Vol. 98 Iss. 4

THE TEMPLE NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 2019

PAGE 1

FEEDING

TEMPLE

UNIVERSITY

To celebrate 50 years at Main Campus, Richie’s is raising money for the Cherry Pantry.

Read more on Page 11 VOL 98 // ISSUE 4 SEPT. 17, 2019 temple-news.com @thetemplenews

NEWS, PAGE 5 Parliament held its first meeting on Monday to discuss its initiatives this @TheTempleNews year.

OPINION , PAGE 8 A student argues that increased on-campus construction limits students’ mobility.

INTERSECTION, PAGE 19 Coffee hours highlight cultures from around the world.

SPORTS, PAGE 22 Temple field hockey could break their Big East losing streak this week.

NEWS PAGE 2

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

THE TEMPLE NEWS A watchdog for the Temple University community since 1921.

Kelly Brennan Editor in Chief Pavlína Černá Managing Editor Francesca Furey Chief Copy Editor Colin Evans News Editor Hal Conte Assistant News Editor Gabrielle Houck Assistant News Editor Tyler Perez Opinion Editor Madison Karas Features Editor Bibiana Correa Assistant Features Editor Ayooluwa Ariyo Assistant Features Editor Jay Neemeyer Sports Editor Dante Collinelli Assistant Sports Editor Alex McGinley Assistant Sports Editor Alesia Bani Intersection Co-Editor Gionna Kinchen Intersection Co-Editor Michael Moscarelli Dir. of Engagement Colleen Claggett Photography Editor Jeremy Elvas Asst. Photography Editor Madison Seitchik Co-Multimedia Editor Jared Giovan Co-Multimedia Editor Kathy Chan Assistant Multimedia Editor Ingrid Slater Design Editor Nicole Hwang Designer Phuong Tran Advertising Manager Kelsey McGill Advertising Manager Lubin Park Business Manager

The Temple News is an editorially independent weekly publication serving the Temple University community.

Unsigned editorial content represents the opinion of The Temple News.

Adjacent commentary is reflective of their authors, not The Temple News.

Visit us online at temple-news.com.

Send submissions to letters@temple-news.com.

The Temple News is located at: Student Center, Room 243 1755 N. 13th St. Philadelphia, PA 19122

ON THE COVER ALEX ARMSTEAD / THE TEMPLE NEWS

CORRECTIONS

COMMUNITY

Lightning was cause of Oxford Street fire The blaze briefly displaced dents and residents in the immedistudents and residents from ate area to evacuate until an all-clear their homes earlier this month. was issued the following morning.

BY COLIN EVANS News Editor The Philadelphia Office of the Fire Marshal determined that lightning caused the rooftop fire at a vacant building near the intersection of 16th and Oxford streets on Sept. 2.

Lightning struck the building and caused a small fire that went unseen at first, said Kathy Matheson, a spokesperson for the fire department.

“It kind of smoldered unseen until it got large enough to be noticed,” Matheson said.

The blaze eventually consumed the entire building’s roof and could be seen from blocks away. The fire department shut off nearby blocks to pedestrian and vehicle traffic until the early hours of the morning as they tempered the blaze.

The fire department asked stu-

Temple counted approximately 100 displaced students who sought assistance during the fire, 10 of whom the university helped find alternative housing arrangements.

No injuries were reported.

The four-story building had been under construction, said Deputy Fire Commissioner Craig Murphy at a press conference the night of the fire.

PECO briefly cut power to the surrounding area, which included some student housing complexes, in order to avoid complications for firefighters who were extinguishing the blaze.

Natural causes, which include lightning, led to 1.6 percent of all residential fires in the U.S. in 2017, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. colin.evans@temple.edu @colinpaulevans

Accuracy is our business, so when a mistake is made, we’ll correct it as soon as possible.

Anyone with inquiries about content in this newspaper can contact Editor in Kelly Brennan at editor@temple-news.com or 215-204-6736.

A story titled “Parliament fills seats, avoids semester shutdown” that ran on Page 6 on Aug. 27, 2019 incorrectly stated the number of seats in Parliament and how many seats had been filled before the semester. Parliament filled approximately two-thirds of their seats before this semester.

News Desk 215.204.7419 news@temple-news.com

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NEWS PAGE 3

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

FACULTY

Report shows Temple spends less funds on faculty The university ranks sixth among U.S. schools with the largest faculty spending to revenue gaps.

BY MEGAN MILLIGAN For The Temple News Temple spends less on faculty relative to revenue from tuition than most universities in the U.S., according to a report from the Chronicle of Higher Education.

The difference between what money Temple received in tuition and fees and the amount they spent on instruction in the 2016-17 academic year was $307 million, according to the report.

The discrepancy ranks sixth among all U.S. universities. Pennsylvania State University ranked 5th with a $364 million difference.

A separate study by the Century Foundation, left-leaning think tank, found that for every dollar Temple receives in tuition, it spends $0.61 on instruction. Public universities on average spend $1.42. Temple is not a public university, so it receives less funding from the state.

It can be difficult to compare spending situations at different universities, said Douglas Webber, the director of graduate studies in economics at Temple. Temple gets very little support from the state and uses tuition not only to pay faculty and staff but to maintain buildings, he added.

“Things like that are usually covered [in] other states.” said Webber, an economics professor.

Temple, along with Pennsylvania’s other state-related universities, received a 2-percent bump in state funding this year. As a result, the Board of Trustees voted in July to freeze tuition for in-state

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undergraduate students.

But state funding per student in Pennsylvania has declined by nearly half since 1987, according to a report authored by Webber on Education Next, an education policy journal.

The university needs to use tuition revenue to pay non-instruction expenses because the university receives less money from sources like endowments, state funding and investments, wrote Chris Vito, spokesperson for the university, in an email to The Temple News.

“Temple’s limited revenue streams from non-tuition sources require the need for tuition and fees to support more than just instruction-related expenses,” Vito wrote.

Temple has the second-lowest endowment of Pennsylvania’s state-related universities.

The university is set to receive $158.2 million in state funding this year, which amounts to 12 percent of all revenue, according to the university’s annual budget. Temple previously received $172 million in state appropriations before they were slashed in 2011.

“From what I have seen, Temple doesn’t spend their money wastefully,” Webber said.

The data clearly reveals that Temple has the resources to pay its faculty, librarians and academic professionals better, wrote Steve Newman, the president of Temple Association of Union Professionals (TAUP) in an email to The Temple News.

“If Temple can spend more money to value properly the people who teach the students and perform other tasks central to the core missions of the university, why isn’t it,” wrote Newman, also an associate English professor.

Marsha Weinraub, the chair of

TAUP’s Tenured/Tenure Track Council, said the university needs to use its funds to invest more in full-time faculty and give adjuncts more contract stability.

“Our full-time tenured faculty isn’t growing as much as it should,” Weinraub said.

Temple’s non-tenured faculty grew by 19 percent while its tenured and tenured-track faculty grew just by 1 percent from 2013 to 2017.

“I think it’s very sad,” said Weinraub, also a psychology professor in the

College of Liberal Arts. “Our students pay a lot for tuition, and they should be getting their money’s worth.”

Instruction costs in the Chronicle study include wages and benefits paid to faculty and staff members. Tuition and fees exclude the cost of room and board.

The university expects an increase of $3.9 million in tuition and fee revenue this academic year despite undergraduate enrollment falling by 450, according to its annual budget. megan.milligan@temple.edu

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NEWS PAGE 4

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

CAMPUS

Med school’s racial diversity lags behind nation Medical schools across the Unit- of outreach and having different proed States are struggling to diver- grams that are actually going to impact sify as well, a 2019 study found. the community,” said Thompson, who

BY EMMA PADNER For The Temple News For African Americans, it can be hard to feel motivated to study medicine, said Johanna McMillan, a postbaccalaureate student at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine.

“That kind of pressure and the pressure that society puts on you, it’s not something that may be attractive for African Americans thinking about med school,” said McMillan, who identifies as Black and Mexican.

“A lot of us African Americans, we just don’t think that that’s something that’s necessarily possible,” she added.

Black, Hispanic, and American Indian or Alaska Native students are underrepresented at the medical school relative to the U.S. population, according to the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the Census Bureau.

The AAMC data shows that in 2018, Black students were underrepresented by 6 percent, Hispanic students by 13 percent, and American, Indian and Alaska students by 1.3 percent at the school.

Nationally, Black, Hispanic and American Indian or Alaska Native students continue to be underrepresented in medical schools despite the U.S. population becoming more diverse, according to a recent study by Jama Network.

A representative from TUH could not be reached for comment.

Lauren Thompson, a first-year medical student, said that the lack of diversity among medical schools is not just a Temple issue and the medical school is trying to rectify the issue as best they can.

“I’ve seen and talked to other faculty members that are really committed to getting a diverse and representative class, just because they know how important it is for the community in terms News Desk 215.204.7419 news@temple-news.com

identifies as African American. “There’s always more to be done, but Temple is heading in the right direction.”

