Collegiette Issue 009

Issue 009 · Spring 2023

COLLEGIETTE

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LETTERS FROM THE EDITORS

Welcome to Issue 009 of Her Campus American’s Collegiette! We are so excited to welcome you into our collection of remarkable articles, outstanding graphic design, and beautiful photography.

The writers, editors, and designers that created this beautiful vessel of artistry are truly unstoppable.

Through HCAU, we empower women and nonbinary individual’s voices and foster an inclusive space of genuine expression.

This semester’s Collegiette tackles discrepancies in the physical and mental health industry, critiques of pop-culture trends, obstacles students face on campus, investigates politics, shares personal narratives, and so much more. These pages are filled with issues that our members feel are not given enough attention by mainstream media. Issue 009 embraces the values we hold dear to us at HCAU and shows a range of topics that are well-reported and well-represented by our team.

Producing the Spring 2023 edition has been an honor as Editor-in-Chief of Her Campus American.

However, Spring 2023 marks both the end of my college career and my time at Her Campus. I began as a writer for HCAU in Fall 2019 and never imagined I would hold multiple positions including print editor, publishing director, and managing editor, let alone become Editor-in-Chief for my final year at American University. I am honored and grateful for every opportunity I have had at HCAU and American University. While I am sad to leave this amazing organization, I am thankful to HCAU for giving me lifelong friends, the ability to express myself through writing, and a second family in Washington.

Thank you to everyone who help create this beautiful edition. We are so proud to present Issue 009 of Her Campus American’s Collegiette and we hope you enjoy it as much as we have!

HCXO, Gianna Matassa, Editor-in-Chief

M P U S AT

RICAN Welcome to Issue 009 of Collegiette! This print edition of the work produced at Her Campus American is my favorite part of our organization. There’s nothing like holding your printed, published work in your hands, and I’m so thankful to our design team for putting our writers’ work together in a magazine worth displaying on the coffee table.

This semester, our writers explored shortfalls in American University’s commitment to accessibility, captured the culture pulsing through our campus and critiqued national political moves. I hope this collection of stories inspires you to think critically and sparks your curiosity about day-to-day life.

HCXO, Ellie Blanchard, Publishing Director

This issue of Collegiete contains opinion pieces. Her Campus American journalists are free to express opinions. The opinions in this article are not representative of Her Campus American’s opinions as an organization.

IN THIS ISSUE The Afforability of College Cooking Evelyn Middleton

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Religion at American University Sarah Metcalfe

3 The Era of the “Little Treat” Grace Dehner

Moving Backwards?: President Biden Approves Massive Alaskan Oil Drilling Project

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Sophie Carter A Pillar of American University: The Davenport Coffee Lounge Jordyn Habib

21 Seeking Meaning in the Mundane Riley-Kate Pappas

15 Women and Power: No Room for Struggle Emma Macdowall

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Shortfalls of ASAC Callie Whicker

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7 The Changing Tides Around the Views on Aquariums and Zoos Cleo Pool

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37 Does LinkedIn Bring More Harm Than Good?

Hannah Newlon-Trujillo

Dining on Campus with Dietary Restrictions Alyssa Toppi

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49 How White Saviorism at AU is a Product of Larger Scale Institutional Corruption Hannah Arthur

45 What’s the Deal with DC’s Affordable Housing?

Cate Geier

RELIGION AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY

Illustrations by Grace Soares Simi Singh

Sarah Metcalfe

Religion is a dwindling institution in American society.

More and more of the population, including children and young people, are religiously unaffiliated.

So why is there still a thriving community of religious students within American University’s student body?

AU has multiple religions represented within the Kay Spiritual Life Center. According to the chapel’s website, religious communities include Methodists, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddists, Christians and more.

For these communities, there are certain times and places within the Kay Spiritual Life Center for them to pray and congregate together.

Founding of American University The founding of American University was grounded in Methodist beliefs. Methodist bishop John Fletcher Hurst was the chancellor of American University in 1891 before the university’s establishment in 1893.

According to AU’s Campus Life webpage, the Methodist beliefs are about open and honest inquiry, service and social justice and affirming human dignity.

The Creation of the Kay Spiritual Center Even if you think religion is not present at AU, the presence of the Kay Spiritual Life Center is enough to make religion feel prominent to anyone passing through campus.

According to the Kay Center’s website, the chapel will provide a place for “the sharing of different faiths and denominations, and will allow more fully for encounter, for questioning, and for seeking.”

The Kay Center opened on Oct. 4, 1965, when there was a service of dedication with various church and religious leaders in attendance to give their blessings toward the new house of religious affairs at American.

Denominations Represented AU Methodists claims to be a “progressive campus ministry for

Simi Singh

all.” Their statement of inclusion says, “We are a community of love and grace open to people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, races and ethnicities, differing abilities, diverse economic levels, ages, and personal background, whether they be students, faculty, staff, community members, or visitors.” They hold church services at the Kay Spiritual Life Center on Sunday nights at 5 p.m.

Chi Alpha is a life group where students can build meaningful relationships within the Christian community on campus. Chi Alpha’s mission is to spread Jesus through community and finding purpose through both. Weekly worship services meet in the Kay Chapel at 8:30 p.m.

AU Hillel is the “home for Jewish life on campus.” Hillel holds student-led Shabbat services and dinners each Friday night during the semester.

They also hold inclusive High Holidays services for the Jewish holidays Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover, Chanukah and more.

AU Catholic is also another sect of the Christian religion that is represented on AU’s campus. They hold various Mass services during the week as well as confessions. Their mission is to “seek to reach out to students so they may encounter Christ, be formed as disciples, and sent into the world.” They also post videos on their YouTube channel, AU Catholic.

Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists are also represented on campus and have designated prayer places within the Kay Spiritual Life Center.

In the Kay Lounge, there is Friday prayer at 1 p.m. and a prayer room located in the lower level of the chapel for Muslims.

Hindus have a Dharmic Worship space within the Kay Chapel where they hold different events throughout the semester.

Students who practice Buddhism are able to attend Insight Meditations on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.

American University is far from having no religion present.

With the variety of denominations represented and spaces available, every student has a place for spiritual practice and exploration.■

Simi Singh

THE ERA OF THE Gen Z’s Reaction to a Looming Recession

“LITTLE TREAT”:

Grace Dehner

Illustrations by Simi Singh

After economic stagnation caused by supply chain disruptions, surges in COVD-19 cases and geopolitical conflict in Europe, the United States is due for a recession.

According to the World Bank’s annual report, the world’s top economies – Europe, China and the United States – are closely walking the line of economic downturn due to limited opportunities for growth in the last few years.

Although minimum wage in many states might be higher than it was decades ago, Gen Z has around 86% less buying power than Baby Boomers did at the same age, according to Consumer Affairs. These factors together, along with the rising median cost to own a home and consumer price inflation, are a recipe for the newest generation of market participants to be plagued with financial worry.

In the United States, it is estimated that because of high prices, expensive borrowing rates and disturbances in established markets, the U.S. economy will grow by less than one percent, according to PBS. While this is enough to stave off a recession for the time being, the uncertainty surrounding such a volatile, global market is enough to make anyone anxious, most of all those newest to economic self-sufficiency: Gen Z.

Despite this anxiety around recession and economic hardship, influencer culture remains a large part of digital platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. Paid by companies through sponsorships and/or free gifts, content creators with large followings are constantly peddling new products to their mostly young audiences.

Gen Z, which includes those born between 1997 and 2012, have already lived through numerous periods of economic vulnerability.

Whether it was the bursting of the dot com bubble in 2001, the 2008 financial crisis or 2020’s Great Lockdown. This demographic most likely experienced massive job loss, extended periods of unemployment and financial stress both directly and indirectly over the course of their lives.

Understandably, finances are a major stressor for much of Gen Z as a result. A survey conducted by Deloitte showed that around one-third of Gen Zers ranked cost of living as their primary concern.

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Most logic would dictate that in a world of economic uncertainty, it would not be wise to spend excessive amounts of money on the latest trending makeup product or handbag just because internet culture says so. However, revenue garnered by influencers is higher than ever. Since 2016, the influencer marketing industry is up from $1.6 billion to over $16 billion as of last year. But why does this market continue to grow despite the looming economic downturn?

The answer lies within “treat culture”: the act of indulging in some kind of simple pleasure as a reward. This concept is nothing new, bearing a striking resemblance to the “lipstick index,” a term coined by Estée Lauder’s Leonard Lauder referring to upward sales trends in low-cost, affordable luxuries like lipsticks in the face of economic downturn.

While seeing one or two of these TikToks and being inspired to click the “buy now” button would not be financially detrimental to most young people, many Gen Zers are spending an average of 12.4 hours a week on the app and are subsequently exposed to dozens of these videos every day. If viewers are inspired to buy even a fraction of the countless products – many of which are advertised by creators receiving brand sponsorships – they are exposed to every day, no amount of little treat vindication would be able to justify the personal economic cost.

With the popularity of treat culture and possible resulting fiscal disaster put at odds with one another, is it possible for the indulgence in small comforts to responsibly continue at its current rate? Like most good things in life, the key is moderation. Not only does this keep “little treats” feeling like treats, but it also protects against the rise of rapid overconsumption.

