October 2023

Oct. 2023

The Panther

Vol.106, No. I

Chapman University’s Newspaper

Website: thepanthernewspaper.org

Instagram: @panthernewspaper

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With 28 new Center for Undergraduate COVID-19 cases, Excellence’s move to Memorial Chapman offers new Hall raises accessibility concerns COVID-19 booster The Center for Undergraduate Excellence (CUE) was moved to Memorial Hall’s third floor, where it can only be accessed via stairs.

shot

Students and faculty are now able to receive the new COVID-19 booster and flu vaccination on campus.

By Alexandra Der Boghosian, News Staff Writer

A

Simrah Ahmad

By Laila Freeman, News Editor

T

he Center for Undergraduate Excellence (CUE) was recently moved from its 415 E. Walnut Ave. location to Memorial Hall’s third floor over the summer. At this new location, CUE is inaccessible to those who face mobility obstacles because Memorial Hall only has stairs. There are no elevators or lifts present in the building.

The center was originally located in Smith Hall before being moved to its Walnut location in 2018 because, at the time, Smith Hall was inaccessible as it only had stairs. The Hall was then renovated to accommodate stu-

dents, faculty and staff who face mobility obstacles. The renovations were completed in 2019.

The Walnut location was considered accessible to all visitors because it had a ramp for those with mobility issues and only consisted of a single story. It also had a kitchen and a backyard where CUE often held events, as well as a conference room where students could gather. CUE was there for several years.

Sophia Rubino is in her fourth year in Chapman’s integrated master’s program in film studies, and she has also been a CUE ambassador since her junior year. Rubino uses crutches

as her primary mobility device, and she is also an ambulatory wheelchair user.

In the beginning of this semester, Rubino was notified that she had to pick something up on Memorial Hall’s third floor.

“After basically crawling up the staircase, there was nothing there for me,” Rubino said.

Rubino has not formally reached out for any accommodations regarding Memorial Hall. She noted that she is rarely on the main campus because she is a Dodge student.

“I haven’t had any problem yet this semester, beyond the one instance of me just trying to go Read P4

s COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the county once again, Chapman students and faculty had the chance to receive the updated booster shot for 20232024 on both Orange and Rinker campuses.

An email was sent on Sept. 13 to all members of the Chapman community, stating that Chapman would be offering the new booster shot to prevent an increase in recent COVID-19 cases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that individuals over six months of age should get the new 2023 COVID-19 booster.

“While the country is seeing an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations, the state and local health agencies have not recommended additional prevention protocols be put in place,” the email stated.

The student health department hosted two clinics on Sept. 19 and Sept. 21 for students and faculty members to receive the booster and the flu vaccination on both the Orange and Rinker campuses. The department will also continue to offer masks and test kits to those exposed to COVID-19.

According to Dr. Jerika Lam, an associate professor of Chapman’s School of Pharmacy, since COVID-19 and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) are constantly changing, mutating and replicating, there isn’t a lot of information about the long-term effects.

“I highly recommend everyone (those aged six months and older and those who have an immunocompromised health condition) to get at least one dose of the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine,” Lam said.

The new COVID-19 booster shot differs from the booster shots in 2021 due to different formulations in the vaccine. Since both SARS and COVID-19 are constantly changing, the

Guide for Transfer Students (Part 1 - General Admissions)

Read P2

By Anastasia Kuplinova, Video & Podcast Editor, and Justin Yoon, Podcast Editor

For students transferring into Chapman University, especially for those who are transferring as international students, it can be hard to navigate through the process of applying and entering into Chapman.

In this podcast, two Panther editors for the Video and Podcast section discuss their experiences transferring to Chapman as international students, along with some tips they have for interested individuals and the process one must go through.

Vol.106, No. I

NEWS

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Killefer building renovations to open new opportunities for research, engagement

The historic Lydia D. Killefer building is being renovated to house the Institute for Quantum Studies and the Advanced Physics Laboratory.

By Brandon Leonard, News Staff Writer

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he Lydia D. Killefer School building will be undergoing renovations beginning this fall semester as part of Chapman University’s 2023 to 2028 strategic plan. The Killefer building is a historic, nationally-registered landmark that was purchased by Chapman University in January 2020.

The building is most well-known for integrating in 1944, prior to the end of segregation in Orange County three years later. The exterior will be entirely preserved in the construction, while the interior will be reshaped to accommodate the university’s Institute for Quantum Studies (IQS) and the Advanced Physics Laboratory.

“Right now, our facility is inadequate for the kind of advanced optics research that we are conducting,” Chapman President Daniele Struppa told The Panther. “The new facility will allow our faculty to do more with the time they are in the labs, and (it) will allow students to participate in some of the more cutting-edge projects in quantum optics as well as superconductivity.”

The Killefer building’s survival is equally miraculous, as most Mexican schools were not preserved following desegregation. IQS Director Dr. Andrew

Jordan explained that part of the renovations include restoration of the building’s exterior to better resemble its original form, built all the way back in 1931.

However, Jordan also noted that two outbuildings that are on the same lot as the Killefer building — which are not part of the school’s historic value — will be demolished. The spaces will be used for a two-story building to house Armen Gulian’s Advanced Physics Laboratory group.

“I wanted a place where our scientists could create a community of equally-minded intellects focused on these very complex problems,” Struppa told The Panther.

The renovations include better accessibility, research labs, offices, lecture halls and lounges. There is a focus on the community of Orange itself as well.

The design will include exhibits open to the public, alongside an improved courtyard and outdoor area open to the public. It will also include a semi-public community room.

“Our relationship with the community is very important, first of all, because a successful university is a university that is seen as central to the well-being and success of the community,” Struppa said. “And

second of all, because the goodwill of the community is central to us when we apply for new projects in the city.”

While there are plenty who approve of Chapman’s preservation of the Killefer building, others have expressed an urge to see the building turned into a community center or civil rights museum instead.

“I imagine the effect of the exhibits would be minimal, but it might inspire young kids if they see the research labs as well,” said Michael Cheng, a junior electrical engineering major. “I think it would be beneficial to Fowler as more people would see the facilities we have.”

With construction proceeding in compliance with local ordinances regarding hours of work and reduced noise levels, the building is expected to finish renovations in 2024. Jordan expects, with the current schedule, to make the Killefer building usable for the Institute and Laboratory in January 2025.

“As a scientist, I am excited about being able to offer educational events to the wider community,” Jordan told The Panther. “It offers new resources to the entire region, and especially our city.”

With 28 new COVID-19 cases, Chapman offers new COVID-19 booster shot

Jack Sundblad

From P1

By Alexandra Der Boghosian, News Staff Writer vaccines have a lower effect over time.

“It is very important to receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine to restore protection and provide enhanced protection against the different variants that are responsible for most infections and hospitalizations in our communities,” Lam told The Panther. “Therefore, the newer vaccines will be better at fighting the current circulating variants and could restore protection against severe COVID-19 infection that may have decreased over time.”

Junior dance major Rose Lindblom plans to get the booster and the flu vaccination at Chapman based on the recommendations made by the CDC and their research on COVID-19.

“I’m grateful that Chapman provided a clinic to get both COVID-19 and flu shots for free, Lindblom told The Panther. “It made it so convenient (especially for a busy athlete) and a no-brainer for me to go in between classes.

I would have definitely still gotten the flu and COVID-19 booster shots elsewhere if Chapman didn’t offer them for free.”

Lindblom continued: “Getting vaccinated is the best course of action to avoid sickness and keep others healthy.”

As of Sept. 13, Chapman has had 28 new COVID-19 cases, according to an email sent by the Student Health Center. As the flu season nears and COVID-19 cases continue to increase, health precautions have been recommended.

“I strongly recommend for people to restart wearing their face masks in large settings and indoors, especially when they are unsure about the vaccination status of their peers,” Lam said.

“Furthermore, I strongly recommend for all of us to continue practicing good hand hygiene, preferably washing our hands with soap and/or using hand sanitizers whenever we can.”

Vol.106, No. I

NEWS

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SGA reverts funding policies after student org leaders express need for further collaboration

Numerous student organizations wrote, signed and sent SGA an open letter on Sept. 21, thanking them for reverting back to previous semester’s club funding procedures.

By Renee Elefante, Editor-in-Chief, & Kiana Kalahele, Managing Editor

Renee Elefante

S

tudents at Chapman University hope to foster a more transparent, harmonious relationship between student organizations and the Student Government Association (SGA), following a recent upset regarding SGA’s funding policies.

During an SGA Senate meeting on Sept. 1, two club leaders representing several student organizations on campus voiced concerns to the executive board and Senate. These concerns detailed the lack of inclusivity student organization leaders had in deciding on these new policies that directly affected them and their club members.

The policies discussed most included changing the amount of time to submit funding requests from three weeks back to two weeks and reinstating SGA funding for wearable merchandise for organizations. Another policy discussed dealt with adjusting the food cap for student clubs from $350 per semester to $250 per meeting for outside food vendors.

Present at the Sept. 1 meeting were senior biology major Mo Hijazi and senior computer science major Ponthea Zahraii, who advocated for the revote, especially to adjust the food cap amount.

“Having food at our meetings allows (our club) to expose people that come to our meetings who aren’t Iranian to our cultural foods and traditions (and) gives the Iranian people of Chapman a place that allows them to connect to their culture through the food that we serve,” Zahraii said.

