BC Collegian_Friday, October 8, 2021_Vol. 110_Issue 3 by Bethel College

THE

COLLEGIAN Friday, October 8, 2021 | Volume 110, Issue 3 | North Newton, KS

Haley Robinette, senior from Bloomfield, Ohio, Matthew Hernandez, senior from Wichita, and Edel Miller, junior from Goessel, sit at the social work booth at Fall Fest to accept donations and hand out stickers, rocks and hot chocolate. Photo by Lindsey Pfannenstiel

Reserved parking causes uproar

Editorial: Let’s have a Convo-sation

Faculty and staff with their furry friends

Tennis teams take KCAC championships

Guide to the fungus among us

2 NEWS

Parking spot reservations inflame parking situation LOGAN DEMOND Staff Writer

For a small, residential campus where everything is within walking distance, there is a lot of uproar about parking. When it comes to parking spaces on campus, students continually face frustration. Whether it’s the residence halls or the parking lot just west of the Fine Arts Center, finding a decent parking spot can be as easy as finding Herman Bubbert on campus. The uproar in parking frustrations comes as a result of the Admissions Department claiming three prime spots outside of the Caf last month. Following their move to the Administration Building from Leisy House, Admissions has taken no time in making changes to campus, parking just one of these changes. “These parking spaces are reserved for prospective students and their families on their visit day. It is common on most campuses to have reserved spots for prospective students, it provides a personal and convenient welcome to perspectives,” Missy Green, the admissions’ visit coordinator, said. These parking spots are not the first to be claimed by those not paying tuition, however. Certain spots already belong to Thresher Shop and Aladdin employees, as well as electric vehicles. Due to the increase in enrollment, the situation only continues to intensify.

Outside of Haury Hall, this recordbreaking class of freshmen is forced to invade the parking lot belonging to Warkentin Court residents as the Bethel College Mennonite Church has not only blocked off a row of spots, but continually requests that no cars utilize their spaces. As mod residents are facing a parking crisis of their own, they are left with minimal parking due to the invasion of Haury Hall residents in the side lot created for overflow parking. Over at Voth Hall, paying residents are forced to find new places to park, due in large part to the interference of softball game attendance. As the new softball facility prepares to host its second season of action, it is hard to ignore the fact that an empty lot just north of the field lies vacant, an ideal location for a new lot. With these inconveniences to paying residents in mind, students are beginning to question what the plan is to accommodate the influx of cars as more students move to campus. Considering that the college requires approval to live off-campus and has not publicly stated whether or not this sanction will be lifted as the population outgrows residential capacity, parking will need to be addressed. “Good spots are hard to come by, and it’s a lucky day when you get to park close to the dorm you live in,” Hailey Hill, senior from Sedgwick, said. While the argument has been made that students should simply walk from their residence hall to class, the lack of

initial spaces deems that thought null and void. As the school continues to grow in population and require students to live on-campus, the parking predicament is just the first of many issues to come. Furthermore, as the Admissions

Department seeks to invest in future students, thought must be given to the students already in attendance.

A visitor’s car takes up one of the five reserved spots for campus tours. Photo by Allison Weaver

SGA met on Sunday, October 3 in the Chapel. During their meeting, the Senate of the Student Government voted on several items: - Appointing Zachary Kennell as Chief of Staff - Confirming Brianna Reeves and Alexiou Munnings as Co-Secretaries of Student Activities Counsel - Confirming Linda Moyo as Secretary for Diversity Affairs - Confirming Stephany Meyer as Secretary of Public Relations - Appointing Logan Demond to Junior Senator - Appointing Jared Ofster to Junior Senator - Submission of the Spikeball and Ultimate Clubs If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas regarding anything you think SGA should address, please feel free to reach out to any SGA member or send comments through the email or website.

WEBSITE: https://bethelsga.com

EMAIL: sga@bethelks.edu

Vandalism in Haury Hall is dangerous, stressful

BRIANNA POWELL JOSUE COY DICK Staff Writers

This year, Haury Hall has experienced numerous cases of vandalism, catching the attention of several concerned students, staff and faculty. Several instances include a broken door on a new washing machine, a broken exit sign and cooking oil being spilled deliberately on the steps. The Coordinator for Residence Life, Larry Rice is at the forefront of dealing with these instances of vandalism. He had much to say about the issues happening in Haury. “I am mostly just disappointed when

I see damage done, particularly when it creates a less safe environment or causes the quality of the experience in the hall to decline for that residential community,” Rice said. The point could be made that this year has been one of the worst when it comes to the amount of vandalism happening in the Haury dorms, in conjunction with several online trends pushing vandalism on platforms such as Tiktok. However, at Bethel, things seem to be progressing at a normal rate. “I don’t know that we’ve had more issues with damage this year than any other year,” Rice said. The incidents that have occurred this

year have been costly and have created a huge strain on the people that keep Haury running. Rice is primarily concerned with how these actions last due to shortages and maintenance staff restrictions. “My greatest concern is always the safety of the residents in the hall. One aspect that students may not be aware of is that pieces for different equipment can be really difficult to acquire to repair damages due to the shipping crisis and greater challenges of supply - one of the global ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Rice said. Since these incidents have started to be addressed by Haury Hall’s CAs, Rice said, “People in the community will need

NEWS 3

to help provide accountability if damage is done. This has started to occur which has been helpful.” Bethel College as a whole takes pride in the cleanliness of its campus. But with students being unable to adhere to the rules that have been set in place, it becomes hard to keep things functioning properly. Common courtesy is a huge aspect in keeping the campus safe. “Mostly, I just want to encourage students to take care of their community and their living area to promote a safer and better living experience for their peers,” said Rice.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage month with the BC DivCo JOSUE COY DICK Staff Writer

