The Swinging Bridge: Apr 10, 2013

ENACTUS GOES TO NATIONALS [page 3]

Atheists @

MESSIAH [page 5]

SENIOR Messiah College Prepares for ART SHOW Provided by Messiah.edu

Annual Service Day

[page 8]

Classes are canceled to give students the opportunity to serve.

A

By Megan E. Bloom STUDENT WRITER

t most colleges, the end of spring semester usually means constantly working on forgotten assignments and cramming for final exams. While that is certainly still a part of academic life at Messiah, the campus community also looks forward to an annual holiday of sorts: Service Day. Every year, classes are canceled one day in mid April so students can participate in on and off campus service learning opportunities.

The Agapé Center teams up with the Area M Special Olympics, which is held on campus, and local nonprofit organizations which provide

numerous chances for students to make a difference in the community.

“We call the community partners of the Agapé Center, which are heads of a bunch of different charities in the Harrisburg area,” Plunge Day Coordinator Jessica Teeter said.

Willing groups register their projects online with Teeter, who evaluates and accepts the ones fit for Service Day. This year there are thirty off-campus organizations that students can volunteer with, ranging from Habitat for Humanity and Shalom House to the Humane Society and Green Urban Initiatives.

“We have projects that are the same every year, and there are groups that

always go to certain sites. We always have the Danzante Project and Recycle Bicycle, and we work with Paxton Ministries all the time,” says Teeter.

One of the groups volunteering as a club is Active Minds, a circle of students that advocate for mental health awareness.

“We are going to be working with Freedom Valley Church in Gettysburg,” says Active Minds vice president, Allie Cacciola. “Ultimately, we will be doing yard work and painting outside.”

Cacciola sees this as a great opportunity to help a local church and grow closer with her fellow members.

vice, as we are aiding the community and getting to work together with Active minds members... this is a great head start for us as we are transitioning into the next semester.”

Service Day allows Messiah College students and faculty to come together in their Christian faith and contribute to the surrounding area in a positive way.

There is still a need for volunteers for Special Olympics and off-campus projects. To apply, visit the Agape Center website at www.messiah.edu/external_programs/agape.

“I am really excited to do this ser-

Is Starbucks Sticking Around This semester could be your last chance to order Starbucks coffee at the Falcon or Union.

Messiah?

C

By Mandy Ruiz STUDET WRITER

ampus coffee drinkers may be toting around a new cup next fall. The Student Government Association (SGA) is considering switching from Starbucks brand coffee to Sun Coffee Roasters.

Sun Coffee Roasters is a USDA organic and Fair Trade certified company that is currently serving other colleges and universities on the East coast.

“It’s significantly cheaper,” said Stu-

dent Government Association President Jean Cho. She noted that the price of Starbucks coffee went up four times last semester. Although students may be attached to the Starbucks brand, they will be saving money with the new brand.

After a two to three year search, Cho believes that SGA has found a more suitable option for Messiah students.

“We held a tasting in Student Senate in March and the presentation really gave a face to the company,” said Cho. “We

feel that it fits the ethic of Messiah and that fair trade products will be accepted well by Messiah students,” she added.

Mark Wirtz, Director of Dining Services, released a statement via e-mail: “I believe Sun Coffee Roasters would be a quality partnership for Messiah College. However, I will fully support the decision of Messiah students regarding our coffee vendor. The choice and decision is completely up to our students.”

Sun Coffee Roasters assures they sup-

ply their coffee from family-owned farms in developing countries for sustainable living. They also cater to specific blends and roasts according to the college’s taste preferences.

“Sun Coffee has some fun options, like a Messiah College custom coffee. We can decide to have a special Messiah coffee with a lighter or darker roast,” said Cho. The change from Starbucks to Sun

//STARBUCKS Page3

April 10, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

News 2

Engaged by Spring

By Nicholas Tay FEATURES EDITOR

W

hen Ryan Hibbard popped the question to Maddy Engle this past August, “ring by spring” didn’t cross her mind. At least, not right away.

It’s hard to ignore the growing number of senior guys and girls who are leaving class on Friday in a committed relationship and coming back on Monday newly engaged. In dorm hallways and in classrooms, students want to know about who proposed to who, and how.

But there are also those students who roll their eyes. There’s a stigma that has always followed the ring by spring phenomenon. Some students think their peers are getting engaged unprepared for marriage.

“People might think I haven’t experienced enough, that Messiah isn’t the real world, that we need to experience life together after Messiah before we get married,” said Engle, a senior social work major. Some students wonder if their engaged classmates are compromising their futures by marrying young. But for Engle, there weren’t many future plans to begin with.

“I know there are people who are like, ‘I want to travel, I want to date around, but I didn’t have that,” she said.

Engle and Hibbard have been together for nearly three years. Hibbard, a 2012 graduate of Messiah, recently started a job in southern California, where the couple will marry this August. “Financial problems are the num-

ber one conflict within relationships,” said Engle. “Students are graduating thousands of dollars in debt, and not having a plan for that isn’t smart.”

Although no one at Messiah has told her that she got engaged too soon, Engle has experienced her fair share of curious glances at her ring.

“There has been a lot of, ‘wow, you’re so young’ by people who don’t know us, who don’t know our relationship, which is frustrating because we know what we’re doing,” she said.

As engaged seniors juggle their semesters with post-college plans and wedding preparations, it is surprising to note that the ring by spring bug has bitten a few juniors as well.

Kyle Hauser, a junior, is already engaged to junior Emily Allen. But Hauser felt no external pressure from the ring by spring tradition.

“I’ve been aware of the ring by spring culture since my freshman year, but the pressure that some might feel with ring by spring didn’t affect my decision to go ahead with the engagement. I also didn’t feel that my friends influenced my fiancé and me. It was pretty much our decision.”

Even though Hauser and Allen are engaged right now, he doesn’t believe that a year-early engagement is neither a huge distraction nor a burden to their academic life.

“I don’t really feel any different. The wedding is planned for after we graduate, so I don’t have to be worried about

Maddy Engle and Ryan Hibbard. being married in college. As far as planning is concerned, we’re going to take it a step at a time. At this point, it’s not really a huge burden. I’m sure next year [senior year] will be more involved.”

Yet, Hauser does admit that by the time senior year comes along, stress levels may be soaring through the roof as wedding preparations and graduation arrangements eat into the time allocated for academics.

“Right now, we’re not stressing over it as it’s a year away. However, by the time senior year comes along, it will be pretty stressful as we have to balance our studies

Provided by Maddy Engle with wedding planning and graduation.”

Engle encourages students to think twice before judging any woman based on the ring on her finger. Ring by spring is part of Messiah’s culture, which is neither good nor bad.

She just considers it a part of life.

“I didn’t necessarily want to be that stereotypical girl who gets engaged senior year,” she said. “This wasn’t the plan I had for myself, but it’s life. Things happen all the time that you don’t expect.”

Stephanie Wilson, Chief, contributed to

Editor in this article.

For the Love of Trees!

The campus says goodbye to some old friends while welcoming in the new.

By Abigail Ferenczy NEWS EDITOR

L

ast month the Arbor Day Foundation honored Messiah College with a Tree Campus USA designation, a recognition given to colleges who effectively manage their trees. In spite of this, many students have been alarmed by the amount of trees being cut down across campus over the past two semesters.

“This is something that unfortunately happens from time to time,” said Rudy.

Fortunately for the grounds crew, however, the company responsible for the damage has reimbursed the college.

