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Erick Lauber started the “Growing Up Sucks!” podcast December 2020 with the help of five IUP students.

Growing up sucks

Professor, students offer help with new podcast BENJAMIN BRUMBAUGH

Contributing Writer msqy@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

An IUP journalism and public relations professor created the “Growing Up Sucks!” podcast to help students and young adults cope with some of the challenges that come with growing up.

There are many reasons why growing up can be challenging for young adults, Dr. Erick Lauber said.

“You don’t know how to schedule a dentist appointment and pay the bill on your own,” Lauber said.

“You don’t know how to navigate work relationships when they go sour; you don’t know what you should do with your money.

Then, according to Lauber, there is a breaking point within that young adult age range.

“I found my breaking point at age 22 as a senior in college when I just took on too much,” he said.

“I just had a mental breakdown, and that’s useful to know because now you know there is such a thing as a breaking point, but you have to navigate it and then go through the rest of your life kind of avoiding that breakdown.

“Emotionally, we all have to relearn practical skills and all that because we’re not born with it, so I

News

(“Growing Up Sucks!” Podcast) Dr. Erick Lauber updates the podcast once per week. think growing up just sucks,” Lauber said. “But we’re trying to make it as painless as possible. We’re trying to help.”

Lauber hopes that his listeners will become “smarter, richer, healthier and happier.”

Lauber’s own experiences and struggles with growing up and raising three children of his own contributed to his desire to help others during their own journey of growing up.

“It’s my main reason for doing this podcast,” he said.

Lauber selects topics for episodes of the podcast based on suggestions that he receives from students.

“The students come up with the topics; I suggest things my own

kids have experienced sometimes,” he said. “It’s important to get young adults to reach out to me because I’ve obviously only had a limited number of experiences myself or with my kids. Today’s young adults are facing a different world. I need them to present me with the topics we can discuss.”

So far, Lauber has worked with IUP students Cassidy Black (junior, English), Brooke Campbell (senior, communications media), Megan Donny (senior, fashion merchandising and journalism and public relations), Michelle Raymond (junior, journalism and public relations) and Steven Langdon Jr. (senior, communications media and journalism and public relations) on topics and episodes of the podcast.

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“Working on the podcast is a once in a lifetime experience,” Black said. “I never thought I would ever be presented an opportunity like this, so when I was, I dove head first, not knowing what to expect.

“Dr. Lauber is encouraging and open to our ideas for the podcast, and I feel that is why it is so successful. The one thing I like the most about working for the podcast is that the work we do and the things we talk about are real. Each episode has a story that is unique to us, and it just makes our conversation and advice even more real.”

Lauber encourages any student who wants to appear as a guest on the podcast or suggest a topic for discussion to do so.

“Working with Dr. Lauber has been a great opportunity,” Campbell said. “I have had the chance to put into practice the things I’ve learned in my media courses. Getting real world experience by writing blogs, participating in podcasts and working as a team with Dr. Lauber and other communications media and journalism majors has been a great learning experience.”

The podcast is relatively new, having been launched only in December.

There are eight episodes of the “Growing Up Sucks!” podcast so far. Each episode is a discussion of

a selected topic between Lauber and a student, usually the student who brought the topic to his attention.

Some of the topics that have been discussed are credit cards, sports gambling and workplace relationships.

Lauber tries to maintain a schedule of one new podcast episode per week. Typically, a new episode is released every Wednesday.

The podcast can be listened to on Blubrry, Google Podcast, iTunes, Podcastindex, Spotify, Stitcher and TuneIn. “There are so many things I wish to accomplish while working on the podcast,” Black said. “However, I feel that the biggest thing I want to accomplish is to make an impact, no matter how small, on as many listeners as possible. Our podcast is targeted at my generation. We talk about some real and deep issues.

I hope that if I can at least help a few people who are going through something like I am or was, then that is all I need.”

More information about the podcast can be found at growingupsuckspodcast.com.

Growing up can be a struggle at times. Sometimes, all that you need to get through it is a little help along the way.

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February 3, 2021

News

Teachers learn with students to navigate virtual classrooms HEATHER BAIR News Editor zzzx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Teachers were among the most affected with the academic changes that came last spring.

While students had to get used to doing classes, meetings and studying virtually, teachers had to change entire academic plans to accommodate the new rules.

For some of IUP’s professors, this was a struggle and added more stress onto an already stressful time. For others, not much changed other than missing seeing their students face-to-face, seeing their colleagues in the halls and getting to talk about their day.

“Way back in March, I was very fortunate,” Dr. Carrie Cole (theater and dance) said. “I was teaching courses I had already designed and taught online. That made a relatively easy shift, but it also meant my focus turned more toward communication and connection with individual students.”

Care for their students and making sure students were reached was first and foremost for professors.

“The transition to teaching online was difficult for me,” Dr. Anthony Farrington (English) said.

“Many of my colleagues were already gifted and seasoned with teaching online. They graced me with their help. My students, too, were beyond patient with me.

“I was wholly unprepared for the patience and kindness from my students and from my peers.”

Some professors were already used to using some form of virtual format to teach their lectures. For those, not much changed other than their successfulness at reaching their students.

“I would say that the style that I use to deliver content is pretty much the same in terms of how I lecture,” Dr. Glen Ishoy (criminology) said. “The biggest changes are what I can successfully do in a class.”

For some in their department, certain classes have had to be adapted to be taught in a virtual style format.

“Teaching a lecture course via Zoom has not been too difficult for me,” Dr. B. Gail Wilson (communications media) said. “What has been a bigger challenge in the department of communications media has been adapting

The John J. Stapleton Library on IUP’s campus is a place for classes, meetings and studying all in one. production courses – television production, audio production and other courses that are very handson – to a remote delivery.”

For others, it hasn’t been a difficult transition.

“I have been teaching and refining online courses to IUP and overseas universities for more than 20 years,” Dr. Stanford Mukasa (journalism and public relations) said. “The transition to teaching all courses online has been seamless.

“My philosophy is to simulate the in-person classroom environment by video recording lectures in a PowerPoint format, posting them online and encouraging students to watch the lectures during class times. This is intended to make students feel like they are in a classroom.”

For Cole, the changes meant having to change productions that would normally be put on in-person by the department of theatre, dance and performance.

“I’m the producing director of the Department of Theatre, Dance and Performance, which basically means I try to make sure the moving parts that go into making our productions keep moving,” Cole said. “That has been a dynamic challenge and one that I’m proud that we’ve addressed in a few different ways.”

