The Slate 1-30-24

Despite Trump’s

Iowa and New Hampshire victory, Haley continues bid for Republican nominee

As the 2024 presidential election closer, the Republican Iowa Caucus took place on Monday, Jan. 15, and was followed by the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, Jan. 23.

Due to freezing Midwest temperatures, voter turnout was much lower this January than in previous years’ contests. Despite the circumstances, support for Donald Trump remained strong among Republicans, paving a clear path to victory for the former president.

Trump scored a 30-point lead over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, his main two competitors at the time of the caucus. Trump won just over half of all ballots cast, giving him control over 20 of Iowa’s 40 delegates, while DeSantis took nine and Haley took eight. Trump scored the greatest Republican showing in Iowa Caucus history.

Although he had a 2% lead over Haley in Iowa, DeSantis officially withdrew from the presidential race on Sunday, Jan. 21. As he suspended his campaign, DeSantis threw his support behind Trump as his favored candidate to lead the Republican Party against President Biden this fall.

Now that Haley is the sole competitor against Trump, she hoped to gather the support of New Hampshire’s moderate and independent voters, as well as forming a clique of anti-Trump Republicans.

While her hopes were high for New Hampshire, Haley ultimately received 10% fewer votes than Trump. Although the former president was able to win 12 of the state’s 21 delegates, Haley was not far behind now that DeSantis has been knocked out of second place, winning nine delegates.

Although Iowa and New Hampshire were disappointments for Haley’s presidential campaign, she looks forward to competing in her home state of South Carolina on Feb. 24. While Haley and her campaign team feel confident, winning South Carolina will be an uphill battle.

In South Carolina, Trump has received the support of most of the state’s leading Republicans, including the governor, lieutenant governor and both U.S. senators. These leaders urged Republican voters to throw their support behind the former president, creating another great trial for Haley’s campaign.

Before facing off in South Carolina, Trump is taking a trip to Nevada where he plans to win over the state’s Republican voters. Nevada will be holding both a GOP-run caucus and a primary election, the former determining who will win the state’s 26 Republican delegates. Because Haley is

running for Nevada’s primary election and not the Republican caucus, all 26 delegates will be awarded to Trump.

Questions have been raised whether the former president should still be the front-runner despite the multitude of felony charges he faces. Several states are considering the removal of Trump from the ballot, a topic that is already on its way to the Supreme Court. While Trump’s legal battles are likely far from over, some of Trump’s most staunch supporters believe that the legal actions taken against the former president are nothing more than attempts to weaken his campaign.

While the 2024 presidential election is still months away and many circumstances could change, given Donald Trump’s current and expected electoral success, it is likely that the 2024 election will echo 2020 and pit the former and current presidents against one another.

Lest we forget:

Update on Israel-Gaza and Ukraine-Russia

said measures within one month of their starting as proof of their compliance with the ruling.

Carbon monoxide detected in Naugle Hall

Connor Niszczak Managing Editor

Naugle Hall was evacuated late Thursday night after carbon monoxide was detected within the building.

Just before 11:45 p.m., alarms throughout the building went off and students filed outside into the East Side quad. Naugle resident assistants and the residence directors on call advised all students to move to the recreation room in McLean Hall.

Roughly 200 students entered McLean while some went to Seavers Hall or other residence halls to stay in friends’ rooms.

Multiple university and local emergency vehicles were at the scene, and firefighters began a sweep of Naugle Hall around midnight. Carbon monoxide was detected in the boiler room, according to first responders.

As Americans, it is valuable to stay up to date with conflicts happening outside of our border in which our country is involved. Just because the fighting is not in our town does not mean that we are separated from the events.

President JoeBiden’s proposed package of $110 billion to supply more aid for the Ukraine, Israel and other issues deemed national security needs is currently stalled because of disagreements between Congress and the White House, according to the Associated Press.

The UN orders Israel to submit humanitarian report; Famine rises in Gaza

The International Court of Justice, the United Nations’ top court, issued six provisional measures to Israel to protect the Palestinians in Gaza from genocide on Jan. 26, according to the Associated Press. Each ruling was voted by at least a 15 of the 27 judges, according to Reuters.

The first court-ordered measure from the U.N. was for Israel to work to prevent killing, causing serious bodily or mental harm, inflicting conditions of life intended for physical destruction and imposing conditions intended to prevent births within the group.

The second measure was for Israel to ensure with immediate effect that its military does not commit any acts described in the first measure.

The third measure was for Israel to prevent and punish the direct and public urging to commit genocide related to members of the Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip.

The fourth measure was for Israel to enable basic, needed services and humanitarian assistance to help the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The fifth measure was for Israel to not destroy but preserve evidence related to the allegations of genocide. Finally, the U.N. ordered for Israel to submit a report on all

In the meantime, Gaza needs more aid as famine and disease is becoming widespread among the population, according to the Associated Press. It is increasing difficult to get aid to the Gaza Strip, specifically the north and center, as those areas have received the worst of the fighting, according to Reuters.

Data from the World Food Programme indicates that over one in four households in Gaza face extreme hunger. The entire population of Gaza, which is about 2.2 million people, is in crisis levels or worse for food insecurity. A report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) indicated that the entire Gaza Strip is in a state of food emergency, with three locations in the north and south at risk of famine.

This war is approaching four months of open violence, having started on Oct. 7, 2023, as an escalation of decades of conflicts.

Plane crashes is latest development in war in Ukraine

In a border region near Ukraine, a Russian military transport plane crashed on Wednesday with 74 people on board, according to the Associated Press. Of those people, 65 were Ukrainian prisoners of war en route for a prisoner exchange, according to a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry. Ukrainian military intelligence confirmed that a swap was intended to happen but had no information as to who was on the plane.

Russia accused Ukraine of shooting the aircraft down, but offered no evidence, and Ukraine did not confirm or deny the allegation, according to the Associated Press.