Meanwhile, Rudy and the other members of the grounds crew are committed to taking care of Messiah’s remaining trees.

When questioned about this issue, Grounds Services Manager Jared Rudy “Every time a tree is removed, we try explained that every tree that has been to plant a tree for that tree,” he said. cut down has had good reason to go.

The Tree Campus USA program has “I don’t want to take trees down, but five standards that colleges must meet it’s important to take precautions when to receive recognition. Among these we’re dealing with safety issues,” he said. are the existence of a campus tree-care plan and advisory committee. MesTo avoid the possibility of injury to siah’s tree committee was formed last passersby, the Black Locust trees in year and is comprised of faculty memfront of Hess were eliminated when bers, a student representative, and branches began falling on the side- arborists not affiliated with Messiah. walk. Similarly, the diseased tree outside the Library was cut down after it “We want to let people know did not respond to treatment efforts. that we are trying hard to keep the trees around,” said Rudy.

Trees around Boyer Hall, the Student Union, and the solar pan- By now, most students have noticed the els on campus were among those army of sticks stationed at the base of contaminated by an herbicide. cemetery hill. These protect 500 young

trees planted in November by Messiah’s grounds crew and students in a field biology course. According to a recent news release from Messiah, the saplings offset the carbon emissions for all of Messiah’s fleet vehicles and have decreased the mowing area for the ground crew.

In addition to the grounds work, Messiah’s Restoration Project has been contributing to the upkeep of the college’s tree population. Dr. David Foster is a faculty member of the Department of Biological Sciences and is heading up the work. According to Foster, two goals of the Restoration Project are to improve riparian and aquatic habitat on the Yellow Breeches Creek and stop erosive cutting of the banks.

Developments include the installment of structures that will promote healthy fish habitat and a rain garden to stop erosion caused by excess water flowing off the tennis courts. But for tree lovers, the best part of the project is last.

“The final stage of the project will include planting of native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants within fifty feet of

both sides of the stream,” Foster wrote.

This week, Rudy and Foster purchased thirty trees that will be among those planted by faculty and students working on the Restoration Project. Once planted, these trees will add definition and stabilization to the area surrounding the creek.

Complementing the Restoration Project and grounds work this year is a campus tree tour being developed by Rudy. Once complete, the tour will highlight specialty trees across campus. Tour takers will be provided with maps and brochures outlining the locations and specifications of each tree.

From grounds work to the Restoration Project and the soon-to-come campus tree tour, Messiah’s trees are not lacking nurture from their human caretakers. But according to Rudy, there is still room for students to join in the work.

“I want to get more students involved so they can get the word out to other students about our tree care on campus,” he said.

April 10, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Enactus: On The Road To Nationals Messiah’s student business team to compete in national competition

By Bri Dorsey STUDENT WRITER

M

essiah College is known for many things, including its knack for producing national champions. After all, both men’s and women’s soccer teams won national titles once again this season. But the athletes here are not the only ones banding together to compete in national competitions. Junior accounting majors Bonnie Day and Cristina Putz, copresidents of Messiah’s Enactus Club, are preparing for the national Enactus competition, which will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 21-23.

According to their website, Enactus (Entrepreneurships in Action) aims “to enable progress through entrepreneurial action.”

Provided by ENACTUS

“It’s entrepreneurships acting for the greater good of the community,” said Day..

Senior Film Student Directs Short Film

The organization, which was previously called SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise), recently underwent a name change in order to become more internationally established.

The Pulse chats with Rolando Vega, aspiring director

By Abigail Saunders SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Q: How did the idea for Palace develop?

A: Well I’m an honors students and I either needed to take an honors seminar, or do a project. I decided as a film major, this would be a great excuse for me to do a really large film project.

There’s a large transition going on in the film industry from film to digital and I wanted to see how this would affect cinemas. The story ultimately came from a scene that I had imagined of an old man sitting in an editing room cutting a film together. We ultimately developed a story around this guy in combination with the history of the Carlisle Theater.

Q: What’s one thing that directing this movie has taught you?

A: The main thing is that after all the hard work and preparation that goes into a project, I’ve learned to delegate. I learned to delegate and trust in the crew that I carefully selected.

It’s a two-part thing. You need to have prepared and selected a great crew, but ultimately I’ve learned to let go a bit during the production process.

Q: How has Messiah prepared you to direct this movie?

A: Messiah has prepared me in the classroom by giving me both a theoretical and production background in film. This is combined with what Messiah has provided outside the classroom as well. The building of a website and producing video content for SAB has given me great production experience. Messiah has really inspired me to do things and to be a doer.

Q: You’re a senior. what are you going to miss most about Messiah?

A: I think I’m going to miss. I

can’t believe I’m going to say this, but the community here. It’s so easy to step outside of my dorm room and have a one-on-one with a professor and maintain friendships in a small, local environment. In regards to Palace, that sense of community made things easier... I think Messiah develops this great sense of service learning in people and I’m going to miss that.

Q: What was your favorite drink or food item to have on set?

A: On a typical set, everyone needs coffee. I didn’t realize I needed it until people started bringing it to me and I got used to it. In settling into my director role, I was spoiled a little in terms of being catered to. It got to the point where things were running so smoothly, I would turn around and someone would hand me a coffee and I started to think I could get used to this.

Q: What would be your advice for someone who wants to do an adventurous project but doesn’t feel they have enough money or support?

A: If someone were to take on a project that other people doubted, I would say to them: It’s possible. You just need to research so you have realistic expectations of the resources you will need to accomplish your project and a timeline of when it will be finished. You can do it if you keep trying and trying and really believe in the final result. That’s what happened with Palace. I worked with people who worked hard and started to dream with me and all the hard work paid off.

Palace the Film will be shown at the Carlisle Theatre on May 5.

Be on the look out for more updates on the Pulse Facebook page or visit the film’s official website at www. palacethefilm.com for more details.

The club, which meets on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. in South Side Café, currently has approximately twenty members.

“We promote entrepreneurship in business principles through using the information we learn in classes and applying it to the real world, doing service in the community. Pretty much, it goes very closely with Messiah’s values: taking what we learn in the classroom, bringing it to the community, and doing what we can,” said Day. Messiah’s Enactus Club has had their hand in numerous projects this year, including partnering with businesses in the community and on campus. They promoted Ten Thousand Villages in Mechanicsburg, hosted “Run for the Money,” aided Amani Beads with sales, and transformed the South Side Café’s business plan. Most recently, they teamed up with Junior Achievement, which allows them to go into classrooms and teach younger students about the ins and outs of business. In the midst of many projects, they still find time to volunteer at the Silence of Mary Home in Harrisburg.

//STARBUCKS Coffee Roasters has not been finalized, “but students will be receiving a Qualtrix survey within the next week and a half,” according to Cho. This survey will be collecting data on whether student coffee drinkers approve of the cost and taste of Starbucks coffee and whether they approve of the change to Sun Coffee.

Messiah student and coffee drinker Casey Daggett welcomes the option for a new coffee.

“I think it’s awesome. I’m proud of the college for exploring different opportunities. If Starbucks isn’t the best option, we should be exploring stewardship by proactively being engaged in this company,” said Daggett.

News 3

However, all of that activity will be temporarily halted as Messiah’s Enactus Club fervently prepares to go to Nationals.

Before they could advance to this level, Enactus first had to tackle a regional competition, which is held annually in either Baltimore or Philadelphia. At the regional competition, various colleges are placed in categories and compete against others within their category.

