Leader BAILEY HOENIG
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MOLLY TRAN EXPLAINS COVID-19 VACCINE EFFICACY
@elmhurstleader
MARCH 09. 2021
@ElmhurstLeader
ISSUE 08 ELMHURSTLEADER.COM
TheLeader
AFAAF AMATULLAH
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STARTING A BUSINESS DURING THE PANDEMIC CAN BE FUN, SAYS EU SENIOR
GIANNA MONTESANO
PAGES 5-7
January
JASMINE LILLIS
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March
February THE COURSE OF COVID-19: JANUARY 2020 TO NOW ADVERTISING
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Student nurses on joining countywide vaccination efforts:
“It feels so rewarding.” AFAAF AMATULLAH News Editor
It’s the third day of EU nursing major, senior Kaitlyn Kunde, working at the DuPage County Fairgrounds' mass vaccination site. Today she will be preparing vaccine doses. While removing air bubbles from syringes is a change of pace from the previous days where she was administering doses to patients, the task is just as engaging. “I found a lot of enjoyment in drawing up the vaccines in the back,” said Kunde, marveling at the process. “It was just one after another — gotta draw ’em up and get ’em out on the floor.” As a student, participating in the front lines of the COVID-19 inoculation effort helps Kunde find strength in her skill set. “After that first vaccine I gave, there was so much confidence,” she said. “I was like, ‘okay, I know the routine, I know the procedure.’” Kunde and other student nurses were vaccinated through the DuPage Health Department before beginning their volunteer service. The implementation of proactive measures, such as mask-wearing and maintaining hygiene, should not subside as the pandemic slows, Kunde believes. “I’ve always kept hand-sanitizer in my car,” she said. “It’s been really fascinating going through nursing school in the middle of a pandemic,” she reflected, noting that she feels equipped to launch her career following graduation. “It’s exciting for the students to have this opportunity as they are on their way out,” said Laura Minarich, EU professor and nurse practitioner, who is overseeing the partnership between the county and the university. Clinical observations for senior students are a primary component of Minarich’s community health course. “I taught this class last year, and one of the graduates is employed at the DuPage Health Department,” shared Minarich. “It was really cool for the students to see their recent peer.” While there are 60 students in Minarich’s clinical training course; the group is split into two
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cohorts. The first students to join the vaccination campaign are nearly finished with their 30 mandatory practicum hours after starting in mid-February. “We are hoping to continue the collaboration with the health department for as long as they are running this vaccine clinic,” said Minarich, mentioning that the next batch of nursing students will be placed at the clinic in a few weeks. EU student nurses are supervised and assisted by faculty, including Minarich, at the county-run site for eight-hour workdays. “On the first day that we were there, we gave around 200 vaccines,” said Minarich. Prior to handling the COVID-19 vaccine, students completed a training module offered by the CDC, which outlines best practices for medical professionals to observe. Additionally, the county conducted an orientation for all the volunteers that enhanced their ability to perform intramuscular injections. Holland Kosiek initially reacted to the training with some apprehension. “It made me nervous, like a ‘what are we getting ourselves into?’ kind of thing.” Kosiek’s worries dissipated once the students became adjusted to the various duties at the clinic. Before the pandemic disrupted students’ usual clinical experiences, student nurses often completed rotations at local hospitals. For Kosiek, who currently works as a patient care technician at St. Alexius Hospital in Hoffman Estates, EU’s volunteer program at the DuPage vaccination site has given her a fresh perspective on medical caregiving. “In a hospital, we’re doing more acute care, so we're treating a more specific disease or illness," explained Kosiek. Comparatively, preventative medicine, like vaccines, provide targeted protection by preparing your body to successfully fight future infections. “I feel like there is so much power just in a little vial, and they are trusting you to draw that up,” added Holland. “It’s very humbling.” The clinic is presently receiving the Pfizer-BioN-
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Victoria Dominick distributing a COVID-19 vaccine
(Top Row) Mckenna Walsh, Alyssa Danegelis, Michael Wood, Juana Bedolla, Kayla Terry, Kaitlyn Kunde, (Bottom Row) Kristen Kent, Victoria Dominick, Holland Kosiek, Sophie Miller, Consuelo Aquilera
Tech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine vials, which both require two doses for efficacious prevention. Procedures for administering shots from different pharmaceutical companies can vary, according to Kosiek. “The Pfizer dose, you have to dilute yourself with saline. You have to take the saline and inject it into the vaccine dose. Then you have to invert it ten times,” she said, detailing the process. “The Moderna is already prepared.” Educating patients on the vaccine as they wait for their doses or sit in observation has quickly become one of Kosiek’s favorite aspects about the job. “Seeing them excited and being like, ‘thank you so much for the work that you’re doing,’ has been really cool.” Fellow student nurse Kaliana Onita has been impressed by the community-wide coordination at the clinic. “It runs like a well-oiled machine,” she mused. On days that she interacts directly with visitors at the clinic, Onita appreciates the hands-on experience of injecting vaccinations and later, monitoring patients for potential side-effects or allergic reactions. “Sometimes we get to chat while we’re waiting for their vaccines.”
