ID Magazine | Fall 2016

Life of Robert A day in the life of Simpson’s biggest personality

FALL 2016

FALL 2016

Love under the maple leaves The story behind SC’s cutest couples

Art in

motion A look at some of Simpson’s most passionate talents in action

Want to join the Simpson Student Media team?

THE SIMPSONIAN

Now seeking writers, designers, photographers and much else for the spring semester. Contact us online : Twitter @IDMagSC @SimpsonianSC @KSTMFM

Facebook ID Magazine SC The Simpsonian 88.9 The Storm

A NOTE FROM THE

editor A

s the semester comes to a close, I am reminded of all the wild times that ensued and the people that have made my Simpson experience worthwhile. It is the people I have met along the way that have made these last four years memorable every step of the way.

Our magazine is an attempt to profile the madness that was the last few months through the individuals who walk this campus. You can see that in the couples who found each other through this school. You can see that in the friendships we’ve made. Friends like Robert Lyons who greets everyone from the president to his roommate with a handshake or a hug and a smile. You can even see that through the way we made sense of the wildest election in our lifetimes.

Lastly, we wanted to showcase the passion of students who put their heart and soul into their activities in “Art in Motion.” Welcome to this fall’s edition of ID Magazine. We hope you enjoy it.

ID MAGAZINE Editor-in-Chief Blake Willadsen

Photography Editor Jayde Vogeler

Advertising Manager Olivia Samples

Copy Editor Gina Reiman

Photography Jayde Vogeler Maddy Hermon Jessie Gronke

Art & Design Blake Willadsen Jonathan Facio Kylee Mullen Jayde Vogeler

Special Thanks: Mark Siebert

Copyright © 2016 ID Magazine is created and produced by students at Simpson College. Opinions stated or implied by the magazine are those of the students involved and are not approved or endorsed by Simpson College no material may be reproduced without written permission. send all comments, questions and concerns to idmagazine@simpson.edu

Blake Willadsen Editor-in-Chief

Editorial Philosophy: ID Magazine is a publication created for Simpson Students. Our main goal is to share the many personalities of our student body and voice some of our perspectives in regards to the world around us. We want to maintain an aesthetic that appeals to our young people. Of course we want to be taken seriously, but this is not your mother’s magazine.

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Editorial staff ashley smith Simpson votes | pg. 20-23

ashley Dalsing

Jonathan facio

Medical marijuana and the fight to legalize in the hawkeye state | pg 13-15

pfeiff hacks | pg. 6

kylee mullen

Erich bogner The perfect car for a college kid | pg. 10-12

Grilled sandwich recipes | pg. 7

madi wilson

laura wiersema

Life of Robert | pg. 16-19

finding love under the maple leaves | pg. 30-34

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what’s inside quick and fun pfeiff hacks | pg. 6 Grilled sandwich recipes | pg. 7 How not to freeze 101 | Pg. 8-9

Food for thought The perfect car for a college kid | pg. 10-12 Medical marijuana and the fight to legalize in the hawkeye state | pg 13-15

Spotlight on Simpson Life of Robert | pg. 16-19 Simpson votes | pg. 20-23 art in motion | pg. 24-29 finding love under the maple leaves | pg. 30-34

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quick and fun stories and design by Johnathan Facio

PfEiff commandments What is the meaning of Pfeiff? While many cast it aside and accept this as their reality, there are ways you can make the most out of it. That way the next time you check the clock around dinner time, you, too, will ecstatically exclaim, “It’s Pfeiff O’Clock!”.

I. Thou shalt not take the

presence of the microwave in vain Although the sign states that it should be only used by those with allergies, unless you’re heating up peanut butter, it’s probably safe to use. Defrost those frozen fruits, if you have a microwave veggie steamer, go ahead and bring it to get in those five servings a day.

II. Ask and you shall receive,

if you are polite

If there’s something you feel would be a popular and tasty edition to the current Pfeiff-uation, find your nearest SGA member. Butter them up a little bit, and ask them to bring it up at the next meeting. If there’s something in Pfeiff that you would like more of, or some other accommodation, kindly ask one of the hard-working Sodexo staff members.

Instead of having noodles with your stir-fried veggies and meat, ask for it to be placed in a flour tortillas. It helps to switch things up a little.

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III. Keep the Pfeiff hours

holy

If possible, always try to get there around the time they open. That’s usually when everything is fresh and in abundance.

If you don’t see something that’s usually there (e.g. spinach), see Pfeiff-mandment II.

Oh Snap!

Our favorite snappers this fall

The Snapper: Khadi Don Username: papidonnn A Twitter, Snapchat and YouTube comedian, Don’s snap stories are either a glimpse into her life or wildly funny things she decides to do.

IV. Thou shalt not steal, only

borrow

There are moments for every college student when the struggle becomes real; very, very real. If you don’t have a fork, spoon or mug in your dorm room and you can’t find one, just discretely borrow one from the dining hall. Employ the 24hour rule, bring it back within 24 hours.

If you bring it back before then, you’re golden. That’s not even long enough to file a missing person report— on most cop shows anyway.

V. Honor the staples of Pfeiff If you don’t know what to do, remember that Pfeiff offers the salad bar, pizza and desserts.

The Snapper: Wiz Khalifa Username: khalifathecap Wiz Khalifa offers an elevated view into the life of a rapper - also his son is adorable.

The Snapper: Anonymous Username: runningwaterh2o This account posts stories of exactly what it sounds like - running water.

It’s incredibly soothing.

Going beyond the

GRILLED CHEESE story and design by Kylee Mullen

Almost everyone loves a warm, gooey grilled cheese sandwich, cut diagonally, with a side of tomato soup.

Did you know, though, that there are other ways of making this favorite? Here are some unique spins to the classic that everyone can enjoy!

