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may 12, 2016
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Student research on Ceremony display at symposium recognizes professors ana lópEz STAFF WRITER
the Paideia session titled “The Creative Mind at Work.” In the session, students presented research about the creative work behind television, Disneyland Park and art. Kmoch said the experience was eyeopening for her. “I never really thought about symbolism behind art and TV shows,” Kmoch said. According to Sparkes, not only does the symposium open the minds of attendees to new ideas but also helps the presenters to understand their own subject matter better. “It’s like teaching,” Sparkes said. “You really have to think about what it is at the core, what it is you want to communicate and why.”
As part of one of the closing events of the year, a Faculty Recognition Ceremony will be held on May 12. The ceremony will recognize Luther faculty who are retiring as well as faculty who worked for the institution for 25 years. The faculty members who will be retiring are Associate Professor of Social Work Ginger Meyette, Associate Professor of Social Work and Director of Luther College Social Work Program Craig Mosher and Professor of Music Jessica Paul. The faculty members being recognized for their 25 years of service are Associate Professor of Economics Nicholas Gomersall, Professor of Chemistry John Hedstrom, Professor of Chemistry John Jefferson, Professor of English Martin Klammer and Associate Professor of HPE and Director of Athletic Training Brian Solberg (‘88). Mosher, who has been at Luther for 11 years, said he is appreciative of his time teaching at the college. “It’s been a great run for me,” Mosher said. “It’s been really nice to be part of a community like this, where people seem to really care about each other.” As director of the social work program, Mosher said he was also impressed with the changes the department went through during his time at Luther. “I am proud of how the social work program has grown and remained stable,” Mosher said. Meyette is also retiring from the social work department. She said she thinks the hardest part about retiring will be leaving her students. “I love teaching,” Meyette said. “The thing I’m going to miss the most are the students.”
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Dominique Itanze (‘16) presents his research titled “Determining the binding of environment pollutants to host molecules using fluorescence spectroscopy Annika Vande Krol / Photo Bureau ElizabEth bonin STAFF WRITER The annual Student Research Symposium was held on Friday, May 6. The symposium, which lasts the whole day, is a time for students to present their research to their peers and the general community. Over 100 students presented their research. Following the opening convocation and keynote address, given by Laura Proescholdt (‘16) and Jenna Johnson (‘16), presenters split into different sessions based on commonalities between their research. Associate Dean and Director of Curriculum Development and College Honors Terry Sparkes said that the research symposium
is a good way to emphasize the learning and success students have throughout the academic year. “It provides students with the opportunity to share all of what they have learned and their insights with peers, faculty, staff and with the community at large,” Sparkes said. Ninety-five presentations were held at the symposium. Sparkes said one thing she enjoys most is the wide variety of the presentations. “We think of research as both research and creative projects,” Sparkes said. “So we have theater, dance, music and performance that is every bit as much research as professional research in the broader definition. This is a demonstration of the liberal arts at its best.” Emmalee Kmoch (‘19) attended
Student assaulted near campus katiE nElSon nEWS EDIToR A female student was assaulted between Leif Erickson Drive and College Drive while walking on Friday, May 6 at 11:30 p.m. She was approached by three men who restrained her and touched her sexually. The men released the female student when a car drove past. This was the last time they were seen, but all three have been described as white males, one of whom is short and stocky, another tall and thin according to an email send to students by Media Relations. The Decorah Police Department has been notified of the incident. According to Luther Safety and Security Director Bob Harri, there will be increased security and police from now until after graduation. “We will have extra security staff on duty this weekend
and next as we typically do this time of year,” Harri said. “Having more staff on duty gives us an opportunity to be more visible and spend more time on patrol to deter any inappropriate conduct and hopefully help students feel more secure.” Harri said in addition to additional Luther Security staff the Decorah police will be spending additional time patrolling the campus and surrounding areas over the weekends. Again, this is our standard practice.” Norse Against Sexual Assault (NASA) member Hannah Butler (‘16) hopes that the work the organization has done at Luther is beneficial in situations like this. “I would hope that the work that NASA has been doing has produced a community that is able to better respond emotionally and physically to something like this,” Butler said. “I would hope that the awareness that we’ve been promoting and the intolerance that we’ve
been attempting to promote will fuel our community to have a better emotional reaction and to notice it more. I think that’s something that can’t go unnoticed.” Butler encourages all members of the community to speak out against actions such as this. “I know it’s not a big thing, but wearing the NASA shirts … was kind of like a community promotion that we wanted to implement today,” Butler said. “It’s not just members of NASA that have the ability to respond, we’re all individuals, part of this community.” Harri requests anyone with information to contact the Luther Safety and Security office at (563)-387-2111. “As far as the investigation goes, we are trying to identify those responsible and ask that anyone with information contact us,” Harri said. Anyone wishing to report an incident may contact Associate Director of Human Resources and Title IX Coordinator Matthew Bills.
News
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News editors: katie NelsoN & jacob warehime
Reimann receives Fulbright grant, will teach in Malaysia anna jeide editor-iN-chieF As many seniors prepare their plans for after graduation, Julia Reimann (‘16) is preparing to travel to Malaysia as a participant in the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship program. Reimann is one of few applicants nationwide selected to receive the prestigious Fulbright grant, funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Fulbright applicants go through a nearly yearlong process as their applications are reviewed by both the United States and the partner country. Reimann explains how she came to apply to Fulbright. According to Reimann, her interests in living and teaching English abroad can be attributed to her academic interests in studying religion and interfaith work. “I took a class my junior year on religious diversity and that changed a lot of my perspectives on the way I look at religious neighbors,” Reimann said. “That was my moment of realizing that I wanted to study that the rest of my life.” Reimann said she then began looking at programs that would allow her to engage with others in a religiously diverse environment.
“I talked to Dr. Todd Green about Fulbright, not knowing much about the program, and learned about how it is an organization that wants to build bridges across cultures and religions,” Reimann said. Reimann began looking into Fulbright programs in two Muslim-majority countries, Turkey and Malaysia, and decided on Malaysia. “[I wanted a program with] full immersion in cultural and religious experiences where I would be the minority for being American, a woman and from a Christian background,” Reimann said. “My hope is that in going to this predominantly Muslim country, I will learn a lot about the religion and the people who practice it. Hopefully I can bring that knowledge back and create interest with family and friends to create bridges and be less fearful of what is unknown, especially considering the prevalence of Islamophobia in the United States.” The Fulbright program in Malaysia will begin January 2017 and end in November 2017. Reimann will teach English to secondary school students for the duration of her time there. As part of the Fulbright program, Reimann will also learn the language of Bahasa Melayu. For others considering a year abroad, Reimann encourages Luther students to apply for Fulbright. She thanks Associate Dean and Director of Curriculum
Development and College Honors Terry Sparkes for her support and advising in the application process. “Luther always has people apply,” Reimann said. “Dean Sparkes is so helpful and this is a great opportunity.” Reimann is the only Luther student participating in a Fulbright program for the 2016-17 year.
julia reimann (‘16) will participate in the Fulbright program next year. Photo courtesy of Julia Reimann
Sonia Kendrick lectures on food democracy non-profit organization named “Feed Iowa First,” which aims to secure food for those in need in the Linn County area. Kendrick spoke about her motivation for starting this project and her experience of being a veteran of the war in Afghanistan. A large part of the lecture was explaining how the current system of food production and supply works
on both a national and global level, what is wrong with it and what can be done to improve it. According to Kendrick, government subsidies are beneficial to farmers, but not enough types of crops are covered under the current system. Additionally, the society only has three days of food reserves on hand in any given moment, and that
sonia kendrick speaks about her worldwide experiences with food.
