Indiana Daily Student - Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025

Tucker Carlson to visit IU

By Deshna Venkatachalam

devenkat@iu.edu

Conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson is set to visit Indiana University as part of a Turning Point USA campus tour series following the assassination of the organization’s co-founder and prominent right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

According to its website, TPUSA is a nonprofit organization that has a presence on over 3,000 college and high school campuses, including IU. Together, the chapters create a conservative activist network across the country that engages in debate and education.

Kirk, co-founder of TPUSA, was scheduled to speak at IU on Oct. 21 as part of a nationwide campus tour.

Carlson will speak in Kirk’s place at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 21 when the "American Comeback Tour" resumes its campus visits later this fall. There are currently 11 stops on this tour, with different speakers at each campus.

The TPUSA event page does not yet list a location for the event.

Kirk was fatally shot Sept. 10 during a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University. He is survived by his wife, Erika Kirk, and their two children. The alleged killer, 22-yearold Tyler Robinson, is being held without bail at the Utah County Jail.

According to the TPUSA event page, the organization made the decision to

continue the tour in honor of Kirk.

“Each stop is a chance to honor Charlie’s mission and keep the fight alive,” it reads. “We know he wouldn’t want us to surrender or be coerced into silence.”

There are currently 18 speakers listed on the tour website, including TPUSA’s new CEO, Erika Kirk.

James Chambers, president of the TPUSA at IU chapter, said the national branch of TPUSA made the decision to bring Carlson to IU.

“It’s very fortunate that Tucker is coming to IU, and I think it is a benefit to free speech,” Chambers said. “I think this is what Charlie would have wanted.”

Carlson rose to prominence as a conservative commentator in the late 1990s to early 2000s, appearing on networks such as CNN, PBS and MSNBC. From 2016-23, he hosted a nightly political talk show called “Tucker Carlson Tonight” on Fox News.

Carlson has made previous appearances at TPUSA events, including Kirk’s memorial service on Sept. 21 where he delivered a speech.

“Charlie was fearless at all times, truly fearless in his last moment,” Carlson said in his speech. “He was unafraid, he was defenseless, and he had no hate in his heart.”

The TPUSA event is free to the public, and registration can be found online.

A DRUNK DRIVER KILLED NATE 3 YEARS AGO. HIS FAMILY REMEMBERS HIM AS HE WAS

New report shows decrease in homelessness

The Point-In-Time Count for Monroe County has decreased over the past year

By Deshna Venkatachalam devenkat@iu.edu

The number of people experiencing homelessness during a single night in Monroe County in 2025 has reportedly decreased by 12.8%, according to the Indiana Balance of State Continuum of Care 2025 Pointin-Time Count report.

This marks the first decline in recorded cases of homelessness for the county since 2022, despite changes to the data collection that could have increased the number of people surveyed.

The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority helps organize the annual PIT Count and is carried out by a combination of staff and volunteers. The staff survey individuals experiencing homelessness, both sheltered and unsheltered, during the final days of January. An IHCDA slideshow shows that Indiana’s data last year was undercounted.

Some unsheltered PIT data was not entered properly into the Homeless Management Information System, leading to underrepresentation of individuals experiencing homelessness. Additionally, previous PIT reports did not include specific counts for the unsheltered chronically homeless population.

“The biggest challenge, not only in our community but across the country, is that when you have a housing affordability issue, you have a homelessness issue,” Forrest Gilmore, executive director of Bloomington-based antipoverty organization Beacon

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines the unsheltered chronically homeless population as people with a disability who live in a place not meant for human habitation and and have been homeless for at least 12 months on four separate occasions in the last three years. Both of these problems

were fixed for this year’s collection, according to the IHCDA. The latest data was taken on Jan. 29, 2025. It showed that Monroe County had a total PIT count of 305 people experiencing homelessness — 45 people fewer than in 2024.

However, Indiana’s overall PIT count increased.

This year, the state reported 4,860 individuals, 255 people more from the previous year.

Monroe County reported the highest recorded number of individuals experiencing homelessness in a single night among all counties in its region. This includes Green, Lawrence, Martin, Morgan and Owen counties. Lawerence County had the second-highest count, with 68 individuals.

Just over 20% of those experiencing homelessness in Monroe County were children under the age of 18, making them the largest demographic group representing the county’s PIT count.

According to the IHCDA, the report is intended to support communities and local agencies in planning

SOURCE: INDIANA BALANCE OF STATE CONTINUUM OF CARE

and allocating resources to address the future needs of unhoused individuals.

Forrest Gilmore, executive director of Bloomington-based antipoverty organization Beacon, said the city shouldn’t see this decrease as a major change.

“It isn’t significant enough in terms of the actual numbers,” Gilmore said. “I think if we see a long-term pattern, I’d be pretty excited about that.”

Gilmore said he believes this decrease could have been caused by PIT Count number errors. However, he also said this could be the start of a “really serious downward trend and pattern.” To assess this, Gilmore said the county needs more data over time.

Heading Home of South Central Indiana, an organization working to strengthen housing security and decrease homelessness, provides a data dashboard on its website. The site’s data comes from the HMIS in Monroe, Morgan and Lawerence counties.

One piece of data collected is the active number of

people in a selected population who are homeless. The graph includes the single active homeless number for all single adults age 25 and older who are experiencing homelessness.

According to the dashboard, there were 575 people, single adults 25 and older, actively homeless in January across the three counties. This number saw a steady decline and dropped to its lowest this year in April, with 454. Since then, the counties have seen a steady increase.

Gilmore said that a downward trend over the next three to five years would give Monroe County an indication that things are changing for the better. Until then, the county still needs to work toward aiding those in need.

“The biggest challenge, not only in our community but across the country, is that when you have a housing affordability issue, you have a homelessness issue,” Gilmore said. “Until we address that, we are going to have a serious homelessness issue.”

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: An opinion on opinion

By Eric Cannon and Jack Davis opinion@idsnews.com

Editor's note: All opinions, columns and letters reflect the views of the individual writer and not necessarily those of the IDS or its staffers.

Tucked behind the front page of the last newspaper you read, or beside the breaking news section on the Indiana Daily Student website, you might have noticed opinion columns. We’re Jack Davis and Eric Cannon, opinion editors for the IDS this fall, and our goal is to ensure readers are informed and gain the necessary context to think critically about the news. Compared to the news desk, a newsroom’s golden child and namesake, the opinion desk, like a middle child, can receive less attention. In an age when news sources struggle to regain lost trust and many readers regard outlets as not objective enough, paying more attention to opinion might seem counterintuitive. But opinion offers a service equally important and hu-

man: dialogue. During a visit to IU last year, Carl Bernstein, one of the two investigative journalists who broke the Watergate scandal, said a reporter’s job is to give their community the “best containable version of the truth” — a noble goal and worthwhile pursuit. But if we only seek to describe events or interview witnesses, merely as observers, our engagement with the truth can come to resemble a mono-

logue. As opinion writers, we feel this overlooks something essential for us as humans and responsible citizens. We are also participants in these conversations. In response to the news we read, we naturally develop opinions. Whether we associate one story with other stories we’ve read or draw conclusions that others haven’t seen, we start new conversations. This is

what the reader does — and the opinion writer. In this way, the opinion desk stands alongside the reader in a unique way. That’s why you’ll find letters to the editor and guest columns in our section. Opinion depends on readers’ responses, and together, readers’ perspectives can enter into dialogue not only with the news but with one another. By contributing ideas that original witnesses might not have considered

or highlighting hidden implications, we can gain a deeper understanding of the news together through opinion. This semester, opinion columnists at the IDS have added to conversations on the uncertainties faced by teachers in Indiana, homelessness in Bloomington and local animal shelters, while guest writers have shared non-student perspectives on the return of IU’s mascot and IU governance.

In addition to publishing our normal content, we’re also proud to announce Ask Ainsley, the IDS new advice column, and the return of satire to the IDS. Advice and satire columns are traditional facets of opinion desks. We hope the advice column will further allow readers to share in the process of journalism in a fun, engaging and helpful way, while satire will bring out discussions about ironies in the news. To submit a question to Ask Ainsley, fill out the Google Form or email at askainsleyatiu@ gmail.com. We understand that news will always be the heart and soul of the IDS. But whenever news happens, opinions are formed. The IDS opinion desk’s mission is to provide public discourse, add context to complex issues and offer differing viewpoints to our readers. We hope to ensure that when news breaks, our readers aren’t just informed — they also gain the context and perspectives needed to understand its meaning. So next time you’re on the IDS website, check out the opinion section. IDS FILE PHOTO

U.S. conservative commentator Tucker Carlson speaks at the Turning Point Action USA conference on July 15, 2023, in West Palm Beach, Florida. Charlie Kirk was scheduled to visit Indiana University on Oct. 21, but following Kirk's assassination, Carlson will visit instead.

stack

newspapers sits on a desk in Franklin Hall. Jack Davis and Eric Cannon are the opinion editors for the Indiana Daily Student this fall.

Community raises $159,000 for Alzheimer’s

By Kendall Geller kmgeller@iu.edu

Switchyard Park Pavilion was a sea of purple, orange, blue and yellow Sept. 21 as more than 700 participants gathered for Bloomington’s local Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

Organized by the Alzheimer’s Association, the nationwide walk is the world’s largest fundraiser for Alzheimer’s research and support, according to the event website. Over 600 communities across the country participate. As of Sept. 21, the Bloomington Walk to End Alzheimer’s raised $159,000 of its $168,500 fundraising goal.

Leading up to the event, Bloomington residents and Indiana University students alike banded together to raise money.

IU Greek organizations played a significant role in both fundraising for and volunteering at the walk. IU’s chapter of Sigma Kappa was one of the top fundraising teams, exceeding its $10,000 goal by over $500.

Junior Anabelle Lemmerman is the Sigma Kappa vice president of philanthropic service. Nearly all of Sigma Kappa’s members participated in the walk, Lemmerman said, whether by cheering on the sidelines, volunteering at the check-in table or walking the course.

“My grandparents have been through the struggles of dementia, and so for me it’s super touching and super special,” Lemmerman said.

Other IU students fundraised or walked in this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s as well. IU freshman and Bloomington native Jake Cocalis runs an all-ages music venue called Polebarn DIY out of his family’s home on South Fairfax Road.

Inspired by his neighbor, whose wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Cocalis organized a benefit concert with a lineup of 15 bands to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association.

“I think he’s been a huge role model for me, honestly,” Cocalis said. “So, I thought, what better way to say thanks for letting me have a bunch of loud music right next to his house than to have a benefit show in honor of his wife?”

Although Cocalis wasn’t able to attend the event Sept. 21, he raised over $2,300 from the concert.

At the end of the walk, event organizers hosted the Promise Garden ceremony, where participants held up flowers of different colors to represent their connection to the disease.

Junior Makenzie Elsalaymeh explained the flowers symbolize the fight against Alzheimer’s on an individual level. An orange

flower shows general support of a world without Alzheimer’s.

Caretakers of those with Alzheimer’s carried around yellow flowers and those who have lost somebody to the disease held purple ones. Several people at the walk had blue flowers, signaling that they themselves were living with Alzheimer’s.

“I have a purple flower here,” Elsalaymeh said. “Last October, my great aunt did pass away from Alzheimer’s.”

Alzheimer’s Association recognizes a fifth flower that has yet to be held by any of the participants: a white flower to represent the first person to survive Alzheimer’s. The white flower symbolizes the hope for a cure for the disease and serves as a beacon of hope at every Promise Garden ceremony.

“I hope that we are able to continue fundraising so we can continue the research, but the ultimate goal is to get to that white flower, which is the cure flower,” Diane Cooper, a project manager at IU Health and statewide co-chair for the walk, said. “We’re so close, we really are.”

Until then, Alzheimer’s Association will continue organizing annual walks not only to raise money but also to provide a space for those affected and their loved ones to connect with others in similar circumstances.

ACLU sues Attorney General

By Ian Collier icollier@iu.edu

Legal representation from the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana filed a complaint Sept. 19 on behalf of Exodus Refugee Immigration, a nonprofit Indianapolis-based agency that aids refugees and immigrants. Exodus also maintains an office in Bloomington.

The complaint is against an investigation led by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and the civil investigative demand Exodus received Sept. 8. The CID seeks to subpoena information from Exodus to investigate the organization’s role in alleged labor trafficking and interference with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The CID is one of several investigations into “concerns about the largescale influx of illegal aliens and ‘legal migrants’” in Indiana, according to a November 2024 press release from the attorney general’s office. Several organizations in Evansville, Logansport and Seymour were sent CIDs in November, including the Tent Partnership for Refugees, Cass County Health Department, Logansport Community School Corporation, Berry Global Group, Inc. and the Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation.

A CID issued to the God is Good Foundation, an Evansville-based

organization that assists refugees, resulted in the foundation halting its efforts in aiding refugees, according to the ACLU complaint.

