ELMHURST UNIVERSITY ISSUE FIVE NOVEMBER 9, 2022 ELMHURSTLEADER.COM
COVER BY Rachel Fratt (she/her)
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NEWS
ISSUE 5
CELEBRATION OF LIFE IN STORE FOR EU SENIOR KILLED IN PEDESTRIAN-TRAIN COLLISION on Oct. 24.
Staff Report A celebration of life is set to take place on Nov. 11 for Julia Padilla, Elmhurst University senior, who lost her life after being struck in a pedestrian-train collision, according to President Troy VanAken in an email sent to the campus community on Nov. 4. “Early last week, we experienced the tragic loss of Elmhurst University student Julia Padilla,” said VanAken in the email. “Many of us have been hoping for a way to help her family while respecting their need for both space and time to begin to cope with their unimaginable loss.” A separate vigil was also held for the student in the Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel on Oct. 25, the day it was announced to the campus of this loss. It was announced to the Elmhurst University campus community on Oct. 25 that an EU student died from a pedestrian-train collision
According to a report released by the City of Elmhurst, Elmhurst Police and Fire Departments were dispatched to Park Avenue, between Myrtle Avenue and Cottage Hill at around 1:14 p.m. An EU Alert was sent to students on Oct. 24, stating there was a “pedestrian-involved train accident north of campus” and to “please avoid Park Ave.” First responders later identified the student as a 21-year-old woman that had been struck by an eastbound Metra train on the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. President Troy VanAken sent an email out to Elmhurst University students and staff on Oct. 25, expressing his condolences. “It’s been a very difficult day, as I am heartbroken at the loss of one of our students yesterday,” said VanAken. “Our campus community has lost a student, a friend, a life full of promise.”
In the Nov. 4 email, president VanAken encouraged that during this difficult time, that the campus community comes together. “In the meantime, please continue to support each other, especially our students, faculty and staff in the music and education departments; and take care of yourselves,” said VanAken. “And remember that if you’re in need of help and support, a number of resources are always available.” Students can contact the Office of Student Support Services and Intervention, which is located in the Frick Center room 227. Students may also contact the Office of the Chaplain at 630-617-3025, or reach Chaplain Matheney at 630-926-8028. Students may also contact the Dupage County 24-Hour Crisis Line at 630-627-1700 or the National Crisis Lifeline and can call or text 988. These hotlines are confidential for those who call.
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EDITORIAL BOARD
Numair Younus (he/him)
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Ryan Windle (they/he)
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Olivia Rueff (she/her)
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Adriana Briscoe (she/her) Opinions Editor
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ABOUT US
The Leader is the student-run newspaper to the students, faculty, and administrators of Elmhurst University. The Leader is not submitted to any person or organization for prior approval. The contents are the decision of the editor in agreement with the editorial board. Opinions expressed in The Leader do not necessarily reflect those of the paper or its staff and are not intended to represent those of the EU at large. No text, photos, or art can be reproduced without direct permission of The Leader.
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NEWS
ISSUE 5
ALPHA MU GAMMA CELEBRATES DIA DE LOS MUERTOS WITH OFREDNAS ACROSS CAMPUS Adriana Briscoe (she/her) Opinions Editor For Elmhurst University senior Gabriel E. Galindo, secretary of EU’s National Collegiate Foreign Language Honors Society (Alpha Mu Gamma) and staff writer for The Leader, taking part in setting up altars at EU for the Day of the Dead was a culture-rich, communal endeavor. “It means a lot because it shows a little bit of aspect of our culture as a community,” Galindo said. “For me, it shows the output that I can give as a Mexican American in terms of what I can do to honor not just my ancestors, but all of the family and the community at Elmhurst, especially the Hispanic community now that we’ve gotten our HSI grant.” In late October, Alpha Mu Gamma members set up altars, or ofrendas, in the Founders Lounge and A.C. Buehler Library to celebrate the Day of the Dead (Día de Los Muertos) and honor professors, staff, and students who have passed away.
The holiday is a blend of Mesoamerican ritual, European religion, and Spanish culture and is celebrated in Mexico and many Mexican and Mexican-American communities in the U.S. Additionally, Gomez-Acuña explained that Día de Los Muertos is based on the belief that the souls of the deceased can come back to Earth during the two-day celebration, so loved ones display ofrendas showcasing the souls’ favorite foods, drinks, photos, and personal objects to show them that they are not forgotten. Gomez-Acuña added that Alpha Mu Gamma began the tradition of setting up ofrendas for Día de Los Muertos about eight years ago. Each year, student members of Alpha Mu Gamma spend about two or three days crafting the ofrendas, which display photos of EU community members who died recently. “It is an intense labor of love that includes designing the ofrendas, getting the neces-
Galindo said that Alpha Mu Gamma members started by looking at the Museum of Mexican Art for design inspiration. After seeing what artists did with their ofrendas, Alpha Mu Gamma members designed the aspects they wanted to incorporate into their own ofrendas. Galindo added skulls to the ofrenda because he feels they are a key symbol of Día de Los Muertos. “It [the skulls] can be sinister, but the way that it’s designed in Mexico is they do have colors, they have flowers and it makes it feel more vibrant,” Galindo said. “So it’s kind of like the dead is still alive, in a way — that’s the message it’s conveying,” EU senior Stephanie Melchor, a member of Alpha Mu Gamma, added butterflies to the ofrendas. “We decided that butterflies would symbolize something beautiful like flying, you know, something new, and we had never done that before, so we decided to make some butterflies,” Melchor explained.
and the Virgin of Guadalupe, and rosaries were placed on the ofrendas because Día de Los Muertos is a “syncretism between the Indigenous traditions of pre-Hispanic America to the traditions of the Catholic Spaniards once they colonized that area, and those traditions are mixed with one another.” Melchor expressed that creating the ofrendas was important for the communal, cultural, and honorary aspects of the tradition. “It just showed that we can come together as a community and to remember those who have left us and aren’t here with us no more on a special day,” Melchor said. “And even if you weren’t of Mexican descent or were familiar with what an ofrenda was, you were able to come help out and know how much that means to us.” Galindo hopes that the ofrendas brought people together. “The key thing that we just want people to take away from this ofrenda is that we want to bring unity and honor in terms of what Día de Los Muertos is not just for us Hispanic students but also to the community itself,” Galindo said.
EU senior Francisco Gomez, president of Alpha Mu Gamma, explained the meanings behind several pieces of the ofrenda in the Founders Lounge.
PHOTO BY Adriana Briscoe (she/her)
Día de Los Muertos is a celebration of life and death that takes place on Nov. 1 and 2, according to Professor Beatriz Gomez-Acuña in an email to The Leader.
sary objects and placing them artfully,” Gomez-Acuña said.
The pyramids, or pillars, represent three stages of life — the material world, the limbo, or in between, and the afterlife. The offerings of food are based on the belief that when the deceased return, they can “have something once they return for their journeys.” According to Galindo, ofrendas typically include beverages like water, soda, and alcoholic drinks. They also often include bread, most commonly pan de muerto. However, Galindo noted that Gomez had trouble contacting the bakery he wanted to get pan de muerto from, so Gomez-Acuña bought conchas, another type of Mexican bread, for the ofrendas last minute. According to Galindo, conchas are the “second best” option. In addition, Gomez explained that Catholic imagery such as the cross, figures like Jesus
One of the altars located in the A.C. Buehler Library.