Elvis Presley

Pepperoni PIZZA

Instructions: Spread the peanut butter on one slice of bread and the mashed banana on the other. Place bacon in between and press the slices gently together. Melt the butter over low heat in a small frying pan. Place the sandwich in the pan and fry until golden brown on both sides.

What you need: 2 slices white bread 2 tablespoons peanut butter 4 slices of bacon 1 small banana mashed 2 tablespoons butter

BREAKFAST Instructions: Spread butter on both sides of the bread.

Grill one side of each slice until golden brown and flip. Layer half of the cheese, cooked egg, optional meat, and other toppings as desired.

Place remainder of cheese on top and press both slices of bread together. Cook until the first side is golden brown, flip, and cook the other side until cheese is fully melted.

Dip in gravy for additional flavor!

What you need: Cheese (1 cup shredded or 4 slices) Sausage, bacon or ham Eggs Other toppings if desired

Instructions: Spread butter on the outside of each slice of bread. Spread tomato sauce on the non-buttered sides and top with half of the mozzarella, pepperoni, other toppings (fully cooked) and remaining cheese. Close sandwich with the buttered sides facing outwards. Place sandwich in pan and cook until both sides are golden brown and cheese is fully melted.

What you need: 2 slices of white bread 3 tablespoons tomato sauce

4 tablespoons shredded mozzarella 6 slices pepperoni Other toppings if desired

Instructions: Combine butter and garlic powder, then spread on both sides of the bread. Place each slice on a pan, and cook the first side until golden brown. Flip.

Place sliced cheese on one slice of bread, followed by ½ - 1 cup of heated, prepared spaghetti. Finish with 2 more slices of cheese. Place second bread on top with the toasted side down.

Flip sandwich and cook until both sides are golden brown and cheese is fully melted.

Spaghetti and Garlic Toast 7

What you need: Prepared, heated spaghetti 2 slices of white bread

1 tablespoon of butter Dash of garlic powder 4 slices of cheese

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Finds not of the how toSeason: freeze 101 Story and design by Jayde Vogeler

workedwith withthetheStorm Simpson Holy Grounds Coffee WeWeworked Cellarbookstore and Holyand Grounds to show off Shopoftothe show off some of the coolest simpson outseason. there this some coolest Simpson gear out there this gear holiday holiday season.

Various Simpson College Stocking Caps $28 | One Size

Simpson College Ugly Christmas Sweater $34 | XS-2XL

Simpson College Sweatshirt Blanket $36 | Also in Gray

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1

Simpson College Christmas Mug $10.95 | 15 oz.

Holiday Packaged Ground Coffee $8-$10 | Various sizes Holy Grounds Travel Mug $5 | 16 oz.

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The perfect car for a college kid Photos and story by Erich Bogner

Design by Blake Willadsen

Ryan McAtee’s 1981 Camaro Z-28.

W

hen a kid gets their first car, it’s theirs and they have the freedom to do what they want with it. Some get under the hood and fix it up, some personalize the car with speakers and lights, and some just drive their friends to Taco Bell.

The key to finding the perfect car is finding the right kind of car for your current lifestyle. For example, a middle-aged stockbroker might have European luxury sedan, while a farmer is more likely to drive a truck. The car best suited for a college kid is much harder to pin down.

A car for a student has to wear many hats. As a college kid, you’re driving to school from home with everything you own, paying thousands of dollars a year to attend school, you have friends that like to carpool and you are irresponsible. As painful as it is to admit, and this is a spoiler, a Porsche 911 is not the perfect car

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for a college kid.

ID spoke to three students about their cars and realized that the average college kid doesn’t drive the ideal car.

Teig Loge is the proud owner of a red 1998 Nissan 200SX (Nissan Lucino in other countries).

“The previous owner only drove the car to church and the grocery store,” Loge said. “And so when I got it, it only had 50,000 miles on it and was in really good condition for how old the car was.”

Loge got the car as a junior in high school, after a while he and his brother, Tre, started to customize it. They started by adding a radio and speakers, then added a sub-woofer. Over five or six years, Loge replaced all of the sound equipment with higher-quality equipment.

He used to have LED lights in the car, but removed them a while back. At one point, someone hit his car with a golf cart but nobody confessed, so Loge

had to fix the trim himself since he didn’t want to pay for someone to fix it.

“I wish it wasn’t a four-cylinder. It doesn’t have the getup and go I’d like. My brother always brags that he has a six-cylinder and he can beat me off the line.” Loge said.

Besides having a small engine, he said the car is great for a college kid. It gets around 30 miles to the gallon and he

Clark Bogner’s 1974 Mercedes-Benz 280.

hasn’t had any major problems so far.

After college, Loge said he wants to keep the car and drive it until it’s “gone kerplunk”. It currently has less than 100,000 miles and doesn’t have anything wrong with it.

Changing gears to sophomore Clark Bogner’s 1974 baby blue Mercedes-Benz 280. Bogner got the Mercedes from Concord Motorsports in New Hampshire during his senior year of high school. He and his dad and drove to the Indianapolis airport, and then flew to New Hampshire to pick it up. After that they drove back to Indianapolis to pick up the car they had left at the airport and drove them both home.

“I love the way it feels when it goes around corners.

It just feels like the car glides instead of turning, and it just looks really good,” Bogner said.

A 1974 Mercedes isn’t always the most practical car in general. Bogner said he has problems with the air conditioning, the car doesn’t always start, it sometimes stalls at stops and the windows are hard to roll down.

Aside from those issues, you’ll run into with an older car, he thinks it is a pretty good car for a college kid. It gets decent gas mileage, is comfortable and gets him from point A to point B. Bogner thinks the perfect car for someone in college is a Toyota Avalon, because they are a little bigger and nicer than Camrys, but are still reliable and affordable when used.

Loge thriftily modified his Nissan. One of the biggest improvements was the Rockford Fosgate subwoofer.

Bogner’s 1974 Mercedes features a carbureted 2.8-liter inline six engine that produced 156 horsepower when new.