According to SGA Allocations Chair Tiffany Le, a junior data science major, the vote to revert the funding requests resulted in eight in favor, one opposed and two abstaining. For wearable merchandise, eight people voted in favor, one opposed and two abstained. The vote for the food cap resulted in eight in favor and three abstaining.

The dialogue between the two leaders and the Senate inevitably resulted in a reversion of SGA’s funding policies to what they were last school year. However, to several student organization leaders, this revote meant a lot more to them than just advocating for policy reversal.

Going forward, student organization leaders hope to prevent similar instances like this from occurring in the future, as detailed in their recent open letter sent to SGA on Sept. 21.

Currently, 66 student organizations have signed the letter, expressing their gratitude to SGA for authorizing the revote.

According to Student Academic Organizations Senator Eric Hall, the Senate met in July to discuss the Allocations Operating Procedures, where they also discussed the policy changes for the student organizations and clubs. After this meeting, Hall “gave a heads up” to all of the student organizations and club leaders about the

“All (Chapman) organizations and clubs want is a voice in that process,” - Nathan Mermilliod new policies via email.

On Aug. 27, the day before the semester started, club and organization leaders attended the President’s Leadership Summit, where they learned about essential club operations for the upcoming school year and were also made aware of several new policy updates.

It was during the summit that senior biology major Mo Hijazi — along with 138 other student organization leaders — were shocked to learn that SGA underwent a significant revision of its funding procedures for student organizations over the summer.

According to Hijazi, when leaders were asked at the summit if they had been consulted by SGA about the changes, not a single hand was raised.

Similarly, when attendees were asked about their satisfaction with these decisions, not one person expressed approval.

In an email to The Panther, SGA President Rachel Berns, a senior health sciences major, stated that SGA proposed the changes based on recommendations from the outgoing 2022-2023 student finance team, along with conversations with the 2022-2023 Senate and initial conversa-

tions with the 2023-2024 Senate. Berns clarified to The Panther that she is not a voting member of SGA and that results from the vote “don’t necessarily precisely represent any individual SGA member’s specific positions on the matter.”

“I hope it can be emphasized that the intention of these policies were never to place restrictions for the sake of being restrictive; they were each intended to address a specific concern or resolve a commonly faced issue,” Berns wrote.

According to Berns, the requirement for funding requests to be submitted three weeks in advance was intended to make sure that student organizations would hear back about the funding decisions and arrangements in time before their events.

Berns added: “The food cap was intended to help put more power in the organizations in terms of determining how to distribute funds for food throughout the semester, as opposed to expecting an approval for each subsequent event and not always getting that result, depending on the circumstances.”

Regarding the merchandise policy, Berns told The Panther that it was intended to give clubs and organizations a “direct avenue to fundraise” and enable them to grow their own financial accounts to “improve sustainability of club functions without requiring SGA investment.”

“Our job will always be to listen and respond productively to concerns across campus, just as was done in this situation, and we encourage students to work with us in that process so we can most effectively help each other,” Berns said.

NEWS

Vol.106, No. I

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IS&T installs new mobile printing software around campus

The new print stations include a touch screen and allow students to print directly from their phones.

By: Tatum Foulger, News Staff Writer Jack Sundblad

Urgently need to print an essay for a class starting in five minutes, but you left your computer at home?

Information Systems and Technology (IS&T) has the solution.

A pilot program of three new mobile printing systems in Argyros Forum Student Union Tech located by the Amazon Lockers, the Rotunda in Leatherby Libraries and the new Campus Center at Rinker Campus has begun.

But how are these different from the old printers?

Through the Wepa print app, the systems referred to on campus as ‘Pete’s Print Stations’ now support mobile and touchless printing. Printing can be done in several ways, including through the use of USB, cloud storage and uploading to the Wepa app.

In a blog post on Chapman’s website last summer, IS&T Communications Manager Sarem Yadegari described Wepa as a “convenient and user-friendly service allowing our students to print from any device.”

According to Yadegari, the new stations were implemented to create a faster and more efficient printing experience. However, some students have run into issues printing documents at the stations.

Second-year pharmacy graduate student Cindy Tran has liked being able to print from her phone by linking to cloud services like Google Drive. However, Tran has mixed feelings about the Wepa system.

“Sometimes, it works really well and is super fast and easy to use,” Tran said. “At other times, I find myself standing in front of the printer, inserting my ID card over and over again, hoping that the printer will finally find my printing bucks.”

Tran continued: “The software takes normal documents pretty well, but if you are trying to print

out a flyer, it can really distort the image, which is definitely frustrating.”

In response to issues that students have been having at the stations, IS&T Director of Client Services Barron Williams said there could be multiple explanations for this.

“Many factors at play can lead to a distorted image — the software used to create the flyer/ document, the size of the images, the aspect ratio and resolution of the image and print method,” Williams told The Panther. “I understand and hear the user’s frustration and would suggest printing to a Pharos station using identical methods and comparing the differences.”

However, Williams remains confident that Wepa is working as expected.

According to Williams, more than 22,000 documents have been printed this month at the stations that support mobile printing Similar to the past printing systems on campus and at residence halls, it comes at an expense. The new systems can be paid using a Chapman ID card, given the student has available funds, and it can also be paid via a Wepa account or a debit or credit card. All users will have a starting balance of $20 during the pilot program.

For reference, printing a single black-and-white, one-sided page costs 10 cents, while a color version would cost 30 cents.

Once the pilot has been completed, and depending on the feedback received, the stations may expand to more locations across the Orange and Rinker campuses.

“The software takes normal documents pretty well, but if you are trying to print out a flyer, it can really distort the image, which is definitely frustrating.” - Cindy Tran

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From P1

Center for Undergraduate Excellence’s move to Memorial Hall raises accessibility concerns

By Laila Freeman, News Editor up there,” Rubino said. “And I was on the verge of tears because a flight of stairs should not be sending people into some kind of rage.”

Rubino does not think requesting to add an elevator to the building is plausible, so instead, she would like CUE to be moved to an accessible space.

Senior biochemistry and molecular biology major Kevin Nguyen has been a student scholar ambassador for CUE for about one year. The Walnut house evoked “homey” and “cozy” feelings for Nguyen.

“It was easy to have meetings or just spread out if we ever needed to within the house,” Nguyen said. “But the biggest thing I liked about the house is that it had a kitchen, which meant that whenever we had events involving food, we could always just cook at the CUE house.”

Nguyen was “appalled” at the news of the move because of the communal atmosphere the Walnut house brought to the program, where it no longer felt like an office.

On Aug. 1, Dean of Students Jerry Price communicated CUE’s move to all Chapman students via email.

Memorial Hall is a historical building built in 1921 and includes an auditorium. Before entering, there is a small sign in the shrubbery that points to a secluded ramp on the side of the building, which those with mobility issues can use to enter the auditorium. The doors of this accessible entrance to the auditorium are often locked if there is not an event occurring.

Walking through the main doors of Memorial Hall, the only options are going up a flight of stairs to the first floor or going down a flight of stairs to the basement. Memorial Hall’s third floor is only accessible by stairs and includes faculty offices, conference rooms and a kitchen area.

Dr. Anna Leahy, the former director of CUE, thought the Walnut Avenue location was an ideal spot for the program.

“We were so excited to get that space, not only because it was accessible, but because it had meeting space for students, and that allowed the CUE to grow the ambassador program,” Leahy said.

“We had piloted it when I was director, but we didn’t have the space to really sustain it, and the Walnut Avenue house gave us the space to sustain it.”

Leahy is worried that CUE’s move to Memorial Hall will hurt the ambassador program.

The ambassadors have not yet met at the new Memorial Hall location and are looking to places other than Memorial Hall out of a concern for meeting space. They held a meeting on Sep. 29 at the Argyros Forum, an accessible building on campus.

For students who cannot access the third floor of Memorial Hall, Provost Norma Bouchard is offering accommodation. She has an empty office on the first floor of Memorial Hall for anyone who can’t access the upper floors of the building and welcomes everyone to use it if they need to.

If you require accessibility accommodations or want to reach out to Disability Services, you can email them at DS@chapman.edu or call (714) 516-4520. Their office is also located in Argyros Forum 203.

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NEWS & POLITICS

Vol.106, No. I

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Chapman’s IS&T team urges students to be cautious as scam emails increase The university warns students of the recent increase in phishing and scam emails.

By Natalie Paul, Assistant News Editor

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hapman students have noticed a rise in suspicious emails sent to their school accounts, which began at the end of last school year. These email subjects vary, but all ask for the personal information of students with the intent to gain private information or solicit money from the receiver.

Katrina Wysokinski is a junior health science major and noticed that she received a few job scam emails over the summer.

“When it comes to these emails, I am frustrated to see that they are in my inbox, but I feel like they are easy to spot,” Wysokinski said. “The offers are just too good to be true.”

Most emails offer students a promising remote job opportunity or are phishing to gain access to their usernames and passwords. Many of the emails offer remote or work-from-home positions and then ask for banking information.

Amanda Palacios, a junior integrated educational studies major, commented on how she perceives these emails.

“I think that the emails are a little annoying as I use the email account for school and important communications, but I keep having to see and ignore constant scams popping up,” said Palacios. “Chapman keeps telling us to watch out for them and let them know if we see any, but they never let us know what they are doing on their end to fix this problem.”

Chapman’s Information Systems and Technology (IS&T) team sent out a warning to students of these scams on Aug. 25.

Weeks earlier on Aug. 1, Dean of Students Jerry Price detailed that both students and alumni had fallen victim to these scams, resulting in the loss of thousands of dollars.

