Slate The
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania theslateonline.com
Volume 60, No. 1
August 30, 2016
@ShipUSlate TheSlate @ShipUSlate
APSCUF to vote on strike, A2
Football camp wraps up, C2
Top 10 Olympic sports, D1
CornFest pops up in town, B1 Metal bands perform locally, E1
August 30, 2016
Celebrating 60 years as Shippensburg University’s student-run campus newspaper.
Management
Mary Grace Keller....Editor-in-Chief Laura Kreiser......Managing Editor
News
Troy S. Okum..........Editor Derek Evanosky.....Asst. Editor Jenna Wise..........Asst. Editor
Faculty to vote on striking APSCUF, PASSHE fail to agree on contract after 14 months Troy S. Okum
Photo by Laura Kreiser
First responders take the injured student to the Life Lion.
Opinion
News Editor
Ship Life
Faculty and coaches of Pennsylvania’s 14 state universities plan to hold a vote with their union in mid-September to decide whether to strike, because both parties cannot agree on a contract with the state system. For more than 14 months, members of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) have been negotiating with the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) to renew their contracts, which include work requirements, benefits and salary. Members of APSCUF, which represents about 5,500 faculty and coaches in the state system, held an emergency conference call on Thursday, approving a strike-authorization vote. The vote will take place from Sept. 7–9 for faculty members, and from Sept. 14–15 for coaches. If APSCUF decides to strike, classes will be canceled for about 100,000 students in PASSHE until the strike ends. Classes will proceed as scheduled this week and a strike authorization vote does not necessarily mean classes will be disrupted, PASSHE administrators said in a message to students last week. Holding strike-authorization votes are normal, according to the message, and APSCUF members have never voted to strike before. The message states the effects of a strike would be devastating for students. SU President George “Jody” Harpster said at the end of last semester the university is preparing a strike response plan. PASSHE’s ad-
Missy Langdon.............Editor Yvette Betancourt....Editor Sofia Perzan...Asst. Editor
Sports
William Whisler.............Editor Bob Murray......Asst. Editor Blair Garrett.....Asst. Editor
A&E
Marissa Merkt...........Editor Molly Foster.....Asst. Editor
Graphics
Thomas Witmer......Chief Designer Laura Phillips......Asst. Designer
Multimedia
Justin Lee.....Editor Miranda Ikeda... Asst. Editor
Copy
Cat Amoriello.........Editor Jamison Barker...Asst. Editor Ali Laughman....Asst. Editor
Public Relations
Brooke Ready........Director Sylvia McMullen...Asst. Director Logan Wein.....Asst. Director
Web
Michael McCullough...Director Nolan McGraw....Asst. Director
Advertising
Alex Balla......Director Abrihet Zegeye....Asst. Director
Adviser
Dr. Michael Drager...........Adviser Contact Us Email..............slate.ship@gmail.com Phone..........................717-477-1778 Mailing Address The Slate -Shippensburg University CUB Box 106 1871 Old Main Drive Shippensburg, PA 17257
The Slate is a weekly student-run newspaper that welcomes everyone to attend its meetings, which are held on Sundays at its office located in the CUB. The Slate welcomes submissions from all students. All columns and opinion articles are those held by the author. Only unsigned editorials represent The Slate’s position. The Slate uses art from various sources, which are credited within the paper. Advertisements are organized and approved by The Slate, but do not represent any position of The Slate. Advertising deadlines are the Tuesday before the next publication date at 4 p.m. Letters to the editor should be concise, and become property of The Slate and will not be returned once submitted. The Slate will not print anonymous letters and reserves the right to refuse to print it if the Editorial Board feels it is inappropriate. Email slateadv@gmail.com for the advertisement department or slate.ship@gmail.com for letters to the editor and general information.
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SU student hospitalized after jumping from building Laura Kreiser
Managing Editor APSCUF released a flier last spring saying members did not strike before out of concern for students, but they may do so now. ministrators and the 14 universities will each have their own plans to put in place if APSCUF strikes. The plan includes making sure the needs of students are met while they wait for the strike to end. But students will not be able to communicate with professors via campus phones or email, have advising meetings for scheduling and other concerns and professors will not advise club members, according to APSCUF. After the strike ends, faculty and SU’s administration will work together to ensure students can complete their classes, Harpster said. This may mean extending the semester, cutting fall break and adding evening classes. The next round of negotiations is planned for Aug. 31, according to PASSHE, and it is the last session scheduled before APSCUF holds its vote to strike, with one exception. The two parties will meet on Sept. 8 for a separate discussion on the healthcare plan, according to infor-
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mation on PASSHE’s website. “Our faculty and coaches clearly feel that the state system has not negotiated fairly,” APSCUF President Kenneth Mash said last week. “They are more interested in playing games than negotiating seriously. “It is completely unfair to our students for the state system to continue to drag this process out. Eventually, there will be a contract. We don’t know what the state system gains by continually creating distractions.” One of several problems APSCUF has with PASSHE’s proposed contract is the introduction of a reduced healthcare plan, according to a press release. Other unions working for PASSHE accepted the healthcare plan, and PASSHE offered to pay some faculty members $600 to accept it — APSCUF refused. Read the full story at theslateonline.com
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A 22-year-old man jumped out of a second-story window in College Park on Friday and was airlifted to Hershey Medical Center, according to Carlisle State Police. The police were called to the 100 block of College Park at 6:36 p.m. The Shippensburg Township man was in possession of marijuana paraphernalia, according to police. Firefighters, state police and campus police, along with the Shippensburg Area EMS were at the scene. The Life Lion helicopter landed and took off from the practice field behind the university football field. The victim could be seen bleeding from the head as first responders got him ready to be transported. He was charged with possession of marijuana, according to police.
Looking for Your World Today? Visit theslateonline.com and read the latest commentary about the possible strike.
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News slatenews@gmail.com
August 30, 2016
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SU remembers deceased student, alumni SU alumnus dead after robbery Shippensburg University alumnus Steven A. Esworthy, 31, of Harrisburg, was struck on the head with a piece of wood on June 19 while walking home, PennLive reported. Paramedics pronounced Esworthy dead at the scene, ABC27 reported. Esworthy, Class of 2007, was the best man at his brother’s wedding the day before. He was walking home alone around 1:30 a.m. Sunday along the 1200 block of Green Street, PennLive reported from police. Shamir Hunter, 19, of Harrisburg was charged with homocide and robbery by Harrisburg police in connection with Esworthy’s death, PennLive reported According to authorities, Hunter was searching Esworthy’s pockets after he fell to the ground. Video images showed Hunter stealing from a vehicle around the time, PennLive reported. The following staff members contributed to this article: Mary Grace Keller, Editor-in-Chief and Troy S. Okum, News Editor.
SU alumna dies in apartment fire Former Shippensburg University student, athlete and assistant field hockey coach Amanda Strous, Class of 2011, died from injuries related to strangulation on June 18, reported PennLive. Her body was found in her Charlotte, North Carolina, apartment after it was set on fire. According to CBS North Carolina, the incident was first reported around 5:30 p.m. in the 12100 block of Toscana Way in a Charlotte apartment complex. Officials said the fire was intentionally set. Strous, 27, was in the apartment at the time of the blaze. Firefighters worked for 15 minutes before pulling Strous out of the burning apartment. She was rushed to Carolinas Medical Center-Steele Creek, but died from her injuries. Strous was engaged, with the wedding date set for July 30. Strous was a star on the SU field hockey team and a key player in SU’s playoff run in 2010. In 2010, Strous’ senior season, she tallied 11 goals and five assists, while help-
ing the Raiders reach the NCAA Division II National Championship game. She served as team captain that same year. In her SU career, she scored 24 goals and 13 assists for 61 career points. After graduation, Strous served as an assistant field hockey coach at Hamilton College in New York. She then returned to SU in the fall of 2012 as an assistant to head coach Bertie Landes while she worked to complete her graduate degree in mental health counseling.
