vol. 50 no. 5 Nov. 15, 2019
news
Nov. 15, 2019
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ABOUT THE COVER
Santa (Toby Maykuth) and Buddy the Elf (Jeromy Mackey) gear up for their p erformanc e of Elf the Musical, that will take plac e Novemb er 2124 at Ste ele Hall’s Blaney Theater. Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for 12 and under and 60 and over, or $5 dep osit (that will b e refunde d) for C al U students. Learn more on pages 12-13.
Our lo cal college radio station is lo oking for club s and organiz ations for campus drops and advertising. If you’re int erest e d, ple as e contact Evan Peffer at PEF9535calu.e du
G et Involve d with S.A.B.! We have a new me eting time at 5PM on Thursdays in the Vulcan The at er!
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TOM CATON EDITOR IN CHIEF
LILY GONGAWARE GRAPHIC DESIGNER
CAM KING OPINIONS EDITOR
SAM KUHNE
LEIGH SWARTZFAGER SPORTS EDITOR
DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
JEFF HELSEL
CONTRIBUTORS: Skyler Bogus, Jake Brown, Ryane Corwin, Sarah Erstfeld, Veonna King, Evan Peffer, Anthony Pinneri, Meghan Shaffer, Hannah Wyman, Brent Zavislak
POLICY: The California TIMES is a publication of the Student Association, Inc. and is distributed throughout the university campus and the Monongahela Valley area most Fridays of the academic year with the exception of holiday breaks. Any member of the university community may submit articles, editorials, cartoons, photographs or drawings for consideration. Deadlines are as follows: All written copy, announcements , e-mail (caltimes@calu.edu) and advertising submissions are due at Noon on the Monday before publication. Exceptions to these deadlines must be arranged with the editor. All submissions are the opinions of their creator(s). The California TIMES reserves the right to edit or refuse a submission as it sees fit without offering justification for content or advertising sections.
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Nov. 15, 2019
2019 EAPSU Conference
Students and professors from English Department attend annual conference By Meghan Shaffer, Contributor SHA1499@calu.edu
Students and professors from Cal U’s Department of English spent their weekend surrounded by the most exceptional writers and poets from the other 13 state university English departments in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). The English Association of Pennsylvania State Universities (EAPSU) holds an annual fall conference that promotes the academic brilliancy of the various disciplines in the field of English, including: pedagogy, literature, poetry, creative writing, composition, and science/technical writing. Jimmy Guignard, chair of Mansfield’s English and Modern Languages Department, hosted the 2019 conference at Mansfield University on Oct. 24, 25, and 26. “EAPSU brings people together, with our gatherings on our various campuses and through the words and ideas we share,” said Guignard. “We part, but we know that we are not alone as we carry the words, ideas, and friendships we make at our annual conferences back to our campuses, classrooms, and beyond.” Professor Brent House, assistant professor of English studies at California University of Pennsylvania, has been attending the EAPSU conferences since 2013. He is now the managing editor for EAPSU’s literary journal, Impost. House has mentored several of his students through the process of assembling their first conference presentations, and has found that to be among the most rewarding work in his career. For this year’s conference, he invited students Kate Furlong, Ciera Jones, Bryce Frye, and Meghan Shaffer to epitomize all of the hard work the students and staff have brought to Cal U’s English Department. The students presented their individual collections of poetry Saturday morning in front of an intimate group of 10 people. “This was a wonderful representation of some of the best our department has to offer,” said Professor Rod Taylor of Cal U’s English Department, who also attended the conference. “I hope other students see what their peers are doing and follow suit.”
Senior Kate Furlong was selected as the winner of the non-fiction category for her remarkable piece called “On Love,” and was runner-up in the category of poetry for her piece called “River Bodies.” The winners received cash prizes and had their work published in the EAPSU’s literary journal. Furlong also accepted the Outstanding English Major Award in place of senior Autumn Benjamin, who is busy working on her senior thesis and Capstone project this semester. Katherine Wurth, creative writing major at Clarion University, was the winner of the poetry category for her poem “hope the mangos don’t hate me.” “Her poetry really stuck out to me at the open mic on Friday” said student Bryce Frye (referring to Wurth). “I think that was the coolest part about the conference… getting a taste of other student’s work and hearing everyone’s inspiration for their writing. Kat was inspired by a girl who walked past her every day on campus, and it helped her win first place.” Lilace Mellin Guignard, part-time professor of
creative writing and world languages at Mansfield University, hosted Friday’s open-mic night event at the conference, which featured winners of the 2019 EAPSU Writing Contests in student flash-fiction, flash-creative nonfiction, and poetry. “I was enchanted by the student and faculty welcome we were given. I love the folks who attend these conferences. Mansfield was a great location because of the hut for the poetry open mic,” said Kim Vanderlaan, associate professor of English at Cal U. She presented an in-depth analysis of Flannery O’Connor’s work on Friday morning. Vanderlaan did not attend EAPSU conferences as a student, but said she is beyond pleased with the “intimate feel” that EAPSU has always given her. “I’m very thankful for the growth EAPSU gave me as a future academic professional,” said Ciera Jones, junior English major at Cal U. “None of this would have been possible without my incredible colleagues and mentors.”
“EAPSU brings people together, with our gatherings on our various campuses and through the words and ideas we share.” Above: Meghan Shaffer, Ciera Jones, and Kate Furlong sit at a table during the EAPSU conference at Mansfield University. Photo by Bryce Frye.
Nov. 15, 2019
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news
StayCOMM - Your voice matters New organization helps start dialogue between students and higher-ups By Ryane Corwin, Contributor COR1220@calu.edu
Everyday young adults and teens are learning various innovative ways to be connected and aware of the issues they find important. Such ways consist of marches, for example, “March for Our Lives” regarding to gun violence within the United States and the “Global Climate Change” protest which took place in multiple countries such as the United States, England, Scotland, Wales and other regions of the world. Other methods may involve petitions, creating online support groups and even testifying to congress just as Greta Thunberg did, a 16-year-old climate activist. There are always opportunities to learn how to be effective by using your voice to stand up for something you believe in and Dr. Greg Spicer, an associate professor who’s had a focus in communications since 1983, is doing just that. Pertaining to his class, Strategic & Professional Communication, his mission involves shaping communication undergraduates into applied communication specialists who will one day apply their insights of their field in separate careers, environments and situations. Within his class, he assigned a project where everyone constructed a case study proposal based on an issue of communication pertaining to their experiences with the university. While leading a group discussion focusing on his students’ topics, he realized many of them obtained immense passion raising their concerns involving their current learning environment; Morgan hall. Details began to surface consisting of temperature issues, unstable desks, and all-around distractions due to intense discomfort. However, it wasn’t until, senior, Taylor Jeter addressed the abundance of disrespect she felt from the university referring to how they communicate with students as a whole that lead Dr. Spicer to take the project to the next level. As applied communication specialists, their specialty is focused towards teaching others how to effectively use open and transparent communication in order to foster a respectful work climate within their specific environment. Dr. Spicer saw this as an opportunity for his students to take what they’ve learned in the classroom and apply it towards a reallife urgent communication issue within their own education-based environment. While conducting
a deeper analysis, the class discovered that many students do communicate their concerns of disrespect, however, majority of the time, it’s amongst other peers rather than actual university officials. The issue with this is that if students don’t voice their concerns with the right audience (university officials), then the right audience can’t engage a possible solution. In regards to solving this issue, Dr. Spicer’s students came up with “StayCOMM,” an oncampus organization purposely made for students to address issues with the university that will, in fact, reach the university. StayCOMM, an abbreviation of staycommunicating, provides a safe structured resource for students to feel open and secure about using their voice when it comes to university-based conflicts that consequently affect them. Already acting, Dr. Spicer’s students have been forming strategic plans to further along their execution process. Maggie Cave, junior, is in the works of devising a survey for students to interact with in hopes to identify many of the leading issues and factors students regularly face. Taylor Jeter, who initially provided the base concept of the project, has directly reached out to different major departments/buildings in order to create a relationship that could one day lead to beneficial improvements pertaining to the goal of organized communication. Students have also developed a plan to engage students through the medium of video production, educating and motivating them to use their voices to make a difference. Dr. Spicer and his class hope to establish StayCOMM as a concrete organizational resource for students to use rather than a temporary inclass project. However, the only way to solidify its foundation is by strengthening the numbers of voices, raising the importance for its need and urgency. It only takes one person to make a difference, imagine if the student body congregated as a whole and acted. This organization could possibly inspire other collegiate-based student bodies to reflect on their communication involving their own universities. Be a part of the solution. Become informed, take action and StayCOMM: Your Voice Matters.
