ID Magazine | Spring 2016 by ID Magazine Simpson Student Media

SPRING 2016

CARDS AGAINST SIMPSON

OUT OF THE [PIZZA] BOX COLLEGE CLASSICS REIMAGINED

stylish simpson STUDENTS SHOW OFF THEIR PERSONAL STYLE INSIDE

Story: YOUR NAME HERE .....................

If you are interested in being a part of the ID Magazine staff for advertising, copy editing, design or writing, contact us at idmagazine@simpson.edu

A NOTE FROM THE

EDITOR

Around this time last year, I was preparing to embark upon a lifechanging study abroad experience in London, England. In our prep course we discussed the notion that not every place in the world is like Iowa. Surprising, right? As bornand-raised Minnesotan, I experienced a small amount of culture shock when I moved here, but nothing compared to what I experienced when I left the country for three months. Living in London, I realized what culture is and how it affects one’s everyday life. When I came back and started this project, I wanted to explore the multiple cultural facets we experience at Simpson College. So read about our campus culture in Cards Against Simpson on page 6 and Stylish Simpson on page 19. Then, take a bite out of college culture in Out of the [Pizza] Box on page 8 and How to be Environmentally Conscious on a Budget on page 7. Finally, Iowa culture is explored in DSM: Hell Yes on page 12 and Politically Engaged Students on page 24. Welcome to Spring 2016’s ID Magazine and we hope you enjoy!

ID MAGAZINE Editor-in-Chief Ashley Smith

Photography Editor Michelle Hartmann Advertising Manager Olivia Samples

Copy Editor Brittany Robb

Editorial Staff

Alex Kirkpatrick Mallory Dirks Laura Wiersema

Sosie Gehling Brock Borgeson Madison Wilson

Photography

Art & Design

Michelle Hartmann Alex Kirkpatrick

Kylee Hereid Blake Willadsen Ethan Pellegrino

Special Thanks:

Mark Siebert Department of Multimedia Communication

LIKE US

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/IDMAGSC

INSTAGRAM US Ashley Smith Editor-in-Chief

@IDMAGSC

Copyright © 2016 ID Magazine is created and produced by students at Simpson College. Opinions stated or implied by the magazine are those of the students involved and are not approved or endorsed by Simpson College. No material may be reproduced without written permission. Send all comments, questions and concerns to idmagazine@simpson.edu Editorial Philosophy: ID Magazine is a publication created for Simpson students, by Simpson students. Our main goal is to share the many personalities of our student body and voice some of our perspectives in regards to the world around us. We want to maintain an aesthetic that appeals to our young people. Of course we want to be taken seriously, but this is not your mother’s magazine. Photo Credits: Cover and headshot by Alex Kirkpatrick

spring ‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹ 6

Cards Against Simpson

Pizza, ramen and beer: college classics reimagined

QUICK + FUN

OUT OF THE [PIZZA] BOX

How to be environmentally conscious on a budget

Our picks of some of the best places in Des Moines

QUICK + FUN

DSM: HELL YES

g 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS

‹‹‹‹‹

How to be more inclusive toward the trans* community

Read what happens when the political storm meets the Simpson Storm

WHAT’S IN A PRONOUN?

POLITICALLY ENGAGED

We feature some of the most stylish Simpson students

How two students balance baseball, schoolwork and their children

STYLISH SIMPSON

BASEBALL BABIES

CARDS AGAINST SIMPSON STORY: MALLORY DIRKS | DESIGN: KYLEE HEREID

____________: Simpson success!

How do the residents of Barker spend their free time?

I spent all day looking for President Simmons, turns out he was _______!

Simpson cut cable to pay for ________.

What’s on the menu today at Pfeiffer?

Millie’s new coffee flavor of the week tastes like ___________.

Having sex in the cadaver lab under Carver.

Pfeif shits.

Breaking into College Hall to summon Millie’s ghost.

The butt tree.

Pooping on the Seal.

The fat oneeyed squirrel that lives near Kresge.

QUICK & FUN

how to be environmentally conscious on a budget

1 2 3 4 5

STORY: MALLORY DIRKS | DESIGN: KYLEE HEREID Take notes electronically. We all have laptops, tablets, smartphones. If a professor permits them in class, use them! They are much easier to organize, and you don’t have to waste notebook paper. If you have to use notebooks, make sure you

use both sides of the paper!

Use the water bottle fountains on campus. With every water fountain, there is an option to fill a bottle. Buy a reusable bottle and use that to refill. According to The Water Project,

80% of plastic water bottles

do not get recycled.

Invest in some reusable bags: reusable grocery bags are cheap and much better for the environment than plastic bags, which are not biodegradable. They hold more and are much more durable. According to Inspiration Green, Americans use and dispose of

100 billion plastic shopping bags

each year.

when you aren’t using them

Turn off water, lights, electronics, etc. . Don’t let the water run while brushing your teeth. Don’t leave the TV or lights on when you leave the house. When an electronic device is done charging, unplug it.

