The Gettysburgian - October 2022

The Gettysburgian

“What Does Gettysburg College Mean to You?”

Hear what members of the campus community have to say

A Note from the Editor:

Like many members of the class of 2023, I have spent the last two months reflecting on my time at Gettysburg College.

When I arrived as a freshman in August of 2019, I did not expect my first full year on campus to come in my last year as a college student. After dealing with a pandemic that disrupted nearly every expectation of how I would spend my time here, I have thought a lot about what Gettysburg College means to me.

For each of us, that answer is different. Whether you’re a first-year or a senior, every one of us has had a unique experience.

We are a campus of students from different cultures, classes, and countries who have come to this small town in Pennsylvania to share some of the most salient years of our lives. When we think about our time at Gettysburg College it is easy to see how the people and values of this institution have shaped us. What is harder to see, on the other hand, is how we have impacted this campus.

I have learned in my three years at the College that its purpose is to redefine the ground it sits on. While it has a constant presence in the atmosphere of this community, Gettysburg’s bloodstained history serves a challenge for each of us to confront. When our campus’s manicured lawns and crisp white buildings start to feel like home, it is easy to forget that time is the only thing that separates us from the struggle that unfolded here.

By choosing to be a part of this community, we have inherited a responsibility to reinvent what it means to be a Gettysburgian. That duty does not require us to forget about this town’s past but rather how we’ll add to it. Gettysburg’s legacy is long and complex and in it stands a place for all of us to make a mark on the ideas that we think matter.

For me, The Gettysburgian has been an opportunity to face that task. Working alongside a team of writers and editors that personify devotion is something that I will always remain grateful for. While our work is often difficult and overlooked, stewarding a 125 year old institution is how we have chosen to contribute to our college’s legacy.

In this magazine, we take a look at how members of the campus community both perceive and value Gettysburg College. Follow us as we evaluate the College’s campus climate study, changes to the music education major, track sports victories throughout the past ten years, and grapple with our campus’s racial structure and connection to the town itself.

As you read, please reflect on what Gettysburg College means to you and how you may be able to make an impact on it.

Thank you for joining us as we strive to document tomorrow’s history today.

George Malian ’23 Magazine Editor, The Gettysburgian

Table of Contents

“2022 Climate Study Results: Assessment of Climate for Learning, Living, and Working”

By Gracie Meisner, Assistant News Editor

“ Music Education is Here to Stay”

By Victoria Staub, A&E Editor

Opinion: “Race on Campus”

By Isaias Martinez, President of Latin American Student Association “Campus Poll Examines Student Perspectives on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion”

By Katie Oglesby, Editor-in-Chief & Alli Dayton, Managing

Editor

“ What Does Gettysburg College Mean to You?”

Compiled By Mikelyn Britt, Opinions Editor “Gettysburg Sports in the Last Ten Years: Why Women’s Lacrosse is the College’s Best Team in Recent History”

By Jack Herr, Sports Editor

“‘ The Distance Between Here and Home’: Edna Kilusu’s Journey From Tanzania”

“Gettysburg College Ranked No. 20 on Princeton Review’s Top 25 LGBTQ-Unfriendly Schools”

“ The Town that Hosts Us: A Conversation on Retaining Legacy”

By The Gettysburgian Editorial Board

By Kyle Hammerness,

Features Editor

By Kenzie Smith, Staff Writer

(Photo Eric Lippe/The Gettysburgian)

2022 Climate Study Results: Assessment of Climate for Learning, Living, and Working

By Gracie Meisner, Assistant News Editor

On Sept. 20, Dr. Sue Rankin, consultant of Rankin and Associates, presented the results of the 2022 Climate Study to students, staff, administration, and faculty. The study measured the climate through the current attitudes and behaviors of faculty, staff, administrators, and students, as well as opinions regarding institutional policies and procedures, which influence the level of respect for individual needs, abilities, and potential. The response rate at 23 percent (727 respondents) was on the lower end, according to Rankin. It was composed of 14 percent of all students, 42 percent of all faculty, and 49 percent of all staff.

On the positive end, students and faculty were overall comfortable with the climate in their classes. Students felt valued by faculty and expressed positive views about their academic experiences. Faculty expressed positive views about their work; they felt valued

by students and generally supported by Gettysburg College with resources for professional development. Staff also expressed positive views about their work; they generally felt supported in their work and felt they had colleagues and coworkers who could give them career advice and guidance.

The data revealed significant areas of improvement. When broken down, comfort with climate varied based on identity group. Faculty were less comfortable than students; women were less comfortable than men; LGBTQ+ community members were less comfortable than heterosexual community members; first-generation students were less comfortable than non-first-generation students; and faculty and staff employed more than six years were less comfortable than faculty and staff employed less than six years.

Nearly a quarter of respondents —24 percent—noted experiences of

exclusionary conduct, with 34 percent of these respondents experiencing the conduct five or more times in the past year. For students, these experiences tended to be on the basis of gender identity, racial identity, ethnicity, and mental health. For staff, the exclusionary conduct tended to be on the basis of gender identity, racial identity, and job position.

Rankin then addressed unwanted sexual experiences, which 12 percent reported experiencing. These experiences included relationship violence, stalking, unwanted sexual interaction, and unwanted sexual contact.

While faculty generally had positive teaching and classroom experiences, tenured and tenure-track faculty responses reveal work-life challenges: 57 percent were expected to do extra work that was uncompensated; 47 percent felt Gettysburg College valued their service; and only 34

percent felt senior administrators take faculty opinions seriously.

Staff also reported work-life challenges. Only 18 percent of staff felt there were clear procedures on how they could advance at Gettysburg College; 61 percent felt a hierarchy existed within staff positions that allowed some voices to be valued more than others; and 37 percent felt pressured by departmental work requirements that occurred outside of normally scheduled hours.

28 percent of students felt that faculty pre-judged their abilities based on perceptions of their identity and background—students with disabilities were significantly more likely than students with no disability to feel this, and students of color were significantly more likely to feel this than white students. Ultimately, nearly half—49 percent—of students surveyed indicated that they seriously considered leaving Gettysburg. The most common reasons included lacking a sense of belonging (54 percent), wanting to transfer to another institution (46 percent), and lacking social life outside of Greek life (39 percent).

Many staff indicated similar thoughts about leaving Gettysburg. 64 percent of staff and 55 percent of faculty seriously considered leaving. Faculty cited their interest in a position at another institution (43 percent), low salary/pay rate (38 percent), lack of sense of belonging (37 percent), tension with coworkers (36 percent), unwelcoming campus climate (33 percent), and increased workload (32 percent) as reasons. Staff cited similar reasons but included limited advancement opportunities (53 percent) and lack of professional development opportunities (29 percent), as well.