The least college friendly, but fastest of the three, is a 1981 Camaro Z-28, owned by junior Ryan McAtee.

“My dad bought it in ’82 and drove it until 1995 when my mom got pregnant with me.

When that happened, he put it in the barn and then my sophomore year of high school he told me if I wanted the car I could have it as long as I put all the money into it. Then we restored it,” McAtee said.

He and his dad rebuilt the motor and transmission, redid the interior and gave it a new paint job.

Despite the pristine condition of the car, McAtee said his Camaro is not a good car for college kids.

“It gets about 9 mpg, and I guess kids nowadays don’t appreciate nice things,” McAtee said. “The perfect car is a car that’s not too nice. Maybe a mid-2000s Chevy or Ford. It’s not perfect, but it’s a nice car that will get you 25-30 mpg.”

1981 was the last model year of the second-generation Camaros and has a 5.7-liter V8. When new, they had 185 horsepower, but since McAtee rebuilt the engine, his Camaro has about 400 horsepower.

Keeping in mind that need and want are two different things, the perfect college car needs to be a balance

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of reliability, space, price and fuel economy.

The Volkswagen Jetta and Honda Civic are available in 1990s model years with seating for five, 25-30 miles per gallon and Kelly Blue Book values both of them below $5,000 in good condition. Between the two, Civics tend to have lower maintenance costs, which would be better for a college student.

An example of this is a 1987 Civic owned

by Brock Rodgers. He said he bought it from a lady that only drove it to church. And Rodgers bought it cheap. ’87 Civics have a 1.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine that produces 76 horsepower. Rodgers’ car is a sedan with seating for five, but also came as more practical hatchbacks. It gets 26 mpg and is front-wheel drive, so it will hold its own in the snow.

This Civic has over 100,000 miles on it, but Rodgers is confident it will run well beyond that. Don’t let age or mileage scare you away, Honda is known for making very reliable cars, and the Civics of the 80s and 90s helped give Honda that reputation.

No, a Honda isn’t anything special. They’re kind of boring cars with smaller engines and conservative styling, but they get good gas mileage, are somewhat spacious and you can count on them to start day after day. Perfect for any college student.

Medical marijuana and the fight to legalize in the hawkeye state story by Ashley dalsing | Design by blake willadsen

27.

Twenty-seven.

According to Pew Research, marijuana is now legal or decriminalized in 27 states and the District of Columbia.

Although there have been tremendous strides in the legalization of recreational and medical cannabis, there are still 23 states keeping medical and recreational marijuana use illegal—Iowa is one of those 23 states.

Nearly 117 million people have had one or more chronic health conditions according to CDC.gov.

One-hundred seventeen million— meaning about half of all adults in the nation. This means 117 million people are enduring daily treatments specific to their illness.

Many patients endure the mental,

physical and emotional pain of chemotherapy and radiation treatments on a daily basis. While all illnesses may not require chemotheraphy and radiation treatment, they are undergoing surgeries and take several prescription medications each day, which can ultimately lead to misuse or overdoses.

Although many patients have seen success in such treatments, there are several who have not experienced the same success.

Cue the ongoing debate regarding t h e legalization of medical cannabis.

There has been a lot of buzz and attention within the state to legalize medical marijuana since

many patients have seen tremendous improvement with easing pain and even helping cure their chronic illnesses, especially within the state of Iowa.

According to a Gallup Poll in October, nationwide support for legalization of recreational marijuana is at 60 percent -— the highest it’s ever been.

On Nov. 8, California, Massachusetts and Nevada legalized marijuana in what advocates said was a reflection on the country’s changing attitude towards the drug.

Before the election, recreational marijuana was legal in four states: Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington as well as the District

Q&A of Columbia.

California legalizing recreational marijuana use could potentially grab the attention of other states who have not yet legalized.

Many families and advocates for the legalization of medical cannabis within the state of Iowa have to cross state lines to gain access to medical marijuana for their loved ones.

“As a mother, I would consider medical marijuana as a healing alternative for my children, if it were legal, prescribed by our family physician and used as directed,” said Cosette Clendenen, former member of the National Guard and Simpson student.

“I definitely see the benefits of it as a natural alternative,” she said.

This natural alternative would help individuals like Aimee Loats, senior biology major, who has suffered from Crohn’s disease most of her life.

Aimee is very open about her struggles in dealing with this disease and even has become an active advocate for the use of medical cannabis and its legalization within the state of Iowa.

ID spoke with Loats to get a better understanding of her use of medical cannabis and its effects in coping with her Crohn’s disease.

How long have you been using medical cannabis?

I’ve only had the opportunity to try samples of medical cannabis. When I was going through a tough time with my Crohn’s, I almost died due to a doctor’s mistake in surgery. From then, I tried medical cannabis and it helped me recover and come back to finish my undergrad at Simpson.

Can you explain why you chose to begin using medical cannabis?

I have been battling Crohn’s disease since I was 12 years old. I almost died due to complications and I have also experienced years of remission.

Currently, I am on my last trial of medication available to me and if my body starts to reject it, I have no other options to turn to.

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By legalizing medical cannabis for Iowa residents, it would help individuals like myself who have nothing to turn to. Especially in terms of prevention, I’d like to give myself a chance to do well on it before I’m flaring and my only options become surgery.

How have you seen it help you with any symptoms?

I’ve noticed when I have had the opportunity to try samples, my stomach, joint pain and fatigue almost vanish. I sleep better and eat better with less chronic pain and no adverse side effects.

Last year you went to speak in front of a committee to help pass legislation to legalize medical marijuana within the state of Iowa. Could you explain that a bit?

I spoke in front of the subcommittee where I shared my personal story of fighting Crohn’s disease as well as facts about medical cannabis and trying to end the stigma it has associated with it.

I wanted to speak on behalf of the people who were too sick to advocate for themselves.

Even though the bill wasn’t passed, I feel as if the activism America for Safe Access does is crucial for the awareness and progression of this bill.

