The Exponent Print Edition: Sept. 20, 2023

Editor's Note: We're back!

By THE EXPONENT EXECUTIVE BOARD and HUIXIN DENG, PH.D. Editors and Faculty Advisor

It is a daunting reality that local news in this country is on the decline. With the dire national and international issues we encounter in our interconnected world, it can be easy to overlook what is taking place in our own community in our daily lives.

This is where The Exponent stands— to bring together our neighbors and share information pertinent to the ways we orient ourselves on campus and in Berea.

In the past year, our readers have witnessed how “The Exponent” sprang to new heights to serve our neighbors and communities. Starting as an understaffed team of only five members, we quickly grew to become one of the most predominant student-led organizations on campus.

Through the hard work of our staff within just a few months, we have become an awardwinning newspaper, connecting with community members and keeping our readers informed the way we have desired to do since 1913.

At the end of Spring 2023, The Exponent executive board ran The Best of Berea Awards, where our readers voted on their favorite parts of Berea, including coffee shops, restaurants and bars. These awards were given to the community members during our Gala and Awards Ceremony, which brought together over 50 members of BW and local businesses in Berea.

Now, we have the opportunity to enhance what makes “The Exponent” a treasure at BW and beyond campus.

We will continue forging relationships with our beloved community, while keeping our readers updated through web, print and social media. We are

also working to keep up with our generation’s demands toward producing multimedia projects in the form of livestreamed shows, podcasts and short-form videos.

As students or faculty, and ultimately, residents of Berea, we are not isolated individuals merely occupying these fields for fun or for career development. We are a part of the community, and the work of “The Exponent” has demonstrated this.

Last year, we were fortunate to have had the opportunity to cover events ranging from the opening of local restaurants on Front Street to the United States Senate debates in Cleveland. This year, we aim to strengthen these efforts. Political issues, the art of the area and BW students'

Berea to big time: Alum makes NFL roster

everyday concerns are all on our radar. Nonetheless, these realities affect each of us differently and hence “The Exponent” will strive to pursue stories from various angles, combine these perspectives and present them in a comprehensive, unbiased manner. We hope to continually bring forward an editorial product that will report on local news, highlight prominent issues and entertain you, our dear readers.

If you want to join our awardwinning team, email us at exponent@bw.edu.

White nationalism stickers found on campus reveal national issue

By SIMON SKOUTAS Executive Print Editor

Editor's Note: "The Exponent" strongly condemns all forms of hate speech on our campus. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse environment where every member of our community is treated with respect, dignity and equity. If you see this messaging around campus again, report it to BW’s Center for Inclusion and the Safety and Security Department immediately. Report any incidences here: https://fs22.formsite.com/ bwtest1/form120/

At the beginning of the Fall 2023 semester, Baldwin Wallace University sent out an email to students which said that stickers with nationalist messaging were found on campus.The stickers reveal a deeper issue: the growing number of white supremacist movements popping up around the United States.

The stickers, found near the University Market building on campus, included a link to a website of an unofficial

political party organization, whose platform includes various hateful initiatives, such as cutting down Jewish representation in the workforce, hateful rhetoric toward members of different sexual orientations along with creating immigration caps in the U.S. to keep a majority of our population of “European” ancestry.

David Hoffman, the senior associate director of the Anti-Defamation League, a group founded to combat antisemitism and hatred toward all marginalized groups, said that in the last five years, incidents of white supremacist propaganda across the U.S. have increased by nearly five times from 1,214 incidents in 2018 to 6,751 incidents in 2022.

“It’s definitely a part of the bigger picture,” Hoffman said.

“We have seen a significant increase in white supremacist propaganda and extremism all over the place.”

The message found on the stickers placed around the BW campus read the phrase “White Victory: Stand with White Solidarity,” a message which

The Exponent condemns.

While it is unclear how many members take part in these fascist organizations, incidents such as placing stickers with hateful messaging serve the group’s purpose by hurting individuals that they see as unwelcome.

“While we can’t know the exact ‘success,’ one thing that we do know is that like other incidents of hate and bias, acts of vandalism that target a community, the impact of these actions is felt widely in the community beyond just those who they may be targeting when recruiting,” Hoffman said.

Hoffman said that one reason for the growing influence of white supremacy is because of social media influence and media coverage, which can bring people together to feel as though they were not alone in their hateful beliefs.

“Someone who may have just been an isolated thinker in their home now feels that they can be a part of something bigger and sees the impact of it by these groups having a physical presence,” Hoffman

said.

Matthew Ward, assistant professor of political science, who teaches courses on fascist ideology, said that social media and instances such as the one seen at BW reveal the desire of these groups to move the “Overton Window,” a term coined to explain what is acceptable in mainstream politics.

“The goal is to mainstream [it] before they concentrate on things like policy and politics,” Ward said. “So the idea is to change culture through these messaging operations.”

Hoffman also said that the groups are now more likely to collaborate than in the past, which reveals how hate group members have become more attentive to what they wish for.

“They’re becoming increasingly anxious about perceived ‘threats’ to white people,” Hoffman said. “They are willing to work together to send a message because they realized that the mechanisms that we have for good governance aren’t achieving their goals.”

Ward said that these tactics toward appealing to

white “threats” is an effective narrative pushed by these white supremacist groups.

“There’s this victimhood narrative that’s really appealing to people because it appeals to emotions and senses of being lost or left behind by the system,” Ward said.

According to the A.D.L., college campuses are frequent places for attack, specifically from the same hate group which plagued BW, with nine incidences occurring since the start of 2023. Specifically, colleges become areas of attraction for hateful messaging since they can sense college student’s curiosity.

“A lot of these groups are trying to capitalize on University students who are coming to campus eager to learn new ideas and be exposed to different perspectives,” Hoffman said. “Anything that can be done to help recognize that hate groups may be entering in a way that’s not overt, is really important.”

To combat against this rise in white supremacist messaging, Hoffman recommended that students spread love messaging and to

always report instances.

“We think the best way to counter hate speech is through love speech as ‘corny’ as it may sound,” Hoffman said.

Ward said that it is important for people to educate themselves on these matters and said that one helpful resource is the resources available through the A.D.L.

