Etownian Issue 13 by The Etownian

OPINION Chairman of Board of Trustees gives insight into comprehensive fee | PAGE 9 SPORTS Alumna returns to coach Blue Jay volleyball program | PAGE 12

The Etownian

www.etownian.com

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Vol. 110. Issue 13

Security rules Vocalign, Phalanx, Melica to compete at collegiate a cappella competition at Penn State University small dorm fire as accident by KARLEY ICE

fire occurred in Founders Residence Hall, Building D, on Friday, Jan. 13 around 5 p.m. The fire occurred in a trash can in a hall of the building. No students were harmed as a result of the fire, but some property was damaged. The fire melted the trash can, carpet and wall paint in the surrounding area. Campus Security was alerted about the fire and arrived at the scene, entering the building to extinguish the fire. To avoid any injuries, Campus Security evacuated all residents from the building. The cause of the fire is unknown; however, it is believed that the fire was an accident, according to Campus Security. Residents were allowed to return to their rooms as soon as the fire was extinguished and the affected area was cleaned. Mark Zimmerman, the director of facilities management, was notified and briefed on the situation. Since it was a minor fire and no major damage occurred, there was no response from the fire company. The situation was controlled by Campus Security, Residence Life and the Facilities Residence Hall Supervisor.

Photo: Alex Iacono

Vocalign, Phalanx and Melica will all represent Etown at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCAs). This is the first time in school history that all three groups have advanced together to the next round of the competition.

by GWEN FRIES

F Photo: Matthew Butera

or the first time in Elizabethtown College history, all three a cappella groups, Vocalign, Phalanx and Melica, are headed to the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCAs). The ICCAs is the largest a cappella tournament in the world. It is owned

Jays travel to Ethiopia to volunteer with Brittany’s Hope Foundation

and operated by Varsity Vocals and consists of three rounds, the quarterfinals, the semifinals and finals. At 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, 10 vocal groups will compete at Penn State University at University Park in the ICCAs quarterfinals round. Besides the three groups from Etown, present at the conference will be three

resident Carl Strikwerda released an announcement on Tuesday, Feb. 11 to Elizabethtown College students and their families that the 2014-2015 comprehensive fee would increase by 4.5 percent. This tallied the total tuition cost at $39,920 and standard room and board charges at $9,820. This increase was decided upon during the Board of Trustees winter meeting where they “carefully consider[ed] the cost of an Etown education,” according the Strikwerda’s official announcement. Strikwerda is expected to issue his first

Students like David Nagel, pictured above, graduates and faculty members joined the Brittany’s Hope Foundation during their winter break trip to Ethiopia to visit a school and orphanage.

by KARLEY ICE

group of seven people traveled to Ethiopia over winter break from Dec. 29 to Jan. 13 to visit a school and orphanage supported by the Brittany’s Hope Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Elizabethtown. The group was made up of students, graduates and faculty

SEE ICCA PAGE 2

Board of Trustees agrees on 4.5 percent tuition increase by ANDREW CALNON

Photo: Rustin Dudley

groups representing Penn State, two from Binghamton University, one representing Rochester Institute of Technology and one from Stony Brook University. If any of the Etown groups are ranked one of the top two of the night, they will proceed to the semifinals at Rutgers University on March 29.

President’s Report this coming April, which will reportedly highlight the College’s improvements while progressing through the five-year strategic plan. In his announcement, Strikwerda also stated that the President’s Report will help students and their families “understand … how [their] investment is paying dividends through the academic experience of [their] young person.” Last year, tuition increased by the same percentage. With the increase, the College will continue to provide merit and needbased scholarships for prospective and current students to make their Etown education as affordable as possible.

Long visits India to celebrate Swami Vivekananda’s anniversary

members who were joined by volunteers from the Brittany’s Hope Foundation. Brittany’s Hope organized the logistics of the trip, while Dr. Margaret McFarland, professor of social work, encouraged students from Elizabethtown College to attend the trip. SEE HOPE PAGE 3

Religious studies dept. hires Newton, broadens curriculum by KELLY MOORE

lizabethtown College’s religious studies department has recently hired a new assistant professor for the upcoming fall semester. Dr. Richard Newton will teach REL 293, Islam, and offer two new courses for the

department: a 300-level seminar on “The Bible and Race in the United States of America,” and a 100-level introduction to African American religion, titled “Signifying Religion: An African American Worldview.” “Our goal was to broaden our curriculum, and Dr. Gallagher, our consultant, suggested

that we could accomplish that and further the College’s plan for ‘Embracing Inclusive Excellence’ by seeking a new faculty member who could teach courses in the area of African American religions,” Religious Studies Department Chair Dr. Christina Bucher said. SEE NEWTON PAGE 3

Photo: Courtesy Photo

Jeffrey Long prepares to celebrate Swami Vivekananda. Long spoke on the Swami in front of one of his largest crowds — about 15,000 people.

SEE FEATURES PAGE 4

News

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February 13, 2014

ICCA PAGE 1

Jays make a cappella history; Groups advance to ICCA quarterfinals

Photos: Alex Iacono

On Tuesday, Feb. 11, Vocalign, Phalanx and Melica held a pre-ICCA show in Gibble Auditorium. During the show, the groups performed their sets that they will perform at the ICCA quaterfinals at Penn State University on Saturday, Feb. 15.

If a group gets third, they are considered a wild card and have a chance of being selected to continue in the competition. Katie Owens, senior president of Vocalign, is more than excited for Saturday. The 16 members — eight more than last year — and advisor Mark Clapper have been hard at work. “We have been rehearsing a lot,” Owens said. “We are putting a great deal of effort into sounding amazing. The whole group has been so focused and amazing, especially after some really tiring rehearsals. They handle the long rehearsals so well.” Senior Shannon O’Leary, the music director for Melica, said, “When we were accepted to compete in the ICCAs, Melica was thrilled. The news went viral on Facebook and Twitter. A lot of Melica pride and excitement proceeded for the next week. We met several times to discuss outfits, song choices, choreography and other details as the possibility of ICCAs became a reality for us. It is something we had been looking forward to for a while.” O’Leary said the girls wanted a fierce set list and chose to perform Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse,” Little Big Town’s “Boondocks,” and Selena Gomez’s “Slow Down” for the competition. “We have been preparing for this competition since last semester when we selected what songs we will be doing,” Vice President of Phalanx and senior Owen Howson said. “From there, we purchased arrangements of the songs and

immediately started practicing them.” Vocalign isn’t the only group that has been hard at it. Howson and president and Etownian Opinion Editor Matt Walters lead practice every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. “ Then, once we have our music memorized and we are confident, we put in choreography and then practice that to make sure we get it correct and make sure we do not sacrifice our sound for dance,” Howson said. “Once we have that, we drill the whole set over and over again to solidify it, fine-tune it and make sure it is under 12 minutes for the competition.” If the group doesn’t take first or second place in the competition, the team will continue preparing songs for their spring show. “I think the group is simply excited to show off all of our hard work,” Owens said. “We really love the songs we’re singing, and we love to perform and have fun together onstage. No matter what happens, we’re just ecstatic to be going!” This year the College is providing a shuttle to University Park for students to catch the show. The doors open at 7:30 p.m., though Howson recommends getting there earlier than that as the venue will fill up quickly. “Having fans in the audience cheering for you really makes a huge difference for us performing and we can’t thank them enough,” Howson said.

Scholarships offer real-world application, opportunities

Innovative academic scholarships available, encourage Jays to submit practical, creative proposals by ANDREW CALNON

lizabethtown College administration offers students a c a d e m i c , c om mu n it y - b a s e d an d n e e d - b a s e d scholarships. Currently, two scholarships are being accepted for review. The Elizabethtown College Entrepreneurship Scholarship and the Nuts About Granola Innovation Scholarship are both unique scholarships that allow students to demonstrate innovative thinking and creativity. These scholarships allow the recipient to apply his or her proposed projects to real life. In 2005, alumni Charles ’86 and Cynthia ’85 Ebersole created the Entrepreneurship Scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded to a student who shows promise for entrepreneurship. The recipient will receive a minimum of $4,000 and the opportunity to develop an entrepreneurial idea into a practical entrepreneurship project in a chosen field or discipline. The student will always be given the opportunity to develop a further entrepreneurship plan alongside a successful Etown alumnus. The scholarship is open to full-time Etown students of any discipline who are in good academic standing. The application for the scholarship is a four-step process; students will be asked to submit personal data, answer specific questions, propose an entrepreneurship project or idea and finally present the project to the Entrepreneurship Scholarship Committee. The Entrepreneurship Scholarship Committee will review the written application and choose the top three to five applicants, who will then present their five to 10 minute presentations. The recipient of the award must be able to commit to working with a mentor during the year, creating the practical entrepreneurship model. The recipient will also exhibit a commitment to implementing the resulting practical model for his or her project. Students can download the application online at www.etown.edu/giving by selecting “Entrepreneurship Scholarship.” The application is due on March 10 and the award will be announced on April 16. The scholarship is active from August 2014 to May 2015, and the recipient will work on the entrepreneurship project during the academic year. For more information about this scholarship, contact Marty Thomas-Brummé at BRUMMEM@ETOWN.EDU. The Nuts About Granola company was created by Etown College graduate Sarah Lanphier ’09, who thought of the idea as a fundraising opportunity for the triathlon team. The Nuts About Granola Innovation Scholarship is funded

by a portion of the proceeds from the co-branded “Etown Carrot Cake Granola.” The scholarship is funded through the full circle approach. The Nuts About Granola company produces the granola for sale, and a portion of the proceeds from the sales funds the scholarship. As granola sales increase, so does the scholarship fund. The scholarship will be awarded to a full-time Etown student who possesses creativity and a passion for healthy living, along with innovative thinking. The 2014 scholarship theme is “What if?” The scholarship committee is challenging students to ask this question and then to take an original, unedited photo of something they would like to change for the better. The student is asked to

sign-on to the Nuts About Granola Facebook page, submit an image that represents a product, service or process that he or she would like to change or improve and include a description of why or how they would change that product, service or process for the better. The scholarship committee encourages students to submit multiple pictures and is looking for interesting, creative, unusual or innovative examples. The application period is from March 1 to the 31, and the recipient will be announced at the Annual Student Awards Day on April 16. For more information about this scholarship, contact Sarah Lanphier at SARAH@ NUTSABOUTGRANOLA.COM.

