THE INDEPENDENT
COLLEGIAN
S e r v i n g t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f To l e d o c o m m u n i t y s i n c e 1 9 1 9
UT 101 A student-to-student guide to life at the University of Toledo
2 | The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
Want to give back to your community?
NONPROFIT
Network
TM
Laneta Goings
President/Co-Founder
P.O. Box 268 Holland, Ohio, 43528-9998 1.866.944.1119 Cell: 419.467.9302 books4buddies.com
Enhancing literacy for boys and young men and building young leaders one book at a time
If you would like to make a difference in a child’s life by donating activities and or your time, please contact: 419-304-3670 - Jackie Please also join our Facebook page!
The New Me Foundation’s Mission is to create a positive atmosphere for youth in the community. We are now looking for youth ages 5 & up interested in Dance, Modeling, Fitness, Grant Research, and After school Media. For more information please call 419-932-1508 Or visit our website www.Tnmftoledo.wixsite.com/webs The new me foundation resource center grand opening May 8, 2018.
W: 3.31 inches
we aspire to help girls reach their highest potentials
Women of Toledo is a 501c3 nonprofit o Women of Toledo (WOT) is(WOT) a 501c3 nonprofit organization serving the Greater Toledo the Greater Toledo community that advocates fo community that advocates for diversity economic Our Women Economi and economic empowerment. empowerment. Our Women Economic program Empowermenthelp (WEE)improve program helpour participants ca (WEE) improve our participants capacity to bring about about change economic change for themselves, by ove economic for themselves, by overcoming poverty, discrimination and and exploitation. Follow Follow our Face discrimination exploitation. our Facebook page: womenoftoledo and Support womenoftoledo and Support us here www.wom us here www.womenoftoledo.org
3 | The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
Welcome to the University of Toledo
A letter from the Student Government President: Welcome Class of 2023! It’s my pleasure as the student body President to welcome each and everyone of you to our Rockets family. Your time is now. You now have the opportunity to explore and expand your horizons. There’s an endless supply of opportunities here for students to discover their passions and find a home here at the university. It’s okay to be nervous! That’s natural! Everyone here understands how it feels to jump from Senior to Freshman with three months in between. Just remember, there’s an entire class of peers around you going through that same transition! Not only that, but the community here is welcoming, so don’t be afraid to tap someone and ask for directions, I promise they won’t bite. I encourage you all to attempt to get involved while you’re here. The University of Toledo is home to 350+ student lead organizations. There’s no doubt in my mind that every single one of you could find an organization that sparks
DREW WILLIAMS SG President
your interest. It’s an amazing way to make friends and to also become a part of campus culture. A few tips to help you navigate this tricky first semester: Know your resources. Utilize campus apps such as Rave Guardian, an app that helps contact campus police when you are walking at night back to your car or residence hall. Night watch, a campus driving service that is available later in the evening, and FREE access to TARTA busses ( Shout out to previous Student Body President, Jimmy Russel). Know your professors. The more familiar you are
with your professors, the easier the course will be. Professors have office hours and are willing to schedule times to meet with their students. This university wants to see you succeed. Know how your Student Government can be of service. Student Government is here on campus to be the voice of the students. In the past the organization has brought the Student Recreation Center to campus, started the Rocket Bike Share Program, and advocated for TARTA bus access for all students and that’s just to name a few. If this sounds of interest to you, please come join and get involved! Just know that as an organization, Student Government can bring the change you seek. Eventually, you’ll know the university like the back of your hand and it will be home. The Rocket family always has room for more members and I’m excited to see the atmosphere you bring along with you. It’s your time now, class of 2023. I’m rooting for you!
IC FILE
Some members of the IC staff pose for a picture during the end of year banquet May 1 outside Edge apartment complex.
A letter from the IC Staff: Hello, new Rockets! The Independent Collegian staff is thrilled to welcome you all to campus. The success of the University of Toledo depends on the creativity, innovation, and energy that new students bring each year. But, we know the difficulty of adjusting to new surroundings—we’ve been there, and we want to offer you our best advice. 1.) Learn how to navigate campus before the first day of classes: While all of your high school classes may have taken place in the same building, at UT, you may find yourself hoofing it across campus in 10 minutes from Field House to Rocket Hall because your adviser assured you that you’d be able to make it on time. You don’t want to earn the distinction of “the late student” on your very first day of classes. 2.) Get involved early: As soon as you make it to campus, look into UT’s many clubs and organizations. Many students decide to go Greek and join a service, social or professional fraternity/sorority. These groups are a great way to meet people who you may not otherwise cross paths with while also bolstering your résumé. Others find their niche while exploring a passion or future career field, like the many writers, editors, photographers, and businessmen and women who work for the Independent Collegian. UT also offers students the chance
to participate in athletics at all different levels, including varsity, club and intramural. Find where you fit on campus and immerse yourself in new activities. Though we come to college to learn and earn degrees, it’s important to focus on what we do outside of the classroom as well. 3.) Embrace new beginnings: Whether you’re missing your high school years already or you couldn’t get away from your hometown fast enough, college represents a great opportunity to start over. You can be whoever you want to be, not feeling restricted by the expectations of those who have known you since childhood. You have the luxury of making your own schedule and taking courses pertaining to an area you want to study. Your college years will be shaped by the choices you make, but that’s the beauty of it. Flexibility and possibility characterize a customizable experience that won’t always be so accessible. So, take advantage of it while you can. Embrace everything that comes with such versatility, including any challenges along the way. We wish you the best of luck, and we look forward to seeing your contributions to campus in the coming months. Sincerely, The IC Staff
4 | The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
UT’s 7 big events
By Emily Jackson Staff Reporter
The
Big Event
Homecoming Homecoming is UT’s longest standing tradition and has taken place every fall since 1923. This annual event is marked by an entire week of activities such as the pre-game pep-rally, concerts, bonfires, a parade and, of course, the football game. The purpose of Homecoming week is to bring students, alumni and community members together to celebrate the Gold and Blue and what it really means to be a Rocket.
Each year, UT students unite to thank the Toledo community in this one big day of service. Participants show their support by volunteering to clean up the neighborhoods surrounding campus. Projects include yard work, window washing, painting and much more. The Big Event started in 1982 at Texas A&M University as a way to give back to the community and has since spread to over 11 college campuses nationwide. This past year was the university’s ninth year participating in the event. It’s through this day of service that students get to bond with Toledo community members and give back.
Student Appreciation Day Student Appreciation Day may be one of the biggest days for food and fun. You’ll have to wait all year for it, but I assure you it is totally worth the wait! Food trucks, popcorn, free Toledo gear, puppies, inflatables, games, music and more will fill Centennial Mall just before summer break. This is one fun-filled day you won’t want to miss!
5 | The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
to look forwardSongfest to
The Battle of the I-75 The University of Toledo vs. Bowling Green State University. This may be one of the greatest rivalries in all of collegiate athletics. For almost a century, the two have battled it out on the football field in hopes of victory, a trophy and bragging rights. Come out this fall and support your Rockets as they take on the Falcons and fight for an eight-year winning streak!
