Advertising information Smith646@miamioh.edu Send us a letter eic.miamistudent@gmail.com in Oxford, Ohio.
CORRECTIONS POLICY publication.
MADELINE BUECKER
ASST. DESIGN EDITOR
SARAH FROSCH
DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR
JESSICA MONAHAN PHOTO EDITOR
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
STELLA POWERS ANNA REIER
AUSTIN SMITH
ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITORS
STELLA POWERS
ASST. CULTURE EDITOR
JEFFERY MIDDLETON
ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
TAYLOR POWERS
ASST. OPINION EDITOR
ADAM SMITH
BUSINESS MANAGER
FRED REEDER JR.
FACULTY ADVISER
SACHA BELLMAN
BUSINESS ADVISER
AIM MEDIA MIDWEST PRINTER
Miami RedHawks hockey team
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
Vitolins, junior forward Brayden Morrison, senior defenseman Spencer Cox and graduate student Ryan
grams and one full year of experience at Miami.
student defensemen Dylan Moulton their entire collegiate careers at Miami. Their presence and example are as important as any for the new faces trying to learn the ropes.
The National Collegiate Hockey tough teams, including the reign-
just one conference game last season, Miami’s ship needs to be righted. But that requires time and cohesion, especially with the number of new RedHawks.
world.
enth-round draft pick of the NHL’s Boston Bruins, and Teodor Forssander are from Sweden. The other four players – Michael Quinn, John Emmons, Ethan Dahlmeir and Dain the United States. Through the transfer portal, Nornewcomers from more recently successful programs. Two graduate-student transfers, Christophe Fillion and Colby Ambrosio, are big-name acquisitions for a program trying to reinstate itself in the college hockey lexicon. Fillion spent four years at Quina national championship with the
his best goal-scoring season, with 12 goals and 19 points in 39 games.
Ambrosio skated with the Boston College Eagles for four years before deciding Miami was the place for win the national championship last year, but he gained plenty of experience by practicing with players who
The 2020 fourth-round selection
Ambrosio has shown he can produce
sons with the Eagles.
grams Fillion and Ambrosio come
nior forward Matt Choupani.
fore transferring to Miami. Last season, he scored 12 points in 28 games, tying his career high in assists with nine. His career high in goals came the season prior with 10, but his speed and tenacity will be huge tools for a RedHawks team looking to play with consistent pace.
Unlike last season, where Logan Neaton was the starter from day one, the goaltending situation for the RedHawks is more up in the air.
enced goaltender, which isn’t saying much since he has only been with the team for a year. In 15 games last
centage (SV%).
The numbers aren’t entirely in-
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Fake ID culture remains a key aspect of Miami’s social scene
counterpart with college playing experience.
Brett Miller, another transfer from the Northeast out of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has played
and .888 SV%.
States Hockey League’s Des Moines
gram knew there were no promises of a particular position in the lineup.
lege experience between the three goaltenders, there will be extra competition to earn the starting job.
The RedHawks face an uphill arguably the best conference in college hockey, and there is a fair share of players with little to no experience consistently playing at the NCAAperience comes players already with the program and coming in from the outside with a wealth of experience.
that no matter the opponent, no mator skill of the player taking the ice in a Miami uniform, the team will play with a particular identity focused on hard work, cohesion, intensity and accountability.
The puck drops on the RedHawks
recognize if an ID is real and recently started studying a book of all the state IDs. She said on a typical night, she will come across 15 to 20 fake IDs.
“I usually ask for another form of me another one and I can tell it’s real, then they can go in,” Lepard said.
“But if it’s fake, I usually say they are not allowed in … they are well aware they aren’t getting in … and people just kinda go ‘OK’ and turn away.” Charlie said he’s been turned away from many bars after trying to use his fake to get in. One night, he went to. But for the 18 and up bars like Brick Street Bar, it’s not so much about getting in as it is about getting drinks.
from a random bartender, ‘This shit’s fake as heck,’” Charlie said.
ing the fake, the bartenders at Brick Jones said a few times a year, OPD will do uniform bar checks and
for underage intoxication, drinking and fake IDs. He said this is part of their alcohol enforcement strategy which keeps bars and bar patrons honest, but OPD aren’t the only ones doing this.
“State Liquor Control –they are also a law enforcement branch that might do at a bar,” Jones said. “They may arrest someone for being underage, but they alsotheir permit.”
Control witnessed a bartender pour an underage person an alcoholic drink,quor license suspension or other consequences.
to possess a fake ID in Ohio,can take a fake ID and because reobtain fake IDs outside bars while on patrol.
“[In] most of the encounters with fake IDs, we’re already arresting someone,” Jones said, “maybe for underage intoxication or underage possession … because they are fairly stop.”
against getting fake IDs since it’s just one more charge on top of underage drinking. Lepard agreed getting a fake ID isn’t a great idea and isn’t
“I didn’t get one my entire time at “And I’m in a social sorority. I’m in a -
Numerous driving violations include drunken scooter crash
ADAM SMITH BUSINESS MANAGER
Between Sept. 23 and Sept. 30, Oxford police responded to 17 incidents, according to the Oxford Police Department’s reports.
On Sept. 23 at 12:24 a.m., in the 200 block of E. Church St., a male reported that as he was coming home from an Uptown restaurant, an unknown man assaulted him and his friend.
At 11:48 a.m. on Sept. 23, in the 200 block of N. College Ave., a victim reported that while he was at his girlfriend’s apartment, someone entered his locked vehicle that was parked behind the apartment and stole items from the vehicle. There are no suspects at this time.
Later that same day at 6:28 p.m., at the intersection of East Chestnut Street and Oxford Millville Road. Ofand they were arrested for OVI.
On Sept. 25 at 1:36 p.m., in the 100 block of S. Locust St., two suspects were involved in a car crash. The two lied to the police about who had been driving the vehicle to conceal that the driver had been driving on a suspended license. Both were
At 12:05 a.m. on Sept. 26, in the dispatched Uptown for an intoxicatto care for herself and to be under 21 years of age. She was taken to the hospital and charged with disorderly conduct, underage drinking, and possession of a fake ID. On Sept. 26 at 9:30 a.m., in the met with the residence of a fraternity house in reference to a rock being window of their house. They had a video of a possible suspect who eventually went to OPD for an interview and was ultimately arrested, processed and taken to Butler County
Jail.
Later that same day at 6:24 p.m., at the intersection of North Main Street and East Church Street, a male was reportedly recklessly driving through Uptown on a scooter. The individual was almost involved in a crash as he went through the intersection. The male on the scooter became angry, threw his scooter into the street and approached the vehicle. He allegedly threatened to kill the driver and then punched the driver side window.
At 2:13 a.m.on Sept. 28, in the 100 block of E. Walnut St., an intoxicated male walked into a residence through an unlocked door. The male started to make threats and the resident quickly left. The male left the residence two minutes later and was
from Ring footage and was transported to Butler County Jail for burglary, underage drinking and prohibitions.
smith646@miamioh.edu
Cleaning up Ohio’s voter rolls
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
Strzelecki used sites like Find a she got from the Vital Statistics Online Data Portal from the Ohio Department of Health Records for voters she believed to be deceased. She matched these names to Ohio voter rolls with their date of birth, date of death and address. -
ing moved out of state using NCOA data, Strzelecki searched the public voter rolls in Ohio and cross-referenced names, birth years and NCOA addresses to the North Carolina’s Board of Elections public voter rolls to establish a voting history in North Carolina. For Michigan and Florida, she used their government databasa third-party platform to determine voting activity in these states.
According to Ohio Revised Code 3503.02, “If a person goes into another state and while there exercises the right of a citizen by voting, the person shall be considered to have lost the person’s residence in this state.” including hundreds of names in the form of screenshots, to Poland and Alex Linser, deputy director of the Hamilton County Board of Elections, at the end of February. These screenshots included lists of names she no longer believed to live in Hamilton County and photos of websites demonstrating that some registered addresses were UPS or postal service locations.
“We weren’t saying ‘You need rolls’” Strzelecki said. “We were just saying, ‘These are people that you need to investigate to see whether or not they really deserve to still be on our voter rolls,’ because there’s lots of things that can happen when you have people that shouldn’t be on the voter rolls.” Poland and Linser then began investigating each name provided to them by Strzelecki. While some names Strzelecki submitted were removed due to death or other reasons, many of the names had already been removed from the voter roll.
“There is a process for removing people who have died, and the process does work,” Linser said. “Every once in a while, someone falls through the cracks, but for the most part the [process] works.”
Ahead of the election, Linser and Poland said they were already possibly being a UPS or postal store.
The board sent out members to investigate each location, something Strzelecki and her team also did in-
dependently.
