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THIS ISSUE
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By Bryan Leong
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Phoebe Chua (left), Bryan Leong (middle), and Joel Ngui (right) enjoy their welcome to Messiah (and the cold!) STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES
Three Malaysian students provide insight on how they found Messiah College By Nicholas Tay FEATURE EDITOR
I
n the late winter of 2011, President Kim Phipps, vice president of enrollment John Chopka, and assistant director of admissions for international student recruitment Cindy Blount, traded the cold of Grantham for the sunny climate of Asia as they arranged a recruitment trip to the region. One of their stops was a pre-university institution in Malaysia, Methodist College Kuala Lumpur (MCKL).
Leong remembers the college presentation by President Phipps. “President Phipps came with Ms. Cindy to the preuniversity meetings, which are held every Tuesday. I had never heard of Messiah College before their presentation as
Advisor and Counselor for MCKL.
While President Phipps’ presentation focused mainly on the positives of American higher education, Leong still recalls the president’s mention of Cemetery Hill. “She mentioned how when it snows in the winter, students would take trays from Lottie and go sledding. That was what I remembered Messiah College to be.”
“I was drawn to the States because they focus more on the holistic growth of the individual. My parents also encouraged me to go to a Christian college to explore the whole integration of learning and faith, and the impressive engineering program was just another salient quality about Messiah College which attracted me.”
Chua and Ngui were not present at President Phipps’ talk yet their decision to apply was largely influenced by Blount’s continual trips to the region and Veronica Yap, the USA Universities Placement
Chua received direction from both Yap and Blount.
For Ngui, Blount’s recruitment drives at MCKL connected him with an idea of the American pedagogical style, the Christian aspect of higher education, and Messiah’s engineering program.
//see RECRUITMENT on page 3
page 11
rimsha masih page 9
As a result, three students from MCKL enrolled at Messiah for the 2012-2013 academic year. While the college’s recruitment trip impacted their application, other individuals and factors influenced Bryan Leong, Joel Ngui, and Phoebe Chua’s final decision.
it was not as famous as the Ivy League schools. The main point presented by President Phipps was how higher education in the United States was different from other countries, especially since there’s a bigger focus on the liberal arts here.”
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golf
They arrived at a campus where most students’ higher education plans focus on studies in Singapore, Australia, or the United Kingdom. On their trip, they presented the benefits of studying in the United States, especially identifying the strengths of Christian perspective integral to Messiah’s mission.
difficult conversations page 2
b-sides
RECRUITMENT OVERSEAS
October 17, 2012 The Swinging Bridge
News 2
The Sustainable Future of Messiah College
By Megan E. Bloom STUDENT WRITER
T
he patio of Larsen Student Union was filled with people, locally grown produce, and a very hungry tortoise named Gilbert. The topic that was buzzing on everyone’s lips was sustainability. It was the Messiah College Office of Sustainability’s second annual Sustain-AFest on Thursday, October 4th. “One of the goals for this year was trying to make it an interconnected experience. There’s multiple different groups on campus and off campus pursuing sustainability initiatives or just in their model of business,” said Student Sustainability Coordinator, Amy Ward.
By Rachel Seitz Though there are many organizations on campus, some of them are directly providing sustainable resources to the campus like Earthkeepers and the biodiesel initiative.
er waste from the Union, and coffee grounds from the Falcon for the compost pile in the back 40.
The club has purchased compost collection buckets to give to students so they can contribute to the campus wide composting effort.
“The most important thing about composting is that we have nutrients in our food and when we throw that in the garbage all those nutrients don’t stay in our campus. So we want to keep the nutrients in our cycle on our campus because when we compost, it breaks down and then it goes back into our soil which is used by the Grounds Department for the community garden and landscaping,” said Arditi.
Adam Arditi, a waste diversion workstudy student, collects 500 lbs. per day of pre and post-consumer waste from Lottie Nelson Dining Hall, pre-consum-
One does not have to be a sustainable studies major to make a difference. A group of students use their zeal for engineering to create biofuel on campus.
“Earthkeepers is the creation care, environmental science, and biology club on campus,” said two of the leaders of the club, Jess Adams and Erika Lyons.
The biofuel program has been around for 10 years and the efforts to produce biodiesel has increased. One of the ways the program has grown was the planting of the sunflower field in 2011. “We collect the sunflower seeds and put them through a seed press. We press the seeds and get a beautiful sunflower press cake and we also get crude sunflower oil,” said Mark Wagner, junior engineering major. Wagner continues to explain that they take the sunflower oil and the waste vegetable oil from Lottie Nelson and combine it with a catalyst of potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide. Then they //see SUSTAINABILITY on page 3
Discussing Politics: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Difficult Conversations chapel highlights how to communicate efficiently about politics By Sarah Doucette STUDENT WRITER
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n Oct. 23, Messiah College’s Communication Department and the Associate Dean’s team will host this year’s Difficult Conversations event—with a twist. With the election coming up this year, Difficult Conversations is going political. Students can receive chapel credit while learning new methods on how to discuss one of the most difficult topics around: politics. ”Knowing that we are in an election year and knowing that so much of the political realm involves issues in which people are often extremely passionate – to the point of incivility,” said Associate Dean of Students Doug Wood. “Having this “political lens” on the Difficult Conversation program seemed especially relevant.” Difficult Conversations is not your average chapel. This interactive event consists of role plays, short clips, lots of food, and stimulating discussion. Students can expect to walk away with new skills on how to effectively communicate with civility when emotions run high. Although junior history major Nicole Roggie only attended Difficult Conversations last year because of friends, she was pleasantly surprised about how much she learned.
“This chapel wasn’t at all what I expected; the skits were informative, but also really entertaining,” says Roggie. “I really liked the discussion between each role play and how we were given markers to brainstorm answers. Controversial topics can be difficult to discuss, but this chapel taught me some ways about how to get my opinion across without being offensive.”
Professor Quimby is also hoping for an even bigger and better event this time around. “What I’m hoping to see is a strong turnout across campus from the entire Messiah community. There is not anyone among us who could not benefit from participating in this event. The topics are timely and realistic. This lack of civility is something most all of us have experienced, or witnessed, or
maybe even been guilty of ourselves,” says Quimby. Difficult Conversations will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 23 in Brubaker auditorium at 8 p.m. For more information, visit the event page on the Messiah College Communication Department’s Facebook page.
