The Slate 2-14-23

Biden, House chamber spar throughout rowdy State of the Union address

President Joe Biden delivered his 2023 State of the Union address on Feb. 7, where he celebrated the political achievements of his administration as he prepares to face the challenge of passing legislation through a divided — and obstreperous — Congress.

Biden’s one-hour address featured several contentious moments between himself and select Republican members of Congress. He was interrupted several times, and on a few occasions, he responded to the loudest members.

Biden began his speech at 9:09 p.m. after a six-minute walk to the rostrum. He celebrated the United States’ economic recovery since the pandemic, as ten million Americans have applied to start small businesses since 2021. The unemployment rate has dropped to a 50-year low at 3.4%, and the manufacturing sector has added 800,000 jobs.

His first slight at Republicans was in response to those who voted against the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. He told opponents of the legislation, “I’ll see you at the groundbreaking.”

He introduced Saria Gwyn-Maye, “a proud member of the Ironworkers Local 44,” who is about to begin work on a new bridge above the Ohio River in Cincinnati.

Transitioning to the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden addressed the financial hardships Americans with diabetes face due to the costs of insulin. As of Jan. 1, seniors on Medicare will only pay $35 per month for insulin.

“Big Pharma has been unfairly charging people hundreds of dollars … and making record profits. Not anymore,” Biden said.

The first spat with Republican legislators began when he claimed some members are

“threatening to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act.” He wished any opposing member “lots of luck in your senior year.”

While on the topic of “Big Oil,” Biden said he tells individuals working in those companies, “We’re going to need oil for at least another decade.”

Republicans erupted in laughter before Biden asked Congress to “quadruple the tax on corporate stock buybacks and encourage long-term investments.”

In the most raucous encounter of the night, Biden addressed his support for lifting the debt ceiling to avert immediate economic turmoil and chastised Republicans who “want Medicare and Social Security to sunset.”

Upon this suggestion, Republicans jeered. As a back-and-forth argument began, Biden asked, “Social Security and Medicare is off the books now, right?” Without a response, Biden said, “All right. We’ve got unanimity.”

Tyre Nichols’ parents attended Biden’s address. Nichols was killed during an encounter with five Memphis police officers on Jan. 7. The officers involved face several charges, including second-degree murder.

Biden said Nichols’ mother told him after her son’s death, “Something good will come of this.”

“Imagine how much courage and character that takes,” Biden said.

Brandon Tsay stopped a gunman from entering his grandparents’ dance studio in Monterey Park on the weekend of Lunar New Year. He was another guest for Biden’s address, and Biden celebrated his heroism before asking Congress to ban assault weapons.

Biden called the Russo-Ukrainian War “a test for America; a test for the world.” He

welcomed Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova and pledged the United States’ support for “as long as it takes.”

Doug Griffin’s daughter died eight years ago after overdosing on fentanyl. Griffin “has turned pain to purpose” since his daughter’s death, but after Biden cited the 70,000 annual fatalities from fentanyl overdoses, Rep. Andy Ogles interrupted and shouted, “It’s your fault.”

Maurice and Kandice Barron are the parents of Ava Barron, a 3-year-old who was diagnosed with kidney cancer when she was one year old. Despite previously having a 5% chance of survival, she “is on her way to being cured.” The parents were recognized, and Ava

was at the White House during the speech. Paul Pelosi, the spouse of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was Biden’s final guest. He was assaulted in his home by “an unhinged Big Lie assailant.” Biden called the attack “a heinous act (that) should have never happened.”

After an hour rife with division, Biden ended the speech with an attempt to promote unity. He described his vision of the American ethos and his belief “that all of us, every one of us, is created equal in the image of God.” “We’re the United States of America,” he said, “and there’s nothing, nothing, beyond our capacity if we do it together.”

Shippensburg 2022 Campus Climate Survey reveals issues with intersectionality

Chase Slenker Staff Columnist

In November 2022, Manuel Ruiz, assistant vice president for inclusion and belonging and director of social equity, facilitated several sessions to constituents of Shippensburg University regarding the 2022 Campus Climate Survey (CCS) results. The sessions conducted by Ruiz had a total of 27 faculty, 30 staff, 22 students, seven administrators and 10 members of the Council of Trustees in attendance. These sessions were held to provide a more detailed analysis of the results and to discuss results and implications of the CCS.

The survey, conducted in early spring, was conducted across all Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) schools, and the results are used to better understand the culture and climate at each institution. 10.6 % of students, 36.15 % of faculty, 36.1 % of staff and 58.9 % of non-represented employees participated in the CCS. Key takeaways include high levels of concerns among students about academic advising, a strong desire to have a more transparent administration (as many staff/faculty felt the previous administration was not),

a desire for more intergroup dialogue when addressing diversity/equity/inclusion (DEI) issues on campus and a desire to continue to foster a safe place for marginalized students on campus.

Other notable results in the CCS were a sense of a “white versus black” in existing and historical DEI trainings and a lack of understanding of diverse intersectionalities including religion, political affiliation, gender, sexual orientation, age, etc.

Commenting on this, Ruiz said that “in doing this work, it is important [we] examine DEI through an intersectional lens … this allows for greater conversation and for folks to establish commonalities.”

Additionally, faculty, staff and students alike did not feel comfortable addressing their political or religious views on campus. This was a concerning result of the survey, as part of the university’s mission is “to graduate well-rounded students that should be able to have conversations through both a liberal and conservative context,” according to Ruiz.

Unlike other areas in the CCS that varied by constituency or demographic group, political and religious diversity held true

more consistently across respondents.

As a result of the CCS, actions are ongoing to address these shortcomings. To support goals set forth in the 20212024 strategic plan, the office of Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) and the PAGE Center now report to Ruiz as a centralized source of DEI training, dissemination and implementation. Previously, MSA reported to the senior vice president of administration and finance and the PAGE Center reported to the interim associate vice president of student affairs.

DEI has now been included in the university strategic plan, while the Office of Inclusion, Belonging and Social Equity has placed a strong emphasis on intersectionalities in multiple training sessions across campus. Updates to the First Year Experience programs are underway to further incorporate a sense of belonging to the university, connections with academic advisers and peer anchors and a continued emphasis on incorporating DEI into core program requirements. The full results of the CCS are located on the PASSHE website.

Luke Rainey Staff Contributor

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

President Joe Biden give the State of the Union address to the joint session of the United States congress on Feb. 7.

Shippensburg resident working to keep local history afloat

Carmine Scicchiato Multimedia Director

The borough of Shippensburg is like many others throughout Pennsylvania and is the oldest community in the Cumberland Valley. A small town that was first settled nearly 300 years ago, Shippensburg has changed drastically over the course of time.

Recently, one area resident has made it his personal goal to share a little bit of that history. Richard Guyer, who has lived in Shippensburg for most of his life, has seen firsthand how the area has evolved over his lifetime.

