The Bison Newspaper - Vol. 98, No. 06

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THE

Oct. 28, 2022 Vol. 98, No. 06

Online at TheLink.Harding.edu

Searcy, Ark., 72149

HU Theatre presents

Photo by MADISON MEYER

Senior Asher Patten and junior Emma Myhan dance as Prince Christopher and Cinderella during the Oct. 24 dress rehearsal for Harding University’s Homecoming musical “Cinderella.” The public performances are set to take place on Oct. 28 and 29 at 8 p.m. in Benson Auditorium.

BEN LANE sports editor Harding University’s annual Homecoming musical premieres tonight in Benson Auditorium, continuing a Homecoming tradition that has been in place since 1970. This year’s show is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella.”

Ben Jones, director of the show and assistant professor of theatre, said he chose “Cinderella” because of its message of positive change.

“That concept of changing the world is something that we emphasize with our theatre students in our department, and I think Harding as a university emphasizes with our students that you have the power and the responsibility to make positive changes in the world,” Jones said.

Students will perform “Cinderella” tonight and Saturday night at 8 p.m. The show stars senior Asher Patten as Prince Christopher, junior Emma Myhan as Cinderella and senior Jonna Fields as the Fairy Godmother.

Myhan said the cast is talented and has a variety of experience and that they also gelled and trusted each other throughout the rehearsal process.

“I think that we’re going to be able to bring a really good show because of those things,” Myhan said.

Senior Nicole Randall, associate set designer, led visual research, script analysis and paint color treatments of the set. Set design students in previous years have taken responsibility for specific, almost finalized designs designated by a supervisor, but Randall has had more influence on the final design of the set than students in previous years. She designed much of the set the audience will see, according to Britton Lynn, set designer and professor of theatre.

“Britt Lynn and I are proud of what we have conceptualized, even if small bits and pieces of that don’t make it to the stage for whatever reason,” Randall said. “I’m proud of the vision that we have.”

This year’s show will include the most LED panels used in a Homecoming musical, which will display lights and live images.

“We’ve definitely been ambitious with this set and with this show,” Randall said.

Jones began the process of selecting a Homecoming musical in November 2021.

Jones said he researched multiple potential

stories, and after selecting the fairytale classic “Cinderella,” he reviewed various scripts until selecting Rodgers and Hammerstein’s, which he said is engaging to modern audiences. “[Rodgers and Hammerstein] really do a nice job of bringing it out in this story that is about having the power to change not only your own situation but to have influence in order to change the world around you,” Jones said.

Myhan said “Cinderella” has been challenging and that she had to learn how to transition from smaller stages to a larger one like the Benson. Aside from a production she participated in as a child, this will be her first musical performance on the Benson stage.

“Even before day one of classes, we were on the stage and working to make this show ready for Homecoming weekend,” Jones said.“I think the audience will be

amazed by the talent and the hard work that was put into the show by the students.”

Students will perform “Cinderella” Friday and Saturday nights, along with a children’s matinee on Monday. Tickets m a y b e purchased at https://www. harding.edu/events/ homecoming.

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN

Second annual Sankofa Gala to be held tomorrow SOPHIE ROSSITTO news editor An African American organization on campus plans to host its second annual gala tomorrow at 7 p.m. in Cone Chapel to celebrate the importance of community and raise money to support Black students.

African American Alumni Association Vice President Briana Cunningham said the theme for the organization’s Sankofa Gala this year is “Ubuntu,” which means, “Because you are, I am.” She said this alumni association

is a group that aims to help Black students attend Harding, remain on campus and get plugged into the community.

Cunningham said Harding alumnus Sammie Berry will be the keynote speaker at the gala. Naomi Valentine, the association’s secretary, said the formal event will also feature entertainment, including a live performance from the Black student vocal group, Justified.

Tickets for the gala cost $40 each, according to the Harding Homecoming event page.

Valentine said anyone is welcome to attend.

“The idea of the gala is to bring all people together,” Valentine said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re Black, White, Hispanic, Chinese, whatever it is. It’s to bring all of us together because we are all one in Christ.”

Cunningham said her organization threw the gala last year to celebrate after officials dedicated the Anthony and Wright Administration Building and honored Harding’s first African American alumni and students. The association also saw the

Photo by Jeff Montgomery

The second annual Sankofa Gala is set to take place Oct. 29 in Cone Chapel. Last year’s gala was created as a celebration of community and to support Black students.

gala as an opportunity to raise money for an endowment they have been working to grow, Cunningham said, with the goal of providing need-based scholarships for students.

Valentine said her group reached out to University Communications and Marketing and received support from Harding administrators in planning the event. The gala last fall was very successful, Valentine said, and featured singing, food and entertainment.

The name of the gala, “Sankofa,” is an African word meaning “to go back and get it,” according to a Southern Illinois University article. Cunningham said this concept emphasizes moving into the future while remembering important things from the past.

She said this year’s theme, “Ubuntu,” encompasses the idea of living in community with people while caring for, respecting and acknowledging one another. Cunningham said she and two others on the alumni committee experienced this sense of fellowship as students through a scholarship program that allowed them to attend Harding.

“In giving us that financial help, there were people who not only decided to help manage a scholarship but to actually create a sense of belonging and community and support for us at Harding, which made all the difference in our experience,” Cunningham said.

Director of Diversity Services Tiffany Byers said she is sponsoring student leaders from the Black Student Association and the Multi-Cultural Student Action Committee to help them attend the gala. She said students will have opportunities to connect with Harding alumni during the event.

“I’m looking forward to it, and I’m sure the students will enjoy it as well, and if there’s anything I can do in the future to make it bigger and better, I’m always willing to do that,” Byers said.

2A

NEWS

Friday, October 28, 2022

Photo by MADISON MEYER

Two students prepare to pie University President Mike Williams in the face at women’s social club Ju Go Ju’s tent to raise money for Relay for Life on Oct. 14. Student organizations placed tents on the Front Lawn and hosted a variety of activities to raise money for cancer research.

Students, donors break campus record for cancer research fundraiser EMILY STINNETT guest writer

Harding University broke its fundraising record for cancer research through the Relay for Life event on Oct. 14 with a grand total of $39,124.59. The previous record was $26,057.47 in 2018. Students with clubs and organizations set up tents on the Front Lawn and stayed out all night raising money for the American Cancer Society through Harding’s chapter of Relay for Life.

A week before Relay for Life, the committee expected students and donors to raise about $9,000-$10,000 and then planned to reach the goal of $20,000 during the night-long portion of Relay for Life. However, they

met the goal of $20,000 a day before the event and continued to raise about twice that on the day of Relay for Life.

One of the co-directors of the event, senior Mason Adams, said the committee did not expect the student body to demolish the goal. He said he was afraid that the numbers would slow down by the time the goal was met the day before the event happened.