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Photographers Staff Writers For more information, contact editor@etown.edu or fill out an application at www.etownian.com

News

February 13, 2014

page 3 NEWTON PAGE 1

HOPE PAGE 1

McFarland leads international trip to visit, evaluate Ethiopian schools, orphanages

Newton to utilize digital resources to enhance learning Newton, originally from Texas, comes to Etown by way of Southern California. “I did my doctoral work at Claremont Graduate University,” Newton said. “Before that, I studied at Texas Christian University and S out her n Met ho dist University.” Bucher commented that she was looking for someone who would complement some of the department’s existing strengths, such as biblical and gender studies. “He is also interested in leading crosscultural courses,” Bucher said. An example that Bucher gave of this was the fact that he worked as a research assistant for several summers at an ethnographic field school in the Yucatán. “My w or k f o c u s e s on scriptures,” Newton said. “I’m fascinated by the creativity

Photos: Rustin Dudley

Seven Etown students, alumni and faculty members visited Ethiopia with the Brittany’s Hope Foundation over the winter break. The photos above display their experiences while visiting Ethiopian schools and orphanages.

“It is the poorest country I have ever visited, but the people have such strength and ability to survive on so little,” McFarland said. “I wanted to take a student group so they could experience and understand the concept of living with so little.” The travelers landed in the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, and started their trip by helping out in Bahir Dar and continued to Injibara. The purpose of the trip was to visit a school and orphanage in Ethiopia and evaluate the current programs, interact with the children in the school and orphanage and to determine the children’s and program’s needs. These international programs are important to Brittany’s Hope and the organization makes an effort to visit Ethiopia at least once a year. The group first visited the Dawn of Hope School in Bahir Dar. The group distributed blankets and school supplies to the children at the school and their families and interacted with

them as well. They also talked with the mothers of each child about how they are working to improve their children’s lives, according to Rustin Dudley, a senior social work major at Etown and intern at Brittany’s Hope. The group also visited the Injibara Children’s Home, an orphanage in Injibara. The group talked and visited with the children. They also visited the schools these children attend. Dudley especially enjoyed celebrating Christmas in Ethiopia with these children. Dudley has been involved with Brittany’s Hope since she was a volunteer during her first year. She has been an intern for the organization since August, so when the trip was organized she was asked to join. She has traveled previously with the organization to Vietnam. “I wanted to go as a professional, to better understand the services the agency is providing, but I also wanted to go as an individual, so that I could

give back some of my time to the community and gain exposure to a culture unlike my own,” Dudley said. According to Dudley, one of the most important experiences was “seeing the happiness and joy in the eyes of the children there.” Brittany’s Hope Foundation aims to “facilitate adoptions of special needs, older and sibling children by providing financial grants for special waiting children,” according to their website. They seek out families who can give love and support to these children and want to raise awareness of “the unique joys of parenting a special child,” according to their website. The trip also had lasting effects on the volunteers, as well. For Dudley, the effect was the importance of improving others’ lives. “I don’t know where I’ll end up or what I’m going to do exactly, but that isn’t what matters. As long as I keep working toward the greater good, I’ll be happy,” Dudley said.

Etown’s initiative to prepare globally-minded students,” Newton said. “For my part, that means creating a space to constructively discuss issues like race, religion and politics.” Although Newton cannot guarantee A’s for all of the students that enroll in his class, he’s positive that each student will leave his classroom better equipped to ask the hard questions and make the hard decisions. In the religious studies department, Newton looks forward to getting involved. He plans on expanding the College’s study of African American religions and wants to continue the momentum by bringing in his colleagues f rom out s i d e t he Etow n community to share their work on the intersection of religion and racial issues.

“The lessons taught at Etown are expected to have an impact beyond the College’s walls. This is what higher education is all about, and I wanted to be a part of it.”

and politics that accompany people’s most vital stories. Particularly, I am interested in the lengths people go to live out these narratives – even at the expense of other people. I study sacred and secular scriptures alike in order to better understand this fundamental aspect of human nature. My hope is that if we better understand the way we engage scriptures, then we’ll be less likely to fight on account of them.” Newton was extremely i m p r e s s e d b y E t o w n’s commitment to cultivating an intimate classroom environment. “The lessons taught at Etown are expected to have an impact beyond the College’s walls,” he said. “This is what higher education is all about, and I wanted to be a part of it.” “My classes complement

~Richard Newton

Ne w ton a ls o hop e s to enhance the classroom experience by bringing new technology to learning. “I want to leverage the College’s digital resources to enhance the teaching-learning process,” he said. “Many of my classes are ‘flipped,’ so content delivery happens via streaming video and outside reading. This way I can devote class time to hands-on activities,” he said. According to Netwon, a prime example of this will be having students use their mobile devices to take part in quiz-show games, live tweet movies and message classrelated media. “Besides being a fun way to interact, students will gain the skills required to participate and shape the discourse on religion in the 21st century.”

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Student Senate Senators review dining services survey results, submit tuition letter and fixed rate model; Dean of Students addresses College cancellation concerns by LAUREN MERROTH

tudent Senate has made progress on the projects and goals set in previous meetings. The results of the Dining Services survey that went out last week are in and the overall trend regarding the Marketplace was “somewhat satisfied.” When broken down, the quality of the food and variety both returned “satisfied” results. Additionally, the Jay’s Nest, Blue Bean and Bird Feeder all returned “satisfied” results. Requests for improvement for the Marketplace included better hours, more seating, healthier options, more fresh fruit and alternative salad bar toppings. Students also requested healthier options in the Jay’s Nest, as well as more necessities, including bread and eggs. In the Blue Bean, it was requested to have a larger font on the menu and faster service. The Dining Services Committee will discuss the results and schedule a meeting with the head of Dining Services. The Tuition Committee has completed a poster explaining the breakdown of tuition and submitted a letter to the College’s Board of Trustees. The letter discusses the possibility of a fixed rate model, the

benefits of the model, alternative solutions for tuition and providing more options for students. It further asks for better communication with students about the tuition and financial aid process. The trustees were very receptive of the letter, and the chairman would like to come in to discuss his thoughts with Student Senate. Dean of Students Marianne Calenda was asked about alerts concerning cancellations and delays of the College due to snow. She stated that the College is trying to both improve the notification process and always let us know of delays or cancellations as early as possible. The College is also not using EC Alerts for closings, reserving those for extreme situations. For example, if there was an emergency due to the snow, such as the possibility of a roof caving in, then an alert would go out. It will not just be to inform students of a closing. Campus Security was kept very busy during the month of January with a total of 139 calls regarding maintenance, fire alarms, hazardous conditions, alcoholrelated incidents, ambulance calls and thefts. On a lighter note, Campus Security is pleased to announce that the stolen letters from the College sign have been recovered and the individuals involved have been identified.

Learning Services would like to remind students that they are a great resource for those who need help catching up from all their missed classes. Each class is working hard on various activities for the rest of the semester. The first-year class has been selling valentines and flowers. The sophomore class is still working on the on-campus Color Classic, which is very similar to the Color Run and will take place on campus. You can register for the event online, and there is a Facebook event describing the details. You may email the Sophomore Class Senate with any questions. The junior class is working on planning the Junior Senior dance and tickets are currently being sold in the BSC. They are also seeking student leaders who want to help their school by running for Student Senate. Petitions are available by the mailroom. The senior class is planning a great senior week, as well as the Hershey Bears game on March 15. All student clubs should be aware of the upcoming Accepted Students Day on Feb. 22 and Pride Day in April. As a reminder, all meetings take place every Thursday at 3:45 p.m. in Hoover 212 and are open for anyone to attend.

page 4 FROM NEWS 1

Features

february 13, 2014

Religious studies professor speaks at 150th anniversary of birth of Hindu religious figure Swami Vivekananda by EMILY DRINKS

hile most students were settling back into new courses and a new semester at Elizabethtown College after winter break, Dr. Jeffery Long, professor of religion and Asian studies, traveled to India to speak in front of an audience of 15,000 people. Long spent two weeks in India and gave two speeches at different cultural events, both focusing on Swami Vivekananda, born Narendra Nath Datta, the first man to come to the United States to spread Hindu philosophy. In 1893, Vivekananda was invited to speak at the first Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago, where he shared his message of peace and harmony among all people. Vivekananda taught about peace and harmony, which Long focused on in his speeches. Long stated this is a topic “the world still desperately needs today.” The speeches also noted the influence Vivekananda had on the United States, which Long said is much more extensive than many people realize. The first speech occurred at the Belur Math temple in modern day Kolkata, what was formerly Calcutta. Long presented before the Ramakrishna Order, the order of Monks established who followed the teachings of Vivekananda. This was the largest group Long had ever spoken in front of, and he said “15,000 is quite a bit larger than the average conference, or the average Etown class for that matter!” Long’s second speech was held at the Ramakrishna Mission in Mumbai, formerly Bombay, and was on a much smaller scale – only about 400 people attended this event. The speeches carried special significance in India because Vivekananda stands as a cultural and religious hero. This year marks the 150th anniversary celebration of Vivekananda’s birth. Long’s presentations were a part of wrapping up the celebration. Long said he had presented at many other events in India, however, these speeches were far larger and occurred in conjunction with events as part of a huge celebration in India. Long also stated that although other people have covered Vivekananda’s themes of peace and harmony before, he has gone into greater depth than most. These themes can be applied to all of humanity because of their strong focus on acceptance of all religions. It emphasizes a selfless service to humanity, which relates greatly to the College’s motto of “Educate for Service” and also to the practice of meditation. Vivekananda’s teachings were instrumental in the Indian freedom movement as well. “Vivekananda taught that we should see different religions as complementary rather than contradictory. This is something that could benefit everyone, everywhere, including America,” Long stated. Long first became interested in this topic at the age of 13. At this age, he began to study Hindu teachings and the idea of harmony among all people attracted him to the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. He explained that Vivekananda greatly influenced Gandhi’s teachings, illustrating how pervasive Vivekananda’s teachings have been historically. However, Long said he did not discover Vivekananda and his master Sri Ramakrishna for another year or two, as he continued to study the Hindu teachings and traditions. “I felt that this was a far superior way to look at religious diversity than the belief that people who follow religions other than one’s own are going to hell or are condemned for

Courtesy Photo

Professor of Religious and Asian Studies Jeffery Long sits in front of a portrait of Swami Vivekananda. Long traveled to India at the beginning of the spring semester to speak to over 15,000 people as a part of Swami’s 150th birth anniversary.

all eternity. I think that in this way, Hinduism is closer to the teaching of Jesus than are many forms of Christianity,” Long stated. In addition to his lectures on the topic,

Long is also currently working on a book on the topic of Vivekananda’s teachings of universal peace and harmony between religions.

