The Slate 11-20-25

How to survive finals week, B1

Meet the SU Art Club, C1

Stroll with “Alice in Wonderland”, D1

Womens basketball goes 1-1, E1

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Volume 69 No. 11

Reporting truth. Serving our community.

Thursday, November 20, 2025

‘Partners in Peace’ program revealed at Nov. 14 Council of Trustees meeting George Hogan Staff Contributor

The Shippensburg University Council of Trustees held a public meeting in the CUB MPR on Friday, Nov. 14.

Important to Friday’s meeting was the announcement of new campus positions, a presentation on a recent program attended by the Wood Honors College and the approval of the 2026 university budget.

SU President Charles Patterson started with his report. He said that the new director of Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) is Danielle Martin, who will be beginning Nov. 8, and Arnold Taylor Jr. will be the associate director.

He also announced that SU had 2.6% enrollment increase during fall 2025, with first-time enrollment being up by 1%.

Kriner Hall’s transformation is moving forward, and it is funded by philanthropic

and public investments. The building will be a hub for entrepreneurship and business creation.

Patterson finished the report by mentioning students who had recently won awards.

At the 45th annual Juvenile Court Judges Commission awards banquet, Shippensburg students and alumni were recognized for excellence in juvenile justice. The Dr. Thomas L Austin award went to student Lindsey Haser, and SU alum Mercedes Olvera received the Dr. Anthony F. Ceddia award.

Patterson complemented Marlon Aristy, as Aristy was the 2025 recipient of the PASSHE Keeper of the Flame Award for his contributions to diversity, equity and inclusion for his work with SGA and MSA, which reflects his strong commitment to service and community building.

This was followed by Patterson sharing that honor

scholar student Cole Pearson won the Trish Baisden Student of the Year Award, an award sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Concluding Patterson’s report Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Nicole Hill shared that SU is pushing for more availability of online programs for adult learners.

She is focusing on meeting learners where they are and is starting a fully online undergraduate program in business management.

Hill congratulated Todd Witman as Counselor Educator of the Year by the Pennsylvania School Counselors Association before turning it over to Kim Klein.

Klein presented “Partners in Peace,” which gives lessons in leadership and service from Nobel Peace Prize laureates, to enhance students’ leadership, development and civic engagement.

Four students from Wood

Evan Dillow / The Slate

Wood Honors College director Kim Klein discusses the “Partners in Peace” program. They plan to visit key Nobel institutions in Oslo, Norway, in 2026.

Honors College shared their experience of Voices of Peace. The students were Cole Pearson, Michelle Kubiak, Noah Henry and Victoria Sutherland.

Voices of Peace is an event centered around the Perspective on Nihon

Hidankyo 2024 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. The Woods Honors College was one of 16 honors programs and colleges worldwide selected after a competitive application process.

Klein announced that in spring 2026, a new study

abroad program titled Partners in Peace will begin.

15 students were selected to travel to Norway to meet with leaders of key Nobel institutions and visit significant Nobel sites.

See “MEETING,” A2

Greek life pauses off-campus Student Trustee Report: activities until Dec. 15, 2025 Highlighting the successes of the fall 2025 semester Evan Dillow News Editor

Colin Arnold

SU Student Trustee

I hope that everyone has had a great fall 2025 semester so far.

Thanksgiving is almost here and there are a lot of amazing things that have been happening on and off campus, representing Shippensburg University well.

Before I address the recent Council of Trustee meeting, I’d like to highlight some accomplishments.

First, congratulations to the men’s cross-country team for their recent win at the regional championship race. All of Shippensburg is rooting them on as they prepare to go to Wisconsin to compete at the national championship meet.

This year’s Homecoming parade and celebration was a great success, and it is always inspiring to see all the alumni come back to support SU. The SU campus honored Diane Jefferson by renaming the Multicultural Student

Affairs organization in her name. Her legacy will continue to make a strong and positive impact here at SU. Also Alison Dagnes hosted another great “Political Speed Dating” event at which students were able to interact with those who had different opinions. They discovered we all have a lot more in common and it forced students to think critically about their positions. This is such an important and impactful event.

The Shippensburg University Raider Battalion Ranger Challenge team competed at the annual 2nd Brigade Ranger Challenge competition at Joint Base McGuire-DixLakehurst in New Jersey, proudly representing SU against nearly every ROTC program in 2nd brigade, which spans from Pennsylvania to Maine.

All the cadets of the Raider Battalion have been working hard this semester, waking up early, embracing the educational labs, and pushing themselves to be all they can be. It is also important to recognize Cadets Joseph Kunsman, Aidan Brenize and myself for being named Distinguished Military Graduates, ranking in the Top 20 percent of all Cadets in the nation.

On Nov. 14, the Council of Trustees held its

quarterly meeting, and trustees were updated on many of the great initiatives taking place and the work being done to ensure a continued bright future for our university.

From updates on the Kriner Hall renovations, the Shippensburg University Foundation continued success because of very generous donors supporting students, financial updates on the university, and the opportunity for trustees to ask questions and voice concerns.

With the recent passage of the Pennsylvania State budget and U.S. Federal budget, PHEAA and FASFA will begin processing funding requests, which should bring some relief to students.

It was a great meeting that demonstrated the continued support and essential role that trustees play to help guide SU in the right direction. Please continue to voice your questions or concerns to me at ca6053@ship.edu or just stop me if you see me around campus.

The next public Council of Trustees meeting will be held on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. Please consider attending. It truly is an honor and privilege to serve as your student trustee.

I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

On Friday, Nov. 14, it was announced through a campus-wide SU News email that there would be a proactive pause on all off-campus social activities within the fraternity and sorority community until Dec. 15, 2025. Friday’s email was sent by Vice President of Student Affairs Lorie Sheetz.

According to Sheetz, “This pause is not based on a singular event but is the result of concerns surrounding the culture and overall behavior of the organizations as well as outsiders of our campus during the fall 2025

semester.”

The purpose of the pause is to give time for SU and local law enforcement to work with the leadership of fraternities and sororities, IFC and the Panhellenic Council toward addressing safety concerns for students.

Furthermore, Sheetz encouraged the Greek life community to join to host on-campus social activities to drive recruitment in preparation for the spring semester.

“Chapters are also being encouraged to continue … their community service, philanthropy, retreats, educational sessions and intramurals,” she added.

Comments were provided

from several leaders in the Greek life community.

According to Panhellenic president Presley Greenwalt, “Panhellenic … looks forward to engaging with the campus community through meaningful oncampus events during these final weeks of the semester.”

SU Director of Communications and Marketing Megan Silverstrim provided further emphasis that the announced pause is not in response to one incident but rather a series of incidents reported to the university over the past couple of weeks.

As these incidents are still under investigation, this is a developing story.

Resources for students Megan Sawka Managing Editor

As the semester winds down, many Shippensburg University students face the pressures of final exams, papers and projects.

Stress levels often rise, making it important to know where to find support. The university offers several resources to help students manage stress and maintain wellness during this busy time.

Big Red’s Cupboard provides free food and hygiene items to students in need. Located in the Ceddia Union Building, it helps students focus on studying without worrying about meals.

The Raider Wellness Resource Center offers a range of services for emotional, social and physical wellness. Students can access meditation sessions, stress-relief workshops and goal-setting support. The center is located in CUB 121.

For students seeking professional counseling, the university Counseling Center in Naugle Hall provides individual and group sessions, crisis intervention and psychiatric

services. Appointments can be made by calling 717-477-1481. After-hours support is available through Campus Police or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

Additional support includes the Etter Health Center; the Learning Center for tutoring and academic help; and the Pride and Gender Equity Center for affirmation and wellness resources. These offices offer a safety net to help students finish the semester strong and take care of their mental and physical health.

Evan Dillow / The Slate

Big Red’s Cupboard is located on the second floor of the CUB in room 218.

