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tan cardinal
otterbein university wednesday, may 2, 2012 vol. 93, issue 29 www.otterbein360.com
Women’s soccer plays U.S. Deaf Team Romney receives rough reaction 2 kick it:
Otterbein’s book of campus records 4
Breaking Dawn into Otterbein athletics 8
Hail and rain didn’t stop the Otterbein women’s soccer team and the U.S. National Deaf Team from squaring off at the Crew Stadium Saturday. photo by blythe malone
news
Tan & Cardinal
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t&c editorial staff
Mike Cirelli Lindsay Paulsen Katie Taggart Dennison Sleeper
Editor-in-Chief News Editor Assistant News Editor
Opinion Editor Laina Thompson Arts & Entertainment Editor Ally Nagle Sports Editor Chelsea Coleman Copy Editor Josh Park Copy Editor Kristen Davis Photography Editor Blythe Malone Photography Editor Anna Schiffbauer Business Manager Danielle Lanning Assistant Business Manager Lindsey Hobbs Web Editor contributing staff Steven Collins Tyler Dubiak Andrew Miller Sarah Patashinsky Holly Takach contact us 614-823-1159 TCeditor@otterbein360.com Tan & Cardinal Otterbein University Westerville, OH 43081 advertising For advertising information, contact Anna Schiffbauer at 614-823-1159 or by email at sales@otterbein360.com policies The views expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the faculty and administration of Otterbein University. Opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the writer and not of the newspaper staff. Positions in unsigned editorials represent a consensus of the editorial staff. The first copy of the Tan & Cardinal is free to the public. Each additional copy is $0.50, and payment can be made at the office at 33 Collegeview, Westerville, OH 43081. Offenders will be prosecuted. The T&C staff would love to hear from you. Write a letter to the editor and tell us what you’re thinking. Letters to the editor are letters responding to a writer or an article published in the Tan & Cardinal. Please keep your letter to 300 words or less. It is at the discretion of the Tan & Cardinal staff as to whether or not the letter will be published. Letters attacking an individual will not be accepted. Letters must include the author’s first and last name, signature, phone number, address and affiliation to Otterbein University.
By invitation only Romney’s speech limited student attendance
students should borrow money from their parents to pay for their education, continues to After presidential candidate make the rounds of the broadMitt Romney visited campus cast news outlets. Gatti also said to talk about the that national national economy coverage of and challenges that I believe that (Romthe event was graduating seniors positive for the face, students and ney) could make a school. staff are weighing According in on whether the huge difference in to vice president closed-door event for Business was worth the dis- America, and of course Affairs Rebecca ruption. Vazquez-Skillings The event was meeting him will im- the campaign is open only to invited reimbursing the participants, includ- pact my vote. school for all exing seven students penses, including involved in a round staff overtime, table discussion Kelsey Gorman and will be billed with Romney. Five at the standard senior, psychology and more students were rental rate for invited to stand on public relations Riley Auditorium stage during Romand other faciliney’s speech to the 200 invited ties. guests in Battelle’s Riley Audi“I’m working on gathertorium, according to Dean of ing the expenses now from the Student Affairs, Robert Gatti. various departments impacted by Overall, Otterbein officials this,” Vazquez-Skillings said. said they were pleased with RomStudent reviews of Romney’s ney’s campus appearance, but visit were mixed. they wished more students could Senior psychology and public have participated. relations major and invited “I was hoping more students participant Kelsey Gorman could participate… but the fact said, “I believe that (Romney) that a presidential candidate could make a huge difference in came to our campus and spent America, and of course meeting two hours with us, and asked him will impact my vote.” seven of our students their Senior English major Jeff opinions, I think speaks a lot for Kintner wasn’t invited to parour university and our students,” ticipate. His Friday class was Gatti said. cancelled so he stood with other A video clip from Romney’s students and protestors outside Otterbein speech, where he said of Battelle. By not letting the BY ANDREW MILLER Contributing Writer
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& 4/28
A student was assaulted at 79 S. Grove St. at 1:55 a.m.
4/28
At 2:16 a.m., a student was assaulted at 79 S. Grove St.
