Collegian T he Cameron University
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Monday, October 8, 2018
Volume 99 Issue 5
Lawton
International Festival
Drue Watkins Managing Editor
From Sept. 28 – 30, the City of Lawton hosted the 39th International Festival at Elmer Thomas Park. The International Festival is a free, volunteer-oriented celebration of different cultures, with an emphasis on promoting greater awareness and appreciation of Lawton’s diverse heritage. The festival is built upon sponsorships and local community involvement, providing organizations, groups and individuals an opportunity to display aspects of their culture—these displays are primarily done through performances, arts, foods and demonstrations. Lawton Arts and Humanities Administrator Billie Whipp said the International Festival is something special for the city, and that its ability to bring people together is unparalleled. “It makes the weekend magical,” she said. “There’s this electricity in the air when all of these people from different backgrounds get together and interact, and to be a part of that is just a great feeling. “It’s always a huge deal for Lawton— from a business and social perspective— and to see a merging of ideas and customs makes us all so proud. We love to show off the success that Lawton has.”
Cameron University volunteers also participated, showcasing different clubs and student organizations, as well as giving student performers the chance to get up in front of large, diverse crowds. Professor and Director of the CU Centennial Singers Greg Hoepfner said getting out there and performing in front of the local community is extremely fun and rewarding. “The International Festival is a great opportunity for us,” he said, “especially because it’s off-campus and a unique situation. And of course, the university gets a chance to showcase some of our best talent. One of the most important aspects of music is dealing with performance anxiety, so it is essential that we give our students as many performing opportunities as we can.” Hoepfner also said he hopes the Centennial Singers can return, since their involvement at the festival has been so crucial for growth. “I can’t imagine why we wouldn’t do this again in the future,” he said,
“unless they started throwing stuff at us during the performance—then we probably wouldn’t come back.” The Cameron Diversity Diplomats organization also contributed to the International Festival by acting as volunteers, aiding at the Information Booth in particular. President Victoria Esera said the ability to volunteer at the festival is massive for herself and the organization. “There’s something special about volunteering,” she said, “and we all love doing it. You get to see and be a part of real passion. It’s a really great thing to represent Cameron in the local community and just show people who we are and what we can do for them. “We always do our best to get involved with anything dealing with social diversity and culture, so it’s a big opportunity for us to get our brand out there.” Esera also said she wants the Diversity Diplomats to continue attending. “I know we want to get back out there whenever we’re able,” she said. “I can’t really see any reason why we wouldn’t want to—it’s too good of a thing.” The festival gives local Lawton businesses a chance to promote their foods and products, as each
company can sponsor/purchase an area where they can set up and engage with the public. The event included several different functions: two stages (north and south) with musical performances and activities; a dining area with food vendors, chairs and tables; children’s play areas—some fee based—that hosted petting zoos, face paintings and craft-making; and an information booth for all things related to the festival, such as directions and aid. A naturalization ceremony took place during the festival, where 14 people became United States citizens after swearing the Oath of Allegiance, gaining their certificate of citizenship. Whipp said the naturalization ceremony is a momentous thing for the Lawton community, and one of the festival’s biggest draws. “It’s amazing seeing people become a part of the community and country in that fashion,” she said. “There’s just something about it that brings people out and together, and at the end of the day, that’s what this event is all about. We want people to care and wish for the best for each other; to understand one another’s cultures.” For more information on the International Festival or to volunteer for next year’s event, contact the Arts and Humanities Department at 580-5813470.