RockeTHON Get ready for a 13-hour dance marathon for the kids! This annual event takes place each spring and helps raise funds for Mercy Children’s Hospital. Since 2001, students, faculty, family and friends have danced their way to raising almost one million dollars to support research and technology for the kids at Mercy.
Sororities, fraternities and co-ed student organizations face-off in an epic battle of song and dance at this annual event. Students strut their stuff with costumes and props as they compete for the top spot. But it’s not just about winning. This competition is one of UT’s oldest philanthropic events. Songfest raises funds for a different charity or cause each year. It’s acca-amazing!
Student
Org fair
From horseback-riding to quidditch to knitting, there’s something for everyone to try or get involved in. The annual Student Organization fair is held the first week of classes and is a great way to get connected. Academic, athletic, Greek and religious organizations will have informational tables set up outside in Centennial Mall. Meet people who have the same interests and passions as yourself and make some new friends along the way.
6| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
Campus quirks
Fun fact: UT’s 16th and current president, Lloyd Jacobs, was appointed in 2006 when UT merged with the former Medical University of Ohio, which he headed for about three years. Fun Fact: On the top four corner of the Bell Tower are four gargoyles who “guard” the university.
Echo point outside Ottawa East: Between the Ottawa East dining hall and the railroad tracks, there’s a special section of sidewalk surrounded by a circle of kneehigh brick. If you stand precisely in the center (marked by the seams of the sidewalk) and speak at a regular volume, your voice will sound like you’re standing at a large echoing chamber. However, only you will be able to hear the reverberations. Fun fact: The Bell Tower atop University Hall has 156 steps and is 206 feet tall. Finished in1931, U-Hall was the first building built on the Bancroft campus.
Cannon at football games: Whether you attend football games or not, as long as you’re outside on campus, you’ll be able to tell when the Rockets score by the “boom” of a cannon. The tradition dates to 1953 and was started by the men of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. The cannon, which is at the northeast corner of the stadium, is fired at the beginning of every home game, at the end of each quarter and after every Rocket score.
Fun Fact: There are almost 300 trees in the 9.7 acres of the Centennial Mall area. Rocky the Rocket and Rocksy the Rocket: Rocky became UT’s mascot the 1966-67 school year. The tradition was started by the Spirits and Traditions committee, a part of Student Government, with various students being chosen to dress up for games. Then in fall 1968, the first official Rocky the Rocket emerged in a costume made by the theater department seamstress. The costume was essentially a wastebasket with a pointed rocket top made of papier-mache. Over the years, Rocky’s costume has changed many times, including an authentic spacesuit, helmet and boots donated to the university by the NASA Space Center in 1977. The latest Rocky, which was unveiled in fall of 2008, maintains the futuristic space concept but is depicted more as a cartoon superhero. Then, in 2011, at UT’s Music Fest, Rocksy, the female version of the 2008 Rocky, was introduced.
COURTESY OF RACHEL NEARHOOF
7| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
and traditions
Falcons in the Bell Tower: Through the Bowling Green Falcons are archivals to the Rockets, another type of falcon has made its home at UT. In 2006, a mating pair of Peregrine falcons nested in the bell tower, making it one of about 36 nesting sites across Ohio, The Ohio Division of Wildlife monitors the falcons and bands the young falcons just before they leave the nest. Centennial mall sidewalks: During the Blizzard of 1978, the area in the middle of campus, which used to be a faculty parking lot and Army barracks, was completely covered by snow. Graduate student in the university’s geography department photographed the paths on the snow made by student walking to class. The design of the sidewalks in Centennial Mall was then constructed using layout of those paths. The curse of the University Seal: (on the right) The University of Toledo’s Seal was placed in the middle of Centennial Mall and dedicated on October 23, 1995 by the Student Alumni Council. Superstition states that if you step on the seal, you will faill your next exam; this was started by Omicron Delta Kappa to discourage people from standing on the dais.
The Fountain: The Toledo Edison Memorial Fountain was built as a result of a gift by Toledo Edison Co. in 1979 to mark the 100th anniversary of Thomas Edison’s invention of the lightbulb. It was built the following year, when Centennial Mall was constructed. The fountain also spent four years as a flower bed when rusted pipes forced it to shut down an the $50,000 repair cost was too high. It was restored as a fountain in 1997 after a fundraising effort by Student Government president Kevin Hopkins, Toledo Edison and many others.
Fun fact: The Collegiate Gothic structural design for University Hall set the standard for all other campus buildings to be constructed on UT’s main campus.
Fun fact: President Henry J. Doermann, the father of the Bell Tower and the Spirit Rock: (on the bottom right corner) university’s structural The Spirit Rock on the Flatlands area of Main design, went against Campus was donated to the university in 1997. the objections of many The rock has been painted hundreds of times, Toledoans who felt the but it’s tradition to wait until after dark. It re- design was extravagant placed a spirit rock that was donated to UT in and too costly. 1968 and located between Carlson Library and the Student Union. That rock was moved to make room for an expansion of the Student Union and is now by the pond on the Scott Park Campus. Fun fact: Glass bowl can hold a little over 26,000 people. Compiled by Danielle Gamble
8| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
Advice for incoming students How to acclimate to college
without living on campus
KRISTEN BUCHLER
OPINION EDITOR
Every student has a different path after high school graduation, though attending an institution of higher education has become a popular choice over the past few decades. The idealized version of university life involves new graduates moving into dorms and having to adjust to situations possibly not present in their hometown lives, such as living on their own for the first time and not knowing any of the people surrounding them. Though this is certainly not an uncommon scenario, it’s not the only way of life for many new students. Commuter students make up a significant portion of the student body at the University of Toledo, yet they do not command the same focus as those living on campus. As someone going into my third year as a commuter at UT, I have experienced firsthand the challenges that it can present. Getting involved has been my biggest obstacle. I generally set my class schedule so that I start my day fairly early (my first class typically begins no later than 11 a.m.) and wrap up in the early to mid-afternoon. This routine does wonders for my productivity and gets me out of bed at a decent hour every morning, but it also
creates a lull in my day of at least a few hours. If I have events to attend in the evening, I’ll hang out on campus, but most days I return home after the conclusion of my last class. It’s not that I don’t want to participate in campus activities; I just don’t find it appealing to have to spend 12-14 hours on campus per day without having a nearby dorm room or apartment to retreat to when I’m waiting for something to start at 7 p.m. or I want to eat dinner or take a nap. One can only spend so many hours in the library or the Student Union. I’m not trying to discourage anyone from becoming a commuter student or embracing this lifestyle. I’ve saved tens of thousands of dollars by not having to cough up money for room and board, and I’m also not required to purchase a meal plan. The key is to find places on campus that you love to spend time at. Outside of the classroom, I spend the majority of my time at UT in the Independent Collegian office. Over the past two years, it has become my go-to spot to get work done or just hang out. It even has a couch to sleep on and a microwave to make Easy Mac. UT does offer students the opportunity to use the commuter lounge, located in the Student Union, but it just doesn’t feel like home. Granted, I’ve only been in there once, but it reminded me of any other general seating area in buildings across campus. Attending college as a commuter student is a different experience than residing on campus or within a few miles of UT, but that doesn’t mean it has to be worse. Try to get involved as early as you can and locate places where you feel most comfortable. Spend afternoons in your friends’ dorm rooms. Find your personal Independent Collegian office. And, yes, some time in the library probably won’t hurt either.