Similar to Shippensburg University’s 150th anniversary timeline that was created last year, Guyer posts news articles and photographs from throughout Shippensburg’s history to the Shippensburg Community Facebook page.

Guyer, a member of the that Facebook page, first started on his journey last May. Posting a photo of downtown Shippensburg from the early 1900s, he never anticipated the positive response he would receive from it.

After that, with his trusty tablet charged and ready, he started researching. Using online resources, he thinks back to his time growing up and starts his search from there. The

DeSantis doubles down on critical race theory

Ron DeSantis is the governor of Florida, who may possibly be in the running for the 2024 presidential election.

Currently, DeSantis is aligning his policies with that of Republicans and is moving forward with his “Stop Woke Act.” What’s highlighted mostly in this act is the stopping of indoctrinating children as well as making children feel as though they should feel guilty of what happened in the past. What falls into these guidelines is “Black Queer Studies” along with most of Black history.

The College Board, which is responsible for implementing AP courses for students, is relatively against what DeSantis is trying to do. Both College Board and DeSantis are going head-to-head over an AP African American studies course.

The course would have students analyz-

ing Black scholars including Angela Davis, as well as writings like poetry.

When deciding to implement African studies as an AP course, College Board had to do a lot of “clean ups” to get the course approved, which means some Black writers associated with critical race theory, the queer experience, and Black feminism were removed from being taught in the course. Once the course was “cleaned up” and ready to be brought to high schools, DeSantis was prepared to put a stop to the course which he successfully did.

DeSantis believes that the course lacks “educational value” while College Board believes the course would add much needed insight into Black history.

This decision follows conservative trends of censoring literature and teaching, claiming things like critical race theory are unnecessary and dangerous for children.

names of businesses, people or events he can remember help him to piece together the borough’s life.

Guyer, who also worked at Shippensburg University for 35 years, watched as the campus formed into what it is today. He watched the construction of Heiges Field House, Grove Hall and the whole recreation area.

As he posts more, other members of the community chime in with their memories and experiences, providing more leads for Guyer to research. When asked why he spends so much time researching, he had a very simple answer — this is what he enjoys doing.

“The main drag had department stores, shoe stores, hardware stores, you name it. And it’s all gone,” Guyer said while discussing his own personal memories of the borough. “Doing this we have a chance to relive it. We can never go back to it, but we got memories.”

He also stressed how important history is, especially for small communities such as Shippensburg.

“Never let history disappear,” Guyer said. “Without history, we have nothing.”

Upcoming campus events announced at SGA meeting

Ian Thompson Staff Contributor

The Shippensburg University Student Government Association (SGA) was updated on a multitude of upcoming student group events during its second public meeting on Feb. 9. SGA Vice President of Internal Affairs Rashann Henry announced that Student Government Officer Elections are getting underway. Students are welcomed to attend candidates’ speeches in McFeely’s Lounge (CUB 024) on February 23 at 5 p.m. Voting will take place the following week from Monday to Thursday, and students shall receive a link via their ship. edu emails to vote.

Henry also indicated that SGA is looking for students interested in joining SGA committees. Anyone who is interested should contact the relevant committee chairs, VP Henry or SGA administrative secretary Lisa Laughlin.

RHA Senator Connor Baca announced two upcoming events being held by RHA. First, President’s Hour will be held Monday, Feb. 20

Over 33,000 Dead from Earthquakes in Turkey, Syria

Daniel Reiley

Staff Contributor

NOTE: This story contains the latest figures as of February 12.

More than 33,000 people have died and more than 75,000 are injured after two earthquakes struck Turkey and Syria on Monday, Feb. 6. While earthquakes are not uncommon in Turkey, these earthquakes are being considered one of the worst natural disasters of the century, and the death toll is expected to rise.

The first earthquake, with a 7.8 magnitude, struck the city of Gaziantep in southeast Turkey, roughly 150 miles from the Turkey-Syria border, at 4:17 a.m. local time, which reached a depth of 11 miles. The second earthquake, with a 7.5 magnitude, hit the city of Kahramanmaras in Turkey, roughly 80 miles north of Gaziantep, at 1:24 p.m. and was six miles deep. Both quakes destroyed around 6,000 buildings. The quakes could be felt as far as Lebanon, Greece, Israel and Palestine. Around 13.5 million Turks and millions more Syrians have been affected by the quakes.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been Turkey’s president for almost 20 years, visited Kahramanmaras, which is currently the epicenter of the earthquakes.

“We are face to face with a great disaster,” Erdogan told

survivors.

However, many in Turkey, including politicians, have blamed Erdogan for the slow response in rescue aid. Erdogan has blamed the shortcomings on winter weather conditions and failing infrastructure for the lack of aid to survivors.

“[The Justice and Development Party] failed in this as they failed in every other issue, they don’t know how to manage the state,” said Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the Republican’s People Party, the main opposition party in Turkey. “If there is anyone responsible for this process, it is Erdoğan. It is this ruling party that has not prepared the country for an earthquake for 20 years.”

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday that the first relief convoy reached northern Syria, which is also facing freezing winter conditions. “More help is on the way, but much more, much more is needed,” Guterres said. President Biden has also sent aid to Turkey and Syria.

“At my direction, senior American officials reached out immediately to their Turkish counterparts to coordinate any and all needed assistance,” Biden said on Feb. 6. “Our teams are deploying quickly to begin to support Turkish search and rescue efforts and address the needs of those injured and displaced by the earthquake.”

Weather Forecast

from 8-9 p.m. in Harley

MPR. President Patterson and members of his cabinet and other administrators will be present to answer questions and concerns from students. He also announced that RHA will be holding a “Mocktails” event March 29 from 7-9 p.m. in the CUB.

SGA Vice President of External Affairs Harun Pacavar announced that SGA has set a date for their movie night. SGA will be hosting a showing of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” in Orndorff Theater (CUB 123) on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. Pacavar also mentioned that he was working with the Political Science department on partnering for multiple events.

Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) Senators McArthur and Elhossian announced a slate of events being held by MSA in honor of Black History Month, including a Poetry Cafe, a Black Wall Street Entrepreneur fair and a movie discussion. Additional information as well as times and locations for these events can be found on MSA’s social media.

The Activities Programming Board announced that

they have had an encouraging rise in event attendance, approaching pre-pandemic levels.

A representative from the Campus Media Board announced that WSYC is preparing for its “Up All Night” event. They also announced that SUTV will soon begin producing and broadcasting new programming, including an E-sports talk show, a cooking show and a game show.

During the public comment period, members of SGA were updated on a situation regarding a lack of furniture in Fireside Lounge (CUB 120) which has had a negative effect on use of the space by students and student groups. They were informed of recent progress and the potential for a resolution to the issue. Due to a large number of senators being absent, SGA did not reach a quorum, and was unable to conduct votes on any new business. The meeting was adjourned after 15 minutes.

