THE
SWINGING B R I DG E THE PULSE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2018
8 N E W TO CA M P U S MESSIAH COLLEGE
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REMAKING THE INTERNET
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FA C T O R F I C T I O N ?
CHEAT SHEET
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THE FRESHMAN 15
we’ve all been there
P L U G I N AT THE PULSE
PULSE RADIO PULSE.MESSIAH.EDU/PULSERADIO
LIVE MUSIC STUDENT DJS PODCASTS TA L K S H O W S
SENIOR CLARION
PULSE.MESSIAH.EDU/CLARION
SENIOR PORTRAITS AT H L E T I C S O R G A N I Z AT I O N S EVENTS FROM THE YEAR 2018 - 2019
THE
SWINGING B R I DG E VOLU M E 1 0 1
EDITION 7
STUDENT DIRECTOR DAKOTA VAUGHN
S E P T. 2 0 1 8
LETTER FROM THE
EDITOR
ASST. STUDENT DIRECTOR AMBER CLEMENS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MEGAN BOMBA
ART DIRECTOR GRACE DEMMER
ONLINE EDITOR MADDIE CONLEY
DESIGN ASSISTANTS ELI FORD
STUDENT LIFE EDITOR MAEGAN NEGRON
NATALIE MOEY CULTURE EDITOR CHARMAINE LIM
MEGAN SPORY
SPORTS & REC EDITOR LILLIAN KASHISHIAN
AUDIO & VISUAL MANAGER KAI YUEN LEONG WEB MANAGER KELLY WEBBER
AUDIO & VISUAL ASSISTANTS BUSINESS MANAGER OLIVIA CRAWFORD LAKE BENDER JOSH YODER
YEARBOOK MANAGER JACQUE SAUDER
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER MARISA HARRIS
Monday - Friday | 1pm - 5pm 717-691-6081 1 COLLEGE AVENUE SUITE 3058 MECHANICSBURG, PA 17055
(Downstairs South Wing of the Larsen Student Union) The Swinging Bridge Magazine is published through The Pulse: Messiah College Media Hub, run by students. The Pulse consists of Pulse Radio, The Clarion yearbook, and The Swinging Bridge Magazine. The Swinging Bridge staff strives to publish quality student writing, photography, and design. To learn about job and volunteer opportunities, email thepulse@messiah.edu.
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hen I think about the start of the school year, I think of all the new things that come along with it. There are new books and classes, new living situations, new routines, and a whole bunch of other new things. Everything from last year is different, including this publication. This year, as I take on being the Editor-in-Chief of this magazine, I hope to bring about a newness to these pages of the Swinging Bridge. From new columns to new perspectives from those of you on campus, I plan to make this magazine a must-read. It is this sense of newness on which I would like to focus. In the first edition of the Swinging Bridge Magazine for the 2018-2019 school year, the theme is—you can probably guess—new. We have kept some of the staple articles with an added twist as well as some new features that we hope will become favorites. All of the ideas are centered around a fresh outlook on the topic. Whether you are a fresh face on campus or returning for another year, I hope you can connect with any number of these stories as they are yours; we’re simply retelling them. Race me to the back cover,
Megan Bomba Editor-In-Chief
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TABLE
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CAMPUS CLOSET
WHY MESSIAH?
NEW CAMPUS LEADERS
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS TRAVEL FAR FOR COLLEGE
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SPORTS & REC
A NEW KIND OF STUDENT-ATHLETE
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MESSIAH CHEAT SHEET
REMAKING THE INTERNET
MEET THE NEW
NEW TO CAMPUS
THE LAST STRAW
THE FRESHMAN 15
RESOURCES, PROGRAMS & MINISTRIES ON CAMPUS
INCOMING FIRST YEARS' FRESH TAKES
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RICHARD CRANE
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FACES OF NEW LEADERSHIP ON CAMPUS
SEPTEMBER
STARBUCKS' GREEN INITIATIVE
ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
FACT OR FICTION?
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MY STORY
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CONTENTS
2018
ANDERSON FIELD GETS A FACELIFT
STUDENT LIFE
CA MPUS CLOSET BY MEGAN BOMBA
HOR ACI A C A R RY L Horacia Carryl, Senior Peace & Conflict Studies Major, is the new Vice President of Diversity Affairs for SGA. As part of the Cabinet, Carryl is expected to dress “Smart Casual” when acting in her role. In her daily dress, she chooses outfits based on what she is feeling. “Even if I pick out an outfit the night before, I may wake up in a different mood and choose something accordingly. If I’m feeling lazy it may be a day for dressed up sweats,” Carryl explains. Carryl takes on the summer-fall transition easily, as it is her favorite time of the year. Similar to Scialanca, Carryl describes her style as being 70’s-90’s thrifted items with a trendy flair. She layers her summer favorites under a jacket or cardigan to stay warm when the temperatures drop. Carryl chose a white tank top under a jean jacket to account for both seasons. She adds a plaid skirt with tie and button detail and white sandals to stay cool in the heat of the day.
MADISON SCIALANCA Madison Scialanca steps into her new roles as both the SAGE Events Coordinator and the SAB B-Sides Executive. She not only has dual leadership roles, but Scialanca has dual fashion styles. Sometimes, she chooses a comfy vibe while other times she prefers to dress in a bohemian, trendy style. Here, she chose a mix of the two with comfy pieces that have a flair for the dramatic. Scialanca is a Junior Biology Major who has a passion for thrifting. She pairs one Goodwill find, the black bodysuit, with floral athletic shorts, another pseudo-thrift find from Plato’s Closet. Scialanca chose white high top Vans, lots of rings and bracelets, and a layered necklace to top off the look.
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ON T T DEK BY MA
ith a new wave of incoming students, this year, we wanted to inform students what resources, programs, and ministries are available to make the most out of this coming
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year. While you should keep an eye out for posters and limited programs, here’s some mainstays that are worth knowing about.
If you need some basic medicine or just someone to talk to about any sort of mental health issue, the Engle Center should be your go-to. Also, available is access to our on-sight therapy dog. If you’re feeling homesick, or just want to connect with others, there are Student Unions available which present variety of events and projects related to different cultural influences all year round. Students interested in learning and discussing a Christian viewpoint of sexuality and gender should look into SAGE, which provides groups and events that meet regularly, be it on a weekly or monthly basis. The Agape Center specializes in local outreach opportunities, particularly in the Harrisburg region, as well as service trips and advocation of human rights awareness. Are you interested in media production, such as music and writing? The Pulse is always looking for volunteers, in every specialty imaginable. This includes writing, broadcasting, design, etc. You name it, we have it.
