Sept. 16, 2020 by SDSU Collegian

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NEWS

September 16, 2020

Senators voice opinions on potential calendar changes GRACIE TERRALL News Editor During the Sept. 14 Students’ Association meeting, President Hattie Seten posed three questions for the Senate regarding the academic calendar for the Spring 2021 semester. These are merely the Senate’s perspectives on the subject: no decisions have been made, nor is it under SA’s jurisdiction to make these decisions. “What are your thoughts on possibly eliminating spring break to reduce the spread of coronavirus?” -President

Hattie Seten “I think a lot of kids would be very unhappy with the school for that. They’ve already been frustrated with this whole deal already.” -Senator Caleb Huizenga “To what extent can you control people staying here? You can’t force anyone to do anything beyond a certain point. It’s a fantastic measure, but nonetheless you can only do so much.” -Senator Ravi Panchagnula “If there was no spring break, how would that affect the academic calendar, because that is a whole week taken

out?” -Senator Wendy Blickensderfer “What are your perspectives on the Monday and Friday holidays? Give your preference to have classes on these days, similar to this semester or for these days to be observed as non-course days.” -President Hattie Seten “Monday holidays are appreciated —by at least me as a faculty member— to catch a little bit of break, maybe spend a day with my family because I really can’t do that during the academic year.” -Advisor Christopher Schmit “From what I’ve

heard from constituents, they would rather have the Monday holidays, because it is a nice mental break, you kind of get time to get caught up and rejuvenated.” -Finance Chair Sarah Cook “If spring break were to get canceled and then we have these three day breaks, I could see students taking that as their spring break. That kind of defeats the purpose.” Senator Anthony Shimon “What are your perspectives on potentially delaying the start of classes a week or two into January to limit the spread of the COVID-19

virus, potentially contracted during the holidays?” -President Hattie Seten “I think it would be hard on the mental health of the students who have maybe a bad situation at home and two months of not really doing anything. I would advocate for a J-term option so that we could at least knock out a class or two during that time.” -Chief of Staﬀ Rachel Schoon “My major concern with taking two weeks off the front end of the semester means that probably has to go onto the back end, which will

most likely interfere with a lot of internships and students have already had issues with that due to COVID-19.” -Senator Andrew Rasmussen “For those students who live on campus and who would have potentially an additional cost incurred if they needed to come to campus before that two week addition, is something I think should be considered.” -Senator Emily Toms The SDBoR will discuss the potential changes to the academic calendar Oct. 7-8.

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NEWS

What it takes to be a student religious group JORDAN RUSCHE Lifestyles Editor With nearly 250 student organizations at South Dakota State University, religion-based organizations make up a fraction of that number with 14 currently active groups. Students may be curious how these organizations differ, what process they must go through to be recognized and what purpose they can serve on campus. So, the question is: how does a religious group become a recognized organization? The current protocol for establishing a student organization on campus is nearly identical for religious and secular groups. The processes for applying or being recognized are the same according to Assistant Director of Student Activities Kate Stock. “There’s no difference if a student wants to form an organization based on religion,” she said. “They go through the same process as every other student organization category that we have.” To become a recognized organization, a group must follow the guidelines established by University Policy 3:10. According to the policy, a group must have

Volume 136 • Issue 3

at least seven members and one campus advisor to be recognized as an official student organization. They must also comply with established protocols and guidelines by the Office of Student Activities and file an organization constitution outlining their policies for membership, finances, election of officers, meetings and several other topics. After completing these steps—and some paperwork—the organization may then meet with the Organizational subcommittee of the Students’ Association (SA) and senior director of the Union to begin the recognition process. Provided this process is completed and the organization is recognized by the college, the group must then re-register and provide any updated information to SA each spring. Religious clubs are also not restricted due to their affiliations with offcampus entities, often a larger church or religious group. “That would be the same as any student org that’s politically affiliated or affiliated with any sort of social group that’s a national organization,” Stock said. “There is no

