When life hands us lemons, we probably make some mediocre lemonade. We have all been coping with some pretty big, traumatic lemons lately. Our team copes by writing. In this edition, our staff members learn, laugh and find new ways of picking up the pieces after all the sh*t we have been through over the last couple of years. Like spring, the post-COVID world is waking from a frozen slumber and coming back to life. It can be frustrating, though, that it doesn’t happen all at once. We won’t wake up one day back to life as we knew it.
So, to the soon-to-be graduates, don’t forget to take things ‘one day at a time.’ Students who will be back next year, look at all the graduating staff members to the right. We need you to step up and tell the stories now - please consider joining The Buchtelite.
Our team worked hard at putting this edition together for you. We hope it inspires you to take small steps forward and to keep working to get back to your happy place.
Natalie Mowad, Editor-in-Chief & Hannah Wines, Managing EditorArtist’s note: I created ‘Perception of Domestic’ as my personal perspective of the word domestic, based upon my thoughts of what I think being a housewife in the 50s would’ve been like for myself. This piece was in the 87th annual juried student exhibition in the Emily Davis Gallery and won an award of honorable mention.
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Office: Kolbe Hall, Suite 208
Mailing Address
The Buchtelite
302 Buchtel Mall
Kolbe Hall, Suite 208 Akron, OH 44325-4602
www.buchtelite.com
Buchtelite Staff
Editor-in-Chief
Natalie Mowad ‘23
Managing Editor
Hannah Wines ‘23
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Alexa Baumberger ‘23
Copy Editor
Emily Price
Print Edition Editor
Hannah Wines ‘23
Layout Editor
Richard Walter ‘23
Layout Contributors
Natalie Mowad ‘23
Alexa Baumberger ‘23
Social Media & Online Edition Editor
Alyssa Springer ‘23
Faculty Advisor
Julie Cajigas
Administrative Coordinator
Brenda Reichert
Staff Writers:
Alyssa Alexsonshk
Camryn Moore ‘23
Liv Ream
Contributors:
Samson Albert*
Lauren Higgins*
Olivia Hunter*
Taylor Lorence*
Casey McKeel*
Emily Sesto
Marley Weigman*
Cover Art: Perception of Domestic
Artist: Julia Madal ‘23
Sculpture
* Contributors who wrote feature stories as part of the PR Writing course in The School of Communication.
In 2007, two highschool students were wrongfully convicted of attempted murder.
May 9, 2006, Kenny Phillips, Michael Sutton and two others were in a car traveling on the East Side of Cleveland. Cleveland homicide detective Daniel Lentz and Sergeant Michael Keane told the 2007 jury that they saw multiple shots fired from Michael Sutton’s Chevy into a victim’s car.
During the trial, Sutton was found guilty and was sentenced to 46 years in prison. While Phillips, who was also found guilty, was sentenced to 92 years after being convicted of shooting at Lentz during pursuit.
Though Lentz and Keane both testified against
Sutton and Phillips, no gun or shell casings were found from the area of the shooting. There were also no witness confirmations or camera footage obtained.
With help from The Ohio Innocence Project and the Wrongful Conviction project, Sutton and Phillips were released in 2021 and fully exonerated in 2022 after a 15-year prison sentence. The Innocence Project promotes fair, compassionate and equitable systems of justice by freeing the innocent and preventing wrongful convictions.
“To help a person that has been wrongfully convicted, all you have to do is contact the Ohio Innocence Project. There’s one in every state.” Sutton says that they are helpful when dealing with DNA and other aspects of wrongfully convicted cases.
Sutton and Phillips will never get the 15 years of their lives back that they spent wrongfully in prison, but there is no doubt the rest of their lives will be limitless.
“What I’m most excited for looking into the future is just the experience of whatever comes with life,” says Sutton who has a daughter on the way and is ready to get back to school. “I missed
Michael Sutton and Kenny Phillips get a new lease on life after spending years in prison for a crime they did not commit.Above Image: Michael Sutton and Kenny Phillips posing with Dean, Gary L. Miller. Photo by Christine Boyd. Left Image: Michael Sutton and Kenny Phillips posing with Zippy. Photo by Christine Boyd.
Two Men Exonerated
15 Years Granted Full Scholarships toThe University of Akron
“What I’m most excited for looking into the future is just the experience of whatever comes with life,”
Michael Sutton said.
‘23
out on a lot but looking at the future, I just know it’s going to be great.”
The University of Akron has granted both men full-ride scholarships, which will not be Michael Sutton’s first. Sutton was granted a scholarship to The University of Akron in 2006 before he was sentenced.
“My Goals have changed a lot from high school to now. Back then, I wanted to own a barber shop. Now, I think about Real Estate, and I guess my dreams and goals continue to get bigger.” Sutton says.
While in prison he has been hard at work on a book and plans to write more. When it comes to his degree, he is leaning toward criminal justice and business management.
Sutton urges the students at The University of Akron to always focus on the future. He also wants to thank UA and would like everyone to welcome Kenny Phillips and him with open arms. That, we can do.
The 2022-23 Outstanding Teacher Award:
(Faculty Members with Six or More Years of Service)
Dr. Hillary Nunn
The 2022-23 Outstanding Teacher Award
(Faculty Members with Fewer Than Six Years of Service)
Dr. William Visco
The 2022-23 Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member Award
Stephanie Davis-Dieringer
The 2022-23 Outstanding Researcher Award Career Achievement in Research
Dr. Mesfin Tsige
The 2022-23 Outstanding Researcher Award
Early Achievement in Research
Dr. Qixin Zhou
The 2022-23 Outstanding Mentor Award
Brittany Ferguson-Mike
The 2022-23 Supporting the Student Experience Award
Elizabeth Clifford
The 2022-23 Community Engagement Award
Dr. Shanon Donelly
The 2022-23 Diversity Award
Dr. Mary Triece
The 2022-23 Exemplary Service Award
(One winner selected from each category: Faculty, Contract Professional, Staff)
Jennifer Hebert, Faculty Winner
Crystal Bledsoe, Contract Professional Winner
Susan Scheks, Staff Winner
Michael Sutton and Kenny Phillips posing with their families. Photo by Christine Boyd.
St. Pat’s day brought a mixture of creative cocktails, friendly competition, and medieval ambiance to 115 Market St.
By Hannah Wines, Managing Editor ‘23The Green Dragon Inn Board Game Bar and Cafe is more than just your old runof-the-mill bar.
The city of Akron has been working hard to update its downtown with new and exciting restaurants and activities, and this unique bar and cafe is no exception.
With chairs fit for royalty, as soon as you walk inside, you are greeted with the perfect photo op with your friends.
A wall of games unbelievably stretches up to the ceiling. There are over 750 choices of different kinds of board and card games. They even have childhood classics like Candyland and Hungry-Hungry-Hippo.
Booths line the walls for a more comfortable experience, and tables are scattered throughout the middle. A large bar is the room’s focal point and enough seats to accommodate many people.
The menu of cocktails contains a variety of special drinks. The Inn also offers appetizers like warm, soft pretzels and buffalo chicken dip.
Themed private rooms hide behind old doors and fake bookshelves that you can rent out to have your party of gaming fun.
The staff is warm and welcoming, and each has their particular niche within the games. Bartender Anthony Heard is well-versed in Magic the Gathering.
“I have always wanted to own a place like this, but then, I came across this opportunity,” said Heard. “I have not seen a place like this in all of Ohio.”
They had a soft opening on March 10 and March 11 but officially opened March 17, 2023.
The Green Dragon Inn is truly a one-of-a-kind experience.
Friday & Saturday noon – 2:30 a.m.
Sunday noon - midnight
Photos of the Green Dragon Inn by Hannah WinesWith over 750 games to choose from, is aBy Megan Parker, former Editor-in-Chief and
My journey as an Akron Zip started in 2017 only a few months before high school graduation. Having taken a journalism class on a whim through Ashland University’s College Credit Plus, I knew I wanted a degree in journalism or some related field. Only I didn’t know the most important detail: where to attend college.
I’d been accepted into Ashland University, but my deposit hadn’t been paid yet and there were tensions at home keeping me from making a final decision about the future. My mom, Jaclyn Sims, who moved to Akron a few years prior, encouraged me to apply to the University of Akron as a way to experience something new.
So I applied, not knowing whether the University of Akron even had a journalism degree, because my mom was right: I needed to get out of the
Graduate
small town where I grew up and experience something new. Fortunately, I got accepted almost immediately, took my first tour of the campus in May, graduated high school in early June, attended new student orientation in late June, and moved to Akron in August.
One of my favorite memories as an undergraduate student is telling my mom I never wanted to get involved with student organizations on campus because I wanted to solely focus on my classes. This idea lasted one single semester.
Once I entered the Communication program at the University of Akron, I learned the School of Communication included The Buchtelite, the student newspaper and exactly the kind of journalism I hoped to become involved in. For the longest time, I felt my voice was not a fit for radio and I did not
look the part for broadcast journalism. Printed words were my strong point above all else.
I remember meeting with The Buchtelite’s advisor, Julie Cajigas, in her office to go over my writing portfolio and inquire about joining the student newspaper. Never once did I feel
discouraged or like I wouldn’t belong due to my disability: something I feared going into the meeting. Instead, Cajigas made me feel beyond welcome and told me my unique perspective was just what the paper needed.
In January of 2018, only one semester after starting my undergraduate program, my first article as news contributor for The Buchtelite published online about former President Wilson speaking with the Graduate Student Government and other students to discuss different program changes. Little did I know, this would be the first of several articles I would write for the student newspaper.
Then in August of 2018, I became one of the Copy Editors for The Buchtelite. One of the first articles I wrote in my new position should have been seen as foreshadowing of my future since it involved an event at the University of Akron School of Law where a law professor discussed how humor can interact with the law in several ways.
During the last semester of my time as Copy Editor, I found myself beginning to build my advocacy skills after writing part of a two-part series on a campus incident involving a student with disabilities and the University of Akron’s response. Despite receiving necessary criticism on my article, writing the article helped me understand the importance of advocating for those who’s
My involvement on campus, which I originally never anticipated for my undergraduate career, went beyond The Buchtelite. I later performed in the Zips Programming Network Akron’s Got Talent. In 2018, I sang “This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman and ended up getting second place in the competition. The following year, I played the ukulele and sang “Titanium” by David Guetta and was fortunate to earn first place in the competition.
After spending a year-and-a-half as Copy Editor, I became Editor-in-Chief of The Buchtelite: something I dreamed of since speaking with Cajigas in my first semester of my undergraduate career. With the new position, however, came new experiences and responsibilities: interviewing fellow students for staff positions for the first time.
