The Swinging Bridge: Sept 14, 2012

South Side Café Applies New Charges

By Nikki Rita NEWS EDITOR

Photos by Cait Fenello

Top: Resident Directors Kevin Williams (left), Abby King (middle), and Josaih Hatfield (right) get serious about their positions. Bottom left: A new banner for the Intercultural Office hangs outside of the Larsen Student Union. Bottom right: Newly appointed Director of International Student Programs, Kevin Villegas, smiles about the future of the Intercultural Office.

Revamping Renovation and

Messiah College undergoes changes during summer months

By Nicholas Tay FEATURES EDITOR

W

hile the summer of 2012 may have been productive for some students, enlightening for a couple, or mostly boring for the rest, Messiah College has wasted no time in making and planning changes to the campus over the three and a half month break.

The college initiated a number of construction and facility enhancement projects with a two-fold intention: to improve existing structural placements and to synergize the mission of the college through the merger of similar programs.

Changes have also been elicited by student response: Dining Services has taken steps to enhance its resident dining menus as a result of student feedback and to possibly expand Lottie Nelson Dining Hall.

New faces are also aplenty, as three new residence directors and a director of international student programs have been spotted on campus.

Synergy through collaboration: the Intercultural Office Students returning to campus this year would have noticed the bright, welcoming sign of the Intercultural Of-

fice as they traverse through the Larsen Student Union’s upper double doors.

What first-years and transfer students may not know is that as of last semester, the Intercultural Office did not exist. Instead, its four offices – Education Abroad (formerly known as the Epicenter), International Programs, Multicultural Programs, and International Student Programs – were separate entities.

What, then, led to the formation of the Intercultural Office? Faith Minnich, director of International Programs, states that the merger of the offices was an “organic movement that grew out of a desire to continue our engagement in global issues, both on campus and off campus.”

The heads of each program met together and examined the effectiveness of the merger because the synergies resulting from the integration of the various programs would increase Messiah’s dedication to global awareness and engagement.

Minnich adds that “it was obvious that [the four offices] were doing different work, but related in that we were engaging students in a global context.”

With the goal of synergy in mind, students may inquire the Intercultural Office’s vision.

Kevin Villegas, the newly-appointed Director of International Student Programs, hopes that “by 2014, our of-

S

outh Side Café, located at the bottom of Mountain View residence hall, has recently implemented new charges towards groups who wish to host an event in the café. This charge is to ensure that the Café continues to run.

The South Side Café is a student run business. It was originally handled by the Student Government Association, but was passed on to Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), a club “in which business students can involve themselves with practical, hands-on projects to hone their business skills prior to entering the workplace,” wrote Spenser Warren, student manager of the South Side Café. The café serves ice cream, pastries, brownies, cookies, and milkshakes, as well as drinks like soda, coffee, and tea.

“We have a strong reputation for //see SOUTH SIDE on page 2

INSIDE THIS EDITION

fice will be valued for its commitment to serving the campus community through its programs and services by highlighting the ongoing need for meaningful intercultural dialogue and connectedness.”

Minnich and Villegas acknowledge the immediate challenges faced by the creation of the new office, namely the lack of familiarity and the chance of misplaced focus.

Villegas states that the Intercultural Office needs time to brand itself as the “hub for anything intercultural on campus” such that the students will understand its purpose and goals.

Minnich acknowledges another challenge in that the tremendous amount of programming that occurs may lead to misplaced focus. She states that it will be hard to ensure that “students remain at the heart of it.”

After all, “we’re here to serve students. That’s what’s most important to us,” says Minnich.

Synergy through proximity/building upgrades and progress New and returning students will also notice the changes – both finished and ongoing – to residence and academic buildings. //see REVAMPING on page 3

A. New Field Hockey Coach, page 11 B. B-sides Preview: Spanglish Fly, pg. 6 C. Off-Campus: Paulus Farm, pg. 7

September 14, 2012

The Swinging Bridge

News 2

Four Campus Offices Merge to Create the New Intercultural Office

M

think we’re starting to see how all of that will happen. It’s definitely going to take some time to branch out and be all it can be.”

Students themselves had a significant say in the process of the merge.

Faith Minnich, Director of International Programs said, “They had input in the process to begin with. Kris HansenKieffer, Dean of Students, met with a number of students throughout the process to get their voice and input which is clearly essential. And they remain at our heart.”

The Intercultural Office hopes to provide assistance and knowledge for the students of Messiah College in discovering the world around them. They aim to encourage students to bring back their experiences and perspectives from studying abroad and provide ways for those students to interact and connect with others different from themselves.

The office offers a safe space for students coming from abroad that they can call their own. Traveling abroad is one of the best opportunities for students to gain “intercultural competencies,” as Minnich puts it, and the Intercultural Office is geared toward making that happen.

“We’re hopeful that students will come to know of the different programs.

Study abroad is one of those pieces that is very exciting for students. Hopefully some of the study abroad students can connect with some of the multicultural student organizations that we have on campus. Then, maybe some multicul-

By Nikki Rita NEWS EDITOR

essiah College has been constructing new buildings and renovating old ones, and to continue with this trend of change, the various cultural offices have merged into one. The Intercultural Office has combined the multicultural, international and study abroad aspects of the college.

There are four programs that make up the Intercultural office: education abroad, international programs, international student programs and multicultural programs.

The Intercultural Office does not have anything specific planned yet. The groups that have until now been so separated are working on getting to know each other.

Tatiana Diaz, director of the Multicultural Program explained: “We’re taking some time to get to know the different areas a bit more so that we can all be much more informed of what we all do.”

However, they have hopeful expectations about what the office can become. With the opportunity to collaborate, they are aiming for a reconciliation and communication amongst the programs.

Diaz said, “I’m feeling very excited about having a new office that includes so many different programs. I’m very excited about the possibilities of making our jobs and our work better and more influential with more students. And I

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tural and international students will have an easier communication about how they can study abroad,” said Diaz regarding information being more readily available.

Spreading greater local and global awareness for students is on the agenda as well. Minnich explained: “They recognize it as integral in being a well-adjusted global citizen … It’s making those local global connections. I call it ‘glocal.’

Which I love ‘cause I think it’s totally true. We can be so focused on the kind of sexiness of traveling abroad that we lose our reality here and don’t recognize the opportunities we have right at our doorstep. And how as Christians we’re really called to both the local and the global.”

Messiah College senior and president of the Asian Student Association, Chris Samaniego, shared his take on the changes: “I’m personally really excited about it, though I can see why there were some hesitations when this idea was first introduced to us. We’ve always sort of had a bit of a small family, and we’ve always had sort of our small niche: we love everybody and we know everybody.

