Shield Magazine | Volume 23 | Issue 2 | SPRING 2023

SHIELD MEDIA

VOLUME 23 // ISSUE 2

all have issues we struggle with in life, such as stress, fear, mental heath and physical health. These can become overwhelming, and if we are not cautious, we let them define who we are as a person, burying our true identity.

When I started college, I was on my own for the first time in my life. I found myself struggling with an increase in stress and anxiety to the point where I was feeling a constant burnout. On top of that, I was still struggling with how I viewed myself and my body image.

For most of my life, I’ve been a “bigger girl”; not quite plus-size, but definitely not skinny, which negatively affected my self-esteem. I rarely felt pretty in clothes and found myself sticking to oversized hoodies or shirts and leggings because they hid my insecurities. I struggled with accepting how I look, and I let that define me instead of my personality.

Now, I’m working on overcoming my body image issues, increasing my self-esteem and recognizing and accepting that I am beautiful and there’s more to me than how I look.

Our struggles are a unique part of our story, and it’s important to accept them and work to overcome them. Whether it’s an internal or an external struggle, remember that God will give you strength to push through and will never let you down.

In this magazine, the Shield Media team looks at personal struggles, anxiety, team relations, etc. We hope you’ll see that you are not alone and join the RU community as we strive to be better, to grow deeper and to overcome any personal struggles.

“Don't quit, don't give in, you're an overcomer” — “Overcomer” by Mandisa, contemporary Christian recording artist

AMELIA CALKIN Content Director: Magazine

MISSION statement

» Shield Media is the independent student media of Rochester University. As such, we are committed to engaging in thoughtful dialogue over issues relevant to our culture. Shield Media relates to our audience by providing them with bold stories that are intended to entertain, inform and stimulate.

» Shield Media participates in Rochester University’s faith-based mission, and believes that, as ethically minded journalists, we have a responsibility to engage each story with openmindedness, compassion and nuance.

» Along with Rochester University’s Department of Mass Communication, Shield Media prepares young professionals for work in media-related fields by teaching and honing their skills in writing, reporting, graphic design, broadcasting, videography and photography.

» Shield Media is a student and not a college publication. Views expressed are diverse, and of course, do not correspond to all views of RU’s board, administration, faculty, staff, students or other constituency.

HOwDY

TeAM & ADviSerS

Gabriella Barczys

Jessica Baysdell

Brandon Byrd

Luke Chapman

Christian Corey

Breana Crum

Christian DeBruyn

Khalil Dent

Sofia Di Noto

Amanda Fraser

Isaiah Freeman

Sarah Fulton

Brock Grandbois

Brooklynn Hathcock

Nilla Kanjoma

Alyxander LaBranche

Jasmine Moore

Joshua Richardson

James Saxinger

Alexandria Warzecha

Lora Hutson & Darren McCullough

Cover Drawing // Alyxander LaBranche

RochesteR UniveRsity hosts family dinneR to help

end pRejUdice

Rochester University teamed up with End Prejudice, a Metro Detroit nonprofit organization, to host The Family Dinner event in January to highlight the importance of building a connection with others in the community to build a future without prejudice.

The Family Dinner allowed community members to share their experiences and learn about others to help inspire new connections. Those who attended the event heard from Lashaun Phoenix Moore, a singer, poet and co-director of End Prejudice; Bryce LP, a singer-songwriter; Jeremy Peters, a pastor and poet; Johdi Jackson, a singer-songwriter. Musical accompaniment was provided by keyboardist Drew Keys, drummer Dre Bell and bassist Byron Harris Jr.

The evening began with a barbecue dinner before the performers took the stage. Darcy Bennin, junior management major, attended the event and said, “Going into the event I did not know what to expect, but right from the start I was impressed by the food and the talent. I was moved by every performance.”

Detroit native Lashaun Phoenix Moore took the stage first and shared her experiences as a Black woman seeing police brutality in America. She said she responds to injustice with an attitude of forgiveness that could be “as heavy as a knee on the neck, as an utterance from the cross in the face of your murderers, as a radical act that Christ demonstrated.”

Pastor Jeremy Peters of United Methodist Church in Flint, Michigan, read two poems he wrote

“Token White Guy” and “This is not a Poem About Butterflies.”

“Token White Guy” describes white privilege from the perspective of a young Black girl. Peters said, “When you hear me speaking in that voice, I am echoing the voices of people I’ve listened to… I can’t live those experiences myself. I gotta learn from people who have.”

Alexis Krumbach, sophomore sports management major, said Peters’ poems stuck with her throughout the night. And fellow presenter Moore said about Peters: “He does so many brave things up to and including tearing down barriers and walls that have been a construct of the Methodist church. He is a rebel.”