Rachael Odusanya, a first-year medical student, said she chose Temple because it was more diverse than other schools she applied to. Though it can be discouraging that the student population is mostly white, the community support helps motivate her, she added.

“When I’m walking down the street, and the community sees me in my scrubs they’re like, ‘Don’t give up, keep going on,’” said Odusanya, who identifies as African American. “Things like that make me realize that we are making an impact on the patient population and the community.”

Still, Odusanya would like to see the medical school become more diverse in the future, she said.

“This is a med school. Diversity trickles down,” she said. “But I’m hoping that in the future, maybe 50 percent of the class will be other than white.”

More than half of the student population at the medical school is white, though the proportion of white students has steadily decreased since 2012, according to the AAMC data. The Jama Network study found a similar decrease in the proportion of white students nationally from 2002 to 2017.

In 19140, a zip code where Blacks represent 57.8 percent of the population, they accounted for just 7.4 percent of students at the medical school in 2018.

McMillan, who grew up in Germantown, said it’s important to tell kids when they’re young that they can be whoever they want to be and show them that it’s possible to go to medical school.

“We don’t have a lot of motivation from the background we come from,” she said. “We might not have the education that says, ‘Hey, you can actually do this.’” emma.padner@temple.edu

BY THE NUMBERS U.S. population by race Lewis Katz School of Medicine population by race 20%

15%

10%

6%

0% BLACK

HISPANIC

AMERICAN INDIAN /ALASKA NATIVE

SOURCE: US Census Bureau, American Association of Medical Colleges | INGRD SLATER / THE TEMPLE NEWS

temple-news.com

NEWS PAGE 5

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

TSG

Parliament outlines priorities for academic year One of the branch’s goals is to make campus more accessible to people with disabilities.

BY LAKOTA MATSON TSG Beat Reporter Temple Student Government’s Parliament held its inaugural meeting to discuss the branch’s expectations for its members and overall priorities Monday evening.

One of Parliament’s top goals is increasing accessibility for people with disabilities on Temple’s campus, said Drew Gardner, Parliament’s speaker.

TSG is working with Aaron Spector, Temple’s director of disability resources and services, to create a task force ensuring every building on campus is made in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Gardner said.

Gardner’s other goals for Parliament include increasing representative participation at student events and keeping a better record of Parliament activities.

“We weren’t being effective,” said Issa Kabeer, the vice-speaker of Parliament. “We should be able to pass resolutions all the time, we shouldn’t have to have this problem. And that problem was just drama.”

“We are an organization who was just a piece of hot trash last year in terms of interest,” Gardner said. “But we’ve made it already into something better.”

Parliament serves as TSG’s legislative branch and represents the entire student body, according to TSG’s Constitution. Launched in the fall of 2016, the branch has consistently struggled to fill open seats and pass resolutions.

The current TSG administration said they would request the legislative body to become inactive during their campaign but reneged after Parliament was able to fill most of its empty seats.

Parliament still has four seats open,

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COLLEEN CLAGGETT / THE TEMPLE NEWS Drew Gardner, speaker of Parliament, talks to Parliament representatives at the legislative’s body first meeting at the Student Center on Monday.

Gardner said, which he will be working to fill. The seats include representatives for the College of Education, the School of Social Work, the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management and the School of Theatre, Film and Media Arts, said Aurora Budson, TSG’s deputy director of Parliament communications.

Regardless, Gardner said he is pleased by the fact that so many seats are now occupied.

“As of now I actually feel very, very great about seats, considering how many seats we had to fill,” Gardner said. “And how many seats right now, I think we’re

phenomenal.”

Adbia Bhuiyan, Parliament’s honors representative, said that as a sophomore, she wasn’t aware of how Parliament had operated previously, but that this year, it was well-organized.

Hosting events for students who might be interested in what TSG does will help to get students involved, she added.

“All the schools should be represented, all the different years should be represented, and we are learning from past mistakes and improving on those things, just having our word out more and maybe on social media and stuff like that,”

Bhuiyan said.

Arshad Shaik, a Parliament at-large member who joined in the Spring, said his main goal is to make sure that students know that Parliament is there for them.

“There’s going to be issues that everyone can get behind,” he said. “If I can pick up on some of those ideas as me being a student, I’ll have some of those wishes and wants as well, hopefully. I can just chime in and make sure even if we don’t maybe make this big change, at least we get that voice heard.” lakota.matson@temple.edu

News Desk 215.204.7419 news@temple-news.com

NEWS PAGE 6

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

COMMUNITY

Program trains veterans to teach in Philly schools Troops to Teachers enrolls veterans in educational programs, helping them teach in the city.

BY HAL CONTE Assistant News Editor Derek Koon didn’t finish high school, choosing to pursue a 22-year career in the U.S. Army instead.

After leaving the military in 2004, Koon, 56, worked in a hospital for eight years before going to the Community College of Philadelphia in 2012, where he learned about Troops to Teachers, a national program that helps veterans become certified to teach in schools.

Koon was the only applicant in the program at Temple, which began last semester, and is now teaching 5th and 6th grade at Overbrook Educational Center four days a week.

“I always loved to teach. My wife is a teacher,” Koon said.

Temple is preparing to train more veterans to be teachers and earn their masters in education as the initiative moves into its second semester.

Those accepted to the program are placed within the Philadelphia School District where they work under a mentor before teaching their own classes, said Amy Scallon, the director of Troops to Teachers at Temple.

Enrollees must have taken two language arts, social studies and math classes and 16 credits in a specialty area as undergraduates to be able to teach at a middle school, said Tim Fukawa-Connelly, an associate professor of teaching and learning who teaches classes within the program.

The hope is that enrollees can finish the certification program in just one year, Fukawa-Connelly added.

The Department of Defense funds the program at Temple through a fiveyear grant that the university shares with

News Desk 215.204.7419 news@temple-news.com

NICOLE HWANG / THE TEMPLE NEWS

Slippery Rock University, Scallon said.

For the 2020-2021 school year, five people have already applied for the program, though the goal is to get at least eight, she added.

The program aims to provide math and science teachers to local schools, Scallon said. Participants are required to stay within the Philadelphia School District for three years.

Enrollees in the program receive a salary of $38,000 plus $12,900 in tutoring awards per year, she added.

“It’s a really supportive model,” she said.

Troops to Teachers was launched by the Department of Defense in 1993 to help veterans begin new careers as K-12

school teachers, according to the program’s website.

Koon said that his experience in the military may have given him more teaching insights than taking classes themselves.

“You have to teach young troops all kinds of stuff,” he said. “I know how to talk to an audience and get their attention, it was very effective in the school I was in because the climate was out of control.”

Troops to Teachers aims to reduce veteran unemployment, increase the number of male and minority teachers and improve American education as a whole, according to its website.

“I do think that the biggest factor is

the idea that these are people who are drawn to service,” Scallion said.

Fukawa-Connelly is excited about the possibilities the program could bring, he said.

“Say you’re a world languages teacher who comes out to teach Chinese because you’ve been stationed in Taiwan,” he said. “Just to talk about the importance of tone and culture, that’s super cool. It’s about thinking carefully about how vets can bring their experiences to the classroom.” hal.conte@temple.edu conte_hal

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OPINION TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

PAGE 7

EDITORIAL

Support veteran employment Temple University opened a branch of the national Troops to Teachers program in Spring 2019, helping veterans become certified K-12 teachers.

The federally funded program is managed by the Department of Defense’s Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support. Temple is accepting more students for this semester. Veterans are places in Philadelphia-area schools for at least three years.

Troops to Teachers provides a path for veterans, allowing them to continue using their leadership skills, and serving both their coun-

try and their community in their new roles. It also benefits local schools by providing more educators.

The Editorial Board praises Temple for supporting this community and continuing this program. We recognize the unique challenges that veterans face, as well as the need for quality educators in schools, and we commend the university for contributing to such an important program.

The Editorial Board hopes to see more applicants and, in turn, more strong leaders teaching in our schools.

EDITORIAL

More state funds for faculty Temple University spends less on its faculty relative to tuition revenue than most other public or state-related universities, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported.

For every dollar that the university receives from tuition payments, Temple spends $0.61 on instruction, the Century Foundation reported. The average for public universities is $1.42, and this difference arises mainly from local and state subsidies, among other things.

Temple has the second-lowest level of state funding and endowments from any Pennsylvania state-related university, only receiving $158.2 million in state funding this year, and that money is often needed for facility maintenance and non-instruction ex-

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penses. Therefore, the issue of poor faculty pay could be resolved with increased state funding.

The Editorial Board calls of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to increase state-funding to Temple with the explicit purpose of increasing funds for instruction and faculty.

The Temple faculty deserves higher pay for the quality education that they provide for students, and increasing state funding for instruction is an opportunity to correct that discrepancy.