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Photo from Elmhurst University
Courtesy of Kaitlyn Kunde
In a hospital setting, Onita notes that students service a limited number of patients, as they may be stationed in a mother and baby unit, for instance. Working at the clinic allows Onita to establish rapport with a greater segment of the population. “It’s so different from just seeing two people.” Onita estimates that she vaccinated 60 people over the course of four days. “In nursing school, we don’t get a lot of opportunities to repeat a skill for hours on end,” she emphasized.
“It is such a great opportunity for us students to be able to insert ourselves in the community,” Onita elaborated. “We’re thankful that we have the chance to practice giving vaccines, watching for symptoms and asking screening questions.” Juana Bedolla, who transferred to EU in 2019 after entering the nursing program, said that volunteering at a vaccination site allows her to aid in the county's pandemic response and, “it feels so rewarding.” Once she has graduated in May, Bedolla will be joining her peers in cramming for the NCLEX exam, which must be taken before they begin working as entry-level nurses. “My goal is to start working in an ICU,” Bedolla
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Student nurses Kaliana Onita (left)Kaitlyn Kunde (right)
Courtesy of Kaitlyn Kunde
said when discussing her post-graduation plans. In addition to her academic and career-oriented commitments, Bedolla hopes to utilize her newfound knowledge to communicate the importance of public health. “This opportunity will help me in my future advocacy of vaccinations and immunizations for the community.”
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Starting a business during the pandemic can be fun, says EU senior AFAAF AMATULLAH News Editor
Rabia Amin
Courtesy of Rabia Amin
As much as she would like to prevent hiccups, Amin explained that the decorating process is not always forgiving. Occasionally, “the chocolate keeps melting and it cracks, or it just doesn’t come out the way you want it to.” Managing her business and meeting her obligations at school has proved to be challenging; however, Amin has been able to adapt by keeping her priorities in order. “It’s definitely hard,” reflected Amin, noting that some days can be especially demanding or frustrating. In those instances, Amin said that it is best to, “take a deep breath.”
Graphic by Julia Zawitkowska Scrolling through TikTok, EU senior and criminal justice major Rabia Amin came across a promotional video from a small business owner for the umpteenth time. On a whim, Amin, who perfected her recipe for hot chocolate bombs through trial-and-error, decided to begin selling her desserts, and “Rabia’s Chocolate” was born. To advertise, Amin set up an Instagram account (@rabiaschocolate) late last November, which has since amassed nearly 300 followers. “During Thanksgiving break, I was just like, ‘I’m going to try it and see how it goes,’” Amin shared about the initial idea to post her dessert creations online. “It is so cool and inspiring,” said Amin of small businesses that utilize social media to reach a larger market. The overwhelmingly positive response Amin received reinforced her passion for making handcrafted sweets. “So many of my friends and family came up and supported me,” she reminisced. Now, four months after opening her business, Amin
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Courtesy of Rabia Amin sells various homemade desserts aside from hot chocolate bombs, including chocolate-covered strawberries and Oreo balls. Around Valentine’s Day, Amin introduced breakable chocolate hearts that feature a personalized message and come with a miniature wooden hammer. Catering to her local community allows Amin to be, “a part of so many awesome memories,” whether that be holidays, birthdays, or wedding celebrations. “When I do deliveries, people have the biggest smiles on their faces,” said Amin. Amin, in hopes of expanding her audience, intends for her products to be inclusive of people with certain dietary restrictions. Hot chocolate bombs are filled with marshmallows which are likely to contain porcine gelatin. This can deter potential customers, according to Amin, who avoids using pork-derived ingredients in her desserts. “I didn’t know anyone from the area who had zabiha-halal options,” noted Amin about local businesses selling the internet-famous hot chocolate bombs.
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Even so, Amin could not be more grateful for the opportunity she has been given. “I’m enjoying it in the moment.” “A big pro is being a part of people’s special days,” she added, advising people that are developing small business plans to cherish the journey. Because Amin operates out of her home kitchen, she has similarly adapted to sharing the space with her family. “When I’m working in my kitchen, nobody else is allowed to be in there.” Preceding winter break, Amin noticed an increase in orders which made balancing her assignments and preparing for final exams particularly difficult. Luckily, Amin can turn to people in her life for assistance. “My mom would help me a lot,” she mentioned. Following her straining experience during the winter holiday season, Amin has resolved to step back from running her business as midterms approach this spring term. Though Amin has stopped taking new orders, for the time being, she will resume business as usual soon. With Amin graduating in May, she is not in a hurry to determine whether the business will stay open, as she will be pursuing a law degree in the upcoming fall. “I’m taking it day by day,” Amin said.
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NEWS SGA announces upcoming election guidelines JARED BOEKENHAUER Staff Reporter
Student Government Association (SGA) president Mike Vaia announced details for the 2021-2022 SGA elections last week on Thursday, March 4. The elections will begin April 19, at 10 a.m., and run until April 21, at 5 p.m. Voting will be conducted online through Qualtrics.
