18 September, 2015
thescrippsvoice.com
The Scripps Voice
since 1996
Your School. Your Issues. Your Paper.
MEET YOUR INTERIM PRESIDENT By Lucy Altman-Newell ‘17 Editor-in-Chief
D
r. Amy MarcusNewhall, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty, became Interim PresidentElect and special advisor to President Lori BettisonVarga in early July; she will begin her role as Interim President when Bettison-Varga departs Scripps College on Oct. 5. Marcus-Newhall has also been appointed to the Presidential Search Committee [see “Scripps Searches for new President ,” pg. 3] . Although MarcusNewhall is serving in both the interim presidency and the presidential search committee, the role of Interim President is not itself linked to the search for Scripps College’s ninth president; those are two completely separate roles. While Marcus-Newhall is serving as Interim President, Professor Julia (Julie) Liss will serve as Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty, effective Aug. 21, 2015,
until Marcus-Newhall returns to her post. Liss was selected following an internal search process; her appointment was approved by the Board of Trustees on Aug. 20. According to an email sent to the Scripps community by Board of Trustees Chair Mark Herron on that same date, “as interim vice president of academic affairs and dean of faculty, Julie will lead the Scripps faculty and provide oversight for the development and implementation of all academic policies and programs from the date of her appointment through June 30, 2016.” The Scripps Voice met with Marcus-Newhall to discuss her vision and objectives for her role as Interim President of Scripps College during the 20152016 academic year: TSV: What will your role as Interim President of Scripps College look like? What will be your primary duties and goals, and who will be supporting you?
By Madeleine Edwards ‘18 Staff Writer
O
Photo Courtesy of Office of Marketing and Communication Dr. Amy Marcus-Newhall will serve as Interim President of Scripps College for the 2015-2016 academic year.
AMN: The most important goal is to ensure the stability and momentum of the College moving forward. Lori’s done a fabulous job of building on the College’s successes, and six years later, we’re in just a great place. I see
my role as continuing that momentum while we do a search for the new president of Scripps College. That’s the overarching goal. Specifics are to maintain CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
panelists discuss marissa mayer decision By Sydney Sibelius ‘18 Staff Writer
M
arissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo!, recently announced that she will take a two-week maternity leave after giving birth to twins in Dec. 2015. Mayer is also planning on working throughout her pregnancy. Her decision to take such a short leave has sparked controversy in the business world, amongst mothers, and in many other sectors. In response to the debates aroused by Mayer’s announcement, the LASPA Center at Scripps College held an Up for Discussion panel on the topic of maternity leave with Scripps College President Lori Bettison-Varga and Interim President-Elect Amy Marcus-
Inside This Issue:
motley OPENS FOR FALL SEMESTER
Newhall. Up for Discussion sponsors panels and events regarding current topics of controversy and points for conversation. The discussion was held in the living room of the Revelle House, with refreshments and snacks served. Chairs were set up around the room with Bettison-Varga and MarcusNewhall settled on the couch at one end of the space. It was attended by a combination of both students and other faculty members who were able to ask questions and aid in the direction of the discussion. The hour-long forum covered past and current family leave policies at Scripps and the experiences that both Bettison-Varga and MarcusNewhall had with their children. General issues surrounding
Page 4 - PRESIDENT BETTISON-VARGA R e a d a b o u t P re s i d e n t L o r i Bettison-Varga’s new position.
maternity leave and child support were also covered. Both Bettison-Varga and MarcusNewhall had summer babies and were able to take around six weeks of leave before they had to return to teaching in the fall. Marcus-Newhall had twins in the month of Sept. as a result of her second pregnancy and decided not to teach that fall. She also discussed with Scripps staff her ability to return to work when she was ready. “Scripps was very accommodating, but my first realization was that there was no formal policy at Scripps,” MarcusNewhall said. Scripps has only recently implemented a family leave policy in CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Page 2 - LASPA
R e a d a b o u t t h e L A S PA Center’s launch.
1030 Columbia Avenue | Claremont, CA 91711 | Box 839 email: scrippsvoice@gmail.com | Volume XIX | Issue One
n Thursday, Sept. 10, The Motley Coffeehouse opened its doors for the fall semester while hosting jazz singer Melanie JB Charles. Featuring live music from the Brooklyn-native, the opening kicked off a new year for the new Motley team. The Motley opened at 8pm Thursday and Charles performed from 8:30 to 9:30pm. Doors remained open until midnight. The theme was “A Walk Through the Woods” this year inspiring baristas to dress as woodland animals. The ten-woman managerial team of the Motley worked behind the bar as Charles performed. Head Manager Becca Shope ‘16, costumed as a deer, described her hopes for The Motley’s impact on the Scripps community this year. “One of the really big things that we’re excited about this semester is increasing our level of engagement with the political and social issues that are in the Claremont area,” Shope said. “We’re really looking forward to hearing from the community and within our staff, trying to understand the implications of our business and whether or not we are really the inclusive space that we’re trying to be.” The staff are promoting the coffeehouse as a place for club meetings and events as much as it is a study space. Emilie Fisher ’16, a Barista Lead said, “[The Motley] gets a rap for being a hipster indie-pop quiet study space where everyone’s drinking their fair trade coffee and working on their homework, but it’s a community space. It’s for you and it’s for the community. It’s not for one particular sub-set of the student body. I think my two best decisions in life so far has been coming to Scripps and working at The Motley. Working [here] makes me feel so loved and cared for.” Similar sentiments were reflected by other staff members. Returning barista Carmen Abbe ‘18 said, “It think it’s cool that the CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
Page 10 - THE MOTLEY
Continue reading about The Motley’s opening night.
2 • News By Sasha Rivera ‘19 Staff Writer
T
WELCOME CLASS OF 2019
his fall, Scripps College welcomed to its ranks a fresh new group of students. This diverse group of individuals has come from 31 different states, the top five being Calif., Wash., Ill., Ore., and Ariz. Others arrived from 11 countries, such as Saudi Arabia and China. They have also reportedly traveled to over 40 countries and eight percent of them have been educated abroad. Not only do the students come from many different locations, but they also speak a multitude of languages. With 28 languages spoken overall, 109 students are bilingual, 34 are trilingual, and five students speak four or more languages. The freshman class is one of many talents as well, with 55 musicians and singers. They have also been a part of 55 theater productions and practice 36 styles of dance. Alongside these extraordinary feats, the first years balanced a multitude of other activities with academics, including 123 clubs and organizations and 47 sports activities. In addition, they volunteered at 24 animal organizations and 64 were members of student government. Other fun facts about this class include that 22 are first-generation students, 147 of them share a birthday, eight
students are named Emma, and 16 have family ties to Scripps College. From their move-in day on Aug. 27 up to the start of classes on Sept. 2, the students partook in an intensive orientation program filled with many mandatory activities. After having a few hours to move in, they and their families went to Garrison Theater for the welcoming speech and then continued on to various other events together until they had to part. The rest of the evening, the students went to an academic open house, residence hall meetings, and listened to the diversity and inclusion speaker, Rhonda Fitzgerald. The next day, Aug. 28, the first years took various placement exams and attended group and individual advising appointments in order to begin organizing their academic schedules; the night ended with the Scripps Carnival, an enjoyable event despite the electrical issues and limit to just Scripps students. On Aug. 29, every student went on the Scripps Orientation Activity Retreat (SOAR) to various locations, including LACMA, rock climbing, and Santa Monica. After registration for classes and many other activities, the first years partook in the traditional Matriculation ceremony, followed by a dinner and dance. Meet three first years in the
incoming class — Julia Martinez ‘19, Diana Arreola ‘19, and Chelsea Huang ‘19. Martinez originally wanted to pursue molecular biology, but now has decided to take her introductory courses and become more accustomed to the Keck Science center. Arreola currently has her mind set on the 3-2 engineering program, where she will spend three years at Scripps College and two years studying at an engineering school. Huang’s intended area of study is currently human biology. The first years gave their opinions of the orientation program, especially on how loaded it was with activities. “I liked [Orientation] but maybe they should give us more time to settle in because everything was just so fast and I didn’t get time to sleep or breathe at all,” Arreola said. “But it was fun. the [SOAR] trips were fun.” The students also described their impression of Scripps College so far, and their responses were positive. “I love it,” said Huang, a Claremont local. “The community is great and everyone is nice. The people are new, but it’s literally ten minutes from my house so it’s not really a new environment.” “I really like it,” said Arreola. “It’s super calm and everyone here is super nice and genuine, and I just
feel like this is home now.” The overall transition from high school to college life had both positive and negative aspects for the students. “I was in SSIP [Summer Science Immersion Program], so I was here a week and a half earlier than everyone else, so that helped a lot,” Martinez said. “Especially because I’m not necessarily a first-generation student, but my father didn’t help me prepare for the whole dorm experience or being away from family and having to organize my time management. I knew people from the DIVE [into Scripps overnight diversity program], so that helped me not feel as lonely. The best part is honestly meeting the people from the DIVE and diversity programs again because we already have that connection and come from similar backgrounds and taking on the transition into college life together. The worst is having to have the energy to meet new people because it drains a lot out of me.” “The best part, meeting new people,” said Huang. “The worst part, meeting new people.” “It’s been a little bit difficult because orientation took so much time, so when we finally got to the classes it was just really hard to transition into that,” said Arreola. “But so far it’s been alright.”