Our high-quality education is predicated on the exceptional work of Temple’s faculty, and their dedication to excellence deserves proper compensation that the university could provide given increased state funding.

THE ESSAYIST

ADHD doesn’t define me

An ADHD diagnosis helped a student find that their academic struggles doesn’t define their ability.

BY BRITTANY VALENTINE For The Temple News

I

remember glancing down at the most recent “D” on my math test in high school. I thought that I had done my best. I genuinely thought I wouldn’t do any better, and that I was destined to always receive these grades.

Things like time management, concentration, retaining information, short-term memory and finishing work on time seemed impossible and I had such poor self-esteem and anxiety as a result.

But soon after, I started to question whether it was about my ability: maybe I’m not lazy, careless or disinterested in learning.

Maybe there was something holding me back from succeeding.

This thought drove me to the internet and I printed out a list of symptoms for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). I highlighted all that applied to me.

I learned that ADHD is a brain condition that led to frequent inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness, and finally all of my difficulties in school were starting to make sense.

Later, I reached out to a therapist and I was officially diagnosed with ADHD. A diagnosis can be a negative experience, but for me, it was a huge sigh of relief.

I finally understood why I am the way I am. It was reassuring to know that all of my struggles were due to neurological imbalanc-

es and not character flaws.

I was different, not broken.

For so much of my childhood, I lived my life apologetically, as if my existence was somehow a burden. I believed I was incompetent and destined for failure, and my grades would never improve.

With the help of medication and weekly therapy, I was able to bring my GPA up from 2.9 to 3.65, and I started to feel good about myself and my intelligence.

I also learned that success looks different for everyone, and that academic grades aren’t the only achievement that matters.

My first semester after transferring to Temple I took a journalism and society course. Although I started off well, I got overwhelmed towards the end and actually failed the class. It was a familiar feeling, having struggled academically my whole life, yet it hurt nevertheless.

But I knew I could do better so I pushed myself to retake the class. In doing so, I fell in love with journalism. I worked really hard to focus on studying despite my ADHD. I finished the class with a B+ and I am proud of myself for that.

It’s been 12 years since my diagnosis. I’ve been rebuilding my self esteem and learning to work with my brain. Today, I am in love with all the gifts that ADHD has given me and although I have weaknesses, I can succeed.

I might not get an award for doing my homework and getting better grades, but I’m proud of myself, and that’s what’s most important. brittany.leigh.valentine@temple.edu @recoveryspirit

letters@temple-news.com

OPINION TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

PAGE 8

CAMPUS

Construction isn’t worth everyday inconvenience Construction on campus limits mobility and diverts funds from programs for students.

As a first-year student at Temple, I was obviously nervous before my arrival. Having to navigate an entirely new place is intimidating.

So, getting an email before my arrival alSAMANTHA GANZEKAUFER ready reminding me For The Temple that I needed to take News an alternative route to my classes increased that stress tenfold.

I didn’t even know where the main entrances to most buildings are, let alone its alternative entrances. It’s difficult as a new student to navigate campus for the first time when major buildings and walkways are under construction, and it is imperative for the university to dial back on these frequent construction projects.

Charles Library is now open after four years of construction and the temporary closure of Liacouras Walk.

“As for functionality, I don’t see the purpose [of Charles Library], but I get it,” said Emily Hipp, a senior theater major. “It’s a new building on campus, but from a graduating senior’s perspective, I don’t think it was really necessary.”

But with the ending of one project comes the beginning of another. Now, the strip of Polett Walk between Anderson and Gladfelter Halls is closed for a year-long construction project of a terrace at the College of Liberal Arts.

New construction projects are improving campus spaces at an aesthetic value, but this construction is more trouble than it’s worth.

This makes it difficult to navigate campus, with different side entrances and pathways just to get to and from Anderson and Gladfelter classrooms.

“We need to change some of our letters@temple-news.com

NICOLE HWANG / THE TEMPLE NEWS

building and bring them up to current standards,” said Dozie Ibeh, associate vice president of Project Delivery Group, which is responsible for campus planning, design and construction. “We recognize that there is an impact there and we try to do whatever is possible to mitigate that.”

“It’s a short-term investment that we are making for the long-term growth and sustainability of the university,” Ibeh added.

While I understand that construction is necessary, student mobility outweighs that need.

Construction projects should be beneficial to students but with long timeliness, it’s unlikely that some students who are paying for the project with their tuition will ever get to enjoy it. The class of 2020 will graduate before CLA construction ends next fall. Their

year of decreased mobility around campus will be for nothing since they can’t enjoy the project once it’s here.

Although this construction eventually provides spaces for students to study and socialize, these construction projects are tedious and divert funds away from projects that could be more directly benefiting everyday lives of students.

“I think the assumption is that students like aesthetics but do we know if that is what students need and want?” said Joseph Paris, an assistant professor of instruction at the College of Education’s department of policy, organizational and leadership studies.

“I hope that institutions like Temple will do an analysis to determine [that] if we invest our finite resources here, it will have more of an impact in terms of a future generation of revenue that we can reinvest back into things like student

support, mental health, counseling and student wellness,” Paris added.

If more funds went to bolstering existing programs that affect students directly, more students would be getting the benefits of university resources, rather than the hindrances that come with lengthy projects.

Some better options for resource allocation on campus would be to improve Tuttleman Counseling services, develop new academic programs and provide more resources for students of color and LGBTQ+ students.

Instead of having both new and returning students relearn how to navigate campus every few years, we can concentrate on programs that will have a positive impact on student life from its implementation. samantha.ganzekaufer@temple.edu

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OPINION PAGE 9

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

THE ESSAYIST

Confirming a love for writing at summer camp pancakes in order to practice persuasive

Interning at a creative writing writing techniques. summer camp revived a future Every day was fun, and every day I teacher’s love for writing. learned how to create unique lesson plans

BY TYLER PEREZ Opinion Editor I love writing — it’s my greatest passion and so much more. It’s my language, my communication, my therapy.

All my life, I haven’t been the best at conversations, stumbling over prepositional phrases every time I wanted to express myself. However, writing let me convey every single word floating in my head easily.

What I can’t manage to say in person is expressed perfectly in a poem.

As my life grew more emotionally exhausting, with the pressures of college and the end of a long-term relationship, writing became a source of comfort — an encyclopedia of all the emotions I felt but couldn’t convey in conversation.

I decided to major in education and English because of my love of writing, and when it came time to look for my first internship, no organization was better than a creative writing summer camp.

Spells Writing Lab is just that: a non-profit day camp for kids ages 7-12, with the fifth week being exclusively for ages 12-17. At camp, we taught the kids about writing, reading and editing their writing through a number of engaging activities based on five different themed weeks: pirates, food, supervillains, outer space and graphic novel memoirs.

One day we taught the plot pyramid by analyzing the movie “Avengers: Infinity War.” Another day we wrote debate speeches that defended waffles or

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that would pique my students’ interests, keep them engaged and provide valuable information about writing effectively.

Oddly enough, these skills weren’t what stuck with me after this experience.

The most impactful thing was seeing how it reinforces and strengthens their own love of writing.

That’s something I found nearly each day when coming across campers that were so proud of the story they’d written that they ran to me frantically from across the room, filled with glee and demanding I read it right away.

Campers brought in their writing from home, sprinting to show me pages upon pages of exciting ideas and creative stories.

After seeing such phenomenal writing from people half my age, I was inspired to write in the first free moments I could, often haphazardly typing poems in my cluttered phone notes as I walked to the train station.

I wouldn’t even go home after camp most days — I just couldn’t. At least twice a week, I took the train from Fishtown to Center City and wrote poetry wherever I could: inside of coffee shops, on park benches and once on the stairs of the Comcast Technology Center.

These kids pushed me to become a more productive writer because of their own ambition and dedication. There’s something amazing about seeing a love for writing in one of your students.

I not only learned how to be a better teacher, but also a more passionate writer.

All of those hours of lesson planning were worth it to see their exuberant joy

NICOLE HWANG / THE TEMPLE NEWS

the moment they knew how much they loved writing.

I look back at the scribbled poems I penned on rickety train rides home and think about how magical those five weeks of camp were, how they revived a love of writing in me and reminded me of the joy that writing first brought me.

I signed up for this internship to teach these kids but it turned out they were the ones teaching me the whole time.

I was sad to leave Spells and to say goodbye to these kids, but I am grateful for all the writing I produced during that time and the inspiration they gave me.

And on the last day, as the campers prepared to leave for the last time, I told them something I’ll always live by: “don’t stop writing, never stop writing.” tyler.perez@temple.edu @tyler7perez

letters@temple-news.com

OPINION PAGE 10

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

COMMUNITY

Students: Participate in the Good Neighbor Policy New students should be aware of how their actions negatively affect community members.

The first thing everyone said when I decided to attend Temple was some variety of “Be safe,” or something along the lines of “Stay on campus.”

