Spring 2024 Magazine

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

KONNER METZ

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

NADYA ELLERHORST

MAGAZINE EDITOR & ART DIRECTOR

SARAH WESSEL

MANAGING SECTION EDITORS

RISHA INAGANTI, news

DANIEL STEENKAMER, sports

JORDANNA GARLAND, arts & culture

SHAYNA DEMICK & GABY NIEVES, mosaic

ASSOCIATE SECTION EDITORS

JOSHUA CILIBERTI, news

BETH WOJCIECHOWSKI, arts & cutlure

STAFF REPORTERS & WRITERS

PERCY ALLEN III, LAUREN BOYD, MACAYLA COOK, PATTY HARDEN, JAMES KELLY, DYLAN MARX, JENI NANCE, CAROLINE POWELL & ESTELLE SMITH

COPY DESK CHIEF

IARA LUQUE

COPY EDITORS

DANIELLE MCILTROT & SABINA SALGUERO

MANAGING VISUALS EDITOR

LARISSA VERONICA HEATHER

ASSOCIATE VISUALS EDITOR

ETHAN GRANDIN

LAYOUT EDITORS

LARISSA VERONICA HEATHER, IARA LUQUE, ESTELLE SMITH & SARAH WESSEL

PHOTOGRAPHERS

GIANNA HOUCK, MADELYN MCMANUS, CHRISTINA NATALINI, HANNAH PALIATH, JORDAN ROSALES & WANNING WANG

ILLUSTRATORS

SELIN BACAZ, LILLIAN CONLAN, EMILY COHEN & LAUREN BOTHUM

COVER PHOTO BY LARISSA VERONICA HEATHER

CAMPUS pg 10

INJURY CULTURE IN ELITE FIGURE SKATING pg 15

CONTENTS

As she runs to be the frst transgender representative in the U.S. House, McBride shares insight into her background and career path.

Newark Foodies, a student-run Instagram account, has been spreading the word about “Newark’s fnest food.”

Frat party rankings

Dive into the electrifying realm of fraternity parties to discover which Greek house reigns supreme as the ultimate host of campus revelry.

Whiquitta “Kee” Tobar describes how her experience in legal work and DEI has prepared her for a new position.

Period products on campus

The Review explores the accessibility of period products at the university.

Monet Lewis-Timmons discusses the story of Alice Dunbar-Nelson and the archival efforts of Pauline Young and Gloria Hull, the infuences behind her Special Collections exhibit in Morris Library.

Staff member Jeni Nance explores whether Disney animated movies have experienced a decline in recent years.

Figure skating’s injury culture

Elite fgure skaters Adam Rippon, Polina Edmunds, Karen Chen and Camden Pulkinen discuss the toll that competitive fgure skating has taken on their bodies.

Discover your inner child

Staff member Caroline Powell researches the complexity of discovering one’s inner child and discusses strategies to bring them into one’s adulthood.

Exploring the Secret Tunnel

21 Inside the REP

The faculty-made resident theater company takes advantage of a unique home and set-up on campus to run numerous productions per year.

Exit, pursued by a Delabear

Years have passed since Delabear’s last visit, but its fame is apparently far from forgotten.

Alumni share career paths

The Review sat down with Kelly Somers and Matt O’Donnell. Read how these two alumni found their callings. 23

Education majors at the university are tasked with balancing the responsibilities of student teaching with their senior years.

Writing a novel in college

Staff members Gaby Nieves, Percy Allen III and Jeni Nance share how they balance novel writing with undergraduate studies.

Q&A with Allison Coomey

The solar system scale model has been in place since 2000, teaching the community about the relative distance between planets in the solar system. 32

After nearly two years of underground shows, the owners of the DIY concert venue refect on what the Secret Tunnel has meant to them. 33

The Review interviews the incoming women’s ice hockey head coach to discuss how she will lead the Blue Hens into an inaugural Division I season.

Take a “Planet Walk”

An American in Riga

Staff member Ethan Grandin gives travel advice from Riga, Latvia, along with sights from the capital city.

Contributors

See The Review’s full list of staff members that brought this spring’s magazine to life.

Letter from the Editors

Graduating Editor-in-Chief Konner Metz and Executive Editor Nadya Ellerhorst share closing thoughts on The Review’s Spring 2024 Magazine Edition.

STATE SENATOR SARAH MCBRIDE, DELAWARE’S FACE OF CHANGE

As she runs to be the frst transgender representative in the U.S. House, McBride shares insight into her background and career path.

story by LAUREN BOYD photos by ETHAN GRANDIN

SARAH MCBRIDE’S FAVORITE DESSERT is crème brûlée. Her favorite place to travel is Europe, and her favorite TV show is “Ted Lasso.” She is a dog person, although she says her family dog, Scout, is “not very well-behaved.”

Like many women in their 30s, she is a massive Swiftie and has recently favored “Wildest Dreams” and “Lavender Haze.” After selfproclaiming as “such a nerd,” she says “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln” is “the best book on leadership [she’s] ever read.”

McBride graduated from American University in 2013, where she was student body president, a role that translated well into her current position as a state senator for Delaware’s First District.

Her favorite thing to do in the morning is to go back to sleep, but says the most important thing for her to do is to drink a cup of cofee, an internal struggle that most of us can relate to.

But McBride has faced another struggle far beyond the decision to choose sleep or cafeination, one that lies in her identity as a transgender woman. Now, 12 years after coming out, she is running to be Delaware’s only representative in the United States House of Representatives.

Senator McBride was elected in 2020 as a Delaware senator for the First Senate District and has since been reelected in 2022. As a state senator, McBride sponsored Senate Bill 1, also

known as the Healthy Delaware Families Act, which was later passed in April 2022.

SB1 is a paid family and medical leave insurance program, which allows Delaware workers to “access up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave to care for themselves or a family member with a serious illness, to bond with a new child, or for a family member’s military deployment,” according to ACLU Delaware.

“Passing that legislation … with bipartisan majorities thus far in my life is the professional privilege of my career,” McBride says. “[This] is life-changing and life-saving for so many people on a scale that leaves me awe-inspired.”

McBride spent her childhood dreaming of working on the type of legislation that she now spearheads.

“It wasn’t necessarily that I wanted to run for ofce, I just always felt like politics was the place where every avenue of society converges, and you can make the most amount of change in the most number of ways possible,” McBride says of her adolescence. “And that always appealed to me.”

Growing up in politically connected Delaware, as a child, McBride engaged with her political idols because, in many ways, they were like neighbors. In her 2019 memoir, “Tomorrow Will Be Diferent,” McBride reminisced on the frst time she met incumbent President Joe Biden, who she described as “Delaware’s hometown kid who made it big.”

In a local pizza place, “He kneeled down, ripped out his schedule for the day from his briefng book, and pulled out a pen. ‘Remember me when you are president,’ he wrote, followed by his signature,” McBride wrote.

McBride also says that Delaware’s political connectedness impacted the discovery of her identity as a transgender woman.

“I think in some ways … it made [coming out] easier,” McBride says. “My friends and family, and my mentors, like Jack Markell and Beau Biden were, are decent people, good people, accepting people.

“I didn’t lose a single friend coming out. And that makes me lucky, but I always feared that coming out would let them all down.”

Coming out was long-awaited for McBride. In “Tomorrow Will Be Diferent,” McBride detailed her frst memories about her gender and the dysphoria she experienced. She reminisced on playdates as a fve- or six-year-old, where she savored dressing up as a Disney princess.

“My favorite was a shiny blue Cinderella dress,” McBride wrote. “Putting it on and looking down, I felt the longing go away. A completeness instantly came over me, and a dull pain that I didn’t fully understand was gone.”

As McBride grew older, she says that the struggle around her gender grew with her. But simultaneously, her political aspirations fourished.

While still a teen, McBride began working with then-gubernatorial candidate Jack Markell, a mentorship that continued long after the former governor’s time in ofce. She also campaigned for Beau Biden’s run for Delaware Attorney General, where she further forged connections in the political sphere. All the while, an internal tension ran rampant.

“Being me appeared so impossible that changing the world seemed like the more realistic bet,” McBride wrote in her memoir. “And the thought of doing both at the same time was, in a word, incomprehensible.”

McBride continued pursuing a political career at American University as student body president, where she championed LGBTQ rights. But in her junior year of college, the inner turmoil that surrounded her gender, and her everyday life, became too much to ignore.

On April 30, 2012, the fnal day of her term as student body president, McBride published a statement called “The Real Me” on Facebook and in American University’s student newspaper.

Leading up to her public coming out, McBride says she “went through sort of a grieving process.”

“Only when I was able to accept the fear and the potential that I was giving up on any future, was I able to fnally accept myself,” McBride says. “I gave up on any future in politics or government.”

Looking back, this sentiment could not have been further from the truth. In fact, as a state senator, McBride has broken what once seemed like an indestructible glass ceiling. She is the highestranked openly transgender elected ofcial in U.S. history.

“One of the joys of the last 12 years since coming out has been in seeing that my dreams and my identity aren’t mutually exclusive,” McBride says. McBride’s entire professional career has been record-breaking. In 2012, she became the frst out transgender woman to serve in the White House when she interned for the Ofce of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Afairs under the Obama Administration. In 2016, McBride became the frst out transgender person to give a speech at a major party convention after she spoke at the Democratic National Convention.

Until she was elected in 2020, McBride was the national spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ political advocacy and lobbying group in the U.S.

In June 2023, McBride launched her campaign to be Delaware’s next representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, where she believes her identity as an out transgender woman will be an asset.

“I think in many ways it’s only possible for me to do the work that I’m doing, and to do it well, because I’m out,” McBride says. “Because I’m living authentically, I’m a healthier version of myself, and I think I’m a better version of myself.

“If I had not had the blessing of being born trans, I wouldn’t have had a life that has left me just fundamentally and eternally hopeful.”

And it is that hope, McBride says, that will allow for progress.

To harness it, McBride says she often fnds reprieve from the stress of the future by taking a moment to look back.

“The challenges that we’re facing are no greater than the challenges that previous generations faced,” McBride says. “In every single one of those chapters in our history books, previous generations had every single reason to fear that change would never come. It came because they summoned their own hope, they found the light and they changed the world.

“I have to believe that if previous generations have done it, then we can do it too.”

Part of harnessing that hope, McBride says, is acting as strong allies, especially when it comes to interacting with people who hold opposing views. She believes that it is important for allies to stay in those conversations and help educate and hold people accountable.

“When we as allies remove ourselves from those conversations, we’re actually letting ourselves of easy,” McBride says, including herself in the discussion as well.

Her work as a state senator has already highlighted this kind of advocacy, and McBride hopes to do the same as a Delaware representative. She hopes to continue the work she started with SB1 and support American families who need it most.

“In the wealthiest, most developed nation on Earth, there should be no person without healthcare,” McBride says. “There should be no family who is forced to choose between their fnancial security and their health. There should be no one without paid leave. There should be no family who struggles to aford child care.”

IF I HAD NOT HAD THE BLESSING OF BEING BORN TRANS, I WOULDN’T HAVE HAD A LIFE THAT HAS LEFT ME JUST FUNDAMENTALLY AND ETERNALLY HOPEFUL.

SARAH MCBRIDE delaware state senator, 2021-present

INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT PROMOTES LOCAL FOOD SCENE

@newarkfoodiess, a student-run Instagram account, has been spreading the word about “Newark’s fnest food.”

story by ESTELLE SMITH illustration by LAUREN BOTHUM

SOPHOMORE LEAH PALA WAS HAVING a sleepless night when the idea came to her to create an Instagram account featuring local Newark eateries. After she got her cousin and four of their friends on board, they formed the account called Newark Foodies and made their frst post at the beginning of last September.

According to their original Instagram bio, which is now used as the bio for their TikTok account, the account is run by “just six girls who like to eat who wanna share the best of Newark’s fnest food.”

As Delaware locals, the founders wanted to spread the word about quality food spots to students not native to Newark. They do this by posting reviews of diferent eateries around the city, including pictures of the meal, a description, a rating out of 10 and the cost of the food.

“We didn’t think anything would happen out of it,” Pala said. “We thought we’d get like 30 followers, and then slowly we were like, ‘Wait, we’re getting a lot of followers,’ and then it just kind of evolved.”

Now with over 150 posts in just a few months, Pala wonders if people think she and the other account runners eat out often and spend a great deal of money on food. In reality, the account

is largely collaborative and spur-of-the-moment. Most of their posts are from when the account runners or their friends and family are going out to eat.

“Our one roommate, she’s going tomorrow to lunch with her grandmother, so we were like, ‘Alright, take pictures, write down what you think,’” she said.

According to Pala, because of the variety of contributors, some of the reviews are not “on a consistent scale.” However, this has made it possible for them to cover a wide range of establishments, including Klondike Kate’s, Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen and The Original Hot Bagels.

Now at over 5,000 followers on Instagram, Newark Foodies’ following continues to grow. From posting reviews on a regular basis to following numerous other university groups and student accounts to doing giveaway deals with some of the eateries, the account runners have been busy.

Pala said the giveaways have been a big hit, partnering with restaurants such as Santa Fe Mexican Grill, Roja & Verde Taqueria and Drip Café.

