April 2021

April 2021 | University of Evansville | crescent.evansville.edu

The Fallen Linden Beauty

1 • Crescent Magazine • April 2021

CONTENTS

2021 STAFF WRITING WRITING DIRECTOR

3 UE Sports

WRITERS

6 International Students

Avery Pereboom

Jillian Koch

7 The Loop

Dallsa Koth Peace Ilegmah Hannah McAlister

9 Coloring Page

CREATIVE

10 Cover Story

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

11 COVID Vaccination

Sama Matkari CREATIVE ASSISTANT

12 UE Theater

Jasmine Brents CONTENT ASSISTANT

13 Culture

Abraham Beidas

HOW TO CONTACT US

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

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, and it is distributed to 18 campus locations and housed online at www.cresceent.evansville.edu It is funded through advertising sales and a subscription fee paid on behalf of students by the Student Government Association. Printed by Mar-Kel Printing, Newburgh, Ind. ©2021 Student Media, University of Evansville.

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faculty, staff, administrators and alumni, but material the CMEB regards as libelous, malicious and/or obscene will not be published.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.

April 2021 • Matkari Magazine • 2

Article > UE Sports

COVID-19’s Impact on UE Sports Dallas Koth

The athletic season at UE and other universities across the nation was cancelled when COVID-19 began its spread across the U.S. last spring, and at many universities, the pause on sports continued through the fall. Now, in the spring one year later, athletics have resumed nationwide, but the presence of mandated COVID-19 guidelines means that sports are still far from normal.

New regulations have altered the atmosphere of many sporting events and forced athletes and staff to adjust. Andrew Schuler, junior thrower on the UE track & field team, stated that the team is no longer able to utilize local high school track facilities due to COVID-19 restrictions. Now, the team must travel to Newburgh for a proper facility. Schuler claimed this obstacle has discouraged members of the team.

Along with facility alterations, competitions have been slightly modified and now feel different for many athletes. Schuler claimed that standard distancing guidelines during meets and on the bus make people talk less and makes the atmosphere at competitions “isolated and gloomy”.

Izzy Vetter, junior on the UE softball team, said all players are required to wear masks in the dugouts. “Masks make it hard to cheer. Cheering is a huge part to the game and with the mask, they are muffled, making it less effective,” Vetter said. Although distancing and masks certainly aren’t unique to athletics, they present a stark contrast to the typical socially and physically close world of sports.

Because all sports are different, all are affected differently by the new regulations. Henry Kiel, sophomore on the UE men’s golf team, said the only substantial difference with golf tournaments is that sometimes players are paired with their own teammates instead of players from other schools.

“I enjoyed it… with everyone playing together, our coach was able to watch everyone at the same time and help whenever needed, which helped us play better as a team,” Kiel said.

Unfortunately, that is not a relatable feeling for many other athletes at the school.

The regulations have created challenges for most athletes, and the competitive rust that athletes accumulate from a year off might be the hardest of these challenges to overcome. “My form is not as good as it used to be… I am a little weaker,” Schuler said.

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Most sports are not like riding a bike. If you take a break, it doesn’t always come back instantly. Athletes have been able to practice on their own or with their teammates, but there is no substitute for true competition.

“[The year off] definitely affects competition… the atmosphere of the game and competition against others rather than my teammates is something we haven’t had in a long time,” Vetter said.

As an athlete, when you are told you aren’t going to be able to compete until things get back to normal, and normal isn’t in the foreseeable future, it is easy to lose your competitive edge.

“It is hard to get back into the competitive mindset,” Schuler said. Competitiveness isn’t a switch that can be easily flipped on and off. Now that sports are back, athletes may be slow to seeing the results they once expected of themselves.

COVID-19 complications apply to the athletic staff as well as to the players. When sports were suspended in the spring of 2020, most of the athletic staff switched to online work. But even now that everyone is back on campus and sports have resumed, daily operations aren’t the same.

“Usual focus on ticket sales and marketing plans turned into implementing COVID policies and procedures to allow our studentathletes to compete safely and minimal fans to attend,” Scott Peace, Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing and Fanbase at UE, said.

Because all sports’ seasons were moved to the spring semester for the 2020-2021 school year, athletic staff have had to manage a year’s worth of work within a semester-long time frame.

“Having all 17 sports competing simultaneously this spring has been very difficult for our staff that is already undersized. We had to rethink everything we did to ensure that we were making the right, safe decisions every step of the way. This included halting ticket sales for all sports which drastically impacts our revenue,” Peace said. COVID-19 has forced the athletic department to make a lot of major adjustments in order to keep sports programs operating and competing.

