Vol. 16 Issue 4

backdrop magazine

SPRING 2023

TAKING ON THE TRAIL pg.22 CELEBRATING SCRIPPS pg.28

PORTRAITS FOR

CHANGE www.backdropmagazine.com

pg.18 1

Letter from the editor

Mia Walsh | Editor-in-Chief backdropmag@gmail.com

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backdrop | Spring 2023

For the last time, hi all, As the semester draws to a close, reflection sneaks its way into our minds to, naturally, consume our thoughts. When looking back on my time as editor-in-chief of Backdrop, I am so thankful for the opportunity. I am thankful that our staff was committed and excited to create the best magazine we could.

It is nearly impossible to put into words or a magazine how incredible this staff has been. In meetings, I consistently framed the work we did as a “group project” that centered on collaboration. The talent of every writer, photographer and designer shines through on every page. I will miss most being able to sit in awe and just observe the way the magazine comes together like a puzzle each production week. It is always perfect.

This would not be possible without our executive staff. I want to congratulate Josie Donohue, Laine Dannemiller, Ellie Habel and Drew Follmer on graduating this semester and I cannot wait to see all the great work they do moving forward. I also want to thank Caroline Gillen, who was our copy chief, and Grace Koennecke, who will be assuming that role next year.

I want to give a special thanks to our managing editorial team, Caroline Bissonnette and McKenna Christy, and our Creative Director Rachel Rector for putting in countless hours of work every single issue.

If you get the chance, congratulate Caroline and Rachel for completing their college careers, and congratulate McKenna for accepting the position of editor-in-chief of Backdrop for the 2023-2024 year.

Thank you, lastly, to our readers. Thank you for wanting to read and celebrate these stories along with us. I am certain that the staff next year will continue to showcase just how diverse this little corner of the world that serves as our backdrop is. I am so happy that our final issue of the year is in your hands now. It has been a wonderful journey, and the destination is beautiful.

Have a safe summer, and make good choices, bobcats!

SPRING 2023 » VOLUME 16 ISSUE 4

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backdrop magazine EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MIA WALSH MANAGING EDITOR CAROLINE BISSONNETTE ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR MCKENNA CHRISTY ASSOCIATE EDITORS CAROLINE BISSONNETTE, ABREANNA BLOSE, MCKENNA CHRISTY, CAROLINE GILLEN, GRACE KOENNECKE COPY EDITORS CAROLINE GILLEN, GRACE KOENNECKE SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTORS RORY BALL, LAINE DANNEMILLER PHOTO EDITOR ELLIE HABEL WEB EDITOR JOSIE DONOHUE

CREATIVE DIRECTOR RACHEL RECTOR ART DIRECTOR DREW FOLLMER DESIGNERS ABBY BURNS, DREW FOLLMER, ALLY PARKER,

RACHEL RECTOR, ELLIE SABATINO, ALYSSA SHEETS PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR JOSIE DONOHUE PHOTOGRAPHERS CAROLINE BISSONNETTE, JACOB DURBIN, ELLIE HABEL, PEARL SPURLOCK, SAM WARREN WRITERS KRISTEN ABBEY, CAROLINE BISSONNETTE, ABREANNA BLOSE, KATRINA CARLSON, CAROLINE GILLEN, GRACE KOENNECKE, GRACE MILLER, AMBER PHIPPS, DARCIE ZUDELL

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SEE "One Century Down" PAGE 28

The E.W. Scripps School at Ohio University housed the journalism school from 1986 to 2013.

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CONTENTS FEATURES

PORTRAITS FOR CHANGE

Sexual assault culture in athletics needs attention...................................18

TAKING ON THE TRAIL

Two couples share their experience hiking the Appalachian Trail............22

ENTERTAINMENT

THE DROP

Student movie makers come together to tell stories on the silver screen.................................................6

The act of giving back never gets old...........................26

SETTING THE SCENE ATHENS MIC’D

Students discuss the podcasting process.................8

COMMUNITY

SAFE SWIMMING FOR ALL

Children with disabilities learn how to be safe in water...........................................................................................................10

LET'S TALK THIS OUT

Students resolving issues in a constructive environment..........................................................................................12

INFOGRAPHIC

LEAN ON THE LIBRARY

Book it to Alden for these resources..................................14

ALTRUISTIC ATHENS

CELEBRATING SCRIPPS

Journalism students and alumni reflect for the school's centennial..................................................................28

INSIGHT FROM INTERNS

Various OU students reflect on their internship experiences................................................................................30

PHOTO STORY

(PAINT) BUCKETS OF FUN

Backdrop’s first annual graffiti wall painting........32

VOICES

WORKING ON ME

After a history of workaholism, one Backdropper shares how she puts her mental health first...........34

RECIPE

FEELING FRUITY?

You do not have to wait until June to enjoy these berry delicious treats.....................................16

SPRING 2023 » VOLUME 16 ISSUE 4

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ENTERTAINMENT

SETTING THE

SCENE

Student movie makers come together to tell stories on the silver screen.

BY KATRINA CARLSON | PHOTOS BY ELLIE HABEL | DESIGN BY ELLIE SABATINO

I

n an interview with Hollywood Outbreak, Michael Keaton once referred to filmmaking as “the ultimate team sport.” The sport of filmmaking encourages the coming together of diverse and creative minds to produce art that makes a couple hours feel like a minute. Like any other sport, filmmaking teams in Athens need a stadium.

The Athena Cinema is a historic and beloved hub of Ohio University’s college town, and its long-term existence serves as proof of a legacy of film on campus.

According to the Athens County Visitors Bureau, the Athena opened in 1915, making it over a century old.

After owner changes and a fire in 1988, the Athena is now owned by OU and operated by the College of Fine Arts. It is used to house new releases, classic and independent work and most notably, student produced work.

OU offers several opportunities for students looking to produce their own work. As the home of both AVW Studios and Rough Cut Collective, the university’s two major film production organizations, students can join a team of like-minded individuals to gain experience in filmmaking. Created in 1980, AVW Studios originally served as a telecommunications network for students and has since evolved into film production, according to AVW President Akira Jakkson.

Akira Jakkson, a senior studying integrated media production, is the current president and treasurer of AVW Studios. Jakkson says the focus of the organization is to “give students handson experiences on film sets with the newest technologies, and we also want to elevate and include diverse stories that may otherwise go unheard or unseen.”

Rough Cut Collective functions similarly; many students participate in both organizations or collaborate on projects with one another, according to Jakkson. Turner Burton, a junior studying music production and recording industry and the treasurer of Rough Cut Collective, says he joined Rough Cut when looking for ways to get involved. He grew to appreciate its unique qualities compared to other opportunities on campus.

“There’s nothing else really like it on campus,” Burton says. “I don’t know of many clubs that have a focus on learning film. It’s such a low stakes environment where people can be creative, and there’s an opportunity to try everything that you want to try.”

Rough Cut members in the studio during the production of a new short film titled Submarine Movie.

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John Mullaly, a member of the Rough Cut team, is pictured in the studio.

Actor for Rough Cut Collective participates in production of a new short film.

Both organizations emphasize the importance of allowing new opportunities for those that have never had experience in certain positions or even on a film set at all. AVW and Rough Cut allow media and film students to hone their craft but also serve as an opportunity for others to explore filmmaking as a hobby.

“It’s been a great place for me to meet people of similar backgrounds but also varying backgrounds because we have people that are more into animation, or we have had lots of journalism people involved,” Jakkson says.

Sophia Butler, a freshman studying media arts production, joined Rough Cut during her first semester without much prior experience on set.

“When I first got here, I wasn’t involved in too much, and I think that I’ve always found community in different clubs, like in high school I did theater,” Butler says. “I think when you find people who have similar interests, it’s easier to make friends, and it’s cooler to be able to like what you do.”

Butler’s first on-set experience was OU’s 48-hour-shootout, an annual event where teams are given 48 hours with various parameters to make a short film in its entirety. She began as an assistant director during the 48 and has since held positions in producing, hair and makeup and costuming.

The two organizations allow members to acquire real-life experience in filmmaking, which can instruct them in job searching after graduation and assist in resume building.

“I’ve honestly learned more about filmmaking from doing it through Rough Cut than I have in any of my classes,” Burton says. “I’m a music production major, and as a film minor, you can’t really take the film production classes … all of my practical knowledge, all of my hard skills [were] all self-taught and taught through the club.”