At this year’s competition, each Enactus program presented a 17-minute speech on the programs that they have been working on throughout the year.

Preparation for regionals took group participation. “It was a team effort.

All of our officers contributed a great portion to getting the actual presentation together. Our presentation team then practiced the speech,” said Day. The team proudly took their well-rehearsed speech to regionals on March 22. Day, who was on the presentation team, laughed and said, “Kim Phipps tweeted at us. It was very exciting.”

Messiah’s Enactus club was ecstatic that their hard work paid off. By charming the judges, they were able to secure a spot in the national competition.

“It was a great feeling finally getting recognized for doing something that benefits the community,” said Putz.

“Our mission was to just show them who were are, what we’ve done, and what our club believes in, whether or not that made us progress to nationals or not.

It’s really nice that it did,” Day added.

With Nationals in sight, Messiah’s Enactus Club is focusing on two things: fundraising to help compensate traveling costs and adequately preparing for travel. They will spend the coming weeks carefully practicing their presentation. Day foresees countless rehearsing in the club’s future.

“We will be practicing, practicing, practicing until the end,” she said.

With that end rapidly approaching, Messiah’s Enactus Club will soon head out to give the country a little taste of what Messiah College is all about. They hope to have a national title when they return.

Due to the contract Messiah has with Starbucks, they cannot serve Sun Coffee in some locations and Starbucks in others.

“Unfortunately, we can’t cater to both companies. It’s all or nothing,” said Cho. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz’s public stance on gay rights did not play a part in Messiah’s decision to switch coffee brands, despite rumors that it did.

“That is definitely an issue we are addressing as a college, but not with coffee,” said Cho. If the change is enacted, Messiah students can expect the switch as early as next fall and as late as next spring.

April 10, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Opinions 4

The Election of Pope Francis: Thoughts from a Catholic Pope Francis is a model Christian, but he is not making any extreme changes to the Catholic Church

By Sarah Fleischman STUDENT DIRECTOR

W

henever we try to remember important historical events, we recall where we were when we found out. I didn’t find out about 9/11 until I got home from school. The same can be said for the time I first found out about Pope Francis. It was as I was changing a disgustingly dirty diaper and watching one of two channels when my rabbit-like ears picked up on the exciting news.

I was overjoyed to learn that our firstever Pope hailed from South/Central America, given that over 40% of the world’s Catholics live in Latin America.

I love how he unites Jesuits and Franciscans with his choice of the name Francis.

Honestly, I am happy because of Pope Francis, now the news media can back off. I am so tired of people writing and commenting about issues in the Church they do not know anything about.

There has been so much information.

Here are three myths I’d like to debunk:

I’m not Catholic, so who the Pope is does not matter to me.

There are a billion Catholics in the world. Whoever leads the Catholic church is going to be influential because of this. Although Catholics and Protestants disagree on doctrine, we agree on essential dogmas. This makes the faiths inextricably linked.

He will allow ordination of women and for Catholics to use birth control.

If Pope Francis did this, this would not be Catholic. Truth is not decided by a popular vote. The Pope does not have the authority to allow the ordination of women. President Obama does not have the power to establish a monarchy and declare himself king, and no one is going to give him that power.

It is the same situation with the Pope.

The identity of the American government is in a representative democracy. To do otherwise would strip the country of what it is. If the Church allowed ordination of wom-

Photo by Sarah Brookhart called to. It is refreshing and inspiring. en, it would not be Catholic any more.

What he does is unusual.

Pope Francis is just living out his Jesuit vows to poverty, chastity, and obedience. All people (nuns, monks, priests) who dedicate themselves to religious life take these vows. Yes, all of this is counter-cultural. It is unusual for the world at large, but not unusual for those who have a vocation to religious life.

Just because Pope Francis chooses not to live in the papal apartment and takes bus doesn’t mean his predecessors were wrong to do so. This degree of humility is what Pope Francis is personally

As Christians, we are supposed to be representatives of Christ. The Pope has even more pressures on him to do so since he is in the public eye and the head of the Catholic Church. Pope Francis is simply doing what all of us should be doing as Christians. Instead of Maundy Thursday mass in the Vatican, he celebrated mass in a juvenile detention center. He washed the feet of men and women on Good Friday.

He is showing us what it looks like to follow Jesus in our modern society.

Catholics and Protestants alike would benefit from following his example.

Legalizing Drugs is Logical

By Lynda Heller OPINIONS EDITOR

T

here should be no such thing as illegal drugs. I do not say this to merely to be controversial, nor to argue that recreational drug use is a positive thing. However, the greatest effects that these substances have on society results from them being illegal.

When thinking about legislation, it is important to consider what will benefit society as a whole. I admit that legalizing drugs would negatively affect the lives of some individuals. Certain law-abiding citizens would be more likely to experiment if granted permission by the governmental authorities.

However, I suspect that it is a rather small number of people who will risk a life-altering addition merely because the government has allowed it.

On the other hand, legalizing drugs has the potential to greatly improve society. First off, if street drugs were legal, their sale could be monitored.

This would allow the substances to be controlled, properly labeled and dis-

tributed. Drug production would be in a safe, clean and monitored environment. Profits for drug sales would go to drug companies, which could provide secure jobs, not only for those in drug manufacturing but also for farmers. It is quite likely that given the choice between making their own and walking to a local drug outlet, most users would choose to purchase their drugs already made. This saves them and their neighbors from the risks of manufacturing drugs, like Methamphetamine.

Legalizing drugs would significantly lessen the power held by drug traders. Currently, drug sellers have a monopoly on the market and sell these substances for high prices because they are illegal. If drugs were not prohibited, independent merchants would struggle to compete with market prices. The entire system of organized crime that is sustained by the drug trade would be starved of its resources. Furthermore, a

//see DRUGS page 9

April 10, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

D Atheists at Messiah Non-Believers are People, Too:

By Max Adamatis STUDENT WRITER

“[People here seem to be] xenophobic of ideas.”

“People think you’re the wild one.”

These are the words of Messiah students regarding their experiences as atheists or agnostics on campus. You heard me right- even in seemingly homogenous Christian circles like Messiah College there exists a minority of non-believers who live among a Christian majority.

I recently completed qualitative research on this subject as part of my sociology and anthropology senior capstone project here at Messiah. I interviewed atheists and agnostics, wanting to understand their experiences and points of view.

Non-Christians who live among Christians feel as though they are not understood and that people are not open to them or to understanding their beliefs. This constricts the

//see PEOPLE page 9

Let’s Talk About Sex, Maturely

D

ear Editor:

After attending one of the Sixth Day Sexuality alternate chapels on Wednesday, April 3rd, I left Frey 110 with none of my questions answered and a whole host of confusion about what college students do or should know about sex.

I attended this chapel with the assumption that it was as the title of the series suggested: a chapel about sexuality at a college level, focusing on the part of the definition of the word as “expression of sexual receptivity or interest”. The chapel, however, was more along the lines of a high school sexual education class, complete with very skewed survey results from a mass email and details about specific STIs. What was lacking of the chapel was any sort of audience interaction or exploration as to what sexuality is, because by this age, most of us know that the concept of sex does not just involve genital contact, intercourse, or sexually transmitted infections.

By this stage of the game, from a Christian perspective, discussions of sexuality need to include topics like masturbation, owning one’s sexuality, misconceptions and interpretations of societal definitions of sexuality versus a view based in Christian values, and other topics that are much deeper and more complex than “name that STI”. In addition, at the college level there should be resources for counseling, therapy, and support regarding sexuality.

