The Miami Student | February 16, 2024

ESTABLISHED 1826 — OLDEST COLLEGE NEWSPAPER WEST OF THE ALLEGHENIES

Volume 152 No. 10

Miami university — Oxford, Ohio

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

Dorsey Hall residents were promised a safe space — instead, they found harassment TAYLOR POWERS THE MIAMI STUDENT

TAYLOR STUMBAUGH CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY EDITOR On East Quad, Dorsey Hall sits as the home of Miami University’s “Love. Honor. Pride.” (LHP) Learning Living Community (LLC), which is dedicated to creating a gender-inclusive space for the LGBTQ+ community.

However, this safe space has been threatened over the past few months by harassment in the hall.

Felix Karmilowicz, a first-year data analytics major, is part of LHP and said the issues started in late September with pumpkin smashing and have evolved into spitting on doors and hate speech on whiteboards.

“We're also having issues outside of Dorsey where people are seeing people coming out of [the dorm] and then they'll start barking at us,” Karmilowicz said.

Only the second floor and half of the third floor in Dorsey are dedicated to the LHP LLC, and the rest of the hall is filled with unassociated students and a business LLC. Karmilowicz said that the whole dorm held a meeting last semester to discuss the complaints coming from the third floor “about disrespecting people and their identities.”

The director of residence life at the time, Vicka Bell-Robinson, addressed the hall and compared their complaints to bike theft and her own experience growing up in an unsafe environment, Karmilowicz said.

“She's like, ‘I knew that I can't leave my bike out or else it's going to get stolen,’” Karmilowicz said.

Since September, the various forms of harassment have included homophobic and transphobic comments made outside residents’ doors,

REAGAN RUDE SENIOR CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Most buildings in Uptown Oxford today have worn many hats over the years. Stores and restaurants open and close, residents come and go, technology innovates new businesses and antiquates others.

But one building has remained the same amid all these changes — Bethel A.M.E. church, the oldest of the four historically Black churches in Oxford. The congregation originally formed in 1842, meeting in the house of John Rollins before purchasing a building on Beech Street in 1857.

The building was constructed two years before church trustees purchased it. While the physical structure of the church has undergone renovations over the years, it’s remained in the same location — 14 S. Beech St. — for more than 150 years.

Hiram R. Revels, one of the church’s first pastors, later moved to Mississippi and went on to become the first Black man elected to the U.S. Congress in 1870.

Jacqueline Johnson, a steward at Bethel A.M.E. and archivist at Miami University, has been a member of the church for over 30 years. She said she’s proud of its unique history.

“After slavery and the Civil War was over, they had the strength and the power to build a church where they could worship freely,” Johnson said. “To me, that’s a great history that no one can take away from us.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

In this issue

DORSEY HALL IS HOME TO THE LOVE. HONOR. PRIDE. LLC. PHOTO BY CAITLIN DOMINSKI

Miami hockey’s plans for bye week and final stretch of the 2023-24 season JEFFREY MIDDLETON THE MIAMI STUDENT

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY

Professors struggle with keeping students engaged in and out of the classroom - page 4

OXFORD

New Uptown store offers locally-sourced products and promotes sustainability - page 7

The Miami University hockey team's schedule ramped up significantly after the new year. The team has played five straight National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) series, including four against ranked teams, two of which were in the top 10 in the nation at the time. Two of their five series were back-to-back road trips.

Now, the RedHawks finally get a break.

While the team’s bye week will have impacts from a practice and player recovery standpoint, the rest of the schedule is important to remember going in.

What the rest of the season will look like

How Miami Athletics can address low student turnout PATRICK REAVES

MIAMI UNIVERSITY'S HOCKEY TEAM HAS A FULL SCHEDULE AFTER ITS BYE WEEK. PHOTO BY JESSICA MONAHAN

First, on Feb. 23 and Feb. 24, they take on the Denver University Pioneers, who are currently ranked fifth in the nation. The Pioneers will be coming back home from an away

series against the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Miami Art Museum embraces environmental art for spring gallery

‘I stumbled into an unbelievable university’: Sheldon White reflects on his football journey

SAM NORTON

- page 8

GREENHAWKS EDITOR

OPINION

- page 16

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

THE MIAMI STUDENT

SPORTS

Why sorority recruitment shouldn't define your college journey

‘It’s a safe haven’: How Oxford’s oldest Black congregation honors its history

STUDENTS EXAMINE ART PAINTED FROM PIGMENTS EXTRACTED FROM MINE RUNOFF RESIDUE. PHOTO BY SARAH FROSCH

At the end of a hallway decorated with frames and canvas, natural light streams in from floor-to-ceiling windows, a fitting illumination for a gallery filled with artwork reflecting the natural world on the other side of the glass.

Sweeping landscapes, apocalyptic scenes and thought-provoking sculptures fill the Farmer Gallery in the Richard and

Carole Cocks Art Museum at Miami University. From Jan. 30 to June 8, “The World in Which We Live: The Art of Environmental Awareness” exhibition will provoke museum-goers to examine their place in the world around them.

Jason Shaiman, the museum’s curator of exhibitions, began imagining an exhibition displaying environmental art three years ago after CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

Call for art

When the Miami University men’s basketball team played Eastern Michigan University last year, around 800 students crowded the student section to watch the game.

Most of them were there to see Eastern Michigan guard and social media star Emoni Bates, who was drafted in the second round of last year’s NBA Draft.

The basketball team averaged 1,847 attendants at home games in 2022. That number rose to more than 3,000 in the Eastern Michigan game. When Miami plays teams with notable players, the homegame attendance tends to increase significantly.

Steve Baker, who has been covering the RedHawks for 39 years on radio and streaming broadcasts, reflected on how the games were when some high profile players attended Miami: “Back when [Ron] Harper was here, we had a section called the Bleacher Rats … and it was packed,” said Baker. “Certainly when Ben [Roethlisberger] was here, some of our best crowds ever in football. I think at this level, it takes that kind of player or that kind of team to get that involvement.”

Despite some of the recent shortcomings, Miami has the ability to draw sizable crowds.

Having everyone moving in the same direction within the Athletic CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

ROWS OF CROPS COLOR THE LANDSCAPE ACROSS THE FIELDS OF MIAMI’S FARM. PPROVIDED BY AUDREY ALLEN.

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

Voted Best College Newspaper in 2023 at the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists Awards.

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SEAN SCOTT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Luke Macy Digital Managing Editor Alice Momany Print Managing Editor

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12:15 p.m. Concert number four features the duo of Siok 1 p.m.

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Holy Trinity Episcopal Church

Sat

Music and Tours

2/17

Richard and Carol Cocks Art Museum

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Tea and Conversation

2/20

Head to the Western Center for an hour of refreshing tea and conversation.

Wed

Training for Freedom: A Look Behind the Lens

2/21

Aim Media Midwest

Red Door Community Concerts

1 p.m. 4 p.m.

Informal afternoon of music in the galleries.

Peabody, 022

Williams Hall Ryan Donchess, Production Manager of PBS Western Reserve Television, will visit Miami University Libraries to lecture about the documentary Training for Freedom.

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How Miami Athletics can address low student turnout

WHILE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES HAVE HIGH TURNOUT, MIAMI HAS LESS SUCCESS GETTING STUDENTS TO SHOW UP TO MID-SEASON EVENTS. PHOTO BY KETHAN BABU

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Department is crucial to the success of the student section. The commitment has to be made from everyone, starting from the top and moving down to the interns.

Another way to gain support for the athletes is connecting them more within the campus community. When people form a personal connection with the athletes, they will be more likely to support them at games. Ultimately, a student section starts with passionate students who want to have fun. Once a passionate group of students starts gaining momentum, then in-game production and other large scale projects can be addressed.

This idea of a passionate student section is notable at Xavier University, where Miami men’s basketball head coach Travis Steele coached previously.

“It just takes one idea to change something,” Steele said. “I think getting a couple students who are really passionate behind it … can change the trajectory of a program. Coaching staff across the board have to be invested in that as well.”

One of the small engagement techniques used at Xavier came from the coaching staff. The staff at Xavier created their own stat, which they labeled the “kill.” A kill is three defensive stops in a row. The staff got stu-

dents involved by having them bark whenever the team had achieved two defensive stops in a row and was competing for a third. Steele has carried the tradition of the kill over to Miami.

Another area for improvement is with campus outreach and social media. While official team accounts provide important information, it is up to students to create excitement amongst themselves for the game.

Lindsay Sparks, the chief athletic marketing and communications officer at Miami, said this includes student athletes getting information out about their games.

“It’s so different when someone says, ‘I’m in a [game] this weekend, will you come watch me?’ versus getting a social media post that says there’s a [game] on campus this weekend,’” Sparks said.

If team accounts create high quality content, they can grow their following and spread awareness.

However, with a small athletic communications and marketing budget, Miami Athletics cannot afford to pay many full time staffers, much less most of the 50 student interns. This has led to high turnover among student interns, making it hard for continuity in high quality content.

Football is a noticeable exception because they have their own group of experienced videographers

and graphic designers. According to Skull Sparks, this change resulted in a 121% increase in interactions from 2021 to 2022. The Miami Football Twitter account also saw the third highest increase in followers among FBS teams over the past year.

Despite this, not every team has the same success. According to Skull Sparks, as of 2022, Miami is outside of the top 150 universities in social media interactions for men’s basketball.

The university has the brand to be able to work its way into the top 150, but few people are seeing the content on the men’s basketball pages and interacting with it. Being able to boost interactions will let more people know when games are or how the team is doing. This may not necessarily correlate to having more students at games, but they will at least know there is an event going on.

Miami’s attendance issues cannot be solved immediately, but the university can create a turning point in the athletics culture. reavespj@miamioh.edu

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

3

Multiple thefts reported in Uptown Oxford

Renée Baernstein makes her case for promotion to CAS dean

GRAPHIC BY MACEY CHAMBERLIN

KASEY TURMAN CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Between Feb. 5 and Feb. 12, Oxford police responded to 13 incidents, according to the Oxford Police Department’s report.

On Feb. 5, a resident reported that $2,200 was stolen from his bedroom following a party held in his apartment on the 100 block of E. High St. There are no current suspects.

On Feb. 6, a resident stated that her prescription medicine and $185 were missing after a friend helped her move into an apartment complex on the 5400 block of College Corner Pike. No arrests have been made.

On the night of Feb. 8, a woman

reported that her vehicle parked on the 3700 Southpointe Parkway was tampered with.

At 12:49 a.m. on Feb. 10, officers stopped a vehicle on West Spring Street for a headlight violation.

During the stop, officers smelled marijuana in the car. While searching the car, officers found a burnt marijuana cigarette. The driver was cited for a headlight violation and possession of marijuana.

On Feb. 10, a Juniper employee reported that a pair of earrings were stolen from a display rack on Feb. 4. The earrings were valued at $48.

Juniper’s CCTV footage shows the suspect, but they aren’t currently identified.

At 3:25 a.m. on Feb. 11, officers

were dispatched to the 20 block of E. High St. following reports of a passed-out male in a restaurant.

When officers arrived, they found the male being held up by an Uber driver who was called to pick him up.

Officers found a fake Michigan driver’s license in the male’s wallet.

Officers then observed that the man could not stand on his feet and helped him to the ground. Oxford EMS then transported the male to McCullough Hyde Memorial Hospital. The male was charged with a summons for prohibitions, disorderly conduct and having a fake ID. turmankd@miamioh.edu

Melissa Valiska Gregory talks majors and interdisciplinary programs at CAS dean presentation

MELISSA GREGORY PRESENTED HER SOLUTIONS TO THE ISSUES THAT CAS CURRENTLY FACES PHOTO BY KASEY TURMAN

KASEY TURMAN CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR On Tuesday, Feb. 13, Melissa Valiska Gregory held her second open forum in Miami University’s search for a new College of Arts and Science (CAS) dean. Gregory is one of four final candidates for the position.

Gregory began by outlining her success at the University of Toledo (UT) in multiple roles, most recently as interim dean of the College of Arts and Letters, and showing how it would be applicable at Miami.

“I think one of the things that I bring to the table here is that I’ve achieved a fair amount of success in a really lean environment,” Gregory said. “It means you have to prioritize like crazy, [and] you have to be very, very focused on outcomes. And you have to figure out ways to do low-cost high-impact activities.”

Following the prompt given to every CAS dean candidate, Gregory

outlined the challenges that higher education, including Miami, is facing.

Her list included funding issues, a low number of individuals wanting to go to college, inflation affecting the price of education and low demand for bachelor’s degrees.

“I think this is a moment where arts and sciences really need champions,” Gregory said. “I believe that arts and sciences colleges and our disciplines are really central to the future.”

When speaking on funding issues, Gregory motioned toward her past position at UT, where she increased development revenue by 42% from the fiscal years of 2022 and 2023.

Following her presentation, the floor opened for questions from more than 20 attendees. Many questions focused on Gregory’s thoughts about the issues Miami currently faces.

“It feels like what we’re being told now very clearly is that the only metric is majors,” said Elizabeth Ward-

le, an English professor. “Given the fact that students are in seats, how can majors be the only measure of departments? So if you’re the CAS Dean, and this was sort of the message to you, how can we help the division respond?”

In her response, Gregory said that CAS majors are the top full-time equivalent (FTE) generators, a calculation of credit hours into the number of full-time students in a college’s division. Gregory also alluded to making changes to smaller programs to make them more preferable.

“I have a couple of interdisciplinary programs that are pretty small on their own [at UT],” Gregory said.

“One of the things I’ve asked them to do is to figure out creative ways to consolidate courses and then also to create some new curriculum that might be particularly advantageous for the kinds of majors that they have and that they teach, but can also be advantageous to everyone else across the college.”

Political science professor Anne Whitesell said that Gregory’s thoughts on how the CAS dean position should be held could positively represent both students and faculty in the division.

“Her framing her work as being an advocate for the liberal arts is important,” Whitesell said. “It’s a really big college and there’s a lot of interests, but I think both the students and the faculty could need someone to be representing them at the table.”

Matthew Smith, the current Dean of the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences at Radford University in Virginia, is the next candidate to have an open forum. His forums will take place on Monday, Feb. 19, 4-5 p.m. and Tuesday, Feb. 20, 9-10 a.m. in Kreger Hall, room 319. turmankd@miamioh.edu

IN HER SPEECH, BAERNSTEIN OUTLINED THE CHALLENGES FACING CAS PHOTO BY AUSTIN SMITH

AUSTIN SMITH ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR On Tuesday, Feb. 6, more than 30 faculty listened as Renée Baernstein, one of the final four candidates in the College of Arts and Science (CAS) dean search, held her second open forum about why she should be the next dean of the division. She currently serves as the senior associate dean of CAS and has held leadership positions in the division since 2015.

In her speech, Baernstein outlined the challenges facing CAS, which include running a deficit in the division and political challenges to higher ed.

“Part of the reason I want to be dean is to have an opportunity to give back to that institution (Miami University) and to help others coming up behind me to have as much of that same sense of belonging and good treatment that I’ve had,” Baernstein said.

The first part of her plan involves creating new curricular initiatives, especially ones that lead to a job and can draw on current strengths in the college. New curricular initiatives include applied values and ethics across multiple departments, getting the word out about Miami’s strong health and wellness program and promoting environmental sustainability initiatives.

“I think that our purpose as a college is to forward and advance the understanding of the world around us,” Baernstein said. “We expand that knowledge, and we disseminate it.”

The second part of her plan involves getting students to realize the careers possible with their field of study in CAS. She thinks the university serves students poorly in preparing them for their first job out of college but does well with long-term careers.

“One of our biggest publicity problems … is people don’t understand ‘What am I going to do with that degree?’” Baernstein said. “That is true of our science fields as much

as our humanities field.”

The third part of her plan is to improve university communication. She says the university is not effective at explaining what it does, saying it needs a general slogan to wrap everything together for CAS. Better communication also involves improving internal communication, which she plans to fix by taking a listening tour of faculty meetings across departments.

Baernstein is the only candidate currently working for the university — the other three are external.

She said being a part of the internal faculty will help her get things done much faster than her outside opponents.

Paul Urayama, professor and chair of the physics department, attended the event and said he believes it’s important for people to be informed and involved in big decisions, such as the dean search.

“I really liked her closing remarks of how we’re all in this together,” Urayama said. “We need to think about the university as each of us being part of it.”

Matthew Smith, the current Dean of the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences at Radford University in Virginia, is the next candidate to have an open forum.

His forums will take place on Monday, Feb. 19, 4-5 p.m. and Tuesday, Feb. 20, 9-10 a.m. in Kreger Hall, room 319. smith854@miamioh.edu

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Campus and Community

4

LGBTQ+ students find ways to connect on campus TAYLOR POWERS THE MIAMI STUDENT Finding your community at college can be difficult, especially for students in marginalized populations, such as the LGBTQ+ community. These students can experience challenges finding a space to be their authentic selves without judgment. However, Miami University’s LGBTQ+ students have several ways to get involved within their community on campus.

Love. Honor. Pride.

Affinity Community “Love. Honor. Pride.” (LHP) is a Living Learning Community (LLC) that provides a space for LGBTQ+ students and allies during their residential experience at Miami. LHP provides opportunities for residents to connect with student organizations, explore different identities and build community. It also offers gender-inclusive housing in Dorsey Hall, where residents can be placed with a roommate of any gender and have gender-neutral bathrooms.

Felix Karmilowicz, a first-year data analytics major, joined LHP because they wanted a roommate who was comfortable with their identity and access to gender-neutral bathrooms.