Students of professor Kate Quimby’s Interpersonal Conflict class last semester wrote and directed the role plays. Junior communication major Blair Jewell was not only in that class, but acted in one of the skits as well. “Being in Difficult Conversations was an amazing experience; by stepping into my character’s shoes, I was able to learn new things about dealing with conflict that I could then apply to my everyday life. This year, because of the political aspect, it will be a new learning experience for everyone,” says Jewell. This year, all students on campus were invited to participate in writing role plays. In addition, Dr. Nance McCown’s Event Planning class is helping with the event. Dr. McCown, Chair of the Communication Department, was thrilled with last year’s turnout and is excited to see how the political theme will play out this year. “We hoped for about 200 students and ended up with about 350!” said McCown.
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October 17, 2012 The Swinging Bridge //RECRUITMENT “I heard about Messiah from Ms. Cindy during her presentations and a memorable part of her talk was the sunflower fields. It was pretty interesting to know that Messiah places an emphasis on sustainable projects. But what caught me the most was that it was a Christian college.” The Malaysians’ choice of tertiary education depended on their ability to afford the high costs of overseas studies. Messiah’s financial aid structure and generosity was an answer to their prayers. Leong recalls, “I was set on applying to Birmingham University in the UK, but I realized it was pretty costly and would be a burden to my family. When Ms. Yap mentioned the affordability of a United States education, I decided to apply to both Messiah and Kent State. By God’s grace, the [financial] door to Messiah opened for me.” Chua’s dream of teaching mathematics at the college level and Messiah’s generosity influenced her decision. “The only way to pursue my dream was to go overseas. The UK and Singapore weren’t among my choices because scholarships require bonding to certain companies or the government. I didn’t want that. Money was the main deciding factor and Messiah offered generous financial aid opportunities. Messiah was my dream college but I wasn’t sure how I would be able to afford the education. Yet I knew God would provide, and He did.” For many international students, a leap of faith is required when making decisions of higher education. Even though the final choice is personal, the institution’s influence impacts the outcome. For the MCKL students, Messiah College’s decision to recruit in Asia, along with its generous financial aid, offered these individuals an opportunity many do not have: quality tertiary education.
//SUSTAINABILITY mix it with methanol to get biodiesel and glycerin by using a machine called the manual processor. “We put our waste vegetable oil directly into this tank [in the manual processor] and we add the chemicals into a separate tank. After heating it up, we can actually mix the two together and it instills a chemical reaction,” said senior engineering major Tyler Newswanger. Once the reaction is complete they are left with glycerin and biodiesel; they then separate the two and are left with clean biodiesel, said Newswanger. “The biodiesel is used to fuel the gators that the Messiah staff uses to drive around campus,” said Wagner. These two projects are sending the college down the right path toward being a sustainable campus. With the passion of students and faculty, we can all help in creating an environmentally conscious community.
News 3
MESSIAH COLLEGE’S HOMECOMING CALENDAR *for more information see http://www.messiah.edu/offices/alumni/homecoming/index.html
alumni games concerts Alumni Wrestling Practice Where: Sollenberger Sports Center, Wrestling Room When: Saturday, October 20 @ 9:30 a.m.
Alumni Field Hockey Game Where: Anderson Field When: Saturday, October 20 @ 10 a.m. Alumni Women’s Soccer Game Where: Practice Fields When: Saturday, October 20 @ 10 a.m. Alumni Baseball Classic Where: Starry Athletic Fields, Baseball Field When: Saturday, October 20 @ 11 a.m. Alumni Softball Game Where: Starry Athletic Fields, Softball Field When: Saturday, October 20 @ 11 a.m. Alumni Men’s Soccer Game Where: Practice Fields When: Saturday, October 20 @ 12 p.m. Alumni Women’s Lacrosse Game Where: Anderson Field When: Saturday, October 20 @ 3 p.m. Alumni Men’s Lacrosse Game Where: Anderson Field When: Saturday, October 20 @ 4:30 p.m.
powder puff Powderpuff: Seniors vs. First Years Where: Rec Fields When: Saturday, October 20 @ 10 a.m. Come show your support and see as the year’s females compete in a football game like no other! Powderpuff: Juniors vs. Sophomores Where: Rec Fields When: Saturday, October 20 @ 11:15 a.m. Powderpuff: Cheerleading Competition Where: Rec Fields When: Saturday, October 20 @ 12:30 p.m. Support your Messiah College men as they cheer for the ladies! Each group represents their year and has a choreographed routine. Powderpuff: Championship Game Where: Rec Fields When: Saturday, October 20 @ 1 p.m. The deciding game of ladies football that will determine which year’s team is the victor of Messiah College!
Concert Choir Performance Where: Hostetter Chapel When: Saturday, October 20 @ 4-5 p.m.
Homecoming Concert – Adam Brock Where: Larsen Student Union When: Saturday, October 20 @ 9 p.m. Price: Free, but ticketed event Messiah College alum and American Idol finalist, Adam Brock will be performing in the Union!
varsity sports Varsity Field Hockey vs. Arcadia Where: Anderson Field When: Saturday, October 20 @ 1 p.m. Support the Falcons as they take on Arcadia.
Varsity Women’s Soccer vs. Widener Where: Shoemaker Field When: Saturday, October 20 @ 3 p.m. Support the lady Falcons as they take on Widener. Varsity Men’s Soccer vs. Widener Where: Shoemaker Field When: Saturday, October 20 @ 6 p.m. Get there a few minutes early to see the student white out march led by Eyas, the Student Alumni Council!
dance A Night in the City: Homecoming Dance Where: Hitchcock When: Friday, October 19 @ 8-12 a.m. Price: $12, students and $15, guests The Homecoming dance is semi-formal and features the talents of DJ Innov8.
...more Falcon Fun Run Where: Starry Athletic Complex, outdoor track When: Saturday, October 20 @ 8:30–9:15 a.m. Race begins on the outdoor track at 9:30. Register in the Eisenhower Campus Center Commons.
