The Slate 4-2-24

1973 SU alumni fund campus projects for 50-year anniversary

Proposed designs of the archway and SHIP letters were both funded by the family of Jeff

completed later this year, and were designed by the architecture firm Weber Murphy Fox.

& Elizabeth

Niszczak

Peters Managing Editor & Editor-in-Chief

The historic side of Shippensburg University’s campus is getting an upgrade — courtesy of several alumni.

Over the past few weeks, construction began for an archway next to Stewart Hall and Rowland Hall on the west side of campus. The project is funded by the family of Class of 1973 alumnus, long-time member of the SU Board of Trustees and former Pennsylvania State Representative Jeff Coy, who passed away in 2018.

Coy was heavily involved in the Shippensburg community and was posthumously honored, along with his wife Jo Anne, with the renamed Jeffrey W. and Jo Anne R. Coy Public Library of Shippensburg in 2019.

Once completed, the archway is meant to serve as a new tradition. Incoming students will pass through the arch to begin their time as Raiders and will exit as they depart from the university, according to Megan Silverstrim SU director of Communications and Marketing.

The current timeline for the project has the archway’s dedication ceremony set for the last day of classes, May 3. Additionally, construction has begun in front of Stewart Hall for new decorative “SHIP” letters, which is funded by the Class of 1973 as a gift to the university 50 years after their graduation.

The letters will each be painted red, stand approximately

and

6 feet tall and will arrive on campus later this spring, Silverstrim said. The administration is hoping to have the project completed by graduation on May 11, but that is yet to be determined. The dedication ceremony for the SHIP letters will occur during this summer’s Alumni Weekend on May 31 and June 1.

The sculpture was designed to create an opportunity for both current and prospective students to take photos that literally say Ship, Silverstrim said. Stewart Hall is where daily tours depart from, so any visitors will see the letters as one of the very first pieces of SU’s campus.

Both projects are designed by the architecture firm Weber Murphy Fox.

On Monday, SU President Charles Patterson announced in a video posted to the university’s Instagram that a “spacious and environmentally-friendly” habitat for a new hippo arriving on campus on Sept. 30 was being constructed in front of Stewart Hall.

Patterson said various academic departments will contribute to the exhibit. Biology will research hippos, earth sciences will ensure the habitat is environmentally sustainable, education students will build curriculum for elementary students visiting a live animal exhibit, business students will create a business plan to create unique ways to create revenue around the new exhibit and political science students will support legislation to protect wildlife.

The university also created a webpage — ship.edu/

Editor’s notes for March 5 edition:

In an article titled “Record low turnout in SGA officer election,” published in the March 5 print edition of The Slate, the names of two of the election’s winners were switched.

The article incorrectly states that Ella Zinn was elected as the 2024–2025 SGA Vice President of External Affairs and that Natalie Nichols was elected as the Vice President of Student Groups.

Zinn was elected as the VP of Student Groups, while Nichols was elected as VP of External Affairs.

In an article titled “Pennsylvania governor’s vision for higher education,” in the March 5 print edition of The Slate, Governor Josh Shapiro is quoted regarding declining enrollment in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and Pennsylvania community colleges.

The figures that Shapiro gave were a 37% decline for community colleges and 30% for PASSHE schools. Shapiro misspoke; these figures are the reverse according to the PASSHE Office of the Chancellor. The state system has experienced a 37% decline in enrollment, while Pennsylvania’s community colleges have seen a 30% decline over the past decade.

hippohabitat — to explain the backstory for the so-called “Shippo’s Shelter.”

“We understand that there may be apprehension surrounding this initiative,” Patterson said on the website. “Rest assured, the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff are our top priorities. We have taken every precaution to ensure that the hippo habitat meets the highest standards of care and security.”

Unfortunately, “Shippo’s Shelter” was later clarified to be an April Fool’s Day joke, much to the dismay of Shippo fans everywhere.

SGA submits activity fee proposal to administration

Connor Niszczak Managing Editor

Shippensburg University’s Student Government Association (SGA) unanimously approved amendments to its constitution and bylaws at its March 28 public meeting. The amended constitution will reduce the required number of meetings SGA must hold from once every two weeks to once a month. Amendments also clarified the duties of vice presidents and updated SGA committees. Additionally, SGA approved a proposed increase to the student activity fee, which will be sent to SU administration for potential approval and next steps.

In other business, SGA President Harun Pacavar shared that senate candidates will deliver their

speeches at 4:30 p.m. on April 4 in McFeely’s Coffeehouse, and voting will be open April 8 to 11.

During Senator Reports, Residence Hall Association (RHA) Senator Isabelle Schannauer noted a successful Mocktails event, which saw nearly 150 attendees and more than a dozen student group participants.

RHA will also be co-sponsoring the Solar Eclipse viewing party on April 8 from 1 to 5 p.m.

Interfraternity Council (IFC) Senator Ethan Sommer said the IFC is working with Theta Chi to hold a celebration of life for a member of the organization who recently passed away.

Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) Senator Philicia McArthur shared that members of MSA recently met with Pennsylvania State Police and Shippensburg

Borough Police Department officers to discuss policing procedures before the upcoming Statewide Conference on April 19 and 20.

Activities Programming Board president Nicole Baumgardner said APB’s recent Ship’s Got Talent event saw nearly 200 attendees show up to the Luhrs Performing Arts Center. Later this month, APB will be hosting a bus trip to Washington, D.C., and the final Bingo of the year on April 26.

WSYC General Manager Jenna Cornell gave updates from the various student media groups and noted WSYC’s 11th annual “Up All Night” broadcast on April 13 and PRSSA’s Networking Night on April 11.

SGA will hold its secondto-last public meeting of the year on April 11 at 4 p.m. in CUB 119.

Connor

Courtesy of Weber Murphy Fox

Coy

members of the class of 1973. Both projects are set to be

Screenshot of Shippensburg University Website

A graphic depicting a hippo in “Shippo’s Shelter” in front of Stewart Hall was posted to the SU website.

Your World Today Commentary: Whole lotta Ship

My planner is my lifeline.

I have said countless times that if I do not write an idea, event or deadline into my planner — or a random sticky note that happens to be within arm’s length — there is a significant chance that I will forget it almost instantly.

There is a constant stream of residence life, admissions, communications/journalism, Slate and general life business cycling through my head, and I double-book myself at least once a week.

Thankfully, I am not alone. I am consistently validated by the frequency of events across campus that overlap and are double-booked.