Let’s face it: not every student at Messiah is a Christian heterosexual virgin.

Sexuality needs to be something that can be discussed and expressed when needed: there should be counseling and

support groups for those who are struggling with their sexuality or have identified themselves as a minority sexual orientation. Although there is a support group already in place, this group is only for homosexual students and is not open to other sexualities or their allies.

This can be isolating as it does not allow for community recognition and love for varied populations of sexual identity.

There should also be information and hotlines about sexual assault and rape, and there should be discussion on understanding students’ differing views of sexuality, sexual expression, and the contrast between the variety of Christian views of sexuality and secular views.

Sexuality and discussions around the topic, at a college campus, should give more than a high school level of information. This topic needs to be discussed, and a lecture that is based solely on doling out facts that students have already heard before coming to college is not going to make a significant impact on how students view and approach the ideas of sex, sexual activity, sexual orientation, etc.

I’m of the opinion that sexuality is great, because we are all sexual beings. I also believe sexuality needs to be discussed— truly discussed—and not just a lecture of information that anyone can look up in a textbook. While I commend the Engle Center for having a chapel about sex at all, I do think that our needs are not the same as teenagers in high school.

Sincerely, Erin Royer

Are On-Campus Humanitarian Events Effective?

By Susan Ryder STUDENT WRITER

W

hen I see the suffering and struggles of people all over the world on television and via the internet my first reaction is to change the channel or skip the link. It’s difficult to view suffering, especially if we perceive we can do nothing

about it. That’s why events like “Stand for Freedom”, sponsored by the new chapter of International Justice Mission, and “Souls for Soles”, sponsored

//see HUMAN page 9

Opinions 5

ear Editor:

In response to Chris Beardsley’s OpEd piece, Messiah’s Tuition Raises: an Unethical Practice, I feel a strong responsibility to our community to “set the record straight” related to the numerous inaccurate assertions he made in this piece.

For starters, Mr. Beardsley incorrectly states, “$95 million was raised to build this infrastructure (the High Center) completely.” We did not raise $95 million for the High Center; just over $19 million was raised for the building with the rest of the financing coming from other sources. Moreover, no monies were borrowed to build the High Center. The Centennial Campaign raised over $46 million and a significant portion of that (over $11 million) was for student scholarship endowment and other related trusts that benefit all students. We also added nearly 50 new named scholarship endowments. Another $7 million was raised for the Annual Fund over the Campaign period, which also benefits all students.

Mr. Beardsley incorrectly mentions the “3.45% increase in our tuition from $38,220 to $39,540.” This number represents the comprehensive fee, not just tuition, which includes tuition, fees, room and board, and this increase is less than the majority of schools in our comparison group. He also states “our tuition has gone up because of the compensation to our faculty. In fact 62% of the operating budget goes to the faculty.” The truth is that 62% of the annual operating budget relates to total compensation, which includes salaries and benefits for all employees including student employees.

Additionally, the writer suggests that our faculty “demand” increases in com-

pensation, and that “any faculty member accepting this pay raise on the back of college students should really go into some serious self-reflection.” In no way, shape or form did any of our faculty demand increases in their pay.

They never have, and never will do such a thing. To even suggest that this happens reflects a lack of understanding of our culture and completely disrespects our faculty. It was the will of our community to approve a budget that included compensation increases for our community, not just for the faculty.

Mr. Beardsley refers to the College’s recent announcement of its fee increase as part of an “unethical practice.” The adjective unethical means “lacking moral principles; unwilling to adhere to proper rules of conduct.” I ask you… how can the College’s practice of transparently, collaboratively and collegially using the college governance structure to propose, approve and communicate a fee increase “lack moral principles?”

Misinformation like what was printed is very detrimental to our collective cause here at Messiah College, and it is disappointing that such inaccuracies can make it to press without appropriate oversight, verification and editing.

I would encourage Mr. Beardsley to reflect upon a journalist’s code of ethics in accurately reporting information for the public good, and to consider the questionable manner in which he obtained the information that he misquoted and misused in developing his piece.

David S. Walker, CPA Vice President for Finance and Planning Messiah College

Mr. Walker and Mr. Chopka, One of our goals at the Pulse is to encourage students from all majors, interests, and levels of experience to participate in our various media outlets. We often give the writer the benefit of the doubt, particularly regarding opinion pieces. We are working as an organization to resolve this issue with college administrators and to prevent this issue from happening in the future. As journalists, we are constantly learning new ways to improve the quality of our work. Thank you for your thoughtful responses to this article.

- Stephanie Wilson, Editor in Chief

D

ear Editor:

I wish to respond the opinion piece

by Chris Beardsley that appeared in the March 28 edition of the Swinging Bridge. While Chris is entitled to his opinion regarding news of recent tuition and fee increases at Messiah College, his article is riddled with inaccurate information and misplaced accusations. I would like to address a few.

the year 2020 (and beyond for our region). This translates to fewer students attending colleges and universities.

Even with that, the assertion that Messiah College’s “enrollment is at a steady decline” is not accurate. Our traditional fall undergraduate headcount has held up rather well at right around 2800 students since 2007 (within 1.3%).

There is no doubt that colleges and universities are facing challenges brought on by changing demographics and an uncertain economic future. A recent report published by the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE), “Knocking at the College Door,” projects that most of the nation will be dealing with declines in the number of high school graduates through

In regards to our “unethical” tuition increase, I submit that ours is among the lowest in the region. For example, when compared to similar colleges and universities in our athletic conference, Messiah’s 3.45% comprehensive increase (tuition, fees, room & board) compares to a range of 3.5 – 4.5% else

//see LETTER page 9

April 10, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Amour

Arts & Entertainment 6

This week at Lost Films:

T

By Colleen Dente STUDENT WRITER

he Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences surprised almost no one this year when they awarded the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film to Amour. The film is about love as a concept – how each couple’s bond is unique and comprised of things meaningful only between themselves. It is about love in action; seeing each partner’s better qualities teased out by the mere presence of the other. It is also about love’s limits. Can you love someone even when you hate them, are disgusted by them, or disagree with their choices? It is about love creating strength and weakness, becoming simultaneous asset and liability.

Georges and Anne are retired piano teachers in their eighties who live comfortable Parisian lives. Their apartment (in which nearly every scene was filmed) is both habitat and museum. Every picture frame, album sleeve, piece of furniture, dish in the sink, or piece of clothing exists within the space deliberately, belying the sort of luxury that is earned only with experience and age. Nothing is excessive; even the elegant grand piano once served to provide a living.

The audience spends the first part of the film with George and Anne via slow, deliberate long shots. Through their unhurried conversation (“Shall we have a drink?” “I’m tired.” “I fancy another drink.” “Do as you please.”) we witness no drama, total trust, and complete understanding. Georges draws purpose from the care and soothing of his wife (a worrier), and she finds joy in beauty and simplicity around them. There is an es-

tablishing shot where they happily chat, nestled into bus seats on the way home from a piano concert, where security derived from familiarity is depicted simply but powerfully. (Full credit must go to the actors for generating such an intangible thing in a very brief period of time).