‘Bookstore Bob’ serves as state trooper prior to working on campus

by KAITLIN GIBBONEY

tudents and faculty members alike may recognize Bob Mrgich across campus, although they may not know his name. Across the Elizabethtown College community, he is affectionately referred to as “that guy from the College Store.” He may even be spotted patrolling campus with the other campus security officers. There is more to Mrgich than meets the eye. Mrgich has been working for the College for two years as both a cashier for the College bookstore and as a Campus Security officer. One of his favorite activities on campus, he said, is patrolling with Security Officer Joe Miller. “I really enjoy working for Campus Security,” Mrgich said. “It gives me a chance to interact with the faculty, employees and students. It is comforting to know that the people I deal with are good people, unlike many that I dealt with from my prior employment. Nobody here has the intention to hurt or kill me.” Despite his enjoyment of patrolling with Campus Security, Mrgich doesn’t forget about his co-workers in the campus bookstore. “I also enjoy my time working in the bookstore,” he said. “You will find me there every day from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. I go by the name of ‘Bookstore Bob.’ I am luckier than most to have two fantastic bosses. I enjoy working with everybody at the College.” Before working at the College, Mrgich worked as a Pennsylvania state trooper for 25 years. “I enlisted in the State Police in 1988,” Mrgich said. “I was first assigned to Troop J, Lancaster, Patrol Section. During my time with the state police, I worked as a garage inspector, criminal investigator, internal affairs investigator, motor carrier safety inspector and a patrol section

supervisor. I retired at the rank of sergeant and last served at Troop J, Avondale.” Mrgich retired in 2012. Mrgich made many memories during his years of work with the state police. “Some are of the positive influences I’ve had on victims and people I have interacted with,” he said. “Some are of putting bad guys behind bars and some are of horrific incidents I’ve been involved in. I can’t say I have one favorite memory, but over my 25 years, some of the most memorable are the Camp Hill Prison riots, the Nickel Mines Amish school shooting, guarding President George W. Bush when he visited Lancaster County and getting my thumb crushed when it got run over by a tractor-trailer. If I had the chance to do it all over again, I would sign up tomorrow.” In his free time, Mrgich appreciates a variety of activities. His favorite hobby is hunting, although he also likes to spend time at the beach. “I enjoy metal detecting,” he said. “Three years ago, I found a $3,000 engagement ring.” Mrgich is also a football fan and enjoys rooting for his favorite team, the Miami Dolphins. He also enjoys taking rides on his motorcycle and spending time with his family. “My family includes me, my wife and our three boys, who are 25, 16 and 15,” Mrgich said. “My wife is an registered nurse who works harder than I do. We do things together as a family like ride or walk the local biking/hiking trails. I have a fishing boat, which we like to take out on the local lakes, ponds and the Susquehanna River. When we can, we like to go to the gun range and shoot an assortment of weapons.” By working on campus, Mrgich said he brings his own unique blend of “patience, positive attitude and a sense of humor” to his job. “Elizabethtown College is a great place to work, and I’ve met some great new friends,” Mrgich said.

Courtesy Photo

When Bob Mrgich isn’t at work, he enjoys activities outside like hunting and spending time at the beach with his wife and three sons.

Features

February 13, 2014

page 5

Group meditation session offers guided ‘Soul Liberty’ lecture relaxation as part of Take Care Tuesdays explores religious life by STEPHEN HAJCAK

by KAITLIN GIBBONEY

he Take Care Tuesday Series sponsored by Elizabethtown College’s Student Wellness group c ont i nu e d t h i s we e k w it h a presentation on the practice of meditation. The presentation, given by Dr. Jeffery Long, professor of religion and Asian Studies, focused on providing students with some basic information behind meditation, including its history and possible benefits. Following the presentation, he led those in attendance in a group meditation session, allowing them to experience the practice for themselves. Meditation, Long explained, began as a religious practice in many Eastern philosophical traditions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism. However, it has since spread to all areas of the world, becoming a daily habit of people from all races and creeds for a wealth of reasons. He explained that there are actually two different types of meditation that are practiced: one pointed meditation, which involves focusing on a single, fixed concept, and mindfulness meditation, which is a process by which one mentally steps back and allows thoughts to happen without focusing explicitly on any of them. B oth methods of meditation have individual b enef its, such as incre asing the ability to concentrate and mindfulness which is allowing oneself to see patterns more easily in speech and behavior. Long explained that all forms of meditation have been shown to have long-term benefits for he a lt h and e mot ions. Thes e benefits, including decreased stress, improved immune system and a higher level of energ y in daily life, can only be felt, however, if meditation is done as part of a daily routine. In order to maintain a meditative routine, Long suggested finding a mostly silent space around campus and meditating there. Eve ntu a l ly, t h i s s p ot w i l l become a symbol of peace in one’s mind, creating a space that immediately puts one in the mood to meditate. Even without a well-maintained daily schedule, meditation has the immediate effects of calming the restless mind and bringing about

Photo: Stephen Hajcak

Dr. Jeffery Long, professor of religious and Asian studies, presented at the most recent Take Care Tuesday Series event. He discussed the background and benefits of meditation and then led students in a 20-minute meditation session to help them experience it for themselves.

a sense of serenity. “If you think of the mind as a lake, and all our thoughts are waves on the surface of that lake, meditation is a way for us to quiet those waves and peer down into the depths of the mind, where we may see all kinds of things that we couldn’t notice before,” Long said. During the meditation session, Long explained the basic body posture required for successful me dit at ion: a st raig ht b ack, w hich enables unobst r uc te d breathing, with hands and feet in a comfortable position. Long’s meditation group emphasized controlled breathing in order to incorporate focus on something that is normally done without t h o u g ht . He i n s t r u c t e d t h e students to close their eyes and concentrate on inhaling deeply, pausing for a short time, exhaling and pausing again before taking

another breath. After the 20-minute meditative session, Long began to bring the group back to the conscious world. He explained that the resulting feelings of peace and calm are always within the mind and are always accessible when one feels a great deal of stress or simply wishes to further explore their mind. He then brought the group fully back from their unconscious minds, instructing the participants to slowly open their eyes. Long then invited all members of the group to share any experiences that they had during the session or any final questions on the topic of meditation. Many expressed that they had great feelings of serenity and energy, and several showed a great interest in continuing meditation as a daily ritual.

or this year’s Lefever Lecture on ethics and culture, the director of the Religious Freedom Education Project and a senior scholar for the First Amendment Center of the Newseum in Washington, D.C. Dr. Charles Haynes spoke on Wednesday, Feb. 12. His lecture, titled “Soul Liberty: The Meaning and Significance of Religious Freedom in America” covered religious life and liberty in the American public. Haynes is also the author of two books, “First Freedoms” and “Religion in American Public Life.” He is best known for his work regarding public schools and First Amendment issues that arise in a school setting. He has played a large part in constructing guidelines on religious liberty in schools as well as endorsing an assortment of religious and educational institutions. President Carl Strikwerda opened the lecture Wednesday night. “‘Congress shall make no law…’” Strikwerda said. “With those few, simple words, a divide opened in human history. We can argue that in no other society before had there been the decision to enshrine in law that the government was to allow for religious liberty. But what do those words actually mean?” Haynes opened with a statement of the role the United States has played in free religious expression. “Religious freedom, after all, is a fundamental principle of our experiment in democracy,” Haynes said. “We are beneficiaries in this country of what is surely the boldest and the most successful experiment in religious freedom, or liberty of conscience, that the world has ever seen: only sixteen words – the first sixteen words to the First Amendment to the United States Constitution: ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.’ Just sixteen words. That’s a miracle, don’t you think?” Despite the United States’ stance on religious freedom, there are still “outbursts of hate and violence”, Haynes said, referring to anti-Semitism as an example. “Jewish families came to America seeking a safe haven from persecution,” Haynes said. “They left behind centuries of oppression in Europe where periods of limited toleration were frequently broken by waves of tyranny – confined to ghettos, excluded from most professions, subject to periodic massacres and expulsions, Jews had long known persecution throughout Christendom.” Even today in America, these divisions can cause hotly-debated, hostile arguments. “Sometimes, these wars of words can lead to outbursts of hate,” Haynes said. “The growing intolerance directed towards Muslim Americans is an example. It is clear that we need a clearer division of the First Amendment now than at any other time in our history.” Despite the United States’ progress towards equality in all aspects of life, there is still a lot of ground to cover, especially regarding free conscience in terms of religion. “Conflict and debate are vital to democracy,” Haynes said. “We should welcome it and encourage it. But how we debate, not only what we debate, is critical.” “Principles from the First Amendment are the civic charter that enables us across our differences to live with one another and to work for a common vision of the common good,” Haynes said. “Is it messy? Of course it is. There are those who despise and fear this mess. For some Americans, the United States, by opening its doors and protecting people of all faiths and none, is becoming the sewer of the world. But for many other Americans, hopefully the majority, America is, or aspires to be, a haven for the cause of conscience. Our task in the 21st century is not only to sustain but also to expand this experiment in religious liberty and to build a nation that is for people of all faiths and none. A haven for the cause of conscience.”

Photo: Stephen Hajcak

Charles Haynes spoke Wednesday evening during the College’s Lefever Lecture. His talk focused on religious life and the First Amendment within public life and in public schools.

Positive psychology creates additional possibility for excellence by EMILY DRINKS

“Discover Your Strengths” event, facilitated by Stacey Zimmerman, assistant director of Called to Lead, was held on Tuesday, Feb. 11. The event focused on a StrengthsQuest inventory students took before the event, which gave them their five top strengths. The test contains 34 different talent themes, such as achievement and empathy. The psychology behind the test was invented by Don Clifton, who stated, “What would happen if we actually study what is right with people?” Clifton’s view is based on positive psychology, focusing on people’s talents rather than their weaknesses. Zimmerman stated that positive psychology will “help [people] reach levels of excellence … and people will be more fulfilled.” Zimmerman began the lecture by asking why it is important to focus on developing talents instead of just working on weaknesses. She explained that, according to strength psychology, a person’s weaknesses can never become strengths; however, if people develop their talents, those talents will eventually develop into strengths.

Talents differ from strengths in that a person has a natural inclination toward a talent, whereas a strength must be developed. Zimmerman presented the formula for developing a strength as talent times intention equals strength. Zimmerman also defined a strength as something that can be done to a near perfect performance.

“[Positive psychology] will help [people] reach levels of excellence ... and people will be more fulfilled.”