The 2020 fall productions of “Much Ado About Nothing” and

IUP Dance Theater’s production of “The Phantasmagoria of Edgar Allan Poe” shifted to livestream performances. For this spring, a Zoom production of “Perfect Arrangement” and a livestream of “Ordinary Days” are still in the planning process.

“In all of my classes, I have used in-class activities and assignments to help students understand the material being taught and to help them interact with their fellow students to share ideas,” Ishoy said. “This has been very difficult to do in a Zoom setting.”

In the communications department, there are many field trips to cities, games and more.

“We had planned to offer our Digital Sports Production course in the spring to produce the

live webcasts of IUP men’s and women’s basketball,” Wilson said.

“With the cancelation of those games, we’re not able to do that.

Our other student organizations, WIUP-FM and IUP-TV, have had to adapt to fewer students on campus to keep productions running.

“Our photography instructor, Rachel Fox, planned to take a group of students to New York for a week-long photography class in the summer. We do hope that can happen in 2022.”

For Cole, she felt like she was having to learn teaching again.

“With administration’s lack of communication with the faculty over the summer, it made it extremely difficult to prepare fall courses,” Cole said. “With very little time to prepare for hybrid classes (or, in my case, remote teaching for health reasons), I felt like I was learning a whole new teaching style.

“In the classroom, I rely heavily on students’ micro expressions in order to judge when I need to clarify an idea. It’s hard to get a micro expression from a black square.”

Ishoy agrees and said that there are much easier ways to be distracted now through Zoom classes.

“There comes a certain point where the technology is too much of a distraction to the main purpose of the class,” Ishoy said.

(The Penn Archives) “For that reason, I have not used in-class activities on Zoom the way I do when teaching in person.”

What professors go off the most when teaching is their students’ reactions to the subject matter.

“I much prefer teaching in person,” Ishoy said. “Part of the fun of teaching, to me, is interacting with students and having good conversations in the classroom.

Many students seem more reluctant to speak out in a Zoom meeting. It’s also just too easy, I think, for students to hide in a Zoom class and not really engage.”

Professors, it seems, are more anxious to get back to the classroom than the students.

“I cannot, cannot wait to get back into the classroom,” Farrington said. “I cannot wait to conference face-to-face. I am eager to see my colleagues in the hallways and swap stories.

“I crave walking among the students enjoying the Oak Grove in the sun on a random Wednesday.”

For most all professors, what they miss most is the face-to-face interaction with their students.

“I miss seeing students,” Wilson said. “We can still have conversations when we are meeting on Zoom, but I don’t have students dropping by the office to talk or ask for advice.

“Campus is just too quiet.”

February 3, 2021

News

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(Facebook) Black History Month is dedicated to Black role models then and now, such as recently deceased Cicely Tyson (right), the first Black actress to win an Emmy award.

Black History Month brings awareness to past, present historical figures AMARI WALKER Staff Writer jqtbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Fifty years after the 13th Amendment abolished slavery marked the beginnings of Black History Month.

In September 1915, Carter G. Woodson, a historian from Harvard University, and Jesse E. Moorland, a minister, founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASALH). The ASALH was an organization determined to research and promote the achievements of Black Americans and other people of African descent.

Originally, the ASALH sponsored a national Negro History Week in 1926 to correspond with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass in February. This inspired schools and communities to form local celebrations, history clubs and other events.

By the 1960s, Negro History Week became known as Black History Month on many college campuses in response to the Civil Rights Movement and the spread of awareness about Black identity.

In 1976, Black History Month was officially acknowledged by President Gerald Ford.

Ford encouraged the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Since then, Black History Month has been meant to acknowledge and learn about Black role models.

These role models can be local artists, activists, poets, musicians, entrepreneurs and more.

On Thursday, a Black model and actress named Cicely Tyson died

at age 96.

Tyson grew up in Harlem before she became an actress, Tyson worked as a secretary and model to the wonderful, talented actress that you may have known her to be.

In 1974, Tyson was recognized as the first Black actress to win an Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a television movie for her performance in “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.”

Tyson’s career was founded on her determination to portray only strong images of women.

“The choices of roles I made had to do with educating and entertaining,” Tyson said. “And as a result, I found myself working only every two or three years.”

Despite her working a limited number of roles, Tyson was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1977. She has been one of 11 Black actresses to be nominated for the Best Actress Oscar.

Outside of her acting career, Tyson has won multiple honorary and historic awards. In 2016, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the nation’s highest civilian award, was awarded to her by President Barack Obama for her contribution to the arts and American culture. In 2018, she made history at the Governors Awards as the first Black woman to receive an Oscar in the honorary award category.

There are a lot of ways to celebrate Black history outside of Black History Month as well. You can celebrate Black history by exploring music, calling out racism and injustice or supporting a Black creative.

Black history can also be celebrated by learning about the past and present history of Black Americans.

IUP will be celebrating Black History Month by hosting such awareness events.

On Monday, students were able to participate in a Zoom discussion called “The Power of Education for African-Americans at a PWI (Predominately White Institution).”

The discussion, sponsored

by the Center for Multicultural Student Leadership and Engagement (MCSLE), was about racism in higher education and how it has affected the past, present and could hold for the future of fellow African-American students and faculty, according to IUP’s website.

On Tuesday, LGBTQIA Sup-

port’s Queer Conversations meeting discussed the topic of Black and brown identity along with queer identity. This meeting was held via Zoom from 5 p.m. to 7.p.m.

For more information about upcoming events celebrating Black History Month, make sure to check out Crimson Connect.

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February 3, 2021

News

Faculty, students needed for ambassador program HALEY BROWN Lead Culture Writer tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The IUP ambassadors are seeking qualified students to join them.

Administrators, alumni, faculty, staff members and students can also nominate other students to be possible ambassadors. The deadline for IUP Ambassador nominations is Feb. 14. Nominations can be submitted through the IUP Ambassadors webpage, and interested students must also submit an application online.

The ambassadors are also planning a virtual Q&A session for any interested students. This virtual event is meant to replace the annual Open House, which usually takes place in the Breezedale Alumni Center. Further details of this event can be found on the IUP Ambassador Instagram page.

Anna Hermann, the current graduate advisor of the IUP Ambassadors, explained the process of selecting new members.

“The mission of the IUP Ambassadors is to really serve as a link between current students, alumni and the campus community,” Hermann said.

Members of the IUP Ambassadors review the submitted applications. The applications do not include the names of the student who submitted them so that members can be impartial during the selection process. The new member recruitment is led by the vice president of the IUP Ambassadors, who, this year, is Jorge Tapia Becerril, a political science and pre-law student.

