The Swinging Bridge - April Edition

GOT MILK? The Future of the Student Section

RAMIREZ

WELLNESS

WHY SERVE?

CULTURAL EDUCATORS

HOW

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

GOT MILK?

THE FUTURE OF THE STUDENT SECTION

MESSIAH UNIVERSITY'S AWARD WINNING STUDENT RUN

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ETHAN DYRLI

DESIGN ASSISTANT

AMBER SWAISGOOD

YEARBOOK MANAGER

LILIANA MORA

AUDIO & VISUAL MANAGER TYLER CARUSO

AUDIO & VISUAL ASSISTANT ZACH HINDS

SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR PJ RIDDELL

STUDENT LIFE EDITOR AJ JEROME

MAGAZINE

DESIGN MANAGER

ALLYSON LYNDAKER

DESIGN ASSISTANT KATE TRIMBLE

CULTURE & ARTS EDITOR MACKENZIE CHRISTIE

THE SWINGING BRIDGE THE PULSE STAFF

DIRECTOR

EMILIE RUSH

MUSIC DIRECTOR

SABRINA STANDFORD

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

DANIKA JOHNSON

BUSINESS MANAGER DOM LUCYSHYN

WEB MANAGER

ADI MANSOUR

RADIO MANAGER DANIEL LESLIE

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER PAM REINOSO

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

ETHAN DYRLI EDITOR - IN - CHIEF

All good things must come to an end.

At the beginning of this year, I talked about new beginnings, and the panic of adjusting to change. Now, months later, we have reached the end of the year. Classes have reached their peaks, friends have come and gone, and the future seems just as uncertain as it did all those months ago.

But now, as I open the April Issue of The Swinging Bridge Magazine, we look forward to the future. The pieces in this issue do the same, looking back at this year while thinking of what’s to come.

One of these pieces is our April cover story, “The Calcium Cartel,” a piece by PJ Ridell that was a joy for me to read and that I am quite excited to share with you. This piece looks at the group of underclassmen taking on the new soul of the student section for the years to come.

Other pieces, “Wellness and Rec: Messiah's Plan For Campus Fitness,” “Gomez and Glezer: Next Year's Presidential Elect,” and “Senior Spotlights” do the same, looking at the future of Messiah’s clubs, administration, and most importantly, its students. However, our articles are not the only thing looking towards the future, as I step-down from the position and pass it on to the next generation of student leaders.

It’s been a joy to serve as editor-in-chief this year, and it’s with a heavy heart that I pass the torch. However, I trust that I am putting The Swinging Bridge in the hands of an eager and excited team, led by next year’s editor-in-chief: Ethan Reisler.

This role has meant so much to me, and I am thankful for every opportunity I’ve had to make an impact on this campus. I wish you all the very best.

For the last time,

Ethan Dyrli

ETHAN REISLER

FUTURE EDITOR - IN - CHIEF

With one Ethan leaving, another comes in.

It’s with great excitement for me to be accepted as the Swinging Bridge’s next head editor-in-chief, and a greater honor to begin my work in the coming fall semester with everyone else at the Pulse.

I’m thankful for Ethan Dyrli giving me the opportunity to previously volunteer as both a column writer and an editor, allowing me to begin engrossing myself with the atmosphere of the Pulse, and its general workflow. It’s been a fantastic experience that’s allowed me to hone my craft as an English major and a writer, all in my pursuit to one day become an author.

With this changing-of-the-guard, I hope to continue upholding the standard of quality that is seen coming from the Pulse — to never stray away from the difficult conversations waiting to be given the light of day, as well as highlighting the exceptional community here at Messiah by celebrating its students and staff.

This is where I know I can apply myself to the fullest degree in every facet, and that’s exactly what I plan to do when working with my coworkers to create the best magazine we can, and produce a workplace that we’ll all look forward to spending our time together in.

Eagerly, Ethan Reisler

GRADUATION SOUNDTRACK ESSENTIALS

BY SABRINA STANDFORD

Happy Graduation season! This month’s playlist is a quintessential list of songs to celebrate your time here at Messiah and as you move onto the next chapter of your life.

Congratulations class of 2023!

Where’d All the Time Go?

Dr. Dog

Brazil

Declan McKenna

We Are Young fun., Janelle Monáe

Everybody Wants

To Rule The World

Tears For Fears

Lost In Yesterday

Tame Impala

Don’t Dream It’s Over

Crowded House

Green Light

Lorde

Bizarre Love Triangle

New Order

Dreams

Fleetwood Mac

We Made It

H.E.R.

Right Back Where We Started From

Maxine Nightingale

Walking On A Dream

Empire of the Sun

Long Live

Taylor Swift

Wild World

Cat Stevens

American Teen

Khalid

Cigarette Daydream

Cage The Elephant

On Top Of The World

Imagine Dragons

Somewhere Only We Know

Keane

Don’t Stop Me Now

Queen

Friends

Laundry Day

Spotify:

MESSIAH'S Hannah Colegrove HEROES UNSUNG

WRITTEN BY ETHAN REISLER

DESIGNED BY AMBER SWAISGOOD AND ALLYSON LYNDAKER

Finding a balance between school and personal life can be difficult — throw in a job and things get messy, but Hannah Colegrove has it all figured out.