LASPA CENTER OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES Surf ‘n Turf:
By Grace Richey ‘19 Staff Writer
A 5C Club Extravaganza
N
estled in the northeastern corner of Seal Court is the LASPA Center is the new leadership center at Scripps. The newly-debuted campus resource aims to prepare students for a lifetime as leaders by encouraging personal growth through active engagement. After nearly two years in the making, the Center first launched late in the 2015 school year and held an official open house on Sept. 2. Student leaders Jocelyn Gardner ‘17 and Lucy Altman-Newell ‘17 worked closely with the Center’s director over the summer to establish groundwork. The Center works to develop leaders by emphasizing the critical point that “Leadership is an action that many can take, not a position that only a few can hold.” According to their mission statement, the Center intends “to develop and support future generations of women leaders, providing them with the necessary attributes, knowledge, and skills to success in the 21st Century.” Though LASPA’s mission statement refers explicitly only to women, other marginalized genders are also welcomed and included. Working under the slogan “We Act,” the Center offers a variety of resources for students interested in developing their leadership abilities. Recently, the Center published the Leadership Opportunities Guide, an extensive compilation of clubs, teams, centers, and organizations across the 5Cs available to Scripps students. Groups listed include those relating to “Mentorship, Culture, [and] Identity,” philanthropy, tutoring, the arts, entrepreneurship, and science—to name a few. The 68-page guide also includes information for an assortment of scholarship, grants, and awards. This resource is located digitally a few posts down on LASPA’s Facebook page, and will soon exist in hard copy in the LASPA Office. The Center will also host several events this semester such as presentations by We Act grant recipients of the work they have achieved over the summer and Wisdom Holder meetings where LASPA affiliates will discuss opportunities with campus community members. Other programs include “Up
By Kaya Mark ‘18 Staff Witer
I Photo by Jessica Padover’18
for Discussion: TED Talks by Authentic Leaders” and the N-Gen (Next Generation) Panel, a speaker series featuring dialogue between students and young professionals. “It is my hope that LASPA will help to close the leadership gap by advancing women into leadership positions,” Center Director Lisa Watson explains. “LASPA will offer students learning opportunities that build on Scripps’ current offerings and help students find their place on the leadership spectrum.” Although LASPA stands for “Leadership, Analysis, Scholarship, Public Service, and Action,” the true namesake comes from class of 1967 alumnus and former trustee Eileen Schock Laspa and her husband Jude Laspa (HMC ’65). The Laspas presented a large gift to Scripps College with the vision of creating a campus resource that would aid in student empowerment. “We are very pleased to help make the Leadership Center a reality as a resource to help enrich the educational experience at Scripps College and to better prepare our students for productive and impactful lives in whatever career field they follow,” Eileen Laspa said in a 2013 interview with Scripps College News. In addition to director Lisa Watson, the Center’s staff includes Assistant Director Lindsey Martinovich, Scholars in Action Coordinators Gardner and AltmanNewell, and a team of student Scholars in Action. Under the pillars of “leadership, service, integrity, and creativity,” the Center is now open for student access weekdays during normal business hours as a resource for questions about programming, homework space for both group collaboration and quiet studying, and comfortable relaxation area. The office also features a leadership library. Visit their Facebook page for up-todate current event and program listings.
nterested in getting involved on campus? Whether you want to join 5CDC (5C Dance Company), volunteer to work with cute animals (5C Animal Shelter Volunteer Group), or join the fight for fossil fuel divestment (5C Climate Justice Club), Turf Dinner is a great opportunity to find out more information about 5C clubs and organizations. On Sept. 16 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., all dining halls will close for the annual event and join together to serve a variety of delicious foods. Over 160 5C groups will assemble on CMC’s Parents Field with the hope of enticing students to their organization or club, each having table space to stack informational fliers and signup sheets. If you want a heads up on some of the groups that will be attending, check out the LASPA Leadership Opportunities Guide, a handbook created to help people find opportunities to get involved with clubs within specific themes, ranging from social justice to tutoring and education. Turf Dinner began in the 1990s and has been extremely successful in the past, gathering over 3,000 attendees each time. Lindsey Aronson ‘18 enthusiastically remembers last year’s Turf Dinner as being a memorable experience: “It was exciting to learn about all of the resources the schools have to offer! Plus, great food!” Smith Campus Center and Student Programs Director Ella “Ellie” Ash-Balá states, “The event is the only time all year when all of the 5Cs gather for a meal. So it’s pretty special in that regard. It is also the only time all year when student organizations gather together to recruit new members and especially showcase themselves to first-year students.” So if you aren’t coming to check out cool clubs, come for the food!
18 September, 2015 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XIX • Issue One
The Scripps Voice Staff Editors-in-Chief Lucy Altman-Newell Elena Pinsker Advisor Sam Haynes Design Editors Monica Acosta Abigail Gilcrest Jenny Lee Copy Editors Rachel Miller-Haughton Ashley Minnis-Lemley Business Manager Lily Comba Webmaster Jocelyn Gardner Columnists & Staff Writers Ali Bush Natalie Camrud Maureen Cowhey Madeleine Edwards Sophie Fahey Kandace Fung Sara Jane Gage Taylor Galla Jocelyn Gardner Diva Gattani Evelyn Gonzalez Joelle Leib Kaya Mark Jay Marks Erin Matheson Natasha Pinon Grace Richey Sasha Rivera Sydney Sibelius Talia Speaker Isobel Whitcomb Vloggers Jessica Eu Bemnet Gebrechirstos Abigail Metsch Grace Richey Lily Yang - Director Photographers Tyra Abraham Jessica Eu Suzette Guzman Anita Ho Annalise Ko Jessica Padover Layne Wells Nicole Zwiener Comments and letters can be submitted by emailing scrippsvoice@gmail.com or by visiting our website at www.thescrippsvoice.com. Please review our guidelines online before submitting feedback. The Scripps Voice is a student forum and is not responsible for the opinions expressed in it.
MEET YOUR INTERIM PRESIDENT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
academic excellence and the student experience throughout the academic year and to maintain the College’s financial health, continue to make progress toward the goals of the More campaign (we still have a couple years of that), sustain momentum on highpriority initiatives such as LASPA, NEW Hall, the I.D.E.A. Initiative—and those are not the only ones, but those are three of the real prominent initiatives that we’re working on—and to work with the staff, the parents, the alumnae, and the community beyond Scripps as well. TSV: SV: President Bettison-Varga was a staple on campus. Will you be making efforts to be present and visible on campus, for solidarity purposes? If so, what will these efforts look like? AMN: The answer is absolutely yes! But I think it’s important to say that I won’t be living at Revelle House. The new president has the option of living at Revelle House, but I won’t be living there. But I will be doing community and public events at Revelle House. I’ve had students talk to me about special events that they enjoy such as Halloween and I look forward to hosting these types of student events at Revelle House. I’ll be around campus and look forward attending student events, classes, public events, and many of the activities on campus. I look forward, actually, to being involved and engaged with the community. TSV: And will you be having office hours or be open to any particular student who wants to meet with you? AMN: Oh, absolutely! I don’t know about office hours right now just because I don’t have control of my schedule during this interim period. So until I actually take over the role of Interim President, I don’t want to commit to something that I have no idea about because I will be travelling and in meetings. But if students want to meet with me, I’d be more than happy to meet with them. I do want to convey that if they come to meet with me, for example, about something
News • 3 academic, then I would encourage them to talk to Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Julie Liss, if they come to talk to me about Communications and Marketing, then I would have them come talk to Binti [Harvey, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer], etc. There is a superb senior staff team—the senior staff are the vice presidents. Going back to the first question as to who will support me, the whole community will support me, but there is just a fantastic senior staff team of vice presidents who, together, helps to run the college. Nobody does it in isolation. TSV: The news of President Bettison-Varga’s departure was quite sudden to the entire Scripps community—is the administration planning on taking any measures to make the transition more seamless? If so, what are they? AMN: I think I disagree that it was sudden in the sense that she [Bettison-Varga] intended to remain as President but an opportunity arose for her that was very exciting. She didn’t move to another college— this new position with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles was just something that really fit her expertise. And because the College is in such a great place— transitions happen. I understand for students, you think you’re coming back to one president and you’re coming back to someone else, but in fact this happens often. People change jobs. I also think what’s really important is that the transition was really made and designed to have as much positive influence as possible. I’ve been at the College now for 23 years. I was in the Psychology Department for 18 years before becoming the Dean of Faculty five years ago, and so when the question was, “who will become the Interim President?” having been in the Dean of Faculty’s Office and having been at the College, my association, my understanding, my connection with Scripps makes what we hope is a seamless transition. And the senior staff team, continuing on as one team, with me,
again is a seamless transition. Also, what we did in the Interim Dean of Faculty position was to hire Julie Liss, who’s been teaching at the College since 1989, so even three years longer than I have, who has been involved in almost every level of faculty leadership. Although each of us is clearly new to our position, our experience and our expertise with the College means we’re not starting at ground zero. What we’re doing is starting new positions with significant Scripps experience. TSV: How do you envision your role as Interim President? You’ve spoken broadly about what the role is in and of itself, but how do you plan to step into or shape that role personally? AMN: Well part of that will be discovery since I haven’t done it before, but the [interim] presidential role in my view is pretty clear in the things that I said earlier—that is, the initiatives and the momentum of what needs to be done. So, what we talked about earlier in terms of academic excellence and students and the campaign are all top priorities. These are the kinds of initiatives that I will immediately—as soon as Lori leaves—take over. Again, we’re on a great path. Everything is going positively, and my job is to continue this momentum—work with the Board of Trustees, work with the faculty, the staff, the students—and to continue a year where we will not be stagnant. That’s not what we’re doing. We’re going to move forward. TSV: Is there anything else you’d like to add? AMN: I should reiterate that I’m really excited! I’m really excited to be in this role. My passion for Scripps is why I’ve been here for 23 years. I don’t plan on going anywhere else. I love this place—which is why I accepted the role of Interim President—and I very much look forward to working with students in this role!
