052020 by Chicago Maroon

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THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020 THE CHICAGO MAROON — APRIL 29, 2020

Sara, CONGRATULATIONS on graduating baby!! Your unstoppable kindness and optimism are truly inspirational. We are so proud of you. Here’s to surviving Chicago winters...many flights home..tough Economics and Public Policy classes and late late nights. We are grateful for all your amazing friendships, professors and mentors who made your college life such a great ride. Keep making art and baking. We love you!! Love Mom, Dad and Nicole

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

“There is divine beauty in learning. To learn means to accept the postulate that life did not begin at my birth. Others have been here before me, and I walk in their footsteps. The books I read were composed by generations of fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, teachers and disciples. I am the sum total of their experiences, their quests. And so are you.” - Eli Wiesel

We love you, and we are so proud of you, Ima and Abba, Yoni, Aviv and Dina

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

Congratulations, Emma! We’re proud of you. Wish you all the best. Love, Mama, Papá, and Gabi

EDITOR’S NOTE By MILES BURTON EMMA DYER CAROLINE KUBZANSKY Six weeks ago, the last time we composed an editor’s note, it was not a given that this spring’s graduation ceremony would not happen in-person due to COVID-19. This year’s commencement is only one of many things lost or delayed due to the pandemic. But here at UChicago, convocation has taken center stage as far as ramifications of the pandemic are concerned. Nobody reading this letter needs another reminder that nothing is normal right now. In ordinary years, The Maroon’s Graduation Issue is as much a part of the scenery of alumni weekend and Class Day as the white tents and temporary stages that spring up around the quad over the course of finals week. This year, the Graduation issue will appear in mailboxes around the country and across the globe, in what we hope is a reminder of Hyde Park

and almost-four years there. The current Maroon leadership is made up of third-years. We cannot imagine the way it must feel to have the finale of four intense years cancelled, to receive a diploma in the mail, to sign off from a final Zoom class and look up at a bulletin board from childhood, or outside a kitchen window. If you are reading this letter on paper, it has probably arrived in your hands through the mail, along with some other items from the University to commemorate your degree. That is not the same as, nor could it ever replace, the photos in caps and gowns that many seniors never got to take, the hugs from friends and celebrations with roommates and family members. The Maroon’s editorial concern is to cover individuals and events relating to the University of Chicago. This extends to alumni. University of Chicago students — whether or not they’re graduating into a global public health crisis — go on to do important things, things worth writing about. The Maroon looks forward to covering the class of 2020’s achievements well beyond this highly unusual commencement.

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

Four Years in Review By MAROON STAFF Compiled by Justin Smith 2016–17 Jackson Park Selected as Obama Library Site (July 27) The Obama Foundation announced that Jackson Park will be the site of the Obama Presidential Center (OPC). Aside from the former president’s personal involvement with South Side community development, considerations in the decision included the park’s proximity to Lake Michigan and the Museum of Science and Industry. The project has encountered resistance from some community members concerned about potential gentrification of the surrounding neighborhoods. A lawsuit led by Protect Our Parks is currently arguing that the OPC should not be built in Jackson Park or on any public lands. University to Incoming Freshmen: Don’t Expect Safe Spaces or Trigger Warnings (August 24) A letter was sent to all incoming students in the Class of 2020 that expressed the University’s commitment to freedom of speech. In the letter, Dean of Students in the College Jay Ellison wrote that the University does not condone “trigger warnings” or “safe spaces” that may shield students from exposure to ideas they do not agree with. This statement was released in response to the previous year’s disruptive protests that interfered with multiple IOP events. The University received nationwide media attention for its stance on the issue. Faculty Senate Creates New Disciplinary System (May 23) The Council of the University Senate passed a revised disciplinary policy on disruptive conduct in a private meeting. Disruptive conduct includes actions like obstructive protests and silencing speakers on campus. The updated policy includes warnings, probation, and, in the most extreme cases, expulsion as punishment for its defined range of instances of disruptive conduct.

2017–18 GSU Celebrates Win, Admin Says Legal Fight Continues (October 19) Graduate students voted to unionize after years of organization, with 1,103 “yes” votes and 479 “no” votes. After beginning the process of legally certifying the union through the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), GSU eventually withdrew its petition of representation, citing concerns that the NLRB under the Trump administration would roll back pro-grad union precedents. GSU is currently seeking recognition outside the NLRB with a labor action. Pearsons, W ho Pledged $100 Million to UChicago, Want Their Money Back (March 5) Brothers Timothy R. and Thomas L. Pearson donated $100 million on behalf of their family in 2015 to found the Pearson Institute, which would have hosted research on global conf lict prevention. But in February of this year, the Pearson Family Foundation filed suit against the University for the $22.9 million it had already given, alleging that the University had not been meeting its obligations for developing the Institute. Then in April, the University denied the Pearsons’ allegations and filed a countersuit. Pearson family attorneys recently sent Euirim Choi, the lead reporter on the story and former Maroon co-editorin-chief, and The Maroon subpoenas for documents in the ongoing lawsuit. UCPD Officer Shoots U of C Student Wielding Metal Pole, Smashing Windows (April 4) UCPD Officer Nicholas Twardak shot fourth-year Charles Thomas in the shoulder while responding to a report that Thomas was using a metal pole to break windows in an alley between South Kimbark Avenue and South Woodlawn Avenue. Body camera footage released by the University sparked debate and on-campus protests over Twardak’s and Thomas’s actions, especially after individuals close to Thomas said he was likely having a mental—health episode. Thomas has since been released from the hospital,

and is currently under house arrest awaiting trial on eight felony charges for assault and property damage. 2018–19 UChicago Allegedly Favored Donors’ Children for Internship Funding (March 15) Amid a national scandal on college admission at elite universities, The Maroon received older emails from a UChicago Career Advancement employee in which another staff member asked the employee to contact students that the office called “Special Interest Cases” (SIC). The messages, sent in 2016, said that “many of [SIC students’] parents are important supporters of Career Advancement,” both financially and by connecting students to organizations. Trader Joe’s to Open in the Old Treasure Island Storefront (May 13) Seven months after Treasure Island’s sudden closure, the University and Trader Joe’s announced that a new Trader Joe’s would move into the storefront. The announcement came after months of public discussion and debate over what to do with the empty space. This location will be the company’s sixth location in Chicago, and the first on the South Side. UChicago Expands IME to School of Molecular Engineering with $100 Million Gift from the Pritzkers (May 28) The newly named Pritzker Molecular Engineering (PME), previously the Institute of Molecular Engineering (IME), will become the first graduate school of molecular engineering in the country. The school is established with a new donation of $75 million from the Pritzker Foundation, in addition to $25 million the Pritzkers had granted the IME earlier. PME is the second University school named after the Pritzker family, after Pritzker Medical School. Lightfoot Beats Preckwinkle by Wide Margin to be First UChicago Alum, Black Woman as Mayor (April 2)

Lori Lightfoot (J.D. ’89) won the mayoral race over Toni Preckwinkle (A.B. ’69, A.M. ’77) by a margin of nearly 50 percentage points. In addition to being the first UChicago alumna and Black woman as mayor, Lightfoot is Chicago’s first openly gay mayor. 2019-2020 MSI Renamed After $125 Million Donation from Kenneth C. Griffin (October 7) The Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) announced that it will be renamed after Chicago philanthropist and billionaire investor, Kenneth C. Griffin. The name change follows a $125 million donation, which is the largest amount made to the museum in its history. According to a statement by MSI President and CEO David Mosena, the gift will secure the MSI’s long-term financial future, allowing the museum to better serve the wider Chicago community. University to Cap Number of Ph.D. Students in Humanities, SSA, SSD, Div School (October 9) The new limits will be imposed along with several additional changes aimed at reducing attrition and shortening students’ time to degree, including increased emphasis on teaching, the University told The Maroon. Under the new system, all students in good academic standing will receive ‘full tuition coverage, paid health insurance premiums, and funding for the duration of their program at least at the guaranteed stipend level’—which increased from last year’s $30,000 to $31,000, before taxes, for the current academic year. Yerkes’s Brighter Future: University Enters Agreement to Give Over Observatory to Local Foundation (November 6) The University of Chicago and the Yerkes Future Foundation (YFF) announced that they will begin working out the details of a deal that will transfer ownership of the shuttered Yerkes Observatory to the YFF. The observatory, based in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, CONTINUED ON PG. 8