Working as a full-time retail supervisor for the Union, Colegrove still manages to find the time to pursue a double major in dance and psychology, even into her final semester as a senior. With the past four years of working at the Union to back her up, she’s taken a new role this semester managing other students while working with other supervisors.

It takes intention to draw the boundaries between her workload and academics, making sure her responsibilities don’t bleed into one another, but with her peers as well.

“It’s very much like wearing two different hats,” Colegrove said. “I’m a supervisor at Union, and then as soon as I step out, I swap out hats and I’m back to being a student.”

Elbow grease isn’t needed when wearing the “student hat.” The Union recognises and respects her schedule around classes, and so there’s never been trouble with the possibility of homework and supervising overlapping. Besides, Colegrove intentionally planned her years at Messiah to give her the extra breathing room needed for a stress-free senior year.

When it comes to wearing her “supervisor hat,” she’s done a great job supervising fellow students, resolving conflicts in the workplace, delegating shifts and even making the posters hung around the Union. And by being a student (and a decade younger than the other supervisors), she’s gained the opportunity to get to know her coworkers on a more personal level.

“You have to get to know the students and who they are, and what roles they best fit. I have to get to know those students,” Colegrove said. A fellow retail supervisor at the Union, Adam Barron recognises the unique ability Colegrove has in her new position.

“She can talk to the students if they’re having a bad week, but some of the other managers can’t do that because of how long we’ve been out of academia,” Barron said. “She can step into their world, boost them up and help them along so they’re not derailed while on the shift.” It all came together in such a short span of time no less — Colegrove only assumed the role of a retail supervisor this spring

semester — but with four years to learn the ins-and-outs of the Union as a worker, her promotion lets her tackle the difficulties of managing others and overlooking the work done at the Union. Even now, she’s always ready to learn something new. Colegrove understands the unfamiliarity a change like this brings for others, and is constantly open to accepting advice and leadership from her fellow supervisors.

Colegrove is already cooking up plans for the future. The possibility for a gap year is still in the air, but after graduating, Colegrove is sure she’ll enroll into Messiah’s graduate program to earn her master’s degree in psychology — she wants to be a counselor and dance teacher.

“This is where I’m planning on staying. It’s a solid job that I don’t have to worry about while working for my masters degree,” said Colegrove.

Colegrove has transitioned from part-time to full-time at the Union, and although her time as an undergraduate is coming to an end, you’ll still be able to find her overlooking the Union as she studies for her master’s — poke your head in, and say hi!

PHOTOS BY ZACH HINDS

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GROUNDED

SUSTAINABLE LIVING WITHIN CAMPUS HOUSING

WRITTEN BY MACKENZIE CHRISTIE

DESIGNED BY ALLYSON LYNDAKER

In recent years, it seems as though we as a society have begun to reach a crescendo in the climate crisis. From the East Palestine trail derailment, to dangerous levels of microplastics in our food and water, it can begin to feel like sustainable living is a drop in the bucket compared to such profound environmental issues.

Just as pertinent is the economic crunch we simultaneously find ourselves within; in the past year alone, the price of eggs has increased over 70%. Other staple items that have been affected are motor fuels, airfare costs, and dairy products, to name a few. It is clear that everyday costs are growing less and less manageable.

As many of us college students are preparing for the scary world of independent living outside of Messiah, it’s time to come up with solutions to both of these crises that positively impact the environment around us, as well as our own bank accounts.

Energy usage is an area of life that racks up a hefty bill. Whether it’s yourself, your parents, or another party making those payments, the price of energy is a constant factor to keep in mind when considering sustainable practices.

Connor Touhey, Energy Coordinator of

“Electricity generation produces around a third of US energy-related carbon dioxide emissions – the single biggest contributor to GHG emissions in the country. If you improve the energy efficiency of your home or apartment, you need less electricity and thus rely less on carbon-intensive power plants.”

Luckily, there are quite a few simple ways of improving your energy efficiency.

“Turn things off when you’re not in the apartment. For instance turning off lights, fans, computers, and televisions, all help to reduce power consumption while away from home,” Touhey said. “The other large way is by turning down your heat in the winter when away from home, and using less AC during the summer by keeping the indoor temperature a bit warmer.”

Another well-known sustainability tip is taking the time to buy second hand. We’re all well acquainted with the activity of thrift shopping our wardrobes, however many people still overlook the ability to buy other goods from second hand stores as well.

Home furniture, for example, can be found at a variety of second-hand stores and websites such as the Salvation Army and Facebook Marketplace, which are some of Jowanowitch’s favorite places to browse.

“There are tons of furniture ending up in landfills each year, bringing us closer and closer to reaching full capacity in landfills,” Jowanowitch said. “Buying used items like this can help reduce waste on a larger scale.”

Finally, If you have a green thumb, caring for different types of plants can save you time and money while naturally caring for your body. Many plants that offer natural remedies are also rather easy to care for, making it a simple and effective way to engage with sustainable living.

