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CIC awards $20K grant to Luther DANNY MAY STAFF WRITER Luther recently received a $20,000 grant from a network council, according to a recent press release on Luther’s website. The grant will be used to promote and help fund vocation on campus, going toward retreats, luncheons and other related causes. The program is open to all students. Luther College is one of 192 member colleges of the Council of Independent Colleges—Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education, CICNetVUE, funds the grant. “CIC focuses on providing services to campus leaders through seminars, workshops and programs that assist institutions in improving educational offerings, administrative and financial performance and institutional visibility,� according to the council’s website. The Career Center and College Ministries are collaborating to develop programming with funding from the grant around the theme of vocation. “This particular grant is focused on the campus pastors and drawing them more into the campus around the idea of vocation,�� CIC-NetVUE Project Director and Professor of German Ruth Kath said. Providing opportunities to explore vocation is the intended use of the grant, so the Career Center and Campus Ministries are working to embed this idea and make it attainable for students. “Vocation is part of the legacy at Luther College,� Campus Pastor Mike Blair said. “Luther is a place about transformation. Vocation is a way of thinking, ‘My gifts are given to me for a
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purpose.’� Retreat facilitator Makayla Marinack (‘16) has worked with Campus Ministries and continues to explore her own vocation throughout her time at Luther. “Vocation is a process; it’s never complete,� Marinack said. “Luther is a place for vocation, not just about getting a degree, but what to do with this degree. It lets us explore who we are and what we’re doing.� According to Kath, although the program is open to any students questioning their direction in life, it is particularly directed at sophomores. “Sophomores are ready to start looking,� Kath said. “A lot of them need more time, direction and guidance.� Combining people of different ages also plays an important role in discerning vocation, according to Kath. Alums and current students are combined on some of these retreats. “There is wisdom imparted on both sides,� Kath said. “Wisdom of young people is shared with the wisdom of older people.� Kath explained that Career Center luncheons will be held throughout the year Career Center members and campus pastors will sit down to create conversation. These, in addition to the vocation retreats, are the primary components of the project. The initial retreat took place in August, involving just faculty and staff. The next retreat will take place on Oct. 2, at Ewalu camp in Strawberry Point, Iowa. An additional student, faculty and staff retreat is scheduled for February. According to Kath, there are still spaces available for sophomores on the retreat. Students interested in attending should contact Kath or Blair. This retreat is free for students.
Peterson presents “abortion letters�
Peterson reveals research on ‘Narrating change: Norwegian women’s DERUWLRQ OHWWHUVè LQ WKH ĆUVW OHFWXUH RI WKH 3DLGHLD 7H[WV DQG ,VVXHV 6HULHV “Impermanence: Embracing Change.â€?
ACCOUNTS OF ABORTION. +RZ GLG WK FHQWXU\ ZRPHQ YLHZ DERUWLRQ" $VVLVWDQW 3URIHVVRU RI +LVWRU\ $QQD 3HWHUVRQ DGGUHVVHV WKLV TXHVWLRQ LQ KHU OHFWXUH FRQQHFWLQJ WR WKH 3DLGHLD FXUULFXOXP Annika Vande Krol / Photo Bureau JACOB WAREHIME STAFF WRITER PAIDEIA LECTURE, PAGE 4
Solar array installed on Preus Library roof FRANCES STEVENSON STAFF WRITER Luther’s Center for Sustainable Communities installed three new solar arrays during summer 2015 to meet the 50 percent carbon reduction goal set by the Board of Regents. The new solar arrays are located on the new roof of Preus Library and behind the original 280 kilowatt grounded array. The new arrays add 1,635 kilowatts of sustainable power, estimated to save Luther more than a million dollars over the next 25 years and allow Luther to reach its carbon reduction goal by the end of the 2015 fiscal year. A solar array refers to a collection of solar panels wired together. “There are several goals [for the new arrays], one of them is to reduce our impact,� Director of Facilities Jay Uthoff said. “There is the whole renewable aspect of it and how to model that into the wide community.� SOLAR ARRAYS, PAGE 4
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NEWS
PAGE 2 SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
Family Weekend Events Friday, September 25 Women’s Golf - Luther 12:30 p.m. Invitational Oneota Golf & Country Club Saturday, September 26 Decorah’s 4th Annual Loop 8:00 a.m. de Loop 5K, 10K, and Half Trout Run Trail Marathon Race Preview Day 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Center for the Arts, Atrium Luther trails hike 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. Meet in front of Dahl Centennial Union Adventure Race 9:30 a.m. Regents Center, Circle Drive A Storybook Comes to Life 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Dahl Centennial Union, Luther College Book Shop Panel Presentation for Parents 11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Loyalty Hall, Room 10 Kayak / Canoe Trips 12:15 - 4:15 p.m. Upper Iowa River Concert Band and Jazz 12:30 p.m. Orchestra Concert Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall Women’s Golf - Luther 12:30 p.m. Invitational Oneota Golf & Country Club Men’s Soccer vs. Coe College 1:00 p.m. Soccer Field Author Andy Allen in book 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. shop Dahl Centennial Union, Luther College Book Shop Reception for First-Year, First- 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Generation College Students Center for the Arts, Atrium and Families KWLC Rock the Commons 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. Concert Bentdahl Commons Treats and Treasure Hunt 2:30 p.m. Preus Library Women’s Soccer vs. Coe College 3:00 p.m. Soccer Field Ballroom/Swing Club Showcase 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. and Lesson Regents Center, East Gym 4:00 p.m. Catholic Mass Center for Faith and Life, Recital Hall 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. Senior Class Reception Dahl Centennial Union, Peace Dining Room 7:00 p.m. Family Weekend Concert Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall 8:45 - 10:00 p.m. Soda Shoppe Dahl Centennial Union, Marty’s Sunday, September 27 10:00 a.m. Family Weekend Worship Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall 12:15 - 4:15 p.m. Kayak / Canoe Trips Upper Iowa River Information from luther.edu/events
NEWS EDITORS: ANNA JEIDE & KATIE NELSON
Students create new groups
FEELING THE BERN. Spencer Hodge (‘17) and Sam Tollefson (‘18) campaign for Bernie Sanders outside the Dahl Centennial Union. Cameron Meyferth / Chips ELYSE GROTHAUS STAFF WRITER The number of student organizations increased this year at Luther College, with additions including an American Marketing Association chapter and the group Luther College for Bernie Sanders. The American Marketing Association (AMA) chapter was started after a group of students went on a trip to the International Collegiate Conference of the American Marketing Association last spring. “The goal with going there was to attend the conference, go to the seminars, interact with other members of AMA and decide if an AMA chapter would be a good fit at Luther College,” Luther College AMA leader Amanda Van Nevel (‘16) said. There are challenges associated with starting a new chapter rather than a new club, according to Van
Nevel. “We had to simultaneously apply to be a chapter associated with the American Marketing Association as well as apply for charter-ship through Luther College,” Van Nevel said. Another organization new to campus this year is Luther College for Bernie Sanders. According to club founder Spencer Hodge (‘17), they are still technically a pending organization but have been able to hold events and clipboard by working with the Luther College Democrats. It has been relatively easy to start this organization, according to Hodge. “There is unquestionable support of Bernie Sanders across campus,” Hodge said. SAC President and Student Senate SAC Officer Representative Laura Vestle (‘16) says starting a new club requires initiative. “First, they have to go on to
NORSE FOR BERNIE. Norse Bernie Sanders by Spencer Hodge (‘17) and campaign materials . Cameron Meyferth / Chips
the student organization website and they have to fill out an application,” Vestle said. “In that application you have to provide a list of potential new members. You also have to create a constitution, which basically gives a guideline of what your organization is going to do and what the goal of your organization is.” Vestle believes that writing a constitution can be the most challenging part of starting a new organization. Coordinator of Student Organizations Kasey Nikkel finds awareness to be an obstacle for organizations, new and old. “I think awareness is the biggest challenge,” Nikkel said. “What many Luther students don’t know is that we currently have 95 credible, flourishing, active student organizations on campus that do amazing things.” Nikkel encourages students to research more about the existing organizations before starting their own to ensure that there isn’t already a club of similar nature. It is important to support these new student organizations because they benefit the Luther community, according to Van Nevel. “The incredible thing about the Luther community is that everyone is so diverse in the interests that we have,” Van Nevel said. “Everyone has different passions and interests, and I think one thing that sets us apart is that we are so passionate that we are going to start those new things.” Vestle encourages students to start a new organization if they are considering it. “I personally think that if someone has a passion to do something and is going to do good within the Luther community, then it’s important to support a new organization and give them the resources to start up,” said Vestle. Any Luther student interested in starting a new student organization on campus is able to. For more information, visit the Student Activities and Organizations website to fill out the Intent to Organize form.