“Basically, we contact the restaurant, and Santa Fe, for example, agreed to give out to two winners $25 gift cards,” Pala said.

To qualify for these giveaways, people need to follow both Newark Foodies and the restaurant’s accounts, like the post and tag a friend in the comments. The amount of attention these giveaways curated surprised the account.

“Each one you do is an entry,” she said. “So people would tag like 20 diferent people because they wanted 20 entries.”

Pala said that this has added up to over 1,000 comments on some posts, which takes a while to go through. When the account was still posting up to twice a day and all their phones were “blowing up,” Pala described it as feeling like a job at some points, but now she feels it has slowed down since they have reduced the rate of posts they make.

Now that the account feels more manageable, Pala has had time to work on her editing skills to strengthen the visions she has for the handle going forward. Due to the popularity of their Instagram reels, she hopes to start doing more videos and giveaways.

“Basically, we love food and we know that everyone else loves food,” she said. “We just wanted a way that would bring everyone together.”

WHICH FRATERNITY THROWS THE BEST PARTY?

Dive into the electrifying realm of fraternity parties to discover which Greek house reigns supreme as the ultimate host of campus revelry.

story by LARISSA VERONICA HEATHER photos by HANNAH PALIATH

IN THE VIBRANT FABRIC OF COLLEGE life, where red solo cups mingle with questionable dance moves, fraternity parties reign supreme as the champions of chaos and camaraderie. At the university, which boasts a campus pulsating with the energy of over-cafeinated squirrels and students fueled by suspicious dining hall food, these gatherings are epicenters of silly shenanigans.

But amid all the exams and unnecessarily long work assigned by professors, one burning question reigns supreme: Which fraternity holds the holy grail of party prowess?

In this rollicking and wild romp through the fraternity party scene, armed with a discerning eye and a healthy dose of skepticism, I embarked on a whirlwind adventure of “frat hopping” across

campus. With a clipboard (my phone) in hand, I delved into the depths of Greek life, ready to rate each soirée with a critical eye. From the cleanliness of the bathrooms (or lack thereof) to the dance foor antics and musical mishaps, decorations and atmosphere, no aspect of these parties escaped my scrutiny. Armed with my trusty rating scale, I left no red solo cup unturned in my quest to crown the undisputed kings of campus revelry.

At the forefront of my considerations, the least signifcant aspect in my assessment was the DECORATIONS

As I entered each fraternity house (surprised the doors had not fallen of), I observed its attempts at decoration. Delta Chi’s bash was minimalistic, featuring a glowingly drawn SpongeBob on the

wall and a few holes scattered around.

Meanwhile, Sigma Pi attempted to go all out with a vigorous amount of strobes with a quick tempo that my epileptic self was very thankful for.

Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity’s meticulous attention to detail and captivating ambiance earned them the title of best-decorated venue on campus, boasting carefully selected decorations that set the stage, such as fashing lights, little lasers, lots of posters leaving no blank space and dazzling smiles.

BATHROOMS: The notorious battleground of every partygoer’s journey. As I braved the treacherous path to the facilities at each fraternity house, I encountered a series of misadventures that would make even the bravest soul shudder.

Delta Chi’s facilities greeted me with a scene from a dystopian novel. With cardboard masquerading as mirrors and a complete absence of toilet paper, it was as if I had stumbled into a postapocalyptic wasteland of hygiene. As I navigated the desolate landscape with trepidation, the lack of basic amenities left me questioning the very fabric of frat-house civilization.

Sigma Pi’s bathroom, however, provided a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos. Amidst the tampons and pads ofered to those who needed them, the sight of actual toilet paper felt like a miraculous revelation – a true beacon of civilization amid the frat house jungle. Sigma Pi’s bathroom stood out as an oasis of relative comfort and functionality.

Navigating the maze-like halls of Delta Tau Delta and Tau Kappa Epsilon was such an adventure that fnding the bathrooms became a daunting quest. Yet the horror that greeted me at the next stop was unimaginable: a bathroom akin to a low-budget horror scene, complete with scattered tampons and pads and a dire lack of toilet paper.

After witnessing Tau Kappa Epsilon’s facilities, I pondered the purpose of its carpeted foors — was it avant-garde decor or just unfortunate design?

As for the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, with its peculiar stalls that missed the memo on closing properly, the absence of toilet paper was the fnal insult in a series of unfortunate events.

It became abundantly clear that Sigma Pi’s bathroom, with its thoughtful provision of pads, tampons and toilet paper, truly earned it the title of the best fraternity bathroom on campus.

As I made my rounds through the fraternity houses, the FLOORS beneath my feet became an unexpected barometer of each party’s atmosphere. In Delta Chi’s dimly lit space, the blacklight cast an otherworldly glow, revealing every stray confetti speck and spilled drink in stark contrast against the darkness. Sigma Pi’s foor, on the other hand, seemed to pulsate with energy under the barrage of fashing lights, beckoning revelers to surrender to the rhythm of the music and lose themselves in the moment. Each step I took in these spaces felt like traversing a landscape teeming with the echoes of laughter and the echo of music.

At Tau Kappa Epsilon, the carpeted foors ofered a strange comfort, their softness a welcome respite from the chaos of the party scene. Yet, beneath the plush surface, I could not shake the feeling that they held secrets – stories of nights long past whispered between the fbers.

Meanwhile, Lambda Chi Alpha’s impeccably polished foors refected the glow of the partygoers, creating an aura of sophistication amidst the revelry. Whether carpeted or polished, these foors served as the silent witnesses to the nights’ festivities, bearing the weight of countless footsteps and the imprint of memories made in the throes of fraternity life.

FINAL RATINGS

Among the fraternity houses surveyed, Sigma Pi boasted the best foors.

As I immersed myself in the whirlwind of fraternity parties, the ATMOSPHERE and MUSIC served as the heartbeat of each gathering, shaping the experience in unique ways. Delta Chi’s party felt like a defated balloon, with an atmosphere so fat you could use it as a pancake. Its playlist was like a confused DJ spinning random tunes from a broken record player, leaving the dance foor as empty as a deserted island.

However, Sigma Phi Delta stole the show with its electrifying atmosphere and stellar music selection. The party pulsated with an infectious energy fueled by the camaraderie of partygoers and a playlist that kept the dance foor packed all night long.

As the dust settled, party lights dimmed and my personal research came to a close, the FINAL RESULTS revealed the fraternity that emerged victorious in each category and stole the spotlight as the undisputed champion of campus revelry.

BEST DECORATIONS Lambda Chi Alpha

BEST BATHROOMS Sigma Pi

BEST FLOOR Sigma Pi

BEST ATMOSPHERE Sigma Phi Delta

BEST MUSIC Sigma Phi Delta

OVERALL BEST Sigma Phi Delta

Sigma Phi Delta (the engineering fraternity) did not just memorize mathematical equations for building bridges and whatnot; they also cracked the code for throwing the perfect party and winning its way into our hearts, proving that while bathrooms may lack toilet paper and foors may not be spotless, it is the atmosphere and music that truly make a party memorable.

KEE TOBAR: THE UNIVERSITY’S FIRST RACIAL EQUITY AND INCLUSION DIRECTOR

Whiquitta “Kee” Tobar describes how her experience in legal work and DEI has prepared her for a new position at the university.

story and photo by JORDANNA GARLAND

IN OCTOBER, WHIQUITTA “KEE” TOBAR was appointed as the university’s racial equity and inclusion director. After working at the university for nearly seven months, Tobar sat down with The Review to discuss the importance of assuming this position, her experiences that have led her to this role and her goals for the future.

Before coming to the university, Tobar worked as a justice and a legal aid attorney in Philadelphia. As an attorney, Tobar expresses the importance of actively listening to her clients while also encouraging them to share their ideas and opinions.

“Learning how to do that in a way that was accessible for them, in a way that empowered them to not only just listen to me but be participants in the conversation, I think is a relevant skill set that I can ofer also to transfer to this position,” Tobar says. “Being able to talk to students about policies and practices and also empower them to look at

the policies and practices for themselves and have discussions about that.”

While Tobar has experience as an attorney, she also served as chief diversity and inclusion ofcer for nearly three years at Community Legal Services. She describes how the position allowed her to think critically about policy and system reform.

One of her main focuses is working on issues relating to identity, whether it be sexual orientation, gender identity or how identity intersects with race and socioeconomic status.

“Which is necessary for this role, because you’re also thinking about how to create initiatives across departments, right?” Tobar says. “So the ability to have that vision, foresight and the ability to know how to collaborate with people is a necessary skill as it relates to this work.”

Speaking to the importance of this position, Tobar describes why it is so impactful to have support systems in institutions where there seem to be barriers to support. She describes that her work is not only for students to feel recognized and valued, but also for faculty to feel uplifted in their work relating to diversity, equity and inclusion.

“The more that we can reduce barriers [and] the more that we can support students, the more that they can have the space and opportunity to be innovative and to be thinking about and accessing the university and the vibrancy of the university,” she says. “I also want to be able to create practices and policies that enable staf to show up as their best selves and put their most innovative practices and policies forward in service to students.”

In comparison to the work of Student Diversity and Inclusion (SDI) and the Center for Black Culture (CBC), Tobar focuses more on policy change at the administrative level, whereas SDI and the CBC have more of a student programming focus. SDI and the CBC are engaging with students on a day-to-day basis, while Tobar is not.

“I see SDI and … the CBC, I see them as partners,” Tobar says. “They funnel information to me, they direct me to students … and sometimes, also acting as thought partners with me because they are, again, engaging with the students day to day, but I am not.

Since she has been at the university for just under a year, Tobar has not had much time to develop any new policies or initiatives at the university, but she is eager to hear from students and staf on ways she can help foster a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all.

Tobar wants students and faculty to know that she recognizes that there is work to be done at the university and that said work is largely collaborative across multiple departments. She is excited to have discussions about what can be done for the university going forward.

“I want students to be excited about what is to be done,” Tobar says. “And I also want them to hold me accountable, because the work is really important to me, but it’s more important to do the work than to talk about it.”

ENSURING ACCESS TO PERIOD PRODUCTS ON CAMPUS

What is the state of free menstrual products on the university’s campus, and what efforts are being taken to expand availability moving forward?

story by BETH WOJCIECHOWSKI illustration by LAUREN BOTHUM

FOLLOWING THE PASSING OF A 2022 law, public and charter schools in the First State are legally required to provide free menstrual products in schools that serve grades 4-12. However, the same legal precedent does not apply to Delaware colleges and universities.

In 2021, the university began to provide free menstrual products in select on-campus restrooms, including those in Trabant University Center, Morris Library, Perkins Student Center and numerous academic buildings. In total, out of all the buildings on campus, 11 on the Newark campus provide free menstrual products.

“What we did as a group was collect some student feedback about where the most high trafc bathrooms were on campus and not just women’s rooms, but also gender inclusive bathrooms,” Helen Ann Lawless, director of student wellbeing and training at the university, said. “From there we prioritized where to put menstrual products based on student feedback.”

Lawless started working at the university a little over two years ago, and has worked with student leaders and with Judy David – the associate director of custodial services – to provide free menstrual products on campus.

Lawless and her team have not only worked on providing free menstrual products at the Newark campus, but also at the university’s Associate in Arts Program (AAP) campuses in both Wilmington and Lewes.

Availability of menstrual products at the university has grown exponentially in the past few years, but sometimes there is a lack of availability of products in gender-neutral restrooms.

In some cases, the lack of menstrual product availability in gender-neutral spaces could potentially lead to unsafe situations.

According to Dulcine Stephens, a junior Africana studies and sociology double major, if an LGBTQ+ student were to ask someone for a menstrual product and they are not femme-presenting, that could lead to them being judged or potentially put in harm’s way.

“I think by making pads accessible everywhere

on campus, you lessen the threat that LGBTQ students who have a period will face,” Stephens said.

The lack of free menstrual products in gender-neutral bathrooms can also cause trans and non-binary students to experience heightened gender dysphoria during a time of the month that is already highly dysphoric.

“For transgender men or genderqueer or non-binary folks who get a period, that time of the month might be met with various emotions,” reproductive healthcare website Ovia Health reads. “Buying or using products marketed to only women, using or carrying menstrual products in public bathrooms, or experiencing body changes can heighten the stress of feeling like your body doesn’t match your gender.”

LGBTQ+ students are already a targeted group on college campuses in the United States, and the lack of menstrual products in gender-neutral bathrooms only serves to heighten that vulnerability.

While menstrual products are available in select academic buildings, they are not provided at all in communal or gender-neutral bathrooms within on-campus residence halls.

However, according to Lawless, the next step in providing free menstrual products on campus is to have them available in residence halls.

“We’re actively working with Residence Life and Housing to prioritize a list of bathrooms in the residence halls, how highly trafcked they are, and the details of providing menstrual products in those spaces,” Lawless said.

For the time being, menstrual products are available for sale in the Harrington and Pencader P.O.D. markets which are highly accessible to students, however they are typically priced at $10 per package.

“College students are some of the most vulnerable groups, and being able to fnd the money to even purchase things like period products can be really difcult for some college students who typically don’t have money coming in all the time or have lots of other expenses,” Kayla Grant,

president of Planned Parenthood Generation Action, said.