Fellow Detroit natives Bryce LP and Johdi Jackson each performed their own music while also covering other songs that expressed their own individual stories as artists, musicians and people.

Bryce’s song “Worthy” embraces tapping into your power and light. “When you take a candle and

“No matter what. You are beautiful. You are worthy.”

you light it, then you light another, and another, that is what we have to do for each other,” Bryce said.

Johdi expressed her personal battle with mental health and how she found the courage to find the help she needed and embrace her worth and beauty as an individual. “I just want everybody in the room to always remember that no matter what you look like, no matter your occupation. No matter what. You are beautiful. You are worthy,” she said.

As the Family Dinner ended, Moore encouraged the crowd to connect with new people and the guests themselves after the show in hopes of creating space to end prejudice one conversation at a time.

“Hosting events that bring people together is missional for RU, plus enjoying a good meal over live music is always a good idea in my book,” said Evan Green, associate dean of students and director of intercultural and spiritual life. Brian Petty, residence hall director and student life assistant, worked with Green to coordinate the event.

Green said, “Collaborating on the event with End Prejudice is a way for RU to be good neighbors with community leaders. These efforts allow RU to support a local nonprofit doing meaningful work and support local artists.”

Visit www.endprejudice.org to contribute and find events in which to participate.

EMILY CARROLL SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

“As heavy as a knee on the neck, as an utterance from the cross in the face of your murderers, as a radical act that Christ demonstrated.”

Emily Carroll x

ith over 128 mass shootings reported in the U.S. as of March 28 — and the recent attack on Michigan State University — Rochester University's students and employees have expressed concerns over the issue and want to be prepared in case a tragedy strikes at RU.

A "mass shooting" is defined by the Gun Violence Archive and The Guardian's mass shooting database as an attack in which a minimum of four people, not counting the gunmen, are shot or killed. The Gun Violence Archive recorded over 600 mass shootings in 2022 and tracked over 690 in 2021.

Nilla Kanjoma, a freshman studying pre-med, said she feels safe at RU "to an extent" because "the community's small. It’s still scary because it's open to anyone.” She said she is always prepared to hit an emergency button.

Detective Sergeant Kirk Simpson of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said officers would arrive at RU in minutes if an active shooter call was reported. He said he was confident the first officer who arrived would run in to help and not wait for other officers.

For that reason, he said, many deputies carry the necessary gear, such as shields and extra weaponry in their patrol cars. "The way we stop it is with a quick response and a powerful show of force,” he said.

Both students and employees at Rochester University seem conflicted over how they feel on school campuses around the area. David Sirka, an electronic resources librarian at RU, said he worries for his wife, who’s a teacher. He knows students of all ages can have access to weapons at their homes, "I've never felt unsafe working here," he said. "It could just be because we're a small school, and I know pretty much anyone that comes in and out of here.”

Rochester and Rochester Hills are among the safest cities in the state. Rochester Hills has a lower crime rate than 64% of the communities in Michigan and is safer than 69% of cities, towns and villages in America, according to Neighborhood Scout's analysis of FBI crime data from 2021.

Someone's chance of being a victim of a violent crime, such as assault, rape, murder or armed robbery is one in 1,491 people, which is below the national average for all communities of all population sizes in the U.S.

The chance of being the victim of a crime including non-violent crime, violent crime and property crime, combined is one in 161. In the U.S., the chance of being the victim of a crime is one in 43. Crime in Rochester Hills is one of the lowest in the nation for a community of its size.

What is the university doing to mitigate students' unease? According to Jacob Lawless, director of operations, RU's strategies align with other institutions' active attacker protocols. "We do have a safe campus. It's statistically safe here and we have a great partner in the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office that is able to assist us in the event of emergencies."

The Oakland County Sheriff’s officers that Lawless refers to, receive quarterly training on active shooter scenarios. Some of that training includes acting out scenarios with modified firearms, role players and proctors. The training is also designed to emulate the unit sizes of those responding to a call.

Additionally, RU holds occasional walkthroughs on campus where officers can familiarize themselves with campus, Simpson said.

RU held a lockdown drill on March 23 to prepare employees and students in case of a threat. Lawless also said classroom doors have deadbolt locks and that RU is looking into acquiring more Barracuda Interior Defense Systems for select rooms. The Barracuda system is a door security device that can quickly be deployed and is designed to prevent doors from opening in the case of an incident, along with other locking devices.