Karmilowicz likes how supportive LHP residents are and feels like they don’t have to deal with their problems alone.

“Even though the LGBTQ+ community is so broad, we’ve all been through very much similar situations that it’s so easy to connect with each other,” Karmilowicz said.

KJ Pocius, a sophomore nutrition major, enjoys the hall events LHP hosts, such as LGBTQ+ sex education. They also like the “shared identity” of the LLC. “There is a lot more inner communication and understanding that [there] wouldn’t be in most other places,” Pocius said.

Some residents of LHP have expressed concerns about sharing the residence hall with students from other LLCs, as there have been reports of conflicts within the building. Karmilowicz said LHP has been attempting to combat this issue through recruitment, such as having an information table for LHP at a National Coming Out Day event.

Spectrum Spectrum is one of Miami’s oldest LGBTQ+ organizations and has been active for 40 years. It is a student-led organization for students of all sexual orientations and gender identities that aims to create an inclusive and supportive community.

It also raises awareness through education and activism.

Spectrum partners with the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion (CSDI) to provide information and events for students at Miami.

Some events Spectrum hosted last semester include a vigil for Trans Day of Remembrance, “Transform the Night” and Drag Night.

Tali Pinhas, a first-year human capital management and leadership major, is involved with Spectrum and said it has an awesome executive board and amazing club members.

He calls the group his “safe space.”

“It’s a very strong, supportive, loving community,” Pinhas said.

Other LGBTQ+ organizations at Miami include oSTEM, Graduate Student Pride Association, Pride and more.

Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion CSDI develops and implements procedures, programs and activities to benefit the academic success and personal development of diverse student populations. It is committed to promoting diversity and multiculturalism and strives to create an inclusive and affirming environment for students.

CSDI hosts several events throughout the semester to celebrate various awareness days and weeks, including Bisexual Awareness Week, Asexual Awareness Week and Transgender Awareness Week. It also hosts other events like Rainbow Reception and Lavender Graduation. CSDI offers LGBTQ+ and ally training programs for student organizations.

At CSDI, students can find the Open Door Clothes Closet, a free resource for clothing and accessories available for transgender and gender-diverse students. According to the website, students don’t need to prove their gender identity to utilize the resource. Monetary donations are encouraged to support the closet and an appointment must be scheduled to visit.

Pinhas enjoys visiting CSDI when he gets stressed or overwhelmed.

“I can just go to the CSDI and be myself,” Pinhas said.

CSDI is located on the second floor of the Armstrong Student Center.

Pocius said any negative interactions they experience are just “everyday LGBTQ interactions” and aren’t the fault of Miami.

“I definitely feel like Miami is better [with its] openness and not being rude than other places,” Pocius said. powerstj@miamioh.edu

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

‘Right in the center’: A historian’s passion for rural America, inside and outside the classroom

TO CONN, THE FOUR MAJOR SOURCES INFLUENCING RURAL AMERICA ARE INDUSTRIALIZATION, CORPORATIONS, MILTIARIZATION AND SUBURBANIZATION. PHOTO PROVIDED BY STEVEN CONN

WILLIAM KWAN THE MIAMI STUDENT Three miles from Miami University, a small country road cuts through verdant farmland. Behind the overgrown fences barring the path, the trail continues. It leads to a missile silo, a relic of the Cold War — and a stark reminder of the other forces at work in rural America.

The ideals of the “small town” and “rural life” in American culture have been deeply imprinted in the national consciousness for generations of Americans, where rural life is considered more virtuous than urban, where the bustle of city life can be left behind.

However, Steven Conn, a history professor at Miami, disagrees. To Conn, the four major forces influencing rural America are industrialization, corporations, militarization and, in recent years, suburbanization.

“What I discovered is that rural America is at the center of all of these things,” Conn said. “Not somehow on the edge or different from, but right in the center.”

Conn, who has always been curious about rural America, set off to reveal its connection with the traditionally urban forces of America and its fight to keep up in his recent book “The Lies of the Land,” published in October 2023.

Conn said he wanted to write his book to change America’s conversa-

tion about this issue.

“Their conversation about rural America basically goes around in a circle: ‘It’s in crisis — no, it’s alright — no, it’s in crisis,’” Conn said. “As a historian, it struck me how long we’ve been having this conversation.

So clearly something is wrong, so I wanted to find what conversation we should be having, which, in turn, might help change our policies for the better.”

Conn has had a long history of publication in his tenure at Miami.

The head of the history department, Wietse de Boer, said that Conn’s contributions have been a great boon to not only the history department but also the nation’s political consciousness.

“Professor Conn is very productive as a scholar, and also as a teacher, and talking about his most recent book, it’s been received very well so far,” de Boer said. “I think it’s important that the voice of professional historians is heard when it comes to debates of national and sometimes even global significance. And so that is true for the book that Dr. Conn just published.”

Conn said he feels the recognition is because the book was timely and falls in line with the impressive quality of work the entire department produces. Conn’s book was recently acknowledged in an essay by the The New Yorker, but he says part of that was luck, and his colleagues are also producing first-rate work.

Beyond the media, Conn has received high praise from Miami’s students, and not just for his book.

Casey Olthaus taught with Conn over the summer in a program that Conn runs called Student Citizens, which helps students from economically marginalized high schools prepare for college.

“He is as interesting a professor as he is a writer,” Olthaus said.

Mikhail Svirin, a former student of Conn’s, praised his help in and out of the classroom.

“My experience with Dr. Conn as a student and a colleague has only been positive,” Svirin said. “Besides having great discussions with him, I was writing a sample article for my Ph.D. application and Dr. Conn was one of the professors I contacted, and he immediately responded to my questions about fixing and discussed it in person with me.”

Conn offers his perspective on his experiences at Miami, concerning both the big deeds and little details of teaching and learning.

“Since I arrived at Miami, I’ve loved teaching its students, especially when they decide to do big projects,” Conn said. “But the advice I would say I always find myself giving is this: relax, college is about so much more than simply getting a job. Study what excites you.” kwanwz@miamioh.edu

Professors struggle with keeping students Religion department engaged in and out of the classroom proposes

restructuring at University Senate

GINA ROTH THE MIAMI STUDENT With student participation in class falling after the COVID-19 lockdown, professors have discussed ways to keep both traditional and hybrid classes engaged.

According to a 2023 report from Wiley, an academic publishing company, two thirds of instructors said they struggle with keeping students engaged, and 55% of undergraduates have difficulty engaging in class.

This lack of interest is also present at Miami University, where students like Eli Locke, a first-year integrated science education major, spoke on how often they saw their classmates participate.

“Not too often,” Locke said. “They’re not excited about it.”

Locke also said he saw more students engage in his in-person classes than in his online ones.

However, despite this trend in disengagement, some professors find that divergent teaching styles help maintain students’ attention.

Jim Friedman, an associate professor of entrepreneurship, teaches small in-person courses and a large hybrid lecture. When his classes meet in person, Friedman employs a zero technology policy to keep the focus on the class discussion.

“There are no cell phones,there’s no computers. There are no tablets,” Friedman said, “because we are going to have a conversation.”

His Entrepreneurship Foundations class, ESP 101, had 370 students last semester. Because of the large class sizes, Friedman has taken

TAYLOR STUMBAUGH CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY EDITOR

STUDENTS FIND IT DIFFICULT TO FOCUS DURING WHEN TECHNOLOGY IS INVOLVED. PHOTO BY JAKE RUFFER

a unique approach to teaching the material.

The class only meets in person twice a semester, and students are split into small groups on the weeks the class is online. They’re given a challenge they have to solve and submit, which Friedman says yields higher engagement rates.

“Nobody is standing in front of them telling them what they’re doing,” Friedman said. “I think of it as career preparation.”

Friedman isn’t the only one who thinks dividing the class is a good idea. Ann Haley MacKenzie, a science educator in the Department of Teaching, Curriculum, and Educational Inquiry, splits her in-person classes of 10-25 students into fourths.

MacKenzie described her teaching as very student-centered. Each group of students is given a different aspect of the daily lesson to focus on, which Mackenzie said she believed helped them internalize the material more.

“What I found is students need variety in one class to really get them engaged and to hold their interest,” MacKenzie said, “and to get them involved in different kinds of learning.”

Other professors may be able to employ strategies like this in their classrooms to keep students more engaged. rothra2@miamioh.edu

Miami University’s Department of Comparative Religion requested its own elimination at a University Senate meeting on Monday, Feb. 12.

The elimination request was put forward by associate professor Nathan French and Department Chair James Hanges in response to low enrollment in the majors across the religion department, Miami’s low funding and the idea that there are other ways to preserve the study of religion. Last semester, the religion department, along with 21 others, was asked to reconsider its role on campus by the Office of the Provost.

“We worked very closely with our comparative religion alumni advisory board, even through this process,” French said, “to figure out how the study of religion continues to apply to modern careers.”

In the meeting, French said contrary to news coverage saying religion is declining nationally, people “must have basic religious literacy” to succeed in different professions.

If the proposal were to be approved and the major was eliminated, French said the next step would be to create a certificate of religious literacy for professionals intended to provide a competitive edge relative to their peers.

“There are only two other such certificates that we’re aware of, one at Georgia State, one at Vermont,” French said. “Both of which have been amazingly successful, especially with their healthcare students.”

They also proposed a renovation of the department’s minor and the creation of the Center for the Study of Religion, Policy and Public Life.

The center would maintain Miami’s national reputation as one of the two oldest departments for the study of religion at a public university in North America and open new grant and development opportunities. The resolution proposed at the meeting does not create the center, but it does start the process.

“So the ending of our department isn’t something we’re taking lightly,” French said. “Our colleagues and others are deeply alarmed by what’s occurring and it’s not something frivolous.”

Several senators raised concerns during the meeting about the proposal and its impact on the university more broadly. One senator commented about tenure lines being affected and another asked about how this new plan saves any money or if closing the department based on majors is actually the right thing to do.

The University Senate did not vote on the proposal. The meeting was a time to talk about the plan, ask questions and then reflect for two weeks as they talk to their constituents. The senate members will vote on Monday, Feb. 26 during their weekly meeting unless they decide to put it on hold again. stumbata@miaimoh.edu

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

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William ‘Bill’ Pulley, Miami tower donor, dies at 94 CHLOE MCKINNEY ASSISTANT CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR

WILLIAM PULLEY’S LOVE FOR HIS FATHER’S STRONG WORK ETHIC AND THE WAYS HE BROUGHT THEIR FAMILY TOGETHER LED TO HIS DONATION OF PULLEY TOWER. PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE PULLEY FAMILY

Dorsey Hall residents were promised a safe space — instead, they found harassment CONTINUED FROM FRONT broken flags, ding-dong ditching and more.

Jack Moore, a junior integrated science education major and member of the LHP LLC, said he’s disappointed by Miami’s handling of the situation.

“We all pay a good amount of money to live in a dorm where it’s supposed to be safe, and you choose an LLC that you think you’ll be safe in,” Moore said. “And of the one and a half floors in Miami that are supposed to be gender inclusive, that’s just not what was given.”

Police responded one night after several allegedly intoxicated individuals tore items off a door and trashed a gender-neutral bathroom.

“We were offered criminal misconduct charges, and then we decided not to charge them because we’re still kind of conflicted with that,” Moore said.

When the harassment evolved to spitting on a resident’s door, a resident assistant (RA) filed a campus climate concern report. The resident, who declined to comment on the situation, was emailed saying they had been identified as a “student of concern,” and was sent suicide hotline numbers. Moore, who was familiar with the situation, said this felt “dismissive.”

“It felt like Miami was acknowledging that [the resident] has experienced enough to be at risk of suicide, but yet they hadn’t stepped in to help,” Moore said.

BaShaun Smith, the dean of students, explained the process when a campus climate concern report is issued.

“When the report comes in, we will reach out to the student and any other impacted parties that we know about within 24-48 hours,” Smith wrote in an email to The Miami Student. “If the student comes in to meet, we will then discuss the incident in further detail, determine if there are any potential policy violations that OEEO or OCS need to

review, and then offer support and appropriate referrals to counseling or other areas of campus.”

Smith also wrote that they work with staff connected to the incident to consult on messaging to buildings if they are in residence life and collaborate on programs to support students and to educate the community.

Smith strongly encouraged students to speak to their RAs, file reports and document evidence of harassment to ensure the university can take action. However, Smith said that the university can’t do much unless a student has names and documentation of harassment.

“We can still provide support to the individual students, even though I know that’s not what people want to hear when they experience someone tearing down their door dec or anything like that,” Smith said.

Both Dorsey Hall and the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion have received new staff members, who Smith said are being informed about the situation.

“We got a lot of new people that are willing and able to support ‘Love.

Honor. Pride.’ because they care about the community,” Smith said.

“They love the community.”

Moore hopes that Miami will pay more attention to these allegations in the future if similar situations arise again.

“Miami should care more about students being at risk,” Moore said, “and finding a way to protect said students.”

William (Bill) Pulley, a successful businessman with deep roots in Oxford and Miami University, died on Jan. 18 of natural causes.

Before he was known for the donation of Pulley Tower at Miami, Bill started his professional career at his father’s local drycleaning business, Capitol Varsity, in 1952. At the time, it was the largest private employer in Oxford, and Bill earned his MBA by taking night classes from Miami in 1958 while working there.

Later in his career, Bill founded Apparelmaster, a global uniform rental franchise that helped keep dry cleaners from going out of business when easy care apparel became popular in the 1970s. He also served as a charter, Business Advisory Council member, trustee of the Miami Foundation and chair of Miami’s Capital Gifts Campaign Committee.

Despite all of his achievements, Bill was above all else, a loyal family man. His love for his father, Verlin Pulley, compelled him to donate Pulley Tower to Miami in the 1925 alum’s name. Bill’s youngest son, Jeffery Pulley, recalled how important that moment was to his father.

“He thought a lot of his father,” Jeffery said, “and that is why he dedicated the [Pulley] tower [to him] out of respect.”

Bill is survived by his wife of 72 years, Martha Lee Pulley. Kara Leigh McPoland, Bill’s granddaughter and 2013 Miami alumna, said what she

admired most about her grandfather was his unwavering love for her grandmother. She remembered one day at their kitchen table when he recounted the day they met.

“There was one time where he told the story … and I can still see the twinkle in his eye,” McPoland said.

Although Bill’s businesses kept him busy, family was always his number one priority. Bill’s oldest children, William “Chip” Pulley and Mary Lynn Pulley, preceded him in death.

However, Jeffery remembered a time when his father was in Australia for business, and Chip became quite ill.

“My dad had to cut his business very short and jump on a plane … to be able to help with my brother,” Jeffery said.

It’s stories like these that McPoland said she will retell to her 1-yearold son, Grayson, in the future. She hopes to honor his memory by continuing to take trips to their favorite places: the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina and Oxford.

“I think sharing that with him is important to know where his family came from,” McPoland said.

Jeffery said he admired his father’s strong work ethic and the ways he brought their family together. He said his best characteristics were his loyalty, integrity and commitment to the community and his family.

“We honor by trying to continue with the traits that he taught us,” Jeffery said, “and pass those down to the grandchildren.” mckinn15@miamioh.edu

CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill and Miami alum to give commencement speech OLIVIA PATEL ASST. CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY EDITOR One of Uptown’s hottest spots for college students is the local Chipotle Mexican Grill. Soon, spring graduates will get to hear from the chain’s CEO and Miami University alum Brian Niccol at this year’s commencement ceremony.

Niccol received his bachelor’s degree in applied science, engineering management from the Farmer School of Business in 1996. On top of being a Miami alumnus, Niccol and his wife, Jennifer, are Miami mergers.

After graduating from Miami, Niccol worked in several brand management positions at Procter & Gamble (P&G) before entering the food industry through Yum! Brands. He held several executive positions at Pizza Hut, including chief marketing officer and general manager, before ending up at Chipotle in 2018.

Niccol looks forward to talking about how Miami equipped him with the tools needed to succeed.

“It’s quite an honor, and I am humbled by the opportunity,” Nic-

col wrote in an email to The Miami Student.

Miami business students are excited to hear Niccol’s story of how he got to where he is and what a business-focused degree can do for them in the future. Ainsley Cook, a senior marketing major with an entrepreneurship minor, said she looks forward to the advice he will give on how to move forward after college.

“I think it is cool how the CEO of such a huge company would come back to his alma mater school to speak,” Cook said. “So if he could give advice on how to get from the small town of Oxford to where he is as a big CEO, that would be pretty cool.”

Niccol’s background extends far past the business world, allowing him to reach students not pursuing business careers.

“I was not a business major, rather I was in the engineering management program,” Niccol wrote. “And through the Miami Plan I got exposure to marketing and economics, two things I really enjoyed.”

Jules Jefferson, Associated Student Government (ASG) student body vice president and biochemis-

try and nutrition double major, said she anticipates Niccol will address success following college as a whole.

“I think he will inspire us by emphasizing how the skills you develop at Miami will propel your future career,” Jefferson said. “It’s less about the classes, but more about how we use these [skills] to work better as a team or go outside of our comfort zones.”

As a liberal arts university, Miami pushes students to take classes outside their set majors through the Miami Plan, which Niccol credits for his diverse set of skills. Because of this, Niccol hopes his message will resonate with all students.

“The point of a liberal arts education is your ability to connect with others,” Jefferson said. “Like I’m going into healthcare, but that still requires leadership and teamwork, so it’s remembering how your future career might connect with someone else’s, which is why I think [Niccol] will appeal to everyone.”

