The Oakland Post 4.24.2024

BARGAINING KICKOFF OU-AAUP discusses contract negotiations

FAREWELL POSTIES

Graduating seniors say goodbye PAGE 10-11

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Letter from the editor: Autumn Okuszka, signing off

AUTUMN OKUSZKA Editor-In-Chief

I remember my first day of classes at Oakland University as if it were yesterday. I had just received my associate’s degree in general studies at Macomb Community College and was ready to hit the ground running in pursuit of my bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Except, I wasn’t. Instead, I was terrified. I was worried I wouldn’t find my classes and was unprepared to navigate a campus far bigger than Macomb Community College’s South Campus. I was nervous I wouldn’t have what it took to obtain my degree, and graduation felt a world away.

The future was unknown and that thought was scary. However, standing here today with graduation just a few days away and knowing what my experience at OU had in store, I now welcome the unknown because it means something good is waiting just around the corner.

I didn’t know my first semester at OU would go off without a hitch, and I certainly didn’t know I would one day be the editor-in-chief of The Oakland Post. It’s an experience that has been incredibly rewarding and one I will never forget. It’s also an experience that would not have been possible without a few people.

My parents: Thank you for being my biggest supporters. You’ve always motivated me to leave

my comfort zone for bigger and better things and you’ve always encouraged me to do whatever I set my mind to. I hope I make you proud in my next venture.

Mrs. Labelle and Mrs. Curcio: Thank you for being wonderful teachers. I met both of you at very different points in my life — one in second grade and the other in high school, but you both helped set me on the path I’m on today. You inspired me to become a writer, and I’m forever grateful.

Arianna Heyman: Thank you for being my mentor. Being the features reporter to your features editor and the content editor to your editor-in-chief was an invaluable experience. I learned so much from you then and only continued to learn from you as even though you graduated last semester, you continued to guide me in my time as editor-in-chief. I cannot wait to see what great things you’ll do in the future.

The Oakland Post staff: Thank you for helping keep independent student journalism alive. Every single staff member, whether a reporter or graphic designer, has had a hand in sharing important news with the people of OU. It has been an absolute pleasure working alongside like-minded individuals who share a passion for journalism and I admire all the hard work you’ve done creating Vol. 49 of The Oakland Post.

The OU community: Thank you for welcoming me with open arms. I have learned something from

every professor and student I have met, and sharing your stories from my beginnings as a features reporter to now has been an honor. While my time at The Oakland Post is complete, I hope you’ll continue to read this publication as it enters its historic Vol. 50.

I will miss being the editor-in-chief of The Oakland Post. OU is extremely fortunate to have access to a newspaper such as this one, and it was amazing to be at the forefront of its creation, even if only for a fleeting moment. I cannot wait to take what I’ve learned and implement it into my career as a journalist elsewhere.

I leave Oakland University and The Oakland Post the same way I entered: staring face to face with the unknown.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KRISTEN ELIZABETH PHOTOGRAPHY

Letter to the editor: A Farewell Letter: Sharing My Story and Finding Love for OU

MENA HANNAKACHL Contributor

At 18, I arrived at Oakland University (OU) as a freshman in the Fall of 2020–amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. As a nontraditional student, being a multilingual immigrant from the Middle East, I was initially concerned about finding my place on campus and excelling in my academics, given the collegiate atmosphere. I also knew I was different from my peers, both physically (given my pronounced ethnic features) and emotionally, often making me stand out. Moreover, I was more worried about the challenges of learning in a new and online space, as well as being engaged and involved in my campus community.

As I immersed myself in my (synchronous) courses, I surprisingly discovered that I loved being a college student. (This is given the fact that I was not even sure I wanted to pursue college in the first place). While the first few semesters were online, I still found value in having intellectual conversations with my peers, exploring issues that mattered to me, and learning about different perspectives. Most importantly, I discovered a potential that would forever change me: the power of using my voice and sharing my story.

As my mentor, Professor Cathy Rorai often recounts, I initially questioned if it was appropriate to talk or write about my culture, immigrant journey, and personal experiences in an American college setting. But gradually, with her guidance and encouragement, I began sharing my story, and I was– praised for it. This instilled a newfound confidence in me. That I maybe belong and can leverage my non-traditional background on campus. Simply put, I realized the opportunity to take up space and contribute my experiences to shape both my academic field and campus life.

This singular year that I was initially worried about ultimately changed the trajectory of my college career and I believe – my life. Somehow, the experiences of being pushed by my professor instilled in me so much drive and determination to put myself out there and begin helping others to discover their voice and potential. I changed my major to Professional and Digital writing and became an Embedded Writing Specialist (EWS), a role similar to a teaching assistant. While my role was to mainly provide writing support to fellow students in their writing classes, I was also able to share my experiences and help them with the same self-doubt I had as a freshman. I realized that many first year students, particularly non-traditional ones such as first-generation students, immigrants, and adult learners, shared similar experiences to mine. As a result, they resonated with my story. I encouraged them to follow Professor Rorai’s advice to me: use your voice, tell your story, and take pride in it because it has value.

I was later humbled to be named as one of the recipients of the 2023 Keeper of the Dream (KOD) scholarship award for promoting racial and social justice on campus. Receiving the KOD award solidified that the same story I was hesitant to share would be the one for which I would later be celebrated and recognized.

Through my own experiences, my three years as an EWS, and my role as a peer mentor at the Center for Multicultural Initiatives, where I guide first-

year students and advocate for students’ rights to their own language in my field, along with focusing on my capstone thesis on basic writers, I have come to understand the power of instilling confidence in students. This is because once students feel uplifted, they begin to flourish and thrive.

Furthermore, I believe the magic lies in the reciprocity of the institution, supporting them. The reciprocity is what helps forge a commitment and passion for campus, as it did for me. Finding my authentic voice not only helped me gain confidence, but it also connected me with faculty, staff, students, and campus resources which was fulfilling on its own. I went on to share my story (i.e. published memoir) and research with the broader community, connecting me with so many people. Through my memoir, I was able to cultivate a huge community of readers who resonated with my story. This would not have been possible without all the support and encouragement from my OU community including my professors and department.

Humbly put, the more engaged I became, the more success, recognition, connections, and opportunities I received. Sharing this is not to boast, but to emphasize the power of being engaged and involved. It was astonishing to me how powerful it could be to introduce myself to one person and where it could lead or what it could do. I always felt like it was a chain— that was one of my selling points as an admission ambassador: that we all knew each other, and that we were like family.

Throughout my time, I came to see that many college students often feel disengaged from their campus community, failing to see the value of their experiences and voices. However, I have found from my experience that the opportunities to be engaged on campus are abundant. Students must only take the first step such as getting an on campus job, joining a student organization, or collaborating with their professor. The sense of belonging, the opportunities, and accolades all eventually follow. As Martin Luther King Jr. once beautifully said, “You do not have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” In my experience, everything slowly and gradually fell into place, and I found a strong sense of reciprocation from all sides.

As I am getting ready to wrap up my college career and graduate in a few days, I reflect on everything OU has offered me. The level of support and engagement I received from my professors and Writing and Rhetoric department is indescribable. The connections I forged with the administration, who knew me by name, always offering to support me is something I do not think I would have gotten anywhere else. To my students, mentees, and prospective students and families who allowed me to be my enthusiastic self, showcasing my passion for OU as an admissions ambassador, I am grateful for you (mainly for not judging me). While I like to think I have done many fancy things at OU, nothing gave me more joy than touring future grizzlies around campus. Getting guests to see the potential of OU and sharing my experience is something I will always cherish. Funny enough, I have been teased many times by friends, family, and (foolish) men for being “too obsessed with OU.” They simply do not understand the OU pride I hold (sucks to be them).

For as much as I cherished everything this campus afforded me, I always felt like it loved me back in every way possible. I genuinely hope that every

student that encounters OU, encounters it in the same way I did — filled with fondness, potential, and appreciation. To be fair, without the person I met on my first day of college at 18, Professor Rorai, I would not have achieved anything. Everything, from believing in my potential, offering me support in my writing, pushing me to be involved, and helping me put things in perspective. Most importantly, she taught me the value of embracing my uniqueness, making her my favorite person forever. I cannot thank you enough.

Also, I owe a huge amount of gratitude to my other professor, Dr. Felicita Arzu-Carmichael for all her support. From calling me a scholar, pushing my academic drive, seeing me beyond a student in her classroom, and fostering a deep bond that led to so many fruitful collaborations and projects. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

To all my supervisors who hired me as a student leader, thank you for taking a chance on me. I am truly indebted to you.