While students are required to provide their own toiletries when living on campus, period products are not as afordable as basic toiletries due to the pink tax, under which pads and tampons are subject to an additional sales tax as well as price increases that lead to menstrual products being more expensive than other toiletries.

The tax does not apply in Delaware as there is no sales tax in the state, but it does apply in neighboring states that university students may be from.

According to a 2023 Forbes survey, 20% of college students can not aford period products. Another 48% said that they have struggled to access menstrual products due to cost or other factors such as inaccessibility.

“Since UD forces freshmen to live on-campus for the frst year, they should automatically make sure there’s period products everywhere,” Stephens said. “Because I know when people are at home, they have their products. So they should have that same guarantee on campus.”

However, things are not hopeless when it comes to menstrual products being provided on college campuses. In 2021, a law passed in California that requires all public colleges and universities to provide free period products in all restrooms.

Lawless believes that the university has improved a lot in recent years when it comes to providing menstrual products, however she acknowledges that at the end of the day, there is still much work to be done. However, she is looking forward to future eforts that will make menstrual products more accessible to all students.

“Moving forward, any new building that is built on UD’s campus or any renovation of an existing building will automatically have a free period product dispenser both for women’s bathrooms and for gender inclusive bathrooms,” Lawless said. “So, that is a huge, monumental win for equity at the university.”

MORE THAN A POET’S WIFE:

ALICE DUNBAR-NELSON’S STORY

Monet Lewis-Timmons discusses the story of Alice Dunbar-Nelson and the archival efforts of Pauline Young and Gloria Hull, the infuences behind her Special Collections exhibit in Morris Library story

by PATTY HARDEN photos by CHRISTINA NATALINI

IN 1875, ALICE RUTH MOORE WAS born into a mixed family of Black, white and Indian ancestry. Throughout her life, she was an avid journalist and writer, writing for “The Women’s Era,” the frst African American female newspaper in the United States.

She also published a collection of stories in “The Monthly Review,” a New Orleans magazine. This caught Paul Laurence Dunbar’s eye, and soon enough the two started connecting and eventually married.

The story of her writings is on display in a Special Collections exhibition at Morris Library. From Feb. 6 to Aug. 9, the legacy of Alice Dunbar-Nelson lives on, and now visitors can observe her stories and archives for themselves. The exhibition’s curator, Monet Lewis-Timmons, is a graduate student in the English department and museum studies program at the university.

The exhibition explores Dunbar-Nelson’s life along with her eforts to preserve her work as she lived under her husband.

“I think a lot of us grow up reading his poetry and learning about his life, but we never really learned about the life of his wife,” says Lewis-Timmons.

“I had actually never heard about Alice before coming to the university.”

However, Dunbar and Moore’s marriage was not moral. She sufered domestic abuse, with Dunbar violently beating her, and they eventually divorced after a near-death experience. She sufered more abuse with her second marriage to writer-activist Robert Nelson and divorced two years later.

Through the abuse, Dunbar-Nelson had a staunch advocacy career, from supporting the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and serving on committees and councils in the First World War, to working as a civil rights advocate and joining the fght for women’s sufrage.

Publishing companies were reluctant to publish the works of a Black woman like Dunbar-Nelson, some of which even claimed that “there was no place for her writing in the publishing world,” as Lewis-Timmons describes.

Lewis-Timmons explained how Dunbar-Nelson’s erasure from history refects the continued decline of Black women in history, with their life stories and contributions to society being buried even deeper.

“We’re kind of labeled as these hidden fgures, but I’m trying to move past that idea of ‘hidden,’” Lewis-Timmons says. “These Black women have always been there.”

With this vision, Lewis-Timmons created an exhibition to bring Dunbar-Nelson’s collection to the public.

Lewis-Timmons proposed her dissertation on Dunbar-Nelson’s document preservation to the Graduate College two years ago, knowing she wanted to have the exhibition.

“I’m grateful that I’m in a department that allows us fexibility to think about the dissertation in diverse, creative ways, so I kind of took advantage of that aspect,” Lewis-Timmons explained.

Once the approval arrived, collaborations began with Curtis Small, a librarian in the Special Collections division of the university library.

Meetings were weekly, and Lewis-Timmons found Small to be an instrumental fgure in the process.

“It was really just having these regular, accountable conversations,” Lewis-Timmons says.

“His mentorship and guidance was key in getting this project done.”

Dunbar-Nelson’s diaries show that she was not the typical, pure middle-class Black woman. During the 20th century, Black women had to maintain a representative image with particular moral and behavioral guidelines. While upholding these standards, Nelson experienced mental health struggles and abuse.

“Maybe the way that she was talking about it was diferent because she couldn’t outwardly present her private struggles,” says Lewis-Timmons. “She kind of relied on her archive in her papers to leave a legacy for herself and remind everyone she was important.”

The exhibition also presents letters of preservation and archival sources preserved by her niece, Pauline Young. An educator, historian and librarian who lived in Delaware, Young attended Howard High School in Wilmington from kindergarten until her senior year. After getting her bachelor’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania, she taught social and Latin studies for a year at Huntington High School in Virginia.

Young later returned to Howard to work as its librarian until she retired in the 1960s to do civil work. She inherited Dunbar-Nelson’s collection and strided towards getting it published.

Young had a list of various university libraries that she wrote to, urging them to publish the papers, from Princeton University and Yale University, to UPenn and the University of South Carolina, but no school obliged to do so.

“A lot of institutions were like, ‘Well, we don’t have a Black studies program and no one’s going

to be interested in that, why don’t you give it to us for free instead of selling it?’” says Lewis-Timmons.

Needing compensation, Young continued until 1984, where she struck gold with David Holmes, a former bookseller who worked at the university. The collection was sold in March and paid of in July, partially due to Dunbar-Nelson’s legacy in the area. Although a portion was handed of to the Robert Woodruf Library at the Atlanta University Center (AUC), and coined the Pauline A. Young papers, some pieces remain and are on display in the university exhibition.

“It’s just looking at her journey and her eforts and religious commitment to honor her aunt’s life’s work in her documents ,” says Lewis-Timmons of Young.

Gloria Hull, a former women and gender studies professor in the 1980s, bonded with Young and gained access to Dunbar-Nelson’s papers. With this, she edited the chronology of Dunbar-Nelson’s written work and wrote “Give Us Each Day: The Diary of Alice Dunbar-Nelson.”

The exhibit not only honors the eforts Alice made to document her life, but also those who dedicated their time to keeping her story alive through publishing means. Lewis-Timmons believes that due to the eforts of Dunbar-Nelson, Young and Hull, she can better understand her identity as a Black woman by examining them.

In the end, Lewis-Timmons has found comfort and belief from Dunbar-Nelson.

“She manifested her legacy into existence, and speaking up and taking up space, which we as Black women aren’t taught, is something that

inspires me and a practice I’ve been adopting,” says Lewis-Timmons.

According to Lewis-Timmons, the exhibition would not be possible without the fexibility of the African American Public Humanities Initiative (AAPHI), a fellowship at the university. A collaboration between the graduate English, history and art history programs, along with an emphasis on African American and Africana Studies, the fellowship is a fve-year, 12-month cohort program.

Lewis-Timmons stated that the program encourages members to do public humanities work, such as museum curating, and pursue internships in places like AUC.

“It’s allowed me to even do things with the National Museum of African American History and Culture,” Lewis-Timmons says.

The AAPHI fellowship changed the trajectory of Lewis-Timmons’ career and was one of her main reasons for attending the university. Through the program, she found the works of a writer who went beyond being known for being a poet’s wife. Dunbar-Nelson is a Black woman who made her voice heard, even in a time where it seemed that female Black voices were silent.

According to Lewis-Timmons, Alice Dunbar-Nelson showed the world that Black women can be vulnerable and that it is important to preserve and share their identity with the world.

“I don’t always have to be the strong Black woman,” Lewis-Timmons says. “There are moments where I can be weak, or I can celebrate my faws instead of feeling like I have to hide them.”

THE DECLINE OF DISNEY: HAS THE MAGIC DIED?

Staff member Jeni Nance explores whether Disney animated movies have experienced a decline in recent years.

story by JENI NANCE collage by MADELYN MCMANUS

I GREW UP IN WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER to be one of the prime ages of Disney. Its animated movies left a lasting impression on my younger self. Disney’s magical flms arguably made the early 2000s one of the best times to have grown up. However, I have noticed a steep decline in the popularity of newer Disney movies in recent years.

The animation, soundtracks and storytelling in these new flms are arguably not up to par with Disney’s standards, and their box ofce sales refect it.

COVID-19 played a large role in the serious decrease in box ofce sales in the 2020s. However,

the pandemic is not entirely to blame. Even with social distancing and mask regulations lifted, the turnout for Disney animated flms in theaters is not what it used to be.

“I like [the new Disney animated flms], but I do love the OGs, ‘Cars,’ ‘A Bug’s Life,’” junior environmental science major (and sorority sister of mine) Maya Feinstein shared. “‘Moana’ is my favorite Disney movie. The old ones have more of a sweet spot.”

Disney has also recently turned to live-action remakes, which have accumulated mixed reviews from the public as well as from critics.

“I feel like the live actions are turning people away from Disney because they scream ‘Cash grab,’” junior elementary education major (and my sorority sister) Erin Ritchie said. “Disney was always so known for their original content and soundtrack. They don’t have the same charm and it’s very of-putting.”

I have been led to ask: Is Disney’s creative outlet circling the drain?

I looked at some notable movies from the last three decades to see whether Disney’s revenue and audiences for its animated movies have withstood the test of time.

THE 1990s

A couple of the most notable animated movies from the 1990s are “Beauty and the Beast”(1991) and “The Lion King” (1994). When “Beauty and the Beast” was released, it was one of Disney’s most successful animated flms.

“Beauty and the Beast” follows the tale of a young French girl whose kindness meets the heart of a frightful beast who has been trapped by his vanity. Disney produced the flm under a budget of about $25 million, with a box ofce gross of about $424 million. This success makes sense; the movie is quite a popular children’s tale, and its phenomenal soundtrack was nominated for a Grammy for album of the year in 1992.

“The Lion King,” inspired by Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, brought in the most box ofce sales during the 1990s. It continues to be one of the highest-grossing Disney animated movies to date, tipping the scales at nearly $1 billion worldwide. Its soundtrack features hits like “Circle of Life” and “Hakuna Matata.”

THE 2000s

The turn of the century brought about many changes for animated movies. Multiple production companies, including Dreamworks, transitioned from two-dimensional (2D) animation to three-dimensional (3D) animation, forever changing how animators produce flms. But Disney’s audience did not stop growing.

A major Disney movie from the 2000s was “WALL-E” (2008), which projects a fearful outcome that might overtake our lazy generation. At the turn of the century, people were determined to predict the newest technological advancements. However, “WALL-E” showed the consequences of relying on such technology while showcasing a sweet love story. Its budget was around $180 million, and it grossed over $500 million in box ofce sales.

“Up” (2009) is also one of the biggest Disney animated movies from the early 2000s, topping box ofce charts of the year. It is best known for its tear-jerking moments between love-struck protagonists, Carl and Ellie, along with its adventurous nature. While the movie is not a big singalong, it has incredible scores such as “Married Life.” Those who have not seen “Up” can likely still recognize the tune. The flm ran on a budget of $175 million and grossed box ofce sales of over $700 million.

“They’re not making anything close to that anymore,” Sam Devard, a senior kinesiology and exercise science student (and acquaintance of mine), said.

“When we were kids, our parents wanted to sit down and watch these movies with us, but now I don’t even want to watch them,” Devard said.

What was once a broad demographic seems to have been narrowed down to only children.

THE 2010s

“Moana” (2016) is one of the newer successful princess movies. It is about an island princess who must save her island and the world from being consumed by pure evil. She is the only Polynesian princess to date and is one of few movies that feature island culture. Naturally, this alone drew a lot of attention, but the music score for this flm was also quite a hit. Its budget was between $150 and $175 million, and it grossed nearly $700 million in box ofce sales worldwide.

Although probably obvious, the biggest hits from the 2010s are “Frozen” (2013) and “Frozen II” (2019). “Frozen” features two princesses – one of whom is the heir to the throne – who face an incredible power that they must control as they step up as leaders. The soundtrack is extremely popular (and catchy). It seemed like everyone, at one point or another, had “Let it Go” stuck in their heads. Only running on a budget of $150 million, it grossed over $1 billion in box ofce sales worldwide and is one of the highest-grossing flms of all time.

RECENT BOX OFFICE “FLOPS”

“Luca,” which came out in 2021, has had one of the lowest box ofce sales of the decade so far. It was released post-quarantine after people began to ease back into a more stable routine and resocialize. It did not have an exceptional music score and focused mainly on character dialogue. The plot lacked structure, and although it was cute, it lacked substance.

“Sounds too much like ‘The Little Mermaid,’’’ Devard said when asked if he would want to watch the flm.

Its sales were unimpressive. With a budget of $120 million, it only grossed $49.8 million in box ofce sales worldwide. The flm did not even produce half of what the company spent on it.

