MATCH POINT Students participate in Roundnet’s first Spikeball tournament at OU.
PHOTO BY ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES
Letter from the editor: The death of nuance in American
CHELSEA BOSSERT Editor-in-Chief
By the time this issue will be published, it will be officially one week since the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Co-Founder of Turning Point USA — a well-recognized and influential Conservative political activism group.
Charlie Kirk died doing what brought him all this fame and attention: going to college campuses and debating students on prominent, political issues in our country. His speech was cut short when a shot rang out from across Utah Valley University’s campus.
Kirk was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Timpanogos Regional Hospital. President Trump announced the news via Truth Social and declared that, “the Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.”
The general reaction to Charlie Kirk’s death by Oakland University students I had conversations with was reflective of the general discourse surrounding his death. There are people who are martyring his death, mourning it, making fun of it. Some students, even, are bringing a bit of nuance to the conversation.
There seems to be an almost allergic reaction to political-nuance here in this country. It almost seems like Americans (at least those primarily on social media) have this partisan itch to cling to a
single side. They dig their heels in and do not let up.
Even those who are unequivocally fighting for what is right, whether it be for civil rights, voting rights, women’s rights, trans rights, rights for people with disabilities, etc. — rights which are largely guaranteed by laws and statues in this country — some of those people’s behavior is at best, reactionary and at worst, repulsive.
People cheering on the death of someone for their speech is bad — this should go without saying. However, people who are using this death to attack a side of politics — which we do not even know the shooter was a part of in the first place — is also reprehensible.
On the right, there are folks — including elected officials — who called for the death penalty and for Democrats to take responsibility for the shooting, despite the fact we had a lack of information about the motive of the perpetrator.
A republican representative from South Carolina, Nancy Mace, said that “Democrats owned what happened today” — mere hours after the suspect was detained by authorities.
If our elected officials are blatantly and irresponsibly jumping to conclusions like this — without regard for any actual evidence collected by law enforcement — then they are doing their constituents a disservice.
There has been an incredibly long and fierce debate over the role of misinformation and disinformation tactics in American politics.
It’s true that disinformation during COVID-19 — specifically about alternative treatments like
Ivermectin — was incredibly irresponsible and dangerous. It is also true that misinformation (which unlike disinformation is unknowingly spreading falsehoods) is dangerous because of its ability to spread so quickly through social media. All of this though, is protected speech if it does not innately defame anyone or cause direct damage.
All of this dialogue over speech and what is protected and what is or is not acceptable leaves me with a burning question. What can we, as OU students, do to combat political violence, hate and false information?
My suggestion is that we continue to listen to our peers, faculty, friends and family — and support them while they try to navigate these confusing times. Social media has revolutionized and made us more connected ever, but it also has divided us and made our community more susceptible to divisive rhetoric.
By the time this article is published. It will have been a week since Charlie Kirk has died. However, it is my dream that our campus and our OU community at large comes together and listens to one another and is more unified once this is all over.
Stay strong OU. You got this.
Chelsea Bossert
Editor-in-Chief of The Oakland Post
Roundnet hosts largest Spikeball competition in OU history
MALLORY WALIGORA
Content Editor
“10 to 8, game point!” a student yells, before tossing the ball in the air and spiking it into the net. All across Oakland University’s upper soccer fields, dozens of nets line the grass like campfires, each one surrounded by circles of four players battling for points. Teammates high-five each other in celebration. On the hillside above, students sprawl out crisscross on the grass, unwrapping Chipotle burritos as they watch the games unfold.
This is OU’s largest Spikeball tournament ever.
Spikeball, also known as roundnet, was invented in 1989, but the sport didn’t take off until 2015, when Chris Ruder pitched the game on “Shark Tank.” Since then, it has gained popularity across the U.S. and all around the world, with several leagues popping up on college campuses – including one at Oakland University, which formed in 2020.
The game consists of four players, two teams of two, gathering around a circular net. The ball can be passed between teammates or spiked into the net. If the opposing team can’t return the ball before it hits the ground – or uses up their limited number of passes – the point is lost. A new serve begins, and the game continues. What follows is usually a blur of quick dives, Hail Mary slaps and plenty of laughter.
Lance Markowitz, the treasurer of OU Roundnet, spent the summer organizing the event. The club’s executive board coordinated with Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC) and The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) to bring the event together.
“They both played a pretty large role in helping to promote the event,” Markowitz said. “We reached out to over 200 companies for sponsorships, for prizes and stuff, and then also just promoted it throughout the summer to try and get as many people here as possible.”
The tournament reached a broader audience, drawing in students beyond the usual circle of club regulars. Markowitz said he hopes this exposure will inspire more people to get involved with the club.
“I’m just really excited because we’ve had probably 10 to 15 people at our pickups, and I knew that once the tournament happened, that then that would allow us to kind of get a lot more people interested in wanting to
get better, wanting to play more,” Markowitz said. “So I’m just so happy that they’re finally here.”
Markowitz encouraged students to give Spikeball a chance, with a simple message
“I feel like the quote, ‘you have to try it at least once,’ really applies with Spikeball,” he said. “It’s definitely worth trying.”
I picked up this assignment for The Oakland Post. I planned to stick to the sidelines with my camera, grab a handful of interviews when I could and head home. But through the idea of journalistic immersion – and maybe an overconfident belief in my athletic abilities –I decided to sign up for the competition and convinced my friend to be my partner.
I’ve played Spikeball exactly once in my life before the tournament – very badly, might I add – but the tournament was divided between three skill levels, and so I signed up for the beginner bracket.
When I arrived, the atmosphere was already buzzing. With more teams than nets, the sidelines were crowded. Two competitors wandered over to join us for a warmup, where I admitted that we didn’t know the official rules and were casual players. They patiently walked us through the basics of the game. For the next ten minutes, we practiced our serves, chased stray balls and laughed at our mistakes.
Then, the tournament began. Somehow, my partner and I won a game.
Before the competition began, we joked that we were “just here for the vibes” and that I was only there for the quotes. We even apologized to our opponents before the match began. But once we got the hang of it, we managed to hold our own.
One of my favorite moments came from Grant Kerry, a junior who was also playing in the beginner bracket. I spotted him lying on the sidelines, stretched out on the grass, watching a game
“Pop a squat,” he said as he waved me over, patting the ground beside him.
We sat side by side with our legs stretched out long, leaning back on our hands as we faced the September sun, chatting as the games unfolded in front of us.
“Honestly, I just played casually with friends, hence why I find myself in the beginner’s bracket,” Kerry said. “My friends never really played with rules, so I’m kind of learning the rules as we go. But I mean, it’s a good time.”
He explained how his biggest challenge of the tournament was staying mentally focused.
“One bad throw can really just kind of throw you off your game – get you in your own head. Just being able to stay grounded, even if it’s something I only do once every four months, is very important,” Kerry said.
Kerry and his roommate, Owen Hill, ended the day with a 4-1 record.
“Well, it’s honestly quite rejoicing – just because the only time you ever see people is in the OC locked in, kind of in their own world. I mean, everybody’s doing their own thing or in the classroom. It’s not really like college,” Kerry said. “But this out here gives you time to socialize, understand more about yourself, and what your likes and dislikes are, the people you vibe with. It’s good just seeing the community. Everybody is chill. Good vibes.”