Photo courtesy of WMFE

Photo courtesy of Flickr Shippensburg University was originally founded as the Cumberland Valley Normal School.

Monika B. Lewis

Asst. Opinion Editor

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Governor Ron DeSantis thinks courses about race lack “educational value.”

Love Lines

Dear Slaters, Thank you for all your dedicated, hard work. We couldn’t do it without you and appreciate each and every one of you. We are so grateful you decided to join us and even more grateful that you’ve stuck with us.

Love, Piper and Paige

Timothy, I love you, always and forever!

Carlos, Happy Valentine’s Day! You are my best friend and I hope you have a day just as great as you. Thank you for always supporting me and lifting me up when I’m down. You have a heart of gold and mean the world to me.

Love always, Paige

Issy, I just wanted to thank you for being such a great friend to me these last three years of college. Never change, and never stop being you :)

Carson Devitt

DiscipleMakers Christian Fellowship, Love this group of people, who are all super welcoming and always cheer me up!

Quinn Erney

Henry, Thank you for everything you do and everything you are. I couldn’t be more excited to be traveling through this life with you. Here’s to many more Valentine’s Days and every day in between.

Piper

Number Six, May the sun shine on you today, and every other day.

Max Bresee

Jam, Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope your day is amazing, you deserve it. I’m so proud of the person I’ve seen you grow into. You’re the best roomie I could ever have asked for.

Jamlet

Emily, Roses are red Violets are blue

You smell like a stinky shoe But don’t worry, I love you.

Rylan

Alex Gumuchian, I can’t believe you stole my heart again! Give it back. The grip you have on my life is insane, but I would not have it any other way. I hope you have an amazing day, and I can’t wait for Feb. 17th <3 (stream bbno$)

Elizabeth Peters

Matt, Madi, Janet, and Bailey, Love you guys! Thanks for making Shippensburg feel like home <3

Caitlyn

Madi and Caitlyn, Keep slatin’ slaters!

Matthew

Madi Shively,

We hope you have a LOVELY Valentine’s Day! We love you!

Love, Mom and Dad

Kyoko, Love you forever, anata.

Ben Wagner

The Illustrious Dr. Drager, Thank you for all you do for your students! We wouldn’t be the people we are today without your influence!

Tall gal, Pinky, and Sporty McSportswriter

President Patty, You are my favorite everything <3 Your tugboat

Elizabestie,

I legitimately wouldn’t be able to do what I do without you. You are an absolutely amazing person inside and out, and you should never doubt that. You truly are my rock. Miss you already! I wish you the best in South Korea!

Piper

Students for American Democracy Exec Board, Even though we just started working together, you guys make me fall in love with democracy even more each day.

Charles C

Sister Slater, You’re one of the best in this biz. Thank you for always entertaining me with your wit and whimsical stories.

Ledes and bylines, Mother Goose

WSYC,

Thank you to all of you for keeping us jammin’ around the clock! We appreciate all you DJ’s hard work. We love you!

The Slate

SUTV, We’re so grateful to you for keeping us informed! We’re so excited to see your original programming. Proud of you guys! We love you!

The Slate

PRSSA, Keep on doing what you’re doing because you’re doing a great job! And thanks for helping us out with our PR last semester. You guys rock! We love you!

The Slate

Random person, You are absolutely amazing. Never doubt yourself! Have an amazing day!

Your dear friend

Ms. Business, My busy gal! I appreciate and admire all you do, just wish I got to see you more. Thank you for always making me laugh out loud, going to Panera for the millionth time and being my best friend.

Snookipuss

Paige,

Thank you for not only being a terrific managing editor, but also a truly fabulous person. You really are something else! Keep slaying, you always do.

Piper

Kathleen and Gracieboo, I love you both so much and I genuinely believe that you were brought into my life for a reason! I cannot imagine how boring my life would be without you both! You make my life so much happier :)

Miss America

Caitlyn and Madi,

To quote Taylor Swift, “So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it.” I love you guys so much!

Grace Christian, You’re my favorite! I love you!

Allyson

Chloe L., I love you a lot and I can’t wait to see how we both grow in the future <3 Jeremy S.

Ashley, I couldn’t do this without you here. With love always, Maddi <3

Meaghan and Lauren, You both make me feel so loved in such a short period of time. I can be my authentic self around you, and you bring out pure joy in me. I love you both dearly <3

Love, Cheyann

Dante, Today is Valentine’s Day. This is true, but in two more days, it will be the happiest day of my life, knowing that I have been with you for four years. Our anniversary and the day of our love means absolutely everything to me, darling and I could not imagine anyone else to spend the rest of my life with. You’ve given me so much over these last four years, much more than I could ever ask for. You’re always there whenever. I’m sad whenever I’m lonely. You’re always gonna be there to hold my hand or hold me tight when I need you. You’ve told me these things numerous times before and who would I be not to believe you? You’re everything I’ve ever wanted in a man. The true Ying to my yang. The peanut butter of my jelly. My whole world and everything in between I could never offer to think of anybody else who could love me the way that you do. I love you so so much Dante HollenQuest and I can’t wait for the day whenever we get to start our lives together. I promise to love you through everything and anything through ups and downs for Always and Forever my love and I will always cherish you with every inch of my being and treasure your love with all of my head and every drop of blood I have in my body. I love you so much my darling love.

Yours Forever, Aurora

Paige,

You are the most amazing girlfriend I could ever ask for, you are always there for me and I know you have my back and I’ll always have yours. Happy Valentine’s Day baby, I love you so much forever and always!

Carlos Mora-Fallas

Alex, When I met you working at the grocery store, I had no idea what to think. Your beauty, ability to make me laugh and all of your cute nuances roped me in and took me to places I’ve never been. You’re my forever love, and you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Here’s to more amazing adventures with you, forever and always.

Ethan, your Weis-Quality Lover

Kenneth Lee Crown III

You are a proper chap and dear mate! May you always remember that you have love in your life coming from many facets!

Charles Morgan

Snookipuss,

I am so proud of you for all the work you have been doing. Thank you for always being there for me. I love you so much. You still owe me a trip to the Olive Garden.

Your Snookipuss

Bachelor Night Girlies,

You are all the most amazing friends I could ask for. Thank you for religiously showing up to my apartment every Monday for the past 4 years to watch the Bachelor, scream at the TV and drink cheap wine. You keep me going.

Paige

Brighid,

I am so grateful that you are in my life. I love you so very much.

Katie

Dear Slate readers, Thank you for reading our newspaper! The Slate prides itself on serving the Shippensburg University community and we look forward to keeping you informed for the years to come.