My very first interview with a student involved Kaitee Horstmann, who wished to become Copy Editor based on her previous experience with prior student newspapers. Little did either of us know that the two timid, nervous, and shy women talking in that interview would later on become best friends.
As Editor-in-Chief, I was fortunate enough to participate in and write about several campus events prior to the pandemic. One of my favorite experiences was meeting Yvette Nicole Brown, a School of Communication alumna who was involved with WZIP. I had the pleasure of co-writing a piece with Horstmann on Brown’s campus visit.
But then only a few months prior to achieving one of my life goals, graduating from college, the unthinkable happened: COVID-19 reached the United States and the University of Akron suspended all instruction until the end of March in response.
The final two months of my undergraduate career and eventually graduation, where I was supposed to serve as the Buchtel College of Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Student Commencement Speaker, became virtual experiences. Honestly, I was devastated. My whole life I dreamed of driving across the stage to accept my degree, and now I would be behind a screen. Regardless of my devastation, however, I knew there was still one more goal still within reach: law school.
For as long as I can remember, I’d always wanted to go to law school. When I was young, I watched the movie “Legally Blonde” and immediately told my mom I would attend Harvard Law School one day because “if Elle Woods could do it, so could I.”
Knowing I wouldn’t be able to spark change through physical act, I knew I could initiate change through my intellect. And after more paperwork than I’d ever expected to receive accommodations and schedule the exam, I took the Law School Admission Test virtually from my home in May of 2020 to get step closer to this goal.
As I grew older, however, the specific details of my goal changed. My mom asked me if I still intended on applying to Harvard Law because she fully supported me and would move to Boston if I got accepted. When I told her no, she looked at me with a concerned expression and asked why. My response: I didn’t want to go to Harvard because that is where the New England Patriots were.
(Image by Kaitee Horstmann) Myself with Yvette Nicole Brown when she visited the School of Communication.Eventually, based on wanting to stay in Akron and their great intellectual property program, I applied to the University of Akron School of Law. And I specifically remember the feeling of anxiety turning into pure excitement when I woke up to a missed call from Akron Law and a voice mail stating I’d been accepted into the full-time juris doctorate program.
Starting in law school in the midst of the pandemic, I once again told myself I would not join any student organization nor apply for a summer associate position so my focus could stay solely on my studies. Since my time at Akron Law, I’ve continued my tradition of doing everything I stated I’d never do.
I became President of the Akron Law Moot Court Honor Society; competed in the American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition, where my team went undefeated in regionals, reached semi-finals in nationals, and earned fourth best brief in the nation; and later coached subsequent teams for competition.
Further, I joined the Akron Law Review and wrote my note titled “Outdated, Archaic, and Stereotypical: Current Medicaid Income and Asset Limits Discriminate Against Working Individuals with Disabilities”. The DePaul Journal for Social Justice later published my note in February 2023.
I became a student fellow for one of the first-year Legal Analysis, Research and Writing courses after receiving the top grade in the course my first year of law school. Through this role, I’ve been able to mentor first-year students and help craft their legal writing skills, as well as improve my own communication skills.
Lastly, during the past two summers, I was a summer associate at Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan
& Aronoff in Cleveland. There are not enough words to describe my experience with the firm, how accommodating they were, and the feeling that I found where I belong in the legal profession. After graduation in May and the Uniform Bar Exam in July, I will be joining Benesch as a first-year associate in their 3iP practice group.
As the days start to count down to graduation in May, I’ve been reflecting on my journey at the University of Akron. Although I could write dozens of pages on my experience, everything can be boiled down to a few simple thoughts: none of this would have been possible without support from my family, the faculty, and my friends.
To all my professors: Thank you for always believing in my capabilities as a student instead of focusing on my limited abilities as an individual with disabilities. You never ceased to challenge me to do better, both in my assignments and drive for the future.
To the friends I’ve made along the way: You reminded me there is more to college than coursework, which is something I needed constantly. Without you keeping me on my toes and active socially, I would not be where I am today and would not have been able to recognize when it is time to take a break.
To my family, specifically, my mom and sister: You’ve been by my side every step of the way to both undergraduate and now law school graduation. From sitting in classes with me on subjects you are not interested in to attending student organization events because I needed to be present, you both have made sure no obstacle grew to big or insurmountable. I’ll forever be grateful for your love and support.
Finally, to the University of Akron: Thank you for spending six years of my life providing me with the tools I need to succeed in the future. Go Zips!
Thursday, September 7
Downtown Akron
4:30—6:30 p.m.
Join fellow UA alumni and friends for the “Fall Kick-Off” in downtown Akron. Enjoy live music, food and more!
Saturday, October 7
UA’s Family Weekend
October 6—8
Join us in celebrating The University of Akron’s 100th Homecoming. More information coming soon at UAKRON.EDU/HOMECOMING.
For more information and to RSVP for these events, visit uakron.edu/alumni/events.
Have you ever wondered what it means to be a legacy student at The University of Akron? The feeling of home and family on campus goes past what fits in the traditional definition of a legacy student, which means to have a parent or guardian who is an alumni of the university. Two Akron families show the importance of family and community on campus. Meet the Muntin and Razo families.
Lexi Muntin is the last in a family line of five to attend The University of Akron. The entire Muntin family attended The University of Akron before Lexi started her education journey here in 2021. Lexi’s parents, Brad and Jana Muntin, both attended UA. Brad majored in communications and Jana majored in education.
The family tradition didn’t stop there. Lexi’s two older sisters, Allison and Anna, also attended The University of Akron. One sister double majored in corporate financial management and international business while the other sister majored in integrated marketing communications and marketing management, respectfully.
Lexi is a sophomore at UA and is currently majoring in geology.
Emily Razo, a sophomore, also has family ties to UA . Emily’s older brother and older sister both attended The University of Akron before her. Her brother, Eric Razo, majored in education and her sister, Maria Razo, majored in geology. Maria is currently working towards her master’s in geology as well. Emily is majoring in civil engineering.
So, what is it like going to school somewhere your family has many ties? Some could assume people would want to get away and start somewhere fresh rather than continue to go where their family always went. Others could think that going where their family went could make the college experience easier.
Muntin and Razo highlight their decision to carry on the family legacy of attending The University of Akron.
The University of Akron has a program titled UA Legacy program. According to the program, a legacy student is a student whose “parent or guardian is a proud alumnus of the university”. Although this program is targeted to students who have a parent or guardian who has attended, we can see different versions of family ties without being an official legacy student.
The Razo family is not an official legacy family but, they still create the feeling of making
The University of Akron home. The legacy program said, “Here at The University of Akron, we pride ourselves on creating a place that feels like home.” The Muntin and Razo family carry this feeling and spread it throughout the Akron community.
“For a long time, I was very adamant that I would not go to Akron,” said Muntin.
However, Muntin made the decision to attend UA because she wanted to attend a school that she had ties with and that she knew would give her a successful learning environment like it did with her family before her. Overall, Muntin is
The Muntin and Razo families show what is it like to be a part of a legacy family at The University of Akron.(Left) From left to right: Brad, Lexi, Anna, Allison, Jana. Courtesy of Lexi Muntin
glad she made the decision to go where her family.
“It helped me come in my first year already familiar with the Akron area and campus culture,” Muntin said.
Razo also expressed the different reasons she wanted to attend UA. In addition tohaving family at UA, she also wanted to run cross country and track. Razo’s brother and sister are both avid runners.
Muntin and Razo carry on their families’ legacy while living up to the standard of creating The University of Akron feel like home.
To learn more about The University of Akron Alumni Association Legacy Program, visit their page at: https://www.uakron.edu/alumnifriends/legacy-program
(Left) From L to R: Maria, Emily and Eric Razo. Photo courtesy of Emily Razo Church LifeDa’ShikaStreet, a 2016 graduate of The University of Akron College of Business, always had two guiding principles: coming together with family and friends and serving her community.
“I have always had a passion for creating,” Street said.
She has always found a way to use her talents for other people.
When Street was young, she began using her creative talents to serve her family and community by sewing alterations for friends and family or making doll clothes for herself.
During COVID-19, those talents and skills suddenly became more important than ever.
Street started using the skills she learned as a child to serve the community at large. With an evergrowing demand for masks and an evident lack of public supplies, Street knew her skills could help.
She started out by sewing masks for her and her family to use when they went out and about in the city and experimented with patterns and fabrics. As word of her mask-making skills quickly spread, orders began flooding in from all over the country.
“Project Sew United” was born. With an enormous demand to fill, Project Sew United partnered with
Summit County Public Health to get her masks approved by the CDC as threelayer face masks. Street began shipping thousands of the masks to those most in need.
As the work became a full-time calling, Street began searching, not only for a place to continue the operations of Project Sew United, but also a space where she could pursue her love of crafting.
Then, the masks became more readily available to the public throughout the pandemic and Street wanted to turn her attention back to pursuing her passion.
The pandemic had given her the opportunity to focus in on what inspired her.
“During that time where we were able to take a step back, I was able to start focusing on the things that brought me the most joy,” Street said.
She found her joy by combining her two guiding principles with her passion for creativity. The result is a place where family and friends come together, and where Street can serve the community: Street Craftery.
Founded in 2022, Street Craftery is the passion project of Street. Located downtown right off The University of Akron’s campus, on Main Street, is what Street calls her “creative space.”
The new studio space houses her ongoing business efforts, but has also allowed Street to start teaching and introducing others to the world of crafting.
The space is meant to embrace what
Inspired by a pandemic project, Da’Shika Street founded a creative space for Downtown Akron.All photos of Street Craftery are courtesy of Da’Shika Street.
Street calls “the soul of the community.”
Street used the skill she learned in her Marketing major to plan a series of pop-up and coffee shop events to launch the business, and soon people began to ask for more classes, events and private parties both in the space and in the community
Street Craftery was a way for Street not only to teach lessons in crafting, but to bring people together in a way not often done before. Part of Street Craftery’s mission is a commitment to making crafts accessible to families and children in Akron’s urban center.
The un-labeled mission statement on the Street Craftery website reads, “At Street Craftery, we believe art to be a medium unrestricted by social and economic barriers. We strive to bring people together from all levels of society and offer a clean canvas on which to explore creativity, build relationships, and have fun.”
In 2022, Street Craftery was the first business to reopen its doors after the killing of Jayland Walker and the resulting protests in the city. Offering
an accessible space for the community to process that tragedy through art was important to Street.
Street Craftery serves people of all ages and backgrounds. The shop offers ‘tot Tuesdays’ for toddlers ages 2 to 4, spring break camps for school-age children, adult crafting classes, private events and more.