One morning at breakfast Anne suffers a stroke (of which she has no memory), and both people are plunged into an irreversibly changing dynamic. George becomes the worrier when his wife’s mind ventures to places he cannot follow. The apartment, once a malleable extension of themselves, becomes a frozen obstacle. Their daughter Eva (Isabelle Huppert) represents who is traditionally the most relatable character to the audience: young-ish, childless, still sorting out exactly who she is. Yet in the context of this film she presents as prying, overbearing, and unsympathetic. Her parents’ relationship is so lived-in that even their child is an outsider (an aspect of marriage that children rarely comprehend about their parents), even while the audience is invited to experience its inner workings.

Deceptive in its simplicity, the film succeeds at restoring dignity to people who are often dismissed by younger society as irrelevant. Even in the most banal, undignified circumstances, the dignity of an individual remains when another is there to insist on their worth. The audience is given a gift through Georges’ love of his wife, and it is our perspective that shifts under the unwavering gaze of Amour.

Messiah College Department of Theatre and Dance Presents Sophocles’ Antigone Photo by Madi Shappell

By Corinne Elliott ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

T

ragedy, love and stubbornness: these are the perfect ingredients to make a good drama. Here at Messiah College, the Department of Theatre and Dance presents Sophocles’ Antigone. This old Greek story gets a new modern twist as the setting is placed in a dystopia of agony and misfortune.

For those who do not know this Greek legend, according to the theatre department: “Antigone presents the story of

the daughter of Oedipus in a battle about right and wrong. Antigone’s brothers have died attempting to win power of the kingdom. Their uncle, Creon, has decreed that one brother should receive a state burial while the other shall serve as an example to traitors. Antigone challenges her uncle’s decree in an age old battle over morality, death, and honor.”

Adapted and directed by Kristopher Yoder, this play not only echoes the

ancient Greek tragedy, but leaves the audience humbled by its modern take. Yoder writes, “Tragedy is inevitable- you know things are going to happen, people are going to die, but you can’t do anything to stop it.

You can only watch, and experience.”

unbending wills of each character.

With Antigone’s will of giving both of her brothers equal respect and Creon’s determination to keep order and law, the contrast shows the

Showtimes are April 12 and 13 at 8 PM & April 14 at 3 PM. $7 for students / $11 general admission (at the ticket office and at the door).

Sean Connelly, an actor in the production, described it as “really entertaining. You get to see something that is thousands of years old being put on as though it is only twenty years old.”

April 10, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Arts & Entertainment 7

THE BEST NEW SEASONS ON TV Breaking Bad - Mad Men - Game of Thrones - Supernatural

Breaking Bad D

By Jonathan Wolf STUDENT WRITER

o the ends ever justify the means?

AMC’s Emmy award-winning series Breaking Bad asks this question of its audience with gruesome vulgarity, gripping excitement, and bold heart. The show challenges its viewers to contemplate what it means to be moral, the differences between right and wrong, and how far they would be willing to go to help the ones they love.

For main character Walter White, (played by actor Bryan Cranston), life is just one big frustrating disappointment. He’s a severely over-qualified science teacher who has to work several jobs to make ends meet. He sits in the shadow of his fellow chemists and former friends who went on to achieve multi-million dollar successes while he stood in front of a classroom.

His family is in an immense amount of debt, and his wife, Skylar, is pregnant with their second child. Though

he is excited about the birth of his daughter, he feels crushed by the massive amount of expenses that will come along with her. He regularly deals with feelings of depression, inadequacy, and dissatisfaction, and to top it all off, Walter discovers that he has terminal lung cancer.

As he stares death plainly in the face, Mr. White decides he has to take action to secure his family’s future after his death.

He comes to the conclusion that the easiest way for him to make a lot of money in the short time he has left on Earth is by using his efficiency in chemistry to produce and sell methamphetamine.

Such drastic measures deserve a drastic partner, so Walter teams up with eccentric former student-now-druggie Jesse Pinkman, played by actor Aaron Paul. Together they survive gun battles, explosions, and crazy-psycho

The Contemporary Music Center’s Annual Tour Makes Its Way To Messiah College

By James Reagan STUDENT WRITER

T

his coming Wednesday, B-Sides will have a different feel. Instead of the usual band, Messiah is welcoming the CMC (Contemporary Music Center) Spring 2013 Tour for this week’s show.

nation of their semester is a weeklong tour where they get to put what they’ve learned into practice. This year’s tour is going through seven different colleges throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee.

The Contemporary Music Center is a school in Nashville that directly targets aspiring musicians as a way to give them a firsthand look into the music industry. Messiah students can attend CMC; in this way, it acts as a study abroad opportunity.

Messiah is the first stop on the tour and will feature several Messiah students on the stage. Currently, seven Messiah students are spending the semester studying at CMC.

On CMC’s website, director Warren Pettit writes that his desire for CMC is for it to function as an “older musician, available 24/7 for a new generation of young musicians.”

Prospective CMC students can choose from three different tracks: artist track, business track and technical track. The program itself has core courses that everyone must take, while each specific track has its own required courses.

For many CMC students, the culmi-

drug dealers to sell their “Blue Sky,” the purest, cleanest, most powerful meth the world has ever known.

Lying at the core of the series is a heart wrenching moral tension that renders even the most resolute of viewers helpless and indecisive. Walter produces and sells meth, lies to his wife constantly, orders Jesse around as if he were his slave, and even becomes a killer, all to secure his family’s future. Is he justified in his actions? The series never explicitly supports nor condemns his choices, leaving the decision up to the viewer’s discretion.

The show is also incredibly symbolic. Every action, prop, and camera angle is meticulously pre-planned to convey deep, intrinsic significance. Objects like a teddy bear and a pizza pie, semiotics such as a mixture of high, low, and skewed shots, and the use of lighting and shadows all display multilayered ideas and

concepts that go beyond the script into unfamiliar and astonishing territory.

Breaking Bad is backed by an exceptionally talented cast that acts with such honesty, it is possible to completely relate with a character and simultaneously be utterly horrified by his or her actions. Nevertheless, no matter how much you might hate a character, you never fall out of love with him or her.

In the case of Walter White, it’s hard not to relate to his desire to provide for his family. But can his corrupt and violent course of action be overlooked?

Will he succeed? Or will everything he has worked for come crashing down?

The final season of Breaking Bad airs this summer. We will finally be able to answer the question: is it good to be bad?

STUDY ABROAD WITH BCA IN

CHELTENHAM / ENGLAND Study at the University of Gloucestershire, offering modules for a variety of majors and disciplines.

Get involved in hands-on research and projects to promote sustainability intitiatives on campus.

Soak in British culture and history with educational excursions to Stonehenge, Bath, Cardiff and more.

APPLY NOW FALL DEADLINE: APRIL 15

CMC is helping to promote this concert with an Instagram Challenge. Anyone who wants to participate needs to follow @cmclivetour on Instagram and then take a picture of themselves with a CMC tour poster, fathead, chapel slide, etc.

After taking the picture and posting it on Instagram, add the hashtag #TurnItUpMessiah and you will have a chance of winning CMC tour wristbands and a 20 song sampler from CMC artists.

The show begins at 8:00 PM. Don’t miss this chance to support fellow Messiah students and hear more about CMC’s unique program!

WWW.BCASTUDYABROAD.ORG

LOCAL TO GLOBAL / CONNECTING TO IDEAS THAT MATTER

April 10, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Supernatural

Game of Thrones Season Three: Winter is Coming, Autumn is Here

By Megan LaTorre STUDENT WRITER

By Olivia La Bianca STUDENT WRITER

T

wo hot brothers cruising around America’s back roads in a classic car, saving people and hunting monsters to a ‘70s metal soundtrack – what’s not to love?