Do you think progress is being made within the state of Iowa on the legalization of medical marijuana?

There is a lot of buzz and coverage regarding the bill, but there is a major block in the House which is preventing the bill to be passed. Republicans and Democrats aren’t coming to agreements on what the bill should or shouldn’t include.

Republicans want Iowans to pair with a neighboring state to be able to use their dispensaries instead of trying to start a comprehensive medical cannabis law within Iowa.

In my opinion, topics regarding healthcare decisions, such as medical cannabis legalization, should not be left up to the politicians because we don’t have time to defy and argue this law any longer.

Tell me why you’ve become an advocate for medical marijuana aside from your own personal reasons?

I became an advocate for myself, but also for the ones who don’t have a voice and are too sick. I’ve had the pleasure of working with a young woman who suffers from Dravet syndrome — a severe type of epilepsy .

I have witnessed firsthand how cannabidiol (CBD) oil has helped decrease her seizures with no adverse side effects.

I was skeptical about CBD right away. However, after working with her and meeting so many others who are suffering and have found relief through medical cannabis, I became more open minded.

As someone who is studying biology, do you see there could be a potential shift to using natural alternatives such as medical cannabis opposed to prescription medications?

As a biology major and future healthcare provider,

I understand the need for prescription medications.

We wouldn’t be here as a society without the medical advances within pharmaceuticals.

However, for as many lives as pharmaceuticals have saved, it’s also taken away and reduced the quality of many – including myself and a lot of my loved ones.

We cannot continue believing prescription medications are the answer to everything. Medical cannabis works in conjunction with our inner cannabinoid system to help reduce inflammatory markers.

I hope in my future career, I will be able to give my patients the option and education about safe CBD use.

If you are interested in learning more about how you can help advocate for legalizing medical cannabis within Iowa, visit the Americans for Safe Access website to learn more. You can also check out the Iowa Patients for Medical Marijuana Facebook page, which provides a variety of stories of real patients within Iowa and information on how you can help the cause.

Pro: The Benefits Outweigh the Risks.

Evidence-based studies have proven that medical cannabis is beneficial for patients who suffer from illnesses such as AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, Crohn’s disease and many others. Using medical cannabis, patients tend to find more positive results in coping with the side effects of their disease as a natural alternative.

(SOURCE: Medical Marijuana Association)

Con: Mental Health.

A recent study conducted at Northwestern

University, found marijuana users begin to develop an abnormal brain structure and poor memory. The use can lead to poor performance within school, work and daily functions.

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Life

of

Robert We spent a day with the most accessible personality on campus. Here is what we found out: Story by Madi Wilson

O

n an early November morning, a wellknown, dedicated and energized Simpson College student rolls out of bed at 6 a.m.

(7:30 a.m. if he’s lucky) to get ready for a full day of classes, meetings and more meetings.

Wearing his red “Property of SC” T-shirt, he proudly walks out of Station Square apartments with his black, notebook-sized planner—an item he wouldn’t get through the day without.

It’s another day in the life of Denison native, Robert Lyons, who is also known as Mr. President, Rob Dawg, Big Bob, Robbo, or his latest nickname, Lyon King.

Double majoring in political science and public relations and double minoring in history and management, Lyons is one busy guy.

Sharing hugs, interacting with everyone on campus, and talking business or politics are just a few of his daily activities. But if there’s one thing you should know, it’s that there is no “typical day” for Lyons. Perhaps it’s due to his 40-year-old, dad-type personality or his long list

of responsibilities, as if he has a wife and kids at home.

Either way, a day in the life of Lyons is not a day in the life of an ordinary college student.

“It seems like I’m running to go pick up little Timmy from soccer practice or got to get the groceries for the wife or something of that nature,” Lyons said. “I’m always running around doing things for other folks. It would make sense that I had a family I was secretly taking care of.”

Lyons begins his day by striking up conversations with those he passes on campus asking questions like, “What have you been up to?” “What’s new in your life?”

“What do you have going on?” Known as a chatty Kathy, he looks forward to seeing and talking to different people, finding what they say more interesting than anything he has planned for the day.

“I consider almost everyone I know on this campus to be a friend,” Lyons said. “I try to know as many people as I can.”

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Although he enjoys conversing with others, he gets slightly embarrassed when people talk about his romantic relationships.

“Whenever anyone finds out I have a girlfriend—I don’t have one currently—but then, oh my gosh, the abuse I get,” he said. “Loving abuse, of course, but so, so, so many jokes at my expense. I look like a tomato by the end of it. They just come after me because everybody wants to know what Robert’s up to in his personal life.”

It’s 9:05 a.m. and Lyons walks into McNeill Hall for his first class of the day: Business Law. As he completed his homework by 12:30 a.m., he’s prepared to engage in class discussion. Just like any other class, he pulls out his computer and takes thorough notes. Nothing is about to stop Lyons from maintaining his 3.97 grade point average and no

“

Robert is the kind of individual who will have a positive experience no matter what he’s doing because he will make it so.

”

-President Jay Simmons

one is about to hinder his ultimate goal of gaining a political career.

“What I’d like to do professionally is run large-scale nonprofits, work in government agencies or just be a roving problem solver, that sort of thing,” he said. “Of course, it all culminates with, hopefully, a political career at some point. I can solve the world’s problems and donate something to Simpson, whether it’s a building or better toilet paper. I think the students would like the second option.”

Looking to apply at Syracuse, Harvard, George Washington and New York universities, Lyons’ next step after graduation is to earn his master’s degree in public administration. His hard work and determination is evident in the classroom, and he’s a student that professors will have a hard time forgetting, especially his political science professor, John Epperson.

According to Epperson, Lyons gave a presentation freshman year on public policy, taking the assignment to a level no one expected.

“It wasn’t just a presentation, no, no,” Epperson said.

“It was like a Broadway play. There was singing, there was dancing, there was stuff that he’d gotten off the Internet.