Kerry wasn’t in the advanced bracket, nor was he a serious player – but neither was I. And in my opinion, that’s the whole point: Spikeball is about showing up and trying something new, no matter your skill level.
“What was your favorite part of the day?” I asked.
“Well, I really liked my Chipotle steak burrito.”
“Me too!” I laughed
“For the newspaper,” he added, with a grin. “I will say that my favorite part of the day was being out here, socializing and forgetting about school.”
Sometimes, it really is that simple – good company, a fun distraction from school and a burrito.
“Tell people that go outside and join clubs and touch grass,” Kerry said, half-stern, shielding his eyes from the sun with his hand.
Spikeball is undeniably awesome – and no, the club did not bribe me to say that. You don’t need to be great at it – the people there will teach you with patience. You will be met with high fives and cheers every step of the way.
“What I found that I love about Spikeball is that the more you get into it, that it’s actually way more complex of us of a sport than I ever gave it credit for. And it seems like the more I learn, the more fun it gets, and the better the rallies are,” Markowitz said.
For more, follow their Instagram @ouroundnet or find them on GrizzOrgs. Practice is held from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the upper fields on Monday and Wednesday. In the winter, they will play in the dome –because a little snow never stopped Spikeball.
PHOTO BY ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES
University of Michigan Wins OU Grand Prix with Electric Vehicle
ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES
Campus Editor
With an electric vehicle (EV), the University of Michigan Ann Arbor won the second Annual OU Grand Prix on Sept. 13. The Oakland University team placed in fourth among 15 racing cars, which attracted around 500 attendees to enjoy the Formula SAE competition.
With a lap time of 40.136 seconds, Andrew Kwon, UofM’s driver and aerodynamics director, took the podium at OU. Followed by the University of Waterloo’s time of 41.675 seconds. Saginaw Valley State University placed third with 42.296 while Grizzlies Racing took fourth place with 42.707 seconds.
“Everyone likes to give a lot of credit to drivers, which is very nice for me,” Kwon said. “But, you know, at the end of the day, it’s a team effort. I don’t make the car; everybody contributes and helps fix the car.”
As their second win of the month, the UofM’s EV team won the Lawrence Tech Grand Prix on Sept. 6 and got third place at the Pittsburgh Shootout. Kwon attributed recent accomplishments to the revamping of their new car.
“This car is very similar to the last car because we realized that we have a fast car on paper, but we haven’t ever been able to actually put that down,” Kwon said. “We focus on reliability this year. So, you know, cooling the car, making sure the car gets together in one piece on time, and focusing on testing time.”
Although not on the podium, Grizzlies Racing (GR), the OU team, added another step in its long-term
improvement in performance. Throughout the years, GR has been escalating its position at the Michigan International Speedway (MIS).
“A few years ago, we were all right, we were placing maybe middle of the pack, 60th,” Deacon Fancher, GR business and marketing director, said. “But as of recently, the last two years, we’ve been placing 14th, and then this year was 13th — so we’re getting there.”
Not all cars were racing at the same time. The competition was based on individual time laps, where cars would complete laps between 1 and 5 p.m. to achieve the fastest time. In one of those laps, GR had a hiccup with a deviated tire.
“For a tire, there are two components. There’s your metal rim, and then there’ll be your just rubber tire on top of that,” Erin Atkinson, GR team member, said. “If your tire pressures aren’t correct, or if you’re taking a really sharp turn, the forces being enacted on that can cause it to deviate.”
As the fourth time that the tire deviated, the team quickly fixed it and put on a good run, Atkinson explained. With more experience under their belt, the The OU Grand Prix is one of the last shootouts of the season before the team goes to the 2026 MIS competition.
“That is a competition composed of teams from all over the world — we’ve had teams from Poland, Spain this year, we hosted a team from Venezuela — It’s a lot of fun with 120 teams,” Atkinson said. “What we do to prepare for that is that we just design the whole car, we design the frame, the wiring system for the electrical power train. It’s all just a lot of engineering work … because at the end of the day, this is an engineering competition.”
Mahle, Magna and Ktec sponsored the event while
Motor City Dawgs catered the food. Hope College, Lawrence Tech University and Wayne State University were among the competing teams, but it was Michigan State University’s team that overcame one of the biggest challenges before entering the track.
“As we’re inspecting the car, we noticed that our rear right upright actually cracked, and for us, especially, that was a super big deal, because we don’t have spare uprights,” Quinn Schultz, MSU’s structure lead, said. “It’s what holds your brakes, your calipers, the rotors, the wheel hubs, you know what spins the wheels.”
Described as one of the most complex components of their vehicle, Schultz explained, the team had to go back to their gear shop to completely replace the piece to pass the tech inspection.
“This was something that we should have never completed in eight hours — it would take a week and a half — and there was no way on paper that we should have come back here today,” Schultz said. “We went back to the shop, put our heads down, and we came back out here at 8 a.m., truly incredible. The people on this team have such a work ethic like the drive is just actually unreal. It’s probably one of my favorite memories of Formula SAE, so far.”
Like them, each Formula SAE team overcame its own challenges and got a chance to bond with the local racing community in preparation for its big competition in May 2026.
“[OU Grand Prix] is a lot more laid back than our big competitions,” Atkinson said. “You get to know these other teams, and you just kind of feel the camaraderie of all these engineers working together.”
Building community with new clubs at 2025 Grizzfest
ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES Campus Editor
Like every Fall semester, Elliot Tower saw new clubs sprout, while others bloom with renewed spirits and longstanding campus organizations take root in the annual Grizzfest celebration. With hundreds of attendees, around 50 clubs welcomed students to Oakland University’s social life.
Among the dozens of themed posters representing new clubs on Sept. 9 was the Botany Club, founded last year under the direction of Emmaline Allen, an environmental sciences student.
“There are a lot of environmental science clubs, there was a pollinator club, but there wasn’t a plant-related club,” Allen said. “So we wanted more help with the pollinator gardens and there were a lot of people who were interested in plants in general who wanted to join.”
Through collaborations with the Pollinator Conservation Organization, the Ecology Club and the Native American Student Organization, Allen and her team have consolidated a community of nature enthusiasts at OU.
“Running a club, I like to engage with the community,” Allen said. “It’s really cool to plan something and have people actually attend it and see that people are actually interested in this topic.”
Community building has gone beyond university grounds, thanks to student organizations like the Red
Glasses Movement — a group dedicated to volunteering at local nonprofits.
“We started the club in honor of a young girl named Audrey Lou,” Miri Abro, Red Glasses Movement OU chapter president, said. “She had Down syndrome, but she died of a heart defect when she was eight.”
Founded last fall, the OU chapter plans one or two events per semester to volunteer around the Metro Detroit area to follow Lou’s message “to live bold, love big and pass it along,” Abro explained.
“We do a lot of volunteering, a lot of fundraising, a lot of social events, just to get the community together and get everyone to spread kindness, spread love,” Abro said. “Sometimes you just have to take yourself out of your own world and go experience someone else’s world as well.”
Clubs were also reinvigorated by a wave of enthusiasm over the summer, Maggie Marchiani, the Cosplay club treasurer, explained. In her handcrafted Hatsune Miku cosplay, she explored the opportunities between hobbies and learning offered by student organizations.
