Swinging Bridge Magazine: February 2020

ORIGINS OF VALENTINE'S DAY

27

HARD: STUDENT

BIG CHANGES

SMALL HEROES,

12

SPORTS SUPPORT

20

GO LONG, GO

THE

14 DRIVEN TO DISCOVER

OVERCOMING THE

GENDER GAP IN STEM

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THE

SWINGING B R I DG E VOLU M E 1 0 9

EDITION 15

LETTER FROM THE

EDITOR

FEB. 2020

STUDENT DIRECTOR

ASST. STUDENT DIRECTOR

AMY LINT

NAKIAH BAKER

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CHARMAINE LIM ART DIRECTOR AMELIA MARKEY AUDIO & VISUAL MANAGER KATHARINE CHAMBERLAIN

STUDENT LIFE EDITOR

CULTURE EDITOR

SPORTS EDITOR

CELICA COOK

KENDRA SOMMERS

BRIAN SHERMEYER

BUSINESS MANAGER

DESIGN ASSISTANTS

WEB MANAGER

ANDRE FRUEH

REBECCA MCCLELLAND

SARAH BLESSING

CORINNE YOUNGBERG YEARBOOK MANAGER

ABIGAIL ZOEBISCH

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER ALLYSON HUFFORD

ABIGAIL ZOEBISCH

MUSIC MANAGER

AUDIO & VISUAL ASSISTANTS

MATT DEKONTY

JANELLE BARGERSTOCK

Monday - Friday | 1pm - 5pm 717-691-6081 1 COLLEGE AVENUE SUITE 3058 MECHANICSBURG, PA 17055

(Downstairs South Wing of the Larsen Student Union) The Swinging Bridge Magazine is published through The Pulse: Messiah College Media Hub, run by students. The Pulse consists of Pulse Radio (90.7), The Clarion yearbook, and The Swinging Bridge Magazine. The Swinging Bridge staff strives to publish quality student writing, photography, and design.

To learn about job and volunteer opportunities, email thepulse@messiah.edu.

If

you ask my friends what I’m passionate about, they’ll say the same two things: dogs and books.

I have loved both for as long as I can remember. Watching dog videos is the fastest way to make me smile on a bad day. My room is decorated with books and bookish decor.

Both make me smile more than anything else in the world.

This kind of passion goes beyond a simple love — it’s something I will talk incessantly about if given the chance. Despite that, I’ve always felt like that kind of passion was something I could only share with certain people.

Coming into 2020, I decided I would learn to stop being afraid of sharing my passions.

Somewhat dramatically, I announced on social media that I would begin talking (even more) about books and some of my other passions. I wanted people to know so they had the chance to unfollow me if they didn’t want that kind of content on their feed. The people who stayed have been supportive, and that means a lot to me each time I make a new post.

My hope is that these stories will encourage you to discover and discuss your passions and the passions of your peers. You never know what you might learn about them.

Charmaine Lim Editor-In-Chief

TABLE

OF

CONTENTS

STUDENT LIFE 8

CULTURE 25

5

14

CAMPUS CLOSET THEATER EDITION

8

DRIVEN TO DISCOVER

SUPPORTING WOMEN IN SCIENCE

17

PASSION IN PLAY

MORE THAN A MONTH

MEET THE POWERHOUSE TEAM

BLACK HISTORY IS WORLD HISTORY

10

20

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A COMMUTER?

12

SMALL HEROES, BIG CHANGES

ORIGINS OF VALENTINE'S DAY

22

IT'S A LEAP

HOW WE LANDED ON THE MODERN LEAP YEAR

23

ALL ABOUT ASH WEDNESDAY

4

FEBRUARY 2020

SPORTS & REC 26

24

GO LONG, GO HARD THE STUDENTS BEHIND MESSIAH'S TEAM SPIRIT

26

PLAY ON

THE WILD WORLD OF REC SPORTS

STUDENT LIFE

CAMPUS CLOSET: THEATER EDITION PRESENTING

“ANNE OF GREEN GABLES”

BY CELICA COOK Get a behind the scenes look at the making of the costumes from the Theatre Department’s most recent production of “Anne of Green Gables.” Each costume was hand-designed

by Adjunct Instructor in Theatre and costume designer for the show Elizabeth Angelozzi.

With some help from students Brooklyn Duttweiler and Annelise Wardell, Angelozzi was able to create a costume perfectly fit for each character. This is what she had to say about the vision behind her design.

STUDENT LIFE

Marilla Cutherbert PLAYED BY KATIE PHYKITT “You have to think about her character and their economic status. You have to think about what they do for a living. They are farmers. We looked for some inspiration photos of people on a farm, and that’s where I started. People on a farm would wear boots, and then she would wear a skirt that is very long, and a blouse which was popular at the time. She would then wear an apron to keep her clothes clean.”

Gilbert Blythe PLAYED BY JIM HY “So Gilbert we’ll see as a young boy. We were debating on whether or not to give him knickers, but since Gilbert is working on a farm we decided to put him in longer pants. I did some research into whether corduroy was one of the fabrics available at the time, so we put him in some corduroy pants, suspenders, and a little patchwork cap.”

6

FEBRUARY 2020

STUDENT LIFE

Anne Shirley PLAYED BY ARIA WALKER “This is Anne’s orphan costume. She has this dress that we’ve made a couple of sizes too small so it looks like she has been crammed into it for a couple of years. She has a pinafore over the top of it which was typical of the time to keep her clothes clean, and she’s wearing boots and black tights as well. She also comes in with a straw hat.”

Mrs. Barry PLAYED BY ANNELISE WARDELL “Mrs. Barry is very snobby, and proper. She is richer than the other characters, and so her costume is a bit more fancy than others.”

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

7

STUDENT LIFE

USE TEAM O H R E W O IND THE P H E B S E C

BY CELICA COOK A THE F

F

or over 15 years, students have been gathering together in Hostetter Chapel to worship the Lord. Student worship leaders have filtered in and out and the band since then. As people move on and new ones step forward, it’s safe to say that Powerhouse has changed over the years. What remains strong is the team community and the bonds of friendship that keep them strong and committed to their task of leading students into the act of worship.

Sam Brown, av senior commercial music major, serves as the president of Powerhouse this semester. He understands the importance of making sure that the team comes to the stage each week with hearts prepared for worship.

One way they do this is by worshiping and praying with one another before a service.

