ID MAG | SPRING 2017

SPRING 2017

a different kind of pain:

Students open up about their mental health and what it feels like to battle with your own head

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A NOTE FROM THE

editor

ID MAGAZINE Editor-in-Chief Blake Willadsen

Photography Editor Jayde Vogeler

O

ne of the hardest parts about working in journalism is trying to tell the story people don’t always see. The late columnist Jimmy Breslin recommended writers always head straight to the loser’s locker room after the game, not the winner. Finding these kinds of stories are difficult, but part of the mission of ID Magazine is to do just that. I hope that with this issue you will find one of these stories and take a second to look around for the next great Simpson story. Maybe you will find one of those stories on your own.

So read the story of David De Haro; a junior who had to learn a language in a year and cross the border every morning to get to his high school (pg. 10). Read about how grade inflation is changing the educational culture at SC and beyond (pg. 14). Read about Brenden Moon; a football player who came out as gay while managing the loss of the sport he loves (pg. 22). Lastly, read about how students deal with mental illness and how they fight the stigma surrounding it (pg. 16). Read all of these stories and many more and enjoy the 2017 Spring Edition of ID Mag.

Best,

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Advertising Manager Morgan Frideres

Editorial Assistants Randy Paulson Jonathan Facio

Photography Jayde Vogeler Alex Kirkpatrick

Art & Design Blake Willadsen Jonathan Facio Jayde Vogeler Ethan Pellegrino

Special Thanks: Mark Siebert

Copyright © 2017 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 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

Editorial staff Randy Paulson sophomore Majors: Multimedia journalism, Spanish favorite Ice cream flavor: cookie dough pg. 8-9 striking the Right Balance: fighting the college grind

David de haro MuĂąoz junior majors: Accounting & Management Information Systems favorite ice cream flavor: Mango with Chamoy pg. 10-11 Visions: tell your story

Laura wiersema Junior Multimedia Journalism major, Art minor favorite Ice cream flavor: Cake batter

britteny johnson Junior Majors: Multimedia Journalism and Theatre Arts favorite ice cream flavor: Lucky Charms at Outside Scoop pg. 32-35 throwback simpson

jayde vogeler Junior Major: Graphic Design Minors: Sports Administration and Public Relations Favorite Ice Cream flavor: Cookie Dough ice cream pg. 16-21 a different kind of pain

Alex Kirkpatrick junior Majors/minors: Multimedia journalism and French Favorite ice cream flavor: Cookie dough

pg. 14-15 The value of an A pg. 22-26 facing the blitz:

pg. 27-32 crafting a masterpiece

A college athlete’s coming out story

what’s inside homemade granola on a college budget

pg. 7

pg. 10

Leisure fix

food for thought

pg. 6 Ask alumni

pg. 8-9 Striking the right balance

We asked alumni what they wished they had known before graduation.

pg. 7 Homemade granola on a college budget Three recipes for a fun and easy snack that won’t break the bank

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Visions: David De Haro

See how three students battle the daily struggle of balancing work, athletics, clubs, activities and family.

pg. 12-13 Sequel preview ID Mag has a sneak peak of this year’s Sequel with some of the award winning writing and photography in this year’s book.

pg. 10-11 Visions: David De Haro De Haro tells us about his high school experiences crossing the border and comparing life in Jaurez and life at Simpco.

A different kind of pain

pg. 16

facing the blitz

pg. 22

spotlight on Simpson pg. 14-15 The chase for the easy A A look at how grade inflation has changed educational culture and what that means for the future.

pg. 22-26 Facing the blitz: a college athlete’s coming out story Coming out in college can be difficult. Brenden opens up about facing pain and pushing through.

pg. 16-21 A different kind of pain A look past the stigma of mental illness. These students express to us what facing their illness feels like.

pg. 27-32 Crafting a masterpiece An inside look into the planning that goes into creating a theatre production.

pg. 33-35 Simpson changes too Boy things have changed. ID takes a closer look at how , the buildings, culture and events that make SC home unique.

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Ask alumni What advice would you give incoming and current Simpson students based on what you know now?

Molly Monk ‘16 Program Manager | Iowa Startup Accelerator 1. Start paying your loans off while you're in college. Interest is miserable.

2. Even though you spent four years living and learning with your friends, it's remarkably easy to lose touch with people after graduation and that's ok. You have to choose to put effort into your college friendships and you can't do that for everyone you knew on campus.

Max Nguyen ‘14 Graduate student | Edgewood College Develop and hone your critical thinking and problem solving skills. They are invaluable no matter your major or job.

Jay Byers ‘93 Greater Des Moines Partnership | CEO 1. Secure a meaningful internship or multiple internships in your target career field.

2. Study abroad for a semester or at least for a May Term to gain international experience and perspective.

3. Take some interesting courses outside of your major to broaden your interests and horizon.

Nathaniel R. Boulton ‘9 Attorney at Law State Senator, District 16 I really wish I would have appreciated how important it would be to get outside my major areas and use elective classes to simply learn new things. I did some of that, and looking back I really enjoyed the classes that stretched me beyond my academic area comfort zones and helped me think critically in different contexts.

Sarah Beadle ‘16 Graduate student | Clemson University I wish someone would have told me to prepare to be uncomfortable for a while after leaving Simpson. If you take a leap and move far or without people you know, it is going to be uncomfortable and test you a bit. Be up for the challenge, but don't expect it to be easy and to just have friends or connections. You have to be willing to go places alone and learn to put yourself out there and start conversations with strangers.

Homemade granola bars on a college budget Looking for a cheap and healthy snack? Homemade granola bars are easy to make and will save you money in the long run. Here are some recipes you can try on your own in 10 minutes.

Saucin’ on the Storm 2 cups quick oats 2/3 cup light corn syrup (vegan option: honey) 3/4 cup cinnamon applesauce 1 1/2 teaspoons imitation vanilla extract 1/2 cup walnuts, crushed

Preparations:

Chocolate emergency 2 cups quick oats 2/3 cup light corn syrup (vegan option: honey) 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 peanut butter 2 cups rice cereal 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Line a 8 x 8 -inch pan with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking oil. (Don’t do this with the applesauce) Mix wet ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for one minute.

I-town crunch 2 cups quick oats 2/3 cup light corn syrup (vegan option: honey) 1/2 cup diced walnuts 1/2 cup dried blueberries 1 cup almond butter

Stir the mix and microwave for another minute. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and pour the wet mix in as you stir. Stir everything together until it is well covered and pour into the pan. Flatten in the pan and let everything sit in a refridgerator for three to four hours. Cut and serve.

