February 2023 Internet Addiction

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2023

STAFF STUDENT MEDIA ADVISOR Tommy Housman Paris Himes President

Jasmine Brents Creative Lead

CONTENTS HARLAXTON HAZE Dani Parisi

Editor - Writer Maddy Webb

Social Media Manager - Writer Mayray Sung

Alex Halbrook

Writer Sam Tarter

Minton, Baylee A.

Liam Allen

Chloe Ferguson

Emma Ault

CreativeLead

Writer

Design

Writer

Design

Writer

Madison Adams Design

Abbey Kyle Design

Maddi Krohn Design

Mikayla Duffy Illustrator

Hannah Addison Writer

Jackson Caudill Writer

Hayden Chrapek Writer

Myia Danek Writer

Bev Rowley

Member at Large Sonsoles Aguayo

Social Media Content Creator Iryna Tsesiul

Video & Photography Marie

Reilly

Writer – Content Creator

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sophie Lindner Sam Fowler

Harry Styles Walks on a Fine Line 1

Alexa Davis

Skimpy Over Safety 3

Mitchell Bretz

Call Him Deaf 5

Paris Himes

Avoiding the Freshman Flu 9

Myia Danek

Woe VS Rage 10

Troy Schroeder Sam Tarter Chloe Campbell

COVER

CRESCENT MAGAZINE

is the University of Evansville’s student magazine. It is written, edited and designed by and for UE students and published six times during the academic year.

Circulation is 1,500 distributed to 18 campus locations and housed online at www.cresceent.evansville.edu The Crescent it is funded through advertising sales and a subscription fee paid on behalf of students by the Student Government Association.

LETTER SUBMISSIONS: Crescent Magazine welcomes letters from UE students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni, but material the CMEB regards as libelous, malicious and/or obscene will not be published. Letters should not exceed 250 words. For verification, letters must include the author’s name, class standing or title and email address. Crescent Magazine does not print anonymous letters or those that cannot be verified. Letters will be edited as needed.

EDITORIAL POLICY: Commentary expressed in unsigned editorials represents a consensus opinion of the magazine’s Editorial Board. Other columns, reviews, articles and advertising are not necessarily the opinion of the CMEB or other members of staff.

Screen slavery 15 Social Media Killed the Radio Star 16 The Kindergarten Rope of Adulthood 17 The Answer To Steroids 21 Kausalya Mandipalli 23 A Star of Stem 25 Athletics in Evansville 29 Campus Crime 31

HOW TO CONTACT US

SOBA, University of Evansville, 1800 Lincoln Ave., Evansville, IN 47722 Editorial e-mail: th208@evansville.edu www.crescent.evansville.edu facebook.com/UECrescentMagazine twitter.com/crescentmagazi1 instagram.com/crescentmagazine

Harry Styles Wal Sophie Lindner

As

soon as we’re born we get told what colors we should like, what games we should play with, and most of all how to behave according to our gender. Basically, as soon as we open our eyes we are brand-marked as our gender and with it comes our societal behavior; thanks to the glorious gender reveals. Girls do pink.

Boys do blue. Girls be quiet.

Boys be dominant. Girls be emotional. Boys don’t cry. Girls wear dresses. Boys never wear dresses. What happens when someone doesn’t apply their lifestyles to these schemes? As a boy you are told you are weak and queer. As if that would be a bad thing.

Harry Styles is THE music pop star right now. He is collecting his awards as he does his Gucci suits. His top single “As it was” is still, after more then 15 weeks, on No.1 in the charts. He was known as the long hair guy from One Direction, but during his solo career he managed to make himself one of the most popular singer of all times. He is also known for his gender fluidity in how he dresses, such Crescent Magazine 1

as painting his fingernails with iconic yellow smiley faces for his album promotion shoot.

Styles, who now owns his nail polish company called Pleasing, said, “Me seeing a flower or a wallpaper or something and thinking, ‘Oh, I wanna put that on my nails’.” Obviously, since he is a man he is considered to be weak and feminine.

In December 2020, Styles became the first male person to be on the cover of Vogue.

He stunned in a blue laced Gucci dress. This raised a worldwide debate on what is considered to be masculine, and why Harry posing in a dress is not it. A video of the political commentator, Candace Owens, made its rounds on the internet as she was referring to Styles’ cover and said “bring back manly men.” This sparked even more discussion as she was implying that men are weak if they wear “feminine clothing,” which is called toxic masculinity.

Toxic masculinity is relevant in today’s society. You might think the world has bigger problems than men wanting to wear

dresses, too, but here we are demanding men to be strong, powerful, and most of all manly.

Toxic masculinity is generally defined as the stereotypical behavior expected from men put on by society, but it is actually harmful for them. For example, it is expected that boys and men act powerful and strong. Society puts pressure on them to not show weakness at any point such as crying or showing emotions at all.

Typical phrases that young boys hear while growing up are “men don’t cry”; “man up”; “toughen up”. This can led to severe mental health issues later in life, such as men not wanting to seek help when needed. Additionally, as already mentioned, men are also pressured into wearing masculine clothes. The question obviously is what is considered to be masculine and feminine, but we won’t go there now.

Simply put, men and dresses don’t work according to our 21th century mindset, or rather the 1950s.

Harry Styles challenges and fights toxic masculinity. He

lks on a Fine Line does big photoshoots in pink dresses and colorful skirts and most importantly is comfortable in it. “To not wear something because it’s females’ clothing, you shut out a whole world of great clothes. And I think what’s exciting about right now is you can wear what you like. It doesn’t have to be X or Y. Those lines are becoming more and more blurred,” he says. With wearing what’s considered female clothing, he is defeating gender norms. It is important to have people, in particularly popular men, step up and talk about toxic masculinity is crucial influence for society. He is blurring a fine line – yes that is his second album’s name – between masculine and feminine, gay and straight, male and female. He shows the world that it is okay to do and wear what you want without being in fear of what other people might say.

With men wearing dresses comes automatically, unfortunately, the accusations of being gay. First of all, using homosexuality as an insult is not it. Secondly, why does society connect men, dresses,

femininity automatically with being weak which leads to: gay.

We live in 2022 and society still has a problem with same-sex love. Harry Styles, proudly (!), waves pride flags during his concerts. He helps teenagers come out during his concerts with thousands of people in attendance. One of the most memorable ones was when Styles played his second night in the Wembley Stadium in London, which was the first time in his solo career to sell out not only one but even two nights of 90,000 people in the stadium.

An Italian fan held up a sign that said “From Ono to Wembley: Help me come out.” Harry picked up the sign, took a pride flag and ran across the stage to shout “When this flag goes over my head, you are officially out. I think that’s how it works: When this sign goes over the head, you’re officially gay, my boy.”

To do that in front of 90,000 people is important.

Most of all he always says: “Please feel free to be whoever you have always wanted to be in this room tonight.” He creates a safe space for everyone at his concerts.

With waving pride flags but never publicly acknowledging his sexuality, why would he in this cruel world, comes the accusations of queer baiting. People think that he is exploiting his fans as he is advocating for the queer community but never announced on social media or the public. He thinks coming out is “outdated.” In his Better Homes & Gardens cover interview he even said that “I’ve been really open with it with my friends, but that’s my personal experience; it’s mine.” If that doesn’t tell you enough then I don’t know either.

You don’t have to come out to be queer. Clothes do not have a gender. I am not less of a girl just because I don’t like wearing dresses. Men are not less of a man if they choose to wear a dress. Let everyone be who they want to be. As Harry Styles himself always says: “Treat People With Kindness.”

2023 Spring 2

It’s no secret that women’s sports have always been held to different standards than men’s, particularly when it comes to contact sports. Women hockey players aren’t allowed to bodycheck other players. A regulation basketball for a women’s game is one inch smaller than the men’s. Women’s lacrosse sticks have a shallower pocket. People claim these differences are to protect women players, as they are seen as smaller and less muscular than male players, but many differences in sports aren’t to ‘protect’ players. They exist to keep women’s sports at a lower level and to oversexualize the game. Take lacrosse, for example.

Men’s lacrosse is a contact heavy sport. A lacrosse ball is harder than a baseball. Lacrosse sticks are typically made of titanium, aluminum, or fiberglass, all of which create a pretty good sting when you’re hit with them.

Players check each other with the stick, and frequently shove at each other in an attempt to pick up the ball. Women’s lacrosse has the same goal.

Now consider the potential injuries. Fingers get snagged between two lacrosse sticks being slammed against each other. A hard ball is airborne and can easily hit players. The rush to get the ball can cause players to get their feet tangled up and fall, leading to twisted ankles, broken bones, etc.