“The registration forms ask for an address to be registered at as your permanent residence, [in other words], where you lay your head at night,” said Nicole Unzicker, director of the Butler County Board of Elections.
Butler County faced similar chalcitizens. Though the Butler County Board of Elections had not received a single voter challenge since 2015, when it received one for a single voter, this year’s election saw hundreds, with one challenge including more than 800 voters, resulting in 10 board meetings to process them.
“I will say overall, most of the challenges or corrections of precinct requests have either been denied by the board or determined to be Corbin, deputy director of the Butler County Board of Elections.
Throughout the summer, Strzelecki spoke a few times with Poland and Linser to discuss their names of voters to them.
“We took [the] list [of questionable voters] and we looked into it, and we found that in some cases, [Strzelecki’s] data was out of date,” Linser said. “We had kind of shown [Strzelecki and her team], ‘This is what we can prove, and this is what we can’t prove,’ and they ultimatelyes all at once.”
Using Form No. 257, Strzelecki submitted 376 voter challenges to the Hamilton County Board of Elections 10 days prior to the Sept. 4 board meeting, targeting voters she believed needed to be investigated prior to the Nov. 5 election.
These voters received a notice in the mail that their right to vote was being challenged, which included the set date of the hearing. This led to Linser and Poland scrambling to print and send hundreds of letters in the mail to these voters the day the challenges were submitted, in order to give them proper notice before the special session.
Out of the 376 voters challenged, John Girardot, a resident of Kenwood, was the only one present in the Sept. 4 board meeting to defend his right to vote.
“I moved back to the state of Ohio late June [from North Carolina], and within July got my new license over in Montgomery’s BMV and presented four pieces of physical evidence there to prove that I live in Ohio,” Girardot said at the meeting.
Some challenges were dismissed due to technical issues, including mismatched signatures on the form.
For the rest, Linser and the Hamilton County board took an alternative
ABUD HAMDAN THE MIAMI STUDENT
At its Oct. 1 meeting, Oxford’s City Council declared Oct. 9 as Ageism Awareness Day and Oct. 1 as Caroline Scott Harrison Day. Caroline Scottdent Benjamin Harrison and Oxford Community Arts Center’s most famous graduate.
Carol Michael presented Sharefest’s 2024 report. Michael said Sharefest diverted 73 tons of food,
A $250,000 grant for OVI checkpoints from the Ohio Department of Public Safety was accepted, and Council approved a $200,000 annuservices to an unincorporated Oxford Township.
City council then discussed funding options from the state of Ohio and approved the $6.6 million Phase 5 of the Oxford trail system and another
$2.7 million for the Amtrak station in Oxford.
The Council discussed a 4.5-6 month moratorium on new units being used for short-term rentals Uptown. Short-term rentals, such as Airbnb, are said to limit the availability of long-term housing and invested conversion. In the end, the moratorium was adopted.
“Housing is a right, and it’s a limited amount, and it costs a lot of money to build new housing,” Vice Mayor Chantel Raghu said.
opening options to revoke tobacco distributor licenses for bad actors. This ordinance will be up for a second reading at the next meeting.
Council will meet again on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the Oxford Courthouse.
hamdana2@miamioh.edu
route to immediately wiping them from the voter rolls or completely denying the challenge.
“If we’re going to take someone’s right to vote away, we need more evidence,” Linser said.
The board decided that following the hearing, the voters who did not attend would have a formal challenge submitted to their name, requiring them to verify their address at the polls. Voters submitting their ballot by mail would need to submit an additional form to verify their address.
The voter will need to either provide a photo ID with an updated address on it, or some other document that proves that they live where the voter roll has them registered at. If they complete this step, they will receive a normal ballot and be able to vote on election day. If not, they will receive a provisional ballot, which will go through the provisional voting process.
Meanwhile, Strzelecki continued to compile names of questionable voters, including those who moved to Tennessee. To Strzelecki, her work to challenge Hamilton County’s voter rolls is to protect the honesty and integrity of elections; however, to the nonpartisan group All Voting is Local, these challenges create an uphill battle for voters heading to the polls.
“Baseless voter challenges pose unnecessary barriers to the ballot,” said Greer Aeschbury, senior campaign manager at All Voting Is Local.
“They are meant to dissuade and intimidate people from participating in the democratic process. These meritless challenges must stop immediately, and those who seek to prevent voters from exercising their fundamental right to vote must be held accountable.”
Both sides of the debate come from questions of integrity from the November 2020 presidential election, and whether or not barriers to the polls need to be put up or broken down.
Strzelecki intends to submit challenges until the deadline of Oct. 7, one month before the election, raising awareness that voters who move need to pay close attention to both registering their new address and canceling their old registration before voting.
And she’s not alone in her work. According to Strzelecki, she is just one of many citizen volunteers who are working in Hamilton County to keep the voter rolls clean by working with the board of elections and submitting challenges.
“All sides from the political spectrum should care that our voter rolls are accurate,” Strzelecki said.
oliviapatel1217@gmail.com
GRACE GROVER STAFF WRITER
Miami University’s Associated Student Government (ASG) heard from members of the administration board during its weekly meeting on Oct. 1. admin members discussed the credit-hour cap, increasing mental health awareness, student accessibility resources and Miami’s future in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). Senators also went through voter registration training.
Senator Katherine Allison asked the admin panel about Miami’s credit cap, which she said charges students $750 for every credit hour past 18. She said she would like to see Miami work around it.
Dean of Students BaShaun Smithneering, may require students to take more credits. He said they are trying
Assistant Vice President for Health and Wellness Steve Large said students should prioritize their mental well-being. He said he did not want to dismiss the credit cap concerns but challenge them.
“Taking additional credits in addition to being an engaged student outside of the classroom is setting yourself up for having a lot of balls in the air to juggle,” Large said. “I’m not saying it’s impossible, but you are certainly setting yourself up.”
Director of Athletics David Sayler discussed possible instability with Miami and the MAC. He said he believes that Miami will remain in the conference, and mentioned travel budget and student well-being as factors.
“Other conferences are jealous of the MAC because of our proximity,” Sayler said. “But we also have a lot less zeros in our budget.”
Jayne Brownell said a new alternative to the degree audit system is coming in two years after Senator Ife Araba expressed his frustration with the
current program. Brownell also said she wants to talk to students as much as possible to recognize what problems they are having and asked what senators’ priorities are to bring back to President Gregory Crawford.
Senator Mary Nelson asked about improving student accessibility on campus. Smith encouraged students to visit the Miller Center. He said they can create custom plans for students in need, which can accommodate for temporary disabilities as well. Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion Cristina Alcalde said students should take advantage of courses surrounding accessibility and get involved with research.
Nelson also raised a concern about student advising, saying there is a lot of back and forth between advisors. The representative for Acabut Brownell said she would relay the message.
“We know advising needs to be improved,” Brownell said.
Parliamentarian Jackson Abram asked for directions to resources regarding struggling friends or roommates. Smith said if the student is in a dorm to check in with the resident assistant (RA). He also informed senators about the student concern form; the form is now open to those outside
Secretary for Governmental Reregistration training to senators. She encouraged them to double check their voter registration, pass information along to friends and to make a plan for election day.
Speaker of the Senate Shelby Alford extended the due date for the special elections packets to Oct. 11 at 3 p.m. She said there are currently not enough packets; these can be found on the ASG website.
ASG’s
GRAPHIC BY MACY CHAMBERLIN
MEMBERS OF MIAMI UNIVERISITY’S ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD HOLD A PANEL TO DISCUSS A RANGE OF ISSUES THAT AFFECT STUDENTS. PHOTO BY GRACE GROVER.
COVID 4 years later: Is it the new flu?
THE MIAMI STUDENT
Four years since COVID-19 upended daily life across the world, the conversation around the virus has shifted dramatically. Once at the forefront of nearly every discussion, COVID-19 seems to have settled in the background. Today, some people don’t take it as seriously as they once did.
still warrant precautions?
Mark Charlton-Perkins, assistant professor of biology at Miami University, said that while COVID-19 hasferent pattern.
“COVID seems to be cyclical and not necessarily seasonal,” Charlton-Perkins said.
ple are indoors, there are some similarities in how they are treated. “I think that there are more instances of mild symptoms now compared to the initial phases of the pandemic,” Charlton-Perkins said.
Much of this can be attributed to increased vaccine availability. Charleton-Perkins said vaccines have decreased COVID-19 symptoms in many individuals.
venting and toning down symptoms. However, it’s not considered a seasonal shot that should be taken annually. Instead, boosters are available to those already vaccinated but are considered “high-risk” individuals.
