The Slate 12-5-17

Slavery is alive and well, B1

Global village welcomes international students, C1

Madrigal Singers hosts Christmas dinner, D1

SU mourns loss of Tamara Ovejera, E1

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Tuesday December 5, 2017

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Volume 61 No. 12

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Reporting truth. Serving our community.

SGA, PSECU to award students with scholarships Jenna Wise News Editor Shippensburg University’s Student Government Association (SGA) is partnering with the Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union (PSECU) to provide a select number of SU students with scholarships next semester.

PSECU has sponsored SGA’s scholarships for the past several years, and received 47 applicants for next semester, according to Student Government Treasurer Raven Francis. Of the 47 applicants,

15 will be awarded $500 scholarships.

Individuals interested in applying needed to be SU students who planned on returning for the spring semester, as well as active PSECU members. Each student also needed to write an essay of 150 words or less on the changes students would like to see happen with the change in leadership at SU. The scholarship applicants will be notified on Dec. 8 as to whether they will be receiving a scholarship for the spring semester.

SU mourns loss of track champion Jenna Wise News Editor A Shippensburg University student died last week due to undisclosed circumstances.

Tamara Ovejera, born in 1994, of Frederick, Maryland, was a psychology student and a thrower on the indoor/outdoor track and field teams.

Ovejera was the 2017 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference indoor champion in shot put, winning on a school record-breaking throw of 48 feet and 0.5 inches. Ovejera competed in track and field at SU for three seasons beginning in the 2014–15 school year.

She would have begun her last semester of eligibility in March.

Last March, Ovejera placed 12th with All-America Second Team honors in

Dionna Webster/The Slate

Event supervisor David Brown speaks to students during the Black Monologues. Students, staff and faculty were encouraged to visit McFeely’s Coffeehouse and share their experiences both in and outside SU.

Students open up with monologues Dionna Webster Staff Writer

Tamara Ovejera SU student the shot-put.

On Friday, SU’s administration sent an email to all students announcing Ovejera’s death, as well as the availibility of counselors at the counseling center.

A room was also made available on the first floor of the Ceddia Union Building, where students could gather to grieve and share their memories of Ovejera.

Read the feature story on E1

Shippensburg University’s Residence Hall Association (RHA)’s black culture in the U.S. Cultural Connection held an event on Nov. 29 in McFeely’s Coffeehouse titled “The Black Monologues.”

The Black Monologues was designed to give students, staff and faculty an opportunity to share their stories through the performance of original monologues.

The mood that was set in McFeely’s was serene, warm and welcoming. Music from the 1990s played in the background while guests were walking in.

Senior Joshua Smith, one of the seven presenters, spoke about racism within the black LGBT community.

“It started a conversation and it also brought information that people don’t know about [it] unless they are living it,” Smith said.

Guests showed that they were moved by the presentations by nodding their heads in agreement.

Sophomore RyAsia DeShields had a different approach. She shared a letter addressed to black men.

“It was basically about black stereotypes as men and how they can defeat themselves,” DeShields said.

“It wasn’t something that people of color don’t already know,” senior Jiyana Wright said. “I felt like tonight was needed for release for the individuals who took the stage and it is always good to know where another person is coming from.”

Drug and Alcohol Services Director Lavell Simpkins talked about having pride in being black.

“I love being black, every aspect about it,” Simpkins said in his monologue. “We don’t need Black Lives Matter to make me believe that black lives matter. We didn’t need a hashtag for you to confirm that.”

Kaz Sortino, a graduate student and McCune Hall residence director, spoke about white privilege in America.

“I think a lot about the fact that nobody has ever clutched their purse when I have walked in a space, there’s privilege in that,” Sortino said.

“I think the Black Monologues was a great experience and it opened people’s

eyes, especially when talking about privilege in America,” senior Erica McKinnon said.

David Brown, supervisor of the event, explained that the Black Monologues is a wonderful space for students to share their experiences thus far in and outside of SU. “This type of programming is extremely necessary so students understand that they matter,” Brown said.

“I’m grateful that the RHA sees a need for this level of programming and is actively working to ensure that all students are noticed and their voices are heard.”

The next event that the black culture in the U.S. Cultural Connection will host is Feb. 28 in Harley Hall’s Multipurpose Room at 7 p.m.

Lecture highlights flaws in criminal justice system Melanie Llinas Staff Writer A lecture titled “Access to Justice: Race, Privilege, Sports & What’s Uncommunicated” was presented at Shippensburg University on Thursday in Dauphin Humanities Center to generate a conversation about the inequalities prevalent in today’s society.

