theweathervane.org
November 7, 2019
THE
WEATHER VANE
VOL. 66 No. 8
E ASTE R N M E NNONI TE U NI V E R SI TY’ S STU DE NT NE W SPAPE R SI NC E 1 9 39
EMU GREETS YOUNG TRICK-OR-TREATERS
Jeremy Blain
Trick-or-treaters enjoy one of the events offered at this year’s annual Halloween event last Thursday, Oct. 31. Students volunteered to hand out candy and manage other activities to bring joy to the community.
ANNUAL NURSING POVERTY SIMULATION HALLOWEEN EVENT BRINGS OUT LOCALS Brynn Yoder, Staff Writer
Jessica Chisolm, Canvas Editor
EMU’s Halloween festivities this year were not deterred by the rainy weather. The resident halls pressed on with their plans, and the only change was the move of activities from resident halls to University Commons. The event started at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31. EMU’s tradition of a community-wide Halloween event was started eight years ago when Scott Eyre and Sarah Defnall became Resident Directors of Northlawn. One of the event’s original purposes was to show Northlawn in a better light. Though the event was originally held just in Northlawn, it eventually made its way out to all the resident halls. In past years, weather permitting, EMU’s Halloween
NEWS & FEATURE
Continued on Page 2
Last Friday, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., a group of students from EMU who had signed up went through a poverty simulation in Martin Chapel. According to Kate Clark, assistant professor of nursing, the simulation is meant to give the students an idea of “the sort of emotional impact of living in poverty.” She and Celeste Thomas, director of Multicultural Services, are the ones in charge of the poverty simulation. Clark mentioned that the simulation is offered each semester; often a professor will “require or offer extra credit for students participating.” She talked about how the poverty simulation was first done at EMU five years ago “as a collaboration between the nursing department and the Multicultural Services department.” “EMU nursing had often been invited to do [the] simulation at JMU,” said Clark. “We liked it so much, we thought it should be integrated into our curriculum, and so we offer it every semester.”
REVIEW
SPORTS
has been an event where a hall would host an activity for the children to enjoy while residents who wanted to participate gave out candy from their dorm rooms. This year’s games in UC featured face painting, ring toss, pumpkin fishing, cornhole, a candy walk, build-your-own trail mix, and even a haunted hallway. The activities that take place are primarily up to the Community Advisors and their residents. This year, the women’s basketball team participated, as well. All of the planned games required many eager EMU students to join in on the fun. First-year Molly Piwonka, who was working the candy walk, said, “I enjoyed seeing the creativity children put into their costumes, along with seeing the joy on their faces as they participated in activities and then got treated to candy.”
RETENTION AWARD
THE GOOD PLACE
GINNY SORRELL
This award was given by DARS, which has worked closely with EMU to find placement for and support employees with special needs.
The Good Place challenges what you believe to be true and had me on the edge of my seat throughout all of its seasons.
Sorrell continued to give strong efforts through the end of the season, coming up with a seasonhigh of 16 digs.
At the start of the simulation, the students came in and received their roll and family. Clark gave an example: “You’re the 56-year-old grandma of this family, and your granddaughter, who’s a pregnant teenager, is living with you.” Clark mentioned that “the simulation covers four weeks, so one month.” Each week in the simulation lasted 15 minutes. The participants had to use transportation cards at each of the stations in order to get there. Those who had a full time job had to spend seven minutes at a table called the “general employer.” Some in the simulation ended up with more cash than they started off with, but one group could not travel anywhere since they did not have any transportation passes. At the end of the simulation, the students stuck around for a debriefing, done by Cristen Sprenger, the Senior Extension Agent at the Rockingham County office. Her goal with the poverty simulation is to “create awareness about what families are dealing with in their everyday struggle … What I hope for the students … is that they will take this into their life and have
it positively affect what they do.” Since many of the students participating in the simulation were going into nursing, one of the questions Sprenger asked was, “What are you going to do if a patient comes back and tells you they haven’t taken their medication?” One of the students who participated in the simulation, senior Earnest Kiah, reflected on the simulation by saying that, “It was not a learning situation for me, it was, ‘Here’s what I went through all over again, but this time just in a simulation.’” He did not describe the experience as negative, though he said, “I think it’s a really good idea for people to do this, to make people aware that poverty is something serious; it’s not just something certain people go through. Poverty is serious. Poverty is everywhere, and anyone can go through poverty.” Sprenger left the students with one question: “What can you do when you leave this room today?” This simulation happens every semester at EMU and is open to all students as long as the student is signed up.
OPINION
CANVAS
REPRESENTATION
It’s as simple as understanding that the world is already a diverse place; we just need our media to reflect that fact.
MOLLY PIWONKA
This week’s Canvas page features artwork by first-year Molly Piwonka.
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NEWS & FEATURE T h e We a t h e r Va n e
HALLOWEEN, RAIN OR SHINE, IN THE COMMONS Continued from Page 1
Each year has seen a progressively bigger crowd in relation to the amount of people that hear about it. Recent years saw 200 people as a great turnout, but this year Resident Director Scott Eyre estimated that at least 300 people came to the event. “I was looking through the Hall of Nations, and it was just a zoo, it was crazy … I think we easily cleared 300, maybe more.” EMU will continue to hold
WEATHER REPORT
a Halloween event in the upcoming years, rain or shine, and the turnout will continue to grow. The Resident Life staff strives to create a fun experience for children of the community and their families. As the event continues to grow in the following years, Scott Eyre expressed that he would love to see more organizations and clubs aside from Resident Life get involved. “What’s important to know is that most campus events are studentcentered ... this is a way to give back and to do stuff for other people.”