“I’m creatively trying to use every tool in the law to stop the Left’s intentional destruction of Indiana,” Rokita said in the release.

A Sept. 8 press release from the attorney general said Rokita’s investigation into Exodus came after ICE informed the attorney general’s office that, “a recent ICE operation in Monroe County faced numerous challenges as a result of what may have been a coordinated effort by entities in Bloomington to help illegal aliens evade apprehension.”

The ACLU’s complaint stated the CID violates Exodus’ First Amendment right to expression and association. According to the complaint, the CID demanded 39 interrogatories and 28 requests for documents, including information on participating refugees’ and immigrants’ housing, careers and mental health status. Much of this information was given to Exodus under the agreement that it would remain confidential, and the complaint states much of the information falls under lawyer-client privilege.

The ACLU complaint said this kind of investigation would “greatly strain the limited resources of Exodus and would reduce its ability to communicate and associate with its clients

said

investigating

for potential interference with federal immigration enforcement in Monroe County.

and provide services.”

Exodus alleged that the CID was ordered without reasonable cause and stated in the complaint that they have complied with all state and federal laws.

The complaint argued that Exodus is being targeted “not because it has behaved unlawfully but because of its association with immigrants and refugees, the advocacy efforts on behalf of its clients, and the communications it has had with its clients and on their behalf.”

Exodus’ legal representation requested a preliminary injunction be made to cease any enforcement of the CID until the case is settled or goes to trial. The CID demanded a response from Exodus by Sept. 29.

MIDDLE WAY HOUSE:

WRAPPED IN LOVE — YARN CUTTING CELEBRATION

As you stroll through the crisp fall air of Kirkwood, your attention is drawn to the colorful, knitted sweaters wrapped around the trees. Each one is a whimsical creation that sparks curiosity about the artistry transforming these ordinary trunks into vibrant pieces of community magic. In 2012, a passionate fiber enthusiast named Mary Ann Gingles proposed “Knitting to Heal” to support Middle Way House’s childcare program. Today, this beautiful initiative has blossomed into what we now know as “Wrapped in Love,” which continues to support essential programs for survivors, including 24/7 crisis services, sexual assault services, emergency shelter, affordable housing, prevention, and legal advocacy.

Every year since, Middle Way House has celebrated the opening of this artistic endeavor with a special Yarn-Cutting celebration. This joyous occasion not only showcases the creativity of talented fiber artists and generous sponsors but also highlights important issues such as domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

We invite you to join us on Friday, October 3rd, at 5:30

“When you know a person for all your life, and then they end up with this disease, it’s like it’s not even them again,” Theresa Davis, a participant who cares for her father with dementia, said.

Davis said the event reminded her there was a community of people behind her trying to help people like her father.

Zachary Wilson, an administrator at a longterm care facility, Brickyard Healthcare, attended

the walk with his family. Wilson has a personal connection to the disease as his grandmother had Alzheimer’s.

“I’m supporting and remembering,” Wilson said, holding a purple flower while his son spun around an orange one. Chloe Voris, the life enrichment director at Cedar Creek of Bloomington Memory Care, explained the walk is about honoring and remembering those who have been affected by the disease and giving their loved ones a place to share both grief and hope.

“I’m excited to see families coming together to support loved ones who are going to be attending the walk, but also just memorializing and honoring those that we love and have lost to dementia and Alzheimer’s,” Voris said. Though the walk day has passed, fundraising is

Michael Arnold prepares to oversee WFIU/WTIU

By Zoe Reed reedzoe@iu.edu

Michael Arnold began his role as executive director of integrated public media Sept. 22, overseeing WFIU and WTIU and providing strategic oversight of student media. His responsibilities include setting strategic direction, managing day-today operations and making sure the organization stays financially strong.

Arnold, who grew up in Fort Wayne, brings decades of experience in public radio and television across the country. He said the position “felt like the right opportunity” to step into a leadership role he had long been interested in.

For Arnold, coming to Bloomington is also a familial homecoming. His wife lived in Bloomington when she was young, and his niece is currently a senior at IU.

“I’ve always loved it here because I think it brings together the excitement and culture of a Big Ten college town along with some great outdoor beauty,” Arnold said. “I love the hills and all the trees. In Colorado, it was lovely but very dry and brown.”

Arnold succeeds Executive Director Brad Kimmel, who was fired in September 2024 alongside Chief Financial Officer Christina Lirot, after an outside consultant raised concerns about staff morale.

Jay Kincaid has served as interim executive director ever since.

Arnold previously served as a chief audience and content officer at KUNC News in Colorado. He said he became aware of the IPM opening last year following the previous director’s departure and decided to visit campus.

“I was just so impressed

with everybody I met, and so impressed by IU,” Arnold said. “It’s close to family, but it’s also a really exciting opportunity at a place that does some really good work, so I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Arnold is just getting settled in Bloomington, living in an apartment in the Elm Heights neighborhood, which he liked for its walking access to campus and downtown.

“I’ve also seen a lot of deer in the neighborhood, which reminds me of the regular wildlife sightings we used to have in Colorado,” he said.

His first week on the job, Arnold said, will focus on listening. He plans to hold meetings with teams across IPM and meet with individuals, while inviting students and staff to share their ideas.

He’s also been taking time to explore Bloomington and the IU campus itself. He has hiked near Griffy Lake, visited campus landmarks and stopped by the Herman B Wells statue during his interview visit.

“I made sure to visit the Herman B Wells statue and shake his hand before my interview,” Arnold said. “I’m sure that helped me get the job.”

One of the most immediate challenges, Arnold said, will be financial sustainability. Indiana Public Media faces financial pressure as federal funding cuts in 2026 loom. Stations across the state will lose up to $13 million in Corporation for Public Broadcasting support, and Indiana Public Media is expected to lose about $1.4 million annually, roughly 14% of its budget.

“We’ve seen really great support from listeners and viewers, which is really helpful,” Arnold said. “But also looking at other ways

that we can raise money through foundations, grants and things of that sort.” Beyond fundraising, Arnold said he sees another major challenge for public media: finding new ways to reach audiences.

“I think we’re going to have to find new ways of doing things,” Arnold said. “Being able to be better integrated with students and people who are younger and people who use media differently.”

He said he believes working more closely with students could help public media expand its reach and impact.

“There are opportunities for student media and public media to work together in new ways that can help expand the reach of the work,” Arnold said. “Students bring insights that will allow us to figure out what’s next in public media so that we can continue to provide a good service to people for another 75 years.”

While Arnold highlighted collaboration with students, the details of how he will oversee student media remain broad. His role is primarily strategic, providing guidance and support to Director of Student Media Jim Rodenbush on training, content partnerships and operational projects to help student media run smoothly. IU Student Media encompasses the Indiana Daily Student, Arbutus yearbook, WIUX student radio, IU Student Television and others.

Arnold said he wanted staff and students to feel comfortable sharing their ideas.

“My door is open,” he said. “By talking to people and getting a sense of what’s going on, I think we’ll come up with really good ideas on how we can keep things strong in the future.”

KENDALL GELLER | IDS

Participants cross the start line for the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Sept. 21, 2025, at Switchyard Park in Bloomington. The walk was

QB Mendoza earns AP Player of the Week, other awards

By Dalton James jamesdm@iu.edu | @DaltonMJames

Fernando Mendoza

led Indiana football to a 53-point drubbing over then-No. 9 Illinois on Sept.

20. With his stout play, the redshirt junior quarterback earned AP Player of the Week, Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week and a litany of other awards.

Washington sophomore quarterback Demond Williams Jr. also earned the honor, as he accounted for five total touchdowns in the Huskies’ 35-point Apple Cup victory Sept. 20. Mendoza went 21 for 23 with 267 yards passing. He threw five touchdowns for the second consecutive week, leading the Big Ten with 14.

Mendoza had just two incompletions and five touchdowns

Fourteen of Mendoza’s 21 completions went for either a first down or a touchdown. He finished the contest with 15 straight completions to Hoosiers pass catchers. After the game, Mendoza was frustrated with two incompletions he “didn’t really like.” He first missed senior receiver Elijah Sarratt as the latter tripped. Mendoza’s second incompletion came on an out route intended for redshirt junior receiver Omar Cooper Jr. He said the two “need to get on the same page” on that play.

Mendoza also elevated himself into the Heisman Trophy conversation. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Mendoza is the favorite at +800. University of Oklahoma quarterback

John Mateer trails at +900. Mendoza also earned a handful of other awards for his performance:

• Maxwell Award Player of the Week East West Shrine Bowl Monday Morning Quarterback

• Senior Bowl Stock Up Player of the Week

• Davey O’Brien Great 8

• One of eight on the Manning Award Stars of the Week

LAUREN MCKINNEY | IDS Redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza looks to run between two defenders against Illinois on Sept. 20, 2025, at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. Mendoza won AP Player of the Week, Big Ten CoOffensive Player of the Week and other awards for his performance against the Fighting Illini.

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Jan Taylor-Schultz

They say stick to sports

Basketball player LeBron

Jacob Fry (he/him)

is a junior studying political science.

At Indiana University, the Hoosiers have a proud athletic tradition. From Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall to Memorial Stadium, fans cheer for skill, teamwork and victories. But when it comes to politics, student athletes are expected to have a level of neutrality and “stick to sports.”

It’s a phrase that sounds harmless, but its implications are far-reaching. Athletes here, like everywhere else, are expected to excel on the field while remaining neutral on pressing issues. Telling an athlete to “stick to sports” can undermine what they stand for and can end conversations before they even have a chance to start.

Yet athletes have always had powerful voices. Muhammad Ali refused to be drafted into the Vietnam War. Colin Kaepernick

Free

kneeled during the national anthem to protest racial injustice. And right here at IU, student athletes have leveraged their platforms for good, promoting voter registration and racial equity initiatives. Even something as simple as this can cause scrutiny, mirroring the pressure professional athletes face on a national stage.

While these initiatives at IU didn’t face major backlash, the same cannot be said for other collegiate athletes. And while sports are inherently political, from the military endorsements to the laws that directly impact athletes, the expectation seems to be that your talent is celebrated, your opinion is not.

The NCAA has an interesting history when it comes to its stance on studentathlete activism. In 2021, the NCAA released survey results that showed threequarters of athletes believe

in a responsibility to be an engaged citizen, and the NCAA has claimed that their stance is in support of student-athlete activism.

However, the media doesn’t seem to see it this way. On all scales, from collegiate to professional, the expectation is to stay politically neutral. For example, basketball legend LeBron James expressed his support for Vice President Kamala Harris during her 2024 presidential campaign. This garnered controversy on a similar level as his 2018 comments on race and President Donald Trump, in which Fox News host Laura Ingraham infamously told him to “shut up and dribble.”

On the other end of the aisle, Nick Bosa, star defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers, garnered controversy for publicly endorsing President Donald Trump after the team won a Sunday Night Football game,

for which he was fined for violating the NFL’s uniform policy wearing a hat that contained a personal message: “Make America Great Again.”

Why are athletes expected to remain neutral if they clearly have a voice? James can get a kid to buy his shoes, but he shouldn’t try to get their parents to vote. Athletes on all levels are more than performers; they’re students, citizens and community members. Their experiences shape their perspectives, and when they speak out, their voices carry weight. When Kaepernick kneeled for the anthem, it sparked a conversation on racial inequality. IU athletes advocating for their causes might not reach national headlines, but they reach their communities.

The ironic part is that many NCAA schools, including IU, try to be seen as a free speech domain; howev-

AINSLEY’S ANECDOTES

er, IU was recently revealed to be anything but. A report done by FIRE found that IU is ranked in the bottom three out of 257 other universities for freedom of speech. So, while the NCAA seems to support student-athlete activism, it doesn’t mean individual colleges will.

IU President Pamela Whitten is regularly seen at IU athletic events, and the athletic staff speaks highly of her; the same can’t be said for the student body. Last year, Whitten was given a vote of no confidence by her own faculty, with 827 members of the faculty out of 948 who attended voting in favor of the no-confidence motion. Students consistently protest her actions. Whether it be on campus, social media or anywhere, protesting is a powerful form of expression; telling someone they shouldn’t do it because it’s bad for their branding or their sport seems like a slap

in the face to who they are. Ultimately, the expectation that athletes should “stick to sports” undermines both their voices and the communities they influence. Student-athletes at IU and beyond are more than performers; they’re also citizens, scholars and people who experience the same things we all do. When athletes speak out, whether on campus or on a national stage, they spark a conversation, inspire action and raise awareness for their causes. Celebrating their talent while diminishing their voices sends a contradictory message that being excellent is expected, but civil engagement is optional. We need to recognize that athletes can lead, teach and speak. Letting them do so benefits not only the athlete but also the communities they’re uplifting.

fryjf@iu.edu

speech across borders: My conversation with Japanese journalist Noriko Akiyama

Ainsley Foster (she/her)

is a senior studying elementary education and children’s mental health.