Senior English major Molly McKim is the proud mother of a thriving aloe plant, which she incorporates into her daily skincare routine.

“I love using my aloe plant as a moisturizer for my face, and even use it for small cuts and burns when I have to. It’s great for soothing irritations and making my face feel soft,” McKim said.

the

Office of

Sustainability, wants students to know that mindfulness in the realm of energy usage is a crucial element of leading a sustainable life.

“The environmental value of saving energy in its most pure form is being a good steward,” Touhey said. “Stewardship in the realm of energy is being discerning and deliberate with our use of our natural resources.”

Anna Jowanowitch, a sophomore Education Major, feels that second-hand shopping allows her to find items that match her personal style, while participating in a more ethical form of shopping.

“Secondhand items have a sense of character and uniqueness that you can’t find from regular stores, and it doesn’t empty your bank account…when buying from a thrift store, that money you spent usually goes towards helping others in need rather than big corporations that are involved in mass plastic production,” Jowanowitch said.

Though our current environmental and economic crises might be daunting, particularly for young adults emerging into an uncertain world, no act is too small when it comes to sustainable living. From buying unique antiques, tending to greenery, and just turning off the lights, our planet (and wallets)

RAMIREZ GOMEZ & GLEZER

NEXT YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECT

WRITTEN BY MACKENZIE CHRISTIE

DESIGNED BY ALLYSON LYNDAKER

Things are looking bright for the 20232024 academic year as we welcome in our new Student Body President Moises Ramirez Gomes and Vice President Ashely Glezer. Ramirez Gomez, a junior International Business major with a Music minor, and Glezer, a junior International Business and Marketing double major, have big plans as they embark on their final year at Messiah.

Both Ramirez Gomez and Glezer reveal that running for their respective positions was not initially on their radar, but the opportunity presented itself nonetheless.

“Throughout my time here at Messiah, I've had the privilege of serving in different scopes and seeing different perspectives, and through that, certain individuals whom I look up to asked me ‘Hey, have you considered running for president?’” Ramirez Gomez said.

“The truth is, I didn’t until they brought it to my attention, but because of that, I realized it was an opportunity that I wanted to go for. That’s when I asked Ashely to run with me.” Glezer seconded his notion, adding that a large part of her motivations to run alongside Ramirez Gomez were to foster a love of leadership and engagement amongst the rest of the student body.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY RAMIREZ GOMEZ & GLEZER CAMPAIGN

“As a student at Messiah coming in during COVID, then navigating that different world and seeing Messiah flourish out of that environment, I saw the need for students to feel educated about leadership on campus through SGA,” Glezer said. “Being involved with leadership and seeing how important that is, I want to bring those opportunities that Messiah offers to everyone.”

As the pair prepared to begin their campaign, they identified one singular word that the rest of their work would fall under: devotion.

“Our whole campaign fell under the word of devotion, and that is the idea of being devoted to one another in love and action. Under that comes three specific words; to reconnect, refocus, and revive. This is just the idea of reconnecting SGA back to the student body,” Ramirez Gomez said.

“Along those lines of engagement, our campaign was less about what we want to specifically change about Messiah, and more so what we want to bring awareness to. There’s so much that SGA and Messiah as a whole have to offer, but so few people know about our resources and who they can talk to,” Glezer said.

Ramirez Gomez mentions that the team’s desire to connect with the student body in a more personal way was a core component of their campaign process, as well as their goals for next year.

“The reason why I asked Ashley to be my VP is because she has been one of my closest friends since freshman year, and what we want to bring to the table is the idea of being that friend and a listening ear to all the individuals on campus,” Ramirez Gomez said.

“We connected on that immediately, and we started talking right away about how we could pursue that goal.”

Of course, as the duo prepare to assume their new positions, there will always remain elements of uncertainty and challenges on the road ahead.

“It is a big position, and if anything there still remains this fear of not being good enough, because you are representing the whole student body,” Glezer said. “I’m so excited and honored to be elected as a voice for Messiah’s

population, but also humbled to know that there are so many voices out there, and I just need to fulfill this role to the best of my ability.”

“My biggest fear is the idea that I am a representative of the Messiah community, not just myself and my organization, the idea of making sure that I represent Messiah to its fullest potential,” Ramirez Gomez said.

“Additionally you lose the chance to make a first impression with people as an individual, because everyone will already know your name. That made me scared at first, but at the end of the day my desire and goal is to serve the community, and that is what I have to strive for no matter what.”

Aside from the challenges that these roles will present, both Ramirez Gomez and Glezer have hearts full of excitement and passion for the new responsibilities they are about to embrace.

“I love just talking to people and meeting people, and I think this opportunity I’m going to have to meet new students and learn how I can best serve them, and how we can foster that space where they feel like they are being seen and cared for,” Ramirez Gomez said.

“I’m so excited about the opportunity to represent the student body as a friend…we’re both very extroverted and involved people, and I don’t expect anything to change about that once we step into these positions,” Glezer said. “I’m excited to empower everyone on campus to advocate for what they need, and most importantly we want to build Messiah up to the best it can be through the commitments we are making together.”

