The Oakland Post 10.12.22

THEOaklandPOST Oakland University’s Independent Student Newspaper

Rochester, Michigan

Volume 48 l Issue 8 l October 12, 2022

Environmental Justice

Sustainability rally gets visit from student protestors Page 3

PEOPLE OF OU

Motown’s newest voice, Dion Jackson Jr, shares his journey thus far PAGE 6

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER ESTRADA

SHHHH!

Is Krege’s 4th floor too loud for students looking for a quiet place to study?

PAGE 8-9

SHOP OF HORRORS

Meadow Brook Theatre’s presents “Little Shop of Horrors” PAGE 11

THIS WEEK

2 | OCTOBER 12, 2022

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

EDITORIAL BOARD

Gabrielle Abdelmessih Editor-in-Chief gabdelmessih@oakland.edu Tori Coker Content Editor toricoker@oakland.edu

Megan Parker Managing Editor meganparker@oakland.edu

EDITORS

Sophie Hume Co-Photo Editor sophiahume@oakland.edu Christopher Estrada Co-Photo Editor cestrada@oakland.edu Brock Heilig Sports Editor brockheilig@oakland.edu Arianna Heyman Features Editor aheyman@oakland.edu Joe Zerilli Campus Editor jzerilli@oakland.edu

WHEN AUTUMN LEAVES BEGIN TO FALL... A glimpse of the beautiful fall foliage on campus GABRIELLE ABDELMESSIH / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Gabby Gappy SciTech Editor gabriellegappy@oakland.edu Bella Javier Arts Editor isabellajavier@oakland.edu

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Sam Poudal Distribution Director spoudal@oakland.edu Melanie Davis Distributor

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REPORTERS

Elizabeth Foster Graphic Designer

Payton Bucki Reporter

DJ Lester Reporter

Jennifer Wood Graphic Designer

Summer Weathers Reporter

Olivia Chiappelli Reporter

Rachel Yim Reporter

Autumn Okuszka Reporter

Leticia Cezário Santos Marketing Director lsantos@oakland.edu

CORRECTIONS CORNER: The Oakland Post corrects all known errors of fact. If you know of an error, please email editor@oaklandpostonline.com.

ADVISING

Garry Gilbert Editorial Adviser gjgilber@oakland.edu 248.370.2105 Don Ritenburgh Business Adviser ritenbur@oakland.edu 248.370.2533

CAMPUS

OCTOBER 12, 2022 | 3

BOT discusses scholarship opportunities, economic development ARIANNA HEYMAN Features Editor On Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, the Oakland University Board of Trustees (BOT) met to discuss new initiatives, scholarship opportunities and economic development.

President Ora Pescovitz presented her report, which included the introduction of a new scholarship being offered to prospective students. New students will have the potential to receive the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, where they could be awarded funding up to $5,500.

“We hope that this will be widely disseminated,” Pescovitz said. “This is based on need, but we want all students in Michigan to be aware of this and it is really exciting for us.”

Pescovitz also introduced a new spirit initiative which she hopes will gain traction. “Golden Grizzlies Saturdays” encourages faculty and students to wear OU, merch every Saturday to show their OU pride. “[Everyone] can be walking billboards for Oakland University,” Pescovtiz said.

She also presented information from a Detroit News article on Michigan’s “brain drain”, which revealed that many Michigan college students leave the state after graduating. This report disclosed positive news for OU however –– 86.38% of OU graduates remain in Michigan.

“We’re very proud of the fact that our students, for the most part, remain in Michigan, and that is something we work very hard to ensure,” Pescovitz said.

Finally, Pescovitz addressed Sustainability Awareness Month, which promotes OU’s goal of sustainability through various on campus events such as panel discussions and rallies.

“We are building awareness of the multilayered approach to creating a sustainable campus, a sustainable community, and we very much believe that it is our responsibility to create a sustainable world.”

The BOT also heard from Vice President for Research, David A. Stone, who presented information on OU’s new Research and Innovation Center which will be operational in the winter semester.

As reported by the Post in 2020, the BOT previously approved the $3.715 million purchase of 2817 Research Dr., located four miles south of campus.

“We’ll begin moving faculty in [for] the winter semester and we hope this will be a catalyst for

PHOTO BY OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

larger scale projects as well as deeper industry engagement,” Stone said. “It’s almost 50,000 square feet of new lab project and meeting space to support work in mechanical, electrical and industrial engineering as well as computer science.”

Before the meeting adjourned, Greg Jordan, director of OU’s Recreation and Well-Being department, addressed the board on behalf of Meadowbrook subdivision residents regarding the potential development of east campus.

“We would like to express our concern for OU’s position on providing easement for the possible widening of Adams Road,” Jordan said. “We believe there are reasonable alternatives to congestion, traffic flow and safety on Adams that does not require widening between Walton and Avon. These projects have the potential to significantly impact the community, the environment and the quality of life in the subdivision neighborhood.”

Jordan requested that the BOT take the time to hear from subdivision residents before any development occurs.

“We the residents of Meadowbrook subdivision, are requesting that the board and administration consider a recommitment to the process for these proposed development plans,” Jordan said. “Such a process would include community input, public comment, an online survey, transparency and engagement to obtain as much input as possible with constituent groups.”

The BOT had no comments for Jordan and it remains to be seen if the concerns of the Meadowbrook subdivision residents will be addressed.

Sustainability rally gets visit from student protestors PAYTON BUCKI Campus Reporter

Throughout the month of October — recognized as ‘Sustainability Month’ — Oakland University will host a variety of events that promote sustainable living within the campus community. On Oct. 4, a Sustainability Awareness Rally was hosted by campus leaders next to Elliott Tower from 11:30-12:30 p.m. to mark the beginning of the event calendar.

Chris Reed, the director of the Oakland Center (OC), kicked off OU’s first annual recognition of Sustainability Month with a call to order. Reed explained that the purpose of the rally was to inform individuals about current sustainability initiatives and introduce some key environmental justice leaders on campus.

Steve Waterfield, the director of OU Athletics and an advisory board member of the OU Sustainability Plan, took the stage next. Waterfield highlighted the importance of community involvement of students, staff and faculty when it comes to achieving campus sustainability.

“Sustainability is a very broad topic — there are a lot of areas involved,” Waterfield said. “It takes

a team effort to achieve these goals, so it is important that each individual focus on what they can do personally to advance OU’s goals.”

OU President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz explained that on-campus sustainability has been a big priority of hers in recent years. She spoke about the committed individuals on campus, each of which will play an important role in furthering OU’s sustainable aims.

“It is important that Oakland University become a model for other universities,” Pescovitz said.

During Pescovitz’s speech, a group of students walked around Elliott Tower holding cardboard signs. This group of peaceful protesters was formed by students who expressed concerns about how the East Campus Development project will impact sustainability on campus.

“When we heard that this event was happening, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to challenge the administration to, essentially, put their money where their mouth is,” a student protester said. “Lately, it feels an awful lot like President Pescovitz and university administration care more about their profits than their university community. We only protested those speakers who we feel are active threats to our future.”

After Pescovitz’s speech, two OU

Student Congress (OUSC) members took the stage to discuss the concept of sustainability through student perspectives.

Andrew Romano, OUSC president, spoke passionately about preserving natural spaces on campus.

“We must put planet over profit and value nature for what it is,” Romano said. “We must not develop East Campus for money.”

Chiara Nava, the OUSC director of sustainability, spoke specifically about OUSC initiatives on campus.

Nava explained that the planting of the pollinator garden next to the OC allows pollinating species to flourish and sustains plant growth.

Representatives from Campus Alliance for Sustainability and the Environment (CASE) explained various opportunities available to students interested in environmentalism on campus.

Following the CASE presentation, various individuals shared spoken word poetry and their personal involvement with campus sustainable initiatives.