In men’s lacrosse, body checking is also allowed. A player can, legally, chase another player down the field while bashing them on the head with the end of their stick. But in men’s lacrosse, players are prepared for that contact. According to the NCAA, male lacrosse players are required to wear the following protective equipment for every game:

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helmets, protective gloves, shoulder pads, arm pads, mouthpieces, and cleats. In addition, goalkeepers, who are at the highest risk of being hit with the ball, must also wear protective goalkeeper equipment, a throat protector and a chest protector. All of this is to keep players safe from the ball, the hard lacrosse sticks, and other players.

But what about women’s lacrosse? Both games use the same ball and sticks made out of the same materials. The game has the same rules with a few modifications. Women’s lacrosse does not allow body checking. This does not prevent the mad dash to get the ball. It does not stop players from using their sticks to block. It simply means women cannot chase other players down the field while hitting them. All of the dangers of men’s lacrosse are still presentin women’s, but the girls are not provided the same level of protection.

Regulation women’s lacrosse uniforms are as follows: cleats, a mouthpiece, and a pair of protective wire goggles. No gloves. No helmets. No shoulderpads.

The only player on a female lacrosse team provided the same protection as on a man’s team is the goalkeeper. This means female players are far more exposed for head injuries, broken noses, and injured fingers, despite the meaningless no contact rule. You cannot claim the difference in uniforms is for protection when it is actively causing more opportunities for injury in female players. The reason for the difference is plain to see. In women’s lacrosse, the girl’s entire figure is left exposed, leaving her in nothing but a form fitting jersey and a short skirt, both of which are likely a size smaller than she is comfortable with. People do not care about her safety as long as they can see her shoulders and her exposed hair. A helmet would be too bulky; it wouldblock her pretty face, even if it would protect her from a concussion.

In a Dick’s Sporting Goods ad description for women’s lacrosse goggles, it even says “Vented silicone padding does not absorb sweat or moisture, which minimizes breakouts.” On a men’s lacrosse helmet? “Vented chin strap and visor for cool, dry protection.” The men’s ad focuses on protection, pointing out how their helmet will take an impact.

The word protection is never used on the women’s ad, because mere goggles do nothing to stop the impact of a high speed lacrosse ball. Instead they are concerned with how the goggles will impact the girl’s image, rather than her safety on the field.

The uniform differences in women’s lacrosse over men’s aren’t just about oversexualizing the sport they’re a hazard to the safety of all female lacrosse players. If the rules of the game are adjusted to keep girl players ‘safer,’ then why doesn’t that apply to the equipment? Why do we only adjust the rules to justify keeping girls in skimpy outfits that provide no real protection? The focus of women’s sports should be on the game and how it’s played, not on what she’s wearing, and until women players are allowed the same level of protective gear that male players are, one can only assume people’s attention is focused in the wrong place

Skimpy over SAM FOWLER

Safety 2023 Spring 4

Call Him Deaf Dennis Puent

is 54 years old, a father to three kids, and has been deaf his whole life. He grew up in a fully hearing family except for one distant cousin on his father’s side of the family, who is also deaf.

Not only was Dennis the only one in his family that was deaf, but he was also the only deaf child out of nine siblings.

Imagine a household with ten loud children. There is screaming from room to room about what to play next, who is where, when is dinner, and all the chaotic noise that comes with a big family.

There is fighting at the dinner table and important conversations before bed, but no way to understand any of this.

Imagine the frustration of not being able to communicate with your own family. The natural reaction for most people in this situation seems to be the acceptance of loneliness and isolation, or to designate oneself in an outcast position from your own family. It feels logical for this type of situation to be followed up with a sad story about a disadvantage that led to trauma in Dennis’ life. But it is actually the exact opposite for Dennis. It led to his success.

Dennis’ siblings and both of his parents only spoke English. They never learned ASL for him. Dennis did not accept being left out of the family and their conversations though. With the only way for him to communicate with his family being English, he had to work hard to adapt in order to communicate with them. “My great grandparents moved to America from Germany so me and my cousin are the first ones deaf in my family. But now my kids are deaf, so we are a first-generation deaf family.

My mom taught me how to speak and how to make words with my mouth. All of my family talked, and I had to work really hard to learn to lip read” Dennis detailed as he described the feeling of being the first one deaf in his whole family. Over time, his mom was able to help him out and teach him English and how to read lips. This was one of the most difficult challenges Dennis has ever faced, but he did it. He learned how to speak English and read lips, not because it was easy, but because it was his only choice.

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Forced Adaption to a Hearing World The growth and adaption that most people of the deaf community have to go through is often not by choice.

Unfortunately, the world is not always fair.

It does not adapt to people, people adapt to it, and in the United States especially, a majority of the opportunities, experiences, and jobs provided involve working in the English language. American Sign Language is a language like no other. A lot of people get caught up in thinking that ASL is directly translated from English and that deaf people, who use ASL, also know English because they are thinking it in their head as they are speaking ASL. This is not true. ASL is its own language. For the deaf community, learning English is like learning a completely new language, not just learning to read lips.

Most of the time, learning another language is a choice made by the person because of who they surround themselves with or what language they immerge themselves in. For the deaf community, they are immerged in other languages from hearing people all the time. Learning English and learning to read lips is an adaption that a lot of them are forced to make almost every single day.

The most impressive part of all of the forms of adaption, learning, and progression that Dennis has had to go through is not even the intense knowledge, time, and practice that it took him to adjust to the flow of the hearing world. It is the attitude that he carries through it all. It is not an attitude of anger toward the world or unfairness, but an attitude of acceptance and gratefulness. While this may not be everyone’s experience and attitude toward it all, this is Dennis’ viewpoint of the forced adaption that he has had to make. He has had to learn a lot and been forced to pick up different forms of communication, but he has done it all with a positive outlook. Being deaf is not a disadvantage to him, it is just how he was born. He wants other people to see this and accept this as well.

Raising a First-Generation Deaf Family Dennis grew up speaking English with and reading the lips of his hearing family. One could argue that it was an unfair disadvantage for him, but Dennis approached the topic with a grateful mindset, “I had to work really hard to learn to lip read. But knowledge is hard! Now, my kids are more successful” he exclaimed as he reminisced on the impact his learning had on his family now. Dennis married a deaf woman and had three beautiful children with her, two deaf and one hearing. He proudly boasts of how they are a first-generation deaf family, but they are not impaired.

Dennis’ first child, Mia Puent, was born hearing. She learned ASL in order to communicate with her family. Mia is now graduated from college with two degrees and onto a very successful job. His second child, Hannah Puent, was born deaf. She plays college basketball at Gallaudet, which is a deaf and hard of hearing school, and plans to graduate in two years. His third child, Dylan, was also born deaf. He is a junior at the Indiana School for the deaf and basketball star!

Dennis is very proud of his kids and the success they have had and that they will continue to have. The challenges that he overcame and the learning that he accomplished growing up has benefitted him so much in raising his kids to communicate with everyone. “They are very intelligent. They know a lot and they know how to approach hearing people, no matter what” he exclaimed. The growth that came from his obstacles as a child has now assisted his children and their ability to approach the world with a positive and capable outlook. He makes it known that his children’s success is well earned and deserved. Being deaf does not inhibit them. It is not their disability. It is a hearing impairment. It is simply the way that they were born.

is something flawed in them. According to Dennis, that is the exact opposite of how they feel.

Alexa Davis

Communication Comes in Many Forms

We Are All the Same

Because of the adaption and growth that Dennis went through growing up in a fully hearing family, and the amount of learning he had to do in order to communicate with them, he was able to translate that knowledge over into a family of his own. Teaching his kids how to communicate with hearing people via body language, writing, lip reading, or technology was natural for Dennis. It was an important skill that he was able to pass on because of his own personal experience.

However, it was not the lip reading, or communicating that was the most important to him. He wanted to make sure that his kids grew up knowing their value as a person.

He taught his children that being deaf is not a disability or disadvantage for them.

He made sure they knew that their worth, abilities, and opportunities are not hindered by how they were born. Communicating with hearing people is a part of life and a given. He taught them not to be scared of that, but rather to embrace their value as just the same. “I feel like we [people] are all the same” Dennis stated.

Circumstances, routes in life, adaptions, certain opportunities, (etc.) may differ, but deep in the core of all people, we are all the same. We all feel the same. We all cry the same.

We all dream the same. We all fall in love the same. And we all bleed the same. Learning to adapt to a hearing world is difficult.

It’s a struggle, and it involves some serious dedication and frustration.

When so many people around you are communicating the same way with each other, it can be easy to get mad and just give up because it is unfair. But deaf people do not really have a choice. Giving up is not an option for them, because so much of the world involves communicating with hearing people. They choose to persevere and adapt.