Matija Nikolic / Chips
matija nikolic staFF writer Sonia Kendrick delivered a lecture titled “Using Food Democracy to Rebuild Local Food Systems” on May 4 in Valders 362. She spoke about her experience standing up for food justice in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she founded a
any major disruption in the supply chain can cause great consequences. Kendrick viewes food supply as a means of controlling the population. “We are mammals, and what other mammal do you know that doesn’t teach its young how to feed themselves?” Kendrick said. “We need to know how to feed ourselves, our democratic right to rule ourselves starts with the ability to feed ourselves. If we wait for people to feed us, then whoever feeds us controls us. So everybody needs to learn how to feed themselves or they need to at least learn how to appreciate their local farm or help them and pay them a living wage.” Decorah resident Kristin Eggen came to the event because it is relevant to her work at Green Iowa, AmeriCorps, and she believes that Kendrick serves as a great role model to Luther students. “She is very to-the-point in what she sees the food system problems being in our country and how local food systems relate to economics,
environment, people and health,” Eggen said. “Exploring those ideas of ‘what is a healthy person’ and ‘how do we keep people and communities healthy’ is very important.” Kate Reilly (‘17) will use the lecture as the inspiration for her work as a student gardener at Luther College. “I was in the audience because I’m from Cedar Rapids, and I really liked how Sonia brought her perspective as a veteran into the discussion of the local foods movement,” Reilly said. “How food, oil and war intersect is not something I think about every day, but Sonia’s arguments tied them together so well and in a very logical way. Sonia’s lecture really reflects Luther’s sustainability mission, our commitment to local food and our dedication to environmental education.” Kendrick explained that she hopes that her lecture was a step toward encouraging Luther students to make a change and stand up for the issues that they find important. “[Luther students] can make a difference in their community, as Gandhi said: ‘To be the change that they want to see in the world,’” Kendrick said. “In my case, that is to grow food and help people.” Isobel Michaud (‘19) shared Kendrick’s sentiment. “Things that Kendrick has done are things that I would be interested in doing in the future because I really think that it’s crazy how we produce 2,500 calories per person in the world every day and yet people are still going hungry,” Michaud said. “That is something that we need to address.”
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life outside luther: election Update katie nelSon News editor Primaries and caucuses have been taking place across the country since the first caucus took place in Iowa on Feb. 1. Since this time, Democrats and Republicans have been gaining delegates state by state. The total counts are as follows: Pledged democratic delegates: Hillary Clinton - 1,705 Bernie Sanders - 1,454 Republican delegates: Donald Trump - 1,068 Dropped out: Ted Cruz, John Kasich
Visiting instructor in French Pete russella teaches French 101 in main 217. kaRl BadGeR staFF writer Several Luther College faculty members are currently having conversations about reforming the intercultural all-college requirement. No official proposal has been set forth on the issue, but a variety of possible reforms are being discussed. While specific opinions vary among faculty members, some of the most common themes include expanding the intercultural requirement to two classes, choosing whether to focus on domestic issues, global issues or both, and whether or not classes should emphasize structural inequality and social justice. Associate Professor of Education and Assessment Coordinator Jeannette Pillsbury noted that a recent survey of faculty conducted by the Academic Planning Committee confirmed that the Intercultural requirement is a pertinent issue in the minds of many professors. “We did a survey of the faculty recently just to hear [their thoughts],” Pillsbury said. “Although there was the minutest kind of consensus, there was enough [of one] that we know we need to work on it.” According to Pillsbury, who is a member of a subcommittee of the Academic Planning Committee that handles changes in course content,
part of the reason that the intercultural requirement needs reform is because its language and wording has led to disagreement over whether or not a course fulfills the intercultural requirement. “One of the reasons that we’ve been earnest about trying to reframe this is that when a new course or modified courses come before [the subcommittee] and the professor wants the course to be seen as meeting the intercultural requirement, we sometimes disagree with that,” Pillsbury said. “Sometimes, there is a lack of clarity amongst all of us as to understanding what that’s about.” In addition to clarity, many faculty members feel that reforming the intercultural requirement will allow cultural issues, and issues of structural inequality, to be addressed more directly by Luther’s curriculum. Assistant Professor of Sociology Ronald Ferguson, who favors a greater focus on issues of structural inequality within the intercultural requirement, emphasized that he doesn’t feel that reforming the intercultural requirement means that the issues raised in the proposed changes haven’t been addressed before. “I think to say that we need these requirements is not to say that these things aren’t being discussed in the classroom, because I think they are,” Ferguson said.
Megan Oliver / Photo Bureau “I think that having these requirements compels us to be intentional and purposeful in the development of our courses. We’re taking a real and honest look and asking if we are providing an experience that allows students to address structural inequality.” In order for the intercultural requirement to be changed, a resolution would need to be drafted by the Academic Planning Committee that changes the language of the intercultural requirement. This could happen in a variety of ways, as the basis for the resolution could come from any number of sources. Then, the three academic divisions (STEM, social sciences and humanities) would review the proposal and make edits as needed. Once a proposal can be agreed upon, the resolution would be voted on at a full faculty meeting. For Luther student Rebecka Green (‘19), a key part of any sort of reform to the intercultural requirement will be making sure that students are engaged by the type of course material being offered by a new requirement. “Young people are becoming more and more interested in becoming active in whatever social and political issue interests them,” Green said. “It is important for the school to show they are listening to this and want to engage in constructive conversations about what their students care about.”