Thursday, November 20, 2025

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Your World Today Commentary: I’ll be home for Christmas

Jayden Pohlman Editor-in-Chief

When I was driving home this past weekend, I decided to bite the bullet and turn on some Christmas music — controversial, I know. For some people, this is perfectly normal, while others will consider me crazy for giving in this early.

Personally, I believed that after Thanksgiving was the only appropriate time to partake in Christmas activities, but now I am listening to Christmas music in the middle of November.

Things change.

I tried really hard to embrace the Christmas spirit during my festive drive, but it just felt wrong. To be honest, I have been

dreading the idea of celebrating the holiday at the end of next month.

Some of my struggles stem from chasing the Christmas magic of my childhood. These last few years, it has been hard for me to accept that the holiday will never be the same as it was when I was a child.

This year has been exceptionally difficult. Two days after Christmas last year, my father unexpectedly passed away, and the rapidly approaching holiday has brought up a lot of feelings I have been suppressing for the past year.

After hearing three short songs in the car, I decided that I had more than enough Christmas cheer. I started to look for a different playlist. As I went to change the music, “Silver Bells” began to play, and I could not turn it off.

Last year after we cut down our Christmas tree, my parents and I hopped in our truck to go for lunch. My dad had a Christmas station playing, and at some point during our drive, “Silver Bells” came on the radio.

One thing about my dad is that he loved to change the lyrics of songs. As the three of us listened

Slater of the Month Evan Dillow

Jayden Pohlman & Megan Sawka Editor-in-Chief & Managing Editor

to “Silver Bells,” he crafted his own version of the chorus and loudly sang it over the original.

I sadly cannot remember the entirety of his creation, but some of his alterations have remained with me. My favorite part of his version is that he changed the lyrics “It’s Christmas time in the city” to “It’s Christmas time and I feel sh*tty.”

When the song unironically played on my drive home, I could not help myself from crying, laughing and singing what I could remember of his version. I even left the Christmas music on after “Silver Bells” ended.

Holidays can be extremely hard for a multitude of different reasons. I am very lucky that I have so many good Christmas memories with my family, and my heart goes out to those who never got to experience the magic I so desperately miss.

If you are looking forward to celebrating Christmas, I urge you to take the time to truly cherish whatever makes the holiday special for you. But if the approach of Christmas is making you “feel sh*tty,” just know there’s nothing wrong with that, because I am right there with you.

News editor Evan Dillow has been named Slater of October for his leadership in The Slate and his consistent work editing and writing weekly coverage. Dillow reviews articles, works directly with writers and produces two full pages of news layout for each print edition, helping ensure timely and accurate reporting.

Dillow is an accounting major who expects to graduate in spring 2026. His interest in journalism began in high school when he wrote a feature for The Flash, the Hempfield High School student newspaper. Interviewing students and faculty sparked a deeper interest in reporting.

“It was a really cool opportunity,” said Dillow. “That experience left me wanting more.”

When he learned during his campus tour that Shippensburg University had a student newspaper, he immediately wanted to get involved.

“It has allowed me to put myself out there,” Dillow said.

Since joining The Slate, Dillow has taken on assignments that he said pushed him beyond his comfort zone. He described himself as shy before college and credits reporting with helping him gain confidence.

“Getting to go to events that I would not otherwise go to and interview people I would not otherwise ever

speak to has been such an enriching experience,” he said.

A turning point early in his involvement came while covering the Political Speed Dating event in his freshman year. Hearing a wide range of student perspectives solidified his interest in continuing with the paper.

“It kept me writing,” he said.

His most significant piece, he said, was his feature on Professor Karl Lorenz and the anthropology program. The story began with a tip, which led to a lengthy interview and resulted in an in-depth report on the program’s status.

“It is the most journalist thing I think I have ever done,” Dillow said.

After graduation, Dillow plans to pursue his CPA license and join an accounting firm. He is also considering returning to school in the future to become an accounting professor.

Dillow identified his older brother as one of the biggest influences in his life.

Read the full story at theslateonline.com.

43-day government shutdown ends after contentious battle in Congress Evan Dillow News Editor

The federal government shutdown that began on Oct. 1 has ended following the signing of a funding bill by President Trump on Wednesday, Nov. 12, a CBS News report suggests.

In the same week, the bill was voted on by the House and the Senate before ending up on the president’s desk.

The bill narrowly passed, with a vote of 222 to 209 in the House, the same CBS report states.

Six Democrats and two Republicans crossed the aisle in the vote.

According to a Politico article, the bill aims to extend funding for federal agencies until midnight on Jan. 30. Democrats opposed the bill, as it did not address the extension of the enhanced tax credits under the Affordable Care Act, which are set to run out at the end of the year.

In an agreement with

Republicans in the Senate, Democrats will hold a vote in December on a separate bill to extend the tax credits before the end-of-year deadline, the same Politico article suggests. This has drawn criticism from House Democrats, who say that by conceding to Republicans in the Senate, they have lost leverage to vote on the extension.

This past federal shutdown lasted 43 days, taking the title of the longest in U.S. history.

The previous title was held by the shutdown that occurred in December 2018 during Trump’s first term in office, which lasted 35 days.

According to political science professor Alison Dagnes, shutdowns are more likely to be a commonplace as politics grow increasingly hostile on Capitol Hill.

“The reason for so many shutdowns is two-fold,” she said. “First, we are becoming super polarized,

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and everything is framed as a war instead of a policy debate.

Additionally, when the margins in each branch of Congress are so small, everything becomes existential to win the next election.”

The small margin between Democratic and Republican seats in Congress is a leading reason why stalemates are becoming more common.

There is a three-seat difference between the two parties in the Senate, for example.

“Instead of compromising and talking to the other side of the aisle, the two parties take their balls and go home,” she continued.

In a trend of breaking political deadlocks, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a $50 billion state budget, bringing an end to a fourmonth-long stalemate that has led to funding delays across the Keystone State, according to a CBS News

report. This year’s budget marks a nearly $3 billion dollar increase from the previous fiscal year.

Among the list of programs included in the budget, the State Food Purchase Program is set to receive $30 million in funding, stated by the same CBS report. This comes at a time when SNAP benefits are still facing setbacks due to the federal shutdown.

As many students may still be waiting for the disbursement of their PHEAA grant or other financial aid, several campus resources were highlighted in an SU News email sent out on Oct. 30.

Among the list is Big Red’s Cupboard, which is a free resource that provides food and basic hygiene products to Shippensburg University students. It is open during both daytime and evening hours.

Students are encouraged to follow @BigRedsCupboard on Instagram for further information.

From “MEETING,” A1

The council shifted to the first action item, the approval of the fiscal year 2025 annual audit. It was approved unanimously.

Second, the council announced that the state budget has been approved, allowing the university budget to be voted upon. The university budget was approved unanimously.

Jolinda Wilson discussed the comprehensive planning process for fiscal year 2026 with projected revenues at $144,760,200, with expenditures and transfers at $142,294,397.

Affiliation agreements compliance documents for Shippensburg University Foundation and SU student services ink were approved unanimously.

The resolution for Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program Match and Bridge funds financing verified the availability of $200,000 to support the Kriner Hall renovation project. This was also approved unanimously.

Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing Megan Luft transitioned to share that students

Courtesy of Wally Gobetz / Flickr

The Capitol reopens after the longest shutdown in U.S. history. The bill to end the shutdown passed after an incredibly close vote in the House of 222 to 209.

Courtesy of the Office of the Governor / Flickr

Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro signs a bill in his Harrisburg office.

He approved of the $50 billion state budget earlier this week, ending a four-month-long political deadlock.

will be receiving $4 million in Raider Success Scholarships.

As far as enrollment, the 2026 academic year is ahead by 20% for first-time college students applying for spring. There was some concerns about transfer and graduate enrollment, but their office launched a strong marketing campaign. They are offering a discount and transferring all credits over to Shippensburg University.

Luft told attendees that the last open house of the semester was held on Saturday, and it had the highest registered number since 2019. Nearly 420 students registered, with a total of over 1,200 guests coming to campus on Saturday.

