Issue 1, Volume 104

The Collegian

October 10, 2019 | Vol. 104 | Issue 01

By Abigail Tejel In light of falling birth rates due to economic and cultural changes, businesses and institutions struggle to adjust to the change in demographics. Universities and colleges are not exempt from the issues that naturally arise from a shifting population. Academic institutions are grappling with ways to combat the possible financial outcomes that could occur when fewer people apply and pay for higher education.

As academic professionals try to follow the figures they are finding that current numbers show an expected down-turn in students enrolling in colleges and universities across America.

Public and private institutions alike are starting to prepare themselves for this reality.

According to Trevor Congleton, the associate vice president for Marketing and Enrollment Services at Walla Walla University, the cause of this is a decline in birth rates, specifically after the years of 2005-2006. This decrease in enrollment rates is projected to be felt the hardest in the years approaching 2025.

““I have three functional pillows and for some reason I burrow under them like a turtle.” - Ryan Pierce

National Trends Project a Drop in Enrollment Rates

Changing The World One Missionary At A Time page 4

The Bible Lands Study Tour Contextual Learning in the Land of Jesus page 5

The Outdoors Why we love it, what to try, how to get involved page 7

Reaching for the Stars The Success Story of a Recent Graduate

Entr’acte Marvelous Shows for the Drama Department Under New Leadership page 11

Looking Forward to Croquembouche When uninformed decisions potentially ruin a culinary masterpiece page 12

How to Get Involved in Service Day Everyone is invited

Continued on page 8 Photo from ASWWU

Also in this Issue:

Photo from Sodexo

page 14

Second Hand Solutions

How to be a Fake Sports Fan

By Sophie Sherwin

Purchasing used clothing has been a controversial topic permeating many fashion circles for decades.

In recent years, we not only strive to find ourselves in our own personal expression but also in our efforts to become more sustainable and eco-friendly.

By Jonathan Terry

In only three tips, find out how to fool even the most experienced sports fan. October is the busiest sports month of the year. Avoiding talk about sports is nearly impossible at this point. Here are three tips to ensure you don’t get caught looking like a fool this month.

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Photo from Sophie Sherwin

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Editor’s Note

Dear readers,

Welcome to The Collegian!

Whether you’ve been following along for years or you’re finding yourself among our pages for the first time, we are glad you’re here.

The Collegian’s purpose is to provide a place for you to hear– and to be–the voices that shape this community. Our writers don’t only want to offer you information, but maybe also a new understanding or perhaps what you really need is a laugh and a bit of perspective. Whatever it is, we hope it brings us all a little closer together. I think it can be surprisingly easy to feel alone in our experiences if we don’t realize how many others are taking part in those experiences with us.

My hope is that The Collegian will continue to be a true representation of the diverse experiences of our campus and its community. To make that happen, we want to hear from you guys too! Listen to your teachers for that funny quote that could find its way into Verbatim. Send us your opinions through our social media. You can even send a letter to the Editor.

My biggest wish is that in these pages you can see yourself and maybe see something new about those you share this community with too.

Kelsi Nash Editor-in-Chief Garren Miler Head Layout Editor Jocelyn Griffin Head Copy Editor Ryan Pierce Feature Editor Sabrina Mapes Columnists Editor

Columnists Kaitlin Roach Vixie Bailey Tamera Brown Jonathan Terry Joshua Beaudoin Sophie Sherwin Benjamin Griffin

ACA/SM/Service Religion Student Culture/Creative Sports Food Fashion/Sustainability Outdoors

300-350 words.

Be aware that we will be editing your work for grammar inconsistencies, so please be professional.

Email it to ASWWU. collegian@wallawalla.edu before 3 p.m on Sunday.

Kelsi Nash Editor-in-Chief

Collegian Staff Kaden Sukachevin Assistant Editor

Requirements for letters to the editor:

Feature and News Writers Abigail Rodgers Abigail Tejel Andrews Ferreira Annie Gibson Joshua Peinado

Copy Editors Olivia Salvador Audrey Tampake Victoria Ico

Designers McKenna Butler Janette Wagness Jacob Mayes

Distributor John Cotter

Office Manager Siena Mirasol

Social Media & Advert Cindy Lopez

Check out our Instagram @aswwucollegian!

Cadoodle (Collegian Doodle) Have a fun take on our header? Submit your vision to us at collegian@wallawalla.edu.

The Collegian

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Week in Preview Thursday 10/10

Friday 10/11

Saturday 10/12

Sunday 10/13

World Mental Health Day

National Kimberly Day (the name)

National Motorcycle Ride Day

Pastor Appreciation Day

ASWWU Senate Elections revote for District 3 from 8:00am – 8:00am

ASWWU Spiritual Soup Feed @ the Fellowship Hall @ 6:30 - 7:30 PM

US Latina Writers — Memory and Migration @ ADM117 @ 7:00pm – 8:00pm

ASWWU Outdoors Blue Mountain Alpine Hike and Car Camping. Oct. 11-Oct. 12

ASWWU/Athletics Colab with Howling Madness @ the WEC @ 9:30 - 11:30 PM

Men’s Soccer @ Rocky Mountain College (Mont.) October 13, 2019, 12:00am – 3:00pm

Women’s Volleyball vs Corban University (Ore.) @ College Place, WA 7:00pm – 10:00pm

Returned SM Retreat @ WWVA October 11-13, 2019

Faculty Recital: Kraig Scott, organ @ 7:00 PM @ WWU Church

Tuesday 10/15

Wednesday 10/16

Monday 10/14

AdorArte Concert @ Village Hall @ 5:00pm – 7:00pm

Thursday 10/17

National Dessert Day

National Grouch Day

Global Cat Day

Black Poetry Day

ASWWU Spiritual Soup Feed @ the Fellowship Hall @ 6:30 - 7:30 PM

Engineering Senior Inspection Tour @ October 13, 2019, 3:00pm – October 15, 2019, 10:00pm

Service Day @ CTC Bowl @ 8:00am – 12:00pm

Second edition of The Collegian , hot off the press!