Your first semester at college can seem like a pretty daunting task; getting used to the new schedules,
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lifestyle and social interactions can all be extremely overwhelming, so here’s a few tips to keep in mind.
STUDENT LIFE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OFFICE HOURS. There’s no need to suffer alone when it comes to confusion, and your professors will take notice of the initiative. DON'T FORGET ABOUT CHAPEL REQUIREMENTS. You never want to find yourself in the situation of having 5 required chapels a week before finals. Night chapels are available every Tuesday to help get those credits, as well. FIND ALTERNATIVES TO GOING HOME ON THE WEEKENDS. At first, not having a car may seem isolating and stressful, but the key is to find productive and fun ways to spend your weekends to cure the homesick blues. GET A CHANGE OF SCENERY. Staying in your room to do all your work can lead to some extreme burnout early on. Try the library, the Falcon cafe, the Union, or the academic buildings as alternatives for peace, quiet, and refocus. YOU'RE NOT ALONE. No matter where you are, or who you are, somebody on campus will be willing to listen to you. It could be your roommate, your RA, or a professor. The more connections you can establish and keep, the easier your experience will be as it goes on. HIT UP THE FITNESS CENTER: Setting up a regular exercise routine is a good way of combating not only weight gain, but also various mental illnesses. It also helps your quality of life, as well as affecting your sleep patterns and overall mental awareness. DON'T BE AFRAID TO CONSIDER CHANGING YOUR MAJOR. It’s not the end of the world. If you decide you’re not happy with what you’ve decided to do, looking into alternatives is always an option. FIND A STUDY METHOD THAT WORKS FOR YOU. There’s no one right way to learn information consistently, but chances are if you try a few different things, one of them will click. Don’t wait until the night before your first exam and then try and learn 2 chapters of material in two hours. CHECKLISTS ARE YOUR FRIEND. Organization and time management are absolutely critical to nail down in order to succeed. The best way of doing this is logging all your assignments and due dates as soon as you get them, and managing your workload day to day with a list of tasks to accomplish, rather than letting everything slip through the cracks. There are also one-on-one Time Management session available if organization truly is not your forte. Contact Library staff for more info. DON'T SKIP CLASS. If you miss your alarm and sleep through once or feel genuinely sick, then don’t worry about it, but try to avoid skipping if you don’t need to. DON'T FORGET TO BREATHE. One of the best things you can do is take a short chunk of your day just to get outside and clear your head. No matter when you can squeeze it into your routine, you’re bound to benefit from it in some way. Following any single set of lists is not going to make your college experience a breeze. It is going to have its ups and downs, and that’s what the experience should be. Everyone deals with their own form of challenges, but it is those same challenges that make the experience so exciting. Without challenge, there would be no opportunity to grow or learn from the past to give ourselves
a better future. What your freshman year should be about is carving out a path for your future. The decisions made and the connections formed will be critical in defining the years to come.
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STUDENT LIFE
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STUDENT LIFE
NEW TO CAMPUS BY MEGAN BOMBA
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e’ve all been there: stepping into Brubaker Auditorium, overwhelmed by the cheering and the sheer amount of tables to navigate. We’ve all been there, and we’ve all had expectations as we embark on the new journey that is college. Freshman elementary education major Rachel Yoder knows exactly what to expect as her older brother, Josh, also attends Messiah. She knows her way around after visiting Josh on multiple occasions. “I’ve seen all of the dorms pretty much, the new gym, and all of the [academic] buildings. So yeah, I’m pretty familiar with campus,” Yoder says.
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Not only was her brother helpful in familiarizing her with campus, but he also aided Yoder in picking her classes for the fall. “Josh helped me so much with [scheduling]. He wrote it all out and helped me pick times and professors,” she says. For her First Year Seminar, Yoder chose Every Leader Follows. “I think that’s interesting because I see myself as a leader in a lot of aspects of my life, so I want to learn about that,” Yoder explains. Yoder is not too worried about classes since she did well in high school, but she will work to find a balance between school work and extra curriculars.
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“I am a little nervous about it, but I was pretty good in high school, and I’ll make time for all of the school work. I played soccer in high school, so I might play club or rec soccer, or any of the other rec sports,” she says. Having a brother on campus will be beneficial in Yoder’s eyes: “I think it will help; I can always go to his apartment for food and stuff.”
Not all incoming students have the luxury of knowing campus so well before they move in or having a sibling nearby. First-year accounting major Max Martin had come on a few visits previously, but he was not as familiar with Messiah as Yoder.
That will not hinder Martin as he has faced tougher circumstances in basic training to be a Marine. “I graduated in 2017, so it’s like I had a year off, but not really because I was [in training],” explains Martin. He will continue to complete training throughout the year for his position. Martin is most looking forward to meeting new people this year. “I’m excited to get back with peers and see where other people come from, whether it’s Pennsylvania or the entire United States,” says Martin. Hailing from under an hour away, Martin is not far from home. His mother was delighted at his decision to come to Messiah after he was already committed
STUDENT LIFE
to a military institute. Martin was swayed by a spring visit and meeting with wrestling coach Bryan Brunk and since has not questioned the decision. Martin will be wrestling for the Falcons this winter in the 157 weight class. “Hopefully I can get enough varsity matches in or just practice as well, get back in the groove of things. And just hopefully roll around with a bunch of guys I’ve never seen before,” says Martin of his hopes for the upcoming season. Martin remains optimistic about balancing his schedule between classes, wrestling, and marine reserve obligations. “I just have to get organized and find what works for me, so that will be the most important thing that I’m trying to figure out,” says Martin. Martin was in Latvia when scheduling for classes occurred, making it difficult to get the classes he wanted. With the help of an upperclassmen friend, he managed to get basic requirements fulfilled. His first-year seminar is Indiana Jones-themed, which plays into his adventurous personality. “They do some archaeological dig at the end of the semester, so I just thought that would be cool. It got me excited,” Martin says of his FYS.
