THE
SWINGING BRIDGE MESSIAH COLLEGE//THE PULSE
The Facebook Messenger App:
CREEPY or Convenient?
10 [page 7]
Vol. 95 // ED. 1 // September 11, 2014
Magic
Coming to
!
it, Wit: Witmer Wins!
SAB Fall Concert
[page 12]
[page 14]
Unexpected Years My best days are
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when I have contact with the Messiah community. If I’m away for a while, I’m anxious to come back and visit with the students.
“ Check [page 2]
It Out
The Swinging Bridge is now featuring new content :
Sports Scores and
Lost Films Schedule
NEWS
The Swinging Bridge September 11, 2014
10
News 2
Unexpected Years
By Joel Hoover EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
W
hen speaking at a high school commencement several years ago, Kim Phipps titled her address “Not Quite What I Was Planning.” “I was telling the graduates that there are things in your life that you can’t anticipate and can’t plan,” Phipps says as she thinks back to the day. “So much of that is about being prepared for the opportunities and challenges that come your way.” The thing she had never planned for? Becoming a college president. And yet, as President Phipps approaches the 10-year anniversary of her appointment as Messiah College’s eighth president in December, she has fond recollections of her time in the position thus far—a position she never intended on taking. “It’s been incredibly invigorating, challenging, but filled with a lot of joy,” she says with a smile. When Kim Phipps came to Messiah College from Malone University in 1998, she was an avid lover of teaching who was merely taking on the job of academic dean. After she become the college’s provost, the downturn in the health of President Rodney Sawatsky— Phipps’ mentor—meant that she had to stand in as the acting president. Sawatsky’s death in 2004 suddenly opened the position up—and many felt Phipps could be the one to fill it. “I called colleagues that I knew across the nation, many of whom had been provosts and became presidents,” Phipps says, adding that she wanted to know what skills were necessary to be a college president. “I sought the council of others, spent time in prayer and conversation with (my husband) Kelly, and actually went away for a few days just to pray, journal, and reflect.” On the last day of the application process, Phipps sent in the last of her paperwork. And come December of 2004, the job was hers. “I didn’t have a desire to be a college president, but I had a desire to be Messiah College’s president,” Phipps says of her initial uncertainty. “I love this community and its mission.” While fundraising and budget work were things that she was not looking forward to in the job, Phipps liked the idea of being able to do strategic planning and speaking on behalf
of the college from her elevated role. She knew mistakes were going to be inevitable, but the greatest expectations for her performance always came from the closest source. “I’m as hard on myself as anybody else could be, so I don’t have a problem admitting a mistake or asking for forgiveness,” Phipps admits. “But I don’t like making mistakes!” The early years had their share of criticism and tough decisions that came with them—obstacles that stretched and grew Phipps in many ways. One of the most difficult decisions was the reduction of expenses that became necessary for the college following the nationwide economic downturn of 2008. We were concerned about people’s ability to pay for Messiah,” Phipps recalls. “We knew we had to offer more financial aid, and we knew that undergraduate enrollment was going to struggle somewhat because of the (declining high school graduate) demographic.” The result was a progressive plan to reduce “$2.5 to 3 million” in expenses, which meant the closure of Messiah’s Philadelphia campus at the conclusion of last year and a restructuring of off-campus programs, among many other changes. “Those decisions are always difficult because there is a sense of giving up something,” she says, calling the Philadelphia campus in particular a “big part of the story of the college.” But in the first ten years, the tough decisions are ones the president is finding more assertiveness in moving forward with. “I really value the thoughtful input of others, but I am more confident in making decisions in a quicker timeframe than I used to be,” Phipps affirms. Many more changes and decisions await her and her staff in the near future. An expansion of Lottie Nelson Dining Hall is scheduled to begin next summer. Conceptual ideas for a new fitness center and athletic facilities are being explored. And she desires to see more racial reconciliation and education on systemic racism.
President Kim Phipps speaks to students before Messiah’s 2014 Student Leadership Retreat.
But in looking back, there have also been many fond memories for her during the first ten years presiding over Messiah. During her inauguration in 2005, comedy stars Colin Mochire and Brad Sherwood of the hit TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway? visited the campus for a special performance. A special Compassion Forum featuring Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton visited the campus during the 2008 Presidential campaign to touch on the place of compassion in politics. On the daily front, Phipps enjoys soccer matches at Shoemaker Field during the colorful days of fall, and especially likes engaging students and faculty face-to-face. “My best days are when I have contact with the Messiah community,” she fondly states. “If I’m away for a while, I’m anxious to come back and visit with the students. “For me, time spent with students is life-giving: it’s what energizes me. When I go tell the Messiah story and ask someone for a gift for the college, I want to be able to tell some of (the students’ stories). You can’t do that if you don’t know the students.” Such a love for the students has been reciprocated back to her. She enjoys being called “Kimmy P” or “KP” by the students, and appreciates interacting with them in person and even on Facebook.
Photo by Will Colfelt
“
My best days are
when I have contact with the Messiah community. If I’m
away for a while, I’m anxious to come back and visit with the students.
“
“In my experience, a lot of the college presidents I had known had been more aloof and removed from the campus,” Phipps says, something that was at the forefront of her mind when considering taking the presidency at Messiah. “They didn’t spend a lot of time with the students. “Students are at the heart of our mission—I wouldn’t do this job if I didn’t have the opportunity to be connected to students.” As she moves into the next decade and its uncertain challenges ahead, President Kim Phipps continues to take joy from the students she leads and serves. Ultimately, she views leading them as a privilege--a privilege that perhaps was not quite what she was planning.
