The Swinging Bridge: May 1, 2013

JOSH RITTER @MESSIAH [page 6]

club volleyball CHAMPIONSHIP [page 12]

DOVE real beauty sketches [page 9]

What Actually Goes on in the Back 40?

There is more back there than you think.

By Nicholas Tay FEATURES EDITOR Brianna Dorsey STUDENT WRITER

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hen most students hear of the Back 40, they are inclined to think of clandestine, romantic getaways or shady activities. While the students’ imaginations are at work, the college has made good use of the spacious area behind Witmer and Mellinger.

One of Messiah’s best kept secrets (or widely known facts) is the presence of a high ropes course in the corner of the

Back 40. Wendell Witter, the director of Issachar’s Loft, states that “the course provides students with a setting to push their boundaries in a vertical environment, and there are lots of challenges that take place 40 feet off the ground.”

The high ropes course has been at Messiah since 2006. “We had the poles for the course set back then in a figure-eight shape, but only part of the loop was initially completed, along with an exit swing and a zip line. Since then we’ve added the remaining part of the loop, with another exit called the Leap of Faith.”

According to Witter, the purpose of the high ropes course is to help indi-

viduals within their respective organizations work on team-building or leadership development activities.

“Through the Loft, we collaborate a lot with the athletic teams and we work with Residence Life. We’ll usually take a group of staff members - say the resident director and their respective resident assistants - but sometimes an entire floor or apartment section goes out for community building activities. We also work with student clubs and organizations; just last week SGA and the chemistry club were on the course. There’s just a wide range of people who use our course.”

dents enjoy the course exits (and probably the end of a mentally and physically challenging session), others appreciate the most daunting of the challenges.

“Students generally love the exits, either the zip line or the giant swing.

However, the most physically challenging activity with positive student feedback is the Lily Pads. It’s a series of mini platforms connected with two cables that requires two people, face to face, holding on to each other’s shoulders in order to cross,” he said. // see BACK 40 page 3

Witter mentions that while most stu-

Science, Engineering and Health Symposium:

By Brianna Dorsey STUDENT WRITER

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n Friday May 3, Messiah will be hosting the Science, Engineering, and Health Symposium from 8:00a.m until 7:00p.m. The symposium will take place in Frey, Jordan, and Kline.

Professor of Biology Dr. Lawrence Mylin is coordinating the symposium this year. According to him, “The whole

A Student Showcase

school of science, engineering, and health highlights all of the student research and projects that have been going on for the entire year in a single full day year end symposium. We take the last Friday of classes, and we run presentations for the entire day.”

Senior Engineering Major Seth Fickett

said, “A lot of the projects are senior projects and some of the upperclassmen have worked on their project for two, three, or even all four years here and Messiah.”

There will be Dr. Mylin expects about 89 different project performances. The project performances divided into the following categories: PowerPoint’s,

posters, demonstrations, travel logs, and talks. Biologist, biochemist, chemist, and exercise scientist will do these talks. // see SEH page 2

May 1, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

News 2

We Feed Us

Messiah to gain new sustainability partner

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By Mandy Ruiz STUDENT WRITER

essiah will be partnering with WeFeedUs, a new sustainability organization this fall.

WeFeedUs uses a system called ‘aquaponics’ which grows crop by feeding fish in a tank that will fertilize the soil which sprouts above the habitat and filers the water. This system allows for a natural process of using organic resources to grow food.

WeFeedUs is a commercial size aquaponics vendor based in Carlisle that will be producing vegetables, namely lettuce, for Dining Services.

They are currently building and renovating a space to house the full scale aquaponics habitat with the help of a couple Messiah students.

Senior Sustainability major Paul Nickerson and Environmental Science major Galen Halteman have had firsthand experience with WeFeedUs. Both students are currently working under the organizations management and are helping with the construction of the aquaponics.

Messiah currently has a small scale aquaponics system in the Kline green house that was created as a result of Nickerson’s pineapple aquaponics project that he grew in his dorm room.

“I’m excited about the potential impact [WeFeedUs] will have on the students. I hope it teaches students to be conscientious of where they buy food in the future and to place great value in locally grown food. Not only because it tastes better but because it’s more sustainable for our en-

vironment,” said Halteman in an e-mail.

Messiah hopes to buy as much food as they can produce according to Craig Dalen, the Director of Sustainability.

“This is a way for Messiah to source produce locally and with quality. It also backs up our sustainability mission. The environmental cost is a win win,” said Dalen.

of selling shares will not be used as farm-stands are being put in its place.

Students will have the ability to buy fresh produce from these farm-stands because of the positive feedback from the community and student body.

“We are proud of the way they’ve been producing and meeting our sustainability goals which enables responsible consumption,” said Dalen.

But this new partnership will not diminish the use of the Grantham Community Garden which also donates smaller portions of produce to Lottie Dining Hall.

According to Dalen the garden is supplying excess crop but does not have the capacity to provide food for the entire campus. The garden will still be in use although the former method

// SEH On campus groups like the Collabratory will be presenting projects. This year one can also expect talks from Information Services. They will be explaining ways new ways to use computing when solving problems. Excited for an addition to this year’s program Mylin stated, “We actually have a new section on computer games.”

The Nursing Department will give a speech about a special kit they used to train mothers that they took with them to Africa in January. Towards the end of the day, there will be an open house for new human performance labs.

Dr. Mylin stated, “We do this every year at the end of the year. This is kind of our big end of the year kick off. We invite parents in; we invite friends in. We make a day of it.”

Provided by Messiah.edu

May 1, 2013

News 3

A send-off to our editor in chief.

By Abigail Ferenczy NEWS EDITOR

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he student body will soon say goodbye to the class of 2013, and Stephanie Wilson will be among those donning a cap and gown. This year’s Editor in Chief of The Swinging Bridge is not shoving off, however, without leaving behind her mark on the campus.

Photo by Sarah Brookhart

STUDENT PROFILE:

Stephanie Wilson

The Swinging Bridge

“It’s all what you make of it.