“They [college students] should familiarize themselves with what to look for, because knowing ahead of time what took to look for in the purpose of rhetoric is one of the most effective ways to inoculate against radicalization,” Ward said.

Timothy Washington, Safety and Security Supervisor at BW, took part in helping take down the stickers. He said that while the perpetrator of the sticker placement has not yet been found, students should always report these incidents to Safety and Security so that they are able to track them down.

“If your gut is telling you something isn’t right, report it,” Washington said.

Live, laugh, love theatre

The 24-Hour Theatre Festival kicked off the Theatre and Dance season with a "giant theater kid slumber party".

Read more about Anthony Kendall's journey to the Tennessee Titans on page 8

Photo Courtesy of Tennessee Titans

A safe space on campus Active Minds officially opens their own room on campus after years of advocacy and effort.

Huixin Deng, The Exponent Left to right: Sunaina Kabadkar, Simon Skoutas, Hannah Wetmore and Alexis Watkins

STUDENT EDITORIAL STAFF

Executive Print Editor

Simon Skoutas exponent@bw.edu

Executive Web Editor

Hannah Wetmore

Exec. Business Coordinator

Sunaina Kabadkar

Executive Art Director

Alexis Watkins

Managing Editors

Cole Graham

Benjamin Michael Hall

Tommy Maroon

Meredith McCord

Kayla Muro

Ursula Saadeh

Ella York

Staff Writers

Ryan Acevedo

Caitlin Bowshier

Bailey Croft

Dina Dakdouk

Bryanna Feagler

Hailey Gandias

Israel Gole

Saraphina Groh

Nick Irelan

Emma Lambert

Kathryn Raubolt

Isabel Rivera

Sophia Rossero

Jason Tafoya

Justin Verhosek

Mae Werstler

Cartoonist

Halle Vargo

FACULTY ADVISOR

Huixin Deng, Ph.D. hdeng@bw.edu

NEWSPAPER POLICIES

The Exponent is the student-run newspaper of Baldwin Wallace University, which is intended for the entire college community. T he Exponent is funded by the Department of Communication Arts & Sciences as well as advertisements. The Exponent is produced by the student staff on a biweekly basis during the academic year. Questions or concerns about the content of articles or other material published herein should be directed to student staff of The Exponent or the faculty advisor. The office of The Exponent is located in Loomis Room 185. It is the right of The Exponent to print all material deemed newsworthy and gathered in a fair and unconditional manner. No advance copies of stories will be shown, and reporters' notes are considered confidential. No "off the record" information will be accepted.

ADVERTISING POLICY

Anyone wishing to advertise in The Exponent should email the advertising director at exponentads@bw.edu. Ads must be submitted by the Monday before publication date and not conflict with the university mission.

Articles and photographs in The Exponent, letters from readers, columns, cartoons and other elements within these pages do not necessarily reflect the position of Baldwin Wallace University.

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The Hive partially shut down due to insufficient sales

By KAYLA MURO Managing Editor

The Hive, a Baldwin Wallace University dining location, is now only open for Sushi Night on Mondays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. due to its lack of financial sustainability.

This dining location, where it previously served snacks and ice cream, is in the basement of the Union and was surrounded by pool tables and other games. The Hive was one of the locations on campus where students could purchase food products.

Matt Perry, the student body president who previously interned with Dining Services his sophomore year, said that because of his leadership in student government, Dining Services often comes to him for student input on dining topics.

New Active Minds room provides safe space for mental health

By BAILEY CROFT Staff Writer

After years of effort, Baldwin Wallace’s chapter of Active Minds, a mental health group focusing on destigmatizing mental health, opened their own room on campus near the end of the spring 2023 semester.

Emily Muench, former chapter president and current co-advisor, started Baldwin Wallace’s chapter of Active Minds in the fall of 2019, five weeks into her freshman year. Muench was president of the chapter until she graduated last May.

Cat Hughes, current chapter president, said Muench was the catalyst for Active Minds to acquire a room on campus.

“I’ve wanted a room for a long time, so it’s very exciting that we finally have our own space,” Muench said. “We’re not providing counseling, we’re not therapists, but we’re a safe space … and people know if they’re having a bad day, they can go in this room and

be with one of our officers.”

Muench said that their main obstacle was finding an available room in the first place considering the small size of the BW campus.

Muench said that originally, she had wanted a space in the basement of the Union, but it ended up being used by another organization. Muench reached out to individuals from various buildings across campus as well as administration and found a usable space during her senior year.

“Earlier this year, I talked with Joe Tarantowski, another co-advisor of Active Minds, because I knew he knew Loomis really well … And he actually found the room, and so then it was just a matter of okay, here’s the exact room number I want,” Muench said.

Hughes said that the new Active Minds room is a safe space for students who are struggling and need someone to talk to.

“A big thing is there really still are no mental health policies on BW’s campus for students or faculty. And that

Reporter's Notebook: Student Government

By JUSTIN VERHOSEK Staff Writer

Student Body President Matt Perry and Student Body Vice president Maree Horne addressed the recent difficulties with parking on campus. After a discussion with President Bob Helmer, Perry said it was the “influx of first-years” that led to firstyear students with enough credit to be allowed to park anywhere on campus. The Fairgrounds Lot, typically

I’ve been complaining about and advocating for … since my first year [at BW],” Muench said.

Muench and other members of the Active Minds board, have been advocating for mental health support on campus since Active Minds's inception at BW.

“You know, it’s been really difficult,” Hughes said, “We’ve tried meeting with a ton of different people about implementing mental health days for students. That’s been like fighting tooth and claw with administration.”

“I know that mental health is, I would say, not taken super seriously on this campus,” said Julz Baltzly, marketing director of Active Minds. “I think we’re doing really good work bringing that to people’s attention … Our mission is to create that open dialogue around mental health, and help reduce the stigma.”

Active Minds has been on BW’s campus for five years and continues to push for more mental health support on campus, Baltzly said.

used for first-year students, does not have enough space for all incoming students.

Perry said that when he met with President Helmer about potential solutions, he was told that there are “plenty of parking spots on campus” and that “walking is good.” Both Perry and Horne said that they will be in discussion with Campus Access Services to address the issue, especially as winter approaches.

