Swinging Bridge Magazine November Edition

THE

THE PULSE MAGAZINE

DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

AT MESSIAH

18

PEOPLE OF MESSIAH:

SCOOTER GIRL

28

STEVEN CHEN

NOVEMBER 2021

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RING BY SPRING A false cliché or harmful reality?

VOLUME 119 / EDITION 25 / NOVEMBER 2021

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TABLE OF

CONTENTS

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16

22 28

06

LOCAL COFFEE SHOPS

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SCOOTER GIRL

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DRUGS AND ALCOHOL AT MESSIAH

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RING BY SPRING

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A VEGAN EXPERIMENT

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STEVEN CHEN

LOCAL CAFÉ RECOMMENDATIONS

PEOPLE OF MESSIAH

POLICIES FOR SUBSTANCE USE ON-CAMPUS

A FALSE CLICHÉ OR HARMFUL REALITY?

EXPLORING DIETARY OPTIONS AT MESSIAH

ARTIST & ALUM

AWARD WINNING STUDENT RUN MAGAZINE

JOIN OUR TEAM

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JULIA MARY REGISTER

DESIGN MANAGER SHANNON BILLINGTON

AUDIO AND VISUAL MANAGER LIAM FITZSIMMONS

STUDENT DIRECTOR EMILIE RUSH

ASST. STUDENT DIRECTOR JOSHUA MCCLEAF

WRITING SPORTS EDITOR / ETHAN DYRLI CULTURE EDITOR / GRACE WELLMON STUDENT LIFE EDITOR / KAYLEE GETZ

CREATIVE YEARBOOK MANAGER / ANNA HUGHES DESIGN ASSISTANT / CARTER CIRGANG DESIGN ASSISTANT / AMBER SWAISGOOD COVER DESIGN / SHANNON BILLINGTON

DIGITAL & RADIO AUDIO AND VISUAL ASSISTANT / HUNTER ROHRER SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER / CASSIDY BARLOCK RADIO MANAGER / MARIE MILLER MUSIC PROGRAMMER / RAVI AHUJA

ADVERTISING BUSINESS MANAGER / KELLIE CHANDLER

S TA F F

MESSIAH UNIVERSITY'S

THE PULSE

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

JULIA MARY REGISTER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I try to put content that is relevant to as many Messiah students as possible. Our staff wants to write articles for the artists, the athletes, the nerds, and everyone in between. But also know that we can’t cater to everyone.

LETTER FROM

T H E E D I TO R

The challenges of being Editor-in-Chief are comparable to being a full-time college student.

There seems to be a million responsibilities asking for my attention. Just like many of you, I feel overwhelmed with everything being asked of me.

Saying no is always the hardest part. It’s hard not to wonder if I made a mistake when I said no to an article or opportunity. I’m sure we all know the feelings of “what if” when we turn something down.

College is a stressful and busy time, there’s no denying it. People always say to take time for rest and fun, which is easier said than done. Well, here’s me reminding you again not to work yourself into the ground.

Sometimes, I don’t want to be Editor-in-Chief.

This job is hard and it’s easy for me to question if working at The Pulse is the right thing for me.

But when we released our October magazine last month, I was reminded why I stick with it. You all showed me that our magazine matters. You picked up magazines and emptied stands faster than I have ever seen before. It showed me that all the hours we put into recreating our content was worth it.

Honestly and sincerely, thank you for picking up The Swinging Bridge.

Please know that I don’t take this job lightly and that being Editor-in-Chief can be challenging. I feel a lot of responsibility to put out important content, come up with new ideas and listen to the thoughts of those around me.

Everyone seems to have opinions about what we should write about. I hear lots of ideas about stories people think are interesting and should be included in the magazine. Knowing which to say yes to and which to turn down is difficult.

In this magazine, we have some ideas for you if you need a break. Visit one of the many local coffee shops we reviewed or use one of our fall date ideas with your significant other or friends.

Maybe take a study break and read a few articles about the unique people on Messiah’s campus.

Life doesn’t have to be about work all the time. Take a minute today to do something fun and forget about the deadlines.

Alright that’s it, Julia Mary Register

TIPS & TRICKS

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November 2

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Farmers on the Square

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Escape Room Excursion Lost Films at 6 & 9pm

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Willy Wonka at Allenberry Playhouse Lost Films at 3, 6 & 9pm Hershey Arts & Crafts Show

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Coffeehouse from 7-9pm

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Farmers on the Square

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Much Ado About Nothing at 8pm

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Much Ado About Nothing at 8pm Lost Films at 6 & 9pm

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Much Ado About Nothing at 3pm

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Trivia Tuesday at 8:30pm

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Harrisburg Jazz Collective Concert

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Blue Christmas

Operation Christmas Child Fundraiser

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Much Ado About Nothing at 3pm

28 Last Day of Thanksgiving Break

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Much Ado About Nothing at 8pm Spotify Craft Night

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Zine Fest from 1-5pm Lost Films at 3, 6 & 9pm Much Ado About Nothing at 8pm

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Lost Films at 3, 6 & 9pm Much Ado About Nothing at 8pm

Lost Films at 6 & 9pm

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Thanksgiving Break Begins

Thanksgiving

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27 Waitress at Hershey Theatre

30 80s Nostalgia Night

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

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TIPS & TRICKS

L O CA L

COFFEE SHOPS CAFÉ RECOMMENDATIONS

BY KAYLEE GETZ

L

ooking for some new places to feed your coffee addiction or just a new atmosphere to study in for your upcoming exam? There are so many great coffee shops within 15 minutes of Messiah’s campus. Here are just a few favorites, so pick one or work your way through all of them!

JUICE & JAVA CAFE

CAPITAL JOE COFFEE

Juice & Java is a coffee shop less than 15 minutes from Messiah. They are open Monday-Saturday 8 am to 6:30 pm and Sunday 8 am to 4 pm. They have a variety of coffees and real fruit smoothies as well as breakfast foods, salads, sandwiches and wraps. This is a great place to hang out with friends away from campus. Don’t forget to tell them you go to Messiah so you can get a discount on your order!

Capital Joe is located in an old bank, police station and municipal building from 1888 less than 15 minutes from Messiah. They have coffee, tea and a small selection of pastries. This is a perfect place to study by yourself or with friends. There are small tables with dividers as well as larger group seating. Visit Capital Joe for some good coffee and a calm studying atmosphere Monday-Saturday 7 am to 8 pm and Sunday 8 am to 4 pm.