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Nov. 15, 2019
A Soldier’s Story
West Mifflin man, struggling with alcoholism, finds new life in military By Anthony Pinneri, Contributor Mention the Army and Josh Burda will pull up old photos of his father, his uncle and three great uncles, all in uniform on his iPhone. “These photos helped me a lot when I decided to first join,” said Josh. When Josh first made the decision to join at age 32, he knew it was not going to be an easy task to go through. Although, this was probably the lesser of his worries. In 2013, at 30, Josh was under the influence of alcohol when he wrecked his car onto a lady’s property in West Mifflin. “I should have been dead,” said Josh. He was heading home from the local bar, Harvey’s, when he suddenly started to fall asleep at the wheel. He swerved off the road hitting a guard rail, rolling his car into a lady’s yard and hit a tree. When he woke up, he was being pulled out of his totaled 2011 Subaru Impreza. Josh walked away from the accident with some minor scratches on his head and a bruised shoulder. He is thankful nobody else was involved. This was the second time he wrecked his car while being under the influence of alcohol. “My father was definitely with me that day,” he said. Josh’s father Gary was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, in 2009, passing away in the spring of 2010. When his father died, Josh struggled to cope with the loss. He turned to drinking as an aide. Growing up, Josh’s father also struggled with alcoholism. Josh could remember times his father would come home late after a night at the bar. At least “five nights a week,” he would come home drunk. The stress of his drinking became such an issue that it took a tool on his parents’ marriage. Josh was a productive student in and out of the classroom. He was a member of the West Mifflin varsity basketball team and ran track. He also held a 3.8 gpa throughout his high school career. After high school, Josh graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in geography with a focus on Central Asia. Josh strived to never drink like his father but sometimes ‘it runs in the family.” “I was lost after he died. I knew I needed the help, but I was not strong enough to find it.” Josh tried to stay busy with jobs stretching from a car salesman to selling insurance to working in the mental health field. Though, he could not keep his jobs for long because of calling off and not being motivated to go. He blamed the alcohol. Family was his biggest support growing up, everybody important to him was in walking distance. He grew up in the small town of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. He lived on 233 Peter St., with his
parents, Gary and Rosemarie, and his sister, Dana. The street over lived his aunt and uncle and four blocks from them lived his grandmother Rose. “Josh is like a son to me,” said Ed Fagan, Josh’s Uncle. “I always try to help Josh as much as I can.” Josh’s help would come sooner rather than later. One night, he saw his mother looking through an old photo album. He picked up a book and on the first page, there, his father stood in his Army uniform on the day of his graduation. When he continued to flip through, there were more pictures of his uncles, who were also members. “It hit me like a bad case of the flu,” said Josh. “That picture of my father was screaming at me, like he was talking to me through a picture.” Josh stayed up most of the night and realized there was no other option for him to change his life. “The last thing I thought would come out of his mouth was him wanting to join the Army.” Ed Fagan said. “I was shocked but supported Josh’s decision, as I am an Army man myself.” Josh, the next day, made a few phone calls to his friends and later that night he was on the phone with a recruiter. According to the U.S. Army FT. Knox Recruiting Center, “Approximately 95 percent of recruits all want to improve their lives,” said Ms. Hargrove, recruiter. “When he told me about his decision, deep down, I knew this was the right move for him,” said Rosemarie Burda, Josh’s mother. “I’m sure other moms would have begged him not to go, I didn’t.” Two months after he contacted his recruiter, he was shipped down to basic training in Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. The 14 weeks of training was an eye-opening experience learning team work, survival and Army skills while being broken down physically and mentally. Josh thinks that the training strengthened his mind to overcome his issues he had at home, making him not think about drinking. “They called me ‘old man’,” a nickname Josh’s branch gave him regarding his age. With his new nickname, Josh wanted to make a good impression with his “brothers.” He went out of his way to make everyone feel like they could go to him with issues. Portraying that “big brother” image. “When we would go out, the guys usually wanted to have a few drinks,” Josh said. “It was definitely hard to not have one, but I remembered the reason why I was here.” With Josh being the only person having a college degree in his company, he was appointed leader of his branch. He then received the opportunity to train with tactical data links. Shortly after that training, he became an Air Defense Systems Operator in the unit based in Camp Casey in the Republic of South Korea. “The difference with home and the Army is I had
much more responsibilities to focus on,” said Josh. “It was like one new responsibility after the other.” To Josh, Korea was a blessing. “I am blessed to have been stationed there because I would have never met my wife.” Josh met his wife while visiting the city Seoul just three months into being in Korea. They met at a local coffee shop where Josh was struggling to order. “I am glad she studied the American language, or I would have been screwed ordering off that menu,” he said. “That was our first impromptu date.” They continued to meet after and traveled all over South Korea. Josh felt on top of the world being with her. When Josh was sent to Ft. Bliss, located in Texas, he was scared to lose contact with her, but they made it through despite the long distance. Several months later, she visited the U.S. and they were soon married. “This was just what I needed,” said Josh. “If I would have never joined, I would probably be killing myself drinking.” Josh set a goal that he only have a drink at a special occasion compared to drinking every day. “I haven’t had a drink in over a month,” he said. Now, when Josh looks back at where he was and where he is now, he will say “it is like night and day, I’m glad I’m better.”
“The last
thing I thought would come out of his mouth was him wanting to join the Army”
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Nov. 15, 2019
Kris Mamula Speaks at Cal U 2019 Pulitzer Prize winner speaks to journalism classes By Meghan Shaffer, Contributor SHA1499@calu.edu
Journalist Kris Mamula from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette spoke in front of Professor Carlisle and Professor Goh’s News Writing class Wednesday morning about his personal experiences and accomplishments within his career, including being part of the writing crew who won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting. “It was the biggest story I have ever covered. Every job that I’ve previously had prepared me for that day,” said Mamula. The Post-Gazette reporter told the classroom that he was not overcome by emotion at the scene of the shooting because of his ability to remain calm in the midst of a crisis. He began his career reporting for incidents involving the police, but had been working as a part-time paramedic for 20 years prior to his profession in journalism. Mamula was the first reporter on the scene at the Tree of Life Synagogue. “What do you do in a situation like that? I knew asking policemen for information was useless. Don’t do it,” Mamula said as he began describing that doleful day back in October of 2018. “I listened to police transmissions, talked to Rabbis and people on the street. I was trying to get as much information as I could. There really is a difference in actually being there.” Mamula remarked on his fervor for longer-tern stories, which he defined as “interactive,” and the benefits of being assisted by a videographer and working with the graphics department to create a story. “This allows me to give people more than I can give with words,” said Mamula. “We can provide a new perspective with interactive stories.” Students from Professor Carlisle’s class were anxious to ask Mamula for advice about interviewing and covering sensitive stories. Sarah Erstfeld, creative writing major at Cal U, is a student of Carlisle’s News Writing class who highly dislikes approaching strangers to gather information for her weekly reports.
“I feel like I’m bothering them and it makes my anxiety even worse,” said Erstfeld. “I actually found what he said about being a curious person relatable. I don’t necessarily like finding out how things work, like he said he did, but I really enjoy hearing people’s stories and experiences.” Mamula stressed the importance of asking questions and having a basic curiosity of how things work in order to piece all of the essentials together. His focus is to hear from as many voices as he can – this ultimately creates a more engaging and meaningful story. “The emphasis on making stories interactive really spoke to me. I like the thought of doing as much as possible to get the reader immersed,” said sophomore Brent Zavislak, journalism major at Cal U. “Hearing his stories gives me an insight into the field and how it will actually be.” Mamula has been reporting for the Post-Gazette for four years, but has been an active journalist since 1980. He reassured the aspiring writers that he also felt anxious when interviewing as a young reporter, but advised them to take a step
back and always take chances. “Approach every job with the same intensity, interest, and with as much effort as you can,” Mamula said to his audience. “Always research and do homework on your subject.” There was a sense of apprehension amongst the journalism majors of the crowd who inquired about the rapid growth of multimedia, but Mamula feels rather the opposite. “There is no such thing as too many media outlets,” Mamula said. “It is actually opening enormous opportunities for newspapers. I think newspapers will eventually transition into a magazine-style. The future of journalism is going to be very in-depth.” Mamula is eager to be part of the growing media platforms in his field and to be working with other professionals on interactive stories, such as the team who represented the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette with their award-winning coverage on the Tree of Life massacre. “It is the work that God called us to do,” said Mamula.