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ISSUE 5
NATIONAL DECLINE IN AMERICANS RECEIVING COVID-19 BOOSTERS CONCERN STUDENTS PHOTO BY Ryan Windle (they/he)
Adriana Briscoe (she/her) Opinions Editor Many Americans are not getting the updated COVID-19 booster vaccines. As of Oct. 15, only about 15 million Americans received the new Omicron-specific COVID-19 booster vaccines, which were released early this fall. These updated boosters are bivalent, meaning that they cover two strains of COVID-19 — the original strain that spread in early 2020 and the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5. Elmhurst University’s COVID-19 Task Force does not have complete data on how many EU students have received the COVID-19 booster vaccines. Public health professor Erika Davis estimates that some possible reasons as to why Americans are not getting the boosters are a lack of trust in the vaccines, a lack of trust in the government and health organizations, and doubt over whether the vaccines “actually work.” EU junior Adrian Cortez shared that the release of the new boosters is new information for him, mainly because he has been focusing on other priorities. However, he said that he has relatives who are at risk for contracting COVID-19, and the fact that many people aren’t getting the boosters concerns him. He expressed that he is particularly concerned about the fact that some people refuse to get vaccinated. “They’re not only putting themselves at risk but as well as, for example, people like my great grandparents who still live with us,” Cortez said. EU senior Samuel Bustamante also didn’t hear about the new boosters until being interviewed by The Leader. After briefly being informed of the new boosters and the fact that many Americans are not getting them, he commented that he hasn’t noticed much promotion of the boosters lately. “During the pandemic, it was all ‘Get your boosters! Get your shots! Get your shots!’ but as time progressed and everything got to
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Sanitation cart with masks, spray, and wipes in Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel.
normal, there hasn’t been any advertisement for getting the shots,” Bustamante said. “Or if it has been, it’s just I haven’t really been looking at the news currently, so maybe just my inability of looking at the news [is why I haven’t seen any updates].”
science department could offer information to students.
Davis believes that people should be given this information in the simplest terms possible through the platforms they turn to most often.
Bustamante mentioned that he often checks his email and felt that more email communication from the school regarding health and safety information could be a smart move.
“The ways in which people primarily get their information, that is where you should share a breakdown of that. So whether that be social media, Facebook, TikToks, or like the news channels, that’s where older individuals get their information,” Davis said. Davis continued, “Having someone break it down to make it a little more clear and put it in terms of someone who may just have like an eighth-grade, print education, like [we] need to put it in the simplest terms as possible.” Both Cortez and Bustamante proposed ideas for how to reach students with information regarding COVID-19 vaccines. Cortez suggested that Elmhurst University’s
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“I believe having the science department play a huge role and a way to advocate for science literacy would be a great way to move forward,” Cortez said.
The Wellness Center declined The Leader’s requests for an interview. However, on behalf of the Wellness Center staff, Director of Student Health Emily Bernadi made a comment in an email to The Leader: “We would like to encourage students to make sure they are educating themselves about the topic through evidence-based research rather than social media or hearsay as there is a lot of misinformation spread on COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines,” Bernadi said. “It is always best to try to be as educated as possible when making personal medical decisions.”
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NEWS
ISSUE 5
EU FACULTY MEMBER GARY SMITH PASSES AWAY Emmy Shaffer (she/her) News Editor In an email sent to Elmhurst University students and faculty, it was announced that Gary Smith, a professor in the department of computer science and information services, passed away on Oct. 19. Smith began teaching at EU in 1977 as an adjunct professor and served as the IT program director from 2014-2021. Prior to teaching full time in 2013, Smith was the information technology manager at CNA insurance. Over the course of Smith’s time at EU, he was able to make connections with many students and faculty all over campus. Assistant professor in the department of computer science and information systems, Dean Jensen, will remember Smith for his great impact on students and their conversations
in the hallway before classes.
keep the IT program up to date.
“Prof. Smith had a tremendous impact on his students, as he taught many of the core classes in the Computer Science, Information Systems, and Information Technology majors,” said Jensen in an email to The Leader.
Janet Perezchica, a senior at EU and former student of Dr. Smith’s, was happy she was able to have him as a professor and be in one of his classes.
Jensen continued, “He also taught several First Year Seminar classes over the years, so his reach was truly across campus. Because of his FYS class and IT Program Director responsibilities, he literally would advise a hundred or more students each year, and was always eager to volunteer for freshman advising in the summer.” Smith led the Information Technology completion program and worked with Jensen to create the Cybersecurity major. Prior to his passing, Smith was working on making changes to the program to include mobile application development and project management to
“Mr. Smith was a really nice professor, I was happy that I got to have him for a couple of months at the start of the semester,” said Perezchica. Minh Nguyen, a junior and former Leader writer was shocked at the news and heartbroken that the professor that he had just spoken to a couple of days ago had passed away. “Even though I did not have much interaction with Dr. Smith, I really admire him for being such a responsible and dedicated professor till his last breath. It’s just really sad,” said Nguyen. A memorial visitation was held on Oct. 24 at Humes Funeral home in Addison, Illinois.
LECTURE ENCOURAGES INTERFAITH COOPERATION Ilana Garnica (she/her) Chief Copy Editor
Grace Wadsworth, president of the spiritual life council, spoke about their experience at the lecture.
Elmhurst University invited Sister Barbara Reid, the first woman president of the Catholic Theological Union (CTU), to speak at the annual Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Lecture on Oct. 27.
“The lecture was very informative and brought a very interesting viewpoint to the topic of interfaith cooperation and tolerance,” said Wadsworth.
Reid focused heavily on acceptance and tolerance of one another despite differences in belief. She also spoke towards Cardinal Bernadin’s efforts to create tolerance across boundaries. One such effort was a group called ‘The Catholic Common Ground Initiative.’
Reid spoke largely towards interfaith cooperation, urging one another to allow open communication.
“His idea … was to bring together Catholics who held firmly opposing views about critical issues in the church and to engage in prayerful dialogue to try to find where the points of agreement, that could bind them together, and build up the communion of the church,” said Reid. Reid, a Dominican Sister, has taught at CTU since 1988 and was appointed as president in 2020. During the lecture, she urged listeners to create harmony and unity within our communities.
“What’s your next step in crossing boundaries of difference to create harmony, unity, greater understanding?” Reid asked the audience members. Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty Dean Pribbenow spoke about his thoughts on Reid’s lecture and EU’s ever-growing diverse student body. “I think our campus, particularly our student body, we recognize as becoming increasingly diverse, and that’s diverse in terms of race and ethnicity, and things like that, but it’s also in terms of faith traditions,” said Pribbenow.
groundwork for ‘all are welcome.’” EUs strides to become a more interreligious campus have not gone unnoticed in the campus community. “I think the religious groups, organizations, and departments at EU have had a very good approach to interfaith and inter-religious tolerance since I have been here,” said Wadsworth. They continued, “And all the faculty/staff involved seem to care a lot about promoting tolerance, education, and appreciation for all sorts of different religions and faith.” Pribbenow shared his thoughts on Elmhurst University’s ability to create a sense of community. “I think tonight is just a good example of we do well when we come together in community and support one another and are there for one another,” said Pribbenow.