I recognize the difficulties of life and scheduling between dozens of campus offices and organizations, but it far too often feels like there is a fundamental lack of communication between campus partners. This trend particularly irritated me last week when the biweekly SGA meeting took place at the exact same time as the Career Center’s annual Fashion Show. SGA, a group that consistently struggles to get students involved and saw a voter turnout earlier this semester of 1%, should be doing whatever it can to not book its events at the same time as major events on campus. As the organization that represents the student body, its members should be able to communicate with other offices (especially ones located one floor below its office) to try and not double-book. Now, I am not a member of SGA and am not contractually obligated to attend, but The Slate prioritizes

attending their meetings because of the essential information from the meetings that must be published.

This issue is, of course, not limited to SGA. Last week, Transgender Week of Visibility was marked by a poetry reading from author Torrin A.

Greathouse in Stewart Hall Wednesday at 7 p.m. Any group who participat ed in RHA’s Mock tails was required to begin setting up in the CUB MPR at 7 p.m. So if you wanted to attend both, you had to choose.

Look no further than any Tuesday afternoon at 3:30. The university sets this time aside to not hold classes to al low clubs and organi zations to meet at this time, so they do. On any given Tuesday, individuals just within our team of Slate editors have conflicts with other organizations meeting at the same time and have to choose which group gets priority.

Trans Week of Visibility: Torrin A. Greathouse

Lydia Elmy Staff Contributor

This problem persists in the academic world, too. Professors seem to have a secret society where they get together to somehow make all major assignments due in the same 48-hour period several times a semester. I am kidding of course, but some in our student body are consistently fighting the urge to be in two places at once.

All of this is to say that I, of course, recognize that life is all about making choices and sacrificing some experiences for others, but the infamous “Ship Shuffle” and repeated scheduling conflict-induced headaches make it clear that we need to do better. Ship Happens…all at the same time.

Torrin A. Greathouse, a transgender “cripple-punk” poet and essayist, brought Stewart Hall to life when they read their poems to students and faculty on Wednesday night. The event, hosted by the English department as part of Trans Week of Visibility, drew a large crowd and quickly filled seats.

Director of First-Year

Writing Nicole Santalucia began the event by speaking about the importance of Trans Week of Visibility and poetry.

“We tend to forget our humanity,” Santalucia said. Santalucia then invited Cynthia Dodd, a French secondary education major and writing fellow, onto the stage. Dodd talked about their experiences through middle and high school before inviting Jean Stinchfield, an English major and writing fellow, onstage.

Stinchfield talked about the importance of advocacy, especially trans and disability advocacy, before introducing Greathouse.

“To be trans is an act of creation,” Stinchfield said while quoting Greathouse’s book, “Wound from the Mouth of a Wound.” Throughout the evening, Greathouse read several of their poems, such as “Etymythology,” “Vanitas Vanitatum,” “An Ugly Poem” and others.

Greathouse also read poems from their upcoming book, “DEED,” which will release on Aug. 20, 2024. When asked for advice they would give to people about supporting trans women, Greathouse emphasized self-education. “Honestly, a big thing is just not making that person your sole source of information on trans people and the trans community,” Greathouse said. “Go out. Go to your local library, find and read books by trans people, by trans women.”

Once the Q&A session concluded, students received free copies of “Wound from the Mouth of a Wound,” and Greathouse offered to sign copies.

The Pride and Gender Equity Center, the Women’s and Gender Studies department and Office of Multicultural Student Affairs have collaborated to host the “Still I Rise” Women’s History open mic night. Students can sign up to read, sing or speak at the open mic on Monday, April 8 at 6:30 p.m. in McFeely’s Coffeehouse.

Weather Forecast

Financial Aid announces upcoming FAFSA workshops

Do not miss out on money. If you haven’t completed your 2024-25 FAFSA and need assistance, Shippensburg University’s Office of Financial Aid is holding several FAFSA Completion Workshops on campus this April. Pennsylvania residents must complete the FAFSA no later than May 1 for PA State Grant consideration.

New this year – on the 2024–25 FAFSA, every contributor (you, your spouse, a biological or adoptive parent or your parent’s spouse) is required to provide information on the FAFSA form and will need an FSA ID account (username and password) before accessing and completing their section of the online form. So, please try to have these accounts set up prior to attending any FAFSA Completion Workshops, but if not, we can still help you.

The 2024-25 FAFSA will use every contributor’s 2022 federal tax information, which now is being automatically pulled from the IRS. There still may be some financial infor-

mation you have to enter manually, so have those documents available if needed.

If you don’t need assistance to file your 2024-25 FAFSA, log in online at www.studentaid.gov with your FSA ID. We highly recommend getting your FAFSA done as soon as possible, even though financial aid packages are being delayed across the country by the U.S. Department of Education. All students will be notified of their financial aid award packages once we get the FAFSA from the U.S. Department of Education and are able to process them later this spring. For Pennsylvania residents, PHEAA will notify you by email when the PA State Grant application can be completed.

Want to see if you are eligible for more money? Apply for Scholarships! We encourage you to apply for our Shippensburg University Foundation scholarships and PASSHE Foundation Scholarships.

Scholarship application links can be found at https://www.ship.edu/paying/scholarships-loans/scholarships/.

The Financial Aid Office is located in Old Main Room 101. Stop by and see us sometime!

SGA continues campus community engagement

Hello Raiders, We hope that everyone had a great spring break and came back refreshed for the second half of the semester. The Student Government Association (SGA) will be holding senator elections for the upcoming year from April 8 through April 11.

Your voice matters, so please check your email for the ballot for the senator elections and vote.

SGA is excited to partner with ShipVotes, a nonpartisan group that encourages everyone to register to vote so that your voice can be heard. Be on the lookout for information at tabling events in the CUB great hall within the next couple weeks.

SGA, along with many other student groups, participated in Mocktails hosted by Residence Hall Association (RHA) on March 27. The theme was “Battle of the Bands,” and SGA made cranberry “Dean Martinis” based on the artist Dean Martin. The turnout of RHA’s event was very good.

SGA did not win any of the awards but enjoyed participating in the event with the other student groups. It was a great event to sample some tasty drinks and listen to some great music. Special thanks to RHA for sponsoring an amazing event.

The Budget and Finance committee continues its efforts to create a balanced

budget for the 2024–25 academic year. New members are always welcome and encouraged to join so all voices of our student body can be represented during the decision-making process.

As the school year is winding down, my term is also coming to an end. I have had the privilege to work with a great executive leadership committee being led by Harun Pacavar and feel that we have done a lot of good work to set SGA up for the future.

I would like to thank Kim Rockwell for her patience and help in navigating this position and pushing me to always do my best to succeed.

We have come a long way since the beginning of the year, and it is crazy to think it is almost over.