Hands-on experience helps students in all disciplines. With this experience under their belts, these student filmmakers will understand how film production works before they leave college. AVW and Rough Cut provide an informal and welcoming atmosphere for learning.

Many memorable experiences for club members have come from creative projects, like Jakkson’s short film shot last semester called You’ve Got A Mothman In Me. “It’s basically a coming of age story that starts out almost seeming like a horror movie, and a little girl is in the woods and meets Mothman,” Jakkson says. “It is very inspired by the 80s … or actual classics like The Goonies.”

Jakkson says the film was a major learning experience many involved.

“It was definitely a roller coaster,” Jakkson says. “It was a big scale thing that I had not done before, and a costume that costs like $800 was a new thing to me.”

You’ve Got A Mothman In Me, along with other studentproduced films, is set to premiere at AVW and Rough Cut’s spring premiere. Film fans will gather at the Athena to see how the teams faired this season. b

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ENTERTAINMENT

Donovan Hunt gets ready to record an episode of “The Post Weekly Round-Up” with cohosts Nikki Doolittle and Arielle Lyons.

Athens Mic'd

Students discuss the process of scripting, recording and publishing their own podcast.

BY ABREANN BLOSE | PHOTOS BY PEARL SPURLOCK | DESIGN BY RACHEL RECTOR

F

rom breaking news with a cup of coffee to a self-help lesson during a study break, a true crime tale on the beach to a comedy show after a long day, college students everywhere are tuning into the world of podcasting.

According to a Pew Research study in 2021, 41 percent of Americans 12 years and older have listened to a podcast.

As more people listen to podcasts, students show a growing interest in pursuing a career in audio news and entertainment.

In 2020, Ohio University’s Scripps College of Communication introduced a new undergraduate podcasting certificate. The certificate provides students with “media and journalism training for one of the fastest growing and most popular areas of audio storytelling in the modern media marketplace,” according to the OU website.

Caleb McCleskey, a sophomore studying journalism, found his passion for podcasting in December of 2021. Now, he is involved in the production of three different podcasts: “Sports Beat,” “The Outlet” and “The Joker’s Shadow.”

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McCleskey says “Sports Beat” is a WOUB production .

McCleskey and a group of friends meet once a week to discuss OU sports, local sports in Southeast Ohio and professional sports.

“We discuss, debate and analyze different stuff that goes on in the sports world,” McCleskey says.

After recording the show, McCleskey is tasked with editing the podcast to ensure quality audio and filter out filler words.

McCleskey also serves as the assistant producer for “The Outlet,” a weekly news style podcast targeting Athens residents and OU students.

“The Joker’s Shadow” is his personal show. Every week, he uses his own equipment to produce, edit and host a lifestyle podcast. He welcomes guests to discuss a vast array of topics from visiting new places to the importance of alone time and life-altering decisions.

“I try to explain different perspectives of life,” McCleskey says.

He details that the process of editing, producing and hosting a podcast is not as intimidating as it may seem. His first goal is

to write a brief script. He then records the podcast, edits it and finally publishes it to Spotify.

“It doesn't take as long as people think,” McCleskey says.

“You’re able to do it at your own pace. I wouldn’t say it’s super easy to do, but if you have the right resources, then pretty much anyone can do it.”

Although McCleskey uses the WOUB studio and personal equipment, Schoonover Center is home to an important resource for students interested in podcasting –– “The Pod.” This podcast studio is available for students enrolled in Scripps to reserve. The studio is fully equipped and serves as a way for students to explore the medium of audio storytelling.

Three students who take advantage of The Pod are Adam Ward, a sophomore studying journalism, Osahon Ogbebor, a sophomore studying biology on the pre-med track and Andrew Owusu, a sophomore studying exercise physiology.

The three meet once or twice a week to record their podcast, “Pushing Podcast.” The Pod has become a space for the group to debate and discuss various sports on the college and professional level.

“We were arguing about sports every day,” Ward says. “We knew [The Pod] was here and that we could end up using it.”

Before recording their show, the three create a script of things they would like to discuss throughout their episode. Then, after recording, they merge audio clips with sports footage to post and promote their podcast on multiple platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.

While “Pushing Podcast” has become routine for Ward, Ogbebor and Owusu, the three credit most of their success to the accessibility of The Pod.

“It’s convenient,” Ogbebor says. “We don’t have to go too far, and we don’t have to buy expensive equipment ourselves.”

“Pushing Podcast” has gained a lot of traction on social media, with one TikTok video receiving over 60,000 likes.

While the three are happy with the attention their hard work has received, they explain that they are in it to gain experience and have fun.

“For right now, we just have fun with it,” Ward says. “We’re glad we’re getting a good amount of traction, but we’ll take it however far we can take it.”

The “Pushing Podcast” crew encourages those considering starting a podcast to run with their idea.

“Don’t really overthink what you have to say,” Ward says.

“We’ve had many trial and error things that we’d come back the next week and try something new. So, just try whatever comes to your mind. See what sticks.”

As the podcasting field grows, Scripps provides students the opportunity to take a seat in front of the microphone. The Pod has become a space for voices to be amplified and stories to be told.

“Just do whatever you want to do,” Ogbebor says. “And make sure you’re authentic.”b To reserve time in The Pod, the welcome desk in Schoonover’s lobby has reservation forms to fill out.

The podcast studio, located in Schoonover Center, is a resource for Ohio University students to create their own podcasts and radio shows.

Nikki Doolittle gets ready to record an episode of “ The Post Weekly Round-Up” with cohosts Donovan Hunt and Arielle Lyons.

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9

COMMUNITY

Just Keep

SWIMMING “Safe Swimming for All” provides children with disabilities a chance to get comfortable in the water.

BY CAROLINE GILLEN | PHOTOS BY SAM WARREN | DESIGN BY ALLY PARKER

F

or many children, going to the pool to swim is an accessible activity that brings them joy, but there are children who do not have the same opportunity to enjoy the water.

Gianna Petrella, a junior at Ohio University studying communication sciences and disorders, wants to make sure every kid gets a chance to learn how to enjoy swimming.

Petrella is both the director and founder of “Safe Swimming for All.” The program is designed to give children who have

disabilities the opportunity to learn swimming skills in a safe and welcoming environment. This past semester, Petrella implemented her swim program in Athens.

“The program is based on my philosophy that all children can learn,” Petrella says.

According to the National Autism Association, “the risk of drowning is twice as high for children with [autistic spectrum disorder].” Swim programs like Safe Swimming for All teach life skills that can prevent drowning among children who have autism, for example.

Petrella founded this program in 2018 for her hometown in Pennsylvania and has recently brought it to Athens with the help of the Appalachian Family Center for Autism and Disability Resources and Education (AF-CADRE). AF-CADRE is a nonprofit organization that empowers individuals who have disabilities and their families.

Safe Swimming for All contains six weekly sessions. These are goalbased sessions with lessons designed for each individual student. The set goals allow the instructors a clear understanding of what each child should accomplish by the end of their experience.

“Every child who comes Gianna Petrella, Founder and Director of Safe Swimming For All in Athens, Ohio into the program is assessed greets her student Ruby Strickland at a fundraiser event on April 12, 2023. and given goals that are made

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backdrop | Spring 2023

The executive board of Safe Swimming for All at a fundraising event on Wednesday, April 12, 2023. Located in Athens, Ohio, the program is designed to give children, no matter what disability or diagnosis, the opportunity to learn swimming skills.

between the swim team as well as the family,” Petrella says.

Samantha Beatty heard about the swim program through the AF-CADRE Facebook page and signed up her six-year-old son, James. James participated in the program this spring where he was given various goals to accomplish. The first goal he was given was to blow bubbles and put his head under the water, and he progressed to feeling more comfortable in the water. By the end of the program, James was able to tread water on his own and float on his back.

The main goal the program aims to accomplish for all the students is getting them to the point where they can feel safer around water.

Getting children with disabilities in the water is the first step to making swimming accessible for everyone.

“The swim program was great,” Beatty says. “James loves water and, like a lot of autistic children, water can be really dangerous because he doesn’t recognize danger. I’ve looked into getting him swimming classes before but no one in our area offers classes for children with disabilities so I was really excited to have this opportunity.”