Finding the right major By Bryce Buyakie & Benjamin Morse
News Editor & Associate News Editor
After graduating high school, there is a common perception that students should enter college with a definitive major — a decision that may decide one’s career path — just months after sitting in classrooms where permission is often required to use the restroom and the halls are filled with nervous students fresh out of the eighth grade. The seemingly elementary reality of high school stands in contrast juxtaposed with the pressure of deciding on a college major. “I think that there is an underlying expectation from society as a whole that you should have your whole life [and] career path figured out at a very young age,” wrote Adam Hintz, the director of student services at the University of Toledo. For students who do not yet have their life planned out to a tee and are unsure they want to be future doctors, lawyers and entrepreneurs there are plenty of other routes. Hintz recommends taking coursework, “a class or two in a major you are considering” to get a feel for the field of study that matches your area of interest. Or, he suggested, “make it a point to go and talk to the faculty members in the department that houses your major.” For many students, the career they seek after college is limited to the title of their graduating major, but Bruce Way, an advisor in the History Department, says this shouldn’t always be the case. Instead, the major teaches skills that students can apply to a
variety of fields. “As a journalist you’re gathering information, sorting that information, making sense out of that information and communicating,” Way said. “What do we ask of every history student? That’s exactly what we ask of you.” These skills aren’t just limited to history teachers or curators, he said. To prove this point, he asked all marketing and sales majors to raise their hands in his history class. “I told them, ‘So, you graduate and after a year the boss walks in and wants you to go through the sales figures from the last two years and create a marketing plan for the next year,’” he said. “‘What are you doing? You’re writing a history paper.” Another student who liked history and wanted to work within that field majored in finance after his parents pushed him to “into something that he could get a job in,” so Way told him to compromise. “I told him he should be the CFO of a museum in 10 years,” Way said. After that, the student interned at the National Museum of the Great Lakes where he did data work via spreadsheets. His first task on the 10-year path to chief financial officer, create a searchable database of every visitor. Referencing his life, Way described how he applied skills from job to job. He majored in a foreign language as an undergraduate because he “enjoyed it and had the best GPA in those classes.” Later, he taught French at UT
until he found himself working in the History Department. On the side he briefly worked for WGTE, a branch of National Public Radio, as the morning radio host and continues to involve himself in historical societies as a volunteer and educator. Way struggles with whether incoming freshmen should know what their major is on day one of college or should take a variety of classes to determine their major – a problem many first-year students face. “It doesn’t hurt to know what you want to do, but don’t ignore everything else going past you,” he said. “Don’t look at every requirement in your degree as an impediment to graduation because there is more to life than the major you chose.” Many of the skills historians, financers, political scientists and scientists develop are derived from other fields, he said. UT offers related fields in the humanity and social sciences, so for a history major, the ability to understand economics and apply sociological skills are critical for someone who wants to be a teacher, curator, CFO or archivist, he said. He recommended that all students, especially freshmen, look at their degree audits on the My UT portal to plan out their remaining semesters in college. “Maybe the moral of the story is that it’s great to major in an area, but don’t limit yourself to the title of your major,” Way said. “If you like history, English literature, political science or a foreign language, go for it, but don’t think that the only thing you can do with a history major is be a history teacher.”
9| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
Understanding the basics of UT
What does Master your microwave UT offer? By Meagan O’Hara Director of Photography
By Bryce Buyakie & Haris Ahmad Editor & Staff Reporter
Offering over 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs, the University of Toledo’s academic options might seem overwhelming when walking into orientation, and that’s before choosing from around 350 student organizations to join. Each department has at least one academic advisor – someone who helps schedule classes, internships, study abroad trips and plans for each student’s academic and professional future. In short, advisors help quell that anxious stomach ache when faced with four to five years of classes and sleepless nights. UT also offers several academic tutoring and supplemental programs including the Writing Center and Learning Enhancement Center. The Writing Center is a place for students to get writing advice and help from other students for any class or career-related assignments including thesis proposals, essays, resumes and poems. Tutors proofread, make edits and assist with the writing process. Opposite the Writing Center in the Carlson Library basement is LEC, a tutoring program that helps students prepare for tests, learn concepts and improve student techniques. Supplemental instruction sessions and peerled review sessions are also held here. Also located in the library basement is UT’s studentrun IT service. These services are free of charge for students enrolled at UT. For commuters, a parking permit is a must if you want to avoid tickets and the appeal process. Main Campus semester permits are available in the MyUT Portal for $125. The UT Student Recreation Center is another tuition funded resource open at nearly all hours of the day. The center is outfitted with machines, three swimming pools, two beach volleyball courts, basketball courts, an indoor track and a climbing wall. Student and university run programs including cycling, running and yoga classes are held here along with intramural sports. Finally, the Success Coach. Regardless of a student’s major, she or he will always have the same success coach guiding to fall back on. These coaches help get incoming students oriented to UT and provide guidance between majors and answer questions pertaining to both the social and academic aspects of campus.
Although UT requires a meal plan for all first-year students living on campus and you’re never too far from a dining hall, sometimes you just can’t leave the library or your bed for 20 minutes to go eat. All of a sudden, it’s 9 p.m. and too late to go grab some pizza or a chicken sandwich. So, what do you do? While living in the dorms, my go-to staple food is Minute Rice. Don’t be confused by the “minute” in the title, as it really cooks in five in a microwave, but Minute Rice really does the trick and fills you up for cheap. If you feel like making a trip to Walmart, I’d suggest grabbing a zucchini to cook in the microwave for about four minutes and some soy sauce to add a little bit more flavor. Another quick microwave fix that’s healthy and cheap is a mug omelet. If you’re anything like my roommate and I, who always have a craving for eggs around 1 a.m. while writing a paper due at midnight, this one is for you. All it takes is two eggs, a pinch of cheese, some veggies and salt and pepper to taste. I like to add spinach and a dash of garlic powder. Mix all of your ingredients in a mug, microwave for about a minute and a half, and voila--an interesting looking egg blob that tastes like an omelet! Truly divine to satisfy all your early morning egg needs, If you’re one of the lucky few who brought
a coffee pot instead of a Keurig, this recipe is for you. Did you know that a coffee pot can double as an excellent way to cook ramen? No need to deal with the microwave spillage or burning yourself on a Pyrex bowl. Simply put the ramen in the pitcher, add water to the coffee pot and brew! Make sure you took out any previous grounds, or you’ll have old coffee flavored ramen… unless you’re into that thing. As convenient as it can be to live in the dorms, eating can really be a hassle. Sometimes the food halls aren’t open, and for those of us with no meal plan on the weekend, becoming a dorm chef is a necessity. I’m looking forward to having a stove in the years to come, and a full-size refrigerator sounds like a dream. But, for the time being, I’m stuck with egg omelets, coffee pot ramen and moonlighting as a microwave master.
