IDS
Pro-Palestinian organizing, one year on
By Jack Forrest and Chloe Oden jhforres@iu.edu | chloden@iu.edu
A year to the day after the start of IU’s pro-Palestinian encampment, protesters were back in Dunn Meadow on April 25. Around 40 people marked the anniversary with speeches and the chants that had become characteristic of the encampment: “Free, free Palestine.” “From the river to the sea.” “Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest.”
Four IU Police cars were parked on different sides of Dunn Meadow during the protest, at the same time as the women’s Little 500 race.
Last year, on the opposite end of the same meadow, several of these protesters helped start what would be a months-long encampment in support of Palestine where more than 50 people were arrested.
That event, part of a larger encampment movement across many American universities, brought a police sniper to the roof of the Indiana Memorial Union, 100 days of tents in Dunn Meadow and national attention to IU.
Their demands of IU — and that very same mantra — have not wavered. And a year on, amid heightened federal pushback against pro-Palestinian speech on college campuses, protesters say those demands haven’t been met.
Soha Vora, a pro-Palestinian organizer who graduated IU in December, said it’s frustrating to see no progress on IU divesting from Israel, a year after the tents went up.
“It’s actually beyond frustrating,” Vora said. “It’s like, enraging.”
Pro-Palestinian activism on campus
The pro-Palestinian movement at IU did not begin during the encampment in Dunn Meadow last year, and it hasn’t stopped since.
The pro-Palestinian protests began two days after the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in Israel, as the Israeli response
began pummeling the Gaza Strip. Hamas took around 250 hostages in the attack. Around 150 have since been released or rescued alive. Nearly 50 hostages were confirmed dead, and Israel believes another 35 have been killed.
Despite a ceasefire lasting about two months, Israel’s assault on Gaza has killed about 52,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The health ministry says the majority of those are women and children, while Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants. Around 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced by the war.
Two gatherings on Oct. 9, 2023, surrounding the conflict marked the first demonstrations at IU since the war began. The two groups — some in support of Israel and some in support of Palestine — began separately, but ended face to face, waving flags and yelling at each other.
On Oct. 16, 2023, about 30 people held a vigil at the Indiana Memorial Union, reading the names of people missing or killed during the war in Israel and Gaza.
On Oct. 29, 2023, more than 200 students gathered in Dunn Meadow to mourn Palestinian lives lost and advocate for a ceasefire. The Palestine Solidarity Committee then set up around 10,000 white flags Jan. 29, 2024, in Dunn Meadow to represent and honor the children killed
in Gaza.
Pro-Palestinian protests continued throughout the school year, spurred on by the suspension of professor and former PSC advisor Abdulkader Sinno and the sudden cancelation of Palestinian painter Samia Halaby’s art exhibit.
Tensions came to a head during the Solar Eclipse last year, where IU police arrested one pro-Palestinian protester.
“Everything requires a level of sacrifice in my mind.”
Sarah Alhaddad, IU sophomore
IU’s encampment was part of a nationwide trend of pro-Palestinian encampments last spring, started by one at Columbia University. Many were met with swift police backlash. State and IU Police arrested over 30 protesters April 25, 2024, spurred by a university policy change just hours before. Officials also dismantled the encampment.
Protesters had re-established the encampment by the next day. On April 27 last year, police again forcibly arrested another 23 protesters. Those arrested faced one-year campus bans. One encampment figurehead, PSC graduate adviser Bryce Greene, received a five-year campus ban. All bans were eventually dropped.
Braun set to control IU Board of Trustees
By Molly Gregory and Chloe Oden mogrego@iu.edu | chloden@iu.edu
A last-minute addition to the Indiana state budget alters the structure of the Indiana University Board of Trustees, giving Gov. Mike Braun the authority to choose all members of the board.
The budget passed by a vote of 66-27 in the House and 39-11 in the Senate early in the morning April 25.
Alumni have elected trustees at IU for over a century. Three of the nine members are alumni-elected positions and six are appointed by the governor. The alumni-elected seats’ selection would be transferred to Braun immediately after he signs the bill.
Democratic State Rep. Matt Pierce, who represents Bloomington and is a senior lecturer at IU, took to the podium late April 24 to question this amendment in the House Chamber. He asked Republican Rep. Jeffrey Thompson, who authored the bill, if the policy change had gone through the House or the Senate. Thompson said it hadn’t.
“We didn’t think we needed to hear from the public, or heaven forbid, some faculty members?” Pierce said.
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder, who also represents Bloomington, voiced her disapproval in a Senate Democrats press release.
“Republicans say they
don’t want big government,” Yoder said. “But this budget proves otherwise. When you control and censor education, healthcare and the media — and now public universities — you’re not shrinking government. You’re weaponizing it.”
The bill also stipulates that five of the trustees must be IU alumni. Other than the student trustee, IU employees will not be permitted to serve on the board. The student trustee will now also only serve for one year, instead of two. Another condition of the bill restricts trustees to a three-term limit.
“The governor may at any time remove and replace a member of the Board of Trustees who was elected by the alumni of Indiana University,” the bill reads. Alumni-elected trustee Vivian Winston’s term is set to end June 30. She and the other current alumnielected trustees, Jill Burnett and Donna Spears, could be removed from their positions at any time if the bill is signed.
The bill only references the trustees of IU and does not require the trustees of Purdue University, Ball State University or Indiana State University to change their procedure of nominating alumni to their governing boards.
“Indiana University is currently reviewing the potential impacts of the proposed state budget,” IU executive director of media relations Mark Bode wrote in a
message to the IDS. Bode declined to comment on what the bill would mean for IU’s upcoming election for Winston’s seat.
Pierce said he received a similar statement when he reached out to IU about the bill.
“Why would our university administration stand by and say nothing?” Pierce asked during the House session.
Mark Land, one of six people running for Winston’s seat, said the addition to the budget bill is disappointing and unnecessary. He said the structure of the board gives the governor-appointed trustees the majority regardless.
“One of the primary roles of the alumni trustees are to add — just add diversity of viewpoint, to represent, bring their experiences as alumni,” Land said. “All they’ve really done here is diminish, potentially, the diversity of voices that can be expressed at board meetings.”
Gov. Braun said the addition will make a board that is “going to be a little more rounded, that’s going to produce better results,” according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle.
Land currently works as vice president for communications and marketing at Union College in Schenectady, New York. He said he will continue to campaign until the election is officially canceled.
The Monroe County Pros-
ecutor’s Office declined to charge any protesters arrested for criminal trespass, citing IU’s “constitutionally dubious process” for changing its policy on structures in Dunn Meadow.
The protesters’ demands one year later
The IU Divestment Coalition, which organized the encampment, shared four demands prior to the start of the protest.
First was the resignation of IU President Pamela Whitten, Provost Rahul Shrivastav and Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs Carrie Docherty. They cited a faculty vote of no confidence against the three, the cancelation of Haley’s exhibition and Sinno’s suspension as reasons why they should resign.
All three administrators still work for IU. Whitten received a five-year contract extension and 28% raise in February. She now earns $900,000 per year, up from $702,000 annually.
The group’s next demand was the end of IU’s partnership with Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, which is a navy installation around 25 miles southwest of Bloomington. IU announced in October 2023 it would invest $111 million toward a partnership with NSWC Crane over the next several years.
The third was to divest financially from Israel. Vora
pointed to a guest column written by Greene published in the IDS which showed IU held a bond in 2022 and 2023 sold by Israel. It’s unclear whether IU still holds those bonds, or how much they held.
The fourth demand was the creation of Middle Eastern and Muslim Culture Centers. While Shrivastav said in January last year the university was working on creating a Muslim culture center, student leaders have said there's been little progress. But instead of answering their demands, IU only tightened restrictions against campus protest.
The IU Board of Trustees passed its Expressive Activity Policy in July, which restricted many of the tactics of the encampment, including camping, use of non-soluble chalks and paints and unapproved signs placed in the ground.
It also bans protesting from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. — though the board approved an amendment in November to allow community members to “spontaneously and contemporaneously assemble and distribute literature” during those hours.
Shortly after the policy passed, IU dismantled the Dunn Meadow encampment on its 100th day and closed the meadow for repairs.
Since then, the protest has taken different shapes.
SEE ENCAMPMENT, PAGE 4
PRO-PALESTINIAN
ACTIVISM SINCE THE ENCAMPMENT
APRIL 25, 2024
Protesters establish the pro-Palestinian encampment in Dunn Meadow. State and IU Police arrest 34 people, spurred by a university policy change just hours before.
APRIL 27, 2024
State and IU Police arrest another 23 protesters.
AUG. 2, 2024
IU dismantles the encampment on its 100th day following passage of the new Expressive Activity Policy.
FALL 2024
OCT. 7, 2024
Protesters meet at Sample Gates to mourn the Palestinians killed in the one year since the start of the Israel-Hamas War.
Demonstrators hold candlelight vigils after 11 p.m. to protest IU’s Expressive Activity Policy. NOV. 14, 2024
The IU Divestment Coalition rallies and shares more demands of IU.
JAN. 13, 2025
Protesters begin disruptions at Bloomington Faculty Council meetings after their demands aren’t met.
APRIL 17, 2025
The People’s 2030 Project has an involvement fair, featuring the Palestine Solidarity Committee and other groups.
APRIL 25, 2025
Protesters rally in Dunn Meadow to commemorate one year since the start of the encampment.
IUPD sees high activity over Little 500 weekend
By Mia Hilkowitz
mhilkowi@iu.edu | @miahilkowitz
Over Little 500 weekend, IU Police Department responded to dozens of reports ranging from underage drinking to battery to vehicle theft at dorms, Greek houses and other buildings surrounding campus.
Dorms According to the IUPD crime log, the agency recorded four instances of illegal consumption or possession of alcohol by minors from April 24-27 at McNutt Quadrangle. There was also one instance of illegal consumption at Forest Quadrangle reported April 25 and one at Walnut Grove Center on April 26.
IUPD also saw six instances of aggravated battery and one report each of criminal trespass and intimidation April 25 at Ashton.
Some on-campus housing locations also saw reports of theft, with Forest and Foster Quadrangle seeing instances of theft from buildings and motor vehicles.
At Spruce Hall, police received a report of intimidation — extortion or blackmail — and stalking that allegedly occurred April 25.
IUPD also responded to a report of confinement and domestic battery April 27 at Eigenmann Hall. Additionally, there was a reported vehicle theft April 27 from the Eigenmann parking lot.
There was also theft from
Tulip Tree Apartments of less than $750 from April 26 to April 28, according to the log.
A vehicle theft was listed on the crime log on the Forest exterior grounds. The theft occurred between April 22 to April 28, according to IUPD.
Fraternity houses Seven Fraternity chapters, all part of the Interfraternity Council at IU, saw crime reports over the weekend.
