Sunshine. Sustainability. Slippery Rock.
the rocket
Friday April 15, 2022 • Volume 105, Issue Number 9 • An Independent, Student-Run Newspaper
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Abbey who?
By Joe Wells News Editor
It won’t matter who you talk to throughout the halls of Old Main, if you ask whether Abbey Zink is still employed at the university, the answer is, “That’s a personnel matter.” The phrase has become the standard answer from the university’s human resources office, Communication Officer Robert King and the president’s chief of staff since April 7 – three days after her announced replacement. While Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law does provide numerous exemptions to what is public record, state employee information including name, job title and salary is not exempt. And despite its claims that the university cannot share any information about personnel matters, the university publishes a quarterly document that lists all hirings, retirements, resignations and terminations to the Council of Trustees that is made available to everyone. The university has yet to say why this time, talk of employee status is handled differently than before. A year ago, when a Slippery Rock University custodial worker was charged with assaulting another employee, not only did King confirm the employee was still working for the university, but that it was conducting a personnel investigation as well. With a feeling the university is lacking transparency surrounding how Zink was replaced, along with equity concerns at SRU, some faculty are speaking up, voicing their concerns to the university’s president and Trustees in a letter sent last week.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY
Flurry of accidents hit community By Joe Wells News Editor
Mac Bell Assistant News Editor
Tyler Howe Sports Editor
A series of accidents over the weekend prompted Slippery Rock University to reach out to students and offer support services. The chain of events began Fr i d a y e v e n i n g w h e n University Police received a call for assistance at Mihalik-Thompson
"The university would like to remind everyone to gather responsibly and to look out for one another." – Karla Fonner, dean of students
Stadium just after 6 p.m. Over at the stadium, a SRU student-athlete was injured during a throwing competition. The co-hosted event by SRU and Westminster College was part of the t w o - d a y We s t m i n s t e r College Track and Field Invitational. That student was flown t o t h e Un i ve r s i t y o f Pittsburgh Medical Center ( U P M C ) Pre s b y t e r i a n Hospital with non-lifethreatening injuries, according to Jon Holtz, director of athletic communication at SRU. The university did not release the name of the student-athlete but did say they were in stable condition Sunday. The student is expected to make a full recovery, Holtz said. A little over an hour later, University Police received a call for a person who fell in the Student Union Commuter Lot and possibly broke their ankle. Emergency medical services were called to the area and transported the person to a nearby hospital. Then around midnight on Saturday, University Police were notified of another accident involving an SRU student at an offcampus housing complex. S RU St u d e n t G a g e Brain fell from a railing at The Grove Apartments onto the concrete below. University Police helped assist with that call as well, which resulted in Brain
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SRSGA election results
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being taken by helicopter to a nearby hospital. Days after the accident, friends of Brain established a GoFundMe campaign to help the student with their medical bills. As of Thursday night, the campaign has raised more than $8,600. Around the same time police were responding to
The Grove, Butler County 911 services notified University Police that a person was hit by a car near the Lower Stadium C Lot. That person was also life-flighted to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. W h i l e t h e p e r s o n’s condition is still unknown, SRU Police Chief Kevin
Sharkey said he could not release any details about what happened as the case is still under investigation. That investigation could lead to charges being filed by police, Sharkey said. By noon Saturday, Karla Fonner, dean of students sent an email out to the campus community about
RAYNI SHIRING / THE ROCKET
Slippery Rock area emergency medical services dealt with a busy 24 hours after three students were lifeflighted to Pittsburgh hospitals, all seperate incidents, beginning April 8, 2022. The university reached out to students the following day to offer services and ask them to look out for one another.
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the unusually high level of serious accidents that took place. “SRU is a caring c o m m u n i t y w h e re we hope students make life-long connections,” Fonner said in the email. “A s we m ove f u r t h e r into a spring semester where larger gatherings are likely to occur, the university would like to remind everyone to gather responsibly and to look out for one another.” The university asked students who wanted to talk with someone about the events to reach out to the SRU Counseling Center at 724.738.2034 or submit a Care Referral. Faculty and staff members needing assistance can reach out through the State Employee Assistance Program at 800.692.7459. The email encouraged students to assist those who may be intoxicated and in need of medical attention by calling Student Health Services, which is located in Rhodes Hall, at 724.738.2052. Fo r a n o n - c a m p u s e m e r g e n c y, s t u d e n t s should call University Police at 724.738.3333, or if off-campus, call 911. S a t u rd a y n i g h t i n t o Su n d a y, o f f i c e r s w i t h the Pennsylvania Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement were in the Slippery Rock area. On Wednesday, they charged six people with underage possession of alcohol and one other with public drunkenness.
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Transparency wanted
CONTINUED FROM PAGE A-1 Both SRU’s President William Behre and Council of Trustees received the letter in an email dated April 8, which was signed by Cindy LaCom, director of the Gender Studies Program. The letter included 20 additional faculty and staff signatures and 10 other faculty who wished to remain anonymous and not sign, out of fear of retaliation, according to LaCom. The Rocket received a copy of the letter, but only LaCom’s name is on the document provided. While LaCom and the others explicitly cite numerous concerns about alleged institutional misogyny and imbalance with administrative appointments, it was the uncertainty of Zink’s status and “no clear communication” on the matter that became the catalyst for the letter’s creation. “[Zink’s] literal erasure in the announcement Monday afternoon is an insult to her work at SRU and is troubling at many levels,” the letter reads. “As is the lack of transparency by our administration regarding the circumstances around her sudden removal.” Behre notified only faculty
and staff in two-sentence afternoon email April 4. The email makes no mention of Zink while announcing Michael Zieg as interim provost. Additionally, Behre asks those on the email to join him in “thanking Michael for lending his skills and knowledge to this vital role.” Zink’s name was never mentioned. Responding back to the letter, Behre pointed out as he has expanded his cabinet, it has stayed diverse. Today, the president’s cabinet includes four women, two African-American men and a Persian-American man. “I have intentionally focused on not only the expansion of the cabinet but also the inclusion of more minority and women’s voices,” Behre said in his response. A day later, Zink released a statement to The Rocket. “It’s been an honor and pleasure to serve the students, faculty and staff at Slippery Rock University,” Zink said. "I’ve worked daily to live my mantra of ‘Students First. Always’ and to foster an inclusive environment where all may thrive and all voices are heard.” This week, Zink added to that statement wishing the
students, staff and faculty at SRU well. “I’ve been lifted by how many have reached out and appreciate all of the support,” Zink said. When Zink joined SRU in December 2019, Behre cited her track record “in building and supporting partnerships” as what the university was looking for in a provost. The April 8 letter to Behre also highlighted Zink’s successes during a c h a l l e n g i n g t e n u re due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the creation of three-credit d i ve r s i t y, e q u i t y a n d inclusion requirement for all undergraduate students. That requirement will begin this fall. Along with the pandemic, LaCom points out the university’s work culture can be challenging for women, no matter their position. A survey conducted by the President’s Commission on Women last fall was able to shed light on gender issues along with other studies by the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF). But the commission has not publicly released the results of that survey.
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What LaCom and the other signers of the letter want to see from the administration moving forward is better transparency around how administrative hires and promotions are decided as they tend to favor white, male candidates over women and people of color. When he arrived to SRU, zero of the university’s four colleges had women leading them, Behre said. Since then, only two dean positions have opened up during his tenure. In June, women will fill those positions. A review of administrator and management appointments announced, through human resource documents provided to the Council of Trustees, that 10 men had been appointed to administrative appointments over almost two years. During that same period, 11 women were appointed as well. The documents provided to the Council do not disclose racial information. While the letter points out Zieg, who is white, was tapped to replace Zink, it specifies the observation is a critique of the process and not him personally. Behre concedes the process for appointing people into interim or acting positions is
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Government Association (SRSGA) had been working with Zink throughout the year on a few initiatives, including the creation of Wellness Week, an event put on around campus similar to the staycation of last year’s cancelled spring break. Despite the change up at provost, Warmbein said the proposal is still on track.
"It's been an honor and pleasure to serve the students, faculty and staff at Slippery Rock University." – Abbey Zink, former provost at SRU
Coming together
By Mac Bell
Assistant News Editor
But don't want everyone to know?
not perfect and something he will continue to assess. “While I believe that my administration has made significant strides in fostering diversity in management positions, there is still work to be done,” Behre told the letter writers. Part of improving that process includes inviting ideas and conversation surrounding the search process for permanent positions. “I am open to your ideas,” Behre said. In talking with The Rocket last week, Zieg said he has dived right into the new role, making sure deans and faculties have what they need as registration for the upcoming summer and fall semesters are underway. He is committed to SRU, Zieg said. Stepping into the role in the middle of the semester, Zieg would not comment on why he was asked to replace Zink, but added the university has been supportive. “The entire administration is committed to student success first,” Zieg said. Grant Warmbein, vice president of student and academic affairs for the Slippery Rock Student
A Slippery Rock University student was life-flighted late Saturday night after severely injuring himself after falling off of a railing at The Grove Apartments, landing face-first onto a concrete foundation. Gage Brain, 19, was transported to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Presbyterian Hospital, where he is currently recovering from serious injuries sustained to the left side of his face. Multiple friends of Gage, including Anthony Cumo, Jason Shear and Kaden Lane, created a Go Fund Me for Gage and his family, which has now accumulated about $8,700 in donations. According to Lane, the initial goal was just $2,000.
“The reason why we all wanted to start it is because we all know how expensive it is for a situation like that,” Lane said. “We can't even go to urgent care and just expect to pay out of pocket because medical stuff isn’t cheap nowadays. “We just wanted to show that people actually care.” Though this accident was nothing short of devastating, Lane made clear that the biggest problem for the family of Gage now isn’t their son's recovery from the injuries he sustained, but rather it's the frustration being created by the flooding of misinformation. “I just don’t want people continuing to spread rumors that aren’t even true,” Lane emphasized. “It’s only making it worse for his family because they are all just trying to put the pieces together, but they are all getting different stories, and I'll be honest
with you, it's kind of tearing [Gage's family] apart. “If [people] just stopped the rumors in the first place then this [confusion] wouldn’t even be happening.” According to Gage’s brother, Gavin Brain, he is recovering significantly quicker than initially expected. “Just know that [Gage] is up and he is functional and that is really big you know,” the older Brain said. "It's a miracle.” The Brain family is asking for privacy during this time so Gage can focus on continuing his recovery and regaining his memory of the events that took place that night. The university is asking students who may be impacted by the events over the weekend to reach out to the Student Support team through a Care Referral or contact the SRU Counseling Center at 724.738.2034.