Positions Available for application on

aswwu.com/jobs

Job Availabilities

Further Activity Info

ASWWU Productions Head ASWWU Mountain Ash Yearbook Editor ASWWU Mountain Ash Team ASWWU Collegian Web Manager ASWWU Executive Vice President Team

Blue Mountain Weekend Trip: https://aswwu. com/pages/outdoors ASWWU Social Barn Party @ the WEC. Oct. 19. from 7:00 - 10:00 PM

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Student Missionary

Changing the World One Missionary at a Time

By Kaitlin Roach

At Walla Walla University, taking time off of school to be a student missionary is often a life-changing journey. Approximately 70 students every year travel to serve in many different places around the world.

The student missionaries leave a positive mark in the location they chose to serve in. The dedication, hard work, skills, and vision these students have is what makes WWU shine in one of our core themes: to have “generosity in service.” It only makes sense to get an idea of what it can mean to be a student missionary, the impact they leave behind, what they personally experience, and how they can apply what they learned to their future career and goals.

A student missionary has many role options, like being a chaplain, a dean, a teacher, a nurse, a coach, a maintenance worker, or a medical assistant. However, a student missionary’s role is more than the type of work they choose to do. A student missionary is also a mentor and a role model. The relationships and love they share with the people they help is life-changing.

I had the privilege of interviewing Emily Beaver, who spent the last year in Zambia, eastern Africa. Her decision to serve overseas began in her high school Bible class. Her teacher had graduated from WWU and served as a student missionary during her time there. After Beaver heard stories about her teacher’s service, she knew that was exactly what she wanted to do. Following this decision, Beaver embarked on a mission trip to Costa Rica her senior year and was ecstatic to go for an entire year in college.

A student missionary may have expectations about what they will

experience, but the journey they embark on is full of surprises, trials, and beauty. They go without knowing the impact they will have on the people, the purpose they will discover in themselves by God’s grace, and the memories they will take with them for the rest of their lives. The journey may not always be easy, but these experiences are what make it all worth it in the end.

Beaver described two big experiences she had during her year of service.

First, she received valuable medical experience. Second, she got to live and serve in a different culture.

Overall, she says the best part of doing mission work is “knowing that I am helping people in any way that I am capable and I am following God’s calling for us to be there for the people around us.”1 Beaver knew that she had always wanted to take a year off of school and serve as a student missionary, but she also knew she wanted her mission work to benefit her future.

She looked for an opportunity to gain medical experience. Beaver attempted to get into several places that included medical programs, but they filled up. She was stuck. She prayed earnestly, leaving her future up to God. It wasn’t until the very end of her school year that Brittni Bryan, the Associate Chaplain for Missions at WWU, gave her a call to tell her there was an available spot in Africa. Beaver knew this was exactly where she needed to be.

A student missionary’s experiences can be eye-opening, leaving them with future decisions to make and having an entirely different perspective about the world around them. During Beaver’s time in Zambia, she worked at Mwami Adventist Hospital in a very small, rural town near the border of Malawi.

She was immersed in the African

T

village life. It could be heartbreaking to see all the poverty and sickness.

Consistently, her job changed and was significantly disorganized.

There were days where she got to work in the operating room for an assignment—watching, learning, and gaining enough knowledge to work as a scrub nurse or as a surgeon’s assistant. Other days she would work in the HIV/AIDS clinic, where she took vitals for patients being admitted. The rest of the time she would either practice blood drawing in the lab or do rounds with the doctors in different wards.

Beaver not only appreciated how diverse her opportunities were, but also appreciated the challenges of working independently and the disorganization that came along with the variety.

Beaver shared with me one of her favorite stories of when she was part of a surgical case. A young boy had been in a terrible motorcycle accident, which left the majority of his forehead scraped off, exposing the skull. The boy came into the hospital “in pain, sad about his appearance, exhausted, and disappointed.”3 The surgeon decided he was going to make a skin graft using the boy’s own skin from his forearm. After a long process of four surgeries, major healing, and recovery, they were finished. Beaver says “it was the most rewarding thing to watch him look in the mirror for the first time after the surgery and smile so large. After that, any time the boy saw me in the hospital or around the village, he would come to me and say thank you.”4

Beaver was surprised by the amount of hands-on work she received.

She didn’t expect the emotional challenges she would face. Because she was living in an impoverished country in a rural village, she saw lots of disease, sadness, uneducated children, and death. As depressing as it was for Beaver, it deepened her passion for the medical field. It helped her realize that she wants to continue working hard in school so that she can eventually have the opportunity to go back as a medical professional and help more.

After a student missionary reflects on their own experience from the mission trip, they often discover what they are meant to do in life.

Beaver learned that you do what you can with what you have, and that being present is the first step in mission work. She was able to work with extreme diversity in personalities and lifestyles. Beaver says, “It doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing or has done, the only thing that matters is that you’re doing what you’re supposed to.”5 Beaver learned that her interest in medicine is something she wants to pursue—she wishes to impact the world with her abilities and share the Word of God with the people around her.

One thing Beaver attempted to do as often as she could was pray for patients and bring them food. This was difficult due to the language barrier. Beaver said she “wanted to incorporate God into everything I did.”2 Beaver participated in the Mwami community and their church life. She attended their service projects, helped with Sabbath school, and did whatever she could to be an example with the gifts that God presented her with.

1 Beaver, Emily (3 Oct. 2019). Personal interview.

2 Ibid 3 Ibid 4 Ibid 5 Ibid

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Religion

The Bible Lands Study Tour Contextual Learning in the Land of Jesus

By Vixie Bailey I must admit that I am guilty of breaking the 10th commandment: coveting the opportunity to go on the Bible Lands Study Tour.