The CW’s hit show Supernatural starring Jared Padalecki (Sam Winchester) and Jensen Ackles (Dean Winchester) was only meant to run for five seasons. However, due to enormous support from the fans, it is currently finishing up its eighth season and getting ready to launch its ninth. The stakes have gotten bigger,

the villains have gotten scarier, and Sam Winchester’s hair has gotten longer.

If you like The Walking Dead or Paranormal Activity and are thinking about adding a new level of fear to your repertoire, you might want to grab the first season. And if you’re looking for a show with a little more substance, a little more comedy, and a little more epic bromance, then you definitely want to grab some rock salt and holy water and join the club. There’s still time to catch up before season nine airs!

Arts & Entertainment 8

H

BO’s Game of Thrones is revving up with its third season, having premiered on March 31st, and is expected to be even more accelerating and epic than the last.

With a significant increase in viewers during the previous season, the third season was quickly commissioned to continue. The ten episodes were filmed between July and November of 2012 with the same executive producers: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

Season three is based on George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice series, particularly on the third book A Storm of Swords. Due to its extensive length, the plotline of the third novel will be split over the third and fourth seasons.

the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros are still gripped by civil war, and the Lannisters seem to have taken the upper hand. With the would-be king, Renly Baratheon, assassinated and the cruel boy-king, Joffrey Baratheon, securing an alliance with the great House Tyrell, things look bad for the Starks. King of the North, Robb Stark, desperately needs to form an alliance once more with House Frey, a bitter and resentful house, without whom he cannot hope to save his sisters and secure victory for the north. But can he do it? Meanwhile, Daenerys Targaryen has fled Qarth and both her dragons and fame are growing, but to take back the Iron Throne, she will need an army –which can be found at Slaver’s Bay, but at what price?

At the show’s commencement, autumn has come and winter is not far behind,

MAD MEN

By Carter Wintsch STUDENT WRITER Paintings by Jesse Fritzsch

Photo by Cait Fenello

Annual Senior Art Show Opening a Smashing Success Student artwork will be on display until April 14

T

By Megan E. Bloom STUDENT WRITER

he Senior Art Show has taken over Climenhaga Hall and the Auginbaugh Gallery with unique and beautiful pieces lining the walls, greeting each person that enters.

With the creative control in the hands of each artist, there are a wide variety of pieces in the gallery. The show includes educational materials, sculptures, comic books, t-shirts, and enormous paintings.

One senior artist, Adam Arditi, painted an elaborate and colorful piece entitled Got to Keep the Home Fires Burning.

His piece is especially different because while you could just look at it, it can be played like a musical instrument.

“What makes this painting more uniquely different than other paintings I’ve done is the fact that it heavily incorporates music. [It is] both inspired by music as well as actually produces sound that can be turned into music,” said Arditi.

The title of the piece is a song that he wrote during his time studying abroad in New Zealand, which has influenced the visual and musical aspects of the image.

“Visually, that’s what I think of most as New Zealand scenery. However, there’s a lot of things I remember about New Zealand but a lot of things I forget too. A lot of the scenery in that painting is how perhaps I remember it to be, but it’s all filtered through a screen of memories so it’s not really what it looks like. Or it’s filtered through imagination, so maybe it’s a little more idealized than what it actually looks like.”

Stacey Aurand also has her artwork on display. She started a company called Lotus Design that produces handmade screen printed t-shirts, jewelry, pillows, scarves, and other fun merchandise.

“I am really interested in product design and how the products that people buy influence them. Products can represent who a person is,” she said.

Aurand’s concept of a lotus flower symbolizes change- that it can blossom into a beautiful bloom and then decay into a skeletal pod. This reflects that people should reevaluate their identity because people, like flowers, alter over time.

Aurand plans on selling her goods in the

M

blonde in the bar, or will he remember Megan waiting for him at home?

Previews for the new season have alluded that this season is when viewers really get to see Don Draper, the handsome advertising genius who is constantly plagued by demons of his past, develop and grow. At the end of Season 5, we saw Draper constantly fighting with his old ways in a fight to stay faithful to his new wife, Megan.

Will Don answer the flirtations of the

If you are new to Mad Men, catching up on Netflix will take some time, but beware, because you will find yourself continuously pressing “Next Episode”. If you’ve been waiting for Season 6, expect not only more great costumes and story lines, but also the most exciting season yet.

ad Men Season 6 is scheduled to premiere at 9:00 on AMC and will be two hours long: with good reason. In typical Mad Men style, the end of Season 5 left us with more questions than answers. The show is notorious for the numerous storylines that unravel in the lives of a multitude of characters.

In this season, a multitude of characters will face the issues raised in past seasons.

As the years have progressed, season 5 left off in the Spring of 1967. As creator and executive producer Matthew Weiner says, “There is no year left between now and then that is not filled with upheaval.”

near future. “I will be selling jewelry at “You could see all of the artists in their the art sale in May and also planning pieces. You can see Adam [Arditi] in on setting up an online store,” she said. his and Alina [Chapman]- you can see her style graphically in her piece and There was a positive reaction from passion for helping people,” she said. the campus art community. On opening night, over 700 profes- People from outside the art department sors, students, and their family and got a chance to enjoy the pieces as well. friends came to support the seniors.

“I thought it was really creative and re“[The show] was wonderful. It was fined,” said Ashley Schreiber, a sophomagnificent. It was one of the best se- more psychology major. “I really loved nior shows we’ve had,” said art his- the living art, which was fabulous, tory professor Susanna Caroselli. and how they interacted with people.”

Art education major Tori Winters Anyone can go and view the show from thought the show was good and that now until April 14. This is a unique the pieces were well thought out. opportunity to see the talent and passion in Messiah’s art department.

April 10, 2013

The Swinging Bridge //HUMAN

by Restoration House, are so important.

These experiences offer an opportunity to do something. According to Andrea McIntosh, a first year sustainability studies major and coordinator for the new chapter of International Justice Mission, these events aim to reach many goals, including broadening students’ worldviews, increasing students’ understandings about different organizations, and soliciting donations for the cause.

The cynics among us may ask: do they succeed? What does it matter that college kids are standing in front of The Union or collecting shoes; isn’t it just a bunch of college students trying to feel good about themselves and padding their resumes?

Many Americans have a “go big or go home” attitude. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it can keep us from doing small things that can make a difference.

It can cause us to do nothing because we can’t “fix” a problem. So the answer to whether or not they succeed depends on the question: succeed at what?”

I believe, like McIntosh, that these events do broaden students’ worldviews, increase organizational understanding and cause students to donate, whether it’s money or an item. That’s the beauty of it. Everyone can help, even if all you have is an old pair of shoes.

They also succeed in demonstrating to those on the frontline of humanitarian work that they aren’t alone in their fight for justice. If you’ve ever had the support of your family, friends or professors during a personal conflict or crisis, you’ll know what I mean. When my husband was in a serious car accident a year ago, I received many cards, calls and foil trays of food. While those gestures didn’t take away the issues, they mitigated their bite. Likewise, collecting money and items can bolster the spirits suffering people and those who work with them.

Perhaps some participants aren’t helping for the right reasons and consider these charities just another good time or a way to look good. So what? Should we let those who undermine the efforts of such organizations and events hijack

the inherent goodness of students demonstrating their caring? I don’t think so.