POLICE REPORT
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According to the Otterbein University Police Daily Crime Log, the following has been reported from April 28-29.
wednesday, may 2, 2012 majority of students in, he said issue invitations you’re at the Romney disrespected them. mercy of the speaker to accept “It shows he has no intention or not,” she said. of hearing opposing viewpoints. The Romney event was not As much as I didn’t identify with due to a university invitation, McCain’s politics, at least he let Krendl said, and that was why it everyone in who wanted to hear was the campaign’s decision as him speak,” he said. to how the event was run and Gatti said that the university which facility it was held in. has been approached several One thing almost everyone times over the years to host difseems to agree on is that, at ferent campaigns and events. the least, Romney should have The last similar event was in opened his speech up to a larger 2008, when John McCain held a audience. presidential campaign rally at the “I think his speech should Rike Center, which was open to have been open to the public,” the public and reportedly drew senior math major and invited 6,000 attendees. participant Jeff Fabus said. “It “What was unusual this time would’ve been a great opportuniis that it interfered with classes,” ty for Otterbein students to listen Gatti said. “Normally we’d do to his thoughts on the economy this on the weekend so it isn’t so so they can be better informed disruptive—so this is something voters.” we’ll have to re-evaluate.” Senior education major Despite student complaints Lauren Sweezey and invited that Otterbein primarily hosts participant said that she thought conservative and religious speak- Romney made more enemies ers, Krendl said than supporters the school’s with the closedspeaker invitaevent, but Romney disrespected us door tions are balanced that she was glad across political by not letting the ma- for the opportuboundaries. nity to provide “When we did jority of us in to hear her opinion. Opportunity Na“I thought it tion (in March), him speak. was a little silly we sent invites to not to have the Hillary Clinton, speech open Michelle Obama Jeff Kintner to the public,” and Madeleine Sweezey said. Albright, as well senior, English “And I now see as others like how complicated Condoleezza and tiring it must Rice, but not all of them were be for the candidates, but it was able to commit. We try to reach refreshing to be heard by someacross the political spectrum,” one in the political spotlight,” Krendl said. she said. “I think it’s important to rept&c resent the diversity of opinions across campus, but after you
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Davis Hall
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Engle Hall
4/28 The legs of a pool table were broken at Davis Hall. It was reported as criminal damage.
4. 4/29 A student was charged with underage possession of alcohol at Engle Hall.
79 S. Grove St. inFoRmation compileD by katie taGGaRt
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news
vol. 93, issue 29
www.otterbein360.com
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Dry campus policy does not apply to all
Hall directors are allowed to possess alcohol on university grounds because of their job and housing arrangements BY DANIELLE LANNING Assistant Business Manager
Although Otterbein is a dry campus and alcohol is prohibited in the residence halls even if a student is at the legal age of 21, it might be surprising that the hall directors are allowed to have alcohol on Otterbein’s campus. Tracy Benner, the director of Residence Life at Otterbein, said the policy is similar to those of a lot of other schools that are comparable to Otterbein. “The university doesn’t dictate that they follow student policy when they’re not students,” Benner said about the hall directors. Benner explained that “dry campus” is more of a term that is used because alcohol is actually allowed on university property but has restrictions as to when and where, like in the case of hall directors who are of age. “They are viewed as professionals and (the residence halls) are viewed as their full-time home,” Benner said.