“This year, we’re really kind of hoping to up our events, so we’re looking to do some classes,” Marchiani said. “I know we’re gonna have one on wig making, maybe one on how to do 3D printing.”
As an artist, Marchiani explained, cosplay competitions helped her overcome her stage fright while refining her craftsmanship, something she hopes
to share with the students joining the club.
“Cosplay for me is a lot about jumping hurdles, I think, and I want it to be like that for our club mates too,” Marchiani explained.
Attendees also shared their excitement for the 2025 edition of Grizzfest, highlighting the revival of clubs that went dormant over time or due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I like that we’ve actually got a pretty good emergence of kind of like ethnic group clubs,” Brandon Craddock, a mechanical engineering student, said. “We used to have a lot of those, then they all kind of went away after COVID… I think that’s kind of nice, the root and community establishment that I thought made this school kind of cool back in the day.”
From niche clubs to academic honors societies, students could find a multitude of student-run organizations to explore hobbies, develop skills, network or bond with the campus community.
“It’s important because there are a lot of kids who are coming from high school, 18, 19 years old, and they might not know a lot of people at Oakland,” Joey Papas, a mechanical engineering student, said. “So to be able to communicate and network with people through an event like this is really good for making friends and kind of making those connections at school that you’re going to have for the next four years.”
PHOTOS BY MATTHEW VIGELIUS
Library of Things: Kresge Library debuts eclectic new collection
CAEL TANNER
Features Editor
As of this semester, OU students, faculty and staff now have access to a non-traditional set of library resources, including a sewing machine, binoculars, power tools, lawn games and even specialized muffin tins.
All of these items and more are housed in the Library of Things, an innovative new collection officially launched Sept. 3 at Kresge Library. The collection is designed to give campus community members access to practical and recreational items for entertainment and education purposes.
Associate Dean of University Libraries Beth Wallis said the idea for the initiative first took root in 2023 after she attended a Michigan Academic Library Association conference where several colleges presented their experiences with similar programs.
“I thought, the time is ripe for this,” Wallis said. “We’re trying really hard to engage with students in different ways. The Library of Things is just one more way to do that.”
Funding for the project came through an endowment from Oakland University alumnae Elizabeth Smith and Susan Ritchie, both retired educators.
“They are the donors who made it all possible,” Wallis said. “They came for a tour of the library in the summer of ’24 and were thinking about making a donation to the university. They really loved the idea of this Library of Things, and they created an endowment.”
Wallis said the gift reflects the library’s mission to increase affordability and access. The library already leads campus efforts to reduce textbook costs through its Affordable Course Materials Initiative, which helps professors adopt low-cost or open-access resources.
The contents of the Library of Things trend toward practical items such as portable recreation gear, household appliances and technology. Beyond tools and bakeware, students can borrow a projector, light therapy lamp, bocce ball sets and cornhole boards, among other items.
“The idea behind these is students may not want to buy them,” Wallis said. “They may not want to have to store them because they’re not using them that often. So this is just yet another way that we want to provide positive experiences for students and help get them through college in an affordable and fun way.”
Just as for traditional library materials, the new collection’s checkout process is convenient and straightforward. Students, staff and faculty may simply present their Grizz ID at the service desk to check the items out. Each item is housed in a sturdy package labeled with an inventory sheet, ensuring borrowers know exactly what should be returned. Checkouts are renewable if no one else is waiting for them.
“My favorite thing is that we got muffin tins that are shaped like grizzly heads because we’re the Golden Grizzlies,” Wallis said. “But people get really excited about the power tools and the sewing machine.”
The initial response at the library’s annual Student Success Open House was promising. “We planned for 300 students to come and do a sort of self-guided tour, almost a treasure hunt in the library,” Wallis said. “After the Writing Center, they stopped by and learned about the Library of Things, and then they learned about the Makerspace. At the end, they got to talk to the librarians and get free pizza.”
The Makerspace, located within Kresge Library, predates the Library of Things but shares a similar philosophy. First opened nearly a decade ago, pandemic-related closure and staffing issues were resolved by spring 2025, leading to a reopening in March.
“There’s some interesting synergy,” Wallis said. “Students were like, ‘Oh, I’ve always wanted to learn how to sew. Is there a place where I can learn how to do that?’ And I directed them to the Makerspace. They could practice there and then check out the sewing machine from the Library of Things.”
Wallis emphasized that the collection is intended to grow, and student input will help to determine future additions. The Library of Things website includes a form where community members can make suggestions about what items they would like to see added to the collection.
“One thing I really hope is that students will give us their feedback about what they’d like to see,” she said. “What I would love is for students to want to have access to these kinds of materials so much that we need to add more. That’s what I hope for the most.”
PHOTO BY CAEL TANNER
New residence assistants share excitement for fall 2025
ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES Campus Editor
Whether it is helping students who locked themselves out of their rooms or being the first point of contact during emergencies, Residence Assistants (RAs) at Oakland University help over 2,200 students each semester. With almost 14% of the student population under their tutelage, new RAs share their experience during the first week of the semester as students return to campus.
“You don’t really think about how much training you have to go through to handle the mail in the packages,” Javier Rosario, an RA on the fourth floor of Oakview, says. “It’s, it seems very stressful at first, and then you learn about it, and it seems really easy, and then you actually do and it’s back to being very stressful.”
At the end of the day, Rosario explains, the RA team always has each other’s back. With this semester being his first as an RA, Rosario highlights communication as the best option for RAs who are still figuring it out.
“I remember I had trouble logging into a specific app that we use. I thought, ‘man, I’m doing everything it says that we should be doing. It’s not working,’” Rosario says. “Rather than go on my desk duty without that crucial app, I texted my team and fixed it. It’s better to ask and feel silly for a second, then not to ask, and something goes wrong.”
Between desk duties in the morning and late-night rounds, he and other RAs make sure students have the assistance they need to enjoy life on campus.
“Especially coming into college, sometimes [students] don’t know that they need that extra help, or
extra assistance coming in and learning how to be more of an adult than they already are,” Lexie Cousineau, a sophomore student and new RA, says.
With crowded parking lots and full dining halls, Cousineau, who works at Hamlin Hall, expresses excitement to see more freshmen students involved on campus.
“I really like the Hamlin community, just because it’s very lively in here,” Cousineau says. “ I was a freshman last year, and when I went to the [live band karaoke] last year, there were not a lot of people actually going to things. So I feel like, especially this freshman class, is very interactive with the campus, which I’m very excited to see.”
With more students in the residence halls, RAs had to go through two weeks of nine-to-five training before the Fall. With three years of experience under her belt, Paige Burns and other seasoned RAs have been helping mentor new assistants since those training weeks.
“I would definitely say take advantage of the RAs. We’ve been here, so we know the ins and outs,” Burns says. “Yes, we enforce housing policies, but we aren’t scary people. We’re here to help and support, whether that’s directly through us or by connecting you with someone who has more knowledge and resources to assist you.”
Also working at Hamlin, Burns has an expertise and a passion for keeping students engaged with the campus community. The key, she explains, are intentional social events.
“My favorite memory as an RA was last year when I hosted a Black History Month program. The event turned out really well, I had over 70 people attend,”
Burns says. “It was a project that I was extremely passionate about because many of the residents from the year before had told me they would love to have an event in housing to celebrate Black Culture. Hopefully, we’ll be able to bring it back this year.”
