The
Minnesota State University Mankato
www.msureporter.com
Tunnel of Oppression shows viewpoints of disadvantaged Dept. of Residential Life seeks to educate students on different oppressions other face
Photos by Katie Leibel
KATIE LEIBEL Staff Writer The Tunnel of Oppression was an event held in the basement of Carkoski Commons at Minnesota State University, Mankato. The event was sponsored by the Department of Residential Life and was inspired by many others similar to it held at different colleges nationwide. The goal was to educate the students about the different forms of oppression many
face on campus and in the country. It was held Jan. 29-31 from 7 to 9 p.m. to give as many students as possible a chance to walk through it and explore. Inside the Tunnel of Oppression were videos, posters, and activities related to the struggles many encounter. The first room contained posters and videos about rape culture, stereotypes and cultural appropriation. The rooms were interconnected with hallways that had
posters about gender norms, becoming self-aware and information about the LGBTQ+ community. The next room over had an activity where the goal was to fit oneself and a wheelchair into the dimensions of a bathroom stall, which displayed ableism in society. The activities in the tunnel were meant to educate students of the different struggles that many encounter and inform those that may have faced these forms of oppression that they
are not forgotten. The creators of this event know that not every form of oppression was represented and they hope to change that down the line. “We hope in the future to work with other offices on campus to make it bigger and better and allencompassing,” Brice Matthews of the Department of Residential Life said. Their objective is to keep this event going for future years and expand it to hold as many forms of oppression
as possible. “Our main goal is education,” Julia A. Sears Hall Director Becky Gwinn stated. “To educate people on the different areas of oppression that aren’t necessarily talked about, but affect people on campus.” The department hopes to continue this event again in the years to come and teach acceptance and selfawareness to the students of MNSU.
What scholarships are you eligible for?
EMMANUELLA SHOKARE Staff Writer From Feb. 1 to Feb. 28, individual academic departments at MNSU will be giving out scholarships in which all students are encouraged to apply for via the online Scholarship Finder. The scholarships could be of great help to college students as they can help
TODAY’S FEATURED STORIES
reduce tuition and fees and also help reduce the amount of money that might be spent on college less overall. “The key to scholarships is the essay” said Tyler Heu, Financial Aid director. “The amount of time you put into applying and the more you apply for a scholarship, the higher the chances of getting it.” Most of the scholarships have their own requirements, such as an essay or specific qualities for the desired applicants, like a certain majors or GPA requirement. Some are only available for incoming freshman students.
Others, however, are more general scholarships open to everyone. Students are encouraged
last minute. When applying for scholarships, it is best if students put their time into applying for the scholarships
“Don’t just limit yourself to one or two; apply for as many as you qualify for.”
to start applying for the scholarships from the start date and not at the very
that best fits him or her. But don’t just limit yourself to one or two; apply for as many
How to beat the winter blues
Super Bowl 52 Preview
Maverick softball ready to repeat
Page 3
Page 13
Page 14
as you qualify for. “The more you apply, the more chance you can get a scholarship,” Heu said. There are also some scholarships that are not advertised such as scholarships offered at a Student-Parent Workplace scholarships. Students can also apply for those once and should not disregard them. Aside from the scholarships that some of MNSU departments are offering, there are also some
SCHOLARSHIPS PAGE 3
Have a story idea or a comment? EMAIL
News Editor Alissa Thielges alissa.thielges@mnsu.edu