April/May 2019
Missions Club
The Last Flynn Files
Digital Media Marketing Major!
The Zephyrus
Chelsea Dziamba Contributing Editor With sunny warm weather coming quickly, you may be thinking ‘where can I get a nice cold and delicious dessert around here?’ Here are some awesome local frozen dessert shops to check out! 1. Sweet Ride Ice Cream: 542 Penn Ave, West Reading, PA (about 10 minutes from Alvernia) Sweet Ride Ice Cream theme is a classic ice cream parlor set in the ‘60s. The fun and warm atmosphere has dozens of delicious flavors to choose from. Some are seasonal such as the Girl Scout Cookie Sundaes that come in flavors like Thin Mint, Peanut Butter Patties, Caramel Delite, and S’mores.
They also have the flavors of vanilla, chocolate, black raspberry, peanut butter, mint chocolate chip, pistachio, pumpkin, strawberry, and more! There are also various sundaes and brownie sundaes to choose from. “I do like taking a sweet ride into West Reading to Sweet Ride,” Kyla DeMarte, local Berks County resident, said about the ice cream shop. “What is there not to love?” Sweet Ride Ice Cream is open all year around. They are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but their weekday and Sunday hours are noon to 8:30 p.m., and their Friday and Saturday hours are noon to 9:30 p.m. Prices fit well on a college student’s budget. A small ice cream is $3.75, a medium is $4.75, and a large is $5.75.
warm spring day. The outside seating area is a bonus with picnic benches and a small stream nearby. In the warmer months, you will often see ducks in the water. Ice cream can be served in dishes and a few cone flavors such as regular and sugar. Boehringer’s opening day for this season is Sunday, March 24. The shop is open six days a week, and is closed on Mondays. Their last day of the season is not known yet, so hurry and enjoy! The ice cream at Boehringer’s is also within a college student’s budget. Be sure to bring cash because they do not accept credit or debit cards. Highly recommended!
3. Yogo CRAZY: 2733 Papermill Rd #4, Wyomissing, PA (about 12 minutes from Alvernia) Yogo CRAZY is a local selfserve frozen yogurt shop that is very popular during the warm months. They have 16 flavors to choose from. There are non-dairy options for those who prefer them. Their flavors are always changing, but a list can be found on their Facebook page which is updated every Sunday. Yogo CRAZY also has a plethora of toppings to choose from. There is a dry topping wall where toppings like skittles, pretzels, sprinkles, coconut flakes, and more can be found. There is also a cold bar where toppings like whipped cream, fruits, bobas, and
Ryan Blew (left) and Kayla Piccone (right) enjoying their frozen yogurt creation at Yogo CRAZY!
Photo Courtesy of Chelsea Dziamba
THIS ISSUE
Screaming for Ice Cream (on a Budget)
Photo Courtesy of Chelsea Dziamba
what’s in
Volume 58 Issue 3
Sweet Ride Ice Cream shop is located in West Reading. The fun environment is a great place to enjoy a delicious dessert with friends or family!
Toppings are available, but are an added charge. 2. Boehringer’s Drive-In: 3160 N Reading Rd., Adamstown, PA (about 15 minutes from Alvernia)
Boehringer’s Drive-In has delicious hand-dipped ice cream that pleases all their customers. The rich flavors of the hard hand-dipped ice cream hit the spot on a
cookie dough are kept. “I really like that you can create your own dessert,” Jessica Suter, junior education major, said. “There are so many combinations that can be created. I also like that there are flavor options to choose from.” Yogo CRAZY is open all year around, but their times do vary depending on the season. During the winter months they close an hour later than they do in the summer. Their hours can be found on their website at http://www. yogocrazyfrozenyogurt.com/ The price varies depending on how many ounces of stuff is in your cup, so be cautious. For one ounce of yogurt it is $0.52 an ounce plus tax. While you might go crazy, going too crazy can add up. “The best strategy for a self-serve place is to load up on lighter toppings,” Dr. Ryan Lange, associate professor of communication, said. “This is also my strategy at buffets that charge by weight. Dry toppings are a better value because they contain less moisture than wet toppings.” 4. Cold Stone Creamery: 2747 Papermill Rd Ste 21A, Reading, PA (about 13 minutes away from Alvernia) Cold Stone Creamery has a few options to choose from when getting ice cream. They
have their regular signature creations like Golden Oreo, Somewhere Over The RainDough, Banana Caramel Crunch, Mud Pie Mojo, and more. A list of their signature creations can be found on their website at https://www. coldstonecreamery.com/ icecream/signaturecreations/ index.html. Cold Stone also has the option to create your own flavor by giving customers the option to mix any flavors they have together. Customization is a strength of the chain. Cold Stone Creamery is open all year around for their customers to enjoy. They are open seven days a week, but their weekday hours are noon to 9 p.m. while their weekend hours are noon to 10 p.m. Their prices are a little more on the expensive side. A size small is $5.00, a medium is $5.25, and a large is $5.75. Of course, there is always the option of Dairy Queen or Rita’s but going to explore new dessert places is way more fun and exciting! There are so many flavor options out there, so don’t be scared to taste them all. Maybe one of these places will become your new favorite place to get dessert!