Understood.org is a nonprofit dedicated to helping people who learn and think differently to thrive. According to Understood.org, a “one-size-fits all” type of learning for people with the same disability is counterproductive. All children learn skills at different paces, and personalized learning is “tailored to meet each student’s strengths, skills, needs, and interests.” Safe Swimming for All’s personalized lessons allow for each student to learn the way that is best for them.

Beatty saw the swim program as such an important opportunity that she drove every Saturday 40 minutes back and forth to allow her son to attend.

According to Petrella, Safe Swimming for All currently has 12 participants who work with swim instructors once a week to get them closer to having fun in the water. All of the volunteer swim teachers in the program are currently OU students. Each volunteer swim teacher completes a training and background check prior to working with the students.

Ava Meier, a junior studying communication sciences and disorders, is one of the student volunteers.

“Gianna is a classmate of mine,” Meier says. “She said she was going to bring [the program] to Athens and she described it, and it seemed like something totally in my lane. I love to help people and watch people grow, so I got involved as soon as I could.”

For Petrella, swimming has always been a passion and one she decided to share with children who are often overlooked when it comes to the activity. She created a safe space to teach these children life skills and the chance to prove many people wrong.

“My favorite memory is seeing all of their faces getting their awards and seeing their family’s faces,” Petrella says. “Because this [was] one of the first activities their child was able to participate in where they got to do an award ceremony.”

Petrella hopes to continue doing the swim program next year and even plans to have one over the summer.

“We want to do it again,” Beatty says. “So, we’re really excited.

We’re on the waiting list to do it again because everybody involved was absolutely amazing working with these kids. b

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COMMUNITY

Let’s Talk This Out AAMS grants students an opportunity to resolve issues in a constructive environment.

C

BY DARCIE ZUDELL | PHOTOS BY PEARL SPURLOCK | DESIGN BY ALYSSA SHEETS

ollege freshmen who live on campus have to face the challenge of balancing school and their social life while simultaneously maintaining good grades, successful relationships and managing mental health. That and the notably testing experience of living in a shoebox with someone they just met.

Living with someone new can be incredibly tough, and when arguments arise, it can only exacerbate the discomfort that comes with sharing a space. One may think there is no productive way to resolve a problem when both parties are set in their ways. Athens Area Mediation Services (AAMS) disagrees. In this tricky game of conflict, AAMS can be a referee to assure everyone has a fair shot.

By promoting active listening, understanding and collaboration, AAMS helps parties find common ground and reach agreements that are both fair and sustainable. For those that are tired of the shouting matches and are looking for a better way to approach conflict, AAMS is the perfect resource. AAMS helps individuals approach disagreements productively by promoting a new era of civility.

“The Athens Area Mediation Service is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that provides the residents of Athens County with cooperative approaches to dispute resolution,” DeeDee Dransfield, the current interim director of the non-profit, says.

“There are many aspects to understand about this unique organization,” Dransfield says. “We believe that our approach to mediation and training empowers individuals and community groups in two salient ways.”

The first way is through the mediation process. When scheduling a mediation, two volunteers serving as mediators will facilitate an open conversation between parties.

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“During a mediation, the mediators serve as unbiased facilitators,” Dransfield says. “Our goal is to provide each party with the opportunity for their voice to be heard and listened to uninterrupted .”

Cooperation is key in mediating sensitive disputes. If one party does not agree to mediation, it will not happen. Though a surprise mediation may sound amusing on paper, it would not be effective in reality. There needs to be a willingness for change to occur.

“When we receive a request and the other party has not yet agreed to mediation, at the request of the person initiating the mediation, AAMS will contact the other party to explain mediation and determine their willingness to participate,” Dransfield says.

If the person requesting mediation is hesitant to reach out to the other person involved in the conflict before the mediation session, a staff member is more than happy to do it for them.

Gauging a reaction on the phone is one thing, putting it on paper is another. Dransfield says, “The purpose of having the parties sign the Agreement to Mediate is to confirm their willingness to engage in the process and confirm their understanding of the guidelines.”

Once a form indicating consent to mediate is signed, both

The Athens Area Mediation Service is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people in the community resolve interpersonal conflicts.

parties have time to discuss their side uninterrupted. The role of the mediator at this point in the process is simply to listen.

“People, unless they feel like they’re listened to, they don’t always open up so well,” Trisha Lachman, a volunteer mediator of 20 years, says. “I think all of us experienced that in life.

When people are attentive to us, we really appreciate it.”

The mediation process allows all sides of the story to be told candidly, without fear of interruption or judgment. At the end of this process, both parties sign a conflict resolution form, which indicates that there has been a resolution or compromise made among everyone involved.

Sarah Horne , the board president of AAMS, says she “can’t recommend it enough.”

“Having that third party, having a judgment-free zone and having a place where you can really work through things into a deep level, kind of getting past those emotions that can make having difficult conversations,” Horne says.

The volunteer mediators are not licensed therapists or lawyers.

AAMS offers extensive training called the “Fundamentals of Mediation.” This training can be utilized by anyone interested

in becoming a volunteer mediator or those seeking to gain better conflict resolution skills.

Training is offered by AAMS at least twice a year according to AAMS’ website. The process is about 15 to 20 hours long.

“AAMS offers training on a variety of other conflict resolution-related topics,” Dransfield says. “Most often these trainings are provided at the request of a particular group or organization. We also offer more advanced training sessions to our volunteer mediators.”

Students at Ohio University can attend training sessions for free . In the past, training sessions have been at Baker University Center and Ellis Hall. This past academic year, AAMS offered training to OU students twice.

Horne recalls meeting students who were not looking to become volunteer mediators but were recommended by their professors to take the training. Horne notes that the AAMS is always excited to meet people who are not just looking to be mediators but are seeking better conflict resolution skills.

A study by Mental Health America reveals that 42 percent of middle-class adults cannot afford therapy or care . To combat

The Athens Area Mediation Service is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people in the community resolve interpersonal conflicts.

inaccessible health care, AAMS does not have a standard fee for their services.

“AAMS offers a sliding fee scale so that money is not a barrier to taking advantage of our services,” Dransfield says.

The sliding scale charges are based on annual income. If an individual is facing financial insecurity, AAMS is willing to work with them to get them the support they need. For example, according to AAMS’ website, if someone seeking services had no annual income or one that amounted to $25,000, a two-hour mediation session would cost $20.

AAMS does not only work out disputes between two people, but they also offer mediation to businesses and other organizations. Their services were only recently utilized by OU. Lachman was employed by the university to facilitate a listening session between OU and their branch campuses.

As previously stated, the mediators at AAMS are volunteers.

While those volunteers give their time and knowledge to the community, one volunteer noted that she has gotten something in return.

Lachman found that her experience as a mediator gave her an optimistic view of the world and how people communicate with one another.

“I just feel that it gave me hopefulness in my life,” Lachman says. “We can look for ways to be agents of change in our communities. I think that it’s very life-giving to see people be able to solve things and to see the joy in their faces when they can experience that something is no longer an injustice, but it’s something that’s been worked through.” b Visit AAMS’ website: https://athensmediation.com

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INFOGRAPHIC

Lean on the

LIBRARY I

n 1969, the Vernon R. Alden Library opened, replacing Chubb Hall as the location of the Ohio University’s library. As a surprise gesture, the library was named after Vernon R. Alden, an OU president that served from 1962 to 1969. A bust of Alden and his wife, Marion, can be seen on the second floor of the library near the elevators, and a large painting of him hangs on the fourth floor. Through the years, Alden Library has had to adapt to new technological changes and student needs, and it has introduced many different services for students.

From textbooks to laptops, the library has many resources that students may not know about. Ryan Spellman, the service desk coordinator at the library, remarks on the available resources that go unnoticed by students.

“There's just so much and that's one of the things that we struggle with is,

‘How do we raise awareness about what we have without overloading people?’”

Spellman says.

He mentions countless different ways that the library tries to assist students without access to certain things, such as textbooks.

“We have a lot of textbooks,” Spellman says. “Usually, at the professor's request, they are put on course reserve here, so students don't have to pay for them. And students can come in and check them out from the

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backdrop | Spring 2023

Book it to Alden for these resources.

BY KIRSTEN ABBEY | DESIGN BY DREW FOLLMER

second-floor service desk and use them in the building.”

Another way students can access course material is through OhioLINK, an outreach program that borrows books from other university libraries.