According to Otterbein’s As a previous hall director Student Handbook, the Frank herself, Benner recalls that stuMuseum of Art also allows dents may have been aware that alcohol to be served for certain she was allowed to have alcohol occasions such as receptions by by seeing it inside of her fridge. following all the state regulations. She explained that hall direcOtterbein currently has tors having alcohol is usually a eight hall directors: question with one undergraduate undergrad student studying at and first-year The university doesn’t Otterbein who must students. follow the student dictate that they follow “Sometimes handbook and is not students permitted to have don’t see a student policy when alcohol on camdifference in pus, two graduate they’re not students. hall directors students studying at (compared Ohio State and five to themmaster’s level individ- Tracy Benner selves)… uals who are viewed so there is Director of Residence Life confusion as professionals. Benner is finishbetween who ing up her 12th year at Otterbein is allowed to do what,” Benner and said she doesn’t remember said. having any issues regarding hall Jennifer Mathews, a sophodirectors being allowed to have more early childhood education alcohol. She explained that there major, said that she didn’t know is no tolerance for hall directors the hall directors were allowed flaunting the fact that they are to have alcohol on campus. allowed to have alcohol. Mathews said, “I guess (hall
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directors shouldn’t be allowed to have alcohol), since they are living in the dorms and nobody else can.” Mary-Cate Anderson, a freshman allied health major, said she thinks hall directors should be allowed to have alcohol only if all 21 year olds are allowed to have alcohol, too. Bella Carfagna, a freshman education major, said, “But if it’s just the hall directors, then it seems really unfair.” Last year, a group of students looked at the policy and initiated conversations about where alcohol is allowed and how other institutions handle the matter. “Ultimately, I don’t think any recommendations for change occurred,” Benner said.
The renewed interest occurred last year as a result of the policy change that requires students to live on campus through their junior year, which is also when most students turn 21. The majority of students who live on campus are not yet 21, but many of the students who are live in the Commons. With the renewed interest in the alcohol policy, there have been discussions about limiting the location of alcohol use. Benner said that other schools that allow alcohol in some manner see a connection between more alcohol offenses and more serious crimes. “Alcohol is still really abused, so that makes it a bit of a struggle to create a proposal,” she said. t&c
&Say what?
Do you think it’s fair for hall directors to have alcohol? “No. If we aren’t allowed, they aren’t. The same rules apply to them on this campus.” –Noah Berry freshman vocal performance
“Yes. Since they are required to live on campus, and they are adults, they should legally be allowed to make responsible decisions for themselves.” –Brittany Traver sophomore actuarial science
“No. The campus is dry.”
“No. If the campus is dry, no one should be allowed to have alcohol regardless of their age or position.”
–Rachael Amundson junior art
–Andrew Szczerba sophomore vocal performance
New and improved crust! www.westervillepizzaprimo.com
photoS anD inFoRmation compileD by kRiSten Sapp
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Tan & Cardinal
arts & entertainment
wednesday, may 2, 2012
Collection of Otterbein’s most random records
The T&C compiles some of Otterbein’s most random school records, from the field to the Otter Bean Café An Otterbein student may not have the world record for the longest duration of living with scorpions, most spoons balanced on one’s face or longest fingernails, but we do have campuswide records for the professor who has been here the longest, the most purchased drink at the Otter Bean Café, sports records and many others. Broaden your knowledge of Otterbein with some interesting facts that many people don’t know. CONTRIBUTING STAFF TO THIS STORY INCLUDED: MIKE CIRELLI, LINDSAY PAULSEN, BLYTHE MALONE, STEVEN COLLINS AND SARAH PATASHINSKY
Record High and Low Temperatures for Westerville
For Westerville, Ohio, the record high temperature was 103 degrees on July 22, 1901. The record low was -27 degrees on January 21, 1994. That makes you think twice about complaining over the cold this winter.
101 Oldest Living Alumni
Sarah Wisleder is 101. She graduated in 1934. She was born July 10, 1910, in Illinois. At Otterbein she majored in French and English. She was involved in choir, OWLs and the literary society.
BY LAINA THOMPSON Arts & Entertainment Editor
photo pRoViDeD by FlickeR/eVeRtbaRneS
Football Records
Shane Rannebarger, 2001 graduate, holds multiple football records. In his career (1996-2001), he had the most rushing attempts (713) and the largest net rushing yardage (3,409 yards), and he scored the most points (258) and had the most touchdowns (43) in Otterbein history.
Most Career Points in Soccer
Most Purchased Item at the Otter Bean
Karren Beers, 2006 graduate, holds the record for the most career points scored in soccer. She scored a total of 98 points between the years of 2003-2006, a great number considering second place was only 28 points.
The Otter Bean Café sells about 55 hot or frozen Otter Bean Mochas per day, and it’s no surprise why: With white chocolate sauce, swirls of caramel and a stocking cap of whipped cream, this decadent drink sends enough sugar and caffeine into your noggin to keep you awake in even the most boring INST class.
photo by mike ciRelli
Most Career Volleyball Kills
Mandy Simmerman, 2001 graduate, holds the record for the most kills in volleyball. In her career that lasted from 1997-2001, she put fear in her opponents’ eyes 1,747 times.