STORM CLOUDS
SUNBEAMS •
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Last weekend was Halloween! Small children dressed as cute animals flooded the Commons trick-or-treating. Can you die from cuteness, or is this just a candy overload? Next Tuesday has the possibility of snow! Maybe snowmen are soon in our collective future. Music Department Gala Concert is this Saturday! Come out to see your friends, but most importantly, come see the Broadway star Janinah Burnett sing with your friends. Galaxies can eat each other. Maybe it will take us out before finals. The elections were on Tuesday. Why can’t we get a day off of school to go vote? Three weeks until Thanksgiving! I’m ready to gorge myself on leftovers.
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The last of the colorful leaves are falling. There goes the last little bit of color in my life. One of our editors was missing this week. Erin? Are you reading this? Where are you? Another editor’s computer thought it would make like the Catholic Church and excommunicate him and his work. What he did for this great punishment was uncertain, but he will be questioned. Our printer gave us a mighty big scare tonight. She likes to wait until we feel secure before striking. The moon was once a part of the Earth. With that in mind, landing on the moon isn’t that impressive after all. There are five more weeks until the end of the semester. We are divided as to whether or not this is a good thing or not. The future is scary, man.
Jeremy Blain
After a storm canceled regular dorm trick-or-treating, community members were able to bring their children into the Hall of Nations for Halloween fun and games.
EMU TO PERFORM PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Fatimah Subhi, Circulation Manager
“Pride and Prejudice,” directed by EMU alumnus Stan Swartz, will debut this fall through EMU’s theater department. The play, written by Kate Hamill, is based on the novel by Jane Austen, published in 1813. Austin published it anonymously because it was not proper for a woman to write then. Hamill has been listed as one of the top 10 most produced playwrights in America for the last five years. She has done a whole series of adaptations of
Jane Austen novels, as well as adaptations of other novels; she wrote this version of “Pride and Prejudice” in 2017. It was played in New York in 2018, and Swartz said, “We are delighted to do it; it’s a fabulous, fabulous script— it’s so clever and so funny.” The play will be a combination of different feelings, Swartz explained. “One of the taglines is, ‘All the characters that you love, but much more fun.’ The play is actually written as a comedy. There are still moments in it that really target your heart strings, but the overall effect is definitely fastpaced comedy.”
“The universalities in the play are actually extremely appropriate in terms of bullying, in terms of the pressure that society puts on you to be a certain way. One of the questions the author asks in how she wrote the play is ‘How do you handle those pressures? Are you somebody who follows the rules or you somebody who doesn’t follow the rules, and what consequences will happen to you if you do follow the rules? What consequences are there if you don’t follow the rules?’ Another big question she has is how you know when you find the right match, and she is intrigued by
ON THE SIDEWALK
the idea of how we approach love and marriage as a very serious game. The theme of games and journeys are really big in the play, and that’s obvious. Anybody can relate to all that stuff,” Swartz said, emphasizing the tone of the play. Swartz also talked about what the novel is based on. “There is a lot of action around the idea of first impressions and how often first impressions are wrong and learning to [see] that, in good healthy relationships ... you have to accept the whole person, and you have to know the whole person. You have a dysfunctional family at the center of the story,
and the way they treat each other there is a real mixture of love and despising each other.” Sophomore Joe Seitz, who plays Darcy, has loved his experience so far. To anyone thinking of coming to see the play, he says this: “In all my years of theater, I have never partaken in something so ridiculous, nonsensical, and utterly absurd ... You’re going to love it!” “Pride and Prejudice” will show i n theMainstage Theater, University Commons. Performances are 7 p.m. Nov. 15, 16, 21, 22, and 23, and 3 p.m. Nov. 17.
“What is your comfort clothing?”
with Amanda Hergenrather
“My red and white polka dot Christmas pajama pants.” -Alyssa Gonzales, sophomore
“A furry, oversized sweatshirt.”
“My lucky sweatshirt.”
“A good pair of jeans.”
-Emma West, first-year
-Alex Mondstin, first-year
-Rodney Stoltzfus, firstyear
theweathervane.org
November 7, 2019
NEWS & FEATURE T h e We a t h e r Va n e
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EMU WELCOMES CAMP REPRESENTATIVES Kate Szambecki, Co-Editor in Chief
Rather than spend their summer days working in an office or restaurant, many EMU students choose to spend their summers camping outside or in cabins, singing silly songs, and counseling throngs of crazy children and teens. Summer camps are a staple for many growing up; college students make up a large demographic of the counselors at camps which continue to be an influential experience for many in college. Yesterday was EMU’s Camp Recruitment Day: a day for camps, Mennonite or not, to set up their booths in the campus center and make their pitches to students. Naomi Leary has been coming to EMU’s Camp Day for the last few years. She, along with her husband Kevin Leary, have been the Program Directors for Camp Friedenswald in northern Michigan since 2015. Camp has been an integral part of Leary’s life since she was a kid and continued to be as she counseled in college and then went on to work at Friedenswald. She loves her job and sees camp as an extremely important part of children’s lives. “The amount of time that kids
are given to play is lessening,” Leary said. “For kids to have the chance to really feel free from obligations— to feel free from having to achieve anything, to be able to just play with each other and to have a community centered around Jesus—I think really does shape their experience and gives them a chance to be one with themselves in a different way.” Leary said that in college, camp allows you a space away from achievement-focused community. “[In college,] I was worried about my goals and my education, and camp is a time for you to come together and work together on creating a community ... It helped break down a lot of the things that stressed me out. It helped me learn how to lean on other people and to be fed by having people lean on me. So much of my leadership skills come from the experience of working at camp. Also, lifelong friendships with the other camp staff.” She also loved getting to work with the kids. However, camp is not without its challenges. “It’s the hardest job you’ll ever love,” Leary’s husband often says. Nevertheless, Leary said, “For me, college was challenging in a way that really stretched me, and I hope that camp is challenging in
