The DePaulia 9.25.2023

TheDePaulia

BEYOND THE GAME

DeWayne Peevy’s impact on DePaul’s community

By Ryan Hinske Sports Editor

Running through his array of plans and initiatives to elevate the athletics program at DePaul, an idea pops into DeWayne Peevy’s head.

“Have you seen the building?” he asks.

It could be an extra cup of co ee, excitement for his son’s Homecoming football game later that night or just who he is. Whatever the case, Peevy shows every oor, every room, every corner of the Sullivan Athletic Center. It’s more than a tour of the facility, which opened in 2000 across from the Student Center, however. It’s his vision for what’s next.

A er becoming DePaul’s director of athletics, he is now a vice president of the university and recently signed an extension Sept. 12 to retain these roles at DePaul through June 2027. His mission for every student, Peevy said, is clear.

“My job is to help get that DePaul hat on that table when you’re thinking about the schools you’re considering,” he said.

Peevy has quickly made DePaul — and Chicago — his home.

Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, he was a baseball player at the University of Montevallo (near his hometown) who developed exercise-induced asthma while in school.

Peevy stayed in the sports world, however, becoming the depu-

ty director of athletics at the University of Kentucky before getting the job o er from DePaul in 2020.

Now, he says, “I’m a full-on city boy,” seeing Lincoln Park and the university’s presence in the Loop as DePaul’s most signi cant assets.

At the time of his hire, then-president A. Gabriel Esteban said in a statement: “From the moment I met DeWayne, I knew immediately that his integrity and passion combined with his impressive collegiate athletics experience would elevate DePaul and its student-athletes to even higher levels.”

Walking through the hallways of the athletic center, Peevy said, “I think about the fact that you’re in this dynamic city with people that really like to grind and accomplish things together. I think this is the perfect scenario.”

However, Peevy and executive associate athletics director Taylor Stapleton, who worked with Peevy at Kentucky and then followed him to DePaul, admitted they knew nothing about Lincoln Park prior to their current positions. Peevy says this presents a challenge.

“ e hardest piece is getting [prospective] students to campus s,” he said. “We get them to campus, and we’ve got a great shot.”

See PEEVY, continued on page 16

DePaul Vice President and Director of Athletics DeWayne Peevy welcomes basketball season ticket holders at DePaul Athletics’ annual summer reception.

CAMPUS CRIME REPORT

The DePaulia is the of cial student-run newspaper of DePaul University and may not necessarily re ect the views of college administrators, faculty or staff.

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ARTS & LIFE EDITOR | Claire Tweedie artslife@depauliaonline.com

ASST. ARTS & LIFE EDITOR | Sam Mroz artslife@depauliaonline.com

SPORTS EDITOR | Ryan Hinske sports@depauliaonline.com

ART EDITOR | Maya Oclassen art@depauliaonline.com

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ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR | Jonah Weber multimedia@depauliaonline.com

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ADVISER | Martha Irvine mirvine5@depaul.edu

LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS

Drug & Alcohol Assault & Theft Other

Lincoln Park Campus Crimes:

Sept. 13

1) A Battery report was led regarding an altercation that occurred in Lot H. Incident was traf c related.

Sept. 14

2) A Criminal Trespass Warning was issued to a person on the Lincoln Park Campus.

3) A Harassment report was led regarding an incident that occurred outside of the Student Center.

4) A Marijuana Smell was reported in Ozanam Hall.

Sept. 15

5) A Theft report was led regarding equipment stolen from a truck parked in Lot E.

Sept. 16

6) A Battery report was led regarding an altercation between two subjects outside the St. Vincent Church.

Sept. 13, 2023 to Sept. 19, 2023

Sept. 17

7) A Robbery was reported on the 1200 W block of Belden. The offenders pepper sprayed both victims, and struck one in the face. Chicago Police and EMS were called to the scene, and a safety alert was issued regarding the incident.

8) A Marijuana Smell was reported in Corcoran Hall.

9) A Criminal Damage report was led regarding damage to the fence outside Holtschneider Performance Center caused by a stolen vehicle going off the road in the course of a police chase.

Sept. 18

10) A Criminal Damage to Vehicle report was led regarding damage to a vehicle parked on Kenmore near Arts & Letters.

11) A Theft report was led regarding a backpack taken in the Richardson Library. The backpack was later returned.

12) A Marijuana Smell was reported in Le-

LOOP CAMPUS

Compte Hall.

Sept. 19

13) A Criminal Damage report was led regarding graf ti found in the 990 Parking Lot.

14) A Harassment by Electronic Means report was led regarding a student receiving noti cations that they are being electronically tracked.

Loop Campus Crimes:

Sept. 16

1) A Criminal Damage report was led regarding graf ti discovered on the exterior of the Daley Building.

Sept. 17

2) A Criminal Damage report was led regarding graf ti discovered on the exterior of the DePaul Center.

Sept. 19

3) A Criminal Damage report was led regarding graf ti discovered on the exterior of the CDM Building.

La DePaulia es el noticiero o cial estudiantil en español de la Universidad DePaul, enfocado en proveer una voz para la comunidad latinx. Nuestras opiniones no necesariamente re ejan las opiniones de la administración, facultad o personal de la universidad.

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CORRECTION: The online version of “Seven unique Chicago museums to check out this quarter” corrects to note that the DePaul Art Museum exhibits do not include student artwork.

CORRECTION: The online version of “Manuel addresses Design DePaul, budget concerns at Faculty Council meeting” corrects John Keeley III to Tom Mondschean.

SOURCE | DEPAUL CRIME PREVENTION OFFICE

LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS

LOOP CAMPUS DePaul Center

DePaul’s philanthropic e orts will prioritize academics

By Rose O’Keeffe

Amid excitement and concern surrounding the proposed $60 million athletic capital campaign, DePaul leadership claims an ambitious, comprehensive fundraising effort will prioritize academics.

“If you take out the athletic piece, everything else is about the academic enterprise here,” President Robert Manuel told The DePaulia.

Though he shared an aspirational goal of $1 billion during his convocation speech, Manuel told The DePaulia he will not know the campaign’s official goal until the university conducts a feasibility study later this year.

Katie Fraumann, DePaul’s senior vice president of Advancement and External Relations, plans to hold in-depth conversations with faculty, staff and students about a vision for the campaign. Of the $1 billion goal, she conceded, “We have a lot of work to do to validate that number.”

Manuel said the vision includes creating three interdisciplinary institutes focused on poverty, environmental sustainability and artificial intelligence, along with student scholarships. He said DePaul is fortunate to have faculty with expertise in the proposed interdisciplinary areas.

Fraumann told The DePaulia that approximately $307 million was already raised and will be included in the campaign’s total when the university an-

nounces an official goal after the feasibility study. The advancement office sent a university-wide email Sept. 19 announcing two $1 million gifts that will fund student scholarships

“It’s existing programs coming together to assess the need in our community and figure out how we engage in new ways,” Manuel said.

The university also considers Chicago a model for pursuing artistic, scientific and community connections.

“(City officials are) trying to rejuvenate the cultural and artistic scene [in Chicago]. They’re trying to bring energy, life and experiences into this place. They are trying to create an economic driver, and they’re trying to figure out safety and security,” Manuel said.

The proposed institutes can help the urban community thrive as the city rebounds post-pandemic.

Fraumann is confident donors will want to invest in student scholarships and the interdisciplinary institutes, but Manuel said the university will focus any proposed innovation on student interest and

serving DePaul’s mission.

Matthew Krause, a staff council representative on the Strategic Resource Allocation Committee (SRAC), said he is not yet aware of DePaul’s philanthropic strategy but is hopeful Manuel and advancement leadership “will bring much more engagement and transparency than there has been.”

Fundraising in higher education is an ongoing process that helps nonprofit universities stay afloat and can create institutional change, according to Danielle Vance-McMullen, assistant professor at DePaul’s School of Public Service and an expert in charitable giving.

She said reaching a $1 billion goal could take anywhere from three to seven years to complete. Without the feasibility study or an official plan, Fraumann did not want to estimate a timeline.

“I think a billion-dollar campaign could be doable for an institution of our size, reputation and alumni base,” Vance-McMullen said.

When working as a fundraising consultant, Vance-McMullen said the largest donation was typically 10% of the campaign’s goal, which would be a $100

million gift for a $1 billion campaign.

While many faculty want higher pay and students expect swift improvements to public safety, Manuel said the issues DePaul wants to address cannot be fixed overnight.

“They are not things that you can wave a magic wand and have go away. They are systemic. And they, unfortunately, take a lot of time, a lot of communication and a lot of engagement for that to work,” Manuel said.

Student healthcare will be available by fall 2024, but Manuel said other changes like closing the achievement gap and creating academic interdisciplinary institutes, will take longer.