Addy Fink, a junior psychology
major and marketing minor, shared her experience after testing positive for COVID-19 for the second time and being partially vaccinated. no symptoms,” Fink said. “So, when I got it again two weeks ago, I expected the same, but this time I had worse
She said her personal, social and academic life took a toll during the illness. Isolating in her room for four days straight changed her daily routine. Fink completed all of her assignments from home, but said she didn’t notice any type of stigma around having COVID-19.
“Many others were getting COVID around this time,” Fink said, “and my roommates and professors understood there was nothing I could do.”
Everything you need to know about cannabis and Miami’s rules and regulations
SADIE CHILDS
THE MIAMI STUDENT
The Ohio Division of Cannabis Control legalized recreational cannabis for all Ohio residents over the age of 21 on Aug. 6.
While cannabis may be legal in Ohio, Miami University still has rules and restrictions for recreational use on campus. When in doubt, remember the rules are similar to those for alcohol.
Haylee Joy, a junior psychology major at Miami, thinks that these changes will make cannabis more common on campus.
“It’s just more easily accessible now,” Joy said.
Statewide, legalization is not as straightforward as it may seem. Unlike alcohol, there are limits on how much someone can possess. J.R. Bernan, a local criminal defense lawyer at Rittgers & Rittgers, said an individual can possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis and 15 grams of extracts or edibles at a time. This means no more than 10 units of oil or packages of edibles. Additionally, cannabis remains
illegal nationally. Crossing state borders with it, even if both states have legalized weed, is considered feder-
Ohio Department of Commerce.
“It can be confusing… students may not necessarily understand that [cannabis being] legal in Ohio does not mean that it’s legal at the federal level,” Leslie McNeill, assistant director of student wellness, said.
“[Miami] does receive federal funds, so that’s what the law is, regardless of what Ohio says.”
Miami has been a drug-free campus since 1989, with a campus and federal policy that includes everything from alcohol to cannabis.
Rebecca Young, director of student wellness, explained that most of these policies are in place to protect students’ health.
“It is an understanding of brain development,” Young said. “The human brain is not completely developed until age 25.”
Young’s advice to reduce harm for students who want to try cannabis is to have someone with them. She said there can be a danger of a potential allergic reaction, and some
ingredients may not be on the label because it’s not regulated.
In response to the legalizalaunched a new program called “Do you know your ABCs? (Alcohol, BAC, and Cannabis).” This program is meant to be a safe space for students to learn about these substances and their safe use.
are legally able to carry and use cannabis; however, people still aren’t legally allowed to walk down the street smoking.
According to the Ohio Department of Commerce, cannabis use in public is still prohibited. The only exception is for those with a medical cannabis card. Additionally, driving illegal and can result in charges for operating a vehicle impaired.
In short, cannabis is not allowed anywhere on campus. No excepdo as they please within laws and regulations.
childssb@miamioh.edu
Isabelle Vegh, a junior strate-
gic communications major and real estate minor, said she contracted COVID-19 the fall semester of her sophomore year as a fully vaccinated student.
“I think when the initial outbreak happened, I was more scared of it, just because there was so much that was unknown about it,” Vegh said.
She had cold-like symptoms with body aches, but never felt a large severity of the illness.
Charlton-Perkins said there are other infectious diseases and viruses that students should be aware of including measles because of declining vaccination rates.
On college campuses where students live and interact closely, the communal nature of campus life althat hasn’t stopped some people’s views on COVID-19 precautions from changing.
“I feel as though COVID is like any other illness,” Fink said. “I was unable to go to class but did not wear a mask as my roommates had already been exposed by the time I got tested.”
When Vegh contracted the virus,, room with her roommate, who only came in to sleep at night.
“My roommate was very nervous about being in the room with me,” Vegh said.
Now, about a year later, Vegh said her viewpoints on the virus haven’t changed too much because of her minimal symptoms.
Fink added that COVID-19 should be handled with simple precautions, like rest and hygiene, but no longer needs additional measures such as
mask-wearing or isolation.
Similarly, Charlton-Perkins said health organizations, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, now have a balanced approach to managing COVID-19.
“In my opinion, they’re doing the right thing,” Charlton-Perkins said. “I don’t feel like we can continue to do really extreme isolation, but it is still important that the people that have … risk factors associated with COVID … are vaccinated appropriately.”
Vegh agrees that we currently do not need further isolation unless someone has tested positive with the virus.
“I don’t think it’s anything where you should really be pausing life and what you’re doing out of fear,” she said about current CDC regulations. “I think you can still pretty much go about your daily lives.”
There is also a broader recognition of how COVID-19 shaped societal attitudes toward public health. Charlton-Perkins said one of the most important things we’ve learned as a society is the importance of hygiene, vaccinations and hand washing.
“Also, [there is] this level of consideration of other people when we are ill,” Charlton-Perkins said. “You know, before COVID, people would go to work when they had a cold. … more about that nowadays, prior to the pandemic starting.”
While COVID-19 may feel like the reminder of the importance of maintaining healthy habits.
wenholje@miamioh.edu
‘Shark Tank’ star Kevin O’Leary, ‘Mr. Wonderful,’
ANNA REIER ASST. CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY EDITOR
Students, faculty and community members gathered at Millett Hall to hear “Shark Tank” star and entrepreneur Kevin O’Leary’s lecture onic on business and how to be a successful leader on the evening of Oct. 1.
After opening remarks from Jenny Darroch, dean of the Farmer School of Business (FSB), O’Leary came on stage following a brief introduction video to resounding applause from the audience as students enthusiastically took photos of “Mr. Wonderful” himself.
Following brief introductory remarks, O’Leary discussed the longbusinesses, including the accelerated adoption of technology.
“If you were in your 60s or 70s, 80s or 90s back then, you didn’t use your cellphone for much … other than your grandkids calling you on Sunday,” O’Leary said. “By the end of 2020, if you didn’t know how to use your cellphone to order goods and services, you would starve to death. Hundreds of millions of people became glued to their phones. What occurred was the emergence of technology in a very rapid period of time.”
O’Leary then went on to discuss several success stories from “Shark Tank,” including Wicked Good Cupcakes and Blueland Cleaning Solutions and how these businesses embodied the essence of the American entrepreneurial spirit.
O’Leary concluded the lecture by identifying three keys to a successful pitch, and more broadly leadership: the ability to articulate a business opportunity in 90 seconds or less, to successfully lead and execute and to have a comprehensive understanding of a business model.
At the end of the lecture, O’Learytions, which was met with a rush to the “hot mic.”
Molly Forgach was one of the students in attendance and felt overwhelmed with feelings of admiration at Mr. Wonderful himself.
“I came tonight because I’m a huge fan of Shark Tank, and I want a story to tell my parents,” Forgach said.
Bridget Denihan, a junior accounting major, said she felt compelled to attend because she was interested in what Kevin O’Leary had to say about the stock market.
Supreme” with Timothee Chalemet. reieram@miamioh.edu
SHARK
PHOTO BY ANNA REIER
JACLYN WENHOLD
How one Miami professor is making bird banding accessible, inspiring conservation in Oxford
AUSTIN SMITH
ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR
David Russell and his students stand around in a circle, rolling hills and forest surrounding them in an open landscape down a discreet gravel road in Hueston Woods State Park. They are performing a point count, where they observe the skies and lisminutes, writing down every observation.
“Tennessee warbler, there’s a crow, there’s a cardinal, there are two crows, turkey vulture, there’s another turkey vulture, chimney swifts going over,” Russell said, observing many by simply hearing its call.
Russell, a Miami University protrainer, has been banding birds with Oxford residents and students at the Hueston Woods Biological Station for decades, collecting data and forming a tight-knit community in the process. Most avian research stations are
lic, in order to avoid the risk of naive posting online, which can undermine
tions often only recruit experienced bird banders, rather than training newcomers.
Russell looks at the situation a lit-
cause I think it’s important that we bring students out, and we bring community members out, and I bring other college classes out because they don’t get this experience,” Russell said.
Bird banding involves attaching a small band to a bird’s leg to identify and track it via GPS. Researchers then measure the bird’s fat level, sex and age. This process allows researchers to examine migration patterns, population dynamics and mortality rates.
Russell started the station in 2004, two years after marrying his wife, Jill Russell, an associate teaching professor of biology at Miami. They wanted an activity they could do together despite her visual impairment. Bird banding, which Russell had already been long involved in, was the perfect choice.
cation Institute that Russel founded, began with just 10 mist nets — 10 by for catching birds — and has since expanded to 40 nets.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), bird banding does not harm birds when proper techniques and equipment are used.
quired to follow the Bander’s Code ofdures and care for the birds.