At Sigma Phi Epsilon, IUPD received three reports of battery — two reports had minor injuries and one report had moderate injury. It also had one reported strangulation over the weekend. Pi Kappa Phi saw a report of illegal consumption by a minor, battery with serious bodily injury and aggravated battery. Alpha Epsilon Pi saw two reports of illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor, one report of battery with minor injury and a battery no injury. The crime log also reflected a report of “distribution of an intimate image,” which was reported to have occurred between April 23-27.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon had a battery with no injury, a battery with minor injury and illegal consumption reported April 27, along with criminal mischief loss valued at $750 to $49,999 from April 24-25, according to the log.
Tau Epsilon Phi had a
report of battery with no injury from April 26. Sigma Pi also had a report of battery with no injury from April 26. On April 27, it had reports of burglary, intimidation and battery with minor injury. Beta Sigma Psi was the location of an alleged theft from a motor vehicle valued at less than $750 that occurred April 26.
Other reports
IUPD also added another case of illegal consumption by a minor April 25 at the 17th Street Parking lot. There was also a case of illegal consumption and battery with minor injury at the Optometry building. Additionally, IUPD received a report of a theft valued less than $750 at St. Paul’s Catholic Center from April 25. There was also a reported theft near the intersection of Indiana Avenue and 10th Street on April 27. There was also activity at David Baker Avenue — the log reported battery with minor injury from April 27. There was also reported criminal mischief loss less than $750, public intoxication by alcohol, illegal consumption, criminal conversion, unlawful entry of motor vehicle and false government issued identification April 26. There was a report of public nudity and public intoxication by drugs April 26 at the intersection of Fee Lane and 10th Street.
JACOB SPUDICH | IDS
Indiana State Police and pro-Palestinian protesters clash at the IU Divestment
Coalition encampment April 27, 2024, at Dunn Meadow in Bloomington. April 25, 2025, marked one year since the beginning of April 2024's pro-Palestine encampment.
Halts on gender marker changes
By Adelyn Rabbitt adrabb@iu.edu
A transgender student at IU was able to get the name and gender on her official identifying documents changed this month. The student initiated her process before a recent executive order in Indiana halted new requests for gender marker changes on birth records, taking that opportunity away from others.
By McKenzie Vitale mcvitale@iu.edu
Beth Bredlau has always loved Godzilla. And after speaking three years in a row at G-Fest, a Godzilla festival in Chicago, Bredlau decided she wanted to bring her love for Godzilla to Bloomington.
“I wanted to do something really important, so many people I’ve talked to haven’t seen the films, don’t even know what this stuff is, and why it should be important,” Bredlau, an IU graduate student studying art history, said.
She started reaching out to community members and businesses about hosting a Godzilla festival in Bloomington, turning first to the Buskirk-Chumley theater to showcase the film festival.
Now those plans have come to fruition. Through June 27-29, Bredlau invites Hoosiers to “Godzilla Weekend.” Three films will be shown across the three-day festival. Along with showcasing the films, Upland Brewery will be sponsoring the event by selling food and drinks to patrons.
“Godzilla touches on all issues. War, identity, aesthetics, capitalism, you name it. Godzilla is about everything, in allegory.”
Beth Bredla, creator of Godzillafest
To bring more awareness to the event, Godzilla organizations like Kaiju United and G-Fest are helping Bredlau advertise the event. Deputy Mayor Gretchen Knapp will read the Godzilla Day Proclamation on the first day of the festival.
Bredlau showcases her Godzilla merchandise while promoting her festival called “Godzilla Weekend.” Bredlau contacted the mayor in early April requesting June 27 officially be declared Godzilla Day.
Bredlau wants to open up conversation about the differences in the films as they grew to a global audience over the years. She focuses on how the message of the film changes depending on who directs the film, such as how the Japanese directors of the original film tried to focus on national identity, versus how American directors cre-
ated the traditional American monster story.
“I guess so much of it is dismantling this idea that all Godzilla is is a product of the Americans dropping the bomb and we don’t need to talk about it further,” Bredlau said.
The original film released back in 1954 in Japan, in which Godzilla was used as a metaphor for what the Japanese had endured after U.S. bombings on Hiroshima.
“I would say Godzilla is one of the most important and largest global franchises in the world,” Bredlau said. “Godzilla touches on all issues. War, identity, aesthetics, capitalism, you name it. Godzilla is about everything, in allegory.”
Bredlau highlights the diversity of the films and why it’s so important to the franchise. Godzilla is the villain, the friend, the savior and, at times, comic relief, Bredlau said.
Bredlau decided that the festival wasn’t enough. She then contacted the mayor in early April requesting June 27 officially declared Godzilla Day. City communications director Desiree Demolina, said in an email the mayor and her administration were excited to make it official.
“One of our administration’s values is being architects of joy, so when opportunities to celebrate something quirky and fun come our way, we’re all for adding a little play to Bloomington,” Demolina said.
Bredlau is working to partner with other Bloomington companies to make this a more widespread event.
“Good things are to come, and like I said the goal is partnerships with businesses all over town, and with the university here, and a public art project,” Bredlau said.
The student, who wished to remain anonymous for privacy and safety concerns, started the process of getting her name and gender marker changed nine months ago, but financial issues delayed her. When she was able to resume the process, she felt the need to complete it quickly, fearing Indiana could pass legislation further blocking her and others from changing their records.
“For me, being a woman has always been about more than legal documents,” the student said in an email. “But as I continue socially transitioning, I realize that the mismatch between my physical appearance and my official records is something I care about more now that I’m being seen as feminine.”
The executive order Though courts can still order gender marker changes, the Indiana Department of Health has stopped processing and approving such court-ordered requests for changes made after March 4. Requests filed before the executive order and applications in process on March 4 will not follow the new policy but will be reviewed by the Indiana attorney general’s office before approval.
That was one ramification of the executive order signed by Indiana Gov. Mike Braun last month, aiming to align Indiana law with “the biological binary of man and woman.”
The order outlines Braun’s definitions of sex, gender, female, male and more while rejecting “modern gender ideology.” These definitions lay out mandatory guidelines for state agencies to abide by and enforce. It also bars state funds from being used to “promote gender ideology” in any way.
Braun wrote in the executive order these guidelines are necessary because biological binary is a “deeply rooted principle of American legal history.” He wrote that modern gender ideology is “disconnected from biological reality” and is not a “meaningful basis for identification.”
The order led the Indiana Department of Health to issue guidance to county and local health agencies to halt the processing of gender change requests on Hoosiers’ birth records.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana filed a lawsuit against Braun on March 28 on behalf of trans Hoosiers seeking to update the gender markers on their birth records.
In lieu of providing a comment to the Indiana Daily Student about the order, the governor’s office directed the Indiana Daily Student to a March 4 press release about the executive order and another executive order that further prohibits transgender women from competing in women’s collegiate sports.
How it’s impacting trans Hoosiers
The first step for trans Americans in updating all identifying legal documents is often changing their gender on their birth records.
The trans student at IU got her name and gender marker changed on her official documents this April after a nine-month-long process. She communicated with the IDS over email due to a speech impediment.
“If I couldn’t change my name and gender marker, I’d feel uncomfortable in formal situations like applying for jobs, where my birth certificate could cause confusion and force me to explain myself unnecessarily,” she wrote.
Nine months after initiating the process, the student sat through a hearing in a county circuit court that ended with her successfully getting her name and gender changed on her official records.
“Sitting in the courtroom, I felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment—like ‘finally’,” she wrote. “Changing my name has always been something I wanted to do, but the process was intimidating.”
Having the process done, the students said, “makes me feel entirely complete.”
Braun’s executive order, she wrote, has been “horrifying.” She said she sympathizes with transgender, queer and nonbinary people, especially fellow college students, living in Indiana.
“Seeing the push to reject people like me just for existing is tough,” she wrote. “I know some people are scared to start transitioning or updating their legal info because of this.”
As a transgender Latina person, she wrote, it has been tough for her to find community at IU. She fears being trans in Indiana because she feels it is “a state that’s attacking gender nonconformity and LGBTQIA+ youth”.
Also affecting transgender Hoosiers, Senate Enrolled Act 480 was signed in
2023, prohibiting genderaffirming care for minors. House Enrolled Act 1608 was also signed into law in 2023, disallowing Indiana teachers from teaching prekindergarten to third grade students about human sexuality and requiring schools to notify the guardian of a student who requests to be called by a different name or use different pronouns in school.
“The rejection of gender identity is misguided — sex and gender are much more diverse than that,” she wrote. “My heart goes out to the trans and LGBTQIA+ people, especially those from marginalized communities, who feel like they don’t belong here.”
Safety risks Richard Brandon-Friedman, an associate professor of social work at IU Indianapolis, said his biggest concern with the executive order is safety.
If someone’s document does not match their outward appearance, BrandonFriedman said, they could face questions about the legitimacy of their documents.
“Or they’re going to have been outed and have safety concerns about how someone might react to their identity,” Brandon-Friedman said.
He added that having different documents with different details on them, one changed and one not, could be difficult for someone to navigate and explain.
“If we move even beyond just the physical safety, there’s the emotional safety of being forced to have your legal documents not match who you are,” BrandonFriedman said. “It’s constantly being confronted with a message that your state doesn’t respect who you are.”
Brandon-Friedman said he’s concerned for the physical and mental safety of transgender and nonbinary people in Indiana and across the entire country.
“You have to deal with aspects of individual harassment, discrimination that happen in their dayto-day lives,” he said. “And then they’re also getting the message from their government, whether it’s the federal level or the state level, that is either denying their existence or actively saying ‘you don’t know yourself, we know you better than you do.’”
“It’s up to us to fight back” Nalini Krishnan, an IU senior and president of the IU Queer Student Union, said she would like to eventually change her name and gender on her official records.
Krishnan, who identifies as transfeminine and queer, said she feels the executive order puts all transgender and intersex Hoosiers at risk.
“It’s just another level of scrutiny and infringement on the right to privacy of transgender people,” Krishnan said. “Anytime we have to show our IDs, all of a sudden we are immediately put into a situation where we might have to fear for our lives or just fear being discriminated against.”
Krishnan was born and raised in Indiana. She said it’s disheartening to feel attacked by the state she feels such a strong connection to.
“I want with all my heart to stay in Indiana because I love this state, but I can’t take care of myself, I can’t prioritize my own protection while doing so,” Krishnan said. “So, it’s forcing me to consider moving out.”
The idea of moving out of Indiana as a transgender person, she said, is what she feels many Indiana politicians want.
Krishnan said she plans to apply for law school after graduating and start working in immigration and civil rights law, specifically to “help defend LGBTQ+ people, migrants and refugees.” That’s one reason why, despite attitudes toward LGBTQ+ people in Indiana and America as a whole, Krishnan wants to stay in the country.
“I don’t think I would ever leave the U.S.,” she said. “I think there’s so much work to do here, and I always want to keep fighting for the folks that are here, my own community.” Krishnan noted it is important to acknowledge that this does not only infringe on the rights of transgender and intersex people but the rights of all Hoosiers.