RECYCLE!

This has been drilled into your head since elementary school. Simpson has recycling bins all over campus. Use them! If you’re not sure if something should be recycled – check! Everything that can be recycled will say so. Plus, as an added incentive, collect your cans and bottles and return them for a deposit.

‹‹‹‹ STORY: LAURA WIERSEMA | DESIGN: ASHLEY SMITH PHOTOS: MICHELLE HARTMANN

uddy the Elf likes to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup. But college students only have three: ramen, pizza and beer. That’s because they all share some common factors. Each one is any combination of cheap, easily available, delicious and simple. With our complicated schedules, who needs the added hassle of fancy food? Check out ID Magazine’s picks and tips for spicing up these classic college staples.

FIND DELICIOUS EXTRAS LIKE OUR THOUGHTS ON EACH PIZZA AND MORE AT IDMAGSC.COM

WINN’S PIZZA AND STEAKHOUSE MICHAEL’S PIZZA

2629 Beaver Ave. Suite 13, Des Moines Pizza we tried: Reuben – light rye crust, Thousand Island dressing, corned beef, sauerkraut, mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan, Swiss

FONG’S PIZZA

223 4th St., Des Moines Pizza we tried: Crab Rangoon – crab rangoon base, surimi, green onion, asiago & mozzarella, crispy wontons, sweet chili sauce

122 W. Ashland Ave., Indianola Pizza we tried: Aiden’s Special – gyro meat, tomato, onion

BRICKHOUSE TAVERN

107 N. Buxton St., Indianola Pizza we tried: Spin Art Chicken – spinach & artichoke dip, mozzarella, grilled chicken, tomatoes

PIZZA BIG TOMATO PIZZA CO.

2613 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines Pizza we tried: Chili Dog – refried beans, hot dog, red onion, cheddar and mozzarella

GUSTO PIZZA CO.

1905 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines Pizza we tried: Mona Lisa – rosemary olive oil, garlic, cremini mushrooms, roma tomatoes, kalamata olives, romano and fresh ricotta

RAMEN Cheap, easy and just tasty enough to constitute a meal in a pinch. Ramen has always been the broke college studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go-to, but the cuisine is seeing a comeback in American culture as of lately. Refinery 29 called it one of the biggest food trends in 2015, citing research showing an increase of its appearance on restaurant menus by 18.2 percent from 2013 to 2014. Spicing up your ramen is easy at home, too! Here are some simple, cost-conscious ways to say yes to the ramen trend without breaking the bank!

COCONUT CURRY

1 10

1 packet ramen (any flavor) 1 cup coconut milk curry powder (to taste) sriracha (to taste)

BACON, EGG & CHEESE

Prepare according to directions, replacing water with coconut milk. Stir in curry powder and seasoning packet. Top with sriracha. Try adding cocktail shrimp for protein.

2-3 strips of bacon 1 packet chicken ramen 1 soft-boiled egg 2 slices of American cheese salt & pepper (to taste)

Cook bacon until crisp, cut into smaller pieces. Place ramen & seasoning in a bowl, fill with two cups of boiling water and cover 2-3 minutes. Stir to break up noodles. Top with cheese, egg (cut in half), bacon and salt & pepper.

CREAM OF CHICKEN

1 can Cream of Chicken soup 1 cup water Italian seasoning (to taste) 1 packet of ramen (any flavor) Heat up soup and water over medium-high heat in a saucepan. Once simmering, add ramen WITHOUT seasoning. Cook until noodles are soft. Transfer to a bowl and top with Italian seasoning.

BEER

STORY, DESIGN & PHOTO: ASHLEY SMITH

CRAFT AROUND THE CORNER Here are some of our favorite independent breweries in Iowa.

EXILE BREWING COMPANY

Here in Iowa, we love our comfort food. How ‘bout a comfort brew? Think of craft beer as the mac n’ cheese of alcoholic beverages: filling, savory and open to interpretation. Craft breweries have busted into the beer market in recent decades and are growing by double digits each year. According to the Brewers’ Association, it’s the best time to be a beer lover in United States history. Craft breweries are characterized as small, independent breweries that brew beers with traditional or innovative flavors and fermentation. Each craft brewery has their own twist on beer and what it should taste like. But one thing’s for sure with every brewery: it’s all about the hops. Common hop varieties can put an earthy, floral, grapefruit, pine or other flavor to a brew, creating a different experience and taste for each beer. With more than 2,800 breweries in America, there’s one brewery within 10 miles of every American. Not only does this mean that Americans can enjoy a nice craft brew occasionally, they can also support their local brewery instead of giving money to a multinational beer corporation. So what are you waiting for? Toss that Natty Light and grab a cold, flavorful craft brew.

1514 Walnut St., Des Moines Just down the street in downtown Des Moines, you can tour Exile Brewing Company (which includes a tasting of four beers of your choice) on Saturdays for only $5. Their “Gigi” beer won gold in the European-Style Dark category at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival.