“The goal of the scam is to eventually manipulate students into providing financial information,” Price wrote in the email. “The sender is able to make the job announcement appear to come from another Chapman student or employee, which makes it seem more legitimate.”

Michelle Sypinero, Chapman’s assistant vice president of information security, explained why students

are being targeted for these specific types of scams.

“For attackers, education institutions are a particularly enticing target for attack as colleges and universities hold sensitive data on students, including personal and financial information, as well as accounts and passwords, which are very valuable for attackers,” Sypinero said. “Scammers know that students are often busy, stressed and looking for job opportunities, making them more vulnerable to falling for fraudulent offers.”

Sypinero detailed that one way that scammers can get email addresses is a tactic called email harvesting.

This strategy consists of a person instructing a bot to find email addresses with the “@” symbol, allowing thousands of emails to be found in seconds.

She also stated that these emails often look like they are from real companies or organizations.

When opening an email from an unknown sender, IS&T recommends that students verify the sender’s identity before sending information or clicking on any attachments.

They also advise forwarding suspicious emails to the IS&T Information Security department at abuse@chapman.edu.

To help protect yourself and other students, the university recommends never sharing passwords or banking information, as the university or other organizations will never ask for these pieces of information.

Renee Elefante

Biden launches SAVE plan after Supreme Court rejects student loan forgiveness plan The Supreme Court struck down Biden’s efforts to forgive up to $400 billion in debt, but it persists by launching a new plan.

By Grace Song, Politics Staff Writer

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he Biden-Harris Administration launched the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan to help current borrowers alleviate their financial debt. The plan is based on an income-driven repayment plan that considers income and family size.

Four million people are currently enrolled in Biden’s new SAVE plan to decrease their monthly loan bills.

Under SAVE, borrowers won’t need to worry about unpaid interest, and they can lower their monthly payments due to the protected income threshold being higher.

This June, the Supreme Court rejected Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan to forgive up to $400 billion in student loans. In a 6-3 ruling, the Justices ruled that The Biden Administration overstepped its boundaries in providing aid for student loans.

According to the Education Data Initiative, 43.6 million students are in debt, and the loan forgiveness plan would have helped forgive nearly half of those borrowers.

The court ruled that the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act (HEROES), does not authorize The Biden Administration’s authority to implement a student loan forgiveness plan.

According to the Congressional Research Service, the HEROES Act authorizes the Secretary of Education to “waive or modify any statutory or regulatory

provision applicable to the student financial assistance program.”

The Department of Education would have provided up to $10,000 in cancellation benefits to borrowers based on income, and those who received a Pell Grant — a financial student loan provided for students based on financial need — could qualify up to $20,000.

Ashley Jo, a sophomore psychology major at Chapman University, addressed the impact of student loan debt and how the SAVE plan can help current borrowers repay their student debt.

“Some students are making the choice to attend, even though it might be a stretch financially… then those student loans become a reality,” -David Carnevale “Finding plans like this, it certainly does help, but I feel like there are people who have lived more difficult lives than me that need this plan more than me,” Jo told The Panther. “I am considered low-income, and I’m considering taking out loans, but I don’t really care what happens to me. I just want something to

happen, some plan to be enacted to help people who are in a more difficult situation.”

David Carnevale, an assistant vice president in Chapman’s Undergraduate Financial Aid Office, expressed concerns he has received from students who are borrowing student loans.

“Some students are making the choice to attend, even though it might be a stretch financially…then those student loans become a reality,” Carnevale said. “So, I think the biggest concern, really, is ‘Am I gonna go into too much debt? And if I am, how am I gonna pay that off?’”

The SAVE plan will fully come into effect next summer, with additional benefits being added to the plan in July 2024.

Sophomore film and television production major Alaina Keneley, spoke on how potential revisions could make the student loan process more accessible and easier for current borrowers.

“I feel like they could revise the system in a way that makes it easier and not so much, you do this, and you’re screwed over for the rest of your life, type-ofdeal,” Keneley said.

Those who would like to sign up for the recent SAVE plan can do so at studentaid.gov/SAVE by filling out the application. At Chapman, students can contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@chapman. edu to schedule an appointment and ask questions.

Vol.106, No. I

POLITICS

2022 OC Hate Crime Report is released, incidents have risen by 13% from last year

New statistics from the 2022 OC Hate Crime Report show increase in hate-related activity.

By Nicole Kavros, Politics Editor

Graphic by Sukhman Sahota

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Pride and

Prejudice in

Orange County

In recent years, OC went from being a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community to a battleground where members of the community are finding many of their rights and identities being challenged.

By Jiya Kathuria, Politics Staff Writer

T

he 2022 Orange County Hate Crime Report revealed that hate crime incidents in the county have risen 13% from last year and that the total amount in the past five years has nearly doubled.

The OC Human Relations Council, now called Groundswell, released the report on Sept. 21. The report begins with statistics showing an overall increase in hate crime activity in recent years, not only in Orange County, but throughout California. The report dives into the diverse populations represented in the county and which communities are getting targeted most by hate incidents, as well as providing analysis of crime patterns and presenting prevention tools.

Don Han, the director of Community Partnerships for Groundswell, identified the key factors that initiated a rise in bias-motivated hate.

“If we talk about the last five years, we see underlying societal factors such as rising tension, polarizations, economic disparity (and) the contributed escalation of bias-motivated behavior,” Han told The Panther.

The report noted 450 hate crimes and incidents occurring in 2022. 162 of these were considered hate crimes, while the other 288 were classified as hate incidents.

Just over half of the crimes and incidents were prompted by race/ethnicity/ national origin bias. The Black community was the most targeted in race-related activity, while the Jewish community was the

most targeted religious group.

There was also a significant increase in LGBTQ+-related hate in 2022. According to the report, the amount of hate activity towards the LGBTQ+ community was more than twice the amount from the year before with a 126% increase.

“To experience hate is so traumatizing, and if people experience it and we don’t talk about it, talk about a way to prevent it and to stand up for each other, then we kind of don’t know what to do,” Han said.

The highest form of incident was via graffiti or vandalism, which accounted for nearly half of all reported hate actions of the year.

Physical assault followed with 28%, and violent threats made up 17% of all recorded events.

“The OCDA (Orange County District Attorney) Hate Crimes Unit is staffed by three prosecutors (and) two investigators and is supervised by the head of Special Prosecutions,” District Attorney Todd Spitzer stated in the report.

The report also detailed different ways for community members to get involved, including anti-hate advocacy, service training, reporting and data collection, community engagement and education.

To report a hate crime, Orange County residents can call the number 2-1-1 and press 6.

They can also email ochateactivity@211OC. org or text “ochateactivity” to 898211.

Orange County has been a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community ever since the budding film industry discovered the beauty of Laguna Beach in the 1920s and welcomed the first wave of openly gay men as film crew members.

However, the recent trends in OC legislation may indicate a changing landscape for safety and autonomy for the LGBTQ+ community. This is also reflected in the 2022 OC Hate Crimes Report, which stated a 126% increase in anti-LGBTQ hate activity in 2022 compared to 2021.

On Feb. 7, the Huntington Beach City Council voted to retract their 2021 decision to hoist the rainbow flag at City Hall each spring in recognition of Pride Month. Council member Pat Burns spearheaded this decision, which serves to impose restrictions on the types of flags permitted to be flown on city property.

“Most people believe that this legislation is merely symbolic, but they fail to acknowledge the fact that it legitimizes intolerance and hatred of LGBTQ+ individuals,” said Chapman sophomore film production major Cameran Ford.

Soon thereafter, the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted June 6 –– the start of Pride Month –– to ban the display of the rainbow pride flag on all county properties, including public parks and the Civic Center.

“The legitimization of intolerance toward the community is visible through the series of events that unfolded –– from the Huntington Beach legislation to the subsequent decision by the OC Supervisors,” Ford continued. “The abolition of support for the community opens the door to other policies that infringe on the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals in OC.” Furthermore, on Sept. 7, members of the Orange Unified School District unanimously approved a policy mandating parents be notified when school officials or faculty learn that a child identifies as transgender. Three board members walked out before the vote was held.

“We see a political battle taking place over gender and its intersection with any number of social spaces and institutions. This includes schools and education,” said Kevin Nguyen-Stockbridge, Chapman’s director of LGBTQ+ Pride and Achievement. “Policies and practices are being written and lobbied in many places which transgender people in a deficit light and exclude the voices of those from this community. Inclusion and human thriving cannot develop when a community is seen or officially named as problematic or less than.”

On Sept. 22, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would direct judges in custody battles to consider a parent’s support for a child’s gender identity in decision-making. This move, seen as a deviation from Newsom’s general support for transgender rights, was explained in a letter where he cautioned against creating legal standards that focus on a single characteristic.

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FEATURES

Vol.106, No. I

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Earvin Johnson brings the Magic to Argyros Distinguished Lecture Series

Entrepreneur, philanthropist and basketball Hall of Fame inductee Magic Johnson sat down with Argyros Dean Henrik Cronqvist on Sept. 22 to discuss his time on the Los Angeles Lakers and his post-basketball endeavors.

By Nicholas De Lucca, Feature & Entertainment Editor

L

ike a fast break in the fourth quarter, sophomore business major Jean-Luc Touma raced across the balcony of Musco Center for the Arts. Magic Johnson jersey in hand, Touma stumbled his way down three flights of stairs to find the man himself. Sure, it was a long shot, considering the distance from balcony to stage, but he’d be damned if he didn’t try to meet his favorite basketball player of all time. After all, Touma did model his own game after Johnson growing up and flew his mother Laurie from San Jose to hear Johnson speak to the Chapman audience.