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is a complex and difficult task, in part because it attempts to celebrate the heritage of people who have come to the United States from over twenty different countries on two and a half continents in one month. To put that into perspective, it would be like celebrating all of European Heritage in one month. It’s quite a challenge. Traditionally, the term “Hispanic” refers to the people and cultures of the world’s 21 primarily Spanish speaking countries, including Mexico, most of Central and South America and Spain. To add to the confusion, many people who could fall into the “Hispanic” category prefer to identify as Latin American, or Latinx, a term that includes all people and cultures of Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. From a Latinx perspective, Hispanic Heritage should really celebrate the people from 33 countries in the region, who, according to the World Bank, speak over 500 languages and claim a broad variety of ethnic identities, including 25% who identify as Afro-Latinx, 8% as Indigenous, and 25% as white. According to Alejandra Martinez, junior from Newton, it is important

to affirm the breadth and depth of the diversity covered by the “Hispanic” and “Latinx” umbrellas. “[W]hen people think of Hispanic or Latinx, they often don’t do a good job of being inclusive and speaking for the people they are trying to categorize, including Indigenous people and AfroLatinx people, who are often overlooked,” Martinez said. On campus, the Bethel College Diversity Council (DivCo), organizes many activities throughout the year that celebrate different cultures, including Hispanic Heritage Month. “The most important thing we try to do is host different types of events and educate people on the different cultures... that [don’t] usually get represented in any major fashion on campus,” Sam Wilson, senior from North Newton, from the Diversity Council, said. This year DivCo has planned a variety of activities to bring attention to a few unique and fun aspects of different Hispanic cultures, including a bonfire that offers a taste of the varied musical styles shared throughout the Spanish-speaking world and a Fiesta, which celebrates primarily Mexican and Mexican American traditions. DivCo is an evolving and adaptive organization, and Wilson hopes DivCo can continue to incorporate new ways to make Bethel more inclusive, including

moving beyond what some might perceive as “token” cultural events to help Bethel become a more inter-culturally competent community. “For trying to move forward, cultural competence is the first [step]...because I know this is a very white space, and it’s been that way for a very long time,” Wilson said. “Since Bethel has become more

diverse in recent years, there needs to be a couple steps taken on learning how we interact with [diverse] people,” Wilson said. While celebrating Hispanic Heritage month is a good start, Wilson hopes that DivCo can continue to assist the college in growing into its diversity at ever deeper levels, so that Bethel can become a better space for everyone on campus.

A mariachi band, hired by the Diversity Council as a campus surprise, played for the community after Convocation. Photo provided by Allison Weaver

4 EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL Let’s have a Convo-sation Convocation is one of the unique ways Bethel prepares students for a life in today’s world. In the words of the Bethel website, its purpose is to “connect faith and learning to view questions and dilemmas from multiple perspectives,” gather the community to learn together and teach students how to “engage in intellectual and faithful reflection as you ask speakers to elaborate on items that pique your interest.” It is critical to the development of a student’s learning at a liberal arts college, and one that I believe is a wonderful bonus of the Bethel experience. But more importantly, I believe that Convo isn’t some dusty, dry tradition; rather, it is startlingly applicable to our world today. Our lives in 2021 are hostile. Now, more than ever before, with the aid of the ALLISON WEAVER internet, people can get caught in deep News Editor rabbit holes. Based on a few seemingly innocent clicks, cookies and searches, As the pandemic waxes and wanes, users produce a large digital footprint. and Bethel figures out ways to mitigate Advertisers and the all-mightyrisks, the college is able to be more open algorithms trap individuals deep into and free than it has been highly specific for a year and a half. feeds that tell users However, traces of exactly what they COVID-19 protocol want to see and still linger. Among other hear. It benefits things, Convocation them, keeping users “I believe Convo isn’t has still not returned to some dusty, dry tradition; on the site as long its original format and as they are seeing rather, it is startlingly esteem in the Krehbiel things tailored to applicable to our world Auditorium. Instead, their desires, but it is held in the largely does us a terrible today.” impersonal Memorial disservice. Hall. When we are Because of trapped in these this, and the online algorithmic chains, format Convo took we are held in such last year, there’s an entire generation of a narrow range of opinions from such a underclassmen that doesn’t really know small number of users. what Convo is for, or why we as a student It works to pit us against one another, body participate in it. to close off our minds, and to demonize

anything that is different from our own perspectives,” as per the Bethel website. reality. Convo’s lessons can help us break There is no possibility of ‘cross- through the chains of media enforced contamination’ online; we as users are party lines, and see each other for what effectively segregated by any number we are: humans. of things. Political party, demographic, That’s why it is so difficult to see hobby interests. Whatever it is we are the way current students approach sorted by, it is specifically curated to keep Convocation. Students have, as of late, us from learning or done an absolutely changing. atrocious job of being Social media works mature, attentive to keep us stuck in one “Convo’s lessons can audience members. place with algorithms help us break through Instead, they are and cancel culture; it constantly on their the chains of media has people terrified phones, having full enforced party line, of inconsistency, volume conversations of growing in our and see other for what and blatantly not opinions. paying attention. we are: humans.” To quote Ralph I am absolutely Waldo Emerson, “A ashamed to be counted foolish consistency is as a Bethel student the hobgoblin of little with the utter and minds, adored by the statesmen and abject disrespect to Convocation speakers philosophers and divines.” recently. I’m all for some forms of comfort, Convo speakers aren’t there to speak like mugs of coffee and fuzzy socks. But to a room of toddlers; they’re there to I think myself, and others, forget that open a dialogue with students, to help discomfort causes us to grow. I’m sure the them understand new areas and to open idea of growth is nothing new to anybody student’s minds to a new way of thinking. reading this article, but it’s far too easy to They deserve our utmost attention and get attached to being comfortable all the respect. time. Fellow Threshers, I come to you It’s nice to have things tailored to us as a student like you, who (yes), doesn’t all the time. But that’s how we get stuck always want to sit down and listen and in routines, in algorithms, in opinions. pay attention. I implore you to understand That’s the worst thing for us as human what an important, impactful experience beings, and it limits us so greatly in our Convo can be, and how it can help you relational skills. Luckily, Convo is here to “discover who you are, what you stand for save the day. and how you will make a difference” in By exposing students to different these small lives we lead. ideas, people, and practices, Convo gives us the chance to develop one of the most important skills in life. Empathising Allison Weaver is a junior communication arts with others, allowing us to walk a mile and English double major. She is also the News in their metaphorical shoes allows us to Editor for the Bethel Collegian. “see things not just for what they are, but for what they might be – and gain new