Somehow, Robert got (his partner) to sing or dance or something. It was the most hilarious thing I had ever seen

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in my life.”

After asking Epperson if there has ever been a student similar to Lyons, he quickly replied no.

“He’s one of a kind. I really believe that. Robert will always be a student that I will remember for good reasons,” Epperson said. “There’s this sort of wild side to him which is a little strange. I mean, this theatrical side.

I’ve never had anybody, and I doubt I ever will have anybody quite like Robert. And also, he shaves his beard every so often, which I’ve always found odd.”

Epperson isn’t the only person that Lyons has made an impression on at Simpson.

President Jay Simmons said L yo n s i s “ u n i q u e i n my e xperience for all of the reasons we are talking about. The energy,

the creativity, the leadership and the commitment to serving and helping.”

“Robert is the kind of individual who will have a positive experience no matter what he’s doing because he will make it so,” Simmons said. “He is known for his reliability, his energy, his willingness to work with anyone and everyone to accomplish an objective, and his ability to identify solutions to problems in some very creative and constructive ways. Certainly, that’s what I hear from others when his name comes up, and then, of course, the squirrels.”

At around 11:40 a.m., Lyons makes his way to the Warren County Administration Building, anxious that it’s Election Day. Taking advantage of his free hour of the day, Lyons intends to do one thing he finds immensely important: vote. Having fulfilled his civic duty, he leaves the building placing an “I voted” sticker on the right side of his chest.

“I’m passionate about politics, of course, moderate politics,” he said. “That’s what they call a fiery moderate, which they have claimed doesn’t exist for the last 50, 60 years, and they’re pretty much right thanks to that depressing research I’ve done.”

Lyons tries to be moderate in everything he does by looking at both sides and finding the middle course of action. He often refers to his favorite quote by President

Eisenhower: “The middle of the road is all of the usable surface. The extremes, right and left, are in the gutters.”

“I think that’s a skill set that’s not utilized very much anymore and that saddens me greatly,” Lyons said.

In fact, Lyons finds this skill set so important that he makes up his own phrase and writes it down in his planner: “You can either butt heads or you can put your heads together.”

At 1 p.m., Lyons attends an Iowa History Center Scholars meeting. Afterward, he sits in on his weekly meeting with Rich Ramos, Kyle Fowler and Erica Heidler to go over the Student Government Association’s events for the week.

Meetings are nothing new for Lyons, considering he’s involved in around 24 committees and group meetings during the academic year. This doesn’t include music— and theater-related meetings or speech and debate

“

laugh, which is one reason he’s involved in The Acorn, Simpson’s satirical publication. “(Snapchat is) a dose of humor I’m guaranteed every hour,” he said. “Part of it stems from my terrible sense of humor and use of puns and jokes, of course. They have not improved over the years in quality, they have increased in quantity. I care about making people laugh and having some kind of outlet for stress for others.”

On days Lyons does have free time, he either tracks down his friends or binge-watches Netflix, an activity that’s fairly new for him.

“If it’s later on at night, then I’ll retreat to my room, my fortress of solitude, and watch some Netflix for a little bit,” Lyons said. “(My friends) taught me how to bingewatch this year, and I’ve really become addicted to the Marvel shows and they’ve been my salvation a few nights.”

Lyons returns to his bed, usually around 12:30 a.m.,

I’m not looking to be remembered, per se, on this campus. What I’m looking for is to leave this a better place than I found it.

-Robert Lyons

practices.

Although he doesn’t chair all of them, he takes whatever role he can. If Lyons isn’t in a meeting, he often spends two hours or so in the Student Organization Suite responding to at least 35 emails at a time.

“I’d like to just drop everything and go hang out or go sing karaoke at the bar and stuff like that, but with all the responsibilities and stuff I have, I usually can’t just do that.”

Between 4:30 - 9:30 p.m., Lyons goes from playing his tuba at band practice to attending another SGA meeting to participating in RLC After Hours for SGA. Although he seldom has free time during the day, he attempts to make time for one thing in particular: Snapchat.

Heavy with cheesy one-liners, zingers, dad jokes or various filters, Lyons uses his snaps to try and make people

”

after a long, busy day. He looks at his memory wall full of letters, pictures and different items he’s saved over the past few years. He has a Bingo card from the first time he won, a black armband he received from the Tinker vs. Des Moines forum event, a card from Simmons and a picture with professor Epperson they took in the United Kingdom.

“That always helps me get up in the morning because I put it right where I always see it,” Lyons said.

So why does Lyons do what he does?

“I’m really passionate about Simpson, to be honest with you, and I want to see this institution succeed. And I want to see the people of this institution succeed,” he said. “That’s why I do a lot of the stuff that I do. I’m not looking to be remembered, per se, on this campus. What I’m looking for is to leave this a better place than I found it.”

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On On the the Ballot Ballot

A cross section of how Simpson Students handled the mess that was the 2016 election story and design by Blake Willadsen

M

ake America Great Again. spondents said Hillary Clinton while 24 These words were able percent said Donald Trump. to help capture This is a stark contrast to the final the nation and results in Warren County at large.

120 lead the march to one of the According the Associated Press most unlikely presidential and Politico, of the 3,858 el100 results in history. With the igible voters, 70 percent of election of Donald Trump, Warren County voted for 80 many questions have been Trump. The outpour of 60 raised by the Simpson support for Trump in community as to what this Iowa was well docu40 new America will look mented and from the 20 like. very beginning Trump ID Magazine conducted a was able to key in on issues 0 Hillary Clinton Donald Trump Gary Johnson Jill Stein public opinion poll the week that many Iowans found leading up to the election to important. From the motry and better understand ment Trump announced his if the election were today who would you vote how Simpson would be voting. candidacy, immigration reform for? (survey results fromLibertarian nov. 4-8) Republican Democrat No, Independent 80 The Simpson poll showed top was put forth as a pillar of his presiden70 edthree issues were the economy, higher cy. While much attention was brought to 60 ucation affordability and health care as the the discussion of building a wall, a deeper 50 biggest concerns of Simpson students. When asked who they discussion about the place of Mexican-Americans in our 40 would vote for if the election were today, 61 percent of restate was being had.

simpson poll results

30

Audrey Lovan

20 Mason Burkhart 10 0

Courtney Olson

Ashley Cruz

Freshman Ashley Cruz has seen both sides of the debate and understands why people are frustrated.

