• A U.S. proposal for peace in Ukraine demands Kyiv to cede virtually all territory that Moscow has gained in the war thus far. According to The New York Times, Zelensky immediatey rejected the plan
• The funeral procession for Pope Francis, who passed away at 88 on Monday, is expected to take place Saturday. The Independent reported that thousands of mourners paid their respects at the Vatican on Wednesday.
• Late on Wednesday, the Trump adminstration moved to accelerate projects involving fossil fuels on public lands. The motion would significantly reduce the standard environmental review process, the NYT stated.
• According to The Washington Post, top officials from German, French, and British foreign minsitries pressured Israel on Wednesday to lift a Gaza aid blockage that they deemed "unacceptable."
Piper Guinn: The Lone Star Swimmer
Anna Gaber EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Piper Guinn is sitting on the Quaker Campus’ beloved brown nap couch, waiting. “Heeey!” she greets me. “I’m just gonna lay down,” she says as I take a seat. Guinn is a straight-tothe-point person, which adds a layer of trust and comfort to her. No matter what, she will tell it like it is. She will also say anything and everything that is on her mind, so I am always entertained in her presence. If you do not know Guinn, to me she is not only the QC’s best news editor, but a friend I have gradually gotten to know over the past three years. As a fellow political science major, our paths have inevitably crossed. If she is not at the Uptown Whittier YMCA or Central Park, you might find her loitering in our office, heating up some vegan leftovers.
If Guinn’s Lone Star shoutouts whenever she gets the chance weren’t indicative enough, she was born in Abilene, Texas, which she describes as, “Just not a cool place to live. All of the houses are, like, dilapidated.”
Because of her dad’s various promotions at Dillard’s, the Guinn family moved around frequently, landing in Dripping Springs, Texas when she was nine. “They have good school districts there, and my parents really wanted me and my brothers to get a good education,” she explains.
Guinn is a very active individual, and she explains that there wasn’t much for her in Dripping Springs, except for HEB—“Shoutout HEB, best grocery store in the world,”—and that it was “just kinda depressing.” An aspect of Dripping Springs that she does like is that, “It’s kinda removed from the action.” She draws a comparison to Whittier: “When you’re driving around Southern California it’s just building, building, building. Dripping Springs has all these hills […] so it’s a lot prettier than a lot of parts of the world.”
Guinn also paints Dripping Springs as a very friendly town. “When you’re driving and you see a person on the side of the road, you always wave. And people don’t wave here,” noting sternly as she
shakes her head and slightly tosses her hands up in disappointment.
Politically, Guinn is open-minded and able to see both sides of an argument, rather than just sticking to her own. Guinn’s pursuit of a Political Science degree here at Whittier stems from a genuine place of concern and care for the world, making a change whenever and wherever she can. “There was one point when I was really concerned about the homeless population in Austin,” she says with her eyes closed as she rubs her forehead, thinking back. She continues, “and, I was like, ‘how can we, like, help these people? When I go to school I’m going to solve homelessness!’”
Although you may know Guinn as an avid Whittier Swim and Dive team member, she “was never really gung ho about it” until she came to Whittier College. She started swimming during her freshman year of high school and, after finishing her senior swim season, was unsure of what path to take regarding higher education. “I just didn’t really care,” she says bluntly. Her mom, on the
other hand, was very insistent on Guinn continuing to swim, so she decided, "Well, I guess I’m gonna swim.” After Michael Jafari, the head coach of the Swim and Dive team, reached out to her, she and her mom elected to “check out Whittier […] I had this fantasy about California that it was the most magical place in America and I had to go there.” The appeal of Whittier College for Guinn was that it was a liberal arts school. “I was like, ‘there’s probably gonna be a lot of freaks there.’ Not ‘freaks’ in a bad way […] I just didn’t want to go to a sorority school.”
In the beginning of her time at Whittier, she admits that she hated swimming. “I guess I liked some of my classes, and I liked McBride, and I had some friends. But mostly I was kinda like a bum freshman year. I didn't go to class, I didn’t try […] I just didn’t put effort into anything.” At the end of her first year, she quit the swim team. She told Coach Jafari: “Jafari, it’s like swimming is my boyfriend, and one day I just woke up and realized I was a lesbian. So I’m done.”
That following summer, Guinn discovered a liking for weightlifting and fitness as a whole, as she wanted to stay physically active despite leaving the team. Guinn proudly expresses that, during her second year here, she had a “mentality shift that if [she] was gonna put effort into one thing, why not put effort into everything?”
She goes on, “I was like, ‘I’m going to go on a journey to become the 'elite human specimen,’ and swimming is a really good way to do that, so I’m gonna un-quit the swim team.”
She looks up at the ceiling and claps her hands once as a gesture of remembering something notable, “Ohhh […] that semester I also took my first environmental class, and I was like, ‘climate change is a really big problem!?'” which ultimately was a gateway to developing a new political passion. Guinn, like many of us, has changed a lot since freshman year of college. She is now one of the most dedicated people I have met. During our most recent—and last—Model United Nations conference, as I would slowly wake up, she would be in her gym clothes ready to hit the hotel’s fitness center. She has gone “from being a bum to being the boss.”
Guinn has made many meaningful connections at Whittier, but notably, she shares that her college experience would be completely different without Dr. Mike McBride. “Freshman year, I took my writing seminar with Doc, and after the first essay we did, I guess mine was good, so Doc was like, ‘You should come work for me' [...] I still don’t really know what I’m doing there [McBride’s office in Platner Hall].” McBride encouraged her to join Model UN, which Guinn says she initially thought was “for nerds.” She mentions that when she came to Whittier, “[she] only really cared about domestic politics." Guinn explains that McBride helped her greatly in developing her writing abilities, and also “made [her] care about international politics […] So he’s definitely been very influential in [her] career at Whittier.” Guinn adds, “So has Joe [Donnelly]. Because Joe is the one who made me a journalist.” Guinn reveals that she never really
felt like a journalist, “because it’s a different kind of writing.” According to her, her strengths were in reporting, something she calls “bureaucratic writing.” Donnelly helped Guinn “build [a different] side of [her] writing ability.” Donnelly has also encouraged Guinn to pursue more environmental topics.
Reminiscing on Guinn’s favorite memory from Whittier, she reflects on the last swim meet of the season and, in her case, the last swim meet overall. She describes it as a very emotional experience: “I was just there to have a good time and do my best; I wasn’t stressed out or anything. Everyone was just having a nice time and I did cry, but they were happy tears.” She adds, “I was finishing my last race and I was in so much pain, I was like, ‘You’re almost there, this is your last lap!’ And then I was like, ‘This is my last lap ever…’”
Post graduation, Guinn will return to Texas and move into an apartment in South Austin with her friend. Guinn also plans on returning to her roots, to HEB. Most of all, she is excited to “take a breather.” As a political science student, she feels like “the weight of the world is on [her] shoulders.” She modestly mentions that she has made connections with people in Texas “who are interested in going over pitches with [her] that [she] might have. [She] has a lot of journalistic plans lined up.” Guinn expands on the “two roads” she has in mind after her year off from school. One is getting a degree at law school in Texas, specifically focusing on environmental law, and the second is to continue pursuing journalism. “I like both of these things because I like uncovering injustice,” she states assuredly.
Guinn has been a light in the QC office, making our days brighter while staying on top of her position as news editor. When asked what she will miss the most, she says, “I’m going to miss it when it’s like 9 p.m. on a Wednesday night and we’re all like losing our minds and everything is the funniest thing I’ve ever heard […] I’m going to miss the people the most.”
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Submissions may be emailed to qc@poets.whitttier.edu in .doc or .docx format. Submissions must include the author’s name and year of graduation or position at the college in the signature. Letters are due by Monday at 5 p.m. to make it into that week’s issue. Submissions should be no more than 500 words. Submissions will undergo the same editing process from our production pipeline if selected. All stories must follow the same journalistic standards.
Due to the high cost of publication, members of the Whittier College community are permitted three copies per issue. Additional copies may be purchased with prior apporval for 50 cents each by contacting the Quaker Campus. Newspaper theft is a crime, and those who violate the three copy rule may be subject to civil and criminal prosecution.
The Quaker Campus does not change material posted on online articles once they have been published in the paper — with the exception of an error being found. Only then will a correction be made to the online version. The Quaker Campus is a publication of Whittier College. Columns and Signed editorials do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Whittier College or its affiliates.
Guinn recieved SCIAC's 2025 character award for Swim and Dive.
Piper Guinn/Quaker Campus
Year In Review With Dr. Kristine Dillon
Paola Ruiz ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Dr. Kristine E. Dillon officially became president of Whittier College on May 10, 2024 after serving as interim president since June 23, 2023. In a conversation with Dr. Dillon, the president reflected on setbacks and ways in which her administration strengthened the community of Whittier.
One setback President Dillon faced from her predecessor was the fragmentation of the community. She had to find a way to unite the community while staying true to the College's values. Dillon acknowledges, “The Quaker value system has stayed the same. The Quakers are known for their contributions and helping out their communities.” Under her administration, there has been a greater sense of community, especially within faculty and staff.
Another setback she faced concerned the graduating seniors and the location for their commencement. Dillon says, “I wish we would have done a better job at explaining to the graduating seniors about the change of the locations of commencement from the field to the amphitheater.” She explains how numerous students were angered by the change of location, as commencement is usually held at Memorial Stadium. “I want their families to have a better view while their child goes on the stage. We solved the problem by explaining to the students and let the students vote for either the field or amphitheater. The students chose the amphitheater after all.
We are currently working on making the amphitheater a beautiful space for everyone to celebrate.”