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April 15, 2022
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SRSGA elects new Senate, board By Joe Wells News Editor
The Slippery Rock Student Government Association (SRSGA) has a newly elected executive board with current Speaker of the Senate Hannah D’Egido leading the body next year as president. The body announced the results Thursday afternoon in the Quad during Student Employee Appreciation Day. D’Egido received 58.7% of the vote, beating out t h e o t h e r p re s i d e n t i a l candidate Sen. Amanda Brock, 424 to 279. The elected members of the 2022-2023 executive board will also be led entirely by women. In the vice president of finance race, where Brock was also a candidate, Freshman Sen. Nikole Husnick doubled Brocks votes to secure the position, 456 to 228. Brock will be returning to the Senate next year, winning reelection as one of four College of Liberal Arts Senate seats. The rest of the executive board races were a lot closer, with some coming down to only a handful of votes. Vice President of Internal Affairs Liz Hood narrowly won reelection against challenger Transfer Sen. Madeline Smith. Hood secured the seat by only seven votes, 353 to 346. There was a four-way race for vice president of campus outreach, with each of the candidates securing roughly a quarter of the total votes. College
of Health, Engineering and Science (CHES) Sen. Samantha Shaffer bested fellow CHES Sen. Emily Sarver by 12 votes, 186 to 174. The other two candidates, College of Education Sen. Robbi Austin and College of Business Sen. Braydon Br i n k e r b o t h re c e i ve d 169 and 167 votes respectfully. CHES Sen. Alexis Jones defeated two other candidates to win the vice president of student and academic affairs position, with 37.9% of the vote. At-Large Sen. Caleb Covey lost to Jones by 38 votes, 267 to 229. College of Education Sen. Rebekah Froehlich secured 196 votes. Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Alexis Gish won reelection for the position. She was the only candidate on the ballot after College of Liberal Arts Sen. Makenzie Shiller dropped out a little over a week before voting began. Gish received 659 votes, with 31 votes going to write-in candidates. The SRSGA did not provide a breakdown of votes by candidate in the Senate races. Fo r t h e C o l l e g e o f Business, Sens. Braydon Brinker and Rebecca George will serve alongside newcomer Brooke Reagle. One seat is still vacant. In the College of Educaiton, Sens. Robbi Austin, Rebekah Froehlich and Gabriel Stiles will be working with Marissa McLaughlin. The College of Liberal Ar ts will have
Michael LaBella joined by returning Sens. Mackenzie Shiller, Ezeck Wa r r e n a n d A m a n d a Brock. For now, CHES will have Sens. Madeline Smith, Emily Sar ver, Madison Moore and Easton Sones returning. Both Sar ver and Moore are currently CHES Senators, while Smith served as a Transfer Senator this year and Sones, as a Residence Hall Senator. Freshman Sen. Austin Burchell was elected as one of two Residence Hall Senators. He will be joined by newcomer Samantha Dudley. While 399 votes were cast for the Commuter Senator seat, Hood, the only candidate on the ballot, instead elected to take the executive board seat. That leaves both seats open in the fall. It was not clear Thursday if any votes were cast for a qualified write-in candidate. Hood was also one of three candidates vying for one of the four available Graduate Senator seats along with Graduate Sens. Sydney Kaercher and Helena Townsend. With Hood winning vice president of internal affairs, both Kaercher and Townsend will be the only two Graduate Senators going into the fall. The Transfer, Veteran and International Se n a t o r Se a t s w i l l a l l be filled by students serving their first term in the fall. Maximus Oberg of Oa k d a l e , Pe n n s y l va n i a a n d Ny b e r t S a m u e l s , a 2020 Bonner Leader
RAYNI SHIRING / THE ROCKET
Students and candidates meet out in the Quad during common hour April 5. With zero pandemic restrictions, the student body dived back into another Slippery Rock Student Government Association election.
and exchange student from Jamaica, both were elected via writein campaigns. Chris Thrasher, a 12year Army veteran and criminology major defeated Freshman Sen. Sydney Montana. But Montana did win one of the At-Large Se n a t o r s e a t s a n d w i l l be joined by six others including Sens. Covey, Gabriella Delcoco and Rose Resnick. Rounding out the seats will be M e g a n M c L a f f e r t y, Dorian Anderson and
Jackson Novak, leaving one seat up for grabs in the fall. Ac c o rd i n g t o S R S G A Advisor Lauren Moran, 798 students, roughly 12% of the full-time students enrolled at the university, voted in this year’s election – the highest since 2017. The lowest voting happened in 2020, when the university went fully remote during the start of COVID-19. Outgoing SRSGA Pre s i d e n t Mi a Gr a z i a n i expressed excitement
f o r h ow m a n y s t u d e n t s t o o k p a r t i n vo t i n g t h i s year, and was glad to be able to announce the results in person, she said. That all comes from a love for the u n i v e r s i t y, s o m e t h i n g she wants others to carry on. “I hope everyone continues to love S RU a s m u c h a s I d o ,” Gr a z i a n i s a i d . The new body will be sworn in May 2 a t t h e b o d y ’s f i n a l formal meeting of the s e m e s t e r.
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April 15, 2022 Stadium C Lot. EMS was dispatched and the individual was transported to the hospital. The case is currently under investigation. April 9 - Police kept getting calls from an individual whispering into the phone. Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) responded to the call that came from Davcol Lane and informed police that the calls would stop. April 9 - Police were contacted by a CA at Building D for a possible alcohol violation. No alcohol was found but two individuals left the room and were discovered to be non-students who were not signed in. A report was referred to student conduct. April 9 - Police responded to a trouble alarm that was going off at the Rock Apartments #3. They checked the panel and everything was okay. Safety was notified to check the system. April 9 - Police responded to a fire alarm activation in the Harmony House at the Robert A. Macoskey Center that was caused by burnt food. The panel was reset. April 9 - Police responded to a trouble alarm in the mechanical room at the SSC caused by leaking water. Maintenance was called out to respond.
April 5 – Police received a complaint of a stolen hand soap dispenser in the first floor men’s bathroom at the Eisenberg Building. The case is under investigation.
scene found no one in the building and the reason for the activation is unknown. A message was left with Safety.
April 9 - Police responded to a fire alarm activation at the Rock Apartments #1 caused by burnt food. The panel was reset.
April 6 – A nurse at the Student Health Center requested an ambulance be dispatched for an individual in need of medical attention. The individual was transported to Butler Memorial Hospital.
April 7 - An individual filed a non-reportable April 9 - Police responded to a fire alarm accident that occurred at the West Lake activation at Building A caused by a hair dryer. Commuter Lot at around 11 a.m. The report was The panel was reset. taken and video surveillance footage was saved. April 12 - Slippery Rock Borough Police April 8 - Police were called to assist with an requested assistance with a traffic stop regarding individual having a seizure at Green and White a possible DUI on South Main Street. University Way. Police responded along with Emergency Police stood by for the officer’s safety. Medical Services (EMS) and the individual was transported to the hospital. April 12 - Police responded to a panic alarm activation at the Maltby Center. The building April 8 - The police were investigating the was searched and deemed secured. No one was theft of multiple items at the Robert M. Smith in the building and a message was left with Student Center (SSC). The case is still under Safety. investigation. April 13 - Slippery Rock Borough Police April 8 - Police were dispatched for an injury requested assistance with a domestic assault in during a track and field meet at the Mihalikprogress in an SUV on Hall Road. University Thompson Stadium. The individual was police located the vehicle and PSP were on scene transported to the hospital. while Slippery Rock Borough Police conducted an investigation. April 8 - Police were contacted for a person who fell and possibly broke their ankle at the Union April 13 - Police responded to a fire alarm Commuter Lot. EMS was dispatched and the activation at the Rock Apartments #7 caused by individual was transported to the hospital. burnt perogies. The alarm system was reset.
April 6 – Police responded to a fire alarm activation at Building E which was caused by steam from the shower. The alarm system was reset.
April 8 - Police were called to The Grove Apartments to respond to an individual who fell off a balcony. EMS was dispatched and the individual was transported to the hospital.
April 6 – Police responded to a panic alarm activation at the Maltby Center. Officers on
April 9 - Police were called by 911 for an individual that was hit by a car at the Lower
April 5 – Police responded to a fire alarm activation at Building E caused by dust from the A/C starting up. Safety was notified and the alarm system was reset. April 5 – Police received a complaint of hazardous conditions, stating that individuals were flying drones by the Smith Loading Dock. This was part of a class being held and no further police action was taken. April 6 – Police received a call from a CA at Building A regarding marijuana odor coming from a dorm room. Officer on scene said an odor was present and an attempt to make contact with the individual was made, but no one answered. The incident was referred to Student Standards.
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NEWS
April 15, 2022
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More clubs, funds approved
By Mac Bell
"I have the right mentality to make a justifiable and concise choice for who is qualified."
Assistant News Editor
The Slippery Rock Student Government Association (SRSGA) met at the Robert M. Smith Student Center (SSC) on Monday and voted to approve the appointment of the election commission’s fifth and final seat. Vice President of Student and Academic Affairs Grant Warmbein motioned to appoint Sen. Gabe Stiles to the 2022 election commission to fill the final seat and ensure there will be no ties in any decisions that the commission makes. “We had a position open up on the elections commission so, we are hoping to put in Gabe just so if we have any votes on election violations or otherwise, we don’t have an outcome, and nothing gets accomplished,” Election Commission Chair Nic Condon said. “So, we’ll have an odd number of people [on the commission], also Gabe will do a great job on it.” The motion passed unanimously with no debate. SRSGA motioned to appoint Mohamad Khalaifa to represent the student body as the Student Appointee to the Presidential Search Committee (PSC) winning an in-person vote by the Senate. Khalaifa, a junior psychology major at Slippery Rock University and a firstgeneration middle eastern college student, submitted an application along with Sen. Amanda Brock to be considered for the position. In Khalafia’s letter to SRSGA, he laid out why he is the best choice for this position.
– Mohamad Khalaifa, student appointee to the Presidential Search Committee
RAYNI SHIRING / THE ROCKET
Mohamad Khalaifa, a junior psychology major, addresses the Senate on why he should represent the student body on the presidential search committee on April 4, 2022. Shortly after, Khalaifa was confirmed by the Senate and will help in the search for Slippery Rock University's 18th president.
“Through my own experiences and hearing the stories of others, I believe I have the right mentality to make a justifiable and concise choice for who is qualified of acting on the calls of the student body, standing up for what is right and who will be a president that makes the community feel heard and appreciated,” Khalafia said. The vote was held in-person through a GroupMe poll. Seven more clubs The SRSGA approved seven new organizations which will be the final
ones approved for the academic year. The American Advertising Fe d e r a t i o n C h a p t e r focuses on working with real life clients and creating advertising campaigns for them. A l l ow i n g s t u d e n t s t o strengthen their musical skills by improving their intonation, dynamics, rhythm and pulse, the Bassoon Choir organization will also work to develop valuable chamber music skills such as blending, tuning and listening.
Collaborative Faiths is a religious-affiliated club that strives to provide a safe and equitable space for students. According to a brief provided by the finance committee, the Game Development Club’s goal is to emulate a professional working environment which would similarly be seen in video game studios. Fixated on expanding the knowledge of Italian culture through a multitude of different activities, the Italian Culture Club wants to create a welcoming environment in order to
establish a meaningful tight knit community. “Essentially, we want our members to enjoy learning about Italian culture while also being given the opportunity to make social connections with fellow members,” the new club said in their statement provided to the Rules and Policies Committee. T h e Sp i k e b a l l C l u b, open to all students, is looking to promote physical activity through a causal and competitive atmosphere. The Physics & Engineering Club’s purpose is to maintain and raise the standard of students while enhancing students technical knowledge and professional competence. Nobody from the organizations spoke during the general body meeting.
New funding initiatives The Senate approved two funding initiatives on Monday night totaling nearly $15,000. Speaker Hannah D’Egidio motioned to approve the two new initiatives all in one vote. The first initiative will give $14,678 to the Inline Hockey Club to attend the National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association (NCRHA) national championship in Kalamazoo, Michigan. While nearly $5,000 of the funding will go toward national bid dues and travel costs, $9,688 will be spent on lodging. Parliamentarian Condon suggested amending the financial report before a vote takes place, as there was a correction to the lodging costs due to a misprint on the report. Senator Braden Brinker challenged the need for the amendment due to the fact that the record was corrected prior to the start of the meeting. After short deliberation, it was decided by President Mia Graziani that there was no need for an amendment and it was unnecessary to correct the record. The second initiative was for $275 to the Strengthening Positivity And Reinforcing Kindness (SPARK) Club in order for them to purchase a new tablecloth with their logo on it since the last one was ruined from a previous painting events. L a s t l y, SRSGA unanimously approved their minutes from the March 21 formal meeting. The SRSGA will hold its next formal meeting on April 18 at 5 p.m. in the SSC Theater. For more information, visit their CORE page.
