MONTAGE
WHAT HAPPENED?
Professor Messmer reflects on politics
PAGE 4 WEIGHTED
OPINIONS
‘SuperWoke’ misses the mark
PAGE 11
A gallery spotlight on Professor Chesla’s work
PAGE 5
SPORTS
Archers soccer and volleyball are in season
PAGE 12
Archers vs Warriors
Students Take the Field at Busch Stadium for Annual Archer Baseball Game
LINDSEY UNNERSTALL
SPORTS EDITOR
Sept. 21 marked another year of the annual Archers game played at Busch Stadium ahead of the baseball team’s spring season. Although the Archers didn’t walk away with a win, losing the game 9-0, the game provided practice and a unique experience for the team.
“When we walk out of the gate onto the field it just kind of hits you all at once. Like, alright we’re walking onto a Major League Baseball stadium after we just watched the Cardinals play a game,” Head Coach Scott Goodrich said.
“I was more excited than nervous,” Third Baseman Keegan Fowler said after getting the first Archers hit of the game. This was his third time playing on the Busch Stadium field and his second time with the college.
The game is the Archers’ biggest
fundraiser of the year and by selling Cardinals tickets to family and friends they are able to raise extra money for their yearly budget. The score doesn’t count like a regular season game, as the experience is more of a chance for the entire team to get in the game, practice and maybe even get out of their position for a little bit, since the game doesn’t have rules for moving players in and out.
“It’s really more about the experience, a great opportunity for moms and dads to get pictures of their kids playing out at Busch Stadium on a Major League Baseball field. Even for us as the coaches, it’s just cool to be in the dugout and experience the atmosphere,” Goodrich said.
Almost every single player had the chance to play in the Sunday night game, and they all made the most of the event.
“When I got a base hit, that was pretty great,” second-year student Derek Dankenbring said. “I’m a pitcher so I haven’t hit in like four years, so I just
went up there trying to go for it.”
The team’s regular season games start in February, but the Busch Stadium game was a chance to get out on the field and show off, especially for guys like Fowler hoping to play baseball for a four-year college down the line.
“The memories are great and it’s fun, we all get along, and we try not to take today too seriously so we can just have fun and enjoy our time here,” Fowler said.
After 24 years of coaching at STLCC, Goodrich continues to love these opportunities.
“There’s so few people that get to continue [playing competitive baseball] beyond college, so for us it’s just a way to stay involved in the game, to be a part of that competitive nature and work with our young players to move onto the next level,” Goodrich said.
BY
PHOTO
RICKY MEHRLE
The college’s Archers Baseball team played their annual game at Busch Stadium against Wabash Valley College following the St. Louis Cardinals vs. Milwaukee Brewers game on Sept. 21.
PHOTO BY LINDSEY UNNERSTALL
PHOTO BY RICKY MEHRLE
PHOTO BY ZACH EDGAR
PHOTO BY LINDSEY UNNERSTALL
PHOTO BY LINDSEY UNNERSTALL
PHOTO BY LINDSEY UNNERSTALL
PHOTO BY LINDSEY UNNERSTALL
PHOTO BY LINDSEY UNNERSTALL
PHOTO BY LINDSEY UNNERSTALL
MERAMEC
The Music Program at Meramec offers courses and ensembles for all students. Classes are available for general education credit and the Associate in Arts degree with a concentration in Music to prepare for transfer into a Bachelor of Music program.
**
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE ** COURSES
MUS 101,102,201,202 Music Theory I,II,III,IV
MUS 103 Music Fundamentals
MUS 114
Music Appreciation
MUS 115 Group Voice
MUS 121,122,221,222 Class Piano I,II,III,IV
MUS 128 History of Rock and Roll
MUS 130 Beginning Guitar
MUS 141,142,241,242 Applied Music (Lessons) I,II,III,IV
MUS 150 Fundamentals of Music Technology
MUS 152
Audio Engineering
MUS 154 Music Recording
ENSEMBLES – CORE42GENEDCREDIT!
Music 131 – Concert Choir/Chamber Singers*
Music 132 – Orchestra
Music 134 – Symphonic Band
All ensembles hold a seat/part assignment hearing after the first rehearsal.