The Slate Staff

“You People” and a conversation about love and culture clashes

In late January, Netflix released an original movie called “You People,” which stars Jonah Hill and Lauren London, who play Ezra and Amira, people from two very different backgrounds who eventually fall in love and are on the road to marriage. Upon traveling on that road, the couple hits a bump, and that bump takes the form of their parents. Like them, their parents are very different. Ezra’s mother is a white woman, who is Jewish (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and Amira’s father is a black man very in touch with his African roots (played by Eddie Murphy).

The movie showcases the various differences between the parents and how that affects the couple’s relationship. This is not a movie review, and I will leave any and all reviewing up to our A&E section. With it being Valentine’s Day and love

being in the air, I more so want to have a discussion on what happens when “You People” plays out in real life, and how dating someone who is like you may or may not be beneficial.

When watching “You People,” I could not help but get to thinking that culture clashing is a real issue. Whether that be in friendships or relationships, sometimes we may never understand one another, which is what we are seeing being played out in this rom-com. But what happens when you do not get one another, but you love this person?

I cannot help but think of my former employers, who were also an interracial couple. One a white person and the other a black person from Africa. Not only did they differ in race, they differed in culture and in the general sense of how things work where they are both from. Despite all of that, you can’t help but notice how their love radiated, and though they were different, they were similar in wanting to love each other as best as they could.

The world is a large place, and as the saying goes “there are

The Slate Speaks:

Thoughts on Valentine’s Day

Love is in the air as Valentine’s Day brings couples closer together than any other time of year. However, for most, Feb. 14 might just be another day on the calendar.

Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate those you love and hold dear. The holiday extends from just honoring relationships. Some have coined “Galentine’s Day” as a term meant to encompass the love girls have for their girl friends. Valentine’s Day can be about loving anyone, and should be.

Valentine’s Day is way more about materialism, unfortunately, than actually celebrating with people you love. There is a high level of pressure for couples to perform for each other, and while it is nice to encourage people to be extra for those they love, a lot of gifts and products made for Valentine’s Day get wasted because they are single use or just not valued.

Valentine’s Day definitely has some issues. Like some other holidays (Mother’s, Father’s, Veterans) they can be a source of a lot of stress in peoples’ lives. They emphasize a specific group or relationship, and there’s a societal expectation for you to perform some kind of obligation or gift giving. If you do not get your partner, (or

mother, father, or whoever a certain holiday is celebrating) an appropriate token of your appreciation, you are labeled as a bad partner/child/person.

Valentine’s Day puts a lot of stress on people in relationships to make sure they are being a good partner, as well as on those not in relationships. For them, the holiday is a reminder that they are not in a relationship. Instead of concentrating all the lovey-dovey-ness into one day, maybe it would be better to spread it out throughout the year, and be better partners full time.

Growing up as a child and celebrating Valentine’s Day in elementary school was particularly harmful. If you did not get a lot of valentines, you would feel like none of your classmates liked you, or like the odd one out.

Valentine’s Day should be broadened as a holiday to showing love to things that bring you love, which may not be specific to a relationship. Nobody can really control if they are in a relationship this time of year, so the idea that the holiday is reserved exclusively for those in relationships will understandably cause some “Scroogeness” on Feb. 14.

than I can count.

Throughout my years at Shippensburg University, I have served on a variety of university committees and positions that have given me the opportunity to understand “university politics” to a degree few students have. Over the years, I have served on the planning and budget council, new student orientation committee, commencement committee and SUSSI board of directors, among others. During my time, I have heard the phrase “what is best for students” more times

Faculty, staff, administrators and student leaders alike have used this phrase to defend their funding, autonomy, hierarchal reporting structures, job retention, policies and more. In all situations, human nature and our inherent desire to protect “our interests” comes into play and often is used under the guise of “what is best for students.”

Ask almost any student and they will likely attest that we have an advising issue at Shippensburg. The academic advising of students is strictly (per the Association of Pennsylva-

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plenty of fish in the sea.” The fish will indeed be different, but what can you do to acknowledge that difference? I think a key takeaway from this film is acknowledging the differences and the struggles one another has to go through, but it is also coming together and checking your biases and privilege in order to be open with one another.

As for culture clashes, instead of throwing ourselves into the ring of Oppression Olympics, why not create an understanding?

The world is a cruel and tough place, and it is shown in both history and the present. The last thing we need to have a debate about is which was worse: slavery or the holocaust. Instead, we should be acknowledging two entirely different groups of people going through an event so traumatic it left scars for many generations and how we can heal those scars and create a better world.

It is Valentine’s Day and love — not hate — is in the air, so go love each other.

Valentine’s Day in Iran: Struggle of the roses

Valentine’s Day is known as the symbol of love worldwide. There might not be any opposing ideas in an American classroom to the celebration of Valentine’s Day. It is considered a day when couples celebrate their love and partnership. We may also think that there is nothing wrong with Valentine’s Day and finding a reason to be happy.

Whereas in Iran, the government suppresses Valentine’s Day as a sign of cultural invasion and westernization. Yet, Iranians celebrate it every year.

First, the 1979 Islamic Revolution — the formation of a radical theocratic system by Rohullah Khomeini after the last monarch, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, left Iran — led to the suppression of any western ideas and the domination of extremism on the social and political levels. Religious leaders and clergymen gained ever-increasing power that often came, and still comes, with bloodshed and extreme suppression of the opposition. A blend of theocracy and nationalism in the political environment bans the diffusion of western values in the country.

For instance, the celebration of Valentine’s Day is a type of westernization and cultural invasion in the eyes of Iranian officials. Since Valentine’s Day is a western or foreign-orig-

nia State College and University Faculties contract) a faculty role. Although other staff members under the umbrella of “Student Success” and within student affairs possess the knowledge and arguably the skill to supplementally support students academically, faculty vehemently oppose this and have argued that doing so “would be against the interests of students.” Why not allow staff to provide additional advising and be able to help overwhelmed faculty or support students who have fallen through the cracks?

Administrators are tasked

with balancing faculty and staff headcount to meet PASSHE standards of faculty to student ratios while attempting to maintain program array and program coverage. In the process there has been a reduction of faculty and staff by millions of dollars (with more to come in 2023-2024). course load continues to go down year over year while the percentage of noninstructional costs allocated to each academic department remains the same or goes up. Is this what is best for students?

Read

inated concept, they believe people must not celebrate it. Last year, Iranian florists and shopkeepers said to Radio Azadi that the government would not allow roses and red boxes to be sold during Valentine’s Day. It also has roots in the religious background of Iran. Since political leaders are often clergymen, a certain interpretation of religion overshadows the laws and regulations which are created by the very religiopolitical leaders. In addition, radicalism has gone far beyond preventing people from adopting Western values. In 2022, the morality police arrested and tortured Mahsa Amini for not wearing the burqa or mandatory cover for women which led to her death in a hospital and sparked the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement in and out of Iran. In other words, westernization is considered irreligious and immoral.