Sophomore transfer Caitlin Knapp would have also graduated in 2017 like Martin, but Knapp originally attended Concord University in West Virginia. She found that she did not agree with beliefs that the institution held. Knapp had considered Messiah before her final decision, and she felt that it would be a better fit for her. “I was looking at Messiah when I was a freshman in high school, and I was obsessed with it. I bought a bunch of gear.
When I was a senior, I decided that I was not ready to take that step financially,” Knapp tells of her history with Messiah. When it came time to choose a new school to attend, Messiah was Knapp’s top choice. “Because of everything that went wrong at my old school, I was like, ‘This is the place for me, and this is where I’ve always wanted to go,’” Knapp says. Knapp will be continuing to study psychology, which she hopes to use one day to become a criminal psychologist. Even though she has a year of college under her belt, Knapp is nervous for classes. At the same time, she is excited that faith will be incorporated into what she is learning. “I know that my faith is going to be incorporated into the classes because I’ve had issues with viewpoints at my old school. I’m excited that people will have the same mindset here,” Knapp explains. Speaking of faith, Knapp hopes to join YoungLife this year. She also hopes to join the tennis team here to continue playing at the collegiate level. There are a variety of stories to be told by the incoming class; these are just three of many. We’ve all been there: apprehensive, yet stoked to meet new people and experience new things.
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WELCOME, CLASS OF 2022. WE HOPE YOU FIND COMMUNITY IN THOSE WITH SIMILAR STORIES HERE.
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My Story RICHARD CRANE
in
BY MAEGAN NEGRON
a predominantly secular education system that more often than not cannot provide room for Christian learning, it is important that we as Christians evaluate what we are doing to bring well-rounded education into our society. Who are we permitting to teach? What do they believe? How can they leave an impact on students that will not only empower them to take what they believe by the horns and run with it, but also make an impact on the world around them? Meet professor Richard Crane; this is his story:
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“I was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. I grew up going to church and from the fourth grade to high school I had one fundamental interest: sports. I wasn’t very good, but I enjoyed them and played anyway. Growing up in church I was not a singer, or musician, so I read books. Specifically the Bible. I read the Bible during the church service because I was bored and my parents would not let me reading anything else during the church service. I found a fascinating world in the Bible and wanted to understand the world better. By senior year my interests were rock music, heavy metal, and the meaning of life from the Christian perspective. This was the first time I had an interest other than sports. I didn’t know where to start so I picked up Plato’s Dialogues
and a book on Psychoanalysis, Norman Brown’s Life Against Death just to try and begin to understand the world around me. I wanted to tie my education with my faith. In order to discover the world around me in an accurate way, I needed to understand what and why I believe. Why am I a Christian? I find the life, teachings, and practice of Jesus to be beautiful and persuasive in a way that is mesmerizing. He courageously, without a weapon in hand, speaks the truth to abusers. He seeks those who are on the the edge of debt, slavery, and poverty and chooses to heal them. The ones who feel worthless are treated with dignity and restored. What mesmerizes me about Jesus is that on the cross he looks like he’s been defeated. However,
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the resurrection is what held Him and still holds me to Christianity. His resurrection is the promise that God is more powerful than any destructive force. It is God’s promise to right wrongs—to bring accountability and justice. We as humans cannot rectify or heal the past; only the God who can bring people back to life can heal. I chose to teach because teaching matters, and because teaching is about encouraging students to see what has not yet been seen in their lives. To allow students to see the world through a different lens. For me, we can only… act in the world we see and imagine because if what we see is narrow and distorted, we will bear “bad fruit.” I love teaching because I love students [who] address the hard questions. Faith is a dynamic living conversation. When we [interact] with broader numbers of voices, we are more likely to understand God more faithfully. I love when students say ‘I never thought about that before.’ I long to give insight. I chose teaching because of how much it matters, but I chose to teach college students because of how much they matter. The questions I ask require a certain level of maturity, and what attracts me to college students is how
decisive their season of life is. Up to this point, what you believe is shaped by those around you. College is where you venture out, but this does not mean you have to venture without guidance. It is in this stage in life that I believe that as a teacher I can provide a resource, guidance, and impact without being a parent. Sometimes students feel guilty when they doubt, and I want to help students realize they aren’t drifting away from God but revealing how much they do care about Christ. The unsophisticated answer as to why I chose to work at Messiah is because Messiah had a job. The reason I stay, however, is because Messiah is unique. There are many schools that only have one way of interpreting the faith. Messiah is committed to the faith but is a place where there is an openness and ability to disagree and problem solve and creatively express beliefs. I am allowed to be myself and ask the difficult questions. I am allowed to have my own mind. I like that I can teach as a committed Christian but at the same time be candid in the classroom and on campus. I wish to so impact students that they impact the world. Most of Christianity reads the Bible in a straight jacket. I
and it can sometimes feel nearly impossible to get enough motivation to finish the good work that has been started.
BY CELICA COOK
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chool is back in session and that means papers are going to be due, projects need to get done and late nights spent at the library might cause you to drag yourself half-dressed to your 8 a.m. the next morning. Getting that degree takes a lot of perseverance,
Galatians 6:9 offers some encouragement in this area of life saying, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Nothing good comes easy and getting a college education is no exception. Trust in what the Lord says and remember that a harvest is coming if you hold on and keep pushing forward.
want students to see the narrative in the Bible. I want students to see that we are called to make things right. I want students to evolve in their field and in their faith. I want my students to walk away with the ability to apply their lives into God’s will for them. I want their lives to become their vocation. In regards to my own vocation, I hope to write a really integrative book about salvation. I believe that we as Christians have problems that I would love to bring insight to. I would love to write on faith and economics. As a teacher, I believe I have made impact in the past, but as I revise methods and content each year, I wish to greatly impact each new wave of students. I wish to create a dynamic open conversation with each and every class. My ongoing goal is for students to be excited about what happens in the classroom. Quite honestly, I don’t know how to think any other way than as a Christian. I want to be a person who builds other people up. By God’s grace, I hope I am a person who engenders love and is a conduit of God’s love. I hope that I am ultimately a person who can be enriched and to enrich others.”