Oakes Museum: 10th Anniversary Where: Jordan Science Center, Oakes Museum When: Saturday, October 20 @ 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
October 17, 2012 The Swinging Bridge
WEDNESDAY WAR ROOM HEALTH CARE
Obamacare and the Practicality of Politics By Huy Nguyen OPINIONS EDITOR
D
espite constant scrutiny since being signed into law on Mar. 23, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), commonly known as "Obamacare," will go down as one of the most notable accomplishments
of President Obama in his tenure. The primary goal of Obamacare is to reduce the number of Americans without health insurance while also reducing the costs of health care. The reform employs mandates, subsidies, and tax credits to increase coverage rate. In June 2012, Obama scored a major victory when the Supreme Court ruled the individual health insurance mandate constitutional, therefore upholding the President's signature legislation. However, by also declaring that the penalties the law places on individuals who elect not to buy health insurance will count as a tax protected by the Constitution, the Supreme Court posed a serious challenge to Obama as
Election Day draws closer. The ruling ties Obama's accomplishment with potentially inextricable political division and controversy, on multiple levels. First and foremost, Obama's political legacy was clearly cemented with the upholding of the Affordable Care Act. After all, there has not been a health reform even close to Obamacare's magnitude since Medicare and Medicaid were passed in 1965. However, the President, in an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in 2009, maintained that "the mandate is not a tax." Does that mean Obama is now forced to endorse his signature legislation despite the fact that the bill itself contradicts his policy as the President!? Yes, because he has no other choice.
Opinions 4
Unsurprisingly, Mitt Romney and the Republicans jumped at the opportunity to cement their case against Obamacare, reaffirming the Chief Justice's ruling that the mandate is indeed a tax. The problem is Romney, as the Massachusetts governor, signed a health care bill that penalizes citizens without health insurance. Although the law is only applied at the state level, it bears resemblance to the federal provision. Now does that mean Romney is now obliged to contradict the very bill he signed as the Massachusetts governor and run against the ruling that enshrines the constitutionality of "Romneycare?" Yes, because he has no other choice. Heading into the election, health care remains one of the prominent topics of debate. Voters are looking at a situation where the two major candidates are forced to base their arguments not only against their opposition, but also against themselves. And as Obama and Romney attempt to conceal their self-contradiction, the debate over health care comes down to how adept each candidate is at framing the issue in their favor. In other words, making themselves look good politically will be the candidates' priority, at least on the health care issue. What else is new? Information News was
from used
CNN and ABC in this report.
mandate saying the states should decide if they want universal health care. This is a weak argument by a candidate nominated by his party to dismantle the burgeoning Obamacare legislation. Libertarians offer a different model. Politicians, like doctors, should take a Hippocratic Oath to first do no harm when implementing health care legislation. Obama’s socialized medicine is well-meaning but shortsighted, potentially bankrupting our economy and expanding the size of the federal government. On the other hand, libertarians first want to replace the current universal health care model with private medical expense accounts that can be accessed for doctor visits and medicine.
A Libertarian Perspective on Health Care
I
Provided by whitehouse.gov
By Grant Meckley STUDENT WRITER
f you’re looking for a presidential candidate who opposes socialized medicine, you may be dismayed. Neither major candidate sympathizes with this position. Everyone is aware that Barack Obama introduced the Affordable Health Care Act: its successful passage has been a thing of hubris for his Democratic administration. It’s also true that there is much derision of Obamacare from the GOP and one would conclude that Mitt Romney is a staunch opponent of universal health care. However, during his tenure as Governor of Massachusetts, Romney signed similar health care legislation into law. Shortly after the Supreme Court declared the constitutionality of the act (as another tax), Romney offered his condemnation of the
For individuals without expense accounts, medical expenses would be completely tax-deductible. Truthfully, there is much controversy over the quality of health care in foreign countries such as Canada or Denmark. There are mixed reviews about the quality of care and many complaints of waiting times to see physicians. However, these nations can implement universal health care because of their small populations as well as existing socialist infrastructure. Additionally, these expense accounts will be coupled with Medicare and Medicaid reforms. In 1965, the Medicaid Act was signed into law. Few people at the time saw the unsustainable nature of the law before the baby-boomers stopped paying into Social Security. Medicare //see OPINIONS on page 5
October 17, 2012 The Swinging Bridge // OPINIONS and Medicaid are here to stay as they help many elderly and disabled Americans. However, there is much corruption and fraud to be investigated as fewer than 5% of Medicare claims are audited. Ron Paul, a 2012 GOP primary contender, physician, and long-time advocate for limiting government interference in health care explained how government has compromised the doctor patient relationship: “This idea of managed care was introduced in the Nixon years.” Paul explained in an interview with the Campaign for Liberty. “[These programs] were designed to force people into medical care. What has developed has been corporate medicine. The individuals best able to gather the money mandated by the government (insurance, drug companies, health management) lined up and started running the show.” Paul astutely points that the reason that medical costs are so high stems from a reaction to government intervention. Hospitals have less remorse adding proprietary fees and service
charges when insurance and other health care middlemen propped up by the government are footing the bills. “We don’t have medical insurance, we have distorted that word,” said Paul. He goes on to explain that insurance used to measure risk, covering major crises like cancer and surgery. Now, people want sundry expenses like drugs and office visits covered by insurance. Gary Johnson, the libertarian running for president rejects a one-size-fits-all policy in Washington. Johnson hopes the states innovate and drive down health care costs by allowing practitioners to innovate. Granted the Romney-Ryan plan calls for similar actions but voters should ask themselves if they trust the governor who drafted the blueprints of Obamacare to reform health care. Information from The Washington Post, Gary Johnson official campaign website, and philly. com Blog was used in this report.
The Obamacare Fallacy t brings me great sorrow to see how many people have been misled about what exactly “Obamacare” means for them as individuals. Virtually every facet of the President’s legislation is not only bad for college students like you and me, but also for the entirety of the nation.
not they had coverage, would be refused emergency medical services in any hospital throughout the country. Why fix something that is not broken? Obamacare is nothing short of a complete suppression of our rights as individuals, an attempt on the part of a power-hungry administration to obtain control of even more of the private sector than it already has. It is unconstitutional in nature, and will devastate this nation economically. We as citizens are being forced to buy into a system that we may not need as individuals; a kind of initiative that has no precedence in the Constitution, and that will bankrupt this nation.
At its core, Obamacare is a fundamental means to redistribute wealth in America, continuing the current administration’s quest to transform America into a socialist state. Prior to its initiation, we as a nation already had in place one of the greatest health care system in the world. No individual, regardless of whether or
Obamacare will economically crush the most productive members of society, as well as those who have the greatest need for health care benefits. Through taxation, dedicated, working-class men and women are being made to pay into a system that will offer them absolutely no benefits in return. As college stu-
By Ben Hemphill PRESIDENT OF MC REPUBLICANS
I
The Career Center presents...