Check out our how to video at idmagsc.com

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food for thought

Striking the right balance:

How three students balance school, work and extracurriculars Story by Randy Paulson | Photos by Alex Kirkpatrick | Design by Blake Willadsen

Sydney Samples

Jacob Becker

Linda Ramseur

Given the wide range of extracurricular activities Simpson offers, such as athletics, the arts, Greek life and also student-led clubs and organizations, it comes as no surprise when students’ schedules become jam-packed.

Although piling lots of activities on top of schedules that already include homework and friends can be stressful, the key for many students is striking the right balance.

Sophomore Jacob Becker says

keeping his schedule constantly updated is key to balancing his myriad activities. “I keep multiple calendars and schedules, so that helps,” he said.

Jacob is involved in the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, for which he is a member of the executive board. He is also a senator on the Student Government Association and a secretary for Simpson Intramurals. He even plays the tuba in the college’s symphonic band.

“Most of my free time, I’d say four

to five hours per day, is spent on extracurricular activities,” Jacob said.

“Some days are busier than others, like Wednesdays and Sundays are really busy because of meetings,” he added, referring to SGA large group and committee meetings.

For first-year Linda Ramseur’s schedule, academics take priority: “My thing has always been academics. Get your classes done first and then plan everything else around them.”

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In addition to her classwork, Linda has two work-study jobs on campus, is active on the mock trial team and is president of Simpson’s Black Student Union, which she started in November 2016. She usually spends eight hours a week working at Au Bon Pain and five to six hours a week working at Dunn Library.

To keep on top of her schoolwork, Ramseur uses free time in between her classes to study and complete homework. Since she doesn’t like to procrastinate, she said she also pre-

And then, of course, she has schoolwork. “I take a full load while maintaining my grades,” Sydney said.

To keep track of her loaded schedule, Samples uses an online calendar, which she calls a lifesaver. This lets her block out times to do homework and plan things like meetings in advance.

When it comes to managing the stress that comes with busy schedules, all three students take different approaches.

For Jacob, working out is his go-

Although their day-to-day schedules can be hectic, none of the students would have it any other way.

Sydney said she enjoys everything she does, especially when it comes to pursuing projects she and others are passionate about. “I definitely think it’s helping make me a better person,” she said.

Linda Ramseur said her involvement in her classes and her extracurriculars benefits her by making her more aware of things happening on campus.

“Definitely find out what you’re passionate about.

It’s all about finding the things that you enjoy doing and you feel you can help people out with the most.”

-Sophomore Jacob Becker

pares for upcoming assignments during this time.

Sophomore Sydney Samples balances her time between several activities, both on and off campus. Samples serves as student body president on the SGA, is also active in the Culver Public Policy Center, the debate team, the Sustainability Club and her sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma. Off campus, she is color guard instructor at Indianola High School and interns at Your Clear Next Step, a nearby business.

to stress reliever. “I try to lift at least five times a week,” he said. “If I have at least a couple hours of free time a day, I’ll try to get a workout in.”

Linda prefers to de-stress by taking two short naps a day, usually about 15 minutes each. “It helps me retain better; I study, then I sleep, in that order,” she said.

Meanwhile, Sydney enjoys hanging out with friends, watching movies and talking about things besides the various organizations she’s involved in.

Likewise, for Jacob, his involvement on campus is worth it. “It keeps me busy, but I feel like I have an impact on the campus and community,” he said.

His parting advice to those who aren’t involved in any activities is “definitely find out what you’re passionate about. It’s all about finding the things that you enjoy doing and you feel you can help people out with the most.”

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Visions: David De Haro

We ask Simpson students to tell their unique experiences and explain how they got to where they are now

H

ola! Mi nombre es David de Haro Muñoz, and if you don’t like tacos please stop reading this and rethink your life because you are definitely doing something wrong. A little background on myself, as many might have guessed I am Mexican. I was born in Mexico City on October 7, 1995, but I have lived most of my life in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua (If you didn’t know, Mexico has states and Chihuahua is one of them, not a dog).

I am currently a junior double majoring in accounting and management information systems and I love to dance, play basketball and

play chess.

If you are wondering how a 6’3” Mexican ended up in Indianola, you are in for a unique story. It all began with me moving to the border city of Juarez. After finishing middle school my mom decided that she wanted us to learn English, so we moved to Juarez, border city with El Paso, Texas. Going to school was different because, unlike most high schools, most of the students have to cross the international border every day. My daily routine was waking up every day at 4 a.m. to be at school at 7 a.m., to work at the cafeteria for my scholarship, and be back around 8 p.m. after basketball practice. After spending more than 12 hours at

school it becomes like your home.

Even though this sounds exhausting, there were really great perks. For example, I got to learn English and get a scholarship to come to Simpson. I also got to hang out with my friends for half of the day. These friends eventually grew to become like my family.

That is how I met my best friend Esteban Sierra, who later convinced me to come to Simpson.

During my three years here at Simpson, I have learned a lot about the United States and its culture, but nothing compares to what I learned about the world. There are always two questions that I am always asked.

The first being “What are the biggest cultural differences between here and

Oklahoma Arizona

New Mexico

El Paso Texas Ciudad Juarez Chihuahua Chihuahua

Mexico?” My answer is, other than food and holidays, I have always found it weird that people here are always in a rush; everything is about deadlines and efficiency. In my culture we do care about all this, but for us it is more important to enjoy the moment and plan as we go, rather than stress about the future. This may be why there are stereotypes of Mexicans being lazy or late, when in reality we are just different.

The second question I get asked the most is, “What are my plans after graduating?” I always have trouble responding to this question because I do not know the answer.

My plan is to work here until I am not allowed to anymore. It is really hard not to get political when I answer this question. The reality right now is that with the new administration I don’t even have the security of finishing my studies. Sadly, I am not the only nor the most affected victim on this campus. Even if I had to come back tomorrow and get no reimbursement on eight years of my life, I still have a family, a home and means to be successful in Mexico. Right now there are people getting deported like criminals into a country where they may not even speak the language. They are being accused of a decision they didn’t make. Therefore, every time I get this question I want to ask back, “Do you think it is fair that there are students who work as hard or harder than you to get to where you are and still have to worry about everything being taken from them?”