“Approach every job with the same intensity, interest, and with as much effort as you can. Always research and do homework on your subject.”
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Nov. 15, 2019
The Phenomenon of the Mercury Retrograde By Ryane Corwin, Contributor COR1220@calu.edu
Has anyone been feeling a little more stressed out than usual lately? Have recent events within your life made you feel chaotic and completely out of control? Or, do you feel as if the communication between you and others has been lacking and more of a struggle? Some may express this as a midlife crisis, where many astronomy and astrology enthusiasts point the blame towards the Mercury Retrograde, which we are currently in the middle of! (Oct 31. - Nov 20.) The Mercury Retrograde phenomenon is based around the concept that when the planet nearest to the sun (Mercury) goes through a retrograde, it looks as if the planet is moving backwards compared to its usual orbital rotation. Due to the backwards rotation, it’s said that its effect on the Earth involves a similar occurrence but within our sense of living. Throughout this duration, many individuals claim to deal with issues pertaining to transportation, vacations/trips, technology, communication and their relationship with others both professionally and personally. Even though this phenomenon has recently been a trending topic, this myth was originally introduced during the mid 1700s – way before our time. Its origins date back to when farmers would use the pattern of the stars to adjust their crop planting schedule. However, it wasn’t until the rise of Victorian Spiritualism when people began to build a connection between the Mercury Retrograde and the spur of chaotic events. Yet, the big question everyone is asking... is this real or just another conspiracy theory? The Mercury Retrograde is, in fact, very real. However, the idea that it’s the root of all our inconveniences during this period-of-time might not be. According to some astronomers... the physics just doesn’t add up. Yes, if we were to witness Mercury’s orbit, we would unveil a change within its direction, but scientists have uncovered that it’s merely an optical illusion due to our placement regarding Mercury since the sun tends to shadow its orbit. Although, it is kind of nice to make Mercury accountable for our mishaps for a few weeks rather than dragging ourselves.
Regardless of what scientists say, many astronomy and astrology enthusiasts still find ways to showcase evidence that the conspiracy theory is very true. Since the recent hype of astrology, pertaining to horoscopes and their accuracy regarding personality type, values and compatibility, society has been obsessed with using zodiac signs to determine why someone is the way they are... why not use Mercury as an explanation to limit our anxieties of our struggles? So, for those who do believe in the craziness of the Mercury Retrograde, here are some ways to prepare for this current one and the ones to come: • Stay humble and appreciative of your current relationships but don’t impulsively jump into anything new. • Begin to brand yourself into the person you wish to be viewed as, however this is only the time for construction. Leave any advancements such as first dates or anything romantic-based for when the retrograde comes to an end. • Make sure to revise and keep track of any work
that is important to you. Sometimes, it’s hard to focus and stay on task... Planners are your friend! • Think before you speak. Wreckless gossiping around this time may stir-up more intensive consequences than usual, whether it’s professional or informal. • Be wise with your spending of money! Use this time to adapt to better saving habits. Also, anything you DO purchase during this time... enjoy it while you still have it. • If you drive, make sure your vehicle of transportation is more reliable than ever. Trouble is around the corner and they’re sending invitations. Future Mercury Retrograde Dates: • February 17, 2020 – March 10, 2020 • June 18, 2020 – July 12, 2020 • October 14, 2020 – November 3, 2020
One of the biggest myths surrouding the Mercury Retorgrade is that the planet is spinning backwards. This seems like it would make sense considering “retrograde” literally means moving backward. But it’s actually not! It’s only an illusion.
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entertainment
Nov. 15, 2019
See it to Believe It - Hypnotist Visits Cal U By Veonna King, Staff Writer KIN6003@calu.edu Following SAB’s most recent Late Night Laugh’s event, students were thrilled to welcome Nadeen Manuel, a comedic hypnotist, to the stage on Monday, November 4. The show kicked off with a video showcasing some of Manuel’s past performances including various visuals of people under hypnosis. Following the video, Manuel proceeded to ask for volunteers from the audience, and the real show began. The first trick was an illusion that everyone in the audience had the opportunity to partake in. Manuel requested that everyone keep both of their index fingers approximately two inches apart from each other. She guided the audience to heavily concentrate on the spaces between their fingers. As the audience continued staring at the space, their mind tricked them into thinking that their index fingers were touching one another. The tricks did not stop there, but in fact got more and more entertaining. After acquiring 10 volunteers from the audience and bringing them on stage, Nadeen demonstrated her hypnosis abilities by making her volunteers do both ridiculous and hilarious things. For instance, Nadeen directed one volunteer to say, “I am Batman,” every time the audience would say Cal U.
Morgan Madanick, the evening chair for SAB, was pleasantly surprised with the amount of people who showed up for this event. “We have never filled the Vulcan theatre before,” Madanick said. “It was over the capacity. It became a safety hazard”. Following her performance, Nadeen also commented on the show and her background in this field. “I hypnotize people for therapeutic applications and for entertainment purposes. When you unlock something that you think is impossible, how can you not go out and help others?,” she says when describing her career in hypnotism. Manuel is originally from Canada, but now permanently resides in California. She has been a hypnotist for almost two decades and received her degree in hypnosis from the University of Ontario. Students all held different reactions to the show, but most people seemed to truly enjoy this unique experience. Hajiratu Barry, a senior at Cal U, stated, “I had mixed emotions because I didn’t know there were different levels to hypnotism based on your mind.” Manuel is eager for another opportunity to perform at Cal U, and judging by the response from students, she would most definitely be welcomed back.
WCAL DJ Spotlight Joe Carter, AKA Professor Carter, is a Senior Studio Art Major with a minor in Environmental Studies. Joe has been running his show, The Variety Hours, since he joined the station as a freshman in the fall of 2016. Joe joined to be able to share his taste in wild music with the public and did the majority of his training as a DJ with alumnus DJ Uncle Vinny. His favorite memory of the station was when Vinny ate a sandwich into the mic. In addition to wanting you to listen to his Variety Hours show on Mondays from 6pm-10pm, Joe wants to make everyone aware of the
JOE CARTER
Student Pottery Sale on December 4th from 10am to 8pm and December 5th from 10am to 4pm in the Ceramics Studio!