From Hillcrest to Vandy, RAs work year-round to make sure campus residents can call Oakland University their home.
“My favorite thing as an RA is getting to help students with more of those difficult situations that they might have,” Cousineau says. “So maybe it’s something like a class, or whether they’re not feeling well, like mentally, or anything like that, just helping them kind of regulate those emotions and being kind of like a gateway to finding solutions.”
PHOTO COURTESY
The Global Sumud Flotilla sets sail to Gaza
MATILDE RABAJOLI
Political Reporter
The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) is a civil society initiative made up of various entities, including the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Global Movement for Gaza, Cinta Gaza Malaysia, Sumud Convoy, Coordination for Joint Action for Palestine and Million Rural Women and the Landless.
The 13 activists listed on GSF’s “Steering Committee” have either founded, presided, coordinated or become a spokesperson for at least one of these committees and coalitions.
GSF’s website features a tracker with the sailing boats and names of the individuals who have started sailing from Barcelona, Spain to Tunis, Tunisia.
“Delegations from 45 countries have already committed to sail to Gaza as part of the largest maritime mission to break Israel’s illegal siege,” GSF said.
Each country has its own link and social media accounts attached for the delegations it has sent.
The page also opens with Greta Thunberg, who has recently been reported in Tunis. She was warmly welcomed when her part of the GSF flotilla first arrived.
“We all know why we are here,” Thunberg said. “Just across the water there’s a genocide going on, a mass starvation by Israel’s murder machine.”
Though other efforts have been made to reach the strip by sea, they were often left unsuccessful
“In June, Israel intercepted another ship carrying
Thunberg, Hassan and other activists, towed them to shore and deported them from the country. And in July, 21 activists from 10 countries were intercepted as they tried to approach Gaza in another vessel, the Handala,” The Times of Israel reported.
And yet, they’ve chosen to return with their own cavalry of commoners, despite the growing dangers of drone attacks, which have recently hit both Thunberg’s vessel, known as the GSF “Family Boat,” and a secondary vessel. Though authorities have denied the use of drones specifically, videos of the damage have called into doubt the integrity of the investigations.
Though activists and internationally recognized advocates are part of the GSF, the movement is a testament to the willpower of regular citizens.
“We are a coalition of everyday people — organizers, humanitarians, doctors, artists, clergy, lawyers and seafarers — who believe in human dignity and the power of nonviolent action,” GSF said. “In June, we launched a globally coordinated mobilization by land, sea and air. In summer, we return with a unified strategy: one goal and global coordination like never before.”
The organization continues to explain that, “our efforts build on decades of Palestinian resistance and international solidarity. Though we belong to or hold different nations, faiths and political beliefs, we are united by a single truth: the siege and genocide must end. We are independent, international and unaffiliated with any government or political party. Our allegiance is to justice, freedom and the sanctity of human life.”
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition website and social media states, “we sail until Palestine is free.”
Trump’s health status raises major concerns
MATILDE RABAJOLI, Political Reporter
The beginning of September brought more than just back to school memes to students’ social media, rumors of President Trump’s untimely death hit a peak across platforms.
The hashtag of “Trumpdead” was splashed across the internet along with pictures of the president of the United States that were heavily scrutinized.
“Recently, Trump has been seen with bruising on the back of his right hand, sometimes poorly concealed with makeup, and swelling around his ankles. The White House has said Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, which means veins in the legs can’t properly carry blood back to the heart, causing it to pool in the lower legs. It’s a fairly common condition for older adults,” ABC’s Eyewitness News said.
The noise of his declining health hit a peak earlier this month when President Trump first learned of his ‘death’ during a press conference. A Fox News reporter, Peer Doocy, directly asked the president about the rumors. President Trump answered by relaying that he had seen worries regarding his health, but not of his death. He quickly dismissed them as “fake news” and that he had been “very active over the weekend.”
“Last week, I did numerous news conferences… and then I didn’t do any for two days and they said ‘there must be something wrong with him.’ Biden wouldn’t do them for months, you wouldn’t see
him, and nobody ever said there was ever anything wrong with him and we know he wasn’t in the greatest of shapes,” President Trump said during the same press conference.
He also had previously posted about his health concerns the previous week. Trump directly addressed his health Truth Social, stating, “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE”.
Though the rumors were put to rest in a rather timely manner, The Guardian reported that “it did offer an insight into an online culture ripe with conspiracy theories, liberal fantasies about Trump’s premature demise and an attention economy in which he has created an expectation that he will all but livestream his presidency 24/7.”
His lack of news, reports on offhanded comments, memes, or posts on socials led to the world holding its breath.
“The fevered rumours did underline how Trump is missed when he is not filling the airwaves. For this president, nothing could be more shocking than the sound of silence,” The Guardian said.
The #Trumpdead rumor sparked a new conversation. One that humors how the world would react if the president did pass. Now holding the context of Sept. 10 and the death of activist Charlie Kirk’s death, the world has an exemplary instance.
The digital world has now shifted to a new divide on how one should act regarding the death of a political actor that you do not share views with. Controversies have risen on whether it’s okay to mourn or be horrified at the violence of Kirk’s death, even when being a Democrat or a Liberal.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PEOPLE’S HEALTH MOVEMENT
The new, violent era of American politics
Commentator Charlie Kirk was on his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University when he was shot and killed by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson during one of his debates addressing gun violence. The Conservative commentator was most known for his debates with college students at different universities across the country.
Opponents and allies of the speaker responded to the shocking news of his death.
President Donald Trump responded to the news, stating that he was filled with “grief and anger,” regarding the situation.
“An assassin tried to silence him with a bullet, but he failed because together we will ensure that his voice, his message and his legacy will live on for countless generations to come by. Today, because of this heinous act, Charlie’s voice has become bigger and grander than ever before,” the president said in a video addressed to the nation.
Afterwards, President Trump signed a proclamation announcing that the United
States flag will be flown at half-staff, as a “mark of respect for the memory of Charlie Kirk.”
Kirk’s closest ally, his wife Erika Kirk, expressed her devastation in losing her husband and the father of her two kids. Following the passing of her husband, she addressed the nation.
“To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die…I refuse to let that happen,” Erika Kirk said. “No one will forget my husband’s name, and I will make sure of it. It will become stronger, bolder, louder and greater than ever. My husband’s mission will not end, not even for a moment.”
Erika Kirk affirmed that her late husband’s tour will continue in the fall, stating that there will be “even more tours in the years to come.”
Political commentator and activist Hasan Piker was originally meant to debate Kirk at the Dartmouth College on Sept. 25 in a discussion surrounding young voters in the country.
Piker discovered the news while streaming to his followers on the website Twitch and expressed his shock following the videos released of the assassination, urging his followers to not joke about the situation and to respect Kirk and his family.
“When you see someone like that get shot, it’s very different. I don’t think human beings are supposed to see that,” Piker said. “I don’t even know what his family feels like. I don’t even want to think about that, but it was a traumatic incident that, unfortunately, is all too common in this country.”
Piker and Kirk differed strongly on their political opinions. Kirk resonated with the Conservative ideology, even once stating that “it’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment.” He also founded the non-profit Turning Point USA — aimed at promoting limited government control with a cut spending and free markets.