Such a theory is backed by psychological studies showing that the stress of being short on money can be alleviated through small purchases designed to make one happy. In other words, splurging on something small, such as a cup of coffee or a tube of lipgloss, will still provide happiness without breaking the bank like a larger purchase would.

Although the lipstick index has faded to obscurity, treat culture is gaining traction in the wake of the pandemic.

The last three years forced many young people to confront the fact that they missed out on important experiences and life events because of COVID-19.

The aforementioned economic stress placed on Gen Zers is already causing them to realize that traditional hallmarks of adulthood, such as buying a house, getting married, starting a family or retiring, are not guaranteed or must be pushed back to later in life than previous generations.

Adding to that financial stress by over-indulging in little treats completely counters its original purpose. Whether or not the United States enters a period of recession this year is currently unknown. However, it is clear that treat culture is here to stay. ■

As a result, many are reevaluating both their social and financial habits to include more small pleasures in an attempt to regain some of the control they lost during that period. These factors coupled with constant product influencing from creators on social media sites cause Gen Zers to see treat culture as an outlet for some of those feelings of inadequacy and instability; they are provided with a “tiny win,” allowed to indulge in a small comfort during times where comfort is few and far between.

While this treat-based mindset is not inherently bad (it can often provide a much-needed boost of dopamine in times of crisis), it is clear that social media can push it to the extreme. TikTok is the main culprit of this, with the the hashtag “#littletreat” resulting in over 13.2 million videos as of March 2023. Videos labeled with this hashtag are full of layered coffee drinks, sparkly makeup swatches and intricate desserts, all touting the mantra of purchasing one as a little treat.

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THE AFFORDABILITY OF COLLEGE COOKING

Illustrations by Yutong Deng Emma Baumgarten

American University just released its new meal plan system and rates for the 2023-2024 school year. This meal plan requires all first and second-year students living on campus to have a meal plan with costs ranging from $1,805 to $3,065.

The new program allows those with the all-inclusive premium and all-inclusive plus plans to have unlimited access every day of the week to the Terrace Dining Room (TDR). While this is a definite improvement to the current meal plan that includes roughly 10 meal swipes per week, it does not solve everything. Choosing to go to TDR for every meal every day is unrealistic for any student, especially on weekends when students are out later and most options for meal exchanges are closed.

If you break down the new meal plan costs based on how many weeks are in a semester, each week costs $192.81, or $771.24 per month. According to SoFi, a personal finance company, the average Washington, D.C. resident spends $475 per month on non-restaurant food and beverages.

Evelyn Middleton

At $300 more expensive than this average cost, it is easy to question why having a meal plan is beneficial.

Meal plans have some benefits, such as time, proximity and ease. As a college student, many do not have the time to prepare and cook all three meals of the day. Meal plans give students an easier and quicker option than cooking.

Grocery Shopping Some may love grocery shopping, but it is not everyone’s favorite task. Accessibility issues arise such as not having a grocery store within walking distance and having to rely on public transit to get back to campus with heavy bags.

AU has recently taken some steps to improve access to groceries, but with limited success. The new East Campus C Store has implemented a produce and deli section as an attempt to expand on-campus grocery options.

Some of the options are worthwhile. For example, a single red pepper is 69 cents, compared to $3.19 for a pack of three peppers at Target. However, other items are sold at a much higher cost than a grocery store charges. This can be seen by the cost of identical salad kits, which cost $4.49 at Target but $6.49 at East Campus.

Cost wise, going to the grocery store even without following any budget may be cheaper than buying all groceries from on campus options. The limited grocery stores on campus are meant to make students and guests spend more money than they regularly would on products because of their proximity to campus. Avoiding these places – except for the once in a while late night ice cream run – may actually save students more money than expected.

Another way to be cost effective at the grocery store is to either grocery shop and prep or one day for each to set up focus on non-perishable items. Fresh fruits and vegetables a successful routine. Bring all items that need any form of are ideal, but not always realistic. The cost, preparation and preparation to the kitchen so everything can be done all at short shelf life all add up to an expensive way to flush money. once, and all the dishes can be washed right away.

Limit fresh purchases to a favorite fruit and vegetable, or items that are not available frozen or canned.

One way to meal prep is to prepare a fruit or vegetable by washing and cutting it to be stored in Tupperware.

Some grocery stores are more expensive than others. With You can also store overnight oats in the fridge for a few the closest options to campus being Target and Whole easy breakfasts. Wash any canned vegetables to remove Foods, students are not exactly saving money while grocery extra sodium and store it in Tupperware for easy access shopping. Cheaper grocery chains, such as ALDI, are not at a cheaper price than fresh produce. All of these simple easy to find close to the district unless students have a car. switches may not seem significant, but anything that simplifies meals later in the week is beneficial.

However, certain grocery stores have better prices for different items, which can help cut down on costs.

Appliances are another key to saving time and money.

Knowing which grocery stores have better deals can help While AU Housing and Residence Life has some strict rules students avoid being ripped off for an item that could be about what can and cannot be used in a dorm, they allow much cheaper elsewhere. An example of this can be seen for more appliances than appear at first glance. Blenders, in the price of pasta. A generic brand at Target is 99 cents, microwaves and electric tea kettles with an automatic turn compared to $1.89 at Whole Foods. While this singular off are all allowed and can be used to make delicious dorm dollar will not make or break the bank, these differences dinners. Other appliances can be used in the communal add up over time. kitchens, such as a rice cooker.

Cooking in a Dorm Fortunately for American University students living on campus, all dorms have kitchens on each floor.

Take advantage of the kitchen and fight the scaries by doing mini meal prep once a week. Choose one day to

Incorporating these tips and tricks can help reduce spending, time spent cooking and trips to the dining hall. Strive for progress over perfection, and these changes will become more intuitive. The best part is that these tips do not stop being beneficial once you are out of university. Saving money and time can be key to surviving after graduation and will be second nature with these simple swaps. ■

Emma Baumgarten HER CAMPUS AMERICAN | 8

Emma Baumgarten

Shriya Gunda

A PILLAR OF AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: The Davenport Coffee Lounge

Jordyn Habib

Illustrations by Simi Singh Jordyn Habib

Editor’s Note: Jordyn Habib is employed

by The Davenport Coffee Lounge.

History of the Davenport Coffee Lounge If you have stepped foot on American University’s campus, you have undoubtedly heard of the Davenport Coffee Lounge, also known as “The Dav.” It is one of the two student-run coffee shops on campus and is a staple of the AU experience.

The history of the Dav is not well known as its popularity today is linked to dirty chai lattes and perfectly whisked matchas. However, according to AU’s website, the Dav was not always the coffee shop it is now. The funds for the Dav were a gift from the

Davenport family in honor of Frederick Davenport, a well known political science professor who spoke at AU’s 1943 commencement.

The space began as a chapel that was open to all for their spiritual needs until it eventually turned into a lounge.

Situated in the East Quad Building, the Dav was a space for students to study and meet, much like it is today. The aesthetics of the shop have not changed much, with AU’s website describing the original Dav as filled with books, newspapers and most notably, tables made from the former chapel’s altar. These massive marble tables are still sitting in the Dav. Eventually the Davenport Lounge turned into a coffee shop solely from student initiative and volunteers. As the shop grew in popularity, it formed into the non-profit, student-run shop you see in the School of International Service (SIS) today.

The Dav as a Community Once the new SIS building was built, the Davenport Coffee Lounge became a Federal Work-Study (FWS) establishment, meaning everyone who is hired must be a FWS award recipient.

For many, this makes the Dav even more important. This moved the Dav from a simple lounge to a vital source of income for over 30 students every semester.

American University is an expensive institution with a largely wealthy student body. According to “The New York Times,” the median household income of students at AU is $155,300, and 67% of the student body come from the top 20 percent. Additionally, The Department of Education reported that only 15 percent of students receive the Pell Grant, a federal grant given to low-income students.

Jordyn Habib

Beyond the staff, the Davenport Coffee Lounge is a widely beloved safe space on campus. Ford described the physical presence of the Dav as an important piece of AU’s campus, with students constantly visiting, hanging out and doing work.

Caitlin Rissmiller, a junior at AU and fellow Dav customer, said that beyond “draining all of her cash” because of the good coffee, the Dav is also a great place to see friends and meet new people.

Evidently, there is a lack of socio-economic diversity at AU. For the employees at the Dav, this is why the establishment is so important. Federal Work-Study jobs are reserved for students that need the income the most, as there is a level of demonstrated need for financial aid required to qualify for the award. Therefore, the employees at FWS establishments come from similar backgrounds that are oftentimes not well represented at elite institutions.

When asked what employment at the Dav has added to her undergraduate experience, Yena You, a senior, said she views the coffee lounge as a unique community for her at AU because “we all come from similar socioeconomic situations.”

Being employed at the Davenport Coffee Lounge is more than a source of income, but gives a community like no other at American University. The manager of the Dav, Julia Ford, described this community by pointing out that Dav employees come from different sectors of the university.

From athletes to those in greek life to those in student media, the Dav has it all.

The community created by the Davenport Coffee Lounge is known across campus and is a special feature of American University. More than 30 staff members all work together to form a community for themselves and for the entire university, all while attempting to create their best latte art.

The Federal Work Study Program and its Significance The tight knit community of the Dav is overwhelmingly due to the structure of the FWS program, which is present at over 3,000 campuses across the country.