Cruz’s mother legally immigrated to the United States when she was 8 and is upset about the handling of illegal immigration.

“My mom is a Trump supporter, and I asked her why and she was like, ‘Well it is not fair for people who aren’t citizens to come to the states and get benefits while those who have been citizens for a while don’t get that benefit,’” Cruz said. “So I guess I get where she comes from when she says Trump is not just a racist.”

Here in Iowa, the discussion surrounding undocumented immigrants was amplified by the tragic death of Sarah Root, a college student in Council Bluffs that was killed by a suspected drunken driver who was in the country illegally and eventually fled while on bail. Sarah’s Law, a piece of legislation introduced by Iowa and Nebraska lawmakers, would prevent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to take custody of an individual who is in the country illegally and charged with a crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury.

Issues like immigration where key in changing the look of voting groups who were active at the polls this year.

One of the most noticeable impacts being felt from this election cycle is a resurgence of voters in the political process from different walks of life.

During the primary process many young voters returned to the polls for Democratic challenger Bernie Sanders or later campaigned for a third-party candidate. While the Iowa caucuses came down to a virtual tie, this shift in voter awareness seemed to fade going into the general election. In ID’s election poll, 77 percent of respondents felt more involved in the political process than in the past. While the majority of registered voters polled where independents (38 percent), only 15 percent of Simpson students said they would be voting for third-party candidates.

The shockwave of this new engagement can be felt in the protests happening at high schools and campuses across the nation. Sophomore Cecilia Martinez is double majoring in political science and philosophy and said there is a place for protest if one feels the need.

“I can see how some people say that they don’t really don’t know what else to do. That is one thing they know they can do. They can stand up and raise their voice and things like that,” Martinez said. “There is always going to be people who say, ‘Oh you’re being violent, you’re being disruptive, you’re

not doing it right’ as if there is a right way of doing these things. I think it is important that people are mobilizing and really standing up for what they believe in.”

While the voices of many young people are being heard, the impact of non-college-educated white voters wasperhaps the most influential group in getting Trump to the White House. The reach of this group was strong in Iowa as most of the counties that flipped during this presidential election were heavily impacted by the white non-college educated vote.

“I think what we’re talking about here is people looking at eight years of Barack Obama not feeling that great about where the country is right now, even though here in Iowa the economy is better on average than a lot of the other states that we saw flip (in 2016),” said Kathie Obradovich, political columnist for the Des Moines Register, while speaking at election forum event at the Iowa Tap Room. “I think people saw the fastest way to that change would be to change the occupant of the White House (sic).”

“Most Iowa incumbents did get re-elected. There were only six seats that changed (for republicans),” Obradovich said.

According to the Center for Information & Research on Civic

we polled the simpson campus about their thoughts on the general election and beyond.

Out of 192 responses this is what they said.

I am not politically engaged No change

80

Republican

Democrat

Libertarian

No, Independent

Other

70 60

Less involved

50

More involved

40 30 20 10

03

06

09

0

120

150

Do you feel more or less engaged in the 2016 presidential election than in years past?

0

Are you registered with a political party?

21 21

Learning and Engagement, young voters (ages 1829) supported Clinton over Trump by 55 percent to 37 percent.

However, There are concerns in the state of about that the future of the Democratic party.

“There has been this concern of quote ‘brain drain’ of Iowa college graduates over the last 10 to 20 years.

It is kind of the younger and somewhat more progressive people that aren’t staying around Iowa,” Political Science Department Chair Kedron Bardwell said at the Iowa Tap House event. “They’ve been voting in other places and so even though you have these ruts and stagnation in the population of some of these rural areas, they still are a significant part of the Iowa population.”

Another issue that is close to Bardwell was the strong adoption of Trump among the evangelical community. While Trump has commented that he is “not sure” whether he has ever asked God for forgiveness in his life, he was able to win over 80 percent of the evangelical vote in Iowa.

“That (Supreme Court appointments), I think for the most part, overrode for people in the pews any concerns about Trump’s temperament or his moral standing,” Bardwell said. “Within the evangelical elite community and leadership community there was even a very sharp divide between some of the old religious right and some of the younger newer evangelical voices but it didn’t pass down to the pews.”

The polarizing nature of this election has created less opportunity to explore the middle-ground issues like providing paid family leave and a rejection of most major trade agreements including the Trans-Pacific Partnership, that the two candidates shared. In the week following the election, Trump announced a unique student debt plan The Washington Post calls “the most liberal student loan repayment plan since the inception of the federal financial aid program”.

Perhaps one of the most difficult thing to measure moving forward will be how this election has impacted young people, especially those who are not old enough to vote.

According to the New York Times and the Southern Poverty Law Center, which has been tracking episodes of harassment and discrimination since

22

the election, said the most commonly reported location for harassment were K-12 schools.

The unexpected impact of this exposure will be a challenge for future educators and mentors looking to explain the events surrounding the Trump presidency.

Social Security

Trade Policy

Other Supreme Court Appointments

conomy The eEconomy

Immigration Health Care

Gun Policy

Abortion

Terrorism

Environment Treatment of Racial, Ethnic Minorities Treatment of Gay, Bisexual Transgender Trnasgender people

What are the three most important issues to you personally in this election cycle? (Choose 3) Martinez found that hostile interactions are not just headlines in the news. Martinez identifies as queer and is the president of Simpson PRIDE, They are concerned about the treatment of individuals of all ages.