“Turning Red” is a flm that was released in the spring of 2022. It is about a young girl who transforms into a giant red panda after reaching adolescence. I was in high school when it came out, and my art teacher repeatedly talked about how obvious it was that it was about a girl getting her period, as the New York Times also noted in a review.

“I feel like ‘Turning Red’ is one of their best because it highlights their mother-daughter relationships,” Feinstein said. “I felt very seen.”

Although it received some positive feedback from audiences, some critics didn’t agree. Some pointed out that the flm chalks up women to being hormonal and out of control of their feelings.

It ran a budget of around $175 million, only grossing a little over $21 million in box ofce sales. Disney lost over 85 percent of its budget for this movie. Need I say more?

“Wish” (2023) is the reason why I wanted to write this article in the frst place. It is about a girl named Asha who wishes on a star to save her kingdom from a power-hungry ruler named King Magnifco. To me, the animation felt unfnished, the soundtrack was juvenile at best and the story had no structure. That said, it has grossed over $250 million in box ofce sales on a budget of around $200 million, which is not terrible considering its quality.

THE RISE OF DISNEY+

Disney+ came out around the time COVID-19 started in response to movie theaters shutting down for quarantine. It was a way for people to enjoy not only new movies, but classics as well from the comfort of their home.

“When they added Disney+, they had to compete with other streaming platforms,” Ritchie said. “ [Disney has] a reputation of not being that good anymore that I don’t have a desire to see them anymore. Now that I have Disney+, I don’t have to go see them.”

Some may contend that Disney animated flms have experienced a downward trend since the 90s, which is arguably its best era, but its box ofce sales and audience trends have taken a severe hit in recent years. Its best flms seem to have come from previously existing stories such as “The Lion King” (“Hamlet”) and “Aladdin” (“The Arabian Nights”).

“They’ve been better, they’ve been worse, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch a Disney movie,” junior neuroscience major (and sorority sister) Sophie Kravitz shared. “But if it’s on, I’ll watch it.”

The stories Disney has come up with on its own are taking down its ratings. So what does this mean for future Disney animated movies? Honestly, I do not know. It would have to do some serious restafng in its creativity department to fx this downward trend and rebrand.

For now, enjoy the classics. Disney+ is here for a reason, so put on “Cars” (2006) or “Toy Story” (1995) and try to revel in the good old days, when Disney was magical.

“When we were kids, they kept the movies running [on the Disney Channel] and got you locked in, never wanting to change the channel,” Devard said. “There is no magic left.”

WHEN OLYMPIC FIGURE SKATER

Polina Edmunds was 17, every time she jumped or tapped into the ice felt as though her foot was squishing like an accordion. This was because she had developed a severe bone bruise on the navicular bone in her right foot. She pushed through this injury to continue skating but admitted that she overdid her training and made the injury worse.

Figure skating is a physically demanding and painful sport that puts great stress on one’s body. But how can one tell when the pain they are feeling is productive – and should be pushed through – rather than problematic? Figure skaters tend to develop a high pain tolerance and shy away from reporting injury, whether due to pride or the inability to distinguish good pain from bad pain. It can be easier to ignore all pain so one can continue training.

As an amateur skater, I have endured a great deal of physical hardship in the sport. I fractured my back and sprained my wrist, ankle and knee a few times. The many injuries I have experienced as an amateur fgure skater have often left me thinking: If I had to go through this much to become half-decent at fgure skating, what did the skaters that made it to the national and international level have to endure?

To answer this question, I spoke with 2024 U.S. national bronze medalist and 2022 Olympic alternate Camden Pulkinen, 2022 Olympic gold medalist and 2017 U.S. national champion Karen Chen, two-time U.S. national silver medalist and 2014 Olympian Polina Edmunds and 2018 Olympic bronze medalist and 2016 U.S. national champion Adam Rippon.

Physical neglect is a signifcant issue in the skating community and reveals that the desire to succeed competitively often outweighs the motivation to stay physically healthy. Figure skaters want to medal in competitions, and taking time of for an injury interrupts one’s competitive momentum and takes away precious time from what is already a fnite career. Hence, it makes sense to numb the pain, continue skating and simply address the injury after retiring.

Edmunds argued that this is part of a larger issue in the community.

“Everybody feels like they don’t have enough time to recover and come back to the same form, if not the same, even better,” she said.

Edmunds did not acknowledge her injury until it was too late, mostly because she was not aware of how to recognize or respond to an injury. Additionally, she and her coaches did not want her to leave the sport at a time when she was experiencing great competitive success.

“We were very much on the frame of, ‘You’re making so much progress right now. Like, you’ve

made such a splash, we have to continue this momentum,’” Edmunds said. “So it was really hard for all of us to see past that and prioritize healing in a no-nonsense way.

“I was at what felt like at the time my prime in terms of how I was performing, what I was able to do. And I was just on the cusp of surpassing my top competitors.”

The Olympics were in a year and a half, so that was her priority. She wanted to save precious time that could be crucial to her competitive success. When she was frst diagnosed with the injury, she took three months of. She continued running and biking as well as doing core exercises. Edmunds felt like she had healed and was hesitant to take more time of, so she returned to training.

However, after six months back on the ice, the pain resurfaced to the point that Edmunds could not do jumps anymore. She had to take anoth-

er ten months of the ice, but this time, the only physical activity she did was hiking and soul cycling. When she returned to the ice, she gave herself a year to regain her elements, which made for a more efective recovery. After three years, she was able to fully heal from her injury.

Chen’s perspective on injury changed throughout her career. Initially, she was a “push through it” kind of person. When she reported pain to her mom, her mom would advise her to get of the ice, and Chen would refuse. Her coach had to fgure out when something was bothering her because she rarely said anything.

When Chen was 14, she developed plantar fasciitis from having severely fat feet, which caused her to be unable to walk. She was about to compete at sectionals, which she thought was the most important competition of her life, so she got cortisone injections to allow her to compete.

Around a year earlier, Chen severely fractured her foot. She was so focused on getting through competitions and thought she could fgure out the injury later. This was not the case. She ended up having to withdraw from two competitions. She held onto this mindset when she started having back and hip issues at 15 and 16. Chen had tears in both of her labrums and was forced to modify her training to accommodate the pain this caused.

Eventually, Chen could not walk normally, and her pain became unmanageable. But it was right before the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, so she did not want to take time of. She ended up getting two platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections in her left hip to alleviate the pain and allow her to continue training. Chen also developed spondylolisthesis, which is when a bone in one’s spine slips forward.

“I realized when I pushed through [an injury], sometimes it gets worse, and it may force me to

take of more time, versus kind of stepping away and taking care of it a little bit sooner before it gets to that level of severity [which] is more benefcial and better for the long run,” Chen said.

Rippon broke his foot as well, but for very different reasons. He felt he was out of shape, and he wanted to look and perform like his younger competitors. He was 26 at the time, and his teammate, Nathan Chen, was 16. To look and skate like a 16-year-old was an impossible goal, but that did not stop Rippon from trying. He wanted to have the same number of quadruple jumps that the other male skaters did.

“I wanted to do anything I could to get better,” Rippon said.

After over-exercising and heavily limiting his caloric intake for about two years, Rippon received a lot of praise for his appearance and performed at a quality he was happy with. This encouraged his unhealthy lifestyle. He began to associate a feeling of being hungry with working hard. That was until his body became so fragile that doing a simple of-ice jump led his foot to fracture.

Rippon did not want to address his disordered eating or foot injury because he was gearing up for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. However, he knew that if he wanted to make it through the Olympic season, he would need to become physically healthy. Additionally, he would have to accept that he was not going to have the same jump repertoire as a 16-year-old.

“I had to kind of let go of this and be like, ‘It’s okay if I can’t do that. But I’m gonna do what I can as best as I can. And the only thing I can do is focus on being the best athlete I can be,’” Rippon said.

Rippon moved to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and worked alongside a nutritionist to facilitate his injury recovery. After working hard

to disconnect and reconnect the wires of what is healthy and what is not, Rippon was able to stay injury-free for the 2018 Olympic Games. His burning desire to compete in the Olympics ultimately helped him to prioritize injury recovery and overall physical health.

Pulkinen is the only one of these skaters who did not have to take signifcant time of due to an injury. For most, this mindset proves problematic. Pulkinen attributes his mostly injury-free career to luck and good prevention but acknowledges that injury is mostly inevitable for fgure skaters.

“Figure skating is not a natural sport,” Pulkinen said. “So, of course, there’s gonna be injuries.”

When living and training at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Col orado, Pulkinen had access to many health professionals, which allowed him to be very proactive with in juries. He would im mediately see a pro fessional if he was experiencing pain and would de velop a game plan.

Pulkinen had never withdrawn from a competition until this year’s Four Continents Figure Skating Cham-

pionships, which he only did in order to prioritize training for the 2024 World Figure Skating Championships. Pulkinen competed at the 2021 U.S. Figure Skating Championships with a broken foot because he did not want to withdraw. Due to the pain, he ended up not performing to his full potential and scored eighth place overall. However, he preferred to compete poorly rather than take time of, the latter of which he considered quitting.

He noted that he does not know his limits and is fueled by his pain rather than alarmed by it. He believes his pain tolerance is too high for his health.

“If I’m feeling in pain or if I’m feeling hurt, I just kind of shut that of,” Pulkinen said. “I don’t know when to stop. I’ll fall 10 times in a row and

These four skaters’ stories reveal that there is an incredibly toxic mindset around physical health and injury in the greater skating community. Becoming an elite fgure skater requires immense ambition, but this ambition is a double-edged sword, as it can cause one to associate rest with quitting and ignore one’s physical needs. However, resting is necessary for longevity in the sport.

“We’re human, just like everyone else, and our body takes the same amount of recovery time as the kid in your classroom,” Edmunds said.

Edmunds had to learn the hard way that injuries cannot be ignored and rest cannot be bypassed. From this experience, however, she learned the importance of having patience with healing and prioritizing long-term success over short-term

“I wish I knew when I was younger that I could take as much time as I needed,” Edmunds said. “And when I eventually did come back, the doors would be open and the community would be waiting with open arms rather than turning their

DISCOVER YOUR INNER CHILD

Staff member Caroline Powell researches the complexity of discovering one’s inner child and discusses strategies to bring them into one’s adulthood.

story by CAROLINE POWELL ilustration by EMILY COHEN

CHILDHOOD IS A PIVOTAL STAGE IN human development. But after aging past this stage, you may hear the phrase “inner child” tossed around in conversation. What is the inner child, and is it in you?

According to the Integrative Psychotherapy Blog, your inner child is part of your subconscious, which has been picking up on behavioral patterns and messages from your environment since birth. Your inner child holds all your memories, beliefs, emotions and hopes.

Your inner child may emerge when you feel anxious about being verbally reprimanded by a boss for being late to work, despite being consistently on time in the past. This reaction may happen because you grew up in an unstable environment where others shamed you for little mistakes. Your inner child may also show when a particular scent reminds you of visiting your grandma’s house when you were younger.

The bottom line is that our inner child is always with us, subconsciously communicating as we go about our daily lives. When you are not in touch with your inner child, you may not be able to recognize challenges in regulating emotions, according to Verywell Mind. This could ultimately feed into a more signifcant issue: reacting in outbursts whenever difculties arise. Once you prioritize healing this version of yourself, you learn a great deal about yourself and your behaviors.

While many of us go through something detrimental in our childhood, it is not our fault that it happened. However, it is our responsibility to heal from our wounds before they cause greater issues that afect our relationships with ourselves and others. Starting to alleviate yourself by working on your inner child could lead to a life-changing healing process from past wounds.

A study by The National Library of Medicine found that within a study group of 13 people between the ages of 70 and 91: “Experiences indicated that the inner child was present throughout the lifespan, was found in challenges that oc-

curred in life, and could turn something bad into something good.”

Some individuals in this focus group were content with their lives, while others struggled in adulthood with accepting their childhood. Overall, the fndings within the study indicated a need for attention and care when caring for older people.

This study helped scientists understand how we become products of our childhood environments. Many participants recalled moments of shame and guilt that were extensions of unstable relationships with parents, while others recalled joyful memories that stuck with them through the years. While some still struggled with accepting negative memories or even remembering their childhood, most were content with their ways of growing up.

Some may be wondering how to achieve this level of contentment. There are various personalized ways to engage with your inner child. Encouraging yourself to perform activities you loved as a child or create moments of spontaneity are simple strategies that can bring out the little version of you.

Professional help may sometimes be needed, especially if you have many childhood-related triggers. According to Verywell Mind, there are forms of therapy that incorporate inner child work, like internal family system (IFS) therapy and psychodynamic therapy. IFS focuses on developing all parts of your psyche and building skills for them to work in harmony. In contrast, psychodynamic therapy focuses on understanding how your past shapes your present and works to heal from past traumas.

Unfortunately, therapy is not always an accessible or afordable option. That does not mean you are unable to practice healing yourself. The phrase “reparent yourself” is a tactic many people use when beginning to heal their inner child on their own terms.