THE COURSE OF COVID-19: JANUARY 2020 TO NOW GIANNA MONTESANO Managing Editor
COVID-19 took the world by the storm overnight, completely changing the trajectory of everyone’s lives. We went from sitting next to one another in a packed movie theater, to standing six feet apart in a line, waiting to get a cotton swab inserted into our nose to see if we’re lucky enough to be COVID-19 negative. What began as a mysterious pneumonia in December 2019 has become a 21st century pandemic, claiming 2.6 million lives worldwide. Over the past year, the world was flipped upside down as countries raced to close down, quarantine, and move the lives of bustling cities and countries into Zoom rooms in hopes of containing the spread of COVID-19. Here is a timeline highlighting some of the events that transpired from January 2020 to March 2021, which have completely changed the lives of millions of Americans.
Senate and executive position elections will be held on all three days, as opposed to different days. “By streamlining the process and having both elections run simultaneously, it will both make elections more accessible to the campus community, as well as encourage higher voter turnout for both executive positions and senate positions,” Vaia told The Leader. In previous years, ballots for senate and executive seats were distinct. However, for SGA leadership, that presented a significant problem, since “you run the risk of students voting for executive roles and not for senate seats, and vice versa,” Vaia explained about the changes. If there are any ties, the elections will immediately go to a run-off, with the two tied candidates going head-to-head. Applications for students interested in running will open on April 5, at 10 a.m. and close on April 17, at 5 p.m.
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January Jan. 19, 2020: The first case of COVID-19, then called SARS-CoV-2, was detected in Washington state, in a man who began to develop symptoms after returning from Wuhan, China on Jan. 15. Jan. 30, 2020: The WHO declared a global health emergency after thousands of cases began to appear in China. The United States warned Americans against travelling to China. Jan. 31, 2020: President Trump swiftly placed a ban barring foreign nationals from entering the U.S. if they had travelled to China within the last 14 days.
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February Feb. 3, 2020: The U.S. declared a public health emergency. Feb. 11, 2020: The WHO named the mysterious disease that had already taken over 360 lives “COVID-19.” COVID-19 is short for coronavirus disease 2019. Feb. 29, 2020: The U.S. reported its first official COVID-19 death near Seattle, Wash.
March March 11, 2020: The WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. March 13, 2020: President Trump declared COVID-19 to be a national emergency, while simultaneously declaring a travel ban on non-U.S. citizens coming from Europe. March 26, 2020: 81,321 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,000 reported deaths in the U.S., making the U.S. the most infected country, globally. March 27, 2020: President Trump signed the CARES Act, extending unemployment benefits to Americans impacted by COVID-19 as well as a direct deposit of 1,200 dollars into the accounts of eligible Americans as a stimulus relief check.
April April 2, 2020: 10 million Americans lost their jobs due to the pandemic and 6.6 million people applied for unemployment benefits in order to
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May May 12, 2020: COVID-19 cases began to climb throughout May 2020 and Anthony Fauci, U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, declared the U.S. death toll of 80,000 was an underestimate and that hopes of a vaccine to help fight COVID-19 would be released within one to two years. May 28, 2020: The U.S. death toll topped 100,000 people in the U.S. who have died from COVID-19.
June June 10, 2020: Social distancing was urged heavily in the beginning of the pandemic; however, states began to ease restrictions as they entered into new tiers on their paths to regain normalcy and reopen their economies. With eased restrictions, the U.S. saw its number of infected cases climb up to 2 million. June 16, 2020: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the COVID-19 vaccine, which was in the development stage, would be free to some, primarily elderly patients and vulnerable populations who would not be able to afford it. June 26, 2020: States in the U.S. south began to see a staggering rise in cases because of eased reopening plans addressed by the White House Coronavirus Task Force. With these developments, Texas and Florida halted their reopening plans. June 30, 2020: The news became grimmer when
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Fauci announced that COVID-19 cases could begin topping 100,000 new cases a day given that the U.S. was faced with around 40,000 cases a day around this time.
July July 6, 2020: Scientific developments began to emerge, citing that COVID-19 is an airborne disease, calling on the WHO to revise guidelines that stated COVID-19 was spread via small droplets transmitted through an infected individual when they cough, sneeze, or speak. July 9, 2020: The WHO took these guidelines into consideration and announced it to the public. July 7: The U.S. topped 3 million cases of infected individuals and simultaneously announced they would be withdrawing from the WHO, which would not take place until 2021. July 13, 2020: With the spike in unemployment from February to July, five million Americans lost their health insurance. July 14, 2020: Moderna Inc. began to show promising results and status as a potential vaccine candidate in their early trials of the COVID-19 vaccine. July 21, 2020: The HHS and Department of Defense (DOD) signed a distribution deal with Pfizer-BioNTech to deliver 100 million doses of their vaccine by December 2020 to the U.S. if phase-three trials prove safe and effective. July 27, 2020: Moderna entered their phase-three trial and received $427 million from the Trump administration to expand their trial to 30,000 U.S. participants.