a way that really fulfills you. Camp in general is a thin space—a space where the space between Heaven and Earth is a little thinner, where you can experience the kingdom as it is here.” In addition to hosting camps at EMU to recruit, EMU’s chapel yesterday was camp-themed. After a performance from Girl Named Tom, an Ohio-native band with members who have attended camps, three EMU students and a faculty member shared about their camp experiences. Among them was sophomore Allison Shelly, who worked at Bethany Birches Camp in Vermont this past summer. Shelly shared about her time as a counselor and the joys of watching the kids. She listed three things she loved about camp: watching kids gain a whole new appreciation for nature, new perspectives on faith, and community. After telling a story about a camper, she said, “It was so much fun to watch kids like Jack grow in their awareness, knowledge, and love for nature.” Shelly talked about thoughtprovoking questions campers had asked during reflection times, such as, “What is our reward for praying every day?” She also spoke to the community that formed in campers
and staff there. She loved getting to watch “a cabin group of diverse strangers form into a supportive unit.” One of her cabins had lots of conflict but she “was blown away by the conversations that these strong personalities would produce,” she said. The cabin slowly began to reconcile their differences and be there for one another as the week progressed. Lastly, Shelly spoke of the staff community. “Not only did I get to channel my inner middle schooler (and not be embarrassed), but I also got to form relationships with a whole new group of unique, intelligent, and willing people who took care of each other and had a blast simultaneously… It does bring me a lot of joy to think of the close relationships and shared experiences that the unique circumstances of summer camp has brought me,” Shelly said. Another student who shared was sophomore Isaac Andreas, who worked at Bethany Birches for one week but at Camp Friedenswald for most of the summer. Andreas shared about one of the biggest challenges he faced while working at Friedenswald, where a boy got into a physical altercation on the last day of camp. “After the incident, our
whole cabin went off by ourselves and sat in a circle,” Andreas said. “I don’t know who started it, but suddenly we were all crying together, and going around the circle with words of affirmation and love. I was so proud of them in that moment. I mean, under what circumstances is it socially acceptable for a group of high schoolers—guys—to sit in a circle and cry? They didn’t get angry or start blaming or throwing insults or anything. They lamented the fact that we’d ended with this event and they thought it could’ve gone a lot better. It was very healing to just sit with the group and talk for a while.” Andreas experienced great joy and growth through the challenges of camp. “As a camp counselor I worked to make right the wrongs and learned to work between the two opposites most days to find meaning in work.” The service closed with three Highland Retreat staffers spontaneously doing a memory verse they learned over the summer, exemplifying the community and silly-spirited nature of a summer at camp. Applications for the different camps who visited EMU will open in the coming months on their respective websites.
EMU CAF AWARDED FOR EMPLOYEE RETENTION Rachael Brenneman, Opinion Editor
EMU and Pioneer College Catering were both awarded with the “Outstanding Employee Retention” award during a meeting of the Champions of Disability Employment. This award was given by the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitation (DARS), which has worked closely with EMU to find support and placement for employees with disabilities. “We are proud of [the award] and the people,” said Bruce Emmerson, the Dining
Hall Director, who accepted the award on behalf of both EMU and Pioneer. “[The employees] are the most dependable and eager to please. I can’t say enough about them.” There are four employees with disabilities currently on staff. How long these individuals have worked here ranges from five years to two months. The organization which presented this award, DARS, works specifically to “improve the employment, quality of life, security, and independence of older Virginians, Virginians with disabilities, and their families.”
Downtown Happenings •
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Bluestone Vineyard is hosting Girl Night In Yoga this Friday, Nov. 8 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. A $10 cover charge will be collected, and additional donations are encouraged. Bring your own mat and join in on yoga, meditation, and relaxation at The Meeting House, 4828 Spring Creek Rd., Bridgewater, Va. Restless Moons Brewing is hosting Josh Davidson Live this Saturday, Nov. 9 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Josh Davidson is a local artist that plays country, folk, rock, and blues. This event is family friendly and games will be available. Check it out at 120 W. Wolfe St., Harrisonburg, Va. The City of Harrisonburg is hosting the annual Veterans Parade this Sunday, Nov. 10 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. If you are interested in joining the parade, commercial entries are $25. Veterans and non-profits are exempt from this fee. The parade will begin at the Rockingham County Administration building.
Acting out this mission statement, DARS worked closely with both EMU and Pioneer, the catering organization which EMU and many other Christian schools work with, to facilitate an environment that was supportive and met the needs of their employees. “Our environment is nurturing and caring,” said Marlyn Cullen, Service Manager for the dining hall. “Each individual has a contribution to make, and we, as a team, make sure this happens.” This effort has since been recognized by DARS.
The dining hall has historically maintained a diverse staff. Students are not required to have work study eligibility, so students from Seminary, Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, and the community at large all work together. The dining hall welcomes this diversity. Cullen certainly agrees. “For me, I welcome all that want to work here to come, and we will train them all to the best of our abilities, whatever their needs are.” The dining hall is still looking for ways to improve its
relationship with its employees and the student body. The goal is, according to Emmerson, “to find a way to make more students have a positive experience at the caf.” One way they are focusing on students in particular is the Food Forum which is scheduled to occur Nov. 21 in the West Dining Hall. All are welcome to come and participate in the conversation. “I never want the reason that someone doesn’t come to EMU to be because of the food,” said Emmerson. The dining hall goals are to support its employees and the students that are served.
SGA Updates Today, SGA voted on and approved its constitutional revision to include EMU’s nondiscriminatory policy. The rest of the meeting was spent brainstorming ways in which we can better support clubs outside of monetary means. If your club has ways or ideas in which we can better support you we would love to hear it. SGA also spent time discussing the priorities we have when it comes to funding various requests. Lastly, SGA finished with an open floor. Sophomore senator Katie Zuercher is a member of the convocation committee, and she shared a bit about their most recent convocation. SGA would love to hear your opinion regarding convocation points!