NEWS
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NEWS EDITORS: ANNA JEIDE & KATIE NELSON THURSDAY
Seven-Day Forecast
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Life Outside Luther Pope Francis arrive in US, faces a polarized country Pope Francis arrived Tuesday on the first visit of his life to the United States, bringing his humble manner and his “church of the poor” to a rich and powerful nation polarized over economic inequality, immigration and equal justice. According a rare honor to the pontiff, President Barack Obama and his wife and daughters met Francis at the bottom of the stairs on the red-carpeted tarmac at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland after the pope’s chartered plane touched down from Cuba. Presidents usually make important visitors come to them at the White House.
RELAXATION IN ACTION. Web Gehring (‘16) utilizes the relaxation room in the Health Service 2IĆ FH Jesse Anderson / Chips JESSE ANDERSON STAFF WRITER Luther College Health Service added a relaxation lounge to provide a coping mechanism for students experiencing stress. The lounge, located in the Health Service office in Larsen Hall, includes a number of features designed to help students relax. According to Director of Counseling Service Meg Hammes (‘91), this space part of the overall goal to promote mental health at Luther College. The idea for the room came when Director of Student Health Service Diane Tappe visited the American College Health Association National Conference last May. She learned that the number of students reporting negative stress has been on the rise since the 1980s. “16 percent of students [experienced stress] in the 80s, in 2000 it was 28 percent, and now the last results say 38.3 percent of students report stress negatively affecting their academics,” Tappe said. According to Tappe, the space cost about $1,200 to construct and
was funded by Health Service in collaboration with the Wellness Program. The space includes a massage chair, an iPad with speakers that play nature sounds, natural light and a chalkboard with a question promoting thankfulness. According to Director of the Nena Amundson Lifetime Wellness Program Chandra Jennings (‘08), stress is a major factor that can affect a student’s wellness and success in college. “Anxiety and stress wears down on our bodies, with hormones and cortisol and all of those things taking a role, and it can manifest not just in mental health, but [also in] physiological things,” Jennings said. “We can see digestive issues, and it also can influence our relationships and our classroom experiences.” Stress and anxiety can be dealt with in a number of ways, some healthier than others. This space is meant to be a place to relax, spend time alone and cope with stress in a positive way, according to Tappe. “It’s really hard in college, especially a small college like this, to find a space and
a time for yourself,” President of Active Minds Katie Kovacovich (‘16) said. “A lot of days we just get really overwhelmed and busy and stressed out and it’s almost hard to just have some downtime.” The lounge is easy to access and free to members of the Luther community. “We want students to know that there’s no appointment necessary; there’s no fee with it. They just come in and they can let us know at the front desk that they are planning to use the chair,” Tappe said. Many students have already used the lounge and have given positive feedback. “The massage chair was wonderful, it felt so good, and the music was really nice to just get you in kind of a relaxing mindset,” Kovacovich said. There is currently a contest to name the space that is open until the end of October. The winner will receive a one-hour professional massage. Submissions can be dropped off at the Health Service office.
Wisconsin’s Walker exits ‘16 race with harsh words for Trump Warning that the Republican presidential race has become too nasty, Scott Walker exited the 2016 campaign on Monday and urged others to quit, too, in order to “clear the field” so someone can emerge to take down frontrunner Donald Trump. The announcement marked a dramatic fall for Walker, who was struggling to generate money and enthusiasm after surging into the race’s top tier earlier in the year. He will return to his job as governor of Wisconsin, where his term runs through 2018. Survey: 1 in 4 college women report unwanted sexual contact Nearly a quarter of undergraduate women surveyed at more than two dozen universities say they experienced unwanted sexual contact sometime during college, according to a report released Monday. The results of the Association of American Universities Campus Climate Survey come at a time of heightened scrutiny of the nation’s colleges and universities and what they are doing to combat sexual assault. Just last week, Vice President Joe Biden visited Ohio State University and highlighted several new initiatives, including mandatory sexual violence awareness training for the school’s first-years beginning next year. Compiled from: www.ap.org
NEWS
PAGE 4 SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
NEWS EDITORS: ANNA JEIDE & KATIE NELSON
Embracing change: abortion stories PAIDEIA, PAGE 1 Assistant Professor of History Anna Peterson gave a lecture titled “Narrating Change: Norwegian Women’s Abortion Letters,” on Monday, Sept. 15 in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall. The lecture was the first in this year’s Paideia Texts and Issues lecture series. Peterson’s lecture discussed the shifting attitude of Norwegian women toward pregnancy in the 1920s, which played into the theme for the 201516 Paideia program: “Impermanence: Embracing Change.” Peterson began by reading a letter sent to the Mother Hygiene Clinic in Oslo from a 25-year-old woman. In the letter, the woman pleaded the clinic for help in terminating a pregnancy that she felt she could not care for. This letter was representative of the way many struggling would-be mothers in rural Norway thought about their lives and their bodies in the 1920s. “I found it so powerful when [Peterson] started out by reading these letters,” Visiting Instructor in Scandinavian Studies Kari Grønningsæter said. “You get the voice of a woman, a desperate woman. It was a very good way to start.” Peterson went on to talk about how these Norwegian women, due to their lower socio-economic standing, viewed pregnancy and abortion simply as changes in the state of a mother’s body. According to Peterson, because certain parts of Norway were so isolated, there was a large separation between classes. Those who lived in rural areas had very limited access to modern technologies, so their understanding of how the female menstruation process worked was also limited. They also didn’t understand or have access to means of aborting a pregnancy. Many of them viewed abortion as simply restarting menstruation if an abortion took place shortly after missing a period once. “A lot of people are surprised by [women] thinking of [abortion] as ‘restarting menstruation,’” Peterson said.