Lori Smith had three announcements to make when she was given the floor, beginning with praise for the successful completion of homecoming weekend.

Smith also highlighted SCUPA employee Damian Morales for his role as assistant director of admissions, as he makes the transfer process easier for students and their families.

Alumni relations with Patterson will be in Reading for a Ship social.

Currently, 85 people are registered to attend. On Feb. 14, 2026, the Alumni Relations Office will host a dinner with dancing and a live band.

Smith mentioned last that registration will open soon for the Kentucky Derby party is on Saturday, May 2.

This meeting was Student Government Association President Nathan Garber’s last report at the Council of Trustees meeting, as he will be graduating this semester. The role of president will be transferred to Ella Zinn, current vice president of Student Groups, at a public meeting on Thursday, Dec. 4. New SGA senators will transfer positions.

Professor Maria Louis reached out to Garber about the upcoming process for the coordinated community response team. A grant from the Department of Justice was given to the university, and student leaders from the Student Government Association are directly involved in that, according to Garber.

The next meeting will be held on Feb. 20, 2026.

Thursday, November 20, 2025

Opinion The Slate Speaks: Surviving Finals

The AI bubble speculation Gavin Formenti Staff Contributor

Matthew Scalia / The Slate

It can be tough, but now is the time to lock in and get through the chaos If it were a game, the objective would simply read: survive finals.

But it is not a game, nor is it a three-act story where we see the character quickly and easily close all the story beats before life returns to normal at the end.

No, it is the end of the semester — the culmination of months of work that features a hectic balancing act where students have to juggle long-term projects and short-term stressors such as tests.

It can be a challenging time, but it is one we feel we can offer some advice on.

One way to get through it is to focus on the light at the end of the tunnel — the good light.

The one that means winter break.

But optimism alone will not boost a grade, so it is important to study, stay well-rested and manage your workload as best you can.

Some people may have a light finals week (lucky), and some have exams in every class.

The perceived injustice you may feel being one of the former may infringe upon your work. Do not think of the student who gets to go home earlier than everyone else. You too will be there soon enough.

But surviving not only finals but also the end of the semester is always hard. People struggle to see the other side, that light at the

end of the tunnel.

One of the reasons for this is burnout.

People are studying for five classes, working on those five projects, all at the same time.

Anxiety and stress take over, and students feel they have little time to do anything for themselves.

It is important to make sure you are taking care of those small moments when you are not studying to take time to relax and remember that it will pass.

Mastering that balance can be tough, and, for as hard as they may be to summon on command, discipline and consistency are key in achieving whatever your goals are. Discipline is about holding yourself accountable to get all of your work done and ensure you are prepared for all that is coming up, but it is also about knowing when to take a step back to recharge.

Working ahead helps, too. If you handle the weekly assignment load early, it frees up more of your time to work on the big stuff.

Whatever your plan, it is important not to give up. You have already put in months of work; you can not let burnout in the latter part of the semester sink the ship. Lock in and remember: Those lights at the end of the tunnel are holiday ones.

Democracy is the punchline

Caroline Cooper Staff Contributor

Hot take: I think that Donald Trump’s jokes are killing democracy. But we can not joke about him, because “When 97% of the stories are bad about a person, it’s no longer free speech,” said Trump, and he thinks he can take it away for good.

Trump wants to reform the education system, and he wants to start from the beginning. He went straight for the heart, targeting the organization itself and threatening funds to push change. Trump’s mockery of DEI, race and gender ideologies, accessibility for students of all needs is setting the tone for how political power can reshape knowledge itself.

Now, Ivy League universities, which house some of our nation’s brightest pupils and leaders,

are being targeted. Those same universities that are “corrupting the youth and society” with “woke, socialist, and anti-American ideology,” as Trump likes to say, are taking a stand against him.

Against the United States of America government threatening their freedom of speech, against their rights, and against their voice.

“My Administration is fixing this, and FAST, with our Great Reform Agenda in Higher Education. Our Nation’s Great Institutions will once again prioritize Merit and Hard Work before “group identity,” resulting in tremendous new Research and Opportunity to benefit all Americans,” Trump said on Truth Social, clearly identifying his intentions and leaving no room or consideration for anyone else’s.

This dangerous rhetoric is not just teaching America

what to believe but rather teaching what they are forbidden to question as well. You can believe what I believe, and what I believe only. For teaching their students critical thinking.

This is our leader’s example.

This same critical thinking could be applied to that very government’s recent shutdown. The stalemate began during an attempt to pass a bill regarding the fiscal budget for 2026 in Congress.

Republicans want cuts to Medicaid; Democrats want increased funding and amendments to health care subsidies. The two could not reach an agreement, and 700,000 Americans had to work without pay.

Neither side was willing to budge, so the government continued to stay shut down until it reopened after setting records.

Read the full story at theslateonline.com.

In October, both the International Monetary Fund and the Bank of England issued warnings about a looming AI bubble.

AI-related stocks have skyrocketed in value over the last two years, with substantial amounts of venture capital pouring into the industry.

According to JP Morgan’s AI CapEx Report, the industry would need to generate $650 billion in annual revenue for investors to receive a 10% return on investment by 2030. Using OpenAI as an example, the company started a data center build-out project worth $500 billion, and it is projected to generate $13 billion in revenue.

The separation between invested capital and revenue generated from these companies leaves a significant gap that the AI industry will likely be unable to grow into. As a result, the market will correct,

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leading to a collapse in AI stock valuations. This begs the question of what an AI bubble burst looks like.

An AI bubble burst would first show as a massive correction in stock valuations for AI-related companies.

This would be felt especially in the small-cap market.

The AI boom saw a massive expansion in small-cap AI-related businesses that ride on hype rather than a proven business model.

These organizations would likely collapse and go out of business.

Large market capitalization businesses will also take a hit. Obvious companies would be Palantir, Meta or OpenAI if they release their IPO. However, Nvidia also stands to take significant damage from a bubble burst.

As part of AI infrastructure development, Nvidia has taken a leadership role in construction. Not only is Nvidia providing computer chips to these AI companies, but the company is also selling its chips and offering

existing infrastructure at a reduced price in exchange for stock in partnered AI companies.

This leaves Nvidia potentially getting hit on two fronts from a burst. The first is from reduced revenue from a decline in demand for AI computer chips. The second is from the massive loss in equity due to the collapse of AI-related stocks.

It is difficult to predict the effect of a bubble burst of this size on the overall job market and the American economy. There would likely be significant job loss within the technology sector, and this could create a spike in unemployment.

Depending on the size of the economic shock, the federal government may step in to bail out some of the larger companies in the name of protecting American industry. The future is uncertain; however, with investor confidence at a low and the price of gold rising rapidly, there is a likely threat to the world’s finances on the rise.

We are not meant to be alone Pondering the choice to live in seclusion

Abbygale Hockenberry A&E Editor

To the people who live by themselves: how do you do it?

I am not talking about living on your own away from your parents, I am talking about living by yourself with no roommate, no family member, straight up alone.

I assume that most people make this decision because they have a reason due to cost of living, the inability to find a roommate, their job, etc. All those reasons make sense to me, but if this is a reason by choice, why?

Every year my parents go out of town for multiple weekends.

That leaves me home alone for days, and there is something so unsettling about it. It is not even that I miss my mommy and daddy (I mean I do), but it is that I hate coming home to an empty house. There is suddenly no one to talk to, no background noise and all you hear is silence. I cannot even talk either because there is quite literally no one to talk to.

There is this sense of safety I get when I am around other

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people. When I am by myself, I feel unsafe. I feel like this is mainly because humans are not meant to be alone.

I recently started watching the 2004 show “Lost,” and it made me think about what people would do if they were by themselves on a stranded island. In the show, there are many survivors from the plane crash, so they do not have to worry about being alone. However, in the movie “Cast Away,” Tom Hanks plays a sole survivor from a plane crash and is stranded on an island for years.