He continued, “I think Chaplain Scott and a number of others have really sort of set the NOVEMBER 9, 2022
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NEWS
ISSUE 5
COMMUTERS AGHAST BY RISING FUEL PRICES Emmy Shaffer (she/her) News Editor Over this past year, the cost of gas has gone up exponentially. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), Chicago set a first-time record of surpassing $6 per gallon in June. Gas prices have continued to increase due to the closing of the gas pipeline to Europe and the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, causing there to be less Russian oil in the global market. COVID-19 has had a major effect on everyday essentials, and gas prices have been no exception. At the start of the pandemic, gas prices dropped, but soon enough gas prices went on the rise, as there was limited production and the demand for gas increased.
While fuel prices have recently gone down to an average of $4.76 per gallon, it is still expensive for commuter students as most have classes every day and other commitments outside of school. Being a school with a lot of commuter students, Elmhurst University students have struggled to feel as involved in campus life due to the increase in gas prices. Cosette Gutierrez, a fourth-year student, explains that since gas prices have gone up, it has been difficult for her to remain active on campus, and is less willing to drive back and forth. “It has made me a lot less active on campus,” said Gutierrez. “I already drive a lot for work and volunteering and usually have to leave campus as soon as classes end, but with the rise in prices I’m a lot less willing to drive back
to campus after those other obligations to participate in activities and events.” Olivia Schmidt, a junior, is also frustrated by the rising gas prices as she commutes to campus. “I live about 35 minutes away from campus and I get frustrated sometimes when I see the gas prices rising,” said Schmidt. “While I feel annoyed at times while getting gas I think about the money I’m saving by not living on campus.” Even though this change has impacted commuter students a great deal, most are still content with their decision to commute to campus every day. “I enjoy my activities outside of school and feel as if they’d be a bit more difficult to accomplish if I were a dorming student,” said Gutierrez.
PHOTO BY Ryan Windle (they/he)
People pumping gas into their cars at a local Shell.
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“NOBODY’S JANE. WE’RE ALL JANE.” Sarah Glees (she/her) Staff Writer
memory in the acting for me. It’s very intimate, what women are put through.”
tions, as the costs were often higher than their incomes could afford.
Spoilers ahead.
She went on to explain the experience of having her ovarian cysts removed by a male doctor.
The only black character in this film was played by Wunmi Mosaku, who also pointed out the fact that she was the only black woman in a room full of white women.
When a pregnant woman learns that her unborn child poses a risk to her life, she seeks medical assistance, only to be turned down until coming across an activist group known as the “Janes,” who provide women with safe abortions. “Call Jane” was released on Oct. 28, and was a powerful and topical film surrounding issues that are more prevalent than ever. This film follows the “Janes,” who were a real group founded in Chicago by Heather Booth. Booth, a student at the University of Chicago, got a call from a friend’s sister who was pregnant and seeking an abortion. Booth reached out to the Medical Committee for Human Rights and the organization referred her to T.R.M. Howard, who was a civil rights leader and surgeon who secretly performed abortions. Soon after helping her friend’s sister, more women began calling in search of help. Booth rallied with other activists and together they helped these women. From there, the group that would call themselves the “Janes” was born. Over there five years in existence, the group provided an estimated 11,000 abortions and out of those 11,000 women, not a single death was reported. Typically, I don’t really enjoy biopics; I tend to wish I’d just watched a documentary rather than the dramatic retelling. However, I found myself really enjoying this film and felt it did a good job of creating a story while respecting what really happened. I was surprised to learn how accurate the story was to the real organization.
Banks also made a statement about her own personal experiences with receiving medical care and explained, “There was a lot of sense
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This is something I’ve experienced and something I’m sure many other women have too. You felt right there with her on-screen and connected to her, especially in her more intimate scenes. One of those scenes in specific, Joy’s abortion scene, was shown in a very powerful manner. They cut at the perfect moments to keep the focus off the procedure itself and instead on the women and their reactions. It showcases abortion as a medical procedure and as something that, when done safely and properly, is beneficial and necessary. The movie reinforces this idea throughout and never tries to demonize or sugarcoat abortions. I also really loved this film visually. The lighting differences between the Jane’s abortion clinic, which is much dimmer, versus the much brighter outside world help to reinforce the risks they’re taking. However, although the lighting in the clinic is dim, it is also very warm. This is in direct contrast to the first abortion clinic shown in the film, and also showcases the hope and safety being provided. The colors in the set design reflect this as well. There are a lot more earth tones, yellows, and reds throughout the clinic versus the cooler greens and blues showcased in outside areas, such as Joy’s home.
While I was glad that they made a point to mention this and call attention to it rather than just gloss over it, this film was still told from a white women’s perspective, and tells a very limited story about an issue that affects all women. Another fault within the film was the pacing, overall it felt a bit stagnant. The movie definitely has its dramatic moments and times of tension; however, they felt more like dips rather than peeks. One moment in particular, which I felt was the climax, was when Joy performs her first abortion, thus opening the doors for more women to receive one. Though it was a point of high emotion, it did come off a bit flat and glossed over. Even when they’re celebrating the Roe V. Wade decision at the end, it felt anticlimactic. Despite this, I still felt it was a really important movie and one that should be on your watchlist. This was a heartfelt and surprisingly uplifting story about an issue that is something women are once again having to fight for, as Roe V. Wade was recently overturned. As of now, 18 states have banned abortion in some capacity, and with the midterm elections, the threat of ban looms over every other state as well. Movies like this have the power to reach people who may not see abortion as a choice women need to be able to make for themselves, and can hopefully get those people to see its importance, or at the very least accept its necessity.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the costumes within the film, but I think this stems from my love of ‘60s and ‘70’s fashion. Also featured within this film was a stellar soundtrack. A major flaw within the film was the lack of representation seen on screen. However, this film did touch on the fact that black women were often some of the last to receive abor-
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One of the biggest allures was the performances, which I thought were really outstanding, especially Elizabeth Banks who played Joy. I learned that in preparation for this performance, she actually learned how to perform an abortion procedure.
In an interview, Banks stated “He treated me like, Can’t you just get it together? So, I forced myself through this pain, through this procedure with this asshole technician in this room with no understanding of what [I’m feeling]. And then I went to my car and I bawled my fucking eyes out.”
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Sarah Glees (she/her) Staff Writer “9 to 5” (1980) “9 to 5,” is a campy comedy following three office workers Judy, (Jane Fonda), Violet (Lily Tomlin), and Doralee (Dolly Parton) as they cope with their boss who is a “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot”. This movie is fun and relatable, especially to anyone who has worked at a job where they do more work than the actual boss.
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The movie was based around the iconic song by Dolly Parton and, of course, acts as the theme song for the movie, making it worth the watch to just hear it.
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WHAT K-POP GROUP WILL COME OUT ON TOP AT THIS YEARS MAMA AWARDS? Ryan Windle (they/he) Editor-in-Chief
already made a massive impact on K-Pop, and they are deserving of the title.