“Bird safety is our number one concern because it would do us absolutely no good to do anything that would make their life harder,” Russell said, carefully untangling a Tennessee warbler from a mist net. and sends it to the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory, which assimilates all the data collected from bird banding in the United States and Canada.
Hueston Woods, including the 10acre area of successional, which refers to the new growth and changing vegetation, woods around the station, is a popular rest stop for birds migrating between breeding grounds in the north and winter habitats in the south.
Through his decades of banding, in bird populations. When the staaround 120 birds a day during the peak of migration. Now, that number is closer to 70.
“In essence, our numbers have dropped about in half, and you can see that across our data,” Russell said. “And that’s been true of birds overall.”
According to a study published in the journal “Science,” North America now has 3 billion fewer birds than 50 years ago, with one in four birds disappearing in the last half-century.
Russell is looking for ways to combat this decline in bird population by working with Hueston Woods to provide better bird habitats.
“Some of the management decisions we’ve been working on with the park is converting a lot of the area that has been overrun with non-natives to our native spice bushes and our native dogwoods and things like that, to help what is appearing to be a problem for some of our migrant species,” Russell said.
attention of Andy Rice, an associate professor of media and communicahas been following the group for about them.
The documentary, titled “BandCommunity,” goes in-depth into Russell’s bird banding process and the community members involved. The Conservation Film Festival in Monterrey, Mexico on Oct. 24-27.
Along with community members, Miami students also help at the station. Not only are students in Russell’s classes involved in banding, but the station also provides immense opportunities for students to do their
own research and projects.
Ginny Boehme, the biology librarian for the group, is currently developing a visual manual, as opposed to traditional text-heavy ones, to teach people bird banding.
“We want to try and take pictures of all these birds and present them in a more easily digestible format,” Boehme said.
Dhruv Iyengar is a graduate stu-uador, making a template for bird banding there, who is also involved in the visual manual. He explained that examining birds’ feathers is vital to determining their age, but teaching
people what to look for,” Iyengar said. “So the idea is we take pictures of all our birds, and we correct the lighting to get those colors to pop out, to make them easier to teach.”
Along with graduate students, undergrads also have opportunities to gain experience with bird banding. Madalyn Couch, a junior zoolowith Russell’s bird banding through a a report. She decided to come back a second time to get more experience.sitions, there’s a lot of bird banding involved,” Couch said. “They’re important to study because they relate to insects a lot too and the ecosystem as a whole. It helps, in the future I will likely have to do this as well.”
Russell said he has noticed the interest in birding growing in Oxford.
There is a birdwatching station located just north of the DeWitt Cabin Log House, and there is also a bird club at Miami.
“I think it’s become prevalent because it combines getting outdoors with a subject that requires some knowledge, so you actually have a challenge to it,” Russell said. “Why do people play Pokemon Go? [It’s] because it’s a game of getting out and doing things and birding is very similar to that.”
Russell said getting people to the bird banding station for whatever reason, whether it be for research purposes, to see his two Bernese mountain dogs or to see friends, has helped contribute to the local conser-
“These are the same people that if you put out a notice [saying], ‘Hey we need volunteers to help remove honeysuckle,’ [or] ‘We need volunteers to work at a booth or to lead groups around,’ these are the people who are happy to do it,” Russell said.
smith854@miamioh.edu
Illuminating light pollution: How locals
by myself, but I mean, I wouldn’t get nearly as many people.”
compelled me to try and do something in my town,” Greene said. Greene’s paper caught more than just the attention of Girl Scouts, as it was also published in the September edition of the Oxford Sustainability Monthly Newsletter. She got involved with the newsletter through friends of friends and hoped she could use it to reach more people.
“I originally wrote the article as a blog, and I needed somewhere reliable that could host it, that would actually get it out to people,” Greene said. “Because I could send it all out
Carla Blackmar, who is the editor-in-chief of the newsletter and a technician at the Hefner Museum, acknowledged the environmental problems of light pollution and spoke in high regard of Greene.
“I was glad someone’s talking about it, and really glad Addison is focusing her Gold Award on this topic, just because I think it’s an easy thing to overlook for people,” Blackmar said.
“In addition, I liked how Addison was focused on some of the issues around dark skies and being able to, you know, … look at the stars. But from an ecology perspective, the impacts of light pollution can be really damaging. So I was really glad some-
one was talking about it, that wasn’t me.” In addition to her paper, Greene also talked in detail about what it city, and spoke with Oxford City Council members in hopes of taking steps toward passing legislation to clear the night skies of Oxford. Darkpoint downwards at places such as Walmart and Yager, and shutting down by a certain time every night. These changes would have nuwildlife surrounding Oxford. Blackmar explained that with migration happening in bird populations, the excess light disturbs their migration
patterns. Invertebrates also feel the harm from the light.
“Basically, their [life] cycles are very much governed by the moon and things like that, and so when they cluster around [lights] and burn themselves out… it can really impact their life cycles and end up in population decline,” Blackmar said. “So for both birds and also for the invertebrates that birds depend on, we’re worried about light pollution right now.” Both Blackmar and Greene have now raised this issue to city council in hopes of passing legislation to make Oxford a safer home for birds and stargazers alike.
SMITH
One hockey player’s journey to Miami comes through championship pedigree and a leap of faith
ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
Christophe Fillion came to the United States from Canada to achieve one goal: earn a contract playing professional hockey. After spending four years at team, he’s looking to continue pursu ing that goal with the Miami Univer sity RedHawks.
Early in his career, Fillion played in several junior leagues, including the North American Hockey League League in Canada. He eventually set tled down with the Muskegon Lum League (USHL).
Anthony Noreen, then the head improvement defensively. Fillion knew he needed to improve in that area as well.
er when I came to the U.S.,” Fillion coach, and I like it more here. They the team.
proved historical for the program sophomore slump (four points in the team in that department. the national championship after an
Fillion logged three points in four tournament games: a goal and an as sist against the Ohio State University Buckeyes and an assist in a victory over the University of Michigan Wol
powerhouse University of Minneso in program history.
“It was special,” Fillion said. “It really took me like two weeks to re alize that we won the national cham pionship. It was something that the pens, it doesn’t kick in for a week or two. It was a special opportunity that Fillion separated his shoulder during the game and needed pain
emotion with his teammates.
“When the goal was scored, I on my shoulder, and I didn’t feel a thing,” Fillion said. “I just started just started crying.”
trigued the new Miami hockey head coach.
his team was Fillion, who entered the transfer portal when it opened on April 1.
“There’s just certain players that speak the same language,” Noreen were on the same page.”
After Noreen called Chris Lowe, president of hockey operations for Fillion’s old team in Muskegon, and he called Fillion himself to pitch his vision for the program.
A cloud of hesitation initially
speaking with Miami alumni Kiefer Sherwood and Kevyn Adams. He two days after entering the transfer portal.
“[Sherwood and Adams] were like, ‘This spot is special, and the it was.’” Fillion said. “Noreen and part of that. I felt special when those guys were telling me that.”
The new era of RedHawks hock Noreen, who was at the U16 and U18 national tournaments in Las Vegas, news of Fillion’s decision.
smile on my face,” Noreen said. “I told him it’s something I’ll never for
ing, and that meant a lot.”
Now, having fully immersed himself in the team and his online graduate program, Fillion is looking to help as a leader with the other veteran players like Boston College Sullivan, another national champion on the RedHawks roster.
perience and knowledge, so they can chip in anywhere with guys and
While there is always a learning curve, Fillion came in ready to com pete for a principal role on the team.
“If a puck dropped tomorrow, he has earned a role in every facet of our program,” Noreen said.
took the jump regardless. He is a key piece to leading a young team in one of the toughest conferences in the NCAA and, more importantly, ami hockey program great all those years ago.
middleje@miamioh.edu
KETHAN BABU, SPORTS EDITOR
An unusual aspect of the Miami University RedHawks’ goaltending playing in more games than the two graduate students on the roster.
What’s even more peculiar is that the same goalie, sophomore Bruno Bruveris, is the most tenured goalie for the RedHawks this season. program and now is no secret. A new
The goaltending situation is no second season of collegiate hockey. Logan Neaton and Carter McPhail ers to take.
One reminder of the previous pro gram lies in Zach Cisek, an assistant coach who worked with the goalten ders under former head coach Chris Bergeron. Cisek returns for his third
along a huge chance for the program.
“They’ve welcomed me in with ing,” Cisek said. “I feel like we’re gon na put a really good product out there
this year.”
that time, he compiled a .866 save percentage (SV%) and allowed an av
skills going forward.
“It was an honor to play [in] my freshman year so many games,” Bru in myself that I can play at this level.” last season with disappointment. The new group of goalies this season has
The standards are set high, and we hope that we accomplish everything together as a goalie group as well.”