The 7th Annual
Career & Grad School Expo For Details: www.messiah.edu/career
Highlights: Access to over 120 employers and grad school reps
Recruiting for internships, professional positions & grad programs Free LinkedIn Photo Booth (10:30—noon) ALL majors & class years are invited to attend! dents, healthy and without a real need for health care services at this time in our lives, we should not be obliged to pay for a system that does not provide meaningful service for us in return. It is an unnecessary expense on an already heavily-taxed American population. Senior citizens, those who need health care services the most, are also going to suffer the greatest at the hand of the current administration’s agenda. In order to pay for the unnecessary and burdensome expenses of Obamacare, President Obama opted to slash $716 billion out of Medicare and Medicaid funding. The very people that Obamacare is allegedly supposed to be benefiting are the people that will be most adversely effected by the new law. Mitt Romney’s alternative to Obamacare consists of a fundamental revamping of health care as a whole that will cut down on government waste, remove requirements that force individuals to buy into the system while simultaneously ensuring that those who need health care benefits will continue to receive medical services and treatments. Romney’s goal is to return health care to its proper place, in the hands of individual states that can identify what they do or do need. A “one-size-fitsall” plan for the entire nation is not what we need to continue our path of economic prosperity. It only encourages the government’s wasting of taxpayer dollars on unnecessary programs.
Provided by moreguefile.com
Opinions 5
Monday October 22, 2012 11:00—2:30 Brubaker Auditorium
Door Prizes! ♦ Professional Clothing Scholarships!
Romney believes that through free-market enterprise, we will lower the cost of health insurance for individuals by giving public health care options to private companies that will be need to keep prices low to stay competitive. in this way, those who need health care coverage can get the benefits that they need, and those who do not need the coverage can keep more of their own hard-earned money. An argument that I have heard bandied about in Christian communities is that a universal health care program is something that coincides with Jesus’ mandate to care for the needy and impoverished among us. However, as a strongly devout Christian, I recognize that Jesus’ call to care for the poor is an individual one, and not something that is to be executed through forceful government regulations. If we want to lift the poor out of poverty, the best means to do so is through growing the economy as a whole, not simply redistributing the wealth that already exists, which will ultimately cripple the job creators in this country. As Christians, we should take compassion on those who are less fortunate than we are, but Obamacare is simply not the right avenue to do so. Obamacare is not a beneficial piece of legislation to anyone except those who are unwilling to take the initiative to better their own lives. Romney’s goal as President of the United States is to get the government off of people’s backs, and help foster an environment in which everyone has the equal opportunity and potential to be as successful as they want to be.
October 17, 2012 The Swinging Bridge
Arts & Entertainment 6
This Month’s ‘3rd in the Burg’ Offers Opportunity to Experience Local Culture Local businesses throughout Harrisburg celebrate local art and culture this Friday By Mary-Grace MacNeil A&E EDITOR
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he Harrisburg community will celebrate local culture at this month’s “3rd in the Burg” on Friday, Oct. 19. The city’s visitors will find handfuls of opportunities to experience Pennsylvanian culture—from tasting local food to seeing and hearing the work of local artists and musicians. This celebration of local art takes place on the third Friday of every month. According to their Facebook page, “3rd in the Burg” is a non-profit organization that seeks to promote a greater cultural experience for the city of Harrisburg. The list below features some participating venues. Visit the “3rd in the Burg” Facebook page and 3rdintheburg.com for addresses, contact information and a list of all participating venues.
Constellation sighting: The State Museum of Pennsylvania
Fair trade tea, improv, and music: Midtown Scholar Bookstore
The state museum invites the community to be the first to check out their just-renovated “Planetarium XD” with its new state-of-the-art Spitz SciDome projection. The museum is offering free Planetarium admission (on a first-come, first-serve basis) for the presentation of their new show, “We Are Astronomers,” at 11:30 a.m., noon and 12:30 p.m.
In honor of Fair Trade month, Midtown will host an information session on coffee’s origins at noon and a fairtrade tea sampling at 2 p.m. “TMI,” an improv theatre group, will perform at 6 p.m., and the Yellow Wall Gallery will host its opening reception for “Drawing Midtown” with Ammon Perry and Jonathan Bean from 6-10 p.m. The night will end with a concert by Gatsby’s Green Light & Jeff Miller at 8 p.m.
Contemporary painting and DJ spins: North Gallery North Gallery will present a joint exhibit of contemporary painting featuring artists Andrew Guth and Janette Toth. An opening reception with the artists will take place from 7-10 p.m. The viewing experience will be complemented by light refreshments and live music spun by North Gallery’s in-house DJ.
Local artwork and refreshments: City House B&B City House B&B, a charming urban bed and breakfast on Front Street, will host an art exhibition featuring works from local artists such as Karen Cummings, Don Lenker, Steve Wetzel, Paul Gallo, Joseph LaFrance and Kelly Charlesworth from 5-9 p.m. City House B&B will serve refreshments.
By Amie Miller Messiah seniors Emma Huntington and Lauren Nickell enjoy coffee from Midtown Scholar’s cafe. In honor of Fair Trade month, Midtown will host an information session on coffee’s origins and a fair-trade tea sampling at the upcoming 3rd in the Burg.
The Rough and Tumble brings ambient folk pop to Messiah for next B-sides Duo Mallory Graham and Scott Tyler create a serene sound characterized by strong yet soothing vocals By Zach Specht SPORTS EDITOR
track album titled “For You, Now That You’re Married … and for me, too.”
he Rough and Tumble, made up of duo Mallory Graham and Scott Tyler, will bring their folk pop sound to campus next week all the way from Nashville, Tenn. Their music is characterized by slow, harmonious melodies, creating a sound similar to that of The Weepies or The Civil Wars.
The album reflects the traditional harmonious blend of the couple’s voices, characterized by vocals that emit a feeling of warmth and calamity despite their often simultaneously upbeat vibe.
T
The duo splits time on the creation of their soft yet strong vocals, and the instrumentals are primarily made up of Graham’s chord organ and Tyler’s guitar. As a relatively new band, the duo has only been producing albums for the past year. Their latest recordings are comprised of a mini five-
The album’s opening track, “Away, Away,” features this dynamic vocal blend layered overtop of clapping and noisemakers. This track’s clap-along feel reflects an almost blue-grass sound. Their Nashville roots are apparent on “Our Song (I’m Sorry)” through Tyler’s guitar riffs and Graham’s vocals that transition from catchy, country-like melodious talking to strong and powerful singing.