~Stacey Zimmerman

Strength development is also key in the vocational field as well as the career field. Zimmerman explained that people should be aware of weaknesses but should focus on their strengths. By doing this, the individual will not only have more self-confidence

but also can apply their strengths directly toward their major and career. Zimmerman used the quote by Clifton: “The best of the best build their lives around their talents.” Each of the 34 talents should be thought of as a positive asset to the individual and can be especially helpful in the individual’s chosen career field. Zimmerman also explained how developing strengths can be applied to help in the interview process and the career field. During a job interview, the question of stating strengths and weaknesses often arises. Zimmerman said most individuals try to spin their weaknesses into strengths; however, the individual could take more advantage of the situation by using their top five strengths instead. She said the best way to do this would be to take each strength and give an example of how the individual has applied this strength to their daily lives. It is easy to spot who is just trying to say what the interviewer wants to hear, but by utilizing individual strengths the individual “will really impress the individuals [they’re] interviewing with … [it] shows you’ve done your homework,” Zimmerman stated. The test does not distinguish between genders as much as it differentiates strengths.

Zimmerman said that a male and a female with the same top five strength themes in the same order would likely use their strengths in very similar ways. Some strengths are more common to one gender than the other, though. For instance, Zimmerman explained that males are more likely to have the strength of competitiveness than females. It is ver y unlikely to have identical strengths as other individuals. Zimmerman said that the odds of having someone with the same top five strengths is one in 278,000, and the odds of having the same top five strengths in the same order is one in 33 million. Strengths themes can also appear differently from one individual to the next. Zimmerman stated that one individual who has relator as one of their strengths but is also high in achievement will most likely be more strict with relationships than someone who is also a relator but high also in harmony. One aid to developing strengths unique to each individual is learning to apply them in everyday life, Zimmerman explained. Zimmerman stated that this gives individuals the opportunity to apply their strengths to their major as well as furthering the application to their careers.

February 13, 2014

Features

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Chinese New Year celebration sparks cultural awareness across campus by TIANA FERRANTE

appy New Year: Xīnnián kuàilè! On Feb. 6, Blue Jays enjoyed an evening of celebration for the Chinese New Year in the Brossman Commons. The free event, which reined in crowds for a celebration of the “Year of the Horse,” included craft tables with Chinese decorative paper-cutting, calligraphy and a Gongfu tea ceremony. The Blue Bean featured Chinese spring rolls, dumplings and oranges, which are commonly displayed throughout Chinese homes during the Lunar New Year. As they feasted on the Asian cuisine, students and faculty were entertained with beautiful music; two erhu instrumentalists played traditional Chinese melodies as students crowded around the activity tables. Although several students who take Chinese at the College were present, all were welcome. Nguyễn Thị Mỹ Huyền, who studied tourism before coming to Elizabethtown College for one year, shared why she decided to attend the celebration. “I’m Vietnamese, so Vietnamese people celebrate Lunar New Year at the same time as Chinese New Year,” she said. “I feel very familiar with my New Year Day in my hometown, so I want to come here to enjoy and try something [like at] home. It will make me happy, I guess.” Since Nguyễn had never been abroad before she came to Etown, this year marks her first New Year’s Day abroad. “In Vietnam, for the New Year Day, we have three weeks off school,” she said. “We visit relatives, we stay at home, cook traditional food and we do a whole bunch of things, different things.” Kendra Ormsbee, a first-year biotechnology major, decided to join the cultural party, too. “Actually, I didn’t hear about it until a couple minutes ago in my senate meeting,” Ormsbee said. “Then the music kind of drew me in, and it just smelled really good, so I thought I’d take a look!” Her favorite treats at the event were the potstickers. “I really like the culture,” she continued before tasting some tea from the Gongfu tea ceremony. “I’m actually pretty new to it; I don’t know a lot.” Since red is the lucky color for the Chinese New Year, there were red tablecloths, red packets filled with chocolate favors and red outfits. Senior biology major Octavia Miles added to the festive red atmosphere by wearing a red winter jacket. She made it a point to come to this particular Etown cultural event because over the years, participating in the Chinese New Year has become a tradition for her. “I’ve

Photo: Stephen Hajcak

A festive Chinese New Year dragon parades through the Brossman Commons.The Chinese New Year celebrations, which included festive foods, music and costumes, are now a tradition for many students of all backgrounds at Etown.

celebrated it every year since I’ve been at Etown,” she said, adding that her first experiences of the Lunar New Year at Etown were the Founders dorm celebrations. Miles, who took a Chinese language course during the fall semester of her junior year, traveled to China for Etown’s May term study abroad experience. She called China “wonderful” and remembered getting lost in Beijing. “I wouldn’t say it was the fondest memory; it was the most interesting,” she said, adding that she got lost as her

group was visiting a coffee shop near the Drum Tower in Beijing. The thrilling part of the story is that Miles only succeeded in making it back to her hotel by reading pinyin, the Romanized version of the Chinese language, on a map. Thankfully, Etown is a much more manageable size than Beijing, so many students found their way to the event. Also, since no one was harmed by the two enormous Chinese dragons featured in the BSC, the Etown Chinese New Year got off to a lucky start.

Opinion

February 13, 2014

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Last-minute completion of assignments stunts self-pride, hinders overall potential for personal, academic growth nonsense” sort of guy. But listen, I get it: some classes can be coasted through, whether lright, it’s 11 p.m. Wednesday the coursework is easy or it’s not night. You had a long day: your cup of tea. Sadly, those classes class at 9:30 and lunch in the tend to fall under the umbrella of Marketplace, where you nearly the humanities, or what society had to stab someone to get a seat; would stereotypically label “liberal you decide screw it, hanging out arts” or “useless,” and chances are and having fun is way better than you’re taking it for Core, so why doing school work at school, so would you care? But for a guy like one thing leads to another and me, who is afflicted with having now it’s 11 p.m. And you have a nearly every one of his majorfive-page paper due tomorrow at required courses being offered as 8 a.m. for your Humanities core Core, it’s actually borderline cruel class, the one you forget to go to and unusual punishment. The sometimes, because what in the intellectual apathy that pervades world is a Nicarry? our campus, where students are required to take courses that aren’t piquing their interest, causes the quality of the classroom experience to suffer for people who actually want to be there. Why i s t h at ? A n d we c an point fingers and say it’s because colleges now only care about pre-professionalism, there’s more money in particular fields than others (which obviously makes them superior), or maybe so-andso shouldn’t teach such-and-such course because he or she can’t present things in a universally interesting way. I don’t know and I don’t care, because I, as a student, can’t change the way things work within the administrative system or on the faculty level. But I can control me. And I can look within myself and find some way to make a class work, even if I’m staring down the barrel of comparative politics. I’m (my parents are) paying money to go here, and I might as well get as much out of this as possible. Photo: Stephen Hajcak We all should, because if I see While many students are proud of their ability to complete assignments with minimal effort in a last- #HowMuchDoWePayToGoHere minute fashion, other students take pride in their diligence.We are entitled to choose our own approaches. one more time, I’m going to throw

by ANDREW HERM

You pop open SparkNotes, get some caffeine in your system and load that paper up with enough malarkey to make an Irishman’s head explode. Turn it in. Get an A. We all know this story, and sometimes we’re even the star. On top of that, we all know the rush that comes with pulling it off: I didn’t care, I put in the minimum, got the maximum and that poor girl who spent a week on the same paper I sneezed out the night before it was due got a lower grade than I did. Is it fair? Furthermore, is it fair to our classmates, teachers, the subject itself or even more “whoa that’s, like, deep” — is it fair

to ourselves? I’ve mentioned it before, but one of the few things that Bruce Wayne and I don’t have in common is that I have parents. Even more importantly is that my parents, for whatever reason, continue to think that I’m worth funding, at least until my time at Etown comes to an end. So, for me, my abhorrence of mixing poppycock — nonsense, malarkey — with school work comes not only from a mixture of my not wanting to disappoint my parents or become a poor investment, but also with my busy schedule of fighting crime in the evenings I’ve grown into a “no

“The intellectual apathy that pervades our campus, where students are required to take courses that aren’t piquing their interest, causes the quality of the classroom experience to suffer for people who actually want to be there.” a computer. So at the end of the day, it’s about personal pride. “What if I’m proud of my ability to get by without working hard?” I can barely hear you mumble from behind all of your swag, and you’re right. It’s all subjective; it’s where your moral lines fall. I’d love for you to read this, nod your head vigorously and say, “You know what, he’s right! No more hokum and reindeer games when it comes to schoolwork for me!” But that’s up to you, because who knows? Maybe I wrote this two hours before it was due. So do what you want, but keep in mind that every time you don’t care about that one William Carlos Williams poem you’re reading for WCHcore, there’s an English major alone somewhere, crying into a book. And that thing costs money.

Do self-evaluation assessments in classroom settings add unnecessary stress on students or make them partners in learning experience? by SYDNEY NESTER

hen walking into a college classroom, most students do not expect to have to grade or rate themselves. This is usually something that the teacher or professor is expected to do, but when the roles are reversed, how do the students feel? Many students see this is as an opportunity to give themselves whatever grade they want, requiring them not to do as much work or quality work that they may have been capable of. Not all college professors allow their students to have this chance, though, which raises the question of whether giving students this option is beneficial or detrimental. I think that giving students the chance to grade or rate themselves within a classroom setting is unfair and not a good idea for both the teacher and student. I believe this because an overwhelming number of students would take this as an opportunity to do less work and end up with whatever grade they want. On the other hand, the selfevaluation stresses out the student. I think a personal evaluation should be included with the grade, but it should be between the teacher and student. It is a reflection of how that student did within the class. This idea gives both the teacher and student the ability to express how they think they did throughout the class and the ability to be open about themselves. I think that self-evaluation throughout the course is a good way to reflect on work that has been handed in or graded. This gives the students an opportunity to say how they feel that the class has been going. It also gives students an idea of their progress throughout the semester. I think that the biggest issue at hand

would be that students may not be able to know whether the grade itself was appropriate in comparison with the work that they had done. “I believe it’s very important for students to think about how well they’re preparing and how actively they are participating, because I think this helps them to understand how much they are partners in education, not just passive receivers of information,” Dr. Louis Martin, professor of English, said. Martin is one of few professors at the College who implements the idea of selfevaluation and believes in it strongly. The collaboration of student and professor for a combined grade makes it possible to come to a conclusion about the work that was done, see how hard the student worked

the

and what that student can then work on in the future. “I have students ass ess t heir ow n preparation and participation on a weekly basis, and I review their assessments and hand them back. They write down the points that they think they deserve, and I either confirm or change the number of points. I more commonly have to add points than take them away, as students don’t give themselves as much credit sometimes as I think they deserve,” Martin said. Although Martin employs self-evaluation for all of his classes, many students on campus have never had a professor ask them how they feel about the quality of the work that they completed throughout the semester.