WEST O BEER

503 Terrace Park Blvd., West Okoboji What’s better than chocolate? How about chocolate beer? West O is known for their “CoCo Chocolate Stout,” which has won the gold medal in the Great American Beer Festival’s Sweet or Cream Stout Category for 2014 and 2015.

TOPPLING GOLIATH BREWING COMPANY

310 College Drive, Decorah Known as one of the best brewing companies in the world—yes, you read that right—their beers also hold the first 17 spots on BeerAdvocate’s top rated beers in Iowa list and their “Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout” holds the number two spot in the world.

RAYGUN

DSM: HELL YES STORY: MADISON WILSON | DESIGN: ASHLEY SMITH PHOTOS: MICHELLE HARTMANN Over the past 15 years, Des Moines has developed into an exciting, energetic and stylish city. What used to be a dull place has transformed into an intriguing city filled with artwork, more job opportunities and overall growth in community pride. Fortunately for Simpson students, Des Moines is close to Indianola, meaning students have the opportunity to seek internships and jobs in a nearby city they are likely familiar with. This proximity also gives students the chance to experience the unique places that are significant to the growth of Des Moines.

CENTER STREET PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

SCULPTURE PARK

Need an idea for something to do with your date on a summer evening? Experience a beautiful view of downtown Des Moines by taking a walk on the Center Street Pedestrian Bridge. This bridge has a 90-foot arch above the walkway, is 400 feet wide and contains 1.4 million pounds of steel. It’s one of the fanciest modern bridges in Des Moines and has twin curved decks that allow a large amount of space for pedestrians to walk or ride their bikes. Below the deck is the Center Street Dam, allowing individuals to admire the motion and force of the water created by the dam. The bridge also has lighting illuminating the arch, causing the bridge to stand out at nighttime. Center Street Pedestrian Bridge was built as part of the 125th anniversary of the Principal Financial Group and the project to develop the bike trail. Arup, the bridge designer, is a London-based firm that handles building, infrastructure and consulting projects around the world. The firm managed the design and service for construction and the bridge was opened in June 2010. With plaques added to the bridge annually, the bridge recognizes historical, deceased women in Iowa who’ve had amazing accomplishments throughout their lives.

JOHN AND MARY PAPPAJOHN SCULPTURE PARK CENTER STREET PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

ROLLINS MANSION/SALISBURY HOUSE

The John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park is a beautiful landscape filled with unique and complex sculptures and it’s definitely the place to go if you want remarkable photos. This 4.4-acre park is located at 1330 Grand Ave. in downtown Des Moines and has been open to visitors since Sept. 2009. The park is filled with sculptures by some of the world’s most celebrated artists. One of the most interesting sculptures in the park is known as “Nomade.” This sculpture is by Spanish sculptor Juame Plensa and is a 27-foot-tall hollow human form made of white steel letters. Other sculptures include “T8,” the orange-red steel crossed I-beams with a center similar to a sunburst, wheel or clock, “Gymnast III,” a 7-foot-tall bronze sculpture reflecting the form of a strong and flexible athlete and the “Five Plate Pentagon,” which is made up of five unpainted steel plates attached in a way that resembles playing cards balanced against one another. The park gets its name from John and Mary Pappajohn, who gave over 20 sculptures to the community through the Des Moines Art Center. Not only is this the most significant donation of artwork ever made the art center, but these sculptures are valued at some $40 million. 13

ROLLINS MANSION/SALISBURY HOUSE Rollins Mansion is a beautiful home that was built by Ralph Rollins in 1925-1927. Byron Boyd and Herbert Moore, the architects who designed this mansion, spent time studying English homes and Tudor architecture. These studies led to construction of a 46-room mansion with beautiful stained glass by Frank Lloyd Wright and ceiling beams from an inn where William Shakespeare had performed. Rollins Mansion is located at 2801 Fleur Drive and can be rented for weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, corporate meetings and private gatherings. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, many guests have commented on the beauty of this home and enjoy touring the house and discovering the history behind it. Salisbury House, which was also designed by these same architects and built by Carl Weeks, contains 42 rooms and was modeled after the King’s House in Salisbury, England. This furnished 1920s stone mansion houses an art museum, library, concert venue and botanical garden and is open to the public for tours and private rentals. Salisbury House contains several works of art from artists like Sir Thomas Lawrence, John Carroll, Joseph Stella, Lillian Genth and George Romney, and the library has books written by authors including James Joyce, William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway and many others.