“...the life of Amanda Strous mattered...” –Bertie Landes, Head coach In 2013, Strous was the primary assistant to Landes when SU won its first-ever NCAA Division II National Championship in field hockey. Strous completed her master’s degree in 2015. At the time of her death Strous worked as a college student counselor at Central Piedmont Community College, according to her Facebook profile. “One life matters, and indeed, the life of Amanda Strous mattered to
her teammates, friends, her family and her beloved Ship family,” Landes told SU Sports Information. “Her love, care and concern for each of us was reflected in her daily life while at Ship and in her move to North Carolina.” Strous was from York, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Dallastown High School. Dallastown field hockey released a statement on Facebook regarding Strous’ death, inviting people to pay their respects at a candlelight vigil at her Dallastown home on Monday, June 20. Katie Pufnock, a former teammate of Strous’, set up a GoFundMe account to help cover funeral expenses. The account raised more than $40,000 of its $20,000 goal.
Suspect in Strous’ death arrested Authorities charged Mathew Benner, 28, with homocide connected to the death of Strous, reported PennLive. Benner lived in the same apartment as Strous. He was allegedly seen with blood on his body and sweating outside of the apartment, according to court documents, reported PennLive. The Mecklenburg County medical examiner reported Strous’ had duct tape on her mouth and Benner allegedly tried to resuscitate her, re-
ported PennLive.
Field hockey team honors Strous Spots of purple darted across the field as the Shippensburg University field hockey team gathered with alumni to honor their deceased teammate and coach, Amanda Strous. Field hockey’s Alumni Day brings former athletes back to the Robb Sports Complex where they can play, catch up and reminisce, but on Saturday, Aug. 20 it also brought tears. “There’s no doubt that none of us will ever be the same. We are all changed by this, but that doesn’t mean that change has to be bad,” said Katie Shoop, who played, lived and coached with Strous. “She is my mentor, my friend and my role model. I’m speaking in present tense because a piece of her still lives in me,” Shoop said. Friends, family and teammates gathered at SU to celebrate Strous’ life and speak of the impact she left. “Everybody trusted her and everybody loved her,” said Emily Regan, who played field hockey with Strous through their senior year. Regan lived with Strous for two years in college, saying Strous was the best listener a friend could want. The Amanda Strous Memorial Scholarship will be established this year, kicking off Sept. 24 at SU’s home game against Seton Hill University. The following staff members contributed to this article: William Whisler, Sports Editor; Mary Grace Keller, Editor-in-Chief and Troy S. Okum, News Editor.
SU senior dead after attending music festival
Photo courtesy of Brandon Etzler
SU student Sam Cabrera poses with his puggle, Jane. Cabrera would have been a senior at SU this year. He died in early August following his attendance at the Moonrise Music Festival.
Shippensburg University student, Sam Cabrera, 21, died in the early morning on Monday, Aug. 8. Cabrera was pronounced dead in Baltimore, Maryland, according to those close to him. His cause of death is currently unknown. Cabrera was attending the Moonrise Festival with some of his friends at the time of his death. His family is from the Dominican Republic, a place he enjoyed living and visiting. Cabrera was set to become a se-
Photo by Bill Smith
Shipppensburg University alumna Amanda Strous died on June 18. Strous graduated from SU in 2011 and was an assistant field hockey coach. nior this semester with a marketing major. He was a member of the fraternity, Theta Xi, and was Fleetwood Area High School’s homecoming king in 2012. Cabrera was a beloved son, brother, uncle and boyfriend. Known for his bright smile, generosity and engaging personality, he was friendly to everyone he met and would do anything to help his friends. “Sam was selfless,” said Mike Monterosso, SU alumnus and Cabrera’s Big Brother during his induction to Theta Xi, “He’d take the shirt off his back for anyone, even a stranger.” Brandon Etzler, another brother of Theta Xi, set up a GoFundMe account to help raise funds for funeral expenses. As of Aug. 28, the account surpassed its goal of $10,000, raising $10,899.
“When I say I lost a brother, I truly did.” –Andrew Moran, SU alumnus “Summarizing our friendship in a few words is an impossible task,” said long-time friend and SU alumnus, Andrew Moran. “When I say I lost a brother, I truly did. He showed me, as well as others, who we should strive to be every day. Sam will live with us forever.” This article was written by Cale Ahearn, Special Correspondent.
News
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August 30, 2016
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This Week Editor thanks readers for commitment, asks for patience on Campus M G K
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ary
Tuesday
There will be a Panhellenic Open House from 9-11 p.m. in CUB MPR A.
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Wednesday
WSYC is hosting an Open Mic night in McFeely’s in the CUB from 7-9 p.m.
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Thursday
Hypnotist Eric Mina will perform in CUB Room 100 from 9-10 p.m.
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Friday
DiscipleMakers Christian Fellowship will be hosting a cookout at the student recreation complex pavilion from 5-8:30 p.m.
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Saturday
APB will be showing “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising” in the Orndorff Theatre in the CUB at 9 p.m. from Sept. 1-5.
race
eller
Editor-in-Chief
A new school year is upon us, and for seniors like me, that means our chapter is coming to an end. But before we get sentimental or start planning how to decorate our graduation caps, there is work to be done. To the new students — welcome. If you are reading this you are already taking a step in the direction of being an informed Shippensburg University student. As editor-in-chief, part of my job is to read every single article that gets published in this newspaper. I take responsibility for every character typed and printed. I encourage our readers to come forward if they believe something is amiss. If you are correct, I will ensure we set the re-
cord straight. But there is something I need our readers to understand about how this paper functions. The Slate’s purpose is to cover university news, explore controversies, capture moments of college life, and most importantly, keep the students, faculty and staff of SU informed. We cover the news, but we are not a bulletin board for press releases or announcements. Our writers will tell you who won the game, what music is hot at Luhrs, who is achieving great heights and what changes are coming to campus. We do our best to cover all that is SU with the resources we have. I will not promise that we will cover every single event and I cannot tell you we will never have a typo or spell someone’s name wrong. Please reach out to me at slate.ship@gmail.com if you know of upcoming events or see a problem that needs to be addressed. We are journalists in training,
Photo by Joey Ketchem
Mary Grace Keller Editor-in-Chief so to speak, so forgive us when we stumble. Although we do not have our degrees yet, The Slate staff operates with the utmost professionalism of a real newspaper. The
majority of our newspaper staff is in the communication/journalism major, and every single staff member cares about the paper you hold in your hands or read online. We are a student-run newspaper, mentored by a dedicated faculty member. If you read The Slate, you are reading a product produced by students who are trying to gain experience before becoming professionals in the real world. In my four years of being on The Slate, we have received the greatest support from the administration and students at SU, and for that, I am grateful. Without you, there would be nothing to write about. You, the reader, are the one creating the stories. I am looking forward to my final semester at SU and I cannot wait to see what occurs. Whatever “Ship happens” The Slate staff will be here — ready to write.
The Slate gets a new look Harpster welcomes
students back to SU
Laura Kreiser
George “Jody” Harpster
Managing Editor Changes come with the beginning of each school year. Whether that is in the form of new students, new roads or even new phone charging stations, there are more new things than there are not, it seems. The Slate is no exception. We have several changes to the paper this year that we are happy to share with students. For returning students, one of the biggest changes that you will notice is the order of the sections. Instead of News, Opinion, Ship Life, Arts and Entertainment, with Sports as an insert, the order will now be News, Ship Life, Sports, Opinion, then Arts and Entertainment, with no insert. While this may be a bit confusing at first, this gives us the opportunity to bring readers more pages with color in different sections. Returning students may also notice the new papers are smaller this year. Granted, it is only about an inch shorter, it is still enough of a difference for students to notice. So if you think the paper seems smaller, you are not crazy. This will make it easier to carry the
SU President
Photo by Joey Ketchem
Laura Kreiser, Managing Editor paper around, and make it even more convenient for students to pick up. But if you are a first year student, the changes do not really affect you, but we are glad you have picked up the paper and are already starting to inform yourself about life on campus. Whether you are a first year or a returning student, we hope that you keep picking up The Slate and going to our website, theslateonline.com, to stay informed. And from everyone at The Slate, we hope you have a safe and productive year, filled with new and exciting adventures.