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

Class of COVID-19 By JEREMY LINDENFELD Photo Editor Jeremy Lindenfeld, Rest Area 6, Georgia. I started the Class of COVID-19 photo series as a way to document the experiences of university students learning remotely. My first subjects were my high school friends that had been forced back to their childhood homes at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. The project was initially a way for me to somewhat productively pass the time and safely see familiar faces, but it quickly grew beyond that. I found that the quotes I was collecting to accompany each image helped me and the people I shared the project with come to understand that the loneliness, disChris Campo, Gainsville, Florida. Coronavirus’s impact on the U.S. and the world has been a constant reminder of my privilege, as I’m lucky enough to have been insulated from some of the worst effects that COVID-19 has had on others. I’m only a third-year in college, and I know that I’ll have a chance to see my friends before we graduate and go our separate ways. Our school is on the quarter system, so I also didn’t have to deal with an abrupt shift in my academic schedule and grading scheme and location midway through my classes. More importantly: My family and friends are healthy. I’m financially dependent on my parents, who have maintained employment and are working as much as ever. In theory, I’d be studying abroad in Athens this quarter, but the loss of that opportunity is nothing compared to what I’ve gained in being able to feel safe at home given the whole situation. Even when my original internship was cancelled for the summer,

I was lucky enough to find another (remote) position only a few weeks thereafter. On paper, this is about as good as it gets. The hard part has been maintaining my mental health, which I’ve only been able to do through projecting all of my anxiety onto distant things. I pushed myself to take five classes this quarter—with that, exercising, keeping student clubs running, and playing around with my old bass guitar every once in a while, I’ve confiscated a lot of the downtime that would usually allow

everything to get to my head. I’ve been very escapist in coming home and ignoring any of my imminent responsibilities regarding next year’s housing situation, and have neglected a lot of my distant friendships in the process. I don’t know when I’ll be able to push myself to see my fourth-year roommates and friends again, but the idea of being suffocated in my Hyde Park apartment and being constantly battered by the residual negative energy from the usual hustle and bustle of the school year would truly be too much for me to handle right now.

appointment, and fear we were feeling was not a singular experience, but instead one that manifested in a variety of ways from person to person. It helped me finally accept the “alone together” mantra I had had so much trouble believing. By reaching out to students who were experiencing similar situations as I was, I no longer felt alone in my anxieties. I am now traveling back to Chicago by car, sleeping at rest stops so that I limit my exposure to others. On the way up, I have decided to continue the project and visit UChicago students who have moved back home this quarter. I hope that sharing these stories brings others the same sense of solidarity that I have taken from documenting these students’ experiences.

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020 Michael Montoya, Miami Beach, Florida. Coronavirus has abruptly impacted our lives in ways we didn’t fully expect. On the evening of Wednesday, March 11, the week before finals, my peers and I received an email from our school saying that we would have an extended spring break, and that the rest of the spring quarter would be remote. I was annoyed that this was happening and kept thinking about what this would mean for me and everyone else. I couldn’t focus on studying for my finals; it felt pointless. The school gave us one week to evacuate campus—I didn’t have a lot of time to think about the place I was leaving behind, and what I would be losing in the coming months. Even with the evacuation order, the reality of the coronavirus didn’t really sink in until the day I flew home to Miami. Everyone on my flight was on edge, and three-quarters of the flight was empty. That tension didn’t end when we landed. When my dad, who I hadn’t seen in months, picked me up at the airport, I couldn’t even give him a hug, because we were concerned about my possible exposure on the flight. On our way home, we stopped at my grandmother’s house on our way home, but only briefly, to drop off some items. That distance felt weird in a way that I can’t quite de-

scribe. Even now, two months into quarantine, I can’t visit my relatives and don’t know when I will see them again despite how close we live to each other. The future is clouded in uncertainty. Coronavirus has put 2020, my senior year, on hold. At the start of my senior year, I had a lot of plans. To me, my final quarter was supposed to be the time to make memories with my friends then move into New York City in the summer. While I do not know exactly when I will be moving to New York City, or where I will be staying, it is important to have an optimistic outlook on what I can do now. I have been taking this time away from school to focus on hobbies and self-improvement that has previously been on hold. From reading books to home workouts, there is always improvement that can be done. I’ve been helping my mom make masks for friends and family and taking time to reconnect with friends. I was fortunate enough to be able to safely go home before most of the U.S. was shut down and stay with my family. However, many international students and others might not have had the opportunity to go home are isolated from family. I am finding it important to be understanding and respectful in these trying times and focus on what I can control in the present.

Estefi Navarro, Pinecrest, Florida. Personally, I never felt like I fit in very well at UChicago. I often felt distant and isolated from others. That changed in winter quarter of my senior year. I de-

cided to major in visual arts and finally drop physics down to my minor. More specifically, I applied to the studio track for the V.A. major, which was a cohort of around nine people focusing on studio work. It wasn’t until then

that I felt at home at this school. We all had a shared studio space, where we would hang out, work, talk, sleep, eat, pretty much do everything together. Our B.A. thesis show would open April 5, which is what we all worked tire-

lessly towards. Never had I felt so much excitement in my time at Chicago; I was looking forward to being able to display something I had worked so hard at, for so many hours, for friends, family, faculty, and the public to see. I couldn’t

wait, and everything was lining up perfectly: I was excited for the future, I made amazing friends that supported me through various heart-breaking critiques, I was enjoying what I was doing. What a reward! After years of hating my experience here, not fitting in, torturing myself over how I wasn’t good enough to be here, I finally had a chance to enjoy my senior spring with new friends, new work, and a show dedicated to us and our achievements. Like many other events and plans, that didn’t happen. When we received the news of going virtual for spring quarter, everything I was looking forward to ran through my mind, knowing it wouldn’t happen now. The quarter that I was supposed to enjoy is the one quarter that was not going to happen. But then it hit me, does this mean there will be no B.A. show? There was hope for sometime that there would be a soft opening, or a closing at the end of the quarter instead of an opening, or simply no opening or closing but the gallery would remain open for people to see. Finally, the decision was made to cancel the show. The sadness that came over me was worse than everything I had felt the first three years at this school, because this was supposed to be our moment. It was also supposed to be my moment.

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

“All graduate and undergraduate students will be taught remotely for the entire spring quarter in response to the spread of the novel coronavirus.” CONTINUED FROM PG. 5

was opened by the University in 1897 to house the world’s largest refracting telescope and was closed to the public last October. Since the closure of the observatory, students and community members have worked to preserve the observatory buildings and continue its educational programming externally.” Chemist Ka Yee Lee Selected as New University Provost (January 7) Lee began as Provost February 1. Lee is the first female Provost in the history of the University. University of Chicago Announces Transition to Remote Learning for Entire Spring Quarter (March 12)

All graduate and undergraduate students will be taught remotely for the entire spring quarter in response to the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), University President Robert Zimmer and Provost Ka Yee Lee announced. Students living in on-campus housing vacated housing by March 22, the last Sunday of winter quarter. Spring Quarter to Begin One Week Late and Last Nine Weeks in Response to Coronavirus (March 16) The evolving coronavirus situation ‘is producing many pressures beyond the considerable work required for a normal academic year,’ Lee said in an email. ‘The situation calls for us to

fundamentally rethink how we teach and learn, conduct research, and collaborate, all on a very short timeline.’ Spring quarter will now be reduced to nine weeks of instruction. The last day of the quarter will remain June 13. University Expands Pass/Fail Grading for Spring Quarter Classes (April 3) The College is expanding its pass/ fail grading policies spring quarter in response to students’ varied distance learning situations as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, according to an email sent to students by Dean John Boyer and Dean Jay Ellison. The College is now allowing pass/fail grading for Core requirements and has asked

departments and programs to implement pass/fail policies for major and minor requirements. UChicago Cancels On-Campus Convocation (April 7) In its place, a virtual convocation will be held for graduating students. ‘Given the current guidance from the CDC, other public health officials, and our own faculty and physicians working on the forefront of the COVID-19 response, and the understanding of the trajectory of the pandemic, it is not practical or responsible to proceed with planning an in-person gathering of more than 15,000 people.’