Advocating for a better future
By Matt Glover Contributer
Slippery Rock University hosted a meet and greet with a Pennsylvania State Senator on March 31 in the Russel Wright Alumni House. Senator Scott Hutchinson came from Oil City to discuss financing the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) with President William Behre and students. “Historically, Pennsylvania state government has sort of slipped down in the percentage of cost of running these institutions,” Hutchinson said. “Our support has not been where it should have been.” Pennsylvania is currently ranked 49th in higher education funding per capita ahead of only New Hampshire. “Our contractual obligations alone next year will go up, so that’s the dilemma we’re in as an institution,” Behre said. SRU has two primary sources of revenue: tuition and the allocation. SRU is typically allocated $43 million from the education budget. This year, it received $41 million due to the formula being skewed toward struggling schools. The Pennsylvania Board of Governors has also not raised tuition in three years. That freeze will continue into the 2022-2023 academic year, with the board’s approval Thursday. Despite financial worries, administrators at SRU said they are still committed to serving its students and has been investing in student mental health and financial aid. A deep dive into the PASSHE tuition costs reveals that SRU has the second lowest tuition behind West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Despite being in the same state system, each university has different fees and award structures. Behre brags that financial aid has increased by millions since he arrived. “We can’t support the students at that level with our current
RAYNI SHIRING / THE ROCKET
Pennsylvania State Senator Scott Hutchinson, Slippery Rock University President William Behre and students sit and discuss the importance of properly funding the State System of Higher Education during a meet and greet at the Alumni House March 31, 2022. Sen. Hutchinson said support from the state had "not been where it should have" for quite some time.
revenue structure,” he said. SRU’s shocking history also explains Behre’s devotion to student mental health. “My first 16 months here, we had three student suicides,” he said. “I’ll run a deficit budget before I cut mental health.” SRU and other state schools now face the challenge of providing a quality, affordable education with limited funding. Along with state-funded schools in Pennsylvania, the state is also home to private universities and state-affiliated schools such as Pennsylvania State University. “In my opinion, as a state senator, the state system should be first,” Hutchinson said. The state system was designed to reach students in communities who would never have thought about higher education because no one in their family went to college. An individual may feel more welcome at a university
grounded in or near their community. These universities also provide financial stability to the communities they are grounded in by providing secure employment. Only one SRU employee was terminated during COVID-19. Stabilizing the state system started with stabilizing the weakest schools such as Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and Clarion University of Pennsylvania that are having the most trouble with enrollment and budgeting. Other than funding, PASSHE hopes specializations and variety can also help strengthen schools. “The way to strengthen PASSHE is to have different schools have different flavors so that we’re not in direct competition,” Behre said. The majority of SRU’s workforce development is in degree-granting programs,
physician assistant programs and physical therapy programs. The university also has expanded its health sciences and engineering programs. When talking with system leadership, SRU turned down money and instead opted to send it to Clarion and Edinboro to bolster other types of workforce development such as badging, credentialing and sub-baccalaureate certifications, Behre said. West Chester also turned down money for schools in the East. SRU will help further by not expanding undergraduate online programs. “I think people feel comfortable that a direction was set for those weak sister [schools], so now we feel more comfortable putting money into the system,” Hutchinson said. For Behre, that means leaning in to a typical college experience most high school students
envision when looking for a college. “We’ll focus on what you consider the more traditional college mode and not compete with the other schools,” Behre said. “Let’s give them a different niche.” SRU also currently holds the highest four-year graduation rate in PASSHE. That keeps costs for families down by eliminating the possibility of a fifth year, or “the greatest hidden cost of college,” Behre said. Slippery Rock’s academic record is also “a bit stronger than some of the other schools,” according to Behre, which allows admissions to be more selective. Before adding new students, they think about how many will make it to their sophomore year and beyond. Approximately 30% of SRU’s student population are also first-generation students who have no experience in paying
for college, breaking down budgets and mitigating hidden fees. “In a tight budget meeting, the conversation we have is ‘Should we lower our standards to get a few more students to meet the budgetary,'" Behre said. "We’ve made the decision not to at this point, and it’s a decision I stand behind.” Various plans for funding are also being proposed. PASSHE Chancellor Daniel Greenstein proposed a historic increase in funding from around $475 million to around $550 million, which would put Pennsylvania closer to the middle of the education funding rankings. Governor Tom Wolf also proposed a bill that includes a historic education overhaul, but that is only one part of it. The bill would be funded by leftover federal money from COVID-19, but the conservative legislature worries that money will eventually run out leaving more programs underfunded. “Most legislators agree that that we’ve got to step up to the plate for higher state system schools,” Hutchinson said. “And we’re willing to do that, but most are not willing to do all that other stuff.” Students can advocate for funding to the state higher education system by contacting and meeting with their local legislators to share their stories. “Legislators work in numbers and it’s really important to put faces to those numbers so that they understand a bit more emotionally who the people are that they’re serving and the impact of the funding," Behre said. Behre also believes in planning for the worst-case scenario of cutting financial aid and limiting the number of incoming students but insists it will never come to that. “We’re going to stick to our mission, but it could end up being a slightly different mission than we have today just because of money,” he said.
O
OPINION
Our View
A series of unfortunate miscommunications
OPINION
Volume 105, Issue Number 9
220 220Eisenberg EisenbergClassroom ClassroomBuilding Building Slippery SlipperyRock RockUniversity University Slippery SlipperyRock, Rock,Pennsylvania Pennsylvania16057 16057 Phone: Phone: (724) (724)738-4438 738-4438 Fax: Fax: (724) (724)738-4896 738-4896 E-mail: E-mail: therocketnewspapersru@gmail.com therocketnewspapersru@gmail.com GRAPHIC BY: HALLE ANGELO
EDITORIAL BOARD Nina Cipriani
Editor-in-Chief
Joe Wells
News Editor
Tyler Howe
Sports Editor
Kaitlyn Myers
Copy/Web Editor
Rayni Shiring
Photo Editor
Brandon Pierce
Multimedia Editor
Mac Bell
Assistant News Editor
Joe Skillicorn
Assistant Sports Editor
Megan John
Assistant Campus Life Editor
Marissa Mastrangelo Halle Angelo
Assistant Copy/Web Editor Assistant Photo Editor
Dr. Brittany Fleming
Faculty Adviser
ADVERTISING STAFF Bailey Carden
Advertising Manager
Kaitlyn Shope
Assistant Advertising Manager
ABOUT US The Rocket is published by the students of Slippery Rock University five times per academic semester. Total weekly circulation is 1,000 (for fall 2021 semester only). No material appearing in The Rocket may be reprinted without the written consent of the Editor-in-Chief. The Rocket receives funding from the SGA Student Activity fee paid each semester by students. All other income is provided through the sale of advertising. Advertising inquiries may be made by calling (724) 7382643 or by emailing rocket.ads@sru.edu.
CORRECTIONS If we make a substantial error, we want to correct it. If you believe an error has been made, call The Rocket newsroom at (724) 738-4438. If a correction is warranted it will be printed in the opinion section.
SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions to The Rocket are available. Subscriptions are $20 per academic semester and $35 for the full academic year. Inquiries should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief at the address listed here.
We bet you would like to know what is going on around campus. We, the journalists of The Rocket, are just as curious. But, if racist attacks, COVID-19, accidents, administrative replacements and whether someone is an employee at this university have one thing in common, it’s, “Don’t say anything and it will eventually go away.” Most of the university’s reactions to events have been underwhelming and inadequate. SRU has a history of being reactive as opposed to being proactive. This is evident through the administration’s response to events over the past two years. In an email to SRU stakeholders Saturday morning, Dean of Students Karla Fonner broke down the accidents that occurred the day before. “Slippery Rock University has experienced an unusual series of student-related accidents within the last 24 hours that have resulted in significant or life-threatening injuries to those students who were involved,” Fonner said. While we were told the injuries were significant and life-threatening, how many injuries, where these accidents took place and the nature of them were never specified. But this is not the first time the university announced major news during that week with seemingly zero details. On April 4, faculty and staff received an email from SRU President William Behre announcing in just one sentence that Abbey Zink was replaced with Michael Zieg as interim provost.
The reason why she was replaced has yet to be disclosed. The university even refuses to say if Zink is still an employee of the university, despite SRU being a public institution. However, Behre did request everyone join him in thanking Zieg for “lending his skills and knowledge to this vital role.” The Rocket has worked hard to pry information from university documents and employees. Yet, instead of being met with welcoming transparency, we are often told we must file Right-to-Know requests, which can take more than a month, after deadline extension requests, to get an answer. At least twice, we have had to appeal denials for university documents. In one of those cases, the university turned over the requested documents. In others, SRU has invoked the Family and Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The university is so reactive that they are often in a defensive posture toward the campus community they swear to support. When SRU hosted an open forum in response to the Zoom bombing attacks in February 2021, they spent nearly half an hour boasting about everything they do for minority students, instead of discussing the incident at hand. Students at the forum and The Rocket staff called out the administration for its opaque messaging. B e h re a c k n ow l e d g e d this misstep that night, admitting himself that “dialogue is best when it’s
ongoing, not just when it’s in crisis.” “By not providing a greater level of detail, we actually created a situation where the individuals who were victims of this event were forced to repeat the story over and over and have to relive it,” Behre said of the Zoom bombing. “That was terribly unfortunate, and I’m sorry that occurred.” It’s not just about being first or implementing policies before incidents happen, but rather being communicative after the fact with clear, quality responses. Students should not have to hear about a tragic event through an anonymous social media platform. It’s incredibly unfortunate that Yik Yak provides more information than an SRU Communication email. When we don’t hear anything from official sources or said sources attempt to conceal information from the public, unreliable sources gain power and shape the narrative. The lack of clear communication also makes the university look weak, as if the administration doesn't know exactly what is going on either. Students–the only reason the university exists and who pay thousands of dollars to attend–feel excluded rather than informed. The university needs to stop worrying about its public image and be concerned about the campus community losing faith in it after every attempt to hide what should be public knowledge. We shouldn’t have to fight so diligently
In the Quad
with a public institution for transparency. Lack of transparency has a clear link to the spread of misinformation, something that could be easily avoided. The staff and faculty are left in the dark, even though they are intended to be the leaders and are supposed to serve the students. Despite these roadblocks, we have not stopped chasing after the truth. After this past week, many of you reached out to The Rocket to share information or ask what we know and when we would be reporting it. To those of you who reached out, thank you. And to those who wonder why we don’t cover a particular topic or have a particular fact; A journalist is only as good as their sources. Our relentless reporting proves us to be a serious, trustworthy news outlet. Never hesitate to reach out if there is something you believe the campus should know. At the online forum after the Zoom bombing just over a year ago, then-Special Assistant to the President Terrence Mitchell laid out programs that could significantly improve the culture and communication on campus, beyond just diversity and inclusion aspects. “Hopefully, in three or four years, you’ll have a campus that is having dialogue in different ways,” Mitchell said. “And be deeply understanding their role in conversations when we’re trying to build a community.” Yet, we’re still waiting.
Question: What do you think about the way the university has communicated about accidents on and off campus?
By: Brandon Pierce
EDITORIAL POLICY The Rocket strives to present a diverse range of opinions that are both fair and accurate in its editorials and columns appearing on the Opinion pages. “Our View” is the opinion of the Editorial Board and is written by Rocket editorial board members. It reflects the majority opinion of The Rocket Editorial Board. “Our View” does not necessarily reflect the views of Slippery Rock University, its employees or its student body. Columns and cartoons are drafted by various individuals and only reflect the opinions of the columnists.
LETTERS POLICY The Rocket welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns, but does not guarantee their publication. The Rocket retains the right to edit or reject any material submitted. Submitted material becomes the property of The Rocket and cannot be returned. Anonymous submissions will not be published. Those who submit letters must identify themselves by name, year in school, major and/or group affiliation, if any. Please limit letters to a maximum of 400 words. Submit all material by noon Wednesday to: The Rocket, 220 ECB, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057. Or send it via e-mail to: rocket.letters@sru.edu.
Daniel Nichols Freshman Early Childhood Education Gibsonia, PA
Dylan Deller Freshman Business Undecided Gibsonia, PA
Donnisha Carson Sophomore Criminal Justice Erie, PA
"I'd like to see more from the campus on the mental health side. I know it's a long stretch, but giving students a day off to recover and promote mental health would be benefical."
"I think that it sucks that all of these happen, but more awareness and communication from the university would be good."
"The university should give us some more information to keep students updated about how affected people are doing and how we as students can help them so that we can all be united."
OPINION
April 15, 2022
B-2
1.800.799.SAFE
Nina Cipriani Nina is a junior converged journalism major with a certificate in global and intercultural communication. She is the editor-in-chief of The Rocket and the vice president of Lambda Pi Eta.
CONTENTWARNING: This article discusses potentially sensitive topics, like domestic abuse, sexual a s s a u l t , d e p re s s i o n and anxiety, among others. Please use caution before reading. I swore to myself that I would be completely transparent while writing this. I will try my best to fully capture what I was and am feeling. I hope to spread awareness, and I hope that someone going through something similar can feel comforted.