UNDERSTANDING ABORTION. Students learn about how early 20th century Norwegian women understood changes in their bodies related to abortion, pregnancy and menstruation. Annika Vande Krol / Photo Bureau In her lecture, Peterson also explained how, because of this mentality, the women seeking help believed they were looking for a restoration of normalcy rather than a termination of a pregnancy. Peterson originally discovered the series of letters to the Mother Hygiene Clinic in 2011 while she was in Oslo doing work for her dissertation. Over the past four years Peterson has translated and used the letters in various classes until this summer, when she began her research for the lecture. “I went back to [the letters] and tried to think about them with this context of
change, time and continuity,” Peterson said. “I went back and looked at them through a different lens. However, the most important thing for me with the letters is understanding. It’s not about judging them or understanding [them] as right or wrong.” The ways in which these letters can still be used as learning tools, almost 100 years after they had been written, are numerous, according to Peterson. “I think with controversial topics like this, today it’s hard for people to [talk about],” Peterson said. “But that’s one of the advantages of studying the past—that we’re able to
“I found it so powerful when [Peterson] started out by reading these letters. You get the voice of a woman, a desperate woman.” - Kari Grønningsæter
get some distance and have a greater understanding. “Students have said other times when they talk about abortion in class, it quickly becomes politicized, but because these are from a hundred years ago, we are able to think about [them] more critically and neutrally.” Reilly Lederhaas (‘16) attended the lecture and reflected upon how these historical letters compare to contemporary discussions. “I thought it was a really interesting perspective on a progressive country in terms of healthcare laws and showed how Norway has really changed in its legislation and views on women’s reproductive rights,” Lederhaas said. The next lecture in the 2015-16 Paideia Texts and Issues series will be given by David Hodge and Hi-Jin Kang Hodge and is titled “Impermanence: The Time of Man.” The lecture will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m.
Solar arrays to reduce energy consumption SOLAR ARRAYS, PAGE 1 The original 280 kilowatt grounded array feeds mostly to Baker Village, which has more energy needs than the rest of campus, according to Uthoff. The new arrays will feed to the rest of campus, with a 900 kilowatt array on the Preus library roof feeding energy primarily to the library, according to Energy and Water Task Force member and Professor of Religion Jim Martin-Shramm. “Originally it would have made the most sense to put all of [the new arrays] in the big field to the west of where it is now,” Martin-Shramm said. “But no one really sees [the old array].” These new arrays are a partnership with Oneota Solar. The new arrays’ power will be purchased at a fixed rate from Oneota Solar over the next 10 years, at which point Luther plans to buy the array, according to Martin-Shramm. Larry Grimstad is the sole investor of Oneota Solar and local company Decorah Solar, which owns Luther’s older solar arrays. Grimstad has invested in many of Luther’s sustainability efforts in addition to community-focused sustainability efforts in Decorah. “The real reason for doing this is to reduce carbon emissions,” Grimstad said. “To build projects that are community owned is really important. The reason for
that is pride for the community having its own projects and people being able to invest in something local that they can see the outcome of.” The newest solar array additions will likely be the bulk of Luther’s solar installation, but there are many other things Luther is doing to reduce its carbon footprint, according to Cargill Energy and Waste Fellow Sam Pollan. “We’re making huge strides with our waste initiatives,” Pollan said. “Every ton you send to the landfill really turns into three tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. We’re going to be looking at developing a zero-waste plan.” The Center for Sustainable Communities is also looking to engage students in sustainable behaviors, such as turning
lights off when leaving a room and connecting students to nature and the sustainable communities at Luther and in Decorah. “We’re looking to engage a lot of students,” Pollan said. “We’re having a bike to the farm potluck on Oct. 3 and finalizing a social media campaign to get students motivated about sustainability.”
Corrections In last weeks issue of Chips, in the article about sustainability’s Klean Kanteen project, Kanteen was spelled incorrectly as Kantine. In the story about MKTO, all quotes attributed to Miranda Joslin (‘17) should have been attributed to Kalie Kampa (‘18).
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
PAGE 5
A&E EDITOR: JENNA NELSON
SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
KWLC Rock the Commons
ROCK THE BLOCK. Students enjoy the KWLC Block Party event that took place this past spring—the inspiration for Rock the Commons this fall. Will Heller / Photo Bureau SAMANTHA EA STAFF WRITER Luther’s student-run radio station, KWLC is hosting the station’s first ever Rock the Commons concert on Saturday, Sept. 26 from 2 to 5 p.m. The event will be held in Bentdahl Commons in conjunction with the Admissions Visit Day and Family Weekend activities. Rock the Commons performers include Driftwood Bones and one-man-act Avery “Ivory James” Mossman (‘17). Station Manager Emma Cassabaum (‘16) is looking forward to the great event atmosphere and exposure for KWLC on campus. “We’ll have some great music, but it’s also a good chance for us to showcase what we’ve been doing and try to get more people involved,” Cassabaum said. “Like Block Party [last spring], there will be an info table about KWLC where we’ll be handing out a lot of freebies and free food. There will also be plenty of games and a selfie station.” Opening for Rock the Commons will be Driftwood Bones, a Luther band comprised of six members:
Will Krageschmidt (‘18) on guitar and vocals; Elly Williams on ukulele, banjo, accordion, vocals and percussion; Dante De Grazia (‘17) on keys, trumpet, BGV’s and assorted instruments; Jake Allen on drums and BGV’s; Ben Leonhardi on bass and Seamus St. Clair (‘17) on lead guitar. Driftwood Bones formed shortly after most of the members’ senior year of high school in 2013. De Grazia, Krageschmidt and Allen went to high school together. “I know Will and Elly just kind of decided to make an album and then asked me if I wanted to join them,” Allen said. “So I did and the four of us casually made an EP. After that, we sort of didn’t expect for [the band] to keep going, but people kept asking us to play shows because they liked the EP, so we just kept going.” Allen finds the bands’ style and sound to be one many people like. “I think we sound similar to The Avett Brothers, but we have six members so there’s always a pretty full sound,” Allen said. “I know for Will, he’s very inspired by aquatic
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life. He really likes the ocean and whales.” Driftwood Bones started recording an album this summer with the hope of finishing recording soon, along with continuing to do shows as much as they can. A one-man act, Mossman will also be performing live at the event, in his debut as “Ivory James.” “It’ll be a cool opportunity to perform for my peers,” Mossman said. “It’s my debut show under this name, under this configuration. I play keys primarily. I’m a vocal education major here, so I sing, but I write songs on piano keys, so [“Ivory James”] is a play on that. James is my middle name.” Mossman’s inspiration comes from a variety of people, artists and his own instrumental expertise. “I love Prince and I have a lot of weird, not united musical influences,” Mossman said. “My dad’s a folk musician, and my mom was always playing Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson around the house growing up. I also sing opera, am in Nordic choir here and have been playing jazz since I was 12.” For Mossman, the focus for the future is to enrich and enhance his live performances. “I am very comfortable performing live, but performing as a one-man band is a thing you’re constantly refining because everything is on you,” Mossman said. The Rock the Commons performance is an opportunity for Mossman to share his music with family and friends. “This will be the first time my mother has seen me perform original music, so that’ll be
DRIFTWOOD BONES. Band members are inspired by everything from the Avett Brothers to the sea. Will Heller / Photo Bureau kind of cool,” Mossman said. “I also can’t wait to share with my peers. I hope people have fun. I hope people dance.” General Manager of KWLC David Grouws hopes to continue the concert in the coming years, seeking improvement each year as the event grows. “I think we’re getting a tradition started with this event,” Grouws said. “[In the future], hopefully we’ll have at least two big musical events outdoors each year.” Along with the Rock the Commons event, KWLC hopes to get students and the community more involved within the station. “If you have friends doing shows, tell everyone about it because people don’t realize the quality of stuff that is coming out,” Cassabaum said. “That five hour morning block on Saturday mornings is a really nice study mix or start your day mix; it gets more
upbeat toward noon, so that’s a nice warm-up.” Cassabaum is proud of her staff and their work so far this year. “We got some pretty talented peers here, playing some really good music and doing a really good job setting it up,” Cassabaum said. “And we have all these new DJs right now, making it really fun to listen to what they bring to the table.” Cassabaum looks forward to seeing what the concert will do for KWLC visibilty on campus. “It’s nice to get the radio station out of the basement,” Cassabaum said. “There are so many great things happening with KWLC, and it’s pretty impressive the stuff that’s coming out, so more people need to listen. And the best way to do that is to come above ground.” Find KWLC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Tumblr, and listen to the live stream at kwlc.luther.edu.
