Tag: owu

One Acts! Performed in December

By Elenya Stephani

Transcript Correspondent

Theatre majors will come together on Dec. 6 and 7 to put on a production, with the directing and playwriting courses, of “One Acts!,” a series of short scenes performed by volunteer actors and actresses.

At the end of each fall semester, the Department of Theatre and Dance produces a performance where two upper level classes, the directing and playwriting, put on a student-run play. Open auditions were held Oct. 29 for students wanting to participate. Directing and playwriting classes pick the actors they want to present their scene. Students in the two courses have been preparing for this the entire semester to showcase their talents.

“Directing is a lot of hard work,” said sophomore Jasmine Lew. “You have to accommodate the playwright and the actors’ or actresses’ needs and wants, while still making the scene look good for the audience.” Lew has been active in the department.

“The scene I am directing reflects what I learned in class this semester,” she said. “I hope everyone can come see what I have done. I am really proud of my work.”

The director, playwright and actors of each scene rehearse four hours per week. The actors memorize the script; the playwrights give ideas on what they want their play to look like; and the directors try to replicate that on stage.

Actor and sophomore Max Haupt explained that being an actor for “One Acts!” has helped him greatly improve his acting abilities.

“‘One Acts!’ really helps you learn how to work with everybody involved in the production,” he said. “And [it’s] a great opportunity for new coming actors to try out their skills. It can be a great learning experience.”

Haupt uses a lot of his free time memorizing the script and getting into his character, saying sometimes he spends up to two hours every day preparing for a role.

“I am very proud of how hard the students have worked this semester on the show,” said instructor Bradford Sadler of the theatre department. “I think it will be spectacular.”

Orchesis is Coming to Your Local Theater

By Jessica Slauson

Transcript Correspondent

Thirteen dancers, a faculty choreographer, a guest choreographer and five crews are preparing for next month’s performance of Orchesis.

The Orchesis concert will be performed in the Chappelear Drama Center on Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The performances are estimated to run 90 minutes.

“Orchesis is the annual faculty-directed dance concert that incorporates dance works made by students, faculty and professional choreographers,” said faculty choreographer Rashana Smith.

The choreographers in this performance include, guest Megan Bushway, Smith and student choreographers: Taylor Frasure ‘21, Miah Gruber ‘20, Maggie Welsh ‘21, Tess Meddings ‘22, Anne Raspe ‘22 and Ellie Bearss ‘22. Each choreographer has her own piece.

The themes of the pieces include: a musical score, going from day to night, school shootings, watered grass, physical contact without touching, stepping into unknown territory and uniformity and individuality, according to an OWU press release.

Some of the audience can expect to see at the performance are: Alex Dolph ‘23, Anne Raspe ‘22, Colleen Cornwell ‘22, Eleyna Stephani ‘21, Ellie Bearss ‘22, Jasmine Lew ‘22, Kayla Rush ‘23, Lizzy Nebel ‘23, Maggie Welsh ‘21, Miah Gruber ‘20, Miko Harper ‘21, Taylor Frasure ‘21 and Tess Meddings ‘22.

“Dancers and choreographers meet as a company each Monday 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. to have technique class and rehearsal together and to go over the administrative work of the company,” Smith said. “There are two hour rehearsals for each piece throughout the week. The only day that rehearsals are not happening are on Saturdays.”

In addition to the rehearsals, “we encourage people to go to the gym,” said dancer Eleyna Stephani. “We encourage people to just do workout cardio; to run; to do anything that keeps [their] body active because the more limber you will be and the better the dances will look.”

Some fears for this year’s performance include getting hurt and forgetting the routine. Stephani, who has bicep tendonitis in her right shoulder needs to be aware of what dance moves cause her pain.

“My fear is just making sure I know the choreography with all the other stuff I have going on, but once I get to performing, I’m not really scared, just excited,” said dancer Jasmine Lew.

Tickets for OWU students who have a valid student IDs are free. General admission tickets are $10. For senior citizens, OWU faculty and non-OWU students who have a valid student IDs, tickets will be $5.

Free Flu Shots for Students

By Cierra Joiner

Transcript Correspondent

For the first time, the Ohio Wesleyan Student Health Center is providing free flu shots to students until Dec. 1, 2019.

The Center has always provided flu shots and for the past four years it charged students $20.

Some people may not want to get a flu shot because they think it will “make them sick” or that it does not help fight against the flu, said Marsha Tilden, nurse practitioner at Ohio Wesleyan. She said there are many advantages to getting a flu shot.

“The flu can cause fever, chills, sore throat, muscle aches, fatigue, cough, headache and runny nose. Thousands of people in the United States die from influenza every year,” Tilden said. “The flu vaccine can prevent this.”