entertainment
Nov. 15, 2019
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Death Stranding Finally Released on PS4 The highly anticipated Playstation exclusive receives harsh criticism By Sam Kuhne, Entertainment Editor KUH6802@calu.edu
From famous creator Hideo Kojima, Death Stranding, the latest PS4 exclusive game is officially here, but the reaction thus far has been mixed across the board. With an 83 percent score on MetaCritic, Death Stranding is still performing well following its initial release on Nov. 8. While most critics are complementing the game on its intriguing world, overall game design, and its engaging gameplay, the complexity of the games storyline is leaving some gamers with a disappointing response. User, MetaSellOut wrote on the MetaCritic forum stating, “Death Stranding presents a cool concept of connecting a big isolated, threatened and falling world together, but it was all held back by a very repetitive, lackluster and even generic at times execution of gameplay elements. It’s not a new genre by any mean” While this varied response may not come as a shock to those who may have read several press releases weeks before the game launched to the public, it still certainly is a disheartening revelation. Nevertheless, Kojima himself does not seem phased by the rather negative buzz surrounding his latest work. According to the Italian website, TGC. com, Kojima was not surprised by the response from the general public, noting “Americans are great fans of first-person shooters and Death Stranding is not.” Kojima went on in more detail, later explaining that the game received phenomenal reviews in Japan and Europe, but perhaps those in the United States find it more difficult to understand, making them a bad audience for the game. For those who may be unfamiliar with the premise behind Death Stranding, the game follows alongside Sam Bridges on his journey to reunite the shattered world one step at a time. While this description is incredibly vague, that is kind of the idea behind this game. There is a mystery at hand and in order to understand it, you need to play it for yourself. Death Stranding redefines what an “action” game should encompass. People within the game have created walls and have become familiar with living in isolation. By putting the controller in your hand, you as the gamer now must attempt to bridge
together these divides and develop new “strands” with fellow players across the world. Every element of this game is bound together by the overall theme of the strand or connection. Before you make your final judgement call on Death Stranding, it is important to understand how different this game is. The tedious nature that may be seen as boring to some, has the potential to be life changing for another. If you’re still on the edge about whether or not this game is for you, the following statements may help clear up your decision. For those looking for a fast-paced storyline and play through, this game is probably not for you. For those who dislike solving puzzles, this game is probably not for you. For those with very
little patience, this game is definitely not for you. For those who find it difficult to understand complex and vague storylines, this game is still probably not for you. However, for those who enjoy solving puzzles and are fans of Kojima’s style of vague and bizarre storytelling, try it out before completely writing it off. If you want to immerse yourself in a world of mystery and learn more about the peculiar characters and creatures amongst you, then keep playing and push passed the tedious and somewhat boring mechanics. I’m no critic, but with a game that has this many mixed reviews, I think it’s safe to say that the real verdict is entirely up to each and every one of you.
“Death Stranding redefines what an action game should encompass.”
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Nov. 15, 2019
entertainment
Cal U’s Crime Show Consultant
Dr. Cassandra Kuba provides inside look into work with TV Show “CSI”
By Brent Zavislak, Contributor ZAV1314@calu.edu
Have you ever wondered how crime shows base themselves in reality? Cal U’s own Cassandra Kuba gives insight on her career and her work consulting with big name TV shows. Kuba is a professor of anthropology at Cal U, but spends some of her time assisting in forensic investigations with law enforcement or with individuals who find bone on their property. “I have to rule out the potential for forensic cases,” said Kuba. Students of Kuba remark that she has aided them in their time at Cal U in every way. “She’s a huge inspiration. She has given me the tools and knowledge that I’ll need for my future,” said Cal U senior Amanda Ryczek. Kuba serves as an inspiration to her students in other ways as well. “I try to get a feel for individual interests and suggest to students different work opportunities. If they try it, they get an idea of what they’re looking for in the real world,” said Kuba. Kuba assists her students by providing real world work for them to complete. “They (the students) have done education outgroups for museums, been on summer crews with archaeologists, and interned with the medical examiner’s office to determine autopsy eligibility,” said Kuba. Kuba also works with numerous TV shows such as “Bones” and “CSI”. “I work with Entertainment Research Consultants for a number of shows at any given time. I’m currently consulting for NBC for a show from one of the writers of “Bones”, said Kuba. Disbelief ended up being Kuba’s initial reaction to the entertainment industry reaching out to her. “The first time they emailed me I thought it was a joke. They run a tight schedule, and when I waited a day to email them back, they were quick to assure me that it was legit and that they needed my advice straight away,” said Kuba. Working without pay for the entertainment business, Kuba gets satisfaction in knowing that she helped the shows present themselves more realistically. She has had a few moments of appreciation arise from her consulting work. “I got to injure Booth however I wanted in season 12 of Bones. It had to be something that was fixable, but very serious,” said Kuba.
Kuba said that she even reaches out to other faculty members at Cal U for certain questions that TV writers come to her with. “If they are more specialized in a specific area then I’ll go to them. My mother in law has even consulted for me,” said Kuba. Kuba also allows some of her students to help her in her work. “I haven’t helped her with that myself, but I think it’s interesting to have actual forensic anthropologists give their input for TV to help with accuracy,” said Ryczek. “It’s important to have a few different opinions on how something would go down. Sometimes my students come up with more interesting ideas for what could happen than I do,” said Kuba. There’s a thin line between realism and good fun that Cassandra Kuba has to walk. “I have to keep science and entertainment in mind at once. I’m always tweaking what they send me and making more realistic suggestions to what they can do,” said Kuba.
“The first time they emailed me I thought it was a joke...they were quick to assure me that it was legit and that they needed my advice straight away.”
Dr. Cassandra Kuba
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Nov. 15, 2019
ALBUM OF THE WEEK By Evan Peffer, Staff Writer PEF9535@calu.edu
Sunsets and Full Moons - The Script The Script’s newest release, Sunsets and Full Moons, is just the burst of energy that the pop scene has been needing. The Script has always felt like a band that has skirted the boundaries of what is considered ‘commercially successful’ with a few solid hits to their name, while still maintaining a sound that is uniquely their own. This newest album, however, solidifies their reputation as a band that makes music which is accessible to the general public, but is not relying on the mainstream pop formula. Spanning the divide between straight pop and some indie, even throwing a little bit of a soul vibe in, the band is definitely not afraid to play around with their sound. Sunsets and Full Moons is a road-trip album through and through, and I highly recommend it to anyone who’s looking to revitalize the soundtrack to their commute.
RATE: 8.5 /10
Elf November 16th - 22nd By Sam Kuhne, Entertainment Editor KUH6802@calu.edu
“Santa! I know him!” The iconic Christmas classic known for its quotable material is coming to the Vulcan Theatre just in
VULCAN THEATER TUESDAY, SATURDAY, & SUNDAY 4PM - 7PM - 10PM
time for the beginning of the holiday season. Elf is a hilarious holiday comedy starring popular actor Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf, a regular sized man who was raised as an elf by Santa in the North Pole. When the news is finally broken to Buddy that he is not a real elf, he makes the decision to journey to New York City in a quest to find his father and biological family. This feel-good, cheerful, hysterical comedy will be sure to deliver the Christmas cheer you need this holiday season.
RATE: 10/10
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Nov. 15, 2019
Elf The Musical will be performed Nov. 21-24 By Cal U Public Relations
A gift that came last July for Cal U’s Department of Music and Theatre will be a special holiday treat for many right before Thanksgiving. Last summer Music Theatre International made a license to perform the stage version — Elf The Musical — available to educational and amateur theaters, and Cal U has secured the production for 2019 and 2020. Elf The Musical, based on the 2003 motion picture starring Will Ferrell, will be performed in the Mainstage Theatre of Steele Hall at 7 p.m. Nov. 21-23, with matinees at 2 p.m. Nov. 23-24. “It is quite exciting for us to be the first (such) theater in Western Pennsylvania to be given the rights to produce the show,” said performance director Dr. Michele Pagen, professor and co-chair of the Department of Music and Theatre. “When we were waiting for notification that summer morning it was much like waiting to secure tickets for Elton John or Cher! “MTI plans to put the show back into the vault, and Cal U will be the first to produce the show in Western Pennsylvania.” This modern holiday classic follows Buddy the Elf in his quest to find his true identity. Landing the challenging lead role is junior Honors Program student Jeromy Mackey, a dual major in theater and English. “The hardest part of playing this role is that there’s only one scene that Buddy is off-stage, so once the show starts I am singing, dancing and acting pretty much the whole time,” said Mackey. “Maintaining my energy to the end is probably my biggest challenge.” Another challenge: The movie version is very well known, which brings many expectations for the role. Fortunately, Mackey says, he faced a similar challenge as a freshman when he portrayed Jason “J.D.” Dean in Heathers: The Musical. “People remember scenes from the movie and expect you do it a certain way, so I am sort of figuring out what I am going to do that’s based off the movie but also what I am going to do that’s unique to me,” he said. “Finding that balance is a tricky thing.” Mackey also has experience as an elf, having played Norbert in last year’s production of The Happy Elf. “He was kind of a villain and now I get to play a super-fun, carefree, energetic elf, which is a blast.” The show, which sees community members joining Cal U students onstage and behind the scenes, is open to the public. Pagen says Cal U’s theater history with the community dates back to the early ’90s with the annual production of The Nutcracker. “Theater, by nature, brings communities together, and by inviting members of the community to take the stage with us, we are personalizing the experience for folks,” she said.