Last school year, hours were limited due to “low staffing,” Perry said. The Hive was open on weekdays from early afternoon to 8 p.m. and was closed on weekends. Staffing issues are prominent in most on-campus jobs, Perry said.

However, the closure of The Hive was not due to its low staffing. Rather, Perry said that the closure was due to its lack of financial sustainability.

“The Hive closure is because of the fact that the union downstairs… It’s not a great hangout area down there,” Perry said. “A lot of the times the sales were just down.”

Despite the low turnout, The Hive gained a crowd during Monday Night Sushi. According to BW’s Dining Services’s Instagram, Sushi Night will continue at The Hive every Monday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Still, some students

expressed sentiments toward the closure of The Hive’s previous offerings. Jessica Klonowski, a sophomore undecided major, said that The Hive did not seem to be having insufficient sales.

“From the outside, it seemed like The Hive has a pretty strong following and a good group of regulars,” Klonowski said.

Klonowski said that the ice cream was popular amongst her friends. As a commuter, if she had to stay on campus late, she said that she knew she could stop at The Hive for ice cream.

“The Hive stood out to me because it was a very casual place, both with food options and the locations,” Klonowski said.

Emily Gilman, a sophomore neuroscience major, said that The Hive was a convenient place to grab a snack while she was studying and the only place on campus where she could purchase one of her favorite treats, a chai milkshake.

However, some of the featured products in The Hive are now being served in other dining locations to supplant their absence.

Perry said that students can go to the campus Starbucks to suffice for coffee being gone from The Hive. Similarly, smoothies can now be found at The Smoothie Bar in the Lou Higgins Recreation Center.

“In terms of the ice cream, the scoop ice cream is going to be offered during specialty nights in The Union,” Perry said. “[The Union] now [has] ice cream novelties in their bakery area to make up for that. There’s ice cream sandwiches, popsicles and stuff like that.”

Reporter's Notebook: Berea City Council

By KAYLA MURO Managing Editor

On Sept. 5, Berea City Council met for their bi-weekly meeting.

The council had the first reading for an ordinance to authorize Mayor Cyril Kleem to enter into an agreement with the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency and the Federal Transit Administration for “enhanced mobility” for seniors and individuals with disabilities.

The council also had the first reading to amend Ordinance NO. 2023-30, which established the Tree Reimbursement Program, a program that entitles residents to a “sum of money” equal to half the cost of trees planted in their front lawns or tree lawns. This amendment revised the minimum dimension of the trees planted.

Bailey Croft, The Exponent

Six faculty awarded for dedication inside and outside of the classroom

By KATHRYN RAUBOLT Staff Writer

Each fall, Baldwin Wallace University honors six faculty members with various awards for their work in teaching, extracurriculars, study abroad and scholarships for programs within the University.

Laura Hopkins, assistant professor of public health and prevention science, won the Strosacker Award for Excellence in Teaching, an award given for a faculty member’s impact within the classroom.

Hopkins said that she aims to bring practical experience to her classroom, focusing on creating activities where students learn through their own discoveries.

“I think my biggest thing is

that I never want my courses to become dull or in the past,” Hopkins said.

Andy Dohanos, an associate professor in the Department of Communication Arts & Sciences, won the Bechberger Award for Human Development, an award given to a faculty member who is involved and makes an impact outside of the classroom. Dohanos is involved in a variety of activities including Habitat for Humanity, alternative break trips, athletics and study abroad.

“I tell students that ultimately studying abroad was more important than what my major was,” Dohanos said. “It really shifted my mindset about who I was and what I wanted to do or where I wanted to be in my life.”

Also involved in study

abroad is Rachelle Hippler, professor and coordinator of software engineering, who won the Faculty Leadership in Study Abroad Award for her work with the faculty-led trip, "Computing in Guatemala."

The program occurs in two parts in partnership with Mission Guatemala, first as the senior capstone project for software engineering students and then as a studyabroad trip where the software is implemented. Starting in 2019, students in the software engineering capstone began creating a medical records database for Mission Guatemala’s clinic. Mission Guatemala is an organization that aims to help people meet their basic needs, including medical care.

“These opportunities to travel abroad have broadened

my horizons and gave me this feeling that what I do is worthwhile in computer science,” Hippler said.

Andrew Watkins, associate professor and chair of the Computer Science Department, won the Research and Sponsored Program Impact Award after securing almost $2 million from the National Science Foundation to expand transfer pathways from two-year to four-year institutions for computer science students. One of Watkins' goals with the grant is to increase the number of women in computing as he said that many STEM disciplines are not as "diverse" as he would like them to be.

“There is a lot of emphasis in this grant work on attracting and retaining women in computer science,” Watkins

said. “One of those ways is looking at building out women and computing at institutions as well as each of our partner consortium institutions.”

Brian Krupp, associate professor of computer science, won the Gigax Faculty Scholarship Award, given to a faculty member that involves students in their contribution to research.

“Since I've been here, I've always been involved in research and trying to bring students into it because I think it's a great learning experience for students,” Krupp said.

Krupp is involved in two major projects currently: Campus Plate, which works to turn food waste into means to defeat food insecurity and building an air quality sensor for residents in the Cleveland area.

Y.J.A.B. hosts formal event to celebrate end of summer

By BRYANNA FEAGLER Staff Writer

Jackets After Dark, a division of Yellow Jacket Activity Board, hosted its first formal event of the semester, End of Summer Bash, in the Student Activity Center on Sept. 15 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. along with an afterparty from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Jason Luck, president of Y.J.A.B., worked on this event with the After Dark coordinators including

Brooke Walburn, senior creative writing major and Greta Graffius, junior early childhood education major. The event was originally not planned to be an end of summer bash, Luck said.

“They wanted to fill a niche of hosting an event that anybody can come to and it being towards the end of the year,” Luck said. “When we realized that the solstice is around that time, that’s how it came to be.”

Luck said that the theme of the End of Summer Bash

was “summer energy” with oranges, pinks and blues as the color scheme.

“It’s like a sunset of transition from summer into fall,” Walburn said.