Comforted in the fact that someone else understands e x a c t l y w h a t t h e y ’r e also feeling. I live on campus, and I had a conversation with my CA about this t h e o t h e r d a y. S h e said something l i k e , “ Yo u ’ r e s u c h an inspiration. I just want you to know that you are strong, and you can do this. I believe i n y o u .” A n d t h a t is one of the many reasons why I want t o s h a r e m y s t o r y. Along with that, I am so thankful and privileged to have a platform in which I can do so. T h e r e ’s n o g o o d way to start an article about a topic like this, but I feel like I should start with where I am n o w i n m y j o u r n e y. To d a y , I f i l e d a Protection From Ab u s e Ord e r ( P FA ) against my exb oy f r i e n d . T h e P FA was granted and he will be served the papers any day n o w. I f i n a l l y h a v e protection against him, and my hearing is next week. Without going into detail about why exactly I filed a P FA a g a i n s t h i m , l e t ’s j u s t s a y t h a t the typed statement that I gave to the PFA office was single-spaced and two pages long. No one ever expects their partner—the person they sleep next to at night, the person
they exchange “I l o v e y o u’s ” w i t h , the person they want to marry—to harm them. I never would have guessed that I would be walking down the hallway of a courthouse in my hometown, looking
"No one ever expects their partner—the person they sleep next to at night, the person they exchange "I love you's" with, the person they want to marry—to harm them. I never would have guessed that I would be walking down the hallway of a courthouse in my hometown, looking for a sign on the wall that says "PFA Office," just seven months after I initially became his girlfriend." for a sign on the w a l l t h a t s a y s “ P FA O f f i c e ,” j u s t s e v e n months after I initially became h i s g i r l f r i e n d . Yo u n e v e r t h i n k y o u ’r e going to be in the exact situation that you watch movies and television shows about.
Sustainable all around
Jake Trone Jake is a senior hospitality and tourism management major and will be starting his MBA in the fall. He is also the president of the Hospitality and Tourism Student Society. The theme of sustainability for the month of April made me think of Earth Day and how we can use this month to dedicate and give thanks to the Earth for being the foundation of our lives. It also made me think of how sustainability is versatile and can be applied in any aspect of our lives not just resources. When was the last time you took a nap, or just sat in silence for a little bit? These two things are interchangeable examples of how we can make ourselves more sustainable and overall, more productive with our lives. Sustainability is not just a physical concept; It includes comparing the needs of something with the outcomes and how to achieve the best outcomes sustainably. The concept of personal sustainability is not talked about in American culture
because we are taught to work, work and work harder all the time. But what if we looked at the meaning of "work" as more than physical? If we work harder on planning how we are going to execute the physical work in timeliness and quality, it will empower us to be sustainably expediential with our physical work and the outcomes we gain from it. Being successfully sustainable in the physical world begins with being sustainable with ourselves and our time. Time offers endless opportunity but only if it is managed right can you reap the best outcomes. The needs of something include many tasks but it should also include something like a nap. If you were planning your week and scheduled yourself from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, it may seem as if your week will be extremely productive. But, in most cases, by the middle of the day, you will be overworked, overwhelmed and unmotivated. Eventually, you will unconsciously degrade the quality of work being done, and ultimately, by the end of the week, you most likely will have to make edits to the work from the latter part of the days and week due to the quality of work dropping. Not considering a "nap" or "break" in the day as part of the needs for your daily outcomes will set you up for failure. It will introduce maintenance work of old goals while you are working on your next goals, which is not sustainable. Giving yourself even 15 minutes of pause every day will allow you to mentally refresh and continue producing high-quality work and reaping high-
It took me so long, about five months to be exact, to even realize that the relationship was abusive. But love s h o u l d n’t b e p a i n f u l . A relationship s h o u l d n’t b e s o emotionally and mentally draining.
"As we approach graduation, I have found myself asking repeatedly, is this sustainable and how can it be the most sustainable for my life?" quality outcomes. As we approach graduation, I have found myself asking repeatedly, is this sustainable and how can it be the most sustainable for my life? This habit has truly helped me make smarter decisions that will have larger payoffs and longer lifespans than some decisions that offer short-term payoffs with long-term maintenance. Examining the sustainability of anything allows you to become as prepared and proactive as you can be, which ultimately leads to the most productive and rich outcome possible. Next time you are looking into a career or taking on a project, ask yourself, "Can sustainability be completed and what do I need to do to accomplish that?"
A partner should never hit you. For a long, long few months, there was no escape. There was no getting away from him. There w a s n o s a y i n g “n o .” And I never thought I would get to the point in my life where the term
“n o ,” n o l o n g e r h a d h o u r . I d i d e n d meaning. up walking out of I was defenseless. c l a s s t o c a l l h i m . P h y s i c a l l y, m e n t a l l y I l a t e r f o u n d o u t a n d e m o t i o n a l l y. he spammed my I g r a d u a l l y phone just so that realized the extent I c o u l d c h e c k m y of my trauma. Ever y A m a z o n a p p t o s e e time my phone if a package that got any type of I ordered for him notification, my had arrived yet. heart completely My depression stopped and I just kept getting immediately reached w o r s e . I had for my phone. It a l l of these d i d n’t m a t t e r h o w r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s important what I that kept piling was doing was. on top of one Even now that a n o t h e r. A l l o f I ’m g e t t i n g a P F A t h e s e c o m m i t m e n t s against him, and he t h a t I n e e d e d t o is unable to contact f u l f i l l . B u t h o w m e w h a t s o e v e r, I w a s I s u p p o s e d t o could get a Gmail do anything when n o t i f i c a t i o n a n d I c o u l d n ’t g e t o u t my anxiety will go o f b e d ? W h e n I through the roof. c o u l d n’t e v e n g e t I was so worried m y s e l f t o b r u s h about making him m y t e e t h ? W h e n angr y or doing my kidneys began something wrong to hurt because that I w o u l d I h a d n’t p e e d i n constantly check my s e v e r a l , s e v e r a l phone during class, hours? almost completely The feeling prohibiting me of helplessness from learning or w a s beyond completing any overwhelming. I work. stopped showering O n e d a y, I w a s i n a s o f t e n . I b r u s h e d class and I checked m y t e e t h m a y b e m y p h o n e . I h a d every couple of days. more than 20 missed I w o u l d w e a r t h e texts from him. My same outfit two or p h o n e w a s o n d o n o t m o r e d a y s i n a r o w. disturb, so I missed I would skip class. e v e r y t e x t h e h a d I would skip meals. s e n t m e . Pa n i c s e t I w a s c o m p l e t e l y i n i m m e d i a t e l y. M y g i v i n g u p . heart was racing. I I t w a s n ’t t h a t I s h a k i l y p i c k e d u p d i d n ’t w a n t t o b e m y p h o n e b e h i n d alive anymore, but t h e s c r e e n o f m y r a t h e r I c o u l d n’t laptop. stand to be living He w a n t e d m e in the situation I t o c a l l h i m , e ve n was in. though I had already told him that I would be in c l a s s f o r t h e n e x t SEE BEING PAGE B-3
OPINION Learning to Are gas or combat imposter electric cars syndrome better for today's environment?
B-3
April 15, 2022
Madeline Bundy Madeline is a junior converged journalism major. She is also a content creator for WSRU-TV News and a member of Jumpstart. The ongoing issues b e t we e n Ru s s i a a n d Ukraine have impacted the gas supply all around the world. But we have mainly seen and heard the issue of the rising gas prices here in the United States, whether it has been in person when filling your tank, on the news in the morning or when you log onto the social media platforms you use. For a long time, cars only ran on gas or diesel, but, like everything else, as the years have passed and technology began to advance, cars can now be electric. You have to charge your car's battery when it gets low for it to continue to run, just like you do with your phone or laptop. But my question for you is which is better for today’s environment, gas cars or electric cars? Let’s go over the pros and cons of both gas and electric cars courtesy of an Autoweek article from February 2022 that I found during research. Pros of a gas car are they are easy to use, easy to fuel up and are practical for those long road trips you may want to take. They also generally have lower upfront costs when you go to buy one. Cons of a gas car are the burning of the fuel used in the car creates emissions that get put out into our environment, which is only one of the ways humans are beating the environment down as we continue to evolve and take over more and more of the planet. Pros of an electric car are the reduced
maintenance needed o n t h e c a r, h i g h e r performance and tax incentives. Cons of an electric car are access to charging, time to charge and cost to buy. Gas cars are easier to use than electric cars, as they have been around longer and are used more often than electric cars. They are easier to fuel up. You can pull up to any gas station nearby and spend barely five minutes filling your tank and paying for the fuel. Then be on your way to whatever you had planned for the day. We knew that burning the fuel our cars use would have an impact on our environment, but I think this is becoming a bigger issue. Now, we know exactly h o w i t’s i m p a c t i n g our environment and contributing to climate change. With an electric car, there is less of a need for regular maintenance than a gas car needs, like oil changes and no breaking of mechanical components. Other parts get an extended life with an electric car, like the breaks. The reason electric cars tend to perform better than gas cars is due to the immediate torque and acceleration that tend to make electric cars quicker. Everyone likes receiving the money, no matter the form it’s in, the United States government offers up to $7,500 of a one-time tax credit if you buy an electric car that follows the guidelines to receive the tax credit. If you live in an apartment or rent where you live, then it’s not possible to install your ow n h o m e c h a r g i n g station for your electric car. This means you have to rely on public charging stations if you have any near you. If you do, it takes a while for you to get a decent charge that you can do errands and stuff without worrying if you have enough charge to get everywhere you need to. The cost you have to pa y to get a n el ect ric ca r is more th a n a gas one no matter the size, model or technology w i t h i n t h e c a r. T h e
"We knew that burning the fuel our cars use would have an impact on our environment, but I think this is becoming a bigger issue. Now, we know exactly how it's impacting our environment and contributing to climate change." cheapest brand-new gas car you can buy costs $13,400 and that is a 2021 Chevrolet Spark according to Carfax.com. The cheapest brand new fully electric car yo u can buy costs $28,425 and that i s fo r a 2022 Nissan Leaf, according to Cars .co m . After looking at everything, even though it would cost more at the start but end up saving more in the long run, I think for today’s e n v i ro n m e n t e l e c t r i c cars are better. But we also have to be realistic, as it will take time for everyone to switch over, or at least give electric cars a try. Some people tend to stay with things that work. But it is stated in the Autoweek article that electric cars would start to surpass gas cars by 2033, so we may be closer to electric cars being the new reality and gas cars being a thing of the past.
Megan John Megan is a freshman converged journalism major. She has a passion for journalism, writing, and words in general. I work for The Rocket, and I love my job. Anyone who knows me can vouch for that. But for the first several weeks – a month or two, even – I wondered if I shouldn’t have been hired. Google’s definition of imposter syndrome is accurate, but dull: "The persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own effort or skills." It may be easier to explain by giving you a glimpse inside my head. Basically, my accomplishments don’t feel like my own. They never have. Every win is followed by downplaying and doubt. I got accepted into my dream college? Well, it has a high acceptance rate. I went through major surgery and made a quick recovery? Well, I’m young and healthy, and people recover well from surgeries all the time. I went to an out-of-state college, four hours away from home, and I’ve thrived on my own? Well, it’s not a big deal. I don’t like to talk about my accomplishments. Mistakes, big or small, can be difficult to cope with. Take a recent article where I fell
far behind the deadline, for example. “Megan, you suck at your job." “You deserve the stress and the mental pain you’re feeling right now. You’ve earned it." “You’ve already screwed up so many times. I can’t believe they keep giving you grace.” No one said this to me; I said it to myself. It’s so easy to jump from, "You made a mistake," to "You are a mistake," and get sucked into a whirlpool of guilt and blame. Thankfully, our thoughts are not reality. We are all more than our flaws. Recently, I realized that I have more faith in myself than I used to. I haven’t overcome the twinges of shock when I make people proud, or of anguish when I slip up, but I’m getting better. More confident. And damn it, I have every right to be proud of myself. I don’t feel qualified to give advice or even share my thoughts on mental wellness. However, I’ll try to embrace this awkwardness instead of shrinking away from it. Here are a few changes I’ve made that worked for me. First, trick your brain a little bit. If you have trouble owning your success, like I do, move in the opposite direction. Separate yourself from your accomplishment. If you heard that someone else accomplished what you accomplished, would you be proud of them? If the answer is yes, then it’s okay to be proud of yourself. Second, focus on the facts. "I don’t deserve to have such an amazing job," is an opinion, and a depressing one at that. But the facts say otherwise. I took a broadcast journalism class in high school. Some people who apply to The Rocket don’t have any experience yet. I had ideas to contribute to the paper. Most important of all, I really wanted to work there. And lo and behold, here I am, living my best life as a student journalist. When I look past my perception of myself, it’s easier to accept. Maybe I have earned my place here.