RAYGUN

RAYGUN is not only known for having t-shirts with humorous slogans, but it’s recognized—like the storefront at the RAYGUN in Des Moines reads—as “The Greatest Store in the Universe.” This hip store located at 505 E Grand Ave. in the East Village of Des Moines is filled with items like t-shirts, cardigans, sunglasses, bags, dresses, magnets, buttons, post cards, koozies, coasters and much more. RAYGUN makes their shirts in-store and 95 percent of the merchandise in the store is made and assembled in the U.S. Many of their shirts include slogans like “Iowa: Wave the next time you fly over!” “Des Moines: Hell Yes.” and “Quit Playing Ames With My Heart.” RAYGUN started from a man named Mike Draper. Draper was in college when he started selling t-shirts on the street and in 2005, he opened his first outpost in downtown Des Moines. Draper spent 18 months working on the new space. On top of making t-shirts people are proud to wear, the clothing company’s goal is to make products that create laughter. RAYGUN attracts many young people, including Simpson students. Freshman Emma Schlenker, who’s from Arizona, is a big fan of RAYGUN “because it’s charming, witty and makes Iowa seem endearing.”

IOWA STATE FAIR

The Iowa State Fair attracts more than a million people from around the world every year in August. This large agricultural event is also known as “America’s classic state fair” and is located in a park-like, 450-acre setting with campgrounds surrounding the park. The Iowa State Fair is a fun experience and a great opportunity to spend time with friends and family. There are several activities to do at the Iowa State Fair such as attending livestock shows, art shows, concerts, displays, exhibitions, demonstrations, competitions and much more. One popular attraction at the fair is the Butter Cow. J.K. Daniels sculpted the first Butter Cow in 1911 and a woman named Sarah Pratt of West Des Moines became the fifth butter sculptor in 2006. Another popular attraction is the Bill Riley Iowa State Fair Talent Search, where performers compete on the famous Grandstand. Across the state, nearly 100 local shows are held at county fairs. If you haven’t been to the Iowa State Fair, trying the food is a must. The fair is known for its food on a stick, most of which are deep-fried. These include snickers, cheesecake, pickle dawg and butter. They also have meat-on-the-stick options including pork chop and a bacon-wrapped hot dog dipped in a cornmeal batter. Photo courtesy of the Iowa State Fair

DES MOINES SOCIAL CLUB

If you’re looking for a place to watch live music, participate in trivia competitions or take dance, circus, film or photography classes, then you should consider making a trip to the Des Moines Social Club. Located at 900 Mulberry St. in downtown Des Moines in a historic Art Deco firehouse renovated for $8 million, this arts and entertainment venue opened in 2014 and has something for people of every age. Attracting 25,000 people a month, this club has several activities available. The first floor has an outdoor courtyard, art gallery, theater, restaurant and coffee shop. The second floor has a recording studio, culinary loft, classrooms and non-profit office spaces. The basement is the place for trivia nights, dance parties, live music and open mics and you also have the option to rent out the space for your own private party. Des Moines Social Club is unique to Des Moines and a positive social environment. Zack Mannheimer, executive director of the club, left New York for downtown Des Moines knowing it was the perfect metro area to solve retention and recruitment problems of young people and to increase the arts scene that was not yet recognized. Fortunately, Mannheimer accomplished this goal. The Des Moines Social Club has not only brought art to life, but the club has attracted tons of people who live in the area.

WHAT’S IN A INCREASINGLY, MEMBERS OF THE TRANS* COMMUNITY ARE CHOOSING TO USE NON-BINARY PRONOUNS. ASKING WHICH PRONOUN THEY PREFER AND USING IT SHOWS RESPECT & UNDERSTANDING. STORY: SOSIE GEHLING | DESIGN: ASHLEY SMITH

or college students, it seems that life couldn’t be harder. Homework, exams and student debt seem to provide an endless supply of stress, and what college students are supposed to do with their lives is about as understandable as quantum physics. Although the life of an average college student can be quite challenging, there are others who have lived with harder struggles their entire life. Those who have disabilities, personalities deemed “odd” or “weird” and those who don’t fit today’s gender norms have faced more adversity than most of us can imagine. Transgender is by no means a new phenomenon, and even though it’s the 21st century, in terms of acceptance and equality, America’s society today belongs in 1816, not 2016. Stories appear on the news constantly: transgender people who can’t even go to the restroom during school, students who are forced to wear clothing according to their sex assigned at birth and people being kicked out of their homes and being ostracized by their family because of who they are. The first recorded transgender person in history is Queen Hatshepsut, who ruled as Pharaoh of Egypt in 1503 B.C. She wore male clothing and a fake beard to signify herself as Pharaoh. In 60 A.D., Emperor Nero of Rome favored a young servant boy, had the boy castrated and took him as a wife. In 220 A.D., Roman Emperor Elagabalus was known for wearing makeup and offered a reward to any doctor who could give him female genitalia. In 1755, Charlotte Clark, the first openly transgender and lesbian person, published an autobiography. In 1917, Dr. Alan (formerly Lucille) Hart had the first operation in the U.S. to transition from female to male. In 1961, Jose Sarria became the first transgender person to run for office. And in 1972, Sweden became the first country in the world to let people legally change their sex. The stories of trans* people are complicated, tragic and empowering, but there is one thing that to many would seem small, but to the trans* community, it’s one of the most important aspects of their life: pronouns.