In recent years, the College has also faced challenges regarding student enrollment. “For years now, we have faced smaller amounts of enrollment, however, there are advantages to students currently at Whittier. They can experience smaller classes and the faculty have a chance to learn the student’s name,” Dillon adds. “We want to achieve a larger amount of enrollment that will still have the full advantages of the low student-to-faculty ratio. Two years ago the number of applicants was 2000, and now the number of applicants is over 5000.”
Under Dillon’s administration, the College unveiled Whittier Works and the Civic Scholars Program, both of which are intended to improve student success and social
mobility. Whittier Works is part of a faculty curriculum to emphasize the connection between education and careers. Regarding this progam, Dillon points out, “This college is committed to emphasizing your education and being ready for the world. The plan is for every class year to have experience requirements that are in internships, summer programs, or research with faculty.” The Civic Scholars Program is funded by the City of Whittier and the Fletcher Jones Foundation. Dillon emphasizes how these funds will help kickstart new internship opportunities and help students create a connection with their community. “We want you to be your own person and take care of the community,” reminds Dillon.
In addition to these new programs, the College reinstated the Football and Men’s Lacrosse teams.
Dillon expresses her gratitude towards Whittier alumni contributions: “These two sports were brought to Whittier College because alumni have raised the money for it and to even hire the coach, Cory White.” She also mentions how the programs recieved an equal amount of applicants for the upcoming school year.
When asked to rate her administration's performance, President Dillon states, “Does a grade really reflect it? This is a work in progress and it is headed towards the right direction. A grade creates a stopping point, there is no need for a stopping point. The end goal is to unite the Whittier College community more. There is a lot of optimism and room to improve.” Dillion wants Whittier College to continue prospering and become the united community the college was founded with.
The two main goals of the college for next school year concern enrollment and funding. “We have created a short range strategic plan where we can target two big issues for the upcoming years: enrollment and funding,” Dillon announces. “This plan would help us achieve the number we need and have a sense of shared accomplishment.” The administration is currently reaching out to community colleges and high schools to try to get more students to attend Whittier College. Dillon is also working on creating connections with foundations and banks to get the appropriate funding. Dillon stresses, “We want them to be a part of the solution. The progress we make here, gives the founders confidence in Whittier College and its future.”
In the spirit of progress, Dillon and her team established two Admitted Students Days (ASD) for future Poets and their families to participate in sessions that would guide them around campus and their academic pathways. The first ASD was held on March 22, and the second will be on April 26.
“For our first Admitted Students Day last month, we welcomed more than 250 people to campus, including 90 admitted students and their families,” states Ken Woods, Vice President of Enrollment. “I am pleased to share that we are already up 72 percent over last year in terms of total admitted students for our undergraduate program, with more than 100 percent increase in domestic firstyear students. We are also seeing a high rate in deposits, which is a good sign.”
Students Share Opinions On Trump 2.0
On April 10, a survey went out to students from the Quaker Campus to collect information on students' views towards Donald Trump’s administration and his second term as president. This poll followed up with students and addressed issues similar to those covered by the Quaker Campus before the Nov. 8 Election via a Kamala Harris Campaign Poll and 2024 Election Poll. The polls gather student views on politics and insight on which issues they prioritize the most. The post-election survey, titled Trump 2.0, collected information from students of varied backgrounds. Of the students who responded, 71.9 percent identified with the female gender, 26.6 percent identified with male, and 1.6 percent preferred not to say. Furthermore, 50 percent of students identified as White, 48.4 percent identified as Hispanic and/or Latino, 12.5 percent identified as Asian and/or Pacific Islander, 4.7 percent identified as Black and/or African American, and 4.7 identified as Native American. The majority of these students aligned most closely with the Democratic party (68.8 percent), while 7.8 percent aligned with the Republican Party, and 23.5
percent with independent parties. In the 2024 Election Poll, a comparable 66.7 percent of students aligned with the Democratic Party, while 20 percent aligned with the Republican Party and 13.3 percent aligned with independent parties.
The 2024 Election Poll was made before Joseph Biden dropped out of the 2024 Presidential Race and Kamala Harris stepped up as the primary candidate for the Democratic Party. The data showed how 56.7 percent of students planned on voting for Joe Biden and 16.7 percent for Donald Trump. The Kamala Harris Campaign Poll, conducted
last September, showed that 63.3 percent of students planned to vote for Harris in the 2024 election, 14.3 percent of students planned on voting for Donald Trump, and 4.1 percent expected to vote for Jill Stein. Post-election, students who voted for Harris rose 12.9 percent, with 76.2 percent voting for Harris. Support for other candidates fell; only 7.9 percent of students reported voting for Trump after the election, and 3.2 percent voted for Jill Stein.
In the 2020 election, the issues that were of greater concern to students were abortion and women’s
rights with 23.3 percent, COVID with 16.7 percent, and climate change with 10 percent. Before the 2024 election, the issues most important were women’s rights and abortion with 31 percent, inflation and cost of living with 23.8 percent, and rights for minorities and people of color with 19 percent. Post-election, the students were most concerned about the cost of living with 25 percent, foreign policy and women’s reproductive rights with 10.9 percent, and rights for minorities and immigration with nine point four percent. All the data shows how the issues that students are concerned most about remain women’s reproductive rights, cost of living, and rights for minorities and people of color.
Students were also asked to rate the performance of Trump’s performance from his first term and his second time in the most recent poll. 60 percent of students rated him one out of five for his first term, expressing complete dissatisfaction with his work, while only three point three percent of students rated him a five out of five, expressing full satisfaction. As of now, 87.5 percent of students rate Trump’s second term one out of five, while 4.7 percent rate his performance a five out of five. Students were also asked if they were concerned about
the future of American democracy and 76.6 percent of students were very concerned (five out of five).
More than 90 percent of students are not satisfied with the current action the Trump Administration has taken. One student who identifies as a white female dislikes “the deportation of U.S. citizens including children, revoking transgender healthcare, and [Trump’s] attempt to dissolve the Department of Education.” Another student that identifies as an Asian male shares that they oppose “the imprisonment of legal immigrants with dubious evidence and violating due process, destroying American democracy.” Students were also asked about any changes they would make to American politics. Many students shared opinions on less polarization and a restructuring of the two party system. One student who identifies as a white female says, “We need to leave the two party system and have an opposition party that has the courage to fight against authoritarianism.”
On average, the Whittier College student body showed great dissatisfaction with Trump 2.0, with very few students favoring Trump to another candidate, and most having serous concerns with at least one aspect of the current adminsitration.
Paola Ruiz ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Trump was elected to a second term this January
Courtesy of Npr
President Kristine Dillon is a Whittier alumna, class of 1973.
Courtesy of Whittier College
What’s up,
Whittier?
Stay up to date on events! For further info, visit https://whittier.campuslabs.com/Engage/
Chair Massage
• Thursday, April 24 at 11:30 a.m.
• Naylor Portico (Deihl Hall Patio)
VPS Matcha Fundraiser
• Thursday, April 24 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Campus Center Upper Courtyard
Third Space Thursdays: Earth Day Cookie Decorating
• Thursday. April 24 at 3:30 p.m.
• Upper Quad
Religion in Everyday Life: How Beliefs Shape Culture and Society
• Thursday, April 24 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Ettinger Lounge
Wellness Coalition
• Friday, April 25 from 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Online
Sigma Tau Delta Book Hour
• Friday, April 25 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Ettinger Lounge
Game Night
• Friday, April 25 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Ball LLC Craft Hour
• Monday, April 28 at 1 p.m.
• Ettinger Lounge (Next to the Spot) Spring Pickle-Ball "The Final Tournament"
• Monday, April 28 at 6:30 p.m.
• Graham Athletic Center
Pet Therapy
• Tuesday, April 29 at 11:30 a.m.
• Founder's Hill Lawn (in front of Deihl Hall)
Lunch & Learn With TACO for National Fentanyl Awareness Day
• Tuesday, April 29 at 12:30 p.m.
• SLC 204
DIY Zen Garden
• Tuesday, April 29 at 4:30 p.m.
• The Spot
Denim Day 2025
• Wednesday, April 30 at 12 p.m.
• Campus Center Courtyard
Greenleaf Review Release Party
• Wednesday, April 30 at 5 p.m.
• Campus Courtyard
Moonlight Market & Movie!
• Wednesday, April 30 at 6:30 p.m.
• Upper Quad
Masquerade Spring Fling
• Friday, May 2 at 8 p.m.
• Villalobos Hall
Students Live For The Campus Awards
Atticus Chaidez STAFF WRITER
On April 17, students from campus organizations filed into Villalobos Hall for the annual Student Life Awards. This award show annually highlights the students, professors, and faculty members who have contributed to Whittier College’s campus life.
After a short introduction from Director of Student Success and Belonging Brittany Plascencia-Saldana, the award ceremony began. Winning the first award for “Outstanding Program in Academia” was the Women in STEM Club. The second award given was the “Social Media Engagement Award”, which was awarded to the Bug Club. The third award of the night was the “Collaboration in Programming Award” which would belong to KPOET Radio.
The fourth award was the “Student Organization Excellence Award”, which was awarded to the Asian Student Association (ASA). Established in 2020, the ASA “promotes Asian culture and traditions as well as the contributions of Asian-Americans and coordinates a series of events throughout the [school] year.” The fifth award was the first of many individual awards given. The “Outstanding Contribution to Campus Wellness Award”, was awarded to fourthyear Shayla Sakkakhanaune.
Following that was the “Social Justice Leadership Award” which was awarded to Jasmine Rodriguez. The eighth award of the night was the “Athlete in Student Leadership Award” which belonged to fourthyear Ahmed Amer. The ninth
award of the night was the “Whittier Wednesday Spirit Award” which was awarded to third-year Johnny Serbin.