Reed returned to the podium to end the rally by providing closing remarks. He explained that sustainability should not end with the month of October; rather, it is imperative that we support environmental justice initiatives

throughout our lives.

Throughout the month of October, OU will be hosting a variety of events designed to educate students about sustainability. In order to reach OU Sustainability goals, community members are encouraged to use their newfound knowledge to develop sustainable practices of their own.

PHOTO BY CHRIS ESTRADA During Pescovitz’s speech, a group of peaceful protestors walked around Elliott Tower holding cardboard signs protesting the East Campus Development project.

CAMPUS

4 | OCTOBER 12, 2022

CAIR partners with International Oasis for leadership summit JOE ZERILLI Campus Editor Oakland University International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) teamed up with International Oasis to host a leadership summit on Sept. 24 as part of OU’s Creating American-International Relationships (CAIR) program.

CAIR, previously the Host Family Program, aims to provide resources to international students who come to OU to continue their studies.

International Oasis (IO) shares similar ideals and sees international students at OU as potential world leaders.

“IO is very appreciative of the partnership with OU’s ISSO department,” James Abraham from IO said. “Together, we will positively impact the trajectory of every international student at OU.” “We see future CEOs, government officials and other leaders of society coming out of this group of international students that attend OU,” he said.

“With that in mind, we wanted to help them identify the hidden leadership qualities in them, and that is why we hosted this event.”

Most of the day was centered on leadership training, with general introductions and a small training session on cultural awareness. The summit was led by Tina Black — an author, public speaker and leadership coach.

“She did an outstanding job spending the whole day with the students, explaining seven steps to be a successful leader based on her book ‘Be Amazing,’”

Abraham said.

“I think she was an ideal fit for the event — she exhibited a high level of expertise,” student Afeez Abdulrasak added.

Part of the session included breaking down the word success and using each letter as a guide to leadership. Some of the phrases were: ‘understand your value,’ ‘choose your focus’ and ‘stop making excuses.’

For Noor Ahmed, it was ‘change your channel’ and ‘stop making excuses’ which stood out to him.

“If you see you are spending most of your time or part of your time with people who you do not

PHOTO BY OAKLAND UNIVERSITY CAIR, previously the Host Family Program, aims to provide resources to international students who come to OU to continue their studies.

want to become like, then you should change your channel, you should change yourself, you should change your company,” Ahmed said.

Abdulrasak is an early childhood education major and Ahmed is a computer science major, so being a leader is important to both of their majors — but it also applies to practically every profession.

Abdulrasak said the training will help him understand the environment better, as well as with understanding the differences people have and, “owning the process.” This breaks down to not having to wait for certain things to be discussed, but in general making a 20 second effort.

As for Ahmed, he compared his major to people with the same major at home in India, remarking that the societies are different and how you interact with these societies is important. He also mentioned the three best words you should be saying: “help me out.”

Both said they felt the summit helped increase their knowledge on leadership and can see themselves as a leader in the future. Ahmed said he found out what his own strengths and potentials are, and even areas in his personality which were ignored.

“Learning is a continuous thing and you need to start from somewhere,” Abdulrasak said. “With the training, it’s a process that has placed me on the good standard to be a global leader.”

All together, the summit was well-received, and both IO and ISSO put on an important event for those in attendance.

Students share spoken word at SPB’s Open Mic Night PAYTON BUCKI Campus Reporter

Oakland University’s Student Program Board (SPB) hosted a Spoken Word Open Mic Night in the Gold Rooms of the Oakland Center on Oct. 6 from 7-9 p.m. Katie Kramer, a notable poet and social justice activist, was welcomed to the OU community as the host for the event.

Christian Udeozor-Nweke, SPB’s creative director, began the event by introducing Katie

Kramer as the host of the night. Udeozor-Nweke also reminded students about SPB’s upcoming Silent Disco Night and encouraged attendees to help themselves to the complimentary drinks and desserts provided by SPB. Kramer took the mic next and asked the audience to participate in an act she called the “Great Migration,” encouraging individuals sitting near the back of the room to move to tables closer to the stage. She explained that the purpose of the “Great Migration” was to create a more inclusive, intimate atmosphere for all individuals, especially those who decided to perform.

Once everyone was settled in their seats, Kramer welcomed everyone to the event and introduced herself. Kramer told students that she was a dedicated activist and a queer woman, bringing her personal experiences and identities into her poetry.

After speaking about her extensive experience traveling and performing spoken word, Kramer reminded students that anyone with any level of experience could perform. She encouraged students to step outside of their comfort zone for the night and read their poetry or share personal stories on stage.

To break the ice, Kramer shared a poem of her own. The topic of her spoken word was her grandmother, whom she conflicts with ideologically, but loves regardless.

“One Christmas, I received a card from my grandmother that included my female partner’s name beside mine,” Kramer said. “Grandma, when was it that you learned to stop flinching in the rain?”

After sharing her heartfelt poem, Kramer shared some of her experiences when performing her spoken word to the public. She explained that individuals tend to throw items onto stage as a sign of respect to the performer.

“During a show, I was in the middle of my first poem, and I heard a thud on stage,” Kramer said. “It was a woman’s prosthetic leg!”

Kramer also shared her tumultuous high school experiences in a poem that highlighted several of her biggest childhood memories. She told attendees that her past experiences, especially the negative ones, impacted her greatly as a person and influence her current writings.

For the rest of the night, Kramer passed the microphone to various student volunteers. Some chose to retell personal stories, while others decided to share their own poetry.

Many students expressed that they were nervous to engage in public speaking, worrying that they would perform badly or stutter their words. However, after each participant completed their piece, they walked off stage with a newfound confidence.

“I had never been to a spoken word night before, so it was a really exciting experience,” OU junior Katie Pugh said. “I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised to hear all the amazing poems my peers had prepared.”

Kramer’s goal of the night was to give students the opportunity to express themselves free of judgment. Given that each attendee walked out of the event with a beaming smile, it was clear she achieved what she had intended.

FEATURES

OCTOBER 12, 2022 | 5

Klein Center, WGS, Latinx ERG present abortion clinic documentary ‘On The Divide’ TORI COKER Content Editor The Oakland Center Habitat was rife with thoughtful discussion on Tuesday, Oct. 4 as The Klein Center, Oakland University Women and Gender Studies (WGS) and the OU Latinx Employee Resource Group (ERG) presented a screening of Maya Cueva and Leah Galant’s documentary, “On The Divide.”

The film chronicles the stories of three Latinx individuals, detached on a number of views but linked by a mutual connection to Whole Woman’s Health — the last abortion clinic to have been open on the U.S./Mexico border. Located in McAllen, Texas, the since-closed clinic was, at the time of filming, the only option for people in the area to get an abortion.

The main subjects of the film are Mercedes — a volunteer at a local anti-abortion center and a prominent figure in her church’s anti-abortion movement who was talked out of getting an abortion years prior by a protestor — Denisse — a volunteer escort at Whole Woman’s Health, motivated to continue fighting for access to safe abortions by stories of lives lost due to unsafe ones — and Rey — a security guard for Whole Woman’s Health who was kicked out of his church and physically attacked by a stranger in retaliation for his employment with the clinic.

The range of perspectives depicted within the film were among its most intriguing factors for Chiaoning Su, associate professor and director of The Klein Center.

“It’s interesting, because when we think about abortion — at least for myself — I think [of it] more as a political trope for mobilization. I didn’t really think about the personal aspect and how this could be someone’s life journey,” Su said. “Rather

than seeing this as a purely political issue, [viewers can] dive deeper into the human aspect of the issue, the personal journey, [and] no matter what your position is, have more empathy for people on the other side.”