After the students are selected from the applications, they are offered an interview, which will take place in March, and will be given virtually over Zoom. After the interview has taken place, if the student is selected, they are asked to accept the official IUP Ambassador pin, uniform and an invitation to a spring retreat that involves team-building exercises and a new member training program.

“The mission of the IUP Ambassadors is to really serve as a link between current students, alumni and the campus community,” Hermann said.

“The IUP Ambassadors have a strong focus on welcoming and genuinely valuing diverse members to strengthen the group’s impact on our campus community of #futureIUPalumni.

“More specifically, the group has

(Facebook) IUP Ambassadors are looking for faculty and students to join. spent a lot of time discussing the importance of all types of diversity – racial, ethnic, religious, sexual orientation and beyond.”

The group has also started a program called Tradition Keepers, which was described as a virtual scrapbook of sorts by Hermann. The program can be found on Crimson Connect and is meant to highlight and preserve campus events and fond alumni memories of the IUP community. It is designed to help current students experience these events in a way and get the most out of their time as an IUP student and community member.

Students can also participate and log their interactions with IUP alumni and with the Indiana community all while earning prizes.

IUP Ambassadors serve on student host committees for alumni-student networking and mentorship events. The ambassadors support alumni events as well. Some of these events include the IUP Homecoming Crimson Huddle, IUP Football tailgating and the Celebration of Philanthropy program.

Not only does this program offer benefits to the entire community, but members benefit greatly from being a part of this important, connecting organization as well.

“I am an alumna of the IUP Ambassadors program where I met life-long friends and connected with alumni that positively influenced me in so many ways,” Hermann said.

“I love being able to help other students share and discover a similar experience,” Hermann said. “I also love witnessing the amazing talents and drive of today’s IUP Ambassadors.

“My hope is that the group continues to grow as an inclusive community of current members and eventually alumni – valuing

each other, cheering each other on through ups and downs and accomplishing their program goals so that one day they can return to campus for a reunion and have the best memories to share.”

The organization provides connections and memories that last and there are many examples of members and past members that share this fond sentiment about their time as active IUP Ambassadors. Some have even expressed how lucky they are to have the ability to continue working with the organization.

“I am the current staff advisor and work alongside Anna (Hermann) to guide the group,” Nicole Bukosky said.

“When I was an IUP student, I was an IUP Ambassador, and I love that I get to work with the group now. I graduated from IUP in 2008 with my undergraduate degree, and in 2012 with my master’s degree, also in student affairs in higher education.

“It has been a fun, full-circle career for me.”

The IUP Ambassadors are involved with collaboration between individuals across the IUP campus and beyond and their projects range from helping alumni and current students share IUP traditions, volunteer at various IUP events and support IUP based programs including the Center for Multicultural Student Leadership and Engagement (MCSLE), the IUP Crimson Hawks at athletic events and the Career and Professional Development Center.

If you are interested in finding an organization that will connect you with alumni and students alike and allow you to support and contribute to the IUP and Indiana communities every day, consider applying or making member suggestions to the IUP Ambassadors today.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

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Students share thoughts on president’s new orders OLIVIA CARBONE Staff Writer kxxw@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Since the inauguration of President Joe Biden two weeks ago, many things have changed.

Biden has signed 42 executive orders since taking office, which is more than former President Donald Trump had in his first 100 days in office.

The new orders that Biden signed concerned climate change, COVID-19, the economy, healthcare, immigration, LGBTQIA rights and racial equity, to name a few.

One of the things Biden has done is to implement a mask mandate on federal property and public transportation to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

“I would say something, but I truly haven’t been keeping up with what’s going on,” Angela Plazio (junior, nursing) said. “I heard he’s doing good, though, and I hope he is.”

Another thing that has changed with the new administration coming in is the media coverage.

“One thing I’ve noticed is that the media doesn’t cover him nearly as much as they did Trump,” Alexis Smith (senior, biology) said, “which could be a good or bad thing.”

The media was always paying

attention to every move Trump made, but now that doesn’t seem to be the case.

“I would like to see him do more to help climate change and also help with student loans,” Andrew James (senior, political science) said. “I’m giving him a B+ as of now.”

Some students have a very different opinion since Biden has taken office.

“I believe he is moving too quickly,” Vanessa Potts (junior, early childhood and special education) said. “He has four years to make a difference, but to sign all of these orders in less than two weeks is too quick.

“He should put down the pen a little bit.”

“There still isn’t a stimulus check out, and there’s a lot of people who need help because of the pandemic,” Mason Carothers (junior, community health) said.

“Also, I understand eliminating the pipeline jobs are better for the environment, but to cut 11,000 jobs during a pandemic isn’t smart.

“People are struggling to make ends meet as it is, and to do that with no alternative isn’t fair to the American people.”

Many students vary in opinions regarding this new administration, but one thing they had in common is that they all want to see Biden do well during the next four years.

February 3, 2021

News

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IUP searches for students to be virtual Pen Pals for program GABRIELLA BYRNE Contributing Writer bmwx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Conversation Partners inspires international friendships and culture exchange even through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Motivated by international students’ hopes to practice English with their fellow peers at IUP, the Conversation Partners program started to pair domestic and international students together in 2005.

With a sponsorship from the Office of International Education, partners had the opportunity to boat at Yellow Creek State Park and visit Pittsburgh in the past.

Membership ranges from 50 to 150 students to participate in the program per year, but the pandemic brought with it a lower participation this year.

The COVID-19 pandemic forces most interaction, from classes to casual conversation, to take place entirely through Zoom video format, and the Conversation Partners pro-

Conversation Partners finds students virtual pen pals. gram is no exception to this change.

Partners are required to meet once a week and encouraged to meet on Zoom or social media applications. If the students wish to do so in-person, it is their responsibility to uphold mask-wearing and avoid crowds of people.

Coordinator Maria Cassidy (junior, middle level education and social studies) ensures leaders are reminding students in the program

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the standards set forth by COVID-19 safety guidelines.

“Those standards are discussed in depth during our student training, reiterated during meetings, presented in program materials, and checked during our check-in evaluations,” Cassidy said.

Although the pandemic forces distance to be upheld between strangers, the students of Conversation Partners continue to build

friendships that can last over semesters and overseas.

Leaders are thrilled when partners request the same student from the previous semester as it is the goal of their program. There have even been reports of partners visiting each other during trips abroad.

Conversation Partners started with its initial plan to help ease international students into adjusting to a new culture while having to deal with leaving behind their friends and families. English can be another challenge as well, and so Conversation Partners allows domestic students to aid international students with North American campus life, culture and language while finding friendship along the way.