For things found in public libraries, students can utilize Ohio Search. For anything available in libraries around the world, an interlibrary loan is the

correct choice. Spellman says they get countless items from the Library of Congress upon request.

The library also extends its patrons a human touch. Manning the front desks on both the second and fourth floors, students, workers and staff members are available for assistance.

“Our service desks are a really helpful resource,” Spellman says. “And it’s something I always try to tell people.

If we ever give a talk to a freshman group, or somebody that’s doing BSO or something. They can come to us with questions that aren't even library questions, and we'll usually find where to guide them if we don't know the answer.”

Ultimately, one of the most important aspects of the library is providing students with a comfortable place to study, to chat or even to sleep.

“I feel [like] we work really hard to keep the spaces diverse in ways to meet

different preferences,” Spellman says.

“I think just having power available and spaces that are noisy and quiet and kind of mid-grade and trying to help people like to maintain those kinds of ambient environments for them.”

One space, in particular, is frequented by students more than most. On the second floor of Alden, Café BiblioTech can be found. A spot for those looking to avoid the hustle and bustle of Front Room, Café BiblioTech offers the volume of a library but offers the social atmosphere of a coffee shop.

Theo Bookwalter, a senior studying English, is a location coordinator for the campus cafes. He mentions that many people do not realize Café BiblioTech is there.

“Especially if you're unfamiliar with the library, for incoming freshmen, I think it's not so accessible and easily found,” Bookwalter says. “But once you get more familiar with that, for the second floor of the library, I think you'll spot it, and you'll know where it's at. And you'll hear it for sure. Because people are in there chatting.”

Café BiblioTech also offers students a location that closes later than all other campus cafes. On weekdays, the cafe does not close until 11 p.m.

“Our hours are based on the library's hours,” Bookwalter says. “There's this small window between when we close and [when] the library closes.”

Another lesser-known resource located in Alden Library is the Robert E. and Jean R. Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections.

Nestled in the corner of the fifth floor, the Mahn Center is home to a team of dedicated archivists. Each has their own specialty, but all of them are ready to help students who need it. Their collections range from 13th century bibles to World War II helmets.

“There’s about 45,000 volumes in

the collection,” Miriam Intrator, the rare books librarian, says. “Some of the areas of specialization include 18th through early 20th century British and American literature. Some history of science, juvenile literature, historical American textbooks, history of Ohio and then anything to do with techniques and processes of manuscript and bookmaking over time.”

For students who are researching social issues of the past, these are invaluable source materials made available through the Mahn Center.

“We intentionally collect artists’ books that address subjects and topic areas that are important to all of us today but that you don’t so easily find in the historical materials,” Intrator says. “Issues around identity, sexuality, environmental concerns, political movements, social justice and so on.”

They also have interesting examples of people in the past practicing activities that people do today. Photo Archivist Laura Smith has a collection of negatives from a man who lived in Athens during the 1980s. Smith says that the photographer “had several images of what he called ‘ego slides’ which are, essentially, what we call today, selfies.”

The variety of the collections managed by the archivists is seemingly endless.

There are some challenges to having such a large compilation of resources.

Bill Kimok, university archivist and records manager, says that “the hard part about being in university archives is we’re still growing. History still goes on and we’re still processing stuff from a hundred years ago.”

Regardless of the difficulties, the university archives are open to students

Key

doing work in any discipline. The archivists encourage people to come and visit.

The Mahn Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and then 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

“I think we want more usage,” Intrator says. “We always want more people using the collections. We get a lot of classes, and certainly some students pursuing their own research.

We still hear all the time about Mahn Center collections, ‘Oh we had no idea this existed.’ People have a very specific idea of what they think archives and, rare books are and they’re surprised by the variety and how broad the scope actually is.”b

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RECIPE

Feeling Fruity?

You do not have to wait until June to enjoy these berry delicious treats.

STORY & PHOTOS BY CAROLINE BISSONNETTE | DESIGN BY ELLIE SABATINO

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chool is almost out, and the years of basking in the sun in the sun with friends during summer break are coming to an end. To enjoy this dwindling time, here are some treats to help the sweet outweigh the bitter this summer.

STRAWBERRY OREO MILKSHAKE 5 Minutes Ingredients: - Strawberries (fresh or frozen) - Oreo Cookies (Golden Oreo Cookies go crazy) - Ice cream (I used vanilla, but really any flavor will work; thats the magic of this recipe) - Milk (Use whatever milk you want. Oat milk people, it might be your time to shine) - Whipped cream on top!

1. Start by putting a handful of Oreos in a bag and taking your anger out on it.

2. Next, put two cups of ice cream in a blender. Add one cup of milk and half a cup of fresh or frozen strawberries.

3. Blend this mixture, then add the Oreos and mix. Adding the Oreos later keeps them from getting too soggy before your first sip.

4. Get it all blended together, throw some whipped cream on top and enjoy.

It is literally just a milkshake, you got this. It’s fire, though.b These strawberry oatmeal bars and milkshakes pair together perfectly on a summer day.

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STRAWBERRY OATMEAL BARS 55 Minutes Ingredients: Advice for readers: find beauty in everything.

- Old-fashioned rolled oats - White whole wheat flour - Light brown sugar - Salt - Unsalted butter - Fresh strawberries - Granulated sugar 1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, combine one cup of oats, ¾ cup of flour, ⅓ cup of light brown sugar and ¼ teaspoon of salt.

3. Melt six tablespoons of unsalted butter and pour it over the mixture in the bowl. Mix together until the dry ingredients are evenly coated with butter.

4. Set aside ½ cup of this mixture, and press the rest into the bottom of the prepared baking sheet. Make sure it is even!

Talk about a snack!

5. Spread two cups of diced strawberries onto the crust. Sprinkle one tablespoon of granulated sugar on top of the berries. Then, sprinkle the remaining oat mixture on top of the strawberries.

6. Bake your creation in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. The top should be golden brown, and the strawberries should be bubbly.

7. Let them cool, then cut them into small squares and enjoy!b

Strawberry oatmeal bars are an easy way to make your summer break sweet.

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FEATURE

HIGHS SO HIGH AND LOWS SO LOW

Two couples share their experience hiking the 2,190 miles of the Appalachian Trail.

BY AMBER PHIPPS PHOTOS BY ELLIE HABEL DESIGN BY ALLY PARKER

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Travis Harding and Lindsey Rudibaugh hiking the Appalachian Trail starting in May of 2018.

Picture credit: Travis Harding and Lindsey Rudibaugh

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n May of 2018, Travis Harding and Lindsey Rudibaugh “The Appalachian Trail Conservancy protects the natural quit their jobs, sold their belongings and embarked on resources and the people and so on,” Rudibaugh says. “They a seven-month long journey across the Appalachian maintain the trail and so many people start out in March in Trail. Going all-in was an idea the couple took to heart as they Georgia and the trail gets really overrun and the towns there get planned their wedding, non-profit organization and their 210- really overrun. It’s not super sustainable and they were asking day non-traditional thru-hike Travis Harding and Lindsey Rudibaugh set up a hammock they used to ring in their marriage. in sleep in while hiking the Appalachian Trail starting in May of 2018.

The Appalachian Trail spans across 14 states and reaches a total distance of 2,198.4 miles, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. While these numbers might be intimidating for most, there are millions of hikers and thru-hikers who lace up their hiking boots and hit the trail every year.

“You have to have a very strong reason why you’re out there,” Harding says. “It’s called the why. You must commit and commit for a reason. The rest is gravy because you’ll get out there and you’ll find other people who want to help you.”

For some, the trail is an escape from reality that comes with having a demanding job.

While everyone’s reasons for committing to a challenge that pushes themselves mentally and physically to the limit may look different, the most important part of the decision to embark on the people to start somewhere else along the way or in the middle.” journey is the why.

With so many people hiking the Appalachian Trail, it is With a few hundred miles of hiking experience and some important that the area is taken care of so it can be enjoyed in outdoor knowledge, Harding wanted to hit the trail as a way to the years to come. For this reason, many hikers choose to hike heal from the past and recover from his job at the time. He had in ways that are sustainable or suitable the environment. This discovered his why. can be done by reducing the amount of trash or resources that Hiking so many miles might sound taxing, but the human are being used while hiking on the trail. body is capable of achieving so much more than people realize.

