Feb. 12 by MediaOCU

THE“CAMPUS February 12, 2020 – Volume 113 Issue 17

Students enjoy first snow day of the year Jessica Vanek

COMMUNITY MANAGER

OCU students and staff were given their first snow day of the calendar year. Oklahoma City received 4.5 inches of snow, according to msn. com. This topped the record of 2.3 inches set in 2002. An email went out to students and staff at 4:33 a.m. on Feb. 5. “Oklahoma City University is closed today due to inclement weather,” the email read. “Some scheduled rehearsals may continue. Please check with your rehearsal leaders.” Kaley McConnaughey, music theater/vocal performance junior, was in the rehearsal process for “June by the Sea” at the time, a show that performed Feb. 8-9. McConnaughey said she was nervous about rehearsal possibly being canceled. “It was a bit worrying to our cast, as it was our last dress rehearsal in Petree. Luckily, Dr. Herendeen sent us an email allowing us to continue as planned with whichever students felt safe enough traveling to participate,” McConnaughey said. “Of course, everyone showed up, and we all had a nice day of rest and relaxation under our belts, so it was a win-win.” According to an article on koco.com, many schools in the Oklahoma City public school district closed for Feb. 6 as well, while schools in Edmond reopened. Hannah Kimball, design and production senior, said she enjoyed her snow day and woke up early to take photos of the campus covered in snow.

Let it snow

Sometimes when you see snow, you kind of just turn into a kid again, and it was so nice to have a break and throw snowballs at my friends and drink hot chocolate. Lauren Leppke theatre and performance sophomore

“I think the best part was just taking these pictures, because the whole experience was so tranquil,” Kimball said. “I woke up early to walk around campus as the sun rose so I could see the snow before it got messed up by people’s footsteps and by workers that would eventually shovel it to the side.” Katherine Abel, acting junior, started a Facebook event called “Pouring Water Over the Campus,” a joke encouraging students to go outside at midnight to pour water on the sidewalks in an attempt to make the campus too icy for class the following day. “I just really wanted to bond the students together after only a few people went to vacuuming up the salt the night before,” Abel said. “Unfortunately, school was still on, and I ended up slipping multiple times due to my own event.” Hannah Kilpatrick, opera performance graduate, said she went

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to Scissortail Park and had a snowball fight. “Somehow we ended up at a karaoke bar by the end of the night,” Kilpatrick said. Ellen Roth, finance/economics/Spanish senior, said she is from Oklahoma and has experienced multiple snow days in the past. “On the snow day, I just hung out. I never have class on Wednesdays, and I’m usually more productive, but yesterday I just watched ‘The Bachelor’ and did nothing,” Roth said. “When I was younger, I used to like playing outside, but now I’m okay. I’d much rather observe it from the window.” Hunter Semrau, music theater sophomore, is from Medicine Hat in Alberta, Canada. Semrau said he was underwhelmed by the amount of snow OCU got. “That was very little snow, and it’s like that from October to March every year,” Semrau said. “I had a nice time though, but it was weird because I’ve never had school canceled before because they make you go no matter what.” Lauren Leppke, theatre and performance sophomore, said she used cardboard as a sled and made a snowman with her friends. Leppke said the snow day made her feel nostalgic. “Sometimes when you see snow, you kind of just turn into a kid again, and it was so nice to have a break and throw snowballs at my friends and drink hot chocolate,” Leppke said.

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Above: Hannah Kimball, design and production senior, went out early on the snow day to take pictures of the campus before people woke up. “I think the best part was just taking these pictures because the whole experience was so tranquil,” Kimball said.

An email was sent out to the campus community at 4:33 a.m. on Feb. 5 announcing that classes would be canceled for the day due to the snow.

Right: Lauren Leppke and Harley Harris, theatre and performance sophomores, pose for a snow day photo. Leppke made a snowman and sledded down a hill on the snow day. The snow day made Leppke feel nostalgic, she said. Oklahoma City received 4.5 inches of snow, which beat the city's previous record of 2.3 inches in 2002.

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OCU chosen to host Oklahoma LGBTQ+ Summit Josh Eliot

STAFF WRITER Oklahoma City University is set to host the eighth annual Freedom Oklahoma College Summit for the first time on Feb. 21. Freedom Oklahoma is the state’s only LGBTQ+ political advocacy organization. The Freedom Oklahoma College Summit is an annual event meant to help build and expand the community of LGBTQ+ students and allies across Oklahoma college campuses. Elizabeth Horn, director of programming for Freedom Oklahoma, said the College Summit is unlike any other event in Oklahoma. “It’s really the only event of its kind in the region, where we bring our LGBTQ and allied students and faculty and community members together to learn the best practices in LGBTQ advocacy, law, civil rights, community organizing, health, you name it,” Horn said. The event takes place at a different Oklahoma college campus each year. Russ Tallchief, director of student diversity and inclusion, said he’s happy OCU was picked to host the event this year. “That is so important that the community recognizes OCU as a safe space because that’s not the case throughout the state,” Tallchief said. Tallchief also said it’s important for OCU to continue to be active in LGBTQ+ advocacy. “It is absolutely vital that we are inclusive and that we are viewed as inclusive, and we have to do that through action, and

