NCAA campus visit AND Athlete retention
Student/faculty advice to past selves continued
Read more on page 7
Read more on page 6
April 26, 2013 Volume 84 Issue 26 echo.snu.edu
TheEcho
6612 NW 42nd St. Bethany, OK 73008 (405) 491-6382 Dr. Gresham, administrators answer study abroad funding questions Brad Crofford, Editor-In-Chief After university president Loren Gresham’s outlining of changes to the study abroad funding policy at a campus meeting last week, the students, faculty and staff in attendance had numerous questions. In fall 2013, the $4,000 and $2,500 caps for international studies majors and non-international studies majors will already be in place, but during this semester, students who had been accepted to programs by April 1 can apply to have more funding based on personal need. This would be determined on a case by case basis. According to Dr. Scott Strawn,
vice president for financial affairs, the person to contact for this would be Diana Lee, director of financial aid. “We talked about Diana Lee in financial aid, that she would use their EFC [expected family contribution] and that financial need would be the major factor we would utilize,” Strawn said. Strawn says that higher education consulting company Noel Levitz has played an important role in changing the way the university distributes financial aid. “I think it’s actually the most equitable and fair way, to really look at a student’s ability to pay as a key
measure for how much support cerns about the narrower range of you provide for their opportunity approved programs. Professor Michelle Bowie stated that based on to be here at SNU,” Strawn said. her and her daughter’s research, some of the sister school programs are more akin to literary or historical field studies trips. This is because the students travel with a professor instead of living in a more immersive context. “They’re not living on a camOne concern raised by faculty pus and they’re not living with a was whether there would be a list of approved sister school (that is, host family and doing that kind of Nazarene) study abroad programs thing. It’s more of a literary field to aid faculty in advising. Gresham studies/historical field studies kind said that provost Mary Jones would of thing where they’re just touring more than the live-in experience make and distribute this list. Several participants raised con- that our students get in the other programs,” Bowie said. “They get full credit, but they’re not immersed in the culture in the same way.”
“They’re not immersed...in the same way”
QERC and Morningstar
Funding for study at the Quetzal Educational Research Center (QERC) and the Morningstar Institute will remain unchanged. These programs may become increasingly popular with students due to some upcoming changes. When asked about potentially expanding QERC to apply for courses of study outside of environmental science and biology, Jones said there have been conversations about that, including psychology. The Morningstar Institute primarily focuses on business and Photo from senior Nat Oliveira, studying abroad in Spain.
Continued on page 2
4.26.13
NEWS
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Health Center faculty give insight into their jobs Garvis Long, Staff Writer There are a lot of great people working for Southern Nazarene University; people that make differences in others lives and truly care for the students, faculty, and staff. Three of those people work in the clinic in the Webster Commons basement. I got to talk to the three lovely ladies (Carol Braaten, Ami Siems, and Angie Hattler) of the SNU clinic and got a chance to get inside the wonderful minds of three wonderful people. The Echo: What made you take up your profession? Braaten (Administrative Assistant): This wasn’t my original profession, but I like the fact I work with students. Siems (Doctor): I wanted to
be a nurse but they didn’t have a nursing major so I became a doctor. Right after college I did graduate work with bio chemicals but I didn’t like working with test tubes, I liked working with people. Hattler (Nurse): I taught school for 18 years and decided to go back and get my nurse’s degree. TE: What brought you to join the staff at SNU? Braaten: I graduated from here looking for a job I can serve people and this was close to my kids school. Siems: Mike Brooks was director of student development and asked me about being the doctor here and I thought it would be a great way to give back to the college. Hattler: I am an alumni of SNU
and I love it. I love SNU. TE: What is the most common injury you see in the clinic? Braaten: Minor cuts. Siems: Sprained ankles. Hattler: Longboard injuries from wrecks. TE: What is the most common sickness a student usually has? All three ladies: Colds. TE: What advice do you guys have about staying healthy? Braaten: Getting plenty of rest is the key and drinking lots of water, eating healthy, but rest is number one in my opinion. Siems: Try to get 6-8 hours of sleep and wash your hands! Hattler: Wash your hands. TE: How long have you guys been treating people?