As a way to maintain their health and foster sustainably, The Appalachian Trail is a test of mental strength. According the couple chose to dehydrate all of their own food sources to Rudibaugh, mental preparation and encouragement are far and package everything so that it was ready to be shipped more important than physical attributes. to them while they were on the trail. The supplies that are The Appalachian Trail’s official website states that the shipped are called a hiker’s “bounce boxes,” according to the success rate remains at a steady 25 percent over the course of Pacific Crest Trail Association. a year. With nearly 75 percent of hikers dropping out or not Once they were on the trail, their “trail mom” took care of finishing all 2,190 miles. mailing their food deliveries out to their planned destination Harding and Rudibaugh started their seven-month journey points. A trail mom is a hiker’s designated person that is not in the spring. The term “non-traditional” thru-hike means on the trail that supplies the hiker throughout the entirety the couple planned their hike to start at the mid-point rather of the hike. than the southern or northern points. From the middle of There is also a level of physical preparation that comes with hiking so the trail, working north or south and then back to either many miles over the span of a few months. Rudibaugh had not had a lot point is what hikers call a “flip-flop,” according to the official of long-distance hikes, so it was important that she spent as much time Appalachian Trail Conservancy. as she could out on different trails around Ohio to gain some experience. www.backdropmagazine.com

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Hiking thousands of miles is not an easy feat, and tacking on bad weather, exhaustion and sickness is what hikers call, “the suck,” according to Harding.

“Out there on the trail, the highs are so high and the lows are so low that you’re constantly through this medium of a really wonderful time,” Harding says. “There are some real terrible low times, but then there are times when you’re on top of a mountain with some of your best friends, celebrating each other’s successes together.”

“The suck” is a term used by hikers to describe the parts in the trail that are the lowest in morale and the most mentally draining. These are the moments that truly test the limits of hikers as they continue pushing through all kinds of situations that the trail unleashes upon them.

“My brain said, ‘You’re tired, you’re tired. Stop it. Stop it,’ Harding says. “And we just had to keep going.”

After spending so much time on the trail, hikers develop bonds with people along the way that can turn into what are known as “trail families,” according to Rudibaugh. There are so many people hiking the Appalachian Trail that it becomes necessary to form relationships with others going through the same situation. Self-reliance will only get hikers so far on the Appalachian Trail.

The more time spent on the trail with others, the sooner a trail name is established. Trail names are part of the hiking culture, and they offer the beauty of staying anonymous when out in the wilderness.

Travis Harding and Lindsey Rudibaugh hiking the Appalachian Trail starting in May of 2018.

Picture credit: Travis Harding and Lindsey Rudibaugh

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“You can be whoever you want to be,” Harding says. “You get your trail name, and nobody cares where you came from or what you’ve done. Who you are on the trail is who you are on the trail so you can use that as an opportunity to reinvent yourself. When you meet somebody, it offers the hikers an ability to make connections with each other on a more human level rather than a societal level.”

The couple met quite a few memorable individuals over the span of the seven months being on the trail, from a woman that dehydrated her own butter to a man with two pet rats.

One couple, who just recently got married, also had some experiences of their own.

Madison Donohue and Jonathan Flinn also hiked the trail in 2018, which is when they met and became friends with the Travis and Lindsey. Having lived in the Athens for the past seven years, Donohue made the decision to hike the Appalachian Trail with her partner Flinn.

“I wanted a reason to really explore the Appalachian region and push myself to my absolute limit,” Donohue says.

Everyone has their own reasons for subjecting themselves to such an intense trail, and for Donohue, the Appalachian Trail was a way for her to discover just how far she could be pushed. After first stepping onto the trail, everything changed for Donohue. The first day was one of the hardest as she started the trail and made the commitment to hike for six months.

Similar to Harding and Rudibaugh, Donohue would later experience the kindness of humanity as people helped her along Using the money earned through their Appalachian Trail hike-a-thon, Lindsey Rudibaugh and Travis Harding were able to co-found a nonprofit located in Athens, Ohio.

her journey. After developing a severe infection while on the trail, one of her most memorable moments was with all the individuals that aided in getting her to safety and maintaining her health.

“I became an established patient at this tiny little doctor’s office in New Hampshire and he saw me for the next seven days,” Donohue says. “And the lady that dropped us off ended up picking up back up and taking us to her tiny little apartment where she fed us dinner and drove us to our doctor’s appointment.”

For Harding and Rudibaugh’s experience, the individuals they connected with deterred the negative self-talk that comes when pushing one’s limits. Reliance on others helped the couple overcome some of the most difficult and treacherous parts of the Appalachian Trail.

“While I was outwardly experiencing and trying to give kindness, I wasn’t giving it to myself and it was detrimental to my mental health,” says Rudibaugh. “And, one day it clicked that I was allowed to be kind to myself.”

Mental preparation is just as important as physical preparedness,

and negative self-talk was not something that would get the couple over the White Mountains of New Hampshire and Maine. Despite the rigidness of the White Mountains being one of the most memorable and difficult parts of the hike, it was still one of Harding and Rudibaugh’s greatest achievements.

The Appalachian Trail may be one of the longest trails to hike in America, but through the kindness of everyday individuals, anything is possible. It is easy to get caught up in the difficulties rather than simply experience what the human body can do and bask in the kindness of those met along the way.

“So, try not to get caught up in the miles,” Harding says. “Put in the days, [and] enjoy the moments because you won’t want to lose them.” b

Travis Harding and Lindsey Rudibaugh are pictured together outside of their nonprofit organization Tenderfoot Learning Lab in Athens, Ohio.

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Mary Kate McElroy, MFA drawing and painting student at Ohio University on April 6, 2023.

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Portraits for Change Sexual assault culture in athletics needs attention.

BY DARCIE ZUDELL | PHOTOS BY SAM WARREN | DESIGN BY RACHEL RECTOR CONTENT WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS MENTION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT

T

rent Mays and Ma’lik Richmond went from being established members of Steubenville High School’s football team to being found guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl, who was reported to have drunk to the point of unconsciousness. The incident happened at a party, where those involved posted incriminating videos, pictures and tweets about the event.

The story blew up when a local crime blogger, Alexandria Goddard, made a post showcasing some questionable social media posts made by those at the party. When the story blew up, the digital activist group Anonymous hacked the high school football team’s website.

Anonymous then posted a video detailing the crime committed by the community-beloved football players on the website. People from all over the country flocked to the town, which has population of less than 20,000, to protest the harmful idea that dreams and promising futures were wrongfully destroyed. In the 10 years following the Steubenville case involving twostar high school athletes, a more nuanced discussion has taken the forefront: How does sexual assault culture impact sports?

The Ambassadors to the Survivor Advocacy Program (ASAP) at Ohio University has been asking the same question about abuse within sports teams on and off

the field during their meetings.

“The intention was to create a workshop to inform athletes about how they can support each other in instances where something like that would happen,” says Mary Kate McElroy, a current graduate student at OU. McElroy is getting their Master of Fine Arts degree in drawing and painting. McElroy strives to support survivors of sexual assault in any way they can.

They are a member of ASAP, which is a student-run organization serving the Survivor Advocacy Program (SAP) on campus. This current initiative hits home to McElroy as a former college athlete and a survivor of sexual assault.

McElroy understands the stigmas that follow when reporting crimes of sexual violence.

“You want people to think well of you,” McElroy says. “The way that sports can exacerbate that is, if it's a prominent sports person that is the perpetrator, then it makes it even more difficult because of their position.”

McElroy recounts how no reports were filed when they told trusted coaches at their previous university about their experience.

“My coaches knew that this was going on,” McElroy says. “They were mandated reporters and no one said anything or filed a case on my behalf.”

In the state of Ohio , school staff members are

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STYLE

At work in their studio, Mary Kate McElroy works on several portraits of sexual assault survivors, corroboratively created on their own terms.

obligated to be mandated reporters, meaning that they are required to report to someone when a student discusses incidents of disorderly conduct, even if a student asks them not to.

In the Steubenville case, C oach Reno Saccoccia was given jurisdiction over his teammates' punishment when details of the party and sexual assault got the school’s attention, according to an interview between Steubenville’s former superintendent, Michael McVey and CBS Evening News.

Footage from the investigation revealed that Saccoccia chose not to initially suspend the boys from the team because he did not want more attention to be drawn to the incident.