M MEDIAOCU.com

This is an opportunity for us to both educate, because we’ll be hosting, but also for the campus to learn. Russ Tallchief student diversity and inclusion director

this is the type of thing that is demonstrative of inclusivity. We’re not just saying it, we’re hosting the entire statewide LGBT college conference,” Tallchief said. Horn said she’s currently working with the OCU Spectrum Alliance to help plan the College Summit. “Whatever the LGBT group is on campus, we like to really use them as a steering community for the event so that it can be catered to what their experience has been on campus,” Horn said. Hannah V. Boyens, film/vocal performance senior, said she hopes the event can teach students how to expand activism beyond a college campus. “There’s always room to grow and talk about what we can do outside of the boundaries of campus, because I feel like sometimes we’re in a little bubble,” Boyens said. This year, the theme of the event is bringing racial justice to

LGBTQ+ advocacy. “We’ve had situations on campus here at OCU that have made people question our inclusivity. We’ve had some unfortunate racist language, and so I feel like this is an opportunity for us to just help people understand that OCU is inclusive and that we are still growing and that we are still willing to learn as a campus. This is an opportunity for us to both educate, because we’ll be hosting, but also for the campus to learn,” Tallchief said. At the event, there will be breakout sessions about growing up queer in rural areas, Native American two-spirit identity and culture and a keynote speaker from New York. AC Dumlao, activist, educator and founder of “Call Me They,” will be speaking at the Summit. “This is the first time we’re actually bringing in a keynote from outside the state,” Horn said. Last year’s event had about 150 people attend, and 19 different colleges and universities represented. “We’re on track to have about that same turnout this year, which is very exciting,” Horn said. Registration for the event is free, and lunch will be provided. Freedom Oklahoma will also be looking for any volunteers who wish to help with the event. Students can learn more by going to Freedom Oklahoma’s website, freedomoklahoma.org.

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Curry for comfort

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Send questions to Ms. Pants's secretary at fiacovacci@my.okcu.edu Read columnist Hope Melton's review of a local Indian restaurant

Visions of the seaside

See pictures of OCU Stripped's production of “June by the Sea”

opinion

Students, faculty encouraged to attend Summit, support LGBTQ+ OCU will be hosting the annual Freedom Oklahoma College Summit in a little over a week. See page 1 for more information about the Summit. As the Summit approaches, it is important for all members of the OCU community to consider attending events and talks associated with the Summit. The Summit is a tremendous opportunity to learn about the LGBTQ+ community and issues in Oklahoma. Oklahoma is a historically conservative state, and while representation and advocacy for gender and sexual orientation minority groups has improved, strides are still being taken to reach social equality. The Freedom College Summit is an opportunity to learn about current LGBTQ+ advocacy, health issues and legal developments. The Summit’s theme this year is including racial justice in LGBTQ+

advocacy. This message is especially important on OCU’s campus, given its issues last semester with accusations of racial discrimination committed by former police officers and the use of discriminatory language in campus organizations. See MediaOCU.com for more on these issues. LGBTQ+ rights are an intersectional issue, meaning members of other minority groups who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community are far more likely to struggle to attain social equality. Whether it be race, ethnicity, disability, religion, or another marginalized identity, being a member of a minority group creates obstacles to living freely in a society that still, consciously or unconsciously, allows inequality. For members of minority groups who identify with the LGBTQ+ community, this event will be an excellent opportunity to learn about current issues and advocacy surround-

Talk Back “Where are you registered to vote?”

ing their identities in the state of Oklahoma. For other members of the LGBTQ+ community, the Summit will hopefully be an opportunity to learn about intersectionality and ways to be an inclusive ally and support fellow members of their community. For students that are not members of the LGBTQ+ community, the Summit will be an excellent opportunity to learn about LGBTQ+ issues from experts and members of the community. As the members of Freedom Oklahoma come to campus, students and faculty should welcome them openly by attending talks and being open to learning about LGBTQ+ issues and experiences. Every moment of inclusion counts, and they collectively build toward a future of equal opportunity for everyone.