It has been an honor and privilege to serve the student groups here on campus, and I have no doubt the next VP of Student Groups, Ella Zinn, will do an amazing job.

Alan Jones SU Associate Director of Financial Aid

Justin Brajkovich SGA VP of Student Groups

Connor Niszczak Managing Editor

Photo Courtesy of Ella Zinn

SGA representatives setting up their table at RHA’s Mocktails event last Wednesday.

My mom’s a loser: Language around cancer

Allyson Ritchey Multimedia Editor

Happy Cancer season!

I know cancer season is mid-June to mid-July, but I am not talking about zodiacs.

It is that time of year when organizations count laps or hours spent dancing in the name of fighting cancer. I mean, the Pennsylvania State University just raised a record-breaking $16,955,683.63 at its yearly THON which is a 46-hour dance for philanthropy.

You have probably heard of Relay for Life, a global movement that has raised billions of dollars for the American Cancer Society, “a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone,” according to its website, Cancer. org. Relays for Life are events spanning day and night in promoting walking around tracks to raise funds for the American Cancer Society.

Here at Shippensburg University, our walk will be held Friday, April 5 from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. in ShipRec. Hosted by our chapter of Colleges Against Cancer, the event aims to raise $30,000 for the American Cancer Society, according to its event launch page.

At the time of writing this, students from all walks of life have raised almost $8,000. Teams represent sororities and fraternities, Student Ambassadors, In-Motion Dance Troupe, Housing and Residence Life and even the Wood Honors College.

I am no stranger to this community-based cancer advocacy. My middle and high school hosts a miniTHON every year, and I participated almost every year since sixth grade to my graduation. I have even attended several Relays for Life growing up.

My mom had leukemia when I was in third and fourth grades, a type of cancer of the blood that affects bone marrow and blood cells. I was probably the only 9-year-old in my home county that knew how to spell leukemia.

After 11 months, my mother died from complications due to leukemia. She contracted sepsis, and her organs began shutting

down. She passed away on March 28, 2012 — 12 years ago.

Does this mean she is a loser?

Cancer has long been portrayed as a battle, something to be won or conversely lost. The American Cancer Society integrates this ideology with its language on its website, labeling itself as a “cancer-fighting organization” that “combats cancer.”

This language is not unique to the American Cancer Society. Any time people speak about cancer, it seems to be equated to a battle.

Elevated in the 1970s as a way to bolster funding for cancer research, there is an idea that society is at war with cancer, a disease that over 600,000 Americans die from each year according to the CDC. People must “fight” or “battle” cancer. Those who are cured are “survivors” or “winners.” There is a romanticized heroism put on people who have cancer when they are simply going through treatment.

To borrow a term coined by Stella Young, the late disability rights activist, it is inspiration porn: portraying people with uncommon life circumstances, such as cancer, as being inspirational to common people on the basis of their life circumstances.

My mom had cancer in the heyday of Facebook, photos of her during treatments and comments under such calling her a “survivor” and “champ” currently immortalized. It has been 12 years, but I cannot help but feel an air of failure around my mother’s death despite it being no one’s fault she did not “win.”

To everyone who will be walking the night away at SU’s Relay for Life this weekend, I want to thank you for your effort in furthering the research and support done for people with cancer, but I urge you to think about how your language and attitude may come across.

Cancer is not a game, and dying should not be losing.

To imply there is a fight to be won or lost, and therefore a winner or loser, is not accurate or fair when it comes to cancer.

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.

The Slate Speaks: Social Media and ‘Political’ Posts

In response to the Letter to the Editor

Natalie Nichols Staff Contributor

There are many kind and wonderful people in sororities and fraternities. Some of my close friends are in Greek life. My girlfriend (hi, babe) ran for president of her sorority last year. My roommate participates in an academic fraternity and has had glowing things to say. This is a criticism of a system. Whether or not that criticism extends to the people who support the system is up to interpretation.

Queers bash back, but not against one another. When a member of a marginalized community feels discriminated against, showing them 600 soup cans will not fix their issue — that is a strawman argument. It is no one’s place to hear the discomfort of a person and attempt to invalidate it with numbers about community service. Such an action is unwarranted and unjust, especially considering the history of fraternities and queer people. What good is community service when you are not kind to the community in the first place?

I am delighted to hear that students at Shippensburg University are surrounded by members of Greek life who accept and uplift different identities and I hope they inspire more people with their actions. Does their acceptance extend to action or are they willing to stand by so long as they remain unthreatened by the space they

inhabit? Silence toward discrimination is compliance and fraternities tend to lose their voices when a minority has a poor experience. Members of Greek life need to come to terms with the fact that there is no magic bucket they can throw enough money into to be exempt from their discrimination. It is baked into the foundations of many groups and a “fact” of the lives they have chosen. Fraternities and sororities for people of color are relatively new in the timeline of Greek life. The first fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa, formed in 1776. Alpha Kappa Nu, the first black fraternity, wouldn’t come into being for another 127 years.

Think for a moment about how much money flows through a fraternity in 127 years. Those 127 years provide an advantage to white fraternities to appear more reputable and well-known within their communities. If we follow that advantageous money, where does it go?

Delta Zeta was recently reported as having raised over $220 for an animal shelter and has an annual fee of $261.50 per member. Now, how much of that money goes back to the community, and how much goes to advertising how much they help the community?

If someone feels personally victimized and attacked by the criticism of a system that serves as one of the largest discriminators I have seen on campus, it may be time to think about the “why.” My ques-

tion is not “Why are you discriminating?” Instead, I ask: “Why are you so quick to defend a system that works against the posted ideals of the group members?” Why should the good experiences of one person outweigh the experiences of groups for the past 247 years? The only answer is that they should not. It is the job of all true allies to criticize and work toward the betterment of Greek life. I would highly encourage any member of a fraternity interested in a perspective of queerness within a fraternity to read “Out of the Closet and on to Fraternity Row: An Ethnographic Study of Heterosexism and Homophobia in a College Fraternity Community” by Grahaeme Andrew Hesp. This dissertation is a lengthy but powerful statement on the treatment gay fraternity brothers commonly face on campus, what they sacrifice to keep the peace, and potential solutions. Greek life has great power and potential to benefit Shippensburg University, and their efforts to improve the area are appreciated. With that said, the recently published philosophy of The Slate holds true. Do good things, and we’ll report good things; do bad things, and we’ll report bad things. Try to lampshade bad things with the good things, and you will alienate more members of various communities than you started with. Or, more dangerously, you might even make one of those members mad enough to write an editorial.