THRESHPECTIVE 5

THRESPECTIVES Should quiet hours continue to exist on campus? Unenforceable policies should not exist The quiet hours problem is something of a paradox. It was introduced because the student body ARRAN KEARNEY thought it would Staff Writer be a good idea, and yet at the same time the student body believes that breaking the policy, when it so desires, is also a good idea. The ineffectiveness of the policy is caused by the conflict between what students ostensibly ‘want’ and what they actually do in practice. They ‘want’ to have a time in which they can study, or indeed sleep – but life does tend to take over. Those quiet hours where students imagine they will be occupying their time productively are actually, more often than not, given over to less productive, and invariably loud, pursuits. These activities are wide and varied, and can be partaken in by one or multiple persons. Individuals, for example, can sometimes be heard screaming for no discernible reason; maybe from anguish, but then again, maybe from elation. Who knows what motivates such people – all that we know is that they are loud, and sometimes astonishingly so. Yet the business of noise making is not merely the preserve of solitary actors. Parties, or indeed small riots, are enjoyed by many on campus, and particularly in the Warkentin and Haury Halls. There is nothing wrong with this per se, save perhaps the revelers taste in music. There is only that troublesome quiet hours policy, which is breached so often and with such impunity that it might as well not exist at all, since it clearly holds

as much weight as a cross country runner during a gym workout. There is no point in singling out those whom we know are most responsible for these breaches. We know who is culpable and, most importantly, they know it as well. It is a simple fact that, to put it bluntly, they really couldn’t care less. This is why one must speak of the student body as a whole on this matter; because quiet hours can only be enforced through the commitment of all the students, and if all the students are not willing to commit to that (both in practice as well as in theory) then the policy shouldn’t exist at all. It is not for the college to enforce the policy. Quiet hours exist for the benefit of the students, and if the students don’t believe that they are benefiting from the policy, then why should the administration have to enforce it? It doesn’t make the slightest difference to them as to whether or not the students are making good decisions around their sleep and study schedules. The students are all adults, and are capable of judging what is in their interests. If they can’t bring themselves to agree that quiet hours are a thing that ought to be practiced - not because the college says so but because they are beneficial to the student body - then so be it. Rules can very easily be broken, and other college rules are broken all the time by students (especially at parties). If we can’t see the benefits of quiet hours then we should drop the pretense that is currently being maintained, and do away with them altogether. Arran Kearney is a sophomore history major. He is also a staff writer for the Bethel Collegian.

Quiet hours are a joke on campus Over my twoand-a-half years at Bethel, I’ve spent two of those years in Haury Hall - one of those as a Community LOGAN DEMOND Assistant - and Staff Writer nearly a semester in Warkentin Court. From what I’ve gathered, nobody cares about quiet hours. For quiet hours to work, it’s up to Community Assistants to enforce them. While it is tough to stand up to fellow students, and potentially sit next to them in class the next day, it’s what the school offers them a free room and $80 plus a month for. Commanding respect can be difficult, but if Community Assistants treat their residents as equals rather than inferiors, the job is made much simpler. It is important to remember at the same time, however, that this is college. Get togethers are going to happen. Music will be played. Students will be up late talking with friends in the halls. This is the one time in our lives when we’re surrounded by all of our friends, and our last chance to have fun free from a significant amount of responsibility. Have that party, celebrate when you can, but do it respectfully. If you know a choir student lives next door and has a concert the next day, keep it down. And the same goes for all groups on campus. Read the room. But on the same ticket, understand some weekends give reason to celebrate. Conference Championships and Christmas Gala are prime examples of weekends when you know you the Mods

will be hopping. If you really do have a problem, contact your Community Assistant, put the burden of their job on them. If they can’t get the job done, it’s time to contact Larry Rice. My faith, however, lies in their ability to get the situation under control in hopes they respect us the way they want to be respected. So, should the school enforce quiet hours? My belief is that the school already does on a need-to basis. If nobody has a problem with the noise, or they are simply failing to report it, does that responsibility not fall on them? And if the Community Assistants know a situation is out-of-hand but refuse to confront it, does the blame not fall on them? Quiet hours are a joke because we are grown. By eighteen years old, we know what is decent and what is not it’s whether or not we choose to abide by that code of conduct that makes the difference. Slapping hours on a poster and hanging them in residence halls does not get the job done, just like forcing Community Assistants without the support of their supervisors doesn’t either. Quiet hours are a respect issue between students. Show respect to earn that respect in return. By showing respect to others who might need you to turn that music down, and by showing respect to those just trying to kick back on a Saturday night, you’re doing all that you can. If that doesn’t work, then take it to the next level. Logan DeMond is a communication arts and history and political science double major. He is also a staff writer for the Bethel Collegian.

6 COMMUNITY

Word on the Street What are students doing for the upcoming fall break? How do they feel about having a fall break after not having one last year? SENIOR

Kayla Newman

“This fall break, I’m going on a retreat with the rest of the women’s basketball team. Not having one last year definitely made it harder to not get mentally exhausted before Thanksgiving break. Thanks to COVID, in the past there have been restrictions on players traveling during any break. We won’t be able to go home this year, but at least we’ll still get a break from classes.”

SENIOR

Thomas Kucera

SENIOR

Sam Wilson

“This fall break, I will look to take a trip somewhere over the weekend most likely. It’s definitely nice having fall break back after not having it because it’s easier to enjoy a break when it’s all at the same time.”

SOPHOMORE

Aubry Grame

“I am super excited for fall break! It is allowing me to take a few visits to law schools.”

“I’m going to my family farm to fish, bake cookies with my grandma, do puzzles, go hot tubbing and maybe make a fire. I don’t really know any different for not having a fall break last year so I’m excited for this one.”