Before coming to the US, I lived in a different reality because of my privilege. In my mind, I was the luckiest Mexican in my city to be able to come to the US to study, which was partly true. But I truly began to see my privilege when I got here. The phrase “You don’t know what you have until its gone.” Is correct in this instance. After being part of the ma-

jority in Mexico, where my ethnicity was not part of my identity or a point for judgment, I came to the US and experienced what it truly feels like to be a minority, and more specifically, to be underprivileged. Sadly, I needed to experience this in order to be aware of my privilege. Therefore, I want to invite everyone who reads this to reflect on what they have in comparison to those that don’t have.

Bio:

Recognize and be thankful for your privilege. More importantly, I want to invite you to use your position of privilege to serve as an ally for the ones who aren’t as lucky as you. Remember that nobody decides which circumstances they are born under, but if you are privileged and do nothing for the less privileged, you are being a bystander and therefore just as guilty as those who oppress.

De Haro is a junior studying accounting. De Haro is involved in Latinos Unidos, International Student Organization and College Entrepreneur Organization. He has also been active in dance club and given dance lessons.

In anticipation of the release of this spring’s “Sequel” magazine , ID magazine caught up with some succesful alumni who have been featured in past editions of Sequel . Be on the lookout for the release of this spring’s Sequel on April 20th exclusively online at scpublications.com. Join the sequel team for a reading event 7- 9 p.m. in Dirlam Lounge and enjoy the full book online.

Dana Quick-Naig, ‘86 | BA in Psychology

“Confusion” and “Morning Rain”

How did you hear about “Sequel” and why did you decide to submit your photos?

I heard about Sequel through the Simpson College online newsletter and thought a submission would be a great way to share my love of photography.

Tell me a little about your artistic process. How long have you been a photographer?

My process is fairly straight forward. I simply start shooting anything I find beautiful — from flowers or architecture, to people. My first camera was an old Kodak Disc from the ‘80s. I still have many college photos from that camera! I currently use a Sony Digital Alpha 6000 Mirrorless camera. I base most of my photographs with the idea of using them as a reference for drawing or painting.

Sometimes I find the photograph itself worthy of “art”.

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How has your art changed since your time at Simpson?

I have used art as both a way of expressing myself and healing from trauma. When my son went to college I started taking various art classes at the Des Moines Art Center. These awakened my creative energies for multiple mediums.

Jeffrey T. O’Boyle, ‘75 BA in art education “Bull River Montana” and “Robert E. Carter Portrait” I graduated from Simpson College in 1975 and subsequently taught art in Sydney, Australia from 1976 to 1978. I have been producing freelance art from my studio since returning to the U.S. I am currently residing in Camano Island, Washington.

My work is included in shows and private collections from Seattle to New York and Sydney, Australia. I am currently showing work in a solo exhibit at the Snohomish County Robert J. Drewel Building in Everett, Washington.

My website address is www.jeffreyoboyle.com.

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spotlight on Simpson

Story and photo illustration by Alex Kirkpatrick

Y

our life depends on a three-digit scale.

Athletic eligibility. Academic scholarships.

Job competition. Your grade point average determines quite a bit, right? In the last half-century, A’s seems to be the new “average” as educators battle tight budgets and a teach new waves of students thought to be entitled.

But so-called grade inflation isn’t anything new -- or perhaps surprising -- and it’s not just exclusive to institutions of higher education. The problem begins in high school, if not earlier.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when schools shifted toward a more “everyone is successful” approach, but professor emeritus Ron Warnet, a 43-year veteran of the chemistry department at Simpson College, says there has been a change in attitude.

“The old attitude was one of preventing someone from getting ahead in a particular field of study until we knew they were well-versed and they knew their stuff,” says Ron. “It was sort of an arrogant idea, that I would keep you out of the field, that I judge whether you’re capable or not.”

The structure of education was like that of a filter; those who were not prepared to be in a certain

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discipline did not make it through. Now, it’s more like a pump that pushes people through the system, whether they’re adequate or not.

A large stimulus, Ron says, can be attributed to George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind act at the turn of the millennium, prompting Iowa State Education Director Ryan Wise to vehemently criticize the legislation 13 years later as having “unrealistic requirements that punish dedicated educators when their school falls short.”

In Iowa, third- through 11th-grade students are only required to reach the 40th percentile according to the Iowa Tests of Educational Development to be considered proficient. Critics of NCLB say the program, by design, encouraged “teaching to the test,” eliminating room for individual growth.

The Institute for Language and Education Policy argues that special needs children, racial minorities and English-language learners are further marginalized by NCLB. “Such a system does not recognize that there are various levels of achievement and, as a result, destroys competition,” says Kendall Burns, a former high school teacher who taught in the state of Iowa for 32 years. “It

A

destroys their desire for achievement and gives them an ‘If I can get just as much by doing half as much, why work harder?’ attitude. It also gives students a false sense of, ‘Hey, I’m just as good as everyone else’ mindset.”

Early on, children are encouraged to think positively using a research-based teaching method called growth mindsets, says Morgan Moline, a senior elementary education major who is student teaching at Emerson Elementary. “(We use) the power of the yet,” she says. “I can’t do this yet, but here’s what I’m going to do to get there instead of saying, ‘Well I can’t do it so screw it.’ Modeling and teaching those strategies that allow those kids to feel they can do something and then building off of that so they can feel successful in college.”

At the elementary level, educators give more feed-

capabilities are. I don’t think it’s as prevalent here at Simpson than at the big universities because there it’s big business.”

But students like Matt Hayden, a junior biochemistry major and math minor, have made the president’s list every semester, which is an accomplishment that shouldn’t be dismissed lightly – because he puts in the work.

“I don’t slack around when it comes to academics,” says Matt, adding that he studies around 20 hours a week. “I know whether I’ve earned that A, and it doesn’t really surprise me.”

For Matt, who plans on going to medical school upon receiving his undergraduate degree, it’s not the A that counts. “As long as I come out having learned something from that class, that’s what’s more important,” he says.

“One, it’s a lie. And lying is never good. Secondly, students get an unrealistic idea of what their capabilities are. I don’t think it’s as prevalent here at Simpson than at the big universities because there it’s big business.”

Ron Warnet professor emeritus

back on where the child is academically rather than sending a letter grade home to parents.

“Right now it’s a lot more individualized, which is a lot more important and valuable, I think,” Morgan says.

But in college, the dichotomy of failure and success is growing more and more evident.