Furthermore, the Lord calls us to “work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24). So during the course of the rest of this fall semester, keep your thoughts on the harvest to come and take heart during the difficult times. Remember that the Master you serve is on your side and that all you need to do is lean on Him for the strength you need to persevere. THE SWINGING BRIDGE
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NEW FACES
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STUDENT LEADERSHIP BY DAKOTA VAUGHN
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fresh school year doesn’t just mean new textbooks, classes and roommates—it also means new faces in leadership roles around campus. The SGA has five new cabinet members who are ready to give the campus community a fresh perspective. I sat down with Todd Abbott and Marianne Ramirez Gomez, the new Student Body President and Vice President, to talk about what the journey was like from the election to starting their roles, as well as their hopes and goals for this year.
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What area of your platform are you most excited to work on? MARIANNE: The whole calendar of activities
that we're going to have so students can see what's going to happen. One of my visions for this was so students can get more involved. I think it will make more inclusion between students that might not be the same. TODD: That'll be rolling out as soon as
possible, along with the new version of MCSquare. We're excited for the "Today at Messiah" feature, which will help spotlight what events are going on for students, and how they can keep track of all the different things going on amidst a plethora of mass emails.
You guys mentioned when you were running that you hoped to bring real fruit smoothies back to the union?
I've heard some people on campus saying that they voted for Todd because they wanted to see you (Marianne) in office. Why do you think some people might say that? MARIANNE: Honestly I think it's because
on the outside, what people see is he's a privileged man. He is white, he's a male, straight, Christian. He has all the qualities of a privileged person. And sometimes because we are human, we judge people based on how they look instead of how they actually are, instead of getting to actually talk to them. I got to know him from [working together in] admissions. Not from anywhere else. So I got to see who he was from the beginning.
I feel like some people may have misinterpreted your genuineness when you were campaigning, Todd. Why do you think that might have been?
So where do you see SGA at the end of this year? MARIANNE: I think WiFi is going to be
improved, smoothies is going to be done, [and] a visual calendar on the website. I believe that the progress that JC [JamieClaire Chau] and Megan [Eaton] did last year with bringing people closer together... really brought unity. I believe by the end of this year, we will see some more. TODD: The [SGA] team we have in place
this year is so incredibly exciting. The strength of all six vice presidents is truly exciting to think about what we'll be able to tackle this year with open mindsets and servant hearts.
INCOMING MEMBERS: What fresh take would you like to give your position this year?
MARIANNE: That’s already done!
It’s coming! TODD: We brought back yogurt based
smoothies to the Union, which we'll be debuting this fall, as well as pasta in the Falcon. We're really excited about those.
SGA is all about representing and advocating for those who've been given less visibility on campus. How do you plan to expand those things on campus?
TODD: Regardless of what form it took, the
interest in student government [during the campaign], the role that the whole student body took in paying attention to what was going on? I would much rather some tension and some excitement than some apathy and an uncontested election. I'll take that any day.
What would you say to someone who has a desire to be a part of SGA but might not feel qualified?
TODD: It's a fine line because we want to
MARIANNE: Go for it! Because if I'm
make sure every student is heard, and sometimes when some students want to be heard, that makes other students feel less heard. We're here to keep our door open and make sure that we are addressing every concern as it comes before us. We're never going to push something aside. We're never going to put our own interests ahead of what students have come to us with legitimate concerns about, regardless of our feelings.
qualified, anyone else can be. Messiah is a place that if you want to get involved, you can. You have all the opportunities to get involved. TODD: Whether or not it's SGA, the key is
to have your interest sparked somewhere and to find a club that you want to join or be a part of. That's one of the things that makes Messiah so distinctive is the plethora and the support behind our student clubs. The amount of student leadership positions that we create gives us such a leg up on these services that we're able to offer. Take full advantage while you're here. Find your niche.
HORACIA CARRYL, Incoming Vice President of Diversity Affairs
“I’d really like to reinvent the Civil Discourse series. It was really great last year, but I feel like there’s a little bit of tweaks we could add to it to make it better, make it more inclusive, and just make it a good space for conversation.” TIM MAHONEY, Incoming Chair of the Student Review Board
“This year we’re looking at how we can take a whole-body perspective to the student review board and the rules that affect the students.” LOGAN BUFFINGTON, Incoming Vice President of Finance
“I’m looking to make this position about more than just numbers. I think it would be really interesting to expand upon clubs and how we can help them, not just in financial ways, but in other support as well.”
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WHY MESSIAH? BY CHARMAINE LIM
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efore school starts and everyone returns to campus, a group of students arrive early for orientation. They fly in from all around the world to Messiah College, ready to begin their transition into a new culture before classes start. These students make up the population of international students who arrive from different countries every year. Many of them say goodbye to their home country and fly from halfway around the world to come here for their college education. For many of them, the choice to come began with hearing about Messiah College through other people. “I remember President Phipps coming to visit our school once and giving a talk during one of our Christian fellowship sessions,” Joo Yee Lim, junior nutrition and dietetics major, said. “And that was when I first heard about Messiah.”
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Lim is part of a larger group within the international student community from Malaysia, and like many of her fellow Malaysians, she attended Methodist College Kuala Lumpur (MCKL) before coming to Messiah. “It’s a Christian school, which is pretty rare in Malaysia, since Malaysia is officially an Islamic country,” Lim said. “The CEO of our college had good connections with Kim Phipps, the president of Messiah College, so there were already ties between the two schools.” Over the past few years, MCKL and Messiah College have worked together to bring many Malaysian students to campus, both as freshmen and transfers. The partnership between the two schools has led to the steady flow of Malaysian students arriving on campus each year, creating a wider reach for wordof-mouth amongst the parents back home. Even then, there are a few rare cases in which Malaysian internationals find themselves at Messiah after hearing about it from someone closer to home. “I had two siblings who came before me,” Ryan Sum, junior international business major, said. “But before that we had a family friend who sent their son here. He was one of the first Messiah people [from Malaysia] who increasingly brought more Malaysians.” However, while the Malaysians are the largest population within the internationals, Messiah has welcomed students from over 30 countries. For a lot of these other internationals, their connections here are more personal and direct.