Every other year the theology department hosts the Bible Lands Study Tour, an opportunity to earn eight religion credits while traveling to the places where the stories happened. Dr. Carl Cosaert, the current Dean of Theology here at Walla Walla University, not only leads this trip for the University, but also leads tours for the Upper Colombia Conference. The Bible Lands Tour costs about $8,100 for the credits, airfare, food, tours, and lodging—an insanely low price to pay.

As a theology student, I had several friends and professors who went on the trip. It was rough seeing all of their pictures on Facebook while working on campus as a cus-

todial supervisor. This year’s tour started in Egypt with camel rides to the pyramids and then covered the modern countries of Jordan, Israel, and Turkey.

Specific sites that participants had an opportunity to visit included the temple in Petra, Jordan where part of Indiana Jones “The Last Crusade” was filmed, the Via Dolorosa, the Garden of Gethsemane, the home of the High Priest who condemned Jesus to death, and several famous early churches, including six of the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3.

I talked with Katie Wagner, who has had the chance to go twice, about things she enjoyed on the 2019 tour: Funniest Moment: “While in Israel, we went for a hike in the Judean Desert. We started to hear some strange noises coming from the ledge above our trail. As we

kept walking, a large herd of goats emerged and began to run down the hill in our direction. As they came towards us, we realized that we were in the middle of their path. We had to quickly scramble off the path to avoid being run over by them. The funniest part is that the whole time they were screaming (think of the screaming goat video). I never imagined I’d have to run down a trail fast enough to avoid being trampled by screaming goats!”

make the Bible come to life in a really cool way.”

A Highlight: “There were lots of amazing moments on this trip!

One of the highlights was a Sabbath we spent in Israel. We had the opportunity to take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. It was incredible to look around the shores of the sea and see many of the places where Jesus ministered. It was also really cool to be on the same body of water that Peter walked on towards Jesus. That experience helps

If you want to be kissed by a camel in Jericho, have the chance to be baptized (or re-baptized) in the river Jordan, or see the temple from Indiana Jones “The Last Crusade” in person, then this is the trip for you. Look for information for the next trip in 2021!

A Spiritual Moment: “One of the most spiritual moments was visiting the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized. We had the chance to get baptized in the Jordan, and it was special to see our friends and classmates commit their lives to Christ. It was incredible to be part of a moment full of so much spiritual support and encouragement.”

Group photo at the city of Petra. Photo from Vixie Bailey.

Katie Wagner at the Dome of the Rock. Photo from Vixie Bailey.

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Sports

How to be a Fake Sports Fan

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In only three tips, find out how to fool even the most experienced sports fan.

By Jonathan Terry In only three tips, find out how to fool even the most experienced sports fan.

October is the busiest sports month of the year. Avoiding talk about sports is nearly impossible at this point. Here are three tips to ensure you don’t get caught looking like a fool this month.

ficity. Talking about a particular player or even a specific play will keep the conversation going. If the thing you bring up is too specific, you will likely be asked to elaborate on why you think the Patriots are going to win the Super Bowl, something you may not be ready to answer. Searching on Twitter is a fantastic way to come up with a good opinion. No one will even

know if you restate the tweet word for word in a conversation, which makes it the perfect way to find information.

2. Do Your Homework This tip goes hand and hand with a specific take. Searching for a player from a team on Twitter and reading what people have to say

The National Football Leagueseason is in full swing, the Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer playoffs are underway, Champions League— the annual football club competition—has started, and the National Basketball Association regular season is just a few weeks from tipping off.

October is arguably the best month in all of sports, with these major sporting events coming across the TV nearly 24/7. During this month, you are inevitably going to come across a big fan of one of these events and may have to put up with a conversation or two. You could act disinterested and let them take the hint, or you could trick them into believing you not only care but also have a thing or two to say about the subject.

3. Keep Them Talking

Trying to trick someone into believing you are a sports fan is not an easy task. The only chance you have of making it work is by allowing them to dominate the conversation. Looking like you are interested and making comments that show you are digesting what they are saying is the most crucial piece of all. You don’t even have to register all of what they are saying.

Try to shape the few things you do mention to fit with what the other person is saying. If possible, try to occasionally disagree with them in small areas. This method will let them know you have your own opinion and aren’t just going along with what they say.

Being a big follower of 60 percent of these sporting events, I may be the perfect person to provide you the advice to sound like a real fan. Who knows? You might even find that you enjoy being a fake fan and pick it up for real!

These tips are only temporary aids.

They will likely get you through one or two conversations, if you are lucky. My hope is that you are inspired by these tips—so much so that you decide to become a real sports fan! If that it is the case, I suggest you check out my podcast, “Not Gonna Lie.” Episodes stream weekly from Spotify and Apple Podcast.

1. Keep Your Opinion Reasonable People will discount you right away if your ideas are too far out in left field. Calling the best player in the league “overrated” or saying that a 0-5 team “isn’t that bad” is unacceptable. You better come ready with facts to back up this claim or whoever you are talking with will be able to sniff out a fake.

The keyword in this tip is speci-

about them is a way to prove you know what you’re talking about.

It is essential to research both the positive and the negative, or you might be caught off-guard. Also, if someone asks you what you think about a player but you don’t know who they are, tell them you haven’t seen enough of them to form an opinion. Then, turn the tables on them and ask what they think of the athlete. This idea saves you from answering a question about a player, since you likely don’t even know what position they play.

College basketball intramurals are a great place to practice being a fake fan. Photos from ASWWU.

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Outdoors

The Outdoors Why We Love it, What to Try, and How to Get Involved.

By Ben Griffin

eAs summer fades into fall, new and old college students alike are looking for ways to enjoy the outkdoors. To accommodate the growwing passion for outside activities, -Walla Walla University is creating mnew opportunities for outdoor ensjoyment, like the new multi-use kpath along Whitman Drive and the weekend adventures being aplanned by ASWWU Outdoors.

