The Observer, Volume L, Issue 24, 4/5/19

Breaking new ground

CWRU professor discovers new species, showcases exhibit at musuem

OMA to host annual Unity Banquet

Grace Howard News Editor

On Friday, April 12, the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) will host its 29th Annual Unity Banquet & Scholarship Dinner. The banquet is a celebration of the academic accomplishments of underrepresented minority students and graduating students at Case Western Reserve University.

The evening will also serve as a fundraiser for scholarships to assist underrepresented minority students who are experiencing financial hardship and to support efforts for retention of those students in other ways, such as book scholarships, academic and networking opportunities and academic receptions. Finally, the event is a partnership with the Office of Undergraduate Admission and the Division of Enrollment Management set during Diversity Week and strives to attract prospective CWRU students and assist the offices in their recruitment efforts.

Anna Giubileo Staff Reporter

Case Western Reserve University professor Darin Croft has a new exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (CMNH). The exhibit, titled “Mammal Mysteries of South America,’’ highlights Croft’s work in the Quebrada Honda region in Bolivia.

Several fossils found at the site were displayed at the exhibit, as well as videos and panels detailing their history and significance.

“When I first went to Bolivia in 1999 for a conference, I saw some specimens from that site in a museum collection in La Paz that I knew represented a new, undescribed species,” Croft explained. “That got me interested in the site, which I was finally able to visit in 2007.”

Croft’s interest in animals started at a young age. In third grade, his teacher introduced him to the process of finding fossils. His interest in paleontology continued, and while working on his graduate degree at the University of Chicago, Croft met a professor conducting research on extinct mammals in Chile.

Croft said, “Once I delved into the topic and became familiar with the un-

usual history of South American mammals, I was hooked.”

The exhibit details how the Quebrada Honda region’s location and the drastic changes it underwent during the middle to late Miocene, around 10-15 million years ago, allowed for the evolution and development of unique species of mammals.

Croft works with a team of paleontologists from around the world, including Dr. Beverely Saylor, another professor at CWRU. The team has been working on the site for over a decade.

When describing why he chose that specific site, Croft said, “The fossils from Quebrada Honda and other sites in Bolivia provide insights into habitats in the middle of the continent, which are distinct from both tropical habitats further north and more temperate habitats in the south.”

The team is currently working on publishing scientific papers about the data they have collected over the past decade and analyzing their results to visualize changes faced by the ecosystems in the area over the last 10 million years.

Personally, Croft said he is looking forward to both returning to Quebrada Honda as well as exploring other sites

throughout South America.

He said he wants “to explore other sites in the area of different ages to see how they compare to Quebrada Honda in terms of the fossils they preserve and the habitats they represent.” He added, “Together, they will give us a picture of how ecosystems in the area changed over a 10 million year interval.”

Croft is the Research Associate in Vertebrate Paleontology at the CMNH, and it was his close relationship with the museum that allowed him to reach out and plan an exhibit to introduce visitors to the history of South American mammals.

“The close relationship between CWRU and the CMNH has been one of the highlights of living in Cleveland for me,” Croft said.

For those who plan to visit the exhibit at the CMNH, Croft’s favorite fossil is of a new species that he and his team found: the lower jaw of a small meat-eating marsupial, named Australogale leptognathus. Croft clarified that “fossils of meat-eating marsupials are quite rare in South America … and the specimen is extremely well-preserved.”

The exhibit will be on display through the end of the summer.

The theme for the Unity Banquet this year is “Passion for a Purpose.” Eleven Unity Banquet scholarships will be given out at the event, and other groups will also be giving out awards. These awards include Alianza Latina/Latin Alliance’s Leadership Excellence Award, the African American Campus Community Resource Group’s Leadership Award and First CWRU’s First Generation Scholarship.

The keynote speaker for the event is Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker and an outspoken advocate for the human rights of immigrants. Vargas produced and directed “Documented,” a film that describes his own journey to America and outs himself as undocumented. In the fall of 2018, Vargas released his memoir “Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen,” in which he discusses what it means to live in the United States with undocumented status and have to pass off as American. In addition to writing and producing, Vargas founded a non-profit organization, Define American, which works to utilize the power of stories to change the conversation about immigrants and immigration.

Courtesy of phys.org/Velizar Simeonovski

A rendering of the discovered Theosodon arozquetai and Llullataruca shockey by paleoartist Velizar Simeonovski

Professor explores link between lead poisoning, juvenile delinquency

Katharine Toledo Staff Reporter

Through Case Western Reserve University’s Center on Urban Poverty and Community Development, Professor Rob Fischer is working on an initiative to find a link between lead poisoning, usually resulting from paint containing lead, and juvenile delinquency.

Fischer is an associate professor at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, where he teaches graduate-level classes pertaining to social work and nonprofit management. He has taught classes including School of Applied Social Sciences 410: Nonprofit Data-Based Decision Making, School of Applied Social Sciences 532: Needs Assessment and Program Evaluation and School of Applied Social Sciences 545: Nonprofit Program Design. Fischer is also the co-director for the Center on Urban Poverty and Community Development, which works with low-income communities and their residents to understand the impact of social and economic changes within Cleveland.

Early studies conducted by Fischer and the Center show that around 25 percent of kindergarteners in the Cleveland Metropolitan School Dis -

trict have had significant exposure to lead poisoning, though in some cases the number of students affected by lead poisoning is as high as 40 percent.

Fischer’s studies also concluded that there is a discernible difference between children affected by lead poisoning on the East and West Sides of Cleveland. Those attending school on the East Side of Cleveland are much more likely to have exposure to lead than children attending school on the West Side.

Lead poisoning, while eliminated from the bloodstream quickly, can remain in the brain and cause damage for up to two years. If a child is exposed to lead at an early age they can experience developmental delays, learning difficulties, weight loss, hearing loss and later in life, issues with reproductive health and high blood pressure.

With the impact that lead poisoning can have on the development of those exposed to it early in life, Fischer’s research will help to determine whether or not a connection exists between exposure and a juvenile record in the future. According to the 2017 report of the Juvenile Division of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, there were over 13,000 delinquency charges throughout the year.

Fischer believes these charges could be related to the exposure of

these children early in their childhood. Fischer’s hypothesis is consistent with a 2017 study of children in Rhode Island born between 19902004 by Anna Aizer and Janet Currie at the National Bureau of Economic Research.The study argues that as little as one microgram of lead per deciliter of soil could increase the probability of suspension between 6.5 and 10 percent. Aizer and Currie’s study also links exposure to lead to criminal records of exposed children in their adult years.

Fischer’s studies are particularly important because exposure to lead during childhood disproportionately affects minority children, especially African Americans, living in Cleveland. Children living in the poorest areas of Cleveland are most likely to be exposed to lead through lead in the paint of their homes and apartments. Though lead paint was banned in 1978, it is still in the walls and woodwork in many older buildings today.

If a link between juvenile delinquency and exposure to lead is confirmed, it could result in higher standards for landlords in Cleveland and other cities, and force them to remove lead-based paint from their properties before renting them out, as well as put in place a framework for the evaluation and education of students who might have been impacted by lead poisoning.

Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs Naomi Sigg said, “Not only is it [the Unity Banquet] a celebration of the academic and co-curricular achievements of our underrepresented and diverse student community in the form of awards, scholarships and recognition to those who are graduating, it is also a time for our entire community from prospective students to alumni to come together, celebrate and learn as we listen to nationally acclaimed speakers on diversity, inclusion and social justice topics. The night is always inspirational, celebratory and poignant. We celebrate the hard work and success of our students and look forward to another amazing evening this year.”