Welcome to the 2016-17 academic year. Whether you are a new student just joining the Ship family or a returning student who is looking forward to graduating, I hope you are as excited about the beginning of the new year as I am. As we start the university’s 145th year, it should be yet another step in our continual evolution as a university that combines our historical successes with a future of promise and high expectations. Your successes will begin with academic programming that is recognized nationally for its excellence and its value. You will learn from outstanding faculty members, who are not only very talented scholars and researchers, but whose primary focus is teaching you. Their efforts on your behalf will give you the tools you need to meet your goals. Throughout the year, many of your faculty will also provide you with opportunities for exciting and important service-learning projects. Such projects are an integral part of learning about yourself and
offering valuable services to many worthwhile community groups and organizations. The chance to volunteer for on-campus and offcampus projects is also available during the coming year. I encourage you to find and join in such a project. In addition to volunteer projects, the university offers a wide array of programming ranging from internationallyknown speakers to musical p e r f o r m a n c e s . George “Jody” These are designed Harpster, to offer you new SU President perspectives and allow you to grow personally. As is tradition, I will have regular meetings in the residence halls and elsewhere on campus. These meetings are your opportunity to talk with me, ask questions and, I hope, share suggestions to make Ship an even better university. I look forward to talking with you this year and wish you the best for this new academic year.
Ship Life
Slate
slate.shiplife@gmail.com
August 30, 2016
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Shippensburg holds its 36th annual Corn Festival SARAH LECHER Staff Writer
Thousands of visitors filled King Street on Saturday at one of Shippensburg’s most iconic events — Corn Festival. Many locals and Shippensburg University students helped with or attended the festival. As for the vendors, they were thrilled with the turnout. Cheryl Glaser, who runs the Best Gift Idea Ever, was extremely excited to be participating in the festival this year. “It is my first year participating in the corn festival, but I would come back,” Glaser said. Glaser is a retired principal of a kindergarten through eighth (K-8) grade school and was looking for something to do when she had found her word art. Glaser uses unique objects that resemble letters and turns words into art. Swirladelic, a form of water painting, returned for the fourth time to Shippensburg’s Corn Festival. A few years ago, TJ Smith was asked by his neighbor to help him
create a way to use water to paint on silk scarves. Now, the duo travels around to festivals, wineries and private parties to let guests paint their own scarves. April Motsinger, who is from Florida, said she had never seen anything like painting your own scarf. She loved the Corn Festival and would absolutely come back. SU students were just as excited about the Corn Festival as the vendors. Senior Michelle Crosby said the Corn Festival is a “great thing that brings everyone together in Shippensburg and a great way to start the semester off.” Angela Mason, who is a senior and a member of the Orientation Team, also felt the same way about the Corn Festival. “It’s a wonderful way to get new students off campus and into town,” Mason said. The Corn Festival was a success, as it is every year, drawing in various crowds and showing the local art and handmade crafts that are tediously created.
Photo by Miranda Ikeda
Shippensburg residents enjoy fresh lemonade on a hot summer day at the annual CornFest.
SU provides Welcome Rally for incoming freshmen
said, and when a student seems to while attitude is different. “Attitude is how you face a problearn it easily he interviews him or her to find out why. There are 10 be- lem,” he said. “Attitude is key.” News Editor The second and third questions haviors Ricardo said he found some were about thinking outside the box “We are the Raiders. Mighty, of his better students had. versus inside the box and the differmighty Raiders,” the Shippensburg ence between wanting to learn and University Orientation Team chantneeding to learn. ed to a couple hundred first-year “Feeling uncomfortable is “Feeling uncomfortable is part students just waking up for another part of learning. Anyone of learning,” he said. “Anyone can day of Welcome Week. can learn, but you have to learn, but you have to want to.” The new students gathered in the want to.” After getting several volunteers H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Cenon stage, Ricardo gave them keys ter on Friday for the Welcome Rally, –José Ricardo Osorio that could open one of three boxes. which was led by José Ricardo OsoThe boxes contained prizes such as rio, chair of SU’s modern languages During the Welcome Rally he snacks or gift cards. department. Ricardo presented a One student was chosen to get a game to students where they could asked for volunteers to come on win prizes while learning some tips stage one-by-one to read a question prize, with a condition, which served about how to approach their first se- to the audience that related to the as a final piece of wisdom to stuthree most important behaviors Ri- dents. mester at SU. The student received an envelope “One in three students that come cardo observed. The first one asked what the dif- with $100 in it and had to split it to college in their first semester do not make it to the next semester,” ference between attitude and apti- up among other students whom she thought needed it. Once she did that Ricardo said, before diving into tude is. Ricardo gave the new students she could enjoy her own prize of gift Photo by Troy Okum an anecdote about students in his a chance to discuss it and then ex- cards. Read the full story at www. Spanish classes. Students participate on stage in the roommate challenge Languages are hard to learn, he plained IQ has to do with aptitude theslateonline.com
Troy Okum
with modern language professor José Ricardo Osoro.
Ship Life
Slate
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August 30, 2016
Students gain a head start in college through MLK program Yvette Betancourt Ship Life Editor
As first-year and transfer students trickled onto Shippensburg University’s campus for move-in on Wednesday, students of the Martin Luther King (MLK) Academic Retention Program were finishing up the last of their workshops of their three-day early orientation. The MLK Academic Retention program is a peer-mentoring program that targets students of color, first-generation college students and students with a high economic need. Students who join the program are paired with a mentor, who is an upperclassman. These mentors are also called FRIENDs, an acronym for furthering relationships in every new direction. Mentors provide support for their students in the transition from high school to college. They give a listening ear when needed, words of encouragement and support, tutoring help if possible and academic resources to aid in the success of their students. “I want to know I can go to the mentors with anything and they will lead me in the right direction,” freshman Karina Padilla said. Although beneficial in multiple ways, mentors acknowledge the possible challenges they may face. Sarah Lecher, a first-year mentor, is concerned about first-year students adjusting. “I believe the biggest challenge for the program and its students is that they have to adjust to not being home and sometimes a mentor just can’t solve homesickness,” Lecher said. MLK mentors all agree the best thing they can provide for their mentees is support and compassion and hope they can ease some of
the difficulties college may bring. Gwendolyn Durham, a professor in SU’s education department, is the coordinator for the program. Early orientation began on Sunday, Aug. 21, with students briefly meeting their mentors and moving into their dorms with their families. Later, students had lunch with their families, mentors, Durham and Sarah Stokely, Dean of Academic Engagement and Student Support. After a short and encouraging speech from the mentors, students separated from their families to begin building their connections. Mentors sat with their mentees, played icebreakers as a group and got to know one another. Students then reconnected with their families later in the afternoon to settle into their residence halls and say their goodbyes as they prepared for an eventful week. Throughout early orientation, students sat through workshops about financial aid, proper classroom etiquette, library resources, drug and alcohol awareness, sexual consent and team building. “It was pretty cool,” freshman Jimmie Natee said. “ I felt like it really helped me kind of get a head start before everybody else.” Sonya Coleman, a senior and third-year mentor of the program has high hopes for this year’s group of freshmen. “It is proven that the program works and keeps more first generation students in college,” Coleman said. “That is all we want as mentors and as peers — to see the students strive, work hard and get their degree so that in four years we can watch them get their diploma. It’s such a good feeling when you see a mentee from previous years still walking the quad because you know you had some impact on their time here at Ship and hopefully made them stay and work as hard as they can.”