Whether you’re a first-year freshman or a fifth-year super senior, you need to know about the best things to do in the Walla Walla area and how to get out more! tAfter speaking to some outdoorsy ufolks on campus, we have a few -suggestions for great things to do -in Walla Walla. 1) If you enjoy evening strolls, or you just really like sgrass and birds, the aviary at Pioneer Park is an amazing place to see some not-so-wildlife. 2) Just over an hour out of town, Palouse Falls offers a short hike and draumatic scenery you can appreciate e(I’m talking to you graphic design ,majors). 3) For a full day of activhities out in nature, consider Bennington Lake and Rooks Park. The rtwo are close to one another—you gand your friends can walk a nice morning loop around the lake, then spend the afternoon in playtime and leisure at the park. h uThe outdoorswoman, senior, and eASWWU Outdoors trip leader Natalia Perry describes why she loves lthe outdoors. Perry says, “I love the Ioutdoors because the fresh air is ,invigorating, the views (no matter if you’re in the mountains, on the river, or in the desert) are amazing, and it’s a place where I can push myself. While there is rarely a dull moment and oftentimes I’ve

been pretty uncomfortable, being outside allows me to enjoy the little things in life (like a cup of hot coffee) without distraction.”

As a freshman, the ASWWU Outdoors trip leader Amber Smith hasn’t been in Walla Walla very long, but is excited about the adventures she’s had. Smith says, “So far my favorite thing I’ve done in the area is rock climbing at Wallula Gap. I haven’t been to Bluewood yet, but I’m excited to check that out once their ski/snowboard season begins.”

Grant Hartman, the nature-man himself and head of ASWWU Outdoors, is personally in charge of all the weekend adventures that ASWWU Outdoors plans and this is his take on how to best become involved in the outdoors. Hartman says, “The best way to get involved is to come on an ASWWU Outdoors Trip that looks interesting to you! Our team tries hard to cater to a wide range of abilities and activities, so just commit to a trip by signing up! Going with a group of friends can be a great way to unwind and explore a new activity.”

Senior theology major Natalia Perry sending it up in Vantage, WA . Photo from Natalia Perry.

So there you have it. Whether you grew up here, or hadn’t been to Walla Walla until you came to school two weeks ago, WWU has incredible things for you to try and adventures for you to go on as you step into the 2019-2020 scholastic year!

In the winter months waterfalls freeze spectacularly. Photo from Grant Hartman.

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Feature

National Trends Project a Drop in Enrollment Rates Continued from cover While some colleges are trying to prepare for the possible effects of low enrollment, others have already felt the effects in full force.1 Walla Walla Community College has made cuts amid funding crisis. Walla Walla Union-Bulletin says that WWCC, has found itself in a $2.7 million budget deficit this year. The cause of this unfortunate reality is the dropping number of students enrolling in their programs. WWCC will be cutting staff positions as well as making reductions in academic departments. However, amid staff, department, and budget cuts, one area is doing better than ever: collegiate marketing and recruitment professionals are in high demand as colleges compete for prospective students. While public and private universities prepare themselves for this drop in enrollment, WWU remains

optimistic. One of the ways the enrollment team at WWU has been preparing for the possibility of lower enrollment is by investing in their new customer relationship management software.

This software allows functionality between clients by collecting information that is tailored to the customer’s needs and interests. Congleton, is “confident that WWU and all of the departments that work with incoming students are doing everything they can to mitigate the expected downturns.”

The marketing and enrollment team has been tracking enrollment rates for the last 11 years in an attempt to be one step ahead.

Because of this preparation, thoughtful steps have been made throughout the years to improve marketing strategies. Cassie Ragenovich, WWU’s Director of Student Financial Services says, “WWU carefully studies enroll-

ment and financial aid trends and predictions. We attempt to make the necessary changes that will assure our sustainability in the years ahead.” These preliminary actions have allowed WWU to avoid taking any drastic measures. Neither staff nor students should feel too concerned about any negative changes being made due to enrollment issues.

friendliness of the campus, and the remote location that allows students to be creative in organizing activities that create a community on campus” which are significant factors in the success of WWU. He says we are “passionate about higher education, passionate about Christian education, and passionate about Walla Walla University Christian education.”

Despite these projections for the coming years, WWU has welcomed the largest freshman classes these last two years. The freshman class of 2018 had 405 students and were the largest since 1981. However, this year’s freshman class of 2019 is projected to be over 420 students, which will make it the largest freshman class since 1976. When asked what makes WWU different, Congleton says that the departments on campus have “ [an] internal willingness to work together, the

1 Hagar , S. (2019, September 4). WWCC makes cuts amid funding crisis. Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. Retrieved from https://bit. ly/324tGki

Percent Change from Previous Year, Enrollment by Sector

Graphic by Inside Higher Ed.

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What’s the Deal?

An in-depth Look Into Why Enrollment Has Been Dropping

By Andrews Ferreira Declining birth rates should not come as a surprise. In fact, this phenomenon has been well documented by a variety of sources, including the U.S. government.

In a report published in May of 2019, U.S. Department of Health

the American economy. People are more unsure than ever about the government’s economic situation. To be honest, they have good reason to be skeptical. The 2008 recession scared many— maybe, just maybe, the American economy wasn’t invincible.2 As it

Incoming freshman and returning students had an opportunity to mingle at the annual Dinner on the Green event. Burgers and sweet potato fries were served in front of Kellogg Hall on September 23. Photo from Sodexo.

and Human Services noted a decline in birth for the fourth consecutive year and the lowest birth rate since 1986 for the calendar year of 2018.1 By this point, it’s pretty clear that enrollment rates are dropping— after all, the government has seen the need to report it. But perhaps the real question is: “why are they dropping?” As it turns out, no one’s really sure why. However, there are a few theories to answer this question.