Although his valiant efforts were unsuccessful, Touma walked out of Musco with his chin up. Giving his version of a post-game interview, Touma explained to The Panther that he took Magic Johnson’s advice of making connections to heart.

He was able to connect with the coordinators of the event, who told him they’d help get his jersey signed during Johnson’s next visit.

“Make connections. Put yourself out there. I would probably be driving home right now if I didn’t go out of my way to get his attention and shoot my shot,” Touma said. “I’m making all the connections I can and following (Johnson’s) word.”

On Sept. 22, Chapman students and faculty gathered in the Musco Center of the Arts to kick off the Argyros School of Business and Economics Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series with a visit from entrepreneur, philanthropist and basketball Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

Johnson was introduced by Chapman President Daniele Struppa and Trustee Lisa Argyros, who referred to Johnson as “the greatest point guard basketball has ever known” and “a super-

star businessman.”

The discussion was moderated by Argyros Dean Henrik Cronqvist, who prompted a question to the audience: “Do you feel the magic?” Their conversation opened on Johnson’s upbringing in Lansing, Michigan alongside his six sisters and three brothers.

Despite coming from a low-income background, his entrepreneurial spirit was present from the age of eight when he’d go around the neighborhood earning his keep with a lawnmower, a rake and a shovel.

The Laker legend couldn’t help but shake his head in disapproval after Cronqvist brought up the name Larry Bird — Johnson’s lifetime nemesis who played for the Boston Celtics. After sharing stories of their bitter rivalry, Johnson admitted he “hates him still,” but he soon added: “Larry Bird made me a better basketball player and also a better man… I will always be indebted to Larry.”

Johsnon and Cronqvist went on to discuss Johnson’s introduction to the Lakers in 1979, how Lakers owner Jerry Buss helped foster his love for business and how Johnson obtained the names of 50 CEO Lakers ticket holders and had dinner with each of them to learn their methods.

Now, Magic Johnson Enterprises has invested in a number of franchises, including Starbucks, Burger King, 24 Hour Fitness, T.G.I. Fridays

Photo courtesy of Adam Heningway

and Sodexo, along with sports franchises like the Washington Commanders, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Sparks, the Los Angeles Football Club and Team Liquid Esports.

His success in business has helped fuel his endeavors in philanthropy — sending over 10 thousand minority students to college, giving 400 bikes away to the children of Los Angeles and conducting toy and turkey drives.

The biggest point of emphasis Johnson had to share with the audience of business majors was to play your role. He paralleled his role as a passfirst guard alongside legendary Lakers players in order to emphasize his point.

“My job was to get the ball to these guys and get them in a position to score,” Johnson said. “I understood my role, and I played that role well. I could have scored more, but we would have lost games. We would have lost championships…

Playing your role is important on the court, in corporate America and in life.”

Club Highlight | Chapman Latinx

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, The Panther sat down with Chapman Latinx to discuss their plans for September and what they offer to their members.

By Cameron Scherer, Features and Entertainment Staff Writer

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hapman Latinx is all about creating family.

Whether members are bringing in pictures of loved ones in honor of Dia de los Muertos or simply immersing in each other’s company, president Silvia Miranda hopes to create a close atmosphere for all attending members, inside and outside of the Orange area.

“It’s just been really fun to have outings,” said Miranda, a senior broadcast journalism and documentary major. “We went to Placita Olvera, which is in (Los Angeles) last year, and we just hung out, we walked around and we got dinner together. It’s just a really great community to kind of have both on campus and off campus.”

The Panther sat down with the Chapman Latinx club in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month to discuss their club events, what they offer the university community and their plans for September.

Founded in 2017, the Chapman Latinx club serves to provide a sense of community to stu-

dents of Latinx and Hispanic heritage. An average meeting may include social activities and games, discussions of club announcements and occasional faculty speaker appearances highlighting academic opportunities. This semester, the club meets Mondays at 7:30 p.m.

“It’s a social club, but we also definitely try to uplift each other and provide each other with resources,” Miranda said.

Some of the club’s plans for the rest of the month include a meeting with Hispanic/Latinx faculty on Sept. 27, a Flag Field Day involving outdoor sports and recreation on Sept. 28, a Rainbow Fiesta event, which is to be hosted by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), on Oct. 2 and a closing event highlighting Dia de la Raza — a collaboration with the Office of DEI — on Oct. 12.

Alesia Orta, a senior double majoring in screenwriting and communication studies, also mentioned the club’s offering of community to

its members.

“My biggest takeaway is that there’s always a community to support you in any way you need,” Orta said. “It’s nice to know that even when things get hectic and crazy, and you’re not able to attend meetings or events, everyone still welcomes you.”

When asked what the Chapman Latinx club offers to the Chapman community, Miranda took a moment to think before answering.

“It’s a lot of visibility, I think,” Miranda said.

“We promote diversity and inclusion on campus, but I think it just goes even deeper than that, because we really do provide a sense of safe space for Latinx students, and I think that it’s impactful and meaningful and intentional on our behalf.”

Students interested in joining the Chapman Latinx club can follow the club’s Instagram page, which includes a link to the club’s Notion webpage. Students can email culatinx@gmail.com and ask to be added to the club’s newsletter.

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A “Shrek”-tacular internship for Stephanie Buschhorn Chapman alumna Stephanie Buschhorn shares the tale of her time interning at DreamWorks Animation.

By Taylor Bazella, Assistant Features & Entertainment Editor

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or most film students, the dream of seeing your name scroll by on the big screen as the credits roll is pure fantasy. In June 2023, this dream became a reality for animation and visual effects alumna Stephanie Buschhorn, who had graduated just the month prior, after her time working on “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken” at DreamWorks Animation.

“The opening weekend (of the movie), I went with my family who live in Texas, so I don’t get to see them very often,” Buschhorn said. “It was absolutely incredible when I got to see my name on the credits, especially (because) interns usually don’t get credits, but this movie specifically decided to. It was pretty cool seeing my name up there and knowing that was something I had worked really hard for and dreamed of doing.”

Buschhorn told The Panther she grew up watching animated films, but it wasn’t until she visited Disneyland’s Animation Academy in middle school that she truly fell in love with the medium. She knew right away she wanted to grow up to have a career in making movies. Many years later, she began interning as a production assistant at DreamWorks in September 2022 and continued there until March 2023.

“I really helped to run reviews and dailies (unedited footage),” Buschhorn said. “I helped take notes and just make sure artists are receiving their notes from the directors, and I also helped coordinate morale events to boost the morale on the show. I also did a lot of networking since I was trying to get a full-time job after the position. I would go on coffee chats with people and hear about their experience and hear about their journey at DreamWorks.”

But acquiring an internship was no easy feat for Boschhorn. During her time at Chapman, she founded the Women in Animation club on campus in 2020. As she was planning events for the semester,

she reached out to one of the early careers teams, a group at Dreamworks dedicated to helping interns and entry level employees, to speak virtually at a meeting. After an informal chat with a recruiter, Buschhorn glided through the interview process and landed the position.

Although this foreign experience as an intern came with its fair share of challenges, Buschhorn said her time at Chapman helped her to thrive in this new environment.

“I think a lot of what I learned (at Chapman) was collaboration with my peers,” Buschhorn said. “I feel like that was really important coming into the workplace culture — working with a team and having to work with different types of people. So, I really carried over that skill that I learned in college and continue to grow on.”

Buschhorn’s roommate and best friend, fellow animation and visual effects alumna Ava McLean, told The Panther that they not only live together, but they also both interned at DreamWorks at the same time.

After completing the internships, the duo faced some friendly competition as they both interviewed for the two open full-time positions, along with 30-40 other candidates. “(Buschhorn) found out Tuesday that she got a position, and I found out Wednesday that I got the other position,” McLean said. “We had the world’s most awkward dinner (on Wednesday night). We both knew we had the job, and we’re like, ‘How can I tell my friend that I have a job?’ And then at the end of

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Buschhorn

the dinner, as she was leaving, I was like, ‘I have to tell you something,’ and she was like, ‘I have to tell you something.’ And then we’re screaming and crying.

That was one of my like happiest college moments.”

Although they interned in opposing buildings on the DreamWorks lot, their workplace proximity is much closer now.

“We’re actually on the exact same film, so we’re in departments that actively work together,” McLean said. “There was a bit of a transition of like, ‘Oh, I’m actually like working with her now,’ but I love it because at one of the scariest, most transitional periods of my life, I have a friend to do it together with me, and that makes a world of difference. She is a rock. She’s very grounded in her life. I think it’s good to be around that energy when you’re going through something really crazy. She’s very stable. She’s very rational. And she’s always there when you need her to be, especially in a work environment. And she’s phenomenal at her job here.”

Black students thrive in Sisters Circle and Brothers Real Talk

Sisters Circle and Brothers Real Talk are discussion groups for Black students. The programs offer Black students spaces to be among each other at a university where they do not see many people like them.

By Maya Caparaz, Features & Entertainment Staff Writer

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mong the student populations at Chapman University, Black students make up one of the smallest racial or ethnic groups. In Fall 2022, Black or African American students made up 2.2% of the undergraduate student population.

With this small of a population, it can often be difficult for Black students to be among peers who look like them.