September 11, 2014 The Swinging Bridge
News 3
Larsen Student Union
Food Changes “
The biggest change students will have to deal with is the riddance of guacamole.
By Alexandra Coonradt SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
T
he Larsen Student Union has unveiled new changes to the menu and layout of the Union Cafe for the 2014-2015 school year. For starters, there has been a swap in location of the salad and sandwich stations. The main reason behind the change is to increase efficiency, according to Steve Musti, the Assistant Retail Manager.
Photo by Carly Groff Food at the Student Union is undergoing some adjustments ahead of the new school year.
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Previously, flatbreads and pizzas were being made in the same oven which produced backup. Students may now order whole pizzas on the touch-screens because the ovens have been freed up. The sandwich station has a new stateof-the-art oven called the Turbo Chef. Like its name suggests, it cooks food more quickly than before. Flatbreads are no longer available, but instead have been replaced with toasted sandwiches. However, according to Musti, the Union
“
will “bring back flatbreads for specials.” One of the other big menu changes is the removal of guacamole. Musti ensured that It was a necessary change to save money and minimize waste since much of it had to be thrown away at the end of the night. Currently, students cannot purchase made-to-order salads, but they will be making a comeback this month, according to Musti. Eventually, made-to-order toasted sandwiches will be available as well. To order online go to www. messiah.edu, and click on the Union order to-go link which is available under the Current Students dropdown menu on the homepage.
September 11, 2014 The Swinging Bridge
Plans for Messiah’s Rider, Musser Properties Announced
By Joel Hoover EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
O
ne of the big Messiah-related stories of the summer was a decision made on the future uses of the Rider and Musser properties the campus owns. In an effort to create new revenue streams to help with school costs, President Kim Phipps announced this summer that new apartment buildings, townhomes, and commercial businesses will be constructed on the properties over the next two decades. A third property, the 15-acre Mummau Tract, is being purchased to fully maximize the development planned. “This strategy is essential to maintaining the College’s financial vitality in the midst of a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive higher education landscape,” President Phipps said in the email, which was sent to Messiah employees and students on August 12. “Creating new revenue streams is also critical to helping to keep a Messiah College education affordable and accessible to all students and their families.”
The college first purchased the approximately 45.6-acre Musser Tract across from West Lisburn Road in 1997 and 53.8 acre Rider Tract that is connected to Musser and right next to Route 15 in 2003. A College board subcommittee determined that the property would either be used as an expansion of the college or an investment for commercial development. Ultimately, the committee decided on the latter. “As we look at Messiah, we’re thinking around 3,000 or so undergraduate students is a good healthy number for the kind of campus community we want to be,” Phipps said in an interview. “(Additionally) our growth in the graduate area is primarily off campus students. We didn’t anticipate using it for campus needs.” President Phipps says the board planned the property as a way to “control the front door” of the campus, and in hopes of lowering the costs of tuition and operations at Messiah. “It was determined coming out of the economic downturn of 2008 that this would be a good time to start the project,” she added further. “The goal is to have a ‘mixed use development’ of residential apartments and commercial retail to
MOVE IN DAY as Told by First Years
Brandon Underhill Vermont Graphic Design “I came here for the college experience in general, and I love the campus.”
Katie Voorhies Indiana Accounting “It’s a really beautiful campus here and everyone seems really nice.”
Alyssa Salorf Ephrata, PA Undeclared “I’m excited to meet new friends and living it up here. Everyone seems really nice and friendly here. I came here because it is a small campus so I won’t get lost.”
Claire Shook Dillsburg, PA International Business “Ever since I was little I was always came here to visit. I like the campus and they have a really good program here.”
News 4
set up a for-profit company because we are an educational institution. “The profits from that will come back to the college as a recurring revenue stream.” The corporation developing the project is an independently functioning group created by Messiah called Rider Musser Development, LLC. The corporation will maintain continual contact and annual reporting with the College during the development. Three Messiah College trustees will always be serving on the board of directors at the corporation as well. The corporation has already titled the community enhancement project area as “Oakwood Hills.” While the project is expected to take 15-20 years, Phipps is hopeful that the college will see a monetary trickle down in a shorter time span, depending on how quickly it is built. Further information on the project can be found at the corporation’s website, www.ridermusser.com.
By Mandy Ruiz NEWS EDITOR
Jeff Hojnacki Ohio Undeclared “I am really excited to be part of the wrestling team here.”
Isaac Serafini Hershey, PA Digital Media “I came here because of the community. I have a lot of friends here already, and I am excited to meet new ones as well.”
OPINIONS
The Swinging Bridge September 11, 2014
Opinions 5
ROBIN
WILLIAMS: A Death Mourned by Millions
Photo provided by Fan Pop
Robin Williams’ sudden death has created increased conversation on helping people dealing with depression.
T
By Ashley Burkett STUDENT WRITER
he announcement of Robin Williams’ unexpected death evoked feelings of grief, confusion and nostalgia, especially for those who grew up laughing at his performances. Newspapers and television stations around the country covered the story for days, probing into what appeared to be the seemingly joyful life of a beloved, talented celebrity. Forced to confront the question millions were wondering themselves, the family revealed Williams’ struggle with addiction, depression, and most recently, Parkinson’s disease. Activists in the mental health community seized this as an opportunity to reach out to those struggling themselves, raising awareness of mental illness, urging those struggling to seek help and describing the hope one can find amidst a strong support system and community. The response was encouraging. Social media sites bloomed with discussion about mental health. With the questions resolved however, the press gave a sympathetic nod to the grieving Williams family and the fiery conversation within the population soon faded. Life returned to normalcy, and Robin Williams’ death was no longer deemed newsworthy and relevant. But the conversation can’t die. It isn’t over.