Walburn said she and her fellow cordinators missed having a formal dance. They wanted something similar to dances in high school since college dances usually require you to be part of an organization, Walburn said.

“We wanted to plan that, especially for freshmen who are used to having a dance,

to feel a sense of normalcy,” Walburn said.

Graffius said that she and the other coordinators bounced ideas around on what aspects they wanted to include in the event.

“An idea one of our peers in the group had was having a calm area upstairs," Graffius said. "We [hoped] to have coloring pages for people who want to come to dance, although not participate in the dancing aspect,.”

The afterparty had karaoke and a variety of sweet

treats including soft serve milkshakes, Hawaiian ice and orange and rootbeer floats.

Walburn said that one aspect they hope people took away from the End of Summer Bash is that it allowed people to become involved on campus.

“[Its] an excuse to dress up and feel good about themselves and go spend the night with people they really care about,” Walburn said.

Graffius said that this is the first formal style event that Jackets After Dark has put on.

“We’ve had events like

The final award winner, Duane Battle, associate professor of film studies, won the Excellence in Community Engagement Award for his work in engaging and connecting students with different people in many different communities.

Battle coordinated a faculty-led trip to Zambia, where students created a performance and then performed it to hundreds of children while they were there.

“I've always tried to do things that are different and innovative and connect to different people [and] populations that you don't normally connect with,” Battle said.

music night…Taylor Swift music night, which is a similar concept, although we haven’t had a dance recently at all or even a formal dance,” Graffius said.

Y.J.A.B.'s upcoming events are the Y.J.A.B. Concert at the Bold & Gold Homecoming on Sept. 29 and the Pumpkin Fest on Oct. 6.

The Expression

Arts and Culture Coverage from The Exponent

AT THE MOVIES

'Barbie' delivers candy-coated comedy with right amount of heart

ELLA YORK

The Exponent's head film critic

When I went to watch “Barbie,” my expectations were high. The marketing for the film alone became its own phenomenon, building hype for the film by placing Barbie anywhere and everywhere.

Even when I went to buy tickets for the film a week after its release date, theaters were completely sold out for several showings in a row. It was as if “Barbie” had taken over the world.

When I walked into the theater, I couldn’t help but question whether it was possible for this movie to live up to the buzz built around

it without there being at least some disappointment. However, “Barbie” did not disappoint in any sense of the word. In fact, it was the funniest movie I had seen in a long time.

I saw this movie in a soldout theater and everyone was laughing so much; you’d think we were watching a live theater production.

Comedy is not an easy genre to write, but Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach pulled it off effortlessly with jokes so relatable it almost felt like they stalked the audience before writing the script. It has been a long time before there has been a movie as funny as “Barbie” on the big screen.

Besides the writing, another

factor in making “Barbie” the comedy masterpiece it is was Ryan Gosling’s Ken. I’ll admit it, when pictures for the movie first came out last year, I was very skeptical of Gosling’s casting as Ken. Nonetheless, he instantly proved me wrong. His comedic timing and delivery were meticulous and genius, and it was clear he gave everything he had to this role. His performance was the highlight of the film.

Along with Gosling, Hollywood A-lister Margot Robbie gave a performance that proved she was also perfectly cast. Not only did she physically look as if Barbie came to life, but she gave a nuanced performance that balanced Barbie’s “bimbo” reputation with the

true feminist attitude Barbie embodies.

While everyone in this film gave a great performance, Micheal Cera proved to be a surprising standout. His character, Allan, was hilariously funny and endearing, and he easily connected with viewers making him an instant fanfavorite. Allan is sure to be one of the most talked about characters in the film.

Another standout piece of this film was the nostalgia that went into its craft. As someone who grew up playing with Barbies, this film nailed every detail. It looked as if my childhood toys were brought to life. Throughout the film, I found myself recognizing specific Barbies I owned as

a child.

Set design was a big factor in driving the nostalgic elements of the film home.

The Dreamhouses were the most realistic sets I’ve seen in a film, which is made even more impressive when realizing they used zero computer graphic imaging. It’s clear that the set designers paid close attention to the dimensions and styling, even causing a global shortage of fuchsia pink paint.

Lastly but most importantly, the messaging of “Barbie” was a welcome surprise in the film. I went into this film expecting strictly comedy, but I ended up getting a film with a lot of heart. “Barbie” delivers a message about women's

Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' blows audiences away

JUSTIN VERHOSEK

Film Critic

Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” may have received much buzz from its simultaneous release with Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” yet still, while the Barbenheimer narrative was capturing audience's attention, Nolan was busy weaving a multitude of narratives of his own. At first glance, the story of “Oppenheimer” appears to be a simple biopic of the man who created the atomic bomb, but there is much more to the story than this.

Nolan divides the movie into two parts titled “fission” and “fusion.”

“Fission” follows J. Robert

Oppenheimer’s perspective, acted by Cillian Murphy and “fusion” follows a former member of the Atomic Energy Commission, Lewis Strauss’s perspective, played by Robert Downey Jr. Each of their perspectives in the film are independent retellings of their lives, the perspective of Stauss being depicted in black and white to differentiate from Oppenheimer's. This concept may sound confusing, and at first it was, but in “Oppenheimer,” Nolan uses it as a tool to construct the narrative to show their roles in each other's lives. Once the movie establishes this concept it is easier for viewers to understand how the plot continues to unfold.

In addition to this, Nolan crafts an interesting story telling structure throughout the film by showing Oppenheimer’s life from two different points. The film parallels the chronological timeline of Oppenheimer’s life with the timeline of him being on trial for communism. At first it seemed a bit hectic, but it slowly became a brilliant way to have narration with directly employing a narrator. While the movie’s structure was a clear highlight of the film, the acting also proved to make “Oppenheimer” the masterpiece that it was. Downey consistently elevates every scene with his performance as Strauss despite playing a less recognizable figure, and he brings with

him gravitas and excellent timing. “Oppenheimer” is evidently one of his greatest performances.