“That is the time I stress as the most import-

8

FEBRUARY 2020

ant because that time together is poured out during Powerhouse itself as we worship and pray together,” Brown said. “That just prepares us more and more.”

One of the more recent Powerhouse traditions has been to “Build the House,” as they call it. “Build the House” is a time during team prayer and worship every week where the team chooses a different person to lay affirmations on. They build each other up with words of encouragement and kind truths, further empowering the community aspect of the Powerhouse team.

Keeping each other accountable and loving each other like a family have been important for the dynamics of the team. Powerhouse is meant to be a safe space of worship for students and student leaders alike. Being a part of the Powerhouse team is a growth opportunity

for those that have spent time on the team.

Alex Chen, a senior business administration major, serves as the head tech guy on the Powerhouse team. His role is more behind-thescenes than those performing on stage, but he still feels like Powerhouse has been like a second family to him.

“It really is like a family, but we don’t want to deliver the idea that it’s an exclusive thing,” Chen said. “We keep our group tight because it is really like a family dynamic. We love one another and we keep each other accountable the way a family would, but we want to deliver the message that we are a family with open arms.

We’re not any different than anyone else on campus. The stage doesn’t elevate the team.

We’re messengers.”

STUDENT LIFE Powerhouse exists for the sole purpose of creating a safe space where people can worship freely the way that they feel most comfortable doing. Many students find comfort in gathering with their friends on Thursday night to worship with hands outstretched in reckless abandon. Others prefer to be alone, perhaps in quiet prayer or solitary worship.

“Something I do a lot when I’m not on the team is [go] up to the balcony,” Brown said.

“There’s people that I see who sit in prayer the entire time. There’s some people who don’t like to be as charismatic in their worship, and they’ll go up to the balcony and sit in the back corner or something to worship, and that is ok because there is a space for that.”

Just as Powerhouse is designed for anyone to come and worship, the team is designed for anyone to come and be a part of the Powerhouse family. Part of the power behind Powerhouse is the strong friendships that the team chooses to maintain with one another. As the team learns and grows in their faith with each other, they equip one another to help the Powerhouse congregation in their journey of faith as well.

“It’s made me realize that your faith is something to be taken seriously, and in the sense of leading the team, it’s really taught me how to increase my accountability with myself, and with others,” Brown said. “It’s given me an opportunity to surround myself with people who love Jesus better than I do.”

Powerhouse is made up of the hearts of students who are passionate about the act of worship. Hannah Ruby, a music and worship major, has been playing guitar and singing on the team since the beginning of 2019. Her entire major is devoted to worship, and yet she wants to remind us that worship is not a major. It is a way of life she is able to practice by being in community with the other members of her team.

“I think when we isolate ourselves, we are robbed of the intimacy and vastness of who God is,” Ruby said. “I have seen personally so many sides of Jesus that I don’t think I would have seen not having worked with the people that are on the team and getting so close with them.”

"T

HE STAGE DOESN’T ELEVATE

THE TEAM. WE’RE M E S S E G E R S ."

The family dynamic of the Powerhouse team is what largely contributes to the success and popularity of the Powerhouse event. Without the dedicated prayer, time and thought that the team puts into the set each week, it’s likely Powerhouse would fall short. If the team was not so intimately invested in the wellbeing of one another, they would not be as strong as they are.

As the team remains strong in their commitment to each other, Powerhouse remains strong and the congregation will reap the benefits of the love that surrounds the team and all who participate each week.

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

9

STUDENT LIFE

W H AT I S I T L I K E to be a

CO M M U T E R ?

BY ALLY HUFFORD

"C

ommunity" is a word around Messiah that holds some sort of importance to most students here. Many students find community in residence halls or apartments on campus. However, there’s a portion of students that experience it in a different way, because instead of living on campus, they commute.

“Commuters are a larger population of our population than you would think,” Coordinator of Student Involvement and Leadership Programs J.P. Edmunds said.

They make up about 13 percent of Messiah’s student population. After crunching a few numbers, that means that there are more than 350 undergraduate commuters at Messiah.

When considering how small the student body is here, that’s a decent number of students commuting each day.

In Edmunds’ role, he gets to work with Commuter Student Services and the Commuter Council, which serves as a wing of student government for commuters. He likened his role to that of a Residence Director in the sense that he works to create community among commuter students.

10

FEBRUARY 2020

Business administrator major Tafadzwa Chakala ’21, has been a commuter since she started at Messiah in Spring ‘19. She is also the commuter student representative for Student Senate.

Chakala is originally from Zimbabwe, so she lives with a host family in the area. While she could have lived on campus, Chakala decided that she would prefer commuting for a couple of reasons.

She enjoys living with her host family, and she also really loves driving. In addition to this, Chakala likes having her own space, which she gets in her host family’s home.

“I like the freedom of coming in and out,” Chakala said.

According to Edmunds, there are many reasons why students may commute. Some students live nearby and choose to live with their families out of desire or necessity. Some upper- classmen choose to live in their own place off campus for an added sense of freedom or to save money. Regardless of the reasoning, Edmunds said that while no one group on campus has more needs than another, commuter students have needs that are different from residential students.

Chakala found that residential students in her orientation group had an easier time connecting with each other than with her, and she thinks that part of it has to do with the fact that they can spend time together more easily.

“If I had it my way,” Chakala said, “I would have lived on campus during my first semester, and then stayed off campus for the rest of my semesters.”

When considering how close the bond can be among floormates in first-year residence halls, this desire makes sense.

13% of students commute to Messiah every day.

STUDENT LIFE

MAKING MEMORIES The Commuter Council puts on plenty of events for its many members, like Friendsgiving this past fall.

In addition to holding events at more convenient times, Edmunds said that it’s helpful for them to be held in accessible locations. For example, if a Bible study is held in a residence hall, it isn’t as open to commuter students because they don’t have swipe access to those buildings.

“It is quite difficult if you start out as a commuter student to connect with students who live on campus and do everything together,” Chakala said.

The Commuter Council works hard to develop community among commuter students. According to Edmunds and Chakala, they plan events to help create that community. Last semester, they took a trip to Paulus Orchards.

“Not all events on campus are designed with commuters in mind,” Edmunds said.