Everyday, countless others struggle with feelings of depression and inadequacy, addiction and other mental health issues. Mental illness does not discriminate. Robin Williams is not the first celebrity to take his own life. It affects parents, siblings, roommates, professors, coworkers and friends. Each person fighting mental illness carries a burden of confusion, anguish and hopelessness, despite outwardly effortless smiles and laughter.
“
Why does it take a celebrity to
spark the spread of the mental health dialogue when people are suffering around us everyday? The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report that one in four adult Americans battle a mental health issue, and about 108 Americans commit suicide per day. This means that on August 11, 2014, Robin Williams and an estimated 107 others chose to end their lives. While few garner the attention of a celebrity, each person leaves behind grieving loved ones to sort through a flood of emotions.
We are C A L L E D to offer a strong support system of U N D E R S T A N D I N G , E N C O U R A G E M E N T and E M P A T H Y towards others who need a shoulder to lean on or an ear to listen.
“
Even more astounding is the fact that the National Institute of Mental Health reports that about 30% of college students nationwide are depressed to the point that it impairs physical functioning and interferes with everyday activities. Students do not often seek the help they need, feeling the remnants of the stigmas that surround mental illness and fearing judgment or labels. Others don’t know that help is offered or where to go. Messiah College fully equips Residence Life staff for emotional support assistance and offers professional services at the Engle Center. Studentled groups such as Minds Matter strive to engage the student body in dialogue to raise awareness, provide information and refute ill-conceived notions about mental illness. Individually we are called to offer a strong support system of understanding, encouragement and empathy towards others who need a shoulder to lean on or an ear to listen. You
are
not
alone.
Let others know they aren’t, either. Please call 1-800-273-TALK (That National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) if you or someone you know is searching for help.
September 11, 2014 The Swinging Bridge
Finding the “U” in
By Erin Zakin STUDENT WRITER
F
or someone attending a Christian college, spirituality is pretty important. A large part of that includes having a church to call your own. Many of us have grown up attending the same church for years, and leaving that church while away at school can be heartbreaking. I, like many other Messiah students, am still very attached to my home church, even though I rarely get to attend there. Finding a new church isn’t easy, but it doesn’t have to be difficult either! As a freshmen, I attended a new church almost every single week. I forced myself to try new churches and new styles of worship. There were some churches that I loved attending, and some churches that I will never attend again. It forced me to reevaluate my personal faith and what I look for in a church. Sometimes we’re not given that option because we simply attend the church our parents attend. Having the
freedom to explore and choose a church is an amazing learning experience. “Initially, I went about looking for a church based on churches most similar to my home church,” says Lindsey Barner, a sophomore who hasn’t found a church to attend regularly yet. “I think that’s why I didn’t find a church I likedI was trying to fit a church into a mold of my home church, which didn’t allow me to see the uniqueness in other churches. What my church had, other churches had to have. Ultimately, it made a bad search. You’ll never find a church just like your home church. Don’t use your home church as a measuring stick.” From a professor’s perspective, it’s not just about finding a church you enjoy, but about what you can offer to a church. Eric Seibert, a professor at Messiah, offers some words of advice. “No church can be all things to all people, so try to determine what you most need from a church —this could be preaching, good worship, etc— and find a church that excels in that area. “Consider what gifts you have
to offer and find a church that needs those gifts,” he adds. There are plenty of students that have found churches they attend regularly. Stephen Haverstick, a junior and the director of Koinonia at Messiah, is one such case. “I found McBIC (Mechanicsburg Brethren in Christ) by word of mouth from a bunch of my friends who wanted to go there as well. McBIC was the first church I went to, and it was really nice that they had transportation to and from Messiah readily available for us. I ultimately decided that McBIC is the place I wanted to be because most of my friends were going there and I could have conversations with those friends that I couldn’t have otherwise.” Messiah is linked to tons of different churches which makes visiting different churches easy. Next time Sunday morning rolls around and you’re feeling undecided, be adventurous and jump on a bus. Maybe you’ll end up finding the perfect church.
“I was trying to fit a church into a mold of my home church, which didn’t allow me to see the uniqueness in other churches.”
Opinions 6
September 11, 2014 The Swinging Bridge
Opinions 7
The Facebook Messenger App:
CREEPY
Illustration provided by BGR
or Convenient?