Ultimately, positive experiences are not consistent across the board: respondents associated with historically underserved social, community, and affinity groups (people of color, women, people with lower income statuses, and people with disabilities) cited less positive

experiences. In addition, faculty and staff felt overwhelmingly left out of decision-making and/or undervalued.

Chief Diversity Officer Eloísa Gordon-Mora explained that Gettysburg College is committed to using the results from the Climate Survey to develop practical steps that address these concerns. A critical beginning to this process is giving community members an opportunity to reflect on the results in a safe space. Gordon-Mora explains that follow-up discussions have been available for all members of the campus community, including affinity-group specific options, to digest the results.

“We have been hosting a series of follow-up discussions. It is important to have that more intimate moment where all comments are confidential and give folks the opportunity to react to the climate survey,” said GordonMora. “What we are attempting to do is first understand the reactions of the climate survey and establish certain themes. From there, we can understand what the priorities are.”

The follow-up discussions are just the beginning, Gordon-Mora noted. Collaboration among the college’s leadership will follow to develop actionable steps for the improvement of the campus climate for individuals of all identities.

“What we’re attempting to do from this office is work closely at the level of the president’s council and other top senior leadership and create an actionable structure to direct short and long term responses,” said Gordon-Mora.

“Part of my objective is creating an action plan to have a sense of accountability, effort, and forward movement.

Prior to the 2022 Climate Study, the college conducted a similar study in 2016. Gordon-Mara noted that the context surrounding the time of the current climate study is critical to understanding its results.

“The second round had the very important impacts of COVID-19, the ongoing national moment of racial and social reckoning,” said Gordon-Mora. “Internally, the college had important transitions in leadership, beginning with the president. So there are many additional variables that may have impacted the results of the Climate Study.”

Student Senate Inclusion Officer

Allie Acero ’23 reflected similar sentiments to Gordon-Mara.

“The administration is trying to work through post-COVID changes, and it has been affecting how people feel about our campus. There are more events on campus and the change back to normalcy has a few bumps that are causing students to feel unsafe,” said Acero. “There are campus organizations that have failed to foster an open and accepting campus.”

As Inclusion Officer, Acero helps bridge the gap between students and the administration.

“I try to make the campus a safer space by reaching out to community leaders. More so, I try my best to impute a student perspective when it comes to diversity and inclusion by meeting with the Chief Diversity Officer. By having direct connections with the administration, I am able to voice concerns directly and figure out tangible solutions,” said Acero.

Gettysburg College President Bob Iuliano emphasizes the ways in which the Climate Study will play a role in shaping real and meaningful institutional change going forward.

“We did this because it matters, and because of the commitment we make here as an institution. It is going to help us gain a better understanding about how we can improve our organizational structures and allow all of our community members— students, staff, faculty alike—to experience a more authentic sense of inclusion and engagement and culture of belonging,” said Iuliano.

Music Education is Here to Stay

By Victoria Staub, Arts & Entertainment Editor

By now, it appears to be common knowledge that Gettysburg College will no longer provide education certifications for the classes of 2025 and beyond. While the college has not provided an adequate explanation for this decision, one thing can be said for sure: music education will not be affected by this choice.

As of right now, the only way to leave Gettysburg with a certification to teach, beginning in 2025 and extending from then on, will be to graduate from the music education program within the Sunderman Conservatory. Dr. Russell McCutcheon, the current director of music education, explained that music education is actively recruiting future students for the program despite the College’s loss of the general education certification.

McCutchen has newly assumed this position following the former director, Dr. Brent Talbot’s, departure at the end of the last academic year. This is McCutcheon’s second time holding this position as he acted as the Director of Music Education a few years prior to Talbot’s arrival in 2010. He remains optimistic about the future of music education at Gettysburg.

Music education students represent a small cohort of Gettysburg College with about 20 to 30 students in the program throughout all four class years. According to McCutcheon, “that’s the right number of people for the size of [Gettysburg College] and for the number of faculty that we have.” In 2023, however, only three students will be graduating from the music education program, which is just less than half of the average number of graduates for a typical year.

One of these students, Owen McGowan ’23, noted that music education is quite time consuming.

In fact, it is a 36-course major, rather than the College’s required 32 courses, in order to meet the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s requirements for music education certification. Some of these classes, such as orchestras and ensembles, are not full credit courses, meaning that music education is a demanding major. It is for this reason that the program produces, on average, less than ten students at graduation.

The relatively few students that graduate from music education each year is made prominent due to the fact that they receive a Bachelor of Music Education (BME) during the graduation ceremony. This means that they are essentially graduating according to their major whereas most Gettysburg students graduate without the specification of their major. Rather, they receive a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BS). Students may also graduate from Gettysburg College with a Bachelor of Music (BM) or a Bachelor of Arts with music as the major notated on their degree.

Music education truly embodies what it means to be small but mighty. Students in this program are incredibly prepared for the working world, as students are in K–12 schools as early as their first year. Throughout all four years, music education students are getting classroom experience. Their capstone is a full semester of student-teaching during the spring of their senior year that is split between teaching in elementary school, then either middle or high school. All of these requirements assist music education students in ensuring that they are meeting the competencies requested by the National Association of Schools of Music, which is the music

education department’s accrediting body. On top of all of this, these students are meeting the requirements of the Gettysburg curriculum. These additional courses are incredibly important for music students in general. McCutcheon explains, “Music is in many ways a physical skill like swinging a golf club or hitting a tennis ball with a tennis racket or perfecting your swimming stroke… You can talk about playing scales all day long, and you can watch videos on playing scales, and you can read about playing scales, but that’s not going to make you good at playing scales.”

For students like McGowan, the hard work is well worth it. McGowan knew he wanted to be a music teacher as early as elementary school, and he has found his experience in the Gettysburg music education department to be great overall. When asked about the impact of the pandemic, McGowan explained, “we usually do observations in the field, so that was obviously cut… but overall, [the music education experience during the pandemic] was pretty good.”

(Photos Borna Ganji/The Gettysburgian)

McGowan looks forward to his time as a student teacher to obtain a greater grasp on what age group he is interested in teaching upon graduation.

It is dedicated students, like McGowan, that make the program so small, yet so successful. McCutcheon shared that he can confidently say that since 2007, there has been a 100 percent placement for music education graduates. While not every single placement is directly into a school, as some pursue graduate programs, the students that graduate from this program are on track for success. Music education students have been incredibly involved in state-wide programs as well.