He explained that if a commuting student has their last class at 3 p.m. and they want to go to an event at 7 p.m., then they must decide what to do for those four hours. It can also be difficult for commuter students to stay late at events, because they have to take their commute home into consideration. Edmunds said that the events that the Commuter Council organizes are designed with the commuter students in mind. Because the students aren’t bound to campus, they usually take advantage of the surrounding area. They also organize events that are welcoming to any other people in the students’ lives. They usually try to plan an event each month.

cording to Messiah’s website, “the commuter lounge is a great place to relax, study or even catch a few winks.” It’s open solely to commuter students, and they even have lockers for students to keep items in that they may not want to carry around all day.

Commuters services works hard to accommodate Messiah commuters into the Messiah community. Community doesn’t stop where the last building on campus ends. It is made up of the hearts of students on and off campus that find some kind of home at Messiah College — commuter students definitely included.

CAMPING OUT An unidentified commuting student

Another resource available to commuter students is rideshare. Messiah’s website describes it as a way for commuter students to share their commute with other students.

Interested students can fill out a form online to get connected with other commuters who want to participate in the program.

cozies up in a Commuter Lounge cubicle. New features and furniture were added when the lounge was renovated in Fall 2017.

Knowing how important community is at Messiah, Edmunds encourages students to go beyond their inner circle to help establish that.

He also urges students who are in leadership roles in clubs to plan some events during the day so that the events are more accessible to commuter students.

“It is much easier for a commuter student to come to an event at three in the afternoon than at seven or eight at night,” Edmunds said.

While commuters don’t have ID access to residence halls, they do have access to the commuter lounge, located in South Complex. Ac-

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

11

STUDENT LIFE

small heroes,

BIG CHANGES

BY CHARMAINE LIM

E M OT I O N A L S U P P O RT A N I M A L S A N D THEIR HUMANS ON CAMPUS *Trigger warnings for mentions of specific mental illnesses and mental health struggles*

I T' S N O S ECR E T that having a pet can make a person happier

and healthier. Petting them, playing with them, taking videos of all the silly things they do — it’s all great fun. For some people, it’s about more than just the cuteness.

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) have become increasingly common on college campuses as more and more students find themselves struggling with mental health. You’ve likely seen them in dorms and apartments, or at least heard about someone having one. Though they’re not service animals, the role they play is just as important.

Senior psychology major Kat Kelly has been living with her ESA bunny, Leo, since January 2018. At age 10, Kelly was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. When she grew older and became more settled in life, her anxiety lessened. Her struggle with depression then grew more difficult.

“I was coming back from a semester of medical leave and wanted an extra support system,” Kelly said.

A friend of hers had a litter of rabbits up for adoption and the timing was perfect. Kelly picked Leo out and was able to register him as an ESA for the spring semester.

The process involved applying through the Office of Disability Services and having a letter from her therapist stating the benefits of Kelly having an ESA.

12

FEBRUARY 2020

STUDENT LIFE have to get out of bed for him — I have to make sure he’s okay. Even if that’s the only time I get out of bed, it’s still something. I still accomplished something.”

“I think that having [S’mores] as an ESA differs because you know that she’s there for the purpose of being a companion and taking care of her and yourself throughout the process,” Zubaly said. “It’s more of a constant and a grounding idea that she is here to benefit my well-being and I am here to take care of her. It’s a mutual relationship with your animal to take care of each other and benefit each other.”

KAT AND LEO

“He’s not a pet that I keep on campus,” Kelly said. “He’s beneficial to my mental health. It was important to have a healthcare provider say ‘Hey, she’s not just bringing her pet on campus, she needs this to be able to function sometimes.’”

In senior psychology major Jenna Zubaly’s case, the process was a little different. Zubaly had already been diagnosed with clinical depression, generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder before she began thinking about getting an ESA. During the summer of 2019, she struggled with her mental health and wanted to find better coping methods.

That’s when her guinea pig, S’mores, came into the picture.

“I worked at a summer camp this past summer and adopted her from there,” Zubaly said. “After discussing a lot of options with my doctor, we thought an ESA might be good for me. I’ve always loved animals and it seemed like a good outlet for me. My doctor evaluated me and wrote me a letter to the college explaining that I was under her treatment for mental health and that I would benefit from having an ESA.” Though she also took the normal steps of applying through the Office of Disability Services, Zubaly did not have a therapist or psychologist who could vouch for her need of an ESA. To meet the requirements, Zubaly’s counselor at the Engle Center confirmed that having an ESA would greatly benefit her mental health during her final year of school.

“It’s really beneficial because I know that for me at times, I have little motivation and drive to do things,” Zubaly said.

JENNA AND S'MORES

“Having an animal that is my responsibility to take care of can be really motivating. Something is relying on you.”

A common misconception about having an ESA on campus is that it’s only an excuse to have your pet live with you. Since they’re not certified therapy or service animals, they’re not trained in the same ways. In reality, these ESAs aren’t just pets and they’re still very impactful without special training.

“They’re there to support you in different ways,” Zubaly said. “Sometimes it’s a little frustrating when people assume your problems aren’t that big of a deal and you just want a pet on campus.”

“If you think that an ESA is just a glorified pet, I would say to talk to people who have them,” Kelly said. “They’ll tell you their own experiences. I would not give him [Leo] up for the world. I could live without him, I could function, but I function so much better with him.”

Like with any other animals, taking care of an ESA is a big responsibility. That routine is often what helps people the most. Because rabbits shed their fur twice a year, Kelly sometimes takes Leo outside to “pluck” him, removing clumps of fur so he doesn’t end up with hairballs in his system.

Kelly also cites Leo’s unconditional love as a source of support as she deals with low self-esteem. He often greets her by running in circles in his cage and pressing himself against the bars to be pet.

“Having an animal makes the apartment feel homier [...] almost safer,” Kelly said. “I know I can always come home and just scoop him up if I’m having a bad day.”

“I find her [S’mores] pretty comforting,” Zubaly said. “Guinea pigs really bond to their humans well. Guinea pigs are still a decent size.

They’re big enough that you can hold it and cuddle with it. They’re not a lot of work and they don’t take up a lot of space.”

The benefits of having an ESA are numerous for those who need them, and the bond they share is unlike any other.

“I definitely wish I could have been able to have her earlier,” Zubaly said. “Having that helpful push to take care of her and engage with her, it would have been helpful earlier.

But it’s better late than never. I’m very thankful that I have that opportunity now.”