August Aug. 1, 2020: As people began to turn down from their summer highs, the U.S. saw 1.9 million cases reported in the month of July 2020. Aug. 3, 2020: With this steep number rising, President Trump declared in an interview with Axios that the U.S. death toll “is what it is.” Aug. 4, 2020: The death toll rose to 150,000 Americans. Rural America began suffering when 49% of low income hospitals began to have a complete shortage of intensive care unit beds and had to begin transferring patients to wealthier hospitals
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to administer COVID-19 treatments. Aug. 11, 2020: Moderna and the U.S. reached an agreement where the U.S. will pay $1.5 billion for 100 million doses of the Moderna vaccine. Aug. 13, 2020: Presidential nominee Joe Biden urged state governors to require their citizens to wear masks when they leave their homes for three months and promised to instill a mask mandate if he wins the presidential office in November. The U.S. death toll is 165,000 and the mask mandate would protect 40,000 lives by November. Aug. 16, 2020: The Center for Disease Control (CDC) began drafting a vaccine distribution plan. The global death toll hiked up to 800,000 dead from COVID-19.
September Sept. 3, 2020: As colleges began to reopen for the fall semester on campus after sending students home to work remotely in March, 51,000 COVID-19 cases were tied to American colleges, causing campuses such as University of Notre Dame and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to close down again. Sept. 14, 2020: Pfizer-BioNTech entered phasethree of their vaccine trial on to 44,000 in order to host a more diverse audience with adolescents under 16, people living with HIV, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C. Sept. 16, 2020: The Trump Administration released their first vaccine distribution plan, declaring the vaccine would be free for all and would begin being distributed in January 2021, however they indicated no clear plan on the hierarchy of who would receive the vaccine first. Sept. 21, 2020: Johnson & Johnson announced they would be entering phase-three of their vaccine trial which differs from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech with only one dose being needed rather than two doses. Sept. 22, 2020: The U.S. death toll reached 200,000 Americans. Sept. 28, 2020: The global death toll hit one million.
October Oct. 2, 2020: After the first presidential debate
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NEWS against Democratic candidate Biden, President Trump and wife Melania Trump announced they contracted COVID-19. Oct. 5, 2020: President Trump was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Center and returned to the White House. Oct. 11, 2020: One million cases were reported in three days globally, the highest number of cases reported in a short time span. Oct. 15, 2020: The U.S. reported 60,000 cases in a single day, a number that had not been reached since August.
November Nov. 4, 2020: The U.S. reported 100,000 COVID-19 cases in one day. The U.S. remains to be the most infected country. Nov. 5, 2020: Colleges made up 250,000 of U.S. COVID-19 cases. Nov. 7, 2020: After a week-long election, Biden was announced as president-elect, announcing plans to halt the spread of COVID-19. Nov. 8, 2020: 10 million cases of COVID-19 were reported in the U.S. Nov. 9, 2020: President-elect Biden announced who would be on his Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board. Nov. 16, 2020: Moderna announced their vaccine had a 94.5% efficacy rate in protecting against COVID-19. Nov. 18, 2020: Pfizer-BioNTech announced their vaccine trials showed 95% efficacy against COVID-19 and they would be seeking FDA approval in order to begin distributing the vaccine before the end of 2020. The U.S. death toll reached 250,000 Americans. Nov. 21, 2020: With cases and deaths still rising, the Food and Department of Agriculture (FDA) granted emergency approval to the Regeneron treatment used on President Trump during his stay at Walter Reed National Military Center to be used on COVID-19 patients.
December Dec. 3, 2020: President-elect Biden asked Americans to wear masks for 100 days in an effort to
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prompt more Americans to keep wearing masks in order to diminish the number of COVID-19 cases. Throughout the month, the FDA met to deliberate on the approval of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines. Dec. 11, 2020: The FDA granted an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to begin shipment and distribution. Pfizer-BioNTech requires two doses given 21 days apart. Dec. 14, 2020: The death toll in the U.S. reached 300,000 Americans. Dec. 18, 2020: Moderna was granted an emergency use authorization and allowed to begin shipment for distribution requiring two doses given 28 days apart. Dec. 21, 2020: In the United Kingdom a new COVID-19 variant was detected appearing to be more contagious than the current strain plaguing the globe. Dec. 23, 2020: The U.S. bought 100 million more doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech doses. Dec. 29, 2020: In Colorado, a man in his 20’s was infected with the new strain of COVID-19 from the United Kingdom even though he had not travelled there prior. After months of fighting on capitol hill, the second round of stimulus checks of $600 began to be deposited into Americans’ bank accounts. Dec. 31, 2020: 2.8 million people received their initial COVID-19 dose, falling short of the promise of only distributing 14 of the 20 million doses allocated for the first rounds.
January Jan. 1, 2021: To start off the new year, the U.S. reported 20 million COVID-19 cases. Jan. 3, 2021: California reached its maximum running out of ICU beds as cases rose day by day. The state reported 45,350 new cases. Jan. 4, 2021: 4.2 million Americans had been vaccinated. On this same day, John Hopkins University revealed in their data that the U.S. averages 2,637 COVID-19 deaths a day which results in one American dying every 33 seconds. Jan. 11, 2021: Vaccine rollout remained slow with only 6.7 million people vaccinated with 22 millions doses have been distributed to hospitals and pharmacies nationwide. Jan. 15, 2021: 12 million vaccines were administered.
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Jan. 18, 2021: Dr. Rochelle Walensky, incoming CDC director, stated the U.S. death toll will hit 500,000 by mid-February. Jan. 22, 2021: Fauci announced that the U.S. is capable of having 85% of Americans vaccinated by the end of summer. Jan. 28, 2021: A White House COVID-19 Response Team senior advisor stated “it will be months” before every American who wants to be vaccinated can get one. Jan. 29, 2021: In South Carolina, two cases of COVID-19 were confirmed to be the new strain found in South Africa.