This year has been a very memorable year for K-Pop, and when the nominations for the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA Awards) came out, it only solidified the excellence of the year.
Best Female Group — (G)I-DLE
If you happen to read my column and have no idea what the MAMA Awards are, think of it as the Grammy’s for K-Pop. It is as competitive as any Western awards, and always produces some of the most iconic performances. While I have to admit some songs and groups were snubbed out of a nomination, it reinforces how strong this year was with each release. The nominations make it hard to pick who will win what award. All in good fun, here are some of my predictions for the 2022 MAMA Awards, which will be held on Nov. 29. Best New Female Artist — IVE Girl groups have dominated 2022. So much talent has been on display, especially from the newer groups, which makes this category a challenge to pick from. NewJeans had everyone looking for “Attention,” YENA was putting on her ‘SMILEY” face, and LE SSEARAFIM was “FEARLESS,” but there is no denying out of all these nominees, IVE was the most successful. IVE has had a massive amount of success with “ELEVEN” and “LOVE DIVE,” but their latest comeback in August, “AFTER LIKE,” really helped sealed their win as the best female group to debut this year.
This song also was boosted into the mainstream with a meme, with this song being the anthem for Real Housewive Lisa Rinna as an M&M. For a group not even a year old, they have
(G)I-DLE’s music has been revolutionary for K-Pop, breaking down societal norms in South Korea with their releases “TOMBOY” and “Nxde.” While I have qualms with the music and lyricality of “TOMBOY,” the message that the song represents impressed me, which is all thanks to member Soyeon and her producing skills. Including a bleep at the start of the chorus of “TOMBOY,” so that the song could still be played as well as making a statement about cursing in K-Pop was genius. However their most recent release “Nxde,” is what has made them stand out to me this year. This song has broken down societal norms and is a true feminist anthem about how women are viewed in society. Best Female Artist — TAEYEON
Again, this song has made an impact on Western culture as well, with its iconic hand choreography that is the cause for the chorus going viral on TikTok. Also, out of all the nominees, it feels as if this category is meant for NAYEON to win, as she is the only one with really intense choreography that is worth an award. Artist of the Year — SEVENTEEN Now, this may come as a shock to some people that I, out of all people, have selected a male group to be the Artist of the Year, but I have my reasoning. Throughout the entire tour that they did, I was constantly impressed by the sheer talent and stamina that this group has, and how well they interacted with their fans to make sure that their fans had a good time. It was memorable to me, and really made me appreciate them as a group, especially after learning about the group’s history. While I am sure BLACKPINK or BTS will win this award, I personally want to give SEVENTEEN a nod for the work that they put in this year.
TAEYEON started her year off strong, with her third album “INVU,” and I have had it on repeat since its drop in February. “INVU” has to be one of my top five albums of the year, including both Western music and K-Pop. It is a simple album instrumental-wise, but it highlights her vocals and the amazing storytelling that she can express through song. There isn’t much to say, but it has to be TAEYEON for this award, her body of work is pure excellence, and “INVU” was a great addition. Best Dance Performance Solo — NAYEON (TWICE), “POP!”
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Sampling “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor, “AFTER LIKE” reached levels of success in both the K-Pop industry, but the song also became popular amongst Western audiences, with the song becoming a viral TikTok sound and dance.
Ever since the controversy with ex-member Soojin, all eyes have been on (G)I-DLE to see how the group would do without her; however, it is safe to say that they have exceeded everyone’s expectations.
watch, and just pure joy.
Out of all the nominees, no one was dancing like NAYEON in her solo debut, “POP!” “POP!,” as NAYEON stated, is a marathon to both dance and sing, but it is so appealing to NOVEMBER 9, 2022
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ISSUE 5
AN ANALYSIS OF JORDAN PEELE’S HORROR FILMS Gabriel E. Galindo (he/him) Staff Writer Halloween is over and so far, the season’s supposed hit, “Halloween Ends,” has brought a a disappointing conclusion to the reawakened franchise. Nowadays, only a few horror films exist that truly stand and deliver the essence of horror. Not the gore, number of kills, or overabundance of jump scares, but the deep reality that goes behind its stories. Throughout the years, the horror genre has always played on real-life fears of the world. The ‘30s monster flicks were about the fear of the unknown, the ‘50s atomic age played on nuclear warfare and science went wrong, the ‘60s and ’70s had the Vietnam war, and the ‘80s had slashers during the Reagan Era. As of today, one filmmaker has brought that essence while playing on tropes already established: Jordan Peele. Known for the Comedy Central sketch “Key and Peele,” Peele and his partner Keegan-Michael Key jumped into film with the buddy comedy flick, “Keanu,” and from there on their careers split, with Key going into acting and Peele into screenwriting and directing. His first horror film, “Get Out,” was a success and a milestone in the horror genre since it started to redefine black representation and narrative in the industry, he even became the first black American to win the “Best Original Screenplay” award at the 2018 Oscars. A psychological horror story, the film focused on a young black man who visits his white girlfriend’s suburban family, only to discover that they intend to use him for a sinister experiment that relates to the missing people in the area.
age, sound, and perspective to create terror, with the mind-manipulation scenes sending us alongside the protagonist into a terrifying trance. His second film, “Us,” followed a black family going face to face with their cloned doppelgangers known as The Tethered, whose intent is to replace them. Peele touches on the topic of privilege and duality in the United States (US), while using ‘80s horror as an influence, such as “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “The Lost Boys.” According to his words, “For us to have our privilege, someone suffers,” and the Tethered represents that suffering, living underground in labs, mimicking actions made by them while wishing to be their person, the privilege of the protagonists. Similar to “Get Out,” Peele uses sound and image to portray the disturbing mimicry of the Tethered, he uses shadow and light to convey the duality of the protagonist and antagonist alike. Although he wasn’t the director of the film, he wrote and produced “Candyman,” a sequel to the 1992 film of the same name. The story that Peele created for the title character not only reintroduced the audience to “Candyman,” but also reinvented the black horror icon. No longer is it a malevolent spirit of vengeance, but a collective entity born from the violence and hatred committed against black communities across America, a beehive of voices shouting for retribution. “Candyman is how we deal with the fact that these things are still happening,” are the spoken words of Coleman Domingo’s character when he explains the origin of the character.
film, “Nope,” a sci-fi horror story about two siblings capturing evidence of a UFO over their horse ranch. From the cinematography to the plot and the special effects, this was his most creatively outstanding film to date. One could tell that Stephen Spielberg was the influence of the film, given its scenes emulate those of “Jaws” and “Jurassic Park.” It’s a monster film, where the flying saucer isn’t a vehicle, but the monster itself. Its evolved appearance is a nod to the bizarre angels of the anime, “Neon Genesis Evangelion.” Overall, the whole visuals of the film are the symbol of its theme: the need for a bigger spectacle. Peele critiques this through the Gordy’s Home subplot and its comparison to the alien. It points out the fallacies of how people always want the next big thing, regardless of how dangerous “it” can be. Just like the shark and the Dinosaurs from Spielberg’s films, Peele pays a nod to the terror they created in their eras with his monster. Although it received mixed reviews, it certainly nailed his artistic intention and message. Sound best describes the horror portrayed, as the alien hovers around, carrying its victims while they scream in fear. The same with Gordy, you don’t see the chimpanzee mauling people, but you hear the whimpers and punches. It’s the fear of the unknown, of what is not seen. Overall, Jordan Peele and his company, Monkeypaw Productions, have not only reintroduced old tropes through different narratives, but also redefined the representation of black people in the film industry and the horror genre.