“It’s college or failure, nothing in between,” says one assistant professor at Simpson College who spoke on condition of anonymity. “We have forgotten about trades, other paths, that deserve to be considered dignified life paths.”

Grade inflation, some critics say, is perhaps a byproduct of the “student-as-customer culture” that has resulted from budgetary stress, whose causes are many.

It’s a public relations move. Departments work hard to retain students within their programs, and the easiest way is to hand out higher letter grades than a student would expect to receive even four decades ago.

“One, it’s a lie,” says Ron, “and lying is never good.

Secondly, students get an unrealistic idea of what their

To avoid a weightless grade, professors should have high standards and then teach students ways to get to those standards, Warnet suggests after reviewing performances of other professors.

Portfolios and other skills-based measures could be beneficial for students to show their learning capabilities as well.

When asked if the grading system should be eliminated, Matt replied: “If you get rid of the grading aspect or change it to pass/fail, I don’t know if students would actually work as hard because it doesn’t set some sort of goal for you to reach. But I do think something needs to be changed.”

So if you made the president’s or dean’s list? Congratulations and well done. If you didn’t, it’s not the end of the world until Education Secretary Betsy DeVos fully takes charge. Besides, you know the No. 1 quality employers look for in a candidate, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers? Leadership.

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spotlight on Simpson

A different kind of pain Story and photos by Jayde Vogeler According to the National Alliance on Mental Health one in five adults experience mental illness in America. There are a myriad of causes for changes in mental health. It isn’t always easy to understand what a person is going through. ID Magazine spoke to students who battle with mental health and looked to better understand what it feels like to face their illness challenges.

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spotlight on Simpson

Virginia Atwell Positive body image is something Virginia Atwell knows she is working on to accept herself.

Virginia was diagnosed in high school with depression and anxiety when she found out she had borderline personality disorder, an instability in moods, behavior, self-image, and functioning.

With her mental health, it is hard for Virginia to be in line with reality.

“It is like being outside my body almost, like not quite feeling all there. Like that feeling that you get used to driving to a place and check out while you are driving.”

At first, life at college got harder without her parents around. Eventually, hobbies like jujitsu and writing along with medication helped her.

“I don’t think I will ever get to a point where I will eat an apple and not think about the number 90 in my head because it has 90 calories.”

Even in her down days, Virginia knows that self-care is important. She takes naps and showers to rinse the emotions away.

“I don’t think I will ever get to a point where I will eat an apple and not think about the number 90 in my head because it has 90 calories.”

Mandy Brown A person who loves to learn and care for others, it is not easy for Mandy to keep up with societal standards and take care of yourself mentally.

Never been officially diagnosed, Mandy Brown lives with anxiety and depression. She faces a lot of anxiety when she helps others with their problems and takes on that anxiety.

Mandy identifies as a lesbian. Questioning her sexuality started in high school, and she realized Simpson isn’t a diverse campus and feelings of isolation contributed to her mental health.

“It’s an isolating feeling that no one understands you. And numbers are so important for feeling heard and feeling respected.”

College is an unusual place to experience mental illness, Mandy reflected. She knows her mental health worsens when she gets minimal sleep. She feels exhausted and her “outlook on life is not golden and shiny”.

“I still have to get here [to class], still need to feed myself and do all this stuff today, and there is no one to blame it on if I don’t do it,” she said. “There is no one to make me do these things. It’s weird to have those set of expectations and know that you can’t fulfill them in this current time but still have to do it in college.”

Taking care of her own mental health wasn’t always easy. She felt like a burden to others. With the help of her mentors from therapy, college and high school, she now knows that no one is a burden.

“I’m not trying to account for voices with more difficult experiences, but I think it’s important to talk about it. I think a lot of people with depression and anxiety feel like they will never be functional or they can’t handle themselves, and I think it is a scary thing to be afraid of themselves.”

“It feels like breathlessness Sometimes it feels like you can’t shut yourself off. I can’t sleep because my thoughts are on loop but not necessarily on repeat. I just can’t stop thinking to shut myself down to sleep. It feels like someone took out the off button.”

spotlight on Simpson

Matthew Haynie If he’s not at home, you can find him at Hy-Vee Market Grille at the same table, every time.

For the U.S. Army veteran, Matthew Haynie is at the next place he feels the most comfortable. He is hyper vigilant of his surroundings at Hy-Vee because of his post-traumatic stress disorder.

“I spent about six months at a couple of hospitals in Germany. Before they let me out, they told me I have PTSD. I guess I noticed it because of my hypervigilance.”

Matthew almost quit Simpson. He felt like he was being targeted because he is a conservative and others confronted him. He stayed at Simpson because the counseling services offered helped him.

Matthew adores his three children, but it isn’t easy for him

to always do fun things with them. When he is in public, an extreme physical toll takes over. He tries his best to take his kids out to fun events because without them, he doesn’t believe he would be here.

“My kids are what ground me. I know for a fact that without my kids I would be suicidal, without a doubt. I would not be here without them.”

It’s hard to ignore the things Matthew cares about, like when people discriminate against cops and soldiers. He hopes Simpson can improve more than just be inclusive “to the minorities who scream acceptance”.

Matthew hopes people understand that all people should be treated equally and people with mental disabilities are hypersensitive to what people think of them.

Emily Ortiz

Tension. Adrenaline. Exhaustion.

Emily Ortiz believes what was once being diagnosed as a panic disorder is no more, and now fits the criteria of depression. Her depression gave her difficulties in college, like the transition back from her study abroad semester and the latter months.

Sometimes the days were unbearable and tiring.

“It is sort of like complete and utter exhaustion and not being able to see anything in the future. There isn’t anything really to look forward to, it’s just getting through the day.”

A feeling she couldn’t get rid of, Emily felt very vulnerable. She felt used by people she cared about, a useless friend and complete failure and disappointment to everyone.

Deciding to get help wasn’t easy. Late in 2016, Emily decided enough is enough, helped herself and started taking antidepressants. With her mom and her friends by her side, she feels like a better friend.

“If you don’t help yourself now, how are you going to help yourself out later?”

“It felt more like there was this panic in me that I couldn’t get out. It was like an adrenaline rush that didn’t leave. I would lay there and my heart would be racing with this tension.”

spotlight on Simpson

Facing the Blitz :

A college athlete’s coming out story Story and photos by Alex Kirkpatrick | Design by Blake Willadsen

Brenden Moon knows pain.

For most of his life, he’s been involved in athletics, during which he’s endured numerous concussions and injuries.