February Feb. 4, 2021: The FDA began preparing reviewing potential COVID-19 booster shoots to enhance protection from COVID-19 variants if they become dominant enough to fight off the protection from the current vaccines. Feb. 8, 2021: U.S. COVID-19 infection rate climbed to 27 million cases and death tolls nears half a million Americans, at 463,433. Feb. 17, 2021: An average of 1.6 million Americans received a vaccine each day during the week of Feb. 8. Feb. 22, 2021: The U.S. COVID-19 death toll reached its grimmest milestone of 500,000 Americans. Feb. 27, 2021: The FDA approved the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for emergency authorization with 72% effectiveness that increases over time, only one vaccine is required per person compared to the two shots of Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech.
March March 1, 2021: Four million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are being shipped across the U.S. for immediate distribution. March 3, 2021: 80 million COVID-19 vaccines had been administered in the U.S. March 6, 2021: The Senate approved President Biden’s COVID-19 bill, granting Americans a third stimulus check of $1,400. March 7, 2021: The U.S. COVID-19 death toll stood at 524,000 Americans.
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of having to get sick “ 'Instead before getting [immunity], you can get it from that vaccine,' added Tran. bacteria or virus, it takes a little bit to get the manufacture going,” Tran highlighted. During this “manufacturing” period, you may get sick; however, in the case that you come into contact with the illness again, memory cells will recognize the infection and your body will know how to fight it off. This is known as innate or adaptive immunity.
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Graphic by Princess Gonzalez Esparza
“Instead of having to get sick before getting immunity, you can get [immunity] from that vaccine,” added Tran.
Molly Tran explains COVID-19 vaccine efficacy BAILEY HOENIG Staff Reporter As COVID-19 vaccination rollout continues in the United States, many are expressing concern about how well vaccine shots provided by different pharmaceutical companies work. Molly Tran, director of Elmhurst University’s master of public health program, hosted a webinar on Feb. 25, to break down how a vaccine is transmitted throughout the body and to provide information on trial and production of the vaccines.
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COVID-19 is caused by a virus known as SARSCOV-2. Viruses are infectious agents that use the body’s cells as a host. The virus uses its own spike protein to infect the host’s healthy cells, and thereby spreads throughout the body. “The immune system distinguishes self from nonself and eliminates potentially harmful non-self molecules and cells from the body,” Tran noted in her slide presentation. Vaccines focus on B cells, which make antibodies. Antibodies are proteins that have receptors specialized for a virus or bacteria that may be encountered. These act as a warning flag for other cells to kill the bad cell. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), production of T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes begins a few weeks after vaccination. “The first time that your body has seen a new
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There are several companies with their own vaccinations: The mRNA Pfizer two dose, the mRNA Moderna two dose, the DNA Johnson & Johnson one dose, and the DNA Oxford-AstraZeneca two dose. The mRNA and DNA vaccines both act as blueprints for the body to direct cells to produce a virus’s spike protein for an immune response. Despite the skepticism, no vaccine trial procedures were skipped. Due to the rapid funding, reduced approval time by officials in between trials, and floods of volunteers, the COVID-19 vaccine trials were able to move at a more rapid pace than others. The mRNA groundwork has also already been set, as specialists have been researching mRNA technologies for over twenty years. “The mRNA and DNA vaccines you can basically assemble,” explained Tran. “You don’t have to wait for a living thing to grow.” During the webinar, Tran also drew vaccination distribution comparisons between the United States and the United Kingdom. In the U.S., approximately 21–28 days pass between the first dose of the vaccine and the second “booster” dose. In an effort to provide the first dose of the vaccine to a larger population, U.K. medical professionals do not administer a second dose until 12 weeks after the first dose. While research studies continue on the COVID-19 vaccines, Tran noted that at least 80 percent of the population needs to be vaccinated in order to reach herd immunity, where enough of the population is vaccinated to make the spread of infection unlikely. Even if you have been vaccinated, Tran reminded her audience to “keep acting as if you could transmit COVID-19.”
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ARTS + CULTURE
This Week In GIANNA MONTESANO Managing Editor
@yolo46782 on TikTok
@heidikunz1 on TikTok @sarahhesterros on TikTok
Millennials wage war on Gen Z over side parts and skinny jeans
Uh-oh, sounds like millennials are tired of #adulting and are now #bullying Gen Z on TikTok. Strange, but it’s happening. Millennials on the video-sharing app have begun clapping back at Gen Z for deciding that skinny jeans and side parts should be trends of the past and ought to be replaced with "scandalous" middle parts and baggy mom jeans. Millennials felt attacked and started swarming to the app with impassioned rants about how lowrise jeans and layered tops walked so skinny jeans could run and it should stay that way. Don’t worry, Gen Z is just as confused as you might be reading this because this seemingly came out of nowhere. One millennial, by the user @sarahhesterross, wrote a song titled “Hey Gen Z” with lyrics ex-
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plaining that Gen Z, born during 1997-2012, can “suck it” because nobody will tell this #girlboss what to wear. “Hey Gen Z you can suck it, you can’t tell me what to wear, ’cause I’ve been rocking this side part since you had Kermit on your underwear,” sings Sarah. “And you can pry these skinny jeans from my cold, dead ass, ya hear?” Gen Z’ers have responded to this song by using the audio to show them dressing up as the "brave" millennials in infinity scarves, skinny jeans, and side parts. So strap into your mom jeans and middle parts because this means war (only to millennials though, trends can change, but who is going to tell them that).