From athletic department operations to the atmosphere of competition, COVID-19 has impacted sports at UE in unexpected ways, but athletes and staff have worked hard to overcome these challenges as their first season back on the track, court and field finishes.

UE Sports < Article

Picture Credits: UE Athletics

In a double header on Wednesday, April 21st Aces softball went up against Indiana State.

Indiana State took the first game 6 to 3 and the Aces came back strong to win the second game 12 to 4.

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International Students < Article

UE Without Borders: International Students in the Pandemic Avery Pereboom

When UE resumed in-person classes this fall, most students’ return depended solely on a reopened campus. But for a number of international students, travel restrictions and other obstacles related to COVID meant another year learning from the other side of the world.

Sama Matkari, a senior majoring in studio art, visual design and communication, has been taking UE classes from her home in Mumbai, India since August. “When COVID hit, I had to go stay with my aunt in San Francisco because there was no way for me to get back home--no flights or anything--and I couldn’t stay in Evansville anymore. But after the summer, because I have asthma, I decided I would come back home,” Matkari said. Although she intended to be back on campus this spring and had even purchased plane tickets, an international treaty was passed banning multi-stop flights, keeping her in Mumbai for another semester.

For Matkari, the most challenging part of distance learning has been the time difference between the U.S and India, a factor domestic UE students didn’t have to consider even while learning from home last spring. For instance, one of Matkari’s classes meets at 6 p.m. Central Daylight Time, which is 4:30 a.m. India Standard Time.

Flight restrictions haven’t been the only COVID precaution to prevent international students from returning to Evansville. Certain student visas need to be renewed every two years for holders to enter the U.S., but because embassies have been closed in many countries, some students were unable to schedule the visa appointments required for reentry.

For other international students, embassy closures caused more pressing concerns. Some of those students with a clock ticking on their visa opted to stay in the U.S. through the spring lockdown and into the summer rather than risk visa complications going home.

But for students without friends or family in the U.S. willing to take them in for the summer, COVID was an unplanned expense.

“We had those who could not leave, who could not get flights home, and perhaps they lived off campus and their lease was expiring.

We were working as an institution to help find places for these students to stay…Also, feeding themselves. International students

can’t generally work without authorization,” Kate Hogan, Director of Cultural Engagement and International Student Services, said.

Fortunately, the university was able to tap into the Student Emergency Fund to partially or fully assist students through their pandemic-induced financial crises. “The Student Emergency Fund was one of the projects highlighted during Pep and Vim this year and is funded entirely by philanthropy--it truly is a saving grace for students experiencing unexpected hardship or tragedy,” Hogan said.

This funding is available to both international and domestic students.

“We had those who could not leave, who could not

get flights home, and perhaps they lived off campus and their lease was expiring. We were working as an institution to help find places for these students to stay…Also, feeding themselves. International students can’t generally work without authorization,”

Travel restrictions and visa barriers have also impacted international student admissions. Kaylyn McCallister, International Admission and Program Specialist, said that while the number of international applicants wasn’t significantly lower than in other recent years, many decided to defer their admission when they realized they couldn’t travel to the U.S. Others spent the first semester or year of their American college experience in their home country.

But in spite of these challenges, distance learning has also opened up new opportunities. While Matkari said that she would rather be on campus, she also appreciates the individualized instruction she has received in her painting classes, where she is the only virtual student. McCallister said that hosting SOAR and other information sessions online has allowed more international students to participate in pre-semester events that are usually only accessible to domestic students. Although the pandemic created unique obstacles for international students, the staff who work with them were committed to helping clear the way for their education and wellbeing.

April 2021 • Matkari Magazine • 6

The Loop > Stay in the Know

Inspirational “Quote”

“It doesn’t matter what others are doing.

It matters what YOU are doing.”

-GG

Top 5 TikTok Songs 1. “Streets,” Doja Cat

Tweets

FAKE LAUGHING WITH CUSTOMERS IS A REAL SKILL

- @Dehliiia

plagiarism??? girl i found your whole lesson plan on quizlet

2. “Wait a Minute!,” Willow

3. “Driver’s License,” Olivia Rodrigo 4. “Rasputin,” Boney M

People’s

5. “Blinding Lights,” The Weeknd

-@Dianavmxx

Me: i have a headache WebMD: and it’ll be your last -@itsnella_

Let’s play a game, the winner dates the loser.

1. 1 cup pineapple

I sneezed because God blessed me with you.

2. ½ cup rum

I’m no photographer, but I can picture us together.

3. ¼ teaspoon coconut extract 4. 3 drops red food color

Do you have a sunburn, or are you always this hot?