“There is suddenly no one to talk, no background noise and all you can hear is silence” In that situation, we get to see how his mental health slowly starts to deteriorate, part of that being isolated from civilization. So again, humans are not meant to be alone.

With no one to interact with, it can cause an outbreak of mental disorders and symptoms such as hallucinations, paranoia,

anxiety, depression, etc.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, so many people that I know have talked about how it was such a hard time for them. This was not necessarily because of the virus itself, but because we were forced to be isolated inside and away from everyone. They felt like their mental health decreased over time because they were not used to being alone by themselves for a long period of time.

Although, being alone has its perks, sometimes you need to take a step back from everything and hit the reset button by listening to music, watching a movie, playing a video game or whatever your hobby may be. All these things are done to also avoid being in that total alone state. We must constantly be doing something to occupy ourselves, to occupy the silence.

Our brains control our emotions and other humans influence how we feel, so being used to having this interaction creates a dependency on it as well.

We rely on social interaction without even realizing it, until it becomes absent.

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Thursday, November 20, 2025

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Ship Life

SU’s new art club combines creativity and philanthropy Jordan Neperud

Asst. Ship Life Editor

Within the doors of Huber Art Center, a new club gathers every week to create masterpieces and charitable donations.

Shippensburg University’s Art Club officially started this semester, with a mission to get artistic people together.

Ella Thayer, president of the art club, came up with the idea when she realized that SU did not have a club that suited her artistic desires.

“When I was a freshman, I went to the club fair looking for an art club and [I] didn’t see any, so I thought it would be a good idea to start one to build a community and make friends,” said Thayer.

With this thought, Thayer began creating the club with her sister Mia Thayer. After about a year, the sisters now run the art club together.

The goal of the art club is to have a place where students can easily make friends and give them an activity to do in their free time.

Thayer aims to craft “a nice, comfortable

environment for students to come to.”

Sarah Chapovich, an art club member, said she enjoyed the ability to learn new media in the art club.

“I like learning new things,” said Chapovich.

She added that the crochet lessons were a particular favorite of hers, despite her usual favorite medium being drawing.

Additionally, the club wants to contribute to charitable causes. In its most recent meeting on Nov. 13, the group made tie-fleece blankets to donate to the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area, Inc. The members hope to do more community service and donations in the future.

They also plan on holding fundraiser events to pay for their art supplies. Thayer is looking to have a Valentine’s Day-themed fundraiser event next semester.

The club meets biweekly, with the meeting days rotating between Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The art club welcomes students of all skill levels. Check out the club’s Instagram @ ship_artclub for more information about its meetings and events.

Jordan Neperud / The Slate

Art club members make tie fleece blankets to donate to an animal shelter.

APB’s trivia night returns in style APB’s Lego bingo Gabby Lovett Staff Contributor

The Shippensburg University Activities Planning Board (APB) held a Trivia Night on Nov. 15 in the CUB Multipurpose Room (MPR). The event began at 8 p.m. and brought the fun and competition.

Upon walking into the MPR, there was warm lighting and music playing, creating the perfect welcoming space for people to come, eat and enjoy the trivia festivities. After checking in, students were able to grab one answer sheet per group and come up with a fun name for their group.

There were five rounds to the event, consisting of themes like music, TV/movies, pop culture, nostalgia and decades.

Each round contained 10 questions, and there were very strict rules on having phones or crossing things out after the question was done, because the prizes were big.

The prizes were given to the first, second and third place groups, with the prizes being $250, $150 and $100, respectively. Each group’s score was dependent on how many points were earned out of 50. This was high stakes, and people were ready for the games to begin.

After going through the

questions each round, the APB members gave players the answers, and players tallied up their scores out of 10 to determine their points for that round. The sounds of excitement for getting something right, or disappointment for wrong answers, could be heard going through the crowd.

There were a few intermissions where the APB members determined answers or let people take a break, get food and enjoy the event without the high intensity of the trivia questions.

There was a nacho bar and mocktails at the event.

The nacho bar had a variety

Jenn Goldstein / The Slate

Shippensburg University students enjoy the night of trivia offered by APB.

of toppings so attendees could load up their nachos.

They had Sprite with apple cider and Shirley Temple mocktails, with cherries or cinnamon sticks on picks for that extra touch. Students were able to go back up for seconds, or even thirds if they had the time.

To decide the winners, the APB members counted down from 50 and would stop when calling a number that correlated with the amount of points a group had.

At the end, the APB members began counting down to determine how many points the groups had. They stopped at above 35 points, and there were many groups that had that amount. They even had to do a tiebreaker, which was one more trivia question, until either group got one right.

Savannah Fragale, vice president of APB, said, “We used to do Trivia Night, so we wanted to bring it back and make it better. Just like the bingo events, this was a hit.”

APB Trivia Night has not been held for a few years now, and it paid off to bring it back.

APB puts on many of these events throughout the year.

To keep up with these events and the organization, check out its Instagram @shipapb.

The Reflector wraps up the semester with a karaoke and craft night Madison Sharp

Asst. Multimedia Editor

Shippensburg University students gathered in McFeely’s for a karaoke and crafts night hosted by The Reflector on Nov. 14.

The Reflector is the university’s student-run journal, which features student submissions in poetry, prose and art.

Along with producing their yearly publication, The Reflector staff meets every other Thursday in Horton Hall to talk about their work and participate in various activities.

They also occasionally host other events as well, including their karaoke and crafts night.

Multiple students sang a variety of songs during karaoke, including “Nobody’s Son,” by Sabrina Carpenter; “From the Start,” by Laufey; “My Dead Gay Son,” from “Heathers: the Musical,”

stacks up a great night Gabby Lovett Staff Contributor

Shippensburg University’s Activities Planning Board hosted Lego Bingo on Nov. 7 in the CUB Multipurpose Room B. The event lasted from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. and had many prizes of intricate Lego sets that everyone wanted.

The night had many rounds, snacks and the competitive feeling in the air that comes along with bingo. WSYC DJed the event, bringing the room to sing together at times and enjoy the games even more.

The multicolored lights paired perfectly with the fun atmosphere for bingo.

The Lego sets that were offered as prizes for the night were the Cullen house from “Twilight,” a kingfisher bird set, a “Wicked”-themed set, a set of different geodes, New York City architecture, a Porsche 911, a guitar and much more.

The prizes were set on the stage for participants to see, and if someone got bingo, they were able to choose which Lego set they wanted, unless specified that it was a surprise.

There were over 10 rounds of bingo, ranging from classic bingo to special rounds like X-shaped, four corners, L-shaped, stamp, border and speed rounds. Some rounds lasted 10 minutes, and some lasted less than five minutes, with someone calling bingo only one minute into four corners.

Hearing the crowd cheer and interact with the hosts added to the competitiveness in the room. People shouting “Bingo!” and running up to

the stage, waiting for the confirmation they had won, had everyone waiting to see what prize they would get.

Throughout the rounds, there were many times when tiebreakers had to be done.

When there were only two people who ran up to the stage, they used the classic rock-paper-scissors to break the tie and find their winner.

At one point, five people were running to the stage, and they used a random number generator and assigned them numbers to determine the winner.

The final round of the night was blackout bingo, where attendees had to cover every spot on their board.

The grand prize of this round was the Milky Way set. Everyone saw this and decided it was time to pay attention to make sure they had a chance to win.

The room was quiet, with the occasional excitement of getting close, awaiting the next number to fill their boards. As time went on, people got closer to bingo, and the anticipation was palpable. After a while, someone called bingo, and the games were over.

“This is something different that we have not done before, but we are glad we did. When we do Lego prizes in other bingo games, it is very popular, so why not do a whole event with them?” said Kyle Alber, a co-adviser of APB. APB hosts many events like this, with many prizes, snacks, and music, and always brings the fun. For updates on their events, visit their Instagram @shipapb and support the organization.