The film follows the three subjects’ journeys over the course of several years. Viewers are privy to an anti-abortion center’s relocation to an address just three doors down from Whole Woman’s Health, a powerful Handmaid’s Tale-inspired protest of antiabortion Texas Senator Ted Cruz led by Denisse and fellow clinic volunteers and glimpses at some of the everyday tensions that surround abortion clinics.

Each character sustained a lot of growth throughout the film’s duration, both as a result and in spite of their ties to either side of the abortion debate. Regardless of personal stance, viewers can identify a perspective or experience to resonate with — and might be surprised just how moved they are by all three stories.

Associate Professor Rebecca Mercado Jones currently serves as a faculty fellow for The Klein Center, a WGS affiliate faculty member and copresident for ERG. She proposed the idea to screen this film, inspired by her position on the board of Planned Parenthood of Michigan and aiming to focus an event on the history of matters which concern the organization, such as abortion access.

She felt this documentary perfectly fit the bill.

“It’s important whenever we have these conversations [...] to think about — it’s not just you and me,” she said, “it’s about thinking about vulnerable populations in society who are harmed in this larger conversation about reproductive justice.”

The screening was succeeded by a virtual conversation with co-directors Cueva and Galant.

The duo answered audience questions, discussing the origins of their collaborative efforts within a college classroom, advice for how to get into

PHOTO BY CHIAONING SU Mercado Jones introducing “On The Divide.”

documentary filmmaking and the heart of their intent with making this film.

“Once we heard about this clinic, we got in contact with the clinic workers, because we wanted to talk to them and hear their insight,” Cueva said.

“One thing we thought to do was to really ask them what stories they [felt were] being left out or misunderstood in the movement or about the work they do — and they told us that no one had ever asked them that before.”

The event also featured tabling from Grizzlies for Choice, providing attendees with free merchandise and information regarding Michigan’s Proposal 3.

The Klein Center’s next event will occur virtually next month, welcoming faculty fellow Graham Cassano to discuss his collaboration with a Pontiacbased organization to preserve the previously abandoned Webster School. For more information, contact kleincenter@oakland.edu.

FEATURES

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People of OU: Motown’s newest voice, Dion Jackson Jr. AUTUMN OKUSZKA Features Reporter Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder and Oakland University freshman Dion Jackson Jr. — these are just some of the artists who got their start at Motown.

Coming from a family of musicians, including jazz vibraphonist Milton “Bags” Jackson, Jackson began singing when he was three — but didn’t realize it was his passion until he was five-years-old.

In a Christmas play, Jackson sang in front of an audience for the first time.

After this moment, he knew singing was something he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

“I literally don’t see myself doing anything other than music,” Jackson said.

He learned to play piano and guitar growing up, and released his first two songs, “White Christmas” and “Jingle Bells” in 2018. He did not know his collaboration with Hitsville U.S.A. was just right around the corner.

Hitsville Next is the Motown Museum’s creative and educational hub which offers programs, workshops, masterclasses and events for emerging artists — including

Jackson. His partnership with Hitsville Next began in 2020 through their “Lyric Project.” “[Hitsville Next has] a lot of lyric projects, and we write songs together,” he said. “It’s me and four other people — we all call ourselves ‘the fab five.’”

In 2022, Jackson entered a singing contest called “AMPLIFY the Sound of Detroit.” He and nine other finalists were selected to receive mentoring, coaching and artist development over a period of eight weeks that all led up to a final performance in front of judges that included Claudette Robinson, the “First Lady” of Motown. Jackson came in second place after singing a cover of “All This Love” by DeBarge.

Jackson then released his first EP, “Second Narrative,” on Sept. 23. Categorized as an R&B album, Jackson describes “Second Narrative” as a story that’s not from his own perspective.

“The reason it’s called “Second Narrative” is because most of these [songs] are things I’ve never been through,” Jackson said. “I really had to tap into [the] outside looking in and not necessarily from my own experiences.”

With the help of Hitsville Next,

Jackson recorded “Second Narrative” in three days.

“Through my years in the lyric project, we all kind of [grew] a connection, and I said, ‘hey, I’m working on something,’ and they were like ‘really?’ So they gave me studio time,” he said.

Of the five songs that are on the EP, Jackson says “Memory” is his favorite.

“Memory is one of the oldest ones, and that one is the only one that’s actually written from experience,” Jackson said. “It just holds a place in my heart.”

Jackson has plans for a full-length album, but he wants to give “Second Narrative” as much time as possible to have its own spotlight.

“I know that I want to give “Second Narrative” as much love as it needs,” he said. “Next year I’m going to be very booked with performances [to promote the EP].”

From the young child who sang to an audience for the first time to the man who released his first EP — “Second Narrative” is the first time Jackson has written a body of work and was completely satisfied after the creative process.

“I feel like a lot of times I can be very doubtful of myself,” he said.

“Being the only writer and producer on [“Second Narrative”] really proved the critic in me wrong.”

“Second Narrative” is available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music and other major streaming platforms.

To follow Dion Jackson Jr. and his music career, his Instagram account is @dionjacksonjr.

PHOTO BY SAM DAVIS

OU celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month with cultural events ARIANNA HEYMAN Features Editor

Sept. 15 marked the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month. The celebration first began in 1968 under President Lyndon B Johnson, originally known as Hispanic Heritage Week. In 1988, Hispanic Heritage Week was expanded by President Ronald Regan to a month-long observance concluding on Oct. 15.

In recognition of this celebratory tradition, Oakland University has organized numerous events to celebrate Hispanic culture.

Throughout the month there have been numerous screenings of significant cultural films, including “Los Lobos,” “Me llamaban Tiger King,” “Los niños del éxodo” and “On The Divide.”

Other programming has consisted of a Hispanic Heritage Month Book Club meeting and a Community Service Project at the Hispanic Outreach Center.

Hispanic Heritage Month committee member and Assistant Professor Adolfo Campoy-Cubillo asserts that these events are designed to be inclusive for the OU community.

“This is not an exclusive celebration,” CampoyCubillo said. “This is a celebration for everybody — Hispanic or not Hispanic – to join. Hispanics come in many different races, shapes and forms, so it is important that we acknowledge the differences.”

There is also programming designed to raise awareness for mental health in the Hispanic

community. The upcoming “Fur Angels” event, taking place on Tuesday, Oct. 11 in the Oakland Center Habitat from 12-2 p.m., will incorporate specially trained dogs that help students deal with stress.

There are also networking opportunities scheduled. The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) Networking Event will be held on Oct. 13 from 12-1 p.m. in the Engineering Center atrium. Students will be able to meet with professionals from engineering and computer science companies with Hispanic connections.

Campoy-Cubillo expressed that another highlight of the celebrations will be the Film Festival Viewing of, “Heli.” This picture was directed by Amat Escalante, a world renowned film director who has also directed episodes of the popular series, “Narcos.”

“It’s a big deal for us,” Campoy-Cubillo said. “[Escalante is] joining us for the Q&A session, and it’s going to be very interesting. His films deal with how to represent the violence in some areas of Mexico. [The films inspire] you to think and get you to question the situation. They’re not complacent, you’re not just watching a film and ignoring the reality.”

The month long celebration will conclude with closing ceremonies on Oct. 17 from 12-1 p.m. at Elliott Tower.

“Normally, the events at the Tower tend to be a speech and a thank you to everybody [who worked] so many hours,” Campoy-Cubillo said. “The amount of time that we put in planning this event is

PHOTO BY ARKANSAS SOUL National Hispanic Heritage month is recognized every year to celebrate Hispanic and Latinx cultures. The celebration extends from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 every year.

unbelievable – so usually, that is what the event is expected to be, but there may be a couple surprises.”