“I’m looking forward to having a stove in the years to come, and a full-size refrigerator sounds like a dream”
MEAGAN O’HARA Director of Photography
10| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
SCH Y E M IL E / IC
N IP K
By Areeba Shah Editor-in-Chief
For some college students, being involved in Greek Life is a major part of their identities. Others wonder what going Greek really means.
What going Greek
brotherhood,” DiBell said. FIJI uses its five core values: friendship, knowledge, service, morality and excellence to make a greater impact on the Toledo community.
“I fell in love with the sisterhood, the service and their dedication to their philanthropy,” Whitman said. Whitman said Delta Pi hosts different events helping members bond and improve themselves
they can call their home. “Each sorority has its own personality. What I love about ours is that we’re very inclusive,” Whitman said. She added they don’t care about physical characteristics or different opinions. You are valued for being a person. Third-year biology pre-med major Chloe Wagenhauser has been a member of Chi Omega for a year now and believes it has allowed her to form new bonds and get more
that,” Wagenhauser said. Going Greek is not necessarily about joining social organizations. There are also professional and service fraternities available at UT. P4 pharmacy major Ami Mehta is a part of the professional pharmacy fraternity, Lambda Kappa Sigma, which aims to provide women with lifelong opportunities in pharmacy through personal growth and professional development. “I felt like I made friends that were really true and still talk to
RACHEL NEARHOOF / IC
Sisters of the sorority Kappa Delta walk together in the 2016 Homecoming Parade. Members of the Greek system at UT participate in a variety of events during the academic year.
For third-year political science and German major Alex DiBell it means making lifelong friendships, serving the community and exceeding academically. “I could literally go on for hours as to how the fraternities have benefited me and impacted me not in just my college experience but my personal development as well,” DiBell said. DiBell is the president of the Inter-Fraternity Council and has been a member of Phi Gamma Delta, aka FIJI, since his freshman year. Through FIJI, DiBell has participated in service events like Rockethon and Relay for Life. The fraternity also hosts its own philanthropy dinners raising money for the Children’s Miracle Network. “We cherish brotherhood and try to invite as many people into that
When it comes to recruitment, DiBell advices individuals to shift their focus from impressing fraternity members to instead focus on being themselves. “There is a fraternity that is right for you but don’t try to sell yourself as something you’re not,” DiBell said. “There is a place for everybody.” With 30 organizations available to University of Toledo students, individuals have the opportunity to explore fraternities and sororities whose goals and values align best with theirs. “Being Greek may not be for everyone, but you wouldn’t know if it’s for you or not if you don’t try,” third-year psychology major Rachel Whitman said. Whitman has been a part of Delta Pi Epsilon for two years.
“Greek Life often carries a lot of stigmas and stereotypes, and I would just encourage people that are hesitant or confused about Greek Life to come out and give Greek Life a chance.” ALEX DIBELL Inter-Fraternity Council President
through serving the campus. Although the recruitment process can be overwhelming at times, according to Whitman, it helps potential members find a chapter
RACHEL NEARHOOF / IC
Professional communication fraternity in the arts and sciences Zeta Phi Eta walks in the 2016 Homecoming Parade holding their flag. The co-ed fraternity prides itself on professionalism and brother and sisterhood.
involved in the university. “I’ve just a met a ton of girls who support me in whatever I do, and if there’s anything going on in my life or if I need someone there, I know I have like 60 other girls who would be right there to help me if I ever needed anything,” Wagenhauser said. She says Chi Omega is a diverse group of women who are all caring, funny and wellrounded individuals. “You see all these movies with people who party who are in Greek Life and it’s so much more than
them. They became like mentors as well,” Mehta said. Mehta said she seeks advice from her other friends since they are all on the same pathway. “Greek Life often carries a lot of stigmas and stereotypes, and I would just encourage people that are hesitant or confused about Greek Life to come out and give Greek Life a chance,” DiBell said. Students interested in learning about what different fraternities and sororities have to offer can visit OrgSync.
means at UT
By Samantha Gerlach Community editor
Interested in becoming more involved on campus? Then Greek Life might be for you. The missions of the Office of Greek Life at UT are to promote academic success, exemplify leadership, give back to the campus community, create bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood, and support a healthy and culturally diverse environment. UT boasts four Greek councils, two Honorary organizations, and 32 chapters. Fifteen hundred undergraduate students are members, accounting for approximately eleven percent of the undergraduate population. Greek Life is founded on five core values that guide students through their college experiences: accountability, community and civic engagement, inclusion and social justice, personal growth, and seeking purpose. Greek Life prepares students to leave college with the knowledge and skills they need to contribute as global citizens. Program Manager Alex Zernechel says requirements for joining chapters vary, but the Office of Greek Life requires students to carry at least a 2.5 GPA before joining. The next step interested students should take is to interact with students who are already members of Greek life. Most Greek organizations do not mandate that members live in the house. Fourteen of the chapters live in McComas Village, a small community for Greek Life students, located on Main Campus. Only 20 – 25 members can reside in a house at a time. Members of Greek life support several different philanthropies, including, but not limited to: St. Jude’s, Boys and Girls Club, Girl Scouts of America, March of Dimes, Cherry Street Mission, Arthritis Foundation. As he reflected on his own Greek Life experiences, Zernechel says that Greek life helped him grow, mature, and explore opportunities outside his comfort zone. “It gave me a whole new view of leadership and made me push myself,” Zernechel says. He says that Greek Life also provides opportunities to form lifelong bonds of brotherhood or sisterhood.
11| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
The Office of Greek Life is in Student Fraternity, Inc. Union room 3504. Delta Sigma P. (419)530-4944 Theta SororF. (419)530-2908 ity, Inc., Iota Phi greeklife@utoledo.edu Theta Fraternity, Interfraternity Council (IFC) Inc., Kappa Alpha Panhel is the largest women’s orPresident: Hayden Huff Psi Fraternity, Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraganization on campus and serves as As the largest men’s organization at ternity, Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, the governing body for nine sororiUT, the IFC serves as the governing Inc. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. ties: Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Omibody for more than ten fraternities Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. cron Pi, Alpha Xi Delta, Chi Omega on campus: Alpha Sigma Phi, Kappa National Panhellenic Council (Panhel) Delta Delta Delta, Delta Phi Epsilon, Delta Rho, Phi Gamma Delta, Pi Kappa President: Brianne Litwinowicz Kappa Delta, Pi Beta Phi, Phi Sigma Rho. Alpha, Pi Kappa Phi, Phi Kappa Psi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Theta Chi, Triangle. Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) President: Kayla ClevelandGodfrey The MGC was created to represent diverse groups of students. There are 3 chapters at UT: Alpha Psi Lambda, Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, Inc., Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, Inc. National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) President: Dominique Jenkins UT is home to all nine historical African – American fraternities and sororities in COURTESY OF ALEX ZERNECHEL the NPHC: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha Panhellenic representatives at the Association of Fraternal Leadership and Values hold their signs up.
