the capability to deal with failure,” “the determination to pull yourself through a crisis,” “fire in the belly,” and so on.

If it is your long-term goal to graduate from Ohio Wesleyan within four years and with a good GPA, then, yes, grit is definitely something you should have. Teachers agree that for educational attainment it is more important than anything else, certainly more important than mere brainpower. An average, hard-working student with a fair amount of grit will always outperform an intellectual dreamer who lacks purpose and willpower and fails to act. In my experience, grit trumps intelligence.

Grit is an individual’s most important asset. An increasing number of schools and employers agree that intelligence is an unreliable indicator of future success, which is why they value grit more and more. Yes, raw and natural talent does matter, but to become an accomplished farmer, car mechanic, athlete, translator, doctor, or musician first and foremost requires years and years of theoretical schooling and practical experience. Learning is demanding, and there are no short cuts. Studies have shown that gritty individuals work longer and harder than others, which is why they succeed where others fail.

This observation has serious implications for education and the labor market. If grit matters more than mere intelligence, why do schools continue to focus on cognitive intelligence and academic performance? Should we not equally emphasize noncognitive abilities such as emotional and social intelligence, interpersonal skills, maturity, fairness, curiosity, generosity, kindness, self-control, leadership, integrity, honesty, creativity, fearlessness, and so on?

For example, some of the smartest students go into medicine, but sometimes they sorely lack qualities such as compassion and empathy. A high IQ and phenomenal SAT and ACT scores alone mean little. Shouldn’t there be a healthy balance of cognitive and noncognitive skills? Aren’t schools setting students up for long-term failure if they don’t inculcate character development with the same zest as they do academic preparation?

We are faced with a fundamental paradox here. Academic instruction is entirely knowledge-based. A student’s transcript reflects academic performance but reveals little or nothing about that student’s personality. But the recommendation letters we teachers write for study abroad, assistantships, fellowships, employment, government jobs and graduate schools often stress entirely different qualities than those we impart in the classroom. A checklist I filled out recently listed “academic ability” as only one of 12 characteristics!

A while back, I conducted an inventory of the many noncognitive factors that employers explicitly inquire about, and I came up with a list of over 30 even though I counted things like “reliability, dependability, responsibility” as only one item. A surprising number of employers require things like “physical vitality, agility, vigor, stamina,” including “manual dexterity.” “Behavior under stress, pressure, strain” is important, and “integrity, honesty, trustworthiness” matters a lot. The list goes on and on. Ironically, however, you will not find many of these traits on academic syllabi or discussed in class. Is this something K-12 schools and colleges should have a conversation about? I have heard of schools where students graduate not only with a GPA, but also with a CPA – a character-point average. It may be hard to implement such as program, but there seems to be a certain need and demand for it.

One last point – it has been said the focus on grit alone may lead to egotism and careerism. Being too gritty can have the potential of making you insensitive to the feelings and needs of others and can lead to neglecting community, social responsibility, and the public good.

The way I see it, however, character-based education does not have to be disconnected from morality and ethics – on the contrary! Performance character and moral character are linked and complement each other. For example, there is a social stigma against performance-enhancing tricks such as corruption, cheating, and doping. Besides, the quest for fame and fortune is typically not high on the priority list of gritty individuals.

OWU’s Statement of Aims provides a good example for such a balance. It states knowledge, character (grit) and values form the basis for a liberal arts education. All three are needed to be prepared for life and to become a happy, successful human being. The foundation would be shaky indeed if any one of the three elements were missing. None can stand alone, but together they form the bedrock that will sustain you throughout life.

Dr. Thomas Wolber is an associate professor of German at Ohio Wesleyan. He teaches all levels of German language, literature and civilization. In addition to those subjects, he specializes in comparative literature and environmental studies.

Men’s swim team brings home more than just tans

The Ohio Wesleyan University men’s swim team made its way down to Florida where they trained hard, enjoyed the weather and won a few medals along the way.

“It’s my favorite part of the season. It was great heading down there,” sophomore Will Paull said. Paull medaled in the Sidney S. Asher Cup, a 100-meter freestyle event, at the Bob Mowerson Sprint Meet beside teammate and fellow sophomore Greyson Goodwin who won the race.

The team competed in the meet after training in Stewart, Fla. The meet took place at the International Swimming Hall of Fame pool in Fort Lauderdale.

“We have a good group of people. It was great to be with the team in above-freezing weather,” Goodwin joked.