*Members of the Concert Choir may audition for the Chamber Singers/Jazz Choir. stlcc.edu/music · MeramecMusic@stlcc.edu · Humanities East 101
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Shannon Philpott-Sanders Faculty Adviser
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Editorial views expressed or content contained in this publication are not necessarily the views of St. Louis Community College, the Board of Trustees or the administration.
The Montage is a student publication produced four times per semester at St. Louis Community College - Meramec, 11333 Big Bend Blvd., Kirkwood, Mo., 63122.
Editorial policy: All letters should be no longer than 500 words and must include identification as a student or faculty member, phone number and address for verification purposes. Phone numbers and addresses will not be published. All letters are subject to editing for content and length. All letters submitted will be published in print and online.
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STLCC Hosts School Expo
Students explore resources on campus
ETHAN BECKNER STAFF
The School Expo event hit Meramec’s campus along with other schools during the month of September. Led by Dr. Stephanie Ferguson, the event aims to put a spotlight on the resources STLCC has to offer students and some that may be found on an entirely different campus.
For instance, the Culinary Arts Program is special to the Forest Park location. Representing this table was Jill Vauhgn.
Ferguson had similar thoughts to share.“There are so many opportunities with the things we offer here– like the School Expo event and like the college and career connections. There’s a lot to do,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson has organized the School Expo event across all campuses and hopes to continue to improve the event each year.
“It’s a work in progress. Every semester has changed a little bit, and we’re
“It’s always important for students to be aware of the opportunities that they have available to them.”
“It’s important for students to see their options. Sometimes they come in with an idea of what they want to do, and don’t necessarily get exposed to all the other options we have.” Vaughn said. This was Vaughn’s first year attending the event. However, she has been with the college for nearly 11 years and is the current dean of business, culinary arts and hospitality.
- Lisa Harden, Professor of Mathematics
really trying to get faculty involved and promote their own programs,” Ferguson said.
shifted to a district view. And so we started to slowly break down information barriers and what makes each campus unique. Each campus is special, but still it’s something that anyone can be a part of,” Ferguson said.
Lisa Harden, professor of mathematics, also represented resources at the School Expo. She resided by the science, technology, engineering and math table, with the goal of clearing up misconceptions of studying STEM. Harden gave a quick debrief of the things each branch of STEM requires from students. Later she would go on to express concerns for getting the word out on campus.
“At first there was very little turnout. I was worried if they knew we were out here. It seems like it picked up,” she said.
Vaughn was open about her own experience in college and her goal being at the event.
“I changed my major four times in college. You get exposed to new things and you think about new directions. I hope it brings awareness to all of our campuses,” Vaughn said.
Ferguson began working at STLCC in 2022 and received her new title of director of student success, insights and programming, back in July 2025. Now she’s in charge of putting these events together in order to bring awareness to students, and show them the resources that STLCC offers.
“When I was growing up, each campus was its own school. It was only right before I started working here that we
The school expo showcased that students don’t need to limit themselves to an associate’s degree, or one campus. STLCC provides a wide variety of degrees and paths for those who are just getting started and for those who have been enrolled for some time.
“It’s always important for students to be aware of the opportunities that they have available to them. You can’t take advantage if they don’t know that we’re here,” Harden said.
NEWS BRIEFS | OCTOBER 2025
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time to come together as a community to raise awareness, honor survivors and support those impacted by domestic violence. STLCC is recognizing DVAM by placing purple flags on each campus to represent the estimated number of students affected by domestic violence. All community members are invited place these flags as a symbol of solidarity and support.
Horticulture to Host Weekend Events
STLCC’s horticulture program is hosting a weekend of celebration, connection and inspiration next month. On Friday, Oct. 10, it hosts an open house to give viewers a look at their newly transformed spaces. If students would like a closer, they can consider RSVP’ing to attend through the STLCC Horticulture website. On Saturday, Oct. 11, it hosts the HortiCULTURE Exchange – a symposium for green industry professionals, students and those wanting to learn more about how horticulture can transform a community.