Assistant Director for Retention and Graduate Outreach Janee Kelly noted that “there is a saying that goes along the lines of, ‘do not wait until someone is gone to give them their flowers.’ Unity Banquet is about giving the students that enrich our campus, their flowers for all to see. It’s held every year to showcase the numerous accomplishments of our students from diverse communities. By giving awards and scholarships, we are publicly recognizing their brilliance. Unity Banquet is more than a fancy dinner and an opportunity to get dressed up. It is about showing our students that they matter and that their work is worth reward.”

Students interested in attending the banquet can register through the OMA CampusGroups page, and transportation will be provided to and from the venue.

Study shows East Side neighborhoods’ structures improved since crash

Abbey Wells Staff Reporter

The East Side of Cleveland is experiencing a revival after years of dealing with the effects of the 2010 housing crisis. A 2018 study by the Western Reserve Land Conservancy (WRLC) has found that in recent years the number of vacant and distressed structures has decreased substantially while housing prices have risen.

The organization conducted a similar study in 2015, in which they examined each of the 158,854 land parcels in Cleveland to appraise the conditions of the homes and the number of vacant properties. Using the results from the 2015 survey, the WRLC was able to identify 13 neighborhoods and 78,000 parcels as being at-risk, determined by factors like the percentage of vacant structures, the number of vacant lots in 2015 and the median housing prices between 2005-18. The study took 12 staff members approximately 10 weeks to finish.

The 2018 study surveyed 13 East

Side neighborhoods, including Fairfax and Shaker Square, in an effort to help city officials determine which structures to demolish. WRLC also hoped to figure out the best ways to help the neighborhoods bounce back from the 2010 housing crisis.

The results of the 2018 survey show that the percentage of structures ranked D or F, which means that they are considered to be in deteriorated or hazardous conditions, decreased from nine percent to six percent between the 2015 and 2018 studies. Additionally, the percentage of occupied structures increased from 84 percent to 88 percent during that same period.

Some neighborhoods have improved substantially since the 2015 survey. The Slavic Village and St. Clair-Superior neighborhoods have seen noticeable decreases in their number of D and F ranked properties. Furthermore, the median home sale price in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood saw an increase of 100 percent, going from $13,188 to $26,500.

Despite the positive findings, the results still need to be placed in con -

text. Before the 2010 housing crisis, the average home sale prices on the East Side ranged from $75,000 to $80,000. While the increase of housing prices in the Mount Pleas -

ant neighborhood is promising, the prices are still considerably lower than they were before the crisis, which suggests there is still substantial room for improvement.

Students play campus-wide game

Nihal Manjila Staff Reporter

Case Western Reserve University students and faculty are playing another game of Humans vs. Zombies (HvZ) from March 27 to April 5. HvZ is open to all members of the CWRU community. As of press time, there are 102 players in CWRU HvZ spring 2019 game.

HvZ is a game that was started at Goucher College, Maryland in fall 2005. The game is played across the world, with games on almost every continent. The original rules, with modifications for safety and balance, are still used today. It is essentially a game of tag, with players designated as Humans and five players designated as Original Zombies, according to the HvZ website. The Original Zombies will then begin tagging humans and turning them into zombies as well.

All players wear bandanas to signify their status with Humans wearing them on their arms and Zombies on their heads. Humans use Nerf blasters or balled-up socks to fend off Zombie players that attempt to tag them while the Zombie players try to surprise or

overwhelm Human players. Upon being tagged, a Human player faces a onehour “incubation” period during which they transform into zombies. While the game is played, a website is used to help track the players and state of the game.

HvZ also includes missions and optional events that grant benefits to participants which differ from game to game.

The goal of any HvZ game is to win. Humans win by surviving and not letting the Zombies spread. The Zombies win by tagging and turning the Human players until none are left.

HvZ started at CWRU in the fall of 2008 and is run by the Big Games Club. The game occurs every semester, with the fall game usually occurring in early October before fall break and the spring game occurring between spring break and the main week of Greek Games. According to Josh Levy, Big Games Club PR Chair, there are around 250 players in the fall games and around 100 in the spring games. The game appeals to many different people with both students and professors competing.

Some HvZ games are themed and include events that incorporate the theme. The current game’s theme is Greek

mythology. This theme was exhibited in a “rowing” mission using cardboard warships around Wade Commons and a mission with Simply Greek catering. Past themes for games include the legend of Merlin and time travel.

HvZ Core is a group of nine students who meet weekly to plan and administer the game. They also create missions and themes for games. A team of 12

ByWilliam Shakespeare

Moderators also helps run the game.

Levy explained that “players are required to attend at least one rules meeting before each game to familiarize themselves with the rules.”

If students want to learn more about HvZ in a fun and entertaining way, the CWRU website features several informative student-made music videos about the games.

Free tuition program begins work in local schools

In January, Say Yes to Education announced Cleveland would become the fourth city to host a Say Yes to Education community chapter. Cleveland joins Syracuse and Buffalo, New York and Guilford County, North Carolina as the only places with community chapters. Say Yes to Education is an organization that provides free tuition to partner colleges and universities for all students who graduate from affiliated

According to their website, Say Yes to Education works to “revitalize communities by helping them give every public high school graduate access to college or other post secondary scholarships.”

Cleveland’s community chapter has been in development for over two years. All the funds for tuition must be raised by the communities’ Say Yes for Education services because the organization only provides $15 million for the program’s organizational and administra-

According to Madeline Rife, director of the mentoring program at College Now Greater Cleveland, Say Yes to Education offers residents of Cleveland a great opportunity and may be able to break the cycle of poverty in Cleveland.

“It will take a lot of dedicated effort over decades, but the community is behind this—as evidenced by the successful fundraising effort, and the successful drive for mentors—and we have the right infrastructure in place to truly realize the vision of supporting students and their families all the way through their educational journeys,” Rife said.

Say Yes to Education’s programs have been successful previously. Students from Say Yes to Education schools graduate from college at a rate of 72 percent, which is almost twice the rate of students who receive the Pell Grant.

Rife also believes Cleveland’s community chapter will have an effect on Case Western Reserve University since CWRU is a partner school in the Say Yes Higher Education Compact.

“This [program] will bring more students to Case’s campus who may have grown up just off campus, but previously wouldn’t have been able to access such a resource,” says Rife.

Members of the CWRU community can support Say Yes to Education by seeking personal connections to the program and participating in the mentorship program.

“Mentors form a personal connec-

tion to students, and help them persist in school and be successful through the ups and downs of college,” Rife explained.

Mentors are required to have already graduated from college, so only faculty or administrators can participate in the mentorship program.

“[However], students already on campus can also make a difference by reaching back and helping to guide the incoming freshmen through the experiences they themselves just lived through,” according to Rife. “Whether that’s mentoring, friendship or just helping augment the spirit of welcome on campus, it will all have an effect.”

Directed by Don Carrier

“This [program] will bring more students to Case’s campus who may have grown up just off campus, but previously wouldn’t have been able to access such a resource”

- Madeline Rife, on the aim of the Say Yes to Education program

The Observer Archives

Participants of HvZ from an earlier game.

arts & entertainment

Tokyo Police Club visits Grog

and play standing inches away from each other, crouched, ears touching as if they had been born playing music together. And indeed, they basically were. The four of them, the last member including drummer Greg Alsop, were friends before they were musicians, meeting each other at just 10 years old. Wright sat with The Observer before the concert to talk about how they formed the band, their musical development, the music industry and more. Here are some selected questions and his responses to them.

(Note: The responses below have been slightly edited for clarity and readability.)

You’ve stayed together for over 13 years, which is quite an achievement. What is the dynamic like?

day. I’ve never been able to put our band creative process in any kind of useful short enough description to be worthwhile.”

What is it like being on tour?