Read full article at thescrippsvoice.com.
SCRIPPS SEARCHES FOR NEW PRESIDENT
By Lucy Altman-Newell ‘17 Editor-in-Chief
S
Students President Minjoo Kim ’16, Nancy Neiman Auerbach (Mary W. Johnson Professorship in Teaching and professor of politics), Lara Deeb (professor of anthropology), and Dion Scott-Kakures (professor of philosophy) are the newest members of the search committee. Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates is the search firm that has been hired to assist with and guide the committee in its national search. This firm was chosen “based on their extensive experience in higher education; track record of hiring presidents and academic and administrative officers at private liberal arts colleges; and familiarity with—and appreciation for—Scripps’ unique position and strengths,” according to a Sept. 3 email sent to the Scripps College community. The Presidential Search Committee hopes to recommend a candidate to the Board of Trustees by Spring 2016, and will post updates on the search at scrippscollege.edu/presidential-search. Community input is welcomed and appreciated; community members are invited to nominate candidates by emailing scrippspresident@storbeckpimentel. com and to ask questions or share feedback and suggestions to the search committee by emailing presidentialsearchcommittee@scrippscollege.edu. An information session will be held on Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in Balch Auditorium, and input forums will be held on Sept. 24 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sept. 25 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in the Humanities Auditorium.
ince the news of President Lori Bettison-Varga’s departure from Scripps College was announced in July 2015, one of the immediate questions was, “How will we find the next president of the College?” In short, the responsibility of finding the ninth President of the College is that of the Board of Trustees, which has already established a Presidential Search Committee as well as a search website (scrippscollege. edu/presidential-search) to keep members of the college informed and involved, and which has been sending out regular email updates to keep the community informed regarding the search’s progress. “The search committee will be composed of trustees, faculty, students, alumnae, and staff to ensure that all of the College’s constituencies have an opportunity to help define and prioritize the desired attributes of our next president,” stated a July 20 email to the Scripps College community from Board of Trustees Chair Mark Herron. The co-chairs of the Scripps College Presidential Search Committee are Bob Sacks (trustee since 2014 and parent of a recent Scripps alumna) and Betsy Weinberg Smith ’74 (trustee since 1995 and vice chair of the Board of Trustees since 2009). Other trustee members of the search committee include Ellen Clark Brown, Barbara Bruner ’76, Libby Greig DeMeo ’95, Mark Herron (board chair), Linda Davis Taylor P’11, and Lynne Thompson ’72. Interim President-Elect Amy Marcus-Newhall has also been appointed to the committee. Scripps Associated Read full article/interview at thescrippsvoice.com.
18 September, 2015 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XIX • Issue One
4 • News
President bettison-varga
and dreams are for the College. [I’ve also appreciated the opportunity to hear the] faculty, alumnae, friends of the College, staff, people in the community...So I think that’s something that I will bring with me to this position: valuing the many perspectives about the role of the Museum. TSV: Will you continue to have a relationship with Scripps? LBV: I’m always going to be an ambassador for Scripps. I love the college. I really see myself in a position of hopefully being available to help the institution in any way that I can in L.A. I want to be a resource, I want to be an advocate, and I want to be an ambassador. TSV: Is there anything in particular that excites you most about Scripps’ future, as you envision it? LBV: I think Scripps is so well-positioned right now, and strong. [Scripps has] fabulous students, remarkable faculty and staff, and is fiscally strong. The More Campaign is going well, [as is the construction of] the new residence hall. The LASPA Center is just really starting to come together and I’m really excited to see how the programming develops for that and how that can also become a larger bridge to alumnae and the external world for our current students. I think it’s an exciting time for the college, and I think it’s really well-positioned to attract a really great president. TSV: You have said many times that the decision to leave Scripps was a very difficult one. What would you say to other people who have a difficult choice? LBV: I am a big believer in listening to your gut instinct. So what I would suggest is to ask all the questions that you need to ask—and sometimes the problem is that you don’t always know what you should be asking—but if it feels right, just follow your gut instinct. [...] I think that in making a decision while you have to think about how it influences other people, but you still have to decide what you think is really the right thing to do. And ultimately that’s what I came down on this one—it just felt like the right thing to do. As sad as it was
talks departure from scripps By Lucy Altman-Newell ‘17 Editor-in-Chief
I
n early Sept., President Bettison-Varga met with The Scripps Voice to discuss her own plans and vision for her life after Scripps: TSV: Can you tell us a bit about your background in natural history, and how that influenced your decision to become Director of the Natural History Museum of L.A. County? LBV: I am a geologist by my disciplinary background and I got into higher education because I really wanted that blend of bringing my passion for understanding the history of the Earth—the research aspect of that, with the educational aspect and being able to inspire students [...] to appreciate the Earth and our impact on it. So when the Natural History position was called to my attention, I thought, “Wow, that’s really [an opportunity to] bring together at a much larger scale those pieces of my background.” And now my experience as president here [at Scripps] has set me up to be able to do something that has such a capacity for public impact in a way that I haven’t done yet. So being able to bring together research and collections and education [...] while supporting the museum’s remarkable staff just seemed like a great opportunity [...] I was [also] a professor in geology. TSV: What sorts of things will you be doing as Director of the Museum? What does this very exciting job look like? And do you know in what direction you want to lead the Museum? LBV: Well I would say first off, a lot of the work of the director of the museum is not dissimilar from being the president of a college because it’s really about guiding and implementing the institutional vision, advocacy, fundraising, board development, events… So all of those things are similar to what I’ve been doing here [at Scripps]. But what’s different
would be the engagement with the public arena in such a broad way, and certainly the responsibility to oversee the funding from the County of Los Angeles. One of the really wonderful things that we’re going to be embarking on is the master planning process for La Brea Tar Pits. [...] [This] is also the largest and only active urban paleontological excavation site. So it’s a really interesting place where we can look at the evidence of natural climate change variation in the fossils— not just the mega-fossils, but also the microfossils. And one of the ideas is to continue that conversation to look at the impact of humans on climate. [...] The La Brea Tar Pits Museum has been given a face lift recently and that has generated a lot of enthusiasm among Angelenos to revisit the location. [...] We will embark on a master planning process this year [with regards to La Brea Tar Pits]. It’s right by LACMA on the Miracle Mile, and it’s a very important area to the cultural life of Los Angeles. TSV: Did you learn or further develop any skills as President of Scripps College that you think will be especially useful in taking on this new role? LBV: During my time at Scripps over the last six-plus years, what I’ve really grown to appreciate is the voices of all these different stakeholders (they’re not collectively one voice) and how listening to those voices—the students, for example—have really had an impact on the way I think about the work that we’re doing here at Scripps. [I’ve learned] how those stakeholders really have a lot to say and [how they have] wonderful ideas about how to move the institution forward. [...] Being president has really helped me understand [...] how to bring those voices to the common ground. [...] I’ve appreciated the opportunity I’ve had to spend time with students and to hear them, to hear about what their hopes
construction By Maureen Cowhey ‘19 Staff Writer
R
eturning Scripps students and first-years alike are noting the changes made to campus over the summer, most obviously the progress made on NEW Hall. NEW Hall is on schedule to open the last day in July 2016. According to an article published by Scripps College News, NEW Hall will consist of 82 bedrooms, reducing the number of triples on campus. NEW Hall will have all the amenities of existing residence halls such as a browsing room, living room, and courtyards, while also meeting LEED silver standards of environmental sustainability. NEW Hall is the main solution to the overcrowding problem that affects 75% of Scripps first-years, as stated in an article titled “Our Signature Campus” published by Scripps College. Due to the increased number of admitted students over the past several years, a large population of students are placed in forced triples and doubles. Upon completion of this residence hall, the article claims, Scripps students living at Pomona and Claremont Graduate University will once again be able to live on Scripps campus. Based off of the NEW Hall floor plans, the residence hall will consist of 7-bedroom suites, 5-bedroom suites, 4-bedroom suites, 3-bedroom suites, doubles, and singles, all spread out over three floors. There will also be two courtyards and a garden. The $18 million construction project was jumpstarted by an anonymous donation of $10 million. According to a Scripps College News article posted in Oct. 2014, the Georgia Ridder Foundation also donated $1.1 million towards NEW Hall. Breaking ground late last school year, construction continued throughout the summer and will continue throughout this academic year. Josh Reeder, Director of
Fa c i l i t i e s a t S c r i p p s C o l l e g e , described the progress: “we re-routed underground utilities to prepare for pouring footings and foundations.” They are currently building the block walls. While construction is set to start at 8 a.m., many students report being woken up earlier. An email from the Facilities Department states, “In anticipation of an El Nino weather event, the construction team needs to facilitate an accelerated construction schedule for NEW Hall.” Construction is set to continue most Saturdays, but students will be informed each Friday of the weekend schedule. In response to early morning construction noise, Residence Advisors in Routt, Frankel, and GJW residence halls were issued earplugs to distribute. If you hear construction prior to 8 a.m., you can report it to hall staff. In addition to NEW Hall construction, existing Kimberly Residence Hall was renovated. Reeder stated that Kimberly received air conditioning, a new roof, general ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) upgrades, and a relocated entryway. In addition to these major renovations, minor updates consisted of new paint, carpet, and furniture reupholstering. The California drought played a role in this summer’s campus upgrades. The Facilities and Grounds department worked throughout campus to reduce Scripps’ water consumption.t According to Scripps College News, the school has replaced over 80,000 square feet of grass with drought-resistant plants. New drought-tolerant grass has been planted in order to reduce water usage by 30 percent. The Facilities department has also taken measures of water reduction in residence halls and the Sallie Tiernan Field House. Reeder explained that all 185 shower heads at Scripps will be replaced with more efficient, watersaving heads. This Oct., the pool’s filtration system will also be replaced. Reeder states that “between the shower heads and the pool filter, we think we can capture about 6% reduction overall for the campus.”