Find that one thing or those few people who will get you through.”

Wilson interviewed for The Swinging Bridge editorial position after being asked to apply by a previous editor.

When she was offered the job at the end of her junior year, she had no experience in a role like this one.

“I didn’t think I would do a good job this year, but after the first issue I realized what a good staff I had,” she said. “Making it this year and thriving has taught me that I already have the tools I need to do things well.”

Wilson kicked off the second half of her four years with a jaunt at Messiah College Philadelphia Campus. Initially planning to stay only one semester, she traded the opportunity to study abroad for a second semester in Philadelphia.

“My best experience at Messiah was being in Philly. I feel like everyone should go,” she said.

Her advice to current students is to take ownership of his or her college years.

From her Islam class with George Pickens to her advanced writing course with Helen Walker, Wilson had no trouble finding classes she loved. Beyond classes, friendships played a major role in shaping her time at Messiah.

Wilson has changed a lot over her four years at Messiah.

“My roommates this year were such an unexpected gift,” she said. “Emma, Amanda, Jaci and Jamie are my best friends and I can’t imagine this place without them.”

“My freshman and sophomore years were really different from my last two years,” she said. “My interests changed and I found people who helped me grow into myself.”

Wilson admits she’ll miss her job at the Pulse, but she’s happy to start the next adventure. She hopes to pursue a Master’s Degree in Women’s and Gender Studies in the near future.

need to continue forward and doing.”

grow the program in terms of education, awareness, and process. There is no reason why we can’t move in the direction of being a zero waste campus.”

//BACK 40 However, the high ropes course is not the only activity that goes on in the back 40.

The Office of Sustainability collaborates with the Department of Dining Services and the Grounds Department on the issue of tackling the food waste that Messiah College produces. By working together, the three departments have been able to compost all of the food waste generated by Lottie Nelson Dining Hall.

Under student leadership and the very first Waste Diversion Coordinator Adam Arditi, 28 tons of waste have been collected during this school year alone.

Once Arditi collects the waste, the Grounds Department coordinates the turning of the pile of waste. The grounds manager, Jared Rudy, then coordinates with the county to screen the pile of compost. This screening process gets rid of large chunks and debris. Once those processes are complete, the compost is ready to use. The collected waste bypasses the landfill and becomes soil that can be used around campus in various places such as the athletic fields and flowerbeds.

According to Director of Sustainability Craig Dalen, the composting project did not start over night. It started out small scale, and it eventually grew to take root in the back 40. “Four years ago, the Earthkeepers - a student organization - first got the college thinking about composting food waste,” he said. “We started with a small bin. It was a vol-

unteer effort. Earthkeepers then challenged their efforts by identifying opportunities to capture more food waste and scale up the composting program.”

Last year, the focus was just pre-consumer waste. In other words, it was just the waste accumulated when preparing food like potato skins and carrot peels.

This year, things were amped up to collect all food waste produced in Lottie.

No longer able to fit in just at bin, the composting project was moved to the back 40. Dalen said, “We moved here [the back 40] because it was a good space for us to grow the college’s composting efforts. We needed a place that was accessible and large enough to have 300 lbs of food scraps per day decompose.”

As the project continues to expand, Dalen hopes to reintroduce compostable products such as plates, napkins, and silverware on campus. He praised efforts like the Community Garden, where students bring their waste, and hopes to one day see Messiah as a zero waste campus.

“I would like to see us continue growing our composting efforts,” he said.

“With forethought and planning we can divert other waste streams from landfills and use the nutrient-rich by product for campus use. I think we could

While rumors may abound about the back 40, Messiah has kept the woods occupied with these two projects and will continue to make good use of the valuable space.

Dalen went on the say that he, among others, is pleased with this year’s success. “We have had significant interest in the project. The local media has covered the project, colleagues from other schools have visited and next week a contact from the health industry is interested in touring our project.

I’m proud of the team that makes this happen. We will need the local news media to increasingly come and cover the project, as well as, colleagues from other colleges. A health care industry is coming next week to visit and to learn. We really think this is, not so much innovative because it is common sense, but a business practice that we Photo provided by Adam Arditi

May 1, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Opinions 4

Roommate Roundtable:

Guys, girls, and the way they make decisions Given the many ways genders differ, it’s not surprising that guys and girls deal with roommates differently.

By Jeremy Jensen STUDENT WRITER

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y now, most everyone on campus has picked a roommate for the coming semester. Whether you are rooming with the same person you have roomed with since the beginning, choosing a good friend, or leaving your fate in the hands of res-life, everyone has a different thought process to picking and dealing with roommates. In fact, as I learned, the difference in approaches can be split across the genders.

My personal search for the perfect roommate was quite telling of the differences between girls and guys. Before I came to Messiah, I was told I was going to be with two lacrosse players in Witmer Hall. I was fine with that. One week later, I was told that another lacrosse player knew my roommates and wanted to room with them. I was moved to another room on Witmer, this time with two wrestlers. No offense to the wrestlers on campus, but that was not going to work. I immediately requested a room change, preferably one without athletes (Go Falcons). I was placed in a room with two new guys who fit the description I was looking for, but shared none of my interests. I called one last

time, and after agreeing to switch to Naugle, I was placed in a new room with new guys who sounded great.

About three weeks into the semester, I moved out of that room because we had the opportunity to untriple. I moved into another supplemental triple with two new guys and have been there ever since. My story is probably not a typical experience, but it illustrates one important difference between guys and girls: the reaction to unsatisfactory roommates. My reaction to unsatisfactory roommates was to ask for change until I found people I could get along with. If I am going to live with these guys for my first year of college, I feel somewhat entitled to a good roommate experience. Interestingly, the girls I interviewed had a different reaction.

I interviewed 5 girls: 4 first-years and 1 sophomore. I asked the first-year girls if, given the option, you could move out of a room where you had roommate problems would you take it? The answer was a staunch and resounding “no.” I asked twice just to make sure and every time, without fail, each girl told me “no.” They

Photo by Cait Fenello

all believed that if there were real issues then there was some way to work it out.