Drinks: 5/5 Drinks: 4/5 Food: 4/5 Food: none Price: 5/5 Price: 3.5/5 Studying atmosphere: 3/5 Studying atmosphere: 5/5 Insta-worthiness: 4/5 Insta-worthiness: 4/5 6

NOVEMBER 2021

TIPS & TRICKS

THE CRACKED POT COFFEE SHOP Cracked Pot is a Christian-owned coffee shop that employs students in the foster care system. They are only six minutes from campus. Their menu includes coffee, smoothies, pastries, brunch items, as well as a few lunch and dinner items. They have a nice indoor seating area that makes for a perfect studying spot when it’s not busy.

Visit the Cracked Pot Monday-Thursday 7 am to 2 pm, Friday 7 am to 9 pm and Saturday 8 am to 4 pm.

Drinks: 4/5 Food: 4/5 Price: 4/5 Studying atmosphere: 4/5 Insta-worthiness: 3.5/5

PHOTOS BY LIAM FITZSIMMONS

CORNERSTONE COFFEEHOUSE Cornerstone Coffeehouse is in Camp Hill just over 15 minutes from Messiah. They have a wide selection of drinks, food, ice cream and baked goods. They are open everyday 6:30 am to 4 pm. Cornerstone is a great place to study, have lunch or just stop by for a small dessert or coffee.

IDEA COFFEE IDEA is a small coffee shop just six minutes from campus.

They have an adorable, modern atmosphere, but limited seating inside. Their shop is decorated with lots of plants and the staff is super nice. Stop here for coffee or tea Tuesday-Saturday 7 am to 7 pm and Sunday-Monday 7 am to 3 pm.

Drinks: 4/5 Drinks: 5/5 Food: none Food: 5/5 Price: 4.5/5 Price: 3/5 Studying atmosphere: 3/5 Studying atmosphere: 4/5 Insta-worthiness: 5/5 Insta-worthiness: 3.5/5

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

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Da t e I d FALL e a s

TIPS & TRICKS

BY KAYLEE GETZ

Let’s be honest, it can be difficult to come up with date ideas. Maybe you and your significant other don’t go out very often because you can’t find anything to do or maybe you argue about whose turn it is to pick the activity.

Well, we are here to help! We’ve come up with ten different date ideas for you and your significant other.

Pick your favorites or tell Siri to pick a number between one and ten for a surprise date.

Don’t forget to post a photo and tag @messiahpulse on Instagram to be featured on our story!

1 3

Bowling in Style Budget: $65

Time: 2 ½ hours First, go to Plato’s Closet, just over 15 minutes from campus. You each have $15 and a 15-minute time limit to buy a fun outfit for the other person. Change into your new clothes and head over to Trindle Bowl to show off your hot outfits. Check out Trindle Bowl’s website for special deals and don’t forget to bring some extra money for food, drinks and ice cream!

McDonald's Prom Budget: $20 Time: 2 hours

First, get dressed up. I’m talking a formal dress or suit, hair and makeup. Then drive to City Island in Harrisburg, just over 20 minutes away. Watch the sunset and dance the night away to some romantic songs on Spotify (ignore the strangers staring at you; you look great!). Afterwards, head over to McDonald’s, have some dinner and make some jaws drop with your stunning formalwear.

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NOVEMBER 2021

2 4

Antiques and Succulents Budget: $25

Time: 1 ½ hours Go to We Dabble Antiques in Enola, just under 20 minutes from campus. Find something cute and vintage to plant succulents in and then go to Ashcombe Greenhouse in Mechanicsburg and buy some cute plants. Find somewhere on campus to relax and plant your succulents. Oh, and don’t forget to name them!

Fall Photoshoot Budget: $20

Time: 2 hours Dress up in your best fall garb and go to Willow Park about 20 minutes from campus. Take some cute Instagram pictures of each other and see if you can get a stranger to take a picture of you together (or attempt to use the self-timer on your phone).

Afterwards, stop at Chef de Crêpe for dinner and snap some more pictures here. Don’t forget to post your photos with a super sappy caption later!

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TIPS & TRICKS

5 7 9

Crafty Target Run Budget: $35

Time: 1 ½ hours Head over to Target and obviously grab some Starbucks first.

You each have a $10 limit to buy some craft supplies to make a cute sign for each other’s rooms. The signs can have a personal note, quote or Bible verse on it. Make sure you pick up some food for an indoor picnic while you’re there. Head back to campus and find somewhere to work on the sign and enjoy your picnic dinner.

Restaurant Roulette Budget: $20-$50

Time: 1-1 ½ hours Ever argue about where to eat? Download the app “Roulette” that picks a random restaurant within a specified location. You can also specify the price range and type of food. After dinner, you can use the same app to find somewhere for dessert. Get your desserts or coffees to go, listen to some sappy songs on Spotify and go drive around and explore the area.

Ice Skating in Harrisburg Budget: $40-$60 Time: 2 ½ hours Twin Ponds is an ice skating rink just over 20 minutes from Messiah ($10 per person to skate). Put on some skates and have fun, whether you know how to skate or not. Twin Ponds is in Harrisburg, so there are a lot of cool restaurants to check out when you are done skating or get tired of people laughing every time you fall (just kidding, you’ll do great).

6 8 10

Mystery Map Budget: ???

Time: ???

For this date, print out a picture of Mechanicsburg, Harrisburg or another local city. Have your significant other close their eyes and pick a spot on the map. Now go to that spot and see what there is to do. Find a restaurant, a local event, or if you happened to pick a spot in the middle of nowhere, get creative!

Cozy Stargazing Budget: $10

Time: 1-1 ½ hours

First things first, run to the Dollar Tree and stock up on some snacks. Make sure you bring some warm clothes and cozy blankets. Pleasant View Park is 15 minutes from campus and is a great spot to lay out and watch the stars. If it’s too cold to stay outside, grab a hot chocolate and find some back roads to explore.

Zoo America Budget: $40-$60 Time: 3 hours

ZooAmerica in Hershey is about a half hour drive from Messiah.

Go walk around, enjoy the scenery and take some selfies with your favorite animals. Tickets are $13 per person. Buy food there or visit another restaurant in Hershey.

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

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TIPS & TRICKS

the need for

SOCIAL INTERACTION

BY ASHELY WYLAND

O

ur college years are often marked by a desire to feel a sense of belonging. Much of this validation, along with other benefits, comes from social support and relationships. As many have probably experienced during the pandemic, being socially isolated can be difficult.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how necessary and meaningful social interaction is in everyday life and how detrimental it is to not have any social interaction. The CDC found that the prevalence of depression was four times what it had been before COVID-19 and the prevalence of anxiety was three times preCOVID rates.

But what’s so important about social interaction?

BENEFITS A study done by Stress in America found that social support is beneficial in several ways.

One of these being it improves your ability to be autonomous and cope with your own problems. Another notable benefit of social support is decreased stress levels and an ability to better handle stressors.