Piker, on the other hand, resonates with Liberal and Progressive ideologies,
“It’s just that I think people venerating a person with what I consider to be a morally repugnant political ideology is going to have unforeseen secondary consequences, as far as normalization of this ideology. We’re seeing that in every aspect of society already, and it’s very frustrating,” Piker said.
Many major political figures throughout American politics have been victims of political violence, with Minnesotan state officials being the most recent victims.
In June, Minnesota House of Representatives Speaker Emerita Melissa, husband Mark Hortman and pet dog Gilbert were victims of an assassination alongside another attempt of Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and wife Yvette.
The event occurred when 57-year-old Minnesotan Vance Boelter disguised himself as a law enforcement officer and asserted to be let in by the Hoffmans. However, after the married couple realized that Boelter was not an officer, they attempted to shut the door on him. Boelter then shot them both.
Boelter is suspected of then travelling to the home of Speaker Emerita and Representative Melissa Hortman, where he shot her, her husband and their pet dog. Officers arrived quickly to the scene and attempted to resuscitate the couple but unsuccessful.
Tim Walz, the Minnesota Governor and Vice President to runner-up Kamala Harris in the 2024 Presidential election, delivered the eulogy for Melissa and Mark Hortman.
“I know that in these times of inexplicable, unexplainable tragedy, all of us are searching for some kind of meaning, some kind of lesson that we can learn to help ease our loss,” Waltz said. “And maybe it is this moment where each of us can examine the way we work together, the way we talk about each other, the way [we] fight for things we care about, a moment when each of [us] can recommit to engaging in politics and life the way Mark and Melissa did — fiercely, enthusiastically, heartily but without losing sight of our common humanity.”
Melissa and Mark Hortman are survived by their two children, Sophie and Colin Hortman.
As victims of political violence, the Hoffman family responded to the death of Charlie Kirk and spoke about the current political climate of our country.
“The assassination of Charlie Kirk today is the only latest act that
begin to call out extreme, aggressive and violent dialogue that foments these attacks on our republic and freedom. We also call on leaders of both parties to take immediate action to prevent gun violence.”
According to statistics obtained by the Pew Research Center, nearly 61% of Americans today feel that it is too easy to legally obtain a gun in this country. In addition, nearly half of the population today view gun violence as a major threat to the safety of citizens in this country.
Before Kirk’s assassination, and even before the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump, 45% of Americans in 2024 felt that political violence was a major problem, with many also feeling an increase in violence compared to the years before.
Many Americans are now left wondering how we can unify a nation filled with such moral conflicts, hoping that these recurring incidents will push for a harmonious and understanding country.
story by Sophia Curran
graphic by August Wicker
A turning point in political violence: Conservative activist Charlie Kirk dead at 31
MARIA MAGNOLI AND AVA WEBB
Young conservative activist Charlie Kirk, CEO and founder of the organization Turning Point USA, was shot dead during an on-campus appearance yesterday at Utah Valley University.
Kirk, along with Turning Point USA, played a pivotal role in gaining young voters during the 2024 presidential election. President Donald Trump praised his efforts stating that his work was influential in the outcome of the election.
The young activist was an advocate for the next generation of voters and frequently tabled on college campuses. He would facilitate question and answer sessions where students and faculty would approach Kirk to ask a question or debate his viewpoints — a practice he has engaged in for nearly ten years.
On Wednesday, September 10, Kirk and the Turning Point USA team were situated on the Utah Valley University campus. They had attracted a crowd of approximately 3000 people consisting of students, faculty and community members. Attendees lined up near his “American Comeback Tour” tent to ask questions while spectators observed their political discourse.
Around 12:20 p.m. MDT, a student asked Kirk “Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last year?” To which Kirk replied, “Too many.” The student and Kirk continued conversing on the topic of violence caused by active shooters until Kirk was suddenly shot in his jugular region.
Kirk immediately collapsed from his seat. The young crowd was struck with horror at the violent sight of blood gushing out of Kirk’s body upon contact with the bullet. According to a commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, Kirk was
rushed to a private vehicle and immediately taken to Timpanogos Regional Hospital.
Not long after the media was informed of Kirk’s arrival to the hospital, he was pronounced dead at the age of 31.
The person of interest was pictured in a photo released by the FBI, asking the public for more information in exchange for a $100,000 reward. He is believed to be a college student who carried a high-powered rifle found in the woods of a nearby area. In video footage, he can be seen running on the roof.
The Oakland University community was taken by surprise regarding Kirk’s passing. Students of various political views could be overheard in disbelief of the violent and sudden death.
“The loss of Charlie Kirk is unimaginable. He was a great man who loved the Lord and a good husband and father,” said Caterina DiCosmo, Network of Enlightened Women President and Turning Point OU member. “Conservatives throughout the nation have been feeling the rumblings of a great influence of more conservative voices on the rise. We need to continue the work for free speech just as Charlie Kirk died for.”
Oakland University President Ora Pescovitz released a statement to students and faculty Thursday morning comforting students in this time of uncertainty. She encouraged students to remain civil during discourse, uphold dignity and preserve the freedom of speech in all conversation.
Democrat and Republican political figures alike mourn his loss. In a video from the Oval Office, President Trump condemned the heinous occurrence, calling Kirk “a martyr for truth and freedom.” Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer took to X saying that “Thinking of Charlie Kirk, his family, and the community at UVU after the
horrific shooting. We should all come together to stand up against any and all forms of political violence. It’s unacceptable.”
“Charlie’s children will be raised with stories instead of memories, photographs instead of laughter, and silence where their father’s voice should have echoed,” said First Lady Melania Trump posted on X. “Charlie Kirk’s life should serve as a symbolic reminder that compassionate awareness elevates family, love, and country.”
The entire event quickly spiraled into a political debate on social platforms. This pivotal moment has raised the question of whether this issue stems from lack of gun control, lack of respect for the First Amendment or a combination of the two. While the arguments have proved to be intense, they all express the genuine concern for the state of the country.
President Donald Trump, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the husband of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro have all been victims of political violence within the last few years. The attacks ranged from kidnapping attempts, assasination attempts and residential arson.
Kirk is survived by his wife Erika and their two young children who were all present at the event. As America mourns his loss, politicians and civilians alike recognize the uproar in political violence. Despite differing opinions, Americans are given the freedom of speech and opinion — two rights directly resulting in anarchy when infringed upon.
After the country has seen numerous heinous acts of violence against politicians of all political identities, it is recognized that these events are not an attack on the political right or left, but an attack on Americans from coast to coast.
PHOTO COURTESY OF AP NEWS/ROSS D. FRANKLIN
OU faculty to showcase talent in ‘Souvenir’
SARAH WASIELEWSKI
Arts Reporter
Join Oakland University School of Music, Theatre and Dance for an unforgettable evening of music, humor and heart as faculty members Alta Boover Danztler and Jacob ben Widmar take to the stage in “Souvenir: a fantasia on the life of Florence Foster Jenkins.” This special one night only performance will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 20 at Varner Recital Hall.
The play is based on the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins, a wealthy American socialite and amateur soprano whose musical ambition outstripped her singing talent. Jenkins became a cult phenomenon in the early 20th century due to her off pitch renditions of classical arias and extravagant costumes.