McCutcheon specifically noted a former student, Amanda Herold ’22, who first served as the Region V Coordinator (composed of 15 counties) of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA)’s collegiate arm and later served as the president of the same association—a position she was elected to by her peers. In this position, Herold organized over 4,000 members engaged in music education throughout the state. She was also not the only Gettysburg student

to hold the position of Region V’s Coordinator. In fact, many leadership positions are available through the music education program. McGowan, too, plays an important role within Gettysburg’s music education program as Gettysburg’s Collegiate National Association for Music Education (CNAfME) chapter president. This organization meets monthly to discuss relevant topics for music education that may not necessarily be covered in a course. McCutcheon believes that this is what sets Gettysburg’s music education program apart. “All colleges and universities in Pennsylvania offer the same certification,” he says, “but I think one of the things that really sets us apart is we are truly committed to the idea of [a] comprehensive approach to music education.”

While the music education program sources education courses from the education department, McCutcheon is not worried about the continuation of the music education program. Gettysburg’s education minor remains an option for students, and therefore education staff is expected to remain as well. It is important to

acknowledge the relative separation of the music education program from the general education certification which is not expected to run in the future. Music education is a very particular program that prepares students to be music teachers, and it is for this very reason that it is not necessarily comparable to the more general education certification that permits students to teach a variety of subjects. While many have expressed confusion and sadness at the loss of the education certification through the college, it must be recognized that the music education program has not, and does not operate under the same guidelines, and it is for this reason that music education continues to recruit new students.

According to McCutcheon, the music education program’s goal is to form students who will “be effective teachers and effective conductors.” It is that second goal that significantly distinguishes music education from the nearing extinction of the education certification. The program is truly about music, and as McCutcheon has expressed, “music [education] is going strong.”

“ The Distance Between Here and Home”: Edna Kilusu’s Journey From Tanzania

By Kyle Hammerness, Features Editor

Edna

Kilusu ’23, a double major in psychology and anthropology with a minor in writing, was born and raised in Tanzania. In the Maasai culture, it is uncommon for girls to continue their schooling after primary school. However, Kilusu’s family prioritized education. This allowed her older sister to attend high school, and Kilusu followed her. During her time in secondary school, she was chosen to participate in an exchange program in the United States. Though this experience was an incredible opportunity, it did not come without difficulties.

“ I speak English as a third language. My English was very good in Tanzania, but when I got here people couldn’t understand me,” Kilusu said. “When the school in Tanzania sent me to the high school in the US it was a test to see if I could do it. So, it was a huge accomplishment that I actually did it.”

She continued to succeed academically, and by the time her junior year came, she was excited to look at colleges. She decided on Gettysburg when she walked through the college’s campus and found the environment that she wanted.

“ I just felt like I belonged here with the community, and that’s what I needed, given the distance between here and home,” Kilusu said.

During her third year at Gettysburg, Kilusu applied for the Department of Economics’s

entrepreneurship fellowship and won a ten thousand dollar grant. With this money, she and two other women from her home were able to go back to Tanzania and begin a curio shop business called Nasaru (“Savior”) Designs. This business provides women in her community the funding that allows them to support their daughters’ continued schooling because oftentimes boys are sent to secondary school while girls are not.

When discussing the origin of this program, Kilusu said, “The women [of my community] believed that when we send girls to school, they’re the ones that come back to the community and develop community led programs.”

Additionally, in Kilusu’s community, women do a sizable portion of the work but are not always recognized or appreciated for that work. These realities

impact women’s mental health which is something rarely discussed in Tanzania.

When asked about how she hopes to change that, Kilusu stated, “Because I am a psychology student, my dream is to open a health clinic focusing on women’s health, and then as a psychologist, we would have a mental health department so these issues could be discussed.”

Despite being thousands of miles from Tanzania, Kilusu is still extremely connected to her community; not just through Nasaru Designs, but also through the environmental nonprofit she cofounded called WAEV. WAEV, Women’s Agri-Enviro Vision, focuses on sustainable agricultural in the face of climate change. Since many people in her community rely on crops and livestock, learning about sustainable growing is crucial in this changing world.

“ The nonprofit empowers women and supports women economically,” Kilusu said. “Through microfinance loans and sustainable gardening as well as literacy classes, we have already seen men start to respect women. Through the business, women contribute to the household income and men start respecting them because of their monetary contributions. By providing these opportunities we can show men that we can do it if you give us a chance.”

Kilusu has taken on difficult but meaningful work by helping women in her home community forge better lives for themselves and for generations of women to come in Tanzania.

(Photos Eric Lippe/The Gettysburgian)

Opinion: Race on Campus

By Isaias Martinez

Why is it that we stray from talking about race on campus?

Gettysburg College is a PWI, predominantly white institution, already not a welcoming place for people of marginalized racial groups. However, once you integrate yourself into the campus community, the intricacies of your identity put into perspective the idea of race on campus.

My name is Isaias Martinez, and I have many identities, but being Latinx has been the one the college hasn’t let me forget. I acknowledge my position as a senior and the President of the Latin American Student Association to say that my experience can not generalize the experience of others on campus when we talk about race.

Race on campus at the forefront is a story of marginalized versus white. The reality is that most spaces on campus have done little to change how they address the ever-growing demographic of students. Whether it would be in classes, working with one of the college offices, or just participating in the social atmosphere, not much has changed. We think things have changed because many of the marginalized have gone on to inhabit those spaces and have become more vocal about our existence on campus, just like I am doing here. Between performative efforts by all at the college and the continued exhaustion of the marginalized educating the non-marginalized, when are we actually start discussing the issue of race on this campus?

There are various spaces where these conversations can be had. Take eRace, for example, a dialogue group for which I help plan the meetings, where we invite everyone on campus to talk about different topics relating to race. Attendance has been low, which speaks to the bigger problem relating to the culture we are trying to curate on campus. If dialogue does not work, what can we do? Rely on the marginalized to solely change the issues? I think not.

While we cover the broader problem of marginalized vs. non-marginalized, the problems between racial groups can not be ignored. While we as the marginalized should uplift each other, the opposite is often done. As the leader of the Latin American Students’ Association (LASA,) I now see how divided we are as cultural affinity groups. I do not really know anyone on anyone’s Executive Boards, I did not really know my Executive Board when we got elected, and when the current Chief Diversity Officer asked for names of Executive Board Members for Asian Student Clubs, I could not think of anyone. As segregated as we might be between marginalized and non-marginalized, there is still a divide between the marginalized students on campus. So now that the issues have been put out in the air, we have to analyze what the college has done to mitigate this. We have the Office of Multicultural Engagement (OME,) which works for individual groups of students but has not felt like a place to unify all multicultural groups on campus. The college has tried to improve diversity between faculty, staff, and students, but what does that do if they cannot keep this diversity at the college?