“Now? Wonderful. It’s my favorite thing, but it honestly took me seven or eight years to figure out how to do it. It’s a weird lifestyle. It’s not for everybody, but I think there’s no job in the world that’s easier than that—like, wake up in the morning, sit in a van, play guitar and drink beer. Like ‘oh, I’m tired, the show is lame, the lobby call was early—’cry me a river, people have kids.”

[You came out with] “Champ” [in] 2010. Then there was a four-year period between “Champ” and “Forcefield.” Can you talk about that?

Yugan Sakthi Staff Reporter

Tokyo Police Club (TPC) is a big enough name in music that most of the audience at their Grog Shop concert on Friday, March 22 knew at least a song or two. For those unfamiliar with the Canadian indie rock band, I can only imagine they assumed it was a Japanese electronic dance music duo or an underground skapunk collective upon reading their name.

Ask guitarist/keyboardist Graham Wright where the name comes from and he’ll say: “the Internet Band Name Generator. That was a thing in the early days of the Internet, where it was like [you] go on this website and press a button and put three random words together.”

Maybe it’s this carefree attitude that allows TPC’s live performances to have such a high energy level. Having been on tour since early March promoting their latest album “TPC,” their electrifying Friday night performance showed no signs of exhaustion. Each song made the audience more excited than the last.

Opening the night’s set was local Cleveland band Runaway Brother, who

were followed by TPC’s touring partner Dizzy. After just winning the 2019 Juno Alternative Album of the Year for their album “Baby Teeth,” Dizzy brought a subtle mood to the Grog Shop that had the audience wishing with each song that the end would never come. Singer Katie Munshaw’s voice was perfectly suited to the airy notes of the guitar and the sharp, soft beats of the drums. The deep red lighting on stage wrapped the performance in an ethereal feel.

TPC came on stage after an intermission that felt more like an evening-long hiatus. But when they came on stage and without a word of introduction dove into their first song, guitars flailing and lights changed to a bright orange, it was as if they never left. Throughout their set they traversed a variety of styles, from racing rock-and-roll riffs to calypso-like grooves and shoegaze-esque melodies.

The band had an undeniable onstage chemistry, fueling each other’s performances, which is the only thing that can explain how they jumped and danced across the stage, song after song, without tire. Often times the three in front— Wright, bassist/singer David Monks and guitarist Josh Hook—would join forces

“I’m too close to it to know what the dynamic is. We’ve been friends for twice as long as we’ve been in the band, and it’s pretty comfortable, and I think we read each other pretty well, pretty instinctively. I don’t think about it that much, but we don’t have to, luckily. Bands have to be more conscious of diplomacy and relationship management, and it is a [very intense] relationship—it’s familial, it’s creative, it’s financial—every kind of relationship you can have with someone, it’s [that] times four. So there’s a lot that can go wrong but if you’re on the same page and if you all just feel each other out well, then for the most part it’s easy.”

How did you meet?

“We all went to the same school since we were 10 years old, and we never stopped going to the same school … by the time we had started a band we had already been friends for so long that if we were going to start hating each other, it probably would have happened by then.”

How does your band’s creative process work? Who contributes what to songs?

“It really changes from album to album, from song to song and from day to

“By the time we had finished touring [“Champ”], it had already been two years, and we were exhausted … and then we just went—we’d never really gone down a deep creative hole where we just kept trying to reinvent and reinvent and chase our tails—just when we thought we’d written 10 songs, the tenth song, we’re like ‘this song is so much better than the other nine. We’ve got to write nine more that are this good.’ That would happen again and again, and we generated 60 or 70 songs in the process … at the time, we were like ‘we nailed it. This is a grand slam.’”

How do you keep yourself—your style—unique in a time when people latch on to a certain pattern?

“You just do your best. Honestly, the more you think about it, the worse off you probably are. If you’re writing a song, and you’re like ‘are you sure we’re being unique enough?’ then you’re going to [mess] up the song real bad. You have to hope that the apparatus in your brain that makes decisions is well tuned. I mean, all music is a ripoff now, and maybe it always has been. There’s maybe 10 actually innovative artists in the history of rock and roll … the rest of us we’re just standing on the shoulders of those who came before us.”

Billie Eilish smashes charts with captivating album

Seventeen year old Billie Eilish shot to the top of the charts with her debut album “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?” on March 29. The record is forecasted to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart next week.

The 14-song album includes past hits like “you should see me in a crown” and “When the Party’s Over,” as well as singles like “Bury a Friend” and “Wish You Were Gay.”

Much of the album features heavy bass combined with soft, spoken-word style singing. The tracks “Bad Guy” and “My Strange Addiction” carry heavy

house beats. In contrast, “Wish You Were Gay” and “8” are upbeat ukulele tunes. The song “Xanny” includes track alterations and dizzying stereo manipulation to make listeners feel as though they’ve taken the namesake drug themselves.

Eilish’s lyrics add eerie vibes and spooky undertones. The music video for the album’s lead single, “Bury a Friend,” highlights an ambiance of horror that underscores nearly all of “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?”

The video shows Eilish with her whole back covered by hypodermic needle injections, a visual drawn from a true childhood horror story. The album cover itself is an image of Eilish with white globes for eyes, smiling eerily at

the camera in an unnatural position. Eilish’s work often includes these visceral, creepy components which leave some uneasy, but others aching for more.

Eilish discussed the creativity that went into “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?” in an Instagram TV special. In order to provide fans with a realistic understanding of her creative process, she opened a pop-up museum from March 29 through 31 in Los Angeles called The Billie Eilish Experience.

Eilish herself experiences strong synesthesia, a neurological condition that causes one to experience multiple involuntary sensory experiences at once. She forms strong associations between specific colors, smells and sounds, and uti-

lizes these connections to craft unique, visionary works of music.

The Billie Eilish Experience comprised of 14 rooms, one for each album track, which featured the various sensory elements that contributed to each song’s creation. According to Eilish, this was the best way for her fans and supporters to experience the songs just like she did.

“WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?” blends elements of electronic dance music, unique vocals and horror-inspired lyrics, offering an alluring experience for audiophiles and everyday listeners alike. Given her immense creativity and talent, Eilish’s debut album deserves all the attention it’s received to date and more.

Courtesy of Much.com

Tokyo Police Club played at the Grog Shop on March 22 in a high energy show.

Julia Knight Staff Reporter

IMPROVment hosts annual improv festival

Erickson narrated the courtship, reminding the audience that they cannot see the steamy relationship unfold because “it is a radio show.”

IMPROVment’s public relations team, consisting of third-year students Andy Ogrinc and Tony Monczewski and Peralta, started planning for the festival over the summer, reserving the space and sending invitations to the other improv troupes in the fall to finalize the program. Members practice improvising all year, with performances every Saturday in the Eldred Black Box Theatre.

IMPROVment advertised the festival through its Facebook and Instagram page, as well as through flyers and trifolds placed around campus. Despite these efforts, turnout for Lake Effect was less than members had hoped for.

Yvonne Pan Arts & Entertainment Editor

This past weekend, IMPROVment hosted their eighth annual Lake Effect Improv Festival in the Tink Ballroom on Saturday, March 30.

The festival’s name is inspired by our university’s proximity to Lake Erie and contributions to Cleveland’s weather by the lake effect.

This year’s festival featured other improv groups including Kid Business from Oberlin College, Bad Genetics from Bowling Green State

University and Hopscotch, a professional troupe with members from the Cleveland area, including Case Western Reserve University and IMPROVment alumnus Olivia Taliaferro.

“We found the other groups by attending other universities’ improv festivals that we are invited to. We befriend other troupes and watch them perform and if we feel that the CWRU community would enjoy a unique performance from another college or professional improv troupe we invite them!” third-year student and IMPROVment member Tati Vujovic said.