Joining Bruveris this season are uate student Brett Miller.
he was looking for a fresh start after playing four years at the junior level. Before taking up the Red & White, he Buccaneers of the United States Hockey League. He played for the St. Cloud Norsemen of the North Ameri
Returning
GRAHAM YOUNG, THE MIAMI STUDENT
Hockey season is here, and it’s al most time for the Miami University
join the Miami roster this year. The RedHawks, now under a new coach seasons. Ten players transferred out or turning players from the previous squad, including three sophomores. The team’s leadership relies on the for several years.
The returning players are cru cial for the RedHawks’ work ethic new players look up to, learn from and grow from.
Graduate student forward Ryan Sullivan transferred to Miami in with the University of Massachu setts Minutemen. UMass won the NCAA national championship in
“I’d like to think [I’m] putting shots and help the team in any way
his impact felt last year at Miami, leader for the new RedHawks this year.
“The direction the program is together, and we can do something special this year.”
Sullivan said one thing that won’t change this upcoming season is the and their cohesion as a group will continue to grow.
last season against the Arizona State the third period, Miami scored three send the game into overtime.
Storm played under Anthony Noreen, making the decision to commit to the RedHawks this year that much easier.
“He’s a great coach for them, so I
more in the goaltending room, the RedHawks needed an older player to spent three seasons with the Rensse laer Polytechnic Institute, proved to
ville High School in the same division as Brighton High School, where Nea ton played. After graduating from RPI, Mill er wanted to continue his collegiate career. Cisek got in contact with him
was super welcoming [and] super friendly. I think with the amount of new guys we have this year, includ ing the freshmen and the transfers, I’m not the only one in that situation. really quickly.”
with all my teammates,” Waldron said. “Everything you do is with them.”
The win against Arizona State shows the level of intensity the Red hawks play with, a preview of what is to come this season.
New head coach Anthony Nor een has made improvements to the
cially when having to play multiple games in a weekend.
ment in several matchups last sea son that the RedHawks let slip late in the game. Graduate student de this concern with his own personal
“We had time to show how good
that we don’t turn them into a roll keeled the whole time.”
Miami’s program has developed a strong group of leaders who are ning culture. Moulton said the struc ture of this season’s roster is one that
“We have guys that have won in pieces,” Moulton said. “The return ers have started a foundation for a culture that we are continuing on, and hopefully we can get the results this year.”
It is no surprise that the return ing players have stepped up and proven themselves as true leaders for this RedHawk team. New coach improving the program are all signs that point to a fantastic RedHawk season. For Sullivan, this season and Mi ami hockey as a whole have an op all of the RedHawks’ fans during this new era for the program.
rience a ton,” Sullivan said. “It’s giv enjoyed every minute of it.”
Junior forward Johnny Waldron sealed Miami’s victory with an over important aspect of the team’s win that day came from their chemistry.
younggm7@miamioh.edu
with them a skillset from previous years that the RedHawks are hoping to use going forward. older player in Miller and the youth of cult to decide a starter.
“This is a really competitive group,” Cisek said. “They’re all a little
a guy that’s kept it pretty steady. [Brett] is another guy that when he’s simple.”
The RedHawks won’t announce the starting goaltender until right
RedHawks look to continue the trend of strong goaltending.
ANDREW RELVAS, STAFF WRITER
The Miami University RedHawks swimming and diving team is a storied program that boasts continuous power over the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
Under former head coach Hollie Bonewit-Cron, both the men’s and women’s teams have found great success in the conference.
The women’s team is the most successful program in the MAC with 17 championships. The RedHawks have been a threatening presence in the conference and were the runner-ups to last year’s eventual champions, the University of Akron Zips.
the last six MAC championships. In March, it won its fourth consecutive championship ahead of the runner-up Missouri State University Bears.
Bonewit-Cron’s success earned her the MAC Coach of the Year award in 2023, her fourth in a row. However, after eight years with the RedHawks, she left the conference and Miami to coach the Penn State University Nittany Lions.
On July 8, it was announced that Samantha Pitter, former associate head coach of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers, will step in as Miami’s new head swimming and diving coach.
Pitter brings 16 years of collegiate coaching experience to Oxford. After coaching with the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT) Engineers from 2008-13, she spent eight Harvard University Crimson. Most recently, she spent two seasons as the associate head coach at Pittsburgh.
Pitter chose the head coaching position days before she traveled to Paris for the Olympics.
Jayla Pina, a junior swimmer for the Panthers, represented her mother’s home country of Cape Verde at the Paris Olympics this summer. Each athlete representing Cape Verde Pitter was chosen to work with Pina.
“It was amazing,” Pitter said. “The venues at the Olympic games were unreal. It still feels a little surreal seeing everybody having so much pride representing their countries.”
With her experience on the international stage and as a three-time coach for the United States national team, Pitter brings a wealth of knowledge to Miami.
“Miami has both great academics and athletic opportunities,” Pitter said. “It’s an honor and a privilege to take this program further and higher, but also to set athletes up for life was appealing.”
Pitter has a strong track record as a coach, securing eight championships with both MIT and Harvard. She also recently brought the most
gram in school history at Pittsburgh.
Joining her are two new assistant coaches in Kevin Menke and Flynn Crisci. Menke comes to Miami with over a decade of coaching experience. He has local coaching experience at both the South YMCA Swim Team in Dayton since 2013 and as the head coach for Crestwood Swim Club from 201418.
The coaching experience Menke brings derives from his swimming career for the Wright State University Raiders from 2013-2016. He is thrilled to stay in southwest Ohio.
“It’s exciting to be a part of the program here, and it’s exciting to be working with the great group of student athletes here,” Menke said.
collegiate coaching job. He began his collegiate swimming career at the University of William and Maryson. He transferred to Pittsburgh as a sophomore and spent three seasons with the Panthers. It was here where Pitter coached him.
“[She is] one of the best coaches in the country and one of the most underrated,” Crisci said. “To be able to work with her and to learn from her is one of the best opportunities I could ever be given. I’m super thankful that I have the opportunity.” Crisci completed his collegiate career with the University of Tennessee
Volunteers, where he set the school record with a mark of 51.51 in the 100 breast at the 2024 NCAA Championships.
Miami diving is also welcoming in a new diving coach, Charlie Retter. Retter held coaching positions at the Woodlands Diving Club in Texas for two years and at Duke Diving Club in North Carolina for six years. Pitter spoke highly of Retter’s ability to develop young diving talent.
“He is well-known among club coaches, and he will attract the high-level divers we want at Miami,” Pitter said. “I am excited for him to break into the college coaching world.”
Pitter has high hopes for Miami swimming and diving this year. Theer either program’s continued success from previous seasons.
“I want us to get to the highest level we can,” Pitter said. “On the women’s side, we fell just short last year. Our goal is to win this year. On the row. I want to create a dynasty.”
The RedHawks’ season is just will take place against the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Oct. 11, followed by a meet against the Northwestern University Wildcats on Oct.12.
ajrelvas14@gmail.com
HAYLEY LUBY, STAFF WRITER
With the 2024 hockey season RedHawks players from Gothenburg, Sweden, look to hit the ice for their Graduate student defenseman year with the RedHawks, looking to season of eligibility.
forward, also said he is aiming to earn his time on the ice under a new changes.
The two grew up in Gothenburg and began playing hockey at a young age, following older family members to the rink by the time they could walk.
“I started early watching my older cousin, and I wanted to go on the ice so badly,” Forssander said. “I was on just to skate a little bit.”
Both players skated competitively for various organizations, but they played together for the Frölunda Hockey Club.
As their juniors career came to an
end, both had the opportunity to either develop a professional career or play at the college level.
The decision to compete collegiately, with the overarching goal of playing in the National Hockey League, was simple.
The year before arriving at Miami, Rydqvist spent the 2019-20 season playing for the Maryland Black Bears of the North American Hockey League.
Immediately following his arrival in Oxford, he made a huge impact with the RedHawks. He saw the ice in 24 of Miami’s 25 games during hisnior year, he skated in all 36 games each season.
A four-time member of the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team, Rydqvist returns to the program looking
Head coach Anthony Noreen, en-Hawks, shares his excitement about having Rydqvist return for his graduate season.
“Hampus is a guy that really believes in this place and wants to be a part of this program getting turned around,” Noreen said. “He brings
KETHAN
BABU, SPORTS EDITOR
Redshirt junior kicker Dom Dzioban woke up at 7 a.m. on Sept. 28 like any other game day. The University of Massachusetts Minutemen were visiting Oxford later that day non-conference game of the season.