I don’t pretend to speak for all the guys on campus, but I thought the girls’ response was crazy. If I had a problem, I would be out of there as fast as possible. Maybe there was some foolproof way to pick the right roommate that I did not know? I asked the girls about it as well as the guys on my floor. The guys told me that most of them were paired up randomly, but they made a conscious effort to not pick someone from high school. The idea of being with someone you already knew seemed like a sure-fire way to not meet new people. And I have to agree. I knew three guys from high school and we all decided to not room together. “Familiarity breeds contempt” in my opinion.

Of course, the girls were on the other end of the spectrum. Many of the girls I

talked to picked their friends from high school if they had that option. Otherwise, they said they would pick someone who was very much like them: same major, same sleep pattern, same interests, and even same clothing size. They all agreed that a description like that sounded like a fantastic roommate. For girls, it would seem that more of the same is a bounty when it comes to your roommate.

Digging into what drives roommate selection was a fascinating experience for me. Everyone may not fit the model discussed here, but I believe that for the majority of guys and girls, these are definite differences. And if you completely disagree with everything I said, then I think there are two things we can agree on: one, picking roommates can be a risky but exciting process, and two, girls and guys are definitely different.

Military Drones and the French Foreign Legion Drones are changing warfare as we know it, and not in a good way.

By Grant Meckley STUDENT WRITER

T

he French Foreign Legion was a curious elite military unit because in order to join one could not be a citizen of France. The Legion, founded in 1838 but still accepting applications today, draws its manpower from foreigners. At its founding, the de facto purpose of the Legion was to purge the country of “cutthroats, crooks and sundry fugitives from justice” but the real purpose of the Legion was to carry out unpopular wars of imperialism while avoiding conscription and public dissent. When the casualties were totaled up at the end of the battle, the Foreign Legion did not contribute to the death toll of Frenchmen.

about the broader geopolitical and ethical dilemmas that loom ahead.

Permit me to say that drawing a parallel between the French Foreign Legion and modern drone warfare is not an unfair juxtaposition. So has the use of drones completely changed the face of warfare? In short-yes. I am not a pacifist, so my argument against drones is more than “military force is always wrong”. Rather, I am most concerned

The only criteria that may qualify the president for the award (in light of drone usage) is the fact that his administration has succeeded in making warfare more unilateral than ever. For thousands of years, bellicose people planning on maiming their enemy

First, I’d like to comment (perhaps cynically) on President Obama’s stepped up involvement of drone warfare and his recent acquisition of a Nobel Peace Prize- an award rich with irony. The Rawstory reports: “An astonishing 269 [drone attacks] have been carried out under the Obama administration, who took office in 2009. While the United States has claimed that 175 Al Qaeda suspects are hiding in Pakistan, drone strikes there have killed more than 3,000 people, mostly civilians.”

//see DRONES page 9

May 1, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Opinions 5

In Defense of the Calorie: Why No Food is “Bad” or “Good” Why we should stop viewing calories as the enemy and start viewing them as the little units energy that they are.

By Erin Royer STUDENT WRITER

W

ith the summer months coming and warm weather approaching, it is not uncommon for both men and women to begin paying attention to their diets in order to shape up for the season of bathing suits and summer activities. But I’m curious about the mindset of those who are watching their food intake and about the attitude that society has about food.

Often, at this time of year I’ll overhear, “I’m going to be good today and skip dessert” when I pass Lottie’s dessert bar. Or I’ll notice more and more students at the gym saying, “I have to burn off the burger that I ate today!

I should have eaten better!” While skipping dessert and exercising are not bad by any means, it seems that our feelings toward food largely involve guilt and punishment rather than nourishment and enjoyment.

Calories. No, they’re not “tiny creatures that live in your closet and sew your clothes a little bit tighter every night.”

Calories are defined as “the amount of heat energy required to raise or lower 1 kg of pure liquid water by 1°C” (A.S.P.E.N.). In lay-terms, this means a calorie is a unit of energy that allows our bodies to carry out metabolic func-

tions. Calories are neither good nor bad: they are a standard of measurement that we use to quantify our bodies’ energy needs and consumption.

Food contains calories. In the most basic sense, this means that food contains units of energy that allow our bodies to do everything from running to blinking to pumping blood through our arteries. If calories are neither good nor bad, then food also should not have a moral value placed upon it.

Food items merely have varying values of energy associated with them.

We have been taught and trained from the moment we can read a magazine or watch television to associate high-calorie foods with shame and low-calorie foods with reverence. Yet all food goes toward the same purpose: to fuel the body! A calorie is a calorie, and the energy you get from chocolate cake will be put to the same use as the energy you get from a veggie burger. The energy simply comes in different forms.

As we get closer to short-short-wearing weather, I urge you to think about your mentality about food and to enjoy a wide variety of high- and low-calorie fare by following your body’s natural cues.

Photo by Cait Fenello

Intuitive eating is ditching any diet mentality, especially this notion that calories are the enemy. You can eat what you crave, and stop when you have had enough (IntuitiveEating.org). As a society we need to re-learn how to feed ourselves based on hunger and fullness cues.

We’ve been on an anti-food, anti-calorie craze long enough. Intuitive eating means knowing that no food is good or bad. Food is just food, and calories are just calories, and there is more to life than worrying over what you eat. So this

summer season, eat what you like, learn about your body’s needs, and know that you truly do not need to fear the calorie.

Not a “Personal” Faith My exploration of Islam helped me to see how unrealistic the concept of a personal faith really is.

By Lynda Heller OPINIONS EDITOR

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eople often talk about having a “personal relationship with Christ”, and for most of my life I would not have thought that description to be unusual. However, a year ago I went Muslim for lent, and the experience changed my perspective on faith in many ways. Most significantly, it led me to view matters of faith as much less “personal.”