COURTESY OF ALEX ZERNECHEL
Members of FIJI pose during their Festival Fundraiser for USO.
COURTESY OF ALEX ZERNECHEL
Members of Greek life pose for a picture in McComas village during the 2017-2018 school year.
The
12| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
Perfect
Places
A.
B.
By Emily Schnipke & Rachel Nearhoof IC Staff Members
In 2003, the University of Toledo was ranked in “The Unofficial, Unbiased Guide to the 328 Most Interesting Colleges” as one of the most beautiful, urban college campuses in the country. As students, we see this beauty everyday but may not recognize it when we walk past. Here are some of our favorite and most beautiful places on campus! A. University Hall Courtyards Tucked away inside of the already beautiful University Hall, two courtyards off of the second floor are hidden treasures. Two massive trees tower over a green landscape for your studying/relaxing pleasure.
C.
PHOTOS BY RACHEL NEARHOOF / IC
B. Ottawa River The hidden staircases, made of river rocks, take you down to the river. A view many students don’t venture to see, this waterway divides campus and is a habitat for ducks, fish and the Campus Cat. Be careful: when the river floods, these staircases are hidden and can be dangerous. One is near the Carlson Library foot bridge. C. Fountain of Excellence This serene spot is tucked away next to a side entrance of University Hall. The sounds of the mini waterfalls are relaxing and it’s a great place to sit and enjoy the scene.
for
13| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
D.
Pictures
some of our favorite parts. The whole building is very mysterious and fun D. Centennial Mall The oddly shaped center to explore. The exterior of of Main Campus is com- University Hall is beautiful in all weather; from plete with an abundance being topped with snow, of trees to hang your cloaked in sun, surroundhammock in, flowers to ed by cherry blossoms to sniff and sidewalks leadbeing covered in fall foliing to all your favorite age, every season is stunplaces. In the Blizzard ning at UT. of 1978, students walked across what was then an F. The Glass Bowl empty lot of grass and UT’s Glass Bowl is formed what is today the more than just a stadium. path of sidewalks. It’s a great place for a picnic, a When the stands are filled with cheering fans on a nap or a chill guitar sesday with clear skies, to us sion. it’s one of the best places to be. The cobblestone E. University Hall facade mixed with the As the oldest buildbright colored turf is a ing on campus, it holds combo not to be missed. the place closest to our hearts. The staircases that The view of the sunsetbacked Bell Tower is a seem to lead to nowhere photo worthy of a million and the third floor enlikes. trance from Bancroft are By Rachel Nearhoof and Emily Schnipke IC Staff
E.
F.
14| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
5 local winter hangouts IC Staff
The winter blues are hard to shake: It gets dark early, it’s frigid and gray and it seems a lot easier to hibernate indoors and be antisocial. But don’t let winter keep you in and keep you down: If the weather can chill, then so can you. Here are five great local places to visit if you’re looking to get out and hang. 1. BLEAK HOUSE COFFEE Whether you need a caffeine study boost or a relaxing cup of tea, Bleak House coffee is the perfect stop to warm up. This spot has an inviting rustic vibe, with original brick walls, a solid-wood coffee bar and tables made from upcycled doors. Bleak House offers a variety of drip and pour-over coffees, hot teas, cold drinks, cappuccinos, baked goods, paninis, handmade ice creams and soups. Stop by for a lunch date or a chill place to write poetry.
2. TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART The Toledo Museum of Art is always a top local destination. The best part? It’s free. Enjoy and be inspired by centuries-old art, masterpieces by Van Gogh, and local contemporary artists. The museum also has a café and coffee shop, a glass pavilion with live glass blowing demonstrations and concerts in their Peristyle Theater. Even if you have been to the museum before, they display their collection in rotations, which means you could visit again and again and see new artwork each time. 3. TOLEDO WALLEYE HOCKEY GAME @ HUNTINGTON CENTER Since moving to the Huntington Center and being renamed the Walleye in 2009, the Toledo hockey team has become extremely popular among Toledoans. Throughout the winter season, you can catch the Walleye playing at home multiple times in a single weekend. You can buy tickets online for under $20. The Huntington Center sells tons of Walleye gear, stadium food and beer.
COURTESY OF BLEAKHOUSE
Clair Lephart, Eileen Iannone, and Dakota Cousino stand in front of Bleak House Coffee during the Toledo Pride Parade on Aug. 27, 2016.
4. BAR 145 AND RESET BARCADE Bar 145 has been a classic stop on anyone’s night out, but now they have a new barcade addition called Reset. The bar is teeming with retro video games like Pac Man, Galaga and Super Nintendo available at tables. The coolest part is all the games are free to play. Reset also now has a “Help Yourself Draft Beer Wall” where you pour your own choice of 36 different beers.
SAMANTHA GERLACH/ IC
Toledo community members enjoy a cup of coffee at the local coffee shop BREW on a Tuesday afternoon May 29. The coffee bar is located off of Dorr street.
5. MAUMEE BAY BREWING COMPANY @ THE OLIVER HOUSE The Maumee Bay Brewing Company is a local microbrewery operating out of The Oliver House, a historic hotel building converted to commercial space for restaurants and rentals. MBBC brews over 30 different beers including their most popular beers: Buckeye Beer, Glass City Pale Ale and Glass Hopper IPA. The Maumee Bay Brew Pub is located on the second floor of the Oliver House and serves their draft beers alongside wood-fired pizzas and build-your-own-burgers.
6. BREW If you’re looking for the perfect place to kick back and enjoy a warm cup of hot chocolate not too far from campus, then BREW is the coffee shop for you. With its inviting atmosphere and mouthwatering baked goods, the friendly coffee bar makes every afternoon delightful. The local coffee shop is the perfect spot for college students to enjoy a quick study session, hold meetings, hang out with friends or just relax while enjoying a good book. The endless dessert options, ranging from pastries to fresh baked cookies, make your stay even better.
15| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
Photos from UT’s 2018 events Students belt it out
BHUIYAN ANWAR / IC
UT students sang and danced their way through Songfest March 24 in Savage Arena. Over $120,000 was raised for Veterans Matter, a charity that houses United States veterans.