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November 7, 2019
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REVIEW T h e We a t h e r Va n e
SAKURA #10 HAS GREAT FOOD, GOOD VALUE Amanda Hergenrather, Copy Editor
If you were a part of the crowds that flooded Party City last weekend in preparation for Halloween, you were within walking distance of Sakura #10, an Asian fusion and hibachi restaurant on East Market St., just off of Country Club Rd. This restaurant is one of the many East Asian dining options in Harrisonburg. Business comes mainly from carryout with a smattering of dine-in patrons during the week, and parties of college students completely fill the spacious restaurant each weekend. Shortly after sitting at a booth, I was offered a free house salad for dining in and given the option of ginger or ranch dressing. I chose ginger easily and was given a small salad of shredded cabbage and carrot atop iceberg lettuce, heavily dressed with fresh ginger dressing and garnished with fried wonton strips. I was hesitant to even try the salad; each leaf was soaked by
the thick dressing, but after taking a bite, I was hardly able to put down the small bowl of greens. The dressing was creamy, sweet, and savory with hints of soy sauce and texture from shredded ginger. Honestly, if they gave me the option, I would have covered just about everything in that dressing. It was surprisingly light despite its thick appearance, and the speed at which I finished it prevented the greens and wonton bits from getting soft. Sipping hot sake, I glanced over the menu before finding something that appeared appropriate for lunch: a bento box. The meal came with fried rice, an option of fried gyoza or an eggroll, and a California roll along with your choice of protein. I opted for the teriyaki shrimp, unable to resist a seafood option, and once I found out what a gyoza was, selected the fried pork dumplings over the vegetarian spring rolls. My meal arrived in a box, as promised, with sections dividing the courses, a heaping portion of fried rice, three little fried
dumplings in one corner, a clean cut set of California roll pieces, and a dozen or so shrimp steaming and coated with teriyaki. The shrimp had a grill-smoke flavor and sweetness from the teriyaki sauce, which had been on the verge of caramelizing on much of the meat. The rice was plain; its color came from its soy sauce seasoning, and bits of scrambled egg and black pepper lent their subtle flavors to the grain. The California roll was classic with cucumber avocado and imitation crab meat. I rectified the simplicity of them by soaking each in the soy sauce and wasabi I had mixed together in the center space of my bento box. The pork wontons were as simple as the rest of the meal, delicately fried in tempura batter and filled with succulent pork. The lunch proved to be too much for me, and I took a majority of it home with me. My bill came with traditional treats; a guava hard candy and a fortune cookie. Guava tastes like dirty laundry, so I cracked open my fortune cookie instead. I ate half the cookie and
mused over its vague premonition while gathering my leftovers, and I snagged another cookie from a bowl on my way out. I told my server she’d be seeing me there again, whether dining in with friends or picking up for a
chill evening in with carryout. This Japanese steakhouse makes a great lunch or dinner destination, with budget-friendly options and a laid-back dining environment, friendly and welcoming to the college population that stops in.
how she can seek justice for her friend’s death. She can either testify in front of a jury and recount the events leading up to his death, or she can choose to fight back and make a statement. When “The Hate U Give” was first published, it instantly hit the New York Times Bestseller List and was critically acclaimed. Critics preached Thomas’ choice for the plot and her perspective on the life of an African American teenager. Before its publication, there were only a handful of books that approached these social issues. But after its publication,
more authors delved into their own history of racism, police brutality, and sexual assault to weave together their stories. These stories have had a deep impact on readers. I first read “The Hate U Give” after its publication in 2017. I had seen numerous reviews on it, and I was interested to see if it was as good as people said. At the time, I had no knowledge of what the plot was going to be about. I only knew that it was about a teenage girl trying to make a difference in the world, which was interesting to me because I had never read
anything similar to that before. The book is an emotional roller coaster; at times you feel grief, anger, and, at the end, peace for the main character and her story. This book may be a work of fiction, but it is inspired by countless cases of police brutality that have been documented all over the United States, which makes it that much real. Angie Thomas does a perfect job of tackling these issues. She doesn’t censor the acts of police brutality or racism like other authors in YA lit. She lays it all out in her book, and she is completely unapologetic about
it. The whole point of the book is to inform its readers of real-world issues that transpire almost every day. By doing this, Thomas opens the readers eyes up to these events and helps them understand that police brutality and racism should not exist because everyone is a human being, and they deserve to be treated as such. If you are interested in books featuring a person of color and a controversial topic, then this book is for you. And if you do choose to read this, it will not disappoint. It will continue to remind you of these difficult topics, and it is something you will never forget.
hooked by Bell’s witty portrayal of a character that is surprisingly relatable—despite her morally questionable actions on Earth. As her character grows, I became even more attached to watching her struggle to be a “good” person. Both the premise and execution of this show are flawless, and it is not short on laughable moments. Whether that means Eleanor being unable to curse due to a Good Place filter or Michael having some sort of existential crisis, I ate it up. The cast that was selected only added to this hilarity. Although this sitcom is entirely intended to be a comedy, the all-too-real implications of a show about the afterlife had me thinking—it’s hard not to when watching a show about the Good and Bad Place. Without giving away any spoilers, this show has an abundance of twists and turns,
none of which I was expecting. The Good Place challenges what you believe to be true and had me on the edge of my seat throughout all of its seasons. And at the end of each episode, you are left with a cliffhanger so good you almost can’t click “next episode” fast enough. Although I have thoroughly enjoyed all seasons so far, I did believe the first two seasons to be the best. After that, the writers seemed to be grabbing just a bit too much, and it didn’t seem quite as engaging or simplistic as the first two seasons, as a lot of new and sometimes confusing information is introduced. But all four seasons of The Good Place are perfect to binge watch—which is exactly what I did. And I will be eagerly waiting for the last season to come out on Netflix. Check out the first three seasons on Netflix and the fourth, and final, season on Hulu.