Ford said that she has found that the Dav helps bring people together that would not “typically find each other” on campus.

Ford also described working at the Dav during her undergraduate experience as an important component for her as a first-generation student. It helped her find a community she was not able to find anywhere else at AU, she said.

Julia described her time working at the Dav by saying, “I found that people grew up the same as I did, and I think that was really comforting.”

Jordyn Habib HER CAMPUS AMERICAN | 12

AU’s website describes the program as “a federally sponsored program that enables eligible students to earn income through part-time employment.”

According to the Urban Institute, the FWS program began in the United States in 1964 to help low-income college students earn money while attending university. The program has been functioning relatively the same since it began, and despite the aid it gives to some, there are many criticisms of the system.

A researcher for The Brookings Institute said that “the program’s original justification—to encourage students to work while enrolled in order to pay their way through college—is profoundly outdated.”

This is in part due to the fact that tuition and cost of living has skyrocketed in recent decades, so the funds from FWS are not an immense help.

At AU, the maximum FWS award possible is $2,000 for an entire semester. This is $356 less than the average monthly rent price in Washington, D.C. When speaking to employees at the Davenport Coffee Lounge, it is clear that the income from FWS is not nearly enough to fully live off of.

Yena You said that although her income from the Dav does help, she knows it is not enough to cover rent for most of the employees. She also stated that although she does not have a second job, she knows many of her co-workers do.

Jordyn Habib

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Grace Teeters, a junior who works at the Dav, said the income is enough to cover groceries, which does help with daily life, but she does work elsewhere to fully sustain life in Washington, D.C. However, beyond the monetary aspect, FWS is important for access to jobs as well as creating the community that we see at the Dav. The Brookings Institute stated that “[f] or many participants, FWS means access to a better-quality, more academically compatible job.”

This is an important aspect of the program, and highlighted when discussing restructuring FWS to make it more “useful.”

Lastly, the FWS program is especially important for campus establishments such as the Davenport Coffee Lounge that run as a non-profit. Ford said that all of the profits of the Dav go back into its operations, and therefore the FWS funds are necessary to keep it afloat.

Beyond political and economic discussions, the FWS program is clearly an asset for lower income students at elite universities, such as American. The Davenport Coffee Lounge gives not only a source of income to those that need it, but a community that is oftentimes hard to find.

From a chapel, to a volunteer-run lounge running off of coins thrown into a bowl, to the Davenport Coffee Lounge, the Dav exemplifies the AU community.■

Jordyn Habib

WOMEN AND POWER: No Room For Struggle

Emma McDowall

Illustrations by Avani Rambharose

There hasn’t always been a spot for women in power. Even today, some people aren’t ready to see women in high places.

It has been over 100 years since women gained the right to vote, and the United States has yet to see a woman president.

In 2022, Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first AfricanAmerican woman to serve on the Supreme Court. In 2021, Deb Haaland became the first indigenous person to serve in any cabinet position. In 2021, Cardi B became the first female rapper to earn a diamond-certified song. In 2018, Stacey Cunningham became the first woman president of the New York Stock exchange after 227 years. These firsts show progress, as slow as it may seem.

Women are starting to see real, substantial change in gender equality. However, this does not mean the fight is over. Women are still pioneering firsts and new statistics.

It is crucial to promote conversations about women and power, the adversity women face, how women overcome these obstacles and, of course, some of the hard lessons they have learned on their journeys to positions of power.

Furthermore, as author and managing partner at Managing Partner of Solutions2Projects, LLC Terri Hanson Mead explained, “for a lot of people, you cannot be it if you cannot see it.”

I talked to seven women from various backgrounds: investors, authors, CEOs, a Judge, scientists and an art curator. Many had similar sentiments about how women have always had to excel and be ready for a challenge, leaving no room to stumble or struggle. To explore this concept more, our conversations dove into how they reached high positions and, more importantly, how they have kept and developed their power.

Bumps in the Road

Aileen Oliver It’s no secret that as women we live in a society created by and for men. Naturally, this has put some roadblocks and cultural norms in place that do not necessarily benefit women.

The workplace has evolved from what it once was. Executive Director at National Women’s Health Network Denise Hyater Lindenmuth explained, “back in the 80s …women could not wear pants to work.” Women have come very far; however, that doesn’t mean everything is fixed. We are still playing on an unequal playing field.

Sometimes, when women try to excel, they are told to sit down and take notes. In some cases, as Mead explained, “I would have them kicking me under the table to tell me to shut up.” Sometimes the difference is as simple as names.

“Whenever we had a meeting, it was everybody’s last name and my first name, Alicia, and I told them, ‘You put everybody’s first name or you put everybody’s last name,’” Dr. Alicia Castillo Holley said.

The journey to power does not allow for women to struggle, and if they do they are seen as weak and meek. “Generally, a lot of women and minorities are taught that you better be the best that you can be, because that way you don’t leave anyone any room to attack you,” said Judge Aileen Oliver.

Women also face competition from one another. There is a fight to be the one to reach the top or to be the one who breaks into the boys’ club, and sometimes that comes at the expense of throwing other women down.

“The worst organizational issue I have ever had was with a woman,” said Mary Morton, Head Curator at the National Gallery of Art. “If you are having success, you know you want to be the one the girl they are letting in.”

Terri Hanson Mead

Hyater-Lindenmuth also noted, “You want to believe in sisterhood,” but it is “hard to trust.” Is there an unwritten rule that just because we are women, we have to help each other? Does womanhood have to be a sisterhood?

Sometimes women face surface-level difficulties such as their appearance. Oftentimes women are physically smaller than men and are viewed as meeker. As CEO and Founder of her own PR firm Jenna Guarneri explained, “sometimes women look like they don’t have much authority, just in size difference.”

Forging the Road In all of my conversations, a recurring theme was the importance of career support, which often looks like mentorship or another form of support from friends or family. “The more mentorship, the better you will be,” Guarneri said. As Oliver explained, “I may not have been as

Chief Scientists at Oceana Kathryn Matthews echoed some of the same themes. “To be in these business attire spaces with men in suits that are older than me, it was a disconcerting feeling,” she said. “I wasn’t sure how to dress.

I wasn’t sure.”

Matthews continued by explaining, “It’s weird that you spend the brain power you do on: Do you wear makeup?

Do you not wear makeup?... It’s exhausting.”

Women often find themselves more aware of the space they occupy. They tend to be aware of how they are presenting themselves and how others perceive them.

In positions of power, women are sometimes faced with a sense of imposter syndrome, an odd sense that they don’t belong or that they aren’t leaders. Oliver often wonders about the way other attorneys and represented parties speak to her in court. “I wonder to myself, ‘Would they act the same if they were in front of a male, or a white male, would it make any difference?’” she said. Sometimes a nagging feeling leaves us wondering: is it because of my gender?

Jenna Guarneri successful without having that mentorship relationship in my life.” Starting out anywhere is scary, and having someone who has gone through the process and can advise you on the steps to triumph is the key to success.

Hyater-Lindenmuth said her tip for finding a mentor is choosing someone that is not a part of your workplace. “I felt like my confidence would be held better, and my advice would be more sincere,” she said.

However, sometimes the system of support does resemble more of a sisterhood “We support each other for sure, and when you fall down, your sisters are there saying you’re awesome,” said Morton. Matthews also furthered this idea of creating a sisterhood by saying, “It can be a little of a cowboy atmosphere, so it was important for women to create spaces for themselves.” Finding a community you can lean on and receive support from, even if it is as simple as receiving a bowl of soup when you are sick or receiving an encouraging text when you are struggling, can encourage and promote success.

Like Mead, you can also look outside and hire an executive coach to help. Sometimes when we have no idea what to do next or we need help figuring out the next steps, it is nice to have a third person’s point of view to help us achieve our goals.

Kathryn Matthews HER CAMPUS AMERICAN | 18

The Road to Triumph The seven women I have talked to are all successful and have faced opposition to get where they are now. “I just think back to all the ways I was diminished and still had to persevere to get where I am today,” said Mead.

At the end of our conversations, I asked the women for one piece of advice for the next generation of women leaders.

Mead said, “Ask for the money and do not be afraid to ask for the money.” She explained that our starting salary acts as a baseline for all future salaries. “If we don’t ask for it in our first job, then we are setting ourselves up for smaller financial opportunities moving forward,” Mead said.

Mary Morton Guarneri emphasized the importance of “knowing when to ask questions,” “making time for other areas of your life” and “knowing when to step away.”

Morton promotes “fully embracing what you are not and what is uncomfortable for you.”

Oliver noted the importance of our college years. “Get all the information you can get, because you know this is not a dress rehearsal,” she said..“Do everything you can.”

Castillo Holley said, “It’s a waste of opportunity when you think you are perfect,” and “kindness comes back to you.”

Matthews stated the importance of diversifying your skills and warned against having a “monolithic focus on whatever your particular discipline is to the detriment of your other skills you may need to operate in the world.”

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Hyater-Lindenmuth described the importance of understanding your journey. “Keep your eyes focused on what you want,” she said. “Don’t settle. It may not be the direct line you think you’re taking to get there, but if you really want it, you will do what you have to do to get there.”