For the 10th award, Devin Tovar was awarded with the “Courage Award for First Years". Firstyear Ty Jonhson won the 11th award, the “Community Engagement Award". Afterwards, thirdyear Evan Josten won the “Civic Engagement Award", serving as the 12th award of the night. For the 13th award, third-year Emily Perez-Medina won the “Impact Award” and fourth-year Anh Tran won the “Outstanding Officer of the Year Award”. The final individual award was given to Jessica Purcell for the “Advisor of the Year Award”.
Next came the Senate Awards. The first Senate award given was the “Senator of the Year Award”. This award is given to the senator that goes above and beyond their expected duties. This year’s winner of this award was awarded to fourth-year Adriana Cox-Gonzalez. The second Senate award is the “Richard B. Harvey Award”. This is awarded to a tenured faculty member who has taught at Whittier College for an extended period of time. This award honors the recipient’s outstanding leadership in and outside of the classroom. Because of this, the Senate selected Professor David Sloan.
The “Miss Margo Latif Memorial Award” is given to a student that exemplifies strong leadership skills and illustrates the values of the college and through this, enhancing and bettering the institution. This year’s winner of this award is given to third-year Paige
Meyer-Draffen. The “Marilyn Veich Award” is given to the individual that makes outstanding contributions to Whittier College and improves the lives of its students. This year, the Senate awarded this award to Daisy Machado. The final award by Senate was the “ASWC Key to the College Award”. This award is given to the individual or group who has shown great support for the ASWC. This year, the ASWC Senate presented this award to the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Francisco Gomez. The final three awards of the night were given to a large number of students, all recognizing their contributions to the campus. The first of these three was the “Emerging Leader Award” which is given to first and second-year students who have begun to emerge as leaders. The recipients of this award are Aidan Chaidez, Carlos Rodarte, Darreionna Roche, Devin Tovar, Heavenly Monroe, Jasmine Barajas, Jessica Rodriguez, Laurens Chao, Leah Triana, Leonardo Hernandez, Nico Miranda, and Ty Johnson.
The second of the three was the “Outstanding Leader Award”. This award is given to second and thirdyear students who are outstanding leaders in campus organizations. The recipients of this award are Alec Manoukian, Alexis Siliezar, Almas Waseem, A shley S eger, Brenda Garcia, Crystal Valencia, Daniel Casillas, Duncan Smith, Emily Perez-Medina, Evan Josten, Hector Gastelum, Isabelle Brookshire, Jasmine Rodriguez, Jazmin Diaz, Johnny Serbin, Kallie Kaaihue-Paopao, Koy Williams, Oswen Martinez, Paige Meyer-Draffen, Skye Mendoza, Sophia Evrard, and Ty Carlson.
The last of the three awards were the “Senior Keys”. These are awarded to outstanding seniors who are graduating this year. This year’s seniors receiving the Senior Keys are Adriana Cox-Gonzalez, Ahmed Amer, Anh Tran, Andrew Romero, Angel Mackson, David Gyruam Debusse Palacios-Delgado, Diego Cruz, Galilea Land-Posas, Mel Gichne, Mursalle Khwajazada, Richard Kastl-Givens, and Sean Frank.
Flex Your PEK(s) With Phi Epilson Kappa
Priscilla Corona STAFF WRITER
Emma Galvan CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR
Whittier College is home to various societies and honor societies that help shape a student’s experience during their time at the College. One of these societies include the Phi Epsilon Kappa (PEK), the honor society tailored to the kinesiology major and minor. PEK's history begins in 1913 and was originally associated in the field of physical education. However, later on they expanded to include those careers in kinesiology-related fields “such as health, physical education, recreation, dance, human performance, exercise science, athletic training, sport administration and management, and sport studies,” according to the official society website.
“PEK is a national professional fraternity that currently boasts over 130 collegiate chapters and 23 alumni chapters. Our national professional fraternity is for individuals interested in pursuing careers in physical education, health, human performance, exercise science, sports medicine, recreation, dance, and sports management,” as stated
by the society’s president, Emily Flores. Every charter has their own respective name and Whittier’s is called the Zeta Lambda Charter and is currently run by Flores as well as fourth-years Maya Palos, Nathan Sherman, and Diala Diyab with their advisor Dr. Ann Hickey.
According to Flores, the requirements to join PEK are “passed out to eligible students in the Fall semester. To be considered for the organization, one must have completed three upper division classes in the Kinesiology Department, have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA, and be considered to be an outstanding student with leadership qualities. (PEK) is an invitation based professional fraternity.” Flores clarifies though that members do not have to be a kinesiology major to join, as they have “members that are dual majors in kinesiology and another major.”
Flores also establishes that PEK “has had the opportunity to host several fundraisers and service events! Within the organization we host regular member meetings and fraternal bonding events and also promote seminars, clinics, and workshops during the year.” PEK members have a place to gain and give support with fellow members and attend events like “leadership
workshops, community community outreach events, and athletic events that our peers are involved in or are coordinating on campus.”
The society’s final event will be the Special Olympics, hosted by the Athletics Department, as a way to support the DIII philanthropy.
Phi Epsilon Kappa offers numerous awards for their members to receive as they want to “recognize outstanding academic achievement, service, leadership, and development." As stated on the website, these awards include the Dr. Jeffrey S. Vessely Memorial Scholarship Award, which “recognizes one member of a chapter who has achieved designated academic, service, and leadership activity.” These awards only require a copy of an unofficial transcript and the advisor’s letter of recommendation. When graduating, members will also receive a Kinesiology honors
cord and a Phi Epsilon Kappa stole. The society publishes a yearly newsletter, The Black and Gold Bulletin which “allows for the sharing of chapter related information as well as announcements and annual reports of the workings of the fraternity.” They also publish The Physical Educator, “the fraternity's contribution to the various fields of study relating to the make-up of the membership [and] was first published in 1940. This 56-page journal is published four times per year and is distributed to members as part of their annual dues. It is also available on a subscription basis to non-members and libraries.”
Overall, PEK is a society for all with numerous benefits that can help before and post-graduation. To get more information about the society, you can visit their Instagram page @whittiercollege_pek or contact Dr. Hickey.
Courtesy of EngagE Students are awarded every year for their accomplishments.
Courtesy of PEK Seniors from PEK are getting ready to move out.
CAMPUS LIFE
April 24, 2025 5
Whittier College's Own Camp Flog Gnaw
Michelle Cortes STAFF WRITER
Camp Whittfest took over Whittier College Campus this past month with several carnival style games, delicious food, a petting zoo, and several booths brought to you by Whittier College’s Program Board and various campus organizations.
The day was filled to the brim with memorable performances, some even done by Whittier’s student organizations! However, Mike Staggs & The Soul were the main performance of the night, giving us several songs fitting the evening camp theme, from Pink Floyd to many other classics, giving the night an overall energetic and nostalgic feel.
Throughout the night there were also several performances from the College’s own Dance Team and Cheer Team who had incredible performances. One of the last student performances of the night was the karaoke battle, which also had a prize of $500. Several student organizations such as The Arthurian Order of the Knights of Pendragon (AOKP) gave performances with their own dance choreography. Ultimately, the winner of the contest was the William Penn Society, who gave an emotional and passionate performance with their cover of the famous song “Careless Whisper”.
Students had a range of yummy foods to choose from at Whittfest, from several different vendors like the Vurger Guys, Smashed UP Burger, Azzie Dogs, Boba Time, and a Funnel cake truck, which were all evening fa-
vorites. Although, students were only eligible to get the food after playing at least five of the various games throughout the festival, once all five stamps were provided, attendees were able to eat at all of the stands for free.
Some of Whittier's own student organizations also brought treats and activities for students to enjoy.
The Metaphonian Society brought their own blue jolly rancher Tang-
hulu and gave out temporary tattoos. The Thalian Society brought their brownies, matcha tonics, and held a raffle with several goodies such as a Snoopy tote bag if you played a game of cornhole. The Athenian Society brought water guns for students to refresh themselves from the sunny warm weather of the day. The Palmer Society held fairy house making and the Penn’s did face painting for stu-
dents and games with prizes. AOKP busted out their swords and shields and allowed students to come by and learn how to fight and even spar with one of their members. Even your own Quaker Campus was also in attendance, with a cup pong and trivia game and prizes for students to win. There were also various stands that belonged to Program Board with games that included basketball, bean bag toss with milk bottles, dunk the duck, and numerous others.
Apart from the games provided by student organizations, there were many other activities for attendees
to participate in, from the bouncy house, the photo booth (a fan favorite), and the petting zone (also a favorite) filled with so many cute animals.
Overall this year’s Whittfest gave the college campus a night to remember, with all the fun it brought to the students and to the wider Whittier community. The various performances done by Mike Staggs & The Souls as well as the student body were definitely one of the highlights of the night and gave students the opportunity to enjoy themselves while having fun before the year comes to an end.
Courtesy of Program Board
Courtesy of Program Board
Courtesy of Nadia Miller QuakEr Campus
The karaoke battle brought out performances in all.
Students enjoy the carnival-like atmosphere.
The QC And Lucy: A Hero’s Journey
Joseph Donnelly FACULTY ADVISOR
When Lucy “Cool Breeze” Campbell (@copyright: JD) strolled into an Intro to Journalism class some three years ago, with a pair of three-story high eyes peeking out from behind a black face mask, we got lucky.
There wasn’t much to go on in those days; the masks were limiting. It could be hard to get a read on a person. They were permissive at the same time, though. You could retreat behind them if you wanted to. So, we all looked to the eyes to fill in the blanks. Happily, Lucy’s indicated intellectual curiosity, an openness to new knowledge, and a desire to engage fearlessly with the issues that confronted us. In other words, they reflected a spark of life in a downtime.
Which is why she was a natural to be the Sports Editor!
Wait, what?