Classes and experiences they offer include sewing, candle making, cement ement artistry, splatter painting, potted plant workshops and more.
“I wanted to create a space where people can come and gather, almost family style, and let their hair down,” Street said. “Breathe, sometimes make a mess, and that’s okay.”
Close to campus, students can visit Street Craftery to make a mess and destress.
Street recommends booking your experience in advance, but you can also walk in during their business hours Tuesday, 11 a.m. – noon and Thursday through Saturday, 4:00 - 10:00 p.m.
“Pre-bookings are strongly encouraged to ensure seating
availability, but walk-ins are welcome too,” the Street Craftery website says. “Book or walk in and select a project from our in-store displays and be guided every step of through each step of your project.”
Bookings can be made on the Street Craftery website at streetcraftery.com. For more information, e-mail hello@ streetcraftery.com.
Former UA student Lisa Craig stepped in as director of Marketing and Communication in 2022, and she’s using her hard-won storytelling skills to bring the college together.
By Natalie Mowad, Editor-in-Chief ‘23“Interesting, curious and grounded,” Craig tells us when asked three words to describe The University of Akron’s Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences (BCAS) students.
If you’re out on Coleman Common, you may run into Lisa Craig, a UA alum and the new director of Marketing and Communication for the BCAS. She likes to wander the Common the way a reporter wanders their beat, observing students and staff alike and searching out stories.
“It is important to tell stories about students, because that is the reason quite literally that we exist,” Craig said.
Craig also shares faculty accomplishments and news about groundbreaking research out of the college, but that’s not her top priority.
She finds excitement in telling external audiences like parents, media, donors and prospective students about the experiences current students are having on campus.
“This is what they’re studying, doing, and who they are learning to become,” Craig said. “There’s nothing more important than that. They are the story.”
Craig enjoys her new position so much because, to quote Hamilton, she is “in the room where it happens.” She is at the Dean’s team level where she can make suggestions, implement ideas and follow through on things that she never had the opportunity to do before.
“I am making more of a direct contribution to spotlighting how amazing our college is and our department is. I have a stronger hand in helping others, whether donor or alumni or prospective students or parents or other people on campus, tell those stories and say look, we’re freaking awesome and I’m going to tell you why over and over again,” said Craig.
In Craig’s year at UA, she is most proud of her creation of the Buchtel Beat, the weekly newsletter that goes out to all faculty and staff in the college. Since the BCAS is large, no one really knew much about what the other units were doing. When Craig was hired, there was an initiative of “we all need to be one.”
Recently, Craig also
created the Buchtel Bulletin, a newsletter for UA Alumni. To receive the Buchtel Bulletin, alumni must be in the UA Alumni Association’s database.
“There will be consistency [in the Buchtel Bulletin] of videos from the dean, hands-on learning experience, and then always a faculty spotlight, research spotlight, alumni spotlight.”
In the next year, you can expect the BCAS to become more of a team. Craig will achieve this by communicating that the college is there to help students to explore where their passions, curiosity and interest are and discover how that translates to a career.
“We want to communicate about the pathways for you to go through if you know what you love and what moves you, there’s a lot of different ways, especially within our college because we’re so diverse that we can help you map out a four-year program that will make your heart sing,” said Craig.
By Julia Madal
Art Education Major Sculpture
(Left):
video editor
Abbie Stopka put her journalism experience to use when a hazardous train derailment threatened the environment close to home.
While Buchtelite Alum Abbie Stopka was enjoying a Special Wish trip to Disney World with her goddaughter, she heard about a train derailment in her home state of Ohio.
Train derailments weren’t common, or so she thought, but the social media buzz seemed especially concerned. There wasn’t much in the media at first, and it was hard to get information.
When she started to learn more about the controlled release of hazardous chemicals that Governor Mike Dewine claimed the railroad hadn’t declared, she knew she had to do something
Abbie Stopka had joined the Buchtelite during COVID-19 and served as video editor in Fall 22 before graduating in December.
She currently works at Better Kenmore through the Americorps VISTA program and as a Promotions/Sales Coordinator at Rubber City Radio.
“When I realized how close it was to home, I felt it was an injustice to do nothing,” Stopka said.
Stopka wanted to do her part, so she decided
to put her journalism experience to use.
Flexing her investigative skills, Stopka searched social media for East Palestine.
She joined “The Community of East Palestine” group on Facebook and posted that she was an independent journalist wanting to tell people’s stories.
She asked if anyone would be willing to do an interview and Cori Donham, a podcaster out of Canton, Ohio, responded saying he was also investigating the derailment for his podcast.
Donham’s late-night podcast, Grandma’s Front Porch, invites listeners to pull up a rocking chair and talk about anything with anyone, like you could on your grandma’s porch.
Stopka and Donham talked on the phone for hours about the derailment and East Palestine. Both were concerned about the media coverage and the impact the chemicals could have on the people in East Palestine and downstream of their watershed. Donham got Stopka in touch with Christa Graves, a resident of East Palestine who was ready to talk.
Stopka and Graves decided to meet up on
a Sunday, so Stopka packed her good shoes, her tripod, her microphones and her iPad with questions.
When Stopka arrived in East Palestine, she felt as though she was in a movie. “What am I getting myself into?” she thought. There were news people everywhere, people in hazmat suit, and sheriffs handing out water to people. Even National NBC was there with the news crews.
It wasn’t much like her experiences covering Akron Pride and the Diwali Festival for The Buchtelite. This was a significant disaster, and she felt concerned that the story wasn’t getting out.
“You can only gather so much from news stories and TikToks,” she said.
That was just one lesson she learned from Graves as she told her and her neighbors’ stories. The residents were scared.
Graves talked about the town and her life growing up there. Stopka said she heard the sadness in Graves’ voice.
One thing Graves stressed was how she loved going to the creek and walking in it throughout her life. She worries that she may never be able to do that again because her childhood creek could be so polluted with chemicals that it could never be safe again.
Graves and her friends liked that Stopka
didn’t require anyone to be on camera. It helped them to feel more comfortable sharing their stories.
Stopka mentioned many times that she just wanted the voices of the residents to be heard.
“I want to follow up with Christa to see how her health is. To see if anything changes, if she is degrading,” Stopka said.
Stopka wishes that she was able to continue her citizen journalism with weekly visits to meet with people in East Palestine who were affected, but with her work schedule, it is all but impossible.
“I just think people need to be loud as possible for these people because they are human too. If enough people are loud about it, something can happen,” Stopka said.
She wants to continue to do citizen journalism because she thinks it is important for people’s voices to be heard, especially those who might not have the education or resources to get their stories told.
She wants to help people like them.
As the train derailments continued to be reported on in the wake of East Palestine, Stopka learned that thousands of them happen each year.
It turns out, that it’s not “people like them” at all. It’s people like us.
(Below Left) An affected waterway in East Palestine. Photo by Abigail Stopka (Below Top Right) A creek with film in East Palestine. Photo by Abigail Stopka.Meet The Buchtelite’s 20 Under 20: 20 young professionals building their career early.
By Camryn Moore, Correspondent ‘23In today’s competitive job market, building a successful career often requires a combination of talent, dedication and perseverance. And while many people wait until they are in their twenties or thirties to make strides in their chosen field, there is a growing number of young professionals who are taking proactive steps towards achieving their goals at an early age. The Buchtelite has recognized and celebrated 20 of these ambitious individuals in this feature. We introduce these impressive students who are already making waves in their respective industries and demonstrate the importance of starting early when it comes to building a successful career
Major: Financial Planning
Involvement: Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, Liaison to Peer-to-Peer Financial Coaching Program for the Financial Planning Student Association (FPSA), Investment Club, University of Akron Running Club, Fisher Sales Society, Volunteer Event Coordinator for Elevate Honors Service Club, Intramural Volleyball and Futsal, Student Assistant at the Institute for Leadership Advancement Quote: “Earn your success based on service to others, not at the expense of others.” (-H. Jackson Brown Jr.)
Role Model: My Father, Travis Howell. He has demonstrated time and time again that through moral rectitude and persistence, you can achieve any goal you can dream of.
Goal: Be more involved in the local Akron community, especially the financial coaching program. In five years I hope to: I hope that I will have begun my career, passed my CFP exam, and still be strongly connected to my brothers in the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Additionally, I would love to still be involved in the financial coaching program.
Major: Accounting
Minor: Sport business
Bethel Tsige, 19 She/Her, Sophomore
Major: Chemical Engineering
Minor: Polymer Science
Campus Involvement: Williams Honors College, Secretary of the Society for Women Engineers, Engineering Student Council, Project Manager of the Undergraduate Student Government, African Student Association, Bierce Library Student Assistant, Research Assistant, and Editor for off-campus dance organization Phoenix Dance Crew.
Quote to live by: “If a dream is the sun, my mind is like earth. All day revolving around the sun.”
Role Model: My father. His strength and hardworking manner has made me the person I am today. My interest in STEM is also connected to my father, and he has emphasized to me the importance of education and knowledge and dedicates himself to that passion.
Goal: Contributing more to campus-related topics and events! I want to provide more input and become more involved with The University of Akron.
By 25 I hope to have: Completed graduate school and obtained my doctoral degree in chemical engineering. In five years I see myself working or conducting research at a company or even NASA.
Campus Involvement: IFC Liaison for Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, SABA (Sport Analytics and Business Association), Gamma Iota Sigma Business Fraternity, Resident Assistant for Residence Life and Housing.
Quote: “A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything.” Malcolm X
Role Model: My mother. There are so many skills that I have obtained from her over my lifetime. For example, responsibility, accountability, kindness, and strong values. My mother has had a big impact on how I have grown into the person that I am. Also, a factor in how I live based off my values and standards of my own.
Goal: Better my GPA, obtain a summer internship in the sports industry, and take on more leadership roles withing my fraternity and SABA. By 25 I hope to be: a decent way into my career and slowly setting up my life. I do not currently know the exact path for what I want my career to be. For school, I hope to have figured out my path with or without obtaining my CPA, whichever option feels like the best route.
Adrianna Lakota, 18 She/Her, Freshman
Major: nursing, Minor: French
Campus Involvement: On campus, I am involved in delta gamma where I hold the position of social chair, Hall government where I hold the position as president for Bulger/Spanton residence halls, I am a tier 2 pink gloves boxer, I am also a lifeguard at the rec center, and finally a Williams Honors College student.
Quote: One quote that I live by was told to me by my mom in middle school. She told me, “This too shall pass.”
Role Model: My big sister in Delta Gamma, Natalie Baughman.
Goal: A goal that I am working towards is to get accepted into the nursing program at Akron and study abroad in France again in the spring. In five years, I see myself beginning a new job as a pediatric nurse whether that be in France or here in the United States.