“This is a limit on our freedoms across the board, and this is just the first step, and it’s a stepping stone to see how far they can push us,” Krishnan said. “It’s up to us to fight back, to rally together, and it’s up to allies to maintain solidarity during this time and not to let threats like these scare us and keep us from speaking out.”
Rural Transit driver fosters friendships on the road
By Alayna Wilkening awilkeni@iu.edu | @alaynawilkening
Brian Noojin, 55, will never admit he has a favorite bus, although he’s grateful today’s is a newer one with Bluetooth connectivity and a smoother ride.
“I try to avoid that pitfall,” Noojin said. “If you get a preference too much, it affects your mindset.”
Noojin is one of six drivers in Monroe County for Rural Transit, a nonprofit that offers transportation for people who may need more support than city buses can provide. He’s been driving with the company for about six months.
It’s a Friday morning, and Noojin is scheduled to complete 25 stops between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. He’s excited about his sixth pickup of the day — Jaelynn Portteus, 34, and her 8-year-old son Draexlin. They ride the bus twice a day to go to school.
Portteus straps her son into a booster seat and talks to Noojin like an old friend as they pull out onto the street. They chat about Draexlin’s most recent doctor’s appointment and the discovery that he may be allergic to potatoes. She gushes over the doctor’s enthusiasm about Draexlin’s bloodwork.
“Oh good,” Noojin said. “They didn’t have to draw any more, huh?”
“No, no,” Portteus said.
“She said it was perfect.”
For Portteus, Rural Transit is a savior. Her son has autism and struggles with loud environments and crowded spaces. On Bloomington Transit buses, she said he would have meltdowns and be met with harsh criticism from drivers and passengers. He’s never had a meltdown on these buses.
“It’s just the little things like that, you know, to help make their day a little better.”
Brian Noojin Rural Transit bus driver
“They act like you’re a disease on those buses,” Portteus said. “We like it a lot better here.”
They arrive a bit early for school, so the bus sits in the parking lot. Portteus asks Draexlin what he’s excited about today and whether he thinks he’ll be picked up by Cass or Cassie, two of his teachers. He still mixes up their names sometimes, but never the bus drivers’.
Today, it’s Cass who meets them outside. Noojin and Draexlin exchange goodbyes before he exits.
They would see each other again that afternoon on the way home from school.
Anyone can schedule a ride with Rural Transit, but it caters to people who lack other forms of transportation or are unable to take city buses due to their location or accommodation needs. Although Noojin drives in Monroe County, the service is also offered in Putnam, Owen and Lawrence counties through the Area 10 Agency on Aging.
On any given day, Noojin drives between 150 and 200 miles around Monroe County, occasionally making longer trips for people needing to travel outside county lines.
He’s always been drawn to transportation and has spent 37 years living and working in the Bloomington area. It’s changed since he first arrived to study history and Western civilization at Indiana University, but he’s grown to love the community. In his teens and twenties, Noojin raced BMX and
mountain bikes in competitions around the state. His first car was a yellow 1977 Ford Pinto with a rearmounted gas tank known to explode if the car got rearended. Luckily, it never did. He drove for a limousine company for a while and spent 26 years driving IU buses. He served as the director of Campus Bus for three years until he decided he needed a change of pace and took a job driving for a retirement community. Now, Noojin finds fulfillment by transporting and getting to know people
across the county through Rural Transit.
The days are long — usually around 11 hours — but Noojin enjoys passing the time by learning about his passengers. In just six months, he’s gotten to know about 30 of his regulars and has met dozens more who take the bus occasionally to things like haircuts and annual checkups.
“Getting to know their names and having that kind of interaction with them that hopefully makes their days a little better is really one of the best things about doing
this stuff,” Noojin said. He also enjoys being able to listen to music all day. Noojin prefers punk rock and acoustic music, but he’ll mix it up if he knows certain passengers are scheduled to ride. One of his regulars loves music from the 1980s, and another raves about country music. Though he’s not a fan himself, Noojin will switch to a country station when that passenger boards.
“It’s just the little things like that, you know, to help make their day a little better,” Noojin said.
Noojin drives his route with careful precision. He stops at railroad tracks and rests his elbow on the windowsill, hands positioned at 9 and 11 o’clock.
His next scheduled passenger, Harry, is a former barber. He rides to dialysis appointments and prefers to sit in the front row on the right side of the bus.
Noojin pulls into Harry’s driveway and prepares the bus’s wheelchair lift before walking up to the home and calling for Harry. He waits for a bit, then opens the front door. He comes back without Harry moments later and packs up the wheelchair lift before returning to the driver’s seat.
Canceled. Harry’s daughter had called the dispatcher to let them know he wouldn’t need a ride but failed to include the right information. Noojin radios the dispatcher and tells them Harry won’t be needing a ride back from dialysis either.
Cancelations happen sometimes, and even though it can throw off a carefully-planned schedule, it’s better than getting caught in traffic or running behind — something Noojin tries his best to avoid.
“You feel bad, you know, people are going to doctor’s appointments and stuff,” Noojin said. “You’re really trying to make sure you get people where they need to be on time.”
He checks the rest of his schedule and continues driving. There’s just under an hour before his next passenger boards, and he’ll likely stop for coffee or take a break to read before making his next stop, right on schedule.
The ride is quiet except for the occasional rattle of the wheelchair lift as an ‘80s rock Pandora station plays through the speakers. He’s grateful to be in one of the nicer buses today, even if he refuses to pick favorites.
USDA cuts may mean less local food in Indiana schools
By Natalia Nelson nelsonnb@iu.edu | @natalianelsonn
After the faded green iceberg lettuce was replaced with brighter leaf mixes from local farms, the salad bars in schools around Northwest Indiana became far more popular.
That’s according to Veronica Jalomo, the farm-toschool coordinator of the Northwest Indiana Food Council. In her role, she works with schools to lead farm-to-school initiatives and bring more nutritious local produce to schools. But with federal cuts to certain United States Department of Agriculture programs, the initiatives are at risk. In 2023, the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program provided Indiana with over $4.4 million to buy local and regional food for school meals. This year, schools may have to start buying less locally.
Monroe County Community School Corporation did not respond to a request for comment. At least one farm in Southern Indiana confirmed with the Indiana Daily Student it participated in the program and worked with MCCSC, Richland Bean Blossom Schools and Southeast Dubois Schools.
Jalomo said she started seeing an increase in lunch lines and less waste in the trash cans after the local food program was imple-
mented in schools.
“More students were eating the food. It looked different. The taste is better,” Jalomo said. “It’s more nutritious, what they’re getting at lunch.”
But in March, the USDA ended the LFS program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance program, which helped state and tribal governments purchase food to supply food banks and feeding programs.
“Our farmers are not exporters.”
Anne Massie, Northwest Indiana Food Council co-executive director
Indiana had expected $14.7 million this year for local food for schools, which farmers had already started preparing for, according to NWI Food Council co-executive director Anne Massie.
Massie said the farms the council brought into the program were small, so to be able to supply schools, they had to buy equipment and open new plots of land. She said Perkins Good Earth Farm, a family farm in DeMotte, Indiana, took off because of the program.
“They invested in a new well, which is about a $20,000 investment on a farm,” Massie said. “They also installed a new wash pack shed to have more space to wash all the produce and took out a loan to cover it. And now that mar-
ket disappeared overnight.”
She said many farms had already put seeds in the ground for the 2025-26 school year — leeks, cabbage and tomatoes are supposed to start the growing process in February and March. One farmer, Massie said, had to cancel an order of seed potatoes he had bought for tens of thousands of dollars due to the cancelations.
The farmer used to harvest his potatoes by hand, and the LFS had allowed him to scale up and buy a potato harvester.
“Our farmers that really leaned into the opportunity, invested in their businesses,” Massie said, “are kind of left holding the bag.”
Massie said the council is working with farmers to try to supply more to farmers markets, other nutrition programs and Community Supported Agriculture, like a farm membership for the community to pick up local produce.
But the options farmers have, she said, are often limited to their region.
“Our farmers are not exporters,” Massie said. “And even then, a lot of the larger farmers are dealing with tariffs now too. So, it really is pretty bleak in terms of what options our farmers have.”
She said NWI Food Council is helping farms find low-interest loans and remain stable until there’s more certainty in markets.
Food service directors in the northwest part of the state, according to Jalomo, will attend a three-day workshop over the summer to create 10 recipes that incorporate local produce. While the food purchased for singular recipes wouldn’t completely be the same as the large purchases, Jalomo said it could still make an impact and allow schools to serve more nutritious foods in their cafete-
rias. In Indiana, schools face the additional challenge of Senate Enrolled Act 1, which would lower property taxes but cost school districts $744 million in the next three years. MCCSC alone could lose $17 million in that time frame. In a meeting on Tuesday, the corporation’s Superintendent Markay Winston said MCCSC would have to cut staff due to the law.
Students in the MCCSC had an asynchronous learning day April 14 so teachers could protest the passing of the bill at the Statehouse. The bill was signed into law the next day. “What we’re hearing from school food service directors, too, is that they may have to just operate at a negative,” Massie said. “At the end of the day, they have to feed the kids that come into the school.”
ALAYNA WILKENING | IDS
Brian Noojin, 55, sits in the driver’s seat of a Rural Transit bus April 25, 2025, in Bloomington. Noojin began working for the company six months ago but has driven buses in the Bloomington area for decades.
SYDNEY WEBER | IDS Produce from Moon Valley Farm is pictured Jan. 25, 2025, at the Bloomington Winter Farmers’ Market. USDA cuts have threatened local produce initiatives in Indiana schools.
ALAYNA WILKENING | IDS
Brian Noojin looks in a mirror to speak with passengers behind him April 25, 2025, on a Rural Transit bus in Bloomington. Noojin said he knows the names of about 30 regulars on his bus routes.
Demonstrators held several candlelight vigils at Sample Gates after 11 p.m., deliberately violating IU’s Expressive Activity Policy.
In November, IUDC shared more demands: a biannual report that outlines IU affiliations with outside entities, the recognition of Palestine as a country experiencing war, the hiring of three Palestinian faculty to teach about Palestine and an apology and amnesty for protesters who’ve faced university sanctions for pro-Palestinian protest.
On Oct. 7, 2024, pro-Palestinian demonstrators met at Sample Gates to mourn the Palestinians killed in the one year since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. After the IU Divestment Coalition’s demands weren’t met by their deadline of Jan. 13, protesters began disruptions at Bloomington Faculty Council meetings in Franklin Hall.
What’s next
IU sophomore Sarah Alhaddad joined the PSC in 2023. She said the group’s demands have still not shifted a year after the encampment: Disclose, divest, resign.
Despite hearing criticism that the encampment was useless or ineffective, Alhaddad said success for the pro-Palestine community in Bloomington isn’t just defined by achieving their demands.
“It had a really big social impact,” Alhaddad said. “I think this was also the first time for a lot of people at this school that we could really expose the way that the administration is kind of, I guess, insidious in the way that they would call state troops and snipers on their own students that pay to be here.”