“We enjoy having them on stage with us, and they enjoy watching the college students journey through their years at Cal U. We know that we are better as a program, as a department, and as a university, by having the community with us each year.” Releasing the rights to Elf The Musical to non-professional groups has caused considerable excitement. Mackey says Cal U’s early production of the holiday classic enhances the momentum. “Being the first or one of the first certainly in our geographic area is really neat and helps create a buzz,” he said. “When you stop and think about the significance of this, there’s certainly some pressure. But this is the most excited and hardest I have ever worked in a role. “This is really special, and all of us are pumped to show audiences what we’ve been working on.” As an educator, Pagen said the show aligns with the department goals of having challenging roles for the students to dive into. Big ensemble numbers require everyone to be a “triple threat”--equally strong actors, singers, and dancers. “I get such joy out of watching a student develop a fully-realized character who has a history and goals and relationships,” Pagen said. “Our students have been hard at work developing their own version, and I’ve waited anxiously for this wonderful opportunity to be released to us.” Ticket price is $12 for adults; $6 for those 60 and older and 12 and younger. Cal U students with valid CalCards pay a $5 deposit that is refunded at the show. For ticket information, or to charge tickets by phone, call the Steele Hall Box Office at 724-9385943. An opening night reception will be held at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 21 in Kara Alumni House. Guests can mingle with theater patrons and President Geraldine Jones. The menu will include hearty appetizers — and perhaps the four main Elf food groups, candy, candy corn, candy canes and syrup! Cost is $30 and includes a ticket to the show, which begins at 7. Proceeds benefit Cal U theater legacy projects and all are welcome. For reception tickets please visit https://tinyurl.com/caluelf or email alumni@calu.edu or call 724-938-4418.
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Nov. 15, 2019
We wish you a Capitalist Christmas Commercialization of Christmas is ruining the holiday
By Tom Caton, Editor in Chief CAT7359@calu.edu
From gift wrapping to Christmas trees, department store Santas and beyond, what started as a religious holiday has taken on commercial significance. What once started as “just another holiday on the calendar” has exploded into this huge, unpredictable market. Christmas has become so commercialized to a point where it has seemed to take complete control over people’s sanity. It is November here in the good old town of California. Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away and you think people would be in a festive mood to eat turkey, jump in a big pile of leaves, or be thankful for friends and family…but NO. More people are preparing for Christmas rather than Thanksgiving. This happens every year and it seems to be getting worse…Christmas is becoming way too commercialized. Christmas is recognized as the most wonderful time of the year but people skip over some holidays in preparation for the joyous holiday. Immediately at the stroke of midnight on October 31, Christmas fanatics explode with holiday joy. Even before Halloween, Christmas décor, presents, and other items are placed on store shelves. Some stores have even put out Christmas items as early as late September! Why is Christmas so commercialized? There is no exact definition or answer to this question; everyone has their own personal reasonings. Everyone is familiar with Black Friday. This “holiday” stemmed from the tradition of department stores parades
sponsored around Thanksgiving that was meant to kick off the holiday shopping season and push consumers into stores. The term Black Friday first started to appear in the 1960s but did not really catch on until almost 20 years later in the 1980s. The first documented use of the term was in 1961 in a statement made by Denny Griswold of Public Relation News. Growing up, I thought Black Friday was exciting and exhilarating, and to this day, it still is. However, I remember when Black Friday would start on Friday. Stores would open as early as 5 a.m. and lines of people waited outside in the cold to get inside and get gifts from their holiday shopping list. But, this is not the case today. Stores are opening up on Thanksgiving Day in the afternoon, forcing retail workers to spend the day working with crazy customers instead of spending meaningful and valuable time with family. Black Friday has turned into this huge frenzy where customers battle it out against each other for a present that had its price knocked down. Black Friday can get a little dangerous though. Many people have been seriously injured or even killed while Black Friday shopping. As far back as 2006, serious injuries and deaths have been the result of Black Friday shopping. Since
2006, there have been a reported 12 deaths and 117 injuries from Black Friday and it is said that these numbers will just climb higher, unfortunately. I have already seen a few commercials advertised for Christmas and even heard some Christmas music! I know everyone has their own right/opinion to when to start celebrating Christmas. I personally still believe the season of Christmas does not start until the day after Thanksgiving. There are many aspects to Christmas we consider traditions. My favorite part of the holiday season is watching the countless Christmas movies on television. The Hallmark Channel got a super early head start on celebrating Christmas this year. The TV network aired a Christmas movie on its channel on October 26th! Like I said, I still believe in following the calendar in chronological order, celebrating holidays in the way they are scheduled. Again, the Christmas fanatics can celebrate early if they want and I am perfectly okay with that. I remember when times were a little simpler and the entire season of Christmas was not so commercialized and people were not at each other’s throats just to get that “perfect present.” So, while all the fanatics prepare for Christmas, you will find me getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving… the next holiday listed on the calendar. However you choose to celebrate the holidays, in which order, is completely up to you. With that being said, Merry Hallowthanksmas!
“I still believe in following the calendar in chronological order, celebrating holidays in the way they are scheduled”
opinions
Nov. 15, 2019
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Celebration of Samhain comes to Cal U
New club on campus helps students to celebrate pagan new year By Jake Brown, Contributor BRO8804@calu.edu Samhain is a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the “darker half” of the year. Traditionally, it is celebrated from 31 October to 1 November, as the Celtic day began and ended at sunset. This is about halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice.
To many people, October 31 is Halloween, the time of year when kids dress up in costumes and go door to door asking for candy. Some, however, choose to celebrate the pagan new year of Samhain. Samhain marks the third and final harvest period of the year and the end of summer, and Cal U’s new club, “Coven”, held a ritual in celebration at 10:00 p.m. on October 31st. Coven is a club where students can learn about and discuss the practices of pagan religions, such as Buddhism, Polytheism, and other non-Abrahamic religions.“There is a huge stigma attached to some of the tings we do and an even bigger level of uneducation [sic] and misconception,” said Maverick McGinness, a 22 -year-old psychology major who founded the club. “Last night, a few members cam together to bring to perform a ritual to bring peace, love, success, and prosperity into our lives for the
new year.” The ritual consists of an urn in between two black candles surrounded by a salt ring. Inside the urn, there is a mixture of herbs, such as cinnamon, that are dumped in and lit on fire. “Once the fire was lit, we would write symbols on a piece of paper, fold it towards us, and then put them in the fire,” said Jadon Carlson, a 21-year-old forensic anthropology major, who joined the club because of his own curiosity and interests in the occult. “Burning it is projecting into the universe where it manifests itself.” “The purpose of the ritual is to create a physical manifestation of your intentions that you can actually see and interact with in order to provoke a change in yourself, giving you courage, happiness, willpower, or whatever it is that you need.” McGinness said in greater detail. “It’s kind of like listening to an inspirational speech.” McGinness took the statement “I am prosperous” and reassembled the letters into a symbol known as a “sigil”. “Now this sigil represents prosperity. We then
drew that sigil on a piece of paper and specifically folded it I the direction towards ourselves because we want to bring prosperity into our lives,” McGinness said. “We then threw them into the cauldron to burn and be released into the universe.” Carlson, who on his paper wrote amor fati, which is Latin for “love of fate”, said he burned his on the candle before throwing it into the cauldron. McGinness said the process behind this is called “magick”. “Magick really is to create a change in one’s environment to a desired outcome. A lot of magick is psychological reprogramming and utilization of the placebo effect to alter one’s perception or state of mind to help us better face challenges in our lives.” McGinness is hopeful that the club will become more popular in the future. “I started this club to create a safe place for people to come and meet other likeminded people who express interest in these spiritual and religious practices without judgement. But most importantly, to educate people so we can all understand each other better.”