There are disadvantages as well, she said, but the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

“The only disadvantages are possible ‘flu like symptoms’ after receiving the shot and your arm may have some redness and swelling where the shot is given,” Tilden said.

About 75 percent of students at Ohio Wesleyan are involved in athletics, including intramural and club. Julie Houston, an athletic trainer on campus, said that it is important for athletes to get a flu shot.

“Illness is easily spread among teams that spend a lot of time together,” Houston said. “As athletes you travel to other colleges and universities and you could potentially spread the flu to other campuses.”

Libby Norlander, a sophomore at Ohio Wesleyan, is part of both the cross country and track teams. Norlander is far from her home in Carlsbland, Calif., and also far from her doctor at home.

“It is really helpful and very convenient that the Student Health Center provides flu shots to students because I do not have a doctor to go to here since I am from California,” said Norlander. “It is also important to me since I am part of the track and cross country teams and I need to stay healthy for my seasons.”

Not only do flu shots help individuals stay healthy and prevent sickness, but also can help minimize a flu outbreak across campus if as many students as possible get the shot.

“Getting a flu shot is very important for your health,” Tilden said. Avoiding the flu should be a goal for all students this year.”

Arts Castle plans for Halloween

By Sarah Bunch

Transcript Correspondent

As October nears its end, Halloween-themed events within walking distance of Ohio Wesleyan University are available for students.

Several events such as a haunted castle and a trick-or-treat farmers market are scheduled for this weekend in downtown Delaware.

The Arts Castle, located on Elizabeth Street, is hosting its second annual haunted castle event on Oct. 26 from 3-9 p.m. and Oct. 27, from 3-6 p.m.

“Essentially the entire downstairs is going to be used up in the event,” said Kati Henning, the manager of registration and administration at the Arts Castle.

“There’s going to be two mazes and a haunted laboratory and a haunted forest. So, as you walk through, the themes will change a little bit.”

As the main organizer of the event, Henning described her fascination with the haunted history of the Arts Castle, previous events and how staff was working to make the events more accessible to the public.

“We wanted everyone in the community to be able to afford to go through it, so we’re just asking for any donation that people are comfortable giving,” Henning said.

The lights will be turned on during the day for earlier tours, which are intended for younger kids or those who want to see the decorations. However, the lights will be turned off later in night. No strobe lights will be used, but there will be a fog machine in one of the rooms.

A Halloween-themed farmers market on Sandusky Street was held Saturday. It was the last farmers market of the season.

“I go because I like the homemade stuff, especially the food,” said Sara Cordle, an OWU sophomore education major. “I like buying fresh flowers and I like buying the honey because I know it’s all homemade. There’s no preservatives or anything in it.”

Other upcoming events around Delaware are listed on the Destination Delaware Calender, including events at local parks and businesses.

Bishops Remain Undefeated

Peter Lujan

Transcript Correspondent

pllujan@owu.edu

The Battling Bishops’ football team has started the season rather well. It is 4-0 so far this year, defeating Otterbein University 22-10, Kenyon College 42-0,, Oberlin College 55-3, and most recently, Allegheny College, 28-10, on Saturday afternoon. The wins give the Bishops an average margin of victory of 31 points. 

The Gators of Allegheny went into the matchup with a record of 1-2. In contrast to the Bishops red hot start to the season. A year ago in 2018, the Bishops went 4-6 overall and tied for fifth place in the NCAC (North Coast Athletic Conference.) This year however, they have 38 incoming freshmen, 23 seniors, and 29 other’s racing toward the goal of NCAC champions.

Head Coach Tom Watts observed that last season they were, “always able to play well and pick it up toward the end of the season but were never really able to start the season on the right foot.” However, this season has been the opposite, as their 4-0 record suggests. 

Senior wide receiver and captain, Mher Tcholakian said earlier this season that a big motto and slogan for this year’s team is “going 1-0.” The football team uses this slogan for everything they do. Whether it’s in the weight room, at practice, or whatever the case may be, they want to, “go 1-0.” 

“This ‘1-0 slogan’ is our main focus as a team, [Going 1-0] means giving your all every single rep and every single play.” Tcholakian explained. 

Tcholakian, on this football team for three years, starter for two, he is witness to the Bishops declining record over the last few seasons. “We’ve always known we’ve had talent on both sides of the ball. There was just something missing, our execution. We just could not finish that last little step.”

Aside from his verbal leadership, Tcholakian also has been leading by example through his play on the field. He has 145 receiving yards this season, 61 on Saturday alone, which marked a new season high for him, along with his first receiving touchdown of the season. 

The Bishops look to continue their win streak when they face Wabash College this Saturday in Crawfordsville, Ind.  

OWU Fires Long-term Staff Members without Giving Notice

By Azmeh Talha

Transcript Reporter

Arts and Entertainment Editor

aatalha@owu.edu

Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) dismissed four employees this past summer in budget cost cutting move. They were escorted off campus, which some say violated the sense of community that OWU promotes.