Alhaddad ran for IU Student Government as a candidate for vice president with her running mate Omeed Mehrzad. Their platform, EMPOWER, focused on uplifting student voices,
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protecting diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility institutions, safety and sustainability. They ultimately lost, receiving 45.61% of votes to the ACTION campaign’s 54.38%.
The latest development is the People’s 2030 Project, a group of several organizations which drafted their own 2030 strategic plan for the university. The coalition held an involvement fair April 17, featuring the PSC, Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition and Students for a New Green World, among others. That coalition-building will be a focus going forward, freshman PSC organizer Malak Samara said. Samara, who is Palestinian, said at the rally April 25 that while she wasn’t at the encampment last year, she was inspired by college students demonstrating on behalf of her country.
At the anniversary rally, protesters wrote down what a free Palestine means to them on a banner. Among the writings were “a liveable climate,”
“ending colonization everywhere” and “solidarity.”
Samara said solidarity is especially important in the current political climate. The PSC held a joint rally with the IGWC to protest the U.S. Department of State revoking several IU international students’ visas earlier in April.
“That is also what fighting for Palestine means, is keeping people that are wronged based on things such as race, such as gender, such as religion, things like that, to keep them safe,” Samara said. “They should not be oppressed like that. No one should be oppressed like that.”
Alhaddad said she and other members of the PSC and other activist groups are still scared to speak about their experiences and opinions.
“Everything requires a level of sacrifice in my mind,” Alhaddad said. “Nothing good will come from staying in your comfort zone and no change will ever happen on a
larger scale if there is not one person who doesn’t do something. High risk, high reward.” Alhaddad said there is inherent sacrifice in being Palestinian.
» TRUSTEES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
He said it was frustrating that he’s been campaigning for a position that may no longer be available but said the bigger issue is diminishing independence between university institutions and the state.
“IU is a great institution,” Land said. “I think it’s gonna continue to be a great institution, but anytime a public organization operates in a way that doesn’t let the public in and isn’t transparent, it runs the risk of allowing bad behavior to take root and grow.”
Land said he’s concerned that long term, the bill puts the university at risk of losing faculty and
“You were kind of raised with a cause,” Alhaddad said. “Your existence is so much bigger than yourself when you're Palestinian. Your identity is like a collective.”
students. He said faculty don’t want to be employed somewhere their work will be subject to “the whims of government.”
The budget also establishes post-tenure productivity reviews for faculty at Indiana universities.
“They’re going to look for a state that doesn’t treat them like children,” Pierce said.
“What’s happening is just unhealthy,” Land said. “This ideological assault on higher ed is not good for the country.”
Budget bills authorize the state’s spending plan for the following two years. The language restructuring the Board of Trustees was added to page 182 of the 215-page plan.
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Exams and projects, although a pain, aren’t over yet. The end of spring semester is crunch time for many students across campus, and the time has finally come. It’s a sprint to the finish, with finals week being May 5-9. Personal responsibilities that come at the end of the year, like moving out or graduating, can make academic responsibilities even more stressful. However, finals week is arguably less stressful than the rest of the school year.
Let me explain: during the first part of the semester, many students are piled under mountains of homework and assignments. They spend Sunday nights get-
ting papers in by midnight and preparing to start the following week again with a fresh pile of more challenging tasks. During finals, most students can focus solely on studying. In my experience during exam season, I’ve spent more time studying and homework has dialed down. In a way, you have more time because there’s less homework. You can spend the hours you’d be working on assignments going on long walks between study sessions. You can bake some sweet treats instead of completing homework. I did this myself during the previous exam season this semester during midterms as a nice break. I was able to walk from my dorm building to Aldi to get ingredients and made the most delicious peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.
Romanticizing the time you have when you study is so important. It can help you find the moments of joy during exam season and decrease the amount of stress that you have overall. When exam season starts, I tell myself it’s time for self-care. I study for two hours, take a 20-minute break and return to studying. I’ll do this during the weekdays, and for those 20 minutes of break, I’ll walk around my dorm building or relax in my room. Sometimes, I may even wear a face mask while watching parts of a romantic comedy movie or comedic YouTube videos.
While I study, I always make sure to find parts of the material that I enjoy, even when the overall subject can, at times, be uninteresting. For example, in one of my brand manage-
ment courses, the psychology of brand fascinates me. So, during every study session, I find the psychological aspects in each unit to help with memorization and comprehension. This way I’m not only interested, but I’m connecting and deeply learning in an effective full-circle way. Indiana University supports study breaks, too. The College of Arts and Sciences hosts College Care Week annually, with activities such as crafts, free meals and therapy dogs all at Ernie Pyle Hall during the week leading up to final exams and projects. In fact, The Wellbeing Thesis, a student mental health website, states that taking breaks can improve study habits. Not only will taking breaks increase your well-being but it also increases productivity.
Sakshi Ankleshwariya, an IU graduate student studying data science, said she decreases the number of hours she works at the dining halls during the week leading up to finals. She works 12-16 hours instead of 20 hours those weeks. After her shift, she studies at Wells Library or the Indiana Memorial Union every three to four hours, then takes a break. Her breaks include chatting with friends or her boyfriend or watching a TV series on Netflix. Like many students, finals week can be a stressful time for Ankleshwariya.
Aniyah Hogan, a freshman, said she finds finals week to be an exciting time.
“(They) honestly make me excited,” she said. “Maybe that’s just me, but I find joy in it because the school year is ending. It also challenges your brain mostly
because I have to remember what I’ve learned previously.”
Hogan said she prefers exams over essay writing. She manages her time by being involved in the 21st Century Scholars program, where she spends six hours a week studying at a table in their office. Hogan, like Ankleshwariya, spends time with friends for her breaks, saying it helps take her mind off things.
“When I jump back into it I can try to recall what I was doing before to get my brain thinking again,” Hogan said. So take the long walk and bake the chocolate chip cookies. Even invite a friend over to join you for your study breaks! Romanticizing your exams can improve your mental health.
aaminteh@iu.edu
Eric Cannon (he/him) is a freshman studying philosophy and political science and currently serves as a member of IU Student Government.
President Donald Trump signed 137 executive orders in his first 100 days. Over the same time, Congress passed two bills. A “do-nothing Congress” is the norm. With each administration, more executive orders than bills reach the president’s desk. As such, Trump’s second term does not represent an aberration but the most recent (and natural) evolution of the U.S. government. While presidents once deferred to Congress’s agenda and then needed Congress to assent to their agenda, Trump shows that we have entered the age of the do-itall president.
In week one of office, Trump signed 10 executive orders on immigration, deportation and border security. Since then, more than 1,200 “international students ... have had their visas revoked or their legal status terminated,” including at Indiana University. In some cases, this occurred without “justification, notice, or due process.” Additionally, around 250 people have been deported and imprisoned in El Salvador without due process. This occurred by executive fiat in what one federal judge has ruled is contempt of court orders to reverse the deportations.
“We cannot give everyone a trial,” Trump responded on social media. “To do so would take, without exaggeration, 200 years.”
Throughout history, presidents have used — or concocted — crises to extend the power of their office. In fact, the presidency itself arose during a crisis.
After the Revolutionary War, the U.S. government was solely comprised of a legislature.
Some founders were “wary of putting power in one person’s hands,” Andy Rudalevige, a professor of government and legal studies at Bowdoin College, said in an interview with NPR. However, uprisings against state governments, British soldiers on American soil and a national legislature that couldn’t enforce its laws called on a single figure of authority to emerge.
While this notion initially met silence from delegates to the Constitutional Convention, Rudalevige said they eventually accepted it: “The executive power shall be vested in a president of the United States of America.” But they marked all presidential powers, from making treaties to ap-
pointing judges, with an asterisk: “By and with the advice and consent of the Senate.” As it turned out, this restriction on presidential power also acted as the kingmaker of presidents.
“All the president really needed in order to expand that vaguely defined power was buy-in from Congress,” Rudalevige said in the interview with NPR.
And buy in Congress did. While Washington often “deferred to the Senate in his decision making,” subsequent presidents stretched their powers during crises, setting new precedents. In 2019, Trump claimed, “Article 2 allows me to do whatever I want.”
Then, he wanted to fire agency heads; today, he wants to control the agencies. Remember, the Roman emperor Caligula also said, “I can do whatever I want to
whomever I want.” Appointed by President Ronald Reagan, Justice Antonin Scalia’s decisions laid the groundwork for an imperial theory of the presidency. Touted by the Heritage Foundation, this theory justifies Trump’s strongarming federal agencies to execute laws as he deems fit, even in defiance of the courts.
For Trump, the presidential office does not chiefly execute Congress’s will but voices woes and advocates policies; it is a “bully pulpit.”
Although associated with President Theodore Roosevelt, this term describes the presidency as construed by Andrew Jackson and every president since Franklin Roosevelt. In 1828, Jackson won the election after a narrow defeat in the previous cycle. This election marked the first time that all white male citizens of the U.S.
could vote for president. As a result, Jackson “cast himself as the people’s tribune” with a mandate to defend them “against special interests and their minions in Congress.” He waged a war on the national bank, moving funds into state banks without congressional approval. Later, President Franklin Roosevelt perfected the art of the bully pulpit. In 1933, Roosevelt’s New Deal marked the first time that a president proposed a comprehensive plan to Congress for it to implement. Over the course of the Great Depression and the Second World War, he used radio to convey his ideas directly to the American people. New technology allowed the president to become a spokesperson during the country’s crises. Through them, Congress deferred to the president. After them, it allowed Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon to wage wars during the Cold War without its approval. In 1973, historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., traced this expansion of power to Richard Nixon, then its climax, in his book, “The Imperial Presidency.” At issue for Schlesinger was the president’s power to make war, a power granted to Congress in the Constitution. Although Congress declared war on neither Vietnam nor Cambodia, Nixon continued war on the former and invaded the latter. Today, neither Congress nor the Constitution has authorized Trump’s war on immigrants. Unfortunately, history has taught Congress to play second fiddle to the president. There is no going back to 1789. In many ways, that’s undesirable. It’s also not possible. The evolution of the presidency cannot be isolated and reversed. It is too entangled with all other modern developments: technologies like radio and television have irreversibly changed the way we regard presidents. Schlesinger advised us that a modern president is needed for a modern world — a world where innumerable issues call for someone to look at them and discuss them. There’s no turning around. But a president isn’t meant to be an elected absolutist whose court includes two chambers of jesters. There is going forward with a Congress that knows self-confidence and answers executive power with its own power as the people’s branch.
ericcann@iu.edu
Aryana Amin-Tehrani (she/her)
piece has power’
By Emerson Elledge eelledge@iu.edu
There was a steady stream of audience members racing up two flights of stairs to get the coveted first balcony spots — it’s the best sound in the theatre, one audience member said. But the first balcony was full, the doors to the second were locked and nobody thought it was worth the effort to walk up to the third. So, the group worked its way down the six flights of stairs it had just finished walking up, forewarning unexpecting attendees who hadn’t got the memo to change direction. They filed into the orchestra seats instead, filling them from the very back row to the front where someone’s nose could practically touch the stage.