Braaten: This is my fourth year. Siems: 1997. Hattler: I started in August. TE: Do any teachers ever get treated here? Braaten: Yes, faculty and staff. Siems: Yes we are open to anybody. Faculty, staff, family members. Hattler: Half of our patients are faculty and staff. TE: What is the strangest injury or illness you have ever seen? Braaten: A dog bite. Siems: Someone skinned their tailbone from their waist down to the back of their knees. Major road rash. Hattler: Somebody had to have their gallbladder taken out recently.
Brad Crofford, Editor-In-Chief Dr. Phil Moore will be stepping down as director of the Symphonic Band and Jazz Band. Dr. Rich Cantwell will direct the Symphonic Band, and Prof. Chris White will take over the Jazz Band. Moore has directed the Symphonic Band for 32 years. He con-
ducted them in the final concert of the year on Thursday, April 25. “This concert [featured] a couple of our outstanding players (solos with band for Cameron Taylor, saxophone, and Dillan Francis, clarinet), and also a medley from Phantom of the Opera,” Moore
wrote in response to an email from The Echo. “We typically end the year with lighter repertoire. There was not any difference in selecting this program from all the preceding 32 years.” Moore will continue to be active in the music department. He will
teach all the Music History courses, in addition to the courses he currently teaches, such as conducting, music methods and church music. Cameron Taylor, senior music education major, has played under Moore’s direction since coming as a freshman four years ago.
Symphonic Band Director Dr. Moore changes positions after 32 years
Dr. Gresham answers study abroad funding questions cont. poverty alleviation. It has offerings in Kenya, Swaziland, and Belize. According to Dr. Tom Herskowitz, Morningstar director, funding applies to all three Morningstar programs, including “any other ones we open up. It’s a Morningstar program, not a geographic specific program.” In addition, Morningstar has some funding available to help students with transportation costs.
Veritas, IGE and other programs
Junior missions major Terra Frederick raised the concern that the approved study abroad programs do not necessarily line up
with all students’ areas of studies. She said that she had chosen and been accepted to a Veritas program, a Christian study abroad program she said better lines up with her calling to missions. Best Semester programs do not provide the same opportunity, she said. Bowie noted that Veritas and IGE [the Institute for Global Education] have been repeatedly welcomed on campus, with recruiters and booths set up in the Commons. IGE runs a program in Vienna, Austria that attracts SNU students most semesters. “We’ll see about that,” Gresham said. “We tried to leave some flexibility in that. I’d like to know a lot more about the programs, the
personnel, the expectations and lifestyle covenant issues, and supervision. We don’t want to send a student to a program that we don’t feel totally confident that they will be in an environment that will be safe and where they will be nurtured in their faith in the way that we would want them to in one of our programs.”
International students
Rachel Graves, director of international student services, raised the question of students who have no aid other than institutional aid. “They don’t get any federal or state aid and very few external scholarships, so they rely a lot on their institutional aid. I can think
of six of my international students that are international studies majors,” Graves said. The Cabinet seemed somewhat unsure in answering this question. “Is that a conundrum? I mean, international studies majors, would they still have a requirement to study abroad? Would not coming to North America be their study abroad?” Dr. Linda Cantwell, vice president for enrollment management, asked. Graves noted that an international student is currently studying in Spain this semester as she was not allowed to count living in Brazil (her home country) as study Continued on page 4
4.26.13
NEWS
3
O.I.L. delegation wins third best overall at spring session Brad Crofford, Editor-In-Chief The university’s Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature (O.I.L.) delegation had a successful session at the Oklahoma State Capitol from April 17-21. It won third best overall delegation out of twelve universities in attendance. This is significant as this year’s delegation was the smallest from SNU in recent memory with just three members. For comparison, first place winner Oklahoma State University had fifty students registered to par-
ticipate at the session. Oral Roberts University took second place. SNU’s overall achievement was the result of small victories in various areas. Senior Tim Rice returned for his seventh session of O.I.L. His legislation won third best legislation in the House of Representatives, and his efforts won him third best delegation in the House. Junior Terra Frederick and senior Brad Crofford earned points in the Senate for their frequent service, such as volunteering as secretary and clerking for the President Pro
Tempore. This was Frederick’s second session. She plans to do it again in the fall, stepping up into a leadership role to help SNU return for another successful semester. In an interview with The Echo, she stressed that participants do not have to be from Oklahoma or be political science majors. Frederick is a missions major from Maine. “They’re having an overwhelming number of people who are not political science come because they are just interested,” Frederick said.