The first and most popular theory has to do with the present state of

stands, millennials simply don’t know where they stand financially. They believe, with good reason, that it is better to give their single child a better upbringing than having six and struggling to put food on the table. And with the decline of birth rates, it’s become quite clear that some would rather not have kids at all.

Yet another theory suggests that society simply doesn’t work the same way it did in the early to mid-1900s. Family farms are becoming a scarcity with the increasing competition from corpo-

rately owned farms. Families just don’t need a dozen kids to till the fields and milk the cows anymore.

Though it’s taken a while to get to this point, it’s certain that birth rates won’t be going up anytime soon—at least not according to a recent report from the United Nations. The report projected that the worldwide annual population growth will be less than 0.1 percent by 2100. Just to put that into perspective, the worldwide population growth between 1950 and present-day 2019 grew between 1 and 2 percent per year consistently.3 People just aren’t having kids anymore.

1 Products - Vital Statistics Rapid Release Special Reports. (2019, May 15). Retrieved from https://bit.ly/30WS7Pm 2 Stack, L. (2019, May 17). U.S. Birthrate Drops 4th Year in a Row, Possibly Echoing the Great Recession. Retrieved from https://nyti. ms/2JQKfs0 3 US Birth Rate Hits All-Time Low: What’s Behind the Decline? (2018, May 17). Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2rQtG6z 4 World population growth is projected to flatten in coming decades. (2019, June 17).

Retrieved from https://pewrsr.ch/30SrvPy

Photo from ASWWU.

Before you go blaming the Gen Z mentality for this “unsurety” (that’s actually a word—look it up), let’s take a hard look at the facts. For starters, the decline in birth rates came before Gen Z. Gen Z only includes people born from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s—the lowest birth rate before 2018 was in 1986.4 By now, it should be clear that this apparent and sudden decline in birthrates has been coming for a while. Thanks to Walla Walla University’s proactive response, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about for the future.

Students back on campus after summer break. Photo from ASWWU.

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News

Reaching for the Stars

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The Success Story of a Recent Graduate

By Andrews Ferreira In the end, Madie Youngberg’s tireless work ethic paid off, gaining her star status at Walla Walla’s very own SonBridge Community Center. The road leading up to this point, however, was full of swerves and potholes.

Youngberg’s story starts like many other hopeful freshmen who somehow find themselves at Walla Walla University. Graphic design appealed to a young Youngberg at the time. Time started to fly by and before she knew it, she was an upperclassman looking for an internship. While she didn’t

come by choice, her professor’s requirement to attend changed her life for the better.

In her quest for a graphic design internship, Youngberg stumbled upon an agency by the name of Crespo Creative.1 Her enthusiasm and passion for graphic design struck Andres Crespo, who quickly brought Youngberg onto his team. During the internship that followed, Youngberg hungrily gobbled up all she could about graphic design concepts and skills.

But it was Crespo’s expertise in

branding that really struck out to Youngberg. His impressive array of skills are shown through several of Walla Walla’s local brands, including the Walla Walla Roastery and 35th + Butter.2 Her connection with Andres Crespo led to another challenge for the still-young Youngberg, this time in the form of an internship at the Sustainable Living Center (SLC). At first glance, the internship looked like any other graphic design internship she could have applied for. However, Youngberg soon found herself working on web design, which was a side of design she had never dabbled in yet. The SLC website’s need for a redesign put the pressure on Youngberg, who rose to the challenge.

Youngberg was confident in her abilities, meaning that she was able to meet the SLC’s vision and objectives with ease. Long hours of research and extensive meetings with the SLC’s director, Erendira Cruz, gained Youngberg the respect of her superiors. To put it in Cruz’s own words, “Madie took the ball and ran with it.”

Youngberg’s final stop before her arrival at the SonBridge Community Center acted as a two-in-one opportunity. Bangla Hope, a US-based non-profit organization with the goal of helping children in Bangladesh with their educational needs, hired Youngberg on as an intern.3 Bangla Hope was eagerly looking for a rebrand of their company and with the timing of this internship (the summer before senior year), Youngberg saw a perfect opportunity to get ahead on her senior project. Youngberg’s unwavering work ethic and early experience with Crespo paid off, as she successfully rebranded Bangla Hope.

Youngberg’s quality finally came to light when she got her internship at the SonBridge Community Center. Her work ethic shined shone through in her extensive background research before working on projects, where she would find out what the organization she was branding did in the community, what services they provided, and the best way to distribute their identity on their website without overwhelming the user. Youngberg’s passion for service and hard work quickly combined to gain Youngberg a position as a graphic designer at SonBridge Community Center.

Her career path serves as a testimony to the difference that an excellent work ethic can make in one’s life. Youngberg’s story shows the power of combining passion with hard work. When these two elements combine, they are bound to bring about success, just as they did in Youngberg’s life. They too can make a difference in your life.

Youngberg says that “if you put the time in, you can go a long way.” Put in the time, passion, and work in and you too can reach the stars.

1 Crespo, A. (2016). Crespo Creative. Retrieved October 9, 2019, from http://bit.ly/326N3t6.

2 35th Butter. (2019). Retrieved October 9, 2019, from http://bit.ly/2ICn3y5.

3 Bangla Hope. (2019). Retrieved October 9, 2019, from http://bit.ly/2OAfifG.

The Walla Walla Roastery as well as Thirty Fifth + Butter were rebranded by Andres Crespo of Crespo Creative.

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News

Entr’acte

Marvelous Shows for the Drama Department Under New Leadership

By Annie Gibson Walla Walla University’s drama department is currently in a transitional stage. After working for 12 years as the director of the drama program, David Crawford has decided to step down for personal reasons. WWU faculty Jerry Entze and Kristen Taylor will be serving as co-interim directors of the drama program, while Nathan Pittenger will work alongside them as student producer.

As an academic advisor and jumpstart coordinator, Jerry Entze is a familiar name on campus. He has been involved with the drama program and their past productions, currently assisting the drama program by teaching the directing class.