STLCC Offers Supports for Students During Wellness Wednesdays
The College plans outreach efforts designed to emphasize the importance of seeking support as a key component of academic and personal success.
Starting Wednesday, Oct. 1, the STLCC Prevention Coalition and student affairs
leadership will coordinate resource tables in high-traffic areas across all four main campuses.
SLU Wins College Transit Competition
In a close three-way, all-day battle between Saint Louis University, University of Missouri–St. Louis and WashU, the Billikens edged out the Tritons in the end, and Saint Louis University was named the 2025 College Transit Challenge champion.
The College Transit Challenge is hosted annually by Citizens for Modern Transit, in partnership with Metro Transit and the St. Clair County Transit District. The daylong challenge held on Oct. 2 encouraged students, faculty and staff
at higher education institutions that offer the Metro U-Pass Program to utilize their passes to take MetroLink and/or MetroBus wherever they need to go. Trips were tracked via mobile texting and additional points were given based on the total number of challenge registrants per school, for posting to social channels, attending the Mascot Meetup Kickoff Event and more.
St. Louis Community College, Saint Louis University, Southwestern Illinois College, University of Missouri–St. Louis and WashU participated in this year’s competition, which yielded 350 registrants and more than 240 tracked trips.
What Happened? NEWS
Professor John Messmer’s reflection on a life of politics and today’s troubles
ASHER VOGT STAFF
With 2025 being the first year of President Donald Trump’s second nonconsecutive term in office, not only has it been an incredibly polarizing year for politics, but also a lot of material for Political Science teachers to go over.
“Money should be allowed to buy you a lot of things. More political representation shouldn’t be one of them,” Meramec Professor John Messmer stated in allusion to the current presidential administration.
Professor Messmer has been teaching Political Science at the Meremac campus for 20 years, and what makes this current administration appalling to him is not just tied to his educational background, but also to the world he has experienced since he was in kindergarten.
“I remember the tail end of Richard Nixon, because Richard Nixon’s presidency ended in scandal,” he said, “And even as a 6 year old, you couldn’t avoid running into [the scandal].”
Around that time in 1974, Professor Messmer was one of millions of Americans stunned by the release of tapes confirming President Nixon’s involvement with the Watergate scandal.
This event occurred during a difficult period of his life, helping him recall that time period well.
“Around the time Nixon [was] running and the problems and him eventually resigning, my dad was dying,” he commented, ”So needless to say, as a six year old, this was a traumatic period of my life.”
Fast forward to over 50 years later at this time during the Trump administration. While Professor Messmer sees some parallels between the current president and what he experienced as a child with Richard Nixon, he’s quick to point out the contrast
in not just their presidential scandals, but also how they’ve been dealt with.
“We now have a president that has been given every free path to not only abuse the same kind of powers that Richard Nixon abused,” he said, “but powers that Richard Nixon couldn’t even dream of abusing.”
A recent example of the abuse of power Professor Messmer references is Donald Trump’s deployment of the National Guard during protests going on in certain states such as California, which San Francisco Judge Charles Breyer determined was in violation of federal law.
has appealed that decision.
“There’s a lack of just all these processes that should be happening...”
“...at this point, there’s a lack of checks and balances when it comes to Donald Trump,” Messmer said. “There’s a lack of just all these processes that should be [happening]... We don’t have a congress anymore for all intents and purposes… we have the courts, and really that is the only thing pushing back against an executive branch that has done everything it can to continually expand its power.”
Messmer spoke with
The Montage earlier this year as Trump’s term began, warning of some of these
issues appearing. He also claimed at that time that he did not believe that there was anything the Democratic Party could have done differently to prevent a second Trump term.
He also predicted that at the end of Trump’s second term, the country will be weaker but hoped that lessons will be learned and translated into action. He, at the time, expressed a desire for “reformers” to enter government, with the hope that they will focus on healing and strengthening democratic institutions.
Now, months later, Messmer currently has a much bleaker outlook.
“Maybe, you know, looking back,” he said, “maybe it was naive to think there’s any hope.”