The RedHawks meet for a quick breakfast before the players go about their individual preparation. Dzioban and his roommate, senior punter Alec Bevelhimer, watch Chelsea beat Brighton in the Premier League.
At 11 a.m., the team meets for a pregame meal. Head coach Chuck Martin addresses the players with they board the bus and ride through Oxford.
Dzioban went about his morning and pregame routine as usual. He dothe Minutemen in his pregame warmup.
Nothing about the day would have led anyone to believe he’d have two of the biggest plays in the RedHawks’ overtime victory over the Minutemen.
Dzioban played soccer growing up. He only put on a football jersey in high school after his friends convinced him.
“A lot of my buddies were all playing youth football, and going into high school, [they said], ‘We need a kicker,’” Dzioban said. “At high school, special teams start to matter a little bit more.”
Dzioban’s parents, both Polish immigrants, were hesitant with the path this sport would bring him. College was out of the picture if he didn’t get a scholarship for football.
“Heading into junior year, my high school coach [said], ‘Hey, you got a shot at this,’” Dzioban said.
“When I told [my dad] I was gonna stop playing soccer… he [said], ‘You better be all in with this because if you don’t get a scholarship, it’s really no
a ton of energy. He loves the game, loves life and always has a smile on his face.”
their time on the ice.
With Forssander, not only is this States.
“We want to do everything possible to get him to a position where he feels comfortable with what’s going on with his game,” Noreen said. “I want him to feel like he’s getting better and developing in the classroom and on the ice.”
Rydqvist, having played a year of hockey in the United States prior to Miami, had more time to transition to life in Oxford.
“For me, it was a little easier,” Rydqvist said. “I came here to play juniors, so I got to live the American life with the people who took care of me. When it comes to American culture, I am a naturally curious person. I wanted to move here to feel uncomfortable, but it wasn’t really bad for me.”
Despite being from another country, Forssander has worked with Noreen and the other players to get
himself adjusted. The team wants to make everyone feel welcome and ensure that the campus feels like home. Forssander found this adjustment there are three other Swedish players on the roster: Rydqvist, junior forforward Casper Nässen.
“I’ve been here for two months now and I’m still getting used to everything,” Forssander said. “The language of course, and the American culture, but I like it a lot. I have
three guys here from Sweden, which is comfortable. It feels a little bit like home.”
Ahead of their opening series against the Ferris State University Bulldogs, the updated roster and newform a program that was once very successful back to what it used to be.
The season is set to begin in Big Rapids, Michigan on Oct. 4 at 8:07 p.m.
lubyhj@miamioh.edu
college for you.’”
During recruiting season, Miami’s special team coordinator at the time, Doug Shearer, developed a good friendship with Dzioban, and Martin
At the postgame press conference after defeating UMass, Martin claimed Dzioban was the only specialist he’s given a scholarship to out of high school.
The RedHawks’ placekickers in 2020 competed heavily for the starting job, which eventually went to Henry Beckett. Dzioban instead seasons.
Graham Nicholson stepped in as the team’s placekicker from 2021-22. Dzioban continued punting for the team, recording 3,136 yards across 13 games in 2022.er, Dzioban wasn’t ecstatic about his position on the team.
“I didn’t really plan on punting [in] college,” Dzioban said. “But I kind of embraced my role as the punter. I got good at it because that’s what was going to help the team win.”
His collegiate career was going plans for him. A leg injury before the year began sidelined him for the season that saw the RedHawks claim a MAC championship. He spent three years as a punter instead of a placekicker, and his inRedHawks boasted one of their best seasons in recent years. But his teammates were left guessing whether Dzioban was disappointed, content or emotional about this.
“Just seeing him last year, nothing had gone the way he wanted to noticed it,” Bevelhimer said. “Most guys are going to be down and in the dumps, but he was just the best teammate and best supporter for everyone.” Nicholson transferred to the University of Alabama Crimson Tide following the 2023 season. Dziobaned to overcome his injury. The RedHawks’ new special teams coordinator, Kyle Blocker, arfound a nationally-ranked punter in Bevelhimer but a bruised placekicker.ter, he was still really banged up, almost to the point where he didn’t know if he was gonna be able to kick or punt again,” Blocker said. “Looking back on it now, it’s like, ‘Geez, look how far he’s come.’” Going into summer, Blocker was still unsure if Dzioban would be ready for the season. By fall, it was clear that nothing was going to stop him fromtra points for the year.
goals and 1-1 on extra points. The RedHawks slipped to 0-3 going into the matchup against the Minutemen. At 6:45 p.m., the Minutemen held the lead 20-17 with 40 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Theposing 26-yard line. Dzioban walked the longest of his career.
His teammates will tell you that Dzioban doesn’t have any superstitions or pre-kick rituals. He takes kicks one at a time. Even when missbefore the game, Dzioban was going into this game-tying attempt with nothing on his mind.
“He’s the master of his own fate,” Bevelhimer said. “He makes sure to preach that there’s nobody more condown.”
The ball snapped, the kick went up and the score was suddenly tied 20-20 and heading into overtime. The defense stopped UMass from impacting the scoreboard, and the move the ball but still set Dzioban up At 7 p.m., 12 hours after his day started, Dzioban’s right foot met the ball and ended the game on another 47-yard attempt, 23-20.
“I don’t know why, but I felt like, no matter what, as long as I’m out the right part of my foot, and I knew I followed through well. I didn’t even have to look up, honestly.”
Dzioban ended Miami’s threegame losing streak in the last non-conference game of the season. Looking ahead to conference play, he said he hopes his teammates know that he can make those game-changing plays.
“I love those moments,” Dzioban said. “I wanted my team to count on me, and I’m glad I was able to execute.” babukc2@miamioh.edu
At one point during the show, Carpenter downed what seemed like a Corona Extra, but she later admitted it was water. Using the bottle, she and her dancers played their own version of the classic spin-the-bottle to determine what the night’s cover song would be.
It was the opening night of the tour, so we had no idea what the screamed when she started singing ABBA’s “Mamma Mia,” as two former theater kids who have both been in productions of “Mamma Mia” the musical . One of the things Carpenter is
most known for is her iconic outros to her hit song “Nonsense” from her album “emails i can’t send.” She would end every performance of the song on her last tour with a three-line outro that changed each night.
For the “Short n’ Sweet” tour, however, she exited under the stage, and a sign appeared on the screen saying they were experiencing technito say goodbye to such an iconic era of hers, also making it a bit less disappointing for the fans anticipating a special outro.
Toward the end of her set, Carpenter looked out to the crowd, saying she was trying to see if anyone came with their parents, referencing a lyric about genetics. She then
called over her “girls” and pointed to a random man in the crowd, as sirens blared and red and blue lights lit up the arena. Carpenter announced that he, whose name we learned was Daniel, was under arrest for “being too
light blue mini dress underneath . This segwayed into arguably the most out-of-pocket song on the album, “Juno.” This performance was a whirlwind of colors. Before her iconic lyric, “Have you ever tried this one?” she throws herself into a sensual pose, something she has started to change for each show. She also made audience members kneel down with her during the bridge, demanding everyone “get
back into singing. Carpenter ended her initial set with “Don’t Smile,” a track from her newest album with a chorus that goes “don’t smile because it happened, baby, cry because it’s over.” It was the perfect way to wrap up the show, but it wasn’t upbeat enough to be the end of the concert. Plus, something was missing. She left the stage, only to return to all of her dancers and crew some “Espresso” to help wake them up, and went straight into the fan-favorite single, ending the night. the screens after Carpenter left, with her thanking the audience for coming
with a series of funny, ever-so-slightly awkward comments about merchandise, the audience singing along and sitting through her singing for “that long.”
sold-out arena show, and she certainly expressed her gratitude more than a few times. At one point, she took out her earpiece to listen to how loud the crowd was, and she looked like she was about to cry. As special as the night was for the audience, it was just as special if not even more for her.
Rating: 10/10
powers40@miamioh.edu
powerstj@miamioh.edu
New thrift store hopes to bring attention to sustainability project
ANNA KATE MERENESS
THE MIAMI STUDENT
A new up and coming thrift store will soon be added to Oxford’s mustshop list. Uptown Threads is a local thrift store which hopes to make a large impact within the community.
Thread Up Oxford is a local organization that intends to reduce textile waste in the Oxford community.
retail locations, the newest being Uptown Threads located on West Church Street. With this new location, the shop hopes to attract the Uptown student crowd and bring more attention to their sustainability project. Since Jan. 1, Thread Up Oxford has received more than 12 tons of material.
Uptown Threads initially opened its doors in September 2023, and has seen a slow, consistent growth in sales since then. At Uptown Threads, buyclothing and home textiles readily available for purchase.
