The Gettysburgian - March 31, 2022

MARCH 31, 2022 GET T YSBURGIAN.COM

The

Gettysburgian PAG E 10

The Work & Legacy of Provost Zappe

By Phoebe Doscher PAG E 14

The Academic Challenges of Being a Student-Atlete

By Gracie Meisner & Jack Herr

PAG E 18

A Guide To Getting Your Tution Back

By The Gettysburgian Editorial Board PAG E 6

PAG E 20

The Greatest Night in the History of Television

By Victoria Staub & Carter Hanson

Heavy Advisee Loads and Overflowing Classes What the Faculty’s Vote to Delay Curriculum Changes Means for Gettysburg

Volume CX X VII, Issue No. 5

By Nicole DeJacimo

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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Editor’s Note

Phoebe Doscher

Every Wednesday night, between the hours of 7 and 8 p.m., the editorial team at The Gettysburgian crowds around the conference table for our weekly meeting. Those nights, we nail down the biggest stories of the week, brainstorm subjects for our next magazine and commiserate about the things students, faculty, staff and administration are saying about the College.

These conversations in the newsroom require us to take the pulse of the campus community. Which stories matter to the individuals on campus and the institution as a whole? How do we make sure voices are heard?

How do we inform the community as accurately and effectively as possible?

We watch, we listen, we respond, we write. Most of all, we pay attention.

This magazine is a result of this careful attention—a result of all the times we’ve paid attention to the aspects of a Gettysburg College education that do or do not work well, of how we watch the institution constantly striving to create a vibrant, successful campus community in which everyone feels heard and everyone belongs.

In this issue, we take a look at heavy advisee loads and

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over-enrollment in Gettysburg’s classes during a pause on the curriculum review, how students chose unconventional major combinations and the legacy of Provost Chris Zappe as he leaves his post in administration and returns to the classroom. We also consider how student-athletes balance academics with the demands of sports schedules, share suggestions for getting the most out of tuition and share campus voices through the second edition of our Campus Chatter and Commons sections.

As you dive into this magazine, consider the ways in which we aimed to put a mirror to the Gettysburg College experience and created a space for recognizing how academic challenges in higher education—turnover, a new curriculum, high tuition rates—impact and shape our community.

Staff of the Gettysburgian Editor-in-Chief Phoebe Doscher Managing Editor Nicole DeJacimo Magazine Editor Carter Hanson News Editor Alli Dayton Assistant News Editor Laken Franchetti Arts & Entertainment Editor Victoria Staub Features Editor Gracie Meisner

Phoebe Doscher ’22

Editor-in-Chief

Opinions Editor Emily Dalgleish Sports Editor Jack Herr Director of Photography Luca España Faculty Advisor Prof. Scott Boddery

Interested in joining our staff?

Scan here!

Table of Contents MAJOR A GUIDE TO 4| CAMPUS CHAT TER 12| UNIQUE 18| COMBOS & GET TING YOUR INDIVIDUALIZED TUITION BACK Features

Features

By Gracie Meisner, Lindsay Blake, Audrey White & Ava Burchell

5|

Opinions

THE COMMONS

By Emily Dalgleish, Daniel Jones, Lacey Weynand & Troy Ayado

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News

HEAV Y ADVISEE LOADS & OVERFLOWING CLASSES

By Nicole DeJacimo What the faculty’s vote to delay curriculum changes means for Gettysburg.

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Features

THE WORK & LEGACY OF PROVOST CHRIS ZAPPE

By Phoebe Doscher

MAJORS

By Gracie Meisner Students reflect on their choice of majors.

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Sports

THE ACADEMIC CHALLENGES OF BEING A STUDENTATHLETE

By Gracie Meisner & Jack Herr How balanced are academics & athletics at Gettysburg?

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Opinions

A CALL FOR NONATHLETE HOURS AT THE JAEGER CENTER

By Nicole DeJacimo

Opinions

By The Gettysburgian Editorial Board Taking advantage of campus opportunities.

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Arts & Entertainment

THE GREATEST NIGHT IN THE HISTORY OF TELEVISION

By Victoria Staub

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Features POSTCARD FROM ABROAD

WHAT I OWE TO SOUTHERN FRANCE

By George Malian

Features

CROSSWORD

By Carter Hanson

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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F E AT U R E S

Campus Chatter Goings-on at Gettysburg

10 Years in Dining Services: Regina Tyree Gracie Meisner ’25 // Features Editor

When students walk into Servo, often they are met by a warm smile and greeting from Dining Services Worker Regina Tyree. Belovedly referred to as simply “Regina,” last month marked her tenth year working for Gettysburg College. Tyree remarked on the change in student interactions from the beginning of her time at Gettysburg to today.

“When I first started here, no one talked to the kids. I began to see the same kids every day. I thought to myself, ‘I see these kids two meals per day, five days per week.’

The longer I’m here, the more connected I feel to kids,” said Tyree.

Just a week ago, a student who graduated in 2018 stopped by to say hi to Tyree. “She asked if I remembered her—I recognized her face— and then she told me her name and it all came back to me,” said Tyree.

Her favorite part of her job is getting to know students and watching them “grow and evolve from timid and shy freshmen and bloom into

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beautiful and confident people. … It’s like watching my own kids grow up.”

Vegetarian and Vegan Options at Servo Lindsay Blake ’25

As a busy college student, taking 30 minutes to eat at Servo with my friends is something I look forward to everyday. However, when I walk in, I tend to see the same vegetarian options every day: tofu, rice, pasta, veggies and Beyond Meat.

Coming from a vegan household, I was exposed to many vegetarian meals that would make great entrees here at Gettysburg, such as buffalo cauliflower over arugula and roasted zucchini with quinoa.

It is also easy to make regular meals vegetarian and even vegan. When the famous feta pasta dish took over the internet, my family was easily able to make this by replacing the regular feta with vegan feta.

Gettysburg already does a great job making sure there are options for vegetarian and vegan students, and I feel they could take this even further by providing vegetarian and/or vegan alternatives to what everyone else is eating. When most people think of a vegetarian diet, they think of veggies and tofu, but there are so many options out there that would make great meals for the whole campus community. I acknowledge that the majority of campus does not follow this diet, but I feel that adding more vegetarian and vegan options would both add healthier and new food options for all of the students of Gettysburg and make these diets more accessible.

An Ode to Women’s Club Rugby Audrey White ’22

Rugby has always been an integral part of my experience at Gettysburg College. Through playing

rugby I have met my best friends and have had the opportunity to learn a new sport and stay active.

After a busy day of homework and classes, having rugby as an outlet is something I look forward to: it is always great stress relief and I am able to reset and have fun with my friends. Most people who join the team have never played rugby before, which is actually a benefit for us, because we are able to learn to work together as a team and can forge good habits right from the very beginning. I would absolutely encourage anyone looking for a new hobby to give rugby a try; it has shaped my entire Gettysburg experience for the better.

Food, Land, and People Ava Burchell ’25

I’m really happy that I decided to get involved in the “Food, Land, and People” program through the Center for Public Service. “Food, Land, and People” is a program that aims to educate elementary-age students about where their food comes from through a handson learning approach. Although, due to COVID, we were not able to go to the local elementary school as we did before, we have done one collaboration with the El Centro after-school program and are planning four more in the future. Some examples of the events we are going to do for them this spring include decorating signs for the Sherfy Garden, a “Lorax” movie day and decorating pots for their very own plants. Working with other volunteers, as well as Program Coordinator Molly Hoffman ’24, has been rewarding and a great way to meet new people. If you are not involved in a Center for Public Service volunteer opportunity, I would highly recommend joining and getting involved!