Letters to the Editor The Bethel Collegian will accept letters of up to 250 words. The editor reserves the right to reject or edit letters for purposes of clarity, good taste and accuracy and to prevent libel. Letters attacking a private individual will not be permitted. Anonymous letters also will not be accepted. Letters must include a signature, address and phone number.

EMAIL: collegian@bethelks.edu

THE

COLLEGIAN

The Bethel College Collegian is a student-run newspaper published bi-weekly during the fall and spring semesters. The Collegian is funded by advertisement revenue and student fees. The Collegian will be digitally available to Bethel faculty, staff, students and community members for the 2020-2021 academic year. Feedback may be sent to:

collegian@bethelks.edu The Collegian, Bethel College, North Newton, KS, 67117

STAFF

BETHANY POWLS

ALLISON WEAVER

NATHAN GARBER

CHRISTINE CROUSE-DICK

LIZ ALDERFER

CHARLOTTE EHRMANN

KYLE BELVIN

JULIANNA SCHRAG

MIKI HARKINS

CAPRI STEVENSON-BISOM

SCHYLER ENTZ

EMILY BRANDT

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

FACULTY ADVISER

BUSINESS MANAGER

DESIGN/LAYOUT EDITOR

NEWS EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

FEATURES EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR COPY EDITOR

WEB/SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR PHOTO EDITOR

FEATURES 7

Local AAUW looks to increase student involvement CHARLOTTE EHRMANN Staff Writer

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) was founded in 1881 as a way for women across the United States to work together toward equity. As someone who has been fairly involved in the feminist movement across campus, I was extremely surprised to have never heard of the organization. Jennifer Chappell Deckert, associate professor of social work, is one of the women involved in the organization. Deckert has known about AAUW for most of her life. “My grandma, Fannie Ladyman Chappell, was a very proud member of the American Association of University Women. I think her participation in this group, as a Western Michigan University theatre graduate, helped me to know about it at an early age, as she would share little details about their work in the community,” Deckert said. Even though she has been informed about the organization for years, Deckert did not become a member until later in life. “When I completed my PhD from the University of Kansas in 2019, I was looking for ways to network with other feminists in the community in order to get a good sense of what kind of grassroots activism was happening locally. I have been a regular member since that time and I am currently the Chair of the Membership Committee,” Deckert said. So what exactly is the AAUW? If you were to take a quick look at their website, you would be immediately greeted by their mission statement, generally striving for a vision of gender equity. Equity is different from equality, and it is important to understand the differences between the two. Equality is simply providing everyone equal commodities, while equity is providing people with what they need in order to succeed. An easy way to think about the difference is to imagine a tall fence and several people of differing heights looking over. Equality would mean giving everyone the same-sized box to stand

on. Equity, however, would mean giving everyone the appropriately sized boxes for maximum viewing potential. The difference between equity and equality is important to highlight, and the AAUW does a good job of explaining how they are fighting for equity with women’s rights on their website. When speaking with Deckert, she highlighted that she has been trying to get Bethel more involved with AAUW recently. When I reached out to her, she explained that she has been exploring opportunities to increase their presence on Bethel’s campus. Deckert highly encouraged any student interested in the organization to do their own research and maybe join the AAUW. “I do recommend that Bethel Students get involved with AAUW, and I would be happy to explore this possibility with anyone who is interested. This

inspiring group of women (currently with an average age of 70) holds a tremendous wealth of knowledge, perspective and passion for feminist issues and social justice. I have learned so much from them and continue to be motivated by their work,” Deckert said. If this organization sounds too good to be true, do not be swayed. The only slight downside is the membership fee. “There is a membership fee ($32 for students) but you can come to a meeting without joining immediately, and if that membership fee is stopping you, there are scholarships available,” Deckert said. If you want to be involved in any events, there are several coming up in the next couple of months. On Monday, October 11, at 7:00 p.m., Marjean Harris will present a program entitled The Spic and Span Club: A History of Home Extension Units and Race.

On Monday, November 8, at 7:00 p.m., Donna Becker will present on diversity, equity and inclusion and what that personally means to Becker. Both of these meetings will take place over Zoom calls. Finally, to round out the semester, there will be a meeting on Saturday, December 11, at 10:30 a.m. This meeting will feature a discussion on the November meetings topic. There will also be a light brunch and coffee and tea for attendees to enjoy. The meeting will take place at Liz Rempel’s house here in Newton. If you or anyone you know is interested in joining the AAUW, be sure to reach out to Jennifer Chappell Deckert and inquire about how to become more involved with the organization and its happenings.

AAUW gather for a September meeting in North Newton featuring special guest, Ally Weaver. Photo provided by Jennifer Chapell Deckert

THE BETHEL COLLEGE COLLEGIAN

8 FEATURES

Faculty, staff and their furry friends are the perfect antidote for a ruff day MIKI HARKINS Staff Writer

It’s common to run into a friend or a familiar face when out and about on campus. This is part of what makes Bethel so special. Often these encounters generate contagious smiles; especially if they involve four-legged friends! Faculty are occasionally seen on campus alongside their furry friends, whether on walks around the Green, in a residence building or even in the classroom! As a resident on campus,

Coordinator of Residence Life and Student Life Operations, Chywonna Gonzalez, is frequently seen with her dog, Tips. “My kids walk her around campus, but she can be seen mostly by Voth or leaving for the parking lot. I take her off campus for most of her daily exercise,” Gonzalez said. Tips is a German shepherd/blue heeler mix and a Halloween pup! She will be turning four years old this Halloween. Tips got her name because she had white fur on her feet and the tip of her tail as a puppy.