to make the decision, it just feels like the right thing to do for me. Listen to yourself. We know ourselves better than anybody else. If we live our lives based on other people’s expectations of us, I don’t think we can really ever fully become who we want to be. TSV: Is there any particular rule or principle that has helped you in your extremely impressive leadership of the College? Any sort of “secret to success” here that you’d like to share? LBV: Listening. Definitely listening. And I hope everyone here knows that I’ve always been authentic—that’s who I am. [...] And I will say this: I’ve been able to attract an incredible senior leadership team and I think they all believe in the same values of inclusivity and listening and bringing about the very best in Scripps, just like I know the faculty and staff do. I think it’s that whole ethos of the entire community that is what makes any leader successful. TSV: If you could choose one quality for the next president of Scripps College to have, what would it be, and why? LBV: A sense of humor. There’s so many different things to choose from—honesty, integrity, a collaborative spirit—these are really critical, but I assume that any president would have all of those. And also a healthy dose of a sense of humor because you have to have fun in these positions. TSV: Finally, many Scripps people have been wondering if they’ll get a discounted rate into the museum. Will we? LBV: We’re working on it! Stay tuned! TSV: Do you have anything else you’d like to add here? LBV: I hope everybody knows how much I believe in this institution and its people— an institution is about people. [Scripps is] a great place and I’ll get to say more about that later in the letter [to be published in the second issue of The Scripps Voice]! For full story, see thescrippsvoice.com. A farewell celebration for President BettisonVarga will be held on Bowling Green Lawn on Friday Oct. 2 from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. No RSVP is required.
a capella concert news
O
n Monday, Sept. 7, over 200 students packed into the basement of Marks Hall on the Claremont McKenna campus for the first of three a cappella sampler concerts. These concerts exist as the first opportunity for the eight groups on campus to perform. Not only that, first years are able to research the various groups and decide which ones they may want to audition for. The basement was full of upperclassmen who expressed eagerness to see their friends perform, as well as first years gathered near the front, appearing excited for their first taste of the collegiate a cappella experience. The Monday concert began with Midnight Echo’s performances of “Runaway” by Bruno Mars and Beyoncé’s “If I Were A Boy.” The soloists had steady, full voices, and the final chord of “If I Were A Boy rang out,” causing a moment of pause before applause. The Ninth Street Hooligans, dressed in purple and black, took the floor next. With the soloist’s first few words of Sam Smith’s “I Know I’m Not the Only One,” a collective gasp spread across the room. Strong vocal percussion was prominent throughout the two songs. The Hooligans ended their set with a jazzy, sensual cover of Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend.” Mood Swing wrapped up as the final group of the night, performing Lorde’s “Team,” “A Change In My Life” by Rockapella and “East of Eden” by Zella Day. The group had a full, rounded sound, making the performances strong. Tuesday brought a change to the a cappella scene as students instead gathered on the steps outside Frary Dining Hall at Pomona. The concert kicked off with an instrumental song done by KChords. They followed up the song with an arrangement of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know.” Claremont Shades was hot on their heels with captivating performances of “Sing About It” by The Wood Brothers and “Say You Love Me” by Jessie Ware. Though the smallest group among the eight on campus, Shades had a powerful tone and great musicality. The final performers of the night on Tuesday were the After School Specials, more commonly referred to as ASS. Strong musicality and top-notch vocal percussion were present throughout their covers of Laura Welsh’s “Break The Fall” and “Nirvana” by Sam Smith. Wednesday night brought the final a cappella sampler concert of the week, kicking it off with Men’s Blue and White covering “Black & Gold” by Sam Sparro. This was followed by an energetic performance of “Enormous Penis” by the Singing Eye Dogs that led to giggles throughout the audience. Women’s Blue & White reigned the audience back in with a captivating cover of “Wisely & Slow” by The Staves. The group ended their set with Sia’s “Elastic Heart,” featuring a soloist with a quality of voice not unlike a clearer Sia.The night was wrapped up with additional appearances of Mood Swing and Midnight Echo, performing the same pieces they had on the Monday concert. All groups encouraged students to audition on Saturday, Sept. 12, to fill the spots left by graduated seniors.
By Jay Marks HMC ‘19 LGBTQ+ Columnist
18 September, 2015 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XIX • Issue One
Sports • 5
ATHLETE PROFILE: Maddie Peterson By Ali Bush ‘19 Staff Writer
M
addie Peterson ‘19 has joined the soccer team this year playing defense. After playing soccer for 11 years in her hometown of Salt Lake City, UT, she’s bringing her skills to the CMS team. Although the season has just begun, the team has already earned a victory against Washington University of St. Louis. The team has plans to play schools from all over the country, and Maddie was excited to share the team’s plans and her experience with the team so far. TSV: How did you start playing soccer? MP: I played with my friends on a recreational team when I was really little, and then I moved onto competition soccer when I was about nine or ten. Then I tried out for my high school soccer team. TSV: Did you know you wanted to play soccer in college? MP: Yes! TSV: Why did you decide to play soccer at Scripps? MP: I went to a soccer camp that all 5Cs participated in, and I really liked Carrie, our coach, so that was important to me. I also really liked the chemistry among the [members of the] CMS team. And being in Division III, I knew could do everything: focus on academics, join clubs, and play my sport. A lot
PANELISTS DISCUSS MAYER DECISION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
the past few years. Currently, it stands that the primary caretaker receives one paid semester off while the secondary caretaker can teach one fewer course. Within the state of California, parents are able to take time off from work but only receive disability pay, legally framing the notion of having a baby as a disability. The controversy and discussions surrounding Mayer are a result of differing opinions on the issue. Many view Mayer’s decision as harmful to her family and her children’s upbringing; however, others believe that taking a longer leave would have been harmful to her company due to the necessity of a change in leadership and the transition of her position to another person.
of my friends who play Division I soccer don’t get to do that. So it’s nice that I can let academics come first. TSV: How has playing soccer affected your transition into college? MP: I’m really, really happy that I’ve had the soccer team to help me make friends and meet upperclassmen. It’s been a really great community. Upperclassmen on the team are really nice and have been through being a firstyear, so they’re really helpful. It’s like another family. They help you out, and you can go to dinner with them. Being a part of the team has been my favorite part of college so far. TSV: Are there any opportunities to travel? MP: Our farthest game is going to be two hours away. This weekend we’re going to play up in Santa Barbara, so that will be nice. But mostly, all the far away teams come to play us this season. TSV: Do you have a team you are most excited to play with? MP: Pomona-Pitzer! I know that it will be a huge game. We play them twice, so we have to win both games. No ties! TSV: What is your favorite part of playing soccer? MP: Warming up is actually First-year Maddie Peterson plays defense for the CMS soccer team. really fun. Everyone is focused, but Photo courtesy of Maddie Peterson ‘19 we love to joke around. There’s a lot of comradery on this team! Mayer has been both praised and criticized for her decision. She has exemplified that every woman has the right to choose her own plan and that each person navigates their own life differently. She has also brought into light the difference in expectations between mothers and fathers and varying familial situations. “If you choose to work full time, you are not considered to be a good mom,” Marcus-Newhall said. Working moms are criticized, while women who stay at home also feel judged. Mayer, again, is setting an example that not all women are the same and children do not need to be their main responsibility. “Issues of work and family are complicated across the board,” Bettison-Varga said. The Up for Discussion panel brought into light the privilege behind those who can afford to take time off after having kids.
“Many women do not even get the chance. This is a very privileged discussion,” Marcus-Newhall said. For many women, it is necessary to return to work as quickly as possible after giving birth in order to financially support their families. Many are not as fortunate as Mayer to be able to go back to work for reasons that are not financial. A good support team is necessary for all mothers, and especially for mothers who work. However, some people may not have family members or be able to afford day care to provide this support. Mayer’s decision has led to many discussions that could alter the perception of women and maternity leave in the future. Mayer can help lead to the implementation of new policies by starting these discussions and raising awareness in order to bring change to the topic of women and family care.
See Peer Health Educator Column online at www.thescrippsvoice.com
XX Month, 2014 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XIX • Issue XXX
8 • Features
not just for girls anymore:
ending gendered marketing of toys By Evelyn Gonzalez ‘18 Feminism Columnist
A
s a society, we have a prescribed set of ideas about what gender should be and what it should look like, both physically and in terms of particular attributes like personality traits or interests. This has been detrimental to the growth of individuals, as it sets strict parameters around gender roles that have leaked into even the most basic aspects of our lives. We have a tendency in this case to view things through a gendered lens and to therefore place certain expectations onto the socially-constructed binary of male and female. The gender-schema that occurs in society requires that individuals rely on roles based on gender, which then become reinforced in the socialization of children. A few months ago, Target released a statement about their movement away from gender-based signs: “Our teams are working across the store to identify areas where we can phase out gender-based signage to help strike a better balance. For example, in the kids’ Bedding area, signs will no longer feature suggestions for boys or girls, just kids. In the Toys aisles, we’ll also remove reference to gender, including the use of pink, blue, yellow or green paper on the back walls of our shelves. You’ll see these changes start to happen over the next few months.”