OPINIONS

The Commons Opinions From Across Campus

Judge Jackson & Motherhood Emily Dalgleish ’22 // Opinions Editor

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court nomination hearings have been full of absurd and heated moments. However, the moment that stands out to me most is a moment of compassion, when Judge Jackson and Senator Cory Booker had a conversation about motherhood and her experience balancing her career and her family. Judge Jackson explained that she “did not always get the balance right,” but that she hoped she would set an example for her daughters with her determination and love.

We do not often think or talk about the difficulty of the sacrifices mothers have to make in their careers and their families. We should.

Perpetuating the myth of “having it all” ignores those sacrifices. I hope as we have more moms in high places that other moms will have to make fewer sacrifices to get there and will not be so harshly held to the standard of perfection. I commend Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for the example she has set for her daughters and the example she will set for all daughters.

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The Real Campus Climate Survey Daniel Jones ’22

It is incredibly important in higher education to foster and maintain a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). In doing so, leaders must recognize their responsibility to foster an open, welcoming environment where students, faculty and staff of all backgrounds can collaboratively learn, work and serve. Gettysburg College has failed to do this.

To accomplish these DEI goals, there needs to be consistent transparency and continuous dialogue between the administration, faculty and students where all parties involved can trust that their ideas and grievances are acknowledged and impactful.

Instead, our administration has created distrust and doubt. On February 7th, a survey was sent to the student body entitled “The ‘Real’ Campus Climate Survey”.

The results, while not surprising, revealed the anger and frustration of over 500 students.

Where is the administration’s concern with DEI issues? A massive wave of BIPOC and LGBT+ faculty and staff members have been forced out of the College.

Add your voices to the call for more transparency and accountability. The cause is right and the time is now.

Unbalanced Dialogue Lacey Weynand ’22

Where are the voices of women in conversations about national security and global violence? Too often I’ve attended Eisenhower Institute panel discussions and departmental events to discuss pressing global issues, only to listen to male perspectives and queries. While I am not the only woman present, I find myself the only woman to ask questions and participate in the dialogue.

Are there just not many women on campus interested in politics? I find that unlikely given the size of the departments that offer courses on such topics. Then is it perhaps a failure of Gettysburg College to encourage women into conversation spaces typically dominated by men?

Should these events reflect the larger phenomenon of men discussing topics that are historically only relevant to men? Or should the College create more opportunities for women to engage in such conversations without the looming presence of men who do not know how to listen to womens’ perspectives?

Gettysburg’s Lack of COVID-19 Consistency Troy Ayado ’25

Our boast as Gettysburgians is that the administration has gone to great lengths to ensure that all those who consider Gettysburg College home are safe and protected from COVID-19. Is consistency in policy too much to ask? Consider the following: last semester, just before Thanksgiving break, the College announced a reprieve from masks. However, the moment classes resumed, the mask reprieve ceased. Returning from winter break, the school imposed mask-wearing in residential buildings. This policy abruptly ended.

Then what happened in the first semester happened the second semester, and just before spring break, the administration made masks optional outside the classroom.

It is neither my intent to question nor criticize the necessity and prudence of these measures. The school’s actions reflect the guidance provided by state and local health organizations, and their issuances are, by nature, unpredictable yet necessary and appropriate.

However, in the “new normal” of COVID-19, consistency and follow-through in policy are only wise.

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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NEWS

Heavy Advisee Loads and Overflowing Classes

What the Faculty’s Vote to Delay Curriculum Changes Means

BY NICOLE DEJACIMO // MANAGING EDITOR

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t the Feb. 17 faculty meeting, the Curriculum Review Committee (CRC) proposed that the optimal student cohort size for incoming classes in the future will be around 640 students and the number of full-time faculty will be 220. The new strategic plan, which is tied to Gettysburg’s updated curriculum, will determine which academic departments will be expanded and which will face budget cuts.

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New Curriculum Plans

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he CRC, led by Provost Chris Zappe and associate professor of psychology Sahana Mukherjee, began meeting early last fall to update the Gettysburg curriculum as part of “Living our Promise,” the College’s new strategic plan.

In January, Mukerjee explained to the faculty that, when formulating this new curriculum, the CRC

asked themselves, as professors, “Is this something you want to be teaching?”

Part of the proposal would be additional class year-specific seminars for sophomores and seniors, similar to First-Year Seminars. The hope is that these courses would provide “high-impact practices that increase student learning, belonging and attention,” said Mukherjee.

Some professors expressed worries that these additional courses would add to the faculty’s responsibilities to teach more classes and attend committee meetings. Music P H O T O B Y L U C A E S PA Ñ A

professor James Day questioned the feasibility of these new requirements and whether professors would have ample time to meet these expectations.

“We already do so much committee work and this new curriculum with the many seminars would require many more committees,” said mathematics professor Beth Campbell Hetrick.

Currently, the College has around 183 full-time faculty. Mathematics professor Darren Glass, a member of the CRC, noted that the proposed curriculum would not expand the faculty. Rather, the number of faculty per department would change, according to communications director Jamie Yates, though nothing is set in stone.

As of Jan. 15, 2022, nearly one in six faculty positions were vacant, leaving the College to resort to hiring more adjunct professors as well as professors teaching oversized classes and taking on more advisees than usual.

Earlier this semester, faculty members narrowly voted to delay any further discussion about the proposed curriculum until the fall 2022 semester. Through a Kahoot poll, 63 faculty members voted to delay the discussions and 60 voted to continue discussions, with one abstention.

Economics professor Charles Weise opposed delaying the curriculum discussions and expressed his concern about the cost that comes with it. Given that the proposed curriculum is connected to the new strategic plan, failing to pass the curriculum in a timely manner will affect the possibility of hiring more professors.

“We lack fundamental information to make our decisions,” said

assistant professor of philosophy Mercedes Valmisa Oviedo. “We need to fix our channels for deliberation and conversation. ... This [curriculum] delay won’t be effective unless we acknowledge the issues now.”

Other faculty members worried about the hybrid format of the bi-weekly faculty meetings as many members still join through Zoom.

“This is not how democracy works,” said physics professor Kurt Andresen. “We need active members who can physically be here.”

Small & Shrinking Departments

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mall departments, such as the Italian studies department, have expressed concern to students and during faculty meetings that they will be negatively affected by the redistribution of faculty members as a result of changes to the curriculum. Growing departments, such as health sciences and public policy, may see their faculty roster expand.

Italian studies Chair Lidia Anchisi is currently the only fulltime professor in her department, as they lost a tenure line this year and their only other professor is on leave until fall 2022.

“Under the current environment, I do worry about how we will be affected by the financial burden the College is facing, and it is unclear how committed President [Bob] Iuliano is to support the foreign language programs at the College,” said Anchisi.

Over the past five years, the Italian studies department had an average of one graduating senior in their

major. Anchisi said that this is in part due to a lack of funding, especially compared to the other language departments. Italian also does not have a “proper Chair office,” unlike other more popular language departments, such as French or Spanish, both of which have their own office spaces in McKnight Hall.

The new curriculum puts a stronger emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, which Anchisi said gives her hope that the Italian studies department will continue to play an important role in education at Gettysburg.