While I might be leaving to pursue my dream of being a lawyer in a different institution, I will always have so much love for this place and its people, and of course forever be a golden grizzly at heart. Goodbyes have never been my forte and I struggle to accept that my time at OU has come to an end.

For now, at 22, it is not a goodbye -- it is a see you later, OU.

Mena Hannakachl is a senior majoring in Professional and Digital writing. Her academic work explores DEI related topics within writing studies. Mena is also a published author. After graduation, she plans to take a gap year to travel before attending law school in the fall of 2025. Mena enjoys traveling, playing tennis, and practicing makeup artistry.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MENA HANNAKACHL

OU-AAUP hosts first bargaining kickoff ahead of contract negotiations

ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES Campus Reporter

The Oakland University American Association of University Professors (OU-AAUP) held its first Bargaining Kickoff event to gather and celebrate the support for the upcoming bargaining season.

On April 16 at noon, faculty, students and guest speakers came together at the Oakland Center’s Banquet Rooms to express support for the bargaining team and platform. The bargaining season starts mid-May, and the current faculty contract ends on August 15.

Terrence Martin, president of the Michigan chapter of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), was the first guest speaker expressing support for OU-AAUP.

“You built the power to bring about quality change in your workplace, which is evidenced by the full room that you have here today,” Martin said. “What’s critical is that you all remain united, because our greatest assets are our collective voices and it is steeped in your bargaining platform.”

This year’s bargaining platform consists of three key areas — to restore wage growth, healthcare benefits and equitable retirement contributions, to preserve healthcare options, tuition benefits and shared curriculum governance, and to promote research, travel funding, free speech on campus and economic well-being.

“Our healthcare costs doubled last year, in addition to the money we’ve been losing to

inflation,” Michael Latcha, OU-AAUP president, said. “The university has also chosen in the past to structure all raises in terms of merit — I personally cannot see that working right now.”

Latcha expanded on the policy that divides faculty retirement benefits, a key point that the bargaining team aims to eliminate.

“In the last rounds of negotiation, we were forced to take and make a separate second tier of faculty with retirement benefits that do not get the same retirement benefits that faculty who have been here for decades have,” Latcha said.

Thomas Discenna, the chief negotiator of the

2024 bargaining team, presented the remaining seven bargaining team members who underwent training for a year in preparation for this year’s contract negotiations:

Jacob Becker, Professor of Criminal Justice

Helen Levenson, Collection Development

Librarian

Lori Ostergaard, Director of Embedded Writing Specialist Program

Cara Shelly, Special U.S. History Lecturer

Kasaundra Tomlin, Associate Professor of Economics

Amy Pollard, OU-AAUP Executive Director

Fobert D. Fetter, Miller Cohen Law Firm Attorney

“This group we have comprised has learned to argue with one another, we have learned from one another and going forward, we are going to continue that work on all of your behalf,” Discenna said.

“This dedication to our passion for teaching the students at Oakland and our passion for serving the community and others in southeastern Michigan has been weaponized against us,” Discenna added. “We are asked to do more of these efforts at the same time that our wages are stagnating in nominal terms and declining in real terms.”

Caitlin Demsky, OU-AAUP vice president, echoed the sentiment of unity in the face of deteriorating working conditions.

(Continue on our website)

PHOTO COURTESY OF OU-AAUP

Looking forward: Campus Master Plans for OU

MALLORY WALIGORA Political Editor

Oakland University has officially launched its plans to begin the process of the Campus Master Plan (CMP). This plan outlines the physical transformations necessary to achieve its outlined objectives over the next five to ten years. As new and innovative technology is introduced in the field of architecture and campus design, OU seeks to keep the campus both a safe and up-to-date place for all students.

The CMP plan will be crafted through various forms of community input – ranging from surveys, open houses and interviews to ensure that all voices are heard. Diverse and insightful perspectives are necessary for successful future development.

The CMP is a comprehensive and in-depth

document that plans the long-term physical development and growth of the university campus. This plan includes a detailed analysis of already existing facilities and open space. The plan also accounts for the future needs of the community by analyzing enrollment data and anticipated demographic changes. The CMP addresses aspects such as land use, transportation and sustainability.

“We are seeking the input of students, faculty, staff, alumni and university partners as we create a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan (CMP) for the university,” Vice President for Finance and Administration Stephen W. Mackey wrote in an email. “With the help of your ideas, we hope to distinguish OU from peer institutions and also enhance its reputation for outstanding academic programs, cutting-edge research, vibrant campus life, transformational community engagement initiatives and responsible sustainability practices.”

On April 10 and April 11, staff working on the project were on campus ready to hear what the student body had to say about their ideal campus. Locations including the Oakland Center, Elliot Hall and Pawley Hall among others were included in this campus-wide initiative.

At the open house, various questions were posed to attendees – each attendee was able to write their response down on a sticky note to place onto a collage. These responses are a handful of several responses collected.

Where is your favorite place on campus and why?

Treerunner Adventure Park, but it can be better advertised

I enjoy going to downtown Rochester because of

its restaurants, shopping, history and park

The gaming area in the Oakland Center is a favorite spot; it’s fun to hang out with friends there

The Oakland Center is the best building because of its dining options, study options, communal hangout places and multi-purpose rooms

Pawley Hall – but I wish there was a Starbucks or a coffee place there

Tell us about other great places on campus!

The Elliot Hall business public space is nice

The 2nd and 3rd floors of the library are a great place to work

I like the Habitat and the pool tables

Glynne Guerrero, an interior designer, received student feedback at the open house event. She shared her insight on the feedback she received throughout the day.

“We’re here today to ask students and users to get information about what they are looking for in the future of the campus. We’re interviewing users to get an understanding on what they’re looking for in terms of features of campus. What did they like? What did they want to improve on?” Guerrero said.

“Surprisingly, a lot of students are actually asking for mobility on campus. They find it hard to navigate from one place to another,” Guerrero commented. “I found that a lot of students are really enjoying the campus library. They like the flexibility of working in a quiet environment or a non-quiet environment.”

If students were unable to stop by the open house, they should consider filling out an online survey if they want their ideas shared. Student’s input on the survey will be a valuable resource and tool for future projects and updates for the university.

University Housing reintroduces Living Learning Communities

CHLOE KUKUK Campus Reporter

For the 2024-2025 academic year, Oakland University students can live in three new Living Learning Communities (LLC) located in Hillcrest Hall.

The Business Honors Program, Ubuntu Village and Lavender Village LLCs were designed to connect likeminded students and foster community on campus.

These communities are a return to what was previously available before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We used to have what we call residential livinglearning and the purpose of the Living Learning Communities was that we would get an opportunity to have students potentially live together who were also taking classes and really experiencing Oakland University both in and outside of the classroom together,” Senior Director of University Housing Robert King said.

“It’s this really unique cohort-based living experience that reinforces all the good things of Oakland, and when students are challenged, they’re navigating with both students in and outside of the classroom, who they may have a deeper familiarity with,” he added.

The Business Honors Program LLC is open to any students who have been admitted to the Business Honors Program through the School of Business Administration. These students can indicate their interest in the LLC on their housing contract.

Ubuntu Village LLC was created in collaboration with the Center for Multicultural Initiatives and focuses primarily on multiculturalism. It hosts events about intersectionality, volunteer opportunities, shared

classes, community programs and field trips.

“[The community] is focused around underrepresented minority students across campus,” King said. “This is a community that we hope will be filled with experiences to explore identity because there could be students from any number of marginalized groups that potentially choose to be a part of this community.”

Similarly, Lavender Village LLC focuses primarily on LGBTQIA+ students and aims to foster inclusivity, individuality and an understanding of different identities.

“It will be a space where there will be programming geared towards really expanding and understanding the identity, maybe have an opportunity to experience Oakland together as a cohort and really build a community that supports the identity of the students,” King said.

Students who have expressed interest in the LLCs in the recent housing contracts have been approached to move forward with the process.

King said that the LLCs are full-year housing arrangements, so the next group that will get a chance to select the communities will be upcoming firstyear students. When students express interest in their contracts, University Housing will work with students to place them in the communities.

“The hope is that this is our pilot year. We will learn, we will grow, we will develop and hop to make these LLCs even better for the upcoming year and really give students a really good experience so we can advertise that to the upcoming students for the 25-26 [academic year],” he said.

He added that ideas for future LLCs are already being explored.

“We’ve already started thinking about what the future could be, from sober living communities to first-year experience-type communities,” he said. “We’ve been approached by a couple of academic units about maybe continuing to expand.”

“We know there’s interest. We will have to do some right-sizing to make sure that the living learning communities that we create here really fit Oakland and give us a chance at Housing to do our best work,” he added.