Martinez’s 11-year-old nephew was being harassed by classmates because of his Latino heritage and was taken aback.

“I had never seen younger children feel that too. They’re impacted as much as we’d like to think that they don’t understand what is going on. They get it,” Martinez said. “I’ve talked to some professors on campus where their kids were asking them questions about things on election night. That is something that I never really thought of before, how younger children are impacted by this.

They aren’t able to go out and form their own opinions so there is just a lot of repeating of what their parents say and that is interesting to me.”

shawn schossow Story by Ashley Smith

S

enior Shawn Schossow cast a vote for Green Party candidate Jill Stein this election, and he does not regret his decision.

Schossow voted for Stein because of her stance on human rights and climate change.

“I think her campaign foreign-policy wise is a lot more respectful of human rights, especially in the global south and I think her views on the environment—I think climate change is a very urgent matter that we needed to address like yesterday so I think she’s really passionate about protecting the environment and battling climate change,” Schossow said.

Schossow has supported the Green Party and known about Stein for years. This year, he got to cast his first presidential vote for her.

Schossow said he faces stigma as a third-party voter from people who say his vote is a waste.

“As far as people who say third party votes are a waste, I think that that’s not really our fault. … The third-party voters are trying to change and get things implemented. It’s not really our fault that we encounter these barriers in the political process be-

cause we’re not the ones that are creating the barriers for ourselves, the two parties are,” Schossow said.

He also said his vote is symbolic of many things, especially that he won’t compromise or negotiate his beliefs to vote for one of the major party candidates.

“I’m not going to compromise on certain issues that are affecting people’s lives….. I feel like people who are negotiating those things are—even in a pragmatic sense, because it’s a vote, it’s a political move—are telling people in the global south that they’re lives are negotiable. So that’s not something I’m willing to do,” Schossow said.

Schossow said even though he knew Stein wouldn’t win, he couldn’t vote for someone he didn’t want to win.

In an article in Vox, Schossow said, “I am a Marxist, a radical feminist, and the child of a Laotian immigrant, so it’s obvious why Trump doesn’t speak to me.”

As for Clinton, Schossow said her policies weren’t progressive enough for him.

In the same Vox article he said, “I’m turned off by her connections to big business and capitalism, her support of fracking, and her hawkish support of Israel. Most of all, I’m disappointed by how slow she was to get on board with the Black Lives Matter group, which is the movement I’m most passionate about.”

Schossow said he doesn’t regret his vote because he would rather vote for someone he would want to win instead of vote for someone he didn’t want to win who has a better chance of winning.

As for the outcome of the election, he said, “The next four years are going to be hell. And I think solidarity is going to be critical for surviving the next four years for marginalized people. And I hope we make the best out of this really bad circumstance.”

23

continued on pg. 35

Art in Moti

tion

These students dedicate their time to push the limits of their craft and display their passion through movement.

Whether it is in the pool or in the studio, these students display their passion for all to see.

25 Photos by Jayde Vogeler and Maddy Hermon

“

The joy of nailing a dive gives me two different feelings. One is just wanting to stay under the water and take it in. The other is the fulfillment of owning it and just exploding out of the water to show how it feels.

_�

Phoenix Russell 26

Diver

“

Riding is special because it is something that changes your life. I cannot tell you how many mornings I wanted to sleep in before classes, but instead there was an animal counting on me to take care of his basic needs as well as provide him with activity and affection.

�

Mary Wood Horseback rider

Lucy DeBisschop

On self-expression.

Visual artist

_�

With art, there is a certain magic that comes with wielding a brush or a pencil while staring at a blank canvas. I am suddenly able to make the impossible a reality, and I can control what lives in my reality.

Olivia Dittmer

Dancer

On qualifying for nationals in Florida last year.

“

I just remember we all went out there and put our heart and soul into it because we had been working on it since the summer. It just felt great to walk off the floor and know that we did the best we could.

�

29

Love under the maple leaves How students found their other halves while finding their way at Simpson

30

Ka

Stor y by Laura Wiersema • Design by Blake Willadsen

1 4 1 3 envelopes addressed from Simpson College sat in mailboxes across the country on Valentine’s Day 2016.

1413 cards for the 1413 couples who found the love of their life at Simpson. To some it may sound cheesy and far-fetched, but some students are already on their way to being added to the mailing list.

Seniors Kaitlyn Louk and Dana Bohan have their wedding set for June 11 after being together for just over two years. But like all good love stories, it would be amiss without an awkward beginning, in their case, watching a YouTube video about poop.

“I’d seen the video before, but I thought she was cute so I didn’t say anything. I think I pretend laughed OK,” Bohan recalled.

Thus began his plans to ask Louk out on a date.

“He asked me to coffee; we went to Uncommon Grounds. He asked

me to dinner the night after that and the rest is history,” Louk said.

Opposites seem to attract for Louk, an art education major, and Bohan, a double major in biology and chemistry. But their differences, sometimes as little as how they cook a meal, don’t affect their relationship.

“That’s one of the things I appreciate most about (her); she’s different than me,” Bohan said. “Our differences are like the highlights. They’re the interesting parts. I’ve always had a thirst for learning, and it’s just amplified with her. I just want to know everything about her all the time.”

Regardless of the couple, Simpson often plays a pivotal role in bringing the two people together. For junior Suzie Dunya and senior Esteban Sierra, it brought two continents together in an international love.

Dunya is from Accra, Ghana, while Sierra calls Juarez, Mexico, home.

“She lives in another continent that’s more than 10,000 miles away.

But we came here at the same time

and we met each other,” Sierra said.

“We met at Pfeiffer. We were sitting down with international students and Walter (Lain) and introduced her to the group.”

Ending up at Simpson is something this couple believes could only be attributed to one thing: fate.

Sierra would never have been introduced to Simpson by a high school teacher in Texas had he never failed a class in middle school, causing his grade point average to be too low for the high school he planned to attend in Mexico.