This journey might look like having a literal

conversation with the version of yourself at the age you feel something prominent may have happened. For example: You sit with the 5-yearold version of yourself and ask them how they are feeling and if there is anything they want to share. You might fnd this silly, but intently listening to that part of yourself might cultivate a response you never would have expected.

The inner child that I found felt shameful and scared. I was not entirely conscious of this, but truly listening showed that these emotions had been sitting in my subconscious for a long time. I reacted to those feelings by verbally telling that version of myself that she was safe and did not need to be ashamed or scared anymore. Over time, with many afrmations and practice, that little girl outgrew those feelings.

Another technique is keeping a picture of yourself as a kid and saying afrmations to them. Some people prefer to put the picture on their mirror. Doing so allows them to remember that when they speak to their current selves, they also speak to their younger selves. This method can encourage one to be more thoughtful and sympathetic when talking to their refection.

Sometimes, healing your inner child can be as simple as playing a sport you used to enjoy growing up. I loved volleyball, and playing it reminds me of how much fun I had playing it with friends as a kid. Or, maybe you loved doing crafts growing up. Getting back into painting and drawing can bring back joyful memories. You do not have to worry about being great at it. You just have to remind yourself that what you loved as a kid can be an easy way to feel more connected with your inner child.

Redefning your childhood and connecting with your inner child is a healing journey. It does not happen overnight. It could take years or even a whole lifetime to relearn what you enjoyed as a child and discover ways to invite them in on the fun in your adult life. Practice compassion and patience with yourself, and take your time getting to know all versions of yourself.

THE SECRET TUNNEL THROUGH THE YEARS

After nearly two years of underground shows, the owners of the Secret Tunnel, a DIY concert venue, are graduating. With a few shows left on the venue’s schedule, the owners, performers and attendees refect on what the Secret Tunnel has meant to them. story by

MACAYLA COOK

FROM THE OUTSIDE, THE SECRET

Tunnel looks like any other college house: a stone path, a small porch, a screen door that will not shut properly. Yet an underground world lives just over the threshold and down the steep base ment stairs.

The DIY concert venue, which has become a sta ple of campus nightlife in many circles, will close its doors at the end of this semester as two of its owners, Kolby Smith and Eric Latham, gradu ate. Its third owner, Josie Moran, graduated from the university in 2023 but remains in the house.

After joining The Set List, a music blogging RSO, in their junior year, the three owners be came inspired to start a house venue. The Secret Tunnel, which takes its name from a song in the popular cartoon “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” held its frst show on October 21, 2022.

“We had like 75 people there, and we had a great time,” said Smith, a ffth-year political science major. “In comparison, it’s a smaller version of what we have now, but what was awesome about it is that we still had a lot of variety in what we had that night, so it taught us a lot of things.”

The Secret Tunnel now sees “probably at least 200 people at our shows throughout the night,” by Latham’s estimate. Latham is also a ffth-year senior, studying political science and music management.

Smith said that shows are a collaborative efort between the housemates. They take charge of band relations, while Latham handles social media. During shows, Latham works the door, Smith manages the soundboard and Moran “kind of foats around to make sure nothing implodes.”

These shows feature various musical acts from the tri-state area, many of which include university students.

Senior landscape architecture major Jonny Dean is one of many students whose band has performed at the Secret Tunnel. Dean is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of Vanylla Godzylla.

“It’s such a DIY venue, which I think is real-

“Everybody’s there just to enjoy the music, get to know new bands and meet new people that have the same interests, where compared to a fraternity house, you’re in your own group, happy to be there, and everybody else is kind of doing the same thing,” O’Mara said. “I’d say this is more of a togetherness area.”

Dean agreed, describing the crowd as “very diverse. No a--h----.”

Now, with a handful of shows left in the semester, the Secret Tunnel owners are not only preparing to go out with a bang but also refecting on what their venue has meant to the community.

“We get people who just walk up to us or DM us and say, ‘This is what we needed. I never thought that I’d have something this awesome in my life,’” Smith said. “And I’m not trying to sit there and and skill to do.”

Ultimately, while DIY can be “a forever kind of thing,” the owners say they will miss the Secret Tunnel.

“We’ve had all of the bands who have played here sign the wall downstairs, and I might tear up a bit having to leave that,” Smith said.

Latham agreed, adding that the Secret Tunnel is ultimately one part of a massive community that spans the globe.

“I hope people who come to these know that not every house venue is good – there are defnitely some not-great ones – but the community is everywhere,” Latham said. “You can fnd places like us everywhere. We don’t exist coincidentally. It’s all connected.”

“THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN DELAWARE”: A LOOK AT REP THEATER PRODUCTIONS

The faculty-made resident theater company takes advantage of a unique home and set-up on campus to run numerous productions per year.

story by RISHA INAGANTI illustration by SELIN BACAZ

HIDDEN IN THE HEART OF CAMPUS LIES

Thompson Theatre, host to a number of oncampus productions and the Resident Ensemble Players (REP), a resident theater company made up of university faculty members.

Resident theater companies are those which do every aspect of a production in-house. For the REP, this involves mixing their own music, creating their own costumes and constructing everything by hand.

The REP has called this space – which is located right across from the Amy E. du Pont Music Building – their home since the early 2010s, when the university’s then-acting and production MFA program shut down.

“I love the venue,” Elliot Queale, the technical director at the REP, said. “I think the room itself is gorgeous. There are a lot of fantastic features about it, such as the coloring and the gentle, natural curves. I just think there’s an elegance to the

architecture of the room and how everything blends.”

Queale explained how the performing arts center was constructed in the early 2000s when the university received additional funding. With the space being made for graduate students, there were many pieces of equipment specifcally chosen so that students could learn about production processes.

When the theater fully became property of the REP, the group began doing six shows a year.

“We’d start in August, move in, do the show, take the show down and immediately start setting up for the next show,” Queale said. “We were just back to back to back. There were almost no gaps in the schedule.”

With the hit of COVID-19, the REP began to cut down on productions, doing four this school year.

Steve Tague, the REP’s artistic director, explained how COVID-19 changed the scene not just for the REP, but for theaters all across the world.

“When the pandemic was at a high, we saw a change in people’s habits, their consumption of art and their general nerves,” Tague said. “Today, the habit and convenience of staying home is hitting theaters pretty hard. A lot of well-established theaters are struggling for funding. The landscape across the country is pretty scary for the theater world right now.”

However, cutting back on productions has not been all negative, as it has allowed time for improvements to the theater which is coming up on 20 years of service, Queale said.

Despite fewer productions, the stress of choosing what shows to perform has not gone away. According to Tague, the process of choosing shows begins almost a year in advance.

“My top priority is often creating a season that I think is well balanced,” Tague said. “We want a season that has a bit of art, a bit of commercialism, a bit of fun and a bit of seriousness. The question is always just ‘How do we achieve the best balance?’”

Tague went on to explain the risk at stake when choosing shows. He stated that the choice is always between popular shows that will bring in ticket sales and unknown shows with unfamiliar titles.

“If people don’t come, that is going to hurt,” Tague said. “It’s the forever battle of selling art or doing art.”

Tague mentioned that this risk has only gotten higher due to both the university’s budget issues and the national tight theater budget.

Once shows are chosen, it is not long before the production process starts. For a typical show, the ofcial planning phase begins six to seven months before the opening night.

According to the REP’s Production Manager Keith Davis, after a show is chosen the frst conversation is between the director and the designers. Once the director states their concept for the show, bigger tasks like scenic design and costume design start.

About fve months before opening night, a design package is sent out, listing everything needed for the costume and scenic designers to complete their plans.

Then, four months out, a costume shop and scenic shop will be built. Slowly, other elements will come in so that when the show is about a month out, rehearsals can start.

About two weeks before the opening night, everything ofcially moves into the theater for onstage run-throughs. The show will go on for two to three weekends, and then the entire stage gets unpacked in a day.

“It always takes less time to destroy than create,” Davis said. “We’re a lot more careful in the setting up phase because we don’t want to damage anything. When it’s going away we use tools of destruction because we don’t have storage room for the large scenic pieces.”

A large reason for the lack of storage is the sidelines of the theater. With a smaller backstage and not much distance between the audience and the stage, it can be difcult to hide things of stage, Queale explained.

“We always get really creative with the lack of depth,” Queale said. “It’s defnitely a challenge but always a fun feat to take on.”

For a recent production, Queale explained that a special projector that allowed for a wide-angle illusion with a fsheye lens was used.

Additionally, the front of the stage has a platform elevator that can move up and down to change the stage size and create more space between the audience when needed. This elevator goes all the way to the underground of the stage, where extra seats and props are stored.

This special stage is just one of the unique features of the theater.

Between the wig holders that are perfect replicas of actors’ heads and the prop kitchen that allows the group to create fake blood and steak-colored watermelon, the theater is loaded with hidden

The panels are adorned with trim and molding along with colors that match the theater walls to blend them into the background.

“It’s just another testament to how much thought goes into everything,” Queale said. “You never know when somebody is going to be looking around and see something that can look really pretty without even knowing that it serves a greater purpose.”

The frst three rows of panels are sound-refecting panels, while every panel behind it is a sound-absorbing panel.

Due to the architecture of the building and the acoustic panels, none of the actors need to use microphones. The sound of their voices bounce of the sound-refecting panels in the front, while all the noise in the back is taken in by sound-absorbing panels. Through this set-up, voices from the stage project through the entire space, while noise anywhere else is mufed.

The panels combine with thick wall curtains and layers of insulation to create a space of acoustic isolation. With Thompson Theatre serving as a multipurpose venue, there are a number of stages that make up the overall space.

“Sometimes we’ll have shows start at the same time in rooms right next to each other,” Queale said. “But no one will have any idea because of how well the acoustic isolation is set up. You can never hear anything outside of the room you’re in.”

Whether it be a production of Shakespeare or of a horror comedy, the group is always looking to draw in new crowds and grow love for theater.

EXIT, PURSUED BY A DELABEAR

Years have passed since Delabear’s last visit, but its fame is apparently far from forgotten.

story by NADYA ELLERHORST illustrations by SARAH WESSEL

THE DELABEAR.

Mammal. Myth. Regional legend.

There is, of course, a town called Bear, Delaware, but there is also the elusive “Delabear,” sightings of whom span years.

Until Delabear’s 21st century debut, the last black bear sighting in the First State occurred in the early 1900s in Sussex County’s Great Cypress Swamp, per Joe Rogerson of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control (DNREC).

According to Rogerson, environmental program manager for species conservation and research in DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, the state’s landscape used to be relatively bear-friendly. However, as forests disappeared and more people moved in (he pointed out that Delaware is the sixth-most densely populated state in the country), the state “is no longer ideally suited to support black bears.”

“Conficts with bears in trash, gardens, bird feeders and dangers in their crossing our roadways would all be a challenge for us and the bears,” Rogerson said in an email.

That has not seemed to stop the Delabear, although its visits have not been for sightseeing.

Rogerson explains that, upon reaching adulthood, bears (usually males) will leave home in search of new territories. And, despite its name, Delabear actually has few ties to Delaware, likely originating from a more bear-abundant neighboring state like Maryland, Pennsylvania or New Jersey.

Every Delabear appearance (bear in mind, it is probably not the same bear every time) has caused something of a stir throughout the First State. And it would seem that it all began on the university’s campus.

DELABEAR’S DECISION DAY

Donna Vickers, Newark Police Department’s

animal control ofcer, has seen her fair share of unusual critters.

There has been a 12-foot-long white snake behind Timothy’s of Newark, rogue emus and an escaped serval. The Delabear, called in by someone who spotted it in their White Clay Drive backyard on May 19, 2016, however, was something of a frst for Vickers.

Delabear was believed to have been in Hockessin and Pike Creek in the days prior.

“I’m thinking, ‘Well, it’ll never make it here,’” Vickers said. “So then when I got to work the next morning, I got sent on the bear complaint.”

Upon arrival, Vickers witnessed Delabear “up on its back legs” and “swatting at a bird feeder.” The black bear was likewise spotted elsewhere by a member of the City of Newark’s Public Works crew, a video of the animal posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, showed.

A UDaily article published the same day urged caution due to “a possible black bear sighting in the area behind Christiana Commons on Laird Campus.” The alert about the incident ofers an evidence-based, if not blunt, piece of advice: “Black bear attacks are extremely rare. If a black bear does attack, fght back.”

However, Vickers emphasizes that Delabear showed no aggression, and the Newark Police Department’s response was focused on prioritizing the safety of the community and the bear, blocking of roads to corral the animal away from the public.

“When I got there, our only goal is to … protect the public and not hurt the animal if at all possible,” Vickers said .

The end goal was to allow Delabear to return from whence it came. Vickers remembered they last caught sight of Delabear swimming away in the White Clay Creek near Creek Road, although Vickers said that the bear was spotted later that night snacking on a beehive on Cheltenham Road and subsequently walking in the

area of

Road.

Despite the lack of an immediate threat, the community still found a way to have a little fun while occasionally ofering safety advice. A “#delabear” sprang up on X, with many puns in its wake (“Where does the #DelaBear go for taxfree shopping?” “The Christiana MAUL.”).