Though, international students are not the only ones that struggle.

Domestic students also have to exercise patience and understanding when it comes to cultural differences between themselves and the international students. As it is their part to be welcoming, students may still be unaware of the gap to overcome when it comes to bonding

with students from the overseas.

Domestic students can struggle with conception of time, misunderstandings in language or interacting with strangers, Cassidy said.

No domestic student need do it alone, however; Conversation Partners provides student training, resources on cultural differences and solutions for when these situations may arise.

Conversation Partners does not but with thinking and speaking skills to use around the world as people with different backgrounds come together. The effort put into the program pays off in the skills partners acquire in their experience with this program.

“When meeting with someone from a different culture, there is normally an uncomfortable and awkward phase,” Cassidy said. “During this phase, students are learning the cultural norms and behaviors of their partners as well as how to overcome the language barrier… Once they are able to do this, the program becomes easier, more comfortable and extremely rewarding.”

Opinion

Sexual assult continues to remain increasingly important topic Contains sensitive subject matter about consent and sexual assault.

What is consent?

Defining something like consent is difficult, but it does not need to be. It is important to have difficult conversations like this to better understand what true consent is.

For some, it is not completely clear what actually constitutes sexual consent. In high school, students learn about what sex is, but often they do not learn about consent. Many schools just follow an abstinence rule and do not talk about what to actually do in the moment.

While it is awkward to talk about, especially in high school or even in the moment, it is extremely important to understand what it is and when it is and when it is not given.

“An estimated 1,400 institutions of higher education now use some type of affirmative consent definition in their sexual assault policies, and the new standards might become law at even more schools soon,” Sandy Keenan, a journalist for the New York Times, said in her article “Affirmative Consent: Are Students Really Asking.”

IUP’s Office of Social Equity and Title IX has implemented the Sexual Discrimination and Sexual Misconduct Policy. Within the policy, there are sections that expands on IUP’s sexual assault and affirmative consent policies.

IUP also has an organization called the Haven Project which addresses and helps students have the conversation about sex and affirmative consent. The Haven Project also provides students with resources, reporting options and bystander inventions programs.

Affirmative consent means that both participants are knowing and willing to engage in sexual activity. Words and statements like “yes” create clear permission. Thus, by implementing such policies, people, especially college students, are able to clearly understand whether or not an engagement

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(Facebook) Consent is the most important part in any sexual relationship. is consensual.

However, the word “yes” sometimes is not enough. This is where there are gray areas about defining consent which makes understanding true consent even more important.

If the person saying “yes” is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, then that does not mean that consent has been given. A person under the influence can never give a true indication if they want to engage in any kind of sexual activity.

Additionally, if an individual is underage, silent, asleep or unconscious, says “no” or is coerced either by force or with threats into saying “yes,” then that does not mean that they have consented, either.

“Consent is an agreement between participants to engage in sexual activity,” according to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), an anti-sexual violence organization. “Consent should be clearly and freely communicated. A verbal and affirmative expression of consent can help both you and your partner to understand and respect each other’s boundaries.”

By understanding what consent is, it is hoped that the number of sexual assault victims will decrease, and sexual violence will be limited.

In the U.S.., about 25 percent of female students and 7 percent of male students are sexually assaulted during their time at college. To put it into perspective,

February 3, 2021

that would be about 4.2 million females and 1.2 million males.

These numbers alone are terrifying and extremely alarming.

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, more than 90 percent of sexual assault victims do not report their assault. This means that more than 4.86 million people do not report what happened to them.

To combat this, many universities have implemented help and emergency stations all across their campus. Students have to only press a button on the machine to call for help. However, these stations cannot stop every assault, which is why schools must teach students how to properly ask for consent.

At IUP, there are several help stations around the campus. The stations are spaced out, an individual can see the next one from any station that they are at. Each other the stations have a blue light at the top of them. When the button is hit, it will make a loud sound and alert the police.

“The ‘no means no’ mantra of a generation ago is being eclipsed by ‘yes means yes’ as more young people all over the

country are told that they must have explicit permission before they engage in any touching, kissing or other sexual activity,” Jennifer Medina, a New York Times journalist, said in her article Sex Ed Lesson: “‘Yes Means Yes,’ but It’s Tricky.”

Educating young adults in high school and even college about consent will help establish and define this new mantra.

California was the first state to require all high school health classes to learn about affirmative consent. The education also includes that people that are drunk or asleep cannot give their consent. California also requires any in-state university to use affirmative consent policies when making disciplinary decisions.

“More than a dozen legislatures in other states are considering similar legislation for colleges,” Medina said.

Only 38 states and the District of Columbia require consent education. As of right now, Pennsylvania does not require schools to teach this. However, schools in Pennsylvania should educate students on this matter.

The goal of the new adopted rules at high schools and colleges are aimed at dealing with the elimination of sexual assault.

The consent education can also be used to help the students that feel pressured to engage in unwanted sexual activities get out of or avoid the situation.

Affirmative consent rules and consent education are great ideas that should be implemented everywhere across the U.S. By teaching students what asking for consent is and being able to accurately determine when it is given, the number of assaults will diminish.

With the mindset, “yes means yes,” consent can be established. Affirmative consent rules and education are a must to combat the growing number of sexual assaults not only in our schools but also in our country.

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Opinion

Culture

Culture Editor: Eva Tillich – jxsbc@iup.edu Lead Culture Writer: Haley Brown – tbfx@iup.edu

The mural, located in the IUP Office of Student Support and Community Standards, represents the mission of student growth and support.

(IUP)

New mural reflects a new mission AMARI WALKER Staff Writer jqtbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The Office of Student Support and Community Standards asked a group of artists to create a mural representing their new mission of supporting and upholding students’ rights and responsibilities.

Over the years, IUP’s views on student discipline have shifted.

Adam Jones, the director of the Office of Student Conduct, has contributed to this shift by developing more intentional restorative and developmental practices to support the educational disciplinary process.

Last summer, the office changed its name to the Office of Student Support and Community Standards in order to reflect the new direction of supporting and upholding students’ rights and responsibilities.

Elizabeth Wheeler, a master’s of fine arts student at IUP, was chosen

Culture

(IUP) (Left to right) Natalie Sharpless, Davey Beyer, Professor Ivan Fortushniak, Kaycee Morgan and Elizabeth Wheeler. as one these five artists to work on the mural. Wheeler is a second-year grad student from Bellwood. She has been passionate about art since she was a child. Prior to her beginning this program, Wheeler completed degrees in education and art history.

To help formulate ideas for

the mural, the office assigned the artists some keywords that were central to represent their mission.