"people function

better when

Most of these benefits of social support are thanks to oxytocin. Or as Jennifer Thomson, biopsychology professor at Messiah, likes to call it “the cuddle hormone.”

“Oxytocin is released during physical touch, things such as hugs, high-fives, an arm on your shoulder, a handshake or during social interactions,” Thomson said. “Oxytocin is involved in social bonding, and when released helps to reduce the negative effects of stress.”

To sum it up, people function better when interacting with others.

However, many people feel a sense of anxiety and apprehension when it comes to building relationships and interacting with new people.

Social interaction is such a beneficial thing, yet it can be hard to do. It is important to know that you are not alone in these feelings.

“Everyone feels a level of nervousness when in a new social situation,” Thomson said. “God has designed us with this amazing way to cope with stress.”

The Engle Center here at Messiah lists a variety of ways to help cope with general anxiety. Things such as spending time outside, exercising regularly, and being open with your friends are all helpful in reducing anxious feelings, even those surrounding social situations.

interacting

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with others."

NOVEMBER 2021

SOCIAL STRATEGIES Thomson has found that one of the most important things you can do is to take small steps to get to where you want to be socially.

“Make small goals for yourself and after achieving those goals make sure to reward yourself,” Thomson said.

A goal might be something like raising your hand once a week in class, it could be talking to the person who sits next to you, or it could be going to a club meeting. These small goals can be anything you want, as can the reward, this is a place where you can get creative!

Another helpful tip Thomson gave was to bring someone familiar with you to unfamiliar social situations. For example, if you are going to a new Bible study with people you don’t know, try bringing your roommate or a friend so that you feel more comfortable participating.

Everyone needs community and connection with fellow humans and it’s important to make sure you are getting that.

TIPS & TRICKS

A S H A R P TA S T E I N

MUSIC:

MUSIC RECOMMENDATIONS FROM MESSIAH STUDENTS

BY MACKENZIE CHRISTIE

W

E’VE GOT SOME MORE MUSIC FOR YOU TO ADD TO YOUR PLAYLIST! SCAN THE QR CODE TO START LISTENING TO SOME MESSIAH STUDENT FAVORITES, AND DON’T

FORGET TO TUNE INTO THE PULSE RADIO STATION AT 90.7 FM.

LUCKY - DEHD

JUST LIKE AUTUMN - JORDAN SEARCHY

COLOGNE - BEEABADOOBEE

JUST AS GOOD - CHRIS REMZEMA

MR. BRIGHTSIDE - THE KILLERS

FAKE PLASTIC TREES - RADIOHEAD

THE ADULTS ARE TALKING - THE STROKES

CARRY ON WAYWARD SON - KANSAS

THE SPINS - MAC MILLER

BETTER THAN I KNOW MYSELF - DEL WATER GAP

PRETTY GIRL - CLAIRO

CHINESE TRANSLATION - M. WARD

VALERIE - TV GIRL

MIXED UP AND CONFUSED - MARLIN’S DREAMING

SO COOL - CAAMP

I MUST HAVE LOST IT IN THE WIND - ELTON JOHN

SUPERMODEL - SZA

( JUST LIKE ) STARTING OVER - JOHN LENNON

SCAN TO LISTEN!

BEGIN AGAIN - ADAM MELCHOR

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

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TRENDING TOPICS

:: H A H I A S I S S E S E M M F O F E O LE PL OP P EO PE

BY GRACE WELLMON

Y

ou are rushing to get to class in Boyer. The sidewalk is swarmed with students going to and from class. You suddenly notice everyone shift to the right side of the sidewalk.

Confused, you follow suit and move to the side. Soon after, a girl riding a bright red Razor scooter comes darting through the crowd.

She is wearing a white Newsies T-shirt, tan khaki shorts and a brown and red checkered newsboy cap. You recognize her every time you go to class, but you have no idea who she is.

The girl riding that scooter is Alli Swank.

The sophomore HDFS major first gained her name as “Scooter Girl” by the Instagram account, Messiah Tea Time.

Swank does not mind that people refer to her as “Scooter Girl.” She even finds her new given nickname to be humorous and decided to run with the title.

“People ask me why I don’t walk to class,” Swank said. “I just tell them I’ve got a reputation to uphold.”

Since garnering attention from social media, Swank has had more people come up to talk to her, even people she has never met before.

When Swank is not scootering around campus, people can find her performing with Messiah’s Acclamation Dance Ministry, writing, drawing fan art, s playing horror video i m utis games and fangirling a "My of t over her all-time far a a p m" vorite Broadway mua I sical, Newsies. who

PHOTO BY HUNTER ROHRER

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NOVEMBER 2021

“Crutchie isn’t ashamed of his disability, so why the heck should I?” Swank said.

While the Newsies-enthusiast has had her fair share of bullies, she has learned over the years how to deal with them. Swank had the opportunity to connect via video call with one of her role models, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, who played Crutchie in the Original Broadway Cast of Newsies. Both Keenan-Bolger and his portrayal of Crutchie have offered encouragement and support to Swank, as well as advice on how to be authentically herself and ignore the “haters.”

Swank mentioned that her method for steering away her bullies was by repeatedly reciting a popular line from Newsies until they got annoyed. She thanks Keenan-Bolger and Crutchie for helping her rise above the haters.

Swank is proud of her autism and does not see it as a weakness in her day-to-day life.

While she wants people to accept and love her for the person that she is, she wastes no time shutting down those who disrespect her and other autistic individuals.

Swank feels a strong, personal connection to the show, Newsies, so strong that she would even want a Newsies-themed birthday party.

“My autism is a part of who I am and I can’t get rid of it,” Swank said. “So if you don’t like or accept me because of [my autism], then there’s the door.”

She identifies with the character Crutchie, a newsie with a paralyzed leg that walks with the assistance of a crutch. As an autistic individual herself, she resonates with Crutchie because he is not ashamed of his disability and is encouraged by his constant optimism and charisma throughout the show despite his personal challenges.

Swank wants to meet even more people on campus and hopes that more people get the chance to get to know her. Swank encourages students at Messiah to not shy away from going up to her and striking up a conversation.

TRENDING TOPICS

Ask the

Watch Here

PRESIDENT

BY STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT, MATT JENKINS Q: What is Student Senate?

A:

Student Senate is the legislative branch of the Student Government Association and is where representatives from across the entire student body come together to make institutional change. Student Senate discusses a wide variety of topics, but before delving into the specifics, I need to explain the structure of SGA and the different areas Student Senate legislates.

All of SGA is governed by the Governance Manual. The Governance Manual details the mission and policies of all clubs and Executive Organizations. Executive Organizations are the clubs that have programming for the entire student body, like the Pulse, SAB, MCC, etc. It also contains the function and election process of SGA officers.

Q: What does Student Senate discuss?

