The Swinging Bridge April Edition by Messiah Pulse

THE

THE PULSE MAGAZINE

LEAVING

THE CULT

ATTACKS

PURPOSE OF CCC

PHISHING

SEEING THE

APRIL 2022

MESSIAH'S LGBTQ+ POLICIES Discussing reconciliation between LGBTQ+ students & Messiah’s greater community

VOLUME 123 / EDITION 29 / APRIL 2022

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

30 16

28 28

MESSIAH'S LGBTQ+ POLICIES

SEEING THE PURPOSE OF CCC

LEAVING THE CULT

PHISHING ATTACKS

HOW TO GET YOUR OWN CYBERSECURITY CENTER

CAPTURING MESSIAH MOMENTS

DISCUSSING RECONCILIATION BETWEEN LGBTQ+ STUDENTS & MESSIAH’S GREATER COMMUNITY

THE QUEST COURSE THAT FOSTER'S COMMUNITY

HOW MESSIAH ALUMNI ARE FIGHTING SPIRITUAL ABUSE

HOW TO AVOID BEING SCAMMED BY PHISHING SCHEME EMAILS

UNDERSTANDING FUNDRAISING AT MESSIAH

PHOTOS FROM 2021-2022

AWARD WINNING STUDENT RUN MAGAZINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JULIA MARY REGISTER

DESIGN MANAGER SHANNON BILLINGTON

AUDIO & VISUAL MANAGER LIAM FITZSIMMONS

STUDENT DIRECTOR EMILIE RUSH

ASST. STUDENT DIRECTOR JOSHUA MCCLEAF

WRITING SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR / ETHAN DYRLI CULTURE & ARTS EDITOR / GRACE WELLMON STUDENT LIFE EDITOR / KAYLEE GETZ

CREATIVE YEARBOOK MANAGER / ANNA HUGHES DESIGN ASSISTANT / CARTER CIGRANG DESIGN ASSISTANT / AMBER SWAISGOOD COVER PHOTO / LIAM FITZSIMMONS

DIGITAL & RADIO AUDIO & VISUAL ASSISTANT / HUNTER ROHRER RADIO MANAGER / MARIE MILLER WEBSITE MANAGER / MICHAEL STEFANCHIK MUSIC DIRECTOR / RAVI AHUJA

ADVERTISING BUSINESS MANAGER / KELLIE CHANDLER SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER / ISABELLA KERN

JOIN OUR TEAM

S TA F F

MESSIAH UNIVERSITY'S

THE PULSE

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

T H E E D I TO R

LETTER FROM

JULIA MARY REGISTER

ETHAN DYRLI

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

FUTURE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I developed an interesting reputation as Editor-in-Chief this year.

I’m excited to serve as the next Editor-in-Chief of The Swinging Bridge! A faculty mentor of mine recently asked me if there had been “some sort of revival” at The Pulse recently. She, like myself, had noticed The Pulse working even harder this year to serve Messiah’s students and bring them stories that matter to them. I want to continue that trend next year, shedding light on all of the people that make this campus what it is.

To some, I may be considered a bad student leader. I pushed the boundaries and sanctioned articles that encouraged students to question some of Messiah’s institutional beliefs. To others, I provided intriguing, new content that advocated for issues students face on campus. Who knows, maybe both sides are right. I certainly experienced both successes and failures as Editor-in-Chief. What I do know is that this job has been exhilarating and exhausting. For example, the LGBTQ+ article in this magazine has been exciting to cover, but also an extremely tedious process. Searching for balance and getting the content approved has made it the hardest story I’ve ever written. This year has been a rollercoaster and most of you don’t know the half of it. Will I miss being Editor-in-Chief? Maybe. Will I miss the people at The Pulse? Most definitely. Every single issue has been a team effort. I may be the one with the editor’s letter, but it couldn’t have been possible without those supporting me at The Pulse. Whether you liked our content or not, thank you for reading The Swinging Bridge and supporting us this year. Alright that’s (finally) it, Julia Mary Register

Stepping into this role, I feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders. The pressure of heading a publication that has already published some fantastic stories this year is very real. I want to make this next year even better. When someone comes up to me telling me what an article I wrote meant to them, it becomes very clear how important this magazine is to the people that read it. I don’t take that lightly. I recognize that the stories we tell are representative of the lives of real people, and should be told with honesty and conviction. I want next year to be fun, exciting and innovative. I have lots of ideas for next year, and so I look forward to the next time I get to write to all of you. See ya, Ethan Dyrli

TIPS & TRICKS

STUDY BEATS TO TACKLE FINALS BY ETHAN DYRLI

It’s that time of year: finals week. Get ready to hunker down in the library, crack open your books and listen to this lovely playlist. Filled with tunes to help you study and relax, this playlist will help give you the extra push to LISTEN HERE

finish off the semester. Scan the QR code to listen, and tune into 90.7 Pulse Radio to jam with us!

The Lifespan of a Rivalry - Shalfi

Pineapple - Jdonthebeat

I Was Lost Until I Met You

Winter Fields (feat. Mklachu)

- sad boy with a laptop

- City Girl

Divine - Blvk

Are You Lost - Park Bird

Come Back 2 Me - Carter Ace

Leah - Seeing Double

Marigolds - Early Eyes

Saturday - extremely bad man

2:00 AM - daigoro789

Talk No More - Dan D’Lion

1 Slash Million - omniboi, Ehiorobo

Who Will? - Q

You N’ I - Rainlord

Old Days - Taylor Armstrong

do you dream of me too? - Rook1e

Ylang Ylang - FKJ

i drove her home, and now

Rosewood - Chon

we’re dating - halberd

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

TIPS & TRICKS

COURSE

S N O T I U A E VAL WHY YOUR VOICE MATTERS

WRITTEN BY KAYLEE ENCK ILLUSTRATION BY AMBER SWAISGOOD

DEA Course Evaluations, conducted every semester at Messiah, are used to provide faculty and campus administrators with an in-depth look at what is and is not working around the school. Campus Labs website says IDEA, “provides analytics, resources, and advice to improve student learning in education.” Cynthia Wells, professor and director of faculty development, said that IDEA Course Evaluations are a “nationally-normed instrument,” meaning professors are able to see how their scores compare to other educators' ranks within the same discipline. According to Wells, IDEA is beneficial in that it provides both “formative and summative information.” This means it tells instructors things they can improve upon, what they’re doing well and also presents a numerical analysis of the students’ answers. This mainly leads to further efforts of staff development. All faculty members are able to view their own evaluations and a representative sample is sent to a group of individuals, including department chairs and school deans, who help ensure the professor is teaching effectively. If a faculty member consistently receives negative feedback, they will be assisted by professionals like Wells in a mentoring capacity, honing in on specific areas in which they can improve.

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Consistently positive feedback can be a determining factor during the term-tenure review process, where peer faculty members evaluate full-time professors after a period of five years spent at Messiah. Students have somewhat mixed reviews on the evaluation process. Rachel Fleagle, a junior public relations major, thinks that students take evaluations less seriously than faculty do. “I think faculty members take them more seriously than students, mainly because [the evaluations] are often considered when they are being considered for a promotion,” Fleagle said. “Knowing that makes me think students should take them more seriously too.” Faculty members do take these very evaluations seriously, mainly to ensure their students have a great educational experience. Diane Brockman, Senior Lecturer of Psychology, said that she appreciates the feedback from students. “I appreciate the time students put into completing teacher evaluations,” Brockman said. “As much as I am able, I try to incorporate helpful suggestions made by the students.” Faith Swarner, a junior history major, thinks that students use evaluations as a tool for change.