Yes, Lucy Campbell, known artist, sly intellectual, possibly not a jock, was the Sports Editor we needed when we really needed a Sports Editor. The eyes gave it away, but I’ll fill you in a little more.
I don’t think I’m revealing any
state secrets when I say that our paper’s sports section had been languishing for a bit due to, well, let’s call it institutional indifference. My mantra that sports are a metaphor for life had fallen on, if not deaf, certainly hard-of-hearing ears for too long. The idea that the football team going 0—for-the-decade made for a big story, not an irrelevant one, was just not landing.
Then, it all blew up. Football, Men’s Lacrosse, Golf, etc., were abruptly stripped from student life and school identity, and the metaphor came home to roost. Enter the hero we needed, and possibly the one I asked for: Lucy.
Anyway, Lucy got the big picture, how all this sports stuff spoke to the bigger stories of who we were and where we were at. She rose to the challenge last year to help turn around the sports pages into the vibrant, must-read, metaphor-for-life section it continues to be today under current editor Olivia Nuñez. Who’s up next?
Of course, Lucy brought the same rigor and passion to the Opinions Section which has consistently engaged our readership with relevant and useful pieces that grapple with the local impacts of national
stories as well as with issues proximate and prominent to our campus. Two sections left with a great legacy for those who followed and will follow in her footsteps. I think that’s called leadership.
That Lucy has left an indelible, positive impression on the newspaper that will endure well past her tenure is all well and good. But I think her colleagues will say they
appreciate just as much the good humor, calm demeanor and inclusive vibes Lucy brings to the newsroom. Newsrooms thrive or fail depending on what the weather inside them is like. When “Cool Breeze” Campbell blew in, the weather got better.
We will miss you, Lucy. Thanks for leaving things better than you found them.
The Shifting Purpose Of Modern Boycotts
Atticus Chaidez STAFF WRITER
Merriam Webster defines a boycott as “to engage in a concerted refusal to have dealings with (a person, a store, an organization, etc.) usually to express disapproval or to force acceptance of certain conditions.” In other words, a boycott is to stop doing business with specific organizations until they stop supporting a cause, or until they begin supporting a cause.
Now more than ever, boycotts are happening left and right for multiple reasons. Most notably, boycotts are happening today due to companies’ decisions to roll back on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives as well as companies’ decisions to support Israel as they continue to oppress Palestinians.
In the age of technology and people constantly being connected through social media, more people are now involved and partaking in boycotts. However, it begs the question: Have boycotts lost what they stand for? Are people boycotting more about virtue-signaling, doing something simply to show you are a good person, or because they actually stand against what they’re boycotting? Has boycotting become too trendy?
An example of boycotts simply being virtue-signaling or “too trendy” can be seen in the recent economic boycott that took place on Feb. 28, 2025. It was on this particular day where consumers were urged not to spend any money anywhere. And if consumers were to spend money, it was encouraged that they spend it at local businesses using cash. To me, this is an example
of a boycott simply being virtue-signaling and too trendy. The whole purpose of a boycott is that it lasts long. For example, the Montgomery Bus boycott lasted a total of 13 months. Its outcome? The Supreme Court ruled it to be unconstitutional for segregation to exist on public buses. So what was the outcome of the Feb. 28 economic blackout?
According to a 2025 article published by USA Today, Betty Lin-Fisher discusses Momentum Commerce, a digital retail consultancy company, and demonstrates an analysis of the company’s Amazon sales on that Friday of Feb. 28, ultimately showing that there were no measurable differences from previous Fridays. In fact, the data extracted from Momentum Commerce suggests that sales on Amazon were one percent higher than average over the last eight Fridays.
In addition, this same article by Lin-Fisher demonstrates data taken from Placer.ai, a firm that uses machine learning to estimate in-store visits to locations around the country, and demonstrates that foot traffic in stores such as Starbucks, Target, and Walmart had been down
on Feb. 28. Further, the data presented by Lin-Fisher also illustrates that this seems to be a trend that follows year by year. Due to factors including extreme weather circumstances and post-holiday spending pullbacks, it’s hard to pinpoint if this economic blackout truly had any real impact.
This data exhibits that the economic blackout was not a success, or it had very little impact on the economy due to the fact that it played into economic trends that were already present. If there is any impact on the business, it’s too hard to isolate them as they follow typical trends. A one-day economic blackout simply isn’t enough to incite change. People stand with a cause, but they aren’t willing to make long-term sacrifices. An overgeneralization, but the point still stands. People will participate in protests or boycotts if it means they don’t have to make long sacrifices.
The Feb. 28 economic blackout is a perfect example of boycotts becoming too much about personal virtue signaling and ‘following the trend.’ The movement of this economic blackout was mainly spread
through social media–that’s how I learned about it. I think it’s amazing that, through social media, we can rally people behind a movement. However, after more research, as stated before, a one-day economic blackout simply is not enough.
Anyone who shares this opinion can appreciate the sentiment of an everyday person partaking in a boycott. Again, I think it’s incredible how we can rally people behind a movement. However, not boycotting correctly will lead to absolutely nothing. I believe people who partook in this one-day economic blackout, then went to buy a Nestle Crunch bar at Target the next day, did this for one reason: to follow the trend for personal virtue-signaling.
I consider myself a punker. When it comes to speaking out against any injustice, I’d like to think I’d be one of the first to grab that microphone–it’s the mindset I was raised with. It’s because of this that I feel inclined to criticize this one-day economic blackout. If we’re going to do something, then we need to do it right. We need a long-term boycott and hold that line until we get what we want.
Dear Poet, I don’t want to be broke this summer, but I am too tired to get a job because of school. What should I do?
- A cashless Poet
Dear Poet,
Jo: Well, first, it’s not your fault you’re poor. Systemically speaking, the odds were NEVER in your favor, so don’t beat yourself up over it!!! If the system won’t help you, there’s only one option: cheat the system! A little pyramid scheme here ‘n there NEVER hurt anyone!
John: Honestly, feeling too tired and worn out from school is so valid. Classes and keeping up with your academic life can be super draining. It’s super important to give yourself time to recover, mentally, emotionally, etc. That said, I think the best course of action would be to stay unemployed over the summer and live entirely off your parents’ incomes. Think about it: Your parents or caretakers used to care for and provide for you all the time, but what’s stopping them from doing it now? LIVE YOUR LIFE, BE FREE AND UNEMPLOYED!!!!
Johnny: Ah, the classic broke college student. Well, the first thing you should do is definitely rest once you get home. Have some days to unwind and treat yourself because hey, you finished another year! However, it’s best to find a job at some point before all the summer positions are filled by people looking for some quick cash. If you’re worried about being out in public for hours on end, maybe start looking for online internships so you can still work from the comfort of your own home. You can also ask your family if you can earn money by helping around the house, or look for volunteer opportunities in your hometown; there’s bound to be something for you. Just make sure to clear your mind first!
Sincerely,
Lucy is a Studio Art major and Gender Studies minor from Boulder, CO.
Lucy Campbell / Quaker campus
Call Her Butter The Way She’s “Anna” Roll
Piper Guinn NEWS EDITOR
There’s a nonchalance about Anna Gaber that sticks with you. In early interactions, she’s nearly impossible to read. Maybe it’s the Eastern European in her? Ask her about cooking, music, or where East Timor is on the map, and that wall comes down. Get her talking about Latvia—her home country—and she softens entirely.
“[I miss] everyday life, going to my favorite spots, and laughing with my friends,” Gaber reveals. “Having a mutual understanding about a lot of things, and cultural things, that’s very rare here,” reflecting on her relationships in Latvia while sitting in the Quaker Campus newsroom, 5,771 miles away.
Gaber is dressed in muted colors—a black sweater, denim jeans, and her signature black Dr. Marten oxfords. Her hair, naturally curly and light brown, is cut in a shag mullet that does not reach her shoulders. She is adorned with her usual silver jewelry, including a few simple bracelets, two thick rings, and multiple face piercings. Despite coming straight from a meeting, she does not seem rushed.
A french major and political science minor, Gaber balances a rigorous course load with her job at the Quaker Campus and participation in Whittier College’s Model UN program. Because she grew up speaking French (in addition to English and her native Latvian), the major was a no-brainer. Studying politics was a deeper decision.
“I always was really passionate about activism,” she says, tousling her hair. “I never wanted to be in a power position, but I wanted to make change somehow. And I feel like with political science, there’s a lot you can do.”
Born in Riga, Latvia, to parents Ieva and Mark, Gaber moved to the U.S. before 10th grade to complete her education. “My dad’s a U.S. citizen, and I was doing really badly in school,” Gaber ex-
plains, “because the education system in Latvia sucks, as far as I can remember it.” Leaving her parents and the world she knew behind, Gaber moved in with her uncle in Boulder, Colorado.
Acclimating to life in the U.S. did not come without challenges for the Latvian native. Fortunately, Gaber “made friends pretty early on,” but “having to speak English all the time” was a challenge. The biggest shock was the atmosphere. “The people are completely different,” Gaber reveals. “I think people are nicer in America, but sometimes it feels ingenuine.”
If she had stayed in Latvia, Gaber feels she “would have a narrower outlook on life,” and is grateful for the help and opportunities to explore she has been afforded. In contrast with her Latvian education, Gaber “was doing really well” in her classes in Boulder and decided she “might as well go to college here, too.”
In the beginning of her college search, Gaber “was set on going to school in New York, but realized it was very expensive.” She then looked to liberal arts colleges on the West Coast, which led her to Whittier College. Soon after arriving at here, Gaber started working for Dr. Michael McBride, a longtime professor in the Political Science Department. It was here that she met a fellow political science major who introduced her to the Quaker Campus.
As a second-year student, Gaber became Head Copy Editor for the Quaker Campus and was offered the position of Editor-in-Chief before her third and final year at the college. The French major thinks she was offered the position because she’s “been here for the longest time, and Em[ily Henderson] (the former EIC) said they trust me.”