For more information about the LLCs, visit University Housing’s webpage.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OAKLAND POST ARCHIEVS

PHOTO BY CHARLES CONANT

OU Alumni Association webinar focuses on the power of a personal story

ANGELINA TOMA Campus Reporter

OU’s Alumni Association hosted its webinar “Your Untapped Power: Using Your Story to Inspire Transformation” on April 16. The webinar focused on committing to a personal story to uncover power and leadership strength.

Chief Inspiration Officer at Inspired Purpose Partners and best-selling author Tony Martignetti advised the audience through guidance to stay focused in stressful situations.

“I get to help leaders navigate chaotic times to get clarity about what it is you know by uncovering your story on this journey,” Martignetti said. “We tell stories about who we are as individuals or as a collective group.”

Martignetti explained that stories affect knowledge deeper than what is commonly believed.

“Stories affect us physically and mentally on many different levels, changing our thoughts, feelings and often our actions,” Martignetti said.

He emphasized the heightened ability to memorize experience and improve information processing, making storing data easier but not reaching our fullest potential.

“We create our nightmares through the story we tell ourselves about what might happen, often reflecting on our past and rewriting our stories,” Martignetti said. “We often transform our past challenges into strengths, but people don’t look back, they only think forward, but we have to

look back.”

Martignetti shared a personal career experience to reach the goals of his corporate wishes, explaining the emotional ties given up fulfilling those needs.

These experiences led to the true desire for the line of work and momentum of leadership.

“I started to share my story instead of running from them so I can move forward from a place of strength and not fear,” Martignetti said.

He continued to share his past challenges with misguided leaders, becoming a lever for the future.

“We should no longer tolerate leaders who squandered their opportunity to authentically lead, inspire and empower the people who make these amazing breakthroughs possible,” Martignetti said.

Martignetti explained that to make a change, he had to utilize a form of coaching.

“If I wanted to help others, I had to discover who I was before I could guide others,” Martignetti said.

The webinar asked the listeners questions about personal stories and reflecting on defining moments in their careers or life callings.

“You’re learning from these experiences that either peak or challenge you along the way,” Martignetti said.

Martignetti focused on personal challenges that caused burnout and imposter syndrome, realizing his true desire for work and journey soon unfolded.

The event encouraged the audience to consider their paths to uncover their next life points, transcending from the past.

“It’s one step at a time to figure out and bring awareness of who you are, allowing you to take the next steps of evolving,” Martignetti said. “It starts with personal values and understanding where you come from.”

The webinar ended with listeners’ questions regarding the desire for work and the need for community leadership to succeed.

Visit the OU Events Calendar through the Alumni Association for more information about Martignetti and future inspirational speakers.

PHOTO BY LINKEDLN

Department of Modern Languages hosts Hispanic Career Day at local high school

ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES Campus Reporter

The Department of Modern Languages held a bilingual Career Day at Pontiac High School for English-learning Hispanic students on April 19.

10 Oakland University faculty members and student volunteers gave a presentation and a Q&A session for nearly 70 Pontiac High School students from Mexico, Honduras and Colombia.

Adolfo Campoy-Cubillo, director of the Spanish program at OU, started the event by introducing faculty members to students. Journalism, public relations and human resources professors were some of the speakers.

“We’re working with a lot of the departments at Oakland to help them connect with audiences like this,” Campoy-Cubillo said. “Most of these students are bilingual, but their skills in English are lower, so we help them to communicate with professors.”

After the computer science, social work and political science faculty members finished their elevator pitches, they and a bilingual OU volunteer or faculty member conversed with students.

“There are students that want to do something, but they don’t know exactly what,” Sonia Nieske, Pontiac High School English Second Language (ESL) teacher, said. “When they get information and know students that can talk their language, that’s very important, because they can identify with others.”

10 tables were set up at the high school library, where OU representatives responded to students’ questions regarding majors, career paths, job

opportunities and the role of the Hispanic community in different fields.

“We make students aware of the opportunity for them to become bilingual professionals,” CampoyCubillo said. “Not only highly skilled in the profession that they choose but also highly skilled in Spanish, which is natural for careers in nursing, social work, psychology.”

With the Hispanic community making up 19% of all Americans the second largest racial or ethnic group in the country, OU faculty and Pontiac administrators recognized the importance of fostering bilingual initiatives in education.

“We have about 250 ESL students from level one, who are newcomers, to level four, those who are more proficient,” event organizer Nieske said. “It is important that all these kids that are newcomers — but also kids that have been in school for a couple of years — know the opportunities they have available.”

“I had some career fairs while in high school, but I never had any career event days that were specific for Hispanics,” Luis Gomez, an electrical engineering student at OU, said. “We live in a very diverse place and part of making sure that we are always inclusive is presenting and delivering information in as many languages as possible.”

Spanish professor Cecilia Saenz-Roby ended the event with general student aid information, SAT and GPA expectations. Saenz-Roby also promoted the Pontiac Promise and similar programs for high school students.

“Pontiac Promise is a special program for the Pontiac area,” Sanez-Roby said. “OU currently has $3 million for the Pontiac Promise. The

problem is that people don’t apply for it so that money is left waiting.”

Regardless of the limitations that prevent students from acquiring federal aid or accessing OU scholarships, Campoy-Cubillo reported that progress is being made from almost fifteen years of bilingual involvement in the Pontiac area.

“We are already seeing a growing number of students that come from Pontiac High register at Oakland and start taking classes,” Campoy-Cubillo said. “We have a lot of talent and a lot of potential but in high school, oftentimes students don’t know the opportunities they have. So our job is to come and make them aware of their opportunities.“

PHOTO BY LINKEDLN

OU students detail their favorite campus events from Winter 2024

NOAH FRANCIS Features Editor

The snow is gone, the grass is becoming green and the temperature is warming up again. This means two things: spring is finally upon us, and the OU winter semester is coming to a close.

From club events to SPB events, OU held a variety of activities around campus this semester, but which ones were student favorites? For Cameron Ferguson, Casino Night was his most memorable event from this semester.

“It was fun how they had bingo this year and it was fun how they had a photo booth where they animated different photos into a little booklet,” Ferguson said. “I didn’t do any of the gambling but they still had a bunch of other fun activities.”

Shane Strong agrees that Casino Night was his most memorable event, but not for the same reasons.

“One of my friends was tabling blackjack tables, so I was trying to get into that table the entire time, but I couldn’t get in,” Strong said. “There was a table right behind them, with no one there and the lamp was on. I just started messing around with the cards at that table, and people started coming up. I think I got like two groups of people before it was shut down.”

For Rae Williams, the showing of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “The Breakfast Club” were their favorite events.

“As someone that didn’t see it [“The Rocky Horror Picture Show”] live like that before, it was pretty cool how they did it,” Williams said. “Another event that I liked was “The Breakfast Club.” I just like sitting around watching the movie, and eating food that pertains to the movie is really cool.”

Williams would like to see more of these events, even planning out how a “Bridgerton” showing would play out.

“We should do a ‘Bridgerton’ thing because the new season of ‘Bridgerton’ is coming out,” Williams said. “If we could do something ‘Bridgerton’ themed, get some food out there and ballroom dance, it can be good.”

For Mauriana Adams, her favorite event on campus was a shared event between SPB and one of her clubs, The Queen Collective.

“My favorite campus event this year was the Women’s History Month event that was hosted by SPB, and was co-sponsored by our org, The Queen Collective,” Adams said. “We got to come and do a presentation on Women’s History Month, what it means and how you can empower others during Women’s History Month.”

Adams explains why they feel it is important to have inclusive events such as these.

“I think it was really good to have it because it got to show how diverse our campus is because it wasn’t just us, as a predominantly black org [organization] on campus there, but there were also a lot of different resources on campus, talking about what they do,” Adams said. “The fact that SPB gave us the opportunity to showcase who we are and also talk about how great they are as well.”

Although this semester has come to a close, there are many more great OU events on the horizon.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPB

Farewell, Posties

Autumn Okuszka, Editor-in-Chief

Though it’s more recent, my favorite memory has to be assisting in the coverage of the men’s basketball team’s historic run in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Not only was it exciting to witness the team’s talent be recognized on a large scale, but it was also exciting to see how the Golden Grizzlies’ successes, specifically, their win against Kentucky, affected The Oakland Post sports staff. I was honored to help bring their coverage to the forefront of our publication. I will miss getting to connect with my campus in a way the average student isn’t able to. I will miss meeting so many wonderful people and getting to tell their stories, and I will miss working with a talented group of people in the creation of The Oakland Post. It’s an experience I shall treasure for a lifetime.