Jordan Peele plays with real-life fears and trauma in this horror tale, focusing on racial topics such as the white savior trope, black fetishism, lack of attention on missing black people, and the ignorance of “White Liberals,” as Peele describes it.
Every horror fan knows about how minority characters get killed earlier than the white protagonists, or how they side with characters with little to no development, only serving as filler to the plot.
On the other hand, Peele was able to reimagine the legend of the Candyman beyond a slasher and into a greater type of terror, one that evokes the trauma and unjust deaths of many black Americans, something that still goes on to this day.
Now, they’ve become the protagonist and the narrative in the genre, touching on their respective fears in a truly frightening parallel to reality. This is what horror is about, and Jordan Peele gets it.
His directorial debut made good use of im-
This year, Peele released his most ambitious
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INTERNET PHOTO
It’s “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” with a sinister twist.
When it comes to horror icons, such as Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, and Freddy Krueger, very little is brought to the table with all reboots and remakes of the characters.
ELMHURSTLEADER.COM
ARTS+CULTURE
ISSUE 5
JAYS ON THE STREET Miguel Flojo (he/him) Staff Writer Several brands have recently dropped Kanye West after the rapper made antisemitic remarks. Here is what some of our Bluejays had to say about the matter.
PHOTOS BY Miguel Flojo (he/him)
Andrea Alvarez
Christian J. Liman
Samuel Pershing
Freshman/(She/Her)
Junior/(He/Him)
Freshman/(He/Him)
“I generally think that it was the right thing to do, there is a lot of stuff he said that’s just not right, I think most of the things that come out of his mouth he thinks is a joke but it’s genuinely messed up.”
“If you keep adding on your gonna find more consequences than just a suspension, I think he just has to learn that his words will have consequences.”
“Me being a person who has ADHD, I can safely say that most of the differently-minded people are peaceful, we don’t think like that and saying I’m mentally ill is not an excuse to say whatever you want.”
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ARTS+CULTURE
ISSUE 5
ALEENA’S A-LIST
GASLIGHT, GATEKEEP, GIRLBOSS-ING INTO SILENCE a multitude of problems, ranging from mistakes in labeling to not following FDA guidelines.
Aleena Antony (she/her) Staff Writer TikToker @alluredbeauty, also known as Alle, was invited to the Karamo Show to discuss Chief Pii’s Pink Sauce, where she was ambushed and publicly undermined, while Karamo sympathized with Chief Pii. Karamo Brown, former member of “Queer Eye” hosts his show, “Karamo Show,” on NBC, where Chief Pii and Alle were both invited. Despite the swarming and easily accessible accusations regarding this over-glorified passion project, Karamo painted Chief Pii in a sympathetic light of a small business owner who was being attacked and harassed online by people, which spiraled into her and her family receiving death threats. The Pink Sauce was a product created by TikToker and former chief, Chief Pii. This sauce was surrounded by controversy as there were
When the sauce was first launched, many consumers were alarmed, as the sauce seemed to pose more of a health hazard than a fun sauce in a unique color. This prompted multiple influencers to review the sauce, especially on Tiktok. Alle was one of the many people who reviewed the Pink Sauce. Unlike most receivers, she was very respectful and very honest, going as far as to claim “we support small businesses.” However, due to discoloration, mislabeling, and swelling of the bottle, Alle was worried about the contents of the sauce. She took charge of having the contents tested in a lab. Before she released the results, Alle was invited to the Karamo show to discuss it as well as confront Chief Pii.
a live audience. Despite indicating she can release the lab results, Alle was not able to release the results during the episode. The episode was aired on Oct. 13 and was up for two weeks before there was any outrage. @MoistCr1TiKaL, a streamer, and influencer gave a scathing reaction to the episode in one of his streams. Due to his knowledge of the pink botulism sauce and his background in kinesiology, he criticized the episode for its lack of research into the topic, and Karamo’s support of Chief Pii. This resulted in outrage from the public, prompting the episode to be taken down, with the episode now only existing in its promotional clips on TikTok and in videos reacting to the episode.
Due to her being unprepared, Alle was not able to defend herself in a studio, in front of
BLAC CHYNA UNDER FIRE AFTER SEX-TRAFFICKING ACCUSATIONS Aleena Antony (she/her) Staff Writer On Oct. 20, in a series of TikTok’s, creator Ava Louise responded to a comment asking for the story behind her being held hostage by Blac Chyna in early Aug., who was only able to escape due to Chyna’s drunken state at the time. Chyna is an infusion model and socialite, who came into prominence after being the body double for Nicki Minaj in Kanye West’s music video, “Monster.” She is also the ex-wife of Rob Kardashian and the mother of Dream Kardashian.
In early Aug., Chyna responded to a DM sent by Louise asking to collaborate, inviting Lousie
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While Louise was present Chyna proceeded to drink a bottle of Casamigos. Lousie was not allowed to be alone in the mansion, going as far as taking Louise to the bathroom with Chyna while she was relieving herself. Despite not being allowed to charge her phone, which was on three percent battery, Lousie attempted to contact friends to help her escape from a situation where she was not aware of what was happening other than she was in danger. Meanwhile, Chyna was responding to a call from a woman named Donna, where both women proceeded to discuss details, such as Louise’s “worth” and that Louise’s was a “good product.” Eventually, Louise escaped, running out of the mansion, jumping the gate, and hiding in the
NOVEMBER 9, 2022
bushes where her friend came to pick her up. Despite her marred reputation of committing stunts to gain fame, Louise states she is not known for being dishonest and wanted to warn others from being in a similar situation as her. As of Oct. 26, Blac Chyna has threatened Louise with legal action. .
INTERNET PHOTOS
As early as last year there have been rumors of Chyna being involved in sex trafficking, fueled by a video surfacing of her refusing to let a drunken girl leave her Sacramento hotel room.
to her mansion in a gated community at 4:00 AM. Once she arrived at the mansion, Louise was required to sign a unique NDA that asked for her physical description.
ELMHURSTLEADER.COM
CARTOONS
ISSUE 5
CARTOON BY Delanie Graziano (she/her)
CARTOON BY Selkie Bodmer (they/them)
NOVEMBER 9, 2022
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EDITORIAL
ISSUE 5
EDITORIAL ELMHURST UNIVERSITY SHOULD HAVE FREE MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS IN ALL RESTROOMS One in 10 U.S college-aged women has trouble affording menstrual products, according to a 2021 study of period poverty in the U.S from Boston Medical Center Women’s Health. This statistic is disheartening, to say the least — no person should have to go through period poverty, and Elmhurst University students are no exception. EU should offer free menstrual products in all campus restrooms. While some free menstrual products are provided in the Wellness Center, Jean Koplin Memorial Hall, and the Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel, this effort should be expanded to all campus buildings. Some students struggle to afford menstrual products, food, and other necessities. According to a 2021 survey from Thinx, a period underwear company, and PERIOD, a youthrun nonprofit focused on getting rid of period poverty and stigma, 16% of students said they have chosen to buy menstrual products over food or clothes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Latinx, low-income, rural, and college students were most impacted. Students shouldn’t have to choose between a meal or pads and tampons. To help prevent EU students from having to face this dilemma, EU needs to provide students with these basic necessities at no cost. In addition, students who menstruate need reliable access to menstrual products to carry on with their studies, and this is especially necessary for marginalized students.