While Target has received some backlash over this recent announcement, many Target shoppers are voicing their support. Target’s decision to move away from gendering products is important in that it’s a step in the right direction. It is significant in that its positive effects are likely to have a large impact in the way society views marketed products. The toy aisles in shopping centers work as most marketing strategies do: by reinforcing the gender binary. Each aisle has products specifically chosen to appeal to a specific set of people. The problem with working on a binary is that it often comes with unconscious discrimination and sexism. It relies on outdated stereotypes that play a role in confirming our gender biases such as the idea that young girls play with dolls because they’re more nurturing or that men are more aggressive and tend to play with cars and trucks. Preferences about toys often have nothing to do with gender, but rather with the ways in which social conditioning has affected interests. Think about all the times you’ve heard “that’s for boys” or “don’t use that, that’s for girls”. Little remarks like these have a
big influence on whether children choose to align themselves with these products in the future. Gendered marketing of toys is especially harmful because it often denies children the right to explore their own interests and inhibits learning opportunities. In the current gendered market it is difficult to find toys geared for young girls that involve engineering, math or construction. These young girls are not learning the skills early on that would allow them to prosper in the future. This lack of availability is having a deep real world impact in the careers that women feel are open to them. According to statistics provided by the National Girls Collaborative Project only 39% of chemists and material scientists, 17.2% of industrial engineers, and 7.2% of mechanical engineers are women. Children are encouraged by adults and the larger society to work within the gender binary. They don’t often have the ability to choose what they would really like to play with, especially since society actively discourages non-adherence to gender roles. There are very real consequences for children who don’t fit their interests to the gender binary, such
Preferences about toys have nothing to do with gender, but rather with the ways in which social conditioning has affected interests.
as bullying, alienation or shaming. Toys, although fun, also help teach children very important skills. Let’s take, for example, trucks and building blocks marketed towards boys, and dolls and dress-up sets marketed towards girls. It is much easier for boys to learn spatial skills with the toys that they are given, and girls are given the opportunities to build their communication skills. In order to help target these inequalities some companies are constructing toys that work outside of traditional gender roles. For example, Target has begun to sell Goldieblox which is designed especially for young girls to garner interest in engineeri ng. By having items that are gender-neutral or even ones that help reduce the inequalities among the genders , children are given the freedom to choose what they like without fear of ramifications. It’s important to recognize that we are often making these unconscious decisions and assumptions surrounding gender. This realization will allow us to be more conscious of the ways in which we view these social constructions. It will help remove us from our bias, and even aid in removing our supposed need for a constructed binary. Target’s decision to remove unnecessary gender-based signs is a step towards a society in which people of all genders are given the opportunity to explore their own individuality.
DONALD TRUMP: Scripps students’ honest thoughts The fourth option came in last with 1.08%. The responses that I find the most fascinating are those who said they agree with him on a lot of things and would vote for or my first poll, I gravitated him. Coming from Scripps— a towards something predominantly liberal college that was going to be very for women and marginalized controversial. I wanted to gender identities in Southern challenge the Scripps California— these responses student body, an increasingly were honestly surprising. Our politically correct group of school’s culture tends to be very individuals, to share `their homogenous in the sense that true and honest opinions it’s often assumed that mostly about an individual who is everyone is somewhere on the currently eliciting responses socially-liberal spectrum. Not from nearly everyone in the everyone necessarily shares nation. You can’t escape him, exactly the same views, but I and he seems to want it that think it’s a pretty reasonable way: Donald Trump. assumption that everyone here When I first heard of his would be against someone presidential bid, I honestly who has been quoted as calling thought, as I presume most women “pigs” and declaring did, that it was going to be that he will build a wall to keep largely a joke that everyone out all illegal immigrants. I’m would laugh at for a few not distilling everything Donald weeks, and then we would Trump stands for into these move on to the more serious two statements-- however, Photo courtesy of redstate.com candidates in the Republican I think that for much of the Party. However, that has not Scripps student body, these two things pretty much been the case — he is probably the most talked-about summarize not only his stances, but also all the reason candidate thus far, and has been ahead in the polls for they need to “hate him.” I think the responses to this poll weeks. Much of this is because of his political strategy are important to recognize and acknowledge, as not of sharing extremely controversial opinions and thus everyone feels the same way here. swaying the larger conversation towards the issues Further, before anyone takes these responses to that he cares about. Where this will go no one can be heart and becomes unnerved by the fact that there are absolutely sure, but at this current moment I wanted to people here who would support a man who makes these gauge the response from the Scripps student body. So, horribly offensive statements, we must take a step back let’s see how we did. and consider why they might have these opinions. I don’t The choices on the Survey Monkey were as follows: 1) think there is anyone at this school who would look at Absolutely hate him, 2) I disagree with nearly everything their fellow peer and say they would support a wall he stands for, but he’s entertaining I guess, 3) Although I being built to keep out, say, this peer’s loved ones. This disagree with him I respect how genuine and upfront he insensitivity is not what should be assumed or taken to is about what he thinks, 4) I can see where he’s coming heart here. I think what should be examined is if Trump from on some things, plus you gotta love that hair, 5) I has other stances, more moderate ones perhaps, that agree with him on a lot of things and I would vote for one can get behind. We need to realize that one opinion him. Out of the 154 or so responses I received, the vast does not necessarily define the whole reason one majority of people voted for the first option— about supports a candidate. 77.42%. On a very liberal campus, this is what I expected. Too often at Scripps, people are summed up for Following this was the second option with 17.20%, then having one opinion or standing up for one issue, and the third and fifth options each with 2.15% of responses. it is assumed that because of that they will sway a
By Taylor Galla ‘18 Opinion Poll Columnist
F
certain way on all issues. We have a need to understand everyone in terms that we can comprehend and easily categorize, instead of taking each piece of their opinion and identity as separate entities that may be influenced by different things. If someone supports Donald Trump, I am not going to immediately assume that they are a misogynist or a racist or any of the other things that Trump has been called— because I trust that in this student body of smart, intellectual individuals, someone is looking deeper at his policies and has found something that perhaps the rest of us are not seeing. Personally, I wholeheartedly do not support anything that Trump stands for— but I do not want to keep those who do from being able to share that, and I do not want them to have a whole slew of things assumed about them. Instead of always feeling the need to “educate” someone in order to change their opinion and move it in a certain direction, I think we need to hear each other out a bit more before we jump to taking on that role. Of course, if something is being said that is outright harmful than the right thing is, of course, to stand up and say something. Further, a candidate like Donald Trump, in my opinion, has stances, quotes and proposed movements that are irrevocably problematic and unredeemable as horrendous to many human lives. But, supporting a candidate-- not necessarily Donald Trump but others as well-- who has some stances you find problematic does not necessarily make the person supporting them problematic as well. Further, nearly every candidate has done or said problematic things so choosing someone to support is and always has been a balance of good and evil in a way. Further, in writing this piece, I want to acknowledge my own privilege as a white, cisgender, straight, upperclass individual and that this stance in no way comes from someone who sees herself as marginalized. I acknowledge that my opinions come from a vastly different place and set of resources than others and that some others may not be able to view Trump in this way, as some of his opinions — if put into power — would have possibly drastic effects on their families and livelihood. I am just seeking to make Scripps a place where people who have minority opinions nevertheless feel safe to share them in a healthy and positive way. I also want to help make Scripps a place where people are excited to feel challenged by other opinions and perhaps to learn from them, and, if needed, to teach others in a supportive way.
18 September, 2015 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XIX • Issue One
Features • 9
queer Agender and in college corner S
ready to come out to every single person I would meet in the first few weeks of school. Yet, there I found myself on the first day of orientation letting people misgender me and saying nothing. It’s not that the Claremont Consortium isn’t a good place to be queer – the schools overall are liberal and there are easily accessible resources for queer students, including a mentor program (Queer, Questioning, and Allied Mentor Program, aka QQAMP) and the Queer Resource Center (aka the QRC). It’s not even that I couldn’t find people to connect with, because I certainly found other queer people who I had no problem coming out to. It’s difficult to be the only one using they/them pronouns when people go around in a circle saying he/his and she/her pronouns. It’s difficult to get into an argument over whether or not my pronouns are grammatically correct, what my gender means, and why I feel the need to label myself. Not identifying as cisgender, or the gender that lines up with your biological sex, opens you up to all sorts of questions that range from slightly annoying to downright inappropriate. It’s nice to know that people are opening up spaces for gender nonconforming people; actions include asking for people’s pronouns with introductions and Scripps’ recent policy change of including “ all applicants who indicate their legal sex as female
By Jay Marks ‘19 LGBTQ+ Columnist
tarting your first year in college is challenging enough without identifying as a transgender individual. You’re being submersed in a completely new experience with people you’ve never met before. My first day of orientation at Harvey Mudd College was overwhelming: I had fewer than four hours to unpack before I was whisked off to the first of several events scheduled back-to-back for almost a week. I was introduced to hundreds of new people whose names would linger at the tip of my tongue for at least the next few weeks to come. The last thing on my mind at the time was coming out. I’ve identified as nonbinary for two years and as agender for one. Nonbinary refers to identifying outside of the gender binary, i.e. not identifying as a man or woman. Agender refers to not associating with a gender at all. I stopped using my birth name and started using they/ them pronouns when I first came out as agender. It was difficult for my friends and family to make the transition, but I couldn’t wait for college; I hoped secondary education would bring a fresh new start where I could introduce myself as Jay, using they/them pronouns, and no one would know me any differently. I thought I was
submitted through the Common Application, in addition to applicants who self-identity as women.” However, the 5Cs still have a ways to go. Harvey Mudd College has gender neutral bathrooms in only four of its 24 buildings on campus, and there is no information on any of the other schools in regards to gender neutral bathrooms. Any student who wishes to be referred to by their pronouns and name publicly have to not only introduce themselves as such, but email every professor in advance of every class. In high school, I was new to being agender and so was everybody around me. Coming out was difficult, because people had to get used to a new version of me. Coming out in college was a different sort of difficult - people didn’t know me before, so it was easier to adjust, but it was harder for me to come out in the first place because I didn’t know what sort of support I would have. That didn’t matter, though, because I chose my friends well. Although not being cisgender is tough, the transition I made from high school to college allowed me to gain perspective on what it means to come out and how to get people to understand who you are. Sometimes being agender is frustrating, but it’s who I am. The 5Cs have a long way to go in supporting their trans and gender nonconforming students, but there is most certainly a start.