I’ve been thinking about social media lately. Specifically, I have been thinking about how, when things around the world happen, it almost instantaneously appears on our phones. For better or worse, our world is almost entirely dependent on this immediate transfer of information.

Social media can connect us, educate us and give us a platform to speak, but it can also be a weapon, used to divide and manipulate. How do we operate in a world where there is so much division? Does social media really connect us or does it create further division? How do we confront the problems our nation is facing?

These were the questions in the back of my mind when I was given an unusual assignment in my “Teaching in a Pluralistic Society” class: attend an event related to a culture outside my own and write a reflection. I say “unusual” because rarely does a paper involve me doing anything other than retreating to a corner in Wells Library, where I scroll on TikTok until the dread of the assignment is overwhelmed by the anxiety of potentially having a late paper.

So, when I was scrolling through IU’s events page, one lecture immediately caught my eye: a guest talk by Noriko Akiyama, a senior political reporter from Japan’s second-largest newspaper. Her topic was media, politics and gender in Japan. As a student journalist, I was intrigued. I went, and it was worth it.

Akiyama’s lecture was

not just a fascinating deep dive into Japanese media but also a look at her current research project. She explained she is traveling across the United States studying civics education. She began in Texas after the state’s Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 3979 into law, legislation restricting how teachers can discuss controversial issues in K–12 classrooms. There, she was told about Indiana University’s own situation: our state government cutting majors, reducing university funding and the IU administration’s controversial approach to dealing with student protests in spring 2024. In Akiyama’s own words, with these policies in place, “Education and democracy are at risk.”

Akiyama isnt the only person to find these recent events troubling. On Sept. 9, Indiana University became the “worst public university

in the country” for fostering and protecting free speech on campus, according to a national First Amendment organization that ranks universities annually. In her lecture, she explained that Japan is undergoing a period of political upheaval. The Liberal Democratic Party, which has been in power almost continuously since World War II, just lost its majority in the Upper House this July. Political corruption scandals have weakened public trust, and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, a member of the party, recently resigned after just one year in office.

Meanwhile, Sanseito, a right-wing political party founded during the COVID-19 pandemic, has steadily grown in popularity. Much of its momentum stems from an aggressive use of social media, which has helped party members disseminate anti-foreigner

rhetoric and, Akiyama said, misinformation on a large scale.

I wanted to know more.

And Akiyama, for her part, wanted to hear a student’s perspective. Later that week, we sat down for a conversation.

As she described Sanseito’s rise, I couldn’t help but notice disturbing similarities between the party’s rhetoric and the political language I’ve heard in the United States. Its exclusionary policies blame foreigners for Japan’s rising crime rate, struggling job market and housing crisis. Even the main slogan, “Japan First” sounded eerily similar to America’s “Make America Great Again.”

When I asked if she saw these connections too, she replied simply: “Lots of connections.” She then asked me if I had “heard what had happened to Charlie Kirk.”

This conversation took

place the day immediately following Kirk’s assassination while he was hosting an event on a college campus in Orem, Utah. She showed me a Japanese article reporting Kirk, the founder of the American youth conservative group Turning Point USA, had recently traveled to Japan and spoken at a Sanseito rally. The international ties between these movements suddenly felt very real.

I asked Akiyama what universities can do to keep students safe and engaged during times of political tension. Her answer was simple but powerful: “Unite and create community. Collective power is significant, not just among students, but among everyone. You must create unity.”

She added that protests are a natural part of campus life.

“Students will always do these things, because they are students,” she said. “The university administration should give a lot of space to students to act. If [the university] must interfere, they should do so minimally; students must be able to act and have a voice.” We cannot allow the violent actions of a few to divide us; we have to find a better way to discuss our differences without losing sight of our own humanity and the humanity of others. College campuses are supposed to be sacred grounds for the free exchange of ideas, where it is up to the listener to evaluate the validity of ideas and determine for themselves whether those ideas were worth debating or entertaining. Social media can be a tool for organizing, education and resistance, but it is also a breeding ground for misinformation, outrage and algorithms designed to reward conflict over conversation. Sensational headlines drown out thoughtful debate and outrage becomes the language we are most acquainted with. We cannot allow the loudest or most extreme voices, whether online or on campus, to divide us. So, resist the urge to shut down conversation and instead lean into dialogue, not because every idea is equally valid but because we cannot solve problems we refuse to confront. If we want to protect education, democracy and one another, we must hold ourselves accountable as students, citizens and participants in the digital town square. We must fight division not with more division, but with community, empathy and a commitment to seek truth together.

ainsfost@iu.edu

TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba attends a press conference at the Liberal Democratic Party headquarters on July 21, 2025, in Tokyo. Corruption scandals weakening public trust led Ishiba to resign after one year in office.

Meet Opal, the Bloomington band bringing a fresh energy to classic rock

By Ursula Stickelmaier

ustickel@iu.edu

It was late January 2024, when six IU students came together for their first rehearsal. Now, just over a year later, the band Opal is known in the Bloomington music scene for its distinct take on the rock genre, blending the influences of artists like John Mayer and Fleetwood Mac to create a polished sound that’s true to them. Currently the band has six members, with IU sophomore Sarah Scherrer joining as its new drummer in August this year. But before the addition of Scherrer, the members of Opal met through Bloomington Delta Music Club, a student-run organization that aims to connect musicians around campus through a general love for music. Along with Scherrer, the band’s current members include IU seniors Emmett James, Ahnay Hering, Kenneth Latanna and Frances Stemme, as well as IU junior Claire Carpenter.

Hering, one of the guitarists for Opal and co-president of BDMC, was looking to create a band that could play the type of classic rock music he grew up listening to. After mentioning his aspirations to Carpenter, the band’s lead vocalist, and Latanna, Opal’s other guitarist, the musicians agreed it was an interesting thought.

Though forming a band

By Abby Whited abwhited@iu.edu

There is something about the fall season that makes certain music resonate so much more than it would during any other season. The trees changing color, the cool breeze and the lively apple orchards always make me want to listen to albums that feel quintessentially autumn to me.

Although there are many different directions one could go when thinking of music to listen to in autumn, what I tend to gravitate toward each fall season is folksy, contemplative and instrumental. As soon as I feel a slight chill in the air, I know it’s time to press play on these five albums.

“On Your Own Love Again” by Jessica

Pratt

Jessica Pratt has one of the most unique and deeply effective vocals I have ever heard in folk music. Paired with ornate finger-picking guitar instrumentals and vulnerable lyrics, her delicate, almost tinny voice puts me in the mood to sit and get lost in a book, or stare outside at the falling rain and sink into my mind’s reflections. “On Your Own Love Again” is in my opinion the best iteration of Pratt’s talent and artistry, and a perfect record to embrace the atmosphere of autumn.

In the album, “Back, Baby,” one of Pratt’s most streamed songs on Spotify, Pratt reflects on a failed re-

was something Hering was set on, nobody expected an outcome like Opal. Carpenter, who joined BDMC through a recommendation from a friend of her mom’s, thought it would be a fleeting ambition. But, after that initial talk, Hering’s determination took what was just an idea and helped it blossom into a full-on band.

“You know, you have those conversations where you’re like ‘We should start a band,’ and they don’t go anywhere,” Carpenter said.

“And when we had that conversation, I was expecting it not to go anywhere. And then he texted me, like, ‘Alright, I got the members of the band. Pull up.’ And I’m like, ‘Alright.’ And we just went from there.”

While the group would describe themselves as more of a rock band, they draw inspiration from many different musical genres. Hering grew up listening to blues musicians like Stevie Ray Vaughan and gets a lot of his musical inspiration from Vaughan’s work, as well as the guitar skills of John Mayer. Along with rock, Carpenter grew up listening to other genres like metal. In her own music, the vocal stylings of Johnny Cash and Stevie Nicks have been a big influence.

But while several members of the band would say they went into Opal with a love of rock, Stemme, Opal’s bass player, was more inter-

lationship she can never go back to but still longs for. It opens with a resigned delivery of the simple but devastating line “Sometimes, I pray for the rain.” Songs such as “Greycedes” and “Game That I Play” are also great representations of this album’s intricate instrumentals and haunting lyricism. At only 31 minutes, this record is perfect to get lost in and to play over and over again this fall.

“The Turning Wheel” by Spellling When I’m in the mood for something whimsical, esoteric and quintessentially fall, I spin the 2021 record “The Turning Wheel” by Spellling, a pen name for Chrystia Cabral. Sonically, the album captures the magic of a mystical fairytale, and her voice conveys a drama reminiscent of Kate Bush. With its sweeping orchestration, witchy lyrics and siren-like vocals, this record is especially ideal for October and the Halloween season.

On “Emperor with an Egg,” Spellling’s voice soars hypnotically over lush instrumentation. “Little Deer,” the album’s opening track, is a dramatic opening statement for the rest of the record, indicating the mysticism to come. “Tender lovers of the earth/Turn us back into the dirt,” she sings, pondering the mystery of what happens when we die. The song’s full instrumentation brings it to an extrava-

ested by the idea of being in a band again. Stemme met Hering at a BDMC end-ofyear performance in April of her freshman year. Flash forward to October, the following school year, and Hering approached her about the band he was forming — an offer she was quick to take regardless of the genre she would be playing.

“To be 100% honest, I was not really into classic rock beyond just the hits before this band,” Stemme said. “I really just wanted to be in a band again, because I love playing with people. And so, Ahnay was like, ‘I’m making a classic rock band.’ And I was like, ‘Sure, classic rock. Yeah, I’ll play that.’

But since we’ve been playing it, I’ve really gotten into it more.”

Since forming, Opal has worked hard to become the band fans know them as today. A big part of that growth has come from the group’s chemistry on stage. Their ability to connect on stage isn’t just something they think has allowed them to be better performers for the audience, but it’s given them the chance to have more fun with their music.

Before coming to IU and singing for Opal, Carpenter played with School of Rock Carmel, a music school in Carmel, Indiana. While the program taught her a lot about music, she never felt like she really connected her love for music with her love

gant close.

“I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning” by Bright Eyes With its acoustic indiefolk instrumentals, this record absolutely captures the sonic vibe of autumn. What really makes it ideal for fall though, in my opinion, is the emotional depth and candid lyricism of “I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning” by Bright Eyes. This album awakens a deep tenderness within me, not unlike the way the autumn leaves changing color can often bring a tear to my eye. Through its devastatingly simple lyrics, “Lua” captures the desperation of a soul yearning for companionship: “‘Cause what is simple in the moonlight/By the morning never is,” the lead singer, Conor Oberst, sings shakily. The plucky, lively instrumentals of “First Day of My Life” and “Another Travelin’ Song” feel best suited for listening when surrounded by the vibrant colors of autumn. The range of emotions captured on this record is vast, and its acoustic melodies and intense songwriting make it a great addition to any autumn listening rotation.

“Harvest” by Neil Young Apart from being one of his most lauded and acclaimed records, Neil Young’s 1972 “Harvest” is to me the kind of folk-rock that flawlessly captures the essence of a brisk autumn day. It has the perfect blend of steel guitar-dominated

for performing until Opal.

While, with enough practice, it was easy enough to “pretend like you’re loving it,” it made all the difference for Carpenter when she actually did.

“I started coming from less of a place of like, I need to do this, and more of like, this is just from me, like I’m just doing it,” Carpenter said. “We’ve been so much more silly, and it’s so much less intimidating. And I feel like we’re less putting on a performance and more just having fun on stage and people like that.”

A large part of this growth process and getting more comfortable together on stage has come from their performances at The Bluebird, a popular music club and bar in downtown Bloomington. The venue has been known for not only its mix of local and touring acts, but the opportunities it provides to student bands looking to get a chance to play in a real venue.

It was this dedication that encouraged Opal to approach owner David Kubiak in November 2024. Already familiar with BDMC and the bands that have formed because of it, Kubiak decided to give them a chance. Since their first time playing at The Bluebird, Kubiak has been impressed with the growth he’s seen in the young band.

“There’s a difference between being a good musician and being a performer,

and you could tell Opal had the combination of both,” Kubiak said. “They’re entertaining yet very good musicians at the same time. You’re just kind of looking for some kind of raw talent like that on the first couple shows, knowing that they’ll have to work through the process of working out their set.”

Opal has several upcoming shows at The Bluebird. Along with the bar’s weekly $1 Wednesday event, they will also be headlining a show Oct. 10. While these certainly aren’t their first performances at the Bloomington club, Opal said they are grateful for the opportunity they get to play there.

Having hosted famous artists like Zach Bryan, Mumford and Sons and Jason Aldean, Hering refers to the music venue as a “bridge between the large artists and the small artists.” One day a band could be performing at a house party and the next they’re stepping onto a stage that so many other artists have played on before, no matter the size of their fan base.