“Most [students] take it semi-seriously, but if a professor [they’ve already had] is bad once they take it more seriously because they feel it is a place to vent their frustrations and try to change something,” Swarner said. Justin Tan, a senior broadcasting and journalism major, pondered that perhaps the evaluations would be more impactful if they occurred during the midpoint of the semester, allowing professors to make changes for the remainder of the course. Wells touched on this, too, noting that while some professors do conduct their own midpoint evaluations, this is different from the IDEA evaluations in terms of the kind of data they provide. Midpoint evaluations only provide feedback to that specific professor about their current abilities, while IDEA surveys allow educators to examine their own performance and put them into context against others, according to Wells. It is important to note that most institutions do utilize evaluations of some kind for their educators. According to Wells, Messiah places a higher value on best teaching practices than some other criteria, including scholarships, during the term-tenure review process. “[IDEA Evaluations] are not once and done and overlooked. [Student] voices matter,” Wells said.

TIPS & TRICKS

SMARTER not HARDER A FINALS SURVIVAL GUIDE

BY EMILIE RUSH The first week of May is legendary for Messiah students, for seniors it’s the end of an era, for freshmen it means they’ve lived to see another year. But for all students, it means one thing: Finals Week. Finals happen twice a year, but that doesn’t make them any less daunting. For many classes, the final makes up a large portion of the final grade. It often doesn’t matter how much the professor prepares the students for the project or exam during class time, most students will face some degree of test anxiety during finals week. Here are a few tips to make you feel more confident and prepared when you enter the exam room or start that final project:

Start Studying Right Now

Fuel Your Mind

There is less of a chance that you will freeze up and forget everything if the information you need is in your long-term memory. The earlier you begin preparing for your final, the more time you have to work through the other tips on this list and develop a strategy that works for you so that you can feel confident.

The worst thing that can happen during finals week is brain fog. Set yourself up for success by adding protein and fiber to your meals and staying hydrated.

Play to Your Strengths Not everyone has the same study style. If you know that you need to go to the library to get work done because it means fewer distractions, go to the library. If you know that you need to study with Chopin in the background and gum in your mouth, do that. If you know what works, or even what doesn’t use that to help you get the results that you want.

Don't Waste Your Time If you feel yourself fading or becoming increasingly distracted, stop working. Better to have 10 very focused and very productive minutes, than 20 minutes that you won’t remember.

Identify What Needs to be Done You probably don’t need to study as much for the classes/ topics you feel confident about or have already performed well in. Identify your weak points and start there.

Take Effective Breaks When you aren’t studying or working, don’t be studying or working. Turn off your computer, move away from your study space, or put away your phone. Let your brain turn off to rest, and fill your time with things you enjoy.

Set Realistic Goals Set small goals leading up to the final, so that when the day comes you don’t feel like it’s all on the line. Set goals relating to how long, how focused, or how broadly you want to study. Let every study session be filled with small victories to keep you motivated.

Use All of the Resources You Can Access Schedule a tutoring session with the library to go over tricky material, or study with a friend who has taken the class before, or email your professor. Get the information now and let it be right, then not know and get it wrong when it really matters.

When the Exam Ends, Let it be Done Sleep Well If you want the information to be locked into your brain, you need sleep. Think of sleep as the ‘save’ button after you’ve progressed in a video game.

When you walk out of your testing room, find peace in knowing that you have completed it

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

* Applicable for eligible, qualified new donors. Fees vary by weight and location.

TIPS & TRICKS

Tending to Plants for a Healthy Mind WRITTEN BY EMILY BRAGA-FLORES ILLUSTRATION BY SHANNON BILLINGTON While often used to add a pop of color to homes or to preserve a piece of nature, houseplants actually have much more to offer than just their beauty. By growing plants, a person can gradually observe improvements in their mental and emotional health, including reduced depression and anxiety, as well as increased dopamine levels in the brain. David Foster, Professor of Biology and Environmental Science at Messiah, explained how individuals with mental illnesses, such as PTSD, can utilize agricultural therapy, also known as horticultural therapy. While standard therapy practices may have clients discuss their thoughts and emotions, agricultural therapy has clients work out their inner feelings through gardening. "Agricultural therapy helps with things that medication doesn't,” Foster said. “It allows people to be responsible for something else and letting it flourish. Instead of getting a therapist, you're actually doing the work with your own hands." By giving clients a living organism to look after, they acquire a sense of awareness and commitment. Each plant varies on the amount of water it receives, how much sunlight it gets, its sensitivity and more. The plant's development ultimately depends on the participant's attentiveness. The ending result of the plant thriving can leave one feeling satisfied and accomplished. Tending to houseplants helps people feel more calm and tranquil because their care does not require extensive training or lots of research. A lot of plants have basic requirements that anyone can meet.

"Plant caretaking is simple and repetitive,” Foster said. “You give them water, you give them sunlight and repeat. Propagating plants is like meditation.”

and comfortable, instead of being sterile like a prison."

People also form a personal connection to their houseplants as they learn the requirements their plants need. They pay attention to when their plants wither or shrivel and use different methods to try and restore it to its natural state.

With local greenhouses near Messiah University, you can buy your own houseplants to care for. Stores that carry various house plants include Ashcombe Farm and Greenhouses, Noggle’s Sweet Meadow Greenhouse, Turkeyfoot Nursery, Highland Gardens and Stauffers of Kissel Hill Home & Garden Store.

"The creature needs you, think of it [the plant] as a creature, a being,” Foster said. “You check the plant as often as it needs you. There's no obvious reciprocation, you just see plants flourish." For Messiah students such Chloe Patti, a junior art education major, the houseplants in her dorm have helped her establish a sense of responsibility. "You have to know about the plants so that you can take care of them,” Patti said. “My pink Fittonia, Priscilla, will droop if not given water–she's a drama queen. When I see her like that, I go get her water and she’ll perk right back up in two to three hours." Patti also pointed out that the houseplants she chose for her room give it a more natural, welcoming atmosphere. When buying new flora, she looks for ones that best suit her tastes. "For me, I like the feeling of having something organic and natural,” Patti said. “Plants are so beautiful, they make a room look homey

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

TRENDING TOPICS

MESSIAH'S LGBTQ+ POLICIES DISCUSSING RECONCILIATION BETWEEN LGBTQ+ STUDENTS & MESSIAH’S GREATER COMMUNITY BY JULIA MARY REGISTER In the past few years, the topic of gay rights and sexual identity has become more prevalent across the country and certainly in Messiah’s community. Both Messiah students and administrators with a wide variety of views have worked to address Messiah’s policies regarding same sex attraction. Messiah’s current policy says “students who experience same-sex attraction or identify as LGBT+ are expected to refrain from ‘samesex sexual expression’ as it is embodied in culturally contextual practices (e.g., identifying as a couple or exhibiting expressions of physical intimacy).” In order to support students and offer a space on campus to discuss topics regarding sexuality and gender, Messiah has sanctioned SAGE, the Sexuality and Gender Education program. “For students processing their own sexuality, we would hope to provide a safe and non-judgmental context for students to do so,” Josiah Hatfield, the educational advisor for SAGE Prism, said. “Regardless of

“

FOR STUDENTS PROCESSING THEIR OWN SEXUALITY, WE WOULD HOPE TO PROVIDE A SAFE & NON-JUDGMENTAL CONTEXT FOR STUDENTS TO DO SO. -