The lecture was the first of

INDEX

a three-part Human Communication lecture series presented by Sharnine Herbert, an SU associate professor of human communication studies, and a member of the Fredrick Douglass Institute (FDI).

The event began with the introduction of SU alumnus Jeb Keller, who recently began his career as a criminal defense attorney in the Franklin County area.

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Keller began his lecture by saying statistics should be taken with a grain of salt.

He said it is best to use your own incite, education and experiences to better analyze a situation.

Herbert touched on several societal issues in regard to social injustice and inequality, but mainly focused on how the justice system has made it much more difficult for minority groups to fight

Weather Forecast

for justice, stemming from a lack of income due to their ethnicity.

Keller said an average white family makes roughly $55,000 a year, while an average black family makes around $32,000. In the central Pennsylvania area, in order to be represented by a public defender in court, you must make less than $30,630 a year.

The law that created this

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requirement leaves black families at a disadvantage because they are slightly over the salary requirement, but not significantly enough to take care of their family and seek private counsel.

Following the lecture, the students in the audience were encouraged to ask questions regarding racial inequalities, privilege, whether sports have an impact on this conflict and factors that are

often left uncommunicated.

The event ended with the question, “Is the media divisive when discussing race in society today?”

Keller said it is how you interpret the information given to you, and how will you apply previous knowledge and experiences to that information in order to better understand it.

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December 5, 2017

SU program ranked 17th by College Choice Jenna Wise News Editor

Brendan Gates/The Slate

In August 2013, Domestic Castings was placed on OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

Local vacant industrial building to be demolished, redeveloped Brendan Gates Staff Writer At the terminus of North Queen Street in Shippensburg rests a vacant industrial plant which dates back to the early 1900s.

Multiple industries once called the location home ever since Domestic Engine and Pump Co. opened shop in 1904.

The last industrial business on the 7.8-acre site was Domestic Castings Co., an iron casting company located there since 2003 after acquiring the foundry from General Castings.

The former Domestic Casting Co. facility, which borders Shippensburg University alongside the recently completed Cumberland Valley Rail Trail (CVRT), saw its share of safety violations before closing in 2015.

Domestic Castings was cited eight times over a fouryear span, totaling 27 violations and $152,912 in fines as OSHA stated many of those violations were repeat offenses, according to a 2015 press release by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Now, with the help of the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation (CAEDC), the 100-year-old buildings will soon come tumbling down as new structures will rise from the ruins.

Since 2005, CAEDC has fostered economic growth in the Cumberland Valley, as the Interstate 81 corridor in Cumberland County has rapidly become one of the country’s most desirable locations for new and relocating businesses.

CAEDC’s CEO Jonathan Bowser believes Cumberland County’s attractiveness originates from what the region has to offer.

“I think quality of life is a big indicator,” Bowser said, citing the county has everything from good school systems, transportation and employment opportunities to offer.

“I think those are all reasons why we continue to see Cumberland County be the fastest growing county in the state,” said Bowser.

The Real Estate Collaborative (REC), a subsidiary of CAEDC, is assisting redevelopment efforts in Cumberland County, as its mission is to redevelop old industrial sites.

Upon completion, CAEDC hopes the mixed-use property will become a catalyst for future redevelopment in

This Week on Campus Holiday Dinner

Panel

Concert

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Student Government is hosting a spaghetti dinner tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the CUB MPR.

Accessory Sale •

Reach Out is selling accessories on the ground floor of the CUB on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Stress Reliever •

The counseling center is hosting a stress relief event on Wednesday from 3–4 p.m. in the Ezra Lehman Memorial Library.

A class from the political science department is hosting a panel on Lyme disease on Wednesday in Grove Forum at 7 p.m.

Caroling •

United Campus Ministry is hosting Christmas caroling on Friday at 6 p.m.

The TEN Tenors will be performing in Luhrs at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Documentary •

The Thought Lot is hosting the viewing of a music documentary on Sunday at 7 p.m.

Holiday Celebration

HospitaliTEA

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The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs is hosting a Kwanzaa celebration on Saturday from 12–9 p.m. in the CUB Anchor Meeting Room 2.

FUSE is hosting a hospitality event on Dec. 13 from 9–11:30 a.m. in the Ezra Lehman Memorial Library.

Shippensburg and eventually benefit the university.

Bowser believes the site can become an asset for SU by serving as an off-campus hub for students and the local community, which he hopes will lead to SU attracting and retaining students.