Mays sent a text message to a classmate during the initial investigation, according to forensics investigator, Joann Gibb , stating: "I got Reno to take care of it." Mays went on to say that "[Saccoccia] was joking about it so I'm not that worried."

When asked by a female reporter about the incident, Saccoccia got uncomfortably close to her and said: “You’re going to get yours. And if you don’t get yours, somebody close to you will.”

A Change.org petit ion created in 2013, titled "Steubenville Schools: Fire Coach Reno Saccoccia" has garnered over 100,000 supporters. Despite the investigation into the case, Saccoccia remains the head coach of the Big Red Football team at Steubenville High School. In 2023, he is currently nominated for the National Federation of State High School Associations' National Coach of the Year Award.

Steubenville is known for its high school football team as well as the attention and revenue the football team generates.

There can be a certain attitude that teams and athletes are

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untouchable due to the community support they receive, and more importantly, the revenue they generate.

“We know that athletes are in kind of already unique power dynamics within their sports,” Kacey Long, the director of programs at The Army of Survivors, says. “So, whether that is tied to the possibility of future scholarships, that being their safe space and community or even eventually being their income and career, there's already a really concerning power imbalance there.”

The Army of Survivors is a nonprofit organization aiming to raise awareness, accountability and transparency about sexual violence committed against athletes. The organization was founded in 2018 by over 40 survivors of sexual assault, according to the nonprofit’s website.

Long says a lot of athletes do not come forward in cases of sexual assault or abuse for a plethora of reasons, one of which is that they do not know how to report abuse.

"We've seen that there's a lot of research that shows that folks don't know where to report, how to report and what they can do," Long says.

Long also revealed a shocking statistic: 13 percent of athletes are reported victims of sexual assault or abuse that occurred during their participation in sports. The statistic Long is referring to was calculated by the World Players Association in 2021.

“Athletes deserve to feel safe within those spaces and that they get a final say over their body and their autonomy,” Long says. “Making sure that they know that they deserve to have safety and comfort within all of those spaces.”

Coaches play a significant role in the lives of athletes, which

Mary Kate McElroy, MFA drawing and painting student at Ohio University, stands in their studio amidst their latest project.

is why The Army of Survivors offers an eight-week module called the Compassionate Coaches Program. In these eight weeks, coaches are challenged to understand trauma, cultures that promote abuse and how to report instances of abuse.

The program aims to empower coaches to train athletes in a trauma-informed manner that recognizes them as individuals rather than just trophies.

“I think one of the biggest things that we can recommend to parents and coaches is to just have more conversations, more transparency and really kind of connecting with those athletes,” Long says. “Seeing them outside of just their statistics or how many points they score, how many yards they run in a game.”

If sexual assault is normalized within a team, what is stopping individuals from continuing that cycle of abuse off the field? By prioritizing the physical and emotional wellbeing of athletes and holding all individuals accountable for their actions, the prevention of the normalization of abusive behavior in sports and society can move along.

Some athletes and their supporters use outlets separate from sports to advocate for survivors of sexual violence. After being dismissed by coaches and administrators at their old university for sharing their story, McElroy is dedicating their thesis to giving a voice to other survivors who have endured injustices related to the neglect of survivors.

"I really felt like there needed to be a better platform for survivors to be able to tell their stories in a more safe way," McElroy says. "I found out that the media kind of can commodify your story and just turn it into clickbait and look over all of the important parts and just pull out something that fits in their narrative."

The Steubenville case was escalated greatly by evidence that was posted and exposed on social media. In the documentary surrounding the case released in 2018,“Roll Red Roll,” Goddard spoke on the guilt she felt after bringing light to the social media posts made on her crime blog. Goddard got emotional when she expressed, “It gets difficult for me because you know by making her relive this by being vocal and demanding that Steubenville know that they didn’t do the right thing.”

Mary Kate McElroy's latest project creating portraits of survivors of sexual assault involved extensive research involving sexual assault depictions in sources ranging from the Bible to modern media.

McElroy plans to collaborate with survivors in a reference collection process, during which uplifting and empowering portraits of the survivors will be taken in locations and outfits of their choice. The portraits will be painted to highlight survivors importance, strength and resilience. Along with the portraits, McElroy plans to include the written stories of each survivor to showcase.

“Portraiture through history has been used to connote individuals with great importance,” says McElroy. “So like the monarchies and rich families, so I want to like kind of do that same thing for my survivors and show them their importance and their incredible strength.”

ASAP and The Army of Survivors are organizations dedicated to assisting survivors who may be reluctant to report their experiences due to external factors such as their social status or the apprehension of being criticized or judged for speaking out.

In the sports world, when an athlete shows strength, they are rewarded and praised; that strength is sometimes not recognized when it comes to reporting sexual violence.

Shifting this stigma can be the start to real change.

“Until we culturally stop rewarding these people or brushing this under the rug, I don't know how that's really going to change,” says McElroy. “I think it just takes a cultural shift to take this seriously.” b

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ALTRUISTIC ATHENS THE DROP

The act of giving back never gets old.

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BY GRACE MILLER | DESIGN BY ABBY BURNS

ila Kunis recently raised more than $34 million for Ukrainian refugees.

Dolly Parton has a foundation to help young students with their education and has been awarded a huge donation from Jeff Bezos.

However, not only big celebrities reach out and save up to give back to their community; people in Athens are actively doing the same.

Julia Paxton, an economics professor at Ohio University, gave some words of wisdom on how her class teaches to give back. Paxton has been at OU since 2000 and has been teaching for about 10 years.

She and her students give away about $25,000 every year to different nonprofits and Warren Buffett, the fifth richest person in the world, has a foundation to help them.

Her class focuses on teaching emerging students to become leaders of philanthropy by helping them discern which altruistic companies to invest their time and money. The class spends 20 hours with community nonprofits also tasked to think deeply about the motivations of philanthropy.

The students learn about how to give away their money, but Paxton has landed on some “strange findings” while teaching this class. She says society is structured in a way

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and presents social norms that prevent us from acting kindly. Paxton says one of her students has had to deal with these “norms” when they tried to pay for someone else’s gas, but the recipient assumed ill intent and did not accept.

Social norms are present in everyday life and there are many reasons as to why people decide not to be kind or accept kindness as a result of them. People may think they need to save money, or that poverty cannot be solved because they do not trust that the organization they gave to will spend the money well.

Although sometimes people do not give money due to social standards, Hakan Karaaytu, a teaching fellow at OU and the founder of Bobcats for Earthquake Survivors, thinks differently.

Karaaytu started Bobcats for Earthquake Survivors in February of 2023, shortly after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey. He says OU was very understanding and helped him with the campaign.

Karaaytu says some people took fliers and others did not, but they ended up collecting $5,000 in three days. Bobcats for Earthquake Survivors is a campaign made up of 10 Turkish students and one Turkish-American professor, but they had plenty of other students helping them out.

All of their donations go to earthquake victims through AHBAP,

a non-governmental organization that helps those who were affected by the earthquake in Turkey. AHBAP is not an acronym, but a word in Turkish that means friend.

Karaaytu did not want to give back just to give back, he had a personal connection to his donations as he is from Turkey.

Karaatyu fled Turkey and says he came to Ohio knowing he could not go back, despite the love he still has for his country, so he got his green card.

He knew many people that were impacted by the earthquake. Over 50,000 people died and Karaatyu believes people see them as just numbers, but he knows those impacted came from loving families and that those lost are more than a statistic.

The creation of Bobcats for Earthquake Survivors surfaced as the hurt in Karaatyu’s heart for his country grew with the rising numbers of impacted Turkish citizens. Ultimately, he says that he wanted to help himself, as well.

Because if he did not, he would forever have pain in his heart.

Paxton’s class and Karaaytu’s campaign encourage students to get involved in altruistic opportunities. In the presence of these opportunities, people are taught to place the deviant label on those who are not showing concern for others in need, rather than the other way around.

Sofia Baris, a freshman studying integrated social studies, wants others to understand how to speak up and voice one’s altruism and opinions.

“It doesn’t matter what people think, it’s about doing the next right thing,” Baris says. “It only matters about you, and you only control your own actions, not anyone else.”

Not only does she speak up, but Baris shows through her actions through being philanthropic. In 2020, she did a head shaving campaign for Pediatric Cancer Research through St. Baldrick’s charity, and she raised over $1,000.