Murphy also delivers an excellent performance as the titular character, often tasked with displaying the complex thoughts and feelings within Oppenheimer using only subtle changes in his facial expressions. While award-winning actors played the main characters, talent was not lacking in the supporting cast, as they were often played by other A-listers such as Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Rami Malek and more. Although they played a smaller part, they all made the most of the screentime they were given.

Now for the real star of the show: the bomb. Much of the hype around this film was built around the fact that Nolan managed to recreate the atomic bomb without the use of computer graphic images. While expectations were high, Nolan delivered in every way. The visual effects were undoubtedly realistic, and his utilization of the silence before hearing the explosion was masterful, especially in the environment of the theater. Nolan referenced this effect throughout the film in a brilliant move, the defining silence in key moments after the explosion, showing how the invention of the atomic bomb followed Oppenheimer around for the rest of his life.

Beyond the bomb,

empowerment and feminism that caught me off guard. The film easily balanced its comedic and dramatic elements, making a movie that’s light on the surface but rich in its quality.

Overall, “Barbie” is a ridiculously funny film with an unexpected dose of empowerment for the girls that grew up playing with the doll. This film is sure to go down as one of Gerwig’s best and is a must-watch for anyone who grew up with Barbie.

“Barbie” is now available to watch in theaters or through online streaming services.

Nolan manages to use Oppenheimer’s story to take on many more themes, often tying the events of Oppenheimer’s life to presentday issues, such as the fear of our own self-destruction and the purpose of innovation. Overall, “Oppenheimer” provided a very interesting perspective as a World War II movie. Showing the war from the perspective of scientists was a fascinating and refreshing take on the war.

Fully worth the three-hour runtime, “Oppenheimer” draws audiences in with the promise of a compelling film about the bomb that changed the world but ends up being so much more.

Students dive into raw display of humanity in ‘Lobby Hero’

Photos by Benjamin Michael Hall, The Exponent The BW theatre department performed a staged reading of Kenneth Lonergan’s “Lobby Hero” Sept. 15–16 in the Kleist Center for Art & Drama. The play’s themes include topics of deep moral dilemmas and social justice issues. To learn more about the creative process, read Staff Writer Caitlin Bowshier’s article at bwexponent.com/lobbyhero.

Actors and audiences alike were pushed to reflect on issues of morality and the human experiences in an intimate reading of Kenneth Lonergan’s “Lobby Hero.”

24-Hour Theatre Festival challenges students to create with limited time

By URSULA SAADEH Staff Writer

Baldwin Wallace students filled the Kleist Center for Art & Drama Frida Sept. 8 and prepared to eat, sleep and breathe theater for 24 hours.

The 24-Hour Theatre Festival was an immersive two-day experience where BW students signed up as actors, directors, or playwrights and mounted a ten-minute production on the evening of the second day. Students also attended master classes to learn more about theater. This annual project began

Herrmann, and continues to bring together students of all majors. Though it is a theater event, participation in this project is open to all students who want to be involved in theater.

Elise Hill, a junior double majoring in stage management and acting and directing, was one of this project’s producers and its stage manager. She said that this event was an excellent opportunity for BW students, especially first-years, to explore their creativity and interact with other members of the Department of Theatre and Dance.

“This is the first theater

gathered in the Kleist building to attend master classes taught by faculty and industry professionals. Students learned about various aspects of theater, such as acting, directing, lighting and sound.

Senior B.F.A. acting student Eric Golovan, another producer of this project, said that the master classes on Sept. 8 allowed students to learn about areas in theater they do not explore in their majorspecific classes.

Many new faculty members in the BW Theatre and Dance department taught the master classes, allowing for introductions among these faculty members and the students in their future classes.

“It’s a way for … us to get to know our new faculty, and the faculty to get to know their students that might not be in their

classes,” Golovan said. “I think it just strengthens our community to have these master classes.”

Returning for a second year after its COVID-19 hiatus, students could stay overnight in Kleist for the entire 24-hour experience. Golovan said that students highly enjoyed this aspect because “it’s like a giant theater kid slumber party.”

That night, students assigned as playwrights received their groups and composed a tenminute play, taking inspiration from their actors’ costumes and props. The following day, actors and directors met with

icebreaker” for students of all class ranks to get comfortable with each other while exploring their creativity and producing an unforgettable play.

Golovan said that the 24Hour Theatre Festival is a more relaxed experience compared to the other opportunities within the department. Although students only had a limited time to mount a performance, and there were bound to be deviations from the exact words of the script, the goal was to have a good time.

“I think it’s very

throughout our theater season,” Golovan said. “Most of our shows are handled in a preprofessional kind of way… but this is just a way to kick back and have fun.”

The final performances of the 24-Hour Theatre Festival showcased BW students’ talents and the fun and creativity housed in the Theatre department. Golovan said this project reminded theater students they were “a part of something big.”

“We are definitely an ensemble, and I believe we are a welcoming ensemble,” Hill said. “It just shows like BW and the community that even after the pandemic … that we are still here, and that we’re here to have fun.”

The 24-Hour Theatre Festival kicked off the BW Theatre and Dance season by enchanting its audience and preparing them for the productions that lie ahead.

Humans of BW: Students show off their style for autumn weather

Class of 2027

Majors: Voice Performance and Music Industry

WHAT THEY'RE WEARING:

"Sweaters forever. I love tights, skirts and layering— I also love a good overall. Flowy pants are my go-to anytime of year, but I especially love my orange ones in the fall. Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of jeans, but I love cargo pants. My favorite fall colors are green, orange, maroon, brown and cream. And for shoes, I love UGGS and Doc Martens!”

WHAT THEY'RE DOING:

“Baking! I love to cook and bake but especially those refrigerator cookies with the pumpkins on them, if you know, you know. Also going to cute cafes, sipping my latte, eating pumpkin food and going to farmers markets... I love fall!”

Majors: Graphic Design and Digital Marketing

“My favorite fall item would definitely be flare pants! I love a good flare legging as well. But of course, sweatshirts, boots and if the weather calls for it, a cute jacket! I love all fall trends— jeans, corduroys, you name it. It’s an amazing season. Although pink is my favorite color, I love a good forest green during fall and even some shades of brown."