A:

Since the Governance Manual is like our constitution, one of Student Senate’s responsibilities is to revise the Governance Manual. At least once a semester, any member of Student Senate may write a Governance Review Proposal to recommend changing part of the Governance Manual.

Student Senate then convenes a Governance Review Council, where the entire Extended Forum of Student Senate meets. The Extended Forum includes leadership from all Executive Organizations, all Chartered Clubs (clubs that receive funding from SGA), all Student Senators, representatives from Commuter Services, Admissions, Athletics, and SAGE, all SGA Officers, the Student Review Board, and the Student Engagement Council. Some of the fiercest debate happens during GRC’s, since they directly impact how the near $300,000 of Student Activities Fees that students pay each semester can be distributed.

When it comes to Student Activities Fees (SAF’s), the Extended Forum also passes a budget at the start of each semester that determines how SAF’s are distributed. All clubs request a certain amount of SAF’s, while Executive Organizations receive a fixed percentage. There often needs to be negotiation in balancing the budget, much like state and federal legislators.

Beyond the Governance Manual and SAF’s, Student Senators may pass resolutions to university committees. A resolution is a recommendation for university administration.

Student Senate is based on the same structure as Messiah’s Community of Educators Senate, which has about 25 committees specializing in different areas on campus, such as First-year Experience, Gender Concerns, and Sustainability. Student Senate has four of its own committees: Student Engagement, Social Concerns, Finance and Organizations, and Operations. Student Senators serve on these committees and may present resolutions to Student Senate according to their interests.

Senators present resolutions first to Extended Forum for debate. If passed, the resolution is given to the corresponding Community of Educators Committee. The advantage of passing a resolution through the Extended Forum is that it has the support of student representatives across all interests on campus, rather than one group, and are held in high regard by COE committees. The Student Body Pres-

ident also appoints students to these COE committees, and they continue to support resolutions in their journey.

Q: Can any student attend?

A:

Any student can attend Student Senate and speak, but they don’t have a vote. I encourage students to attend Extended Forum on Monday, November 15th at 6:45 PM in the Welcome Center, Room 310, as we will have some excellent discussion there with GRC and resolutions being proposed. To get an agenda of Senate ahead of time, contact sgavp@messiah.edu. SGA accepts applications year-round for Student Senate, and they can be found on messiah.edu/sga.

PHOTO BY LIAM FITZSIMMONS

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

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TRENDING TOPICS

DRUGS & ALCOHOL

AT M E S S I A H P O L I C I E S R E G A R D I N G S U B S TA N C E U S E O N - C A M P U S

BY ETHAN DYRLI The Messiah student handbook states that students who use drugs and alcohol while enrolled at Messiah can face certain consequences. However, there can be some confusion on what the exact sanctions are when a student violates the drug and alcohol policy.

According to the student handbook, violation of these policies “may result in sanctions ranging from a letter of reprimand to expulsion.”

The drug and alcohol policies at Messiah extend to students of legal age and to any time within the academic year. Meaning, these rules still apply during fall, Thanksgiving and spring breaks, even when off campus.

Exceptions to the alcohol policy permit drinking with parents or legal guardians, during religious and celebratory traditions such as communions and weddings and during summer and winter breaks. Those exceptions assume that the student in question is of the legal drinking age.

If a student violates these policies, it may result in a wide range of disciplinary actions designated in the student handbook. However, the specific actions that cause each sanctions are unlisted.

The broad range of possible sanctions, according to Doug Wood, Associate Dean of Students, is “in part because there is so much nuance.”

Wood explained how there are many different factors they look for when assessing an incident involving alcohol. Some of these factors include but are not limited to: Whether or not it was the student’s first offense Whether or not a student was hosting or providing alcohol

“If there are second offenses, or third offenses, or offenses that have serious impact… there may be extended probation or suspension,” Wood said, “but that is so rare.”

For those first offender students who breach policy without those “egregious elements” or a pattern of violations, a typical response would be disciplinary probation.

Disciplinary probation, according to the student handbook, is a “season of strong accountability indicating that the student is not in good standing with the University.”

Students on disciplinary probation can face increased sanctions, possible suspension and may have to speak to their probation status when applying for jobs or graduate school. Other possible sanctions include: Loss of opportunities to study abroad

Whether or not someone has gotten alcohol poisoning as a result of the student’s provision

A review of financial aid Loss of leadership opportunities

Tobacco and other drugs should be abstained from during the whole of a student’s active admission at Messiah.

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Whether or not someone has become seriously injured or even dead

Restricted ability to apply for offcampus housing

TRENDING TOPICS In addition to disciplinary probation, those first time offenders, if not issued a warning first, would have to meet with Devin Rowe.

Rowe, a certified drug and alcohol counselor in the Engle Center, would assess the students behavior for any addiction issues.

Typically, these meetings result in a few alcohol education meetings, however, if Rowe deems it necessary, he can recommend students to outside treatment and counseling.

Wood also stated that if other needs are presented by the student as a result of the drug or alcohol incident, those would be followed up with by their Residence Director.

"Are we

“We’ve had students who come for an alcohol hearing and ended up being sanctioned

punishing them for partaking in a

to go get an academic coach,” Wood said.

According to Bryce Wickard, director of campus safety, Messiah engages with breaches of the alcohol policy about one to three times a month.

In terms of expulsion, Wood made it clear that expulsion was very rare in these scenarios.

“I don’t think we’ve ever expelled someone for alcohol,” Wood said. “And it is rare for a student to be expelled unless they are selling drugs.”

Wood also discussed the policy for illegal drug violations and how sanctions differ.

“Most illegal drug violations where there is negligible community impact result in disciplinary probation and mandated assessment with a certified drug/alcohol counselor and the requirement to follow through on recommendations from that assessment, and other personal growth initiatives,” Wood said.

According to Wood, while much of the adjudication of these processes is on a caseby-case basis, the sanctions discussed are detailed in document form as well. This document, which is provided as part of certain staff’s training materials, lays out the “automatic sanctions.”

safe legal action?

It tells them that they have to be looking over their shoulder essentially... which can be

unhealthy and unsafe

“There is a requirement to have some consistency across the venues of hearing these cases,” Wood said. “We do have a general guideline that we use among the RD team, as well as the student review board for when they would hear cases.”

While these guidelines are not published in the student handbook, that is something that Wood would be open to discussing further if students had questions.

for everyone involved."

- Cody Ford

Matt Jenkins, student body president, hears the student body’s wish for policy changes.

“It’s something that the student body is constantly consid-

ering and requesting the University to be aware of,” Jenkins said.

Cody Ford, student body vice president, knows students want to see Messiah’s drug and alcohol policy changed.