Amanda Hergenrather
Sakura #10, located at 1790 E Market St #120, is a great spot for local college students to enjoy quality East Asian food on a budget.
THE HATE U GIVE RELEVANT AND ENGAGING
Abigail Berry, Front Page Editor
In the young adult genre, many authors write their books based on social issues that are currently happening in the world today. “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas is a perfect example of this by tackling difficult issues like racism and police brutality. Starr Carter is the book’s 16-year-old protagonist, who witnessed the shooting death of her childhood best friend at the hands of the police. Throughout the book, Starr struggles with
“THE GOOD PLACE” THOUGHT PROVOKING, FUN
Jenna Lile, News and Feature Editor
Eleanor Shellstrop was not a good person on Earth. Yet, when she finds herself in the Good Place after a comically fatal accident, she is both surprised and extremely relieved. She quickly realizes, however, that something isn’t right; she’s there by mistake. In order to remain in the Good Place, Eleanor tries to blend in and hide her true identity from Michael, the neighborhood architect, and his assistant Janet, an all-knowing, artificial being who was created to enhance the afterlife experience. With the help of her Good Place neighbors Tahani and Jason and her soul mate, Chidi, Eleanor realizes it’s never too late to become a better person and that maybe, just maybe, she will become good enough to stay in
NBC Universal
NBC’s sitcom “The Good Place” follows the adventures of Eleanor Shellstrop as she navigates the ups and downs of the afterlife. The overthe-top cast of characters and storyline make it well worth a watch.
the Good Place for real. As a huge fan of Kristen Bell, I was ecstatic when I realized that she was starring in a new TV
show on Netflix. Her latest debut as Eleanor Shellstrop in The Good Place did not disappoint. Right from the beginning, I was
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November 7, 2019
SPORTS T h e We a t h e r Va n e
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: GINNY SORRELL Bri Miller, Staff Writer
The EMU women’s volleyball team finished the season at 13-13, claiming the first .500 season since 2001. A big reason for that was one of the shortest Royals. With 13 players on the roster, five-foot three-inch senior captain Ginny Sorrell demonstrated a relentless approach in her final season as she helped lead the team to the most wins since 2001. Sorrell continued to give strong efforts through the end of the season, coming up with a season-high of 16 digs in the four-set win against Goucher in the final week. “I ultimately think our small roster created a very strong bond between the team this year. The chemistry was not forced, and it showed on the court,” said Sorrell. “I feel like there is more passion and determination to win now, compared to my first season. Our record was the best it has been in years, and I believe that the program is making steps in the right direction.” “Ginny is a very consistent defensive player,” said Coach Carrie Bert. “She reads opposing hitters well, naturally placing herself in a position to make the dig. She is fantastic across the back line in the
middle back position.” Sorrell added, “Every year was a little different, but I was willing to play whatever position benefited the team as a whole the most. As each season went on, I continued to feel more confident in middle back. My coaches taught me how to read the player’s arm swing as opposed to just watching the ball. I think this is what helped me learn to read the opponents better.” Over the years, she has strived to become more confident and consistent on the court. Sorrell realized how much better she played when she maintained a steady confidence in herself. “She has always been willing to learn, ask questions, and be utilized where she is most needed,” explained Coach Bert. “Having a player who embraces a role and leads through showing flexibility is invaluable as a coach.” As the only second-year captain on the team and the player with the most in-game experience (356 sets), the team looked to her for leadership. She faced some struggles figuring out how to best lead the team, but through these experiences, Sorrell became a strong leader. “I don’t naturally have a loud voice or anything,” Sorrell said, “so it was challenging figuring out how to lead the team in the best way. I just
Allison Shelly
Senior libero Ginny Sorrell recorded 732 digs, 62 service aces, and 51 assists in her four seasons with the women’s volleyball team.
kept reminding myself that the team voted me as captain for a reason, so I should be confident and embrace the role.” Although the team had the best record in 18 years, they fell short of making the ODAC Tournament. “Not making the tournament this year was probably one of the
biggest downfalls to the season,” Sorrell said. “It was one of our main goals as a team, but we fell short after a few important losses. Although it was a tough part of the season, I’m happy with the effort everyone put in all the way to the end of the season. I didn’t feel like anyone gave up.”
ROYALS RECAP
Adam Moyer, Sports Editor
Women’s Volleyball (13-13) Sophomore Hannah Johnson notched a season-high 21 kills against Mount Aloysius last Wednesday, adding 19 digs in a 3-1 win. The women’s exceptional 2019 season, their strongest since 2001, came to a close Saturday with a loss at Marymount, where Johnson passed 300 kills this season. The women played best when in front of the home crowd, posting records of 9-5 at EMU and 4-8 on the road. They dominated the first half of the season, winning seven of their first nine games, sweeping four opponents. Graduating seniors: Ginny Sorrell, Kara Durren, Abbi Hawkins, Meredith Stinnette. Field Hockey (5-13) All five field hockey wins this season were shutouts: 5-0 vs Lancaster Bible 3-0 at Hood 5-0 at Southern Virginia 5-0 vs Sweet Briar 7-0 vs Ferrum Junior Skylar Hedgepeth led scoring with 10 goals, and junior Lauren Hartzler led the team in assists with 7. First year goalkeeper Ann Ghally posted 122 saves, a .748 save percentage. Graduating senior: Madeline Mast.