Also, it is possible that these philanthropic events succeed because they nudge those who don’t really care into caring.

The 27 million slaves of the world and 2 million children in the sex trade need

Opinions 9

someone to help. The 19 million people without shoes before Soles 4 Souls needed someone to help. Jesus said that we are to share the good news; he didn’t say that we were to solve the problem of unbelief. Likewise, we are exhorted to help others. We should do that, even if it is an imperfect effort.

//LETTER where. Many of those other institutions start with a much higher sticker price, resulting in significant differences between our increase and theirs. At this time, we are modeling conservative tuition increases for the next four years.

We will likely continue to propose some of the lower increases in our region and among peer schools in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). Also, the idea that there will be “another 2% increase heading our way in the coming year” is not an option that is being discussed.

not imposed to satisfy faculty demands for raises. The Higher Education Price Index under which all colleges and universities operate is driven by increased costs in major categories like healthcare for employees, energy and utilities, and technology. Furthermore, citing Matthew 6:32 to suggest that Christian colleges and universities need not practice effective stewardship by utilizing important business practices (like responsible, conservative tuition increases) is probably a misuse of that verse.

Sincerely,

Finally, accusing SGA officers of standing idly by or portraying faculty members as demanding is not reflective of the thoughtful processes and procedures through which tuition increases are vetted and approved. We do not take this decision lightly. Increases are

John Chopka Vice President for Enrollment Management Messiah College

//PEOPLE flow of ideas and eliminates constructive conversation and learning by silencing an entire group of people who have real, human experiences.

Photo by Cait Fenello

//DRUGS great deal of taxpayer money would be saved if law enforcement did not have to spend so much time seeking out drugrelated crime. According to drugwarfacts.org, in 11 years an estimated 1 million hours of police officer on-duty time was spent making marijuana related arrests in New York City. This is only time taken to make arrests; even more time was required to convict or acquit these people and then punish them as necessary. The amount of resources sucked up by drug convictions is staggering.

While it is easy to point out problems with the current system, it is a great deal harder to predict the social impact of drugs being legalized. I suspect that very little will change in this regard.

People are more affected by social expectations than they are persuaded by legal systems. It was not so long ago that alcohol was also illegal. Contrary to predictions, the end of prohibition did not result in the end of morality.

As always, there are situations where alcohol is appropriate and situations where it is not. In the same way, legalizing drugs would probably barely change who uses drugs and where they choose

to do it. However, it is interesting to contemplate the marketing potential.

I’m betting on the sale of “special” instant brownie mix and organic cocaine.

On a more serious note, I believe that society will only benefit from drugs losing their “forbidden fruit” branding. Drugs would lose their power as symbols of rebellion and teenage angst.

They would be less romanticized and perhaps better understood than currently. Furthermore, those suffering from addictions would be far more likely to seek help if they were not so afraid of being condemned for their choices.

Therefore, legalizing drugs could improve life for addicts and their families.

Finally, I find the entire argument for drugs being illegal to be weak. Yes, they definitely can have terrible effects on a person’s health. So can big macs. And chemotherapy. And pit bulls. Yet there are times when, despite the danger, these things are worth it. I guess the question is, does the government really need to protect us from making risky choices?

If so, then why is there no consistency?

We so often think of people who are different than us religiously as threatening. But it seems that it really may be a misconception that all atheists and agnostics want to convert every Christian they meet. Although they may not agree with a Christian worldview, non-believers still have great respect for Christianity and Christians. Two female students claimed that they never want to convert anyone; they just want to talk.

One male student described the majority of Christian students at Messiah as “normal people looking for happiness.”

Why is it, then, that many of those who spoke to me about their experience also described most students here as “xenophobic of ideas” or unwilling to “open themselves up to the other side?” If these non-believers do exist and are genuine in their attempts to have a real conversation about religion, why do they experience, as a non-believing member of a local church put it, “the feeling of being invisible”?

In the study, participants talked a lot about how the Christians that surround them see non-belief as an impossible worldview or one that does not fit with their beliefs and should therefore be avoided or attacked. They are neglected, shunned, and treated as less than full members of the community that surrounds the College.

In this way, their experiences are treated as less-than-real. Christians also feel attacked and misunderstood by the nonreligious. This means that people on both sides of the interaction feel threat-

ened because of a conflict of ideologies.

These different beliefs could be used to positively improve the conversation between people of different religious creeds here on campus. Imagine if people on both sides felt comfortable engaging in conversations about religion without getting angry, stonewalling, or feeling as though they are being asked to change their own beliefs. We have all learned from hearing about the experiences and ideas of Christian people who are a lot like us. We could also learn so much from people who have different experiences and ideas.

By being willing to challenge ourselves and step out of our perceived comfort zones, we can open ourselves up to many new perspectives and ideas we may not have ever known about.

Then, through careful thought and discernment, we can integrate new ideas to make our worldviews wellrounded and rich with perspective.

I’m not asking people to forget about evangelism or to relativize all worldviews and turn away from the truths they have come to believe. Many Christians feel called to try and win souls to Christ, and many still feel as though living intentionally among other Christians is part of a Godly life.

I just ask that we, in our attempts to find and share the light we have found, be open to having real conversations with the people around us. Instead of looking at those who are different than us as projects or as threats, we could talk with them as wonderful human beings who are full of knowledge, wisdom, and the ability to both teach us and learn from us.

April 10, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Sports 10

D3 Wrestling Freshman of the Year Josh Thomson: Happy but Still Hungry

By Kris Lokos STUDENT WRITER

O

n April 1, Josh Thomson was named D3Wrestle.com Freshman of the year, and it is not an April Fools joke. Thomson went 40-3 this season, and finished third in the 184 lb. weight class at the NCAA Championships.

Thomson was pleased

with the award but realizes that he has bigger goals in mind.

“My goal is to win a National Championship, but that didn’t happen. I guess the award is a byproduct of all the work I put in,” Thomson said, “I just want to be the best.”

Thomson finished first in the Empire Conference as well as at the Mideast Regional Championship. He had 10 pins on the season. He said

it was not something he went into the season expecting to happen.

“As the season went on I realized it [Freshman of the Year] was a possibility. If I hadn’t, I probably wouldn’t have trained as hard as I did or as I am now,” Thomson said.

He attributes most of his success to the people around him.

“Every single person around me hard a part in it. My practice partners, my coaches, and just the guys I hang out and relax from wrestling every once in a while had a part in it,” Thomson said.

Now heading into the offseason, Thomson is excited to see how much better he can get. His goal is to just get bigger, stronger, and faster. Wres-

tling with his brother who also finished third in his weight class will help, but he knows he has to do more.

“You have to mix up who you wrestle with otherwise you just learn how to wrestle that person and aren’t really improving,” Thomson said.

Living in nearby Mechanicsburg where he can come workout at school should help with that. When asked what his goal is for the next season, Thomson had two goals in mind.

“To win a National Championship, and to get 40 wins again,” Thomson said.

With his focus and passion, it does not look like anything is going to stop him from achieving just that. And as just a freshman, the sky is the limit.

Women’s Lacrosse: First Half Recap and A Look Ahead to the Second Half

J

By John Moulton STUDENT WRITER

ust beyond the halfway point of their season, the Women’s lacrosse team finds themselves ranked #14 and with a season record of 5-5 (2-0 conference).

The team started off the season at home with a dominating performance against McDaniel College. The Falcons scored 11 goals in the first period and finished with a 16-4 victory. Lizzy Keeney led the Falcons’ charge with 5 goals and 1 assist.