Women are again and again put into a box as the note taker, are overlooked due to size or are underestimated at first glance. Women are sometimes forced into a motherly role and therefore looked over as a strong leader. Often women are looked down upon as something to be empowered.

“You never talk about empowering a guy. You always talk about empowering a woman,” Castillo Holley said.

Today women are in power, and we are beginning to change the status quo, but the work is not done. Women still get paid less. Women are still asked to take notes. Women are still not equally represented in executive positions. However, women are fighting and working hard, resulting in a slow change to the status quo.■

The perception from the outside is that American women are very progressive and very free and they can do whatever they want. The reality is that they face a lot of challenges because society doesn’t accept them to be what they say they can be. and Founder of the Alicia Castillo Holley, PHD CEO Wealthing VC Club

Keep your eyes focused on what you want, don’t settle, it may not be the direct line you think you’re taking to get there, but if you really want it, you will do what you have to do to get there.

Sometimes you may have to veer a little off course but understand that is needed for a reason.

Denise Hyater-Lindenmuth, MA, MBA

I wanted to inspire women, specifically over the age of forty to design and live a life of their own creation, to be the pilots in our own lives.

Managing Partner at

Terri Hanson Mead, MBA, PMP Solutions2Projects,LLC &

multi-award winning author

Riley-Kate Pappas

Executive Director National Women's Health Network

SPIRALING BACKWARDS?: President Biden Approves Massive Alaskan Oil Drilling Project Sophie Carter Illustrations by Sophie Carter

During his presidential campaign, President Joe Biden made many claims and promises about improving climate change. A big selling point of President Biden’s campaign was his commitment to phase out oil drilling and to reduce fossil fuel usage in the United States.

While President Biden has kept his word about his environmental promises up to this point in time, the latest federal project is contradicting his promises: Project Willow.

Project Willow has amassed a large amount of attention online and has been the focus of several protests and petitions. While the garnered internet attention spreads the news about what the project is, the name can be misleading. The Willow Project is a massive oil drilling endeavor that is planned to take place in Alaska. The project is scheduled to last 30 years.

To understand how big this project really is, one can look directly at the amount of oil, cost and profit that are predicted to come out of the planned decades-long project.

According to news sources like CNN and The Washington Post, as well as other sources like the Bureau of Land Management and ConocoPhillips (the company that will be doing the drilling), the project will produce between 500 and 600 million barrels of oil and will cost eight to ten billion dollars over the next 30 years. Many people in Washington, D.C. and Alaska support this project because of the huge economic benefits that Alaska will experience.

Willow is the name of the oil reserve that is located on the North Slope in Alaska, about 30 miles from the Arctic Ocean. The area is public land and is about 23 million acres in size. This land was put aside for oil development with policies that offered the most protection for the environment in the late 70s.

Since the area is so big, some might think that the oil drilling will not be disruptive. However, according to

The Washington Post, the land is right in the middle of the migratory patterns of caribou and various waterfowl, as well as being a prime habitat for polar bears.

as possible, but the project might be stalled for another year because of the social obstacles.

Right now, climate activists and millions of members of the general public are vehemently against the project. Besides the toll of the project on the economy, factors like climate change, carbon dioxide emissions and the risk of an oil spill are also at play.

The project is estimated to cost between eight and ten billion dollars and will produce around 600 million barrels of oil. Climate activists and millions of people on social media are currently fighting to stop the project from starting. Project Willow is estimated to release millions of metric tons of carbon pollution into the already choked atmosphere. It is now up to the general public to decide whether or not the project continues forward. ■

According to CNN, the project is predicted to release “9.2 million metric tons of planet-warming carbon pollution a year – equivalent to adding 2 million gas-powered cars to the roads.” The pollution that already affects the world will be exponentially increased.

These effects of the drilling are not considered by the federal and state governments to outweigh the profit and economic benefits to Alaska and the U.S. in general.

ConocoPhillips, which is the Houston-based company that will be physically constructing the drilling sites and turning the raw materials into usable resources, has pushed for this project to be greenlighted for months. It was originally approved by the Trump administration in 2020.

According to CNN, ConocoPhillips originally wanted to construct five drilling pads, but the Biden administration limited them to three. This may sound like a significant difference, but the amount of oil that ConocoPhillips will still extract is 90% of the original estimated amount.

The Willow Project’s start date is currently dependent on the tsunami of protesters and petitioners that are fighting to shut it down. ConocoPhillips wants to start drilling as soon

HER CAMPUS AMERICAN | 22

SEEK MEANING IN THE MUNDANE: The Importance of Romanticizing your Life & Embracing your Independence Emma Baumgarten Illustration by Sophie Carter

Riley-Kate Pappas

Everyone is the main character of their own story, in which the tale revolves around you, and what happens depends solely on your decisions. But do you actually feel like the main character?

with solitude. This new-found independence will truly reframe your outlook on the world.

It can be easy to feel like a side character in your own story, to get lost in the chaos of it all and lose focus on what is truly important to you. But reclaiming your rightful place in your story leads to positive benefits, both emotional and physical.

The phrase “romanticizing your life” recently emerged on social media as a call to action to view the most mundane activities as unique and special. Romanticism generally emphasizes emotion and individualism, allowing people to express themselves in a more liberating way while enabling them to be more optimistic. The thrill of romanticizing life encourages people to appreciate the little things.

Romanticizing your life

In an age where things change in the blink of an eye, it is important to stay grounded by acknowledging your presence and staying true to your values. As a young woman, Audrey Dionne, 20, said she wishes she spent more time it can be daunting to do things on your own, but there is an alone and that romanticizing your life is an important part endless world of possibilities. of finding happiness. Otherwise, “you’re just going through the motions in life with no real purpose.”

The most important takeaway is to realize that loneliness and being alone are not the same thing. Immense Romanticizing your life is a form of exploring mindfulness, empowerment hides within the act of embracing your which is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s independence. awareness on the present moment. The best way to practice mindfulness is to be alone with an active mind.

You learn to be okay with doing things on your own, feel comfortable with your own company, and become satisfied A common misconception of romanticization is that it involves actively disregarding or ignoring the negative aspects of life. In reality, the mindset promotes reframing the negative into something more inspiring and meaningful.

Use difficult moments as motivators to reach a goal. Change your mindset and make challenges an opportunity to bring new meaning to your life.

23 | COLLEGIETTE

Main Character Energy The term “main character energy” also originated from social media. However, it is not to be misinterpreted as being selfish or thinking the world revolves around you.

Instead, having main character energy means that you recognize your worth and navigate the world with that in mind.

Rodrique said she experiences the impact of mindfulness.

“I love being alone, especially because it allows me to be mindful,” she said. “Mindfulness has done wonders for my mental health and for my relationship with myself.”

Psychotherapist, Emily Roberts, says how practicing mindfulness is a great tool to get us into a calmer state of mind.

“It’s a way of paying attention to whatever is happening Main character energy and romanticizing your life work in our lives, which brings us more control,” Roberts said. hand in hand. Essentially, the first step to romanticizing “When we slow down, we actually make better decisions and your life is to act like the main character in your story. When feel more confident in our choices.” you have that mindset, you infuse your everyday life with a sense of purpose.

Similarly, Dionne said, “I want to start doing more things alone because I think it builds confidence and makes you “Seeing yourself as a main character makes you feel more more comfortable with yourself. You get more time to think empowered because you value yourself and the things you and learn a lot more about yourself and love yourself.” do more,” said Dionne.

By taking control of your life and focusing more on yourself, you are able to put your needs and desires at the forefront of your actions. You are investing in your life and advocating for yourself, indulging in what makes you happy. Essentially, it all begins with you.

When asked about what having main character energy means to her, Cassie Rodrique, 21, said, “I always think about a quote from the movie Aquamarine – ‘Why live your life unnoticed?’ – that Aqua screams from the balcony of the mall. I love channeling this energy.”

Being alone helps you become more comfortable in your own skin. When you’re by yourself, you are able to make choices without the influence of outside factors. And with that confidence, it will help you develop more insight into who you are as a person.

Emma Baumgarten

Mental & Physical Benefits Licensed psychotherapist Alyssa Mancao says that people often mistake mindfulness for clearing your thoughts and doing nothing. “But it’s really about being aware of what’s happening around you without attaching any judgment to it and accepting things as they are,” she said.

“Research suggests that practicing mindfulness can reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and general irritability, “ Mancao said.

HER CAMPUS AMERICAN | 24

You can practice solitude in a variety of ways. Whether it be walking through a park, visiting an art gallery or taking yourself out to dinner, there are endless options.

Romanticizing your life will look different for everyone because it depends on what brings you joy. As Theodore Roosevelt once said, comparison is the thief of joy. Do not compare your experience with that of others, but be grateful for the life you live and the opportunities you receive. Seek meaning in the mundane.

Emma Baumgarten Changing your mindset Being completely present with your thoughts, emotions and physical sensations provides a sense of control that allows us to change the narrative of what being alone is really like.

Solitude is often associated with negative terms like “alone” or “lonely.” However, solitude is a conscious choice to be alone and reflect or enjoy one’s own company.

Rodrique used to be afraid of doing things alone because she feared judgment from others. “Now as I’ve grown throughout college, I’ve realized that my own company is my favorite to have around,” she said. “Becoming friends with myself has given me a new superpower.”