difference, and we don’t restrict what they can do in terms of programing and events.” One difference between religious and non-religious organizations is their relationship to the nondiscrimination guidelines established by SDSU. Religious organizations are considered expressive associations, meaning they “are created for specific expressive purposes, and they would be significantly inhibited in advocating their desired viewpoints if they could not restrict their membership …,” according to University Policy 3:18. While this means religious organizations are technically allowed to decide what group members they have, Luke Perkins, advisor for Equip Campus Ministries, one of the various religious groups on campus, says they encourage everyone to join, even those who may consider themselves non-religious. Perkins explained that Equip has no stipulations when it comes to membership, apart from occasionally looking to leadership experience for certain roles. As he puts it, Christianity does not discriminate against backgrounds. Apart from the exemp-

The Collegian is the independent student newspaper at South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D. The Collegian is published by and for South Dakota State University students under the First Amendment guarantees of free speech and a free press. Opinions expressed on these pages are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty, staff or administration. The Collegian is published weekly on Wednesday during the academic year of SDSU.

tion from the nondiscrimination rule, Equip and other religious organizations operate identically to other groups on campus in terms of help from the university and activities allowed. Perkins explained they can fundraise, put up posters and meet on campus like any other organization. They also follow the same rules of requesting funding, which involves speaking to SA, who allocate funds for different clubs and activities. Perkins believes that allowing religious organizations on campus is important as it allows students to pursue their own interests freely, as well as experience worldviews different from their own. “That’s supposed to be a big part of the university experience, that you would be challenged and interact with a bunch of things that you don’t believe,” he said. He added that these groups can offer answers to the questions students may have about purpose and their beliefs. “Religious groups offer an important place to explore those things that many students want and deeply need,” he said.

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What are the religious groups on campus? Bridges International Christian Student Fellowship Cru Equip Campus Ministries Fire Starters Campus Ministry InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Mt. Calvary Lutheran Student Fellowship Nurses Christian Fellowship Oasis Pius XII Catholic Newman Center Ratio Christi at SDSU SDSU Fellowship for Christian Athletes The Navigators WELS Student Fellowship Organization These student organizations were listed under “religious organizations” on Jacks Club Hub.

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Letters to the Editor Send letters to letters@ sdsucollegian.com or to USU 069 Box 2815, Brookings, S.D. 57006. You can also post comments online at www.sdsucollegian.com. Please keep to less than 250 words.

Main line: 605.688.6164 Newsroom: 605.688.6166 Editor-in-Chief: 605.688.6178

September 16, 2020

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LIFESTYLES

Islamic Society of Brookings A center for discussion and community MEGAN BERTSCH Copy Editor Started by over 100 students and a professor of engineering in the 1970s, the Islamic Society of Brookings has been an important part of the community for almost 45 years. Though it was once a house on Eighth Street, the Islamic Society building now sits directly across the street from

with us, mostly high school and university students, they would like to know what Islam is, what does it mean in terms of relationships, in terms of terrorism, in terms of women’s rights. All the questions on the mind of everyone right now.” The Islamic Center of Brookings hosts hundreds of people every year from diﬀerent schools, groups and churches. They are happy to share their faith

THE FIVE PILLARS 

Bear witness that there is only one God and Muhammad is the last messenger sent by God.



Pray ﬁve times a day with a combination of movement and greeting facing the direction of Mecca.



Pay zakat, or the charity to help the community.

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Fast for the month of Ramadan from dawn to sunset.

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Go and do pilgrimage in Mecca at least once in your lifetime.

the South Dakota State University campus with its doors open to anyone interested in what they do, providing tours and important discussions. “Some people are curious to come and listen,” said Dr. Fathi Halaweish, Islamic Center board director and SDSU chemistry professor. “They come and sit down

and are always seeking ways to collaborate with all religions and better the community. “The community here is very welcoming for everybody,” Halaweish said. “We have an excellent relationship with all the churches… When there are issues in town, we all get together from different faiths and see