Expanding that to over double our size is going to be an interesting thing.”

“I am excited that now we have an outlet for students who can be encouraged to learn about our food, our culture and our events,” said Samaniego.

Students now have a place where they can meet others with different cultural perspectives and work towards experiencing other cultures for themselves.

The Intercultural Office outlines its mission in its vision statement: “By 2014, the Intercultural Office at Messiah College will be valued for its commitment to serving the campus community through its programs and services by highlighting the ongoing need for meaningful intercultural dialogue and connectedness.”

The future is vast for the Intercultural Office. Minnich doesn’t want to put any concrete image on it: “What exactly is that going to look like? Part of the exciting piece of it to me is to not come into it with a really set ‘oh it’s going to look like this.’ I mean, we have ideas, and hopes and dreams but we’re also open to be surprised.”

//SOUTH SIDE fast, friendly service and cheap prices,” wrote Warren.

A document was drawn up last March and sent to various groups concerning the new policy. The idea was to “maintain greater organization of which groups will be in the café, on what dates, and at which times,” writes Warren. For groups that wish to host a dance or have events catered by Messiah College Dining Services, there is now a charge of $7.50 an hour.

This charge covers the cost of labor.

Warren wrote, “We have tracked financial data on the nights in which dances were held for the last four semesters and noticed... that we lose a large amount of money on nights that dances are hosted in the café.”

Warren believes that this is because

people “who see lights shut off and the cafe turned into a dance floor are usually too intimidated to come inside... Also, people who are present at the dance are usually hot and sweaty and do not wish to consume dairy products, which is the primary base of our menu.” The café also loses money when free food is provided by events catered by Dining Services.

Another charge has been implemented as well. A $10 fee will be charged to those who do not leave the café in the condition that it was found in. “We have had issues in the past with groups leaving food stuck to tables, trash on the floor, and furniture in disarray. Because the South Side employees are also responsible for maintaining the tables, floor, trash cans, games, and furniture, this charge will hold groups accountable for cleaning up after themselves so our employees do not have to work extra hours to clean up after each group,” wrote Warren.

The charge “is simply a safety net to ensure that the café does not lose money and will at least break even financially,” wrote Warren.

The charge will help cover whatever labor is needed for a hosted event, as well as the possibility of no one purchasing food during an event. But things change. “I wouldn’t even say that this charge is going to stay as it is.”

The charge has only been in effect for a few months and SIFE is still assessing it. “However, based on its use with over 10 groups during the springtime, it seems to be successful. We are always willing to accept anyone’s input.”

September 14, 2012

The Swinging Bridge //REVAMPING

A significant project this summer was the renovation performed on Kelly Apartments. Kathie Shafer, the Vice President for Operations, states that they “replaced the kitchens, redid the cabinets and the flooring, and address the bathroom exhaust issues.”

According to Shafer, the upgrades to Kelly is part of “[Messiah’s] ongoing commitment to keeping the spaces updated. Kelly was the next residence building that needed a face-lift.”

Another project completed over the summer was the creation of new two new classrooms in Jordan-Kline for the Health and Exercise Science (HES) program. The exercise equipment previously in Eisenhower’s basement has been relocated to a central location on the Jordan-Kline’s first floor.

Shafer states that the creation of the new labs was necessary to “meet the needs of that program. It’s a growing program. It needed a good research place.”

Shafer remembers that before the change, “faculty would do “research in a classroom in Kline, go to Eisenhower to use the exercise equipment there, and come back. Now it’s all just a matter of walking up the hall or down the stairs.”

Along with the upgrades to existing buildings follow the major Messiah building projects: the creation of a learning commons at Murray Library and the completion of the Calvin and Janet High Center.

Shafer happily informs that the project is progressing as expected. She praises the contractors for their hardworking attitudes, stating that they stay “very late at night or come very early in the morning to try to get work done before noon.”

Shafer is excited for the completion of the library upgrade as “it brings many services together, which will better assist the students.”

She expects the first phase of the project to be done by mid-October; the second phase will see the initiation of the Learning Commons’ creation.

As for the High Center, Shafer expects construction to finish on time.

She states that the “building is scheduled to finish at the end of December so that we can move faculty in during J-term and open the building up during mid-January for student use.”

Shafer believes that “it’s at that time in the project that you know what everything’s be at and what everything’s going to look like.” She hopes that with the major structural work complete, the finishing aesthetic touches to the building will begin in October.

Dining services: Listening to student feedback Dining Services has not changed much facility-wise over the summer.

Mark Wirtz, Dining Services Director, mentions that most of the changes were menu-related.

Wirtz states that the menu changes to the various dining locations at Messiah resulted from student feedback.

“Students have driven the program [Lottie menus]. Student forum has been a great feedback in driving in the direction that the students are looking for.

We’re listening to what students are looking for in a dining program and respond to those changes,” says Wirtz.

The student response has been primarily in favor of healthier options, vegetarian options, additional fruits and vegetables, and more wholesome, quality of life types of foods.

As a result, Dining Services “enhanced the cycle menus in Lottie, primarily in vegetable additions, especially fresh vegetables and vegetarian options” with the advice of Susan Gilbert, Messiah College’s resident dietician.

However, the bigger question asked of dining services is the possible expansion of Lottie Nelson. Students and faculty have frequently suggested that increasing the seating capacity is a necessary change.

While he did not disclose the exact details pertaining to the expansion, Wirtz states that dining services has performed a feasibility study on the Lottie situation and is in the process of conducting a schematic study.

The feasibility study is basically a “look at the facilities of this building [Eisenhower] and finding out if it could take an expansion, could it handle a remodel, could it power its hood and air circulation system.”

On the other hand, a schematic study encompasses a “basic layout of what expansion would look like and what the footprint of the renovation would be like if we chose to do a renovation.”

Wirtz hopes that once they get an idea of the costs associated with the building project, including a full phasing of the renovation process, they will be able to submit the costs to the President and the administration by October and to have the final costs possibly reviewed by the Trustees soon after.

New and Old Faces This past summer has not only yielded changes to facilities and menus, but also several new faces on campus.

Three new resident directors were added to the residence life family and the intercultural office welcomes a new Director of International Student Programs.

For Residence Life, this summer has seen the intake of three new residence directors (RD), namely Abby King (Kelly and Hess), Kevin Williams (Sollenberger and Mellinger), and Josiah Hatfield (Naugle).

Abby King is a Messiah alumna (’09) and a graduate of the English department. She recently finished a Masters of Arts in Teaching with a concentration in Secondary Ed/English from Northeastern University.