A PRONOUN? Yes, pronouns. He, she, they, etc. Usually students are taught pronouns when they’re children, learn what they are and how to use them in grade school, and never think about them again. But for trans* people, pronouns can sometimes be a lifelong struggle. For those who are born a certain sex, but at a young age, identify as a different gender, or no gender at all, pronouns can be very difficult. Which pronoun is used if their sex is male but they identify as female? Which pronoun is used for someone who does not identify as either gender? Shelby Minnmann, who has been a member of Pride for four years, says that she was exposed to same-sex relationships at a young age. As she got older, she started to notice more and more about the LGBT world, and eventually, director of women’s & gender after doing her own research and becoming more involved, not only is she a member of the community, but a strong advocate and activist for it. When asked how important gender pronouns really are, Minnmann gave a clear answer: “It depends on the person. Some people, who, for instance, are trans*, it’s very important for them to identify what they feel like. They feel like a ‘she’ inside, so they would want to be called a she.” Although it might not seem important in most people’s daily life, it is very important to many members of the trans* community, and embracing their preferred pronoun shows respect and understanding. Minnmann says that the best way to know what someone wants to be called is to ask. “If you have questions, it’s always better to ask than assume, just make sure it’s in the right place.” For example, if you want to refer to someone in a large group, but don’t know which gender pronoun they prefer, it’s safe to use the pronoun “they” until you can reach a private place to discuss it. Using “they” is always a good option if you’re unsure. Professor Jan Everhart, Director of Women’s and Gender Studies, gives a little more insight into her experiences with gender studies, which she says started with her experience as a pastor.

“

Being able to choose your own language to name and identify yourself is really important.” t

r jan everha

studies

“The church that I served for the longest period of time (9 years) was a church that was open to the gay and lesbian community, but we started having more transgender people come to the church and I suddenly realized that we didn’t have restrooms. What I realized is that I saw gender as a very binary construct and the people I encountered really challenged that.” Everhart says that she performs little “social experiments” whenever she gets forms that ask her to identify her gender. “Whenever I encounter a form and they asks to identify gender, I leave the space blank. What usually happens is the person who gets the form looks up and makes the decision themselves.” Although that decision is not theirs to make, that is the reality of today’s society. Passing people on the street, people look at each other and without even realizing it, assign someone’s gender based usually on their appearance. Gender is such a prevalent and binary construct in today’s society that it has become an issue that doesn’t need to exist. After being told that many colleges and universities are putting more gender pronoun options on their admission applications, Everhart said that she had often brought up the issue as being part of the Admissions Committee at Simpson in past years. “Why do we even care what the person’s gender is when they apply, especially when we have genderinclusive housing? Are we going to admit that student differently because that student checks ‘male’ or ‘female’ or ‘other’? I think it’s just so hard for people to imagine not having that information.” Everhart makes another statement that most of us take for granted. “Being able to choose your own language to name and identify yourself is really important.” Most people are comfortable and happy with the gender they’re assigned at birth. They never think of what it would be like not to be able to define who they are in the simplest of ways, but this is the everyday reality and struggle of people in the trans* community. The only way to fix this ever-growing issue is to do something shockingly simple: accept it. Accept the fact that another person’s pronoun is theirs to choose. Accept the fact that someone might not fit the typical idea of what a man or woman is. Accept the fact that although they are different, they are human, and every bit as deserving and worthy of respect and love as any other human on this earth.

GENDER PRONOUN FREQUENTlY ASKED QUESTIONS:

what does trans* mean?

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO RESPECT PEOPLE’S PRONOUNS?

Trans* is a very diverse group of people who have one thing in common: they aren’t cisgender (conforming to the sex they were assigned at birth). This group includes people who identify as transgender, genderqueer, genderfluid, non-binary, bigender, non-gender, etc.

Asking someone their preferred pronoun and using it is the most basic way to show your respect toward their gender identity. Cisgender people have the privilege of not having to worry about which gender pronoun people use for them.

WHAT ARE SOME COMMONLY USED GENDER-NEUTRAL PRONOUNS?

• They, them and theirs • Ze/zie/xe (pronounced zee) and Hir (pronounced here) • Ey, em and eir • Just the person’s name

“

I’m influenced by a mixture of urban and GQ style thompson b e l a c tailored to fit my mood every day. At the moment, junior my black lace-up combat boots are the most incorporated item in my closet.”

bruck

uhlen m e in l e d a m senior

‹‹‹

stylish simpson PHOTOS: ALEX KIRKPATRICK | DESIGN: ASHLEY SMITH

College students are known for rocking sweatpants, sweatshirts and messy buns to their classes. These Simpson students didn’t get the memo.

I absolutely enjoy getting all dolled up for occasions that call for fancy dresses and an extra SUZIE DUNYA FIRST-YEAR efffort on my makeup. I love feeling like a princess on nights like that so I go all out.â&#x20AC;?

“

People tend to tell me I look professional or presidential. Which I don’t mind because I do aspire to be president one day.”