Many people think that calling deaf people “hearing impaired” is the respectful term. While that may be a true preference for some people of the deaf community, Dennis spoke in large for himself and the people in the deaf community that he knows. “We do not like to be called “hearing impaired”.

That feels like you are saying that it is an impairment or disability. We are deaf. That is how we were born” Dennis said. To him, the classification of the word “impaired” makes a person of the deaf community feel labeled as a person with a disadvantage to the rest of the hearing world. He says that they feel like it would distinguish them into a certain group of things that they are “unable” to do. It makes them feel like they are seen as “missing something” or like there

Deaf people utilize the tools that they have been given and the knowledge that they are capable of, and they value every person as the same: deaf or not deaf.

Utilizing tools to help them communicate with English speaking or hearing people is a technique well practiced among the deaf community. Technology has made certain forms of communication a lot easier.

A communication form like texting is a valuable tool for the deaf community when it comes to communicating quickly from far apart. One very helpful tool when it comes to having conversations over the phone is something called TTY calls.

TTY stands for Telecommunications Relay Services. TTY allows people to talk on the phone with someone using text messages to translate out loud to the person on the other line. This service is available so that people of the deaf community can have phone conversations with English speaking or hearing people.

For the deaf community, finding services like Telecommunications Relay Services is just one form of adaption that the deaf community learns. For Dennis, it is a way in which he can communicate with the people that he needs to with a positive outlook. The determination that he has to set the standard for his kids in seeing themselves equally is a huge part of his life.

Assisting his children in the confidence to have a conversation with anyone, whether they are deaf or not deaf, is a huge success for him. He wants his kids to understand his feelings that, deaf or not deaf, we are the same.

Break the Stereotypes: How Hearing People Can Better Understand

There is a lot of misinformation and stereotyping when it comes to the deaf community. Establishing more education on the topic of being deaf and ASL in general would tremendously help with this.

Understanding the feelings and struggles of those in the deaf community is imperative to the growth of those trying to get away from this misinformation and stereotyping. Part of this understanding and communication comes from people being

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continued willing to treat every conversation, with every person, whether they are deaf or not deaf, with respect and openness.

Taking on an attitude of acceptance is a huge part of this openness. There is a form of stereotyping that happens when one person treats another person in a conversation as if they are “lower” or “impaired”. It makes the other person feel as though they have some type of disadvantage in that conversation, the relationship, and even in life. In reality, however, that is not true at all.

Christine Leaf, an experienced ASL professor at the University of Evansville has seen and heard a lot of the struggles and stereotyping that the deaf community faces. Teaching ASL is teaching a language.

ASL in the deaf culture is just another language, and deaf people want to be respected in conversations the same way someone who spoke Spanish would be. “they [people of the deaf culture] can’t understand why people don’t see that they are just like someone that is Spanish that comes to our country, or someone who is Italian or someone who uses another language. Their language is primarily used by hands, but it’s still a language. It has communication and meaning.

And I think that’s one thing as a hearing culture, we don’t seem to always remember” Leaf explained.

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The deaf community is still fighting hurts and stereotypes to this day. The deaf culture used to be seen as deaf and dumb.

This goes way back in history to people assuming, not so much that they were just deaf and using another language, but that deaf people were just incapable of understanding. They were thought of “lesser” than a person that was able to hear. “[Hearing people] don’t even understand that there is a culture involved. We still go back to our old instincts of them not being “as good as”, and that has been a hard thing for the deaf community to have to overcome” Leaf described as she detailed the challenges the deaf community still has to face. For hearing people, beginning to understand the deaf culture, language, struggles, and stereotypes, can start the process of healing everything that has happened in the past and still happens now.

A person of the deaf community is not “lower”. They are not “impaired”. They are not at a disadvantage. They are not “unable” or “less worthy” of opportunities.

They are the same. They just happen to have been born deaf. We are all the same.

Deep down, every person is the same. It does not matter if they can hear or not.

Dennis has faced some difficult obstacles in his life to get to where he is today and to raise his kids to where they are today as well. He didn’t have a choice but to overcome these challenges, but he has done it with dignity and determination to create a successful life for his kids and family. Every person deserves respect. Every person deserves positivity. Every person deserves openness and love. Deaf people should not be treated any different or lower.

They deserve understanding and openness to growth from hearing people. They have overcome some huge obstacles. They have some very impressive communication skills and knowledge, and it is time that people start to see that.

Crescent Magazine is published 4 to 6 times via print and digital publication. during the academic year, beginning in September 2023 and ending with the April 2024 issue.

Circulation is 1,200 when the issue is printed and mass emails are distributed to inform students and faculty when a digital issue is published.

Issues of Crescent Magazine can be found online at https://crescent.evansville.edu

YOUR AD HERE In addition to your print ad, included with your purchase is a smaller version of your ad that is posted on Crescent Magazine’s Facebook and Instagram page, and Twitter feed. Posts coincide with the month where you have placed advertising with the magazine. Your ad is cycled from the publication date until the next month’s cycle of ads begins.

Contact Student Media Advisor Tommy J Housman th208@evansville.edu

2023 Spring 8

Avoiding the the Freshman Freshman Flu Flu this this Winter Winter Season Season Avoiding By. Alexa Davis

1. Wash Your Hands Often We all know what the freshman flu is, and if you don’t, here is a hint: it’s not just reserved for freshman.

That dreaded winter season of a stuffed nose, a mysterious and painful cough, and a constant aching headache seems to hit all college students like a truck right around the same time in the middle of November. As a college student, it seems inevitable that you will catch this nasty sickness at some point during each fall semester. Fortunately, as the winter season approaches, there are certain things that you can be doing to increase your chances of dodging this annoying virus and staying healthy for the holiday season.

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This one seems like an obvious tip, but you would be surprised how many people would be able to avoid a flu in the winter just by washing their hands more often.

How many times is often? Cold and flu germs from a cough or sneeze can travel through the air in invisible droplets that can infect any surface. You should wash your hands before you eat, after you use the bathroom, and anytime you come home from somewhere.

2. Get Enough Sleep

Most college students need seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Being well rested and getting enough sleep allows your body to boost its immune system and fight off infection and viruses.

3. Eat the Right Nutrients

The body needs to receive a healthy diet and the proper nutrients in order to build a strong immune system to fight off cold and flu infections. A poor diet will only lead to a weakened and run-down immune system (this includes booze). Eating a healthy diet and getting enough of the right nutrients will set yourself up for the best success in defeating the winter flu this season.

4. Be Active

Getting regular exercise in the winter months can be difficult for a lot of people, but it is actually very important. Being active is a great way to support and keep your body healthy in the winter season.

5. Clean Surfaces

Whether you just had company over at your house or you have been alone in your house for a week, cleaning surfaces thoroughly and often is a great way to avoid any unseen germs. Even if you are the only person to touch that surface, you never know what invisible flu germs could be hanging around your house. It is better to be safe than sorry.

6. Find ways to De-Stress

It may come as a surprise to some people, but stress is terrible for the body and weakens the immune system. Stress breaks down the immune system, which is why college students seem to be more susceptible to these cold and flu viruses. Taking time at the end of your day to do something that you enjoy or just relax for a little bit could make all the difference.

Woe vs. Rage: The Argument for Abortion By: Mitchell Bretz

A woman’s body, a woman’s choice – but only where it’s allowed.

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in a 5-4 decision, it erased decades of progress. Not just in the fight for women’s rights, but in our growth as a society.

As devastating as this loss has been for our country, the damage may not be limited to the confines of our borders.

The decision came after a slow but steady overall decline in abortion restrictions worldwide. In the years before Roe v. Wade was overturned, many foreign nations had begun to allow abortions. Columbia, Argentina, and Ireland have all made abortions legal in just the past four years alone. On the other side of things, the US has become only the third country to place restrictions on abortion rights since 1994.

With those facts in mind, it’s not hard to imagine that June’s decision could set forth a global movement against abortion for years to come. Already-oppressive governments will undoubtedly look to the US to justify their stance on reproductive rights, and those that have changed their laws in recent years might consider revisiting the issue. Poland, for example, has been widely criticized by the EU for its own anti-abortion policies. With the US – the world’s sole true superpower – restricting reproductive rights for the first time in decades, it easily becomes a game of “Well, they did it…so why can’t we?”

That implication aside, outlawing abortion procedures does not stop them from happening; it simply makes them more difficult to obtain, and more dangerous. This is already true for the US, but the negative effects of banning abortion are even more easily seen around the world. In El Salvador, for example, the third-leading cause of death among adolescent girls in 1994 involved complications from pregnancy, many of which can be attributed to impromptu

abortions that were performed illegally. At the time, abortion laws in the country were very strict, and by 1998 the practice was banned altogether. Today, many young girls in El Salvador are arrested for attempting to have abortions, some as young as ten years old. Now, with the US validating their behavior, countries like El Salvador are salivating at the mouth. Those young girls won’t have safe or legal access to abortion anytime soon, and we, in part, are to blame.