Charles Conant, Photographer

My favorite memory from working at The Oakland Post was taking pictures at basketball games. I will miss the experiences I shared with my coworkers at The Post and the photography opportunities I took advantage of while working at the paper.

Chloe Kukuk, Campus Editor

I loved our December 2023 meeting/end-of-semester party. There was something really fun about everyone getting together in our cozy office and chatting. I also really loved the craziness that came with the NCAA Tournament reporting, even if it wasn’t in my section. It was so fun to see all the hype and all the stories that went up about OU’s basketball team during that time. I’m going to miss getting to interact with all the different institutions on campus. As the Campus Editor, I had the pleasure of being more in tune with all the different schools, departments, and student groups than I think the average person would be, and I loved learning about all the wonderful things they were doing.

Payton Bucki, Content Editor

My favorite memory with The Post was completing an investigation on the Student Activities Funding Board (SAFB) in 2023. It was rumored that SAFB had over $550,000 in unused funding. Through my research, I proved this to be true. Following my investigation, I wrote an article detailing the large number of tuition dollars that remained unused. This piece brought attention to SAFB’s lack of transparency in disclosing where tuition dollars were going; or, more accurately, sitting. I will miss my coworkers from The Oakland Post a lot. During my time working for the paper, I have met some great people who share my passion for journalism. It has been amazing to work with a wonderful group of individuals, I know each Postie will go on to do incredible things in the future.

Christian Udeozor-Nweke, Graphic Designer

My favorite memories working at The Oakland Post were when both the printer and Wi-Fi for The Post kept going out every time we would come in. I will miss working with everyone on the team, being in a positive environment and having a cool place to hang out afterward.

All good things must come to an end. The eight staff members graduating from The Oakland Post this semester are experiencing the bittersweet sentiment of this classic phrase in the last week of their college career.

In light of this being our final issue of Volume 49, each graduating “Postie” shared a few favorite memories from their time working at The Post.

Brock Heilig, Sports Editor

My favorite memory from working at The Oakland Post is covering Oakland’s win over Kentucky in Pittsburgh. Recency bias may play a big role here, but that moment was tough to beat. I’ll miss being with everyone in the office, even though I wasn’t there a whole lot. I’ll miss everybody.

Saying goodbye to The Oakland Post’s 2024 graduates

Barret Schettler, Graphic Designer

STORY BY THE OAKLAND POST DESIGN BY BARRET SCHETTLER & MEGAN JUDY

Evelyn Gandarilla Saenzpardo, Marketing Director

My favorite memory of working at The Oakland Post is production Mondays and watching our talented designers design pages, covers and the center spread and being able to be part of the designing process. I will miss the staff I was able to work and collaborate with. The Post is filled with talented reporters, editors, photographers and designers whose work I was able to share.

I loved every production day. I especially loved talking, listening to music and designing with my super cool coworkers. It was such an impactful way to connect with them and other students as well. I will definitely miss the creative and uplifting work culture we created. It was really special to get to work with such talented and driven students and share an accepting and healthy work environment. I will also miss the connection to campus. Working at The Post was a great way to see what was happening on a weekly basis and hear about everyone’s experiences around campus.

Fun things to do around Michigan this summer

GRACIE MURRAY Features Reporter

With the end of the semester getting closer, students are excited about the time away from school. The sun is coming out, the weather is getting warmer and freedom couldn’t be more exhilarating.

No summer plans? No problem! Here are some potential ideas to do if you plan to make the most of your summer.

One way to spend your summer is by planning a trip. Whether it be a car ride, a plane, or even a train, all are fun ways to get to a destination you want to go to.

The trip doesn’t have to be out of state or going to Disney World, it could be right here in Michigan. There are many great places to go such as Mackinac Island, Grand Haven and Marquette.

If any location in Michigan requires a little drive, you can always make it into a fun road trip with your friends or family.

Another way to spend your summer is going to the beach, which may sound basic but in all reality is very relaxing.

There are tons of lakes across Michigan to take your friends or family to and enjoy the summer. Heron Beach, located in Holly, is a nice and popular beach to go to, along with Deer Lake Beach in Clarkston.

Although it isn’t my cup of tea, fishing is also a great way to spend your summer. Learning how to catch fish

and making it a competition with your friends sounds like a fun time.

Extending the list would be going on hikes. For as many lakes as there are in Michigan, there are just as many different paths people like to hike.

The Independence Oaks County Park, located in Clarkston, has one of the highest ratings in the state of Michigan, although Wildwood and Valley Lake Trail in Holly is also a great area to hike.

For all the campers out there, pitching a tent or renting a trailer could be another fun way to enjoy nature and hang out with your friends or family.

It is also that time of year when golf courses are opening up, so if you are into golfing, there are many

Songs to add to your summer playlist

MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter

Summer drives call for rolling the windows down, letting the cool wind in and blasting bangers. As we get ready for summer break, here are a few songs to add to your playlist.

“HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan

Despite being released in 2023, Chappell Roan’s album “The Rise and Fall of a MIdwest Princess” was trending recently following her opening for Olivia Rodrigo’s tour and her Tiny Desk Concert being released.

This song is pop perfection and has a bit of entertaining and satisfying choreography that is easy to follow and catchy.

“New Romantics (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift

Most songs off of the album “1989” are summer songs, but personally “New Romantics” has always been the ultimate summer song.

There is no better way to listen to this song than blasting it going down the freeway with the windows down. The catchy melody and fast tempo makes the song so entertaining.

“Candle Flame” by Jungle (feat. Erick the Architect)

You might only know Jungle because of their hit sensation “Back On 74,” but their entire discography is worth a listen.

This song is upbeat and brings all the right vibes — like leaving the windows open with your friends in the backseat. Anything by Jungle is definitely a good time.

“New Gold” by Gorillaz (feat. Tame Impala and Bootie Brown)

Gorillaz is known for some of their bigger hits like “Feel Good Inc.” or the recently trending, “On Melancholy Hill,” but they released an upbeat album back in 2023.

A perfect mix of artists contribute to what makes this song so addictive to listen to. The lyrics are satisfying to sing and the song itself is so danceable.

“Moonlight” by Kali Uchis

Anything by Kali Uchis is a certified summer bop, but her album “Red Moon In Venus” really delivered just in time for summer of 2023.

The song has an amazing musical accompaniment that makes it so interesting and fun to listen to. The

options to do that as well, even with our own Oakland University Golf Course.

For some of the concert people, Pine Knob Music Theatre is hosting many different artists ranging from “21 Savage” to “Maroon 5” to “Niall Horan.” Pine Knob is also local and known to be reasonably cheap for bigger-name concerts.

Continuing on, amusement parks and water parks are very popular in the summer (obviously). So if you don’t want to go to “Kalahari” or “Cedar Point” in Ohio, there are many different places in Michigan to ride roller coasters or be in wave pools.

“Red Oaks Waterpark,” “Soaring Eagle,” “Michigan Adventure” “CJ Barrymore’s” and so many more options are around to spend your summer and enjoy the fun.

Now Golden Grizzlies, good luck on those exams and have a great summer. See you in the fall!

intro alone is enough to get you in a good mood.

“Ready to Start” by Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire released “Ready to Start” back in 2010, but the song has remained a banger throughout the decades. This song has a vibe to it that screams nothing but summer and the end of school.

“Nikes On My Feet” by Mac Miller

Also released in 2010, the album “K.I.D.S.” has plenty of songs on it to listen to during the summer. Despite it being released so long ago, the album has cemented itself as a summer listen.

“Never Ending Song” by Conan Gray

Most of the songs on Conan Gray’s newest album “Found Heaven” have an 80s pop feel — and this one is no exception.

The tempo is fast and perfect for a hot summer drive, and this entire album’s release date felt perfect and just in time.

Summer songs are, of course, subjective, but hopefully through this list people will get introduced to some of their new favorite songs or maybe feel inspired to add similar ones to their playlists for the summer.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PITCHFORK

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

‘Fallout:’ The newest game to TV adaptation

MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter

Game to film and television adaptations aren’t anything new to streaming. “Uncharted,” “Assassin’s Creed” and “The Last of Us” are all game to live-action adaptations and those are just the tip of the iceberg.

The newest game to live-action remake is “Fallout,” a post-apocalyptic game set in the future where players navigate through the world after a nuclear war destroys the Earth.

The series was released all at once on Amazon Prime Video, with the episodes ranging from 45 minutes to 75 minutes.

Unlike other game-to-live-action adaptations, the show takes place in the “Fallout” universe but does not attempt to make it a retelling of the game. Instead, it focuses on an original story that takes place after the games in timeline order.