Women’s Soccer (10-7-1) The women’s soccer team beat Sweet Briar 8-0 at home last week, qualifying for the ODAC tournament where they lost 4-0 to Lynchburg in the first round Monday afternoon. Like the volleyball women, the soccer team won seven of their first nine games,
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the best start to a season in team history. Senior goalkeeper Leah Wenger allowed just one goal in those seven wins, placing her in the top 10 in save percentage among D3 teams nationwide. Wenger culminated 323 saves over four years, landing fourth in the program’s history.
Graduating seniors: Laura Rittenhouse, Leah Wenger, Emily Hostetler, Ariel Barbosa. Cross Country 16 of the 21 cross country runners broke their PRs at the ODAC Championships on Saturday. Among 12 teams, the
Jeremy Blain
Senior Madeline Mast, a midfielder, looks down field for first-year attacker Morgan Tricarico. Mast and Tricarico combined for 6 goals and 7 assists this season.
Sorrell will be receiving her bachelor’s degree in Math, minoring in Economics. She is still unsure what type of career she will have after graduation. She hopes that her future somehow involves sports because volleyball has always been a big part of her life, and she knows that she will miss it.
women placed fourth in the 6K and the men grabbed fifth place in the 8K. Collin Longenecker, the lone senior on the men’s team, shaved off 1:41 from his time at the ODAC championship last year, placing 28th out of 124 runners. Senior Abigail Shelly squeezed in a sub-24:00 in the 6K for the first time in her career, landing 26th among 99 runners with a time of 23:59.9. EMU’s runners will travel to Memphis, Tenn. for the South/ Southeast Regional Championships on Saturday, Nov. 16. Graduating seniors: Abigail Shelly, Megan Good, Elizabeth Nisly, Emma Hoover, Collin Longenecker Basketball The men’s 2019 season kicks off at home this Saturday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. against Averett. The women will play their first three games on the road: Saturday against William Peace and Sunday against Vermont Tech in Ashland, Va. at the R-MC Tip-Off Classic, and Wednesday at Mary Baldwin. The men’s team faced their D-1 JMU neighbors in an exhibition game this past Saturday, an annual tradition between the two Harrisonburg universities. The Royals put up a fight on defense against tall JMU forwards like 6’8” forwards Zach Jacobs and Michael Christmas, ultimately losing 80-65. Junior point guard Tim Jones led the Royals’ scoring with 17 points.
theweathervane.org
November 7, 2019
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OPINION T h e We a t h e r Va n e
EDITORIAL: STEPPING OUTSIDE “THE MOMENT”
Silas Clymer, Co-Editor in Chief
It’s important to be present, but how do we know when we are being too present? Once, a good friend said to me something similar to, “I’m only
interested in things that are real— things that are actually happening now.” That statement may not seem all that extreme or unreasonable. In this moment, the world has plenty of good things that should be appreciated and plenty of problems that should be addressed. Living in the moment saves us from the constant weight of past grievances and future worries, things that typically make us less happy and less helpful to ourselves and others. That being said, something is missing. I’m not convinced that it’s possible to see the big picture within the present alone. The things that influence us have deep roots in the past and wide implications for the future that are not always cumbersome. They are things that
are certainly worth taking the time to think about. Better understanding of how and why we navigate life the way we do can improve our present experience tenfold, and developing that understanding involves taking a step back from the moment and outside of ourselves. My friend said those words in response to me nagging them to take the Ecology and Science Fiction (ECOSF) class, taught by Professor Kevin Seidel, this fall. Three months in, I’d recommend it more than ever. The power of science fiction could be an article on its own— it has the potential to completely alter the way we see reality and the human experience, whether or not its characters are actually human. Fiction in general—by definition,
not real—can sometimes be viewed as frivolous or escapist, a threat to our ability to seize the day. Yet, an intentionally crafted book or movie can challenge perspective, evoke empathy, and inspire action in ways that truly help us become better people. The same goes for any field that seeks to bridge the metaphorical to the actual. In our ECOSF class discussion this week, we examined how these areas relate to our perception of what is real. Things like intuition, applied math and science, and experimentation are often directly observed or instinctively felt, and they tend to be held closer to the truth. They are present-oriented aspects of our lives. The lower end of the spectrum includes the more
metaphorical, theoretical, or simply distant things such as philosophy, art, history, and literature. Perhaps it’s time to rethink the way we rank the value of these areas and strike a balance. To limit “the truth” to “the present” and discount insights of less obvious, more creative interpretations of the universe is to risk missing a great deal of beauty and connection to other worldviews. Where does journalism fall, then? After all, the Weather Vane is a platform that seeks to spread awareness of the present, or as close to it as possible. However, it seeks to do so through the lens of our campus community, and it is impossible to fully separate that lens from peoples’ journeys that have led them here and their hopes for times to come.