Dunya had other plans, too.

“I wasn’t going to come to Simpson.

There was another option, but I came here and my life was changed,” Dunya said. “Everything that led us to here was so that we could meet each other.”

But not everyone believes in fate or the idea of “the one.” Louk and Bohan, for example, had a different

31 Kaitlyn Louk & Dana Bohan

theory.

“I think that there could be several people that are right for you. And you have free will so you kind of decide,” Louk said.

“Everyone is compatible with everyone else to a certain degree.

And sometimes it just works out really well,” Bohan added.

“I’m glad that we chose each other,” Louk smiled.

Sentimental feelings for Simpson linger in the relationship between sophomore Madi Paulson and senior Jake Stearns.

“I think Simpson itself is a good representation of our relationship,” Stearns said. “This is home for our relationship.”

They started dating a month after the May Term trip they took to Colorado together in 2016.

With Stearns on the Simpson football team and Paulson cheering him on from the sidelines as a member of the dance team, they fit the college couple archetype.

Meanwhile as seniors, Louk and Bohan are looking forward to what the future has in store. With Bohan applying to graduate schools, the couple will follow wherever his education takes him, and they couldn’t be more excited to see what lies in store.

“I’m just excited to spend the rest of my life with him,” Louk said.

“We’re going to have to build a home together, whether it be an apartment or something else, and that’s so exciting to me,” Bohan said. “When you can start something fresh, there are so many opportunities to make everything the way you always wanted it or make it the way you

32

Suzie Dunya & Esteban Sierra thought it always should be. All of the fun things that we’ve always talked about doing, we could do.”

Dunya and Sierra have already started to do the things they’ve always dreamed of doing. Their wanderlust isn’t satisfied by coming from different countries.

“We travel. We like to go on road trips together when we have

time,” Dunya said. So far, they’ve traveled to Colorado, Minnesota and Mexico together, but that’s just the start of their itinerary. They’ve also discussed plans to visit Ghana, the Faroe Islands and Greece.

“I would love to live in different places, get to know the culture. Of course I want a home, I want to settle, but I want to get to know

advice from our featured couples “I see a lot of people who don’t commit to their relationships and it hurts me because this is the most rewarding thing.”

Dana Bohan “If you’re in love, don’t be ashamed.”

Kaitlyn Louk

“Live in the present. Enjoy what you have now and don’t get overwhelmed about the future.” other places,” Sierra said.

Every college student knows the struggle of being pulled in 100 directions.

Every class, club and event is vouching for your time and attention. When you add a significant other, someone you want to spend every second with and who wants to spend every second with you, someone you want to know everything about, things get

Esteban Sierra

“Take care of each other. Push each other to be the best you can. Be each other’s motivator.”

Suzie Dunya

33

a little more complicated.

“I was staying up, doing all-nighters, because I would rather be with him. So we would do stuff during the day and then I’d be up ‘til 5 a.m. doing a paper,” Louk said.

It wasn’t long before the couple realized they’d have to manage their time better. Now they regularly eat meals and do homework together for an even balance of school and their relationship. “Short-term sacrifices for long-term benefits” as Bohan puts it.

“It’s a lot of give and take,” Stearns said. “We understand that you have to put the practice in to play at this level or dance at this level.”

It can be hard to keep love alive when the business of life gets in the way, but it’s important to remember to have fun.

“There’s a lot going on, but also set aside time to be a couple,” Stearns said.

“Don’t forget the reason that you started dating that person,” Louk said. “Keep sticking notes in each other’s backpacks.”

Jake Stearns & Madi Paulson

34

aliya ryan Aliya Ryan Story by Ashley Smith

Junior Aliya Ryan is confident President-elect Donald Trump will do more good than bad for the country.

Ryan voted for Trump because her morals align with the Republican Party, especially her view on abortion.

“My mom had me when she was really young. She could have aborted me but she didn’t. That’s why I’m pro-life,” Ryan said.

Ryan also voted for Trump because she wouldn’t be OK voting for Clinton. She said she didn’t trust Clinton because of her lies.

“Like yeah, everybody lies and stuff, but there are differences between pretty much war crimes and… not regular politician lies, but at the same time kind of,” Ryan said.

Ryan said the media is blowing Trump’s rhetoric out of proportion.

politics continued from pg. 23

“I do think that the media had an over-the-top ridiculous impact on this election. I watched one of Trump’s speeches at the beginning of his election, and he outward said he would protect the LGBT community. And I know he’s said other things to offend them. … I’ve watched a lot of his speeches, and I think the media tries to make him into more of a joke than he is,” she said.

Ryan said he said radical things to attract a certain type of voter, and he can’t act on most of the promises he made.

“I don’t think that he can do most of the things people are worried about. I don’t think he’s capable of doing those things in the White House. He can’t deport millions of people right away, one, and two, without going through and making an actual bill out of it.

“He can’t just blow up the Middle East. He is not just capable of doing that. He can’t just do that. He can’t just do whatever he wants. He’s not the dictator of the United States. He’s not the dictator of the world,” Ryan said.

Ryan said Trump has said stupid things in the past, but she thinks he will do a good job as president.

“So I choose to see the good sides of him, especially with the business side and economic side of things I think that he’s going to help the country a lot,” she said.

The violence surrounding the election results needs to stop, Ryan said.

“I think the violence and the negativity in this country right now is over the top. And I wish it wasn’t and I understand, but I wish people would understand their duty as Americans to be respectful at least and rioting and being radical isn’t going to change the outcome of the election,” she said.

Ultimately, Ryan said we should be more positive about the president-elect.

“I know he wants the best for this country and I’m confident that he’ll do more good than bad,” Ryan said. “At least I hope so. Because what other choice do we have than to pray and hope that he will do the best job that he can. We can’t change anything anymore so why be negative about it when you can be positive about it.”

35

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