“If we don’t start now, it’s going to be another 25 years before we engage those questions,” Manuel said.

Though the comprehensive campaign’s official goal is still unknown, Fraumann said the $60 million athletic campaign will fund the athletics facility project and will be included in the total for the comprehensive campaign.

Manuel said many people assume the university is funding the athletic facility with money cut from the academic budget to close a $56 million budget gap.

“That’s not true,” he said. “In fact, the academic and athletic budgets are separate.”

When DePaul raises money, there are specific things it can be used for, he said. If donors give money for the athletic facility, the university must spend the money on the athletic facility.

“The approach here is to govern the expectations, the hopes and aspirations of the community and put it into a plan so that we can see where the guideposts are moving forward,” Manuel said.

ROSE O’KEEFFE | THE DEPAULIA

Asst. News Editor “I think a billion-dollar campaign could be doable for an institution of our size, reputation and alumni base.”

Danielle Vance-McMullen assistant professor at DePaul’s School of Public Service and an expert in charitable giving

SGA reimplements liaison program

By Claire Tweedie & Grace Logan

Arts & Life Editor & SGA Beat Writer

Student Government Association (SGA) discussed reimplementing the student liaison program at their Sept. 21 general body meeting. The program helps promote SGA’s engagement with other student organizations by encouraging them to attend general body meetings, ultimately gaining representation in their decisions.

“I ran for SGA President on the platform of bringing more student voices to the university table, and that has to start by inviting students to our table,” said Parveen Mundi, SGA president and junior. “The liaison program lets students continue the work their groups do so well already and also invites them into our space.”

Samara Smith, SGA community engagement coordinator and senior, is leading the reimplementation of the liaison program but said it was not originally her idea. She said Mundi and Avery Schoenhals, SGA vice president and junior, gave her the responsibility to ensure SGA took an active role in interacting with other student organizations.

“We want more students to just be more aware of what SGA does and how we operate,” Smith said. “This program gives other student organizations direct access to our meetings and helps them understand that this organization isn’t so intimidating. Not only will we have liaisons, but maybe people will want to then run and be part of this organization for years to come.”

FALL 2023

The program is written into the SGA constitution and existed prior to the Covid-19 shutdown when SGA found it harder to collaborate with other student leaders. Jaslynn Hodges, SGA chief of staff and second-year graduate student, was in SGA before the pandemic but never saw the program active.

“I don’t think [Covid-19] was a time or circumstance where the liaison program could have been as fruitful or successful as it can be now,” Hodges said.

Hodges knew about the liaison program last year when SGA began holding conversations about implementing it. While she was the SGA community engagement coordinator last year, she will not be actively building the program.

“I was in that position last year to build connections with other organizations but now it’s up to [Smith] to do that,” Hodges said. “She is extremely kind and personable, and she’s more than capable for this. She wouldn’t have been appointed to this position if she wasn’t.”

Representatives from student organizations outside of SGA can apply to be a liaison through their official Instagram (@sgadepaul). The SGA constitution caps the number of liaisons allowed to participate but does not give an exact number. Mundi said the number of liaisons will depend on interest in the program and what SGA believes to be a representative student body group.

“I hope the liaison program can bridge the gap between the incredible work [other] organizations and communities are already doing on our campus and how SGA can help,” Mundi said. “I am confident that between SGA’s advis-

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ing team and the Cabinet we will be able to build an even more supportive and consistent cohort this year.”

The SGA cabinet will review applications submitted and then approve liaisons. Mundi said she expects liaisons will be able to attend events in their representative roles by the end of fall quarter.

Smith is not on the SGA cabinet and will not help review applications. She is still sharing information about the liaison program to encourage students to join by attending student organizations’ events

and interacting with student leaders.

“It seems like certain issues SGA has had in the past were not fully representative of a lot of the student body,” Smith said. “Having more direct connections and direct interactions with specific student populations who are affected by certain issues will be more helpful to us.”

Work for The DePaulia!

FILE: Samara Smith, SGA Community Engagement Coordinator, speaks at an SGA meeting Nov. 3, 2022, on the importance of addressing the intolerance Jewish students have faced at DePaul.

KIERSTEN RIEDFORD | THE DEPAULIA

Student engineers restart cultural chapter

By Lucia Preziosi News Editor

e Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) restarted its DePaul chapter a er being dissolved in 2018. SHPE seeks to empower the Hispanic community through access and guidance in STEM.

On a national level, SHPE has over 13,000 members and 286 student and professional chapters. DePaul’s chapter now has 18 o cial members.

SHPE promotes a vision where “Hispanics are highly valued and in uential as the leading innovators, scientists, mathematicians and engineers,” according to their o cial mission.

e term Hispanic refers to anyone from a Spanish-speaking country, whereas the term Latino refers speci cally to those from Latin American countries.

President Samuel Saldaña and vice president Giana Aguilar-Valencia lead DePaul’s SHPE chapter. Both are trying to promote the bene ts and resources that joining SHPE o ers for members.

“We’re trying to bolster the Hispanic community,” Saldaña said.

Community building is at the core of SHPE’s mission, and DePaul’s chapter offers guidance and mentorship to students who may not have had those resources in the past.

SHPE is aligned closely with the high enrollment trends in the College of Computing and Digital Media (CDM) at DePaul, as both Saldaña and Aguilar-Valencia are involved in computer science programs.

DePaul has yet to establish an o cial engineering program and major.

DePaul’s enrollment summary ranks CDM as the department with the highest level of enrollment, with 3,673 students in 2022.

Along with bi-weekly chapter meetings at DePaul, SHPE o ers the opportunity to attend an annual national convention, being held this year in Salt Lake City, Utah.

e convention allows members to attend workshops and network through job interviews and possible hiring opportunities with participating companies.

Gina Gomez, treasurer of DePaul’s SHPE chapter, explains how companies such as Bank of America, EcoLab and Goldman Sachs are among the various corporations that reached out for interviews through the convention.

“Even if you don’t plan on actually working for these companies, it’s great interview practice,” Gomez said.

Saldaña points to the convention’s appeal, but identi es funding concerns from the university about attending this year’s rendition in November.

“We have limited funding so we’re trying to have more fundraising opportunities with local businesses, or anything else we can do so we can bring more people to the convention,” Saldaña said. “ ankfully, we’ve had a rise in interest [and] we want that to keep increasing.”

DePaul’s SHPE board also says that students don’t have to be Latino to participate in the organization. Nevertheless, the chapter’s main goal remains to advance the Latino presence in STEM.

“ is entire summer we have been working together to get more members involved and get our chapter out there at DePaul,” Aguilar-Valencia said. “I know we have a good population of Latino students at DePaul.”

DePaul’s o cial mission characterizes the university as an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution and formed a task

Take a look at

13,000+ members around the country

force to better serve Latino students.

To be o cially granted the title of a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), DePaul must reach an enrollment of 25 percent Hispanic undergraduate full-time students.

DePaul’s enrollment summary shows

4,107 Hispanic/Latino undergraduate students enrolled in 2022, equating to 23%.

Still, the university has yet to announce if DePaul has met the threshold to establish itself as an HSI o cially. e university identi ed establishing itself as an HSI as a primary goal in Designing DePaul.

Saldaña said he is also trying to o er guidance in nancial literacy for his peers in SHPE, such as paying taxes on time or setting up a 401K for themselves or for their parents, “that a lot of people have no idea about, rightfully so.”

SHPE seeks to work with high schools in the Chicagoland area to set up a mentorship program in hopes of exposing more students to the world of STEM at a younger age.

“We’re really trying to push STEM into younger Hispanics,” Saldaña said. “When I was in high school I didn’t think about computer science, I wish I did,” Saldaña says.

Saldaña and Aguilar-Valencia emphasize the community that SHPE brings through mentorship, guidance and access to job opportunities and scholarships, and seek more prospective members to bring recognition to DePaul’s chapter.

“We’ve been working together to get more members involved and get our chapter out there,” Aguilar-Valencia said.

260 sponsors and partners

Job opportunities from companies such as EcoLab and Goldman Sachs

Annual national convention for community building and networking

“When I was in high school I didn’t think about computer science, I wish I did.”

Samuel Saldaña President of SHPE

SOURCE | SHPE

Left to right, Giana Aguilar-Valencia, Angelina Gomez, Samuel Saldaña and Jason Guzman pose for a photo at the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers national convention in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2022.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GIANA AGUILAR-VALENCIA

Mobile DePaul IDs won’t improve public safety

By Zanna Ingram Contributing Writer

Students returning to campus this fall might have noticed a new feature of the DePaul student lifestyle: mobile Blue Demon Cards.