FEATURES
PAGE 6 SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
FEATURES EDITOR: ABBY CARPENTER
September tradition lives
DO YOU REMEMBER? Fire.
Kristy Housholder (‘16) boogies to Earth, Wind & Cody Arndtson / Chips
CODY ARNDTSON STAFF WRITER When the clock struck 10 on Monday, Luther students put down their books and homework to celebrate the 21st night of September. The popular song, “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire, has become a huge hit for Luther students over the past few years during the month of September, according to event organizer Solveig Orngard (‘16). “Beginning in 2007 or 2008, a group of Luther students, which my brother was a part of, just realized that they really liked that song and decided that in the month of September
they would meet every night and dance to the song, just having fun and getting together,” Orngard said. “One or two years later, they decided that they should open this up to more people, and so they did and had the event on different campus locations every night in September with a lot of people.” Due to lower group members, Orngard said that the emphasis of this year’s September Time event has switched with hopes of a better turnout and experience for all attending. “It got to be hard starting my sophomore year,” Orngard said. “I do not know if we just did not have advertising down well enough, but there were
THE 21ST NIGHT IN SEPTEMBER. Erika Storvick (‘16) and Tyler Broadwell (‘16) shake it off. Cody Arndtson / Chips
many nights that not many people would show up. But this year we decided to really focus it around the ultimate September Time.” Event coordinator Philip Hanson (‘16) said that the benefit of September Time is that it focuses on community and allows students to forget the stress of homework for a moment. “You just get a bunch of people together and turn on the song, dance for five minutes, then you go back to being stressed out and doing homework,” Hanson said. “But for those five minutes we’re just dancing, that’s all that matters right now, cutting loose and enjoying each other’s
company.” Thomas Specht (‘19) had no background knowledge about the event and its history but was excited to go. “I did not know this was a tradition,” Specht said. “Honestly my roommate dragged me and said that there was this thing in Bentdahl Commons, and it is a dance party, so why not?” Sydney Scooler (‘18) said that the event was a good break in homework and was fun to participate in. “Well, it dragged me out of my room from studying and doing homework, which was stressing me out,” Scooler said. “I think that it is cool that they do it on the night of the
21st because of the song, but if would be even more perfect if it was placed during a time of much more stress.” Nervous about who is going to take over organizing September Time, Orngard said that they are looking for anyone who is willing to take on the task. “I would just like to add that Phil and I are seniors and we’re trying to find ways to keep the tradition going,” Orngard said. “So if anyone is interested in helping to keep the tradition alive they are welcome to talk to us.” Hanson said that he is hoping that the tradition of the event continues as something that will benefit future students. “I would like to see September Time continue,” Hanson said. “You know, it is something that is very special to me, Solveig and to a lot of people on campus and has been special to a lot of people at Luther in the past. I hope that they will continue it on to help future generations of Luther students experience that community.” Students with questions about what it takes to lead the ultimate September Time at Luther are encouraged to email Hanson at hansph03@luther or Orngard at orngso01@luther. edu.
FEATURES
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FEATURES EDITOR: ABBY CARPENTER
SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
BUILDING FOR PEACE. :RUNHUV FRQVWUXFW WKH DUW EXLOGLQJ IRU 9DOHQFLD 3ULPDU\ 6FKRRO LQ WKH 6PDUD UHIXJHH FDPS LQ $OJHULD Photo courtesy of Fatimetu Bachir Jatri Emhamed
Davis Projects for Peace MATIJA NIKOLIC STAFF WRITER Through the Davis Projects for Peace, Fatimetu Bachir Jatri Emhamed (‘17) and Holly Harris (‘15) helped build an art classroom for Valencia Primary School in the Smara refugee camp, located in the Algerian desert. After several postponements, their project was completed this July, which they hope will shape a new future for Sahrawi kids. Bachir grew up in the refugee camp and went to the very same primary school for which her proposal built the art classroom. “I always wanted to do something good for my country,� Bachir said. “I feel obligated; it’s my duty to do something to bring change to my community.� Bachir believes that art will bring peace to her community. “I think art is a very powerful tool and it helps children’s creativity,� Bachir said. “It will help them to have a more peaceful environment. More art means more peace. My dream to make a positive change in my native community has become a reality. Davis charity understands that education will ensure a peaceful future.� Bachir’s experience was not without difficulties. “We had less than a month to complete [the project],� Bachir said. “The project was started a month late because of my visa and passport issues. Also, due to miscommunication, we had a hard time finding a suitable location for the art room inside the refugee compound. Unfortunately, the postponement caused the clash of the project with the important religious celebration of Ramadan.� Bachir had to find workers to help construct the building, but this was difficult due to the fasting requirements of Ramadan. “I was directly responsible for all supervision, both regarding the budget and quality of construction,� Bachir said. “It took us 10 days to complete logistics due to trouble in finding workers because it was Ramadan. Manual labor gets risky when you can’t eat during the day and can’t get enough energy, especially considering that the outside temperatures were sometimes going above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. We were fortunate to find three workers and a painter.� Difficulties aside, she is glad that she had a lot of support from her family. “My family used to live next to the school, so it definitely helped that I was familiar with the location,� Bachir said. “I got a lot of help from my brother-in-law and my aunt.�
Bachir had many responsibilities in planning this project. The art classroom was fitted with an air conditioner, art tools, classroom chairs and desks, among other things. Even though Harris was not able to travel with Bachir on the trip, she was very helpful when it came to planning. “When Fatimetu approached me with the idea, I was more than happy and privileged to help,� Harris said. “She knew her community the best and did what was necessary. While I would have loved to have gone to help implement the project, it was able to be completed well.� Executive Director of the Center for Global Learning and International Administrations Jon Lund initially presented the idea of the Davis Projects for Peace to Bachir and Harris. “Fatimetu and Holly approached the project with dignity, grace and determination,� Lund said. “For a variety of reasons, Holly could not travel to the refugee camp in Algeria. Fatimetu carried out the work on the ground alone and overcame a short project time frame, some cultural barriers regarding the role of women in leadership and some miscommunication at the school.�
Lund said. According to Lund, the Davis Projects for Peace is an opportunity for Luther students to create positive change. “Davis Projects for Peace is a marvelous program,� Lund said. “There are very few undergraduate programs in which students—with big ideas about promoting peace in the world—are actually given $10,000 to make their big ideas a reality. How very cool! Luther students have been participating since the beginning.� According to Lund, Luther has a tradition of producing powerful ideas and projects. “We have had marvelous projects undertaken over the years, such as building a primary school in Southern Sudan; helping develop a market-based economy in a displaced refugee camp in Uganda; installing irrigation systems and creating a famer’s cooperative in Ethiopia; building a sports pavilion for special-needs students in Sri Lanka and helping to preserve seeds and an indigenous way of life in Colombia, to name a few,� Lund said. “Around the globe, Luther students have responded to local needs with creativity, passion and compassion! It makes me proud.�
THE POWER OF ART. 7KH ĆQLVKHG FODVVURRP EURXJKW DERXW E\ )DWLPHWX %DFKLU -DWUL (PKDPHG ç DQG +ROO\ Harris’ (‘15) Davis Projects for Peace project. Photo courtesy of Fatimetu Bachir Jatri Emhamed
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
PAGE 8 SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
A&E EDITOR: JENNA NELSON
Svend Rønning features folk
A NORDIC SMORGASBORD. World-famous Svend Rønning brings Scandinavian music to the Luther community. Other perfomers include Igor Kalnin, Spencer Martin and Miko Kominami. Erika Storvick / Chips ERIKA STORVICK COPY EDITOR Scandinavian melodies filled the Noble Recital Hall in the Jenson-Noble Hall of Music Thursday, Sept. 10 as Pacific Lutheran University’s (PLU) Professor of Music Svend Rønning performed an evening collaborative guest recital. Accompanied on piano by Instructor in Music Miko Kominami and joined later by a piano quintet of Luther music faculty, Rønning delivered a selection of music from countries all over Scandinavia. “It’s a pan-Nordic smorgasbord,” Rønning said. Rønning featured pieces from many different countries in his recital, including “Four Watercolors” by Swedish violinist Tor Aulin, “Five Pieces for Violin and Piano, op. 81” by Jean Sibelius and “Tango Jalousie” by Danish violinist and composer Jacob Gade. The recital concluded with “Piano Quintet in F Minor, op. 34” by Johannes Brahms. “I was surprised by the representation of several different Scandinavian countries and composers in the repertoire,” Solveig Orngard (‘16) said. “I also loved the
tango written by a Danish composer because I love tango in general, but it was also cool to hear a tango that didn’t originate from the tango homeland of Argentina.” Rønning also performed a unique Norwegian fiddle piece, “Fanitulsuite” by Bjarne Brustad. According to Rønning, the piece offers a modernist snapshot of Norwegian folk music. He noted that fiddle music is often associated with the devil in folk culture, so this piece is “devil’s craziness.” “Let’s call it an exorcism instead,” Rønning said. According to Rønning, the pieces he performed were all influenced by different elements of Scandinavian folk culture. Students attested to hearing elements of Scandinavian music in his performance, such as hints of Hardanger fiddle, but noted that it differed from stereotypical Norwegian music.
“When I thought ‘Scandinavian music,’ I immediately imagined the most traditional music I was aware of. But it’s important to recognize that Scandinavian music is so much more vast and complex than that,” Orngard said. Rønning also gave a public lecture on Scandinavian music in the Center for Faith and Life Recital Hall the morning before his recital. According to the Luther College website, Rønning has been a member of the PLU faculty since 1999. He teaches everything from string labs and chamber music to Scandinavian music at his alma mater. Rønning also holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Yale University and has performed with ensembles from the Charlottesville Symphony, to the Prague Radio Symphony, to the Tacoma Symphony where he now serves as Concertmaster.
“When I thought ‘Scandinavian music,’ I immediately imagined the most traditional music I was aware of. But it’s important to recognize that Scandinavian music is so much more vast and compex than that.” - Solveig Orngard (‘16)
Summer music in the ‘Flyover State’ EMMA CASSABAUM KWLC STATION MANAGER AND NEWS DIRECTOR I’ll be the first to say that I wish there were more musical opportunities in Iowa. As a “flyover state,” Iowa can often get missed in musicians’ tour schedules. This summer, however, I made it my mission to see some great music, and Iowa did not disappoint, as it often can. My summer music lineup began in Ames, Iowa, home of Iowa State University and a relatively uninspired music scene. Yet I found inspiration at The Bluestem Stage, where banjo duo The
Lowest Pair introduced me to the term “Kentucky Earmuffs.” For most, one banjo is plenty, but I found myself quite enthralled by two, and even more mystified by the clever songwriting behind this group. My favorites of the night were reworking of classical folk songs, including a delicate and moving twist on “Oh, Susanna.” Next up for my summer came Iowa’s largest musical event— Gentlemen of the Road (GOTR) in Waverly, Iowa. Thanks to a free pair of tickets won from KDEC Radio, KWLC Social Media Manager Zora Hurst (‘17) and I made the two day trek to Waverly, where we managed to snag the
same spot against the stage two days in a row. Before hitting the big stage, we were floored by the small stage performance in downtown Waverly by sister group Joseph, whose haunting harmonies and lyric talents left everyone wanting more. On the big stage, highlights included indie-dance band Rubblebucket, rainbow-blazer-sporting Jenny Lewis and, of course, Mumford and Sons. Even months later I am still having trouble reminding myself that it wasn’t just a dream. The week following GOTR found me at the Bluestem Stage once again for folk group Great Lake Swimmers. A long time
For the best in new independent music, tune in to KWLC Radio Monday through Friday from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Saturdays and Sundays 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. KWLC can be found at 1240AM on the radio dial or online at kwlc.luther.edu.
fixture at KWLC, their albums have found their way on to many of our folk shows, including my very first KWLC show in 2013. A wonderfully intimate evening, this was one of my favorite performances of the summer. Needing little amplification for the small venue, their stringbased sound was even more lush than the recordings. Next up on my summer concert calendar was a rainy Nitefall on the River in downtown Des Moines to see Lake Street Dive, a jazzy, indie pop four-piece. The rain posed a difficulty in setting up the full equipment, so the band elected to do a stripped-down set with minimal instruments. Drummer Mike Calabrese used only a kickdrum, snare and one cymbal throughout, and guitarist “McDuck” Olson utilized an apache guitar with amp built directly into the instrument that honestly made it sound incredible. Bassist Bridget Kearney and lead vocalist Rachael
Price each delivered astounding performances as well, making the soggy evening one to remember. My summer music experience concluded with the inaugural Hinterland Music Festival in St. Charles, which you can read about in depth in the first issue of KWLC’s the AM! I’ll admit I was pessimistic heading into another summer of music in this flyover state, but I will readily admit I’ve been proven wrong. The Iowa summer music scene is not so devoid as you might think—you just have to know where to look!
OPINION
PAGE 9
MANAGING EDITOR: CAMERON MEYFERTH
SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
Call for Scenes Liberal arts learning: of the Driftless prejudice self-awareness at ArtHaus CAMERON MEYFERTH MANAGING EDITOR
Scenes of the Driftless: an exhibition of artwork from across the community to celebrate the place we call home. Artwork submission dates: Monday - Friday, Oct. 5-9 Reception: Friday, Oct. 9 from 6-8 p.m.