Sound Off

“I think you’ve got something on your face. It’s called ‘beautiful.’” Kevin Ferguson ’17

“I don’t like to do self-evaluations in class, because I feel uncomfortable giving myself a good evaluation; but at the same time, it is a part of my grade, and I want it to be good. I always feel stuck, and I never know what to do,” sophomore Sarah Nolen said. Due to the pressure of not knowing how to grade yourself and what the teacher expects of you, I do not believe that self-evaluations are very effective. Many students do not even have professors that have them reflect on themselves. It stresses the students out to try to make the right decision. I do not think students would rate themselves appropriately under the pressure of not knowing what is right and wrong and how their teacher feels about them.

What is your best pick-up line for Valentine’s Day? Compiled by STEPHEN HAJCAK

“Are you dynamite? Because you’re blowing my mind!” Jordan Kulp ’17

“Were you forged by Sauron? Because you’re precious.” Ryan Perez ’15

Opinion

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‘Which character are you?’ quizzes grow popular, entertain curiosity by MATT WALTERS

f you were to log onto Facebook right now, you would probably have to scroll down for no more than two seconds in order to find a “Which character are you?” quiz that someone recently took. What could be more fun than finding the character from your favorite movie, TV show or book series that you most resemble personality-wise? Several quizzes ask slightly different questions, such as “Which Disney couple are you?” Naturally, I got Belle and the Beast, the stars of my favorite Disney movie (Team Belle for life). There is something about these quizzes that tickles the imagination and piques one’s curiosity. I will be the first to admit that I take these quizzes whenever I get the chance, even when they involve shows and films I have not seen before. Some quiz topics are particularly inane, such as “Which inanimate object are you?” What about these quizzes makes them so enjoyable? Oftentimes, the best way to appreciate something is to try your hand at creating one for yourself. For example, after I tried to make my own video game, I came to understand the intricacies behind gems like Pokemon and Super Mario Bros. My mom’s home cooking tasted a little better after I almost blew up my kitchen trying to make my own culinary creations. In this vein, I have decided to try my hand at making a quiz of sorts. Introducing: Which Residence Hall Are You? Do people consider you to be distant? If so, give yourself one point for Apartments, Quads, Royer, Schlosser and Student-Directed Living Communities. All four of these residences are particularly far away from the main hub of campus. Do you enjoy the feeling of community? If “yes,” give yourself a point for Myer, Royer, Schlosser, Founders and Quads. Myer and Schlosser are each home to two Living and Learning Communities, while the compact nature of Founders’ halls and the close proximity of the Quads create a sense of community. Do people consider you mature for your age? You get a point for Brinser, Apartments, Quads and SDLCs — a mature person like you would fit well with upperclassmen housing. Now we’ll go through some more individualized questions to really help you narrow things down.

Are you good at ping pong? If so, you get two points for Schlosser and one for Founders, which have nicer ping pong tables. Do you like to bake? If you answered “yes,” you earn two points for Myer, which used to have a bakery in the back of the building. It’s time for the next round of more specific questions. Do you like to be the center of attention? If that’s you, give yourself two points for Brinser and Ober. Both residence halls are at conveniently central locations on campus. Do people ever tell you that you have a split personality? If so, you earn a point for both the Apartments and Founders, seeing as the former is divided into two buildings and the latter is split into four wings. If your personality is a little more consistent, don’t add any points to your total. There are only two questions left until you find out which residence hall you most resemble. Do you like playing hard-to-get when someone has a crush on you? If so, give yourself two points for SDLCs. The competitive application process for SDLCs makes them fairly coveted and hardto-get as far as housing options go. And finally, have you ever gone mattress surfing before? If so, give yourself two points for the Quads. What better way is there to take advantage of that second floor than cruising down the stairs on a mattress? If you’ve never experienced the joy of mattress sliding, well then, you’re simply missing out on the fun. So which dorm building did you end up as? Unfortunately, this article would end up being uncomfortably lengthy if I wrote up a description about the qualities of each residence hall. But in doing so, I realize I am cheating you of the best part of the quiz—reading your result. Through attempting to make my quiz, I have found that these quizzes do not always have to make sense. Sometimes, the questions that lead to the answer are loosely related and maybe even downright stupid. But looking at your result, seeing the image of the character and saying “That’s totally me” or “How the heck did I get this character?” is what really makes those quizzes fun. Finding a fictional character who resembles you in some way is strangely gratifying, or just serves as three minutes of amusement, at the very least. If nothing else, I hope to continue seeing these quizzes pop up in my Facebook news feed. They’re mindless entertainment with a lot of heart.

February 13, 2014

Which Residence Hall Are You? Are You... 1. Distant?

Give yourself an: A, F, G, H & I

2. An active member of the community? Give yourself a: C, D, F, G & H

3. Particularly mature for your age? Give yourself an: A, B, F & I

4. Are you good at ping pong? Give yourself a: C & H

5. An active baker?

Give yourself a: D

6. An attention-seeker?

Give yourself a: B & E

7. Considered to have a split personality? Give yourself an: A & C

8. Playing hard-to-get with your crush? Give yourself two: I’s

9. A fan of mattress surfing? Give yourself an: F

If You Answered:

Mostly E’s: Ober

Mostly A’s: Apartments Mostly F’s: Quads Mostly B’s: Brinser

Mostly G’s: Royer

Mostly C’s: Founders

Mostly H’s: Schlosser

Mostly D’s: Myer

Mostly I’s: SDLC

Professors may still conduct class despite campus-wide closings by ERIN GREGORY

ately, the weather has been everything but cooperative for students and faculty. With a snow

storm Sunday night and freezing ice following just days later, Elizabethtown College has faced a handful of delays in the past week. Delayed and cancelled classes encroach on lesson plans and due dates. Some professors

bypass the metaphorical closed sign and hold class anyway. They utilize areas that are still open, such as the Marketplace or other areas in the Brossman Commons. But is it safe? Is it even allowed?

PUT YOUR RECORDS ON On the Turntable: The 1975 Genre: Alternative rock, indie rock, electronic rock, indie pop Rating: Beat the winter blues with the sunny sounds of Manchester-based group, The 1975

by ALEXA VISCARDI If you’ve been listening to radio top 40 recently, there’s no way you haven’t heard the undeniably fun track, “Chocolate” by The 1975. I was listening to the radio on my way home from student teaching, and, as the law of the universe goes, “all delightful and wonderful songs will come on the radio just as you need to exit the vehicle.” I decided to sit there for a minute and just listen, and I’m glad I did. The 1975, based in Manchester, UK, has been climbing the charts both across the pond and in the United States since the fall. The band, whose members began playing music together as teens in 2002, got its start performing small gigs for the community. They started to write their own music and realized they wanted their once weekend-only performances to become their career. The band went to work and never looked back. The 1975 went through many working titles before deciding on its recognized performing name: Talkhouse, The Slowdown and Bigsleep. The

name “The 1975” came from a book of beat poetry lead singer Matthew Healy found. The book was dated 1, June, The 1975. The band performed as The 1975 for the first time in January 2012 when they released their first EP. The band’s self-titled debut album launched in September of 2013. It was co-produced by Mike Crossey, who has done some work with the Arctic Monkeys, another band who also had a successful year in 2013. Members of The 1975 might be the new kids on the block, but they pay their respects to the rock genre lyrically with themes including discovery, novelty, sex, love, drugs, hope, death and fear. Their sound, however, is much lighter and is produced using “classic pop sensibilities,” according to the band. The 1975 is currently on tour in Europe but will enter its U.S. tour phase in the spring. The band will be moonlighting on the East coast in May.

To answer the latter question, I read over Etown’s inclement weather policy. It is lenient and vague at best. After bad weather, employees are expected to come onto campus, regardless of lateness. The day continues as any other day. Professors can only cancel class for safety or personal reasons; they also must call their supervisor before doing so. Specifically for closing campus, the policy reads, “No classes are held and all administrative and department offices are closed.” Professors have the necessary space to hold class. I am not sure it is the safest plan of action. Risking the safety of all of the individuals who work on campus is exactly what the College is trying to avoid when campus closes. Even then, Dining Services, Campus Security and other necessary campus services stay open. Thus, those employees still need to drive in the inclement weather. Food and security are essential for campus life, especially for those without families close by or emergencies caused by the weather. I do not like the idea of forcing employees to risk their safety to feed me. I do appreciate that the school is not forcing me to live off of macand-cheese and Ramen noodles for days, though. But when campus is closed, professors do not need to have class. Their required attendance becomes null and void. On the other hand, they can find loopholes in this very lenient policy. Nowhere in the policy does it advise against professors’ holding class on snow days. It also states in the beginning that employees are expected on campus, bad weather or not. However, the safety part should not be ignored, even if exceptions can be found within the wording. I want to make a point to say I

commend the professors who brave the ice and snow to come to campus. Whether it is a normal day, delay or a day during which campus closes, the dedication does not go unnoticed. That being said, I do not think it is appropriate to have class during a snow day. I love to sleep in; to say otherwise would be a blatant lie. Also, I live on campus, making my journey to class less treacherous than others’. To risk falling is incomparable to having a car accident or veering off the road. It is just difficult for me to comprehend what discussion or lecture cannot wait until another day, especially considering the weather we have had lately. The continuous delays/cancellations begin to interfere with class material and due dates —another reason I can understand why professors would want to hold class. Rearranging an entire course parallels the irritation I feel when I continuously fall on my way to the Marketplace or anywhere on campus. I empathize with the frustration that rides along the coattails of winter storms. But my empathy cannot find a way to justify holding classes after the campus has been closed. Things will not always go smoothly. Plans occasionally get cancelled and a new plan-of-action needs to be constructed. This applies to college, too. The work will pile up, some lessons will have to be shortened or deleted, new due dates might conflict with other assignments and that is how it will be. I applaud those professors who try to keep with their schedules. Essentially, they want students to get as much out of the course as they can. That is admirable. I just find that it is in the best interest of professors and students that classes are not held when campus closes due to poor weather.