Over 8,000 Ukrainians, both military and civilian, are being held by Russia, according to Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. While the 930-mile front line of the war has remained mostly static during the second winter of the war, long-range strikes have

“The CO monitoring system we have in place in the boiler room worked as expected and quickly alerted everyone to the presence of CO so we could safely evacuate and address the issue,” SU Director of Communications and Marketing Megan Silverstrim said. Medical staff inside McLean Hall screened any students who reported symptoms of illness that could indicate carbon monoxide poisoning. About a dozen individuals were monitored, but no one was taken to the hospital. As firefighters swept the building, each room was unlocked and inspected, and no carbon monoxide was detected in students’ personal spaces, according to first responders. Residence life employees relocked each room after it was cleared.

Lorie Sheetz, vice president of Student Affairs and Jeff Ward, associate director of Housing Operations gave the allclear for re-entry to Naugle Hall at about 1:35 a.m. on Friday.

still been occurring, according

the

The Biden Administration has provided Ukraine with $111 billion in humanitarian assistance, weapons, equipment and other supplies since the war began, according to the

This war is approaching two years of fighting, having started on Feb. 24, 2022, as an escalation of a decade of conflicts sparked by the Russian annexation of Crimea.

Evan Dillow Staff Contributor

Elizabeth Peters Editor-in-Chief

Donald Trump, leading 2024 Republican presidential candidate.

Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons Former UN Ambassador and 2024 Republican presidential candidate, Nikki Haley.

Connor Niszczak / The Slate Students evacuated from Naugle Hall due to carbon monoxide.

Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons Damage from air strikes along the Gaza Strip.

Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy examines the site of a recent battle.

to

Associated Press.

Associated Press.

Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons

Getting ship done:

Students recognized by Governor Shapiro

There are very few oldschool titans of broadcast television who are still with us. The Alex Trebeks. The Walter Cronkites. The Edward R. Murrows.

This week, we lost one of those titans.

Charles Osgood, the host of CBS Sunday Morning from 1994 to 2016 and a legendary figure at CBS News, died on Jan. 23. For me, he was so much more than just a TV host.

bittersweet sunset

reading this if not for him. Anytime I spent the weekend with my grandma, Charles was there, too.

I’ve always been familiar with other outlets like my local news and The Today Show, but Sunday Morning is different. Though he left the show in 2016 and my Charlesloving grandma left us in 2021, Sunday Morning has never wavered. Every Sunday at 9 a.m., I sit down curled up in a blanket and listen to that sweet trumpet sound.

of truthful and genuine storytelling. One of the last consummate professionals of broadcasting, he was formative culture in crafting who I am. I’ll admit, it is a strange feeling to gush over a man who very likely is unknown by the rest of The Slate staff and just about anyone who picks up a copy of this paper. Charlie, as he was affectionately known, is of an era in broadcast journalism that no longer exists.

Over 70 students representing colleges and universities across Pennsylvania visited the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg on Monday, Jan. 22, for Gov. Josh Shapiro’s inaugural College Day of Action. The event brought together student government presidents, student journalists, advocates and college influencers for a day of networking and learning.

“You were invited because you get s**t done on your campuses,” Gavin Lichtenstein, director of Digital Partnerships in the Office of the Governor and organizer of the event, said, using the bold mantra of Gov. Shapiro. “You get it done in student governments and in groups. You get so much s**t done the governor saw it.”

Shapiro and his administration have built this ambitious attitude for how they want to run Pennsylvania. Shapiro wanted to recognize young Pennsylvanians in college who share this mindset by creating a space to have them at the table and facilitating conversations.

Among these go-getters were four students representing Shippensburg University: Ethan Bauman, Harun Pacavar, Aidan Piper and Allyson Ritchey. Bauman, Piper and Ritchey are all interns with the Governor’s office. Pacavar serves as the president of SU’s Student Government Association.

“I think as a student I’m excited to see the governor and his administration work to connect with younger voices and advocates who will be the future of our government,” Piper said of College Day of Action. “Getting involved in government is often thought of as only for elected officials and older people but that isn’t true. Everyone should have a voice at the table and be given the opportunity to get involved.”

Piper has been a communications intern in the Office of the Governor since August 2023. As a leader, he also served as the president of SU bands until December.

“The Governor’s College Day of Action was a great example of students, advocates and younger people coming together to talk about issues we are facing and how to proceed but also how to get involved and remain involved in topics that are of importance to us,” Piper continued.

College Day of Action allowed students from across the Commonwealth to talk with Shapiro who shared his college story. A freshman at the University of Rochester, Shapiro failed his first medical school exam and was cut from the basketball team on the same day. Someone recommended he run for his student senate. Shapiro ended up running against four juniors for the president position and winning as a freshman.

“Always be open to that other door you didn’t even think of,” Shapiro urged the young attendees of College Day of Action. Shapiro also discussed recent policies benefitting Pennsylvanians and answered audience questions regarding gun violence, minimum wage and recreational marijuana.

In a private interview with student media representatives from The Snapper from Millersville University and The Slate from Shippensburg University, Shapiro talked on the importance of young people in Pennsylvania.

“I think your voices really matter,” Shapiro explained. “Every time I get together with college students, I learn something. That allows us to work even harder and more effectively for young folks in Pennsylvania.”

Shapiro has long understood the importance of young perspectives in government, having spent a “great deal of time” going to college campuses and listening to Generation Z during his campaign. He also created the Commission on Next Generation Engagement. Shapiro’s dedication to youth

starts before college-aged Pennsylvanians with a historic investment in public schools.

“We invested more money than ever before in our schools, and not just in their bottom-line budgets, but in addressing big challenges,” Shapiro said. “We created $100 million funds for schools to hire mental health counselors and provide more mental health resources. We provide universal, free breakfast now, so no child should have to learn on an empty stomach.”