However, more cities across the country are seeing National Guard troops deployed as well, including some cities like Chicago that do not want them there.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said on his social media account last week that “We must now start calling this what it is: Trump’s Invasion. It started with federal agents, it will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state’s military troops.”
Certain states are fighting the administration in court, like Oregon. That state successfully got the deployment of troops to the city of Portland blocked twice by a federal judge. The Trump Administration
Sitting in his new office, Professor John Messmer takes stock of the situation our country finds itself in now.
PHOTO BY ASHER VOGT
Student Art Exposé
Taking a look around campus
HIBA OBEED ART AND LIFE EDITOR
The students on STLCC’s Meramec campus produce tons of brilliant art each day. That is why this school has a National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) accreditation. The Montage hopes to spotlight some of our students’ work throughout our future issues as a memorial to their hard work and progress.
Weighted
Meramec professor at Bruno David Gallery
GRETA MCGLAWN GRAPHIC DESIGN EDITOR
Esteemed Professor Joe Chesla has his first solo exhibition at the Bruno David Gallery. It will be showing until Oct. 25, 2025. The gallery is located in Clayton, Missouri, on Forsyth Blvd.
The gallery and gallery events are free to the public. Joe Chesla will be participating in an Artists Talk on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 4 p.m.
Chesla’s work has been shown in Poland, France, Japan, India, China, Taiwan and across the United States.
The show, Weighted, explores the idea of presence and loss. The fragility of life is explored with balanced objects made from glass, porcelain, and monofilament used to juxtapose each other in dynamic ways. “These works ground the viewer while drawing them into conceptual spaces that tug at the senses and leave them searching for a place to land,”Bruno David Gallery
& LIFE
PHOTOS BY: GRETA MCGLAWN
PHOTO CREDIT: BRUNO DAVID GALLERY
Peterson Photography Exhibit
STL photographers show off works
ASHER VOGT
STAFF
THIBA OBEED ART & LIFE EDITOR
he St. Louis Camera Club hosted by Kristin Peterson opened for viewing on Aug. 28, with its reception taking place on Sept. 18 in the Humanities East Lobby.
The exhibit showed photos from several different St. Louis photographers ranging from portraiture to architecture and landscape. One such photographer is Bruce Backus, who has participated in several of these galleries.
“Kristin Peterson has endowed this lectureship that happens every year. This is the 12th year,” said Backus.
The exhibit featured the top photographers of
the region according to Backus.
“It’s an opportunity for your students to learn and see. They also bring the people in to talk to the art students as artisan residents, to give them some background on how they create the art that’s presented here,” he said. Another photographer who participated in the gallery is Retha Meier, who has done research on orchids for over 25 years. “The ones I usually do research on are cypripedium. It has this modified pedal called the labellum,” Meier said.
Meier is particularly concerned with the preservation and importance of these flowers and their role in pollination. “My message is that people should admire them when they find them in nature, but not dig them up and take them home, and also preserve as much orchid habitat as we possibly can,” Meier said.
The show represented over 111 years of photography, according to Backus, including history shots that dated back to the 1800s.
“We are here to share that physical art that they put up on the wall and hopefully it excites some of the students and some of the community that comes in,” Backus said.
PHOTOS BY ASHER VOGT
COMICS
The Philosophy Club
Discussions on religion
GRETA
MCGLAWN GRAPHIC DESIGN EDITOR
President Ani Solis Garcia and Vice President Jimmy Norris lead the meeting as Dr. Sahar Joakim Resch observes the exchange. The first Socratic Society meeting of the year began with plans made for a book club focusing on the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and a discussion on religion.
Solis Garcia sat patiently observing the group, waiting for the perfect time to
add a brilliant thought, while Norris let his raw thoughts flow like a waterfall, filling the room with many questions and comments.
The Socratic Society follows a question-answer format to cooperatively discuss the starting topic of religion, which then becomes philosophy of law, then becomes the question of morals and then ethics.
Their next meeting will be on Oct. 20 in Humanities East, Room 123. Email faculty advisor Dr. Resch for more information at sjoakim@stlcc.edu.