Entze will be directing “Twelve Angry Jurors”, a production scheduled for the spring quarter.

The Director of Residential Life and Housing, Kristen Taylor, has had a passion for theater and the performing arts ever since she was enrolled as a student at this university. Channeling her love for theater and acting to others, Taylor has spent 15 summers at Camp Ida-Haven as the volunteer drama instructor and program coordinator. In the past, she has worked as a guest director for WWU’s Festival of Shorts. Along with her duties as one of the three leaders of the drama program, Taylor is also teaching Acting I this fall.

Nathan Pittenger has been involved in the drama department all four years of his enrollment as a student. Having completed his drama minor, Pittenger was recommended by Crawford to take on some of his own

responsibilities along with the help of Entze and Taylor. He now works as a producer and graphic designer for the department.

While the search continues for Crawford’s replacement, the drama department has some stellar productions lined up for this year. Starting in the fall, WWU Drama will present “Ada and the Engine,” written by contemporary American playwright, Lauren Gunderson, and guest directed by Ellicia

“The thing I enjoy the most about the drama department is that we are a community and a family.”

Elliott. This historical drama tells the story of Ada Lovelace, the daughter of the Romantic poet Lord Byron, and her collaboration with Charles Babbage on the first mechanical computer. “It’s a great show for our campus,” says Taylor, “because it has a nice cross section of several academic departments: a blend of coding and the arts to help bring alive a piece of history including poetry, zeros, and ones.” Performances will be on Nov. 9, 10, 14, 16, and 17 in the Black Box Theater.

Following the production of “Ada and the Engine,” directing students will be able to showcase their talents as they direct, produce, and act in the annual Festival of Shorts. This joyful mix of student-created short films and one-act plays will be produced throughout the winter quarter

and will premiere in early March.

Perhaps the biggest highlight for the department this school year is the centennial celebration of Village Hall, the oldest standing building on the WWU campus.

For the past 49 years, Village Hall has been a beloved venue for the drama department. A celebratory show to commemorate the building is in the works for Alumni Weekend in April.

Continuing with the show schedule for the year, the drama program plans to perform “12 Angry Jurors,” in the spring, a modern retelling of Reginald Rose’s play, “12 Angry Men.” It is believed that this play was the first production that the drama department performed on the Village Hall stage back in 1971.

Many of the students involved this year have reached out to me to share their excitement for the upcoming year. Vice president of the drama club, Dorea Bradley says, “The thing I enjoy the most about the drama department is that we are a community and a family.

It is the only group of people that makes me feel fully accepted and loved for who I am.

Everyone wants to see each other succeed.”

So how can the student body support W W U ’ s d r a m a

program? “By coming to our plays! They’re really fun to put on and I’ve been told they’re fun to watch as well…” says Jared Sexton, a STEM student and active drama participant. Pittenger says, “The student body can help out by voicing their support for our department and coming out to see our shows.” There are a lot of us who work hard all year to put on these productions and it is all for the entertainment of the students and community. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing all of our hard work come to fruition and to see the faces of all those who attend our events. We need their support more than ever in this weird transition period.”

The Drama program has a wonderful group of students full of passion for the performing arts.

I encourage everyone who is able to to come out and support this group of talent as they continue to put on top-quality performances this school year.

Pittenger (right) crossing blades with a co-star in WWU Drama’s swashbuckling production The Three Musketeers . Photo by wwudrama.

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Food

Looking Forward to Croquembouche When uninformed decisions potentially ruin a culinary masterpiece

By Joshua Beaudoin As we look forward to this upcoming school year, we’ll have a lot of decisions to make. One of those might be to make a glistening cream puff tower: a croquembouche. Just imagine biting into those gorgeous cream puffs—the sound of caramel cracking, the sight of whipped cream bursting from its crevasses, and the smell of freshly baked pastry. That sounds delicious to me. If you do add this wonderful dessert to your bucket list, make sure you read the recipe and directions so you can make informed future decisions.

Last school year when I got home for Thanksgiving break, my sister said, “Hey Josh, I’ve got this class fundraiser coming up in a couple days. Can you make something for it?” I love baking, so of course I said yes! After some thought, I settled on making a croquembouche (think crow-come-bush).

The day before the fundraiser I baked over 100 cream puff shells, made up a big batch of my super-secret cream puff filling, divided it into thirds, and flavored each third with either chocolate, vanilla, or lemon, before filling the shells. That night I froze them and the next day I stuck them together with a hard caramel. It was truly a beautiful sight. The croquembouche stood in a cone shape about two feet tall and was enveloped in delicate threads of spun caramel. At the auction that evening, it sold for $280 CAD ($210 USD)—more than any other dessert, and there were some pretty amazing looking cakes. After the auction, the woman who bought the croquembouche came over to me and asked if I thought it would

be alright if she put it in the freezer till Christmas, which was about one month away. I responded by saying, “Oh yeah. That should be perfectly fine.” Not so! I didn’t realize how bad my advice was until about a month later when I made a croquembouche for my family’s Christmas dinner and put it in the freezer for just one night, only to wake up Christmas morning to find that the caramel had started dissolving. The whole thing was a big mess. It was collapsing on itself, cream puffs were melting into each other, and there was an ever-growing pool of caramel syrup at the bottom of the serving platter. It was then that I remembered my croquembouche from the auction a month earlier and the poor woman who spent $210 on it. I had given her what I thought was sound advice at the time, but alas. My only consolation is hoping that she found it before it had completely collapsed.

RECIPIES For the Choux Pastry (Cream Puff Shell) Ingredients: • 1 cup water • 1/3 cup butter • 1 cup plain flour • 4 Eggs Directions: Put the water and butter into a pan and heat until the butter is melted. Add the

flour all at once and stir until the batter thickens and leaves the sides of the pan.

Continue to stir and heat for another minute until the dough forms a stiff ball.

Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Place dough into a piping bag and pipe dollops onto the baking tray.