Textile donations are accepted at the Thread Up Oxford location, in stores like Uptown Threads, as well as receptacles when the stores are closed. Supporters are also able to monetarily donate through Thread Up Oxford’s Square Donation Site, ranging from $10 to $100 gifts.
The bustling new store is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. Though the store is closed
on weekends, that has not stopped a plethora of buyers from strolling through the shop.
Shopping at thrift stores, or “thrifting,” is a huge part of fashion for many. First-year fashion student Lexie Newman said that thrifting “allows you to have unique pieces that nobody else has.” Not only is thrifting a sustainable alternative to fast fashion, but it also allows you to show individuality and explore interesting new looks.
Thread Up Oxford hopes to become a model for communities all over the country.
“[Thread Up Oxford] could be a model for how people can reduce textile waste in their own communities, and how they can circulate those secsaid founder and executive director Shana Rosenberg.
Though there are many wellsourced thrift stores in Oxford, Thread Up Oxford stands out among its many competitors as it accepts almost everything that is donated and works to repurpose every textile that they obtain.
“We don’t throw anything away, and we also don’t send anything overseas,” Rosenberg said. Many students donate clothing and home textiles after graduating, so thrifting -
mereneak@miamioh.edu
SHANA ROSENBERG, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THREAD UP
DURING
it clear that she’s not going anywhere any time soon.
ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY AND ASST. CULTURE EDITOR
ham, “Buckingham Nicks.”
write a song.
“This may be the most importanttagram post for the song’s release. “... This is an anthem.”
anthem where Nicks opens up about
as well as people protesting against
Lady Gaga doesn’t break character on ‘Harlequin’
CULTURE EDITOR
Instagram to announce “Harlequin,” a companion album to the upcoming
Gaga places her own spin on classics from the American songbook. But in true, magical Gaga fashion, she makes them feel like her own yet still
the song, I felt a bit skeptical, as I
tion albums with Bennett when they
on “Harlequin.” tackles on the album, but there are talk about.
“Oh, When The Saints,” a re-
struck me about it, though, is that
it feel unique. On “That’s Entertainment,” a song originally written by Arthur
Gaga puts a stunning rock spin the Greasepaint — the Smell of the
Between the songs on “Harle-
new song may be, it’s certainly not the only thing she has been up to
was fortunate enough to get to seegenuinely the most magical night of my life.
Nicks is known for her iconic,mirable qualities — is a big part
Petty.
glimpse into her entire life, it was
fore. At the concert, they were selling
one of the musical elements that sets Nicks apart from many others in her
is not only in her genre, but also in the
for her work as a solo artist. This was
reer.
sion series “American Horror Story.”years later, Nicks is returning as mu-mental 5oth season along with hostperience this time in her career.
powers40@miamioh.edu
are something that only people really
parts of herself into the character on “Harlequin.” In both of her original
own life as she intertwines the two.
GINA ROTH STAFF WRITER
If you’re looking for classic SO“Sophie.” Classic SOPHIE is a pulsminimal use of lyrics. The songs on this album feel like cheap imitations of a true artist.
SOPHIE was a trans-woman pro--
Grammy nomination for best elec-
most personal out of the two, as
my relationship with playing broken
ferent ways … the ultimate confes-
Rating: 9/10
Truthfully speaking, Gaga is the
The album begins with an intro, the typical sense of anticipation that SOPHIE cohesion, with songs feeling
on the album, feels like a genericture SOPHIE elements to set it apart. When you listen to another artist’s the track, you can hear her. it’s easy to tell that SOPHIE was a songs on this recent album lack anyless of quality or authenticity.ber of times I was listening to thisten it was only a section of the songas a trans icon. SOPHIE has been inspiring trans artists to make music in the hyperpop space. The album
Rating: 3/10
rothra2@miamioh.edu
southacr@miamioh.edu
OPINION
RAQUEL HIRSCH COLUMNIST
Part of the beauty of attending a program like the Miami University Dolibois European Center (MUDEC) is the resources United States universities often have. For MUDEC, these resources are transported over to Europe. In particular, “Discovery Tours” are alumni-funded, fully planned weekend trips that MUDEC’s student activities coordinator arranges.
Claiming a spot on your preferred trip is the trickiest part of the experience, but once you’re in, you won’t meal or two. For my second weekend abroad, I was lucky enough to go on a Discovery Tour to The Hague, a city in the Netherlands.
Traveling with Miami for what taught me a lot of things – both good and bad. I learned that The Hague has some of the best vintage shops in Europe that I’ve seen so far. I also learned that, while a pre-planned trip is convenient, traveling on my own schedule and timeline is much preferred.
There is one advantage to going on Miami-coordinated trips, and that is the more “educational” aspects of historic cities you wouldn’t think to explore otherwise. I know what you’re thinking: I’m putting too much emphasis on the “study” part of “study abroad.”
However, it’s not like I’m sitting in the middle of the Netherlands reading a textbook. Being able to attend museums like The Mauritshuis (with its admission, like the rest of the trip, being fully paid for) and seeing iconic paintings like “The Girl With The Pearl Earring” in front of my eyes was really cool – and I’m not
Seeing famous works of art is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to European history and MUDEC.
What I have found most impactful to study are the world wars – World a class literally called “The World Wars” that I am enrolled in. If you want, your studying of that part of history can start and end there. I wouldn’t recommend that
same paths I walk cannot be done in the U.S. Our home country teaches us a version of World War I and World War II from the perspective of a country that participated, but didfront except for the attack on Pearl
While there is nothing wrong with how the U.S. frames this histopowerful. One particularly unique opportunity I’ve had as an intern with The Menard Family Center for Democracy was speaking at a weekend-long commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Luxembourg. This event honored U.S. General George Patton and his soldiers, all of whom played a large role in liberating the small country from Nazi occupation. It also served as another Discovery Tour for students to attend.
Going into the weekend, I anticipated the trip to be unique. However, it was much more impactful than I expected – not just because of the professional opportunities it held –but because of how connected I felt to a historical event that happened long before I was born.
The town of Ettelbruck, Luxembourg, about an hour north of Differdange, is incredibly rich in World War II history. I got to tour threetifacts, most of which came directly from Luxembourg. Even more impressive were the stories the tour guides shared directly from their parents or grandparents who passed down their lived experiences.
In the U.S. it’s easy to forget the impact of the war, and at times it can be lost in history. Luxembourg is quite the contrast in this regard; the country was occupied by German powers for four years and the impact is on home soil, not far away in history. It is a mission of the country to never forget, which was the intention of the anniversary event.
to see how the horrors of World War II are preserved so realistically and be to face, doing so for your own personal lesson is more impactful than the initial hesitation the experience may bring. The point of all of this is that history will surround you in Europe. If you’re considering studying abroad or have plans to, don’t let it just be a time to jetset and party. Go to museums. Ask questions. Immerse yourself in a new culture and a wealth of knowledge you can’t get anywhere else. You’ll be a better person for it, and learning the history of the country and continent you reside in makes the experience that much more impactful.
hirschr2@miamioh.edu
The mass was full, but mostly with local supporters, not the Haitians the mass is targeted toward. These people are so afraid of being hurt by their community that they won’t come to their own mass. there is a massive “Haitian issue.” But what the issue is, is where people begin to disagree. The issue is a lack of underthe self-checkout, trying to explain to someone that they need to weigh their produce when they can’t read the machine or understand what you’re saying? Of course. But that’s the extent of it. We don’t understand each other.
But that can change. My parents are both teachers with master’s degrees, and they’re volunteering to teach Haitian children English on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There’s an on-demand Haitian Creole translation at my eye doctor. The Clark County Democrats just held a peace rally with more than a hundred participants. I know this can change
“People are saying how terrible it is and I have no experience with that, all I’ve experienced is a new Haitian food aisle in GroceryLand,” my mom said.
Haitian immigrants deserve the empathize with someone. All they’ve done is show up, like anyone else moving here. Now it’s our turn to wel-
ELIZA SULLIVAN THE MIAMI STUDENT
Sometimes watching the news feels like watching reality TV. Each channel has its own analysis of every breath taken by Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump. In a personality-driven election year, where feelings and rhetoric are often discussed more than policy, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed with – and exhausted by – the idea of political action.
To make matters worse, social media often bombards us with every horrible event happening all over the world. Many of these crises are things that we can’t change on our own. It’s easy to feel powerless, and very tempting to give up caring at all.
The solution to this feeling of dread and hopelessness that we feel is to get involved locally.
Politics is so much more than the actions of two national candidates or the awful things happening in distanted by politics every day; the taxes you pay, the cities you live in and the who and what you vote for.