By Shekie Olagunju STUDENT WRITER
U
sers of the new Facebook Messenger app want to know if the app is using their camera and microphone without their knowledge at any given time. The app up front asks the user for access to their contact list and private files on their mobile device. Facebook recently decided for current Facebook app users to download a separate application in order to continue on the go communications and in order to read their messages. Smartphone owners in the past enjoyed the advantage of being able to download solely the Facebook app to be able to communicate with their Facebook friends and family. The new app sparks controversial rumors about privacy concerns and whether the app is beneficial. This can be frightening for ordinary mobile Facebook user like you and I. This sudden loss of independence in your choice of application and its usage is no doubt alarming for any user, as evidenced by its poor reviews on iTunes and Google Play with angry comments. The anger and discomfort has spread to Messiah College students who access the application on mobile devices to talk with their family, friends and classmates. “The enforcement of the Facebook Messenger app is inconvenient and unnecessary...it’s annoying to constantly switch between apps to be able to
view and respond to my messages,” stated sophomore Danielle Chun. “I find Facebook messenger annoying,” explained junior Halie Derr. “It is constantly running in the background and I have noticed that the battery life for my phone does not last as long as the application uses a lot of battery power. It is frustrating to keep charging my phone because of an application I was forced to install.” “I find the app very creepy after reading about all those scary things on how it uses your camera and microphone,”sophomore Kim Rossman went on to say. “It’s especially uncomfortable especially since I was kind of forced to download it.” The anger and misunderstanding was fueled by more rumors about the application and its unknown function forced upon consumers that simply want to read their Facebook messages. It got so serious that Facebook recently published a public post titled “Get the Facts about Messenger” by Peter Martinazzi of the Facebook Messenger Team. The post addressed the rumors of the application using the phone’s camera and microphone to invade user’s privacy. It talked about requesting permission to use the phone’s features and that these features are not used if the app is not in use. The post also addressed the reason why customers were forced to install the Messenger app citing speed issues, Wi-Fi calls and virtual stickers.
Despite the quick public relations attempt at an explanation as provided in the blog post, users still are apprehensive about the application shown by the lack of change in the low ratings and angry comments in app stores. The application has a 1.5/5 rating on the iTunes store and a 4/5 on the Google Play store, as of September 3. The higher Google Play rating is due to the unique method Google uses to weigh ratings. The current ratings combine past ratings before the new function was enforced with current ratings giving the app a higher score. A glance at the negative comments, though, quickly shows the same anger at the application as in the iTunes store. The ironic fact is that even though consumers are annoyed and dissatisfied with the application, it is still the number one free application on the iTunes and Google Play store. This implies that despite the “creepiness” of the app, it is still a convenient application to use to communicate with friends and family. Whether to continue using the new application, message only on a desktop or find another alternative is still up to the user. The fact remains that Facebook is sitting on the winning side, holding the number one spot in app stores despite poor reviews and getting over 1 billion monthly active mobile users according to recent Facebook statistics. Creepy and convenient, perhaps. But it seems the Facebook Messenger app is here to stay.
#1 free app on the iTunes and Google Play stores
Illustration provided by The Graphics Fairy
September 11, 2014 The Swinging Bridge
Opinions 8
Letter from the Editor-in-Chief By Joel Hoover EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
W
elcome to the start of another school year here at Messiah College! I am honored and privileged to have the opportunity to be the Editor-inChief of the school’s newspaper. My staff and I are committed to ensuring that this newspaper will provide fair, accurate reporting on all levels, presented in a professional and informative manner. The Swinging Bridge is a tremendous platform that we possess here at Messiah. It is a chance for student voices to sound off on topics that are important to them and the wider campus base. It is a chance for students of all majors to become more skilled writers and reporters—skills that can be a very positive thing on a resume and in a variety of future careers. It is a chance for us as a staff to provide you, the students, with information you either need to
Attention
Seniors
Yearbook Portraits are starting
September September
23 (9am-6pm) 24 (9am-6pm) 25 (12pm-9pm)
October October
28 (9am-6pm) 29 (9am-6pm) 30 (12pm-9pm)
March March
4 (9am-6pm) 5 (9am-6pm) 6 (12pm-9pm) Photos will be taken by the fireplace at the Larsen Student Union. Sign up ! www.timetosignup.com/pulse
know, or perhaps did not know before. And it is a chance for groups around campus to have an outlet for their own news and information to be covered. It is our hope that our coverage of events happening around campus will be deeper and better reported than at any prior time. Our online news, which can be found at swingingbridge.messiah. edu, is one place where we will be placing hard news as it happens around campus. Ultimately, the more writers who are willing and able to provide content for us, the better this will be done. We will do our very best to ensure that this platform is used well and will be of benefit to all of you. Mistakes, especially in the early going, are inevitable, but if and when they happen, please let us know so that we can put out a better quality paper. This newspaper is for you,
the students—both as a resource for news, and as a resource for improving your writing, visual, and designing skills. If you have any questions or comments on the newspaper over the course of the year, please feel free to write me a letter or email. If you are interested in contributing to the newspaper and helping us provide the campus with more news and information, send me an email. We would love to have more writers on board to be able to cover more events with greater expediency. Thank you for taking the time to pick up The Swinging Bridge. We will do our very best to be the quality newspaper you deserve this coming school year. Joel at
Hoover
can be reached jh1502@messiah.edu.
THIS NEWSPAPER IS FOR YOU, THE STUDENTS both as a resource for news, and as a resource for improving your writing, visual, and media skills.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
September 11, 2014 The Swinging Bridge
Arts & Entertainment 9
Photos by Carly Groff
SE V EN
Photo by Paul Ney
Seven lead a time of praise and worship during their recent summer tour.
F
By Megan E. Bloom STUDENT WRITER
or the third summer in a row the Messiah based worship band, Seven hit the road for their annual tour.
This year the band was made up of Tyler Cornelius, Hannah Ditzler, Diana Kleinmanns, Paul Ney, Joel Ngui, Luke Niesley, and Sarah Partridge. Senior broadcasting major, Paul Ney has been playing guitar for the worship team for two years. “For the people [in Seven] it’s about worship and inviting people into God’s presence during the summer,” he said.
Since Ney has been apart of the band before, he was able to reflect with more depth on his overall experience. “Everyday you are engaged in worship,” he said. “You’re living your faith everyday, every moment. You have to be on your best because kids are always watching you and you’re their role model.”