Puppies, Giant Tortoises, and a 20-foot-tall Dean Boyer: Fourth-Years Reflect on Their Strangest Quad Sightings By KATE MABUS Senior News Reporter The quad is the centerpiece of the UChicago experience, both physically and figuratively. Although graduating seniors will not be walking through Cobb Gate this spring, they have plenty of other memories from the quad. The Maroon sat down with some of them to ask the question: “What is the most bizarre thing you’ve seen take place on the quad?” “Spring quarter of my first year…. It was a beautiful sunny day, and my friends and I were doing some work out on the quad. An ice cream truck was up and running, people had set up hammocks, people were throwing around frisbees…and there was a massive tortoise just chilling out there on the quad. This wasn’t one of the small Botany Pond turtles, this was an actual

very large tortoise. It was just having the time of its life moseying around, and at one point it was hanging out with a small dog who came to investigate it. I posted a photo of it on the meme page, and through that found out that this tortoise’s name was Bowser and that it was the ‘guard tortoise’ for Sig Chi. I never saw Bowser after that day, but I hope he’s doing okay!” —Belen Edwards “Sometime during my third year in spring quarter, as I was heading to a morning class at the Social Science Research Building, I noticed what seemed to me a grad student in a flannel shirt, working on their laptop—a dark gray, chunky one—on one of the benches at the center of the quad. They were gesticulating wildly at their computer, but I thought nothing much of it and headed to class. Just noted it, and walked ahead. After class, I returned to that central intersection of the quad, on my

way to the Reg. The student was still there, but this time on another bench…. I had a class some hour and a half after my previous class, so after spending some time at the Reg, I walked back to the quad, heading to Cobb or Wieboldt. Again, I saw the student, but they had moved, yet again, to yet another bench. They seemed deep in thought, their legs crossed, and chin cupped in hand. I went to class. Exiting class, I headed to the MADD center to visit a friend. I took the long way by passing by the center of the quad, just to check my expectations and to check on the student. They. Had. Moved. To. Another. Bench.” —Cat Pavel “It was the weekend before week 10 or finals week, I was coming out of an RSO meeting from Stuart and walking back home. When I went through the quad I saw so many dogs and people there. At first, I thought it was some

RSO meeting but then someone told me it was a dog therapy session hosted by the R.H.s to [help] people de-stress from upcoming finals. It was pretty loud, there were like 20-plus dogs and the quad was very crowded. We had to walk through the crowd [but] the dogs were all too occupied by other humans to run up to me.” —Yi Zhong “This was in my first year and Scav is a thing that happens every year…. I was walking to Hum and I saw, right in front of Ryerson, this 20-foot-tall cardboard cutout of Dean Boyer. I think there was a fire pit in front of it too, not really sure what was happening there. So, I keep walking to class and then I pass Dean Nondorf, the admissions main guy, and he just says ‘Hi’ as if this is a normal, yearly thing that happens—just 20-foot-tall cutouts of Dean Boyer on the quad.” —Max Marcussen

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

Senior Perspectives: (Un)Common Course Recommendations By DAVID LIU News Reporter While the Core Curriculum affirms the innate worthiness of the cultivation of holistic knowledge, many students fall into the trap of viewing it as a graduation requirement. As much as students benefit from diving into their specialties, they ought to not only take full advantage of the Core, but also to explore electives unrelated to their majors. The Maroon invited five fourthyear students to reflect on the best out-ofthe-way courses that have broadened their intellectual experiences. An Outlet and a Perspective Course: Painting Matters Department: Visual Arts Instructor: Jessica Stockholder Respondent: Matt Petrak Declared Major: Statistics and Economics Spec. Business Could you take a second to introduce yourself? Sure! My name is Matt Petrak and I’m from La Grange, IL. I also took the majority of UChicago’s pre-med classes and have strong interests in biology, psychology, writing, and art. I’m going into consulting right after college, but I hope to later enter academia and/or a field related to medicine. I also hope to open a bakery when I’m old. How did you end up learning about this class? What led you to enroll in it? My co-R.A. told me about the class after looking through the visual arts classes available that quarter. I was an “art kid” all throughout my life before college, so I thought this class would be an opportunity to: 1) learn how to paint well (which I did!); 2) bond with my AMAZING co-R.A.; and 3) have a creative outlet that could counteract my recruiting schedule stress and balance out my STEM—oriented classes. What makes this the “best” non-major class that you have taken? The assignments were open-ended and left a lot of room for creativity and personal expression. I painted Lizzo, my mom, Pokémon, a gloomy Mickey Mouse, a

five-minute Shrek portrait, and an homage to my childhood art teacher (who passed away that quarter), and that’s just naming a few! The class provided me space to decompress, listen to music, and find joy in a quarter that was otherwise very demanding. Is there any advice that you would give to students considering taking this class? If you like art and visual creative expression, PLEASE take this class! Challenge yourself to learn from the staff and your peers. While I stayed true to myself, my style and technical work grew a lot because I was willing to step out of my comfort zone and try something new! Have you continued to engage with the course material afterwards? If so, how? The biggest impact the class had was on my perception of the seasons. I love summer and sometimes find it hard to achieve happiness in Chicago’s cold, gray winters. This class taught me that changing perspective or focus allows me to find beauty in most things, impacting my understanding of perspective’s influence on life as a whole. Conversing with a Classic Course: Joyce’s Ulysses Department: English Instructor: Maud Ellman Respondent: Carolina Yu Declared Major: Neuroscience Could you take a second to introduce yourself? Hi! I’m Carolina and I’m from Texas. I switched from chem to neuroscience at the start of my 3rd year. I’m planning on going to law school and hopefully working at the intersection between law and science. How did you end up learning about this class? What led you to enroll in it? I had room to take a non-neuro class that quarter, and I was looking through the available courses. I’ve been wanting to read Ulysses for a long time, and I felt like it’s one of those books that benefits a lot from being read in a class setting.

What makes this the “best” non-major class that you have taken? I never felt like the readings were a chore as I have for many of my other classes. I would say the pacing of the class was very smooth; we had time to dive into each chapter and examine at least some of the intricacies in Joyce’s writing. Finally, I think the professor did a good job of highlighting the humor and absurdity of the book, which made it all the more interesting.

The class is meant to explore how shows like American Idol, America’s Got Talent, and The Voice show themes of American-ness in practice (or the illusion of them in practice). It also delves into ideas of how we characterize talent, who gets to be talented, and who gets to decide who’s talented. I am planning to work in the music industry post-grad, so I am always on the lookout for courses like these that critically evaluate aspects of entertainment.

Is there any advice that you would give to students considering taking this class? Enjoy the readings; don’t get too caught up in every single detail because there is so much going on.

What makes this the “best” non-major class that you have taken?

Have you continued to engage with the course material afterwards? If so, how? I’ve definitely revisited some passages, and I will probably reread the book at some point. One passage that I specifically remember was this rant that one of the characters goes on about how Shakespeare is a cuckold and his works are based on events that happened in his real life/with Anne Hathaway. What Is Talent? Course: American Idols: Music, Popular Culture, and Nation Department: Music Instructor: Lindsay Wright Respondent: Elissa Kwon Declared Major: Economics Spec. Business, Minor in East Asian Languages and Civilizations Could you take a second to introduce yourself? Hi! I’m Elissa. On campus, I am involved with Unaccompanied Women (an a cappella group), KSO, and Midway Ventures. Throughout college, I also worked at the Logan Media Center and Weston Game Lab/Hack Arts Lab. How did you end up learning about this class? What led you to enroll in it? Dr. Wright’s course description was what ultimately led me to enroll in the class.

I’m actually taking the class this quarter. Dr. Wright’s plethora of knowledge and passion for the subject makes discussions really engaging. The class only has 9 people enrolled, so every person in the class is invested in the course material. Everyone also has diverse backgrounds (in terms of majors, hobbies, and musical experience), making discussions even more interesting. It’s generally just a really fun class because we get to look at these shows that are very much a big part of American culture and pull from our own experiences to analyze them. Is there any advice that you would give to students considering taking this class? Take it! If you’re on the fence, at least go to the first class, and I can guarantee you’ll end up enrolling. Have you continued to engage with the course material afterwards? If so, how? After the quarter ends, I am planning on reading some of the books Dr. Wright picked excerpts from for class reading. Everyday Leadership Course: The Social Psychology of Behavior in Organizations Department: Public Policy Instructor: Nadav Klein Respondent: Gary Zhao Declared Major: Economics Could you take a second to introduce CONTINUED ON PG. 10

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“You probably will not get an A all three quarters...But I promise you will be all the better for it.” CONTINUED FROM PG. 9

yourself? My name’s Gary Zhao, I’m from Cincinnati, Ohio, and I recently graduated early last quarter. How did you end up learning about this class? What led you to enroll in it? Enrolling in the course was quite random—I have always been interested in psychology and my schedule had capacity for some electives at the end of third year. I found this course after searching “psychology” on the registrar, and that was it. What makes this the “best” non-major class that you have taken? Interactions with the rest of the students in my section that particular quarter are what made this class so memorable for me. We all had very different backgrounds, perspectives, and interests, so collaborating on case discussions was truly enlightening. I learned a lot about myself from my peers, and I was able to begin refining my own approach toward leadership and management. Is there any advice that you would

give to students considering taking this class? I definitely recommend this course. Professor Klein is a great guy, the content is engaging and practical, and you will not get worked too hard. It is a nice switch-up from all the highly theoretical classes you can take at UChicago. Have you continued to engage with the course material afterwards? If so, how? From ordering food at a restaurant to chatting with old friends I see at the gym, I have found concepts from this course popping up in my daily interactions. Embracing the Core Course: Classics of Social and Political Thought Department: Social Sciences Core Instructor: Nina Valiquette Moreau Respondent: Ryan Bergman Declared Major: Philosophy and Economics Could you take a second to introduce yourself?