Major: Marketing
Campus Involvement: Wellness specialist and sisterhood programs specialist for Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, and I currently work two on campus jobs. Quote: “I hope you have the courage to choose yourself over and over, I hope you have the courage to move forward and not backwards, to choose growth over comfort, to choose possibilities over past.”
Goal: A short-term goal I have is graduating college with no regrets. I want to know I did everything I could to get the best college experience and be as involved as I could. I would also like to secure a job for post-graduation and travel.
By 25 I hope to: be in a good place in the working world and starting to think about what steps I can take to go further in my career. I also hope to be thinking about other business ventures and how I can grow professionally.
He/His, First-year
Major: Nursing with a minor in Psychology
Campus Involvement: UA Latino club, ROTC, Life as a Zip
Quote: If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you ~ Fred DeVito.
Role Model: My Mother has been an example of perseverance, but I have been a person where I have adopted characteristics that I think could contribute something positive to me in my journey in life.
Goal: I’m working towards getting my BSN and getting to my body goal
By 25 I hope to: have completed my bachelor’s, have move to Miami, have a partner where I be planning to build a family, be in a perfect shape physically and in my health and have a great job where I start to be financially stable.
Major: Respiratory Therapy, State Tested Nurse
Aid License and a Lifeguarding Certification
Campus Involvement: Delta Zeta, Vice President of Membership on Panhellenic Council, and Club Tennis.
Quote: “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts” Winston S. Churchill.
Role Model: My Dad. He has always wanted me to go for what I want and has shown me that even though life has so many obstacles that there is a way around them to get a good turn out in the end.
Goal: I am working towards being the best I can in all my classes. As you take on leadership and get further into your program things get a bit more complicated. So, with this I want to make sure I am staying up on my grades so I can be the best I can possibly.
By 25 I want to: Have a secure job in a hospital working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Campus Involvement: Zips Racing Internal Combustion, the Society of Sales Engineers, Akron Running Club, and volunteering through outside organizations including the Haven of Rest homeless shelter.
Quote: “My goal is to be uncommon amongst uncommon people” - David Goggins
Role Model: My father is my role model, as he knows how to work hard and has a lot of wisdom. I can thank him for teaching me everything I know today and how to go about future obligations. I always look for his word when I need it most!
Goal: I am learning to strengthen my faith in God by reading more of the Bible and sharing its teachings. My goal is to finish the Bible. 25 I hope to be: Professionally, I see myself as a stable research and development engineer with a strong advocation towards taking on a leadership position towards sustainability and innovation. Outside of professionalism, this also includes many building projects for myself to work on and many running miles under my belt! I wish to complete a fast, competitive marathon by the time I am 25.
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Business Essentials
Campus Involvement: Baja Engineering Design team, Elevate Service Club, UA Investment Club, and SWE.
One quote I live by is: “There are 86,400 seconds in a day, it is up to you to decide what you do with them.” - Jim Valvano. Role Model: My Dad. This is because he has given me so many life lessons to live by and overall, a great man to look up to.
Goal: I am working towards my dream career. Coming out of college with a mechanical engineering degree, I think it would be awesome to head into the space industry. Although my plans may change here in the soon and upcoming future the space industry would be an awesome job. In five years time: I see myself working up to the top of an engineering firm and having a consistent job out of college. I would also like to join my business minor into my career as well and maybe even start my own business.
Major: Biomedical Science
Minors: Nutrition and Emergency Management and Homeland Security
Campus Involvement: Undergraduate Student Government as a Senator at Large, the Vice Chair of the Mental Health Task Force, Williams Honors College Student, a writing tutor in the Polsky Tutoring Labs, a research assistant in the Blackledge Spider Labs through the Tiered Mentoring Program, on the Executive Board of Active Minds, On the Life as a Zip Instagram takeover team, Campus Focus, ZipsCubing, The Honors Civics Club Community Outreach Chair, and within the Akron Community, I volunteer at Akron General Emergency Room on the weekends. Quote: “Do not be afraid.”
Role Model: My parents.
Goal: A goal that I am currently working towards is to be accepted and graduate from medical school. By 25 I hope to have: graduated college, be enrolled in medical school and working towards my MD or DO. In five years, I see myself starting out medical school and beginning a future in medicine.
Major: Supply Chain/Operations Management Major, International Business Minor, Mental Health First Aid certified Campus Involvement: Undergraduate Student Government, Pre-Law Society, Life as a Zip Social Media Ambassador, Notetaker for the Office of Accessibility, Campus Focus, and currently working on securing an internship in the greater Akron/Cleveland area. Director of Events for Undergraduate Student Government.
Quote: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. -Winston Churchill
Role Model: My older brother, Titus Lungu because he is the most persevering and ambitious person I know. He’s always taught me to never give up and has always been my #1 supporter.
Goal: Being more patient with myself and being aware of my limits and capabilities. In five years: I hope to graduate with a J.D. degree and work for a corporate law firm on the east or west coast, working to make a difference in people’s lives, while fighting to make unheard voices heard.
Major: Criminal Justice/Criminology
Certificates: International Business, Professional Selling, Professional Social Media/Marketing
Campus Involvement: Ohio Innocence Project, President of The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC). Financial secretary, Social Action Chair and International Awareness Chair of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Zeta Alpha Chapter and Undergraduate Student Government
Quote to live by: “You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I’ll rise”- Maya Angelou
Role Model: Queen Bey! Beyonce has a lot of talent; she refuses to allow people to put her in a box or categorize her and that is something that I look up to. I refuse to allow people to have control and categorize me because I have too many talents and skills.
Goal: I am working towards as of right now is scoring 175 through 179 on my LSAT to get into my dream law school. By the time I’m 25: I will be finishing up getting my PhD. I always had plans about living in D.C, because I love the idea of being surrounded by historical figures and institutions. So hopefully I’ll be practicing law or working somewhere in Congress.
Major: sales
Campus Involvement
Sophomore
the President of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, and the Vice President of Health and Safety for Interfraternity Council, and I work on campus.
Quote: “Memento Mori” which means remember you will die.
Role Model: My Dad
Goal: A goal I’m working towards is self-health and financial freedom. In 25 years: I see myself as the CEO of a business or a business I started.
Khatonia D. Ford Danny LaGuardia Kaden RupertMajor: Political Science
Minor: Pre-law Philosophy
Campus Involvement: Williams Honor College, Pre-Law Society, Greek Leadership Program, Vice President of Panhellenic Relations for Alpha Delta Pi, Student Assistant at the Fraternity and Sorority Life Office, and Lifeguard at the Student Wellness and Recreation Center.
Quote: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,” Maya Angelou.
Role Model: My Mom. She has always encouraged me to do the absolute best I can and pushed me to achieve my goals. She puts my sister's and my needs above her own. I would not be the person I am today without her.
Goal: Finishing my undergrad, and hopefully getting into law school.
In five years: I see myself in law school pursuing a career as a family law attorney.
Pailey Vitale, 18 She/Her/Hers, Freshman
Major: Polymer Science and Engineering
Campus involvement: Williams Honors College, Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW), Zips Precious Plastics (ZPP), Concrete Canoe Design Team, Finance Chair for Society of Women in Engineering (SWE), Engineering Student Council (ESC), Phi Sigma Rho Engineering Sorority, Life As a Zip, University of Akron Marching Band (UAMB), Concert band, Clarinet ensemble
Quote: “Extraordinary is a choice”
Role model: I’ve honestly never really had a role model. I do not aspire to be like someone else, I chose to mold myself into the best version of me at my own will. If I had to choose a role model it would be my parents, they’re my biggest supporters and always offer advice that continues to shape my character.
Current goal: Preparing physically and musically to march with the Crossmen (DCI) this summer. By 25 I want to: Working towards my Doctorate degree or having an awesome job. And during the summer I want to be on staff (teching) at a high school marching band. I also want to have gone outside of the country by the time I’m 25. Professionally I want to be making plastic products working in the sustainability and processing side of things (injection molding and 3d printing) and making a difference in the plastic industry and in the world.
Major: Biology, Minor: Chemistry and Sociology
Campus Involvement: Vice President of Sigma
Lambda National Honorary, Williams Honors College
Dean’s Team, Life as a Zip Team, Muslim Student Association, and Phi Delta Epsilon. Tiered Mentoring Program and research under Dr. Bagatto and graduate student Katie Duval. Tutor in Bierce Library and a Learning Assistant for the Principles of Chemistry I and II courses.
Role Model: My older sister, Ayda Qureshi, is a current senior at the University of Michigan. I was raised in a household with my older sister, younger brother, and my two immigrant parents. Although I have learned many qualities and attributes from my parents, Ayda was the one who had to navigate through a new country with a new educational and social environment that my parents never had the chance to interact with from a young age. As she lived and learned, Ayda taught me and my younger brother several skills and lessons that she had to learn the hard way. I credit my sister for much of my success. She has always been patient with me and is my number one supporter and teacher. I am grateful to have grown up in a caring family with an inspiring older sister like Ayda.
Quote: One quote I live by is “everything happens for a reason.”
Goal: I am currently a biology major on a pre-Dental track. In the future, I hope to attend dental school and become a dentist in the future!
By the time I am 25: I hope to be in dental school and/or starting my own dental practice!
Grace (Gracyl) Collins, 19 She/Her, Freshman
Major: Spanish
Minor: Dance and Sociology
Certificate: TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language)
Campus Involvement: GIVE, a volunteering club, Terpsichore Dance Club, and Sociology Club, Urban Youth Mentoring at the LeBron James Foundation “I Promise” School.
Quote: “Find comfort that you will end up where you’re supposed to be.”
Role Model: Sydney Fannin and Cecilia Mainzer
Goal: Remain on the Dean’s Team, work towards graduation, complete a pull-up with no assistance and read 10 books by 2024.
By 25 I hope to: Have completed my master’s degree in English as a Second Language and to be working at Ohio State Extension, still involved with 4-H, and giving back to that program.
Major: English and Philosophy
Campus Involvement: First-Year Senator, Vice Chair for the Student Engagement Committee and the Vice Chair for the Sustainable Solutions Committee for Undergraduate Student Government, Vice President of Event Planning for Alpha Gamma Delta, Pink Gloves Boxing, and the Collegiate Success Scholar Program. I also work as a Resident Assistant in Exchange Street Residence Hall.
Quote: “The only fear of missing out that matters is the fear of missing out on yourself.” - Matt Haig, The Comfort Book. Role Model: My parents. They showed me what it means to be hardworking and believe in myself. Most importantly, they taught me how to be kind.