“Oklahoma”

“Florida”

Savannah Funkhouser cell and molecular biology junior

Caitlyn Soloway dance sophomore

“Kansas”

“Texas”

Dayton Drummonds film sophomore

Shelby Parker theatre and performance/ film sophomore

“New Jersey”

“Oklahoma”

Kiera McGovern dance sophomore

Dylan Taylor human performance senior

Columnist reviews album by former One Direction member Louis Tomlinson has finally come out with his first solo studio album since he and his fellow bandmates of One Direction decided to, ironically, given their name, go their separate ways. The other band members (Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Liam Payne) have all released solo albums since what I refer to as “the incident,” so I’m glad Tomlinson could finally join the party. I used to be the epitome of a “Directioner,” but I must admit I have not kept up with all of them equally. Choosing a favorite member would be like a mother choosing a favorite child, and, regardless of how guilty I am, I have definitely chosen Styles. Styles has been the most popular and successful in the mainstream media since the breakup. I

haven’t heard many of the other members’ work nearly as much as Styles’, but that doesn’t mean they’re not equally worthy of our time. Tomlinson’s new album, “Walls,” has a very similar sound to One Direction. Instead of breaking down the walls, Tomlinson seems to be trapped inside them. I enjoy hearing artists discover new sounds and listening to how their music has changed over time, but Tomlinson’s familiar style isn’t a crime. “Walls” begins with a dash of angst in “Kill My Mind,” a song about a toxic relationship. In the chorus, he sings, “you kill my mind / raise my body back to life / and I don’t know what I’d do without you now.” For a song with imagery of the devil infiltrating his brain, the emotion behind the lyrics

Francesca Iacovacci is a music theater junior from Clearwater, Florida. She loves zoodles, Jeopardy! and a good poop joke.

is underwhelming. The classic Britpop vibe and the clean harmonies make the song feel very safe. “Two of Us” slows down the album with a heartbreaking ballad about the death of a loved one. This song was very personal for Tomlinson, as his mother passed away in 2016. A week after releasing the track, his 18 year-old younger sister died of a heart attack. Tomlinson sings how even though he misses them, he knows he’s not alone. The lyrics read, “I know you’ll be looking down / swear

I’m gonna make you proud / I’ll be living one life for the two of us.” This song is heartwarming and highlights that our friends and family who pass away live on through the continued lives of their loved ones. “Two of Us” is one of the few songs on the album that unquestionably feels sincere. The songs “Don’t Let it Break Your Heart” and “Defenseless” have catchy hooks and really bring a heaping dose of nostalgia to the album. They’re the type of wholesome love ballads that

make you want to turn your phone flashlight on and wave it in the air. Both songs also have a calm but driving beat that you can jam to. Any album can afford a few cheesy lines, but Tomlinson brings out a whole charcuterie board of lyrics. We’re over halfway through the album and still waiting for the main course. The song “Perfect Now” is too cheesy and seeks to capitalize on nostalgia. The first verse starts out with the lyrics, “you say to me your jeans don’t fit / you don’t feel pretty and it’s hard to miss / I wish that you could see my point of view / as someone starin’ back at you.” In the chorus of the song, Louis reminds us to keep our heads up because “not all queens wear crowns.” I feel like I’ve heard this song before. We all have; it’s the

classic message of old favorites “What Makes You Beautiful” and “Little Things.” They might have been cute years ago, but now I find them a bit disheartening. They’re all centered on the idea that we can only find confidence and worth in romantic partners. It’s 2020! I always love a good compliment, but we don’t need anyone else to tell us we’re beautiful as if it’s a ground-breaking discovery on their part! Overall, it’s not a groundbreaking album, but it’s solid. If you miss the sound of One Direction, then I definitely recommend a listen. Regardless of popularity in the media, I’m glad to see Tomlinson and the other former One Direction band members still creating music and doing what they love.

Film critic reviews Academy Awards, dubs the night as decent, surprising The 92nd Annual Academy Awards were this past weekend, and they were quite surprising. I’d like to say that I got nine of my 24 predictions correct. At first, this doesn’t seem like much to brag about, but the picks I had for each category is what I thought the Academy would have picked, rather than what I thought deserved to win. There were several upsets for me, but, overall, the picks for each category were pretty solid. Before we get to the nominations, I’d like to talk about the night as a whole. It was decent. In continuing with last year’s Oscars, they had no host. I actually like this new direction because we now get a couple of hit or miss stand-up routines, instead of hosts trying

to “leave their mark” on the night. Instead of unfunny bits that last for about 20 minutes, we get mediocre bits that last for five, with the added bonus of the night being shorter. The Eminem performance was unexpected to say the least. There was no real reason why he performed, he just kind of did. It wasn’t a bad performance or anything, just out-of-the-blue. The audience reactions were my favorite part. Some of the audience members were bobbing their heads and rapping along, and others were really confused. Now, let’s get to the biggest upset of the night; “Toy Story 4” won best animated picture. That movie was the worst pick out of all movies nominated. The other nominees were “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” “I Lost My

Paul Dower is a film production sophomore from Tulsa, Oklahoma. He likes squishy toys, hoodies and Stanley Kubrick.