“If anyone who walks into The Bluebird takes a look around, they’ll see countless framed photos of the legends that have played through that venue,” Hering said. “So, being able to bridge that gap between people and, like, walk into the green room and see stuff left behind from a band that

you idolize is really cool.”

Along with the upcoming performances at The Bluebird, October will be a busy month for Opal. Currently, they have another performance planned for Oct. 11 at The Rathskeller in Indianapolis, as well as a performance planned for Oct. 15 in collaboration with Kappa Alpha Theta, Stemme’s sorority. It’s not all about performances though. Opal also plans on releasing original music within the next semester barring studio time and their practice schedule. Until then, the band is just focused on getting up on stage, playing together and giving the audience all they’ve got. A goal of theirs is to always make the shows as exciting, and a little crazy, as possible. Seen in moments like their rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” in September, where Hering played the guitar on his back, it’s those slightly outthere ideas that make the performance so much fun for them, and they hope for their fans too.

“That was kind of one of those moments, like the ones we’ve talked about, where it was just so silly and stupid and fun,” Hering said. “It was just one of my greatest memories. Just looking around and seeing everyone come together and do that, like, fun stuff. And just everyone kind of laughing while we’re playing on stage.”

instrumentals and more pared-back acoustic moments, accentuating Young’s signature lyrical storytelling.

To me, autumn has always felt like a season of change; this sentiment is reflected in “A Man Needs a Maid,” a song that laments the turmoil of feeling bogged down by the anguish of uncertainty. Classics like “Heart of Gold” and “Old Man” capture the weariness that comes with undergoing constant life changes, while simultaneously conveying a sense of comfort in a life lived to the fullest.

“Punisher” by Phoebe Bridgers I simply couldn’t make a short list of essential fall albums without including Phoebe Bridgers’ “Punisher.”

Aside from its overall theme of skeletons and outer space, this record has a very autumn aesthetic, which is at times even spooky on blatantly existential tracks like “I Know the End,” “Chinese Satellite” and “Halloween.” Bridgers’ tender and whispery voice is at times even ghostly sounding, especially as she delivers candid lyrics like “What if I told you I feel

like I know you/But we never met?” in the title track.

Songs like “Graceland Too” and “Garden Song” capture the more folksy aspects of the album’s fall vibe. To me, this record resonates the most on a crisp autumn night. Even if fall isn’t your favorite season, there is so much good music to spin to really make it come to life. Although it can be bittersweet to say goodbye to summer, I can always count on these records to put

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL SEXTON

Opal band members Emmett James, Ahnay Hering, Claire Carpenter, Frances Stemme and Kenneth Latanna (from left to right) perform Aug. 29, 2025, at The Bluebird. The band has played at the Bloomington music venue

many times since their first show in November 2024.

By Sophie Albert soalbert@iu.edu

The fall season is here, which means it’s a great time to wind down and cozy up to a movie. Here is a list of six movies that will get you feeling like leaves are falling and the air is turning crisp.

“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (1966)

Undoubtedly a fall classic, this television special features characters from Charles M. Schulz’s “Peanuts” as they celebrate Halloween. Meanwhile, Linus (Christopher Shea) waits all night in a pumpkin patch to see the “Great Pumpkin,” a mythical creature who rises on Halloween to deliver toys to children. While this may not be a full-length movie, it’s a great watch that will get you right into the fall and Halloween spirit. The special provides a lot of nostalgia for those who grew up watching it, but if you’ve never seen it, it’s definitely worth giving it a shot. The television special is available to stream on Apple TV.

“Dead Poets Society” (1989)

A coming-of-age film about the importance of living life to its fullest, “Dead Poets Society” follows Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard) and other students at an all-boys preparatory school as their new English teacher, John Keating (Robin Williams), teaches them to change their view on the world and to seize each day. While this film isn’t inherently fall themed, its cozy, heartfelt nature with a deep ending fits the fall aesthetic well. This is a really great choice of movie if you’re looking for something that digs into many different aspects of humanity while also doing a good job at balancing cheery, heartwarming moments with heavier, sadder ones. If you’re looking for something deep and earnest, this is a good movie to watch. The movie is streaming on Hulu.

“When Harry Met Sally…” (1989) This rom-com tells the story of Harry and Sally through their 12 years of friendship that ultimately leads to something more. Once again, while this film is not necessarily a fall centered film, it has a cozy and sweet aura that is sure to make you feel warm when it’s getting cold outside. A great friends-to-lovers story, “When Harry Met Sally...” has a good mix of light, comedic moments along with some deeper ones as well. If you like rom-coms or if you’re looking for something sweet and lighthearted, this is an excellent film to check out. You can rent or buy the film on movie rental sites including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and YouTube.

“Hocus Pocus” (1993) A Halloween classic, “Hocus Pocus” takes place after three witches accidentally get resurrected by Max (Omri Katz) on Halloween night. The witches chase down Max and his sister Dani (Thora Birch) to suck their life force and avoid being turned back to dust. While this is more specifically a Halloween movie, it still has strong fall vibes through its setting. The film has a few great laughs but also some spooky moments that are perfect for fans of Halloween. If you’re looking for something to watch with friends or family, this is a good choice to get you in a spooky mood. The movie is available to watch on Disney+.

“Coco” (2017)

This Pixar animated film follows Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) as he accidentally gets sent to the Land of the Dead and must reconnect with his dead greatgreat-grandfather in order to return to the Land of the Living. This is a beautiful movie that highlights Día de los Muertos and Mexican culture. The movie is funny, has great songs and a very emotional ending that will surely get you in your feels. Not only is this a good choice for those looking for a fun and profound film about the importance of family, but it’s a great way to celebrate and learn more about Día de los Muertos. The film is streaming on Disney+.

“Knives Out” (2019)

A murder mystery in which the renowned private detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) investigates the death of bestselling author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), “Knives Out” is thrilling, funny and twisty. While it isn’t specifically a fall film, it definitely incites feelings of the crisper season. “Knives Out” has a warm color grading which, when paired with the dark academia setting of the Thrombey household and the cold weather, elicits feelings of autumn. If you’re into murder mysteries, this is a great choice to add to your fall watch list. You can watch the film on Amazon Prime Video.

Holocaust Exhibit opens at Eskenazi Museum

By McKenzie Vitale mcvitale@iu.edu

The Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art opened the “Remembrance and Renewal: American Artists and the Holocaust 1940 -1970” exhibit Sept. 4. It is the first collection in the world to focus on the impact of the Holocaust on midcentury art pieces from America, said Jennifer McComas, curator of European and American Art at the museum.

“There have been some art exhibitions at other institutions that address art that emanated from the Holocaust, but not any exhibition that has focused specifically on this mid-20th century American context,” McComas said.

McComas spent about five years putting the exhibit together, with three dedicated to research. The exhibit is a collection of 60 pieces of art created by American artists, with some being immigrants. The pieces come from various mediums, ranging from books to photographs showing the Holocaust’s influence on artists.

“The exhibition has many loans from other collections across the nation, so this is a really rare opportunity for visitors to see works that are usually geographically separated from one another,” McComas said.

The museum, in conjunction with Yale University Press, put together a gallery book with additional essays reflecting on the pieces. They explore on a deeper level how American artists responded to the Holocaust and its long-term impact.

Alvin Rosenfeld, an IU professor of English and Jewish Studies, briefly visited the exhibit Sept. 10 during a lecture presentation hosted by McComas. He encouraged students to at-

tend the exhibit with a level of mindfulness about the art they are seeing.

“They shouldn’t just go, rush in and rush out, but really linger a while, enjoy what’s there, if enjoy is the right word when we’re talking about the Holocaust,” Rosenfeld said. “But take it in. Think about it. Give themselves a chance to respond both emotionally and intellectually to what they see.”

“I feel like it’s very modern,” Chapman said. “A lot of the other exhibits here showcase a lot of history from hundreds and hundreds of years ago, but this being so near to our time is really cool to see.”

“It shows that artists in several different artistic media have felt compelled to represent their own approaches to feelings about understandings of the Nazi persecution and mass murder of the Jews,”

Alvin Rosenfeld, IU professor of English and Jewish Studies

McComas wanted to bring these pieces together to tell a part of the story of the Holocaust that doesn’t get much attention.

“With this exhibition, my interest was to examine the era from a different perspective and to look at the ways in which artists in the United States were responding to the events taking place in Europe and how they expressed their feelings through their different artistic media,” McComas said.

At McComas’ lecture, she and her team displayed and examined some of the pieces through the intended artistic perspective.

“It shows that artists in several different artistic media have felt compelled to represent their own approaches to feelings about understandings of the Nazi persecution and mass murder of the Jews,” Rosenfeld said.

Senior Grace Chapman visited the exhibit on opening day for an assignment in her Spanish Composition and Conversation class that required students to observe the art and write about their thoughts.

The exhibit offers viewers an opportunity to express their feelings about the showcase with a commentary book outside the room, which McComas said the museum does on a case-by-case basis.

“I think it depends on the type of exhibition,” McComas said. “For a show like this which is on a very serious topic, I thought it would be nice to provide a place for visitors to offer reflections. Maybe they’re needing to process some thoughts that arise during the exhibition.”

Five pages of the commentary book contain comments from viewers, leaving their thoughts about the exhibit and its message. These were some of the comments:

“History Repeats itself.”

“I am proud to be Jewish.”

“Such a powerful and moving exhibition.”

“This gallery served as an important reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust and a fascinating display of the themes of death, despair, prayer and hope in art following the genocide.”

“I am appreciative of the time, research, and effort that went into producing this exhibit.”

The exhibit will be open on the first floor of the museum in the Henry Radford Hope wing until Dec. 14.

Photos by Chloe LaVelle

3. An attendee of Witch Fest looks at an artisan’s booth selling crystals and rocks Sept. 20, 2025, on the Monroe County Courthouse lawn in Bloomington. Several artisans sold crystals, artwork, clothing, jewelry and taxidermy.

4. An attendee recieves a henna design at Witch Fest on Sept. 20, 2025, on the Monroe County Courthouse lawn in Bloomington. A handful of artisans featured henna application with designs the attendees could choose from.

5. Musician Jason Epple plays for the crowd at Witch Fest on Sept. 20, 2025, on the Monroe County Courthouse lawn in Bloomington. Epple set a sign up in front of him to promote his Youtube, Facebook, and digital album.

6. Witch Fest attendees walk around to different artisans’ booths Sept. 20, 2025, on the Monroe County Courthouse lawn in Bloomington. Witch Fest began in 2022 and is a celebration of the anniversary of two downtown stores named Gather and oak. The first Witch Fest in 2022 had only 17 artisans. Now, three years later, the event features more than 75 artisans.

7. A young attendee of Witch Fest watches the musical entertainment Sept. 20, 2025, on the Monroe County Courthouse lawn in Bloomington. There were several families, pets and individuals walking around the lawn to celebrate Gather, oak. and the fall equinox. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

By Jonathan Frey jonafrey@iu.edu | @ByJonathanFrey

B rad Stratton sips coffee out of a Styrofoam cup

just past 9 a.m. in the lobby of Bloomington’s downtown Springhill Suites. It’s May 7, 2024. The hotel sits two blocks north of the Monroe County Circuit Court, where he and his family spent hours the previous day waiting for closure — and roughly three blocks south of where his son, Nate, was struck and killed by a drunk driver.

“Bloomington’s not a happy place for us,” Brad says. “Nate loved IU, and we’re happy he enjoyed his time here, but it’s hard for us to come here.”

Elizabeth, Nate’s mom, and Ceci, one of his older sisters, file in and out of the lobby. Nate’s grandparents make small talk with family friends who came to support them during the sentencing of Nate’s killer.

In three hours, the family is leaving Bloomington. Maybe for the last time. Brad and Elizabeth are returning to their home in Fort Myers, Florida. They moved out of Minnesota after Nate graduated high school.

Ceci will go back to Los Angeles, where she works as an architect.

Abby, Nate’s oldest sister, and her fiancé, Lynn, will head to Washington D.C. In a year’s time, they’ll be married.

Outside the hotel, the sky opens up over Bloomington. Pudgy droplets pound the glass bay windows looking out from the hotel.

Ceci and Elizabeth join Brad in the common area to talk to a reporter. Ceci suppresses an eyeroll as her dad calls himself a geek.

“You aren’t,” she says. “You’re an athlete.”

“Yeah, but I was a technology guy,” he responds.

Tongue-in-cheek bickering gives way to fond remembrance of Nate. He was a geek, they all agree. He played “Valorant” on a team at IU. He played “Magic: The Gathering” and “Dungeons & Dragons.”

They still remember Nate as he was: vibrant, smart, kind. He’s still in the room.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated 13,524 deaths caused by impaired vehicle operation in 2022, the year Nate was killed. That’s around one death every 40 minutes in the United States.