The spring commencement ceremony will be held at 10:30 a.m. on May 18 in Yager Stadium. patelou@miamioh.edu

powerstj@miamioh.edu stumbata@miamioh.edu

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BRIAN NICCOL SPOKE TO MIAMI’S FARMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS IN OCTOBER 2019 ABOUT HIS PATH TO SUCCESS. PHOTO BY MIAMI UNIVERSITY

Visit miamistudent.net to Join the TMS Team!

OXFORD

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

‘It’s a safe haven’: How Oxford’s oldest Black congregation honors its history CONTINUED FROM FRONT While some of its history has been lost to time, archival efforts have managed to preserve much of Bethel A.M.E.’s rich background and impact on the Oxford community throughout its 150 year history. The Smith Library of Regional History houses a collection of archives related to Bethel A.M.E. “If you don’t tell your story no one else is going to tell it,” Johnson said.

“We’re happy [to have] the archives because they give a true depiction of who we are.”

The African Methodist Episcopal church was the first independent Black denomination in the U.S., although today it welcomes people of all ethnicities. Johnson also stressed the multiracial makeup of its members and that anyone is welcome to attend its services.

As the only building owned by Black Americans in Uptown Oxford, Bethel plays an integral role in Black history and modern life. Bethel has been dedicated to serving its community throughout its long history, from throwing annual smorgasbord dinners to creating a Sunday school program for youth education and activities, to its women’s missionary society.

Johnson said Bethel A.M.E. will have a mammogram vehicle come on April 2 to offer free mammograms to any woman. She said these types of acts illustrate Bethel’s attitude of giving back to the community.

In addition, on Feb. 24 Bethel will be holding a “History Harvest” event in collaboration with Jazma Sutton, assistant professor of history at Miami. The event invites community members to share their stories, arti-

facts and memories related to Black history in Oxford.

“Our focus is to spread the love of God and let people know that we’re there if they need help,” Johnson said. “We’ve been there like a beacon for the entire community since we were founded.”

Sharon Wireback, a member of Bethel A.M.E. choir, joined the church four years ago. She said having a historically Black church is important for young people growing up in predominantly white areas.

“You have somewhere you can go where you’re comfortable and safe,” Wireback said. “I grew up here and there might [have been] two or three Black students in the classroom … the church is the biggest foundation that you can grab hold of to keep you going.”

Murielle Ngalle, a sophomore economics major at Miami, said she started attending the service at Bethel A.M.E. a couple months into her first year.

“Back at home I went to church every week, and as the weeks progressed I felt like it was something I was missing,” Ngalle said. “[At Bethel] I really enjoyed the way the message was presented and everyone here is so nice.”

Ngalle said finding Bethel A.M.E. helped in her adjustment to college and to a new town.

“I struggled socially at first, so it was a good way to tie myself back to people who hold similar values,” Ngalle said. “It’s like a safe haven.”

BETHEL A.M.E. CHURCH AS IT WAS 75 YEARS AGO. PHOTO PROVIDED BY SMITH LIBRARY OF REGIONAL HISTORY

rudere@miamioh.edu

BETHEL A.M.E.’S CHAPEL AS IT LOOKS TODAY. PHOTO BY REAGAN RUDE

Oxford’s chili scene

OXFORD RESIDENTS ENJOY A CHILI LUNCH FOR MOON CO-OP MARKET, HELD AT HOLY TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH. PHOTO BY JIM RUBENSTEIN

JIM RUBENSTEIN COMMUNITY COLUMNIST February has become “Chili Month” in Oxford. MOON Co-op Market’s annual chili lunch is Saturday, Feb. 17, between 11.30 a.m.-2 p.m. in Oxford’s Holy Trinity Episcopal Church at the corner of Walnut and Poplar Streets. Oxford Kiwanis Club’s chili supper is Thursday, Feb. 29, between 5 - 7 p.m. at Talawanda High School.

For the two events, Oxford residents volunteer to make chili, as well as cornbread and desserts. As the 20 or so donated pots of chili arrive in the kitchen at MOON Co-op Market’s lunch, the three servers this year — my close friend John Hofmann, 13-year-old neighbor Miles Dumyahn and I — will sort them by meat (beef or poultry) or no meat (vegetarian or vegan), as well as by beans or no beans. The three of us will also taste each one and rank them from mild to spicy.

If you are looking to make your own chili, hamburgers or other meat dishes, the two best sources of ground beef in Oxford are Jana and Skyp Harmon’s Caraway Farm (available at Oxford’s Farmers Market) and Daniel and Cindy Kramer’s Brookside Family Farms (available at MOON Co-op Market).

Locally raised beef is more full-flavored, with a “beefier” taste, compared to what is served at fast-food restaurants. The reason for the stronger flavor is that both local farms let their cattle spend much of the day outside where they can feed on grass and corn grown on the farms. In addition, they are not injected with hor-

mones and antibiotics, as is done to other chili “a weak, apologetic imicattle raised for large-scale commer- tation of the real thing.” One woncial use. ders what President Johnson would Chili, as we know it, was first sold say about our Cincinnati-style chili, commercially in the 19th century in which more closely resembles a MedSan Antonio. So-called Chili Queens iterranean-style meat sauce than Texprepared at home “bowls o’red,” as-style chili. which they carried to a downtown Most chili is made with beans in market until the health department Ohio, but not in Texas. In 1976, Kent put them out of business in the 1930s. Finlay, owner of Cheatham Street Chili history prior to the Chili Warehouse, a honky-tonk music venQueens is obscure and disputed. My ue in San Marcos, Texas, wrote a song sentimental vote for the originator of called “You Know That Chili Has No chili is Sister Mary of Agreda (1602- Beans.” My nephew Will Hoffman – 1665), who played an important role who now lives in Texas – writes that in the establishment of missions in a well-known expression there is “if New Spain (now Texas). you know beans about chili, you know Sister Mary never left her convent that chili has no beans.” in Spain, but her spirit was thought to Nonetheless, some chili at MOON be transported frequently by angels Co-op Market’s chili lunch and Kito New Spain where she appeared wanis chili dinner will contain beans. as a mystical apparition preaching Christianity. On one of its return trips rubensjm@miamioh.edu back to Spain, Sister Mary’s spirit is believed to have brought along a chili recipe of chili peppers, venison, onions and tomatoes.

In 1977, chili was designated as the Official Texas State Dish. Rather than Sister Mary’s four ingredients, the official Texas chili has just two ingredients: diced or shredded beef and dried chile peppers. President Lyndon Johnson CHILI INGREDIENTS CAN INCLUDE GROUND BEEF, DICED TOMATOES, – a True-Texan – BEANS, ONION AND GARLIC. PHOTO BY JIM RUBENSTEIN once termed any

POTS OF CHILI READY TO BE TASTE-TESTED AT THE ANNUAL COMPETITION. PHOTO BY JIM RUBENSTEIN

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

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New Uptown store offers locally-sourced products and promotes sustainability ALICE MOMANY PRINT MANAGING EDITOR Dana Study loved her job in orthodontics care but always had a passion for making jewelry and wanted to open her own store. Hannah Clark is a masseuse but loved to collect unique plants and favored organic products.

When Study approached Clark about opening a store to house their passions, Clark didn’t hesitate.

On Feb. 14, the duo opened their first brick-and-mortar store, Earth + Metals, located at 24 E. High St. The store is “a little mix of everything,” Study says. Earth + Metals offers items from organically made laundry soaps, deodorants and lotions to plants and build-your-own bouquets to permanent jewelry and ready-to-shop pieces.

Both of the women grew up in the Butler County area and now live 45 minutes away in Brookeville. They were drawn to the area because of the large student population and the city’s efforts to “go green.”

In addition to offering organically and locally made products, Earth + Metals is also a refillery, so consumers can bring their empty bottles and refill them with product to reduce

waste and reuse the container. Additionally, all the jewelry is handmade, putting sustainability at the forefront of their mission.

“I think there’s a lot of people that could benefit from the stuff that we have, and there’s so many students I think it will really help eliminate a lot of plastics and trash,” Clark said.

Study’s husband, who is cousins with Clark’s fiance, grew up in Oxford, and she has many fond memories of going on dates and visiting his family in town. As Study has grown older, she has seen many of the businesses change overtime, so one of their goals is to help transform Oxford from a nine-month economy to a 12-month one.

“To be able to take something that I love doing … and be able to bring all the community together … I think that’s fun as well as important,” Study said.

Sharon Hannon and Mark Macomber were visiting Oxford for Valentine’s Day and visited the store for its grand opening. The couple has been visiting the city for over 30 years, and Hannon appreciates its dedication to sustainability efforts, something that she feels sets Earth + Metals apart from other businesses

Uptown.

“I think this store … is much more enlightened in terms of being in touch with sustainability [and] environmental awareness,” Hannon said.

Students also enjoyed the store’s grand opening. Kameron Stockle works at The Apple Tree, the boutique next door, and has walked past Earth + Metals for a few weeks, anticipating its opening.

Stockle, a sophomore strategic communication major, was excited to get a permanent bracelet, opting for a small silver chain for her wrist.

Even though she works at a different boutique Uptown, she feels the store provides options that other businesses lack and at a better price point.

“The only other place I know that does permanent jewelry is the College Artisan Shop, and I think it’s actually cheaper here, and none of the other stores here sell plants,” Stockle said.

The store is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and Saturday by appointment. The owners will host a ribbon cutting ceremony on Feb. 28 from 5 to 7 p.m.

GREENERY FOR PURCHASE ON DISPLAY AT EARTH + METALS. PHOTO BY ALICE MOMANY

momanyaj@miamioh.edu EARTH + METALS OWNERS HANNAH CLARK (LEFT) AND DANA STUDY (RIGHT).

PHOTO BY ALICE MOMANY

Understanding the life of townies and students as both KASEY TURMAN CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR When you live in a college town year-round, you know two towns: the one with students and the one without.

Oxford is no different.

In the summer months, parking spots are a dime a dozen, lines are nonexistent and the sidewalks are free of trash. The same cannot be said when the academic year rolls around.

From late August to May, not including January, Oxford residents plan trips to avoid specific roads that are engulfed by Miami students multiple times a day and know better than to go to their favorite restaurants during parent weekends.

That’s not to say the summer months are better than when the students are around. But, it is most definitely a different town.

Stores and restaurants are more likely to be closed during Miami’s breaks, but Uptown events happen more often, and the sense of community is strong. When out-of-state license plates pepper the parking spots along High Street, it feels like Miami is creeping into a town that is lovely without all of the commotion.

While in high school, my only interaction with Miami students was during homecoming parades. Once

a year, I would step onto a float and watch as someone shotgunned a beer to the loud cheer of the football team.

Outside of that single day, I was always confused as to why students didn’t know that a high school was in the same town as their college.

Now, as a Miami student, I still don’t understand the disconnect between Miami students and Oxford.

I would love for students to take part in our community and learn more about the town that they call home for nine months of the year.

I still find myself waiting for those other three months of the year. The months when the town can truly feel yours and not like someone else is renting it out without any collateral.

I mean, do the year-round citizens of Oxford really need 17 vape shops?

Miami students know more about the businesses that don’t ID than they do any other places in town. Meanwhile, Oxford residents rally behind their favorite restaurants in the summer and winter months to make sure they’re still there next year.

With Black Plastic Records and Future Great Comics recently closing, students have shown a lack of support for local businesses while alcohol or tobacco have continued to be staples in their lives.

These are the two Oxfords that I know. turmankd@miamioh.edu

BRICK STREET BAR IN THE SUMMER VERSUS ON GREEN BEER DAY IN MARCH. PHOTOS BY KASEY TURMAN AND REAGAN RUDE

Oxford City Councilor runs for Butler County Commissioner seat role, and it can be so transformational if used in the most efficient and creative way, innovative way to try to make the biggest difference.”

Raghu is running an uncontested campaign for the democratic nomination for the seat in the March 19 primary. After that, she’ll face Dixon himself in the Nov. 5 election.

A fresh face and ‘a good heart’ While Butler County is strongly conservative — more than 60% of voters supported Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election — Raghu said she doesn’t view the commissioner seat as partisan.

“A good candidate COUNTY COMMISSIONER CANDIDATE CHANTEL RAGHU. PHOTO PROVIDED BY CHANTEL RAGHU is someone who listens, and someone who SEAN SCOTT has the energy, and someone who is EDITOR-IN-CHIEF not afraid to speak truth to power,” Raghu said. “It really doesn’t matter After serving on Oxford City if they’re a Democrat or a RepubliCouncil for seven years, Chantel Ra- can, honestly, if you have those three ghu is ready to do more. things and a good heart.”

On Sunday, Feb. 18, the two-term Bill Snavely, Oxford’s mayor, will councilor and veterinarian is formally attend Raghu’s campaign launch on launching her campaign to replace in- Feb. 18. He said Raghu has a strong cumbent Donald Dixon on the Butler grasp of the issues facing local comCounty Board of Commissioners. The munities in Butler County and cares campaign kickoff will run from 3-6 about the people impacted by govp.m. at Third Eye Brewing Company ernment decisions. Snavely said that in Hamilton, 850 S. Erie Blvd.

Raghu consistently puts in the most “The county has such a pivotal time of anyone on council, despite her role for being this big sibling for all full-time job running the Oxford Vettowns and municipalities,” Raghu erinary Hospital with her husband said. “... This is such an important Chris Reagh.

“Chantel is a genuine person … and really cares about people who may not have the power and the resources that other people have in the community,” Snavely said. “She looks after the people who need help the most.”

Raghu, 38, hopes to bring a fresh face to the Board of Commissioners.

Dixon, 74, has been a commissioner continuously since 2007 and served a previous term from 1982 until 1986.

He has run unopposed in every general election since 2008.

“I respect anyone who’s willing to step up and serve,” Raghu said, “but there’s just time for more innovation, more energy and a new generation.”

Dixon said he doesn’t see his age as a drawback heading into this year’s election. During his 17 years as commissioner, he’s built up relationships with state representatives, including Governor Mike DeWine, that he says help him get results for the county.

“I have the contacts to make certain things happen, and it’s good for our taxpayers,” Dixon said.

Even though this will be Dixon’s first contested election during his current time as commissioner, he said his approach won’t change.

When Dixon took office in 2007, he said the county had a $125 million deficit in the general fund, which is now down to zero.

If reelected, he plans to continue his efforts to save taxpayer money and invest in education.

“I do a lot of community events anyway, so that doesn’t really change,” Dixon said. “... Campaigns are almost always the same. Nothing changes but the faces.”

Top priorities as county commissioner As a county commissioner, Raghu said she would focus on three things: affordable childcare, small business growth and improved collaboration

between the county and municipalities.

Children services including adoption and foster care are run at a county-level. Raghu said beyond working on the social services the county offers, she hopes to use her role as a commissioner to reduce the cost of childcare for families.

Raghu said the county government could also play a pivotal role in supporting small business growth in individual townships and municipalities, which would in turn help to create more vibrant communities with their own character.

Raghu was first elected to Oxford City Council in 2017. In 2021, at the start of her second term, she was chosen to serve as vice-mayor to Snavely.

In her time on Oxford City Council, Raghu said she can remember one instance where a county commissioner attended a meeting.

Raghu hopes to be more visible throughout the county and get feedback from each community to determine their priorities. By focusing on each community’s needs at a county level, Raghu said the local government has an opportunity to reduce costs for residents.

“There’s a lot of things that each town could use a little bit of help with, maybe like redundancy of certain costs,” Raghu said. “Ultimately, that ends up being more expensive for the individual resident and probably not as great of a product as if we were to collaborate and work together. I see the county as this opportunity where we could pull our resources together to achieve common goals.”

Next steps As she eyes a county position, Raghu said her time witnessing Oxford’s struggles firsthand will inform her approach. She said the county could be more active in coming up with solutions across municipalities

for common problems like school funding and fire and EMS services, especially by using ARPA funding strategically.

“That funding is something that is just once in a lifetime most likely because of COVID,” Raghu said. “This isn’t something we’re going to get all the time, but it is interesting to kind of look and see where county funds are spent and where they could be spent … It would be nice if the county would ask us, ‘What vital services are you struggling with?’”

In the coming months, Raghu said her plans include traveling throughout Butler County and door knocking and meeting with as many residents as possible. She has been relying on her family and friends for support, as well as her campaign manager Eden McKissick-Hawley.

McKissick-Hawley, founder of Tall Poppy Fundraising, has worked on a number of local and state Democratic campaigns. She said the results in Butler County last November, when voters narrowly embraced an amendment to protect abortion access in the state constitution, has made the county an important political region in the state.

Only two out of 13 countywide races this year have Democratic candidates running for office. By voting people like Raghu into office, McKissick-Hawley said it could help the Democratic Party’s chances in future elections by giving voters a chance to meet local candidates who directly impact their lives.

The Ohio primary is on Tuesday, March 19. For more information on what the ballot will include, visit the Butler County Board of Elections website at elections.bcohio.gov. scottsr2@miamioh.edu

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

sports

Leveling up: How two players transitioned from DII to Miami Basketball

BULTMAN HAS MADE 38 FREE THROWS IN HIS FIRST SEASON AT MIAMI. PHOTO BY JAKE RUFFER

BRYAN MILLER THE MIAMI STUDENT As the men’s basketball team enters its homestretch, all eyes are focused on the conference standings to see who will make the Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament.

Hope fills the air for a potential Cinderella run for the Miami University RedHawks.

Fortunately for Miami, two transfers from the Division II ranks, Bryce Bultman and Bradley Dean, have made that run before.