Reflecting on the importance of Hispanic Heritage Month, Campoy-Cubillo stated that celebrating different cultures is an important part of connecting with the world outside the US. “It’s important anytime we look for ways to get out of our normal routine and see how the people live here, overseas [or] whatever it is, so I think we should celebrate different ways of life,” he said. “As we know, the Hispanic community is very important to the United States, so I think any opportunity to familiarize yourself with any communities around the country and around the world is a good one.”

For more information on Hispanic Heritage Month ,visit oakland.edu/cmi/hhm/ or Oakland University Center for Multicultural Initiatives on Facebook.

FEATURES Laboratory Highlight: Dr. Beyeh GABRIELLE GAPPY Science and Technology Editor

Dr. Ngong Kodiah Beyeh is an assistant professor of organic chemistry here at Oakland University. In addition to teaching, he runs a research laboratory with undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students.

Beyeh’s research interests include supramolecular chemistry and non-covalent interactions. Before Oakland, his focus was on halogen bonding, and since joining OU his research is more tailored toward biological implications.

“We are trying to use organic compounds to answer some biological questions,” Beyeh said.

“For example, research we recently published deals with cataracts, an eye problem that results from an aggregation of a protein called crystalline over a long period of time. Right now the only treatment option is surgery, which is not always ideal. Furthermore, people in developing or less privileged countries may not have access to the laser treatment.”

Beyeh continued to describe how in this specific project, they are in the discovery stage of trying to see if any of the organic compounds in his laboratory could prevent this segment of the protein from aggregating and/or reverse this after it has

occurred, which could potentially lower the need for surgery.

Beyeh is originally from Cameroon. He says that his inspiration for pursuing this area of research was founded when he moved to Finland to receive his masters degree, where he was further introduced to the field of supramolecular chemistry.

“After seeing how this area of chemistry is very important and how it can be very useful, and after listening to researchers who had won the Nobel

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PHOTO BY DR. BEYEH

OCTOBER 12, 2022 | 7

Prize, I was very motivated to get involved in this work,” Beyeh said. “I think that this field can contribute substantially to applications down the road.”

He also described some of the work accomplished by students of all levels in his laboratory.

“I try to enhance my students’ critical thinking skills, which is fun. I love training students,” he said. “I also emphasize the importance of being able to disseminate knowledge from the laboratory through presentations and research writing.”

Some techniques performed in the laboratory include nuclear magnetic resonance, fluorescence and IR spectroscopy.

“We also use techniques such as dynamic light scattering, which takes an organic molecule and shows how it reflects light,” Beyeh said. “Another technique is called isothermal titration calorimetry, which measures binding constants and other thermodynamic constants and gives a good analysis of binding interactions between biological and organic compounds after they are mixed together.”

Anyone further interested in Beyeh’s work or classes may email him at beyeh@oakland.edu, or visit the Beyeh Lab webpage.

The Fourth Floor of Kresge Library: Has it gotten louder?

The fourth floor of Kresge Library is ideal for group study, which gives students the opportunity to talk among friends and peers — but how loud is too loud?

In the Library Users’ Rights and Responsibilities, library users have the responsibility to refrain from disruptive behavior that hinders others’ access to an environment supportive of study, research and collaborative scholarship — which includes behavior that contributes to excessive noise levels.

Although the fourth floor is open to conversation — unlike the “quiet study” atmosphere of the third floor — some students, like junior Jasmyne Young, feel like other visitors of the fourth floor are being disruptive to her and other students’ studies.

“Despite it not being the quiet floor, I shouldn’t feel like I’m in a cafeteria, either,” Young said. “At the end of the day we are trying to do our homework.”

Freshman Pierce Doyle noticed the loud volume of the fourth floor two weeks ago, but says the noise can be tolerable at times.

“It can either make me more productive, because I kind of just tune everybody out,” Doyle said, “or sometimes, I’m really not focused, and I have to move down to the third floor where it’s a little bit too quiet.”

Beth Wallis, associate dean of University Libraries, stated that the fourth floor of the library has never been a quiet floor, but thinks that there are a lot of reasons why it could have gotten louder.

“Students work really hard,” Wallis said. “When they have an opportunity to get together with their friends and blow off some steam, it’s going to just be where it’s convenient.”

Wallis said that the library staff tries to give students some grace, because they know how the past two years have affected them due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I have two kids who go to school here,” she said. “The

beginning of their college or the end of their high school [career] was fundamentally altered — it was stolen from them. So I think some people are feeling like they’re making up for lost time.”

While Wallis recognizes that the fourth floor is getting “pretty rowdy,” she said that it’s difficult to monitor due to the backlash the staff has received in the past.

“We do address noise concerns as they are brought to us,” Wallis said. “But, I can tell you that in the past when people have gone upstairs to the fourth floor to police, they are treated poorly.”

Wallis added that if students have concerns, there are multiple ways to report them both in-person and online, and the library staff will address them.

“We have a complaint form,” she said. “People can absolutely submit concerns that way. More directly, they can come down to the service desk [on the main floor] and report concerns that way, and we definitely will go up and address any concerns that are brought to us. We also have an online chat where people could reach out to a librarian that way, even if they’re in the building.”

Wallis believes the most important way to address the situation falls to the students.

“We are a community, and community members rely on each other,” Wallis said. “Some of this will be the responsibility of those who use the floor, to behave appropriately. I’m not saying people should be policing each other, [but] some of it is the responsibility of our students and those who use the floor to behave appropriately.”

If a person or a small group of people need to study and cannot concentrate on the fourth floor, they can also reserve a private room ahead of their visit. Wallis said that Kresge Library wants everyone to feel a sense of belonging there, and that is what the library staff is constantly striving to do.

STORY BY AUTUMN OKUSZKA | DESIGN BY MEGAN PARKER

SCITECH

10 | OCTOBER 12, 2022

NFL and NFLPA agree to update concussion protocols RACHEL YIM

Science and Technology Reporter Following a traumatic injury of Tua Tagovailoa, an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, increased necessity and urgency led the National Football League (NFL) and its Players Association (NFLPA) to agree on revising NFL’s concussion protocol to prevent future concussions and to ensure players’ safety.

During a game against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday, Sept. 25, Tagovailoa hit his head into the turf, and stumbled after getting up. However, the official word from the NFL and the Dolphins attributed his conditions to a back injury from the past. Four days later, he returned to play in another game against the Bengals, where he hit his head once again into the turf, and ended up being stretchered off the field and transported to a local hospital.

Due to these two incidents involving Tagovailoa, the league’s concussion protocols have come under intense scrutiny and left numerous questions that the NFL and the Dolphins must answer.

The joint statement from the NFL and the NFLPA is as follows: “While the investigation determined that the team medical staff and unaffiliated medical professionals followed the steps of the Protocol as written, the NFL and NFLPA agree that the outcome in this case is not what was intended when the Protocols were drafted.

As such, as has been done in previous cases, based on

PHOTO COURTESY OF NFL/NFLPA

the advice of the parties’ respective medical experts, the Protocol will be modified to enhance the safety of the players.

“Specifically, the term “ataxia” has been added to the mandatory “no-go” symptoms. “Ataxia” is defined as abnormality of balance/stability, motor coordination or dysfunctional speech caused by a neurological issue. In other words, if a player is diagnosed with “ataxia” by any club or neutral physician involved in the application of the Concussion Protocol, he will be prohibited from returning to the game, and will receive the follow-up care required by the Protocol.

“The Protocol exists to establish a high standard of concussion care for each player whereby every medical professional engages in a meaningful and rigorous examination of the player-patent. To that end, the parties remain committed to continuing to

evaluate our Protocol to ensure it reflects the intended conservative approach to evaluating player-patients for potential head injuries.”