Written by Stephen Temperley, “Souvenir” is a hilarious and touching tribute to passion, friendship and the enduring power of music. The play chronicles Florence Foster Jenkins’s unlikely rise to fame and culminates in her sold out performance at Carnegie Hall in 1944. At the heart of the story is Jenkins’s unlikely partnership with her accompanist Cosmé McMoon, a yearslong friendship and musical collaboration.
The play’s title is derived from Florence Foster Jenkins insisting to Cosmé McMoon that she must record Mozart’s “Queen of the Night,” believing it will make a cherished souvenir when her voice declines with age.
“Souvenir” is a two character play, starring mezzo-soprano Alta Boover Dantzler as the eccentric Florence Foster Jenkins and actor, director and choreographer Jacob ben Widmar as Cosmé McMoon.
The gifted Alta Boover Dantzler has starred on the Carnegie Hall stage as a soloist and appeared at Lincoln Center in “Peter and the Wolf.” The Lake Orion native spent six seasons with the Ohio Light Opera, performing in over 400 shows in 50 different operetta productions.
Starring alongside Dantzler is Broadway veteran Jacob ben Widmar, best known for his performances in productions of “The Book of Mormon,” “Xanadu” and “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas.” In addition to his stage work, Widmar utilizes his decades of professional training as an assistant professor of theatre at Oakland University, dedicated to nurturing the next generation of talent.
Distinguished Professor Emerita Karen Sheridan lends her expertise to the production of “Souvenir” as director. Sheridan has directed numerous acclaimed plays and musicals both at OU and regionally, and brings an additional layer of depth and story telling to the play.
To purchase tickets, visit etix.com. Prices are $12 for adults, $9 for seniors and non-OU students, $7 for OU employees and veterans, $10 for eighteen and under, and free for School of Music, Theatre and Dance staff, students and faculty. The show runs for two hours with an intermission.
PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC, THEATRE, AND DANCE
“Obsessed” with NICOLE and her “Dreams”
MARISSA GETSCHMAN Arts Editor
Former Postie and Oakland University alumni Nicole Gaglio is releasing her second official song under the stage name NICOLE. Her newest song titled “Obsessed” was released on Sept. 5th this year along with a music video.
Gaglio began her journey as a musician well before her time at Oakland. She began piano lessons at age 4 and has had her toes dipped in the waters of musicianship ever since. Prior to 2021, coincidentally the same year she graduated from OU with a Bachelor of Arts and Psychology, she had a number of songs out under the name Nicole Michelle.
As the years have gone by, music has only further rooted itself into Gaglio’s life, and she has chosen to take her music career more seriously. Nicole Michelle took a backseat to NICOLE, and all her previous music was scrapped to make room for this new era.
Reflecting the shift in her career, Gaglio sings the lyric “found my lane” in her newest song “Obsessed.” The lyric encompasses where she is at in her career and how she has learned to balance her two passions, music and therapy. The song is also a message to anyone struggling with how the world might perceive them while searching for their own place.
“There are always gonna be people who laugh or think that what you’re doing is cringe when you’re doing something creative or out of the box. And I guess the message is kind of just like, you can laugh, you can think it’s cringe, but like, I’m in my lane, I’m doing what I love and I’m happy,” Gaglio said in an interview.
After her time at OU, Gaglio attended the University of Michigan where she received her master’s degree in social work. When she is not making a difference with her music, she is doing so with her words. When asked who her biggest inspiration is, she answered with Demi Lovato. “I think her advocacy for mental health is the number one thing. Obviously, I’m a therapist, so that’s important to me, right. Even before I became a therapist or even studied psychology, that was important to me and a big part of my life, so just growing up with her as a mental health advocate was really helpful for me personally” Gaglio said.
Gaglio’s future is bright as she continues to work with her vocal coach, Tiffy Bomb, and team of producers known as Waves while also networking and performing in new regions. She is set to perform in New York at the Soho Playhouse on Oct. 4th. Stream “Obsessed” and her debut song “Dreams” on any music platform.
The show everyone’s talking about: ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’
MARISSA GETSCHMAN Arts Editor
Season three of Amazon’s hit series “The Summer I Turned Pretty” concludes on Sept. 17 with the 11th and final episode. For longtime fans, this is the culmination of a saga three years in the running.
The first season aired in summer of 2022, setting the stage for a charming coming of age story and receiving an immediate, positive critical response. While season two was less well received, the final season has gone viral on social media, the books have re-entered the Amazon bestseller lists and the catchy pop tunes featured are experiencing increased streaming. Within seven days of its premiere, season three drew over 25 million viewers globally.
The show’s success may seem surprising, especially amid the abundance of modern romcoms flooding streaming services and failing to gain popularity. But in a world facing a plethora of dark news and depressing headlines, “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is a bright spot celebrating the whimsy and innocence of first love and loss in young womanhood.
The show does not try to tackle big world issues. Belly, the main character, is 15 in the first season, and her small world is composed of Cousins Beach and everyday life. As a high schooler, her biggest concerns are the Fisher boys and college admissions. Viewers are
allowed to escape reality and live in Belly’s fictional world.
Despite this, Belly is not a flat character. She grapples with the death of a beloved mentor figure, the complicated relationship with her mother and the difficulties of dating. She is complicated and makes mistakes, and the characters around her do the same. Yet the viewers rest easy in the confidence that this is
a romcom, and at the end of the day everything will work out.
Viewers have gathered in force, supporting team ‘Bonrad’ or team ‘Jelly,’ depending on which brother they want Belly to be with. Funny moments from the show, such as Jeremiah’s microscopic wedding ring for Belly, went viral on social media.
Conrad’s yearning is likened to Mr. Darcy’s brooding attitude in Jane Austen’s “Pride & Prejudice.” The show plays into tropes that viewers can immediately recognize and understand, and many scenes subtly reference familiar romcoms. Conrad repairs the beach house roof and then shares a flirtatious dinner with Belly, paralleling scenes from “The Notebook.” Similarly, iconic shots from classics such as “Sabrina” and “Titanic” are echoed throughout the series. Belly sends postcards from Paris and Conrad writes her love letters, echoes of old-time love stories lost in the modern dating era.
While the series does not perfectly recreate the essence of early 2000s romantic comedies, it embraces the whimsy and sentimentality that made them so popular. For the younger generations, it captures the struggles of first love and self-discovery. More than just a romcom, “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is infused with nostalgia and the hope that just maybe everything will turn out for the better. In a world defined by chaos and violence, it offers a comforting escape to a simpler time.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLE GAGLIO
PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON
Italian designer Giorgio Armani passes at the age of 91
MARIA MAGNOLI Arts Reporter
Giorgio Armani, the Italian fashion designer known for the “power suit” and for collaborating with countless Hollywood celebrities, passed away on September 4 at the age of 91. In a statement provided by the fashion house, it was noted that he passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones.
“Indefatigable to the end, he worked until his final days, dedicating himself to the company, the collections, and the many ongoing and future projects,” the company stated in an Instagram post.
Donatella Versace also paid tribute, posting a photo on Instagram with the caption reading, “The world lost a giant today. He made history and will be remembered forever.”