what we can do for the community.” After managing the Islamic Society of Brookings for over 25 years, Halaweish has teamed up with local religious leaders to establish the Brookings Interfaith Council. The group meets once every month to host potlucks, gather and discuss how to resolve issues in the community. Free for anyone to join, volunteers of the organization are Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Baha’i, Buddhist and non-theists, with a constantly changing venue to ensure all members feel included. According to the council’s mission statement, the group “cultivates peace and justice by engaging in dialogue to bridge religious and cultural differences and to bring the wisdom and values of our traditions to bear on the challenges facing our society.” The Islamic Society of Brookings is also a home for many international students at SDSU and muslim citizens of Brookings. They serve as a mosque for students far from home, hosting prayer 5 times a day (though this is temporarily suspended due to COVID-19), as well as a main prayer on Friday. “I think it’s just a good service for international students, because you know when you are studying abroad, what

Collegian photo by FRANKIE HERRERA Dr. Fathi Halaweish demonsrates salat prayers.

you are missing most is a place to practice your religion,” Halaweish said. The Islamic Society of Brookings wants to welcome everyone and encourages questions. They emphasize the importance of promoting peace and breaking down negative stereotypes through conversations. “The Islamic Society of Brookings is here to answer everybody’s questions and for them to know Islam is a religion of

peace. Not what you hear from other sources.” said Halaweish. “People made a bad name for Muslims. They are also terrorists to us. They are not Muslim by all means, because in Islam, it’s forbidden to kill or hurt anybody.” Halaweish stresses what makes all religions alike, and the lessons they teach like being honest, supporting one another, helping others and being kind. Through everything the Islamic Society

of Brookings does for and with the community, he works to create that message. “All the religions are taught the same lesson of peace. Sometimes that gets twisted to our own human interest,” Halaweish said. “A real believer of God or a religion would never hate anybody, they would support them. That’s our religion.”

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September 16, 2020

Newman Center welcomes new priest

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MAGGIE MOLITOR Reporter The Pope Pius Xll Newman Center gained a new Catholic priest and director this year as 2004 graduate Father Patrick Grode returns to his alma mater. Grode’s journey back to campus started when he entered the seminary in 2014, but before his discernment to the priesthood, the South Dakota State University graduate obtained a degree in English and theater and studied law at Ave Maria School of Law in Ann Arbor, Michigan. After practicing law as a licensed attorney for seven years, Grode realized when reflecting on his life that he continued to ﬁnd himself striving for something more. “I asked myself, where do I see myself in 10 years?” Grode said. “I had a job I loved, but I wasn’t passionate about it. I knew I wanted to change something.” After exploring his options, he found his vocation and decided to continue his studies with the diocese of Sioux Falls Seminary. The already two-time college graduate graduated for a third time as an ordained Catholic priest in 2018. Grode started his second assignment this July as director of the Newman Center and pastor of St. Paul’s parish in White, South Dakota. Despite the unusual transition to a new assignment due to the COVID-19 pandemic,

Grode is thankful for the welcoming community of Brookings and is anxious to start building relationships and trust with parishioners. One goal Grode has for the Newman Center is to help students “break the mold” in order to ﬁnd their true identity as young Catholic adults. “There is a way in the world that will bring you life, happiness and eternal salvation,” he said. “We must break the mold of what the negative aspects of the world tell us to be.” This message has been adopted by the Newman Center outreach. Grode and other members of the Newman Center work hard to ensure a safe environment for attendees, and the center has been making eﬀorts since 1960 to provide resources and spiritual guidance to students in such a transitional time in their lives.

“We must break the mold of what the negative aspects of the world tell us to be.” FATHER PATRICK GRODE Celebrating Mass during services is just one part of the job for Grode. His role as director of the center is to perform the holy sacraments, provide spiritual direction to students and faculty, help

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direct student activities and keep track of funding and business of the center. Grode attributes his unique background in law when discussing what helped equip him with certain skills needed as a priest. “I think that law, at its best, teaches its practitioners to take abstract rules and apply them to concrete situations in a way that is practical but still respects and follows the rule,” Grode said. “And that’s certainly something a priest has to do, too.” Grode continues his involvement in law by working with a group of young lawyers in the Sioux Falls area to form a coalesce of Catholic attorneys. While being grateful for his real-world experience as an attorney, Grode is excited to return to his alma mater after 16 years in a job he is proud and passionate about. “The Newman center was a big part of my life when I was in college,” Grode said. “It’s surreal to be back in another role.”