“calling in” stigmatized language Trigger/content warnings: Ableism, OCD (detailed), Eating Disorders, Phobias (detailed), Psychopathy and Sociopathy example in my “Phobia” article in the
By Jocelyn Gardner ‘17 Guide: “If you had severe arachnophobia, Mental Health Columnist & Webmaster you’d know that you would probably
T
his summer, I put together the firstever (Officially) Unofficial Scripps College Survival Guide (available at http:// www.thescrippsvoice.com/scrippssurvival-guide/), and I learned way more than I expected to. Of course, as the mental health columnist, I made sure that topics directly and indirectly related to mental health and wellness were sufficiently covered, though I believe that all of the articles in the Guide contribute to mental wellbeing. The Guide also had a lot of content relating to inclusive language and breaking down misconceptions, something I think my column, which I intend as a critical look into mental health through a social justice lens, also does. In the spirit of the guide, I want to “call in” (as opposed to “call out”) some language I hear used often. In my experience, people at Scripps do not deliberately use mental illness, differences, or disability in a derisive way. I’m talking about something along the lines of an appalling comment I overheard at the San Diego Zoo. A kid was watching a hippo swim and pointed at it, saying, “Wow, look how stupid it is! It has Down Syndrome!” I’m pretty sure my jaw dropped in complete disbelief. That’s obviously ableist language, but sometimes people don’t recognize ableism because of the seemingly harmless context and intention. In the following section, I will give an overview of such instances as they relate to certain mental health conditions. Phobias. These are a very tricky subject, and one I covered briefly in the Guide. Phobias are very intense, irrational, uncontrollable, and persistent “fears” of objects, ideas, situations, etc. which do not constitute a legitimate threat. I hesitate to use the word “fear” because I think that the connotations of fear are misleading. Phobias vary in severity, so it can be hard to distinguish whether a person who uses the word has a real phobia or not. The one I hear the most is arachnophobia, so I used that as an
check the corners and the walls of rooms to make sure there are no spiders. You might avoid going into basements and garages. If you see one, you’ll have a sudden physiological reaction…” I recommend reading the full article in the guide, even if it is just because I’m more sassy in it than usual. To be honest, I’m not sure what to make of the words “homophobia,” “transphobia” and “xenophobia.” (There are more than these three words, but they are common ones.) In most cases, I doubt that a phobia diagnosis can be reached, though I know that it is possible to have these phobias. My uncertainty is centered on the use of these words as ways to describe discrimination. I suppose whether it is a real phobia or not can depend on the source of the bias for each individual, but I don’t like that idea that widespread oppression can be written off (even implicitly) as a mental illness. I’ve addressed this briefly before, and I haven’t really answered anything, but these questions are important to bring up. I’m a little shocked at how much I hear OCD used in incorrect ways. Being an organized, tidy, particular, clean and/ or careful person does not make you obsessive-compulsive. I’ve included this section from iocdf.org to help show what it can feel like: “Imagine that your mind got stuck on a certain thought or image…Then this thought or image got replayed in your mind / over and / over again / no matter what you did… / You don’t want these thoughts — it feels like an avalanche… / Along with the thoughts come intense feelings of anxiety… / Anxiety is your brain’s alarm system. When you feel anxious, it feels like you are in danger. Anxiety is an emotion that tells you to respond, react, protect yourself, DO SOMETHING! / On the one hand, you might recognize that the fear doesn’t make sense, doesn’t seem reasonable, yet it still feels very real, intense, and true… / Why would your brain lie? / Why
would you have these feelings if they weren’t true? Feelings don’t lie… Do they? / Unfortunately, if you have OCD, they do lie. If you have OCD, the warning system in your brain is not working correctly. Your brain is telling you that you are in danger when you are not. / …Those tortured with OCD are desperately trying to get away from paralyzing, unending anxiety…” The thoughts referred to are the obsessions, and they are not voluntary and are often very disturbing. Compulsions are the rituals (such as counting, tapping, or repeating words) used to try to alleviate the intrusive thoughts. Obviously, OCD should not be trivialized. Describing your cleanliness as OCD trivializes those who have OCD, framing a very real mental illness as funny and unfortunate condition instead of something that negatively influences the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Psychopath/sociopath. Do not ever use psychopath or sociopath to refer to someone with criminal, especially homicidal, tendencies. Psychopaths and sociopaths are not necessarily criminals. Criminals are not necessarily psychopaths or sociopaths, who, by the way, are actually classified under Antisocial Personality Disorders in the DSM-V. I have a specific memory relating to an abuse of the term Bipolar. In 7th grade, a student in my math class called my teacher, who had a short temper, bipolar because she’d go pretty quickly from sweet and grandmotherly to terrifying. A short temper is a short temper, though it might be caused by an underlying psychological condition. Bipolar doesn’t have to do with “mood swings” as people generally understand them. People with Bipolar Disorder experience mania and depression, and each of these last for weeks or months rather than moments. Describing people/yourself as “bipolar” without having Bipolar Disorder or to make an edgy point? Not cool. Using “anorexic” to describe someone’s appearance is absolutely not okay. Body shaming is not okay. Joking about eating disorders and disordered eating in terms
of describing a person is dangerous, so don’t take them lightly. You don’t have to explicitly talk about eating disorders to say problematic things. In the Guide, there are a couple of articles on these topics, including my article for National Eating Disorder Awareness week last year (also available on thescrippsvoice.com)—I highly recommend them, especially if you want to know how to be a good ally. I have used these specific examples to make my point, but there are so many more. I challenge you to use these as a starting point for critical thinking. Before you say something, think about what it might really mean, and consider the fact that someone listening to you could be affected by your words. And if you hear it, be an ally, and call the person in—clarify, explain your point, and be supportive about it. The way to fight stigma is through education and empathy, not through villainizing those who are not as up-to-date as you. Don’t fight fire with fire.
NEED HELP? Crisis Call Center 800-273-8255 or text ANSWER to 83986 Depression and Bipolar Support 800-273-TALK (8255) National Hopeline Network 800-SUICIDE (784-2433) 800-442-HOPE (4673) Suicide Prevention Services Depression Hotline 800-273-TALK (8255) The National Alcohol and Substance Abuse Information Center 800-784-6776 Twenty - four hours a day Seven days a week for more information, see The Unofficial Scripps Survival Guide: Mental Health Hotlines and Info Centers
18 September, 2015 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XIX • Issue One
10 • Features
SCRIPPS WELCOMES New Dance Professor Kevin Williamson By Sophie Fahey ‘17 Staff Writer
K
evin Williamson is a new Assistant Professor of Dance at Scripps. His areas of expertise are Modern Dance, Laban Movement Analysis/Bartenieff Fundamentals, Choreography, Improvisation, and Queer Performance. (scrippscollege. edu) TSV: Had you heard about Scripps before coming here? KW: I had. I was born and raised in Southern California, so I knew of the 5Cs from a young age. Students at Chadwick school, where I previously taught, became students at the Claremont Colleges, and I also used to substitute for Professor Joel Smith. TSV: Were you teaching somewhere
else before you came to Scripps? KW: I was a lecturer, teaching modern/postmodern practices and choreography at Loyola Marymount University and University of California, Los Angeles. TSV: What classes are you teaching? KW: I am teaching jazz dance and an auxiliary seminar on issues pertaining to jazz dance history, as well as Senior Seminar. TSV: What sort of dance background do you have? KW: I grew up emulating dancers in Janet Jackson videos until I was about ten years old. I had studio training in my teens, mostly in jazz and hip-hop, and worked on and off commercially until I went to UCLA for my undergraduate studies in dance. After college I danced in Austria, Germany, New
York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles for various choreographers and companies (Robert Moses, David Gordon, Julie Taymor, David Rousseve, Maria Gillespie, LA Contemporary Dance Company, TanzAtelierWien). While working with these choreographers, I continued my training under their tutelage, and developed an eclectic choreographic toolbox. I started making my own work seriously some ten years ago. Since then, I had awesome opportunities to create works for various colleges, theater and opera companies, and performed original works with my collective in LA, NYC, SF, and Beijing. I went back to UCLA for my MFA in 2012. And in the meantime, I consistently taught at studios, secondary schools, and colleges. Each experience informing
the next. TSV: What is your typical day at Scripps like? KW: Well, I am quite new, so I don’t know if I could define a “typical” day yet, but so far it has consisted of orientation meetings, organizing my office, course planning, student advising, and of course, class! It has been so awesome getting to know all of the students, faculty, and staff in the Scripps community. It feels like home! TSV: Do you have any advice for students interested in taking your classes? Or advice for students in general? KW: Dance, dance, dance!…..and…. find time for long exhales, moments of stillness, and contemplation each day.