There is a lot of work to do at the college when it comes to race on campus. I do not know how long we, as the student body, can keep blaming what we call the ‘administration’ when we can not unify as marginalized communities. Of course, there is blame on the college to aid in these endeavors, but we cannot wait for them to do something, because we will be waiting a long time before anything happens. Finally, remember that as an individual, you, unfortunately, cannot cause change in the institution.

Campus Poll Examines Student Perspectives on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

By Katie Oglesby, Editor-in-Chief & Alli Dayton, Managing Editor

Arecent campus-wide survey by The Gettysburgian evaluated how student perspectives on diversity, equity, and inclusion differed. The survey was sent out through academic departments, as well as to several student organizations, including organizations that represent the identities of historically underrepresented communities.

306 students completed the survey, with 219 students identifying as white and 87 identifying as people of color (POC).

Safety

The survey first provided questions

about perceptions of safety among Gettysburg College students. Overall, 92 percent of the students surveyed feel either somewhat safe, safe, or completely safe on campus, and 90 percent of students of color feel either somewhat safe, safe, or completely safe on campus.

Contrastingly, 76 percent of both white students and students of color feel either somewhat safe, safe, or completely safe in the town of Gettysburg. This leaves 24 percent of students feeling somewhat unsafe, unsafe, or completely unsafe in the Town of Gettysburg.

Anecdotal evidence from students

suggests that many tend to feel unsafe on campus.

Inclusion Officer of Student Senate Allie Acero ’23 said, “We’ve had issues over the years with select few people in the greater Gettysburg community harassing students of color on public streets, but it is only this year that there is a larger and overbearing sense of unsafety now on our campus.”

Satisfaction with Racial Diversity

Next, the survey examined student satisfaction with the racial diversity of the Gettysburg College community.

(Photo Borna Ganji/ The Gettysburgian)

Regarding the racial diversity of the student body, 40 percent of students said they were somewhat satisfied, satisfied, or completely satisfied. Another 40 percent of students noted that they were somewhat dissatisfied, dissatisfied, or completely dissatisfied. 20 percent of students said they were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.

The statistics differed slightly when students identified their feelings about the racial diversity of Gettysburg College’s faculty and staff. 42 percent of students said they were somewhat satisfied, satisfied, or completely satisfied, and 34 percent were somewhat dissatisfied, dissatisfied, or completely dissatisfied with the racial diversity of the faculty and staff. 23 percent felt neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with this diversity.

Anderson Gray ’23, DEI Chair of Alpha Delta Pi, said that while underrepresented groups seem to be gaining more of a voice on campus, she believes the administration has slowed these changes.

“As an [Africana Studies] major who cares about seeing herself represented in faculty and staff on campus, it is disheartening to see so many Black faculty members having left within the last two years because of the lack of support at this college,” Gray said.

Acero expressed a similar sentiment.

“

I feel like there has been a decrease in diverse faculty, which can be explained by recent budget cuts, but because of the decreasing diversity, there is less of an opportunity to foster an inclusive community,” Acero said. “Without a diverse faculty, potential students of color might be dissuaded from coming to Gettysburg College because there aren’t outlets of support that understand students’ struggles from a personal level.”

She noted that, “As a queer woman of color, an immigrant, and a first generation student, I feel like there aren’t many outlets for me to speak about my experience and be related

to. Last year, I brought up creating a Filipino Student Association to the only Filipinx faculty I know, but since then, the professor has left Gettysburg College.”

Inclusion On Campus

The survey then asked students to consider the extent of their feelings of inclusion and isolation on campus, based on their racial identities.

97 percent of white students said they feel somewhat included, included, or completely included, whereas only 71 percent of students of color said they felt the same way. 3 percent of white students felt somewhat isolated, isolated, or completely isolated based on their racial identities, compared to 29 percent of students of color.

Specifically, concerning campus social activities, 99 percent of white students said they felt somewhat included, included, or completely included, in contrast with 80 percent of students of color. Only 1 percent of white students identified themselves as somewhat excluded, excluded, or completely excluded from campus social activities, whereas 20 percent of students of color felt that way.

DEI Chair of Alpha Chi Rho Henry Namiot ’23 said, “...I feel that the college is mostly ambivalent to the minority groups on campus. At the LASA general meeting, it was brought up that often the students are responsible for creating their own safe spaces and that the school favors some groups over others. There is much that can be improved with the college’s DEI efforts, and I hope that when they do reconsider their approach, they think about how to serve all of the communities on campus and not just a select few.”

Recommendations from Students

Finally, the survey asked students whether they would recommend Gettysburg College to an incoming student with the same racial identity as them. 88 percent of white students

said that they would recommend the College, and 63 percent of students of color said they would recommend the College to someone with their racial identity.

On the topic of Gettysburg College’s current diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, most students believed that the College should be doing more. 79 percent of students believed the College should do more to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, 10 percent said there is nothing additional that they could do, and 11 percent said they were unsure about whether additional initiatives are necessary.

Department Chair and Associate Professor of Africana Studies Scott Hancock said, “My impression, based on interactions with students, [is that] students are ambivalent about campus climate, and much less than impressed with DEI, at least in the area of issues of race, as well as regarding sexual harassment and assault. But…this is anecdotal— and while that kind of evidence is important, it is often not conclusive. I don’t know to what extent the students I talk with are representative of the entire student body, though I suspect they are at least somewhat representative of underrepresented groups and of many female students.”

Harrison Moore ’23, DEI chair of Sigma Chi said, “Gettysburg is doing more to publicly address DEI concerns than some other colleges, but there is definitely room for improvement. I would like to see less delay between identifying a problem on campus and implementing solutions. The iterative cycle should be much quicker; any information derived from a survey or poll could be found simply by talking and listening to marginalized students. Direct communication and fast action are the best ways to enact meaningful change.”

Gettysburg College Ranked No. 20 on Princeton Review’s Top 25 LGBTQ-Unfriendly Schools

By Kenzie Smith, Staff Writer

The Princeton Review is known for releasing rankings of attributes related to colleges, which can be important to institutions, current students, and prospective students. On Princeton Review’s top 25 “LGBTQ-Unfriendly schools,” Gettysburg College ranked number 20.

According to The Princeton Review, this list is “based on how strongly students disagree that their fellow students treat all persons equally, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.”

Some students were surprised that the College received this ranking.