Body,” “Klaus,” and “Missing Link.” “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” was by no means the best pick out of these five, but it was a solid conclusion to the trilogy of movies. See MediaOCU.com for a review of “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World.” “Klaus” was a brilliant return to 2D animation with innovative 3D lighting effects. “Missing Link” was stop-motion, so I immediately liked it better. I have not watched “I Lost My

Body” yet, but just from the promotional material, I know I will like it better than “Toy Story 4.” “Toy Story 4” was an unnecessary movie that should have been a short on Disney Plus. Another big upset of the night was “1917” for Best Cinematography. It should have been “The Lighthouse,” without question. The only reason why “1917” won is because it was done to look like one take. There were some pretty impressive sequences in “1917,” don’t

get me wrong, but every single shot in “The Lighthouse” was so incredibly perfect. I seriously cannot imagine a better version of how “The Lighthouse” was shot if I tried. It is just that amazing. Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe were snubbed for Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Actor in a Supporting Role nominations, as well as Robert Eggers for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Plus, “The Lighthouse” is the best movie of the year. See MediaOCU.com for a review of the top five movies of the year. Now that I have got that out of my system, let’s move on to the good wins. Bong Joon Ho won for Best Director, “Parasite” won Best Original Screenplay, “Parasite” won Best International Feature Film,

and finally “Parasite” won Best Picture and was the first international film to do so. “Parasite” is easily one of the best movies of the year and deserved everything it won and more. “Parasite” made it to No. 2 on my top five of the year list, and it was well-deserved. If you are able in any way to go and see “Parasite,” please do. It is a phenomenally crafted movie with a story that will leave you thinking about it for the next couple of weeks. Overall, the 92nd Annual Academy Awards were pretty decent this year. Not too many things that were incredibly offensive to me won (excluding the above mentioned upsets). I really hope next year is just as good, if not, better. Here’s to a new decade of new movies to review!

MONDAY Esports Visit Day at 9:00 a.m. in Ann Lacy Visitor Center

screening room in DawsonLoeffler Center

Campus Calendar Calendar items must be received in the Newsroom or stupub@okcu.edu by noon Friday for inclusion in the following Wednesday issue.

TODAY OCU Distinguished Artist Series presents: SEPTURA from 7:309:30 p.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center THURSDAY Weekly Chapel Service from 1-2

p.m. in Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel Women’s basketball vs. John Brown University (Ark.) at 6 p.m. in Abe Lemons Arena in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center

Men’s basketball vs. John Brown University (Ark.) at 7:45 p.m. in Abe Lemons Arena in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center Brass Master Class with London-Based SEPTURA from 9-11

a.m. in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center FRIDAY Sarah Fitzsimons Ocean Object Evening Gallery Event from 5-7 p.m. in the gallery in Norick Art Center

Feb. 12, 2020, Volume 113, Issue 17

Staff Writers: Madison Bailey, MaKayla Baxter, Josh Eliot, Troy Freeman, Francesca Iacovacci, Maxwell McIntire, Shelby O’Brien, Hannah Prentice Columnists: Paul Dower, Francesca Iacovacci, Hope Melton, Luke Barrett

T h e S h a d o w Co l l e c t i ve Playwright’s Festival Auditions from 8:30-10:45 p.m. in Studio E in Goldstar Memorial Building

The Campus has served the Oklahoma City University community since 1907. It is published Wednesday during the academic year, with the exception of holidays and exam periods.

THE CAMPUS Editor-in-chief: Emily Wollenberg Copy Editor: Paul Dower Photo Editor: Clara Foster Community Manager: Jessica Vanek Web Editor: Luke Barrett Ad Director: Maddie Bowes Graphic Designer: Melissa Campbell

TUESDAY Watson Movie Tuesdays presents: “Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot” (2018) in the

Photographers: Hannah Campbell, Jessica Casebeer, Clara Foster, Stephen Jackson, Mackenzie Shaw

The Student Publications staff welcomes unsolicited material and letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and include the writer’s phone number, address, major, and classification. The staff reserves the right to edit all letters. The staff also reserves the right to refuse letters without explanation. Letters can be sent online at mediaocu.com, emailed to stupub@ okcu.edu or dropped off at the Newsroom in Walker Center for Arts and Sciences. Submitted items may appear on MediaOCU and in the print edition.