MEAGAN O’HARA/ IC
Students danced on Saturday, April 7 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. in Savage Arena during UT’s 17th annual RockeTHON. “This year, we have really increased our awareness on campus, as well as our personal fundraising,” said Samantha Denlinger, overall director of RockeTHON. The dance marathon benefits Mercy Children’s Hospital, and the event raised $161,896.23.
COURTESY OF WOMEN OF TOLEDO
(Left to Right) Zarinah El-Amin Naeem, Asma Abdel Halim, Yolanda Melendez, SyneneMaria Abukaram Yolanda, and Zobaida Falah speak as panelists during a forum in celebration of World Hijab Day. The event was held Feb. 1 by the Women of Toledo.
EMILY SCHNIPKE / IC
Sydney Jones, fourth-year political science major and president of UT College Democrats, spoke at the town hall March 22 in the Student Union. This was after a banner depicting President Donald Trump wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood was place in the Student Union by College Democrats.
16| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
17| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
Homecoming
An insight into one of UT’s oldest traditions What is Homecoming? IC Staff
Homecoming at the University of Toledo has always been a tradition celebrating the university and rallying support for its football team. Last year’s homecoming marks the 100th anniversary of UT’s football program and was themed “Aloha Rockets!” The CAP created a float with Rocky and Rocksy posing on a beach next to a giant volcano. For the first time ever, the group collaborated with Student Government and the International Student Association for the first time. The parades are usually scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. on Saturdays where students
MEAGAN O’HARA / IC
Blue Crew points at the camera during the game against Tulsa Sept. 19.
Unmasking Blue Crew By Corey Latimer Associate News Editor
They’re the ones in the blue and yellow afro wigs, the high-top Converse, gold masks and painter’s overalls. They’re the craziest ones at every football game, the loudest ones at the pep rallies, the most spirited of us all. Odds are you’ve seen the Blue Crew around. But the history of this mysterious bunch goes back nearly two decades. Their first public appearance was in 2000 at a UT football game against Penn State in Happy Valley, former Blue Crew member Brian “Legal Eagle” Weinblatt said in an issue of Cornerstones. This organization is comprised of ten members who are dedicated to making sure the university’s traditions stay intact. Dressed in blue and gold from head to toe, the Blue Crew attends every home and away football game, as well as both men’s and women’s basketball games. The crew members wear masks and use aliases to conceal their true identities, which are only revealed to the student body after
they have served four full semesters as a Blue Crew member or until they graduate. The Blue Crew is most noted for its participation at the homecoming parade, where members can be found keeping school spirit high by riding in small red cars and sporting their blue and gold attire. The current members of the crew are “JSoup,” “Iron Maiden,” “Shocker,” “Hitch,” “50,” “Bambino,” “Handle Bars,” “Iggy,” “Rookie Blue” and “New Guy.” According the Blue Crew website, Hitch, the oldest member of the current group, joined the organization in January 2015 because he/she loves UT and loves to have fun. Ironically the most recent member is not New Guy, but J-Soup. “Birthed” in March 2017, J-Soup says he joined because he “wanted to make everyone smile a little more on campus with school spirit.” Though not much is known about these mysterious individuals, we do know that they keep us high-spirited and full of school spirit year-round.
from all the different organizations at UT gather celebrating their uniqueness. CAP gave out 250 limited edition ‘100th year anniversary of Athletics’ hats at the UT vs. Tulsa game last year. In addition to the parade, UT hosts a large tailgating party before the game to rally the community in support of the team. Even alumni are invited to enjoy free hot dogs, chips, and non-alcoholic beverages, a cash bar (ages 21+) and live music from 5 O’Clock Rush.” according to the UT webpage. All tailgates go on until the game begins.
18| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
Mistakes not to make EMILY SCHNIPKE IC STAFF MEMBER
Going off to college can create the best, and /or worst, times of your life. It’s filled with fun experiences, amazing people and, even better, lots of free food and T-shirts. There is so much excitement to be had, but it’s hard to tell what not to do and what you should do. Here’s a few tried-and-true tips from me, who survived freshman year with all limbs attached. - Living in the dorms is a college experience you shouldn’t miss out on. Some students live in Toledo, and living on campus doesn’t make much financial sense for them. Being a commuter freshman year forces you to work much harder to become connected to the university. Living in the dorm gives you an automatic connection with your roommates — even if you don’t become the best of friends. Students who try to use the loophole of living within the 25-mile radius to live in an apartment off-campus with their friends miss out on meeting new people just by living with them. It’s harder in President’s and the Ottawas, but go out and meet people in your dorm. The suite style of dorms is hard to have an open doorway of living, but it’s worth it to make more friends outside of your room. Go to those floor meetings and the events hosted by your RA. Make more friends. - Going out and having fun is an important facet of college life. But don’t forget as to why you are here. You’re here at college to go to school and learn. Also, you pay for each and every one of your classes. Don’t waste your time and money by not studying enough and not learning while you’re there. Remember, earning a tough degree requires a lot of tough work. You can have a great time
and get good grades, but don’t do things that you’ll regret. Go to class and learn something. Don’t get arrested, take drugs, or do anything that will interfere with your ability to succeed. You have the potential to do great things with your life. Don’t mess it up with something that made one night in college “awesome.” - This next tip seems trivial, but for many is pretty intimidating and can be the worst thing on the planet. Talk to the people you sit next to in class. Get their phone numbers. Add them as friends on Facebook. What?! You want me to make friends?! Yes! When it becomes that time for an exam review or homework assignment you missed because you weren’t there, it makes a difference to have a friend in your class. They can fill you in and provide a much needed ally for group projects. - Don’t take that 8 a.m. or even 9 a.m. lecture. Nothing is worth trekking across campus in two feet of snow in the middle of December. The first time you fall down crossing the ice-covered railroad tracks is just as bad as the fourth time. Also, if you shower in the morning, welcome to icicle hair. - One of the most common things I hear when people tell me about why they dropped out of UT or switched to another college is that they didn’t connect with Toledo. I can’t believe them. There is so much to do here. I would know; I’ve lived here for three years already. Toledo is more than the UT campus. As a freshman, make a friend who is a commuter or keeps their car near campus. On Fridays , when most students don’t have class, don’t just go to the mall. Drive downtown. Visit the shops and pretentious coffee places. Go to a Mud Hens or Walleye game. Get pancakes from Uncle John’s Pancake House. Go for a bike ride in Wildwood Metropark. If you don’t know what’s out there, it’ll make it harder to want to stay. I love Toledo, the Glass City. Be proud of where you go to school. By connecting with your city, you can find fun, happiness and even a future place to live. - The best part about college is finding yourself. Take that class on social justice, photography, international business, or story writing just because you want to. Go to poetry night, frat parties, dance marathon and that lame movie your RA is setting up for your dorm floor. It took me a little bit to find out who I wanted to be at college. I became more confident in my abilities and who I am as a person. I’m not the
same Emily that entered college, and that is the best part about college. Growing up is very important and you get that by falling down and picking yourself back up. Now is the time to decide what you like without the judgmental eyes of your parents and best friends from high school. Go join the science club even if you’re majoring in English. Who cares? No one, because everyone is finding him
or herself, just like you. No one will ever have the exact same college experience as you. Many of us go through similar situations, but only you can work your way through it. Going to college is a life-changing moment, but it is just that: a moment in your life. You can pick and choose what you do while you’re here, but you have to choose how this time defines you.