Hi! My name is Ryan Bergman and I’m from Los Angeles, CA. I like to run and watch/write movies in my free time. How did you end up learning about this class? What led you to enroll in it? I joined her section winter quarter—my professor in the fall only taught that quarter. One of my first (and still one of my best) UChicago friends in her section highly recommended her, and I was luckily able to switch in. What makes this the “best” non-major class that you have taken? This class transformed how I thought about arguments and analyzing texts. In our class, Nina did something that I still haven’t seen three years later: She encouraged us to write shorter papers. On top of how this greatly helped me with streamlining and word choice, she would pick apart all of our work line by line, word by word. Sitting down with her in office hours not only helped me catch my errors, but also taught me how to better analyze texts. Nina also had the best attitude towards teaching that I’ve seen at UChicago. She was

warm, friendly, and genuinely cared about us all as students, thinkers, and human beings. As a first-year, the environment in her classroom made me feel more welcome at UChicago. Our time reading Democracy in America during spring quarter was the single best experience I’ve had in a class here. Is there any advice that you would give to students considering taking this class? You probably will not get an A all three quarters. Nina is the epitome of “tough but fair,” but I promise that you will be all the better for it. Have you continued to engage with the course material afterwards? If so, how? I haven’t taken any courses that center on political philosophy during the rest of my time at UChicago, so I haven’t stayed quite as engaged with the material as I would’ve hoped. However, I have reread The Prince countless times and still refer to some of Nina’s comments on my old papers when writing for philosophy classes.

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THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

VIEWPOINTS What You Think, What I Think There is not a singular type of writing, but a Cartesian ultimatum exists: Writing guides a reader to thought and reflection about oneself. By JAKE WEISS In my third year here at UChicago, back when the quad was still populated, I received two contradictory lessons on writing. The first came from my teacher and mentor Bill Ayers, with whom I had the honor of taking the course Beginning Nonfiction Workshop. We discussed themes ranging from narrational honesty to the use of slang and profanity in creative texts, repeat-

edly arriving at what seemed like a cornerstone principle of creative nonfiction: The narrator’s unique voice is everything. The next quarter, I took the infamous Little Red Schoolhouse (LRS) class, considered by many to be a “must-take” course. Larr y McEnerney, practically a local celebrity, delivered the course’s introduction: This course deals with a tiny piece of a tiny piece of a tiny piece of all the writ-

Miles Burton, Editor-in-Chief Emma Dyer, Editor-in-Chief Caroline Kubzansky, Managing Editor Jessica Xia, Chief Production Officer The MAROON Editorial Board consists of the editors-in-chief and editors of THE MAROON.

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ing that exists in the world, he said. Then, he and two others proceeded to teach 10 weeks on soulless, academic writing. LRS presents itself as a course on “academic and professional” writing, which helps contextualize both McEnerney’s “tiny piece” remark and the aforementioned soullessness. (I mean no harm to McEnerney, whose lectures were enlightening, and more than made up for the frustration the course caused me.) There is another of McEnerney ’s LR S say ings that stands out in my memory: Readers don’t care about what you think; they care about what they think. If true, this would support the notion that academic writers should remove emotion and personal experiences from their writing since their readers simply do not care about these elements. They would rather get straight to the point. Let’s assume, at least for now, that this does accurately describe readers of academic writing. The questions still remain: Does it apply to readers of creative writing? How does creative writing, particularly creative nonfiction, differ from the type of writing taught in LRS? Does it? And how should this distinction inform not only the way one writes creative nonfiction, but the way one reads it? Personally, I would put many of the texts read in Sosc classes in the category of creative nonfiction. I think, in particular, of Karl Marx. As

dry, unhumorous, and analytical as Marx can sometimes be, texts like The Communist Manifesto, as well as his early essays, show a clear knack for rhetorical flourish. One needs only to read the words “a specter is haunting Europe,” followed by the acknowledgment that Europe’s nations have “entered into a Holy Alliance to exorcise this specter,” to sense that this book isn’t some plain-old-vanilla social theory. In Sosc classes and similar types of seminars, we analyze texts with the stated purpose of discussing what authors think about the world. “What does Marx think about industrial capitalism?” you might hear a professor ask. “Can someone find a passage that suggests what Smith thinks of the division of labor?” I even once had a Hum professor tell me to forget about what I thought of a text and instead focus solely on the author’s argument. This was a critical pedagogical intervention for me. Students often make premature judgments on texts’ “worth” or “value.” In fact, we are all guilty of this. It is essential, instead, to first develop a cohesive understanding of what they, the authors, think, before so forcefully, and sometimes irreversibly, deciding what we think. What if the author was actually spending that inflammatory introduction preparing to tell us something valuable later on? We wouldn’t know, because we stopped taking them seriously. We may have

even stopped reading. This hypothetical scenario represents an obvious loss: We are stuck thinking bad ideas even though better ideas are contained in the very pages before us! This whole discussion proves that McEnerney is right: We do, ultimately, want to know what we think about the world, whether we are reading academic writing or creative nonfiction. (As the example of Marx demonstrates, the distinction is sometimes moot.) In certain instances, such as heated debates, we even feel as though we need to know what we think about the world. Understanding creative nonfiction texts in their entirety and in their complexity is key to developing such opinions and thoughts. Before we allow these texts to confirm or deny, affirm or negate, reduce, contest, or ignore what we think, let’s allow them to teach us to think, and, moreover, to teach us what we think. As a soon-to-be-graduating fourth-year, I can tell you that my Sosc curriculum sinks a little bit deeper into my head with each passing year. The changes have been gradual but many. For instance, as a second-year, I was an emergent Marxist; now, I am a full-on Marxist. As I do some of my own thinking, particularly about my time at this university, I find myself reflecting on the curious, odd, and sometimes incompatible ways I’ve been taught to think. Here’s what I think of my ways. What do you think of yours?

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

Everyone Starts Somewhere What unites UChicago students is a unique sense of grit. By PRIYANKA MAJUMDER One day during my junior year, I was scrolling through my Facebook feed. I stumbled upon a video shared by one of my future subletters. It was a promo video advertising UChicago Bhangra, one of the South Asian dance groups on campus. I had seen them perform at the SASA show every April and was always so mesmerized by their charisma and stamina. When I clicked on the video, the first thing I saw was a black screen with the words: “Never done Bhangra before??? No problem!! Everyone starts somewhere….” This was followed by several members of the team in their first days of learning the dance form. I remember watching them stumble and mess up and trying hard not to laugh. Throughout the course of the video, I was able to see their progression with my own eyes and was thoroughly amazed. I thought, If they can go from that to what I saw on stage, maybe I have a shot, too. I decided to go to the auditions with two of my best friends as support. I went in with no expectations or prior experience and just haphazardly followed along with the captains as they danced. It was almost concerning how much I was sweating. I alternated between trying to remember the steps, smiling, and praying that I wouldn’t fall over when we had to do squats. And let me tell you, there were many squats. In a few days, I received an email. I had made it. I was both surprised and excited. Suffice it to say, Bhangra has been one of the most fun and

most rewarding parts of college. But that’s not necessarily the point. When I think back to when I made the decision to audition, the inner psychology major in me has a few questions. In psychology, one of the biases we learn about is the framing effect, or how the way information is conveyed affects one’s choice. When I think back to that time, and specifically who I was at the time, I wonder how my decision would’ve been different had I only seen all of the dancers at their most experienced. If the question was instead something as simple as, “Are you ready to be a part of this?” Would I have been brave and auditioned any way? Or would I have been too afraid of failing at something new? I was close to being done with my junior year of college and thought that I had learned everything I needed to learn. Why bother trying something completely unknown when I was comfortable with everything I was already doing? I think I can speak for everyone when I say that UChicago is challenging. You have to work hard just to keep up. You have to manage multiple different classes, RSOs, and pre-professional obligations, all while trying to make the most of your time with friends. Most importantly, you have to come to terms with the fact that you’re going to come across failure at multiple times throughout college. While failures may manifest differently for each one of us, they’re inevitable. But what I believe makes UChicago students so unique is grit. We are taught to push back on obstacles—especially the internal

ones—that threaten to limit us and to persevere through difficult circumstances. Most importantly, we are taught to help each other during these times. This is so powerful. This allows us to create impact not just in the workplace or graduate school, but in all aspects of our lives and the world overa ll. Something UChicago has taught me is

that college isn’t about where you end up, but what you take with you. When I think back to the moment when I made the decision to audition, I still don’t what I would’ve done in the past had the message been framed differently. But I know that now, I would welcome the opportunity to tackle something new regardless of how

it appears. My time in college has taught me the importance of being a lifelong learner. College has equipped me with the work ethic and perseverance to take on new opportunities and challenge the status quo, whatever it may be. Everyone starts somewhere, so never let the fear of failure hold you back from your passions, now or in the future.