During her time as a journalist, editor, and student, Gaber developed a knack and affinity for writing. She fondly recalls taking freshman writing seminar with Professor Jonathan Burton, which “really boosted” her existing abilities. Gaber elaborates, “I wouldn’t
say I was a bad writer, but I just didn’t know what I was doing before college.” Through the Quaker Campus, she further learned how to “come up with hooks” and figured out “how to keep an article consistent.”
Outside of work and school, Gaber is “really into film photography […] and cooking.” At the moment, her favorite dish to prepare is paella, an ode to her frequent European travels. Last semester, the EIC was studying abroad in Paris, France, but Spain is her favorite place she has visited. “There’s this little town [by the coast], and I remember snorkeling there,” Gaber fondly recalls. In her eyes, it is evident that her mind returns there often.
After graduation, Gaber plans to move back to Latvia, where she has two internships lined up, one of which is an NGO centered around LGBTQ rights. Gaber elaborates, “They’re the organization that host-
ed the very first pride in Latvia,” a country where gay marriage has not yet been legalized. The organization has “done a lot of work with other European countries that have better LGBTQ rights and [tries to] introduce those resources in Latvia.”
Her second internship is with the Latvian Institute for International Affairs, an organization she also worked with last summer. Her role then was researching and describing a specific political theory for the institute to post on their website. “I’d be doing the same thing this year, but it would be paid,” she clarifies.
From there, she hopes to continue working for NGOs or other organizations dedicated to helping those who struggle to help themselves. “Ideally, I would work on immigration policy. Specifically, what protections there are for immigrants in buffer zones,” she states. “It’s difficult because Latvia is so small and we have very little
resources for immigrants.” In the near future, she would also like to pursue a Master’s in Political Science in Barcelona, Spain.
Gaber recognizes compassion as her greatest strength. “I feel like I give very good advice to people, but I stay true to myself,” she notes, chuckling awkwardly at the concept of complimenting herself. Jokingly, she notes that her worst trait is her “RBF.” She further acknowledged herself as her biggest motivator. “And when things get really hard, I always find a way to keep going,” a truth evidenced by her accomplishments.
Gaber’s diligence put her on track to graduate a year early, something few students accomplish. This week, she was also inducted into Pi Sigma Alpha, the national Political Science honors society. She reflects, “I look back at who I was before coming to the U.S. and who I was freshman year and how far I’ve come.”
Anna Gaber willl be returning to Lativa after she graduates.
Anna Gaber/Quaker Campus
Lucy Campbell/Quaker Campus
Poet’s Sports Schedule:
Baseball at Occidental College
@ Los Angeles, Calif.
• 3 p.m.
• April 25
Softball at Occidental College @ Los Angeles, Calif.
• 3 p.m.
• April 25
Men’s & Women’s Track and Field at SCIAC Championship
@ Los Angeles, Calif.
• All Day
• April 26
Baseball vs Occidental College
@ Whittier, Calif.
• 11 a.m. & 3 p.m.
• April 26
Softball vs Occidental College
@ Whittier, Calif.
• 12 & 2 p.m.
• April 26
Baseball vs Pacific University @ Whittier, Calif.
• 3 p.m.
• May 2
Softball vs University of La Verne @ Whittier, Calif.
• 3 p.m.
• May 2
Men’s & Women’s Track and Field at Oxy Last Chance
@ Los Angeles, Calif.
• All Day
• May 3
Baseball vs Pacific University
@ Whittier, Calif.
• 11 a.m. & 3 p.m
• May 3
Softball at University of La Verne @ La Verne, Calif.
• 12 & 2 p.m.
• May 3
Men’s & Women’s Track and Field at APU Last Chance
@ Los Angeles, Calif.
• 12 p.m.
• May 10
Men’s & Women’s Track and Field at Outdoor Nationals
@ Geneva, Ohio
• All Day
• May 22
This concludes Whittier sports for the 2024-2025 season.
Thank you for supporting the Poets and we look forward to seeing how the teams fare next year!
SPORTS Seniors Figure Out Life Without Sports
Piper Guinn NEWS EDITOR
Among Whittier College’s student body walk—and sometimes run— athletes from around the world who chose to play at this institution and open a new chapter in their sports careers. As the end of the 2024-‘25 academic year draws near, that chapter is concluding for graduating student-athletes.
The College boasts 18 NCAA Division III affiliated sports teams on campus, including eight men’s and 10 women’s programs. The players on these teams make up 30 percent of the student body, which is about 25 students. When the Athletics Department at the College faced setbacks in recent years—including the abrupt cancellation of the Men’s Lacrosse, Men’s Football, and Men’s and Women’s Golf teams—the current graduating class persevered.
Ahmed Amer, a graduating student from Cairo, Egypt, played tennis all four years at the College and filled a leadership role early on. Even as a second-year, Amer’s voice could be heard 500 feet away from the tennis courts as he chanted, “Dub-c! Dub-c!” The Men’s Tennis team, which consistently contains strong single and doubles matchups, recently concluded their Spring 2025 season, marking the end of Amer’s collegiate career.
Emily Flores faces a similar conclusion. The California native will also be graduating in May and just finished her fourth season on
the Women’s Water Polo team. Although Flores faced challenges such as “time management and getting up for 8 a.m. [practices] after a game,” she expressed appreciation for the “support and community” she found “through [her] team and the Athletics Department at Whittier.”
Both athletes have more than a decade of experience in their respective sports. Flores “found [a] love for the sport” when she was 11. The Cairo native picked up tennis when he was six-years old. “My father is really passionate about tennis, so he got me into it,” Amer explains, legs casually outstretched. He’s seated in one of the Ettinger Lounge’s green chairs, a place he can frequently be found chatting with teammates. Although he played many other sports in childhood, Amer stuck with tennis because he “wanted to do something a little less mainstream.”
While playing for the Purpleand-Gold, Amer developed communication and leadership skills that he feels he would not have otherwise. In addition to serving as a captain for the Men’s Tennis team, he is the current president of the Poet Student-Athlete Leadership Academy (PSALA) and NCAA Student Athlete-Advisory Committee (SAAC). As a leader, Amer learned early on that different cultures “communicate very differently,” and he’s had to “adapt accordingly” to help fellow international students on his team. Listing areas where she has grown as a student athlete, Flores echoes, “overcoming adversity and communication skills, to name a few.”
After graduation, these students are looking to advance careers in their respective fields. The tennis player will use the skills he developed as a Poet in his professional
life as he looks for a job in investment banking or private equity. He states, “I did major in economics and minor in finance, so it’s in my educational background.” The water polo athlete is expected to begin a Doctorate of Physical Therapy program at the University of California, San Francisco and San Francisco State University. Regarding water polo, she notes, “I know that San Francisco State has a club team that I’m planning on looking into.” Amer, on the other hand, intends to press pause on tennis for now, but will reintroduce the sport a few months into his post-college plans. “I’m really passionate about tennis. I think throwing it away after playing for all these years would be a waste,” Amer states. The economics major plans to play tennis “competitively once or twice a week” and coach on the side, which he feels will be easy since “there are courts everywhere.”
Bidding collegiate athletics farewell has been a bittersweet experience for both players. “I thought I wouldn’t be able to get over it,” Amer reveals. “Now, it’s more of a relieved feeling. I can play because I want to and actually enjoy it.” The pressure to perform at a high level is felt across sports, especially in a competitive conference like SCIAC, which the College competes in. While grateful for the experiences that Whittier Athletics have offered them, Flores is “looking forward to retirement life,” and Amer is “looking for the next big thing.”
Alex Ovechkin: Surpassing Greatness
Atticus Chaidez STAFF WRITER
It’s March 29, 1999. You’re at Madison Square Garden watching the battle of New York, as the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders take part in a great match-up. It’s late in the third period when Wayne Gretzky also known as “The Great One” shoots and scores, making it 2-1 Rangers. The game ends with the Rangers winning 3-1. You leave Madison Square Garden amazed and you think to yourself, 894 goals… no one is ever breaking Gretzky’s record. It’s untouchable. Until April 6, 2025.
Alexander Ovechkin was drafted into the National Hockey League (NHL) in 2004 to the Washington Capitals. Instantly, Ovechkin began to make headlines. In his first season playing in the NHL, Ovechkin scored an intimidating 52 goals and finished third overall in league scoring. Mind you, this was his rookie season. To put those 52 goals into perspective, a player having a 2030-goal season is considered to be having a successful season.
During the 2005-2006 NHL season, the Capitals would begin their road trip to the Southwest where Ovechkin would face off against “The Great One.” However, Gretzky wouldn’t be the one on the ice. In fact, he wouldn’t even be in his skates. Instead, Gretzky
would be coaching the Capitals’ opponent: the Phoenix Coyotes. In his 32nd goal of the season, Ovechkin would define what a power-forward in the NHL looked like. As Ovechkin skated through the center of the ice with the puck, he was taken down by Paul Mara, a Coyotes’ defenseman. That wasn’t enough to shake Ovechkin off the puck, however. While gliding on his back, Ovechkin was able to drag the puck around the defender and sneak it past the goaltender. In a goal popularly known as “The Goal,” Ovechkin defined what it was to be a power-forward–phys-
ical, fast, but most importantly of all, to score no matter what.
As Ovechkin celebrated his goal, the camera panned to the bench, where Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky looked up at the replay. Gretzky’s reaction can only be described as in awe and disbelief. Perhaps Gretzky knew he just watched the kid that would break his all-time scoring record.