“The biggest benefit I’ve gotten is going through the motions of taking care of him,” Kelly said. “I’m responsible for him. I have to feed him, brush him, give him water, make sure that his cage is clean. I’ve had days where I feel soul-crushingly terrible.

Which is why having [Leo] is so great. I do

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

13

CULTURE

Celebrating the

BY KENDRA SOMMERS

International Day for Women in Science — every day.

14

FEBRUARY 2020

CULTURE

“I LOVE DISCOVERY: the need to understand, the need to solve problems – I love [it],” GABRIELLA

CHANG,

senior biopsychology major, said about how her passion for science began. This desire to solve puzzles and ask the whys and hows of life fueled Chang’s desire to pursue the sciences, despite her initial struggles in the field. Her pursuit of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) is one example of the women in celebration on February 11 every year: The International Day for Women in Science.

The International Day for Women in Science began with a letter written by Princess Dr. Nisreen El-Hashemite in 2015 to the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly. The letter requested that February 11 be declared as this holiday for women, and that more goals would be made towards gender equity within the STEM fields all over the world. The 70th Session of the General Assembly announced the finalization of The International Day for Women in Science, and the first one held on February 11, 2016.

The United Nations include the gender divide in STEM fields to be under their, “Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG) to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.”

The SDGs were agreed on in 2015 with the goal of progress and readdressing again in 2030.

Female empowerment is essential for SDG 9 to succeed since it is not sustainable for women around the world to continue receiving “less than two-third[s] of the economic opportunity that men have.” Lack of female inclusion can also deteriorate innovation since an equal portion of the population is not being properly represented and their needs are also not being addressed. Henceforth, the UN has the agency within their organization, The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women partners with other global organizations to bring equal education to women, as well as address human rights violations against women.

Dr. Jennifer Thomson, professor of biology and psychology, said, “It is imperative that women with careers in science continue to encourage the next generation of young women scientists.”

She remembers hearing the phrase, “You can’t be what you can’t see,” making it vital for women in science to be visible to other women — “So that young girls can see that a career in science is a possibility for them.”

One of the biggest issues within the sciences Thomson highlighted was how often women’s accomplishments in science are left out of most education.

“I think science teachers should point out the contributions that women have made to the field of science,” Thomson said. “Even in cases where those contributions were overshadowed by their male colleagues.”

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

15

CULTURE And this happens all the time within science education, including the lack of attention given to Rosalind Franklin and her contribution to the identification of DNA — usually Francis Crick and James Watson getting all the recognition for the discovery of DNA. However, it was Franklin’s “X-ray diffraction images of DNA” that Watson and Crick later observed to establish the double-helix structure.

Junior applied health science major Miranda Chiang works at a physical therapy center. Her experience there has emphasized for her the importance for the inclusion of women in the science fields.

Chiang said, “There’s a lot of times where there are patients that only want to see a female physical therapist. If there wasn’t any, then that would make them uncomfortable, so it’s really important to have a good mix.”

Female inclusion is important because they can relate to and directly understand half of the population they are serving. Especially in science careers with patients or addressing certain health issues, sensitivity and insight are important for optimizing the patient’s care.

Within these issues, Gabriella Chang also highlighted her experiences as a racial minority, as well as a female within the sciences.

She expressed that many girls from her high school were interested in science.

“A lot of them went off to predominately white schools,” Chang said. “I am the only girl that is still pursuing science…There’s not much [of] a community for you, and I understand why now historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) make so much sense,

WOMEN IN SCIENCE

STATISTICALLY, you should've dropped out."

especially if you’re African-American or black.

It really is a community for you, where professors understand your struggle in a predominately white country and help you achieve.”

Because of the community she grew up in, Chang’s high school did not offer the same kinds of opportunities that other schools may have given, so when she came to college, she felt less prepared than a lot of her peers.

Chang attributes a lot of her success to the support she has received from female advisors and mentors in her life. She was encouraged by the Office of Disabilities Services when she was told, “Statistically, you should’ve dropped out, especially with your major and with your learning disability, you’re not supposed to be here at all.”

People believed in her, and that made all the difference.

Dr. Thomson had similar sentiments, “My advice to young women interested in entering into the sciences is to find yourself a female mentor. Women in science experience unique hurdles that are easier to navigate with the guidance of a woman who understands and has experienced these same challenges.”

Chiang spoke about how she finds herself studying with other women for this very reason.

“If you really do want to pursue science, it’s hard, whether you’re a guy or a girl,” Chiang said. “But you shouldn’t be discouraged just because it’s science.”

Chang expressed how she hopes her experiences will encourage more girls to join the sciences, and said, “Don’t stop. If it’s your passion, keep going.”

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FEBRUARY 2020

CULTURE

More Than A More Than Month Month UNDERSTANDING THE ORIGINS OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH

BY CHARMAINE LIM

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

17

CULTURE SPORTS & REC

O

nce a year in February, schools and communities make a point of talking about how slavery was abolished, the Fifteenth Amendment, Martin Luther King Jr., and all the other things we associate with Black History Month. Those are all good things, but they’re not the only things we should be talking about. In the routine of cycling through the prominent African American figures, we turn this time into a series of checkmarks on a diversity awareness list.

Many black people will say that they don’t stop being black at the end of the month. Yet the conversation around their history ends just because it’s no longer part of a designated month.

Dr. Todd Allen, Special Assistant to the President & Provost for Diversity Affairs and communicators professor, had a unique experience with the civil rights movement as he grew up.

“I was born a year after Dr. King was assassinated,” Allen said. “So he was always a figure in my life, though he wasn’t somebody I would have seen firsthand. As I got into my high school years, his birthday became a national holiday. I was raised in that kind of atmosphere. Something about the spirit of the movement really stuck out to me.”

“It’s kind of hard to avoid if you want to live in this world as a black person,” Austin Jones, president of Black Student Union, said.

“I think that you can’t necessarily forget where you came from or what your culture came from and live properly in that sense.”

“While on the calendar it’s designated as a month, I think all the stories that make up this nation are more than a month,” Allen said. “It’s important that we know the experiences of others to better understand and appreciate our own. It’s not just a single story or moment that makes up a nation — it’s everybody’s stories that make up that nation.”

"People owe it to themselves to get

informed ."

Dr. Minnijean Brown Trickey, one of the Little Rock Nine, spoke at the Martin Luther King Jr. chapel service in January.