Director of Black Excellence and Achievement Misty Levingston told The Panther that students may not see themselves in a classroom or walking around campus when explaining the experience that Black students have at Chapman. She wanted to find a solution to this problem.

“I wanted to create a community space where students and campus mentors could come together and have an authentic conversation, “ Levingston said. “This will help with a sense of belonging. It will also build community (and) help with getting a mentor-mentee situation where it’s not forced on you. It’s more of an authentic connection that students can build with their peers and with mentors — faculty and staff members.”

Levingston became the Director of Black Excellence and Achievement in July 2022. At the beginning of the 2022-23 academic year, she started discussion groups for Black students called Sisters Circle and

Brothers Real Talk to create positive environments for Black students.

Sisters Circle is a space for Black women and Brothers Real Talk is a space for Black men, both of which allow Black students to be part of communities of other Black students. Students, faculty, staff and administrators engage in discussions of their choosing that allow members to learn from one another.

This semester, Sisters Circle and Brothers Real Talk will meet one Tuesday each month from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at the Cross Cultural Center.

Sophomore communications major Taya GoodSmith first heard about Sisters Circle last year from Levingston, who welcomed her to join.

“I knew that I wanted to be surrounded in a safe space with other Black people — or sisters,” GoodSmith told The Panther. “I decided to show up and see what it was about.”

Junior film production major Dusan Brown joined Brothers Real Talk last year to be among other Black male students with whom he can relate in ways that he cannot with his non-Black friends.

“I joined Brothers Real Talk to get more of a connection between the African American males that I could find that were on campus,” Brown told The Panther. “I started feeling like I had friends, but at the same time, it’s a little different when they don’t nec-

essarily look like you, and sometimes, they might not relate to the certain things that might come up that are a part of the African American experience, especially when you’re at a PWI (predominantly white institution).”

Good-Smith’s favorite discussion was on the book “Hood Feminism,” a book on intersectionality. Dr. Angelica Allen, the director of Chapman’s Africana Studies program, led the discussion. Brothers Real Talk also took part in the conversation.

“We were able to keep the books, and it impacted me a lot,” Good-Smith said. “I’m still reading the book currently, and it was really insightful.”

Brown’s favorite subject to discuss with Brothers Real Talk was about the online trend of Black men posting videos of themselves frolicking in fields as a way to display Black joy.

“Sometimes, it’s kind of misunderstood and looked down upon — the ways that African American men might express their joy,” Brown said.

Both Sisters Circle and Brothers Real Talk align with the goals of Black Excellence and Achievement as well as Chapman’s strategic plan.

“These programs are completely in line with our goal to create intentional spaces and deepen the sense of belonging for Black students,” Levingston told The Panther.

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Chapman professor directs ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ audio reboot

The iconic 1997 horror show enters a new dimension in this audio drama reboot co-directed by Kc Wayland (far right). The series will be released on Audible on Oct. 12 and will have several original cast members returning.

By Molly Rose Freeman, Features & Entertainment Staff Writer

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ights, camera, action. But what’s left out? Sound, and adjunct professor Kc Wayland wants to change that.

“I’ve been doing audio programming for a long time,” Wayland told The Panther. “I started back in 2009, and it sort of evolved from doing my own projects.”

Wayland got his start writing feature films as a writing and directing major at Chapman back in 2008. He crafted an animated project as his senior thesis but, in his own words, “it was not good.” What he noticed, however, was that it sounded amazing. Thus, his love of sound was born.

After graduating, Wayland found a way to combine longform storytelling with an emphasis on sound, which turned into his audio drama series “We’re Alive,” which revolves around three soldiers struggling to survive in a zombie apocalypse. He started the project back in 2009, and it has had several sequels since then. He garnered the attention of Audible, who brought him onto an exciting, upcoming auditory adventure.

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” is a staple of ‘Spooky Season’ and has been since its debut in 1997. The original show followed Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a teenage girl by day and monster hunter by night. It ran for seven seasons from 1997 to 2003, and launched a spin off– “Angel”– that ran for five seasons from 1999 to 2004.

On Sept. 13, the fans’ prayers were answered after Audible announced “Slayers: A Buffyverse Story,” set to release this October. The Panther spoke with Wayland, who is both co-directing

and producing the reboot, to get the inside scoop on what fans can expect. “(Listeners) can expect a lot of little easter eggs that are throwbacks to the original series,” Wayland said. “There’s a lot of little references.”

The one element that will probably please Buffy superfans the most is the return of several original cast members, including James Marsters (Spike), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), Anthony Head (Giles), Amber Benson (Tara Maclay) — who co-wrote and co-directed the project with Christopher Goldman and Wayland — and Danny Strong ( Jonathan Levinson). Wayland shared another feature of the project that he is particularly excited about, which will surely excite his fellow sound aficionados. “ ( T h e project) is in (Dolby) Atmos, so we do a full surround sound environment to make you feel like you’re actually part of the story and inside of it,” Wayland said.

“So when the characters get in the

Photos courtesy of Kc Wayland

car, you get in the car with them. When they are in the middle of a fight, you’re in the fight with them. You’ll hear things flying over your head, like a demon getting thrown around.”

Wayland made sure to note that Audible’s Atmos system is so advanced that when the listener turns their head, the audio will follow them.

The processes of directing a visual drama and an auditory one aren’t as dissimilar as one might think. Wayland’s role entailed everything one would expect from someone directing a television show, plus coordinating schedules of the cast and handling contracts. He was also in charge of the entire post-production process, and he put the show together at his studio, which is located just down the street from Chapman.

Wayland regularly hires Chapman graduates to get real on-set experience. Nikki Spina, a creative producing alumna who graduated in May 2023, was one of the lucky few that got the chance to work with him on this specific production.

As the production coordinator, Spina had the chance to fill several roles on set. She worked closely with the cast, making sure they were taken care of, as well as handling logistics to help take some of the load off Wayland.

“You kind of just mold to fit whatever’s not happening,” Spina told The Panther.

Spina had taken one of Wayland’s courses when the university held classes remotely due to the pandemic and was really engaged by his course, even in the virtual setting. Spina was glad that Wayland’s teaching style carried over into his role as a boss.

“I would say he’s very thoughtful, very friendly (and) very approachable,” Spina said. “I never felt like there was anything I couldn’t ask.”

Students can listen to the “Slayers: A Buffyverse Story” on Audible starting Oct. 12.

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Pick up your pens: WGA, AMPTP reach tentative deal On Sept. 24, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced that they reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, (AMPTP) resulting in an increase in wages and protection against artificial intelligence among other key points.

By Nicholas De Lucca, Features & Entertainment Editor

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ommotion from upstairs left junior Chapman screenwriting major Nina Lopez Riley on high alert on what was supposed to be a rejuvenating Sunday. The infinite possibilities of catastrophe raced through her mind as her roommate rushed downstairs, yelling her name. He would come bearing news that would leave her entire house — occupied by four aspiring screenwriters — celebrating the rest of the night.

After 148 days of work stoppage, the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to end the strike. Lopez Riley and her roommates would watch “Booksmart,” “Bottoms” and various Disney Channel original movies to commemorate the occasion. Although she may not be a member of the WGA yet, she found herself emotional at the guild’s victory. “(The strike) has been such a big part of our lives.

I found myself pretty emotional, and (my roommates and I) were really excited,” Lopez Riley told The Panther. “It just feels so close to home in a way because (the strike) was for us and for our future…

The sacrifice and the work that came for this is something that I hope to never have to understand, but it’s something that I, with so much intent, appreciate more than I’m sure (WGA members) will ever know.”

The strike, which commenced on May 2, was initiated after the fall of cable television and the rise of streaming left many WGA members unable to earn a livable wage. The lack of residuals, shortened length of employment and looming threat of rapidly progressing artificial intelligence sparked doubts about the futures of veteran and aspiring writers alike. WGA members will ratify the tentative deal through a voting process taking place Oct. 2 through Oct. 9 and, if agreed upon, will last until May 2026.

The WGA has provided a summary of the deal.

Some of the key elements include an increase in wages, protection against artificial intelligence, an increase in the minimum number of television writers in a writer’s room, extended durations of employment, payment for script rewrites and an increase in foreign streaming residuals.

WGA member and Chapman screenwriting professor Brianna Brown had spent the past five months a part of a small task force sent to protest and shut down film productions attempting to shoot during the

Photo Courtesy of Wikicommons

strike. She was supposed to make a tumultuous trek the following morning at 7:30 a.m. before finding out about the tentative deal and the conclusion of WGA protesting. She credits the solidarity of the union and the communal nature of the pickets as keys to the WGA’s success.

“It’s one thing for (the AMPTP) to say ‘We don’t need the writers right now’ or ‘We’ll wait until they’re broke.’ It’s another thing to see us all on the picket line and stare us in the face every day as you drive by,” Brown told The Panther. “I’m very proud of our board and our negotiating committee. They did not bend or waver at any point. I think we really walked away with the best deal we could have hoped for.”

Chapman screenwriting professor Mort Nathan, who has been a WGA member for over 30 years, expressed his delight about the end of the strike.

Nathan credits the constant stream of informative emails from the negotiating committee and heads of the WGA as a key to success because they helped the WGA’s 11,000 members feel connected and involved on a consistent basis. He also echoed Brown’s testament about union solidarity, claiming the AMPTP falsely expected the WGA to crumble during the work stoppage.