It’s April 6, 2025. You wake up, put on your favorite team’s hockey jersey, and head out of your apartment. You arrive at Grand Central Madison and take the Long Island Rail Road straight to UBS Arena
where you get to watch your favorite team play early in the afternoon. You sit down in your seat. You look to your left and you look to your right. You notice there’s no jersey with your team’s colors, why is that? You look up at the jumbotron and you finally realize why.
“Washington Capitals vs New York Islanders, 12:30 p.m. EST.” It’s just before the halfway mark of the second period when the Capitals go on a power-play. Capitals player Dylan Strome makes a quick pass to teammate Tom Wilson. Wilson sees his teammate on the farside open and passes it quickly across the ice. Ovechkin receives Wilson’s pass. Ovechkin shoots and Ovechkin scores.
UBS Arena exploded into cheers. Ovechkin had done it–he had passed Wayne Gretzky’s goal record of 894. A once thought impossible record to be broken had finally been broken.
On April 17, the Washington Capitals and Alexander Ovechkin took on their long-time rivals the Pittsburgh Penguins and Sidney Crosby in both teams’ final regular season game. Although the Capitals lost 5-2, Ovechkin scored his 897th career goal and extended the all-time goal record. When asked afterward if this game meant anything to Ovechkin considering this could have been his last time taking the ice against Crosby, Ovechkin simply said, “I’m not retiring, so…”
Courtesy of Selena McPherson/The News
Graduating student-athletes face a bittersweet retirement.
Courtesy of Mark Schiefelbein/AP News
One of the greatest athletic feats belongs to Alexander Ovechkin.
Olivia Leaves It All On The Field One Last Time
As the crowd starts to cheer in anticipation, Olivia Nuñez steps up to bat, taking a deep breath... walking into one of two mini offices at the Quaker Campus after a long day of Monday classes. Settling into one of the more functional seats, Nuñez giggles as she straightens her posture. She adjusts her white shirt paired with a light green cardigan and a pair of gold earrings. After a few moments of silence, she looks up as she reflects on her path.
Although she attends Whittier College, Nuñez isn’t from Whittier. She grew up in Placentia, California, which she describes as “[…] close to the Anaheim area. Most people don’t know where it is because it’s like a really small city.” However, after her high school years at Valencia High School, Nuñez wanted to keep playing softball and found herself at Fullerton College. Slightly clapping her hands, Nuñez recalls, “I went to Fullerton College for two years, and then I transferred to Whittier after the softball coach came out to one of our practices and said that she wanted me.” With a grin she confesses, “Honestly I didn’t know it existed until [the coach] came out. But then, I realized that my uncle had gotten his law degree through the law program [at Whittier]. It was kind of a crazy coincidence.”
During her time at Fullerton, she first started as a Psychology major before switching to her current studies in English. While laughing, she clarifies, “My mom wanted me to do something a bit more financially viable I guess. I always wanted to be a teacher, and I’ve always loved reading and writing. So, when I was gonna transfer to Whittier, I had a conversation with my mom and I was like, ‘I don’t think Psychology is something I want to pursue.” Fiddling with her hair and trying to tie it into a ponytail, she continues, “I changed my major to English when I transferred and it has been the best, literally the best, decision I think I’ve made for myself. It’s something that I actually enjoy, I’m actually passionate about it. I can see myself [doing something with it] even if the money isn’t what I want it to be. I still see it as rewarding, the money is not going to be a problem.”
Outside of her English studies, Nuñez has a deep love for softball, which she began playing at eightyears old. With a little chuckle, she says, “My parents always wanted me to do sports just because they didn’t want me sitting around the house. I started with T-ball and once I got older I went to play soccer and I hated soccer. So, my mom found out about softball through my elementary school and when I played, I don’t know if I actually immediately liked it.” Nuñez explains that her feelings changed once she started playing at Anaheim and Fullerton in a league. “I started to really love it when I was 12 and 14 because when I was little, I used to pitch pretty hard. It was crazy because I would pitch
and parents would cheer when girls got foul balls off of me. I started playing travel and I guess being around people who were just as motivated as I was to do good was what really kept me in the sport.”
Nuñez joined Whittier’s Softball team during the 2023-2024 season and has had a lot of fun memories while on the team. One of these includes the team’s trip to Costa Rica last spring. “It was so cool and we were able to play against women who obviously didn’t have as much equipment or as many opportunities as we do. It was really interesting to just see how privileged I am to be able to play here at a college like this.” She also says that what stuck out the most was all the people she was able to meet. “Most of all my best friends, all the people that I’m going to know for the rest of my life, they’re going to be my bridesmaids. My best friends forever are the people that I’ve met through softball.”
Towards the end of the 2023 Fall semester, Nuñez approached the current Managing Editor Jonathan Bermudez about joining the Quaker Campus . Laughing at the memory, Nuñez recalls, “I just thought it would be kind of cool to start writing, you know, because I wanted to experience writing through other disciplines. After a couple of English classes that I had here, I was like ‘Okay, I think I can start writing something a little less academic, something less formal.’” Bermudez introduced her to former Editor-In-Chief Emily Henderson and was glad to know that the team would be flexible with her softball schedule. Nuñez explains that the environment was relaxing with writers choosing the pitch they wanted. After her first Opinions piece, she started taking on more and more Sports pieces. “So that’s why I became known as the ‘Sports girl,’” she jokes. Soon after, she was approached
to take over as Sports Editor by the former editor, Lucy Campbell, who was switching over to the Opinions section. “I kind of had a feeling that she was going to ask me just because I was the only person who actually showed interest when we had our meetings.” Attempting to crack her knuckles while looking down, Nuñez explains, “I was pretty nervous because I didn’t really know how production worked or if I would be able to be a good editor, make the right pitches.” Taking a moment, she continues, “But, honestly I think it was really good timing with me starting this position in my last year just because I feel I had a lot of experience within the Whittier community. I was able to know what was going on in the sports world and that made me a better editor.”
After a short period of laughter, Nuñez admits that the hardest challenge has been people actually taking Sports articles. Though, she calmly explains that it has helped a lot with her time management and communication skills. While reflecting on her past articles and what counts as her favorite, Nuñez takes multiple moments to think hard and jokes about how difficult the choice was. Eventually she picks two that were recently published: “I wrote an article about Mexican-American culture and how that ties in with the Dodgers and the legacy it holds in L.A.” She continued, “I also really enjoyed writing about how Women’s Basketball and Men’s Basketball had attendance disparities just because I feel like it’s one of the more important articles I’ve written.” Messing with one of the strings on her shirt, she explains, “A lot of times you don’t really think of sports as important as news or campus life, you don’t really know how sports can relate to larger issues. That was something that stood out to me, that I was able to write
about sports and how it affects the campus.”
Life can be tough for a student-athlete, especially when they’re in other organizations alongside their respective sport and academics. Nuñez herself had those struggles, even before she transferred to Whittier. “My first year at Fullerton, it was really hard just because it was still online learning and I’m so bad at online learning,” she says with a little chuckle. “All my classes were online and being my first year in college too, I didn’t know the workload that it was going to be. I didn’t do well academically my first year.” Though, being able to choose the in-person classes she wanted to take, helped ease her load. “I would say it’s still been a struggle to balance both academics and softball, especially with the newspaper as well but for the most part I’ve felt like I’ve done pretty well. Now I’m pretty confident that I’m able to navigate it.” With a fake cry, gently slamming her hands on her lap, she exclaims, “It’s my last year, I’m barely figuring it out.”
Although Nuñez has only been a Poet for two years, she still holds many memories near and dear to her heart. This includes her Senior Seminar presentation “Murakami’s Vessels of Alienation” which according to Nuñez, was about “how Japanese author Haruki Murakami writes distinct characters that perpetuate their own loneliness and misfortune and how the character’s mental response to what happens to them alters their physiological well-being.” While gushing about her presentation, she describes it as a way she could “talk about what I’m really passionate about and how it can apply to the academic world. My senior sem presentation was just super rewarding for me, my parents were able to come and they saw what the day-to-day conversations we have in English classes. It was really funny because
my dad was like ‘this is what you guys do all day? You guys just sit and talk about books all day?’ So it was really cool to share the things you take away from books.”
Every college student has a professor or staff member that has helped them throughout their journey as a mentor-figure. A mentor can change someone’s perspective on their life and help develop their skills, and for Nuñez, her mentors have been all of the English professors. Cupping her face while thinking about them, she says, “I think each of them has an individual strength and has helped me develop as a writer and student. [Professor] Joe [Donnelly] definitely helped me become a better Sports Editor. [Professor] Doug [Manuel II] helped me tap into the personal aspect and his classes led me to write the pieces I submitted for the GLR [Greenleaf Review]. And, [Professor Sean] Morris for senior sem was possibly the best professor I could have had for that moment just because he didn’t make it this ‘big thing.’ He made it like another assignment and it was perfect because I didn’t stress out at all.”
One of Nuñez’s main motivations during the last stretch of the semester has been her family and her desire to make them proud. Taking a moment to fully reflect, she addresses that everything she has done and all the choices she has made have been in hopes of “paying them back.” She establishes, “I’m the oldest of all my female cousins, I have three older boy cousins but they never went to college. My aunts have always used me as an example and there’s been this kind of pressure on me to be a good student, to be a good role model.” Nuñez believes it’s been a privilege to be in her position currently and wants her younger cousins to look up to her as motivation. “I just hope that they will be like ‘she did that, she got her degree and was able to play sports.’ My family life is always going to be more important than the things that I do. My family is at the core of everything I do.”
Nuñez has already started thinking of what she is going to do after graduation. Over the summer she will be working, but will be attending Cal State Fullerton to start her credential program in the spring. “I would be doing that for a year and then I become certified and I’ll be able to teach high school English.” She’s also thought of the possibility of pursuing Editing and Publishing or even the opportunity to get her Masters in English, but hopes to be able to do that when she’s more financially stable. Financial stability is one of Nuñez’s biggest goals post-graduation alongside taking a rest for her health, “I have a bunch of knee problems from softball and my body has played the sport forever so I want to let my body rest for a few months. Then I’ll get back into it and probably start walking or running, just something that isn’t as taxing as lifting a bunch of weights.” For now, she just wants to have fun during her last few weeks of college.