It didn’t really matter who got what seat, they were still filled. Almost every seat of the over 1000 in the Musical Arts Center had an occupant
By Stella Klaus ssklaus@iu.edu
A year’s worth of work for many riders comes down to one day, the Little 500 Race.
Thomas Miller, IU alumnus and director of the film “One Day in April,” set out to capture the process student riders go through from the start of the year through race day.
IU Cinema held a showing of the film for its 10 year anniversary April 23. The event began with a showing of an episode from the docuseries “Two Days in April,” which was made by Media School students last year and goes behind the scenes of the race. The screening at the IU Cinema ended with a Q&A with Miller.
The film “One Day in April” follows several Little 500 teams as they make their way through the spring series to the big race in 2013. The film opens with a brief rewind through the history of previous races and then begins to introduce the main teams.
“We were almost, like, nervous that if we didn’t follow multiple teams, that nothing would happen,” Miller said. “That was a very silly thing to worry about because the film is not really about who wins the race.” Miller said that the filmmakers were much more interested in why riders participate in the race: why would somebody dedicate so much time and so much pain in something that is largely not an investment in their future? He said he wanted to learn about who people were and what motivated them.
“Why do people commit so much energy and like, emotional investment into something that basically is an IU centric thing?” Miller
who came to see Gustav Mahler’s “Symphony No. 2,” known colloquially as “Resurrection,” performed by the Jacobs School of Music’s Concert Orchestra and Oratorio Chorus.
The crowded nature of the audience was mirrored almost exactly on the MAC stage, which was filled with more musicians and instruments than one would think possible. Mahler often used large orchestras when composing. Many of his pieces require an 80-person orchestra, but his second and eighth symphonies require even more musicians as they both have massive choral parts written within them. His eighth symphony has been given the nickname “The Symphony of a Thousand” because of its large size.
While “Symphony No. 2” hasn’t been given that same nickname, it is still a massive production. Abra Bush, Jacobs School of
Music David Henry Jacobs bicentennial dean, said there were 300 musicians onstage and called them some of the “most talented musicians in this country and around the globe.”
“It is remarkable that a school of music can pull off an accomplishment like this and not shut the whole place down,” Bush said. “Meanwhile, we’ve been able to do this while we’re in production weeks of ‘Carmen’ and the Latin Jazz Ensemble and so much more.”
When writing “Resurrection,” Mahler was inspired by themes of life and death. Many have noted since its release that the symphony starts in a darker tone and resolves at a lighter one, with its finale being one of the most known segments of the symphony. The piece had a resurgence of popularity when conductor Leonard Bernstein conducted a version of it
in 1987 with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, which was included in the 2023 biopic about Bernstein.
Second-year master’s student Camden Daly was first introduced to “Symphony No. 2” in that scene. Daly is a film scoring student and a Bass I in the Oratorio Chorus.
“I didn’t even know much about this piece until the biopic came out,” Daly said. “That was the first experience I had. Then, a couple weeks ago, Jamie Bernstein, Leonard Bernstein’s daughter, came into the career office and I got to meet her and we were talking about the biopic and I told her we were doing ‘Mahler 2’ soon.”
Daly only learned about the concert recently and emailed Chris Albanese, the choral director of the concert, three times to ask about being a part of the performance. Daly said “Symphony No. 2” is the kind
of piece where if a performer is lucky enough to perform it, they should take the chance. Jeffrey Meyer conducted the almost 90-minute symphony. Meyer serves as co-chair of the Jacobs Department of Orchestral Conducting and is a professor of the topic.
“Mahler was such an amazing composer for orchestra, like nobody writes for orchestra that way,” he said. “This piece is often one of the pieces that makes a musician want to be a musician or makes a musician want to stay a musician.”
The Oratorio Chorus is the ensemble that often joins the Jacobs orchestras when they perform at the MAC. It is primarily made up of University Chorale members. The chorus of more than 100 sat quietly on risers situated at the back of the stage for most of the show. In the fifth movement, the finale, they began singing
said. “Like, you don’t go pro in Little 500.”
They didn’t want the film to feel like it was all about the history of the event, Miller said during the Q&A. That’s why they focused on the riders. He said the filmmakers wanted the film to be authentic to the riders in the 2013 race, but he also hoped it would resonate with other people and show them a little bit about what’s so inspiring about the race and the tradition.
“After one of the premiere screenings this elderly woman, who was very old, came down to me and was like, ‘This movie perfectly captured what my experience was like watching
the race in the ‘50s,’” Miller said. “And I was like floored by that, I mean this was an elderly woman who had been at, like, the beginning of the race.”
10 years later, the film demonstrates the timelessness of the Little 500 tradition. As Miller reflected on the anniversary during the Q&A, he was reminded of how beautiful it is to be young and excited about creating something new.
“I definitely took away pride that I’m a part of this, but it’s not just me, it’s a huge community and many communities before this one,” Paul Lee, senior and current Black Key Bulls bike
team member said. “And I just think it’s really cool that it comes full circle.”
Lee said he went to the showing to get ready for the race and to feel proud of the tradition. The film depicts the ups and downs riders experience along their journey to the Little 500 and combines stories from both women’s and men’s teams.
“I thought it was really cool how they did the finish of the race, how they ended the men’s and women’s race by switching back and forth,” Lee said. “I thought that was a really unique touch.”
The final moments of both the men’s and women’s races would cut back
and forth between each other during the film, the race finally comes to an end, with some teams celebrating and others embracing in heartbreak. Miller said the effect was so one story wouldn’t finish before the other.
“This entire thing was about building trust,” Peter Stevenson, IU alumnus and writer and executive producer of the film, said.
“It’s one thing to go in and capture beautiful images of what’s going on at the track, but it’s another things to connect with people on a level where they’re willing to share their struggles, where they’re willing to share their victories and
and rose to their feet for a triumphant finish. One girl in the audience leaned on the railing of the first balcony, her arms crossed, as if she couldn’t be close enough to the music.
Mahler’s second symphony is often performed at about 80-90 minutes in length with five acts — a standard symphony with four is around an hour long. Despite its duration, the audience remained attentive and gave a sixminute standing ovation at the conclusion of the symphony, requiring Meyer and other performers to exit the stage twice before the lights turned on.
“This piece has power,” Meyer said. “Somehow, even though it’s an hour and a half long, it grips you from the beginning to the very end. Very few pieces do that. In fact, very few things in our world do that, so I think there’s a thirst for that and people turn up.”
where they’re willing to let you inside of some of the most emotionally and physically taxing things that they do.”
Stevenson said watching the film 10 years later, he noticed all the little mistakes where he thought things could have been done differently. On the contrary, he also noticed many moments where he thought “Oh, we really nailed that.”
“There’s a moment at the end of the Individual Time Trials where one of the guy’s coaches right at the end turns to the camera and says ‘disappointing,’ and tonight you can hear the entire room just like ‘oof,’” Stevenson said. “It just hits you in the chest, and I had kind of forgotten some of the emotion that goes into it.”
Kirsten Powell, an IU alumna who graduated in 2012 and producer of the film, said capturing the spirit of the race was important, given she was a rider herself for Delta Gamma. Each year some of the jersey colors stay the same, but the teams wearing them differ based on how they did in the spring series and, after a while, you don’t know who the riders are, she said.
“Watching the film tonight just drops me back into that moment in time, I got really emotional multiple scenes,” Powell said. “One of the coaches in the film was sitting with me, and during it we were both you know crying, gasping, laughing. We know how the race ends and we’re still sweating and gripping our seats and getting nervous for everybody because you attach to the emotion of it.” The film was released to YouTube for the first time on April 23 at the time of the showing.
IU’s ‘Legally Blonde’ proves pink never goes out of style
By Halie Jasinover hjasino@iu.edu
I have a long history with “Legally Blonde” the musical. It started in ninth grade when auditions were announced for a production at my local community theatre. I then spent every afternoon propping up my laptop and doing karaoke to the show’s songs (when my family wasn’t home of course).
If you are a theater kid, you know the show inside and out. So, when I went to see the IU Department of Theatre, Drama and Contemporary Dance’s production last week, I was jittering with excitement.
The story of “Legally Blonde” is iconic for a reason. Growing up, I idolized Elle Woods and her drive. Based on the 2001 film of the same name, the musical follows Woods, a blonde sorority girl from Malibu, who is constantly put in a box of assumed vacuous superficiality. No one takes her seriously. When she arrives at Harvard Law School in search of her ex-boyfriend Warner, she is quickly the laughingstock of the program. What gives Elle drive is the fact that she earned her place at Harvard like everyone else. The musical showcases her quest to prove she belongs, and she succeeds.
As a blonde, I have been there. Elle’s story is one of many women, and it resonated with this production’s very own Elle, played by junior musical theatre major Mia Stewart.
Before the show I had the opportunity to speak with Stewart about what it meant to step into Elle’s sparkly shoes.
“Everyone knows who Elle Woods is. She has really made an impact on our society and our generation specifically,” Stewart said. “I really wanted to be able to explore that character in an in-depth way, while also making it more myself rather than a caricature.”
For Stewart, taking on the role of Elle carried even more weight.
“Since I am a Black woman, it almost spins the story in a different way,” she said. “It becomes less about the fact that she is a blonde woman and more about the fact that she is a minority in a place where Black women aren’t often seen.”
Stewart’s Elle was unmistakably her own. Yes, she was bubbly and vibrant, but she brought a nuance to the role that reminds us why Elle’s story remains relevant 24 years after the original movie released in 2001.
“Elle is very strong, she grew up very privileged, but she has experienced discrimination for how she looks and the way she is,” Stewart said. “She perseveres throughout all of it, and it is very rare that she gets pushed aside and lets it happen.”
The show started with the hyper-energetic number
“Omigod You Guys.” The ensemble depicted the sorority members of the fictional UCLA chapter of Delta Nu, running around in a rainbow of costumes prepping for Elle’s presumed engagement to Warner. I was out of breath watching this number. I truly do not know how these girls did it, but it was so satisfying. Stewart came out in the middle of the number to thunderous applause and soon enough had an onstage quick change that impressed as well as a voice that demands to be heard. The end of the number brought in the delightfully douchey Warner, played by sophomore musical theatre major Justin Katin.
“Serious,” a duet between Elle and Warner was perfectly hilarious. Elle wants to get engaged; Warner wants someone who, as the song
suggests, is more “serious” as he sings, “Less of a Marilyn, more of a Jackie.” Katin’s voice soars in this number; he was opting up, these vocal choices so true to Warner’s showy character, and he sounded amazing. He has a voice that makes me even more envious that I will never be a musical theatre tenor. It makes you like him so much that you forget that during this number, Warner is breaking up with Elle.