After receiving a list of keywords, Wheeler and the other artists chose to focus on the message of growth and support.

The individuals brainstormed their ideas. Then, they brought

February 3, 2021

their ideas together to create a design that incorporated these two words within every component of the mural.

For example, the brick wall with the morning glories climbing up represents the idea of needing a strong support structure in order to grow. The girls show the importance for support and community.

The head emerging from the ground relates to personal growth. As the butterflies signifies transformation, the landscape of mountains that stretches into the distance conveys the idea of a journey.

Wheeler said she was pleased with the process of brainstorming and seeing all the ideas unified into one piece.

“I think the brick wall and the morning glories were the most fun to paint, though,” Wheeler said.

This artwork will signify IUP’s new views of being supportive towards the rights of students and upholding their responsibilities. It

will represent the growth of IUP. Growth is all about understanding yourself and working with yourself. Everyone grows in all aspects. We may grow by age or by maturity. As of right now, there are many of us at IUP that are working on ourselves in order to grow into the version of ourselves that we want to become.

Wheeler took this opportunity to contribute to creating this mural for the Office of Student Support and Community Standards to help develop herself and grow as an independent artist.

With the mission to support the students at IUP, the Office of Student Support and Community Standards can help remind us all that we are here to support each other as all of us grow and develop into the better version of ourselves.

If you have the time, make sure to stop by IUP’s Office of Student Support and Community Standards to see the mural.

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February 3, 2021

Culture

STATIC releases spring semester events nounced, but hinted, grand prize.

To play, students must follow all of STATIC’s social media accounts and be the first to successfully follow the clues. Finally, the student must take a selfie or a picture and send it to STATIC or tag STATIC to let them know there is a winner.

STATIC HALEY BROWN tbfx@iup.edu I am Haley and will be writing weekly about the upcoming events for STATIC. Stay tuned.

IUP’s Student Activity Committee (STATIC) is back this semester with a brand-new lineup.

It was released Friday afternoon on all its social media platform.

Events to stand out on the calendar include an evening with Brittany Broski and Sarah Schauer, a virtual cooking class with “Queer Eye’s” Antoni Porowski, a live performance by Hippo Campus, Rha’s drag queen bingo with Alyssa Edwards and capped off by an evening with Bill Nye the Science Guy.

Tuesday “Among Us” Tournament 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

(STATIC) “I think the event that I am the most excited about is the evening with Bill Nye,” Kendall Gomez (freshman, international studies) said. “I remember watching his show when I was younger.”

On top of those event are six Netflix and Chill events, four scav-

enger hunts, three trivia nights and a bunch more events all for free.

Friday Campus Creativity Board Starting at 12 p.m.

On Friday, STATIC relaunched

its virtual Campus Creativity Board. The virtual board will remain active until the end of this spring semester, May 7. The creativity board is hosted on Google Slides and is open to any student who needs some stress relief, is in need of a creative outlet or is passionate about creative arts like writing, poetry or illustrations.

Netflix and Chill 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The event will be virtual and held on Google Chrome’s Teleparty Extension. The event will be a drama night that is going to feature some of the best blockbuster dramas. The movies that will be shown have yet to be listed, so the features flicks will be a surprise for all who participate.

Saturday Campus Scavenger Hunt 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

This event will be the first of four different Saturdays scattered throughout this semester. STATIC will be hiding prizes across IUP’s main campus and participants will have to use the various clues that STATIC will release that day.

The hints will be released on STATIC’s different social media accounts to lead players to various locations to track down the prizes.

The accounts that scavenger participants will have to use will be released on STATIC’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Some of the prizes will be IUP merchandise, STATIC gear, gift cards for the Co-op Store, gift cards for businesses around Indiana, vouchers for future STATIC event tickets and even an unan-

On Tuesday, STATIC is hosting a virtual game night with one of the most currently popular multiplayer video games. The e-sports tournament will be an “Among Us” Tournament.

Students who are interested are required to preregister by Monday at 11:55 p.m. to secure their spot. Despite the need to preregister, the event is still free to IUP students. The link to the player registration can be found on STATIC’s page for this event.

“I played a lot of ‘Among Us’ when it became really popular a few months ago, so I might join this event,” Gomez said.

The game is simple. Players are put in lobbies consisting of 10 or fewer competitors. At least one person at the start of each game is deemed the imposter. The rest of the players are crewmates.

Goals of the game are different depending on your role. The imposters’ job is to eliminate the crewmates, while making sure they do not get caught and voted out. The crewmates’ jobs are to complete a variety of different tasks and determine who is the imposter. Players move in a 3D building and don’t see each other when they are out of sight.

Tasks are different each game.

They might be connecting the colored wires, clicking one to 10 or a “Simon Says” style minigame.

In order to participate, after preregistering, students must also download the “Among Us” game app via the Apple App Store or via Google Play.

Players must also agree to follow the gaming guidelines during the competitive gameplay. Some of these include no cheating, no harassment of other players and, of course, good sportsmanship.

Winners of the event have the chance to earn prizes in a raffle with prizes including, but not limited to, STATIC merchandise and even gift cards.

Culture

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February 3, 2021

I UP, MCSLE celeb ra te B lack H istor y Mon th STEVEN LANGDON JR.

Editor-in-Chief PBYW@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Black History Month started with a bang as IUP has filled the schedule to celebrate. Although everything will be virtual, it does not change the importance of the month not only for the U.S. but the world. Make sure to attend as many of these events as you can in the next week.

Ongoing throughout February Legacy of Leaders IUP’s Center for Multicultural Student Leadership and Engagement (MCSLE) will be posting weekly on Instagram, pictures and quotes of Black activists.

For more information go to https://www.iup.edu/mcsle/ or call at (724) 357-2598.

Wednesday Lunch & Learn: Frederick Douglass and the Idea of an

American Nation History professor Dr. Wang Xi will host a Zoom call discussing Frederick Douglass’ 1869 speech “Our Composite Nationality” from noon to 1 p.m.

The speech was given in Boston and was in protest of the 14th and 15th Amendments.

Douglass was one of the most famous activists in U.S. history.

He was a writer and politician as well.

One of his most famous writings was “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.” It was an autobiography detailing his years as a slave and went on to be a bestseller. Douglas became the first Black male to be on the vice president ticket.

For more information and the Zoom link go to IUP MCSLE’s social media or to https://tinyurl.com/59zu2vxo.

Stalking: Signs, Safety, and Support Also happening Wednesday is

apps if you encounter any problems on or off campus.