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Longest teaching professor The professor who has been teaching at Otterbein the longest, continuously, is English professor Norman Chaney with 44 total years.
photo by blythe malone
Most Checked-Out Book at the Courtright Memorial Library
With 570 rentals, “Introductory and Intermediate Algebra for College Students, 3rd Edition,” is the most requested book at the Otterbein library. Despite its popularity, this big, green textbook, which has been on reserve its entire life at Otterbein, is in relatively good condition.
Tallest Horse at the Barn Sophomore Kelsie Bricker rides Jerry. He measures 17 hands tall, or 68 inches tall, at his withers.
t&c
68 photo by linDSay paUlSen
vol. 93, issue 29
arts & entertainment
Back to school
www.otterbein360.com
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Senior Celebration Fun • Food • Drink • Prizes
Thursday, May 17, from 6-8 p.m. Medallion Country Club
5000 Club Drive Westerville, OH 43082
Non-traditional students show college life through different eyes bookWoRm:
All seniors are welcome!
RSVP to kanderson@otterbein.edu by May 11
photo by blythe malone
The relaxation that adult student Rebecca Whitney found in reading led to a major in English.
With five kids at home, running a household and shuttling between soccer, music, dance, Scouts and church, finding motivation for college classes and homework can be tough. “It was always my goal to ANDREW finish (a bachMILLER elor’s degree), and the timing was finally good,” English major Rebecca Whitney said. Since her youngest child was starting school and her husband is an adjunct here, which is partly why she came to Otterbein, she said it is a great opportunity for her to take advantage of. Like Whitney, I similarly wanted to return to finish my degree. I have a family, house and I’m working two full-time jobs, so taking time for school is a real balancing act. Otterbein Director of Adult and Transfer Admission Mark Moffitt said that completion of personal goals, career opportunities and continuing lifelong learning are the top reasons he hears as to why people return to higher education. “Usually (adult learners) are working, have family obligations and are coming back on a parttime basis,” Moffitt said. “This spring semester we have 2,853 total students; 285 are in the adult learner category.”
That category is defined as 23 years old and above, with the majority of them transferring credit from other institutions, according to Moffitt. When I told my 5-yearold daughter about going back to school, she asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up. When I replied that I’d like to be a writer, she asked me what I really wanted to be. I knew the answer was that I want to be a successful parent—a rather complex goal that I didn’t try to explain to my daughter. Whitney agreed. “Success is looking back and seeing my children with good standards, well-developed goals and the determination to achieve them,” Whitney said. “My 16-year-old has confidence in me to help him because (of this). I’m managing my school work, which gives me confidence and happiness that carries over to them. “The fact is that if I can pull straight A’s, I can tell my kids that they can do it, too,” she said. These rewards don’t come easily, though. “Every student’s story is different, and the path can be a bumpy one, so we’re here to help solve their issues,” Moffitt said. Nursing student Emily Harold said Otterbein’s hybrid class format works well for her. She lives in Crestline and works fulltime for Ashland University as a clinical coordinator.
“I chose Otterbein because of its great reputation,” Harold said. “It takes about an hour and a half to get here, but since most of the classes are online, I’m able to do it.” Harold graduates this spring and wants to continue her education, hoping to become a faculty member at Ashland. According to Moffitt, the most popular programs for adult learners are connected to further career goals, in particular the business, communication and education programs. “Those programs have online and evening offerings,” Moffitt said. “If you do another program, then you’ll likely mix more with traditional students.” Mixing with traditional students provides an opportunity to engage perspectives we might not otherwise encounter. “I think everyone is really good at treating me as an equal student,” Whitney said. “Unfortunately, the student life where everything happens right here on campus, those things are a challenge.” Fellow English major Jordy Stewart is one of those traditional students. “Most adult learners I’ve had the privilege of sharing my learning experience with have brought more depth to class discussion,” Stewart said. “They’ve experienced the ‘real world’ and bring that scope of reality into the context of academic education.” t&c
Want to hear the best in music and sports? Tune in to WOBN 97.5 FM - your college radio station.