For young adult constituents, Shapiro explained that it is “really important” to make college funding affordable and accessible. When asked what how he plans to help fund the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), which has seen a 30 percent decrease in enrollment in this past decade, Shapiro said. “We’re going to propose a dramatic change in a good way.”

Four days after College Day of Action, Shapiro announced a plan that proposes a massive overhaul of the higher education system in Pennsylvania that ranks 48th for affordability. This plan would see three distinct changes, including uniting PASSHE university and 15 state community colleges under a new governance system, capping tuition and fees in this new system for Pennsylvanians making up to the median income at $1,000, and funding universities on performance-based metrics.

The Democratic governor will give more details in his budget address on Feb. 6. In his address last year, Shapiro said it is time “to rethink our system of higher education because what we’re doing isn’t working.”

With College Day of Action, Shapiro hopes that students realize the power of their voices. He hopes that this has a multiplying effect so “we can engage more young people.”

Organized by the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Next Generation Engagement, College Day of Action additionally featured a series of panel discussions with topics ranging from gun and reproductive rights policy, artificial intelligence and social media advocacy. Several leaders from the Shapiro Administration spoke on these panels, the first of whom were Bryanna Pardoe and Will Simons.

Pardoe serves as the Executive Director of the Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience (CODE PA). This newly-created office aims to help Pennsylvanians connect with state agencies in effective, accessible ways by using innovative technology. Pardoe urged the importance of being equitable in digital access to reach all Pennsylvanians.

When asked about how CODE PA ensures those with disabilities have the same access to Pennsylvania’s digital spheres, Pardoe explained that PA’s websites are manually tested in multiple ways and that accessibility is “built throughout the way, not an afterthought.” Pardoe and the rest of the CODE PA team tests PA websites for screen reader compatibility, intuition, easily read colors and navigation between buttons.

Simons is the director of communications in the Office of the Governor and spoke on the importance of his work.

Additional governmental panelists at the event include Amanda Warren, Director of External Affairs in the Office of the Governor, Katie Merrit, Assistant Secretary of the Government Policy Office, and Steve D’Ettore, Executive Deputy Secretary of Policy and Planning.

After lunch, attendees listened to two PAbased influencers speak on their experiences. Jasiri X, co-founder and CEO of 1 Hood Media, and Santiago Ortiz-Landazabal, founder and CEO of No Shorts Media, talked about the power of social media.

Students in attendance at the inaugural College Day of Action were given homework by the several speakers: raise concerns to the legislature, don’t be shy to reach out and call mentors to thank them.

Osgood’s death was an unexpected deep cut. In many regards, he and CBS Sunday Morning are the reason I became interested in journalism, and you likely would not even be

As I learned how to be a student journalist in high school, I often thought that ending up as a Sunday Morning correspondent would be my dream job. I have since evolved and am no longer interested in being a television journalist, but I will never lose interest in Sunday Morning.

Whereas Stephen Sondheim crafted my adoration of the art of musical theater, Charles Osgood showed me the beauty and importance

Nightly network news still brings in millions of viewers a night, but my generation will be the death of that. If we stay informed of the news at all, it is from social media or news apps, not on television. People like Charles Osgood are the shining example of what broadcast journalism should be, and his death is a painful reminder of an art form evaporating before our eyes.

So long, Charles. I’ll miss seeing you on the radio.

SGA resumes meetings and working on student groups budgets

Welcome back! I hope you had a restful winter break filled with joy.

As we start the new year, I’m excited to see us all back at school. As we enter this semester, SGA is driven to work on all tasks needed and to continue to represent all voices on campus.

We are looking to pick right up from where we left

off and continue having our Ad Hoc Constitution Review Committee to meet, introduce new guest speakers to our public meetings and reassure all students that their concerns will be taken into consideration this budget season.

As we are looking to start our public meetings soon, our schedule is publicly posted and is as follows:

Feb. 8: CUB 119

Feb. 22: CUB 119

March 7: CUB 119

March 28: CUB 119

April 11: CUB 119

April 25: CUB 119

May 2 (if needed): Orndorff Theater

We encourage all students to attend our public meetings and address any concerns one may have.

Also, as the spring semester is filled with new and exciting things, we are soon approaching the election for SGA officers for fall 2024. Later in the semester, we will also have senator elections.

Petitions will become available on Jan. 24 at 8 a.m. and will be due on Feb. 12 at 4 p.m. A mandatory meeting will occur on Feb. 15 at 4:30 p.m. and after such, campaigning can begin. The officer speeches will be held on Feb. 22 at 5 p.m. The voting for SGA Officers will be open Feb. 26 at 8 a.m. through Feb. 29 at 4 p.m. through ShipLink. Results will be posted on March 1 at 4 p.m. Please make sure to feel free and reach out with any questions, comments, and/ or concerns.

Weather Forecast

Connor Niszczak Managing Editor

Harun Pacavar President of SGA

Allyson Ritchey Multimedia Editor

Allyson Ritchey / The Slate

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro spoke with student leaders from many schools in the state about college funding and the importance of their work.

The Slate Speaks:

The importance of student media in college

Student media are more valuable than many other organizations that exist across campus. They are not just a club. They are a service to the campus community, and whether or not students choose to be informed should not result in SGA acting as if they do not deserve money more than other groups do. It is incredibly alarming if the student government continues to cut funding for student media to the point where they could soon have to drastically change how they operate. Without student media there is less of a calling to read or watch news. Due to the fact that student media have a sense of relatability, it is easier for the people around us to want to hear what we have to say or what is going on. We all experience current events, and we experience other life events that can be similar. Due to that, it is also seen as “more important” to keep up with what is going on when it is from student to student, or student to faculty. Student media not only benefit the people involved with it, but it also benefits those around it because it can be local, national or global, and it is pushed in the direction of uninvolved students correctly. Instead of going to FOX or CNN — which almost nobody who is not comm/ journalism does — there is a spot for everybody around to watch or read what is going on around them. Student media have given everybody the opportunity to be up to date, see the realism and personality of news rather than just “emotionless” information, and has demanded a change for older systems of news to become more relevant and modern. With that said, the risks of losing student media would result in a lack of passion and exposure. Student media are important because they give us a platform that allows us to engage with our community. Additionally, it empowers students to use their voices

and express their ideas. In order for such organizations to produce high quality work and leave an impact, they must be funded adequately. Lack of funding will lead us into losing the voices of individuals who were only heard on this platform.