About 8,000 students have their mobile IDs set up, and that number will continue to grow as the year progresses. Bob McCormick, the vice president of Information Services, said that the main reason mobile IDs were introduced was for student safety.

“The new Blue Demon Cards are more secure than the previous magnetic stripe cards,” McCormick said. “DePaul is always considering the security of our campus as we make changes, and we want to continue to be proactive.”

For many students, myself included, the push from the DePaul administration to begin using mobile ID cards instead of physical ones came out of nowhere. McCormick said that planning began in 2018, and campus card readers were updated over the summer of 2020.

Student safety, both on and off campus, is a growing issue at DePaul. It seems like every other day that students receive a public safety alert about a robbery or assault on DePaul’s campus. During the 2021 to 2022 academic year, there were 26 public safety alerts issued to students.

Thursday, Sept. 14, DePaul hosted a campus safety summit to discuss implementing more safety measures on campus. One of the topics discussed

was whether DePaul should transition to being a closed campus, which would require students and faculty to swipe or scan their IDs to enter campus buildings. Columbia College Chicago, located only a few blocks from DePaul’s Loop campus, is a closed campus.

Many students are divided over the issue.

DePaul student Praneetha Reddy Sowdi supports having a closed campus.

“That would be a good thing,” Sowdi said. “That is the best thing because it’s secured. People who have an ID, only they can enter into the campus.”

In all honesty, I don’t see how making DePaul a closed campus would help with student safety. Most incidents occur outside of campus buildings, so increasing security inside is the wrong answer. I feel much safer inside campus buildings than I do walking between classes or taking the train home at night, so requiring students to tap or swipe their IDs to go to class feels unnecessary.

DePaul student Ella Hall believes that requiring an ID to access campus buildings will cause traffic jams for students trying to attend class.

“If we had to get into every hall with a mobile tap, it would take forever to get anywhere,” Hall said.

Hall works as a desk receptionist for the housing department and notes that the use of mobile IDs has caused significantly more problems than physical ones. Hall said that it takes longer to verify a student’s identity if they are using the mobile ID and that many

students had trouble adapting to the technology and remembering to keep their phones charged.

“The whole point of the [mobile ID] was that it was supposed to be easier, but I can’t really think of that many uses where it actually is,” Hall said. “It just made something that should be super quick take longer, which feels like it’s going against the point of introducing the mobile IDs.”

After speaking with multiple students on either side of the issue, I find myself agreeing with Hall. Students already have issues with arriving to class on time due to CTA wait times. Imagine the congestion that will happen if every single student needs to tap into every single campus building in order to get to class. Combine that with the amount of technology malfunctions that are bound to happen, and students are going to find themselves missing large chunks of class.

To be transparent, I haven’t set up my mobile ID yet, and I don’t know if I ever will. I don’t live in the dorms, and I rarely need to be in campus buildings after hours, so my Blue Demon ID usually sits in my wallet collecting dust, and I would like to keep it that way.

Making DePaul a closed campus is not the answer to our public safety problem. The DePaul administration absolutely should be doing more to protect students, but this is not the answer, and it might end up causing more harm than good.

AIDEN HANSEN | THE DEPAULIA

Why I will never stop going to the movies

scription. Being able to watch so many shows and movies online felt like heaven. Now, it doesn’t even cross my mind as I death-scroll through Netflix, Hulu, Prime, HBO Max and Disney+. It feels so typical to automatically watch movies that way, and I find myself not experiencing them as much. I guess I contradict myself regarding this topic since I preach going to the theater and want to support them so much, but 90% of the time, when I watch a new movie, it’s on a streaming service.

Streamers started to produce their own shows and movies, with animated series’ leading the pack. In 2019, Netflix surpassed Disney by spending $1.1 billion on animated originals (Forbes), “Bojack Horseman” and “Big Mouth” being examples.

Maybe it’s just because I study film and love everything about them, but I believe there is something so personal and special about going to see movies in the theater. It might be nostalgia or the quality of sound and visuals, but it just feels different. I remember seeing “Frozen” on my 11th birthday, watching “Don’t Worry Darling” on opening night, and remembering the experience more than simply going down to my basement and watching on the TV.

Along with going to theaters, I urge people to go to small, locally-owned theaters.

mieres and had the best food. The tickets were also typically cheaper, and I felt community there. I most recently went to see “Barbie” there, a few weeks before I moved to Chicago, and it was one of my favorite theater experiences ever. The place was totally decked out in pink, there was exclusive food and drinks, and everyone, including the theater employees, were wearing out-

By Carly Witt Opinions Editor

We all have those sacred childhood memories of settling into the comfy red seats, a bucket of popcorn taller than we could see over in our lap and the everlasting excitement of the lights dimming. Movie theaters are a cultural and social gathering place, and now, they are becoming less and less significant due to the surge of streaming services.

According to the Michigan Journal of Economics, the total number of screens in the U.S. decreased by around 3,000 since 2019. Covid-19 also did an irreversible amount of damage to smaller, local theaters. In-person cinemas closed for almost two years, and most small, locally-owned theaters had to close.

The rise in streaming services also

poses a substantial threat to non-chain cinemas, because it takes away their purpose. When a new popular movie comes out, most people would rather wait until it comes onto Netflix, Hulu and HBO Max instead of spending the money on a ticket to see it in the theaters. Why would people want to spend $10 on a ticket, $15 on snacks when they could watch it in the comfort of their own home?

I remember when Netflix first became popular, and I was so excited when my family finally got a sub-

Trust me, there are more in your area than you think, and I always feel better giving my ticket money to them than to a big chain theater. Back home in Columbus, I loved visiting my local theater. They always decorated for big pre-

fits for the film. Going to locally owned theaters supports the community and is an amazing way to see movies that aren’t a giant chain.

This summer, there was also a “Barbienheimer” bump, increasing the number of people at theaters. “Barbie” became the first film directed by a woman to hit $1 billion at the box office, and did it within two weeks. Many cinemas had double features, drawing in a lot of traffic. I hadn’t seen this many people flock to the theaters since “Top Gun: Maverick” or “Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse.” It seems that big Marvel blockbusters are the only thing keeping theaters alive these days, but they usually only stay at theaters for two weeks and then instantly go onto Disney+.

Streamers and Covid-19 have altered the way people view movies and theaters will continue to die down and disappear if more people don’t take the initiative to see movies in the way they were intended. I have such an affinity for getting a giant popcorn, a cherry Icee, and experiencing movies in the theaters, and I hope others continue to go to theaters. Movies’ future depends on people’s interaction in theaters, especially for small filmmakers who can’t get their movies onto streaming services. I urge you to please take the time and support movies in theaters.

MARY GRACE BLAKE | THE DEPAULIA

FILE: The Music Box theatre during the Chicago International Film Festival on October 18.

One family’s history leads to the largest financial crisis ever in this epic theatrical event that the Chicago Tribune proclaimed “a masterwork.”

Supported in part by Richard and Diane Weinberg

BEHIND THE LETTERS

Inside DePaul’s Fraternity and Sorority Life culture, philanthropy

By Una Cleary Focus Editor

DePaul sophomore Diana Torres remembers laughing with her friends as they scrolled through reels and reels of BamaRush, e University of Alabama’s infamous rush process, TikTok videos in her senior year of high school.

Videos of thousands of girls posting “Get ready with me for rush week” and choreographed dances popped up on her feed as the internet quickly became obsessed with the scandals and hazing in American Greek life.

Now as Parent and Alumni director of Alpha Xi Delta, her experience in a sorority at DePaul could not be more unlike Alabama’s as organizational events are based in the city environment.

“Being a school in the north, being a school in a city, it’s a completely di erent experience,” Torres said.

Fraternity and sorority life (FSL) members make up 10% of the student population on campus. At DePaul, there are 27 chapters consisting of the Interfraternity Council (IFC), Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and Panhellenic Council (PHC).

DePaul began changing the terminology around these organizations, shi ing away from “Greek life,” to “fraternity and sorority life.”

Smaller numbers and no on-campus FSL housing are some of the key di erences to more prominent FSL schools here at DePaul.

e recruitment and rush process:

At Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) the “brothers” recite a creed at the beginning of every meeting. It’s called the true gentleman.

“I think … the way you are going to be a good standing member in this fraternity is by being respectful to those around you and taking accountability,” said Gage Holle, President of SAE.

Not only is recruitment selective to nd potential members that would t in well with the brothers, but it is also a way to prevent potential liabilities.

“ e reason that we are so selective now is because whoever you let in, once they’re in that fraternity system you can’t exclude them,” said Spencer Milligan, senior and Eminent Warden of SAE.

“If we throw an event or a party the last thing we want is people to feel uncomfortable,” Milligan said.