Hannah Stoner / The Slate

Members of The Reflector color at the karaoke and craft night in McFeely’s. and various other songs from artists and theater productions.

While students were singing, others enjoyed the different crafts and games available. Students could grab coloring sheets, including both standard drawings and bookmarks.

There were also various card games to play, including Uno and Cards Against Humanity.

All of this was complemented by the snacks and refreshments provided, including cookies and chips.

Katelyn Mader, editorin-chief of The Reflector, noted how crucial holding events like these on campus is, especially during the busy final push of the semester.

“We were hoping for a nice event for our members and even other members of the community to just come in

and relax a little bit,” Mader said. “We know everything is getting crazy with finals just around the corner so [it was] a nice chance to relax and have fun.”

While the semester may be almost over, The Reflector is still hard at work on its next publication.

For more information on this and more, check out the Reflector’s Instagram @ shippensburg.reflector.

Gabby Lovett / The Slate

The prizes that students competed for at the APB Lego bingo night held on Nov. 7.

Thursday, November 20, 2025

Slatesgiving: Family Recipes

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This year, the Slate staff shared their favorite family recipes, from pumpkin pie to vegetarian taco mac.

Lefse (Norwegian potato flatbread) Homemade Baked Mac-n-Cheese

This is one of the few traditional Norwegian recipes my family still makes. It’s a great way to mix up the traditional American Thanksgiving. These can be made either sweet or savory with your choice of toppings.

Ingredients 6-8 medium sized potatoes ¼ cup butter ¼ cup whole milk 1 ½ teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon sugar ¼ teaspoon pepper 2.5-3 cups of sifted flour

Instructions Jordan Neperud / The Slate 1. Wash and peel the potatoes.

Jordan’s grandfather 2. Cut the potatoes in half. makes lefse every year.

3. Cook potatoes for about twenty minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.

4. Drain and dry potatoes in a pot by shaking the pot over low heat.

5. Mash or rice potatoes thoroughly.

6. Add the butter and milk.

7. Whip the mixture until fluffy.

8. Add the salt, sugar and pepper into the potato mixture.

9. Whip the mixture again until fluffy.

10. Cool the mixture and then chill in the refrigerator, preferably overnight.

11. After chilling, add the potato mixture to about half of the flour and beat until smooth.

12. Knead additional flour to make the mixture into a soft, workable ball.

13. Divide the dough into four evenly sized balls.

14. Put three of the dough balls into the refrigerator to keep cold while working with one dough ball.

15. Divide the ball into six smaller balls.

16. Roll a ball on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin until about ⅛ of an inch thick 17. Carefully lift the lefse with a pastry scraper or a thin spatula and place on to a nongreased heated griddle or skillet. For the griddle, set to medium/high heat. For the skillet, set to low/medium heat. Adjust the temperature if the lefse is cooking too slow or fast.

18. Cook until light brown spots appear on the underside, then flip over until light brown spots appear.

19. Remove from the heat and cool on a paper towel until cool.

20. Repeat steps 15-19 for the remaining dough.

— Jordan Neperud, Asst. Ship Life Editor

Vegetarian Taco Mac

This recipe, while not something we have for Thanksgiving, is a classic meal we make in my home. Our taco mac began with taco meat included, but after I went vegetarian four years ago, my dad changed the recipe to make me included in one of my favorite meals. It was always something I could have as a kid after sports games, long days of school and now whenever I come home to visit from college.

Ingredients 1 box whole wheat macaroni 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup corn ¼ cup taco seasoning mix 1 16oz can of tomato sauce 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 6 cups water Toppings Guacamole Salsa Sour cream Shredded taco cheese, blend or cheddar Taco sauce or hot sauce

Courtesy of Pexels

This mac is a comfort meal for Madison.

Instructions 1. Combine black beans, corn and water in pot and bring to a boil.

2. Lower to medium heat and cook for 6 minutes.

3. Add macaroni, taco seasoning mix, tomato sauce and olive oil.

4. Return to a boil.

5. Lower heat to low and cover pot.

6. Continue cooking and stirring on low heat for about 7 minutes to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan.

7. Remove from heat, serve with your choice of toppings and enjoy!

— Madison Sharp, Asst. Multimedia Editor

Mashed Potatoes

My Gramma is hands down the best cook, and her new mashed potato recipe has quickly become a Thanksgiving favorite I would eat any day.

Ingredients 3-5 lbs. potatoes ¼ cup milk ½ stick butter ½ cup sour cream (room temperature) 4 oz. cream cheese (room temperatire 2 tbsp. Hidden Valley ranch seasoning Instructions 1. Peel and cut potatoes into cubes.

2. Cook potatoes in salted, cold water until soft and drain.

4. Mash potatoes with hand mixer or stand mixer.

5. Heat butter and milk in small pan until warm.

6. Add butter and milk to potatoes and mix.

7. Add sour cream, cream cheese and seasoning and mix with spatula.

8. Taste and add more seasoning to mix. Enjoy!

— Jayden Pohlman, Editor-in-Chief

Courtesy of Canva

Add some bacon and you have delicious mashed potatoes.

This homemade baked mac-n-cheese is a Dillow family tradition that is made for gettogethers like summertime block parties, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Ingredients 1 box elbow pasta (cooked per box instructions) 1/4 cup of butter 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper 1 finely chopped onion (optional to taste) 1 and 3/4 cup of whole milk 1/4 cup of flour 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup of breadcrumbs Instructions Evan Dillow / The Slate 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mac-n-cheese is a 2. Cook the macaroni according to package instructions.

Dillow family staple.

3. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheese sauce: In a large saucepan, over low heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, salt and pepper. Cook until onions are soft.

4. Whisk in the milk and flour, add to the butter mix. Bring the mixture to a boil, continue cooking and whisking for another minute or two to a smooth, silky sauce.

5. Remove the pan from the heat and add the shredded cheese, stirring until the cheese is completely melted.

6. Add the cooked and drained macaroni and toss with the sauce to combine well.

7. Transfer the mixture to a greased or sprayed 8x8 oven-proof casserole dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and transfer to the middle rack of the oven.

8. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the sauce begins to bubble up to the top.

— Evan Dillow, News Editor

Pierogies (Peroghi)

Every year for the holidays, my grandma serves up a large bowl of homemade pierogies drenched in butter and sauteed onions. My family loves her homemade pierogies and we usually finish the whole bowl. A few years ago, my grandma asked me if I wanted to make a batch with her, and of course I said yes. It’s now a family tradition between us.

Ingredients – Dough 1 cup flour 1 egg ¼ teaspoon salt About 4 tablespoons cold water Browned butter and sauteed onions (for serving) Ingredients – Potato & Cheese Filling Mashed potatoes (1 to 1½ cups) Shredded cheese (cheddar or your preference) Butter Salt and pepper, to taste Megan Sawka / The Slate Instructions Megan often makes 1. Prepare the filling: Combine mashed potatoes, shredded pierogies with her cheese, butter, salt and pepper. Mix until smooth. Set aside. grandma.

2. Mix flour, egg, salt and enough cold water to make a medium soft dough.

3. Knead dough well, then roll out until thin.

4. Cut dough into circles to make about 50 pieces.

5. Place about 1 teaspoon of filling on each square.

6. Fold each square in half to form a half circle and pinch edges tightly to seal.

7. Drop pierogies into salted boiling water and cook until they rise to the top.

8. Once floating, continue cooking for 5 minutes longer.

9. When done, pour in a small amount of cold water and strain.

10. Place pierogies in a serving dish and pour over lightly browned butter and onions.

11. Serve hot. Add more salt if desired.

— Megan Sawka, Managing Editor

Pumpkin Pie This is my version of the star of the Thanksgiving dessert table. It is a low effort recipe, especially if you use store-bought pie crust. Any amateur baker can make and enjoy this.

Ingredients 2 eggs One 12 oz. can of evaporated milk One 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree ½ cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ⅛ teaspoon cloves One 9 inch premade pie crust Jordan Neperud / The Slate Instructions The star of the 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit Thanksgiving dessert 2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. table.