Student journalism is just as real as “professional” journalism. Just in this past year alone, Northwestern’s newspaper investigated and brought to light hazing within the football program at the school which led to the termination of the football coach. Stanford’s school newspaper reported on allegations of misconduct which showed the prestigious school’s president’s scholarly work was flawed. Even at Shippensburg University, our newspaper has illuminated issues within the school and local community.

Having an outlet to have your voice heard is important, especially for young people in America where much of the political power lies in individuals over the age of 60. In places referred to as news deserts, student journalism is often the only resource people may have to get information about their community. Journalism is crucial for a wellinformed and empowered electorate. Despite this much of rural America experiences these news deserts — the area is not covered by local journalism.

The foundation of America’s independence is rooted in freedom of expression, which should not be monetarily, bureaucratically or administratively censored. Beyond this, student media are important for building careertranslatable skills. It is also built into the Communication, Journalism and Media program of study at Shippensburg University. Limiting the operation and limiting freedom of expression also limits the education of students at this institution of higher education.

Hot girl overconsumption

Are you an “it girl”, or are you a “clean girl” complete with a slickedback bun, an Alo matching set and gold hoops? Are you a pink Pilates princess lacing pink ribbons in your hair, showcasing a lululemon Define jacket, platform UGGs and an Equinox membership? The categorization of the female identity can be fun when looking for a way to rebrand for the new year, but I often wonder: how much of the female identity has become rooted in consumption?

Young western women do not spend money to experience, but rather to embody. The purchase of a new workout set is not just clothing, but rather a representation of a lifestyle of health and opulence.

Maybe you’ll purchase a new water bottle — perhaps the newest Stanley tumbler — and some new sneakers to pair with it. Anything that plays into this idealization of fitness will be bought, and surely thereafter you will leap into the newfound identity of a “gym girl.” When I see “girl therapy” slideshows on TikTok showcasing a new set of acrylics, a recent shopping

Where’s your voice?

Shippensburg University students, staff, faculty, administrators and affiliated people are welcome to submit letters to the editor for publication.

• Letters must be no more than 300 words and may not contain derogatory language or messages of hate or discrimination.

The Slate may reject letters for any reason.

• Letters become property of The Slate. Letters without a name and title (affiliation to SU) will not be accepted.

• Letters should be sent to The Slate one week prior to the day of publication. Late letters may be accepted but published the next week.

• The views and opinions expressed in this section are those of the writer and not of The Slate or University.

The unsigned staff editorial, “The Slate Speaks,” represents the views and opinions of The Slate as an organization. Participating editors help shape the staff editorial.

What was I made for?

What were we made for?

This is a question that has haunted humanity for thousands of years, and was recently brought to global attention through the highly rated and successful 2023 film “Barbie” by Greta Gerwig. Throughout the emotional and humorous movie, a storyline of natural imperfection was perceived by Margot Robbie (Barbie) and Ryan Gosling (Ken). Though both of these characters brought happiness to many during the film, Barbie has always impacted children’s lives in unimaginable ways. Barbie is an influential character created by Mattel Co. that depicts independence, strength, individualism and confidence. The dolls have been used since 1959 to teach children the importance of their worth as humans, and they created a wide imagination for many. For a significant time, Barbie was controversial. The company was less inclusive than it should have been, and this was fixed because of their knowledge that inclusivity holds a powerful importance in society. In 2015, Mattel Co. began to value the true significance of diversity. After roughly a decade of prioritizing full inclusivity, Barbie’s image changed positively forever. The company wanted the world to feel beautiful, and it wanted to show the altitude of capability that humans have. Barbie has several jobs and personas; some of her careers include fashion designer, flight attendant, nurse, doctor, pilot, architect, game developer, police officer and lawyer. Not only were her careers inclusive, but they shed light onto all of the accomplishments that young people can have in their lifetimes. Due to the change in the overall perspective of Barbie, Mattel Co. decided that it would be both nostalgic and impactful to create a movie for Barbie lovers

and haters everywhere. Regardless of any opinions, Barbie has been around for decades and has had several good impacts on the minds of young individuals — especially since the prioritizing of full inclusivity.

With a heavy heart, it is disappointing to reiterate the newly announced information that Margot Robbie — the actress playing Barbie — did not receive an Oscar nomination for her role in the film. Not only did Margot Robbie not receive a nomination, but Ryan Gosling received a nomination for “Best Supporting Actor.”

Ryan Gosling reacted with a message saying, “But there is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no ‘Barbie’ movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making, globally-celebrated film. No recognition would be possible for anyone on the film without their talent, grit and genius. To say that I’m disappointed that they are not nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement.”

Several people did not understand the meaning behind “Barbie.” The film was about recognizing that as a woman, you do not have to be flawless to be perfect. The term “imperfectly perfect” was conveyed throughout the film and executed greatly. Margot Robbie implemented the idea that women — or anybody — did not have to fit the societal standard of “beautiful,” and they could just be themselves. Within the film, she realizes that she does not want to be the “perfect” Barbie that she always had been, and she takes a leap of faith to be a regular person with regular experiences. The premise of the movie was to show people that you have worth regardless of your physical appearance or class status.

spree and Gilmore Girls screencaps, it reminds me that American women have been conditioned into becoming a capitalist wet dream. We try on stereotyped labels like costumes, shedding our skin every few months according to the trend cycle. We call them our “eras” — another way of highlighting the fleeting nature of our identities. Our sense of self has become tied to materialism and what purchases make up the newest aesthetic — purchases that only worsen the nation’s epidemic of overconsumption.