Photos by Yvette Betancourt
MLK mentees work together during team building exercises, learning to communicate with each other, build trust and positive budgeting habits.
Photo by Laura Kreiser
Students gather to make crafts for non-profit organizations in need.
Students give back through crafts Laura Kreiser
Managing Editor As first-year students looked through the list of events to attend, many decided the Career and Community Engagement Center’s (CCEC) Craft for a Cause was worth attending. On the first Saturday for new students, several filled the multipurpose room of the Ceddia Union Building to make crafts for non-profit organizations around the area. The crafts included making scarves, blankets, chew toys for pets, cards for veterans as well as care packages for several different organizations. This is the second year the CCEC has held Craft for a Cause, Victoria Kerr Buchbauer, director of the CCEC, said. Buchbauer could be seen hopping between the different stations, making sure students understood how to do the different crafts and ensuring each station had enough supplies. Buchbauer said she was the person who spearheaded the event last year, saying it was important for the students to give back to the community. “Everyone loves crafting and giving back.” Buchbauer said. Buchbauer said they made sure to ask the organizations what they needed, basing all crafts off of the different organizations’ needs. Javita Thompson, assistant director for community engagement, said students need to get engaged in the community and that the CCEC was “excited” about the event. Virginia Schaffer, a volunteer and member of the community, said she is “a townie and mother of a [Shippensburg University] graduate.” Schaffer said that she donated old fleece she was not using last year and the CCEC invited her to come back.
Schaffer also said she made pies for her church for CornFest, but decided to help with Craft for a Cause because “this is more fun.” Geoffrey and Linda Taylor, along with Sandie Mervine and Marie Stimson, were alumni who returned to help out with the event. Buchbauer said the CCEC reached out to Alumni Affairs to see if any alumni would be interested in helping with the event. The Taylors said they met in Shippensburg through mutual friends and Geoffrey said “the rest is history.” Mervine and Stimson said they like to volunteer and the event “sounded fun.” Mervine also said that it was “wonderful” to see the students coming together to make crafts for organizations in need. One of the organizations the students were helping was Downtown Daily Bread, a soup kitchen located in Harrisburg. Cayla Salmon, a graduate assistant for the CCEC, said she has volunteered there before and interned at another homeless shelter this summer. She called the experience “eye-opening” and it made her want to help out at the Downtown Daily Bread station even more. Sam Goven and Kadie Weaver, both part of the Orientation Team, said they wanted to be role models at events like this. “[We want to] show new students helping can be fun and Ship cares,” Weaver said. Olivia Pieklo and Alison Miller, both firstyear students, said they enjoyed having the opportunity to craft and help the community. The organizations served were Downtown Daily Bread, Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter, Women in Need, Christ United Methodist Church Clothing Bank and Breakfast, Lebanon VA Medical Center and American Red Cross. There were 598 crafts made in total.
Ship Life
Slate
slate.shiplife@gmail.com
August 30, 2016
SU welcomes Class of 2020
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A mini survival guide for first-year students starting college Sofia Perzan
Asst. Ship Life Editor
Commentary College is an exciting and unique environment in which individuals can be whoever they want to be and do whatever they please. As students finally reach the end of their high school years and receive their diplomas, the next step for some is pursuing a college career. As a freshman, it is sometimes difficult to adjust to having to move away from home. For some, the transition may be easy, but for others, homesickness is not uncommon.
Shippensburg University welcomes its Class of 2020 this week with various welcome ceremonies and events. This is a great opportunity to interact and meet others. Being a new student and not knowing the ropes around a university can be a pretty challenging situation. For some it can be difficult to try and make friends, especially if a student tends to lean more on the shy side. Joining clubs is often considered one of the easiest ways to make friends through a shared interest. There is a large number of opportunities to make friends who also have the same hobbies and interests as you. To join a club, students can attend the student fairs that allow
you to converse with club leaders and sign up. All throughout campus there are bulletin boards with plenty of advertisements which usually have information attached about locations and times to meet. “It is all about networking,” junior Devin Fisher advises first-year students. “Go out and get to know people on a personal level. You never know who you are going to meet.” Another piece of advice would be to enjoy the free things handed to you. College is expensive, and as students, we live on a budget. Take whatever you are offered. There are always advertisers and clubs giving away free items outside
the Ceddia Union Building and in the quad. If a student is interested in sports and is not part of a varsity team’s roster, they can join a club team. There are plenty of sports ranging from soccer to basketball and many others. Another tip would be if a student is ever feeling homesick, they should not trap themselves alone. There are counselors at the counseling center and other students are going through the same thing. Being away from home is a new experience and it can be tough being without family and guidance. Use all the helpful resources offered on campus. Keeping busy is another remedy
for homesickness. Keeping busy is a way to keep the mind off missing home or missing people. The adjustment is tough, but keep pushing through. Victoria Bremer enters her last year at SU and advises first-year students, “Make the most of every opportunity that you have to get involved at Ship. Cherish the time you have here because it goes fast.” The main thing students often forget is to just have fun. College is supposed to be the best four years of your life. Make the best of it, make new friends and make memories that will be remembered for the rest of your life.
Students prepare for a new semester, new memories Natalie Eastwood Staff Writer
It is the same campus but with new people. It is reused pens and old, half-scribbled notebooks. It is a stack of textbooks that may or may not get read. It is the adventure that has not yet unfolded; the late nights that will surely pile up like fried food stacked onto Reisner plates. It is the final exam; it is the final year for many; it is the final first college semester for others. But mostly — it is the beginning of a fall semester at Shippensburg University, one that will be unlike any other simply because no two could ever be the same. For freshman Ryan Nych, and probably many others, this semester is a vital transition that will lead to new friends, a broader social life and a jump-start to a future career. Nych prepared for Monday classes on Saturday by walking through his schedule to help ease his anxiety. However, since he had previously attended a community college for about a semester, it is not really the class load that has Nych nervous, but simply trying to make friends, he said.
In high school, Nych said that he struggled socially, but now that he is in college, things will be different. “It’s a clean slate,” Nych said. His high school identity has been forgotten, so this is his time to start over as anyone he wants to be. The events and programs at SU have been a great way to help him socialize, Nych said. So far he has made a few friends and is looking forward to additional opportunities to make more. “I just want to really further myself and my career path and hopefully find life-long friends,” Nych said. Another freshman, Richard Perez, also sees college as a new beginning, but for him he said that it feels like the accomplishments and status that he earned as a senior in high school have been wiped away — now he is back at the bottom with a lot of work to do to get back to the top. In high school, he knew everyone, was very involved, helped teachers and the principal and had a great group of friends who thought he was cool, Perez said. Now, he is a freshman again, which is where he started four years ago. “I have to keep even 50-50 if I want equal academic and equal college
life. This time management is a big thing,” Perez said. Junior Lizzie Manickas, a chemistry major with a biology-chemistry concentration as well as a cross-country and track-and-field athlete — knows a little bit about time management. “I’m just trying to balance bio-chemistry, cell bio, physics chemistry I and cross [country]. And I want to make sure I can do the best at all of that because I’m a little bit of a perfectionist. I’m just worried about trying to balance it all,” Manickas said. Even when Manickas is trying to relax, she said that it is difficult to completely unwind, but usually listening to music or hanging out with friends helps. Despite the workload, her major classes and her cross country season are what she is looking forward to most this semester, she said. Senior Samantha Balaguer is not too worried about her class load after four years of practice. She will be bee-bopping to Zumba beats as she shimmies her hips with drumming feet. The Zumba classes, which are offered at the Rec Center, are one of
things she is most looking forward to this fall semester. “They are lots of fun. Really sweaty though,” Balaguer said. Other than that, her main goal for the semester is to get more than 30 members to join the political science club. And although she will be graduating in May, that reality has not quite set in yet. “I’m just trying to get through this one semester at a time,” Balaguer said. This upcoming semester may not hold as many unforeseen treasures for Balaguer as it does for novice freshmen clutching their scribbled schedules, and it may not be as stressful as it is for students armpit-deep in their major classes — but it is the beginning of an end, and that in itself is sweeter than a soft mango stuck between teeth.