The things that impact you the most directly, like zoning laws and tax levies, are controlled by the governments closest to you: your city council and your statehouse. These are institutions that we, as individuvoice and our vote.
My favorite way to get involved locally is going to on-campus political clubs, like the College Democrats and canvassing door-to-door for local candidates. In a world of political turmoil and seemingly endless bad news, talking to people in my community, discussing what really needs to be done and taking action to create positive change is almost therapeutic. On this local scale, I can see the impact of my work. I get to know the people who I have convinced to vote this November. I see people beginning to support the candidates I believe in. Knowing that I can change the political landscape, even if just by one vote, makes everything feel a little less hopeless.
A trip to the city council or school board meetings can also be surprisingly fun. Admittedly, there are often drawn-out discussions about obscure zoning issues, so be prepared to bring something to do in the downtime. However, from time to time there will be an exciting new project proposed or an ordinance passed.
Learning about, and possibly having a say in, how these proposals are passed and how they will impact people in your community can rekindle the excitement in politics. Seeing your voice creating tangible change is easier on the local level.
If you’re looking to get further involved, you can join a local political organization, canvas for a local campaign, help circulate petitions for ballot initiatives, protest and call your congresspeople. It can be overwhelming to
PHOTO
OPINION
This generation is in a subscription scam spiral.
thing since sliced bread: we could watch as many movies as we wanted, as many times as we wanted, without ever worrying about late fees. We could order something we needed and have it delivered that same day, no matter if we bought one item or 50 – all the same as long as you pay the fee for shipping.
Now this system seems to no longer be working that well. It’s like the monster under your bed: you thought if you ignored it long enough (or Netbed to crawl under. But this new way of living is here to stay, and as our generation becomes more reliant on these services and technologies, the monster of costly subscriptions is kicking us out of our own bed and the future isn’t looking too pretty. This doesn’t even include liv-
ing and school expenses. My total amount is estimated at $220 per month. Are students really getting a fair deal in this new age of subscriptions? The answer – it depends. Many of these services are integral to how we function. Instead of the limitation of the local bookstore, students can gain access to their class materials on Amazon and have it de-
This sort of competition is great for students; there is no longer a monopoly by certain businesses being the only option for students.
TAYLOR POWERS
ASST. OPINION EDITOR
It was a Friday night in September when the movie theater lights began to dim. I was in sixth grade on day of Stephen King’s “It” (2017), and I had never seen a horror movie before. I was nervous, scared of both a newly budding relationship and how I’d react to scary movies.
The screen lit up as the opening scene of “It” started. I watched as little Georgie failed to save his makeshift paper boat from sailing straight down the storm drain. Fear shot through my nerves as I jumped, startled by Pennywise emerging from the storm drain’s darkness. I hid behind my hands, much to my date’s amusement, as the clown revealed his sharp teeth, digging deep into the young boy’s arm like a ravenous animal.
I sat in awe for the next two hours and 12 minutes, surrounded by screams, cheers and laughter, the usual ambiance of a packed movie theater on release night. As the movie came to a close, the famous IT title appeared, and I listened as the audience screamed in excitement as the words “Chapter One” appeared, implying the later release of Chapter Two, which came in 2019. heard the squeaking of chair leathering the theater, but I couldn’t pull myself to stand. I was stuck, staring at the screen, eyes wide and my jaw the experience I just had. Seven years later, the impact of that movie still lingers, now my
favorite of all time. I had no idea have on a person until that night. I embarked on a journey, seeking out as much horror media as possible. That movie single-handedly changed the way I looked at and consumed media.
It has also slowly worsened my anxiety and changed my view on life. The more horror content I consumed, the more I found myself worrying about things I hadn’t before. What if I get a letter coated with anthrax? What if my DoorDash driver drugs my food? What if someone starts stalking me by combing through my online presence and
I’ll admit the last one is a bit of a stretch, but it still nags at the back of my mind. Over the years, I’ve started avoiding certain topics in horror and losing the ability to stomach things I used to embrace.
I’ve never enjoyed excessive gore, but I could at least take a started watching horror movies. Now, I can’t handle watching someone get stabbed or a huge CGI puddle of blood on the ground. You’ll -
Not only do I avoid excessive gore movies, but I also avoid anything involving home invasions or unnecessary violence against children. The premise of “The Strangers” or “The Purge” feels too realistic: masked criminals targeting individuals in their homes. These fears were also encouraged by my introduction to true crime shows and documentaries, such as “Criminal Minds.”
This can also be applied to other services like gaming or music. Take Apple Music and Spotify – why pay for physical CDs or digital downloads when I can subscribe at a monthly rate for as much music as I want?
On the other hand, the number of streaming services students can choose from is exploded onto the scene, this entertainment model was brand new and there were a few streaming services to choose from. Prices were low, accessibility was in your pocket and commercials were as extinct as the dinosaurs.
Now, almost every major Hollywood studio has a streaming platform of its own or a deal to have its library streamed somewhere. Instead of getting your sports and news through cable, many streaming services have deals, but only with certain networks, leagues or teams. This causes the games to be spread out over an absurd amount of platforms.
For example, Amazon has Thursday Night Football. YouTube TV has several other channels that play football games, yet they also which requires the YouTube TV baseline subscription along with the NFL Sunday Ticket, adding up to $379 a year. Then there is ESPN+ and Peacock that have their own streaming services and games. If your favorite team has a game on Peacock student), then you need a separate account just for that game. If you are confused, don’t worry, I am too. And so is my wallet. Some of the subscriptions are obviously expensive, but others are more sneaky. By purchasing lots of cheaper subscriptions over time,
those small costs accumulate and become expensive over the long run. For me, it’s usually the small subscriptions I forget about for a while, before realizing I’m paying for something I’m not using. So what can we do? As students and consumers, we have the power to decide which products get our time and money. But if all these streaming companies are coming up with similar products while also raising the prices, is there anything we can do about it? Do subscriptions give us access to the newest entertainment and best products? Or are we stuck with the subscription monster that seems to be getting bigger as companies stick us in a loop of rising prices and limited alternatives? Perhaps the prices will change or a new service will come about that replaces the subscription plan. Only time will tell.
I also can’t stomach creepy, distorted faces. I recently made my roommate watch “Skinamarink” with me, a movie I started months ago and couldn’t got too freaked out.
“Skinamarink” leans heavily into the suspense aspect of horror and scares the audience with anticipation, making you think a jumpscare will occur only for nothing to happen. Oftentimes, the movie is silent except for loud static or white noise, with the occasional voice appearing out of nowhere.
My roommate found it quite boring because there were no major jumpscares. She scrolled on her phone for most of the movie, only glancing up to make snarky remarks. I, however, hid behind my pillows with tears streaming down my face as a creepy, featureless face appeared through the static, whispering strange phrases.
Despite all this increased anxiety, I continuously add horror movies to my watchlist. I feel a constant back and forth between quelling my anxiety and entertaining myself for a few hours. I’m typically able to rationalize and tell myself that whatever is happening on the screen is highly unlikely to happen in real life, but the thought always creeps into the back of my mind. Nonetheless, horror movies continue to win me over again and again. I’ll still count down the days till the next Neon, Blumhouse or A24 movie is released. Horror will always be my favorite genre, even if I have to hide behind my hands for most of the movie.
powerstj@miamioh.edu
KASEY TURMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
There are a lot of things I love and cherish in my life, and lots that I’m grateful for. Over the last two years, The Miami Student has become more than just something I love.
It has become one of the most important.
I care about the work we do every week and how it impacts the Oxford and Miami University communities. When I joined The Student, I didn’t know how a newspaper operated or didn’t know how much readers affected our views and what we see as important topics to cover. That’s why I want your help. Members of The Student try their hardest to cover everything we see, but there are only so many of us. The good news is there are plenty of readthe spaces. We want to know what we’re missing and what else we can be doing.
I believe we’re doing great work, but that’s coming from someone inside the newsroom. With your input, we can be doing more impactful work for our whole audience.
It’s hard for students not from Oxford to come into a community and learn what’s important to the citizens. Even if you’re from the community, like I am, there’s only so much you can know about what people want or think.
Although the Oxford Free Press provides great coverage of the area, I want The Student to help out just as much as it has previously.
The same goes for Miami’s community.
Members of The Student come
we can only know so many details about a community of nearly 20,000 students. We take in as much information as we can, but we may still miss things. This is all to say: I want your feedback. I want to know how we’re doing with our coverage, what we get right, what needs help and anything in between. To do that I want you to reach out to our newsroom. Sadly, we don’t have a landline in the newsroom anymore or I’d we do have our emails. Every writer puts their email at the bottom of their story so people can