“Re Giorgio” (King Giorgio) as many Italians called him, launched his fashion empire in Milan, Italy in 1975 when he was 41 years old. He revolutionized the suit, veering away from a stiff appearance. His pieces gained recognition when he dressed celebrities like Richard Gere in the movie “American Gigolo” (1980), the cast of “Goodfellas” (1990) and Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013). The icon encountered trials and tribulations in his life before reaching stardom, and it all began as the middle child in a poor family from Piacenza, growing up amid the turmoil of World War II.
He dreamed of becoming a doctor and attended the University of Milan for three years until being drafted into the Italian army in 1953. During his service, he worked in a hospital in Verona,
quickly realizing it was no longer his path. Shortly afterward, he became a window dresser for the high-end department store, La Rinascente. He later became a men’s wear buyer, learning more about fashion in the seven years he worked there. In 1964, he left La Rinascente when he received an invitation from designer Nino Cerruti to join his company Hitman, where Armani began designing men’s clothing professionally.
Nearly ten years later he would start his men’s wear line with no formal education, but with hard knocks and passion. He partnered with Sergio Galeotti — an Italian architect who convinced Armani to sell his Volkswagen in order to hire staff. The pair soared together — Armani in creative direction and Galeotti in finances — until Galeotti’s untimely passing in 1985. Not only did they prosper artistically and economically, but they also lived together and were romantically involved.
Following Galeotti’s death, Armani would assume the role of being the company’s CEO and sole shareholder for the rest of his life. Together, they created what is known as the “power suit” for women — a looser fitting suit with shoulder pads, contributing to a masculine look of authority. This was created in response to the second wave feminist movement which circulated prominently in the 70s. The fan favorite has been sported by celebrities like Julia Roberts, Jodie Foster and Cate Blanchett.
“I realised that they [women] needed a way to dress that was equivalent to that of men,” he said. “Something that would give them dignity in their work life,” Armani remarked.
This style was also adapted in men’s fashion, expeditiously becoming a household name.
Armani’s approach to fashion was practical and sophisticated. He was rarely seen in extravagant ensembles but instead opted for a solid top and slacks. However, he certainly had the duality to project grandiosity unlike any other, designing some of the most breathtaking dresses to ever walk the runway.
The Giorgio Armani brand rapidly expanded into other lines like Armani Collezioni, Emporio Armani, Armani Exchange and Armani Privé. The creator was worth $12.1 billion at the time of his death.
In an interview with the Financial Times, he stated “My plans for succession consist of a gradual transition of the responsibilities that I have always handled to those closest to me...such as Leo Dell’Orco, the members of my family, and the entire working team.”
On August 30, Armani celebrated the 50th anniversary of his company at the Venice Film Festival. There, he unveiled an Armani/Archivio, a digital archive of his iconic designs.
In an interview with Elle, he reflected on his lifelong devotion, mentioning that he was “immensely proud that the younger generations are seeking out vintage Armani. It means that what I created 20 or 30 years ago still speaks to an audience that may not even have been born yet.”
Armani’s work is by all definitions still relevant today, and his commitment to the brand will always be remembered. His story is beyond admirable. It is one of determination, diligence and creative genius. May he rest in peace.
Chloe Malle succeeds Anna Wintour as Vogue’s new head of editorial content
MARIA MAGNOLI Arts Reporter
After two months of anticipation, Anna Wintour announced on Sept. 1 that Chloe Malle will be Vogue’s new head of editorial content. While Wintour will remain in her other two roles — global chief content officer at Condé Nast and global editorial director at Vogue — there was significant speculation as to who would fill the position she held for 37 years.
Amy Odell, author of the New York Times bestseller “Anna: The Biography” shared with People her belief that the descendant would be within the Vogue or Condé Nast family, hinting at Chloe Malle or Chioma Nnadi.
Many outlets predicted that the successor would be one of the two women who hold leadership positions at Vogue. Wintour herself was handed the role in 1988 from former editor-in-chief, Grace Mirabella. With a change in supervision and generations comes a shift in ideas, which is exactly what happened when Wintour took over — Vogue covers transitioned from a Hollywood beacon of glamor to dressing the everyday woman.
But what will Vogue now mean to the public with Malle as its visionary? The 39-year-old has been at the publication for 14 years now, and she has some interesting ideas to say the least. She is widely known for starting the magazine Dogue, a fashion magazine displaying dogs draped in fabulous scarves, earrings and an array of accessories, in
2023. She also co-hosts “The Run-Through with Vogue,” a space for fashion history, discussion of recent trends, celebrity impact in the fashion industry, the intersection of politics and fashion and more.
The New York native was born to Candice Bergen, an American actress who ironically played Carrie Bradshaw’s Vogue editor in the late 90s to early 2000s series “Sex and the City,” and French Oscarwinning film director Louis Malle. She received her bachelor’s degree from Brown University, majoring in comparative literature and writing. In the midst of the announcement, it appears that many social media users are not too thrilled to see Malle as editor-in-chief, calling her a “nepo baby.”
Despite the negativity, Malle is wearing that title proudly.
“There is no question that I have 100% benefited from the privilege I grew up in. It’s delusional to say otherwise. I will say, though, that it has always made me work much harder. It has been a goal for a lot of my life to prove that I’m more than Candice Bergen’s daughter, or someone who grew up in Beverly Hills,” Malle said.
She also acknowledged a reality felt by many in the idustry: “The truth is that no one is going to replace Anna.”
Malle and Wintour will continue to work together, hving offices right down the hall from each other.
“I implicitly trust Chloe and I want her to succeed to the best possible degree…She looks at things with a more…quirky, unusual point of view. She comes at things from different angles. She’s interested in fashion but not obsessed with it… There are many
levels that will weigh into her decisions. I think that she will not be drawn into…a ‘fashionista conversation.’ I think that she will be able to step back and look at things in a very healthy context,” Wintour said.
PHOTO COURTESY OF VOGUE
Oakland ties ranked Michigan in men’s soccer home opener
MATTHEW LEWAKOWSKI
Sports Reporter
On Friday September 5th, Oakland University’s men’s soccer team held their home opener against the Michigan Wolverines.
The Golden Grizzlies came into the home opener at 0-2-2, so they needed a win to get some momentum going, especially coming off a season where they were the champions of the Horizon League.
From the introductions of the game, the crowd was excitedly anticipating the potential of their Golden Grizzlies tacking on a win against the Michigan Wolverines — but from kickoff Michigan controlled on both offense and defense.
Oakland played aggressively on offense and defense, leading to penalties for the Golden Grizzlies.
The game went back and forth with a near goal in the 16th minute by the Wolverines and a near goal by the Golden Grizzlies in the 18th minute.
Throughout the first half the offense of the Wolverines was dominant — Oakland could not stop them on defense, but no shots were buried in the net. At the end of the first half, the game was scoreless.
The Wolverines had six shot attempts, and the Golden Grizzlies had three. There were six fouls by Michigan and nine by Oakland.
The second half began with a Wolverine near goal in the 48th minute. The Wolverines were on the attack — they began hunting for goals. Yet the Grizzlies continued to play quite aggressively.
The Wolverines scored their first goal in the 55th minute, and then scored again in the 64th minute, at which point everyone thought the game was over — the Wolverines had dominated thus far.
And then the Golden Grizzlies rushed out of their den on the hunt. The momentum changed
when the Wolverines received a yellow card in the 70th minute.
The Golden Grizzlies responded with a charge of adrenaline and scored a goal in the 79th minute by the leg of #17 Christopher Jean Léger, a freshman forward.