2 April/May 2019
FLYNN FILES
Vol. 58 Issue 3
t h e alver nian Managing Editor Gwen Bauer Layout Gwen Bauer Section Editors Amy Dundon Chelsea Dziamba Khalil Eaddy Contributing Writers Ron Adams Sidney Goodman Juan Palacios Palmer Rodenhaber Faculty Advisor Dr. Ryan Lange
The Alvernian is the official student newspaper of Alvernia University. To contact newspaper staff, the office telephone number is 610-796-8358.
Articles submitted for consideration into The Alvernian should be written in some semblance of AP style. Letters to the editor, requests for advertisements, and general comments and questions may be submitted to ryan.lange@alvernia.edu. The editors reserve the right to edit submissions for clarity, accuracy, and length. The views expressed in The Alvernian are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the student body, faculty, staff, administration, or sponsors.
© 2019 The Alvernian
By the time this column appears, spring (or, perhaps, summer) will finally be here! Honors Convocation featured students profiled here and many others as well as offering the opportunity to honor some special faculty. So now we are rapidly moving through the “last hurrahs” of our soon-to-be graduates: Spring Fling, SGA Awards, Senior Athlete Dinner, Senior Leaders Dinner, to name but a few, and then Baccalaureate Mass and, finally, Commencement. After 14 years at Alvernia, I join other longtime faculty and staff who enjoy seeing students whom we care about deeply walk across the stage. Eleven states are represented in this graduating class. From North Carolina to Vermont, some graduates head home for employment or settle locally, fortunate to have good jobs that have come from internships, field placements, or faculty referrals. Before leaving, many of you will
hopefully seek out teachers, coaches, or other staff to thank those who took a special interest in you. From MargaritaVern to Graduation day, celebration is THE dominant emotion. We welcome our newest, proud alumni, confident that they are well prepared “To Do Well and To Do Good.” Here are just a few profiles of special graduates. They are scholars, leaders, differencemakers, one and all, who have excelled and made an impact in multiple ways. Shauna Redanauer was on stage a lot at the recent convocation! She received the O’Pake Undergraduate Fellowship in Leadership and the Spirit of St. Francis, Excellence in Service (300 hours), and Franciscan Peace and Justice Awards. Elizabeth Goida was also a multiple award winner. She received the Academic Excellence, Sr. Pacelli, and Excellence in Service (300 hours) Awards. Eric Moran, an honors
program member, was recognized as the Outstanding Humanities Student and with High Achievement Award in Theology. Here’s a shout-out to two other Honors Program graduates: Marisa Schutz (High Achievement in Political Science) and Megan Vane (The Jennie Palkon Award in Nursing). The Alvernia ScholarAthlete Award Winners are Anne Rose (OT major and Women’s Soccer) and Matt Junio (AT major and Cross Country/Track & Field). Junior Emma Beamesderfer was named the First Team All-MAC Commonwealth Field Hockey Goalie and Academic AllMAC. Junior Erica Groves was also First Team All-MAC Commonwealth and earned Second Team All-Region recognition as the Golden Wolves Field Hockey team qualified for their 10th straight ECAC Tournament
appearance. Freshman Malcolm Carey was Alvernia’s first AllConference Football player. He was named a First Team All-MAC running back and honorable mention in the ECAC, after finishing second in the MAC in rushing and fourth in touchdowns. He also scored the winning touchdown in that memorable opening win! Freshman Malik Green was top 10 in the MAC Commonwealth in scoring and was named the Men’s Basketball Rookie of the Year. Sophomore Suzanna Pirollo won the MAC Indoor Pentathlon; she broke the Alvernia record and earned All-Region recognition. We have many new doctors and proud master’s graduates! Thirteen earned Ph.D.’s: Allison A. Austin (Educational Leadership), Crystal I. Edwards (Community Leadership), Timothy P. Fox (Corporate Leadership), Rachel R. Gifford