Baris is also outspoken about antisemitism, discrimination, freedom of religion and freedom of religious practice within American society.

Everyone can learn from Paxton, Karaatyu and Baris about how to show their care toward other people. A voice can be used to do many things, but showing support is one of the most impactful.

Whether it is teaching people how to give back, raising money for one’s home, or shaving off a head of hair, anything can make a difference, but the difference starts with the people. b

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THE DROP

One Century

DOWN Students and alumni reflect on experience gained at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.

BY CAROLINE BISSONNETTE & MCKENNA CHRISTY PHOTOS BY SAM WARREN DESIGN BY RACHEL RECTOR

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hio’s oldest university is celebrating 100 years of its journalism school. The E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University welcomes those who look to strengthen their writing, reporting and public relations skills to enter the professional field.

The title of oldest journalism school in the United States goes to the University of Missouri’s school of journalism. The Missouri School of Journalism was founded in 1908 by Walter Williams, according to the university’s website, and offered the world’s first journalism degree.

Journalism has been met with, and adapted to, many technological advancements throughout the centuries. From Johann Gutenberg, who invented Europe’s first printing

The E.W. Scripps School at Ohio University housed the journalism school from 1986 to 2013.

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press in to Tim Berners-Lee, who published the first website journalists have been there for the entire ride while sharing information in new ways.

Some pupils studying journalism enrolled in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, such as Edie Sawyer, a sophomore on OU’s Swim and Dive team, always knew they had a passion for the skills required to follow a career in journalism.

“Ever since I was little, I always enjoyed writing,” Sawyer says. “That was one of my favorite things to do in school.”

The appeal of the E.W. Scripps School’s opportunities to study either strategic communication or news and information, helped Alyssa Goodenow, a junior studying journalism strategic communication, find her official major after changing it “like 14 times,” and she’s “not even kidding.”

Goodenow started her college career at Kent State University studying criminology, and after taking a career quiz, she found advertising was the best fit for her interests and skills.

“When I came here, I did not realize that there’s not a lot of schools that offer just an advertising or public relations degree,” Goodenow says. “The closest thing I found was strategic communication. So that’s why I started looking into that major and that just happened to fall under journalism.”

Goodenow, now committed to being a journalism major, works for the audience engagement section of The Post and is currently the vice president of finance for Scripps PRSSA. She credits her involvement in student media groups as a reason she stays organized in school.

“I feel like coming here and being involved in these things, it’s really forced me to, I know it sounds so cliche, but really step outside of my comfort zone,” Goodenow says.

Sawyer, who is also on the strategic communication track, is not as involved in student media as she would like to be.

Sawyer is interested in both reporting and advertising, so when classes allow her to explore both, she says it is beneficial.

“I definitely am figuring all out what exactly I want to do,” Sawyer says. “I really like how our classes give us exposure to both sides.”

Journalism has been regarded as a competitive field, meaning resume building in college is a task that adds pressure to an already stressful experience. Goodenow says she did not realize how competitive the major was until she felt behind.

“I was like, ‘I need 14 internships’,” Goodenow says. “I need to be in 62 clubs. I was like, ‘I need to be involved in everything’.”

The natural competitiveness of applying for executive positions within student media organizations, internships, jobs and more and the observed differences of news and information and strategic communication majors could be met with more cooperation.

In the future, respective news and information and strategic communication majors may find they switched the tracks they studied when hired for a job.

“I’ve really noticed that both of them actually intertwine,” Sawyer says. “I’ve learned that there’s so much more than just [what] the title says.”

When journalism students become alumni, they may be asked to help the people whose shoes they were once in. Being

a past, present or future journalism student at OU brings almost a certainty that there is someone advocating for the success of someone else.

“People who are alumni, they will help you,” Goodenow says. “They will help you, and you don’t even have to know the person.”

To ring in 100 years of journalism, the Scripps College of Communication held a Centennial Symposium in early April. Students gathered to hear OU alumni speak about their college experiences and leaving the bricks to pursue successful careers in news and strategic communication .

There were several sessions in which all students were invited to attend. Grouped together based on their careers, professionals from the field shared stories and offered advice to those hoping to achieve similar success.

Meryl Gottlieb graduated from OU’s journalism school in 2016 and came back to talk about her time working toward a career in business journalism. She is currently Insider’s senior partner manager of business development.

Gottlieb knew she wanted to end up in New York, so she did what she could as a student to snatch the key to the city.

During her time at OU, Gottlieb spent her time in The Post’s newsroom and eventually became the culture editor.

“You get to bond over the level of commitment and care that you put into each product,” Gottlieb says.

Members of campus publications always look for the next story, and they all want to tell it in a way that will get people reading. However, this does not mean everyone in the newsroom ends up in the same place after graduation.

Molly Cronin, an adviser for the Ohio Honors Program at OU, graduated from OU’s Honors Tutorial College with a journalism degree in 2003. She values the skills she acquired,

but she did not find herself longing for a professional byline.

“Moving forward as a teacher and a professional in higher [education], knowing how to seek-out, discern, gather and utilize information has been a core tool that I’ve always been glad to have in my toolbox,” Cronin says.

Between the program’s founding and now, OU’s journalism school has climbed in the nation’s ranks as many students have gone on to find success with the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism on their resumes. Journalism courses help to prepare students for the rigor of the professional world, but students working for campus publications get added authentic real-world experience.

“It seems like journalism students are always doing one thing or another, and they are always busy,” Benjamin Lowry, a senior studying psychology, says. Lowry has been surrounded by journalism students since his sophomore year when he lived with one. Now, he lives alongside many more as a resident assistant.

College can be overwhelming, so seeing people do more than them may make it worse for those struggling to stay above water.

“I do think there was a little bit of a lack of identity as to who I was as a journalism student because I didn’t have a very clear path,” Cronin says.

Gottlieb, on the other hand, had set plans from the beginning. Despite a clear difference in experience, Gottlieb and Cronin find use for skills learned in pursuit of their degrees, just as current students will in years to come.

“I think a lot of people are really motivated to learn and work in class, which is great,” Sawyer says. “Professors are willing to help and make sure everybody understands.” b

Schoonover Center is home to the Scripps College of Communication, which is composed of 5 schools: the School of Communication Studies, the J. Warren McClure School of Emerging Technologies, the School of Media Arts and Studies, the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, and the School of Visual Communication.

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THE DROP

INSIGHT FROM

INTERNS

Various OU students reflect on their internship experiences.

BY ABREANNA BLOSE | DESIGN BY ABBY BURNS

I

nternships have the power to lead students to make decisions about the career they plan to pursue for the rest of their lives. The application, interviewing and decision-making process can be intimidating, but the experience can be invaluable.

Internship applicants are expected to formulate a competitive application, typically including a resume and a cover letter; this process can be tedious and frustrating.C ollege students are left wondering if they should accept paid or unpaid positions; how they will sustain themselves and how their worth is measured as an intern are also

things to consider.”

Brigid Mcsteen, a junior studying retail fashion merchandising says that, at first, she felt insecure with her application, especially knowing people from larger fashion schools would be applying to similar positions.

“I figured, ‘I go to Ohio University.

What fashion brand is going to hire someone from Ohio University?’”

Mcsteen says.

She described societal norms and pressures that took a toll on her selfworth while applying to positions.

“Women feel like if there’s one thing that they’re missing on qualifications,

they won’t apply because they think, ‘Oh, I’m underqualified’ and it’s not that way at all,” Mcsteen says.

She persisted, landing an internship position last year with Dauphinette, located in New York City. Mcsteen says that the biggest challenge for students looking to intern in hotspots such as NYC is the search for housing. Luckily, she was able to sustain herself in the costly city by living with family. Call it luck or fate, her mom got a job offer in the city the same week Mcsteen was offered her internship position.

“We moved there together,” Mcsteen says. “It just aligned perfectly, which was

an amazing privilege, I guess because paying rent there is next to impossible, especially when it’s unpaid.”

Makenna Koogler, a sophomore studying wildlife and conservation biology, says her internship at the Morris Laboratory on campus is helping her gain experience and make strides toward her dream career.

Her post-graduation goal is to find a career in herpetology, which is a branch of zoology centered around the study of amphibians. Koogler spends her time at the lab cleaning fish tanks, caring for the fish and recently, testing glucose and activity levels.