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Nov. 15, 2019
Vaping...it’s not as safe as it seems By Hannah Wyman, Staff Writer WYM7514@calu.edu
Shortness of breath, chest pain, fatigue-All are symptoms of vaping-related illnesses and injuries. The number of those effected by these illnesses continues to climb effecting more and more Americans. While the first vaping-related illness was reported back in March, the most recent reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that 1,888 confirmed and probable cases have been reported in 49 states. Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are a batterypowered alternative method of consuming nicotine. They work by vaporizing a liquid mixture of nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals. Because e-cigarettes don’t contain the harmful chemicals of smoking tobacco cigarettes, such as carbon monoxide and tar, manufacturers and regular users say the e-cigarette is a healthier alternative to smoking cigars or cigarettes. The number of young students who use vapes and e-cigarettes has also seen in increase over the past couple of years according to a Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey from the University of Michigan. Data shows that from 2017 to 2019, usage in 12th graders rose from 11 percent to 25 percent in 10th graders from 8 percent to 20 percent and in 8th graders 4 percent to 9 percent. Clarion University sophomore Sarena Bowen started vaping in high school and continued to in college before recently quitting. “I started junior year in high school and stopped for a long time then got back into it in the winter of my senior year, again only because my friends were doing it,” Bowen said. Her experience is similar to many other student’s experiences. Typically, young people get into vaping due to the glamorization of the act and easy accessibility. The reason I started was purely because all of my friends were doing it and I thought vape tricks looked cool and I wanted to learn how to do them,” Bowen said. The 2016 National Youth Tobacco Survey found that many middle and high schoolers contributed the reason for vaping to a “friend or family member” (39%), the availability of “flavors such as mint, candy,
fruit, or chocolate” (31 percent), and the belief that “they are less harmful than other forms of tobacco such as cigarettes” (17 percent). Warren Area High School senior, Thomas Lucks, 17, has been vaping nearly every day for the past 14 months. Like Bowen, Lucks also began vaping due to his friends. “I leave class just to go to the bathroom [to vape],” Lucks said. “It gives me something to do when I am bored at school and at home.” This past September, the Trump administration announced their intent to ban the sale of most flavored e-cigarettes which are typically marketed toward America’s youth. While states wait for federal policy, many have taken steps to Michigan, New York and Massachusetts all announced temporary bans on the selling of flavored nicotine vaping products in September. Furthermore, San Francisco, California, city headquarters of popular e-cigarette company Juul, became the first major U.S. city to ban the sale of all nicotine e-cigarette products over the summer. “As for the recent legislation proposal, I think people really need to do their research and
understand the correct terminology for things,” Bowen said. “I see a lot of articles and ads with titles about how bad vaping can be when the whole article turns out to be about whack THC cartridges. I’m not opposed to better regulations for vaping, people just need to do better research about it before making decisions.” While there is yet to be any statewide restrictions for Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney recently announced his interest in introducing legislation to ban flavored e-cigarettes and vape pods from stores that sell to minors earlier October. The passing of this bill would prohibit convenience stores, gas stations, and other tobacco product sellers from selling flavored e-cigarettes and cartridges. However, specific vaping shops could still sell these products to adults. Lucks isn’t a fan of the recent legislation proposed. Though he finds vaping has made it harder to breath in hockey, “it doesn’t really effect my play or anything.” “It also brings people closer together,” said Lucks. “If somebody has a vape and they let you hit it, you have a bond.”
If you are addicted to nicotine and think you need help to quit, text DITCHJUUL to 88709. The Truth Initiative will send you motivational texts and help you to set a quit date. To learn more, visit www.thetruth.com
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Nov. 15, 2019
RespondUs won’t fix cheating problems Students unsettled by mandatory software to monitor online testing By Sarah Erstfeld, Contributor ERS2474@calu.edu
Kimberly Rhoades was enjoying her lunch on campus one day when she received an email that made her very angry. The email was from one of her professors and it stated that students will begin to be recorded during online tests. The email briefly explained to the students that the university adopted a new software that allows the professor to monitor the students while they are taking an online exam. This monitoring is in addition to the LockDown Browser that Cal already had. The LockDown Browser prevents students from being able to access other windows or programs on their computer until the exam is over. The LockDown Monitor is different because it actually records the students while they are taking an exam. “This system has you show your I.D. to the camera on your computer before you take a test,” the email stated. “It also video tapes you during the test or quiz and prevents cheating in a number of other ways.” The email went on to explain how the students will have to download software to their computer in order to use Respondus LockDown and that there are computers on campus with the software already installed. The Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor Help page on D2L has a video to introduce students to the software. It is said in the video that it is possible that some professors will require the students to pivot their camera around the room and that the software will flag recordings that have bad lighting or a hidden face. Rhoades is angry about the new monitoring system. “I feel fine about the LockDown Browser,” she said. “I don’t agree with it, but I also don’t disagree with it. But I do not like being filmed; it’s an invasion of privacy.” She cited anxiety as an example as to why she doesn’t like the monitoring aspect of Respondus LockDown Monitor. “Students with anxiety like me don’t like to know we’re being filmed,” Rhoades said. “People like my boyfriend who already have test anxiety will have it made worse. When I told him about it, he asked me ‘what am I going to do? This is going to mess me up.’ Even though neither of us cheat on tests, we worry that, for some reason, the professor will think we look like we’re cheating and then we’ll get a bad grade.” Rhoades also talked about how students who want to cheat will still find a way to cheat. “People are always going to find a way to cheat,” she said. “They can write something on their hand. I can think of a thousand ways a person can cheat despite being recorded, and I don’t even cheat on
tests. If you don’t want students to cheat, then have it in-class. Even then, they will cheat. I saw a girl use her Apple Watch during an in-class exam once.” Rhoades said that the bad affect the monitoring will have on students with anxiety coupled with the fact that students will still cheat regardless makes the whole recording system a bad idea. “I can see what they’re trying to do,” she said. “People do cheat too much. But it’s going to happen no matter what. It’s not worth the time, money, or effort.” Rhoades said that she also didn’t like having to download new software. “It ruined one of my friend’s computer,” she said. “I don’t like the idea of having to download software. How do I know that it’s actually safe?” The thing that disturbs Rhoades the most is that she really doesn’t know who is watching her. “How do I know that some guy isn’t getting turned on watching me?” she asked. “People are weird and gross. They could get turned on by the shape of somebody’s head or a chair in the background. The fact is, I don’t know what the person on the other end of the camera is doing. They’re not being recorded, are they? During in-class tests, we can watch the person watching us. If he gets turned on or something, we can get up and leave because we know about it.” Rhoades said that she talks about this issue frequently – at least once a week. “I haven’t talked to anybody who doesn’t care about being recorded,” she said. “Everyone is upset about it. One of the student union members agrees with me and thinks the university should get rid of it. I believe my opinion reflects Cal students’ general attitude and that we have the opportunity to fight it before students become desensitized to it.” The monitoring aspect of the Respondus LockDown is new to Cal U. It is possible that the novelty of the system is why students are upset about it. Do students from other universities that have had the monitoring system for a while find it as repulsive? According to “K,” who wishes to remain anonymous because of her admittance to cheating on exams, students at Carlow University don’t care about being recorded during tests. K is a junior nursing student at Carlow and said that the monitoring system has been in place for at least as long as she’s been there. According to her, being recorded has been normalized. “A lot of online classes require students to be
recorded during a test,” she said. “My friend who had to use it just had to show her face to the professor – she’s Muslim, so she had to remove her face covering for that – then tell the professor that she is ‘present.’ After that, all she had to do was leave the camera on during the whole exam.” K admits to helping her friend, who will be referred to as “A,” cheat on her exam. “It was more difficult to cheat than a regular online exam without a camera, but it was still easy,” K said. “It was a math test, so A just wrote the question on a piece of paper, slid the question to me – I was off-camera – and I would solve it for her. The camera only films your chest and face, so your arms are free to cheat. K gave other examples of how she and other students might cheat despite being monitored. “Put your phone against the computer screen,” she said. “The camera can’t see things that are actually on your computer, and you’ll be able to look up questions because it’ll look like you’re reading the test questions. Also, if you go to a computer lab with your laptop, you can put your arms around your laptop – which is recording you – and Google answers on the desktop. The camera can’t see that your arms are reaching around the laptop.” K said that students who want to cheat will still find a way to cheat. “Cheaters are gonna cheat,” she repeated multiple times. “It’s silly because the software is meant to stop cheating, but you can still cheat. It might deter some cheaters – those who cheat because it’s convenient. But people who didn’t study or just don’t understand the subject material will cheat because they’re desperate to pass.” K showed no concern about being filmed during tests. “We’re being filmed all the time anyway,” she said. “It’s why crimes happen in alleyways – there are less cameras and it’s more dark.” K said that while she doesn’t think she can speak for Carlow students’ general attitude toward the Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor, she believes that most students aren’t bothered by it. “I don’t personally know anyone who’s upset about this on my campus – except unclever cheaters,” she said. “I think students at schools where the software is new will eventually get used to it and it won’t bother them either.”