Read the full story at theslateonline.com.

Reagan Gardenhour Staff Contributor

Adam Beam/The Slate

Adam Beam/ The Slate

Madi Shively Ship Life Editor

Ship Life

Rangeline DeJesus reflects on two-year Student Trustee term

Madi Shively Ship Life Editor

“I’ve always been the kind of person to challenge myself and take on new ventures without fully knowing what I was jumping into,” Rangeline DeJesus said.

DeJesus was appointed to the Shippensburg Council of Trustees as a sophomore and has since served a two-year term, ensuring the needs of students are heard. DeJesus is now a senior, graduating in May as she completes a double major in international studies and Spanish, as well as minors in women’s and gender studies and political science.

Before seeking out the position of student trustee, DeJesus met a member of the Council of Trustees while catering an event on campus.

“He came up to me to compliment our cupcakes and introduced himself as a member of the Council of Trustees,” DeJesus said. “I was like, ‘what the heck is a Council of Trustees?’”

DeJesus then researched the role of student trustee and met with the previous student trustee, Seth Edwards, to become more informed on the role. After being a “COVID freshman,” DeJesus was looking to become more involved with Shippensburg’s campus and took on the roles of resident assistant in Naugle Hall and a student worker for Shippensburg University Dining Services

during her sophomore year. DeJesus said she was motivated to make the needs of students heard after rising concerns following COVID.

“Coming in as a freshman during COVID, it was very isolating,” DeJesus said. “I heard pre-COVID experiences from my older friends, and I noticed there was a culture shift on campus. Knowing that I can communicate well with others and I care about the wellbeing of others — if you feel like you don’t have the ability to make your voice heard, I want to make sure that someone is still seeing you and speaking for you.”

As an active member of the campus community, DeJesus aimed to bring more visibility to the role of student trustee.

“Through my engagements with SGA and participating in different club events, I try to bring more visibility to who I am and how I serve as a resource to students,” DeJesus said. “The biggest difference between what I offer to students versus Student Government is that I am like a mouthpiece to the ears of the administrators. I’m glad to be on a board with such like-minded administrators who are already thinking ahead and concerned for what students want.”

DeJesus is no stranger to leadership positions. In high school, DeJesus served as Key Club Vice President and Lieutenant Governor, overseeing five different high schools in her county.

“That gave me the confidence to see what positions I could achieve once I moved onto higher education,” DeJesus said. DeJesus looks back fondly on her experience working alongside the Council of Trustees. “They make my job easier by being great people,” DeJesus said. “At most private universities, many of them don’t have student representatives on these kinds of boards.”

PASSHE is the only state system that has student representatives with full voting privileges both on the Council of Trustees and on the Board of Governors, which serve as the two highest governing bodies for these public institutions. “I can’t imagine what it would be like not to have access to that board and to be unable to make the student opinion heard, but I also could not imagine how difficult it would be to be a student member on that board and have your opinion ignored,” DeJesus said.

DeJesus is delighted by the council’s diversification, appointing two new women to the Council of Trustees. Ship alumnae Ashley Loper and Moriah Hathaway have been recently appointed to the council this past month. Hathaway, 2019, has been the executive director of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women since July of 2020.

“I’m so sad to be leaving as they’re just getting started,” DeJesus said. “They’re great new additions and represent a wide range of diversity on the board.”

DeJesus commended the board on its involvement in the campus community. “They come to events all over campus. They’re very caring and progressive people, not only working to progress the betterment of the university, but keeping the student body in mind as well,” DeJesus said. “They’ve encouraged me and have helped me to become more confident in my role.”

DeJesus shared that she felt a sense of impostor syndrome when she first assumed her role, coming from a low-income family with a Latina background. “I don’t even know when there was a female trustee before me, let alone a woman of color,” DeJesus said. “But the board was so welcoming, and I’m so thankful to have worked with such amazing people.”

Working as a resident assistant and an employee of dining services better equipped DeJesus for the role of student trustee. “Working as an RA has given me such important skills, such as empathy, compassion and communication,” DeJesus said. “It made it so much easier to already have those traits as a member of the board.”

DeJesus also shared that during her time

Fashionably Slate: Pop culture vs. Fashion

Fashion is inevitably inspired by popular culture. Wherever popular culture exists is where we will exist. It is truly a magical thought that everything is survived by each other. Rather than popular culture being seen as corrupt or unimportant, I enjoy looking at it as the way each person individually becomes a part of something larger — connection. In a world like ours, the only

way we will ever have peace is to live within each other — while still being independent.

In a small town like Shippensburg, it may seem unrealistic for popular culture to impact those who associate with that form of simplicity. However, popular culture helps us be who we have always wanted to be, and shows us exactly what our capabilities are.

There is a quote that I have always lived by from designer and photographer Cecil Beaton: “The truly fashionable

are beyond fashion.” The quote has always reminded me that fashion is highly intellectual. Similarly, there are new ideas of high fashion growing exceedingly — high fashion no longer discounts sweats. Sweat-sets have become a large staple for many to have, as they are easy to plan while also creating a fully assembled look.

Popular culture amplified this idea when designers learned to break free from societal standards on the basis of dressing. Fashion

shows such as Paris Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week and the Met Gala became popular, and it became an integral moment for events such as the Oscars, Golden Globes, Emmys and Grammys. Though many people do not understand the meaning behind these shows or the message they are trying to convey, it is interesting to see people dressed in clothes that express how they are feeling, or how their designer is feeling.

catering for Shippensburg Dining Services, she made several connections with the executive management team, administration members and other alumni that she later reconnected with once she assumed the role of student trustee.

Though she was pleased with the counterparts she had worked with in the role, DeJesus shared that the role came with difficulties. “The role of student trustee doesn’t come with an instruction manual,” DeJesus said. “On a board where you are not an elected official, it’s important to know the limitations of your role. For me, it was important to learn where I was needed and how to best serve SGA while still serving the student body.”