“Black History Month is important because we can focus on history [that] often gets ignored in the totality of United States history,” Trickey said. “We all live in this society and we all have a history in this society. We shouldn’t have history of certain groups as afterthoughts. It should be everyday history.

The civil rights movement is a little section in American history books, yet it’s definitive U.S. history. Immigration of different groups and their contributions are definitive American history and they shouldn’t be afterthoughts or sidelines.”

Though it is mostly known for the powerful activism in the 50s and 60s, the civil rights movement continues to impact people, black or not, today.

Kimberly Steiner, interlibrary loan specialist, was one of the people responsible for curating a display of books in the Murray Library around Black History Month and MLK Jr. “I went on the civil rights tour this past June (2019),” Steiner said. “While I was on the tour, I learned a lot about really important people to the civil rights movement who I had never heard of before. It started to make me think ‘If I haven’t heard about these people, then there are probably a lot of other people who haven’t.’”

Steiner and Allen worked together to gather some of the content seen in the library displays. Several of the pictures in the displays came from Allen’s personal collection, on loan for the month.

Outside of that, Steiner pulled works from people who impacted her and recommendations from other people.

From biographies to children’s books, the mix of genres catered to a wide reading taste.

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CULTURE SPORTS & REC

“Until I went on the civil rights tour, I was really ignorant,” Steiner said. “I really didn’t have exposure to the richness of what the movement was all about — how all encompassing the fight was. Once I did learn, I felt like I wanted to know more. Even at this point in history, I feel like there’s a lot of us who don’t understand the connection between what’s happened in the past and the fight that African Americans have had well before the civil rights movement [...] and how it’s affected what life is like for them even now.”

For 19 years, Dr. Allen has led this civil rights tour every summer with a small group of people. They travel to different landmarks, meeting different important figures from the movement.

Having seen Messiah students meet the members of the civil rights movement, Allen said that it allowed them to make real connections. No longer was this a distant event, but something right in front of them.

In the fall of 2017, some student leaders held a vigil to remember Heather Heyer, a woman who was murdered at the white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia. Part of the vigil included a walk from one side of campus to the other. Not wanting to keep the walk completely silent, the student leaders sang freedom songs — the same ones they learned during the civil rights tour less than two months prior.

“As long as we sideline people’s histories, we get to have a narrative that says one thing which is basically not true,” Trickey said.

“One of the outcomes of the kinds of history books that are used in schools is that people are saying this is a white country. Not even close, never has been. By sidelining all the other histories, that narrative goes into other people’s heads and they don’t understand that there’s a total history which is inclusive.”

Still Curious?

PHOTO CAPTION Pick an arrow to point in the

If you’re interested in learning

direction of whichever photo you're captioning.

more about the civil rights

Feel free to change the color of the arrow to match

movement, check out these per-

the spread - just make sure it's not too light.

“Especially for white students, I think it’s important that we have a fuller understanding of all of history,” Steiner said. “I think our history books have painted a very ‘white’ picture of what our country’s beginnings were like and what it’s been since.”

“The access to information now is what some people can only dream of,” Allen said.

“Pick up a book, go to a movie, go hear a lecture or discussion. There are plenty of opportunities. But I think the biggest challenge is not to think ‘I’m going to do an activity and check it off and that’s my black history for the year. Next month is women’s history so I’m going to do an activity and check that off.’ No, people owe it to themselves to get informed and there’s so many great stories out there that are being told that have not been told.”

“It’s so humbling to see what people walk away with in terms of a head knowledge and a heart knowledge,” Allen said. “The way they’re impacted by the stories they’ve never heard before or persons they’ve never heard of before.”

sonal recommendations from Dr. Brown-Trickey, Dr. Allen and Ms. Steiner.

BOOKS: The Color of Law

by Richard Rothstein The Half That’s Never Been Told

by Edward E. Baptist March

by John Lewis

CAPTION If there's more than one photo, split

Walking With Wind up the caption and use the another arrow.

by John Lewis Eyes on the Prize

by Juan Williams

MOVIES: Just Mercy Harriet

OTHER: The 1619 Project

DR. MINNIJEAN BROWN TRICKEY, ONE OF THE LITTLE ROCK NINE, SPOKE AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CHAPEL SERVICE IN JANUARY.

TTH HEE SSW WIIN NG GIIN NG G BBRRIID DG GEE

19 19

ORIGINS

VALENTINES DAY

CULTURE

BY KENDRA SOMMERS

OF

Whether it’s known as ‘Galentines Day’ or ‘Singleness Awareness Day,’ St. Valentine’s Day has a history that has been lost over the years, yet is still practiced all around the world as a time to celebrate love.

Much of St. Valentine is still a mystery even to the Catholic Church, though he is still considered the patron saint of “love, young people, [and] happy marriages.” In fact, in 1969, the Roman Catholic Church actually removed St. Valentine from the calendar because so little was known about him.

However, St. Valentine has been restored as a saint in the official Roman Martyrology.

The majority of humanity’s understanding of the saints is due to Belgian monks, known as Bollandists, who spent three centuries traveling the world and accumulating artifacts to help document the lives of the saints. While there was still limited information around St. Valentine, it was uncovered that there were multiple St. Valentines, two of whom were beheaded on February 14 in different years under Roman Emperor Claudius II. The first Valentine of the third century was believed to have died in Africa, but that is the extent of what the Bollandists could uncover. The next St. Valentine’s account is largely taken from a historical legend and the Bollandists’ critiques of a Roman priest who was arrested and placed in the custody of Judge Asterius. While still in his custody, Valentine continued to preach of the life of Christ, so Asterius made him a deal: if

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Valentine could heal his blind daughter, he would convert and be baptized.

St. Valentine called on the Lord, performed this miracle, and Asterius and his family converted to Christianity. Emperor Claudius II found out about Asterius’ conversion and blamed Valentine, so he was beheaded on February 14.

The third Valentine was understood to be a bishop in Terni, Italy, under the same rule of Emperor Claudius II. His story is similar to the second, challenging a skeptic and healing his son, which soon got him, too, beheaded by the Emperor. The Bollandists suggest that perhaps these two stories were about the same Valentine that reached different regions of Italy and took hold with slight variations.

Many more well-known aspects of Valentine’s story do not belong to the research of the Bollandists and only hold up as legends, differing from community to community.