Chywonna Gonzalez’s dog, Tips, relaxes on the lawn. Photo courtesy of Chywonna Gonzalez

“She is smart, friendly and runs very fast. Tips believes that everyone is excited to see her, but sometimes she can escape and find her way to get some attention from students,” Gonzalez said. Another dog on campus is Olive, a friendly labrador whose owner is Doug Siemens, associate professor of education and director of elementary education. “She’s five and still acts like a puppy. She comes from Black Kettle Retrievers near Halstead. Amy Ross is the breeder and does a great job of ethically and humanely breeding high quality retrievers

for hunting. Sometimes things happen though, and Olive came from an ‘oops batch’ where they weren’t sure who the father was, so she could not be sold as a registered lab with papers,” Siemens said. Olive is said to be a big supporter of Bethel athletics! She especially enjoys the tennis and cross country teams. “She is a huge fan of Bethel Tennis, although she lacks an opposable thumb and has never played. About once a month she loves to go on walks along the Sand Creek side of the tennis courts and find tennis balls. Last Sunday she found 23 lost

Larry Rice’s pup, Bailey, models for her portrait. Photo courtesy of Larry Rice

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2021 tennis balls, which is very exciting for her,” Siemens said. Students often request to see Olive more frequently, especially when filling out class evaluations. “She loves to come and say hi to all of the students. She really likes the carpeted floor in the Will Academic Center because she can get excellent traction and show off her extreme zoomies speed,” Siemens said. For those who are more involved in the sciences, Einstein is a friendly face sometimes sighted in KSC. Nicknamed Einsteinium the Barbarian, Einstein is a 13.5-year-old lab and he is a momma’s boy! If he isn’t on Professor of Chemistry and Physics Katy Layman’s lap, then he is at her feet wishing he was in her lap! Despite his age, Einstein enjoys activities such as swimming, hiking, agility, tugging, retrieving his ball and even playing hide and seek with his toys. “He is a picky eater for a labrador; he does not like French fries, but sometimes will eat them so his brothers and sister don’t get more,” Layman said. Layman believes that bringing Einstein to class helps relieve homesickness for those that miss their dogs. “Pets can also be a stress reliever, so one of my favorite times to bring my dogs is when there is an exam scheduled to help students reduce their test anxiety,” Layman said. Another canine spotted on campus is Coordinator of Residence Life, Larry Rice’s pup, Bailey. Bailey is a six-year-old rescue from California. “One of my RAs actually said that he had worked with this fostering organization before, where different puppies and dogs and cats would stay with different foster families, so he connected me with that organization,” Rice said. Bailey is fun and friendly, but she’s not always very social. “Most of the students are excited to see her and they try to get her to come, but of course, she’s pretty independent, so sometimes she’ll go up and make friends and other times she’ll be like ‘ehh nah’. She definitely gets along better with women than with guys. Guys have to work a lot harder to make friends with Bailey,” Rice said. When Bailey isn’t interacting with students, she really enjoys running around, chasing grasshoppers and cicadas outside.

FEATURES 9 “When the cicadas were out earlier, she would literally just go and munch on them. She loved them. She would eat like three or four of them on every walk. She would just catch [one], and it was kind of like she had Pop Rocks candy...she would literally just carry it in her mouth and let it just buzz there for a while and then she would finally chomp down and eat it,” Rice said. These furry friends on campus bring smiles to many faces, and Siemens points out one reason he believes people may benefit from having dogs around. “Dogs, especially labradors, show us what unconditional love looks like. We all need love and good role models. Remember it’s never too late to be the person your dog believes you to be!” Siemens said.

Doug Siemens poses for a picture in his office with his cuddly canine, Olive. Photo by Miki Harkins

Katy Lehman pauses office work to pose for a picture while dog, Einstein, rests on her lap. Photo by Miki Harkins

Larry and Bailey take a snowy selfie. Photo courtesy of Larry Rice

THE BETHEL COLLEGE COLLEGIAN

8 FEATURES

Faculty, staff and their furry friends are the perfect antidote for a ruff day MIKI HARKINS Staff Writer

Chywonna Gonzalez’s dog, Tips, relaxes on the lawn. Photo courtesy of Chywonna Gonzalez

Larry Rice’s pup, Bailey, models for her portrait. Photo courtesy of Larry Rice

Doug Siemens poses for a picture in his office with his cuddly canine, Olive. Photo by Miki Harkins

Katy Lehman pauses office work to pose for a picture while dog, Einstein, rests on her lap. Photo by Miki Harkins

Larry and Bailey take a snowy selfie. Photo courtesy of Larry Rice

10 SPORTS

Tennis Teams take Fall KCAC Championships

The men’s tennis team experienced much success during the KCAC Fall Individual Championships. Photo courtesy of the Athletic Department JENNA MAHONEY Staff Writer

During the weekend of September 17-18, both the women’s and men’s tennis teams competed in the KCAC Fall Individual Championships. Coming out of the tournament, the men’s side came out with the number two singles first place title won by Milan Bucek, sophomore from Pelhrimov, Czech Republic, the number four singles second place medal won by Tomas Quercia, sophomore from Buenos Aires, Argentina, the number five singles third place medal won by Joaquin Pluis, sophomore from

Buenos Aires, Argentina, as well as the number one doubles first place title won by Michael Cech, sophomore from Modlany, Czech Republic, and Bucek. On top of the men’s high performances, the women’s team also had four out of six of their girls compete in semi-final matches, all four of the girls being freshmen. “I felt a lot of pressure going into this tournament, because I had won it last year, and I knew I was supposed to win the tournament. I had a bad first set in the championship match but came back in the third set to win it,” Bucek said. Bucek is a sophomore

MEN’S SOCCER OCT. 9 . . . . . 7:30 PM . . . . . HOME

from the Czech Republic and won the number two singles championship. “I always expect myself to win, no matter who my opponent is. I desired to win the tournament again, and after each match I was getting closer to the finals, match points and eventually winning the whole tournament,” Bucek said. Another important factor in the KCAC weekend is doubles. “It felt amazing to win the championship with Milan. We competed on the highest level in each match and overcame some hard situations but we still made it! In the final we played the number one team from McPherson which made the win taste even sweeter,” Cech said. Cech and Bucek came out of the weekend winning the KCAC number one doubles title. “Michael and I had only played twice together before as a doubles team but from the beginning we knew we were a good couple. I think it is because we are both from the Czech Republic and communicating to each other is much easier because of that,” Bucek said. This specific tournament was broken up into six different brackets for singles and three different brackets for doubles. These brackets are based off of the lineup spots, ranging from #1 singles to #6 singles and