PHOTOS BY TYLER CARUSO AND ZACH HINDS

Wellness & Rec Wellness & Rec

MESSIAH'S PLAN FOR CAMPUS FITNESS

WRITTEN

BY ETHAN DYRLI DESIGNED BY AMBER SWAISGOOD

PHOTO BY TOWFIQU BARBHUIYA ON PEXELS

Getting involved with student programming relating to wellness, exercise, and mental health may look different for students next year. Starting next semester, Wellness and Rec, the executive organization aimed at providing programming for wellness of mind, body, and soul on campus, will no longer exist as we know it.

But what does that mean in practice? Well, for those concerned, the programming formerly provided by Wellness and Rec is not going anywhere. Instead, the club is splitting up into independent clubs instead of continuing as one executive organization.

This change comes shortly after the Wellness and Rec’s formation. Created in 2022, the organization was formed by students to combine a number of independent clubs focused on wellness: Minds Matter, Outdoors Club, Intramural Sports, and certain aspects of the Fitness Center.

According to Kris Hansen-Kieffer, Vice Provost for Student Success and Engagement, these changes came due to a restructuring of positions as Messiah implements part of the current University strategic plan related to community wellness designed to bring in revenue and provide experiential learning opportunities for students. This initiative has two main outputs: the development of community engagement in the fitness center and the launching of PREP - Preventative Rehabilitative Exercise Programs.

Hansen-Kieffer, who received a Master’s in degree in Exercise Science from South Dakota State University, will transition from her role as Vice Provost to the newly created role - Director of PREP.

“The whole concept of PREP is, people are covered by their insurance from a certain point, and then they are kind of dropped from their insurance and don’t know where to go to continue their rehab, exercise,” Hansen-Kieffer said.

Kevin Ogden, Director of Community Wellness Initiatives and Campus Recreation, is excited for PREP’s ability to provide a home for those who find themselves between the care they received during billable coverage and expensive paid-out-ofpocket service.

“I think there’s some individuals who don’t feel comfortable in either,” Ogden said. “They don’t feel comfortable in the gym, they don’t have the money to pay me $100 per session for physical training, or it just doesn’t fit with them, they don’t want that.”

This program will allow for both internal and external clients to use Messiah’s facilities while following an individualized exercise plan designed to be completed in the fitness center. It will also provide opportunities for students from the department of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Science to pursue internships within PREP, as well as opportunities for Occupational and Physical Therapy students to work with clients with Parkinson’s.

In addition, the Fitness Center will continue to provide community members access to the Falcon Fitness Center, much like they would with any other gym membership.

“You can imagine, some of those populations can come when the fitness center’s not being used as much,” Hansen-Kieffer said. “We have these big gaps where nobody is up there.”

In this restructuring, the duties of professionals within the fitness center were shifted to accommodate the new initiatives. This included Ogden’s role, which previously was responsible for advising Wellness and Rec. According to institutional policies implemented by SGA, in order for an executive organization to remain executive, its advisor must be a member of the COE with their advisor responsibilities written into their job description.

“To hit certain strategic initiatives, it was no longer in my job description to advise the executive org. Wellness and Recreation.” Ogden said. “It’s a significant part of my job description, so being able to find someone else on campus that they would be able to write in that significant of a job duty, it was just impossible to find.”

Without an advisor, Wellness and Rec was faced with the difficult news that it would not be possible for Wellness and Rec to continue as an executive organization.

According to Kate Kreiger, president of Wellness and Rec, the news that Wellness and Rec would have to change course didn’t come easy at first.

“Initially, there was a bit of shock because we didn’t see it coming when we were first told,” Kreiger said. “But once you sit in it, it’s kind of out of anyone’s control.”

After deliberating with each other, with their teams and with their advisors, they decided that the best option was for Wellness and Rec as a title to cease as an executive organization while allowing each club to continue independently. Minds Matter will pursue executive status again, Outdoors Club is reverting back to a chartered club, and student wellness will be handled by the Student Wellness Executive, a new position under SAB.

Other programming is being continued by different offices on campus, such as Intramural Sports, which will continue to operate under the Office of Student Engagement.

According to Faith Swarner, President of Minds Matter, the Wellness and Rec team is confident in each of their club’s future. Still, seeing Wellness and Rec go so soon isn’t easy.

“We’ve just done so much and we’ve grown a lot with each other and with our leader this year, Swarner said. “And it was just really sad to hear that that would be ending and we wouldn’t be able to grow it into the future that we were seeing it go towards.”

As an executive organization, Wellness and Rec received a larger portion of funding, including funding that allows for certain leaders within their club to be paid through a Leadership Grant, designed to compensate student leaders for the time they spend on programming. Executive status also includes more support and interaction from other executive organizations and professional development opportunities.

While Minds Matter is likely to continue as an executive organization next semester, Outdoors Club, which was chartered prior to coming under Wellness and Rec, is committed to pivoting back to chartership. However, losing that financial and institutional support isn’t something that concerns Lauren Parrish, current President of Outdoors Club.

“I think the more time goes on and the more I am in dialogue about what comes next for the Outdoors Club… I am less and less concerned,” said Parrish. “There isn’t anything we can’t do on our own.”