“The producers and the streamers who have cried poor about not being able to pay residuals have built these (streaming) companies into billion-dollar entities, paid themselves millions of dollars and gotten away paying nothing in residual payments,” Nathan said. “They go, ‘How can we afford to do this?’, and then people like Jeff Bezos went on their yacht for the summer. They thought by waiting until September, the (WGA) would be desperate for a less significant deal. That seems to have been a miscalculation. Solidarity was high strength. The union was strong.”

Review | ‘Sex Education’ season 4: Breaking taboos, building relationships After three successful seasons, “Sex Education” releases its final installment featuring heartfelt storylines and inclusive identities.

By Taylor Bazella, Assistant Features & Entertainment Editor

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or most teenagers amidst the height of puberty, having the birds and the bees conversation with their parents falls dead last on the list of things they want to do.

Luckily for high school students in Netflix’s British drama “Sex Education,” this tumultuous task is resolved when Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield) opens up a sex therapy clinic in an abandoned bathroom on campus. Otis teams up with wicked smart, school bad girl Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey), and together they provide a safe space for students to come and confidentially ask for advice about all sex-related topics.

On Sept. 21, Netflix released the fourth and final season of “Sex Education,” forcing viewers to say a bittersweet goodbye to the beloved characters.

Season four graciously tackles topics of sexual assault, sexuality, identity and more with the use of perfectly timed comedy, as well as tear-jerking heartfelt moments. In addition to tying up loose ends of the previous season’s characters, season four also introduces new storylines, giving further representation to a variety of communities — whether that be through transgender relationships, accessibility for those with disabilities or seeking help during a mental health crisis.

The audience is introduced to two new characters, Abbi (Anthony Lexa) and Roman (Felix Mufti) who are in a relationship and both identify as transgender in the show and in real life. Additionally, two of the show’s central characters are a boy in a wheelchair named Isaac (George Robinson) and a girl who is deaf, Aisha (Alexandra James). These are only a few

examples of how the show brings in authentic representation rather than actors whose identities don’t match their fictional characters.

But this show is unlike most other forms of entertainment in one very important way: it’s authentic.

Being an awkward teen is something almost all adults have already faced, making the scenes painfully relatable. Whether due to excruciating heartbreak or the joy of platonic soulmates, this show knows exactly how to encapsulate those years when you are just trying to figure out who you are. Not only does this show give a space for people of all identities, but it also breaks the taboo nature of sex.

Throughout the season, viewers watch as Otis struggles to connect with his mom Jean (Gillian Anderson) while she takes care of her newborn baby.

Feeling like second best, Otis has constant quarrels with his mother and decides to focus on becoming a sex therapist at his new, utopian-like school where almost everyone is queer, all school decisions are voted on by students and metal slides connect the upper floors to the ground level. To his surprise, Otis discovers there is already a sex therapist on campus, and the two must compete for the students’ affection.

Over in America, this season Maeve is attending an academically prestigious high school in hopes of one day becoming a writer. Her character faces emotional whiplash as she deals with the complexities of losing a loved one while also trying to keep her romantic relationship with Otis afloat.

Otis’ best friend Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) attempts to navigate how he can be his authentic self while also

being Christian. Despite being an openly gay man to his friends and family, the last place he has yet to come out is church — a place that still serves as part of his identity, despite their homophobic beliefs.

After reading this season’s reviews, I felt a bit worried as I started episode one. In my opinion, the first three seasons were perfect, and it isn’t uncommon for the end of a show to be disappointing. These characters have become like my best friends after watching them go through high school and find their footing.

I could only pray that Netflix would give the end of their stories the justice they deserved.

My favorite character throughout the series has always been Aimee (Aimee Lou Wood), a student who was once in the popular clique and now does her best to fit in with characters like Maeve and Isaac. In my favorite episode of the season, episode six, I watched as Aimee not only learns to accept a tragic accident that happened to her in a prior season, but she also embraces it through her newfound passion for photography. Aimee’s optimism and not-so-perfectlytimed humor make her the highlight of this show.

She has the best character arc in the show and proves that a character meant for comic relief can also hold important weight.

While I agree that too many new characters were introduced this season, the show’s finale still left me with tears streaming down my cheeks. Regardless of a couple of minor flaws, the relatability of the show still makes it one of my favorites. No matter who you are, you should spend your next weekend binge-watching all four seasons.

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Dodge College brings wider industry perspective in new Master Class series The Dodge College of Film and Media Arts Master Class series will host a wide array of the industry’s finest throughout the semester, from Oscar-winning directors to cinematographers to production designers. While they normally feature actors as well, this semester’s series won’t as the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild strikes were happening during the planning.

By Izzy Betz, Features & Entertainment Staff Writer

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rom lines down the street at eight in the morning for Austin Butler to a Duffer Brothers homecoming, the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts Master Class series has brought students the rare opportunity to learn directly from creatives in the industry and breathe the same air as the celebrity of their dreams.

“As basic as it sounds, it is a surreal experience,” sophomore psychology major Dorothy Baker told The Panther. “Seeing that these actresses and these directors and these celebrities are real people, they have real voices and they have the ability to make eye contact with you — that’s crazy to me.”

On Aug. 31, Dodge College announced this semester’s lineup of star-studded guests which includes Oscar-nominated (and even winning) directors, producers, composers and production designers.

In the past, guests have largely been the top A-List actors whose films have recently been released. This semester, things are a little different. Due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strikes, certain guests are unable to promote any current projects until the studios and guilds come to a deal.

However, the promising new slate of guests will offer a wider perspective on film development and production. ​​Baker told The Panther that she’s particularly excited about the opportunity to see Natasha Lyonne — who will be visiting as a Distinguished Artist to teach a class over the course of two days.

Emi Thomas

“I liked “Orange Is the New Black,” which was a show that I watched during quarantine,” Baker said.

“It’s cool to see someone that you watch on screen come in real life and speak to you.”

One of the major critiques from past attendees is the lack of diversity in the guests welcomed. While the pool of guests is relatively limited this year due to the strike, that doesn’t kill the hope students like senior creative producing major Chris Bohme have for seeing more diverse guests in the future.

“Whether that be bringing someone who is BIPOC or from the disabled community, anyone that increases the awareness and diversity surrounding film is great because those Master Classes can really shine a light on that,” Bohme said. “I think it’s the perfect opportunity to put those sorts of folks in the spotlight and give them the recognition they deserve.”

Bohme believes this year’s lineup has improved tremendously on that front. He is over the moon about the chance to hear the advice of director Chloé Zhao, whose 2021 film “Nomadland” took home the Academy Award for Best Picture.

“I love her work. ‘Nomadland’ was fantastic,” Bohme said. “I love that she tries to find slice-of-life stories and then works with people who are typically non-classically trained actors. I think what she’s doing is killer.”

At the beginning of Galloway’s efforts to pioneer these industry professional Master Classes, it was difficult to get those superstar names you see on the list today. Even then, there is a certain level of quality

that Galloway strives for.

“One thing I learned going into this is that it’s going to be hard to get the superstar names, but never accept less than a certain level of quality,” Galloway said. “Because next, people are gonna be saying ‘Who did you get? Who’s done this?’ I would like to get more women, more young people and I would absolutely love to get more people of color. It’s very complicated to put together a lineup. We put out a lot of hooks.”

Fall 2023 Staff

Editorial Board

Renee Elefante, Editor-in-Chief Kiana Kalahele, Managing Editor Laila Freeman, News Editor Natalie Paul, Assistant News Editor Nicole Kavros, Politics Editor Nick De Lucca, Features & Entertainment Editor Taylor Bazella, Assistant Features & Entertainment Editor Ingrid Lee, Sports Editor Emilia Cuevas Diaz, Opinions Editor Lisa Wong, Video & Podcast Editor Anastasia Kuplinova, Video & Podcast Editor Justin Yoon, Podcast Editor Emily Paris, Photo Editor Sukhman Sahota, Art Director Greta Cifarelli, Copy Editor Emma Han, Social Media Manager Ishika Sippy, Advertising Manager Wyatt Lincoln, Business Manager Yana Samoylova, Illustrator

Staff Writers & Photographers News Staff Writers:

Alexandra Der Boghosian, Brandon Leonard, Tatum Foulger

Politics Staff Writers: Grace Song, Jiya Kathuria

Features & Entertainment Staff Writers: Cameron Scherer, Izzy Betz, Maya Caparaz, Molly Rose Freeman

Sports Staff Writers: Caleb Otte, Isabella Melendez, Sofia Youngs

Staff Photographers:

Emi Thomas, Jack Sundblad, Simrah Ahmad

Vol.106, No. I

OPINIONS

Latina, Latinx, Latine…

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Femininity is strength, pink is empowering

By Nicole Kavros, Politics Editor

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Illustration by Yana Samoylova

By Emilia Cuevas Diaz, Opinions Editor

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ack home, I’m Mexican; when I leave my country, I become Latina. Or, at least, that is what I was used to until I came to the United States and found out that here it’s Latinx.

At first, I didn’t really think that much of it. To me, it was a nice gender-neutral term that represented me. But when I talked to some other students who came from Mexico, I noticed that not all of them liked it. Some were actually annoyed by it. So I asked myself, why is that?

First, we have to acknowledge that Spanish is a gendered language. Every noun has a gender.

When it comes to nouns used to describe what people do or where they’re from, you can usually adapt them to feminine or masculine. You can be a maestra (female teacher) or maestro (male teacher).

You can be Latina or Latino.

This is just the way the Spanish language works. So why Latinx?