“I actually heard about Messiah through a friend,” Maluki Mbesa, senior marketing major from Kenya, said. “One of my friends, who is a student here as well, kind of introduced me and told me she was coming here.” Though many of the internationals share the experience of coming into a new country and adjusting into the new culture, their reasons for making such a big move are different. “The only thing that really drew me here was the whole Christian side of Messiah,” Mbesa said. “To be honest, it wasn’t my first choice. My original plan was to go to South Africa. They had a great school there that I was accepted to, but it wasn’t Christian.” Mbesa’s story is not unique, as Lim shared a similar experience before applying here. “After I did my A-levels, I knew that I wanted to go abroad, but America was not the country I was considering,” Lim said. “It was either the UK or Australia. I remember thinking ‘I don’t want to go to America.’” Though it may seem strange for both Mbesa and Lim to decide to come to Messiah after initially looking into colleges in other countries, both were drawn in by the scholarships that Messiah was able to offer them as part of their education. “We do have scholarships so that every student not only gets an academic scholarship, but also international needbased scholarships,” Heather Keefer, Associate Director of Admissions and International Recruitment, said. “Not every school does international scholarships. Almost everyone does scholarships for academics, but it’s nice that we can offer it. I think every little bit helps.”
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“The thought of starting a new life was both scary and exciting,” Sum said. There may be struggles for each international student during the process of moving from one country and culture to a completely different environment, but there is also a great reward in taking such a leap.
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“For me, I discovered the reasons why I came to Messiah after I came here,” Lim said. “In hindsight, I had wondered why God decided that Messiah would be a good place for me. I realized that, considering where I was emotionally and spiritually, I would not have been able to handle school in the UK.”
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Like many American students, the decision to choose a college based on the scholarships available is what can make or break a college. For internationals, it can be one of the most important decisions before a student decides to travel halfway around the world. In other cases, it’s the programs that Messiah offers that draw students to campus. “I was looking at business and there was potential here,” Sum said. “I’ve heard a lot of people say business here is very good. One thing was the IBI program, which I just went on [this past summer]. None of the schools around actually have it in the U.S. Messiah is one of the very few.” “I came in as a communications major,” Mbesa said. “But I’ve always enjoyed the business side of marketing and sales. One of my communications professors actually helped me move to marketing because they thought communications was good for me, but from the way I seemed to act and the ideas I had, they thought ‘Hey, maybe you should try looking into marketing, it sounds a lot more like what you want to do.’” One could ask the question of whether a program or major would make it worth it to move halfway around the world. There are many new things to take into account when moving to a new country, like finding friends and setting up a bank account for the first time.
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In an effort to make the transitioning process easier, the Admissions office and the Intercultural office work together during international orientation to prepare both students and families for the next step. “It’s not only for internationals, MKs and TCKs, it’s also for their families,” Keefer said. “We build that community so that if parents want to experience that, we have meetings with the safety department, with Don Optiz and they get to be involved in the meetings where they talk with the registrar when they open a bank account or get a cellphone.” Though the process of moving to a new country is scary and exciting for many of the internationals, it also provides them with a unique experience and many great stories to share. Each student comes in with a different background and a different story, ready to face something new for the first time. “I think if I could say something to incoming students, it would be to reach out for help,” Keefer said. “People want to help you, but they don’t know what you’re struggling with unless you say something.” The next time you see or meet an international student, take a moment to ask them about their story.
Every student has one to tell, and every one is worth listening to.
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BY MEGAN BOMBA hen you think of the Internet, you may think of it as a portal to information. You may think of it as a lifeline to connection with people. Even further, you may be so deeply attached to it that you cannot imagine life without it.
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there once was a time— and not that long ago— that people were expected to get by without a Wifi connection. Your parents can tell you about it, or maybe you even remember it yourself. Curiously enough, in the beginning conception of the World Wide Web, computer scientists did not think that our current iteration of the Internet would be possible. According to Jaron Lanier, computer philosopher, social media defies the early considerations of computer science. Norbert Wiener, an early computer scientist and mathematician, wrote a thesis about how computers could gather data from people and then spit out feedback almost immediately. Does that sound familiar? Well, it is. Think about social media for a second: when we post a photo on Instagram, we receive likes or comments in just minutes after hitting the upload button. The photo and caption are the information, and the feedback comes in the form of likes and shares and comments. Wiener hypothesized that we could never reach this point technologically, and if we did, it would be catastrophic to humanity.
“One could imagine a computer system where people have devices on them all the time, and the devices are giving them feedback on what they just did, and the whole population is subject to a degree of behavior modification,” Janier paraphrases Wiener in a TED Talk from April of 2018. Wiener goes on in his thesis to say that such a society would be insane; it could not live that way. It seems that Wiener’s thought experiment was wrong. We have managed to survive as a society in this technological age. Of course, we have defied the beliefs of those in the past. We still seem to be missing flying cars, but that is beside the point.
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Another study completed in 2016 and found in Computers in Human Behavior states that within the study of 1,700 people, the researchers found, “a threefold risk of depression and anxiety among people who used the most social media platforms.” This begs the question: is the version of the Internet we know and love actually as detrimental as proposed by Wiener? The Internet has had its pros, but its cons have created many issues in the way of mental health as well.
There were a few reasons behind this, those being the tainted view of others’ lives they saw on the platforms, as well as cyberbullying experienced. Neither of these topics should come as a surprise, but they should also not be taken lightly.
Lanier argues that our social networks have become tools to modify our behavior. We are driven to get likes and when we don’t, the post is deemed a failure and may be deleted. We are filtering ourselves so that we get more likes on a given status or tweet or picture.
So what can be done for this Internet-obsessed world? We can’t simply get rid of the web altogether; it is ingrained in society to the point of no return. What can be done is to take a step back from technology and reflect on how it makes you feel. A deeper, inner discussion about the motives behind having an account on a certain site or behind a specific post needs to happen. A good rule of thumb is if it is not “life-giving,” it is not worth it.
In a study conducted by Igor Pantic of the National Institute of Health, self-esteem was negatively impacted by the use of Facebook. This is due to the fact that the primary reason for the site is self-representation. People with lower selfesteem were more active on the site as they sought affirmation from their friends and followers.
Lanier leaves us with this: “We have a challenge. We have to create a culture around technology that is so beautiful, so meaningful, so deep, so endlessly creative, so filled with infinite potential that it draws us away from committing mass suicide.” While his message is on the darker side, it is a reality that comes from the technological age.