Photos and graphic by Drue Watkins
What’s inside CU students get their “Purge” on
CU Volleyball struggles
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PAC hosts Disney trivia night Page 6
News
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October 8, 2018
www.aggiecentral.com Photos PhotosbybyStacie StacieLarsen Larsen
Movie magic and mask making Stacie Larsen
Managing Editor On Oct. 2, Cameron’s Programming Activities Council (PAC) hosted a double event including a “Purge” mask-making and movie night featuring “The First Purge.” From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the McMahon Centennial Complex, PAC offered students the opportunity to paint a mask in preparation for movie night, which took place at 7 p.m., in the McCasland Foundation Ballroom. Students who decorated masks in the afternoon had the chance to enter a maskmaking contest, which took place after the movie. CU Coordinator of Campus Life and PAC Faculty Advisor Daniel McFadden said the purpose of having PAC on campus is to provide students with event opportunities that bring them together, provide a support system and give them a chance to do something different. “For students attending the events, I want to see them have the best experience possible,” he said. He said his goal as advisor is to help PAC members gain leadership experience by empowering them to make their own decisions when planning campus events. “I really like to have a hands off approach,” he said. “I like to have the students try to make as many decisions as possible. I like to engage in conversation and to see and have them come up with the best decision and not just give them the answer. “So, that when they leave Cameron, they feel like they have the ability and confidence to make a difference in whatever field they choose to continue in their studies or career choice.” He said his favorite part of his job is getting to know the students on a personal level.
“It’s the passion that these students have to really make a difference on campus,” he said, “and to plan the best events for all different styles of students. “Those relationships make every day worth it.” He said he thinks events on campus are important for all students, including members of PAC because it gives them the ability to not only grow as as individuals but also as Cameron Aggies. Senior Criminal Justice major and Pac President Aalia Oloyede said she hopes to provide students with a way to de-stress. “In college, you go from class to test or some other educational program,” she said. “PAC is all about fun.” When choosing and planning movie nights, she said that PAC tries to think about what college students might want to watch. “The ones that PAC plays are not available on Netf lix or hulu,” she said. “It’s a way for people to see something that’s not readily available to them.” Freshman Environmental Science major Derrick Alexandre won the mask-making contest and received a $20 walmart gift card. “I for sure thought I was going to be the winner,” he said. Alexandre said that it was his first time attending a movie night hosted by PAC. “I thought it would be a great opportunity to grab some popcorn and enjoy the vibe,” he said. “I really liked it because I hadn’t watched the movie yet. “I typically enjoy school activities [and] seeing that it was a movie night, I thought we could chill for awhile.” Fore more information about PAC , visit cameron.edu/pac or The Office of Campus Life located on the second f loor of the McMahon Centennial Complex.
CU hosts jeopardy night Jackson Miller Staff Writer
At 5 p.m. on Sept. 25, in the Science Complex,, the Mathematical Sciences Department hosted their annual Photo by Jackson Miller
“Math Jeopardy Night, open to all CU students. The event started off with free pizza courtesy of the math department and followed with a game of Jeopardy that included questions related to the field of
mathematics. The game consisted of six categories with four teams, which were team “Hopeful”, team “Superbad,” team “Work,” and team “Clueless.” CU Mathematics Instructor
Christopher Sauer said the purpose of the event was to help students become more confident in their abilities to understand mathematics. “The biggest thing you notice with people and mathematics is that they are afraid to make mistakes,” he said. “If you can get people past that point where people are too afraid to answer a question, then you can actually see what they know, and they can modify their learning experience.” Cameron Freshman Biology and Chemistry major Juan Nunez said he heard about the event from his math teacher.
Nunez said it was a good opportunity to increase his general knowledge of mathematics. “Some of the stuff I didn’t really understand,” he said. “But then when I looked at it, it was a lot simpler than it was.” Elgin high school senior Mason Sterkel said he is currently taking college algebra at Cameron University. Sterkel said the event offered him the opportunity to socialize with his Cameron peers. “We decided it was a fun idea,” he said. For more information about upcoming events, contact the Mathematical Sciences Department at 580-581-2481 or visit room B001 in Burch Hall.
Correction:
In Volume 99, Issues 1 & 4, on the News page, the Cameron Collegian incorrectly titled Dr. Sue Tyrell as an Assistant Professor; she is actually an Associate Professor. The Collegian also misidentified Dr. William Carney, who is a Professor, not an Associate Professor. The Collegian deeply regrets this error.