“There are some who want to go to law school or be a senator, but there’s also a lot of people who are like ‘I don’t know how this works. I want to get involved in it.’” Regardless of one’s major and state of origin, Frederick believes O.I.L. can be a valuable experience. “It gives you an inside glance at the inner workings of things so that when your senators or representatives go through things, you actually care because you have some understanding of what’s going on,” Frederick said.
Photo from Brad Crofford
Symphonic Band Director Dr. Moore changes positions after 32 years “Dr. Cantwell and Dr. Moore have very different styles,” Taylor said. “Over the years with Dr. Moore it’s been more a thing of feeling you’re always welcome, and what you have to offer matters to him. Whether you’re the best player or not, he enjoys having you and will always work with you to help you get better.” Sophomore music education/ trombone performance major Andrew Sharp agrees that Cantwell and Moore have differing styles. “I think it is going to be an interesting change in leadership to say the least,” Sharp said. “Dr. Moore
and Dr. Cantwell have two completely different personalities and teaching styles. Regardless, next year is going to be a crucial year in both the Symphonic Band and the whole department.” The word to describe Cantwell that many of the students interviewed for this story used was “energetic.” Erin McGarry, senior science education major, said she is excited to see some of the changes that Cantwell has planned for the band. “He has already promised the band that he will have us travel more, and that could be a good
recruiting tool for the music program,” McGarry said. Current band members say they will miss Moore.
“I believe Dr. Cantwell will bring fresh ideas and tons of energy,” “I am sad to see Dr. Moore go because hes done so much for me personally and the band program as a whole,” Erin Hicks, senior instrumental music education major, said. “But I know that he feels this
change is for the best and I’m really glad that students will still get to learn from this sweet man in the classroom!” Moore spoke highly of Cantwell and what he will bring to the Symphonic Band. “I believe Dr. Cantwell will bring fresh ideas and tons of energy,” Moore said. “I have complete confidence in his experience and ability to take the band on from here. I just thought it was time for me to make this change. I look forward to hearing both the Symphonic Band and Jazz Band next year and the years to come.”
4.26.13
NEWS
4
Dr. Gresham answers study abroad funding questions cont. abroad. “I think it’s a great question. I didn’t realize a person would come from halfway around the world to here to study abroad with the international studies program,” Gresham said. “We’ll just have to ask the appropriate people to take a look at that and see what to do.”
Missed opportunities and higher costs
Some students and faculty suggested the policy change will be difficult for current students. Unlike future incoming freshmen, they had expectations about study abroad funding. “I play volleyball, so the only semester I can go is my very last semester. If I could have gone, I would have gone this semester or I would have gone last semester. But I just can’t, so that’s the one semester that I have off. So I’ve been planning since freshman year to go and I might not be able to now,” junior Kira Roberts said. The cost of approved programs
Photo by Brad Crofford
versus others was also a recurring issue during the meeting. Roberts had worked with study abroad advisor Elise Blalock to find a program that is about $10,000 cheaper than the Best Semester program. Though it is not a Christian program, Roberts believes programs like this are sometimes students’ only options due to cost and wondered how the change would impact the programs eligibility for institutional funding. “We haven’t established an appeals process, so I can’t really say for sure what that might be,” Gresham said. “ Gresham then asked if the program Roberts had found was approved by an Australian school. When she said she was pretty sure it was, Gresham suggested that since SNU has required having the last 15 out of 30 hours at SNU, Roberts could transfer for the semester. “You could transfer in the last 15 [hours], take advantage of a cheaper program, have some credits on there from an Australian university.