According to the 2021 survey from Thinx and PERIOD, almost half of Black and Latinx students surveyed feel like they can’t do their best in school due to a lack of access to menstrual products. The survey also found that students often feel uncomfortable being seen with or talking
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Not to mention, if students don’t have pads or tampons, they may feel embarrassed about having to ask for them or having to rely on other supplies, such as toilet paper. Emily Bernadi, director of student health, explained that although she hasn’t noticed any students speak up about struggling with period poverty, it could still very well be an issue, especially considering the fact that many students tend to be afraid to speak about the topic. “I know a lot of the time when students are experiencing that, it’s something that they’re either embarrassed to talk about or just don’t want to talk about it at all,” Bernadi said. “So, the fact that I haven’t heard about it doesn’t mean it’s not an issue.” If the effects of period poverty and/or stigma cause a student to miss class, their academic performance can decline as a result. Therefore, it’s vital for EU to make addressing period poverty — and the socioeconomic disparities rooted within it — a high priority. It’s also important to note that making people pay for their menstrual products is discriminatory on the basis of sex. The population that menstruates includes not only cisgender women but also transgender women and men and gender-nonconforming people, among others. By placing a price or a pink tax on menstrual products, institutions have been oppressing this diverse population of menstruators for years. In order to improve living and learning conditions for all students, EU must step up and take a stance against period poverty and stigma. There are two ways EU can start this initiative.
NOVEMBER 9, 2022
The most obvious place to start is by simply placing boxes of tampons and pads in all campus restrooms and restocking them as needed. Another possible solution could be to offer free reusable menstrual cups or period underwear in the Wellness Center to students who need them. This could be a life-saver for students who can’t afford to pay for pads and tampons each month. What’s more, offering reusable menstrual products is just one of many ways EU can continue practicing sustainability. Menstrual products are a basic necessity for about half of EU’s student body, so it’s time for EU to start treating them as such — period.
Letter to Editor Submissions Letters to the editor can be submitted below or sent to leadernewsec@gmail. com. Letters must include your full name and Elmhurst University affiliation. All letters should be 300 words or less in length. The editors retain the right to edit letters before publication. Don’t forget to spell-check. The Leader is the student-run newspaper speaking to students, faculty and administrators of Elmhurst University. The Leader is not submitted to any person or organization for prior approval. The contents are the decision of the editor in agreement with the editorial board. Opinions expressed in The Leader do not necessarily reflect those of the paper or its staff, and are not intended to represent those of EU at-large. All text, photos and art cannot be reproduced without direct permission of The Leader.
GRAPHIC BY Rachel Fratt (she/her)
Low-income students and students of color are more affected by period poverty than their white and middle-income counterparts.
about menstrual products due to the stigma surrounding periods — 70% of students said the school environment makes them feel “self-conscious” about having periods, 83% hide their menstrual products when they go to the restroom, and 65% don’t want to attend class when they’re on their period.
ELMHURSTLEADER.COM
OPINIONS
ISSUE 5
RELIGIOUS STUDIES TOTING CHRISTIANITY: WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT CAMPUS DIVERSITY? Ryan Windle (they/he) Editor-in-Chief It is safe to say that a lot of students have religious trauma, myself included. Growing up, going to church every Sunday was normal for me. At the time, it seemed as if it was necessary, or that I would not be considered a good member of society if I didn’t go, even though I was a kid. Sometimes my parents had to drag me to church, especially as I grew older. At the time, I did not know why, but there was always a negative emotion I felt towards worship. So, leave it to me to transfer to Elmhurst University, a private school associated with the United Church of Christ. At first, I did not mind going to a school that based a lot of its values on religion; I do think religion is a beautiful thing and can still appreciate it. It was not until I took a religion course at EU that I regretted my decision to come to this school, as that semester turned out to be incredibly traumatic due to the course and discussions held within it. As a part of course requirements, in order to graduate all EU students must take a course discussing religious studies in context. Looking at the courses offered by EU for religious studies, it is a very limited course catalog with not many options for students to pick from if they are just trying to get a gen-ed done.
EU needs to make a change to diversify its course catalog for students. Adding classes to the 100-level will help students just trying to get the credit done, and more 200-level courses can help give students a challenge but still have it be relatively easy.
myself. There is always the debate about whether or not being gay is an ultimate sin, and it felt like every eye was on me every time sexuality was brought up.
I was never thrilled that I was taking a course called “The Problem of God” at the 300-level, but it seemed as if I had no other options.
I would be called out all the time. Students would tell me that, “God loves me no matter what,” and that, “Even though I am a sin, I will be forgiven.”
Even briefly mentioning that I had a religious background subjected me to having to open up about my experiences with religion and my relationship with God. It made me really dive into why I grew apart from religion, but religion is personal, and I was going through my own journey out loud in front of everyone during class discussions. Is it ethically right to be having students share this vulnerable part of themselves with a classroom of peers? In the class of about 25 students, we would all just sit together with the discomfort of the topics at hand and collectively regret our choice of coming to class that day. However, for me, it seems as if I was subjected to the spotlight of my classmates, and had to deal with more discomfort as I would always be called after I shared parts of my religious background, and about myself.
I experienced a lot of emotions, and it was hard for me to have my existence constantly be up for debate in that class. There was even a panel that I was a part of where fellow students had to discuss the issues with sexuality and religion, and I just sat there in silence. No student should have to have their existence and rights debated in a class by their peers and professor. Elmhurst University needs to take steps to make sure that there is caution in these courses, and that professors are trained to have these conversations in a non-threatening way. I do not believe that this requirement should be taken away; it just needs to be updated to represent the current trends of society. If EU is taking steps forward to be an all-inclusive institution, they need to make the same steps for ward with their courses.
A lot of my religious t r a u m a stems from being gay and how people treat me due to that aspect of
GRAPHIC BY Abbey Mark (she/her)
There is not even one 100-level course offered for students to get this credit. There are 15 200-level courses, 31 300-level courses, and three 400-level courses. This almost forces students into taking a 300-level course, which puts a lot of stress on the coursework.
There also needs to be more general religion courses on top of more courses that dive into other religions that are not Christianity or Catholicism.
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SPORTS
ISSUE 5
BLUEJAY BUZZER: ELMHURST SPORTS RECAP Alyssa Kuehne (she/her)
Sports Editor The Elmhurst University sports recap of the last two weeks, Oct. 23 9 --Oct. Nov.22. 5.