“We are also finding more creative ways to teach our courses—for example, I teach the second-semester intermediate course entirely through contemporary Italian songs that have social relevance—and are fully committed to ensuring that our courses and classrooms are dedicated to DEI,” said Anchisi.

She described several Italian courses that both continue language education and emphasize cultural education. She is hopeful that diversifying course options within the Italian studies department, including adding courses taught in English, will draw more students to the major.

The Italian studies department has also begun a “student ambassador” program to advertise the major to new students. This year, Italian studies and political science double-major Victoria Staub ’23 serves as student ambassador. Staub is also the Arts & Entertainment Editor of The Gettysburgian.

“As an ambassador for the Italian studies department, I assist in planning engaging activities and events that advertise the department,” said Staub. “I also speak to classes and individual students about my personal experiences within the THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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the past five years, even as the overall student population decreased. Some professors in fast-growing departments have expressed concern that the administration lags when providing resources that they need to support the ongoing influx of new majors.

These issues include overflowing courses—especially capstones, which are more focused on individual students and their research— and high advisee loads.

department and encourage the pursuit of a major or minor in Italian.”

Beyond Italian studies, other shrinking majors include English and anthropology, which have graduated fewer and fewer majors in recent years. English graduated only 29 students in 2021, a 48% drop from their graduating class of 56 in 2015; meanwhile, the number of anthropology majors dropped by 67%, from 12 in 2015 to only 4 in 2021.

Other small departments that may be affected by the new strategic plan’s reevaluation include Africana studies, which has an average of 1.7 majors per year, classics, with an average of 2.3, and music education, with an average of 3.7, among others.

Large & Growing Departments

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n the other end of the spectrum, some departments experienced rapid growth during

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“We all have pretty high advising loads,” said health sciences department Chair Amy Dailey. “But in this department, we’re very student-centered and all of us spend a ton of time advising and making sure that we teach the classes that students need.”

The health science department’s graduates increased by 53 percent over the past five years. According to Dailey, the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the rise in the number of health science majors at Gettysburg, as general knowledge and awareness of public health issues increased. The unique nature of the major’s structure and the possibility of job opportunities post-graduation have also contributed to the department’s popularity.

“I think students are drawn to learning about the human body and human populations and they see direct pathways to their career plans in medicine, public health, physician assistant programs, physical therapy and other health professions,” said Dailey. “Given the pandemic and the growing health issues of our times, I suspect student interest in studying the health sciences will continue to grow.”

Dailey explained that her faculty

are teaching overloaded classes during advising season, which coincides with the part of the semester when faculty grade midterm exams and essays. Managing the balance between classroom commitments and advising obligations can be overwhelming for professors.

“Several faculty have reported to me that [the fall semester] was the hardest they have had,” said President Iuliano.

Additionally, some faculty have reported that, aside from the pressures of pandemic learning in general, the tenure-track hiring freeze, in place since the fall of 2020 and in effect until further notice, has exacerbated faculty courseload and advisee problems.

“As we rely increasingly on visiting faculty to cover courses in larger departments (with larger enrollments), we may continue their visiting appointments beyond one year (contingent upon the quality of their performance in the first year),” said Yates.

While visiting faculty are hired to cover the need for more courses, they are discouraged and often not allowed to take on advisees, putting the burden on tenure-track and tenured faculty members.

According to political science Chair Caroline Hartzell, most political science professors have over 40 advisees. Additionally, the political science department has made significant sacrifices to make up for its deficit of tenure-track faculty relative to the growing number of political science majors.

“We actually just had to scramble to add a sixth capstone course for the 2022–2023 academic year because of the number of seniors that need capstone courses next year,”

CHART BY C ARTER HANSON

said Hartzell. “We could only do this by canceling another course.”

The political science and public policy departments have grown in the past few years as a result of a number of factors, including Gettysburg’s connection to Washington, D.C. through the Eisenhower Institute and intern housing opportunities, the connections they make with professors and the law school connection.

“The interests of Gen Z students, many of which likely align with ideas and issues we seek to teach students to analyze and engage with in the political science major,” said Hartzell. “These include conflict resolution, racial and other forms of social justice, a focus on global issues and on being conscious stewards of the world and the general belief that government should play a greater role in solving problems.”

Both Dailey and Hartzell hope the College can add tenure-track positions for expanding majors to more closely represent the College’s advertised 9:1 student-to-advisee ratio. Public policy Chair Anne Douds described similar reasons for public policy’s growth and explained that the major provides real-world skills where students can apply “operational knowledge.”

Douds said they are on track to exceed that number again by the end of the semester.

“There have been a lot of structural changes to how the major is run,” said Nick Silvis ’23, a public policy major and a co-chair of the Public Policy Student Council. “[Professor Douds] does a wonderful job, but we would like to see her have more support from the administration.”

Douds hopes to have a space for the department soon where professors and students can congregate as the major continues to grow. During advising season, Douds had backto-back advisee meetings as the only tenured professor in the major.

She carries the responsibility of advising the vast majority of the public policy majors. She hopes the administration will accommodate the growth and is excited to see what the department’s future holds.

What Happens Next?

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he College plans to shrink the student body over the course of the next few years, mirroring the nationwide decline in the college student population. This would lower acceptance rates, therein increasing Gettysburg’s ranking and competitiveness relative to similar liberal arts colleges.

“We are intentionally getting smaller to stay ahead of the demographic cliff curve,” said Yates.

“We need to expand out of our typical recruitment area, which is the [Northeast], so we can fill the classes with the kinds of students we want.”

While the total number of faculty members at Gettysburg will not be affected by the changes to the curriculum, the new curriculum will be an opportunity for the administration to reshuffle the number of faculty between departments. Until faculty pass the new curriculum, it remains to be seen which departments will lose current tenure lines and which departments will be expanded to accommodate the interests of the student body.

“I believe the growth in the program largely arises from students’ increasing interest in action-oriented education that focuses on how they can work for the betterment of society during and immediately after college,” said Douds. “No two public policy majors are exactly the same, which keeps it fresh and real for the students and the faculty.”

From the fall 2018 semester through the end of the spring 2021 semester, the number of public policy majors grew from 33 to 104.

P H O T O B Y A LY L E I A W E I N

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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F E AT U R E S

The Work and Legacy of Provost Chris Zappe

BY PHOEBE DOSCHER // EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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n March 15, Provost Chris Zappe announced that he will be stepping down from his role as Provost, a role he has held since 2010, and resuming his position as a professor in the management department. Throughout his tenure, Zappe has overseen more than 80 tenure-track appointments with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) principles, heralded in new academic programs and supported the College through the strategic planning process.

“Gettysburg is a place defined by its people—exceptional teacher-scholars, active and inquisitive students, dedicated staff, ambitious leadership, and proud alumni,” Zappe said. “It has been an honor to engage with so many Gettysburgians

( B e l o w) P ro v ost C h r i s Z a p p e sp e a k s to th e C l a ss o f 2 0 25 a t C o nv o c a t i o n in A ug u st 2 0 21

throughout my tenure as Provost on this campus. I look forward to partnering with you all in the years ahead to help realize Gettysburg College’s brightest future.”

A Commitment to Academic Excellence

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t the start of Zappe’s tenure, the College underwent a reaccreditation for the Middle States Division that required him to prove that the fourth hour credit applied to the 32 units required to graduate. Zappe used a shared governance model to document the efficacy of fourth credit hours across academic divisions.