“Wide Eyed” plays like a lullaby, and the soft sound of both Graham and Tyler’s voices lull the listener into a state of serenity. The vocal and instrumental variation on the next track, “Not Polite,” reflect the mixed feelings evident in the song’s lyrics. The last song of the mini-album, “Porcelain Fingers” carries a soft and slow static-like sound that proceeds to quicken as the song continues. Together, the short album showcases a wide variety of unique sounds. It’s clear that this duo has the musical talent necessary to switch things up without ever losing their own authenticity.
The Rough and Tumble will perform at B-sides, a series of weekly concerts sponsored by Messiah College’s Student Activities Board, on Oct. 24 at 10 p.m. As always, the concert will be held at the Larsen Student Union for free.
October 17, 2012 The Swinging Bridge
Arts & Entertainment 7
Upcoming Literature Symposium Celebrates Poetry and Fiction Award-winning poet Julia Kasdorf and author Susan Perabo will speak during the upcoming literature symposium By Christina Brown STUDENT WRITER
T
he School of the Humanities will host a multi-genre literature symposium from Oct. 24-26. The symposium titled “Working: A Symposium on Literature and Labor” will feature a variety of free events including panel discussions, lectures and readings all
centered around the theme of work. This theme will include both the subject of “work” present in literature as well as the action of “work” in reference to writing itself. Among the schedule of events includes readings from award-winning poet Julia Kasdorf and notable fiction author Susan Perabo. Kasdorf, who currently teaches at Pennsylvania State University, has
Wednesday, Oct. 24
written several books of poetry including “Sleeping Preacher,” which received the 1991 Agnes Starrett Poetry Prize and the Great Lakes Colleges Award for New Writing in 1993. She has also written biographies and books on the Amish American and Mennonite cultures. Her collection of essays and poems titled “The Body and the Book: Writing from a Mennonite Life” won the Book of the Year Award from
Modern Language Association’s Conference on Christianity and Literature. Perabo, another college professor, currently teaches at Dickinson College. Her story collection “Who I Was Supposed to Be” was named Book of the Year by the Los Angeles Times, The Miami Herald, and The St. Louis Post Dispatch. Her non-fiction work has also recently appeared in several magazines and anthologies, and she is presently working on a new collection of short stories.
Friday, Oct. 26
Thursday, Oct. 25
3-4:15 p.m. Boyer 130
3-4:15 p.m. Boyer 231
11 -11:50 a.m. Parmer Cinema
“Belabored Expressions: African American Women’s Literary Labors” Panel Discussion
“Literature at Work” Panel Discussion, B231
“What Work Is: A Conversation with Julia Kasdorf and Susan Perabo”
7:30-9 p.m. Frey 150
7:30-9 p.m. Frey 150
12 -12:50 p.m. Howe Atrium
Fiction Reading: Susan Perabo
Poetry Reading: Julia Kasdorf
“Lunch Discussion: English Majors Talk about Their Journey”
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October 17, 2012 The Swinging Bridge
Arts & Entertainment 8
‘The Intouchables’ Encourages Audience to View Life Through a Different Lens French film unfolds a story of unlikely friendship between a white, wealthy quadriplegic and his young, black ex-con caretaker By Mary-Grace MacNeil A&E EDITOR
“T
he Intouchables” tells a heartwarming story about the lessons learned from an unlikely friendship that develops between two men of starkly different cultures. The French film, directed by Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, creates a bold testimony to the power of cross-cultural friendship, eliciting both laughter and tears along the way. Based on a true story, the film unfolds the relationship between two men who outwardly appear entirely different: Philippe (Francois Cluzet), a middleaged white millionaire stricken to a life of quadriplegia after a hang-gliding accident, and his newly hired caretaker Driss (Omar Sy), a young black street thug with a criminal record.
“The Intouchables” celebrates the collision of these two worlds, as the characters simultaneously learn from their cultural differences and bond over their human similarities. The film’s French audience welcomed the uplifting story by flocking to theatres. Only nine weeks after its release in November of 2011, “Les Intouchables” had become the second alltime biggest box office hit in France. Six months later, The Weinstein Company released the film in the U.S bearing English subtitles and the respectively translated title “The Intouchables.” But the mixed criticism in the initial crop of movie reviews seemed to reflect a less embracive response from the film’s American audience. Some critics knocked the film for its apparent insensitivity to some serious issues. In a review for The Wash-
ington Post, Michael O’Sullivan criticized the film’s focus on “fun” as an unrealistic depiction of life marked by quadriplegia or poverty. But maybe this movie is less of a documentary on the inevitable effects of these un-chosen circumstances and much more of a story about the effects of chosen responses to these realties. After all, the film’s title highlights the socially constructed status of its characters, uniting them not as “The Disadvantaged” but as “The Intouchables.” Of course, the situations of Driss and Philippe are not perfectly analogous. However, their parallelism in the film encourages a new perspective on the similarities of the human condition. Both are limited by realities beyond their control: one by race and poverty, and the other by physical paralysis. The friendship chronicled in “The Intouchables” creates the possibility for the characters to respond to their disabling situations—to find a balance between embracing the reality of their limitation and rejecting its ownership of them. In a review for The New York Times, A. O. Scott criticized Sy’s performance for its exaggerated blackness. He suggested that the film’s racial stereotyping “may be more regressive than liberating,” arguing that by addressing race at all is to get it wrong. But to reject race entirely (simply because we haven’t done such a good job with it in the past) is to try to avoid the reality of ethnicity. Instead of the color blind approach that Scott seems to suggest, “The Intouchables” illuminates racial differences. Driss claims the funky beats of stereotypical black culture with ethnic pride, and he eventually learns to appreciate Philippe’s musical preferences without ever removing soul music from its treasured spot in his identity. Throughout the film, Driss’ incandescent sense of identity, illuminated by Sy’s strong acting, challenges Philippe to confront the reality of his disability. Driss encourages Philippe to identify with his quadriplegia in order to fully embrace his ability to live and to love. But while Driss accepts the cards he was dealt, he also gives in to society’s rules of the game. He plays his hand, but only with the belief that he had already lost before he even began. Driss had previously allowed the reality of his race, class and poverty to consume his identity. They justified his life of crime and lack of discipline. Driss
only applies for the caretaker position with the intention of rejection, hoping to receive proof of a failed interview in order to continue receiving welfare benefits. After he is surprisingly hired, his idolization of his own culture closes him off to experiencing anything else. But Driss remains in Philippe’s world long enough for it to change him. He develops a work ethic under the strict management of his new boss, and he learns to appreciate the music and art of another culture. Likewise, Philippe is changed by his friendship with Driss. Through Driss’ care-free lifestyle—marked by notes of flirtation, soul music and marijuana—Philippe regains an appeal for life in all of its zest. The characters’ growth throughout the film demonstrate what can be learned about life and identity by viewing it through a different lens—by experiencing cultural collision without collateral damage. Despite some negative reviews, the film’s box office success suggested a remarkably different response from the American audience. Since its U.S. release in May, “The Intouchables” stands as the top grossing foreign language film of 2012. The film’s global box office success offers an optimistic representation of society’s hopes for cultural integration.