“At the same time I knew that we were on such a roll that we just kept our foot on the gas, and I knew that we were going to go into the night, and we were going to work our hearts out, we were going to give all we had,” Adams said.

He said he did not expect to exceed the goal by almost twice the amount and was

grateful to everyone for showing up and supporting and to his committee for the help.

Junior Eli Smith was on the entertainment committee for Relay for Life. His personal connection to cancer has inspired him to be a part of Relay for Life at Harding, as it has impacted several of his family members over the last few years.

“Knowing the impact that [the money] was going to have for so many people, like we were thrilled to raise $20,000, but to raise almost double that, that’s that many more people we’re going to be able to help with that money,” Smith said.

College of Business professor Rich Brown participated in the survivor walk at the start of the Relay for Life event.

He and his wife are both cancer survivors and have walked in more than 10 survivor walks in Searcy.

“When I go to that, when I go to Relay for Life, it just reminds me that I’m lucky to be here,” Brown said.

Women’s social club Zeta Rho raised the most money through the team competition with $6,121. Women’s social club Ju Go Ju placed second, and women’s social club Delta Gamma Rho placed third.

Adams said he would love for everybody to be a part of Relay for Life in the next few years.

“It’s a wonderful experience to actually impact the world,” Adams said.

Photos by MADISON MEYER

(Left) Buff the Bison holds a balloon animal at Zeta Rho’s tent on Oct. 14. (Right) Students and Relay for Life participants walk around the Front Lawn.

President Williams meets with students, alumni across South WATKINS KELLY guest writer

University President Mike Williams is continuing his presidential tour over the course of the semester, partnering with University Admissions and Alumni Relations to connect members of the Harding community past, present and future.

So far, Williams has visited seven different cities throughout Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Alabama and Arkansas. Four more stops are scheduled for the remainder of the fall semester.

Multiple members of the University’s faculty and staff have participated in visits, primarily aiding in recruitment efforts at local high schools. The team has conducted “school takeovers,” beginning with Williams speaking during the high schools’ chapel services. Dr. Heath Carpenter, associate professor of English, attended the Dallas trip and co-taught a Bible class for the high school students.

Carpenter said the team aimed to give students a taste of a college classroom, while also developing connections through breakout groups and interactive activities.

“In the process, we have some reflective teaching time where we do work with the text in ways that try to take it to a collegiate level,” Carpenter said. “We want to model

the level of scholarship that you can expect at Harding.”

Carpenter and other members of the team encouraged the class to share their personal stories and form genuine relationships with the members of the Harding team. Carpenter said this team approach helped set them apart compared to recruitment trips from other universities.

“What we hear from the teachers and principals at these high schools is that nobody else is doing this,” Carpenter said. “It’s unheard of, that you would bring faculty on the road with you to model a college experience and connect with the students you would hope to come.”

Williams said the University has already seen the positive impact of increased recruitment efforts. Due to more external messaging, the newly renovated welcome center and other factors, campus visits increased by 35% in the past year. Williams said the increase in numbers is a testament to the current students who shape the positive environment of campus, which is what prospective students see.

“We want prospective students to see that this is a school that prides itself on ‘Inspired Purpose,’” Williams said. “We want to develop game-changers, people that move into a community and envision something better …

and it’s also a way for alumni to say, ‘That’s my alma mater. I’m proud of them. They’re raising up a new generation of leaders.’”

Along with recruitment events, each stop on the presidential tour has included an alumni reception. Williams said he has seen an energetic response to these events and stressed the importance of an open dialogue with alumni who are still invested in the happenings on campus.

“A huge part of it is about listening,” Williams said. “During the day, we’re sitting down with individual alumni at coffee or lunch and saying, ‘What does the next century of Harding need to be, in your view?’”

Williams said he hopes that these events with alumni can build pathways between current students and alumni, both in terms of relationships and professional opportunities.

He also emphasized that this open dialogue will not stop after this school year and is going to become a part of the University’s “new normal.”

The presidential tour has energized the Admissions and Alumni Relations teams and renewed and stimulated interest from both prospective and former students. Junior Jayda Lynn, who attended a trip to Oklahoma City, said all students should be encouraged by the changes being made to the University’s connection efforts.

“The tour lets it be known how important Dr. Williams’ presidency is in shaping the future of Harding,” Lynn said. “And it’s also adding awareness and amplitude to what Harding is doing right now.”

Graphic by WAGNER VALDEZ

OPINIONS 3A

TheLink.Harding.edu

Changes in Chapel

What’s good Malachi Brown

Against

For Emma Myhan

Opinions Editor

Noah Bankhead Guest Writer

Guest Writer

I

n its century of existence, Harding University has dedicated itself to building an institution based on the biblical principles of the Christian faith it claims to uphold. Since 1924, the University has done this in many ways, one of which has been its attentiveness to the needs of its students generationally. Each semester, Harding welcomes a new culture through new hearts, minds and worldviews.

These changes occur in areas like updated classes or modernized dress codes. Currently, the student body is witnessing a shift in one of the core elements of Harding: chapel. Structural changes like the introduction of a praise team, the absence of projected sheet music and the end of chapel live streams were followed by changes in content like videos, worship chapel and more holistic uses of the arts. The discussion of said changes should not exist on the basis of conservative or progressive beliefs, nor should it revolve around the specifics of what elements should be changed or not. There are places for those conversations, but an opinion piece is not one of them (neither is social media).

The root of the conversation regarding chapel lies in the purpose behind its existence. To discuss chapel, we must ask, “Why chapel?” Without the why there is no unity in purpose, and without unity in purpose there is no unity in practice. The purpose behind chapel at Harding University is to create a unified community where the message of the gospel can be mobilized across and beyond campus. When viewed with this motivation, I believe the changes made to chapel achieve this purpose.

Shorter chapel reduces disengagement during devotional.

The introduction of a praise team lets everyone hear their part during worship, which increases participation, making singing a unifying experience. The decision to stop streaming chapel to those outside of the auditorium makes chapel solely for the benefit of the attending faculty, staff and students, which in turn creates a valuable shared experience. Incorporating the arts into select chapel programs empowers students from different departments to use their gifts as tools to educate and encourage the student body.

Moving forward, it is important that we, as a student body, not evaluate chapel based solely on our preferences but instead prioritize the objective of chapel and the unification of our hearts around the gospel. After all, Jesus did not call us to love our practices. He did not petition us to love our podiums, our slideshows or our livestreams. Jesus asked us simply to “love the Lord” and to “love our neighbor.” It seems to me that these two tasks Jesus deemed most important should not be asked to compete with our opinions but should be the foundation as we seek unity around practices as valuable to the Harding’s mission as chapel.

EMMA MYHAN is a guest writer for The Bison.