Members of the men’s tennis team pose with their awards next to the Bethel tennis courts. Photo courtesy of the Athletic Department

number one doubles to number three doubles. Quercia played at the number four spot and also took a trip to the championship match. “I was so nervous at the beginning of the final. I started down 0-5, and coach told me to give my opponent pressure to close the set. The first set ended up 3-6. I knew I had to start the second set strong. I was playing my best tennis and put myself up 4-1. Then I was nervous to close the set and I ended up losing the second set 6-7 with a

UPCOMING EVENTS

lot of disappointment in myself because of the chances I didn’t take advantage of,” Quercia said. One other Thresher made it to a third place match to end the day well and that was Pluis. “[During my third place match] I was thinking about going point by point and letting the result be a consequence of doing what I had to do. I was just trying to analyze my opponent’s game to find the best strategy to win, and I came out on top,” Pluis said.

WOMEN’S SOCCER OCT. 9 . . . . . 5:00 PM . . . . . . HOME

vs SOUTHWESTERN

VOLLEYBALL

FOOTBALL

OCT. 13 . . . . 7:30 PM . . . . . HOME

OCT. 9 . . . . . 2:00 PM . . . . HOME

OCT. 9 . . . . . . . TBD . . . . . . . AWAY

OCT. 13 . . . . 5:00 PM . . . . . . HOME

vs OKLAHOMA WESLEYAN

vs TABOR

at SOUTHWESTERN

vs OKLAHOMA WESLEYAN

OCT. 16 . . . . . . TBD . . . . . . . AWAY

OCT. 12 . . . . 7:00 PM. . . . . AWAY

OCT. 18 . . . . . 1:00 PM . . . . . HOME

OCT. 16 . . . . 12:00 PM . . . . . AWAY

at OTTAWA

vs AVILA

at OTTAWA

vs SOUTHWESTERN

Athletes prompt student section participation BRETT ESCH Staff Writer

“The student section at small schools are like no other,” Taj Munnings, senior from Nassau, New Providence, said. For the past three years, Munnings has attended countless Bethel games. On any given game day, you could likely find him leading chants while standing at the very front of the student section until the final buzzer sounds. Recently, he’s begun to notice that he isn’t alone anymore. “Since I’ve been at Bethel, the culture has evolved tremendously. Student-athletes are more willing to support one another without incentives or being forced by coaches. I think it’s from a genuine place of caring for each others’ sports,

and that’s great for the growth of all programs,” Munnings said. Not coincidentally, with that increase in athletic support has been an increase in athletic success. Take it from Rachel Duer, junior from Chapman, who has felt the importance of student section support firsthand. “Having support from fellow students who show up to our softball games gives us players more confidence on the field. It also shows us that our peers care and support us not only as friends, but also as athletes. Seeing them show up to our games gets us even more excited to play and do our best,” Duer said. Duer recalled a specific example of this. “I remember last season when it was a close game, and I struck a girl out for the second out. Then, I heard our student

section and fans yelling and cheering. It gave me even more extrinsic motivation to dig deep and get the next out,” Duer said. Like Duer, Munnings, a football player, recognizes the correlation between student section support and on-field/ court performance. “When times are hard during competition, it’s great to have a student section backing you up and giving you that energy to persevere. When times are great, it’s the student section that allows you to keep pushing and never let off the gas. A strong student section is vital to the success and culture of a school. It makes the players that are competing feel appreciated and supported,” Munnings said. Both also see the deeper, more intrinsic value in attending Bethel sporting events and

rooting for their fellow Threshers. “A student who is looking for a reason to attend Bethel athletic events should recognize that by showing up to an event, they are plugging themselves into the Bethel Community. The more people that show up and get involved, the better their personal Bethel experience will be. I’ve formed many friendships I never would have made had I not shown up to other teams’ games,” Duer said. In general, student athletes recognize the value of student sections and their involvement in games/matches. “I take a lot of pride in supporting my fellow Bethel student-athletes. I want the support system here to come fullcircle — where we support each other for all the right reasons,” Duer said.

practices, but we also didn’t have much of a choice because it’s what is best. Between everyday pods, practices and meetings, it can be stressful when it comes to time management and adjusting my sleep schedule,” Gonzalez said. Being an athlete can be especially overwhelming when it comes to prioritizing all aspects of your own life. With school, sports and work schedules, it can become very stressful and cause a strain. “Sleep has definitely been affected, because we have to be up early for our workout pods or occasionally practice at 5:30 am. I have already been late once to a morning practice, because I had stayed up late studying. My grades haven’t been too affected yet, but it has affected the amount of time I am able to complete work,” Gonzalez said. Although a transition to

morning practices can cause a strain it can also be beneficial in its own ways. The women’s basketball team had also had to make some practice changes a few times now. At first they tried to have practice around four in the afternoon, but that didn’t last long. They have since changed to a morning practice beginning at 5:30 am because many were missing afternoon training due to night classes. When asked if morning practice had an affect on other aspects of her life, Jaycee Freshour, a sophomore from Oklahoma City, Okla., had a few things to say. “It will be very different. I remember that when we did morning practice in the preseason, it hit me pretty hard the second week. I think that I will get used to it sooner or later,” Freshour said.

Freshour commented that although she will need to adapt to the change, she believes that she will actually enjoy it. She also expressed that she is grateful for their new coach who is understanding and helpful. “I think I will like going in the morning, because it gives me time after to do other things and not worry about a practice later in the day. Some people may complain, but I think it has its benefits and that I will like it. Our new coach has been very understanding of our class situations and has been very helpful when it comes to all that,” Freshour said. Changing practice times has a different effect on everyone, but athletes go through adversity regularly. Both teams have made these changes because they believe that it is the best decision to get the best results.