Zappe also oversaw the establishment of National Association for Music Education standards at the Sunderman Conservatory and the decennial review of the College, which required documenting assessment systems for courses and reconstituting the Committee on Learning Assessment to meet assessment standards.

“This requires an awful lot of deep thought and an awful lot of concentrated planning and Chris did that,” Vice Provost Jack Ryan said.

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As the chief academic officer the College, Zappe played an important role in hiring faculty. He made 86 tenure-track appointments, which constitute nearly 40% of the faculty at Gettysburg.

In 2016, the College received an $800,000 grant called “The Unfinished Work” from the Mellon Foundation to diversify the professoriate in the Arts & Humanities Division. With this grant, and a continued commitment to DEI principles, Zappe increased the College’s faculty hires of people of color by nearly 50%. To date, around 22% of the faculty are people of color.

“There’s a lot more work to do in that area,” said President Bob Iuliano, “but Chris deserves enormous credit with the faculty on the progress that has been made.”

Alongside his work to hire professors, Zappe developed a strategic plan and established new majors and minors: he introduced a summer hybrid course and the business, organizations and management major, which was unveiled in 2019. “[He worked to] respond to the challenge of maintaining enrollment through impending choppy waters (an issue which he identified and championed before just about anyone else), and [provided] a steady hand in leading the College’s core academic mission through a dynamic period in our history,” said Ben Pontz ’20. Pontz was the Editor-in-Chief of the Gettysburgian during the 2019–20 academic year.

A Dedication to People

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appe served as an advocate for the faculty, both in aiding student-faculty research and in assisting professors with grants. He also demonstrated his dedication to the faculty by taking the time to support and meet with them.

“Chris has always been open to speaking to any faculty member pretty much at any time—didn’t matter if it was in the evening, didn’t matter if it was on the weekend,” said Ryan. “He always put faculty wellbeing first.”

Beyond Zappe’s work to support the Academic Division, he remained committed to the vision of the College, working on the strategic plan and supporting the essential pillars of Gettysburg College education, including student research and high-performing faculty.

“The word that defines Chris Zappe’s time at Gettysburg College for me is ‘conscientious,’” said Pontz. “It is true that he is a strategic thinker, a student-centered administrator, and a person of enormous integrity, but all of those qualities, in my view, operate in service of his unsurpassed devotion to ensuring Gettysburg College’s brightest days lie ahead.”

Facing the compounding challenges of a demographic cliff, reaccreditation, the COVID-19 pandemic and impending changes to the curriculum, Zappe continued to support the College and find solutions to institution- and nation-wide problems.

“I just want to be explicit about what I think is the enormous debt that the College owes to Chris,” P H O T O S B Y A LY L E I A W E I N

said Iuliano. “I’ve been in higher education for nearly three decades and I’ve met very few people who are as good as he’s been, as hardworking and as committed to the institution.”

When Zappe announced his decision to step down, he chose to remain in the role until the College found a successor. He also reaffirmed his commitment to the institution by choosing to remain on the faculty after leaving the Provost Office.

“He’s unfailingly kind and generous and he radiates common decency,” said Ryan. “He always [showed] his dedication to the academic program here and, more importantly, his dedication to people really at a human level.”

in shaping their office.”

Zappe’s successor will be transitioning at a time when the College is considering significant changes to the curriculum and continuing the project of diversifying the faculty. The future Provost will also be entering the College after a number of faculty retirements and during an anticipated reduction in student enrollment.

“I will be … looking for a candidate with a record of strategic vision and helping to steer an institution through adaptation, ambition, growth and change,” said President Iuliano.

The Next Steps

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appe plans to return to the classroom as a professor in the management department at the conclusion of the national search for a new provost. This search will be conducted by a Search Advisory Committee of faculty from the three academic divisions and ranks, alongside the President’s Council.

President Iuliano hopes to allow the external review process of the Provost Office, starting in the fall, to intersect with the search for a new provost.

“I continue to think [external review] is an important thing to do, just given how quickly higher education is changing and the other transformations that are happening here on campus,” President Iuliano said. “I think it’s going to be important for the next Provost to have a substantial voice THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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F E AT U R E S

Unique Major Combos & Individualized Majors Students Reflect on Their Choice of Majors

COMPILED BY GRACIE MEISNER // FEATURES EDITOR Emma Fee ’23 IDS: “The Philosophy of Poverty” “The Philosophy of Poverty” is a combination of philosophy, economics and a little bit of political science.

I created it because I wanted to be able to explore each of those independent disciplines, as well as focus on the aspects of those areas that I was most interested in. Specifically, these are issues of poverty in economics, anti-poverty policy and advocacy in political science and issues of identity and humanity in philosophy. I decided to create this major because, first and foremost, I was unwilling to compromise on exploring any of these topics and I could not complete four different majors, so I decided to hone in on the aspects of each topic that most excited me and combine them into one doable major. Additionally, I love interdisciplinary thinking and problem solving; creating an inherently interdisciplinary major has allowed me to grow those skills in areas I am passionate about.

I am hoping to continue my education in graduate school and develop the abilities I have gained as an IDS major, including looking at problems from multiple angles, effective communication and creative and interdisciplinary thinking, all skills that are applicable in any academic setting.

Audrey Chesney ’22 Health Science & International and Globalization Studies (IGS)

The region and theme of my IGS major is Public Health in Latin America. I am interested in healthcare at the patient, population and global levels, and these majors have allowed me to integrate my interests. I wanted to not only obtain the educational base for a potential career in the healthcare field, but also to gain a wider perspective on global issues, healthcare and public health. After college, I plan to pursue employment opportunities in the healthcare field, though in what capacity I have yet to decide. I also hope to work in the public health sector at some point, potentially for a public health office or global health NGO. I am very thankful to have pursued my personal and career interests with both of these majors!

Molly Hoffman ’25 Environmental Studies & Public Policy

I decided freshman year of high school that our world’s environmental problems were so big that I needed to dedicate my career to addressing them. An AP Government class then introduced me to public policy. My teacher dreaded teaching us about bureaucracy, simply because it’s so complicated, but I remember that chapter opening a whole new world for me. I realized the best way to fix our environmental problems is through government action. In my mind, public policy is what I do, and environmental studies is what I do it for. After college, I hope to work for the federal government and I am particularly interested in land conservation policy with the Department of the Interior. I feel so lucky to have found a career path that perfectly combines my skills in public policy with my passion for saving the environment.

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PHOTOS PROVIDED BY AUTHORS

Merlyn Maldonado ’22 Art History & IDS: “Magazines and Popular Culture in Media”

I decided to create this major because I have always been interested in the field of communications, more specifically journalism and editorial work. Additionally, since I have always been invested in different forms of popular culture and love reading magazines, I thought it would be fun to combine my interests and make a career out of it. With my majors, I hope to either continue pursuing curatorial work in museums or become a writer for a magazine or news publication. Since my majors are complementary, I would be thrilled to become a writer for a publication’s art column.

My goal with this combination is to prepare me for what Cole Springer ’25 I see myself doing after college, which would involve me Chemistry & moving to Germany to get both my master’s and PhD. German Studies After about six years, I could see myself staying in Germany to do research at either one of the national institutes there or at a university. The main reason I’m majoring in chemistry is the possibility to know something that no one else in the entire world knows through research, which is such a fascinating possibility that I want to pursue throughout my life. With my German Studies degree, I of course want to keep up with my German language skills. However, I also am able to distinguish myself from others by showing my interest in not just the language, but also the culture surrounding it. While it is an odd combination, the degrees will work to support my future.