On the contrary, Iranians celebrate Valentine’s Day. Because technological developments and easier communication have impacted them since 1979, especially the young generation who can receive information from all over the world. Despite the barriers and challenges, love cannot be banned. Not only have the government restrictions on Valentine’s Day not limited people, but also the meaning of Valentine’s Day has gone beyond love between married couples. Families and friends also celebrate it as a sign of togetherness, gratitude and happiness.

Photo courtesy of Bill Morgan

Ali Sina Sharif Staff Contributor’

Ship Life

Slowly But Shively: Love Is All Around

Madi Shively

Asst. Ship Life Editor

As I tried to conjure up ideas for this week’s Valentine’s Day column, I was perfectly stumped. I rocked back and forth in my desk chair, typing and deleting. I wanted to write about something upbeat and joyful in the relationship realm, but I felt plainly uninspired. I don’t consider myself to be a Valentine’s Scrooge by any means; my life right now simply does not involve love. From a relationship, that is.

Valentine’s Day is a circumstantial holiday where singles feel excluded from the joy that surrounds candle-lit dinners, outrageous romantic gestures and gigantic teddy bears (where would you even put something of that size?). To me, being single is far better than questioning my sanity as I wait for the call, the gift, the text or the love that never comes. We cannot exactly control whether we are in relationships around this time of year, so why should that mean we cannot choose to enjoy it?

Slaters Take On New York City

Slate Staff

We began our day by settling onto the charter buses provided by APB (along with excellent snack bags!) and as soon as we stepped off the bus, we were on our way. Our first destination was Central Park, which was a beautiful sight to see first thing in the morning. We spotted a nearly overwhelming abundance of joggers preparing for the day ahead.

My friends and I settled onto a large rock in the park that overlooked a playground. We sat along with parents who supervised their children playing and spotted so many adorable dogs that we lost count. We basked in the sun that rose above the skyscrapers, and I couldn’t help but express to my group how grateful I was to be spending this day with them.

We then kept our eyes peeled in hopes of spotting a celebrity (despite my greatest wishes, Pete Davidson was nowhere to be seen) as we walked to the Summit Vanderbilt exhibit. In the building, an elevator took us up 90 floors before we were suspended over the New York City skyline. The view was unbelievable, and we could so clearly see the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and the Brooklyn Bridge, making for an unforgettable experience.

After a long day of shopping and sightseeing, my friends and I stopped by a hot dog stand on our way back to the bus, from which I obtained the most delectable hot dog I have ever consumed in my entire nineteen years. It was no upscale candle-lit dinner; it was better. -Madi Shively

My day in New York started in Times Square. I was joined in the “Big Apple” by four friends — all fellow Ship students. It was my first time in “The Big Apple,” so I was excited. We took a stroll through the Disney Store in Times Square and discovered that we’ve aged out of the target demographic when we didn’t recognize some of the newer plushies.

We then grabbed some bagels (and some extra to take home) from a shop near Bryant Park before making our way to Grand Central Station. Taking the 4 train south, we ended up at the 9/11 Memorial, which was a harrowing experience. I had never learned about the “Survivor Tree,” so discovering it was a highlight. From there, I took a trek over to Trinity Church, to visit the gravesites of Eliza and Alexander Hamilton, two personal heroes of mine. Making our way back uptown, we visited the Intrepid Museum. In our rush to get dinner before leaving, we somehow forgot to go into the Shuttle Orbiter shed. So, it looks like I have a reason to go back... -Ian Thompson

The moment we arrived, my friends and I hopped off the bus, eager to see what the day

Ingredients

would bring us. The first thing we did was buy overpriced iced coffees (in true tourist fashion). Then, we walked to Central Park to explore and take in the captivating scenery. After we walked through a decent amount of the park, we headed back to the city for the Summit One experience at the Vanderbilt. Tickets were only $50, and the price got us a breathtaking view of the city 1,100 feet above all the chaos. We spent the rest of the day eating good food, shopping and taking in everything the city had to offer. This was my first time in the city, and I am extremely grateful that I got to spend it with such amazing people and that APB was able to provide free transportation.

-Caitlyn Shetter

“History is happening in Manhattan, and we just happened to be in the greatest city in the world” are the lyrics that played in my head as my friends and I traveled around the city. NYC is indeed everything everyone says it is: fast paced and busy. But for me, this day was all about fashion. Rightfully so, considering it was fashion week. Most of my trip was spent spending money that I would have to somehow justify to my parents once they see my bank statement. But when you walk into as many stores as I did, you can’t help but want to get your hands on the unique clothes that mostly only reside in NYC. We stopped at stores that are likely trending on TikTok as we speak. Stores like Lululemon, where I was able to score the belt bag in a blush pink; Zara, where my friend brought the most beautiful dress for Valentine’s Day; and, of course, H&M, home of all the basics which seemed to be endless in my opinion. After all that shopping, we found ourselves in Koreatown enjoying authentic Korean food and bubble tea, all while still admiring the unique fashion sense of every individual.

Lewis

-Monika

I am much more familiar with New York City than some of my fellow Slaters, as I live just about two hours outside of Manhattan and try to take a train into NYC as often as I can. I saw 22 Broadway shows in 2022 (this was not planned), so I booked tickets as soon as APB announced this trip. I took advantage of Broadway Week, an annual sale that allows patrons to take advantage of lower ticket prices due to the post-holiday off-season, and got tickets to Wicked. I am also a huge foodie, so I filled the rest of my day with decadent foods as seen on TikTok (thank you @ devourpower). Angelina Bakery, Unregular Pizza and Chip City will all be seeing my face again in the near future. Nine hours in NYC left me with a full stomach and slightly less full wallet, but I’ll be back to do it all again during spring break.

-1 package of strawberries

-5 bars of Hershey milk chocolate

-Toppings (Optional)

-Nuts

-Sprinkles

my closest friends, and the fact that despite our 15-year age difference, we can still gab about boys like we’re in high school together. I wouldn’t call myself single. While I am without a relationship, I know I am never without love.

There is not just one kind of love from one person that solves our entire lives once we find it. The start of a budding relationship can make our lives seem exhilarating and colorful, but refrain from confusing that thrill with feeling like your life is complete. While forming a strong connection with someone who understands you is an amazing and special thing, any suggestion that a relationship is the “missing piece” that brings purpose into our lives would be a blatant misconception. I feel as though society could greatly benefit from discarding that falsehood, freeing ourselves from the constraints of finding “The One” and realizing that we can find love and joy anywhere if we choose to open our hearts to it.

The truth is, my life is still bursting with an incredible abundance of love in all its forms. It’s all around me. There is a tenderness in the way my best friends help me apply fake lashes. There is affection in the way we cover our bathroom counter with the contents of our makeup bags before a night out. It’s my mother’s power of consoling me out of an inconsolable cry. It’s when my friends fill me in on what’s happening in the movie when I return from the bathroom.