The festival included a bit about a dating show. Fourth-year student JP Peralta explained that his wife was in a coma and he was exploring future options. His prospective dates included fourth-year student and IMPROVment president Oliver Ruhl, as Spongebob doing laundry, third-year student Marin Exler, portraying lettuce writing a novel and fourth-year student Alex Gordon improvising a doctor rapper.

Another performance included a steamy radio show hosted by fourthyear student Will Erickson and firstyear student Ronnie Taylor. As Taylor casually flirted with Erickson,

“It was hard this year because of several Greek organizations’ formals, as well as a Footlighters performance [The Mystery of Edwin Drood] coincided with Lake Effect,” Vujovic said. “The theatre student organizations are closely linked and often support each other at such events so it was sad that people had to choose between the two.”

Still, the festival did lure a sizeable audience with the promise of quality content and free cookies.

“This is the first time I’ve attended the Lake Effect Comedy Festival and I unsurprisingly had a good time,” fourth-year student Rasheed Ajala said.

For anyone interested in improv, IMPROVment’s next weekly show will be at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6 at the Eldred Black Box and auditions for cast will be held in the fall.

Yvonne Pan/Observer

Members of IMPROVment pose back stage at the Tinkham Veale University Center.

It’s been over a week since we returned from spring break, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to care about our schoolwork.

Post-spring break complacency is an affliction that many of us are likely facing. It makes sense to fall victim to it; we worked so hard in the first half of the semester and one week of break gives almost a false impression of finality.

But the reality is that there are still a few weeks to go before finals week, and this may be the most critical period of the entire semester.

In high school, we all experienced this phenomenon of “senioritis,” where the optimism and determination that powered us through our college applications was suddenly replaced with apathy and nihilism. After all, if we were already into our top choice school, what’s the point of even taking your last few finals? Why show up to class when close to nothing could affect what we’re doing in the coming fall?

Now, this sort of mood definitely

How to break up the post-spring break blues

doesn’t exist to the same degree in college. After all, we do have to go to those last few classes and take those last exams because our GPAs will be stuck all over our resumes when we’re applying for jobs. Still, with the changing weather and approaching summer jobs, internships and research positions, it’s difficult to make yourself roll out of bed for that 9:30 a.m. lecture.

In the case of those with frontloaded classes, the month of April will be especially deceptive. Maybe only a couple more quizzes and a paper to go before the end of the school year, all of which are spread out enough that they are never a “now” concern. Doing readings will feel especially irrelevant, since everything you think you need to know you learned a month ago.

It’s critical that we don’t fall into this trap.

You might say this is easier said than done, and that’s fair. It’s not very difficult to come out and just tell people to stop being lazy for the rest of the semester. The Observer is here to tell you how to stop being lazy.

For starters, find a way to mitigate the effects of spring distractions. With the sun on the brink of returning, it becomes difficult to avoid hanging outside with a few friends rather than studying for your lab practical. After the three to four months of Cleveland winter, any type of warm weather is so conspicuous it feels wrong to stay cooped up in your dorm room.

But it’s possible to use this weather shift to your advantage. Take your study routine outdoors and get some Vitamin D while you work toward getting an A on your exams. Or break up your longer periods of study with walks or other outdoor activities that clear your head and let the information settle in. These sorts of changes in habits are an attractive change from the normal routine, which can help make work feel less like a burden and contrast from what your brain has gotten used to throughout the year.

Any type of deviation from the norm will be well received by your increasingly relaxed brain. Part of what makes working in the second half of a

semester so difficult is the dread that comes from academic monotony. Spring break only amplifies that feeling when it gives us a taste of what it would be like to be free from it.

So on top of taking your coursework into the great outdoors, consider some indoor changes as well. Find new evening or morning routines that make you less interested in constant sleep, like a new workout plan, skincare routine or yoga set. Again, the end goal is defeating the monotony that causes you to resent your current situation, so even the smallest of changes can have huge results for your interest in your coursework.

It’s important to point out that we aren’t shaming those who have totally immersed themselves in their end of semester work. Hard work should be rewarded by whatever the person sees fit as their reward.

But still, if we do take this semester as being small, then powering through these last few weeks is just as justifiable as treating them as irrelevant.

Why this Clevelander chose CWRU

McPheeters Musings

Mary McPheeters

As someone from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, I often get asked why I chose to go to a school so close to home. Generally, it’s something along the lines of “that would be too close for me” or “why would you want to stay in Cleveland?”

When I was a senior in high school, I got into every school I applied to. When it came down to the decision, I was struggling to decide between Case Western Reserve University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). The two schools are extremely different and, at the time, I wanted to go into mechanical engineering.

So what swayed me toward CWRU?

Above all else, the answer is absolutely the people.

At UIUC, I was able to take a tour as an admitted student, but there wasn’t an overnight option like we have here for prospective students. I only received the chance to tour the campus and get a feel for the school.

I didn’t like it. There were too many people.

But with CWRU, I got to stay overnight and hang out with actual students. I immediately felt like I fit in. Everyone was very smart and had

many different interests and experiences. Additionally, it felt like I could both get to know a fair number of the students and still be able to meet new people throughout my four years.

The diversity and number of students are still one of my favorite things. I have learned so much about other people and cultures, despite staying in Cleveland. Getting to know so many people means that I’m constantly passing familiar faces on either quad.

Besides the people, I also really love the campus and the surrounding area. The Uptown district has grown immensely in the past 10 years and has become the epicenter of the place I call home.

Plus, many of Cleveland’s finest museums and cultural institutions are within walking distance of campus. Not to mention, these museums and cultural institutions are largely free or have student pricing.

Now, with these positives in mind, I don’t want to pretend that everything is perfect here. CWRU definitely has its problems.

The ones that bother me the most are probably housing and not having enough full-time lecturers. There is not enough housing on campus, especially with the number of attending students increasing every year. A lot of departments aren’t adequately staffed or they have professors

The Observer is the weekly undergraduate student newspaper of Case Western Reserve University. Established in 1969, The Observer reports news affecting students and provides an editorial forum for the university community. Unsigned editorials are typically written by the opinion editor but reflect the majority opinion of the senior editorial staff. Opinion columns are the views of their writers and not necessarily of The Observer staff. For advertising information, contact The Observer at (216) 302-4442 or e-mail observer-ads@case.edu.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR should be e-mailed to observer@case.edu or submitted on our website at observer.case.edu. Letters can be mailed to Thwing Center 11111 Euclid Avenue, Suite 01, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. For policy and guidelines related to the submission of Letters to the Editor, refer to observer.case.edu/submit-a-letter.

The Observer is a proud member of CWRU’s University Media Board. Follow The Observer on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @cwruobserver.

that are clearly more focused on research rather than dedicated full-time lecturers. There are more problems, but nothing that bugs me as much as those.

As it turns out, I actually applied to transfer to another school when I was a first-year student, but that’s mainly because CWRU didn’t have the major I thought I was interested in pursuing. Ultimately, I chose to stay here and switch out of engineering.

For me, that was the right decision, and it’s a decision I may not have been able to make at a larger school. At CWRU, it’s incredibly easy to switch majors, whereas state schools often require students to apply to their desired

major.

Why else did I decide to stay here? Again, the answer is the people.

CWRU may not be a perfect school, but what school is? Although I find myself annoyed with the problems I face that are caused by the university, I’m always reminded of why I love it here. CWRU students are the best around. Any prospective student should seriously take their time to establish connections with these amazing people as early as they can.

And if I’m being completely honest, it’s awesome to only have to haul my stuff down Mayfield Road every year rather than get a storage unit or truck it across the country.

Courtesy of Reddit Cultural institutions like the Cleveland Museum of Art are easily accessable.

Healthcare: We do not get what we pay for

preventable adverse medical errors.