King states that she was greatly impacted by her time at Messiah and she sees her RD position as a way to give back to Messiah and as a “doorway into students’ life.” She is “passionate about relationships.”

Her expectations for Hess are that the female community there would “bond together as sisters, practice Gospel-centered living and graciousness, and enjoying a sense of fellowship.”

Expectations for Kelly are similar, except that she sees the apartment life as “preparedness for transitioning into employment and family life after Messiah.”

Kevin Williams is a fresh face at Messiah. Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, he graduated from Malone University with a degree in Youth Ministries and

obtained a Master’s degree from Akron University.

Williams states that he chose Messiah because Messiah was a college that remained “true to their Christian beliefs and values.” He pursued the RD position because he has an interest in mentoring students.

Williams hopes that the students in Sollenberger and Mellinger “will get to enjoy the space that they live in and gain a sense of unity.” Most importantly, Williams wants to grow with the students he interacts with and hopes that their experiences will lead to spiritual growth.

For those living in Mellinger, Williams plans to help these students “get a sense of what it’s like to transition out of college” through events specifically for them.

Another fresh face at Messiah is the RD of Naugle, Josiah Hatfield. Hatfield is a Michigan native and finished both undergraduate (International Business) and graduate work (Masters in Higher Education and Student Development) at Taylor University.

Hatfield chose Messiah because he “heard really good things about Messiah from them [friends who graduated from Messiah].” He also mentions Messiah as a “place that really cares about the larger education of students.”

Hatfield values colleges which focus both on the educational and residence life aspects, and when he discovered Messiah’s dual foci in those areas, his heart was set on Messiah.

Hatfield notes his prior experience in residence life influenced a decision to apply for the RD position.

Hatfield hopes that over this next year, the residence life experience at Naugle will be conducted in a “safe environment where students feel like they’re at home and feel comfortable in growing in their relationships with one another

News 3

and with the Lord as well. I also want it to be a place that fosters intellectual growth, with conversations from chapel carrying over and conversations from the classroom carrying over as well.”

The summer has also brought a new face to the Intercultural Office. Yet, Kevin Villegas is not exactly a new face at Messiah.

He graduated in 1998 with a degree in Communications from Messiah. He has worked at Messiah at the Public Relations Office and as a Resident Director before pursuing and finishing a Masters program in Christian leadership with emphasis in intercultural studies at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Villegas states “one of my immediate goals is to help with the transition to the new office structure of the Intercultural office and to help bring awareness of the changes, especially in relation to international student programs.”

Despite the Intercultural Office’s inception, Villegas wants current international students to understand that “nothing has changed as far as the care and service they’re going to get from my program area”.

Villegas values his days at Messiah, especially the times spent with ISA/ MuKappa, because it helped him helped him process the meaning of his biracial background. He states that the position at Messiah is a “role that I was designed for and I see a reciprocal relationship in that I not only give back to the institution that has done so much for me, but also to a group of people who have also done much for me.”

From the newly furnished kitchens in Kelly to the ongoing changes at the High Center and the Library to the new faces on campus, the summer changes reflect Messiah’s ongoing commitment to student education, growth, and welfare.

A Few New Student Stats

Infographic by Elizabeth Stevens

September 14, 2012

The Swinging Bridge

Opinions 4

It’s Different and I Couldn’t be Happier

By Jeremy Jensen STUDENT WRITER When I decided on Messiah College, I was ecstatic about the chance to leave the drama and confusion of high school behind and join a real community of students. I seriously doubt I am alone.

Fortunately, there is no need to add a “but” to the end of that sentence.

Messiah is a complete departure from high school in countless ways, but there are specific differences that I have noticed in just the first couple weeks.

Firstly, everyone is new. When I say “new” I mean “brand new.” If you remember back to high school you can probably recall a group of students who had gone through elementary school together, then middle school, and then high school. If you entered high school as the new kid - which I was, twice - it was difficult to break into that tight-knit group.

Inserting yourself into the picture was hard, if not impossible, in some cases.

At Messiah, first-years’ mission during their first week focused on finding people to sit and eat with. In an effort to find friends, many decide to sit with the first people they meet. What better way to break the ice than to randomly sit down with someone you do not know and attempt an awkward conversation? The first week was a brilliant combination of forced extroversion and organic interaction. Social cliques at high school would never have encouraged such casual meetings.

Second, the pressure to fit into the crowd at high school is basically gone. High school is built on succumbing to peer pressure: everyone wears skinny jeans so you should too. Everyone says “Yolo” so you might want to fit that into your vocabulary. Everyone does this so you should too.

There is tremendous pressure to fit in.

I admit that I was more of a follower in high school. I would see what people wore and fill my wardrobe with clothes that reflected their fashion style. I had a damaged self-confidence early on until I reached a point where I felt accepted.

Messiah lacks that degree of peer pressure. To be specific, I want to share a story. During the first week of classes, I was waiting in line at The Falcon and I noticed a girl wearing a trash bag as a dress. I was mildly perplexed. It turns out I was not the only one who observed her as another woman went over to the girl and asked her why she was wearing a trash bag. The girl replied, “I’m just recycling.” Wow. I admire the girl who wore that trash bag.

Her confidence inspired me to reconsider the perception of self-image that I built during my high school years.

I hope the incoming freshmen enjoy this coming year because it is going to be significantly different from the last four years. And what a great difference it will be.

First Years battle for the title of Rock, Paper, Scissors champion.

By Cait Fenello

By Cait Fenello

September 14, 2012

The Swinging Bridge

Opions 5

Musings of a Transfer Student

By Abigail Ferenczy STUDENT WRITER Ah, the joys of being a transfer student. Just when you think you’re getting the hang of one school, it’s on to another. When the college I attended sophomore year made drastic changes to their communications program, I knew it was time to seek out a new institution. But the task of researching, visiting, and applying to other colleges daunting. It felt like senior year of high school all over again.

I finally decided on a small Christian school in Michigan. I was accepted and felt relatively content with my decision.

However, throughout all of this past spring and summer, my mom kept mentioning a school called “Messiah College”. “You really should check it out,” she bugged. I was adamant about my desire not to attend Messiah, but I finally gave in to her pleading and decided to visit the place - just so I could appease her!

As soon as I set foot on campus, I was reminded of the fact that God gave us mothers for good reason, and somehow we always benefit when we listen to their advice. Immediately, I fell in love with the campus, but it wasn’t just the brick buildings and surrounding hills that intrigued me. I was blown away by the hospitality of the Messiah folks my family and I encountered. Everyone was so genuine and willing to serve in any capacity. After traipsing through every nook and cranny on the visitor’s tour, I spoke extensively with advisors and professors about the academic programs and opportunities available at Messiah.