They lead worship at local youth groups and churches during the week then on weekends they would travel to camps in New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Junior mechanical engineering, Joel Ngui had his first summer with Seven.
“My favorite part of the summer was going to Memorial Holiness Camp in Ohio,” he said. “Not only did we have the responsibility to lead the congregation in songs of worship, but we also had to be camp counselors, which entailed spending a lot of time with the kids.” Even though it was tiring, he enjoyed being able to give his all in serving the campers. Being an international student he also was able to learn more about American culture, how to work in a band setting and improve in his musicianship.
Ngui said, “I’ve definitely learned to relate to people in the US better. I’ve learned how to communicate effectively in a band and a little more about guitar effects pedals.” Though this is only the third time Seven has toured, the group in years past was known as New Light. Worship pastor and advisor for Seven, Doug Curry explained that New Light was revamped to become a contemporary worship group.
The 2014 edition of Seven takes a formal group portrait while on their tour.
Photo by Paul Ney
New lead
Light would worship at
churches, go to summer camps and perform at places like Messiah Village. They were playing at such a wide range of venues that Curry believed they needed a more focused target. “The chair of the Music Department, Bill Stowman and I had a conversation about the fact that we needed to update the nature of the group. We wanted to create a better target for them,” he said. Their target became youth and possible future Messiah College students. “[Seven’s] role is to bring leadership to worship and not be a primary marketing tool for Messiah College. They are there to focus on youth and those who influence them.” They are appealing to the students in youth groups but also leading worship in a congregational setting to show parents and grandparents their earnestness in their faith and in making music. “It lege he the
kind of puts Messiah Colworship ministry on the map,” said in correspondence with new Worship Leader major.
Curry explained that Seven is a manifestation of that major by combining College Ministries and the music and biblical and religious studies majors. Seven has had a positive affect on the students participating in the group, the youth they have influenced and has given Messiah a face in the wider Christian community.
September 11, 2014 The Swinging Bridge
Arts & Entertainment 10
Summer at the vies M By Casey Daggett STUDENT WRITER
A
s Labor Day marks the unofficial close of summer, it’s finally time to look back at the best movies this summer has had to offer. It has been a strange summer, with many films falling short of their expected revenues and the box office altogether facing a dramatic slump. However, despite the past few months perhaps not delivering the blockbuster spectacles we have come to expect, more than a few movies shone. Here are my picks for summer 2014 and what you should be watching out for on DVD!
1. SEPTEMBER 5,6
E D G E O F TO M O R R O W
2. SEPTEMBER 12,13 CHEF
3. SEPTEMBER 19,20 H O W TO T R A I N YOUR DRAGON 2
4. SEPTEMBER 26,27 THE DOUBLE
5 . O C TO B E R 3 , 4
S TA N D C L E A R O F T H E C LO S I N G D O O R S
6 . O C TO B E R 1 7 , 1 8 BELLE
7 . O C TO B E R 2 4 , 2 5 LIFE ITSELF
Photos provided by imdb.com
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2:
DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES:
A few years have passed since we last encountered Hiccup, the village of Berk and--last but not least--Toothless, and in those few years things have changed. Hiccup struggles with the weight of knowing that one day, perhaps sooner than he wishes, he will inherit his father’s role as chieftain. As a mysterious new threat appears to steal away the dragons that have swiftly become friend and family to most of Berk, Hiccup must decide between following the expectations of his father and what he feels he is called to do.
Yet another sequel, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes takes place 10 years after 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes. In those 10 years, a lethal virus has wiped out nearly all of humanity and what few survivors remain struggle to survive. However, while many of the previous Apes films have focused on humans, Dawn focuses on Caesar, a stunningly intelligent simian now responsible for leading a group of apes outside of San Francisco. After a band of survivors intrude on the territory claimed by the apes, Caesar must choose between fighting for peace or protecting his own through war.
Admittedly an enormous fan of the first film, How To Train Your Dragon 2 went above and beyond its predecessor, revealing an emotional maturity few children’s movies are capable of or even dare to attempt. While the bulk of the voice cast returned, welcome new additions included Cate Blanchett (Valka), Kit Harrington (Eret) and Djimon Hounsou (Drago). Yet another stunning, rich soundtrack from John Powell complimented the breathtaking animation. A movie filled with genuine heart that doesn’t shy away from asking some difficult questions, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is nothing short of a joy to watch.
Andy Serkis, famous for playing Gollum in the Lord of the Rings films, is nothing short of magnificent as Caesar, motion-capturing each movement alongside his fellow ape actors to add a rare, nearly tangible authenticity to the movie’s CGI. Dawn is filled with the weight of the current debates over such as gun control, racism and the fragility of peace. A thought-provoking addition to an often thought-provoking series, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes sets itself apart as one of the most intelligent films of the summer.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: While the Avengers & Co. have been working to protect Earth, who has been defending the galaxy? Guardians introduces some of Marvel’s most memorable characters yet. They come in the form of a ragtag group of misfits led by Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, and includes a wise-cracking racoon, a former assassin, a talking tree and a burly alien who struggles to understand metaphors. Together, they need to find a way to save the galaxy from an extremist desperate for control and in possession of one of the Infinity Stones, an ancient artifact capable of absolute destruction. As bizarre as the premise might seem, the movie never fails to deliver, with nearly every minute punctuated by humor and no small amount of heart. Fully deserving its place as the number one film of the summer, Guardians is a thrill from start to finish and introduces Chris Pratt as Hollywood’s newest, and nicest, leading man. If ‘I am Groot’ doesn’t ring a bell to you yet, swing by your nearest theater while you still have a chance!