Paull and Goodwin were two of four Battling Bishops to medal. The others to medal were juniors Bryce Uzzolino and Andy Cumston.

Uzzolino and Cumston both medaled in the William Post Sackett Cup race, a 400-meter event. The race is famous for allegedly being won by Olympic and American national champions alike. Uzzolino finished in second with Cumston finishing in third.

“It’s always fun to win, especially in something like that where you get this cool medal,” Uzzolino said.

Upon returning home, OWU lost a close dual meet to the College of Wooster and rebounded by defeating John Carroll University handedly.

Now the Bishops set their sights on the NCAC championship with only a few more dual meets left in the season. The NCAC tournament begins on Feb. 11 and lasts through Feb. 14.

“Right now we are really focused on our conference meet which is in mid-February. Right now that’s what our drive is towards,” Uzzolino said. “It’s pretty much the final push towards the end of our season.”

Returning to campus after a life away

After a semester off campus, some of our fellow Bishops are back at Ohio Wesleyan University with a taste of what is soon to come: adult life.

Students from OWU traveled domestically and internationally last semester and agreed that it is “weird” to be back in Delaware. While some of these travelers went to different universities in search of cultural experiences and to take new classes, other students gained work experience through internships.

According to junior Mackenzie Sommers, who was in the District of Columbia interning at the National Archives, the life she was living last semester felt like an adult life, and she enjoyed every second of it.

“Every single day was a joy, I always liked getting out of bed in the morning to go to work, it felt like a full-time, adult job,” said Sommers. “I was an adult in D.C. and now I’m back here being a college student and that means different things, I don’t have to do my own grocery shopping, and I have to be at class but I don’t have to be at class.”

Junior Nicole Nitti went to The Philadelphia Center where she had much different responsibilities than she has at OWU.

“I was working a 9 to 5 job, and after coming back from work I had to think about what I was going to cook for dinner. Here I have to think about my homework and my sorority,” said Nitti.

Besides readjusting to the demands of college, reconnecting with friends has been an important part of some students’ return to campus.

“It feels like I’ve been gone for a lot longer than I actually have, but it’s great to see everyone that I’ve been missing,” said junior Brittany Spicer, who traveled to Florence, Italy.

Campus underwent many changes while the students were away, but among the returners there is a consensus: traveling was a great experience and was worth the time away from OWU.

New exhibit is uncovered at OWU

Larry Cressman talks about his art. Photo courtesy of Cole Hatcher.

Larry Cressman’s “Covering Ground” exhibit will be lining the walls of the Ross Art Museum on Ohio Wesleyan’s campus from Jan. 13 to Feb. 15.

The 3-D artwork is formed from daylily stalks, raspberry cane, dogbane and prairie dock. These natural materials are inspired by the Midwest’s fall and winter seasons.

Tammy Wallace, the assistant director of the Ross Art Museum, is excited to have a different kind of exhibit on display.

“The idea of drawing but in a physical sense is very unique and intriguing,” she said. “It adds something different.”

She explained even “Dreamscape,” one of the last exhibits on display in the museum, used branches, but was still very different than Cressman’s designs.

“It’s restrained and calculated and he knew where each one of these branches was going to go,” Wallace said.

OWU art students study the exhibits that come to the museum and use them as inspiration in the classroom.

Sophomore Abi Care Horvat enjoyed seeing the exhibit being put together, especially Cressman’s designs.

“In gallery management we pick out and hang all of the artwork in shows and design the layout of works in the museum,” she said. “This exhibit was especially cool because the only record of his sculptures are photos because he takes them all apart and arranges them differently for every show.”

When Director Justin Kronewetter and Wallace had the chance to bring Cressman’s work to the Museum, they were more than willing.

“It was an excellent choice for our students both in drawing and in 3-D,” Wallace said.

Cressman, who attended and now teaches at University of Michigan, has 15 collections around the United States.

As stated on larrycressman.com, he has received numerous awards for his work, including Best of Show at the Michigan Fine Arts Competition and the Merit Award at the Great Lakes Drawing Biennial.

Eber convicted of three felonies

Nicholas Eber in court on Tuesday. Photo: Glenn Battishill for the Delaware Gazette

By Noah Manskar and Olivia Lease
Online Editor and Copy Editor

A jury of eight women and four men has found Nicholas Eber, 24, guilty on three felony charges in the stabbing of Anthony Peddle ’14.

Eber was convicted of attempted murder, felonious assault and aggravated burglary for stabbing Peddle in his bedroom at the Chi Phi fraternity house in the early hours of May 3.