With thought and prayer, I completed an application, was accepted, and decided to give it a try. Before I knew it, I was frantically packing (I never realized how much junk I owned until I had

to pack it all for college) and cramming load after load of bulging luggage into our family’s minivan bound for Messiah.

There are advantages and disadvantages as a transfer student. An obvious benefit is the helpfulness of previous college experience. Yet, downside is the awkward, freshman-like walk around campus secretly scoping out maps and names of buildings during the first few days of school. It took a few hours of mental practice to correctly remember the names of Witmer and Bittner halls (somehow I’d originally gotten them into my head as Witner and Bittmer).

The difficulty of accurately pronouncing and remembering the distinction between “Frey Hall” and “Fry Residence” did not help me either. Add the job of remembering the names of every new person you meet, and you get a recipe for mental overload. But at the end of each day, it was totally worth it!

Orientation week was a blast. I think Messiah operates by the idea that there’s always a reason to throw a party, and if you can’t think of one, make something up and celebrate! The parties were all so much fun, and the opportunities fair had so much to offer. I was overwhelmed by the enormity of ways to get involved in the Messiah community. What a great problem to have!

When classes finally did start, I was pumped for them. From the candlelight service to “Into the Streets” to the Firstyear games and the sound of howling Witmer guys trampling through our hall at midnight, my initiation to Messiah has been a good one. I’m thankful for what has passed, and I look forward to seeing what the rest of the semester will bring!

By Cait Fenello

By Cait Fenello

By Cait Fenello

September 14, 2012

The Swinging Bridge

Arts & Entertainment 6

Elmo’s Story Puppeteer Kevin Clash shares what it’s like to be the voice of Elmo in this weekend’s S.A.B. Lost Film the famous Muppets, gave him that

By Corinne Elliott STUDENT WRITER As a generation of children growing up with “Sesame Street,” we all remember the beloved monster named Elmo.

Although he was originally tossed aside by puppeteer Richard Hunt, Elmo was given new life on “Sesame Street” by puppeteer Kevin Clash.

“Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey” follows the dreams and struggles of the man who eventually made Elmo into an international sensation.

From humble beginnings in Baltimore County, Clash knew at the age of nine that he wanted to become a puppeteer. After years of tedious effort and perseverance of original-puppet building and children's shows, Clash eventually got his chance for his dream job.

Clash’s idol Jim Henson, the American puppeteer who created

chance in 1984 when Clash began to work on the set of “Sesame Street.”

As a fan of Elmo and the Muppets myself, I was tickled to see the remarkable story of an average teen make his way to a dream career. Clash not only wanted to be a puppeteer, but he wanted to be an inspiration to other children just as Jim Henson was to him.

“I knew Elmo should represent love,” Clash said in the documentary.

This documentary shows the love that it took in order for Clash and his fellow puppeteers to transform a simple piece of cloth into a real-life character.

This small window into the world of Henson’s mind shows the time and dedication of the people who brought smiles, laughter and entertainment for young and old generations alike.

Clash now carries on the torch for Jim Henson’s vision in his roles as Sesame Street’s Senior Puppet Coordinator and Sesame Workshop’s Senior Creative Consultant.

The Messiah College Student Activities Board will present this moving documentary and Sundance Special Jury Prize winner, “Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey,” on Sept. 15 and 16. Tickets are $1 for students and $3 for non-students Photo provided by Constance Marks

Latin Soul Builds Cultural Bridges Spanglish Fly to bring blues and mambo to Messiah at the time needed a sound that reflected their experience. And that’s what boogaloo was,” Warren said.

Warren believed boogaloo narrowed the gap between the cultures of two generations in the ‘60s. Spanglish Fly could do the same today.

Boogaloo didn't last long in the timeline of world music, but Fly has brought it back and updated it. The ensemble departs from Boogaloo's tradition of frontmen being – well – men, with female Erica Ramos as the lead singer.

Spanglish Fly's first EP, “Latin Soul y Bugalú,” was released in 2010 and includes originals and covers. The band has also released two double-sided vinyl singles and is planning its second album.

By Ethan Eldred STUDENT WRITER Reporting for PRI's “The World,” Bruce Wallace cited 1966 as the year Latin music married soul and R&B, giving birth to Boogaloo.

“According to legend,” said Wallace, “the Joe Cuba Sextet was on stage one night in 1966, playing mambos and cha-chas to a largely African-American crowd. And the crowd wasn’t feeling it.”

The group’s timbale player suggested a simple, rolling figure to the piano player, the band jumped in and the whole place started dancing.”

Boogaloo came and went with the decade, but forty years later DJ and trumpeter Jonathan Goldman found that Boogaloo moved his clientele more than any other old-school soul in his collection.

So Goldman started Spanglish Fly. Spanglish Fly will play at Messiah for the fourth B-sides concert of the fall, and true to their roots, the band's eleven musicians play to move people, according to the band's website.

Spanglish Fly's show is all about participation, so if you go, prepare to be called to the dance floor. If you don't know the dance or can't keep track of your

Photo provided by Spanglish Fly feet, don't worry. The show includes the crowd-pleasing “Bugalú dance lesson.”

“Everything about it is inviting to everybody,” Goldman said in an interview with Wallace. “The music is designed to invite everyone in racially; it’s designed to make everyone dance, whether you know the steps or not.”

Fly's original repertoire – including songs such as “Me Gusta Mi Bicicleta” and “Let My People Boogaloo” – is in-

fectious and fun. Their bilingual lyrics are laughable stories of life in Brooklyn (prime example: “The Po-po”). The rhythm section – fully half the band – grooves and grooves some more.

Journalist Matthew Warren spoke about the capabilities of culturally diverse music in his boogaloo documentary “We Like It Like That.” “Whereas a lot of [youth] viewed mambo as their parents’ music, these kids

Spanglish Fly will perform at the B-sides concert, sponsored by the college’s Student Activities Board, on Sept. 19 at 10 p.m. As always, B-sides will be in the Union, free and open to the public, with no ticket required.

September 14, 2012

The Swinging Bridge

Arts & Entertainment 7

Love Autumn Locally at Paulus Farm Market

Experience fall with fields of flowers, pumpkin chuckin,’ apple picking and farm animals

By Amie Miller STUDENT WRITER “Grown-ups, little ones, old ones [and] new ones” will all discover something special at Mechanicsburg’s Paulus Farm Market according to farm stand worker Millie Ramires.

Paulus Farm Market provides guests with an opportunity to experience the wonder of fall harvest and local culture with homegrown produce, quirky farm critters, fields of flowers waiting to be picked and an abundance of autumn activities.