February 12, 2020

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news

Students encouraged to vote in primary election Troy Freeman

STAFF WRITER

With the United States primary officially beginning, faculty are encouraging students to become active participants in the political process. The Iowa caucus took place Feb. 3, New Hampshire’s primary was last Friday, and they will be followed this month by Nevada and South Carolina before Super Tuesday on March 3, which will distribute the delegates of 14 states, including Oklahoma. Dr. Richard Johnson, professor of political science, said open primaries are vital to selecting candidates for the two major political parties. The system is relatively unique when compared to the systems employed by other democratic nations in the world, he said. “The US system differs quite a bit from most other countries because, in most other countries, political parties are stronger than they are in the US, and so those tend to be done within the party, not necessarily trying to engage all of the citizens who will vote,” Johnson said. The downside to an open primary is the amplification of extreme ideologies on either end of the spectrum, Johnson said. “You tend to get more extreme candidates in the United States because the people who turn out in primaries tend to be the more conservative Republicans and the more liberal Democrats,” Johnson said. Trae Trousdale, Student Government Association president, said without voting, it is hard to make your political ideology known to those in charge, so participating in the primary is especially important for those with unique perspectives. “We represent a very distinct voice, and very unique situations aren’t represented in most districts. People in rural Oklahoma don’t have the experience, necessarily, of being at a school like OCU and being introduced to many diverse perspectives. For me to be able to vote back at home with this perspective is absolutely

We represent a very distinct voice, and very unique situations aren't represented in most districts.

Trae Trousdale SGA president

phenomenal,” Trousdale said. Johnson said it’s important to do research into how each state goes about this process before voting day because different states have different rules and procedures. He said the largest difference is between the primary states and caucus states, which call for different levels of engagement. “A caucus requires a lot more participation. People have to meet in their various precincts, and the people will begin to gravitate towards specific candidates. The Iowa caucus has a rule that you have to have at least a 15% threshold to be eligible for delegates. So, a bunch of people meet, everyone listens to a pitch for each of the candidates, and then they go and stand. If you choose a candidate who gets less than 15% support, you get to walk toward another candidate until all the votes are distributed,” Johnson said. Johnson said Oklahoma is different in that voters register with a specific political party and then participate in an anonymous vote by ballot, which then distributes the delegates. He said the internet is the best way to find out the specifics of any state. “Go to the Oklahoma Board of Elections because they will explain exactly what you need to request, which you can do by email now. You can do that by county level or even state level now,” Johnson said.

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Johnson said students that prefer not to vote through absentee ballot can also register in Oklahoma but need to do so before election cut-off dates. “Students can register to vote in Oklahoma rather than their home state, but the cut off for voting in the primaries has already passed. Thirty days before an election is usually the cut off, and Oklahoma votes on Super Tuesday,” Johnson said. Trousdale said regardless of the state you vote in for national elections, being an active participant in a community’s local elections is vital to making an immediate difference in people’s lives. “A lot of times, young voters don’t take advantage of the systems that allow their voices to be heard. Luckily, I am only 30 minutes from my home, so I have the privilege of maintaining relationships with the representatives and senators right down the street at the Oklahoma Capitol, as well as go back and vote on city council and school board elections,” Trousdale said. “Absentee ballots allow people not in this position to still have an active role in their community. Just because you’re here on campus, that doesn’t mean you have forfeited your designation of citizenship at home.” Trousdale said voting is the civic duty of every American citizen and should be taken seriously. He said the best way to fulfill that duty is to be active and be informed. “The most helpful thing is staying educated. It’s very hard to make decisions when we just accept the status quo. It’s important to challenge what is being done. Questioning the system sharpens the system and keeps everyone on their toes. You always need to be voting for who aligns with your values, who you trust to lead, and not just who a poll says has the best chance,” Trousdale said. The primary calendar can be found at 270towin.com, and the Oklahoma Board of Elections can be found at www.ok.gov/ elections.

Mainstage opera to include androgynous character Paul Dower

COPY EDITOR

The next OCU mainstage opera will be “Die Fledermaus” and will feature a gender-nonconforming character. “Die Fledermaus” is a comedic German operetta composed by Johann Strauss II. The show follows “Gabriel von Eisenstein” as he and his friend “Falke” get invited to a ball. Unknown to Eisenstein, however, is that Falke is plotting a light-hearted prank on Eisenstein, and what follows is a complex situational comedy. Dr. David Herendeen, director of opera and music theater and director of “Die Fledermaus,” said the show was chosen because it is a very common show for opera houses to perform.

“We picked it because it is a great tool to train and prepare our students for the world,” Herendeen said. “We are also using it in the rehearsal process to talk about how the world is changing and how this old, established operetta can be used to explore the changing dynamic of the world in the best of ways.” Herendeen said this version of the show will include a gender-nonconforming character through the portrayal of “Prince Orlofsky.” “The prince is what they call a ‘pants-role.’ It’s a young man portrayed by a woman,” he said. “Since it is a pantsrole, we are going to name it ‘Prin Orlofsky,’ not princess or prince, and we’re going to present it as nebulous, as gender-unspecific.” Herendeen said one of the