Opinion

February 13, 2014

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Campus conveniences do not always Chairman of Board of yield expected benefits for community Trustees gives insight into comprehensive fee 2. Heated stairs to library In theory, doesn’t this idea sound spectacular? I couldn’t agree more. Knowing that the research that I am required to do won’t be unavailable because of snow is comforting, especially considering the winter that Etown has been experiencing. Now think about it; it is snowing very heavily, the temperature is only just in the positives and you have a paper due tomorrow. Don’t worry: the library steps are clean of snow and ice. But the entire walk from your dorm room

when I came to college was “Don’t use the vending by SAMANTHA machines.” The option to WEISS use my ID rather than cash opened up the possibility hanges are instituted of getting food, even if I every year as the school have no money. Of course, administration sees fit. In I saw the $200 charges on order to improve the quality my account at the end of of education and life at the semester, so I began to Elizabethtown College, understand my dad’s advice. those changes span all areas Unfortunately, when I do of the school, from education decide that I want something to athletics and everything from the vending machines in between. Without fail, when I’m studying in the these improvements are middle of the night, my card included in the “best of doesn’t read and I can’t get Etown” highlights that are something to eat. It never mentioned during every ends. tour of the College. These 4. Dorm ramps, without elevators The College has been criticized for its lack of accommodations for handicapped and injured students. But the ramps leading to the buildings are an improvement, right? Having handicapped access to the buildings is only the beginning of the solution. They would be useful, if only students u s i n g c r u t c h e s d i d n’t have to swing themselves up t h e s t a i r s b e c au s e there are no elevators. I understand that the cost of such improvements is astronomical, but there must be a middle ground. The accommodations made for these students Photo: Stephen Hajcak fall short of acceptable. Sometimes, innovations that are intended to be helpful fall short of expectations. The minor changes that Heating the High Library steps, shown above, can seem like a trivial accommodation. we re ma d e to c ampus barely satisfy the needs allowing more students to the library isn’t, and the of the students they are features set the College apart from similar schools to use them at all times of snow is still falling. Since trying to aid. I have no doubt that and, hopefully, attract the day. During congested you really need to get this times (i.e. before 12:30 work done, you consider the intentions of those students to the campus. Some of these changes classes), logging on to it, only to realize that most responsible for these and b e t t e r t h e c a m p u s the old computers often of the articles in the library other similar decisions are community greatly, making takes more time than the are available on the library’s always in the best interest necessities more available to work that the students website. Now, after the snow of the students. However, students and faculty. Some use the computers for. has stopped and you are the best intentions don’t of the accommodations that B e s i d e s n o t p r o v i n g headed to the library to do always spawn the best plans. have been made to help the themselves faster than the research you need to Consider this: what could students include access to their older counterparts, get done, no one actually Etown really improve with the library until 1 a.m., 24- the new computers often walks up the center. Most the money spent on the hour access to and added lock students out, report people seem to enter from heated stairs? Or the newresources in the Brossman that a firewall is in place the sides of the building, less-than-useful computers? Student Commons, along and block access. After trekking through the snow Maybe the elevators that with constant improvements t h e h a s s l e o f g e t t i n g rather than taking the extra the dorms desperately need m a d e t o d o r m s a n d a c o m p u t e r, s t u d e n t s three steps to the center or more tools and staff to may spend half an hour aisle. Great in theory doesn’t handle emergency weather classroom buildings. The positive changes typing and retyping their always translate to great in situations for winters like this. The possibilities are endless made to campus are balanced username and password, practice. 3. Swipe card machines for making improvements out by some that have less- only to find that some Some of the most useful that really better the lives of than-satisfactory effects on unidentified firewall is in place. advice my dad gave me Etown students. the College’s population.

These improvements are often beneficial at first glance but frequently fall short of the hype created around them. Recently, many of these ineffectual “ i m p r o v e m e n t s” h a v e gotten plenty of attention. Some of the most noticeable problems that have arisen are connected to the new computers in the BSC, the heated stairs at the library, vending machines that read IDs and the lack of elevators in dorm buildings. 1. New BSC computers The computers were u p d at e d t o b e f a s t e r,

The Etownian Awards 2013 Apple Awards Best Newspaper <5,000 Student Division ASPA - Most Outstanding Newspaper in the U.S. ASPA - First Place with Special Merit Finalists for the Online Pacemaker Award etownian.com featured as a national WordPress showcase SCJ Excellence in Collegiate Journalism Keystone Press Award Second Place for online content

Editorial Policy The Etownian is the student newspaper of Elizabethtown College. All editorial decisions are made by the student editors. With the exception of editorials, opinions presented here are those of quoted sources or signed authors, not of the Etownian or the College. For questions, comments or concerns about a particular section, please contact the section editor at [section-title]editor@ etown.edu. If you have a story idea, suggestion, or if you would like to submit a letter to the editor, please do so to editor@etown.edu.

Student dialogue welcomed and encouraged by Board of Trustees by JAMES SHREINER

o the Editor of the Etownian: As the chairman of the Elizabethtown College Board of Trustees, I am grateful to the editor of the Etownian for providing the venue by which I am able to deliver a message to students on behalf of our Board of Trustees. As many students know by now, the comprehensive fee for the 2014-15 academic year was endorsed by the Board of Trustees at our recent annual winter meeting. This year the comprehensive fee reflects a 4.5 percent increase, which includes tuition charges of $39,920 and standard room and board charges of $9,820. By now, the letters with this

the 2014-15 budget process. He will keep Student Senate apprised as to the status of the budget request. Just as we appreciate the opportunity to meet with students, we routinely collaborate with the president and members of senior staff, always looking for ways to support the College more effectively in its mission and support for students. The Student Affairs Committee of the Board works closely with Dean Marianne Calenda and the student senate president to understand students’ interests and concerns, and this year was no different; it is a big reason I asked for the opportunity to address students via The Etownian. The Board will continue to work with Student Senate and

“This year the comprehensive fee reflects a 4.5 percent increase, which includes tuition charges of $39,920 ... Like you, the members of the Board are extremely concerned with rising tuition costs. When we vote to set fees for the upcoming year, we don’t take that responsibility lightly...” news have probably arrived in your homes, and you may have already had conversations with your parents about the cost of an Elizabethtown College education. Like you, the members of the Board are extremely concerned with rising tuition costs. When we vote to set fees for the upcoming year, we don’t take that responsibility lightly. In fact, many of us vote with great concern, knowing that the increased costs present challenges to some of our students and their families. This year the Board was particularly impressed by the initiative shown by your Student Senate. The student senators represented the student body well at our winter meeting. Members of your Senate presented a compelling letter to the Board encouraging us and members of the administration to evaluate how the College sets the comprehensive fee. On the day this paper is published, President Strikwerda and I will join the Student Senate meeting and respond to questions and address Senate’s suggestions. I am looking forward to an open and frank dialogue with members of Senate. And while there is no guarantee of the outcome of our conversation, I am encouraged that senators made the time on their agenda and am very pleased to have the opportunity to meet with your senators face-to-face. In addition to evaluating the comprehensive fee, Senate encouraged the College to consider an external review of the structure of its meal plans. Vice President of Administration Robert Wallett is also interested in engaging services for an external review and has requested funding through

the Etownian to make ongoing communications with students as robust as possible. Trustees always request, receive and enjoy conversations with students at Board meetings and at other gatherings during the year, like “Into the Streets,” homecoming and Scholarship and Creative Arts Day. You have my commitment, on behalf of the Board, that we will work to increase these contacts and look for ways to ensure that students and trustees know each other’s concerns and understand their shared commitments to the College. In April, President Strikwerda will issue his first comprehensive President’s Report since joining the College. One will be mailed to your home. I encourage you to review the report to get a better sense of the work that is taking place at the College, how it benefits you and, ultimately, how your investment is paying dividends through the academic experience. The real measure of our collective success lies primarily in our students’ post-graduate success. For those of you who are graduating in a few months, whether continuing scholarly work in graduate school, pursuing full-time employment or taking time to continue the service work you may have started at Elizabethtown, I wish you success. You have been well prepared. Returning students, you have the commitment of the trustees that we will continue to welcome open dialogue with the students of our community. Sincerely, James E. Shreiner Chair, Board of Trustees Elizabethtown College

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Sports

February 13, 2014

‘Band of Sisters’ sets sights toward playoff berth in Landmark debut

in Etown athletics...

The men’s basketball team lost a close game with Alvernia University on Saturday, 80-74. The men bounced back on Monday night with an 81-76 victory over visiting Arcadia University before losing to Widener 74-69 on the road yesterday evening. The women’s basketball team lost a heartbreaker on Saturday afternoon when Alvernia hit a last-second layup to win 58-56. The Blue Jays followed up their fourth conference loss with a decisive 80-31 victory over Arcadia on Monday and a 60-53 win over Widener last night. The wrestling team defeated King’s College (Pa.) 27-22 Thursday night in its only home dual match this season. Five wrestlers competed in the Messiah Open on Saturday with sophomores Tim Miranda and Jesse Meaney both placing sixth in their respective weight classes. The men’s track and field team competed at the Seamus McElligott Invitational on Saturday, where three senior Blue Jays posted top-three meet performances. The women’s track and field team also competed at the Invitational on Saturday where senior Monica Loranger took first in the high jump event.

Photo: Athletics Department

Sophomore Keli Krause started 16 games and made 20 appearances during her first-year campaign going 8-8. Krause’s eight wins were tied for first on the team. She also recorded two shutouts during the season.

in the NCAA...

For the second consecutive week, the undefeated Syracuse Orange were the unanimous number one team in the AP Top 25 Poll that was released on Monday. Arizona, Florida, undefeated Wichita State, San Diego State and Villanova remained second through sixth from last week’s poll. Southern Methodist University is ranked for the first time in 30 years, reaching the number 23 ranking. The Mustangs are coached by former 76ers coach Larry Brown. Oklahoma State basketball player Marcus Smart was suspended for three games after shoving a Texas Tech fan during the final seconds of a 65-61 loss on Saturday night. The fan, identified as Texas Tech super fan Jeff Orr, admits to calling Smart “a piece of crap,” which led to Smart shoving him. Smart accused the fan of using racial slurs against him.

in the pros...