Upon arriving at Paulus Farm Market, visitors are welcomed by local produce, hanging greenery and warm smiles.

Messiah students can take a quick seven minute car ride to this family-run farm to stock up on locally grown fruits and vegetables. For a more active role in the journey for food, students can take a short trip over to Paulus Orchards to pick their own apples or pumpkins.

Each Paulus experience is run by one of the Paulus brothers. By offering family-run experiences to the local community, the farm market and orchards help preserve a sense of local culture.

Lena Karlson, a regular market patron, shared her opinion on the market.

“People talk about eating local foods, and what’s really cool about this area is [that] there are a lot of farm markets, which is something I’m not used to at

home. It’s great that we have that opportunity so close by to us,” said Karlson.

In addition to local produce, customers can enjoy the tempting pastries baked right at the farm stand or experience a local cultural tradition by taking the recommendation of Millie Ramires and trying their “famous sauerkraut.”

Beyond the bins of produce, stacks of breads, and shelves of jarred goods, the refrigerated section holds a wealth of soups, milk and farm-raised beef.

Raised right in Dillsburg, this beef can be bought in various forms, the sausage being a common favorite.

An entertaining option for one and all is a visit to the farm animals.

Snow White the miniature donkey welcomes guests along with her goat friends Faith, Hope and Love. Their neighbors, the chickens, quail, and turkeys, are quite an entertaining bunch.

The baby cow and sheep will melt hearts, and the pigs will undeniably leave visitors with a smile. Apples can be purchased at the farm stand to send down the apple shoot into the pig pen, where the pigs will enthusiastically wait to gobble up their treats.

What sets Paulus Farm Market apart from the rest are the opportunities to experience local culture and farm fun.

What could be better than frolicking through a field of flowers in the warm sunshine, while filling an old can with bright blooms you have cut yourself?

Not your style? Then, perhaps you would

prefer the corn cannon and pumpkin chuckin’ offered during the fall.

Mid-September brings out the true fall festivities. The fall fun fort for younger children, a corn maze and hayrides all begin when that crisp fall feel finds its way into the air.

Keep up with the activities and hours of operation of Paulus Farm Mar-

ket and Paulus Orchards on their websites, http://www.paulusfarmmarket. com/ and http://www.paulusorchards. com/index.htm, or follow them on Facebook for the latest information.

Lena Karlson encourages other students to embrace this special opportunity: “It’s so close. You know the food is really fresh, so why not?”

By Amie Miller Messiah seniors Lena Karlson and Alina Chapman hand-picking flowers at Paulus Farm Market.

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September 14, 2012

The Swinging Bridge

Arts & Entertainment 8

Best of Coffeehouse

By Mary-Grace MacNeil A&E EDITOR

First-year students bring bold talent

Photos by Cait Fenello

Most Likely to Perform at B-sides

Most Creative

Most Likely to Bring Down the House

Most Likely to Melt Hearts

Jessie Villa

Chrisanna Rock

Joy Christian

Sarah Partridge

Justification: As Jessie Villa sat down on a stool at center stage, she told the crowd: “I wrote this song after my boyfriend told me he didn’t love me.” By the time she was done, guys in the audience were commenting to each other in between cheers: “who the heck was her boyfriend?!” Whoever he was, maybe he hadn’t heard her play or sing.

Justification: In the midst of serious songs about love and heartbreak, Rock’s performance switched things up and got the crowd laughing. With a highly energetic musical-like spirit, Rock sang a comedic song about her love for a local coffee shop barista. Her song seemed to put everyone in the mood for a light joke, including firstyear student Andrew Gates who ran up to the stage and handed Rock a cup of coffee as she finished her last note.

Justification: Christian certainly set the bar for this year’s Coffeehouse performances with her bold song choice, and the crowd’s reaction affirmed that she had what it takes to belt out Whitney Houston in acapella.

Each chorus was echoed by clapping and cheering, and by the time Christian sang the climactic finale of the song, nearly all of Hitchcock was on their feet.

Justification: Ed Sheeran regularly melts hearts with his soft acoustic song “Lego House.” However, Partridge lived up to the reputation and performed an equally heart-melting rendition at the first-year Coffeehouse. A mellowed out audience soaked in her convincing words as she sang Sheeran’s lyrics with talent.

Sang and played “Sixteen,” an original acoustic piece

Sang “Taylor the Latte Boy,” Kristen Chenoweth

First Time on Stage: “My first real performance was at the Pocono Playhouse,” said Rock. “I was eight years old, and I played Piglet in ‘Winnie The Pooh’ the musical. Basically, I have been on stage ever since!”

Coffeehouse Future: Rock plans to try out for Coffeehouse in the future.

“I have a few things planned, but I can't give it away just yet!” she said.

NEEDTOBREATHE takes the Brubaker stage in response to student vote

Photo provided by NEEDTOBREATHE

Acapella cover of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”

Sang and played “Lego House”

by Ed Sheeran

First Time on Stage: “The first time I performed on stage I sang ‘Redeemer’ by Nicole Mullen in church at the age of seven,” Christian said. 'Singing in church let me gain confidence to be in front of a crowd. I love singing in church because it feels like no one is judging you, it's just you and God.”

First Time on Stage: “I honestly don't remember the first time I played onstage in front of an audience,” said Partridge. “The earliest one I can remember is our elementary school Holiday Program … we made giant cardboard Christmas trees, cut out holes for our faces and wore them for one of our songs!”

Coffeehouse Future: Next month, Christian hopes to sing “His Eye is On the Sparrow” with Joseph D’Ambrosi. “Joe and I have been working hard to blend our voices, and we will perform during Family Weekend!

Coffeehouse Future: Partidge isn’t done melting hearts yet either. “I'd love to perform in another Coffeehouse!” she shared.

“I have no idea what to sing, but I'm always up for suggestions!”

By Stephanie Wilson EDITOR IN CHIEF On Monday, July 9, The Student Activities Board (SAB) announced some much-anticipated fall concert news: NEEDTOBREATHE, along with special guests Parachute and Drew Holcomb, will be stopping by Messiah on September 15 as part of its Reckoning 2012 tour.

An official press release stated: “NEEDTOBREATHE will once again hit the road beginning September 13 in Greensboro, NC. This two-month North American headlining tour will see the band continuing to support their critically acclaimed album “The Reckoning.””

Brandon Keeks, SAB concert executive for the 2012-2013 school year, is thrilled that the Charleston, SC rock band, which SAB has been attempting to book for three years now, is finally set to perform at Messiah in the fall.

“I'm exceptionally pleased that we (the SAB concert committee) can provide the artist that the student body has wanted to see for a while,” said Keeks.