(Corporate Leadership), Jay R. Harf (Corporate Leadership), Brian A. Petersen (Corporate Leadership), Michael L. Saylor (Educational Leadership), James Eric Siburt (Educational Leadership), Curtis R. Stevens (Community Leadership), Esther Abigail Wells (Community Leadership), Deborah L. Williamson (Educational Leadership), Gerald P. Witmer Jr. (Educational Leadership), Thomas G. Wyatt (Educational Leadership). The second cohort of Reading Collegiate Scholars has six graduates marching in May (with two others graduating next year). Elizabeth Beltran, Jehoiaquim Hernandez Hernandez, Becky Jones, Lucero Orozco, Lexus Rosado, Sarah Verneret, like other Reading scholars, are varsity athletes, honor society students, residence hall advisers, with several serving in our South Reading Youth Initiative and as mentors in our “college readiness” program at Reading High School. Servant-leaders abound at
Alvernia. Hannah Watt is only the 3rd Alvernian in history to contribute over 1,000 serve hours! A Behavioral Health Studies, graduate, she was an easy choice, no doubt, for the Holleran Center’s Outstanding Service Award. Courtney Dumais, Emily Gargiulo, Margaret Mejia (RCSP), and Breanna Roland, all with over 500 hours of service, earned the Center’s Community & Global Engagement Award. Others recognized for Excellence in Service (300+ service hours) include Courtney Dumais, Emily Gargulio, and Margaret Mejia. Taylor Fouracre, Elizabeth Goida, Rachel Loar (Health Science Academic Award), Julia Malpass, Erin McAleer, Shauna Redanauer, Rosene Ringler, Melisa Rivera (RCSP), and Emily Thek. Resident Assistants, Tour Guides, and Ambassadors exemplify service leadership on campus. RAs (with National Residence Hall Honorary members noted with *):
Lauren Callueng, Courtney Dumais, Kyle Farrell, Brenna Gessner, Suzanne Leger*, Ean Roche*, Shauna Redanauer*, Sara Rustemeyer, Nicholas Sincavage, Michael Tierney, Heather Wanner. And here’s a shout out to the whole wonderful gang of graduating Tour Guides and Student Ambassadors! TOUR GUIDES: Trevor Biggerstaff, Lauren Callueng, Breanna Johnson, Tom Malik, Amanda Moyer, Jacob O’Donnell, Morgan Petry, Melisa Rivera, Andrew Wysocki, And Ambassadors: Anastasia Ahern, Madison Bossler, Lauren Callueng, Ashlynn Danner, Zoe Decker, Sujata Dighe, Suzanne Leger, Brittany McGowan, Margaret Priest, Madison Sutter, Emily Thek, Michael Tierney. Two students have been recognized for their excellence in the arts: Melisa Rivera, with the Outstanding Student in Chorus Award; and Steven Koenig, with the Outstanding Student in Band Award. Samuel Dieffenbach, received the Saint Ignatius
of Loyola Award, given to graduating veterans, sponsored by Col. Deborah Geiger ’83. More undergraduate students than can be recognized here received awards at the annual Honors Convocation. Two graduates from our Philadelphia Center received top recognition. Natalie Martin received the O’Pake Graduate Fellowship in Leadership Award; and Leslie Crowell the Behavioral Health award. By the way, Leslie is a 4.0 student that has not only excelled in her classes but participates as a student mentor in the Philadelphia Center’s Open Houses and peer mentoring. When we honor some of the best among us, we honor the best in each and every one of us. So here’s to the Alvernia Class of 2019. Congratulations. We Are Proud of You. See you on stage! Peace and All Good, President Flynn
“When we honor some of the best among us, we honor the best in each and every one of us.”
April/May 2019
PROFILES
3 Vol. 58 Issue 3
Here’s to you Dr. Kaufman!