PHOTO BY: GRETA MCGLAWN
GOO BROWN STAFF
Jester Juice
GRETA MCGLAWN GRAPHIC DESIGN EDITOR
below:
left:
ART & LIFE
Dead Man’s Cell Phone
Heartwarming...Thrilling...Suspensful...
LILLY
BURRUS STAFF
Lights, camera, action! Meramec’s theater department has put the finishing touches on their first quarter play titled “Dead Man’s Cell Phone.”
Actor Brendan Bute talked about his role and what the play entails.
“‘Dead Man’s Cell Phone’ is a play about a dead guy in a cafe and this woman, Gene, finds him lying there dead with a constantly ringing cell phone and so she takes his cell phone and she goes on this crazy adventure with it,” Bute said.
With this being Bute’s second year in the theater program, he has sharpened his skills and was able to play a bigger role
in this production.
“My role in the play is Dwight, and he’s the love interest in the show,” Bute said.
Lots of work goes into each production, with the season starting before the school year even begins.
“Last year, when we were done with all our shows, we had a banquet and they announced all the shows we were doing for this season and the people directing them,” Bute said.
Once the play is announced, the rest of the process moves in small steps and pieces to put everything together.
“The director for this one, Michelle Rebollo, makes choices of people who she wants, and then contacts our supervisor, Rachel, and says, ‘hey these are the people
A Passion for Art
Professor Betsy Morris discusses her career and craft
FARAHNAZ NAZARY
Art is the expression of creative human skill and imagination in a visual form, encompassing mediums such as painting and drawing. Betsy Morris, who was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana and attended DePauw University, is one of the art professors at the Meramec campus of STLCC. She specializes in drawing and has been teaching on this campus for over 25 years. She started teaching as an adjunct instructor for about a year, then spent two years as a temporary full-time professor. Finally, in 2004, she joined the faculty as a permanent full-time professor.
“I always wanted to become an art professor because I was inspired by Robert Kingsley who was my art professor at DePauw University, and he encouraged me to consider a
that we want.’ Then Rachel contacts them asking if they want the role and they either say yes or no,” Bute said. With all the work that goes into a production, there must be a lot of communication between the members.
Of the community, Bute said: “I like how welcoming it is, the theater community is open to accepting people. It doesn’t really push people away, if you know what you are doing and you have the skills, people don’t really care who you are. They kind of just let you in and do what you need to do.”
professional career as a studio artist and get my degree as master of fine arts,” Morris said.
She has a double major in art and art history and her studio focus was painting and drawing. While Morris’s professor had a good impact on her, her family, especially her aunt who studied fashion design in New York city, inspired her to become an artist.
Of her teaching profession, Morris said: “I taught at Washington University for many years, but I always felt at home on the Meramec campus.”
She enjoys the diversity of the students, meeting and working with faculty and staff members outside of the art department and the NASAD (National Association of Schools of Art and Design) program that Meramec has.
Every professor has their own method
of teaching, and Morris’s method is to redesign her classes every semester with consideration to subject matter, project sequencing and teaching strategies. She also divides students into two or three person groups to discuss their in-progress work and share their ideas. Morris plans to retire at the end of this fall semester and completely step away from teaching and leave her options open for what might unfold.
To her students, she says: “I encourage my students to be kind to one another and to enter class each day with a positive attitude.”
IMAGES BY AMANDA PHOTOGRAPHY
Follow @shots_by_amanda on instagram!
STAFF
Professor Betsy Morris
Librarian Spotlight: Sarah Geels
FARAHNAZ NAZARY STAFF
Sarah Geels works in the library at the Meramec campus of STLCC and has over 25 years of experience.
She was born and grew up in Mansfield, Ohio, but she moved to Missouri with her family in 1982 and she has been living in St. Louis since then.
She started her college studies at Meramec in the fall of 1994 and, in the same year, began working at the library as a part-time student worker for a couple of years.
After graduating from STLCC, she continued to work at the library, and at the same time she got her bachelor’s degree in history, with a minor in French from Webster University.
“The library was such a welcoming place, and I learned so much from my manager and other staff– not just
& LIFE
about how a library is run, but also about our mission to help students. S o as time went on, I couldn’t imagine working anywhere besides a library,” Geels said.