UDPD posted an edited image of a black bear playing trumpet in the university’s marching band, encouraging individuals to make loud noises in bear encounters. Aetna Hose, Hook & Ladder Company reminded folks to keep distance from bears with a once again edited image of a bear shambling up a fre ladder.

Many individuals The Review reached out to who were faculty or students at the time tend to recall an alert, but nothing more extreme. However, some students and community members were reported to be wandering the areas of the bear sightings. Vickers recalls having to ask students gathered to watch the spectacle to leave, only for them to return with more friends eager for a glimpse.

Either way, Vickers does not think that the memory will go anywhere any time soon.

“I’m sure the college students will never forget that day,” she said.

She paused, then laughed.

“Along with us. We’ll never forget that day, either.

There’s probably a lot of people that won’t forget that day.”

DELABEAR IN THE BIG CITY

The Delabear made another public appearance in December 2019 – this time, with a little more gusto.

Following previous bear sightings throughout Delaware County, Pennsylvania, in the days prior, Delabear resurfaced in North Wilmington, spotted along I-95 in the early hours of Dec. 4. The next day, Delabear bounded through backyards with the authorities – and NBC Philadelphia’s SkyForce 10 helicopter – hot on its trail.

It prompted a lockdown at Wilmington Friends School. It made national headlines, with outlets such as AP News picking up the story. And Wilmington resident Jimmy Diana got a front row/ back porch seat to the visit.

When Diana received a text from his father about the bear being spotted in his Trolley Square neighborhood that morning, he assumed it was in jest. But Diana received confrmation after witnessing police taping of a part of the street and speaking with an ofcer. Just the same, he “kind of didn’t think too much of it” and continued getting ready for work.

“I was … kind of looking outside my door and just saw a ton of police presence,” Diana said. “And I was like, something’s going on because there [were] police ofcers armed to the tooth,

DELABEAR’S ITINERARY

MAY 18, 2016 enter delabear

What would eventually become known as the “Delabear” is frst spotted in Hockessin and Pike Creek, Delaware, causing slight chaos as it makes its way through backyards, trashcans and a beehive.

like circling around my house.”

Five minutes later, Delabear arrived in Diana’s front yard, and his camera rolled, creating what became a viral video of the encounter. In the video, Delabear wanders through Diana’s backyard and, at a certain point, peers through the glass porch door, with Diana ofering impassioned commentary – including the occasional “Woah, mama!” – throughout.

“People have asked me, ‘Were you acting, or was that not true, genuine?’” Diana said. “I was like, ‘That was as genuine and as pure a reaction as I could give you.’”

Years have passed, but Diana’s reputation is not completely out of the woods, although Diana conceded that his “15 minutes of fame” has evolved into “more of like a joke amongst friends and family members.”

After the encounter, Diana recalled receiving bear-themed presents and a “Woah, mama!” t-shirt, and his son has been gifted everything from bear onesies to bear jackets.

And should the pair ever cross paths again, Diana is prepared.

“I’d welcome it as an old friend. Listen, me and him are connected forever.”

DELA – BEER?

The can is colonial blue and buf. A red dotted

FEB, 2018 and a bear-y on top

The “Delabear” favor debuts at UDairy.

DEC 4, 2019 bear-ly there

After days of numerous sightings across Delaware County, Pennsylvania, three spottings of the Delabear are reported in North Wilmington.

MAY 19, 2016 roll delabears! Delabear takes on Newark, spotted in multiple locations around town throughout the day, including the university’s Laird Campus. Delabear eventually escapes the authorities via White Clay Creek, although it is later spotted on Cheltenham and Barksdale Roads.

line snakes around the map of greater Wilmington that encases the so-named “Double Delaware IPA.” Near a graphic of a black bear is a speech bubble invoking Diana’s viral exclamations (“Bearwatch!”).

Meet “Delabear,” Wilmington Brew Works’ impromptu homage to the state’s unofcial non-native mammal. The beer is the brainchild of founders Craig Wensell, chief executive ofcer and master brewer, and John Fusco, vice president of creative and brand marketing. But, despite some serendipitous ingredients, the booze was never meant to have anything to do with its namesake.

According to Fusco, Wilmington Brew Works has often tried to “highlight diferent, fun things in the Delaware zeitgeist.” The company was set to release its newest IPA the weekend of Delabear’s 2019 Wilmington visit.

When the bear struck, so did an opportunity, and the team quickly pivoted to rebrand the brew, the label, and later can art, the latter two designed by Fusco himself. “Delabear” was initially tap-only, with cans released the following February.

“When the bear thing happened, it was great because I was like, ‘Oh man, I used like 120 pounds of honey,’ I used a honey malt, all this other stuf,” Wensell said. “The bear fts perfectly.”

It was a topic that also happened to hit close to home.

DEC 5, 2019 bear-watch!

Delabear pays a visit to Wilmington – and resident Jimmy Diana’s Trolley Square backyard. Despite efforts at tranquilization (the dart falls out as Delabear lumbers over fences and decks), hot pursuit and much media frenzy, Delabear ultimately evades capture and escapes into Alapocas Run State Park.

“John and I laughed our butts of about it because the bear came through, and there was helicopters and police cars, and the bear basically walked right across the back of the parking lot of the brewery area, right there where we have railroad tracks,” Wensell said.

“Delabear” – the beer that is – now unironically comes out of hibernation every December as a yearly homage.

Beyond drinks, the Delabear has inspired a t-shirt and a Wilmington tourism guide. The university’s beloved ice cream spot also got in on the action.

UDairy Creamery frst churned out the “Delabear” favor, consisting of banana ice cream with peanut butter chips, honey and Teddy Graham crackers, in February 2018. Upon Delabear’s reappearance, the favor made a comeback in December 2019 with a “Nom nom Roar!”

“Anything a bear would be interested in was our thought with it, or, you know, the foods that are traditionally associated with storybook bears,” Jennifer Rodammer, UDairy’s director of operations, said.

Rodammer herself remembers the Delabear incident of 2016.

“I think I had talked to some of the facilities guys that were on the pest control team,” Rodammer said. “They were like, ‘Yeah, they had called us asking if we could help at all with the bear.’

“And they were like, ‘This is out of our range.’”

BEARING THE WEIGHT OF STARDOM

The Delabear’s last (potential) sightings were in Pike Creek, Delaware, and the Westgate Farms neighborhood in June 2020. It has not paid the state a visit since, at least publicly, although Rogerson explains that this may not be the last we see of Delabear.

“As bear populations in our surrounding states continue to rise, it is reasonable to think that encounters in Delaware will as well, but the core ranges of bear populations in our surrounding states remain far from Delaware’s borders, so these encounters will likely be the result of random dispersal events,” Rogerson said.

Despite a sighting not being recorded in years, it would seem that the Delabear has not completely escaped the popular imagination. Sift through the dozens upon dozens of news stories from each of Delabear’s visits or take a look at the conversation and inspiration generated within the broader community, and one can see that Delabear always manages to catch eyes and capture hearts.

If anything, the mammal lives on as an unofcial emblem of Delaware.

“Delaware doesn’t get a lot of attention, so when we get something, we might as well show some pride,” Fusco said.

DEC 6, 2019 bruin, or brewin’?

“Delabear” takes on Wilmington once again (in beer form, this time). In spirit of the famed visitor, Wilmington Brew Works revamps a beer originally scheduled to hit taps that week and releases “Delabear.” UDairy also re-releases the “Delabear” favor.

JUNE 6, 2020

delabear reloaded

Delabear is purportedly spotted once again in Pike Creek.

JUNE 8, 2020 delabear’s last waltz Delabear sightings are reported in the Westgate Farms neighborhood. This is the last reported sighting of the Delabear – for now.

UNIVERSITY ALUMNI SHARE POST-GRADUATION STORIES

The Review sat down with Kelly Somers and Matt O’Donnell. Read how these two alumni found their callings after graduation.

story by JAMES KELLY illustrations by LILLIAN CONLAN

MANY OF THE ALUMNI OF THE university have moved on to careers they discovered a deep passion for while in school.

KELLY SOMERS, CLASS OF 2007

Kelly Somers, a senior water shed coordinator with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), was unsure what her path would be but found her calling before earning her undergraduate degree in environmental science in 2007.

Starting school as an undecided student, she wanted to “test the waters” to see what piqued her curiosity the most.

She took general business courses her freshman year, and after her frst semester, she became uncertain about a degree in business being the right ft.

Taking an interest in the biology and chemistry classes she took, she started to focus on environmental science, especially after her frst study abroad program to Costa Rica during her sophomore year.

“One of the main parts of my work is the Trash Free Waters and microplastics coordinator for the region,” Somers said. “I do a lot of work including feld work and research into plastic pollution and their potential impacts on the environment, watersheds and human health.”

A career involving math or science was all she was concerned about, worrying very little about where that would land her. Since there was little exposure to the breadth of the careers that could lead to, she did not know the job she would ultimately attain existed.

“Even then, when I was a freshman, I couldn’t see myself in a white lab coat working in a lab because that’s where I thought a biologist worked,” Somers said. “I didn’t have this connection between the diferent areas of study and what that career could look like.”

MATT O’DONNELL, CLASS OF 1994

“We studied a lot about eco-tourism and ecology, especially around rainforests,” Somers said. “I think the catalyst was travel, and I’ve always been fascinated with maps and geography, so really seeing the diferent landscapes and environment come to life was what drove me to environmental science.”

A few years after graduation, she started work on her master’s degree. This began with a fellowship with the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, where she served as an intern before becoming a research fellow. She graduated with her master’s from Drexel University in 2012 with a focus on human impact on wetlands.

Another alumnus had a diferent path to walk. Matt O’Donnell started his journey when he was still in college, working his way to becoming the co-anchor of Action News Mornings on 6 ABC in Philadelphia.

He started looking for jobs during his junior year of college, knowing that the news media was a “competitive in dustry.” O’Donnell had his sights set on TV news right out of school and would not settle for anything less.

He used his frst car, a white stick-shift Ford Escort with a stolen radio, to drive to the near est entry-level media markets and fnd jobs. If he could not reach news directors over the phone, he would drive to the studios and knock on their doors.

“One time I went up to Binghamton, New York,” O’Donnell said. “I was still in school. I used to do this on spring breaks and other times I didn’t have class. I walked through the door, no interview planned, and went back to school. I got a call back and was ofered the job.”

Four days after his graduation, he started his new job, which entailed more than he expected. As a multimedia journalist, he was responsible for writing, flming, anchoring and editing the features he shot, as well as performing duties in the studio like running prompters and drafting the 11 p.m. news.

“On my frst day in Binghamton, I thought ‘Alright, where am I going next?’” O’Donnell said. “I was already working on that. I managed, in about a year and a couple months, to get a job in Syracuse.”

His new job in Syracuse gave him experience in sports anchoring and producing, as well as fulflling other roles that needed to be stafed. Even on his frst day there, he was thinking about the future. He sent tapes to other news stations in diferent markets and sent one to 6 ABC in Philadelphia, where he had interned while still studying at the

“A lot of people have plans for their future, and that helps them achieve certain things,” O’Donnell said. “That can lead to greatness. It can also lead to great disap-

Matt O’Donnell was a staf reporter at The

STUDENT TEACHING: A LESSON IN WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Education

majors at

the

university are tasked with balancing the responsibilities of student teaching with their senior years.

story by DYLAN MARX photo by GIANNA HOUCK

FROM BEING THE STUDENT, TO teaching the lessons, education majors at the university get the opportunity to explore all components of teaching through both their classes and student teaching.

The process begins by intertwining smaller teaching opportunities within an undergraduate’s frst years at the university, which then culminates in a semester-long teaching experience during their senior year. During that semester, students are paired with a clinical educator at a local school who guides them through gaining practical experience in a classroom environment.

According to Kate Dawson, a senior elementary teacher education major, the value of the experience is one that is unparalleled.

“Nothing compares to the value of being in the classroom because you get to see what your teacher identity is,” Dawson said. “That is something that you have to develop and see before you take a job as a full-time teacher. To understand how you’re going to react to situations, how you’re going to teach content, and how you’re going to collaborate with others in the building as well.”

This notion of understanding oneself was also expressed by Vicki Goettel, an instructor and advisor in the School of Education.

“We just want to make sure they understand themselves enough to know that they could be diferent from the groups of students,” Goettel said. “And then they know how to take the time to build that rapport and build that integration with the families if at all possible while they’re there.”

Student teaching involves university students teaching at a school fve days a week for seven to eight hours per day. It is also expected that the students attend their placement school’s events after dismissal, such as parent-teacher conferences.

On top of that, students are still expected to have class outside of those hours as well as maintain their own personal lives.

“After teaching for seven hours, we come back, we sit for two or three hours in a college class, and then it’s time to pack lunch for tomorrow, pick out an outft and go to bed,” Dawson said.

Goettel discussed how the process is a “stepping stone” in learning to balance responsibilities in order to lessen the amount of work taken home by students.

“[For] all the lessons that we planned we had to write out like pages of our lesson plans, so it would be like two or three pages that I’d be typing every night for the next day,” Bethany Pasmore, a senior elementary teacher education major, said. “So all of that is very stressful and it was a lot, but I’m glad that I was kind of thrown into it because it forces you to fnd that balance.”