She may be contacted at emyhan@harding.edu.

F

all semester is underway, and changes are being made across campus. Changes to chapel in particular have caused division within the student body. I am certain the new administration’s goal was not to cause division, but it has occurred. Is this change worth causing division?

In the past, a lack of student engagement in chapel has been a concern. Changes made to “fix” these engagement issues include contemporary Christian music played before and after chapel, and dimming the lights to set a “mood,” emphasis on the visual appearance of the music slides (at present, the slides do not include the notes to follow if you do not know the song) and more energetic song leading, including a praise team two days a week to enhance the “worship experience.”

While I do believe engagement of the student body is important, I do not think the administration has taken the proper approach.

Student engagement is not about being entertained by a song leader or a praise team. We are there to praise God, not there for our entertainment. Is dimming the lights to set a mood for a worship experience needed for acceptable praise to God? These changes put emphasis on creating an experience for students rather than a meeting of God’s people focusing on worshiping and honoring Him. In the first month of the semester, the song leader stepped off stage for a song after singing the first note. It was a song with a soprano lead, and instead of the song leader continuing, he left it to be led by a woman on the praise team. This song was not well known by many of the students, and without sheet music, very few of the students were able to sing. Due to the changes already made, some students saw this as a woman leading the chapel assembly. This song led a few students to get up and walk out of chapel. Some students saw this action as disruptive; others respected these students for not violating their spiritual conscience. Students took to social media to haze the students that walked out. Regardless of whether you view the changes as appropriate or not, the hazing of these students on social media is completely inappropriate. Matthew 18:15 says, “If your brother does something wrong to you, go to him. Talk alone to him and tell him what he has done. If he listens to you, you have kept your brother as a friend.” We should not be attempting to “break” our brothers and sisters. We should be building each other up.

Harding University is a Christian school affiliated with the Church of Christ, which for the majority promotes male spiritual leadership. To have controversies about spiritual leadership and “worship experience” taking place in a mandatory chapel is very dangerous ground to tread on. If students are asked to either question their salvation or suffer shaming and chapel probation, what does that say about Harding as a whole? Will Harding become like the world and mire itself in division and discord?

NOAH BANKHEAD is a guest writer for The Bison.

He may be contacted at nbankhead@harding.edu.

Faculty Finds

Bible & Ministry

W

hat if rediscovering forgotten memories could help us create a new future?

That’s an idea at the heart of Leonard Allen’s “Distant Voices: Discovering a Forgotten Past for a Changing Church.”

I first found and read this book decades ago, but as I keep coming back to it, I find that it still speaks. The author is a Harding University Bible Alumni of the Year (2019) award recipient and currently serves as dean of Lipscomb University’s College of Bible.

Allen begins the book by talking about memories, noting that “the way we ‘remember’ our Christian past or traditions parallels somewhat the way we remember our personal pasts. Our ‘memories’ of our Christian heritage are also selective” (p. 3).

The book’s purpose is to create “an exercise in remembering,” “to recover some of the forgotten or ‘distant voices’ from the modern history of Churches of Christ” (p.

4). Recapturing those forgotten stories can deepen our memory, help keep us honest about the past and prepare us for the future.

Besides recounting stories of familiar influential characters (like James A.

staff

Emma Jones editor-in-chief Sara Hook features/layout editor Sophie Rossitto news editor

Emily Stinnett Watkins Kelly

Harding) and inspirational figures (like T. B. Larimore), this book also highlights other heroes of the faith whose stories may have been forgotten or marginalized for several reasons. For example, in the early 1800s, our fellowship included women preachers like Abigail Roberts and Nancy Towle, who were itinerant ministers. They traveled to different congregations preaching, teaching and converting hundreds of people as well as planting churches in different places (p.

23-28). In the late 1800s and early 1900s, writer Silena Moore Holman used her skills in widely read pieces to encourage churches to empower women and include their gifts as vital resources for the flourishing of the church (p. 126-34). And there were even other male church leaders (Campbell, Pendleton, Milligan, Lard, Lipscomb, Sewell and others) who made the case for appointing deaconesses in the churches (p. 140). C.R. Nichol, for example, an influential Texas preacher, highlighted women in scripture like Priscilla, Dorcas and Phoebe, stating: “As there was need for the deaconess in the early days of the church, so there is now” (p. 141).

Ben Lane sports editor Malachi Brown opinions editor Maggie Samples lifestyle editor

Gabriel Huff head copy editor Cianna Jay asst. copy editor Emma Weber editorial assisstant

Erin Marshall Carter Thweatt

S

pring of my freshman year, the College of Business invited Lawrence W. Reed to speak, the author of a book called “Was Jesus a Socialist?” Poor marketing and book cover would lead an audience to believe it was just capitalist propaganda, but the result was a pretty nuanced view. Since then, at least on Harding’s campus, and 2020 on a national level, the question of Jesus’ stance on modern economics has been a widely debated topic.

For people who value an individual mindset, thoughts that Jesus would give the government the right to make the rich spread their wealth is labeled “socialism,”“communism” or “Marxism,” as a boogeyman term without knowing what it means. Likewise, people with a collectivist (community-focused) mindset label types of merit-based society as “feudal,” “oppressive” and generally outdated. As emerging Western culture vaguely trends into a more collectivist mindset, the question “how much do the theories of Karl Marx resemble that of Christ?” becomes key to Christian circles in knowing how to navigate going forward.

Now whether or not Marx and Christ are connected, Marx brings up serious and legitimate concerns with capitalism. One of these is that capitalism separates the worker from the fruits of their labor, detaching them from the rewards, the consumer, their manager and their own humanity. Trying to work out of one’s merit strips them of individuality and turns them into statistics on a spreadsheet.

Even in attempting to work out of people’s merit, there are people from all demographics who have no upward mobility because of their limited access to education, welfare and other resources they would need to do so. Jesus does see individuals who are often lost to larger undesirable crowds. In Luke 12, Jesus talks about how foolish someone is who hoards riches, keeping them from other people and God. It seems here that Marxism isn’t a bad answer to this.

How much do the theories of Karl Marx resemble that of Christ?

– Malachi Brown, opinions editor

Voices from the past

Alan Howell

Christ and Karl

Allen believes that “these distant voices invite us to pull up a chair and join the lively conversations out of which” this church “tradition took shape” (p. 175).

And other voices should be included at this table, too, like those from among the African American Churches of Christ.

Annie Tuggle, for example, used her voice and influence to encourage others to follow God’s call to ministry and missions as well as mentoring leaders like Fred Gray (see Robinson, “I was Under a Heavy Burden,” p. 80-81).

What would it be like to hear Nancy Towle or Annie Tuggle speak from the Benson stage at Lectureship? How could we have been inspired by Silena Moore Holman and C.R. Nichol speaking in chapel? I think we could find a lot of wisdom from our sisters and brothers from the past that could help us navigate both the present and the future.