to remain in touch, even if I am in the west. So, that’s a big thing. MDK: Another thing I admire about Alvernia and that I think is unique to Alvernia is its mission, its Franciscan mission. I think a lot of university’s give lip serve to be a global servant and such, but I think that’s one thing I’ll take away from here and I hope to keep as part of my professional life. AD: Did you ever have an FYS Class? MDK: Once. I only taught FYS once and it was my first year. I enjoyed it. The only reason I didn’t continue with it was that the school wanted me to teach COM 101 and it
was kind of hard to do both with my schedule. I became more of the COM 101, and not the FYS guy. AD: Did you ever participate in the different community service events on campus? MDK: Well, besides that first year with FYS, I didn’t do any of the big service projects though. But, being on faculty here at Alvernia, we have our own community service requirements and so my community service is teaching in the senior’s college here on campus, which is voluntary teaching for the local seniors. That was my community service,
Photo Courtesy of Dr. Mark Kaufman
Alvernia is a wonderful college, full of equally wonderful professors. Some professors come to Alvernia, and realize that this is their academic home and stay here to teach ongoing classes of students that come through the university. Other professors, though sad as it may be, end up leaving Alvernia for several reasons. I’m sad to say this is happening to one of my favorite professors, Dr. Kaufman of the English department. I sat down for one last interview with the man himself, who brought a multitude of interesting ideas to this campus. Not only were the students of Alvernia entertained with the countless classes on film. Where you could either watch the latest horror flick, to old school sci-fi, cheesy special effects and all. Other classes
included Modern British Poetry, Victorian Novel and Modern novels, where students were able to analyze literature in many different ways—some never even thought of before. AD: So, Dr. Kaufman, where are you going? MDK: I am moving to Colorado Springs, which is my home town—but I haven’t lived there since the late nineties, and I am going to be, I’ve been appointed to teach at the United States Air Force Academy. AD: What kind of role is it MDK: Assistant Professorship with possibility of promotion, and of English and the Fine Arts. So I will be teaching COM, in the sense of their equivalent of COM 101 and also Film Studies, so it will be similar to the courses I teach here. AD: Speaking of Film Studies, who’s going to be taking over the movie classes here at Alvernia that we all love?
Dr. Mark Kaufman, known for his selfie skills, taking a selfie of the beautiful view on his trip Jodhpur, India.
MDK: I know Dr. Tom Bierowski is going to take over COM 250 probably this fall. In terms of long term, the English/Communication Department will be hiring new people in the future. So whoever the new hire will be will end up teaching those… and other people in the department are certified to teach those as well. AD: What about the spy classes? That was your area of interest, will those be staying? MDK: That’s my special topic, but if someone else wants to try to teach a spy class, they can. AD: Hey, on the record, are you a spy? MDK: Would I really answer that if I was a spy? A moment of silence is shared where I continuously raised my eyebrows at him, and he remainded silent… kind of like a spy. We moved on. AD: With your time at Alvernia, which started back in 2014, what is one of
your favorite things about Alvernia? MDK: First of all, I always be an Alvernian. That is not ending, and I hope to always have a relationship with the university…The thing I
associate with my time at Alvernia would be the people. People like the students, Administrators, faculty and staff. It’s the people that make it the hardest to say goodbye. But, its not goodbye, I want
volunteer teaching. AD: So, you’ve kind of taught all over the world, in Europe and different American universities… if you could narrow it down to one word, what describes Alvernia the most? MDK: It’s mission, like I was saying before, if I had to cram it all into one word it would be “Loving serving” … If people asked me “Oh, you taught at Alvernia, What’s it all about?” That would be one thing I emphasized. AD: You recently went to a conference with Sigma Tau Delta, did you enjoy it? Your last conference at Alvernia? MDK: I had never been to St. Louis before, so I liked it. Apparently though, the US Air Force academy has a chapter at their university, though I don’t know if they’re active. I am hopping maybe if they are active to still be able to go to the conferences. I hope more Alvernians get into Sigma Tau Delta, and due to the many advisors the club has, my leaving does not affect the club in a drastic way. Dr. Kaufman has been a professor for quite some time at Alvernia Univeristy, so many professors and students have grown to appreciate Dr. Kaufman and will miss him dearly. Graduating senior Gwen Bauer has had Dr. Kaufman
as a professor and an advisor for the total four years that she has been here. She also recently atteneded the Sigma Tau Delta Convention with him. “Dr. Kaufman was and is definitely one of my favorite professors at Alvernia. I loved his classes and I am sad to see him go, but thankful I had the opportunity to learn from him all four years at Alvernia,” Bauer said. Sophomore Briana Natal, has known Dr. Kaufman for two years now, and unfortunately will not get to finish her college career with any of his classes. “I loved Dr. Kaufman’s classes. They were very engaging and I felt like I learned a lot while I was in them. He oushes his students to be better writers and takes the time to make sure everyone understands what is going on in teh class,” Natal said. Graduating senior Kali Gries had the opportunity to take Dr. Kaufman’s special topics class that was focused on aliens last year. This was her only class with Dr. Kaufman, but his class was one she won’t forget. “I only had Dr. Kaufman for one semester, but he opened my mind to the world of science fiction in a way I would have never done on my
own. I’m grateful to have met such a great person and to have learned from a professor like him. I wish him the best of luck teaching at the Air Force,” Gries said. Junior Chelsea Dziamba, a has had a few classes with Dr. Kaufman at Alvernia and also reccently atteneded the convention with him. “Although I have only known Dr. K for a short period of time, I really will miss him when he leaves. He is so kind and intelligent, and I really enjoyed our conversations. I wish him the best of luck as he travels back to his his home in Colorado. Spy on, Dr. K, Spy on.” Professor and Collegue of Dr. Kaufman, Dr. Ryan Lange, also had some kind words to say about him leaving. “For the record, the department can neither confirm nor deny that Dr. Kaufman is an intelligence agent,” Dr. Lange said. “Regardless of his affiliations, Dr. Kaufman has been a wonderful colleague and friend during his time at the university. I will miss our regular but informal morning meetings before our 9 a.m. classes.” “The US Air Force Academy is gaining an excellent teacher and a scholar. All the best to Mark in his new adventure.”