Results from states holding primaries or caucuses between April 19 and May 10: Connecticut Clinton (D) Trump (R) Deleware Clinton (D) Trump (R) Maryland Clinton (D) Trump (R) Guam Clinton (D)
Pennsylvania Clinton (D) Trump (R) Rhode Island Sanders (D) Trump (R) Indiana Sanders (D) Trump (R)
Cruz and Kasich suspend campaigns In light of Trump’s win in Indiana, Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz suspended his campaign on May 3 in Indianapolis. Shortly after choosing Carly Fiorina as his running mate, he stated, “With a heavy heart but with boundless optimism for the long-term future of our nation, we are suspending our campaign,” according to CNN. On May 4, Kasich followed suit and suspended his campaign as well, stating “As I suspend my campaign today, I have renewed faith, deeper faith that the Lord will show me the way forward and fulfill the purpose of my life.” This leaves Donald Trump as the only remaining Republican the campaign trail, making him the probable Republican nominee. Trump needs 169 delegates to secure the nomination. The final primaries for the Republican nomination will be held on June 7, 2016 in the states of California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota, before the Republican National Convention on July 18-21 in Cleveland, Ohio. Clinton and Sanders both continue their campagins for the Democtatic nomination, with a separation of approximately 300 pledged delegates in Clinton’s favor. There are still ten states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia remaining before the Democratic National Convention takes place on July 25-28 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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NewS editorS: Katie NelSoN & Jacob warehime
Students present research SympoSium, Page 1 Allura Lothary (‘16) gave a poster presentation titled “Does Developmental Generativity Predict Substance Use in Middle Aged Adults?” Lothary echoed Sparkes’ sentiment, saying she felt presenting at the symposium helped her gain a better understanding of her own research. “Teaching others will definitely help create a better understanding for yourself, as well as some pride and feeling really good about what you’ve learned and what you’ve done with your time at Luther,” Lothary said. Lothary said the symposium is a good opportunity for students to widen their breadth of knowledge. “You get a chance to learn a lot more than you would in the classroom,” Lothary said. “It’s a larger breadth of things that you might not dabble in.” Emily Gehlsen (‘16) presented her senior paper, titled “Athlete Burnout in Young Females: Parental and Coach Involvement, Communication Patterns and Body Distortion.” Gehlsen was surprised by the potential impact of her research. She decided to present in order to
make a difference within the athletic world. “It’s important to note that we need to focus on positive values of team sports and not so much the competition aspect,” Gehlsen said. Gehlsen wanted to bring attention to an issue that she believes is oftentimes swept under the rug. She was excited to present her research to end to her college career. For the first-year students presenting their Paideia research papers, the symposium is just the beginning of college research. Tyler Conzett (‘19) presented on the connection between alchemy and music. He said that his favorite part about the project was putting together information in order to come to a conclusion. “Coming up with a conclusion that actually makes logical sense and can be based on evidence was a really inspiring and fulfilling moment for me,” Conzett said. Conzett said the symposium is ultimately a time for students to celebrate all the work they have accomplished. “It’s a chance for students to share what interests them and what they’ve found out through their hard work and show it to their peers,” Conzett said.
Ceremony held to recognize faculty Ceremony, Page 1 During Meyette’s seven years at Luther, her research focused on grief in the lives of lesbians age 60 and older, as well as research on gay and lesbian endof-life issues. Meyette said that although she loves Decorah and will miss the faculty she works with, she is optimistic about still being in touch with them. Luther faculty who have worked at the institution for 25 years will also be recognized. Klammer is one of these faculty members and said he feels his time here has gone fast. “It’s hard to imagine that it’s come so quickly,” Klammer said. Like Meyette, for Klammer the most fulfilling part of his job has been his students. “The thing that keeps me young are the students,” Klammer said. “With their curiosity, and their energy and their passion for justice.” Klammer said that over the course of his career, his academic interests have shifted. Previously, he worked with poetry and the history of South Africa. However, more recently he has focused on creative writing, publishing a book titled “Out, Out Brief Candle! Macbeth Comes to Africa’s Children of Fire.” The book details Klammer’s experiences during his 2014 sabbatical volunteering with child burn victims in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he helped the children put on a production of Macbeth as
well as helped them develop their writing abilities. Also included in the book are essays written by Klammer’s students who visited the kids Klammer worked with during a 2015 January term trip he co-taught with Professor of English Nancy Barry. Solberg is also one of the faculty members being recognized for their 25 years of service. Like Klammer, Solberg said that his 25 years at Luther have gone fast. “I have the good fortune of having my hand on not only teaching, but also administratively in athletic training,” Solberg said. “[It’s been] a nice enjoyable mix.” Solberg said he has enjoyed working with his colleagues and students and that they always keep him motivated. “That has been the thing that drives me the most,” Solberg said. “I really like to work with students and my colleagues. Teaching has always been something that I wanted to do.” Solberg said that he is thankful for being able to spend so much time doing what he enjoys and hopes for the best in the years to come.
Peter Swanson (‘16) presents a composition “utilizing screaming vocals in classical music.” Megan Oliver / Photo Bureau
Four new Regents added in 2016-17 joram mutenge StaFF writer Luther College President Paula Carlson announced the election of four new Regents to the college’s Board of Regents on April 18: Jeffrey Anderson (‘84), Sandee Joppa (‘87), Michael Osterholm (‘75) and James N. Young (‘81). Anderson, Joppa and Young joined the Board of Regents in February, while Osterholm began his service in May. Carlson stated that there is no application process to become part of the Board of Regents, but rather it is a committee search. “There is a committee called the Institutional Planning & Board Affairs Committee,” Carlson said. “The committee’s job is to work with me to develop possibilities for people who would be great additions to the board.” Carlson also talked about the involvement of the new members with the college. “Jeffrey Anderson and Sandee Joppa served on the Parents Council,” Carlson said. “They are engaged with the college, and their
children have attended Luther. They have also volunteered for the college—and that’s true for all four.” Carlson stressed the benefits of the expertise brought in by the four new members. “Osterholm is a professor at the University of Minnesota and he has been very engaged with our science department and has given lectures,” Carlson said. “He is a great resource for our science students and faculty.” Carlson also added that Young, who is the chief financial officer and member of the Board of Directors of Ally Bank, will be a great resource to the business department. Young was an accounting major during his time at Luther. Joppa is a human resources executive and president of Joppa Consulting, an executive coaching and consulting firm based in Plymouth, Minnesota, while Anderson is a partner and shareholder at Associated Anesthesiologists, a 40-physician single-specialty group practice in Des Moines, Iowa.
Meanwhile, outgoing student representative to the Student Life and Academics Committee Sukeji Jeffrey (‘17) said that the addition of four new members to the board was essential. “[Members of the board] put in their money, they put in their time,” Jeffrey said. “I see the importance of having extra members.” Student representative to Finances and Enrollment Committee, Andrew Carlson (‘17) talked about his experience as student representative to the board. “One thing I’ve learned is that we have incredible individuals who are part of the leadership of the college. I was honored to be able to interact with them,” Andrew Carlson said. “It inspires me after I graduate to stay in touch with the college because this place wouldn’t be as successful without people who stay in touch.” President Carlson expressed her gratitude to the new board members and added that she looks forward to working with them.
Arts & EntErtAinMEnt
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A&E Editor: JEnnA nElson
MAy 12, 2016
luther College music department presents “the merry Widow”
a merry marriage. Jaime Webb (‘17) and Patrick Pauloski (‘16) perform one of their final duets of the operetta. The duo were “The Merry Widow” leads in the Saturday night production. Lily Kime / Chips lily kime stAff WritEr The Luther College music department delivered two performances of Franz Lehár’s operetta “The Merry Widow” on May 6 and 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Center for Faith and Life (CFL) Main Hall. This production was performed after months of hard work by the music faculty and students to continue the tradition of presenting a spring opera. “The Merry Widow” is an operetta, which means that it includes dialogue. This operetta plot involves a considerable fortune, a scandalous affair, and a team of diplomatic secretaries that are perpetually trying to sort through the messes of other characters. According to Jaime Webb (‘17), who played the lead role of the widow Hanna Glawari on Saturday evening, this particular operetta
is notable for the stylistic change that occurred immediately after its creation. “It’s the last operetta to be composed before the switch to musical theater,” Webb said. “So it’s very much on that end of having a lot of dialogue in between really fun, upbeat numbers. It kind of has more musical theater elements, but with opera technique. It’s a nice fusion of those two things.” The preparation for the spring opera began in the fall semester of this academic year. Interested students auditioned at the end of October. The cast lists, scripts and music were then distributed at the end of November. Decisions on casting were made by co-directors Associate Professor of Music Karen Kanakis and Assistant Professor of Music Jacob Lassetter. However, to avoid bias, they don’t make the casting decisions entirely on their own.