Adeola Adelayo, a practicing psychiatrist with Banner Behavioral Health Hospital, said that those who embrace solitude are able to get into a “state of engagement with themselves to self-reflect, regenerate and discover.” Because of this, they have increased mental resilience and fortitude.

There is a difference between being alone and being lonely, and it is up to the individual to change their mindset and view solitude as an opportunity rather than a limitation.

How you can start your journey Although you don’t need to be alone to romanticize your life, solitude certainly enables you to feel more empowered to begin your main character journey. Embracing your independence will produce positive changes in your life and allow you to appreciate the world differently.

25 | COLLEGIETTE

Women are taught from a young age that the world is a scary place. The phrase, engrained within patriarchal ideals, leads us to believe that we have to live a life of fear. As liberating as it may be to do things on your own, great reward never comes without a little risk. It is important to not succumb to fear.

It is always important to be aware of your surroundings and your current situation. Trust your instincts when deciding where to go and find places where you feel most safe and comfortable. Protect your peace and remember, don’t be scared to be alone - embrace it. ■

How to Seek Meaning in The Mundane

S E L F

Romanticize Your Life: Washington D.C. edition Visit a museum!, All Smithsonian museums are free for students!

D Go on a walk with music!

A T E I D E A S

Visit Tatte, locations in Bethesda, Dupont Circle, Tenly and Foggy Bottom

Go to the tidal basin and see the cherry blossoms!

Visit the Dupont Farmers Market: Sundays from 8:30am1:30pm Kylie Finkelstein

THE CHANGING TIDES OF AQUARIUMS

AROUND THE VIEWS AND ZOOS

Cleo Pool

Cleo Pool Illustrations by Sarah Golder

For decades, zoos and aquariums have been a place for family fun and learning. But as Americans continue to grow in their perspectives, an increasing number of people are beginning to question the ethics of keeping animals in captivity. As a result, zoos and aquariums that put an emphasis on conservation and rehabilitation have remained successful while others fall to countless violations.

Just 230 miles south of SeaWorld, the Miami Seaquarium is in similar hot water. The Seaquarium is home to hundreds of different animals including a killer whale named Lolita.

When Lolita was captured, she was originally given the name Tokitae, which most animal rights activists still use to refer to the orca. The name Lolita was given to her when she arrived at the Miami Seaquarium. At an estimated 56 years old, Tokitae is the second oldest orca under human care.

A key shift in American views on animal captivity followed the death of SeaWorld’s senior trainer Dawn Brachaeu in 2010. Brachaeu’s death was explored in the award-winning documentary “Blackfish,” which also put a spotlight on SeaWorld’s treatment of its killer whales as a whole. The film shows how the whales were harmed by living in small enclosures and being forced to do the same activities every day.

According to their website, the Miami Seaquarium puts an emphasis on creating a healthy environment for their animals. Their website states that they “create comfortable and safe environments” and “optimize living conditions for each animal”.

The documentary also highlights the many violations stacked against the theme park. For five years following the release of “Blackfish,” SeaWorld’s stock (SEAS) saw a consistent drop. The Guardian reported that the park had seen attendance drop by 7.7% from 2015 to 2016. Nearly 10 years after the release of “Blackfish,” SeaWorld has halted breeding and performances for their remaining orcas. But the fight isn’t over yet.

However, in 2021 and 2022, the United States Department of Agriculture issued reports about the Seaquarium’s mistreatment of their animals, including Tokitae. The 17-page report details the cutting of Tokitae’s diet, the stress of performances on her body and the threat of introducing two dolphins into her pool. These actions were advised against by the Seaquarium’s attending veterinarian, but their recommendations were overlooked.

The report reads that “in a medical entry written on April 3, 2021, the [attending veterinarian] directed the staff to not request head in entry jumps from Toki. The Training Curator, who has been working at this facility for 6 months, disregarded the veterinary instructions for Toki to restart bow jumps only and re-instituted head in entry jumps including speed runs and multiple high energy jumps.”

Just south of Washington, the Natural Bridge Zoo Park is a privately owned zoo in Natural Bridge, Virginia. For years Virginia residents and animal rights activists have called for the zoo’s closure. The zoo promotes its unique experiences and breeding efforts. Their website highlights the many exotic and endangered animals that they have bred.

Cleo Pool

Cleo Pool Breeding can be a double-edged sword. In some cases, a zoo’s breeding of endangered animals is a pivotal piece of conservation and research. In the case of The Natural Bridge Zoo, breeding endangered animals contributes little to this cause, as they do not publicly share any research, rehab or release stories.

The main concern surrounding the Natural Bridge Zoo is its treatment and care for its animals. If a captive animal is forced to perform in an unnatural way, the performance is likely not good for the animal’s health.

An example of unnatural animal performances at the Natural Bridge Zoo is their African Elephant rides. African Elephants are considered vulnerable as their population continues to decrease due to poaching and loss of habitat.

Yet, their female African Elephant provides rides to paying visitors at the zoo.

The zoo’s website explains, “Our resident elephant enjoys giving rides and participating in her educational programs.

All her training has been with positive reinforcement (lots of nutritional treats) and she eagerly awaits each session.”

A photo shows the large elephant wrapped in a makeshift harness with a family of three sitting on its back. According to Wildlife SOS, elephants’ spines cannot support the weight of people for multiple hours, and rides often lead to the deterioration of their spine.

The National Zoo is one example. It is one of the highestranked zoos in America and is featured in articles like TimeOut, USNews and Travellers Worldwide. So what do they do right?

The National Zoo, located in Washington, D.C., is funded by and run by the Smithsonian Institution, making it free to visit. The zoo is formally known as Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

“The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) plays a leading role in the Smithsonian’s global efforts to save wildlife species from extinction and train future generations of conservationists,” according to their website.

“SCBI scientists tackle some of today’s most complex conservation challenges by applying and sharing what they learn about animal behavior and reproduction, ecology, genetics, migration, and conservation sustainability.”

Similarly, the National Aquarium is a highly regarded aquarium located in Baltimore. The aquarium shares its conservation efforts on its website. The aquarium aims to combat climate change, restore habitats and wildlife and stop pollution.

SeaWorld, Miami Seaquarium and Natural Bridge Zoo are prime examples of aquariums and zoos that emphasize entertainment rather than the protection of their animals. But plenty of zoos and aquariums across the country have found more success in practicing ethical behavior with their animals.

HER CAMPUS AMERICAN | 30

One of their projects is called A Better Baltimore. The project aims to restore Baltimore’s waterfront and engage the community.

“The Aquarium partners with neighbors throughout Baltimore to protect our city’s waterways and wildlife,” their website states. “We work with volunteers to restore wetlands and remove debris on city shorelines, engage local youth in stewardship projects and plant trees and native gardens in neighborhoods,” The National Aquarium also contributes to the rehabilitation of marine life in Maryland. They are approved by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services to respond to marine animals in need along Maryland’s coast.

The aquarium specializes in the rehabilitation of sea turtles, especially those that have experienced a cold shock. “Since 1991, we have returned hundreds of rehabilitated animals to their natural habitats—including harbor, gray, harp, and hooded seals; Kemp’s ridley, green and loggerhead sea turtles; and a harbor porpoise, pygmy sperm whale and manatee,” their website explains.

Known for its rehabilitation of Winter the dolphin, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) is another aquarium recognized for its conservation efforts. According to their website, all of the animals that reach their doors were rescued.

CMA’s staff, with the help of several doctors, was able to provide a prosthetic tail for Winter. “Despite overwhelming odds against survival, Winter’s energy and ability to adapt to her new physical form surpassed expectations,” reads the CMA website. “She recovered completely, adapted to a new swim pattern and learned to eat fish on her own.”

Magen Greaux is a marine biologist and a team lead at the CMA, specializing in leading their boat tours. Greaux notes that their focus on animal care and transparency sets CMA apart from other facilities.

“We are first and foremost not an aquarium; we are first and foremost a working marine animal hospital,” Greaux said. “So when guests come through our doors, they get to see a first-hand look at our hospital. We have our surgical suite open – it’s got windows so guests can sometimes see surgeries happening right in the middle of the day or triage animals that are coming into our care.”

According to Greaux, the rescue process in Florida is similar to in other states. When an animal is in need, it is up to NOAA, the National Fishery Service and Florida Fish and Wildlife to determine which marine hospital will provide necessary care with the proper facilities.

“We create a rehab plan for them, whether that’s medication, their diet and nutrition, hydration and any medical procedures that need to happen,” Greaux said. “Then the animal goes to rehab, and then the goal is always to release the animal if possible. However, sometimes that is not an option for the animal.”

Winter was the star of the 2011 film “Dolphin Tale,” which tells the story of her rehabilitation. Winter was rescued and For some animals, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium is their brought to CMA because her tail was entangled in a crab forever home. While captivity is rarely ideal, it’s clear that trap line. She was just two months old when she was rescued. they are getting the best of care at the aquarium.

Her injury was so intense that it led to the deterioration of her tail.

“Guests do kinda get to know the animals on a personal level,” Greaux said. “They get to hear about their unique rescue stories and kinda have that peace of mind knowing that even though the animals are here with us are residents permanently and not in the wild, they get the best care with us and they can live a really full life.”