ALAN HOWELL is a guest writer for The Bison. He may be contacted at ahowell@harding.edu.

Madison Meyer head photographer Balazs Balassa asst. photographer Macy Cox asst. photographer

Noah Bankhead Emma Myhan

Gracie Cornett cartoonist Bonnie Spann business manager Cooper Turman graphic designer

While Marx seems to provide an alternative to this really problematic system, capitalism, he too doesn’t quite hit Jesus’ ideal. At the end of “The Communist Manifesto,” Marx writes about how the Communist Party’s “ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions” idea, and this sentiment does not belong to the meek ethic of the one who walks the extra mile and turns the other cheek. Marx’s primary flaw is diminishing all economic relationships to a power struggle, which is dangerous. It’s unhealthy to reduce a romantic or sibling relationship to power dynamics, both of which we know more intimately; what dangers are there in reducing an economic relationship which we might not know as intimately to mere power dynamics?

This topic deserves so much more time and space than what I can give it here. But when people ask me “Was Jesus a socialist?” or “Is Marxism opposed to Christianity?” I have to say “It’s complicated.” Of course, I believe that wealthier people should give to the poor, but to do that forcibly feels wrong. What I can say, though, is that compared to the rest of the world, I am wealthy, and I should not expect those wealthier than I to commit their effort and money when I’m stingy with mine.

Though, I suppose that speaks less about what I think people should do with their money than it does how I can be a better person.

MALACHI BROWN is the opinions editor for The Bison. He may be contacted at mbrown33@harding.edu.

Wagner Valdez asst. graphic designer Stacy Roibal beat reporter Emily Stinnett historian

Alan Howell

April Fatula faculty adviser Michael Claxton narrative columnist

guest contributors Hannah Ireland

4A

OPINIONS

Friday, October 28, 2022 Illustration by Gracie Cornett

Ten Thousand Words Emma Jones

Editor-in-Chief

You’re not on your own, kid F

ourth round club invitations are going out today, and there are going to be some people who didn’t get into the club they wanted, or didn’t get into a club at all — and I want to start by saying that I know it sucks.

And I don’t want to offer empty consolations to you.

My freshman year, I didn’t get into a club. I remember being in my 8:30 a.m. class, and the girl next to me got her invite over email from the club I also wanted, and I refreshed my inbox for about half an hour before I finally accepted that I didn’t have one coming. And I was so mad; I thought I had put in the effort to make people remember me and want me in their club. I also just felt very alone, because it felt like all of my friends had gotten into clubs, and I didn’t know any older students at Harding who weren’t in a club.

By the time club week rolled around, I had let myself become very bitter about the club process as a whole. But I think God got so sick of my bitterness that he gave me the best week ever to eventually make me realize that everything had happened the way it did for a reason. I joined the newspaper staff (which has obviously worked out for me).

I got invited to go on a recruitment trip to Northwest Arkansas and flew on the Harding jet. I went on a field trip to Little Rock with the public relations majors, which was super fun. The guy I liked asked me out.

That’s not to say I wasn’t still upset for a while about not getting into a club. Harding culture places such a large emphasis on social clubs, and it felt like I was missing out on the Harding experience because I was not a part of one. Even now, I get frustrated with the oft-quoted sentiment that “your social club does not define you!” coming from people who have not experienced a time when it didn’t for them. And it is true, you as a person are not defined by if you are in a club or by what club you are in, but clubs do define your experience at Harding, even if you’re not in one. There’s a reason why one of the first questions people ask when meeting someone new is what club they are in.

Clubs are fun, but they are not necessary to the Harding experience.

– Emma Jones, editor-in-chief

As a senior who’s now in two clubs, I can say it becomes much less of a big deal as you get older. Clubs are fun, but they are not necessary to the Harding experience. I hope anyone who didn’t get into a club this year can come to realize that. My advice specifically for those who didn’t get into a club is to try and find what other opportunities are available to you and get involved there. Newspaper was my saving grace; it allowed me to make some of my closest friends my freshman year and work on something that I found I had a passion for. You may feel very alone, especially if it feels like all your friends got into clubs and that’s all they can talk about anymore, but please be assured that there are so many other opportunities to meet people and be involved on campus.

E M M A J O N E S i s e d i t o r- i n chief for The Bison. She can be contacted at ejones19@harding.edu.

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN

Hannah Ireland

“Midnights” musings

Guest Writer

S

wifties have long wondered about singer-songwriter Taylor Swift’s sleep schedule, with lines like “3 a.m. and I’m still awake” in “I Bet You Think about Me” and “It’s 2 a.m. in your car” in “I Wish You Would.”

Earlier this semester, Taylor promised an answer of sorts when she announced her latest original album, “Midnights,” and the (Swiftie) world counted the days until the release. (There were 53, for those wondering.)

The album hasn’t disappointed, either; while not her best work, it’s a new era with a unique blend of “Folklore” and “Evermore’s” folksy style and “Reputation’s” edgy pop, as some Swifties described it. It’s the perfect combination of musical styles and eras for an album of stories spanning the years since her debut album up until her most recent and longest relationship with actor Joe Alwyn.

But just how many sleepless nights has this woman had? At least 20, according to this latest album, and those 20 have led to many, many more for Swifties worldwide. Taylor has several understandable reasons for the sleepless nights that inspired “Midnights,” listing things like heartbreak, what-ifs and revenge fantasies — you know, fairly run-ofthe-mill stuff. From staying up wondering what might have happened if she’d stuck it out with one boyfriend in “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” to relishing the good karma she’s reaped and the bad karma she expects to fall

upon her more prominent haters in “Karma,” Taylor explores one of the more commonly celebrated and debated aspects of the human experience: that of romance and heartbreak.

The overarching factor, however, seems to be the common thread of overthinking we see woven through many of her lyrics (and not just in “Midnights”). In “Anti-Hero” she sings, “I should not be left to my own devices / They come with prices and vices / I end up in crisis”; in “Question…?” she asks a past lover to confirm her suspicions about his behavior and whereabouts on a particular night.

Taylor is a self-documented overthinker, often falling prey to the same imagination that put her on the top charts.

the top charts to begin with. Self-awareness is the first step to recovery from overthinking and the first to the ultimate goal of getting Swift — and therefore her fans — a good night’s sleep. Somehow, though, I don’t see that happening anytime soon, not while sleepless nights and midnight album releases bring Taylor as much money and attention as any star naturally appreciates. In conclusion, our best bet as exhausted Swifties is to grab some caffeine and truck through until the next album comes along. And hey, you can always listen to “Midnights” again while you’re at it.

HANNAH IRELAND is a guest writer for The Bison. She may be contacted at hireland@harding.edu.