“Everyone is upset about it... we have the opportunity to fight it before students become desensitized to it.”
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Nov. 15, 2019
Their Story
Navigating college life as a non-binary student By Hannah Wyman, Staff Writer WYM7514@calu.edu Sitting in a neon orange hoodie with their small, dark hands folded on top of the synthetic wood tabletop, Blaine Hill-Banks looked like someone who was sure of themselves. Hair cut within an inch of itself and loose, baggy clothes shaping their small frame, Hill-Banks is definitely an androgynous character, something that used to be a rarity but is now seen more commonly across college campuses. The notion that Hill-Banks is secure in themselves is only reinforced when they opened their mouth to speak in soft yet confident statements. One would never guess that there was a time when Hill-Banks was not as comfortable in their own skin as they appeared in that moment. Born Milane Hill-Banks, Blaine takes on many different identities depending on who they are around. At home, they are out about being pansexual but not about their gender. “Everyone back in Philly still calls me Mimi,” HillBanks said. At college, however, Blaine is open about how they identify. “I prefer them/their pronouns. I don’t mind he or she at all.” Though identifying as gender fluid is not a new concept, Hill-Banks can remember many different occasions where people they meet are just not entirely sure what it means. Hill-Banks described their gender identity as being on the spectrum of male to female most days, while some days they’re not on this spectrum at all. “Some days I just wake up and I’m like, ‘I don’t know.’ It’s definitely not a set thing for me all day,” said Hill-Banks. Hill-Banks related this feeling in terms of clothes to further illustrate their point. There have been days when Hill-Banks wakes up and felt like a girl. They would throw on a bunch of girly clothes in the morning but would completely change to feeling masculine by the afternoon. “I’m just like, well, I’m stuck in a miniskirt and some heels. I don’t know what to do now. So, definitely spectrum at all times. There’s never just one set thing all day,” they said. Entering college is a daunting task for anyone. Many will talk of their worries in regard to schoolwork, making friends, and making a name for themselves. Hill-Banks recalled their first few days at California University of Pennsylvania. While participating in an activity outside during Welcome Weekend, Hill-Banks introduced themselves as gender fluid. “The teacher was like ‘yes! yes!’ And the entire group just went silent. Other people were just like ‘okay, whatever’ and continued to the next,” recalled Hill-Banks. Following the activity, a girl came up to Hill-Banks and asked for them to explain more about being gender fluid. “I explained it and she was just like ‘you can’t change what God gave you’ and walked away.” As the girl left, Hill-Banks was left standing alone and
confused. “I didn’t know how to feel about that. Obviously, half the kids here are super cool. Of course, there are gonna be some bad apples now and again,” Hill-Banks said. While this wasn’t the warm welcome many other students experience coming to school, Hill-Banks hasn’t interacted with others as blunt since. Despite what many think, one doesn’t necessarily have to be a full-grown adult to recognize their gender identity. This revelation can be apparent at a young age. Hill-Banks had known about their gender identity since middle school. “In middle school, I was kinda just like ‘mmmm. Not really pretty sure about this whole girl thing.’ And then for the longest time, I thought I was trans. And then I was like ‘oh my god, I’m a boy. I don’t know what to do.’” Eventually, they learned what being non-binary meant and how it acted as an umbrella term for many other identities that come underneath it. After they decided to go by nonbinary pronouns, Hill-Banks explained how even they began to misgender themselves. They chose to continue using “she” until going to new places, like college. Then, Hill-Banks said, they would start to inscribe they/them pronouns when being introduced to new people. For the most part, Hill-Banks said they usually received a mix of two different responses when a new person at Cal U learns of their gender identity. For some, it took a second glance and a shrug as if to say, “Sure, whatever.” For others, Hill-Banks’s gender fluidity was the deciding factor in cutting them off entirely and feeling as if they cannot talk anymore. While going to college as a non-binary student was an obstacle to overcome, it also affected their outlook on life. To Hill-Banks, college and the way it functions is inherently structured. Everyone needs to choose a major, there are certain clubs you need to join, small communities exist and function separately within the dorms. This parallels societal views on people as well. Students are nerds, jocks, hippies, mean girls, straight, gay, or lesbian. However, in life, people don’t fit inside these boxes and things can’t be categorized so easily in Hill-Banks’s eyes. Being gender fluid worked against such structure. “It doesn’t fit like that… at all… When you open up to the fact that everything is such a wide range, [you start realizing] why is everyone just putting themselves in these categories when you really don’t need to? And because of that, it’s kinda changed my approach to life,” they said. This laid-back way of living was apparent to even Hill-Banks’s professors. Craig Fox remembered Hill-Banks accidentally going to the wrong section of Honors and University Orientation on the first day of class. Rather than be embarrassed or upset, HillBanks took their mistake in stride and made fun of
themselves. “They were very self-deprecating about it… Some students wouldn’t have had that attitude,” Fox said. “From that experience, I thought that they have a healthy sense of self.” Traditionally, Cal U, due to its location, has the reputation of being one of the more culturally conservative of the state system schools. However, there has been a steady change in the campus in becoming more inclusive to non-binary and LGBTQ students. In fact, Hill-Banks is one of the first to live in the Diversity, Equality, & Inclusion community, a wing located on the second floor of Smith Hall dedicated to giving students of color, different background, religion, gender identity, political affiliation, ability, etc., a safe space to be themselves. Forward steps, such as this one, are encouraging to those who seek a world where things like gender or sexual orientation don’t matter. Hill-Banks hopes that being gender fluid and non-binary becomes more normalized in the future because as of right now, “People see the norm as straight, white, cisguys.” For someone who certainly has not had it easy growing up, Blaine Hill-Banks is proud of where they are now. Starting college, meeting new people, being accepted are all things that they couldn’t have imagined as a confused and struggling 12-yearold middle schooler. Life gets better. The world is different now, and so is Blaine. “It’s such a change from when I was 12. It’s wonderful.”
“In life, people don’t fit inside these boxes and things can’t be categorized so easily... Being gender fluid worked against such structure.”
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Nov. 15, 2019
When in doubt, lift it out
Cal U student uses fitness for more than just physical growth By James Rudolph, Contributor
Ever since his father died in the fifth grade, Nick Reyes was an angry kid. He began exhibiting anger problems throughout middle-school and frequently got into trouble. Now, at age 21 and a senior at California University of Pennsylvania, Reyes’ anger has subsided, and he attributes that to his outlet and motivator: fitness. “I used to run around the neighborhood when I got really mad,” Reyes said, reminiscing about a sixth grade memory. He attributes that as his initial interest in fitness. He identified that his impulsive anger caused him to engage in some sort of physical activity until he exhausted himself. Additionally, he felt insecure about himself. He viewed himself as a “scrawny kid” and never felt satisfied with himself. This manifested into misbehavior in school. “I got at least 21 suspensions while in middle school,” Reyes said. It wasn’t until the 8th grade where he discovered his interest in sports which tunred into a fascination with weight lifting. To Reyes, lifting was crucial because “that’s what I thought I needed to do.” Reye’s high-school career was filled with athletics. His freshman year consisted of football, while the remainder of high-school was dominated by track, which he did in every season. His anger and delinquency stopped as Reyes found a new outlet to focus on. “Once I did that, shit straightened out,” said Reyes. But while he pursued athletics, Reyes eventually learned that weight lifting was his true passion. For him, it was almost transactional. He started lifting heavily because of the stress and anger relief he got with pushing himself harder. Lifting provides the cathartic experience that helps him with his emotional turmoil. “I just have the most confidence when I’m in the weight room. My anxiety is just gone. I feel like the man,” Reyes explained. According to an article published by The New York Times, after analyzing from 30 different research studies, consistent resistance training anywhere from two to five days a week helped men and women, regardless of age, stave off depression and decrease its symptoms. Meanwhile, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association, an agency within the U.S Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation, anger tends to be a symptom of depression and often manifests itself more often than sadness or melancholy.