Since Spanish has no gender-neutral terms, when talking about a group of people, the default is to use the masculine term. Maestros, mentirosos, Latinos…

No big deal, right? That should be enough.

Why do we need a whole new term when we already have a way of addressing everyone at the same time? This is what most people in the community feel like.

And sure, that sounds like no big deal. Kids being kids. Except it continues into middle school, and then high school, and then college and so on…

This “funny” joke doesn’t simply go away when we stop being kids. It evolves with us. It goes from Children’s Day to students to job titles.

Everywhere you go, people make the same joke.

But if you complain about the masculine plural not being inclusive, you get laughed at or told you’re exaggerating because that’s the plural.

One term suggested as a gender-neutral way of referring to Latin American people is Hispanic. This one has a few issues. For one, it’s not really gender-neutral in Spanish. And honestly, that should be enough of a reason. But just for the sake of argument, let’s go further. The term Hispanic is inextricably tied to Spain, the country that colonized most of Latin America. When using that term, the people from Latin American

countries are defined by their colonizers and not by their own identities and cultures.

The second term and the more recent one is Latinx. On the surface, this term seems fine; it’s a gender-neutral term, it translates to Spanish as gender neutral and it doesn’t tie the Latin American community to Spain. So that’s the solution then, right? Not really.

On closer inspection, you realize that the term Latinx has some issues. Adding an x to the end of the word to replace the a/o doesn’t translate as well to other words.

More to the point, the term isn’t really used as much by the community it’s supposed to be representing. Latinx is used a lot more by academics, so it becomes a label that is imposed onto this minority community.

This is not to say that the term is bad. Latinx represents an important step in the right direction because there is a need for a gender-neutral term.

We need a term that fits in with the culture and that the community actually feels represented by.

So maybe Latinx is a temporary placeholder while we figure out a better term. Or maybe we already have it with Latine, and we just need a little bit of time for it to spread. We need the term that defines our community to truly represent us, not be imposed on us.

aylor Swift said something in her 2020 Netflix documentary “Miss Americana” that has stuck with me ever since.

She said: “I wanna love glitter, and also stand up for the double standards that exist in our society. I wanna wear pink, and tell you how I feel about politics. I don’t think those things have to cancel each other out.”

As someone who loves the color pink — on everything — and who is also a politics editor and an American citizen who likes to stay informed, Swift’s words really spoke to me.

Why does it always have to be one or the other?

Taylor Swift is not, by any means, the first person to have spoken about this, and “Miss Americana” was not the first movie to explore this idea.

My earliest encounter with this stereotype that women can be feminine or serious was in my own girlhood with the 1950 Disney classic, “Cinderella.”

Her story has notoriously received criticism for not being “feminist enough,” and her character has recurringly been labeled as “weak” and “helpless.”

What those criticisms miss, is that Cinderella, as someone who has received years of abuse and neglect from her family, still manages to go through life with grace and compassion for others.

I find that Cinderella’s kindness was unfaltering, and no one can argue that she wasn’t a hard worker. Isn’t this empowering? Aren’t these values that we should be encouraging young girls to aspire to be?

It feels like society has a mold for women, specifically hyper feminine women, that they want us to squeeze ourselves into. Feminine women are expected to be weak, and it’s unsettling to some when they aren’t.

When we start to shame women for the life they choose to lead, that’s when we revert to anti-feminism. Femininity should not be viewed as a dichotomy to strength. Women and power can, and very often do, co-exist.

When I was a little girl watching the 2001 film “Legally Blonde,” I felt inspired by Elle Woods: a protagonist who consistently wears pink and gets a nearly perfect score on her LSAT. But Elle faces challenges in her academic journey because of her personal style — even after she proves herself more than worthy to be there.

As a woman in higher education, I’ve felt the bruise of these stereotypes. I’ve been in situations where my ability has been judged by others based solely on how I present myself. I’ve had to jump through hoops twice as high as others to prove my worth.

Recently, “Barbie” came out as a perfect example of an empowering character breaking out of the mold that society has tried to force women into.

Margot Robbie’s character wears a lot of pink, while also displaying strength and bravery to accomplish her goals. Just because she’s hyper feminine doesn’t mean she isn’t a strong, empowering main character.

“Barbie” has gotten people talking about this false dichotomy between femininity and empowerment.

It’s becoming more accepted to express femininity without being underestimated. Finally.

It’s time to show girls that anyone can be an empowered woman and to stop holding women — even the ones covered in head-to-toe pink and glitter — back from reaching their full potential.

Vol.106, No. I

OPINIONS & ADVERTISEMENT

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The impact of AI and EdTech companies in the classroom Photo courtesy of Unsplash

By Sophia Williams, Guest Columnist

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s the world becomes increasingly digitized, the education sector has witnessed a surge in the integration of artificial intelligence and educational technology tools, also known as EdTech tools.

While proponents of these advancements highlight their potential to revolutionize education, it is crucial to critically examine the negative implications that AI and EdTech can have on the classroom environment.

Overdependence on Technology EdTech companies such as Chegg, Quizplus and Quizlet exemplify the e-learning platforms that provide study materials, interactive tools and online tutoring services. These EdTech companies have recently started incorporating AI tutoring as a tool for students.

While these tools may enhance certain aspects of learning, there is a risk of students becoming overly dependent on them. Excessive reliance on pre-pack-

aged content and automated solutions can hinder critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as students may prioritize quick answers rather than developing a deep understanding of the subject matter.

Loss of Personalized Learning EdTech companies often promote their AI-powered platforms as personalized learning solutions. However, in practice, these platforms may fall short of delivering truly individualized instruction. The algorithms behind the e-learning platforms may generalize student abilities and preferences, leading to a one-size-fits-all approach to education that doesn’t include practical application. This can undermine the importance of tailoring instruction to meet students’ unique learning needs and hinder their overall academic growth.

The emphasis on uniformity and efficiency can overshadow the importance of tailoring instruction to meet students’ unique learning needs.

Data Privacy and Security Concerns EdTech companies collect significant amounts of student data to personalize their services and improve their platforms. However, this data collection raises concerns about data privacy and security. Instances of data breaches and privacy violations have been reported in the past, highlighting the potential risks associated with sharing sensitive student information

with EdTech companies.

To ensure the trust and confidence of students, parents and educators, it is crucial for EdTech companies to prioritize robust privacy measures and adhere to strict data protection regulations.

Widening Socio-economic Gap EdTech companies, driven by a profit-oriented approach, frequently require students to pay fees for accessing their premium features and resources.

While the intention may be to provide enhanced educational opportunities, the reality is that these fees can create a significant barrier for many students, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Students who cannot afford the additional costs of these premium services are denied access to the same level of educational resources and support as their more affluent peers. This lack of equal access perpetuates a cycle of disadvantage, limiting the opportunities for students from lower-income families to excel academically and pursue their educational goals.

While EdTech companies have made significant contributions to the education landscape, it is essential to take a look at the unintended consequences of their AI-powered platforms. Addressing issues such as overdependence on technology, data privacy and security, the socioeconomic gap and reduced teacher autonomy is crucial to ensure that the integration of AI in education is ethical and beneficial for all students.

By fostering a balanced approach that prioritizes student well-being, privacy and equitable access to educational resources, we can mitigate the unintended negative consequences of AI in the classroom.

Vol.106, No. I

SPORTS

Chapman University punter enters last year of college football with impressive stats, creating an even bigger legacy

Photos courtesy of Owen Tapia

Owen Tapia is recognized as the top Division III punter, helping the university reach number four in the nation in net punting.

By Ingrid Lee, Sports Editor

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wen Tapia, a student at Chapman University for five years, had entered his second football game of his freshman year without many expectations. But little did he know, he was going to rewrite the university’s football history.

Immediately becoming a starter his freshman year, Tapia was well aware of who he would be replacing as the punter: Chapman University All-American athlete Elias Deeb. He practiced a lot during practices to earn the results he received during Chapman’s second game against Whitworth University. It started off with 50 yards and higher on the first couple of punts. But, the next few moments were something Tapia would never forget.

“I got lined up on the 1-yard line, and I didn’t even feel like I kicked it that hard, and it just kept going,” Tapia told The Panther. “And the next thing I knew, it kept rolling and rolling, and it ended up on the (12-yard line), like a 73-yard punt, and I’m screaming, hollering down the field because I knew I just had a good punt.”

And his story is far from over. This past season against Whittier College, Tapia was able to break his own record again with an 80-yard punt. Despite acknowledging help from the wind, he was not even aware of how far he had exactly punted the ball, with the help of long snapper Adam Fujiwara.

“I told (Fujiwara), ‘Just tell me when I go out there to just slow down and kick a normal ball,’” Tapia said. “And so, the moment came when the ball was on the (20-yard line), so I’m standing on the (5-yard line), and he snapped me the ball, which was fine, and I kicked it. (It) didn’t even feel like anything crazy, and then (the) next thing I know, it landed on the opposite 10-yard line and bounced through the end zone.”

But to reach a success such as Tapia’s is something that takes a lot of time, and most importantly, a lot of mental training. Even though Tapia strives to perform at his very best, his presence probably means he’s back out to perform his job: punting the ball as far as he can so that receivers will never return it, and essentially giving the ball to the other team.

And sometimes, the key to Tapia’s success is for others to challenge his ego. Tapia recalls many situations in which receivers inch closer than he would have liked, and yet, he has a solution to calm himself.