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EXPLORING RELIGIONS

NEWS A7

September 16, 2020

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EXPLORING RELIGIONS

LIFESTYLES

Campus religious groups establish fellowship and belonging ANDREW RASMUSSEN Reporter Fourteen religious student organizations provide services, events and opportunities for students to gather on and oﬀ the South Dakota State University campus. One of the organizations serves a “niche group,” according to Jessaca Zuidema, a senior nursing student and president of Nurses Christian Fellowship. “We allow nursing students to find

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a safe space to live out their faith and to connect with others who share common values.” Zuidema’s organization meets for a weekly breakfast where members listen to a speaker or devotional. In addition to the weekly meetings, NCF participates in community service like decorating cards and gift bags during holidays for long term care facilities in Brookings. “We accept prayer requests on a weekly basis

and pray for whatever is heavy on our members’ hearts,” Zuidema said. The Pope Pius XII New m a n C e nte r i s another opportunity for worship on campus. “(The Newman Center) is an embassy of the Catholic faith to the campus of SDSU,” Lili Robinson, a junior advertising major and student life coordinator for the Newman Center said. “Refuge is often necessary due to the hectic demands of college life.”

Students have access to the Newman Center 24/7, according to Robinson. In addition to the open hours, the Newman Center also offers “‘priest directors, missionaries and student leaders’ for counseling, direction and discipleship,” Robinson said. Another activity that the Newman Center oﬀers is “Newman Night” on Thursdays. Mass is at 8 p.m. with activities to follow. There are other events such as bonfires,

variety shows, pizza and a priest and midnight pancakes. The Navigators is another opportunity for students to participate, with “Nav Nights” being held every Wednesday. According to the organization’s Jacks Club Hub page, “Our mission is to advance the gospel of Jesus and His kingdom into the nations through spiritual generations of laborers living and discipling among the lost.” Additional offer-

ings of The Navigators include residence hall bible studies and spiritual mentoring. The mentors are usually upperclassmen paired with underclassmen, according to Andrew Florestano, The Navigators’ campus director. “Christian groups sometimes get a bad rap for being a ‘good peoples’ club,” Florestano said. “It’s a very welcoming group, a very engaging group.”

EXPLORING sdsucollegian.com RELIGIONS

OPINION

September 16, 2020

EDITORIAL

Issue: White savior complex can jeopardize true progress of missionaries Mission trips are largely a dutiful endeavor. They provide aid for developing nations suffering from poverty and environmental devastation, spread faith and can even be an enlightening experience for the person going. However, missions need to be done in good faith of the country or community you are serving, not your own personal gain. Missionaries all too often fall suspect to a white savior complex or the notion that white people must save or help nonwhite people because they are unable to do so themselves. White saviorism strips non-white people of their autonomy and unnecessarily inserts a white perspective into a person-of-colors narrative, subsequently erasing their own experiences. If you’re in a position to take a mission trip, how can you better assist the community while avoiding this degrading, privileged and wholly unhelpful action? Avoid going on mission trips for per-

sonal gain. If you get in that van with your church group heading to Haiti or Guatemala and you are preparing yourself to be forever changed by the starving orphans, you probably shouldn’t go on that trip. If your goal is to take a few cool pictures with said orphans who have no idea what a phone is, nor can give proper consent to having their picture taken, to depict yourself as some saint on your Instagram feed, you probably shouldn’t go. This warped view of missionaries and their intended purpose leaves these no doubt suffering people as a vessel for your own faith, and their troubles become less pertinent. The people you’re going to build houses, hospitals and schools for may also not be ready or willing to adopt your faith. Remember that they do not need Jesus to be good people or deserve help. Certainly you can preach, pray and