Three main characters lead the show in separate but intertwining plots.

Lucy MacLean is from Vault 33, one of the safeguards put in place for humanity to survive after the nuclear bombs dropped back in 2077. She doesn’t know what lives beyond the walls of her home, but she knows she has to venture out if she wants to find her father.

Maximus is a soldier for the Brotherhood of Steel, an organization designed to protect humanity and recover lost artifacts of pre-war America. He is assigned to be a Squire for Knight Titus. and soon

has to go out and complete their mission of finding a wanted scientist.

The Ghoul, Cooper Howard, is an over 200-yearold mutated human due to radiation and a bounty hunter who is also out looking for the scientist. The show has various flashbacks to his previous life before he became a Ghoul when he was still an actor.

In a cool display of understanding the game, all three main characters are entertaining to watch and represent different playing styles of the original game.

Lucy is a kind playthrough with her character often helping others at her own expense, Maximus is neutral but often does things for himself and The Ghoul is a selfish playthrough with him constantly disregarding others.

With so many contrasting characters, the show is often jumping from scene to scene.

“We get to do a scene that is horrific and violent. But we can also put that right next to a scene of the banal life of the vault dwellers living underground,” said Graham Wagner, co-creator and showrunner, in an interview with The Verge.

The very first scene manages to capture the audience’s attention while also setting the plot up for the upcoming character introductions. We start off focused on Cooper and his daughter when the bombs first start dropping.

It’s quick, devastating and creates room for just what the show wants to be.

Surprisingly though, some of the cast hadn’t played the original game but still nailed the overall

vibe of it.

“They told me, us maybe, that we didn’t have to play the games, but we could if we wanted to. I did want to play them because I really wanted to get everything I could out of this moment. I wanted to obviously do justice to the source material. But I also knew my character was original,” Ella Purnell, who plays Lucy, said in an interview with ScreenRant.

Overall, the show is a great addition to the “Fallout” universe, and while being an original story, fans of the games can catch easter eggs and callouts to the games.

“Fallout” has been renewed for a second season by Amazon Prime Video just eight days after the original release — and for good reason too.

The rise of midwest princess Chappell Roan

MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter

If you’ve been on TikTok or any other social media site recently, chances are you’ve run into a video about pop star Chappell Roan or a video that contains one of her songs.

Her album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” is currently trending on TikTok despite it being released back in September of 2023.

So, who is Chappell Roan?

Roan’s real name is Kayleigh Rose Amstutz. She found inspiration for her stage name from her late grandfather by using his last name of Chappell and his favorite song “The Strawberry Roan.” Her stage persona of Chappell Roan also pays homage to drag culture.

Originally from Missouri, Roan has a love-hate relationship with the state and has expressed those feelings in several of her songs and interviews.

“There’s this push and pull between like loving Missouri for what it is and then like wanting to leave there so badly because I feel not accepted and just misunderstood because of queerness or like just being like a sexual artist,” Roan said in an interview with the Kansas City Star.

Roan first gained popularity with the release of “Die Young” and her “School Nights” EP in 2017 and subsequently signed a record deal with Atlantic Records — which was eventually lost.

She has released several songs since then such as a currently trending song “Casual” — despite being

released in 2022 — with its suggestive “Knee deep in the passenger seat” lyrics captivating audiences.

Roan found herself gaining popularity on TikTok but disliked the app.

“It just was really difficult for me to learn how to express myself on TikTok in a way that didn’t feel like I was just dead inside, because I think most artists feel like social media is soul-sucking for art,” Roan said in an interview with People.

“The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” was released last September with 14 tracks to the

album. “Pink Pony Club” and “Casual” were among the other released songs.

“I think people like to party and I think my project feels like a party. I think that people just want to be happy and reflect, sing, dance and dress up, and feel free. The project gives people an opportunity to express themselves without judgment and freedom to discover themselves in the same way that I feel like the project allows me to discover myself,” Roan said.

Her popularity spiked again in 2024 with her opening for Olivia Rodrigo on her Guts World Tour, and a video started trending of the pair kissing on the last tour date Roan opened for her.

Along with this, Roan was a guest on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert where she performed “Casual,” “Pink Pony Club,” “Picture You,” “California” and “Red Wine Supernova.”

Roan released a new single “Good Luck, Babe!” on April 5.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BILLBOARD

NICHOLAS KABLAK Political Reporter

Iran has recently launched hundreds of drones and missiles into Israeli territory after Israel bombed Iran’s embassy in Damascus, Syria. This turn of events marks a turning point in the feud between Iran and Israel and brings the possibility of devastating conflict to the region.

After conducting the strike on the Iranian consulate building in Damascus, Israeli spokespersons said that the building targeted was not a diplomatic structure and was instead used primarily for military purposes.

This attack reportedly killed seven Iranian officers who were in charge of anti-Israel operations. Many of those killed were high-ranking officials in Iran’s intelligence branch, which acted as coordination for the many proxies that Iran uses in combatting Israel.

However, as far as Iran is concerned, this was a major breach of international norms and an action of intense aggression. To Iran, this bombing was equivalent to an attack on Iranian soil.

“The Israeli regime’s crimes and cowardly terrorist attacks are a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, international law, and the foundational principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises,” Iranian officials stated on X, formerly known as Twitter.

This attack led Iran to call for condemnation of Israel by the international community and the U.N. — something that the U.N. Security Council did not do.

“The US, UK & France blocked Russia’s press statement! The double standard undermines the SC’s (security councils) credibility & sets a dangerous precedent,” Iranian officials stated on X.

Following these events, Iran retaliated by reportedly launching over 300 drones and missiles into Israeli territory. The Iranian government directly attributed this to the lack of international condemnation of Israel.

The United States, the United Kingdom, France and Jordan all aided in intercepting and blocking the Iranian drone and missile strikes. The drone strikes reportedly did little damage to Israel. The multinational commitment to the defense of Israel signifies that Israel still maintains its high status amongst Western governments.

“I’ve just spoken with Prime Minister Netanyahu to reaffirm America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel,” President Joe Biden said in an official statement.

Following these events, Iran has signaled that the nation wants these drone strikes to be the end of the conflict. Iranian officials also signaled a willingness to retaliate again— making it clear that they feel that they had sent the message they needed to send following the attack on their embassy.

“Should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran’s response will be considerably more severe,” Iranian officials stated on X.

Iran has claimed that it warned the U.S. prior to the attack, a claim that the U.S. denies. It is worth noting that the methods that the Iranians used to attack Israel were slow and noticeable, making it possible that the

War on the horizon: Iran strikes Israel CONTRIBUTE WITH US

nation did not desire to cause damage but rather wanted to send a message.

Considering both the slow nature of the attack and the fact that Iran wants this to be the conclusion of the conflict, it is possible that Iran wants to avoid open conflict with Israel.

Israel however seems to be revving up for a retaliation. The nation has not given any consideration for restraint, despite calls from the international community. Considering the rhetoric of Israeli officials, Israel seems to be preparing for an attack.

“I have set a clear principle — whoever strikes us, we will strike him,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an official statement.

The U.S. response to this has been to support Israel’s capability and right to defense. However, the Biden administration has said that it doesn’t wish to see any wider conflict in the region. The administration has not fully discussed what the U.S. position would be on an Israeli retaliation, but they have said that they would not participate in such actions.

Prior to these events, Israeli and Iranian conflicts have always been fought via Iranian proxies. The shift away from indirect military attacks and competition toward direct attack is a meaningful shift in the two nations’ relationship.

(Continue reading on our website)

America’s third choice: The beliefs of RFK Jr.

NICHOLAS KABLAK Political Reporter

The American 2024 presidential election is proving to be unlike any other in the nation’s history. One reason for this unusualness is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — an Independent candidate for president who had recently secured official ballot access in Michigan.

Kennedy, a Democrat turned into an Independent, has been making a splash in the political scene. Recent polls show Kennedy is beating both Biden and Trump in terms of favorability— averaging around 7% and getting as much as 22% of the expected vote for the 2024 election.

President Biden and former President Trump have low approval ratings, and self-identified Independents are, for the first time, a larger group than either self-identified Republicans or Democrats. These facts give credit to the possibility of a third-party victory.

“All I need to do… is get 34% of the vote and I can walk away with 270 electors,” Kennedy said in an interview with PBS.

Kennedy has a large variety of stances that spread him across the political spectrum, some of these stances bring controversy to his name and others are a source for the candidate’s popularity. Here is a rundown of Kennedy’s stances and beliefs on abortion, the economy, Big Pharma, foreign affairs and the environment going into the presidential election.