For more information go to the IUP Haven Project’s social media or to the Zoom link here: https://tinyurl.com/5qrnc96w Monday Five Dangerous Myths About Black People in America

(IUP) MCSLE has planned to get people involved and educated during Black History Month. an event to help students learn more about stalking. The event will be from 5 to 6 p.m. on Zoom.

Students will be given advice

on how to recognize and resources to help if you feeling you are watched.

The panel will provide helpful

The first Six O’Clock Series of the semester will take place over Zoon on Monday at 6 p.m. It will have associate professor Jeremy McCool of the communications media department.

He will talk about how stereotypes have harmed Black people in the U.S. McCool will also talk about their history and how they affect the community; all while he debunks them. If you are interested in attending, go to https://tinyurl.com/yg8rfbtj.

For more information on any events during Black History Month look at the IUP Social Equity & Title IX Digest or the central calendar at https://tinyurl.com/3ulijdj1.

Students continue to be cautious about COVID-19 EVA TILLICH Culture Editor jxsbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP It has almost been one year since everything was shut down due to COVID-19, and at this point, it could be easy to become lazy with COVID-19 safety precautions.

With so much time having past and distance education classes at IUP, it is not hard to forget to be extra cautious and thorough with proper mask, social distancing and sanitizing procedures.

However, many students are aware of the severity of COVID-19 and are making sure that they do not fall back onto the laziness.

“COVID-19 is still a big worry of mine, but at the same time with school and life going on at the same pace, it almost seems surreal,” Bridget Gardner (freshman, environmental engineering) said.

Gardner is not very worried about herself, but rather, she is more concerned about her grandparents that she has not seen in almost a year due to

(Facebook) Experts recommend wearing a mask that fits well, and if one mask is not enough, then it is suggested to wear two. the pandemic.

Gardner said she is still being cautious by wearing a mask in public and at her job. She is also limiting the number of people she sees and is even checking for symptoms.

“I do have a small group of friends I trust and hang out with without masks, but that’s about the extent,”Gardner said.

Gardner feels frustrated when

she sees other people not taking precautions which she sees often.

She tries to avoid people that are not being safe.

“COVID-19 is still a threat,” Thomas Valcukas (freshman, biology) said. “Yes, we have a vaccine, but that does not mean [the pandemic is] through yet.”

There have been 26 million COVID-19 cases and 437,000 COVID-19-related deaths in the

U.S. alone.

Cases have been dropping since Jan. 8, but they could spike if people ignore the dangers or become complacent.

Additionally, even with the vaccine, it is not yet readily available for everyone across in the country.

Also, some people may choose not to get the vaccine when it is available for everyone.

In the meantime, students like Valcukas are wearing masks whenever they go out in public or are with friends and family.

“I am still being cautious,” Valcukas said. “I always wear a mask every time I go out. I don’t go to parties, and I only hang out with the same group of friends, and they don’t go anywhere, either.”

“Despite the high survival rate, those who do get very sick are real people with families who should never have to go through that,” Sydney Greitz (freshman, exploratory) said. “I think that COVID-19 is definitely still a real threat.”

While Greitz remains cautious and safe by following the recommended precautions, she does not understand people that are not doing that.

“I know people and I even do have friends who still choose to go to party but they are putting themselves and others at risk,” Greitz said.

Greitz emphasized the importance of wearing a mask and considering the safety of the people that could be exposed if others decide to party or become lazy with their own safety.

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February 3, 2021

Culture

Students reflect on their favorite classes EVA TILLICH Culture Editor jxsbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Every student has a favorite class.

From student to student, the class subject and memories associated with it differ.

Whether it is because of a professor, the material or structure of the course, everyone can recall at least one class that stood out among many.

“One of my favorite courses that I’ve taken during my time at IUP is MUSC 240: Technology in the Music Classroom,” Matthew Mantini (sophomore, music education and composition) said.

The course was required for Mantini’s major, so he did not have a choice about taking the class or not. It did not matter when he took the course, though.

“I had it last spring,” Mantini said. “Before spring break, we met in the music building’s computer lab to learn about everything from what makes a cardioid microphone a cardioid microphone to the basic functions of programs like Photoshop and Adobe Premiere.”

After learning the content, the

(The Penn Archives) Students’ favorite classes range in subject and can be found in various buildings across campus like the Humanities and Social Science buildings (right), Cogswell (middle) and Stright (right). students were then assigned to complete a group project. Mantini said that he had fun with the projects, which is something that he does not regularly enjoy that much.

“For example, we wrote, recorded and produced short films about literally anything we wanted. My group did a satirical news channel.”

After IUP closed down due to COVID-19 and learning shifted to online, the class began to focus on preparing the students to work in a public-school setting.

“The first half of the course was definitely more fun, but considering that the class relied mostly on software that the majority of students probably didn’t own on their personal computers, I would say it transitioned pretty well to an online learning model,”Mantini said.

Although the class had to transition and restructure its curriculum, Mantini still has fond memories of it.

“My favorite class currently is ENGL 122: Introduction to English Studies,” Jenna Painter (freshman,

English, literature and composition) said. “It is a required course for all English majors.”

The class has provided Painter with a lot of valuable insight on the topic of how an English degree can be applied to real world situations.

“It has pointed me in the direction of a few more career options, and overall, I think it is an incredibly useful course for anyone studying English,” Painter said.

Even students that are relatively new to IUP have found their own

The Del-Vikings

Pittsburgh doo-wop done right Local Bands LANE LANNAN ffpcc@iup.edu I am in the top .001 percent of The Beach Boys on Spotify.

I also like playing games and vibing with my party lights.

The 1950s. Music was growing and changing. The beginnings of rock n’ roll were being started with artists like Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Fats Domino climbing up the charts.

Despite the switch to rock n’ roll, there was another group that was booming: the Del-Vikings.

The Del-Vikings were a doo-wop group that was started in 1955 by members of the U.S. Air Force – Clarence Quick, Kripp Johnson, Don Jackson, Samuel Paterson and Bernard Robertson – who were

stationed in Pittsburgh. Following Paterson and Robertson’s being deployed in Germany, the group’s first white members, David Lerchey and Norman Wright, joined to fill their spaces.

“Personally, it is not something I would choose to listen to, but definitely could if I was in the mood for an older song,” said Gaby Allison (freshman, undecided), in response to the song “Come Go With Me.” “Come Go With Me” was released originally in 1956 and has since become the band’s most well-known song, with covers being done by notable artists like Dion and The Belmonts and The Beach Boys. The song even managed to break the Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs list conducted in 2003, clocking in at No. 449.