Adrienne Poissant ’22 Political Science & Religious Studies

I always intended to be a political science major from the time I applied to Gettysburg. My first introduction to religious studies was in my First-Year Seminar, which was called “Waging Peace” and focused on religious responses to violence and exploring the intersection between religion and politics. I officially declared my religious studies major as a sophomore after taking “Intro to the New Testament and Native American Religious Traditions.” My main interest is in the Abrahamic faiths, but it was very eye-opening to learn what different people believed in. Political science is a much more empirical field, so taking classes in both departments allowed me to feel more balanced with coursework. I am planning to pursue a master’s in divinity at Princeton Theological Seminary next year and either become a pastor or teach about the Christian faith. My political science degree has helped me become more aware of the power institutions hold for change and how important it is to strive for social justice from many different angles.

Megan Wojnar ’22 Environmental Studies & Cinema and Media Studies After realizing I had an interest in both areas while in high school, I was excited to be able to pursue both interests while attending Gettysburg College. I have been lucky enough to be able to grow tremendously in both of these fields, and I hope to be able to blend both together and become a nature documentarist. Throughout my four years here, I have been able to grow so much as a person through studying both of these majors, and I really got a feel for how two majors that seem to have no relation can blend together into a cohesive area of study. After declaring my freshmen year, I have met so many amazing faculty members in both departments that have served as amazing role models and mentors.

If I can give any advice to someone who is deciding between two majors that may not seem to relate, just go for it. Being a double major is rewarding in any scenario, but it is an amazing feeling to know I was able to blend my two passions into a well-rounded education here at Gettysburg College.

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SPORTS

The Academic Challenges of Being a Student-Athlete

How Balanced are Academics and Athletics at Gettysburg?

BY GRACIE MEISNER // FEATURES EDITOR & JACK HERR // SPORTS EDITOR

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ccording to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Division III sports, which are offered at Gettysburg College, provide a “well-rounded collegiate experience that involves a balance of rigorous academics, competitive athletics, and the opportunity to pursue a multitude of other co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities.”

In comparison to highly-demanding Division I and II programs, in which athletes are often bound to athletic scholarship contracts, Division III sports, which offer no athletic money, provide the best opportunity for athletes to continue playing their sport while maintaining a well-rounded and balanced college experience.

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With 25% of the student population playing on one of its 24 varsity teams, Gettysburg College is a founding member of the Centennial Conference, one of the “premier conferences for NCAA Division III athletics.” The Conference stresses its commitment to excellence in both academics and athletics.

At times, however, the reality of this “balance” may not mirror the commitment.

In her first year as a student-athlete at Gettysburg, Maddie Murphy ’25, member of the women’s softball team, noticed the stark differences between her time as a high school athlete and her new experience as an athlete at Gettysburg.

“Softball has been more of a commitment than I expected,” said Murphy. “I was used to playing club sports that practiced only twice a week, and each high school sport lasted only a season. Here, for softball, you have a fall season, and then you lift in the winter and then you have a spring season. It never really stops, which I wasn’t expecting.”

Like Murphy, Essie Pasternak ’23, member of the women’s lacrosse team, did not anticipate the high level of commitment demanded of student-athletes, though she has since found a balance between her responsibilities.

“Deciding to come to a Division III school, I expected less sport demand,” said Pasternak. “Freshman fall was definitely an P H O T O S B Y L U C A E S PA Ñ A

adjustment, and COVID totally threw a wrench in plans, but since then I have felt at ease splitting my time between sports and academics.

Balancing the two has helped me stay organized and get things done in a timely manner.”

Although Shane Manieri ’22, a member of the men’s baseball team, anticipated his commitment as a college athlete, managing his high expectations for himself has often been challenging.

“I know prior to competing in collegiate athletics that the time commitment would be a grind if I wanted to succeed on and off the field,” said Manieri. “As one who takes academics and athletics seriously, my school and sports balance is one that has been difficult to manage. Particularly, the preseason as a baseball player tends to be the toughest to handle since many practices are held late at night. I remind myself that I play college baseball because I enjoy playing the game, but the time commitment can certainly be stressful.”

According to the Gettysburg College Academic Scheduling Guidelines, “Academic success is the highest priority at Gettysburg… when you combine the experience in the classroom with the experience on an intercollegiate team the overall education is enhanced.”

However, sports teams’ practice times sometimes suggest otherwise.

Late-night practices are one of the challenges experienced by student-athletes at Gettysburg. Kenzie Szlosek ’25, a member of the women’s basketball team, explained that her nighttime practices have, at times, posed challenges to class selection, exam preparation and dinner options.

“Because of practices and games, I’m unable to take evening classes

and attend a lot of review sessions for exams,” said Szlosek. “Sometimes I’m even unable to go to the dining hall for dinner if I have a late practice.”

While in-season competition counts as an excused absence from class, student-athletes are prohibited from missing classes to attend practice. To work around this, some coaches require that student-athletes organize their academic schedules to leave certain parts of the day free.

“I am unable to have afternoon labs on Wednesdays due to lacrosse games,” said Pasternak. “It is kind of an unsaid rule to try and only schedule night labs so that you are not late to practice in the afternoon. I find myself unable to make a lot of review sessions, PLA hours or extra credit opportunities as well due to sport conflicts.”

meeting Gettysburg College curriculum or major requirements.

Aaron Kirby ’23, another member of the men’s baseball team, has found navigating the restrictions on taking afternoon classes challenging.

“The most frustrating academic restriction is the ability to only take certain classes,” said Kirby. “Many classes have labs that run during the afternoon and conflict with the game schedule.”

Manieri added that being restricted to taking morning classes and having afternoons and evenings filled by practices makes it difficult to get extra help from professors.

“Looking back at my experience as a senior, I wish I could have had more resources at my disposal to help when I was struggling academically,” said Manieri. “Since the

Murphy explained that, although (Fa r le f t) Wo m e n’s L a c rosse pl ay ing D e ni so n o n Fe b r u a r y 26th her coach is understanding of academic commitments, the women’s ( B e l o w) Me n’s B a se ba ll pl ay ing softball team schedules their classes We st f i e l d S ta te o n Ma rch 18th around their game days, which typically fall on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

“My coach is very ‘schoolfirst,’ [and] is lenient with our classes,” said Murphy.

“However, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, when a majority of our games happen, we can’t take classes past 12 p.m.”

For the men’s baseball team, student-athletes are restricted to choosing morning classes in order to avoid conflicts with afternoon practice times.

Manieri reflected that, although it has impeded his ability to choose certain electives, it hasn’t prevented him from THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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in-season time commitment takes up my entire afternoon and evening throughout the week, it is difficult to meet with my teachers during office hours.”

Student-athletes have also made large sacrifices to continue playing their sport beyond class scheduling restrictions.

“This upcoming summer, I had to withdraw from an internship because I would not be able to make the two-week training session due to the lacrosse season,” said Pasternak.

Many student-athletes are also unable to participate in study abroad as a result of their commitment to long athletic seasons.

“Due to the timing of winter basketball season, unfortunately, I am unable to study abroad in any of my four years here at Gettysburg, since the season encompasses both semesters,” said Szlosek. “Additionally, I have to spend most of my winter break on campus, since we have games and practices, so I miss out on vacation time at home.”