SAUMYA JAIN

THE CHICAGO MAROON â&#x20AC;&#x201D; MAY 20, 2020

Bachelor of Arts: Statistics Bachelor of Arts: Economics Awarded: December 13, 2019 Congratulations Marwan on a job well done! We are happy for you and we are always proud of your accomplishments. Love you always,

Mom, Dad & Iman

Marwan Lloyd UChicago 2020

THE CHICAGO MAROON â&#x20AC;&#x201D; MAY 20, 2020

Congratulations Yarra! Love Danna, Omar, Mum & Dad

MOO

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

ARTS MAAD Man Set to Graduate in June Tells All By JULIA HOLZMAN Arts Reporter Fourth-year Elliot Kahn came to UChicago to study engineering. Upon arriving in Hyde Park in September 2016, he encountered his first big problem: The school, rather infamously, offers no such program of study. Luckily, Kahn is no one-trick pony, quickly pivoting to his other love, the humanities, by way of the fundamentals major. What UChicago lacks in practical, non–molecular engineering courses, it makes up for in small, esoteric majors like fundamentals, which allows students to pursue their own questions across humanities fields, and, more recently, in new minors like Media, Arts, and Design (MAAD). When the MAAD minor was added by the College in 2018, followed quickly by the opening of the Media, Arts, Data, and Design (MADD) Center in Crerar, Kahn was already halfway through his undergraduate career, and was just beginning to look into his own fundamentals question: Why are we drawn to simulation? He never officially declared the MAAD minor, and doesn’t really regret that. In our interview, he told me, “I think it would’ve been nice to leave college with a portfolio of anything, and one of the requirements for the minor is to construct that. But in terms of anything else, I’ve taken a bunch of MAAD classes that seemed interesting, and I don’t really care if it appears on my final transcript as a minor.” This self-professed lack of official portfolio does not suggest that Kahn will be graduating in June without any record of things he’s built. In fact, I vaguely remember hearing that he’d built some kind of GameCube spinoff, back in Pune this fall on our study abroad program. But it wasn’t until this interview that I understood the magnitude of this thing he’d once mentioned offhand. I’m probably biased, but I’d argue that Kahn was a uniquely pioneering figure in MAAD circles, using the earliest (pre–MAAD) iteration of the Hack Arts Lab (HAL) to finish what he termed a “high school pas-

Elliot Kahn holds aloft his homemade GameCube—now abandoned in favor of a (store-bought) Nintendo Switch. COURTESY OF ELLIOT KAHN

sion project” during the spring quarter of his first year. Back in spring 2017, when HAL was still located in the basement of Searle Chemical Laboratory with very few regular users, Kahn showed up every other day to finish building a portable GameCube he’d started before college

began. After months spent alone among HAL’s under-appreciated collection of 3D printers, laser cutters, and soldering irons, he ended up with a final product so professional-looking that I would’ve sworn it was mass-produced in a factory (if I hadn’t known that the only version of it in existence sat under Kahn’s desk in

Chicago). He tells me that he doesn’t use it much these days, “because now I have a Nintendo Switch.” Tale as old as time. While it’s no longer played by its creator, Kahn’s GameCube itself played a role in HAL’s inclusion within the new, Crerar-based MADD Center. After our CONTINUED ON PG. 24

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

“Kahn showed up every other day to finish building a portable GameCube he’d started before college began.” CONTINUED FROM PG. 23

interview, Kahn emailed HAL assistant director Kent Lambert to clarify just what went down back in 2018, and Lambert wrote back: “One thread of conversation in these [MADD Center planning] meetings was about meaningful potential connections/threads between the labs in general but especially between the two Arts labs (Hack Arts Lab and Weston Game Lab)…. It felt like people on the committee were perhaps struggling to envision how those two labs could be meaningfully connected. It was really helpful to have the example of [Kahn’s] portable GameCube [to prove the possibilities].” Kahn has remained a dedicated maker and designer of things, games and otherwise, since the GameCube’s completion—I suspect he’ll always be that—but ever since MAAD courses started popping up in the College’s course catalog at the start of his third year, he began approaching the disciplines from a more

conceptual standpoint, too. He’s taken four MAAD classes over the past two years, three of which seemed especially grounded in theory rather than hands-on creation. Those classes have opened his eyes to new approaches to interdisciplinary scholarship. Somewhere in between a crashcourse on Pokémon’s history and our fond reminiscences about the time Kahn introduced everyone on our study abroad program to the mind-boggling Doki Doki Literature Club! (a game he studied as part of his Critical Videogame Studies course in autumn 2018), Kahn fully convinced me (a video game noob, if that wasn’t abundantly clear) of the discursive possibilities that MAAD courses offer. On the specific beauty of MAAD in a UChicago context, Kahn said: “I think that you could have a minor. Just pitch it: ‘It’s a new emerging discourse and therefore we should be interested in it.’ But that doesn’t really draw me to it—be-

cause there are infinite discourses! But the fact that [MAAD often] ties so well to philosophy and English and all these concepts that we talk about in the Core, really makes it a natural part of the UChicago curriculum.” Over the course of our conversation, we kept coming back to Kahn’s fundamentals question about human attachment to simulation. He told me that MAAD did play some official role in his studies in that realm. Notably, his Critical Videogame Studies professor Patrick Jagoda (also the director of MAAD’s Weston Game Lab, as well as an English department faculty member) was Kahn’s advisor for his Junior Paper—the fundamentals approximation of the B.A. thesis. While MAAD was not all that directly influential on Kahn’s fundamentals education, it did broaden his horizons, expanding the ways he aims to conceptualize media and philosophy in the future. Kahn claims that he never figured out why we’re drawn to simulation, anyway.

He bashfully admits that the question ended up being a way into other philosophical discourses, mostly questions of ontology and knowledge-building. (Classic.) But Kahn’s last quarter at UChicago is being spent on Zoom rather than on campus, and I could see him being drawn to simulation right there in our interview. When I asked about his thoughts on distance learning, Kahn was quick to respond: “All right, here’s something I want to pitch: We use Minecraft more. I think it would’ve been a really awesome platform to really lay out the basics of an academic space…. Maybe not a full campus, but some sort of virtual classroom tool on Minecraft would’ve been incredibly useful to have right now. The fuck is a ‘Canvas post’?” Catch Elliot Kahn graduating on Minecraft on June 13, and getting perfect scores on solo renditions of “I Was Wrong” (Rock Band 2) until quarantine lifts.