Some who died were driving impaired. Others were caught in the crossfire of decisions they had no part in. All are eventually reduced to statistics — the ones and twos that add up to thousands, dots on a graph.

But nobody is a number. Nate was not a number. He was a brother and a son, and three years after his death, its ripples are still growing.

Nate Stratton, then a junior at IU’s Kelley School of Business, left Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers on Kirkwood Avenue in the early morning of Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022.

Nate rented an electric scooter, as many students do. He was heading to his apartment near 17th Street. He rode west on Kirkwood Avenue and took a right on Walnut Street, heading north. Around that same time, Madelyn Howard, then 22, left Kilroy’s Sports Bar — where she was a bartender — and headed to her car parked outside The Bluebird on Seventh and Walnut. She had been drinking alcohol at Kilroy’s for hours in celebration of a friend’s birthday.

Toxicology reports later showed her blood-alcohol level was 0.226% — nearly three times Indiana’s legal driving limit. Court documents described friends “pouring liquor down her throat.” Howard and friend Taylor McCollough got into Howard’s black Mercedes sedan, with Howard in the driver’s seat. They started driving north. At approximately 1:29

Remembering Nate

A drunk driver killed Nate 3 years ago. His family remembers him as he was

a.m., Howard swerved into the bike lane where Nate was riding on his scooter near the intersection of 12th and Walnut streets. She was going well over the speed limit, shown in surveillance video from a nearby Domino’s Pizza.

Dustin Bowman, a Bloomington resident who witnessed the incident from his front porch, thought she could have been going 60 miles per hour, he said in the sentencing hearing. Police were unable to determine the exact speed, citing a lack of brake marks on the road.

Howard struck Nate from behind with her vehicle, shattering the windshield at the point of impact. Bowman described it sounding like a chair crashing through a window.

Nate was thrown from the scooter and launched from the south side of the intersection to the north side — nearly 50 feet.

The same video shows Nate’s shoe landing around 100 feet from the point of impact.

Bowman and his partner rushed to Nate, who lay unresponsive on the sidewalk. They called 911 and sat with him, waiting for paramedics to arrive. McCollough looked over to Howard in the driver’s seat. In one interview with police, he said he asked, “Did we hit something?” In another interview, he said Howard asked him. Howard did not brake. Instead, she continued to drive north on Walnut, now dragging Nate’s scooter underneath her car. One video

by an Uber driver

at the intersection of 15th and Walnut showed a trail of red sparks trailing her car, caused by the scooter scraping against the ground.

She turned right on 17th Street, drove two blocks east to Lincoln Street, drove another two blocks north and came to rest at the intersection of 19th and Lincoln.

A nearby group of partygoers from across the street reportedly shouted to Howard and her passenger that they were dragging a scooter underneath their car. The group helped them lift the car and pry the scooter from underneath.

Police found Howard by the vehicle around 1:59 a.m., visibly intoxicated and unstable. At the scene, officers asked her how the crack in her windshield came to be. She said somebody hit her car with a baseball bat.

Madelyn Howard spent less than 24 hours in jail after being apprehended by police, released on a $500 bond.

Nate Stratton was taken to the hospital around 2 a.m., where he clung to life for several hours. Emergency room doctors repeatedly restarted his heart. But it became clear he wasn’t coming back.

A phone call woke Brad and Elizabeth at their residence in the mountain town of Avon, Colorado. Elizabeth remembers talking to one doctor over the phone racing down I-70 toward an airport to get to Bloomington.

“He said every time they restart [his heart], they’re doing more damage to his body, and based on the head trauma, there was really no hope,” she said. “And I said,

‘Are you asking me to let him go?’ And he said, ‘It’s up to you.’”

“I said, ‘I’ll let him go if you can’t save him.’”

She remembers making that decision every time she drives down that stretch of road.

Nate died as the sun rose over Bloomington. He was 20 years old.

“Nobody knows what to say when you tell them you lost a child,” Brad said. “I wish people would ask, ‘What was his name?’”

His name was Nate.

Nate Stratton grew up in Excelsior, Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis. He was the youngest of three siblings. Abby, his oldest sister, was six years his senior; Ceci was three years older.

Brad and Elizabeth made sure all their kids got a wellrounded education. They all had to try an instrument and a sport, and for the whole family, alpine skiing was a must. They held Nate’s memorial service at Hyland Hills in Bloomington, Minnesota, a ski hill they frequented.

Nate took to it, skiing competitively into his midteenage years. At 16, when the competition got tougher, he started trying to gain weight to better match his opponents.

“He was trying to bulk up and train, and every morning he’d come down looking thinner and thinner,” Elizabeth said.

Nate’s concerned mom

took him to the pediatrician, where he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. The condition causes the body to fail in producing insulin, a hormone that allows cells to turn glucose into energy. It can be life-threatening if not diagnosed and properly treated.

“We did a lot of crying that day together,” Elizabeth said.

But even after a lifechanging diagnosis, he was his family’s champion. He fought tooth and nail to relieve his mom — who had a phobia of needles — of injecting him with insulin before he was discharged.

The nurse didn’t relent, and Elizabeth had to inject him once to prove her capacity to do so. But she never had to again.

And just months later he was in Austria, training to compete in alpine ski races.

“I don’t know many 16-year-olds who could handle being diagnosed with diabetes and take that with grace,” Brad said. Nate was as kind as he was strong. Abby said when she thinks about having a family, she thinks about raising her children to embody that kindness.

“I think we’re good people in our morals and our character, but Nate was a far kinder person to strangers than I was,” she said. “He was kinder to strangers on the street. He was kinder to people he didn’t know very well.”

And to his friends and family, he was

a light in their darkest hours. His family

COURTESY PHOTO

Nate Stratton poses for his high school graduation photo with the family’s Alaskan malamute, Atlas, in 2020. Nate was killed two years later by a drunk driver.

COURTESY PHOTO

Nate cuddles Atlas, the family’s Alaskan malamute, as a puppy. Atlas joined the Strattons in 2017.

COURTESY PHOTO Nate and his siblings Abby (left) and Ceci (right) visit their grandparents in Florida in 2016. Abby was six years his senior, and Ceci three.

COURTESY PHOTO Nate poses with his friend Della at a competitive alpine ski race in Minnesota in 2019. After his diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes, he quickly returned to ski racing.

described his struggles with depression in his sophomore year of college, but said it never stopped him from leaping to the defense of those he held dear.

“Even when he was struggling with his own mental health, Nate still helped other people with their problems and was always empathetic,” Brad said. “People came to him to be vulnerable and knew they were safe.”

Ceci Stratton woke up sick in a West Hollywood hotel the morning of the 18th. It was a gloomy, overcast California morning.

She celebrated a friend’s birthday the night before.

Ceci gushed about her little brother that night to anyone who would listen.

“Nate came up and I literally was talking about how, like, ‘Oh my gosh, like he’s doing great. I’m so proud of him,’” she said.

Ceci and Nate didn’t start as best friends. The older sister-younger brother dynamic is one often fraught with tough love and competition.

Ceci, Nate and Abby competed in everything they did. The three were, by all accounts, overachievers.

Abby went to Northwestern University for undergrad; Ceci went to USC to study architecture. When Nate entered IU’s prestigious Kelley School of Business, it was almost a matter of principle.

Ceci and Nate shared a loving, bickering, competitive sibling relationship no different from most until 2019, near the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. They discovered a shared love of Japanese anime as they became increasingly trapped at home. Late-night anime watch parties — “Attack on Titan” and “Naruto” — and Spotify jam sessions — Miki Mitsubara and Steve Lacy — became the foundation of a bond like a sailor’s knot.

“I would describe him as a soulmate,” Ceci said.

They kept bonding over the little things. Skiing down hills with the same music pumping through their headphones. Demolishing trays of peanut butter Rice Krispies Treats from Cub Foods. Going to the gym after Nate supposedly developed “an eight-pack” during a summer in Florida.

Nate helped Ceci out of her shell.

“I would just kind of hang around all day, and he’d come home from his internship, chug some Celsius energy drink and go up to the gym,” she said. “I would just follow him around the gym and he would show me what to do. And I felt really empowered and really strong because he was so confident.” When her dad called her that gloomy morning, Ceci snuck around the several girls sleeping on the floor in the hotel room to take the call outside. Most of them were virtual strangers to her.

She knew something was wrong the moment she picked up the phone.

“Are you sitting?” her dad asked.

Just outside Courtroom 313 at the Charlotte Zietlow Justice Center, Stratton’s friends and family crowded silently around the door. It was about half an hour before the May 6 sentencing hearing. Nearly 600 days had passed since Nate’s death.

Down the hall and around the corner, Howard’s friends and family gathered near the stairs.

Hardly a word was exchanged within the families, let alone between them.

Bailiffs escorted the Strattons into the courtroom first. Next came the Howards. They sat divided only by an imaginary line in the sand, shoulder to shoulder.

Both knew that by the end of the day, a sentence would be delivered.

Howard never contacted the Strattons in the 20 months between the incident and the sentencing. Her first time addressing the family opposite her came just before deliberation.

“I will never excuse my acts,” she said. “If I had known that I struck Nathaniel, I would have run into oncoming traffic to help him.”

The Stratton family sat stone-faced as Howard delivered her statement.

Katharine Liell, Howard’s

attorney, said in her concluding remarks that it was her decision to prohibit the Howard family from contacting the Strattons, and that it should not be held against Howard herself.

Jeff Kehr, attorney for the state, concluded by recommending the maximum sentence of 16 years for Howard.

Judge Darcie Fawcett, who presided over the case, delivered her verdict after nearly eight hours of testimony. Howard was sentenced to 10 years in an Indiana correctional facility, two years of probation, and a driver’s license suspension for 16 years.

“There are moments where words can just do nothing to help,” she said. “This is one of those moments.”

Both families broke into tears as the verdict was delivered. Abby and Ceci held each other close.

Howard sobbed silently as officers entered the courtroom to take her into custody.

Stratton’s family took down the portrait of Nate that had overlooked the hearing all day from the state’s side of the courtroom. All parties filed slowly out of the courtroom.

“There’s no victory in this for anyone,” Brad said after the hearing.

Howard’s legal team filed a motion to appeal the verdict just days after the sentencing hearing concluded. For another agonizing 14 months, the Stratton family waited. For 14 months, Madelyn Howard’s sentence was in limbo.

Brad said once she filed a plea, any apology made in court was a moot point. Abby said she doesn’t believe her.

But on July 30, 2025, the appellate court returned with a lengthy denial of Howard’s plea.

“Howard’s argument regarding the nature of her offense does not persuade us that her sentence is inappropriate,” the decision read. “In fact, the circumstances of this case might even justify a lengthier sentence, but we choose to affirm the trial court who was in the best position to consider the evidence and credibility of

those who testified.”

The court’s decision was worded so strongly Brad and Elizabeth wonder if it may be used as precedent for future appeal decisions.

Nine days following the appeal decision, the family

child, they also fought for other families experiencing similar losses. In the wake of Nate’s death, the Stratton family connected with Denise Niblick of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

MADD was founded in

“Those of us who knew and loved Nate Stratton, particularly his family, live with a type of guilt every day and will for the rest of our lives. As his sister, guilt lives in my heart very differently since he was killed,”

Abby Stratton, Nate’s oldest sister

gathered for a celebration.

Abby took the surname Reed when she married her husband Lynn on Aug. 8 this year. They held the ceremony in Vail, Colorado, atop a mountain Nate once skied. Ceci was the maid of honor.

Lynn knew Nate too. He and Abby had dated since 2020. When Abby learned of Nate’s death, she thought, “I have to get to Lynn.”

When the couple planned their wedding, they agreed Nate had to be part of it.

Abby wrote a passage for the pastor to recite before they exchanged vows.

“It is a tradition in the Stratton family to light a yellow candle in honor and remembrance of Nate Stratton,” Abby said through an Episcopalian priest. “Today, we light this candle to remind us that Nate is with us today and is smiling down on us all. Abby and Lynn are lucky to have him watching over them as they enter into their marriage today and every day going forward.”

“As Lynn lights the candle, we will take a moment to remember Nate and all those loved ones who are not with us today.”

A cloudy afternoon dispersed and the sun shone over nearby mountain peaks as the Stratton family shared their first moment of overwhelming happiness since Nate died.

In pictures, Abby said, the mood looks high to an outside observer. All over the venue were bright, shiny faces. But look closer, and one might see tears in the eyes of those who knew Nate.

As the Strattons fought for justice for their own

1980 by a group of grieving mothers, all of whom lost children to drunk driving incidents. But the organization’s purpose and reach have since spread far beyond mothers.

Niblick got involved with MADD after losing her sister, Lisa, at 26 to an underage drunk and drugged driver. She uprooted her life as a high school teacher to become an advocate and assistant to those who had similar experiences.

“Losing a built-in best friend or losing somebody in an out-of-order death impacts, I would say, almost every single decision that you make from that day on,” she said in an interview with the Indiana Daily Student.