“Every five years or so, we go through this phase of students trying to enact change regarding the alcohol policy, so I think that speaks to what students are yearning after,” Ford said.

Ford discussed the policy and how it affects students that drink responsibly.

“Are we punishing them for partaking in a safe legal action?” Ford said. “It tells them that they have to be looking over their shoulder essentially...which can be unhealthy and unsafe for everyone involved.”

Ford made it clear that his stances are as a student and do not represent SGA as a whole.

For the policy to change, according to Wood, it would have to come by way of the Community Standards Committee, which is a part of the university’s governance structure.

Any consideration for change would be done in partnership with the Student Government Association. Any proposed change would ultimately have to be approved by both President Phipps and the Board of Trustees.

Both Jenkins and Wood encourage students to reach out to them with any questions they have about the policies.

“I want to sit down with students and make them feel heard,” Jenkins said. “I would love to explain the university’s stance, but also represent you as a student to the administration.”

Regarding the unspecified punishments in the student handbook, Wood made it clear that he is open to publishing clear guidelines and disciplinary protocols if the student body wants them.

The Pulse wants to hear student thoughts on the publishing of Messiah’s drug and alcohol protocols in the student handbook. Email us at pulseeic@messiah.edu to have your opinion heard.

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

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TRENDING TOPICS

Ring by Spring A false cliché or harmful reality?

WRITTEN BY KAYLEE GETZ ILLUSTRATION BY AMBER SWAISGOOD

R

ing by spring has been a popular topic of discussion for decades. Students giving or getting a ring before their last spring semester of college seems to be a part of our campus culture at Messiah.

But how prominent is this concept and how does it affect Messiah students?

The reality of ring by spring has less of an impact on students than the mindset in general. Although there are many couples getting engaged before they graduate, that does not necessarily mean that ring by spring exists.

Hannah McBride, the Coordinator for Interpersonal Violence Prevention, Education and Response at Messiah, does not think

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NOVEMBER 2021

that the presence of engaged students on campus is a direct correlation to the presence of ring by spring on campus.

niors at Messiah, met freshman year and are getting married the June after they graduate in 2022.

“I think it’s a little bit like the saying, ‘What came first, the chicken or the egg?’ ” McBride said. “There are a lot of young people here making life choices and planning their futures at the same time. That doesn’t mean we need to label the action of students getting engaged as ‘ring by spring.’ ”

“I wasn’t thinking that I needed to find a significant other in college,” Mayo said. “I think it is kind of silly that getting engaged before graduation is made into such a big deal. And honestly, being in college hasn’t changed the timeline of our relationship at all; it would have been pretty consistent no matter what.”

Ring by spring does not seem to affect already dating couples at all. There are things to consider when deciding the timeline of dating, being engaged and getting married, but that timeline is unique to each couple.

Heather Mayo and Ellis Anderson, both se-

Rachel Rochet and Josh Gerber, Messiah graduates of 2021, met in college and will be getting married in the spring of 2022.

Although they got engaged in college, they specifically decided to wait until after graduation to get married.

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“No one should feel pressured to get a ring by spring,” Rochet said, “but if you’re both ready, then why not? Josh and I just took it one day at a time and coincidentally ended up being a ring by spring couple. We did want to wait to get married though; it just wasn’t the right choice for us. We wanted to make the most of our college experience, focus on school and enjoy living with our friends.”

Paul Johns, a professor of Human Development and Family Science at Messiah, believes that sometimes getting married in college is a good idea and sometimes it is not. It all just depends on the couple’s specific relationship.

“If you are going to get married, just make sure you have the support,” Johns said.

“Have the support of your friends, family and your church family. They can provide really important feedback when you are faced with difficult decisions.”

Whether this phenomenon is real or not, it continues to persist and affect students in different ways. Johns believes that the presence of this concept can really hurt students.

“People don’t even know where the source of ‘ring by spring’ is,” Johns said. “It seems to be a persistent part of the culture, but it does exert a certain amount of pressure on students.”

Ring by spring does not exist on its own.

There are many factors that play a role in this concept.

“There are some contributing factors like the thought that if they don’t find a partner at college they might not find one at all,” Johns said. “There is an element of truth about it which is why I think it persists, but it’s not entirely true and doesn't have to cause that fear and anxiety that some people experience. These little bits of real wants and desires just feed into the overblown image of ‘ring by spring’ that is unnecessary and ridiculous.”

"No one should feel pressured to get a ring by spring"

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TRENDING TOPICS

"The prioritizing

of a partnership can be a toxic mindset for college students to have"

The ring by spring mindset seems to affect single students even more than dating couples.

Some students enter college either hoping to find a future spouse or believing that at some point during their college journey, a partnership is going to form. The prioritizing of a partnership can be a toxic mindset for college students to have.

“I think the promotion of that concept is really unhealthy,” McBride said. “I think it would be so much more beneficial if the common language was about exploring individuality and focusing on personal mental health. Sometimes that means you’re going to be in a partnership, and sometimes it doesn’t.”

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Coming into school with ring by spring in mind can harm students in different ways and make them lose sight of what is important.

“Prioritize education, personal growth and making good friendships,” Johns said. “If you happen to have a friendship that you want to take a little further, then you’ll know when that time comes.”

Because of the effect the ring by spring mindset can have on single students, Johns advises students to not focus on feeling like they need to find a spouse in college.

“Don’t focus so much on this big goal that you miss every other smaller opportunity,”

Johns said. “If one of your goals is to find a spouse, then let it be a natural outgrowth of making good friends, growing as an individual and becoming ‘the one’ that someone else will want to be with. Just start with friendships and let life go from there. If you push a relationship too fast, you risk marrying someone who wasn’t meant for you” Although ring by spring does seem to be a reality at Messiah, there is no reason that it should play a big role in any student’s life. It is up to you to decide whether or not you focus on the pressure to find a spouse in college.

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RETURNING TO THE RO OTS OF CIVIL RIGHTS: A BUS TOUR

BY ROSEMARY JONES

P

icture this: On a sunny and sweaty afternoon in mid-June, about 20 people of varying races are preparing to board a coach bus in Pittsburgh, ready to intensively study and learn for the next 10 days. Welcome aboard the Returning to the Roots of Civil Rights Bus Tour.

The tour is a function of a nonprofit organization led by Todd Allen, Messiah’s Vice President for Diversity Affairs, called The Common Ground.

It includes a 10-day trek through several notable locations of the Civil Rights Movement beginning outside of Pittsburgh, through the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, up to Tennessee, Ohio and finally back to Pittsburgh.

THE EDMUND PETTUS BRIDGE IN SELMA, AL. WHICH WAS THE SITE OF THE BRUTAL BLOODY SUNDAY BEATINGS OF CIVIL RIGHTS MARCHERS DURING THE FIRST MARCH FOR VOTING RIGHTS.