PROFESSOR LEADS RESEARCH TEAM ON GENE EVOLUTION AND MUTATION By Erin Matheson ‘18 Science Columnist
I
n the science field, biochemistry is a growing major and interest to many, with applications ranging from pharmaceutical to biotechnology to many more. Professor Aaron Leconte is the head of biochemistry at the W.M. Keck Science Center, which is shared among Scripps, Pitzer, and Claremont McKenna College. He currently heads up a research group comprised of himself and seven students which focuses on gene evolution and mutation. Professor Leconte’s lab focuses on engineering two different proteins: a DNA polymerase (a protein that makes molecules of DNA) and luciferase (a protein that performs a chemical reaction that generates light). The luciferase project is a collaboration with a research group at UC Irvine, led by Jennifer Prescher. They work on separate, but related, questions in luciferase
engineering, so the two labs share resources (expertise, lab-generated materials, etc.) as often as possible. “I’ve been able to bring students down to Irvine to visit the Prescher Labs, and it was a truly enlightening experience for them!” said Leconte. Leconte will also be doing research at UC Irvine in the Prescher Lab during his junior research leave to learn some techniques and as possible from their research group. “It has been a fun experience for both my students and me to get to frequently interact with a truly outstanding lab in our field,” said Leconte. So far, Leconte has received funding with the Cottrell College Science Award in 2014 as funded by Research Corporation for Scientific Advancement. The Cottrell Scholar program develops outstanding teacher-scholars who are recognized by their scientific communities for the quality and innovation of their research programs and their academic leadership skills.. “I am using this generous award to pay for student summer
MOTLEY OPENS FOR FALL SEMESTER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
opening night is such a big thing… I always feel lots of Scripps love at this event… I think I’m a really social person and it’s just such a social and community space. I always run into people I might not otherwise at The Motley. There’s so much camaraderie with all the baristas behind the bar and it just feels really good to be a part of a community in that way.” Dominique Lee ’18, a returning patron, said, “I love The Motley because I love doing work to the sound of grinding coffee beans and steaming milk. Motley gives you the perfect atmosphere… I find myself [here] at least four or five times a day.” Customers and staff had some pro-tips for first-years and other new students. Abbe said, “The art to getting a Motley table is tricky! Especially during big study times like in the evening. Don’t be afraid to sit with someone, and when you see someone starting to pack-up, be ready!” Fisher said, “If you get an iced coffee, iced tea, or a hot coffee or tea, all of those will be made for you right at the register and so you don’t have to have your cup put in the line. Including coffee and tea with syrup!” Shope said, “The selection we have on our menu can be really overwhelming and all of our baristas are really well prepared to answer any questions you may have about that and they love that sort of question.” Finally, Lee said, “If you can’t find a seat, you can always just ask to sit down with someone, or if not, just lie out on the stage!” Charles meanwhile with her mic, flute, guitar and laptop on the stage, sang for an hour during the opening. According to Charles, regarding her artistic style, “I sing jazz, soul, I grew up in the church so I sing gospel, and I studied opera. In high school I wasn’t a vocal major, I was a flute major. I act as well. I studied dance. I just kind of use everything that I have to express myself. It’s my arsenal of expression.” Emilie Fisher ’16, a Barista Lead, said, “This is why I’ve come tonight. I don’t think I’ll even make it through the drink line. She has such a soulful,
research stipends as well as to buy supplies for research. I have also received funding from TriLink Biotechnologies; since our work focuses on increasing the utility of some of the materials that they make, they have generously agreed to provide some materials for our lab,” said Leconte. “I am a chemist, so I am interested in trying to build useful molecules. Both of the project areas in my lab focus on trying to make proteins (my favorite useful molecular tool) that might help scientists and doctors diagnose and study diseases.” The research that is being done by our professors and fellow students could help people in future. “A research lab is only as good as the people doing the research!” Leconte said, “I’m very lucky to be able to have worked with so many hardworking, bright, and ambitious students in my short time in Claremont. I’m proud of the very productive start that we have had, and I’m excited to see what my students do after Claremont!”
powerful, jazzy, bluesy voice.” The performer and artist has only been in L.A. for a month. “I was born and raised in Brooklyn and I was always singing and doing community stuff. In school I was always the singing girl. And then I went to La Guardia high school (like the “Fame” school) in New York and then I went to the New School for Jazz. While I was studying, I was really lucky to tour and open for John Legend and Maxwell and all those people. I was singing backup for Laura Izibor…” (here she starts singing Izibor’s 2009 hit “Shine”), “with her we did a world tour… Tonight was awesome. The vibes and the energy were really cool. Like I said, I’m from New York and I’ve been out here for a month. Right now what I’m working on is creating and making more art and expressing myself more consciously.” Charles’ first impressions of The Motley were powerful. “This is my first time [at The Motley] and I didn’t really know much, to be honest. My friend just contacted me like, ‘hey, there’s this cool coffee spot on the campus, they’re doing an opening night there’… there wasn’t much detail and as the date approached I thought, okay, let me do some research on this place— and I absolutely fell in love. Like I said during the show, I’m kind of ignorant about feminism. I haven’t done much reading, I don’t know the important pillars or women that we all should know, but I feel connected to that idea and that way of life. I was just really happy to find myself in a space where there are women and men that are knowledgeable about this. Tonight is like an introduction to that for me, so coming here was more than just ‘okay, I’m gonna sing for these people’.” ______ Connect with Melanie Charles: Instagram: Melaniecharlesisdflower Facebook: Melanie JB Charles Twitter: @melaniecharles www.melaniejbcharles.com booking: melaniecharlesmusic@gmail.com
18 September, 2015 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XIX • Issue One
Opinions • 11
interview with scripps’ new art professor By Natasha Piñon ‘19 Staff Writer
T
his fall, Kasper Kovitz, an art professor from Austria, joins our staff. Previously, he has had art exhibits in Munich, Vienna, Los Angeles, and Austria. With his first solo exhibition in 1993, he is a bit of a veteran in the art world. Currently, Kovitz splits his time between Los Angeles and the American University in Beirut where he is an assistant professor. Some of his most recent work (on display in the Saatchi Gallery in London in 2013) consisted of sculptures carved out of jamon iberico-a type of cured ham. His bold and unconventional choices make for thought-provoking art. THE SCRIPPS VOICE: What initially prompted you to move to America? (and become a professor) KASPER KOVITZ: I came to Los Angeles from Vienna, Austria in 1996 through the MAK/Schindler Scholarship, an artist residency/grant. I was attracted by the diversity of L.A. and intrigued by the sense of being anonymous, just one among many, with no history attached. That suited me at that time, I felt that I wanted to find out who I was, not who I was meant to be according to my background. I fell in love with California and stayed in America. I have never regretted this choice. Serendipity brought me into teaching. I did not enjoy being in school very much and was also underwhelmed by my higher education experience. At that time, art education was trying to be anti-academic, which meant that teachers wanted to end the oppressive way art was thought about and taught. The consequence of this noble rebellion, though, was that a lot of good traditional knowledge and technique was thrown out as well. In 2011, I received a call from an old colleague from my university days who asked me if I’d be interested to teach studio arts at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. For eleven years I had been supporting my art career working as an art technician, a job that took me around the world to a wide diversity of art environments, including a project immediately following Katrina in New Orleans. I thought it would be an interesting challenge to revisit art education and see if I could provide a better educational experience than I had. I taught in Beirut four years and it was a very challenging and rewarding experience. TSV: What do you enjoy most about teaching college students?
KK: I especially enjoy teaching at a liberal arts college. I believe that this environment, where many students taking art courses do not necessarily want to become artists and have many other interests besides, furthers an interdisciplinary approach to art and makes it necessary to look at art in a fundamental way. Questions such as “Why do we make art?”, “What is its role in contemporary society?”, etc., arise in this diverse environment and I find that very interesting. TSV: Are there any differences between the students you teach internationally and the students you teach here? KK: The main difference, I think, is that most of my students in Lebanon were young women who chose art as a major because their parents didn’t object to art as they might have to another discipline. They would object to their sons studying art because they thought it was not a real occupation. But they expected their daughters to get married anyways, so it didn’t matter what they studied. I tried to undermine this assumption by showing that art is a great vehicle to promote individualistic and critical thinking. TSV: Do you have a favorite artist? KK: I have been disturbed, moved, and encouraged to re-think previous assumptions, by many artworks and examples of individual practices of artists from all times and cultures. And this is still continuing. Over time, some artworks or artistic approaches that were dear to me became less interesting and new ones emerged. All of these experiences have entered and altered my own practice. TSV: Some of your art focuses on border, violence, and identity. Do you see a possible collaboration with the Core classes that focus on similar topics? KK: I am still interested in these topics and would love to expand my conversation about them. I will be part of the next Core circle and am looking forward to discussing what the next theme will be. I would like to propose to look at humans’ relationship to nature and especially the notion of “wilderness.” I believe this is an incredibly timely and worthwhile theme, but I am of course open to see what other proposals for the next Core cycle will be made. TSV: Do you believe you can teach creativity? Is it your job to try? KK: I am not sure that creativity can be taught, but I think one can create an environment that promotes creativity. I see my job as promoting such an environment and in
woody allen’s “irrational man” I
s your life worth living? What would you do for existential fulfillment? Murder? Don’t answer that. These are the questions one faces when watching Woody Allen’s newest film, “Irrational Man” (2015). I was extremely skeptical about Allen’s new film, which appeared to adhere to the plot lines of many of his recent films such as “Magic in the Moonlight” (2014) and “Midnight in Paris” (2011). Like these films, “Irrational Man” is centered around yet another middle aged, white man in the midst of an existential crisis. With the accusation surrounding Allen in the past couple of years, I even considered boycotting the film, but my curiosity got the best of me. While producing quality art by no means excuses such horrific actions, there may still be some value in analyzing the art nonetheless. Written and directed by Allen, the film’s pseudo-protagonist is Abe Lucas (Joaquin Phoenix), a self-loathing philosophy professor with a drinking problem. He finds himself at a new job within the tightly knit community of Braylin, a small liberal arts college, and despite his success in arousing the interest and curiosity of his students and colleagues— especially the inquisitive Jill Pollard (Emma Stone)— Abe maintains an unshakably Hobbesian outlook on life: nasty, brutish, and short. While Abe continues to wallow in self-pity, rumors about his heroic, yet traumatic, activist past spread around the campus. Although Abe is adored in this academic community, he remains creatively and emotionally parched until the plot takes an unexpected twist. Abe overhears a conversation of a distressed mother’s custody case that is being ruled by a corrupt judge, and he finds his call to action. This eavesdropping session results in an aha! moment for the pitiful protagonist. The solution to his seemingly interminable mid-life crisis: murder. Abe supposes that if he exterminates this corrupt judge, it’s a win-win situation. He secretly becomes his own hero while simultaneously ridding the world of a slimy, corrupt villain. Sounds legit enough. Right? In the typical Allen manner, the main character seems both irksome and refreshing throughout the film. Although Abe’s constant groveling can seem excessive, his real world perspective and no-nonsense attitude in an academic setting is oddly refreshing. As the story progresses, the viewer begins to become a part of the on-campus gossip about Abe’s past, and pretty soon Allen pulls us into Abe’s circle of fans. Although Abe and Jill’s dialogue occasionally sounds more like a research paper than a conversation, you almost can’t help but root for Abe. Then you hear his scheme and realize he’s a low-key murderer. Or maybe you don’t realize that and see the justification behind his murderous plot. In the excitement between shots, murder may seem like a completely acceptable method to find meaning in life, right? When the scenery of the Rhode Island coast behind the characters is so beautiful and dappled with sunlight, perhaps it’s more difficult to grapple with such intense questions. The collegiate setting seems to be the last place for a murderer, and it’s honestly enthralling. It becomes clear that maybe our inner thrill-seeking rebel understands Abe’s murderous rantings while society dictates otherwise. That’s exactly what both sickened and captivated me about this movie. At moments, I was so immersed in the character’s dialogue that I found myself falling into Woody’s sneaky trick of making us sympathize with a murderer. As fate unrolls in the rest of the movie, the viewer gets a chance to think things out more thoroughly. Perhaps the most appalling act Allen imposes on us is finding a way to make us sympathize with and even come to like a man who acts on his murderous urges. Maybe I dislike Allen even more now for somehow making me question my own morals. So yes, this is another Woody Allen movie about a middle-aged white guy in distress, but just go see the movie. Believe me, the twists and turns will shock you.