“Getting experience working with fish has been really beneficial,” Koogler says.

Koogler’s position is paid, making her feel like a valuable member of the team and motivating her to do additional work while learning indispensable lessons. She says that those who feel unqualified should deal their hand, anyway.

“By not applying, you’re only limiting yourself,” Koogler says.

Julianna Rittenberg, a sophomore studying political science, says it is important to consider a budget when accepting or declining an internship position. She explains it is dire to consider housing, transportation, food and stress-free activities.

Rittenberg spent her fall semester in Washington D.C. as a LGBTQ Victory Institute intern. She spent four days

a week working in Congresswoman Sharice David’s office and every Friday at a professional development institute.

While learning valuable life and career goals, the internship program also provided housing, transportation and a stipend for interns, making life a little less stressful for Rittenberg.

She says that the transition to an internship position may be difficult, but the experience itself is worthwhile.

“It was really scary and all my friends were back here starting the school year, but it worked out and it was okay,” Rittenberg says. “It was a really good experience.”

Emma Dubler, a senior studying integrated language arts, also had to

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backdrop | Spring 2023

adapt to life as an intern. This past fall semester, she began working as a student intern in an eighth grade English classroom where she creates lesson plans, teaches those lessons and grades all assignments.

“It’s pretty much exactly what I want to do after I graduate,” Dubler says.

Throughout this experience, she has learned to properly manage her time and understand what working as an educator will be like post-graduation.

Her position, like most student teachers, is unpaid. Doing so much work without compensation makes it harder, but Dubler loves what she is doing.

“If I am struggling, I can come to

[my mentor] and she’ll help me out or take over for the day if necessary,” Dubler says. “So, if you have a helpful mentor, the internship itself is significantly easier.”

She details the importance of staying positive during the application and

interviewing process of an internship.

Don't take anything personally,” she says. “Especially in the interview process.”

Even when it feels rocky, balance is attainable. These four students can all agree their internship experiences have allowed them to explore their future careers and discover more of themselves.

The goal of any internship is to grow within one’s field and make essential decisions about the future.

“I actually learned so much in this internship, more than I have learned in any class, any program that I’ve attended,” Mcsteen says. “It was the realworld experience that helped me decide where I wanted to take my career. b

www.backdropmagazine.com

31

PHOTO STORY

(Paint)

BUCKETS OF FUN

Backdrop’s first annual graffiti wall painting.

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STORY BY CAROLINE BISSONNETTE | PHOTOS BY JACOB DURBIN | DESIGN BY ABBY BURNS

backdrop | Spring 2023

risty, a sopho , and McKenna Ch studying journalism rs of the magazine. These two ior sen a , tte ne the wall.

Caroline Bisson managing edito rnalism, are the d Backdrop “b” on more studying jou ble for the white background an nsi po res are and Ball

Abby Burn cation des s, a sophomore st udyi ign is a desig , picks an open sp ng information g ra ner for th e magazin ot to squeeze her phics and publihandprin e and hop t in. Burn af ter she es to work s finishes h er degree for a design firm .

L aine Dan nemiller an ing journ alism, ta d Rory Ball, both media an ke photos for Ba seniors studyck d pose fo r one just drop’s social for fun .

and ion graphics six ying informat st or for the pa d a senior stud , ct or re ct di e Re tiv el ea ch n, ad e’s cr From left, Ra graphic desig the the magazin g d an yin n ud st sig e de or help publication o, a sophom of the wall to Ellie Sabatin nd the base issues, and a design arou iters . d an ts in pr wr their hand troubled

T

o commemorate the end of another year of Backdrop, members of the organization gathered at one of Ohio University’s graffiti walls on April 5 to create something magical.

After an obscene number of years of having cans of paint stashed in the Backdrop office, we decided to pry it open and slap it on the wall, literally. We invited our staff and members of the Athens community to stop by and put a handprint on the wall As a publication, we aim to serve as the “backdrop” of OU and Athens. This activity felt like the perfect way to end the year in a fun and hands-on way. b Ally Parker, a freshma n studying visual com munication — multime her handprint on the wal dia, happily places l. She may be short, but she is mighty.

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33

VOICES

WORKING ON

ME

Backdropper Grace Koennecke shares how she will put her mental health first after a history of an overloaded schedule.

BY GRACE KOENNECKE | DESIGN BY ELLIE SABATINO

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backdrop | Spring 2023

A

ccording to the American Psychological Association, It’s a different kind of slap in the face when a medical the term workaholism was coined in 1971 by Wayne professional is telling you that you’re a workaholic rather than Oates, a minister and psychologist. Oates described your friends and family, but I really did need to hear it. For the condition as “the compulsion or the uncontrollable need to years, I had been denying this known fact about myself. Instead, work incessantly,” but now it’s defined as an addiction to work I suppressed it, thinking that my anxiety and tendency to be an by multiple psychologists. Just as how the term has evolved, my overachiever was just a normal part of being a college student. experience with being a workaholic has as well, and its effects Through my time in therapy, I learned that it was actually have impacted me, especially since coming to Ohio University. normal to feel the pressure of wanting to be the best, especially in a rigorous academic environment. And for once, I was able In high school, I was a go-getter. I ran cross country, wrote for to open up to someone about it, which was something I never my school newspaper, learned self-defense, the list going on and thought I’d be able to do; I’m usually not the type of person on. While I thought I did a lot during that time in my life, I can who likes to get emotional or super personal with others right now most definitely say that I had never experienced more on away. While it’s good sometimes to have thick skin, it also sucks my plate than when I started college. when you feel like you can’t shed a few tears with the people you My freshman year, I began to realize just how competitive trust. I knew I had to stop being scared of my anxietymy major was as a journalism student, and it induced tendencies. intimidated me as I saw other students To ease my stress, I thus had to learn around me accomplishing so much. how to let go of the things that I just As people were landing internships simply didn’t enjoy transitioning into and jobs with major news my sophomore year. I quit the job organizations, it was my duty that I hated, stopped applying to compete against them, for positions and began taking wanting to prove myself breaks for myself. By doing as a writer and student. all of these things, I found I felt like I wasn’t good myself happier than I had enough, nor did I think I been in months, feeling was as talented, and this like I actually had the free kickstarted my battle time to do what I pleased. with workaholism.

I was able to reconnect As the first few weeks with my friends, stay in of school flew by, I touch with my family more started signing up for often and actually enjoy more extracurriculars, the extracurriculars I was in, taking on a new job and GRACE KOENNECKE which was what I wanted deep applying to positions that down in the first place.

I thought would exemplify Now nearing the end of my my leadership skills. Yet, all sophomore year, I’ve been able of these things I did to myself to let go of most of the stress and just added more stress, more anxiety that college has thrown at me so exhaustion and more self-doubt, far, even if my struggles with workaholism causing me to spiral into a negative are still present. Yet, I think it’s important that headspace by my spring semester.

I’ve acknowledged this about myself, and that like The self-disillusionment I was experiencing even anxiety and stress, this condition never fully disappears. trickled into my personal life. I was too busy to hang out with Instead, I’ve used this condition to my advantage, trying to my friends and my significant other, too worried about missing embrace the positives of it. a meeting or class assignment. I didn’t have time to call my Being a workaholic means that I’m driven, self-motivated, family, causing me to grow anxious about their well-being. I hard-working and passionate about what I’m doing. I set goals didn’t even have any personal time, my planner was filled with for myself all the time, and I have high expectations for my events to go to. My mental health was also at its worst, my writing and school work. I also know how to multitask, keeping anxiety spiking as I lost sleep from overworking myself. my personal and academic priorities in check. Lastly, it proves While working hard meant that I was thriving academically, my willingness to work and improve, which has helped me as well as staying organized and involved on campus, I had grow as a person, student and writer. drained myself completely. I saw myself looking from the Overall, I’ve learned that it’s extremely important to prioritize outside in as I watched my friends find balance in their college your mental health while in college, and if you don’t, the lives. This realization was what landed me in therapy, which was consequences of not taking care of yourself can exceed your honestly my saving grace. expectations. Instead, ask for help when you need it, even when it’s hard, and know that college is supposed to be challenging, but not to the point that it hinders your social life and personality.b

“

The selfdillsionment I was experiencing even trickled into my personal life.”

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backdrop | Spring 2023

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