Photo Courtesy of Blaise Kabekko
Amy Dundon Contributing Editor
Dr. Mark Kaufman (right) posing for a photo at the Red and Black Gala during the Sigma Tau Delta Convention in St. Louis, MO, with students (L-R) Sarah Verneret, Anisa Jackson, and alum Blaise Kabekko.
4 April/May 2019
AWARENESS
Vol. 58 Issue 3
ChristinaMarie Stefanoni Contributing Writer Growing up I played every sport you could think of. Soccer, basketball, softball, track, field hockey, and competitive cheer. The ranges of these sports are on completely different spectrums. While playing basketball we are often dressed in baggy shorts and a tank top, in field hockey we wear a “skirt,” and in competitive cheer I used to have at least 20 pounds of makeup on. The one thing all of these sports have in common are it takes hard work and determination to excel. Although females have come a long way from being permitted to partake in any sports they still face stereotypes continuously on which sports they play. When I played basketball a lot of us got referred to as the dreaded term “dike”. A sport
as physical as basketball it is almost impossible to show any femininity. You can not wear jewelry and even some leagues prevent makeup. While in high school I would often wear mascara and try to put braids in my hair just to show some softness. It should not have to be like this for any female athletes. Being a college field hockey player it is a lot easier to show femininity. We can wear any type of jewelry, and we wear a kilt, which makes the whole uniform a lot more feminine. Nikki August is a secondyear softball player for Alvernia University who knows all too well about the stereotypes. “Playing softball comes with a lot of stereotyping,” August said. “Playing for 10 years now I think I’ve heard “softball players are most definitely all lesbians” about a thousand times or how we are 100% masculine.”
“That being said, none of that is true. I’ve played this sport with many different kinds of girls who come in all shapes and sizes.” August has struggled with how female student-athletes are passively and actively discriminated against during her sport career. “As a female athlete, I believe that we are monitored and judged on a lot of things,” she said. “The way we speak, dress and the way we carry ourselves. I think the most difficult thing as a female collegiate athlete is that people still don’t have respect for us no matter what sport we play. We always get compared back to men’s sports.” Sophomore Danielle Reed from Alvernia women’s soccer team also faced many different stereotypes. “In high school, our girl’s team won districts, and our football team went around saying that the win did not
Photo Courtesy of ChristinaMarie Stefanoni
Female Student-Athletes Deserve Respect
Alvernia field hockey players Kelsey Stewart (left) and Christina Stefanoni (right) posing before the 2018 season opening game.
matter because we were girls,” she said. “When we won we didn’t have a town parade with fire trucks like every other sport had,” Reed said. “We are always told we’re the weaker link and not fast or strong enough. That’s why men usually have a bigger fan section than any female sports.” It is unfortunate females for centuries have been dealing with stereotypes or not receiving the same respect as their male athletes.
Women athletes put in the same amount of work as male athletes. We deserve the same respect. Title IX of the 1964 Civil Rights act enshrines gender equity into higher education in America. It reads: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”
Juan Palacios Contributing Writer Suicide is a very concerning reality among our society, especially when it comes to teenage suicide. It is now the second cause of death in people from ages 10 to 24 years old according to data from the World Health Organization. Suicide as a cause of death has been increasing over the last decades, and shows no sign of declining. An important myth that we should confront is that suicide is caused by mental diseases like depression or bipolar disorder. Many suicide cases are not connected with any mental disease or mental problem. Adolescent suicide is often caused by psychosocial dynamics like family and social relationships or interactions. Interventions that target teens during vulnerable periods can be very effective in preventing suicidal conduct. There are also many misconceptions about people who could potentially act suicidal. Some people believe that people to threaten suicide do so in a desperate attempt for attention.