At Alpha Xi Delta this year, the sorority only did three days of recruitment including rounds of conversations with members leading up to the anticipated bid day.

For Sophomore Maggie Gaughan, vice president of Finance and Operations, rushing was not on her mind when she started at DePaul. Gaughan said she didn’t sign up until the last day before the deadline.

“So many of these girls go into recruitment not even planning on initially rushing,” Gaughan said. “I was surprised at how kind the girls were. I was thinking they would be a lot more intimidating.”

Multicultural Greek Council:

For many, fraternity and sorority life provides both a home and a second family. In the third largest city in the U.S., nding a sense of community can be imperative for many college students.

Among the eight culturally-based fraternities and sororities, Alpha Psi Lambda, founded in 1996, is the rst and largest Latinx fraternity on campus, creating a home for everyone of all backgrounds.

eir motto: “A familia away from home.”

“ ere are growing numbers of people of color attending universities,” said President Luz Cano.

“Unfortunately, while the number is growing there aren’t many spaces o ered.”

Because Alpha Psi Lambda is part of the Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), the organization hosts many cultural social events aiming to engage members from all backgrounds.

Cano believes DePaul could do more to advocate for the MGC as she saw little marketing or promotion when rst coming to campus.

“When I rst started at DePaul I was only familiar with Panhellenic and IFC which is predominately white,” Cano said.

“In a way, I feel like those spaces were not for me or I didn’t relate to them. While there are resources on campus, I feel like they don’t have the impact that someone that has the same identity as you does.”

Members are involved in di erent non-pro ts throughout the Chicago Latinx community with goals such as helping refugee women get immigration assistance and childcare education.

Philanthropy:

Philanthropy work is a major part of FSL on campus throughout all the Greek letters.

At Alpha Xi Delta, the Kindly Heart Initiative assists housing insecure and foster children across the country.

“You get to do community service with your friends,” Gaughan said. “Maybe you are trying to have fun with your friends, but in that process, you are also doing good.”

Di erent organizations host weeklong philanthropy events on campus, such as SAE’s Paddy Murphy week, which raises money to donate to Camp Kesem-a camp for children whose parents are diagnosed with cancer.

“We raised about 5,000 dollars last year and sent 10-11 kids to camp,” said Cooper Davislinky, Eminent External Deputy Archo. “It was one of those things you look back on and [think] we were really doing something here.”

Not only is community service a way for organizations to make a di erence, but it’s a way to shi stigmas around fraternities on campus.

“You can’t ght against not doing a bad thing. It’s really either you’re doing it or you meet the standard by not doing so,” Holle said. “We try to take it a step further to do as much as we can around the Chicago community to be an organization that people can rely on when they need help with any charitable endeavor.”

At the end of the rounds of rushing new sorority members run “home” to the beloved quad to celebrate their initiation to their new sisters, a college experience familiar to many nationwide.

Top left: Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) hosted a recruitment “BBQ with the brothers” event on September 12.

Top middle: Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) is one of seven fraternities apart of DePaul’s Interfraternity Council (IFC).

Top right: (From left) Eminent Recorder Thomas Kehoe, Eminent Internal Deputy Archon Fabian Villaseñor, Eminent Archon Gage Holle, Eminent External Deputy Archon Cooper Linkey, Eminent Warden Spencer Milligan and Health and Safety Officer Anthony Petrohilos represent the 2023 Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) 2023 executive board.

ALL PHOTOS BY UNA CLEARY | THE DEPAULIA

Bottom left: Members of Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) make up 10% of the student body on campus.

Bottom middle: Alpha Psi Lambda is the first and largest coed Latinx fraternity on campus. It is one of eight chapters in the Multicultural Greek Council (MGC).

Bottom right: Alpha Psi Lambda hosted their Album Covering Painting night on September 12 as part of recruitment week.

ALL PHOTOS BY UNA CLEARY | THE DEPAULIA

La DePaulia

Artista surrealista explora la ciencia, magia y espiritualidad a través de su arte

Por Alyssa N. Salcedo Escrita Contribuyente

Las obras de lal artista surrealista Remedios Varo está despertando la curiosidad en el Instituto de Arte de Chicago.

La exposición, Remedios Varo: Ficciones Cientí cas, comisariada por Caitlin Haskell y Tere Arcq, está ayudando a compartir el trabajo de la artista con un público diferente y más amplio en la ciudad.

La exposición contiene más de 60 dibujos y pinturas realizados por Varo. En algunas exhibicionesnes, se pueden ver las pinturas terminadas, así como los dibujosun boceto de esa misma pintura, mostrando el progreso de su trabajo desde el principio hasta el nal.

Al caminar por la exposición, essientes como si estuvieras descorriendo el telón de la realidad y mirando a un mundo diferente.

“Por un lado, las obras de Varo están llenas de pasajes de abstracción material, y por otro lado, utilizaba la narración para nes notables, demostrando cómo la imaginación creativa podría tener alcance social y político”, dijo la comisaria Caitlin Haskell en un comunicado de prensa. “Esta exposición brinda la oportunidad no solo de compartir las obras

de Varo con nuevas audiencias, sino también de destacar su lugar vital en nuestra concepción de la creación artística de mediados del siglo veinte”.

Las descripciones de las pinturas y la historia de la artista colocadas en las paredes están escritas tanto en inglés como en español, lo que hace que la exposición sea accesible tanto para la audiencia hispanoparlante yhablantes de inglés como de español y resalta la herencia hispana de la artista.

La exposición fue posible gracias al Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (INBAL) en la Ciudad de México, el Museo de Arte Moderno (MAM) en la Ciudad de México y el Instituto de Arte de Chicago. El objetivo de la colaboración esra compartir partes del patrimonio cultural de México, así como el trabajo de Varo y su conexión con México.

Diana Kaplan, quien visitaba la exposición un jueves reciente, dijo que apreciaba que elel texto sea bilingüe.

“Me gustó que esté en español porque cuando pregunté [al museo] me dijeron que no había nada aquí en español, y sin embargo vi que todo aquí está en español, me encantó”, dijo Kaplan.

Remedios Varo nació en Cataluña, España, en 1908. El padre de Varo era ingeniero; él le enseñó cómo hacer dibujos técnicos y encendió su interés inicial por la ciencia. Varo y su padre huyeron de España a París en 1937 durante la Guerra Civil Española.

Más tarde, en 1941, durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, Varo huyó a la Ciudad de México en busca de seguridad y estabilidad nanciera.

AunqueMientras Varo comenzó su formación como pintora en Madrid y se unió al movimiento surrealista mientras vivía en Francia, fue en la Ciudad de México donde perfeccionó su arte, según los historiadores.

Varo se unió a una comunidad de artistas europeos y mexicanos en la Ciudad de México. Fue a través de esta comunidad donde conoció a la pintora Leonora Carrington y a la fotógrafa Kati Horna.

Varo, Carrington y Horna comenzaron a explorar la magia y a realizar prácticas de rituales ocultos juntas.El trío se hizo conocido como las “tres brujas” del surrealismo.

Varo creía que el uso de símbolos y materiales mágicos en su arte la ayudaría a trascender lo visible y a revelar a otros las verdades invisibles del mundo. A menudo re-

Fotoperiodista expone la alegría y resiliencia que se vive en Cuba en una exposición de arte en Chicago

Por Rodolfo Zagal Gerente Editorial

Durante la mayor parte de vida cuando era joven sus años jóvenes, el fotoperiodista Alex García no podíaudo visitar Cuba, lugar donde nació su padre , debido a la agitación política y las restricciones de viaje. Pero su curiosidad y “obsesión” por el país natal de su padre iba crecieron año tras año.

Finalmente, en 1995, pudo poner un pie en la isla cuando se convirtió en fotoperiodista para el Chicago Tribune y comenzó a cubrir Cuba para el periódico. Allí, se propuso conectarse con su familia distanciada y documentar las vidas de las personas y la cultura en la isla.

Desde entonces García ha pasado más de 30 años capturando fotografías de las alegrías y el sufrimiento de su gente que ahora está exhibiendo en una exposición en el Centro de Fotoperiodismo de Chicago.

“Estas imágenes son la mejor manera en que pude abordar la historia más grande de toda mi

experiencia”, dijo en una charla el 17 de septiembre, donde habló sobre su herencia cubana y sus viajes a visitar a su familia en La Habana.

García nació en Chicago, pero es hijo de un padre cubano y una madre estadounidense blanca.

“Hay tantos aspectos en esta exhibición que realmente se trata más de compartir con todos ustedes lo que estoy aprendiendo; es un picor que he tenido y que he estado rascando desde que tenía cinco años, básicamente”, dijo.