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worship your God while you are there, but if your aid is conditional on the grounds that the people of that community become Christians, you probably shouldn’t go. Oftentimes, mission groups will come to these third world countries equipped with aid and resources to help. However, these resources are largely finite and will eventually run out. This leaves people to continually ask for more help, becoming dependent on your church group for their necessities. When bringing resources and other supplies, think about their long term effects and collaborate with leaders already in the communities on what is truly needed. Be their right hand man, not their front man. Although mission trips present themselves as good deeds, all too often can they become self-serving and ineffective; stripping desolate communities

of their autonomy and independence. While the heart may be in the right place, the white savior complex is alive and well. It is important to know what that looks like when contemplating participation in a mission trip. Are you unknowingly exerting your privilege? Do you really understand the purpose of why you are there and how you are helping the people and the area? Are you giving them a religious ultimatum as a way to help them? These are all very important questions to ask yourself and others to stay clear of this complex.

The Collegian Editorial Board meets weekly and agrees on the issue of the editorial. The editorial represents the opinion of The Collegian.

The Collegian 9/16/20 Crossword

CROSSWORD

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40 Brewed drink 41 Mark for misconduct 44 Opposite SSW 45 Track athlete 47 ___-tac-toe 48 Get smart 49 Bearing 52 Relinquish 54 Venture out 56 Follower of John 59 Cousin of “Phooey!” 62 Japanese soup 63 Overseas 65 Lickety-split 67 Water carrier 69 Continental coin 70 Up and about 71 Son of Jacob and Leah 72 Svelte 73 West Yorkshire city 74 Runners carry it 75 To be, in old Rome

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September 16, 2020

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EXPLORING RELIGIONS

“Don’t Follow Your Heart” LUKE C. PERKINS Guest Columnist

Contrary to popular belief, “following your heart” is a terrible idea. The millennial and Generation Z generations have been misled their entire lives by the Disney philosophy that you should “be the true you,” that following your heart is the only moral path. This idea is everywhere, from Burger King’s “Have it Your Way,” to the modern trope “live your truth,” and yes, to Disney’s “Tell me princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?” I call it a philosophy, but you would also be

correct to call it a religion. It is a religious perspective that suggests, “When there’s no one else, look inside yourself; like your oldest friend, just trust the voice within.” (That’s from the prophet Christina Aguilera.) Should you “trust the voice within?” Well, it all depends. It depends on your religion, on what you believe about God. For instance, the Christian proclaims the opposite of the above views. The prophet Jeremiah says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick, who can understand it?” Jesus echoes this later, saying,

“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” The Christian author Jon Bloom helpfully summarizes this. “Our hearts are not leadership material. The truth is, no one lies to us more than our own hearts. No one,” Bloom says. “ If our hearts are compasses, they are Jack Sparrow compasses. They don’t tell us the truth; they just tell us what we want. (Our hearts) are not benevolent; they are pathologically selﬁsh. In fact, if we do what our hearts tell us to do, we will pervert and impoverish every

Religion, Social Fad or Personal Journey ANDRE GARY-MACK Opinion Editor As far as the earliest forms of religion can be traced back in the world, religion is a part of civilization that, much like fashion and technology, goes through phases; from the early followings of Jesus Christ and his disciples, to Scientology and it’s celebrity followers. What has become clear is that religion, similar to Kim Kardashian’s Instagram, can have a major following based on what you believe and

where you are at in your life. Religion has always been a part of mainstream culture, like Hollywood blockbusters like “The Passion of The Christ”, produced by Mel Gibson and starring Jim Caviezel as Jesus of Nazareth. He also played the role of Saint Luke in “Paul Apostle of Christ”, brilliantly captured by Andrew Hyatt. The Netflix series “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch” covers religious subjects of witchcraft,

Lucifer descending and the first wife of Adam, Lilith. Television and religion walk a very ﬁne line down the aisle of viewer marriage, but it does not just end there. We have our musical influences like Lauren Hill’s “To Zion,” Madonna’s “Like A Prayer,” Lady Gaga’s “Judas” and even Ariana Grande’s “God is a Woman.” Our society has embraced religion, even in ways that people who are not religious or, like myself, do not abide by