This past summer, six Messiah students and several faculty and community members attended the trip.

For Jane Mylin, senior international business major, and Sierra Kinslow, Associate Director of Admissions for Multicultural Recruitment, museums and memorials such as the one by Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) were deeply impactful stops for them.

EJI is a nonprofit organization “committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.”

The museum was divided into three sections: slavery, segregation and mass incarceration.

“In the segregation section, there was this wall of quotes from white, [Christian] leaders in the fifties and sixties about why they felt segregation was necessary,” Mylin said. “There were many people saying things like desegregation is against the Bible and the Bible gives authority for [segregation].”

THIS MEMORIAL COMMEMORATES THE GREENSBORO FOUR, WHO WERE THE FOUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS FROM NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE VERY FIRST LUNCH COUNTER SIT-INS AT THE WOOLWORTH'S DRUGSTORE.

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At first, Mylin was surprised by the racist quotes from the Christian leaders.

“I was shocked because today we would look at that and wonder how a Christian could ever think like that,” Mylin said. “But then, I was doing a

TRENDING TOPICS little more thinking and I was thinking, sure we think that kind of behavior is appalling now but is our church today - specifically the white church - if you were to mirror it in today’s standards, are they mimicking that behavior with the issues we have today?”

Kinslow was taken aback by EJI’s National Memorial for Peace and Justice, where over 800 steel columns hang from the ceiling.

These columns represent each county where a racial terror lynching took place. On each column is a list of names of the known people who lost their lives in these acts of terrorism, which consist of over 4,400 names in total.

“When we were there, I saw a pillar for the county in Maryland where I grew up and there were five names on it,” Kinslow said.

“Often when [we] think of this kind of hatred and bigotry, you think of places like Alabama

THE WHOLE GROUP IN ATLANTA, GA, WITH CHARLES PERSON, WHO WAS ONE OF THE FIRST FREEDOM RIDERS.

and Mississippi, you don’t think of Maryland. So it was kind of insane to see this.”

In addition to visiting special locations, the group also encountered a variety of people who were involved in the Civil Rights movement. In our interview, Nathan Ncube, senior business administration major, pulled a list of names from the notes on his cell phone and asked, “How many am I allowed to name?”

Ncube was deeply impacted by Charles Person, a black man the group met in Georgia.

Ncube described Person as ”a loving individual who gave everything he could so we can be here today.”

Person was only 18 years old when he joined the Freedom Riders, a group of interracial activists who rode integrated buses throughout the south during the summer of 1961 to protest against segregation. They faced verbal abuse, brutal beatings and attacks and damages to their bus.

THIS SIGN OUTSIDE THE FREEDOM RIDES MUSEUM DESCRIBES

“I had a chance to ask him a question, and the question was ‘how did you begin to rec-

oncile and to forgive these people that did this to you?’ ” Ncube said.

Person’s answer to Ncube’s question really shocked him.

“His answer was, the God that I serve is bigger than my hurt, is bigger than all of this.

If He can forgive all the people who did that stuff to him, I can forgive the people who did this stuff to me because I knew what I was fighting for.”

Jon Sison, tour member and junior biomedical engineering student, believes the Civil Rights Movement is still culturally relevant today.

“The Civil Rights Movement is not dead.

It’s still happening and it’s not over,” Sison said. “These things are still going on, and even though it’s not as obvious as a street sign saying where people of my ethnicity can go in, even though it's not that blatant, it’s still out there and it's still embedded in our system, which is why we need to be aware of that in order to make any change happen and not let things go any worse.”

For some, it may seem as though the Civil Rights Movement is a distant memory left in the past. Yet, if one takes into account its lasting effects, they will come to find that the Civil Rights Movement is still significant to what is going on in our nation today.

IT IN MORE DETAIL.

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TRENDING TOPICS

A VEGAN EXPERIMENT EXPLORING DIETARY OPTIONS AT MESSIAH WRITTEN BY ETHAN DYRLI & ILLUSTRATION BY ANNA HUGHES

Question: Is it possible to eat vegan on Messiah’s campus?

I did not know anyone who is a vegan, so in order to test it, I went vegan myself.

For a whole week, I would eat only vegan meals to test both how easy it is to be vegan, and what it’s like being a vegan on Messiah’s campus.

To learn more about eating with dietary restrictions on campus, I talked to Messiah’s nutritionist, McKenna Weslahns, about how Messiah creates dietary options for those who need them.

“The first step, if it's medical like celiac, is to go through the Engle center and talk to me and just provide medical documentation through their doctor,” Weshlans said. “If they can provide that documentation, we can see what options there are at Lottie, or use a Meal Request Form for those who need it.

However, Weshlans recommends that if students have a severe allergy, they should apply for a meal-plan exemption and apply for medical housing so they can cook their own meals.

“That kitchen is not certified gluten free, so students who have a very severe reaction can qualify for a meal-plan exemption,” Weshlans said.

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For those students who have dietary preferences such as vegan or vegetarian diets, options are limited to what the dining halls have to offer.

“If that is more of a preference thing than a medical thing, then they just use the options in Lottie,” said Weshlans.

Hannah Nixon, a first-year, is a vegan student at Messiah. However, as a commuter, she has never had a full meal at Messiah.

“I just assumed that there weren’t any options for me, so I haven’t even ventured out and tried yet,” Nixon said. “I just assumed that since the majority of the population eats meat that that was what it was catered to”.

Nixon, who has been a vegan for close to 10 years, assumed that Messiah didn’t have options mainly because it was what she was used to.

I personally shared Nixon’s sentiments.

As I went through my day, I felt like every meal at Lottie was very meat-centered. In my mind, there was no possible way that someone could be a healthy vegan while on campus.

Day One: Tuesday On day one of going vegan, I was relieved to see a salad bar to start the week. However, I was confused by the fact that the

salad was not marked as vegan. Instead of refusing to eat, I decided to trust in the fact that Lottie’s lettuce was vegan.

My frustration with the labeling and options continued at dinner, where the only things that were clearly marked vegan were vegetable sides. Wanting a whole meal, I grabbed some stir fry and noodles.

Again, while not clearly marked vegan, I was just going to trust in the fact that these vegetables were vegan.

Day Two: Wednesday For day two, I had to get stir fry again. I had a moment of panic when one of my friends asked, “Aren’t noodles non-vegan?” I realized that I didn’t even consider the possibility that noodles, which are typically made with eggs, were not vegan friendly. Luckily, the noodles were rice noodles, as the stir fry section in Lottie is gluten-free. I was relieved to find out that most rice noodles are vegan, and I had not already failed. A close call to say the least.