At 5 feet 10 inches tall and 215 pounds, Moon was a juggernaut; nothing could stop him.

Except when the pain became too much to bear, he walked away from football, the sport he loved.

Football was a part of his identity. In a way, it gave him a purpose in life. He was never pressured to play. He looked up to Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison, a man who, in Moon’s mind, displays work ethic and discipline.

For Moon, it was depressing to lose a part of his identity.

And just as he was coping with the loss of football, another challenge arose. Word spread around that Moon was gay -- without his consent.

He was outed by friends he thought he could trust. His sexuality became the talk of first-floor Kresge his first semester of college.

He knows pain.

His coming out story isn’t a happy story, but by embracing who he is, Moon has learned to be stronger than ever.

Injuries pile up When Moon was 6, he started playing baseball, and in fifth grade he took on football to be on the competitive edge with his younger brother.

The West Des Moines Valley graduate played football -- a sport where brutal hits and excessive force are common -- for four years in high school as a defensive end, a linebacker and then a running back.

But then freshman year of college started. With-

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in one month, Moon suffered two concussions.

He was barred from excess physical activity, and he couldn’t get his heart rate above 130 beats per minute until he passed those nerve-wracking tests that would decide his fate. He could train mentally, but without the physical reps, he couldn’t do much.

Eventually, he was cleared in May. That meant he had 2 1/2 months to catch up to the other guys.

That lack of conditioning led to another injury during football camp sophomore year in which his knee and ankle gave out, and he was forced into a limb brace.

He knows pain.

After talking with Coach Jim Glogowski, he took the year off. He was going to come back. At least that’s what he thought.

Then his junior year rolled around.

At that point, Moon had a job at ChildServe, a nonprofit that helps children with special needs.

He mentored a young boy named Sam, and the two formed an inseparable bond.

Should he go back to football?

He met with Mike Hadden, the athletic trainer.

Hadden determined it would be unwise for Moon, who had six concussions, to continue playing.

“Coming to terms by yourself is one thing, but being told by someone else you can’t do something anymore, it’s hard to fight. It’s hard to accept,” Moon said.

But the team doctor cleared him to play. He was on the right path. But after re-aggravating an old back injury during practice, Moon decided he was done and said he wasn’t going to come back. He slipped into a state of depression. He felt defeated.

“I miss putting on the pads and hitting people,” he laughed.

It was deeper than that.

“I was very upset, very depressed because

football was taken away from me,” Moon said.

He went to see Ellie Olson in counseling services.

They figured out ways to deal with the heavy blow.

The sport he played for half his life was gone just like that.

He knows pain.

Discovering sexuality, a new struggle As an athlete, Moon was supposed to be tough.

As a big, strong guy, he couldn’t cry.

“I just don’t share deep issues with people,” he said.

His Facebook feed is filled with the latest sports news and commentary.

But what happens when you defy stereotypes?

Starting back in sixth grade, Moon knew he was attracted to guys. Flash forward to his senior year at Valley High School. On a college visit to Simpson College, suddenly Moon’s appendix ruptured. He had to have surgery.

He knows pain.

While heavily sedated, Moon started texting a few guys on the football team. He didn’t think much of it.

“Mostly because I had a crush on them. In hindsight, I have no idea why I did it,” Moon said.

But he wasn’t out.

He sent three teammates a message, saying he was bisexual. It was partially true as he would come to find out later.

Two of them said they never wanted to speak with him again.

“I wasn’t particularly close with them, so it didn’t hurt me as much,” Moon explained.

The other one didn’t mind. But a sinking sensation came over Moon as he walked through the halls. The guy who supposedly accepted Moon for being different? He started telling fellow classmates.

27

spotlight on Simpson “I think he thought that’s what I was essentially trying to do, but I was not,” Moon said, adding that high schoolers, especially seniors, can be malicious.

Rumors of Moon’s sexuality spread around like wildfire.

“It was a disappointment,” Moon said. “It was a friend I thought I could trust. You always want to be the person to tell.”

He knows pain.

It was the end of high school, so Moon knew he could start over soon. He wasn’t harassed, probably because he was a masculine figure.

“If I were thin, I would have been made fun of more,” he said.

People knew about Moon, but they didn’t say anything for whatever reason.

“I’ve never been the one to pick up on judgments; I’m usually fairly oblivious to it,” Moon said. “Maybe more so, I don’t care.”

Iowa legalized gay marriage in 2009. It was supposed to signify a change in heart.

But it didn’t.

Moon started to discover his sexuality the summer before freshman year of college, but he was still petrified to tell people. Starting at Simpson meant a clean slate.

“I kept it under wraps,” Moon said.

He came out to some guys on the football team he became really close to. He also came out to his roommates, one an atheist, one a Catholic, who said it didn’t matter.

But it went south in what felt like a repetition of high school senior year in which he was outed. Someone who shouldn’t have known found out. Everyone on his floor knew Moon was gay.

Someone had allegedly written on a whiteboard outside his room, “Go to hell, fag.”

He knows pain.

“Part of me kind of felt outcast because of what happened.”

Those therapy sessions with Olson quickly turned from football to sexuality. It got to the point where Moon needed services to go further, possibly medical prescriptions. But in order for him to get more help, his parents had to know what was going on. That meant Moon had to come out to his parents.

24

A Thanksgiving surprise After Moon had been concussed several times, his mood shifted dramatically. Part of the brain that deals with emotions was affected. One moment, he’d be happy, the next he’d angrily snap. Because he was on his mother’s insurance, Moon had to come clean about what was going on in those meetings.

A week before Thanksgiving, Moon told his mom the news. He said he wasn’t going to school, he wasn’t going to class, he was sleeping 17 hours a day and he’s attracted to men.

“My mom cried for months, months after I came out because there’s that whole idea that they always have plans for you, and plans change,” Moon said.

His mother wanted to tell his dad, but he wasn’t ready. When he worked up the courage to do so, his

“My mom cried for months, months after I came out because there’s that whole idea that they always have plans for you, and plans change.” mother was sobbing in the background.

“My dad was wondering why she was crying,” Moon said. “What did I do to make my mom cry? And so I told him while he was folding laundry, and he was like, ‘Yeah, I knew.’

“I paused. I looked at him and I said, ‘What do you mean you knew?’ He goes, ‘I always had a feeling you were gay.’ I go, ‘How?’ He goes, ‘Just things you did.’”