It’s Tammy from Dunkin’ finding a way to make my day each time she takes my order. It’s an Earth Wind & Fire song blasting from my headphones on my walk to class. It’s the sandwich shop on the main street of my hometown that has perfected my order since I was little, never once forgetting the slice of dill on the side. It’s grabbing coffee with my boss, who also happens to be one of

Now that my life is decentralized around finding “The One,” I have the ability to look around and realize that none of that really matters once I can seek out all of the places love exists. Contrary to popular belief, there is love in humanity, too. Don’t believe me? Think of the last time a door was held for you by a person you have never seen before in your life. Even further, think of the last time you returned the favor.

The good news is: I can’t always predict what my romantic situation may be this time of year, but I can predict that I will immediately resort to my nearest Target on a mission to admire every heart-shaped item in sight, regardless of my relationship status. (Chocolate truffles are not reserved only for people in relationships, either. Personally, I prefer a good dark chocolate Lindor.)

Recipe of the Week: Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Instructions:

1. Wash and dry the strawberries.

2. Place desired toppings in separate bowls in preparation.

3. Prepare your workspace with a parchment/tin foil lined baking tray to place the dipped strawberries on.

4. Break up the chocolate bars and place in a glass bowl.

5. Boil water in a pot and place chocolate filled glass bowl on top.

6. Melt the chocolate slowly, and stir until there are no lumps.

7. Dip the strawberries in melted chocolate and place on lined baking tray.

8. Sprinkle with desired toppings.

9. Place the tray in the fridge until completely set.

10. Enjoy!

The

Madi Shively / The Slate

MSA and RHA host ‘Live At Apollo’

Allyson Ritchey Asst. Multimedia Director

The heart of Harlem made its appearance in Shippensburg on Thursday, Feb. 9, in Stewart Hall for the annual “Live at Apollo” event hosted by the Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) and Residence Hall Association (RHA). A celebration of Black history and talent, the event featured various student performances in true Apollo fashion.

Established in 1913 at 233 W. 125th St. in the Harlem District of New York City, the Apollo Theater became an established venue for African-American popular music from jazz, swing and bebop to gospel, R&B and blues. The Apollo Theater paved the way for many emerging black artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Luther

Vandross and countless others.

“Live at Apollo” aimed to highlight the rich history of such, featuring informative posters about the various history of the theater and performers while including the involvement of talented students on campus.

“One of the things I wanted to accomplish with my presidency was really make RHA events recognized on campus, and ‘Live at the Apollo’ was one of them. With this year I really wanted to increase student involvement and allow more students a chance to shine,” RHA President Adam Beam said.

The night started with Pierce Romey, who read poems from African American poets t’ai freedom ford and Danez Smith, both of whom

have previously performed on campus. Ayo Modd rapped his own songs. Elite Modeling Troupe strutted their stuff. Student artist Kylo also showcased his own songs. The second half of the event included an open-mic session at which students from the audience could perform anything from karaoke to poetry. Kennedy Holt, Student Government Association (SGA) president, read a poem about her brother and Adam Beam sang along to karaoke of Frank Sinatra’s “L.O.V.E.”

Beam was pleased with how well received “Live at Apollo” was.

“I was incredibly happy with how the event turned out. We had solid attendance and the work of my fellow RHA members, and the work

of MSA shined through. The performances and participants were all excellent to have, and I can’t thank them all enough,” Beam said.

The night ended with a raffle drawing for a record player and packing up of leftover chicken nuggets and cheesecakes to go.

“I do plan on running for re-election to be president of RHA once again, and if given the opportunity, I want ‘Live at the Apollo’ to be even bigger next year. We already are in talks with MSA to start brainstorming ideas. Stewart was a great venue, so we’ll absolutely be securing it again, and we hope to see new and old faces returning to our makeshift Apollo stage,” Beam said.

“Anastasia” is a beautiful journey to the past

Since the Broadway shutdown, my musical intake has been pretty subpar. The last show I saw on Broadway was “Beetlejuice” in February 2020. And the last show I saw on tour was in December 2021. So, of course, I was thrilled to see “Anastasia” was making it to Luhrs, and seeing it live truly reminded me why I love musical theater.

“Anastasia” is the story, or rather the legend, of the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna, who was rumored to be the sole survivor of the Romanovs. Years later, two con artists hope to cash in the reward for finding the lost Anastasia and attempt to use a street worker named Anya. Over time, romance blossoms, enemies are made and the pieces start falling into place that Anya might be the missing princess.

Besides a few songs and a vague memory of the original animated film, I went into “Anastasia” completely cold. Right away, I was speechless at the terrific set design and costum-

Valentine’s Day Playlist

ing throughout. The sets are mainly rear projections, but their implementation into the show never distracts and makes the scope feel so much grander. The cast is constantly swapping costumes throughout, and each of them is just as beautiful as the next.

With it being a musical, I’m happy to report that the songs and performances were also stellar from beginning to end. Veronica Stern and Willem Butler dazzled with their magnetic chemistry as Anya and Dmitry. Madeline Raube and Bryan Seastrom stole the show with their comedic supporting roles as Vlad and Lily. You also had some truly standout ensemble performances from Amin Fuson and Zoie Lee. For me, however, the true powerhouse in this cast was Christian McQueen as Gleb. Going in, I was familiar with Ramin Karimloo’s original performance on Broadway and worried that whoever would play the role wouldn’t reach the bar he set. Thankfully, my worries vanished the moment McQueen took the stage. On top of having a phenomenal stage presence, McQueen’s vo-

cals truly conveyed both the fiery rage and buried sweetness the role requires. “The Neva Flows” and “Still” were easily my favorite numbers of the night, and I was thrilled to see them reprised in Act Two.

Some of the other standout numbers from the evening include the energized “Land of Yesterday,” Anya’s big Act One closer “Journey to the Past” and “Once Upon a December” and “Stay, I Pray You” were equally beautiful and haunting at the same time.

If I have to knock the musical points for anything, it would mainly be some weird tonal shifts toward the end of the first act. I also noticed the occasional awkward staging, but again this is mainly relegated to the show’s first act.

“Anastasia” was truly a wonderful time and reminded me why musical theater is such a wonderful thing, and I truly hope that more shows like it find their way to the Luhrs Performing Arts Center soon.

My Comfort Show: ‘Jane the Virgin’

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and in this household, that means doing skincare, eating chocolate and watching comfort shows. One of them happens to be “Jane the Virgin.”

This rom-com has been a favorite of mine for a few years now. The show premiered in 2014, and as usual with me, I started watching it in 2020 — six years later. I started watching it around the time the pandemic started, so it was one of the shows I binged during quarantine.

The twists and turns of the story captivated me. Though some twists were easy to predict, others that were not. The emotion in this show also spoke to me and moved me to tears; that’s not hard, as I’m a very emotional person.