Third, give yourself permission. You and I have as much right to exist in this world as anyone else. You’re allowed to accept compliments, feel confident and proud, and congratulate yourself on a job well done. Who's stopping you? Share your wins with the people you trust. Even if you don’t feel proud, their positive feedback might lift you up. Hell, share your wins with strangers. They might think you’re strange, but positivity is contagious, and again, who is stopping you? There’s freedom in accepting that, technically, you can do whatever you want. Just try to use your powers for good. Last and most importantly, collect positive influences. Follow social media accounts that uplift you. Spend time in places where you feel safe. Fill your living space with things that make you happy. Develop a support system if you can. Sadly, that’s not possible for everyone. Positivity isn’t a cure, but when you’re drowning in self-doubt, even a little goes a long way. No one ever told me how to combat imposter syndrome. These are the words I needed when I was struggling, and if it helps any of you reading this, I’ll be overjoyed. I’m in a better place now. At The Rocket, the more responsibility I take on, the more self-assured I feel. I’ve earned the right to brag a little. Look at the campus life section and count how many times you see my byline. I am surrounded by people who see the good in me when I can’t see it in myself. Like I said before, we are all more than our flaws. I’m finally recognizing myself as a valuable person rather than a long list of mistakes. The most interesting advice I’ve received from someone else was simply, "Be confident." At the time, my response was, "Easier said than done." And it is. However, if you can get through that frustrating, messy inner work, confidence will come. Thanks for reading.
Being suffocated with my own pillow CONTINUED FROM PAGE B-2
I was coming to my family, close friends, classmates, co-workers and even professors with an issue that was next to impossible to solve; How do I get out of an abusive relationship? “You need to get out.” How? “Just block him on everything and move on.” I can’t. He lives in my house. “Tell your parents, and they will get rid of him.” I did tell them. They did nothing. They don’t believe me when I tell them how bad it was. In some ways, I don’t blame them. It’s hard to believe that something so horrible could happen to your daughter. Something so horrendous, and you didn’t even know it was happening, let alone under your own roof. A couple of days ago, while I was still in the process of filing the PFA, I was reading through the notes on my phone. I came across this note that was untitled, written about a month ago. A month ago, I was still in a relationship with him. But I didn’t want to be. This iPhone note read: “It feels like I’m walking on broken glass. Like I’m swimming against the current. Like I’m
being suffocated with my own pillow. You were supposed to be the one. You were supposed to be saving me from the hurt, not causing it.” Being alone at night is the worst part. My mind runs a race with no finish line. I can’t help but think about the moments when I was fearing for my life. When I’m lying in bed, sheltered by the four dormitory walls, all I can think about is him using all of his weight against me. All I can think of is him taking away my ability of choice. Taking away my ability to speak. My ability to say “no” and for it to mean something. Regardless of everything, I did it. I made it out. I did the “impossible.” I escaped him, and I’m free. He can never talk to me again. He can never take control of me again. Now, it’s just a matter of healing. I am strong. I am powerful. I am enough. I am more than enough, and I deserve so much better. I want this article to be more than just me sharing my story. If you’re in a similar situation, I want to show you that you can get out. I want to be an example of that.
It wasn’t easy by any means. But it is possible. Don’t ever think it’s impossible. It’s not going to be forever. It feels like it’ll never end, but I promise it does. It will. Use your resources. Talk to your friends. Open up to your classmates. Let your co-workers in. Go to your professors’ offices. They are there for you. No matter how much of a burden you feel you are, I promise that you’re not. They care about you more than you realize. They want you to be safe. If you’re a student at SRU, please reach out to the Student Counseling Center and Student Support. Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline, call 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or text “START” to 88788. I wrote this article for The Rocket knowing full well that my name would be attached to it forever. And that’s the way it was intended. I want there to be a name, and a face, to the story. I want you to know that you’re not alone. You’re not defenseless or helpless. You are strong.
S
VIDEO: Kelsi Anderson talks SRU
SPORTS
A new era
RAYNI SHIRING / THE ROCKET
After three straight appearances in the PSAC title game, The Rock has established themselves as one of the top programs in the conference, but this spring has started a new beginning for the team after losing 16 seniors and a number of coaches. The Rock will end their spring with the annual Green & White Game next Friday, where they'll look to answer questions they still have.
By Tyler Howe Sports Editor
OC ER TH G/ RIN SH I NI RAY
here in a few weeks, Kyle Sheets is now looking to take the next step on the field. Last season, Sheets was surrounded by the likes of Litwin, Jermaine Wynn Jr., and Cinque Sweeting. Now, that group is gone, and Sheets is looking to mesh with a receiver group. p y “Kyle has got to be one of the guys, he’s ggoingg to have to be one of the veteran
receivers, and he was underutilized because we had the other three guys,” y Lutz said. “I expect p him to be the go-to gguyy t h i s
KET
When the lights kick on next Friday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium, it will be the first showcase of the new Rock football team. The fall marked what seems like the closingg of a chapter p for The Rock football p program. g The 2021 senior class left with more accolades than anyy class before them, but with that, went a large g chunk of the coaching staff too. Ever since the p playoff y loss against g Notre Dame College, g coach Shawn Lutz has been workingg nonstop p to fill holes on the field and on his staff. Manyy holes were left, from three of the best receivers in the nation graduating g g to offensive coordinator Adam Neugebauer g leavingg for another coachingg p position. Lutz has had his hands full. But with the losses, also comes m a n y additions. With these
additions, spring practices have been all about finding what the strengths and weaknesses of the team are at this point. Lutz and his staff have been looking to find what needs they have. “Our goal for the spring p g is to find out who our two deep p is ggoingg to be, at least comingg out of spring, p g and then find out what our needs are to see if we need to address anything e l s e ,” L u t z said. “ We lost 16
seniors, some of the best players ever to p playy h e re , a n d i t ’s r e a l l y jjust trying y g to find out who these gguys y are going to be.” As Henry Litwin is hoping p g to receive a call from an NFL team
y e a r, a n d he’s got to step up and he’s done a ggood job so far.” S h e e t s will be p playing y g with two transfer receivers, Jacob Odom and Cohen Russell. Theyy come in with a lot of experience p under their belt, but will have the task of takingg the spots p of players p y who will be getting g g some looks from NFL teams. “[ Jacob Odom and Cohen Russell] have the task of takingg the spots of Henry Litwin, Jermaine Wynn y Jr., and Cinque q Sweeting, g and that’s hard to do because they’re y some of the best to ever p y here,” Lutz said. play “Cohen is going g g to p add the slot position and will add some g while returning, being the fastest
guy on the field and Jacob is the same way, they have some experience of playing football and they’re going to have to fit in and be impact guys right away, and I think they can.” The group will be p catchingg passes from Noah Grover, who this proved offseason has p himself to be one of the best leaders that Lutz has seen duringg his time here. Grover has been balancingg school, a new g based in organization p sports and faith and the duties of beingg The q Rock’s quarterback. To p y Lutz, havingg a player p make like him helps g easier, but havingg things y Brayden Longg behind him helps solidify the position. “You’re not going g g to find a better leader [than Noah], he has a 4.0 GPA g g and he in engineering, d o e s a lot of stuff a spiritual from
standpoint with the g p Lutz Team Rock group,” said. “He’s a leader in p p y all aspects, he’s probably one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around g that he with the things does and the things that he’s about.” On the defensive end, paying y g Lutz has been p ve r y c l o s e a t t e n t i o n position, but to each p p he’s been in particular p g an eye y on the keeping position. With linebacker p Tim Vernick leaving, a j hole was left. major In t h e p a s t , Lu t z said that he wanted to address it, and he did so byy movingg incomingg transfer Kameron y from tight g end Kruzelyak to linebacker. But this p g will be important p spring in showingg him whether or not he needs to make anyy more moves there. “ We’re seeingg how p g goes, g the spring we’ve g got a kid from West L i b e r t y [ Un i ve r s i t y ] , who played a little bit of
tight end that we moved to linebacker, and this kid is really active and really athletic,” Lutz said. “So, we’ve just got to see how Cody Ross, Devyn Clair and everyone else do, because it’s going to be our biggest question ma position as of right mark no now.” T The biggest concern as of now is getting all the new pieces to fit together. In the early going, Lutz ha acknowledged that has it’s going to be a process,
"The expectation is starting all over again, which I love, because we haven't done anything and we're starting from scratch, but expectations are always high here." – Shawn Lutz, SRU head football coach bu it’s one that he’s but exc excited about. ““We lost a of guys, so it’s [ne guys being able to [new] do their jobs and players gget getting comfortable with the and we’ve got a lot them, of question marks because we got new staff and a we’ve lot of new players,” Lutz sai “The expectation is said. sta starting all over again, wh which I love, because we ha haven’t done anything an we’re starting from and scr scratch, but expectations are always high here.” Th e expectations have alm risen for this group almost
in a way. The spring has been about introducing a lot of players into the process of Rock football but, as Lutz loves to point out, this program doesn’t rebuild, it reloads. The hardest part is just figuring out how to move on without guys who made history here. As Henry Litwin and Cinque Sweeting sit and wait to receive a call here in the next few weeks, The Rock football program will be prepping for their annual Green & White Spring Game. The Green & White Game will have a different vibe than in the past. The Rock may have made the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) title game the past three seasons, but now that means nothing. Those accomplishments are out the window and it’s time for a fresh start. The biggest goal for Lutz, however, is just to get out of next Friday’s game healthy. “I just want to get out of there healthy at that point, to be honest with you,” Lutz said. “But when it’s the last game going into the summer, I just pray that everyone stays healthy, because at the end of the day we’re still 0-0.” This spring begins what Lutz considers to be a new era of play for The Rock football team. The past will be remembered, but the goal ahead has nothing to do with it. When things are all said and done, every team in the PSAC is aiming to take down The Rock, and it’s something that the team hopes to be prepared for. “I really do think [that this is a new era], we can’t talk that we’re one of the top programs in Division II football, because the 2022 football team wants to make their mark, the foundation is laid and the tradition is there, but it’s totally different with new players and a new staff,” Lutz said. “But everyone is gunning for you and it’s going to be tough, but we’re ready for the challenge.”
SPORTS
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April 15, 2022
Dunn brings the heat and the heart
HALLE ANGELO / THE ROCKET
This is Devin Dunn's first year pitching for The Rock and to this point, he's already put up a 5-1 record with 1.50 ERA but best of all, he still has another year of eligibility left. Dunn transfered to The Rock from VCU, and isn't focused on the past, but more so on this team and the places that they can go.