“

I, personally, don’t think it’s as bad as it could be,” said Gender and Sexuality Resource Center (GSRC) student worker Em Eveland ’24

Eveland elaborated on this point, saying that there are a lot of good spaces for queer individuals on campus, but, historically, people have not known about them. They added that before recent years these LGBTQ safe spaces, such as the GSRC, have not been advertised as much nor received as much funding.

“ I honestly think it’s getting better,” Eveland concluded.

Miriam Glatfelter ’25 shared similar sentiments to Eveland.

Glatfelter admitted this ranking surprised her.

“ I’m surrounded by a really supportive community,” Glatfleter said. She added that this community may make her insulated against LGBTQ-unfriendliness.

Many students’ responses referenced the controversial visit of Dr. Ryan T Anderson that occurred on Oct. 18

“ The day after celebrating National Coming Out Day we’ve got wind of an anti-trans speaker being allowed on campus,” Rajan Aparicio ’26 said.

Aparicio was not surprised by the ranking and credited this lack of shock to attending a predominantly white institution.

Chloe Colbaugh ’26, El Monzon ’26, and Jamie Riches ’26 also responded in reference to the Anderson event. They said that part of the problem is they view the College to not define hate speech as what it is. They also noted that the College is very committed to upholding free speech no matter what it is, which they believe can contribute to unfriendliness.

Nicole Parisi ’23 echoed this sentiment on hate speech.

“ We [the college] should not be giving voices to hate speech. It alienated the students and it’s not right… If that is something that continues to happen it is of course unfriendly,” said Parisi.

Parisi added that she thinks a lot of colleges would not give a voice to hate speech and she believes that allowing it to occur is allowing for hate to spread.

Jacob Krebs ’24 mentioned the event with Anderson in his response but credited the ranking to more than one event hosting an anti-LGBTQ speaker.

Krebs explained that although the College is small, his experience here is still better than his high school experience. He said that there only seem to be major issues on campus when events occur like the one with Anderson.

“ It doesn’t feel like the queer community is visible on campus,” Krebs added and attributed this invisibility to “institutional queerphobia.”

Gisela Bramonte ’26 was not surprised by the ranking because of the location of the College.

“ People feel more comfortable being bigots in this environment because they know they’re less likely to be called out, or they’ll get called out by a smaller group of people as opposed to going to school in a big city or a liberal town. Environment plays a big role in how people feel empowered and emboldened to act,” Bramonte said.

(Photo Borna Ganji/ The Gettysburgian)

What Does Gettysburg College Mean to You?

by Mikelyn Britt, Opinions Editor

“Gettysburg is deeply rooted in the past, yet ideally situated to respond to the demands of the present while empowering students to tackle the challenges and pursue the possibilities of the future. Gettysburg remains firmly invested in liberal arts traditions that guide students through creative and critical interrogations of our world, which require thinking about seemingly discrete issues in integrated and interconnected ways. Making sense of our world requires an understanding of the contexts out of which particular moments arise, the histories that converge to produce certain challenges and opportunities, and the broader implications of the decisions that determine how we ‘meet the moment.’ Every day, I talk to students and faculty who recognize the importance of thinking deeply as well as broadly, with an awareness that what we do here matters beyond any given class or individualized experience. So, that’s what Gettysburg is to me: a community of people whose commitments reflect the idea that what we do here matters.”

“Gettysburg is the site of the largest land battle in North America, an iconic speech that altered the course of Western Civilization, a WWI tank training camp that helped launch the career of one of the greatest generals in American history, and that general-turned-president’s home for over a decade. It is impossible not to feel the importance of this small town wherever I go. Indeed, most of my heroes, including Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel and Presidents Teddy Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Ronald Reagan, have all visited this hallowed ground, creating a direct link between these figures and myself as I travel the Battlefield.

That, at its core, is what Gettysburg is to me. It is a site with an incredibly rich history stretching well beyond the battle that will always inspire me and millions of other visitors to continue fighting for what people like General Eisenhower and President Lincoln did: freedom and equality for all.”

“Gettysburg is about community, inspired by the commitment to graduate students ready to make a profound difference in their lives and in the societies in which they graduate. We do it because the history of this institution compels it, and we do it because we attract students who want to get their hands a little dirty, who want to help make a difference in the world they’re going to inhabit, and we do it because we have a remarkably committed community that is determined to help students achieve those aspirations. And this is why we’ve talked increasingly about a consequential education.”

Associate Professor of English McKinley Melton

President Bob Iuliano

Compiled

Ziv Carmi ’23

“

To me, Gettysburg is a place of opportunity. At the college I have found many academic opportunities to grow in knowledge and experience. My professors are dedicated to helping me achieve my goals and to become the best version of myself. I can learn from experts in every subject who have a passion for what they are teaching. In the town, I have found a vibrant community of people who are kind and welcoming. The community in Gettysburg is the best form of small-town hospitality there is. From getting coffee at Waldo’s, thrifting at Wildroot, to seeing a movie at the Majestic theater, there is always something to do in Gettysburg. While I am still getting used to being in a new state with new people, Gettysburg makes the transition easy. I am excited to grow in this community over the next four years.”

“ I did not attend Gettysburg College, but the college, and the liberal arts way have been at the heart of my life. I was a faculty kid in the 70s, and the benefits offered at the time sent me to college in the 80s. When I came out of grad school in the early 90s, I found a job here as an adjunct teaching first-year writing. I did not plan to stay, but I met and married another college employee, we raised our family in the community. Over the past 30 work years my work has evolved, and now I am teaching astronomy labs and directing the college planetarium, though I have taught an English course as recently as 2020. It has been a treat to bridge the humanities and natural sciences in this way, particularly in the planetarium, a space where both can live.”

“ When I decided to venture outside of my comfort zone, Gettysburg was the first location I chose. Flying almost 30 hours from Vietnam to get to a whole new place was a wild experience for a -17yearold girl who has never been to a foreign country. But Gettysburg has given me a warm embrace and a friendly smile in return. Gettysburg welcomed me as an international student so smoothly that I already considered this place as my second home. Mr. Brad, Mrs. Carla, the VSA, and the “Gettys Xia Xia Meo Meo”, all have contributed to emphasizing that Gettysburg is a choice that I will never regret making. I am so looking forward to spending my next four years in this amazing college.”

Eric Lippe and Aly Leia Wein/The Gettysburgian; provided)

Fiona Docherty ’26

Professor Ian Clarke

Angel Tong ’26

“Gettysburgisaboutcommunity,inspiredbythecommitmentto graduatestudentsreadytomakeaprofounddifferenceintheirlives andinthesocietiesinwhichtheygraduate.”