JOSIAH HATFIELD

APRIL 2022

policies for LGBTQ+ students, SAGE would certainly want to continue with providing space where learning and engaging with one another could happen.” While SAGE is there to support the LGBTQ+ community, they have a challenging role on campus. The leaders and advisors of SAGE seek to educate and support students regarding sexuality and gender, but must do so while following the Brethren in Christ beliefs and the code of conduct policies. All code of conduct policies listed in the student handbook are determined by Messiah’s board of trustees, including the current LGBTQ+ policy. Some students feel that Messiah has not done a good job supporting the LGBTQ+ community on-campus and have spoken out during SAGE and SGA events about the policies they feel are discriminatory. On January 26, SAGE hosted a “Storytelling” event where students could share about their individual experiences regarding identifying as LGBTQ+ on campus. In attendance at this event was President Kim Phipps to listen to students’ stories. Through initiatives like the SAGE “Storytelling” event, students are bringing forward their concerns to see if the board would be open to adjusting the statement regarding LGBTQ+ students found in the code of conduct. Administrators' presence at the event gave students the opportunity to address the ways they’ve been affected by the LGBTQ+ policies.

TRENDING TOPICS

"STUDENTS ARE NOT ASKING THE SCHOOL TO CHANGE THEIR BELIEFS... THEY'RE JUST SIMPLY ASKING THAT STUDENTS BE ABLE TO CHOOSE AND EXPRESS THEIR BELIEFS FREELY" -

REBECCA CLEMES

Craig Sider, chair of the board of trustees, was able to clarify the board’s stance regarding homosexuality. “I can confirm that the board of trustees and President Phipps remain committed to, and have no plans to change, the University’s institutional stance on human sexuality as outlined in the current code of conduct,” Sider said. “Given Messiah’s doctrinal position, it is understandable that the University would have a code of conduct that reflects, and is consistent with, that perspective.” While the board hears students’ concerns regarding the issue, they believe changing the policies would go against Messiah’s Brethren in Christ beliefs. “[Changing the code of conduct] is not consistent with Messiah University’s distinct theological grounding (rooted in our Brethren in Christ heritage), or the diversity of viewpoints that exist on this complex issue within the broader Messiah and church community,” Sider said. “The existence of alternative views within the student body does not change Messiah University’s genuinely long-held religious beliefs related to human sexuality.”

STUDENT PERSPECTIVES: For some students at Messiah, such as Sarah Ehrig who identifies as pansexual, the news that the board is not open to changing Messiah’s policies is “heartbreaking.” LGBTQ+ students have been sharing

their stories hoping for change and feel like they have not been heard. “For a school that preaches about diversity and community and how essential they are in the Kingdom of God, it sure feels like we have been left outside,” Ehrig, a junior health and physical education major, said. “Like we are not worth the same love, acceptance, and freedom on this campus as everyone else. And it is sickening.” Rebecca Clemes, a senior social work major who identifies as gay, is looking for change in order to find freedom of expression. “I would just again emphasize the fact that students are not asking the school to change their beliefs, they’re not asking anybody to change what they believe,” Clemes said. “They're just simply asking that students be able to choose and express their beliefs freely.” While there are students who want the LGBTQ+ policies changed, the board also acknowledged that there are students and alumni who support Messiah’s beliefs on homosexuality. “Just as strongly, they advocate and remain deeply committed that Messiah not change how this sexual ethic is reflected its student code of conduct,” Sider said. “It is important to realize that the Messiah community is comprised of a wide and extensive network of stakeholders.”

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TRENDING TOPICS

One student who is against change regarding the LGBTQ+ policies is Jacob Cornwell.

SCAN HERE TO READ MESSIAH'S POLICIES IN THE STUDENT HANDBOOK

Cornwell is the president of Conservatives at Messiah. He started the club in 2018 and leads the group in topical discussions, including gay marriage. Cornwell, and other conservatives at Messiah, disagree with changing the LGBTQ+ policies because, in his view, that would make the university more liberal. “At least from a Messiah policy perpective, we would say that reversing the rules on homosexuality is a step in the wrong direction,” Cornwell said. “Not that we want students who are LGBTQ to be harassed or persecuted, we’re just hoping to preserve a more conservative culture.” Cornwell believes there are conservatives at Messiah who want to maintain the laws laid out in the Bible so Messiah can keep appealing to the surrounding conservative families. “Students who are more conservative, which I believe are most students, would have a hard time changing Messiah’s policies because they would think it’s immoral,” Cornwell said. “It’s allowing immortality in a private Christian school.”

RECONCILIATION WITH THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY: A common theme this year, in chapel and through other events, is reconciliation. Messiah is looking to reconcile with marginalized groups on campus to hear their stories of pain and injustice. “Not one mention of the gay community has been made throughout this whole endeavor, and it’s difficult as a gay person to watch the school promote their values of reconcialiation when no efforts have been

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made towards a community the school and Christian communty as a whole has done the most direct harm towards,” Clemes said. “We feel like we do not matter enough and do not have enough value to be worth reconciling with.” “We are not a part of their diversity quota,” Ehrig said. “When they see the word diversity, they’re talking about race. We need reconciliation with race, however there are so many other avenues of diversity they don’t address.” Randy Basinger, Messiah’s Provost, addressed these concerns regarding a lack of reconciliation with the LGBTQ+ community. “Messiah has had and will continue to have programming related to human sexuality including programming related to LGBTQ+ issues,” Basinger said. “Programming in this year of reconciliation – along with all programming – is always couched within the framework of our foundational mission assumptions.” Clemes believes that by keeping the current LGBTQ+ policies and not addressing the need for reconciliation, the board is giving other students the option to be homophobic. “I do think that although Messiah’s community is changing, the policies in the handbook continue to promote a culture of homophobia that gives students the feeling like they have the right to discriminate and harass and bully if they want to,” Clemes said. “They can always fall back on the school’s policies to justify that.” Messiah’s student handbook states “any reported incidence of sexual harassment or demeaning behavior based on gender, gender identity or sexual orientation directed toward any member of the campus community is taken very seriously by

“

TRENDING TOPICS

SGA IS COMMITTED TO SERVING ALL STUDENTS ON CAMPUS, WHICH INCLUDES WORKING TO ENSURE ALL STUDENTS FEEL INCLUDED REGARDLESS OF RACE, GENDER, ABILITY OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. -

MATT JENKINS

the University administration and is dealt with immediately.” The board of trustees and administrators have sought to make Messiah free from harassment through partnering with SAGE and SGA. “President Phipps and her Cabinet collaborated with SGA in 2019 to strengthen the existing anti-harassment language in the code of conduct to make it clearer that these protections explicitly extend to all LGBTQ+ students,” Sider said. Matt Jenkins, current student body president, has worked with SGA to advocate for students who are concerned about the LGBTQ+ policies. SGA offered SAGE leaders a seat at Student Senate, allowing them to voice their questions to university officials when they were in attendance.

SGA also has a Civil Discourse Series where they seek to start dialogue on campus regarding difficult topics. SGA and SAGE recently collaborated on March 24 where they facilitated group discussions on how to reconcile the LGBTQ+ community with the greater Messiah community.

“Educators are expected to support, including not advocating against, these beliefs even if they do not personally fully affirm them,” Basinger said. “Within this framework, educators can certainly be supportive all of our students – regardless of the student’s sexual orientation and beliefs.”

“SGA is committed to serving all students on campus, which includes working to ensure all students feel included regardless of race, gender, ability or sexual orientation,” Jenkins said.