Many other recurrent misconceptions are: “If they would want to die so desperately, they will throw themselves at a train and end of the story.” “To commit suicide, a person needs to have serious mental issues.” “Kids do not commit suicide.” It is better for media to not publish or broadcast stories about suicide because the only thing that they accomplish is to give this issue more publicity. Alvernia therapist Patricia Kreider mentioned some of things suicidal people may say: Being a burden to others, feeling trapped, have no reason to live. She also provided more insight in some of the ways they may act like acting recklessly, increase usage of alcohol and drugs. Doctor Kreider has suggestions about how students can do to help people in distress. Express your concern, stay with the person, ask direct questions, be persistent but gentle with the questions. Her office is always open to attend anybody who is suffering from any of the issued mentioned before. A person could potentially
experience suicidal feelings if they feel abandoned by their own family or by having negative emotions in regards of being a member of that household. Being betrayed or humiliated by people who we considered as friends is another negative circumstance. Nowadays, cyberbullying is a very common example of this awful phenomenon. Cyberbullying can be invisible to friends and family, which makes it harder to combat. “The internet is usually an awful place,” Dr. Ryan Lange, associate professor of communication, said. “In general I would avoid it.” Former alumni Ryan Weber, commented about a situation in his life which potentially could have led him to think about suicide as one of his options. “Having a stroke at the age of 14 is not an easy thing to go on through. Especially when you have as many side effects from it like I did. I have paralysis on the left side of my body, trouble with my both eyes and epilepsy.” “Although I have had so many issues from the stroke, I have not once have thought about committing suicide and
Photo Courtesy of Nami.org
The Problem of Suicide
“Reach out to people who seem depressed,” Dr. Ryan Lange, associate professor of communication, said. “Ask them how they are. Think about what you can do for them, not what they need to do for you.”
that is due to many factors. I have a great support system and learned that laughter is the best medicine in the worst situations.” As a society, we can reduce the risk of suicide by taking action within our families and communities. Building a family environment of security and support is the best strategy for prevention. Friends also play a large role in preventing suicide. By having positive friendships who always show us that life is a gift and not a punishment will help tremendously in being able to delete those negative thoughts out our heads. Knowing that there are people out there who truly
and sincerely care about us is one of the most meaningful reasons why a person can decide to seek help. Suicidal intentions cannot be underestimated. If the loved one is expressing those desires openly, it is imperative to take the person to a professional for treatment. Professional help is very helpful in this kind of cases. It is worth to mention than family and friends can contribute in helping with the problem. Whoever is suffering from this issue and tries to communicate needs to feel supported by the people the person considers meaningful and important.
April/May 2019
CLUBS
5 Vol. 58 Issue 3
Khalil Eaddy Contributing Editor This spring, Alvernia University’s Theater Club sought to spark big conversations and engaging dialogue. With a show centered on the issue of gun violence, the theater club has enjoyed new viewpoints and interesting discussion before the show with the Batdorf Lecture, during rehearsals for the show, and a discussion moderated by Dr. Victoria Williams and by program director for Alvernia University Theater, Dr. Nathan Thomas. The Alvernian spoke with Madeleine Braun and Emily Kemler who are both involved in the production of this spring’s show, “26 Pebbles.” Madeleine Braun, a sophomore forensic science and chemistry double-major, plays one of the lead actors in the play. Emily Kemler, a first year occupational therapy
major, accepted the role as light board operator. Braun was pleased with the turnout to the opening night of the show. “Yeah! There was a lot of people there,” Braun said. The show is a continuation of the conversation started with the Batdorf Lecture. This year’s lecture was “Understanding Gun Violence,” and took place in early March. “Dr. Thomas was really into the idea of this play because he knew the Batdorf Lecture was going on, and he wanted to make a theme surrounding the whole thing,” Braun said. The play retells the story of a couple of families who are dealing with the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. The narrative is hard-hitting, but is not pessimistic about the future of gun violence in America. “What’s nice about it is that the show ends on a
hopeful note,” Braun said. “These families are looking to heal from the shooting and they are looking forward to the future.” An especially important aspect of the show was the discussion that took place afterwards. Dr. Williams invited faculty, staff and students to participate in a couple of events this semester that were focused on civil dialogue. An event co-sponsored by Multicultural Engagement, Humans of Alvernia, featured diverse perspectives from a student’s viewpoint and is scheduled for late April. This event is intended to encourage dialogue about diversity and inclusion. “It was kind of like the civil discourse thing that Dr. Williams was running,” Kemler said. “She basically [leads] a talk with students and staff on how to have a civil conversation when discussing topics like gun
Photo Courtesy of Amy Dundon
Theater Club Tackles Big Issues
The cast of Alvernia’s theater production “26 Pebbles” ready themselves for opening night.