An important part of the student teaching process is the pairing of students to their schools and their clinical educators.

Goettel detailed that the use of a logistical process in combination with monitoring the schools is used to fnd the best ft for the students. The process involves local school districts compiling lists of teachers that are willing to work with student teachers and then pairing students to those teachers based on what the student’s needs are.

Pasmore testifed to the fact that being placed in a well-ftting school can make all the diference in the experience. Pasmore’s clinical educator worked closely with her and even gave her opportunities to run the classroom by herself during the last two weeks of the semester.

“It helped me to be able to get confdent in the classroom, by being the only adult in the room,” Pasmore said. “Learning how to navigate lessons, how to navigate student behaviors during lessons and how to fgure all those things out and know that you are responsible for that.”

Despite this, Pasmore expressed frustration over the fact that her placement location was a 35- to 40-minute drive away, and that she was fnancially responsible for transportation to and from the school.

This refects the issue that, according to Goettel, there is constant difculty in managing connections to the local schools. Goettel said teachers are burnt out and overloaded, making it hard to fnd placement locations that can completely match the needs of the students.

“If there is one dream thing to always improve upon, I think just that overall logistical process will be good,” Goettel said.

The student teaching program also utilizes feld instructors that go into the classrooms periodically during a semester to observe the students in their teaching placements. This allows students to get additional feedback on their performance.

“That’s probably one of our top goals in our program, just to make sure that they get feedback, but they also get a little bit of breathing room to kind of try things where it’s not always you’re under the microscope of constantly being evaluated,” Goettel said.

Dawson illustrated that there is a component of student teaching that feels as if you are missing out on a certain experience because of the fact that other seniors are completing their semesters in such a diferent way.

Despite this, Pasmore specifed that a lot of the challenges of the program were made a lot easier as a result of the support that was provided throughout the process. According to Pasmore, professors within the department encouraged students to share their experiences within their seminar class.

“Sometimes being able to just hear that other people were in the same boat was really nice,” Pasmore said.

The university also ofers specialized student teaching opportunities that incorporate diferent elements into the experience.

One of these programs, the University of Delaware Teacher Residency Program (UDTR) allows students to experience a year-long, paid residency within a Delaware school. In addition, early childhood education majors have the opportunity to student-teach through a study abroad program in Athens, Greece or Seville, Spain.

“It’s a tough job and I give our student teachers such a huge amount of credit because it is busy and it is something that not every senior has to do,” Goettel said.

DRAFTING A NOVEL DURING UNDERGRAD

Staff members Gaby Nieves, Percy Allen III and Jeni Nance share how they balance novel writing with undergraduate studies.

story by GABY NIEVES, PERCY ALLEN III and JENI NANCE photos by JORDAN ROSALES

WHAT MADE YOU START WRITING A BOOK?

PERCY: Writing fction, for me, came from having a deep need of feeling represented. As someone who is Black with a complex queer identity, much of the media that I consume consistently leaves my perspective out. I feel erased and silenced, even in scenarios where I am not being directly oppressed.

In a lot of fction that I consume, minority voices are often eliminated. The minority voices present are crafted within strict, unilateral confnes in which minority characters, and thus their real life counterparts, can exist. An example of this is how many works that feature queer relationships, from Alice Oseman’s “Heartstopper” to André Aciman’s “Call Me By Your Name,” tend to center cisgender white men in their prominent gay couples, leaving out countless other intersections.

This has led me to feel stuck in a space where myself and people like me do not exist. I am forced to meekly accept the hegemonized representation we are allotted or just not consume any relatable fction. As a result, I create material that includes the voices that are not uplifted – people of color, queer folks, etc. – and give these communities the representation they deserve.

JENI: I was in middle school when I realized I wanted to become a writer. I had fallen in love with reading and wanted to give others the joy I had experienced from books. However, critics drilled into my head that being an author was unrealistic.

Fast forward to the spring semester of my freshman year of college: I was knee-deep in work for my journalism class that I had already fallen in love with when I decided I wanted to be a journalist. This class pushed me to apply for The Review, which re-lit my fame for writing.

GABY: Like many aspiring novelists, writing a book was a far-of, post-retirement dream. I would write a book “one day” when I was not a full-time student or (fngers crossed) career woman.

Then, at age 20, I completed the frst draft of my frst novel. The thing is, I did not have a change

of heart a year or two before this, decide that I would not wait until my hair turned gray to write a book and subsequently spend months planning and writing a fantasy-romance story. I was 20 years old when I decided to write this draft, and I was 20 years old when I fnished it, because I wrote it in 30 days.

If that sounds like a challenge, it was. This past November, I participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), a challenge started by Chris Baty in 1999 that tasks ordinary folks like me to become novelists between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30. I participated after enrolling in a class dedicated to the challenge (instructed by English Associate Professor Claire McCabe) and, somehow, I won.

WHAT ABOUT SCHOOL?

PERCY: Being a full-time college student makes writing novels challenging because much of my free time is spent focusing on academics. This is further troubled by the fact that I am an English major, which means that most – if not all – of my assignments require me to write extensively, with some classes requiring me to produce works of fction outside of my personal projects. Therefore, my focus is usually diverted toward projects and assignments that require my creative energy, leaving little left for my personal, often longer pieces.

What has worked most for me is using my time at the university to bolster my writing skills rather than viewing it as an interruption to my creative process. Through writing prose for The Review, writing poetry for The New Magazine, submitting creative works to Caesura and taking classes focused on creative writing, I can fully immerse myself in the art form outside of working on my own novels.

Having this mindset allows me to not worry about rushing through the writing and publishing process. I instead view each as an opportunity to grow as a writer and gain skills that will be transferable to my novels once I have enough time and energy to pursue writing them full-time. Being an English major has also provided me with a community of professors and students who value my work and see my potential as a writer, a

perspective that can be difcult to maintain when writing in isolation.

From having professors recommend me to take graduate courses early to professors ofering me opportunities to join fellowships, my passion for writing novels has opened a gateway through which I have access to a side of the university that supports me not only as a student, but as an artist as well.

JENI: I thought writing a novel was going to ruin my academic drive, but I was wrong. I still strive to get the best grades possible and my GPA has not been afected by my hobby. I have found a better balance between work and free time. The time I carve out each day to write acts as my downtime, which allows me to focus on my studies better.

However, I felt very alone in my writing experiences, especially when hitting writer’s block or not feeling satisfed with my story. I thought I was the only student at the university who wanted to be an author. Again, I was wrong. We have a quite large community of creative writers. One of my neighbors, some of my co-workers at The Review and other people I have met on campus are writers. Most students I have met in my major are also interested in creative writing.

When I was having a hard time coming up with ideas for a novel, I decided to pull from life. Just because something is fction does not mean it can not be inspired by reality. I have been writing what I see and experience, and honestly, it could not get easier. Since doing this, my mind has been fooded with ideas about what to write about next, and I am currently sitting on about three other novel outlines in addition to what I am currently writing.

Now, I am about to fnish the frst draft of my frst novel. Being this close to the end feels so surreal to me because this has been a dream of mine for almost a decade. It has also been incredibly therapeutic because this project is loosely inspired by a very rough time in my life. With that being said, I wanted to give my character her own story and an ending she deserves.

WHAT HAS WORKED MOST FOR ME IS USING MY TIME AT THE UNIVERSITY TO BOLSTER MY WRITING SKILLS RATHER THAN VIEWING IT AS AN INTERRUPTION TO MY CREATIVE PROCESS.

PERCY ALLEN III staff mosaic writer, ud ‘25

Being so close to the end also has my mind racing about who is going to read my book. Who is going to like it? Who is going to hate it? Who is going to read it over and over again? And, most importantly, what will this make me? One thing I have learned is that none of it matters. This book is mine, and I am proud of it.

GABY: Taking a class dedicated to NaNoWriMo defnitely helped block out time in my schedule for novel writing. But I was still taking 13 other course credits, participating in extracurricular clubs and working part-time to pay for it all. Life forced me to take on humanity’s greatest problem: time.

One of the golden rules of NaNoWriMo is that in order to reach 50,000 words by the end of the month, you want to average about 1,667 words each day. When I missed a day, then two, then had a night shift and four assignments due the next day, it felt like I would never reach 50,000 words, let alone the end of my novel’s story. I was left asking myself: “Why did I think I would have time to write a novel?”

But then the month was up. At approximately 11:02 p.m. on Nov. 30, I crossed the 50,000-word mark – and I was beyond ecstatic.

What made that feeling of ecstasy possible? The little sacrifces I had to make along the way for the sake of – you guessed it – time. I had convinced myself that I did not have time in my days to write. But in his book, “No Plot? No Problem!,” Baty taught me that I simply had to identify my “forgo-able activities.”

My fellow full-time students who want to write a book: You cannot forgo your assignments (unless you want to tank your GPA). If you have to pay rent, you cannot forgo your job.

You can, however, forgo the minutes (or hours) you spend mindlessly scrolling through social media each day. You can forgo a couple of party invites from your friends throughout the semester. And, if you want to work on an extremely short deadline as I did, you can forgo an hour or two of sleep each night for another cup of cofee.

In the end, fnishing the frst draft of my book was accomplished through discipline. If social media is distracting you, consider deleting those apps of your phone for a while. That is what I did during the last week of NaNoWriMo, because it was a built-in instinct: open my phone and eventually end up on Instagram. But that instinct was eating away at precious writing time, and it may be doing the same for you.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO ASPIRING STUDENT WRITERS?

PERCY: I hope all college writers understand that their work is valid. Art, especially fction, is a tool through which we can imagine the world as it could be. No matter where your academic career takes you, never lose sight of your ability to create – it makes you human.

JENI: I do not expect to be a New York Times best-selling author. But I have rediscovered a creative outlet and found a community of writers all around campus who continue to inspire me to keep writing every day, despite trying moments. I hope that you can rekindle a lost love for writing, or maybe even discover what you did not realize was already there.

GABY: If you have a story eating away at or growing inside of you, but think you cannot possibly put it on paper while you are a student, I ask you this: Have you tried writing down that frst word yet?

BREAKING THE ICE WITH ALLISON COOMEY

The Review interviews the incoming women’s ice hockey head coach to discuss how she will lead the Blue Hens into an inaugural Division I season.

story by DANIEL STEENKAMER photo by GIANNA HOUCK

Q: Why Delaware? Why take up the head post at a fedgling program in Division I?

A: First of all, you look at the academic piece of Delaware and the athletics. I think it’s a great combination of somewhere a student-athlete can come and excel in the classroom, get the degree they want, because there are a lot of degrees to choose from, and then athletically, the resources, what’s available to the student-athletes is just topnotch. Those two things really sold me on Delaware. Starting a program is very special. Being a head coach in general in a sport that only has 45 Division I programs, but getting to start a program, both of those things are a really exciting time.

A: I think it will be helpful in selling it because I’ve lived it, so selling that vision of ‘OK, this is what it looks like, this is how great it is. You can leave your legacy as a team but as individuals, you can be part of the frst, and how cool is that?’

Q: What is non-negotiable in order to build a program from scratch?

A: Good people, good character players. You have to have good people to start. I think that’s the biggest thing, along with talent.

Q: What do you make of the regional recruiting scene for collegiate women’s ice hockey?

ing the way some teams are coached gives us a little bit of an advantage.

Q: Who or what has shaped your career in hockey the most, readying you for this position?

A: I think being surrounded by people that want to win, but people that do it the right way. Every coach I’ve worked for has done those two things.

Q: The effort of constructing your staff surely comes to top of mind – what will be your pitch on that front?

A: Being a part of a frst is incredible. Making your mark and seeing how things progress as the

A HISTORY OF THE “PLANET WALK”

The university’s solar system scale model has been in place since the turn of the millennium, teaching the community about the relative distance between planets in the solar system.

story by JOSHUA CILIBERTI illustrations by EMILY COHEN photos by WANNING WANG

WHEN TAKING A WALK DOWN THE Green, it is hard not to notice many of the university’s landmarks.

From Memorial Hall to the Kissing Arches to the fountain at Magnolia Circle, each site is marked in history and is associated with traditions that encapsulate what it means to be a Blue Hen.

However, what many students do not realize is that each step they take through the heart of campus follows a scale – not one measuring grade point average, weight or temperature – but one representative of the planets in our solar system.

According to University Archives and Records Management, the university’s “planet walk” was installed between 1999 and 2000 as an initiative between the University Gallery, the Mineralogical Museum (both now part of Library, Museums and Press) and the Department of Physics & Astronomy.

It was intended to be seen as an “artistic and educational salute” to the solar system, a 2000 issue of the university’s Messenger magazine read.

The model, which consists of 10 plaques each displaying statistics and information about a particular planet or the Sun, was brought

to campus by former astronomy and physics professor Harry Shipman, former museum director Belena Chapp and associate professor of sculpture David Meyer, the magazine reported.

The trio was inspired to bring the model to campus following an exhibition hosted in the 1999 fall semester by the University Gallery titled “One Small Step: Exploring America’s Adventures in Space, 1959-1999.”

“This had art that related to space, this had a spacesuit … they were inspired somehow by this exhibit to put together the solar system,” Lisa Gensel, coordinator of University Archives said.