3. Whisk in the milk.

4. Whisk in the pumpkin puree until the texture is smooth.

5. Add the sugar, salt and spices. Whisk together until there are no clumps.

6. Pour the filling into the pie crust.

7. Bake for 15 minutes.

8. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 45 minutes.

9. Let cool for 2 hours before serving.

— Jordan Neperud, Asst. Ship Life Editor

Thursday, November 20, 2025

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Slatesgiving: Puzzles ‘n’ Ship Finals stressing you out? Destress with these fun Slatesgiving themed puzzles!

Spot the differences, feat. The Slate staff!

This is the

This is the

original staff

altered staff

photo.

photo.

Take a long look

Notice anything

before moving

different?

to the altered

Hint: There

photo. You can

are seven

come back to

things different

find the rest.

between the

Circle the

photos. Pay

differences, and

attention to

good luck!

Madison Sharp / Asst. Multimedia Editor

The Slate staff from the fall semester of 2025.

Fill your Thanksgiving plate!

details!

Thursday, November 20, 2025

D2

A&E

SUAG brings ‘Wonderland’ to campus

Madison Sharp / The Slate

From left, Wren Gephartas as Knave of Hearts; Alex Heckman as Queen of Hearts; Kaeden Martin as King of Hearts; Madeline Thievon as Alice.

Madison Sharp

Asst. Multimedia Editor

Shippensburg University Acting Group (SUAG) turned Memorial Auditorium into its own wonderland with its production of “Alice in Wonderland.” The play had four showings, opening on Nov. 13 and closing with a Sunday matinee on Nov. 16.

Charlotte McAleer and Lydia Lyman co-directed the production, and Madeline Thievon led the choreography. There was over 40

SU students involved with the play, in positions of management, acting and crew.

The classic story of “Alice in Wonderland” began as a novel published in 1865 and has since been adapted into multiple films, both animated and live-action.

The play follows Alice, a young girl who falls down a rabbit hole into a bizarre yet fantastical world. While there, she meets many interesting people and has many different amusing encounters during her stay in “Wonderland.”

Get Booked: ‘Legend’ Abbygale Hockenberry A&E Editor

All it takes for me to fall in love with a book is a good government corruption plot with a violent, evil leader and a female heroine who falls in love. I loved “Legend”

by Marie Lu because of this.

“Legend” takes place in a futuristic United States that is divided into the Republic and the Colonies, or the rich and the poor. June is a Republic prodigy who is set for leadership one day. Day is the Republic’s most wanted fugitive who lives in the Colonies.

One day, June’s older brother is killed, and Day is accused of the killing.

In seeking revenge, June

hunts down Day. The two end up meeting without knowing who the other one is, and they form a connection.

It took me two chapters before I was absolutely immersed in Lu’s world.

The novel follows alternating perspectives of Day and June. I normally don’t really enjoy it when an author chooses to do this because I always end up liking one perspective over the other, so then I have to suffer through the perspective I don’t like. I preferred Day’s perspective at first, because he was more interesting by being wanted by the Republic. I felt on edge for his safety all the time.

Read the full story at theslateonline.com.

Lyman, one of the show’s directors, made it a point to bring SUAG’s own flair into preparing for the production.

“One of my favorite parts about this play is its ability to create comedy during the scenes,” Lyman said. “Oftentimes I’ll be working with an actor, they would do something, and I can say ‘you can keep that’; adding bits and working with my actors [created] more fun moments within the show.”

Something unique about this semester’s play was that there are

a lot of new members of the acting group participating, creating both a fresh and rewarding environment for all involved.

“This show in particular has brought out a lot of creativity in the actors,” said Thievon, who played the lead of Alice. “A lot of our actors this semester are incoming freshmen, and they have taken these roles and really developed them into something that you could watch over and over again.”

With daily rehearsals, runthroughs and four performances to

prepare for, it was helpful for SUAG to work well with one another, as noted by McAleer.

“Everyone feels like such a concrete unit,” said McAleer.

“We’ve had that for the other shows, but I feel like everyone’s energy blends together in such a fun way with these wacky characters.”

“Alice in Wonderland” was a success for everyone involved and served as a fun outing for students.

For more information on SUAG and its future productions, check out its Instagram @suagofficial.

Ashley McBryde brings that country pride

Abbygale Hockenberry / The Slate

Ashley McBryde hit the stage at Luhrs Performing Arts Center on Friday night.

Abbygale Hockenberry A&E Editor

Country artist Ashley McBryde performed at the Luhrs Performing Arts Center Friday night.

McBryde was accompanied

by Will Jones, who opened the show.

McBryde won her first Grammy Award in 2023 for Best Country Duo/Group Performance of “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” with Carly Pearce. McBryde has won other awards with the CMA and ACM. Jones got the crowd excited. They were hooting

and hollering in between silent moments and clapping during some of his songs. The country spirit was in the air when Jones asked the crowd, “How many country folks do I got in the crowd tonight?”

During a 20-minute intermission, Jones went to sell merch at his stand to meet some of his fans.

Cheering could be heard from those who quickly left to go meet him before McBryde went onstage.

McBryde made a grand entrance, and the crowd was roaring. The first few rows of people stood for nearly the entire show. McBryde introduced the song “Ain’t

Enough Cowboy Songs” by telling the story that when making this song they noticed “an ingredient missing,” which was the violin.

“Brenda Put Your Bra On” was played after a more upbeat song. A backstage member threw a bra at McBryde for her to put on for the duration of the song, earning laughter from the crowd.

Throughout the show, McBryde expressed how important it is to stay creative and to be who you are.

McBryde told a story about her playing with her dad’s guitar as a kid and almost breaking it after she tripped

over a box of ammo before she played, “Bible and A .44.”

The song is dedicated to her father and his guitar, holding onto his memory.

McBride sang, “And he left it to me like he said he would / And if you ask me why it sounds so good / It’s cause I’m holding more than strings and wood.”

Periodically, fans would walk down the center aisle all the way to the front to get a picture with McBryde.

The stage lights were warm colors that made the whole ambience of the show more visually appealing. The audience gave McBryde a standing ovation at the end.

‘Pick a Color’: A day in the life Tyler Sweeney Guest Contributor

More music, more movies, more online!

Scan the QR code to find it all

If you have a service job, then you might be interested in the book “Pick a Color,” by Souvankham Thammavongsa. It is about a woman named Ning who owns a nail salon and has a special relationship with her employees, and they all wear name tags labeled “Susan.” The story lasts through one day of Ning’s working life.

Thammavongsa was born in a Lao

refugee camp in Thailand and moved to Canada. Thammavongsa won the Giller Prize in 2020, and the O. Henry Award in 2019. She also wrote several poetry books and the short story collection “How to Pronounce Knife.”

“Pick a Color,” which is a novel, might win the 2025 Giller Prize David Varno, fiction reviews editor at Publishers Weekly, asked her about the appeal of physical labor.

“I’m really interested in the way people work…I like to imagine how thinking happens through the body

without words,” said Thammavongsa.

The book translates people’s (Ning’s) labor into their feelings. For people who do not understand what working a service job is like, this book is a good representation of what it is like.

One of the themes in this novel is about power dynamics for women immigrants in America. This theme is shown throughout the book in many ways.

Read the full story at theslateonline.com.

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Thursday, November 20, 2025

Sports

Women’s basketball bounces back from slow start

Emily Lapinsky Staff Contributor

Shippensburg University women’s basketball earned its first win of 2025 on Saturday, defeating Lincoln (Pa.) 59–55 in overtime to close the Conference Challenge at Heiges Field

House. The victory followed a 52–37 season-opening loss to Fayetteville State on Friday.

Shippensburg struggled offensively against Fayetteville State.

The Broncos began with a 9-0 run and forced 10 Raider turnovers in the first quarter.

The Raiders shot just 15.8% in the first half, trailing 26– 11 at the halftime break.