DeJesus also established connections with other student trustees through the organization PACT, or the Pennsylvania Association of Councils of Trustees. “It was comforting to connect more personally with other student trustees and to hear their experiences and advice,” DeJesus said.

DeJesus shared that her experience in her term has amplified her appreciation for public universities. “Public institutions are for everyone,” DeJesus said. “They’re trying to connect everyone everywhere, and act as a resource for everyone in attendance. Understanding the inner workings of the university have made me appreciate it more because they care more for students themselves than the numbers.”

“I’ve learned how to make my voice heard on this council. I’ve learned to lose the fear of voicing my opinions,” DeJesus said when recounting the lessons she’s learned during her term. “I’ve learned the importance of having a support system. Now that I know what that feels like, I’m excited to be able to pass that feeling on to others.”

DeJesus is currently applying to the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic and hopes to volunteer in youth development, promoting leadership and empowerment in young women and children.

“The leadership I’ve acquired while being on the council is something I’d like to imbue into the students I would be working with,” DeJesus said.

Applications for the position of student trustee are available to submit online at ship. edu and can be submitted to Dean of Students Lorie Sheetz (ladavis@ship.edu). Eligibility requires applicants to be able to serve a twoyear term and to be a full-time student in good academic standing. Applications are available to submit through Jan. 31.

Slowly but Shively: Amends

Madi Shively Ship Life Editor

Recently, I found myself in a situation in which I had an opportunity to apologize to someone for a mistake I had made. I have said “I’m sorry” plenty of times in my life, but this instance was different. It was a thousand times more nerve-wracking because this time I knew it was not guaranteed that I would be forgiven.

I knew the mistake I made was big. Major. I felt this regret from the bottom of my heart, so leading up to my conversation with this person, I anxiously tried to find the words that would fully convey my remorse. Still, I couldn’t shake the fear that I wouldn’t be able to accurately own up to my mistakes — and even worse — walk away without forgiveness.

When I expressed this to my therapist, he shared an experience that stuck with me. He recalled a time when he was walking through the city and began to cross the street, when a runner accidentally ran into him at full speed, knocking his glasses off of his face and pushing him to the ground. While the runner apologized to him, my therapist was focused on getting his bearings and searching for his glasses on the ground. Once the runner realized he was not immediately going to be forgiven, they instantly switched up and yelled a few profanities at my therapist before continuing their run.

The takeaway from this experience my therapist shared with me is that an apology is not a true apology if it is only valid upon receiving forgiveness in return. I learned that to give a true apology, our goal should not be to receive forgiveness. Instead, aim to express empathy, avoid excuses

and commit to change. While swallowing your pride and saying you are sorry can be a daunting feat within itself, if you believe you are entitled to forgiveness in return, you are not administering a genuine apology. Sorry, not sorry. After my conversation with the person I had wronged, I felt great relief knowing I had made them aware of the regret I had felt and how sorry I was for how I had affected them. It was much less nerve-wracking once I had stopped placing validation on an apology I could not guarantee I would receive. Instead, I focused on what I could control, which was sharing the remorse I felt without any expectation in return, and making amends. I recommend assuming this thought process the next time you may need to apologize. With luck, you may be met with extraordinary forgiveness in return.

Adam Beam / The Slate

Rangeline DeJesus speaks at President Patterson’s inauguration in 2022.

Photo courtesy of Pexels.com

Is there anything better than ‘Hairspray’?

The cast of “Hairspray” on Tour performing the showstopper “You Can’t Stop the Beat” during the curtain call at the performance at Luhrs on Jan. 25. Connor Niszczak

Managing Editor

“Good morning, Shippensburg!”

Those three simple words are how the national tour of “Hairspray” welcomed us as they performed at the Luhrs Performing Arts Center Thursday night.

I’ll be honest, I had forgotten just how strong of a musical “Hairspray” is. One of the all-time great opening numbers, “Good Morning, Baltimore,” sets up hits like “Welcome to the ’60’s,” “Without Love” and of course, “You Can’t Stop the Beat.”

“Hairspray” is one of those shows that is highly entertaining even if the production is only decent. Much of this cast is

wonderful, but like the Corny Collins Show itself, some production numbers felt dry until the diversity of the cast is welcomed. This, combined with an audience that lacked energy — even with selling $15 student tickets — made it hard to reach the level of energy that the Corny Collins Show should exude. I wish more seats had been filled, but once we met Seaweed and Motormouth Maybelle, the party was on.

My biggest issue with this production was the sound mixing. At times, the orchestra was far too loud and some dialogue was nearly impossible to fully understand. Several lyrics during “Big, Blonde and Beautiful” were particularly difficult to comprehend. I have heard this before, however, as finding the right sound mix can be a struggle that comes with spending just about 24 hours in a venue while on tour.

I consider “Hairspray” to be one of the best film adaptations of a musical, so that makes it difficult to not compare this cast to John Travolta, Christopher Walken and Michelle Pfieffer, among others. That being said, Deidre Lang’s Motormouth Maybelle and Josiah Rogers’ Seaweed Stubs were standouts for me. Lang just about brought the house down with “I Know Where I’ve Been.”

I was not as pleased with Velma Von Tussle or Corny Collins, but it brings me no joy to speak bad about “Hairspray.” Besides, I’m still singing their songs four days later. Luhrs has several more shows in its Broadway series this semester, so take advantage of this and support live theater.

‘Oppenheimer’ set to dominate at 96th Academy Awards

The nominees for the 96th Academy Awards are officially here, and this year’s biggest winner is set to be “Oppenheimer.” The three-hour drama is currently nominated for 13 awards, including Best Picture.