Students struggle with unusual practice times

ANNA RANZINGER Staff Writer

Student athletes typically carry a large load and with that load sometimes comes weird practice and game schedules that athletes are expected to keep up with. Some teams made changes to their practice times due to night classes and other obstacles as well. Bethel’s softball team has made the decision to follow through with a morning practice routine. A typical practice starts at about 4:15 pm, but they have pods at 5:30 in the morning. Pods are split workout groups that focus on weight training and conditioning. Kailey Gonzalez, a junior from Fort Worth, Texas, had a few things to say about the decision that was made and its impact on her daily life. “I know that a majority of the team was not happy about the decision to have morning

SPORTS 11

The Sideline

SCHYLER ENTZ Sport Editor

MILAN BUCEK TENNIS How do you feel about your tennis season so far? “I feel that the fall season is very short... There was not enough time to work on something specific... I was not used to playing so many matches in a short period of time and my body was tired... But there are still two dual matches left and I am excited to play as a team with my great teammates.” What goals did you have going into the season? “I had two goals for the fall season. The first one was to win the KCAC tournament because I won this tournament last year... My second goal was to get into the semifinals of the ITA tournament... When the coach put me in the couple with Michael Cech... my successes were better in doubles than in singles. ” What has been your favorite memory with your teammates? “I think that the best memory for me was when my teammates cheered me up in tight matches... I also enjoyed the enthusiasm when my teammates won great matches and I could see their happiness.

12 ENTERTAINMENT

The Collegian’s guide to the fungus among us ALLISON WEAVER News Editor

What are the largest organisms on Earth, can survive the vacuum and radiation of space and can be found right here on campus? Yes, it’s mushrooms of all kinds, hiding at every turn! If you are ever pressed for a snack on the way to class or just want to know the names of these funky little creatures, the Collegian’s definitive guide is here to help. First, a little background on macrofungi, courtesy of A Pocket Guide to Common Kansas Mushrooms, by Lyndzee Rhine. So, what is a mushroom? Put simply, they are the reproductive portion of the larger, complete fungus body underneath the ground. Mushrooms are to fungus as apples are to trees! However, not all fungi produce mushrooms.

Because many mushrooms are connected by the parent fungus underground, seeing one mushroom of a species means there are often others nearby. Mushrooms are, to quote Rhine, “the most mystifying group of organisms on the planet,” yet little is known about these decomposing organisms. Belonging to their own taxonomic kingdom, they embody characteristics of both plants and animals, yet are more closely related to lobsters than to flowers. Here on campus, I was able to find and identify three separate species by looking at their gills, colors and sizes. The most prevalent Bethel mushroom is Agaricus campestris. I found seven of these beauties in the south parking lot by Warkentin Court! They prefer to grow in grassy areas, hence their common title as the ‘Meadow Mushroom.’ These are the white, stereotypically

Reishi or Lingzhi (Ganoderma Sessile) mushrooms can be found near the Krehbiel Science Center. Photo by Allison Weaver

‘mushroom’ looking ones that are quite common across the midwest. They can be identified by their shaggy round tops, and their long stems. They also have brown gills on their underside, with a soft texture. The award for weirdest-looking ‘shroom goes to Ganoderma sessile, or the ‘Lingzhi mushroom.’ These large, flat, dinner-plate-like mushrooms are commonly found growing out of dead trees. In our case, I found a few clumps of them growing in the mulch by the fountain and outside of the Krehbiel Science Center, directly out of the ground. In fact, their scientific name, according to Rhine, means “without a stem.” At the beginning of their growth cycle, they start out as white, and grow to be all shades of red, orange and yellow. Finally, the Sand Creek Trail is home to the last species of mushroom I was able

Meadow Mushroom (Agaricus Campestris) are a common species of mushroom around the mods. Photo by Allison Weaver

to find on campus, the Purple-Spored Puffball. This specific type appears to be the Calvatia fragilis variant. To me, these looked like small brown potatoes, with black spots. There were only a few of them, and they were maybe two or three inches across. The fun part about them was poking them; when pressed, these puffballs explode in a brown spore mass that drifts through the wind. As for edibility, identifying mushrooms is incredibly difficult. Some edible varieties can look nearly identical to other poisonous ones. Mushrooms develop and change rapidly, meaning that a safeto-eat mushroom turns deadly just several days later. Especially for beginning mushroom enthusiasts, Rhine emphasizes the importance of living by the cardinal rule: When in doubt, throw it out!!!

This Purple Spored Puffball (Calvatia Fragilis) can be found on the Sandcreek Trail near the football field. Photo by Allison Weaver

ENTERTAINMENT 13

Instrumentalists manage health and hazard in rehearsals BETHANY POWLS Editor-in-Chief

As campus returns to a new and improved sense of normal with the proper adjustments, instrumental ensembles are back up and running at a semi-regular pace. “I am loving being able to get ready for concerts and having normal rehearsals. It is very tiring for most of us since we haven’t played for a year and a half, but we are getting better,” Angelika Donaldson, sophomore from Highland, Ill., said. Last school year, instrumental ensembles rarely performed and restricted their practice hours in order to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. Now, however, with a return to normal practices, instrumentalists are adjusting to the physical strains of playing. “After a summer of never touching or thinking about my instrument, it was a bit tough to get back into the flow of things, but as it goes with practice, I’m getting marginally better at faking it through

rehearsals,” Chris Strecker, junior from Goessel, said. Students who became accustomed to shorter practice times (or no practice at all) and next to no performances have found themselves a little out of shape for the fall semester in full swing. “It is hard trying to get through twohour rehearsals but we are making it work. Joel gives us a five-ten minute break in the middle of rehearsals to help us keep going,” Donaldson said. Like many of the athletic opportunities on campus, instrumental ensembles have that performances may require conditioning, often in the form of strenuous rehearsals. “Well, I have a pretty strict weight lifting routine, so my conditioning was maintained through COVID... I wouldn’t say I was out of shape instrumentally because we have a lot of rehearsals to mitigate that,” said Sam Wilson, senior from North Newton. Instrumental practices often require both heavy lifting and extra breath