Some believed St. Valentine was performing illegal marriages at a time when Claudius II had banned marriage, believing it made weaker soldiers. When he was jailed, he supposedly fell in love with the jailor’s daughter and before he was executed on February 14, he wrote her a letter of his love signing it ‘from your Valentine.’

The first Valentine’s Day was celebrated in year 496 A.D. by the Church to not only commemorate St. Valentine, but also to bring less attention to the Roman holiday of Lupercalia, also celebrated around the 14th of February. During this festival, boys and girls would draw names and they would be “together” for the remainder of the celebration – sometimes this would actually manifest into serious relationships and

CULTURE marriage in the future. It was a celebration of the returning spring, and was believed to be the time when birds would mate and couple off. With the Christian church taking on St. Valentine’s Day around the same time, people slowly began using this day as a time to confess one’s love for someone else. Christians began sending ‘Saint Valentine Day cards,’ lavishly decorated and eloquently written, to those they loved.

Nowadays, Valentine’s Day is often murmured with sarcasm through gritted teeth. No days are given off; it’s a reminder that you may be alone; or it’s an expectation of a romantic evening with your significant other. And statistically, the number of those celebrate Valentine’s Day in America is declining for all age groups.

Despite this, the holiday is still widely celebrated all over the world, each country having their own unique traditions for this day of love. The Philippines celebrates the day with mass group weddings where thousands of couples will gather to get married.

This is such a common practice that the most common anniversary date has become February 14. South Korean women often will be the initiators of Valentine’s Day, bestowing chocolates to their significant others or as a means of confessing love to someone new. This is similar to the Japanese tradition, but different chocolates and gifts have different meanings. The “giri choco” is

the chocolate given to anyone and everyone throughout the day, signifying no romantic affection. In order to indicate romantic feelings, the “honmei choco” must be given with a handmade gift. Germany celebrates similarly to America with the generic chocolate, flowers and gifts; however, they also must exchange pigs: a symbol of luck and lust. It can be presented in any way, whether it be a savory dinner, a tiny keychain or a chocolate figurine. As one of the largest exporters of cocoa, Ghana declared February 14 as National Chocolate Day to encourage more celebration.

ALL OVER THE WORLD,

EACH COUNTRY HAS THEIR OWN UNIQUE

TRADITIONS FOR

THIS DAY OF LOVE

Despite much of St. Valentine’s backstory remaining a mystery, he was still a figure with enough of an impact to commemorate a day dedicated to love that the world now observes.

Whether you’re recognizing this holiday with a significant other, friends or family, gifting pigs or honoring the Saint, take Valentine’s Day as a reminder to spread love and celebrate one another. Or at the very least, buy yourself some really cheap candy on February 15.

Sourced from: www.catholic.org, Smithsonian Magazine, The BCC, and NRF.

W Passion and Devotion

hen someone asks you what your passions are, your first response might begin by talking about your obsession with baking or playing soccer. Most of the time we associate passions with our hobbies or everyday things that we enjoy. However, if we look at the definition, the word passion means "a strong and barely controllable emotion."

I dont know about you, but I wouldnt say my love of baking is barely controllable.

BY CAMRYN WIMBERLY Thinking of passion in this way, we can start to understand the depths of God's devotion to us.

His love for us is so strong, passionate, that He can barely control it.

“What joy overwhelms everyone who keeps the ways of God, those who seek

Him

as

their hearts

passion!"

(PSALMS 119:2).

This verse shows the joy and blessings we experience just by following God's word and living for Him. Ultamatley, we should seek to live our lives in the same way that God is passionatley devoted to us. And in turn, we should share this passion with others, showing love and respect to all God's creation.

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

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CULTURE

BY JOY HAMMOND

THE HISTORY OF THE LEAP YEAR AND WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT IT

D

aisy Belle Ward was born in Rocky Ford, Georgia, and throughout her life has witnessed seventeen men take the stand as U.S. President. She has seen the first moon landing, the stock market crash, JFK’s assassination, the Vietnam War, the latter half of World War I and World War II, The Cold War, the Twin Towers, and the first African American as president. Ward has seen technology exponentially develop, watched the inventions of the television and computer become household items, and observed the businesses of Facebook, Twitter, Google, Skype, Apple, and Coca-Cola rise throughout the world.

She has experienced so much even though she is only twenty-five years old.

Her secret: she was born on the day that only occurs once every four years.

Born on February 29, 1916, Ward had been alive for over one hundred years, yet has only passed twenty-five calendar birthdays. Her passing on September 26, 2016 made her the oldest leap year baby at the time.

As the new decade unfolds, 2020 will experience a February 29, but why does this leap day occur?

According to John Lowe, leader of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Time and Frequency Division, “It all comes down to the fact that the number of Earth’s revolutions about its own axis, or days, is not equal to or connected in any way to how long it takes for the Earth to get around the sun.”

The solar, or tropical year is 365.2422 days long and there is not a calendar out there that will be completely in sync with the scientific year. Leap year began as a decree by Emperor Julius Caesar of the Roman Empire back in 46 B.C as an attempt to solve the problem.

Early Egyptians observed a 360-day year calendar prior to 3100 B.C. even though they were aware of the scientific discoveries surrounding the Earth’s rotation. Their solution was to add an extra five days of festivals and partying to the end of each year.

Other civilizations like China and Rome followed the lunar calendar, but even then, the months averaged 29.5 days, accumulating about 354 days in a year.

Julius Caesar worked alongside an astronomer to correct this problem by establishing a leap year to correct the calendar every four

LEAP YEAR CULTURAL TRADITIONS, CELEBRATIONS, AND SUPERSTITIONS IN OTHER COUNTRIES: Originating in Ireland, on leap day, a woman can have the chance to ask their partners to marry them instead of the traditional man asks for his partner’s hand in marriage.

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There is an Honor Society for people born on Leap day!

A superstition held in Greece states that a marriage on a leap year will end in divorce.

years. In order to make up for any lost time, Julius Caesar ordered that a 445-day year would commence in 46 B.C. which was called the Year of Confusion.

The calendar was still flawed, “since the solar year is only 0.242 days longer than the calendar year and not an even 0.25,” therefore with the additional day every four years, every calendar year had a surplus of around 11 minutes.

This minute difference was changing the way the calendar year intersected with the solar year. By the fourteenth century, Easter was not in the spring anymore, so Pope Gregory XIII created the Gregorian Calendar in 1587 to correct the problem.