OPINION

Collegian graphic by OMAR IMRAN

desire, every beauty, every person, every wonder, and every joy… We need to be saved from our hearts.” So, I am looking at two religious perspectives on our hearts. One is the you-be-you perspective, and one is the you-be-like-God perspective. These two religious views cannot both be true. Disney has either been lying to you, or Jesus

the conﬁnes of organized religion, can relate to. The display of Black Jesus in “Like A Prayer” was not only iconic in its own rite, but a confrontational conversation starter as it pushed the boundaries of what many religions believe Jesus should look like. My personal favorite is how religion has trickled down over the years into fashion. From simple trinkets like wearing a cross on a necklace to the Star of David as an accessory printed on shirts, incorporated into jewelry and tattooed on bodies across the world. Even along with red carpet events like the 2018 Met Gala’s “Heavenly Bodies” theme. But are we looking at celebrities and religion as an art form, or looking at

is off his rocker. For the perpetual fence-sitters out there, there is no middle ground. Your heart is either trustworthy or it is not. And here’s the rub: you are therefore a deeply religious person, whether you think so or not. We are, all of us, inescapably religious. We all admire and follow (worship) something.

it from the perspective of respecting their religious stance? I pose this question because I think in recent years, some celebrities have had a bit of a “white savior” outlook on religion. Leah Remini, a crass comedic actress, has taken that to the next level with her documentary series, “Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath.” In this series, she travels the country interviewing former Scientology practitioners and exposing both the religion and the trauma of the previous followers. What I would call into question is: is exposing the religion really doing the “survivors” a favor? Are they able to cope and move forward from emotional and psychological

Unfortunately, most professing Christians reading this align far too closely with the Disney religion. Most modern Western people are worshiping ourselves, following our hearts and letting our hearts be our guide. In other words, living as though there is no God. Or if there is a God, it is me. We have become our own north stars. Read full story online at sdsucollegian.com trauma? Is Remini actually helping them move forward in their journey of religious purging and recovery? It has been said both by Scientologists and non-Scientologists that this is more self-serving on her end. As Meredith Blake of the LA times said in her review on Rotten Tomatoes, “However well intentioned Remini seems to be, there’s something a tad ironic about an investigation of a celebrity driven cult that plays like a star vehicle.” I would have to agree; Remini had great intentions and her heart, I think, is in the right place. However her delivery and execution were oﬀ base. Read full story online at sdsucollegian.com

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EXPLORING RELIGIONS

From A1

LIFESTYLES

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LGBTQ

Religion and sexuality: Two parts of one identity

Collegian photos by FRANKIE HERRERA Senior music education major Cade Bruna identiﬁes as bisexual and attends Oasis, a religious group on campus, meetings on Sunday nights. “We’re all just loving Jesus, but also loving the gays.” Bruna said.

GRACIE TERRALL News Editor Sunday mornings, in the pews of Bethel Baptist church in Brookings, sits Amanda Jensen. Her connection to God is strengthened and her heart overflows with praise. She feels welcomed and accepted by this community; however, that was not always the case. Jensen is asexual. She grew up in a Christian home and would attend church, just as she does now. But her old pastors and youth leaders made her feel unwelcome and sinful for how she identiﬁes. “I felt ashamed,” Jensen said. “I asked one of my youth leaders ‘If I wasn’t straight, do you think a pastor would oﬃciate my wedding?’ and

he said, ‘probably not.’ He tried to convince my parents to sign me up for conversion therapy after that.” Understanding and coming to terms with one’s gender or sexuality can be a grueling process, and once they accept who they are, trying to find where they belong in the religion that has accepted them for so long is like a second identity crisis. How does one be queer when the Bible, and many Christians, push a narrative that queerness is a sin and anyone who identiﬁes that way will be condemned? “If a real church family loved me, they wouldn’t try to get this idea in my head that sex was a really important thing in a relationship when you’re married. And it’s not,” Jensen

said. “I am not ashamed to be asexual anymore, but if a church is going to treat that as a sin, I don’t want that.” At Jensen’s previous church, members would continuously preach

husbands and ‘go forth and prosper.’ I don’t want that,” she said. This is not the story in every Christian community, though. For Cade Bruna, a bisexual music education major, his faith