“Executive status sounds like the best thing possible on paper, but I think sometimes, when you look at your individual club and the needs of your team and of the student body, you can actually function just as well.”

The sudden change in the clubs future raises questions about how much of a club’s future depends on them maintaining an advisor in their position. According to Hansen-Kieffer, if a club’s advisor were to retire or stop holding that position, the process of deciding how to fill that role would fall to the Dean, the Provost.

“There would be a process of the Dean and the Provost, and whoever is deciding, ‘Hey, the next person we hire, are we going to give some loading,” Hansen-Kiefer said. “It would have to be this weighing of all the things to decide if they would do that… that would be a big conversation.”

On the other hand, Hansen-Kieffer explained that while restructuring of roles or losing an advisor could impact the future of executive organizations and clubs, the input of students also plays a major role.

“It’s true that reorganization could impact it, it’s also true that students could decide, 'That's not an executive organization anymore,’ or ‘We’re not going to give money to that anymore,’” Hansen-Kieffer said.

As for the present situation facing Wellness and Rec, Student Body President Pauline Deutchue Tchouako sees this as a learning moment in providing students with the opportunities to voice their opinions on changes to student programming in the future.

“From the club perspective, I’m wondering if this will discourage people from trying to be executive clubs,” Deutcheu said. “Because this is a new executive, they all came together, formed something, and then it fell apart very quickly even though the student leaders were working very hard to keep it together.”

“From the university standpoint, we’ve given a lot of feedback and should something like this happen again, we’ve already been assured that their way of handling it will be

very different, because a big part of it was this lack of communication. Everything happened very quickly, and it was just hard from the student’s perspective.”

Going forward, the Wellness and Rec team are working with their advisors and teams to look towards the future and carry on with the forward momentum they worked to establish this year.

“Even though things are changing, we’re trying to move forward in another direction that will move just as well,” Swarner said.

For Swarner, being a part of Wellness and Rec will give Minds Matter a new perspective on holistic wellness that she hopes will carry into next year.

“I’m really confident that our new advisor and our new staff will be able to work with what we have and what we’ve learned from working with well and rec to make just a really good Minds Matter and to positively impact the campus,” Swarner said.

Despite undergoing so much change, the Wellness and Rec team remains confident in their plans and in the fact that no student programming will be dropped.

“Outdoors Club and Minds Matter will still have programming, it might look a little different, and student wellness will still have its own programming as well,” Kreiger said. “But it will still be there, so that’s what matters.”

"Even though things are changing, we're trying to move forward..."

PHOTO BY

TOWFIQU BARBHUIYA

ON PEXELS

-Faith Swarner

why serve? THE ORIGINS OF SERVICE DAY

WRITTEN BY PJ RIDDELL DESIGNED BY AMBER SWAISGOOD

At the turn of the century, Messiah officially began the tradition of Service Day - a day off from classes to allow students to take advantage of opportunities to serve in the local community. But with the end of the semester drawing near and final papers and exams looming, it can be easy to simply take the day off to catch up on work or just do nothing.

Caleb Miller, assistant director of the Agape Center, acknowledges that the busyness of college can make taking advantage of Service Day a challenge for those not required to participate.

“I think it's easy for students and employees to kind of get caught up in the responsibilities that require the most of their attention,” Miller said. “In the midst, sometimes service gets lost in the shuffle.”

While one may be tempted to simply take the day off, Miller encourages members of the Messiah community to see the day off as a reminder that Service Day emphasizes accessibility of service opportunities.

“Having a day like service day helps remind and show students that this is something they can really access as a part of this campus,” Miller said. “It's not too hard to get involved directly through Messiah activities or with local organizations in ways that you're passionate about.”

Miller sees Service Day as an opportunity to build on the traditions of service established by Messiah’s founder, S.R. Smith.

“Our founder S.R. Smith had an orphanage that he ran, and that was partnered with the school,” Millers said. “Those components of our faith were never lost on the institution, even from the very beginning and all the way up until now. I think that's really cool.”

What service looks like at Messiah has certainly changed since its founding as a missionary training school. Gina Hale, who took the position of Agape Center coordinator in 2021, was tasked with facing a significant challenge in continuing the tradition of service at Messiah following the pandemic.

“This year, we really wanted to emphasize [Service Day], we wanted to educate people about Service Day because of the several years that it didn't happen, and people didn't experience it as a first year student,” Hale said. “I kind of wanted to do a reboot.”

Prior to the pandemic, first-year students were prompted to participate in service by assisting with hosting the Special Olympics on campus. The past two years following the pandemic, CCC classes have pivoted to participating in Service Day activities benefiting local organization Caitlin’s Smiles.

The organization, founded by Cheryl Hornung, provides bags of crafts, or “bags of smiles,” for kids in local hospitals. Students have had the opportunity to help put those bags together, including making personalized cards for kids in need. Several Messiah students have found this project to be personally impactful because of their own ties to the organization, having benefited from Caitlin’s Smiles themselves.

“Last year, four different students talked to [Cheryl Hornung] after Service Day about how they had gotten a bag of crafts, or someone in their family had,” Hale said. “It was a reality for them that they were touched by the organization; that was a cool thing.”