It was surprisMEAGHAN BURKE For The Temple ing when I arrived News at new student orientation to be shown a video on the Good Neighbor Initiative, which taught me not only those fears were wrong, but I should make a greater effort to be conscientious in everything I do.

The Good Neighbor Initiative is a program focused on teaching students how to be considerate of community residents in North Philadelphia. Students are urged by the initiative to keep streets clean, be involved members of their neighborhoods and be respectful of their neighbors with low noise levels, according to this policy.

Last week, Stephanie Ives, associate vice president and dean of students, sent out an email to Temple students encouraging them to get educated on the Good Neighbor Initiative and to find ways to shift behavior to be more conscientious of the community.

Students need to take greater strides to abide by this policy, because the moment we arrive at Temple, North Philadelphia becomes our home. The people living in it are our neighbors, so it is important that we treat them and the neighborhood with respect.

But this disrespect persists.

Students leave trash all throughout the streets and proceed to call the neighborhood dirty. They party throughout the night when they know that their neighbors have jobs and families.

We claim that North Philadelphia is a problem, but in reality many issues letters@temple-news.com

DEMI LI / THE TEMPLE NEWS

with this neighborhood can be traced back to ourselves, disrespectful students lacking regard for others.

It’s proof that we need to make an effort to get educated on and abide by the Good Neighbor Policy.

“The overall purpose of the Good Neighbor Initiative is to create better relationships between students and long term residents, primarily through educating our students about what it means to be a good neighbor,” said Chris Carey, senior associate dean of students and chair of the Good Neighbor Committee.

The Good Neighbor Committee has worked to improve community relations, but ultimately the responsibility falls on students to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner, Carey said.

One of the easiest ways to be a better neighbor is to simply introduce yourself

to develop friendly relationships, according to this policy.

Other ways to be a good neighbor are to keep noise levels down, offer to help neighbors shovel snow, participate in events and cleanups and learn the history of the neighborhood.

“Universities are really important and need to have good relations with the communities around them,” said Christina Rosan, a geography and urban studies professor, who’s involved in community cleanups.

Something we don’t think about is when we graduate, the mess we leave behind doesn’t just disappear. Long-term residents have to choose between cleaning up after students once they leave or being forced to live with the mess, neither of which is fair.

“Our neighbors are going to be here

after our students graduate,’’ said Andrea Swan, the community and neighborhood affairs director for the Office of Community Relations. “We should certainly treat our neighbors the way we would want our parents, our grandparents and our loved ones to be treated.”

This is a neighborhood with people who have lived here for years and will long after we are gone, and the least we can do is be neighborly, kind and respectful.

Temple is a college, but North Philadelphia is not a college town, and the sooner we realize that, the greater change we will make. meaghan.burke@temple.edu @meaghanburke61

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PAGE 11

ON CAMPUS

Fundraiser celebrates 50 years of sandwich shop The Office of Annual Giving and Richie Jr. are partnering to help students with food insecurity.

BY EMMA PADNER For The Temple News Richie Jr. practically grew up on campus. He watched his grandfather and father run Richie’s, in the sandwich shops’ original “food pad” near Tuttleman Learning Center.

Twenty years ago, Richie Jr. bought the cafe from his father, and this year, he celebrates 50 years of the business at Temple. Richies’ now-relocated shop at The Wall draws long lines every weekday around lunchtime and has expanded to three locations on campus this past year.

“It was something that was legendary, growing up here, being a part of [it],” Richie Jr. said. “That’s been 50 years. I mean it’s come and gone so fast.

I’m just blown away because I’ve been here for 20 years myself.”

For the shop’s 50th anniversary, Richie’s is promoting a fundraiser for the Cherry Pantry, Temple’s on-campus food pantry, through Temple’s Office of Institutional Advancement. The Cherry Pantry provides food and other goods to students experiencing food insecurity.

The goal is to raise $5,000 before the end of the month, and the fundraiser has already raised $4,250 since launching on Sept. 3, said Jason Strohl, the assistant director of direct messaging in the Office of Institutional Advancement.

Strohl said the fundraiser will be sending out interactive games, like a “Which Richie’s Food Item Are You?” quiz to raise awareness for it.

Strohl added that when they met, Richie brought up the idea to donate to the Cherry Pantry.

“He felt really strongly about feeding the Temple community, making sure that everyone has food to eat,” Strohl

@TheTempleNews

ALEX ARMSTEAD / THE TEMPLE NEWS Students line up at Richie’s food stand on Sept. 13. Richie Jr. is celebrating 50 years of selling food at Main Campus.

said. “Even if they can’t afford to go to Richie’s, they can go to the Cherry Pantry and eat there.”

Richie Jr. said that the fundraiser goes beyond monetary donations—it helps raise awareness about the Cherry Pantry.

“People think it’s just food,” Richie Jr. said. “When there are issues, when there’s trouble, it’s not about monetary support … It’s about being supportive, a friend.”

Matthew Wolf, a sophomore history major, said he goes to Richie’s about twice a week for his coffee. He said the fundraiser was a good idea because it’s important for a business to help the community it serves.

“It’s really cool that a local business

based on Temple itself is trying to help the Temple community,” Wolf said.

“That’s always a good thing, especially nowadays in such a tumultuous climate, it brings people together.”

The fundraiser shows that the Temple community is always looking out for each other, Strohl said.

“Raising money for something like the Cherry Pantry … it’s just one of the ways we show that as members of the Temple community we will do everything we can to lift each other up,” he added.

Richie Jr. said the anniversary is special to commemorate his family’s legacy, especially after his grandfather passed away last year. He added the students at Temple have driven him to keep run-

ning Richie’s for 20 years.

“They’re my fan base, they’re my friends, they’re part of the family,” he said.

He added that the best part of being around for so long is seeing past students and new generations come back to enjoy Richie’s.

“You have my grandfather’s customers who recently come to visit, to my father’s customers, to my customers, and now you have mothers and fathers and their kids coming to school here,” Richie Jr. said. “The longevity, the love that they have for Temple, the love they have for Richie’s, it’s just really overwhelming.” emma.padner@temple.edu @emmapadner

features@temple-news.com

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

CULTURE

Moon festival connects students with family afar Student organizations hosted a jong, Chinese chess, Chinese yo-yo and celebration on Main Campus for Chinese calligraphy. Attendees were also able to try on traditional Chinese robes a traditional Chinese holiday.

BY EMMA LORO For The Temple News Maggie Zhang first celebrated the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival when she was 2 years old.

“When I was young and in China [the festival] was a big family party,” said Zhang, a first-year financial analysis graduate student. “People are always busy and don’t really have time to join together so it’s a specific time for family to celebrate.”

The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival is a Chinese holiday that is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month.

It is believed that the full moon on this day is the brightest it is all year, Zhang said.

Zhang is the president of Temple’s Chinese Students and Scholars Association that helped host the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival celebration outside of Ritter Hall on Sept. 13. CSSA, along with the Confucius Institute, a non-governmental organization that helps to promote Chinese culture on campus, collaborated on the event.

“When I came to the United States, I realized how traditional this holiday is, and I wanted to celebrate and introduce it to foreign students,” Zhang said. “It’s traditional Chinese culture.”

It is a family-oriented holiday that is about coming together with family and cooking and eating together, Zhang said.

At the celebration, the Confucius Institute provided attendees free Chinese cuisine, bubble tea and mooncakes —red bean and lotus seed treats — which are a traditional part of the celebration.

Mooncakes are usually sweet or salty and round to represent the shape of the moon.

Students taught attendees multiple Chinese games and traditions like Mah-

features@temple-news.com

and costumes.

Zhang said she became president of CSSA because she was interested in helping Chinese students become comfortable and well-adjusted to life at Temple.

When she came to the United States as a 10th grader, she was alone and remembered needing help and support from friends, she added.

“It’s painful not knowing the language [and] society, and it’s really different,” Zhang said. “I want to help students and make them feel that they have friends and family here at Temple.”

The Confucius Institute was lauched at different place in the U.S. in 2005, and opened its branch at Temple in spring 2015. The Institute plans activities that promote Chinese culture, language and inclusion on campus. They also organize free Chinese language courses to students, talks on daoist scriptures, weekly Chinese tea time and game nights.

The Institute’s co-director, a festival is historically associated with many myths: a goddess of the moon who took a pill of immortality, a noble rabbit who was placed on the moon, a man who chops down a tree and a variety of others, said Louis Mangione, co-director of the Confucius Institute.

Customs and stories of the myths vary depending on the region of China, Mangione added. Mangione said a lot of people who are not able to celebrate with friends and family often feel very homesick, he said.

“We felt that it would be good to use this as an opportunity to get people familiar with the culture,” he said.

Holly Meng, director of the Office of Executive Leadership Education at Temple’s Center City Campus and CSSA faculty adviser, has helped them host the event for the past four years.

The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival is

JEREMY ELVAS / THE TEMPLE NEWS Freshman architecture major Bethany Newell tries on a traditional Chinese robe at the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival on Sept. 13.