Make sure you don’t miss Girl Talk Tuesdays at 8 and the Cardinal Sports Wrap Mondays at 9
opinion
vol. 93, issue 29
Sophomore says Romney’s not ready
Sleeper analyzes Mitt Romney’s past and how his plans would affect the United States The race for the Republican presidential nomination has been an embarrassing affair this year. Debates were centered around personal attacks and rarely discussed actual plans for the country. The party has been DENNISON divided by SLEEPER differing levels of conservative fanaticism, and I think Ron Paul fell asleep at the podium a few times. Gingrich dropped out under the weight of his own troubled past (or maybe just his weight), Santorum had his name literally redefined (Google it), and Rick Perry’s attempt at being the next George Dubya Bush fell flat against criticism from the gay and minority communities. So now we are left with Mitt Romney, who succeeded basically because he hasn’t done enough to offend the country. He has done this by flip-flopping on multiple issues and lying low while the other candidates tore each other to shreds in a political sequel to “Mean Girls.” What do we really know about Mitt Romney? He seems so tame and naive at times, but what worries me is that he seems genuinely unprepared. He will say almost anything to please a crowd, and his views go from radically
www.otterbein360.com
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thUmbS Up thUmbS DoWn BY HOLLY TAKACH DENNISON SLEEPER Contributing Writer and Opinion Editor
AND
Theta Nu picked a theme for Greek Week that became even more relevant when, like in “The Hunger Games,” where typically only one party wins the competition, Theta Nu and TEM tied. all eyeS on mitt:
Romney spoke to a group of select students in Battelle last Friday.
decisive to being so vague he might as well be talking about the weather. But enough about the good things—let’s take a look at what makes Mitt Romney the man he is. For starters, his dad’s money. Despite his claims of being a champion of the working man, Romney inherited millions from his father, who was a politician and former head of American Motors. Romney attended an elite private high school before attending Harvard for law school. Romney expanded on this wealth when he was the head of investment firm Bain Capital, a company infamous for laying off thousands of workers to increase profits. The company has been criticized for its dishonest dealings on Wall Street, as well as being quoted by the former manag-
Check out Otterbein360.com for some Web-only stories on changes in Greek recruitment policies, budget cuts for the student TV station and options to cut down on summer internship costs. Scan the code for pictures from this weekend’s women’s soccer game.
ing director as “having a scheme where the rich got richer.” The Los Angeles Times reported that he even set up shell companies in the Cayman and Bermuda islands in order to funnel money through them and avoid heavy American taxes. As for job creation, under Mitt Romney’s leadership, Massachusetts ranked 47th among the 50 states in job creation and had a job growth rate of 0.9 percent, far behind the national average of over 5 percent. Romney has been quoted as saying, “Corporations are people,” a dangerous notion that leads to less taxes for big corporations and heavier taxes for the little guy. About the working class: Romney has a new tax cut set up for them. He wants to cut capital gains taxes for anyone earning $200,000 or less a year. The issue? Research by thinkprogress.org shows that around 74 percent of people in this category will not benefit from this because few households in this category even earn capital gains, which is defined as money earned from investments such as real estate, stocks and bonds. It does, however, benefit the wealthy that have access to capital gains. According to the Tax Policy Center, 67 percent of the entire benefit from lower capital gains tax rates goes to millionaires. Seventy-five percent of the benefit goes to the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans. This tax plan costs around $7 trillion and is supposed to have a focus on the middle class, but all the benefits suggest otherwise. He has flip-flopped on the issue of abortion before but
photo by blythe malone
currently believes that it is not a woman’s right to choose and that abortion should be illegal. He is also against gay marriage and has campaigned against it. In an interview with the Ohio News Network, Romney was asked about his position on the Blunt Amendment, a controversial bill that attacked contraception and health benefits, and he responded that he was against it. Moments after the interview ended, however, the Romney PR team redacted this statement and said he was confused by the question and actually supports the amendment. So basically what we have here is a wealthy businessman more concerned with the bottom line than the interests of the average American. Unless you are a superreligious millionaire, what can you possibly gain from electing this man? And speaking of religion, I am all for the freedom to believe in what you choose. But his religion expressly states that the Garden of Eden was in Missouri, that Jesus visited America and Native Americans are actually descendants of a lost Israeli tribe, and that God is a physical being who lives near a planet called Kolob. I don’t think I could trust the fate of our country, and the fate of our scientific endeavors, to a man who believes in faith over logic. This man is not evil, he is simply unprepared. And electing him in such a tumultuous time would be a disastrous mistake for our government and economy. t&c DENNISON SLEEPER IS A
SOPHOMORE JOURNALISM MAJOR AND THE OPINION EDITOR FOR THE t&c.