Dunn has the potential for even more growth. Dunn is a graduate from Assistant Copy/Web Editor Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Tyler Howe former player for the Sports Editor Division I VCU Rams. This is his first year as a The Slipper y Rock junior on the field and Un i v e r s i t y b a s e b a l l is currently majoring in team is appearing to be safety management. stuck together like glue At VCU, Dunn this season. With high appeared in only 26 expectations for the games, but in those rest of this season and games, he pitched for a intentions on winning combined 44.1 innings. the Pennsylvania State He held a 4.87 ERA and A t h l e t i c C o n f e r e n c e tallied 35 strikeouts. But (PSAC), this first-year still, while he was there, pitcher, Devin Dunn, things just felt off. Just a provided insight into the few years after starting his true meanings of what collegiate career there, he makes the team a well- would leave and look for oiled machine and the a new home. impact SRU has made on Slippery Rock is a place him as an athlete. that stood out to him As someone who is immediately. In talks with willing to put in as much the SRU baseball team, work as it takes, as well as he was told that his arm a family guy and a secret would complete what was weapon on the field, By Marissa Mastrangelo
an already stellar pitching staff. Even further, they had the program that Dunn wanted to study, but what really attracted him was the fact that Slippery Rock’s team was good, and he would put them over the top. “They said that baseball here was great and Ricky Mineo needed one more good arm to get them where they need to be and another starter; I fit the role,” Dunn said. At first, coming to Slippery Rock for another degree wasn't exactly Dunn's original plans. After experiencing some grievous losses, having an opportunity to be closer to his home and family, while also starting for SRU put Dunn right where he felt he belonged. "It was a good change of scenery," Dunn said. "My family is always
supporting me at games, I like looking in the stands and seeing my parents there and giving them a thumbs up." The transition from VCU to The Rock has been an easy one for him. A lot of that is credited to coach Jeff Messer, who in his 30 plus years here has a lot of experience under his belt. That helped draw Dunn here. “Coach Messer has helped shaped me as a more authentic player in a lot of ways,” Dunn said. “He listens and is very understanding to how I want to play on the field.” Dunn was finally into the position of starting instead of coming out of the bullpen. For him, it felt a little bit weird, but once he threw his first pitch on the mound at The Rock things begin to feel normal for him again.
That’s helped him settle in to the tune of three shutouts this season up to this point. The first of which came in his first start against Davis & Elkins College. In the game, Dunn went seven innings and had 11 strikeouts. “I was nervous at first, I had butterflies, but after the first couple innings I was all good,” Dunn said. “I was doing what I know and it felt natural.” Dunn also has the luxury of a very good lineup behind him. With players like Connor H a m i l t o n a n d Jo n Kozarian hitting for The Rock, it takes pressure off of Dunn even if he does make a mistake. For Dunn, it makes things a lot easier. “I like to call Jon Kozarian the Tasmanian Devil because he is
seriously so fast,” Dunn said. “If a ball hits the shortstop, I will have zero doubt in my mind that he is making the play.” Du n n a l s o p i t c h e s with one of the best pitching staffs in the PSAC. It includes Luke Tr ueman and Mineo, who have also made a ver y big impact this season. “ My f a v o r i t e p a r t about playing with Trueman is that he is phenomenal on the mound and in right field.” Overall, Dunn and The Rock baseball team have been proving why they are a force on the f i e l d . Du n n’s a r r i v a l has been one of the key pickups for this team. But, the goal remains the same and it’s simple. “We want to win it all,” Dunn said.
Looking to hit the ground running
By Joseph Skillicorn Assistant Sports Editor
Slippery Rock women’s and men's track teams will look to add new personal bests to their records as they begin to move towards the business end of the season, starting with a visit to Bucknell University on Thursday. Coach John Papa, who will step down at the end of season, has been impressed with what he has seen from his athletes so far in the outdoor portion of their season. “We are really excited because many of our athletes are achieving personal bests and competing at a very high level," Papa noted. Papa is also quick to praise The Rock’s strength in depth for both the men's and women’s teams, believing it is an advantage they hold over other programs. “On the national level, our throwing on both the men’s and the women’s has been very good; That area is particularly strong," Papa mentioned. "In terms of conference, we have some athletes looking to score
some points in the distance running, sprints, hurdles and jumps. “We are a very well-rounded team [as] some other programs only have athletes good in a handful of events, [where] we have good quality athletes in nearly every area." As The Rock enters a number of big competitions coming up at the end of April, Papa is looking for big characters who can guide some of the younger athletes. He is confident that fifth year senior Dalton Anderson can live up to the task. “He’s been competing in the heptathlon but his main focus now is the javelin," Papa said. "He’s going to be right at the top of the conference and more than likely he will make the cut and make it to the national championships." Papa continued by sharing that "[Anderson] provides a lot of great leadership." “He’s a fifth-year senior athlete so he has that extra sense of maturity," Papa said. "That’s definitely rubbing off on the younger athletes." SEE RUNNING PAGE C-4
PHOTO COURTESY OF SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY
SPORTS
April 15, 2022
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Benham shoots for history
RAYNI SHIRING / THE ROCKET
Emily Benham knew she wanted to be at Slippery Rock, and while her path here hasn't been the most pretty, she's made it work extremely. She's established herself as one of the best players in program history, and she's in the middle of a senior season that is proving why.
By Tyler Howe Sports Editor
The clock is running out, and the game is tight. The Rock has taken possession and they’re making their way down the field. Emily Benham has the ball, but like always she’s making sure to keep an eye on her teammates on either side of her. A hole opens, Benham passes the ball, and it winds up in the back of the net. Another assist for one of the best passers in the history of Rock lacrosse. Before she established herself as one of the best when it comes to sharing the ball, she had her first major challenge. Where did she want to go for college? Lucky for her, her dad knew exactly what conference she should play in. “I knew I wanted to go for health and physical education, and my dad said, ‘You should check out the [Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference] PSAC,’ because he played at Edinboro [University] for a
few years and was familiar with it,” Benham said. “I was like Slippery Rock [University], what are you talking about? Sure, I’ll check it out. Then I came and visited here and fell in love with it.” The PSAC was where she wanted to be, but even further, she knew she wanted to be at Slippery Rock. After just one visit, she found herself comparing every college after it to here. In a lot of ways, that’s rare. “I was talking to other schools, but I visited Slippery Rock first and knew I wanted to come here, so every school I visited afterwards I was comparing to Slippery Rock,” Benham said. Soon after, it was official. She was now part of the Slippery Rock women’s lacrosse team. In her freshman year, her goal was simply to make a splash. “My first year, I was just so excited because it was exciting to be in a place where everyone had the same passion and love for lacrosse,” Benham said.
“That year I just wanted to get on the field and contribute in any way I could.” She did a lot more than just contribute. The trust she was given in her first season played a huge role into how her freshman year went. Of the 16 games played, she started seven and appeared in all. Benham proved herself to be one of the premier scorers on the team that season as well. She scored 16 goals and tallied 23 points overall. “My first year was scary because I learned so much about myself and spent a lot of time learning what my role was,” Benham said. “It helped me learn early on, and make those mistakes so I could eventually step into my leader role, so playing those games freshman year definitely helped me gained confidence and helped me step up as an attacker and as an individual on this team.” Then as the story goes, 2020 happened. When COVID-19 hit, Benham and her teammates
knew that they weren’t going to return to play that year. So that eerie day, in which they had their last practice, was about making sure that everyone cherished the little time they had together. “It put the perspective in my mind that you never know when this can be taken away, so just going to practice every day, being thankful for being there and playing every game like it’s your last,” Benham said. “I say it even now to the team, play every game like it’s your last, so [the COVID-19 layoff] had definitely changed my mindset overall.” During that time, Benham kept in shape. Throughout the pandemic, her love of physical activity just increased further and further. “I love training either way, so I was doing it and trying to keep positive by saying we were going to play no matter what,” Benham said. “So, I just tried to get my stigma in as much as I could, but I also love training in the weight room, so
even just getting stronger for my own personal growth kept me driven.” When spring 2021 hit, the decision was officially made to let teams return to action. Of course, there was weekly testing and all sorts of protocols to be followed. To make sure that they could be out on the field, all of those were followed by The Rock women’s lacrosse team. Benham and company were back out on the field. She didn’t waste any time. In only 12 games, she recorded 43 points coming from 28 goals and 15 assists. In that season, Benham had five hat tricks and was one of only three players to start every game. She was a leader both on and off the field, and on top of that she earned second team All-PSAC. “I was really shocked, I didn’t really expect it and it was nice to see me and two other girls on the team earn those honors,” Benham said. “I definitely worked hard, but it was a team effort and it just really made me excited to come back and try to
strive for that next step up.” Now, in her senior year for The Rock, Benham has already made history. She’s scored 33 goals and recorded 26 assists. Her 26 assists broke the record for most in a season at The Rock. But to her, that’s all because of her teammates. “I think this year I’ve playing more as a feeder and looking for teammates, which has caused us a lot of success,” Benham said. “I’m just really happy my teammates have been there to catch my feeds and finish them out, and it all just shows that we work best when we work together.” With just five games left, the goal remains the same for Benham. She wants to get to the playoffs and make history with this team. "I think that playoffs are still in the picture, but it’s all about executing and hopefully winning out so we can get in the playoffs and win that first playoff game that Slippery Rock has yet to do,” Benham said.
Anderson pitching up solid season decision to choose Slippery
By Joseph Skillicorn Rock. Assistant Sports Editor
There have been multiple standout performers for The Rock in some thrilling match ups. However, sophomore Kelsi Anderson has proved her worth with a string of quality performances. Yet despite only being in her second year at Slippery Rock, Anderson already ranks 7th in SRU history in career strikeouts, along with being a two-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) pitcher of the week. However, Anderson isn’t too keen to get bogged down with her individual statistics, and instead, is focused on her team and their chances collectively. “My number one goal is just to win; I don’t care about my statistics personally," Anderson said. "We have a very tight circle between the pitchers and the catchers. "That benefits us all working as a team." Compared to any other athletic varsity team at Slippery Rock, the softball team plays a staggering number of games over the course of the season. However, Anderson believes the early games allowed the team to bond successfully. “We all learned how to play together," Anderson remarked. “We have a lot of young players in the team so we were able to understand more about each other, the ranges we have and what positions work better with each other." However, Anderson also felt head coach Stacey Rice was instrumental in her
“She is so open hearted and always willing to do anything for us," Anderson noted. "She is such a great coach, so energetic and practices are very efficient." Rice has spent seven successful seasons at The Rock, recording 113 wins for the softball program. Over her tenure, 14 players have earned AllPSAC West honors, while multiple players have also scooped awards for PSAC West athlete of the year. Prior to being head coach, Rice was an assistant at The Rock between 2012-2014. The spring 2022 season has so far seen the women’s softball team play a wide variety of teams from both inside and outside of Pennsylvania. Despite rivalries with a number of teams, Anderson notes Gannon University as a personal favorite. “I love playing against Gannon, that was a really good game for us this year, but I just love playing in the PSAC in general, it gets me really fired up," Anderson shared. The team has much young talent on show. So far this year, freshmen and sophomores have not gone unnoticed, with multiple players receiving awards. However, Anderson is quick to mention just how diverse the roster is and the benefits for the team. “We have a lot of really good upperclassman, " Anderson said. "We are all going to continue growing as a team and getting better as a group. "All of our hitting is different and our team has such a great
bond; We are all so close." Despite softball playing an important factor in Anderson’s choice of university, she feels the major offered at Slippery Rock University helped her sway in this direction. “The education program I wanted was perfect here," Anderson remarked. “As soon as I walked on campus, I just knew I wanted to go to Slippery Rock." Anderson, who is from Dublin, Ohio, is majoring in early childhood and special education at SRU. Anderson was quick to heap praise on the courses, telling The Rocket how much she has been enjoying it. “It has been amazing, there are so many opportunities [within the program]," Anderson said. "I have been working one on one with a professor on research. "I am also in a RockTEACH program so we are actively recruiting people from high school who are interested in early childhood and special education." Through being a sophomore, Anderson’s first year academically was entirely online. However, she was not fazed upon starting in person classes in the fall of 2021. “From the first week [of fall 2021] I felt at home," Anderson commented. "It felt totally normal to be here and has been a great experience so far." The Slippery Rock softball team will play Clarion University of Pennsylvania in a double header starting at 2:30 p.m. on Friday. The team will then host California University of Pennsylvania (Cal-U) in a double header on Saturday at 1 p.m.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY
Kelsi Anderson has stepped into her role quickly and been a force on the mound for The Rock. But now in her second year, she wants to help Slippery Rock earn a trip to the playoffs.