Ship Life

Student groups mix at RHA’s Mocktails event

Abby Hockenberry Asst. A&E Editor

The Residence Hall Association (RHA) hosted its annual mocktail event in the CUB MPR Wednesday night. The event provides an opportunity for student groups to go headto-head and use their creativity to make their own mocktail for the chance to win up to $300 from ABC Lettering Company.

This year’s theme was “Battle of the Bands,” and student groups were challenged with creating a mocktail inspired by a band or artist of their choosing.

The Slate represented the Swedish group ABBA with a tropical drink called “Sipping through my spritzers,” a play on ABBA’s song “Slipping Through my Fingers.” The Slate used orange juice, lemon juice, pineapple juice, grenadine, ginger ale and gold edible glitter for their beverage.

Orange was a common theme in many of the groups’ drinks, one of which being the Activities Programming Board’s Orange Creamsicle drink that was inspired by the Frank Ocean album “Channel Orange.”

QR codes were placed at each table for students to scan to vote on their favorite drink.

RHA President Adam Beam announced the winners at the end of the event, which were decided by judges Kyle Miller, Jen Milburn and Tammy Garrett. Winners were given gift certificates to ABC Lettering Co.

The third-place $50 prize went to campus radio station WSYC 88.7 FM, with its KISS-

themed “Rock n’ Roll All Night (Refresher).”

The drink tasted like a minty delight, with grenadine added to get a bright red color. It was garnished with mint leaves and gold edible glitter.

“We wanted to take their most popular song and create a really refreshing drink,” WSYC General Manager Jenna Cornell said.

Four members of the group’s executive board wore all-black KISS costumes with edgy rock ‘n’ roll face paint that made them stand out.

The second-place $100 prize went to Harley Hall, which selected Katy Perry as its artist. Its drink was themed to represent “California Gurls.” The drink was cleverly garnished with gummy bears and consisted of a variety of flavors.

The grand prize winner of $200 was given to Student Ambassadors, who chose Marshmello as their artist. Marshmello was not only represented as their theme but in their drink as well. They had a DJ stand setup and played music, with a member wearing a helmet like the famous DJ.

Chocolate chips and marshmallows were offered buffet-style for taste testers to put on top of the chocolatey drink with whipped cream.

“It’s kind of like an espresso martini, but we made it like a slushie,” Student Ambassador Kacie Wood said.

Naugle Hall, much like the title of its drinks, got the “Best of Both Worlds” as it won the title of fan-favorite drink and was awarded a karaoke machine. It had two drinks instead of

Fashionably Slate:

Big As The What?

Finding outfits to wear to concerts can be difficult, and it varies between artists.

Today, I am lucky enough to attend Drake’s “Big as the What?” tour. Though I have a fashion column for The Slate, I normally dress in sweatshirts and sweatpants due to comfort. On a day where I am going to a concert, it is very important to me to do things that I would not do every day.

I love the color black. I think black is elegant, classy and flattering. Drake’s tour is a black and blue theme, which makes me feel confident because I personally think I look the best in darker colors.

I wanted to incorporate my everyday style into the concert, so I wore all black.

I am wearing black flare pants with strings in the front that you can tie around your body, and I paired this with a long sleeve black crop top. Currently, you can see the ties around my waist

because of the crop top. The flares at the bottom of my pants add an element of accessory, which helps any outfit succeed. With the clothing pieces, I decided to wear my UNC to Chicago Jordan 1’s. They are black, blue and red. As previously mentioned, the tour is black and blue themed. My outfit is blue and black, and my hair is red, which matches my shoes. Attention to detail is mandatory. I recently got rid of my bangs, so I’ve been loving my hair straightened. When my hair is straight, it frames my face nicely and looks polished.

For the concert, I decided to implement this hairstyle into my concert outfit. Due to the fact that what I am wearing is flared and fitting, I thought it would be important for my hair to fit the same energy. Hair is a major component to any look.

Makeup is optional, but for my personal standards, I love the way it heightens my appearance. It maximizes

my confidence and makes me feel symmetrical.

Today’s look is a base of Rare Beauty concealer, Fenty Beauty contour (in the shade Amber), Rare Beauty blush (in the shade Encourage) and Better than Sex mascara (in the shade Chocolate). I also did winged eyeliner, as it lengthens your eyes and creates an illusion of additional brightness. With this, I’m wearing a Nyx lip liner (in the shade Nude Pink) and Fenty Beauty lip oil. The look is complete. Concerts are wonderful events to attend, because you can see the people you love and look up to and indulge in your fashion desires.

I am excited to see my favorite rap artists perform, even though rap is not my favorite genre. It has been a dream of mine to see Drake, and he is bringing out one of my favorite humans of all time: Lil Wayne (I’m seeing Lil Wayne!). Hopefully they like my outfit.

If you’re reading this, it is Fashionably Slate.

one — one to represent Hannah Montana and one for Miley Cyrus.

Jack Myers, an RA in Naugle Hall said, “We wanted to make this drink as glitzy and glittery as possible to match Hannah Montana’s hair color, and we made the Miley

Cyrus one darker to match her natural hair color and keep it southern.”

The happy hour began at 8 p.m. and was attended by nearly 150 students. To stay informed on upcoming events hosted by RHA, visit their Instagram at @rha_raiders.

Cristina Rhodes is comfortable with discomfort

Cristina Rhodes does not hate white people. She also does not think men and capitalism are at the root of all evil.

Rhodes has been accused of both of those things — and many other colorful aspirations — in anonymous class evaluations since arriving at Shippensburg University in 2019 by way of Virginia and Texas. Rhodes teaches a variety of English courses but focuses several, specifically literature and society, on banned books in various literary genres.

In this tumultuous political climate, the topic of banned books is far from comfortable for many of Rhodes’ students. But despite walking into her classroom with a black face mask, emotional support water bottle and venti (on a good day) hot tea in hand, Rhodes is not there to be comfortable.

“I don’t want people to completely change their minds,” Rhodes said, sitting crisscross in her moderately cluttered office on an unseasonably warm February afternoon. “I want people to sit with discomfort. It serves a purpose to have students sit with discomfort, both educationally and socially.

Banned books have existed as long as literature itself, but Rhodes’ educational and professional development in the politically chaotic 2010s sparked her desire to explain to students why so much literature is under attack.

“I think that oftentimes, people view literature as sort of this like apolitical thing of enjoyment, or you know, escapism — but literature cannot be apolitical,”

Rhodes said. “When they’re discussed as banned books, there’s always a question of, ‘Oh, is there something nefarious in them? Is there something we shouldn’t be reading?’ And it’s like, oh, no, it’s a person of color.