I think it is great that we are able to incorporate some of these more progressive ideals from our culture today into a work from so long ago. Jordyn Younger music theater/vocal performance junior

challenges for reinterpreting a character as gender-nonconforming is changing the dialogue and music to fit that character trait. “We’re finding little ‘hims,’ or there is one line about ‘for the past 60 years man has done this.’ How do we make neutral that, so we changed it to ‘friend,’” Herendeen said. “This is the education that is most important for us because what are we doing? How do

we enter into this discussion?” Jordyn Younger, music theater/vocal performance junior, plays “Adele” in the show and said the idea to revise the traditionally pants-role character to be gender-nonconforming is a brilliant one. “It’s wonderful,” she said. “I think it is great that we are able to incorporate some of these more progressive ideals from our culture today into a work from so long ago and

being able to show our values and our understanding of the human experience.” Younger said rehearsals with Herendeen have been going well. “This is my first show with Dr. H,” she said. “He has a much different directing style than I think a lot of people I have worked with, but it’s really great just because he really cares so much and is obviously invested in this show.” Jackson Holtkamp, vocal performance senior, plays “Gabriel von Eisenstein” and said the comedy is one of the challenging aspects of performing the show. “With comedy, it’s really difficult to stage because you have to time everything so specifically, so that’s probably been the biggest challenge, just all the comedic aspects,”

Holtkamp said. Younger said the show is accessible to people who have not seen an opera before. “It’s nice because this actually has some dialogue in it, which most operas don’t,” she said. “It’s also in English, which is helpful because if you have never been to an opera and you go and you see one in a foreign language, it can be a little overwhelming.” Tickets can be purchased online or at the ticket office in Edith Kinney Gaylord Center. “Die Fledermaus” will perform at 8 p.m. on Feb. 21-22 and 3 p.m. on Feb. 23 in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center.

Play to celebrate 100th anniversary of women's right to vote MaKayla Baxter

STAFF WRITER

Stories of women’s suffrage will be the driving force of the School of Theatre’s next Stage II production. “On To Victory” will be performed at 8 p.m. on Feb. 20-22, and 2 p.m. on Feb. 23 in the Black Box Theater in Wanda L. Bass Music Center. The play is an original compilation of short parlor dramas written during the women’s suffrage movement. Judith Palladino, professor of theatre/theatre for young audiences, compiled the plays and is directing the show. “I did research for this show for about five years,” Palladino said. “I eventually came across a volume called ‘On To Victory,’ which was published in the 1980’s, that had all these plays written for and by women during the time of the suffrage movement.” Palladino said the parlor dramas were intended to be performed in homes in front of friends, family and supporters of the movement. “A lot of the people seeing these plays had most likely heard of the movement but were on the fence or didn’t exactly understand what it meant,” Palladino said. “In our show, the actors portray the men and women who supported suffrage, and the audience members are the friends and family who were invited into the parlor to watch the performances.”

Deanna Cooper, acting sophomore and actor in the play, said the show’s unique format adds to its depth. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever been in before,” Cooper said. “It’s very captivating because it’s made up of multiple stories instead of just one, like audiences may be used to. You get to see the stories of many people with many different perspectives on the suffrage movement, which is very engaging.” Cooper said “On To Victory” is structured around an ensemble, with the cast playing multiple characters throughout the show. “There’s not really traditional leading or supporting roles,” Cooper said. “Everyone gets to work together equally, which is really interesting.” Cooper said the play was chosen for this season due to the centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment’s ratification, which granted American women the constitutional right to vote. “The play itself is a celebration of the 100-year anniversary of women gaining the right to vote, so that’s why we’re doing it now,” Cooper said. Kelsey Oden, acting freshman and actor in the play, said the play showcases similarities between the suffrage movement and today’s society. “The show stitches itself together in a way that shows how far we’ve come since the movement, but also how there are still battles being fought for women’s rights today,” Oden said. Oden said the characters in the play resemble modern day

women in more ways than audiences may expect. “The women in these parlor dramas put each other down, pit themselves against one another and won’t make an effort to work together towards the ultimate goal,” Oden said. “I think it’s really important for people to see that, because we still have problems with it today. We need to raise awareness so we can change it and fight together for what we truly need.” Oden said the final scene of the play is set in 2020. “The ending scene is a call to action for modern day women to continue fighting for the rights we once fought for, and to prevent the men of the government from taking them away from us,” Oden said. “I think that makes everything ultimately come together very well.” Oden said she encourages students, as well as the general public, to see the show. “I think anyone around OCU should see this show,” Oden said. “I don’t think many people realize how often women today struggle with the same things we struggled with a hundred years ago,” Oden said. “We got the right to vote, but there’s still a lot to fight for.” Tickets are $5 and may be purchased in advance through the ticket office in the Edith Kinney Gaylord Center or by calling the ticket office at 405-208-5227.

Do it For the Kids Members of the Phi Mu sorority perform in the OCU's Got Talent competition Feb. 6 in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center. The talent show featured performances by individual students and teams from student organizations. The Phi Mu team performed a synchronized swimming routine. Brittany Wyatt, philosophy/political science/economics freshman, and Lily Parker, music theater/vocal performance freshman, won the competition, representing Gamma Phi Beta. The event raised $631 for Miracle Marathon, which was tallied on the Stephen Jackson Student Publications

February 12, 2020

Gamma Phi Beta donor drive page.