– Hannah Ireland, senior

I could go on, but since I’m sure you’ve either already listened to the album 27 times since its release or have heard more than you ever wanted to know about it from your friends, I’ll stop there. The point is that Taylor is a self-documented overthinker, often falling prey to the same imagination that put her on

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN

The many faces of Cinderella

I

got my ticket as soon as they went on sale. Like every Harding musical I’ve seen, I’m sure Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” will be delightful.

Did you know that there are thousands of variations of this classic rags-to-riches story? They exist in every era and in every culture. A folk tale from the 7th century B.C. recounts the story of a Greek servant girl who marries the king of Egypt. It seems that one day an eagle snatches one of her sandals and flies far away with it, dropping it in the king’s lap. He is so mesmerized by the shape of the shoe that he conducts a nationwide search for its wearer, and they live happily ever after.

Or consider the Chinese story from the 8th century A.D. about a girl who cares for a pet fish until it grows to over 10 feet long. One day, her wicked stepmother kills the fish. The girl is inconsolable until an old man tells her to hide the bones and pray to them. When she does, whatever she asks for is granted. She receives beautiful clothes and a pair of golden shoes. Sadly, she loses one of the shoes, but, as always seems to happen, the missing one ends up with the king. Take a wild guess what he does next.

A West African version of the story has a maiden whose stepmother dislikes her. She is only given tiny scraps of food, which she shares with the frogs. Soon, a festival is announced, and the maiden yearns to go, but she has nothing to wear.

So a frog vomits up clothes for her, and jewelry and a pair of shoes — one silver and the other gold. That night, she dances with the chief ’s son, and wouldn’t you know it, she leaves a shoe behind.

The Algonquin tribe of North America calls her “Oochigeaskw, the Rough-Faced

wear. Ashputtle dances with the king’s son all evening.

When she leaves a glittering shoe behind, things take a dark turn. The prince Michael Claxton conducts a search for the girl whose foot Narrative Columnist will fit, and when the stepsisters try it on privately, their feet are too big. Their Girl.” She gets her name from the scars mother tells them to slice off a toe or a on her face inflicted by her cruel sisters. heel, noting that queens don’t have to do As she wanders through the village, much walking anyway. The prince is not Oochigeaskw encounters a woman, fooled and soon finds his bride. On the who is the guardian of her wealthy but wedding day, the birds peck out the eyes invisible brother. The legend is that the of the hobbling stepsisters as punishment person who can see him will marry him. for their blindness.

Many women have claimed to do so, but You will not be shocked to learn that the sister can always tell they are lying. Walt Disney did not go with that version.

You won’t believe who finally sees him And neither did Richard Rodgers and for real and ends up as his bride.

Oscar Hammerstein when they wrote In 17th centur y France, Charles their play for television in 1957 (which Perrault wrote what has become the basis originally starred Julie Andrews). And for all Western versions of the fairy tale. the story keeps getting told, from “Pretty Cinderella, mistreated by her family, gets Woman” to “The Bachelorette.” her name from sitting near the fireplace Why do we find this story everywhere? among the cinders, exhausted by her daily Everyone has a theory. Freudians see it chores. Until, that is, a fairy godmother as a tale of sibling rivalry. The Jungians gives her the means and the wardrobe to note the archetypes of daughters yearning attend the prince’s ball. A pumpkin turns for a father’s love. Feminists point to into a coach, rats become coachmen and the Brothers Grimm and the lengths to Cinderella, wearing her glass slippers, which society pushes women to make steals the prince’s heart. But at the stroke themselves beautiful for men — slicing of midnight, everything changes back, toes and whatnot. and the heroine leaves her breakable shoe It may not be wise to turn every secular behind and runs straight into legend. tale into a spiritual parable. But is it wrong Everyone knows the macabre version to find hope in the story, to see ourselves written by Wilhelm and Jakob Grimm as the lowly servant — mistreated by the in 1812. They call her Ashputtle, and world — whose value is revealed when we her stepmother and stepsisters abuse finally meet the Prince of Peace? her and taunt her about not being able Something to think about as you enjoy to go to the ball until she completes her the show. endless chores. But the birds come to MICHAEL CLAXTON is a guest help, finishing her work and providing writer for The Bison. He can be a gold-and-silver ensemble for her to contacted at mclaxto1@harding.edu.

At The Bison, it is our goal to serve the Harding University student body with integrity, truth and open ears. However, we believe that meeting that goal is a two-way street between our staff and the public it serves. We pledge to keep our eyes and ears open to what our community has to say and hope that, in return, that community will be an interactive audience, sharing its stories with us. We also pledge to do the basics: Report accurate and relevant information, check our facts, and share them in a professional, timely manner. If you have any story ideas, questions, comments or concerns for The Bison staff, please email Emma Jones, the editor-in-chief, at ejones19@harding.edu. “The Bison (USPS 577-660) is published weekly (except vacations, exams and summer sessions), 20 issues per year, by Harding University. Periodicals postage paid at Searcy, Arkansas 72143. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Bison, Harding University 11192, SEARCY, AR 72149-0001.” BYLINE POLICY: The Bison provides an opportunity for class writers to contribute work under the byline “guest writers.” Due to this arrangement, staff writers may rewrite a portion of the guest writers’ stories as they deem necessary, while still identifying the work as the guest writers’ own.

Vol. 98, No. 06

THE

A H A R D I N G U N I V E R S I T Y S T U D E N T P U B L I C AT I O N

Oct. 28, 2022

Online at TheLink.Harding.edu

Searcy, Ark., 72149

Midnight Madness kicks off basketball season STACY ROIBAL beat reporter This past Monday night, Harding’s basketball teams kicked off the beginning of their season alongside the Harding cheerleaders and a crowd of supporters at the annual Midnight Madness pep rally.

Prizes and free merchandise were passed out all night. The first 500 people in line received a free Midnight Madness T-shirt, and those who volunteered or were chosen to participate in one of the competitions throughout the event received gift cards or gift bags.

Assistant Dean for Campus Life Logan Light hosted the pep rally and began the night with an introduction of the Harding cheerleading roster. They gave a short performance accompanied by the Thundering Herd marching band.

A major draw for the event was the promise of a lip sync performance by University President Mike Williams and Executive Vice President Jean-Noel Thompson. “ We’re gonna embarrass ourselves,” Williams said prior to performing, “but it’s gonna be a great time.”

The two walked out to the center of the court wearing suits and fedoras to much applause from the crowd. The dance moves Williams and Thompson busted out made for an inspiring performance.

Various challenges and competitions spanned from “musical pillows,” to knockout, to the infamous half-court shot for half tuition.