Last year, the concert committee created a text to vote survey that al-

lowed students to vote for which artist they would like to see at Messiah this year; NEEDTOBREATHE was always the clear winner. Since the concert announcement was made last week, the vast majority of student reactions have been positive.

“Students seem pretty excited about the show, which gives me a good insight on the concert’s attendance,” said Keeks. “Messiah is in for a real treat with this concert.”

A steady stream of strong singles has kept NEEDTOBREATHE near the top of Christian music charts over the course of four albums, the latest of which, entitled The Reckoning, was released in September 2011. The band’s 2009 album, The Outsiders, also helped the band establish itself in the secular music scene and climb mainstream pop/rock charts as well.

The band opened for Taylor Swift in 2009 and performed at Bonnaroo, a Tennessee music festival, this year.

NEEDTOBREATHE is performing a sold-out show in Brubaker on Sept. 15 at 7 p.m.

September 14, 2012

The Swinging Bridge

Opinions 9

Wednesday War Room: An Introduction

By Huy Ngyuyen Opinions Editor Pretend you did not see this article’s accompanying pictures and play the guessing game. Name this event.

Hint number one: it occurs once every four years.

Hint number two: 2012 marks a recurrence of this event.

By this point I can picture folks who are reading this article flash an unconscious smile of confidence while uttering to themselves “The Olympics!”

Close, but no cigar.

Which prompts me to give you the third and final hint: Taking place in the United States, this event not only captures the attention of American citizens but is also under the watchful eye of millions of people across the globe.

Yes, it is the United States presidential election.

The 2012 United States presidential election will officially commence on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. For first-time voters who are not familiar with how the system works, here is a basic explanation. The presidential election operates under an indirect voting process, meaning voters do not pick the candidates directly but instead elect the representatives of their state who will then make that decision.

These representative voters are called “electors,” who will form an Electoral College of 538 total electors from 50 states and Washington, D.C. The number of electors selected from each state varies according to the total number of Representatives and Senators that the state possess in Congress.

Pennsylvania, with 20 seats in Congress, has 20 electors.

The chosen electors will proceed to formally elect the next president and vice president of the United States on December 12. They will pick from four presidential candidates.

Democratic party representative and incumbent President Barack Obama is campaigning for a second and final term. Obama’s challengers include former Massachusetts Governor and Republican Mitt Romney; Gary Johnson, representing the Libertarian Party; and Jill Stein, nominated by the Green Party.

Although Johnson and Stein can mathematically win the election by a majority of the electoral college, the main battle for the White House figures to be between Obama and Romney.

So who are you voting for?

Not sure yet?

In light of the upcoming election, the Opinions section of the Swinging Bridge would like to introduce a new feature titled “Wednesday War Room.”

This feature, as the name suggests, will appear every Wednesday either on the biweekly print edition or the online version of the Swinging Bridge at http://swingingbridge.messiah.edu/.

The new feature will serve as a written debate arena for the political minds of Messiah College to voice their opinions in regards to the upcoming election. It will also provide a valuable source of information for readers to obtain an understanding of what is happening in the realm of politics and hopefully give them an idea of who to vote for come November 6.

Debates shall be conducted in a respectful and constructive manner.

In other words, thoughtful, well-written articles backed up with factual information will make their way to the newspaper, impulsive rants will not.

If you want your thoughts on who deserve to be the next president of the United States to be heard, don’t hesitate to contact me at hn1169@messiah.edu.

Be part of the debate!

Photo provided by barackobama.com

Photo provided by barackobama.com

Photo provided by mittromney.com

September 14, 2012

The Swinging Bridge

Sports 10 thus far with 13 saves and only one goal allowed in three games.

Player to watch

The problem with any young goalie tandem is establishment. Larson is going to be on the spot all year because she has some large shoes to fill and Snyder is waiting in the wings to try and prove her stuff to Coach Frey if Larson falters. Strong showings early have given her confidence, but she must maintain Coach Frey’s trust and still to face some respectable offenses in Misercordia and Lebanon Valley.

Messiah Soccer: What’s to Come?

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By Carter Davis STUDENT WRITER

Photo by Sarah Brookhart Sophomore defender Ashley Locke slide tackles the ball away.

very year, high expectations follow Messiah soccer teams wherever they go. There are no exceptions this year, as the women are trying to pull off back-to-back NCAA titles for the second time under head coach Scott Frey. The men find themselves in a similar situation as the 2010 women’s team, bowing out as a number one seed in a one-goal game the season before, and are now tasked with responding to that tough exit. Now that the teams have a few games under their belts, this is what we’ve seen so far and what could possible be seen in the future.

Messiah Women What we’ve seen The women started out preseason as the number one team in the country.

The lady falcons rolled over Covenant College 4-0 in their home opener, then dropped to fifth after a rough 1-2 overtime loss to 6th ranked Emory, then bounced back with a 4-0 victory over third ranked Johns Hopkins and a difficult draw to William Smith.

The offense

Messiah racked up 590 shots last year to lead the Conference and has thus far outshot opponents 46-20. That statistic makes sense when you have the speed of players like seniors Corinne Wulf and Alex Brandt along with sophomore Mackenzie Clapper, last year’s Commonwealth Rookie of the Year running the attack. Those three combined for 116 points last year, with Wulf leading the pack in scoring (49 pts.) and goals (21), expect much of the same this year.

Sophomore Lauren Federline, along with Clapper, added great depth last year, and this year’s team may be even deeper offensively with freshmen forwards like Trisha Tshudy and Nikki Elsaesser, two of ten freshmen new to the team. Both have already made marks with a pair of goals a piece.

Though the starting forwards are relatively young, the midfield of Brandt, fellow seniors Tannia Nieto and Rachel Scheibeler, and junior Alicia Frey, could be one of the best units in the country.

Nieto returns to the rosters after an ACL injury sat her down for all of last year.

The offense is lethal, that’s for sure, but how good? Are they as good as last year when they were 6th in the nation with 4.04 goals per game? They were

stifled against an Emory defense that was 3rd in the nation. Yes, they had a few great chances at the end, but were unable to convert.

Composure is going to be the difference playing in an already fast paced offense. Messiah came back with authority and netted four goals on a top 20 defense at Hopkins with plenty of freshman contributions. In addition to their success at Hopkins, the lady falcons cranked out 23 shots on William Smith.

The success of this offense really does lie on its young players. How many of the freshmen will contribute off the bench? And will Federline and Clapper take the leap onto that double-digit goal plateau? Or another interesting one, could Corinne Wulf eclipse 50 points again becoming only the third player in school history to have two 50-plus point seasons? A lot hinges on the maturity of the freshmen, but this unit could definitely be a national top 10 offense.