The Raiders improved after halftime, matching the Broncos 26–26 in the second half. Freshman guard Melana Eyer debuted with 10 points and seven rebounds. Senior forward Makayla Foddrell

Patrick Crean / The Slate

Shippensburg sophomore McKenzie Thomas feels the pressure from Fayetteville State defenders. She had eight rebounds in the home opener.

had nine points on 4-of-8 shooting, and sophomore McKenzie Thomas collected a career-high eight rebounds.

Despite the loss, head coach Kristy Trn said she saw progress from her young roster.

“I am very impressed with their defense,” Trn said. “To hold Fayetteville State to 52 points when they averaged 67 last year is great for a very young team.”

Shippensburg built on that growth Saturday against Lincoln, overcoming a sevenpoint fourth-quarter deficit to win 59–55 in overtime.

The Raiders did not hold a lead all night, but with less than 30 seconds left and facing a three-point deficit, they kept their composure at the line. Johns and Eyer knocked down four consecutive free throws, with Eyer’s final two tying the game at 47 in the closing seconds, bringing the crowd to its feet in a standing ovation.

“It’s definitely nervewracking, especially as a freshman stepping up to the line,” Eyer said. “But it felt

really good to send us into overtime.”

The Raiders struck quickly in overtime. Sophomore Michelle Olak scored inside, and Thomas followed with a three-pointer for early momentum. Lincoln briefly led by one, but Shippensburg responded. Olak finished a layup through contact, and after missing the free throw, Eyer rebounded and scored, putting SU up 56–54.

Johns sealed the win, sinking a three-pointer with under a minute left to extend the Raiders’ lead to 59–55.

“It felt pretty good,” Johns said. “I just told myself to keep shooting and stay confident because we needed some points.”

Johns led the Raiders with a career-high 18 points, scoring 13 of them in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Eyer added 12 points and four assists while playing all 45 minutes. Olak finished with 12 points and six rebounds, and freshman forward Kiara Hardy totaled five steals and five assists off the bench.

After the win, Trn praised the team’s resilience.

“The biggest positive is that they don’t quit,” Trn said. “Their culture has been outstanding, and our leaders have really come together.”

Eyer and Johns were both named to the AllTournament Team.

The Raiders return to Heiges Field House on Wednesday to host Point Park at 6 p.m.

Patrick Crean / The Slate

Freshman Raider Melana Eyer dribbles down the court on Friday.

Field hockey shuts out Football head coach Mark Maciejewski retires after 32 years at SU Mason Flowers Saint Anselm in NCAA quarterfinal match Sports Editor

Hannah Stoner Asst. Sports Editor

Shippensburg University field hockey won its NCAA Division II quarterfinal match against Saint Anselm at Robb Sports Complex on Saturday.

The Raiders beat last year’s champions 3-0, a score similar to when the two teams met earlier this year.

In September, SU defeated the Hawks 4-0 in a neutralsite game at Widener.

During Saturday’s contest, the first quarter highlighted the strong defensive skills from both teams that led them to win their own conference titles.

Last week, the Raiders claimed their second-straight Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference title, and Saint Anselm won its Northeast-10 Conference tournament.

Shippensburg pulled ahead offensively in the second quarter, forcing the Hawks’ defense to crumble.

The Raiders scored their

first goal when senior Agus Garibaldi maneuvered around three defenders and lifted the ball on the reverse side of her stick past the goalie.

Then, in the last minute of the quarter, SU was awarded a penalty stroke after a Saint Anselm defender got in the way of another Raider point.

Junior Kayla Snyder took the stroke and pushed the ball into the bottom left corner of the cage to make the score 2-0.

In the fourth quarter, SU added an insurance goal with a little less than three minutes on the clock. Junior Carme Caracotche Picone capitalized on a penalty corner when she shot the ball after receiving it on the insert from sophomore Elaina Fragassi, making the final score 3-0.

The Raiders move on to play Kutztown for the semifinals on Friday afternoon at Bloomsburg. If victorious, they will play in the national championship on Sunday.

Shippensburg football head coach Mark “Mac” Maciejewski has officially retired after 14 seasons. He finishes with a career record of 85-61 and two AFCA Division II Region 1 Coach of the Year awards.

Maciejewski has the second most wins as a coach in program history, with his 85 wins only trailing Rocky Rees’s 123. He was also the longest-tenured coach in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).

Maciejewski shared his thoughts on the decision, saying, “It has been a complete honor to have spent 32 years of my life in the Shippensburg University football family. I take a great deal of pride from my experiences as a player and coach — it has been a truly

remarkable journey that has spanned five decades.”

“Stepping away from something this special is not a decision that you make overnight,” Maciejewski said.

“It requires a tremendous amount of thought. But I have come to the realization that I am ready to start the next chapter of my life with my family.”

Maciejewski put together a streak of eight straight winning seasons from 201118, including two NCAA playoff appearances. He reached double-digit wins twice, going 11-2 in 2012 and 10-2 in 2017.

Maciejewski was also a fantastic player at SU, earning three All-PSAC First Team honors as a defensive lineman. He finished his playing career with 23 sacks, earning a spot in the SU Athletics Hall of Fame.

He began his coaching

Madison Sharp / The Slate

Head Coach Mark Maciejewski on the sideline Saturday, which was his last game coaching for SU.

career at SU as a graduate assistant from 1995-96. He then returned as a secondary coach in 2000, and he was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2003 and to assistant head coach in 2006, where he would work until Rees’s retirement.

Shippensburg University President Charles Patterson also spoke on the retirement.

“We are profoundly grateful to Maciejewski for his many years of loyal and dedicated service to Raider football, both as a studentathlete and as a coach.

His leadership, integrity and commitment have left an enduring mark on our program and the countless student athletes he has mentored,” said Patterson.

SU Athletics Director Jeff Michaels spoke highly of Maciejewski, saying, “The name Mark Maciejewski will always be connected

to Shippensburg athletics.

His influence stretches far beyond success on the field and includes daily interactions, life lessons and impact on students whom he guided to exceed expectations far beyond the turf at Seth Grove Stadium.”

Michaels also commented on the upcoming search for a new coach.

“We will conduct an aggressive national search to find our next head coach who will continue to develop a program of which Mac and all of us will be proud,” said Michaels.

Maciejewski finished his remarks, saying “I may be stepping down as the head coach, but my heart will always be with this football family. It will always have my support. And my football home will forever be at Seth Grove Stadium.”

Photo courtesy of Sammy Lerario / SU Sports Info

Head Coach Maciejewski on Saturday with his family and a poster capturing his days as a player.

Volleyball loses final two games of regular season Ben Hummel

Staff Contributor Photo courtesy of Jake Brook / SU Sports Info

SU’s Kayla Snyder takes her fourth penalty storke of the season. She has made all four penalty shots.

Photo courtesy of Jake Brook / Su Sports Info

SU field hockey celebrates Saturday’s 3-0 victory.

Shippensburg’s volleyball closed out its regular season schedule with two road games against East Stroudsburg on Friday and Kutztown on Saturday.

Shippensburg suffered a 3-1 road loss to ESU in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference matchup (PSAC) on Friday night.

Set scores were 25-23, 1925, 13-25 and 21-25.

SU recorded 51 kills in the match and hit .108, while ESU recorded 47 kills and hit .195.

The Warriors delivered seven aces to the Raiders’ four. ESU out-blocked SU 14-5.

Shippensburg had 31 errors in the match, while East Stroudsburg only had 16.

Senior Isabelle Bombas led the Raider offense with 10 kills and hit .450 from the floor. She added a solo block and a block assist.

Redshirt sophomore Gracen Nutt and freshman Elise Bragg both added nine kills. Bragg tallied 13 digs, and Nutt added two block assists.

On Saturday night, Shippensburg fell in four

sets at Kutztown in a PSAC matchup. Set scores were 2515, 12-25, 24-26 and 23-25.