!
September 11, 2014 The Swinging Bridge
Magic By Joel Hoover EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Arts & Entertainment 11
Coming to
SAB Fall Concert
O
ne of the music industry’s rising groups will be making a trip to Grantham this coming fall. The Messiah College Student Activities Board has announced that Canadian reggae band Magic! will be performing on campus at the SAB Fall Concert on November 15. The announcement was made by SAB Concerts Executive Allen Fernandez in a YouTube video released by SAB Concerts. “Students of Messiah College, [the concert] is on sale for you as of right now,” Fernandez said in the video. “As soon as you get on campus, stop by to pick up a ticket.” SAB also announced that student tickets will cost $7. Tickets are now on sale to both Messiah students and the general public. They can be purchased at the ticket office in the Eisenhower Campus Center. Fernandez said that the group was recommended to him by a friend earlier in the summer as they slowly began to climb the charts and find their way onto the radio with greater frequency. He was drawn to their reggae sound and was sold on the group when he heard their debut album, “Don’t Kill the Magic,” which was released on June 30. “I can’t remember a reggae song reach this platform within the billboards,” Fernandez said, remarking that Bob Marley was likely the last time any reggae group was on the pop music scene this heavily. The group has risen to prominence in 2014 thanks to the overwhelming success of their single “Rude”. The song is currently top of the Billboard Hot 100 for a sixth consecutive week, having spent 17 weeks total on the chart. Fernandez liked the story the song conveyed, something he feels is lacking in many songs today. “Not many people [in songs] talk about the idea of going to the father to receive the blessing of the daughter,” he said. “You usually see passion, chasing it and grabbing what you want. In this case, he’s doing that, but he’s doing that in a way that many people see as a traditional and respectful way. “And then you have medic story that goes
the with
coit.”
After putting Magic’s music through their four criteria for SAB Concert performers—truth communicated, artistic merit, appropriateness, and cultural relevance—and receiving the backing
Magic! have risen to prominence in the summer of 2014 thanks to their hit single “Rude”.
Photos provided by RCA Records Press
of the rest of the organization, Fernandez set about contacting SAB’s main booking agency contact to set up the event. From there, the event was able to be secured and determined in advance of the school year beginning. SAB’s successful booking of Magic! adds to an already impressive list of recent performers who have come to the college, including Mat Kearney, August Burns Red, FUN., and many other noteworthy groups. Fernandez said such success is all about allowing Messiah students to look at pop culture with the Christian perspective being learned on campus. “SAB has this ultimate goal of bringing opportunities to the students of Messiah of critical engagement with popular culture through a Biblical worldview and perspective,” he said, calling attention to SAB’s vision and mission. Magic! is comprised of vocalist and Grammy Award-winning songwriter and producer Nasri, guitarist Mark Pelli, drummer Alex Tanas, and bassist Ben Spivak. “Rude” was released as a debut single on October 12, 2013. The band’s complete debut album, “Don’t Kill the Magic” sold just under 36,000 copies upon its release on June 30, 2014. More details for the concert will be announced by SAB at a later date.
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September 11, 2014 The Swinging Bridge
Arts & Entertainment 12
FIRST-YEAR COFFEEHOUSE
in Review
By Megan E. Bloom A&E EDITOR
F
Illustrations provided by all-free0download.com
irst-Year Coffeehouse showcases some of the finest talent of the new student population. These performers are a few of the boldest and bravest to display their unique acts to a large portion of the college.
ing to see a lot of wonderful talent.
Hitchcock Gymnasium was teeming with students excited to see what their peers were about to present.
The house lights turned down as music major Esteban Nieves began to charm the crowd with his rendition of Bastille’s “Oblivion.”
“The anticipation is building,” said Mik Connor, first-year film major, “My blood is boiling and I’m pumped.” His friends Zach Dolton and Curtis Mather agreed, and were all expect-
A first-year biochemistry major, Mather said, “There’s a nice turn out. Hopefully [the performers] can shine through the pressure.”
With this being Nieves’ first performance at Messiah, it was a bit nerve wracking for him. “It was scary being new and not really knowing many people,” he said. “But the roar from the crowd made me feel better.” Following him was Xinxin “Daisy” Mao who played a traditional Chinese song on the piano called “Happy Shepherd.” “The shepherd [in the song] lives a carefree life and I want everybody to live that way,” she explains. Mao’s hope for her performance was to show everyone Chinese culture as well as her true self. “I wish Americans could learn more about China,” she said. “I want to spread my culture and show the students traditional China.”
Photo by Will Colfelt Matt Burkhead skillfully twirls his yo-yo during his performance at the First-Year Coffeehouse.
She mentioned that there are many misconceptions about the country--for example, the notions that they are undeveloped and lack freedom for their people. While many performances were more serious, others were doing it for the sheer fun of performing in front of the school.
Many singers made a strong impression with their performances at the First-Year Coffeehouse.
Photo by Will Colfelt
Certainly the most interesting act of the evening was computer science major Matt Burkhead’s yo-yo routine.
Boy’s hit single, “I Want It That Way,” a dance routine to Lil Mama’s “Lipgloss,” and numerous other performances.
“I made it all up four hours ago,” laughed Burkhead, who has been yo-yoing for six years. His routine got the crowd onto their feet, clapping and dancing along with a remix of Magic!’s song “Rude.”
SAB’s Student Talent executive Hannah Lazio was incredibly pleased with the show’s variety and outcome. “It was a big success,” she said. “There was a good variety of acts which keeps the show from getting repetitive.”