By Ali Bush ‘19 Staff Writer
providing the basic parameters of a language for that creativity. TSV: At times, you’ve been frustrated that people do not take your work seriously because of the presentation (for example: carving sculptures out of meat). Do you have any tips for college art students who are not being taken seriously? KK: Learn from your experience and try to improve. I found that, rather than blaming others for a lack of interest, that energy is better spent on trying to understand where they are coming from and finding a bridge that enables a productive communication. TSV: Much of your earlier art focused on the American West. Do you have a favorite aspect of the West Coast (or Los Angeles)? KK: Yes, I was most impressed by the wide-open landscape of the South West. It made me feel so small, which in turn made me look at our natural environment with more awe. TSV: Did you have an art teacher growing up that inspired you? KK: I had a family friend who was a poet. I think his way of seeing the world and interacting with it deeply inspired me and I am very thankful for that influence. TSV: How do you see yourself changing the art program at Scripps? KK: I just joined the department and my goal for now is to live up to and further the high quality of the program.
dear first years with love, a sophomore By Kaya Mark ‘18 Staff Writer
D
ear First Years, Welcome to college life, and, more importantly, Scripps life! Right now, college may seem like a prime time to attend every 5C party, enjoy foods that your parents never let you have, and enjoy the freedom that comes with living away from home, but you’ll soon realize there is more that Scripps can offer you. Here are five pieces advice I have to offer. 1. Don’t stress. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of things happening on campus, let alone the other four campuses. You don’t need to attend every party or every club meeting that happens. You have FOUR whole years to explore sunny Claremont. It’s not the end of the world if you can’t commit to attending every event on campus… 2. Get Involved. There are so many incredible opportunities on campus: Scripps CLORGS, 5C clubs and organizations, sports teams, work-study jobs, and internships. If you already have a crazy schedule, don’t bite off more than you can chew! Committing to one activity is perfectly fine; in fact, many students don’t really join many extracurriculars until their sophomore years. But if you have the flexibility, take advantage of it! 3. Work hard. Try your best to attend all of your classes, do the readings (yes, even that 80 page text by Angela Davis), and speak up during class. After all, you’re spending thousands of dollars to be here; make it worth it! That being said, college is difficult. Reading Foucault while simultaneously juggling a Spanish essay, solving five-dozen math problems, and writing a précis for Writing 50 can be fairly stressful. Take a moment to breathe, take a nap, do some yoga in the Tiernan Field House, or even just talk it out with a peer mentor. 4. Lean on Others. One of the best parts of Scripps is its supportive, close-knit community. If you’re struggling with that bio homework, meet with your professor or find a tutor through Scripps’ tutoring program (P.S. it’s free!). If you want advice on a Core essay, go to the Writing Center to talk it out. Reach out to RAs and peer mentors, or even just a random upperclassman. Chances are, they’d be happy to help you out! 5. Pursue your Passions. College is the first time that you really get to explore your interests—academic or otherwise. Take that ceramics class you always wished you had in high school. Take advantage of the fact that we are in California and have the option of taking a surfing class. Go into downtown LA to watch a dance performance or go skiing in Mount Baldy (when there’s snow, of course!). It’s okay if you don’t know what you want to do long-term. You have the freedom to explore, so explore away! With love, Kaya Mark ‘18
18 September, 2015 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XIX • Issue One
12 • Arts & Entertainment
the Slow Fashion Movement By Natalie Camrud ‘17 and Diva Gattani ‘17 Fashion Columnists
D
Photo provided by Diva Gattani ‘17
o you have a closet jammed full of clothes, but you feel like you have nothing to wear? Do you impulsively buy clothes only to feel unsatisfied afterwards? Do your clothes fall apart within a few months? If you answered yes to any of these questions, please read further. I used to be the same way — I would shop aimlessly to kill time and I’d buy a shirt because I kind of liked it and because it was cheap. I had a closet full of cheaply made clothes that I didn’t love. I didn’t know who made my clothes,
where my clothes came from, or the impact my buying habits were having on the environment. This summer, my outlook on fashion was changed forever. My friend made me watch a documentary on Netflix called “The True Cost.” It shows the immense impacts, both social and environmental, of the fast fashion industry. Fast fashion is a term used to describe huge retailers (like Zara, Forever 21, and H&M) who churn out new items and new trends at extremely fast rates. Clothing costs have depreciated over time, and companies do this by making lower quality clothes and cutting corners when it comes to workers’ rights and safety. Fast fashion is also the second most polluting industry in the world. When I realized I was contributing to this industry, the way I look at clothes was completely altered. I believe that fashion is a wonderful form of expression, but not at the expense of millions of workers and our environment. This doesn’t mean you have to throw everything out of your closet and start over. Just start making changes now and your closet will evolve slowly over time; it’s a journey. We as consumers have more of a voice than we think. Help change the pattern of extreme consumption and disregard for millions of garment workers and our environment and join the Slow Fashion movement. Don’t feel pressured by rapidly changing trends. Change your relationship with your closet and buy clothes that you truly love, clothes that are timeless and built to last. My new collaborator, Diva Gattani, was the friend who showed me the documentary. She spent her summer working for an eCommerce company called Zady. Zady is committed to the “New Standard” of fashion and only carries sustainable brands.
CAMPUS ART
Photos by Layne Wells ‘19 Scripps is known for its beautiful art scattered throughout the campus -- can you find all of these?
Darlene Nguyen ‘19 with Kandace Fung ‘18, Staff Writer
TRIGGER WARNING: Contains material regarding suicide. From: San Carlos. Inteded Major: Human Biology What are you most worried about starting college? I’m the person who has to study to get good grades, and it never came naturally to me… like I have to work my butt off to get A’s in school. But I’ve heard that college is a little bit different because you shouldn’t expect to get A’s in every class anymore – and that really freaks me out. What are you most looking forward to at Scripps? I’m looking forward to just meeting more people [...] and getting to know my teachers especially. I love creating a relationship with my teacher. Who’s your role model? I don’t know if I have a role model. I mean I don’t think there is one single person that is absolutely perfect, but I’m very inspired by a lot of different people so I wouldn’t say I have one single role model, but there are aspects of a lot of people that I like. What’s the hardest challenge you had to overcome? I’m going to get a little deep here. The hardest personal challenge I’ve had to overcome was when one of my best friends committed suicide last year in October, so kind of close to around this time now [...] it was never something I thought I would ever go through. And I would never wish that upon my worst enemy; I don’t even have enemies. But, it was just really, really hard. Has it changed the way you look at things? It taught me how to be there for other people, too, because so many people were there for me when I was having a really hard time, and I feel like that has made me a better friend in a way, too. Where do you see yourself in about 1020 years? I’m not really sure. If I decide to go to medical school, I guess I’d be doing my residency [but] I’m still feeling things out. I’m not really sure, but I guess that’s kinda the beauty of it. What is one of the most important aspects of your life? There are a lot for sure, but I think the biggest one would be honesty. I think it’s important to build relationships upon honesty. If anything, if you build a relationship upon a lie, it’s just not healthy, so I think it’s important to be just honest with everything I do. Full interview at thescrippsvoice.com
16 September, 2015 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XIX • Issue One