There are not many things more lonely than being the only Muslim at a Christian college. Ok, so I wasn’t really Muslim, but I was acting like I was. And there wasn’t a morning that I got up to pray without imagining what it would be like to be praying in community. I have never spread out a prayer mat with dozens of people on either side of me, bowing to Mecca and reciting in unison. Such

Photo by Sarah Brookhart

an experience must be so exhilarating.

I can only imagine the bond that those praying must feel, not only with those they stood shoulder to shoulder with, but with all people of their faith speaking the same prayers at the same time.

nation with large populations of Muslims, the experience of wearing hijab would be entirely different than in the United States. In many ways, it is unfortunate that Christians lack such a visual means of identifying with each other.

doesn’t undergo spontaneous generation. We formulate and maintain our beliefs by talking, reading, and feeling, then sorting through the information we’ve received. We are not autonomous, and pretending to be is self-deceiving.

Wearing hijab on Messiah Campus was another isolating experience. Although I received no response worse than a surprised look, for the week that I wore the scarf I felt alone in many ways. Having my head covered left me vulnerable, separated, and yet- in some way- empowered. I doubt very much that this is what most Muslim women would feel in hijab. Instead, I suspect they would experience a unity with their fellow women. The scarf would serve more as a uniform than as an isolation device. In any

Fasting was another aspect of Islam not really meant to be practiced alone.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, and then break their fast by eating and celebrating together.

Fasting in solitude leaves one without accountability or encouragement.

And hungry. Not an ideal situation.

There are many things I love about Islam, and my life has been affected by that religion in multiple ways. However, I do not need to convert to Islam in search of loyalty and camaraderie. I do not doubt that there are members of my own faith that would stand shoulder to shoulder with me. As Christians, we just need to get over our individualistic pride, and our “personal” faith.

As Western Christians, I believe we often ignore how impersonal our faith really is. After all, most of us did not become Christians in a vacuum. Faith

May 1, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Arts & Entertainment 6

Les Misérables L

By Megan LaTorre STUDENT WRITER

es Miserables is the world’s longest running musical. Seen by over 65 million people in 42 countries, and winner of 100 international awards, this classic has had a long time to evolve to the modern film adaptation. Beginning with a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, the story has kept its original French title which has numerous possible English translations such as: The Poor Ones, The Miserable Ones, or The Victims.

Starting in the mid twentieth century, many film and television adaptations of the story began sprouting throughout the world: first, a 1935 American film; second, a 1958 French-East GermanItalian film; next was a 1978 British television adaptation; then a 1985 musical rendition of the popular story in London, England; fifth, a 1988 American film featuring Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Rush, Uma Thurman, and Claire Danes; sixth, a 2000 French television miniseries; and finally, in 2012, an American film starring Hugh Jackman and Russel Crowe.

The plotline of the 2012 Universal Pictures film follows the general guidelines of the original novel. Taking place in 19th century France, the story begins with Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) being released from prison after having served 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread. He breaks parole to create a new life for himself, while having to evade Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe), who is determined to bring him to justice no matter how long it takes.

Eight years later, Valjean, under a false identity, lives as a wealthy factory owner and the mayor in the town of Montreuilsur-mer. One of the women who works

for him, Fantine (Anne Hathaway), secretly sends all her salary to support her illegitimate daughter. When Fantine is found out her fellow workers demand for her dismissal. Forced to live on the street, Fantine sells her first hair, then her teeth, and eventually turns to prostitution in her desperation to pay Cosette’s caretakers. Later, Valjean intervenes when Fantine is arrested and brings her to the hospital; upon hearing of Fantine’s daughter, he offers to care for her as Fantine takes her last breath. Javert tries to intercept Valjean after his encounter with Fantine, but is unable to capture him. Valjean finds Cosette, pays off the the Thénardiers (her villainous guardians) and then raises the girl as his own daughter.

The story resumes nine years later as Cosette (Amanda Seyfried) is a grown woman. The only government official who is sympathetic toward the poor is nearing his death and France is in an upheaval. Two student activists – Marius Pontemercy (Eddie Redmayne) and Enjolras (Aaron Tveit) – together with street urchin Gavroche (Daniel Huttlestone) discuss and plot for revolution. Meanwhile, Marius catches a glimpse of Cosette and instantly falls in love with her. The romantic love of Cosette and Marius, the fatherly love of Valjean for Cosette, and the competitive hatred of Javert for Valjean are masterfully intertwined with the political instability and growing revolution.

Les Miserables is a story of political upheaval, love and betrayal, struggling to overcome personal history, life-long feuds, the battle to achieve personal betterment, and- above all – an underlying compassion towards the unfortunate.

Josh Ritter to Play Free Show

By James Reagan STUDENT WRITER

F

or SAB’s final concert of the 2012-2013 school year, singer/songwriter Josh Ritter will play a free concert. At 8 p.m. on Friday, May 3, Ritter will take the stage for a free show at the Union.

Ritter came from humble beginnings; he was born in Moscow, Idaho and his dabbling in songwriting started with an attempt during his teenage years to write songs on his father’s self-made lute. Ritter would go on to purchase a guitar from K-Mart, and despite majoring in neuroscience during college; he still aspired to become a musician.

His first break came when he met the head of an independent record label, while promoting his second album Golden Age of Radio. This resulted in Ritter becoming a word-of-mouth success in Ireland after the release of his single “Me & Jiggs.” He became so successful in Ireland that his next record, Hello Star-

Provided by the Student Activies Board

ling debuted at No. 2 on the Irish charts.

It took a little longer for Ritter’s success to catch on in the states. His 2006 album The Animal Years received warm critical attention when Entertainment Weekly columnist, Stephen King called it, “the best album of the year.”

Ritter’s most recent album The Beast In Its Tracks was released in March of this year. While most of his albums center on the broad canvas of history, The Beast In Its Tracks is a more personal album.

Although the album was inspired by his

recent divorce, the songs are not too bitter. Instead the album focuses on making a recovery from the failed relationship.