The nominees for this year’s ceremony were announced live Tuesday morning by Jack Quaid, who stars in “Oppenheimer” as Richard Feynman) and Zazie Beetz. “Oppenheimer,” directed by Christopher Nolan, tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) and his life leading up to, during and following the creation of the atomic bomb and its dropping on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The film has been a darling of the award circuit over the past few months, earning several accolades for its cast and crew. Some of the awards the film is up for include the Best Picture nomination, as well as Best Actor and Supporting Actors for Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt. Nolan is also expected to win his first Best Director Oscar for the film.

While “Oppenheimer” has the most nominations, not all wins are guaranteed. Some of the other films to garner multiple nominations include “Poor Things,” “American Fiction,” “The Holdovers” and Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Speaking of Scorsese, his latest historical film has made history itself. Lily Gladstone is the first Native

American woman in history to be nominated for Best Actress.

Of all the candidates this year, the dark horse throughout awards season has been Bradley Cooper’s second directorial effort “Maestro.” The Netflix biopic received critical praise, and Cooper has campaigned hard for the gold, but so far, the film has come up rel-

atively empty-handed when it comes to those coveted prizes.

Like every year, for every well-deserved nomination, there is the inevitable snubs. Arguably, one of the biggest and most controversial has been the exclusion of Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig for their efforts in “Barbie.” The blockbuster-hit walked away with eight nominations, including Best Picture. Despite this, Gerwig did not see her name up on the list for Best Director, and only Robbie’s co-stars Ryan Gosling and America Ferrera were nominated in any acting categories.

Other major missing nominees from this year’s list of contenders include “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” in Best Original Score which lost out to “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” Despite last year being a massive win for Asian American representation, Charles Melton (“May December”) and Greta Lee (“Past Lives”) were left off the list for their respective acting categories.

The 96th Academy Awards will air later than usual on Sunday, March 10, on ABC, beginning at 7 p.m. The show was delayed due to the writers’ and actors’ strike from earlier in the summer.

Adam Beam / The Slate

Adam Beam Opinion Editor

Adam Beam / The Slate

Track and field delivers solid marks at Bison Open & Multi

Nicola Puggé Sports Editor

Shippensburg University’s men’s and women’s track-and-field teams put up solid marks at the Bison Open & Multi hosted by Bucknell University on Friday and Saturday.

In the first two events of the day on Friday, Carissa Bender cleared the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) qualifying height in the pole vault with a jump of 3.30 meters (10 feet, 10 inches), and Makayla Decker improved her personal record (PR) in the shot put to 11.85 meters (38 feet, 10.5 inches), missing a PSAC mark by 2 inches.

On the track, SU also recorded multiple top finishes Friday night.

Leah Graybill and Aliyah Serrano went 2-3 in the 200-meter dash with times of 24.70 seconds and 25.31 seconds, the season best for Serrano.

Victoria Mattioli placed second in her first collegiate indoor 5K with a PSAC-qualifying time of 18:39.49.

In the 60-meter hurdle dash, Sasha Lee placed second in finals with a time of 8.97, breaking the nine-second barrier once again. Ryleigh Marks finished fourth in the finals in 9.27 seconds.

The women as well as the men both teamed up for solid times in the distance medley relay to qualify for the PSAC Championships.

For the men’s team, Lavar Jackson delivered a fast 200-meter dash, winning the competition in 21.71 seconds. His time was just .14 shy of his school record that he set in December.

Jeovaughni Daniel and Bernard Bell III went 4-5 in the 60-meter hurdle finals with times of 8.41 and 8.44, respectively.

On Saturday, Chase Hensinger put up the highlight performance on the track, winning

the 800 meters with a time of 1:54.98, less than a second away from the NCAA provisional qualifying mark.

Kenny Rhyne won the high jump with a mark of 6 feet, 6.75 inches (2.00 meters), clearing the mark for the second week in a row.

Ryan Murphy placed fourth in the heptathlon with a score of 4,279, a new PR by over 100 points. Murphy is ranked in the Top 14 in the PSAC for the event, which qualifies for the championship.

For the women, Graybill and Serrano delivered another 2-3 finish in the 60-meter dash, finishing only behind Laila Campbell, a senior in high school committed to run track for Louisiana State University.

Lee returned to action on Saturday in the jumps, winning the long jump with a mark of 18 feet, 2.5 inches (5.55 meters) and fourth in the triple jump with 38 feet, 5 inches (11.71 meters).

Allyson Richwine finished sixth in the high jump with a season best of 5 feet, 3 inches (1.60 meters).

In the weight throw, three women posted new PRs, all of them trying to get a conference cut (46 feet, 11 inches). ShanAnn Simmons improved her PR by over 4 feet to finish sixth with 46 feet, 8.25 inches (14.23 meters).

Lauren Bellows finished right behind her with a PR of 46 feet, 7.5 inches (14.21 meters) and Abby Reasoner, a javelin

in the outdoor season, threw 44

4

(13.51 meters) to improve her PR by

feet in just her second collegiate weight throw competition.

Next week the team will split its squad, as some athletes will head to Penn State to compete at the Sykes & Sabock Challenge, while others will compete at the Plex Shootout in Alvernia.

Dylan Curtis steps into new role as tennis head coach

Mason Flowers Asst. Sports Editor

It is not uncommon for college athletes to return to their alma mater in a coaching role.

What is rare is the athlete coaching a different sport than the one they played.

That is exactly what Dylan Curtis is doing, having been hired as the new head coach of Shippensburg University’s women’s tennis team.

Curtis serves as the associate director of recreation on campus and was a long snapper on the Raiders football team from 2017 to 2021. He has a pair of degrees from Shippensburg, earning a bachelor’s degree in 2021 in exercise science before obtaining a master’s degree in organizational development and

leadership in 2023.

Curtis believes his role as the associate director of recreation will help him as tennis head coach, particularly overseeing club sports.

In an interview, he said, “Understanding the administrative piece, with class schedules and facility schedules, there’s a lot of things I’ve gained in this position helping me with the transition.”