Moon thought about it for a while. He played college football. He played baseball. Well, he was in choir as a baritone, but a lot of football players were, so that couldn’t have been it. He dressed up in ninja costumes and such.

What was it?

“Remember the Victoria’s Secret supermodel show?” his dad inquired.

“Yeah, what about it?”

“Your brother’s face was glued to the TV. You were playing games on your computer,” his dad said.

“Touché. Fair enough.”

As if to offer closure, Moon was able to tell his family, the only people who found out because he wanted them to.

“It’s kind of like breaking up with someone over a text message; you’d rather it be done in person,” Moon said He never made a public announcement. It was as if he were peeling back layers of himself, piece by piece.

Moment of acceptance Moon was doing better emotionally after he came out to his parents. He was more stable. He found mechanisms to fight depression. He still had symptoms of

concussions after winter break, however, and was on the verge of quitting college.

Even though he was emotionally getting better, he still felt lonely. He spent the weekends in his room. He felt like an outcast. It was the first time he felt judged.

His depression started to creep back.

He had the opportunity to take a medical withdrawal from Simpson. He was going to do it. His parents were OK with it. Why not?

The day before he was about to sign the paperwork to withdraw, he got a text message from a teammate, Andrew Harris, that read, “Hey, can you come over to the fraternity?”

Moon usually goes over for study tables at Alpha Tau Omega. He figured he left something over there.

“Hey, did you need me for something?” Moon said.

“Yeah, yeah, I wanted to give you something,” Harris

spotlight on Simpson

said as he disappeared into the room.

He came back to hand Moon an envelope.

“What’s this?” Moon said.

“Open it, and you’ll find out,” Harris said.

Moon went back to his room, opened it and found a bid to join ATO. An overwhelming flood of emotions came to Moon.

“That was probably the first time since I was in sixth grade that I cried because I felt accepted. But it also gave me a chance to get a fresh start,” Moon said.

A fresh start was exactly what he needed. He weighed the option with his parents.

He went back to the fraternity and asked Harris, “Why did you give me this bid?”

“We thought you were a great guy, and I can see you being a leader in the fraternity,” Harris said.

“Well, does anybody in the house know?” Moon said.

“We had a discussion about that,” Harris said. “I’m not supposed to tell you, but all 30 guys voted yes anyway. They don’t care because they accept you anyway.”

After a tumultuous freshman year, it seemed like things were going to be OK. He signed the bid and moved into the house two weeks later. He went from feeling like he had nobody on his side to having 30 guys supporting him.

And it turns out Harris’ prophecy came true.

Moon became a leader, holding the positions of vice president, housing assistant, Interfraternity Council representative and risk management officer.

It was hard work, but he was able to relax. He felt protected.

He didn’t have to be alone. He didn’t have to worry about being outed. He didn’t have to worry about someone writing “Go to hell, fag” outside his door.

“In a way, ATO saved my life,” he said.

Lessons learned Four years later as a senior, Moon would write on his Facebook page: “I struggled for years trying to figure out why I was different, why my mind doesn’t work the same as other guys… I managed to overcome my anxiety, my fears and depression.”

No one thinks about their child being gay the

26

minute they’re born, Moon said. So for him, loving unconditionally is the most important part of being human.

“It takes a certain strength to come out, and you can’t fully come out until you accept who you are,” Moon said.

There’s nothing wrong with him. He’s embraced his sexuality. He says it’s kind of fun.

“In a way, ATO saved my life.”

“People think the dirty things, but no, it’s fun,” he said. “It’s fun to be gay. I think it is, mostly because I am happy with who I am.”

Now he has a military boyfriend who lives in Iowa City. They met on a gay dating app in October and have been official since around mid-November.

He enjoys going to gay clubs in Des Moines and is pretty involved in the gay community – something he didn’t imagine even five years ago.

People are still incredulous that he’s gay.

“It feels good to break stereotypes,” Moon said.

“People think those who are gay are feminine, have the high, frilly voices, dresses.”

But not him.

For a while, he hid. He didn’t know who he was.

The key to living? “Be who you are, and people can’t tell you otherwise.”

“Brenden never needed to hide any aspect of himself,” Harris said. “He’s a man of high integrity, character and grit. He was a major trailblazer in my eyes as not only an openly gay football player, but using his free time to work with children with disabilities.”

Up until this point, Moon has only known pain.

Now he knows love.

Crafting a masterpiece Story by Laura Wiersema | Photos by Jayde Vogeler | Design by Blake Willadsen

June – August 2016 – 8-10 months until opening night Senior Bryce Browning sits at his kitchen table in West Liberty, Iowa, poring over script after script. More than 140 plays had been submitted in a nationwide contest to be considered for Simpson College’s annual Festival of Short Plays for spring 2017.

But Theatre Simpson couldn’t put on 140 plays. They could only do three to six. Bryce reads them over, making notes about which ones deserved another read.

Sure, the second reads were good, but did they deserve to be brought to life?

These plays had to be more than just impressive to make the cut. They had to fit the Festival’s theme of ethics and integrity and go together as a cohesive set

without being too similar.

Then there’s logistics to consider: Will these shows work on the small stage in Barnum Studio? Can the costumes be easily made? Does Simpson have the light and sound equipment these shows require?

Bryce keeps these things in the back of his mind as he continues reading. One play here, between work shifts, another play there, as he’s getting ready to sleep.

Eventually he’s read his share of the 140.

The shows chosen hold a lot of weight. These shows serve as the theatre seniors’ capstone and will be the test of everything they’ve learned in their time at Simpson. These shows have to prove to the audience and the professors that the seniors will make it in the real world after graduation because their life depends on it.

By the start of the school year, Bryce will have decided on “Animals” by Kerri Kochanski and “The Proposal” by Max Gutmann. The former centers on a woman married to a hamster, though the situation isn’t strange to her. The latter comically examines gender norms in marriage proposals. Now to play the waiting game until spring semester when the real work begins.

February 21, 2017 – 47 days until opening night Bryce looks over his notes. Everyone auditioned well last night, as he’d expected. Simpson’s theatre department was full of talent, after all. Unfortunately, not everyone could be cast.

“There’s just so many people that are so talented at it, and then it’s like, ‘Shoot. Everyone could do really well with these roles.’” Bryce says. “It’s not slim pickings in any sense.”

He and Brandon Herring, the other senior director, had to make the decisions. With only 10 roles to cast and nearly 35 auditioning, it was clear they couldn’t please everyone.