“Evil Eye” has Ritter laughing off the insomnia caused by his troubles.

“A Certain Light” shows him making comparisons between his old wife and the new lover that he’s found.

The album’s first single, “Joy to You Baby” serves as a farewell that talks about how all of us deserve to find happiness and peace after suffering heartbreak.

This is a theme that Ritter constantly

revisits, as he seems to sincerely want the best for both him and his ex-wife in their lives apart from one another. The sentiment is perhaps best expressed in the song “New Lover” which says in an understated way, “I’ve got a new lover now, I hope you’ve got one too.”

Ritter’s music has a wide appeal with lyrics that both single people and people in happily committed relationships can easily relate to. While admission is free to the concert, anyone who wishes to attend will have to pick up tickets at the ticket office.

May 1, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Arts & Entertainment 7

B-Sides:

The bright and lovely Emily Wells

By Danielle Burkett STUDENT WRITER

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his Wednesday, B-sides will feature Emily Wells as the last B-sides artist of the semester.

Emily Wells isn’t your typical violin player because she blends modern instrumentation as well as classical music. She is classically trained as a violinist, but her musical interests had too wide a range for just one instrument, so she branched out. Wells learned a variety of instruments, and soon created her own unique style.

Besides the violin she plays: drums, guitar, synthesizers, keys, beat machines, toy pianos, other toy instruments, and glockenspiels.

She blends swirling strings, ingenious electronics, and intricate beats. These sounds are combined with celestial vocals and a deeply personal song-craft.

Wells’ newest release, Mama Acoustic Recordings, comes out on June 11. In it, she re-imagines songs that were first heard on her 2012 acclaimed record, Mama.

Mama contained Wells’ fusion of hip-

hop, dance music, classical complexity, and lyrical reflection; whereas Mama Acoustic Recordings is recorded solely with her voice and guitar.

Mama Acoustic Recordings made Wells, “strip off her own armor leaving only her voice and equally unambiguous songwriting on display,” according to her official webpage emilywellsmusic.com Wells says, “There was nothing to hide behind… I’m always wrestling with that, because so much of the music I love is incredibly simple, but what I usually do is very far from it.”

She refined her sound with a series of independent releases. She has had countless live performances as both a bandleader, and a solo performer.

She is currently considering how her recent travels to Korea, Switzerland, and Los Angeles will incorporate into her next solo work. Wells expects to see additional exploration into the sounds of deep soul and traditional gospel.

Wells’ visit to B-sides is certainly going to be an experience that you don’t want to miss, so be sure to stop by! .

Provided by the Student Activies Board

Following Christopher Robin: An interview with “The Author’s Son”s lyricist

By Olivia La Bianca STUDENT WRITER

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ou may have noticed promotions for the one-act musical “The Author’s Son” that started circulating this past week. I am Olivia La Bianca, a sophomore student and one of the co-creators of the one-act musical, and I would be delighted to tell you.

After children’s author A.A. Milne published his famous book Winnie-the-Pooh in 1926, the name Christopher Robin became famous throughout the world.

What many people do not know, however, is that Milne based the character on his own son, Christopher Robin. Even less well-known is the fact that Christopher resented his father’s decision to make him into a literary character, and was plagued his whole life because of his famous childhood counterpart.

Junior student Kramer Hardman and I wondered what it would be like to explore this complex and oddly unpublicized father-son relationship.

So, one night toward the beginning of January, we decided to see if we could unpack the subject in the form of a short one-act musical. There followed three months of intensive research, composing, writing, and revision – not to mention copious quantities of caffeine and many an all-nighter.

There were several challenges along the way. Of course, there was the issue of time. Because the goal was to perform the musical and not simply write it, we had automatically given ourselves a three-month deadline. It did not hit us when we were starting out that we were going to have to do in one semester what takes most script-writers years to do.

Also, we wanted to make sure we stayed true to the story and character of Christopher Robin. We took creative licenses

here and there in order to make the story stage-worthy, but we were constantly making sure that we were not veering too far away from what really happened.

Finally, and this is something my collaborator Kramer really upheld, we had to be respectful to the memories not only of Christopher but also of A.A. Milne himself. We could not make it a “good-guy versus bad-guy” kind of conflict. Reading both men’s autobiographies revealed that there were issues on each side of the relationship, so we had to be certain we were not lifting up one as a saint and vilifying the other.

To me, personally, this project has been one of the best things to happen to me all semester. I initially approached the project with hesitation because musical theater was so far outside the realm of my experience. But thanks to “The Author’s Son”, I believe I have discovered a new genre to explore.

Also, I had the privilege of working

with someone who is both an extremely gifted composer and a wonderful, Godfearing friend. It is my hope that this is not the last musical we will co-write.

The whole process was great. I loved drinking cold black coffee in an effort to stay awake at the piano. I loved the adrenaline rush that would kick in around 3 a.m. after a breakthrough with a lyric or a piece of music. I loved working with our talented cast and crew, and with all the people who are making this a reality. Finally, I loved rereading Winnie-the-Pooh and reconnecting with a facet of my childhood that I had forgotten. I loved getting to know the one and only Christopher Robin Milne.

A staged reading of “The Author’s Son” will be performed at Parmer Cinema on May 5th at 6 p.m.

Come for free and reintroduce yourself to a beloved childhood character and the men behind his creation.

May 1, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Arts & Entertainment 8

Summer Movie Previews

By Danielle Burkett STUDENT WRITER

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he weather is starting to heat up and finals are just around the corner so that can only mean one thing, summer is almost here!

With summer come vacations, hanging out with family and friends, and one of my favorite things, summer movie releases.

There are plenty of movies and genres to choose from, but here are a few that I think are definitely worth checking out.

Coming out May 31 is Now You See Me directed by Louis Leterrier. It stars Morgan Freeman, Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Mark Ruffalo, Dave Franco, and Woody Harrelson, just to name a few.