violence.” Alvernia University, known for its core values, is no stranger to discussing difficult issues. Because Alvernia has hosted several events aimed at discussing important topics, it seemed fitting for this year’s theater production to focus on an issue that is plaguing our country. The issue of gun violence, as well as many other world problems, should be discussed at Alvernia because service, humility and peacemaking are rooted in
Alvernia’s mission statement. The show does something very important for the Alvernia community. These conversations help to identify different perspectives and offer diverse solutions. Dialogue helps students and staff alike learn more about different people and different communities. “As a country, we can’t heal the divisions between us until we see each other as fully human,” Dr. Ryan Lange, associate professor of communication, said.
Gwen Bauer Managing Editor Alvernia University has every club under the sun, from the Fishing Club to the Multicultural Club. So why not a service club? The Alvernia Mission Club was started by Collin Welteroth and Sharon Blair. The club idea began after Collin and a few other students attended an Alternative Break trip in Camden, New Jersey. During their alternative break, Welteroth and Blair engaged in ministries of presence, meaning they visited schools and homes to speak with others and helping with the community. They worked with shelters to help supply and give away hot meals. “We found there were a lot of similarities between there and the Reading community and realized we needed a platform for students who couldn’t or haven’t attended an Alternative Break,” Welteroth said. Welteroth and Blair decided they should work with a hospital in the area to create a big event so that our community could give
back to those in need. They are beginning to work now to create an event called the CHOP Hop. The event name came from working with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to create the fundraising event. The event will be similar to Penn State’s THON, but it will be closer to home. The event will be a 24 hour event full of activities, guest speakers, and fun. Welteroth mentioned that Alvernia is a very healthbased community, with its largest majors being nursing and occupational therapy. The club hopes to get many of those majors involved in the club, but also wants to reach out to all majors because they need diverse interests and perspectives to make the event work. Security will be needed, so criminal justice majors would be helpful there. They will need help from accounting majors with money management. Marketing and business majors would be great for advertising. Sports management could help with activities, and communication majors would be great for social media, graphic design, and public relations. No matter what your
major, the Alvernia Mission Club will need and have a place for you. Since Alvernia is a service focused school, Welteroth believes that many students will want to get involved and give back to the community in a fun and exciting way. “The spirit of service is big here and any service club usually gets pretty good involvement.” Welteroth said. The goal of the club is to get as many teams to join as possible, but at least 22 teams with at least 10 people per team. The teams will have the opportunity to win a trophy and a plack with their names on it. The goal for the first CHOP Hop is not very high but they wanted it to be realistic and doable being that it is a first time event. The goal is to raise about $10,000 to start. Dr. Ryan Lange, associate professor of communication, thinks that the goal is easily attainable by the Alvernia community. “If 500 people kicked in $20 each, they’d have the goal in no time,” Dr. Lange said. Consider joining and help the club get started with planning for the CHOP Hop. You can join by logging onto
Photo Courtesy of Collin Welteroth
Mission Club Thinks Big
Rebekah Strohl, Abrille Houck, Collin Welteroth, Samantha Petry, Nicole Harmen, Hannah Schumann, and Annalise Fouracre helping at the South Jersey Food Bank.
PAX, finding the missions club and requesting to join. Once you have done this, reach out to Collin Welteroth
at collin.welteroth@alvernia. edu and let him know you would like to join.