PIERCE CARE

FIRST-YEAR

My sense of style is very comfortable, but I also love dressing up. Even the simplest of outfits can be dressed up with shoes or jewelry.

ON ABBY PETERS sophomore

ch garrett po

sophomore

“

I like girly, traditional pieces because they won’t go out of style. I follow a lot of fashion bloggers for inspiration.”

zman it w a ic n o M sophomore

“

My daily style can be best described as club casual. It retains the influences of Lake Minnetonka boating culture and my high school days with Abercrombie and Hollister.”

ALEX CUTCH sENIOR

CHECK OUT IDMAGSC.COM FOR MORE PHOTOS AND QUOTES

SIMPSON SPOTLIGHT

POLITICALLY ENGAGED STUDENTS

Photo courtesy of Olivia Anderson

DESIGN: ETHAN PELLEGRINO As the presidential campaign heated up in Iowa, these Simpson students were there for it all. From cold calling to door knocking, each student supported his/her candidate with fervor and determination. Sophomore Olivia Anderson moved all the way to Iowa from North Carolina to earn a fellowship with the Hillary Clinton campaign. Junior Zach Goodrich took his experience with the Iowa House and Senate into the Students for Rubio campaign. And first-year Cecilia Martinez is working for Bernie Sandersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; campaign even though they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cast a vote. Read on to see what happens when the political storm meets the Simpson storm.

RIC ZACH GOOD junior

STORY: ASHLEY SMITH

Junior Zach Goodrich was reluctant to be a part of a campaign this election cycle, as there weren’t any presidential candidates he was particularly passionate about. “I just didn’t see myself gaining anything from the experience if I was just out there door knocking, making phone calls, just not really the best use of my time when I had already done that in another election cycle,” Goodrich said. That all changed when he was contacted by the Marco Rubio campaign and was asked to be the chairman for the Warren County campaign. Goodrich said he was contacted for the position because of connections he made in high school working with the Iowa Senate. As chairman of the Warren County campaign, Goodrich met with local activists for the party in the area and through this he was introduced to Students for Rubio. “The Rubio college campaign was being headed by someone at Iowa State and they weren’t really meeting the expectations that the campaign managers had so they asked me to transition into managing the college campaign on various campuses throughout the state,” Goodrich said. Goodrich managed Students for Rubio across the entire state of Iowa, which involved contacting the student groups for 25 different campuses. He corresponded with the campuses through emails, conference calls and phone calls, “just to make sure they had established student organizations, little things like Facebook groups started, inviting people out to debate parties, getting them to sign a commit to caucus card, so little things like that that would help people to caucus and I think it paid off,” Goodrich said. Through Students for Rubio, Goodrich managed to get Rubio on Simpson’s campus to speak to students. “I’d been pushing, because we really hadn’t had a Republican candidate come to campus. We had had people like Jeb Bush and Carly Fiorina come to Indianola but not come to Simpson’s campus where we had Martin O’ Malley, Bernie Sanders and Hillary

Clinton,” Goodrich said. Goodrich said that Simpson has given him a lot of opportunities that other colleges wouldn’t have. He said when he got an opportunity to clerk full time in the Iowa House of Representatives, his adviser helped him change his schedule so he could clerk and still be a full-time student. “I know for a fact that other colleges don’t do that. I have a friend who’s clerking at the Iowa House right now and she transferred from Central to Simpson this semester because Central would not let her clerk,” Goodrich said. Goodrich said he doesn’t know what the future has in store for him but he knows that he wants to be involved in politics. Goodrich said, “I definitely have some personal goals that I’m looking forward to over the next four or five years, but we’ll just have to see if everything develops as I’m expecting, but with life you never know.” Photo courtesy of Zach Goodrich

cecilia mar first-year

tinez

STORY: OLIVIA SAMPLES PHOTO: MICHELLE HARTMANN February 1st was the culmination of everything Cecilia Martinez had put in so many long hours for over the past six months. Martinez sits on the floor with other Bernie Sanders supporters and waits for the final results. “Sanders wins with four delegates, followed by Clinton with three. Thank you all for caucusing today.” But after all the work done, Martinez’s vote wasn’t counted. Martinez is a first-year student here who has taken advantage of the opportunities that have come their way. Martinez doesn’t identify within the gender binary and prefers the pronouns they/them as a neutral option. Martinez got involved in the Bernie Sanders campaign after being introduced to one of the leaders through the College Democrats on campus. They have