By the end of day two, I also started to notice that I did not feel that heavy feeling in my stomach I often had after eating at Lottie. My body was definitely appreciating the leaner diet.

Day Three: Thursday Day three I decided to eat outside of Lottie for a day. For lunch, I grabbed a vegan

TRENDING TOPICS

"GOING VEGAN TAUGHT ME TO THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT WHAT I WAS EATING."

photo by Andre Frueh grain bowl from The Falcon for lunch, and I appreciated how clearly a full meal was marked as vegan.

in either line that was vegan. So, I went scavenging. I landed on Cinnamon Toast Crunch, which is vegan, with almond milk.

Later at the Union, I tried their vegetarian burger and enjoyed a smoothie.

Dinner luckily was better, and I found a few options in the main line that saved me from another stir fry meal.

Day Four: Friday By day four, I felt like I was in the mindset of a vegan, and was much more accustomed to thinking critically about the food I was putting in my body. Walking through both Lottie and Union, I could more easily spot what I could and could not eat.

Day Five: Saturday I ate lunch off campus for day five, finding a little acai bowl shop called Vitality Bowls. However, while eating at Vitality Bowls I had the terrible realization that I had gotten yogurt in my Union the past two days without even thinking.

I was annoyed at my slip-up, considering how well I had been doing up until that point. However, I was still feeling confident in my commitment to being vegan.

Day Six: Sunday Sunday brunch, on the other hand, was impossible. There was not a single item

Day Seven: Monday Coming to the end, I felt good about the decisions I’ve made thus far. I finished strong, then ate a piece of pizza at midnight.

Conclusion: After a full week of being vegan, I came to a few conclusions

1. While eating vegan at Lottie is possible, I would not recommend it for extended periods of time.

2.

Going vegan taught me to think critically about what I was eating.

Every bite I took came under consideration, and that often led me to choose healthier options. While I made mistakes, I found myself thinking about my food and where it came from in a way I never had previously.

3. I have decided to continue to make healthy choices.

I went into this experiment expecting to end up feeling tired and lacking in nutrients, however, I ended the week feeling better. I didn’t feel bad walking out of Lottie after each meal, but rather left feeling good about what I ate.

So, while I don’t anticipate totally cutting out animal products again, I want to find a way to practically replicate the way being vegan made me feel.

While only going vegan for a week, I felt like I had eaten the same meals on multiple occasions. I can only imagine what eating vegan at Messiah for four years would be like. On top of that, it was often difficult to decipher what was and wasn’t vegan.

However, I learned a lot from this experience, so if you’re interested, I would give it a shot, so long as you do prior research and don’t attempt to sustain it for a long stretch of time.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE MEANING BEHIND THE INK

BY LANEY KUCZMYNDA

T

he act of getting a tattoo is a very personal one. Some think about it for years before finally acting, while others make spur-of-the-moment decisions. Here are a few tattoo stories of a couple students at Messiah, as well as my own.

Lorelei Pryor, an art major, has given over 30 tattoos and has 3 herself: a manatee on her ankle, a sun on her ankle and a small dot she did while practicing.

“Of course tattoos can mean something..."

As a tattoo artist herself, Pryor sometimes finds herself working on a design steeped in meaning or a story. For example, she has given several semicolon tattoos, which are used as a message of affirmation and solidarity against suicide, depression and addiction.

On the other hand, she says she has designed a lot of “silly” tattoos, which are often the most memorable for her.

Regardless of what she is tattooing, she says every time is a special experience and a great way to make connections as an artist.

“This person trusts me to share a piece of my artwork, permanently, which creates a very intimate and personal connection,” Pryor said.

When she got her first professional tattoo, the manatee, she considered it for about a week before deciding to go for it.

Hanah Martin, a junior biology major, takes the opposite approach when considering what to place on her skin.

“Of course tattoos can mean something, and having a certain symbol on your skin can remind you of something, but thinking that every tattoo needs meaning is wrong,” Pryor said. “My tattoo makes me happy just because I like manatees.”

She puts a lot of thought into each design, and her personal rule is that she needs to stick with one design with minimal changes for at least a year before getting the actual tattoo. She currently has two tattoos.

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“I think each of my tattoos represents me, my life, and my journey,” Martin said.

Her first tattoo consists of the words “in omnia paratus” on her right shoulder, which means “ready for anything.”

Martin and her mom both have this tattoo on opposite shoulders. When they stand next to one another, the tattoos can be read side-by-side across the shoulders.

The phrase is a reference to the show Gilmore Girls and represents their relationship as mother and daughter. Hanah describes their relationship as being similar to the dynamic between the show’s two main characters.

Martin’s other tattoo is a very intricate design with many meaningful parts. This design revolves around the abbreviation “BRAT” which originally stood for “British Regiment Attached Traveler,” a term used to refer to families that travel with members of the military.

Martin’s father was in the military for 23 years, and she affectionately calls herself a “military brat,” but explains that in her mind, “BRAT” stands for boldness, responsibility, adaptability and tolerance.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PHOTO BY LANEY KUCZMYNDA

This design has several other elements that remind her both of her father and herself.

There is a parachute, representing her father being in the 22nd airborne division, and a dandelion, which represents resilience even through “going wherever the wind takes us.”

I personally thought about my most recent tattoo for about two years before finally acting.

There’s a lot to consider: the tattoo’s design, its placement on your body, and which artist you trust enough to prick your skin with a needle full of ink thousands of times.

it will always have this wonderful familial attachment that will remind me of the love I have.

While each person approaches the idea of getting a tattoo uniquely, the individual takes joy in the art they have added permanently to their skin. Whether that joy comes from simply liking the artwork or design, or from what the piece of art reminds them of, this feeling is the driving force behind most tattoos.

The culmination of these years of thinking is a 2” by 2” rendering of my childhood home on my arm.

For me, this image encompasses all the many wonderful things I savor and hold on to from my childhood. It makes me think of my family, and all of the fun I had with my brothers growing up. I always picture my cat sitting in the bay window.

If I’m being honest, most of the time I forget it’s there, but when I catch glimpses of it in the mirror I think of the everlasting love of my family. When it inevitably fades or wrinkles with age, I know I won’t mind, because

TTH HEE SSW WIIN NG GIIN NG G BBRRIID DG GEE

25 25

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SPORTS FOR

DUMMIES A SUPPOSED GUIDE TO THE NFL

BY ETHAN DYRLI The National Football League, or NFL, captures the freetime of millions of Americans.

With an average viewership of 14.9 million, the NFL has enough fans to comfortably occupy and govern the country of Djibouti.

How did it get so big? What even is the NFL? We’ve got you covered.

In its inception, the game of football was much more fun and exciting. For example, players were not required to wear helmets until 1943.

That’s opposed to games today where players are required to “stay off performance enhancing drugs” because it’s “unfair.”