With the Sun situated at the base of Old College Hall, the oldest building on campus, the “planet walk” aims to serve as a scaled model of the distances between planets in the solar system.

The distance between the Sun and Earth (located outside McDowell Hall) is representative of one astronomical unit, a measurement used by astronomers to determine distances in space.

This base measurement is applied to the rest of the scale model, allowing the university community to approximate the distances between planets by simply walking around campus.

For example, the Mercury plaque is situated in

front of Recitation Hall, about one-third of the distance between the Sun and the Earth in the planet walk model, representing one-third of an astronomical unit.

“It is absolutely proportional,” Dermott Mullan, an emeritus professor of astrophysics, said. “That was the whole purpose of it. That scale is preserved precisely in the walking model on this campus.”

The plaques representing the inner planets are all located close to the Sun, nearby Main Street and North College Avenue. Mercury and Venus are found on either side of Recitation Hall, Earth is in the courtyard near McDowell Hall and Mars is situated outside Brown Hall on the North Green.

Distances start to signifcantly increase with the outer planets, with Jupiter located outside Sharp Laboratory, Saturn in front of Morris Library and Neptune found at the university’s botanical garden on South Campus.

“Children really get a concept of the vastness of space from the campus solar system installation,” Belena Chapp, one of the project’s designers, said in the Messenger magazine article. “The lesson is driven home and the students begin to grasp the concept of the huge distances between the planets in the solar system.”

Pluto, which was once considered the ninth planet but is now ofcially classifed as a dwarf planet by NASA, is found outside the Fred Rust Ice Arena, a coincidental yet appropriate home due to its “icy” location 39 astronomical units from the Sun.

primarily used as an educational aid, he hopes it can evoke a sense of discovery in

AN AMERICAN IN RIGA

story and photos by ETHAN GRANDIN

Staff member Ethan Grandin gives travel advice from his study abroad trip to Riga, Latvia.

STORES,

WATERING HOLES AND THE occasional golden arches line the streets. The local culinary delicacy is a hamburger from the highest of food chain heights: Hesburger. Riga, Latvia, is a city that is not striving to be anything other than itself. This is not a guide, as I will not propose a great plan to conquer this wonderful city and all of its distinctions. There are plenty of locals who can do it better than I can. Consider this merely helpful guidance, numerous suggestions for bars galore and a plentiful amount of eateries.

Do not expect people to give you many smiles or hellos, but don’t be intimidated. What you can expect, however, is a genuine person. Even if there are no smiles at the frst meeting, one will undoubtedly form. The many people I met in Riga are as helpful as tour guides and as honest as Abraham Lincoln.

Do not let this city pass you by. If you are there during the winter, every day in this wonderful city is a winter paradise for a thrifty student studying abroad.

If you plan on visiting Riga in the middle of win-

ter (which I do not recommend if you are not used to proper, bone-chilling cold), you should do as the locals do and practically waddle around like a penguin in the biggest, warmest coat you can fnd. If they are doing it, you should, too (and please wear a winter hat).

Central Riga and the Old Town have countless beautiful and memorable buildings and places to visit. St. Peter’s Church in Riga was rebuilt after a fre collapsed the original spire. Then, in 1690, a new tower and interior were renovated in Baroque style. Following the 1690s, war and fre have ravaged the church multiple times. Yet, after each catastrophe that struck the city of Riga, it was rebuilt. With a 7-euro ticket, you can stand at the top of the spire and take in a beautiful view of the unyielding city.

The Latvian National Opera is a fantastic place to catch a breathtaking performance. First opened in 1863, the Opera has been through many periods of restorations – one in the 1880s, and another in the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The architecture of the building is beautiful inside and out. One of the highlights of the Opera’s interior is its overhead dome, which is covered in so many intricacies that they lead

down to the stage’s velvet curtains. Tickets range from 11 to 50 euros.

The Riga Central Market, situated right next to the Central Railway Station, is flled with produce, meat, trinkets and many other goods. Reusing old zeppelin hangars from the 1920s, the market utilizes parts of Riga’s past for its future. In 1998, the market was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, cementing it in modern-day Latvian society. At this market, you can also fnd a multitude of Russian nesting dolls and trinkets with the words “Sauna Boss” on them.

Lining Riga’s Old City are the many tacky shops that you can fnd in any major city. However, there are a fair amount of hidden gems, including the row of bars lining almost every street (some good, some not so good).

Across the street from the Radisson Hotel in Old Town Riga is the Latvian War Museum. Near this, you’ll fnd some old, unused barracks and the CARTEL Bar.

CARTEL is a bar which describes itself with a “friendly priced” drink list, and I can attest that it has a delightful atmosphere which I hold near

and dear to my heart. Its side door within the bar that leads to more space is normally closed on weekdays, but on the weekends the bar opens up to groups of people ready to dance like there is no tomorrow.

NB biljarda klubs, which translates to NB Billiards Club, prescribes that slightly dingy, tacky sports bar where you have the best time of your life.

This billiard club does monetize its pool tables, but I found the charge to be worth it. However, I must warn you that the game of Russian billiards is a confusing one.

The club also provides the option of chairs that allow you to sit next to the pool tables (an opportunity to rest your feet after standing for an entire night). It is also conveniently located near the center of Old Town, so wrapping up your night should not be followed by too long of a commute back to your lodging.

Another way to wrap up the night in Riga is with a kebab or burger at Late Night Munchies, a fne establishment. To me, they ofer a perfect price

for the amount of food you get. If you are lucky, you may get your polaroid taken and put on the wall next to countless other travelers. Open until 1 a.m., visiting the restaurant is the perfect way to round out a long night of slipping and falling on ice.

If you have a hankering for vegetables instead (which you most certainly will), Nirvana is the perfect spot. Nirvana describes itself as ofering both vegan and raw vegan food, which is not heated above 113 degrees Fahrenheit. Located in the Central District of Riga and right next to the former Soviet KGB headquarters (which is now a museum called The Corner House), Nirvana has both a constant and rotating menu. I do not have the willpower to be vegan myself, but every day the restaurant features three new vegan dishes coupled with a vegan dessert. The food is both thoughtful and well-prepared, ranging from rustic charred vegetables and soups to spiced curry.

Ala Pagrabs boasts wonderful and traditional Latvian food with Latvian folk entertainment, creating a well-rounded experience. The traditional black garlic bread available in many restaurants is a must-get here. You certainly will not regret

eating it alongside the more than 30 local beers on tap. Many of the entrees, like the traditional Latvian meatballs or slow-cooked beef shank, are hearty and favorful in the dimly lit cellar.

The entertainment part comes in when the folk club holds folk dancing. Here, people join together to preserve the city’s extraordinarily present Latvian culture. The dancing itself is fun, though quite exhausting. And do not worry if you cannot understand any of the words in the songs played – just mumble along and you will be fne.

Riga is a city that embraces its distinctive charm and character, providing tourists with a mix of modern facilities and traditional cultural experiences. From bustling streets packed with diferent eateries and watering holes to historical landmarks and dynamic entertainment venues, there is something to pique every traveler’s curiosity.

Riga invites visitors to embrace its diverse mix of heritage and modernity, providing an amazing experience for those eager to explore its streets, savor its cuisines and discover its hidden gems.

CONTRIBUTORS

KONNER METZ editor-in-chief

COMMUNICATION, journalism, 2024

RISHA INAGANTI managing news editor

ENGLISH, COMMUNICATION, journalism, environmental humanities, 2025

JORDANNA GARLAND managing arts & culture editor

ENGLISH, journalism, theatre production, 2024

JOSHUA CILIBERTI associate news editor

MARKETING, advertising, 2025

MACAYLA COOK staff news reporter

COMMUNICATION, ENGLISH, journalism, 2025

DYLAN MARX staff news reporter

COMMUNICATION, 2027

MADELYN MCMANUS photographer

POLITICAL SCIENCE, PHILOSOPHY OF LAW, 2026

JORDAN ROSALES photographer

GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES, coastal and marine geological sciences, 2024

LAUREN BOTHUM illustrator

NADYA ELLERHORST executive editor

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, RUSSIAN STUDIES, journalism, museum studies, 2024

DANIEL STEENKAMER managing sports editor

COMMUNICATION, 2025,025

BETH WOJCIECHOWSKI associate arts & culture editor

COMMUNICATION, journalism, 2026

LAUREN BOYD staff news reporter

ENGLISH, POLITICAL SCIENCE, legal studies, spanish, 2027

JAMES KELLY staff news reporter

MANAGEMENT, journalism, 2025

GIANNA HOUCK photographer

PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, forensic science, theatre production, 2026

CHRISTINA NATALINI photographer

BIOLOGY, french, english, 2024

WANNING WANG photographer

STATISTICS, business administration, 2026

EMILY COHEN illustrator

PSYCHOLOGY, COGNITIVE SCIENCE, art, 2026

SARAH WESSEL magazine editor & art director

ART, AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES, food & agribusiness marketing & management, 2024

SHAYNA DEMICK co-managing mosaic editor

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, insect and wildlife conservation, 2025

GABY NIEVES co-managing mosaic editor

ENGLISH, business administration, 2025

PERCY ALLEN III staff mosaic writer

ENGLISH, 2025

JENI NANCE staff mosaic writer

ENGLISH, journalism, 2025

CAROLINE POWELL staff mosaic writer

COMMUNICATION, writing, 2024

HANNAH PALIATH photographer

COMMUNICATION, CHINESE, arabic, 2026

SELIN BACAZ illustrator

COMPUTER SCIENCE, game studies, fne arts, 2026

LILLIAN CONLAN illustrator

NOT PICTURED

LARISSA VERONICA HEATHER managing visuals & layout editor

ENGLISH, COMMUNICATION, environmental humanities, french, 2025

ETHAN GRANDIN associate visuals & layout editor

COMMUNICATION, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, 2026

IARA LUQUE copy desk chief, layout editor

CRIMINAL JUSTICE, forensic science, legal studies, 2025

DANIELLE MCILTROT copy editor

ENGLISH, anthropology, global studies with language, insect and wildlife conservation, 2024

SABINA SALGUERO copy editor

ANTHROPOLOGY, journalism, cognitive science, 2025

ESTELLE SMITH layout editor, arts & culture staff reporter

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, 2027

PATTY HARDEN staff arts & culture reporter

PORTRAITS TAKEN BY

LARISSA VERONICA HEATHER

SPECIAL THANKS

STEVE KRAMARCK

KAREN AUYEUNG

BIANKA HEATHER

UD PRINTING SERVICES

THE SCROUNGE

PERKINS CUSTODIAL STAFF

STUDENT MULTIMEDIA DESIGN CENTER

READERS LIKE YOU

DEAR READERS,

Although we’re writing this letter in the unpredictable meteorological throes of March, perhaps we can safely say that spring has sprung in Newark! Chances are study space on the Green is prime real estate, the cherry blossoms have long lost their vivid pink hues and seniors like us are gearing up for whatever’s to come once we’ve walked the graduation stage.

Sadly, this is the last magazine issue for the both of us. We were fortunate enough to be on staf for the magazine’s very frst edition. The Jasmine Dickey feature Konner wrote and ghost hunt Nadya did seem like eons ago, but it’s been incredible to get to play a part in this new semesterly Review tradition and watch it develop.

By the time this letter is printed, The Review will be under the new leadership of Risha Inaganti as editor-in-chief and Gaby Nieves as executive editor. After all their years on staf and the contributions they have made to the paper, we are nothing short of excited to pass on the journalistic torch to them.

In the second half of the 2023-2024 academic year, our editorial staf has honed in on some of the most pressing obstacles the university faces: campus safety, local tensions regarding the Israel-Hamas war and a university-wide hiring freeze. On the other hand, the university is blossoming, from its move to Division I football to on-campus events that brought national celebrities such as Giancarlo Esposito to Newark.

The reporting and columns in this issue follow that same balance, covering the university’s growth and forward movement along with the problems students and community members want addressed. All of The Review’s sections have worked endlessly this semester to provide constant coverage, and the stories in this issue refect that drive.

The News desk ofers an exclusive look into Sen. Sarah McBride’s ascension in Delaware’s political ranks, along with shedding light on how senior education majors live a wildly diferent academic life than most students. In the Arts & Culture section, read about how a Morris Library exhibition honors an American activist and journalist from the early twentieth century.

As athletics expansion continues on the university’s South Campus, a new Division I sport has been added: women’s ice hockey. The Sports section has an exclusive with the recently hired Allison Coomey, the program’s frst head coach. Finally, the Mosaic desk takes a look at how students manage to write a novel while pursuing a degree, as well as sights from Riga, Latvia.

With the opportunity for our staf to immerse themselves in long-term enterprise reporting, we hope the magazine is impactful and changes how you perceive the world around you – whether you’re thinking near or far.

We aim for the coverage to be expansive, fair and insightful. As always, The Review is striving to increase its diversity of stories and reach every corner of the university and Newark communities. Tips, suggestions and reader thoughts are always welcome at eic@udreview.com and exec@udreview.com.

Sincerely,

KONNER METZ editor-in-chief

NADYA ELLERHORST executive editor