October 17, 2012 The Swinging Bridge
Adjusting my Approach: What I learned from Monty and Wooser By Susan Ryder STUDENT WRITER
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t was a sun-bathed, chilly fall morning. It was the kind of day that made me feel blessed to be living in Pennsylvania. A group of students met to participate in the LEAP program. We were there to learn how to manage life transitions with equine, counseling and ministry professionals, including Messiah’s Associate Pastor Evie Telfer.
It took a little time as Monty relented first, taking steps toward my partner. Wooser on the other hand looked quizzically at me with no inclination to acquiesce. I began to panic as I considered failing this challenge. I wanted that horse to follow me and demonstrate to the group my horse whispering skills. He still didn’t move.
However, our teachers that day weren’t our human companions. Our teachers were two horses, Monty and Wooser. Monty was a gentle, chestnut gelding who appeared part canine, evidenced by his desire to lick anyone within licking distance. Wooser was a spirited, slightly mischievous stallion who preferred nibbling to licking.
I decided to adjust my approach because that huge, powerful animal was not going to do anything that he didn’t want to do and I certainly couldn’t make him do otherwise. Even as I insisted that he “Follow me this instant,” I turned my back to him and walked away with my partner and Monty, hoping that Wooser may feel that he was missing something and decide to pursue.
“Our teachers that day weren’t our human companions”
Our first task at this event was for my partner and me to walk to the far end of the pasture and convince Monty and Wooser to walk to our group waiting at the opposite end. We didn’t have any of the usual horse paraphernalia, no harnesses or ropes, just our voices and powers of persuasion. We complimented then softly, patted their backs, and stroked their manes whilst attempting to woo them to the other side.
feel and do what we do and sometimes we try to insist or force people to do just that. However, similar to our animal counterparts, we can’t compel people to do things, feel things or think things. In fact, similar to horses, the more we attempt to force people to do what we want, the more they will resist even considering our requests or ideologies. In our interactions, I could have chosen to grab Wooser’s mane and attempt to yank him forward or swatted his behind
Opinions 9
to get his attention. Such actions may have caused physical harm to me, and emotional harm to our relationship. If I had treated Wooser in such a way, would he ever allow me to approach him again? Likewise, if we attack people with our opinions and beliefs with the insistence that they feel or think the same, our relationships with them will suffer. Even if we feel our opinions and beliefs are good and sincere, our presentation of them will demonstrate the opposite. Just as those horses chose to be in our presence and do as we asked, people can chose to listen to us and make decisions of their own. They may chose our course or not, but if we don’t adjust or approach to a more loving, caring one we can be almost certain they will chose the latter.
Guess what? He did come. I tried not to look back with excitement. I feigned indifference to our apparent success because I was afraid that he might decide that he didn’t like the idea of this any longer and turn around. This experiment wasn’t simply about horses it was also about people. We want people to think like we think, feel as we Provided by morguefile.com
Rimsha Masih: Blasphemer or Beloved? By Abigail Ferenczy STUDENT WRITER
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hristians in Pakistan live under daily threats of being discriminated and even persecuted for their faith. On Aug. 16, 14-year-old Pakistani Rimsha Masih was arrested on charges of blasphemy after she allegedly burned a copy of the Islamic primer Noorani Qaida. Following an attack at her house by an angry mob of screaming Muslims, Rimsha was seized by police and taken to a high security prison, one where leading terrorists are condemned to serve their time. Rimsha, however, denied burning the pages, and her parents stated that no one in their family would ever disrespect Islam. Released on bail on Sept. 8, Rimsha was escorted together with her family to an undisclosed location. Her case was sent to juvenile court when health records confirmed her age and
a police investigation concluded that she had been framed by a Muslim religious leader in her village. After these reports surfaced, her lawyers petitioned the high court for dismissal of the case.
questionable blasphemy law. There have been thousands of blasphemy cases recorded since the 1980s, and their outcomes have ranged from imprisonment to the death sentence.
Rimsha’s trial is delayed until October 17 while the high court considers their verdict.
Atrocious? Unethical? To me, the punishments under the blasphemy law and even the law itself seem to be just that. However, while it is easy to point out the flaws and corruption of the governmental policies Pakistan employs, it is important to take into account the fact that Pakistani society has been indoctrinated with nothing but Islamic ideologies since its formation in 1947. Tragic as this situation is, we can hardly expect a society founded on a religion of fear to uphold the moral principles and values to which we as Americans are accustomed. How then should American Christians respond to Rimsha’s case and the extensive religious oppression in Pakistan? I wish I had an adequate answer. Obviously, we cannot solve all of Pakistan’s internal governmental, social,
Where is the consistency in these proceedings? There are no witnesses who claim to have seen Rimsha burning the pages, and there is no further evidence that it was her who committed the “crime.” Rimsha also has Down Syndrome. In light of all this, how can the government justify the action it has taken against her? Is the blasphemy law to be taken so far that Muslim leaders are reduced to the bullying of a special needs child in order to enforce its strict adherence? Though this particular case has stirred international concern, Rimsha is certainly not the only victim of Pakistan’s
and religious issues. But there is some action we can take. First and foremost, we need to be in prayer for our Pakistani brothers and sisters in Christ. Furthermore, when there is an opportunity to speak out against injustice on their behalf, we need to seize it. Pakistani Christians may be forced into silence, but we certainly are not. Whether through writing, speaking, or some other means, we need to plead the cause of Rimsha and others like her. After all, if a 14-year old girl is willing to take a life-threatening stand for her faith, the least we can do is stand behind her. To learn more about how you can be a voice for Rimsha and the persecuted church, go to http://advocacy.opendoorsusa. org. For information on the human rights awareness group at Messiah College, email humanrights@messiah.edu.