The NFL didn’t have an explosive start however, as it had to overcome competition with other leagues. Their main competitor was the American Football League, or the AFL. However, through media control, lots of money, and good ‘ole American grit, the NFL was able to enter a merger with the AFL and become the basically undisputed source for American football.

THE MODERN GAME

PHOTO BY DAVE ADAMSON

EARLY START START EARLY

The NFL was formed in 1920 after prohibition forced thousands of men to find literally anything else to do with their time. The result was the National Football League, which was the perfect excuse to basically fight other guys without having a bar to do so in.

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Today, the NFL is one of the largest sports organizations in the world, with the highest gross revenue of any sports league. In 2019, the NFL made approximately $16 billion in revenue which, even when converted to Euros, is not enough money to make any European want to play it.

Much of that money comes from merchandising, selling jerseys, apparel, and their newest addition: used mouthguards. Now you too can feel what it’s like to have a genuine NFL mouthguard protecting your very own teeth!

In total, the NFL has 32 teams, over 1,600 players, and 87 domestic abuse arrests.

PHOTO BY BEN HERSHEY

Of the 50 states in America, only 28 states have teams based out of their state. However, a lesser known fact is that New Jersey has banned the NFL from hosting a team in their state out of fear that it will make their residents less miserable.

The NFL also has 31 teams with fantastic branding and unique mascots, as well as the Washington Football Team.

In charge of the whole NFL is commissioner Roger Goodell, who has been the commissioner since 2006. The NFL’s use of the title “commissioner” came after their merger with the AFL, and after they decided that “master overlord” was too strong. Goodell is often confused with his identical twin

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

brother, who played “evil businessman” in the majority of the movies from the 1980s.

Goodell’s achievements include ignoring concussion research and stealing candy from babies. In the future, Goodell is hoping to develop a private police force to help him enforce game regulations.

To increase playability in the winter, uniforms are being equipped with ice skates.

This way out-of-work players can relive the glory of the league in “NFL on Ice”, coming to a rink near you.

Some Potential New Regulations Include:

The NFL is the most bet-on sports league in America. As a result, research is currently being conducted on the relationship between NFL viewership and divorce rates.

Footballs must be made of stone to reduce deflation.

THE THE SUPER SUPER BOWL BOWL

All knee pads require locking systems to prevent “unnecessary kneeling” and “injury.”

Mascots must be required to play at least one quarter of the game in full costume to boost ratings.

Shoulder pads will be widened by two inches to “look cooler.”

The Super Bowl, which is the NFL’s championship game, is the most watched sports game in America, where millions of people tune in to watch the world’s most expensive commercial compilation.

While not a National Holiday, the Super Bowl is the second largest eating day in America, second only to Thanksgiving, another uniquely American event. This proves

PHOTO BY ALEX KOROLKOFF

again that Americans don’t lose anything, even weight.

Case in point, the National Chicken Council projected that in 2020, Americans would eat a world-record of 1.4 billion chicken wings over Super Bowl weekend. The most shocking thing about that is that there’s a National Chicken Council.

Adored by many, the NFL has created an American culture where every kid wants to be a part of their local football team. So parents, you too can give your child the opportunity to have their very own debilitating traumatic brain injury.

PHOTO BY GEOFF SCOTT

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STEVEN CHEN: ARTIST & ALUM

BY GRACE WELLMON Steven Chen has taken the music industry by storm. The Messiah 2020 alum went from sitting behind the piano as a student to now sitting behind the recording booth as a professional music producer.

Under his artist name, STVN, Chen has garnered audiences both nationally and internationally. As of right now, STVN has 41,747 monthly listeners on Spotify.

Chen remembers his music journey first beginning in the second grade at piano lessons. He recalled that he used to dread the lessons due to the lack of creativity presented during them.

“Playing music by ear was a different kind of challenge because it was more creative than academic,” Chen said. “While I wish I could still read music, I think training my ears to feel and hear the music definitely influenced how I create music today.”

Chen’s passion to play by ear and create music out of “nothingness” has opened doors to opportunities he could have never imagined.

"Music can impact people in ways that I don’t even understand."

“I hated having to play something that was prewritten,” Chen said. “All I wanted to do is create my own thing. I could read the music, but I didn’t want to do that either.”

Chen had the opportunity to compose and score music for a short indie film, “The Girl Behind the Door”, with Salt’n Light Ministries.

Chen began to approach his lessons differently to combat his dissatisfaction. He started to play by ear, which means to replicate the notes without having to be told what notes to play.

“I can’t explain how I did it, except that I just watched the film and improvised,” Chen said.

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NOVEMBER 2021

Whether he is scoring films or writing music for himself or other artists, Chen tries to use

his gift of writing music to make a positive difference in people’s lives.

“Music can impact people in ways that I don’t even understand,” Chen said. “As long as I’m creating music that is honoring to the Lord, I hope His love and the beauty of the creation are shown through the music.

However the music is impacted, I hope it is positive."

Chen’s faith has helped him navigate the music industry. While he does not write worship music, he still believes God’s love shines through his music and how he works.

“God places conviction about what I am creating, what I choose to work on, and the people that I do or do not want to work with,” Chen said.

Being a Christian in the music industry can bring along its own set of challenges, especially where topics like sex, drugs, alcohol, and money are prominent in pop culture.

Chen uses his faith to help interact and build relationships with people who do not share the same values as him.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

You can listen and find all of Steven Chen's music on Spotify

“There is a lot of darkness in the music industry,” Chen said. “Being able to be a Christian in this space is great to be a witness and to show His love and His light to the people I work with.”

Having the community and individual relationships at Messiah, as well as the desire to fellowship, has helped Chen network and build connections in the industry.

Working in leadership positions as a Resident Assistant and the Marketing Executive for the Student Activities Board (SAB) has taught Chen how to communicate with different kinds of people. The organizational and communicative skills Chen has gained have helped him in his professional and personal life.

Chen advises current undergraduate students to take advantage of the opportunities and resources at Messiah. He also encourages students to follow their passions and explore their talents.

“I encourage people to follow what they believe God has called them to do.”

“[The community] has not left me since leaving Messiah,” Chen said. “You can take the kid out of the community but you can’t take the community out of the kid.”

Chen is thankful for the opportunities that were presented during his time as an undergraduate. Ranging from using the recording studio to opening up for a Charlie Burgs concert at B-Sides, these opportunities have motivated him to break out of his shell as both a musician and artist.

“I encourage people to follow what they believe God has called them to do,” Chen said. “You may not realize what your calling is until after graduation, and that’s okay.”

Use the QR code to hear Steven talk about his song "Heartstrings"

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MAKING A MOCHA ILLUSTRATION BY ANNA HUGHES

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