While prominent zoos and aquariums like SeaWorld may continue profiting from their animals, it doesn’t go unnoticed. Facilities emphasizing the care of wildlife and their habitats continue to succeed while others succumb to the consequences of their treatment.■

Cleo Pool

Sarah Golder

SHORTFALLS OF ASAC

Illustrations by Avani Rambharose Simi Singh

Callie Whicker

People with disabilities are one of the biggest minority Buellesbach explained to the dietitian that the meal plan groups, with one in four people in America having a form could not work for her because of the amount of chicken of diagnosed disability. The Academic Support and Access and turkey being served. She discussed a separate meal plan Center (ASAC) is American University’s organization where with ASAC, looking at having separate meals prepared. students with disabilities go to apply for accommodations and seek help as they enter the college world for the first “When I was on the airplane on the way to campus for time. But many AU students with disabilities find that the the first time,” Buellesbach said. “I got an email saying my ASAC program is failing to provide the resources they need. accommodation was denied and that I did not need a separate meal plan.”

Elise Buellesbach is the ASAC liaison for the Disabled Student Union (DSU) at AU. She has celiac disease, Buellesbach said she was instructed by ASAC to ask dining meaning she cannot consume gluten. She also has allergies employees to make something in the back, instead of letting to eggs, chicken and turkey. them know in advance of her need for a separate meal. Her first day on campus at TDR, Buellesbach did exactly as To discuss possibilities for her meal plan, Buellesbach spoke instructed, and TDR employees replied that they were out with AU’s dietician. Her dietary restrictions are partially of food in the kitchen to prepare a separate meal. accounted for by the “Delicious Without” station, the station in the Terrace Dining Room (TDR) without the “So I’m standing there, without a single piece of food to eat nine major allergens. However, they serve chicken and/or on the entire campus,” Buellesbach said. After this, ASAC turkey eight to nine times per week. allowed a separate meal plan.

This plan worked for a while for Buellesbach. However, in October 2021, TDR used egg breadcrumbs in the G8 – the previous Delicious Without station – meatballs, which were supposed to be egg-free.

Buellesbach ended up needing to go to the hospital and went into anaphylactic shock. “[ASAC] didn’t have the infrastructure set up to accommodate me, but tried to push me into a meal plan,” she said. “It took having an allergic reaction for anyone to stop and look how messed up the system was.”

Buellesbach thinks that ASAC should approach accommodations from a belief that the student is struggling, rather than dismissing them immediately. Many

but I just can’t,” she said. “The stress of just this situation currently is so much to handle.” Melville doesn’t want to deal with the mental toll of ASAC, despite being recommended to receive academic accommodations by her doctor.

“It’s just been such a drawn out frustrating process just to get accommodations” Melville said. “You shouldn’t have to live out your trauma again just because you have a disability.”

students continue to have negative experiences similar to Buellesbach’s story where they aren’t feeling heard. Many feel as if they are being treated as a burden rather than a human being.

Greer Melville is a freshman with several chronic illnesses, including Macrophage Activation Syndrome (MAS). MAS means that Melville’s body makes too much histamine, an organic compound involved in local immune responses.

However, many foods have histamine, so Melville sticks to mainly a paleo Diet to control her levels.

Izzy Scholes-Young, a senior at AU, is acting treasurer of the DSU. Contrary to Buellesbach and Melville, they have had a good experience with ASAC. Scholes-Young has lupus, an autoimmune disorder. They explained that everything was very easily documented with an autoimmune disorder, with many blood tests and paperwork to show what their body has gone through, unlike their friends with invisible disabilities.

Their involvement in the DSU informed Scholes-Young of the amount of students who have problems with ASAC and its systems.

“My experience has been gold standard, and I didn’t know that it was such a big issue here on campus with how ASAC treats most of its students,” said Scholes-Young. They mentioned that they come from a place of experience when it comes to dealing with accommodations, due to having an IEP in high school and having disabled parents.

When she has too much histamine, Melville describes having an allergic reaction with hives and possible anaphylactic shock. “I grew up with both of my parents having disabilities, so I’m used to these sort of processes to go through for Although TDR’s “Delicious Without” station includes food accommodations,” they said. “However, students that are made without the nine main allergens, Melville still cannot eat there due to the high amounts of tofu and peppers used, which are rich with histamine.

“One of their solutions was for me to eat oatmeal every day,” said Melville. “How am I supposed to live off of oatmeal all the time?”

Melville said she has had to pay for many trips to the doctor due to ASAC’s slow process or disregard of her documentation.

“I have to pay for each visit to the doctor and pay for all of the food in my dorm that I can actually eat,” said Melville.

“I’m so screwed if they make me pay for the meal plan, just because of how much this process has cost.”

When asked about applying for academic accommodations, Melville said she hasn’t even tried.

Simi Singh

“Everyone has said to apply for accommodations for classes,

HER CAMPUS AMERICAN | 34

recently diagnosed or just navigating their way into this system tend to really struggle… I think that the process can be humiliating to get accommodations.”

To Scholes-Young, the major problem currently seems to be involving treatment of students with learning disabilities.

“I think they should loosen restrictions on learning disability testing,” they said. “I’ve heard many stories where people had to pay thousands of dollars out-of-pocket and retest just to get the accommodations they need. At first, I thought this was a bureaucratic thing that is mandated by the ADA. Then I realized, it wasn’t at all. It seems to be a uniquely strict standard here that makes it almost impossible to get these accommodations met.”

Scholes-Young also focuses on the improvement of disability inclusivity regarding housing.

“I think there’s a lot of disconnect between housing and ASAC,” they said. “As a disabled person, I found living on campus to be extremely difficult.”

Scholes-Young and their friend wanted to room together and share a bathroom during their sophomore year since they are both immunocompromised. Since there was a disconnect with ASAC and Housing & Residence Life, two other people were assigned to their suite that were not immunocompromised. They explained that in the end, the situation was OK, but this process did put Scholes-Young and their friend’s health on the line.

To compare AU’s ASAC with another university’s practices, Ellie Potts, a freshman at Oberlin University, shared about their accommodations experience. “Originally, I didn’t think I had any chance of accommodations without a psychologist testing me,” said Potts. To her surprise, Oberlin’s Office for Disability & Access (ODA) handled the situation with much ease and professionalism.

One main difference between ASAC and the ODA is that the ODA allows forms to be filled out by any mental health counsel, while ASAC tends to give accommodations based on a diagnosis from psychological testing, according to many student experiences. Their website describes this process here.

“They didn’t ask any sort of invasive questions and didn’t make me talk about what I had gone through,” said Potts about her initial meeting with the ODA. Potts said the meeting was an open conversation regarding her accommodations. She said that since the staff is not overwhelmed at the ODA, they know their students well and make them feel supported, contrary to many experiences with ASAC. From these different experiences regarding ASAC and the contrary point of view of another student at a different university, there’s a lack of communication from ASAC. These students are trying their best and should feel supported by their accommodations, not fearful of the mental toll it will take to deal with the accommodations process.

Simi Singh 35 | COLLEGIETTE

With many different perspectives, some not written about in this article, it’s a general knowledge that there’s a disconnect from the student body and ASAC that should be resolved.

This could look at reworking the ASAC process to support its students or hiring more staff to help implement helpful practices that make people feel supported.■

Sarah Golder

DOES LINKEDIN BRING MORE HARM THAN GOOD?

Illustrations by Yutong Deng Samantha Woloshin

Hannah Newlon-Trujillo

During their first year at college, American University freshmen are required to take the class, American University Experience (AUx). Throughout this course, students are introduced to Handshake, a source they can use to find internships and jobs. From the beginning of their time at AU, students are thrown into a boxing ring with the unexpectant student in one corner and internship culture in the other.

Students at AU tend to be familiar with the networking platform LinkedIn. LinkedIn is supposed to be a useful tool for finding internship and work-related opportunities.

With such a dominant internship culture, students face pressure that is unique to the hustle culture in Washington, D.C.

Being located in the nation’s capital, students at AU have access to incredible internship opportunities. They routinely intern at congressional offices, federal agencies and major news outlets.

While some students enjoy the opportunities LinkedIn provides, others believe the platform brings more harm than good.

AU even provides classes on how to become more employable, such as Career Exploration & Development and Mentored Field Practicum.

Maya Amsler created her LinkedIn profile prior to coming to AU. She knew how important networking and connections were at a school like American.

AU prides itself for the insitution’s vast internship culture.

According to AU’s “We Know Sucess” website, 89% of all undergraduate students at American participated in an internship while in college.

“I made it to get my foot in the door and start networking and finding connections,” Amsler said.

Amsler uses LinkedIn to look at potential employers and companies. As a first-year student, she sometimes finds herself comparing her profile to other students in her year.

“You see people doing internships and it makes you feel like you are behind,” Amsler said.

While Amsler’s peers sharing their accomplishments may make her feel behind at times, she is also quick to realize

how accomplished she is.

Amsler enjoys looking at her past accomplishments through her Linkedln profile.“It is validating looking back at your past accomplishments,” she said.

Maddie Gerber is a sophomore pursuing a journalism degree. Like Amsler, Gerber has had her Linkedln profile since high school.

“I love LinkedIn,” Gerber said.

Gerber used to utilize LinkedIn without stress until one of her friends said that she was “nothing without 500 connections.”