Students can bring any concerns about institutional policies to SGA, who represent the student body in an official capacity. SGA meets with President Phipps to address concerns, who then brings any issues related to the identity of Messiah to the board of trustees.

Clemes and Ehrig would also like faculty to have the opportunity to be openly affirming in order to give students more adult resources. Basinger emphasized that faculty are allowed to support and assist students as long as the support falls under Messiah’s theological beliefs that are determined by the board of trustees.

Any institutional questions regarding Messiah’s policies on same sex attraction can be directed to Hannah McBride at hmcbride@ messiah.edu. Students interested in discussing the LGBTQ+ community at Messiah can email SAGE at sageprism@messiah.edu or SGA at sga@messiah.edu.

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TRENDING TOPICS

Seeing the Purpose of

CCC The QuEST Course that Fosters Community

BY GRACE WELLMON A general education course required for all Messiah students is Created and Called for Community, or CCC for short. This QuEST course is unique to Messiah and its importance is widely debated in the campus community. CCC is a three credit course that first-year students take following their First-Year Seminar class. CCC is meant to help students find their vocational calling through the lens of Messiah University’s foundational values and focuses on the importance of community, hospitality and leadership. CCC has been an integral part of Messiah’s curriculum since the early 2000s. The course was piloted in 2005 with students in one residence hall in 2005 and then offered for all first-year students in the spring of 2006. Cynthia Wells, Professor of Higher Education and Director of Faculty Development, served on the Educational Program Review Task Force and served as the Director of the Core Course from 2008-2012. One of the outcomes of the Educational Program Review Task Force was the creation of CCC.

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STEVEN GALLAHER TEACHING A CCC CLASS

TRENDING TOPICS “The Educational Program Review Task Force was put in charge with creating avenues in Messiah’s curriculum for students to have common learning, and CCC was a central space for fulfilling that outcome,” Wells said. “We wanted students to be able to discuss readings together even when they were in different sections of the course.” The ability for students to discuss the course topics and readings both inside and outside of class has helped students foster community with one another. The reading options include excerpts from Genesis, Letter from Birmingham Jail and the Sermon on the Mount. “I have gotten to have great conversations with people from other sections while engaging with the texts,” Ella Talbot, a first-year education major, said. “Unlike other classes, when I feel deeply engaged with the material in CCC, I can talk about it with other people all over campus without needing to give context about what I read, and that it is incredibly valuable to me.”

Danny Rodriquez, Assistant Professor of English and Director of First Year Courses, is in charge of revising and creating course assignment prompts, reviewing the common syllabus that is used for CCC as well as working with CCC instructors to make sure everyone is on the same page.

“If a professor does not enjoy a class, I think that does make it difficult for students to enjoy it,” Rodriquez said. “The students feed off the professor’s energy in that way.”

Rodriquez believes that CCC is an important course for students because it improves the students’ writing skills.

“CCC is just busy work,” Wahlberg said. “It is advertised as a class to help launch you into college, but it doesn’t. It’s just a literature class.”

“I think having exposure to college writing in a person’s first year is always beneficial as students adjust to the actual expectations of college writing,” Rodriquez said. One thing that has changed this year in CCC compared to previous years is in the addition of a second essay, where students have to write about if the four core virtues illustrated by Ernest Boyer are still present at Messiah University. “Most people pick community because it is so huge at Messiah University,” Rodriqeuz said. “A lot of them will focus on things like their floor or where they live and show how community exists in the actual space. Inside and outside of the classroom, we do try to look for connections between community and CCC.” Student opinions on the necessity of CCC vary; some like the class and others not. Raytiga Giles, a sophomore politics and international relations major, who took the course her second year to learn more about her major, sees the importance of CCC. She believes that CCC should take place during the entirety of a student’s college career instead of just during their first year. “The things I have learned through reading the core reader have definitely taught me more about Messiah and how to be a better student,” Giles said. “The whole point of being in college is to learn about community as a whole, so CCC being a class you take so early on does not make sense and comes off as not necessary.” Shane Whahlberg, a junior cybersecurity major, on the other hand, believes that the course is not important and hardly impacts students’ experiences in college. “I dislike how dependent the [student’s] experience is based on the professor,” Wahlberg said. “Because of how open ended the subject material is, [students] can have a professor that likes hearing different opinions or not, and they react accordingly to that.”

Some students dislike CCC because it adds extra work and stress to their college schedule.

As with all of the classes in Messiah’s curriculum, the faculty that oversees CCC welcomes feedback from students to improve upon the course. “We’ve endeavored to revise and renew the course over the years in response to student feedback, and continuing to do so is important to us,” Wells said. “I’d invite students to consider CCC as a space that allows them to prepare for and see their work and their lives in a larger context of Christian vocation.”

"Professor’s attitude can make or break a student’s experience with CCC." - Danny Rodriquez

Rodriquez agrees that the professor’s attitude can make or break a student’s experience with CCC. PHOTO BY HUNTER ROHRER

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

TRENDING TOPICS

LEAVING THE CULT

HOW MESSIAH ALUMNI ARE FIGHTING SPIRITUAL ABUSE

BY ETHAN DYRLI

eet Megan and Dominique Benninger; parents, cult survivors and church abuse advocates. Together, they work to give justice and counsel for those who have been spiritually abused or abused within a church or religious institution. The motivation for their fight against church abuse is one that unfortunately was born of a long-running struggle with abusive leaders in their own lives. That struggle started first with a cult made up of Messiah students, but continued later in their own church. While Dominique and Megan Benninger were attending Messiah in the mid-1990s, they started attending Narrowgate Fellowship, a theologically charismatic Bible-study led by Andrew Wertz, a fellow student. The group’s teachings were originally based on those of Andrew Wommack, a mega-church pastor and televangelist currently based out of Colorado. According to Dominique Benninger, everything started out fine with Narrowgate. The Benningers walked into a welcoming environment. Much of that welcoming environment was because of Wertz, a charismatic student leader who made people feel welcomed and appreciated. “Everyone there was so kind and compassionate, you literally felt like family there, and that became primary to us over theology,” Dominique Benninger said.

THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE PUBLISHED BY THE SWINGING BRIDGE NEWSPAPER IN 1995

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“[Wertz] had such an air of confidence and having it together for a college stu-

TRENDING TOPICS dent, he just really drew you in,” Megan Benninger said. However, as Narrowgate meetings continued, the group grew more and more cultic in its execution. The group was eventually denied permission to meet on campus by Eldon Fry, the campus pastor at the time. “While Narrowgate appeared to embrace Christianity, I believed it was a cult because it hid behind the truth with lies and control of adherents justified by a charismatic leader,” Fry said. Looking back on Narrowgate, Megan Benninger remembers being taught not to trust the surrounding Messiah community, as they weren’t “truly pursuing the faith.” For members of Narrowgate, the feelings of persecution came to a head when The Swinging Bridge newspaper published a front-page story in 1995 about Narrowgate, labeling it as a cult. According to Megan Benninger, abusive environments depend on these types of persecution complexes to keep people in the group. “When the original article came out in the newspaper, I felt extremely persecuted,” Megan Benninger said. “It was exhilarating; we’re doing something right because Satan is out to get us.” While meeting off-campus, Narrowgate Fellowship started to change more. Wertz began controlling how people lived, where people lived, who they lived with, who they dated, even what they owned. The group dynamic was becoming dangerous. During one meeting, a girl was verbally berated and was told by one member to stab another. The girl who was threatened was brought by Carol Allen, her roommate. Allen, a former Messiah student and Narrowgate group member, remembers how much that meeting scared her.