The U.S. has some of the best health care specialists in the world and has undoubtedly made remarkable advances in treating chronic diseases. The 21st century has ushered in the use of stem cells to replace or repair damaged organs, developed highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to treat AIDS and improved liver, lung, heart and small intestine transplants that save the lives of thousands each year.

Yet, while we in the U.S. spend 8.5 percent of our gross domestic product (GDP) on health care by the public sector, Germany spends 9.5 percent and the United Kingdom 7.7 percent, respectively, for outcomes that are better. In comparison to comparable countries, the U.S. has higher hospital admissions for preventable diseases like congestive heart failure, asthma and diabetes, higher rates of medication and laboratory errors, a higher than average Potential Years of Life Lost (an alternative to average life expectancy) and a worse rate of

Perhaps most alarming, is that a woman in the U.S. today is more likely to die during childbirth than her mother was 25 years ago. The chances of surviving childbirth, what should be a routine procedure, are even worse for women of color, who are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.

As a result, the question must be asked, is it justifiable to spend double the amount of money for cutting-edge treatments while simultaneously reporting some of the worst outcomes for basic health care practices in the developed world?

While there are certainly impressive parts of the American health care system, we cannot continue to watch people die due to preventable errors, untreated or mistreated diseases, or lack of insurance coverage. U.S. health care is, most unfortunately, intimately linked to age, employment, ethnicity and the thickness of one’s wallet.

The luckiest of us, are provided decent, or even excellent, coverage through Medicare, the military, our place of employment or are privileged to have

deep enough pockets to not worry about the next hospital bill. However, as many as 44 million people in our country lack any health insurance coverage—not including those with inadequate coverage—and as a result, three of those people die every hour.

The U.S. is an outlier from its developed counterparts in that it has no universal health care coverage option, unless one is at least 65 years old and qualifies for Medicare or disabled and qualifies for Medicaid. By the turn of the 19th century, German chancellor Otto von Bismarck had developed a form of universal health care offered to the working class. Bismarck’s principles were adopted around Europe. However, these principles never seemed to make it across the Atlantic.

The closest American adaptation, and indeed a step in the right direction, has been the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or “Obamacare.” The ACA was built off of the principles of Medicare, which was passed under the Johnson administration in 1965 to cover approximately 80 percent of health care costs for those over the age of 65.

Among the many partisan debates in our political climate, the phrase “Medicare for All” has been thrown around recently, but it is more than a concept. As a policy to provide health care as a right for all our citizens, Medicare is underdeveloped and unclear. Some politicians, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), support a single-payer system that would cover everything.

But, what is everything? Does it include bone marrow transplants, cosmetic surgeries and knee replacements? These very questions are part of the crux of the issue surrounding Medicare for All: What will actually be covered? How, and to what extent, will hospitals and physicians be funded?

and primary care as well as more advancedtechnology care, such as growing new organs from stem cells. A universal health care system has the potential to reduce national health care costs while ensuring a low-income teenager or a Latina mother have the same access to safe, quality medical care as a CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

The Trump administration, with the support of many Congressional Republicans, has spent its time in power attempting to demolish the ACA and any semblance of nondiscriminatory health care for all Americans. At the same time, oddly, Trump affirms that he will enact policies to lower drug prices. Yet neither remark is backed up with a plan, just a blanketed statement that the ACA will be replaced by “something.”

While the current administration continues to attack our limited right to health care, we must hold on to the power we still hold as a people. That power includes the ability to fight for access to comprehensive, high-quality and safe health care. This will include truly reduced drug prices so that families no longer have to risk life by not paying over $600 for two EpiPen injectors or over $400 a month for insulin to control diabetes.

If a national health care system that unilaterally covers our pre-existing conditions, surgeries and medications, is socialism, then so be it. It is time we stop painting the availability of health care—and education, housing and the right to clean air and water—as left-wing propaganda.

If the top one percent deserve these privileges, why don’t we?

Costs of treatment at highly-rated hospitals like the Cleveland Clinic have continued to go up through the years.

All of these queries deserve a discussion so we can, hopefully, implement a health care system prioritizing women’s health

Jordan Reif is a first-year student studying political science on the pre-med track. She likes to spend her time reading, saving the bees or innovating new ideas for her start up “Ned talks”—a discussion forum for those who are just not quite good enough to make it to TED.

The results are in, and they say polling is good

Peter for You

Peter Wilson

In the later months of 2016, one thing seemed certain. Almost every poll released after August gave Hillary Clinton a big lead over her opponent, President Donald Trump. People were so sure of the polls that many news outlets gave the election to Clinton before election day was over.

Well, the election happened, and, clearly Clinton is not sitting in the Oval Office right now. This does not mean we should discount all the polls that said Clinton would win or polling all together. Polling is an important campaign tool, and it is important to more than just politicians. Polling is important to everyday life, and thus it should not be discounted as severely as it was after the 2016 election.

At its core, polling is important. Politicians and their staffers poll people every day to gauge public interest on a range of topics. The pollsters are able to gauge support or disapproval for different issues, as well as overall satisfaction with the status quo. Issues are brought into debate based on polling, and it is integral to many politicians’ decisions.

One such instance when polling is important is in elections, yes, but primary elections specifically. Take, for instance, the upcoming primaries for the 2020 presidential election. Some sources state that there are over 17 different significant candidates who have announced a campaign for the Democratic Party’s nomination. That’s a lot of people.

The main avenue that many of these candidates would take to distinguish themselves is in a debate. There cannot possibly be a debate with 17 candidates though, nobody would get time to speak, and the favorites would get more time than the others. So who gets picked to be in the debates?

One of the major criteria to be in the 2019 debates is that the candidate must receive at least one percent of support in three different polls, among other qualifications. This is an instance when polling benefits the American people more than the politicians themselves because, as the people voice their opinions about certain candidates, they effectively get a hand in who gets to be on the debate stage.

Polling, of course, has many inherent flaws, including only communicating with a proportionally small number of people. They tend to overrepresent people who feel strongly about certain issues. Good polls do a good job at minimizing the effects of these issues among others, but they cannot be totally avoided. These issues should not stop polls from being conducted though. As I stated, the effects of polling issues can be minimized, and thus those polls which minimize the effects can be great insights into the peoples’ minds and opinions.

Another good instance of polling is approval polls, such as those conducted measuring Trump’s approval. As these polls are conducted and their results interpreted, the president and his staff can approach different issues or make changes based on his overall approval. It hasn’t seemed to help Trump much, but the general idea of approval polling is effective.

I would like to stress that elections are still important and polls should not replace elections. Though polling is important, elections are a different eye into the people’s minds in the sense that all people can choose to take part or not, whereas polls are only of small samples designed to gauge the whole population. With elections, the style must be kept such that all people can express their wishes.

But polling is still an integral aspect

to how the politicians in this country function and govern. Polls should not be discounted because they are an excellent way for politicians to measure public support for them and the issues our country prioritizes.

Peter Wilson is a second-year biomedical engineering student on the biocomputing and informatics track. He works in the Gustafson Lab and can be found on Twitter at @wpieltseorn.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Courtesy of Wired

The 2016 election dampened people’s opinions of polling data. But can we really discount their importance to the public sphere?

Spitball belongs to the students

Steve Kerby Dastardly Liberal Schemes

Years ago, there was a beacon of spontaneity smack in the center of the Case Quad: Spitball. The iconic metal monolith in the center of the Case Quad creates some strange gravity around which our studies orbit.

While I admire it for the art itself, I also marvelled at what the campus added. Spitball was a message board to the world, with clubs chalking notices onto its many faces and aspiring artists using its sides as canvases. I joined the ranks of chalkers, and I fondly remember late night excursions with friends to turn a face of Spitball into chalk art.

Art, especially chalk art, is temporary, though. One day, the chalk stopped. The rain washed the steel clean, and it so remained.