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WILL STARBUCKS’ LATEST GREEN INITIATIVE PRODUCE IMPACTFUL CHANGE? BY MADELINE SPIVEY hen you order from Starbucks sometime in the near future, you might notice a standard item missing from your beverage. The company has recently decided to phase out plastic straws, opting for a newly-developed, recyclable lid.
Some may be wondering, why target the plastic straw? With nearly 500 million of these utensils used in the United States alone every day, their supposed “necessity” has come into question. When they are thrown away, they have detrimental environmental effects, especially on wildlife.
Starbucks plans to implement this change in all of their storefronts. This transition will begin this fall in a few select locations, including Seattle and Vancouver. The remaining locations will phase out straw usage and completely convert to the lid by the year 2020.
According to National Geographic, “Their size makes them one of the most insidious polluters because they entangle marine animals and are consumed by fish.”
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Looking to reduce this hazard, Starbucks took action.
“By nature, the straw isn’t recyclable and the lid is, so we feel this decision is more sustainable and more socially responsible,” Chris Milne, Director of Packaging at Starbucks, said. The issue extends beyond the plastic materials used for straws. Brandon Hoover, the Director of Sustainability at Messiah College, is aware of the peculiar nature of the straw. “Straws cause problems,” Hoover said. “If you think about it, they are never used except in food service settings. Few households have straws in their cupboard as part
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of standard housewares. Even though we don’t need them in any other context, we’ve created a sense of need for straws to consume our overpriced cold beverages that come in large plastic containers.” To put it simply, they are not necessary to one’s consumption of a beverage. The fact they are used on such a large scale should cause alarm. Starbucks’ decision, publicly announced on July 9, has raised some questions. Some have asked what this means for disabled individuals who might actually depend upon the straws. Starbucks addressed this concern, noting that there will be the option to ask for a straw, a new kind that will be made of paper or other compostable materials. Another, perhaps more open-ended, question arises: how impactful will this change be? After all, Starbucks is essentially replacing a plastic straw with a plastic lid. It seems that the 8 million tons of trash that end up in the ocean each year will remain nearly the same. In light of this reality, the coffee chain seems hopeful.
“Starbucks is finally drawing a line in the sand and creating a mold for other large brands to follow,” Milne said. “We are raising the water line for what’s acceptable and inspiring our peers to follow suit.” While it might not have a large physical impact, perhaps such a change will urge both individuals and businesses to be more environmentally conscious. Hoover drew attention to another aspect of this change, cautioning consumers and producers against settling for small initiatives, “Modern Americans like to create a singular villain for problems that we’ve all created. This singular villain gives us a cathartic feeling when it is finally dealt with. Straws, in the consciousness of Americans, have become one of those villains. The mounting piles of plastic straw waste, a portion of which ends up in the Pacific Ocean, is a problem that needs to be dealt with and Starbucks is attempting to do their part to reduce the impact of plastic straw waste. The challenge with dealing with straws blinds us to the larger issue of single use disposable plastic.” The question remains: what else can be done?
Starbucks is working to develop more eco-friendly materials for their products, contributing 10 million dollars to the NextGen Cup Challenge. This industry-formed consortium has issued an “innovation challenge and accelerator program” to create a new cup for hot and cold drinks that is easily recycled and compostable, as well as reduce raw material use and encourage reusability. Hoover believes there are other approaches that should be considered as well. “Instead of eliminating straws, which despite my critique, I applaud as a step in the right direction, I think Starbucks (and all other food establishments) should start to put incentives in place for reuse over disposable,” Hoover said. “Just as a plastic bag tax in certain cities reduces the number of plastic bags in the landfill or caught in trees, we should begin with a tax on poor behavior. Starbucks drinks are expensive enough already and continually increase in price, but people still buy them... why not add a little extra cost of all that plastic being used for five minutes and disposed of shortly thereafter?” Though Starbucks has taken a step in the right direction, it is important not to accept this change as an easy fix to a complex problem. Whether a college student or an international corporation, all should strive toward reducing their environmental footprint.
Starbucks is not the only one trying to be environmentally conscious - Messiah College is working to decrease their environmental footprint in multiple ways. As a student, you can be intentional in the way you consume and dispose, from the dining hall to your dorm room. Here are just a few ways you can take action on campus: Take care when throwing something away. Take the extra second to check whether it should be thrown out, recycled or composted, and then take the steps necessary to dispose of it in the most eco-friendly way. Bring your own mug when getting a drink at Café Diem, the Union or the Falcon. If you are interested in volunteering with the Food Recovery Network, where they work on donating food from Lottie Nelson Dining Hall, reach out by emailing sustainability@messiah.edu and ask how you can help. THE SWINGING BRIDGE
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a new kind of
ST U D E NT AT H L E T E BY ROBERT BOUFFARD
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ife can have a funny way of surprising us. Activities that we pick up as children can turn into a hobby to which we keep coming back. The hobby can then turn into an obsession where we cannot help but become consumed by the details. Eventually, the obsession turns into a passion—a passion felt so strong that much of our strength, time, and attention is devoted to it until we become the best. For senior film major Sam Eisenhower, this sequence has been true of his love for roller hockey. “I first got into roller hockey when I was four years old,” Eisenhower says. “My uncle introduced my [older] brother and I to hockey, and we both loved watching it and playing with our little plastic sticks in the driveway.” After his first encounter with the game, Eisenhower’s parents got him involved in organized roller hockey. They tried roller hockey over ice hockey merely because it was less expensive. “We went to try it out and fell in love with the sport immediately,” Eisenhower says. He played other sports as well, including baseball and soccer, but they could not compare to hockey according to Eisenhower. As he began to learn more about the game of roller hockey and what it entailed, Eisenhower began participating in roller hockey tournaments to continue to develop his skills. These national tournaments have both youth and professional divisions, which allow younger players to take tips and tricks from those who have already established themselves in the sport.