JEREMY ELVAS / THE TEMPLE NEWS Temple students play a game with beans at the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival celebration on Sept. 13.

the second most important holiday outside of Chinese New Year, and no matter how far away you are from your family, people can look at the same full moon that their family is enjoying together and think of their loved ones, Meng said.

“When we were little, we celebrated

and waited for the moon to come out,” she added. “We hope students can feel the same way at Temple. You have family here that you can still celebrate with, even if your family is far away in China.” emma.loro@temple.edu

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

ART

Fringe show brings awareness to opioid epidemic

Alumni play seeks to demystify the stigmas surrounding substance use disorder.

BY LILLIAN GERCZYK For The Temple News Amanda Shaffern was admitted into Alumni TIES, a state government exchange program, after studying abroad at Temple Rome in 2014. She usually brushed off their invitations to seminars on global issues, until she learned the theme for 2018: the opioid epidemic.

“I kept thinking about it and I had this idea,” said Shaffern, a 2015 theatre and speech pathology alumna. “There’s a lot of verbatim pieces that deal with hard issues ... but I didn’t know of one that specifically centered on addiction.”

Shaffern, and Peter Loikits’, a 2017 theatre alumnus, debuted their play “Siren Songs” at this year’s Philadelphia Fringe Festival. The show follows seven people who are in recovery for opioid addiction. It ran from Sept. 6, to Sept.

15, and was performed at Warehouse on Watts between Cambridge and Watts streets.

To understand the tribulations of addiction and to prepare for the show, Shaffern and Loikits conducted more than 50 interviews with former opioid-users; seven of which are featured in “Siren Songs.”

The play seeks to raise awareness about substance use disorder, demystify stigmas and negative connotations surrounding it, like using the word “junkies,” said Loikits, the show’s director.

“It’s our statement, for us as artists, that this is a problem and we need to change it,” he added.

Shaffern and Loikits applied for a grant through Alumni TIES to fund the play, and after receiving it last year, they began creating a production that would start the conversation on substance use disorder.

Shaffern, the show’s producer, said that she centered the play primarily on the epidemic in Philadelphia as she @TheTempleNews

JEREMY ELVAS / THE TEMPLE NEWS Actors perform in “Siren Songs,” a production about substance use disorder as part of this year’s Philadelphia’s Fringe Festival on Sept. 12.

mainly interviewed Philadelphians affected by it, but the epidemic is affecting people all over the country.

“These people are real, they’re human, and they deserve to have their stories told just like everyone else,” Loikits said.

The two alumni wanted to convey a more accurate and first-hand account of the subject. They achieved this by having the play be verbatim-style, meaning the dialogue is constructed on the precise words spoken by the interviewees.

“No one from what I had found, at least in the theatrical sense, had done it straight from the source,” Shaffern said.

“We’re getting rid of all bias. We wanted to get a full 360-depiction, as best we could to help end an epidemic and to tell stories.”

Because the characters are based on real-life stories, their identities are anonymous and are defined by their case study number, age and gender.

Blake Lowry, a 2017 theatre alum- Health. Though drug overdoses declined nus at Columbus State University in by 8 percent, opioids were detected in Columbus, Georgia, approximately 84 played Case Study 10, percent of the total These people are a queer man in his deaths that year.

20s with substance real, they’re human, Given these stause disorder, coming and they deserve to tistics, Shaffern and to terms with his sexLoikits stress the imuality. Though Low- have their stories told portance of audience ry has never met his just like everyone members empathizcharacter is based on, ing with people who he’s been able to sym- else. experienced opioid pathize and identify Peter Loikitis addiction and sepwith his character. arating the person 2017 THEATER ALUMNUS “If I had been in from the disease. the wrong place at “You don’t know the wrong time, I can see how I could’ve what people go through in general,” gone down that path easily,” Lowry said. Shaffern said. “This show really opened “This crisis doesn’t discriminate against my eyes. Yes, there’s the bad in the world, race, gender or social class. All you have but there’s also hope that can come out to do is make that one wrong choice.” of it. It made me see hope within people In 2018, 1,116 overdose deaths were and empathize more.” reported in Philadelphia, according to lillian.rose.gerczyk@temple.edu the Philadelphia Department of Public features@temple-news.com

FEATURES

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

PAGE 14

FASHION

Alumnae’s waterwear business is staying afloat Khadijah Robinson-Rice and Ki- Muhly said. Their first product, Aqua something we wish we had, let’s think director of the Fox School of Business‘ ana Muhly started Kay & Kay Waterproof Headwear, is a stylish, about it, talk about it, and see if there’s a 1810 Accelerator Program, a program breathable, compact waterproof piece viable product,” Muhly added. supporting start-ups.

Group after meeting at Temple.

BY TAYLOR JOHNSON For The Temple News When Khadijah Robinson-Rice was surface-snorkeling on a beach in Aruba, she had to put on a baseball hat to keep her hair extensions from getting wet.

“I was so embarrassed at the time,” said Robinson-Rice, a 2004 business administration and marketing alumna. “I didn’t want my extension and my real hair at the top to separate, and then I [would] look crazy at the beach.”

After speaking with her business partner, Kiana Muhly, a 2003 accounting alumna, the two realized that they needed a product that’s fashionable and can be worn in rainy weather without ruining their hair.

Robinson-Rice and Muhly launched their lifestyle company, Kay & Kay Group, in 2014 to create innovative goods that solve everyday problems,

that can be used in various scenarios in order to protect hair, Muhly said. It was put on the market last year.

In the five years since they’ve launched their company, Kay & Kay Group has stayed in business by applying the experience they’ve gained through their programs at Temple, Muhly said.

The pair met during their freshman year in 2000, both aspiring entrepreneurs, who shared the same English professor. Their friendship blossomed as soon as they connected, Robinson-Rice said.

“We saw each other all the time and kept speaking, walking in [each other’s rooms], saying hi, and we eventually became the best of friends,” she added.

They stayed in contact throughout the years after graduation, and began to brainstorm and expand on the countless ideas they developed, Muhly said.

“A few years ago, we forced ourselves to say that when we come up with

The two quickly realized many of their ideas were expensive to prototype and therefore decided to start with something that they can do themselves, which would in turn help fund future ideas. That’s how the headwear idea was formed.

“It wasn’t intentional to go into the fashion industry,” Robinson-Rice said.

“It was more of an ‘aha’ moment and it led us here.”

From leaving her full-time job in the corporate world and many sleepless and overworked nights, Mulhy said the pair put everything they have into their business.

Most startups do not survive longer than four years with a failure rate of 44 percent, due to lack of market need, according to Small Business Trends.

Many students’ business ideas have a similar problem, as they tend to offer customers something they like, but not something they need, said Greg Fegley,

KATIE DOGGETT Freshman sociology major

VOICES Does construction on campus inconvenience you?

It’s made it harder for me to get to class on time. It’s my first year here so I don’t know if this is normal, but it’s always so crowded

by Anderson and Gladfelter and I end up late to class a lot of times because of the construction.

BRYAN DINH Freshman marketing major It hasn’t been that big of an inconvenience because it doesn’t really affect the school I go to, which is Fox, but I could see how it could inconvenience the students of [College of Liberal Arts.]

features@temple-news.com

“You need to see if [the product] is a solution to the most painful problem of the target consumer,” he added.

The scariest and most fulfilling moment of their business’ journey so far was positive feedback from consumers, Robinson-Rice said.

“It’s really surreal that it’s actually happening, but at the same time like, wow, this is my life,” Muhly said.

As for future products, Kay & Kay Group promise to “waterproof your entire life” with the list of ideas they hope to put into production shortly, Muhly said.

“This is my heart and my soul, this is me,” Robinson-Rice said. “This is everything I have and ever wanted for my life. To see everything you worked hard for finally come into fruition, words can’t describe.” taylorjohnson@temple.edu

RACHEL MURPHY Senior community development and Spanish major I have to leave earlier and I’m sure it’s more of a hassle for other people who have disabilities or have crutches. I’m just very confused about why they’re redoing the outside of the buildings because the inside is just a pain to navigate, I don’t see how it’s that much better than what it was before.

MARVIN MANALO Senior kinesiology major

It gets in the way of people trying to get to class. and work as well as just generally makes being outside and spending time outside and utilizing this campus an obligation.

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FEATURES TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

PAGE 15

LIVE IN PHILLY

JEREMY ELVAS / THE TEMPLE NEWS

Traditional food and dance help celebrate Mexican heritage

On Sunday, hundreds filled the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing for the Mexican Independence Day Festival, celebrating Mexican culture as part of PECO’s Multicultural Series. Attendees swarmed the area filled with food vendors and artists selling their crafts.

Mexican food, like tacos, cemitas and chicharrónes, were served at the festival, attracting long lines of people. Organizations, like Xfinity, NBC Telemundo and the Mexican Consulate of Philadelphia, set up tables to provide information about local resources, products and services.