October 8, 2018
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Sports
3
CU women’s volleyball falls 3-1
against Midwestern State University
however, Demirjian landed another kill to tie the two teams, to which MSU responded with another kill. Sports Editor Carr then contributed a kill, evening the score again, until MSU landed yet another kill to reach set On Oct. 2, the Cameron University Women’s point. Manning responded with a pair of kills, giving Volleyball team lost 3-1 in Wichita Falls, Texas CU the advantage until the teams tied again at 27. against Midwestern State University (MSU). Thanks to Dixon and Manning who both landed a This marked their tenth consecutive loss in the kill and an ace respectively, Cameron took the second season. set at 29-27. Head Women’s Volleyball Coach Tatiana Booth At the beginning of the third set, Cameron held said the loss was personal. their lead by taking MSU at 4-1 thanks to another kill “That was our rival,” she said. “So everyone’s still from Demirjian. frustrated and tense about it.” However, MSU eventually pulled ahead and took Cameron started off strong in the match at MSU, the set at 25-18, taking a 2-1 lead in the overall match. particularly on offense. MSU carried their win into the fourth set, taking Sophomore setter Katherine Manning started off three consecutive points against Cameron. the game with four aces, followed by senior defensive Cameron caught up, taking three points of their specialist/libero Brittnee Altic who landed three aces. Freshman outside hitter Shanatalle Demirjian lead own. The two teams reached another tie at 8, until the team in kills with a personal record-breaking 12 in MSU took the lead. Cameron couldn’t regain footing, coming right the match. behind MSU twice at 20-19 and 21-20 thanks to an ace Senior outside hitter/right side Paige Dixon, from Manning and a kill from Demirjian. senior defensive specialist/outside hitter Brittany MSU then took five consecutive points and won the Lawson and senior middle blocker Brandy Carr set at 25-20 and the match at 3-1. contributed an additional 25 kills. Despite the loss, a few Cameron players set personal In the first set, Cameron took the lead by taking records. three consecutive points against MSU. Altic landed 3 aces, giving her a total of 32 in the However, MSU picked up their game by tying season and placing her in the lead of the Lone Star Cameron at 10 points. Conference for aces. After the tie, Cameron failed to regain their Altic said she felt she had fallen into a rut during footing, and MSU took a 25-21 win. In the second set, MSU lead at 4-0 which they were the game but was able to regain confidence. “I had confidence for the first time in a few matches able to maintain until Cameron pulled ahead 15-14. going back to the line to serve,” she said, “I was Cameron kept their lead. Demirjian contributed a confident during the game.” kill, putting Cameron at a 23-19 advantage. Demirjian lead the team with 12 kills, a personal MSU managed push ahead of Cameron 24-23;
Katie Livingston
Photos by Mike Mazzo
best for the freshman. She said it was a surprise. “I wasn’t aware of that,” she said, “that I was leading that game, until one of my [teammates] actually sent the tweet to me. And it was kind of an encouraging pat on the back.” During the match, Demirjian said she was focused on the game more so than her personal records. “It was frustrating because I know how much potential our team has,” she said. “It was supposed to be a very big game for us where we could compete at our highest level. We just didn’t come out how we wanted to.” Booth said that though the players are athletic and talented, their biggest weakness right now is mindset, and she hopes that they can work on improving mental toughness. “We have to have a better mental state,”she said. “If we make a mistake, we can’t just harp on those points. We have to be coachable and make adjustments. But our biggest thing is just mental. It’s all in our heads.” Altic said she hopes she and her teammates will be able to improve consistency in the future. “We really can only go up from here,” she said. “I just wanna get better at each game. I wanna stop doing good one game and bad the next.” Booth said she is hopeful Cameron will be able to pull ahead during the remainder of the season. “We have 10 to 11 games left, and it’s still time to have more wins,” she said. “We’re just working on finding our consistent balance. When it clicks it clicks. “We’ve learned that talent is not the only thing that’s going to win a match. We have the talent checked off but we still have to check off some other boxes.”