Logan Smith, a senior who plays on the Harding volleyball team, showed off her basketball skills in a challenge to make a layup, a free throw and a three-point shot all in 35 seconds. She had assistance from Kendrick Bailey, a sophomore on the women’s basketball team, on the three-pointer, and they completed the challenge with seconds to spare.

“It was thrilling having all those people watching me, and the basketball team was cheering me on, trying to help me feel more comfortable,” Smith said.

Photo by MACY COX

Students cheer during Midnight Madness on Oct. 25 in the Rhodes-Reaves Field House. Midnight Madness is an annual pep rally celebrating the start of basketball season.

A game of knockout between male faculty members was followed by simultaneous games between representatives of the women’s and men’s social clubs. The Ko Jo Kai representative won, giving her club half-priced merchandise for the spring semester.

“It means a lot that so many people came out to participate and support us,” Taylor Currie, a junior on the men’s basketball team, said. “We want to thank everyone for coming out and encourage them all to show up to our first home game.”

The men’s game is on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m in the Rhodes-Reaves Field House.

Ella Grace Thompson, a freshman on the women’s basketball team, said Midnight Madness “is an event to kick off the season and to celebrate the players with our Harding community.” The women’s first home game is on Friday, Nov. 11, at 5:30 p.m.

Photo by MADISON MEYER

Sophomore Priscilla Grace Huff shoots a halfcourt shot during Midnight Madness. The shot was an attempt to win half-tuition for the spring semester.

Photo by MADISON MEYER

From left to right: Tom Howard, Margaret Howard, Kinley Schnell, Meredith Fear, Brian Gerwig and Maggie Howard stand in Reaves Room. Schnell was awarded the “Heart of Howie Award.”

Volleyball gives Heart of Howie awards ERIN MARSHALL guest writer

Photo by MADISON MEYER

Junior Skyler McKinnon hits the ball while playing OBU. Harding won 3-0.

On Tuesday, Oct. 25, the Harding volleyball team won their game against Ouachita Baptist University 3-0. After the game, the team honored alumna and former graduate assistant Molly Howard-Gerwig, who died last year. She was affectionately known as “Howie” by her coaches, players and teammates.

In May 2021, Howard-Gerwig married Brian Gerwig. Only a few days prior she had gotten a biopsy of a mass in her sigmoid colon and was soon diagnosed with stage four neuroendocrine colon cancer. She and her husband canceled their honeymoon and returned to Houston so she could receive treatment. She died five months later on Oct. 14, 2021, at the age of 27.

Howard-Gerwig played volleyball at Harding for four years and graduated with her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in 2016.

She then became a graduate assistant for two years and received her master’s degree in teaching in May 2021.

Senior volleyball player Kinley Schnell saw Howard-Gerwig as the face of Harding

volleyball during her time as a graduate assistant.

“My time at Harding never crossed with Howie, but when I was in the recruiting process in high school she always came to my games when she had the chance,” Schnell said. “She supported me even when she didn’t know me well. Howie had this contagious smile that you could see from across the room. She always was a joy to be around.”

After leaving Harding, Howard-Gerwig was an assistant coach for one season at Tarleton State and was in her second season at Houston Christian University when she died.

When Howard-Gerwig was diagnosed, there was a GoFundMe account set up for her. When she died, her family and husband decided to use that money to set up a scholarship in her honor. The Molly Howard-Gerwig Memorial Scholarship Fund is awarded to junior or senior secondary education majors who intend to coach. The money fundraised from Tuesday’s game will go to Howard-Gerwig’s fund.

“She was a huge part of our program, and most of our girls know her or have heard of

her,” head volleyball coach Meredith Fear said. “It’s just going to become a yearly thing where we honor her and fundraise for her scholarship fund.”

In addition to Howard-Gerwig’s scholarship, Fear is implementing an annual “Heart of Howie” award. The award will be given to a volleyball player who demonstrates loyalty, integrity, passion, reliability, courage, humility and goodness. Last year, it was awarded to senior Cooper Monn, and this year it was given to Schnell. Both were honored after Tuesday’s game. Monn said the award is more than an accolade because it brings people together to remember Howard-Gerwig.

“It’s a way to keep Howie on our minds and on our hearts and just on the team in spirit,” Monn said.

Fear said Howard-Gerwig embodied the Harding University volleyball motto of being a “Christian student athlete.”

“She was the literal hands and feet of Jesus to her teammates, players and fellow coaches,” Fear said. “Howie was good. That goodness was undoubtedly from her love of Christ and his work in her life.”

The team had set a record win streak of 22 games Oct. 25. Their next match is Nov. 1.

2B

COMMUNITY

Friday, October 28, 2022

Kilts and Coffee brings Searcy community together

Photo by JULIANNE BAKER

Scottish folk singer Julie Fowlis performs at the Beats and Eats presentation of Kilts and Coffee at Harding’s Heritage Park on Oct. 21. Coffee Vendors and local bakeries provided tastings while visitors enjoyed Irish and Scottish music and dancing.

EMMA JONES editor-in-chief Searcy Beats and Eats and Harding’s Arts and Life Series collaborated to host Kilts and Coffee last Friday, Oct. 21, with community vendors and Celtic-themed entertainment.

The organizations teamed up for the first time last fall for an event called Java and Jazz, which was successful enough to prompt them to do another similar event, according to Dr. Jay Walls, the Arts and Life Series director.

“Last year … we had a great crowd, and we worked together really well with Beats and Eats,” Walls said. “I think everyone involved

in it has loved seeing Harding’s community and the citizens from Searcy coming together for [events] like this.”

The Kilts and Coffee headliner was Julie Fowlis, the lead singer of Disney’s “Brave” soundtrack, and her band, who performed various Celtic songs in Gaelic. Other entertainment included a bagpiper, fiddlers and Irish dancers.

Along with the Celtic entertainment, the event featured coffee from five local coffee shops, including Imago Dei, Mr. Postman, Perk and Post, Midnight Oil and Slader’s Alaskan Dumplings. Punch cards could be bought for $5 to get a 4-ounce sample from

each coffee vendor, who all had a selection of drinks from their shop and some Irish-themed drinks for the event. There were also six baking vendors, including Sassy Sweets, Wildflour Bakery, Creme and Sugar, Warehouse 4, Cheesecake on Point and Joyful Baking Co. Graduate student Laurel Beshirs, a barista at Mr. Postman, was working at their booth during Kilts and Coffee. She said the shop featured one of its specialty lattes called the “Nutty Irishman” to fit the event theme.

“It was fun to see the Searcy coffee shops come together for an event like this,” Beshirs said. “It was fun to see so many different faces, both young and old. And of course,

it was so fun to hear the singer from ‘Brave’ perform — I felt like I was watching the movie.”