Bultman, a transfer from McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois, led the Bearcats to their first Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Championship and a Regional Final

appearance in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II tournament.

Dean, the 2022-23 South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Player of the Year, led the University of Virginia’s College at Wise to a SAC Championship appearance. He averaged an impressive 21.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

Their stats and previous accomplishments made the decision for Miami to recruit them easy. For associate head coach Jonathan Holmes, Bultman and Dean were the perfect match for the RedHawks.

“You just look up their numbers, and analytically, they were both off the charts,” Holmes said. “We quickly found out that both of those guys

really fit the university academically, and they fit basketball wise what we were looking for.”

After impressive showings in their careers at the Division II level, it was time to take the next step.

“I feel like I did everything I could at McKendree,” Bultman said. “I wanted to see what it’s like at the Division I level and test myself and see if I could play here.”

Then came the stressful part: entering the transfer portal.

Unlike high school recruitment, the portal is a much quicker process. With coaches from all over the country texting and calling nonstop, it became a stressful process for both Bultman and Dean.

Dean estimates that he received

25-30 phone calls from various schools and coaches in just a few days.

Then came the call from Head Coach Travis Steele.

“Coach Steele called me, and everything just kind of changed,” Dean said. “He called me after I just got done golfing with one of my buddies.

He was like, ‘Well, I’ll be down to come have lunch with you.’”

Steele and Holmes drove down to Gate City, Virginia, to have lunch at a local pizza place. They talked about how Dean will fit on the team over pizza and salad, with one coach being especially hungry.

“Coach Holmes ate like, three or four salads and a whole medium pizza,” Dean said. “He’s a foodie.”

After that came a visit to campus, and after seeing Oxford in-person, Dean officially became a Redhawk on April 6, 2023.

Bultman’s process came a bit later, since he was still playing.

“I went in the portal right after our season,” Bultman said. “People’s rosters were already filled out because we made a deep tournament run. I was looking for a team that would be able to compete.”

Like Dean, the coaching staff was able to sell the program and university to Bultman.

Holmes was the first to reach out to him, and Steele reached out soon after that. Despite it being late in the process, the staff was insistent that Bultman visit.

“Bryce has looked at some other places and things hadn’t worked out,” Holmes said. “It just so happened that he was in decision-making mode at the same time we really needed a guy in that spot.”

The transition from Division II

to Division I basketball hasn’t been easy for Bultman or Dean. Division I brings challenges for new players both on and off the court. Bultman and Dean mentioned that the size of the players was a challenge. Bultman was one of the biggest players on the court at McKendree, but he doesn’t have that advantage at Miami.

Miami has also brought an increased workload. In addition to practice time and academics, there’s been an increase in conditioning, weightlifting and film watching throughout the season.

“I didn’t think I could practice this much last year,” Dean said. “Like my body couldn’t take that.”

Despite some struggles and inconsistencies in the non-conference slate, the coaching staff thinks the best is yet to come.

“When you look at the non-conference, it was kind of a little bit up and down, like we were as a team, and obviously Brad was dealing with an injury there at the beginning of conference play,” Holmes said. “But I think both those guys have hit their stride in MAC play and have been really good.”

The RedHawks will need the duo to keep hitting their stride, as they currently sit seventh in MAC standings and will need to finish strong to make the MAC tournament.

If they make it to Cleveland, the team is confident that they will be able to make a run and potentially win it all, putting the RedHawks in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007. @BryanMiller33 mill2361@miamioh.edu

‘I stumbled into an unbelievable university’: Sheldon White reflects on his football journey 40-yard dash speed from 4.4 to 4.2 seconds, putting him as the fastest runner at the BLESTO scouting combine, a national football combine, in 1987.

With his ability to run, White proved to be a powerhouse on defense. He caught 10 interceptions for 56 yards in his career and contributed heavily to the RedHawks in the late ’80s.

White earned a name for himself in the MAC, but his national prominence came from the anWHITE HAD 11 INTERCEPTIONS AND 1 TOUCHDOWN IN THE NFL. PHOTO PROVIDED BY SHELDON nual “Pay-Day Game,” as he calls WHITE them. Each year, Miami plays a big school once during the season, 1997. the Steelers, the same team he grew allowing the RedHawks to get the He stayed with the Lions through up watching, in 2022. He currently spotlight on them. If they do well several promotions, eventually be- serves as the director of pro scouting. in these games, they have the op- coming Vice President of Pro Person“I would turn in every transaction portunity to gain attention from nel. When the Lions started the 2015 of who we were signing and who we scouts and even get them drafted season 1-7, the owners fired everyone were cutting,” White said. “We would WHITE WAS NOMINATED TO PLAY FOR THE NORTH TEAM IN THE 1988 SENIOR BOWL. PHOTO PROVIDinto the NFL. and made White the interim gener- turn that in, and they would consolED BY SHELDON WHITE “I was showing up in big al manager for the remainder of the idate all those names, and it would they asked me what I wanted to be, schools and making plays against season. He helped the Lions finish the become official by 4 p.m. every day.”

KETHAN BABU Since he graduated from Miami, it said ‘professional football player.’ I the Hall of Fame guys,” White said. season going 6-3.

SPORTS EDITOR “If we don’t do well, it’s fine because Perhaps White would have be- White stays up-to-date with the foothad that passion early.”

At Meadowdale High School, it wasn’t expected for you to do well. come permanent general manager, ball program. He previously served The Miami University RedHawks faced the Louisiana State University White excelled at both sports. He But if you do well, all of a sudden, if it weren’t for an Aaron Rodgers on the Business Advisory Council Tigers on Sept. 20, 1986. LSU was received scholarship offers for base- from a scout’s perspective, there’s hail mary in December that ended a with the Farmer School of Business, ranked eighth in the nation and had ball from several colleges, including this kid from Miami of Ohio who’s not three-game winning streak for the Li- and he sat down with Head Coach just won decisively against the No. 1 Michigan State University. His coach- only fast, but just got three PBU’s on ons. After finishing the season 7-10, Chuck Martin when he was in his secWhite and the Lions parted ways af- ond year coaching for the RedHawks. ranked Texas A&M Aggies. The Ti- es saw his potential with baseball and Michael Irvin.”

White’s collegiate career and ter 18 years.

“All of us alumni are following and gers’ star-studded roster featured 16 implored him to quit football.

With his children in high school, monitoring the school,” White said.

White’s father, who became ter- his performance against big-name future NFL players, including Chicago Bears wide receiver Wendell Davis. minally ill when White was 14, in- schools led to him getting drafted into White temporarily retired from “We’re constantly tracking Miami Nobody thought Miami had a structed him to continue with football the NFL in 1988 by the New York Gi- professional football management. football. It’s always huge to be able to chance, with the announcers say- and accept the first college offer he ants, where he played for three years Michigan State Head Coach Mark discuss that. I stumbled into an unbebefore getting traded to the Detroit Dantonio asked White to join the lievable university.” ing that Tigers quarterback Tommy received.

“My coach told me to play base- Lions and eventually the Cincinnati Spartans as a consultant in 2016, Hodson would replicate his success but he rose to Executive Director of babukc2@miamioh.edu from the previous week. In a packed ball, but I loved football,” White said. Bengals.

White had 11 interceptions for Player Personnel and Recruiting until stadium with over 70,000 fans in “Miami invited me up for an official attendance, all eyes were on the Red- visit for football, and I told my dad 151 yards and one touchdown in his Dantonio retired in 2019.

White worked for the Washingabout it. He sat me down the morn- professional career, before suffering Hawks.

Against all odds, the small Mid- ing before I left, and he said, ‘The first a career-ending neck injury in 1993. ton Commanders as an area scout western school gave it their all in a person that offers you a full scholar- Soon afterwards, Miami head coach again before receiving an offer from Randy Walker rainy affair that ended in a shocking ship, say yes.’”

The first college to recruit him for called him to 21-12 victory for the RedHawks. Junior cornerback Sheldon White made football was none other than Miami return as a wide receiver coach. the final interception to put the game University.

White played football in the fall He joined future away.

In the 1986 season, White earned and ran for the track team in the Denver Broncos six interceptions. The LSU game spring under Miami Hall-of-Famer head coach Sean put him on the map for professional and track coach Chuck Zody. Prior Payton, who was scouts and led to him getting draft- to Miami, White had never played offensive coorfrom ed by the New York Giants in 1988. defensive back, but his coaches saw dinator ’94-’95.

Years later, he returned to the NFL in potential with his speed.

His experiOne day, Zody watched White run a management position. ence as a wide White grew up in Dayton, just 40 the 40-yard dash.

“The track coach grabbed me af- receiver coach miles away from Oxford. Growing up, ter and asked if I’d ever run before,” for three years he played both baseball and football, but fell in love with the latter after White said. “I said no, and he said, ‘I as well as his cawatching the Cincinnati Bengals and could tell, your technique is terrible.’ defensive He said if I came out and worked with reer helped him Pittsburgh Steelers in the late 1970s.

“I just found a love for it at an ear- him after spring football, he’d drop become an entry level scout WHITE CAUGHT 11 INTERCEPTIONS AND CONTRIBUTED HEAVILY TO THE REDHAWKS’ SUCCESS. PHOTO PROVIDED BY ly age,” White said. “If you looked at my time.”

SHELDON WHITE Within a year, White dropped his for the Lions in my middle school yearbook, when

Are you a: • writer • photographer • designer • or illustrator?

Visit miamistudent.net to Join the TMS Team!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

9

‘Just as good of a shot as anybody’: A recap of the RedHawks men’s basketball season so far

MIAMI IS TRYING TO BOUNCE BACK AND PLAY HARD THROUGH THE SEASON. PHOTO BY JAKE RUFFER

CAMERON JOHNSON THE MIAMI STUDENT The college basketball season is about three quarters of the way through, and the Miami University RedHawks have shown plenty of signs of promise. Sitting in sixth place in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) with a 11-13 overall record (5-6 in the MAC), the RedHawks are looking to prove themselves and make a run in the MAC tournament.

The season started out rough with two early losses to the University of Evansville and Texas State University. The RedHawks bounced back by winning four of the next five games, including winning the Miami Classic.

After another three game skid with losses to Ohio State University, Davidson College and Wright State University, the RedHawks won seven of their next 11 games, including another three game skid.

One of the greatest strengths of the team is their collaboration with the ball, assistant coach Carl Richburg said.

“We are probably one of the more unselfish teams in the conference, and that’s our greatest strength,” Richburg said. “Our ability to play off each other, our ability to pass to one another, make open shots and open reads. We are not a selfish team.”

The team has also shown major improvements on the defensive end.

Richburg said the team struggled with defense at the start of the season, but the mindset has changed since then, and the team’s offense has improved along with its defense.

Leading the team in points is senior guard Darweshi Hunter, with 12.5 points per game. Leading in rebounds is senior forward Bryce Bultman, while the assists leader is first-

year guard Mekhi Cooper, who also leads in steals. On defense, sophomore forward Jacquel Morris is leading the team in blocks per game.

Richburg has seen major improvements from the team as the season has gone on.

“You can see the improvement both individually and as a team,” Richburg said. “Guys are way more connected now, and it’s a good feeling when guys are connected like that and playing for one another. Then, the opportunities are endless, and so the longer we play together, the longer we play for each other, the better we will be.”

Richburg said the best collegiate basketball teams tend to continue their upward trajectory into March, something that the RedHawks are trying to achieve.

“We don’t want to be one of those teams that falls off,” Richburg said.

“We just want to keep getting better, and so far we have done that. Hope-

fully we can keep this mindset and consistency going, and I think we have just as good of a shot as anybody to win the conference.”

A major part of the RedHawks’ core is their young guys. Nine of the 15 players are underclassmen, with seven of them being first-years. With such a young team, it was important to overcome the learning curve and grow together.

For first-year Reece Potter, his first season at Miami has been very enjoyable.

“Coming in as a freshman, I was kind of nervous, but it’s been amazing,” Potter said. “The seniors and older guys on the team have taken us in, so it has been really easy going.”

While the season has gone well for Potter, the physicality of the college game has taken time to get used to.

“You’re going against grown men every night,” Potter said. “So that physicality has definitely been the hardest part.

With such a young team, the underclassmen buying in was going to be a major part of the RedHawks’ success. Bultman said that as captain he’s been able to set the tone for practice and encourage the team to work hard every day.

The RedHawks will continue their season against the Ball State Cardinals this Saturday at Millett. Though the team has hit another rough patch, with some of its wins being against the better teams in the conference, it is not too far-fetched to think that this team has a decent chance to go dancing in March. @c__j30 john1610@miamioh.edu

DESPITE SOME SHORTCOMINGS, MIAMI HAS SHOWN STRONG IMPROVEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. PHOTO BY JAKE RUFFER

MIAMI IS LOOKING TO FINISH STRONG AND MAKE A RUN FOR THE MAC TOURNAMENT. PHOTO BY JAKE RUFFER

The Swedish Duo: Valentinsson sisters take the court together for the 2024 season

THE VALENTINSSON SISTERS BRING SUBSTANTIAL TALENT TO THE MIAMI TENNIS TEAM. PHOTO PROVIDED BY RICARDO ROSAS

HAYLEY LUBY THE MIAMI STUDENT With the 2024 spring tennis season already underway, the Miami University RedHawks look to new and old faces to lead them to the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championship come April. One pair of sisters from Sweden in particular brings exceptional talent to the team: Emilia and Lovisa Valentinsson.

Emilia and Lovisa, a junior and a first-year respectively, have been playing tennis together since they were younger, both starting at the age of 4. Their love for the game came from their father.

“My dad started playing tennis when he was about 17 and has played ever since,” Emilia said. “He was always kind of our coach throughout our career, and my brother played, so it was kind of natural for me to start playing.”

For Lovisa, it was similar. The decision to join the Miami tennis team in the fall was an easy one, despite the distance from their hometown of Malmo, Sweden.

“I wanted to go to college because both of my siblings went, and I knew Mil liked it here,” Lovisa said. “I talked to the coach and we made a good connection. Coming here to be with my sister was a bonus. We’ve always been so close.”

When it came to attending college in the United States, the transition was rather seamless. By playing a global sport and speaking English since childhood, the two found the change easier than anticipated, and they were excited about the opportunity to play tennis in the States.

“I was really excited to play college tennis because you play for a team,” Emilia said. “Before I came here, I played a lot of ITF, which are international tournaments, but you always play alone and it gets kind of lonely.”

Emilia has contributed to the team in a multitude of ways. She has already won MAC Player of the Week this season, was named Academic AllMAC in the 2022-23 season as well as Academic All-District, and has now found her way to the No. 2 position in singles, all while being named Team Captain.

For Head Coach Ricardo Rosas, having Emilia on the team for two

years, and now adding Lovisa to the team, has created a more competitive yet supportive dynamic between the two and for the team.

“They are very good friends and they get along well, so they bring the best out of each other and they speak the truth to each other, and that really affects the whole team,” Rosas said.

For the sisters, having each other at Miami has been more than beneficial, and not just for athletic reasons.

They bring a piece of family to each other when the rest are back home.

“Since I am a freshman, it’s been really helpful having my sister here,” Lovisa said. “She has helped me with everything, and even just the comfort of having her here, I couldn’t have wished for a better college or going without my sister.”

As the season progresses, Lovisa has already made an impact on the team, seeing quite a bit of action at No. 6 singles and participating in doubles. The first-year has already faced high competition before MAC play begins.

For Rosas, her ability to step up to the challenge has been noteworthy.

“Sometimes in matches, the pressure gets to athletes, but you see an aspect of Lovisa that when she plays she raises her level to embrace the competition,” Rosas said. “Her energy is up and she is trying to find a way to win. As she likes to say, it’s a work in progress, but she believes that and she is getting better every day.”

The RedHawks have multiple weekends of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition coming up to improve and strive for their end-of-season goals. After going 11-14 in last year’s regular season and 5-5 in the MAC, the women are hungry for wins.

The team has 14 games left before the MAC tournament and is currently at 4-5. In his eighth year as head coach, Rosas has continuously created a supportive environment that is described by the Valentinsson sisters as a whole family, being able to grow and push one another every day.

“I love these girls so much,” Emilia said. “Even the coach, he is the best coach and he is so much more than that for us, helping us become a better person and a better version of ourselves in everyday life.” lubyhj@miamioh.edu

Miami hockey’s plans for bye week and final stretch of the 2023-24 season CONTINUED FROM FRONT

Then, to start the month of March, the No. 18 University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks will come to Oxford for the last home series of the 2023-24 season.

The Mavericks are the last team in the NCHC that Miami has yet to face this season.

Finally, the RedHawks will head back on the road for their final regular season series of the year, and their second series against the Western Michigan University Broncos, who are currently ranked 13 and could end up higher by game day on March 8 and March 9.

After finishing the final series, the RedHawks will participate in the NCHC postseason, with their first matchup be-

ing in the quarterfinals in a best-of-three series, likely against the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks.

As of now, the focus is on the bye week, primarily regarding getting rest and potentially getting a couple of players back.

How the RedHawks are making the most of their bye week For Head Coach Chris Bergeron, getting rest is essential over the early part of this bye week, but when it comes to the on-ice work, the focus will be on the defensive zone and conditioning.

“We need to work on our d-zone coverage,” Bergeron said. “I think we need to work on our conditioning a little bit

for one more stretch … We’ll get some rest mentally and physically over the first few days of this week, and we’ll go back to work and prepare for Denver, which we know is a very long trip and difficult team to play against in their rink.”