García tomó fotografías de momentos y guras importantes desde mediados de los años 90 hasta 2010. Estuvo presente cuando el Papa Juan Pablo II visitó la isla por primera vez en 1998. También tomó fotos de Fidel Castro, el exlíder de Cuba. Pero García dijo que estaba más interesado en captar la vida cotidiana de los cubanos.

“Vi muchas situaciones y circunstancias desa antes”, dijo García.

Tomó fotos de bailarines de ballet, festivales, edi cios antiguos y boxeadores cubanos. Trabajó en un ensayo fotográ co en un gimnasio de

alizaba rituales mientras pintaba, entrelazando aún más su trabajo artístico con su trabajo espiritual.

Los comisarios Haskell y Arcq escribieron un catálogo de la exposición. Dicen que “las obras de Varo son enigmáticas, mezclando ideas e imágenes de fuentes tan variadas como la novela caballeresca, la ecología, el esoterismo (incluyendo el tarot), las exploraciones geográ cas, la crítica feminista, el misticismo y la psicología, entre otros”.

Las pinturas de Varo dejan una impresión duradera en aquellos que las ven. Carolina Mansano, visitante del museo, dijo que sintió una conexión personal con la obra de Varo.

“Pensé que era realmente mágico cómo puede combinar técnicas, parece como un mundo de fantasía. Me gusta escribir, así que realmente aprecio cuando puedo ver a un artista que abre una ventana diferente y puede transportarte a otro lugar. Es fascinante ver esto no con palabras, sino con pinturas”, dijo.

Quienes deseen ver la exposición y conectarse con la artista pueden visitar el Instituto de Arte de Chicago hasta el 27 de noviembre de 2023.

boxeo en La Habana y lo visitó varias veces desde entonces. También tomó múltiples fotos de los atletas boxeadores.

Cuando publicaba su trabajo en el Chicago Tribune, García esperaba que sus fotografías tuvieran un impacto en el público estadounidense, pero eso no ocurrió en ese momento, dijo.

La mayoría de las personas, recordó, no prestaban mucha atención a las fotografías o la situación en Cuba.

García agregó que fue “frustrante” que sus fotos no tuvieran ese impacto en la percepción del público sobre Cuba.

La prima de García, Oritta García, es cubana y pasó toda su vida en la isla. Ella lo ayudó en esos viajes y su reconexión con Cuba como traductora y guía. Oritta García ahora vive en Chicago y estuvo presente en el discurso del artista.

Oritta García dijo que tiene una gran admiración por su primo y su trabajo.

“He visto muchas fotos [de Cuba] tomadas por otros extranjeros. Son un poco desconectadas, un poco diferentes. Sientes algo diferente cuando estás mirando una foto que fue tomada por alguien que tiene una conexión, que tiene un entendimiento más profundo, que sabe dónde apuntar una cámara, cuál es la historia, cuál es el fondo, es diferente”, dijo Oritta García.

Sus piezas favoritas son las fotos de familias. Algunos de ellos, dijo, le contaron a Alex García sus historias de vida, lo que los conectó aún más.

Las fotografías, dijo, eran “increíblemente mágicas. No sé cómo, pero de alguna manera re ejan todos esos sentimientos de esas familias en una sola imagen”.

Mike Riviera, un amigo de García y quien también es fotoperiodista latino, estuvo presente esa noche.

La exhibición resonó con Rivera, quien dijo que se dio cuenta de que “como primera generación, mis padres nacieron en Honduras, no di cuenta de que soy como un puente entre dos generaciones diferentes y también dos culturas. Recordando de dónde vengo y el pequeño cambio que puedo hacer aquí, la fotografía puede lograrlo”.

Rivera es originario de Texas, pero se mudó a Chicago para trabajar en el Chicago Tribune ahora vive en la ciudad. Aunque ambos fotoperiodistas trabajaron en el Tribune, se conocieron después de que Alex García dejará el periódico hace tres años. García llamó a Rivera y se conectaron rápidamente como creadores latinos.

“La experiencia latina no es un monolito. Los cubanos luchan, los mexicanos luchan, los centroamericanos luchan. Todo es muy diferente y la gente necesita darse cuenta de que no somos todos exactamente iguales”, dijo Rivera.

Alex García ahora realiza talleres de tografía en Cuba con la ayuda de su prima Oritta García.

ALYSSA N. SALCEDO | LA DEPAULIA Una colección de bocetos y escritos de Remedios Varo.

ALYSSA N. SALCEDO | LA DEPAULIA Una pintura por Remedios Varo titulado “Nave astral.”

ALYSSA N. SALCEDO | LA DEPAULIA Una pintura por Remedios Varo titulado Simpatía.

“increíblemente manera familias quien presente dijo generme dos culturas. campuede mudó Tribune y fotopeconocieron periódico conecmonomexicanos Todo darse exactamente foOritta

FERIA celebra el Mes de la Herencia Latinx con Zamba y Drag

Editora de Noticias

Los estudiantes se movían al ritmo de la música de Samba y observaban a los bailarines actuar mientras celebraban el segundo evento anual FERIA de DePaul.

El estacionamiento del Centro de Bienvenida de DePaul se transformó con sillas y mesas el 21 de septiembre, donde la gente comía y veía actuaciones de baile durante toda la noche para celebrar la cultura Latinx.

Alrededor de las mesas había puestos de

organizaciones estudiantiles latinas y carpas donde los estudiantes podían obtener bolsas de tela con aerógrafo y dibujos de ellos mismos.

estudiantes que se unió a los artistas. Le dieron una diadema de plumas verdes que ondeaba en su cabeza al ritmo de sus movimientos.

El junior Erick Rodríguez (izquierda) bailó con el artista de Zamba de Chicago Edil Sonlima (derecha) en el segundo evento anual FERIA de DePaul.

Rodríguez proviene de “una familia de bailarines”, dijo.

Cuando era niño, su madre lo llevaba aestas donde bailaba al ritmo de la Bachata, la Samba y la música Punta.

“Bailar es un vehículo de expresión, una forma de liberar el estrés y expresar mi cultura”, dijo Rodríguez. “Creo que es una parte de mí... Sé cómo bailar, me encanta expresarlo de esa manera y simplemente me encanta compartirlo con el mundo”.

Aunque Rodríguez no pudo asistir al evento el año pasado, este año se propuso cel-

ebrar su cultura hondureña con otros estudiantes latinos.

“De hecho, me salté una de mis clases hoy”, dijo Rodríguez, con el n de asistir al evento y conocer gente nueva.

Desde el otro lado del estacionamiento del Centro de Bienvenida, los estudiantes en la parte trasera del evento ondeaban la bandera mexicana. Cerca del escenario, donde se encontraba el grupo de baile brasileño Chicago Samba, otros estudiantes bailaban.

Evelyn Rubi Hernández sonreía mientras bailaba al ritmo de la música Samba junto con otros estudiantes. Dijo que le encantaba la sensación de ver a tantos estudiantes celebrando juntos.

“Ya seas mexicano, puertorriqueño, colombiano o de donde sea que seas, es realmente agradable ver a todos juntos aquí y simplemente sentir orgullo”, dijo Hernández.

todos

Evelyn asistioal evento para celebrar su herencia mexicana junto con otros que también celebraban su herencia latina.

“Me hace sentir agradecida y me tomo un momento para sentirme orgullosa de quien soy”, dijo Hernández. “Sin este evento, no sé cómo más podría celebrar por mi cuenta, aparte de solo escuchar o leer libros. Pero creo que tener este evento es realmente bueno para simplemente tomarnos el tiempo de vernos a todos y ver cuánto orgullo tenemos”.

Este fue también el primer año en que FERIA organizó un evento de drag, una actuación que conmovió a Hernández. Cuando los artistas comenzaron a bailar al ritmo de Vicente Fernández, se conmovió porque es un artista al que creció escuchando. Era como si estuviera “viendo una telenovela”, dijo.

“Su música es muy emotiva y profunda, y la forma en que bailaban con los tradicionales sombreros de mariachi y lo hacían con todo su cuerpo”, dijo Hernández. “Había dos personas actuando, y la forma en que simplemente se conectaban entre sí y con la canción era simplemente hermosa”.

Joshua Garmendiz, un artista profesional de aerógrafo y diseñador gráfico, creó bolsas de aerógrafo para los estudiantes que asistieron al segundo evento anual FERIA de DePaul.

Jessica Soriano-Villada, quien trabaja para el Centro Cultural Latinx, dijo que el año pasado FERIA fue un gran éxito.

“Me sorprendió mucho ver la asistencia, especialmente siendo la primera vez que organizamos algo así”, dijo Soriano-Villada. “Por esa misma razón, tuvimos que hacerlo de nuevo”.