Former football player Jacob Quasney ’24 reflected on his time on the football team that while his experience with teammates was positive, the time commitment and inability to participate in other activities ultimately led him to leave the team.

“It was a very busy schedule with early morning workouts, then classes until lunch, and then meetings or labs that I had to work around,” said Quasney. “After everything, I then had to do homework, which took longer than usual because I was so exhausted. I had little time to relax or hang out with people, other than study sessions, lunch or dinner. I did appreciate the atmosphere with the other players, but I didn’t want the time commitment

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anymore… so I chose to focus on my classes and still have time for other activities.”

Many student-athletes believe there need to be better resources to help navigate the balance between academics and athletics. Szlosek emphasized the need for improved access to mental health resources for student-athletes as well as an expanded support system within the athletics program.

“I would love to see more mental health support towards student-athletes, and more resources allocated towards us to help us with that,” said Szlosek. “It can be challenging to balance academics, our sport and our health, and oftentimes, our mental health will be prioritized last. I think it’s important that coaches and athletic staff check in on their athletes, and ensure that we’re getting the help and support we need.”

Pasternak highlighted the importance of sleep as a critical component of mental health.

“Sleep is something that many student-athletes struggle with,” said Pasternak. “A domino effect of the lack of sleep can lead to lots of harmful things, affecting mentality

(A b o v e) Wo m e n’s B a sk e tba ll pl ay ing B r y n Maw r o n Ja n u a r y 31st

and performance. I think addressing mental health issues within college sports should be a priority.”

Acknowledging the trade-offs demanded of student-athletes at Gettysburg, Szlosek and Murphy praised their professors and coaches for providing support when athletics became overwhelming.

“For student-athletes here, the school does a really great job for the most part of making it easy to both play a sport and take classes,” said Murphy. “Professors are understanding of us missing class for a game, and they help you catch up on work you missed.”

One theme rings true among student-athletes: the balancing act is worth the academic challenges.

“I firmly believe that the sacrifices and challenges that go into balancing my academics and basketball are worth it, as I find both success on the court and in the classroom while mainly training this schedule,” said Szlosek.

P H O T O S B Y L U C A E S PA Ñ A

OPINIONS

A Call for Non-Athlete Hours at the Jaeger Center

BY NICOLE DEJACIMO // MANAGING EDITOR

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t wasn’t until the second semester of senior year that I finally started to regularly go to the gym.

Over winter break I learned how to lift, erg (the rowing machine) and began to actually enjoy working out. So, when I chest press or squat, I have a hard time staying in the zone when the entire baseball team envelopes the lifting section and waits around me until I finish.

It’s hard to stretch when the whole women’s basketball team is relaxing on the blue mats after their workout.

As a non-athlete, non-gym buff, I call for designated beginners times: an intimidation-free hour or two a few days a week. All I ask for is a judgment-free zone, like Planet Fitness. It’s not that I don’t appreciate our Division III athletes’ dedication to their craft, but it would be nice to use a machine without a group asking me if I’m “done with that yet?” during my first set. Not

to mention, maxing out your squat weight just to barely bend your knees does not set the best example for new learners (cough cough football team). Beginner hours would give students the chance to actually use our facilities when they might not otherwise feel comfortable because they fear being bombarded by student-athletes.

There are a few options for teams to consider that would make the Jaeger Center more accessible for all students. For example, coaches could avoid scheduling team practices at peak hours (around 4 pm on weekdays, at least from my own experience). Another solution could be small group team practices. That way the football team doesn’t have to stand shoulder to shoulder to see themselves in the mirrors and the softball team doesn’t have to yell to one another across the gym.

As mentioned earlier, there could also be designated beginner hours so students still learning what form is and discovering the gym beyond the cardio section can explore those without risk of judgment or intimidation.

This is especially helpful for women and trans folks, as the gym still has a significant gender gap that widens when it comes to strength training. No matter how much I have learned over the past few months, I struggle to take my place in the weights section

as one of the only—or the only— women.

The CDC reported that students who are regularly physically active have “better grades, school attendance, cognitive performance, and classroom behaviors.” This is especially true as students have dealt with a year and a half of online classes and encouraged isolation; working out is more important than ever. Students who are not part of a team need extra encouragement to stay physically fit. The more students who use the gym, the healthier the collective student body, both mentally and physically, which translates to a higher-performing academic environment. I also hope that a positive side effect of these changes could be a healthier lifestyle balance for student-athletes. Fewer mandatory workouts would allow them to sleep more, study more and take better care of themselves.

As a small college that does not have the luxury of a separate gym for athletes, we need a more equitable schedule so all students feel comfortable in the gym, no matter their experience or athleticism. I sincerely hope that the athletics department considers this recommendation because everyone deserves access to the Jaeger Center.

For only a short time in their lives, students have access to a free gym where they are mostly surrounded by others their age. These changes would not necessarily add a monetary cost, nor would they require expanded hours (which would be costly and ask too much from the student workers). These options are viable and would benefit the entire student body.

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OPINIONS

A Guide to Getting Your Tuition Back Taking Advantage of Campus Opportunities

BY THE GETTYSBURGIAN EDITORIAL BOARD

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e all know Gettysburg College is expensive. We each know how much money we are putting in, but how much are we getting out? And how much more can we get out? The College tells us that the tuition is high because the Gettysburg experience is unique and valuable. Because we pay an exorbitant price for tuition, we have to make it worth its price by seeking out the opportunities that the College offers. What experiences add up to the $61,760 tuition sticker-price?

While these are all things that a tour guide may be eager to mention to prospective students, these opportunities are not widely advertised to current students. When they are advertised, it is only in

Academics

Go to office hours. No professor bribed us to write this, but it is a fantastic opportunity to have access to high-caliber academics who want to sit down and chat with you about their field and your life. Go to office hours to get extra academic support and to develop relationships with our incredible faculty. Outside of office hours, if your class has a PLA (peer learning assistant), visit them to get their insider tips from previously taking the class. The Writing Center is in both the basement of the library and the ground floor of

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forums that current students rarely pay attention to. The digest is indigestible: receiving four emails every day with a list of random events is not an effective communication strategy for most of the student body. Physical posters are ubiquitous but invisible. There are many events, resources, trips and funds that are available to students that students are missing. When these services go unused, it is a waste of the money that we are paying to go to Gettysburg.

In the wake of the pandemic, older students are navigating the campus favorites that have survived the pandemic, while younger students are discovering these options for the first time. Here is our guide on how to make the most of your tuition.

Breidenbaugh, and you can drop by or make an appointment online for writing feedback for any class or assignment. On the first floor of the library, there is also the Research Help Desk, staffed by librarians who are eager to help you find sources, learn a variety of citation styles or get started on a research project. Additionally, there are four 24-hour academic buildings: Glatfelter, Breidenbaugh, Shmucker and the Science Center.

Use them to stake out a study spot when the library is crowded or organize a study group there.

Go Do Things!

There are a surprising number of things to do on campus if you know where to look. For no extra cost, students can critique l’art en vogue in the art gallery, embark on a cosmological odyssey in the planetarium, spin into fitness classes, cheer on the Bullets at sports games and sing along to conservatory performances (disclaimer: singing along may get you removed from the premises). Academic departments frequently host impressive speakers, such as Obama aide Jon Favreau and photojournalist Eric Lee ’15. Pub Trivia is most Thursdays at The Attic, so show up for fun trivia, food, drinks and prize money (these prizes are seriously big bucks). The engageGettysburg app has a calendar with almost all of campus events, so check there for events that interest you. If you are looking to get crafty, the Innovation & Creativity Lab in West Building is open to all students 24/7, and has a laser printer, hand tools, sewing machines, drones and many other materials.