“Anyone on voice faculty can come, and anyone that watches all of the auditions can submit a cast list to us,” Kanakis said. “We basically tally votes and take everybody’s cast list into consideration. That’s what makes the final cast list.” Once the students had their parts, members of the cast had to learn the notes and rhythms of their music. When spring semester began, they held rehearsals during class time and on Wednesday evenings. The schedule continued for the cast until the week before the first performance. One week before curtain, members of the cast had a load-in day, which is the primary day the cast set up the set and got props ready for showtime. Although set designer Aimee Hanysewski and constructor David Hegg were in charge of this setup, all members of the cast spent their day working with them, helping with whatever they
the diplomats. Avery Mossman (‘17), Grant Holsinger (‘17), Scott Kleeman (‘18), Aaron Shouse (‘18), and Brandon Whitish (‘17) play flustered diplomats in “The Merry Widow.” Lily Kime / Chips
can. The following day, the cast and orchestra worked together to put all parts of the music together. Cast members finished that day with a “cue-to-cue”, a rehearsal focused on arranging all of the technical aspects with movements and the dialogue of the actors. After that is all done, the cast, crew and faculty then have dress rehearsals Monday through Thursday, and then it is time for their two performances. In addition to creating this performance, the directors teach their students not only their parts in this particular show, but also about the career field. According to Luigi Enriquez (‘17), who played Camille de Rosillon both evenings, Kanakis and Lassetter have emphasized the details that separate professionals from amateurs in rehearsals. “Our directors have really pushed us to act as professional as possible,” Enriquez said. “When we have rehearsals, we try to dress up and not wear sweatpants to help with confidence. In our sitting rehearsal with symphony, they asked us to dress up because it’s very disrespectful to your orchestra if you’re dressed in sweatpants and a hoodie. It’s very comparable to the experience you’d have in the real world. It’s been really awesome.” “The Merry Widow” has several lead roles. Three of these roles, each of which have a great deal of singing, were double-casted this year. This means that three of the roles were performed by different cast members from one performance to the next. According to Kanakis, double casting is done for several reasons. The first reason is to prevent any vocal damage for a performer who would have to sing an exceptionally big and high part for several nights in a row. With
double-casting, the performers are able to alternate in order to prevent vocal damage. They also doublecast shows when the department has enough talent to fill these main roles with several people. Instead of giving only one person this chance, two people are able to share their role in order to gain experience. Wesley Frye (‘16), who played Danilo Danilovitch on Friday evening, has participated in three spring opera productions during his time here at Luther College. As a senior, he not only had a lead role onstage, but also a leadership role offstage. “It’s rewarding when you see yourself as a leader and others see you as a leader,” Frye said. “But in a way, everybody kind of takes on a leadership role. They take things very seriously. Because they do that, I think that translates into them taking action, not only for themselves but for others as well. We’re very supportive of each other, and that’s a huge part of what has made this process so remarkably smooth.” This process has taken effort, time and energy from the cast, crew, faculty and orchestra members. It has also required cooperation from other organizations and administration.According to Lassetter, when the CFL is undergoing preparation for this performance, other organizations stay positive and supportive of the music department. “Even when things are displaced, the attitudes are always so good,” Lassetter. “When they do chapel outside, they’re excited. When they do FOCUS outside, they’re always excited. They look forward to it. It’s a good spirit that we appreciate a lot.”
Features
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Features editor: erika storvick
archaeoloGy in Greece. the archaeological zone at kenchreai, including an early christian church and temple of isis in the foreground.
Photo courtesy of Dan Davis
Dan Davis leads dig in Greece Jana Mueller staFF Writer Just a few short days after commencement, Assistant Professor of Classics Dan Davis will take 11 students to the village of Kenchreai in the municipality of Corinth, in Greece for their
annual archeological dig. The trip, a three-and-a-half week experience, offers an opportunity for the students to learn how to perform an archaeologists’ work. “We will be looking at a sixth century Roman seaside villa,” Davis said. “This year we are hoping to find at least one mosaic.
STuDenTS GeT inVolVeD. (From Left) trevor Brandt (‘17), alessandro Battaglia (‘17), Froeydis roenneberg (‘17) and assistant professor of classics dan davis atop acrocorinth, above the archaeological site of kenchreai. Photo courtesy of Dan Davis
The students will have the chance to learn what archaeologists do, such as dating ceramics and using careful analysis to assess what we find.” As a marine archaeologist, Davis is looking for ways to explore more of their dig site. “The site that we are looking at is partially underwater and you can swim through buildings and churches,” Davis said. “There is a submerged port in the bay, as well, and I’m hoping within the next few years, we will be able to dig underwater there.” This trip is not something that any school can participate in, as it is a unique Luther program. “It is an opportunity for Luther students to take on a prestigious project in Greece,” Davis said. “The Greek government only allows three digging permits to Americans, and Luther has one of them.” This program is a chance for students of all different majors to explore classics and have the
chance to go on a real adventure. Chad Villhauer (‘18), one of the students going on the trip this summer, speaks on how he came to apply for the trip. “What really sparked my interest with the trip to Kenchreai was taking the course Greek Archeology with Professor Davis,” Villhauer said. “Learning about ancient Greece and how it changed was fascinating, and I was ecstatic to find out that I would have the chance to visit all these cool places that we’ve studied.” For Villhauer and the other students, this summer will be a chance to explore history in a concrete way. “The main component of the trip will be participating in an archeological dig,” Villhauer said. “Even though Greek archeology falls more so to the classics department, I kept asking myself as a history major, ‘How many opportunities will I have to take part in actually discovering history?’ ”
Jayse Weaver (‘16), another student who will be attending this year’s trip, became interested in this trip through past experiences abroad. “In January of 2015, I traveled to Italy where we visited archaeological sites and museums to learn about the history of Rome, so it’s exciting to travel abroad and, instead of study previous work, conduct archaeological field work ourselves!” Weaver said. While the group does not depart until the summer, there is some work that students have to do beforehand. “To prepare, I’ve been learning modern Greek vocabulary and basic sentence structure, as we have the opportunity to immerse ourselves more in the local culture during our time off the site every day and on weekends,” Weaver said. Jordan Blank (‘16) went on this trip in June 2013 and had positive things to say about her experience. “I was an undergraduate field helper,” Blank said. “I, along with eight other undergraduate students from around the U.S., helped out around the dig sites. We dusted and cleared brush and trees from ruins so that the surveyors could get a good picture of the layout.” The dig in Greece will give the students the chance to do real fieldwork and learn how the archaeological process really works. “Studying classics in a small town in Iowa is dull, that goes without question,” Davis said. “But going to a country like Greece to get firsthand experience, in my opinion, rounds out the liberal education.”