I also enjoyed how this show spoke out on certain issues, such as immigration, LGBTQIA+ rights, etc. It was — and still is — nice to see that real-world issues are discussed in TV shows and advocated for. There is also representation of many groups of people. One of these representations is that one main character, Petra Solano, is bisexual. This was amazing for me, as someone who is also bisexual and had not seen a lot of this representation in media.

One of the main points of internal conflict is the topic of virginity and how purity has been so deeply woven into it. Jane Villanueva, one of the main characters of the show, was told at a young age by her abuela that once she has crumpled her flower — the symbol of virginity in the series — it will never be the same again. This message has presented as a significant internal struggle for Jane; however, in later episodes, this struggle is conquered. The series drives home the message of disconnecting purity from virginity, which I’m sure is important to many people who have had similar struggles.

“Jane the Virgin” also shed light on not only the joys of motherhood, but the struggles as well. These hardships were not sugarcoated and were shown realistically. For example, Mateo, Jane’s son, was diagnosed with ADHD. The show demonstrates the emotions and struggles that not only Jane and Rafael, Mateo’s father, felt and went through, but Mateo as well. It was relieving to see ADHD depicted realistically and not stereotypically.

Overall, this series has been and will continue to be one of my favorite comfort shows of all time. Though I only covered a few parts that I enjoyed about it, there are numerous other aspects that I loved. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves rom-coms and has not watched it yet. It is most certainly a great Valentine’s Day watch.

6 Love Songs to Add to Your

Valentine’s Day Playlist

Bailey Cassada Staff Contributor

1. “Valentine” by Laufey — Do you remember when you had your first valentine? Laufey is on cloud nine in this tune, singing, “‘Cause I think I’ve fallen in love this time / I blinked and suddenly I had a Valentine.” Her smooth, jazzy vocals make this a perfect love song to play for anyone you’re head over heels about!

2. “Rollercoaster” by Sundial — This adorable pop duo wrote “rollercoaster” about how their relationship helped them overcome personal fears. While they may both still have some fears and insecurities, they know that being with their best friend and lover will never be scary.

3. “You” by A Great Big World — Grab your tissues for this ballad. Lead singer Ian Axel wrote this song about marrying his wife and the birth of their child. If you want a song that will melt your heart, this is a great addition to your love song playlist.

4. “Photograph” by Cody Fry — Do you

ever wish you could freeze time? Cody Fry’s “Photograph” is one of my favorite love songs. He sings about wanting to live in a beautiful moment forever with his lover. He sings, “Wait for me until I find some magic film / To take a photograph and live inside.” Fry’s lyricism and orchestral arrangement adds a beautiful cinematic touch to this charming love song.

5. “Second Guessing” by Florida Georgia Line — If country music is more your style, you will love this underrated Florida Georgia Line love song. Don’t be fooled by the title…the lyrics speak for themselves! “And spent all of my life askin’ questions / Now I don’t spend one second guessing.” This is such a creative twist on the phrase.

6. “this is what falling in love feels like” by JVKE — Up-and-coming artist JVKE has been going viral on TikTok with his song “Golden Hour” and this song. The song feels exactly how it sounds…like being in love! The instrumentals are bouncy and filled with joy, and his lyrics are like a cute conversation with his lover.

Lydia Elmy Staff Contributor

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Allyson Ritchey/ The Slate Pierce Romey reading poems by t’ai freedom ford

Adam Beam Asst. Opinion Editor

Photo courtesy of Pexels

Men’s basketball collects three wins

Shippensburg University’s men’s basketball team collected three wins in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) matchups over the last week.

On Monday, the Raiders beat West Chester in Heiges Field House with a dominating performance of 84-68.

After a short lead for West Chester, SU answered with a 13-0 run and did not give up the lead for the rest of the game. In the first half, Shippensburg shot for 57.7% from the field and went into halftime with a 42-33 lead.

A 13-1 run by the Raiders after the break gave the team a 21-point lead early in the second half. After that, the Raiders held on to their lead and did not drop below double

digits with their advantage.

All five Shippensburg starters scored double digits. Senior Carlos Carter led the team with 23 points and nine rebounds and graduate Luke Nedrow scored a season-high 19 points. Graduate Dom Sleva grabbed a team-high of 11 rebounds.

The Raiders traveled on Wednesday to secure a win over Kutztown University in the KU Keystone Arena, 87-80, and clinched their spot in the PSAC playoffs.

The first half ended with a 10-point lead for the Raiders, 4333. In the second half, they grew the margin to 19 points, 60-41, with just over 13 minutes left, before a late scoring drought allowed Kutztown to turn the game into a two-possession game.

SU held on and used patience against KU´s defense to bring the game home, 87-80.

The game featured a season high in assists for the Raiders with 23, and they finished just two points shy of their season-high point total.

Carter almost achieved Shippensburg´s first triple-double on record with 23 points and 13 rebounds, but was two assists shy of reaching it with eight assists. The 13 rebounds were a new career-high for Carter, and his eight assists tied his previous best.

Freshman Trey Martin scored a career high of nine points, and Nedrow had 16 points and eight rebounds. Sleva recorded double-double number 15 this season with 18 points, 12 rebounds and five assists, which makes him the leader in NCAA Division II for doubles as of February 10.

On Saturday, Shippensburg travelled to Mansfield to clinch the win in overtime, 80-79.

The Raiders led at halftime, 3833, and were up by as many as 14 points in the first half.

With 3:32 left on the clock, the comfortable eight-point lead for Shippensburg shrunk to a single point, and shortly after Mansfield tied the game at 66-66. Carter scored an and-one layup, but Mansfield responded by sinking a three-pointer to send the game into overtime.

In overtime, Mansfield scored the first six points and took their first lead of the game. Shippensburg fought back and gained the lead back.

In the final seconds of overtime, Mansfield, down by one, had the chance for a game-winning basket, but the Raiders defense forced Mansfield into a difficult shot and they missed.

Mansfield had the chance to

make two potential game-winning baskets, one in regular time and the one in overtime, but did not come through for either.

Carter led the team with 22 points in the game, and senior Rashon Johnson, who played the full 45 minutes, had his fourth double-double of the season with 13 points, 13 rebounds and four assists.

Sleva scored the game-winning basket with 20 seconds left in overtime and finished the game with 19 points and 20 rebounds. The 20 rebounds tie his career-high that he set earlier this season.The Raiders will have two home games this week, playing Millersville on Wednesday at 8 p.m. and Bloomsburg on Saturday at 3 p.m. in Heiges Field House.

Raiders struggle against West Chester and Kutztown

This week, the Shippensburg University women’s basketball team dropped two of its three games against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) rivals West Chester, Kutztown and Mansfield.

Senior guard Ariel Jones scored 18 points in the Raiders’ win over Mansfield on Saturday.