According to Rottentomatoes.com, It is a thriller “that pits an elite FBI team in a game of cat and mouse against the “Four Horsemen,” a super-team of the world’s greatest illusionists.”

Throughout the film the “Four Horseman” pull off a series of daring heists against corrupt business leaders during their performances and then gives the stolen cash to their audiences.

Man of Steel, directed by Zack Snyder, is scheduled to be released on June 14.

Man of Steel tells the story of a young boy from Kansas who learns he has extraor-

dinary abilities and that he isn’t from Earth. As he grows up he journeys to discover where he came from and what he is meant to do with his life. If the world has any hope of surviving annihilation, he must find the hero within and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.

This film stars Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, and Diane Lane.

Lone Ranger starring Armie Hammer, Johnny Depp, Tom Wilkinson, William Fichtner, Barry Pepper, and Helena Bonham Carter is released on July 3.

Lone Ranger is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski and it is described by Rottentomatoes.com as, “a thrilling adventure infused with action and humor.”

This film takes the classic tale of the masked hero and the Native American spirit warrior and brings new life to the story. The film recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid, a man of the law into a legend of justice.

Audiences will be taken on a wild journey full of surprises and humorous friction as two unlikely heroes learn to work together and fight against greed and corruption.

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Man of Steel will be in theaters on June 14.

Summer Concert Previews

By Carter Winsch STUDENT WRITER

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ummer is nearly here, which for many means cookouts, beach trips, and swimming pools. But to the music faithful, summer is the most wonderful time of the year due to the number of festivals that come with it.

From the Van’s Warped Tour to Bonnaroo, festivals are a great way to see some favorite bands in one day, discover new artists, and engage with a community of like minded music lovers.

Rat Dog. Also on the roster are The Black Crowes and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, among many others.

A pass to the festival will also serve as a pass to the water park on site.

Watch out for hippies though!

Made In America: This two-day extravaganza is also only in its second year.

Since MIA was originally organized by Jay-Z, however, and featured acts like Drake and Pearl Jam last year, it has already garnered a lot of national attention.

I will be making it out to two festivals this summer, The Peach Festival and Headliners this year are Beyoncé and Made In America. Here’s what to expect. Nine Inch Nails, but also notably are Kendrick Lamar, Deadmau5, Macklemore & Peach Fest: This year marks only Ryan Lewis, 2 Chainz, Imagine Dragons, the second Peach Music Festival, yet and a slew of other worthy performers. this festival is quickly establishing itself as a summer staple of the North. The festival will take place over Labor Day weekend in Philadelphia at the Organized by legendary jam band, steps of the Art Museum. If it is anyThe Allman Brothers, the 4 day thing like it was last year, prices on festival features a variety of art- everything are a little high, but the atists, but generally relating to south- mosphere will be fantastic and the acts ern rock or jam bands in some way. will keep the excitement high all day.

The Allman Brothers will take the Last year’s surprise was an appearance by stage on both main nights along Kanye West and G.O.O.D. Music, so who with longtime friends Bob Weir & knows what could be in store this year!

May 1, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Opinions 9

Dove’s “Real Beauty Sketches” Campaign and Why It’s Not Helping Women

By Stephanie Wilson EDITOR IN CHIEF

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A

I scrolled down my Facebook newsfeed a couple weeks ago, I kept seeing the same video pop up on my friends’ walls. In their descriptions of the video, called “Dove Real Beauty Sketches, my friends were saying things like “always remember this!” and “you are beautiful!”

In the video, Gil Zamora, an FBI trained forensic artist, draws “real women” without ever seeing them. He asks each woman to describe herself, and they do, using descriptions like “my mom told me I have a big jaw” and “[my chin] kind of protrudes a little bit, especially when I smile.” He creates sketches based on their descriptions and then creates a second sketch based on a stranger’s description of the same woman.

would react if Dove had asked a size 18 woman to participate in the campaign, and she had described herself as beautiful without hesitation. It’s sad to call yourself ugly and it’s vain to call yourself pretty. We can’t win. This ad isn’t helping.

When can women be judged on something other than what they look like?

When won’t it matter what people see when they look at you? I’m so much more than what my face looks like or how much I weigh. Even Dove’s famous Campaign For Real Beauty advertisements from a few years back feature curvy women with toned arms and no cellulite. They think they’re pushing our standards for beauty but they

are just making fat people look fatter.

They’re saying, it’s OK to be fat! Just not so fat that we lose your waistline.

The video suggests that women are their own worst critics, but we aren’t naturally that way. We were born into a world that revolves around the idea that our beauty isn’t beautiful enough. Our insecurities come from global companies like Unilever, which produces Dove products as well as famously sexist Axe advertisements. Unilever creates low self-esteem with products like Axe, and then tries to fix them with products like Dove. What does this company truly stand for?

people actually look like the sketches on the left. Some people aren’t conventionally pretty, and some women actually do have fat faces and scars and big foreheads and crow’s feet (whatever those are). I want to tell every woman that it’s OK to look that way. You are probably smart or crafty. You are probably good with kids and a really good friend. You are probably a good leader and a really great cook. Above all, you are probably a fabulous diva.

You are a thousand times more than what your face looks like. You deserve to know that, because it’s something Dove won’t tell you.

Lastly, I want to point out that some

When Zamora shows the women his sketches, the stranger-described sketches look more like what the women actually look like. The self-described sketches look like photos from inside a morgue.

At face value, this video seems like a compelling way to boost the self-esteem of women struggling with insecurities.

You are more beautiful than you think.

We are supposed to be moved by that statement. But I, for one, am cringing on behalf of women everywhere.

Firstly, Dove is still upholding society’s belief that physical beauty is very important. Women are constantly fed the notion that we are what we look like, and Dove did everything in this ad to reinforce that sentiment. The video features mostly young, white women (although black women are featured, they only take up about 10 seconds of the six minute video), all conventionally pretty, all with terrible things to say about their faces.