support, so students even have to condition for rehearsals. “The ways I ‘condition’ for jazz are usually by taking a nap beforehand and hoping that all goes well. It feels pretty great to be practicing in the instrumental ensembles again, but I couldn’t really say the same thing for my colleagues. For example, my friend and lover, Trae Gering, has claimed that after rehearsing the same song for an hour-and-a-half, his arms and legs were tingling,” Strecker said. With creative protocols managed on campus, the environment for instrumental ensembles remains safe, as far as illness goes. “Everyone has playing masks and Joel has become more creative as he bought the brass players puppy pads to use for their spit,” Donaldson said. According to some wind players, spit remains one of the few hazards left. “My greatest worry in the sense of physical hazards in the rehearsal space is that Trae might pass out and drop his tuba,

and that I might be impaled by shrapnel. Of course there’s also the biohazard that is the spit puddles from the various brass instruments,” Strecker said. Even with these minor safety threats, the ensembles are determined to perform, having experienced a year without concerts. “We did not have any concerts last year. We did do recordings but I do not know where those recordings are,” Donaldson said. So far in the year, the Orchestra has performed once, on September 28, and the Jazz Ensemble performed at Taste of Newton on September 30 and at Fall Fest on October 2. The Wind Ensemble performed their first concert of the semester on October 6 in Krehbiel Auditorium. With health and hazards managed, student instrumentalists are looking forward to future performances for the surrounding community.

Shakespeare makes an appearance at Fall Festival ARRAN KEARNEY Staff Writer

Last Sunday afternoon saw the conclusion of an exhausting Fall Festival weekend for our actors after a series of performances that began on Thursday. Two separate casts executed “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” to its near perfect hilarity, seamlessly transplanting this long running staple of the London West End onto the Bethel stage. Friday through Sunday saw large audiences attending the plays, with plenty of out-of-town visitors filling the seats of the Krehbiel Auditorium. A crowd, composed of such a large number of visitors, has not really been witnessed at the college since before the pandemic. Many people commented on how refreshing and cheering it was for them to return to live indoor performances once again – for many this was the first they had attended in two years.

The actors certainly lived up to expectations, delivering a ninety-minute tribute to England’s most famous playwright that ebbed and flowed between riotous laughter, brilliant improvisations and occasionally moving scenes. One member of the audience described it as “pure chaotic evil” which, while it may not sound like a compliment, does somehow still capture the essence of the performance extremely well. Another apt description came from Bethel’s Director of Theater, Karen Robu, who stressed the “enormous team effort” that went into putting the play together. The sheer amount of work and dedication that was put in by the actors and the technical team was clear to see. The play itself was somewhat unique. The only time an actor wasn’t present on stage was during the intermission. All three actors were constantly in dialogue with each other and with the audience, fluently combining a staggering amount of memorized material with ad lib comedy.

Such improvisation was necessary to keep the play moving along at its breakneck speed, which saw all of Shakespeare’s thirty-seven comedies, histories and tragedies being tossed back and forth between the plays three characters. The characters themselves fueled the farcical fire with their own petty squabbles and personality flaws, often appealing to the audience to provide resolutions or, at times, simply storming from the stage or even (on one occasion) from the auditorium itself. One of the most memorable lines in the play was delivered by the character named Daniel who, in acknowledgment of how the play was happily butchering Shakespeare’s timeless verse, insisted that “we don’t have to do it justice, we just have to do it.” Though Shakespeare may well have been affronted at the Freudian analysis of Hamlet, or the way in which the power struggles of his Plantagenet Kings were presented as a football game, he would have assuredly been forced to acknowledge

the raptures of the audience. The classic Shakespearean mixture of the clever and the crude was displayed throughout the performances and, given that the man’s own comedies might be described as being (to quote the play once more) “about as funny as his tragedies” this must be taken as a huge positive. Overall, the play (though it might not be ready to grace the Globe Theatre alongside the works of the great man himself) was something of a triumph to its mid-Kansas audience. The commitment and talent of the actors (Tristan England, Hayden Honomichi, Nathaniel Schmucker, Charlotte Ehrmann, Emily Guldner and Emil Benavides) deserves great commendation, as does the hard work of both the Director Karen Robu and the Assistant Director Rachel Geyer, as well as Technical Directory Damon Klassen.

14 GAMES

Norman, Blorg and the fallen apple

Arthur Mahrer is a junior from Fort Pierce, Fla. His aspiring major is history and political science. In addition to writing for The Bethel Collegian, Mahrer has started a comic series featuring Norman and his alien friend, Blorg. For more information, feel free to email Mahrer at arthurjmahrer@bethelks.edu.

LISTINGS 15

THRESHER CLASSIFIED Direct all inquires to Megan Kershner in WAC 215 or check out Handshake to learn more about these job opportunities On-Campus Jobs

Off-Campus Jobs

Mennonite Library Archives (MLA) Student Assistant

Volleyball Volleywrite Scorer

Back Alley Pizza

Helpdesk Technician

Softball Office Assistant

USD 373

Cafeteria Utility Worker

Track Office Assistant

Carriage Factory Art Gallery

Museum Prairie Assistant

Gallery Assistant

Fair Chiropractic

AV Student Assistant

Health & Physical Education Department Assistant

Hesston Pharmacy/Harvey Drug

Athletic Training Aide

Intramural Facilitator

Mid- Kansas Coop

Sports Information Assistant

Men’s Basketball Office Assistant

Newton Pizza Hut

Sports Information Videographer

Maintenance Department Assistant

Newton Walgreens

Sports Information Statistics

Student Groundskeeper

Newton Dillons

Sports Information Photographer

Student Custodian

Moxies

Football Ball Handler

Sand Creek Trail Groundskeeper

Hesston Golf Course

Ticket Taker

Student Life Office Assistant

Volleyball Line Judge

THE BETHEL COLLEGE COLLEGIAN

2021 Fall Fest

Though the 2021 Fall Festival proved to be a little bit rainier than preferred, students, faculty, staff and community members spent the day enjoying the festivities. Photos by Lindsey Pfannenstiel

PHOTO FEATURE 16