The NFLPA also said, in its released statement, that they hope that these changes go into effect immediately to protect the players, and that the NFL accepts the change as early as possible. The agreement of the NFL and NFLPA on the parameters of updated concussion protocols will disqualify players who show gross motor instability independent of any potential contributing factors, such as with Tagovailoa in the Dolphins’ game against the Bills.

There have long been questions and concerns regarding the NFL’s management of concussions.

Therefore, Tagovailoa’s incidents were not the first indication of the NFL’s lacking ability to handle such situations involving player’s safety.

Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, said during an interview with the NFL that the review showed the doctors took appropriate steps and made a medical judgment based on the information they had at the moment. Under the new protocol, Tagovailoa would not have been allowed to return to the game against the Bengals.

“We want to become even more conservative, and if we think that ataxia is present, let’s just go ahead and assume it is coming from the brain and we will hold someone out,” Sills said. “Because if we are going to be wrong, we would rather hold someone out who doesn’t have a brain injury but we are being cautious, than to put someone out who might have a brain injury and we weren’t able to diagnose it.”

Dr. Steve Wilson’s research in developing AI methods for better communication RACHEL YIM

Science and Technology Reporter Dr. Steve Wilson is an assistant professor of computer science in the School of Engineering and Computer Science.

Wilson also operates a laboratory focusing on that can apply to not only engineering but also in communication ingrained in our daily life.

“We all know computers are good at crunching numbers, but what about dealing with Tweets, Reddit threads, or Facebook posts?” Wilson said. “In the Oakland NLP laboratory, we write code that teaches computers how to process text written by people in their everyday communication, often working with social media datasets.”

Researchers studying Natural Language Processing (NLP), according to their website, are committed to: • working on socially relevant research problems using state-of-art NLP methodology • learning from one another to become better researchers, engineers and educators • effectively communicating findings to the research community and general public • engaging in ethical research practice • providing a supportive work

environment for all team members “For example, imagine a government recently enacted a new masking mandate and we wanted to know how people are reacting to that,” Wilson said. “Even with millions of new posts every few minutes, modern computers have no problem processing that amount of data in almost real time, but the challenge is to develop programs that can deal with text data, written by people in a special social context, that is full of humor, slang, sarcasm, emojis and multimedia content.”

According to Wilson, the focus of the lab is to make more socially aware AI methods that can incorporate all of these features in order to accurately reason about text that people write online.

His passion for partaking in this field has always been in the back of his mind as he has always been interested in both computers and people. However, he said it took a long time to realize that he could work in an area that focuses on both.

“I studied both psychology and computer science during my undergraduate degree and I got hooked on research during that time when I did a summer research project and found that I loved working on problems that didn’t have a known solution or outcome. I was even more excited to learn that many

graduate programs offer full tuition and even pay you to do research, so I went to grad school and tried to find the most interesting research project that I could.”

That research project turned out to involve NLP – the set of methods that humans use to allow computers to process human languages – which became the beginning of what has turned into a decade of research in that area.

Wilson said he has recently been interested in the power of the stories that people tell, and how multiple social media posts connect across time and within communities to deliver a larger story. In order to make progress toward this goal and develop methods that can automatically detect the presence of narrative style in social media data, he has started collaborating with researchers from the Department of Communication, Journalism, and Public Relations at OU. “We are interested in studying how narratives can help spread or combat misinformation online and whether we can train AI models to extract specific elements of narratives like specific characters or metaphors,” he said. “I see this move from individual posts to larger, connected stories, as a way that we can push the boundaries of what is being done in computational social media

PHOTO COURTESY OF DR.STEVE WILSON

text analysis and can help us to better understand things like agenda setting and community narrative building.”

In addition to supervising graduate and undergraduate student researchers, he teaches CSI 3450 -Database Design and Implementation, which covers how to use computers in order to store and organize information efficiently.

He will also be teaching a new course – CSI 4900/5900-Natural Language Processing in the Winter 2023 semester.

“OU has been a great place to be able to focus both on research and teaching and I am happy to be working with so many great students from both Southeast Michigan and all around the world,” Wilson said. “I [also] look forward to teaching the new course.”

ARTS

OCTOBER 12, 2022 | 11

Meadow Brook Theatre presents ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ BELLA JAVIER Arts Editor Originally set to open in 2020, Meadow Brook Theatre finally brought “Little Shop of Horrors” to their stage as they opened their 56th season. Coincidentally, this year marks the 40th year of the show’s existence, so maybe the wait wasn’t so bad after all!

“Little Shop of Horrors” shares a chilling story through a bright and funky lens with doo-wop, rock and early Motown tracks to match. The show takes place in Skid Row, where we follow the lovingly clumsy Seymour Crenshaw (Tim Dolan) — a poor, orphaned Skid Row native with a knack for botany.

After a total eclipse of the sun, Seymour finds himself in the possession of a very strange and interesting plant who he names Audrey II (Tamara Della Anderson and Tyler Bolda), after his work crush. While this plant brings Seymour great prosperity, she is high-maintenance and comes at a greater cost than he ever imagined.

From open-to-close, the onstage storytelling was absolutely incredible. “Little Shop of Horrors” is an homage to comically vampy thrillers of the 80s, so it’d be easy to create caricatures instead of characters, but the cast and direction made this into a well-crafted story rather than a cartoon (while, of

course, maintaining a well-suited level of camp.)

“I really wanted to keep [the show] a little more grounded, a little more down to Earth, a little more realistic and let the plant be the thing that’s colorful and different,” Meadow Brook’s Artistic Director Travis W. Walter said.

While the production itself is phenomenal, the smoke and mirrors (and plants) don’t take away from the quality of the story at hand.

This is especially impressive given the delay in production due to the ongoing pandemic.

“We may not all be stuck in a rut in Skid Row, but everyone has aspirations and desires that are just out of reach,” Walter said. “These characters give us something to root for, and as campy and funny as the show might be, at its center it has an abundance of heart.”

Ticket prices range from $39 to $46 and are available by calling the Meadow Brook Theatre box office at (248) 377-3300 or via TicketMaster link on their website.

Student prices are available at the box office if ID is provided.

GRAPHIC BY EMILY IATROU

Taylor Swift drops tracklist for new album OLIVIA CHIAPPELLI Arts Reporter On Oct. 7th, Taylor Swift unveiled the final track title for her upcoming 13 song album “Midnights” — the reveal taking place 13 nights before the album release, in true Swift fashion.

“Midnights” will mark Swift’s tenth album of her career — her first body of new work since 2020’s “Evermore” — a welcomed surprise given her current project of re-recording and re-releasing her old albums.

The reveal took place during the final episode of

PHOTO COURTESY OF TAYLOR SWIFT

Swift’s 13 episode TikTok series “Midnights Mayhem with Me,” where the artist took on the role of the most famous bingo caller in the world by having each randomly rolled ping pong ball correspond to a track from the album.

I will say, I was in attendance for each midnight release and thoroughly enjoyed the elevator music, grainy camera quality and fantastic 70s inspired outfits and backdrops. I am very into this new vibe from her — aesthetic and content alike.

After its surprise announcement at this year’s VMAs, Swift described the album as “a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams.”

That — only slightly — gut wrenching statement posted alongside a photo of her distressingly folded over a chair in a dimly lit room told me exactly what I am in for with this album: pain.

I am so intrigued by this unique, almost collage-like concept for an album, and I don’t know if I have ever consumed something like it before.

Diving into that all too familiar haunting creativity that looms over restless nights — when your mind races and takes you places it doesn’t usually dare to go — is an idea I feel like I’ve always wanted to explore, but never knew I needed. It’s an experience that everyone can connect with on a deeply human level.

And given that Swift counts track three, “Anti-Hero” — a song she sums up as a “guided tour of all the things [she] hates about herself” — as one of her favorite songs she has ever written, I feel like this will be a very therapeutic album. A journey of self acceptance through honesty.