That’s what we shouldn’t be reading. And so I think if we can look at these books, it helps to sort of broaden people’s scope.”

Part of broadening the scope of thinking is by Rhodes incorporating hotbutton concepts like toxic masculinity and wokeness into her courses and attempting to remove the soundbite nature of it all.

“My pedagogy and teaching values are centered around equity and making sure that students feel that their lives and experiences are valuable,” Rhodes said. “And so I suppose in those ways, right, that the wokeness is there. All I can ask our students is that they think critically about things.”

In the fall of 2016, Rhodes was working as a graduate teaching assistant in Texas in a developmental writing course with primarily students of color. When the presidential race concluded in the middle of the semester, Rhodes had an interaction with one of her students that has shaped her teaching philosophy since.

“I remember one of my students asking if they would be safe, and I didn’t have a good answer,” Rhodes said with a twinge of emotion in her throat. “I cannot keep my students physically safe. I mean, I can try the very best that I can. But I mean, I’m like five foot one, it’s not going to happen. But what I can do is give them knowledge and give them affirmation. Show them that they matter and that they are important, even when dominant discourse says they’re not.”

Teaching banned books also allows Rhodes to show students of color representations of themselves in literature, an experience she lived as a Mexican American growing up in Virginia in the 1990s. Other than the Josefina series of American Girl Doll books, “there were not books about Mexican Americans,” Rhodes said.

Reagan Gardenhour / The Slate

Even after all that planning, concertgoers may end up wearing merchandise bought at the venue. Left to right: Rylee Swails and Reagan Gardenhour at Drake’s “Big As The What?” Tour.

Cyrus Simmons / The Slate

Big Red with Student Ambassador and graduate student Tyler Olsen dressed as DJ Marshmello.

Connor Niszczak Managing Editor

Allyson Ritchey / The Slate Cristina Rhodes, assistant professor of English and Interim Director of the Women’s and Gender studies program at Shippensburg University.

Reagan Gardenhour Staff Contributor

Seniors exhibit their brush-taking art

The opening ceremony for the Senior Art exhibit took place at the Huber Arts Center’s Kauffman Gallery on Saturday, March 23. Each student talked about their artwork and the meanings behind them.

The gallery featured seven senior art and design majors: Jalen Brownson, Dylan Hiestand, Kaidon Kraemer, Kelsey Krainaker, Colby Page, Lea Youngman and Addison Zimmerman.

Brownson displayed a three-panel illustration that told an overarching story of human experiences.

The middle panel titled, “If You’re

Willing to Take the Time” was very detailed and gives the viewer so much to look at.

“If you’re willing to take the time to look at the piece because I guarantee every time you look at it, you’ll find something you didn’t see last time,” Brownson said.

Students like Hiestand, Page and Zimmerman had sculptures, but all used different mediums. Hiestand’s overarching theme with his pieces were mythic creatures. He sculpted a wendigo, a dragon and a viper fish. The piece called “Viper Fish Leviathan” was Heistand’s biggest challenge out of the three because he was not used to working with some of the material.

Using wood and metal to capture human form in an abstract way was Page’s goal in creating his sculpture, “Shame.” Page challenged himself to use wood, so he took what was once a tree trunk and sawed at it to get the result.

Zimmerman used clay to sculpt her nature-inspired art. She is fascinated with nature’s process of fossilization and wanted to capture that process to show appreciation.

Unlike anyone else, Krainaker used photography to create industrial reflections.

“A lot of things I’ve learned in the last few years was taking an image and removing it’s context,” Zimmerman said. The objects depicted

‘Small

Island, Big Song’ is a beautiful piece of culture

Over the past few months, I have been seeing many promotional materials for “Small Island, Big Song.”

Not just from the Luhrs Performing Arts Center, but professors from across several different departments have been encouraging their classes to attend the performance on Monday.

I admittedly knew very little about the show going into it, but after experiencing “Drum Tao,” I knew that was not a bad thing. And just like “Drum Tao,” this show is excellent, filled with incredible music and a rich view of another culture.

“Small Island, Big Song”

is a collection of narratives and music from across the islands of the Pacific and Indian Ocean. On top of the excellent performers on stage, you are transported to these scenic locales courtesy of large projected videos that were collected from 16 countries.

The stage was filled with too many talented musicians to list, but easily the highlights were Mathieu Joseph and Sammy Sara. Joseph displayed some of the most physically impressive performances, especially a segment I can only describe as a dance in tribute to the animals of the region.

Sara, on the other hand, delivered a very soulful performance and had some mo-

ments that got the crowd on their feet. Rightfully so, the two were given a very warm welcome from the audience at the end of the performance.

While “Drum Tao” got your blood pumping, “Small Island, Big Song” is one of the more calming and relaxed shows that I have seen at Luhrs. “Small Island, Big Song” is an absolute treat, and I hope it finds its way back to Shippensburg in the near future.

There is something great there for everyone in attendance to both learn and enjoy, as well as getting to see a small piece of a much bigger culture we do not get to see represented too heavily in most modern media.

in the images are unknown to the viewer, but they are actually objects that are seen very often, according to Zimmerman.

Taking ’70s-inspired horror comics and incorporating real-world issues in the film industry, Kraemer created comic book covers called “Hollywood Horrors.” Zimmerman is very passionate about both the comic and film industry and wanted to focus on the problems he thinks are very important, one being technology taking over with the increase in AI, the other being underpaid and overworked.

Youngman used art as an emotional outlet when she created her three acrylic paintings. She wanted to capture different emotions while

also expressing her own personal journey. “Packs a Punch” uses dark colors to symbolize anger, “Calm Before the Storm” uses a white contrast to convey calm emotions and “Glorious Day” uses bright colors to show happiness. Youngman plans to do interior design after graduation and sell her artwork on the side.

The exhibit closed on Friday, March 29, but it will be available to view online on April 8.

The second senior art exhibit will be on April 6 at the Kauffman Gallery, with the opening reception taking place from 1 to 3 p.m., and students speaking about their work at 1:30 p.m.

‘Eternal Sunshine’ sheds light on Grande’s love life

Madi Shively Ship Life Editor

Ariana Grande’s seventh studio album, “Eternal Sunshine,” offers a translucent view into who Grande is as an artist and an individual. Grande once again calls on producer Max Martin, producer of Taylor Swift’s “Red” and Adele’s “30.” The effervescent album is transparent with personal hardships, sharing her experience with the collapse of one relationship and entering the hopeful beginning of another. At the same time, Grande conveys the light she hopes to share with the world, complete with trap beats mixed with warm bass and soaring melodies.