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pop culture Room for one more on your billing statement? CBS launches “Paramount+” streaming service
Meghan Markle being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey
CBS News
The Winfrey Tea Party: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sit down for a tell-all interview It feels like a fever dream remembering Netflix and Hulu as the sole streaming services available; now CBS launched Paramount+ to rival Disney+, AppleTV, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Hulu. Paramount+ is going to feature a plethora of our childhood favorites like “iCarly,” “Spongebob Squarepants,” and “Rugrats.” Rumor has it that the “iCarly” reboot is going to stream exclusively on Paramount+. Other titles within the streaming service include “Titanic,” “Forrest Gump,” and the “Star Trek” series.
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are sitting down with Oprah Winfrey in a “liberating” interview unveiling all the royal “tea” as to why the two left the British Royal Family, on Sunday, March 7, at 8 p.m. EST.
Across the pond, critics are turning their noses, and pinkies, up to the timing of the interview being released because Prince Philip, Prince Harry’s 99-year-old grandfather, is in the hospital recovering from heart surgery.
The couple began their departure from the royal family back in March 2020, after a slew of slanderous tabloids criticized Markle with racist stories and harassment on her character. A shady source established the narrative that Markle was bullying the royal family.
In a clip released, Markle tells Winfrey she wasn’t allowed to conduct any interviews prior to the wedding, per Winfrey’s request, without royal minders present, recalling how strange it was to go from being an extremely independent adult to constantly being monitored 24/7.
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OPINIONS
Editorial One year of the pandemic, and you are doing great. We are approaching one year of living with the pandemic. It can go without saying that it has been a hard year, but despite the circumnstances, the campus community has been extremely resilient. The student body lost so much this year. Although the campus is looking a bit more lively than it did previously, it is still a shell of what it once was. Many students are living off-campus — living their entire college experience online. It is great that some courses are able to meet in-person, and the university seems to be looking into making sure that is more possible in the fall. While it may still be difficult for those taking classes online, students are doing the best they can at them, and that is enough. Students, even if you feel like you are not doing as well in your coursework as you may have prior to the virus, that is okay. The fact that you
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are still trying toward that degree in these awful circumstances is something to be proud of alone. Many professors are also putting the extra work to make sure students stay afloat. They have taken extra training to make their courses are satisfactory online as they would be in-person. They still do their best in teaching their courses — even when they they have to also deal with the hardships that COVID-19 has brought. A year later, professors may still miss an email or two, or not know what buttons to press to successfully screenshre on Zoom, and that is okay. The fact that they try and are willing to continue to learn and adapt is enough. Of course, college is more than just getting a degree; it's about having fun experiences too that will be remembered for a lifetime. COVID-19 took away a lot of those opportunities: The chance to properly get involved on campus, to meet and gather with friends, to live in the dorms without restrictions. While it may not be the same, the campus community has been hard at work to make sure the college experience for all is not completely lost.
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 the university at large. All text, photos and art cannot be reproduced withoutdirect permission of The Leader.
Clubs have been expecially resilient making sure that members can still be involved — both in-person and virtually. The campus as a whole also has found ways to make sure that events and lectures still are going on that people can safely enjoy. We at The Leader have felt this too. We miss meeting in person in Old Main every Tuesday. We miss production weekend, sitting in the basement all day long on a Sunday. We miss being together and holding the paper in our hands. But we still try to make it work too, trying our best to give the lastest information and content to the campus community with the limited communication the Internet can give us. We may not all be doing perfectly as a campus community, and we may not have pandemic life competely down, but we are doing enough. Life now may feel at times just as hard and as it did on day one, and that is okay. You are allowed to mourn your losses still. You are still allowed to feel scared or unmotivated or overwhelmed. But count all your wins, no matter how small. The fact that you are still here doing something is enough. Whether you are a member of the campus community, or just a citizen of the world right now, you are doing great.
THE LEADER
03.09.21
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ISSUE 08
THE LEADER
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SPORTS
NIKLAS FAULK Sports Editor March is here, and so is your weekly sports news. The MLB and NHL have been busy. The Cubs and the White Sox have both begun their spring training exhibition games, and there has been controversy already. The Blackhawks find out whether they are legitimate, or just okay. In the NBA, all-star weekend has come and gone, and the Bulls continue to stay exciting. In the NFL, the Bears have continued to pop up as favorites in the massive quarterback sweepstakes, and still have no answer for Allen Robinson.