Perhaps one of the most upsetting aspects of this issue is the fact that the majority of Americans don’t actually support the new ruling. In a recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 61% of Americans were found to have supported abortion in all or most cases. The Republican party – classically known to demonize abortion – is losing its grip on younger, more forward-thinking Americans, and the recent elections are representative of that. While the party holding the White House usually loses seats in the House of Representatives during midterm elections, the Democratic Party lost the fewest seats in 40 years, only 22 as of this writing. By comparison, 63 were lost under Obama in 2010.

Conservatives don’t want to see it, but America is becoming more and more progressive. It’s only a matter of time before that reality trickles into the courts and progress begins to be made for good – the world watching all the while.

As Americans, we often forget the amount of privilege and influence that we have over other countries. History has shown that, for better or worse, other nations tend to look to us when evaluating their own culture, and that includes our politics. When we make such drastic changes in our laws, we must consider not only the example that we are setting for ourselves, but the example that we are setting for the world.

After all, with great power…

2023 Spring 10

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2023 Spring 12

SCREEN SLAVERY:

INTERNET ADDICTION

By Mitchell Bretz HOW MANY HOURS A DAY DO YOU SPEND STARING AT A SCREEN? For most of us, that number is seven. That’s the average amount of time spent on the Internet per person in the final quarter of 2021. That equals 49 hours per week, or 196 hours per month. That’s a little over eight days’ worth of time spent online, and that’s just the average.

The Internet has come a long way. What started as a way for government researchers to share information has evolved into a global phenomenon that very few of us could imagine living without. Screens are seen as tools that serve as the gateway to the world around us – and it’s that freedom that can make them so dangerous.

“Even two hours a day really doesn’t feel like much,” says Kodiak Heathcote, a college student in Alabama.

“But that adds up to 56 hours a month. I really don’t think about that as much as I should.”

Heathcote, 21, is not nearly as severe a case as some others. Yet, even he recognizes the time that he loses daily to the Internet. It’s a reality that many of us experience in 2022, especially those of us who fall under the “zoomer” category - people born from the

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1990s to early 2010s. After all, we’ve been around digital technology our whole lives, especially those of us born in the middle-to-latter half of that demographic.

In 1993, there were only 130 websites; by 2003, there were 40,912,332. That is well over 300,000 times more websites popping up in a ten-year period, and that’s 19 years ago. With that kind of exponential growth taking place, it was hard not to be affected by it.

In 1993, there were only 130 websites; by 2003, there were 40,912,332. That is well over 300,000 times more websites popping up in a ten-year period, and that’s 19 years ago. With that kind of exponential growth taking place, it was hard not to be affected by it.

Today, the Internet looks much different than it did in the 90s. There are now over 1.9 billion websites in existence, with 175 being created every minute. Of these websites, the average person visits about 130 per day, each with varying purposes - entertainment, socializing, and researching just to name a few. It’s easy to squander a good amount of time while browsing, whether intentional or not. However, that time ends up becoming too much for some people, to the point where an entire day is wasted online. While some people manage to find a balance between the real and online spaces, addicts completely indulge in virtual worlds. In the same way that drugs and alcohol stimulate the mind, the Internet activates the pleasure pathways to the brain that can increase dopamine levels, keeping the user coming back for more.

For example, suppose a student is working on an assignment. He’s on Wikipedia, researching nuclear energy for a research paper. While browsing the article, he comes across a section on the Chernobyl disaster. One link leads to another, and before long, he’s researching the history of the Soviet Union. Hours have passed, and he’s no further along on his original assignment. That’s one of the dangers of the Internet; even those with good intentions can become easily distracted, and that’s exactly what content creators want.

“All content on the Internet is made so that it can get your attention – especially now,” said Julia Wolfe, a student at UE. “Everything is tailored to your taste. All ads are that way. It’s really hard to fight that, and I know that it influences me to a point where I don’t think it’s reversible.”

If you or anyone in your family has been susceptible to that influence, it may be in your blood – literally. A study covered in the article “Relationships of internet gaming reasons to biological indicators and risk of internet gaming addiction in Korean adolescent male game users”, published by the BMC Psychiatry, explains that this addiction may have something to do with plasma NE levels. “We identified four major categories of internet gaming reasons: entertainment, getting along with friends, stress relief, and habitual gaming. The habitual group showed significantly greater risk of IGA than the other groups (p <.001) and the lowest plasma NE levels (p =.035)…”. (BMC Psychiatry 1). In other words, the conclusion that this study came to was that the likelihood of one succumbing to Internet addiction might be influenced by the plasma NE level in their blood. This is useful information to know; if true, then one could inquire about their blood type to determine how much they are at risk and can learn to take steps to prevent addiction if needed.

three models (i.e., Mexico, Spain, and Total).

Additionally, significant positive correlation was revealed between problematic Internet use and academic procrastination…” (PLoS ONE 1). The study also found that addiction rates vary by region, with Mexico having a higher addiction rate than Spain.

This is important because it demonstrates the impact that different environments can have on a student’s productivity. Perhaps the next step for researchers should be to determine what specific aspects of a region’s culture, school system, and other factors affect these rates.

There are other potential causes that are associated with the individual as well. Yet another study, “Study of internet addiction and its association with depression and insomnia in university students” published by the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, sought to understand the well-known association between Internet addiction, depression, and insomnia within university students. Unsurprisingly, they found the three to be linked closely together among some additional findings:

“Several parameters including graduation level, time spent per day on line, place of internet use, smoking and alcohol had significant association with internet addiction.”

(Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care 1). This is particularly alarming because it implies that different addictions can act as catalysts for one another. Someone who smokes may become addicted to tobacco and look to further scratch the itch through researching more ways to smoke on the Internet, or someone can be introduced to smoking to begin with through it. Simply put, the Internet enables existing addictions, and that alone is reason enough to use it in moderation. \

Of course, there’s more to addictions than just biological makeup.

Another study, “Mexican and Spanish university students; Internet addiction and academic procrastination: Correlation and potential factors” by PLoS ONE, suggests that there’s a correlation between Internet addiction and procrastination: “Results revealed similar prevalence rates of problematic and daily Internet use for leisure, potentially influencing Internet addiction in all

2023 Spring 14

Despite all of the research supporting its existence, Internet addiction is not officially recognized as a disorder.

As such, there are plenty who question its legitimacy.

Some in the psychiatric field label it as a “fad disorder” and think that the lack of a single, universally-agreed upon definition for the disorder - as well as poor research methods - is the reasoning behind its still-unofficial status. One could also make the argument that people who suffer from Internet addiction also tend to overuse other things in the same way, such as TV, music, and other forms of entertainment. This could mean that these people aren’t specifically addicted to the Internet.

Even so, while all of these counters have strength, the Internet still has a dominating presence in most people’s lives. There are many people who aren’t Internet addicts that still exhibit the same behavioral patterns that Internet addicts do. Before the Internet existed, magazines, movies, music, and other forms of media still stimulated the need for information in the same way that the Internet does today, even if the limitations to their content mean that they don’t have quite the same grasp that the Internet can have. Furthermore – just as the Internet can further other addictions such as alcohol and drugs - it can also be a danger for those who have more mild interests. For example, an elderly woman might particularly enjoy watching the news on TV. On her birthday, her grandson gifts her a tablet so that she can view the news from her fingertips. Now, she has been

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given a “portal” to entirely new, easily accessible sources of information through the Internet; this has the potential to pique her curiosity to the point of addiction. The point is that the Internet contains more information than literally any other entity known to man, and even if the Internet in itself isn’t addicting, the knowledge that it holds certainly can be.

In the end, whether the risk lies within biology, psychology, or somewhere else entirely, Internet addiction has been a growing problem since the 1990s and will only continue to worsen. Virtually everyone has access to the Internet, so virtually everyone is at risk.

By educating ourselves and supporting rehabilitation programs, we can help those who are addicted take their lives back, just as those who struggle with other types of addictions have the ability to do.

Social Media Killed the Radio Star By: Paris Himes

Growing up, I adored celebrities. I grew up watching Disney Channel (when they used to show music videos during commercial breaks), Nickelodeon, and MTV. I could tell you which tabloid was focusing on Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber’s on-and-off again relationship. I knew which Disney channel teenage star became rebellious, and my favorite celeb drama was about One Direction and other celebrity tea.

I remember watching every music award show and watching my favorite celebrities perform and win their deserved awards on some network-hosted program.