Travel & Learn

Expand your horizon beyond South Central Pennsylvania, and do so on the College’s dime. By studying abroad through the Center for Global Education, you can spend a semester traveling in a country of your choice for the same cost as attending Gettysburg, with all scholarships traveling with you and credits transferring back when you return. Many Eisenhower Institute programs travel within the United States, and in the past, some have traveled internationally to France, the United Kingdom, Israel and Palestine (though international travel has been limited in the past few years). These programs are no extra cost to students and allow students to connect with the greater political world. The Center for Public Service organizes Immer-

sion Trips that teach students how friends and have a pizza party. The different organizations and people beloved coffee cart is now back at collaborate to create change. While the library after 10 p.m., serving up there are additional costs associated all the caffeinated necessities your with Immersion Trips, there are heart desires. For students older also scholarships available for stuthan 21, there are even host providdents who need them. In the past, er events, so let the College buy you some clubs, such as Model United a drink.

Nations, have organized overnight ( B e l o w) T h e A r t G a lle r y i s l o c a te d trips, both domestically and o n th e f i r st f l o o r o f S ch m u ck e r Ha ll abroad, using school funding, and the Ski Club organizes weekly trips to Liberty Mountain, the local ski area.

The world is your oyster, Gettysburg, if only you take advantage of the many opportunities at your fingertips.

Food

Gettysburg College students live up to the cliché of always wanting food and never wanting to pay for it, with an ambitious quantity-over-quality mindset. Above all, use your meal plan effectively. If you are in a rush, don’t skip a meal; use Bullet Express to order online ahead of time and pick up. Bullet also offers reusable containers that students can take home, wash and bring back to use again. Use your Dining Dollars: If you don’t need more meals, you can buy coffee, snacks and toiletries at Commons. Kazue, next to the Majestic Theater, accepts Dining Dollars, so take your friends out to dinner. For first-year students, who have far more meal swipes than Dining Dollars, swing

by Servo between classes for a cup of coffee or a muffin. Clubs and organizations frequently host events with food, so go make some new P H O T O B Y L U C A E S PA Ñ A

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e encourage students to partake in all of these opportunities not only because they are fun perks, but also because we pay for them. Failing to participate is a waste not only of your own tuition, but everyone else’s too. While students have recently felt that the College has not lived up to the expectations it sets for us, part of the issue is that students do not know about or do not participate in opportunities

Money up for Grabs

Gettysburg College allocates money to students in a variety of ways. The purpose of Student Senate is to fund clubs and organizations, so if your club needs money for something, go request it. Though not automatically allocated, most (reasonable) requests are at least partially funded. Or, if none of the student groups on campus pique your interest, start your own club!

For internships that are unpaid or underpaid, the Center for Career Engagement offers a summer housing grant. There are also other scholarships and grants for various programs and students sometimes advertised in the student digest. Finally, you can earn some cash (and gift cards) by participating in student research, often psychology or economics experiments; though this may not be a lot of money, it is probably higher than Gettysburg’s abysmal minimum wage.

available to them. Because there is no effective centralized system to learn about all campus happenings, we need to learn from each other about lesser-known and under-utilized resources. So, go learn about the sky this month. Earn $32 in an economics experiment.

Buy yourself a fancy Commons coffee. Chat with your professors.

Don’t be a passive participant in your college experience.

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A&E

The Greatest Night in the History of Television

BY VICTORIA STAUB // A&E EDITOR & CARTER HANSON // MAGAZINE EDITOR

T

he Academy Awards, or Oscars, are demonstrative of the greatest achievements in film of each year, at least according to the Academy. This year’s awards, which were held on March 27, highlighted numerous important and even controversial films from the past year. Arguably, the most important award of the night is for Best Picture, which deems a film to be the best from the past year.

An underdog, “CODA” beat out a crowded field of films that ranged from the inoffensive (“Belfast”) to the inescapable (“Don’t Look Up”) for the top prize.

“CODA” won all three of the awards for which it was nominated.

Troy Kotsur was the first ever deaf actor to have won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. “CODA’s” wins received enthusiastic rounds of (ASL) applause, demonstrating massive support for and recognition of the deaf community. Furthermore, this was the first ever Best Picture win for a streaming service (Apple TV+), a significant milestone in streaming services’ gradual takeover of the film industry.

Another notable win was eighttime Grammy winners and siblings Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell’s for their Best Original Song, “No Time to Die,” from the Bond movie of the same name. In a shocking upset, the film that received the most nominations, “The Power of the Dog,” walked away with only one win (Jane Campion for Best Director). “Dune” won

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the most Oscars with six wins, mostly in technical fields, including Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects and Best Score.

However, the most notable parts of the night revolved around the Fresh Prince himself, Will Smith. When comedian Chris Rock joked about Will’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith, Will walked on stage and slapped Chris Rock in the face. Audiences were initially unsure whether the incident was staged, but when the screen froze, it was clear that ABC was doing some damage control.

Smith was seen mouthing “keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth” which was quickly confirmed by the unedited versions visible abroad. The incident has been placed under formal review by the Academy.

On top of this already confusing and shocking moment in Oscars history, Will Smith won Best Actor in a Leading Role for “King Richard” just minutes after. His speech lasted over five minutes, during which he apologized to the Academy (not Chris Rock) and frequently mentioned protecting his family. Will Smith, despite being a well-respected actor, had not received an Academy Award before this year’s Oscars.

Smith’s temperament vastly overshadowed his award as well as many of the other awards presented towards the end of the night.

Jessica Chastain, the Best Leading Actress winner for “The Eyes of

Tammy Faye,” utilized part of her acceptance speech to recognize the “discriminatory and bigoted legislation” affecting the LGBTQ+ community and other minority groups in the United States. Even “CODA’s” Best Picture win was diminished by the absolute chaos caused by Will Smith’s defense of his famously unfaithful wife.

If there is one thing to remember, other than the incredible activism present at this year’s Academy Awards, it’s that while not everybody hates Chris, Will sure does.

The Nominees Best Picture

CODA “CODA,” which stands for “child of deaf adults,” is a coming-of-age comedy-drama that follows Ruby, the only hearing member of a deaf family. This film depicts Ruby’s attempts to balance her family’s struggling fishing business and her passion for singing. Notably, this film’s cast is composed of deaf actors playing deaf characters.

Nominations: Best Picture (won); Supporting Actor, Troy Kotsur (won); Adapted Screenplay (won)

Dune Sci-fi is a rarity at the Oscars, but “Dune”’s themes of colonialism, environmental degradation and social upheaval resonate across genre. With “Dune,” based on the 1965 novel of the same name by Frank Herbert, Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival” and “Blade Runner 2049”) has created a movie as colossal in its scale and ambition as its source material and has fit a star-studded cast (Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac) comfortably into a complex, politically-driven plot.

King Richard

This biographical sports film follows the life of Richard Williams, the father and coach of tennis legends Venus and Serena. Navigating the tennis game in Compton, CA, “King Richard” maps the Williams sisters’ road to greatness. Will Smith may have won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance as Richard Williams in “King Richard,” but he certainly did not win any awards for kindness this year.