Bake at 428°F for 20 minutes or until crisp.

Recipe credit: How to Cook That1

Filling (not my secret recipe) Ingredients: • 3 cups heavy cream (35 percent milk fat) • ¼ cup powdered sugar • ¾ cup cream cheese • Flavoring of your choosing (optional) Directions: With a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese in a bowl until smooth, then add

heavy cream and powdered sugar with the flavoring of your choice, and beat until you have medium-soft peaks (you should be able to invert the bowl without the mixture falling out, but be careful not to over-beat it or you’ll end up making butter). Fill the now cooled cream puff shells and set aside in the fridge.

Recipe credit: Josh Beaudoin

Caramel Ingredients: • 2 cups sugar • 1/3 cup light corn syrup • ¾ cup water Directions: In a medium saucepan, add the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook on medium-low heat, never stirring, but occa-

sionally swirling the pan. Once the caramel is a consistent light brown color, take it off the heat and use immediately. If you drop some caramel in cold water and it doesn’t harden (known as the cold-water test), keep cooking it. If the caramel smells burnt, throw it out and make a new one.1 Recipe credit: Josh Beaudoin

To assemble: Make a cone out of poster paper or card stock and duct tape it together.

This cone will be the size of the inside of the croquembouche. Cover the cone in parchment paper (very important). Take your cream puffs and dip the base in the hot caramel, making sure not to burn yourself. Starting at the bottom of the cone, stick your cream puffs together. Once it’s cooled, it’s ready to eat. You’ll need at least four hours to make this. Happy cooking home skillet!

1 Chocolate Eclair Recipe - HowToCookThat : Cakes, Dessert & Chocolate. (2018, February 2). Retrieved from http://bit.ly/2VkxkUT. The Golden Tower. Photo by Joshua Beaudoin.

S

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Fashion

Second Hand Solutions Thrift store finds and forward thinking in the sense of fashion

By Sophie Sherwin

Sophie Sherwin. Photo by Winston Warner.

Purchasing used clothing has been a controversial topic permeating many fashion circles for decades.

In recent years, we not only strive to find ourselves in our own personal expression but also in our efforts to become more sustainable and eco-friendly. As college students, we are at the forefront of this shift of thought. The very idea of second hand shopping has gone from an undesirable option, to a budget and environmental friendly solution. Whether or not you like to focus on what you wear, you are included in this dialogue.

ing your things from storage, you probably run into that age old problem: you’re tired of your clothes. When your favorite t-shirt doesn’t fit like it used to, those bold trendy sneakers you bought on a whim are in fact out of your comfort zone, and that comfy hoodie you love has probably become a little too loved, you know it’s probably time to make a change. Maybe your style has evolved or maybe you’ve made physical changes and it’s time to start anew. So what do you do? Don’t throw out your old clothes. Give them a new start by donating or selling them. This enables you to restructure your whole closet without wasting perfectly good garments. You’re not only consuming sustainably, you’re giving back.

may simply glaze over the impact the textile industry has had on our world. Designers and runway shows set the market on what sells, and fast fashion replicates what

Luviana McLean. Photo by Winston Warner.

thus creating their very own narrative. When we no longer look to purchase quick trends or cheaply made goods, we can add to the lifespan of our closets. Charity shopping lets you know where your money is going; there is no ethical dilemma at play when we thrift. It quickly becomes not just a hobby, but a lifestyle—one that looks forward with intentionality.

With that being said, I’d argue that there is a lot more to unpack when it comes to the clothes we wear and their impact on our lives.

gains popularity. This leaves us in a never ending cycle of unrest and unsustainability. The clothing and textile industry is the second largest polluter in the world.1 With the hefty production of textiles and the high demand for cheaper goods, negative effects have become widespread. As society becomes more aware of what we consume and how it affects us, the focus has begun to shift away from upcoming trends and has moved to hope for a better future.

Winston Warner. Photo by Sophie Sherwin..

Anelise DeLaVega and Jessica Pimentel.

Photo by Sophie Sherwin.

Photo by Sophie Sherwin..

As you head back into the new school year and begin unpack-

We often believe conversations surrounding fashion lack substance. They seem to only present subjective opinions and ever changing trends projected by big designers and brands. Distracted by what’s hot and what’s not, we

Photo by Sophie Sherwin..

Thrifting puts us back in control!

Real people donate their clothes and real people purchase them,

As college students, second hand shopping is easily one of the simplest and most cost effective ways to make a change. I know the thought of rummaging through someone else’s clothes can be uncomfortable and intimidating, but discovering a garment with a previous story and letting it live on brings us closer to our clothes and helps us truly express ourselves.

As we move into this school year, we can start to think about little ways we can make a difference. It can start with you and it can start in your closet too.

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News

How to Get Involved in Service Day Everyone is Invited!

By Abby Rodgers The Center for Humanitarian Engagement invites all Walla Walla University students, faculty, and staff to participate in the 27th annual Fall Service Day on Wednesday, Oct. 16, beginning at 8 a.m. at the Canaday Technology Center Bowl.

Students, faculty, and staff can go to wallawalla.edu/serviceday to sign up for a project. Projects are filling up fast, so sign up as soon as possible to get your first choice.

Help the College Place School District by spreading bark and getting the baseball field ready for students to play on.

Volunteer to help remodel and organize at Yeehaw Aloha, an organization dedicated to community wellbeing.

Photographers and videographers can sign up to take photos or video of the different service projects.

Spend time with and provide social events for residents of Brookdale Senior Living.

Help the theology department in their annual project of cleaning gravestones at Mount Hope Cemetery.

Be part of the Service Day task force team to help set up or clean up after Service Day.

Join Missions Club at Rancho Villa, a mobile home community, to help the residents with property maintenance.