“

“They told her she hated so and so, and someone grabbed a knife and told her to go ahead and kill him, it was very intense,” Allen said. “I remember sitting there scared, not knowing if someone was really going to get stabbed.” In 1997, Narrowgate fell apart. According to multiple sources Wertz, who was married with a child at the time, began to teach that marriage was “not of God,” and began sleeping with other members. This was the last straw for the group members and Narrowgate dissolved. Wertz and another girl from the group, to whom he is now married, disappeared for years, leaving behind his previous wife and child. The next time Wertz appeared on the Benningers’ radar, he and his wife had moved to Colorado. There, Wertz became involved with Andrew Wommack Ministries (AWM),

MEGAN AND DOMINIQUE BENNINGER

of AWM. Wertz was now in a position to influence college students again. Allen reached out to AWM after hearing that Wertz was working there. She wanted to ensure that they were aware of Wertz’s past.

owned by the same televangelist who had inspired his teachings while in Narrowgate. Starting as volunteers in the phone center, both Wertz and his wife became staff at AWM. Wertz was promoted to be the Senior Vice President of Ministries at both AWM and Charis Bible College. Wertz was confirmed to have been in this position as late as January 26, 2022 according to the Colorado Springs Indy, who interviewed Wertz for a separate article.

“They sent a letter back, kind of saying, ‘Thank you for bringing this to our attention,’ but kinda like, ‘We don’t talk about how we deal with staff,’” Allen said. “Obviously they didn’t do much.”

When the Benningers found out that Wertz was now in a position of religious power, they were shocked.

Andrew Wertz is no longer listed on the website staff listings for either organization. After reaching out to Andrew Wommack Ministries, Andrew Wertz declined to comment for this article.

“It was a punch to the gut; it literally took my breath away,” Dominique Benninger said. What made that news worse to them was that not only was he involved with AWM, but with Charis Bible College, an extension

Andrew Wommack’s sermons are heard worldwide. Charis Bible College has almost 50 colleges across the world, with a school in every continent except for South America and Antarctica.

Years later, the Benningers again faced abusive leadership. Don Foose, a former pastor at Oakwood Baptist Church in Camp Hill, had been convicted and jailed for molesting a teen girl prior to his hiring at Oakwood

If more of us would speak up, then more of us would feel freer to do so.

-Megan Benninger

“

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

TRENDING TOPICS Baptist. According to documents published by the Pennslyvania Professional Standards and Practices Comittee, Foose was convicted of indecent assault and corruption of minors and sentenced to two years of prison and sex offender counseling. Foose’s teaching credentials were revoked upon his conviction.

was then.”

The church allegedly knew that Foose couldn’t pass a background check and hired him regardless. Bob Conrad, the pastor who hired Foose, wrote a letter to Oakwood’s church board. In this letter, Conrad details how he approached Foose about a pastoral position. Foose told Conrad that there was an issue in his past that would stop him from passing a background check. However, Foose assured Conrad that he was falsely accused.

“One of the former deacons had contacted Childline to investigate and try to ensure nothing had happened during [Foose’s] time at Oakwood,” Bertsch said. “Oakwood cooperated fully with [the police department] and sent a letter to the families of the school and church.”

Joshua Bertsch, the current pastor at Oakwood Baptist Church, said that Oakwood worked with authorities to notify parents and families when Foose’s past came to light.

Foose, whose story was covered by USA Today, was pastoring at a new church months after.

just went on to the next gig with no accountability; we wanted to do something to help that,” Dominique Benninger said. The result was Baptist Accountability, an online database compiling allegations of abuse, allegations of covered up or enabled abuse and convicted predators within the Southern Baptist church. The site currently has over 650 entries. While Baptist Accountability has the goal of protecting people from abusers, it has another goal of showing churches they can do better. The Benningers are trying to show churches that transparency is achievable through simple databases like Baptist Accountability.

Conrad believed Foose, and allowed him to come on board as a pastor. Foose would eventually become the superintendent of Oakwood’s day school, where staff continually complained about his uncomfortable interactions with students. When Conrad sent his letter to Oakwood's board, Oakwood’s congregation was shocked.

Coming off their experiences at Oakwood, and looking back on their past experiences, the Benningers started to notice that at each church they attended there were problems with holding church leaders accountable. Whether it be with lack of communication or with hiding abuse, they noticed that spiritual leaders had no accountability for abusive behavior.

“Our goal is to show the [Southern Baptist Church] and other organizations that this isn’t that hard to do,” Dominique Benninger said.

“I was furious, still am,” Megan Benninger said. “I’m more furious now than I

“At Oakwood, but also at Narrowgate, you had a leader that was acting abusively and

“Churches should be owning this as a systemic problem,” Dominique Benninger said. “They should be spearing this, not us.”

The Benningers hope that by showing churches how to set up databases like Baptist Accountability they’ll take on the responsibility rather than let others do it.

Sites like Baptist Accountability are giving people who haven’t found justice a chance for closure. According to Megan Benninger, because of the nature of child abuse and church abuse, often the statute of limitations expires before accusations are brought against the abuser. “We’ve had several people say it is the only justice they’ve ever received, and it means everything to them,” Megan Benninger said. Baptist Accountability is not the only way the Benningers are seeking to care for those who have been hurt by spiritual leaders. Before Baptist Accountability was ChurchTrauma.org, a blog where Dominique Benninger

NARROWGATE MEMBERS GATHERING IN THEIR OFF-CAMPUS HOUSE

BAPTIST ACCOUNTABILITY

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CHURCHTRAMA.ORG

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NARROWGATE MEMBERS ON A HIKE

started recording his experiences with Narrowgate as a way to process them. The page has since expanded to share various points of view from Narrowgate survivors. While Church Trauma didn’t have as focused of a goal as Baptist Accountability did, it still ended up impacting a number of people, providing a safe place for people to share their experiences. “It ended up being helpful for people,” Megan Benninger said. “Even though we didn’t have a set goal, we’ve had people from other cults reach out to us.” The Benningers recommend a few things for those who have experienced spiritual abuse. First, speak up against abuse. “If you see what you even think is abuse, report it,” Megan Benninger said. “If more of us would speak up, then more of us would feel freer to do so.”

“

MEGAN AND DOMINIQUE BENNINGER'S WEDDING ATTENDED BY WERTZ AND OTHER NARROWGATE MEMBERS

When these leaders are no longer propped up by people,

that's when they have to change.

ple to fulfill us,” Megan Benninger said. “We were codependent on the church and we had trauma bonds with spiritual leaders.” Dominique Benninger encourages people to stop attending and supporting churches that have a history of abuse. “In Narrowgate, [Wertz] was only in charge because followers kept him in charge, and once he crossed a line, he was no longer the

spiritual leader of Narrowgate,” Dominique Benninger said. “When these leaders are no longer propped up by people, that’s when they have to change.” Those interested in reading about the Narrowgate cult can visit ChurchTrauma.org. To view the database organized by the Benningers, visit BaptistAccountability.org.