Once I got older, and those celebrities I had once adored and memorized every fact about had grown up, I noticed a shift in the entertainment industry and the way I consumed entertainment. Music award show performances became a bore, and I would no longer express interest in watching celebrity interviews online or on television. I couldn’t remember the last time I purchased a CD when my favorite artist dropped a new album.

For years I believed that I didn’t adore celebrities as I once did as a child because I had new hobbies and was growing up. It wasn’t my preoccupation with hobbies; it was how I was choosing to consume entertainment that had changed. I noticed this shift once I spent more time on social media. Once I got older, the term “celebrity” changed and what it took to become a celebrity was no longer the same.

Pop stars were no longer discovered randomly on the street, on popular kid television channels, or on singing competition shows. Musicians no longer gave stellar performances that would have you talking about how good they were days later.

Award shows were not filled with A-list celebrities, but instead with influencers from social media apps. Artists no longer have a unique talent that was hard to find along with a top-tier stage presence.

In these frustrating times, I asked what happened to the late 90s and early 2000s artists who put on a show during every performance. It was then that I realized, without a doubt, that the entertainment industry, as we knew and once loved, was gone.

With apps such as TikTok gaining more users daily, it has made it extremely easy for anyone to become famous.

All you have to do is post one video, and your video can become viral. One viral video can let you achieve “celebrity” status without displaying any form of natural talent, passion, or drive. Many TikTok stars have left their “influencer” past and have tried to prove themselves in the music industry.

While many may agree to disagree on the talents of the stars such as Addison Rae, Dixie and Charli D’Amelio, and more, it is without a doubt that the work it once took to become a famous artist is no longer required.

Because of social media, we now have access to any artist. We can look up their social media profiles, keep track of their new posts, and research any facts about them. To have the opportunity to communicate with artists before social media, you would have to see them in person.

Nowadays, you can comment on their posts and have an argument or conversation with them.

Social media has changed the way we consume music as well. Music is now accessible through streaming apps such as Pandora, Apple Music, Spotify, and more. Before apps, you would have to physically go out and buy a copy of their music, listen to the radio, or watch their music videos on TV to access the newest albums or singles. Since we can stream music so quickly, it is easier to forget about artists’ music and jump to the next.

Instead of promoting their music on talk shows, interviews, or by posters on the streets, artists quickly record a video of themselves lip-syncing their song and post it onto apps everywhere, gaining a fanbase. Consumers have lost the connection they once had with music and artists.

It seems “too easy” for someone to become famous, and there appears to be no hard work to convince someone to purchase or be a fan of your music. Artists no longer have to work as hard to be recognized; all it takes now is clicks on social media.

The difference between modern artists and household names such as Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, and Britney Spears is that contemporary artists today have temporary fame instead of generational impact. Every day it seems like there is a new “big” artist whose fame slowly fades away within a year.

Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to stop or even change how artists become famous, and all we can do is consume the music of our favorite artists and adapt to this new change. Society has changed, and social media is now the driving factor for how we choose to be entertained, discover contemporary artists, and interact with each other.

2023 Spring 16

The kindergarten rope of adulthood letting go of the path decided for you Written by Myia Danek

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If I want to have kids by the time I’m 30, I need to be married by age 25, which means I’ll find a partner when I’m 20…

I’m almost 20!

I am a college student just shy of 20 years old and have absolutely nothing about my life figured out.

Since kindergarten, we are taught to stand in line, hold the rope and stick together whenever we leave school.

But, some of us never let that rope go, being led from one chapter to another and becoming comfortable with participating in our lives rather than leading them.

Societal pressures influence every aspect of our lives.

When it comes to our choices, how we grow up, and the paths we take, our futures are written with “You should” statements.

“You should go to college, that’s what employers want.”

“You should study medicine, it’s what your father did.”

If you plan to save money for a house right after college and live independently, you’re not alone; this is parallel to many others at this stage in life. Marrying young, putting work on pause to have kids, then working to support and maintain the life you’ve created is a traditional route for adults nowadays.

Why has this lifestyle become the staple of success?

The U.S. Consensus says the average age to get married in the United States in 1980 was 22 years old, so it’s no surprise that young adults growing up now feel pressured to find a partner while they have yet to find themselves.

The CNBC says that the average homeowner in 1980 paid around 47,000 dollars for their first starter house. Since then, prices have well surpassed this with an average home costing somewhere in the ballpark of 340,000 dollars.

It would cost the same amount of money to purchase 1 home in 2022 as it would to purchase 7 homes in 1980.

Consider the economic changes that have taken place over the last few decades.

A single dollar in 2022 has an inflation rate of 3.10%, causing prices today to become 3.6 times higher than prices in 1980. In layman’s terms, we need more money to cover the same costs, since a dollar then doesn’t equate to a dollar now.

The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis says that inflation is the biggest cause for purchasing power decline. As resources become less accessible, prices increase and individual spending in the Unites States goes down as a result.

While minimum wage in the U.S has risen since then, the current cost of living does not grant young adults the same freedoms to plan and save for their futures that their parents and grandparents had.

“Societal pressures make me feel like if I don’t do what the world thinks I should do, that I will be considered less successful than my peers,” said Abbigail Lenk, a sophomore at the University of Evansville.

It feels comfortable to have a plan, to chart your path, and feel certain you know exactly how to get there. Graduate college, get a job, move out, support myself, and save money for my family. As quickly as you can draw a map, however, that map can just as quickly blow away, become lost, or you just read the directions wrong.

“For a long time I thought I had my life all planned out.

It wasn’t until I enrolled at UE and started approaching life one day at a time that I realized my life was my own to write,” said Abbigail.

Personally, the path to college was pretty much set for me; as the daughter of two college graduates and the sister of two additional college graduates, the path of least resistance ultimately got me here. I do not regret my decision of higher education, however, I wish I could have seen my life in a different perspective, as I show you now.

Ever since I was young, I always knew I wanted kids, how many, and when I wanted to get married. I based a lot of my decisions on what I saw from influential people in my life who lived in a generation where things had to be planned out. I recognize that these figures in my life serve as an example, however they are not the only examples I can look to.

If your goals don’t follow the path of someone who came before you, lead the way yourself. After all, it takes one person to be the first.

Allowing yourself to coast through life doing what other people tell you is the right thing makes it harder down the line to make difficult decisions and live independently.

So, wherever you are in life, I implore you to consider why it is you’re here. Choose to advance in life based on your own interests rather than following in someone else’s footsteps. Enjoy where you are at this moment but recognize that change is inevitable, and the idea of starting over is no more frightening than becoming stuck in a place of discomfort.

2023 Spring 18

You should go to college, that’s what employers want.

I want to work for a year after high school, save up to see somewhere new.

You should study medicine, it’s what your father did.

I want to study social work and have an impact on young lives.

When you block out the “you should” and listen to your own ideas, the “I want” becomes louder and your future becomes yours.

I turned 20 years old this month, and I still have absolutely nothing about my life figured out. My path is not paved, and I believe it will not be for quite some time. However, I have picked up the pen and begun writing my own story.

I encourage you to strive for an unconventional life, to push boundaries and ask, why? Let go of the kindergarten rope and let go of the path decided for you.

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The Answer to Steroids: Allow Them By: Troy Schroeder

Today, professional sports are a staple in the lives of many people in the country. In these sports, performance enhancing drugs have been a large talking point and the athletes caught using them are put under heavy scrutiny. Just recently, superstar baseball shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. made headlines after testing positive for Clostebol. This positive test, and his ensuing suspension, raised the issue that comes around every five or so years. Many fans are rightfully angry at the star players caught using illegal substances, but there are some that question why they are illegal at all.

I will begin by answering the question of whether steroids should be allowed in sports today with: absolutely. Now, there are some old-fashioned fans out there that now have to pick their jaws off the ground before they tell me how wrong I am. Don’t get me wrong, I love sports and all that comes with it just as much as the next guy, and you may think it’s crazy to advocate for their usage in our nation’s most famous pastimes. But, I absolutely believe that these professional athletes should be allowed to dope as much as their little heart’s desire. Sure, it could “destroy the integrity of the game” and whatnot, but if you are telling me you would not want to see some of our modern athletes on steroids, you are lying to me. If “liar, liar pants on fire” was true, anyone claiming they do not want to see steroids allowed would look like a human torch.

Let’s take a look at some seasons from some people who have famously used PEDs. Barry Bonds is probably the first name off the top of anyone’s head on this topic, and rightfully so. His “alleged” usage led to some insane statistical anomalies during his time with the San Francisco Giants. In 2001, Bonds clobbered 73 home runs. If you don’t know anything about baseball, 73 is an absurd amount of home runs. It is the all-time single season record, to be more precise. The following season, however, Bonds hit “only” 46 bombs. You have to be from another planet for that season to be considered a down year.