Odom said. “Extreme stereotypes, misinformed judgment—all these things they then act on. People can have prejudices, but once you act on those prejudices, it becomes racism ... [but racism is] rooted in this division, greed, supremacy, pride, and then those things are just a recipe for disaster.” Racism towards one’s own ethnicity is often discounted. “In African American communities there are people with different colors and different skin tones, and sometimes people with lighter skin tones get treated better and [experience] less racism. Or they would say something like, ‘That person is not fully black’ … racism comes from an ignorant basis because you’re basing something off of someone’s skin color, and there are so many different variations that can occur.” Self-image can be totally destroyed because of the words and opinions of those around. “The entity that’s receiving [oppression] can also start to project the same
thing that the oppressor has without even knowing. Subconsciously, if you lived in such a negative [space] for so long, you don’t recognize that you became that negativity yourself.” “When we are discussing racism, I normally try to explain what it is and where it comes from and how it was human-constructed to divide [us],” Odom said. Justin talked about his experience as an African American person living in the U.S. “Sometimes I feel like I am an outsider or a foreigner in my own country because of the stereotypes and the political climate. Sometimes I feel like maybe it will be better for me if I live in a different country… The foundation of America started off of racism, so that’s still festering underneath. The dark side of America and what’s happening in history books, like the education system—they don’t talk about it, and [they] act like it didn’t happen. 400 years of slavery, of genocide, of greed around the world. In order for it to be true
American history, I believe we need to talk about everything—to be authentic —especially when you are educating people. When I grew up, I wasn’t really taught about anything bad that happened in America; it was kind of wiped away.” Being exposed to all this social conflict about acceptance can lead people to feel fearful, and the solution is to face it. “I cannot let other people’s feelings or stereotypes of racism affect me. I’m not going to live [in] fear.” “Scientifically, they said the people that experience serious racism have the same effects [on them] as a soldier coming from war: PTSD. They live life [thinking], ‘Am I on the wrong street?’ or ‘I may get shot here’ or ‘Who just walked by here?’” Odom said. The government is an absolute power that can physically stop harmful actions of other people, and perhaps this is where the change should start. “The problem with politics in America is that all the good people
are saying, ‘That’s not for us, that’s crazy.’” Odom argued that we need to be going in and changing harmful policies and laws that perpetuate racism. We should solve the problem, but keep living life in the process. “You recognize that you live in reality; you recognize there are some dangers; you see that, but you have to live your life with confidence. That’s one of the things for me, when I tell people that go through something—like having a bad experience with the police—I tell them, ‘Don’t let this event define you; don’t let the hate take away all your happiness for the rest of your life.’” “If you shoot me in the leg, and I scream, and I say it hurts, you say, ‘That’s aggressive, man.’ No, I am hurting, and that’s what racism does. It shoots people in the leg, and once they respond, [racism] says, ‘Look, that’s exactly what I am talking about.’ I am like, ‘No, you’re hurting me.’ I am responding. This is my response.”
plays country every day. After several months of this, I can confidently say I do not dislike every country song. It is still not my favorite genre, but it is not entirely terrible. On Tuesday, I attended my first ever heavy metal show due to one of the opening acts being Primus, which is a fantastic but less heavy band. The lineup was (in order) Phillip H. Anselmo & the Illegals, Ministry, Primus, and the headliner Slayer. While I did not love every performance, I enjoyed Primus enormously, and Slayer was far better than I expected them to be. I began the show very apprehensive, as I was entirely out of my comfort zone. We were surrounded by metalheads from all over Virginia with outfits ranging from simply a Slayer t-shirt to leather jackets with chains and crazy hair. I have nothing against this, but I certainly felt out of place in my light green Taybeh Brewery t-shirt and plain jeans. Then the show began, and the
discomfort grew; I simply did not know how to dance to any of the music. I do okay with headbanging if the mood is right, but the first two bands did not set that mood for me. This was deepened by watching one of the roughest mosh pits I have ever seen emerge, filled with massive guys shoving their weight around. There were too many lights, and the lyrics were too harsh for me to understand, all of which lead to a want to go home, yet I had an equal desire to see Primus. I was not disappointed; the second that Primus began their set, the mood shifted, and it was obvious that many of the people had been killing time until the final two bands. Primus’ goofiness stems from the front man Les Claypool and brought me back to a comfortable space without entirely eliminating the heaviness that made it a heavy metal show. This mixture perfectly primed the rest of the audience and me for Slayer and their old school heavy metal.
I genuinely enjoyed Slayer and learned that the best way to get into a new genre of music is to feel the emotions and intensity of the other fans around you and join in. By the end of the show, I was headbanging with the rest of them and felt right at home. I may never listen to Slayer
again in my personal time, but it was a truly fantastic and worthwhile experience. I highly recommend doing similar things, specifically with music; it may turn out that the genre you hated has some music you enjoy, and your first experience was just a bad one.
JUSTIN ODOM: VIEWS ON RACISM AND CONFLICT
Fatimah Subhi, Circulation Manager
“Do we still want to live on Earth?” said senior Justin Odom about his views of the world’s conflict and racism. “Because if we keep on having wars ... there will be no more life left; where do we go from there?” There are many social conflicts in our modern society, but racism is often placed at the top of the list because of its ripple effect. “This one [conflict] particularly has an evil intent towards whoever it is against,”
EXPANDING MUSICAL EXPERIENCES IS POSITIVE
Thoreau Zehr, Staff Writer
I have always had a loose rule of remaining open to new experiences; however, this has led to being more closed off than I would like. When judging a generalized category based on one or two trials, it leads to biases in either direction. For example, I have always maintained that I enjoy all music except for country— country is just bad. This mindset was changed when I started working in a new kitchen where one of the cooks
We Want Your Letters! Did a Weather Vane article resonate with or frustrate you? If so, write a letter to the editor! We enjoy hearing your responses, and the more student voices we can include, the better. If you feel that you are underrepresented or that your voice is not adequately heard, tell us why in an opinion article of your own and send it to wvane@emu.edu. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for clarity and space.