Alyza Ngbokoli, a first year education grad student at University of Pennsylvania, attended the event for the first time.

“It is amazing. My favorite part so far has been food,” she said while drinking a piña colada.

Along with food and craft tables, various performers took the stage, including a rendition of the Mexican folk dance Danza de los Viejitos, or “Dance of the Old Men”.

Angela Sileo, freshman French major, went to the event as part of a trip organized by her resident assistrants at Morgan Hall South. “[I’m looking forward to] seeing a lot of cultural things, learning about the food and the dances,” she said. @TheTempleNews

FEATURES PAGE 16

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

MAJORS WORD SEARCH JOURNALISM FINE ARTS ARCHITECTURE ECONOMICS COMMUNICATIONS ACCOUNTING ENGLISH PSYCHOLOGY

NURSING ENGINEERING BIOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS ADVERTISING KINESIOLOGY PHYSICS

AUTUMN CROSSWORD DOWN

ACROSS

2. Holiday that involves a lot of food

1. Main sport of the season

3. First month of Fall

4. Holiday that involves dressing up in costumes

6. Main staple of Fall fashion that keeps you warm 9. Aritcle of clothing that keeps your neck warm

features@temple-news.com

5. Popular seasonal drink 7. Another name for Fall 8. Falls off of trees 10. Traditional German festival

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INTERSECTION PAGE 17

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

INCLUSIVITY

Latinx: Redefining traditional gendered language Students from a Latinx organization discuss the importance of the gender-neutral term.

BY ALESIA BANI Intersection Co-Editor

L

atinx is a gender-neutral umbrella term used as an alternative to Latina and Latino, both binary gendered identifiers.

The term was first used around 2004 among queer groups, but the use has spread beyond the LGBTQ community, Complex, a New York-based magazine, reported. Latinx came into popular use around 2014 and has increased in interest since, according to Google Trends data.

Gendered language uses masculine or feminine nouns, according to the British Council. In languages, like Spanish, people and objects are gendered this way.

Jennifer Martinez, a sophomore journalism major who identifies as Latinx, said the term allows for diversity and cultural awareness in the community.

“There’s a lot of stigma against the LGBTQ community in Latin countries, and I think this term is not a turning point but a starting point for allowing more inclusivity,” Martinez said.

Luisa Suarez, a sophomore journalism and political science major, is the co-president of a new organization, the LatinX Media Association — the first organization at Temple to have the term in its title.

Suarez, who is Columbian and identifies as Latinx, said the organization wants to increase inclusive representation of the community at the Klein College of Media and Communication and at the university.

@TheTempleNews

“Gender really is a spectrum, and we want everyone to feel like they are included in our title,” she said.

Millennials are significantly more likely to openly identify as LGBTQ than generations before them, and 12 percent identify as transgender or gender non-conforming, according to a 2017 Accelerating Acceptance survey by GLAAD, an LGBTQ advocacy group.

The term Latinx is included in the Merriam-Webster and the Oxford English Dictionary, but not in the Royal Academy of Spanish, an institution charged with safeguarding the correct use of the Spanish language. Spanish-language purists argue that the word Latinx is about political correctness and that the word is a threat to the Spanish language, Oprah Magazine reported.

Martinez said she doesn’t think Latinx is affecting Spanish because languages are evolving and people can be stubborn to change.

“There’s also a lot of toxic masculinity in our culture ... and that allows them to be a little stubborn when it comes to being more inclusive,” she added.

Suarez said the Latin community is very diverse so there should be an effort to make people who don’t identify as Latino or Latina comfortable.

“I think some people like to stick to the more traditional Spanish language but what I say is that although that might work for you, that’s not going to work for everybody and as a language we should strive to be as inclusive as possible,” Suarez said.

Beyond gender inclusion, Suarez finds Latinx to be more inclusive to people who do not speak Spanish and therefore do not identify as Hispanic, like Brazilians and Haitians.

Nu’Rodney Prad, the director of stu-

NICOLE HWANG / THE TEMPLE NEWS

dent engagement at the Center for Institutional Diversity, Equity, Advocacy and Leadership, said the office encourages Temple to use the word Latinx.

“We gladly accept the usage of the term Latinx but we also don’t shun or judge if people utilize terms such as Hispanic, Latino or Latina,” Prad said. “It is up to the person and how they characterize themselves.”

Temple has really set itself apart from a lot of other universities with its inclusivity, Suarez said.

Latinx has been used in the names of campus events by other organizations and sponsors.

“They’ve embraced the Latinx presence at Klein College and they’re embraced it at the university. They’ve been so supportive,” Suarez said. “I’m just really glad to have a safe space and feel comfortable at this university.” alesia.bani@temple.edu @alesia_bani

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

CULTURE

Students explore identity, culture while abroad Studying in another country allowed some students to learn about their privilege.

BY DEVYN TRETHEWAY & GIONNA KINCHEN For The Temple News Temple students are choosing to study abroad during college to build their professional experiences and become more culturally conscious.

Students can travel to Ecuador with Temple’s Latin American Studies Semester Program or study in one of several other countries like Chile, Cuba, Argentina, Brazil and Costa Rica through external study abroad programs.

Caroline Muehlbronner, a senior media studies and production and environmental studies major traveled to San Jose, Costa Rica, this summer to complete an internship with the Klein College of Media and Communication Global Opportunities, which provides opportunities in the U.S. and abroad for all students to obtain academic and practical experience.

Muehlbronner was the only student from Temple among the eight students she traveled with. This allowed her to meet all different kinds of people from the country, as well as work on her Spanish language skills.

The experience also gave her a new sense of self-awareness regarding her identity, Muehlbronner said.

“Being there made me feel much more aware of my body in space and my privileges [as a white American],” she said. “There’s a fine line between want-

intersection@temple-news.com

ing to learn and immerse yourself in the culture versus pretending you’re a local or someone who actually knows what it’s like to live in Central America.”

The experience abroad also gave her new opportunities when she returned to Temple, Muehlbronner said.

She now works as a

employment within six months of earning a degree, regardless of their chosen career field, according to the International Business Seminars. Eighty five percent of students who studied abroad also felt their experiences helped them build valuable skills for the job market, according to a

peer advisor for Klein GO and as an ambassador for global experiences.

While only 49 percent of college graduates find employment within 12 months of graduation, 90 percent of study abroad graduates find

2012 Recent Graduates Survey by the Institute for the International Education of Students.

Naomi Szanto, a 2019 psychology major and Spanish alumna who traveled to Oviedo, Spain, said she is able to apply

experiences from studying abroad to her career today. She is a graduate student at Boston University, where she is studying to become a mental health counselor.

“A lot of what we talk about in class coincidentally is culture, and I realized that someone can come into my office from a culture that is completely different than what I grew up with,” Szanto said. “I have an advantage when it comes to understanding someone from a different country because I have experienced what it’s like [outside of the U.S.].”

She enjoyed being immersed in Spanish culture, Szanto added.

“Learning different cultures was my biggest takeaway.” Szanto said. “You can read it in a book, you can learn about it in class, but [when] you really experience it is when you get to understand it.”

Skylar Bones, a sophomore criminal justice and Spanish major, studied in Ecuador through LASS in February and March. Bones said the Ecuadorian culture was extremely inviting and friendly.

“You are passing someone on the street, they say ‘Hi’ to you and you don’t even know the person,” Bones said.

Muehlbronner thought she had made a wrong decision to study abroad at first, but keeping an open mind made it a great experience, she said.

“If you are interested in doing something don’t let any of your fears prohibit your experience,” Muehlbronner added. intersection@temple-news.com @TheTempleNews GRAPHIC BY NICOLE HWANG

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

CULTURE

Domestic, global students connect at coffee hour The Office of International Student Affairs hosts coffee hours three times each semester.

BY GIONNA KINCHEN Intersection Co-Editor International Coffee Hours are more than just a free cup of coffee. The events are about exploring the different international cultures on campus.

The events are held by the Office of International Student Affairs, a department created to support the success of international students. They occur three times per semester, each showcasing a different country through food, music, decorations and activities.

International Coffee Hours are meant to create a space where both international and domestic students can come together and be exposed to other cultures, said Leah Hetzell, ISA’s director. The office has highlighted India, Albania, Venezuela, and Korea in the past.

“We really want to not only support just international students but also to bring American and international students together,” Hetzell said. “One of the ways that the idea came about was to have a space where we could bring together the community at Temple to learn about other cultures...and to have a public space where they can come monthly and be together and everyone is welcome.”

The events are a model used by many universities, but Hetzell said ISA customizes the events to make them fit the Temple community.

“For us it’s all about the student interest and involvement...It’s really driven by what students want to see and are passionate about,” Hetzell said.

Marena Ariffin, ISA’s assistant director, said she hopes attending the coffee hours will open up people’s minds.