A&E
4
October 8, 2018
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A look into works on mental health
‘The Bell Jar’ by Sylvia Plath Celeste Powell
Courtesy photo
Sarae Ticeahkie
expecting their wives to remain pure. Staff Writer Esther’s doctor diagnoses her “crack up” I have a secret. and prescribes electroshock I’m a literary snob. therapy. I hardly read any book Her doctor sees it as the written earlier than the only treatment that will 1940s. result in Esther’s normality. Being this literary snob, Considering the 1950s I’ve come across the book isn’t renowned as an era title “The Bell Jar” by of progressiveness, the Sylvia Plath multiple times doctor’s basis of such an while googling “books to intense treatment lays in read before you die” lists. Esther’s refusal to accept I finally broke down societal standards for and thought I’d give it a women at the time. shot. After finishing the book When it finally came in one night, I was left in the mail, I read all 244 confused. pages in a night. I saw nothing wrong It was a time where with how Esther acted. young women adhered to I believed it was strict dress codes of hats, completely understandable, stockings and gloves— and if I were in the New York in the 1950s. situation, I’d do the same. The main character, I couldn’t understand Esther Greenwood, is why “The Bell Jar” would awarded a job in New be on BBC’s Top 100 York by winning a fashion books to read before you magazine contest. die. She should be having My immediate the time of her life, but reaction is that the story all she can think about is is average at best. But the electrocution of the thinking deeper, I believe Rosenbergs. mediocracy is the reason Esther is told by her it’s on the list. superiors at her New York Sure, people job that she must focus on acknowledge mental her career if she wants to illness, but getting make it. others to understand and Esther is told by her sympathize is the part that mother that women must can’t be taught. bear the fact that men Reading “The Bell Jar” will lead a double life, one allows you access into not pure and one not, while only Esther’s mind, but
the mind of your relative or close friend who has a mental illness but is unable to explain how they feel. Because you are in their mind, you don’t see what is irrational about their thoughts. Esther’s mom exhibits a type of ignorance that those with mental illness sometimes encounter by saying, “’I knew my baby wasn’t like that…’I knew you’d decide to be alright again.’” You understand their struggle. It’s not their choice to be the way they are. People don’t decide to wake up and be mentally ill and often, they wish they could be “normal.” Looking back on the book after a few months of reading it, I realize maybe it is a little strange Esther hides in a crawl space and decides to swallow a bottle of sleeping pills. Oh, and she did hemorrhage after her first sexual encounter. Despite these odd events, I found myself emphasizing with Esther. Plath does this by writing her novel as a diary. Not in the way of “April 21, 1951”, with the I’s dotted with hearts, but in a way that you are captivated and Plath’s words become your own thoughts. For this, I rate it a 7/10.
CU Theatre presents: ‘4.48 Psychosis’ by Sarah Kane
A&E Editor
@SylviaSeeks On Sept. 27, Cameron University’s Department of Art, Music and Theatre Arts had their opening night for the late Sarah Kane’s “4.48 Psychosis.” Kane, who is seen as one of the most controversial British playwriters, suffered from her own mental illness. The time 4.48 has been said by some, being the time when Kane herself had her most sane thoughts. Since Kane took her life in 2000, just a year and a half after she finished the play, “4.48 Pyschosis” has been performed and interpreted in many ways. She left the world a play that has no stage direction or indication of the gender or number of performers. When it comes to direction, it’s pretty much up to the director’s interpretation. The play did well to interpret Kane’s vision. The CU Theatre decided to use a woman as the main character. The rest of the cast, both men and woman acting as the conscious of the main character, a doctor and society and how its overall outlook is toward mental illness. Photo by Dontaye Abram “4.48 Psychosis” depicts the life of someone who suffers from a constant battle with her Stage right: Cameron University Deparment of Art, Music and Theatre Arts performers posing internal self while dealing with reoccurring during a photo call. The department had their opening night for “4.48 Pyschosis” on Sept. 27. episodes of depression. The play also focuses on a much broader Each spoken line began with passion, followed by someone driven to despair. spectrum of issues that are involved with mental illness. body language that emphasized the feeling of what goes The doctor sitting in front of the red lit window and The two performers who act as the main characters on in a depressed mind. the constant rain fall really sets the mood. conscious are at constant battle with each other. Society, who is portrayed by two male actors, shows After various conversation with the doctors and One constantly drowning in self pity and the other how the world overlooks mental illness as a real issue beeing pumped with multiple types ofmedication [her], fueled with anger, both imitating what actually goes on but behind closed doors has its own demons. the patient finally comes to a state of emptiness. in the conscious mind, and how it can make a person go To a viewer, it’s like being an active witness to The play begins to transition to a more calming tone, mad. unending trauma. which also indicates the ending [not only] for the play, Both constantly speaking with long pauses, They achieved what Kane wanted to show – what but also the main character’s life. again emphasizing each word with tone, and urgent truly goes on in the mind of a mentally ill person. Throughout the play, the time 4.48 changes meaning movement across the stage showed what goes inside the The play takes on more subjects than suicide – a first mentioned to be the time when “depression visits” main character’s mind. major part of it focuses on love and relationships, and the main character plans to hang herself. Every performer possessed every aspect of what religious and social aspects and critique of the mental At the end of the play, 4.48 changes to the time comes with someone who is depressed. health care institutes. “when sanity visits” and for one hour and twelve minutes Every performer never held back when it came to The set had a simple but powerful impact. [she] can think clearly. the expressing the “not so subtle” mental state of the Stacks of books and crumbled papers covered the The play ends one hour and twelve minutes after mentally ill. floor, which could possibly interrupt the mind of 4.48, when the main character takes her life.