These accusations against Bonds have – unfortunately - stuck with him to this day, as his involvement in the league-wide scandal led to his denial to the Baseball Hall of Fame in January 2022.

When thinking about what these ferocious professional athletes are capable of when on steroids, my mouth begins to salivate. I am transported into a perfect world of my own thoughts where Barry

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Bonds annihilates seven-hundred-foot bombs, Patrick Mahomes can sling a football the entire length of the gridiron, and Aroldis Chapman throws a fastball at one hundred ten miles per hour. Maybe Michael Jordan would have been able to dunk from half court like he did in Space Jam. One can only dream.

Obviously, there are reasons they are currently outlawed. They can have negative effects on those that use them such as high blood pressure, liver disorders, high cholesterol, and potential sexual and reproductive disorders. But the harm these may cause clearly do not affect athletes’ decisions to use them as suspensions, accusations, and positive tests run rampant. It is said that when steroids are used, the user has an unfair advantage over their competition.

Now imagine there is no unfair advantage at all, and everyone has equal access and everyone is on level playing field. As the old saying goes, “if you aren’t cheating, you aren’t trying.”

The level of play we are used to seeing in sports today is nothing short of amazing. Now, picture your favorite sport with every athlete on steroids. That is exactly what the East Germany government was going for in the 1976 Olympics. They forced their Olympic athletes to take steroids and some swimmers even told each other, “You eat the pills, or you die.”

Their plans, however unethical they were, paid off in the form of gold medals. The women’s swim team captured eleven of thirteen possible gold medals while the country took home forty total.

In recent years, the viewership of the major sports championships is down from just five years ago. These numbers are to be taken with a grain of salt because right in the middle of this timeline was a worldwide pandemic that altered life as we know it. Regardless, the numbers are not recovering as executives or fans would have hoped. It was only a matter of time until viewers grew weary of the games they were watching. Now is the time to capitalize on the young stars featured in the games we love. Enabling the means for these studs to elevate their game is just what our dying games need, and it may save them from what we all fear.

2023 Spring 22

don't think it was deeper. And then, in high school, I had to take a religion class, and that's when I first learned about Jesus. And in Luke 9, Jesus basically says, what does it profit a man to gain the whole world but to lose his soul? And by that he is saying it is more important to focus on internal things than solely temporal things, and that's when I realized, and I said, 'Okay, I need to take this more seriously.' And so I converted, and I wasn't very strong in my faith, but I would say after getting connected with Student Christian Fellowship here at UE, I was more disciplined. A lot of people here poured into me spiritually and were willing to bring me into their communities, so that was really helpful and allowed me to grow in my faith.

ST: That's excellent. And so getting into your time in Jordan, you spent most of your summer there. Was that something that was a spiritual calling to you? Or was that more of a recommendation from somebody? How did that come about?

KM: Yeah, it was a blend, I would say. In the previous summer I had just finished an internship with a church. And I felt like God was prompting me and was saying, 'you're in the shallow end, you need to go deeper. And I want you to give your whole summer and go and work amongst the unreached.'

I didn't really know what that looked like at the time. I started talking to people and then my campus ministers recommended some mission agencies. So I applied and I was praying about what country to go to, and I got clarity on that too. And then after that, I went to the Middle East.

ST: Awesome. What kind of work did you do while you were there?

KM: It was a lot of working with Syrian refugees. Yeah, children and adults.

ST: And what did that kind of look like?

Kausalya Mandipalli, a senior

psychology major from Jamaica, helped Syrian Refugees in Jordan over her summer break, primarily helping them learn to speak English while learning Arabic herself. Her classmate Sam Tarter interviewed her about her time over there and the community service she did, and wanted to share her story.

Sam Tarter (ST): So, I would call it your passion, honestly... your religion and your faith. So did that start prior to coming to UE? Or was it something that developed when you came to UE? Kausalya Mandipalli (KM): Yeah, so I grew up Hindu, actually, and there was a time in my life when I cared a lot about my grades, and about finding honor in society and my family.

And it brought somewhat of a fulfillment I would say, but I

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KM: I did a lot with English tutoring, and I would teach them through English conversation classes and even meet them outside of classes if they needed help. We worked with a lot of kids and would meet them twice a week and engage them with games, usually ending with a snack time or Bible storytime.

ST: So a lot of education work, you would say? And while you were there, was the language barrier a major problem?

KM: Yeah. A lot of people we were interacting with at the English Center, they did have somewhat of a background, which is helpful. But as for the locals, I would say most of them only spoke Arabic. So we would spend six hours each week in Arabic classes. And the locals were really friendly, actually, because, we weren't really clear, but they would help us out and chip in and try to decipher what we were saying.

And they would also teach us as we went along the way so it wasn't just through our classes. But we've learned a lot from

the locals. I'd say connection wasn't a hard thing, either, just because they are so warm and open and inviting within their culture, so they would just bring us in even if they didn't fully understand us. They all just wanted to be your friends, to be warm.

ST: Did you learn any Arabic while you were over there?

KM:

Pronounced Shway)… a little bit.

ST: Awesome. And so you said you were welcomed into their culture and lifestyle… did you also feel welcomed into their community as well?

KM: Yeah, I would say that is mostly their culture. They're very hospitable. Whether you're walking on the streets or you're at a cafe, they are open to inviting you to their table, or even their homes. I remember I would pass the stores a lot of times and I would talk to the owners maybe once or twice and they would always welcome me in for coffee or tea, and this is in someone's souvenir or clothing store, so they don't really have confines, which is really really cool.

ST: Awesome. Was there anybody, either somebody doing service with you or that you met while you were in Jordan, that kind of impacted your journey?

KM: So someone who definitely impacted me would be my team leader. Just to see his consistency and passion while serving the locals there. I remember there was this one week where he hadn't eaten all week, but he was still like running around and meeting people in their homes, doing absolutely anything and trying to help. To see his steadfast nature and passion for people… it taught me a lot about consistency versus surges of passion that could be fleeting. Another person that impacted me, I would say, was a local that I met on the road. There was this one day where I was trying to find a supermarket, because it was my week to cook for my team.

At that point. I didn’t know where anything was. And so I was asking people how to get to the supermarket and I bumped into a lady… I was speaking Arabic, and she understood me enough to know that I wanted to go to the grocery stores. She offered to drive me there and buy me lunch even though she didn't even know who I was. And in their culture, you have to politely decline because a lot of times people feel obligated to give you things. So I tried, and she was very insistent. So in the end she did buy me lunch and drove me to the grocery store, and it taught me a lot about faith. I think that’s how we're supposed to be as Christians, to be inviting and open and hospitable. I learned a lot from that woman.

ST: That’s really beautiful. You kind of touched on it earlier, but were there any experiences or specific days… moments that impacted you in a spiritual sense?

KM: Well, when you're going on mission trips you expect these miraculous signs and wonders, and I did, that was something that I longed for. There was this lady that we had

been meeting with, she asked us to help her grow in her faith and just learn more about God. And it was interesting because she had been apparently receiving dreams of Jesus leading up to like all of our discussions. There was one day when we had bought her these two bags of veggies, and mind you my team leader had not done this in over a year… this was very random, you know? So we got her these two bags of veggies and as soon as we got to her house, she was just in shock and she said that she had just received a dream of Jesus giving her these bags of veggies and just telling her to invite him more. That’s when I realized that God is moving. I think that was very impactful for me to see that God cares that much, to pursue people through dreams and visions and stuff like that… it really wowed me.

ST: How would you say the trip and your time over there impacted you educationally and personally?

KM: Educationally… psychology has been a really helpful thing, and understanding people's backgrounds, understanding certain triggers. It helped me learn how people might have certain traumas or certain cultural habits.

This trip helped me in my understanding of how to interact with them and how to serve them. Yeah, I would say psychology, and sociology actually, were really, really helpful for me in interacting with them and not causing too much cultural friction. I'd say that was helpful. As for me personally… I was very touched by people's openness and hospitality, inviting me into their homes, serving me tea or coffee even if they didn’t know who I was. That is such a warm aspect of culture that we don't always get to see here because we're always in a rush. They knew how to really see people and they had more of a collectivist culture where they moved as a unit. Less individualism… that was just very touching to see.

ST: So, for the last question: Community Service is something that we as a people and as a faith community can kind of learn from and grow from… is it something that you encourage and recommend? And how can we best immerse ourselves in service?