BOWLING
MEN’S SOCCER
Oct. 23 at Warhawk Classic 5th of eight teams
Oct. 23 at University of WisconsinPlatteville L, 4-3
Oct. 28-30 at Valpo Bowling Classic 15th of 17 teams
Oct. 26 at Carthage College T, 2-2 Oct. 29 at Carthage College CCIW Championship Quarterfinals L, 4-1
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Oct. 29 CCIW Championship 7th of eight teams
FOOTBALL Oct. 29 vs Washington University in St. Louis L, 49-6 Nov. 5 at North Park University L, 23-20
WRESTLING Nov. 4 at Millikin University L, 41-6
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Oct. 29 vs CCIW Championship 8th of eight teams
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL OCT. 26 AT CARTHAGE COLLEGE OCT. 28-29 AT WISCONSIN LUTHERAN COLLEGE INVITATIONAL
VS. COE COLLEGE L, 3-0 25-20, 25-13, 25-19
VS. WISCONSIN LUTHERAN COLLEGE L, 3-2 25-23, 25-22, 18-25, 21-25, 18-16
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WOMEN’S SOCCER Oct. 26 vs. Carthage College L, 1-0
GRAPHIC BY Abbey Mark (she/her)
L, 3-1 25-21, 25-23, 19-25, 25-22
VS. MILWAUKEE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING W, 3-0 25-17, 25-23, 27-25
ELMHURSTLEADER.COM
SPORTS
ISSUE 5
ELMHURST UNIVERSITY DANCE COMPANY TURNS UP THE HEAT WITH INCLUSIVITY Eve Hvarre (she/her) Staff Writer Out of the many sports teams at Elmhurst University, there are a few that do not receive well-deserved recognition, one of these teams is the Elmhurst University Dance Company (EUDC). EUDC is a student-run recreational dance team that performs at home football games and holds showcases at the end of the school year. The team is coached and captained by sophomore Emerson Azcoitia, who has been the captain for the last two years. “The dancers come in and they’re ready to do the work,” said Azcoitia. “They’re ready to try whatever I throw at them, and their energy is unmatched.” Azcoitia continued, “The team makes it so
easy for me to lead them. They respect my time and they respect each other. It’s like me hanging out with a bunch of my friends.” All the members are passionate about their team, and members like EU sophomore Mia Rondoni are proud of their captain. “Emerson is the best captain I’ve ever had. From the audition, Emerson has had it together and they know what they’re doing,” said Rondoni. Along with the dances being choreographed by its members, Azcoitia tends to work with the choreographers to lend additional support and does some choreographing of their own. “The football games are honestly so much fun. I’ve only choreographed for one football game,” said Azcoitia. “I gave my team the autonomy to choreograph for the other games.” One factor EUDC prides themselves on is their diversity and their effort to include everyone.
“I went into EUDC with the intention to make this a space for everyone,” said Azcoitia. Their team includes people from all stretches of life. They are a strong LGBTQIA+ ally and have members from a variety of backgrounds, including an exchange student from Ukraine, Anhelina Yermolaieva. As the rest of the semester progresses, the team is focusing on preparing for spring auditions and their spring showcase. “We’re really excited,” said Azcoitia. “I love my team and I love having so many different people and so many walks of life in the studio.” The team’s most recent performance was on Oct. 29, with another coming up on Nov. 12. Their end-of-the-year showcase will be held in April and auditions for the spring semester open on Dec. 2.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY Emerson Azcoitia (they/them)
The Elmhurst University Dance Company before a football game. NOVEMBER 9, 2022
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SPORTS
ISSUE 5
ELMHURST UNIVERSITY CROSS COUNTRY RACES TOWARDS THE END OF THE SEASON Alyssa Kuehne (she/her) Sports Editor The Elmhurst University cross country team crossed the finish line of their season for most of the team at the CCIW Championship. EU hosted the event on Oct. 19 at St. James Farm in Warrenville. There were high hopes for this year’s season after the women’s team won the CCIW Championship last year, but with many graduates leaving a young team in its wake, the EU cross country team wasn’t able to secure another set of championship rings. Wheaton College took home the championship for the women’s 6K and North Central College dominated the men’s 8K, with all nine of their varsity runners going first through ninth. The EU women’s team placed seventh of eight teams at the meet, and the men placed eighth of eight teams. The loss of seniors last year, such as Elita Spadlowski, Emily Clausen, Emily Gilligan, Natalia Hernandez, Jeremy Lodewyck, and Andrew Matuszewski, can be seen in the results of both the men’s and the women’s teams, with the teams placing in the bottom half of most of their meets this season. However, Head Coach Jordan Bartolazzi is still proud of his team for the work that they have put in. “We don’t feel particularly thrilled with where we landed, but I think we are on the right track and we can continue to improve,” said Bartolazzi after the meet. He continued, “I want us to be hungry, and competitive, and think winning is fun. We want to help them keep getting better, but I think there’s so much good to take away.” The top runner of the meet was senior Alyssa Rafuse. She finished eighth in the varsity race with a time of 23 minutes, and 4 seconds and received First Team All Conference. This is the second time Rafuse has gotten this award, receiving it at last year’s championship for finishing second overall. “I went into this race with the main goal of
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running a race I could say I was genuinely proud of and stay engaged in the whole time. I was happy to know that I was able to run in the top ten,” said Rafuse. She continued, “I tried not to put too much pressure on where I was placed, so the fact that I could just trust my training and the practices I’ve put in with the team that I love so much, it’s nice that I could have something that I feel represents all that.” Bartolazzi is just as happy with Alyssa’s race. “[Alyssa] ran by far the best race of her season, in fact I think she’s the only athlete I ever coached who was First Team All CCIW in back-to-back seasons,” said Bartolazzi. “That’s something I’m really proud of, especially knowing she’s been working herself back up from an injury last spring this whole time.”
“I think we have a lot of guys that ran really well today and have progressed really well throughout the season, so even though it might not have been the result we wanted this year, for years to come we’ll have a great team,” said Matuszewski Even with the results the team had, they stayed positive after the meet. They were the loudest group at the awards ceremony when Rafuse was announced in the top ten, and when the EU recipients of the Respect Award were announced, junior Lauren Mack and graduate student Brian Santos. The Respect Award is given to a member of each team, men and women, in the CCIW, and recipients are nominated by coaches for student-athletes who show good character and inclusiveness in team culture.
There were many other women on the team that had a good race, like sophomore Molly Glover, who broke her personal record (PR) by 30 seconds with a time of 25:23.0. Glover finished fourth overall and first out of the EU women in the open race.
Mack is proud to represent that aspect of her team and Santos felt honored to receive the award, but feels the award could go out to the whole team.
“I’ve never really been in front of people before, so that was a new experience, kinda scary for me, being in front of a pack,” said Glover. “I was very nervous at the beginning of the race, and then I kinda just pushed my anxiety away and just went out there. I feel like that was my breakthrough race and I’m just really proud of how I did.”
The team illustrated that tight bond throughout the meet by running back and forth on the course to cheer for each Bluejay in the race and with their support afterward.
“[The team] is just built of a lot of runners that just care too much about this team,” said Santos.
Their season will officially end with the top seven of each team racing at the NCAA Regionals meet on Nov. 12.