Sharing the love

Hannah Campbell Student Publications

Students pose with a shirt from Love Not Hate Day, an annual celebration of inclusivity on campus. This year’s event was moved indoors due to weather. The event was hosted Feb. 6 in the Shdeed Lounge in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center. Students could take a free shirt and cupcakes to show their support for the event and diversity and inclusion on campus.

lifestyles

SHINING STAR Future law student pursues career in public service With leadership experience and a future law degree, Victoria Mayhall, political science/Spanish senior, is set to make an impact on the world. Mayhall said she first got an interest in politics eight years ago. “I’ve always loved history. Growing up, that was one of my favorite things to read about. In high school, I just got really interested in politics,” Mayhall said. “The 2012 election was kind of the first time that I started noticing politics other than just hearing it on the news.” Mayhall said OCU got her attention because of its friendliness. “I actually randomly applied for OCU,” she said. “Once I applied and was accepted, the admission process at OCU was a lot more personal than other schools, and that’s what really made me like them.” Mayhall began with a minor in Spanish, but she had enough time in her schedule to make it a major. Since enrolling at OCU, Mayhall has participated in Student Government Association, Alpha Chi Omega and the honors program. She is the former chapter president of Alpha Chi Omega and she currently serves in the executive cabinet of SGA as the chief of staff. Mayhall said she values the time she has spent with SGA. “I think it’s really cool to be around a group of people who really care about making our campus better and care about serving the future students,” she said. “It’s great practice for the real world, learning how to work with people, scheduling meetings and managing your time. I think it’s a great organization to be involved with on campus.” Taylor Downey, youth ministry junior, said Mayhall gives everything 100%. “She fully commits to her responsibilities, and whatever goal she sets her mind to, she usually surpasses,” Downey said. “I think she is the best chief of staff SGA could have ever asked for.” Mayhall is also involved in activities off-campus. In May 2018,

Submitted Victoria Mayhall, political science/Spanish senior, attends the National Education for Women’s Leadership program. The event encourages collegiate women to get involved in politics and public service. Mayhall is involved in SGA, Alpha Chi Omega and the honors program and plans to attend law school after graduation.

Mayhall attended the National Education for Women’s Leadership program, a week-long event to encourage collegiate women to participate in politics and pursue a career in public service. With graduation just around the corner, Mayhall has been setting her sights on law school. She has applied to five different universities, including University of Oklahoma, George Washington Law School, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Texas

Law School, and Vanderbilt Law School. Mayhall said she wants to work in public service. “After law school, I really want to be involved in a career with public interest,” she said. “I’m interested in working with people who have been wrongly convicted and people who might not have access to great legal representation.” Mayhall said she wants to work in the legal side of public interest, however, she does have interest in other realms of the business as well. “Being involved in public policy is also something I can totally see myself wanting to pursue in the future,” she said. “Whichever career I pursue, I just really want to do something that gives back to the community.” Mayhall said she enjoys being involved on campus. “I’ve gotten to meet people that I wouldn’t have met otherwise,” she said. “I think sometimes our majors can be kind of insular, so it’s cool when I get to meet people outside of the poli-sci or Spanish realm.” Mayhall said she thanks the faculty in the Spanish and political science departments for all of their support. “One thing that OCU really sold me on when I was deciding where to go to college is that the faculty cares about you and cares about helping you succeed,” she said. “Every professor I’ve had has cared about my academic success. It’s really nice to go to a school where they care about you and know your name.” Students should realize how fast time in college goes by, Mayhall said. “I think the biggest thing is to just enjoy it. When I was a freshman, what I heard was, ‘it will go by so quick,’ and as a freshman I felt like I had been here for forever already, but it really does go by so fast,” she said. “Join student organizations, get involved, have fun, and just enjoy your time here.” By Community Manager Jessica Vanek

Empowering voices

Facing fears, sharing secrets

Clara Foster Student Publications

Leah Mossman, music theater sophomore, plays “Janie Pink” and Ella Dolynchuk, music theater freshman, plays “June Klepper” in OCU Stripped's production of “June by the Sea.” The musical was written and co-directed by Adam LaPorte, composition/music theater senior. The show is about a wealthy, seaside community being turned on its head after the reappearance of two reclusive heiresses whose secrets are sought after by a desperate novelist turned reporter. The musical had performances Feb. 7-8 in Petree Recital Hall in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center.

Julian Ibarra, acting sophomore, performs in the School of Theatre’s production of “The Laramie Project.” The play portrays the response to the hate crime committed against Matthew Shepard, a gay, 21 year-old University of Wyoming student who was beaten to death by two young men. The play is composed of verbatim text from interviews with residents of Laramie after the hate crime. In the pictured scene, Ibarra plays “Rulon Stacey,” CEO of the Poudre Valley Hospital, who is moved to tears after announcing to the media that Shepard has died. The play had performances Feb. 6–9 in Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center.