-President Bob Iuliano

What Does Gettysburg College Mean to You?

Compiled by Mikelyn Britt, Opinions Editor

“Gettysburg College is the stage for my ‘second act ’—helping students Do Great Work. At the Eisenhower Institute, we create experiential learning projects. I love traveling with students, seeing their eyes light up when they see what they read about and when they talk with people about opportunities and challenges in their communities. I am energized guiding students to develop policy solutions, and putting them in front of leaders who can implement their fresh ideas. I spent 30 years telling stories. Gettysburg College is allowing me to create my own. This is meaningful work, and I love doing it!”

“ Initially, I was not sure what to make of Gettysburg. It was 2020, and it felt like the world was going to end. The first three semesters were brutal. Isolation, no friends, a sea of masks, and an unrelenting academic workload. As a young man alone with ASD, I never felt worse in my life. But one day, the masks came off, and the community came alive. I started going to clubs. I met many likeminded neurodivergent kids, I started doing improv in front of strangers who became fast friends, and then I helped put on the first sketch comedy show in the history of Gettysburg College. At last, I finally found a place of belonging. To me, Gettysburg is all about community and finding your people. Even if you cannot find them now, believe me when I say that, they are out there just waiting to get to know you.”

“ During my time at Gettysburg College, I have not just worked alongside engaging colleagues, amazing support staff, and the myriads of students who have populated my classrooms. I have shared laughter, tears, excitement, pride, and humility with many of them. These emotions, rooted in a deep sense of caring, do not just manifest themselves from 8 to 5 but carry on well beyond the classroom.

So, while Gettysburg means many things – personal and professional development, valuable experience, and sometimes an occasion for civil disobedience – as unconventional as it may seem, family is the word I keep veering towards. Family is what I experience when colleagues are, more accurately, my unwavering support system. Family is when students come to my house to make Gnocchi alla Sorrentina, filling the room with laughter and chatter that bring sunshine to a dreary afternoon or when they linger after class to gossip about the latest reality show.”

ReadtherestofProfessorAnchisi’sperspectiveat gettysburgian.com

(Photos Eric Lippe /The Gettysburgian;

Director of the Eisenhower Insitute Tracie Potts

Gabriel Houser ’24

Chairperson & Associate Professor of Italian Studies

Lidia Anchisi

“On the night of Thursday, the 18th of August 2022, I stepped off the van that had brought me and some other international students to campus from the Washington Dulles International Airport. Wanting to lie down, I had no idea I would see a bunch of other people, including some international students, who all screamed ‘ welcome! ’ at the same time. The joy I felt immediately after was indescribable. That was the final indicator that I was a part of something bigger than college: a community.

Going forward from that night, it has been quite a journey: a wonderful one, in fact. For me, Gettysburg College is a beautiful community that I am grateful to be a part of.”

“Gettysburg is a symbol of growth and transformation. Whether that be historical, through the Civil War and its legacies, or personal, through my process of self-discovery and countless iconic injuries, Gettysburg has witnessed it all. But at the same time, Gettysburg is a challenge. Many of the people I know, myself included, often feel defeated. It is never easy to navigate Gettysburg, especially when institutions like Gettysburg were not made for marginalized groups. However, the reality is that these people were made for these spaces; what keeps many of us going in light of hardships are the small victories and the support of one another to motivate us to make it to the finish line. Rough patches are, unfortunately, necessary to better ourselves, not just as a student but as a person overall. So, thank you, Gettysburg, for this character development. I would be unable to experience many ‘ full circle’ moments without you.”

“As a liberal arts institution, Gettysburg has allowed me to pursue all of my passions despite how different they may be. I am a biology major and neuroscience minor and am involved in two research labs on campus. While a large part of my experience has been in the science departments, Gettysburg has allowed me to be involved with so much more. I have participated in multiple programs through the Eisenhower Institute, I have engaged in leadership opportunities through Alpha Delta Pi and Order of Omega, and I have been able to pursue my passion for ceramics through classes and Clay Crew. I know that an experience like this is something I would not be able to find just anywhere, and that is what makes Gettysburg so special.”

Oghenerukevwe E. Tejevbo ’26 Daniela Lopez Larios ’24 Lauren Cooke ’23

“Tome,Gettysburgisallaboutcommunityandfindingyourpeople. Evenifyoucannotfindthemnow,believemewhenIsaythat,they areouttherejustwaitingtogettoknowyou” -Gabriel Houser ’24

Gettysburg Sports in the Last Ten Years: Why Women’s Lacrosse is the College’s Best Team in Recent History

By Jack Herr, Sports Editor

Walking into the Jaeger Center and straight down the entryway, one will come across the College trophy case, proudly displaying Division III (DIII) championship trophies from over the years. Along with a handful of individual national titles, Gettysburg teams have captured four national championships: field hockey in 1980, and women’s lacrosse in 2011, 2017, and 2018. For such a small school, the College has achieved immense success on the national stage. Women’s lacrosse stands out from the rest. They have won three NCAA DIII championships in the last 11 years. They were semifinalists just last season in 2022, and they made 18 consecutive appearances in the national tournament from 2002 to 2019. On the conference level, they were crowned Centennial Conference (CC) champions six times between 2013 and 2022. They hope to continue this success this upcoming spring under new head coach Charlotte Cunningham.

But is women’s lacrosse definitively the best team at the College in recent history? By accolades, yes, but I did a breakdown of each team’s winning percentage over the past ten seasons to determine who is the most consistent winner.

Winning percentage is not the perfect statistic to measure success by. Different teams play a different number of games per season, giving them each an unequal chance to statistically impact their overall winning percentage. At the extremes, baseball and softball average in the mid-30s for number of games played,

while football and men’s and women’s swimming only compete ten times a season. Only regular season wins, losses, and ties were included in the comparison.

Using winning percentage also alienates women’s and men’s golf, track and field, and cross country from being a part of the comparison. These sports do not record traditional win-loss-tie records. Instead, they place in each match among a number of opponents.

That does not mean these sports are unworthy of being mentioned. Examples of recent success include men’s golf securing the CC championship in 2019 and placing 24th out of 42 teams in the first round of the national tournament. Women’s track & field has seen two AllAmericans in recent history with Katie Cavanaugh and Holly Ferrara earning the recognition in 2016 and 2021, respectively.

Despite its imperfection, calculating each team’s winning percentage over their last ten seasons of competition prevailed as the best way to measure success in recent history. Of course, recent history includes pandemicimpacted seasons. For the comparison, I included seasons that were shortened by the pandemic but excluded seasons that were canceled because of the pandemic.