Abortion

Kennedy has said that he is personally in favor of lessening abortion restrictions. However, he has not decisively stated whether or not he would support any federal action on the matter. Kennedy also highlights the respect that he has for the belief that life begins at conception, while still disagreeing.

“I don’t think anything is a satisfactory solution, but ultimately we have to trust the moms,” Kennedy said in an interview with Breaking Points.

Economics

In reference to the economy, Kennedy also talked about his plans to relieve the housing crisis in the U.S. so that young families could more affordably purchase housing. This highlights RFK’s goal to revive the middle class.

Kennedy has attributed the housing crisis to large corporations, like Black Rock, purchasing single-family homes so that the housing can be rented out for profit. Kennedy said that he wished to break this system.

“I’m going to offer a law that will penalize large investment firms from owning multiple units of single-family housing so it will no longer be profitable,” Kennedy said in a podcast with Howie Mandel.

A large part of what Kennedy sees as a problem for poor and middle-class Americans is inflation which also contributes to the rising house prices. Kennedy sees things like military spending and high healthcare costs as things that cause inflation to increase rapidly.

“Inflation and high-interest rates are just medicine and they’re both poisonous medicines and so we need to get spending under control,” Kennedy said in an interview with Fox News.

Kennedy’s relationship with those in power was strenuous. Much of Kennedy’s appeal has been his anti-establishment positions — being against the

corporate influences of pharmaceutical and defense industries on politics.

Pharmaceutical Industry

Kennedy was a vocal opponent of the pharmaceutical industry, specifically the vaccine industry in the U.S. He explained that the industry lacked safety protocols, instead chasing profit and using the U.S. government as a means of securing permanent customers.

“A lot of these products were added to the schedule because they enriched the companies,” Kennedy said in an interview with CNN, in reference to vaccines.

Kennedy has stated that he does not believe in mandating any vaccines in any way and that most vaccines are not proven safe. These beliefs have caused some to call Kennedy conspiratorial and dangerous, but he denies this.

Defense Industry

Kennedy departs from many mainstream positions on foreign involvement. Kennedy has expressed a desire for peace in Ukraine and expressed his criticism for the large amount of military aid spending that the U.S. is engaged in.

“I would do everything differently, I would negotiate with the Russians, which is what they wanted from day one,” Kennedy said at the Iowa State Fair.

Despite Kennedy’s anti-war stance with Ukraine and elsewhere, he has been an avid supporter of Israel concerning the war in Gaza. While Kennedy supports peace in the region and wishes to see a solution, he has stated that first and foremost Hamas needs to be destroyed.

“Hamas is oppressing its own people, it’s stealing from them… it has one purpose which is to annihilate Jews,” Kennedy said in an interview with Breaking Points.

On a grand scale, Kennedy is supportive of consolidation efforts and reducing the role of the U.S. militarily. Kennedy said that the U.S. projection of military power abroad has built resentment of the U.S. amongst foreigners, which is contributing to constant wars.

“I believe that our military around the world is stirring up hatred of America,” Kennedy said in an interview with The Free Press.

Kennedy is also a critic of the military industry in the U.S. declaring that he will stand up to the military-industrial complex and bring home American soldiers.

“As long as our major exports are weapons and war, we will never have a middle class in this country,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy instead believes that the funding and effort spent abroad should be focused internally in areas such as the U.S.-Mexico border. Kennedy declared that he would close the southern border after visiting it. Kennedy described how he changed his mind on border policy — going from believing that an open border would be humanitarian, to now being staunchly in favor of heightened border security.

“The Mexican drug cartels are running immigration policy in this country, no American wants that,” Kennedy said in an interview with NewsNation.

Environment

Kennedy’s career prior to entering the political race was being an environmentalist lawyer. Kennedy was involved in many lawsuits against large corporations to prosecute corporate malpractice when it came to environmental cleanliness and

public safety.

Despite his environmentalist past, Kennedy has explained that he does not believe in government intervention on climate change. Kennedy, perhaps trying to appeal to more Libertarian right-wing voters, has said that the market would be best capable of deciding these changes.

“I believe in free market capitalism… you can build a solar plant for a billion dollars a gigawatt… a coal plant will cost you about three and a half dollars a gigawatt,” Kennedy said in an interview on the All-In podcast.

Kennedy’s wide array of stances make him a complicated figure, and one hard to categorize. Is Kennedy a right-wing or left-wing candidate?

According to Trump, in a recent statement, Kennedy is more left-wing than Biden is. Trump stated that Kennedy was more aligned with the Democratic party than Biden. This all takes place after Kennedy supposedly denied becoming Trump’s vice presidential pick.

“If I were a Democrat I’d vote for RFK Jr. every single time over Biden,” Trump said in a recent video.

In contradiction to this, many Democrats have denounced Kennedy as a right-wing candidate. Many have called him a right-wing conspiracy theorist, while others claim that Kennedy is a Republican plant meant to spoil the election for Trump.

The Democratic National Committee has been using a number of tactics to slow Kennedy and his campaign.

Kennedy responded to these contradictory views on his politics with his own statement. In his response, he denounces the whole concept of right versus left and says that he sees himself as a candidate for the entire nation.

“We’re here to change the political conversation, entirely replacing partisanship and tribalism,” Kennedy said in a recent video.

Oakland University Athletics holds 10th annual Black and Gold Awards celebration

EVAN BLANCHARD Sports Reporter

On April 15, the amazing athletes of Oakland University gathered in the OU Credit Union O’rena to celebrate the year’s accomplishments and receive recognition for their outstanding seasons and performances.

Dubbed the Black and Gold Awards, all members of the athletic department were invited to dress their best and enjoy a night of celebration. Every team was there, from women’s tennis to men’s basketball, all dressed to the nines.

The night began with the community service awards. The top individual recognized for her contributions to the community was senior Jillian Rice of Swim and Dive. The team awards for community service went to men’s baseball and volleyball.

The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Team award went to senior Ellie Chalifoux, junior Dane Charleston and Jillian Rice, again of Oakland Swim and Dive. This early trend of the swim and dive team dominating in the awards continued throughout the night.

The next big category was academic accomplishment. After all, these are student-athletes. The top academic team went to women’s tennis, while track and field and cross country swept the individual awards. Seniors Trey Plichta and Jennifer Ohlsson won the men’s and women’s awards for academics, respectively.

Sports is all about enabling future leaders. The Golden Grizzlies Champions Club Future Leader award went to senior Austin Kujuwa of esports for the men’s award

and freshman Jhelysse Anthony of women’s soccer for the women’s award.

When we remember sports seasons, we always recall the biggest games and performances of the year. The Competition of the Year Award deservedly went to men’s basketball for their victory over Kentucky in the first round of March Madness. Graduate student Jack Gohlke received the Men’s Performance of the Year award for his 32-point game against Kentucky.

Sophomore Bridget Boczar of women’s golf took home the women’s award for her school-record lowest single tournament round with 65 strokes and a tournament total of 65-74-67 strokes at the A-Ga-Ming Invitational. When asked what it meant to her to win this as a sophomore, she said, “It means that I have the

so-called ‘recipe’ for improvement down. I have been narrowing down my focus at practices to small things I can improve.” Boczar is excited to push for as many team and individual awards in her career as possible.

The Top Play of the Year went to Rocket Watts’ assist to DQ Cole for the game-sealing 3-pointer against Kentucky (that game brought home a lot of hardware). The Comeback of the Year was awarded to women’s basketball for their 20-point comeback against Central Michigan.

The Golden Grizzlies pride themselves on their school spirit. The Black & Gold Spirit award for a team went to Swim and Dive (their appearances at the basketball games went a long way). The individual spirit award was claimed by senior Brandon Heidal of baseball.

The Newcomer of the Year awards were claimed by freshmen Donavan Phillip of men’s soccer and Clarissa Bezuidenhout of Swim and Dive. Bezuidenhout got a lot of love from the Horizon League as well, winning Freshmen of the Year for Swim and Dive. The Most Improved Athlete Award went to junior Emily Wichmann of volleyball.

Our amazing staff members, Natalie Longroy and Ceejay Round were recognized for Staff Member of the Year. These two work tirelessly all year to provide photography and video for all of Oakland’s sports. Round is thankful that “Oakland has allowed [him] to work in all the creative elements and grow [his] skills as an all-around creator.”

(Continue reading on our website)

An interview with the Athlete of the Year Award recipient, Sydney Campbell

GRACIE MURRAY Features Reporter

The 10th annual Black and Gold Awards were held on Monday, April 15.