“I love going to Starbucks, enjoying the chilly weather and seeing all the fall leaves. Going for walks in fall is so beautiful, too. It’s also fun to check different stores to see what kind of Halloween decorations they have in stock this year!”

Major: Graphic Design

“I love flare pants, bodysuits and flannels. For pants, cargos and ripped mom jeans are perfect. I'm not a fan of skinny jeans. Fall is also the perfect time for fun pants and socks! I love to wear red, brown and tan, perfect colors for fall, but I love them all year round.”

AUSTIN PRINCE

Class of 2027

Major: Voice Performance

“I love crewnecks, sweaters and hoodies, and I love a good pair of sweatpants. Sweatpants are essential for fall; I love wearing them... It’s just something about them, they just work for the season. I like brown for fall, dark red and mahogany are all great colors.”

“I like watching scary movies, going to the pumpkin patch and going on hayrides! Corn mazes are always fun, too. It’s also the perfect time to bake fall treats and make hot chocolate.”

“Going to pumpkin patches, going on hayrides, haunted houses, all of it... But I love going to different places to find the perfect costume, all different Halloween shops and thrift stores. It’s a fantastic way to bring out your creativity."

As told to EMMA LAMBERT

Our photo series gives a glimpse into BW community members' lives in their own words. Know someone who should be featured? Email exponent@bw.edu.

SARAH GRIFFIN Class of 2025

LAUREN WELSH Class of 2027

HANNAH TRAMONTE

Photo courtesy of Hannah Tramonte

Photo courtesy of Lauren Welsh

Photo courtesy of Sarah Griffin

Photo courtesy of Austin Prince

Ursula Saadeh, The Exponent Students perform scenes from the 24-Hour Theatre Festival

Life & Styles

Berea-born band headlines show at Front St Social

By ISABEL RIVERA Staff Writer

Coe, a Cleveland-based indie band, blew Front St Social out of the water Sept. 1 when they performed their headlining show. Openers Joe Brown, Jianna Herhold and The Dueling Stooges set the mood before Coe took the stage.

The band began their set with Lucas Chambers, a Coe member, running through the audience, dancing and even playing a game of Marco Polo that ended with hats being thrown. They kept the mood going through their upbeat, jazzy, surf-rock sounding music. Their style is influenced by each member bringing their own individuality to the band.

Throughout the night, the members exemplieifed their versatlity as they swapped instruments and took turns on lead vocals. They were met with thunderous applause at the end of the event.

Chambers, a California native, started his career at Baldwin Wallace pursuing a degree in voice performance through the Conservatory. Although he learned a lot, he said that he had no plans to become involved in opera or theater, which is what the Conservatory promoted for voice performance students, Chambers said. Ultimately, he ended up changing his degree to sustainability, giving his musical efforts full freedom.

“We’re trying to definitely cultivate the community of music in Cleveland as well. I think it’s already got a really good start for it,” Chambers

said. “There’s so much music, and there’s an openness to music, and there’s a good diversity of genres in it.”

Chambers said that the band was formed through Baldwin Wallace alumni, Chase Lenz. He introduced the members, all who are current or former Baldwin Wallace students or from the Cleveland area. They began to hang out together and started writing music as a group.

Their band name, Coe, comes from Coe Lake. Chambers said that they were originally going to be named after the street they lived on, but that was already taken by another band. They wanted to be named after something that had brought them together.

The first invitation to perform they got was from another local band, Four Times Louder. Brandon Rush, Coe’s guitarist, met their frontman at Chipotle, and they bonded over having the same Foo Fighters tattoo. After that performance, their network grew, and they were able to meet other bands and gain invitations to shows.

In the long run, Coe plans

BW adds gluten free, dairy free grab-and-go dining kiosks

By KATHRYN RAUBOLT Staff Writer

Unrefined, a locally owned Cleveland meal-prep delivery service has partnered with Baldwin Wallace University to bring more allergen free food options to campus with kiosks including 100 percent gluten and dairy free options, along with some vegetarian and vegan choices.

one in the Cleveland market.”

The company was founded in 2021 to give people healthier options for meal-prep delivery that provides people with locally sourced and prepared food.

the new dining option coming to campus. Students were able to try protein balls, pasta salad, chicken and protein cookies offered by the business.

to go on the road and tour all the way to the West Coast. They have already been invited to perform at festivals in Los Angeles, California and Oregon through friends of Chambers. However, Chambers said that they realize they need to start a little closer to home and plan to continue touring Ohio and neighboring states.

Their upcoming single, ‘Burning Up Out West’, is set to be released in October. They currently only have one single, ‘Fish,’ streaming on all platforms. They plan to release about four or five singles before compiling them to create an EP.

“I kind of see it like, as we go through our decades, you know,” Chambers said. “We’re kind of doing that now. We are defining new sound constantly, and it’s cool to try and be a part of that.”

Chambers said that for now, the band will work their hardest to grow Coe’s popularity and gain a following in the local scene.

“We have very ambitious goals,” Chambers said.

The new dining option is located at three locations across campus in the Kleist Center for Arts and Drama, the Boesel Musical Arts Center and the Lou Higgins Recreation Center. The kiosks take both meal swipes and dining dollars and are open within each buildings’ hours.

Chuck Fairchild, director of dining and auxiliary services, said that Unrefined fills a niche that was left absent after Vibrance, a plant-based food company that provided vegetarian vending options to students, shut down last winter.

“The owner, Eric Bodkin, had to close up shop at the end of December last year, and it was disappointing because he certainly filled a void that we needed,” Fairchild said. “We wanted more plant-based, 24hour options for students, and Unrefined was really the only

Olivia Stone, one of the co-owners and the vice president of client relations for Unrefined, said that all the food items will have detailed nutrition labels that are accurate to help students stay informed about what they are eating.

“For students, there will be four fridges around campus that are stocked with healthy local meals,” Stone said. “Everything will have all of the ingredients and macronutrients on the food items, so everyone will be able to see what they are putting into their body.”

Charley Barco, a first-year biology major, said they are excited to have more options that allow her to eat without worrying about the content of the meal.

“I’m excited because I’m actually dairy free, so I will be able to eat without worrying about what’s in the food,” Barco said.