“I have a few words I say to myself before I punt, before the snap even comes,” Tapia told The Panther. “It’s just, ‘Stay slow, get your drop right, get it straight out, release it out, follow through, get my leg as high as possible.’ Usually, if I do all that, the ball is going to go where I want it and as high as I want it, as far as I want it.”

Tapia is considered to be part of the specials team, and he works together closely with Fujiwara and kicker Ken Baierl. The trio have very specific roles within the football team, but this does not stop them from working together to boost each other’s stats.

Commonly seen on and off the field together, the trio focuses on improving together as a team. In addition to Fujiwara and Baierl, Tapia also works with three personal protectors protecting him.

“They know I can perform very well, and so, if they just do their job, then I do mine and then everybody’s happy,” Tapia said. “If I kick the ball well, there’s no return. Nobody has to run down, nobody has to make a hit. If I don’t hit the ball well, then we’re risking a return, and everybody has to run down to try and make a tackle on some guy. That’s pretty much how it goes.”

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Chapman’s golf team makes strides at first two tournaments of the year

By Isabella Melendez, Sports Staff Writer

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hapman’s women’s golf team has set itself up this year to reach heights that have not been attainable in the past.

Head coach Ming Lao emphasizes the expectations he has for his athletes. Even with being an NCAA Division III golf team, Lao navigates the world of academics and athletics in such a way that allows his players to find success in both departments. He sent the five best players he had to their first tournament of the season at Olivas Links in Ventura on Sept. 11 and 12, including two freshmen who rose up to the occasion.

“The win-loss against particular opponents is super critical. In terms of beating Redlands, we have lost to them twice, and that hurts. But, we have beaten other schools in our conference. By far, this is the best women’s conference in (Division) III, hands down.” Lao said.

Lao has set his hopes high for Emily Cho, a junior broadcast journalism and documentary major who is currently co-captain of the women’s golf team.

“That girl is a wonder kid,” Lao said. “She leads by example. She works hard. She is always up. Rarely do I see her down. At the end of all this, it is still a game, and playing college sports is really a privilege.”

During the team’s recent tournament at Olivas Links, Cho added a 155 to their 602 total.

At the end of each hole, the golfer with the lowest score wins the hole for their team, earning a point. Each hole will be rallied up by the lowest score from each team member and that will be the overall score for that team.

“All of us shot pretty mediocre, and we still got fourth. Our hopes are high for this year, hopefully beating Redlands and having a chance to go to nationals, which is something we didn’t consider last year,” Cho said. “Last year, we had no chance. I think we were six out of eight teams.”

Inspired by Sharpay Evans’ golf swing in “High School Musical” Cho gives credit to the Disney movie for inspiring her to take on golfing. Cho started getting more competitive and taking the sport more seriously in high school.

Cho explained that her high school career differs from playing at Chapman, saying that her high school coach had never played golf which differs greatly from Lao’s success as a NCAA Division I former athlete at Long Beach State College.

“I would not be playing college golf if it weren’t for (Lao). He’s very chill compared to other college coaches. Something rare he does that other colleges don’t do is that he doesn’t mandate practices,” Cho told The Panther.

“You make the practices around your schedule because golf is a very individual sport, and you don’t need the whole team there while you practice.”

Lao stated that as a Division III school, athletes usually only practice an hour and a half a day. He goes on to explain that it would be counterintuitive to the academic and athletic ratio of a DIII school to mandate practices.

“To build a schedule around a very short fall season is super (counterintuitive) to our student-athletes, so the scheduled practices are available to athletes, but we meet them individually. I think that is very productive,” Lao said.

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Vol.106, No. I

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Vol.106, No. I

SPORTS

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Sports enthusiasts find home in sports commentary, furthering their passion with live broadcasting

Commentators Alejandro Flores, Justin Lee and Angela Jara spoke with The Panther about their experiences working in the Chapman Sports Broadcast Network.

By Ingrid Lee, Sports Editor

I

t’s not all about talking; it’s about bringing passion and analysis to a game they want to share with viewers. Sports commentators Alejandro Flores, Justin Lee and Angela Jara experience the life of live sports broadcasting commentating through the Chapman Sports Broadcast Network (CSBN).

Flores, a senior majoring in communication studies, knew he was always interested in football. However, he discovered through CSBN that commentating was not something very far out of reach. It was the perfect opportunity for him to try something new. “(Commentating) feels second nature to me because I always feel like even when I was watching, I was always an involved fan, like shouting what just happened or ‘Oh my god,’” Flores said. “I was always involved vocally in the game, so that part came naturally.”

Viewers can typically see Flores commentating on sports games as a play-by-play commentator. The role involves Flores calling out plays as they happen and being a personality in the booth. But, Flores digs deeper and understands play-by-play is not a position to take lightly and just look good on camera.

It’s about being the “narrator of the game,” as he describes it.

“The way I practice is by studying other commentators. I watched the game of football my whole life, so studying how commentators do their thing, how they run the game, their style and everything,” Flores told The Panther. “I take things that I like, maybe try to make them my own. So, it’s learning from others too, it’s a lot.”

Lee, a senior studying applied human physiology, has experience in all of the three commentating positions. However, he is most noted for his profound knowledge of sports, typically aiding Flores in the booth as the color commentator. Not only does the color commentator help create conversation with their play-by-play, but also dives into a deeper analysis to help viewers understand certain plays and calls during the game. “(Color commentators) have the biggest knowledge out of all the commentators and people in the booth,” Lee said. “(Color commentators) have this wealth of knowledge of the game, the people, who they are individually.”

“It’s like a way I live vicariously through the sport.”

-Alejandro Flores Despite having individualized roles, the commentating team is a force to be reckoned with. Not only do they each have specific points to cover during broadcasts, but they also work together to avoid repeating information from each other whilst completing their roles. “(Color commentating is) putting in information in specific places and rehearsing it in your head; that’s

the way I prepare for it before we go into rehearsal and rundowns and everything like that. And then also, being able to talk to my other commentator and say: ‘What are you going to be talking about?’ at the beginning (or) ‘What’s your setup?’ and how can I be able to bounce off of that or how can I add more to what you’re talking about,” Lee told The Panther.

Tying the trio together is Jara, a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism and documentary.

Despite wanting to report on hard news rather than sports, Jara found a reason to continue with CSBN and her new journey in sideline reporting. Jara repeatedly emphasizes how sports commentating, especially sideline reporting, is not easy.

In addition to being a pretty face on camera, she is storytelling on the job.

“I thought that it was a nice way for me to be able to get in front of the camera,” Jara said. “And, I figured, if I’m going to be reporting on topics such as hard news, that I would also want to have under my belt some sports reporting and understanding more of sports just to be kind of different.”

While Jara plans to redirect her route and report on stories for hard news, Flores and Lee, as nonDodge majors, have decided to take a different approach. Both want to continue their passion into the workforce, not only because of the excitement and adrenaline that comes with commentating, but also because of their attachment to the sports industry.

“It’s like a way I live vicariously through the sport,” Flores said.

Chapman Athletics brings in Division I collegiate swimmer as newest coach for swim, dive team

In her first-ever year as a college coach, Emily Honng has high hopes for the future of Chapman’s swim and dive team.

By Isabella Melendez, Sports Staff Writer

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mily Honng was recently hired in 2022 as Chapman’s part-time assistant swimming and diving coach for the athletic year, where she hopes to incorporate her experience at a Division I College into her coaching career.

The Panther had the opportunity to sit down with Emily Honng to talk to her about her upcoming season with the swim and dive team at Chapman.

Honng is a former University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) swimmer who graduated in December 2020, and she served as a team captain for varsity swim. Honngs’ highlights include a 2019 Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention, as well as swimming in the 200-medley relay on four separate occasions, helping the UCLA swim team reach a thirdplace finish.

Honng competed for Bi-County Regional Elite Aquatics (BREA Aquatics) in Walnut, California, where she won 100 Breast and 200 Breast championships at the 2017 SCS Junior Olympics.

“When I was at BREA Aquatics, we had a very competitive environment,” Honng told The Panther.

“My friends and teammates, whom I have known for so long, also committed to (Division I) colleges. I was still in a competitive environment (and) training was pretty similar. College is obviously a step up, but I think something that I have learned, as a coach, there are things you wish you could have done better

Photo courtesy of Emily Honng

as a swimmer or building (better) relationships with my coaches.”

Although a competitive environment will always stand there are differences when it comes to working with new teams and coaches. Chapman University has a co-ed team. This means that training is not divided by genders so all athletes train together.

“We had a co-ed team for (the) club, and for UCLA, we just had a women’s team,” Honng said. “So there was a little bit of a difference there. I think an all-girls team is super close and tight-knit, and I really liked that.”

Currently, she continues to coach at BREA Aquatics alongside her employment at Chapman University, where she is the part-time assistant diving coach for the 2023-24 season.

“I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel coming to coaching after because I was swimming for so long,” Honng said. “I kind of wanted to give myself a break from the pool, but coaching at BREA Aquatics has opened many new doors for me. It has helped me realize that I do love coaching and teaching in general.”

Honng is excited to get out there and start putting in the work for the athletes and coaches.

She expresses that although she hasn’t seen much of the university’s swim and dive team, she has heard many great things.

“Everyone I have met so far (at Chapman University) has been amazing,” Honng told The Panther. “Juliet Suess does a great job of including everybody.

I know we have kind of a younger group with Juliet Suess, Jason Willman and me combined. I think it will be more relatable. The swimmers are going to be able to come and trust us more and talk through things, even outside of the pool, if they need to.”