In Geels’s opinion, the benefit of a library is that it strengthens the community by providing a place for people to look for knowledge and to use that knowledge to empower them in their lives.
Geels noted that librarians are always wanting to help students find sources and teach them the tools they need for success.
“In the library, we don’t just give answers, we show people how to find the answers,” Geels said.
By Geels’s definition, the library is the heart of the college campus. It has become a place that serves almost everyone at the college in one way or
another. Students can use the library for academic research, to study or to look for recreational books to read.
Geels said she is now looking toward the future.
might continue my education and get my
degree in library and information science,” she said.
Librarian Sarah Geels
“I
master’s
Dead Man’s Cell Phone Debuts at Meramec
IMAGES BY AMANDA PHOTOGRAPHY
I’m Scared
My fears for the dangerous future of American politics
BRINN SMITH NEWS EDITOR
On Sept. 10, 2025, political commentator Charlie Kirk was killed at an event at Utah Valley University. On Sept. 21, 2025, a memorial was held at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
During this memorial, the president of our country said that he “hated his enemies,” something that was prefaced with his statement that “Charlie didn’t hate his enemies.”
While I don’t have any direct quote that states that Charlie did hate his enemies, I do know that the actions that he took and the rhetoric that he spouted lead to direct, systematic harm to the people that were ideologically opposed to him.
Take, for instance, his statements about transgender people. There are numerous times that Kirk made statements regarding trans people, seeing that we are a large political talking point as of late.
In a video posted to his Instagram on March 10 of this year from one
of his pop-up debate tents, likely on a college campus, Kirk was asked if he would support any of his children if they came out as gay or trans and in response Kirk said:
“I don’t affirm delusions. You do not affirm what is harmful or what is not true, and you must find the underlying issue as to why this is happening… Young women have always been more prone to social contagions, and transgenderism is a social contagion.”
This message that Kirk spouted many times is a message that is directly harmful to people that would be considered his enemies.
While this is one of many ideas that Kirk spouted without actual backing, this is representative of the words that he used, and the harm that he caused because of them.
Kirk was able to amass a sizable audience of people that believed his every word and he was able to get in the ear of the president. That is what I’m scared of. I’m scared that a person who did so much harm with their words is somehow able to be looked upon so fondly by a sizable amount of
people.
Even people who should have been opposed to him, like the democrats that he was so opposed to, seem to hold him in such high regard, despite the hatred that he spewed.
I’m scared that a man that was so spiteful and hurtful, is now being
used by the president of what is regularly the strongest country in the world to launch assaults on political opponents and cities that voted against him.
Did Kirk deserve to die? No.
But this has grown into something so much greater than his death.
Jake’s Take: Wesley Bell, AIPAC and Democratic Accountability
Bell’s support of Israel is problematic and flies in the face of his constituents’ concerns
JACOB POLITTE ONLINE EDITOR
There’s something to be said for activism in the face of indifference. For years now, the Israel-Hamas conflict has stirred up strong emotions, decimated Gaza and many innocent people in the region, and even helped to affect a presidential election. Ignoring the problem isn’t acceptable in the eyes of many, yet that’s exactly what many, excluding some rather surprising outliers in the government seem content to do.
I can only speak for myself, but I believe Israel’s actions to be a genocide. It’s just objectively correct to call it that. John Oliver, on his show “Last Week Tonight” has previously covered Israel, Benjamin Netanyhau and the conflict much better and more thoroughly over the last few years than I can here, and I encourage you to seek those out on YouTube.
What I believe I can speak for many on, however, is that the Democratic response to the conflict has been lackluster, even from one of our local leaders.
Wesley Bell has ruffled a lot of local feathers over the last two years. Wesley Bell also accepted American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) money for his campaign, which helped to oust then-incumbent Cori Bush and eventually win his election in November. Wesley Bell has also recently gone on AIPAC-funded trips to Israel.
Recently, he held a continous town hall, where he disagreed with the characterization of Israel committing a genocide. Video shows him openly arguing with his constituents before leaving the stage, and video posted online after shows security and police forcefully removing citizens from the building with a bit too much roughness. It was not a good night for someone who claims to represent the interest of his constituents.