The defense Audra Larson and Rebecca Snyder, two freshmen goalies, will have the luxury of playing behind the nation’s second ranked defense from last year, and all but one of last year’s starters will take the field this year. This well-rounded group does a phenomenal job of back stopping the high-octane offense. They completely shut down Covenant College, not allowing one shot all game, and held Emory’s offense in check for the most part. This is a group that played together last year and dominated. The starting group of senior Stephanie Andrews, junior Ali Rogers, and sophomore Ashley Locke are a formidable trio. They close on the ball quickly and aggressively; hence the low opponent shot totals from last year when Autumn Reilly only saved

on average two shots a game with that astounding .21 GAA. With the majority of the back line returning, that should be a continuing trend.

The big question remaining is the two freshmen goalies. Coming in as a true freshman, Audra Larson was asked to replace arguably the greatest goalie in team history in Reilly. Larson got the nod for all three games and posted a .800 save percentage with only two goals allowed both of which came against Emory, one off a rebound shot and the other the game winning penalty kick. She showed great poise in goal in her shutout against Hopkins, and the nine saves against William Smith were solid.

She’s listed at 5’9”, making her the tallest player on the team. She’s got quite the reach and has the range to cover the top ninety consistently. There are not a lot of weak spots around her thus far.

This back end squad shapes up to be tough to beat once again, but don’t expect that kind of GAA this year. Nonetheless, Larson is a player who could be chock full of surprises.

Schedule Now that the possible playoff previews with national top 10 teams are out of the way the competition lightens up a little. A match at home against Muhlenburg College on September 12th precedes a road match versus an alwayscompetitive Salisbury team. The next one is September 19th at home against the Eastern Eagles who quelled the Falcon’s offense better than most last year in a 2-1 Messiah win. After that, Misercordia and MAC Freedom Conference Player of the Year Sam Helmstetter roll into Grantham on September 22nd.

Notable conference matchups include Elizabethtown at home October 6th, and away at Lebanon Valley, 2011 Commonwealth runner up October 13th, and senior night versus Albright October 27th. Keep a close eye on Misercordia. A 6-1 win over Bryn Mawr and another convincing 3-1 win over Lebanon Valley, both on the road have the Cougars thinking upset. Misercordia also has a freshman goalie in Maureen Ciccosanti who’s been effective in goal

Final take

Messiah was the preseason favorite to win the conference and that should stay true if the sheer athleticism of this team and its young guns can produce.

The bigger speculation is the NCAA Tournament. Can the depth hold up against another round of games against teams like Emery or Hopkins or William Smith? It’s a long road, but the leadership on this team is sound and by these numbers, it should be another national title contending season.

Messiah Men What we’ve seen

A 3-0 victory over Covenant to start out. Fought to a scoreless draw against 8th ranked Oneonta State, then a 4-0 win over Haverford and a 4-1 win over Mary Washington. Messiah has dropped from 3rd in the nation to 17th.

The offense Messiah certainly enjoyed having three of the Thompson brothers last year. Jack and Danny Thompson combined for 26 goals 14 assists and 66 points, while Logan anchored the back end for the Falcons’ nationally fifth ranked defense. Sadly, Danny graduated taking his Commonwealth Conference leading 16 goals performance with him. Derek Black, who notched seven goals last year, good for third on the team, graduated along with Danny.

Even though there is a void to fill, the Falcons sport a talent-stacked group of sophomores on the offensive side of the ball including Jeremy Payne, Brian Ramirez, Mike Kovach, and of course, Jack Thompson. Payne has come out firing early grabbing a hat trick and six points against Haverford and leads the Falcons with 17 total shots and nine shots on goal. Redshirt junior Joshua Wood also has shown some pop almost netting the game-winning goal against Oneonta. Payne and Ramirez also had some quality scoring opportunities that night.

This group should have no trouble stepping up to fill in any offensive gaps from last year. They all have a nose for the goal and Ramirez has shown signs of possibly being the dominant assist man on this team. However, questions remain regarding Wood’s health from the previous two years. The relatively young midfield sports five freshmen, which projects well for the longevity of the program.

The defense All veterans this year for Messiah.

Led by junior Josh Kremers, 2011 AllCommonwealth 2nd Team selection, not a lot has changed. There are no //see SOCCER on page 11

September 14, 2012

The Swinging Bridge

Sports 11

Future Looks Good for Messiah Field Hockey New head coach an alumna of Messiah

29, won seven conference titles, and advanced to four national championship games.

Coach Good is blessed to be able to coach at her alma mater. “It’s a privilege and a blessing to be able to coach where I played.” Because of her relationship with Coach Trapp, Good Photo by Sarah Brookhart doesn’t feel much pressure with being the head Messiah women’s field hockey strolls for a victory coach. “The transition has lap after defeating Rowan University 2-0. not been hard, because of my involvement in the proBy Philip Naegely gram. Coach Trapp is one of my biggest STUDENT WRITER supporters, and helps keep the pressure off.” or the first time in 40 years, This season Messiah College comes Messiah College field hockey in ranked fifth in the latest National will have a new head coach. Af- Field Hockey Coaches Poll (NFCHA). ter being an assistant coach under Jan With a couple of tough non-conference Trapp for the last nine years, Brooke matches under their belt, Messiah looks Good replaced legendary coach Trapp to be a formidable force this season. last December. Trapp was head coach at Messiah starts the season 3-0 after deMessiah for 39 years with a career re- feating #19 SUNY Cortland 5-1, #6 Urcord of 536-179-28. sinus College 4-0, and #18 Rowan Uni Good, a 2003 graduate from Messi- versity 2-0. Next Saturday Messiah will ah, was a standout played under Coach face #4 Salisbury University at 1 p.m. on Trapp. She was a three-time All-Confer- Anderson Field. ence player, elected to the 2002 NCAA Messiah has done a great job to Final Four All-Tournament team, and measure up to some tough competiearned a 2nd Team All-American se- tion early. “These early non-conference lection as a senior. Right out of college games set the stage for the end of the Good joined the Falcons coaching staff season,” said Coach Good. “These types as an assistant. Over the time as an as- of games show us how we measure up to sistant coach, the Falcons went 162- the other great Division III programs.”

F

In Commonwealth Conference play, Messiah has a “unique rivalry” with LVC. Elizabethtown College is consistently improving and is a solid team, and Alvernia College and Widener University are teams to watch out for as “sleepers.”

There are two major rule changes to Division III field hockey for this season.

This year there is now a green card, or a two minute penalty, and changes to the penalties after the overtime periods.