Lawless said the university utilizes alert systems on campus. Omnalert is a text message, app and notification system that sends notifications to students, staff and faculty via voice, text, email, RSS and desktop alerts. Alerts can be sent via campuswide email, RU app, student portals and the website. Some buildings have public address systems.

Simpson said the best thing people can do is be cognizant of people around them and pay attention to people in their lives. "Most active shooters involving random killings, somebody else knew the person was troubled or had ideations and failed to report it." If someone notices something odd or knows of someone with these ideations, speaking up could save lives.

Students, faculty and staff can learn more about RU's active shooter protocol via the RU website. Residential students can find an emergency guide on the back of their dorm doors, along with posters located on campus. Residential assistants can learn more in their RA handbook.

DANIELLE CASTILLO ONLINE CONTENT DIRECTOR

PAGES DESIGNED BY HAYLEY MCQUADE & TAMERA ROBINSON // PHOTOS FROM UNSPLASH

COMMON ANXIETIES OF RU STUDENTS

Self-love isn’t selfish. It’s important.

CONTENT CREATOR DELETES ALL SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media has become an integral part of our lives with millions of people using it to connect, share, and stay updated with friends and family.

However, social media can also have a negative impact on mental health, and after much thought, I deleted all my social media accounts.

This decision has been one of the best I have ever made, and it has helped me overcome anxiety in content creation and in my life in general.

Before I deleted my social media accounts, I would spend hours scrolling through my feed, comparing my life to others and feeling less than. I would constantly check my notifications, looking for likes and comments on my posts. It was a vicious cycle that left me feeling exhausted, unhappy and anxious.

The turning point came when I realized that social media was consuming too much of my time and energy. I was spending less time doing the things I loved, and my mental health was suffering. I was constantly anxious and overwhelmed, and I knew something needed to change.

After much thought, I made the decision to delete all my social media accounts. At first, it was difficult. I felt like I was missing out on important updates from friends and family, and I was worried about how I would stay connected. But as time went on, I began to notice the positive impact it was having on my mental health.

Without the constant stream of updates, I found myself more present and engaged in the world around me. I started to appreciate the little things in life and found joy in the simple moments. I was able to focus on my own goals and aspirations without the distractions of social media.

One of the biggest benefits of deleting social media was the relief it brought to my anxiety in content creation. As a creator, I constantly felt the pressure to create content that would go viral and garner thousands of likes and shares. I would spend hours agonizing over the perfect edits or the perfect words for my videos.

Without social media, I stopped creating content for two-to-three months, and it was a liberating thing to do. I felt like no burden was on me at the time to always have a post go viral.

But eventually, I got back into it and I found my love for creating content again. I was able to focus on the content itself rather than how it would perform online. I was able to experiment with new ideas and styles without worrying about how they would be received by others. This newfound freedom allowed me to create content that was truly authentic and true to myself.

Deleting social media also helped me overcome anxiety in my life in general. I no longer felt the pressure to constantly be online and connected. I was able to set boundaries and prioritize my mental health. I started to enjoy the simple things in life and found a sense of calm that I had never experienced before.

Deleting social media was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It has had a profound impact on my mental health, allowing me to focus on what truly matters in life. It has helped me overcome anxiety in content creation and in my life in general. I no longer feel the pressure to constantly be online and connected, and I am able to enjoy the present moment without the distractions of social media.

While social media has its benefits, it is important to recognize when it is doing more harm than good and take steps to protect our mental health.

JOSHUA RICHARDSON STAFF WRITER

“iT wAS A libeRating THiNg TO DO.” Josh Richardson x

CHRISTIAN COREY STAFF WRITER

ety

Students often talk in generalities about the stress they experience in college, but the specific parts of academic life that create anxiety are often not addressed.

Rochester University psychology professors shared what they notice are the top contributors to anxiety in college students.

TOP STRESSORS

Deadlines: Teri Butcher, academic adviser and an adjunct psychology instructor, said collegiate deadlines affect freshman and sophomore students more because they were in high school during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they were given leeway concerning deadlines.

“I’ve personally noticed, especially since we’re having graduates that experienced three years of COVID in high school, a lot of students have gotten used to not having deadlines… especially in online classes. Also, in high school these days, they give multiple opportunities for students to turn in assignments to get good grades,” Butcher said.

Papers: Dr. Jessica Matyas, chair of the Department of Psychology and Behavioral Science and an associate professor of psychology, said essays in college are the most common contributor to academic anxiety because of an essay’s required length, fear of plagiarism, style of writing, and trying to comply with the specific rules.

“With papers being more of an applied assignment than memorization of exams, I feel the stress comes from being able to put together coherent thoughts. It requires more concentration and more forethought,” she said.