Wesley Bell is flat out wrong. And he knows it. His denial felt hollow, but I’m sure his pockets felt full. Bell’s defense of Israel’s actions isn’t surprising in the slightest, especially because the Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling in ‘Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission’ has allowed organizations and lobbyists like AIPAC to (among other things) fund campaigns without restrictions, and thus politically silence critics who attempt to run for office. Cori Bush certainly had a lot of problems, but I think it’s hard to say that she ever has done a worse job for her constituents than Wesley Bell has thus far. And Cori Bush, for all her faults, never once took AIPAC money.
Admittedly, Wesley Bell is not my congressional representative. That would be Ann Wagner, who is worthy of a column’s worth of criticism in her own right. That’s for another time.What is worth noting now, however, is AIPAC’s grip on so much of our government. Many Democrats like Bell, in particular, are beholden to defend Israel’s conduct because of the massive amount of political contributions from AIPAC that they receive. At this point, they are no longer serving the interests of the people.
I’m not sure what to do to fix that problem, either. There very well may not be a fix for it. Once a SCOTUS decision like “Citizens United” is made, it’s extremely hard to turn back from. The only real fix may very well have to be Republicans and Democrats agreeing to not take AIPAC money, and that will just never happen at this point. Politics is a money game.
That doesn’t mean that our congressional representatives shouldn’t be held accountable. They should. When they take lobbyist money in exchange for defending a genocide, they should be.
Wesley Bell, while elected to public office by a majority of the constituents that he represents, should be challenged for his views, and not run away from criticism. If you’re going to behave in a way that attracts criticism, own it.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY BRINN SMITH
GRAPHIC BY GRETA MCGLAWN
The Shrinking Attention Span: By Design, Not Coincidence
ELIZABETH CLEARY MANAGING EDITOR
It’s easy to dismiss our evershortening attention spans as a byproduct of the digital age, but more and more it seems they are the result of intentional design: curated algorithms and social media app features that maximize engagement at the detriment of our long-term focus. One only has to look as far as platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts to see this intentional design at work. TikTok alone boasted approximately 170 million U.S. users in 2024 according to TikTok CEO Shou Chew. All of these users experienced the app’s core content format: shortform videos. These user-created videos typically last from 15 to 60 seconds, making them easy to consume quickly and in large quantities. Here is where the problem lies.
Being exposed to constant and rapid ideas, visuals, excitement and novelty is doing more harm than good. According to Dr. Anna Lembke, psychiatry professor at Stanford University, consuming digital media releases dopamine in the brain, kickstarting a good, rewarding feeling in the consumer. But these dopamine hits are not sustainable. Eventually, the consumer’s brain gets used to the content they are consuming, and they start to engage with digital media not to feel happy or satisfied, but to feel normal. Attention spans diminish through this dopamine crash process.
Of course, it doesn’t help that social media platforms cater to this problem. Looking at TikTok again, the 2x speed feature is a prime example of how the design of the app works to bolster shortened attention spans. On a TikTok video, a user merely has to hold down
on the left side of the screen to speed up the video. One might think this is beneficial as it offers those with short attention spans the option to consume longer video content more easily. But that thinking is incorrect. In the long run, the 2x speed filter makes it harder to consume and focus on content in which the speed cannot be altered. Furthermore, as a user adjusts to watching videos at 2x speed and that becomes their new normal, the same dopamine crash cycle from earlier will occur.
The shortened attention span of the modern age, and especially amongst Generation Z, really becomes detrimental when it comes to consuming longer content. Being unable to focus on reading a book for a class, listening to an hour-long lecture or completing a task can harm an individual as they move forward with their education or
career. Having a good attention span is crucial to focus and success.
This sparks the question: how can we fix our attention spans? The solution is simple, but it requires dedication.
In order to “fix” an attention span, a person has to start consuming long-form content without breaks to scroll on social media or sidestep into other distractions. Sitting through a movie without checking your phone or writing an essay without switching tabs to scroll through YouTube Shorts is the first step to taking control of your attention and restoring a healthy dopamine balance in your brain. Recognizing the intentional design in the technology you use and the content you consume can ultimately help you resist it.