Still an option,” Gresham said. Gresham had emphasized earlier in the meeting that students could still apply to programs that are not on the pre-approved list. “Any SNU student can apply to these programs. If they’re accredited programs, they can go, they can transfer their credit back if they save enough money. Even though it’s not our credit, we accept it if it’s an accredited program. So that option would still be there,” Gresham said. While looking at costs for study abroad, Frederick noted that students also consider lost wages. “[While on campus] I can work, and that also helps me with a lot of other expenses. When I study abroad, I cannot get a job, so there’s also the extra couple of thousand dollars,” Frederick said.
Comparing with other universities
Throughout the meetings, administrators emphasized the continued generosity of the universi-
ty’s funding for study abroad. Strawn estimated that the university would remain one of the most generous with the new policy. “I think this plan, although less than what we do, keeps us well on the top five to ten percent of what schools do nationwide easily, and certainly when you look at all private liberal arts colleges,” Strawn said. Dr. Mike Redwine, vice president for student development, noted that many students won’t be affected by this as they do not receive that much institutional aid. “The only ones affected are those that receive more than $8,000 a year if you’re an international studies major, or you receive $5,000 of institutional aid if you’re a non-international studies major, or you’re not going to one of these programs that are pre-approved or one of our own programs to receive your full aid,” Redwine said. “And, honestly, if you’re above that, just be thankful because you actually attended school here for on campus semesters less expensively than everyone else did because the average is about $8,000 for the year. Redwine suggested that the alternative to this policy was charging all students more next year. The administration wanted to avoid this. Redwine noted significant cuts in other areas, including being asked to cut $135,000 from his area of student development. Gresham occasionally referred to conversations with the president of another Christian university. “They completely eliminated all institutional aid following students. I think it was six years ago. They didn’t see any change in demand for their two most popular programs, which were the Hollywood film studies program and the contemporary Christian music program. Those stayed the same... They didn’t see any drop-off there,” Gresham said.
OPINIONS TheEcho
April 26, 2013
Page 5
The explosive power of a new affection Preston Goff, Guest Writer I recently heard a phrase that I couldn’t help but be intrigued by: “The explosive power of a new affection…” First coined by a man named Thomas Chalmers hundreds of years ago, it refers to a concept that has driven the very heartbeat of society more and more in our modern age. See, it refers to a phenomenon that is rooted in our very nature from an early age; a desire to continually desire the next person, item, event, etc. that demands our attention, by providing us with just enough of a mountaintop high. A new affection. This explosive power has invaded our every aspect as a society. Just as an infection can come to conMacy Sliman, Staff Writer Spring is in the air. The birds are chirping. Squirrels are frolicking on the lawn. (Either that or stalking pedestrians) And what do we people do to snag the attention of the object of our affection? How exactly do relationships start here in the 21st Century? Let’s start at the beginning. Upon being interested in someone, said interest is quietly observed in her natural habitat otherwise known as social media. Step 1: Friend on Facebook. Follow of Twitter and Instagram. Do appropriate amount of “creeping.” (This term refers to the socially acceptable way of getting to know more about a person via the Internet.) After creeping, you then must figure out if there is enough reason to continue the relationship (as in go on to step 2). Step 2: When (If) friend/follower request has been accepted, the appropriate amount of waiting time
trol an entire body, we too are often steered by this power. We are driven in the pursuit of new affections, and we see this most prominently by the manner in which we spend our money, the goals that we
“We are driven in pursuit of new affections” endeavor to accomplish, the relationships that we foster, and even through the way that we perceive spirituality and faith. The very phrase “The American Dream”, which is still very much alive and well, refers to an achievable point that guarantees our reception of
happiness and ultimate pleasure through the conquering of societies’ most valued accomplishments. Teaser: No one ever really makes it to a point where they feel like they have accomplished this dream. But yet, this explosive power is always present to encourage those brave enough to join in the never-ending race to success. Relationally this explosive power is very dangerous. As a society and truly as a world, we allow ourselves to be classified by the qualities and traits we possess, by the languages we speak, even by the flags that we fly. Through this, a complex is established that roots humans against humans. It continually creates an inferior and a superior, leaving the
gap between the two severe. If we aren’t careful the pursuit of a new affection (of feeling exclusive or admirable in some way) will come at the expense of another. Fortunately, just as it is with an infection, an early awareness of the issue can help to heal the problem. Proactively pushing ourselves to not be captivated by new affections, but rather dedicating ourselves to that which is truly important allows for our perspective on life to become uniquely attuned to the ways in which we can facilitate a positive impact. We are intentionally created in order to fulfill specific roles. Therefore, deny “the explosive power of a new affection,” and see where it takes you.