Gerber enjoys using LinkedIn to post her multimedia journalism projects. Gerber believes that some degrees are more postable than others.

Although Gerber has not found an internship through LinkedIn, she uses the networking platform daily to measure her portfolio and see what her peers are doing.

Consistently seeing students posting about their academic and career success, Gerber said Linkedln can feel competitive.

“Everyone is getting summer internships, everyone is going to these leadership conferences,” Gerber said.

While Linkedln brings some competitiveness to the internship scene at American University, students still find the networking app beneficial to their internship and job search.■

Samantha Woloshin HER CAMPUS AMERICAN | 38

DINING ON CAMPUS WITH DIETARY RESTRICTIONS

Alyssa Toppi

Kylie Finkelstein Illustrations by Sarah Golder

Campus food is a critical factor in students’ college experiences. When tasked with eating well on campus with dietary restrictions, that experience can be limited. A survey done by Michigan State University indicates that one in seven college students experiences a dietary restriction, including food allergies and intolerances, autoimmune disorders or chosen diets such as veganism, according to Neogen.

Given the population of college students affected by dietary limitations, campuses must navigate the need to provide more options for a wider variety of diets. But in a society where dietary restrictions are at times seen as annoying and high maintenance, campuses’ response to this call for expansion is important.

At American University, dining options are continually evolving. Throughout the Fall 2022 semester, AU’s campus saw the arrival of Paper Lantern, Halal Shack and Baba’s Pizza, and it welcomed Freshens and Cravetown in Spring 2023. Next Fall, students can look forward to Panera and Qdoba opening to replace Einstein’s Bagels and Paper Lantern.

Taylor Guskind, AU’s registered dietician, said AU Dining takes dietary restrictions very seriously and makes safe

dining a priority. Guskind makes herself available to any student who wants to meet to discuss their options while eating on campus. She pointed out that AU has an “openingredient policy,” meaning students are able to talk to ingredient experts including herself, AU chefs or a manager on staff about the exact ingredients in a dish to make safe decisions about their meals.

Guskind said that all food at Delicious Without (formerly G8), the allergen-free station in Terrace Dining Room (TDR), is made from scratch using designated allergenfree ingredients. Dining employees across campus receive allergen training, and employees that work at Delicious Without and Avoiding Gluten receive extra training on the allergen protocols surrounding their stations. Procedures similar to those used for gluten-free food are used for plantbased options in TDR. Michael Scher, the Assistant Vice President of Campus Auxiliary Services, said that AU Dining electronically distributes guides for eating with dietary restrictions to incoming students around the time they are able to select a meal plan. There are three guides, including a 15-page guide covering eating with allergies including celiac disease, a plant-based eating guide and a newly published gluten-free guide.

AU hosts Dining Committee meetings throughout the academic year to give students a chance for more in-depth discussions about the dining system at AU, including ways to make campus food more accessible. Guskind noted Kylie Finkelstein her appreciation for the opportunity to have meaningful conversations with and receive feedback from students. She said that the gluten-free guide was suggested by a student who saw the need for the resource.

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Student Experiences Second-year student Elise Buellesbach has celiac disease and severe allergies to eggs, chicken and turkey. Buellesbach is involved in the Food Allergy Research and Education’s (FARE) National Advocacy Board and is passionate about increasing equitable access to food for those with allergies.

TOP ALLERGENS TODAY:

“On paper, AU has one of the best dining options you can pick,” said Buellesbach. “But the reality is that TDR cannot accommodate everybody.”

Most universities only accommodate the Big Nine allergens, which include milk, eggs, gluten and shellfish. Since Buellesbach has allergies outside of the Big Nine, she was not always able to eat at the designated allergen-free station (G8) in TDR. She and the university dietician created a two week menu that would be provided if chicken or turkey products were being served during a meal period. On this plan, Buellesbach would cycle through menu plan of separately prepared meals free of her specific allergens. If the G8 options were safe, Buellesbach would eat the standard servings that day.

In Oct. 2021, during a serving period where all of the G8 food was deemed safe for Buellesbach, she experienced an allergic reaction to eggs in the gluten-free breadcrumbs used that day. “It could have been anyone,” she said, pointing out that eggs are a Top Nine allergen and should not have been used at the station. While the reaction was not immediately life-threatening, her fear of having an allergic reaction on campus had come true.

“It became apparent that [AU Dining] didn’t have the infrastructure to support my food allergies,” she said.

During the Spring 2022 semester, she worked with a number of officials from Dining management and Chartwells, AU’s meal plan provider, to exit her meal plan entirely. She pointed out that ASAC does not offer exemptions from the meal plan as an accommodation to students with allergies and severe diet limitations, a restriction she believes should be changed unless AU Dining Services improves its accommodations.

Sophomore Lauren Mattison is a vegetarian and has an egg intolerance. While most campus eateries have a plant-based option, the quality of the food is not reliable, she said. At TDR specifically, Mattison said that Rooted, the vegan station, often serves a form of vegetables and rice.

1

Peanuts/Tree nuts

2

Eggs

3

Milk

4

Shellfish/Fish

5

Wheat

6

Soybeans

“That’s not a meal,” she said, expressing concern that those elements alone are likely not providing proper nutrition to students with plant-based diets.

Mattison also expressed concerns about crosscontamination of plant-based food, as it is common for plant-based eaters to treat their dietary restrictions like allergies with regard to how food is handled and prepared.

Sophomore Christian Englehart has celiac disease and finds eating on campus to be a struggle.

“It is difficult to be religiously strict about eating celiacfriendly [on campus],” he said.

Due to the risk of cross contamination at many eateries at AU, Englehart said he feels there is no true celiac-friendly option on campus. He noted the risks of ingredients with gluten falling into those that are celiac-friendly.

Food in the “Avoiding Gluten” section lacks proper allergen information to confirm that it is safe to eat, according to Englehart. He called the gluten-free guide a great resource, pointing out that he learned about more gluten-free offerings by reading the guide.

Moving Forward: Changes and Feedback With the changes in dining locations on campus, all three students think there is a brighter future for students with dietary restrictions on campus.

Kylie Finkelstein

“Chain brand does provide a certain level of rigidity, but that means there is a certain level of rigidity in their protocols,” Buellesbach said, noting that chain restaurants such as Panera and Qdoba have the potential to accommodate certain allergies reliably.

Halal Shack and Baba’s Pizza have become Mattison’s new favorite dining spots on campus, and she is glad to have more options than she did during her freshman year.

“Last year, I would eat, like, a Beyond Burger a day. I got sick of it,” they said.

Mattison would still like to see the quality of campus food improve, but she is looking forward to the opening of new options in the Fall. “It’s moving in the right direction,” she said.

Englehart said that Baba’s Pizza has a designated glutenfree oven, making it one of the most reliable gluten-free options on campus when used properly. Some supply issues on campus, such as a lack of gluten-free buns at True Burger, have also been resolved during the Spring 2023 semester, he said.

Englehart spoke highly of Qdoba, noting that they have a variety of options for people with a number of dietary

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restrictions. He shared his hope that AU will become better suited to accommodate dietary restrictions as the oncampus options evolve in the coming years.

Scher acknowledged that it can be difficult to identify options friendly to dietary restrictions.

“It’s not quite hitting the mark on where students would like us to be,” he said, noting the community engagement AU Dining Services has planned ahead of the renovation of TDR during Summer 2024.

However, every location on campus, including those being added in the near future, have at least one vegan and vegetarian option to offer, Scher said.

As students look forward to new food on campus, it is important that they communicate their suggestions and feedback to Dining staff. Guskind encourages students to use the messaging features on the Dining website and social media, anonymous feedback boxes around campus, or chat with her in person at her tabling events.

AU Dining expressed a commitment to improving the options available to students with dietary restrictions. Their formation of new resources for students and engagement with the food allergy community is promising, especially considering the anticipated TDR renovation.■

campus guide

TO DIETARY RESTRICTIONS

Terrace Dining Room

Terrace Dining Room includes 'Delicious Without' (formally G8) which has a dedicated prep area and offers menu options that avoid the 8 most common allergens: Milk, Eggs, Fish, Shellfish, Tree Nuts, Peanuts, Wheat, and Soybeans.

Baba's Pizza

Babas has a seperate Gluten-free oven, making it very reliable.

Gluten-free pizza dough is also offered along with the ability to add your own toppings.

Halal Shack American Universities first halal-observant restaurant Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options avaiable Peanut and tree nut free!

True Burger Gluten free buns available Beyond and Impossible burger options for vegetarian consumers

Einsteins Bagel

Select bagels offered, topped with hummus or avocado, Avocado toast Soy milk offered for coffee or tea

Avani Rambharose

Gluten-free bagels available

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH DC’S AFFORDABLE HOUSING?

Cate Geier Illustrations by Grace Soares Emma Baumgarten

There is a lot of confusion around affordable housing and how it works. Scary headlines involving decades-old waitlists are scattered throughout the media. What are these waitlists?

How can the system of affordable housing distribution be improved? Who even qualifies for affordable housing?

Housing is deemed as affordable when the occupant spends no more than 30% of their income on the property. Affordable housing is not restricted to just low-income earners; anyone can live in this class of housing.

Emma Baumgarten

In Washington, D.C., many organizations work to provide affordable housing to those in need. The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) is one organization that works to provide affordable housing across the city.