The album begins with the dreamy-yet-existential “intro (end of the world)” listing a series of anxious questions over an understated guitar strum and faux-romantic strings. This track is followed with the triumphant “bye,” announcing her breakup with exhilarating riffs, expressing the satisfaction of realizing who she is with lyrics like “I’m taking what’s mine” and “I’m stronger than I think.”

The album’s single “yes, and?” suggested the record would entail a slew of Madonna-inspired catwalk-strutting dance floor pop. However, the exuberance in “bye” nearly doubles back on itself as it is followed by title track “eternal sunshine,” A song I have yet to stop listening to. This

‘Songs

and-forth echoes that exemplify

racing mind as she grapples with loss, drama, and divorce.

The transcendent “supernatural” is true to Grande’s pop roots. Cosmic and breathy, this track seems to pick up where 2015’s “Break Free” left off…with a sexier touch.

That Are Out of This

The solar eclipse is happening on Monday, April 8, so The Slate staff put together a playlist that is space-themed.

Abbygale Hockenberry

Asst. A&E Editor

track features back-

Grande’s

Photo courtesy of GoodFon

Ariana Grande’s new studio album called “Eternal Sunshine” was released on March 8.

Adam Beam / The Slate

“Small Island, Big Song” performed at the Luhrs Center on Monday, March 25.

Grace Harbour / The Slate

The Senior Art exhibit opened in the Kauffman Gallery in the Huber Arts Center on Saturday, March 23. Art from seven senior artists was on display. Pictured are from left, graphic illustration “If You’re Willing to Take the Time” by Jalen Brownson and ceramic “Petrified” by Addison Zimmerman.

Adam Beam Opinion Editor

Baseball, E2

Bauman and pitching shine as softball sweeps four-game

Shippensburg University’s softball team swept a pair of home doubleheaders this week, winning games against Lock Haven on Tuesday and Millersville on Saturday.

The Raiders move to 18-6 on the season, including 7-3 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play.

Tuesday’s first matchup saw Shippensburg strike early in a 3-0 victory. Freshman Brie Wilmot and sophomore Emilee Sullivan each had RBI hits in the first innings.

Taylor Myers added an RBI triple in the second inning for the Raiders’ third run of the game.

Junior Alicia Ball threw her second straight complete game shutout in this contest, going seven innings and striking out seven while allowing eight hits and one walk.

Offensively, freshman Reagan Bauman had a pair of doubles in her first collegiate start.

Game 2 against Lock Haven saw the Raiders pick up a 3-1 win, with Bauman having a fantastic game at the plate. She hit her first collegiate home run in the second inning, a solo shot to left center that put the Raiders ahead 1-0. She added an RBI single in the fifth to put Shippensburg back ahead 2-1 before Myers added an RBI in the sixth.

Speaking on her great performance, Bauman said, “I was focusing all day during warmups on just trying to capitalize on the opportunities that I got, and just keeping everything simple. It worked out great for me.”

Freshman Madalyn Dyer moved to 4-0 on the season with her first complete game victory. She struck out a career-high nine batters while allowing one run on four hits and a walk.

When asked about the pitching staff’s success, she said, “It’s a team effort no matter what, and having the support with everyone it’s the best feeling.”

Discussing the team spirit following the doubleheader sweep, head coach Ally Van Scyoc said, “We have a great crew, they have great energy, they’re creative in the cheers that they make, they have fun, they keep us up, they keep us alive and their positivity is the key component that keeps us going.”

Saturday’s first game saw the Raiders beat Millersville 6-1 with the help of a balanced offensive effort.

Four Raiders drove in runs, including a two-run homer from sophomore Caitlyn Martell, along with a twoRBI triple from senior Alyssa Nehlen.

Ball went the distance once again in this contest, striking out six while allowing one run on four hits and a walk. She earned the victory, moving to 10-1 on the year.

The final game of the series was a thriller, with Shippensburg surviving a 7-6 triumph.

The Raiders led 6-1 after five innings, but Millerville tied it up. Bauman finished off an incredible week with a

walk-off single to secure the victory.

Myers and Martell each had a pair of RBIs in the contest, with Myers picking up three hits. Dyer went 5.1 innings in her start, giving up six earned runs on six

Herbster’s hammer

hits and three walks. Junior Katelyn Minney got the win in relief, moving to 4-2 on the year.

Three more PSAC doubleheaders are on tap for the Raiders this week, beginning at home against Mansfield

at 2 p.m. on Tuesday. A pair of home games against West Chester follows at 1 p.m. Friday before an away doubleheader in Kutztown at 1 p.m. Saturday.

throw record highlights week for track and field

Donovan Kitchen qualfied for PSACs in discus, hammer and shot put at Lafayette on Saturday.

Shippensburg University’s track-and-field team split its squad this week, with some travelling to the York College Twilight Meet on Wednesday and the rest of the team competing at the 2024 Lafayette Open on Saturday.

The highlight performance of the week was Josh Herbster’s hammer throw, where he set a new Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) record of 210 feet, 6 inches (64.18m).

After already breaking the record on his fourth throw with a mark of 207 feet, 8 inches, Herbster unleashed his new personal best in the following attempt. The distance of 210 feet, 6 inches ranks him sixth on the NCAA Division II performance list, as of Sunday morning.

Herbster was far from being done after the hammer throw. He also set an enormous personal best in the discus throw. He improved his lifetime best by over 10 feet to now 172 feet, 1 inch, which also seeds him 10th on the NCAA DII performance

Courtesy of SU Sports Info

Ryleigh Marks’ time of 14.56 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles Saturday leads the PSAC.

list, as of Sunday morning. The other four male throwers also had a solid day at Lafayette, with all of them setting new personal bests in the discus throw.

Freshman Donovan Kitchen set new personal bests in the discus, the hammer and the shot put and hit a PSAC qualifier in all three events.

Freshmen Gian Greggo and Ridge Crispino also hit the league standard in the discus throw.

On the track for the men, sophomore Teagan Weaver qualified for the PSAC Championships in the 200-meter dash and junior Jeovaughni Daniel improved his lifetime best in the 110-meter hurdles to 14.92, a time that ranks him second in the PSAC as of Sunday morning. The noteworthy performances of the women at Lafayette were also the discus throw and the hurdles. In the discus, all five throwers increased their personal bests and sophomores Makayla Decker and Lauren Bellows, as well as junior ShanAnn Simmons, all picked up PSAC qualifying

marks.

In the 100-meter hurdles, freshman Ryleigh Marks improved her college best time to 14.56 seconds, which is the conference lead at this early point in the season. Junior Sasha Lee finished right behind her in 14.60 seconds, a new season best that ranks her second in the PSAC.