Belfast This semi-autobiographical film by director Kenneth Branagh (famous for “Murder on the Orient Express,” “Dunkirk” and being Emma Thompson’s ex-husband) depicts the life of a working-class family and their young son’s childhood during the tumultuous “Troubles” of 1960s Northern Ireland.

West Side Story

This remake of the 1961 Broadway classic depicts a 1950s rendition (with a semi-modern take) of Romeo and Juliet involving street gangs in New York City.

The questionable casting of Ansel Elgort, who has recently been under allegations of sexual assult, clearly did not stop the film from receiving an overall positive review. This Spielberg version included an excellent performance by Ariana DeBose, for which she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

Other OscarNominated Films

1. Licorice Pizza

2. Nightmare Alley 3. Being the Ricardos 4. Parallel Mothers 5. The Worst Person in the World

Drive My Car

In this Japanese film, actor and director Yusuke Kafuku (played by Hidetoshi Nishijima) meets a young woman, Misaki Watari (played by Tōko Miura), on a trip to a Hiroshima theater festival when she is assigned to chauffeur the actor in his red Saab 900. Yusuke and his driver are forced to confront truths about his past and deceased wife.

The Power of the Dog

The toxic masculinity of the classic Western is put on trial in “The Power of the Dog.” It’s a slow burn, but when the fuse is finally spent, there is a profound thrill to finally putting the big picture together. Set in 1925 rural Montana, “The Power of the Dog” focuses on the cruel rancher Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch). When his brother brings home his new wife and stepson, Phil torments them until he unexpectedly decides to take his new step-nephew under his wing.

Don’t Look Up When two astronomers discover a life-ending comet is rapidly approaching Earth, they must navigate media narratives, corporate greed, government inaction and the willful ignorance of the American people to warn the world about its impending demise. This satire is incredibly relevant to today as the comet is symbolic of a climate catastrophe and the government’s reluctance to acknowledge the danger is eerily similar to the U.S. non-response to global warming.

“Don’t Look Up’s” star-studded cast (Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence and Meryl Streep, among many, many others) is definitely impressive, but the lack of wins is unsurprising given its competition.

Win

Nomination THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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F E AT U R E S

Postcard From Abroad

What I Owe to Southern France

BY GEORGE MALIAN

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hen I arrived in France in January, I spoke no French, had never left the United States before and had never flown on an airplane. On the day of my arrival, I found myself alone at a bus station waiting to be picked up by the family of strangers I’d be living with. It was the first time I grasped the gravity of what I was doing.

Although I understood that life would now look different, I was not prepared to lose the subtle orientation that my comfort depended on.

I was now a foreigner obliged to experience all that being a foreigner entails. Despite being floored by the beauty of Provence, life felt a little awkward: I was unable to understand my surroundings and was insecure about my Americanness in a country stereotyped for its lukewarm attitude towards the U.S. What I did not realize during those first few moments is that the next two months would be some of the most vibrant of my life. I’ve relaxed along the Mediterranean, sipped espresso at the Piazza Navona, strolled the canals of Amsterdam and eaten my fair share of Belgian waffles. While I have seen and experienced things that I never expected to, I am most grateful for the people who have made my time in Aix-en-Provence such a formative part of the person I’m becoming.

Like myself, my host family is ethnically Armenian. We have a shared love of the food and culture that has served as a constant in my

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life. Even though our French and American upbringings took place thousands of miles apart, there is a warmth and familiarity in them that’s made their home feel like my own. Their family, like thousands of other Armenians, arrived in the area as refugees after surviving the Armenian Genocide.

While my own family has lived in the U.S. for nearly a century, our families’ histories share many similarities.

My great-grandmother was 12 when the Armenian Genocide began. After witnessing the murder of her brother and father, she and her sisters, in addition to her mother, were placed on a death march to the Syrian desert. While on the march, she was separated from them when she was abducted and enslaved by a Turkish man who impregnated her twice. When the opportunity to escape arose, she fled the harem she was held captive in and eventually found her way to an orphanage in Aleppo, Syria where she tried to discern whether her loved ones had perished. Ultimately, her persistence proved fruitful, and she learned that they had indeed survived and were working at a rug factory in Marseille, France. In Marseille, she reunited with them in a home located only 15 miles from where I now live.

When I shared her story with my host mother, she insisted on personally escorting me to the

(A b o v e) T h e A u th o r V i sit ing h i s A n ce st ra l Ho u se in Ma r se ille

now-abandoned house. Although it is greatly deteriorated and located in a rough section of the city, I could only think about the joy that was once felt inside it. Marseille had provided refuge to our families, and had my great-grandmother not made her way to the U.S., my presence in the city may have been as a native and not as a tourist.

Sharing that experience with someone who knows its significance is something that I will always be profoundly grateful for.

Of the many debts I owe to the South of France, that one is the greatest.

P H O T O P R O V I D E D B Y G EO R G E M A L I A N

F E AT U R E S

The Crossword MADE BY CARTER HANSON

Across

1. Accident 7. Sanctioned individual, since Feb. 2022 15. Eat quickly 16.Gulf dolphinfish 17. A craze 18. Monitor or Merrimack, for example 19. Brooks of The Producers and Blazing Saddles 20. Wheel hat?

22. “Easy as ___” 23. Not imaginary, briefly 24. Punchable clock 25. Name more common among Republican senators than women until 2020 27. TV show about a mobster family in New Jersey, with “The” 29. Gold 30. Submit for a grade 31. Make wild again 35. Pimples 36. One who is averse to dogma 37. Bewilder 40. Painter of different shades 42. Guthrie of “Alice’s Restaurant” and “City of New Orleans” fame 43. High jump with a pole; or a cellar treasury 44. Disney musical whose name means “charm” 45. Often added to the end of 57 down in computer programming 46. Indian flatbread 47. ___ facto 50. Protagonist of a 2007 Pixar movie set in France 51. Cosmological collaboration threatened by Russia 53. Internet instruction, briefly 54. Game show Alex 56. As frequent as U.S. House elections 59. “Ireland” for the Irish 60. French egg 62. When in Rome, visit the Spanish ___ 63. Father of Icarus 64. Having an attitude

Down

1. Largest metropolitan area in Florida 2. Deduces 3. Halfway between garlic and onion 4. Possessed 5. Roll Tide state 6. Whiny, crabby 7. Variant with a new “stealth” subvariant 8. Victors of the 2022 Super Bowl 9. Pancake-serving restaurant chain that purchased Applebee’s in 2007 10. Liquor often mixed with tonic water 11. World’s largest movie theater chain 12. Fiennes of The Grand Budapest Hotel 13. Reaction that powers nuclear bombs 14. What you can’t do (although you can run) 20. Tubman who will replace Jackson on the $20 bill 21. Those who exile 25. Campion who directed The Power of the Dog 26. Those being treated while not admitted to a hospital 28. Mystify

31. Nation whose flag depicts a field of sunflowers 32. Wastes away 33. “One thousand” en Español 34. Friendly to the environment 36. Catholicism for Christianity, for example 37. “Crisis ___!”

38. Mosquito-borne disease prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa 39. Stern 41. Game involving skipping 48. Lathered up 49. Birds that hoot 51. “That is,” briefly 52. Nordic cheers 55. __ Bath & Beyond 56. Where the wheels go ‘round and ‘round 57. __/then 58. Org. that Edward Snowden blew the whistle on 61. Int. org. that inspired the use of “exit” as a suffix

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