Over the next three games, the Falcons lost tough fought games against #4 Gettysburg College (8-10), Dickinson College (9-11), and #6 The College of New Jersey (10-16).

The team then traveled to Fredericksburg, Va to face the University of Mary Washington Eagles who were ranked #20 at the time. At the end of regulation,

the game was tied at eight all and headed into overtime. The first overtime ended with neither school scoring a goal and a second overtime was needed. After the end of the second overtime, both teams scored a goal sending the contest into a third overtime where the Falcons scored the game-winning goal for a 10-9 win.

After a close loss to #8 Franklin and Marshall (7-8), The Falcons have gone on a three game win streak. Two of these wins were against in-conference opponents Widener University and Lycoming College. The other win was close game against York College of Pennsylvania with a score of 17-15. Their streak was snapped by #2 Salisbury University in a 16-1 loss.

The Falcons will finish their season with 6 out of their remaining 7 games against conference opponents.

Provided by Messiah College Athletics

April 10, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Sports 11

Provided by Messiah College Athletics

Men’s and Women’s Tennis Teams

Ready for Conference Play

By Kris Lokos STUDENT WRITER

B

oth of Messiah’s tennis teams are just starting their conference play for the 2013 season.

The men currently hold an overall record of 4-4, while the women sit at 6-4 and already have a 1-0 conference record. Both will be seeking to improve from last year’s performance within the Commonwealth Conference.

Brookhart who was a key contributor last season. With so much experience, the team should be prepared to make a run at the conference championship.

Both teams kicked of their spring 2013 campaign with a trip down to Hilton Head, South Carolina. The trip started out with a loss for the men at the hands of Greenville College 5-4.

They followed it up, however, by winning three of the last four matches on the trip: 5-2, 6-3, and 6-3 to Juniata

College, Gordon College, and FDUFlorham, respectively. Their other loss was a close 5-4 to Gettysburg College.

The women did not fare quite as well in South Carolina. After winning their three team matches in the fall, they looked to head into the spring with momentum.

However, they lost their first four matches in Hilton Head, falling 9-0, 9-0, 6-3, 9-0, and 9-0 to University of Charleston, Gettysburg College, Juniata College and Spring Arbor University, respectively.

But since then, the women have won three straight, including a 9-0 win against FDU-Florham in Hilton Head.

Upon their return home they beat Randolph-Macon College 7-2 and conference opponent Alvernia University 7-2.

It is still early to tell how well each team will fare at the conference, but it seems as though Messiah tennis is on the rise.

Last year, the men went 7-6 with a conference record of 5-2. That record was good enough to get them the #4 seed in the conference tournament, but they fell to the #3 seed Lebanon Valley College 5-3 in the semifinals. The women were 6-9 overall with just a 2-4 conference record.

That record unfortunately did not get them into the conference tournament.

This year, things look like they could be different. The women have a young team, with Ellen Harpold as the only senior. They will lean on her leadership and experience as there are five freshmen hoping to make their mark. With a win total already equal to that of last year’s team and with the whole conference schedule in front of them, they will definitely improve from last year’s performance. The question is how much.

The men’s chances also look good. A more veteran squad, the men have four seniors – Derrek Hoffer, Luke Hostetter, Justin Meckley, and Nathan Shertzer; and two juniors: Zachary Brunner and David Wichert – anchoring the team, as well as sophomore Michael Provided by Messiah College Athletics

April 10, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Sports 12

Photo by Lauren Landis

Casey Ebersole Junior baseball mogul makes his mark on Messiah College

By Zach Krueger STUDENT WRITER

C

asey Ebersole is a junior business administration major and a shortstop for the men’s baseball team here at Messiah. After two years at UNC Asheville where Casey suffered an injury his freshman year and saw little playing time his sophomore year, Casey decided to transfer to Messiah. While Casey’s collegiate career may have gotten off to a slow start, he seems to have finally found a home here at Messiah.

Casey has been playing baseball for the majority of his life and was a twosport athlete in high school. During his senior year Casey was an all-state football player playing wide receiver on offense and a cornerback on defense for Manheim Central. It was the summer before his senior year that Casey began receiving offers from various division one schools for baseball.

“I had about 20 different schools interested in me at the time all over the east coast,” Casey said of his recruitment that summer. “I was also told that if I wanted to I could play for lower tier division one football schools, but I chose baseball instead.”

“I think that the way various things didn’t work out for me at UNC Asheville was a sign from God that I should be elsewhere but I knew that if I didn’t give myself a shot at playing D1 I would regret it,” Casey said of his experience at UNC Asheville. He ultimately decided to transfer to Messiah during his sophomore year in Asheville.

When asked about his decision to transfer to Messiah Casey said, “I have two cousins who go here and play on the soccer team, and my brother Travis goes here as well. I also got tired of the party scene and that life at UNC Asheville. It got old. It’s nice to just be around people with different values here at Messiah.”

Casey also talked about the differences in playing for a division one baseball team as opposed to Messiah saying, “It’s kind of nice playing at Messiah because this team plays the game because they love it. Everybody down at UNC Asheville played for themselves and tried to get drafted to the major leagues whereas here I feel like they play the game putting the team before themselves. I also love the way our team bonds with one another.”

When asked about his decision to play baseball over football Casey said, “My goal has always been to play a sport at the highest level I can. Because I was offered to play a higher level of baseball than I was football, I thought baseball was the better option.”

Off the field Casey described himself as “pretty laid back.” During his free time he likes to just hang out with his friends, work out and hit in batting cages. One interesting fact about Casey is that unlike most athletes, he does not like to listen to music to pump him up for a game.

During Casey’s freshman year at UNC Asheville, he suffered a back injury that some doctors thought he may never completely recover from.

“I found that if I listen to music before a game it gets me too hyped up,” Ebersole said, “getting too hyped up is something you can’t have in baseball because it’s a game you have to play with controlled emotions.”

“In addition to my injury I also learned that the scholarship I was initially promised ended up not coming through,” said Ebersole.

Fortunately Casey recovered from his back injury and was able to play his sophomore year, although he saw limited playing time.

Casey’s favorite Bible verse is Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Casey said this became a Bible verse that really connected with him when his mom unex-

Provided by Messiah College Athletics pectedly texted it to him one night while his UNC Asheville teammates were at an away game and he was home injured.

“I think it’s just a verse that really connected with me when I saw it. It was

a good reminder to me that no matter what I was going through at the time that I shouldn’t worry too much about what is going on and instead trust God because he has a plan for everything.”

Graduate Programs at Messiah College Master of Arts in Art Education (K-12) Master of Music in Conducting Tracks: Choral • Orchestral • Wind Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) in Conducting

Master of Arts in Higher Education Tracks: College athletics management • Student affairs • Individualized concentration Master of Science in Nursing Tracks: Nurse educator • RN-MSN option-nurse educator

Master of Arts in Counseling (CACREP accredited) Tracks: Clinical mental health • Marriage, couple and family • School counseling (K-12)

Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) in Nursing Education Master of Arts in Youth and Young Adult Ministries Certificate in Youth and Young Adult Ministries

Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) in Counseling Master of Education Tracks: Special education (PreK-8) • TESOL (K-12) Certificate programs in ESL • TESOL • Autism Spectrum Disorders

Now enrolling for spring and summer 2013

messiah.edu/gradprograms

•

Online | Flexible | Affordable

717.796.5061

see anew