thrived as a volunteer ever since. Martinez said, “The reason I’m passionate about being able to elect the right person is because it is going to affect me and so many other people in a big way. I can’t help but be a part of it.” Martinez doesn’t have the privilege of expressing their hopes for our country in a vote because of their undocumented immigrant status. And depending on who is elected the opportunity of staying in the country could be taken away, leaving Martinez with few options and high uncertainty. Martinez’s parents brought both of their children to America when Martinez was just six months old. They decided to abandon their home in Mexico in order to pursue a better life for both them and their children. “The fact that I’m in college right now and doing what I’m doing proves that what my parents did was worth it,” Martinez said. Currently, Martinez is protected by one of President Obama’s executive orders; the Deferred Act for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Because Martinez was so young when they were brought into the country the president believes that Martinez, and others like them, did not have a choice when entering the country illegally and are therefore granted more privileges. These privileges include a social security card, a work permit, the opportunity for education and the ability to renew these privileges every two years. While the act is controversial, Martinez is thankful for the opportunity, despite its limitations. Despite the tumultuous climate surrounding their status, Martinez is thriving at Simpson so far and in their work on the Sanders campaign. Martinez volunteers for the campaign by canvassing, making calls and helping to organize a precinct. “It is a privilege to be this involved.” Martinez said. They even had the honor of introducing Sanders when he was on campus last year. Martinez looks forward to the future and hopes that Sanders gets the nomination and wins the election in November. They hopes to be a career lawyer in order to fight for immigration reform. Although, unfortunately without citizenship, they could not practice law. Martinez hopes people will get out and vote in the primaries and in the election. “That’s the opportunity that we, they have as citizens.” Even with the lack of a vote, Martinez contributes more than some citizens to civic engagement. By educating people, volunteering and sharing their story, Martinez demonstrates the significance of a vote and the duty that we all have to use it.

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sophomore

STORY: BROCK BORGESON Step into the unapologetically Midwestern souvenir store RAYGUN and you will get a taste of what the rest of the United States “thinks” of the Midwest. While they usually utilize an exaggerated case of geographical illiteracy, they paint a perceptive take on the lack of acknowledgement given to the Midwest by coastal states. But every four years, Iowa becomes the center of national political attention. And Simpson sophomore Olivia Anderson wanted four years of Iowa, not just one. Rewind to AP European History when Anderson was asked about her post-high school plans. She boldly

responded, “I want to move to Iowa to work on the Hillary Clinton campaign when she declares.” Clinton hadn’t declared for the election, but the Clinton supporter took the 1,040.2 mile trip to Iowa. Simpson beat out Grinnell and Drake for Anderson who had some familiarity with the Hawkeye state having a dad who grew up in Des Moines. “I heard about Simpson because of their speech and debate program and proximity to Des Moines, which was great for politics,” Anderson said. “I knew that the 2016 election was coming up, so I knew I wanted to be in D.C. or here.” One meeting over coffee later and she got a fellowship with the Clinton campaign last summer, doing everything from door-to-door endorsements to cold calls and social

media work. “It was definitely because I was here in Iowa that I was able to get this opportunity,” Anderson said. “People from all around the country came to Iowa to be a part of this fellows program over the summer. We even had had two girls from Canada.” The 20-year-old political science major was given the opportunity to partake in digital organizing. Mind you, if she or any of the fellows mess up, it’s not an ‘F’ grade. The presidential nomination is put on the line. “We had really intense training in digital organizing, but we were trained to know that (if you screw up) this will not be good for you or the campaign,” Anderson said. Anderson saw what a lot of students and young professionals see, which is that you’re no longer just a student, athlete or musician. You’re a brand. “How you act on the weekends and around people you don’t even know could negatively or positively affect the campaign,” Anderson said. “There have been many times that I was knocking on doors and making phone calls and people were just so rude to me, but I had to act in a mature and diplomatic way.” On Feb. 1, Anderson saw the culmination of a lot of her work when the caucuses came to Simpson. Bernie Sanders, Martin O’Malley and Clinton supporters swarmed the Kent Campus Center as caucus-goers pooled from Hubbell Hall downstairs. If life wasn’t already busy enough, Anderson is now in Argentina for a study abroad term. Anderson returns this fall as the election kicks up ten-fold, and maybe then she’ll say she worked in the campaign of the first woman president. “I definitely would like to say that I was smart enough to think that there were this many opportunities [in Iowa],” Anderson said. “There’s nothing like this in the country like Iowa, and it has exceeded my expectations.” Photo courtesy of Olivia Anderson

We, the Religious Life Community

at Simpson College believe that every person is of sacred worth and that no one should be made to feel as though they are not welcome. Our community seeks to personify love, justice and reconciliation- values informed by religious and spiritual traditions. Thus, we welcome and value the participation of people of all races, nationalities, sexual and affectional orientations, gender identities, mental and physical health and abilities, systems of belief and theological identities. Together we will strive to embody a radical hospitality that welcomes all.

Thanks for a great year!

l l a b e s A B babies

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g o z r e H d Jare STORY: BROCK BORGESON PHOTOS: MICHELLE HARTMANN DESIGN: BLAKE WILLADSEN

aiting for a call is a thing in baseball. Pitchers wait for a call to the pen. Batters wait for their name to be called as they step to the plate. Minor leaguers wait for a call to the pros.