Beyond required service for CCC classes, Miller has experienced the impacts of service at another project, Love The Hill, that regularly takes place in Allison Hills in Harrisburg.

“Having a group of 20 plus individuals being able to restore dignity to a property, or a place, or someone's home…it’s an opportunity just to see how restoration can work and how it can give back to the people that are actually a part of that community,” Miller said.

The personal connections between students and those that they serve at service sites on and off campus is something that Service Day Assistant Courtney Luckenbill, a senior, appreciates, especially as someone who didn’t experience Service Day as a first year due to the pandemic.

“I think we oftentimes don't realize how much of an impact we're making by doing what to us is a simple task,” Luckenbill said. “But those can have such a big impact…just hearing those stories from others is still impactful.”

Like Luckenbill, a current senior, a large portion of Messiah’s student body - students who were first-years in spring of 2020 or 2021 - never experienced serving alongside their CCC classes. The hope of those at the Agape Center, like Luckenbill, is that if students just take the initiative to join in a service group, a spark to serve beyond just Service Day will ignite.

“Hopefully by giving people that experience, they can see how they were able to impact others…and maybe pursue [serving] more often even when there's no day off,” Luckenbill said.

For those who didn’t get to serve this year, or are looking forward to next year already, Service Day 2024 is set for April 4, 2024.

The Multicultural Council is an organization at Messiah’s that serves as a space for multicultural and international students, celebrates different cultures, and works toward reconciliation.

HOW MCC BALANCES EDUCATION WITH COMMUNITY

WRITTEN BY AJ JEROME DESIGN BY LILIANA MORA

While MCC is used as a way to connect different students to spaces and people who are similar to them, the council also has the job of educating the student body on cultures they may never have come in contact with before. With two very different purposes, how does MCC make sure that there is a balance kept among the wants and needs of Messiah?

Annabelle Dionisio is a senior English major at Messiah and this year’s Chair of MCC. As the chair of MCC, her job is to make sure that the balance of safe space and education is being met. These two jobs can be tricky to uphold at the same time.

“To best serve the entire campus community we also have to serve as educators and that is very difficult at times because honestly what I want to do most of the time is just relax and have fun and spend time with the other multicultural international students,” Dionisio said.

Yet, the purpose of MCC does not stop at having fun with other multicultural students. Being a minority on a campus that is over 80 percent white can be challenging at times for multicultural students. Even students with good intentions can ask questions that place unneeded stress on minority students.

“It's good to have MCC there, run by multicultural students who opt-in to educate their peers,” Dionisio said. “It is so much better than just having students go up to random multicultural students and ask them questions. I think it's a good way to continue to encourage well-meaning students to learn more but not put that pressure on just an everyday student.”

Ammanuel Tamrat is a senior computer science major who currently holds the position of PR Officer of the African Student Union, which is a subsection of MCC. According to Tamrat, MCC can provide students of color a sanctuary of similar people that can understand them in a way that most places at Messiah cannot.

“As a member of different MCC clubs, I have seen how MCC brings together students with diverse cultures and creates a space where they can feel understood and accepted,” Tamrat said. “MCC allows students to express themselves and talk about their cultures without fear of being judged.”

has no closed doors. Everyone

Senior psychology major Abraham Torres-Ayala, the Vice Chair of MCC, shares the responsibility of creating a space where students can come to be understood in a way most of Messiah’s population cannot give them.

“As a safe space and a facilitator, it’s a lot of interacting with people of different backgrounds,” Torres-Ayala said. “My one policy is that MCC has no closed doors. Everyone can walk in, everyone can benefit from this.”

MCC’s purpose doesn’t stop at connecting multicultural students. Throughout the school year, MCC holds various events, like the International Gala, that are focused on exposing people to cultures they may not have an understanding of and reconciling different groups of people through education.

“The events that we hold have a dual purpose,” Torres-Ayala said. “They are supposed to be that exposure but they are also supposed to educate people as well. So we do our best to meet people at the level they're at.”

Tamrat agrees that MCC is a useful cultural educator for not only the white population on campus, but also between multicultural students.

can walk in"

-Abraham Torres-Ayala

“Most of the education happens between members of MCC, which is mostly multicultural students learning about each other,” Tamrat said. “However, we also get interest from non-MCC members which allows us to educate on our cultures. Being an educator on a predominantly white campus can be challenging, but MCC provides a platform where we can share our experiences and educate others about our cultures.”

A word that Messiah uses regularly is reconciliation, and while the burden of reconciling culture groups should not only be the responsibility of MCC, the education they provide can be a helpful tool in connecting across cultures.

“We try to meet people where they are at and try to slowly approach the idea of we live completely different lives because the background that a lot of us grew up in was completely separate worlds,” Torres-Ayala said. “And they often don't merge well together. You have to find that in the Christian spaces- how do you merge them together in a loving way?”

SENIOR SPOTLIGHTS

WRITTEN BY MACKENZIE CHRISTIE

DESIGNED BY KATE TRIMBLE

WHAT ARE YOU MOST GRATEFUL FOR FROM YOUR COLLEGE CAREER?