The name of the game at this point is using the week off to buy time for players to come back from injury and the others to get rest, as Bergeron said.

Two names came off the rather extensive RedHawk injury list: Senior forward Matthew Barbolini and junior forward Raimonds Vitolins returned and immediately contributed in the most recent series against St. Cloud State University.

Goaltender Logan Neaton and sophomore forward William Hallén are waiting to re-enter the lineup, as Bergeron classified their injuries as a “week-toweek” issue.

If the RedHawks were to add those two at full health, it would be another energy boost for a locker room that wants to win as many games as possible down this stretch, especially given the results they had for three series straight despite their excellent efforts.

Miami’s place in the NCHC standings is likely decided. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t use this bye week as a huge advantage to regain some reinforcements, find the right en-

ergy, create a strong mindset and focus on fixing the issues that were exploited against St. Cloud State. Their game is good enough to beat anyone, and this final stretch will be about testing their character as well as their on-ice ability. @jjmid04 middleje@miamioh.edu

10

entertainment The teacher-student relationship trope is overdone in entertainment — it needs to stop

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

GRAPHIC BY CHLOE SOUTHARD

STELLA POWERS ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Throughout history, a frequent trope in entertainment has been the romantic relationship between a teacher and a student. Authors and directors often emphasize the scandal of it all, but the presence of these teacher and student storylines can

make these relationships seem normal — they’re not.

With the release of “Miller’s Girl,” a film starring Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman, the conversation surrounding these relationships being featured within entertainment is once again prominent.

In the film, writer Cairo Sweet (Ortega) pursues a romantic relationship with her professor, Jonathan

Miller (Freeman). Jonathan gives Cairo special treatment throughout the film, leading her to think that their relationship is something more than it is. But when she turns in an inappropriate writing assignment, Miller rejects her advances, leading her to attempt to ruin his life.

Ortega’s dynamic portrayal of the young writer more than outshines Freeman’s lackluster performance.

But aside from Ortega, there really isn’t anything interesting about this film. It’s nothing more than an uncomfortable and, frankly, boring watch.

But “Miller’s Girl” is far from the first piece of entertainment with a focus on this teacher-student trope.

Unfortunately, it is most definitely not the last.

The hit show “Pretty Little Liars” features a relationship between high school English teacher Ezra Fitz (Ian Harding) and student Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale).

Not only are they romantically involved while Montgomery is in high school, but the characters actually end up together and get married. In the spin-off, “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin,” there’s even a reference to the characters and their relationship, with them adopting the child of Imogen Adams (Bailee Madison).

The show glorifies the relationship, and the fanbase does the same.

Fitz and Montgomery being “endgame,” or ending up together in the end, contributes greatly to the normalization of these relationships in a harmful way. Despite the narrative portrayed within “Pretty Little Liars,” this isn’t normal.

In the first season of “Riverdale,” the popular series inspired by the classic Archie Comics, Archie Andrews (KJ Apa) forms a relationship with his music teacher, Geraldine Grundy (Sarah Habel).

Contrary to “Pretty Little Liars,”

this relationship is actually frowned upon within the show, and Grundy faces legitimate consequences.

While I normally don’t agree with “Riverdale” or how the show handles things, I have to give credit where it’s due, at least in this specific situation. Grundy rightfully got fired, and though a bit excessive, got killed as a result of her actions.

In “Friends,” Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) is a professor and forms a romantic relationship with his student, Elizabeth Stevens (Alexandra Holden). Stevens is the one who initiates the relationship, and Geller is shocked to later find out that not only is the relationship frowned upon — it’s also not allowed.

The two later break up due to a discomfort with the age difference and power imbalance, but the relationship goes on far too long.

This trope is incredibly common within entertainment, and it’s almost never handled well, though there are a few exceptions. The characters rarely face consequences — at least, not legitimate, long-lasting ones – which is not only unrealistic, but also promotes the idea that these relationships are normal.

These relationships are illegal and frowned upon for a reason, and the glorification of them within entertainment isn’t beneficial or good for anyone. powers40@miamioh.edu

Mia Goth is getting sued for assault.

What does this say about us?

CHLOE SOUTHARD ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR If you’re out of the loop, you might’ve missed the fact that scream queen Mia Goth is currently facing a lawsuit for allegedly kicking a background actor in the head.

James Hunter, the background actor, is also suing entertainment company A24 and director Ti West for wrongful termination. Hunter claims that following the physical incident, Goth followed him into the bathroom to taunt him, daring him to do anything about the scenario.

Hunter is seeking $500,000 in total for the damages.

The alleged incident, which took place on the set of West and Goth’s upcoming film, “MaXXXine,” immediately stirred controversy online.

Following the news of the lawsuit, many people were quick to label Goth as an “abuser” and “canceled.”

As I continue to watch this situation unravel, I can’t help but think about how quick people are to jump to conclusions when anyone in the public eye faces allegations such as this.

There’s no need for evidence anymore. All it takes is a bit of “he said, she said,” and suddenly the entire internet is set out to cancel someone — the modern day equivalent to an angry mob with pitchforks and torches.

Am I saying that these allegations are always false? Absolutely not. But I do believe that consumers of entertainment and content need to be

more rational. Immediately jumping the gun doesn’t benefit anyone or solve anything.

Let me level with you: anybody can file a lawsuit. Just because a lawsuit is filed doesn’t mean the defendant is automatically guilty.

Take the assault trial Amy Winehouse faced in 2009, for instance. A burlesque dancer accused Winehouse of deliberately hitting her in the face.

When the judge delivered his verdict, he said, “Having heard the evidence from all the witnesses, I cannot be sure that this was not an accident,” and Winehouse was proven innocent.

That’s exactly what I think happened between Hunter and Goth: an accident.

When the alleged kicking took place, Hunter was laying on the ground, playing a dead body. Goth was supposed to step over him; during the multiple takes, she was warned about nearly stepping on Hunter. Then, according to Hunter, Goth intentionally kicked him in the head.

To be quite frank, I don’t believe that Goth deliberately kicked Hunter.

Perhaps he was kicked or stepped on, but I highly doubt it was on purpose.

Not to mention, there would be a considerable amount of witnesses to this incident, none of whom have come forward.

What makes this story feel even more far-fetched is Hunter’s claim that Goth followed him into the bathroom to mock him. From what I understand about film sets, extras seldomly interact with stars outside

GRAPHIC BY CHLOE SOUTHARD

of filming, let alone share a bathroom with them. I find it hard to believe that Goth would go out of her way to find Hunter in a separate bathroom just to harass him, especially considering how busy she’d be on set.

As far as I know, Goth has no previous history of conflict with extras on any of the several sets she’s been on.

This is her third time working with this specific crew, as “MaXXXine” is the third installment of West’s “X” trilogy.

I assume that if Goth was unpleasant to work with on set, something would’ve been said over the three years it’s taken to shoot and release each installment. Not to mention,

Hunter has provided no proof of this incident occurring.

This entire debacle feels like both a money grab and a way to tarnish Goth and West’s characters as well as A24’s reputation. It’s not an uncommon occurrence for people to sue celebrities in hopes of getting some cash.

This is seen time and time again, whether it be a man claiming that Gwyneth Paltrow intentionally crashed into him while skiing or a woman suing Lady Gaga over a reward for returning her stolen dogs.

The internet has allowed for the cesspool that is cancel culture to thrive. There’s a horrendous mob mentality when it comes to dragging

an individual down, even if there’s no evidence to support the claims made against them.

That’s why I’ll continue to use my critical thinking skills as this situation unfolds, and I urge you to do the same in this and all future scenarios. If we’d take just a moment to think rationally, there wouldn’t be so much toxicity and counterproductivity online when it comes to accountability.

Media consumers gain nothing from thinking rashly in situations like this. People whose careers and reputations are at stake lose everything. @_chloebowie_ southacr@miamioh.edu

‘The workload is a double-edged sword’: Living like a music major MIA ZURICH THE MIAMI STUDENT Miami University’s music department puts on countless shows for the community, such as the upcoming Catacoustic Consort.

These breathtaking productions are the result of hours of hard work by music and art students. Many students in the music department max out their credit hours semester after semester — alongside an array of extracurricular activities — to keep up with the competitive atmosphere of the creative arts world.

Natalie Czarnik, a first-year music education major focusing on choral and general music, juggles her combination of activities alongside settling into a new town after moving from Chicago.

“All of the skills that we learn through these experiences are very important to keep up with other music programs around the country, but burnout is very real, affecting many students — not just at Miami, but

around the country,” Czarnik said.

“So I think that is something where more support could be needed.”

Czarnik took 19 credit hours of courses her fall semester, along with marching band and choir, and she is unwinding from being a vocal coach for the recent production of “The Addams Family.”

Her work on “The Addams Family” included pre-recording parts of the show to share with cast members for reference, creating homework assignments to improve the team’s vocal skills, making sure the sound was evenly distributed throughout the theater and much more. The projects that Czarnik completed for the team improved an already extraordinary show while adding a lot to her plate.

“It was harder to stay on top of my work with the ‘Addams Family.’ I would often get back around 10:30 or 11 p.m. and have to start my homework then.” Czarnik said. “I’ll either work on homework or practice to keep up between classes, so it’s always go, go, go.”

Czarnik is only one member of a

GRAPHIC BY CHLOE SOUTHARD

community that faces these challenges. Dani Jacobs is a sophomore studying arts and music, with minors in entrepreneurship and arts entrepreneurship. Jacobs has worked countless hours at Miami to earn a spot in the music department and recently received a spot on the Miami University Dance Theatre team.

With these successes have come many long nights of practicing the piano, going over sheet music and studying for exams. With every night of practice that Jacobs put in, they were getting one step closer to their goals, surrounded by the supportive environment of the music depart-

ment.

“The workload is a double-edged sword,” Jacobs said. “You have so much room to explore different departments and specialties, which is one of the great things about the music department, but it can add up to a lot on your schedule.”

Seeing the layout of the classes required to be a music major and the conversations about the division’s difficulty can be intimidating to an incoming student. What makes the course load of the Miami Music Department manageable is the community present throughout students’ journeys.

“If I were going to give advice to an incoming student in the music department, it would be to not come in with any preconceived ideas and be open-minded,” Jacobs said. “Miami’s music department will help you find your place. Remember that you are not alone in this, and as long as you keep your head down on your work and find ways to support yourself, everything will be okay.” zurichme@miamioh.edu

FOOD

11 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

Miami alum brings sandwich chain to Oxford KAITLIN MCDOWELL FOOD EDITOR

JEFF OSTERFELD, A MIAMI UNIVERSITY ALUMNUS, BROUGHT HIS RESTAURANT CHAIN BACK TO OXFORD. PHOTO PROVIDED BY JEFF OSTERFELD

A new sandwich chain specializing in east-coast style subs has come to Oxford, but what separates Penn Station from its competitors is the Miami University degree hanging in the CEO’s office.

Jeff Osterfeld, the CEO and founder of the Cincinnati-based chain Penn Station, graduated from Miami in 1982 with a degree in management marketing from the Farmer School of Business.

During his time at Miami, Osterfeld was part of the rugby team and a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. While on campus, he met his future wife Sheri Osterfeld, and the two became Miami

PENN STATION HAS MORE THAN 300 LOCATIONS IN 15 STATES. NOW, OXFORD HAS A LOCATION OF ITS OWN. PHOTO BY LUKE MACY

Mergers.

Since graduation, Osterfeld has been back on Miami’s campus many times to give guest lectures in entrepreneur classes and notes how much the campus has changed.

“From a curriculum standpoint, as I’ve been self-employed since the day I got out, it was nice to see the business school step up and address self-employment and entrepreneurialism,” Osterfeld said.

Before opening his first Penn Station in 1985, Osterfeld ran his own painting business called The Bird Painting Crew throughout high school and college. Osterfeld purchased the business from its previous owner.

“It gave me a taste of being self-employed, and I came from a family that was all self-employed so I was looking to do something on my own,” Osterfeld said.

He found interest in the food industry after taking a business class at Miami his senior year.

“We were supposed to write a report on a small business, and I picked the Oxford Bagel & Deli, because many times I stood in line at one in the morning waiting to get a bagel Uptown, ” Osterfeld said.

In 1983, just one year after graduating from Miami, Osterfeld opened his first restaurant in Dayton Mall, named Jeffrey’s Delicatessen, selling steamed bagels like those sold at Oxford”s Bagel & Deli. He then went on to add subs and cheesesteaks to the menu.

Two years later, Osterfeld opened a different sandwich shop called Philadelphia Steak and Sub.

Mealtime with Meredith: Ratatouille

EMPLOYEES IN THE OXFORD PENN STATION LOCATION COOK EAST COAST-STYLE SUBS. PHOTO BY LUKE MACY

“I wanted to come up with something that sounded like it came from the east coast, where the cheesesteak originated in Philly,” Osterfeld said.

He tried to trademark his restaurant but discovered that a Philadelphia Steak and Sub already existed in the Carolinas. That’s when he got the idea to name it after Penn Station, a famous railroad station in New York City.

Since then, Osterfeld has opened more than 300 Penn Station restaurants across the country in 15 different states. Now, Oxford is among those locations.

Upon its opening, Osterfeld went to visit his alma mater and was surprised to see how many students venture off Miami’s campus and High Street to get food, especially with the help of third-party delivery services.

Osterfeld’s hard work in creating Penn Station has not gone unno-

OPINION EDITOR

LUKE MACY

DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR

BY MEREDITH PERKINS COLUMNIST One of the first things I learned to do in my high school French course was order French cuisine.

I remember being forced to turn to whoever sat next to me and ask for croissants and verres de thé in French, thinking to myself, “When am I ever going to use this?”

Although my 15-year-old self could’ve never imagined using French past my sophomore year of high school, I am currently in my third year as a French minor at Miami and in my seventh college French course.

I love studying French because I get to study francophone culture across the African and European diasporas, explore the history of the francophone literary tradition, and — my favorite part — learn different cuisines in different French countries.

This January, I took an architectural history course in Paris. In my first visit to a francophone country, I had the opportunity to try many authentic French dishes in-between my architecture field studies.

From tasting crème brûlée at a

RATATOUILLE REQUIRES JUST A FEW INGREDIENTS, INCLUDING CUCUMBERS, EGGPLANTS, TOMATOES, GARLIC AND ONIONS. PHOTO BY MEREDITH PERKINS

dishes I had never tried before and cooking techniques I knew I wanted to replicate at home.

Now that I’m back in my gourmet chef’s kitchen (translation: my basic college apartment kitchen with two stovetop burners that don’t work half the time), I wanted to try to make one of the most iconic French dishes: ratatouille.

Made famous by generations of French home chefs (and, well, Remy the Rat), ratatouille is a traditional French stew that involves sliced layers of eggplant, tomato and zucchini.

This dish is typically enjoyed in the summertime, so we’ll ignore the fact that I’m making it in 30 degree weather.

My ratatouille recipe, adapted from a recipe by Megan Miller, is a bit of an undertaking (lots of vegetables to finely slice!), but it is an entertaining journey to cook THE FINAL RATATOUILLE DISH IS COLORFUL DINNER such a daunting meal, and it OPTION. PHOTO BY MEREDITH PERKINS is a great, inexpensive recipe to cook with a friend or partner for Christmas market in the Tuileries a night in.

To start, I preheat the oven to 375 Gardens to enjoying confit de canard degrees and begin making the sauce. in the Latin Quarter, my escapades in French restaurants introduced me to For my sauce, I combine five cloves

of minced garlic, one diced onion, a 14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes and Italian seasoning to my heart’s content.

While the mixture simmers, it’s vegetable chopping time. Put on your chef’s hat and chop three zucchinis, two eggplants and five roma tomatoes into thin circular slices. Be prepared: This part may take a while.

Once chopped, coat the bottom of a 9 by 9 pan with your sauce and start layering your ratatouille slices, alternating between eggplant, zucchini and tomato slices. You may need to slice your eggplant circles in half and/or double-up on zucchini slices in each row to make the width of the slices match.

By the end of this step, you should look like you have a striped worm made of zucchini, eggplants and tomatoes curled into a little spiral.

Then, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

For serving, I whipped up some spaghetti and grilled some chicken breast tenderloins to serve on the side, though ratatouille alone can constitute a meal.

Then, all that’s left to do is enjoy your ratatouille and pop on the movie, while you’re at it. perkin16@miamioh.edu

mcdowekr@miamioh.edu

BT Chicken brings Korean flair to Oxford’s restaurant scene DEVIN ANKENEY,

WITH A LITTLE BIT OF PREP WORK AND 30 MINUTES IN THE OVEN, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN RATATOUILLE ON A COLLEGE BUDGET. PHOTO BY MEREDITH PERKINS

ticed. He now has his own sandwich on Penn Station’s menu, titled the Founder’s special.

The sandwich was placed on the menu in honor of the company’s 30th anniversary in 2015. It is the franchise’s signature cheesesteak with a little bit of teriyaki, mayo, onion, mushrooms, peppers and extra cheese.

“It’s awesome. Whenever I’m having a bad day, I go over there and order a Founder’s special, and it always puts a smile on my face,” Osterfeld said.

The restaurant in Oxford opened on Nov. 30 and serves customers Monday through Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10:30 a.m. to midnight and Sunday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

It’s a bird! It’s a plane!

No, it’s another chicken restaurant in Oxford.

BT Chicken — the BT stands for “best taste” — opened Jan. 17 to rave reviews on the infamous Facebook group “Oxford Talk.” Gary Zhao, the owner and a Miami University alum, wanted to bring Korean food to the town.