Goal: One goal that I am working towards is to maintain my GPA, while becoming more involved in my current involvements. In USG, I am working to create more events to introduce students to various resources that may be underappreciated on campus.
By the time I am 25: I hope to graduate, possibly with my master’s degree. I want to use my degree to become a book editor.
Alexis Miller, 20 She/Her, Junior
Major: nursing, Nursing Aid certification at 16
Campus Involvement: Panhellenic Delegate, Bid Day Chair, Chaplin and one of our Social Chairs for Alpha Phi, Miss Greater Akron Volunteer 2022 Scholarship Program
Quote: “Find the good in all things.”
Role Model: My parents.
Choosing just one would be impossible. My parents have always been my role models through not only their careers, but their actions and dedication to helping others and exemplifying what it means to be a public servant. Growing up, I learned the virtue of selflessness very quickly as my father was a first responder, and my mother worked in healthcare. Without them, I don’t think I’d be who I am today, and I hope to live up to be at least half of what they are today.
Goal: Graduating college and getting my RN, BSN— hopefully being able to help change and save lives!
By 25 I hope to: Have established my career in nursing and be working as an ICU or surgical nurse. One of my biggest goals in life is to have a family of my own, so hopefully by then I will be on the right track to make that happen, but life has its way of working everything out if not!
Gabriella Kuebler, 19 She/Her, Freshman
Major: Mechanical Engineering Technology with a Certificate in Communication Leadership Campus Involvement: chassis lead of Zips Racing Combustion, CMAA (Construction Management Association of America), and the campus ministry for the Akron Canton Church of Christ
Quote: 1 Peter 4:8 which says, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
Role Model: A woman named Angela Ashmore. She is a trackside engineer for Chip Ganassi, an IndyCar team from Indianapolis. She was the first woman to be in the pit box for an Indy 500 winning team which was a huge deal last year. Working in IndyCar is my dream, and seeing such a smart and successful woman in this position is inspiring.
Goal: Getting my first Co-op or Internship within a race team. I would like to have experience at the racetrack as an engineer before graduation, to best set myself up for a career in this field. Experience is so important for this career, and I want to get as much as I can as soon as possible. By the time I am 25: I want to work for an Indy NXT or Indy Lights team. This is a great step to getting into IndyCar because these are the series below it. A lot of people, being drivers, engineers, mechanics and more, come from these series and get great trackside experience and knowledge to bring to an IndyCar team.
Gabriella KueblerAmbassadors
Provide info, directions and safety escorts
Jump car batteries and unlock car doors
For ambassador services, call 330-706-7383
Monday - Saturday 7 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Sunday 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.
For non-emergencies outside of ambassador operating hours, use the Akron Police Department’s non-emergency numbers, 330-375-2181 or 330-375-2101.
Cherry Blossom Festival (April)
Free Fitness Classes on Cascade Plaza (May-Sept.)
Juneteenth (June)
Skate Nights (June-Sept.)
Rock the Lock Concerts (June-Sept.)
Rib, White & Blue Fest (July)
African American Cultural Festival (July)
Live & Local Concerts (July-Sept.)
Italian Fest (August)
Akron Pride Festival (August)
Pizza Fest (September)
Akron Latin Festival (September)
Rubber City Jazz and Blues Fest (September)
Northside Marketplace
OH SNAP Photo Lab
7th Floor Clothing
Rubber City Comics
Green Dragon Inn Board Game Bar & Cafe
Street Craftery Nightlight Cinema and many more
Make downtown Akron your HQ for places to relax, eat, shop, listen to music, play and more with our downtown guides.
CHECK OUT THE DAP EVENTS CALENDAR FOR DETAILS
CHECK OUT THE DAP GUIDES TO DOWNTOWN AKRON
Photography: Mull Media, Blaak Media, Noir Creative, Chris Rutan Photography, Photographed by Talia, Shane Wynn, and DAP Staff
Chess on Cascade Plaza
K-Pop Skate Night on Cascade Plaza
EFORE WE BEGIN…I understand the importance of film achievement and recognizing the people responsible for giving us art. I don’t want to disparage anything that people find entertaining. That being said, I will disparage egregious displays of wealth disguised as anything other than elitism. An argument can certainly be made for Oscar speeches being used as a platform to share important social and political messages… as long as those messages are in a neat 45-second package. This entire event seems hollow to me, so I won’t pretend it doesn’t. And I probably won’t talk about every single category because I do not want to.
Brendan Fraser won best actor for The Whale, and I have nothing negative or snarky to say about it. He gives the impression of a genuine man even if I have a bias for the star of the real mummy franchise (Tom Cruise could never). The Whale is also known for the use of intense prosthetics and makeup on Brendan Fraser, so I am not surprised the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling went to Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Annemarie Bradley.
Michelle Yeoh won best actress for Everything Everywhere All at Once, which makes her the first Asian woman to win an Oscar. Everything Everywhere All at Once won 7 out of 11 nominations, including Academy
Award for Best Picture. Jamie Lee Curtis and Ke Huy Quan each took home Best Actor in a Supporting Role, while Best Film Editing, Best Original Screenplay and Directing wins went to Paul Rogers and co-directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. Overall, I think this film deserves all the recognition it gets. Just because I don’t enjoy the Oscars doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy when good movies win.
Unsurprisingly, Avatar: The Way of Water won the Academy Award for Visual Effects. This was the only award the film was recognized for. I like to believe it was a consolation prize, costing James Cameron only 250 million dollars. Similarly, Top Gun: Maverick took home one Academy Award for Sound. I guess Scientology should have spent more money on their Oscar campaign. My advice? To raise membership prices for their cul- I mean busineI mean sca- RELIGION. That’s the one! If they do that, hopefully we can skip seeing John Travolta cry next year.
Last, and certainly least, ELVIS WON NOTHING. That’s all we can really ask for during Women’s History Month.
B“Just because I don’t enjoy the Oscars doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy when good movies win.”
to the person who posted my rapist on their snapchat story
i know you didn’t mean to toss me down the rabbit hole but seeing his face sent a shock through my entire body it reminded me of the chaos that was formed inside me it reminded me of the way he was able to turn my body into a graveyard it reminded me of the day i was attacked and begging every God to put me out of my misery it reminded me that my body is nothing more than a barcode reading she too was ripped apart it reminded me of the moment i felt the light turn off inside me and heard nothing but the sound of my own bones breaking it reminded me of the anniversary of my survival it reminded me that every seven years your body recreates its cells and i no longer have a body he took advantage of it reminded me that i stand hand-in-hand with the survivors of sexual assault and we turn havoc into hope
andidonottellherthatmyribcagewasoozingwithchaos destruction itellhereverythingwasfine
mytherapistapologizedformissinglastweek’ssession ilaughandtellherit’sokay,everyoneneedsa mentalhealthday
idonottellhermybodyfeltcementedtomybed and it tookeverythingoutofmetogetup itellhernothingnewhashappened andidonottellhertragedystruckmelikealightingstorm myboneswereshatteredintotinypiecesitellheriamcopingwell
inidonottellhermycopinglooksalotlikesoulsearching sternumthedark,allhandsondecksearchinginsidemy fortheslightestglimmerofhopeitellheriamstartingtofeelbetter
foridonottellherthatmybettersoundsalotlikegasping airat3amandclawingmywayupfromrockbottom itellher,thankyou.
the thing about trauma is it sneaks up on you when you least expect it,
it holds your arms down and shoves its hands down your throat
theysaytherapewon’tkillyou,andthey’reright. you’llwishitdidduringthenightmaredrenched sleeplessnightsandthebottomlessbottlesusedtotry andforgetthefeelingofhishandsonyourbody
you’llspendmonthstryingtopiecetogetherthenight youlostitall,ittakesawhiletoprocessthedisgusting waysomeonerobbedyouofyourinnocence butyearsandyearslater,you’llstandonbothyour feet,woundedbutalive,andsayquietlyisurvivedit.
it tears your insides out and drags them beneath you to show your scars to everyone trauma has a tendency to destroy you no matter how many times you say stop trauma and him, have that in common.
COVID-19 led to many changes at The University of Akron. One change that was felt deeply by many students was the loss of the Speech and Debate Team.
In January 2020, the thriving team was coached by then School of Communication faculty member Mark Rittenour. During COVID, the university was forced by the worsening of already tenuous financial circumstances to cut personnel and programs.
The team and its coach were both lost during university wide budget cuts.
Prior to COVID, the team was excelling according to Rittenour. They were an active competitor in the speech and debate arena regionally and nationally. The team had competed in the Ohio Forensics Association State Championship every year since 2001.
Even after the budget cuts, members of the team asked Rittenour to help them compete individually. According to Rittenour, 2022 was the first year since 2001 that the University of Akron did not field a team at the Ohio Forensics State Championship tournament.
Not long after the team stopped being a part of The School of Communication, Rittenour was hired as the Business Communication Practitioner in the College of Business (CoB), where he develops co-curricular, professional development opportunities for students to work on their presentational and public speaking skills. For Business majors, the ability to present is crucial.
“Every business conference I attend talks about the importance of people being able to tell individual organizational narratives,” Rittenour said.
College leadership agrees.
“In today’s business world, argumentation, advocacy, and storytelling are essential components of success,” R.J. Nemer, Dean of the College of Business, said.
Being part of a speech and debate team helps students build and practice those skills.
“The students learn how to keep an audience’s attention, and how to explicate a complex argument, even if it’s not their own,” Rittenour said.
Above:
(L
“The students on the team are refining their skills in oral and written communication, as well as critical thinking, all of which our corporate connections view as vital for professional contexts and for life.”
- CoB Dean R.J. Nemerto R) Blake Biedenbach, Max Schroeter, Isaac Machar, Mark Rittenour, Iris Renna, Lacy Nicholas, Karissa Chin, Cecilia Mainzer, Ben Kissinger after the State Championship.
Given the nature of his new position and his experience coaching a winning team, it seemed only natural that forensics and the speech and debate team would provide the co-curricular opportunities the College of Business was looking for.
The Speech and Debate Team at The University of Akron is making its comeback in the College of Business with its original coach, Rittenour who is also Ohio Forensics Association President as well.
“We’re happy to offer intercollegiate speech and debate as part of our comprehensive professional development programming,” Dean Nemer said.
He sees the experience as valuable and so do the many corporate community partners that collaborate with the College of Business.
“The students on the team are refining their skills in oral and written communication, as well as critical thinking, all of which our corporate connections view as vital for professional contexts and for life,” Nemer said.
With the support of college leadership, the team made a triumphant return to the state championship.
On Friday, Feb. 17 and Saturday, Feb. 18, the team competed at the Ohio Forensics Association State Championship Tournament, which was held at John Carroll University.