Allison went on to say that the song reminded her of music that her grandparents would dance to in their kitchen. To Allison, the appeal of the song is one that can remind

(Facebook) The Del-Vikings, a doo-wop group from the ‘50s, was formed in Pittsburgh. her of family, even in a time where it is not easy to see relatives because the COVID-19 pandemic makes that difficult.

Dwayne Cooper, a founding member of the Doo Wop Project, spoke to the importance of The Del-Vikings in music history.

When asked about what doowop group he would like to be in, Cooper said “the Del-Vikings, because they were an integrated group and I think that would be very important in that time period.

Cooper went on to speak to the fact that a group that could produce

harmonies in that way could bring a newer unity among the races in modern America, as well as spreading messages of love for everyone.

“The song [‘Whispering Bells’] is very repetitive and upbeat, making it an amazing song for dancing,” Sam Shelenberger (freshman, music education) said.

The song was originally released

by The Del-Vikings in 1957.

Shelenberger also said that the background vocal harmonies enhance the song. According to Shelenberger, the way the harmonies sound adds a new dimension

personal favorite class.

“Although this is my second semester at IUP, my favorite class was SPAN 102,” Evan Orr (junior, actuarial mathematics) said.

While it is not a math course, Orr still was required to take the class as a part of his general studies elective requirements.

“The reason why I liked the class is because the professor was awesome; I have learned a lot more in that class than I did in high school Spanish, and I have met some amazing friends along the way.”

Because the fall semester was Orr’s first at IUP, he did not create his own schedule and was randomly put in that class.

“I was quite glad that I took that class last semester and learned so much.”

Orr also enjoyed his MATH 216 course that is a part of his mathematics major. The course is about probability and statistics for natural science majors.

“I have always loved statistics.

I also got to learn a new program called RStudio, and the professor was awesome, too.”

Orr said that he has enjoyed all of his classes and time at IUP so far and is looking forward to the classes to come. of color and feel to a song that was already loaded with it.

Another song that went big for the band, and has more than one million plays on Spotify, is “Oh Tonight,” released in 1957.

“The song is very calming and peaceful, which is one of the nicest things about it,” Olivia Wanat (freshman, history) said.

Wanat said that song felt warm and enjoyable, namely because of the simplistic lyrics and rhythm thatmake it easy to listen to and enjoy.

The Del-Vikings were not without their internal issues, despite the beautiful harmonies that they produced. Issues concerning management and contracts led to the group disbanding in the late ‘50s.

Despite this, the members reunited in 1972, during which they recorded new versions of their old hitsongs.

As for today, most of the founding members have passed away.

Despite this, the harmonies in the music that they left behind continue to fill the heads of new generations.

So, if you want to be transported back to a simpler time in musical history, stream The Del-Vikings for a good time.

Culture

February 3, 2021

13

Sports

Sports Editor: Jeff Hart – J.R.Hart2@iup.edu

IUP professor has a passion for competitive curling MARTY WEAVER Copy Editor zlgz@iup.edu @ThePennIUP While freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall might bum some athletes out, that is not the case for one IUP professor.

Patrick Baney of the communications media department, as well as being a ski instructor at Blue Mountain Resort near Palmerton, has been curling for close to three years. While most people tend to take it easy during the colder months, that is not the case for Baney.

“Winter’s my active season,” he said.

Baney became “enamored” with curling after watching the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.

Seeing the American curling team make it pretty far into the competition planted the seed of playing in his head. He was not the only one; around that time, the Rail City Curling Club was formed, and the rest was history.

The club, based out of the Galactic Ice skating rink in Altoona, is home to around 30 members.

Since a number of members work in the medical field, however, the Rail City Curling Club “lost quite a few” regulars, Baney said.

To account for COVID-19, the club is not taking any chances.

It follows the guidelines set by the Grand National Curling Club (GNCC), of which Rail City Curling is a part.

“Typically, we can house 32 people on the ice at one time,” Baney said.

The club cut it to only 24, along with decreasing the team sizes to three people instead of the usual four.

Masks are required at all times, and there is not as much socializ-

.

14

(Patrick Baney) The World's Okayest Curlers after a league championship. From left to right, Jon Vingless, skip; Scott Noel, sweep; The Queen Mother; Jon Cristoff, sweep; and Patrick Baney, lead. ing as in times past.

Curlers have to fill out waivers every week before they can play.

They also walk single-file around the courts and keep six feet apart at all times. Since the arena is so large, that is not much of a problem.

“It doesn’t really jam us too close together,” Baney said.

Finally, because of the reduced team size, only one person can sweep at a time instead of two.

For those not in the loop, curling asked the question, “What would you get if you crossed shuffleboard with ice physics?” And the answer is an

extremely entertaining sport. how that went.

That’s not editorializing; ac“It was right at the beginning of cording to Baney, public interest the coronavirus,” Baney said. in curling The organizers piques with played it by ear each winter and ultimately Olympics, decided to go and some through with the curling bonspiel. North clubs can Carolina Gov. Roy expect as Cooper, however, much as a called a state of 100-percent emergency right increase in at the beginning attendance of the bonspiel, around which forced ev(Patrick Baney) those times. eryone to “renegoBaney is part of the team tiate” the event, Baney said.

World’s Okayest Curlers, but In non-apocalyptic times, Rail don’t let that name deceive you.

City competes pretty contentiousThis team made it to a bonspiel ly for time to curl at Galactic Ice. (curling tournament) in Rochester This is especially difficult in the after just its first year. The World’s winter, as the arena is home to Okayest Curlers even made it all several local hockey teams. the way to nationals in Charlotte “Ice rinks are booked from the last March during spring break – time that school lets out to the though, you could probably guess end of the night,” Baney said.

February 3, 2021

Rail City Curling Club takes the stage Saturdays from 10 p.m. to midnight. The significant portion of club members who are parents “struggle” with the lateness, Baney said.

The times can be moved up a little during the summer, but it is not perfect.

“It’s still a challenge for us.”

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the club would host “Learning to Curl” events, which are one-night presentations on how curling works and how it is scored, complete with live demonstrations. Participants would then have the opportunity to play themselves.

Baney, though he usually plays as a sweeper, is no stranger to all curling positions.

“I rotate quite a bit,” he said.

He had planned on playing as a skip – sort of team captain – on a team and going to Maryland, but COVID-19 put that on hold.

Despite the recent hardships, Baney gets a lot out of curling.

His favorite part is all the friendships he’s made through the Rail City Curling Club.

“It really attracts a wide range of people from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds,” he said.

He likes that he met “a whole new group of people [his] age.”

The athleticism is also not lost on Baney.