While exact details are still to be finalized, Bowser mentioned CAEDC will hold a series of community input sessions to discuss the needs of the area in the near future.

Just as freight trains traveling along the Cumberland Valley Railroad did so in the early 1900s, cyclists and hikers adventuring on the CVRT will stop and enjoy future amenities the old foundry scene will have to offer as new development will once again be bustling with life for decades to come.

Shippensburg University’s doctor of business administration (DBA) graduate program was ranked 17th in the nation by College Choice this year, based upon SU’s reputation, graduate rate, selectivity and faculty resources.

College Choice, a website that assists students in choosing a college, ranks colleges each year on various factors, including summer school and academic programs such as social work and business.

The website awarded the program a score of 31.6 out of 100, and was considered notable as the only Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredited at a public university in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C. SU’s program also attracted the attention of College

Choice for its flexibility in meeting the needs of a variety of students. Classes are offered on weekends to accommodate students who work during the week. The weekend classes allow students to form closer bonds with faculty, according to the College Choice website.

During the first year of the program, students are immersed in research and statistical methods upon which research is based, according to the website.

In their second year, students are enrolled in a research colloquium course and participate in a variety of seminars that are geared toward pursuing each student’s academic interests.

SU’s doctoral business administration program will begin accepting students in the fall of 2018.

To learn more about the program, visit http://bit. ly/2iHPcKt.

File Photo/The Slate

SU’s doctoral business administration program was ranked 17th in the nation by College Choice.

NEWS

December 5, 2017

Police Briefs

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Your World Today

Respect of opinions needed to heal U.S. political divide Commentary

Individual charged with public drunkenness, disorderly conduct Stephen J. Skarlatos was charged with public drunkenness and disorderly conduct in connection with an incident that occurred on Dec. 1.

SU police officers found Skarlatos inside a parked university custodial services van in the handicapped parking area off Dauphin Drive.

He was removed from the van and was found to be intoxicated.

Skarlatos was taken into custody and was transported to the Cumberland County Booking Center at the Cumberland County Prison, where he was released to the booking center staff to await arraignment on the charges listed above.

Naugle Hall resident charged with underage drinking Brandon A. Taylor, 18, of Naugle Hall, was charged with underage drinking in connection with an incident that occurred on Dec. 3.

SU police officers on patrol in the area of the Ezra Lehman Memorial Library observed Taylor standing at the rear of the library urinating onto the building.

Officers approached Taylor as he attempted to leave the area and found him to be intoxicated.

Taylor admitted to consuming alcohol, and a portable breath test confirmed the presence of alcohol in his system.

Due to Taylor’s condition, an ambulance was dispatched to the scene and he was transported to Chambersburg Hospital for further evaluation and treatment.

A citation for underage drinking was issued to Taylor before he was transported to the hospital.

Troy Okum Editor-in-Chief

The political divisiveness in modern America has no signs of resolving any time soon, and in many ways it is caused by a stark contrast in culture.

The U.S. is like a quilt, where many cultures and ways of life are sewn together to create something larger. Not all of the squares of the quilt will look the same and sometimes they can clash with other squares.

Different patterns and colors are not always visually appealing next to each other and they can create an aesthetically frustrating appearance.

Similarly, there are groups of people in the country that clash with other groups. Their worldview, or pattern, disagrees and conflicts with the worldview, or pattern, of other people.

This is an obvious observation and does not really say anything new; people are different, people disagree with each other and

that is the nature of the world. The problem is that people stop there.

They do not try to understand why other people have different opinions, beliefs and attitudes than they do. People’s worldviews are judged as right or wrong, and not as simply different.

The needs and concerns of liberals in an urban population can be vastly different than those of rural America.

The Shippensburg area is a great representation of the cultural contrast throughout the country.

Shippensburg University can be compared to a liberal urban center, while the town and surrounding communities are a snapshot of conservative rural America.

Young college students are stereotypically more liberal and progressive, and often believe government support for social programs, healthcare and higher education is a necessity.

Older farmers and trade workers relied on a steady job, not higher education, as the key to their success.

Depending on which politician is in office, especially in the White House, some people may feel neglected and even abandoned by their own country. This is what happened to rural America when Barack Obama was president.

When Donald Trump came along and promised a renewed America of decent, good-paying jobs, rural Americans felt somebody was finally paying attention to them.

The fact is, many rural communities have been on their deathbed for years.

The Atlantic reported that tens of thousands of people leave rural communities every year as cities attract younger people for jobs.

Not only are people leaving the countryside, but the people still there are often older.