SPORTS
C-4
April 15, 2022
Running rampant
PHOTO COURTESY OF SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY
Midway through the 2022 season, The Rock has seen great performances from many athletes, but is still hunting to get the PSAC champioships. With only a few weeks left of action, The Rock track and field team is set to host the all-day invitational at Milhalik-Thompson Stadium on April 21.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE C-2
Due to Papa being in his last year as head coach of both track teams, recruiting has shaped up differently this year, with Papa being more focused only on the distance running with other events being handled by assistant coaches Bill Jordan and Tabitha Bemis. Despite continuing to be successful, Papa notes that things haven’t been so easy as they have been in previous seasons recruiting. “I am continuing to recruit distance runners, but it is diffi cult," Papa shared. "We have a nice group of distance runners coming in to bolster what
we already have [and] we’re going to be ok there. "[However] I am glad they were not all like this, as this was not as productive as it usually has been." Both track teams travelled to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina over spring break to take part in competition. Papa believes through participating, his team have been given an edge moving in to the latter stages of the season. “Sometimes it takes one or two competitions to get in the groove," Papa said. “We were able to get that first one out of the way early on so we could have our meets back here and really look to hit the ground running."
The Rock is set to compete at Bucknell Un i ve r s i t y ove r t h e weekend. The men’s track team will send 26 athletes to participate while the women will send 31 athletes. Dan Hyatt, Bryan Dworek and Taye Lynch will all be looking to impress, while senior Jason Goodman will compete in his first decathlon. On the track for the men’s team, Brenden Lewis and Devon Navaroli will both participate and be looking to score highly for The Rock. Lewis currently ranks 2nd in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) in the 110-meter hurdles while Naravoli
currently ranks 5th in the 1,500 meters. In the women’s events, Marianne Abdalah, Morgan Donatelli and Rachel Veneziano will all participate on the track, hoping to continue their fine form. However, all eyes will be on Skylar Sherry, Cecily Greggs and Trinity Clark. All three athletes are currently ranked in the top 16 nationally in their chosen events. Clark, a senior from Kane, Pennsylvania has overseen an impressive outdoor season so far, including bettering the NCAA provisional qualifying time. However, Papa is keen to make sure things are not taken out of context early on.
“When you compete at a high level, you are not going to be at your best every single time [and] the weather also has a lot to with our sport, Papa shared. There will be mixed feelings for athletes and supporters come the end of the season, as Papa will finally say farewell to the track after a staggering 35 years of coaching at Slippery Rock University. However, there is also an air of excitement around the athletic department as a new face will look to be appointed. Despite the length of Papa’s stint and his accolades to show, Papa however insists he will have no say over who his successor will be.
“I have no jurisdiction over who will or won’t be hired," Papa said. “I’m out of the loop, but I am confident the committee will make a great choice on the next person to be hired and to represent the track teams here at Slippery Rock University." Both the men’s and women’s track teams will be in action when they host the all-day invitational at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium on April 21. The PSAC championships begin on May 12, while the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II national championships get underway on May 26 in Allendale, Michigan, running through to May 28.
C
VIDEO: Women make a change at Macoskey Center
CAMPUS LIFE
"Women & Sustainability's" new direction
HALLE ANGELO / THE ROCKET
Benham knew she wanted to be at Slippery Rock, and while her path here hasn't been the most the pretty, she's made it work extremely. She's established herself as one of the best players in program history, and she's in the middle of a senior season that is proving why.
By Megan John Asst. Campus Life Editor
This past Wednesday, the Women’s Center and the Robert A. Sustainable Systems Education and Research hosted “Women & Sustainability.” Attendees hiked along the Macoskey Center’s bluebird trail, learned about potting and spent time away from screens to focus on the natural world. The two centers began
collaborating virtually during COVID-19. However, this event is only the second to be hosted with new organizers who are trying a different approach than their predecessors. Adehl Schwaderer has been the sustainability education graduate assistant since May 2021. Assistant Director of the Women’s Center and Pride Center, Kendra Claypool, assumed her position in January after working as a graduate assistant. Both women
enjoyed the collaboration and wanted to take it up a notch. “Adehl came to me when she joined last year and said, ‘We want to do more outcome-based programming,’ which I really love because I love outcomebased programming," Claypool said. "Rather than watching a movie and having a discussion on it, we actually are doing these events.” T h e “ Wo m e n & Sustainability” event takes place twice a semester. Their
previous event in February focused on sustainable period products. They reached more people than expected. One man came to the event and “didn’t know how important it was to know until he learned it." He mentioned using the information to benefit his girlfriend or future children. During the same event, about 12 women approached one table to ask about menstrual cups. “They might not have access to the knowledge
. . . Talking to someone who actually uses them and getting the questions answered specifically that you want, rather than Googling, is sometimes a lot more impactful,” Claypool said. Schwaderer added that “people almost don’t want to ask, either, because they don’t want to seem silly or stupid for not knowing something.” Both organizers practice sustainability and mindfulness in their personal lives. As a graduate student, Schwaderer acknowledges that it is more
difficult in a school setting. However, both women have access to helpful resources through their organizations. “The purpose of these events, the core basis, is that we are trying to reach a broader audience," Schwaderer said. "I know as someone that works at the Macoskey Center, there are a lot of students who don’t know that we exist or that we’re a part of campus. "We are trying to get more publicity around our events and also the resources that both centers have to offer."
'Red Instead' provides welcoming space On Monday, April 11, “Red Instead: An Autism Acceptance Month Event” was held in Spotts WorldCultureBuilding.Theevent highlighted"actuallyautistic"voices and experiences, as opposed to the neurotypical,ornon-autistic,people who tend to speak for them. It was hosted by the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA) and cosponsored by eight organizations on campus. Megan McLafferty, president of FMLA, emceed the event, but all three speakers were autistic SRU students covering an array of relevant topics. The idea started with David “Venn” Jones, a sophomore majoring in French. They are involved in several organizations on campus, including FMLA, and last November’s “Take Back the Night” inspired them to plan a similar event for autism awareness. They were the first to speak during“RedInstead”.Asanautistic person, they know firsthand that Autism Acceptance Month is usually overtaken by neurotypical advocates. “Tonight’s speakers are not the neurotypical parents, the neurotypical siblings, the neurotypical medical professionals," Jones said during their speech. "They are autistic speakers talking about their own identity. "This is why this event is called ‘Red Instead."
They discussed the "Light It Up Blue" campaign popularized by Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks is a well-known autism advocacy charity, but their core values are damaging. Their goal involves “curing” autism through eugenics, rather than providing support to actual autistic people. Links to the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) and NeuroClastic, supportive organizations run by people with autism,wereprovidedinpamphlets during the event. "Autism is ‘a developmental disability that affects how we experience the world around us,' Jones quoted from ASAN. "In other words, it’s a neurotype.” Brooke Rockefeller, a junior majoring in public health and healthcare administration, was diagnosed with autism less than a year ago. Her speech was based around the five stages of grief: grieving “the life [she] could have lived” if she had been diagnosed earlier. She discussed masking, “consciously suppressing autistic traits and forcing/mimicking neurotypical behaviors that don’t come naturally,” in order to fit in with people around her. She would force herself to make eye contact and mimic others’ body language. “Females are oftentimes better at doing this than males and it’s also a contributing factor to a late diagnosis,” Rockefeller said.
The final speaker was Lex Gomez, a sophomore majoring in social work. Gomez is a person of color who has not been diagnosed as autistic due to medical racism. Throughout their life, the white doctors they saw relied on their mother, a white woman, to speak on Gomez’s condition rather than asking Gomez themself. Others recognized that Gomez needed help with their mental health, but they couldn’t receive help without a diagnosis. When they asked their primary care doctor for a referral last year, to a psychologist who could test them for autism and ADHD, she accused Gomez of wanting drugs. Gomez questioned her, asking "Why do you think I want drugs," but couldn’t get a straight answer. ThisledGomeztoself-diagnose. Medically and legally, this is not a valid diagnosis, but they have no choice. “Self-identifyingforsomepeople is the only route because they can’t get the medical system to un-fail them,” Gomez said. Megan McLafferty later described the process of planning “Red Instead”. Compared to previous events, she took a step back. Rather than helping to prepare the content, she wanted to allow autistic students to make their voices heard. “It was a phenomenal event," McLafferty said. "Several people were moved to tears."
Graphic By: Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance
CAMPUS LIFE
D-2
April 15, 2022
'Broadway Through the Ages'
RAYNI SHIRING / THE ROCKET
Jen Natalie, Abby Summers, Hailey Herrmann and Madison Rowe get ready for a party in the song "Someone in the Crowd" from the movie La La Land.
RAYNI SHIRING / THE ROCKET
Hailey Herrman, Jen Natalie, Emma Sula, Gordon Hardy and Abby Summers dance together in the song "Time Warp" from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
RAYNI SHIRING / THE ROCKET
Director Brandon Pierce looks over rehearsal.
RAYNI SHIRING / THE ROCKET
Sam Branch, Adam McChesney, Max Medford and Mattis Jost pose at the end of the song "Hello" from The Book of Mormon.
RAYNI SHIRING / THE ROCKET
Maddie Miller, Max Medford and Ryleigh Hendrickson plan out their mischievous plot in the song "Easy Street" from Annie.
RAYNI SHIRING / THE ROCKET
Amanda Reilly sings as Roxie Hart in the song "Nowadays/The Hot Honey Rag" from the musical Chicago.
“Queer in the Workplace” promotes openness and insight By Megan John Asst. Campus Life Editor
The fourth Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Career Conversations was held on Wednesday in the Rober t M. Smith St u d e n t C e n t e r. T h e event featured speaker and alumna Elise Michaux, who discussed her experiences as a marginalized person in academia. Michaux, a 2011 and 2013 alumna serving on SRU’s Council of Tr u s t e e s , i s a l s o t h e director of enrollment management at Erie Community College. At the event, she provided resources for queer students who may need support. Marissa Altenburg started the Career Conversation series. She is a graduate student in the Office of Student Affairs in Higher Education a n d i s a l s o a c a re e r coach in the Office of Career Education and Development. According to Altenburg, the series
was created because of her passion for diversity-related w o rk . Sh e re c o g n i ze s that many people are still unfamiliar with d i v e r s i t y, e q u i t y a n d inclusion, or DEI. “When I named this series, I originally didn’t w r i t e o u t ‘d i v e r s i t y, equity, inclusion,’ but I r e a l i z e d t h a t’s n o t something everyone knows, so it’s important to write out,” Altenburg said. Identifying herself as a queer woman, she strives to make everyone who comes to her office feel welcome. “Creating a welcoming space, a space where you actively listen to students and a space where they know they can be their authentic selves is super important,” Altenburg said. “ The best way to support them is by listening to their stories and validating them.” Mi c h a u x , w h o a l s o works with queer students, has a similar approach. “Our application process allows for folks to put their preferred names, their pronouns
and things of that nature so that we can ensure everybody is s e e n a n d h e a rd , a n d feels welcomed right from the gate,” she said. Michaux mentioned the importance of building rapport with queer students and anticipating their concerns, rather than waiting until a problem occurs. Michaux works as a DEI consultant, doing workshops and presentations about topics related to diversity. She said as a young, queer, Black Christian woman, there aren’t many people like her in academia, which is par t of the reason why she does the work she does. “When students see themselves in the work and the workers, t h e y a re m o re l i k e l y to continue on and g r a d u a t e ,” M i c h a u x said. Sh e d i s c ov e re d s h e was queer as an adult and describes the experience as one with extreme highs and interesting lows. People who embraced her identity have become
her chosen family. Michaux said she still experiences microaggressions at work, but in her w o r d s , “t h e p u r p o s e is bigger than the microaggressions.”
For people who are less secure in their identities, she said they should fi nd like-minded people. Michaux finds that gathering positive information, such as affirmations, helps as well.
GRAPHIC BY: RAYNI SHIRING
“If y o u’r e not a f f i r m i n g yo u r s e l f, i f you’re not living your life authentically, then we’re missing out on all of you,” Michaux said. Altenburg and Mi c h a u x h a v e s i m i l a r i d e a s a b o u t t h e f u t u re of queer people in the w o rk p l a c e . T h e y a g re e that their experiences a r e g e t t i n g b e t t e r, but society has a lot of room for i m p r ov e m e n t . “I remember when ‘ T h a t ’s s o g a y ’ w a s super common to say w h e n I w a s y o u n g e r,” Altenburg said. “In most spaces nowadays, I w o u l d s a y i t ’s n o t w e l c o m e d .” Michaux believes the i d e a o f “t r a d i t i o n a l p r o f e s s i o n a l i s m” w i l l have to change in order for workplaces t o be t r u l y i ncl u s i ve. Altenburg stressed the importance of advocating for policy changes, with straight and cisgender people joining queer people i n a d v o c a c y, i n s t e a d o f s t a n d i n g b y. “A s l o n g a s w e k e e p having conversations, t h i n g s w i l l g e t b e t t e r,” Altenburg said.