“The day that the cast list comes out is always really touchy,” Bryce says.

When someone who sees their future in acting is given a job in the crew, it’s often hard for them to see how it benefits them and the production overall.

“The audience is going to see these actors but they can’t see them if there’s no lights. They can’t get in the door if there’s nobody taking tickets,” Bryce says.

And with that, the cast list was finalized. The crew was drafted. There was no looking back.

March 22, 2017 – 16 days until opening night “Whenever you’re ready, ladies!”

“It’s not that I can’t keep things clean, I just don’t care,” Britteny Johnson says, in character.

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She and Brianna Stoever walk onto the barely set stage. Scripts in hand, they’re slowly weaning themselves off.

With spring break two weeks ago and preparation for another theatre production last week, this is the first time the “Animals” cast has truly rehearsed.

Bryce watches them from a table where the audience will soon be sitting, studying their movements, their expressions and attitudes.

“Right there, Britteny, can you sit down on the bed? You’re frustrated. You’re at your wits end,” Bryce says.

Britteny makes a note in her script and gets ready to take that line again.

Admittedly, Bryce had been worried about tonight, but the smoothness of the rehearsal put his mind at ease.

“It’s like a rough draft,” he says.

Finally, the cast was able to move past reciting lines and start blocking their movements on the stage. But Bryce wanted more. More than reading words on a page and walking to a spot on the stage.

“It’s just an uphill slope now. We’re at the lowest, the slowest, the quietest right now. It only gets better from here.”

Senior Bryce Browning

So he told Britteny to sit down in the audience and take a break then turned to Bri. “I want you to deliver your monologue to me, but you have to look me in the face the whole time.

Nothing is more important to you than me hearing what you have to say, OK?” Brianna nods her head. Easy enough. As she takes a breath to start speaking, though, Bryce starts walking swiftly, nearly running, around the stage.

As he makes sharp turns and walks over furniture and hides behind walls, Bri gets visibly frustrated.

Heaving and groaning, she’s had it with Bryce’s directing. What is the point of this, other than to irritate her sports-induced asthma?

“I need the frantic, the panic, the paranoid,” Bryce

says. “How do we pull out an emotion that you may not be feeling?”

A light bulb went on in Brianna’s mind as she regained her breath. Bryce took the emotion he wanted her to convey and magnified it. That was how she needed to present it to the audience.

Rehearsal comes to a close early, to everyone’s surprise.

“It’s just an uphill slope now. We’re at the lowest, the slowest, the quietest right now,” Bryce says. “It only gets better from here.”

March 28, 2017 – 10 days until opening night Alanna Wendt slams the door in the middle of the stage. Trey Thompson silently mouths his lines, trying to remember his next one and the blocking Bryce

gave him on Sunday. “The Proposal” is his first college production, and college productions and high school productions are on entirely different playing fields. One he never expected to be on as a math major who spent most of his time running for the cross country and track teams.

“The actors here get way more into character than we ever did in high school,” Trey says. “There’s a lot of questions that are asked. What is our motivation, our purpose? Why are we saying this?”

The cast starts running the show, spitting their lines back and forth as quickly as possible. Their goal is to imitate a sit-com, complete with a cheesy title sequence.

In his small hometown high school, musicals were Trey’s forte, but never lead roles.

“My first performance was in 4th grade at the community theatre,” he says. “In a small town audience, they all know who you are. You can’t fake it.

Here they might not know who you are so you have to actually act.”

Despite it all, he’s excited for opening night. Even if his cross country teammates will be there to heckle him for his stage kiss with Alanna.

March 29, 2017 – 9 days until opening night

30

“Yeah, we’re missing a lot here, guys,” Bryce sighs.

“Let’s just take it from the top again.”

An entire page. They skipped an entire page. They were supposed to be memorized. They’re off script.

He told them, “You won’t be able to call ‘line’ tomorrow.”

But it seems like they haven’t picked up the script since they ended rehearsal last night. Company run is tomorrow. Tech rehearsals start on Saturday.

Bryce paces the space in the audience, stopping in different places momentarily to see everything from multiple angles and jotting down notes as he goes.

As “The Proposal” wraps up, Bryce pulls them outside the theatre. He has a page full of notes for them to go over, and they’ll spend the rest of tonight’s rehearsal running lines and blocking while “Animals”

takes over the space.

Move the couch here, add a human-size hamster wheel there, throw clothes haphazardly around the stage.

“It’s not that I can’t keep things clean, I just don’t care.”

Again, Bryce moves around the audience, taking notes, much less furiously this time. The “Animals” cast is more experienced. The only two speaking parts are held by juniors, theatre majors. Eat-sleep-breathe theatre majors.

After so long, it comes easily to them. Memorizing is easier, blocking feels natural, getting into character in an instant. They’ve put in the work to be this good, you can tell. Bryce only stops to correct them once.

April 6, 2017 – 1 day until opening night The nice thing about being a director is tech rehearsals aren’t as stressful. You get to sit back and watch everyone else do the work. That’s exactly what Bryce planned on doing tonight.

A couple of props crew members sweep and mop the floors. Lighting and sound designers shout cues to the booth, assuring everything works properly. Stage gets set and ushers open doors as imaginary audience members filter in.

“It’s not that I can’t keep things clean, I just don’t care.”

Britteny enters wearing an animal print cardigan, and

Bri, animal print leggings. Not a detail left to chance but a conscious decision by Anastasia Abraham, the costume designer.

Final dress rehearsal has to go off without a hitch.

Luckily, it seems like running each show every day for the last week is paying off.

“We only had two weeks to put this on it’s feet and that deserves a lot of pride,” Bryce says.

They say a bad dress rehearsal means a great opening night, but this dress rehearsal was nearly flawless. All it lacked was a little energy that the audience would provide, energy for the cast to feed off of and thrive.

April 7, 2017 – Opening night Early is on time, on time is late and late is fired. It’s the mantra the theatre department lives by, so when 6 p.m. hits, everyone has been backstage for 10 minutes.

Show starts in just an hour and a half. Ninety minutes to spend getting in costume, perfecting stage

makeup, running lines, getting into character and attempting to relax.

Even seasoned actors say it. The opening night jitters never go away.

“You just have to accept your nerves and it makes you better,” Trey says.

The minutes tick down, passing far too quickly for the casts’ liking. After what seems like only a few minutes, they can already hear the sound of the audience filling Barnum’s new seats.