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Features editor: erika storvick
May 12, 2016
Book Shop celebrates May the Fourth eMMa SchlaBach staFF Writer The Luther College Book Shop staff helped celebrate May 4, “Star Wars Day,” with activities, discounts, food and a book signing of Associate Professor of communication studies Derek Sweet’s new book, “Star Wars in the Public Square: The Clone Wars as Political Dialogue” in the Book Shop on May 4 from 8:45-4:45 p.m. Book Shop Marketing and Merchandise Buyer Chauncy Eggland dressed as Princess Leia for the event. She was one of the people responsible for pulling the event together. “We wanted to try something new to get a new thing going on for new students, and it’s something that is appropriate now,” Eggland said. “We already had the Star Wars T-shirts, and then Professor Derek Sweet has his new book, so it was awesome that we had this [celebration].” Sweet commented on the origin of his book and its comparison of the Cartoon Network show, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and current
political dialogue. “I was interested in how this animated children’s show actually encourages viewers to engage in contemporary political issues,” Sweet said. Sweet says this interest began while just watching the show with his son and his partner. “I remember sitting there, watching a show on Cartoon Network with my four-year-old, and I turned to [my partner] and I just said, ‘This is not a kid’s show; this is a show about contemporary political events,’” Sweet said. After realizing the connections, Sweet began to look at other episodes for more political dialogue. “In a couple of the episodes, the Jedi Knights, who are caught up in this Galactic War, end up torturing a villain in order to gain information that helps them save children,” Sweet said. “You have the people who are supposed to be the moral, upstanding individuals of the Star Wars universe engaging in pretty questionable acts.” Sweet’s book, published in December 2015, compares two
mediums of text —newspaper and television — which discuss torture, justifying war and drone warfare. “I look at how we are discussing torture in newspaper editorials during the 2000s and I show the Clone Wars actually engages in some of those exact same debates,” Sweet said. “Then I look at how the two texts intersect and how they question each other.” Sweet encourages skeptics to go back and watch the Clone Wars animated series with an open mind to how political dialogue is discussed in the show. “For those Star Wars fans who are skeptical of the Clone Wars, I would suggest that they go back and watch it,” Sweet said. “I would argue that there are several episodes in the animated series, if not most of the episodes, that absolutely rival the films.” To commemorate Sweet’s book, the Book Shop was decked out in Star Wars decorations and offered many different activities that provided students a break from studying.
May The norSe Be wiTh you. associate Professor of communication studies derek sweet discusses his book with students. Emma Schlabach / Chips “We are doing a bean bag toss for special discounts, we have the book signing today, we have photo ops and food for the students as well,” Eggland said. Hannah Riedinger (‘19) was drawn into the Book Shop by her love for the Star Wars franchise
and her interest in Sweet’s book. “When I saw the poster [about Sweet’s book], I thought I would really like to read it now,” Riedinger said. “I am very intrigued by [the book] because the way he applies the topic to a real world thing.”
Education majors celebrate Borlaug Day BeThany SeaVerS TeMpleTon coPy editor On the morning of May 6, 25 elementary education students loaded two vans and a pick-up truck full with lefse, hip boots, insects, guitars and sunscreen. The group went to the Norman Borlaug farm to celebrate Borlaug Inspire Day with 250 fifth and sixth graders from Decorah, Cresco and New Hampton, Iowa. Norman Borlaug (yes, the
“Borlaug” of the Mott-Borlaug room in the Union) is considered the “father of the Green Revolution.” According to Past President of the Norman Borlaug Heritage Foundation and main organizer of the Inspire Day event Tom Spindler, between Borlaug’s work with pesticides and crossbreeding various species of wheat, he is credited with saving one billion lives worldwide from famine in the 1960s. While the use of pesticides has since been criticized, Borlaug
received a Nobel Peace Prize for his work. Borlaug believed in the power of education for young children, serving as the basis for education majors to host Borlaug Inspire Day. This event was held at the Norman Borlaug Heritage Foundation—the property where Borlaug grew up, went to school and became inspired to change agricultural practices around the world. The groups have been preparing for the day at the Borlaug farm since the beginning of the
TeSTinG waTer QualiTy. Marea Holkesvik (‘16) helps students test the water quality during Borlaug inspire day. Bethany Seavers Templeton / Chips
semester, spending class time brainstorming ideas, planning and organizing for the event. Small groups each created a halfhour lesson based on the life and work of Borlaug. One group tested the quality of the stream that runs through the property and taught about nitrates, water clarity and human practices that affect the quality of the stream. Other groups taught students to grind wheat into flour, make homemade butter, typical 1920’s school days, insects and inflation. Each group used hands-on activities to help students understand Borlaug’s life and work. “This is the fifth year of the event,” Spindler said. “This is the best weather we’ve had yet.” Many education majors appreciated the event for the opportunity it provided to put what they’ve been learning into
practice. “I was reminded how special children’s curiosity and energy is,” Britta Peterson (‘16) said. “They asked really thoughtprovoking questions.” Peterson also spoke about the community of education majors. Through all of the planning, laughter and occasional tears, the students have become a group that is always open to helping one an other. “I have felt I could turn to any of my fellow classmates, knowing that they get it, and that we’re all in the same boat,” Peterson said. While sharing the highs and lows of the morning during Borlaug Day, leaders commented that the event reminded them of why they chose to study education. The event represented their shared mission and vision for how to affect the lives of students.
arts & EntErtainMEnt
PagE 8 May 12, 2016
a&E Editor: JEnna nElson
Senior art exhibition on display
Student gallery. Caitlin Maly (‘19) stops to observe a few of the senior art pieces in the CFa’s gregerson gallery. elySe grothauS staFF WritEr Senior art majors are showcasing their work as part of a culminating art show on display in the Kristin Wigley-Fleming Fine Arts Gallery and Gregerson Gallery in the Center for the Arts from May 5 to 22. Works from seventeen students are displayed in the galleries to exhibit art they created throughout the school year. The gallery includes a variety of mediums including painting, sculpture and film. Senior art majors send in their work from their senior projects, and the pieces in the gallery are chosen by art faculty as the best representations of the artist. Abbey Syme (‘16) has an installation piece in the Kristin Wigley-Fleming Gallery that is a series of sculptures and branches that she has worked on all semester. According to Syme, the piece was an intersection of her passion for theater and art. She was inspired by the play “The Life and Death of Doctor Faustus” and worked to represent the text through sculpture. “I was encouraged by faculty to figure out how to transition that idea into a gallery piece rather than something that would actually be used on stage,” Syme said. “I
have been working on how to translate from a text to a full gallery setting.” Syme originally came to Luther as a theatre major but realized that it would be more beneficial for her to pursue an art major. After graduation, Syme is interning at the Minnetonka Center for the Arts in the summer as a summer camp instructor as well as working with the Commonweal Theatre Company in Lanesboro, Minnesota. She is grateful for her growth and experiences over the past four years in the art department. “I think the main way I’ve grown is in learning how to talk to other students and how to talk to faculty about critiques,” Syme said. “I’ve learned how to respond to critiques without feeling that you have to take everything that everybody says. I think that is something that is really hard when you first put forth your work, and my learning process of the past four years has caused me to look at my work objectively.” Kristin Anderson (‘16) has been working on the gallery “Cut//Paste: Collage in a Commodified World” all year, and it is currently displayed in the Dahl Centennial Union Gallery. One of her pieces is also on display in the Kristin Wigley-Fleming Fine Arts Gallery for the senior art showcase. “‘Cut//Paste’ came from a real interest
in print media and how that affects us, the inability to throw stuff away and also an interest in how we read texts and how symbols have meaning or don’t in certain contexts,” Anderson said. According to Anderson, her time in the art department has been an investigation of painting, drawing and graphic design. When she graduates, she will look for jobs in graphic design. Anderson also said that her time in the Luther art department has helped her grow in the critical aspect of art. “I think I have grown the most about
Elyse Grothaus / Chips thinking critically about my work and visual things,” Anderson said. “Also, I have realized that visual language is very powerful and there is an ethics involved when you are creating art or when you are working with media. I think I have developed a critical eye for that.” There will be a public reception for all of the senior art majors on Saturday, May 21 from 4 to 5 p.m. where people can visit the gallery and learn more about the art that is on display. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions.