That first year, ten days were dropped from October. The leap year rules were also changed to not include years divisible by 100 but not divisible by 400, dropping three leap year days every 400 years to keep the calendar on time.

This didn’t entirely erase the problem, but it is suggested that significant changes will not occur for at least another 10,000 years.

The leap year is an important day to keep our calendars in sync and can create even more special birthdays for people like Daisy Belle Ward.

The Chinese add a leap month every three years.

In Italy, the day is considered bad luck since under the Roman Empire, February was associated with the dead.

The Jewish calendar has a leap year that lasts 13 months and occurs 7 times within a 19-year cycle.

The Ethiopian calendar occurs every 4 years which adds an extra day to the last month of the year.

Andrews, E. (2014, February 19). Why do we have leap year?

Handwerk, B. (2016, February 29). The Surprising History Behind Leap Year.

Lane, D. (2016, March 2). Oldest Living 'Leap Year Baby' Celebrates 25th Birthday At 100-Years-Old.

CULTURE LIFE STUDENT

A L L A B O U T

BY JOY HAMMOND

O

nce a year, millions of people walk out of their church with a symbol of a cross marked on their forehead with ash. People who don’t take part of this special event tend to stare at the mark with admiration or confusion. This is known as Ash Wednesday, and the ash symbol on the forehead only represents a small portion of how special this day really is.

Occurring once a year on a Wednesday forty-six days before Easter Sunday, Ash Wednesday is categorized as a Christian holy day of prayer and fasting. It is observed by Catholics, though many Christians, non-Christians, and those excommunicated can take part in the event as well. This year, the day falls on February 26, 2020.

For Catholics, “Ash Wednesday comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting…The ashes symbolize the dust from which God made us.”

"

R E M E M B E R T H AT

you are

SHALL RETURN.

Ash Wednesday begins with a priest or pastor applying ash to a person’s forehead during mass or the service. Then the priest or pastor follows with a statement like, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” or, “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” A person can choose to wash off the ash after Mass; however, most decide to leave the ash on their forehead the entire day as a reminder of the importance of Ash Wednesday. It can serve as a reminder of our finite nature as well as our need for repentance from sin that perpetuates humanity’s divide from God’s holiness.

Ariana Waclawiw, sophomore social work major, identifies as Catholic and takes part in Ash Wednesday.

DUST AND TO DUST YOU

It also marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Often Lent is used as a time to start a new diet or use less social media. But the season has a much deeper significance. It is a forty-day time period set aside for improvement, reflection, self-denial, spiritual growth, conversion, and simplicity. The purpose of Lent was rooted in the understanding of Jesus’ forty day fast in the wilderness, and the period of Lent ends with the last day of Holy Week. Although the origin of Lent is not known, many have speculated the event to have originated around 180 AD.

Waclawiw explains, “Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of my Lenten journey and reminds me to prepare my heart and mind for the coming of Jesus on Easter Sunday. My experience of receiving ashes every year in the Catholic Church has made a profound impact on my life.”

Ash is also a major component of the grieving rituals shown throughout the Biblical Scriptures. In the book of Esther, Mordecai donned himself in sackcloth and ashes when he learned that all the Jews in Babylon would be killed and their possessions plundered at the hands of Haman and with the permission of King Xerxes. Job mourned and grieved in sackcloth and ashes to communicate with God in repentance about all the misfortune that had befallen him. The King of Nineveh in the book of Jonah also covered himself with sackcloth and sat in the dust when he learned of the news that God would strike down Nineveh in three days for their sins.

All these accounts help illuminate the significance of ash for Protestants and Catholics alike. As we come from dust and are deserving of eternal separation from God, it is through Him that we live and know true love, peace and security.

ASH WEDNESDAY - EASTER / LENT. RETRIEVED FROM WWW.CATHOLIC.ORG.

" THE SWINGING BRIDGE

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SPORTS & REC

GO LOUD, GO HARD TURNING THE SPOTLIGHT ON MESSIAH'S TEAM SPIRIT

BY MARK LEACH It is one thing to have your friends and family come to your games, but to have fellow classmates and students show up to support you and your team is something else. Student sections come in all shapes and sizes: some wear their team’s colors, while others wear nothing at all!

Although having student sections for popular sports is impressive, an even better student section is one that shows up for all the teams.

SPORTS & REC been vocal on social media about showing up to games and making an effort to increase school spirit. The skill of rousing a crowd is not lost on the student section.

“When it comes to rallying students together, I learned the importance of face-to-face communication,” McKean said. “Taking the time to tell friends and hype up the game helped them feel more motivated to tell their friends.”

In addition to on-campus and face-to-face interactions with friends and classmates, McKean also mentioned utilizing many of his social media accounts to reach people that he may have not talked to or seen prior to a game.

The student section has consistently brought a different level of energy to Messiah games.

Whether it’s hyping the crowd at a basketball game or throwing marshmallows when playing soccer against Elizabethtown College, the Messiah student body seemingly never fails to provide our teams with support.

An important characteristic of Messiah’s student section is the ability to have consistent support for every program, regardless of what season of athletics. Much of the versatility, mobility and consistency of the student section is a result of the type of leadership that is behind the scenes — rallying students to show up to which events, planning what to wear and what theme to dress within.

Most often, the student section is led by the same individual or a group of people taking pride in school spirit. Occasionally, off-season athletes will join or make up the student section, promoting a camaraderie among all sports teams on campus.

The leadership of the student section has passed from generation to generation. Alum Caleb Hayes ‘19 is well known among current students for being a big sports supporter.

Many of the chants and cheers heard at games are associated with his voice leading the charge. After his graduation, Charles McKean took on the role of pumping up the spectators.

It’s not uncommon for other fans to start cheers during their favorite games, either. After all, no one - even unofficial leaders - can make it to every sports game ever on campus.

For the most part, the gathering of students at sporting events around campus is a group effort. Either way, students like McKean have

“Whenever there was a big game, I’d take a blank picture on Snapchat and tell what the upcoming big games were gonna be,” McKean said. “I’d never be afraid to tell people to go crazy when they’re at the games.”

As student section support began to increase, McKean realized that the same energy could be present at multiple sports and not just one or two events.

“Every sports team has a special impact at a school,” McKean said. “I’ve been able to promote best for teams that my friends played for. If I would promote for their games, they’d always repost and help spread the world.”