Exams: Butcher said both exam preparation and exams themselves induce high levels of anxiety. Collegiate exam preparation creates anxiety because it forces students to apply themselves and think critically.

Also, the type of exams can induce high levels of anxiety. For example, written exams create higher levels of anxiety because it is more difficult for students to articulate what professors expect of them. Also, timed exams force the mind to think at an unnatural pace, she said.

ANXIETY DIFFERS BETWEEN SEXES

Men and women differ in their levels of anxiety, what gets them anxious and how they cope with anxiety.

“Research shows there are higher rates for women than men, by a ratio of two to one. Women have twice the anxiety that men do, sometimes for different reasons. Men tend to manage their anxiety differently than women,” said Dr. Gordon E. MacKinnon, clinical psychologist,

MEN VS. WOMEN STRESSORS

Women are concerned about their short-term appearance regarding their grades and worry if they don’t perform at a high-level, people might think they don’t belong in college, Matyas said.

MacKinnon said men are less concerned about grades and more concerned about finishing their degree, their long-term goals and accomplishments regarding their future. Matyas said these male concerns about the future stem from the American cultural expectation that says men must be the providers.

BY HAYLEY MCQUADE // PHOTOS FROM PEXELS

HOW THE SEXES COPE

Women tend to have a more difficult time compartmentalizing different aspects of their life than men. Women might be more emotionally vulnerable, and they deal with their anxiety through conversations and are more willing to seek therapy, Matyas said.

Men tend to deal with their anxiety through hobbies. However, men might be prone to resort to unhealthy acts of relieving anxiety, such as hiding it, getting angry, and experimenting with dangerous amounts of drugs and alcohol, MacKinnon said. Matyas said the acts that men engage in to relieve stress may be a direct result of toxic masculinity, which says men should not seek therapy for relieving their anxiety.

ETHNIC ANXIETY

MacKinnon said white students experience lower levels of anxiety than minorities. Typically, the anxiety white students experience is a direct result of believing they must live up to their parent’s expectations. These thoughts can result in generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and social anxiety.

MacKinnon said minority students experience higher levels of anxiety, and their anxiety may stem from being first-generation college students or attending a predominantly white university. Being a first-generation college student can mean they lack academic support on the home front concerning assignments, scholarships or financial aid.

Matyas said minorities might be reluctant to seek help for their anxiety from white authority figures, such as psychology professionals. Fear of seeking professional help can result in continued high levels of anxiety.

ANXIETY SIDE EFFECTS

MacKinnon said anxiety symptoms include:

• headaches

• insomnia

• depression

• mental and physical shutdowns

• procrastination

• absences

• immune suppression

SOLUTIONS

MacKinnon said grounding and mindfulness helps with acute stress. Guided imagery has people think of their own special places to help relax the mind. Biofeedback measures blood pressure and heart rates, which enlightens people on how to regulate anxiety through relaxation training. Sleep hygiene requires a person to follow a regular sleeping pattern and avoid blue light before bed. These are some solutions students can incorporate to cope with anxiety.

coach t UR nove R

THE EFFECT ON TEAMS

Coaches are leaders, recruiters, motivators and disciplinarians. They are integral to a team’s success, but what happens to a team when there is no coach?

I am a junior on the women’s volleyball team, and I recently experienced a coaching change. The loss of a coach and waiting for a new coach to be hired has been difficult for me and our entire team, and this has happened to other teams at RU too.

According to my research, in the past five years, Rochester University has lost more than eight coaches — impacting bowling, volleyball, men’s soccer, golf, lacrosse, softball, and track and field. Some of these teams have even lost multiple coaches.

When coaches quit or get fired, the discussion centers around what happened and who is coming in next, but the effects on a team and individual players are important and should not be overlooked.

Men’s soccer recently went through a coaching change, and this wasn’t the first transition the team experienced. Junior soccer player Martin Ivezaj said it's not easy going from coach to coach and trying to build trust again.

“I have been through three coaches at RU, and it has affected me mentally because I didn’t know who would come and how it would affect my playing time,” he said.

Athletes can be concerned about playing time,

connection to a new coach and wondering what is next. A new coach doesn’t know who you are, how you play, or what to expect from you, so you are starting all over and that is pressure.

Losing a coach at the end of a season is difficult, but when you are halfway through a season and your coach abandons you, it is even more difficult. Imagine one day you are competing in a competition with a coach and the next day, he or she is gone.

Players can step up and help, but life without a coach is limiting.