Niblick sat in on meetings with the family’s prosecutor. She checked in on anniversaries and milestones. On the day of the sentencing, she sat in the back with their civil attorney. She held her tongue when she felt people testifying on Howard’s behalf were trying to infringe on the Strattons’ grieving process.

“That was very hard because I just wanted to stand up and shout and say, ‘You do not get to tell someone how to grieve,’” she said.

Niblick and MADD have spent decades working to end drunk driving and help fight drugged driving, most recently advocating for mandatory implementation of technology to detect and prevent impaired and distracted driving before it happens. Some pieces of tech, like a built-in breathalyzer that won’t allow the car to start if it detects alcohol on the driver’s breath, already exist. MADD estimates making this technology mandatory

that shook Bloomington, Nate will live forever. In the hearts of all who read his story. In the minds of lawmakers looking for ways to prevent accidents on the roads. And maybe, hopefully, he lives somewhere in the gut feeling of the next would-be drunk driver who decides to take an Uber.

Elizabeth Stratton wrote the letter below when Nate was in kindergarten. She sealed it in a time capsule for Nate to open someday. The right time to dig up the capsule didn’t come before September.

Nate never got to read it.

Dear Nate, Today is Tuesday, May 27th, 2008. You are only a few days away from your 6th birthday and are so excited for it to arrive. Every day you beg me to open one of your presents early and every day I tell you to be patient a little longer. After you have stomped off in a huff, you return to me asking for hints to your presents. I have given you silly hints that have nothing to do with your gifts. My fear is that you will figure out your gifts from the hints and spoil the surprises. I’m not even going to write what you are receiving in this letter because you are such a good reader and you might find this letter before it is sealed in the time capsule.

could save upward of 10,000 lives. But red tape and bureaucracy have slowed the process, with the most headway being a commitment to developing adequate technology by 2027. The most recent reports from the NHTSA estimated a slight decrease in drunk driving-related fatalities in 2023, but when talking about preventable deaths in the thousands, changes of tens hardly make a dent.

“We’re an action family,” Brad said. “All I hear is words and not action.”

The Strattons opened their own doors to people impacted by impaired driving deaths, sometimes meeting with and advocating for those with their own stories of loss.

Abby pioneered a fundraiser for Breakthrough T1D, a nonprofit organization researching Type 1 diabetes. It raised more than $130,000 in Nate’s name, one of the largest single-incident donations to the cause ever.

Brad and Elizabeth said they didn’t want any personal donations on behalf of Nate, instead asking donors to send their money to Breakthrough T1D and MADD.

“I’m not doing this coverage for anything other than to create awareness for this community and to create a legacy for Nate,” Brad said.

“Those of us who knew and loved Nate Stratton, particularly his family, live with a type of guilt every day and will for the rest of our lives. As his sister, guilt lives in my heart very differently since he was killed,” Abby said in an impact statement to the court. “I feel guilty every day for smiling at strangers on the street, for laughing at a joke, for having hopes, dreams and ambitions for the future.”

But three years later, Abby and those who knew Nate choose to remember him as he was, and as he will always be. A best friend, a brother, a son. The prankster who could always light up a room. The hero who would save everyone else on a sinking ship before thinking of himself.

Through his family, and through the verdict of a case

Let me share with you what everyone you meet thinks of you. I have friends, teachers, grandparents, coaches and other parents telling me all the time what a happy, kind and funny boy you are. All of this I already know but it is wonderful to see others appreciate what a beautiful person you are inside and out. That being said, you can be pretty stinky to Abby and Ceci and they can be the same to you. Your relationship with your big sisters is exactly what it is supposed to be –- antagonistic and loving at the same time. I love that at five years old you know and love all of your grandparents, cousins, and even your great grandparents, Mimi and Pa. I wonder what path you will choose to follow in school and extracurricular. You love school. Your kindergarten year with Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Weaver has been perfect. Your reading is wonderful and you love math. You have done a really great job this year. Your favorite sport is skiing. You also love basketball, soccer, tennis and swimming. You are pretty good on your bike and excellent on your razor scooter! You love to dance and sing. You have just discovered Kung Fu and are very excited to take your first belt test. You also have an appreciation for girls! You recently came home from school and told me you used the “G” word. Ceci and I looked at each other in bewilderment. Ceci asked you if the word was God and you answered no. After a few guesses we gave up and asked for the word. Your answer was GIRLFRIEND. You professed your love for a little girl named Taylor and even had a picture drawn of the two of you inside a heart.

One of the things I love the most is that you still love to snuggle with me at bedtime and insist on tickles every night. You are a prankster with me and the rest of our family. Your all time favorite food is PANCAKES. You would eat pancakes for every meal if you could. You lost your first tooth just 3 weeks ago. It was very loose and barely hanging on by a thread. I warned you to be extra careful at lunchtime so you wouldn’t swallow it by accident. Surprise! You came home to share that the tooth fell out at lunch. You professed that you absolutely did not swallow it! UNFORTUNATELY you searched the floor and all over with Mrs. Weaver and still could not find it. Where could it have gone?!?

My hopes for you in the future are that you find happiness within yourself. I want you to stay a confident and driven individual. It is important that you are always compassionate towards others. I will always love you with all of my heart and soul. You have been given a wonderful base of love, family and education to build the rest of your life on. I can’t wait to see who you have become by the year 2020 and beyond.

JONATHAN FREY

Ceci Stratton, one of Nate Stratton’s two older sisters, holds a photo of him May 6, 2024, outside a courtroom at the Charlotte Zietlow Justice Center in Bloomington.. The photo overlooked the courtroom from the prosecution’s bench for the duration of the hearing.

COURTESY PHOTO

Nate and Brad stand atop a ski hill in Vail, Colorado. The Stratton family grew up skiing together, with Nate especially taking to the sport.

COURTESY PHOTO

Nate visits Ceci during her study abroad trip in Italy in spring 2021.

After Nate’s death, Ceci continued her work as an architect in Los Angeles.

Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza tosses 5 TDs

By Dalton James jamesdm@iu.edu | @daltonmjames

Fernando Mendoza stood inside the Indiana football weight room, donning a black quarter zip emblazoned with the IU trident and adidas logo.

It was approximately 33 minutes after the redshirt junior put together a statement-making, Heisman Trophy-esque performance in a historic 63-10 drubbing Sept. 20 over then-No. 9 Illinois inside Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.

Sure, Mendoza could’ve relished the victory, taking credit for Indiana’s dominant offensive performance as he went 21 for 23 for 267 yards passing and five touchdowns.

But his incompletions were on his mind — those two incompletions in a 53-point win.

“Although we won tonight, I still had two incompletions I didn’t really like,” Mendoza said postgame. “Especially to Elijah (Sarratt) — the stutter — and then me and (Omar) Cooper (Jr.) need to get on the same page on the out route on Cover Zero.”

Mendoza transferred to Indiana to become the best quarterback he could be, he said. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the Miami native in his first season in Bloomington.

In the Hoosiers’ season opener against Old Dominion University on Aug. 30, Mendoza and the offense struggled to score touchdowns in the red zone. He still passed for 193 yards in the 13-point victory.

But he said he was seeking “too perfect” a season to start the year. He felt he was forcing completions against the Monarchs.

So, he met with quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer, offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan and head coach Curt Cignetti. The three coached him to stick to the process, to play one play at a time like the score is zero to zero and to not be fueled by emotion.

When Mendoza receives the coaching he has and his teammates are confident in him, it “kind of fulfills me a little bit,” he said.

“I want to serve my teammates,” Mendoza said. “And my goal is really to serve my teammates, and praise God. Those are really

my two goals.” In the Hoosiers’ last three games, Mendoza threw for 782 yards and 14 touchdowns to just 10 incompletions. He played just five total quarters against Illinois and Indiana State University on Sept. 12.

“I got back into being who I am,” Mendoza said. “Who I am with trying to accelerate my footwork, finish throws, and to really just trust my eyes and to rip the ball.”

Three days after Indiana improved to 3-0, Cignetti said he was pleased with the progress Mendoza made throughout nonconference play. The second-year head coach was confident in his signal caller rising to the occasion.

Mendoza rose. So did Indiana’s entire offense.

Seven Hoosiers ran the ball against the Fighting Illini while five caught at least one pass.

Three quarterbacks — Mendoza, redshirt freshman Alberto Mendoza and sixthyear senior Grant Wilson — took to the field.

Across the Cream and Crimson’s first three offensive possessions, they had a 7-play, 75yard touchdown drive — Mendoza hit redshirt junior receiver Omar Cooper Jr. on

a bubble screen for an 11yard score — sandwiched by two three-and-outs.

The Hoosiers found the end zone on each of their next seven drives. Fernando Mendoza commanded the offense on the first six before Alberto Mendoza led the unit on the seventh.

Fernando Mendoza threw a perfectly placed strike — above a linebacker and a corner — to sixthyear senior receiver E.J. Williams Jr. for an 11-yard touchdown. Then, he found sixth-year senior tight end Riley Nowakowski on a screen pass up the middle. The Wisconsin transfer ran 43 yards for the score.

Up 28-7 with just over a minute until halftime, Mendoza hit senior receiver Elijah Sarratt on an out route to the far corner of the south end zone for the 9-yard score. The Hoosiers surrendered a field goal to lead 35-10 at the break.

Even with a rather comfortable lead, Mendoza remembered last season at the University of California, Berkeley, when it hosted the University of Miami in early October. ESPN’s College GameDay hosted its show earlier in the day, as the national spotlight was on Mendoza’s squad.

The Golden Bears led the Hurricanes by 11 at halftime. In the locker room, Mendoza was happy to be up on his hometown team with a win appearing likely. Cal led by 25 points in the third quarter before collapsing and losing by 1.

“That taught me to never be complacent,” Mendoza said.

So, when the Hoosiers, who are led by a complacency-stalking Cignetti, were in the locker room at halftime Sept. 20, there wasn’t any satisfaction.

“Everyone had the same message,” Mendoza said. “Hey, ‘We got to stay locked in, and we got to really step on their throats and finish this game.’”

The Hoosiers did.

Sixth-year senior running back Kaelon Black ran between a gaping hole, which Nowakowski and Cooper sealed, for a 40-yard touchdown on Indiana’s first drive of the third quarter.

Mendoza notched his final touchdown with a 5-yard inside post to Sarratt in the north end zone to take a 49-10 advantage. Illinois head coach Bret Bielema put his hands on his knees and dropped his head after the score. The Hoosiers “broke their will,” Cignetti said.

Then, the Hoosiers’ run game took over. Indiana didn’t attempt a pass in the fourth quarter, instead running 17 times for 147 yards and two touchdowns — both by redshirt freshman Khobie Martin to secure the victory.

Minutes after Cignetti shook athletic director Scott Dolson’s hand and hugged IU President Pamela Whitten on his way into the locker room postgame, the second-year Hoosiers head coach praised Mendoza.

“He’s got a quick whip, strong arm, accurate, mobile,” Cignetti said. “The biggest thing when he came to us was working with him in the pocket and the dropback game, being a little bit more patient, poised going through his progressions.”

Cignetti also feels Mendoza has “tremendous upside.” The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Mendoza’s prolific night has him in the Heisman Trophy conversation — an award no Hoosier has won. He’s the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman at +800, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Praise and national attention could come with an ego. A feeling of satisfaction.

Not with Mendoza.

“And Fernando is the kind of guy, he won’t get bigheaded,” Cignetti said. “He’s going to keep his nose to the grindstone, doing a great job preparing and improve.”

Although Cignetti was certainly commenting on Mendoza’s football preparation, the quarterback even brought up academics, which is a “big thing.” He said he’s grateful to be on scholarship pursuing his academic career — even as a projected top 10 prospect.

The Hoosiers still have eight games left. Their next comes on the road against Iowa on Sept. 28 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa — a place Indiana hasn’t won since 2007. The Cream and Crimson also have trips to No. 6 Oregon on Oct. 11 and No. 3 Penn State on Nov. 8. But Sept. 20, Indiana showed its a “great Big Ten team,” Mendoza said. A 4-0 record isn’t the end goal, though. The Hoosiers are seeking back-to-back College Football Playoff berths — a place many national media members said they didn’t belong a season ago.

Junior defensive back D’Angelo Ponds said Indiana heard the messages. That the Hoosiers didn’t play anybody. That the Hoosiers didn’t deserve to be ranked. Ponds said the national media and football fans are “probably still saying the same thing” after Sept. 20. But Mendoza isn’t concerned with the outside noise. Nor is Cignetti, who emphasizes ignoring the clutter outside the program. He did, though, want to comment on the outside narrative, turning to associate director for strategic communications Jeff Keag, saying, “I want to, but I’m not.”

The Hoosiers’ offense is “really starting to click,” Mendoza said. It’s also “meshing” together. But Mendoza still wants improvement. Through four games, his play has continually improved.