In true Elle Woods fashion, she gets her groove back in “What You Want.” The ensemble number starts with Elle studying for her LSAT and ends in a giant cheerthemed dance break that, naturally, leads to her acceptance into Harvard’s Law School. Stewart has a ridiculous voice (seriously, check out IU Musical Theatre on TikTok to hear for yourself), but in this number espe-
cially, her dancing and stage command really shine.
This was one of my favorite numbers of the night. I also loved that this production reimagined Elle’s parents as a queer couple — it just makes so much sense that she would have two dads.
Elle is immediately ostracized at school. Dressed in all pink in a sea of browns and beiges, she is kicked out of class by Professor Callahan played by second-year MFA acting candidate Eric Thompson. By the way, Thompson’s Callahan was effortless, I was terrified of him just sitting in the audience. His presence was that commanding.
Elle finds comfort in hairdresser Paulette, played by senior musical theatre major Alanna Porter. Porter’s Paulette was so grounded and warm, with her humor
coming almost effortlessly. She made me love her song “Ireland,” a tune that I always skip when listening to the cast album. Her scenes with Stewart were so natural, the chemistry was there. She also meets Emmett, another law student who acts as her mentor. Senior musical theatre major Evan Vaughan gave Emmett a quiet sincerity. He was so easy to love and shined in the number “Chip on My Shoulder.” Elle and Emmett’s relationship is a slowburn throughout the show, and the actors captured that progression with a natural rhythm that made it feel so real. Everyone stood out in this show. Vivienne, Warner’s “serious” new girlfriend and soon enough fiancée, played by sophomore musical theatre major Isabel Rodriguez, finally had her moment to shine in one of the final numbers “Legally Blonde Remix.” Rodriguez had riffs pouring out of her as she belted her face off. Elle’s journey wouldn’t be the same without her UCLA best friends: Margot, Serena and Pilar. They serve as her inner voice, cheering her on when she needs it the most. The trio’s energy never faltered. Margot, played by junior musical theatre major Molly Higgins, stood out with her comedic timing. Her bubbly nature reminded me so much of the original Broadway cast Margot, played by Annaleigh Ashford.
Seeing IU’s production of “Legally Blonde” reminded me why this show has stayed so close to my heart. The cast captured the spirit of Elle Wood’s story, making it feel so fresh and relevant. Legally Blonde is not just a feel-good musical but an empowering story reminding those to not let anyone put you in a box. Stewart said it best, “I want audiences to leave feeling like they had the best night ever.” And if you can’t tell already with this column, I did.
From left to right: Pilar, (Lucy Ferguson), Margot (Molly Higgins), Elle Woods (Mia Stewart) and Serena (Laura Rong) perform
You Guys,”
the opening number of “Legally Blonde” the musical. IU’s Department of Theatre, Drama and Contemporary Dance’s production of “Legally Blonde” the musical closed April 26.
Black Key Bulls’ journey from failure to success
By Max Schneider maxschn@iu.edu
The first feeling was so nice they had to do it twice.
Black Key Bulls senior rider Will Wagner passionately threw his arms in the air as he crossed the finish line on lap 200. He showed off the “Black Key Bulls” on his shirt before mimicking a bull, placing his index fingers on his white helmet.
The BKB faithful swarmed the track post-race, showering their riders with love as they climbed the mountain a second time in the men’s Little 500 on April 26 at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington.
In the world of the Little 500, BKB has placed far above the rest, becoming a dynasty over the past two editions of the famed race.
“That was my last lap on the track,” Wagner said post-
race. “And there’s no other way I would’ve had it.” In 2023, BKB infamously failed to qualify for the Little 500. In 2024, it completed the ultimate turnaround to win it all. That, by itself, was a great story. In 2025, it attempted to run the story back, this time with a much larger proverbial target on its back.
Sophomore rider Wiley Close said the first 100 laps were rough, and that it was hard to escape from the pack. But once a crash occurred on lap 81, the whole race got shaken up. After that, he said only SAE was truly “putting a target on our back.”
Early in the race, BKB fought hard to claw its way to the front of the pack, as several teams led for brief spells.
However, as the race progressed, BKB and Sigma Alpha Epsilon broke away and gained a large lead over their
peers. SAE fought BKB step for step for a large chunk of the race: from the crash on lap 81 that took down seven riders to allow BKB and SAE to race ahead, to an SAE exchange around lap 160.
BKB chose not to go for an exchange alongside SAE, allowing Close to race into its largest lead yet. BKB seized control from then on, slowly increasing its lead to as many as 30 seconds.
“At about 165, 170 we were kind of setting up for a double exchange, as we had done all day,” BKB director Jordan Bailey said. “At that point, Wiley was on the bike, and we gave him time to pull the pin, time to go full gas and just crush it.”
When a full lap separated BKB in first and SAE in second, it seemed as if BKB winning was inevitable. That turned into reality as Wagner crossed the finish line with
the checkered flag waving.
“To quote Jack Handlos, ‘it means everything,’” Wagner said.
Handlos was a senior rider in 2024, helping BKB win its first championship since 2017. This time, the wait for another was not nearly as long.
“It’s BKB’s fourth win, and it’s the first time they’ve ever gone back-to-back,” Bailey said. “And the fact that they rode one of the gutsiest races possible and put an entire lap up on the rest of the field by the end of the race was just amazing.”
BKB may have come out victorious, but that leaves 32 other teams disappointed. Perhaps no team is more disappointed in its finish than SAE, which stayed neck and neck with BKB for a majority of the race before falling behind.
“There’s nobody else on
this track that I’d want to see win except SAE,” Close said. “They are by far our fiercest competitor, but off the track, we are very respectful. We honor the fact that they’re an extremely strong team, just as strong as us.”
BKB has managed to find itself in esteemed company.
It’s the first team to win backto-back titles since CUTTERS did so in 2018 and 2019.
“It’s the first time BKB has ever done it,” Bailey said.
“There are very few teams in the history of the race that have been able to do backto-back and now we are one of them, and we’re in the history books for that.”
BKB certainly has managed to enter the history books. From missing the race in 2023, to lifting the bike as victors two years in a row, perhaps no team has ever had as steep of a turnaround in such a short time in recent years as BKB. Relentless in its pursuit of greatness, it now clung to them as it paraded around the track to the tune of Queen’s “We Are the Champions”. The riders slowly rode around the track a final time, soaking in the moment. As the BKB faithful celebrated behind them, they gleamed with pride at their achievement. Following the victory lap, the riders stayed out longer than anyone else, sharing their joy with family and friends who couldn’t be prouder.
From disappointments, to underdogs, to champions, to the dominant force, BKB is on top. After a year of gunning to defend its title, the team can now sit back and celebrate. As the song that plays after every race suggests, Black Key Bulls are the champions.
Kappa Alpha Theta claims back-to-back Little 500 title
By Molly Joseph mojosep@iu.edu | @mollyrjoseph
After crossing the finish line, junior rider Bailey Cappella threw her hands in the air as sweat ran down her face. Her teammates ran to embrace one another while the crowd erupted with cheers from fans, alumni and friends who had followed the team’s journey all year long.
Cappella and the rest of her Kappa Alpha Theta teammates cemented their place in history April 25 by winning the 37th annual women’s Little 500 race at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The team securing back-to-back victories and its 10th title overall. With this win, Theta became the first women’s team to reach double-digit championships since the race began in 1988.
“It’s just such an honor
with all the alumni standing behind us and the legacy before us. We’ve never been prouder,” sophomore rider Greta Heyl said after the race. “It is an incredible team with the best support system.”
Despite their dominant finish, Theta wasn’t a clear frontrunner for much of the 100-lap race. But with just 15 laps remaining, Theta began making its move. The team’s strategy, teamwork and experience kicked into high gear as they surged forward, closing the gap with precision and control. On the final lap, Cappella launched into a sprint that put her out in front of Alpha Chi Omega’s Libby Lewis and Novus Cycling’s Dorothy Curran-Muñoz. Entering turn three, Cappella found the path she needed, passing Lewis and
securing the lead as she powered through the final stretch and crossed the finish line first, the same honor she had in last year’s race.
Theta entered the race after placing third in qualifications, but its veteran riders and mental toughness proved to be their greatest assets when it mattered most.
“I think it’s a mental race too, like you can do all the physical training, but just knowing how to be in a bike race, there are so many variables, there’s a lot of things that can happen,” junior rider Claire Tips said. “But, these girls, I have so much faith in them and this program.”
As the crowd erupted and fans flooded the track, the four riders embraced with tears in their eyes and smiles stretched across their faces, still trying to wrap
their heads around what they had just accomplished.
Tips, Heyl and junior Greta Weeks all didn’t know what to say.
The Little 500 began in 1951, but in its early years, no all-women teams quali fied among the top 33. In stead, the Mini 500, a tricy cle race introduced in 1954, served as a recreational alternative for women, though many hoped for a more competitive opportu nity.
In 1987, four mem bers of Theta attempted to qualify for the men’s race, placing 34th and missing the cut. Determined to cre ate a space for female cy clists, they worked with the IU Student Foundation to launch the first women’s race the following year.
Over 30 teams signed up, and with their experience and visibility, Theta be
came the face of the event and the team to beat. They placed first in qualifications but finished nine seconds behind Wilkie Sprint, who won the inaugural women’s
hind, cheering them on in celebration of yet another historic win.
team’s sig
nature yellow, followed be-
TRINITY MACKENZIE | IDS
Black Key Bulls rider junior Zack Virrereal points at his ring finger during the final laps of the men’s 2025 Little 500 race April 26, 2025, at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington. Black Key Bulls were led by senior Will Wagner, sophomore Wiley Close, senior Paul Lee and junior Zach Villarreal.
BRIANA PACE | IDS
Black Key Bulls fans celebrate the team’s victory April 26, 2025, at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington. The team won three races before this year’s.
BRIANA PACE | IDS
Black Key Bulls rider sophomore Wiley Close celebrates his team’s win April 26, 2025, at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington. Close raced for Black Key Bulls in last year’s race as well.
JIMMY RUSH | IDS
No. 12 Indiana goes winless in championships
By Max Schneider maxschn@iu.edu
No. 12 Indiana water
polo finished its season in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championships April 25-26 in Los Angeles, losing both games to end its season.
Indiana, the No. 7 seed, matched up against No. 2-seeded USC on April 25 to kick off the tournament. The Trojans got off to a hot start, scoring inside the opening two minutes. USC’s firstquarter dominance continued, scoring four more to lead 5-0 after only six minutes. The Hoosiers found themselves drowning early. Indiana got on the board through junior attacker Grace Klingler, but it was followed by another USC goal seconds later. A goal from Hoosier senior attacker Skylar Kidd was again quickly cancelled out to give USC a 7-2 lead after one quarter.
USC entered another gear in the second quarter, constricting the Indiana attack as it conceded no goals. The goals flowed for the Trojans, however, as they scored five more to take a 12-2 advantage into halftime. With one half still to go, the match already seemed essentially over. Even still, USC continued to pile on the goals, scoring three within a 30-second span early in the third quarter.
Senior center Sophia Sollie managed to score Indiana’s first goal since the first quarter, but it was followed by three more USC goals.