The top runners for the men’s team were sophomore Dylan Moran, who finished first of the EU men and 41st overall in the varsity race with a time of 27:12.2, and freshman Preston Bailey, finishing at 29:29.5 and placing 47th and first of the EU men in the open race. “Some people had really good races, some people had bad races, but I feel like today was a breakthrough day that we needed for a lot of people on this team, so I’m really happy,” said Moran. Graduate assistant and former team member Matuszewski recognizes the work the team still has to put in, but is looking forward to the progress the team will make.
NOVEMBER 9, 2022
Senior Alyssa Rafuse with her All Conference Medal.
ELMHURSTLEADER.COM
SPORTS
ISSUE 5 PHOTOS PROVIDED BY Olivia Rueff (she/her)
Rafuse racing ahead of Carthage at the CCIW Championship.
Sophomore Dylan Moran pushing through his 8K race.
Sophomore Venezia Munoz giving thumbs up to the camera during her race.
Junior James Palumbo striding through the CCIW race.
Freshman Preston Bailey in the open race.
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SPORTS
ISSUE 5
MEN’S TENNIS TEAM VOLLEYS THROUGH SEASON tennis team since 2019. He took over the men’s squad in August of 2021, becoming Elmhurst University’s Director of Tennis. It seems the team has gotten used to the new coaching and their training has paid off.
a 4-11 record in doubles matches and Cavka finished with a 10-7 record in singles and 7-10 record in doubles matches last season.
The Elmhurst University men’s tennis team is looking to make a statement this year after making some much needed changes during the off-season.
Last year, the Bluejays’ finished the season with a record of 7-10 and a 1-6 in conference. The team improvements can already be seen by the returning members.
Other returners are sophomore Russel Reyes, sophomore Yannis Varsamis, and junior Florin Stan.
The Bluejays had three competitions during their fall season. While the start of the season at Carthage on Sept. 10 was canceled due to rain, the team showed what they could do in their matches against McHenry County College on Sept. 13 and Concordia University Chicago on Sept. 29.
Senior Brandon Fulmer and junior Ben Cavka are players to watch when the spring season starts. They went undefeated as a doubles team in the fall season, and Cavka remains unbeaten in his singles matches as well.
Santé Dybowski (he/him) and Alyssa Kuehne (she/her) Staff Writer and Sports Editor
The fall season ended back in September with the team going 2-0, with a 7-2 win against McHenry and a 6-3 win against Concordia under new head coach Mark Cunnington. With the women’s team ending their fall season in October, there has been some obvious improvement with the new coaching.
Fulmer had a close match, losing in the third set, but he came back against Concordia with a 6-0, 6-2 win in the singles and a 8-0 win in the doubles with Cavka, who also won his singles match with a 6-0, 6-1 score. They came off of successful seasons last year. Fulmer finished with a 9-7 record in singles and
Reyes went 2-0 in singles and 1-1 in doubles during the fall season, from a 6-10 and 4-11 record last year. Varsamis was 2-0 and 0-1 in the fall season and was 2-9 and 3-9 last year. Stan has not yet competed this year, but went 4-2 in singles and 3-3 in doubles last year before having to retire the season after a match against University of Illinois Chicago. The new players this year are freshmen Lukas Cepronas, who went 2-0 and 1-0, and Adrian Songco, who had a 1-1 and 0-1 record for the fall season. The Bluejays’ are currently ranked 6th in the CCIW standings. After a very successful fall season, they look to prove a point to the conference and rest of the nation come spring.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY Elmhurst University Athletics
Cunnington has coached the EU women’s
Against McHenry, Fulmer and Cavka won 8-2 in their doubles match, and Cavka had a 6-0, 6-1 win against Lion Riley Ellegood.
With Fulmer and Cavka now a doubles team this season, we’ll see how their records improve.
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Junior Ben Cavka playing in a match. THE LEADER
NOVEMBER 9, 2022
ELMHURSTLEADER.COM
SPORTS
ISSUE 5
BLUEJAY’S QUATERBACK SITS OUT DURING ST. LOUIS BEARS GAME DUE TO LEG INJURY PHOTO BY David Castañeda (he/him)
Bluejays face off against the Washington University in St. Louis Bears.
David Castañeda (he/him) Staff Writer Elmhurst University freshman Andrey Acosta, the quarterback for the EU football team, had to leave the home game on Oct. 29 against the Washington University in St. Louis Bears. According to Head Coach Jeff McDonald, Acosta left early in the game with a left leg injury. He initially injured his leg two weeks prior against Carroll, and it, “got beat up against Millikin,” the week after. Acosta attempted to play through the pain against the Bears, but he could not manage it. Since then Acosta has been working with the EU athletic trainers every day to ice, stretch his ankles, and work on ankle mobility, as well as using a stim machine after stretches. A reason for the offensive struggles the Bluejays faced against the Bears could have been from Acosta’s injury and early leave of the game. They failed to get anything going on offense as they went scoreless through the first 24 minutes of the game, and punted their first six possessions. The Bears, on the other hand, could not be stopped as they scored three touchdowns before the Bluejays could get more than one first down.
All three of these touchdowns came through the air and were set up by blown coverages from the Bluejays’ secondary. The air raid continued throughout the first half as the Bears tagged on a late passing touchdown to wide receiver Collin Hoyhtya, giving the Bears a 28-7 lead going into halftime. The Bears quarterback Matt Rush finished the first half with four passing touchdowns, and Hoyhtya finished the first half with two receiving touchdowns. Although the score may show a blowout there were several positives for the Elmhurst Bluejays, like the success of their special teams unit. They had two blocked field goals and a blocked punt that set up their only score for the game at the end of the second quarter, a one-play 30-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Matt Xiques to running back Jacob Cockrell. The game plan going into Saturday’s game was to get to the Bears’ quarterback, according to McDonald, and to do that they wanted to allow their defensive stars to make a play. “We sat here designing things to get Bryce and Jamon involved and have one on one’s. It makes all the difference,” said McDonald. Linebacker Bryce Gable led the team with 17 total tackles and one sack, and defensive end Jamon Gooden had six total tackles and
two sacks. The Bluejays’ defense had a total of five sacks and did not allow any passing touchdowns in the second half. The Bluejays were not the only ones to make halftime adjustments as the Bears focused on establishing their run game in the second half, running for three rushing touchdowns. Two of them came from their powerback, Kenvorris Campbell, and the other from the more elusive running back, Kenneth Hamilton. McDonald and Acosta were adamant about the importance of a “next play mentality” and the attitude the Bluejays need to have going into future games. “Staying positive as much as possible, and when something bad happens, you don’t have to let it affect what happens next,” said McDonald. “Football is all about having a short memory,” said Acosta. Even though Acosta is not sure what caused his injury back in the game against Carroll, he was given the okay and played in the game at North Park on Saturday, which resulted in a close 23-20 loss. With one game left in the 2022 season, the Bluejays currently have a season record of 0-9, and a 0-8 conference record. Their last game will be Nov. 12 against Illinois Wesleyan University at 1 p.m. on Langhorst Field.
NOVEMBER 9, 2022
THE LEADER
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