“And to see my development accelerate is what I want,” he said. “And I want to keep on accelerating tenfold and keep on having exponential growth throughout the season.” But his demeanor — and black quarter zip after the last two games — hasn’t changed. Not with Week 1 struggles or Week 4 success.

Girl Climber (2025) - 10/5

THE Librarians (2025) - 10/7

Fred Armisen: Comedy For Musicians

But Everyone Is Welcome - 10/9

Halloween (1978) - 10/17

Mitski: the land (2025) - 10/22 & 11/1

A Special Event with Janis Ian: Screening "Breaking Silence" - 10/23

Haunted mansion (2023) - 10/30

The Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band - 11/8

joshua Redman Quartet - 11/10

Bob Schneider & Rhett Miller - 11/14

Warren Miller’s SNO-CIETY - 11/16

Jeff Tweedy with special Guest sima cunningham - 11/20

BRIANA PACE | IDS

Redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza looks toward sixth-year senior wide receiver E.J. Williams Jr. as he scans the field during a game against Illinois on Sept. 20, 2025, at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. Mendoza only had two incompletions in his 23 attempts in the game.

By Quinn Richards qmrichar@iu.edu | @quinn_richa

It’s notoriously difficult to prove things. British mathematician Bertrand Russell used over 360 pages in his “Principia Mathematica” to prove that 1 + 1 does in fact equal 2. Indiana football had a similarly challenging dilemma entering its 2025 season — proving it belonged in last year’s College Football Playoff. Fortunately for the Hoosiers, it didn’t take 360 pages to do so. No, for Indiana, it took three hours and six minutes on a rainy Sept. 20 in Bloomington.

The Hoosiers’ 63-10 win over No. 9 Illinois at Memorial Stadium proved last season’s success wasn’t a fluke. The small but vocal minority of college football fans who pushed an “Indiana played nobody” narrative will surely throw in the towel after a 53-point beatdown of a top-10 team to open conference play in 2025. Surely.

If only it were that simple.

The unfortunate truth for Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers is that there will always be a constituency of college football fans holding firm to the notion that Indiana took the place of “more deserving” teams from the Southeastern Conference in last year’s postseason.

“They’re probably still saying the same thing,” junior cornerback D’Angelo Ponds said postgame, in an honest response to criticism about Indiana’s scheduling.

The Hoosiers earned their sixth win over an AP Top 10 team in program history

Ponds is right. I’m

not positive those critics would’ve conceded that the Hoosiers belonged if Cignetti took them to the national championship last season. It’s the same type of person who says The Beatles are overrated. They’re objectively wrong, but passionate nonetheless. It’s the type of person who won’t change their opinion.

So, if Indiana’s domination of the Fighting Illini on Sept. 20 wasn’t enough to convince, well, the SEC, what did it do?

For one, it showed the Hoosiers are among the best coached teams in the conference. From start to finish, Indiana played to its strengths and exploited Illinois’ weaknesses.

“They couldn’t match up on the perimeter. And then we broke their will and just pounded them.”

Curt Cignetti, Head Coach

Offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan put redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza in positions to make quick throws and pick apart a primarily man-coverage defense with a talented receiving core. Mendoza finished with 17 straight completions and looked more comfortable than Shaquille O’Neal in his Icy Hot commercials.

On the other side, defensive coordinator Bryant Haines dialed up a variety of blitz packages to attack Illinois’ weak of-

fensive line. The Hoosiers recorded seven sacks as a result. The Fighting Illini’s redshirt senior quarterback Luke Altmyer lived in agony and anguish as Indiana’s defensive front collapsed pocket after pocket.

“I thought our defensive line could whip their offensive line, and we did,” Cignetti said during his postgame press conference. “They couldn’t stop us. They couldn’t match up on the perimeter. And then we broke their will and just pounded them.”

While the graphic description used by Cignetti seems rather extreme, I’m not sure I could’ve possibly found better words to depict his team’s utter dominance in the trenches.

Another thing that Indiana proved: it’s once again a CFP contender.

Beating an Associated Press Top 10 team is rare — it’s the Hoosiers’ sixth time doing so in program history. Scoring 63 points on one is practically unheard of. It’s the most points ever scored by a Big Ten team against an AP Top 10 opponent.

This was supposed to be Indiana’s first real test. This was supposed to be a wake-up call, leaping from a weak nonconference slate to a premier conference opponent. It wasn’t.

I’ll be the first to admit that I was proven wrong. I genuinely believed the Hoosiers would pay the price for their underwhelming trio of nonconference opponents and lose. I wasn’t alone. Kirk Herbstreit and Nick Saban

were among the four ESPN College GameDay presenters who picked the Illini to win on the road.

“I don’t think Indiana’s anything that special,”

Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, said on Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff. “I think Illinois can beat them straight up.”

We were all wrong.

Instead, Cignetti once again showcased the same quality he boasted about when he was first hired: that he wins. Even so, the Hoosiers’ head coach isn’t particularly concerned about pushing an agenda in his second year at the helm.

“I mean, you guys (the media) control all that stuff,”

Cignetti said when asked what Indiana’s ceiling is. “We all play our games and see where it shakes out at the end of the year.” His approach differs from last season. Cignetti had to be vocal in his first year to bring the national spotlight to Bloomington. There’s no need for that now. Cignetti has a team with playoff potential and all he wants to do is prove it on the field. There is still plenty of work to do. The Hoosiers still face daunting matchups against Oregon and Penn State on the road later in the season. Taking down one of the Big Ten’s top dogs on the road is a hurdle Cignetti has yet to clear. Last season’s only opportunity to do so resulted in a 38-15 loss to Ohio State in Columbus. I firmly believe that Indiana’s smackdown of Illinois warrants national respect. Realistically, that won’t happen until the Cream and Crimson prove they can take down one of the conference’s giants. Senior wide receiver Elijah Sarratt and redshirt junior receiver Omar Cooper Jr. talked about hearing outside noise from the national media. Both shared a similar sentiment — they hear it but try to let the results speak for themselves. The result this week? It spoke for itself. Indiana is this year’s Indiana.

By Rebecca Goldstein

BLISS

HARRY BLISS

BRIANA PACE | IDS

Redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza throws a pass during the Hoosiers’ 63-10 win over Illinois on Sept. 20, 2025, at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. Mendoza finished the game with five passing touchdowns. Mendoza went 21 for 23 for 267 yards passing and five touchdowns.

Palmer Ault bounces back in 4-1 win

By Elakai Anela eanela@iu.edu | @elakai_anela

Last match was a tough pill to swallow, not only for senior forward Palmer Ault but the rest of the Indiana men’s soccer group, as well. Indiana, then-ranked No. 1 in the country, fought hard against Michigan on Sept. 13 at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington. However, the Hoosiers ultimately fell short after Ault’s decisive and potential game-tying penalty in the 89th minute hit the post.

But despite the missed penalty kick by Ault, Indiana head coach Todd Yeagley knew he and the team would be better off despite the missed opportunity.

“You’ve got to take a lot of courage to take penalties in high-pressure situations like that,” Yeagley said postgame Sept. 13. “I told him after the game that we wouldn’t have changed what we did there. We just said, ‘Hey, you’re still our guy.’ The team was there for him. He was obviously disappointed, but he’s been great for us this year.”

The positive outlook the Indiana coach had in the press conference was one that Ault and the Hoosiers carried into their road matchup at Penn State. And although Ault fell short in Indiana’s last affair, he responded in dominating fashion against Penn State on Sept. 19. After Indiana fell behind 1-0, sophomore defender Josh Maher knotted up the

score with his first career goal in the 14th minute. Indiana and Penn State finished the rest of the first half in quick fashion. With the first 45 minutes wrapped up, the Hoosiers were tied with the Nittany Lions 1-1. Then Ault unleashed.

In the 58th minute, on a run from sophomore forward Michael Nesci, Ault slipped into the Penn State box in front of the goalkeeper. Nesci found the open Ault, who was positioned for a clear goal. Ault did the rest, pushing the ball into the back of the net.

The Noblesville native scored his first goal of the match to put the Hoosiers in front — but the scoring didn’t stop there.

Only three minutes of game-time later, Ault tacked onto Indiana’s lead.

The senior forward pumpfaked two Penn State defenders on the left side of the box before ripping a shot that eluded the diving redshirt freshman goalkeeper Jonathan Evans.

Up 3-1 in the game, Ault wasn’t finished.

In the 85th minute, junior forward Collins Oduro dribbled past the Nittany Lions’ defender on his hip. Oduro, who had scored three straight goals in three matches leading up to the Penn State contest, opted to find the cutting Ault. Now with a wide-open net, Ault finished the goal — netting a hat trick and putting the bow on a resilient victory for the Hoosiers.

But even though Ault bounced back to help lead Indiana to victory Sept. 19, he knows the work isn’t done yet.

“We have one of the best teams in the country, so we have to keep riding high,” Ault said in the Big Ten+ postgame press conference.

Bloomington Friends Meeting

We practice traditional Quaker worship, gathering in silence with occasional Spirit-led vocal ministry by fellow worshipers. We are an inclusive community with a rich variety of belief and no prescribed creed. We are actively involved in peace action, social justice causes, and environmental concerns.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Rose House LuMin & St. Thomas Lutheran Church

3800 E. Third St. 812-332-5252 Stlconline.org lcmiu.net

Instagram: @hoosierlumin facebook.com/LCMIU facebook.com/StThomasBloomington

Sunday: 8:30 a.m. & 11 a.m.

@ St. Thomas Lutheran Church

3800 E. Third St.

Tuesday: 6:30 p.m. Dinner & Devotions

@ Rose House LuMin 314 S. Rose Ave.

Rose House LuMin and St. Thomas Lutheran Church invite you to experience life together with us. We are an inclusive Christian community who values the faith, gifts, and ministry of all God’s people. We seek justice, serve our neighbors, and love boldly.

Rev. - Adrianne Meier

Rev. - Lecia Beck

Rev. Amanda Ghaffarian - Campus Pastor

3820 E. Moores Pike bloomingtonfriendsmeeting.org

Sunday (in person & by Zoom): 9:45 a.m., Hymn singing 10:30 a.m., Meeting for Worship Children’s program available Rex Sprouse - Clerk rsprouse@iu.edu

St. Mark’s United Methodist Church

100 N. State Rd. 46 812-332-5788 smumc.church facebook.com/BloomingtonStMarksUMC instagram: @stmarksbloomington

Sunday: 10:30 a.m., Service Mon. - Fri: Office: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

St. Mark’s United Methodist Church of Bloomington, Indiana is an inclusive community, bringing Christ-like love, healing, and hope to all. We embrace the United Methodist ideal of open hearts, open minds, and open doors by welcoming those of all races, cultures, faith traditions, sexual orientations, and gender identities.

Rev. John Huff - Pastor Rev. Mary Beth Morgan - Pastor

“We knew coming off a loss that it was crucial to get those three points; we have to come out with the same energy on Tuesday night at another tough opponent, Michigan State.”

Ault also credited his teammates for his success, despite his high-profile fin-

ishing that was on display in the 4-1 victory. “We have so much firepower on this team,” Ault said postgame. “They put me in good spots, and my job is to do the easy part, putting it into the back of the net. All glory goes to my teammates tonight.”

Light House Community Church

850 E. Winslow Rd. 812-339-3306 lhccbloomington.org facebook.com/lighthousecommunitychurchbloomingtonindiana instagram.com/lighthouse_community_ church

Sunday: 9 a.m., Empowerment Classes (for all ages) 10:30 a.m., Service Wednesday: 7 p.m., Bible Study

Light House Community Church is mandated, by the Word of God, to fulfill the Great Commission by winning lost souls to Christ and empowering the believer to grow in Christ through prayer, study of the Holy Bible, and life application teaching. All are welcome! Transportation is available.

Senior Pastor - Derek L. House Assistant Pastor - Clarence W. Boone,

Trinity Reformed Church 2401 S. Endwright Rd. 812-825-2684 trinityreformed.org instagram.com/trinityreformed facebook.com/trinitychurchbloom

Sunday: 9:15 a.m., Sunday Bible Classes 10:30 a.m., Worship

We are a Reformed Protestant church on the west side of Bloomington with lively worship on Sunday mornings, Bible classes beforehand, home groups, and a college age group called The Mix (a group of young adults who are both attending college and beyond).

Jody Killingsworth - Lead Pastor Max Curell - Shepherding Pastor Stephen Baker - Discipleship Pastor Philip Moyer - Worship & Youth Pastor

Christian Science

Christian Science Church

2425 E. Third St. 812-332-0536 bloomingtonchristianscience.com facebook.com/e3rdStreet

Sunday: 10 - 11 a.m., Service

Wednesday: 7 - 8 p.m., Testimony Meeting Mon. - Fri: Noon - 2 p.m., Reading Room

Interested in spirituality and healing? We welcome you to our church to explore how you can address issues spiritually and experience healing.