While Reyes says he still has anger problems, he knows it diminished significantly, and he notices how he is more lighthearted and carefree now that he been weightlifting for so long. Luke Cordle, Reyes’ roomate for the past two years, sees how he is a driven person, a hardworking student and a true friend. “He is very outgoing, and always willing to help whenever help is needed,” Cordle said. Since he first came to Cal U, Reyes wanted to use his interest in fitness to help fellow students. He joined the Health and Fitness Club in 2017, but the club was soon dissolved due to lack of membership activity. However, Reyes started the club again in 2018 and became the new founder and president. Reyes said the club attracted a lot of attention initially, with 42 members in the first month of its inception. The club allowed Reyes to pursue an interest in weightlifting instruction and fitness training. Reyes said he identified two kinds of people who joined the club: people who love to work-out, and people wanting to learn how to work-out. Reyes explained the enjoyment he gets from teaching another person how to lift in one-on-one sessions. “It’s definitely something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life. “Nick is extremely motivational.” Cordle said, while reflecting on a time Reyes was teaching him how to lift,
“You have to be hard on people when at the gym to properly motivate them to go beyond what they are capable of. Nick was a great trainer for that reason.” In 2019, however, the Health and Fitness Club at Cal U was dissolved again, but not for lack of effort on Reyes part. He said, “no one wanted to participate” and everyone who showed the initial interest wasn’t involved in the club. Not enough members wanted to participate in club activities, such as planned workouts and fitness lectures. There was a lack of communication and, eventually, people seemed to vanish. “I see less and less people coming into the weightroom, anymore,” Reyes said. He believes there is a significant lack of interest in fitness that stems from multiple factors, such as a shift in societal views and a higher-level of social anxiety, keep people away from the gym. “We are going in the wrong direction,” Reyes said. Regardless of societal views of the failures of club members, Reyes focuses all his energy into fitness. He transformed an outlet and motivator into a way of life and future career. He hoped to open a gym when he graduates, before he begins implementing unique ideas he has to create something the fitness world has never seen before. Reyes declined to share these ideas. “I’m focused on what I want to do for the rest of my life,” Reyes said.
Cal U’s Herron Recreation Center offers students free membership. (Students taking all online classes have to pay a recreation fee). Hours are: Monday-Thursday: 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday: 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday: 1 p.m.-9 p.m.
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The Cal U football team recognized seniors prior to kickoff against Seton Hill on Saturday, Nov. 9. (Left to right) Jordan Dandridge, Breon Coke, Lamont McPhatter II, Nigel Garnett, Nelson Brown, Christian Digalbo, Geremy Paige, Jordan Scarbrough, Aaron Brown and Javon Whitfield
Vulcans claim win over Seton Hill 28-14 on Senior Day By Cal U Sports Information Photos by Jeff Helsel The Vulcans allowed under 250 yards of total offense, including negative rushing yars, on Saturday, Nov. 9, in a 28-14 win over Seton Hill on Senior Day at Adamson Stadium in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West Action. With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania football team improves to 7-3 overall and finishes the year with a 5-2 mark in divisional play to rank third in the PSAC West standings. The Vulcans have now posted at least seven wins every season since 2005, which is the longest active streak among all Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) members. Meanwhile, the Griffins fall to 2-7 this season with a 2-5 record in league action. The Vulcans yielded just 231 yards of total offense in the win and forced the Griffins into minus-13 rushing yards. Sophomore defensive lineman Gerald Brown led the team with six tackles (five solo) and tied his career high of 3.0 TFL, plus recorded 1.0 sack, on Saturday. Senior defensive back Lamon McPhatter II and freshman defensive back Khalil Brown both tallied five stops in the victory. Sophomore wide receiver Derrick Caraway paced the team and set a career high with seven receptions while finishing with 75 receiving yards
and two touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Tyson Hill posted 70 receiving yards and one touchdown on four catches. The Vulcans return to action on Saturday, Nov. 16, when they travel to face defending-PSAC Champion West Chester in the final week of the season with kickoff set for 1 p.m. Sophomore wide receiver Derrick Caraway scores a touchdown for the Vulcans in the game against Seton Hill at Adamson Stadium on Nov. 9, 2019.
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Men’s Rugby Team advances to Central Regional Championships Photos by Jeff Helsel
California University of Pennsylvania men’s rugby team defeated Grove City 23-7 at Phillip Murray Field, Pittsburgh, on Saturday, Nov. 2, to advance to the Central Region Championships (NSCRO) in Columbia, Missouri on Nov. 9. The Vulcans were eliminated from the tournament after falling to the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point 57-15. Cal U Senior Isaiah Harris received the “Heart and Soul” award. The Vulcans ended the season with a 5-4 overall record.
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Soccer teams recognize seniors
Photos by Leigh Swartzfager, Sports Editor and Jeff Helsel
Far Left: The Cal U women’s soccer team recognized two senior goalkeepers, Reilly McGlumphy and Kayla Morran, on Senior Day, Nov. 9, 2019. Left: The Cal U women’s soccer team celebrates as freshman Juliana Cruz scores a goal just 41 seconds into the match against Mercyhurst on Nov. 9, 2019. The Vulcans fell to the Lakers 4-1
Right: Cal U freshman Eli Mitchell tallied a teamleading seventh goal of the year in the shutout over Seton Hill, 2-0, on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at Phillipsburg Soccer Facility. Far Right: The Cal U men’s soccer team recognized three seniors prior to the match against Mercyhurst on Saturday, Nov. 9. From left to right: Marcos Garcia, Jr., Joseph Valeriano, and Javier Gonzalez-Sanchez
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Volleyball team drops match to Clarion, 3-1 By Cal U Sports Information Photos by Jeff Helsel, Cal Times
Junior Madison Kline
Freshman Chelsea Howard
In their first home match in over a month, the Vulcans suffered a 3-1 loss (2826, 25-20, 20-25, 2514) to Clarion at the Convocation Center on Friday, Nov. 8, in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover play. With the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team drops to 11-12 this season behind a 6-9 record in league action. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles improve to 17-9 overall with a 9-5 mark in conference play. Both teams were featured in the initial Atlantic regional rankings this week, as Clarion was slotted seventh and Cal U was tabbed No. 10. Sophomore Sarah Moehring led the team with 11 kills, while three other players collected at least six kills. Freshmen Kaylin Burkey and Chelsea Howard finished with eight and seven kills, respectively, while junior Madison Kline added six kills on Friday. Sophomore Sarah Benson guided the offense with 33 assists in the losing effort.
Sophomore Sarah Moehring
Sophomore Sarah Benson
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ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT Athlete Spotlight courtesy of Sports Information - Photos by Jeff Helsel
MONICA BURNS Photo by : Name
CLASS: SENIOR HOMETOWN: NEW STANTON, PENNSYLVANIA HIGH SCHOOL: HEMPFIELD
Monica Burns averaged 20 points, 4 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game, as the Vulcans opened the year last weekend with a pair of victories against teams that qualified for the 2019 NCAA Tournament. She posted 19 points, four rebounds, seven assists and two steals on Friday in a 78-73 win over Charleston (W.Va.). The following day, Burns scored 21 points behind fiveof-eight from long range and added four rebounds and two assists in an 8180 victory against West Liberty
GERALD BROWN CLASS: SOPHOMORE MAJOR: SPORT MANAGEMENT HOMETOWN: DUQUESNE, PENNSYLVANIA HIGH SCHOOL: WEST MIFFLIN Gerald Brown registered six tackles (five solo) and tied his career high of 3.0 TFL, as Cal U earned a 28-14 win over Seton Hill on Nov. 9. He helped anchor a defensive unit that allowed just over 230 yards of total offense and forced the Griffins to minus-13 rushing yards. Cal U yielded just 82 yards of total offense over seven drives before Seton Hill scored twice in the fourth quarter. Brown, who also registered 1.0 sack on Nov. 9, ranks fourth in the PSAC with 140 TFL this year.