Unrefined came to the Involvement Fair on Aug. 24 to give out samples and speak to students about who they were and answer questions about

Nikki Cowx, a first-year exercise science major, said that they are excited to have more options that meet her needs as a gluten-free student.

“I tried the protein balls, and they were really good. I’m gluten-free, so it’s really nice that they are gluten and dairyfree,” Cowx said. “It will also give students more options to eat healthy because it can be hard to eat healthy in the dining hall.”

Rachelle Claassen, a firstyear music education major, said she hopes that with one of the kiosks being in the Conservatory, students will be able to have more access to food in general at all times of the day.

“A lot of people are always at the Conservatory practicing and just having more food available that’s not junk will be really nice,” Claassen said. The kiosks will be restocked every Saturday and Tuesday with fresh options.

“I hope students utilize this new option as it’s really here for just another late-night option for students, especially those who need more plantbased or allergen free options,” Fairchild said.

Vendors promote six dimensions of wellness at Wellfest

By ISRAEL GOLE Staff Writer

Baldwin Wallace University's Wellfest was held on Friday, Sept. 15, hosting over 30 vendors in the Lou Higgins Recreation Center to address the six dimensions of wellness.

The six dimensions of wellness are the six largest contributing factors to a person’s overall well-being and include physical, emotional, occupational, spiritual, social and intellectual wellness.

Every vendor was marked with labels telling students and staff which specific dimension of wellness they were promoting, and almost every vendor had multiple dimensions listed.

Many vendors promoted various dimensions of wellness, including the

BW Career Center with occupational wellness, the Southwest General Hospitals Behavioral Health Services with emotional health, the BW Office of Spiritual Life with spiritual health and the Cuyahoga Problem Gambling Coalition with social health.

The Outdoor Adventure Program also attended, promoting intellectual health and offering classes such as archery, rafting, camping and general survival skills.

Wendy Hyde, a certified wellness practitioner and assistant professor at BW, promoted the Wellfest. Hyde said that it is a great opportunity for students to learn about ways to improve their overall well-being and to have access to various resources to do so.

Hyde said that the overarching goal of Well Fest is to create a culture of health

and well-being in the BW community.

These goals and mission of Well Fest did not go unnoticed. Corrine Dimond, a representative from Prudential Insurance, one of the vendors at the event, said that the dimensions of wellness have become ever more important.

“I think it’s amazing that they do all of this, especially after COVID-19, many people have been struggling with mental health,” Dimond said.

Isabel Rivera, The Exponent Coe performs onstage at Front St Social, following opening acts.

Kathryn Raubolt, The Exponent

A vendor interacts with BW students during this year's Wellfest event.

110 YEARS OF THE EXPONENT

WETMORE

By HUIXIN DENG

In April 2023, “The Exponent” held the inaugural “Best of Berea Awards” to celebrate the success and accomplishments of our neighbors, a.k.a. the local businesses and enterprises, in Berea. Over 50 guests from our neighborhood attended our 110th Anniversary Gala and toured our newsroom in Loomis Hall.

In May 2023, “The Exponent” was awarded the First Place by the American Scholastic Press Association in recognition of our outstanding journalistic work among all college newspapers in the United States. “The Exponent” was also selected as the Pinnacle Organizational finalist in the 2022-23 Periodic Newspaper of the Year Award by the College Media Association. The winner of this award will be announced later this year.

QUOTEACROSTIC

B Y PHY-10 4 GENERAL PROBLEM SOLVING CLASS

INSTRUCTIONS: Fill in the answers on the blank spaces with the help of the clues. Then, write those letters in the grid to reveal a quote. Black squares indicate the end of a word, and punctuation has been removed. When you're done, the first letters of the answers to the clues will be the author and subject of the quote. Answers will be posted on bwexponent.com.

Austin Patterson, The Exponent

Courtesy of Isabella Doyle

Benjamin Michael Hall, The Exponent

and HANNAH

Former Yellow Jacket Anthony Kendall makes NFL roster

Alumnus makes the 53-man roster for Tennessee Titans

By TOMMY MAROON Sports Editor

In just one year, Anthony Kendall went from being a star cornerback for the Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets and an All-American to claiming a place on the Tennessee Titans practice squad and eventually making it to the final roster.

Kendall said that he had always dreamed of playing in the NFL since he was six years old. During his visit to BW, Kendall asked if it was possible to make it to the NFL playing at a Division III school, and he heard no positive responses. However, this did not stop Kendall from

pursuing his dream of playing in the NFL.

"I just could not see myself doing anything else other than football,” Kendall said. “That mindset pushed me forward, and no matter what team I was playing for or what I was doing, I always had that in me".

Jim Hilvert, coach of the BW Yellow Jackets football team, said that he knew from the time that Kendall visited the campus that he would have an outsized impact on BW.

“[Kendall] was a guy that was definitely going to be a difference maker for us and did a really good job,” Hilvert said. “He really loves the game

of football and obviously has a really good opportunity in front of him in the Tennessee Titans."

Kendall said that Hilvert and his BW team played a large role in helping him achieve success in his football career.

"My time at BW helped me reach this level of achievement by preparing me for obstacles I was going to face [because of] coach Hilvert's coaching style to defensively swarm to the ball, the determination and grit, and overall, our studying of film and preparation for games," Kendall said.

Still, Kendall never received a single offer from a Football Subdivision school and went

undrafted, but he did not go unnoticed. The Titans saw his potential on the field and decided to give him a shot on the preseason squad. There, he had four tackles in the preseason, and the Titans were impressed with the 5'10" superstar.

Coach Hilvert juggled through many different highlights, recounting Kendall’s success alongside his fellow Yellow Jackets.

"First of all, during his freshman year in one game against Capital, he stood out. You could tell from that game he would be a special player,” Hilvert said. “And then there were games like Alma on the road where he

had an interception on a post, cut in front and made a great return."

But out of all the accomplishments that Kendall had here in Berea, Hilvert said that his senior year really stood out to him.

"There was game after game where he played really, really well," Hilvert said. "There was one game against Otterbein, the big hit against Capital on a sack. I mean, game in and game out, he was really consistent. I think in his game against Mount Union, he played really well. He just played really well against a great player like Wayne Ruby."