On Monday night, the Raiders hosted West Chester. The Raiders got off to a hot start and started to build a lead. The Raiders led the Golden Rams 19-14 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Golden Rams fought back and outscored the Raiders 22-17. The game was tied at 36 going into halftime. In the third quarter, the Raiders grabbed a lead again and outscored the Golden Rams 17-11. The Raiders led the Rams by four at the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Golden Rams went on a run and outscored the Raiders 31-17. The Raiders fell to West Chester 80-70. On Wednesday night, the Raiders traveled to Kutztown to play the Golden Bears. Wednes-

day’s game was not as close of a contest as Monday’s. The Raiders could not get anything going offensively, and the Golden Bears took advantage of it.

The Raiders scored a combined 19 points in the first half. The Raiders trailed the Golden Bears 37-19 at the end of the first half.

In the second half, the Raiders found a little bit of a scoring rhythm, but it did not matter.

The Raiders scored 28 points in the second half. The Raiders lost the game to the Golden Bears 74-47.

On Saturday, the Raiders traveled to Mansfield looking to get one win in the week. The Raiders found a good scoring rhythm in the first half and outscored the Mountaineers 4926 at the end of the first half.

In the second half, the Raiders went on cruise control and defeated the Mountaineers 91-53.

The Raiders return to Heiges Field House on Wednesday to play Millersville at 6 p.m.

Then on Saturday, the Raiders will host Bloomsburg at 1 p.m.

Jack Ansley Asst. Sports Editor

Andrew Miller/SU Sports info Jones had 18 points, six rebounds and six assists in the Raider’s Saturday win.

Nicola Pugge Asst. Sports Editor

Andrew Miller/SU sports info

The Shippensburg University men’s basketball team picked up three wins this week in PSAC games against West Chester, Kutztown and Mansfield.

Chronister’s walk off single compeletes three-game sweep of Salem Tigers

Shippensburg’s baseball team won a trio of games this past weekend in West Virginia, earning a sweep of the Salem Tigers to move their record to 4-2. Pitching was impressive throughout, giving up six runs total across the three games.

The series began with a doubleheader on Friday, featuring a pair of seven-inning contests. The Raiders scored a comeback victory in Game 1, winning 4-2. Shippensburg was led by a quality start from graduate Noah Nabholz, who went six solid innings, the only blemish being a two-run homer hit by Salem in the first inning.

Offensively, sophomore Gio Calamia led the way going one for four with a pair of RBIs. Freshman Mike Heckman provided the go-ahead run on an RBI groundout in the sixth, also picking up a hit and a walk in the game.

The second game Friday ended in extra innings, but Shippensburg’s bats came to life in the eighth, scoring seven runs on their way to a 10-3 win. It was an entertaining contest throughout, as the Raiders took a 3-2 lead in the third inning, before Salem tied it up in the fifth before going to extras.

Sophomore Jaxon Dalena hit his first home run as a Raider to lead off the third, which was followed up by an RBI triple from Calamia and an RBI single from junior Joe Barbera. The Raiders then loaded the bases in the fifth, sixth

and seventh innings, coming away scoreless all three times before unloading for seven runs in the eighth.

Redshirt freshman Eric Bohenek went 4.1 innings of three-run ball, but freshman J.T. Weaver was incredible in relief, pitching 3.2 hitless innings to pick up the win, walking one and striking out six.

Saturday’s game also went to extra inningss and was a pitcher’s duel throughout, with the Raiders earning a 2-1 victory in 10 innings.

Junior Ethan Miller had a very solid start on the mound, going six innings and allowing one run on three hits. Junior Gabe Stotler got the win after pitching three scoreless innings in relief, with junior Austen Labarre getting his second save of the series.

Junior Austin Baal hit a solo homer in the fourth inning for his third of the season to knot the game up at one. The game would remain tied until the 10th, when junior Andrew Chronister hit the go-ahead RBI single to put the Raiders in front for good.

Shippensburg baseball has its first home series of the season this weekend, hosting Gannon for a three-game set. Saturday is a doubleheader starting at noon, with a standalone game Sunday also at noon.

Lindsay hits walk off; Raiders split series with Fairmont State

Jack Ansley

Asst. Sports Editor

The Shippensburg University softball team played its first series of the season as it hosted Fairmont State on Feb. 10 and 11. After the Falcons walked grad student Hannah Marsteller, who already had a grand slam in the game, junior Morgan Lindsay hit the walk off base hit and scored, which brought the winning run home.

The Raiders won Game 3 of the series on Saturday and each team grabbed two games in the series.

In Game 1 on Friday, neither team was able to get a run across until the sixth inning. Marsteller reached base on a fielder’s choice.

Junior Taylor Myers scored, and the Raiders took a 1-0 lead.

Later in the inning, Marsteller scored after freshman Caitlyn Martell reached first base on an error, and the Raiders extended their lead 2-0.

The Raiders scored three more runs in the sixth inning when Martell, sophomore Ally Weaver and junior Alyssa Nehlen scored. The

Raiders took the first game of the series 5-0.

In the second game of Friday’s double header, the Falcons scored in the second inning when Mackenzie Maddy hit a triple to center field. One runner scored, and the Falcons won the second game of the series 1-0.

On Saturday, the two teams went back at

two more runs and had a 6-0 advantage going into the third.

The Falcons responded with five runs in the fourth inning with multiple base hits, which brought in runs. The Falcons closed the gap and trailed by only one run.

In the fifth inning, the Falcons tied the

eighth inning Peyton Wetherholt hit a double one run scored the Falcons grabbed a 7-6 lead in the eighth inning. Later in the inning Elizabeth Waszkiewicz hit a double which allowed Wetherholt to score. The Raiders found themselves down by two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Lindsay hit a single up the middle two runs scored, and the Raiders tied the game at 8-8.

The game remained tied until the 10th inning when Lindsay hit the walk off base hit. The Raiders beat the Falcons 9-8.

In the final game of the weekend, the Falcons scored three runs in the first inning with a three-run home run from Abbie Keilholz.

The Raiders responded with two runs in the second inning. The Falcons scored two runs in the top of the second inning to extend their lead to 5-2.

The Raiders scored a run in the fourth inning to cut the deficit, but it wasn’t enough. The Raiders lost the second game 6-3.

it again. In the second inning, Marsteller hit a grand slam to give the Raiders a quick 4-0 lead. Later in the inning, the Raiders scored

game 6-6 when Abbie Keilholz hit a single up the middle and scored a run.

The game went into extra innings in the

The Raiders will travel to Hartsville, South Carolina, to play Adelphi and Coker on Feb. 24 and 25.

Patrick Ramsdale /SU Sports Info

Junior Andrew Chronister hit the walk off single in the 10th inning.

Mason Flowers Staff Contributor

Breanna White/SU Sports Info

Team celebrates after Morgan Lindsay hit walk off hit in first game of Saturday's double header

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