Shippensburg ended the match with a .116 hitting percentage and recorded 45 kills. Kutztown delivered 55 kills and hit .156 from the floor.

The Raiders out blocked the Golden Bears 12 to five.

Kutztown delivered six aces to Shippensburg’s five.

Nutt recorded her first double-double of the season and second of her career, finishing with 11 kills and 21 digs. She tacked on a block assist and a solo block.

Senior Kearstin Davis and sophomore Jaiden Anderson

shared the setting duties, with Davis contributing 21 assists and Anderson adding 19. Davis added two aces and 12 digs.

Junior Shay Kolivoski led the SU defense with 22 digs, an ace and two assists.

Shippensburg was previously on a 12-game win streak before losing the final two games of the season.

With the loss on Saturday and an East Stroudsburg win over Shepherd, Shippensburg will be the No. 2 East seed in the PSAC Tournament.

The Raiders will host No. 3 West seed Pitt-Johnstown on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Heiges Field House.

Thursday, November 20, 2025

SPORTS

E2

Men’s basketball splits opening weekend Savannah Silvestre Staff Contributor

Shippensburg University men’s basketball opened its season with two games this weekend. The team faced off against Frostburg State and Bluefield State at Frostburg’s Bobcat Invitational.

The first matchup against Frostburg State’s Bobcats was on Saturday evening. The matchup produced the most points in a season opener for the Raiders in nine years.

Unfortunately, SU was on the wrong end of the high point game with a 112-90 loss. Both teams were back and forth, but a massive run

by FSU in the second half set the Raiders on their heels.

Redshirt junior Markus Frank led all scorers with 28 points on 12-of-18

shooting. Frank and senior Denzel Figueroa each had a team-high seven rebounds.

Figueroa added six points and two blocks.

Redshirt junior Michael Dickson finished an assist shy of a double-double, scoring 10 points and nine assists. He had an impressive 6-of-6 run at the free-throw line.

Freshman Sebastian Edwards performed well in his collegiate debut, posting eight points, three assists and two steals in 17 minutes off the bench.

Moving to Sunday afternoon, SU earned its first win of the season against Bluefield State, 79-60.

Dickson led the Raiders in points (31), rebounds (8), assists (5), and steals (2). He is the first Raider since 2023

to be the sole leader in all four of those categories.

The redshirt junior continued his free-throw masterclass from Saturday by going 8-for-8 at the line.

Senior Timmy Conner earned 13 points and went 3-for-5 from three off the bench. Frank added 12 points, seven rebounds, and two assists.

Overall, the team finished with a 38-24 rebounding advantage and had a 17-6 edge in second-chance points.

The Raiders will have their home opener against Chestnut Hill on Wednesday at 8 p.m. at Heiges Field House. They will also host Wilmington at 3 p.m. on Saturday, before taking on Cheyney at home at 7 p.m. on Monday.

Courtesy of Gorman Findley

Michael Dickson dribbles in an exhibition game against Penn State. Dickson led the Raiders in scoring, assists, rebounds and steals in Sunday’s victory.

Football ends season Coming Up in SU Sports with loss to California Friday, Nov. 21 Swimming: F&M Invitational (at Franklin & Marshall), 10 a.m.

Field Hockey: NCAA semifinal, vs Kutztown (at Bloomsburg), 2 p.m.

Volleyball: PSAC semifinals, TBD

Saturday, Nov. 22 Swimming: F&M Invitational (at Franklin & Marshall), 10 a.m.

Men’s Cross Country: NCAA National Championships (at Wisconsin-Parkside), 11 a.m.

Men’s Basketball: vs Wilmington, 3 p.m.

Courtesy of Bill Shearn

Volleyball: PSAC Finals, TBD Madison Sharp / The Slate

DJ Jackson and his fellow seniors led the Raiders onto the field Saturday.

Mason Flowers Sports Editor

Shippensburg football’s strong defensive effort in the first half was not enough on Saturday, falling to California (Pa.) 35-10 on senior day at Seth Grove Stadium. The Raiders end the season with a 3-8 record.

The Vulcans’ first drive of the day was impressive, going 87 yards on 11 plays, with Rowen Hershey making a phenomenal catch for a 31-yard touchdown. SU then went on its own long drive, but sophomore kicker Wilson Ingerski missed a 44yard field goal try.

The teams traded punts on their next six drives.

California moved into Shippensburg territory with less than two minutes left in the first half, but redshirt freshman Eli Rodruigez hurried Vulcans QB Roman Purcell, forcing a turnover on downs.

SU’s offense followed that with a strong two-minute drill, moving the ball well into California territory. They fizzled out in the redzone, but Ingerski connected on a 28-

yard field goal try, making it 7-3 at halftime.

California came out of the locker room strong, scoring a 29-yard touchdown on its first drive to make it 14-3. SU could only muster one first down in the third quarter, but the defense held strong, keeping it a two-score game entering the fourth.

A pair of key mistakes in the fourth quarter allowed the Vulcans to pull away.

Already ahead 21-3, Tajuan Bandy strip-sacked SU redshirt sophomore QB Riley Gunnels, setting up California at the SU 9-yard line. They ran it in for a touchdown on the very next play.

Later in the quarter, sophomore Ty Neal muffed a California punt, which was recovered by the Vulcans.

They immediately punched it in the endzone, taking a 35-3 lead.

The last offensive drive of the season for the Raiders was a strong one. Shippensburg used 11 plays to go 47 yards, with sophomore Vincent Micucci finding redshirt freshman Derek Guzman for a 5-yard touchdown.

Gunnels led the SU passers with 93 yards on 15 completions. Redshirt sophomore Andre Weidman was the leading rusher, picking up 68 yards on 13 carries. The Raiders’ top receiver was redshirt sophomore Jaevon Parker, gaining 70 yards via seven catches.

California outgained Shippensburg 311-226, with the Raiders only averaging three yards per play. SU had 18 first downs compared to 16 for the Vulcans, but the turnovers proved to be a key difference.

This was the final game for SU head coach Mark Maciejeswski, who announced his retirement leading up to the game. He spent 14 seasons as head coach, compiling a record of 88-69.

Shippensburg also honored 11 senior players before the game: Jeremiah Carothers, Josh Cordoba, Ely Ghameshlougy, DJ Jackson, Josiah Leonard, Josh Lesesne, Tyler Marshall, Tyler Masdea, Terrance Peterson Jr., Tobee Stokes and Jalen Wade.

Sunday, Nov. 23

Swimming: F&M Invitational (at Franklin & Marshall), 10 a.m.

Field Hockey: NCAA Championship, TBD

Monday, Nov. 24

Women’s Basketball: at Bowie State, 5:30 p.m.

Men’s Basketball: vs Cheyney, 7 p.m.

Wrestling: at Millersville, 7 p.m.

Courtesy of Sammy Lerario / SU Sports Info

Monday, Dec. 1 Women’s Basketball: at Chestnut Hill, 5 p.m.

Men’s Basketball: at Seton Hill, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 3 Men’s Basketball: at Bowie State, 7 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 5

Indoor Track & Field: Bison Opener (at Bucknell), 5 p.m.

Swimming: at Gettysburg Invitational, 6 p.m.

Patrick Crean / The Slate

Women’s Basketball: vs Bowie State, 7 p.m.

Wrestling: at Pitt-Johnstown, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 6 Swimming: at Gettysburg Invitational, 9:30 a.m.

Indoor Track & Field: Bison Opener (at Bucknell), 10 a.m.

Saturday, Dec. 13 Madison Sharp / The Slate

Carson Swartz tries to evade a California tackler in Saturday’s season finale.

Women’s Basketball: at PittJohnstown, 1 p.m.

Courtesy of Frostburg State University

F1

GALLERY

Thursday, November 20, 2025

Fall 2025 Semester Recap

Photos by Asst. Multimedia Editors Hayden Highlands and Madison Sharp, Editor-in-Chief Jayden Pohlman, Opinion Editor Matt Scalia and staff photographer Patrick Crean