5. 2 drops yellow food color

Do you know what you’d look really beautiful in? My arms.

Hocus Pocus

Pick Up Lines Last Call, by Elon Green

Aftershocks, by Nadia Owusu Dog Flowers, by Danielle Geller Great Circle, by Maggie Shipstead 7 • Crescent Magazine • April 2021

Great Reads

Ridiculous Stuff Amazon Edition 1. Mac Inspired Candle: a candle that smells like a Macbook

Stay in the Know < The Loop

Self Love Tips Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

Allow Yourself to Make Mistakes 3. Remember Your Value Doesn’t Lie in How Your Body Looks

2. Comfycup Public Transportation Cup Holder: cupholder attaches to poles so you do not have to hold it.

3. Lifelike Elephant Inflatable: 188-inch inflatable elephant

Put Yourself First See Beauty in the Simple Things

4. Mobile Phone Jail Cell: phone-addicts beware, need a key to open this cell phone holding cell 5. Floating Crocodile Decoy: realistic, life-sized crocodile to scare everyone out of the water.

1. Chemtrails over the Country Club 2. Certified Lover Boy 3. Poster Girl 4. Justice 5. Life Support

‘21 Music

Albums

6. Spaceman 7. Nobody Is Listening 8. Revelación 9. Dancing with the Devil 10. Little Oblivions

Word Of The Month

Alacrity

promptness in response April 2021 • Matkari Magazine • 8

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H 10 • Crescent Magazine • April 2021

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The Fallen Linden Beauty Peace Ilegmah

The tree that stood tall in front of Olmsted Administration Hall was a magnet for generations of students. They studied in its shade, took selfies in its branches, took graduation pictures in front of it, and some students even came back after graduation to have their wedding photos taken next to it. The tree was one of the most photogenic areas on campus because of its beautiful scenery, looming branches, and curvature of the tree. It was a nice and quiet place to go and have some personal time. “The tree was a great place to go hang out with friends especially during early fall when it starts getting warm outside,” said Preston Leinenbach, a former UE student. “When you are by the tree, it feels like you are in your own little world.”

The Linden tree was part of the UE culture. It served as a symbol of unity because it brings everyone together no matter the age, race or gender. There was also always a spot on the tree for everyone. Sadly, the tree fell due to extreme winds from the thunderous rainy night, losing its balance and crumbling to the grass in the middle of campus.

The tree had a symbolic meaning to the University because it brought everyone together and with the tree gone, there has been a sense of sadness because the Linden tree was somewhat of a landmark on campus. There are other beautiful trees in the courtyard, but this specific Linden tree was the first to be planted there and the tree has seen thousands of students come and go throughout the years it has been there.

The Evansville Courier and Press reported that the tree has been there since 1937, when it was first planted by the senior class at that time. Although the tree is gone, the memories still remain there and for those that happened to see it while it stood tall, will forever remember the wonderful feelings we had seeing it. “The Linden tree will forever be part of the UE history because of its symbolic meaning to the University,” said Dr. Mark Shifflet, a professor and department chair at the University. “The tree was like a building; it was part of the University.” A lot of big old trees have died off over the years around campus.

Hopefully the Linden tree is replaced and a new one is planted there to take its place.

“When you are by the tree, it feels like you are in your own little world.”

April 2021 • Matkari Magazine • 10

Article > COVID Vaccination

Vaccinate The Virus Hannah McAlister

It has been over a year since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. and vaccine distribution is underway. Over 100 million people have been vaccinated nationally and the number continues to grow, according to the CDC. At the end of February, UE sent out a survey to students and employees about the potential for campus to become a vaccine clinic.

The Indiana State Department of Health reached out to numerous colleges about this possibility even though students were not eligible to get the vaccine. When Indiana started vaccine distribution, they like many other states, started with the elderly and health care workers due to their higher health and exposure risks. The CDC states that the 18 to 24-year-old age group contributes the most to COVID-19 transmission at 14 percent.

On March 26, UE sent out an email to students that anyone enrolled, regardless of home state or country, could get vaccinated through a partnership with Tri-State Community Clinics. This cut out the steps the university would need to take to become its own vaccine distributer, while still making strides towards a fully vaccinated campus community. To make vaccination even more accessible, UE provided students with group transportation to their appointments.

This partnership also allowed students who aren’t Indiana residents to get vaccinated before going home for the summer.

“I think it is a great idea because we could possibly get vaccinated sooner, and I will be taking this opportunity so I can feel safer about being out in public and work,” Alley Metzger, a junior

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business management major, said. Universities like UE have many social, academic and health reasons to encourage students to get vaccinated, but obstacles to vaccine distribution go beyond demand and age restrictions.