"STUDENT SECTION IS

With students graduating semester after semester, and new students not having been introduced to the school spirit on campus, McKean emphasized the importance of taking advantage of your four years at Messiah.

“Student section will always be what the students make of it. If there’s one thing I could tell all future students who want to get involved, I’d tell them to never feel afraid and go hard. You only get four years in college and they’re some of the fastest years of your life.

Go out. Be loud. Show the teams that you care and show the other schools what ‘student section’ really means.”

NEVER A ONE PERSON GIG. IT TAKES A WHOLE UNITED COMMUNITY.”

Support from students at games is not just solely because of one individual, but many people rallying together.

“It helped influence other students and showed a strong family vibe for [Messiah’s] student section,” McKean said. “Student section is never a one person gig. It takes a whole united community.”

McKean’s efforts the past few years as a member of the student section have been undoubtedly influential, even without being able to cheer on every single sporting event that Messiah hosts.

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

25

SPORTS & REC

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FEBRUARY 2020

THE WILD WORLD OF REC SPORTS

P L A Y O N

BY RIDGE HAGAR

T

he college atmosphere offers plenty of opportunities for students to get involved around campus. These can include service clubs, campus jobs, student government positions and the wild world of sports. Unfortunately, varsity sports often overshadow the plethora of other opportunities for interested athletes to stay involved in their respective sports. The club sports scene offers students the unique chance to stay involved, to keep their competitive edge, to push their limits and to make friends all at once.

Mikayla Ickes, a junior on the club field hockey team, reflected on the standout differences between her high school and collegiate experience with the sport. For her, the time commitment was one of the reasons she chose to play at the club level instead of varsity level. Though there are still regular training sessions, club sports don’t always require the same amount of time.

“Another big difference is that we have open try-outs so anyone can come out, and depending on how many open spots we have, we may or may not make cuts,” Ickes said.

The time spent playing and training might be less intense, but it doesn’t affect the way the team comes together. Commitment still plays a big role.

“We still expect players to come to practice and put forth their best effort,” Ickes said.

“But we only have practice a few times a week [and] games once a week, and understand that people have other responsibilities that take [precedence].”

The bond of being on a team is the same as it would be in any sport at any level.

“Ultimately, we are still a close-knit group that just want to come out and play the sport we love,” Ickes said. “Our players support each other both on and off the field, personally, academically and spiritually.”

Often, club sports get less recognition and credit than the varsity teams. Reasons can include the popularity of a sport, advertising from team members and coaches and a misconception that club sports just aren’t as good as varsity sports.

Brent Coward, a junior midfielder on the men’s club soccer team, played on both the club and varsity team his sophomore year after several injuries limited Messiah’s roster. This allowed him to play meaningful minutes in the first round of the national tournament.

“The club team sees how successful the varsity team has been in the past and bases most of our training sessions and tactics around how the men’s team plays and trains,” Coward said. “The biggest difference between the two would be the intensity and time commitment.”

For Coward, the standout difference between playing varsity and club is the training time.

During the regular season, the club team practices several times a week. In their off-season sessions, they train with a variety of “several workouts a week, fitness assessments as well as technical training sessions which we would use to prepare us for our season that we have in the spring.”

SPORTS & REC The club field hockey team, similarly, sticks to a regimented schedule.

“We have regular practices throughout the season, typically two to three times a week depending on when we can schedule the turf,” Ickes said. “Our captains or coach will also sometimes send out a suggested pre-season workout or reminders to stay active if we have weeks without games or if we have a break.”

A large misconception between varsity and club sports surrounds the idea of competition.

The club field hockey team competes against club programs at schools like the University of North Carolina, Virginia Tech and James Madison University.

As for the men’s club soccer team, Coward said, “[We] competed against some really competitive Division I club teams such as Penn State, Loyola Maryland, University of Delaware and Rutgers.”

Of the plethora of opportunities for athletes to join a team, the Ultimate Frisbee team often intrigues the most people. Messiah is home to two Ultimate teams, one for men and one for women. Reece “All State” Horne, a member of the men’s team, provided some insider perspective on the team and how they function.

The nicknames are a unique part of the team. Every new member either chooses their own nickname or gets one coined by their teammates once they join the team.

Horne’s nickname originates from the famous All State tagline, “Safe Hands,” nodding to his position as a cutter on the team.

“I had always enjoyed playing pickup games of Ultimate Frisbee,” Horne said. “But I had never seen competitive Ultimate before. Hearing about the program from other freshman and at the [Student] Opportunities Fair piqued my interest and I have enjoyed being a part of the team since!”

Unlike other sports, the Ultimate team tends to gather players who have never played the sport before or might not have known it was a sport.

“Many of the players come into the program with little to no experience playing competitive Ultimate,” Horne said. “Which is why we are always excited to welcome new players who want to learn the game.”

Like Horne’s own experience, most new members find the team through the Student Opportunities Fair. “Another strong recruitment and advertisement tool is Messiah Ultimate’s social media presence.” @messiahultimate on Instagram and Twitter

Coward echoed the sentiment from being on the club and varsity soccer teams.

“It’s not about the game of soccer — it’s more than that,” Coward said. “We play to sharpen one another and are out there to have fun and build relationships with our brothers on and off the field.”

For those looking to get involved, don’t be afraid to take that step. The world of sports can offer whole new opportunities, giving way to a growth mindset, challenging yourself physically, mentally and spiritually within a Christ-centered community.

The club sports, however, remain responsible for scheduling their own games throughout the season, unlike varsity teams.

“We elect two senior captains and one junior captain,” Ickes said. “They schedule turf time and reach out to other teams to see if they’re interested in playing us.”

When they travel back and forth to away games, the team utilizes Messiah’s vans and drive themselves. The men’s Ultimate Frisbee team is a little different in the way they schedule their season.

“The tournament schedule is set primarily by coaches,” men’s Ultimate Frisbee head coach Gabby Cincotta said. “We have a target of 2-3 regular season tournaments and plan for 1-2 post-season tournaments. If we had fewer players or a less competitive team those numbers would decrease. We try to keep costs down for each of the players, so we drive to most tournaments.”

The club atmosphere adds a variety of options for athletes all around, providing a way to make new friends and truly add to the Messiah experience.

“I get to play the sport I love yet still invest in my other interests, all while getting to meet some really cool people,” Ickes said. “Some of my best friends to this day are girls I met on the team my freshman year.”

THE SWINGING BRIDGE

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