And of course the women in the video describe themselves negatively, because it’s shameful to say nice things about the way you look. Imagine how viewers

Dove tries to show women that they are more beautiful than they think through sketches like this.

Photo provided Dove

//DRONES had to expose themselves to harm.

Drone warfare changes the payoff matrix for combatants. The attacker has only an expensive piece of equipment to lose (or fall into hostile Iranian hands like what happened in December 2011).

From a purely utilitarian view one could argue that drones half the potential casualties of traditional warfare. Great job America! Not even Ghandi or MLK accomplished that!

The wars in Vietnam and Iraq (round II) were in some ways reverse wars

of attrition. Instead of our nation being the attackers of a besieged “castle”, American manpower and resources were sapped by unconventional guerrilla warfare. As such, public support waned for ideologically misguided conflicts (often with vague definitions of victory) leading to their bittersweet end.

However, none of this matters in drone warfare. The government can sustain years of isolated attacks on enemies of the state without a single American casualty. The applications of drones do not end at foreign wars; drones have

been used in civilian applications. As of now, surveillance drones fly over agricultural areas to enforce environmental laws. Concerned citizens fear the applications don’t end there.

Currently, there is a debate raging about justification of a military award given to soldiers that fly unmanned drones.

Many detractors see awarding a joystick-wielding technician in a bunker with a medal as disgraceful to soldiers risking their lives on the field of battle.

I think the problem distills down to

this: drone usage requires a fraction of the forethought and sacrifice of traditional shoot-outs. Don’t get me wrong, I loathe any sort of physical conflict, but drone warfare is scarcely any better than conventional warfare.

While I applaud keeping our service people safe and sane, the loss of any human life is appalling. While we should be hesitating more to pull the trigger, drone warfare is moving us in the wrong “trigger-happy” direction.

May 1, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Sports 10

Falcons Dominate in Dallas to Win National Championship By: Zachary Specht SPORTS EDITOR

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inning a national championship is an achievement that has been transformed into an expectation of Messiah College Athletics. Since 2000, the Falcons have claimed victory in 15 national championships in NCAA Division III athletics. The Falcons men’s soccer teams are nine-time national champions, while the women’s soccer program has won five national championships, and the softball team has also won a national championship.

The relation of competition between the varsity programs at Messiah and the club sports is inconspicuous. On April 6, the Messiah Men’s Club Volleyball team claimed their second national championship in program history. The title marked the second time since 2008

where the Falcons have won the NCVF Division II National Championship.

The Falcons obliterated their conference foes in the MACVC playoffs, as they did not lose a set and took home their eighth conference championship in program history. Messiah defeated Temple, Desales, and TCNJ in pool play before sweeping Penn College, West Chester, and Villanova in the playoffs to take home the title and earn a bid to the national tournament in Dallas, Texas.

In the national tournament, the Falcons continued their unprecedented display of dominance. Messiah remained unbeaten and cruised through the playoffs, beating Washington University in St. Louis, Xavier, Missouri

Provided by Messiah Men’s Club Volleyball

Messiah Golf Team in Full Swing for Postseason A

By Zach Krueger STUDENT WRITER

pril 23rd wraps up the regular season for the Messiah Falcon golf team when they host the Messiah Falcon classic tournament at Blue Ridge Country Club. The Messiah golf team has performed exceptionally well this season, placing first in nine of the 14 tournaments they have played in this season. The Falcons hope to carry the momentum of their season in the MAC Championship tournament at the Hershey Golf Club beginning on April 27th.

The Falcons are led by senior Matt Burkhart, who shot a team best -1 in the team’s last tournament at the Ursinus Invitational, his best performance in 2013.

On the year Burkhart has averaged 72.9

strokes per round, also leading the team.

Other key contributors to the Falcon’s success this season are Austin Galaska, Justin Sisson and Mick Farlling. Galaska is second on the team in strokes per round at 79.4, while Sisson is just behind him at 79.9. Farlling, the senior of the group, has averaged 80.3 strokes per round and also has two top five finishes along with four top ten finishes. // see GOLF pg 12

Science & Technology, and Sonoma State to win the NCVF Division II National Championship. The Falcons finished the season with a record of 54-2 in individual sets, including regular season play, MACVC championships, and the national tournament.

In a national tournament that hosted a total of 48 teams, Messiah also had

individual performances that provided the Falcons with national recognition. Caleb Miller was named tournament MVP. Ben Bovenzi and Justin Beachy were named to the alltournament 1st team. John Feldmann and Travis Moyer were named to the all-tournament 2nd team. Derick Esch was also named honorable mention.

May 1, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Sports 11

Explosion of Young Runners leads the Distance Team to MACs

By John Moulton STUDENT WRITER

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ith an influx of first-year runners and the building successes of current senior runners, the Messiah Long Distance team has experienced what the future holds and has seen a great year. Coming into this year, the coaches knew that many of the top runners would be first-year runners for the team, but knew also that there was a chance that the success these runners had in high school might not correlate to college. However, this year’s group of runners has lived up to the expectations that the team had in mind coming into the season.

Events that fall into long distance are the 800m, the 1500m, the 3000m, 5000m and the 10000m. In the Men’s 800-meter run, the top three runners for this year are senior Aaron Reynolds with a time of 1:53.80, sophomore J.P. McGill at 1:58.25, and freshman Chris Scheib at 2:01.18.

In the 1500m, 3000m, 5000m and 10000m, the freshman runners are making their biggest impact on the team. The best runner in the 1500m is Reynolds with a time of 4:01.34, but overall five freshman runners take up the top 10 and two of them are in the top three. The 3000m is led by freshman runners Tyler Sensenig and Ryan Laird with times of 9:19.41 and 10:04.43, respectively. Under the category of the 5000m, four out of the top five runners are freshman with Johnny Ausel leading the pack with a time of 15:39.75. Finally, in the 10000m the Men’s team is led by freshmen Johnny Ausel and Tyler Sensenig with times of 32:43.97 and 33:20.21, respectively.