Are they for real? The Blackhawks enter toughest part of their schedule. The Chicago Blackhawks have been a pleasant surprise not just for Blackhawks fans, but hockey fans in general. Before the beginning of the season, they were projected to finish at the bottom of the newly formed Central Division with their hated rival Detroit Red Wings. They started the season with a triple threat battle between Collin Delia, Malcolm Subban, and Kevin Lankinen to decide who will be the starting goaltender and who will be backup. Naturally, the assumption was Malcolm Subban, after the Blackhawks signed him to a two-year contract. They started the season 0-3-1 and were embarrassed on national television against the defending champs, Tampa Bay Lightning, losing both games 5-1 and 5-2. For a moment, things were looking grim as expected after they started the season without Jonathan Toews, Alexander Nylander, Calvin de Haan, Brent Seabrook, and Kirby Dach.
The rookies have been fantastic, filling in the roles of the veterans, and have helped the Blackhawks into a playoff spot in the Central Division. Lankinen has made himself known as the clear number one starter and has put up Calder Memorial Trophy numbers. Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane have helped the offense gel and have been having excellent seasons. Kane, who is now the hundredth player in NHL history to score 400 goals, continues to be elite at age 32 and is a frontrunner to win the Hart Memorial Trophy, trailing Edmonton Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. At 12-7-6, the Blackhawks sit fourth in the Central Division with 31 points. They have only played one legitimate playoff teams ahead of them in the standings since losing to Florida and Tampa at the beginning of the season, and now face the hardest part of their schedule. Over the next three weeks, six of their eleven upcoming games will be against the three teams in front of them in the division: Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, and Carolina Hurricaines. This is not only important in deciding whether the Blackhawks are a legitimate playoff team, but with only four points between the Blackhawks and the Columbus Blue Jackets in the fifth spot, the Blackhawks could be on the outside looking in after the stretch of games against playoff teams is over.
“Seabs” hangs them up: Brent Seabrook retires after 15 years.
Seabrook lined up for a faceoff
Patrick Kane celebrating gaol 400
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Long-time Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook has called it a career after 15 seasons with the
THE LEADER
Blackhawks due to an ongoing back injury. Seabrook was a vital part of the Blackhawks’ dynasty from 2008-2016. He spent his entire career with the Chicago team after being drafted by them in 2003. Seabrook helped the Blackhawks win three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013, and 2015. He also helped Canada win gold at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010. His most famous moment in a Blackhawks sweater came in 2013, when he scored the game-winning goal against the Detroit Red Wings in overtime in Game 7 of the Western Conference semi-final. While under contract with the Blackhawks, Seabrook has not played since late 2019 after a back injury.
Cubs and Sox officially play exhibition games. With the start of the regular season three weeks away, the White Sox and Cubs have started the exhibition portion of spring training. New faces, both young and old, have joined the clubhouses and are getting their chances to secure a spot in the lineup on Opening Day. Young star, Andrew Vaughn, has quickly made a good impression for the White Sox with a three-run homer and an RBI single to start his first ever spring training. Vaughn has been making a strong case for the designated hitter position that is currently vacant after the departure of Edwin Encarnación. José Abreu has also shined. While his numbers are low for spring training, Abreu has shown the power and velocity throughout spring training without any signs of decline. Former Cub, Jonathan Lucroy, also signed with the White Sox to replace ex backup catcher James McCann. For the Cubs, arguably the best statistical pitcher in the last five years, Jake Arrieta, has returned on a one year, $6 million deal. From 2013-16 Arrieta was the most dominant pitcher in Cubs history, with two no-hitters in 2015 and 2016, and led the league in wins in 2015 with 22. While his performance is not the same as it used to be, he is still transitioning to become a fourth or fifth starter with quality innings. Joc Pederson came over as a free agent this summer to replace Kyle Schwarber in left field. Since joining the Cubs, Pederson has hit over .330, including hitting his first home run in a Cubs uniform.
03.09.21
SPORTS first rounds involved, and the Bears would have to give up at least one key player.
Arrieta returns to Cubs
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Paying more for less: Fans upset about shortened exhibition games. Since spring training games began with fan attendance allowed, fans have been paying up to $50 per ticket just to watch only six innings of baseball. Teams have been calling games short to save energy for the regular season. Teams are also cutting innings short even when there are men on base. If a pitcher throws up to 20 pitches, managers can choose to end an inning abruptly despite the circumstances, to limit the risk of COVID-19 and keep players healthy. Newly hired White Sox manager Tony La Russa rules against being able to postpone games after a certain time because he believes that it will be more beneficial not only for the ballplayers, but for the fans too. Depending on how many people are going together, an average group of four people could spend $200 between food, drinks, tickets, and parking. People are fed up with only getting to see five innings of baseball where only three starters are playing and then get removed from the lineup right away.
In addition to not having a quarterback, the Bears are still without their top receiver, Allen Robinson. After going the entire 2020-21 season without receiving a contract extension, Robinson is currently without a contract and has the option to sign elsewhere, should the Bears not give him the franchise tag. There are many questions as to why the Bears have waited so long to re-sign a top 3 wide receiver in the league and frustration has been growing inside Robinson’s party. Many fans and analysts are choosing the Bears to go “all out” when it comes to entertaining deals to snag Russell Wilson of Seattle or DeShaun Watson in Houston. There would likely be multiple first rounds involved, and the Bears would have to give up at least one key player. In addition to not having a quarterback, the Bears are still without their top receiver, Allen Robinson. After going the entire 2020-21 season without receiving a contract extension, Robinson is currently without a contract and has the option to sign elsewhere, should the Bears not give him the franchise tag. There are many questions as to why the Bears have waited so long to re-sign a top 3 wide receiver in the league and frustration has been growing inside Robinson’s party.