5
Voices
October 8, 2018
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Tribune News Service
I stand with Dr. Ford Destiny Garcia Copy Editor @destinygarciaNY
On Sept. 27, United States Circuit Judge Brett Kavanaugh and Palo Alto University Professor and Stanford research psychologist Dr. Christine Margaret Blasey Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee concerning recent allegations of sexual assault. Many have labeled Ford’s allegations false and have questioned the timing of her report in the climate of Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination. As much as I wish I could say these comments are surprising, they are not. Our country lacks a realistic understanding of what it means to be sexually assaulted and the challenges associated with coming forward. The Senate Judiciary Committee gave Kavanaugh a complete definition of sexual assault, parts of which were referenced during Kavanaugh’s testimony. That definition included rubbing or grinding one’s genitals against somebody, clothed or unclothed. The definition applies whether or not the acts were sexually motivated or, for example, horseplay. Democrat, political pioneer and reformer Senator Dianne Feinstein began her opening by saying that “sexual violence is a serious problem, and one that largely goes unseen.” The hearing was the first opportunity for Ford’s story to be taken seriously in a public space, and Feinstein stressed a sincere evaluation of Ford’s experience. “In the United States, it is estimated by the Center of Disease Control, one in three women and one in six men will experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetime.” Feinstein said. “According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, sixty percent of sexual assaults go unreported. In addition, when survivors do report their assaults, it’s often years later, stemming from trauma they suffered and fearing their stories will not be believed.” Feinstein continued by describing a report she received directly from a sixtyyear-old California constituent who told her that she survived an attempted rape at age seventeen. “She never told a soul, until much later in life. The assault stayed with her for fortythree years,” Feinstein said.
Feinstein said she thinks it is important to remember these stark realities as we heard from Ford about her experience. In her testimony, Ford said she battled the consequences associated with coming out with her story. She said the copy of her letter to Feinstein on July 30, 2018, included her name but included a request to be kept confidential. “My hope was that providing the information confidentially would be sufficient to allow the senate to consider Mr. Kavanaugh’s serious misconduct without having to make myself, my family or anyone’s family vulnerable to the personal attacks and invasions of privacy since my name became public,” Ford said. It is clear Kavanaugh feels entitled to respond instantly to these allegations. “It’s an outrage that I was not able to come immediately to defend my name,” Kavanaugh said. Citizens of the United States who are victims of, or accused of crimes are not entitled to immediately defend themselves twenty-four hours later. Most often, the accused and victimized wait far longer than the ten days Kavanaugh waited to be heard. Ford described her assault as an event that drastically altered her life for a very long time. “I was too afraid and ashamed to tell anyone these details,” Ford said. “I did not want to tell my parents that I, at age fifteen, was in a house without any parents present drinking beer with boys. I convinced myself that because Brett did not rape me, I should just move on and just pretend that it didn’t happen.” I stand with Ford as a victim of sexual assault. Three years ago, when I was sixteen years old, my boyfriend of three months put his hands and genitals on me when I did not consent. At times, I did say no, and at other times I didn’t. I never said yes. I did not acknowledge what had happened to me until over a year later when I was in counseling for anxiety, depression and self-harm. At first, I did not understand if what had happened was sexual assault. I thought that since he did not rape me, since I was not screaming or aggressively pushing him away, that it was not sexual assault. Later, I came across an image that said, “Coercion is not consent,” I honestly did