On the flipside in the Women’s team, three out of the top five times in the 800m are held by freshman runners with freshman Emily Senning holding the top time of 2:20.32. In

Provided by Messiah College Athletics

the 1500m race the battle for the best time is neck-and-neck between senior Brenda Flaherty and freshman Jacquelyn Young. Only four-tenths of a second separate them. For the 3000m the team is led by freshman Tasha Becker with a time of 11:29.35. Seniors Brenda Flaherty and Jenny Bender currently hold the top two times in both the 5000m and 10000m races.

event. The toughest competition the long distance team will face is Elizabethtown and overall, the team will fight against Widener University for the Crown of the MAC Champion this year.

For the MACs, which are just a few weeks away, the team has more than one runner qualified to run in each

Playoff picture for softball taking shape as season winds down

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his time last year, Messiah was sitting 1st place in the MAC and held it to the playoffs where they were eliminating by a strong showing from an Alvernia team. This team has had it a little tougher this year after needing time for the newcomers on

By Carter Davis STUDENT WRITER the team to settle in. Messiah was able to shake off a 2-4 start and currently sit at 3rd in the conference behind 1st place Lebanon Valley and 2nd place Alvernia.

If the season ended today, Messiah would have a 3-3 record against playoff

teams. The Falcons had a 4-2-conference record coming in to the month of April before dropping both games in a doubleheader to LVC. Most recently they took a tough split to Stevenson with a 5-3 win and a 1-0 loss. The way the playoff picture looks now, LVC and Alvernia both

Where Will They Be? Provided by Messiah College Athletics

have one conference loss a piece courtesy of a split double-header back on April 9th. Both of them have already punched their tickets to the MAC tournament.

Messiah has a key double-header at Alvernia on the 24th. With a pair of wins there, they could foreseeably leap frog Alvernia to that 2nd place spot and hold on to it. Messiah’s current conference record is 9-4, so pair of wins would pull Messiah to within a game of the Crusaders. Messiah poses no threat to 1st place LVC who only has one conference double-header remaining and are three games ahead of the Falcons.

Alvernia and Messiah each have one double-header remaining after facing each other. Alvernia will play Arcadia, who sits in the middle of a group of teams nipping at the heels of that 4th and final playoff spot. Messiah will square off against Widener. Alvernia could jump LVC for 1st place if they get a couple wins and the Dutchmen stumble against Elizabethtown who could have a lot to play for as a team that at least for now, is outside of the playoff picture.

Hood currently in 4th, but Arcadia, Elizabethtown, Widener, and Stevenson are still in the hunt to grab that spot from the Blazers. Messiah has some distance between them and the 4th place contenders, but again it goes without saying that the Alvernia double-header is huge and, they can’t overlook Widener.

May 1, 2013

The Swinging Bridge

Sports 12

Photo by Lauren Landis

Photo by Zach Specht

Caleb Miller Club Volleyball National Championship and MVP

By Kris Lokos STUDENT WRITER

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he Men’s Club Volleyball team is probably the best-kept secret at Messiah College. Being a club team, they are not allowed to receive any recognition from the athletic program. They are really just another club. The “club” won their second National Championship on April 6th this season in Dallas. The team went undefeated in the playoffs, beating Sonoma State (Ca.) in the championship.

Much of their success is due to junior outside hitter Caleb Miller. Miller was named MVP of the tournament after the team’s win.

“Being named MVP was really just a huge honor, “ Miller said. “Going into the tournament we all knew that we needed to step our game up, and everyone really did. It was really a team effort. I was just glad I was able to step up when we needed it.”

Miller, a junior business administration major, had nothing but nice things to say about his team and teammates.

“These guys are my best friends, both on the court and off the court. We have more than volleyball in common,” Miller said. “Sharing the common value of playing for God and to represent Messiah really makes us a closer team than other teams. Most schools don’t have that.”

As a pleased

whole, Miller was very with his whole season.

“I worked really hard all season to have everything right. We all worked really hard on our timing, which really makes a difference. That meant putting in the time outside of practice, and we did that,” Miller said.

His goal all along has been to win a National Championship.

“Winning the National Championship has been a goal since I got here. We knew heading into the season that we had a legitimate shot to win it, and so we made that our mission,” Miller said.

“We lose one solid starting senior in Justin Beachy, so we have to fill that void,” Miller said. “Still we know we have the potential to win another National Championship, so that is what we are going to try to do.”

Miller was also really proud and happy about the support the team got, despite not being a varsity sport at Messiah.

“We had a ton of people tell us that they were supporting us,” Miller said.

“I put up a link on Facebook just before the championship for people to watch, and it was awesome to hear how many people watched the game.”

It was not just Miller’s fellow students that he was greatful for. Both his parents and his grandparents were able to make it down to Dallas to see him play.

“Seeing how far they travel and the time and money they have put in really means a lot to me. It means so much to me to see how proud they are of what I have accomplished,” Miller said. “I only really get to see my grandparents about once a year, so it was re-

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//GOLF When asked about what the goal for the golf team is heading into MACs, senior Mick Farlling said, “Before we started the season our goal has been to win MACs and make it to the national championship. We need to stay in constant competition with each other during this week of practice.” Farlling went on to talk about how during their practices they pair off and play oneon-one matches which allows them

ally awesome to have them there too.”

Despite winning a National Championship and seeing all the support around him, Miller still has not lost his focus. In fact, he is already looking towards next season.

to prepare for playing against other players in the tournament pairings.

• Engaging, innovative courses taught by accomplished, committed faculty • Program completion in as little as two years • Small classes that ensure meaningful interaction

With an already successful season well in hand, there is no reason to think that the Falcons can’t walk away from the MAC tournament as champions. Good luck to the Falcon golf team as they close out their season and head to the MAC championship.

• Graduate assistantship opportunities available • The academic distinction of a nationally ranked Christian college — home to the Ernest L. Boyer Center and championship athletic teams that have won 15 NCAA Division III titles in the past decade • Offering flexible starting points throughout the year

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