April 15, 2022
CAMPUS LIFE
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WEEKLY ORG. SPOTLIGHT Fitness and Wellness Club
Clarinet Choir
By Megan John
By Megan John
Asst. Campus Life Editor
SRU’s Fitness and Wellness Club has existed in its current form for over a year, exploring different aspects of physical and mental wellness. Meetings typically feature guest speakers and motivational videos. The club focused on bodybuilding and fitness for 20 years, until membership fell off in early 2021. Dylan Loeffler, an exercise science major, and Brian Mortimer, the director of campus recreation, rebuilt the club from the ground up. Since then, they have grown from zero members to 120. Loeffler, the current president, is a junior in the prephysical therapy program. He joined the club as a freshman to learn more about fitness. “We found that people were deterred from the club because of the negative connotation that can sometimes be associated with bodybuilding,” Loeffler said. “We do have a heavy influence on nutrition, exercise, sleep [and] hydration, but we talk a lot about mindset and mental health as well.” Many of their meetings involve a guest speaker who has expertise
Asst. Campus Life Editor
PHOTO COURTESY OF DYLAN LOEFFLER
in health and fitness. Otherwise, Loeffler describes the meetings as “all over the place.” They might be playing sports one week and then celebrating Bulk-Festival, where members come together and eat junk food, the following week. “Sometimes you need a little bit of a break from the constant monotony of eating healthfully,” Loeffler said. “[The club is about] getting active, eating food and enjoying time together. “Kind of having a break and a release from the stress that is school and daily life.” For many years, a bodybuilding show called “Mr. and Mrs. SRU” was held on campus, hosted by the former Bodybuilding and Fitness Club. This year, Fitness and Wellness Club is putting on a fitness showcase.
Seventeen SRU students have shared their fitness journeys through video interviews. On April 28, they will hold a movie night to watch the interviews and learn from the experiences of others. Since he joined, Loeffler has seen improvements in himself and other members. He is grateful for the opportunity to take on a leadership role at a young age. “Seeing people’s lives changed from this club is the biggest blessing,” Loeffler said. “It’s the best feeling, it’s what we all do it for.” Students interested in joining Fitness and Wellness Club can email dml1023@sru.edu or visit their CORE page.
Slippery Rock Un i v e r s i t y’s C l a r i n e t Choir is in its third year. During that time, the group has tripled in size, growing from seven members to 22. They were recently chosen to perform at the Pennsylvania Music Ed u c a t o r s A s s o c i a t i o n (PMEA) conference on Friday, April 8. Victoria Lewis, a sophomore majoring in music education, is the current president of the Clarinet Choir. She has played the clarinet since fifth grade. “We’re open to anyone who shares a love of clarinet and wants to join an ensemble . . . It’s great to spend time with people that share the same love as me,” Lewis said. The choir meets for an hour and a half every Thursday, working on a few pieces per semester to showcase their talents and hard work. According to Lewis, they accept all skill levels. Members range
PHOTO COURTESY OF VICTORIA LEWIS
from clarinet majors, to music majors who play clarinet as a secondary instrument, to students with unrelated majors who play because they enjoy it. “We try and show up in the community and hope that anyone who loves the clarinet will join us,” Lewis said. The Clarinet Choir typically performs once o r t w i c e a s e m e s t e r. This semester, they have performed four times so far, with the fifth occurring yesterday for the PMEA conference.
According to Lewis, they were selected to perform at the conference out of more than 50 groups. Lewis enjoys the variety of possible sounds in an all-clarinet ensemble. “The clarinet acts as tons of different i n s t r u m e n t s . . . i t’s really cool because we can blend and shape the music to fit the clarinet,” Lewis said. Students interested in joining Clarinet Choir can email Victoria Lewis at vel1003@sr u.edu or visit their CORE page.
BookReview:‘TheSevenHusbands of Evelyn Hugo’
By Kaitlyn Myers Copy/Web Editor
Gapping like a fish, mouth wide open is how Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel, “The Seven Hu s b a n d s o f Ev e l y n Hugo,” leaves readers. Tw i s t s , h e a r t b r e a k and unexpected re l a t i o n s h i p s f i l l t h e 385 pages. It’s hard to ignore the hundreds of avid readers who all consistently recommend this book on #BookTok. Evelyn’s story is one that does deserve the recognition i t h a s a c q u i re d . Yo u won’t want to pass it over on the shelves. Je n k i n s R e i d u s e s a variety of literary techniques within the novel. It opens with a
"With all these questions whirling around, the ending is a page turning, whiteknuckled conclusion that you won't see coming but you'll love, nonetheless."
clipping from a Ne w Yo r k T i m e s a r t i c l e (made up only for use in the story) that discusses how the fictionally w o r l d - f a m o u s “f i l m legend” Evelyn Hugo will be auctioning off her most famous gowns for a charity donation. It ove r v i e w s Eve l y n’s seven marriages and her rise to fame, all the while luring readers in with the many missing details left out from the snippet. Pa g e t h re e l e a d s t o Mo n i q u e Gr a n t , w h o is a partial narrator of the novel. She’s been r e q u e s t e d b y Ev e l y n herself to conduct an exclusive interview t h r o u g h M o n i q u e ’s employer, the magazine c o m p a n y, V i v a n t . T h i s r e q u e s t d o e s n’t seem unusual until i t ’s m e n t i o n e d t h a t Mo n i q u e i s a r i s i n g writer who only does small-scale stories, a n d Ev e l y n h a s n o t participated in an interview in decades. With a plotline developing that h a s Mo n i q u e a s t h e n a r r a t o r, a w r i t i n g choice shifts this style. The last lines o f c h a p t e r f i v e re a d , “ ‘ O K ,’ Ev e l y n s a y s , nodding. ‘It’s as good a place to start as any.’” It seems only natural that the next page will finally start with Evelyn’s first husband and the beginning of her career. Tu r n t h e p a g e a n d y o u’r e l o o k i n g a t a majority white layout that reads “Poor Ernie D i a z” i n l a r g e b o l d print. Another fast turn, almost causing the page to rip, leads into a first-person perspective that readers realize is
"Gapping like a fish, mouth wide open is how Taylor Jenkins Reid's novel, 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo," leaves readers.
Evelyn reliving her past experiences. Flawlessly done, Jenkins Reid takes re a d e r s i n t o Ev e l y n’s perspective: letting Evelyn share her story from her viewpoint. It o f f e r s a p l a y - by - p l a y and insight into the mystery that is Evelyn Hugo. This back-and-forth narrator perspective continues throughout the entirety of the novel. We a v e d t h r o u g h o u t without interrupting the flow of the stor y, Mo n i q u e a n d Ev e l y n develop their interview story for Vivant. Each husband, of which there are s e v e n , h a s t h e i r ow n
white page with a description and their name. As mentioned, t h e r e ’s Po o r E r n i e Di a z , t h e n Go d d a m n D o n A d l e r, G u l l i b l e Mick Riva, Clever Re x No r t h , Br i l l i a n t , Kindhearted, Tortured Harry Cameron and Agreeable Robert Jamison. Each title p r e q u e l s t h a t m a n’s significance to Evelyn’s life story. Readers can expect that the next few chapters will explain why they married and then, eventually, what lead to their divorce. The descriptive adjectives allude to the relationship dynamics with each man, and as
readers see, they’re spot on. While the focus is on each individual marriage, Evelyn mentions the highs and lows of her movie career starting in the 1950s. She shares the joys of her life and the moments where she felt most discouraged. Among all the details, the main theme running the course of the novel is the big question: Who is Evelyn truly in love with? The answer is one that is both admirable and shocking. While readers do learn about Evelyn’s real love, Jenkins Reid also
throws in a variety of cruel plot twists within the last 100 pages. It’s a whirlwind. Who is Evelyn’s true l ove ? How d o e s e a c h lover die, and how do they all decease before Evelyn? What’s the significance of Monique being the i n t e r v i e w e r ? W h a t ’s Ev e l y n’s e n d g o a l b y telling her story in her own words? What are the true costs of living in the limelight? Is it better to have fame or love? With all these questions whirling around, the ending is a page-turning, whiteknuckled conclusion t h a t y o u w o n’t s e e coming but you’ll love, n o n e t h e l e s s . Je n k i n s Re i d h a s l e f t re a d e r s walking away smirking, as the real Evelyn Hugo finally gets her moment. Oh, and don’t forget to keep your eyes open f o r E v e l y n’s e i g h t h marriage.
April 15, 2022
THE ROCKET
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Movie Review: 'Everything Everywhere All at Once'
By Dereck Majors Review Columnist
Evelyn’s life is a total failure. She owns a laundromat that is being audited by the IRS. Her small, shabby apartment is rundown. Her husband is trying to find the right time to serve her divorce papers. Her daughter is desperately trying to have her mother accept her girlfriend and her elderly father has just arrived from China. In a world where she could do anything, she has somehow chosen every wrong move along the way to be the very worst version of herself possible. This is exactly why she is chosen to help save the world. You see, there’s not just one Evelyn, but countless Evelyn's across the multiverse. Each lives a completely different life due to choices she made throughout her life. From a martial artist to a famous movie star to an absurd universe where she has hot dogs for fingers (yes, you read that right), our Evelyn can hone in on the various skills these other Evelyn's possess in their universes in order to save humanity from the evil Jobu Tupaki: an alternate universe’s version of her daughter, Joy. If that brief plot description sounds absolutely insane to you, that’s not even the half of it. While the concept of “the multiverse” has been explored
in recent superhero outings like “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” no film has been able to expertly explain the technicalities of this abstract and intricate setting quite like “Everything Everywhere All at Once” manages to do. The film never gets too complicated in its plot as it moves from universe to universe with ease. This primarily has to do with the film having one of the most original and innovative scripts in recent years, written by the collaborating duo known as Daniels. Known for their 2016 surreal feature film debut “Swiss Army Man,” Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) crafted a script that is insanely over-the-top. It can have the audience laughing at a scene involving a suggestively shaped trophy, to crying at a scene involving two rocks in a matter of minutes. It’s difficult in a film like this to change gears so quickly, but Daniels are masters of the craft and showcase exactly why they are some of the freshest and most sought-after voices working in Hollywood today. Even when balancing themes that deal with nihilism, generational and cultural differences to the heavier and more philosophical topic of the meaning of life, Daniels’ script manages to never miss a beat. This is partially due to expert editing which keeps this 2 hour and 20-minute adventure flowing from scene-to-scene.
No scene goes to waste and no moment overstays its welcome. The comedy bits are not in-your-face funny but are situationally humorous. Daniels are not trying to belittle and demean the audience’s intelligence because one can clearly see they are putting their hearts into a movie that they would enjoy watching themselves. While Daniels involvement is key to the film’s success, the real heart of the film comes in the form of Michelle Yeoh’s incredible performance as Evelyn. An acting legend, having appeared in “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” and “Crazy Rich Asians,” Yeoh constantly ups the ante in each of her films and outdoes herself in this role. She blends into each universe’s version of Evelyn so effortlessly that it makes the film and her character’s thoughts and actions so much more convincing. In a role that was originally written for Jackie Chan, Yeoh provides her best performance to date that will surely make her a fierce contender in next year’s awards conversation. In a way, the film plays almost like a Charlie Kaufman film due to not only its originality, but also like a “Jackass” film with its absurdity. The fact that the film only cost $25 million to produce and a team of just five special effects artists crafted this acid trip of a film is mindboggling. The best way to describe “Everything
Everywhere All at Once” is if Harmony Korine directed a new adaptation of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” The film lives up to its title as it has something for everyone: action, comedy, drama and romance. It
provides universal lessons on kindness, compassion and empathy. As another universe’s version of E v e l y n’s husband, Waymond, tells her, “We’re all useless alone. It’s a good thing you’re not alone.”
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” deals with the infinite, but it always circles back to these intimate moments that show how this fi lm also wears its heart on its sleeve.