At this time, a whisper ran through the student body. The administration did not want groups to draw on Spitball. It was defacing a valuable piece of art by a famous artist. It was damaging the sculpture itself. The official party line remains to this day: no chalking. The student body has kept its distance from Spitball; chalk rarely graces its faces.

I was astounded at the speed at which the chalking ceased. Spitball became bare after the next rainstorm, and remained so. I went back and chalked some small new art, which lingered alone on the sculpture until another shower washed it off. I tried again, but no one joined me. Spitball shows chalk art only rarely now. The rain washes the steel clean.

We, the student body, should resume chalking on Spitball. The university should allow this expression of art.

The simplest argument against chalking Spitball is that the chalk

damages the sculpture. This is misleading. A casual glance at Spitball shows clearly that while some surfaces suffer continuous damage, they are not the surfaces on which chalk is regularly applied. It is the horizontal faces at the peak of the statue and the “leg” at the back that are degrading, but those faces are never chalked. The sides of Spitball, where the chalking happens, are pristine by comparison. This disjoint between chalking faces and damaged faces highlights how chalk art is not a significant contributor to ongoing damage. Instead, rain collects on the horizontal faces of Spitball, rusting away the metal. This could be easily remedied by the university. The damage to Spitball is therefore not from student chalk art, but rather

is born of neglect by the same administration that now feebly argues for untouched preservation.

The most powerful objection to chalking Spitball is that chalking such a valuable piece of art is vandalism, disrespectful to the artist. No one would be so bold to chalk on the Mona Lisa or the roof of the Sistine Chapel, the thought goes. The cost of the statue is often bandied about, with the Ohio Outdoor Sculpture Center citing a present-day value of over two million dollars. How could a vandal justify throwing chalk blemishes on such a treasure?

I respond confidently that Spitball no longer belongs to Tony Smith, the original artist, nor does it belong to the university. This goes beyond financial transaction; in its heart of

iron Spitball belongs to the CWRU community.

For decades, the CWRU community has bravely adapted Spitball to its needs, with little formal objection from the authorities. In this time, the meaning of Spitball has changed. It has become a part of the CWRU community of students, participating in day-to-day life in new ways that the artist did not intend. The CWRU administration allowed this change to occur over the decades, and I’m surprised that the student body has been so willing to relinquish its relationship with the sculpture. So few people can use a million-dollar sculpture as message board.

So, I do not think the arguments of the chalk-queasy university and its partisans hold water. The only recourse available is the coldly capitalist viewpoint of the art as property. The art is owned by the university, the thinking goes, so if President Barbara Snyder so wishes it shall not be chalked.

To this I say, fine. Put a police officer out by the art or build a wall around it. Show that preservation of the art is a real concern. I am not willing to allow the administration to quietly coerce the student body to stop chalking. They cannot have their cake and eat it too.

I do not find any convincing reason not to chalk on Spitball. We should chalk on Spitball because it is a platform for sending positive messages of art and love to the stressed-out students on their way to Strosacker Auditorium. It is a way for the common Spartan to engage in art without fear of judgement, and the rain will wash the steel clean.

Steve Kerby is a fourth-year studying astronomy and physics. He has been waiting to write this article for years.

Remembering our radical roots

“STEM” school, a school you should shy away from if you are interested in changing the world.

thereafter.

It’s that time of year again.

Thousands of prospective students are visiting Case Western Reserve University with their families, deciding whether or not they will commit to being a part of the CWRU Class of 2023, which doesn’t sound like a real year to me, but maybe I’m just a crotchety old fourth-year student.

But with these visits comes the perennial rehashing of all the favorite stories CWRU likes to tell. I get some nostalgia when I get stuck behind a tour guide as they share the same stories we’ve all heard: CWRU’s ties to major corporations like Lubrizol, the Aluminum Company of America and Eaton Corporation, our connections with the Cleveland Clinic, our partnership with Microsoft to use the HoloLens and how the developers of craigslist and Gmail went here.

These stories aren’t random. Together, they weave a story of a historic polytechnical institute with a focus on specialized trade skills and of students who came here to advance its name in science and engineering. I suppose this helps reinforce the idea that CWRU is a

I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t know about CWRU’s bold and transformative past. These stories don’t see as much attention, but perhaps they should.

For instance, some of you may have seen the Historic Underground Railroad Site marker outside of the Ford Auditorium. Did you know that the Western Reserve College was involved in the fight to end slavery and had Frederick Douglass give a commencement address to their class of 1854?

You have almost certainly walked through Thwing Center, named after one of Western Reserve University’s Presidents: Charles Thwing. Did you know that Thwing was an active supporter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) when it was founded in 1909?

The fantastic archivists at the CWRU Archives of Kelvin Smith Library collected more evidence of this history of activism in their Fall 2018 edition of KSL Connects. In 1968, the women of Mather College protested the rule that they had to wear skirts to dinner by collectively arriving to the dining hall in slacks. The rule was dropped shortly

Our African-American Society recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. Did you know their first chair was none other than Stephanie Tubbs Jones, who became the first black woman congressperson from the state of Ohio and represented our U.S. Congressional district for almost a decade?

Even this newspaper, The Observer, has a storied history rooted in our campus’ response to the Vietnam War. During Homecoming Weekend, I was privileged enough to learn about it from one of the cofounders of the Observer. He told us how in 1969, he and his four friends received draft cards to fight in a war they didn’t believe in. They knew their voices weren’t being heard.

But they were also at the most prestigious university in one of the most politically influential states in the country, and knew that if they organized and drew attention to their cause, they could make a change.

That November, The Observer staff drove down to Washington D.C. to cover the anti-war demonstrations. Three months later, thanks to pressure from The Observer, University President Robert Morse allowed the Student Mobilization Committee, the main anti-war student group, to hold

its national convention at CWRU. A few months after that, over a thousand students rallied outside of Yost Hall demanding the university shut down its ROTC office. After seven days of student protests, the university yielded, and the program was terminated.

Why do I tell you all of this?

Because collectively, these stories weave a narrative of a campus community full of fighters. A community that not only achieves academically but understands its place in the world and its ability to affect change.

These alumni may seem obviously in the right with the benefit of hindsight, but in the moment, they were looked down upon and sneered. But they persevered because they knew the strength of the causes they fought for.

What kind of campus community could we build if we told these stories more often? Maybe we could channel some of that transformative spirit once again.

Viral Mistry is a fourth-year biology and cognitive science double major who is also minoring in chemistry, history and philosophy. He has strong feelings about politics, society and whether chicken wings are best bone-in or boneless.

Viral Mistry

I Spit My Truth And It’s Brown

Jack Lewis/Observer

Spitball by Tony Smith is a staple of the Case Quad, but it has also ignited a debate over the difference between vandalism and community ownership. Have hot takes on issues of the day? Write for the opinion section! Contact observer@case.edu for more details.

Ken Ken

The aim of the puzzle is to fill the whole grid with numbers. The only numbers you are allowed to use are 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. No number may repeat in a column or a row. Each “cage” (or a shaded box) contains a target number and the arithmetic method needed to be used to obtain the target number.

Aries

The slow changing of the seasons represents the slow changing of your personal matters. Expect a dramatic shift in a personal paradigm in the coming days.

Taurus

The moon is in your zone “d’amour” for the next fortnight. Love arrives on your doorstep when you least expect it.

Gemini

Be mindful of advice you receive this week; those closest to you may not have your best interests at heart.

Cancer

The time is right for some dramatic action. Make a bold decision and follow it through.

Horoscopes Sudoku

Leo

Your close family members will offer great advice in the coming days. Take it, they know best.

Virgo

While the best-laid plans often go awry, yours will come to fruition. No unexpected challenges are on the horizon.