Dr. Anne Sokolsky, the program chair for comparative literature,described the security escort as over the top. She further said that OWU is a small liberal arts college, not a corporation.

“Security detail to escort long-time staff person who supported our university over the years just seems like a horrible way to end someone’s work life here,” Sokolsky said.

Joy Gao, an OWU librarian for 20 years was fired over the July 4 weekend. Another librarian also was terminated from her position but would not talk on the record. They were terminated in an effort to balance the 2019-20 fiscal budget, President Rock Jones said. Jones said the dismissals had nothing to do with the performance of the staff members.

“The university made a number of personnel decisions, including leaving positions unfilled, combining positions, reassigning duties and eliminating positions – some which were occupied and some vacant,” Jones said.

Gao described her dismissal as humiliating, inhumane and abrupt. She said she gave the best years of her life to OWU and she was dismissed without being given any notice. Gao also compared her dismissal to a sudden death in the family; the death is so sudden that it is difficult.

Gao sent an email on July 28. to different faculty departments about her dismissal with the subject “A more dignifying good bye.” In the email she said:

“I was let go by OWU today and it was very abrupt! I was called to meet Scott from Human Resources and was informed that my position was eliminated! I only had a few minutes to gather my stuff from the office.”

When contacted, Scott Simon, the director of human resources, refused to comment.

Gao said her library colleague, who was also fired, was escorted off campus by Public Safety.

“…to see her escorted out by a security guy, it was just heartbreaking!  We were treated as criminals, thugs!  Do you think we deserve better than this?  How can you forget all the extra reference shifts I did and instructions sessions I taught to keep the library running during those difficult and transitional times?” Gao wrote in her email.

Robert Wood, the director of Public Safety, refused to comment.

In her email, Gao further described her feelings about the dismissal:

“It was very humiliating and does not reflect my contributions and devotion to this institution I have worked for over 20 years.

“Are we so insignificant, so worthless that we are not worthy of any of their consideration or thought?”

“If it was the position, not the person, then I think Joy should have been given another job,” Sokolsky said. “Why would any staff member want to be loyal to OWU if longevity is honored by being fired? This process does not help staff morale.”

Sokolsky worked closely with Gao. She mentioned Gao’s importance for her own research on East Asian studies.

“Joy can read Chinese. This was incredibly helpful for me because she is the only librarian who understood the obscure documents and books that I would request through Inter-Library Loan for my own research. It should be noted my research informs my teaching, so the loss of Joy has impacted me in two ways – teaching and scholarship,” Sokolsky said.

Sokolsky wrote a letter to Jones about Gao’s firing. In it, she mentioned she was disturbed by the elimination of a librarian’s position and the way she was terminated.

“Every time there is a budget crisis, the people who pay are those who have done nothing to contribute to this crisis. The library has already been hit by budget cuts before,” Sokolsky said.

In her 13 years at OWU, Sokolsky said she can remember at least two times when cuts were made to the library budget.

Gao said that workforce reduction should be more balanced across the board and not just target staff members. Sokolsky had similar thoughts.

“To date, I have no idea how many cuts were made in Admissions or in the recently created Division of Student Engagement and Academic Success. Moreover, the above sentence ‘cuts were made across the board’ does not acknowledge that cuts have already been made to the library,” Sokolsky said in an email.

Deanne Peterson, the director of the library, referred question to Brian A. Rellinger, associate provost of academic support. Rellinger refused to comment.

Got Lots to Say? Do it in 3 Minutes

By Hailey de la Vara

Transcript Correspondent

hhdelava@owu.edu

In its fifth year, Ohio Wesleyan’s I-cubed lecture series drew a standing room only crowd last week just like it has in previous years.

Faculty presenters challenged the audience to think outside the box, while they stayed inside the three minutes each was allotted to teach their favorite subjects.

The Ideas, Insight and Imagination lectures this year featured students’ favorite nine professors who aimed to give insight on their expertise in their academic fields. The Benes rooms was packed.

One professor said after the presentation that it was the hardest thing she had every done.

The speakers this year included Mark Allison of English, Kira Bailey of psychology, Phokeng Dailey of communication, David Markwardt of zoology, Stephanie Merkel of comparative literature, Franchesca Nestor and Pamela Pyzza, both of politics and government, Tim Roden of music, and Chris Wolverton of microbiology and botany.

The nine speakers all aimed to give students a small insight of their own academic passions.

Senior Zhanna Caldwalder was most intrigued by Allison’s speech. “I loved Allison’s speech because I love reading, and I felt like I could relate to everything he was saying,” Caldwalder said.

Allison’s lecture, “Hitchhiking to Nowhere,” discussed how utopian societies paved a way for imagination in reading and life. Allison based his three minutes on the idea that nowhere has the best of everything.