With just that little taste, I am so intrigued to hear “the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout

‘Midnights‘

[Swift’s] life.”

Midnights comes out Oct. 21st.

The full album tracklist is as follows: 1. Lavender Haze 2. Maroon 3. Anti-Hero 4. Snow on the Beach ft. Lana Del Rey 5. You’re on Your Own, Kid 6. Midnight Rain 7. Question…?

8. Vigilante Shit 9. Bejeweled 10. Labyrinth 11. Karma 12. Sweet Nothing 13. Mastermind

ARTS

12 | OCTOBER 12, 2022

Suddenly Seymour: Meadow Brook intern, understudy takes on lead role for opening weekend BELLA JAVIER Arts Editor

In the midst of folding roast beef for a company meal, Antonio Vettraino — Meadow Brook Theatre (MBT) intern and recent graduate from Oakland University’s musical theater program — received a call he would be replacing Tim Dolan in the lead role of Seymour for the opening weekend of “Little Shop of Horrors.”

Thankfully, despite Dolan’s sudden hospitalization, the role of Seymour would be in good hands.

“Antonio, my understudy — he’s incredible. He knows all the lines,” Dolan said in a TikTok life update. “I’ve heard such wonderful things. Thank God for understudies.”

Typically, Vettraino’s role in the show would be limited to distributing props backstage and the occasional company number, so stepping into Seymour’s track with a total of 11 of 17 songs and hardly any downtime is a tall order. Luckily, his position as an intern and love for the show set him up for a less stressful transition from stagehand to leading man.

As interns for MBT, Vettraino and his cohorts, Mary Magyari and Jessica Nichols, spend their time doing various tasks to keep the company afloat while simultaneously sitting in on rehearsals as swings — or understudies — who take over in the event that any given actor cannot go on.

On top of his duties as an intern, Vettraino was in the DIO’s production of “Rent,” which closed just days before “Little Shop” opened.

After it was officially confirmed that he’d be stepping into the role of Seymour, various members of the production team worked to get Vettraino ready in the span of 24 hours — including one full run-through of the show, a 45 minute conversation with the director and one combined hour to refine both vocals and choreography.

During the talkback on opening night, the production team glowed over their interns’ preparedness: “Here, these interns are taking notes from day one,” Music Director Zachary Ryan said. “They don’t just come in and say, ‘well, I’m never going to play the role, so I just won’t do it.’ All three of them could go on tomorrow for any role in the show.”

On top of putting together all the production elements —blocking, choreography, music, etc.

— and tending to his duties as an intern, Vettraino had to accelerate the process of actually fleshing out his own portrayal of Seymour.

“When you’re a swing, you’re focused on so many different tracks it’s hard to — until the moment actually comes — figure out intention, beats, tactics and how you want to perform this character or what you want this character to be,” Vettraino said. “The other huge challenge about Meadow Brook understudies is that we’re also interns. The whole first week of rehearsals, the interns weren’t even in [the rehearsal space] because we had to do light maintenance [...]. We

see a lot of rehearsal, but there are also a lot of things we miss.”

Regardless of the intensive process it took to cover for Dolan’s absence, Vettraino took on the job effortlessly. Watching him, you wouldn’t be able to tell he was an understudy. Vettraino is a true, natural talent.

Amid the chaos and excitement that is Vettraino taking on the Meadow Brook stage, our deepest sympathies go out to Tim Dolan, the original actor for Seymour. We wish him a safe and timely recovery, and we hope he returns to MBT by this publication.

Photo courtesy of Antonio Vettraino, taken by Luke Fontana

Trailer drops for Lindsay Lohan comeback movie ‘Falling for Christmas’ OLIVIA CHIAPPELLI Arts Reporter

The Lindsay Lohan renaissance is upon us! On Oct. 3rd — also known as national “Mean Girls” Day, after the iconic quote from the 2004 cult classic — Netflix dropped the poster for the upcoming Lohan-led romantic comedy, “Falling for Christmas.”

With that poster alone, Netflix made their intentions clear. This isn’t just any holiday romcom — this is a Lindsay Lohan holiday rom-com.

With her name blazoned across the top of the poster — not even mentioning the blonde guy from “Glee” who appears at her side — the energy was palpable: Lindsay’s back.

This was honestly the first thing I had heard about Lohan since that viral video of her absolutely tearing up the dance floor at that beach club she bought in Mykonos — which somehow made this even better.

The official Netflix synopsis of this movie is so Hallmark, it’s camp: “After losing her memory in a skiing accident, a spoiled heiress lands in the cozy care of a down-on-his-luck widower and his daughter at Christmastime.”

The set up is perfect. The inherent cheese and charm of a holiday guilty pleasure. The talent and screen presence of a woman who was able to carry “The Parent Trap” at 11 years old — not to mention deliver 2003’s “Freaky Friday” and 2004’s “Mean Girls” back to back. The amazing

yet impractical, present-like red jumpsuit Lohan wears on the poster.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX With this poster alone, Netflix made their intentions clear.

This isn’t just any holiday rom-com — this is a Lindsay Lohan holiday rom-com.

Then came the trailer where all my hopes were delivered, my dreams becoming reality.

Opening with Lohan in a giant magenta fur hat, sporting matching lipstick and a ski suit as she falls off a mountain, the trailer set the correct tone and leaned into the absurd extravagance of its plot.

Then I heard it. As the “a Netflix film” title card rolled, my mouth dropped. Lohan began covering “Jingle Bell Rock” — instantly calling back to the iconic “Mean Girls” scene that changed the course of Halloween costume history and inspired an Ariana Grande music video.

That was when this movie turned into an event for me. The makers of this film clearly know their Lohan history and are having fun embracing it, leaning into that nostalgic feeling that everyone needs right now.

And this won’t be a one off collaboration with Netflix for Lohan, with “Falling for Christmas” marking the first in her three-picture movie deal with the streaming platform.

She is already on set in Ireland filming her second movie, “Irish Wish,” which, if it’s anything like this film, will undoubtedly serve as the next step in the Lohan comeback.

“Falling for Christmas” premieres on Netflix on Nov. 10th.

ARTS Archetypes: #dontbelievethetype LETICIA CEZÁRIO SANTOS Marketing Director

Archetype within psychology, according to the dictionary, refers to an inherited idea or mode of thought that is present in the unconscious of the individual. This word was also the chosen title for Meghan Markle’s new podcast launched on Aug. 23, 2022.

You know her. We all do. The fairy-tale winner, actress, activist and feminist, out-of-pattern royalty — she’s Rachel Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex.

“Markle was a known factor before she met Harry due to her co-starring role in the popular USA Network drama ‘Suits,’ but her marrying into Britain’s royal family catapulted her to a stratospheric level of celebrity few enjoy,” Melanie McFarland wrote for Salon.com.

It’s well known that Markle had a tough journey as she stepped in as Duchess. At the same time and proportion that the public loved the idea of “modern love,” many did not like the changes she represented to British traditionalism.

After many controversies, the Duke and Duchess announced in January 2020 that they would step back as senior members of the Royal Family.

Since then, the couple has moved to and initiated new projects in North America.

One of these new projects is Archewell.

The organization currently includes three subsets: Archewell Foundation, Archewell Productions and Archewell Audio. Archewell has already multiyear deals with famous brands like Spotify and Netflix — and Archetypes comes as a result of the former.

“Archetypes — a podcast where we investigate, dissect and subvert the labels that try to hold women back,” the Spotify synopsis said.

The podcast’s visual branding is elegant and timely, and the audio production is modern, featuring young artist Emmy Meli’s song “I AM WOMAN.” “Archetypes” went to No. 1 on Spotify’s global charts the week it premiered, and continued to stand high on the ranking for the following two.