The restaurant, located where the hot pot restaurant once stood at 15 S. Beech St., has the atmosphere of a hidden dive diner. The layout is open with a counter for ordering and K-pop always playing in the background.

The setting is not the main attraction here, rather, the exciting Korean street style food.

Most of BT Chicken’s appeal comes from its inventive menu, rather than genuine delectability.

Sporting wild hot dogs, an abundance of sauces and a burger with kimchi, we found it hard not to be at least moderately interested in each item on the menu.

We tried the Korean Sweet Spicy chicken, which came with eight wings for just over $10. This seemed like a good price and a fair amount, but it ended up being way too much to finish. The container was already overflowing when our food came out, and our server returned soon after, bringing out another wing that the kitchen had forgotten. We ended up not finishing it all, not because it wasn’t good, but there was too much chicken.

The chicken was cooked to perfection. It came out piping hot with a flaky and crunchy fried outer shell.

The biggest problem was the sauce, which was drizzled onto the chicken lightly, and was overpowered by the chicken. This wasn’t Luke’s first time trying Korean fried chicken, and although he was impressed by the cooking, he wasn’t as impressed by the flavor.

We tried the Seoul Street Burger, the standard burger with “Secret Sauce” and kimchi. While interesting enough not to leave a crumb on the tray, the patty itself didn’t taste much better than what you can find at any other quick-serve restaurant.

The strangest thing we chose to try was the “Potato Corn Dog,” which didn’t have … a hot dog. Instead of the traditional hot dog, the center of the corn dog was made up of something that could have been either potato or cheese, and a thoroughly intriguing mix of style and substance.

Our eyes did wander toward the hot dog section of the menu, but gourmet hot dogs, while fascinating and quirky, didn’t really pull us in.

Now, if BT Chicken had a window at Great American Ballpark, we’d be all over it.

Context is king.

Even for the top-of-the-line burger at BT Chicken, the prices were perfectly affordable. With two entrees, a side and two drinks, we barely spent $30. Total.

However, the unique menu was ultimately too long to justify itself.

We’d go back to BT Chicken again, but only to try another bizarre menu item once or, if in the mood, to get the only Korean chicken in town.

After all, the chicken was the star of the show.

Rating: 7/10 ankenedw@miamioh.edu

THE CHICKEN IS THE STAR OF THE SHOW AT BT CHICKEN, BUT THE MENU HAD TOO MANY OTHER CHOICES TO PICK FROM. PHOTO BY DEVIN ANKENEY

humor

12

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

How I spent my Valentine’s Day TEDDY JOHNSON CO-HUMOR EDITOR

GRAPHIC BY TEDDY JOHNSON

Womp womp.

Another Valentine’s Day as a bachelor.

Friends were asking me, “Teddy, what are you doing for Valentine’s Day?” My answer? Giving my latissimus dorsi a pump helps me to drown out the sorrow of being single on the cheesiest holiday of the year.

Judging from the crowd of the Rec, I was not the only single dude with this idea. Many of these gym goers, myself included, live by ancient gym scripture that goes like this (excerpt from the Book of Jim 2:14).

“Where do we hide feelings? In our muscles. The only way to hide more feelings is by getting bigger muscles.”

The congregation of Jim all had the same idea this V-Day. From the windows to the wall, single men are grunting, pushing themselves and hoping that one day all this pain will be worth it.

It’s the largest gathering of addicted white men since the Jan. 6 riots in the Capitol.

In case you didn’t know, Valentine’s Day is the second most crowded day of the year at the Rec. The most crowded day is actually Monday.

But that’s beside the point. The wise wizard (bodybuilder) Sam Sulek, sitting in his mighty throne (lat machine) declares to the masses (me), the key to surviving Valentine’s Day

alone.

“It’s simple,” he says. “We kill the fatman.”

“If it’s so simple, why haven’t you done it already?” I retort.

Sulek smiles wryly and replies, “If you are good at something, never do it for free.”

He wasn’t much help.

Next, I did what any logical person would do to find answers — open Reddit on my phone.

I scrolled through forums about bread stapled to trees for hours to find answers and found nothing. Being the disheartened Teddy that I am, I opted to hide in The Woods (the bar, not the forest) and do some soul searching.

After a few sips of happiness juice (shots of Rumpleminze), I came to realize that it’s OK to be alone on Valentine’s Day. My dad always says, “There are plenty of fish in the sea.”

To my fellow single kings, there are plenty of options out there. Stay strong. john1595@miamioh.edu

Miami’s majors are The birth of the Dunkings inaccurately named, I decided to fix that PATRICK SULLIVAN CO-HUMOR EDITOR

MICHAEL PATTEE STAFF WRITER Have you ever wondered what other majors do?

Maybe you’re an undecided firstyear, or a senior who seriously lacks social skills, or somewhere in between.

Then you’re in luck, because this is the ultimate guide to Miami’s majors. Not to be too egotistical, but I thought I could do a better job naming some of these bad boys. Below are some of the university’s most recognizable majors that I have graciously renamed to better reflect the experiences, thought processes, and hard truths that accompany these majors. Enjoy.

Chemistry, biology, and pre-med co-majors -> ‘What was I thinking?’ major The road to being a doctor and surgeon is a long and arduous one.

You’ll hear incoming first-year girls bragging about being a “woman in STEM” and the guys talking about how Saturdays will still always be “for the boys.”

After weeks of all-nighters, attending SI sessions, and way too many cans of Celsius, many of these majors now ask themselves, “What was I thinking?”

Kinesiology -> GAINZ major Kinesiology majors are rarely seen outside the Rec. They’re known for idolizing Sam Sulek, consuming their body weight in protein and knowing all 206 bones in the human body. If you ask a kinesiology major why they’re in the gym, there’s a 93% chance that their response will be “to get gainz.”

Architecture -> Up until 4 a.m. drawing straight lines major Have you ever wished that your homework was like your preschool worksheets? Remember when all you had to do was color inside the lines? Well, architecture majors get to make those lines. And for some reason they pull multiple all-nighters doing so.

Psychology, sociology and philosophy -> ‘I’ve got to get another degree’ major You may be thinking, “These sound like fun majors!” Well, they are … until you realize that a B.A. in any of these doesn’t really help you get a job.

Every psychology major knows you can’t read minds until you get a doctorate. Sociology majors don’t actually exist until they go to graduate school, and philosophy majors are destined to attempt to be influencers if they don’t go to graduate school. If you aren’t prepared to spend thousands of dollars on grad school or work in a Taco Bell drive through, it’s time to get another degree.

Political science -> ‘I’m a College Democrat or Republican’ major If you want to be stuck in an endless conversation with a political science major, just ask them about

Second Amendment rights or Jan. 6.

Destined to be a lawyer or politician, these individuals will tell you to go vote … unless you wouldn’t be voting for their party. If that were the case, they would rather you sleep through voting day.

Computer science -> ‘I haven’t showered in a week’ major If you haven’t seen a computer science major yet, that’s no surprise.

Unless you’re their roommate, you probably won’t. They’re likely far too busy building the “perfect” gaming PC and moderating seven different Discord servers. As such, personal hygiene can be a secondary concern, but they don’t care so long as they win their Rainbow Six Siege match.

Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM) -> ‘I peaked in high school’ major For those of you who don’t know anything about SLAM majors, just think about the guy who told everyone he was going to play D1, then twisted his ankle the fourth practice of the year and blames that for not getting offered a full ride to Ohio State. SLAM majors can also be found creating top 200 player lists for their 27 fantasy drafts, and gambling on sports games while shouting, “My grandma could have run through that hole!”

If you’re wondering why your SLAM major roommate is staying up so late playing Madden, it’s because that’s their final exam.

Business undecided, accounting, finance and strategic communications -> Brick Street major We all have that friend who lives at Brick Street Wednesday through Sunday. And if you don’t have that friend, then you are that friend.

These individuals typically are paying for college with daddy’s money, they’re in a Fraternity or Sorority, and placed a $300 bet on the SuperBowl.

I applaud them for single-handedly keeping the MUPD busy at 3:45 a.m. and for upping Bagel & Deli’s profit margins annually since 2014.

However, considering they “forgot” to turn in that first assignment of the semester and have forgotten that “trash cans” are anything other than a drink, let’s face the truth — they’re just Brick Street majors.

The self-explanatory majors Now that I’ve covered those, here are a few final majors that I’ve renamed, and which require no explanation to understand.

• Environmental science -> Save the turtles! major • Creative writing majors -> “ChatGPT stole my job” major • Engineering -> “Girls only want me for my money” major • Nursing -> Ex-homecoming queen major patteemj@miamioh.edu

Jan. 12, 1972. It’s a cold, dreary day like any other in the Boston harbor. A “Southie,” still hungover from the Tuesday night before, walks to her shift at the hospital. She stops at the local Dunkin’ Donuts on her way. She gets way more than a cup of coffee.

She walks inside to order her usual black coffee with a double shot of espresso, looking forward to her usual friendly morning greeting of “F*** the Lakahs!”

But then, she is stopped in her tracks.

In front of her stands a man, nay, a god. He stands there, fully decked out in an orange and purple sweatsuit. On others, the outfit would be dreadful, but on him, it’s majestic.

He’s standing in line, singing a cappella style “Hound Dog” by Elvis, when their eyes meet.

Donuts exploded. Babies stopped crying. A Celtics and Lakers fan hugged.

The god gently kisses her hand, leaving the unmistakable stench of cigarettes and whiskey. She’s hooked.

They go out for clam chowder after her shift and have a night to remember. Rumor has it every gang in Boston laid down their weapons in respect of this god. There was an earthquake that night that reached as far as Philadelphia and actually fixed the crack in the liberty bell.

Nine months later, this woman gives birth to twins. They slip out of her womb like the end of a water slide, one right after the other. Already dripped out in Dunkin’s honorary purple and orange. Both babies, miraculously, already have a full head of hair and matching beards.

The doctor goes to cut their umbilical cords, when he is stopped in his tracks. Dunking 1 cleanly rips the cord from each of their belly buttons as effortlessly as if he is ripping a paper straw. Dunking 2 flips the doctor the bird.

A shocking three months later, and the Dunkings both say their first word.

“D… D… D…” “Dada?” his mother foolishly asks.

“Dunkin’!” he replies.

“Donuts!” choruses the second.

It is said that the twins were only 6 when they had their first cup of coffee. They were in a travel soccer league with 12-year-olds. Naturally, they were playing up with kids 6 years older. To celebrate Dunking 1’s winning goal and Dunking 2’s close save, the team went to their favorite celebratory spot — Dunkin’ Donuts.

As methodically as a shark stalks his prey, Dunking 2 distracted his mother as Dunking 1, fast as lightning, reached out and stole her coffee. The usual: black with a double shot of espresso.

His mother was shocked that he had an interest in trying coffee. Even though they were 6 and physically competing with 12-year-olds, both of the Dunkings were still breastfeeding an alarming 14 times a day.

Dunking 1 took a healthy swallow and passed it to Dunking 2, who followed suit. You could have heard a pin drop in that coffee house, as people’s eyes were glued to see how the twins would react.

Like taking a shot of whiskey, the twins paused. They oxygenated their mouths and let it sit for a second.

The coffee house – nay – the world had a moment’s warning as both of the Dunkings’ eyes widened the second that double espresso hit

their bloodstream.

What happened next?

In a word … tranquil chaos.

These twins hit the floor running and never looked back. They ran all around the city of Boston causing a storm, and yet, everything they touched seemed to become better.

Rumor has it, it was them who gave Larry Bird a pep talk before game six when he won his first NBA title. Rumor has it, they forced Matt Damon and Ben Affleck into a room together and gave them the idea for their big break movie, “Good Will Hunting.” They wanted to call it “Good Dunking Hunting,” but the twins were too modest. Rumor has it, they were the ones who convinced Bill Belichick to take a chance on the last pick of the 2000 NFL draft, Tom Brady.

Even more shocking is that these Dunking twins were not only responsible for Boston’s successes, but for the world’s.

The Dunkings were the first people to ever give Adele a microphone.

It was at a Karaoke night; they were singing their dad’s favorite song, “Hound Dog.” They were the ones who convinced Barack Obama to end the war in Iraq. They were quoted saying, “Enough is enough.” It is also rumored that they were the ones to sit down with Malala and convince her, “People need to hear your story.”

And now here we are. Like any triumphant story should, it has come full circle. The Dunkings are now partnering with their longtime friend Tom Brady and running an exuberant Super Bowl ad campaign for the one and only: Dunkin’ Donuts.

This report is not sponsored by Dunkin’. sulli293@miamioh.edu

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style

14

How one of Miami’s newest classes combines fashion and journalism

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

Start this spring semester in a new style

DANISHA BROWN IS COMBINING FASHION AND JOURNALISM IN HER NEW REPORTING CLASS, FAS 450. PHOTO PROVIDED BY DANISHA BROWN

EVAN STEFANIK STYLE EDITOR Besides UP Magazine and The Miami Student’s Style page, some of Miami University’s most fashionable students have had nowhere to learn about and spread the word of their favorite looks — until now.

Miami’s new fashion journalism class, FAS 450B, emerged from visiting faculty Danisha Brown’s idea to merge her love of creative writing and style. As a fashion designer who shows her work at shows all over the world, Brown experiences the intersection of journalism everywhere.

“One lecture our first week asked the question of, ‘Does fashion even belong in journalism? What would happen if this didn’t exist?’” Brown said. “It’s so important we have this feature in the industry because in a blended community, we can’t have fashion without people talking about us.”

Her class of 28 students meets on Zoom Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:15-2:35 p.m., where they take notes while watching videos from famous companies. Split into three areas of history, theory and practice, it focuses on the stylistics and semantics of fashion journalism through various categories like reviews, profiles, critiques and business reports.

Students also post on their own blog throughout the semester. Their final project allows them to conduct their own periodical.

Ava Mezzanotte, a senior strategic communication major taking the class, wants to pursue corporate fashion for her career. She finished multiple journalism courses throughout her time at Miami, but now she finally gets to try fashion.

“This class is a good segue for my knowledge about industry,” Mezzanotte said. “I’m really passionate about fashion and this gives me a lot more terminology for when I interview with corporations.”

On her blog, Mezzanotte went with a classic, timeless appeal in all black and white and clean-cut, chic fonts.

“I have so much fun writing my

blog,” Mezzanotte said. “I’m looking forward to developing my website.

The professor is amazing, and she helps it be easy and fun.”

Brown first found her flair for fashion journalism as a copywriter making product description pages for clothes. As the owner of an independent brand today, Brown approaches her public relations as hands-on as she can by constantly doing interviews and emailing customers.

“As a designer, being in press is so important for relevancy in culture,” Brown said. “As the journalists get to know your vision by showing up at your presentations, they’ll go to you and report. They always want to dive into your process. It helps people understand the worth of the designs rather than just seeing pretty pictures.”

Mezzanotte said she still feels her fellow students’ personalities, even while online, because Brown engages the class well. Everyone is passionate during in-class discussions, she said, and the structure helps her analyze fashion more intentionally.

Aspiring fashion journalists at Miami should explore the opportunities FAS 450B provides because it flows through many facets of the craft.

“We’re connecting production and passion so they can both exist,” Brown said. “People put this into a small box, but there’s so much passion about it growing and promoting the fashion program. Who knows how far we can go?” stefanec@miamioh.edu

AVA SHAFFER EXPERIMENTED WITH BUSINESS CASUAL FASHION WHILE STAYING TRUE TO HER OWN SENSE OF STYLE. PHOTOS BY AVA SHAFFER

AVA SHAFFER THE MIAMI STUDENT Nothing strikes fear into the hearts of college students more than the words “business casual.”

Maybe that’s an exaggeration, but that specific dress code is certainly one that can be a place of stress for 20-something-year-olds. We are used to walking around campus in our oversized sweatshirts, UGG slippers and yoga pants.

There’s nothing wrong with a comfier approach to fashion, but as a senior, I’ve started thinking more about how my fashion is going to evolve as I go out into the “real world” post-college. Since I’m an education major, my entire spring semester is student-teaching in a high school English classroom, which is the perfect practice for trying my hand at the business casual dress code.

School districts vary in terms of what they require teachers to wear – in fact, I know a few schools expect men to wear ties every day, but my school isn’t super strict about the dress code. In general, I have to wear business casual attire (leaning slightly more casual than business) from Monday through Thursday, and jeans are allowed on Fridays.

As an artistic person who loves fashion, I was excited for the opportunity to try wearing clothes that I typically don’t gravitate toward. I enjoyed the challenge of blending the creativity of a youthful college mind with the professionalism expected of a teacher.

Monday I came out of the Literature Nerd Gates swinging with my first teaching outfit on Monday. I wore my “It’s no use, Jo!” shirt which is a quote from Louise May Alcott’s “Little Women.”

I wanted my students to know that I care a lot about reading, and what

better way to show that than wearing a quote from one of my favorite books on my shirt? I paired it with a nice pair of black slacks and a striped cardigan to keep an air of professionalism.

For all of my outfits this week (and to be honest, probably for the rest of the school year), I wear my trusty pair of Mary Jane Doc Martens. They are not only stylish and professional, but also add a bit of personality to my outfits. I usually wear them with a pair of frilly white socks.

Tuesday On Tuesday, it was a bit warmer in my class, so I wore a fun patterned top and brown slacks. I love this blouse and rarely get a chance to wear it (what college event warrants a button-up with frilly lace?), so it was exciting to put it on now for student-teaching.

This blouse has a floral pattern with a unique neckline and lace surrounding the sleeves and collar.