Rodríguez estaba emocionado de estar en el evento más grande que DePaul ha organizado para los estudiantes latinos, pero dijo que le encantaría ver a la escuela organizar más eventos similares. Al principio del año pasado, le costaba encontrar a otros estudiantes latinos, pero este evento le ayudó a conocer a muchas personas nuevas.

“DePaul necesita seguir organizando eventos con representación latina porque América Latina es mucho más grande que México”, dijo Rodríguez. “Somos muy diversos. Nuestras culturas son tan diferentes que tenemos que mostrarlo al mundo”.

IZQUIERDA: Day Mdz, un artista de Chicago Zamba, bailó durante el segundo evento anual FERIA de DePaul. ABAJO: La estudiante de último año Evelyn Barrios ondeó alrededor de la bandera mexicana durante el segundo evento anual de FERIA de DePaul.

Por Cary Robbins

FOTOS POR CARY ROBBINS | LA DEPAULIA

bueno se artista

Arts & Life

‘Waiting for the Light to Change’ opens at Siskel Center

By Sam Mroz

Asst.

Arts & Life Editor

When the cast and crew of “Waiting for the Light to Change” — a feature film made by student filmmakers — wrapped production in summer of 2021, a daunting theatrical market promoted a tide of challenge. The fight for their feature would become its own story entirely.

Last October, after floating through months of obscurity, a premiere at the Heartland International Film Festival offered audiences the opportunity to look at rising artistry. By the time credits hit at the annual Indianapolis-based event, an appreciation for student talent rang through the theater.

“Waiting for the Light to Change” grew its buzz with each debut. However, for Linh Tran, a recent DePaul alumna and the film’s director, this all began with something much smaller and more personal: her own interests.

“I’m always fascinated by relationships between women, friends, siblings [and] enemies…with my girl friends, my enemies [and] my sister,” Tran said. “Those combined into what inspired “Waiting for the Light to Change.” It was the most apparent choice for this story.”

“Waiting for the Light to Change” premiers at the Gene Siskel Film Center from Sept. 22-28, with discounted ticket prices for DePaul students.The showing on Sept. 27 will host a Q&A with the cast and crew moderated by filmmaker Michael Glover Smith.

The film centers around youthful exploits and the angst that follows as two high school best friends reunite for a week-long getaway at a Michigan lake house after years apart. Offering discussions on life and death, relationships and intimacy and a wave of emotion coating its corners, the film was created by and for young adults looking to find their place in a complex world.

Heartland would only signal the beginning of the project’s national trek. The film opened across the country, finding theaters in Oakland, New York and the Slamdance Film Festival on the hills of Park City, Utah.

In January, the young artists earned their spot at the festival revered for celebrating emerging talents, winning the Narrative Feature Grand Jury Prize. Praises began to pile up and with them a draw to take this small indie boom into digital landscapes.

The project then signed a deal with Freestyle Releasing, an American independent film distribution company specializing in releasing low-budget films.

Having reached heights that before seemed untouchable, those involved reflect on the space that gave them the opportunity to create. James Choi, assistant professor at the School of Cine-

matic Arts and executive producer, made it clear what values help drive this plot forward.

“Stories that need to be told…that never had a chance or an opportunity to be told before,” Choi said. “We have the ability to do that at DePaul because we have a great infrastructure. We have great support. And of course, we have great talented students.”

Artists from DePaul’s Indie Studio, an initiative Choi founded in 2017, helped form the film’s cast and crew. Funded by the School of Cinematic Arts, “Waiting for the Light to Change” is the latest of three projects made within the initiative’s brief tenure. Indie helps students acquire micro budgets and leads them through the filmmaking process.

“It all just comes down to this idea about equity and where we stand when you think in terms of filmmaking, as an industry or as an art form,” Choi said.

“If you try to eliminate the biggest obstacles that stood in the way of filmmaking and filmmakers, which is money, then what can you do? And what sort of possibilities does that open up for all the diverse voices that are out there?”

Beginning with a micro-budget of $20,000, students must first run through an application process. After admission to the program, they are given hands-on practice regarding the making of a film, covering it one step at a time.

From development, production, post-production and then the film’s release, a broader scope of moviemaking is made known to the rising cast and crew. Battling a larger trend of mainstream consumption, the Indie Studio’s initiative aims to fight a much larger battle.

“We’re consumed by commercialism, consumed by the business of film,” Choi said. “People aren’t really thinking about this and that’s the point of Indie Studio. To empower the students to go, ‘Wait a minute, we have everything in front of us now. We don’t need to play this game or play in the system.’”

Jewells Santos, graduate student at DePaul and co-writer and producer of the film, began to see the value in shaping her power as a filmmaker to her broader goals as a creative.

“I think that this has been a launchpad for all of us,” Santos said. “Getting to have a film, our first feature film, have a theatrical release, come out on DVD, and have a digital release. It’s a really exciting thing to have on my resume, while still not even having my diploma.”

With most of the cast and crew having moved on from their time at DePaul, understanding the value in the craft

they helped create reminds them why they chose this field in the first place.

“All my favorite films are independent films,” Santos said. “I love feeling like the people were just out there on their own and had full creative control. When you get away from the studios, and the bureaucracy of marketing and are just able to put things into the world, I think there’s such beauty in that.”

For Choi, honesty means everything.

“You know, your job is to tell the story that’s as honest as possible.,” Choi said. “History was always about exclusivity and asking for permission, and we don’t have to do that anymore.”

After putting two years of work

Light to Change”

into the project, “Waiting for the Light to Change” defines the ability to create within constraint, putting the human perspective at the core of its story. Linh continues to find new ways to resonate with her film as the audience continues to show her new ways to feel.

“To me, the movie is only half made by my end and the other half is made by the people who come and see it,” Tran said. “Bringing with their backgrounds and outlooks on the world, I’m excited to see the complete movie from their point of view.

Characters played by Jin Park and Joyce Ha sit on a beach in a still from the film “Waiting for the

COURTESY OF LINH TRAN

that a be er world is possible:’

How bestselling author Kathleen Rooney strives to reshape the literary world

By Lilly Keller Print Managing Editor

DePaul English professor Kathleen Rooney was always a storyteller.

Rooney, the author of five novels, including her latest historical fiction, “From Dust to Star Dust,” which explores the life of silent film actress Colleen Moore, initially used storytelling to make sense of her life before delving into forgotten figures of the past.

Growing up in Beckley, West Virginia, Rooney’s mother nourished her affinity for language by gifting her a tape recorder to memorialize her stories and poems. While her love for poetry persisted into adulthood, politics shaped Rooney’s path in higher education.

“I always was drawn to trying to be an artist, therefore an educator,” Rooney said. “But also, I’m interested in how we allocate power in our society, which is what politics essentially is.”

Despite enrolling at George Washington University in Washington D.C. as a political science major, poetry continued tempting Rooney until she finally decided to upgrade from civics to a double major in English and creative writing.

It was not until she attended graduate school at Emerson College in 2002 that Rooney found her passion for teaching. Partaking in the school’s mandatory teaching first-year writing program, Rooney fell in love with education.

“When I was doing my senior thesis, which was supposed to be 25 pages, I realized quickly that I had a whole book,” Rooney said. “I think a lot of advisers would’ve been like, ‘OK, wow, I signed on for 25 pages this is above my pay grade,’ however they were encouraging and so helpful … but also taught me a lot about the kind of teacher that I wanted to be.”

In 2010, Rooney seized an opportunity within DePaul’s English department to assume the role of the professors who had significantly impacted her academic journey.

Rooney redefined her creative writing and English classes in 2017 when she embraced University of Massachusetts Amherst professor Peter Elbow’s “Contract for an A.” This shift from

subjective grading to objective criteria ensured that students who consistently attended, actively participated and submitted assignments on time would receive an A.

Rooney’s interactive approach toward her creative writing workshops allows students to receive additional peer feedback alongside her evaluation and stimulates growth and risk-taking in the classroom.

“My first impression of professor Rooney was that she was very well dressed and clearly very passionate about writing and the course material,” DePaul junior Robin Ottenfeld said. “Overall, she has demonstrated a level of passion and care that is hard to find just about anywhere.”

Rooney’s distinct style demands attention as she enters a classroom. Elaborate patterns, sophisticated hair and bold lipstick are her signature choices. Inspired by the likes of Lillian Gish, Florynce Kennedy and “The Magic School Bus’s” Ms. Frizzle, Rooney effortlessly blends these influences into a fashion fusion that is entirely her own. Even in her academic pursuits, she refuses to wear the same outfit twice within a quarter.

Rooney’s commitment to teaching extends beyond her classroom, as she was honored as one of DePaul’s 125 Faces last year, a tribute to those embodying the university’s values of human dignity, excellence in teaching and systematic

change during its 125th anniversary.