The Black and Gold Awards are held every year to celebrate and congratulate all the student-athletes on their successes in the school year. There were many awards including Men’s and Women’s Newcomer of the Year, Most Improved Athlete and Community Service.

But there is one award that takes it all, the Athlete of the Year Award.

For the women, the Athlete of the Year award was given to Sydney Campbell, a fifth-year senior pitcher on the OU softball team.

In 2023, Campbell was voted Horizon League pitcher of the year. She overall pitched 190 innings finishing 23 complete games and had an ERA of 1.89.

Continuing her success in the circle that season, she struck out 106 batters, only allowing 185 hits and had five shutout appearances. Campbell also holds the school record for career wins.

In 740 at-bats in the 2023 season, Campbell threw 160 strikeouts and only allowed 18 walks. She earned the NCFA All-Great Lakes Region (third team) and was Horizon League Pitcher of the Week in April, two weeks in a row.

Campbell had the best league and team ERA of 1.89 and even had a 0.93 against other teams in the Horizon League.

After first being nominated two years ago, Campbell wanted to win this award. “I know how much of an honor it is to be nominated, let alone win this award

because there is so much amazing talent here in female athletics at OU. It was definitely surreal to hear my name called as the winner,” Campbell said.

Although she had a feeling she was going to be nominated, she wasn’t 100% sure she was going to win.

“I had a good feeling that I would be at least nominated for the award, as we have had a good year both as a team and individually. I was not completely sure that I would win it, but I stayed optimistic and was just waiting for the moment when my name was called,” Campbell said.

Even if it was a solo award, she made it known that it couldn’t have happened without the help of her team.

“My first memory is hearing my name called and then the cheers from all of my teammates that surrounded me,” Campbell said. “We play a team sport, and I am just a fraction of the team that competes in every game. None of the success would be possible without them having my back and picking me up with each play. Honestly, our entire team deserves to be nominated for Female Athletes of the Year.”

Campbell had a stellar season last year, but her work is far from over.

Campbell was also listed on D1’s Top 100 preseason player list, ranking at number 37. During this season, she is already at 86 strikeouts and has an ERA of 1.90.

She also has had a season-high of eleven strikeouts against Central Michigan University and allowed zero hits against Detroit Mercy University.

PHOTO COURTESY OF @OAKLANDSOFTBALL ON TWITTER

PHOTO BY CEEJAY ROUND

OU Track and Field hosts third annual Elaine Leigh Invite

CHLOE KUKUK Campus Editor

On April 19 and 20, Oakland University track and field closed its regular season by hosting its third annual Elaine Leigh Invite, which brought together high school athletes, collegiate athletes and community members.

The annual meet is named after the late Elaine Leigh, who was a longtime supporter of OU athletics. She is also the namesake of the Elaine Leigh Track and Field Complex, the grounds for the event and OU’s outdoor track.

“In 2021, Elaine’s husband John, who’s been very active over the years in athletics, wanted to leave some kind of lasting legacy here when he had the idea of having Elaine Leigh’s name put permanently on our facility here,” head coach Paul Rice said. “We had a meet here to dedicate the facility to him and Elaine’s name that year.”

Although the meet was initially intended to be a one-time event, John’s interest and financial contribution allowed it to become an annual meet.

“We’ve been going ever since with his great generosity,” he said. “The tickets, the entry fees, anything like that we do with this weekend goes right into our program for fundraising.”

Although John passed away in December 2023, Rice said he intends to keep the legacy going.

“We’re without both John and Elaine, but I plan to keep it living as long as we can keep it going. His funding is still there. His generosity is going to

keep this going for years,” Rice said.

The events began at 12:30 p.m. on April 19. The Friday field events consisted of the pole vault, hammer throw, javelin and long jump, while runners ran the 5000-meter, 10000-meter, 1500-meter and 3200-meter.

A unique trait of the invite is the participation of high school students, an element that John was interested in adding to showcase OU’s facilities and program. Several high school events were hosted on the evening of April 19 — the girls’ and boys’ 400-meter, 800-meter, 1600-meter, 3200-meter and 4x800-meter.

OU is the next destination for several of the high school competitors, including Bryce Nowik.

“I’m excited, definitely,” Nowik, who competed in the boys’ 800 and placed 3rd with a 1:59.46, said. “The guy ahead of me, Tyler Donovan, both me and him are both coming here next year. I think it’s a lot of fun to race some of the guys I’ll be working out with next year.”

Addison Johnson shared a similar sentiment.

“It’s so exciting. Just visualizing what it’s going to be like to come here and race — I’m really excited,” Johnson said after running the girls’ 3200.

Other community members, including members from the Hansons-Brooks Original Distance Project, which is based in Rochester Hills, participated in the events.

“One of the big things with our team is community, so it’s super cool to represent our professional team here,” Angie Rafter of HBDP said. The Hansons team participated in a special 3200-meter event. “It’s obviously encouraging those next generations to come on through. We’re like that pipeline for them.”

Highlights from OU’s field team include Jamie Giese’s first-place performance in the women’s hammer throw with 46.10m; Alexa Messina’s firstplace finish in the women’s pole vault with a height of 3.55m; Elizabeth Rice’s personal best with a 44.28m hammer throw; and Blake Foster’s personal best in the men’s hammer throw with 52.27m.

(Continue reading on our website)

Oakland baseball claims nail-biting series victory against Northern Kentucky

KURT SZYMANSKI Sports Reporter

The Oakland University Golden Grizzlies triumphed over the Northern Kentucky Norse in a three-game series at the Oakland Baseball Field that lasted from Friday, April 19, until Sunday, April 21.

Notably, in the previous series this season between the Norse and the Golden Grizzlies, OU lost all three games. This series win puts the Golden Grizzlies just one game behind the conferenceleading Norse and half a game behind the Wright State Raiders in the Horizon League standings.

Game 1: Northern Kentucky 24, Oakland 3

The series’ first game belonged to the Norse from the very first at-bat.

Brandon Nigh led OU in hits in the first game with two while scoring an RBI, and Aidan Orr led the team in RBIs with two. Four other Golden Grizzlies also contributed a hit in Game 1 of the series.

On the mound, the Golden Grizzlies rotated through five different pitchers. Hunter Pidek started for OU and pitched in the game’s first three innings, allowing ten hits and ten runs. Pidek also struck out five NKU batters.

The Norse struck first in the first inning as Cleary Simps, the lead hitter for NKU, homered to start the game. NKU kept the hot streak going and scored an additional run off the bat of Jake Paulick to end the first inning ahead 2-0.

From that point on, it was the Norse’s game to lose. NKU scored at least one run, with nine runs

coming in the top of the seventh inning, in all seven innings in the first game of the series.

However, the Golden Grizzlies did manage to put some points on the board. Nigh homered in the second inning, and Orr added a two-run homer in the third.

Due to the run rule, NKU cut the series’ first game short as the Norse won 24-3.

Game 2: Oakland 7, Northern Kentucky 3

Despite the blowout in the first game, the Golden Grizzlies returned with a vengeance in the second game of the series.

Reggie Bussey and Brandon Heidal led all batters in game two, with each player connecting from the batter’s box for two hits. Four Golden Grizzlies, including Bussey, Lucas Day, Sam Griffith and John Lauinger, also tallied an RBI.

Shane McAlinden and Brandon Decker handled things on the hill, as McAlinden notched a careerhigh in strikeouts with nine on his way to his third win of the season. Decker closed the game for OU and gave up just two hits while striking out four batters in the final three innings.

OU got on the scoreboard first in the second inning. After consecutive hits from Heidal and Day, the Norse walked two batters consecutively, putting the Golden Grizzlies up 1-0.

Following the score, OU stayed hot, and NKU went ice cold. Bussey and Lauinger strung together two more consecutive hits for the Golden Grizzlies, and Norse pitcher Ben Gerl threw a trio of wild pitches, giving the Golden Grizzlies an early 6-0 lead by the end of the second inning.

With the lead in favor of OU, the Norse weren’t ready to go down without a fight. NKU scored two runs in the fourth inning off of a single from Mitch Wood and a groundout from Brennan Rowe, cutting the Golden Grizzly lead down to 6-2.

After three consecutive innings without a score, OU added to their lead in the eighth inning. Following a triple from Heidal, Day grounded out to the Norse’s second baseman to send home Heidal, expanding the Golden Grizzlies lead to 7-2.

The Norse did manage to score a run in the ninth inning but could not overcome the OU lead, as the Golden Grizzlies claimed victory in the second game of the series.