“Utopia is the good place that is no place,” he said.

Other topics ranged from political communication to Mozart to plants growing on Mars.

Students gained new knowledge about a variety of topics.

Senior John Keller was intrigued by the variety of speakers admitting that last week’s program was the first he had attended since coming to OWU.

“I’m an English major, so I came to listen to my professor speak,” Keller said. “But after hearing all the speeches, I was very impressed by how much each professor knows and cares about their fields. It was very interesting to listen and be a part of this event at OWU.”

In the spring semester, the I-cubed lectures will feature student speakers.

Wipeout on the Jaywalk

By Katie Cantrell

Transcript Correspondent 

kmcantre@owu.edu

Ohio Wesleyan Wipeout was…well, a Wipeout. Though attendance was low Friday students enjoyed competing on a couple inflatable challenges on the JayWalk. 

The Campus Programming Board had Wesleyan Wipeout running from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. It had a particular reason for choosing this time frame according to club member Catie A. Hyatt. 

“This is the time that people have to spend to like eat lunch and then have like a few minutes before class. So it’s kind of a fun little thing they can do,” she said.

The board rented two inflatables from one of the SuperGames warehouses located in Columbus. The inflatables at the Wesleyan Wipeout were the Leaps and Bounds- Big Red Balls and the Kapow obstacle course, both a part of SuperGames’ interactive play attractions. To comply with SuperGames protocols, students had to fill out a waiver before they could participate in the activities. 

Two of the students who participated in Wesleyan Wipeout said they preferred the Kapow obstacle course. According to OWU student Alex N. Mason, she preferred Kapow because “it had more movement.” 

Mason’s friend, freshman Sara Cordle, agreed. “It was more like a puzzle-like you had to duck not duck, you know.”

Student turnout was lower than expected at the beginning of the event, but two board members said this did not have much to do with the game itself, but more to do with the weather on Friday afternoon. It was sunny and hovering somewhere between 80 to 90 degrees outside. 

The Campus Programming Board is responsible for quite a few activities that Ohio Wesleyan promotes on campus for the students. 

“Last semester we put on Day on the Jay…and we brought in one of these I don’t wanna call them blow-ups, but blow-ups or inflatables I guess, and a lot of people liked it a lot,” said club member Qiukui Moutvic. “So we decided to base an event on something like that and then we just decided to call it Wesleyan Wipeout.” 

Last fall the club took a tour of the SuperGames warehouse during one of its retreats and had the chance to try out some of the inflatables. It was from this retreat that the idea for Wesleyan Wipeout was born. 

When asked if there might be more events like Wesleyan Wipeout in the future Moutvic said, “We have staple events every year, so events like these are more of just whatever comes out of our planning retreat.”

The students definitely would not mind more events like Wesleyan Wipeout said, Cordle. “I like the inflatable events that they have and all the games, like from Day on the Jay.”

Mock Convention Kicks Off

By Anna Edmiston

Staff Reporter

aledmist@owu.edu

Planning started Thursday for Ohio Wesleyan’s long-time tradition of holding a political convention leading to the presidential election in November 2020.

Next year, Mock Conventioneers will play the role of Democrats deciding on a candidate to represent the party in the general election. The Mock Convention always assumes the role of the party that doesn’t occupy the White House. It started in 1884.

Attendees meeting in Crider Lounge in Hamilton-Williams Student Center watched the third debate of Democratic candidates while eating catered food and learning about the roles students and the Delaware community will play in the Mock Convention, which will occur Feb. 21 and 22.

There were tables set up to help students register to vote, play interactive games, and ask questions of student leaders of the program.

“I’m pretty excited for the fact that (politics) will be in an attainable level and it will help with my understanding of how politics works,” said freshman S.K. Bulander.

Freshman Josie Fornara agreed. “I am excited about learning more about politics and participating in the American tradition,” said Fornara.

“Being able to be a part of something that only happens every four years and being able to work alongside such amazing people,” said sophomore ZannaLee Carling-Sprewell.

Danielle Black, vice president of Mock Convention, said, “I am most excited to be involved in the planning of it, to allow people to learn more about the politics of our country and expand their horizon.”

There is still time to sign up for Mock Convention. Also, if any person on campus is interested in registering to vote, contact Franchesca Nestor, an assistant professor of politics and government (fvnestor@owu.edu).

Petting zoo comes to OWU

Students were welcomed back to Ohio Wesleyan University by some furry friends.

The Campus Programming Board brought several types of animals to the JAYwalk between 11 p.m.-1 p.m. for students to interact with. The animals included mini zebu, alpacas, mini sheep, kangaroos, camel, goats and a large tortoise. The animals helped to mark a new semester and school year for students and staff alike.

 

Updated Aug 22