“I think the mental health aspect as a college athlete waiting for a new coach to take over is so much anxiety,” said Lynzie Kirkendall, a junior on the bowling team. “I experienced this along with my teammates because we were left without a coach in the middle of our season. We were a self-led team for about two months. Even once we had a new coach, a lot of my team held the same amount of anxiety until we were able to gain trust in our new coach who has

now provided all of us with amazing opportunities.” Having a healthy relationship with a coach is critical, and this takes time to build — what happens when it falls apart in what feels like seconds?

Brett Malinowski, senior track and field athlete, said, “Having a connection with a coach is hard to build in the first place. It takes a lot of time, trust and dedication from both sides. When you realize you have built that connection and that coach leaves, it can feel like part of you as the athlete is gone as well.”

Losing a coach is something that is hard to prepare for, whether you wanted them gone or not. Athletes may start to question if they will be good enough for the next coach and put pressure on themselves to be perfect.

While coaching changes can be difficult, athletes can use the situation as motivation to be better.

“Our end with our last coach is a beginning with our new coach,” said junior volleyball player Olivia Francis. “We’ll demonstrate our resiliency as we embark on a new season

— my final one at RU. I am

committed to being the best player and teammate that I can be. We will find success on and off the court because we are Warriors.”

The impact a coach can have on an athlete, both positive and negative, is life changing and when they leave, so can your love for that sport. Coaches leaving has caused some athletes to transfer from RU or quit altogether.

I believe the administration has done a better job lately in hiring good coaches full time. I encourage our university to continue putting more resources into hiring coaches and ensuring their success so they can build strong and lasting programs. This will benefit the university, the coach and, of course, student athletes.

OLIVIA PANNECOUK EVENTS & PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR

wArrIOr wIre

A junior mass communication major, Trent Fagan competes for RU’s track and cross country teams. Here is his story in his own words:

PAGES DESIGNED BY HAYLEY MCQUADE // PHOTOS BY GEORGII RESHOTKA, NOAH PETERSON, UNSPLASH

Struggle is nothing new for me, from growing up not as wealthy as others and living in a poor, rough neighborhood, to having to deal with cancer during my second and third years of college.

In late November 2021, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 testicular cancer. I had surgery on Black Friday to get the cancer removed. Everything seemed fine until test results came back that turned my world around and put my running career on pause.

I had finished my school semester and track season strong and felt really good with the progress I had made in life at this time, but now it was time for me to head into a summer full of chemotherapy.

I had to shave my head, which I learned was hard for me as my red hair was my signature look. I had to step back in one important aspect of my life… running… because I didn’t even have enough energy to walk around the block a couple of times.

These obstacles gave me tons of mental health and confidence issues, which in the running world go hand and hand. How I physically looked didn’t help my mindset either. I gained about 30 pounds from not running and being filled with chemo fluids almost everyday.

By July 2022, I was done with chemo and I thought that was the end of it. Sometimes, I would

go out for a short slow run, and that really had me thinking this whole “getting back into shape” thing was going to be easy.

Then in August 2022, I had to get another surgery to remove another cancer mass in my lymph nodes. So I started this year with another setback, and now I had a tube poking out my side in which I had to release fluid that was in there every few hours.

It wasn't until October that I realized I had to red-shirt this year of cross country, which meant I couldn’t compete or travel with the team. This set me back because everyone else got better, and I didn’t. Thus, throughout this year, I have been trying to come back bigger and better than I have had.

I am thankful to have had the support of my teammates and coaches. They have my back.

Now that I have overcome this struggle, I am finally in a spot in my life and in my running career where I can say that I’m ready for whatever life throws at me!

Trent Fagan x

t R ends

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st R essed ?

CALM DOWN, PUMP UP!

“NOTHING IS STOPPING YOU” BIG SEAN HIP HOP/RAP 2013

“THE SUN IS RISING” BRITT NICOLE CHRISTIAN POP 2012

“SELF PORTRAIT” SASHA SLOAN GERMAN POP 2019

“WITH A THOUSAND WORDS TO SAY BUT ONE” DARKEST HOUR ROCK METAL 2005

“BABY BLUE” RENCE POP 2018

“I’LL FIND YOU” LECRAE & TORI KELLY CHRISTIAN HIP HOP 2017

“THE WRONG DIRECTION” PASSENGER POP 2012

“FOREVER” KARI JOBE CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN 2014

“TIL YOU CAN’T” CODY JOHNSON COUNTRY 2021

“WHITE SANDS” STILL CORNERS INDIE ALTERNATIVE 2021

Cover Design by Georgii Reshotka

Cover Design by Georgii Reshotka

Cover Design by Georgii Reshotka

Cover Design by Georgii Reshotka