Beyond that, finding professional licensed counseling outside of the church is critical for healing. Therapy was a resource Megan Benninger wishes she had access to when she was coming out of Narrowgate. “We’re just now in therapy and understanding all of these things that happened to us and how we were depending on other peo-

2234 S MARKET STREET MECHANICSBURG, PA OAKWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH ARTICLE

“

-Dominique Benninger

717-766-7656

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PHISHING ATTACKS BY KAYLEE GETZ

Have you noticed the abundance of phishing attacks in your Messiah email recently? Maybe even fallen victim to a few? Messiah University students have been the target of many phishing attacks as attempts to steal valuable information have run rampant. Phishing attacks are emails intended to steal personal information, such as login credentials or credit card numbers. These emails are often disguised as urgent, but vague, prompts or intriguing offers.

llen Snook, the Director of IT Security at Messiah, monitors attacks on Messiah’s network to keep students and staff safe. He gave a few simple ways to identify phishing attacks as soon as you receive them. “If it’s too good to be true, usually it is,” Snook said. “Nobody’s going to pay you $450 a week to drive around with a sign on your car. And why would you receive an email like that from a student anyway?” Snooks explained how victims can typically identify phishing attacks by looking carefully at the emails. If the email opens to a Google doc or asks for any personal information, it’s most likely a scam.

Hackers target students because they often have personal information stored on their phones. “If your phone has direct withdrawal from your debit card, all I need is your phone number and maybe your birth date or address to get access to your account and send myself all your money,” Snook said. “With your birth date, social and address, I can take out a loan in your name and just completely wipe you out.” Although not as frequent, some phishing attacks use viruses instead of just simply stealing your information. “Thankfully there haven’t been a bunch of those, they can be even worse,” Snook said. “The virus can turn into ransomware and encrypt your entire machine or even our entire server. If that happened, we would be hammered and classes would probably be shut down for a few days while we rebooted everything.”

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Attackers tend to focus their efforts on places like Messiah University because of the school’s small size compared to other larger universities.

"IF IT'S TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE,

IT USUALLY IS."

“Since we’re a smaller university, we’re looked upon as not having any kind of safeguard,” Snook said. “A lot of smaller colleges don’t have the money to pay for someone like me or even a team to do this kind of work. That’s why we get hit with a ton of phishing attacks.” Even though we do have resources for online protection, there are a few reasons why students still receive phishing emails. “Microsoft does not have a great lockout mechanism,” Snook said. “An attacker’s program will try to guess your password until they get locked out, but the number of attempts and the lockout time is random. So they can try fifty times and get locked out for ten seconds, but it’ll be different next time, and eventually they get in. This usually happens with alumni accounts since they don’t have to change their passwords.”

- Allen Snook

The IT Department is constantly working on improving online security at Messiah and their improvement ideas should bring about change in the upcoming years. “One way to prompt online security is by sending out fake phishing attacks,” Snook said. “We’re trying to get receivers to click, but at the same time, we don’t want them to click.” If they respond to the attack, their personal information is not compromised, but the IT Department can gather data regarding the number of students or faculty members that respond to specific types of phishing attacks.

In the near future, Snook also hopes to see improvements in educational opportunities regarding phishing attacks and online safety. If you ever receive an email that you think is a phishing attack or have any concerns about, forward it to Allen Snook or Messiah’s Help Desk.

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

TRENDING TOPICS

CAN ON-CAMPUS COUNSELING COMPARE? HOW DOES MESSIAH'S COUNSELING COMPARE TO OFF-CAMPUS COUNSELING?

BY MACKENZIE CHRISTIE

he Engle Center is Messiah’s hub for health and wellness, whether it be physical, mental or emotional concerns. Despite the negative press that our mental health resources have received, there are also many reasons to celebrate Messiah’s counseling services.

With more and more students considering starting therapy, many of them want to understand how the Engle Center’s services stack up against off-campus resources. AJ Jerome, a freshman psychology major, feels that the quality of care she is receiving

Aubrey Kleinfield, the director of counseling services through the Engle Center, explained some of the services students have access to. “Individual therapy is primarily what we do, but we have provided groups, and we also offer a team approach to counseling, specifically related to eating disorders,” Kleinfield said. Surprisingly, according to CLIMENHAGA HOMESTEAD Kleinfield, the pandemic did not lead to a noticeable spike in therapy through the Engle Center far exceeds what services on campus; the demand has been she was receiving outside of Messiah. concerningly high for years now. “I did have a therapist previously before “We actually haven't seen a huge jump coming to Messiah, but I already prefer my since 2017,” Kleinfield said. “I was hired counselor here,” Jerome said. “My other then because the college realized we needed therapist wasn't very educated in my mental another therapist.” disorder, but my counselor here specializes

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in it, which definitely makes me feel seen and comfortable around her.” Anna Spencer, a freshman dance major, prefers the counselors at Messiah because they have first hand knowledge of life on-campus. “I think one of the main differences is that by using the therapy at Messiah, I feel more like they understand exactly where I am in life, because they're working at the place I live,” Spencer said. Even students who had no previous therapy experience have expressed satisfaction with Messiah’s resources. “I’m new to the concept of therapy and counseling sessions, but it has already helped me a lot to cope with emotions in a healthy way, whether I’m aware of it or not,” Celeste Creef, a junior film and media arts major, said. Although the counselors have been helpful for many, there are still plenty of fears that hold students back from exploring therapy at Messiah.

PHOTOS BY LIAM FITZSIMMONS

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COUNSELERS AT THE CLIMENHAGA HOMESTEAD

One of the biggest concerns expressed by students is client confidentiality. Since Messiah’s services are through university staff, students wonder if they’re protected in the same ways that a public office can offer. “We follow the American Counseling Code of Ethics, which is the standard for counseling practice, and every student who engages in the counseling relationship signs the consent to treatment form,” Kleinfield said. “In this space, every single thing that a student says to us is completely confidential to the full extent of the law, even if it goes against the Messiah Code of Conduct.” “The only limitations to that confidentiality are instances of immediate danger to oneself or someone else, or if they are aware of abuse that is occurring to someone under the age of 18, an elderly person or someone with an intellectual disability,” Kleinfield said. While Spencer’s primary concern was confidentiality, her worries were quelled immediately. “At my very first session, my therapist made it clear to me that everything I told her is confidential and she wasn't going to be running off to report things to somebody on campus,” Spencer said. “That really made me feel like I could open up to her.”

Another concern from students was the fear surrounding judgment and vulnerability when seeking help.

Other students agreed, adding that it is important to break the stigma that seeking help for your mental health is a sign of weakness.

“I definitely had some fear of judgment from my counselor as well as possible judgment from my friends,” Cece McCroy, a junior marketing major, said.

“I know a lot of people feel nervous, cynical or unsure about counseling services on campus,” Kuczmynda said, “but I just would encourage people to give it a shot if any part of them feels like they would benefit f rom therapy.”

Despite these initial fears, the overwhelming response from students is that a sense of comfort and safety with their counselor was cultivated right away. “I was terrified to call, but when I finally did, they were so kind and walked me through the entire process with understanding and patience,” Laney Kuczmynda, a sophomore psychology major, said. “I feel very cared for by counseling services here at Messiah, as they have really invested in me, and are taking the time to get to know me and how I can best be helped.” The Engle Center ultimately provides all the same professional resources that can be found outside of the University, but in a more accessible way. “One of the reasons why I considered using Messiah's counseling services is because it's free and accessible,” Creef said. “For students who don't have cars on campus, or who don't have the financial means to get help, I think this is a good option.”

If you’re considering looking into therapy services here at Messiah, reach out to the Engle Center by calling (717) 7965357 to learn more information and book an appointment.