EMILY SCHNIPKE / IC
Residence halls at UT such as the Horton International House (above) and the Honors Academic Village (below) host specialized living communities for students.
19| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
studying perks The
of
abroad COURTESY OF MORGAN KOVACS
MORGAN KOVACS IC STAFF MEMBER
IC staff member Morgan Kovacs shares her experience while studying abroad during her sophomore year. She wrote the following column during her senior and graduated with an English degree in Spring 2018. As I approach my final year at the University of Toledo, I find myself naturally reflective of my previous three years spent here. It is with zero un-
certainty that I make this statement: Studying abroad was the best decision I made at UT. While during my first year at college I matured greatly, it was not until I studied abroad that I actually felt like a fullfledged adult. I returned to the US feeling as though I was capable of anything. I studied in Brighton, England, the fall semester of my sophomore year, which is rather early in the college career to study abroad, but my philosophy is that if you continue to put something off, it never gets done; hence why I pressure anyone with even the slightest desire of studying abroad to fill out the paperwork ASAP. My biggest fear about studying abroad had nothing to do with stolen passports or hellish hostels, but rather the magnitude of the cost and how it could hinder me later in life. Evidently, my worry was fruit-
less as studying abroad can be even cheaper than attending UT depending on the country and program you choose. However, if you decide to choose an expensive country — like I did — UT provides travel grants and scholarships to help lessen the cost. With the help of the Center for International Studies and Programs, I still paid way less for a semester abroad than my friends paid for a college two hours away. Another lethal misconception that deters students from studying abroad is the idea that leaving their hometown and living on a college campus constitutes “getting away.” If you’re a student who lives hours away, while it’s great you’ve gotten out of your hometown — if that was your aim — please, I beg you not to become stagnant. The world is massive and it’s waiting. If you decide to study abroad
I have two major words of advice: 1. Go alone 2. Go without expectations. I love my friends dearly, but I know had they tagged along on my European adventure I wouldn’t have had such an opportunity for growth. Due to complacency, I wouldn’t have ventured as far out of comfort zone and met all the amazing people I met. Before I left for England, I conjured expectations. Almost nothing happened like I pictured, yet somehow better. Though it’s hard — studying abroad or travel
in general — I find is best when gone into blind. I could rattle on about stories from nights in Brighton, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Budapest or Dublin, but surely it’s better if you create your own. This might be the best opportunity you get to make the world your playground. Studying abroad isn’t for everyone and I am done shoving the idea down your throat. Regardless of whether or not you decide to do it, your time at college is going to pass by quickly. Take charge of it.
“Before I left for England, I conjured expectations. Almost nothing happened like I pictured, yet it was somehow better. Though it’s hard — studying abroad or travel in general — I find is best when gone into blind..”
1
20| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
By Sam Williams IC Staff Member
Former sports editor Sam Williams talks about UT celebrating a 100 years of football. When an athletic program reaches the century milestone, there are bound to be incredible stories about the rich history of the team. One of the most interesting narratives in Rocket football antiquity is that of legendary quarterback Chuck Ealey. Ealey’s story is one of the rare athletic stories that transcends the world of sports and helps tell the history of our country’s evolving and often lamentable race relations. Ealey did not lose. In his three years at Notre Dame high school in the late 60s, Ealey led the Titans to a state championship in 1967 and finished his high school career with an incredible 30-0 record. These types of statistics would leave any college scout with his jaw on the floor but, in 1967, at the height of the civil rights movement, being a black quarterback was enough to negate Ealey’s previous accomplishments. Ealey was offered a third-string opportunity at Miami University, but he turned down the offer and went with the starting quarterback job at the University of Toledo. What followed is one of the most impressive careers in not only Toledo football, but in all of college football. Ealey, as previously stated, did not lose. Ealey played for the Rockets for three years as the starting quarterback and in those three years the University of Toledo lost a total of zero games. Ealey’s 35-0 career record at Toledo remains the record for a starting quarterback winning streak. From 1969-1971, Ealey
years of football
led the Rockets to three straight Tangerine Bowl (now called the Citrus Bowl) wins, winning MVP in every one of those victories. Ealey finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1971 and was named a first-team All-American in the same season. Ealey’s jersey number is one of four retired numbers in the 100 years history of Toledo football, and he was a charter member in the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame. When Ealey entered the NFL draft in 1972, these accomplishments were once again seen as void due to the color of his skin. NFL teams still saw the quarterback as a position that was meant to be played by a white man, and all of the teams that scouted Ealey were interested in him as a wide receiver or as a defensive back. Ealey stayed determined to play quarterback and wouldn’t let his position be compromised. Prior to the start of the draft, Ealey sent a letter to all prospective teams that he would only agree to be drafted if he was drafted as a quarterback. To NFL teams, this may as well have been a letter stating he did not want to play in the NFL. Round after round passed in the draft and, out of the 442 picks made that year, none were for Chuck Ealey. Few teams were interested in signing him as an undrafted free agent, and none of those teams were interested in him as a quarterback. Ealey continued his career in professional football but not in America. Ealey joined the Canadian Football League in 1972. “I came to Canada to live the American dream,” Ealey said in an interview during his rookie
season with the Hamilton TigerCats. Ealey’s success in the CFL was expected by anyone who had seen his amateur career. Ealey was moved to the starting quarterback position by game four of the season, where he went on to lead the Tiger-Cats to a Grey Cup victory, the CFL version of the Super Bowl. Ealey played seven seasons in the CFL before his career ended with a collapsed lung injury. When it was all said and done, Ealey had recorded 13,326 passing yards and 82 touchdowns in his CFL career. This level of success does not come by accident, and, along with his impressive
“Ealey getting the chance to shine in college is one of the brightest spots in Toledo football’s 100-year history and shows the importance of approaching challenging political topics through the lens of sports.” college career, it is easy to see that Ealey wasn’t given his chance in the NFL due to the color of his skin and the position he played. Ealey getting the chance to shine in college is one of the brightest spots in Toledo football’s 100-year history and shows the importance of approach-
ing challenging political topics through the lens of sports. Ealey’s incredible success at Toledo gives him a spot as not only one of the most important players in Toledo football’s rich history but as an important example of the discrimination and inequality of the past.
RACHEL NEARHOOF / IC
Former running back Kareem Hunt pushes past the Central Michigan University Chippewas Oct. 22 2017 during a game in the Glass Bowl.
21| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
COURTESY OF SAVANNAH JOSLIN
The women’s bowling team poses after the American Heartland Conference in Columbus, Ohio.