“In many ways it’s very educational for a lot of people,” Ariffin said. “Some of the countries that we have highlighted... are not objectively portrayed well in the

@TheTempleNews

NEIL GOLDENTHAL / THE TEMPLE NEWS Junior marketing major Renata Molinari (left) speaks to attendees at the International Coffee Hour in the Student Center on Sept. 10, 2019.

news. So, when we bring these [countries] to life during our coffee hours, you get to see another side outside of the politics, which is important.”

The International Coffee Hours have brought together many students who otherwise may never have met, Ariffin said. She often hears about international and domestic students meeting at the coffee hours and forming lasting friendships.

“I think that that’s also another goal that we’re hoping to push forward with the coffee hours, that it brings together international students and domestic students to have conversations and get to know one another and you know, if they get a friendship out of it, even better,” she said.

ISA highlighted Brazilian culture at its most recent International Coffee Hour on Sept. 10 in the Student Center.

Fogo de Chão, a Brazilian steakhouse in Center City, provided authen-

tic Brazilian cuisine for the event. Volunteers taught the history of Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art. ISA also worked with members of BRASA, the Brazilian Student Association, to provide various activities, like Portuguese language-learning.

For Hetzell, the labor it took to organize the Brazil coffee hour was worth it when she saw the room full of students, engaging with one another and learning about Brazilian culture.

“The music was so chill and everyone just kind of seemed happy,” she said.

“And that’s the feeling we look forward to with these coffee hours because in that moment it’s a lot of planning. It’s a lot of work. I feel like we’re creating a thing [where] people feel like they are transported.”

Manuela Sobral, a junior tourism and hospitality management major and the vice president of BRASA, said she felt an immense sense of pride organiz-

ing the Brazil Coffee Hour.

“A lot of my American friends came to stop by, and it just always feels special to be able to share with them where I come from and who I am,” she said.

Students felt transported at the Brazil Coffee Hour, Sobral said.

“All my Brazilian friends came up to me and they were just like, ‘Wow, I feel like I’m home,’” she said. “And that was like, the best thing I heard. I was so happy to hear that because we planned it with so much love.”

ISA’s next International Coffee Hour is on Oct. 1 to coincide with National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, which raises awareness for the LGBTQ community. The event will focus on gender and sexuality inclusion on a global and cultural perspective. gionna@temple.edu @GionnaKinchen

intersection@temple-news.com

INTERSECTION PAGE 20

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

MENTAL HEALTH

WRC ‘sheds light’ on new mental health initiatives The center is adding programming to destigmatize mental health issues among students.

BY MYKEL GREENE For The Temple News September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness month, but Temple University’s Wellness Resource Center works year round to address mental health issues on campus.

This month, the WRC hosted its annual “Shed Some Light” event, which informs students of on-campus mental health resources, while also destigmatizing mental health issues, said Liz Zadnik, assistant director of the WRC. The event hopes to reduce barriers students face when accessing mental health care.

The WRC is Temple’s health promotion office focused on helping the campus community understand wellness and self-care.

Suicide is the second most common reason for deaths of people between 10 and 43, according to a 2017 study by the Center for Disease Control. It is the leading cause of death among college and university students in the United States, the Suicide Prevention Resource Center reported in 2014.

This year, the WRC is rolling out a new suicide prevention training called Question Persuade Refer. Two of Zadnik’s colleagues are certified in this training that focuses on how to stay calm and connected to a person who discloses they are contemplating suicide and how to react without panicking.

“It’s all a muscle,” Zadnik said. “Listening and truly listening to hear rather than listening to respond is something that takes practice.”

The WRC also offers peer education, which gives students various peer-facilitation certifications. Students have the option to have conversations with a peer instead solely a professional or an authority figure, Zadnik added.

Peer educators help the WRC with campus outreach, assist in WRC events intersection@temple-news.com

JUN WENTZ / THE TEMPLE NEWS Senior biology major Alisa Polyak (right) asks senior linguistics major Kyra O’Connell and freshman business major Adrian Strawinski to write down what they are thankful for at the Bell Tower on Sept. 10, 2019.

and can become a nationally certified peer facilitator.

Athena Vafiadis, a senior neuroscience major, is a mental well-being program assistant and HEART peer at the WRC. Vafiadis said she supports WRC’s mission because she “fell in love” with promoting mental health on Temple’s campus.

“Promoting mental health on a college campus and seeing how big of a problem it is and how to address it starts with peers. Vafiadis said. “It kind of grows to the faculty caring about mental health, and then the institution and then the community at large.”

Vafiadis created Owls Stop Stigma,

a new WRC event, which will be held on Oct. 10th for World Mental Health Day. The program explores origins of mental health stigma, how students can identify and support friends who may be struggling and how individuals can be an agent of change in reducing stigma.

Alisa Polyak, a senior biology major and a WRC safer-sex peer facilitator, trained in programming that promotes sexual health, attended “Shed Some Light” as a WRC representative. Polyak said her position taught her skills to use when faced with stressful situations.

“It’s very important to know about these resources because you can learn how to help your friends, peers, family

and yourself,” she said.

The WRC, along with Tuttleman Counseling and Employee and Student Health services, are continually working to create resources for the Temple community who may be struggling with mental health issues, Zadnik said.

“This is a multi-pronged, multigoaled effort, so we want to make sure that people are aware of the resources that are available to them, and reduce any barriers to them accessing those services,” she added. mykel@temple.edu

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SPORTS PAGE 21

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

VOLLEYBALL

Dancing on her own: Lone senior boosts morale

Outside hitter Dana Westfield, the team’s only senior, uses her upbeat persona to lead the team.

BY ARI GLAZIER For The Temple News Temple volleyball’s lone senior, Dana Westfield, spent plenty of time throughout her collegiate career reflecting on the kind of leader she wants to be.

The 6-foot-1-inch outside hitter made a conscious decision to adopt a “loud and fun” persona during freshman year when she didn’t see any playing time. Instead of sulking or being disengaged, Westfield became a vocal leader, she said.

“It was clear that I probably was not going to play the entire season,” Westfield said. “I was like, ‘Well, what can I do about that? I can tell the hitters what’s open for them to hit, but I can also just yell and get everybody pumped up.’ And so that’s what I started to do.”

Westfield noticed her constant cheering kept the team’s morale high, she said.

A 2017 All-American Athletic Conference Second Team honoree, Westfield is far removed as a player from the freshman who couldn’t crack the rotation, but her spirit is fundamentally the same, she said.

The team started this season 9-0 — the best start in program history.

Coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam credits Westfield’s leadership with setting a culture that has facilitated the Owls’ early success, specifically her role in picking the team’s music.

“The team chemistry, in general, is much improved,” Ganesharatnam said. “She certainly has contributed to maybe loosening up the mood a little bit through making sure there’s always music available.”

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MERYL BIJU / THE TEMPLE NEWS Senior outside hitter Dana Westfield attempts to block a ball during practice at McGonigle Hall on Sept. 16, 2019.

Westfield’s known for playing today’s top hits during practice, but also dancing on the sideline during games.

She didn’t see much playing time at the Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing Cherry and White Challenge on Sept. 13 and 14, but she displayed her dance moves while on the sideline.

“I think dancing is the big thing because it keeps everybody physically warm and also excited,” Westfield said. “Because even if you’re stuck on the bench for the game, the music is something that’ll help you relax or forget

about your situation a little bit.”

“There’s a lot of times like if a challenge is called or something, you just look over and she’s over there dancing on the side,” said freshman mid-back Kayla Spells. “It’s the greatest thing, honestly.”

As the only senior, Westfield takes on the responsibility of helping freshman players adjust to college.

“From the first time that we came in during the summer she was always there to help us to get integrated into the program,” Spells added. “When we first got here we were trying to go

to orientation and still be able to be with the team… So, it was pretty much immediate, as soon as we got here she was there for us.”

Westfield’s leadership doesn’t take a backseat once she’s on the court.

“I want the ball, I really want the ball,” Westfield said. “I feel like when I do score, it’s a big difference. It helps to keep our momentum, or turn it around.” ari.glazier@temple.edu @AriGlazier

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SPORTS PAGE 22

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

FIELD HOCKEY

Big East losing streak looms over Owls’ strong start The last time the Owls won a Big East game was in 2016 against Quinnipiac University.

BY JAY NEEMEYER Sports Editor Temple’s top scorers have never experienced a Big East Conference victory.

Redshirt-freshman midfielder Kerrie Lorenz, junior midfielder Dani Batze and sophomore forward Claire Thomas weren’t on the team for the Owls’ last conference win against Quinnipiac University on Oct. 26, 2016.

Goalkeeper Maddie Lilliock, midfielder Kathryn Edgar and midfielder Becky Gerhart, now seniors, were the only three players to appear in the Owls’ 3-2 win over the Bobcats.

The Owls, (3-1, 0-0, The Big East), have a chance to break that streak this season.

The team will play their first conference match on Friday against Liberty University (4-0, 0-0, The Big East) at Howarth Field. In the past three seasons, the Flames have outscored Temple 21-4.