Photo by Natalie Eastwood
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Senior Samantha Balaguer, enjoys the weather before tackling her final year at SU.
Slate The
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania William Whisler, Sports Editor / Blair Garrett, Asst. Sports Editor
Bob Murray, Asst. Sports Editor
August 30, 2016
Sports
Field hockey begins with high hopes, heavy hearts William Whisler Sports Editor
The 2016 Shippensburg University field hockey team has enjoyed a ton of success in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) in recent years, reaching the PSAC Tournament in each of the last 15 years. The team was picked fourth in the PSAC Preseason Field Hockey Coaches Poll. The 2016 squad, however, will start the season after an emotional offseason. On June 18, the team lost a member of the SU field hockey family. Amanda Strous, a former student-athlete and assistant field hockey coach, was killed in her Charlotte, North Carolina, apart-
ment. Strous was 27 and engaged to be married July 30. “Amanda Strous lived, breathed and experienced Ship field hockey as a player and assistant coach. She had a passion for the game, which drove her to excel on and off the field, and a love for her teammates, players and coaches which will live on forever in each of us,” SU field hockey coach Bertie Landes said. This season, the team is motivated to play hard in honor of their former teammate and assistant coach. “Our season is dedicated to her favorite saying, ‘Live, Laugh, Love,’” Landes said. “The 2016 squad is committed to leaving a legacy of love, laughter and a commitment to excellence that Amanda Strous showed us through her short life.” A National Field Hockey Coaches
Association Hall-of-Fame member, Landes leads SU in her 18th season at the helm of SU field hockey. Landes has the most wins among all active Division II field hockey coaches with 466 wins, 282 of which occured at SU. In 2013, Landes coached the team to national championship. This season, Landes expects more of the same. “Our expectations are to win the PSAC Conference Championship and participate in the NCAA Division II Championship,” Landes said. To accomplish that, coach Landes knows there will be adversity. Last season, the team posted a 13-5 record and reached the quarterfinals of the PSAC Tournament before falling to rival Bloomsburg University 3-2 in overtime. The squad, however, was not
pleased with the quarterfinal loss. “We were not satisfied with just making it to the quarterfinals,” Landes said. “This season our desire is to make it all the way to the final game and win our second PSAC Championship in field hockey.” The 2016 roster is full of experienced individuals, despite losing goalkeeper Taylor Webster, midfielder Molly Stuart and Ari Saytar to graduation. The 2016 roster features five seniors. “Always when you graduate three seniors you lose their experience and maturity, but our current juniors and seniors are prepared to fill their shoes with a renewed effort and passion for the game,” Landes said. “I believe the key is our five seniors determined to lead this game on and off the field by their work
ethic, determination, passion for the game and their care and concern for each player.” Those five seniors include Taylor Fisher, Katelyn Grazan, Suzanne Muller, Cassie Rawa and Miranda Wallace. The seniors on the team have tasted success, being a part of the 2013 National Championship run. The program believes they have the ability to return with hard work to allow the team to reach its full potential. SU field hockey will open its season Sept. 1 at Messiah College. The team’s first home game is set for Sept. 10 against PSAC foe Mansfield University.
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C2 Sports Raiders shoot for PSAC title
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August 30, 2016
Photos by William Whisler
The 2016 Red Raider football team looks to build on last year’s eight-win campaign. The team opens the season at American International University Sept. 3
William Whisler Sports Editor
With spring practices a thing of the past, the Shippensburg University football team has come into the 2016 fall camp with energy and determination to improve on last year’s 8-3 campaign. The Red Raiders were picked second in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Coaches Preseason Poll, trailing only West Chester University. “It’s gone well and the effort is there,” SU head coach Mark “Mac” Maciejewski said. “They have worked and battled through the heat and it’s been pretty hot but we haven’t lowered our expectations of the workload or anything like that, so we’re going right after it like any other summer camp.” This season, the team will return 16 starters from last year’s squad, with nine of them on the defensive side of the ball. The team also returns starting quarterback Ryan Zapoticky, along with sophomore Richard Nase, who broke the school’s single-season sack record that was previously owned by Phil-
adelphia Soul star Jake Metz. “On paper, everything is good. You have to transfer all of that hard work and dedication onto the field and you have to play. Every play is going to be a difference maker on our side,” Maciejewski said. “We have a lot of potential,” Maciejewski said. “I tell the team that every day; you have a lot of potential, on paper. Until you go and apply that on the field, at practice and in the weight room knowing the schemes as far as offense and defense, you have to put that time in to be different,” Maciejewski said. “Our expectation as a team is a championship. We go out there every day trying to achieve that goal and we all know it starts one game at a time,” Zapoticky said. “We have the end goal in mind and we just need to take it day-by-day.” “My expectations are for us to play hard, physical football for 60 minutes and to be disciplined in what we do and to have the passion and the pride to play this great game,” Maciejewski said. The team will look to Zapoticky in his second season under center for leadership and consistent play. Last season Zapoticky threw for 2,345 yards and 27 touchdowns. He also
tallied a school record 561 rushing yards by a quarterback as well as five touchdowns on the ground. “I just want to be able to make better decisions. The game slows down as you get more experience and the guys around me do a great job of helping out,” Zapoticky said. “The offensive line has done wonders and they help slow the game down for me and the communication with them and the receivers is great.” Defensively, the team is looking for another productive year out of Nase, who is poised to better himself and challenge his own sack record. Maciejewski reminds Nase that it is a new season, however. “The first thing [he needs to do] is quit reading press releases from last year, because it’s over. It’s back to ground zero and he has to prove himself again this season just like every other player on the team so expectations are high for everyone, including Richard Nase,” Maciejewski said. “One thing he has is that he gives 100 percent effort,” coach Maciejewski said. “He’s got a great motor on him and he’s going to go hard every play. You can count on Richard going hard every single play that he’s in there
and that’s the special part of it.” Along with the team growing on the field, the team is also growing as a family. On Aug. 19, the team accompanied Maciejewski to Grace B. Luhrs Elementary School on campus, for his children’s first day of school. “First off, it was great to see their first day of school. That was a great thing for me as being daddy, and as a coach, my players volunteered to come with me,” Maciejewski said. “I was going to leave the meeting 10 minutes early and they are the ones who volunteered to come over. I didn’t make them do that, they wanted to and it not only made my kids smile, it made a lot of other kids smile as well.” The next win for the SU football program will be No. 500 in its history. “Five hundred is a big number so it’s cool to be the head coach. It doesn’t have a lot of meaning to us as the 2016 Red Raiders, but it does mean a lot to the alumni, players and people who have contributed to that number,” Maciejewski said. The team will open its season on the road at American International College Sept. 3.
SU quarterback Ryan Zapoticky prepares for his second season at the helm of the extremely high scoring Red Raider offense.
C3 Sports Volleyball looks to dominate conference Slate
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August 30, 2016
Photo courtesy of Bill Smith
The 2016 Shippensburg University seniors pose in front of Old Main with their 2015 championship rings. Last year, the team won its first ever PSAC title.