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“You get to watch the best players in the game compete on the same rink that you play on, which is extremely inspiring to a young hockey player,” Eisenhower says. For Eisenhower, getting to see, meet, and learn from the older players had a significant impact. At these tournaments, coaches and other players from various teams would scout the competing teams looking to recruit the next young gun to join their team. If a young, developing player is noticed at one of these tournaments, they may have the opportunity to play for more advanced teams. Knowing this, Eisenhower worked to improve himself and his skills. Even though his team would often lose, he developed a strong work ethic and aspired to always be a team player. “Learning to lose is the best way of teaching yourself how to win,” Eisenhower says. “You learn what it takes to push yourself beyond your limits and what it takes to become the best.” Eisenhower’s work ethic paid off, and he was able to work his way up to one of the professional teams. He now plays for the Mission Black Ice. Mission Black Ice competes yearly in the PAMA Pro Invitational Tournament. The tournament offers a grand prize of $25,000 through its partnerships with State Wars, another tournament, and the Nijjar family, minority owners of the Las
Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League. In 2016, Eisenhower and the rest of Mission Black Ice battled hard and earned a first place finish in the tournament, taking home the $25,000 grand prize. This was just the second year that the tournament was held and the first time that Mission Black Ice had competed in it. Getting to the Championship game meant that hundreds of people would be in attendance, in addition to thousands more watching a live stream of the game. “It was the biggest stage I have ever played on, and my highest achievement as a hockey player to date,” says Eisenhower. “I scored a goal and an assist in the game, and it was a surreal experience lifting the cup and holding the $25,000 check after the long road it took to get to the finals. I was on top of the world that day after an incredible playoff run.” Not forgetting about ice hockey, Eisenhower played for his high school team and for Messiah’s Club team for two years, but his passion lies with roller hockey. For Eisenhower, his time at Messiah has helped him merge his academic studies with his love for roller hockey. In the future, Eisenhower hopes to bring together his passion for film and hockey by developing his own media production company that would travel to different tournaments over the summer and create high quality content for hockey companies. “I believe there is a growing market for film production within the hockey community,” Eisenhower says. “I hope to engage that market in the near future.” Sometimes something that was started for fun can take you farther than you ever dreamed. All that is needed is dedication and perseverance.
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SAM WILL BE A SENIOR FILM MAJOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR, BUT HE ALSO PLAYS PROFESSIONAL ROLLER HOCKEY. Eisenhower’s future endeavors can be followed by checking out his Instagram account @_boundlessentertainment.
PHOTO | WORLDINLINEHOCKEY THE SWINGING BRIDGE
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MEET THE NEW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS D I R E C T O R BY LILLIAN KASHISHIAN
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THEN, FENTON’S DREAM JOB BECAME AVAILABLE .
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pontaneity is one of the keys to life. Sometimes taking risks in the spur of the moment, although it may not be perfect timing, could potentially lead to something great and unexpected. For new Director of Athletic Communications Matthew Fenton, his new position was anything but perfect timing. “I had just moved across the country about six or seven months earlier when I found out that the job was probably going to become available,” says Fenton. A 2013 graduate of Messiah, Fenton took a sales job in Washington D.C. after graduation, but later returned to Messiah to obtain a Master’s in higher education with a college athletic management track. “When I came back to Messiah I had the opportunity to work in the Athletic Communications office as a graduate assistant for a couple of years,” says Fenton. With a passion for sports, and with a mentor in former Director of Athletic Communications at Messiah, Steve King, Fenton set off on his own journey to work in Athletic Administration. “I had wanted to stay at Messiah after getting my Master’s, but there was no room or role for me at the time so I had to leave,” says Fenton. “Messiah means a lot to me. I’ve spent six or seven of the last 10 years of my life here in one role or another, so this place has helped form who I am in a lot of different ways as a person and professionally. And coming back to me really feels like coming home.” “When I think about my job that I’m in right now and what I’m doing, I say the industry I’m in and the role that I’m in are kind of where my passions and interests intersect. For me, Messiah is another road kind of forming another intersection of all of these different things that I care very deeply about.” As the Director of Athletic Communications, Fenton is in charge of overseeing almost everything that you see on gomessiah.com and anything you see on social media.
“All of the game recaps, photographs, everything that goes into what you see and consume from Messiah Athletics is what comes out of our office,” says Fenton. “I say our office because it’s not just my office. It’s myself, my grad assistant Aaron Gray, and Holly Motheral is on our team. Plus, we have 15 to 20 student workers who do a lion’s share of the work for us because we can’t be everywhere at once.” During his time as an undergrad, Fenton played baseball during his junior and senior years. Reflecting upon this, he is able to draw a connection between baseball and his current job. “In my experience, taking advantage of an opportunity that was there for me to play baseball here at Messiah opened a lot of doors for me,” says Fenton. “It opened a lot of friendships that I have to this day and playing baseball gave me a lot of really good life lessons that I’ve learned. I think the same opportunities of the field that I’m in now has also opened a lot of doors for me in that sense.” This social interaction component helps Fenton thrive in his Athletic Administration role. “I’m a people person so I enjoy those relationships and having those tight knit friendships,” says Fenton. He continued, “Moving forward in that sense of this job I get to do that on a daily basis. I get to work with our coaches and student athletes. From outside of Messiah, there’s an industry of Sports Information Directors and Directors of Athletic Communications that I get to work with and interact with all the time and they have very similar passions to mine.” For those who follow Messiah Athletics, there will be a few new things to look forward to in the upcoming year. “Most of what I’ve learned has come from Steve King, so I think a lot of things will remain the same, but we’ll have some new things on social media and a couple of new series that I’d like to do on our website so we can tell the stories of our student athletes in different ways,” Fenton says of changes within the department.
To stay up to date on the latest news and for more information on Messiah Athletics, go to gomessiah.com or follow @messiahsports on Fenton’s favorite social media platform, Instagram. THE SWINGING BRIDGE
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BY LILLIAN KASHISHIAN magine this. You are flipping through your second favorite magazine (your first being the Swinging Bridge Magazine, obviously), and there is an article about the dreaded Freshman 15. Your blood pressure instantly goes up because you fear that you will gain 15 pounds during your Freshman year, and you are in a complete state of panic because you do not know what to do. Fear not, our professionals at Messiah College say you have nothing to worry about. “From my time in college, my time at Messiah, from the research I’ve read through, I would say that the Freshman 15 is certainly not a thing of actuality,” says Fitness Center Director, Kevin Ogden. “It’s more of a thing that culture has kind of dubbed. I think it’s more lifestyle issues, poor eating habits, poor exercising habits, and poor sleep habits, but those don’t necessarily lead to weight gain.”
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The term “Freshman 15” originally appeared in mainstream media in an issue of Seventeen magazine in 1989. However, prior to the publication of the magazine, the only medical research to involve first year student weight gain in college was conducted in 1985, but results concluded that participants only gained an average of 8.8 pounds.