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Markle had to deal with many archetypes thrown at her throughout her relationship and life — from this, she now explores the origin and effects of these labels. “(...) [It] is clear that Meghan’s intention in this episode is to denounce the evils of racism and lazy xenophobia,” Alexander Larman wrote for the Spectator.

“Archetypes Affect Mental Health.

Archetypes Harm Gender Equity,” Archewell’s website said.

The podcast partners with charities and national organizations to advocate and donate to social causes. Some of their partner organizations include Project Healthy Minds, National Women’s Law Center, Planned Parenthood, Equimundo’s Global Boyhood Initiative and others.

One word, one episode, one guest. In each episode, Markle has a conversation with a guest that is almost a personification of the term ‘under analysis.’ It feels almost like a peak behind the scenes at their lives.

With the assistance of doctors, specialists, fact-checkers, writers, scholars, sociologists and other professionals, Markle develops the episode with a mixture of personal and factual information that disassembles the archetypes that influence women’s daily lives.

By the end of each episode, the Duchess asks her guest to choose three words to define them as a kid, and then as adults. And this is when you understand, “Archetypes.”

Up to now, the first season includes four episodes which feature Serena Williams, Mariah Carey, Mindy Kaling, Margaret Cho and Lisa Ling. Markle

OCTOBER 12, 2022 | 13

discussed archetypes of ambition, being a diva, the stigma behind singleton and the demystification of the Dragon Lady stereotype.

With weekly episodes being released every Wed., the podcast is back after the royal family’s official period of mourning ended on Sept. 26, seven days after the Queen’s funeral.

The numbers prove that the public is accepting the Duchess’s new project with open arms — though critiques are still showing up.

“The appeal of these shows isn’t the content. It’s the peek behind the curtain at the women (...) making personal revelations,” the Independent published, arguing that “Archetypes” is part of the rise of irrelevant feminism.

“Meghan makes it all about herself, again,” Alexander Larman wrote.

“Her guests are barely allowed to make any impression, so dominant is the host.”

Independently of bad critics, “Archetypes” explores a really interesting aspect of the society we live in. We use words in such a natural way and form that rarely do we consciously understand their meaning and effects. Three words for “Archetypes:” thought-provoking, necessary and enjoyable.

Underrated authors — Elise Bryant

D’JUANNA LESTER Arts Reporter

Oftentimes, when hearing about books and media related to books, we hear about the same authors over and over again — from grand talents to questionable authors with questionable tropes.

I want to bring to light an author who I believe to be extremely underrated, and someone that deserves more attention and recognition for her writing and how she uplifts underrepresented communities. I am talking about Elise Bryant, a Black Young Adult (YA) author of books like “Happily Ever Afters,” and “One True Loves.”

I’ve praised Bryant’s works before, talking about the masterpiece that is “One True Loves” and how it captures the raw, authentic emotion of Black teenagers, their insecurities and love stories.

I find it refreshing how Bryant is an author that specifically focuses on Black girls and their love stories. Sometimes it feels rare that that happens in the YA genre. She touches on insecurities that are very real when it comes to dating and being in particular spaces.

Bryant’s freshman and sophomore novels are part of the same series, with “Happily Ever Afters” being from Tessa’s perspective, and “One True Loves” being from Lenore’s perspective.

They’re best friends, and seeing their connection is something that I really enjoy.

So many romance books focus so hard on the

romance that we don’t get to see the protagonist’s relationships with other characters. Bryant’s breaking from this trend is a part of her writing that I really appreciate.

Another thing that I admire about Bryant is her sense of inclusion. In her first book, Tessa has a disabled brother. Disability representation is something that needs to be handled well, yet rarely is. Bryant handles it very well, even calling out particular slurs and ableist reality.

In her second book, Bryant talks about anxiety and Blackness, which I think is something very important. Stigma around neurodivergence such as anxiety, especially in our community, is a conversation that needs to be had.

Bryant isn’t afraid to talk about complicated and serious subject matter while telling an uplifting romantic story. The way she writes romance is top tier — it’s beautiful and fun to read about.

Bryant’s characters are one of the reasons why I love her writing. She makes relatable characters that girls get to see themselves as in a genre that isn’t as accessible and welcoming. Her characters feel real and original.

Bryant offers an audience the chance for authentic, wholesome, beautiful stories about family, finding your path in life, dealing with unexpected circumstances and, of course, romance.

I believe that she deserves more recognition as an author, and I would hope that we get a HEA book-to-screen adaptation. (Come on — a girl can

dream, right?)

Bryant’s new book “Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling” will be released on Jan. 31st, 2023. This dual POV rom-com follows the titular characters — the former a Dungeons and Dragons superfan, and the latter a singer in her friends’ punk band — who fall in love over the course of several holidays.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON Bryant isn’t afraid to talk about complicated and serious subject matter while telling an uplifting romantic story.

SPORTS

14 | OCTOBER 12, 2022

Women’s volleyball outlasts Green Bay in five-set marathon match SUMMER WEATHERS Sports Reporter

It was a huge win for the women’s volleyball team this past Friday in Wisconsin as they took down the Green Bay Phoenix with a 3-2 win.

Oakland came in with some aggression, scoring six straight points to get ahead early. Their momentum could not be stopped, causing Green Bay to call a timeout.

Coming back from the timeout, the Phoenix would make their way on up, eventually scoring four points in a row that cut the lead to just two. Madison Ross and Jessica Riedl got huge blocks down the stretch.

This was a good execution by Oakland. Green Bay tried to answer, but it wasn’t enough. The Golden Grizzlies took set one with a final score of 25-19.

It was a rough start to set two for both teams. There were eight attack errors by Oakland that would give Green Bay a few of their points.

This set consisted of back and forth rallying between the two teams. The score was kept close all throughout.

Middle blocker Anna Nie played her role. Her vision throughout this set was superb — reading the game well and putting it down on the other end, right on cue.

An official review that reversed Patti Cesarini’s point from her attack helped Green Bay out, tying the game at 13-13. At this point in the game, Green Bay put more pressure on Oakland, making them work harder for the win.

Anticipating hits from Green Bay’s 6-foot-5 middle

blocker, Angie Gromos, was libero Emily Wichmann. Her saves were needed in these crucial moments of the game.

It came down to the wire and Oakland needed some stops, but Green Bay’s opposite hitter would close things out at 25-22, and the Grizzlies lost the set.

Green Bay came into set three hungrier. Oakland got back on track, going on a 6-1 run, leading by three at a score of 9-6.

Green Bay then scored three straight points, giving Oakland a run for their money. This was another set of going back and forth.

Riedl’s attack gave Oakland the set-three win, putting Oakland up 2-1. There was an amazing achievement by

PHOTO BY MAGGIE WILLARD The Volleyball team in a huddle during a timeout.

Ross as well, who reached 1,000 career assists.

Green Bay took a page out of Oakland’s book for set four, winning 13-25. This would force a firstto-15 final set.

The fifth set was something to see. Both teams went back at it for the win, but the ball was in the Grizzlies’ court as they dominated and secured the victory.

Great efforts were put forth by Cesarini and Libby Gentile, who each had two kills that put Oakland up 3-2 for the 16-14 win.

The Grizzlies understood the assignment and did what had to be done. Their next matchup is on Oct. 14 against the IUPUI Jaguars.

Bridget Boczar: The mastermind and golfer SUMMER WEATHERS Sports Reporter

Bridget Boczar is a 1-2 punch. She is in the honors college, majoring in mathematics, and also holds a spot on Oakland University’s golfing team.

Boczar is a graduate from Plymouth High School.

Having that shift from high school to college can be tough.

Everyday she is dedicated to finding that good balance between classes and getting good grades.

Essentially, having some sort of structure with her time and planning her day out by the hour, from the minute she wakes up, would describe her work ethic as very efficient.