Beats and Eats co-director Marka Bennett said that for planning an event like Kilts and Coffee, her organization was in charge of procuring the vendors, location, decorations and security, while Arts and Life was in charge of everything related to the entertainment, like finding performers and setting up the stage and sound equipment.

“We provide the party,” Bennett said. “Our part of it is the planning and execution of the entire event.”

Searcy businesses prepare for Homecoming BISON STAFF

Homecoming weekend is a time when families and alumni flock to Harding, making it one of the busiest times in Harding’s calendar year. However, Harding isn’t the only place that finds itself busy on Homecoming weekend. The crowd also brings more business for local shops and restaurants in Searcy, which leads to more work.

One such business, Burrito Day, sees an influx of customers on Homecoming.

“It’s great,” alumnus Brandon Fox, the owner of Burrito Day, said. “It’s always super busy [Homecoming] weekend, and it usually starts before Friday lunch rush, and even Thursdays it seems like parents are coming to town ... It tends to get a lot busier, sometimes twice as busy, just depends on the year … It’s always crazy. It’s like drowning, but the good kind where at least you know that you’re doing good business.”

Carol Busselle and her husband, Gene, both Harding alumni, own the ‘Alumni Shack,’ an AirBnB that sees business year-round.

When guests aren’t arriving for Harding events, the Alumni Shack is used by travelers on business, such as doctors working at the White County Medical Center. Typically, the Alumni Shack is full over Homecoming.

“It’s good for the business,” Busselle said.

“Anything in Searcy that houses people should be full during Homecoming Week.”

One of the staple businesses frequented

by Harding students is Midnight Oil, a local coffee shop near the David B. Burks American Heritage Building. Rachel Miller, the manager for Midnight Oil, expects business to ramp up fast.

“This is my first year as a manager, but compared to previous years, just looking back at those, I see that we’re probably going to double our business,” Miller said. “So I’m having to double our employees for the day.

It’ll just be really high traffic. It’ll be a fun, upbeat weekend, but it’ll be hard work. …

Like every other small business in town, there’s going to be hiccups, but it’s always a fun time for the community.”

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FEATURES 3B

TheLink.Harding.edu

Regina celebrates 75th anniversary SARA HOOK features/layout editor

Social clubs have been a staple of University life for many years. One of the oldest, women’s social club Regina, will be celebrating its 75th anniversary this weekend. Regina alumna Susan Pryor Hodges organized much of the celebration, with an alumni reunion occurring Saturday, Oct. 29. Pryor said her goal for the event was to encourage people to see the history and quality of Regina and her members.

“There is great value in knowing our shared history,” Pryor said. “It’s important to remember the past, to see the continued service to others and view the accomplishments of many Reginas that have gone before us. It helps us dream of our own future. The reunion is a testament to the lifelong friendships that are formed every year in Regina.”

Current club members will help host the reunion, which is expected to have around 100 attendees. Senior Meredith Williams said she has been amazed by the community of alumni Regina has.

“Relationships that we make here really can be lifelong,” Williams said. “We’re putting in the work to keep those connections and keep those relationships.”

Several Regina alumni have contributed to the event, designing T-shirts, making decorated cookies and creating gift bags filled with products from alumni businesses. Any proceeds from the event will be going to the club.

Club sponsor Hailey Pruitt said while social clubs can be both a positive and negative experience for different people, she is glad for an opportunity to celebrate something positive.

“I am really thankful for an opportunity to get to celebrate a club that for me has been an important part of my life for a really long time,” Pruitt said. “At times [the club] has been a source of heartache but also a source of joy.”

Pruitt has been a sponsor since 2013 and said she was drawn to Regina because of its legacy.

“The longevity of a club like Regina gets to continue because we realize that we’re a part of something that’s bigger than we are,” Pruitt said. “It’s really easy for all of us to get sort of focused on what’s going on right now, and what sorts of things we need to be handling and forget how many people have come before us.”

Pryor said this alumni reunion is not just for graduated members; current and new members of Regina also will benefit.

“We want them to be able to be proud of the club and what it represents,” Pryor said. “I just want them to see what a great sisterhood that they share with a lot of people that they may not have met before.”

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN Pulled from 1980 Bison issue

Pulled from 1993 Bison issue

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN

Pulled from 2021-2022 Petit Jean

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN

Thundering Herd chooses Homecoming court representative MAGGIE SAMPLES lifestyle editor The Harding University band will be represented in the Homecoming court for the first time in Harding history this weekend.

Senior Angel Brown from Greensburg, Pennsylvania, was chosen by the Thundering Herd as their representative for the Homecoming court.

Brown will graduate in December with her degree in nursing, but this has not stopped her from participating in band during her time at Harding.

“Music has always been a big part of my life, and band has allowed me to make music and meet amazing people throughout high school and college,” Brown said.

Brown said the shared love of Christ among her fellow band members is part of what makes their community so special.

“The decision to have a Homecoming representative this year was a quick and sudden process,” Brown said. “It’s been a little stressful figuring out everything, but also very exciting.”

As representative, Brown participated in Homecoming chapel Oct. 26 and will be in the Homecoming parade Saturday.

She said the eligible women in the band chose who was best suited for the role and had the time for the responsibilities of Homecoming representative. Brown said it was an honor to represent the Thundering Herd in Homecoming activities.

Eric Colgrove, director of the Thundering Herd marching band, said the band is a tightknit community because of all of the time they spend with each other. Colgrove said Photo by MACY COX

the band considered having a Homecoming representative last year but decided against it. This year they looked into the process and ultimately decided that they were interested in participating.

“We’re together all the time,” Colgrove said. “We’re at all these events outside of our normal class times, and so it almost feels like a club experience.”

Colgrove said one of the reasons Brown was such a good candidate for Homecoming representative was because she represents the approximate 60% of non-music majors that compose the Thundering Herd. He said it is possible for students of any major to participate in band alongside their school work.

“We couldn’t have chosen a sweeter and more hardworking representative for the band,” Colgrove said. “We think that she is the epitome of what we like to represent to the rest of the school. So we’re excited to have her be honored in this way, and we’re excited to get to participate in the Homecoming court pageantry and not just the performing music side of it, but actually getting to have somebody participate in the court.”

Senior Erin Fouss, a drum major, shared similar thoughts.

“Angel was chosen to represent us because she is a beautiful person on the inside and out,” Fouss said. “She is also a very dedicated member of our group that even when it has been a challenge with her major and our schedule, she chose to stay with us because we are a family. I’m really proud that Angel will be representing us this Saturday at the game.”

Angel Brown stands on the Benson Auditorium stage at the presentation of the Homecoming court on Oct. 26. Brown was selected as the first Homecoming representative for the Thundering Herd.