Timeline of Modern Dating must be met before contact. If done properly, one does not look too eager (actually creepy) and not too long (uninterested). Step 3: Now we get to the hard part. Now, contact is made. The perfect instant message must be crafted. Sometimes it’s just a simple, “Hey” or even for the more daring, “Sup?” Hopefully, if the contacting goes well, the “soon to be couple” can move on to step 4. Step 4: After an extensive conversation of 20 questions, actual phone numbers can be exchanged for texting. This offers a more direct connection from one party to another. This method is also more acceptable to use for a date offer. Step 5: This advanced step is for the boldest. Here is where all the hard work should pay off. The question to go for a movie or dinner is offered up. All there is now is to wait for the response. Step 6: This step can go one
Photo by Jerod Hill used under Creative Commons license.
of two ways. Either her answer comes quickly with a yes or no. Or after consistently texting for a few days now, there is no answer for
minutes on end. It’s as if she has dropped the phone and ran away. And after that type of rejection, a little therapy might be needed.
4.26.13
OPINIONS
6
Student/faculty advice to past selves continued from last
Dear Freshman Me, . . . don’t be in such a hurry to grow up.
~Tesica Starkey, senior, English Major
. . . make more than one friend. Don’t eat three Ramen Noodle cups a day. And, don’t watch “Say Yes to the Dress” marathon reruns because it gives you unrealistic expectations. Do your homework, and go to class. Get a job; it’s much easier to work freshman year than it is junior year. Don’t sell your books back to the SNU bookstore.
~Elizabeth Bertuca, junior, Missions Major . . . be more relaxed. ~Jeff Carden, junior, Graphic Design Major . . . make lots of friends, branch out, be more involved, go to
church, go to class, and get better grades. Pick a major. And, sleep. Lots.
~Shelby Wilson, junior, Missions Major . . . don’t declare a major this year; you’re only 18.
~Abbey Marra, Recent graduate
. . . I know you are scared, trying to figure out where you fit. Just love people and try not to judge them as you make friends.
~Sarah Handley, senior, Theology/Ministry Major
. . . don’t be so worried about what people think of you. Have confidence in your ability to be different and still have friends. Learn how to say no. Start paying attention to what you eat, high school bodies don’t last forever!
~Kira Roberts, junior, Mass Communications Major
. . . that one hour of studying is not going to make that much of a difference… Take a break and do something with your friends!
~Amy Sattler, junior, Biology Major
STORMSPORTS TheEcho April 26, 2013 Page 7 NCAA representatives give campus a visit
Kira Roberts, Layout Editor Representatives from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) visited campus last week in an effort to see our progress in adapting to this new program from all different aspects. They met with coaches, staff, and student athletes to discuss specific changes that have been, and are being made in adherence to the goal of being officially accepted into the conference starting next fall. By giving the school a list of strengths and areas that need continued work, the NCAA representatives encouraged us for the things being done well, as well as presented goals for improvement in the coming year. The facets of the program in which we were applauded for included the development of the compliance programs, rules education, the Athletics Advisory Committee, strong conference affiliation, student athlete
involvement in the process, and the openness to change, listen, and learn. Among the areas in need of improvement were gender equality changes, amendments to charts in reporting structure, processes in writing for the registrar, financial aid, and admissions, implementing Compliance Assistance (computer program for organization and structure), and the evaluation process and role of FAR in the eligibility process. Athletic Director, Bobby Martin, said, “The committee was very
Kira Roberts, Layout Editor A growing pattern that can be seen across the country also affects our own campus: many athletes who begin their university careers not only drop out of the athletic program before completing their four seasons of play, but also don’t finish their studies and leave with a degree from another university. At the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) meeting that took place on Monday, April 15th, much discussion took place concerning possible changes to be made in order to increase the retention of student athletes at SNU.