“For us this year was a little bit different because we only have one student on the team that was on the Speech and Debate team at the college-level previously,” Rittenour said.
The remainder of the students on the team are new recruits to college level speech and debate, who, despite the team’s new home in the College of Business, come from across campus.
At the Championship, the team earned second place in the state of Ohio and won the Top-Quality Team Award, which is determined by a team’s total points divided by their number of entries.
“I was really happy about the second-place overall finish against some larger teams,” Rittenour said. “Coming back after several years and earning second place plus the quality award was a real boost of confidence for the young team we have.”
In addition to the second-place finish, several students qualified for nationals in multiple categories. All eight team members placed in the
top six overall finishers of at least one event in the Varsity State Championship.
Ben Kissinger a first-year philosophy, political science, and economics major, was named state champion in International Public Debate and Broadcast Journalism. Max Schroeter, a senior, was named state champion in after dinner speaking and was the second place overall top speaker at the tournament.
Current team members are supply chain management major Blake Biedenbach; business data analytics major with a marketing concentration, Karissa Chin; philosophy, political science, and economics major Benjamin Kissinger; psychology and biology major Isaac Machar; chemical engineering major Cecilia Mainzer; history major Lacy Nicholas, bioscience major Iris Renna; and media studies major Max Schroeter.
When asked about her favorite part of being on the Speech and Debate Team, Karissa Chin had a tough time selecting just one thing.
She first mentioned the opportunity to travel. “Being on the team has given me travel experience – at no extra cost – that I would not normally have access to,” Chin said.
The team budget covers student travel, and the team travels to competitions frequently.
She then spoke about the communication skills she learned on the team, and the improvement in her skills that she saw over the course of the season.
“The activity will improve your communicative abilities,” Chin said. “Wherever you end up working, voicing your ideas in a way that people will listen is critical for your success and often the company’s [success as well].”
That’s not just conjecture. Chin has heard directly from alumni about what it means to have Speech and Debate on their resume.
“There are also several instances I’ve heard from alumni in which employers focus on their participation in the activity when considering them for employment, ultimately landing them the job,” Chin said.
When it came down to it, Chin finally identified her favorite part of being on the Speech and Debate team.
“I also love the team,” she said. “We are
“We are a small but mighty force of eight, hoping to expand, and the conversations we have are truly memorable.”
-Karissa Chin
a small but mighty force of eight, hoping to expand, and the conversations we have are truly memorable. So, my favorite part is definitely the people I participate with.”
Chin is proud of what the team has accomplished, and so is the CoB.
“Our College of Business leadership is ecstatic about the CoB Speech and Debate Team’s successes this season,” said Dean Nemer.
Welcome back Speech and Debate. You were missed.
The University of Akron Speech and Debate Team is open to all undergraduate students. Those interested in joining should contact Mark Rittenour at mritten@uakron.edu for more information.
Congratulations
—and thank you—
2023 Assessment All-Stars
Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
Jordan Renna, Department of Biology: PhD Integrated Bioscience
College of Business
Sucharita Ghosh, Department of Economics: BA Economics
College of Engineering and Polymer Science
Ed Evans, Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering: BS Chemical Engineering
College of Health and Human Services
Stacia Biddle, School of Allied Health: BS Respiratory Therapy
School of Law
Michael Gentithes, JD--All Tracks
Tattoo your rosebud steps into the summer’s silk. Do not keep your branches to yourself. Waltz with me before the world sleeps again. You die with the winter winds, But - rememberI am just as brittle. Blossoms crown our heads And sunlight And blue birds Sing with us-Sing in us. Our harmony fades as the season of our coronation swims away. But Eternity has mercy on our existence and takes note of our temporary reign.
Bloom with me, draw out the deep. To know you-to know myself-it is the same.
You can be gentle. You are silk, not stone. The unraveling cannot break you.
If the undoing is too abstract, line your path with a string of petal portraits that I can collect until you return to me.
Take me where the stars dance, where the moon plays us a tune. Let us drink the red wine of the sky, and taste the goodness of the Artist’s eye. Take me where the beam of Mars splits the sea of stars so that we might join their soirée. Let us feel the beat, of the evening’s heat, and wave with the tide of meadow fans. Take me where I can’t tell if we’re dreaming, or we’re just alive.
“If it wasn’t apparent to the students who are a part of it, or if there are people in our city or our university that don’t know: our choral program is special,” said Bucoy-Calavan.
OnFeb. 24, 2023, The University of Akron Chamber Choir was one of five (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass) SATB collegiate ensembles selected to perform at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Conference.
This opportunity made the Chamber Choir the first ensemble in The University of Akron School of Music to perform at a national conference.
The ACDA National Conference took place in Cincinnati, OH. The University of Akron students were given the chance to attend a variety of lectures, workshops, masterclasses and performances; all following the theme of the 2023 conference: A Place of Belonging.
The Chamber Choir’s program was titled Finding Home and explained the familial environment of the ensemble and dedicated their performance to those who are unable to find comfort or safety where they are. The description in the program read, “Home is not always a place, but it is a people.” Showing personal strength through Abbie Betinis’ Be Like the Bird and Like Moons and Like Suns, I’ll Rise by UA alum by Mickey McGroarty
Finding security in coming home with Brahms’ An Die Heimat.
Searching for refuge with Saunder Choi’s The New Colossus.
Experiencing togetherness with Sydney Guillaume’s Ranpono.
“Part of what sells our choir is that we perform like a family on stage,” Dr. Marie Bucoy-Calavan, Director of Choral Studies at The University of Akron, said.
Bucoy-Calavan says that one of the reasons attendees of ACDA were electric over the Chamber Choir’s performance is because they were able to successfully portray the feeling of belonging that is often discussed during rehearsals.
Community and togetherness are values that are important to the choral program at UA.
“Today was extraordinary,” says Dr. Robert Istad, conference attendee and Director of Choral Studies at California State, Fullerton. “It was musical, you were all so vulnerable, and committed to the message for the audience. I was just so proud of you and Dr. Bucoy-Calavan.”
“It was an exciting journey for everybody,” Dr. Matthew Swanson, Associate Director of Choruses, the Director of the Youth Chorus, and the Director of Special Projects for the
Cincinnati May Festival, said. “Opening with a beautiful cannon, all the way through colors and complexities, ending with a vocal celebration… Congratulations to you all.” In addition to the positive feedback given to the university singers, their performances were also attended by three of the four living composers of the Chamber Choir set.
“They took my piece to the next level,” Sydney Guillaume said.
In October, UA Choirs were allowed to workshop with Guillaume on his pieces Ranpono and This Too Shall Pass.
“Dr. Bucoy-Calavan was absolutely amazing to work with and has given me ideas to incorporate with other choirs,” Guillaume said.
In addition to workshops, the Chamber Choir virtually workshopped the performed piece The New Colossus with its composer, Saunder Choi.
over the years.
“I am still shocked by the amount of care that was put into every single note of that performance; it was astounding,” McGroarty said.
After the Chamber Choir’s first performance, well-known conductor for the St. Olaf Choir, Anton Armstrong provided his contact information to connect and potentially discuss McGroarty’s piece.
“I was not expecting Anton Armstrong… If there was a dream of whom that could have happened with – that would never, ever happen – it would be Anton Armstrong,” Dr. Bucoy-Calavan said. “I could not have been happier about the reaction he got.”
Bucoy-Calavan had a goal to guide McGroarty toward success as a composer. She values his intelligence, skill set, humility and consistency of learning.
“He could stand to be one of the next generations of composer-conductors for our choral world,” said Bucoy-Calavan.
She explained that his palpable compositions involve a steep understanding of musical greats such as Bach, Mozart and Beethoven.
The choral program at UA could not be prouder of McGroarty.
The experience at ACDA wasn’t just exhilarating for McGroarty. Singers from the Chamber Choir describe ACDA and the journey to the conference as an incredible learning experience.
“The program was great. It was cohesive and told a story. It was wonderful to hear the segue from Brahms into The New Colossus. Awesome performance,” Choi said.
The University of Akron’s choral program takes pride in building its legacy. In addition to performing at their first national conference, the choral program was also proud to premiere ‘Like Moons and Like Suns, I’ll Rise.’
A choral work, with text that follows Maya Angelou’s Still I Rise, Like Moons and Like Suns, I’ll Rise was composed by choral alum Mickey McGroarty.
Throughout the past six years, McGroarty has worked alongside Bucoy-Calavan and Jake Runestad with both choral ensembles and has edited the score for his piece multiple times
To prepare for the conference performance, the ensemble needed to memorize the twentyminute set of music. In doing so, they had to know not only the words, but the meanings, the rhythms, breathing, dynamics and musicality.
They rehearsed their music from the beginning of the fall 2022 semester and then moved to instilling the importance of memorization for concerts and clinics before the conference.
Aside from their performances, the Chamber Choir was also able to attend concerts of The Crossing, Jason Max Ferdinand Singers, Young People’s Chorus of New York City and Cincinnati May Festival Chorus and Orchestra.
“If it wasn’t apparent to the students who are a part of it, or if there are people in our city
Members of the choral program are thankful for their experience at ACDA, and they are grateful for Dr. Bucoy-Calavan.
“The encouragement of having a familylike environment is not something you get anywhere else at The University,” singer Josephine Wright said. “That’s all her.”
Choir after their first performance
or our university that don’t know: our choral program is special,” said Bucoy-Calavan.
She explains that usually when a choir goes to a national conference, the community and the university are already aware and supportive.
“Our community isn’t yet aware that they have a nationally recognized program,” BucoyCalavan said. She is proud of her students and their accomplishments. “This is a quality, excellent choral program to be a part of.”
She hopes UA being selected to perform at ACDA calls attention to the choral program.
“We performed on the same stage as ensembles for whom it was their 15th time performing at a national conference,” said Bucoy-Calavan.
She hopes that the national conference becomes an instigator for people, resources, the university and community understanding—to then support and invest in the program.
Members of the choral program are thankful for their experience at ACDA, and they are grateful for Dr. Bucoy-Calavan.
“The encouragement of having a familylike environment is not something you get anywhere else at The University,” singer Josephine Wright said. “That’s all her.”
Swanson describes Bucoy-Calavan as someone passionate about singing as well as people. The two directors met over ten years ago as students.
“I had no doubt she would be a success at Akron,” he said. “She’s proven that time and time again, not just today.”
Moving forward after ACDA, The University of Akron Chamber Choir went on a concert tour in California during their 2023 Spring Break.
The choral program will perform Mozart’s Requiem in April.
Bucoy-Calavan is on a mission to produce more recordings to be able to share the program here at UA with the campus and community.