4B

LIFESTYLE

Friday, October 28, 2022

Graphic by WAGNER VALDEZ

Social clubs prepare for Homecoming Parade CARTER THWEATT guest writer This weekend will be a busy one, with Harding’s Homecoming celebrations reaching their peak tomorrow afternoon. Homecoming events began Thursday morning and will last until Saturday night for Harding students, families and alumni to enjoy. Many are excited for the 3 p.m. football game on Saturday and the tailgating prior to kickoff, but for some students, the event they’ve prepared for the most occurs before — the Homecoming Parade.

The annual Homecoming Parade is a staple of Harding’s Homecoming weekend.

Different social clubs and organizations on campus will design floats for the parade, which will start on East Pleasure Avenue and end at First Security Stadium. Last year, the event was `70s themed. This year, the theme is “Fairytales.” Senior Abby Foust, a member of women’s social club Zeta Rho, talked about her club’s plan to meet the theme.

“My role was to help tie together the campus-wide Homecoming theme of ‘Fairytales’ to our clubs,” Foust said. “Our theme is ‘There’s No Place Like Home,’ so we’ll have the iconic Wizard of Oz characters and the yellow brick road scene.”

Junior Abby Long is in charge of Zeta Rho’s entry to the parade, which is a collaborative effort with men’s social club TNT. She said there’s been a good amount of preparation involved in making sure the float is ready for the big day.

“We recently met up and tried to figure out how we would fit the theme,” Long said.

“Then the first part has just been trying to build the base of the float, and then we’ll have to get into the painting and chicken wire and stuff like that.”

Senior Bethany Hall, who is in charge of women’s social club Ju Go Ju’s entry with men’s social club Sub T-16, also talked about many of the same things regarding preparation.

“We met about three or four weeks out from Homecoming,” Hall said. “We assessed our budget, figured out what the theme was and figured out what direction we would go in with that. Now we’re in the process of actually building our float.”

While many would expect building the float to be the toughest part, Hall and Long both talked more about having to fit their ideas for the float to Harding’s overall parade theme. Long said that was the most time-consuming thing.

“I honestly feel like the most challenging part was just coming up with a theme,” Long said. “I feel like it’s a fine line between having a really good idea and having something that’s really corny. And deciding what would look good on a float — I had never done anything like that before.”

All the social club entries will be on display Saturday, with the parade beginning at 11:45 a.m. Just like in years past, a prize will be awarded to the club or clubs whose float is deemed the best.

Photo by BALAZS BALASSA

Students play “Spooky Bingo” in the Charles White Dining Hall on Oct. 25. Spooky Bingo was one of the several themed events hosted by Campus Life for Homecoming week.

Campus Life involves students in Homecoming week events CIANNA JAY copy editor

Campus Life annually organizes various events and theme days throughout I Heart HU Week, the week leading up to Homecoming weekend. Campus Life offered a daily dressup theme to help students easily connect to the celebrations, and the student with the best outfit of the day won a gift card.

“I like having something small for every day,” Campus Life director Abby Stinnett said. “There’s still something going on and something that just kind of keeps people active and involved throughout the entire week, just keeping that energy leading up to Homecoming.”

This year’s events included the Midnight Madness pep rally to kick off the basketball season last Monday night, a spooky version of Late-Night Caf bingo on Tuesday, waffles in the Student Center on Wednesday, and an all-campus trunk-or-treat on Thursday afternoon. The event today will be the 3K Glow Run in Bison Park at 8 p.m.

The glow run is a collaboration with Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL), which Stinnett said aligned with Campus Life’s goal of using I Heart HU Week to collaborate with groups and organizations across campus.

The Thursday trunk-or-treat played a part in achieving this goal of campus collaboration, as representatives from social clubs and organizations across campus had trunks and tables set up and participants were encouraged to dress in costume. Involvement in the event ranged from dorm families to incoming and current students.

“It’s super easy for people to be a part of and to get to know your community around you,” Stinnett said.

Junior Lisanne Cheatham, Campus Life social media director, said it’s fun to see students dressed up in costumes for the trunk-or-treat, and participation from students helps make these events more enjoyable.

“I think it makes the events fun if people participate,” Cheatham said. “Everything’s

very light-hearted. … Every event we put on is a good time, and we just want people to come and bring their friends and make it even better.”

Senior Coleman Bevill, Campus Life co-activity director, helped plan the I Heart HU Week events and said he hopes students will gain an overall positive feeling about Harding because of the activities.

“As a student, a lot of times all you think about are the bad things that Harding is doing,” Bevill said. “But you’re here because you chose to be here and … you chose it because it’s a good place to be. And once your four years are up, or however long it takes you to graduate, you’re gonna look back on it, and you’re gonna think, as most alumni do, ‘Oh man, chapel wasn’t fun at the time, but I kind of miss it. All those little moments, I didn’t really realize they were really fun until after I was gone.’ So, I just hope that we can create some of those little moments for people.”

presentations, traditional food and dances performed by the Walton Scholars culminated to provide a look into the importance of each culture of their home countries.

“Harding is a very special place in that we

this can happen.”

“Passports” to the event were sold for $5, and all money raised from the sales were donated to helping children with special needs in Guatemala and Honduras. Buying a passport allowed students to visit each of the country’s stands, try samples of traditional foods and participate in a raffle for a gift according to senior Walton Scholar Aurelio Coxaj. People could also vote for their favorite country, and a winner was selected from the student votes.

“It’s very important for all of us,” senior Walton Scholar Sabrina Sanchez, a participant in the event, said. “Every country puts a lot of effort and time on this project so people can hear and know more about our countries.

We get really happy when we get to share it.”

Coxaj also said the event was an important one to many of the Walton Scholars.

“Being able to share [our] culture makes us feel proud and at home,” Coxaj said. “What makes it even better is the feeling of knowing that we can give back … by helping kids in Guatemala and Honduras.”

Latin Fest returns after COVID-19 EMMA WEBER editorial assistant EMMA JONES editor-in-chief

Latin Fest, a time for cultural exchange between students, took place Thursday, Oct. 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the McInteer Rotunda. The students involved in organizing the event highlighted the countries they are from and shared their traditions with the student body. Latin Fest is a tradition that has been practiced for decades. However, due to COVID-19, it had a three-year hiatus. Its return was marked by excitement and rich entertainment.

“Since the 1980s, Walton Scholars have hosted the event that showcases the histories and cultures of their home countries — the seven countries of Central America and also Mexico,” Dr. David Collins, dean of Intercultural Education and the director of the Walton Scholar Program, said.

Stands with information, cultural

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN

have students from more than 50 countries and territories on campus,” Collins said.

“Very few people will ever visit that many countries, but we have a unique opportunity here where the world comes together. We can get to know God’s people from all over His world and learn about life in their home countries. Latin Fest is a great place where

The class of ’72 is celebrating their 50th anniversary this weekend.

Here’s a look at The Bison from April 21, 1972.