Game 3: Oakland 10, Northern Kentucky 9

The final game of the series was a back-and-forth affair that came down to overtime, but the Golden Grizzlies pushed through the wire until the very end.

At the plate, Nigh led the Golden Grizzlies in hits with three, and Heidal drove in the most runs for OU off of a three-run home run.

Four Golden Grizzlies pitched on the bump, with Decker standing out as the most dominant. Decker struck out four batters in the five innings he pitched while allowing six hits and two runs.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLDEN GRIZZLIES

Golden Grizzlies bolster roster with three signings for upcoming season

KURT SZYMANSKI Sports Reporter

On Thursday, April 18, Jaylen Jones, Jayson Woodrich and Deng Majak officially signed on to join the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies men’s basketball team.

With diverse playing styles among all three players, let’s delve into a breakdown of what each will bring to the Golden Grizzlies ahead of next season.

Jayson Woodrich | F | 8.0 PTS, 2.9 REB, 0.8 AST

After spending four years with the Cleveland State Vikings, Woodrich has become a foe turned friend of the Golden Grizzlies.

Last season, Woodrich was deadly from deep. The 6-foot-7 forward cashed in on 35.7 percent of his attempts and made the 12th most 3-pointers in the Horizon League.

Given Woodrich’s impressive 3-point shooting, he could potentially fill the role that Jack Gohlke excelled in last season, likely exclusively taking nearly all of his shot attempts from beyond the arc.

Notably, in all three games against the Golden Grizzlies this past season, Woodrich shot a total of 26 shots. Just four of those 26 shots came from inside the 3-point line.

Looking at his previous season as a whole, Woodrich attempted 6.8 shots per game, with 5.1 of those shots coming from downtown, meaning an astonishing 75 percent of Woodrich’s shots came from three.

Jaylen Jones | G | 9.2 PTS, 3.8 REB, 2.7 AST

Following his impressive freshman season as a

Tennessee State Tiger, Jaylen Jones brings something to the table OU needed last season—a true point guard.

Standing at 6-foot-1, Jones led the Tigers in assists last season and scored his points in a variety of ways. With most of his points coming from in front of the rim, Jones still shot 36.5 percent from deep during his freshman campaign.

Jones isn’t a slouch on defense, either. Despite coming off the bench for a majority of the games he played in his freshman season, Jones still averaged 0.9 steals.

In addition to what Jones brings to the Golden Grizzlies, it’s important to note that Jones is the brother of OU’s own Isaiah Jones.

Considering that brothers Jack and Chang Hoth will also be on the team for the Golden Grizzlies this upcoming season, OU will have two sets of brothers on the same roster next season.

Deng Majak | C | 13.4 PTS, 9.0 REB, 1.5 AST Rounding out the list of additions is Deng Majak, a 6-foot-11 center from Indian River State College in Fort Pierce, Florida.

During his sophomore season for the Pioneers, Majak started all but one game and unsurprisingly scored most of his points in the interior. Whether it was through bullying his opponents with his size or a crafty spin move, Majak consistently got buckets at the rim.

Additionally, Majak was one of the best rebounders in the NJCAA last season. Among the hundreds of Division I NJCAA basketball players, Majak ranked 33rd in rebounds per game.

While Majak excels in interior scoring and rebound, his 3-point shooting isn’t as strong — he made just 26.7 percent of his attempts last season. However, this area

has potential for growth during his time at OU.

After these three additions, the Golden Grizzlies’ roster will now have 12 players for next season. Since NCAA rules allow teams to have up to 15 players on a roster, OU can potentially bring in three more players ahead of the 2024-25 season.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OAKLAND POST ARCHIVES

Cleveland State transfer Jayson Woodrich commits to Oakland

EVAN BLANCHARD Sports Reporter

Oakland men’s basketball has landed a commitment from fifth-year senior transfer Jayson Woodrich. Woodrich played his last four seasons at Cleveland State, but in his COVID-19-granted fifth year, he has chosen to take his talents northeast to Rochester Hills.

Woodrich has been one of the most dangerous shooters in the Horizon League during his tenure with the Vikings. At 6-foot-7, Woodrich can elevate above smaller guards to get off his knockdown jumper. In his final season with CSU, he made 1.8 threes per game on 5.1 attempts, good for a 35.7 percent clip. He averaged a career-high eight points per game and shot a career-best 79.2 percent from the free throw line.

The numbers might not be mind-boggling, but consider what recent Grizzlies have done in Greg Kampe’s system. Jack Gohlke and Blake Lampman both had exceptional seasons last year, largely because of their shooting. Both were able to get clean looks and benefited from Kampe’s play calls. Woodrich is ready to become the next great sniper at Oakland.

When Woodrich decided he wanted to enter the portal, he knew that Oakland would be high on his list of preferred schools. “I had an idea when I hit the transfer portal that if Oakland was gonna end up offering me, that would be a school that I’m definitely interested in,” he said.

“Obviously, I know about Kampe and the program. I played against them for four years. I felt like it was the perfect system for me.”

A perfect system, indeed. Woodrich was confident about his ability to fit in with the way that Coach Kampe wants to play. “In his system, obviously, there is a high emphasis on shooting, and that’s something that I know I’m good at; it’s something I can bring to the team,” Woodrich said. He was also quick to heap praise on Kampe, saying how exciting it’ll be to play for a legendary coach.

This time of year for college basketball used to

be relatively quiet. The only real news would be coaches taking new jobs or players declaring for the draft. But now, with the emerging importance of NIL and the ability of schools to essentially pay players to come play, the spring has turned into a free agency of sorts.

For Woodrich, transferring was different for him than for a lot of other players. His ultimate goal isn’t more money or popularity, but to win a championship with Oakland. Woodrich is determined in this, saying, “I’ve gone to the semifinals of the Horizon League tournament for four straight years. We are going to have a good team next year, and I don’t see why we can’t win the whole thing.”

As far as personal goals go, he has his eyes set on being an all-conference selection. “That’s just the confidence I have in my work, confidence I have in my abilities and the trust I have in the coaching staff,” he said.

As the team gets closer to the beginning of summer practices, the roster will begin to solidify. As amazing as Team 57 was, players like Jayson Woodrich are determined to make Team 58 even better.

PHOTO COURTESY GOLDEN GRIZZLIES

Brock’s Thoughts: In ascending NFC North, Lions need to ace 2024 NFL Draft

BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor

The 29th overall pick is a very unfamiliar spot for the Detroit Lions.

They’re oftentimes selecting in the top 15, top 10, or even the top five, which is indicative of the putrid season they many times have had the year prior to the draft.

But not this year.

The Lions’ emergence has been well documented over the last 18 months, and they now hold the 29th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. And best of all, it’s a pick they didn’t acquire via trade. It’s theirs. They own it.

But while Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell sit back and look to see whom they might select with their late first-round draft choice, conservative is the last thing Detroit needs to be. Yes, the Lions were a game — actually, a half, really — away from the Super Bowl in 2023, but that doesn’t give the franchise a pass in this year’s draft.

They need to ace this thing. The NFC North is now hunting the Detroit Lions.

Think about this scenario for a minute.

The Chicago Bears select Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. The Bears then select [insert top-10 caliber player here] with the ninth pick. Immediately, Chicago improves drastically. Will it be enough to compete for the division title in 2024? Probably not, but they’ll soon be in a spot to do so.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings select their quarterback of the future, J.J. McCarthy, with the No. 11 pick in the draft and fill another need later on in the

first round at No. 23 overall. Instantly, Minnesota’s offense becomes lethal, and they will be in prime position to compete for the division title.

Lastly, the Green Bay Packers, a team that was in the NFC Divisional Round last season, use their 25th overall pick on a position of need. The Packers are already likely to be the team that most compete with the Lions for the NFC North title in 2024, but if they put together a home-run draft in 2024, Detroit will get a lot more uncomfortable.

It all goes to show — the NFC North is ascending, and it’s doing so very quickly.

Green Bay was leading by a touchdown heading into the fourth quarter of an NFC Divisional Round game.

Minnesota’s hypothetical offense of McCarthy, Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and

Aaron Jones is lethal.

And while the Bears are probably still a year or two away from seriously competing, Caleb Williams, a former Heisman Trophy winner, will be leading a solid football team in no time.

Detroit can’t afford to sit back and play the 2024 NFL Draft conservatively. It arguably needs to be as aggressive as last season, when Holmes traded for Jahmyr Gibbs.

If the Lions play this year’s draft safe and just try not to screw up, they could find themselves being eliminated from the NFL playoffs a whole lot sooner than they were in 2023. The NFC North is coming, and it’s Holmes’ job to keep Detroit at the top.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JUNFU HAN