The Buchtelite staff wishes a warm Congratulations to the UA Chamber Choir!
“Our community isn’t yet aware that they have a nationally recognized program. This is a quality, excellent choral program to be a part of,” explained Bucoy-Calavan.
Chaarg helps The University of Akron women find their favorite workouts while also inspiring and empowering them.
By
As the yoga class ended, Morgan Bucy looked around the room. She reflected how nervous she had been to attend her first CHAARG workout. Bucy then realized she had nothing to worry about at all.
“As soon as I walked in, everyone welcomed me in and started talking like we were best friends,” said Bucy, a freshman at UA.
CHAARG is a workout organization that has chapters at 111 different universities. The organization looks to empower women to find what workouts they enjoy the most, while also providing a welcoming environment.
The CHAARG chapter at The University of Akron meets every Tuesday night from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. to engage in a new workout. These workouts range from yoga, POUND, Cycle Bar and everything in between. All members are invited to these workouts free of charge. Members also have the option to join a small group. Small groups meet once a week and they do a variety of activities. Anything from working out to sitting down and having coffee.
“CHAARG helped me find my passion for Cycle Bar,” said Bucy. “The very first time I went to Cycle Bar was with the CHAARG group, and I fell in love with it. Now I go almost every week.”
Exercise is something that greatly benefits college students. Not only does it help physical health but it helps mental health as well. It can relieve stress and help create a better social life.
According to Resources to Recover, exercising releases chemicals into our bodies that help lift our moods; exercising is often recommended to treat mild cases of depression.
“Joining CHAARG really did help my mental health,” Bucy said. “I work out a lot more now and it really does help relieve stress and just overall boost my mood.”
Making friends can also be a struggle in college. Some people get lucky and find friends instantly, while others do not. Paige Via, the event coordinator for CHAARG, said that she has met so many lifelong friends through the organization.
“I knew somebody that was in CHAARG when I joined but she was not able to come to the first workout with me. I still went because my goal was to meet new people,” Via said. “It was the best thing I ever did. I have met so many people and made lifelong friends.”
CHAARG also offers the opportunity to hold an executive spot. They have many different positions such as Event Coordinator, Secretary, VP of Media, and more. These positions can help strengthen leadership skills, organization skills, and more. Via wanted to join the executive board to try and make CHAARG feel like a safe place for every member.
At the beginning of each semester, CHAARG hosts multiple recruitment events that any potential members can attend for free. These
“It was the best thing I ever did. I have met so many people and made lifelong friends.”
- Paige Via
To fully become a CHAARG member, visit the CHAARG website and select “Become a Member” and then find your school listing. It does cost $57 to become a member. A membership allows you to attend all workouts for free and allows you to attend small groups and any social events.
CHAARG strives to change the mindset of college women. They want to provide a safe space for others to fall in love with working out. Women are less far likely to work out than men. CHAARG provides a group setting that allows women to connect with others on the same journey as themselves and challenges them to move out of their comfort zone.
Recently, a University of Akron College of Business(CoB) student made a distressing observation about the makeup of their business course. As the student looked around the classroom, he realized that he was the only Black student in his class.
He didn’t feel comfortable and worried he might not be accepted by the other students in the classroom, who he felt were different from him. It turns out, he wasn’t the only one. Enter the AABA.
In collaboration with the Dean of CoB, R.J. Nemer and faculty and staff members, a group of students are es tablishing an African American Business Association chapter on the UA Campus.
This new chapter was developed to equip the sparse African American population within the College of Business with the resources, skills, and network needed to excel both academically and professionally in the business workplace. Through guidance, collaboration and networking, its goal is to cultivate a generation of diverse and innovative leaders who will shape
the future of business and make a positive impact on society.
“Coming from a high school that had more African Americans than any other race, I also noticed that I was one of two African Americans in my class here at Akron,” senior financial management major and AABA vice president, Matthew Logan, said. “It was definitely a little awkward and took some getting used to.”
Feeling alone as an underrepresented group is a challenge that many students face, and it may affect their willingness to connect with others, get involved in student events, and find networking opportunities on campus, which will greatly assist them in the hiring process.
The African American Business Association is a brand-new student organization at the University of Akron that will act as a support system for UA’s Black student body who are interested in the world of business.
This student association allows Black students to feel comfortable among their peers and become closer to their own ethnic group while gaining valuable knowledge about business.
While the name of the organization is the African American Business Association, it will welcome all students with open arms, regardless of race or major.
The founding members hope it will be an opportunity for students to network not only with peers, but with many distinguished African American business professionals.
They plan to bring in several alums, senior leaders, and notable professionals to speak to the group, share their experiences, and answer any questions from members.
The African American Business Association (AABA) looks to become a thriving, new, student-run organization to support the Black student body.Editor’s Note: Samson Albert will be the first president of the AABA.
The AABA plans to connect with the broader African American community including faculty members from all over campus, Black undergraduates who are undecided on their majors, as well as other Black student organizations.
They want to offer networking events, keynote speakers, and local field trips to interested students.
Current member and first-year business student, Arlen Olds envisions the AABA meetings to be “collaborative, creative, and inspiring, as well as a safe space for everyone who decides to join.”
College of Business Alum and current Marketing Associate for Pfizer, Traiana Boyer, is looking forward to helping the AABA student members find success.
“As a company, we must represent everyone in the community, so it is important to have different perspectives to best serve the needs of the many people groups in the population,” Boyer said.
Like the founding members of the AABA, she also recalled being one of very few African Americans in her classes.
“Having a club like this gives Black students empowerment and a sense of community, and seeing successful leaders who look like them shows Black students that there are opportunities for them to thrive,” Boyer said.
The AABA faculty advisor Latoria Hamilton is an Associate Professor of Finance and Director of the Risk Management Insurance Program in the College of Business. She brings remarkable experience, knowledge, and mentorship to the organization.
As advisor, Hamilton feels strongly about the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace.
“It fosters environments of respect, fairness and belonging, which in turn contributes towards the elimination of economic, social, and health disparities
among minorities.”
The officers of the organization are excited to have Hamilton and feel she brings remarkable experience, knowledge, and mentorship to AABA.
“Responsibilities for members are to just be present and take full advantage of the organization,” stated VP Matthew Logan.
The AABA is open to everyone who is in good academic standings with the University. If interested, students can email me at sba24@uakron.edu and follow AABA on Instagram @ AkronAABA (https://www.instagram. com/akronaaba/).
A
mong the roughly 15,000 students that attend the University of Akron, around 82% of those students are commuters according to the U.S. News and World Report College Best Colleges feature. Commuters at the University of Akron are defined by the national publication as students who do not live in college owned, operated, or affiliated housing.
Assuming the U.S. News numbers are correct, that makes 12,300 students that are commuters.
The University of Akron website states that there are 5,341 commuter-designated spaces available on campus at any given time. How are commuters able to find a parking when the number of spots available is less than half the amount of commuters that attend the school?
Being a commuter myself, this question has plagued me. How can Akron better treat commuters as a priority for parking, and do how other commuters feel about the parking issue on our campus?
Although the phenomenon of commuters at the University of Akron is not new, the number of commuting students has risen dramatically over the last few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, more than ever, college students are choosing to live at home instead of on campus and do a hybrid of online learning and coming to campus a few days a week.
Despite the influx of students commuting to campus, the last time the University of
Akron built a new parking garage or deck was in 2010, when South Campus Parking Deck was introduced. How are new and upcoming commuters supposed to secure a parking spot when the University is not adjusting for them?
What do other commuters have to say about parking? Four commuters responded to a series of questions on parking in general for this voice of the student.
When asked whether he thinks there are enough parking spots on campus, Corey Teuton, a freshman at the University of Akron, stated, “No. Maybe there are number wise, but definitely not convenience-wise.
For him, convenience, not availability, is the core issue.
“It may seem like there are enough parking spots, but many of them aren’t close enough to where it is convenient to park,” Teuton said.
Sophomore Logan Buchanan felt similarly.
“Absolutely not,” said Buchanan. “In comparison to how big the campus is, there is not enough parking for each building or side of the campus.”
The convenience issue may relate to where newer students tend to park. A vast majority of freshman and sophomores seem attend classes at the north end of campus, which only has two commuter-only lots.
With the idea of convenience in mind, the students were asked if they believe parking is a problem for them personally.
“It may seem like there are enough parking spots, but many of them aren’t close enough to where it is convenient to park, Teuton said.
“Yes, I think it is,” Teuton stated. “I commute here 3 days a week, and 2 out of the 3 days I come to campus, I have to do multiple laps around the lots before I can find a spot.”
Kenzie Faluski, a junior at the University of Akron, had a different experience.
“This semester I don’t have trouble finding parking,” she said. “I park at Polsky, which is a less crowded parking lot then the main parking lots.”
Rachel Kleiber had a slightly different answer to the same question. Much like Kenzie, Rachel also exclusively attends class at the Polsky Building, but her experience changes based on the time of day.
“Because I come to class at 8 a.m. at Polsky, I have no issues,” Rachel said. “However, if my first class of the day gets canceled and I don’t come up until 11 a.m., then I have trouble.”
The students interviewed believe there are not enough parking lots available for commuters near the higher volume areas of campus.
Due to this, commuters are forced to park in non-commuter lots, in spots that have meters, or at the STEM Highschool located on northern campus.
“I have received a ticket before for parking in one of the parking spots with a meter,” Logan Buchanan said. “I tried to fight the ticket, but ultimately had to pay it.”
Director of Parking and Transportation Services, Jared Coleman offered insight into how parking views the 5,341 commuter-only spots that serve the approximately 12,300 commuters.
“It’s not just the number of commuter-only spots you have to look at, but also the all-permit
lots and garages,” Coleman stated.
“We only have a handful of parking areas that are specially reserved for residents, so there are more then 5,000 available spots for commuters to park at.”
Coleman also spoke to efforts to ensure convenient parking for commuters. He explained that all-permit lots located where many students have classes are being used heavily by commuting students.
“For example, the North Parking Deck, which is located next to where a lot of students attend classes, is an allpermit lot,” said Coleman. “Even though it’s not designated for commuters only, I would say at least three fifths of the spots are taken up by commuters.”
Students had criticisms of the current parking landscape at The University of Akron, but one had an idea for a possible solution.
“Build another parking deck that is closer to the central area of campus,” Rachel Kleiber suggested. “Maybe get rid of the small lot by Olin Hall and build a deck there.”
Whether it’s the number of spots or the convenience of available parking, the students interviewed all reported some level of parking challenges. Our commuters agree that convenience is the top problem, and a vast majority of the parking lots with open spaces are not centrally located.