In the game against the Purple Raiders, Kendall

Battle of Bereas: Women's volleyball travels to Berea, Ky.

By NICK IRELAN Staff Writer

On Sept. 8, the Baldwin Wallace Women's volleyball team took a trip to Berea, Ky., to face off in the Mountaineer Classic. The Quad-Match included the Berea Mountaineers, Franklin Grizzles and the Centre Colonels. The Berea Mountaineers were The Yellow Jackets' first opponent at the Mountaineer Classic.

The Yellow Jackets started

the first set with a service ace by senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference setter Oliva Zawadzki, and they continued to put pressure on the Mountaineers starting the set 5-0. The Mountaineers slowly battled back as they tied the game at 22, but the Yellow Jackets put them to a halt and finished the first set 25-22.

The Berea Mountaineers started the second set with a service error, giving BW continuous momentum from the first set. But the Mountaineers came to play

and went on a 4-point run, leaving the game 1-4.

Senior Nicole Logan came off the bench and cranked down two kills, and BW attained another kill by setter Katrina Blazetic to tie up the game 7-7. The game remained neck and neck until BW had three straight attack errors, giving The Mountaineers a lead 10-14. Both teams continued to go on runs, but The Mountaineers pulled out a victory in the second set 25-22.

After a dominating 18-11 start by The Mountaineers

in the third set, BW slowly crawled back into the match after nailing five service aces in the late game to take a 25-24 lead. Sophomore outside hitter Gabby Schlecht capitalized on the momentum and secured another ace to take set three 28-26.

The Yellow Jackets started strong in the fourth set and took an overpowering 19-7 lead. BW kept the pressure on The Mountaineers thanks to three kills by first-year outside hitter Alexis Smith. The Mountaineers made an

offensive error leading BW to win the set 25-13 and the match 3-1.

The game leaders for Baldwin Wallace were firstyear Alexis Smith, who recorded ten kills within the four sets, junior Lauren Gardner with 19 digs and senior Olivia Zawadzki with a staggering six service aces.

Even though BW won the match, The Mountaineers had a higher hitting percentage with 0.237, compared to BW who had 0.176. BW won thanks to their domination on the service line with

picked off star quarterback Braxton Plunk, just one of the six interceptions thrown by the All-American.

He made an appearance at George Finnie Stadium during their first game against Mount St. Joseph on Sept. 2 and said that he plans to return to watch future games.

“It was a good time, and I was able to see the players and coaches,” Kendall said.

Kendall will be playing as #40 on the Tennessee Titans, switching from his #1 jersey throughout his time at BW. Does the road to the Pro Football Hall of Fame begin in Berea? For Anthony Kendall, it may.

16 total aces compared to Berea's four and their effort in limiting errors.

The Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets finished out the Mountaineer Classic 2-1. BW defeated the Berea Mountaineers and the Franklin Grizzles but lost to the Centre Colonels in a fourset match.

BW’s women’s volleyball team will travel to Indiana to play against Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology on Friday.

Upcoming Fall Sports Events

September 20

Men’s Soccer: Wooster vs. BW @ George Finnie Stadium 7 p.m.

Women’s Soccer: BW vs. Ohio Wesleyan @ Jay Martin Soccer Complex 7 p.m.

September 22

Women’s Volleyball: BW vs. Olivet (Michigan) @ Hulbert Arena at Terra Haute, Indiana 7:30 p.m.

September 23

Men’s Golf: Mount Union Fall Invitational @ Tannehauf Golf Club; Alliance, Ohio. 11 a.m

Women’s Volleyball: BW vs. Rose-Hulman @ Hulbert Arena 11 a.m.

Women’s Volleyball: BW vs. Anderson (Indiana) @ Hulbert Arena 3 p.m.

Football: BW vs Ohio Northern @ Dial-Robertson Stadium 1:30 p.m.

Men’s Soccer: BW vs. Defiance @ Winsper-Knobel Memorial Field 3 p.m.

September 24

Men’s Golf: Mount Union Fall Invitational @ Tannehauf Golf Club; Alliance, Ohio. 11a.m

Men’s Tennis: BW vs. Albion Michigan in a Doubles Tournament @ Briton Tennis Courts

Women’s Soccer: Carnegie Mellon (Pennsylvania) vs. Baldwin Wallace @ George Finnie Stadium 12 p.m.

September 26

Women’s Volleyball: BW vs. Kenyon @ Tomsich Arena, Lowry Center. 7 p.m.

Men’s Soccer: BW vs. Oberlin @ the Fred Shults Field 7 p.m.

September 27

Women’s Soccer: Wooster vs. Baldwin Wallace @ George Finnie Stadium 7 p.m.

September 29

Women’s Cross Country: Ohio Wesleyan Invitational @ Liberty Park, Delaware Ohio

Men’s Cross Country: Ohio Wesleyan Invitational @ Liberty Park; Delaware, Ohio

Men’s Tennis: BW vs. ITA Central Regional Championship @ Stowe Stadium at Kalamazoo College

Women’s Golf: OAC Fall Preview @ River Greens Golf Course; West Lafayette, Ohio

September 30

Women’s Golf: OAC Fall Preview @ River Greens Golf Course

Women’s and Men's Swimming and Diving: Brown & Gold Intrasquad @ BW Natatototium 1 p.m.

Men’s Tennis: BW vs. ITA Central Regional Championship @ Stowe Stadium at (Kalamazoo)

Women’s Volleyball: BW vs. Marietta @ Ban Johnson Arena 1 p.m.

Football: Marietta vs. BW (Homecoming) @ George Finnie Stadium 2 p.m.

Men’s Soccer: BW vs. Marietta @ Marietta Field 4 p.m.

Women’s Soccer: Marietta vs. BW @ George Finnie Stadium 7p.m.

October 1

Women’s Golf: OAC Fall Preview @ River Greens Golf Course; West Lafayette, Ohio

Men’s Tennis: BW vs. ITA Central Regional Championship @ Stowe Stadium (Kalamazoo)

Illustration by Halle Vargo

With new additions, the Yellow Jackets are looking to compete with top teams in OAC