According to Paul McGrady, along with the rest of the university, “The Athletic Department is in the process of developing a graduation rate plan and asked the SAAC, since it acts as the voice of the student-athlete, to give input in the process of developing a graduation rate improvement plan.” As an example of a situation that has been under improvement, McGrady mentioned working with the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) and the Student Retention Committee to develop a student-athlete study session three times a week for individuals
positive overall. We knew that we would have things to correct in our manuals and procedures.” He mentioned that at this time, SNU is completing the Annual Report that is due on June 1st. In general, the university will continue to have rules education meetings for the coaches and staff every month. “This is a long process that involves the entire campus community. If we advance on schedule, we will be a provisional member next year,” Martin said.
SNU
Keep up with results and scores at Graduation improvement plan and athlete retention snuathletics. com Photo by Kira Roberts.
who are struggling in one or more classes. “It is important to the NCAA that we continue to develop student-athletes and monitor their development academically and socially as well as athletically,” Martin said. In compliance with the NCAA rules and regulations as well as the aspirations of the university to continually strive for a better student-athlete experience, a graduation rate improvement plan is being developed. The hope is that the retention rate will rise over the next five years as the guidelines are put into place.
Athletics
Arts
ENTERTAINMENT
TheEcho
April 26, 2013
Page 8
Campus Question Question:
What is behind the tiles being changed out on the botrom floor of the Commons?
Answer:
“The truth is, we don’t know what caused these tiles to buckle up. We did, rather jokingly, say it must be from the earthquake...but we don’t know. We are working to find replacements tiles and get this repaired.” –Ron Lester
A classic restaurant adds a twist to their menu Garvis Long, Staff Writer KFC, also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, has been making fried chicken for years and have served over a billion people worldwide. This chicken mecca has always given the customer the best quality of food with their cole slaw, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, corn, or wedges, KFC prepares their food to satisfy the customer. Recently KFC has added to their amazing chicken restaurant by serving their newest product: the boneless chicken. The is served similarly to their original chicken with a choice of the original recipe or extra crispy. You can also order boneless chicken the same way you order the originalwith either a two piece meal or a twelve piece bucket. I went to KFC to see what the rave was about and to experience their newest creation. The customer service was amaz-
ing, they treated me kindly telling me all the new things about their new savory dish. I tried their orginal recipe two piece meal with a biscut and a side of wedges. The taste was amazing! I thought there was no way chicken could taste so good but the boneless chicken just might be the new way to eat chicken. Some of the things I liked about the boneless chicken was that the original recipe flavor stayed the same despite the seasoning being on a bonless filet. You still get the same amazing taste of KFC just in a whole new experience that will leave you wanting more. I also liked the fact that with the boneless chicken you don’t have to bite around the bone to eat the meat from the chicken. This new way of eating is something people could get use to when enjoying the great tasting chicken. With a bonless filet you feel like you’re eating a chicken tender on
steroids. No pun intended. KFC has made the prices affordable in order for you to enjoy their new product, with some meals comingno higher than five dollars. There are also other menu items to enjoy for low prices. If the new boneless chicken is something you don’t really want to rock with,
choose the many chicken sandwiches or one of their mouth watering sides. Choose the chcken tenders or eat the original chicken that has made KFC internationally known. Whatever you choose make sure you try some kind of chicken. Otherwise your not trying KFC.
Photo by Gary Simmons used under Creative Commons license.
A&E
4.26.13
9
Come to one meeting and write one article a week for an hour of class credit. Ask your advisor to sign you up for Newspaper Practicum today!