A Parting Ode to University Theater By CLAIRE SCHULTZ Arts Reporter “What have you been doing in quarantine, Claire?” you may ask. “Mostly staring at a wall,” I would answer. Playing a lot of Animal Crossing, refusing to pay off my eternal debts to a capitalist raccoon. Baking, like a caricature of myself. (Not sourdough; I left my starter in Chicago, and mourn him as another casualty of the pandemic.) Rewatching the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe out of deep-seated self-loathing, and arguing with my parents about why Tony Stark is the best and how the films massacred Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch. What I have not done nearly enough of is make art. I have nothing but free time now to write, but I’ve used up all of my words turning in my theses. (This is not a flex; please, for the love of God, learn from my mistakes, and don’t do two,

if you can avoid it.) Even writing this ref lection feels like pulling teeth—I have nearly forgotten how to spell my own name; mistakenly attached copies of research papers when asked for my résumé; and finished maybe two of my 20-deep stack of unread books. Clearly, I’m thriving. It could be the quarantine fog, or it could be fourth-year burnout, but it could also be the near-total lack of artistic collaboration that kept me mostly sane throughout my three years on campus. I transferred to UChicago as a second-year student, overeager and often isolated, unsure how to best navigate what seemed like a second freshman year. After a quarter spent more or less holed up in my I-House single, learning to come to terms with the fact that the Core meant that I, an English major, had to take STEM classes, I was indoctrinated into University Theater through trial by fire. Through some

combination of optimism, naïveté, and first-year enthusiasm, I found myself simultaneously taking the roles of assistant production manager for an eighth-week play, and assistant stage manager for a 10th-week musical, under the guidance of a then–fourth-year who had—even more ambitiously—opted to manage both shows at once. Suddenly, my waking hours were no longer spent in Harper (I discovered the Reg cubicles later) but shuff ling around Logan—from Logan Cafe to the TAPS Lounge, between Theaters East and West, through the basement labyrinth of dressing rooms and design storage. My dinner time shifted up a solid two hours as I rushed from Cathey to rehearsal, and I began to go days, even weeks, without seeing non—UT friends. I was exhausted and stressed beyond belief, but I was thrilled. For the first time at UChicago, I felt like I CONTINUED ON PG. 25

Arts reporter Claire Schultz reflects on UT, art, and finding community in her time at the University of Chicago. COURTESY OF CLAIRE SCHULTZ

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

“I wanted a final chance at acting, to say goodbye to UChicago with the organization that most made me feel like I belonged.” CONTINUED FROM PG. 24

could belong. That’s what art at UChicago is: It’s staying sane by driving yourself a little bit crazy. It’s spending precious, rare daylight hours in a windowless rehearsal room. It’s writing (or ignoring) your final papers during 24 nearstraight hours of rehearsal tech week. It’s two quarters spent in management before you realize that you really hate paperwork, then an accidental deepdive into Shakespeare. It’s getting to direct a play despite having little to no actual experience, and being surprised when it doesn’t burn down Reynolds Club. It’s throwing yourself headfirst into an enormous time commitment because you don’t know how you’d survive life at this university without it. I wouldn’t realize it until I joined the UT Committee a year later, but UT has three foundational “pillars”: Education, Opportunity, and Artistic Excellence. Every Committee member has a personal favorite; mine was Opportunity. The opportunity to join, the opportunity to try, the opportunity to fail. UT has given me the opportunity to make theater in a way I’m afraid I won’t ever have again, and it has given me the opportunity to belong to a community of hyper-determined, brilliantly creative people. In my real life, much to the disappointment of my elementary school self, I’m working toward life as a writer, not an actor, and I’m sitting with the fact that I may have put on my last show. Before the world fell to pieces, I was set to work at a theater camp this summer, and, as of now, they still intend to run, with precautions. But even if that show does go on, it’ll be different. It’s helping children make theater, not making theater for myself—a notable, wonderful, fulfilling thing, but not the same. This quarter, I’d planned to ignore the unwritten “no shows senior spring” rule to audition one last time. I wanted a final chance at acting, to say goodbye to UChicago with the organization that most made me feel like I belonged. Even now, we’re not entirely with-

out each other. The quarterly Theater[24] became Radio[24]; the annual New Work Week went online; there have been Zoom play readings and game nights; and I am helping a friend present his TAPS thesis script with a group of fellow UT alumni. Although juggling between windows of scripts and the tiny boxes that now hold my friends is not even remotely the same

as clustering inside Logan 501, we do what we can. We adapt, we keep going, because we fundamentally need to make art together. Now, more than ever, we cannot be alone. As I spend my senior spring sequestered with my family in suburban New Jersey, I’ve come to realize that my time at UChicago never really had a beginning or end. My O-Week was shared

with the Class of 2021, and my graduation (if they let us walk at all) might be, too. I didn’t get to enter campus with my graduating class, and I won’t get to leave with them, either. All I had was a strange chunk in the middle, like an outside observer of campus life. At least, for a while in between, UT made me feel like I belonged.

Schultz sends a thank you to University Theater: a pillar of comfort, belonging, challenge, and confidence all in one. COURTESY OF CLAIRE SCHULTZ

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

Ariel Salmon: Reflections on the Rise of Digital Media By ALINA KIM Arts Editor It’s no easy feat to juggle academics and work responsibilities for any student under quarantine. For fourthyear Ariel Salmon, quarantine offered time to build on her B.A. thesis in the final steps to completion, but also demanded her flexibility in remodeling her role as a Resident Assistant for her house, Snell. Optimistic and persistent, Ariel emphasizes the importance of social media in our everyday lives, and sees it becoming more and more prominent given the chaos of the pandemic. The Maroon sat down with Ariel to discuss her thesis topic, the role of social media in politics and her everyday house culture, and advice for the UChicago community moving forward. Chicago Maroon: Congrats on finishing your thesis for political science! I guess it’s been a wild ride for you. A lot of political science students have told me it’s been weird finishing their paper in their childhood bedrooms, where they wrote their UChicago application as high school seniors. Could you tell us more about the topic of your thesis, and how you navigated the process and realized you wanted to write about digital media? A riel Sa lmon: [ laughs] Thank you! Yes, it’s been weird just sitting back home. So, for my topic, I looked at Black conservatism and how Black conser vatives think of their ow n Blackness through social media. I also looked at the Obama presidency versus the Trump presidency to see how Black conservatives thought of themselves and their place in politics. I came to this because I was taking a class with my thesis adviser, Dr. Cathey Cohen, about African-American politics. We talked about every niche form of politics except for conservatism and I was like, “I wonder what they’re thinking about?” I’m not personally a Black conservative. I feel like that’s one of the top five questions that people would have when they hear me talk about my thesis. But, I was more interested to hear why they

think what they think, because none of the Black people I know would even consider being conservative, for the most part. But, I was originally planning on doing some in-person interviews, but that obviously that didn’t work out. [ laughs] So without that planning working out, I ended up looking at social media. CM: Tell me about the process of your social media search! Walk us through what kinds of posts you were looking for. AS: The original plan was to go to two conferences and interview people in person. And then over the summer, I was looking into these conferences and I realized that one of them was probably not gonna happen because I could not find a date for it. The other one was a closed conference, so I had to pay, like, a thousand dollars to go. Or pretend I’m a student or something

like that. Obviously, that isn’t going to work for me, so from there, I switched to social media and then I was thinking, “Well, I could look at post content, and I can see what sort of concerns people have in these groups.” I ended up posting surveys in five Black conservative Facebook groups. And from there, I found people to interview. I interviewed four people based on 11 surveys. Not a significant amount of data, but enough to make an exploratory, interesting study. CM: Just speaking of these groups that you joined, what was the most interesting insight you got? AS: I think the thing that I did not expect is…well, there’s an idea that Black conser vatives are, like, less Black or something like that. But a lot of them used their Blackness as a reason for why they are conservative. They are looking for other options. They are frustrated with the Obama

presidency, which wasn’t as successful as they were hoping. They thought that Obama hadn’t been as radical as they wanted him to be. Because of that, they were looking to Trump for some of them. Some of them were not interested in Trump, but were Republican as a result. There’s a pretty wide range of opinion as well. Some people were pretty liberal socially, some were very socially conservative. Some people adored Trump, some hated him. But it was just interesting to get the opportunity to cop this group of people that I really normally would not have interacted with. CM: Is there a part of your thesis where you felt like it was the best part you’ve written? That one enlightening moment? AS: Oh, let me think about this one! I feel like the big takeaway from this thesis was that a lot of them had a sense CONTINUED ON PG. 27

Ariel Salmon discusses her thesis on black conservatism on social media and her experience as Snell’s virtual RA. COURTESY OF ARIEL SALMON

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

“I think my basic arguments are the same. The quarantine just gave me time to sit down and think about the future.” CONTINUED FROM PG. 26

of, “Hey, I’m a reasonable, thoughtful person.” Like, liberals decide based on their emotions, and as a conservative, they think they don’t do that. It was an interesting way to think about yourself, and the way you view things. We all think with our emotions to some extent. I think it was that sense of “I have to be reasonable” that meant that they weren’t using social media just to push people’s emotions and say, “Here’s why you should be more conservative, why you should think this, why you should think that.” Also, some had at least some disdain towards people who are actually convinced by social media posts—despite the fact that they were all learning from social media. They become conservative, join these groups, then think, “So here’s what I thought conser vatism was, and here’s what it is now.” So, I guess everyone’s still learning from social media, but also tend[s] to look down on other people who are learning from social media. It felt a little ironic to see that people are not always aware of the things that influence them strongly. CM: How did you finalize your thesis during quarantine? Is this when you thought of the title? AS: Ha! I had a title, then I changed it for my last draft, and I did actually change it because of the quarantine! My preceptor was like, “This uses the same word five times. Change it.” The process was super weird! I was able to sit down and really work on it hard for the first two weeks I was back, which was great. After that, my motivation dropped to zero. It’s been weird. I’m sitting here in my bedroom looking at my childhood bed. But I think we’ve made the best of it. It got turned in, hopefully with honors. My thesis is called “A Blacker Right: How Race-Conscious Black Conservatives Balance Blackness and Conservatism with Digital Activism.” CM: Did the quarantine change any of your ideas about social media? Did it influence your final argument about what digital activism has become?