Wednesday A saving grace for me in terms of my teacher outfits has been having what I call a “go-to uniform.” My student teaching go-to uniform is a nice pair of slacks, a white top and a fun cardigan. Since I rolled out of bed a little later than I intended to (at 5:45 a.m. instead of 5:30 a.m.! The horror!), I depended on my trusty uniform to get me out the door on time.

On this Wednesday, I chose a fun green cardigan patterned with smiley-faced daisies. I’m a positive person, and I want to convey that to my students, so this bright cardigan was a way for me to express that.

Thursday I’m a big fan of a pop of color, so for Thursday I chose a white turtleneck, a vibrant orange jacket and black slacks. I paired this look with some gold accessories – my trusty

gold hoop earrings and a layered tarot card necklace.

After teaching for almost a week, I learned the importance of wearing layers. Depending on the time of day, it’s either freezing or boiling in my room, so having the option to put on or take off a jacket has been a lifesaver.

Friday For my final outfit of the week, I took the school up on its offer of letting teachers wear jeans on Fridays. I chose a pair of blue jeans that didn’t have any fraying or holes in them and wore a yellow chunky knit sweater with it.

I love the color of this sweater and how cozy it is. I thought the high neckline kept this outfit professional, even with the jeans.

After reflecting upon my first week of teaching and the outfits I created, I found that they have been a great way to connect with my students. Some students who are typically more shy in class would come up to my desk to compliment my cardigans or ask about the quote from my shirt on Monday.

This warmed my heart and reminded me that clothing can transcend social barriers, allowing connection and conversation starters between people who are just starting to get to know each other.

This practice of combining my personal lively and colorful style with the business casual dress code has definitely helped prepare me for life after college. I’ve learned that we as young people don’t have to lose our creativity or our personality when we enter the workforce — we just have to find ways to express ourselves in these new, more mature scenarios. shaffea8@miamioh.edu

Eye on Miami: Josie Wenzell starts conversations with her clothing line

A MODEL FOR WELL BEING APPAREL POSES IN A SKULL GRAPHIC TEE. PHOTO PROVIDED BY JOSIE WENZELL

ALLISON LEE STYLE COLUMNIST Mental health has been a prominent topic in the media since 2018.

According to a study published by the National Institute of Health, the rise of social media platforms has led to an increase of anxiety and depression within young adults — which has been proving itself to be detrimental, as the suicide rate in 2023 was the highest it has ever been on record.

Enter Josie Wenzell. Wenzell is a senior marketing student at Miami University with her own clothing company, Well Being Apparel.

“Mental health has always been

extremely important for me in my personal life,” Wenzell said. “I wanted to put education regarding mental health in the forefront with my brand.”

Wenzell started the brand in January 2020, just months before the start of the pandemic. She sells T-shirts, funky jewelry and artwork in the form of stickers and canvases.

“After COVID hit, people started getting more into the self-care aspect of life,” Wenzell said. “COVID impacted my digital brand in a lot of ways.

I launched the business in 2020, and it sort of just blew up through COVID since everybody was at home and using social media more.”

While digital art is popular nowadays on websites like Redbubble, Wenzell uses digital art in a more tangible way. She draws out most of her work in pencil and paper or watercolor before transferring it to digital platforms to print on clothing.

The prints Wenzell has created all follow themes of wellness, individuality and inclusivity — and it is not just for show. Wenzell has created specific designs and collections that depict causes that are meaningful to her.

Then, her proceeds go toward those philanthropies.

“I made some collections for Black Lives Matter, women’s reproductive rights and LGBTQ+,” Wenzell said. “I went to some protests and sold items inspired by that, and I was proud to contribute in that creative sense.”

Claire Donohoe is a junior English student at Michigan State University and has worked with Wenzell on a joint zine entitled “JuJu.” “It was really fun to see how much fun Josie had with it. She motivated me to come up with ideas for her to work with,” Donohoe said. “I think us being friends made it just really fun and easy to work together, but just in general Josie’s really smart. She knows what she’s doing.”

Being a full-time student and owning your own business can be hard work, but Wenzell balances her life by putting herself first. She only sells in-person through Advancing Women in Entrepreneurship and makes a personal connection with other stu-

dents when she sells her products.

Wenzell is set to graduate this May and has plans to move to Washington, D.C., for her job — but she won’t abandon Well Being Apparel.

“Well Being Apparel is my baby, but what I really want is to open a café. I’d love to have what I’ve created as merch for my store,” Wenzell said. “I want the café to embody the vibe of Well Being Apparel and for everything to work together.”

Through Well Being Apparel, Wenzell not only creates clothing with a purpose, but also welcomes and encourages dialogue surrounding meaningful issues.

Though students at Miami may be in the thick of it with classes, Wenzell and Well Being Apparel serve as a reminder that even in darkness, there will be light.

WENZELL’S SHOP LOGO REMINDS PEOPLE TO SMILE. PHOTO FROM @WELLBEINGAPPAREL ON INSTAGRAM

leeam8@miamioh.edu WENZELL’S SHOP AIMS TO IMPROVE CUSTOMERS’ MENTAL WELL-BEING. PHOTO PROVIDED BY JOSIE WENZELL

GreenHawks

15 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

Miami Art Museum embraces environmental art for spring gallery

Slow and steady wins the race: Miami’s carbon offset strategy

CONTINUED FROM FRONT working with visionary landscape artist Mary Edna Fraser, who he considers “the inspiration for the exhibition.” When Shaiman heard that Miami’s 2023-2024 Altman Program in the Humanities and FOCUS Program chose themes of environmental justice, he knew the timing was perfect.

“Art does not stand alone, it’s connected with other areas of research,” Shaiman said. “We want to show how it connects with other disciplines [at Miami].”

To expand its audience and interact with the larger Miami community, the museum has forged partnerships with these and other organizations. The museum will hold a webinar with Mary Edna Fraser in partnership with the Alumni Association, hosting artist receptions sponsored by the Three Valley Conservation Trust and FOCUS Program, and inviting visual artist LaToya Ruby Fraser in the gallery for her talk in the Altman Program.

“We want to highlight the combination of art and science,” said Jack Green, the director and chief curator of the art museum. “We believe that the exhibition will appeal to people interested in [both disciplines].”

The gallery displays a range of different art forms, from classic oil on canvas paintings to ceramic faucets representing water contamination and a geographic map created from the pigments found in acid mine drainage. The artwork highlights the intersection of art and science while showcasing the harsh realities of en-

GRAPHIC BY CAITLIN DOMINSKI “TURF ROLL S SERIES” BY LETICIA R. BAJUYO STANDS FRONT AND CENTER WITHIN THE GALLERY. PHOTO BY SARAH FROSCH

vironmental degradation.

The process of curating the entire exhibition took many months, with plenty of opportunities for students to get involved. Jessica Pierce, a studio art major with an art history minor, worked as a student intern under Shaiman. Pierce participated in researching artists and their artwork for display, working on labels and signage and the layout of the exhibition within the gallery, all to highlight how science can be transformed into art.

“We were trying to stay pretty neutral and keep it just factual,” Pierce said. “So that’s why we have it so science-based, it’s just really to present the facts and then how artists are taking those facts and communi-

cating them.”

While many responses to climate change can be negative, art included, Shaiman and Green wanted to inspire museum-goers. The exhibition is split into two parts: the first shows the problems that arise from environmental harm, while the second part highlights activism through art.

At the end of the activism side, there is a Post-It board for people to leave their thoughts.

Along with reaching wider audiences, Green sees the exhibition as a way for the university to make a statement about its commitment to promoting sustainability. The museum makes an effort to be socially conscious, working to display exhibitions that highlight underrepresented communities and touch on issues of social justice.

“I hope that people go to the museum and [understand] that you can learn about art history, and you can learn about science,” Pierce said.

The exhibition has been open for just over two weeks, and there is still ample opportunity to experience this unique exhibition. With many environmentally-focused events being held at the museum this semester, those involved with the museum hope to continue reaching the wider Miami community. nortonsm@miamioh.edu

CANVASES LINE THE HALLWAY LEADING TO OTHER EXHIBITIONS. PHOTO BY SARAH FROSCH

A CHALKBOARD PROMPTS MUSEUM-GOERS TO LEAVE A NOTE. PHOTO BY SARAH FROSCH

THE ACTIVISM SIDE OF THE EXHIBITION HOPES TO INSPIRE MUSEUM-GOERS. PHOTO

BY SARAH FROSCH

SARAH KENNEL STAFF WRITER Miami University is no stranger in the race to claim carbon neutrality. The university plans to achieve the title of carbon neutral by 2040 — but this does not necessarily mean producing zero carbon emissions.

A key method in obtaining carbon neutrality — emitting no more carbon into the atmosphere than you are taking out — is carbon offsetting.

“Any university in the U.S. right now which says they’re carbon neutral, they are buying carbon offsets,” said Olivia Herron, director of sustainability at Miami University.

The idea of carbon offsetting is funding a project that will take carbon out of the atmosphere or prevent emissions, to balance emissions created by the institution. This can be done by purchasing certificates “confirming” how many metric tons of carbon the investment will prevent from accumulating. This number is then subtracted from the purchasing institution’s emissions. However, this strategy comes with a fair share of uncertainties and critiques.

Amy Sullivan, assistant teaching professor with the department of biology and Project Dragonfly, compares the carbon offset market to the wild west. Currently, few regulations exist apart from nonprofits that work to verify the projects. Sullivan believes this can put offset purchases at risk of “funding” projects that would have taken place anyway, such as saving a forest that never would have been cut down, and lead to general calculation issues across project types.

Due to the diversity of the market, calculating the amount of carbon pulled out of the atmosphere and putting a price to the offset certificate can be difficult.

“It’s going to be project-specific.

It’s going to be landscape-specific, and the market doesn’t want that.

It wants kind of a uniformity that is difficult in the natural world,” Sullivan said.

The strategy also involves ethical uncertainties, as institutions that want to claim carbon neutrality can buy offsets from this market rather than reduce their own emissions.

The carbon offsets subcommittee for Miami’s Climate Action Task Force had similar concerns. Because of this, the university will begin its course of action by starting to “draw

down” instead of carbon offsetting.

To draw down carbon emissions means to reduce them at the source.

Herron said that for Miami, this means changes such as transitioning from steam to geothermal heating and working towards getting solar power on campus.

Miami’s target is to draw down on 90% of carbon emissions, but certain areas are tricky to reduce, such as commuter emissions and university-sponsored air travel. This is where Miami most anticipates the use of carbon offsets. However, due to the current uncertainties of the market, Herron says Miami won’t purchase new carbon offsets until at least 2035.

This strategy differs from schools that have already reached carbon neutrality, such as the University of Michigan, where carbon offsets played a substantial role. Lisa Ellram, Rees distinguished professor of supply chain management and chair of Miami’s carbon offsets subcommittee, said Miami’s plan allows the university to put more money and energy into longer-term solutions to reduce emissions.

“If you’re spending money on carbon offsets, you don’t have that money to spend on mitigation. Mitigation is an investment, and carbon offsets are an expense,” Ellram said.

Herron is also an advocate for investing time and money in directly cutting emissions on campus before offsetting it elsewhere. She said carbon offsets can also be created internally, which would allow projects to be closer to the community and easier to keep track of. Reducing emissions with solar power at the Hamilton campus is one avenue being considered.

“I think looking inward is really the way to go,” Sullivan said.

Herron said Miami is cautiously optimistic that in the future, carbon offsets will be better regulated. For now, both Ellram and Herron think it best to wait until there is better verification for externally purchased offsets and learn how going carbon neutral can be focused on the local community.

“That requires more time and patience and actual work here in Oxford,” Herron said, “but we think that’s a good thing.” kennelse@miamioh.edu

How one student organization keeps residence hall recycling on track

ECOREPS MEMBERS LOOK FOR RECYCLABLE ITEMS. PHOTO PROVIDED BY AUSTIN SMITH

FARMAH JALLOW THE MIAMI STUDENT Recycling may be an easy option when it comes to disposing of trash in most places on campus, but how do students sort their trash where they live? EcoReps’s biannual trash audits seek to provide an answer.

EcoReps, an organization that promotes sustainable living in Miami residential halls, has been completing a trash audit each semester since 2016. Members weigh trash from halls, sort out what could have been recycled and generate a percentage of total waste that could have been recycled.

Numbers vary, but the fall 2023 audit revealed figures as low as 4% at Young Hall, and as high as 25% at Dodds Hall. EcoReps also notes trends, availability of recycling bins — Hahne Hall had no recycling bin as of the 2023 audit — and odd standouts in their discoveries.

Lily Burbridge, a senior studying environmental earth science and member of an EcoReps leadership team, said the club is working to apply their findings to improve outreach.

“We’ve noticed that last semester we kind of had some gaps [in recycling], but the idea is that once we complete the trash audit, the EcoRep

that lives in that building or whoever’s responsible for that building would send out that information,” Burbridge said.

The information is then compiled and delivered to residents with suggestions on how to improve recycling habits “We send out those emails to hopefully teach people a little bit more about what should and shouldn’t be recycled,” Burbridge said.

Providing information about recycling is only one part of what EcoReps plans to do. With the implementation of tech like the OSCAR smart recycling assistant in the Armstrong Student Center, Burbridge hopes to see EcoReps help use the data for more extensive recycling programs.

What began as a simple survey of the contents of trash in a few halls has since expanded into a campus-wide review of what residents throw away, from unopened food to unworn clothing. In recent semesters, members have been calculating the percentage of trash containing food waste.

Food waste numbers vary from hall to hall but reached as high as 27% at Minnich Hall in the fall 2023 audit.

While students at some halls feel that their hallmates recycle well, they echo a concern that food waste in particular is handled poorly.

“There’s [recycling bins] in our rooms, in the halls, and then larger

ones, so I feel like people in Hillcrest the specific needs of each dorm may do a good job of recycling or at least allow for more intuitive sustainability try to,” said Ciara Cyprien, a first-year planning.

“We want to make sure that all of Hillcrest Hall resident studying kinesiology. “A lot of food waste could be our residents and anyone who can get this information gets it,” Burbridge disposed of better.”

One challenge to organizing co- said. hesive waste reduction and recycling jallowfa@miamioh.edu efforts in halls is how varied waste handling can be from dorm to dorm.

The last audit was heavy with inconsistencies in how residence halls set up their trash stations.

It showed that each hall tends to employ its own trash systems and ways of telling residents what to dispose of, and how and where to do so.

Consequently, the trash audit data of residence halls that are similar in size or population, or close in distance, can be completely different. Hillcrest had a recyclable percentage of 11%, while nearby Hodge Hall had only 4%.

To push back on this issue, EcoReps plans on having a representative at each dormitory.

Having ECOREPS HAS FOUND THAT RECYCLING HABITS VARY GREATsolutions tailored to LY BETWEEN DORMS. PHOTO PROVIDED BY AUSTIN SMITH

Opinion

16

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

Why sorority recruitment shouldn’t define your college journey

GRAPHIC BY ERIN MCGOVERN

HALLE GRANT COLUMNIST In the winter of 2022, I found myself navigating the intricacies of Miami University’s sorority recruitment. The hybrid model allowed me to speak to different chapters on Zoom from the comfort of my dorm room and, yes, wear pajama pants all day instead of heels.

An unexpected snowstorm threw in a few curveballs and additional days of Zoom recruitment, leaving

only the preference round and bid day in person. I found this to be surprisingly comforting as someone who isn’t that outgoing. I couldn’t imagine talking face-to-face to girls for two weekends in a row.

I won’t downplay it — the sorority recruitment process is mentally taxing. The continuous flow of conversations, coupled with the anxiety of potential rejections each round, can significantly impact your well-being.

While sorority recruitment can be fun and has the potential to enhance

your college experience, it’s crucial not to let it define your four years.

Don’t take it too seriously or overthink it; it’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t go the way you want it to.

Though I was so happy to have ended up where I did at the end of the process, there were days following when even thinking about answering a FaceTime call from my mom or little sister seemed overwhelming.

The sheer exhaustion from the constant interactions left me drained, requiring days at a time to recharge my social battery. Even now, having been on the recruiting side for the past two years, I still find it essential to take some time for myself to recharge.

My biggest piece of advice is simple: don’t let the end result consume you or control your college experience.

It’s meant to be a supplementary, enjoyable facet of your academic journey, not an all-encompassing identity.

While I’ve found some of my closest and most meaningful friendships from sorority life, it’s crucial to recognize that genuine connections can flourish in various extracurricular activities or even classes.

At Miami’s mid-sized campus, you’ll likely have familiar faces in your classes throughout your four years.

I’ve formed close bonds in my major

and minor classes simply by saying hello to the person next to me on the first day of class and then seeing them in many other courses later on.

Meaningful connections are also possible through a part-time on-campus job, even if it’s just a few hours a week for extra cash. In this environment, you can participate in friendly banter with coworkers and get to know people you might not have expected to meet otherwise. The key is to initiate friendships by getting involved on campus or simply by greeting the person next to you in class.

Stepping back and evaluating the Greek life experience from a detached standpoint can give you a different perspective. Looking at it from the outside when I was going through recruitment helped me recognize that at the end of the day, it’s really not that deep. We’re on the brink of entering the real world, where these group names and planned events quickly lose their over-hyped significance.

Being a part of Greek life can be undeniably fun, but only if you approach it with the right mindset. It’s a supplement to your college experience, not the defining factor.

As we navigate our four years here at Miami, it’s important to remember

that these extracurriculars, whether hugely time-consuming or not, are just that — a temporary, fun addition to the college experience.