Branham commits

By Dalton James jamesdm@iu.edu @daltonmjames

Not only was Sept. 20 an important day for No. 19 Indiana football, but also for Indiana men’s basketball. The Hoosiers landed 2027 guard Chase Branham, according to On3 Sports’ Joe Tipton’s X post. Branham is rated the No. 43 player in the class, according to 247 Sports’ Composite rankings. Branham averaged 19.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and nearly four assists per contest in his sophomore season at Logan-Rogersville High School. The 6-foot-4, 175-pound Branham also had offers from Purdue, Iowa, the University of Tennessee and the University of Missouri among others. Branham made his second visit to Bloomington this weekend, becoming Indiana head coach Darian DeVries’ first in the 2027 class. The Hoosiers will play a couple of exhibition contests against Marian University on Oct. 17 in Bloomington and Baylor University on Oct. 26 inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Indiana opens its first season under DeVries against Alabama A&M University on Nov. 5 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington.

Inter-Denominational

Redeemer Community Church

111 S. Kimble Dr. 812-269-8975

redeemerbloomington.org facebook.com/RedeemerBtown

Instagram & Twitter: @RedeemerBtown

Sunday: 9 a.m., 11 a.m.

Redeemer is a gospel-centered community on mission. Our vision is to see the gospel of Jesus Christ transform everything: our lives, our church, our city, and our world. We want to be instruments of gospel change in Bloomington and beyond.

Chris Jones - Lead Pastor

United Methodist

Jubilee

219 E. Fourth St. 812-332-6396 jubileebloomington.org

Facebook: First United Methodist Church of Bloomington, IN Instagram: @jubileebloomington

Sunday: 9:30 a.m., Classic Worship 11:45 a.m., Contemporary Worship Wednesday: 7:30 p.m., College & Young Adult Dinner

Jubilee is a Christ-centered community open and affirming to all. We gather on Wednesdays at First United Methodist (219 E. 4th St.) for free food, honest discussion, worship, and hanging out. Small groups, service projects, social events (bonfires, game nights, book clubs, etc.), outreach retreats, and leadership opportunities all play a significant role in our rhythm of doing life together. Markus Dickinson - jubilee@fumcb.org

Unity Worldwide Unity of Bloomington A Center for Spiritual Growth

4001 S. Rogers St. text/call: 812-333-2484 unityofbloomington.org IG: @unityofbloomington facebook@UnityofBloomington

Sunday Celebration: 10:30 a.m.

Discover a vibrant, welcoming community at Unity of Bloomington – “a positive path for spiritual living”. Our center offers a space for spiritual growth; embracing all with open arms. We proudly affirm and welcome the LGBTQ+ community, fostering love, acceptance, and inclusion. Join our loving congregation, where everyone is valued and encouraged to explore their spiritual journey. At Unity of Bloomington, all are welcome and together we thrive!

Minnassa Gabon - Spiritual Leader

Phyllis Wickliff - Music Director

BRIANA PACE | IDS

Senior forward Palmer Ault runs to save the ball against Michigan on Sept. 13, 2025, at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington. Ault completed a hat trick in the Hoosiers’ 4-1 win over Penn State on Sept. 19.

Indiana swept by Western Kentucky in loss

By Savannah Slone srslone@iu.edu | @savrivers06

Indiana volleyball had a perfect record ahead of its match with Western Kentucky University on Sept. 19. The Hoosiers had only dropped three sets through eight matches this season, but the high-powered Hilltopper offense was too much for Indiana to handle, as Indiana was swept by Western Kentucky at E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

In the contest, the Hilltoppers recorded 51 kills, compared to the Hoosiers’ 39, and had a hitting percentage of .269, while Indiana recorded a hitting percentage of .233.

Indiana was led offensively by seniors opposite hitter Avry Tatum and outside hitter Candela AlonsoCorcelles, who recorded 13 and 12 kills, respectively. Freshman outside hitter Jaidyn Jager, who averaged 11.63 kills per match ahead of the contest, was limited to just five.

Defensively, AlonsoCorcelles and freshman defensive specialist Audrey Jackson each recorded 10 digs. Sophomore middle blocker Ella Boersema tallied a game-high four blocks.

Eighth-year Indiana head coach Steve Aird elected for Jackson and freshman defensive specialist Avery Freeman to don black uni-

forms while their teammates wore white — the mark of a libero. But after the second set, graduate student outside hitter Jessica Smith wore the black uniform with Jackson. Freshman defensive specialist Emma Segal was slotted into the libero position alongside Jackson for the opening matches of the season.

The Hoosiers won the first point of the first set off an attack error from Western Kentucky sophomore outside hitter Alivia Skidmore, but the Hilltoppers came right back with a point of their own off a kill from Skidmore.

Indiana and Western Kentucky continued to trade points into the middle of the set, as neither team held more than a 1-point lead until the Hoosiers went on a 4-0 run to take an 11-8 advantage.

However, Western Kentucky quickly closed the deficit. After going backand-forth for a few points, the Hilltoppers put together a 4-0 run of their own to tie the game at 17, causing Aird to call a timeout.

Western Kentucky scored the first point out of the timeout with a kill from redshirt junior outside hitter Kendall Meller, but the two teams continued to trade points until the end of the match. The Hilltoppers created a 2-point lead and a kill from freshman right-side hitter Kaira Knox — who recorded nine kills in the first

Society of Friends (Quaker)

Bloomington Friends Meeting

3820 E. Moores Pike bloomingtonfriendsmeeting.org

Sunday (in person & by Zoom):

9:45 a.m., Hymn singing 10:30 a.m., Meeting for Worship Children’s program available

We practice traditional Quaker worship, gathering in silence with occasional Spirit-led vocal ministry by fellow worshipers. We are an inclusive community with a rich variety of belief and no prescribed creed. We are actively involved in peace action, social justice causes, and environmental concerns.

Rex Sprouse - Clerk rsprouse@iu.edu

Bahá'í Faith

Bloomington Bahá'í Community and Bahá’í IU Association

424 S. College Mall Rd. 812-331-1863 bloomingtoninbahais.org facebook.com/Baháí-Community-ofBloomington-Indiana-146343332130574

Instagram: @bloomingtonbahai

Sunday: 10:40 a.m., Regular Services, Devotional Meetings.

Please call or contact through our website for other meetings/activities

The Bahá'í Association of IU works to share the Teachings and Principles of the Founder, Bahá'u'lláh, that promote the "Oneness of Mankind" and the Peace and Harmony of the Planet through advancing the "security, prosperity, wealth and tranquility of all peoples."

Karen Pollock Dan Enslow

Independent Baptist Lifeway Baptist Church

7821 W. State Road 46 812-876-6072 lifewaybaptistchurch.org facebook.com/lifewayellettsville

Sunday:

9 a.m., Bible Study Classes

10 a.m., Morning Service

5 p.m.

game — sealing the first set for Western Kentucky.

The second set started like the first — both teams trading points to keep it close. Indiana went on a 4-0 run to put the set at 10-6, but Western Kentucky immediately responded with its own 6-0 run to take a 12-10 advantage.

Indiana faced a 3-point deficit after a service ace from Western Kentucky senior defensive specialist Abby Schaefer. The Hoosiers pulled within 1 point with a kill from freshman middle blocker Victoria Gray and an attack error from the Hill-

Non-Denominational

Christ Community Church

503 S. High St. 812-332-0502 cccbloomington.org

facebook.com/christcommunitybtown

Instagram: @christcommunitybtown

Sunday: 9:15 a.m., Educational Hour

10:30 a.m., Worship Service

We are a diverse community of Christ-followers, including many IU students, faculty and staff. Together we are committed to sharing the redeeming grace and transforming truth of Jesus Christ in this college town.

Bob Whitaker - Senior Pastor Adam deWeber - Worship Pastor

Dan Waugh - Adult Ministry Pastor

Great Harvest Ministry Center (GHMC Family)

1107 S. Fairview St. 812-325-2428 (GHMC) ghmcfamily.org

Sunday: 10:30 a.m.

GHMC Family is a small church with a big heart. We follow Jesus and not a religion. We believe God’s Word as written for real people living in a messy world. We are a family of believers — your home away from home. Casual, welcoming, and here to support each other through life’s challenges. Come grow with us!

Tony Taylor - Pastor

Christian Student Fellowship

1968 N. David Baker Ave. 812-332-8972 csfindiana.org Instagram: @csfindiana office@csfindiana.org

Monday - Friday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Christian Student Fellowship (CSF) exists as a Christ-centered community focused on helping students truly know Jesus Christ. Our ministry hub is located on campus at the last stop on the B bus. Reach out to schedule a tour, or join us for our 8 p.m. Thursday night worship service (Encounter)!

Ben Geiger - Lead Campus Minister

Stephanie Michael - Campus Minister

Nick Conrad - Associate Campus Minister

toppers, but Western Kentucky went on a 3-0 run to put the set at 20-16, and Aird called a timeout.

Out of the timeout, Indiana took the first point off a service error from Western Kentucky, but the Hilltoppers didn’t slow down and won the second set 25-20.

With Indiana down 2-0 in the contest, it was looking to successfully complete a reverse sweep for the second time this season, but the Hilltoppers — who received votes in the AVCA poll — proved to be powerful offensively.

The Hilltoppers pulled

ahead early in the second set, taking an 8-5 lead. Indiana responded with a 3-0 run off two kills and a block to tie the set. An ace from Boersema and an attack error from the Hilltoppers awarded the Hoosiers an 11-9 lead.

Knox — who recorded a game-high 22 kills — left the third set with an injury in the closing minutes. But that didn’t stop Western Kentucky from continuing to put pressure on Indiana offensively.

After taking the lead, the Hoosiers did not trail Western Kentucky until a kill

United Church of Christ and American Baptist Churches-USA First United Church

2420 E. Third St. 812-332-4439 firstuc.org facebook.com/firstuc instagram.com/firstuc2420 youtube.com/@FirstUCBtown

Sunday: 10:30 a.m., Worship

Monday: 10 a.m. via Zoom, Bible Study

We are an Open, Welcoming, and Affirming community of love and acceptance dedicated to welcoming the diversity of God’s beloved. We exist to empower, challenge, and encourage one another to live out Jesus’ ways (compassion, truth, and justice) authentically as human beings in community to create a better world.

Rev. Jessica Petersen-Mutai Senior Minister

Nazarene

Bloomington Eastview Church of the Nazarene

4545 E. Lampkins Ridge Rd. 812-332-4041 eastviewnazarene.org

Facebook - Eastview Church of the Nazarene

Sunday: 9 a.m.: Morning Prayer

9:30 a.m.: Sunday School

10:30 a.m.: Worship Service

3 p.m.: Cedar Creek Worship Wednesday: 10 a.m.: Bible Study

Join us at Bloomington Eastview Church of the Nazarene, where faith meets community! Connect with fellow students through engaging worship, meaningful discussions, and service opportunities. Discover a supportive space to grow spiritually and make lasting friendships. Everyone is welcome - come as you are and be a part of our vibrant family!

Rev. Bruce D. Yates - Pastor Alicia J. Dollens - Facility Manager

| IDS

from Knox put the score at 18-19. Indiana regained the lead with a kill from Tatum and did not fall behind until an attack error from Jager made the score 25-26. A kill from Alonso-Corcelles tied the set, but a service error from sophomore opposite hitter Avery Daum and a kill from Hilltopper sophomore outside hitter Faith Young gave Western Kentucky a 28-26 lead to win the set and sweep Indiana. Indiana will close its non-conference slate against Bradley University at noon Saturday in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Episcopal (Anglican)

Canterbury Mission

719 E. Seventh St. 812-822-1335

IUCanterbury.org

facebook.com/ECMatIU

Instagram: @ECMatIU

Youtube: @canterburyhouseatiu9094

Sunday: 3 p.m.

Canterbury: Assertively open & affirming; unapologetically Christian, we proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ by promoting justice, equality, peace, love and striving to be the change God wants to see in our world.

Ed Bird - Chaplain/Priest

Baptist Emmanuel Church

1503 W. That Rd. 812-824-2768 Emmanuelbloom.com

Instagram & Facebook: @EmmanuelBloomington

Sunday: 9:15 a.m., Fellowship Sunday: 10 a.m., Worship

Groups: Various times

Emmanuel is a multigenerational church of all types of people. Whether you are questioning faith or have followed Jesus for years, we exist to help fuel a passion for following Jesus as we gather together, grow in community, and go make disciples.

John Winders - Lead Pastor

Second

Church

N. Rogers St. 812-336-5827 sbcbloomington.org

The Indiana volleyball team huddles up after a win against Northern Kentucky University on Sept. 5, 2025, at Wilkinson Hall in Bloomington. Indiana was swept by Western Kentucky University on Sept. 19.

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