“I believe that a better world is possible, and I believe that we deserve a better world than the one we are given by capitalism and all the forces that tell us we should be grateful for crumbs,” Rooney said. “Being able to work with the youth… makes me think about that future and what I’ve been able to receive from the people who’ve taught me and what I want to give.”

Beyond teaching, Rooney co-founded Rose Metal Press in 2006, a nonprofit, independent publisher specializing in hybrid genre works, including lyric essays and novellas-in-flash fiction, to support unconventional writers.

“The publishing industry is flawed in the way that every industry under capitalism is,” Rooney said. “Your priority is not books or authors; it’s just making profit. I think that’s bad for art, and leads to this very competitive environment that only showcases a few people at the very peak and leaves behind everyone else, including diverse voices.”

In 2011, Rooney joined forces with Eric Plattner and Dave Landsberger to establish “Poems While You Wait.” At public events, they craft instant poems using typewriters, offering a down-toearth encounter with the genre while challenging writing community pretensions.

In the nearly decade and a half since the group’s founding, it has recruited over two dozen poets and produced thousands of poems.

Plattner, one of the group’s original poets and resident typewriter repair-

man, credits the group’s continued success to Rooney.

“Kathleen Rooney is the organizer-in-chief,” Plattner said. “She’s the sun which provides all of the energy and life force … She is the one who gathers collaborators like a sweater gathers lint.”

Still, having proofread much of her work, Plattner said Rooney’s ability to imbue herself within her writing sets her apart from others in the field.

“She doesn’t comfortably fit in any niche as a human being,” Plattner said. “On the surface, she is not a confessionalist. She’s not Rupi Kaur; that’s not Kathleen’s style. She likes to say funny-sad is her genre, but it’s really hilarity and tragedy. The sadness is very sad in her work and characters, yet she is also hopeful, even optimistic, but that’s more tragic than a pessimist … She doesn’t put blinders on.”

Rooney, hailed as an “ardent humanist” by Plattner, embodies her belief in leading ethical, purposeful lives rooted in reason and benevolence beyond her daily routines. Her works, including “Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk” and “Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey,” consistently feature characters confronting hostile environments. Despite enduring hardships, Rooney’s characters unwaveringly pursue a better world, showcasing resilience and heroism.

Despite her many responsibilities, Rooney’s creativity knows no bounds. Alongside “From Dust to Star Dust,” she co-authored a picture book, “Leaf Town is Forever,” with her sister, Beth, inspired by her niece and other children during the pandemic, set to release in 2025.

Amid a landscape that values conventionalism, Rooney stands as a bold exception. While her course schedule remains largely unchanged, she has uncovered an array of diverse individuals within her classroom walls.

“I knew it, but now I really know it after a decade, that even if you’re teaching the same classes over and over again, they’re not the same classes,” Rooney said. “The students are different, and I love coming into a room and seeing what each individual is going to be like and how the dynamic is going to build, what the challenges are and the rewards.”

‘I believe

Kathleen Rooney, a “Distinguished Writer in Residence,” in DePaul’s English department poses through the glass at the English office in Arts and Letters Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023.

VI CONRAD | THE DEPAULIA

“From Dust to Stardust” Rooney’s latest work released September 2023.

COURTESY OF AMAZON

St.Vincent’s

D E JAMZ

“SPINNING FRESH BEATS SINCE 1581”

By Lilly Keller Print Managing Editor

The haters have a lot to say about Willie Nelson. Open any Reddit thread, and the masses will be lining up to comment on his voice or songwriting abilities. First, his voice is excellent, and who cares if he sings mostly covers? All old-time country artists do that. Secondly, he once smoked a joint on the White House Roof with Jimmy Carter’s son, significantly undermining any arguments or criticisms directed toward him. Thirdly, he’s the real goddamn deal, need I say more? Without further ado, here are my top five Willie Nelson tracks.

“Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” – Willie Nelson

While initially written by Fred Rose and recorded by Elton Britt in 1946, Nelson’s version puts them to shame. As we know, soft country songs from the 1950s to the 1980s tend to ensnare me like a bug in a glue trap, and this particular song is no exception. The fifth track on Nelson’s 1975 “Red Headed

Stranger,” which details a fugitive preacher living on the lam after killing his wife, balances just the right amount of yearning and turmoil, making it a certified banger in my book.

“He Was A Friend of Mine” – Willie Nelson

We won’t discuss that I’ve already included this song on past DeJamz. Featured on the 2005 soundtrack for Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain,” Nelson’s take on this song makes me downright suicidal. All I will say is that if I had been old enough to watch “Brokeback Mountain” in theatres and this song played as the credits rolled, I would have walked out of the theater and into oncoming traffic.

“Roll Me Up” – Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg and Kris Kristofferson

Pivoting to a complete 180 from the previous track, I want the lyrics of “Roll Me Up” carved into my headstone after I kick the bucket. Music peaked when Nelson and Snoop Dogg walked into the studio together; I mean come on, it doesn’t get any better than this.

“Blue Skies” – Willie Nelson

Crossword

Searching for a similarity between me and my dead deadbeat Grandpa? Look no further than “Blue Skies.” I felt mildly ill when my mom first told this piece of Grandpa Willie (yes, he shares a first name with Mr. Nelson) lore. How could I have anything in common with that SOB? I now understand that this is Nelson’s power. Grandpa Willie may be rotting in hell, but we’ll always have “Blue Skies” to bridge our generations. I cannot fix his decaying legacy of alcoholism and abuse, but I can change how those around me perceive Willie Nelson’s music.

“Time of the Preacher” – Willie Nelson

Fun fact: this was the song that sparked my love for Nelson. I found “Time of the Preacher” by accident, but I remember being enthralled by the narrative. From the Western twang to Nelson’s vivid imagery of a preacher losing his mind after his wife left him, I knew I had to learn everything I could about “Red Headed Stranger.” It’s no secret why Nelson’s 18 studio album is considered one of the best concept records of all time.

ACROSS

1) Bombard with unwanted email

5) Fight verbally

9) Tend to, as sauce

13) Caribbean country

14) “Hell ____ no fury”

15) Sleuth played by Bogart

16) Knowledgeable about

17) Kind of sax or singer 18) Prop for Rembrandt 19) Liftoff spot

21) Long-time “Wide World of Sports” host Jim 22) Detonating device

23) Even the score again

25) “Thee,” updated 27) Steamy or sultry

31) Voting group

35) Married woman 37) Hugh who played House 38) Chopper topper 40) “Don’t delay!”

42) Strong cotton thread

43) De facto

45) Make “it,” in a game

47) Ex-Soviet news agency

48) Like many sandals

50) Yon maiden fair

52) Poisonous

54) Papal representative

59) Concealed

62) Florida cape

64) “Amscray!”

65) “Short” death notice

66) Bishop Desmond

67) Artie and Robert

68) “Beloved” novelist Morrison

69) Not yet up

70) Having a hard time choosing

71) Ollie’s sidekick

72) Weight allowance

DOWN

1) Make a bust?

2) Insects in the cocoon stage

3) More or less

4) It fell from heaven

5) Iran before Khomeini

6) Crab’s sensor

7) Rose oil

8) Colossus of

9) Apollo apparel

10) Chore

11) Brain’s creation

12) Swear by (with “on”)

39) Spicy stews

41) Baby cry

44) Luthor the villain

46) Jiggly dessert

49) All plants with two seed leaves

51) Clerical abbreviation

53) “Murder, She Wrote” cove

55) Gain access to

56) Oranjestad’s locale

57) Spud

58) Give the slip to

59) Whispered call

60) “Hello, hello, hello,” e.g.

20)

15) Highly original and influential

Blubber

24) Rolodex abbr.

26) Mantel piece

28) Major in astronomy?

29) Needs a doc

30) Brenda and Peggy

31) Obnoxious young’un

32) Scottish lake

33) Director

Preminger

34) “The Final

36) Barney on “The Simpsons,” for one

61) Laugh heartily

63) Pinta’s companion

Sports

Meet DePaul’s newest Fall sports assistant coaches

By Eli Smith

Contributing Writer

ree DePaul teams have new assistant coaches tasked with maintaining team culture and proper development for their athletes.

Peter McKeown, assistant coach for women’s soccer, came to DePaul this o season a er coaching at St. omas University in 2021-2022. At St. omas McKeown led the team’s goalkeeper development during their rst two seasons as a Division I program. He will continue to focus his attention on goalkeeper development at DePaul.

“ e goalkeeper position is an obsession of mine, and it’s so di erent than a eld player,” McKeown said.

Prior to his time as a coach, McKeown played for Loyola Chicago, serving as the team’s starting goalkeeper for four years before graduating in 2012. McKeown also played for the Chicago Inferno, Chicago’s team in the United Soccer League’s Premier Development League.