I am very greatful for the amount of different opportunities I have recieved through Messiah, both academic and just for fun! I was able to start a small buisness from participating in the University's Impact Venture Challenge, and formulated a band through participting in a Coffeehouse with my friends sophmore year. I would encourage everyone to participate in Messiah's events and activities if they can, becasue it can lead to great oportunities you would not have dreamed of otherwise!

CODY FORD

Politics & International Relations

ALYSSA PYE

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MESSIAH MEMORY?

My favorite Messiah memory is from my first semester on campus, I had just joined EYAS and we took a group trip to Roundtop to go tubing. It was my first introduction to a real, personal, community on campus.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE CLASS OR ASSIGNMENT, AND WHY?

My favorite class was US-Latin American Politics with Dr. Lauermann. Not only did we travel to Ecuador and explore a new country and culture, but we also went to help consult a non-profit in the country and establish a donor base for it here in the states! Not to mention, the President of Ecuador also accepted my connection request on LinkedIn!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR FRESHMAN SELF?

Embrace the unknown: College is a time of exploration and discovery. Don't be afraid to try new things and step outside of your comfort zone. Take classes that interest you, join clubs that align with your passions, and attend events that expose you to different perspectives. You never know what you might discover about yourself and the world around you.

Studio Art

PHOTOS BY TYLER CARUSO

WHAT ARE YOU MOST GRATEFUL FOR FROM YOUR COLLEGE CAREER?

I am most grateful to Messiah for giving me the tools to inform my faith. The classes, material, and instructors have all broadened my knowledge of Christianity, religion, and Scripture, and have cemented my faith in Christ.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR FRESHMAN SELF?

Networking, networking, networking! As a freshman, do not be anxious about talking to anyone, especially your professors. They are there for you to grow and succeed! Take advantage of office hours, drop by for visits, and meet new people. Put yourself outside of your comfort zone!

ALENA DUNCAN MOLLY M C KIM

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE CLASS OR ASSIGNMENT, AND WHY?

One of my favorite classes was my Shakespeare Survey class with Dr. Smith. While the class was difficult, reading one play a week and then writing two single spaced papers about each play, the class sparked my love for Shakespeare and made me more interested in language and how to use it within my writing.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR FRESHMAN SELF?

Some advice I would give my freshman self is this: be confident in yourself—mentally, physically, emotionally, and psychologically. You will get through and overpower everything you’re scared of. Keep an open mind and learn everything you can. You’re still learning about yourself, be gentle and caring.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST GRATEFUL FOR FROM YOUR COLLEGE CAREER?

I'm most grateful for the balanced instruction from my English professors. They gave me space to grow and offered guidance when either approach was needed most.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR FRESHMAN SELF?

Advice I would give to my freshman self is learning when to hold on and when to let go. Certain opportunities are only meant to be in your life for a season, and that's more than okay. The journey we find ourselves in is nonlinear.

THE FUTURE OF THE STUDENT SECTION

WRITTEN BY PJ RIDDELL

DESIGNED BY AMBER SWAISGOOD

PHOTOS BY TYLER CARUSO AND ZACH HINDS

Just two years ago, fans were prohibited from attending Messiah athletic events in-person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, in 2023, some fans show up to games in milk carton costumes.

How the times have changed.

The herd of about 15 carton-clad fans prefers to be referred to as The Calcium Cartel or Milk Mafia, as their Instagram account indicates. But how does a group like this come to be, and why dress as milk cartons? There wasn’t much thought to it, according to first-year Jamie Ogburn.

“We thought it would be really funny to have opposing teams come [to Messiah] and see milk cartons in the student section,” Ogburn said. “It would be intimidating in a really stupid way.”

The crew’s presence combined with their antics add to their effectiveness, says first-year Brent White.

“We don’t say anything vulgar or disrespectful, it’s all in good fun,” White said. “The goal is to get in [opponents’] heads - as soon as they acknowledge us, it’s over.”

Shortly after buying the milk costumes on Amazon, the crew began to make their appearances at Messiah basketball games late this past season, prompting entertained, yet confused reactions from spectators, athletes, and administrators.

Brooke Good, Messiah Athletics’ associate athletic director as well as head coach of the field hockey team, was initially skeptical of the dairy-dressed crew, but her concerns soon turned to optimism.

“It started from a place of ‘Who are these kids?’ and ‘Please let them not be a problem,’” Good said. “They checked all the boxes; they’re going to be loud, they’re going to bring the energy, and they’re committed.”

The Calcium Cartel themselves had concerns at the beginning as well, especially being all first-year students. One member of the crew, sophomore Alex Mihalenko, recounts the group’s worries on day one.

“Walking in [to Hitchcock Arena] the first time, we were like ok, either no one is ever going to talk to us again, or people are going to like us,” Mihalenko said. “We have to bring the energy, we have to own it.”

Own it they did, and soon after they began making appearances, a wide range of supporters, from local high school students to Kim Phipps, have cheered on Messiah’s teams along with the cartons.