Junior baseball player Jon Greiner got a much different call during a game in the spring of 2015. One that had nothing to do with baseball, and one that would change his life monumentally more than any call to pinch hit. “So, I was sitting at the fence (at the baseball field) and I got a phone call (from my girlfriend Julia), and I remember Brandon Blom was next to me and Julia said, ‘’I’m pregnant,’” Greiner recalled. “I turned to Blom and said, ‘I’m going to be a dad.’” This wasn’t a first for the Simpson baseball team, as sophomore Jared Herzog was taken back nearly a year earlier when he found out that he would be a father during the final months of his senior year at Lincoln High School in Des Moines. Greiner, one year older than Herzog and an Indianola High School graduate, attended Midland University in Meade, Nebraska for baseball, and was

joined by Herzog at Midland a year later. The similarities were already stacking up between the two, but a disillusioned effort to play baseball at Midland due to a roster that ballooned to 96 guys pushed the two to transfer. At the time, neither Herzog or Greiner knew about each other’s plans to transfer to Simpson until they bumped into each other during the introductory NCAA compliance meeting. Greiner met his girlfriend, Julia McRoberts, during the first semester of his freshman year at Midland before transferring to Simpson after the fall in his sophomore year. McRoberts, a Meade, Nebraska native, joined Greiner upon his transfer to Simpson, moving from a rough family situation. Herzog and his girlfriend Linsey Johnson met in high school, and Johnson got pregnant during Herzog’s senior year in Lincoln.

They would be bonded by the news of Jon’s expected child, Blare, just months later, as Herzog was to have the birth of his son Jameson in only a few months.

The two become fathers “My girlfriend had stomach ulcers, so we thought something was wrong, but didn’t think it was pregnancy,” Greiner said. “We had seven pregnancy tests, went to the doctor and had blood work done and went for an ultrasound and they were like, ‘she is pregnant.’ Julia was already three months pregnant. It was crazy.” “I was still in high school, and I remember it perfectly,” Herzog said. “I just got back from a road trip to Ottumwa and she just started crying. She hadn’t even told me and then she finally did and I was like, ‘what?!’ We didn’t know what to do for a while.” Herzog and Johnson were separated shortly after learning of their pregnancy, as Herzog left for Midland while Johnson attended Iowa State University seven months pregnant. Jameson was born on Feb. 19, 2015, shortly after Herzog moved home to Simpson. From the sounds of the delivery, it was a good thing Herzog was present. “When we got to the hospital there were no rooms available,” Herzog said. “We went to a women’s office, dragged her desk out and had to bring a bed in there.

Finally, two hours later, a room opened up. Linsey’s emotions were flying and she wanted to leave. It was really bad.” The birth lasted around nine hours, opposed to McRoberts’ relatively quick labor. “It’s an eye-opener, it’s not like what you see on TV,” Herzog said. “When the baby came out, you’re just, I had no words. I started getting lightheaded.

Balancing parenthood and college life Greiner and McRoberts live at home with Greiner’s parents, while Herzog and Johnson rent an apartment near Fareway in Indianola. Johnson, whose parents live in West Des Moines and Herzog’s who live in South Des Moines, are able to help carry the load in caring for Jameson. Greiner, an elementary education major, and Herzog an environmental science major, have quickly learned where their priorities are, and sometimes they’ve had to clash with professors. “There are some that understand, while others are like, ‘Ok, well you still need to do your school work,’ Herzog said. Sometimes it’s as black and white as choosing school or taking care of your kid, while making base-

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ball practices. “You either pick school or you pick your kid and family is going to come first every time,” Greiner said. “Julia is working, I’m at home and trying to play baseball. I just don’t have time [for classes] between practices and taking care of my kid.” With daycare prices rising to around $200 a week, state assistance has helped make schooling, and subsequently baseball, possible. “Another big help is state assistance,” Herzog said. “Julia doesn’t go to school right now, but when she starts…one of us would have to drop out (without state assistance).” During the preseason portion of the baseball season when practices often take place at night, Greiner and Herzog often come home to their kids already asleep. Early on in fatherhood, time away has been one of the hardest things. Head coach Ben Blake, who recently had his third child, has helped Greiner and Herzog carry the load of a student-athlete-parent. The late Joe Blake Sr., who was the team’s pitching coach, welcomed Jameson off the bat. “I said to Joe, it was the first game Jameson had come to, and I was like, ‘You want to see this little guy,’” Herzog said. “He was sleeping and in his car seat and Joe looks up and was like, ‘When are you going to rename him Joe?’” Sharing the experience with a teammate has provided a unique bond for the two, who essentially stand alone amongst the college student demographic that is stereotyped to sometimes struggle to take care of itself. It’s definitely put the growing up phase on a fast track for Herzog and Greiner. “It’s a lot more responsibility,” Herzog said. “But even before the baby was born we were doing the little things and making sure there were no small things on the ground. Baby-proofing.” “Your friends don’t really know what you’re going through and don’t get it,” Greiner said. “There are so many things that I could tell you about being a dad and why it’s stressful.” GPAs, internships and working on a college budget mean a lot more as a father. Greiner and Herzog like to remind their peers that if not now, one day they’ll understand.

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