The Driftless region we live in is a unique feature of the Midwest: an area of forests, steep bluffs and meandering waterways displaying the geography and geology of the distant past, unspoiled by the scouring and flattening effects of the multiple glaciations in more recent times. The ancient limestone bluffs and sediments create karst topography rich in springs, caves and streams, providing habitat for an abundance of wildlife not found in nearby lands. The Driftless is a rare and fragile ecosystem that deserves our care, protection and celebration—join us in sharing your personal expressions about our unique home. We invite you to share what inspires you about living in the Driftless Region. Is it the majestic bluffs, the friendly people or the abundant birdlife? Maybe you’ve captured it in a photograph, a painting or a poem? If so, ArtHaus at 508 West Water Street in downtown Decorah invites you to take part in Scenes of the Driftless, a community art exhibition celebrating the beauty of the region we call home. This exhibition is sponsored by the Decorah Hatchery. Whether you are young or old, a professional artist or an amateur, ArtHaus invites all to participate by submitting works inspired by the Driftless. All media will be considered, including literary works on paper; however, all works must be able to be mounted or tacked to a wall, and no free-standing sculptural works can be considered. Up to three works may be submitted per person, and submission is free. Works may be listed for sale which will be made available for purchase through ArtHaus with a portion of any sale going to support the ArtHaus’ need-based scholarship fund. Works should be delivered to ArtHaus the week of Oct. 5 through Oct. 9 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. A public reception will be held on Friday, Oct. 9 from 6-8 p.m. Works will be on display through Nov. 20, and all works must remain on display for the entirety of the exhibition. Submission details and entry forms are available at arthausdecorah.org, or for additional information contact Jenni or Eric Petersen-Brant at 563-382-5440. Established in 2008, ArtHaus is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in downtown Decorah, Iowa, that provides highquality, hands-on experiences and year-round, accessible public arts events in the visual, performing and literary arts. All contributions and donations to ArtHaus are tax deductible. Donations can be made and more information can be found online at www.arthausdecorah.org. Jenni and Eric Petersen-Brant Co-directors of ArtHaus
As students at Luther College, we are often encouraged to make cross-discipline connections, which is why we have general requirements that all students must meet, such as human expression, human behavior, foreign language, religion and so forth. But it can be quite difficult to draw connections between two very different courses. However, I think I made a connection this semester between two of my courses, one history and the other psychology, that I found worthy of sharing in writing. On the first day of my history class, Africa and the Two World Wars, our professor didn’t just dive right into the Great War’s impact on African societies. Instead, he asked us to think about some questions: “What do I know about Africa? From what sources have I acquired this knowledge?” My answer to these questions? Admittedly, I know very little about Africa. I remember the unit we did in eighth grade social studies about Africa, but in reality the majority of my perceptions of Africa come from the media, like the news, movies and television shows, and most of these sources portray Africa as either a continent rife with conflict, poverty and disease or as a romanticized, wild continent where white people can fall in love while on a safari. Just this week in my psychology class, Learning and Behavior, our professor was lecturing about examples of different kinds of learning and talked about a study done on prejudice as one of these examples. In this study, different nationality words (French, German, Italian, etc.) that are otherwise viewed neutrally were presented to subjects along with other words. Most nationalities were presented with neutral words like “book” or
“closet,” but Swedish was presented with positive words like “beauty” or “gift” while Dutch was presented with negative words like “thief” or “sad.” When subjects were then asked to rate all of the presented nationalities, Swedish was rated more favorably and Dutch was rated less favorably. As humans, we are able to learn and make associations quickly. From an evolutionary perspective, it’s always been to our advantage to quickly learn things that will help us survive. However, this also means that people will readily make associations and generalizations about entire groups of people based only on an experience with one person or even based just on what one has heard about a group of people without ever having met someone from that group before. For example, a child growing up in a household where everyone has a prejudice against a certain race will learn to also make that association, and thus the cycle continues. This learning of prejudice is not limited to nationalities. People can make negative associations regarding ethnicities, religions, sexes, genders, sexual orientations, political parties, socio-economic classes or any other group of people. And who can blame them? When we constantly hear such and such group paired with negative words, whether it’s from the media, friends or loved ones, it affects the way we think about that group. I would urge you to think about your perception of others. What do you know about that group? From what sources have you acquired that knowledge? What experiences have you had with people from that group? Is it fair to assume that these experiences are indicative of all members of that group? Considering what ideas we have about others and from where we got those ideas is the first step toward letting go of our learned prejudices.
“When we constantly hear such and such group paired with negative words, whether it’s from the media, friends or loved ones, it affects the way we think about that group.” - Cameron Meyferth (‘16)
Family Weekend Vesterheim events On Saturday, Sept. 26, during Luther College Family Weekend, Vesterheim is hosting special folk-art demonstrations and guided tours throughout the day. Vesterheim welcomes Luther students and their families to enjoy the activities. There will be a guided tour of the buildings in the Open Air Division at 10:30 a.m. and from 1:003:00 p.m. the buildings will be open with docents who will be available to answer questions and talk about the exhibitions. Folk art demonstrations will include rosemaling, woodworking, weaving, spinning and knitting. All demonstrators will be Luther alums and/or faculty and staff. The museum is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Luther College faculty, staff and students, and Vesterheim Museum members receive free admission to Vesterheim all year long. Vesterheim is the national NorwegianAmerican museum and heritage center, with over 24,000 artifacts, 12
historic buildings, a Folk Art School, a library and archives. This treasure showcases the most extensive collection of Norwegian-American artifacts in the world. In 1877, Norwegian Americans began collecting and preserving objects at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, documenting their chapter of the immigrant story, making them pioneers in the preservation of cultural diversity in America. That early collection has grown into one of the most comprehensive museums in the United States dedicated to a single immigrant group and is now an independent not-for-profit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Vesterheim’s exhibitions explore the diversity of American immigration through the lens of the Norwegian-American experience and highlight the best in historic and contemporary Norwegian folk and fine arts. Vesterheim was named one of “15 Best Small-Town Museums in the U.S.” by the world-respected travel guide, Fodor’s, and USA Today named Vesterheim one of “ten great places in the nation to admire American folk art.” Becky Idstrom Editorial Assistant, Publication Office Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum
OPINION
PAGE 10 SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
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
Fall 2015 Staff Editor-in-Chief: Managing Editor: News Editors:
Emily Crowe Cameron Meyferth Anna Jeide Katie Nelson Features Editor: Abby Carpenter A&E Editor: Jenna Nelson Sports Editor: Steve Peterson Staff Writers: Jesse Anderson Cody Arndtson Samantha Ea Elyse Grothaus Elizabeth Hurley Sidney Larsen Danny May Matija Nikolic Laura Proescholdt Elizabeth Stay Frances Stevenson Jacob Warehime Head Copy Editor: Bethany Seavers Templeton Copy Editors: Olivia Benson Erika Storvick Ad Representatives: Alex Brandt Hannah Mick Ad Accountant: Tyler Hovey Photography Coordinator: Abby Carpenter Photographer: Cody Arndtson Web Manager: Michael Spear Social Media Director: Britany Thorpe Distribution Manager: Elizabeth Hurley Adviser: Laura Fuller
MANAGING EDITOR: CAMERON MEYFERTH
Safety or Racism? Editorial Ahmed Mohamed is a 14-year-old high school student in the school district of Irving, Texas. On Monday, Sept. 14, he brought a clock to school, which his English teacher heard beep during class. Upon inspection, she suspected the clock to be a hoax bomb. Ahmed was interrogated for an hour and a half by five policers officers, denied the chance to call his parents and was later arrested, according to dallasnews.com. After explaining that his invention was only a clock, authorities remained unconvinced, though they had no means to prove that the device was a bomb. As punishment, Mohamed was suspended for three days. Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne claims that, “To the best of my knowledge, [the police] followed protocol for investigating whether this was an attempt to bring a hoax bomb to a school campus. I hope this incident does not serve as a deterrent against our police and school personnel from maintaining the safety and security of our schools.” Van Duyne may be alluding to Texas’ 1995 zero-tolerance policy. “Texas’ Safe Schools Act of 1995 requires school administrators to expel students, or place them in a disciplinary alternative education program, for certain types of severe misconduct, such as possession of alcohol or weapons and public lewdness,” according to the Texas