Quidditch is this Friday and a bunch of people
(hopefully) will be running around trying to throw and catch things while holding a broom between their legs. Players, let’s hope you have more coordination than I do.
Procrastination, because it means I’ve had
a pretty grand semester socially. I’ve also gotten really good at Tetris.
Procrastination, because end-of-the-term
projects are due soon and productivity is now a requirement.
Otterbein was on “The Daily Show,” displaying students with expressions as bland as Romney’s speech.
When Taco Bell runs out of beef. C’mon, aren’t you known for solving the latenight munchies issue?
sports 7 A different kind of opponent, but same game www.otterbein360.com
vol. 93, issue 29
Otterbein women’s soccer faced the U.S. National Deaf Team for a spring exhibition game at Crew Stadium BY TYLER DUBIAK Staff Writer
Walking to the ticket window, rain continued to pour down as the cold winds got stronger and stronger. The temperature for the day was in the 40s and the sun hid behind the clouds, making the sky dark. However, with all of those weather distractions, the Otterbein women’s soccer team and the U.S. women’s deaf team still squared off for an exhibition match at Crew Stadium. The Cardinals pulled off a 4-1 victory over the U.S. team. The game was an exhibition game, but it created a new experience for all of the players. Stacy Messner, one of the players for the U.S. Deaf Team, said, “Some people tend to be afraid of deaf people, but this event really opens it up for everyone. ... It’s a great experience
to see what it’s like and not be afraid of it. We all have common interests of playing sports, being with our friends and being active.” The team is currently preparing for the World Deaf Football Championships in Ankara, Turkey, this July and the 22nd Summer Deaflympic Games in 2013. Otterbein Head Coach Brandon Koons saw this game as a great experience for his players, as they would be playing a competitive national team in Crew Stadium. “They contacted me and wanted to test their players’ skills for the upcoming world championships and Deaflympics,” he said. Koons believed that playing a competitive national team would give his players good experience during the spring. He also said it
even got him thinking about the upcoming fall 2012 season and how they could improve from this exhibition. “In the spring, we focus a lot on learning and getting better, and then in the fall we put all of it to the test.”
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It’s a great experience to see what it’s like. We all have common interests of playing sports, being with our friends and being active.
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Stacy Messner U.S. National Deaf Team
The crowd might have looked small due to the size of the stadium, but they made up for it in cheers and excitement. In the first half, the Cards scored two goals before the U.S. team scored its only goal in the game. During the second half, Otterbein’s goalie, freshman Melissa Zang, collided with one of the U.S. players, causing injury to Otterbein’s goalie. Koons then sent in a backup and walked over to the other team, asking if the Cards could use their goalie that played in the first half. Coach Yon Struble of the U.S. team agreed and sent her in. She was the goalie for Otterbein for the remainder of the game. The Cards would add on two more goals, one near the beginning of the second half and another two minutes before the game ended. Before and
throughout the game, Koons wasn’t focused on winning or losing. He just saw it as an opportunity for his players to get some playing time during the spring, when they are usually just practicing. The U.S. Deaf Team showed no disappointment in losing. They were happy and enthusiastic during the postgame handshake with the Cardinals. Both teams came together for a group photo shoot, smiling and laughing. The fans showed their support, and many stayed for the second game between the Crew Soccer Academy and the U.S. men’s deaf team, which also showed up early to support the women’s team.