He also discussed the transition from athlete to coach, saying, “I’ve played about every sport under the sun. When this opportunity kind of came about, I was eager to jump on it. I love to compete. I’ve been playing tennis for a while now. I have a lot of coaching experience, so I figured I’d try and make the transition.”

Curtis takes over the coaching

This

position from Sheila Bush, who had to step down in her first season as head coach after being diagnosed with breast cancer. She has helped Curtis move into the position.

“She’s been able to help me with some of the recruits that she was able to get, getting me in contact with them, he said.”

The position of tennis coach at Shippensburg has been a revolving door as of late, with Curtis being the fifth head coach since 2017. He is confident that he can follow Bush’s footsteps.

“She had this program going in the right direction, starting to build a really great culture. The ladies have been really welcoming, they already have a lot of things I’ve experienced from successful programs.”

Monday

Women’s basketball at Shepherd, 5:30 p.m.

Men’s basketball at Shepherd, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday

Men’s basketball vs. Cheyney, 7 p.m., Heiges Field House (The Hidden Opponent Green Out Event)

Even with a strong foundation, there is a lot of work to do, taking over a program that has not had a winning season in the last 20 years. Curtis acknowledged how it is an uphill battle, sharing his philosophy of “If you take care of the little things, the big things take care of themselves.”

Above all else, Curtis is relishing the opportunity to lead a team on campus. “I love chaos,” he said. “I love being the decision-maker. Being a coach is such a privilege, to be able to work with the same group of students and watch them progress on the court, in the classroom, in life.”

The women’s tennis spring season begins at the Spring Break Sports tournament in Windermere, Florida, on March 10.

Saturday

Men’s/Women’s track and field at Sykes&Sabock Challenge (Penn State), 11 a.m.

Men’s/Women’s track and field at Plex Shootout (Alvernia), 9 a.m.

Men’s/Women’s swim at Navy Invitational, 12 p.m

Women’s basketball vs. Bloomsburg, 1 p.m., Heiges Field House

Men’s basketball vs. Bloomsburg, 3 p.m., Heiges Field House

Photo courtesy of shipraiders.com

Dylan Curtis was named head coach of women’s tennis on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024.

Leah Graybill placed second in the 60-meter and the 200 meters.

Sasha Lee won the long jump and finished second in the 60-meter hurdles.

Allyson Richwine cleared 5 feet, 3 inches in the high jump.

Lavar Jackson won the 200 meters in 21.71 seconds.

Kenny Rhyne won the high jump with a height of 6 feet, 6.75 inches.

Chase Hensinger won the 800 meters in 1:54.98.

Photo courtesy of SU Sports Info Photo courtesy of SU Sports Info Photo courtesy of SU Sports Info

Photo courtesy of SU Sports Info

Women’s basketball loses pair of home games

Shippensburg University’s women’s basketball team dropped a pair of conference matchups this past week, losing to West Chester 82-55 on Wednesday before falling to PSAC leader Lock Haven 59-48 on Saturday. The results moved Shippensburg to 3-16 overall, including 2-11 in PSAC play. Wednesday’s battle saw the Raiders within striking distance throughout the first half but never able to get a clean run going to make it truly close. Shippensburg was only down six about midway through the second quarter but fell 13 behind at the half and were behind by 23 after three quarters. The Raiders never led in the contest.

Head coach Kristy Trn kept a positive outlook for her team around halftime, discussing the first half. “For a majority of the time I felt like we played very solid defense in the first

half. They hit shots in our face. Not that we were playing bad defense, they’re that experienced and had very good players.” Trn then mentioned the issues the Raiders had coming out of the locker room. “We were hoping to come out in the second half and do a better job taking away their points in the paint which we didn’t do, make sure we’re only giving them one opportunity offensively, and we didn’t do it,’ she said. “It tends to snowball with an inexperienced team.”

Freshman Bella Chimienti and graduate Treasure George tied for the Shippensburg lead in points with 13, with Chimienti going 6-8 from the free throw line. Junior Taja Colbert and junior Abbie Miller were both in double digits with 10 points, Miller also picking up seven rebounds to lead the team.

Entering Saturday’s matchup against 17-1 Lock Haven, Trn wanted to see a strong effort against the conference leader. “I just want us to come out and compete,” she said. “Lock Haven’s basically the same team as last year. We can

compete if we can come out and execute both sides of the ball consistently for 40 minutes.”

The Raiders kept the matchup close for the entire first 20 minutes, going into the half tied at 30 before falling 59-48. Things fell apart in the third quarter for Shippensburg, giving up a 13-0 run to start the frame, being outscored 22-4 in the quarter overall. They held Lock Haven to seven points in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late.

George and Chimienti starred in this one for Shippensburg, with George putting up 17 points and Chimienti scoring 15, her third straight game in double-figures. Nobody else had more than five points for the Raiders.

The Raiders will face a pair of teams with 2-10 PSAC records. They travel to Shepherd on Monday for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff before hosting Bloomsburg on Saturday, with tip off scheduled for 1 p.m. at Heiges Field House.

Basketball Gallery

Mason Flowers Asst. Sports Editor

Jashton Best/The Slate

Abbie Miller plays defense against a player from West Chester University.

Jashton Best/The Slate

Kyle Whippen defends the basket in the game against West Chester.

Jashton Best/The Slate

Bella Chimienti (1) and Madi White (3) watch a free throw from the other end of the court against WCU.

Jashton Best/The Slate

Satchel Ball scores during the warmup against WCU.

Jashton Best/The Slate Donovan Hill makes a move for the basket.

Slate on Break

Even though classes were not in session, Slaters did not stop taking photos. Photos below are from our winter break. Many Slaters spent time at the 108th Pennsylvania Farm Show. Others traveled across the state to the Reading Pagoda or the Govenor’s Residence in Harrisburg. Winter break was fun, but we are excited to be back for the semester.

Photos courtesy of Adam Beam, Jashton Best, Jayden Pohlman and Allyson Ritchey