Peddle, who was Ohio Wesleyan’s senior class president at the time, sustained a wound to his chest three-and-a-half inches deep and a large wound to his wrist that had to be surgically repaired.

In his testimony Thursday, the third day of the four-day trial, he described Eber as “less than an acquaintance” with their communication primarily occurring through Sean Anthony ’14, Eber’s ex-boyfriend and Peddle’s close friend and fraternity brother.

When asked about Anthony and Eber’s relationship, Peddle said he didn’t approve or disapprove of him. He said, however, he had acknowledged that there was wedge between himself and Eber, which caused tension. Peddle said he saw Eber on campus unaccompanied by any students after Anthony and Eber broke up in December of 2013, after dating for 10 months.

On Wednesday, Delaware Police Department detective David McQuigg testified that he and other investigators identified Eber as a person of interest after interviewing some of Peddle’s fraternity brothers. The person who got into the house must have known the security code to the door, McQuigg said, and Anthony testified that Eber had the code.

Eber was arrested May 8 after police found a sweatshirt matching the description of the attacker’s and a pair of shoes with blood on them in his apartment.

The location of the hole in the sweatshirt matched a cut on Eber’s arm, which he said he got when he broke a glass doing dishes. An analysis of the fibers around the hole in the sweatshirt showed one side had been cut and the other had been torn.

Police did not find any of Eber’s blood at the crime scene, and the blood on the shoes from his apartment was not Peddle’s.

On Tuesday, Eber’s defense attorney Joel Spitzer argued Matthew Costello, a Delaware man who matched the description of the attacker and was seen with blood on his nose in a nearby United Dairy Farmers convenience store, could have been a suspect.

But DPD detective sergeant John Radabaugh testified Wednesday that it would have been “a waste of time” to pursure Costello. He was not a person of interest and was cooperative when officer Joseph Kolp confronted him later that morning.

Eber faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, according to Ohio Revised Code statutes.

Defense raises further doubts in Eber trial

By Noah Manskar and Hannah Urano
Online Editor and News Editor

Defense attorney Joel Spitzer continued to raise doubts Wednesday about the state’s case against Nicholas Eber, the Delaware man accused of stabbing Anthony Peddle ’14.

Spitzer showed the jury a series of text messages from May 3 between Sean Anthony ’14, Eber’s ex-boyfriend, in which he told Eber he did not think he attacked Peddle early that morning at the Chi Phi fraternity house.

“… I know it’s not you. Anthony (Peddle) did not target you, but I can’t control it anymore. I don’t know what I can do,” he wrote.

On May 6, Anthony said he would defy the police’s request that he not contact him. “You can text me any time you want, I don’t care what the police say,” he wrote to Eber. “I’ll reach out to you and they can’t stop me from reaching out to you.”

Spitzer also noted Anthony, Peddle’s close friend and roommate, paid Eber a visit in jail after he was arrested May 8.

In response, prosecutor Andy Bigler argued Anthony said those things because he did not want to believe Eber, whom he dated for 10 months, would have stabbed his roommate and best friend. Anthony testified that he still loved Eber at the time of the crime.

On Tuesday, Spitzer argued there were links between the stabbing and Matthew Costello, who was acting erratically in a nearby convenience store three hours after the incident. He had blood on his nose and was wearing a hooded sweatshirt that looked like the assailant’s.

In his cross-examination of Delaware Police Department detective sergeant John Radabaugh on Wednesday, Spitzer argued “media pressure” on the investigation may have caused him to be too hasty in ruling Costello out.

Because police did not get his DNA, search his cell phone or residence or question him, they could not have eliminated him as a suspect completely, Spitzer said.

Police felt certain Costello was not involved in the stabbing, Radabaugh said. He was never a person of interest and it would have been “a waste of time” to pursue him.

Police found an olive green hooded sweatshirt in Eber’s apartment that matched Peddle’s description of the attacker’s clothing. The garment had a hole that matched a cut on Eber’s arm, which he said came from a glass he broke doing dishes.

The fibers around the hole indicated the left side of it had been cut and the right side torn away, according to Suzanne Noffsinger, the state’s trace evidence expert who testified Wednesday on her examination of the sweatshirt.

Peddle was in the courtroom for the first two days of trial and is expected to take the stand before the jury of eight women and four men on Thursday.

Spitzer and Jason Halsey, Eber’s other defense attorney, will present their side of the case following his testimony.

Editor-in-Chief Ellin Youse contributed reporting to this story.