Write for
The Echo! Not required to be: • Brilliant • An English major • A ‘grammar hammer’
Required to: • Enjoy writing • Bring story ideas to the meeting each week • Want to help provide news and entertainment to the campus
Email Kira Roberts (kirarobe@mail.snu.edu) with questions
A&E
4.26.13
10
Jake’s movie review: “42” the true story of an American legend jake O’Bannon, Staff Writer According to Dictionary.com, the word “hero” is defined as, “a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.” This past week I saw a movie about a true American hero. Directed by Brian Helgeland, “42” tells the story of Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) and his journey to become the first African American player in Major League Baseball history. Spanning from Jackie’s final days in the Negro League to his years as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers, “42” portrays the trials and tribulations of the courageous
Photo from legendary.com
Editor: Brad Crofford Adviser: Melany Kyzer Content Editor: Kendra Nixon Layout Editor: Kira Roberts Assistant Editor: Ronna Fisher
man’s road to the majors. Along with Jackie’s story, we are also introduced to Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford), the Dodgers Executive Manager. Both Mr. Robinson and Mr. Rickey lived the words of the hero definition over sixty years ago, and this film does a pleasant job of visualizing their heroics. Rickey is the man who originally had the countercultural idea to put a black man in the MLB. After much research, he found the man that he believed could best endure the hardships it would take to pull off the idea: Jackie Robinson. As you could imagine, the road was not easy. Actually, I take that
back; none of us could fully imagine all Jackie went through to break the MLB color barrier. From death threats to racial slurs in the ballpark, Jackie faced adversity wherever he turned. Can we truly comprehend what that was like? As far as critiquing the actual quality of this film, I would put it somewhere between a “Remember the Titans” and “The Blindside” in quality. Some of the scenes are short, very nearly coming off as cold and unfinished. This is the case because there is a lot of story to get to in two hours, and that tends to show. Also, the guy from “The Luck of the Irish” is in it, so I can’t help thinking of him singing This Land is Your Land in a Cleveland Browns shirt every time I see him. But the message and power of the actual story far outweigh the minor and silly imperfections of the film. Both Rickey and Robinson fall under the umbrella of heroes, just in different ways. And though the times were different back then, both of their stories are still relevant to us today. Branch Rickey believed strongly in the need for African American baseball players in the MLB, but he was not able to make that happen on his own. Because of that, he used his desire to spark a flame in another man so that it could be done. Rickey needed Robinson to make this dream a reality. On the other hand, Jackie Robinson would have never been granted the opportunity to play in the majors if it were not for the dreams of
Branch Rickey. These two truths are my favorite aspects of the film. Without each other, this could not have been done. Jackie’s role was the harder one; there is no doubt about that. But with courage and bravery he took on the challenge each new day. And Rickey’s decision was not a popular one, but with courage and bravery he went against the culture and put in place a man who would forever change the ethos of sports for the better. We should be challenged by the actions of these two heroic men. And through them, we should also recognize that there are ambitions in life we might have that we can’t do on our own. Great change normally takes a village to be successful. I challenge us to be that village for the people around us and the passions they hold. Branch Rickey gave Jackie Robinson the chance to change the world, and Jackie Robinson had the courage and perseverance to make it happen. How will you trigger someone to do good in the world? And in what way can you be the image of change that the world needs? “42” is an inspiring film about a true hero. I strongly recommend going to see it, and I hope that it moves you in the same was I was moved. This is my forty-first movie review. I was really wishing I had done one more so I could have reviewed “42” on my forty-second review. But next week will be my last review for The Echo, and I hope you take some time to give it a read. Have a great week!
The ECHO is the weekly student newspaper of Southern Nazarene University and is a long-standing member of the Oklahoma Collegiate Media Association. Viewpoints expressed in the paper are not to be considered official standard-bearers of the university or its sponsoring denomination. Editorials on the op/ed pages that are generated by the ECHO staff--and therefore have no byline--express the opinions of the editorial staff but not necessarily of the administration, faculty or staff of Southern Nazarene University. Personal columns with bylines as well as opinions reprinted from subscription wire services or other publications by permission express the opinions of the writer and not necessarily of the editorial staff of the ECHO or the administration, faculty or staff of Southern Nazarene University. The ECHO publishes a public forum called “Letters to the Editor” and invites readers to express themselves here. The editorial staff requests that letters not exceed 250 words and reserves the right to edit them for clarity and brevity. All letters must be signed. Send them to The ECHO, SNU Box 2541, or through e-mail at echo@snu.edu. Letters will not be returned. Unless otherwise marked, letters received by The ECHO that deal with newspaper content or practice will be considered for publication. Information on advertising and subscriptions can be obtained by contacting the business manager of the newspaper at echo@ snu.edu.