KM: I always thought of it as an intersection with people's needs, like the world's greatest needs, intersecting with your passion and your background and your culture. I guess, putting myself in this question and making it more personal, I felt like the Middle East was very fitting for me with my ministry background, my study of psychology, and with my culture, too. There was this blend and it never felt as if I was forcing myself into it. As for community service at this level, you also have to ensure that you are being open to learning, because I had to learn a lot of things from their culture. I was able to kind of connect all these things that I've already been trained and equipped in, and bring into my passion of serving these people. It really brought everything I had been working on and studying together, and it not only benefited my passion, but in turn, my soul.

2023 Spring 24

A Star of STEM: Engineering a Brighter Tomorrow

By Myia Danek

Photo property of Tom Benson, UE Athletics 2021 (Accessed 2022)

What began as quality time between father and daughter transformed into a girl’s passion for creating, problem solving and innovating. “Emily buys in and works hard at everything she does,” said Emily’s father, Dennis Wiebe.

“We ran into some challenges, but those are good lessons too.”

At one point or another growing up, we all had dreams of becoming who we idolized. For some people it was an astronaut, for others a popstar, or even for the very adventurous types, a super spy. These dreams never seemed too far out of reach growing up, most likely due to the unfaltering support of those around us, who did not hesitate to back such wild endeavors.

One little girl named Emily Wiebe, from Mequon, Wisconsin, was always destined for engineering the future.

Her passion for creating and inventing at such a young age started her on the path she walks today. “I don’t even think I knew the name for it at first, but it has really always been my passion,” said Emily.

Emily Wiebe, a civil engineering student and division one soccer player, is a junior at the University of Evansville.

Emily grew up helping her father Dennis with hands-on jobs around the house. “Ever since I can remember, my dad and I were always doing little projects, like building bird houses in the back yard or a floating desk for my bedroom, ” Emily said. “Being hands on and having him teach me how to do all that stuff, I think led me to continue in the engineering field.”

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With her father’s background in engineering and international company management, Emily often turns to him for guidance.

“I looked up to him in a lot of ways,” she said.

“Seeing how well he organized everything and the big role he did have in the companies inspired me to keep learning about engineering and take hands on classes.”

Dennis Wiebe recalls building a floating desk alongside his daughter, and said, “That was super cool from my side.” As her father and mentor, “It’s cool to see her research what different kinds of desks looked like and how we could make it fold and stay up.” They worked together trading ideas back and forth, sorting out which materials they would need, and ultimately put together a piece they were proud of.

“It was just a fun project to do, and a pretty cool idea to design something that didn’t really take up a ton of space,” he said.

From then on, Emily continued to pursue her intellectual and athletic interests. She played soccer as often as she could and continued to feed her creative urges. Dennis Wiebe remembers the moment his daughter told him she wanted to play college soccer. He said, “This was something she wanted to do and she would just figure out what it took to get there.”

She signed up for introductory STEM classes at Lakeshore Middle School, “taking the basics, and learning the ropes” in preparation for her high school endeavors, she said. “There are a lot of things along the way that can discourage you or make you feel like you don’t belong, ” Emily said. “Once you work hard and prove yourself, you just have to keep with it.”

While attending Homestead High School, she applied her engineering mindset to several classes. However, it was not just her grades that set her apart from the crowd.

“I taught her basically every year,” said Jeff Patterson, a former teacher of Emily Wiebe. “She was a student you could tell the other teachers ‘Oh you have Emily?

You’re going to love her!’”

During her time at HHS, Emily learned under Patterson’s wing, familiarizing herself with different facets of engineering. “When I first met her, she made it clear that she really wanted to go into civil engineering.

I knew Emily would be a really great leader for her peers,” he said.

“She always wants to have a full grasp on whatever it is we’re doing and that’s a trait I don’t see often enough in students.” Patterson said that even in roles that “aren’t quite her forte,” Emily keeps a growth mentality and “never give up attitude.”

To Emily, these classes provided insight to just how much goes on behind the scenes of engineering.

She did not realize the magnitude of engineering initially, but in taking these classes she said, “I’m making more of a difference than I thought I would have, but you have to make sure you are impacting the way you want to.”

Over the four years Emily Wiebe attended HHS, she and Patterson grew to understand how the other learned, taught, and approached topics. “It was almost like talking to a colleague of mine, or a friend, having a beyond professional relationship where you kind of have a backand-forth camaraderie,” said Jeff Patterson. “She was one of those students you can lean on throughout the day, for sure.”

Emily possesses a determination that translates to the soccer field and the field of engineering alike. “The more self-motivated a student is to take charge of their learning, their passion, their responsibility, the more success I see in them,” Patterson said. “She found her passion, and just continued to blossom as a leader. It was awesome to see her grow into that.”

Their relationship has helped shape Emily Wiebe into the student and young woman she is today. “He was a great teacher and motivator for her,” said her father.

“All those different design projects helped spark her interest and keep her on that path.”

He even said, “It’s cool to see their relationship now, they even still catch up over coffee sometimes.”

women’s soccer team. She occupies the center midfield for the Purple Aces, wearing number 18.

During her sophomore season, she was a two-time “Student Athlete of the Week” recipient for the Missouri Valley Conference and was recognized in the “Elite 17 Program” for high academic standing.

She participated in community service activities that incorporated hands on experiences, including building structures for Habitats for Humanity.

“The rigor and workload of it all is constantly a challenge and there are always moving parts to the projects we do,” she said. In bringing these challenges to light, Emily pushes other young women to pursue their goals. “Being in a male dominated field has its challenges,” she said. “I

Photo property of University Evansville 2021 [Accessed 2022]

Emily Wiebe (third from right) and her teammates volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, building yard barns that will later go to the new homes in the area.

Emily’s intrinsic motivation has earned her honors both academically and athletically. She currently maintains a 4.0 GPA, which has placed her on the Dean’s list each of her 4 semesters as UE so far.

“It takes an overwhelming amount of work, dedication and being determined,” said Dennis Wiebe. “I think I’m smart, but she doubled it up with a crazy work ethic on top of that.”

Coupled with her academic achievement, Emily plays on the UE

feel like everyone’s first thought is that I’m not going to be smart enough or that I don’t belong, but I gained respect in the field when others saw how hard I worked.”

Emily is no stranger to this type of stigma in other areas of work as well. In reference to her summer internship, she said,

2023 Spring 26

“I could very easily tell the difference in the way my crew talked to me, compared to other workers on the site that were men.

I was always being tested in ways they were not.”

Similar to her STEM classes, the solution for Emily was to let her work speak for itself. “I am knowledgeable and smart enough to be there,” she said, “Once I got out on my own projects and proved that I belonged there, I started to gain their respect.”

Emily and other women alike are a minority in STEM, with a male to female ratio of one to fifteen. She said a big challenge for her is “having to work harder to gain the respect that other students have from the start.” She has always challenged this feat, however; as a high school student, “She carried herself so professionally,” teacher Jeff Patterson said. “Everything she presented, whether it was making a sales pitch, or submitting a report to someone above her, was professional work.”

Emily said, “I approach classes in such a serious manner because I know that I’m going to have to work harder, not just for the grades, but for the recognition too. The dedication I put into my work ensures I have the same opportunities as the rest of my peers.”

Emily applied this mindset moving forward into her early college years as well, transitioning towards her future in civil engineering.

STEM programs across the country involve hands-on learning and experiences. The University of Evansville is no exception, encouraging students to immerse themselves in their field of study and, in doing so, develop a greater understanding.

“I had my internship in the construction field, shadowing people and making reports,” said Emily.

During her time at raSmith Construction, she developed first-hand knowledge in job communication, problem solving

Crescent Magazine 27

and adaptability. “I don’t see myself doing construction, but it gave me the opportunity to try something new and learn skills that apply to things I do like.”

She advises other students on a similar path as her to try internships like these.

“They help you realize what you like and dislike, because they are all interconnected.”

Engineering is a driving force of advancement, creating and challenging what is known to better understand what is not.

“With civil engineering, I can make an impact on everyone else’s life and really make a difference,” said Emily. “Civil is a good way to start getting into environmental engineering because they go hand in hand to solve the problems of today.”

A big motivation for Emily is her desire to innovate and make a statement environmentally. “Everyone is going through different things in

different places,” she said. “I want to get my master’s and travel while I’m still young, so I can see how different issues are affecting environments all over.” She sees herself potentially heading to Colorado to earn her master’s degree, as this is a state with more environmental potential.

“I can see myself going into something hybrid, partly in the office and partly in the field, so I can figure out more of where I fit best.”

These engineering developments are strategically woven into the fabric of our daily lives by the efforts of those who desire change - those like Emily Wiebe. At 20 years old, the work ethic and leadership that she demonstrates in her field, not only inspires young women today, but begins her journey towards engineering a better tomorrow.