Jenna Cevasco, the Chief of Staff at the DCHA, explained the organization’s two main programs: a public housing program and a voucher system.

The public housing program involves physical buildings that the DCHA owns and operates. They have about

The demand for housing is high, and the number of units available does not meet the demand, so a shortage is created.

“One of the problems that D.C. has is that it does not build enough housing for reasons of zoning, historical preservation, environmental reasons [and] the height limit,” said Daniel Lin, a professorial lecturer in the Economics Department at American University Lin notes that for more people to be able to afford to live in Washington, more housing needs to be built. However, political contention makes this additional construction tricky.

40 buildings, including 8,000 units, across the city. The voucher system is federally funded and can be used toward any local apartment. An individual finds an apartment and pays for 30% of the rent, and the DCHA supplements the remaining cost.

Both of these programs have a waitlist of about 30,000 people, according to Cevasco. She explained that when an applicant reaches the top of the waitlist, the DCHA contacts them. If the person does not respond, they move into an inactive status on the waitlist. Cevasco said that right now, the DCHA is working on clearly communicating to waitlisted applicants that if “they don’t respond by a certain amount of time, they will be taken off the waitlist.”

The waitlist for the DCHA’s programs has been closed for about 10 years. The organization is working on having everyone currently on the public housing waitlist update their contact information to confirm that they are still interested in receiving housing.

“The people that tend to be upset about the idea of building more housing tend to be older, whiter and wealthier,” said Lin. “And the people who tend to show up at city council meetings and local discussions about whether something should be done tend to be older, whiter and wealthier people.”

This creates an environment where those who are loudest about the issue are not the ones who would benefit from more housing. Lin shared a proposal that he heard where individual blocks get to vote on whether they allow more units to be built. This would negate the issue of people from nearby neighborhoods influencing decisions.

The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless helps provide law services to those with extremely low or no income. Brit Ruffin, the clinic’s director of policy and advocacy, explained that there is an affordable housing crisis throughout the nation and it is exasperated in the

Cevasco expects that the public housing waitlist will reopen by the end of 2023. However, plans are not in place to reopen the voucher program waitlist.

Another path to affordable housing is through referrals from partner agencies and funding from the city council. Every year, the city council funds a certain amount of vouchers, each with a separate system and process to obtain.

Cevasco said if someone is experiencing an emergency and needs housing today, the best place to go is the Department of Human Services.

“Shelters accept families every night, as a policy,” Cevasco said. Individuals can walk in or call for a placement.

Emma Baumgarten HER CAMPUS AMERICAN | 46

capital. The National Low Income Housing Coalition cites that there is a shortage of 32,990 rental homes available for extremely low income renters in Washington.

“D.C. has been named the city with the most gentrification,” Ruffin said, which makes it hard for low-income residents to continue living in the district. Ruffin said the issue of affordable housing creation is extremely important, but the units do not turn a profit. So, luxury buildings that do make profits are built instead.

The solution is to continue to “fund deeply affordable housing,” Ruffin said. There should be a “concentrated effort in prioritizing people who live in D.C.” so they can maintain their lives, which includes having stable housing.

Ruffin emphasized that the people with the least still deserve to live and maintain their lives in Washington because “housing is a human right.”

It seems the heart of the issue of the lack of affordable housing is the lack of housing period. This is an issue across all cities in America, as the National Low Income Housing Coalition proves, and popular solutions, like rent control or rent subsidies, won’t work until there is enough housing to begin with.■

Emma Baumgarten

Yutong Deng

HOW WHITE SAVIORISM AT AU IS A PRODUCT OF LARGER SCALE INSTITUTIONAL CORRUPTION Hannah Arthur Illustrations by Yutong Deng Abigail Greenberg

Located in Washington, D.C., the world’s largest metropolitan area for politics, government, international affairs and the economy, lies American University (AU).

American University’s mission statement is “Challenge Accepted,” to “leverage the power and purpose of community to make an impact.” Nationwide, AU is known for being one of the most progressive and liberal campuses, with a proactive student body that works to spark change in the nation’s capital.

However, recent events on campus have changed students’ outlooks on the university’s progressive stereotype. In the past two years, multiple acts of antisemitic graffiti have been found in locations around AU’s campus with little action from the university’s administration.

Additionally, students have noticed the university’s disapproval of student organizers and lack of action to create university laws protecting student from sexual assault and violences. Student organizers working to create change to protect survivors of sexual assault were featured in a Washington Post article highlighting the assaults at AU and the administration’s lack of response. Hence, the university’s shortcomings to address these issues have received national attention and have sparked campus-wide conversations about the importance of equitable resources.

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These university tensions reflect larger institutional issues and highlight the long history of white saviorism in the United States and in higher education.

Due to its location in the nation’s capital, AU is known for its political science, government and international affairs programs. However, students have voiced that many of the university’s classes reflect a narrative of white saviorism while discussing global crises and our privilege living in the U.S., without providing tangible actions to improve these conditions.

One AU student, Ashley Smith, a sophomore majoring in Communication, Legal Institutions, Economics and Government (CLEG), said that she “has experienced discourse surrounding white saviorism at AU, especially from other students.”

Smith also said some of her class discussions revolve around ideas such as mission trips, but “usually the class is able to discuss the problematic institution and the larger root of the issue.”

Evelyn Middleton, a sophomore double majoring in political science and international relations at AU, said many students do not see their privilege of attending a university in the U.S. In one of her courses, the class analyzes “how to determine human rights violations in comparison to western values.”

and the current discourse surrounding the AU campus spotlights how white saviorism and the issues that surround it – racism, sexism, anti-semitism and xenophobia – become prevalent in higher education institutions.

These issues that are seeped into the country’s education and job market can best be tackled with the power of education, especially at an early age. With the attack of “woke” education in the county, it is now more pressing than ever that we protect accurate and equitable education to increase tolerance in our future generations and tear down the discourse of white saviorism in institutions.■

Other courses such as Intercultural Communications focused on the effect of white saviorism in intercultural exchanges. Middleton said that “white saviorism is definitely an ongoing and prevalent issue at many higher education and job markets.” She believes white saviorism will be perpetuated with the lack of genuine education provided.

Both Smith and Middleton capture the attitude of many students who attend American University. Their comments

HER CAMPUS AMERICAN | 50

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HER CAMPUS AMERICAN | 52

OUR TEAM Executive Board:

Print Team:

Gianna Matassa Editor-in-Chief Jordyn Habib President Sana Mamtaney Vice President Grace Musilli Managing Editor Hannah Arthur Business Director Evelyn Middleton Events Director Cleo Pool Social Director Ellie Blanchard Publishing Director Abigail Greenberg Design Director Laisa Graciela Multimedia Director Caroline Atherton Social Media Editors Karlee Zolman, Morgan Leifsen Print Editors Sarah Metcalfe Multimedia Editor Claire Baranovic Tik Tok Curator Ellie Blanchard

Gianna Matassa Editor-in-Chief

Cover design by Abigail Greenberg Logo design by Elaine Griff ith 53 | COLLEGIETTE

Ellie Blanchard Publishing Director Karlee Zolman, Morgan Leifsen Print Editors Alyssa Toppi Callie Whicker Cate Geier Cleo Pool Evelyn Middleton Grace Dehner Emma McDowall Hannah Arthur Hannah Newlon-Trujillo Jordyn Habib Rilet-Kate Pappas Sarah Metcalfe Sophie Carter

Design Team: Abigail Greenberg Design Director Madison Renck Content Manager Sarah Golder Photo Manager Sophie Carter Illustration Manager Avani Rambharose Content, Illustrations Cleo Pool Content, Photos Emma Baumgarten Photos Grace Soares Illustrations Jordyn Habib Photos Kylie Finkelstein Content, Photos Riley-Kate Pappas Content Samantha Woloshin Photos Sarah Golder Content, Illustrations, Photos Shriya Gunda Content Simi Singh Illustrations, Photos Sophie Carter Illustrations Yutong Deng Illustrations

This magazine was designed by Abigail Greenberg and the Her Campus American Design Team.

The text of Collegiette is set in Avenir Heavy and EB Garamond.

Collegiette is printed for Her Campus American University by Heritage Printing & Graphics, Waldorf, Maryland.

LETTER FROM THE DESIGNER Spring 2023 marks not only the end of college, but also the end of Her Campus for me. American University and HCAU have given me the greatest four years I could ask for. I started this role as an illustrator and photographer my freshman year in 2019 and was honored with the responsibility of Design Director this year. Working with all of the lovely people who are a part of Her Campus have showed me how great it is to have such a supportive community always there to lift you up. Her Campus has allowed me to express my creativity in such a freeing way and I am very grateful for it.

This magazine focuses on many important issues surrounding our own campus and the times we are living in. These articles capture the experiences of many different peoples in our own city and bring about necessary conversations. Our incredible design team produced creative, thoughful illustrations, photographs, and content for this magazine and I am so proud of all of their hard work. Thank you to our Executive Board, our writers, all of the memebers of Her Campus. We are all so proud to present Issue 009 of Collegiette and we hope you enjoy it!

HCXO, Abigail Greenberg

@hercampusau @hercampusau @hercampusAU hercampus.com/school/american/ HER CAMPUS AMERICAN | 54

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