Libra

Your recent reckless behavior will result in dramatic consequences this week. Be prepared to eat some just desserts.

Scorpio

Communication is a major key. Make sure the people in your life understand your intentions and goals.

Sagittarius

Feel free to let loose. Your studious and industrious nature paid off in spades, and you can take some time off.

Capricorn

Venus passes through your sign this week indicating bountiful opportunities to conquer your fears. Take at least one of them.

Aquarius

With Mars in retrograde this week, you may be feeling some anger directed toward Taurus. Suppress it, you’re future self will thank you later.

Pisces

Pay attention to the Virgos in your life. They may want to be around you more than you realize.

Women’s tennis face mid-season slump

dhi Jha were victorious at third doubles. At second doubles, secondyear student Mira Amin and firstyear student Sneha Karnam fell to their opponents. CWRU was up 2-1 at the start of singles play.

The Spartans were able to pick up one win in the first singles match, but the remaining five singles matches were claimed by Kenyon, thus ending the day with a 6-3 loss for the Spartans.

The following morning, the Spartans returned to the courts to take on Swarthmore College. The match ended 5-4 with a loss for the Spartans.

Swarthmore claimed an early lead, which would forecast their victory. Their lead started at second doubles, where Amin and Karnam dropped the match 8-4. That match was followed by another loss for the Spartans, with Georgiades and Jha falling 8-4 at third doubles. Paolucci and Cardwell picked up the lone doubles point for the team with their 8-5 win at first doubles.

gles and fifth singles, but Georgiades’ win at sixth singles brought the margin of the final score to just one.

The women went into Sunday’s match against No. 27 Denison University looking for a win to finish the weekend. Unfortunately, the Spartans were unable to pull out the win, and the team ended with a third consecutive loss.

In doubles play, the Spartans did not pick up any wins, putting the team in an early deficit that they would not be able to recover from.

The women were able to pick up two wins in singles play, Paolucci at first singles and Amin at third singles. The remaining four singles matches went to Denison, giving them a 7-2 victory. Paolucci’s singles win improved her to a team-best 15-5 record in singles play.

So far this year, the Spartans have a .521 winning percentage in singles play. The doubles play percentage is slightly lower, with a .492 overall percentage.

Claire Nordt Sports Editor

The Case Western Reserve University women’s tennis team had a difficult weekend, suffering three losses against three opponents. The team started the weekend with a match

against No. 11 Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio.

Despite an early lead, the Spartans were not able to conquer Kenyon. Second-year teammates Madeleine Paolucci and Nicole Cardwell claimed victory at first doubles and first-year teammates Eliza Georgiades and Ni -

Heading into singles play, the Spartans trailed by one, but Paolucci started the play with a straightset win, evening the match. The score stayed even after the next two matches, when Swarthmore claimed a win at fourth singles, and CWRU responded with a win by Amin at third singles. Swarthmore secured the win with victories at fourth sin -

The three losses brought the Spartans to a 5-7 record for the season. They will return to action on April 6, when the women will play their first outdoor home tennis match of the 2019 season. The team will host Oberlin College at the Carlton Courts on Saturday at 4 p.m. The following day, the Spartans will face John Carroll University at the Medical Mutual Tennis Center at 6 p.m.

Courtesy of CWRU Athletics

Shreyaa Mukund competes for the Spartan tennis team. The team is currently 5-7 for the season.

Athlete Spotlight

Second-year goalkeeper inspired by CWRU community

Nicholas Kamlet Staff Reporter

Andrew Engelmeyer is a secondyear goalkeeper on the Case Western Reserve University men’s soccer team. Last season, he saw action in three games allowing one goal with four saves. He continues to grow in the sport, and is looking forward to next season. Off the field, Engelmeyer is a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, as well as Theta Tau Professional Engineering Fraternity. He is working toward a degree in chemical engineering.

Where did you get your passion for soccer? Any good stories?

Soccer has been a part of who I am for my entire life. I started out watching my brother play and kicking the ball around with him. I would obviously watch the World Cup whenever it was on. I would play soccer video games. Just all sorts of things. I started playing for my church league team, then started playing Select in second grade. I think my passion grew for the game

when I played for my high school team and especially when I came to CWRU. Being able to play everyday with a really close group of guys takes my love for the game to a whole new level. As far as good stories, I remember when I was really young I thought the goalkeeper was the coolest position, so I would grab a pair of oven mitts and ask my siblings to shoot on me.

Do you have any matches that you remember being particularly special? Why?

The match against [University of Chicago] UChicago this year was incredible. They were ranked No. 1 in the nation at the time, and we were able to win 2-1. Everyone was elated after the win. Also, the game against [University of] Rochester that we won in overtime. We stormed the field and coach danced in the huddle. The tournament was an awesome experience. We were able to get to the Elite 8 by beating Kenyon [College] in penalty kicks. We had fans and players storming the field afterward which was wild. Hope we can make a run again.

Aside from soccer, what else are you involved in on campus? Can you explain what you do in them?

I am in Undergraduate Consulting Club and Consult Your Community. I work as a business analyst for CYC working on a pro bono case. I am a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity on campus. I am the service and philanthropy chair and a member of the executive board. Lastly, I am a member of the Theta Tau Professional Engineering Fraternity.

Why are you majoring in chemical engineering? What interests you about it?

I came in as a [biomedical engineering] major, but discovered I was really only interested in the biomaterials part of the major. Especially the pharmaceutical application of the concepts. I find it very interesting that the delivery of drugs throughout the body can be controlled by

reaction kinetics, cell receptors and transport concepts. I also find the concept of taking a reaction and properly scaling it to fulfill an industrial need to be pretty cool.

What are your favorite free time activities? Why?

When I have free time I tend to be pretty lazy. I like to binge watch TV shows when I get the time. I am a big “FIFA” guy as well. It is always nice to snag a “dub” against some of the other soccer guys.

What is your favorite quote or what inspires you?

It isn’t necessarily an idea that inspires me. There are a lot of very talented and hard working people here at Case Western Reserve. Seeing and working with others who are as committed or more committed to their passion than I am really inspires me. Beyond that there are a lot of really nice people here too. Being surrounded by all of these amazing people makes me want to be the best version of myself that I can.

Cleaveland walks off for Spartan victory

Andrew Ford Staff Reporter

The Case Western Reserve University softball team opened their University Athletic Association (UAA) season with a split in two games against New York University (NYU).

On Friday, March 29, NYU visited Mather Park to begin UAA play. The visitors came away with a 4-2 victory in the first game, but the Spartans won the second game of the day thanks to a walk-off two-run home run by second-year centerfielder Arisa Cleaveland.

Third-year pitcher Ilissa Hamilton started

the first game and pitched a complete game. She gave up four runs, but only two of those were earned. CWRU scored in the bottom of the second and the bottom of third, taking a 2-1 lead. They held that lead for an inning, until the top of the fifth when NYU scored three runs, including two solo home runs. That would be the final score, as neither team could get any other runs on the board.

The Spartans would get their revenge in the latter game, though, with a 5-3 win. Secondyear pitcher Sidney Brannam was the starter for CWRU in this matchup, pitching a complete game as well, striking out three batters. NYU got on the board in the first inning, but scoring was a rarity for most of the game.

NYU scored again in the top of the fifth, but the Spartans came back with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-2 lead. Thirdyear third baseman Melissa Cuellar opened the scoring for CWRU with a solo home run to right field. In the top of the seventh, NYU tied the game up at 3. With a runner on base in the bottom of the inning, Cleaveland hit a walk-off home run to give the Spartans their first UAA win of the season.

Two more games were scheduled for Saturday, but they were cancelled because of the weather.

CWRU will see another UAA rival come to campus, Carnegie Mellon University, on April 5 and 6.