theweathervane.org
November 7, 2019
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OPINION T h e We a t h e r Va n e
A CALL FOR CASUAL REPRESENTATION IN MEDIA
Anali North Martin, Managing Editor
I recently read “The Fifth Season,” the first book of N.K. Jemison’s trilogy, “Broken Earth.” I do not usually appreciate science fiction, but I devoured it. It’s one of those books you stay up until 3 a.m. reading, knowing that you’ll be tired for your 9 a.m. class but also knowing it’s so worth it because you just have to find out what happens next. It’s a good book, and a lot of other people agree, since Jemison won a Hugo Award (major creds within the genre of scifi) three years in a row, one for each book in the trilogy. But why is it so good? Yes, N.K. Jemison is a fantastic writer. Unprecedented style, plot, and characters. Yes, the storyline is intriguing and keeps readers
hooked the entire time. But Jemison’s books really stand out because of her incorporation of casual representation. Within the first book of the trilogy, without giving away spoilers, there are people of all different races, a polyamorous relationship, a transgender character, and at least two gay characters—all within the main cast. These characters are introduced without fanfare; they aren’t meant to exist for diversity’s sake, for Jemison to brag, “Look at all this diversity;” they exist because in the real world they exist. “The Fifth Season” transcends genre and plot, and relates to our humanity. The trilogy is an allegory to structural oppression, and Jemison acknowledges the importance of identities when living in a powerimbalanced world. Jemison’s characters are not colorblind. She describes their skin color and hair texture, and she uses these characteristics to add depth to her story. She mirrors the world around us. She wrote, in a piece for New York magazine, “I’ve learned to not fear obviousness when I’m describing race or topics related
to oppression … I’d rather be accused of being obvious than allow people to get away with thinking all of my characters are white people. The truth is, when you walk into a room, and you see a bunch of strangers, the first thing you notice is their appearance, their race and gender.” Casual representation happens when characters’ identities aren’t plot points. For example, the transgender character being transgender isn’t a big deal. And it’s a big deal that it isn’t a big deal. In general, Jemison understands that these different aspects are incredibly important to who they are, but they aren’t breaking norms or making the news—they are there, and that is what matters. So, why does our media so often lack casual representation? Our world is already a diverse place; we just need media that reflects that fact. As a writer, it intimidates me to write about people with different life experiences than me. I don’t want to write a character incorrectly, to let my bias—my racism or sexism or ableism— influence who my characters are. That doesn’t mean I can shy away from the world as it is. As
CAC RESPONDS WITH INVITE Tyler Goss, Student Program Assistant
Dear Abigail, Thank you for sharing your frustrations with the timing of campus-wide events. Feeling connected on campus outside of class is hard enough as it is, but then you factor in work, night classes, or commuting, and suddenly, finding connection on campus is harder than a Danny King physics test! You are right; if you want to engage other students as well as exciting ideas outside of the classroom, it certainly is more
difficult when you cannot attend events in the evenings. Being the Assistant Director of Student Programs means that I head up the team that plans many of the campus-wide events. We definitely are not the only ones who dabble with programming, but with a name like “Campus Activities Council,” campuswide events are what we do. We have tried to include more events that happen during the day this semester (Sunday movie matinees, “Good Weather Groovin,” a majority of Spirit Week activities, etc.), but we want to do more. We are working on figuring
out the schedule for next semester’s programming, and I would love to invite you and any other students who would appreciate more daytime events to come to a free lunch on Thursday, Nov. 21 in the South Dining Room from 11:45a.m.-12:45p.m. I want to hear your thoughts on what events you all want to see and what times work for you to attend. If you don’t have a full meal plan, we’ve got you covered. If you can’t make it, please email any thoughts you have for events to tyler.goss@emu.edu. Sincerely, Tyler
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Jemison said, “We creators are the engineers of possibility.” We have the chance to write culture as we see and experience it while creating a world outside ourselves. Jemison herself isn’t perfect at incorporating diversity, and she knows that. In the past, she’s applied the overused trope of disability as a superpower, and when she included an asexual character, she has said she “didn’t explore that well,” but she’s trying and learning from her mistakes. As Jemison said in her 2018 Hugo Award acceptance speech, her books explore “what it takes just to live, let alone thrive, in … a world of people who constantly question … your relevance, your very existence.” Getting to see ourselves in a character with the same skin tone, sexuality, gender identity,
or ability confirms what we had always hoped—that our identities are worthy of being mentioned, that our voices can and should be heard. Normalizing an identity within a story can be the beginning of normalization outside a story; shaping our narratives can shape our perspectives. We might have questions or biases about certain identities, but one of those questions shouldn’t be, “Do they exist? Do they have a place here?” Because they do. The “defaults” of our narratives— white skin, cisgender, straight, male—are reluctant to give up their spots as the heroes in our stories. Casual representation can, should, and needs to erase those defaults. We need creators like Jemison to show us the world as it already exists and as it should be.
SGA Climate Forum The SGA’s Climate Forum will address climate change and how EMU is addressing the current climate issue on a university level. Three panelists will be appearing: Professor Doug Graber-Neufeld, Tim Stutzman, and Emma Yoder. They will be answering questions straight from the students mouths and from submissions from an email which will shortly be sent form SGA. All are invited. The event is Nov. 13 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in SSC 106.
Editors in Chief Silas Clymer Kate Szambecki Front Page Editor News & Feature Editor Review Editor Sports Editor Opinion Editor Canvas Editor
Abby Berry Jenna Lile Erin Beidler Adam Moyer Rachael Brenneman Jessica Chisolm
Managing Editor Anali North Martin Copy Editors Amanda Hergenrather Brynn Yoder Kate Szambecki Silas Clymer Seth Andreas Photography Editor Web Manager Business Manager Circulation Manager Faculty Adviser
Ignacio Ocaranza Claire Waidelich Douglas Nester Fatimah Subhi Kirsten Beachy
The Weather Vane is published weekly by undergraduate students of Eastern Mennonite University. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the university or its affiliates.
theweathervane.org
November 7, 2019
8 “Art: an escape and a voice. This is the impact that art has had on me. I wish to speak about issues that I hold close to my heart, along with using it as a way to get away from a world filled with suffering and uncertainty. When others view my creations, I hope they can find these messages and are inspired to find the benefits of creativity for themselves.” —First-year and Art Education major Molly Piwonka
CANVAS T h e We a t h e r Va n e