Off the beaten track
UT club sports offer students the chance to be involved By Jackson Rogers Sports Editor
While they may not get the publicity of varsity sports, club sports at the University of Toledo are still a big part of the campus’s fabric. UT offers 22 club sports: eight offered for men, five for women and nine co-ed. “I think that having club sports gives students opportunities to disconnect with the everyday college struggles,” UT men’s club volleyball president Keiichi Koshino said. “They’re able to enjoy a sport they love. Not only that, but it gives students a sense of belonging and friendship that last throughout college and perhaps even longer”. The men’s sports include baseball, bowling, lacrosse, soccer, ultimate Frisbee, hockey, volleyball and wrestling. The women’s sports include bowling, lacrosse, soccer, ultimate frisbee and volleyball. The co-ed sports include cross country and track, fencing, Quidditch, rowing, sailing, swimming, table tennis, tennis and water polo.
The clubs compete against other universities, compete in a conference and practice several times a week. Anybody can join a club, giving students a unique opportunity to enhance their college experience. Altogether the clubs are given roughly a $60,000 budget to pay for travel costs, gear, etc. Most of the payments come from the players through dues and fundraising. Clubs provide students a break from the rigors of class and studying to represent UT on various playing fields. One of the older clubs on campus is men’s hockey. The hockey club was established in 1966, won their conference nine times, advanced to regionals three times and won a national championship in 1992. The Rockets compete in the American Collegiate Hockey Association. Their conference is called the Tri-State Collegiate Hockey League. This conference includes the University of Akron, University of Cincinnati, University of Dayton, Indiana University of
Pennsylvania, Ohio University, University of Pittsburgh, West Virginia University and Wright State University. A newer club, established in 2016, is the men’s volleyball team. The team travels across the Midwest to compete in weekend-long tournaments against other universities of the same size. “When I first came to college, I was very eager to play competitive volleyball at the collegiate level,” Koshino said, “I went to the Rec Center to ask about men’s club volleyball, and they said it didn’t exist. They then asked if I would be interested in starting, and I denied it at first. It wasn’t until I started playing competitively at the rec when I started to wonder if I could start the program here at UT.” During their first year in existence, the Rockets started off slow, going 1-13. They improved vastly in year two with a 7-7 record and placed third in the silver bracket at the Division IAAA National Championships in Kansas City, Missouri. “Our goal has always been to give
students the opportunity to compete in collegiate volleyball” Koshino said. “With that being said, our goal is to expand our program and to compete better.” Club sports are an important part of UT’s campus, giving students opportunities to continue their passions through sports. With driven students leading the charge, UT’s sports clubs should have success for years to come.
“I think that having club sports gives students opportunities to disconnect with the everyday college struggles.” KEIICHI KOSHINO UT Men’s Volleyball Club President
22| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018 ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION UT 101 is a special edition produced by The Independent Collegian, the University of Toledo’s student newspaper. Editor-in-Chief Areeba Shah Editors Benjamin Morse, Samantha Gerlach, Kristen Buchler, Jackson Rogers Photography Meagan O’Hara, director Copy Editor Molly Sack Advertising Sam Davis, design director Athena Welsh, sales manager Tim Gariepy, sales representative Distribution Anthony Garcia, manager Operations Hana Schnipke, manager COLLEGIAN MEDIA FOUNDATION Adviser Erin Gariepy The Independent Collegian is published by the Collegian Media Foundation, a private, not-for-profit corporation. © 2017
ABOUT THE INDEPENDENT COLLEGIAN
.UT’s student newspaper was founded as The Universi-Teaser in 1919. For much of its life, the paper was called The Collegian and was funded in part by UT. But in 2000, facing attempts by thenpresident Vik Kapoor to exercise more control over the paper prompted the staff to go independent. Kapoor was forced to resign in the spring and in the fall, The Independent Collegian was born. With help from faculty, the UT board of trustees and the local press, the IC severed ties with the university and moved off-campus. Although the IC now leases a space in Carlson Library, it is still independently run by the Collegian Media Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. The IC is committed to remain a strong, independent voice for the UT community.
The Independent Collegian Visit us at Carlson Library, Suite 1057 Write to us at 2801 W. Bancroft St., Mail Stop 530 Toledo, OH 43606 Contact the editor at editor@independentcollegian.com Advertise by emailing sales@independentcollegian.com Phone: 419-530-7788 Fax: 419-530-7770
We would like to thank our 2017-2018 supporters. we couldn’t do this without you! Carl Schierhorn Alan Goldsmith Joe Mehling Jessie Aberl Emily Schnipke Mary Powers Douglas Desloover Natalie Bostelman Clara VanEnkevort Elizabeth Clark Lora Parent Don Curtis Alysha Cook Hana Schnipke Elliot Free Madeleine Nelson Bronze Level Supporter $25 David Judeika Erik Longton Jay Nagy Jeanette Eckert Sonmez Sahutoglu Haley Schmucker
Nitya Tripuraneni Maddie Nelson Deidre Jones Agatha Drury Nitya Trip Diana Dunsmore Angela Olivares Jessica Harker Jason Montgomery Emily Czerniak Amanda Schnipke
Marilyn Schnipke Christina Fitzgerald Jean Czerniak Shelly Buchler Gold Level Supporter $100 Michelle Davidson Sara Lundquist Barbara Floyd Mark Reiter Paulette Kilmer Jeffrey Helmick Erik Gable Robert Grant Eleanor Drombowski Danielle Gamble Daniel Miller
Silver Level Supporter $50 Lonnie Peppler-Moyer Elizabeth Engoren Andrew Raczkowski Diane Davis David Shaheen J.R. Hoppenjans Midnight Blue and Gold Karen Grajczyk Supporter $500 Mojisola Tiamiyu Sean Nestor Tom Pounds Chris Foreman Tony Bassett Amy Czerniak
Interested in helping the Collegian? Serve as a board member by joining any one of our committees: - Fundraising -Finance -Education -Volunteer Coordinator You can also volunteer: -Fundraising -Event planning -Administrative
Feel free to donate today at independentcollegian.com If interested or have any questions, please contact Erin Gariepy, the faculty adviser, at (503) 490 1140.
23| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
24| The Independent Collegian | Summer 2018
Limited spaces remaining for Fall 2018! ONLY $45 TO APPLY
rvi
To w
Stadium Dr
GLASS BOWL STADIUM
e
N Westwood Ave Douglas Rd
ew B lvd
W Bancroft St
Secor Rd
Rocket Dr
Dorr St
· Private bedrooms & bathrooms available · Fully furnished with leather-style furniture available · 24-hour, state-of-the-art fitness center with strength equipment, cardio machines & free weights · 24-hour Academic Success Center with PCs & free printing · Pet friendly · Internet, cable TV with HBO, water, sewer & trash included
TOLEDOSTUDENTHOUSING.COM Fees, amenities & utilities included are subject to change. Limited time only. See office for details.