“He really woke up the crowd,” said Erica Souter, a junior human development and family science major. “We never have anything like this.”
Lazio was also happy that the crowd was enthusiastic and became involved in the acts.
The rest of the Coffeehouse was filled with students lip syncing to Backstreet
Xinxin “Daisy” Mao shares a traditional Chinese song with the crowd gathered at the First-Year Coffeehouse.
“It’s not a show unless the audience is participating and having fun.”
Photo by Will Colfelt
September 11, 2014 The Swinging Bridge
Summer Sudoku
&
Puzzles Fun
Summer/Graduation Across
Crossword
1. was inspired by headgear worn by church dignitaries in 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
the 16th century. something you build a the beach THE summer fruit popular muffin variety long standing, life sucking debt endowed upon our dear graduates How all fair food ever is cooked
Down 1. what graduates do with their caps to signal the end of the
ceremony When it’s hot you want ALL the scoops of this delectable treat classic American grilling food. most common summer vacation spot stereotypically a child’s first business venture you chase/catch them in open fields as they light up the summer nights. 7. Child’s summer beverage of choice #90sKids 8. Hot 9. protects from UV rays, can sting eyes 10. long treks across vast area’s of land in a vehicular device filled with friends and/or family, and a lot of junk food 11. forced to wax and wain on the shore by the wishy washy attitude of the moon
2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Answers from Issue 9 : ACROSS:
1. Mary Magdelene; 2. Eggs; 3. Thirty; 4. Peter; 5. Barabbas; Dye. DOWN: 1. Bunny; 2. Germany; 3. Peter Rabbit; 4. Lily; 5. Easter; 6. Canada; 7. Simon; 9. Chicks
Messiah Mini-Pages 13
SPORTS
September 11, 2014 The Swinging Bridge
Sports 14
it, Wit: Witmer Wins! By Elizabeth Gallo SPORTS EDITOR
A
fter a thrilling afternoon of FirstYear students competing, it was a red repeat for Witmer dorm.
Naugle’s “Ain’t Never Been Scared,” alongside defending champions Witmer’s “Wit Wit What” chants.
On Saturday, August 30th, the annual Residence Hall Games took place at Starry Fields as a part of Welcome Week for the Class of 2018. Bittner, Naugle, and Witmer each competed to claim the coveted Golden Torch, the prize for the Res Life Game champions. For the second year in a row, Witmer’s efforts proved to be victorious.
As each team took the field near the hosts for the afternoon, The Loft and RDs gathered at the center of the playing field for a pregame handshake and to turn in the trophy.
As an ample crowd of upperclassman gathered above Starry to cheer on their favorite dorm, chants from the competitors filled the atmosphere. Each team fearlessly made their way across Messiah’s famous Covered Bridge with the Golden Torch in mind. Among the bright sea of yellow, Bittner repeatedly chanted “I believe that we will win,” in hopes of reclaiming the Golden Torch that they won in 2011 and 2012. Equally enthused was
For the first event, each team had five minutes to spell their dorm names with their bodies. Witmer successfully won the challenge and was awarded a 15-second time advantage toward the last relay event. Witmer also proved to be victorious during the second challenge, Rock Paper Scissors. For this challenge, each dorm had a large competition amongst one another to determine the individual winner for the dorm. That individual would then compete against the other two individual dorm winners in the final round of Rock, Paper, Scissors. The victory meant 15 more seconds were
“ WIN!
added to Witmer’s relay advantage.
Time advantages are a recent addition to the Games, and many participants have been in favor of the implementation. Witmer 2B RA Curtis Kurtz was among those who have liked it.
“The time advantages that they have implemented within the past couple years have really helped,” Kurtz said. They have been especially effective at increasing the relevance of the early challenges before the final relay. For the next two events--Bucket Brigade and Circle Sit--Bittner were able to get some time back. Bucket Brigade consisted of each team forming a line and in five minutes, having to successfully pass down a train of buckets of water to fill the empty barrel at the end. For Circle Sit, first the floors, then the genders, and then the entire dorm had to sit on each other’s laps in a circle. Bitner’s victory in both events meant they would also gain a 30-second head start in the final relay.
I believe that
”
WE WILL
Despite their smaller size, Bittner RA Phil Strunk noted that it is the “motivation” of his dorm that makes for a good competition.
“Bittner has four tradition floors...each one of them brings something unique to the table,” he said of the dorm. “Whenever you bring all four of them together, you are going to see something fantastic.” With all the preliminary events complete, the anticipated Final Relay dawned upon the competitors. Both Bittner and Witmer went into the Final Relay with a 30-second edge on Naugle, but the competition was still anyone’s game.
The Final Relay consisted of a hulahoop handoff to a mattress surf, to the inner tube creek pull, where select participants from each team had to pull their RD in a tube down the Yellow Breeches. The first to the Swinging Bridge would be the champion. As screaming and chants from the competitors and spectators alike filled the atmosphere, defending champions Witmer made their decisive move midway through the mattress surf, as both their A and B sections surged ahead of Bittner. From there, Witmer RD Paula Hoffman had a smooth ride being pulled down the Yellow Breeches Creek to capture Witmer’s second straight Residence Hall Games championship. The Golden Torch was going back to the Dubs.
Two Naugle residents share some paint on Naugle Lawn ahead of the 2014 Residence Hall Games.