October 17, 2012 The Swinging Bridge
Sports 10
KICKIN’ IT WITH THE SWINGING BRIDGE
EDITORIAL TEAM by Sarah Brookhart
A Pitchside View
Provided by Messiah College Athletics
By Joel Hoover ASSISTANT RADIO MANAGER
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s fall deepens and the air turns cooler, conference play is beginning to heat up for teams across the Division III soccer landscape. For Messiah’s men’s and women’s teams, conference play has been smooth sailing thus far. Hoping to tweak the squad to find the right fit amid injuries and varying degrees of player form, both Falcon teams have started the conference season perfect. It’s been a start filled with good defense, plenty of goals, and yes—a few marshmallows on a certain Saturday. Women’s Soccer Ranked #2 in the latest NSCAA Coaches’ poll, the Messiah women opened Commonwealth Conference play on Sept. 29 with a 4-0 road win over conference debutants Stevenson. Alex Brandt and Rachel Scheibler scored 40 seconds apart 15 minutes into the first half to give the Falcons a comfortable halftime lead. Alicia Frey and Nikki Elsaesser rounded off the scoring with goals almost two minutes apart 15 minutes into the second. The women continued their good run with another 4-0 win, this time away at Alvernia on Oct. 2. It was a game of firsts, as Mackenzie Clapper scored her first goal of the season in the 30th minute and Kyele Bridel scored her first collegiate goal in the 43rd. Brandt added two more goals after halftime to seal another easy victory. Marshmallows weren’t flying yet when the Messiah women took the field against rivals Elizabethtown on Oct.6. However, a packed Shoemaker Field crowd of over 2,000 fans were on hand to see the Falcons cruise to a 3-0 win. Frey scored a first half penalty, while Scheibler and Brandt picked up second half goals to beat back a spirited fight by the visiting Blue Jays. Equally as impressive, goalkeeper Audra Larson and the Messiah defense picked up their eight consecutive shut-
out, and have now gone 795 minutes without conceding a goal. They will put that streak on the line with upcoming games away against Lebanon Valley on Oct. 13, and home against Lycoming on Oct. 16 and Widener on Oct. 20 for homecoming. Men’s Soccer The #3 ranked Messiah men currently stand at 12-0-1 on the season following their perfect start to conference play. It began with a 6-1 road win at Stevenson following the Messiah women’s victory at the same location. Brian Ramirez scored his first goal of the season on a free kick, while Jeremy Payne and Mike Kovach both scored twice and Bryant Myer added another. They continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 2-0 road win at Alvernia on Oct. 3, where Payne and Josh Wood got the goals for the Falcons. That set the Falcons up for one of the biggest rivalries in Division III sports— the Marshmallow Bowl with Elizabethtown on Oct. 6 in Grantham. A prime fixture since the 1980s, Messiah entered with a series record of 30-17-2 against Etown, including winning the last six games between the two teams. With 3,900 fans in the stands, the Falcons registered the biggest shutout in the history of the rivalry, winning 4-0 amid a snowstorm of marshmallows from the crowd. Wood struck twice in the first half, while Kovach and Payne also scored in the second half to send Blue Jay fans home early.
STEPHANIE WILSON
NIKKI RITA
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
NEWS EDITOR
HUY NGUYEN
NICHOLAS TAY
MARY-GRACE MACNEIL
ZACHARY SPECHT
OPINIONS EDITOR
FEATURE EDITOR
The Falcons continued their goalscoring ways with a 9-1 romp over Commonwealth Conference newcomers Hood on Oct. 9. Double strikes by Jack Thompson and Sheldon Myer, as well as single goals from Wood, Bryant Myer, JP Fulton, Danny Rowe, and Benji Kennel, completed the scoreline for Messiah. The men follow the same upcoming schedule as the women, except for playing home against Widener on Oct. 17.
A&E EDITOR
SPORTS EDITOR
October 17, 2012 The Swinging Bridge
Sports 11
Provided by Messiah College Athletics
Golf Psychology
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By Carter Davis STUDENT WRITER
olf legend Bobby Jones once said, “Golf is played on a fiveinch course, right between your ears.” Troy Boone, head coach of Messiah’s golf team, believes this year’s team is one of the most talented teams he has ever coached, yet the team struggled early on. After placing 4th in their host tournament, the wheels came off at Bucknell where Messiah finished at a disappointing 7th place. Boone believed something might be going on in that little five-inch course. Enter Ron Jones, a club pro at Bumble Bee Hollow Country Club and a “Class A” member of the PGA, renowned for his specialization in the mental aspect of golf. Jones worked with Messiah’s team in short sessions in order to get to know the players’ styles. “I start with what are the strengths and how do we build on those, and once that’s done start looking at what isn’t working and how to improve on those levels.” While everyone is different in their mental processes, Jones wanted his students on a common line before every shot. “I want [my students] to entertain the thought of, “I’m getting ready to hit the best shot I’ve hit all day.” Be fully confident, and fully committed.” Part of confidence for Jones is establishing a baseline, a realistic expectation of an average score, then identifying potential. “If I’m an 80 shooter now, I’d ask, “could I shoot 72 realistically?” and if so, then what do I need to do to achieve that,” Jones said of the process he used with the Messiah team. Every person’s mind has different sets of motivations and mental pitfalls that define each individual as unique. Jones tries not to direct the team to any particular uniform mindset, but rather he directs them towards what works for them individually.
Jones highlighted that a common problem among players arises from not staying in the present moment. Thinking about what the lead is, a missed putt, or those back-to-back birdies on the last two holes take your focus away from the immediate. Some players divide their round into increments of three holes and set goals for each increment; for others, three holes is too long for them. They play a more shot to shot kind of game. Distractions stemming from personal, or academic problems need to be addressed as well.
finishing when you’re on the first hole.” Boone will continue to have Jones work with his team after the swift improvement exhibited by his team. “They showed me that they are improving mentally when our competitors struggled and shot higher scores,” Boone said. “We have much work to do to prepare for the spring when we play for our conference championship and then hopefully on to the NCAAs.”