The game continued back and forth until 2 yellow cards were presented to both teams in the 85th and 87th minute.
Léger again scored an Oakland goal in the 88th minute to tie the Wolverines at two goals a piece.
The Golden Grizzlies ended in a 2-2 tie with the Wolverines, moving them to 0-2-3.
Oakland can hang their hats on a tie with a top-25 team in the NCAA.
Léger was awarded for his late-game heroics as the Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week. He is now tied with Marco Mazzei for the team lead in goals (two) and leads the Golden Grizzlies with shots on goal with five, which places him top ten in the Horizon League.
The Golden Grizzlies will seek their first win at the team’s next home game on Saturday, September 27th at 2 p.m.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLDEN GRIZZLIES MEN’S SOCCER
Lions: They’re so back
JAMES ELLING Sports Editor
Sandwiched between a brutal loss to the Green Bay Packers in week one and a frightening matchup against the Baltimore Ravens in week three, the Lions could not afford a loss to the Chicago Bears in week two.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell said it plainly: “We’re going to win this game. We have to.”
The Lions needed to avoid 0-2 — and likely 0-3 given the Ravens’ recent dominance over the Lions — to stay afloat with a schedule that doesn’t seem to lighten up for months.
The Lions needed to spoil the return of Bears head coach Ben Johnson, the Lions’ former offensive coordinator, to prove that their success wasn’t solely dependent on him.
Most importantly, the Lions needed to prove that they are a better team than the one who got run over by the Packers in the season opener — that the offense can move the ball, the defense can create pressures and turnovers and the coaching staff isn’t a hollow shell of what it was a year ago.
And in a dominant 52-21 win, they did exactly that.
The offense proved they can move the ball — a lot.
The Lions gained over 500 yards at 8.8 yards per play, over double what they recorded in week one (246 yards at 3.8 per play).
Rushing touchdowns by Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery and receiving touchdowns by Amon-Ra St. Brown (a career-high three times), Brock Wright and Jameson Williams headlined the offensive masterclass.
All five of those touchdowns through the air were dished out by quarterback Jared Goff, who tacked on 334 passing yards, zero turnovers and an 82% completion rate — which pushed him to a near-perfect 156.0 passer rating.
The defense proved they can create pressures and turnovers — a lot of them.
Bears QB Caleb Williams was brought down in the backfield four times and hurried many others.
The Lions’ newfound pressure led to a spectacular interception by safety Kerby Joseph, which joined a fumble forced by his runningmate Brian Branch and two fourth-down stops in the turnover column.
Detroit’s defense shined brightest in the third quarter, where the Bears only mustered up seven yards on 13 plays.
The coaching staff gave fans a vote of confidence — a lot of it.
Coming off of a troubling week one, new offensive coordinator John Morton’s unit met any concerns with efficiency, communication and execution.
Their 52 points against the Bears is the most a team has scored in a game this season, and they still rank third in points per game (32.5) through two weeks, despite their week one woes.
Kelvin Sheppard’s defense, who looked out of place in week one, played inspired in week two.
Their four forced turnovers paved the way for their blowout, and the defensive line and secondary looked night-and-day better than in the season opener.
Head coach Dan Campbell, admitted that he didn’t do enough to prepare the team against the Packers. This time, he left no questions to be answered about the preparedness a well-oiled machine that took to Ford Field in week two.
On Sunday, the Lions head to M&T Bank Stadium to square off with the Baltimore Ravens, who bolster one of the NFL’s top rosters.
The Ravens are led by two-time NFL MVP Lamar
Jackson, running back Derrick Henry — who has over 4,000 more career rushing yards than any other active NFL player — and one of the league’s top defensive players in safety Kyle Hamilton.
In 2023 the Ravens flattened the Lions 38-6, and they’ve since improved on both sides of the ball.
To call this game a test would be an understatement.
The Ravens might be the toughest draw possible for the Lions — their dynamic offense has historically shredded the Lions’ old-school defense, and their playmakers on defense match up with the Lions’ playmakers on
offense better than any team in the league.
That said, if the Lions come stay as sharp as they were against the Bears, we could be in for an early Super Bowl preview.
The fate of the Lions’ season surely won’t rest exclusively on the results of the week three matchup, but Detroit ought to confirm that they can swim with the biggest fish — and fly with the fiercest birds — in the third year of their quest for a championship.
Golden Grizzlies fall short at Home Invitational
MARYANNE SANFORD Distributor
Oakland University Women’s Volleyball took on three teams over the weekend in the Golden Grizzly Invitational, where they fell 3-1 in both matches on Friday and 3-1 in their match on Saturday, bringing their season record to 0-9.
The Grizzlies took on Southern Illinois in set one. Oakland started the game off strong with two straight kills from sophomore Delany Stern, bringing it to a 2-0 lead. Southern Illinois then pulled ahead with an 11-3 lead before OU’s Ella Schomer and Libby Smith quickly closed the gap with crucial kills and blocks at the net, closing it out 25-23 to win the first set.
The second set started with an exciting back-andforth fight for the lead, where Southern Illinois took the point and kept the momentum going to 3-0. Despite an incredible performance from OU’s freshman Molly Reck and a push late in the set, Southern Illinois secured the set 25-21.
The third set opened to Oakland, snatching an early lead with a kill from freshman Grace Cooney, but Southern Illinois quickly responded, taking back the lead. Cooney then came back mid-game to give three swift kills back-to-back-to-back, tying the game 17-17.
Despite a late push in the game from the Grizzlies, Southern Illinois pulled away to win the set 25-23.
In the fourth set, Southern Illinois took off quickly with a six-point lead and took advantage of the Grizzlies’ errors, taking the set 25-10.
Later on Friday night, the Grizzlies took on Xavier
and jumped to a 16-9 lead in the first set, after getting momentum from an ace by freshman Mya Kattula. Xavier then battled on a 6-1 run to take the momentum and win the set 25-20. The Musketeers carried the momentum into the second set and built an early 8-1 lead, leaving the Grizzlies unable to overcome, taking the set 25-19.
Oakland then clapped back in the third set with heavy kills from Ella Schomer and Libby Smith to take a wellfought 25-19 victory. Despite their fight, Xavier took the fourth set with a 25-19 win.
Despite Oakland’s two losses of the day, Smith led with a career-high 17 kills and 12 digs, and Stern added an incredible 25 assists, taking her past 500 in her career.
The Grizzlies then took on Eastern Michigan on Saturday, where they fought hard in the first set with a late scoring run, with an ace from Smith followed by a swift dump by Stern. Schomer finished the set with 10 kills while Stern gave 25 assists and 11 digs. This combination gave them the 25-22 victory.
Eastern Michigan then bounced back for the second set and took the victory 25-15 due to Oakland errors. The Eagles kept the momentum for the third set and took the win 25-20.
In the fourth set, Oakland stayed composed to extend the set to a 21-15 lead, thanks to kills from Reck, Zapp and Rust. The Eagles still came back strong with a final run to take the set 25-23 to seal their match win.
The Grizzlies showed their strength and determination throughout the weekend but were unable to take a match win out of three opponents.
The Grizzlies will regroup on the road against Bowling Green in a non-conference faceoff on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 6 p.m.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLDEN GRIZZLIES WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