In a recent press conference, President Biden said that he would like every American to be vaccinated by May 1 of this year.

But according to Dr. Angie Wooton, who works at the St. Vincent Vaccine Center, this is an overly ambitious goal compared to the resources currently available at clinics. “We do not have the capacity or special vaccine refrigeration. It has to have alarms, 24-hour supervision and even a special phone connection if the temperature drops too low,” Wooton said.

NPR released an article in February discussing the proponents of vaccine storage and why it could be a struggle. “As countries race — and struggle— to deliver mass inoculations in far-reaching corners of the globe, the most formidable challenge for political leaders and public health authorities face is this: how do you transport tiny vaccine vials thousands of miles, keeping them at temperatures colder than the Arctic winter,” NPR stated. It is difficult to determine a distribution timeline for something as temperamental as vaccines. They are being distributed all over the country, and some clinics lack the refrigeration or machinery to store and keep them cold.

With these struggles in mind, it was an effective choice for UE to partner with Tri-State Community Clinics, as the setting is better prepared to provide the necessary conditions for storage and resources for upkeep. Many students have already received their first dose because of this partnership.

UE Theater < Article

The Show Must Go On Jillian Koch

The history of theatre spans thousands of years, and while its demise has often been predicted, it lives on today. The pandemic launched the longest shutdown in the history of theatre when Broadway closed its doors on March 12, 2020. Theatres worldwide followed suit and have not opened since, including here at the University of Evansville. Though there are not live productions in theatres, many artists continue to live out their dreams through the virtual stage.

“We pride ourselves on following industry standards. So, we asked ourselves what opportunities we had to do things differently while keeping the theatre closed,” Amelia McClain, assistant professor of theatre performance, said. A normal year for UE’s theatre department consists of six productions: three in the Shanklin Theatre and three in the May Studio Theatre. Along with the shows are inperson classes, workshops and practicums. Amid the pandemic this year, the department has turned to Zoom for many different activities.

“During the fall semester, we took the money we usually spend on productions and hired guest artists instead. This gave students access to industry professionals they wouldn’t have been able to collaborate with if Broadway were up and running,” Sharla Cowden, managing director and head of theatre management, said.

“An actor from Hamilton conducted a workshop two weekends in a row. He had us sing and work with him. One of the many perks of being in theatre,” Jordan Williams, a senior theatre performance major, said.

Productions are the focal point of theatre and involve every student and specialized department. Whether a student is an actor, master electrician, costume designer, stage manager or usher – they

all play a part in ensuring the show goes on. This school year, UE Theatre continued to perform plays through a variety of virtual formats, proving that the adage holds true even in a pandemic.

While a virtual performance might seem less intimidating with an at-home audience, it can increase the visibility of important but usually unseen roles like technical support. Nick McCulloch, senior theatre design and technology major, had to get creative with his work this year as the technical director for the student Cabaret series, which consisted of pre-recorded shows and isolated performances. “I was in charge of making sure the viewers could see and hear those performing as well as switching the cameras during the production,” McCulloch said.

Luckily at UE, theatre students acclimate quickly once they arrive, and some underclassmen were able to get a “normal” experience before the pandemic. Jimmy Guest, a sophomore theatre studies major, was an assistant stage manager for a play, assistant director of a stage reading and actor in a play during his first year at UE. “I had a lot of mixed experiences, but at least we got to do it in person,” Guest said about his time acting in Violet. He misses being in the same room with his peers and in a theatre with an audience.

This pandemic, however, has not stopped the creativity and determination of UE students. One outlet was a series of six studentdirected productions called Zoombox. UE Theatre has also partnered with Play On! Shakespeare to present three productions directed by virtual artists-in-residence.

“Theatre is important and different from television. It is a communal experience and, after so much isolation, a feeling of togetherness is crucial,” McClain said. But despite McClain’s words and the historical resilience of theatre, the industry may still face challenges that outlast the pandemic.

“Patrons have learned to live without theatre. We develop habits faster than we realize. But as a marketer, my first job is to get people off the couch and into the theater,” Cowden said. Upon returning to campus this spring, she placed a sign in front of Hyde Hall that reads, “It’s just an intermission!”.

Cowden’s sign is much like a ghost light, a symbol of hope and longstanding superstition in theatrical circles. Legend has it that the ghosts of past actors and their characters continue to haunt the theatres where they once performed, and it’s become tradition to leave a light on for them in the theatre at night.

“[Ghost lights] give me hope and remind me that theatre always comes back, no matter the challenge. It may look different, but it always comes back,” Williams said.

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