Penalties are now similar to ice hockey.

The shooter starts at the 25 yard line and has eight seconds to score. If both teams are tied after the first five shooters, then five more shooters will shoot to decide the result. Sets of five shooters will continue until a winner is decided.

This year Coach Good has great expectations for the field hockey program.

“The goal is to be the best defense in Division III this year. As [women’s soccer coach] Scott Frey always says, ‘we want to win our last game.’ ” Good added that they look to improve every time they step out on the field and that success comes from doing the little things right. //SOCCER freshmen defenders, and no injury issues.

Same thing goes for the goalies. Sophomore Brandon West will be backed up by the duo of Jake Berry and Aaron Hennigan.

Last years defense ranked fifth in

the nation last year and that should improve given the experience of the back line. That should help West improve on his numbers a this year. He has only allowed one goal this year.

Schedule

York College has climbed the ladder to number two in the nation and they will be showing up to the Shoe for a big matchup on September 26th. The first two conference games versus Stevenson and Alvernia take them on road, then the Falcons open up conference play at home in the Battle of the Blues versus Elizabethtown on October 6th. Senior night falls on October 27th versus Albright.

Player to watch

Freshman Bryant Myer has three assists on the year already. The speedy midfielder should see plenty of quality minutes this year. It should be intriguing to watch him work alongside Ramirez and junior midfielder Sheldon Myer.

Final take

The Falcons have many familiar fan favorites back from last year trying to rebound from a shockingly early playoff exit. Expect them to go deep as the young players from last year continue to develop in a positive way especially the offense. They ranked seventh last year with 3.2 goals per game. That could be closer to four this year.

September 14, 2012

The Swinging Bridge

Sports 12

Photo by Sarah Brookhart

BENJI KENNEL

Provided by Messiah College Athletics

soccer

By Zachary Krueger STUDENT enji KennelWRITER is a freshman midfielder for the Messiah men’s soccer team. A freshman from Lancaster Mennonite H.S., Kennel is an undeclared major and the youngest of two children. When asked about his family being involved in soccer Kennel said, “My father and sister played soccer as well. It was never a sport that was forced on me though, it was just the sport I enjoyed most and was best at.”

During Kennel’s junior and senior year at Lancaster Mennonite he was the captain of his soccer team. Both

B

of those years his soccer team went on to win back-to-back district championships. In addition to the district championships, as a senior, Kennel’s team won the first men’s state championship in school history. Last summer the club team Kennel plays for, Penn Fusion, made it to the national final last summer in Phoenix, Arizona where they lost in penalty kicks.

Kennel chose to come to Messiah after his recruiting visit, where he enjoyed an environment that he said was different from any other college. “I decided to come to Messiah not only for the strength of the soccer program, but also for the feel of the environment which is different from a lot of other colleges,” said Kennel. “When visiting the guys on the team, I saw just how much everyone cared and loved one another, which is what makes the culture and the team special.” When asked about his goals for the upcoming season Kennel said, “Individually I want to continue to work hard everyday in practice and get better as a player. As a team, we want to strengthen our relationships with God and each other every day, as well as win the national championship.”

When he is not playing soccer, Kennel enjoys a variety of hobbies and activ-

ities. Kennel enjoys reading and playing guitar, along with learning new languages as he is currently studying Spanish.

Kennel talked about some of his other hobbies saying, “I enjoy the challenge of crossword puzzles and watching Jeopardy as well.” Kennel’s favorite soccer team is Barcelona.

He said of Barcelona, “They play the game beautifully and keep the ball.

I like Gerard Pique, their center back, because of his great defense and on the ball skill.” Kennel said his family is his greatest role model. He looks up to them most because of everything they have done for him, and he also views them as a good, Christian role model in his life.

When asked about how soccer could be applicable to life, Kennel said, “I think soccer is applicable to life in a lot of different areas. In general, I believe that working hard and doing the little things right allow for one to be successful on the soccer field and in life.” Kennel’s favorite Bible verse is Jeremiah 29:11 :”For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Kennel said the biggest difference between playing for teams he has been

on before and playing here at Messiah is that while they want to win and get to the national championship that is not their ultimate goal. “Our relationship with God and each other comes before anything else, “ Kennel said.

“My greatest achievement since enrolling at Messiah has been winning the MAC Commonwealth conference championship. Our team possesses a strong sense of unity and we want to go out and repeat as conference champions,” said DeVan. When DeVan is not on the basketball court, he can be found working out in the weight room, playing football, playing Xbox, and singing throughout campus.

As an athlete, DeVan loves to watch a variety of sporting events. DeVan is an avid fan of Virginia Tech, the University of Connecticut, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Chicago Bulls.

“The San Francisco 49ers are the team to beat in the NFL this season and no one is going to stop them from dominating,” said DeVan.

Oftentimes, athletics mirror important life values, and basketball is no exception.

“Since playing basketball at the college level, not only have I been able to be a hard worker on the court, but I have also carried that skill with me in life. Determination is not a skill that can be matured overnight, it is an asset that needs to be developed over time... play-

ing basketball has helped my mindset as a hard worker,” said DeVan.

In the future, DeVan plans to graduate from Messiah, obtain a job, and raise a family.

“My biggest goal as a student athlete at Messiah College is to be the hero that Grantham needs, not the hero that Grantham deserves,” said DeVan.

CHRISTYAN DEVAN Provided by Messiah College Athletics

basketball

A

By Zachary Specht STUDENT WRITER

junior business administration major, Christyan DeVan has been a standout point guard on the Messiah Falcons basketball team for the past two years.

DeVan has been playing basketball his entire life. From pick-up games in his neighborhood to playing in various organized basketball leagues, DeVan has loved the sport since a young age.

“I realized my true passion for the game of basketball at a very young age

and began to pursue my desire to play at the age of six,” said DeVan. Basketball is a sport that serves as a second language in the DeVan household. Christyan’s younger brother, Aaron, is attending Mount St. Mary’s University, where he is playing basketball as a freshman this year.

From Harrisburg, DeVan chose to attend Messiah College because of its proximity to home and the unique Christian environment on campus.

“I enjoyed visiting Messiah College and felt chemistry with the other players. Messiah also provides a family environment that is centered around Christ,” said DeVan.

During his first year at Messiah, DeVan saw significant playing time, mostly off the bench. DeVan averaged 20 minutes per game while recording 56 assists and 21 steals during his freshman season.

During his second season as a point guard for the Falcons, DeVan started in 26 of 27 games. DeVan proved to be a versatile point guard while accumulating 31 steals and tallying 66 assists.

Within his first two years, DeVan has experienced noticeable personal success and team success.