Figure A shows each men’s team and their winning percentage over the past ten seasons of competition. The results were divided - four teams finished over .500, and four teams finished under. Men’s soccer barely scraped by with a 51.4% winning percentage. In their past two seasons, they earned winning records and even made a DIII tournament appearance in 2019, but the early-to-mid 2010s was a more tumultuous stretch.

Men’s swimming and men’s lacrosse posted the highest winning

(Graphics by Lauren Chu /The Gettysburgian)

percentages at 85.6% and 74.1%, respectively. Swimming has been a juggernaut in the CC, winning sixstraight conference championships from 2011-2016 and tacking on another in 2018. They posted four undefeated records in the ten year span and did not record a single record at or below .500. Lacrosse has both the winning percentage and accolades to support their recent success. After a few mediocre years, the team quickly blossomed into a perennial contender in 2015, posting an impressive 20-1 record. They have tallied 35-straight winning seasons from 1985-2022, were DIII tournament semifinalists in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2022, and won the CC in 2015 and 2016.

Men’s basketball, wrestling, football, and men’s tennis posted the four worst winning percentages, in order. Football earned their last winning record in 2015, going 7-3, and have since been abysmal, only winning one game in each of their last three seasons. They find themselves with a meager winning percentage of 38%.

Only men’s tennis was worse with a winning percentage of 33.3%. Between 2013 and 2022, they had a losing record every season.

Baseball and basketball are both hovering around the .500 mark, with baseball above it at a winning percentage of 55.8% and basketball

below at 45.9%. While basketball has been progressing over the past ten seasons, baseball is notably regressing, something new head coach Cory Beddick will try to reverse this upcoming spring.

Overall, the last ten years have been good to some men’s teams and not so good to other teams. The women’s side, however, saw a much more widespread level of success.

Figure B displays the winning percentages for each of the College’s women’s teams in their past ten seasons of competition. Six of the eight teams are above .500, compared to just four of eight on the men’s side. These teams include women’s basketball, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, and volleyball.

Women’s lacrosse placed first overall in winning percentage between all sixteen teams (men and women) with a mark of 86.5%, beating out men’s swimming by less than a percentage point. They posted two 20-win seasons in 2017 and 2018, both years they went on to win the DIII tournament. They have not slowed down either, going 19-4 last spring.

Women’s swimming recorded an impressive winning percentage of 82%. Just like their counterparts on the men’s side, they have dominated their opponents in the pool, winning the

CC three-straight years from 2011 to 2013 and again in 2020. Women’s basketball came in at 73.4%. They have recorded five-straight 20-win seasons, going an exceptional 25-4 last season in 2022. They won the CC in 2013 and 2018, made DIII tournament appearances in 2013, 2018, 2019, and 2020, and have had three players selected as AllAmericans.

Women’s soccer, volleyball, and softball all finished right next to each other at 60%, 59.7%, and 59.4%, respectively. Soccer took a dip near the .500 mark between 2016 and 2018, but they have since rebounded, going 11-4-1 in their last full season. The volleyball team’s rate of success has fluctuated over the last ten seasons, but they only recorded one losing record during this period. Tough conference opponents like Johns Hopkins have kept them from claiming any CC titles. The softball team was a powerhouse early on in the decade, and though their win totals in the past two seasons have not reached the same heights they did from 2015 to 2018, they took home the CC crown in 2021 and earned a spot in the DIII tournament. The two teams below the .500 mark are field hockey and women’s tennis. Field hockey just missed the cut with a winning percentage of 48.5%. They have gone back and forth between winning and losing records and posted an even 8-8 finish in 2021. The team has work to do if they want to add a second NCAA title to their name. Women’s tennis has had a rough go of the past ten seasons, only finishing above .500 once in 2019. They finished last with a winning percentage of 43.8%.

Gettysburg student-athletes and the entire college community have much to be proud of when it comes to the success of their sports teams. We look forward to seeing what the next ten seasons bring.

The Town that Hosts Us: A Conversation on Retaining Legacy

By The Gettysburgian Editorial Board

Gettysburg College and the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania have an inseparable relationship of host and guest. The intertwined histories of both locations, and the remembrance of these histories, complicate current relationships between town and campus. Change comes from understanding the importance of these histories and how they impact students today.

The town of Gettysburg has a storied history with the three-day influential Civil War battle, though the current state of the town represents a different understanding of its legacy. Gettysburg gets nearly one million tourists a year, and as a smaller town, these numbers heavily contribute to the local economy. The pressure of vacationers has led to a commodification effect on the town and the remembrance of the Battle of Gettysburg. Walking into town, there are many tourist shops filled with souvenirs, which range from rigorously researched stories recounting the battle to lewd images of women riding Confederate flags with the text “the South will rise again.”

The town’s commodified remembrance of the battle by tourism reconstructs the message of why the battle was fought: to end slavery. It is replaced with the misrepresentation of rampant racist perspectives. This is why the question of the future of Gettysburg belongs to us.

Students should work to preserve the legacy of the town. We are too quick to forget that the college has Civil War history; the past saw armies

sweeping campus grounds on the first day of battle and Pennsylvania Hall working as a hospital for Northern and Southern soldiers. Civil War history, and, more specifically, the battle of Gettysburg, is imperative for students’ education. It is the duty of academics at the college to preserve the message which stood on these grounds. The Civil War Era Studies department has a variety of classes in relation to the ongoing impact of the war. Classes like CWES 237: From Reconstruction to Black Lives Matter and CWES 245: Gettysburg to Charlottesville: Race in the American Imagination demonstrate that the history of conflict in this country is an important piece in the education of all Gettysburg College students. In discussion of “Just Mercy,” Anthony Ray Hinton came to speak to the college in 2018. These courses and lectures on racial discourse and social change form the bedrock for a student to preserve the legacy of the battle of Gettysburg. Students and faculty should be encouraged to attend lectures on Gettysburg’s history and the modern connections of race relations in the United States as ways to preserve the town’s legacy.

The College needs to include more cooperation in collaborative events between town and campus with a focus on reciprocity. The Center for Public Service’s programs such as the Painted Turtle Farm, El Centro and ESL tutoring allow for collaborative efforts between town and campus. These events work towards lessening the divisive nature of the town and campus in an effort to include a

more respectful and comfortable environment for everyone. The promotion of community service and the support of local businesses begin the work of giving back to the town that hosts us.