Service Day is more than a day off from school. It gives students a chance to serve their local community. “Students will have a

Service Day provides over 30 different service projects to choose from. This year there are 14 service projects that have never been done before, according to David Lopez, executive director of the CHE. These include making apple pies for first responders, helping out at Blue Mountain Therapeutic Riding, using $100 to do acts of kindness for strangers, and picking apples to raise money for the WWU fund.

Art lovers can work alongside community members to clean and preserve a mural.

Students who love to do random acts of kindness will be given $100 to do purposeful acts of kindness in the community.

Help set up a new workspace for Hope Heals, an organization dedicated to helping families out of homelessness.

Before Service Day this year, the CHE met with each organization that WWU served last year. These organizations were enthusiastic about the work that had been done in previous years, and there was a lot of positive feedback. As a result, the CHE had new organizations asking for help this year. Many of them even asked if WWU students and faculty could come and help more than once a year.

Service Day is bigger than any one student or service project. It helps the students learn about the community, learn what kinds of service they like to participate in, and realize that they can have an impact in their own community.

There are so many opportunities to get involved and make a difference in.

Here are some of the service projects:

Those who like to work with their hands can help Fort Walla Walla and learn about leather working and preserving leather harnesses.

The first Fall Service Day was in 1992 in celebration of WWU’s 100th anniversary. Many of the community organizations that WWU supports on Service Day are part of a long standing tradition.

They depend on the students and faculty to help them every year, according to Lopez.

Fall Service Day 2018. Photo by Ronnie Anderson.

This will be a continuation of what was started during JumpStart week by the freshman class.

Join a resilience focus group to talk about ways to promote resilience in the Walla Walla community.

door open of opportunities they didn’t know existed,” Lopez says.

They will have the opportunity to make connections that will last throughout their college years, and have experiences that may even shift their interests or majors.

The CHE is involved in much more than Service Day. Lopez says they are committed to coaching and mentoring students throughout the year. They provide many service opportunities so that everyone can find ways to participate. Lopez and his team want to provide students with service opportunities throughout their college careers and prepare them for a lifetime of service after college.

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https://www.toolsforeducators.com/crossword/getCrossword.ph...

WWU Crossword

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1. “beauuuuuuuuty in expression, genorrrrrrrrrosity in service”

3. $100,000 students can propose projects for (4 wds)

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6. WWU yearbook (2 wds)

4. WWU’s Bae

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5. Provides study fuel, holds up the Earth

7. 20% off Goodwill when you eat here (PS they’ve got PANCAKES) (2 wds) 8. The newspaper you are reading

9. ASWWU’s Bae

11. Walla Walla’s Facebook (2 wds)

10. Clothing on a budget

13. Skipping classes for a cause (2 wds)

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11. The number of guest meal passes per quarter on a Sodexo meal plan

14. The Fighting Onion’s mortal enemy

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the SWEET ONION With all of the “fake news” out there, it can be hard to tell the real from the bologna. How good are you at distinguishing the facts from the fiction? One of the three headlines below is a fake. Can you guess which one?

This Week’s Headlines: Find the fake! Look for the answer in next week’s issue.

“California Crooks Steal Duffel Bag Full of Snakes” “Tourist Loses Rain Boot in Geysir, Sues National Park.”

“British Authorities Scramble To Find Stolen Solid Gold Toilet.”

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Fiatalito

Creative Writing

The Rejuvenating Bird

By Tamera Brown

Amen.

An ongoing fantasy adventure inspired by old Hungarian folklore.

The King took a deep breath. A tingling sensation shot from his fingertips up though his spine.

The wrinkles on his hands faded.

There once was a King who was very tired and very lonely.

His Queen had passed away suddenly, and he had never felt such loss. She was a benevolent ruler, a loving mother, and— most of all— his closest confidant. His three sons tried comforting him, but they could not. He was too stubborn to feel better. His advisor’s wise words could not snap him out of it.

Even the warm, soft dumplings his chef prepared could not cushion the blow.

Years went by, and he couldn’t remove himself from the pain. Finally, in a dusty chapel, he decided to take his burden to God. He tiptoed towards the prayer room and crashed onto the floor, breathing heavy sobs. His body shook as he cried out, begging God to ease his aching heart.

He looked towards the heavens and there, perched on top of the steeple, was a glorious bird the color of a sunrise. The bird shone in the daylight, and when his sons arrived, the King ordered them to go catch this blessing the Lord had sent.

The eldest offered his services first, and began climbing the church.

He shimmied up the steeple and, as his fingertips were about to grasp the shimmering feathers, the church bell rang. The ring shook the prince’s grip. He fell down onto the roof and landed hard. The blessed bird was frightened and took off, soaring into a nearby forest.

The pain in his bones vanished.

His graying hair richened to the color of a raven’s feather. Best of all, he felt no sting of sadness. He sprang up gaily and sprinted outside, calling to his sons on the way.

The King began shriveling back into his ball of sadness, weariness, and pain. Cursing, he commanded his sons to go out at once to catch it. His sons began to run towards the stables to grab their horses, but the King grabbed the youngest one by the shoulder before he could leave.

way. It was all the King had left of her. And so, the two elder princes journeyed deep into the surrounding forests in search of this blessing, this legendary bird of life. This bird named by the whisper of the King’s lips—Fiatalító.1

Verbatim “Anybody here like visiting cemeteries?”

–Curt Nelson

Email collegian@ wallawalla.edu to be featured in next week’s Verbatim!

The youngest prince, the Queen’s favorite, could not be put in harm’s

Missed Connections at WWU Visit rebrand.ly/ wwuconnections to submit your missed connections!

I saw you scurrying to class dressed like it was your first day on the job and you reminded me of myself four long years ago. If you want to learn from my multitude of mistakes, come find me.

– Signed, Every Senior

You spent $200 on me in an afternoon and haven’t looked at me since. Am I not worth it anymore?

– Signed, Deeply Concerned Textbook

I’ve noticed that you’ve been taking the long way to class. Are you avoiding us?

– The Ginkgo Trees