Cat Amoriello Copy Editor
The Shippensburg University volleyball team is coming into the 2016 season with some fresh new faces and high expectations. After winning the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship last season, the Lady Raiders are more than ready to jump back onto the court and defend their title. Although the PSAC playoffs do not take place until November, the anticipated championship match sits in the back of the players’ and coaches’ minds as they prepare for, hopefully, another successful season. SU’s head volleyball coach, Leanne Piscotty, is not as concerned about the championship as she is about the hard work the team must put in to reach that goal at the end of the season. “I think our goal is to always win a conference championship. I don’t expect it because it’s not an easy thing to do. What I expect is that we focus on getting better every single day and we control the things that we can control,” Piscotty said. For Piscotty, short-term goals are just as important as the long-term
goal of earning another conference title. Piscotty believes focusing on one match at a time will bring the team its desired success. “I expect to go into every match with the intention to win the match because we can beat any team in the conference. The hard part is making that happen every time we hit the floor.” Piscotty mentioned other factors that go into being successful on the court, such as physical health and emotional strength. “In any season, it’s crucial to stay healthy,” Piscotty said. “The standing goal for our entire season is to make sure we’re getting better every day and to be in control of our emotions. We want to be that resilient team where we’re not showing frustration and we’re able to let go of errors and maintain focus for the very next play.” After a victorious 2015 season, one would think there would be more pressure on both the coaches and the players to live up to expectations of being just as good or even better than last year, but Piscotty points out that the pressure to perform is always on athletes. “I think there’s immense pressure every time we take the floor…we
have mountains to climb in our journey to get to the end of the season,” Piscotty said. Piscotty is hoping to fill the roles of graduated seniors Laura Plank (defensive specialist), Faith Athey and Taylor Gotshall (blockers) who all played crucial roles in the team’s success on the court last season. “Certainly we’re going to miss stellar performances from all three of them. We’re really going to miss their [Athey and Gotshall] abilities with blocking, and Plank’s innate ability to read behind that blocking duo,” Piscotty said. Although three seniors were lost, the team actually grew in size with the addition of eight new freshmen, bringing the team roster up to 20 players. “We have eight newcomers, they are all freshmen and they are all very competitive,” Piscotty said of the new arrivals. Piscotty named freshmen Kendall Johnson, Gabby Johnson and Samantha Webber as being especially competitive for the two open middle positions, as well as freshmen Megan Forstburg, Grace Ramacciotti and Faith Loehle who are looking to fill a spot in the back row for defense.
With a big group of freshmen joining the team, the returning players must learn how to play with their new teammates and the freshmen must learn the speed of the game at a collegiate level. Junior right side hitter Courtney Malott is assured that with the current SU volleyball culture, positive attitudes and good work ethic will be cultivated in the newcomers. “At Shippensburg, it starts with our coaching staff. They set the tone and demand a high level of play from us and an even higher level of team atmosphere because they know we’re capable of it,” Malott said. “That expectation is followed and applied by the upperclassman to encourage and help guide the underclassmen until it becomes their responsibility when they progress to upperclassmen.” Malott is looking to assist the new players any way she can to ensure the team’s success as a whole. “For new teammates to our program, it is important for them to understand our offensive and defensive game. It may be completely different from what they were used to playing before they came to Shippensburg,” Malott said. “Personally, my goal is to help them in whatever aspect
they’re struggling with and talk it out with the hopes that they’ll understand and be able to apply the new information.” Senior setter Maura Nolan also recognizes the importance of leadership and guiding the younger players towards success. “I am big on leading by example. Words can sometimes be overused and empty. If you are only telling people to work harder or hold each other accountable, nothing will get done,” Nolan said. “Having a leading role, it is important to constantly be working hard so the younger players can follow suit.” This will be Nolan’s fourth and final year leading SU’s offense. Although she is sad her volleyball career is coming to an end, she is still excited at the prospect of yet another season. “I’m looking forward to our home games, as well as making my last season one to remember,” Nolan said. SU is ranked second behind the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in the preseason rankings for the PSAC. The Lady Raiders will kick off their season on Friday, Sept. 2, by hosting the Raider Classic Tournament.
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August 30, 2016
C4
SU soccer starts Men’s cross country pushes to end season on podium William Whisler Sports Editor
Photo courtesy of Bill Smith
SU soccer opens the year Thursday at David See Field at SU.
Blair Garrett
Asst. Sports Editor The SU women’s soccer team will kick off the season ranked No. 7 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). Last season, the Raiders improved tremendously, recording four more wins than the previous year. If that trend continues into this upcoming season, the women will once again find themselves with a trip to the PSAC playoffs. SU’s run was cut short last season in a heartbreaking double-overtime loss to Slippery Rock University in the PSAC quarterfinals. The top eight teams of the 17-team conference will have a shot at the title. The Raiders will head into the season with six seniors sprinkled throughout the lineup. Seniors Stephanie Allshouse and Casey Rightmyer are team captains. Rightmyer has confidence that this year’s group will have a talented core this season. “Coming from the first scrimmage, we won 3-0, and there was so much energy. The chemistry with this team already is phenomenal, and I just think it’s going to make for a really great season,” Rightmyer told SU Sports Information. Head coach Rob Fulton has
served 11 years at the helm of the team, with his team qualifying for the PSAC playoffs two out of the last three years. However, the goal this season is not just qualifying, but winning the tournament, a feat that no Shippensburg women’s team has accomplished yet. “I think the ceiling of potential is very high. I think the expectations are high, but what we talk about on a daily basis is that process of improvement day-to-day and let the results take care of themselves,” Fulton told SU Sports Information. The Raiders won nine PSAC games last season, the second highest number any SU women’s team has won in its history. SU will take on California University of Pennsylvania on Sept. 1. California faltered last year but has won two PSAC championships in the past five years, so a high level of play is to still be expected. The matchup will be SU’s first home game. The waters will be rocky early on in the season as the Raiders take on the PSAC defending champion East Stroudsburg University Saturday, Sept. 3. Two PSAC wins to kick off the season could be just what SU needs to take a run at the top seed in the conference.
Last season, the Shippensburg University men’s cross-country team finished second in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and earned the opportunity to compete in the NCAA Division II Championships. In 2015, the team finished in fifth place, just 11 points shy of a spot on the podium. The team is focused and determined to earn a spot on that podium come season’s end. “We expect to be very competitive for the team championships at the PSAC and NCAA Regional meets and to also be battling for a spot on the podium at the NCAA meet,” SU cross-country coach Steve Spence said. Even though the team fell just short of the podium, the team earned valuable experience at the meet and is poised to return. “It was an eye opener to them,” Spence said.
“After a few years finishing in the 20s at the NCAA meet, they now believe they are one of the top teams in the country. They need to believe in themselves, their teammates and the plan that I have devised for them.’’ For SU, the goal of reaching the podium at the NCAA Division II Championships is an extremely lofty goal. The bar has been set high by last year’s squad, and for good reason. The team will return six of its top seven runners and all of those runners earned All-Conference and All-Region status in 2015. The team was also picked first in the 2016 PSAC Cross Country Coaches Poll. Last season for the Raiders, Kieran Sutton finished in secondplace at the NCAA Regional, before improving his time during the track season. This season, Sutton has the potential to be one of the top runners in Division II. Along with Sutton, Alex Balla, Braden Bruning, Calvin Conrad-
Kline, Cole Nissley and the 2015 PSAC Rookie of the Year Dominic Stroh are all ready to have breakout seasons. With the season coming up, some of the meets the team looks forward to competing at are the Paul Short meet at Lehigh University, before trying to accomplish a strong finish at the PSAC meet. The team will then look to finish strong at the Atlantic Regional meet to run at the NCAA Championship meet. For SU, the sky is the limit for what the 2016 squad is capable of accomplishing. The team is determined and led by a former Olympian in Spence, who knows what it takes to keep his team focused and help them reach whatever goals they set. The squad will start its season under the lights at SU Sept. 2 in the Galen Piper Alumni Open/Cross Country Challenge.
Photo by Cat Amoriello
Cole Nissley (19) is poised for a breakout cross country year with Shippensburg University.