The high jump and distance efforts highlighted the team’s trip to York on a rainy Wednesday.

The women high jumpers went 1-2-3-4 in the event, with freshman Ashley Laukus leading the pack with a new lifetime best clearance of 5 feet, 5 inches. Freshman Elliot Oliphant placed second with a new personal best of 5 feet, 3 inches. Junior Norah Vallon and sophomore Allyson Richwine rounded out the results.

Senior Leah Graybill ran the 400 meters and finished with a PSAC-leading time of 56.43 seconds. Junior Victoria Mattioli ran the 5k and picked up a PSAC qualifier.

On the men’s side, junior Kenny Rhyne equaled the NCAA provisional high jump

mark with his clearance of 6 feet, 8 ¼ inches (2.04 meters), a height that also had him win the competition.

On the track, the distance men picked up a total of nine PSAC qualifiers. In the 1,500 meters, junior Ian Sherlock, redshirt-sophomore Drew Dailey and sophomores Ryan Wolfe and Garrett Quinan placed 1-4 with PSAC-qualifying times.

Freshman Tommy Crum Jr. led a 1-5 finish in the 5k, with juniors Aiden Gonder and Hayden Hunt going 2-3, sophomore Brennan Wellock placing fourth and junior Nate Harding finishing fifth. Next week will see some more split-squad action from the track-and-field teams, as a part of the team will travel to the 2024 Colonial Relays at William & Mary College in Virginia Friday and Saturday, and the rest of the team will compete at the Millersville Metrics on Friday and Saturday.

Courtesy of SU Sports Info

Courtesy of SU Sports Info Leah Graybill leads the PSAC in the 400 meters, clocking in at 56.43 seconds on Wednesday.

Courtesy of SU Sports Info Kenny Rhyne won the high jump at York on Wednesday, meeting the NCAA provisional.

Quehanna Coble / The Slate

Madalyn Dyer pitches during a complete game against Lock Haven on Tuesday.

Nicola Puggé Sports Editor

Mason Flowers Asst. Sports Editor

Photo courtesy of SU Sports Info

Josh Herbster throws the hammer during the 2023 NCAA Division II Championships. On Saturday at Lafayette, Herbster broke the all-time PSAC record in the hammer with a throw 210 feet, 6 inches.

Dailey places 10th at NCAA Indoor Track-and-Field Championships

Drew Dailey placed 10th in the 800 meters at the 2024 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships in Pittsburg, Kansas, on March 8. Dailey is a member of Shippensburg University’s men’s indoor track and field, outdoor track and field and cross country teams. As a fifth-year graduate student, he says that he could not have asked for a better experience.

In March 2023, Dailey qualified and competed in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, placing 14th despite an injury. Dailey suffered a bone spur in his heel, causing pain while walking and running.

A month after the national meet, Dailey underwent a successful surgery to shave down the bone spur on his heel.

Dailey was out for the 2023 cross country season. After four months off, a tedious recovery process loomed ahead of Dailey. He attended physical therapy three times a week and did cross training in the pool and rode a stationary bike.

Coach Steve Spence, Dailey’s mid-distance coach, says Dailey’s comeback was conservative to

help him get as far in the season as he could.

“He was dedicated to his physical therapy and listening to them through his comeback,” said Spence.

Following his return to indoor track and field, he qualified and competed at the PSAC Indoor Track and Field Championships and won the 800 meters with his fastest time since returning.

“I was feeling like myself again, running normally and feeling good,” said Dailey.

The week after the PSAC Championships, Dailey traveled to the Fast Track Last Chance Meet in Staten Island, New York. He came close to his personal best time and qualified for the 2024 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Dailey was not expecting to qualify for nationals this season.

“I was in complete shock … I could not help but smile to realize that I was back in that stage again,” said Dailey.

Dailey traveled and competed at the NCAA Championships healthy and without pain. Dailey finished 10th in the 800 meters, beating his placement in the 14 seed, and earning himself his best place in his athletic career. He narrowly missed qualifying for finals with his time of 1:51.75,

which was third in his heat.

Coach Spence was thankful to be able to attend NCAA Championships with Dailey and the team.

“He ran really well, he put it all out there, and he gave it everything he had,” said Spence.

Along with his 10th-place finish, Dailey also earned All-America Second Team Honors in the 800 meters.

“My career surpassed my expectations. I’m grateful for my successes at conference and national meets over the years,” said Dailey.

Dailey is graduating in May with a Master of Business Administration and says he plans to continue running for his own leisure but is stepping away from the competitive scene.

“His credentials coming into our program raised our standards, and I am looking forward to seeing what he continues to do in the future,” said Spence.

Baseball loses to Seton Hill Tuesday; splits series two a piece with Shepherd

Jaxon Dalena pitches the ball in game one against Shepherd on Friday. Dalena pitched his first career complete game and struck out 13 players. He only allowed two runs, one of them earned, on three hits.

Shippensburg University’s baseball team had an up and down week, with the Raiders’ record now at 16-11.

Following a rough series split with Bloomsburg last weekend, the Raiders went 2-3 this past week.

On Tuesday, Shippensburg hit the road to take on Seton Hill University, where they took a 5-0 lead in the sixth inning. Junior Carter Hinds was productive offensively, going two for four with three RBIs.

However, Seton Hill shocked the Raiders with six unanswered runs, taking a walk-off victory on a bases-loaded walk. Shippensburg, despite Hinds' efforts, lost a tough one, 6-5.

Sophomore Brendan Anderson got stuck with the loss, dropping to 1-2 this season.

Shippensburg, showing resilience after a loss, got back on track on Friday against Shepherd with a pair of convincing victories. In Game 1, junior Jaxon Dalana was excellent, allowing one earned run over seven innings as the

Raiders captured the 4-2 victory. Hinds was strong once again, going two-forfour with two runs scored.

Game 2 saw a potent offensive performance, with the Raiders reaching double digits in an 11-9 triumph. Shippensburg went ahead 6-0, but the Rams scored five in the third inning to make it a one-run game. The Raiders’ offense refused to slow down, and they pulled away for the victory.

Four Shippensburg hitters picked up multiple RBI, with graduate Justin Byler leading the way, driving in three.

Senior Austin Baal, junior Bryce Herb and Hinds each brought two runs home as well.

Graduate Ryan Gleason got his third win of the season in game two, going five innings and allowing seven total runs, with only two being earned. Freshman Conner Barto finished the game, earning his first collegiate save with a scoreless seventh inning.