“One thing I asked the coach is what is it that your guys are fearing before they even get on the course,” Jones said. “Are they focused on a big exam or they have a girlfriend problem or whatever else it may be. Because if that’s there, it’s really hard to turn that off.” The first set of sessions yielded surprisingly immediate results. Messiah broke out of a slump from Bucknell and took 3rd at PSU-Harrisburg. They proceeded to win back-to-back matches at Elizabethtown and Lebanon Valley. Most players found the time very beneficial in shaping their mindset. “It’s obvious by our scores that something changed, and part of that change was from analyzing and improving our mental games,” said sophomore Austin Galaska. “We are playing with more confidence and having more fun,” Galaska said. “Overall we are playing within ourselves and not trying to “make” something happen. We don’t need to “make” anything happen because we all have the skill to go low on any day of the week.” “I would say my mindset was just relaxed,” freshman Wes Ashton said. “I just took all the strokes one shot at a time. The only thing you can control is the here and now, that will decide the end of your round. You can’t think about
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October 27, 2012 The Swinging Bridge
Sports 12
Photo by Lauren Landis
JESS VISNESKI
cross-country all around fun, hardworking and determined individuals and are an encouragement through every path that life leads us down,” said Visneski.
sophomore. For Visneski, achieving success is an accomplishment that is not confined to how one finishes at a performance.
Running is a sport that serves as a common ground amongst the Visneski family. “Both my mom and sister ran crosscountry for a few years, and although I always enjoyed running I never considered running competitively until making a deal with my friend, Aubrey,” said Visneski.
“Coach Fogelsanger has 3 main goals for the team which are to have fun, become more self-motivated and to become more Christ centered/focused. These qualities are the backbone of the crosscountry team, which is why being apart of MCXC is such an incredible, life-enriching experience,” said Visneski.
Being from Lancaster, PA, Visneski chose to attend Messiah College because of the proximity to home and the unique Christian environment on campus.
When Visneski is not running, she can be found traveling, hiking in the mountains, listening to country music, and baking. As the cross-country team engages in a new season, both individual and teams goals will be embraced.
Visneski has been involved in running cross-country since sophomore year of high school.
“I chose to come to Messiah because it offered many of the key characteristics that I was looking for, such as a small Christian school with an accredited Nutrition and Dietetics Department. In addition, I wanted to go to a college where I could run cross-country. I love how running for Messiah means running for something bigger than yourself,” said Visneski.
“There are many perks to being a runner, but something that keeps me coming back year after year is the team. Cross country teams are composed of
During her first two years as a member of the cross-country team, Visneski has qualified for the MAC Championships and Regionals as both a first year and
Provided by Messiah College Athletics
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By Zachary Specht SPORTS EDITOR
junior nutrition major, Jess Visneski is amidst her third season as a member of the Messiah College cross-country team.
“My goals for this season are to break my personal record and to run at the MAC championships and Regional Races,” said Visneski. Pregame rituals cannot be overlooked and consistency is an element of competition that most athletes elect to practice. “Before meets I listen to various genres
of music but one thing that stays consistent is listening to a few songs by J. Biebs,” said Visneski. Similar to most sports, running is a sport that successfully integrates life values amidst competition and adversity. “The tough workouts stress the importance of relying on God’s strength, while the LSD (long-slow distance) runs remind me to relax while running on back roads and taking in the scenery. The team aspect teaches the importance of encouragement because that is what gets us through practices, races, stressful test days, and hectic schedules,” said Visneski. Athletes that elect to attend Messiah College often take advantage of the unique opportunity to integrate talent and faith. “Personally, running for Messiah reminds me to give thanks to god and that my ultimate goal should be to glorify God through the abilities that he’s given me. This is reinforced through the role model that coaches set, by starting each practice with a team prayer, participating in small groups throughout the week and attending weekly bible study with teammates,” said Visneski.
BRIAN LOESSER
golf
Provided by Messiah College Athletics
and dad. I enjoy the sport of golf because it can be relaxing and help you put the stress of everyday life to the side and just focus on the game,” said Loesser.
As the golf team winds down their fall season and looks ahead to the spring season, both individual and team goals are embraced.
Being born in a family full of soccer players, golf is not a sport that came naturally to Loesser.
“For the spring season my goal, as an individual, is to win a tournament but mainly to average an overall score in the 70’s. As a team, our goal is to make it to the national championship,” said Loesser.
“Golf is not a sport that other members in my family have played. Me, my dad, and brothers have played soccer our entire lives. My brother played college soccer but switched to golf and that has had an immense impact on my life because it influenced me want to be like him and play golf in college,” said Loesser.
By Zachary Specht SPORTS EDITOR
As a transfer student from Cairn University, Loesser found an easy transition to Messiah College.
on of Dave and Eileen, Brian Loesser is a junior physical education major at Messiah College. Golf is a sport that has garnered Loesser’s attention since an early age.
“I transferred to Messiah after my freshman year and showing up last fall was an easy transition because the golf team was very inviting. The thing that I love most about the golf team is that we are a smaller group of guys who know how to have fun and enjoy the sport,” said Loesser.
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“I have been golfing since I was around the age of 13, mostly with my brothers
When Loesser is not on the golf course or at the driving range, he can be found playing basketball, soccer, and visiting new places. Among other hobbies, Loesser loves to indulge in anything “Buffalo” such as Buffalo chicken cheesesteaks or Buffalo chicken wings. “I am always cutting people’s hair across campus and I’ve become very skilled at this hobby, so if anyone needs a haircut I am available,” said Loesser. As an athlete, Loesser loves to watch a variety of sporting events. Growing up close to Philadelphia, Loesser is an avid fan of all Philadelphia sports teams. Loesser’s favorite athletes are Tiger
Woods and Michael Jordan. Role models profoundly impact young athletes and the consistency of a reliable influence cannot be undervalued. “The person I look up to most is my dad, he has shown me how to become the person that I am today. He is a very good role model on how to manage your money, faith, and family; I one day will be like him,” said Loesser. Aside from competition, golf is a sport that teaches athletes life lessons on and off the green. Golf has taught me how to display selfcontrol when playing a sport. Golf can be frustrating at times, especially when one bad shot can shape your whole round. It takes mental focus to successfully overcome bad shots, that’s what makes shapes you to be a good golfer,” said Loesser. Upon graduating from Messiah College, Loesser plans to teach physical education at the high school level.