Photo by Carly Groff
The Residence Hall Games were only a portion of the many activities that the Class of 2018 participated in during their first
September 11, 2014 The Swinging Bridge I cannot be any prouder of our team and I am really happy that if we could not come in first, we were in second.” And while Naugle also came up short, their chanting and vocal intimidation was especially impressive during the march down to the Games. Each team member fought to the very end, particularly with a more important goal in mind. “Naugle stores their treasures in Heaven,” Naugle 2B RA Megan Dobinson said, while also poking some fun at Kurtz during Witmer’s postgame celebrations.
Bittner residents celebrate their successful completion Photo by Will Colfelt of the Circle Sit challenge during the 2014 Residence Hall Games.
But for a second straight year, it was an unstoppable red tide that carried the Golden Torch of Residence Hall Games back to Witmer Hall.
Sports 15
History of the
GOLDEN
T O R C H 2014 - Witmer 2013 - Witmer 2012 - Bittner 2011 - Bittner 2010 - Naugle
week at Messiah. Participating in an event like the Games was a fun way to expose First Year students to the community at Messiah College. “This is what really gets them to break out of their shell.” Kurtz commented. “It really makes them love where they live and just want to be a part of that community. And then to come and win it, it is just like, they are super stoked to live where they are.” Bittner put up a great fight this year, as they were neck and neck with Witmer during the entire last event. Strunk was quite proud of the effort the dorm gave. “We had some fantastic people up there,” he noted. “We communicated really well. Residents of Witmer flash a celebratory “W” for their dorm in the Yellow Breeches Creek after winning the 2014 Residence Hall Games.
Photo by Will Colfelt
Messiah Athletics Unveils New Website By John Moulton STUDENT WRITER While athletic events took a break on campus for the summer months, the Athletic Department remained hard at work redesigning their website.
company what they liked, and compared athletic websites of other school from several conferences to see what we wanted to do and didn’t,” King said. Alongside of www.gomessiah.com is GoMessiah.TV, which hosts all of the
live coverage of Messiah sporting events either through a LiveFeed or live stats. King mentioned that the reason each of these sites work so well together is because “it allows the Athletics Department to broadcast events in HD coverage.”
If you have not already done so, be sure to frequently check www.gomessiah. com to see what is upcoming for the fall season and use GoMessiah. TV to watch all the games as they happen live throughout the year!
This summer, the Messiah Athletics Department updated their www. gomessiah.com site. The decision to update the website was for several reasons, according to Assistant Athletic Director for Public Relations and Marketing, Steve King. “The main reason for updating the website was to incorporate a few elements that were more pleasing, attractive, and interactive for visitors,” King explained. These elements are quick to spot, as the pictures are now larger. Each sport is also listed on the top of the site with a drop-down menu. This differs significantly from the old site, which listed each sport on the side of the site. The Athletics Department also took a lot of time and effort in deciding how the new design of the site would look. “We made a list of things we wanted, a list of things we thought we didn’t need, asked students, coaches and the new
The new gomessiah.edu stands ready for visitors to keep up with Messiah Athletics.
Screenshot provided by go.messiah.edu Photo provided by openclipart.org
September 11, 2014 The Swinging Bridge
Messiah Athletics Adds All-Americans Display to Hall of Champions
The new All-American display lists all 240 NCAA Division III All-Americans in Messiah’s history chronologically. This also transitions the Hall of Champions hallway from the national honors and the numerous MAC and Commonwealth Conference Championship plaques. In total, Messiah has won 102 team conference championships, with the most recent pertaining to men’s golf and men’s tennis.
By Phil Naegely STUDENT WRITER
In addition to listing every Division III All-American at Messiah, a television display provides an interactive tour. Users can browse through Messiah’s history at their own pace and a simple touch of the finger. The touch screen display has many features, which makes it easier for users to visualize every national champion – team and individual - Coach and Player of the Year, and lastly, every All-American. The new display provides more detailed looks into each category.
Sollenberger Sports Center tells the story of Messiah Athletics’ rich history to those passing by. Over the summer, Messiah Athletics added another aspect to the Hall of Champions to further share its successes. The Falcons’ All-Americans display, located near the wrestling room, compliments the displays of every 23 Messiah national champions – 16 team championships and seven individual champions - CoSIDA AllAmericans, Player and Coach of the Year recipients, and the Hall of Honor.
Sports 16
Messiah student, Michael Mattern accesses the new touch screen at the Messiah Hall of Champions. In addition to those displays, some of the 16 team championship trophies and other NCAA awards are on display, as well as information about
Next time you take a stroll through the Hall of Champions in the Sollenberger Sports Center, stop by the new All-American display and explore it for yourself.
Photo by Carly Groff
former baseball player and current Cincinnati Reds outfielder Chris Heisey and decathlete Chris Boyles.
Designers Abbey Wylie April Nguyen Cait Fenello Carly Groff Frances Miller Megan Dobinson News Editor Miranda Ruiz The newly completed All-American display shows all of Messiah’s All-American honorees.
Photo byCarly Groff
Sports Scores WED 9.3.14
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FRI 9.5.14
Men’s Soccer
SAT 9.6.14
Women’s Volleyball
at Johns Hopkins University
vs University of Redlands
at Lancaster Bible College vs Cairn University
Field Hockey at Juniata College
Women’s Soccer vs William Smith College
Men’s Soccer vs Neumann University
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Opinions Editor Breanna Whitelock Features Editor Corinne Elliott A & E Editor Megan Bloom Sports Editor Elizabeth Gallo Business Ebenezer Degu Molly Scott Audio/ Visual Paul Ney Will Colfelt
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Student Director Lauren Piccioni
THE
SWINGING BRIDGE
Editor-In-Chief Joel Hoover