“I’m very encouraged that we’ve been taken to with a positive attitude,” said sophomore Christian Locy, another member of the Calcium Cartel. “Kim Phipps came over and talked to us and told us she loved what we were doing…that motivated all of us to keep it going.”

“It’s the ultimate seal of approval,” Ogburn said of Phipps’ support. “We can’t stop now.”

The support helps, but that’s not the main goal of the Calcium Cartel. Locy and the group noticed a need for a more intense student section at Messiah sporting events.

“We’re all first-years, so we’re new to the Messiah sports scene, but we noticed the student sections weren’t totally amazing,” Locy said. “So we figured we’d try to fix it.”

The current Calcium Cartel is all part of the same friend group, but the goal is to expand the group beyond themselves.

“Right now we’re focused on the ground layer, and hopefully this will inspire more people to join in and make it a tradition,” White said. “If we can get a whole section of milk cartons heckling the opposing team, that would be amazing.”

The arrival of the Calcium Cartel is a timely one according to Brooke Good, as the athletic department has been in talks about building up student support at sporting events.

“It was perfect timing because within athletics we’d love to build a student section; something that’s robust, has leadership, that would travel well and be present,” Good said. “It gives our students something to be a part of, something to belong to, and to cheer on our student athletes.

The Calcium Cartel’s influence has already been proven to go beyond just the Messiah student body too. The first non-student fan wearing a milk costume showed up at Hitchcock Arena for the women’s basketball NCAA tournament games in March while the main student group was away on spring break.

“There was one member, I guess, of the Calcium Cartel in the stands - a young community member, maybe ten [years old],” Good said. “He was so pumped to be there…

the influence that these young men have had just by coming to those basketball games was really really cool to see.”

While calcium is most notable for building strong bones, the Calcium Cartel wants to build strong traditions in Messiah athleticsones that outlast their time here as students.

“If we can get it to a point where when we’re gone, people are still doing this, we want to build a tradition,” Locy said. “We want to build a noteworthy student section for Messiah… and build the experience for everybody else.”

WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE

TO HAVE OPPOSING TEAMS COME AND SEE IN THE STUDENT SECTION

-JAMIE OGBURN

"

"

REALLY FUNNY MILK CARTONS

ALBUM REVIEWS

DESIGNED BY KATE TRIMBLE

ONE THING AT A TIME MORGAN WALLEN

M organ Wallen is back with the already successful “One Thing At A Time,” Wallen’s third studio album. The album is everything you’d expect from a pop-country record. Well, except for the fact the album is a miserable 36 tracks long, an almost two hour runtime. While not a regular country listener, I committed myself to listening to the whole album. Twenty minutes in, I was already bored and deeply regretting my decision.

Most of the songs are unremarkable, sometimes painful to sit through. Some tracks are genuinely worth a listen, but you’ll have to dig through hours of “meh” to find them. The album’s bloated tracklist makes this album feel more like an attempt at saturating the country charts than an attempt at a cohesive body of work. I don’t care how good Morgan Wallen thought the songs were, no album needs 36 tracks.

BY ETHAN DYRLI BY EMILIE RUSH

SWARM NI'JAH

"T his is not a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, is intentional."

This is the message that welcomes viewers into the world of “Swarm,” a new Amazon Prime series spearheaded by Donald Glover. While it speaks to the plot of the story, it also speaks to the original music featured in the show. Repetitive, rhythmic, and raunchy; fictitious mega-star Ni’jah does a good job of channeling the hypnotic vibes of her real-world counterpart; Beyonce.

The album plays with female empowerment and confidence in a characteristically Beyonce fashion, where the answer always seems to be realizing you’re the best thing to have ever happened. In the show, the music shines, but none of the songs hit hard enough independently to make me consider adding them into my routine playlist. Watch “Swarm” for sure, and if you’re ever cleaning up a lot of blood, might I suggest turning on “Sticky”?

FANTASY M83

shows in the instrumentals and layered harmonies. There are moments in the album that are forgettable and seem repetitive, especially as the album progresses. But there are also moments in the album that will make you stop what you are doing and just listen. This album is worth the listen just for the production, but don’t expect it to have a lasting impact on your music library.

BY AJ JEROME

ENDLESS SUMMER VACATION

MILEY CYRUS

E ndless Summer Vacation, Miley Cyrus’ eighth studio album, is to young angry divorcees what Adele’s 30 was to soulful middle-aged women. But unlike the grace and earnest of 30, Endless Summer Vacation is gritty, skippable, and somewhat annoying. Cyrus blares out expletives in her valley-girl vocal fry in a way that sounds more like a middle schooler learning to curse than a grown woman making music, and the lyrical quality of her songs is better described as a half-hearted attempt at being catchy.

The opening track, “Flowers”, is somehow already aggressively overplayed despite being out for less than 6 months, and the tracks that follow aren’t much better. The one redeeming feature of the album is the demo version of “Flowers”, which offers a more raw and authentic version of Cyrus’ vocals and emotional experience. Overall, the album isn’t my favorite, but it seemed to be cathartic for Ms. Cyrus. That’s what matters, I suppose.

BY EMMA BANE

* THESE SATIRICAL ARTICLES ARE STRICTLY SATIRE