Nuñez is concluding a thirteen-year softball career.
Courtesy of Olivia Nunez/QuAker CAmPus
Emma Galvan CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR
Nuñez stands with two of her best friends she has met at Whittier.
Courtesy of Olivia Nunez/QuAker CAmPus
The QC Staff
Suggests:
Paola Ruiz ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Want to know what our new Asst. News Editor recommends this week? Read on!
Restuarant:
This place is better than Denny’s and iHop, it is Norms. You can get the fluffiest pancakes at any time of day. There are varieties of food and I never get bored of eating there. I recommend the Lumberjack Platter and to get the pancakes with the strawberries on top.
*chefs kiss*.
T.V. Show:
The best series hands down is The Big Bang Theory because of its comedy and appearances of popular actors. I have finished this series and moved onto Young Sheldon to try to understand why Sheldon is the way he is in Big Bang.
Band:
Korn is the band you want to listen to when you need to get things done. I sometimes need motivation to complete tasks and having someone scream at me motivates me. The songs I like most from them are "Got the Life" and "Coming Undone"
and Swimming are the best sports. There is never a dull moment and you are always on the edge of the seat. I grew up playing both sports and going to L.A. Dodger games at times.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Being The Manager With Bermudez
Lucy Campbell OPINIONS EDITOR
Peering through a narrow vertical window on the door of a small, tucked-away office underneath Whittier College’s Campus Inn, you can see a person sitting, lit up by the fluorescent light of a computer screen. Engulfed in a unique collection of all things Snoopy, Batman and Vans Off the Wall, themed trinkets, knick-knacks, and posters mark the perimeters of the office of the Managing Editor for the Quaker Campus, Jonathan Bermudez.
Born and raised in East Los Angeles, only a few streets over from Whittier Boulevard, Bermudez is an English Major with an emphasis on Creative Writing and a soon-to-be Whittier College graduate. In addition to his current role as Managing Editor, Bermudez previously held positions as both the head editor for the paper’s Arts and Entertainment (A&E) and Opinions sections, demonstrating a strong dedication and proficient involvement with the QC over the last couple of years.
I’ve ever been in a class like that before in college, and I thought the way he taught and the way he opened everything up I would say felt very liberal.”
While continuing to reminisce about his first class with Professor pAddy and the inspiring feeling it had given him, Bermudez continued, “I think that is the kind of teaching I like—not necessarily following some weird rubric, but allowing students to speak about what we read and like, and the critical theory, or how we connected to certain elements or material.
“It just felt so […] I guess freeing in a sense. And I was like, this is what I think I want to pursue, at least in terms of education,” concluded Bermudez as he placed a hand to his chin with thoughtful
I am also a person with ADHD, so my brain was always coming up with crazy stuff.”
reflection.
Consistently sporting one of the at least 20 pairs of Vans sneakers he so proudly owns, a vintage-looking band tee of some degree, and a classic pair of jeans, Bermudez can not only talk the talk, but can more importantly, walk the walk.
Bermudez came to Whittier College in 2023, after transferring from East Los Angeles College (ELAC) as a third-year. There, Bermudez was originally a Journalism Major and worked at the ELAC Campus News, intending to pursue journalism as a career. Quickly, those dreams began leaning more towards the side of English, transforming into a passion and interest in creative writing.
“It’s not that I don’t like journalism as a career anymore, it's just hard these days,” stated Bermudez as an earnest look took the place of his usual goofy smile. “It's kind of funny because originally in high school I wanted to be a cop and then a bunch of […] you know, stuff happened.”
Bermudez decided over time that it was best to focus his desire and interest in joining the police force towards other outlets that would allow him the same rewarding feeling of giving justice to people. Motioning with his hands to emphasize his point, Bermudez clarifies, “To be a journalist, it is kind of like being a cop. It’s a position where you can give justice to others, and it’s very similar to that kind of fulfillment. Being a sort of public servant in a way.”
When asked what finally made him decide that Whittier College was the place for him, he let out a small, quick chuckle, revealing, “It was definitely Professor [David] pAddy, I would say. I don’t think
support him while remaining a fulltime student. This was also when he ran into Emily Henderson, the QC Editor-In-Chief at the time, who was attempting to recruit people for the paper. Bermudez cheerfully agreed to try out. Bermudez describes one particular moment when he first realized he felt at home at the QC and with the other students who worked there. “I think the most memorable moment [for me] was one where some of the writers were trying to write funny questions for the ‘Ask A Poet’ column. I wrote a silly one about being lost in the library, which asked how to get out. That made them laugh, and I guess that is sort of how I became connected with everyone,” Bermudez stated, slightly tapping his fingers on the table before him as a wide grin became plastered on his face. The role
since childhood. According to Bermudez, “Ever since I was a child, I was always trying to write down what was going on in my head. I am also a person with ADHD, so my brain was always coming up with crazy stuff.”
A brief silence filled the space around him before quickly becoming filled with an abrupt chuckle, as Bermudez excitedly remembered, “I would constantly type on my mom’s work computers, and then at some points it would just get to where she had to replace the computers for work and stuff.”
After graduation, Bermudez plans to take a year off and continue to work at his off-campus job at Vans before possibly pursuing a Master's degree.
In addition, he intends to explore the world of literary publications, as his time and involvement as the Co-Managing Editor of the 37th issue of The Greenleaf Review in the spring of 2024 sparked his interest in magazine work.
As the first couple of months of attending Whittier seemed to roll by quickly, Bermudez found himself struggling financially, which eventually led him on a mission to find an on-campus job that could
given to Bermudez when he first started at the QC was nothing unusual for a seasoned writer such as himself. In fact, Bermudez had been writing far before most others his age, as creative storytelling had been something he had practiced
As one of the most authentic people I have ever come to know— not only in terms of his wicked sense of style, but also his outstanding, kind-hearted character—I can easily say that Jonathan Bermudez demonstrates a powerful knack for storytelling, utilizing words as a way to positively impact those around him which I hope he continues to do far after his time here at Whittier College is over.
Courtesy of Max
Courtesy of Norms
Jonathan manages the paper and his addiction for Snoopy. Jonathan Bermudez / Quaker Campus
Courtesy of Korn Sport: Baseball
Courtesy of LA Dodgers
Song: Nirvana makes the best music to drive around to. Their music makes me rethink life and all my decisions, however, the song "Love Buzz" makes me sing along loudly. Nirvana never misses and creates some of the best music known to man.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Tackling Social Media With Lexi Brattain
Jonathan Bermudez MANAGING EDITOR
It’s common among students to not know what to major in when they enter college. Lexis Brattain, an Orange County native, followed the same trend when she began here at Whittier College. Transferring from Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC), she remembers, “They set up a, um, like a Zoom meeting with you and basically like to talk about, like, you know, how you wanna go about things. I told them, like, I don’t really know what I wanna do, and it doesn’t really seem like you guys [Whittier College] offer a lot of majors.”
Business was a track she wanted to go down, and journalism was a pit stop that she thought about, but she did not want to be an English major because she doesn’t “love writing, so I don’t know why I was ever thinking [about] journalism,” she says, laughing in disbelief.
The Whittier Scholar Program (WSP) was introduced to Brattain during this process. “It sounded really interesting to me, and it’s been, honestly, it’s been so awesome,” she said with a joyous expression. WSP has given her the freedom that most majors don’t have but also the mo-
tivation for her to get things figured out. What she eventually ended up with was experiential marketing. “Basically [it’s] like consumer-focused branding and engagement,” she clarifies. But where she wants to go with that is into the world of sports. “I want to go into sports marketing [...] focus on, like, PR (public relations) and social media, communications [...] I love sports, so I want to be in that world,” she observes.
She has already stepped foot into the sports world by helping out with the Poet Athletics social media and working at baseball games and softball games. But her senior project was a bigger motivation for her to go down the path of her major.
“My senior project was the NFL (National Football League) in the digital era, like how social media has redefined [it],” she says.
She found how impactful social media is in the NFL as a whole organization and states, “[...] things would not be the same without social media.” Brattain has a lot of experience with social media from not only being the assistant social media member at the Quaker Campus, but also working on the social media team for the award-winning Greenleaf Review:Catharsis issue.
Compared to her other internships, Brittain claims that running the QC social media was a real step into the social media world“ [...] this was like [an] actual experience here [I was] gaining that helped me a lot, and it made it definitely real.”
Though she discovered her passion in marketing, one thing Brattain was certain about Whittier College was to swim here. “[...] when I was choosing to transfer, I knew I wanted to, like, excel in swimming and just couldn’t do that right out of high school.
I was thinking UC Santa Cruz or Whittier, and Whittier just kind of seemed like the perfect mix, like a little bit of my hometown,” she remembers.
The passion in her voice is heard when she says, “I really liked how it made me feel and like the friends I made through it[...] when I started swimming, it kind of brought me, I don’t know, like down to earth. It just helped me gain confidence in myself.” Unfortunately, she received a concussion when she was competing at Whittier College and had to sit out for the entire season.
“I started actually recently picking it back up just because I missed, like, how I felt when I
swam,” she reassures. Though her time in the QC was short, she made an impact on engagement for the organization, and because of her, it has never been more active. And that’s what Lexi Brattain loves: to be active.
Whether it’s swimming or helping out with social media, Brattain always gets the job done. Her journey at Whittier and the QC may be coming to an end, but Brattain will continue to move on, doing what she loves to do.