AS: I think it changed definitely about how it would impact politics this year. I was anticipating that people would lean towards more Trump than before. But with the quarantine and COVID-19, I’d be interested in seeing what they’re thinking now about how they’re planning to vote in November. I think my basic arguments are the same. The quarantine just gave me time to sit down and think about the future. CM: Moving on to your experiences at UChicago, you majored in political science, and there are going to be people who will start their theses on political science this quarter, if not the next. What advice do you have for students who will pursue a topic similar to yours, like digital activism and social media, possibly remotely? AS: It’s gonna be a mess. I’m not gonna lie. It sounds depressing, but, at least five times during this project, if not more, I thought I should completely change my topic. I should not write a thesis. I should maybe just leave this. Why am I doing this, when everything has changed because of quarantine, when people change their outlooks on social media? You’re gonna keep thinking that it’s impossible. Everyone is thinking it, it’s normal. I felt really inexperienced writing this, and I know many others felt like that. But the point of this is to get experience. You will be fine. The advisers are chill. My adviser was great. It depends on your relationship with them. I go to her when I have a really important question about this really critical portion of my thesis. I’ve gone to her 70 times to get through this process. You will be okay, remote or not, social media–focused or not! CM: What were your involvements on campus? How are you still involved, just for the final quarter, before parting with UChicago? AS: A lot of random stuff on campus. I did W+ underclassmen years. I was involved in Leaders of Color. At this point, I’m involved in Phi Alpha Delta, as the secretary until elections

a few weeks back. The orchestra was fun, then I joined chamber groups on and off a couple years. Mostly, I stay connected with my residents and hang out with the house—set time aside to do Scav, so we can win, as usual. [laughs] I’m really, really proud of Snell, and I know we’ll win again. CM: You’re also an R A for Snell. How are you doing connecting with your house? How do you maintain your house culture? Are you doing artsy or media-related events? AS: Yeah! It ’s good. We’re still having house meetings. I’m still doing R A Tea. I’m switching my events every other week with the RHs. The RHs hold house meetings and sometimes we hang out and talk, show off our dogs. We did a YouTube reality show, a study session last week. Maybe a Netf lix party! Or we might just prep for Scav! [We’re] sort of tossing out ideas, whatever people like—we can always hang out and talk. It’s definitely a weird experience, being an RA. I don’t see any more people in the hallway to bother, but I think we’re doing it. It requires adapting from everyone, but events like tea or YouTube reality shows are always fun. CM: What was your favorite event

as a remote RA? AS: I love RA Tea, just to hang out and talk. That’s my vibe. People show up and we chat and we can head out. Or you can stay longer and make more tea! But I love my low-key events like that. CM: W hat are your plans after graduation? AS: Not sure! I’m applying for jobs—the market sucks right now, though. So I’ve applied to Harris. It’s a lot of waiting. CM: As an RA, what’s your advice for the first-years who need to adjust to college when there possibly is no college campus? AS: Oh, gosh. Use social media! Your house’s Facebook page! Reach out—all the first years are scared. Digital media is a powerful tool. Just go and talk to people. If we do get to be in-person, college is a time for you to get on your feet. You’re gonna mess up. You’re not gonna be the same person in four years that you are now. I know I’m not. Just take everything with a grain of salt; you will be okay. Remember your digital memories, and your physical memories too!

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

SPORTS Male Athlete of the Year: Marco Cobian By THOMAS GORDON Sports Editor

Marco Cobian’s path to becoming starting quarterback of the University of Chicago Maroons was anything but conventional. However, it ultimately showed his greatest traits in terms of his competitiveness, his role as a teammate, and his ability to always be ready when given a chance. Throughout Cobian’s career, there were plenty of opportunities to take the easy way out and only focus on his studies at UChicago, although as coach Chris Wilkerson put it, “Every time Marco encountered any type of adverse situation he rolled up his sleeves, went back to work, and competed!” Having multiple seasons in which he came into the pre-season camp as the likely starter, but was then set back by injuries, Marco focused on the one thing he could do: be ready for whatever the team needed him to do. In the final three seasons of his

career, there was a quarterback switch to put Cobian in for a spark, and every single time he delivered. To survive the setbacks that Cobian experienced, one truly has to be a selfless person, focusing on the team and not the individual. His fellow position group has always seen that side of him. George Krantz, a current third-year quarterback, said when asked to describe Cobian: “In playing the sport of football for over 15 years, I have never met, nor seen an individual embrace the idea of selflessness more than Marco Cobian…. As a teammate, he embodied the concept of putting the individual, or collective, before himself—finding fulfillment in success beyond just his position, title, or structure.” This focus on the team itself instead of the unluckiness that had plagued Cobian in the pre-season, speaks volumes. In fact, Cobian sometimes even played as wide receiver when not starting as quarterback, as Wilkerson commented:

“He even played some WR during his career and that tells you a lot about the person. It was always about the team’s success for Marco. Our football team was 10–1 in games in which he played over 50 percent of the snaps at QB. He is a winner!” His competitiveness and grit was a common trait highlighted by coaches and players alike. For the last three seasons, Krantz has seen this firsthand. He emphasized that he “spent countless hours with Marco during quarterback film studies, practice groups, weightlifting sessions, and more. Words can’t describe, nor express, the amount of grit, determination, and heart Marco conveys daily. Through position battles, position changes, and more, Marco never wavered, nor lost sight of his goals.” This is high praise from a fellow quarterback, but Wilkerson had even higher praise when discussing his competitiveness. “He is the absolutely grittiest competitor I have ever coached.”

There may not be a better compliment to receive from a coach. Ultimately, when the team needed him most, Cobian delivered in his senior year. He finished up 6–1 in games that he played over 50 percent of the snaps, with the only loss being a one point heartbreaker in overtime against Monmouth University. Cobian completed his passes at an extremely high rate showing his comfort in the offense as his completion percentage of 64.5 percent is the second highest in a season in UChicago history. Finally, being awarded on the First-Team All-MWC and on the UAA All-Academic Team evidently showed that all the hard work was worth it. As Wilkerson put it, “Marco’s story is one of triumph over adversity…. [He] will be dearly missed. Due to all of this, The Chicago Maroon has named Marco Cobian the Men’s Athlete of the Year and wish him the absolute best in his future endeavors.

Coach of the Year: Sharon Dingman Led Volleyball to Program High Mark By ALLISON GILL Sports Editor

On October 22, 2019, the UChicago volleyball team, under the guidance of head coach Sharon Dingman, made history. For the first time in the program’s 48-year lifespan, the Maroons had ascended to the top, earning the No. 1 national ranking in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll. Dingman brought passion, support, and strategy to the sideline that pushed the team to new heights including a 28–4 record and a final ranking of No. 6. For her efforts, Dingman was named the NCAA Central Region Coach of the Year, the UAA Coaching Staff of the Year (along with assistant coaches Mitchell McPartland and Thom Guzi), and, now, The Maroon’s Coach of the Year. The 2019 volleyball team surged to dominance, accomplishing feats unprecedented in the program and unmatched by any other team at UChicago this season. The narrative of the season was one of records and firsts.