Observer. However, Van Duyne’s claim that school officials and police were “following protocol” is only an attempt to defend the racist actions of administrators and police. In April 2015 the Texas State Senate proposed a bill that would provide school administrators more flexibility in upholding the state’s zero tolerance policy. The amendments to the policy grant schools greater leniency in determining to what extent the policy should be enforced. Schools in Texas now have the leeway to consider individual circumstances and intent of the student before jumping to expel or suspend students. And that is exactly what the schools administrators of Irving did. They considered the individual, a student named Ahmed Mohamed with Sudanese heritage. They concluded his intent must be to incite a terrorist attack, given his profile. In a report from Dallas Morning News, “Irving ISD had plenty of room for discretion in how they handled this,” Executive Director of the ACLU of Texas Terri Burke said. According to Ahmed, when he entered the interrogation room a police officer, whom Ahmed had never seen before, leaned back and said, “Yup. That’s who I thought it was,” according to dallasnews.com. The mayor of Irving is also known to have proposed a bill that would ban shari’a law as foreign law (huffingtonpost.com). Yes, the school district was trying to maintain
safety, but for whom? For Ahmed? For Ahmed’s family? Ahmed’s brown skin, his Sudanese heritage and his Islamic faith made him a target in this case. Given the way that authorities treated Ahmed, it is clear he was a victim of racial profiling. Given the past discrimination Van Duyne propagated against Muslims in her community, one could easily draw the conclusion that Ahmed was subjected to unfair racial discrimination. Furthermore, recent research proves that students of color, like Mohamed, are more frequently targeted by these policies than are white students, according to Director of the School-to-Prison Pipeline Project Morgan Craven at the juvenile justice advocacy group Texas Appleseed. Mohamed’s case makes it painfully clear that xenophobia and racism are still at work in U.S. public schools, and it would be naive to assume that certain educators are acting only in the interest of the “safety” of the community. Just because Texas has a zero-tolerance policy, the Irving school district over-exerted their authority in order to discriminate against an Islamic student of color. The Irving ISD claims they were within their legal right to punish Mohamed in this manner. The notion that a duty to follow protocol can defend blatant racism is absurd. We should all be enraged and troubled that any public official would have the nerve to make such a claim in the 21st century.
Luther Peanut Butter Pandemic? I think not Letter to the Editor For one day, and one day only, chocolate peanut butter shakes were truly, fully and actually available at Nordic Brew this year, and my life was full and my future was bright. Luther peanut butter is an idea that should bring a smile to every Luther student’s face. Who doesn’t love locally made peanut butter? I know it is a mainstay of my diet, as well as many of my peers’. If you subscribe to the love of peanut butter as I do, you can imagine the immense disappointment I found myself in when Nordic Brew denied me the ability to order a chocolate peanut butter shake. This was a disappointment after ordering this shake for years during my time at Luther; I suddenly was not allowed to enjoy my favorite shake. The reasoning behind this sudden change? “Student allergies.” I know I am not the only one suffering a setback in ordering my favorite treat because of the sudden guideline change. I entirely understand wanting to keep all students safe on campus. However, this precaution
is ridiculous. Ridiculous because we are catering to a small population of students, who at this point in their lives should be able to notify a barista that they have a peanut allergy and have an accommodation made. I should not have my rights limited because someone else has an allergy. Also ridiculous because Nordic Brew only limits the use of peanut butter yet continues to offer mixed nuts, Butterfingers and Snickers. So we can’t have a peanut butter shake because of someone’s allergies, but an open canister of mixed nuts wouldn’t possibly harm them? An open container of nuts will expose the same amount of risk as my peanut butter shake. I find it very unfortunate that the masses have to be limited to protect the few. We do not live in a world that will protect students with allergies from ever being exposed to peanuts; it is the responsibility of someone with an allergy to make the appropriate accommodations to keep themselves safe. People have allergies to many, many things, but the world does not stop for them. It is not the responsibility of every student on campus to keep this small population of students safe. I feel deeply sorry for the students who will never get to enjoy a chocolate peanut butter shake due to allergies; however, I should not lose my ability to enjoy them because of these students. Banning peanut butter in Nordic Brew is simply another massive disappointment when it comes to dining options at Luther. Lyndsey Wycoff (‘17)
SPORTS
PAGE 11
SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
SPORTS EDITOR: STEVE PETERSON
Women’s golf plays at Division III Classic EMILY CROWE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The Luther women’s golf team went to Salt Lake, Minnesota, for the Division III Classic hosted by Carleton College on Sept. 19-20, 2015 and finished ninth out of 17 teams. “There were really good D III field
teams [at the tournament],” Head Women’s Golf Coach Eric Karius said. “Some of the best teams in the country were there, so it is a great challenge.” Because the tournament is a challenge, the team has been practicing specific skills this week. “For last week’s tournament, I spent most of my practice time each day
GOING FOR GREEN. Meggie Acker (‘18) watches her shot approach the green. Photo courtesy of Meggie Acker
Norse of the Week STEVE PETERSON SPORTS EDITOR Setter Lindsey Ryan (‘16) is a three-year starter and co-captain of the Luther volleyball team. During the Associated Colleges of the Midwest Tournament hosted at Macalester College earlier this month, Ryan gained 39 assists in a match against Lawrence University. With those assists, Ryan set the Luther College school record with a career assist total of 3,612. This surpassed Katie Kuhlman’s (‘04) previous record of 3,609 career assists. Chips: How did you feel when you learned that you broke the record? Ryan: I was shocked! I had no idea that I was close to the record and even after I beat it I didn’t find out until after our last match of the day. After the game, I
working on putting,” Meggie Acker (‘18) said. “In every tournament, that seems to be the weakest part of my game, costing me the most shots. I also worked on the range to improve accuracy of my driver and irons.” Each golfer’s preparation is different, depending on her particular strengths and weaknesses. “I prepared for last weekend’s tournament by focusing on my weaknesses in the week leading up to the tournament,” Madeline Petellin (‘17) said. “I practiced a lot more short game to ensure I would go into the weekend feeling confident around the green.” According to Karius, there is competition within the team to decide who will get to attend the tournament, and this competition inspires the team to work hard. “We practice four or five days a week and have qualifying rounds to see who goes,” Karius said. Their efforts this week were necessary, according to Petellin, because the course is difficult to play. “It’s a tough course and challenges every aspect of your game,” Petellin said. The team is strong this year,
according to Karius, and he is happy with the work the women have put in so far and the progress they have made. The improvements are obvious in their scores, according to Acker. “I think that this weekend was a big stepping-stone for me,” Acker said. “With each tournament, I am growing more and more consistent with not only my 18-hole score but also my split between the two nines. Everything, including my putting, seems to be falling into place.” The work the players put in on the course has a foundation of time spent together off the course as well, according to Karius. “It’s a tight knit group of girls who really enjoy spending time together, on and off the course,” Karius said. “There is great team chemistry, and we are extremely proud of Luther golf.” Despite confidence with the team’s ability and growth so far, both players and coaches see that there is still work to be done. “Even though I played well and produced decent scores, there is still room for improvement; I don’t want to settle where I am at
walked over to my parents and was chatting with them and then my coach called me over and handed me the game ball while saying “Congratulations, you are now the new record holder of career assists at Luther College.” It was an extremely emotional moment, and it was so nice to have my coach, my parents and my teammates all there giving me so much support. It is something that I will never forget. What does it mean to you to be a record holder for Luther volleyball? To me, it means that I have left a tangible mark on the program and that all the time that my teammates and I have put in is there to see. I couldn’t have done this without my teammates, my family or my coach so to represent them in such a way is incredible. I hope that my record can inspire present and future volleyball players to push themselves to see what they can do. How do you anticipate the volleyball team will finish this year? We have very talented players, both in our starters and non-starters. We are also a very close-knit team so we are always pushing each other and supporting each other through everything, on and off the court. We have a tough conference, but I think that this year we are out to take some names, so I am excited to see what we do. Do you have any concerns as the season plays out? Only that I wish the season was longer! We get two
currently,” Acker said. “With each tournament we play, I am growing more confident in myself on and off the course.” Karius is confident the golfers will have steady improvement and always work harder to be better. “We take it one tournament at a time,” Karius said. “We try to put ourselves in situations so that we are playing our best golf at the end of the year. The results will take care of themselves; it is about preparation and worrying about us getting better each day.” The women are scheduled to play next at the Luther Invitational Sept. 25-26 at the Oneota Golf & Country Club in Decorah, Iowa. Visit luther. edu/sports/women/golf for more information regarding the team and their progress this season. “Looking forward at the rest of our season makes me excited,” Petellin said. “We still have a lot of potential. This weekend is our home invite, which is always one of my favorite weekends of golf. Being halfway through the season, now I think we can use our home tournament as a breaking point to finish out our season strong.”