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August 30, 2016
Most favored Olympic sports of the summer 2016 games Missy Langdon Opinion Editor
As we all know, the 2016 Olympic Games took place this summer in Rio De Janerio, Brazil. Of course, everyone had his or her favorite sport to watch, whether it was a mainstream sport or something less popular, like water polo. According to www.thetoptens.com, these were the Top 10 most watched sports of the 2016 Summer Olympics, starting with No. 1. Gymnastics. We can assume that this was the most watched sport because of an extremely talented young woman by the name of Simon Biles. At only 19 years old, Biles has achieved such great success. Track and Field. Another household name can take the credit for making this second on the list of most watched sports — Usain Bolt. With 2016 being his last year competing in the Olympic Games, it was a thrill to watch the athlete put on
such a show for everyone. His energy and positive spirit is something for all young athletes to look up to. Swimming. Michael Phelps killed it yet again this year. Even those who do not understand swimming, or do not usually watch the sport, will go out of their way to watch Phelps swim. He is an amazing athlete with such immense talent. It is hard not to get sucked into watching when you know he is going to be on TV. Beach volleyball. This sport is one that is just too intense to turn off once it is on. If you watch a couple seconds, most likely you are going to watch the whole match. With only two players on the sand, the game becomes fast paced and super intense. Basketball. Of course, this is an American favorite. It is one of those sports that most people can just sit down and enjoy any day of the week, so of course it is even more fun to watch the athletes representing our country. Weightlifting. This makes the Top 10 simply because it puts people
in shock seeing how much weight one human being can pick up and then put back down. The utter strength and determination it takes for these individuals to compete is something to truly be admired. Soccer. Viewers not only tune in to watch the United States play, but other countries as well. Soccer is very popular in other countries, and it is fun to watch so many great athletes compete. Indoor volleyball. Although not quite as intense as beach volleyball, it is still fun to watch. Played with a full team of six players on the court, I think people enjoy watching indoor volleyball because it is cool to see how good someone can be at a sport that the rest of the population casually plays in the backyard. Tennis. Serena Williams. That is all that truly needs to be said about tennis. She has to be one of the best female athletes that has ever competed in the Olympic Games. Cycling. This sport is interesting and watched a lot just because it is different from most of the oth-
Photo courtesy of Pixabay user diema
Fans proved their favoritism for these 10 sports, according to ratings taken during the 2016 summer Olympic games. er Olympic sports. It is super cool to sport that we do not think about very see the dedication people put into a often.
Advice for new students of the fall 2016 school year Missy Langdon Opinion Editor
Everyone will tell you college is the best time of your life, and they are most certainly right. Currently in my sophomore year, I have so much more to experience throughout my college career, but I have already experienced so much and made tons of memories with many great people. There are many fears as you enter college as a first-year student, but those fears will soon subside and be filled with bliss and excitement to be starting the beginning of what will turn into your future career. I would just like to give some pieces of advice for you as you begin your Photo courtesy of Pixabay user condesign very first semester here at Shippensburg University. College can seem overwhelming at first, but new students of Do not stress out too much. It all Shippensburg University should feel at home and welcomed. seems so overwhelming at first, but
once the first week slows down and all of the orientation activities are finished, take time to walk around campus, meet people and see where everything is on your own. It is hard when you are on a schedule, and everything is so stressful, but that stops and then the fun begins. Never be afraid to ask people questions. That was one of my biggest fears when I started looking for classes and getting lost. I would never ask anyone for directions, but once you get the courage to finally talk to someone you might not know, you realize how welcoming most people on campus really are. Join clubs and organizations on campus. Whether it is Greek Life, a club or an intermural sport, or just a club that you find interesting, sign up. You will meet so many amazing people and you will make great
friendships. Not only that, but it really does fill some of the free-time you have. Even with a full schedule and studying for tests, there is a lot of extra time. Don’t waste it. Just have fun with your first year. Everything falls into place eventually, and once you start meeting people and getting involved on campus it will truly be a blast. Do not let it pass you by, though. I can attest to the fact that it really does fly by.
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D2
Exiting the summer state of mind Ciara Raffery Guest Writer
The leaves are starting to fall. You packed up your clothes and other belongings and moved back onto campus. Stores are rolling out their “Back to School” displays and classes are starting soon. Everywhere around you, the sad realization that summer is ending and school is beginning hits you. For some people, like myself, this is a bittersweet feeling. While I look forward to the new classes on my schedule and seeing my close friends again, I cannot help but shed a tear or two over the fact that summer, the beautiful weather, the freedom it brings from school and the time I get to spend at home is over. Though it is always somewhat of a challenge transitioning from summer to back to school, one must look at the upcoming academic year and the promises it will bring. Each fall, I have always thought, is kind of like the New Year. It is a fresh new start, and a clean slate. It means new classes, professors and possibly a new place on campus you will call home. You get the feeling of hope. An endless stream of opportunities, and yes, challenges, will be presented to you. Opportunities to step outside your comfort zone and join a club or two, opportunities to learn new things, and as corny as it may sound, make new friends. The challenges, of course, are not always the fun part, but they can sometimes be the best. As most of us are aware by now, all parts of life are filled with challenges, both big and small. You might find yourself in a class with a tough professor or material that makes you feel like you are in over your head. If you are having no trouble in the academic department, you may face a hardship or two in your personal life. Maybe you and your roommate are not the perfect match and just do not click. Or perhaps you are hitting a rough patch with a friend. The good thing with any of these scenarios is they all have solutions. When it comes to classes, make it a point to try and get more than three
hours of sleep at night and get to class on time. Try to be as organized as possible, maybe even get a planner you can use to remember special dates in class. Making friends with some of your classmates allows you to have someone that will share their notes with you on a day you miss and can help form study groups when it comes time for exams. Of course, if it is an especially difficult class, you and your fellow classmates might benefit from forming a support group to get you through it. There is always the Learning Center at the library, too. By pushing yourself and working hard you will find yourself being able to pass that “impossible” class and feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in doing so. If you and your roommate are havPhoto courtesy of Pixabay user Alexas_Fotos ing issues, try talking it out first, and if it seems as though it is just not It is a rough adjustment for students coming from the summer mentality, with little responsibilworking, consider talking to them ities and being able to do what they please to being bombarded with books and assignments. about possibly rooming with different people next semester. As for that friend you are having problems with, sometimes it just takes a good, long, face-to-face conversation with this person. In some cases, it may be best to just cut ties and move on. So as long as you are able to manage your time by making classes a top priority and you have a decent support system, including friends who act as both your confidant and therapist, everything will be just fine.
E1 A&E Luhrs Center prepares for top-notch year Slate
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August 30, 2016
Marissa Merkt A&E Editor
H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center is ready for a versatile 2016-2017 year filled with tribute bands, musicals and iLuminate dance shows. This year will launch off with American Idol sensation Scotty McCreery on Sept. 22 and an opening act from rising artist, Seth Alley. Following their act are two tribute bands, The Purple Xperience (Sept. 29) and ABBA The Concert (Oct. 7). Fall will wrap up with Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” musical (Oct. 12), TV game show: “The Price is Right” Live! (Oct. 14), Ballroom Dance Lessons (Oct. 24) and Shippensburg University Community Orchestra fall concert (Nov. 20). During the colder months, Luhrs
celebrates the season with festive, holiday music from Melissa Etheridge (Dec. 7), The Hit Men (Dec. 10) and The Lennon Sisters (Dec. 13). On Jan. 22, get ready for The Cat in the Hat to bring a “Seussical” of fun with his light-hearted lessons and rhymes. Then, on Feb. 8, “America’s Got Talent’s” illustrious iLuminate act will perform its dancing light show for the first time ever at Luhrs. At the turn of a new semester, Luhrs presents a free lecture from BD Wong from the H.O.P.E Scholarship program titled, “All the World’s a Stage: From Exclusion to Inclusion” (Feb. 23). Then the SU Band (Apr. 2) and Community Orchestra (Apr. 23) will showcase their talent in their annual spring concerts. Luhrs concludes the school year with “One Night of Queen” (Apr. 6), Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild Live! (Apr.