The Owls don’t intend to treat Liberty differently than any other opponent, Thomas said.

“We come out every game as hard as we can,” she added. Thomas is tied for second in points with Batze.

Temple played Bryant University on Sept. 13, giving them a week to prepare for Liberty.

“Liberty is going to be a really tough opponent for us,” coach Susan Ciufo said after the 2-0 win over Bryant. “We’re very excited. I think it’s important that we use this week to really hone in on some details and remain disciplined.”

Liberty is first in The Big East based off of their overall record. The Flames are ranked 16th in the nation by the National Field Hockey Coaches’ Association Poll.

Liberty finished with a 13-6 record in

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JUSTIN OAKES / THE TEMPLE NEWS Junior midfielder Dani Batze prepares to hit the ball during the Owls’ game against Bryant University at Howarth Field on Sept. 13, 2019.

2018. They were nearly undefeated in conference play last season, with their only loss coming to Connecticut.

The Owls will face UConn (5-1, 0-0, The Big East), another conference powerhouse, on Oct. 4 at Howarth Field at 5 p.m.

UConn was ranked fourth in the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index at the end of 2018 with a 19-4 overall record and a spotless 7-0 conference record. In the most recent NFHCA Poll, UConn is ranked third overall.

Redshirt-sophomore midfielder Natalie Burns transferred from Connecticut to Temple this summer.

She appeared in eight games for the Huskies in 2018.

The coaching staff doesn’t intend to ask Burns how to beat her former team, Ciufo said.

“We don’t want to put any more stress on her,” Ciufo said. “I think she’ll obviously be excited to play against them, and that’s enough. She doesn’t need to hear us, too.”

The Owls came close to a conference win twice in 2018. Temple’s first conference matchup of last season, against Providence College (4-1, 0-0, The Big East), ended in a 2-3 overtime loss. The Owls will play Providence on Sept. 27 in Rhode Island at 6 p.m.

The Owls also suffered a 2-3 loss to Georgetown University (3-3, 0-0, The Big East) in October 2018. The Hoyas lost their most recent matchup against Lehigh University, 3-0. The Owls will travel to Washington, D.C. to face the Hoyas on Oct. 11 at 1 p.m.

“It’s totally different from last year,” Thomas said. “We did not do as good. ...I think that we can just keep doing what we’re doing, come out every day ready to play whoever it is and give our hardest, and if our work rate is good, we will come out great.” jay.neemeyer@temple.edu @neemeyer_j

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SPORTS PAGE 23

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

FOOTBALL

Offense seeks better execution against Buffalo Temple fell short on third and fourth downs in their win against the University of Maryland.

BY ALEX McGINLEY Assistant Sports Editor Temple University football (2-0, 0-0, The American) did everything they were supposed to do to lose Saturday’s game against the University of Maryland (2-1, 0-0, The Big Ten), coach Rod Carey said.

The Owls got off to a good start in the first half, but, despite their 20-17 win, they continuously missed opportunities to make big plays throughout the game.

Redshirt-junior quarterback Anthony Russo threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Isaiah Wright three minutes and 27 seconds into the game to give the Owls a 7-0 lead. That was the only time the Owls scored in the first half.

Russo admitted the offense missed a lot of chances, but he thought the unit pulled through during the win, he said.

“We missed a lot of opportunities, especially me, on deep balls and stuff like that,” Russo said. “We had a couple of missed opportunities in the run game as well. I think the best thing about our offense is that we clawed, we scratched, we fought, we did everything we had to do to come out with the win at the end of it.”

Russo threw an interception in the second quarter, but the interception was called back because the Terrapins had 12 players on the field.

Russo then threw an interception to Terrapins sophomore linebacker Chance Campbell in the third quarter on a pass intended for Wright. “[Russo’s] gotta grow,” Carey said.

“He’s gotta keep going. There’s a lot you can learn in winning. He’s certainly going to learn from this. He did not play his best game. You just go ahead and build off those things and the decisionmaking will get better.”

In total, the Owls had three

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JUSTIN OAKES / THE TEMPLE NEWS Redshirt-junior quarterback Anthony Russo throws the ball during Temple’s 20-17 win against the University of Maryland on Sept. 14 at Lincoln Financial Field.

turnovers, including Russo’s interception.

Temple’s first turnover came in the first quarter when redshirt-junior cornerback Freddie Johnson touched the ball on a Maryland punt. The Terrapins recovered the ball at the Owls’ 19-yard line. The Terrapins went for it on fourthand-one, but Terrapins sophomore running back Anthony McFarland, Jr. was tackled behind the line of scrimmage by redshirt-sophomore defensive tackle Ifeanyi Maijeh.

The Owls’ final turnover came in the third quarter on a fumble by redshirt-senior running back Jager Gardner. Gardner fumbled the ball after a 15-yard run to Maryland’s 47-yard line. Terrapins sophomore defensive back Jordan Mosley forced the fumble and senior defensive back Marcus Lewis recovered the ball at the Terrapins’ 26-

yard line.

Russo only had a 54.1 percent completion rate against the Terrapins.

He was more efficient in Temple’s win against Bucknell University (0-3, 0-0, The Patriot League) on Aug. 31 when he had a 78 percent completion percentage.

The offense should have scored more than 20 points, Russo said. The Owls only converted on 3-of-14 third downs. The Owls also missed out on all three of their fourth down conversions.

“You’re supposed to rise when you’re playing teams like that,” said redshirtsophomore wide receiver Jadan Blue.

“Those are the types of games that you live for. You don’t want to blow teams out. You want to be in those type of games.”

The Owls will look to have fewer turnovers and more conversions in their next game against the University

at Buffalo (1-2, 0-0, The MACK) in Buffalo, New York on Saturday.

The Bulls’ defense has allowed an average of 30 points per game through three games.

Buffalo was leading 10-7 at halftime against Penn State (3-0, 0-0, The Big Ten) on Sept. 7, but then allowed 38 points in the second half to lose 45-13.

On Saturday, the Bulls allowed 35 points in a loss to Liberty University.

“We’re going to have to get in there as an offense, watch the film and see those little things that we made mistakes on because this game shouldn’t have been this close,” Russo said. “If we would’ve executed the way we should have and hit the opportunities that we had, I think we would’ve put more points on the board.” alex.mcginley@temple.edu @mcginley_alex

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

PAGE 24

FOOTBALL

THE GAME ISN’T FOREIGN

JUSTIN OAKES / THE TEMPLE NEWS Sophomore offensive lineman Isaac Moore (right) celebrates with redshirt-junior long snapper Travis Malinowski after the Owls’ win over Maryland at Lincoln Financial Field on Sept. 14, 2019.

The Owls’ starting tackle grew up in Sweden where he played for four years.

BY DANTE COLLINELLI Assistant Sports Editor Temple University football coach Rod Carey was surprised to find out sophomore offensive lineman Isaac Moore was from Sweden.

“We’ve got a foreign left tackle and that is foreign to us because I was thinking if they even played football over there,” Carey said.

Temple has the only two Swedish football players in the American Athletic Conference.

Freshman offensive lineman Victor Stoffel is the only other Swedish player on the team.

Moore has been playing football in

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Örebro, Sweden since he was 15, he said.

A friend told him an under-15 football team needed “bigger players.”

After his first practice, Moore said he “fell in love with the game.”

The Owls found out about Moore through the company Premier Players International, Moore said.

PPI is a European company that helps international football players receive athletic scholarships from American universities.

PPI holds camps where players can participate in athletic testing. PPI records the participants’ times and scores, creating an athletic-testing profile.

This profile helped Moore entice American teams, he said.

“I was athletic for my size,” Moore said. “So [PPI] wrote to a bunch of colleges saying, ‘Hey, I got this 6-foot-7

guy ready to play in spring of 2018.’”

Temple offered Moore a spot on the team after his first visit in 2018, he said.

Moore believes his transition to the U.S. was made easier because his father, Ronald Moore, is American, and Moore has spoken English his entire life.

The hardest part of Moore’s transition to America was adapting to the way football is played. He played against older and stronger opponents while in Sweden, but American players are much faster, he said.

“If you’re 28 and you have been going to the gym for 10 years you’re gonna be strong, but you aren’t gonna have that quick twitch and get off speed that some people have over here,” Moore added.

Moore was named a starter for the Owls’ season opener against Villanova in 2018, forcing him to adapt to the

speed of American football right away.

Moore played in every game last season and started in the first two games of this season.

Despite being successful in 2018, Moore still feels as though he has a lot to learn from his more experienced teammates on the offensive line, he said.

Graduate offensive lineman Jovahn Fair has seen a positive effect on the offensive line as a group since Moore’s arrival last year.

“We have that chemistry, and we have trust and belief in each other,” Fair said. “When you have a lot of that, good things happen. We have a lot of respect for one another in that room and helping each other out.” dante.collinelli@temple.edu @DanteCollinelli

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