So, if your recruitment process didn’t go as planned, don’t let it shake your world. It’s not the be-all, end-all.

The friendships and memories made along the way will far outweigh the initial hiccups. granthn@miamioh.edu

Halle Grant is a junior majoring in strategic communication with minors in marketing and journalism.

She has been writing columns for The Student for three years and also teaches spinning classes at the recreation center.

McVey Data Science building: Modern marvel or futuristic facade?

GRAPHIC BY HANNAH POTTS

Embrace your childhood interests again TAYLOR POWERS THE MIAMI STUDENT I’m 18 years old, and I still sleep with stuffed animals.

I’m not embarrassed. I’m not ashamed to say I drift off to sleep every night accompanied by Winnie the Pooh and a brown bear wearing a Miami University shirt. As a kid, I tucked my plush friends under the covers and hugged them before falling asleep.

Maybe “Toy Story” had a profound effect on me. Maybe I was such an extremely empathic kid that my love crossed the boundaries of fabric and plush.

But, I’m not alone. According to a 2017 survey from Build-A-Bear, 40% of adults sleep with a stuffed animal.

More than 25% of shoppers at BuildA-Bear are at least 12 years old, according to the CEO. The company now has a section on its website for adults.

Even my friends enjoy buying stuffed animals and covering their beds with them. My roommate has hers all stacked in a corner, some aesthetically matching in color scheme.

Lots of us are finding ourselves drawn to our childhood interests again. Whether it’s nostalgic cartoons, video games, collectible items or anything else, things once labeled “childish” are now being loved again by adults.

Pokémon, for example, is currently a shared interest among my friends. Two of them say the recent game releases, Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, sparked their interest again.

Even in adulthood, they continue expanding the card collections that started in their youth. They share photos of binders with pages of cards, each displayed in its own laminated slot. They geek out over the incredibly detailed card designs.

They don’t care about the rarity or monetary value of the cards; they just enjoy collecting again.

I couldn’t tell you a single thing about Pokémon, but watching their faces light up while talking about it is enough to keep me interested.

It’s not just my friends indulging in childhood interests again, it’s the general public as well. Look at the response to the “Barbie” movie. Not only was it successful at the box office, but people came to theaters with head-to-toe pink attire.

STUDENTS NAVIGATED THE STRANGELY DESIGNED BUILDING FOR THE FIRST TIME. PHOTO BY JAKE RUFFER

CAMILA LOPEZ-DIAZ THE MIAMI STUDENT

OFTEN STUFFED ANIMALS ARE A GREAT WAY TO EMBRACE YOURI INNER CHILD. PHOTO BY TAYLOR POWERS

Barbie sales went up as adult women started buying Barbie dolls again to heal their inner child. The movie encouraged women to embrace girlhood again. So many people are coming back to the things they loved as kids.

The best part? No one is hiding it.

My friend loves wearing his Snorlax pajama pants. Another wears her Sonic the Hedgehog socks all the time. I walked behind someone with Minecraft and Five Nights at Freddy’s keychains on their backpack, and I rode the elevator with someone wearing a “Monster High” themed varsity jacket.

College can be the prime time for engaging with your former selves.

When you begin to gain independence from your parents as a child, it can be a scary experience. So, children want something to cling to as a source of comfort. This is called a “transitional object,” and it helps children adapt to life’s changes.

It’s no surprise that as we enter adulthood, leave home for the first time and take the steps to become fully independent, we may come back to these sources of comfort to help us work through feelings of uncertainty.

Whether it’s nostalgia, an update to the original product or a need for comfort bringing us back, we’re finding a new love and appreciation for things that made up our childhood.

We’re rejecting the expectation that we should be interested in more

“mature” things.

We’re letting ourselves grow, but not out of our interests.

You’re never too old to buy that Pokémon pack. You’re never too old for that Lego set. You’re never too old to sleep with a stuffed animal.

You’re never too old to be a child again. powerstj@miamioh.edu

Taylor Powers is a firstyear double majoring in journalism as well as media and communication from Trenton, Ohio. This is her first year with The Student, where she is a multi-section contributor.

“This looks like a community college from the Marvel cinematic universe.”

That was my first thought upon entering Miami University’s new McVey Data Science building. The new building houses the departments of Emerging Technology in Business and Design (ETBD), statistics, computer science and software engineering.

As I continued to explore, the building only continued to weird me out. The overall aesthetic of McVey is different from Miami’s traditional buildings like McGuffey or Upham, which exude a run-down charm that captures a sense of antiquity. The stark contrast between these two worlds at Miami makes me wonder, what is this for? Or better yet, who is this for?

The answer isn’t entirely clear but I know this much: It wasn’t made for students.

As a student in ETBD, it seems fairly odd that a building centered around “innovation” and “accessible design” would be so strange to navigate. While not as notoriously confusing as Bachelor Hall, McVey is one of the most unusually structured buildings I’ve ever been in.

Everything from the stairs to the bizarre classroom placement seems to have been placed with no rhyme or reason. Also, I cannot fathom why the sterile, hospital-esque appearance we’ve seen in the clinical health sciences building is in vogue. Even in the realm of health and science, a space devoid of warmth and character tends to be counterproductive, as it hinders the creative and collaborative aspects that are crucial to each of these fields.

But perhaps there’s a method to this madness. As I soon discovered, McVey isn’t just a new building; it’s a showcase, a beacon of modernity strategically positioned to impress.

Its complex layout may not cater to the needs of students trying to find their way to class, but it certainly serves as an ideal backdrop for college tours.

As Miami continues to face financial strain, with majors being axed and university staff being let go, McVey stands as a symbol of prosperity. The building is a state-

ment to prospective students and their parents that despite any financial hardship, Miami remains at the forefront of innovation and progress.

It’s a carefully constructed facade designed to entice and reassure, ensuring that the allure of the institution remains at full strength — even in times of uncertainty.

McVey may not be the most student-friendly structure, but it undeniably plays a crucial role in marketing the university to potential attendees. The investment seems aimed at attracting not just students, but also more funding, as the university grapples with the harsh realities of post-COVID budget constraints.

However, I also believe the university could have used some of this funding ($20 million) in other areas that directly impact student experience. With these funds, Miami could have improved existing facilities, expanded academic resources or enhanced student services. The decision to allocate substantial funds to a structure that prioritizes aesthetic appeal over the more pressing needs of Miami’s community raises questions about the university’s priorities and whether they truly are with students.

By putting this sum toward the new McVey building, Miami is showing its broader strategy. However, that strategy’s success remains uncertain and unproven. lopezdcp@miamioh.edu

Camila Lopez-Diaz is a third-year majoring in media and communication with an ETBD minor from Mason, Ohio. They contribute to The Student’s opinion section and are actively involved in their studies.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

17

Life is short: You don’t always need a summer internship SAM NORTON GREENHAWKS EDITOR It’s that time of year again. Handshake and LinkedIn are sending out barrages of emails with positions, professors are announcing opportunities for students to apply and the Career Center is holding its plethora of workshops.

Internship season has arrived.

This time of year can be overwhelming for college students. The semester has only just begun, and we’re already being told to start thinking about the summer and how that summer may impact the rest of our career.

Summer internships are held in high esteem, often higher than the classes we pay to take. I know this is not just a Miami University phenomenon, but it can feel like summer internships are labeled as absolutely crucial if we want to land a good job after graduation.

But, it can be exhausting to spend every waking moment working toward your future. So, I’ve decided to take a different approach to spending my summer.

I am a junior, so the summer of 2024 will be the last true summer break I ever have. It is extremely unlikely that I will ever have four months off (unless I become unemployed — uh oh) until I retire. Over winter break, this realization hit me like a truck, and that was when I decided to forgo an internship this summer.

I realized that I am young. I am free. I have the opportunity to do something different than what is institutionally expected. I decided that this summer, I would go on a great adventure.

I firmly believe that adventure is at the core of the human spirit. It is human nature to seek out exploration and yearn to be transformed by something grand. I have felt this yearning since I was a senior in high school, and I knew that I needed to answer the call of adventure that was tugging at my soul. That felt more important than any internship ever will be.

For me, this materialized itself in planning to hike the 500-mile Colorado Trail. I have always wanted to do a thru-hike — an extended hike over many weeks. As I approach a future that will hopefully entail a fulltime job and family (which, don’t get me wrong, I am also happily looking forward to), I realized this summer

GRAPHIC BY HANNAH POTTS

may be the last time I can answer that call to the fullest extent.

I also know that not everyone wants to sleep on the ground and not shower for days at a time. The decision to make the most out of this period of your life could be studying abroad over the summer, working in a beautiful area of the country for three months or any sort of transformative journey that you can envision.

I must be honest and recognize that this decision may have been easier for me than for others. I went through the stressful process of getting an internship last summer. I did not love the internship I was in and it made me realize that I wanted to do something more with my time as a college student. Nonetheless, I am still able to put it on my resume.

Perhaps, though, there can be substitutes during the semester for internships. Getting hands-on experience with a career-focused club like The Miami Student, doing research, getting involved in student government and many other opportunities

can get you the experience and resume-building material that employers will eventually look for.

Ironically, choosing to not get a future-focused internship has made me feel much better about my future. I feel elated knowing that for five weeks I am going to live life exactly how I want to, and Future Me will be thankful for the memories and experiences.

We can prepare for the future without sacrificing the incredible opportunities we have at this time in our lives.

Life is beautiful, but we only live it once. Take this miracle we have been given and squeeze every ounce of meaning and joy out of it. There is something greater out there for anyone who feels stuck, it is about choosing to chase after that which fills you with wonder.

I implore you to go on that adventure. Find what makes your heart soar. Let it change you, and bring it into your life. That internship will not define who you are. Only you can do that. nortonsm@miamioh.edu

Sam Norton is a third-year honors student majoring in biology with an environmental science co-major and journalism minor. He has been writing for The Student since his first year, won a regional SPJ award for his opinion columns, and is currently the GreenHawks and Assistant Opinion Editor.

Students need help and homework is the answer RILEY CRABTREE STAFF WRITER If I was asked whether I wanted another assignment in my course, my answer might surprise other college students.

Assignments, especially the reading and homework students are asked to complete, are the dread of many college students. No one jumps at the chance to read a 10-page PDF of Socrates’ writings or to complete three hours’ worth of online math equations a week.

I’ve never heard anyone say, “Please tell me we’ll be writing another lengthy research paper this week!”

Despite this, homework and outof-class assignments should be given more.

Homework is difficult. Most of the time, we’d rather be hanging out with friends or catching up on sleep.

Hardly anyone would deny that they would rather not have anything to do — even someone who loves their job.

It’s only natural that college students, who are supposed to be living out the best years of their lives, feel the same when their instructor posts a new assignment to Canvas.

Something I’ve come to realize, though, is college students need more work and assignments, both in and out of the classroom.

A University of Nebraska-Lincoln study found that student retention of course content increased if the professor administered consistent assignments rather than a more flexible assignment schedule.

Nearly everyone has experienced that class where the instructor only gives a midterm and final. You spend the semester worrying that you’ll flunk the exams. When you study, you have no idea what to expect or how the instructor grades. At the end of the day, there’s nothing else you can do to bring your grade up.

No one wants to be caught in that situation.

Students need more grades. They need to practice course material, and

Tools and tips for entering the job market from a graduating senior

GRAPHIC BY DREW KOEWLER

the classroom only allows students to meet and do so for a few hours a week.

It’s not nearly enough time to learn, and actually remember, everything.

I remember when I started to learn Italian last semester in ITL 101.

I expected to show up to class and learn a few phrases or vocabulary words a day and have them mastered. When I took the first exam a few weeks into the class, I learned a hard truth: I needed to put in more effort to pass.

Thankfully, my professor assigned readings with review activities for each class. Students in the class practiced writing sentences to read aloud. We recorded ourselves speaking Italian to get pointers on pronunciation and grammar.

At the end of the semester, I felt confident in my study habits and the concepts of the course, and I found myself with an “A” on the final. It’s because of that class and its heavier workload that I no longer view assignments as a hassle. I see them as an opportunity to improve my knowledge and boost my confidence in what I’m learning.

Michael Luke, a visiting assistant professor of political science, believes students can benefit from a healthy amount of homework.

“The assignments serve a purpose and people are getting something out of it that they can’t get out

of doing the reading,” Luke said.

“Making assignments that are more creative and critical in their thinking can help push students.”

We need more learning. We need more growth outside of the classroom and the chance to explore the content in depth.

Not only can additional assignments bolster our grades, but they can also bolster our self-confidence and our ability to succeed at Miami and beyond. crabtrr@miamioh.edu

GRAPHIC BY JOSIE ZIMMERMAN

ABBEY ELIZONDO SENIOR STAFF WRITER I can’t believe it’s the spring semester of my last year at Miami.

There are so many things I want to do and accomplish before my time here is over. Add career and job search to all those things, and I become overwhelmed with responsibilities and expectations.

My first piece of advice: Don’t panic. Whether you’re a senior who doesn’t know what your plans are after graduation or a junior worried about a summer internship, take a deep breath and think about the end goal of securing a job that fulfills you.

Different companies hire at different points in the year and in different ways. The more active you are on job boards, connecting with alumni in your field and researching career paths, the more you can learn about where you could be in the next six months.

More importantly, you also need balance. Looking for a job can be a full-time job itself, but you have to remember that you’re a student. The courses you’re taking need your attention, and so do your friends.

Once you stretch yourself too thin, you’ll wind up sick and tired come spring break. Trust me, I’ve been there, and I know you have too.

My second piece of advice: Don’t get overwhelmed by options. Miami offers a plethora of career resources, research opportunities, interview help and more. You name it, it’s here.

Even as a senior, I feel drowned in options when it comes to the Career Center. It’s become difficult to decide whether workshops will be helpful or if mock interviews will actually improve my skills. Ask yourself what you need to know to succeed after graduation or even in this semester.

If it’ll help, you should do it.

You could go to a workshop and realize the experience wasn’t as useful for your search. Maybe a one-onone appointment would suit you better. The hard truth is that everyone will have their own job or internship path — and that’s OK. My third piece of advice: Don’t believe what you read on the internet. Shocking, right?

I’ve come across a lot of business influencers since I started my job search (thanks, Instagram), and they all have their own tagline claiming that their product can make you stand out in the job field. I’ve clicked links and subscribed to email lists just out of curiosity to see if these people might be legit.

I have yet to find an influencer who gives out free advice. Often, they use case studies to promote their career program for $500 or more. But wait, there’s more! You can get this training at a reduced price just because you signed up on this date!

Right.

Little do they know that I’ve seen too many infomercials to fall for the “special treatment” line. There are too many free

resources out there for you to learn about the career you want, so use those. Don’t fall for the cash grabs.

And if you feel like you’re applying without any responses or interviews, there may be a whole other reason. In recent years, companies have started posting “ghost jobs.”

According to Business Insider, ghost jobs are posted for a variety of reasons. Companies may want to artificially boost their growth by posting more jobs, others may keep their postings open all the time just to see if people are interested.

While being ghosted by an employer is hard — especially if you liked the position — you can still combat endless application burnout.

Start cold emailing. This can be through email or your LinkedIn page. Give them your name, your educational background and what you want out of the connection. This could be job search help, career advice or informal interviewing that could lead to a job — the choice is yours.

Don’t overthink the job description. If there’s mismanagement with job postings, can you imagine how many descriptions are recycled over and over? Pull out a few keywords, throw them into your resume or CV where relevant, and keep going.

Apply for jobs on company sites, not LinkedIn or other job boards.

This may not prevent companies from ghosting you, but there’s a chance they manage their company job site better than LinkedIn, which can sometimes take months or years to be updated.

As a senior, going into the postCOVID job market with all these options of remote, hybrid and flexible work schedules can add to the stress of getting a job offer. I believe in the seniors and every other class here at Miami because we’re resilient.

Once summer comes, regardless of what your plans are, know that you invested time in your future and the friends you made along the way.

Despite the stress, it will work out. @earlgreyincense elizonar@miamioh.edu

Abbey Elizondo is a senior double-majoring in professional and creative writing, with a minor in digital marketing.

She has been with The Student for a little more than two years and is a senior staff writer.

Are you a: • writer • photographer • designer • or illustrator?

Riley Crabtree is a sophomore double-majoring in journalism and political science. She’s from Jackson, Ohio, and has been with The Miami Student for two years.

Visit miamistudent.net to Join the TMS Team!

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Photo

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

Valentine’s fun in Oxford

BOUQUETS FLOODED OUT THE DOOR AT OXFORD FLOWER SHOP INTO THE AFTERNOON. PHOTO BY JAKE RUFFER

SHOPPERS PICK OUT FLOWERS AND BALLOONS FROM KROGER. PHOTO BY JAKE RUFFER

JUNIOR NUTRITION MAJORS STEPHANIE SELVAGGIO (ABOVE) AND MALIA JOHNS (BELOW) PAINT WINE GLASSES AT A GALENTINE’S PARTY. PHOTOS BY JESSICA MONAHAN.

STUDENTS PAINT AND HAVE BEVERAGES AT THE RICHARD AND CAROLE COCKS ART MUSEUM. PHOTO BY SARAH FROSCH

BETA THETA PI FRATERNITY GIVES OUT FLOWERS AT THEIR CHAPTER HOUSE. PHOTO BY JAKE RUFFER TREATS WERE PREPARED FOR PARTIES WITH FRIENDS ALONGSIDE SPECIAL SOMEONES. PHOTO BY JESSICA MONAHAN