branching out. abbey syme’s (‘16) installation piece in the Kristin WigleyFlemming gallery is inspired by the play “the life and death of doctor Faustus.” Elyse Grothaus / Chips
OPINION
PAGE 9
MANAGING EDITOR: STEVE PETERSON
Luther College Chips Chips is a student publication of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. The paper is designed, composed edited and managed entirely by Luther students. It is published weekly during the academic year, excluding the month of January. The opinion section is designed to provide a forum for Chips, its staff members and the Luther community. Opinions expressed in articles, editorials and columns do not necessarily represent the views of the Chips staff. The author is solely responsible for opinions expressed in Chips commentary. Chips will not accept submitted articles or campus announcements. Submissions for letters to the editor should be submitted as a Microsoft Word document to chipsedt@ luther.edu with Letter to the Editor as a subject line. Letters to the Editor are subject to editing without changing the meaning of the letter. Authors will not be notified of changes prior to publishing. Letters must be signed, 300-400 words and submitted before Sunday at 5:00 p.m. the week before production. Publication of all letters is at the discretion of the editor. Contact Chips: Phone: 563-387-1044 Fax: 563-387-2072 Email: chipsedt@luther.edu Advertising: chipsads@luther.edu Website: lutherchips.com Facebook: facebook.com/LutherChips Twitter: @LutherChips
Spring 2016 Staff Editor-in-Chief: Managing Editor: News Editors:
Anna Jeide Steve Peterson Katie Nelson Jacob Warehime Features Editor: Erika Storvick A&E Editor: Jenna Nelson Sports Editor: Danny May Staff Writers: Karl Badger Elizabeth Bonin Elyse Grothaus Lily Kime Sidney Larsen Ana López Katrina Meyer Jana Mueller Joram Mutenge Matija Nikolic Laura Proescholdt Emma Schlabach Head Copy Editor: Cameron Meyferth Copy Editors: Bethany Seavers Templeton Olivia Benson Ad Representatives: Alex Brandt Jesse Anderson Ad Accountant: Tyler Hovey Layout and Design Technician: Cameron Meyferth Photography Coordinator: Katie Nelson Photographer: Steve Peterson Web Manager: Michael Vann Social Media Director: Nora Sell Distribution Manager: Elizabeth Hurley Adviser: Laura Fuller
MAY 12 , 2016
Philosophy major on department vacancies Letter to the Editor It has recently come to my attention that a department critical to the liberal arts and arguably the one that best embodies the tradition of critical thinking (this department being the philosophy department) will functionally lose approximately 50% of its teaching faculty next fall. The problem with having a small philosophy faculty is not just that there are fewer philosophy classes offered. More importantly people will not have exposure to what philosophy is and what it can teach you. I believe too many people go through college and later life without taking a course in philosophy. A truncated philosophy faculty means that people will not be exposed to philosophy through philosophy faculty teaching other courses. This is important because (I will invoke a ubiquitous trope) my exposure to philosophy has changed my life. Yet this change manifested itself in my 102 Paideia class with Dr. Storm Bailey. My story
is not unique, there are at least three other philosophy majors that have similar stories. Discovering one’s passion or uncovering one’s intrigue for philosophy by participating in a course in another discipline taught by a philosophy professor is a critical aspect of exposing students at Luther to philosophy. If I had not had exposure through philosophy faculty teaching other classes then I can imagine living the rest of my life unexposed to a particularly philosophical a way of life: the examined life. Currently there are five faculty members in the philosophy department and one religion professor teaching philosophy of religion. In the fall of 2016 only two full time faculty will be teaching philosophy courses. Associate Professor of Philosophy Dr. Jensen will be on sabbatical and only teaching environmental philosophy. Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy Dr. Mueller will not return next year and Luther has not filled her position. Nor will Dr. Jesson return. Neither of these positions have been filled. This means that Dr. Bailey and Dr. Moore will both teach only philosophy classes in the fall. This means that no philosophy faculty
will be teaching courses in Paideia or in Intersections programs next fall. Although budgeting issues are affecting the college as a whole, I see two particular problems in ‘cutting’ members of the philosophy faculty by not filling the positions of Dr. Mueller and Dr. Jesson. One, the Luther community as a whole is largely in the dark about not rehiring faculty positions. Two, the effects of having philosophy faculty only teach philosophy classes at the surface does not seem to be problematic but a critical aspect of filling philosophy classes is philosophy faculty’s ability to teach courses in other disciplines. Philosophy faculty teaching in other courses can expose students to a way of thinking that quite literality shapes the ways we think. Since you readers of Chips may not be exposed to a philosophy through philosophy faculty next fall, I encourage you now to take a course in ethics or an introduction to philosophy course in the coming spring. Perhaps you will be like me or other philosophy majors. It may be that philosophy will change your life. Signed, Erik Hahn (‘16)
Staying fully committed to all our commitments
BETHANY SEAVERS TEMPLETON COPY EDITOR I have noticed a disappointing trend lately. I have always kept a mental list of the people in my circles who consistently follow through on commitments they make, and those who usually do not. It does not surprise me that there are people who do not follow through on plans and commitments, but what does surprise me is how that list has grown. It seems that many of us have become too busy lately and have fallen into some nasty habits; mostly, the habit of saying “yes” to too many things in the hopes of helping a lot of people, but then letting a bunch of people down in the process. In my time here at Luther, I have had many leadership and organizational opportunities. The main thing I have learned is that delegation of tasks is key; no one person can do everything at once. Especially if it is a bigger event. However, it is getting harder to delegate tasks. I was recently put in a position to help recruit volunteers. Many people showed interest, and many
even committed to help out. But two or three days before the event, several people said they became too busy and that they could not come. I had been depending on these people to come because they said would. I did not reach out to other people because I thought I did not need to. But then I was stuck two days before the event, basically begging people to give up an hour and a half of their time. My mind started reeling with possibilities for incentives. I started thinking about my own personal budget and if I could bribe people with the promise of pizza or coffee. I eventually started getting angry that I even had to think about these things. What happened to volunteering out of the goodness of serving others? Why did I suddenly feel like I had to make it about the volunteers? Someday it is more than likely that they will be seeking help and service from others, and I’m sure they will hope to find people who are happy to help just for the sake of helping, not for the sake of free stuff. I think the society we live in encourages busy-ness. That is probably a fairly obvious statement, but I think we really need to start thinking about the commitments we make. There is no shame in saying “no” to something you really cannot commit to; in fact, I think it’s more respectable to do that than it is to say you can and back out at the last minute. The former tells people you know your limits; the latter tells people you are flaky and unreliable. I think we also need to become less selfish in our commitments. It is good to volunteer for something just for the sake of serving. You never know when you’ll need the favor returned. Signed, Bethany Seavers Templeton (‘16)
opInIon
pAGE 10 MAy 12, 2016
MAnAGInG EdIToR: STEvE pETERSon
Advice for graduation day Letter to the Editor To all Luther students who are graduating this year, congratulations! You’ve worked so hard and are almost at graduation day. As I reflect upon my graduation day almost a year ago, I find myself wanting to share a bit of unsolicited advice about some of my own mistakes and misconceptions to help you make the most out of the end of your time at Luther. My visions for graduation day were mostly fueled by pictures my upperclassmen friends had posted of their own: a time to take pictures with all of my friends and professors on the football field in the beautiful Iowa sunshine, and to celebrate with and say goodbye to all of the friends and professors who made my time at Luther such a dream. This ended up being
far from the reality. First of all, last year the weather was miserable and commencement was held in the gym. Because my dress didn’t have pockets, I didn’t bring my cell phone with me and had no way to find my family and friends afterwards. Our plan to meet at the welcome desk in Regents proved to be a terrible idea as the entire student body and their families came pouring out into the lobby, and I only managed to find and talk to one friend before going to the Union (where I eventually learned my family had gone without warning me). After we finished the cafeteria’s graduation brunch (because we didn’t have enough time to go out), I came back home to start the process of moving out only to discover that almost all of my housemates were already gone and I had missed my chance to say good-bye. We rushed through packing because we had to get back home
for my brother’s graduation party, and when I did finally drive away from campus, I couldn’t even take a moment to get emotional and say goodbye because I had a two-hour drive head of me. My advice to graduating seniors is this: graduation day is going to pass by so quickly and be over before you know it. Come up with a solid game plan to see the people you want to see before the day is over, or even beforehand. Start packing now (or at least after your finals are done) so you have less to worry about. Most importantly, take some time for yourself to just breathe and reflect; this is a huge day for you, and it shouldn’t be stressful. Best of luck on finals and everything else to come in your lives after Luther.