The Maroons beat then–No. 1 Calvin, marking the first win against the top-ranked team in program history, and followed it up just a couple weeks later by toppling then–No. 1 Emory. After dropping a match on the first day of the season, the Maroons reeled off a program-record 23 consecutive victories and set a new high mark for winning percentage at 0.875. UChicago advanced to the NCAA Regional Final for the first time ever, where they ran into the red-hot No. 4 Carthage team. “It’s really simple: We would not have had such a successful season if it weren’t for Sharon and all that she gives of herself to this program…. Sharon brought the team to a whole new level and really showed us all what it means to lead a team by example,” said fourth-year standout Madison Pearson. In addition to her own accolades, Dingman’s coaching guided her players to individual and team recognition. Seven players landed spots on the All-UAA teams, and the impressive trio of Pearson, third-year Emma Griffith, and fourth-year Anne Ma-

rie Stifter garnered All-American honors. Griffith became the first CoSIDA Academic All-American and just the second FirstTeam All-American to don the Maroon volleyball uniform, while Pearson and Stifter earned Third-Team and Honorable Mention designations, respectively. Pearson described Dingman as “a coach unlike any that I’ve had before—she is joyful, goofy, funny, and so incredibly caring.” This demeanor and her willingness to coach with “a little tough love,” in Pearson’s words, have certainly resonated at UChicago. In a career that has spanned 29 years and over 500 victories, the veteran coach landed in Hyde Park in 2014 after stints at the helm of programs at Auburn University, Butler University, Illinois State, and University of Iowa. Once on campus, she wasted no time in establishing a culture of national excellence. In her six years at UChicago, Dingman has accumulated a record of 144–55 and five NCAA Tournament berths. She has made her mark in the UAA—a notoriously difficult conference

with powerhouses Emory and Wash U—by leading her team to a 41–19 record and her staff to UAA Coaching Staff of the Year honors three times. Just as the team competes with a remarkable cohesion and selflessness on the court, Dingman embodies this behavior off the court. A leader of the Women’s Athletic Association, Dingman is a passionate supporter of all things Maroon. Dingman can routinely be found in the stands, cheering on UChicago teams, and demonstrates strong connection to the campus and athletic community. “Sharon, Thom, and Mitchell complement each other as a coaching staff perfectly, and the countless hours they put into preparing for practices and matches translate directly into points on the court…. Sharon is really what has made UChicago volleyball such an amazing experience these four years, and I can’t thank her enough for all she has given to me and my fellow teammates,” Pearson said.

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

Joy on the Court: Women’s Volleyball is the Maroon’s Team of the Year By BRINDA RAO Sports Editor

The Maroon has named the varsity women’s Volleyball team as its team of the year. Their 2019 season is one that will go down in the history books for the program and set a foundation for future success. With a record 23game winning streak, a 7—0 perfect round robin record, and a historic advancement to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Championships, the team has its most paramount season to date. Despite these numeric signs of success, ultimately a sense of camaraderie and community sportsmanship catalyzed these victories. Going into the season, the team saw the loss of many seniors. This led to a distinct uncertainty about the team’s chemistry for the 2019 season. However, retaining a core group of players, they were able to build off previous growth. Four starters returned and new talent joined the roster with the first-year class. Right from the beginning of preseason, there was a high level of competition in the gym, with all players competing for a spotting spot. However, the Maroons maintained this competitive atmosphere, making the whole season into a battle even during practices. With all players pushing each other to get better, the team developed a key intensity and drive. Once tournaments started, the women’s volleyball team made the decisive decision to fight forevery point. In the 2016 and 2017 seasons, the team would often enter tournaments as underdogs. However, following the 2018 season they were ranked in the top 10; other teams came zealously to competition eager to play and beat the Maroons. The 2019 season started with the annual Gargoyle Classic Tournament, where the team ended their first day 1—1. Disappointed by their initial performance, the players immediately realized that other teams were not going to let them win so easily; they would have to workfor every point. This realization became a defining point, launching a subsequent winning streak.

The Women’s volleyball team at their final match of the 2019 season. COURTESY OF UCHICAGO ATHLETICS This winning streak was supplemented by an early victory against Calvin College, the first ranked team in their league. Following this, the Maroons played tough regional teams in their early season, which ultimately prepared them for the intensity of the UAA Championship and NCAA Championship tournaments. Along the way, the women picked up win after win, securing a noticeable streak of victories. However, none of them were focused on the sweep of wins, focusing on each other. Fourth-year Anne Marie Stifter explained, “We never mentioned the streak in practice. It was never a reason to play as hard as we did. We were competitive and had the drive. We played for each other.” This type of drive derives from a selfless approach to competition. The players enjoyed being around each other and playing volleyball. There was joy on the court whenever the Ma-

roons stepped onto one. Ultimately, this developed a unique selfless drive in all of them to give their teammates everything they had. By November of 2019, the team secured a record 23-win streak. They went on to be the first team in the program’s history to reach the Sweet 16 and have a perfect 7-0 roundrobin. The team concluded its season with a loss against Carthage College in the NCAA Championship tournament, losing their spot in the Elite Eight. They ended with a final 28—4 record and a truly magnificent season. The 2019 season also saw individuals on the volleyball team receiving a slew of accolades. Seven players earned All-UAA honors and the coaching staff, consisting of head coach Sharon Dingman and assistant coaches Mitchell McPartland and Thom Guzi, was named as the UAA Coaching Staff of the Year. Third-year Emma Grif-

fith was named to the All-UAA firstteam for the third time in her career. Third-years Ellie Alden and Fredericka Paulson recieved league honors and were named to the All-UAA second team. Third-years Katherine Wilson and Mikayla Hardy were also placed on the UAA honorable mention list. Fourth-years departing the team included All-Regional Madison Pearson, All-UAA Anne Marie Stifter, and former All-UAA Anabella Pinton. Reflecting on the historic season, Stifter noted, “Madison, Bella and I came into a very different program. In my first year we were nowhere close to beating Cavin. We became so much more competitive. Where the team is now is the result of work from people before us and with us. This is something to be proud of. UChicago volleyball has become a force to be reckoned with.”

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

Female Athletes of the Year: Miranda Burt, Mia Farrell, and Taylor Lake By ALI SHEEHY Sports Reporter

107 career games, countless awards and accolades, and over 1,000 points… each. Due to their stellar 2019–20 season and careers as members of the University of Chicago women’s basketball team, fourth-years Miranda Burt, Mia Farrell, and Taylor Lake have been named by The Chicago Maroon as the Female Athletes of the Year. To say that they have left a mark on the program is an understatement. Burt ends her career as No. 2 in three-pointers made, No. 4 in freethrow percentage, No. 8 in points, No. 8 in three-point percentage, and No. 9 in steals in program history. Additionally,

she is tied for No. 1 in three-pointers made in a single season with 62 and was named to the All-UAA Second Team for the 2019–20 season. Farrell completes her four years with over a dozen records to her name including, No. 2 in free throws made, No. 4 in three-point percentage, No. 10 in steals, and No. 5 in points as well as in points for a single season. This past season she was also named First Team All-UAA and Co-Defensive Player of the Year in addition to Second-Team All-Region by D3Hoops.com. And finally, Lake graduates as No. 3 in points, No. 4 in field goals made, No. 9 in blocked shots, No. 10 in rebounds, No. 11 in steals, and many more. For the 2019–20 season, she was named to the First Team All-UAA and as the

UAA Player of the Year. She was named a Third-Team All American and First Team All-Region by D3Hoops.com as well. Oh, and did we mention that all three of these amazing female athletes are members of 1,000-point club? But regardless of their names written in the record book, their class has cemented its legacy through its attitude and dedication to the team, which all three greatly credit to fellow classmate Nireet Dhillon. According to Burt, “I think we all want our legacy to be hard work and a deep dedication to each other on the team—if we were able to leave that, then I have no doubt that those after us will have even more success.” Lake echoed this sentiment and re-

marked, “We made history and those moments I will forever cherish as a testament to all of the hard work and dedication each player committed themselves to in order to accomplish all that we had. All you can ever hope for is to make the slightest difference in something you put so much effort into and to know that this group of seniors has done that just that feels amazing.” Reflecting on her time here, Farrell added, “I could not have done it without my fellow seniors and I am overjoyed by the ways we were able to lead our team over the past four years. It was one special group of women and it feels like a perfect ending to a great four years for us.”

THE CHICAGO MAROON â&#x20AC;&#x201D; MAY 20, 2020

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 20, 2020

Ryan, we are so proud of all your achievements, And of the wonderful human being you are! We know that your keen mind and your giving heart Will always work in harmony, To guide you through the storms of life, And to help you be all that you can be. May God bless you And bathe your long path ahead with light, So you may see with clarity And continue to strive for what is right.

Ann Chandler,

Nos ha encantado animarte mientras seguías tus sueños en los últimos cuatro años. Traes tanto amor, alegría, y aventura a nuestra familia. Con amor, Mom, Dad, Ella, y Charlotte

THE CHICAGO MAROON â&#x20AC;&#x201D; MAY 20, 2020

Congratulations Emily Kate Northland Stevens Class of 2020

At University of Chicago you found your true north, and, in the House of Hitchcock, your happy space. Days there have been shortened, but know you will never be bereft of friends. Much love to you from your family!

THE CHICAGO MAROON â&#x20AC;&#x201D; MAY 20, 2020