Hannah Campbell Student Publications

New multicultural sorority to start on campus Jessica Vanek

COMMUNITY MANAGER

A new multicultural sorority is looking to come to campus. The Rising Organization of Señoritas Aspiring Sisterhood, is a chapter of Sigma Lambda Alpha Sorority Inc. “It’s specifically an organization that is culturally based for Latina women, celebrating who they are and the bonds of sisterhood that they can share on campus,” said Levi Harrel, dean of students. Harrel said the organization first made contact with the school last fall. “They had already reached out to a few current students and with that momentum were able to start having some information and recruitment events on campus,” Harrel said. “They took part in the involvement fair that happened at the beginning of the semester and are continuing to hold those information and recruitment sessions throughout the semester.” Gloria Villarreal, the regional volunteer for Sigma Lambda Alpha sorority Inc., said a student from OCU contacted her about starting OCU ROSAS. “One of the girls from OCU saw that the school doesn’t have any multicultural groups related to Greek Life,” Villarreal said. “She explained to us that there are some cultural organizations like

HSA, NAS and BSA, but there wasn’t enough Hispanic representation and representation of other multicultural groups. We did our research and found the same thing. There is some representation, but not much, so that is why we decided to bring it to OCU.” Villarreal said the organization provides a home away from home for Latina women. “95% of all members in Texas and Oklahoma are first-generation students,” Villarreal said. “Latina women all know how it feels to be in college for the first time, and it’s our first time being far away from home. We are really close, so when it’s our first time getting out of the house, our parents don’t want to let us go. We feel like we are missing something because our family is far away. Sigma Lambda Alpha is a second home.” Villarreal said the sorority isn’t as much a social organization as it is an organization for service. “We always focus on bringing the school and community together,” she said. “We’re mostly Hispanic, so we can see what that community is lacking.” Harrel said the organization’s next step to becoming official on campus is to engage members and write a constitution. “At that point it really just follows the same practices as a regular student organization,” Harrel said. “They need three active members, and then with our student engagement office, they would register. Certainly, as they are attracting new members and students

are becoming interested, we would love for them to go through that process as soon as possible.” Villarreal said the organization had recruitment events set up on campus for last week, but due to the snow, the events were rescheduled. The next informational meeting is today at noon in the Shdeed Lounge. Villarreal said prospective members must have a passion for community, academics, cultural awareness, and sisterhood. Anette Barrios, music theater freshman, said she thinks bringing a multicultural sorority to campus would be a huge step. “Our campus is pretty rich in its appreciation of the differences between us, but I think that Latinx representation in the Greek community isn’t as common,” Barrios said. “Though my schedule at the moment doesn’t allow for me to be involved in the kind of commitment that a sorority demands, I think this opportunity gives another chance to engage and make friends with like-minded, service-oriented women, most of which are Latina. That’s so incredibly important.” For more information about upcoming events, students can follow their instagram page, @OCUROSAS.

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Film student starts weekly movie screening Madison Bailey

STAFF WRITER

All we do is win

Hannah Campbell Student Publications

Brennyn Seagler, senior forward, scored 17 points for the Stars in the Feb. 6 game against Southwestern Assemblies of God University. The No. 1 ranked Stars won the game 82-54. The next home game is at 6 p.m. on Feb. 13 against John Brown University in Abe Lemons Arena in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center.

February 12, 2020

The film department is having new weekly screenings hosted by students within the department. Will Watson, film freshman, has already put his plan into action for this semester’s screenings. “Each week I pick a movie to show. We screen movies, we have free, old-fashioned popcorn and usually will have a discussion after the movie,” Watson said. “The goal for the screenings is to be able to spark discussion and conversation within the students that join us and to not just pick movies that are good, but to pick movies that we can talk about.” The showings are every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the screening room on the first floor in Dawson-Loeffler Center. “We don’t necessarily have a theme yet, but we are thinking of future plans, like potentially making April ‘Women Filmmaker Month’ or having a ‘Documentary Month,’” Watson said. “For right now, I am screening films that I feel will spark the most conversation but am also looking forward to finding monthly film themes.” With the Oscars having happened Feb. 9, the department is hoping to screen films that were nominated for Oscars, giving students a chance to see nominated films they may not have seen yet.

The goal for the screenings is to be able to spark discussion and conversation within the students that join us. Will Watson film freshman

Sophia Willis, film production freshman, said she is excited to attend screenings. “This is great for student involvement, and I think students will be more likely to attend knowing that it is being hosted by another student,” Willis said. “Will has great taste in movies, so I am excited to see what he picks out.” The series is open to all students and films are free of charge. Watson said he encourages people to come and bring a friend.