It is important to be organized in college, and as a freshman student-athlete, she is already there. Any free time she has, it goes into her homework.

“I try not to waste time during my day, like sitting on my phone. There is always something that I’m doing, and there’s always a purpose,” Boczar said.

She already has set an academic goal of obtaining a 4.0 GPA. “Mathematics is a tough major, but it’s pretty interesting and I’m looking forward to all the classes I can take,” she said.

At the age of seven, she got into playing golf.

“My entire family plays, and I have a twin sister that also goes here,” said Boczar. “We have a pretty unique story. Siblings often don’t go to the same college, they are not always that close, but we are

pretty close and we really wanted to go to school together and play golf, which is why we came to OU because we could do that here and we really like it so far.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIDGET BOCZAR

On the golf course, she would describe herself as “calm and collected.” Boczar gets to her practices early and makes it a priority.

“I like to take my time during practices, figuring out what I’m supposed to be doing. In golf, you have to be precise. It’s a precision sport, it’s not always super physically taxing, although it’s like endurance, especially when you’re playing 36 holes in one day.”

Playing at the Shirley Spork Invitational at Eastern Michigan was special to her.

“That’s actually really close to where we are from, so that was kind of cool to go back home. We had some family and friends come out and watch us, so that was nice,” Boczar said.

She tied for second overall, shooting seven strokes over par for a score of 223.

“That was a big accomplishment,” she said.

She loves that Oakland is already preparing her for the near future.

“I like the freedom that Oakland gives. You can schedule your own classes and kind of work your day how you want it. It can be challenging sometimes, figuring everything out and where I have to be.

Practice times vary everyday and I have to pack myself for trips and get everything organized by myself but then again, I like it. It’s a good experience and prepares me for the real world.”

She is a freshman that knows what she wants and is very passionate about what she does.

SPORTS

OCTOBER 12, 2022 | 15

Men’s golf beats 13 teams, wins invitational for second straight year BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor

The Oakland men’s golf team visited Lakewood Country Club in Ohio last week as it looked to defend its Tom Tontimonia Invitational crown from last season.

And that it did.

The Golden Grizzlies defeated 13 other teams, including a slew of Horizon League teams as well as higher profile schools like Butler and Dayton.

Oakland finished with a score of +11 shots over par throughout the three-round event.

Oakland finished with an overall score of 863 throughout the event, which turned out to be two shots better than Butler’s 865. Dayton and Bowling Green State followed up in the standings as each team finished with 871 strokes.

Yaro Ilyenko led the way for the Golden Grizzlies throughout the event. The junior shot a 75 in the first round but followed it up with a pair of 70s to bring his three-round total to 215.

Ilyenko finished in a five-way tie for fifth place as an individual.

Oakland’s Colin Sikkenga was one of the five golfers that finished tied with Ilyenko at 215 strokes.

Sikkenga posted a remarkable 69 in the second round to help himself to the fifth-place finish.

Oakland had a third golfer, Anthony Comito, finish just one stroke behind Ilyenko and Sikkenga. Comito posted a 216, with a pair of 71s and a 74 in the third round.

Comito finished +3 overall throughout the event.

After Comito, came Ellis Kinnaird, who shot a 217. A 75 in the first round hindered his overall score, but Kinnaird bounced back nicely with a 73 in the second round and a 69 in the final round to finish just seven strokes off the leader.

Kinnaird’s 217 was good for a six-way tie for 14th place.

Grant Tucker was Oakland’s fifth-leading scorer.

He shot a 219, which was good for a four-way tie for 22nd place.

Tucker was extremely consistent throughout the event, putting up scores of 73, 72 and 74.

The junior finished with the same score as Cleveland State’s top golfer, which goes to show Oakland’s dominance over the Horizon League throughout the event.

As a team, Oakland finished 12 strokes better than the next closest Horizon League team, which was Northern Kentucky.

Finally, Oakland’s final competitor, Luke Kelly finished with a 231, which was good for a six-way tie with 60th place.

Kelly shot a 75 in the first round, followed by a pair of 78s to finish off the event.

Oakland’s second-round score of 283 was the invitational’s second-best score, only behind Butler’s 281 in the third round.

The Golden Grizzlies will now prepare for their next event, which will be the Musketeers Classic in Cincinnati, Ohio on Oct. 10-11.

Teams that will be participating in the event will be Xavier, Villanova, DePaul, Wright State, Oakland, Northern Kentucky, Tennessee Tech, Austin Peay, Bowling Green, Western Kentucky, Morehead State, Eastern Kentucky, Butler (individuals only), Ohio State (individuals only) and West Virginia (individuals only).

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS. The Oakland men’s golf team visited Lakewood Country Club in Ohio last week as it looked to defend its Tom Tontimonia Invitational crown from last season.

Women’s soccer records 20 shots, crushes Robert Morris BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor

The women’s soccer team found some offense this past week. The Golden Grizzlies began the first full week of October with a 1-0 victory over Cleveland State.

The win, which came on Thursday, Oct. 6, was the team’s first win since it defeated Toledo, 4-1 back on Sept. 1.

Oakland ventured back home after the road win over the Vikings, and prepared to take on Robert Morris at home on Sunday afternoon.

Juan Pablo Favero’s team may have found an offensive spark, because the team was ready to go from the beginning. Oakland had six shots in the first 17 minutes of the game, and finally, on the seventh shot, Carmela Barro connected, giving the Golden Grizzlies a 1-0 lead.

Barro is a graduate student from Spain who is currently playing her fifth season at Oakland. Her goal in the 19th minute was her first of the season and the third of her career.

Then, before the teams could hardly get settled, Oakland struck again, less than a minute and a half later.

Karabo Dhlamini found the back of the net this time, thanks to assists from Sami Lopez and Macey Wierenga.

Dhlamini is a redshirt junior from South Africa.

Her goal in the 20th minute was also the first of her season, and the fourth of her career.

Oakland continued to dominate. Robert Morris was clearly outmatched.

Although Oakland didn’t make any additions to

the scoreboard for the rest of the first half and most of the second half, it still kept its foot on the gas.

The Golden Grizzlies combined a steady offensive attack with stellar defense to hold off the Colonials.

Oakland finished the first half with 11 shots, while Robert Morris was still looking to record its first.

Golden Grizzly goaltender Noëmi Stadelmann had a quiet afternoon to say the least.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSE JUAREZ, OAKLAND UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS Oakland Women’s Soccer Head Coach Juan Pablo Favero talks about the season and what’s to come in the future

Each team made ample substitutions in the second half, but the script had already been written. Oakland continued its dominance, and Robert Morris suffered.

The Golden Grizzlies added five more second half

shots, giving them a 16-0 lead in that category before finally, Robert Morris got a shot in the 61st minute.

However, the shot missed the net and Stadelmann’s slow afternoon continued.

In the 71st minute, Oakland put the nail in the coffin with its third goal of the game.

Fifth-year senior Sophie Wilsey scored this time, her second of the season and the eighth of her illustrious career.

Robert Morris’ offensive ineptitude continued for the final 19 minutes of the match, and Oakland finished the afternoon on a two-game win streak.

The Golden Grizzlies are now 5-2-7 on the season, and they are 2-1-3 in the Horizon League.

Despite the two-game winning streak, Oakland still sits three points behind Purdue Fort Wayne, Wright State and Detroit Mercy, who are all tied for first place with 12 points. Milwaukee is also currently at 11 points.

Each team is awarded three points per win, and one point per tie.

With four regular season games to go, Oakland will have a chance to make some serious noise down the stretch. Three of its final four games are against teams that are currently in front of it in the standings.

The next game will be at home against Northern Kentucky on Thursday, Oct. 13.

OCTOBER 12, 2022 | 16

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