The NBA All-Star Weekend kicks off on Friday night in New Orleans. The event-filled weekend culminates in the 63rd annual NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night at 8 p.m. The Detroit Pistons fired head coach Maurice Cheeks on Sunday, ending his 50-game tenure with the team. The Pistons were 21-29 at the time of Cheeks’ departure. During an interview in preparation for the NFL Draft, former Missouri All-American defensive lineman Michael Sam announced that he is gay. Sam was the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year this past season and, if drafted, will be the first openly gay player in the history of the NFL. The 2014 Winter Olympics officially began on Friday with the Opening Ceremony in Sochi, Russia. The Games will run until Feb. 23.

by BRIAN LUKACSY

he Elizabethtown College women’s softball team fell one game short of making the Commonwealth Conference Playoffs last season. “Last season, we were so close we could taste it, and I think that taste is still fresh going into this season,” junior outfielder Kaylee Werner said. “As a team, we have created goals for this season that I believe will be achieved with each person’s hard work and dedication.” The Blue Jays (20-18, 8-10 CC) finished in a tie for fifth place with Stevenson University, but the Mustangs earned the final playoff spot by way of a tiebreaker. The 20-win season was Etown’s second straight — a sign of consistency and growth for the program. Head Coach Kathy Staib’s expectations for her squad are straightforward: “Simply to compete each and every day to the best of our ability,” Staib said. Entering her 11th season as head coach of the Blue Jays, Staib has led the program to four playoff berths in the past seven seasons. Etown finished their season winning eight of their last 12 games, including six wins in a row, putting them in position for that final playoff spot. After losing the core group of that 20-win team to graduation, Staib will look toward each and every player to take responsibility this season. “Unlike other years, it’s our hope that each of our current roster of players steps up into a leadership role. We don’t place any more or less on any one player,” Staib said. “All are expected to lead in their own way.” Werner was a big contributor for last year’s squad, hitting for a .359 average and leading the team in home runs

(6), RBIs (29) and doubles (9). Werner was the everyday right fielder for Staib, starting all 38 games for the Blue Jays. She was named Commonwealth Conference Player of the Week in April and took home Honorable Mention for the conference at the season’s end. “As a player, I am always growing, mentally and physically,” Werner said. “My goal is to lead by example and inspire my teammates to work harder and want to be even better than they already are.” This season will be the Blue Jays first as a member of the Landmark Conference. Etown opens conference play at Juniata College on March 18. The two teams will play a doubleheader with game one starting at 3 p.m. and game two scheduled to start at 5 p.m. The Blue Jays will maintain some old Commonwealth Conference rivalries with doubleheaders against Lebanon Valley, Messiah, Albright and Lycoming. “Logistically, it makes sense to continue to play LVC, Messiah and Albright due to their close proximity to our campus. We added York and F&M for the same reason,” Staib said. “Our goal was to help our student-athletes miss less class time by scheduling opponents closer to our campus.” The last two seasons are in the past, but this Blue Jay team will draw motivation from the program’s recent success. “As far as comparing last season to this season, it is hard to portray what will happen for sure,” Werner said. “However, I can say with the utmost confidence that this team is willing to do whatever it takes to win together. We are a ‘Band of Sisters’ that won’t take no for an answer.” As Werner put it, “Hopes are high and so is our energy. Motivation is not lacking for this Blue Jay Team.”

Men’s basketball finds win against Arcadia in rescheduled game

by ADAM MOORE

he Elizabethtown College men’s basketball team is in the midst of a battle for the final position in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) playoffs. The team began this push this past weekend when it took on Alvernia University at Thompson Gymnasium. Despite the Blue Jays’ best effort, the Crusaders were too much to handle, defeating Etown 80-74. Senior Ryan Borzager scored a career-high nine points coming off the bench in the first half. The captain hit all three of his threepoint attempts during the half. Junior Phil Wenger, not to be outdone, matched Borzager’s point total with nine. By game’s end, Wenger notched 13 points. Senior Andrew Mantz, who ended the game with nine points, tipped in an errant shot at the buzzer to give the Blue Jays a first half lead heading into the locker rooms. The conference rivals came out ready to play in the second half as the teams swapped leads throughout the period. In total, there were eight lead changes in the half. Unfortunately for the Blue Jays, the final lead change belonged to the Crusaders.

Alvernia’s Khalil Bennett hit a pair of threes to regain a lead that they would never relinquish. When the final whistle blew, Bennett totaled 27 points to lead all scorers. Remarkably, all five starters for the Crusaders finished in double figures for Alvernia. The Blue Jays had little time to regroup, as they were back on the court Monday when they took on yet another conference opponent in Arcadia University. The game came down to the final minutes, with Etown eventually pulling out the nail-biter, 81-76. Led by junior Lee Eckert’s teamhigh 22 points, the Blue Jays were able to pull away from the Knights in the waning minutes of play. This was the fourth time this season that Eckert hit the 20-point plateau in a game. The game seemed to be well in hand entering the second half for Etown, until Arcadia began to drain three-pointers. The Knights scored 15 straight points of these shots to get within three of the home team. Determined to end their fourgame losing streak and keep their playoff hopes alive, the Blue Jays hunkered down on defense, denying the Knights the lead. This was the

third time in school history that Etown swept Acadia since joining the MAC. Eckert hit a layup with just under a minute to go, securing an Etown victory. In total, four Blue Jays scored in double figures, including Eckert, Wenger, Mantz and senior captain Joe Schwalm. Mantz also

recorded his sixth double-double of the season, tying his career high he set during his sophomore campaign. The Blue Jays then traveled to Widener University last night in an attempt to start their first winning streak since early December. The Pride led Etown by one at halftime before outscoring them

by four in the second half to grab a 74-69 victory. The Blue Jays were led by junior Will Schlosser who scored 18 points on six three-pointers. Eckert scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds. Wenger scored six points and dished out nine assists in the loss.

Photo: David Sinclair

Junior Tyler Simpkiss drives by his defender and scores two points in a game earlier this season. The men’s basketball team fell last night on the road against in-conference rival Widener University, 74-69.

Sports

February 13, 2014

page 11

Baseball prepares to rebound from disappointing season

Gable, Blue Jays set to compete in team’s final season in Middle Atlantic Conference by MATT SHANK

he Elizabethtown College baseball team is preparing for a new season and the last playing in the Middle Atlantic Conference’s Commonwealth Conference before Etown makes a move to the Landmark Conference in the fall. The Blue Jays look to improve on their 17-22 (10-11 CC) record in 2013, which gave them a season finish of sixth place in the Commonwealth Conference, a game behind Messiah College, who finished with an 11-10 conference record. The Blue Jays are coming off a good defensive 2013 season. They finished with a team in-conference fielding percentage of .954, and they allowed the second least number of runs in the conference, second only to Alvernia University, who finished the season with a conference record of 18-3. Etown also hit its way to a .304 batting average in 2013, the third best in the conference. The Blue Jays will look to keep their batting averages up. The team will also have a new look this season. Last year nine seniors graduated. One former player the Jays will certainly miss is catcher and designated hitter Dillon Tagle. Tagle started every game in 2013 for the Blue Jays and finished the season with a .357 batting average. He led the team in runs batted in and on-base percentages. He finished at or near the top of nearly every offensive category. Before leaving Etown, he

also left a mark on the record books. Tagle holds the career doubles record at Etown (57), sits at second in career hits (185) and is tied for third in games played (154). Fifth-year senior shortstop Kyle Gable currently holds the fourth spot on the career stolen bases list at Etown with 60. Last season, Gable was able to successfully steal 22 bases on 26 attempts. If he repeats the same kind of production in 2014, he will jump into second in career steals at Etown. It was not just on the base path that Gable excelled in 2013. He led the team with 143 at-bats, ending the season with an overall batting average of .378 and a conference batting average of .404, which was good for second best in the Commonwealth Conference. Head Coach Cliff Smith will begin his eighth season at Etown. He has coached the Blue Jays to a 158-124 record in his time at the helm. He led the Blue Jays to conference titles and NCAA tournament appearances in 2007 and 2009. He has also coached the team to five 20-win seasons in his seven seasons at Etown, and in 2010, he became the fastest coach to win 100 games in the program’s 80-year history. Smith looks to battle back in 2014 from the lowest win percentage of his head coaching career (.436). “While we did lose a fairly large group of seniors, we played a lot of younger guys last year. The core of our roster is in the first and second-year groups (25 players in those two classes). We are excited to get a healthy

Photo: Athletics Department

The Elizabethtown College baseball team will look to rebound after a disappointing 2013 campaign. The Blue Jays ended with a 17-22 record (10-11 in conference).

Alex Holbert back, and Taras Letnauchyn is back after taking a year off,” Smith said. “We will need our young players to make strides, and through our first two weeks, I am very happy with their level of strength and conditioning. A number of guys are noticeably stronger, and I am hopeful they are ready to play a significant amount.” Jan. 19 marked the first of Smith’s winter baseball camps this year. The winter camps are for youths ages 6-18 and are run every year by Smith, the assistant coaches and various Etown baseball players. This year, the camps have taken place every Sunday

Women’s basketball sits in tie for second place in conference after beating Widener

beginning on Jan. 19 and they will wrap up this Sunday. The focus of the camps is to develop proper baseball mechanics and build strong work ethics and sportsmanship. The Blue Jays will kick off the 2014 season with a doubleheader against Dickinson College in New Market, Va. on Feb. 22 before heading to Fort Pierce, Fla. during spring break for a series of nine games against various opponents. The team will return to Etown for a home-opener against York College at Kevin Scott Boyd Stadium on March 11. Etown will host archrival Messiah College on April 11.

Olympic games in full swing as Team USA goes for gold by ADAM MOORE

Photo: Athletics Department

Senior captain Taylor Kreider scored her 1,000th point in the Blue Jays victory over Arcadia University on Monday, 8031. Etown will be back on the court in Thompson Gymnasium when they take on Hood College on Saturday at 1 p.m.

by BRIAN LUKACSY

he Elizabethtown College women’s basketball team came into this week with a four-way tie for first place in the Commonwealth Conference. In their last four games, the Blue Jays faced the three teams that share the top spot in the standings. Etown went 2-1 in those three games, defeating Stevenson University and Lebanon Valley College. The Blue Jays welcomed conference foe Alvernia University to Thompson Gymnasium on Saturday. Etown defeated the Crusaders (6-12, 2-10 CC) back on Jan. 18, 70-59. This time around, Alvernia played spoiler, taking advantage of a poor shooting afternoon by the Blue Jays. Etown shot just 29.7 percent (22-74) from the field and 40.9 percent (9-22) from the free throw line, yet they were in the game until the final buzzer. An Alvernia basket by Tyra Roberts with 6:38 remaining in the first half gave the Crusaders a 15-13 advantage. Etown was never able to grab the lead from the Crusaders from that point on, falling behind by as many as 10 points midway through the second half. With only eight seconds remaining on the game clock, sophomore guard Rachel Forjan drained a game-tying three pointer. Overtime seemed evident, but Alvernia inbounded the ball quickly and found Roberts on the low post for the game-winning layup as time expired. The Crusaders 58-56 victory was just their third in conference play. “It was definitely a heartbreaker,” junior center Emily Young said. “We worked really hard for our win against LVC, so to have a game come down to the end like that and be on the losing end, it was hard to take.” Senior guard/forward Taylor Kreider finished with a game-high 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds; her 10th double-double of the season. Senior guard Kendra Beittel played all but one minute of the game and registered 10 points. First-year forward Emily Martin pulled down 11

rebounds to go along with her five points. The loss dropped the Blue Jays to fourth in the conference standings. On Monday evening, Arcadia University (10-10, 4-9 CC) visited Etown for a game that was originally scheduled for Feb. 5 but was postponed due to inclement weather. The Blue Jays took complete control of the game from the start, going on an early 12-0 run to lead 22-7. The run was sparked by a layup from Kreider, which gave her over 1,000 points for her career. Play was stopped for a moment to acknowledge the senior’s accomplishment. Kreider is the 24th player in the program’s history to reach the milestone. She finished the contest with 20 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. By halftime, the Blue Jays had opened up a 22-point advantage over the Crusaders, but they were far from done. “We wanted to come out strong like we do every game, but knowing that they beat us the first time around, we wanted to pick up our intensity and pressure and keep our focus high all game,” Young said. The Blue Jays opened up the second 20-minute session with a blistering 23-0 run to push the lead up to 45 with 13:35 in the game. Etown had three other players reach double-digit scoring aside from Kreider. Forjan hit two of her three shots from behind the arc for 16 points, Beittel went for 10 points and four steals and Young scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Martin and junior Taylor Alwine each pulled down eight boards, helping the Blue Jays out-rebound the Crusaders 52-31. Last night, Etown traveled to Widener University and picked up a big road win, 60-53. Forjan led the Blue Jays with 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Kreider finished with 13 points and nine rebounds while Young chipped in 10 points in the victory. With the win, the Blue Jays are now tied for second place in the conference standings.