About Us
not know what coercion meant, so I had to Google it. I felt both as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders and scared. I felt a sense of filth, failure and guilt. I was afraid to tell my mom that I had been making out with my boyfriend in the backseat of his car. I did not want to have to explain that to her. What I had “let him do.” Many of my close friends and family are victims who have not reported their stories. It seems with the #MeToo movement that it is socially acceptable to report sexual assault and harassment. If that were true, reports would not be swept under the rug, and women would not be afraid to speak out. Ford felt the need to come forward when she saw Kavanaugh’s name on a list of qualified candidates for Supreme Court. She felt it was her civic duty to report what happened between Kavanaugh and herself. I think it is possible Kavanaugh’s memory of the assault isn’t clear. When Kavanaugh was asked, “What do you consider to be too many beers?” Kavanaugh replied saying, “I don’t know. You know, we – whatever the chart says, a blood-alcohol chart.” Kavanaugh agreed that he had taken part in having too many beers at times. Public Prosecutor Rachel Mitchell addressed Kavanaugh’s interview on Fox News in which he discussed his alcohol use. “You said that there were times in high school when people might have had too many beers on occasion,” Mitchell said. “Does that include you?” Kavanaugh replied, “Sure.” Kavanaugh also struggled to answer a question concerning his intoxication. When asked “Have you ever passed out from drinking?” Kavanaugh replied saying “I — passed out would be — no, but I’ve gone to sleep, but — but I’ve never blacked out. That’s the — that’s the — the allegation, and that — that — that’s wrong.” Feinstein said, “He declared that he ‘never’ drank so much he couldn’t remember what happened, and he has ‘always treated women with dignity and respect.’” Yet, other women have come forward to challenge his supposed character. “James Roche, his freshman roommate at Yale, said Kavanaugh was, ‘frequently incoherently drunk,’ and that was when, ‘he became aggressive and belligerent,’ when he was drunk.” Feinstein said.
THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY
The official student newspaper of Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available each Monday during the year. It is printed by the Lawton Constitution. The first issue is provided for free. Each subsequent issue is $1.50.
COLLEGIAN
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Managing Editor - Stacie Larsen Managing Editor - Drue Watkins A&E Editor - Sarae Ticeahkie Sports Editor - Katie Livingston Student Life Editor - Maddie Lyda Voices Editor - Payton Williams Copy Editor - Destiny Garcia Aggie Central Editor - Jeff Larson Social Media Editor - Abby Gonzalez
The opinions expressed in The Collegian pages or personal columns are those of the signed author. The unsigned editorial under the heading “Voices” represents the opinion of the majority of the editorial board. The opinions expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily represent those of Cameron University or the state of Oklahoma. Our student media are designated public forums, and free from censorship and advance approval of content. Because content and funding are unrelated, and because the role of adviser does not include advance review of content, student media are free to develop editorial policies and news coverage with the understanding that students and student organizations speak only for themselves. Administrators, faculty, staff or other agents shall not consider the student media’s content when making decisions regarding the media’s funding or faculty adviser.