Saturday’s games were different, as Shepherd won both games to even the series. The Raiders fell 13-4 in Game 1. Sophomore J.T. Weaver got the loss, going 3.2 innings in his start and giving up

seven earned runs. The Shepherd bats were relentless, racking up 13 hits and working nine walks.

Offensively for the Raiders, Baal and graduate student Morgan Wyatt each hit their first home runs of the season.

Senior Andrew Chronister also drove in a pair.

The pitching began to right the ship in Game 2, but Shippensburg lost the contest by a 4-1 score. Senior Gabe Stotler went five innings in his start, giving up three earned runs on four hits and a walk. He took the loss, falling to 3-3 on the season.

The Raiders only mustered four hits in the contest, with no player recording multiple hits. The lone RBI went to Herb, reaching on an error in the sixth inning.

A tough matchup awaits Shippensburg this weekend, as it takes on East Stroudsburg in a four-game series. ESU leads the PSAC east division at a perfect 12-0, having won 21 straight games overall. The series begins with a pair of games at ESU on Friday, before moving home to Fairchild Field on Saturday, with Game 1 starting at 1 p.m.

SU lacrosse falls in home opener games

Shippensburg University’s women’s lacrosse team suffered tough losses this past week to the Shepherd Rams on Wednesday and the Millersville Marauders on Saturday. The Raiders move to a 1-7 record overall. On Wednesday, Shippensburg faced a back-and-forth battle with Shepherd. Both teams traded dominating frames with Shippensburg starting as the leader with a 3-1 lead after the first quarter. Shepherd found momentum in the fourth quarter, however, to take the win, 11-9.

Juniors Jamie Carvin and Sara Vosburg recorded hat tricks. Vosburg also added an assist, a caused turnover and two draw controls.

Sophomore Grace DeMarzio recorded a team-high six draw controls, and sophomore Ali Pioli collected a team-high four groundballs.

Defensively, Shippensburg went 22 for 23 on clears. Junior goalkeeper Kayla Vosburg made 10 saves, which is her fourth double-digit save total of the season.

Reflecting on the game, Head Coach Brooke Dellavalle felt that the team is finally starting to understand what they are capable of achieving.

“Today was definitely one of the best games that we’ve played. We were going all-out,” Dellavalle said. “The fact that we were able to get the ball on our side and keep possession was amazing. They got us in the end. I truly believe in these girls and I’m very proud of them.”

Saturday afternoon, SU used that fiery momentum to take on the Marauders in their annual The Hidden Opponent (THO) game. THO at Shippensburg is a chapter of the nonprofit organization that brings awareness to mental health.

Millersville led the Raiders for most of the matchup, but Shippensburg never let up. The Raiders were able to string together several goals to put pressure on the Marauders.

Sara Vosburg and Carvin dominated once again recording seven goals combined. Other contributors included sophomore Shannon Wood with one goal and one assist, senior Emily Fenwick with two goals, first-year Olivia Glinski with two assists, senior Payton Margerum with one goal and two assists and sophomore Alyssa Krueger with one assist.

The final score was 17-11 for the Marauders.

Shippensburg will face IUP at home on April 3 at 4 p.m.

Emma Adams Staff Contributor

Photo courtesy of SU Sports Info Drew Dailey runs at the 2024 PSAC Indoor Championships.

Savannah Silvestre Staff Contributor

Hanna Atkinson/The Slate Sara Vosburg controls the ball. Vosburg scored a total of seven goals throughout the week’s games.

Mason Flowers & Jeremy Perna Asst. Sports Editor & Staff Contributor

Quehanna Coble/The Slate

A brief history of at Shippensburg University Women

While the Shippensburg University Marching Band is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, the band opened its membership to women in 1939, introducing its first drum major, or today’s majorette, at the time.

On March 19, 1970, the dress code at Shippensburg University was abolished. Prior to this date, women were required to wear certain attire for dining and classes on campus.

The 1970s saw a rise in women’s sports. The first women’s sports team at SU was the women’s swimming and diving team created in the 1972-73 academic year. In its first year, the team won all but one meet, and all 10 swimmers met academic excellence with grade point averages above 3.5 during the spring semester. The women’s lacrosse team was formed in 1976-77, going undefeated in their second year. The women’s softball team finished their first season in 1978 with 12 wins and 2 losses. The women’s track-and-field team went undefeated in its first season in 1979. These teams of women paved the way for many more women and other sports at SU. Pictured to the right is the first women’s swimming and diving team.

Shippensburg

University Television joined student media on campus in 1993, led by Jennifer Burdge, then-general manager, who would spend 30-40 hours a week helping out with the station, according to the 1993 Cumberland Yearbook.

In the 1870s, three out of five teachers were women; teaching was one of the few professions women could have that was accepted by society. Since its creation as the Cumberland Valley State Normal School (CVSNS) in 1871, Shippensburg University has taught both women and men, initially to be teachers, according to the SU Fashion Archives and Museum. Horton Hall, which is currently home to offices and a few classrooms, originally opened as a women’s dormitory in 1894 to serve as a separate living area than Old Main as admissions to CVSNS grew. Horton Hall was also home to the Women’s Center until 2022.

April 1, 1917- The first edition of the Cumberland Yearbook was published. Pictured to the left are three women who graduated in 1917: Esta Bream, Katharine Hoop and Jennie Craig.

In 1957, both student radio and The Slate arrived on campus. Women hopped into student media participation right away. The Slate, which had its first publication on March 21, 1957, was advised by Mabel Linder, English-Speech faculty, and headed by two student editors, Ann Miller and Kay Keener. Student radio would not gain off-campus status and become WSYC 88.7 FM until 1975. Pictured to the left are students participating in an on-campus radio broadcast and Linder, The Slate’s then-adviser.

1972

1973

1993

2013

Marva “Chit” Bradley became the first African American woman to win Homecoming Queen in 1973, marking a moment of success for the new Afro-American Organization.

SU’s field hockey team won the 2013 NCAA National Championship on November 24, after remaining scoreless for most of the game. Senior Bre White, at the time, scored on a penalty shot in overtime to secure the win that would foreshadow additional national wins in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2021.

2018

Jolinda Wilson became the first person to ever receive a doctorate from Shippensburg University, earning her doctorate in Educational Leadership after defending her dissertation, which analyzed the way school districts receive state funds for subsidies. The same year, Laurie Carter became the 17th president of Shippensburg University. Carter’s administration’s theme was to “make waves,” which she did as the university’s first woman and first Black president. Both Wilson and Carter

Photos courtesy of Hanna Atkinson, Adam Beam, Quehanna Coble, Grace Harbour, Allyson Ritchey, Cumberland Yearbook, Shippensburg University, and Shippensburg University Timeline