29) and “Pippin” (May 3). The Center will continue to have a handful of events in the summer, such as a Paul McCartney tribute on June 3, before starting all over again for the following year. Leslie Folmer Clinton, associate vice president for external affairs, university relations and marketing director at Luhrs Center, stresses the importance of bringing top-name entertainment to the SU campus at an affordable price. “Our 11th season brings a new lineup of incredible talent performing right here in southcentral PA — no need to travel to Baltimore or Philadelphia to see high-caliber entertainment, when you can experience it in comfort, surrounded by fantastic acoustics in the intimate setting of the Luhrs Center,” Clinton said.
Luhrs strives to present programs which educate, enlighten and entertain its guests through various art forms in their very own backyard. Much of Luhrs’ success is linked to the patrons who support it and viewers who attend. Several Luhrs acts are brought back time and time again due to their vast popularity. “Shows are selected based on their availability, cost and whether our patrons will purchase a ticket to see the show. Many times our patrons will recommend artists that they like or have seen and ask if we can bring them to the Luhrs Center,” Clinton said. To view Luhrs’ full schedule, or to purchase tickets, go to http://www. luhrscenter.com/. SU students receive a $5 discount off regular ticket prices with their student ID. Photo courtesy of Luhrs Center
‘Heart-warming’ thrash at Thought Lot Justin Lee
Multimedia Editor
Photo by Miranda Ikeda
Singer Stew Chandler lights up the stage on Saturday with his passion and appreciation at The Thought Lot’s concert.
On Saturday, local and regional metal acts stormed to Shippensburg’s Thought Lot to fill the studio building with thunderous guitar riffs, guttural growls and high-pitched screams. It is important to keep in mind that understanding what the singers are actually singing is ultimately irrelevant. Themes of death metal are almost always the same. They can range from mutilation to revenge, to war to brutality and so on. What matters is how the instruments sound and how much variety there is in a metal song’s structure. Also important is the song’s ability to literally move you; forcing you to thrust your body in enjoyment. On that note, it took quite a while for things to warm up, unfortunately. The first band, Age of the Locust, struggled to excite the audience and had problems with their equipment. The amplifiers were not responding to Dave Mandrake’s guitar and there were several instances of Locust quitting halfway through a song. The other issue was the band
lacked movement and an interest in what they were playing. Age of the Locust had an over-dependence on sluggish chords. Mixed with non-movement, the band fizzled the connection with the audience, despite how loud they were. In sharp contrast, DNA Through Ashes took a stage they know all too well. The group rocked The Thought Lot this spring and returned showing they learned some things over the summer. Dare it be said that they were better, tighter and excited the small audience that desperately needed to be amped up. Singer Stew Chandler showed a metal band doing things right. Chandler used the space of the small stage to his advantage, throwing himself into whatever he was singing about. It is safe to assume he was singing about death and annihilation, specifically in the song, “Annihilation.” But unlike the brutal lyrics, his gratitude was genuine. “It warms our hearts to be here,” Chandler said, as the band moved into another song about death. And the energy DNA Through Ashes created did not stop. Martinsburg, West Virginia, metal band Dysfigure was the main and
final event. The band took the incredible set up DNA Through Ashes gave, the loudness of Age of the Locust and took those elements to mold something impressive and memorable. In Dysfigure’s music, you will find influences of the great metal bands of the past, like Metallica, Slayer and Necrophagist. You will also find the amazing skills of lead guitarist Matthew Carr, the youngest member of the band. Carr’s technicality allowed the typical sludge chords found in death metal to show constant variety and energy. Given the breakneck speed and pace Dysfigure establishes in every song, it is more than refreshing to get different flavors of metal in a healthy blend. Additionally, Carr and singer Chris Fuqua often walked off stage to perform in the audience to give them an even closer look at their skills and precision. Dysfigure has toured throughout the East Coast, and if the band cannot break out to the rest of the nation, it will be a loss for metal lovers indeed.
A&E
Slate
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‘Suicide Squad’ leaves plot holes
Miranda Ikeda
Asst. Multimedia Editor
With the popularity of the squad on social media, “Suicide Squad” became the most-anticipated movie of the summer. It did well at the box office with a reported $600 million worldwide, but it did not meet all expectations. “Suicide Squad” is a live-action comic book movie based in the DC world that unites dangerous, incarcerated villains to create a team called Task Force X. These criminals are labeled by U.S. Intelligence as expendable, and are therefore forced to conduct covert assignments. Regarding complaints, Jared Leto informed fans that most of his scenes as the Joker did not make the final cut. By cutting these scenes and more, “Suicide Squad” contained random pitfalls and disconnect in both plot and action. It was also evident that certain
Molly Foster
Asst. A&E Editor
Photo courtesy of Gage Skidmore
members of the squad were developed more than others. Even though each member received a back story, Harley Quinn and Deadshot were vital to the movie and received more individual screen time. With such an amazing group of actors in this cast, the shortcomings of “Suicide Squad” can be focused on the editing and writing of this movie. For example, a member of the squad
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sacrifices their life because they are all “family,” yet it seemed like the squad members did not even like each other. Despite this, the effects used were next-level and helped to make up for the inadequacies of the movie. Though it did not meet all expectations, it was still worth watching and definitely sets the ground work for additional movies and spinoffs.
Carmike 7 Showtimes Showtimes for Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 30 and 31 at Carmike Cinema 7 in Chambersburg
Show
Time
1. Suicide Squad
7:25 p.m.
2. Sausage Party
7:40 p.m.
3. Ben-Hur 4. Don’t Breathe
7:20 p.m.
5. Kubo and the Two Strings
7:30 p.m.
6. War Dogs
7:10 p.m
7. Bad Moms
7:05 p.m.
7:20 p.m.
8. Don’t Let Me Down
The Chainsmokers ft. Daya
9. Can’t Stop The Feeling! Justin Timberlake
10. Send My Love (To Your New Lover) Adele
E2 Albom inspires ‘For One More Day’ August 30, 2016
Mitch Albom leaves his readers lingering on one simple, yet emotionally and mentally stirring question throughout the entirety of No. 1 New York Times Bestseller, “For One More Day” — what if you got it back? The main character, Charles “Chick” Benetto, delves deep into the high and low points of his irreconcilable life while pondering this powerful question. Growing up a self-proclaimed daddy’s boy, Benetto dedicated his life to his father’s pride and joy, baseball, in search of a sense of acceptance from his hard-hearted father. Benetto experienced both success and loss at a fairly young age, and both were rooted in baseball. Clinging onto baseball for dear life after his parents separated was what Benetto believed to be the only way to keep his dad from becoming a distant figure in his life. Following his father’s advice, and against his mother’s wishes, Benetto drops out of college to pursue a baseball career, eventually landing him an offer to play for a major league baseball team in the World Series. Benetto catches himself wedging a barrier between him and his family with every lie and sacrifice to keep the once barely burning father-son bond alive. Benetto comes to the realization that the priorities he once wrote on the top of his life list drove him away from all that really mattered, but he realizes this too late. Drowning in self-sorrow and guilt for suppressing those who truly loved him in order to chase a love that would never be, Benetto goes on a final journey to end his life. Rather than finding death, he stumbles upon a heaven-sent second chance to right his wrongs and obtain internal peace. Highlighting the life story of a man with a dying wish, Albom outdid himself by drawing up a character in such an earthly way that with ample soul searching and self-reflec-
tion, a bit of Benetto can be found in every reader. “For One More Day” was packed to the brim with life lessons on family, forgiveness and hope. Upon reading the final page of the book, it leaves you wanting to hug your mom and live your life as if you may never get this very moment back, because in all reality, you never will. Hope can be found around the corner of every page of this novel as readers learn through Benetto that all that is deemed broken must not stay that way forever, as it can indeed be fixed. What would you do differently if you received a second chance to go back in the past and right your wrongs? Albom gives each reader that chance with “For One More Day.”
Photo by Justin Lee
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