Students are looking to the University of Akron to continue to find ways to improve their parking experience, making it easier and more convenient for them to take their classes in person again.
(Left) Lot 14 completely full at 9 a.m. Photo by Taylor Lorence
In comparison to how big the campus is, there is not enough parking for each building or side of the campus.”
-Logan Buchanan
Jayeon Thompson, a 19-year-old freshman at The University of Akron, headed to his vehicle on what he thought was a normal Saturday morning. Unfortunately, he soon noticed that something was off.
Thompson’s Toyota Tacoma was parked in Lot 36, just across from Exchange Street Residence Hall.
When Thompson started his vehicle, he noticed a loud rumbling noise coming from the engine. After calling the dealership where he purchased his truck; Thompson was told that the noise was probably due to his catalytic converter being stolen, and that he should bring in the vehicle to
be looked at.
“It couldn’t have happened at a worse time,” Thompson said. “I usually don’t leave campus, but on this day, I got up early to head to my sister’s gymnastics meet in Columbus. She qualified for the state meet this year and I really wanted to be there to support her, but sadly, I couldn’t make it.”
After talking with the dealership, Thompson called campus police who redirected him to the Akron Police Department. As an officer arrived at the scene, Thompson was able to file a report.
“The officer had mentioned that someone had been caught stealing catalytic converters nearby from other vehicles just an hour before I called,” Thompson said. “He said that it was probably the same person, but I haven’t followed up to see if
It couldn’t have happened at a worse time.”
it was. I took my truck into the dealership in the morning and didn’t get it back until the next day. I just hope insurance will cover the damage,”
“We see tons of catalytic converters thefts due to the recyclable metals in them. Thieves will cut them out of random cars and trade them in at pawn shops for money. We often see this particular crime done in groups, but it is still sometimes a one-person job. Parking decks are often a target area. One person slides under the car with a hacksaw or other tools and cuts it off. Cars in driveways are also hit,” said Jason McKeel, an Akron police officer.
In December of 2022, a similar instance occurred. Keely Hebb, a junior at The University of Akron, was getting ready to travel home in the upcoming week for Christmas when her catalytic converter was stolen.
According to Cleveland 19 News report, Hebb had her vehicle parked in the Twin Oaks Manor Apartments parking deck at the time of the incident.
The Twin Oaks Manor Apartment building is just nine minutes away from campus. The three male suspects who were involved in stealing Keely’s catalytic converter were caught on camera
unlike in Jayeon Thompson’s case.
The Cleveland 19 News report mentioned that the owner of the apartment building stated this wasn’t the first time something like this has happened at the building, as it also wasn’t the first time Hebb had her catalytic converter stolen.
The thieves unfortunately took multiple other parts of Keely’s car, which resulted in the damage being just one thousand dollars short of what she paid to buy the vehicle.
Officer Jason Mckeel does have some recommendations to protect students’ vehicles.
“Park in a busy lot and not in a secluded place. This won’t necessarily prevent thefts but will reduce chances. The good thing is, a car can still be driven without a catalytic converter, it will just be very loud. If you suspect your catalytic converter to be stolen, call the police and file a report. You’ll also have to get your exhaust repaired by a shop or dealership,” said Mckeel.
(Right) South Campus Parking Deck, Lot 36 Photo by Tyler HuntOne person slides under the car with a hacksaw or other tools and cuts it off. ”
University of Akron students Kora Dutton and Dan Groen sat down to talk about the activities they enjoy doing to relieve stress and develop their skills. Having a hobby outside of class and work gives them an opportunity to be themselves without the pressure of being graded.
“I have always enjoyed creepy or unsettling art. I decided I wanted to create some of my own. I started
named her creations “Koraline Dolls.” Dutton is currently working on a third doll as a gift for her sister. Coraline is still widely popular among fans on social media.
“I was inspired by a TikTok to make a Coraline doll of myself. Coraline has remained one of my favorite movies since I was a kid, and I wanted one of my own,” said Dutton.
Learning to make the dolls wasn’t easy. The work was more tedious than she had anticipated. Manipulating wire to create a bendable body, sculpt clay for a head, and sew body and clothes - all took time for her to learn.
“I winged about every aspect of the first doll I made,” Dutton said.
It is both sustainable and adds to the creep factor of the doll,” said Kora.
Making the dolls is a therapeutic activity for Kora, one she doesn’t put too much pressure on herself over.
Dan Groen, a media studies major, also uses his hobby to gain skills with less pressure.
Dan Groen, a media studies major, also uses his hobby to gain skills with less pressure.
“One of my favorite hobbies is fishing. I love it because it helps me relax,” said Groen.
Having an escape from the stresses of everyday life and connecting with nature are outlets Groen values.
“It really helps my mental health,” he said.
dabbling in doll making about a year ago,” said Kora Dutton, a social work major.
Based on the 2009 stop motion animation movie Coraline, Dutton
With no full-sized sewing machine, she must rely on handsewing and stitching which was the hardest part for her. When Kora started doll -making, she had little expertise in making clothes. Seeing her craft and imagination evolve with each new doll is one of her favorite parts of the hobby.
“For the second doll I made, I was happy to see my skills develop. For this doll, I added an extra odd feature. I stuffed it with my dog’s fur.
Groen has been exposed to fishing since he was a little kid. Though he’s had some influence, most of his skills have been developed by himself.
“My dad taught me the very basics, but he never had a huge interest in it, so I taught myself once I got older,” said Groen.
He started fishing regularly around the age of 13 or 14. During the spring and summer, Groen typically fishes at Portage Lakes and his grandpa’s lake house in Ontario.
“I try to fish for bass, but I also catch
sunfish, perch, crappie, catfish, and even walleye,” said Groen.
Gaining knowledge about the basic skills of his hobby didn’t take long. Curating the different techniques took him a bit longer to develop. His level of expertise isn’t his main concern, however.
“I’m still learning new things to this day,” said Groen.
Both Dutton and Groen have little time set aside for hobbies, so they use what opportunities they have.
Dutton uses her downtime to make gifts.
“I am currently working on a third doll as a gift for my sister and hoping to improve my sewing and sculpting abilities to create more durable and interesting dolls,” she said.
Groen also doesn’t have as much time as he used to for his hobby.
“But when I do, I always make the most of it. Even if I catch nothing, it’s still very therapeutic to be outside on a nice day enjoying nature,” Groen said.
Creating time for fun activities isn’t always easy, but the enriching experience of a hobby makes carving a place for one in your schedule worthwhile.
Photos by Kalandra Alherimi ‘23
Show Opens Friday April 21, 2023
4 to 8 p.m. at the White Rabbit Gallery
571 W. Tuscarawas Avenue, Barberton, Ohio
the craziest two-and-a-half years to date was terrifying.
March 13, 2020 will forever go down as one of the craziest days we have ever experienced. Schools were closed for the foreseeable future; businesses began to shut down and life as we knew it was about to change forever.
For many of us, living in this “postpandemic” world has proven to be much harder than we anticipated, especially for students. It has affected everything we do, every decision we make and how we decide to go about our days.
“In terms of how Covid has impacted my daily life, I would say that I just overthink things more than I used to,” senior music student at the University of Akron, Courtney Cotyk said. “Every cough or sneeze created a pang of anxiety that I never would have had before.”
This “new world” that we are having to navigate seems so foreign. It is almost as if we’re having to start over with our lives and say goodbye to the lives we had prior to COVID-19.
From relearning how to interact with society to mundane daily activities, life now is completely different than it was just three years ago. Learning how to come back to school and pretend as if we didn’t just go through
“I don’t think I really expected how out of touch with people I would feel,” said Cotyk. “I was so excited to be back in person for classes even, but it surprised me how disconnected I felt from the people around me. Even now, I still feel uncomfortable sometimes in social situations.”
Moe Thomas, a junior college student at Bowling Green State University, was a senior in high school when Covid-19 hit.
“I had been looking forward to college for all of high school. Then, when it hit, I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to go but luckily, we were. Although, the experience is not near the same as I expected,” Thomas said.
Thomas said that because of Covid-19, she had to spend her first year of school at home. “Everything was online, and it just wasn’t worth it to spend the money to not even have in-person classes,” said Thomas. “It was really difficult to come to campus the next year and make friends because I didn’t have the same freshman activities and events anymore.”
Sierra Maxwell, a recent graduate of Wright State University Lake Campus, changed her plans completely after Covid-19 hit. “My plan A was to attend school for chiropractic medicine, but that changed with Covid because during the
shutdown, my mental health suffered and it made me rethink my life choices,” said Maxwell. She is now licensed as a Massage Therapist instead.
Rianne Daniel, a student of junior standing at Ohio State University Lima Campus, was originally going to attend school out of state; however, when Covid-19 hit, she decided to stay home instead. “I really resent not getting the experience that I wanted,” said Daniel. “I always thought that I would have more control over the major decisions in my life, but Covid has taught me that is not the case.”
So, what now?
How do we move forward in a world where many of us feel
like strangers? The answer is simple. We keep going.
Little by little and day by day we can pick up the broken pieces we have left from our “pre-COVID” world, take them into this new life and try to rebuild them as best as we can.
“Going back in person, I found that I was getting burnt out really fast because I had forgotten how to make that separation,” said Cotyk. “Now I’m doing my best to put aside time for self-care and hanging out with friends, while still prioritizing my schoolwork.”
In this new phase of life, we’re all in picking up the pieces and creating a new foundation for ourselves is the only way we can begin to move forward.
For some of us, that means having to create new daily routines that we wouldn’t have done before the pandemic. For others, it’s simply taking a step back and realizing that you are in control of your life, and nothing can stop you from being the best version of yourself.
By Alyssa Eversmeyer
The leaves fall where they’re meant to be. One lands, and one can scarcely remember how the ground looked without it. A squirrel’s tail looks like poison ivy. A blue jay sounds like he needs something from me. Green leaves waggle, an insect croaks, the white sun casts a yellow spotlight on me. Crack an egg on my head, let the yolk drip down, let the leaves fall down. They don’t fall, really, they flicker and flash, tumble, flinch, bellyflop, crash.
Look overhead!
The sun’s dropping red-yellow tears. Looks like heaven from here.
Be still!
(Top) The modern classroom for a college student during and after Covid-19. Photo
Where the leaves land is where they’re meant to stay. A red-headed woodpecker lurches on a trunk and taps away.
by Lauren HigginsStudent writers and editors are needed for Fall 23 and the 23-24 school year. Students may choose join the student organization as volunteer writers, or can register to earn one credit for the experience. To learn more about the for credit experience, or to join the student organization, students should e-mail Professor Julie Cajigas at julieca@uakron.edu.