Dr. Doug And Breaking The Cycle Of Abuse
Piper Guinn NEWS EDITOR
Dr. Douglas Manuel II only slept two hours last night. The associate professor of English at Whittier College admits, “Today in all my lectures I’ve just been on a caffeine high trying to thug it out and make it across the finish line.” His sleep deprivation is a result of a grading session that was pushed off to spend time with his son. In addition to his role at the College—where he started teaching in 2020—Manuel is a husband and father to Cullen Manuel.
As always, Cullen is in the office with Dr. Manuel today. The toddler’s presence is evident in the room—children’s books populate the floor and a squatty potty has taken up shop in the corner. A small white gate with an impossible-to-open child safety lock has further marked its territory in the doorway. Despite the literal obstacles, Manuel manages to work with his son by his side.
The professor has built a reputable career as a poet, which includes two published collections of poetry—Testify (2017) and Trouble Funk (2023). His most recent poem, “The Fact My Father Has Died,” is included in the Spring 2025 issue of Ploughshares. Established in 1971, Ploughshares is an award-winning literary journal that The New York Times named “the Triton among minnows.” Manuel was solicited to be published in the most recent issue thanks to his prior accolades, something he feels “humbled and honored” by.
The busy father also teaches for
is no stranger to being published.
Spalding University’s low-residency Master of Fine Arts program, which he has done since 2017. “[Teaching is] one of the ways that I feel like he can help and be a part of the solution instead of the problem, and one of the ways to do the least amount of violence in this world,” Manuel expresses. With his feet on his desk, Manuel comfortably opens up about his life and work, stopping frequently to address his son’s needs without neglecting the conversation. “The Fact That My Father Died” came to Manuel about six months after his father passed away. The poet was named after his father, Doug-
las Manuel I, who “everyone called Big Doug.” Although he and his father “had a tough relationship,” the professor still carries the emotional burden of losing a parent, which he unravels through his work.
“My father was out of my life for most of [it],” Manuel details, speaking emphatically through his hands. For much of Manuel’s younger years, his dad was in prison, which created distance and resentment. “It took a long time to forgive” his father’s absence, the professor reveals. “By the end, my father was always way better to me than I was to him.”
After journaling and sitting in
the reality of his father’s passing, Manuel drafted “The Fact That My Father Died.” His poetry often comes from previous journal entries and language that he pieces together. “I never sit down and think ‘I’m gonna write about X.’ When I do that, I write something silly,” Manuel explains. “The fact that he was dead slapping me in the face. That image.” That’s what drew him into this piece. “It didn’t even seem real. Like right now, I [still] have the last voice message that he left me on my phone.”
As he acknowledges his father’s death again in real time, his hands come down, and his cadence falters slightly. Although his feet remain on the desk, he adjusts himself in the chair.
Grappling with his relationship to his father remains a challenge for Manuel, as his positive memories meld with his negative ones. His recent piece was a way to address and explore his feelings toward his father, something his poetry frequently does. “Everything I write always ends up coming back to my dad or mom. My mom died when I was young,” Manuel divulges.
Still managing his loss today, Manuel regrets not giving his father more of his time. He admits, “It’s not that you get better. You just get better at suffering […] I still feel it hardcore. Really hardcore.”
He wishes he had spent more time on the phone with his father, particularly. “He was always calling people on the phone ‘cause he didn’t have anything to do […] I would just put my phone on speaker and do chores while I was talking to my dad,” he fondly recalls, using his
hands again.
The author’s relationship with his own father has played a large role in the way he raises his son. He states, “I try to be everything my dad wasn’t, and magnify everything my dad was. The way Cullen goes everywhere with me—there’s so many pictures of when I was young of me and my dad together.” He plays back the good times with his dad, smiling. “All I’m gonna tell Cullen is the dope stuff about my dad.”
Manuel doesn’t think he balances being a father, author, and professor very effectively, and often downplays his own accomplishments. His affection for his son, success as a poet, and admiration from his students suggest the contrary. “My whole life I’ve kind of had imposter syndrome. I’ve always been the only black body in white spaces,” Manuel recounts. He attributed much of his success to his wife, without whom he “wouldn’t have written anything.”
Even though his poetry is often critical of their relationship, Manuel knows that Big Doug “was always so proud” of his work, which is “another beautiful thing” about him. He also feels his dad would be just as proud if he knew “The Fact That My Father Died” was included in Ploughshares.
Just before his passing, Manuel remembers his father’s pride when his last book came out on paperback. “He was like, ‘Look at you moving on up,’” Manuel replies, pausing to stop his own son from messing with the curtains. Emotionally, he adds, “He always told me I was the best thing he ever did.”
Lexi's favorite sport is football, and she loves the Rams.
Lexi brattain / Qiaker Campus
Professor Douglas Manuel II
Courtesy of ploughshares
Enjoy The New Album By Enjoy
Elias Loya COPY EDITOR
I can confidently say I’ve listened to hundreds of different genres, and while I tend to lean towards hip-hop, alternative is also one of my favorites. Within that expansive world of alternative, and at a crossroads of indie and punk, lies “Vada Vada”, a genre created by twins Wyatt and Fletcher Shears who serve as both parts of the band, The Garden.
While the twins have seen success through their main group, they both established their own solo careers, with Fletcher heading Puzzle and Wyatt leading Enjoy. On March 28, Enjoy released its newest album, The Sound Of Deceit, and my god, it’s already one of my favorite albums of the year.
Enjoy is rooted in punk, as the Shears twins grew up with a punk rocker dad, who exposed them to the local punk scene in Orange County, California. The punk DNA is seen throughout the album, notably
through the simple, aggressive, and fast-tempo guitar parts, while also being accompanied by a punchy bass.
This isn’t to say that Enjoy hasn’t developed its own sound, as you can hear Wyatt’s signature heavily-reverb, slightly chorsued, bright and jangly single-coil lead guitar for much of the album. In a way, it’s a sonic and spiritual successor to Enjoy’s previous album, Exploited. Overall, the album gives off a heavy DIY vibe that makes the listening experience that much more charming.
Despite the bright, jangly and in-yourface production, this album is filled to the brim with emotional vulnerability. Some of my favorite moments from this album include “Slip of the Memory”, “Drink Myself To Sleep”, and “Vulture”, all of which feature moments of anger, sadness, reminiscence, and regret. Compared to Exploited, The Sound of Deceit was less confrontational and a lot more self-reflective.
I will admit, though, the mixing can be off at times, so it can be kind of difficult
to hear Wyatt’s lyrics. Song meanings and depth aside, the choruses and guitar riffs are also insanely catchy, and I’ll find myself singing and humming the choruses for “Drink Myself To Sleep” and “My Garelli” while doing the most mundane of tasks around the house.
There’s also “Sentimental Parade”, a fully instrumental track that still somehow captures a sense of longing and nostalgia you get when looking back at an old photo album.
Enjoy’s fusion of indie and punk creates an immersive, echoey wall of sound that is perfect for sitting and reminiscing, confronting your inner demons, and of course for moshing. Through a combination of the charming, DIY feel of the production and its overall thematic progression,
Enjoy’s The Sound Of Deceit is one of my favorite albums of the year, and quite possibly of the last couple of years, and it will remain in my listening rotation with a guaranteed top-five song placement on my Spotify Wrapped this year.
Nintendon't Raise Prices For Games
Clover
Nintendo has announced the Switch 2, and the reaction from fans has been extremely divisive in online communities. The most recent Nintendo Direct on April 2 unveiled the highly anticipated Switch 2 to release worldwide on June 5 this year. The direct also announced the release dates of several new games which would either be launch titles or released shortly after the Switch 2, many of which fans have been waiting years for such as Deltarune chapters 3 and 4, the highly anticipated Metroid Prime 4, and Hollow Knight’s successor Silksong to name a few notable announcements. However, the biggest piece of news regarding the console has less to do with the games or the new technology the Switch 2 brings to the world of console gaming, but rather the price of the system and the games.
Firstly, the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 was revealed to be $449 USD, about double the price of its predecessor, the Nintendo Switch, which is still currently on the market and still selling very well in 2025. In addition, the price of games has been announced to be $80 USD, a significant jump from the Switch’s current price of games, which is $60 USD per game. Nintendo had previously experimented with raising the price of their games with the release of Breath of the Wild: Tears of the Kingdom, which sold at a retail price of
$70 USD. Although the price increase didn’t initially cause any reason for controversy since fans were reassured the price increase would not be a permanent change in their business strategy, fans felt betrayed; Nintendo not only raised their prices again, but raised them even higher.
This has sparked significant outrage with fans online as they think the steep prices of the Switch aren’t worth what they believe is a moderate to minimal upgrade in technology and features. In addition, with Trump’s recent tariffs on other countries, fans are concerned the price of the Switch 2 and its games could rise even higher, which would make the console significantly less accessible to people should it rise above $449 USD.
Nintendo has also been making the switch to market its consoles to a wider audience outside of their traditionally younger demographic, which has had its advantages and challenges. Nintendo’s marketing has been pushing the Switch and Switch 2 to young adults, such as college students, and the steep increase of prices will greatly affect sales if the people who are being advertised to would not even be able to afford the console. Many fans are also noting how the Switch 2 is following many similar patterns to the Wii U, the console before the Switch, which was a commercial failure as it failed to separate its identity from its predecessor and also being more expensive than the previous console. On the other side of the spectrum though, some fans are still holding out hope for the
and
Switch 2, citing how the quality and content of the console and its games could very well be worth the investment, alongside the nostalgia many fans feel towards Nintendo. Fans are holding out that the console will be worth the years of hype despite the price, but only time will tell if the Switch 2 will revolutionize the sphere of gaming, or if it will fail to live up to its lofty expectations.
Morales STAFF WRITER
Courtesy of gamerant Nintendo casues backlash with high prices fro new games