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I feel very cared for by counseling services here at Messiah. - Laney Kuczmynda THE SWINGING BRIDGE

TRENDING TOPICS

PAULINE DEUTCHEU AND MIRELIZ BERMUDEZ MESSIAH'S NEW STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT BY EMMA BANE

he SGA election season has come and gone, with Pauline Deutcheu and Mireliz Bermudez respectively earning the titles of 2022-2023 Student Body President and Vice President. Deutcheu and Bermudez hope to establish multiple new initiatives next year in order to increase connection and communication in the Messiah community.

Deutcheu is a senior mechanical engineering major and the Senior RA of Naugle Hall. Her experience as an RA has given her insight into campus leadership practices and how various organizations interact with each other. After noticing changes she thought should be made, she decided to apply for SGA Student Body President.

Once she decided to run, Deutcheu’s next task was finding a running mate, and Mireliz Bermudez was the perfect fit.

Bermudez, a freshman education major, was interested in joining SGA in order to become more connected to the Messiah community and implement the changes she wished that others would make. Deutcheu was interested in running with Bermudez for many reasons, but mainly because both women are in the Martin Scholars program.

APRIL 2022

“We have a sort of a yin and yang dynamic,” Bermudez said. “Pauline is a great people person, and makes those around her feel comfortable and welcome. I complement that on the executive side, making schedules and keeping things in order.”

The two are interested in implementing a new program called “How to Read the Fine Print.” This program will focus on helping students, specifically first-generation students, become less stressed about money by empowering them to understand the minute details of financial aid and loan payment. They believe that this program will not only reduce the stress levels of those on campus, but also aid students in feeling comfortable about taking part in campus activities.

“It can be stressful when you don’t know your financial situation as a student,” Deutcheu said. “And participating in certain events can feel pointless if you don’t know where money for the next semester is coming from. We’re hoping this program will allow students an extra layer of comfort surrounding life as a college student.

Along with relieving stress on campus, the pair aims to restore communication in clubs and administration-student relationships.

TRENDING TOPICS

PHOTOS BY MADISON SEIFERT

“Reconciliation shouldn’t be limited to the 2021-2022 school year,” Deutcheu said. “It’s a theme that we hope to carry through our term.”

They would also like to see more collaboration between clubs that don’t typically work together.

Through this, they are hoping to discourage the formation of and disperse preexisting cliques. By building foundations of reconciliation during their year in office, the hope is that future SGA members will reap the benefits.

When applying for Student Body President and Vice President, Deutcheu and Bermudez clearly outlined their desires to connect students with more off-campus opportunities. They believe that through this, seniors preparing to work in professional fields will have more job opportunities and experience, and younger students will benefit from years of making fun memories and connecting with future employers.

They also plan to place picnic tables and chairs on the new green space, creating more opportunities for students to enjoy the campus’ outdoor beauty. They will be partnering

“Reconciliation... it’s a theme that we hope to carry through our term” -Pauline Deutcheu

with the Banquet Initiative and the Office of Sustainability to ensure that this goal is sustainable and accessible to all students.

Deutcheu and Bermudez invite students to bring any concerns they have to SGA so they can use their positions to advocate for student issues.

“The purpose of the Student Body President is to be the bridge between the students and the administration,” Deutcheu said. “By connecting with students and clubs across campus, the [Student Body] President will be able to bring their concerns to the administration and help to shape the culture of campus to better reflect the dreams of its students.”

“Our hope is to always be humble, open, and transparent,” Bermudez said. “If a student sees us around campus, we want them to talk to us. We want to be involved and listen to the dreams of the student body.”

Through their many goals and plans for their term, Deutcheu and Bermudez hope to bring about positive change on-campus as they lead the next generation of Messiah students.

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

TRENDING TOPICS

HOW TO GET YOUR OWN

CYBERSECURITY CENTER U N D E RSTA N D I N G FU N DR A I SI N G AT MES SI A H

BY KAYLEE GETZ

ave you ever wondered how Messiah University determines how much money goes to certain departments or projects? Perhaps you felt it was unfair that another department receives more money than your own. Unsurprisingly, determining the monetary needs of each department or project is a process that many are involved, including students. Jon Stuckey, Messiah’s Associate Vice President for Development, outlined the three different ways that the university determines which projects will receive funding. The first process that determines project funding is the Strategic Planning process. The team responsible for this planning process includes the Boards of Trustees, President Phipps and the President’s Cabinet, as well as the University Council. This plan is reviewed every few years and includes future projects that will contribute to the “big picture” of Messiah University. Stuckey describes Strategic Planning as a process to identify the university’s greatest fundraising needs. “The leadership team engages in this planning process in part to determine what the highest resource needs of the institution are

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based on our strategic vision for Messiah,” Stuckey said. “That’s how we identified the need for important recent buildings such as the Phipps Admissions and Welcome Center and the High Center for Worship and Performing Arts.” These buildings were funded by off-budget funds, by donors with no student tuition dollars. The second way that the university can identify projects that require fundraising is when unexpected, but necessary, projects emerge outside of the Strategic Planning process. “There are projects like the new Cyber Center which came about because cybersecurity is emerging as an important major,” Stuckey said, “and that isn’t something we could have necessarily predicted when we were engaged in the current Strategic Planning conversations a few years ago. A place like Messiah has to be nimble enough to address these types of emerging needs.” The Engle Center will be getting an expansion in the near future for this same reason. “As you can imagine, through COVID and even more broadly, there is an increased need for mental health services in the Engle Center,” Stuckey said. “They simply don’t

have enough space, which has made delivering quality health care really tough.” Funding for unexpected and immediate needs can sometimes come from resources the university sets aside for these types of projects. However, it is often the case that fundraising is also required, which is what is occurring for both the Cyber Center and the Engle Center expansion. The last way to fund a project is with direct approval from Messiah University’s deans, Angela Hare and Pete Powers, Vice Provost Kris Hansen-Kieffer, or the Provost, Randall Basinger, for larger projects. If a department or faculty member has an idea or request for a project, they can seek approval from the deans to receive help fundraising. “As long as it meets the strategic priorities of the institution, then we can consider it,” Stuckey said. “If the deans approve it, then we can help them raise money. We do have to prioritize these projects since we don’t have the resources available to fund everything.” If a department is interested in gaining assistance and support in project funding, Stuckey is promoting advancement councils. To form an advancement council, a department sets a mission and goals for the coun-

TRENDING TOPICS

cil, which includes an annual donation that can then be used for special needs within the department. The department will then have a support team to help them raise more money for these projects. Currently, there are advancement councils in athletics, business and music. “Any department can raise money by following our fundraising guidelines,” Stuckey said. “It’s just that by tethering it to this council, which then has the approval of the dean, then we know for certain that projects fit the strategic goals of the institution.” Departments are not required to form an advancement council to receive help with fundraising. Any project idea can be brought to a department chair who can then seek the approval of the dean. Student organizations can also do their own fundraising and that process is outlined by the Student Government Association. If you have a project you are hoping to get funding for, make sure you talk to your department chair about forming an advancement council or fundraising through the Student Government Association.

Image by Messiah University

"Any department can raise money by following our fundraising guidelines." - Jon Stuckey

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

FO R

DUMMIES A SUPPOSED GUIDE TO SOCCER WRITTEN BY ETHAN DYRLI ILLUSTRATION BY DANUTA TACHAYENI DURAI RAJ Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, and yet you don’t know what it is? Well, look no further, we have you covered. It’s about to get Messi in here. Soccer is like “The Office.” Started by the British and commandeered by Americans after a few quick name changes. Today, the game is played with a ball made of plastic, leather, rubber or synthetic cotton. However, soccer used to be played with pig bladders, much to the dismay of the pigs on the field (a precise kick was required). Known as “football” by its non-American audience, soccer’s influence has shaped the world. Nine months after Germany hosted a World Cup in 2006, Germany experienced a 30% population boom. Talk about a high-scoring game. This data may also provide an explanation for the dwindling population of Cleveland Browns fans. Soccer is taken very seriously by its fans. Just ask Andres Escobar, who was shot three times by a fan after shooting on the wrong goal. Ironically, the fan was also aiming for his own team.