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sports
Tan & Cardinal
wednesday, may 2, 2012
“To follow an Otterbein legend is certainly not an easy task, but Coach Reynolds has put a lot of great things into place.” -Dawn Stewart, Otterbein athletic director all SmileS:
ViDeo Still pRoViDeD by SteVe RoSSman
Stewart will begin her new position May 7, following in the sneakers of Dick Reynolds, who held the position for decades, even when Stewart was a student at Otterbein.
New athletic director talks sports and bucket list Dawn Stewart reveals some of her plans for Otterbein, including possible turf and a renovation to the Rike BY ALLY NAGLE Sports Editor
Picture Otterbein: the brick roads lined with the trees fully in bloom and the students walking to and from class with their bookbags and friends. This, along with years of memories, are some of the reasons Otterbein graduate of ’98 Dawn Stewart, the newly hired athletic director, decided to return. In a recent interview, Stewart gives some insight into who she is and what she has in store for the Athletic Department. She also revealed her less serious side, as she talks about how she would love to go skydiving and visit the Italy. Why did you choose to leave Capital and come to Otterbein? I know you are an alumna and played tennis here. Otterbein has always held a special place in my heart. There were many people who helped to provide me with a positive experience. I see this (as an) opportunity to give back to a place that has given me so much. What was your reaction upon being hired as the new athletic director?
I am excited to return to Otterbein. I had a wonderful experience as a student athlete and feel blessed to have this opportunity.
and spending time with people and most importantly, spending time with student athletes and the coaches. Focus on building relationships.
What is it like being a female in the sports world when it is generally male-dominated? I think if you love sports, it does not matter. So no, I do not find it hard at all. I love sports and working with student athletes and coaches. That is what it is about.
What do you want to change within the Athletic Department at Otterbein? I am looking forward to taking the time to become reacquainted with campus and the athletics program. Otterbein has had a strong athletic history, and I look forward to continuing this tradition.
What is it like taking over after Dick Reynolds? He hired me for my first full-time opportunity (when I graduated). To follow an Otterbein legend is certainly not an easy task, but Coach Reynolds has put a lot of great things into place. So my hope is to continue on those things and to make him proud and the past athletic directors proud and to just continue to celebrate the tradition of Otterbein athletics. What is the first thing you are going to do when you take your spot in office on May 7? Meet a lot of people. The first six months will be dedicated to making my way through campus
Any plans to redo the Rike? The Rike Center is one of the buildings that everyone throughout the OAC or anyone who is familiar with Otterbein associates Otterbein with. It is historical in its own right, but yes, I think it needs to be renovated, but I think it is one of those places that we could renovate but also celebrate some of its history and show the tradition of Otterbein. Also, use it more as an academic place. It is a historical piece of Otterbein, so it would be great to redo it but also keep its tradition. You get to help select the new basketball coach. Are there a
lot of applicants for the job? There are many applicants. Coach Connie Richardson will be leading the search. We have been talking a lot and trying to discuss the process. There are a lot of applicants, it is a great job in the Division III college sports world and this person and I will have a lot in common as they are also coming in after Dick Reynolds. It will be an important hire. It will be my first hire here at Otterbein. We need to get an important fit and someone who will match up with my goals and the department goals. What are the two most important things for you as an athletic director? Program integrity, and competitiveness. Competitiveness not only athletically but also academically, and making sure we are accomplishing things outside of the game. Do you have any kids? No, a black lab mix named Frankie. He is very spoiled and the baby of the family. Frankie has a good life. Favorite sport? I like everything. I am a big baseball fan, more into the main-
stream sports like baseball and football. Favorite Otterbein College memory? Meeting my husband. We actually met after graduation, which on a small campus is pretty unusual, but we just never crossed paths. We met when we both started working here after graduation. What is your favorite thing to do outside of work? Spend time with family and Frankie. Free time in the college athletic world is a luxury. You don’t get a lot of it, so when you do, I really like to spend time with my family. I am also a big TV junkie. I also love unwinding and catching up on TV shows. DVR is the best invention. Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Fallon are great. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Italy in a heartbeat. We love to travel. We have been to Ireland and England a couple of times and Scotland a few times. We would love to travel more in Europe. It just gives you such a broader perspective, it opens your eyes to so many things. t&c