“Graduation day is going to pass by so quickly and be over before you know it. Come up with a solid game plan to see the people you want to see before the day is over, or even beforehand.” - Katie Hale (‘15)
Signed, Katie Hale (‘15)
Tips for de-stressing during finals week 1. Make a plan of attack: prioritize your work on a calendar or in a planner so you know what you have to get done and when you have to finish it.
Letter to the Editor As the Vice President for Active Minds, I believe that the best way to de-stress during finals week is to take time for your own well-being. Though it may seem simple, it is very important to take at least 30 minutes a day just for yourself! Be mindful of how you spend this time as it is time just for you! Here is a list that Active Minds came up with for ways to de-stress during finals week:
2. Nap: it is proven that 10-30 minutes naps will give you the energy boost you need to power through the rest of the studying or homework you may need to finish. 3.Take a hot shower: showers will relax your muscles and your mind and will allow you to de-stress and regain motivation to do work. 4. Pet an animal: animals are cute and furry. Let’s be honest, getting to cuddle and pet an animal takes your mind off of your school work and allows you to relax a bit. Find an animal and enjoy the happiness
that comes with petting it. 5. Exercise: 30 minutes of exercise will allow you to relieve stress and will help you focus and become more alert and ready to go. Exercise also improves your mood! 6.Take a few, deep breaths: If you do not have time to take a long break, take 30 seconds to do some deep breathing. You’ll feel more relaxed and able to focus. 7. Laugh: laughing is relaxing. It makes you smile and helps you forget about the stress of school work. Laughing is the best medicine! 8.Make a playlist to motivate you: get on Spotify, iTunes, Pandora or whatever you use to stream music, and create a playlist
that has songs that motivate you and help you focus! 9. Clean your room or do some laundry: It will take your mind off of school for a bit and will help create a environment conducive for you to study in. 10. When it’s all over, celebrate! when you have put so much time and effort into studying for finals, it is important to celebrate your accomplishments. Enjoy some time with friends or watch Netflix! Whatever you need to do in order to recognize and remind yourself of the fact that you are finally done with the school year! Signed, Ashley Veeser (‘18)
Reflections on the meaning of “home”
JAnA MuELLEr STAFF WRITER I was recently having a conversation with another Chips staff member before one of our weekly meetings. We got to talking, and he asked me where home was. Even though I have heard that phrase many times before, for some reason, it particularly struck me on this night. His words, “So where is home for you?” made me start to think on the way our culture deals with inclusion and how we treat people that are different from us.
For some, the questions, “Where are you from?” and “Where is home for you?” have the same meaning. However, it is essential that we recognize that this is most certainly not the case for everyone. And depending on who you are, the question, “Where are you from?” can come off as rude, offensive or even bigoted. Asking someone, “Where are you from? ... No ... where are you FROM?” can be sometimes offensive especially if you are in conversation with a person of a different race or ethnicity than you. This is assuming that the context in which they grew up defines them as a whole. Asking where home is allows them to answer freely on where they feel the safest and happiest. For some, home is the place they were born and with the same family and house that they were born into. For others, it is a new house that they moved into when they were 15 because that new life allowed them a second chance and an education. And maybe for others, they feel most at home at Luther because
that is the first place they felt like they had a family. All of those examples are perfectly acceptable answers for the question of where home is. It does not limit the person in question to be boxed into racial or cultural stereotypes. We are coming up on the end of the 2015-16 school year, and moving on to the summer and then the next year, whether that be another year at Luther or somewhere else. I think this is one of the most important questions you can ask a person because home is a deeply personal and important part of a person’s life. It is, hopefully, a place of safety and comfort. Giving someone the option of telling you where their home is can be a way for them to shape their identity, and to step away from a place where they felt isolated, criticized or even abused. It gives them the freedom of claiming their life as their own. It does not necessarily matter where that person came from. What matters is how they choose to define their life in the present, and we need to be respectful of that.
“And depending on who you are, the question ‘Where are you from?’ can come off as rude, offensive or even bigoted.” - Jana Mueller (‘19)
SPOrTS
PAge 11
mAy 12, 2016
SPOrTS edITOr: dAnny mAy
Softball team wins conference title, advances to national tournament
Anna Strien (‘18) faces a pitch against Central College in the semifinals of the Iowa Conference Tournament. Sidney larSen STAff wrITer The Luther softball team captured the Iowa Conference Tournament title with wins over Central College and Simpson College on Saturday, May 7 in Decorah. As Iowa Conference Champions, the Norse earned an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III National Softball Tournament in Salem, Virginia. After receiving a first-round
bye, the Norse faced Central in the semifinals, winning 1711. Natalie Stockman’s (‘18) home run in the third inning gave the Norse a lead, but they soon found themselves trailing 11-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sammie Harris (‘17) and Ashley Burrows (‘18) turned the game around with a home run each in the fourth inning, followed by six runs in the fifth, which included another home run by Harris and one by Addy Pender (‘19).