Baseball drops two to open conference play

Sanjay Annigeri Staff Reporter

The Case Western Reserve University baseball team faced a tough opponent in No. 18 Washington University in St. Louis (WashU), dropping both games at home on Friday, March 29. The Spartans battled hard, but ultimately fell short, losing 7-5 and 2-1.

In the first game, CWRU attempted a late comeback, but it wasn’t enough.

Spartans’ second-year starting pitcher Matt Levine had a rocky start, giving up five early runs by the fourth inning.

The team clawed back through the efforts of their fourth-year players, as catcher Tyler Wypiszenski scored on

a passed ball and third baseman Jacob Kucia singled to bring second baseman Rocco Maue home.

However, the Bears increased their lead with runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

The Spartans attempted another comeback, scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Fourth-year left fielder Jacob Pestel drove home a single, and first-year designated hitter Nathan Shaprio drove in another with a groundout. Even with the bases loaded and one out, the Spartans were unable to make any progress against the Bears and ultimately lost.

In the second game, the Spartans kept it tied until the ninth inning. But a late run sealed the victory for WashU.

First-year starting pitcher Nick De-

nove threw a complete game. Both pitchers started the game off hot, keeping a scoreless first five innings.

The Bears broke through first, scoring on a two-out hit to take the early one run lead in the top of the sixth inning.

The Spartans answered back in the bottom of the sixth inning, with three straight singles by Maue, second-year catcher Jake Ryan and Kucia. A sacrifice fly by second-year right fielder Benjamin Stawicki drove home a run to tie the game at one.

The score remained tied until the Bears jumped on Devone with a twoout single that drove in the game-winning run.

CWRU couldn’t answer back and lost.

The Spartans followed the losses with a win against Baldwin Wallace University on April 3. The win was Head Coach Matt Englander’s 300th career victory. Englander has been with the Spartans for his entire head coaching career. He is currently in his 13th season, and has a career winning percentage of .576, which makes him the coach with the most wins in the program’s history.

The Spartans ended the week with one win and two losses, bringing their overall season record to 13-8 and University Athletic Association record to 0-2.

The team will continue conference play and travel to New York University for a four-game series from Friday, April 5 to Sunday, April 7.

Track and field teams continue to break records

David Chang Staff Reporter

As the snow begins to melt and the weather begins to warm, the Spartans continue their blazing record breaking streak.

The Case Western Reserve University track and field teams split and attended two seperate meets last week. The throwers travelled to Pittsburgh to compete in the Carnegie Mellon Quad meet, and the rest of the team competed at the Otterbein April Fool’s Invitational in Westerville, Ohio. The men’s team finished second behind host school Otterbein University, while the women’s team placed fourth overall.

Graduate student Cassandra Laios once again stood out, setting new records in the hammer throw and shot put at the Carnegie Mellon Quad meet. Her new mark of 54.16 meters beat out her previous school record of 52.48 meters. Laios shot put mark went up from 13.29 meters to 13.48 meters, another new record.

Third-year Spartan Abbey Waltz broke her previous school record of 3.42 meters in pole vault, which she set last year, with a mark of 3.52 meters. The mark earned her a second place finish in the meet.

Other top performer’s for the Spartans include third-year runner Madeline Lindemann, who placed second in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 17:57.19. Fourth-year Spartan Jennifer Hoffmann crossed the finish line in third in the 1,500-meter run with

a time of 4:55.58, while second-year teammate Grace Kemerer also placed third in her event, the 3,000-meter steeplechase, which she finished in a time of 12:02.96.

The Spartans also earned a fourth place finish by fourth-year hurdler Olivia Newman, who finished the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:09.27. Also finishing fourth was the women’s 4x100-meter relay team, which finished in 50.49. The team was composed of Newman, second-year student Julie Hines, third-year teammate Bari Love and first-year Spartan Ana Scherf.

As for the men’s team, their 10 top five finishes demonstrated their strong performance in all events. Secondyear jumper Jordan Butler led the Spartans, finishing first in the long jump with his personal best mark of 6.48 meters.

Fourth-year Spartan Anath Suresh’s mark of 12.88 meters earned him second place in triple jump, and secondyear student Dmytro Blundell finished second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:55.69, followed closely by second-year teammate Eric Rachita at fourth, finishing in 10:02.27.

In the 5,000-meter run, third-year runner David Hall claimed third, finishing with a time 15:13.05. Second-year runner Trey Razanauskas also placed third in his event, the 1,500-meter run, with a time of 4:04.16. Third-year Spartan Jonathan Haling finished fourth in the 800-meter run with his time of 1:59.03. The 4x400-meter relay team of Haling

Courtesy of Otterbein Athletics Ben Resnick competes in the 1,500-meter run at a recent meet.

and first-year teammates Juan Perez, Logan Singer and Bryden Moxley earned third place, crossing the finish line at 3:33.67.

The track and field team will again split and head to two meets on Sat-

urday, April 6. Team members will compete at either the Marv Frye Invitational hosted by Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio or the Bob Kahn Invitational hosted by Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio.

Men’s tennis beats ranked teams, extends winning streak

Chaitanya Aduru bested their opponents 8-2 at third doubles. The duo composed of third-year student Zach Hennessey and second-year teammate Matthew Chen scored the second Spartan point with their 8-5 win in second doubles. To round out doubles play, third-year Spartan Anthony Kanam and second-year student Jonathan Powell defeated their Yellowjacket opponents 8-5. The three victories gave CWRU an early 3-0 lead heading into singles play.

doubles 8-3. Second doubles followed, with Hennessey and Chen claiming an 8-3 victory. At first doubles, Kanam and Powell faced the eighth-ranked pair in Division III. They pulled out the win, bringing CWRU to 3-0 as singles play began.

The Case Western Reserve University men’s tennis team faced two opponents last Saturday, resulting in a pair of wins for the Spartans. The team, currently

ranked 14th in Division III, bested the No. 33 University of Rochester and No. 36 Hobart College. The wins increased the Spartans winning streak to four.

The day began with the match against Rochester. CWRU started out strong, claiming the first point of the match when first-year teammates Aaron Umen and

The team’s energy did not decrease in singles play, as the team claimed victory after victory. Third-year Spartan Sam Concannon started the sequence of victories with his win at fourth singles. Umen followed with a win at third singles, and Chen conquered at first singles. At second singles, Kanam fell behind at the start, but he came back to win the match and add another win for the Spartans. Aduru and Powell both defeated their opponents, giving CWRU wins at fifth and sixth singles and rounding out the sweep for the Spartans. The 9-0 victory is the seventh complete sweep for the men’s tennis team this spring.

The day continued with the match against Hobart. The Spartans carried their momentum through to the second match of the day, sweeping the doubles play. Again, Umen and Aduru picked up the first point for the team, winning third

The play began with two more victories for the Spartans, extending the lead to 5-0. Concannon had the first win at fourth singles, and Umen followed at second singles. Hobart was able to take some matches from CWRU, winning the following two singles matches. Despite the losses at first singles and third singles, the Spartans responded with wins in the final two matches of the day. Aduru claimed fifth singles and first-year Spartan Max Vicario bested at sixth singles. The wins brought the Spartans to a 7-2 victory.

The wins bring the CWRU men to 14-5 on the season. The team features multiple high-ranked players, with Chen ranking 11th in the region and Kanam ranking 16th. Additionally, the Spartan duo of Kanam and Powell ranks fourth in the region, and the pairing of Chen and Hennessey ranks 13th.

The men will return to action next weekend when they face Division I Cleveland State University on Saturday, April 6. The following day, the team will host No. 27 Kalamazoo College at 10 a.m.

Claire Nordt Staff Reporter

Courtesy of CWRU Athletics

Chaitanya Aduru maintains focus. He won both his singles matches last week.