‘SuperWoke:’ Why Superman’s ‘Woke’ Label Misses the Mark
Superman or “Superwoke” according to Fox News and other right wing media, is the story of pro-immigration, radical un-American ideology, and is anti-Israel in favor of Palestine.
“We don’t go to the movie theater to be lectured to and to have somebody throw their ideology onto us. I wonder if it will be successful,” said Kellyanne Conway from Fox News.
Frankly, I don’t agree. The story of Superman to me is the pinnacle of hope and compassion for others. With the rise of the phrase “kindness is the new punk rock,” Superman as a character and a concept is revealing the best and worst in people.
Let’s talk a little bit about history. Superman, also known by his alias Clark Kent, was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Jerry Siegel’s parents left their motherland, Lithuania, due to rising antisemitism. Jerry’s father Michael (or Mikhel), much like Clark whose
given name was Kal El, adopted an Americanized name to blend in with the people around him. Jerry and Joe met in Glenville High School. During that time, Jerry suffered the tragic loss of his father when he had a heart attack attempting to stop a shoplifter in his own clothing store. This pushed Jerry away from college and into comics with Joe. They started the groundwork for Superman. Inspired by the Jewish stories of Moses, Hercules, Samson and 1930s strongmen, Superman was born. Someone to fight against social injustices, someone that helps old ladies cross the road, or save squirrels in trees, someone to bring hope.
that the more hateful members of our society decided that human kindness and empathy are their mortal enemy,” said Cooper Barnes, an actor from the television series “Henry Danger.”
membership of the KKK. Some people may think that the Superman from the 2013 “Man of Steel” film is what Superman should be. A dark, brooding, christlike figure, but that’s not who he is. Superman is empathetic. Maybe even to a fault.
“It’s not that Superman went ‘woke,’ it’s
Superman is an alien. Not just by crash landing on earth, but also in the same way that immigrants fleeing to our country are. His adoptive parents forged his documents to keep him safe from the government and give him the chance at a good life. Superman has been “woke” since his pen to paper conception. In his 1946 radio show “The Adventures of Superman,” he exposed Ku Klux Klan (KKK) practices and rituals. This, combined with the efforts of civil rights activists, helped expose and lower the
Some of the most obvious empathy shown from Superman in this movie is between him and the people of Jarhanpur from Boravia. Him going against usual protocol to try to end the war by threatening the leader of Boravia causes a lot of tension for Superman’s reputation in the film.
To relate it to what’s happening in Gaza: I see Superman as the Israel teenagers who are burning their war documents and refusing to particuate willingly in a genocide. In the film, Superman is given a message from his parents to take over and harm the planet earth. Instead of taking that message as a whole and acting on it because it’s where he came from, he chose to help. As Jonathan Kent says to Clark in the movie, “Your choices, Clark. Your actions… that’s what makes you who you are.”
GRAPHIC BY: GRETA MCGLAWN
CARRINGTON DAVIS STAFF
An STLCC student scrolls on their phone.
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Archer Spotlight
Fitness Center Cuts Hours
The STLCC-Meramec fitness center has reduced hours of operation. The center, located in the PE building, will be open for students and staff Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
To use the fitness center facilities, you will need to complete the Fitness Center Orientation and Safety course that can be found on the Fitness Center website. For
PHOTO BY ZACH EDGAR
Above, Centerback Tremalik Smith surpasses the defense of St. Charles Community College on Sept. 11. The Archers landed a win of 3-2. At top right, Midfielder Carter Heavey dribbles down the field.
PHOTO BY LILLY BURRUS
Above, the Archers Vollyball team seeks to block a shot at a Sept. 19 game against East Central College. The Archers lost 3-0. At right, the Archers start off the first set with a serve.
PHOTO BY LILLY BURRUS
PHOTO BY ZACH EDGAR
PHOTO BY HIBA OBEED
Midfielder Hassan Almaliki carries the ball down the field on Saturday, Oct. 4 against Heartland Community College. The Archers won 1-0.
PHOTO BY EMILY WEBER