“We may not see as much in height, but there is a broadening of bone structure, widening of hips, chest, shoulders as well as continued bone growth and mineralization,” says Campus Nutritionist Nicole Brenner. “Women put on more fat at this time to get ready to have a baby, whether they plan to or not. Men tend to put on more lean muscle.”
As the article and term gained traction, more and more magazine and newspaper outlets covered the phenomenon, while failing to mention that the “Freshman 15” was not supported with scientific evidence.
These changes are likely to translate to minor fluctuations on the scale.
While students should not worry about gaining 15 pounds their first year in college, it is natural to notice physical changes from the ages of 18 to 23 as the adult body is finishing up development.
“Freshmen gain between 2.5 to 3.5 pounds,” says Brenner. “In addition, there is almost equal growth in same age adults who do not attend college.” Rather than being concerned about gaining weight while away at school, students should be aware that there is a better chance of developing an eating disorder than gaining a substantial amount of weight, especially if students try to fight the natural fluctuation of weight.
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“For college students, a far bigger concern than weight gain is the risk of developing disordered eating,” Brenner says. “Most of the people with eating disorders are between the ages of 12-25. Body dissatisfaction, which is socially acceptable in many college communities, is the biggest contributor of eating disorders.” If you are worried about gaining weight or maintaining a healthy nutrition regimen, Messiah has the resources to help you. “Our bigger focus here within the Fitness Center and wellness in general, when freshman come to campus and even if you’re returning to campus, is just what does it look like to maintain a healthier lifestyle as you go from a senior in high school, to a freshman in college, and then as you travel through your college journey and get ready to enter the job world or grad school,” says Ogden. “How can we promote a healthier lifestyle to care for our bodies?”
Particularly within the Fitness Center, more exercise and health resources will be available to students such as a Youtube channel that has pre-programmed exercise videos that viewers can easily follow. “We’re going to use Facebook and Instagram for educational workout posts,” Ogden says. “We’re going to do a lot more out of the Fitness Center with myself and student leaders so we can be a place of accurate information that students can go to for little nuggets of information.” While you may gain a few pounds during your first year of college, it is safe to say that you probably do not have to worry about gaining the dreaded Freshman 15.
Here are some tips that you can implement as you transition to or back to college: 1. Nourish your body with a balanced meal consisting of protein, grains and vegetables. 2. Eating regular meals and snacks help to maintain a constant energy level to help power you through those study sessions. 3. Include a variety of foods and don’t exclude foods that culture labels as “bad.” All foods can fit. 4. Avoiding favorite foods can lead to binge eating and disordered eating. If you have any questions or concerns about your nutrition or fitness habits, you can schedule an appointment with Nicole Brenner at the Engle Center, or reach out to Kevin Ogden by emailing him at kogden@messiah.edu.
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ANDERSON FIELD GET S
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BY LILLIAN KASHISHIAN
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ccording to a study by FiveThirtyEight analyzing
the four major sports leagues and home field advantage, an average of 56% of the time, home teams will win a match during the regular season. In each sport, except for ice hockey, that percentage rises by about 7% during home games in the playoffs. In major league sports, fans watch teams battle to the end of the season to secure home field advantage for playoffs. To a professional sports team, home field advantage means everything, but what does home field advantage mean for collegiate athletes and teams?
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Playing at home for college athletes is completely different than playing away. “When there’s away games there’s a time commitment involved,” says junior midfielder Kristen Musser. “You have to be diligent to get work done throughout the week. Home games don’t throw off your class schedule for the most part.”
And this year, Anderson Field will be looking a little different.
Not only is there a time commitment to traveling involved, but there is more fan support when at home as well.
“The carpet seams started to show significant gaps due to wear and some areas were completely dislodged from the under layer,” says Jack Cole, Executive Director of Athletics and Fundraising.
“It’s amazing how much home field advantage can boost the performance of a team and game,” says senior field hockey defender Megan Wetzel. “Not only does the playing surface play a huge role in this, but also the fans and spectators.”
The turf at Anderson Field was due for a rebuild as an average turf surface typically has a lifespan of about eight years, and Anderson Field’s turf was pushing into the double digits.
With a collective effort between the Vice President of Operations, Development Office, Director of Grounds and the Head Field Hockey Coach Brooke Good, the new construction project was set in motion.
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“Our head coach spent a long time researching online and visiting other campuses to pick the perfect field for our standards and needs” says Wetzel. A turf that saw several successful teams over it’s 10 years underwent construction beginning in November. Rather than disposing of the old turf, it may still be used for things other than field hockey for a little longer. “The team got to take squares home as souvenirs,” says Megan Bomba, junior goalie. “Some took bigger pieces to use for practice or for family members as a putting green.” Funded by the College via capital funds and fundraising efforts by by the Development Office and Athletics Department, the new field took approximately three months to complete.
The biggest difference between the old field and the new field is that the team will now be playing on AstroTurf. A synthetic type of turf that is also used for other sports such as baseball, softball, lacrosse, and soccer, AstroTurf is built to enhance performance and to promote player safety. “It is built by putting down an e-layer that provides cushion under the turf,” says Bomba. “We previously did not have this cushion so we were essentially running on concrete covered by fake grass. Then the actual turf is installed on top and sewn together.” “AstroTurf is a much faster field to play field hockey on compared to in-fill surfaces that the majority of small college field hockey programs play on,” says Cole. “The surface will provide our student-athletes an excellent avenue to continue to excel at the NCAA Division III level.”
“It’s nice to be able to play on a field you’re comfortable with and play on at practice,” says Musser. “Our turf is faster than some of our competitors, so it gives us an advantage being used to the speed.” A new fence and bleachers were also built, so that fans can have a better experience at home games. “Even though I’ve spent my last three years on a field that led to so many successful games, I’m eager to play on a new surface where we can begin a new era of greatness for this program,” says Wetzel. “As a senior, this is our last season to give our very best, and I can’t think of a better way to do that than on a fresh, young, and electric field.” And just like that, as an old era phases out, a new era is just beginning.
When it comes to home field advantage, the field hockey team will be masters of the new AstroTurf as opposed to their opponents as this type of advanced turf is not very common among other Division III teams.
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