Bryce picks a seat on the outside so he can see the audience’s reactions. It’s like showing someone a video you think is funny, he said. You want them to appreciate it, but what if they don’t?

“What we have is good regardless of who sees it, how many see it and what their reaction is,” Bryce says.

The lights go dim and the house music fades. It’s here. The culmination of months of preparation and it’ll be over in an hour.

Whether they’re ready or not, the show must go on.

Simpson changes too

Simpson proves that change is inevitable and for the better Story by Britteny Johnson | Photos submitted by Cyd Dyer, Simpson archivist| Design by Emily Carey

Simpson professor John Epperson and students pause for a photo on Campus Day 1985

C

hange is inevitable -- that’s what we are taught from a young age. You will grow, you will mature and your life will go in directions you never thought it would.

The same applies for Simpson.

With every graduating class comes a new set of students to follow. Time goes on and things change. It’s inevitable. One thing has stayed the same at Simpson, though, is the passion that the school has at helping the students succeed: #SimpsonSuccess.

Simpson College originally wasn’t a college at all; it took about 25 years and a few name changes to get it to be what we know today. Simpson was a male and female seminary high school that opened in September 1860. A mere five years later, it became the Des Moines Conference Seminary, and just two years later, was made into a college, Simpson Centenary College. Fewer than 20 years later and you have what is still known today as Simpson College.

Many buildings have come, gone and changed since the beginning of Simpson’s time. For example, what is now College Hall was originally the chapel on campus. It was also the only academic building that Simpson had until 1900 when more buildings were constructed. What is now Mary Berry, with offices, galleries and classrooms, was originally a ladies dormitory.

John Epperson, professor of political science, has been working at Simpson for 40 years and remembers how Mary Berry was when it first became his office.

“This building was originally a ladies dorm.

When I came here, my office was on the second floor, and they basically had just taken what were college dorm rooms, tiny college dorm rooms, and stuck a desk in it and put some paneling up. It was a bit of a mess.”

campus, but there were no set dates. In fact, students would have no idea if a Campus Day was coming. Faculty members would just run through the residence halls banging on pots and pans to wake students up. This also meant that Campus Day was an early day.

This caused some problems. For example, professors wouldn’t know when the day was, so there were some days when they would have to cancel tests or labs for the purpose of students participating in Campus Day. Epperson chuckles and said it’s nicer to know when the day is going to be.

“The randomness of (Campus Day) got to be too disruptive, so that’s the biggest thing that they have changed,” Epperson said.

Bryan Geelan, athletics communications director and ’07 graduate, said that changing the event from early morning to afternoon was beneficial for Campus Day attendance.

“It’s better organized and it seems that more people are involved. Not as many people were involved in campus day when I went here, probably because it was a right away in the morning thing.

Kicking it off with a meal and everyone getting their assignment and getting going is more of a natural fit,” Geelan said.

Campus Day

Social Life on Campus

Campus Day has been a part of the Simpson tradition since 1889. As most, if not all, Simpson students know, Campus Day is a day off classes where students are encouraged to participate in service projects. Currently, people are asked to sign up with teams of 10 who are then assigned their service project the day of Campus Day. This was not always the case.

Campus Day used to be a surprise to the student body, but according to Epperson there would be hints and clues, like sod being brought onto

Today there are organizations galore on campus. If you want to be involved in something, odds are there is an organization that fits your needs. If not, the process of creating an organization is easy enough if you are passionate.

While there has always been organizations on campus, Cyd Dyer, librarian and archivist, said that there are more events happening and more organizations than ever before.

“There are so many events at Simpson that you

33

spotlight on Simpson

can attend every day that you just don’t get to them.

Theatre is so strong, music is so strong. I just went to a great gallery talk,” Dyer said. “I would say that if there were students that are passionate about some cause, that they need to share with other students at Simpson, they would probably do just that.”

One event that surprised both Epperson and Geelan was Friday night bingo.

Geelan said that when he was attending Simpson, bingo was not the spectacle it is now.

“Unless I completely missed it, bingo was not a thing when I went here, which apparently, it’s all the rage now, and I see some of the prizes that are up for grabs, so I understand. That’s been a really good

“That is one of the great attractions of a small liberal arts college: getting to know students and getting to know what they want to do and helping them figure that out and then later seeing them be successful.”

improvement,” Geelan said. “From an outsider perspective, a lot of things are happening on campus so that everyone can be involved.”

When talking with students, Epperson was surprised to find that Bingo was such a big event for students as well.

“I think that there is more intentional programming. When I first came here, they did some things, but it seemed to be a little haphazard. They try now to have different events,” Epperson said. “I didn’t realize how big bingo had gotten around here. They have done more of that sort of stuff that students seem to respond to.”

With all of this change, one thing has remained the same: Simpson’s drive for student success.

Epperson said that during his 40 years at Simpson, the relationship between students and faculty has been one fundamental staple of Simpson.

34

Professor John Epperson

“You get to know students better than you do at a bigger university. I can remember getting a letter from a student, she talked about how I helped her and that was what Simpson was all about. I still get those sorts of letters,” Epperson said. “You still see students at sporting events, you are still asked to judge this and that, get invited to dinners, and you still see them when you go to Hy-Vee. There is not a fundamental difference on that part. That is one of the great attractions of a small liberal arts college: getting to know students and getting to know what they want to do and helping them figure that out and then later seeing them be successful.”

One thing that Geelan thinks attracts students to Simpson today is the facilities that have been created and updated for students.

“When I was in school there was talk that there was going to be a new student center, but it was just ’it’s coming, it’s coming.’ Now being an employee here and getting to see that change

with the new student center and the improvements that we’ve made in athletics has been great for us,” Geelan said.

With new improvements, students are given more opportunities to grow. Simpson has continued to grow for the convenience of present and future students.

When it comes to Simpson and life, things change, but when they work, they work. Simpson has seen thousands of students come and go, along with buildings and faculty and majors, but one thing remains the same. When it comes to Simpson everyone is striving for success.

For more on the history of Campus Day, simpson’s campus and buildings and more, go to simpson.edu/library/ click on the Archives & Special Collections tab, and click on the college archives link.

Thank you for a great year!

THANK YOU FOR A GREAT YEAR! THIS YEAR’S TOTALS:

10,600 28 1,100 Over

Miles Traveled for Service

1

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RELIGIOUS LIFE COMMUNITY

Credit Card Reader Installed

Meals Served in Dirlam Lounge

Religious & Spiritual Identities on Campus Over

Hours of Service

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