SET UP. Lindsey Ryan (‘16) sets up a spike against Loras College. Ashley Veeser / Photo Bureau months to prove to ourselves and to the conference why we should make the tournament and why we will win every time. Also, this is the only time in the history of Luther volleyball that these 20 girls will be playing together, so I just want to make the most of what we have and celebrate where we are. Any superstitions/ rituals surrounding your game? Nothing too crazy. I always wear a grey headband for games, and I have to go through a good setting warm-up before games, but no lucky socks or anything! Are you looking to claim any other records as you progress through the season? Not that I am aware of ! I am really hoping the team can blaze some new trails this season.
SPORTS
PAGE 12
SPORTS EDITOR: STEVE PETERSON
SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
Women’s tennis finds early success
Weekly Standings Football
#6 Wartburg Central Luther Simpson Coe Dubuque Loras Buena Vista
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Recent Scores
Overall 3-0 2-1 2-1 1-1 1-2 1-2 1-2 0-2
Sept. 12 vs. St. Olaf College, W 34-16 Sept. 19 @ Grinnell, W 56-0
Upcoming Schedule
Oct. 3 @ Dubuque, 1:00 PM
Women’s Soccer Coe Luther Dubuque Loras Wartburg Central Simpson Buena Vista
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Overall 8-0-1 6-1 5-1-1 5-2-1 5-2 4-3 2-5 2-6
Recent Scores
Sept. 16 @ UW-Eau Claire, W 1-0 Sept. 20 @ St. Benedict’s, W 2-1
HIGH FIVES. Luther women’s tennis celebrates after a recent win over Dubuque.
Upcoming Schedule
Megan Oliver / Photo Bureau
Sept. 26 vs. Coe, 3:00 PM
SIDNEY LARSEN STAFF WRITER Despite a recent loss to Coe College on Sunday, Sept. 20, the Norse women’s tennis team’s record remains at 7-1, making this a successful season for the team. Norse victories include meets versus Wartburg, Loras and Grinnell, among others. There have been some big changes for the women’s tennis team this season, contributing to this winning streak. Men’s and women’s tennis gained assistant coach Miriam Blom Skrade (‘04), who has greatly strengthened the program with her experience according to coaches and players. Blom Skrade was previously the head coach at Knox College in Illinois for two years, as well as a high school tennis coach. Head Coach Adam Strand (‘04) noted that having Blom Skrade as assistant coach has added “a great dynamic to the team.” According to the team, the women of Norse tennis have grown extremely close this season, consistently supporting each other on and off the court. Strand said that the team’s success this fall can be attributed to how well they work together. “From day one they’ve had really great team chemistry and I think our vibe is really good and has helped breed success on the court,” Strand said. Blom Skrade also sees this as a big help for the team. “When it gets down to the long matches and tie breakers and late nights, the team support really comes through in very critical times,” Blom Skrade said. Despite the graduation of annually
strong player Adriana DePaolis (‘15), Hailey Johnson (‘16) said the team has really been stepping up their game. Seven of the players on the team are returning varsity letter winners, and Johnson noted that having such an experienced team was one advantage of Luther’s program. “I think we’re really strong because we have a team of returners,” Johnson said. “We all came back and we’ve all been stepping up to play tougher positions.” Many of the players worked hard over the summer in preparation for this fall season and it had been a goal of the team since the beginning of the season to go undefeated. According to the coaches, the players have been incredibly willing to put in time and effort to improve their game. “I want to commend the players for being really coachable,” Blom Skrade said. “They’ve really taken to using the tools that we’ve given them and I think that takes a high quality player to really perform well and take in information in the
heat of the moment.” The Norse played Coe College, one of their toughest opponents, at Luther last Sunday. Despite Coe’s reputation as a four-time defending conference champion, the Norse felt confident about their chances before the meet. “Our women are feeling that the way we are playing and the work that we put in are enough to put us over that little hump,” Strand said. Unfortunately, the Norse were not able to secure a victory against the Kohawks, losing 2-4. The women played well despite the loss, according to spectator and men’s tennis player Kenny Goins (‘17). “They fought really hard. The match could have gone either way,” Goins said. The remainder of the women’s fall season includes two tournaments and meets with Simpson and Central. Win or lose, players have said this season has been something special. “Something is different about this year,” Johnson said. “I think [the team] just wants it more so it's really fun.”
Men’s Soccer Loras Luther Wartburg Simpson Dubuque Buena Vista Central Coe
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Overall 4-1-1 4-2-1 4-2-1 4-3-1 3-2-1 3-4 3-5 1-5-1
Recent Scores
Sept. 15 vs. Carleton College, T 0-0 (2OT) Sept. 20 @ St. John’s, L 0-1
Upcoming Schedule
Sept. 26 vs Coe. 1:00 PM
Women’s Tennis Coe Luther Central Simpson Wartburg Loras Buena Vista Dubuque
IIAC 6-0 4-1 3-1 2-1 2-1 1-4 0-4 0-6
Overall 6-1 7-1 5-1 4-2 3-3 1-7 0-4 0-8
Recent Scores
Sept. 16 Grinnell, W 6-3 Sept. 20 Coe, L 3-6
Upcoming Schedule
Sept. 25-27 @ ITA Regional Tournament, All day
Volleyball
Central Wartburg Coe Luther Buena Vista Dubuque Simpson Loras
IIAC 1-0 1-0 1-0 1-0 0-1 0-1 0-1 0-1
Overall 9-2 9-2 10-4 6-6 7-6 5-7 5-7 5-8
Upcoming Schedule
Sept. 25 @ IIAC/NACC Crossover Tournament, 1:00 PM
SERVING HEAT. Anna Pearson (‘18) practices her groundstroke in a recent practice. Sidney Larsen / Chips