“I can’t live my life without thinking about God, but I also can’t live my life without thinking about Lady Gaga.” CADE BRUNA about the joys of heterosexual love and conventional marriage tropes within the Chrisitan faith. “A big thing was that women are supposed to please their husbands and be submissive to their

and queerness are intermixed and have always been a part of his life. “There is no reason why it has to be separated,” Bruna said. “It’s sad that the queer community has it ingrained

in them that it has to be. I am a ﬁrm believer, so I can’t live my life without thinking about God, but I also can’t live my life without thinking about Lady Gaga.” Bruna’s experience growing up wasn’t as harrowing as Jensen’s or many other queer kids, but he still recognizes the struggles other’s have faced. Bruna has dealt with his own struggles and reservations within the LGBTQ community and spoken up about his faith. “As a queer person, I feel like I am always afraid to talk about God,” Bruna said. “I feel like people will think I’m less of a Christian.” H o w e ve r, B r u n a says that while it’s scary because of the negative connotations Christians can uphold to, religious

students at South Dakota State University are accepting. “It’s such a loving community, amongst our generation especially,” Bruna said. “At these student groups like Oasis, never once has anybody been like ‘you’re going to hell.’” Queer culture is something that has taken decades for people to feel proud of, but it is an entirely diﬀerent struggle to be a proud, queer Christian. However, with each passing generation, the intersectionality of the LGBTQ community and religious faith becomes increasingly deﬁned and less stigmatized. “We’re all just loving Jesus, but also loving the gays,” Bruna said.

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September 16, 2020

sdsucollegian.com

EXPLORING RELIGIONS

SPORTS

FCA offers religious outlet for student athletes SYDNEY SMITH Sports Reporter While some athletes may not have faith in their sports returning for a regular season, they can have faith in the constant endurance of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). FCA is “a sport-based ministry with a vision to see the world impacted for Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes,” TJ Carlson, campus director and chaplain, said. Though FCA does work and fellowship throughout the city of Brookings, they also focus on helping student athletes through their own

experiences. “When you introduce yourself as an adult, after your name it’s usually what you do for a living,” Carlson said. “With coaches and athletes, that’s magnified a little more, especially at the collegiate level. People kind of want to use you sometimes, whether they know you or they find their own value in being close to popular people.” That, he said, can be a lonely spot. One goal of FCA is to help athletes through the pressure of winning games or championships, something that Carlson compared to “a green banana.” “It’s cool to take a picture of and put on the

mantle, but once it turns brown, you have to go out and win another banana,” he said. “It can become this repeat cycle of finding your identity and doing it again. But we come alongside and say, ‘Well, what does God really say about who you are and what your identity is?’” FCA’s mission and organized events are what drew football coach John Stiegelmeier to be involved in more ways than one, as he has also served on the state board of directors for the organization. “Years ago, FCA impacted my life and really opened my eyes to what it meant to be a follower of Christ,” he said.

“It impacted my family’s life through summer camps, and I’ve just gotten to love their mission, and their mission is for coaches, so it’s kind of a marriage.” Carlson also spoke to the mission of coaches and the important impact that they have on student athletes throughout life. “There’s a quote from Billy Graham that says, ‘One coach will impact more people in a year than most people will in a lifetime,’” he said. Another thing that Carlson says FCA tries to focus on is helping athletes build relationships. “Hopefully, in some ways we create relationships that spur on some

organic relationships of their own,” he said. According to sophomore track athlete Pierre Lear, that’s one of the best things about the organization. “The thing I enjoy most is seeing a bunch of athletes that have the same passion and love for God, but also with their sports,” Lear said. “In the sense of our talents, giving all the glory to Him is something that I pride myself in, and FCA really pushes that.” With normal life being at an uncertain crossroad, that goal is still as important. “I think our world needs organizations like FCA,” Stiegelmeier said.

gojacks.com Pierre Lear, sophomore “Right now there’s a lot of hurt, a lot of anger and a lot of questions. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes helps calm those waves.”