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AROUND THE WORLD Just because the world stage is filled with foreign teams, that doesn’t mean the U.S. team doesn’t have its own achievements. Sure, we have never won a world cup, but our enthusiasm is next to none. Also, we are very progressive – a special shout-out to the women’s soccer team for being the first paid women’s sports team. The FIFA World Cup takes place every four years. However, there wasn’t a World Cup in 1942 or 1946, strictly on the basis of laziness. If you didn’t know, Germany has scored the most World Cup goals throughout history and is one of the most successful World Cup teams in history. This is in part thanks to their strong offensive nicknamed “The Blitzkrieg.” It was formerly rumored that the 1950 Indian team withdrew from the World Cup due to being required to play in shoes, as the team had typically practiced barefoot. However, this is not the case. While the team did practice barefoot, they withdrew from the World Cup because they were focusing on the Olympics instead. Regardless, Quentin Tarantino is excitedly writing the script for a movie about the barefooted players. Quentin Tarantino declined to comment.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

SOCCER ICONS The best way to get to know a game is by knowing the players. Soccer’s huge influence has created a slew of iconic athletic superstars. See below for some of the most iconic players: Neymar Jr. is in Fortnite, easily making him the most successful player to ever grace the turf. A close second to that achievement is that of Pele, a Brazilian player often considered the greatest player in history. “How do you spell Pele?,” wrote the Times of London. The next line read, “G-O-D.” The Times of London was later shut down as a publication for consistent and horrendous typos. Pele is often compared to Argentina player Maradona. However, his legacy is his own. In more recent years, Maradona had a moment of increased publicity after the Times of London tried to cover Madonna’s Superbowl performance. One of the most recognizable names in soccer history is Lionel Messi. The Argentinian player is more than a great player, but also a good person. He works as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, traveling around the world to absolutely demolish underprivileged kids in soccer. Cristiano Ronaldo is another instantly recognizable name in the sport. However, while he is known as “Ronaldo” by his fans, his real name is Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro. Ronaldo was named after Ronald

Reagan by his father, a fan of Regan’s. Ronaldo’s strategy on the court is to kick the ball from the top of the stands and hope that it eventually trickles down into the goal. David Beckham is a well-known fantastic player, sure. But when it comes to lasting legacy, look no further than “Bend It Like Beckham,” a true testament to soccer, and an homage to Beckham's skill of “bending” his shots. Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra star in a charming, heart-warming comedy for the whole family. The Swinging Bridge rates it a 10/10. And finally, Lee Todd is known for having the fastest red card in history, shouting an expletive two seconds into the match while playing for Cross Park Farm Celtic. However, I propose that this record be beaten by a player willing to risk their career and rush the referee. A lot can happen in two seconds. There is everything you need to know to have an awkward conversation with your friends about soccer where you pretend to know much more than you do. Now you can chat with your friends while on the sidelines of Starry Athletic Field. I can already hear you, “Wow, Pele so great, huh guys?” I’m proud of you already. Have at it!

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

CAPT URING The Pope and a Teletubby have a dance off at Monster Mash.

MES SI AMOHMEN TS

1- 2 0 2 2 PHOTOS FROM 202

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY LIAM FITZSIMMONS AND HUNTER ROHRER

W Some “frat dudes” enjoying the photo booth.

ell here we are, the end of another year at Messiah. It’s been a pleasure getting to photograph all the events on campus over the past two semesters. It’s so special to us to capture these moments, so that they can be remembered forever. Sorry to anyone who we’ve awkwardly pointed a camera at or blocked your view at Coffeehouse.

Studen ts enjo ying the win ter vibe s at The Sno wBall.

e in Students compet ing rv ca kin mp the pu st. Fe ll Fa at t es nt co

rley, SAB Nathan Hu Executive, s n Excursio ance. DJs The D

Flashli gh air for ts fill the th of The e finale Dance .

Students enjoying the Men’s Soccer Homecoming game.

A fireworks sh ow after Men’s Soccer wins their homecoming ga me against Alvernia Univer sity!

Good food, cultural performances, and activities are the highlight of the night for students at the International Festival.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT y games, an Students enjo se, and free obstacle cour ock Party. food at the Bl

Mason Casey performs at First Year Coffeehouse.

Senior Michael Florio performs a drum solo for Homecoming coffeehouse.

US band ANXIO Hardcore ion stage on the Un performs ert at first conc during the ears. over two y Messiah in

Dylan Kalogris, country musician and former Messiah student and Music Manager at The Pulse, performs at the Union for The Pulse’s 10 year anniversary.

Student leader s welcoming new students to Messiah.

n for cked Unio It’s a pa use. o h e Coffe February

Ella Talbot, Je nnifer Choy, and Chen geu Sun perform to “16 Shots.” Student band IN YELLOW performs at the New Student Social .

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

MOVIE

REVIEWS “Turning Red”

“The Adam Project”

By Riley Williams

By Reed Milliken

The new Disney film “Turning Red” (2022) seems to be turning heads everywhere. The coming-of-age story features Mei-Mei, a 13 year old with an overbearing mother. Mei-Mei soon realizes that not only does she have to undergo the changes every other 13 year old girl faces, but she also has to learn how to control her ‘beast’- a red panda that she transforms into whenever her emotions go unchecked. The movie accurately portrayed the struggles lots of young girls face as their bodies start changing and the emotions that go along with that; fear, anger, and even shame. Although the representation of a young female's experience is pretty accurate, we see a depiction of family struggles that is not entirely accurate, with Disney pushing the idea that children should forgive their family immediately, regardless of the hurt they cause. Despite this, “Turning Red” is a well told story that I would definitely recommend to my friends.

“The Adam Project” (2022) stars Ryan Reynolds, who plays the same character in every movie he's in. His "humor" consists of writers giving him unfunny lines and expecting audiences to find it funny just because it's him who's saying it. Walker Scobell, who played young Adam, pulled off a really impressive Ryan Reynolds impression. Unfortunately, that means that he's just as annoying. However, this sci-fi family drama isn’t all bad. It was refreshing to see the stakes of this movie be pretty small. Most time travel movies involve "the fate of the world" or "the risk of destroying the timeline" so it was nice to just see this movie relate to selflove, regret, and paternal relationships. Packed full of entertainment value and heart, “The Adam Project” is the definition of a "family night movie.”

Rating: 8/10

Rating: 6.5/10

“The Batman” By Keegan Hurley Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” (2022) successfully stands apart from the rest of its superhero counterparts, providing a refreshing entry into the comic book film genre. The film is well grounded in its source material and cinema history, providing an experience that satisfies both casual and serious audiences alike. “The Batman” is bursting with intentional world building, amazing stunts, and glorious setpieces, sure to encapsulate anyones attention. The star studded cast pulls no punches, delivering multiple strong, memorable performances. Reeves clearly understands these iconic characters and has built a beautiful beginning to what is hopefully a longstanding and successful series of Batman films. While it is no “The Dark Knight” (2008), “The Batman” stands strong in the franchise, and is easily the best superhero film in years.

Rating: 8/10

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