Salsa on the Square, an event hosted in town, celebrates Latinx culture alongside community members in positive contributions. The celebration of culture assists in the union of members of town and college students through open discussion and thoughtful moments of sharing heritages. The exposure to different cultures is incredibly important in a town like Gettysburg, a predominantly white area. The benefits are not limited to just the town; with Gettysburg College being a predominantly white institution, it is essential as a liberal arts college to lift the voices of students of color, promoting diverse academics outside of the classroom. By having the event in town, the College is effectively working to have these collaborative events break the boundaries of town and campus. The inclusion of members of town in cultural events works to facilitate healthy relationships with students and hands-on education through celebratory events. By initiating conversation outside of campus, there is a loss of restricted identities of student or townsperson, promoting a united celebration of culture in a town we call home. The College and the student body should continue organizing unions between the town and campus in celebrations of culture, especially those underrepresented

in the town and on campus to raise voices of color in meaningful teaching moments with lasting impacts on the relationship.

Unions of cultural celebration are not limited to the confines of town. The Gender and Sexuality Resource Center has recently hosted a celebration for National Coming Out Day. Some local businesses and community leaders were invited to join the festivities. The inclusion of these community leaders on campus helped remove the borders between the town and the College, creating a more inviting environment. These integrative events should not be outliers. If the campus continues to host community members, it will help facilitate healthy conversations surrounding the identity of Gettysburg, town and campus, not as two separate spheres, but as a location of acceptance and welcomed discussion.

Incidents during the first half of the fall 2022 semester made many students face the troubling relationship with the town of Gettysburg. The issue of the town is always relevant, but more so now because of current events and

issues on campus. The aggravated assault near Diaspora House and the slurs yelled from cars prove that the College needs to act if they care about the safety of its students. The apparent lack of effective communication by the College left students feeling unsafe and unrespected.

President Iuliano sent out an email on Sept. 20. Though the Vice President of College Life and Dean of Students Anne Ehrlich had sent a message a few days after the assault, the president ’s email came 30 days after what he refers to as the “incident that occurred on Carlisle Street.” The late response, while noted in the president’s statement as a future adjustment, left students feeling lost with little protection or communication from the College. This is not the first event of violence against students of color and could have been avoided had the College worked to adequately protect its students.

Theme houses, and many off-campus houses, are mere blocks away from the heart of Gettysburg. The proximity of the campus and these houses results in active communication between

townspeople and members of campus. While all cross-relationships of townsperson and student cannot be said to be the same, it is evident that students of color are at a higher risk of harassment by members of the town.

The history of Gettysburg largely impacts current relationships between town and campus, with issues of commodification of the battle and the plethora of tourists supporting racist perspectives combating the legacy of the town. It is the role of the students and the college to enact change. The consequential education provided at Gettysburg through the Civil War studies department and the invitation of cultural community leaders on campus indicates strides to the betterment of the relationship. Change happens over time. The relationship between Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and Gettysburg College will not happen overnight. It is through these supported events, classes, and lectures that change begins. Change is possible, but it needs support.

(Photo Borna Ganji/The Gettysburgian)

Alumni Spotlight: Christopher Weyant

By Katie Oglesby, Editor-in-Chief

When Christopher Weyant ’89 studied at Gettysburg College, he did not anticipate that he would end up publishing cartoons in The New Yorker and The Boston Globe.

Weyant grew up in New Jersey. When he studied at Gettysburg College, he majored in political science and economics.

His goal, at the time, was to be a lawyer, so he completed the Washington Semester program and studied constitutional law at American University while he was there. He also interned with a New Jersey prosecutor. Through these experiences, he realized law was not for him.

His time on campus was marked by the collapse of the Soviet Union, the fall of the Berlin Wall and Apartheid in South Africa.

“ It’s basically parallel to where your generation is now, which is these large structures and dynamics are shifting in the world in a significant way,” he said.

Weyant said that studying political science during this time was particularly exciting, and explained that he was part of protests on

campus. He and some of his peers set up a “shantytown” right outside of Penn Hall while he was taking a sub-Saharan African politics class to address the apartheid in South Africa. Some of them would take turns spending the night in it and cooking.

“ That was very successful, inadvertently, like many popular movements are because what happened was the president at the time had come out…with a big statement to saying that they were divesting from their portfolio all South African holdings,” he said, though he noted that the students involved, including himself, didn’t realize that the College even had holdings in South Africa. “So that’s something we accomplished…even though that was no where near our intention.”

After graduation, he worked in advertising for the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City.

“ That was a perfectly great and satisfying career, and I could have stayed there probably forever,” he said, “but I was 27, and found myself thinking the whole time I was there, I was hungry for something else in terms of art.”

He said his perspective changed when he thought, “The thing that brings me so much happiness…why am I just not doing it?”

That persuaded him to set aside his work at the Council on Foreign Relations for a political cartooning job. He saved up money and gave himself eighteen months for his Cobra health insurance to run out to try out political cartooning as a job and decide whether or not to pursue it beyond that year and a half.

After doing some cartoon work for NBC, he began to submit to The New Yorker in 1998 before working for The Hill as their cartoonist for 15 or 16 years. Now, he works as a cartoonist for both The Boston Globe and The New Yorker.

He explained that he had always had a passion for art, but he wasn’t able to take as many classes at Gettysburg as he had hoped because of their portfolio requirements to get into them at the time.

As for his work with The New Yorker, he said, “Working at The New Yorker as a cartoonist is one of the highest achievements that you can get as a cartoonist…It’s a lot of pressure. It’s an enormous amount of rejection… We would submit ten cartoons a week, of which some may sell, none more often will sell, and then you have to come back next week with another ten gags.”

He said many people leave cartooning because of the rejection, and that staying requires a lot of dedication.

Weyant won the Reuben Award for Gag Cartoonist of the Year in September. He also has published an illustrated children’s book series with his wife, beginning with “You Are (Not) Small” and most recently, “This is (Not) Enough.”

(Cartoon courtesy of Christopher Weyant)

“Changecomesfromunderstandingtheimportanceof[theCollege’s]historiesandhowthey impactstudentstoday.”-TheGettysburgianEditorialBoard

Borna Ganji/The Gettysburgian)

The Gettysburgian Staff:

Katie Oglesby, Editor-in-Chief

Alli Dayton, Managing & News Editor

George Malian, Magazine Editor

Gracie Meisner, Assistant News Editor

Kyle Hammerness, Features Editor

Victoria Staub, A&E Editor

Mikelyn Britt, Opinions Editor

Jack Herr, Sports Editor

Anna Audia, Lead Copy Editor

Lauren Chu, Social Media Manager

Eric Lippe, Director of Photography

Dr. Scott Boddery, Advisor

CoverPhotobyBornaGanji/TheGettysburgian

StaffPhotobyBornaGanji/TheGettysburgian