Join Student Media

By: Maddy Webb

Have you ever wanted to go into journalism and or work on a magazine? Do you like to write, take photos, conduct interviews, or are into design? Student Media is the place for you! Here at Student Media content for the Crescent is created every semester during the academic year. This content is written, produced, and published by students for people like YOU! Students on campus!

Student Media allows you to harness your skills in writing, design, photography, reporting, interviewing, video, social media, and the web. This collective effort allows for so many different talents to come together and hone skills! Articles and content can range from events occurring on campus, to current events around the world!

Students can report on what they’re passionate about!

Student Media is in the basement of SOBA. In the Student Media office, we have best computers on campus for students to use! These computers can handle anyone who is interested in design, editing, photography, videography, 3D rendering, and even animation. There is also the start of a banned book share station! We are looking for students to help lead this project and curate more donations! Student Media is also in the process of building a student led marketing department to procure advertisers and promote the Crescent Magazine.

If you are interested in putting your skills into a real student-run magazine this is the place for you! YOUR passion is needed here! Email Tommy Housman for more information! th208@evansville.edu

Comic by: Mikayla Duffy 2023 Spring 28

Athletics

in

Evansville By: Chloe Campbell

From tee ball to D1 ball, it’s all possible in Evansville, Indiana. In the very lower lefthand part of the state lies the city of Evansville, home to the 3rd largest school district in all of Indiana, as well as two division one universities. Growing up, kids search for role models that they can mirror and strive to be like one day.

Typically, those role models are people they will never meet, as they are so out of reach, but that’s not the case for kids in Evansville. Both the University of Southern Indiana and the University of Evansville take pride in their athletics, and it shines throughout the community. From high school prospects all the way down to the peewee teams, kids in Vanderburgh county have accessible role models to look up to.

The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporatio n has 40 schools throughout the city and serves more than 22,000 students, along with countless sports teams between them all. The school district has a multitude of athletics including football, basketball, tennis, golf, and wrestling and consistently brings home winning titles across all of their teams. EVSC hosts their sporting events in many top-of-the-line athletic facilities including the historic Bosse Field, the Ford Center, The Deaconess Aquatic Center, and many outdoor playing fields attached to each individual school.

According to Andy Owen, Director of Athletics and Physical Education and Health at EVSC, having top notch facilities for students to practice and compete in is the first step in having a successful season and continued success in dividual athletes.

In addition to the facilities, young athletes need role

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models to not only look up to, but for them to get involved with as well.

Typically, meeting the people who inspire you would be difficult, but not for the athletes in the EVSC. They have plenty of Division 1 athletes to choose from, between UE and USI, and a multitude of opportunities to get involved in the programs that they strive to be a part of one day. Evan Waggoner is a sophomore catcher for UE’s baseball team who is passionate about youth sports. He’s proud to be an ACE because of the commitment UE athletics has to the betterment of youth sports in Evansville.

Just this past month, UE’s baseball team hosted an event with an organization in the Evansville/ Vanderburgh area called “The Highland Challenger League.” The University of Evansville’s athletic director, Dr. Kenneth “Ziggy” Siegfried, explained that “The Highland Challenger League is an adaptive baseball program that serves the youth ages 3-18 with physical and intellectual challenges.”

Waggoner explained that the event was just your typical baseball game where the UE team got to play one-on-one with kids in the Challenger League.

“We got set up with buddies and we pretty much got to know them and just had fun with them on the diamond.” Waggoner explained that, to make sure that everyone could get involved, no matter their disability, the UE baseball team would throw balls out to everyone and then help them field, throw, and even run the bases.

This event was a major step forward in not only breaking the stigma between special needs athletes not being able to be involved in sports, but also in

showing that division one athletics are not out of reach to the youth athletes who may look up to those higher-level sportsmen.

The baseball team isn’t the only team at UE who go out of their way to work with the youth of Evansville . At the end of September, the UE Women’s basketball team hosted an event at Peyton Manning’s Children’s Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent, where kids had the opportunity to design the season tickets for this season. A few players, the coach, and Ace Purple attended this event at this hospital to involve kids who are not able to come to sporting events and be exposed to college athletics.

Dr. Ziggy also explained that this was not just a one-off event and that the women’s basketball team, along with the men’s basketball team, volunteer at the hospital often to help advance their exposure to athletics and to give them real and attainable role models to look up to. Later this month (November 2022), The Women’s Basketball team will be hosting an event in Downtown Evansville called “Education Day”, an outreach day for middle and high schoolers to attend the basketball game “as a field trip and an educational opportunity.” UE’s athletic department, in conjunction with the UE women’s basketball team and The Ford Center, are giving out over 2,200 tickets to the school so that the game is accessible for all who wish to attend. This is just another example of how UE athletics are going out of their way to make a good impact on the youth in our community and neighboring communities as well.

Just across highway 41 in Evansville, The University of Southern Indiana’s athletic teams are doing their parts to get involved with the youth of Vanderburgh

County as well. Jackson McPheeters is a senior runner on the USI track and field team and competes in the 800 meters run. He has a unique perspective, as he grew up in a town where there weren’t many professional athletes to look up to. However, similar to kids at EVSC, he also chose his role model from the local college near him.

He explained that, in his time at USI, the youth are always involved in some way, even if it is just as supporters in the stands at meets. McPheeters also explained that due to the lack of facilities, they do not host full youth events as of now, but they do have recruiting events where high school prospects can come to campus. “We bring recruits on campus so they can interact or practice with the team and learn how things go around here.”

of our teams do some sort of community service and community engagement with our youth.”

Ziggy and Jon Mark agree that this is a great step forward not only for the universities, but for the youth as well. Having two division 1 schools will double the amount of exposure young athletes get to high level sporting events. Alexis Berggren, President & CEO of Visit Evansville, said, “In my opinion, it’s all about exposure. Everyone, especially kids, have a hard time getting excited about anything unless they’ve experienced it directly.”

community, and its two division one universities.

Every day there are new and exciting ways to get involved with youth and college sports alike; because of this, the future of Evansville athletics is looking bright UE baseball player Evan Waggoner said it best: “Every college athlete who inspires a young athlete is another light of hope that Evansville will continue to make history in more than one way through sports.”

The city of Evansville holds many opportunities for success and inspiration of young athletes through the top-of-the-line facilities, supportive

Jon Mark Hall has been working at The University of Southern Indiana for over 25 years and has been the athletic director since 2002, marking this his 20th year in the position. He is very passionate about sports at the collegiate level, but also at the youth level. “I have six children and all of them played youth sports at some level.” Having an AD with such experience both professionally at USI and personally with his family drives his passion to better sports in the Evansville area, and his department’s outreach in the community shows that USI does many things with kids in the area, including civic engagement days such as one just this past week. During this, the men’s basketball team worked with the Joshua Academy kids. The women’s basketball team volunteered with youth in the city to expose them to basketball and the athletic world in general. Mr. Hall is proud of his athletic teams for their passion to be involved and said, “All

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January 2023 2023-01-31 No incidents

February 2023 2023-02-08 No incidents 2023-02-07 No incidents 2023-02-06 No incidents 2023-02-05 No incidents 2023-02-04 No incidents 2023-02-03 No incidents 2023-02-02 No incidents 2023-02-01 No incidents

2023-01-30 No incidents 2023-01-29 No incidents 2023-01-28 No incidents 2023-01-27 No incidents 2023-01-26 No incidents 2023-01-25 No incidents 2023-01-24 No incidents 2023-01-23 No incidents

2023-01-22 CR 23-0020 Reported: Sunday, January 22, 2023 at 1:07 a.m.

Classification: ALCOHOL (POSSESSION/CONSUMPTION) Occurred: Sunday, January 22, 2023 at 1:07 a.m.

Location: HALE HALL, Room 309 Disposition: Disciplinary 2023-01-21 No incidents 2023-01-20 No incidents 2023-01-19 No incidents 2023-01-18 No incidents 2023-01-17 CR 23-0010 Reported: Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at 11:00 a.m.

Classification: RAPE Location: HALE HALL, Room 202 Disposition: Closed 2023-01-16 No incidents

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2023-01-15 No incidents

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2023-01-12 No incidents 2023-01-11 No incidents 2023-01-10 No incidents 2023-01-09 No incidents 2023-01-08 No incidents 2023-01-07 No incidents 2023-01-06 No incidents 2023-01-05 No incidents 2023-01-04 No incidents

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, s r e gn i s d e e , D s , at r s e r r e c ite m Mak r e is n i W z Fil for ! aga , g e s M n r r i t k o e n o ph , and M Lo a esce r r g C o s The Phot esigner D b e W

@crescentmagazine @ crescentmagazi1 @ UECrescentMagazine Find out more on our website: crescent.evansville.edu