fter day five at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, the United States has totaled nine medals during competition: three gold, one silver and five bronze. This puts Team USA fourth in medal totals behind Norway, Canada and the Netherlands. Despite the lack of hardware, Team USA has already had some remarkable victories during the games. On the first day of the games, 20-year-old American snowboarder Sage Kotsenburg defied the odds to win the gold in the inaugural slope style event. The United States later swept the event when four-time X Games champion Jamie Anderson won in the women’s category. Seven of Anderson’s eight siblings were in attendance to see the 23-year-old win the gold. Julia Mancuso became the latest American to win a medal in an alpine event, winning the bronze medal on Monday. This was the 29-year-old’s fourth career Olympic medal. This is twice as many as any other Team USA woman has won. With the medal, Mancuso joins the likes of Bonnie Blair and Apolo Ohno as the only American Winter Olympians to win individual medals in three straight games. Despite Shaun White’s fourth place finish in the men’s halfpipe, the U.S. regained some confidence as Kaitlyn Farrington took gold in the women’s halfpipe competition yesterday. American teammate Kelly Clark managed to win the bronze medal in the event despite smacking into the wall during her first run in the finals. The U.S. Women’s Hockey Team is primed and ready for the semifinals of competition after two blowout victories in the group stage of competition. In its first two games, Team USA outscored its opponents 12 to one. Team USA then took on Canada in the prelude to the semifinals, with a 3-2 loss against its neighbors from the north. One of the more highly anticipated event to begin is Men’s hockey as Team USA is primed to avenge its loss in the gold medal game to Canada at the 2010 Vancouver games. The U.S. men will begin group play today when they take on Slovakia at 7:30 a.m.

Photo: USA Today

Snowboarder Sage Kotsenburg earned the USA’s first gold medal of the games when he won the men’s slope style.

Sports

page 12

February 13, 2014

Alumna returns to coach Rever leads Blue Jays to top finishes Blue Jay volleyball program at Seamus McElligot Invitational Agnew, Hutchinson join staff

Photo: Athletics Department

Crystal Agnew will return to her alma mater next fall as an assistant coach for the women’s volleyball team under Head Coach Randall Kreider.

by KARLEY ICE

he Elizabethtown C ollege wom e n’s vol l e y b a l l He a d Coach Randall Kreider announced Jan. 29 that Terry Hutchinson and Crystal Agnew will be joining the program as assistant coaches this spring. Terry Hutchinson is a sports performance trainer and volleyball instructor at Spooky Nook Sports in Manheim, Pa. Hutchins on became involved with the Blue Jays during the Fall 2013 season as their sports performance trainer. His role on the coaching staff for the team will concentrate on defense and blocking, and he will continue his role of sports performance training. “Hutch brings a wealth of playing experience and knowledge gleaned from the game’s best coaches,” Kreider said.

“Hutch brings a wealth of playing experience and knowledge gleaned from the game’s best coaches.” ~ Randall Kreider Hutchinson played volleyball at East Stroudsburg University, and in 1995 he was selected to the U.S. Olympic Festival, a part of the U.S. National Team training program. Hutchinson coached four years at Manheim Township High School, and this will be his tenth year as a club volleyball coach. Last year, Hutchinson, was an assistant coach for Franklin and Marshall College, a team that the Blue Jays will face early in their 2014 season. The upcoming season will be Hutchinson’s second year coaching at the collegiate level. He is excited about the chance to take the Blue Jays to the next level as a team and to take them to the Landmark Conference finals. “I’ve known and trusted Randall for a long time, so I think it’s a good opportunity for me to grow as a college level coach, learn from him and fill a niche that he was looking for,” Hutchinson said.

Cr ystal Agnew is an Etown alumna originally from Queensbury, N.Y. Agnew went through the Etown volleyball program, led by Kreider, as a setter and graduated from Etown in 2011 with a degree in mathematics and a minor in secondar y education. During her Etown volleyball career, she received Second Team All-Commonwealth Conference Honors in 2009 and 2010. She currently teaches algebra at Hempfield High School. She received her graduate degree in education in December 2013. In the past, Agnew volunteered as a coach at the middle school and high school level. “I’m very excited to get to know the girls on the team and support them in their journey through college,” Agnew said. Her role as a part of the coaching staff will concentrate on setter training and team fundraising. “I was very excited to have Crystal aboard, as she is very well tuned with our goals and expectations for the setter position,” Kreider said. Former Assistant Coach Gary Kreider retired after coaching for 10 years for the Blue Jays. “Uncle Gary has provided calm mentorship for our Blue Jay team over the past 10 years,” Kreider said. “Uncle Gary’s hidden value has always been as a true sounding board for me in just about every decision we’ve made.” Gar y is called Uncle Gary by many because he is Randall Kreider’s uncle. Kre i d e r w a s s e arc h i ng for certain characteristics he would lo ok for w hen adding to t he coaching staff. Kreider searched for people who would engage with the team, who would be available to commit to being at practices and games and who had experience playing and coaching volleyball at a high level. “I wanted a coach or coaches that could complement my strengths and offset any weaknesses,” Kreider said. “In sports, as well as in life, it’s helpful to surround yourself with great people and I think we’ve done that with this staff.” The women’s volleyball team and its coaches are ready to enter the Landmark Conference with confidence and intensity. Kreider is confident in his team and the ne w coaches. “B oth assistant coaches will be able to help push this team to new heights,” Kreider said.

Feb. 14 @ Messiah @ The SU Invitational @ MAC

Championships

Feb. 15 @ MAC

Championships

M/W Bball vs. Hood

by AMANDA ROBERTSON This past weekend, the Elizabethtown College men and women’s track and field teams competed at the Seamus McElligot Invitational at Haverford College. Senior Matt Rever raced the 800-meter in a time of 1:55.52, which gave him second place, .36 seconds behind the first place runner. Senior Lucas Dayhoff also walked away with second place overall on Saturday in shot put with a throw at 13.82m (45’4-1/4”). Senior Kevin Brady competed in pole vault and the 60-meter hurdles on Saturday. He jumped 4.40m (14’5-1/4”) in pole vault, which gave him second place overall. Kevin Clark, a 2008 alumnus, took first place in pole vault jumping 4.55m (14’11”). Brady ran an 8.98 in the 60-meter hurdles giving him fourth place overall. First-year Max Mahan earned himself a spot on the indoor top ten list this weekend, jumping 1.90m (6’23/4”) in high jump. He also competed in long jump and took third overall on Saturday with a height of 5.85m (192’2-1/2”). Sophomores Matt Shenk and Zach Trama both competed in the 5k. Shenk’s performance of 15:13.77 gave him fifth overall on Saturday, and bumped him up to eighth on the all-time list. Trama finished in 15:16.42, Photo: Athletics Department which kept him in 10th place on the top 10 list in the 5k and gave him eighth place overall on Saturday. Junior Matt Rever raced to a second place finish in the 800-meter Dan Gresh finished the 5k in 15:25.21 giving him a top at the Seamus McElligot Invitational on Saturday. 10 spot on Saturday. Junior Amelia Tearnan ran a new personal record on Senior Monica Loranger had a successful perforSaturday in the 800-meter with a time of 2:32.02, and mance on Saturday, taking first place in high jump with a height of 1.52m (4’11-3/4”). First-year Amanda Porter is now sixth place on the all-time list. First-year Alexis walked away with second place in shot put with a throw Groce ran 2:23.73 and is ninth on the indoor top ten list. First-year Brianna Earnshaw competed in the mile of 11.04m (36’2-3/4”) and senior Eileen Kroszner took first with a throw of 11.02m (36’2), which was also a and finished with a time of 5:30.46 with Kerno right benew personal record. This throw landed her third on the hind with a time of 5:37.92. First-year Kelsey Detweiler program’s all-time list. First-year Rebecca Korsen threw ran the 200-meter dash in 27.85 giving her a sixth place 8.41 m (27’7-1/4”) which gave her ninth place overall. finish. “We are in a good spot and are looking strong as Senior Traci Tempone ran the 5k in 18:04.10 landing we head into the conference championships in a few her second place overall. Senior Amanda Kerno finished weeks,” Loranger said. The men and women’s track teams will be competing in 18:23.12 giving her a fifth place finish, and senior Megan Tursi crossed the finish line at 18:39.52, which again in Selinsgrove, Pa. at the Susquehanna Invitational this Saturday. landed her eighth overall.

Athlete of the Week Phil wenger by ADAM MOORE Phil Wenger has continued to impress during his junior campaign in a Blue Jays uniform. The captain has played a large role in the Blue Jays’ last couple of games, scoring 22 points and dishing out 14 assists in the contests. Earlier in the season, Wenger hit a game-winning shot to defeat in-conference opponent Stevenson University.

Photo: Athletics Department

Major:

Favorite place to visit:

Business Administration - Finance

Woodstown, N.J.

Hometown:

In 10 years, I want to be …

Lancaster, Pa.

A financial advisor

Favorite athlete/sports team:

Favorite Etown Memory:

Etown’s men’s basketball team

Hitting the game-winning shot against Stevenson

Favorite Jay’s Nest item:

Greatest Etown accomplishment:

Egg Jay

Favorite movie:

“Remember the Titans”

Winning the 2014 Hanover Street FIFA Tournament with Matt Lane

Miley Cyrus

Three

I started playing basketball at age...

Favorite musician/band:

Feb. 16

Feb. 17

Feb. 18 M/W Bball @ Stevenson

Feb. 19

Feb. 20