Even though McKeown primarily works with the team’s four goalkeepers, he admires the community that head coach Michele O’Brien and associate head coach Rachel Pitman have built for DePaul women’s soccer.

“ ey are students of the game, and I think that sets them apart,” McKeown said.

e men’s soccer program brought in Martin Alba this o season to join sixthyear head coach Mark Plotkin.

Like McKeown, Alba most recently coached for St. omas, working on their sta during the 2022 season. He also served as a volunteer coach for Loyola Chicago for two seasons starting in 2019.

Although this is his rst year at DePaul, Alba is excited to return to the Big East, as he played for Marquette’s soccer program from 2014 through 2019. He said he believes his experience in the conference as a player will help him nd success as a coach.

“It helps me because not much has changed in terms of the coaches and their style,” Alba said.

Even though he has high expectations for the team’s success on the eld, Alba strives to prepare his players for life a er college.

“We got to help them understand that yes, you’re here for soccer, but you’re also here to set yourself up for the rest of your life,” Alba said. Plotkin said Alba’s e ort to connect with the players has already strongly impacted the team’s culture. Plotkin also complimented Alba’s “really intelligent soccer mind.”

“He’s great on the recruiting front, and

the guys have really taken a liking to him,” Plotkin said.

Moving from the eld to the court, Eli Valentin joined DePaul volleyball’s coaching sta this season as an assistant. Valentin recently spent his time coaching at the high school and junior club level, also on the coaching sta for Appalachian State University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Valentin said he is grateful to join the DePaul community because he believes there is a “unique mission and vision” that is lived out by the program’s student-athletes.

“I love the opportunity to work in athletics with student athletes that are really pushing themselves o the court and on the court,” Valentin said.

He emphasized that he wants the team to put as much work into serving the Chicago community as they do in volleyball.

“We are very fortunate,” Valentin said.

“We get to play a sport. I get to coach a sport that I love. So many other people aren’t in that situation.”

DePaul’s volleyball program began conference play Friday, entering the weekend sixth in the Big East standings with a record of 7-4.

Valentin said the fans can help create an “awesome home atmosphere” for the volleyball team by coming out to support them. He also said the students are a “big part of our program,” as they help the team connect to the entire DePaul community.

“We can build something even more special here,” Valentin said.

e women’s and men’s soccer programs are working to qualify for their own Big East tournaments later this fall, which begin on Oct. 29 and Nov. 4 respectively.

Men’s soccer assistant coach Martin Alba (center) smiles during a strong first half in DePaul’s matchup against Loyola University Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023. Alba is one of three new assistant coaches for DePaul fall sports.

RYAN HINSKE | THE DEPAULIA

Editor’s Note: Ryan Hinske, DePaulia sports editor, contributed to this report.

DEPAUL UNIVERSITY | PHOTO Peter McKeown, assistant coach for the women’s soccer team.

DEPAUL UNIVERSITY | PHOTO Martin Alba, assistant coach for the men’s soccer team.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUL UNIVERSITY Eli Valentin assistant coach for the women’s volleyball team.

When Peevy got to DePaul, he conducted a needs assessment. Through response from faculty, staff and students, the biggest need determined was better facilities.

They then conducted a feasibility study that took 18 months of refinement. The result: the announcement of a $60 million athletics facilities project last month.

Speaking to a DePaul sports management class Wednesday, Stapleton explained why facilities are crucial for student-athletes.

He provided the example of the sole conference room that is currently in the Sullivan Athletic Center. Besides meetings, the room is used for halftime space for softball and soccer teams and as a lounge for donors. The sounds of clanking weights and upbeat music from the weight room next door penetrate its walls during meetings. This weight room also isn’t big enough for a full team. The nearby hydrotherapy equipment only works every other day.

Attached is McGrath-Phillips Arena, a practice space for almost every team on campus, but there are only three courts in the arena. As a result, Stapleton said individual training sessions are almost impossible because the schedule is gridlocked.

“We just don’t have that much space,” Stapleton said. He also pointed out the building the class was in (the athletics annex, which is a remodeled family home) also contained the entire communications, marketing and fundraising departments.

Marisa Arce, head coach of the DePaul Women’s Tennis program, believes the new athletic facility will strengthen her team’s connection.

“We would spend more time with each other if we had a space that we could spend time in,” Arce said. “You’ll see us running the back stairs in the athletic center … because we have nowhere else to condition.”

The new facility will provide locker rooms for every DePaul athletics pro-

BEYOND THE GAME

DeWayne Peevy’s impact on DePaul’s community

cheering for one thing because that’s your school.”

No matter where he goes, DePaul’s logo is always present on Peevy’s clothing. He encounters fans whose parents or grandparents brought them to DePaul games when they were children, or maybe they went to DePaul themselves. He says interacting with them in his community, whom he’s only known for a few years, makes his goals even clearer.

gram, regardless of where they play their home games.

“We had to determine our big priorities,” Stapleton said. “What achieves the most with the least impact on student’s spaces, community spaces or academic spaces?”

As he rounds a corner, Peevy reflects on his role at the university. As a vice president at DePaul, he feels that being a part of the president’s cabinet means he can carry out the interests of every student.

In his role as vice president, he said, “I can just share my experiences and my thoughts that have nothing to do with athletics for the betterment of the entire university.”

On the athletics side, however, Peevy believes that an elite program is essential to increase enrollment as universities nationwide struggle to meet their quotas. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center estimates that by the end of the school year in the spring of 2023, national undergraduate student enrollment fell almost 9% since the spring of 2019.

“The data shows that going to private schools if you got a team that’s in the NCAA Tournament … in a five-year period, you’re talking about a 4 to 6% increase in enrollment,” Peevy said. “That’s 1,000 people for us. When you’re talking about $60 million, that’s a real investment.”

The largest example of this today is the University of Colorado’s $7.2 million increase in enrollment revenue after the arrival of NFL legend Deion Sanders as

the head coach of the football program this summer. Peevy explained it is this kind of winning culture Sanders introduced to his own school that puts that hat on the table for prospective students.

“This facility project, there’s no way I would have pushed forward if I didn’t feel like it had a major impact on net tuition revenue, which is our biggest and scariest problem going ahead,” Peevy said.

Peevy knows the new practice facility is not the “end all be all” to fix DePaul’s financial situation, but he says it’s the start the university needs to bump the nationwide downward trend.

“We’ve got to get past just making do and providing that level of excellence that we expect,” Stapleton said.

Peevy talks about one of his fondest moments at DePaul so far. He was in California for a Fox Television meeting this year and took an unplanned detour to San Francisco to speak to an alumni group.

He told the group about the impact of DePaul’s Christmas Day game against Creighton in 2022, the most-watched men’s college basketball game ever on Fox with 3 million viewers.

To get that kind of viewership consistently, Peevy believes DePaul’s presence needs to be felt, which was why he was in San Francisco in the first place.

“But then the second thing is really that affinity buildup, like ‘I want to be there … look at the school spirit, look at the campus atmosphere,’” Peevy said. “It’s that coming together, that gathering place, that I feel like our young people have missed … coming together and

“We need to reconnect with our alumni,” Peevy said. “That’s a big piece for everyone involved from the education side. If we’re trying to do this billion dollar campaign, we’ve got to connect with people that care about us.”

Peevy feels that the $60 million dollar campaign might lead to more attention, bringing on more real dollars. Crucial to this investment, Peevy said, are the benefits to every team on campus.

“It’s amazing how [Peevy] makes us feel seen and important,” Arce said. “We don’t bring in any money, we don’t even sell tickets … but from day one, he’s helped us in literally every different way.”

Peevy walks through the weight room and details not what the room’s function is now, but what it will be in the coming years. Switching to the present, Peevy speaks about the upcoming season.

The women’s basketball team has the most depth Peevy believes he’s seen during his tenure. He thinks head coach Doug Bruno’s bench will be more capable backing up the starters, allowing for the higher-intensity approach Bruno is known for. The halls of the athletic center are brighter.

“I saw [Bruno] today,” Peevy said. “He’s got his jacket on today, we’ve got visitors coming in and he’s just smiling and whistling Dixie and I love it. He is a 37th year coach with more energy than anybody else here.”

Returning to his office as his day winds down, Peevy has a football game to catch, but he is in no rush.

“It’s easy for me to work hard, to be sitting here on a Friday afternoon,” Peevy says. “I could talk to you all day because this has got it, this is so earned, and it’s so important to so many people.”

KIERSTEN RIEDFORD | THE DEPAULIA

“It’s amazing how [Peevy] makes us feel seen and important .... From day one, he’s helped us in literally every different way”

Marisa Arce

Head coach of the DePaul women’s tennis program

Continued from front page