Amanda witzlib (‘17) pitches against Central. Sidney Larsen / Chips
The Norse clinched the victory with seven runs in the seventh inning. Head Softball Coach Renae Hartl was impressed by what the team was able to accomplish against Central. “It was absolutely the best comeback I’ve ever been a part of in my coaching career,” Hartl said. “It was amazing to see their fight.” During the championship game against Simpson, Luther jumped out to a lead with four runs in the fourth inning, bringing the score to 5-1. Simpson retaliated with two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to bring the game to a tie. Luther proceeded to score three more runs in the sixth while Simpson scored only one more in the seventh, giving the Norse the 8-6 victory and the conference title. Hartl said that the team was pleased with its wins during the tournament. “Any time you win two heated, emotional, really good softball games back-to-back, [it’s] an incredible feeling,” Hartl said. “It was fun knowing we were in [the NCAA tournament] going to bed Saturday night.” Outfielder Sara Nelson (‘17) attributes the team’s success during the tournament and
throughout the regular season to an even distribution of talent and cooperation on the team. “We truly play like a team,” Nelson said. “It doesn’t really matter who’s on the field. If someone is hurt, someone else can take [her] place and we still will be successful. It’s because we can play as a team that has brought us our success overall.” Hartl echoed Nelson’s appreciation for the team’s balance. “I just think we’ve had a really balanced, talented, hardworking group,” Hartl said. “We just have a lot of great players. With our onethrough-nine in the batting order, anybody can get it done. We’ve got three great pitchers giving us quality innings, and I feel like we’re just such a balanced team—probably more balanced than I’ve ever coached over the course of my 15 seasons.” As Luther was the host and the number-one seed in the conference tournament, outfielder Harris explained the mindset that the Norse women needed during their games. “I think as a team we just have to remain us,” Harris said. “It’s just going to be about
Sidney Larsen / Chips playing our game, playing Luther softball’s game, and not getting caught up or worried about numbers because right now it doesn’t matter. We need to win and we need to play the game that we’re used to playing, and just going in with that mindset that we’ve earned it and we deserve to play.” As conference champions, the Norse have secured the number one seed in their regional tournament. The tournament will be a four-team, three-day, double-elimination event hosted by Luther. Simpson College, University of Wisconsin-Superior and St. Catherine’s University will all be competing. Hartl explained some of the logistics of the NCAA Division III National Softball Tournament. The Norse will first compete in the regional tournament, the first round of the national tournament in which 62 teams have been selected to compete, divided up into 16 regional sites with approximately four teams in each. Each region’s winner will advance to the super-regional tournament, which consists of a two-out-of-three series against one opponent. From there, only eight teams from across the nation will advance to the NCAA Division III National Softball Championships in Salem, Virginia on May 26-31 to compete for the national title. Luther will host one of the 16 regional tournaments from Friday through Saturday, May 13-15. The Norse will start play at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, May 13 against the number-four seed University of WisconsinSuperior.
SPORTS
PAGE 12
SPORTS EDITOR: DANNY MAY
MAY 12, 2016
Men’s tennis plays in Iowa Conference Tournament
Weekly Standings Softball
IIAC 11-1 8-4 7-5 8-6 6-6 7-7 2-10 1-11
#5 Luther Simpson Buena Vista Central Coe Wartburg Loras Dubuque
Recent Scores
Overall 36-2 30-9 20-16 23-15 25-10 18-24 17-21 8-28
May 7 vs. Central, W 17-11 May 7 vs. Simpson, W 8-6
Upcoming Schedule
May 13 vs. UW-Superior (in NCAA Regional), 3:30 PM
Baseball
#15 Wartburg #20 Buena Vista Luther Dubuque Coe Simpson Loras Central
The Luther men’s tennis team poses at the Iowa Conference AQ Tournament. KATRINA MEYER STAFF WRITER The Luther men’s tennis team competed in the Iowa Conference NCAA Division III Automatic Qualifier Tournament May 6-7 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, advancing to the finals before falling to Coe College. Entering the tournament with the number-two seed, the men had a first-round bye before taking on rival Wartburg College in the semifinals. The Norse won 5-0 over Wartburg, sweeping doubles play. Kyle Appel (‘17) and Trent Schneider (‘18) placed first in doubles play, Anders Jensen (‘18) and Jake Smith (‘19) placed second, and Brian Murman (‘19) and Nate Parsons (‘19) placed third. In singles play against Wartburg, Schneider placed second, while Jensen placed third. In the second round of the tournament, the men fell to Coe 5-0, with Coe sweeping doubles play and placing third and sixth in singles play. For the Norse, Schneider placed second in singles play and Jensen placed third. As conference champion, Coe clinched an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III National Tennis Tournament on Saturday,
May 14, against Gustavus Adolphus College. Despite the competition in the Automatic Qualifier Tournament, the Luther team mentality was to focus on its own performance. Doubles specialist Smith explained the team’s approach to the tournament. “We’re going to come out strong and really fight,” Smith said. “That’s what [we] have to do if we’re going to succeed. We can’t let our previous scores with teams push us down. We need to come out strong and fight for every point.” As the number-two seed in the tournament, the Norse were aware of the challenge they would face against nationally-ranked Coe College, to whom they lost 8-1 earlier in the season. Jensen explained the team mentality in regard to facing the fourtime defending Iowa Conference Champions Coe. “For the first [match], we are just focused on playing our best tennis,” Jensen said. “If we do that, we should get a win, but that second match against Coe is going to be very tough.” Despite the loss to Coe, Head Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach Adam Strand (‘04) reflected on the season and was pleased with
Photo courtesy of Brian Murman the young team’s development and improvement. “It has been a good season,” Strand said. “It has been a little unique, because we have a younger team. There are no seniors on the team, so during the fall season there were some growing pains as guys were trying to figure out their roles on the team. Recognizing that not only our captain but other guys also had to step up and be leaders in their own ways was important. I think they’ve made a lot of progress this spring.” For Parsons, his first year has brought a steep but beneficial learning curve. He commented on the quality of competition and his new perspective. “The season has gone all right,” Parsons said. “Being my freshman year, I’m still learning about how good other teams are and what it takes to win. There have been a lot of matches that we have lost where the score doesn’t seem that close even though all of the individual matches we played could have been won. It was a competitive season. I learned a lot, and I’m looking forward to next year.” The Luther men’s tennis team ended its season with an overall record of 18-11 and a record of 6-1 in Iowa Conference play.
IIAC 24-4 22-6 17-11 12-16 12-16 10-18 8-20 7-21
Overall 31-9 31-9 28-12 19-21 17-20 13-27 14-24 10-30
Recent Scores
May 1-2 vs. Buena Vista (two doubleheaders), L 4-5, L 0-2, L 2-10, L 1-10 May 6-7 vs. Dubuque (two doubleheaders), W 17-10, W 9-5, W 4-3, W 8-6
Upcoming Schedule
May 12 @ Simpson (in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for IIAC Tournament), 1:00 PM
Women’s Tennis Coe Luther Central Wartburg Simpson Loras Dubuque Buena Vista
IIAC 7-0 6-1 5-2 4-3 3-4 2-5 1-6 0-7
Overall 15-10 15-8 11-5 9-15 5-15 7-12 1-13 0-10-1
Recent Scores
Apr. 30 @ Central (in Cedar Rapids, Iowa), W 5-0 Apr. 30 @ Coe, L 1-5
Men’s Tennis #34 Coe Luther Wartburg Central Loras Dubuque Simpson Buena Vista
IIAC 7-0 6-1 5-2 4-3 2-5 2-5 1-6 1-6
Overall 22-6 18-11 14-12 11-10 9-10 5-17 10-11 2-20
Recent Scores
May 7 @ Wartburg (in Cedar Rapids, Iowa), W 5-0 May 7 @ Coe, L 0-5