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With a quarter still to play, Indiana found themselves losing 18-3.
The final quarter saw the scoring slow, as the game was essentially decided. Klingler managed to score back-to-back goals, but it meant little in the end. In its worst loss of the season, Indiana fell 20-5.
Following the April 25 result, Indiana played No. 6-seeded Arizona State Uni-
versity in an elimination game April 26. The Hoosiers played the Sun Devils twice earlier in the season, losing both times.
Indiana started off on the wrong foot, conceding in the first minute. The Hoosiers responded quickly, however, with senior utility player Portia Sasser scoring the equalizer.
Arizona State then grabbed hold of the game,
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scoring four straight goals. With fears of a similar performance to USC unfolding, Sasser scored with one second left in the first quarter to make the score 5-2.
Arizona State scored a further two goals early into the second quarter, but Kidd and junior attacker Louisa Downes responded with a goal each. Each side scored one more to end the half, with the Sun Devils having
an 8-5 advantage. Arizona State scored 22 seconds into the second half, although senior attacker Olivia Stark answered with a strike of her own. The goals continued to pile up as the third quarter progressed, with the Sun Devils extending their lead by a further four goals. Time started to run out on Indiana’s season as the fourth quarter began. Ari-
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zona State scored again to increase its lead to 8, and despite goals from Kidd and senior attacker Grace Hathaway, the inevitable seemed to be on the horizon.
Senior defender Claire Witting scored Indiana’s final goal of the season with a minute to go. As the clock struck zero, the Hoosiers’ season officially ended, losing 19-11. The Hoosiers’ season wraps up on a disappointing note, with their conference season falling flat. They failed to win a single conference match, going 0-8. They also failed to surpass last season’s win total, falling from 21-10 in 2024 to 17-12 in 2025. The defense often was unable to stop the top teams, unable to limit opposing firepower. In six games versus top 5 teams, five opponents scored 19 goals or more. In the two tournament games, the Hoosiers conceded 39 times. The Hoosiers’ offense, however, was prolific at many points of the season. Kidd led the team with 62 goals, with Downes right behind at 56 goals. Sollie managed to score 37 goals while providing only 2 assists, compared to 32 assists from Kidd and 29 from Downes. Klingler and Sasser both netted 35 and 34 goals, respectively. As the season is now over, the Hoosiers must look to the future. They have many upcoming underclassmen to replace the impact the seniors will be leaving behind, but nothing its guaranteed.
Indiana and USC water polo players fight for the ball in a game March 30, 2024, at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center in Bloomington.
The Hoosiers dropped matches against USC and Arizona State University over the weekend.
BLISS
Indiana lands Elon guard out of transfer portal
By Dalton James jamesdm@iu.edu | @daltonmjames
Indiana men’s basketball head coach Darian DeVries made a pair of additions to his first roster in Bloomington on April 24. Former Elon University guard Nick Dorn committed April 24, according to his Instagram post, while former University of Florida forward Sam Alexis did so just hours later, per On3 Sports’ Joe Tipton’s X post.
Nick Dorn
Dorn spent his first two collegiate seasons at Elon, making 47 starts and appearing in 55 total games.
Across 30 games in his freshman season, Dorn averaged 9.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per contest. He earned a spot on the Coastal Athletic Association All-Rookie Team and won CAA Rookie of the Week honors four
times throughout the season. In his sophomore season in 2024-25, the 6-foot-7, 200-pound Dorn averaged 15.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Elon faced the University of North Carolina and the University of Notre Dame in its nonconference slate. In the Phoenix’s loss to the Tar Heels, Dorn finished with 17 points before scoring 24 points in a victory over the Fighting Irish. He went a combined 10 for 16 from 3-point range across those two contests. Dorn has no shortage of high-level athletic ties, as his father, Torin Dorn Sr., played seven seasons in the NFL. His older brother, Myles Dorn, spent parts of four seasons in the NFL before moving to the United Football League.
Dorn, who’s a Charlotte, North Carolina, native, has two seasons of eligibility re-
maining.
Sam Alexis Alexis comes to Indiana after winning the NCAA National Championship in his lone season at Florida. He played in a reserve role for the Gators, appearing in just one minute of their NCAA Tournament run.
Across 24 total games, the 6-foot-8, 240-pound Alexis averaged 4.7 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
Prior to transferring to Florida ahead of the 202425 season, Alexis played two seasons at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He played in 65 total games during his freshman and sophomore seasons, making 32 starts.
In 2022-23, Alexis scored 5 points and hauled in 3.8 rebounds per contest. Then, in 2023-24, Alexis notched 10.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. He posted
nine double-doubles and scored in double figures in 20 games.
The Apopka, Florida, native earned a spot on the Third-Team All-Southern Conference and was also on the Southern Conference All-Defensive Team. Alexis has one season of eligibility left.
Roster outlook DeVries has now brought in nine transfers:
• 6-foot-2 guard Conor Enright — one season remaining 6-foot-7 forward Tucker DeVries — one season remaining
• 6-foot-10 forward Reed Bailey — one season remaining
• 6-foot-5 guard Lamar Wilkerson — one season remaining 6-foot-6 guard Jasai Miles — two seasons remaining • 6-foot-3 guard Tayton
Conerway — one season remaining 6-foot-2 guard Jason Drake — two seasons remaining
• 6-foot-7 guard Nick Dorn — two seasons remaining • 6-foot-8 forward Sam Alexis — one season remaining
The only player on the Hoosiers’ roster who is not a transfer is incoming freshman forward Trent Sisley, who played his senior season at Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida. Forward Luke Goode is also seeking a medical hardship waiver, which would give him a fifth season of eligibility. While the transfer portal closed April 22, the players who remain in the portal can still commit to new schools. Players can now only enter the portal due to coaching changes at their respective schools.
Unity of Bloomington A Center for Spiritual Growth
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Bloomington Young Single Adult Branch
2411 E. Second St.
To Contact: Send message from website maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/ wards/237973
Sunday: 12:30 p.m.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has four congregations in Bloomington—Three family wards and our young single adult branch for college students. This info is for the YSA Branch. Weekday religious classes at 333 S. Highland Ave, Bloomington IN 47401, next to campus.
More info at churchofjesuschrist.org.
Lutheran - Missouri Synod
University Lutheran Church and LCMS U Student Center
607 E. Seventh St. 812-336-5387 indianalutheran.com facebook.com/ULutheranIU instagram.com/uluindiana
Sunday: 9:15 a.m.: Sunday Bible Class
10:30 a.m.: Sunday Divine Service
Wednesday: 7 p.m.: Wednesday Evening Service
Student Center open daily:
9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
The LCMS home of campus ministry at IU, our mission is to serve all college students with the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ, located across from Dunn Meadow and the IMU. The Student Center is open daily for study, recreation, and prayer. For full schedule, visit our website.
Rev. Timothy Winterstein - Campus 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
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
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
American Restoration Movement
North Central Church of Christ
2121 N. Dunn St. 812-332-2248 nc3family.org Facebook.com/nc3family
Sunday: 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., College Class
Come learn about historic Christian teaching on theology, ethics, and culture. We offer an alternative to the post-modern ideologies and teachings you often see in your lives today.
Shane Himes, PHD - Senior Minister
Science
Christian Science Church
2425 E. Third St. 812-332-0536 bloomingtonchristianscience.com facebook.com/e3rdStreet
Sunday Church Service: 10 - 11 a.m.
Wednesday Testimony Meeting: 7 - 8 p.m.
Mon. - Fri. Reading Room:
fairness and compassion. (Christian Science Monitor) csmonitor.com
Orthodox All Saints Orthodox Christian Church
6004 S. Fairfax Rd. 812-824-3600 allsaintsbloomington.org webbrk1@gmail.com
Youtube video of services on website Sunday: 9 a.m.: Sunday Matins 10 a.m.:
Father Peter Jon Gillquist Thomas Przybyla - Pastoral Assistant
Bloomington Bahá'í Community and Bahá’í IU Association
424 S. College Mall Rd. 812-331-1863 bloomingtoninbahais.org facebook.com/Baháí-Community-of-
Please call or
through our website for
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 Bahá'í Faith
COURTESY PHOTO Indiana men’s basketball head coach Darian DeVries is pictured during his introductory press conference March 19, 2025, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. Nick Dorn and Sam Alexis committed to DeVries and the Hoosiers on April 24.
Bloomington North exits Conference Indiana
By Max Schneider maxschn@iu.edu
Conference Indiana will drop to only three members starting in the 2026-27 school year, following the announced departures of Bloomington High School North on Feb. 13, Terre Haute North Vigo High School and Terre Haute South Vigo High School on April 10.
Conference Indiana is a high school athletics conference within the Indiana High School Athletics Association. It was founded in 1996 from the remnants of the Central Suburban Athletic Conference and the South Central Conference, and it covers large portions of central and southern Indiana.
The conference currently sits at six members, but both Terre Haute schools — Terre Haute North and
South — and Bloomington High School North will leave Conference Indiana following the 2025-26 school year.
Bloomington High School South, Columbus North High School and Southport High School are the only committed members for the 2026-27 school year.
The Terre Haute schools will join the Sagamore Athletic Conference, while Bloomington North will join the Mid-State Conference.
“It was always a conference that we had our eye on, that we thought was a good fit,” Bloomington North Athletic Director Andrew Hodson said of the Mid-State Conference in an interview April 8. “We tried to get into Mid-State about nine years ago and presented them, but we weren’t selected.”
Bloomington North was not alone in its interest in the available spot for
Society of Friends (Quaker)
Bloomington Friends Meeting
3820 E. Moores Pike
812-336-4581
bloomingtonfriendsmeeting.org
Facebook: Bloomington Friends Meeting
Sunday (in person & Zoom) :
9:45 a.m., Hymn singing
10:30 a.m., Meeting for Worship
10:45 a.m., Sunday School (Children join worship 10:30-10:45) 11:30 a.m., Refreshments and Fellowship 12:30 p.m., Events (see website)
Wednesday (Zoom Only) :
7 p.m., Meeting for worship for Peace
Friday (Zoom Only) :
9 a.m., Meeting for worship
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.
Peter Burkholder - Clerk burkhold@indiana.edu
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
Christian Student Fellowship
1968 N. David Baker Ave. 812-332-8972 csfindiana.org
Instagram: @csfindiana
Monday - Friday: 9 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 operates from an on-campus house where students can live. Reach out to schedule a tour of the house or a visit to our Thursday night worship service!
Ben Geiger - Lead Campus Minister
Stephanie Michael - Campus Minister
Joe Durnil - Associate Campus Minister
Hailee Lutz - Office Manager
the Mid-State Conference, which opened following the departure of Greenwood Community High School for the new Hoosier Legends Conference in 2026-27.
“We had all six (Conference Indiana) schools apply for that one spot in the Mid-State,” Bloomington South Athletic Director J.R. Holmes said. “Because we knew that our conference was on some shaky ground.”