6 April/May 2019
ACADEMICS
Vol. 58 Issue 3
Ron Adams Contributing Writer The Digital Media Marketing major is a new program coming in fall 2019. The major is housed within the English and Communication department, but is shared between Communication, Art, and Business focused classes. Digital Media Marketing combines business, communication, and graphic design to provide the tools students need in order to think visually and strategically, so that they may influence business decisions to potential customers after graduation. “The Digital Media Marketing major is a response to feedback we have received from companies our students have interned under over the last few years,” Dr. Ryan Lange, associate professor of communication, said. “Students need to have
highly polished skills in oral, written, and visual communication, which is best developed through a focused liberal arts education.” Digital Media Marketing is designed to help students adapt to the ever-evolving digital workplace. Every business has a social media presence of some kind, which means that there are roles in every industry for students interested in digital marketing. The major requires students to take a combination of art, business, and communication courses designed to give students a good foundation in these diverse fields. The goal of the major is to provide the tools for students to eventually specialize in the area that interests them most. “Being able to major in Digital Media Marketing would have been great because that’s exactly what I’ve done in college,” Gwendalyn Bauer, managing
editor of the Alvernian, said. “I went for a bachelor’s in communications and I minored in business, and my path is art. So, I basically mirrored the Digital Marketing major.” In addition, all Digital Media Marketing students must complete at least one internship to get more hands-on experience. “I think every student should complete an internship no matter what their major,” Dr. Lange said. “It is especially important for Digital Media Marketing majors to do so because of how quickly our field is moving.” Alvernia’s Digital Media Marketing major joins majors offered by neighboring schools such as Albright and Lebanon Valley College. The new major is part of Alvernia’s overall retention strategy, which also includes a wider variety of majors and new athletic teams.
Photo Courtesy of Alvernia University
Digital Media Marketing Major
Students working on a project for service learning classes with communications professor, Dr. Jodi Radosh (left).
“If you’re undecided, or don’t think your major is right for you, consider Digital Media Marketing,” Dr. Lange said. “The best part about our major is that our profession is always changing, which means the thing you decide you love doing might be right around the corner.”
For more information about Digital Media Marketing, contact either Dr. Jodi Radosh or Dr. Ryan Lange. Interested students can also talk to faculty in the business or fine and performing arts departments for more information.
April/May 2019
ACADEMICS
7 Vol. 58 Issue 3
Sidney Goodman Contributing Writer Creating a viable resume is a crucial aspect of a college student’s life, and Alvernia offers a multitude of opportunities. While there are internship opportunities, jobs on campus, and plenty of honors societies for people to get involved in, what better way to build a resume than to get published? Zephyrus allows students interested in prose and poetry to be published. Zephyrus is Alvernia’s literary magazine and is published once a year. The publication is wholly studentdriven and has been a part of Alvernia for over twenty-five years. The Zephyrus editorial board, supervised by Dr. Tom Bierowski, chooses a theme for each issue and works on the cover art. As for the content, that is up to the student body. Submissions are usually open for about a month,
during which time people can submit their artwork, photography, poetry, essays, or short stories for review. If a work is selected and approved by the editorial board, that student’s work will be printed in that year’s magazine. The editorial board is composed of students with a heart for literature and the publication who greatly enjoy looking at student submissions. While the Zephyrus is a student-run production, it is highly regarded. Last year, it tied second place for Sigma Tau Delta’s Outstanding Literary Arts Journal Award. It was the first time that the Alvernia chapter of Sigma Tau Delta had won such an award, which is quite an achievement for the contributing students that year. Head editor Michael Beyer said that he believes the success of last year’s edition has increased the standards for the publication. “The Zephyrus staff will try
new things and improve submission standards to further improve the overall quality of Zephyrus going forward,” he said. As the years have gone by, Zephyrus has gradually become more student-driven. “For a number of reasons, I wanted the operation at all levels to be student-run,” Dr. Bierowski said. “Over the course of my tenure running it, the involvement of the editorial staff has grown and grown and grown.” This year, Beyer and the other members of the board have been hard at work throughout the semester, determining a theme for the issue, working on cover designs, and reviewing submissions. They are passionate about their work and strive to produce a publication worthy of awards. Board member Cami Beyer greatly enjoys working on the publication because of the creative things that board
Photo Courtesy of Alvernia University
The Zeyphrus Will Publish You
The Zephyrus editorial board including Sarah Verneret (left), Nicole Rosati (left center), Dr. Tom Bierowski (center, with a recent haircut), Sidney Goodman (right center), and Cami Beyer (right).
members create when they think as one. “I think Zephyrus betters the Alvernia community by allowing a platform for Alvernia writers and artists to share their works with students and other members of community,” she said. “English and Art majors and minors are small, but that doesn’t mean that Alvernia students aren’t creating works of art. I am hoping to create a magazine that shows off the creative capabilities of our fellow students.” Although the deadline for
this year’s submissions has passed, the publication is trying something different this year. The editorial board intends to set up an online location, whether it be a website or Google drive, where students can upload work at any time of the year. Their fellow classmates can read what they submit, and any pieces uploaded will be automatically be considered for publication in the next issue. Submit your writing and art to Zephyrus for a chance at publication!
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