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Financial Officer - Susan Hill Staff Writers - Celeste Powell, Jackson Miller, Mason Orso, Samuel Brewer, Justin Rose, David Perkins, Lea Killian, Bryan Arauje Photographers - Dontaye Abram, Lauren Johnson Advertising Manager - Hannah Spoon Faculty Adviser - Mr. David Bublitz
Liz Swisher, a friend of Kavanaugh’s from Yale, said, “There’s no medical way I can say that he was blacked out, but it’s not credible for him to say that he had no memory lapses in the nights that he drank to excess.” Therefore, I believe that Kavanaugh was capable of sexually assaulting Ford. His testimony appeared to be sincere, but rather than deeply evaluating his actions, Kavanaugh is denying the fact that this happened. Rather than being targeted as liars, women should feel that reporting their stories is not waste of time. “Today our Republican colleagues are saying, ‘This is a hiccup, Dr. Ford is mixed up,’ and declaring, ‘I’ll listen to the lady, but we’re going to bring this to a close,’” Feinstein said. What is worse is that many of Feinstein’s colleagues on the other side of the aisle made it clear that no matter what happened during the testimonies, the Senate would plow right through and ensure Kavanaugh would be elevated within a week. In fact, on Tuesday, the majority scheduled a vote on the nomination before anyone heard one word of testimony regarding allegations of sexual assault and misconduct by Kavanaugh. Republican leadership even told senators they should plan to be in over this weekend, so the nomination could be pushed through without delay. Ford refused to bite her tongue. Aware of the consequences, Ford selflessly took the risk. Author Meggie Royer said, “A woman’s first blood doesn’t come from between her legs but from biting her tongue.” Kavanaugh expressed his wish to be treated fairly. “I ask you to judge me by the standard that you would want applied to your father, your husband, your brother or your son,” Kavanaugh said. I speak for Ford and all other victims when I ask you to evaluate her credibility by the standard you would want applied to your mother, wife, sister, daughter or yourself. I ask you, in your evaluations of Ford to judge her with the same fairness Kavanaugh requested. I ask you to judge Ford as somebody, rather than somebody’s. Letters Policy
Letters to the editor will be printed in the order in which they are received and on a space available basis. The Collegian reserves the right to edit all letters for content and length. Letters should be no more than 250 words. Letters from individual authors will be published only once every four weeks. All letters from students should include first and last names, classification and major. No nicknames will be used. Letters from people outside the Cameron community should include name, address and phone number for verification. Letters can be sent by regular mail, by e-mail to aggiecentral@ cameron.edu or they may be dropped off at our office - Academic Commons 101 or at www.aggiecentral.com.
October 8, 2018
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Student Life
6
Cameron sponsors senior vocal recital
Photo by Mason Orso
Mason Orso Staff Writer
On Sept. 28 at the McCutcheon Recital Hall, Cameron University’s Department of Music presented senior vocal music major Anastacia Prucha, who sang Mezzo-Soprano, in a vocal recital. A senior recital is a graduation requirement for the vocal music performance degree. Prucha said the mental preparation for the recital was a working progress. “Basically, I just have to keep telling myself I’ve practiced this,” she said. “I can do it because I’ve done it before and I know my stuff; it’s just another practice session.”
The program consisted of 16 songs. First, Prucha sang “Eja, Mater, fons amoris” by Giovanni B. Pergolesi. The song is about Mary, the mother of Jesus, when she watched him being hanged on the cross. The piece portrays the mother’s feelings of sorrow and weeping. The second piece, titled “Piu M’Impiaga Quell Cilgio Nero” by Alessandro Scarlatti, is an Italian representation about a beautiful woman who holds a black eye color. A third piece Prucha performed is the German composition “Libst du um SchÖnheit” by Clara Wieck Schumann. Prucha said it’s a wonderful song about love. “That piece specifically is talking
about how if you love for beauty, youth and money, then don’t love me,” she said. “If you love for love, then love me.” Prucha said the song choices in the recital were a collaborative effort between herself and her voice teacher Doris Lambert. “There were a few things I have done in that past that I wanted to resurrect for the recital,” she said. “Then the others were songs Ms. Lambert thought would be best for my voice and the recital.” Prucha said her favorite song to perform is “When I Have Sung My Songs” by Ernest Charles. “It’s about when I have sung all my songs to you, then I wont sing to anyone else,” she said.
Prucha said it can be challenging singing in front of a crowd, but she has certain methods for alleviating performance anxiety. “I’m a little self-critical,” she said, “but I don’t think that I could have done it any better. I do a super hero pose for five minutes before my performance.” Prucha has been singing since a young age—this past year is her sixth year as a vocal performance major. She said she plans to audition at choirs around the community, as well as audition for musicals. “My real goal is to work for child welfare collection services,” she said. “The music is just for me. I finally did it, I finally finished and I feel great about it.”
CU Disney trivia night
Photos by Ellie Welborn
The lady and the champ: At 5:30 p.m., on Sept. 26, in the Shepler cafeteria, Cameron’s Program Activities Council collaborated with the Residence Hall Association for a Disney-themed trivia night. Winning participants received prizes, such as groceries, gift cards and CU swag.