With the only three remaining members considering other conferences, according to Holmes, Conference Indiana currently faces an uncertain future. Nicholas Stevens, Athletic Director of Southport High School, confirmed they had applied for the Mid-State Conference.
Holmes said the athletic directors decided they were going to hold an emergency Zoom meeting the week of April 14. They will dis-
City Church 1200 N. Russell Rd. 812-336-5958
citychurchbloomington.org
tiktok: @citychurchbtown
Instagram: @citychurchbtown
Sunday Service: 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 11:45 a.m.
City Church is a multicultural church on the east side of Bloomington. We provide transportation from campus. Our college and young adult ministry meets on Tuesday nights.
David Norris - Pastor
Sacred Heart Church
615 N. Fairview St. 812-345-5239 sacredheartbloomington.org facebook.com/sacredheartbloomington
Sunday: 10:30 a.m.: Refreshments and Fellowship 10:45 a.m.: Worship Service Tue., Wed., Thu.: Midweek Meals (Check Facebook)
Sacred Heart is a nondenominational church that seeks to follow Jesus by acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with God. We strive to be a safe, inclusive community where you can bring your doubts, questions, struggles, and joys before a loving God and find true belonging. All are welcome! Dan Caldwell
Episcopal (Anglican)
Canterbury Mission
719 E. Seventh St. 812-822-1335 IUCanterbury.org facebook.com/ECMatIU Instagram & Twitter: @ECMatIU Youtube: @canterburyhouseatiu9094
Sunday: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Mon., Wed., Thu.: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Tuesday: Noon - 8 p.m. Fri., Sat.: By Appointment
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
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., Evening Service
*Free transportation provided. Please call if you need a ride to church.
Student Ministry: Meeting for Bible study throughout the month. Contact Rosh Dhanawade at bluhenrosh@gmail.com for more information.
Steven VonBokern - Senior Pastor Rosh Dhanawade - IU Coordinator 302-561-0108 bluhenrosh@gmail.com
cuss the only two options available — convince new schools to join the conference or go their separate ways.
While the former option offers more stability for the remaining schools, Holmes said it was a struggle to persuade teams to join when the conference was at six members. However, not all hope has been given up yet.
“We’ve tried to add people in, some people showed interest, but they didn’t want to travel all the way to Terre Haute,” Holmes said. “So, now that Terre Hautes’ out, maybe that might shake their interest again.”
However, the desire not to fall behind other schools may end up dissolving Conference Indiana — which has existed since 1996.
Splitting up the conference also does not guarantee a future at another conference. If no spots are
available in other conferences by the 2026-27 school year, the leftover schools may be forced to temporarily become independent, which would require building its entire schedule on its own in all sports.
“Football will be the biggest challenge,” Holmes said. “We may have to travel out of state or some Ohiostate teams to travel here. It would be a difficult situation, but I’m sure, one, that we will eventually get it worked out.” As of right now, Conference Indiana has six teams for the 2025-26 school year.
United Church of Christ and American Baptist Churches-USA First United Church 2420 E. Third St. 812-332-4439 firstuc.org facebook.com/firstuc
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
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 Baptist Church
321 N. Rogers St. 812-327-1467 sbcbloomington.org facebook.com/2ndbaptistbloomington youtube.com/@secondbaptist churchbloomington
Sunday Service: 10 a.m., In house and on Facebook/YouTube Sunday School: 8:45 - 9:45 a.m. Bible Study: Available In House and on Zoom Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m., Thursdays, Noon
Please come and worship with us. We are in training for reigning with Christ! Need a ride? Call our Church bus at 812-3271467 before 8 a.m. on Sunday
Rev. Dr. Bruce R. Rose - Pastor Tallie Schroeder - Secretary
Unitarian Universalist
Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington 2120 N. Fee Ln. 812-332-3695 uubloomington.org facebook.com/uubloomington
Sunday: 9:30 a.m.,11:30 a.m.
or
and
congregation
We draw inspiration from
religions and
spiritual traditions. Our vision is “Seeking the Spirit, Building Community, Changing the World.” A LGBTQA+, Dementia Friendly, Welcoming Congregation to all ages and groups and a Certified Green Sanctuary.
Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray
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:
314 S.
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
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 Reformed Protestant
Trinity Reformed Church
2401 S. Endwright Rd. 812-825-2684 trinityreformed.org lucas@trinityreformed.org facebook.com/trinitychurchbloom
Sunday: 10:30 a.m., Sunday Morning Services 7 p.m., Bible Study at the IMU
We are a Reformed Protestant church on the west side of Bloomington with lively worship on Sunday mornings and regular lunches for students after church. We love God and His Word. Please get in touch if you’d like a ride!
Jody Killingsworth - Senior Pastor Lucas Weeks - College Pastor
FILE PHOTO | IDS
Bloomington High School North is pictured Jan. 18, 2022, in Bloomington. Bloomington High School North will depart Conference Indiana ahead of the 2026-27 school year.
By Samantha Camire scamire@iu.edu
IU sophomore Zander Lacer stands in the middle of the amphitheater, presiding over a semicircle of players gathered on the massive limestone steps. It’s the first merged Tribal Council of the season, and one by one, the players are called forward to vote for who they think should be eliminated from the game.
It’s a windy Friday afternoon at the Conrad-Prebys Amphitheater. While many students will spend the night at bars, meeting up with friends or gearing up for the weekend, these students are all gathered for one purpose: season four of Survivor at Indiana.
The players each walk through a copse of trees to a rickety plastic table. Two members of the production team are stationed there, armed with their phones as camera equipment and a determination to keep the wind from blowing their props away. The players grab a ridiculously large, tiki-themed pen and write in their vote. Almost all of the players vote for the same person.
“Crazy fucking play dude,” whispers one of the production team members after the contestant walks away.
Adapting the game for college students
With suspenseful Tribal Councils, exciting challenges and revealing confessionals, Survivor at Indiana models itself on CBS’ “Survivor” — with some adjustments, of course.
“There’s a few differences, because, you know, we’re not on an island for 39 days, we’re college students who meet up twice a week,” Lacer, the president and host, said.
Survivor at IU
Campus club brings hit reality TV show to Bloomington
The club doesn’t have the big CBS budget, so it makes do with what they have. A ping pong ball represents an immunity idol; a folding table and tiny wicker treasure chest trinket stand in for the voting booth. And this isn’t a high-tech endeavor — the production team consists of students, and episodes are filmed entirely on the production team’s phones.
The main elements remain. For the uninitiated, this is how “Survivor” works. In the TV show, players are stranded on a remote island and divided into tribes. They work together in tribes to survive and compete in challenges to win advantages. The losing tribe goes to Tribal Council and votes out a player.
About halfway through the season, the tribes merge and the game becomes every man for himself. Hidden immunity idols and player alliances add drama and intrigue.
In Survivor at Indiana, the game lasts almost the full semester, with challenges and Tribal Councils taking place on Fridays and Sundays. Between each meeting, there are real items hidden on campus that players can try to find to gain certain advantages.
Players are also responsible for filming their own “confessionals,” where they talk straight to the camera about their thoughts on the game so far.
Just like in the real game, there is a strategic as pect as players make alliances and scheme to make it
through Tribal Council without being voted out.
“Alliances are a pretty big, important part of the game because whenever you go to a Tribal Council, that’s how you survive, by making sure you’re on the right side of a vote,” Lacer explained.
Survivor at Indiana is not the only “Survivor”-style show on campus. Live Reality Games @ IU, founded by a Survivor at Indiana alumnus, hosts its own version of the show. Unlike Survivor at Indiana, LRG’s version takes place over one or two days and includes non-college students.
The challenge With Tribal Council complete, it’s time for the next challenge.
Members of production pass out purple plastic solo cups to each player, placing them three across at their feet.
The players fill out a Google Form with “most likely to” questions: most likely to win “Survivor,” most likely to have never played a sport. For each question, Lacer explains, the goal is to guess who most other people voted for. If a player gets it right, they get to take a life from another player of their choice, signified by crushing a cup sitting in front of them.
As the players fill out the Google Form on their phones (a scene you would certainly never see on the TV show), the production team are rehashing memories of past seasons in the Purple cups skitter away across the stone, pushed by the wind, and play-
ers scramble after them.
“Let’s get cameras going,” Lacer interrupts the chatter.
Three people get in position, filming from multiple vantage points.
Freshman Ethan Wagreich, eliminated from the challenge after a few rounds, sits on one of the rocks behind the cameras. And he does not like one of the questions — or rather, the other players’ response to it.
“Who is most likely not to win Survivor at Indiana?” Lacer asks. Everyone guesses the player with the most votes was Wagreich.
“All across the board, unanimously, ‘Ethan can’t win’” Wagreich cries. “That’s crazy!”
Wagreich is unique among the players; he’s more outspoken than the rest and honest about what brought him to the game in the first place.
“So originally, I thought there was a $500 prize, I’m not gonna lie,” he laughs.
“And I’m still here because it’s kinda fun.”
There is no prize.
Community is the key Survivor at Indiana has become more than just a goofy game for many of the players. It’s a community that offers a cross-section of people found throughout IU.
“It brought me a great group of friends,” Lacer said. “I didn’t really expect when I first joined that I was gonna find myself, like, actually enjoying talking to the people I played with.”
Current players agreed. They cited the show’s ability to bring together students from a variety of majors, years and personalities as one of its best qualities.
“I feel like being able to have such a diverse group and then being able to, like, learn about them and have a social game along with the
competitive game is really fun,” senior informatics major Drew Duncan, said.
Outside of the game, Survivor at Indiana holds social events, from board game nights to “Survivor” watch parties to fielding an intramural volleyball team.
A testament to the community formed: most of the production team are previous players who enjoyed the experience so much they wanted to stick around.
Lacer, in fact, was the winner of season one. After playing, he joined the production team and ultimately took the job of host. He was a crucial part of securing school funding for the team and making Survivor at Indiana an official club.
Fellow season one contestant Holden Carroll also joined production after his time on the show was up. A sophomore computer science student by day, he’s in charge of the game advantages for Survivor at Indiana. Like Lacer, he’s seen the club grow over time.
“There’s definitely more of a community building up since we have four seasons now,” he said. Survivor at Indiana is always looking for new players to bring in; each season begins with 15-18 players. Lacer and his team emphasized that the show is not geared only toward “Survivor” addicts.
“The biggest factor is that we find people who are excited to play, we want someone who’s gonna be involved in the game,” Lacer said. “Someone who is go-
ing to give a lot of effort, that’s what we really want.” What makes Survivor at Indiana unique is its focus on long-term community within IU, Lacer explained. “With a semester-long game, you really get the opportunity to be able to meet these people, you get to know them very well,” he said. “So, I want to encourage people, if you’re looking for a group, if you’re looking for new friends, this is a perfect opportunity.”
Survivor at Indiana is currently accepting interest forms for season five, which will take place in the fall 2025 semester. To keep up with the club and watch the newest season, follow its Instagram account @survivoratindiana.