Second half, commence: NBA resumes after the “All-Star breaks.” The second half of the 2020-21 NBA season is underway and the Chicago Bulls look to build off their up and down first half. Only two games under .500, they sit just a game back behind the Toronto Raptors for the eighth and final playoff spot. Allstar Zach LaVine looks to lead the Bulls along with youngsters like Coby White and Patrick Williams, who have developed into promising stars the league has underestimated. Williams is averaging 10.2 points per game and just under five rebounds. Coby White is tearing it up averaging 16.2 points per game and over 30 minutes per game. LaVine has been proving himself that he got snubbed last season in the all-star voting. Averaging 28.7 points per game and helping defensively as well. The Bulls are officially exciting to watch again despite missing Otto Porter Jr. The Bulls are also interested in center Andre Drummond in addition to possibly adding Lonzo Ball. The Bulls would have to find a way to get rid of Porter’s contract.
All signs point to Chicago. After over a month of speculation, the Chicago Bears have not yet made a single move or trade that involves one of the top quarterbacks in the league. They have been rumored to be the top destination for many quarterbacks like Sam Darnold, Jimmy Garoppolo, Alex Smith, and even a possible return of Mitch Trubisky. While these names are all respectable, the focus has been on the top two quarterbacks in the 2021 off-season: Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson. While both the Seattle Seahawks and the Houston Texans want an incredible amount of return, the Bears are top favorites despite not having much to offer. Many fans and analysts are choosing the Bears to go “all out” when it comes to entertaining deals to snag Russell Wilson from Seattle or DeShaun Watson from Houston. There would likely be multiple
ISSUE 08
Russell Wilson
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A-Rob getting past defender
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THE LEADER
LaVine thinking about his next move
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SPORTS Elmhurst University sports back in full swing NIKLAS FAULK Sports Editor
After a year of canceled on-campus sports, the buzz is back. Basketball is underway and the swim team is starting their season. Baseball is holding tryouts for this upcoming season, and for the first time ever, football is starting in the spring. In this issue, we will be covering every sport on campus and catch you up on all the latest Bluejays’ news. MEN’S BASKETBALL Continuing success: Bluejays mirror 2020 season. After having their successful 2019-2020 season cut short due to COVID-19, the men’s basketball team has picked up right where they left off. Despite having the first four games being postponed and a heartbreaking loss to Carroll University their first game back, the Bluejays went on a sixgame winning streak to solidify the number three seed in the conference standings. The Bluejays averaged 79.3% points per game during their win streak and had players like Ocean Johnson, Lavon Thomas, and Jay Militello break out averaging 37.5% points a game between the three of them. Senior Dominic Genco has also put on a show this season putting up just over 13 points per game with 16 steals. The Bluejays enter the CCIW tournament as the third seed and will take on Carroll University in the quarter final. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Clipped wings: Bluejays stopped short in quarter final. The 2020-21 women’s basketball season came to a disappointing close following a 77-52 loss to Illinois Wesleyan University. The 2020-21 season was not kind to the Bluejays, finishing with a regular season record of 3-9 and solidified the seventh seed in the tournament. Although this season was rather forgettable, there were a few bright spots. Senior Marissa Urso averaged 8.5 points a game, with 20 of those coming against powerhouse Wheaton College. Senior Courtney O’Donnell had a season high 18 points against Carroll University in January. The Bluejays averaged just under 70 points per game in their three wins. While this
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Jay Millitello driving to the basket
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Marisa Urso calling up a play
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Ben Luke fighting off a cross check
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Valerie Thomas digging out a ball
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was not the ideal way the women’s team wanted to go out, the future looks bright. The team has ten freshmen on the roster, like Payton Schmidt, who provided depth scoring for the Bluejays this season with over 4.5 points a game. MEN’S LACROSSE Hitting the Ground Running: Men’s Lacrosse off to a 2-0 start. The lacrosse season is officially underway and the Bluejays are off to the races early, winning their first two games at home. The Bluejays ousted Milwaukee School of Engineering (MOE), 12-7 to open the season and dominated Marian University 20-4. The Bluejays have been led by sophomore attackman Ben Luke, who has 12 goals in 2 games and 14 points on the season. With the cancellation of their game against Concordia University, the upcoming schedule features a solid matchup against Aurora University, a home game versus DePauw University, and then a four-game road trip where they will be battling Benedictine University, University of Northwestern-Minnesota, Transylvania University, and Hanover College. WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL Ace High: Bluejays record 17 aces in two matches. The Bluejays are off to a fantastic start winning their first two matches against Wheaton College and Augustana College. Junior Valerie Thomas has led the Bluejays with five Aces, all of which came against Wheaton College. Sophomore Erin Murray leads the team in assists with 62 and senior Taylor Zurliene is responsible for 26 of the Bluejays’ kills over the first two contests. They currently sit on top of the conference standings with Millikin University. The next contest is Tuesday, March 9, against Carthage College at 5 p.m.
THE LEADER
03.09.21