“I love the aspect that it somewhat keeps me in shape,” he said.

“Sweeping becomes difficult, particularly in heated matches.”

Even through COVID-19, Baney and his friends have found ways to connect with people from across the country. Last spring, his team took part in an online curling video game tournament.

While he acknowledged that it “wasn’t the same” as a regular bonspiel, Baney appreciated the event all the same.

The Rail City Curling Club is a “small, dedicated” group, according to Baney.

“It’s strangely incredibly addicting.”

You can learn more about the group at railcitycurling.com.

Sports

February 3, 2021

Sports

15

“My focus is on our guys and to have them grow as men”

IUP basketball prepared for potential games AUSTIN SMITH

Staff Writer A.S.Smith7@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

With a bright future ahead and the IUP men’s basketball team’s ranking at No.4 in the preseason polls, Head Coach Joe Lombardi and the Crimson Hawks look to keep working.

The Hawks were working hard in the off-season, and through the COVID-19 pandemic, they still did what they could and made the most of what they had.

“In the fall, we worked into small groups four hours a week in the gym,” Lombardi said. “[We were] limited in groups of three up until finals. We also had put four hours into weight training, 20 hours a week.”

The Hawks were clearly putting in the dedication inside and out of the weight rooms, which is one of the reasons on why they are such an elite team.

“My focus is on our guys and to have them grow as men and is a positive opportunity to let them develop a greater gratitude to let them play when they can,” Lombardi said.

“Life does not always give you what you look for.”

Lombardi respects all kinds of competition, but most importantly, his Hawks are able to bring all their hard work to the court and give it their best.

While putting all the hard work off the court, the Hawks wish to get some game action to stay ready for the 2021–22 season. “…We don’t have any games so far, but next week, we can come to an idea to see who we can play,” Lombardi said. “Mercyhurst has scheduled about 12 games, and Clarion and Gannon have been playing games in January as well.”

The exciting part for the Hawks is that we could see them in action, which, who doesn’t love to see that? It will be interesting to see the newer players on the roster get some court time and let them get a taste of what Division II basketball is like.

Another bonus while getting to play in these exhibition games is a scouting game. There are newer

players joining a team every season, and being able to do certain things ahead is always a bonus.

With a roster full of talent, it’s no surprise that a few have stood out so far this season.

“A number of guys have seen improvement,” Lombardi said.

“Ethan Porterfield (sophomore, kinesiology health and sports science), has seen a big jump between freshman and sophomore year and is expanding his skill set.

We are glad to get Tommy Demogerontas (redshirt senior, business) back, and [it] looks like he is going to be one of the players back after a season-ending injury early in the season last year.

“Armoni Foster (redshirt sophomore, criminology) also had access to a private gym and was able to put the work and grow his game in different areas,” Lombardi said.

So many players have improved, but a huge excitement for Lombardi and the Hawks is having Demogerontas back on the court for the upcoming season. Demogerontas suffered a knee injury against Bloomsburg last season.

He managed to score 13 points in 15 minutes before he got injured.

He had knee surgery and is doing well, Lombardi said.

So, with having everybody stepping up and players improving will leave the Hawks in great shape for the upcoming season.

Like most sports, teamwork is important for success. The Crimson Hawks have had success because of that, and it shows for sure on the court, no matter if they are at home or on the road.

“Preseason, we were ranked No. 4, and we have the talent of a top-10 team,” Lombardi said.

“My focus is going to be how they connect and develop a culture that we care about each other and not being self-centered.”

Being able to care about others will get you extremely far in the world of sports. If you look at the stats and numbers, the players that can share the wealth of scoring and putting up numbers.

The Crimson Hawks are looking to fly through the upcoming season with high expectations and success. Let’s go Hawks.

(The Penn Archives)

February 3, 2021

16

Sports

IUP Swimming puts up victory in first dual meet Jeffery Hart

Sports Editor J.R.Hart2@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Put your talons up, Hawk Nation.

The IUP swimming teams came home from a hot victory at a dual meet Sunday at Clarion.

What is better than one victory?

That would be two victories, and the IUP men’s and women’s teams both swept the competition this past weekend.

The men took a commanding 127-72 win while the women dominated their competition winning

147-52 They beat the competition, winning 20 out of 22 events. Even more impressive, IUP had an additional 11 second-place finishers.

This win has an additional element of satisfaction for IUP since last year this was a meet that they dropped by a margin of 50 points for the women and 55 points for the men’s team.

Along with the team’s success, there were a litany of Crimson Hawks that put up impressive individual victories.

There were plenty of standouts on the men’s team that included Luke Emmerling (junior, biology) in the 1000-meter freestyle (10:50.32); Adam Morrison (freshman, mathe-

matics) in the 100-meter freestyle (49.09) and 200-meter freestyle (1:46.66); Taylor Auger (junior, information systems and decion science) in the 200-meter IM (2:07.48); Ryan Hartmann (junior, mathematical and computer sciences) in the 100–meter butterfly (52.73); Blake Hendricks (freshman, college of natural science and math) in the 100-meter backstroke (54.35); Luke Mikesell (freshman, criminology) in the 500-meter freestyle (4:38.43); and Kyle Mowid (sophomore, Spanish and biology) in the 100-meter breaststroke (1:01.06).

The women’s squad had plenty of standouts as well. There were multiple women who won their individual events.

Olivia Santee (sophomore, criminology) in the 1000-meter free (11:12.45); Michelle Lopes (junior, business) in the 50-meter free (25.56); Rachel Johnson (junior, hospitality) in the 200-meter IM (2:11.22); Iliana Oikonomou (senior, sociology) in the 100-meter free (53.45); Amber Baldani (sophomore, international business) in the 100-meter back (59.99); Colleen Como (junior, nursing) in the 500meter free (5:32.56); and Claire Mikesell (redshirt senior, health and physical education) in the 100=meter breast (1:05.07).

Paige Mikesell (junior, health and physical education) also stood out because she posted IUP's first NCAA Division II B cut time of the

year with a mark of 1:52.72 in winning the 200-meter free.

This was an impressive showing for IUP where they had numerous athletes take individual events.

This was a solid start to an unusual season for the Crimson Hawks. They will be looking to ride their momentum going into their first home meet against Wheeling at 1:00 p.m on Saturday. With their Feb. 21 dual meet at Alfred State being cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns, IUP will take whatever competition they can get.

We can hope that, they can take the things they did well in their first meet and translate it to their next.

Get ready, Indiana, your Crimson Hawks are coming in hot.

(IUP Athletics) The IUP swimming teams are off to a solid start after the pandemic break.