It should be no great mystery why these people feel left behind and ignored.

The focus of the nation is on the young generation and urban populations. There is nothing wrong with supporting college students, or promoting progressive and liberal ideas. It is actually necessary for the nation to thrive.

Republicans and Democrats do not promote what is best for the country — they promote what is best for specific squares on the quilt. People do not need to agree with the opinions of everyone else, but they do need to understand why they have the opinions that they do.

File Photo/The Slate

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Americans must respect one another’s differing opinions in order to move past the political divide between generations, as well as Republicans and Democrats.

Pennsylvania state officials to receive pay raise in 2018 Nation’s second-highest paid lawmakers will see an approximate $700 pay increase Marc Levy Associated Press Harrisburg, Pa. (AP) — The salaries of Pennsylvania’s 253 state lawmakers, more than 1,000 judges and several dozen top executive branch officials will rise in 2018.

The increase amounts to 0.8 percent, a figure tied by state law to the year-over-year change in the consumer price index published by the U.S. Department of Labor for urban consumers in the mid-Atlantic region.

The bump takes effect Friday for lawmakers and Jan. 1 for judicial and executive branch officials. It is slightly smaller than last year’s increase of 1.3 percent.

Highest-paid is state Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Saylor, a Republican. His salary will rise by about $1,600 to $213,750, while the other six members of the high court will see a similar-sized increase to $207,700.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s salary will rise about $1,500 to $194,850, although his office says he donates the money to charity since the law requires him to accept it.

Most lawmakers, already the na-

tion’s second-highest paid, will see an increase of about $700 to almost $87,200 in base pay. They also receive per diems, while lawmakers in leadership posts will top out at $136,000 for the House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, and Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson.

The four party floor leaders will each make $126,300 while caucus whips and Appropriations Committee chairmen will receive almost $117,000.

County court judges will see increases to above $180,000, while judges in larger districts, such as Philadelphia and Allegheny County, will get slightly more.

Lt. Gov. Mike Stack will make almost $163,700, while the three statewide elected row officers Attorney General Josh Shapiro, Treasurer Joe Torsella and Auditor General Eugene DePasquale each will make $162,115.

The salaries for the heads of Wolf’s 18 cabinet agencies will rise by law. Salaries will rise to almost $156,000 for the heads of the seven largest agencies, and to just above $140,000 for the heads of the five smallest cabinet agencies.

File Photo/The Slate

Pennsylvania lawmakers, including Gov. Tom Wolf, will be receiving a pay raise in 2018.

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Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Opinion The Slate Speaks

Shipsgiving Photo courtesy of the U.S. State Department

The U.S. State Department has a bureau that handles issues related to refugees.

The slave trade is alive, well for Libyan refugees In Africa, the situation is startlingly similar to the slave trade of more than 400 years ago. In the U.S., it has evolved into the modern day prison and Heartbreaking educational systems, while instutitional racism photos of refugees has made our entire society oppressive. have surfaced on the I had to be realistic because there are black and internet over the past brown people who still get murdered for doing abfew weeks. solutely nothing but being black. To be in your own Refugees are beskin as a black or brown person either presents an hind bars, being held opportunity to be taken advantage of or causes you against their will to be seen as a threat. and auctioned off for The refugees of the Libyan slave trade had no prices around $400, other option than to be taken advantage of since according to Al Jatheir dictator Muammar Gaddafi was killed in zeera.

2011. That presented an opportunity for smugglers Refugees from Eritrea and Sudan are migrat- to take over. ing to Libya to free themselves from “poverty and Criminal defense attorney and asylum expert, violence in their countries, only to end up victims Yodit Tewolde said “people act like this is new; of smugglers and slave traders,” according to The this has been going on for years,” according to The Root. Human beings are being threatened, having Root. The fact that the media is only now finally their limbs broken and killed for ransom money shedding light on this crisis displays the lack of as if they do not have any care and sympathy for the rights. livelihood of these refuIf you have not noticed, gees.

“Children are being taken it is black and brown people Children are being takaway from their parents; who endure pain they neven away from their parfamilies don’t know if their er ask for. This is because relatives are dead or alive...” ents; families do not know we are seen as “the other” if their relatives are dead — Erica McKinnon who does not deserve reor alive; and family memColumnist spect as a human, and we bers are getting calls from are treated like animals as their loved ones begging a result. for ransom money to be Being sold for less than an iPhone and being sent to Europe. If they are unable to come up with emasculated is what is seen as acceptable because the money, these slaves get auctioned off to the society paints its own image of the black person. highest bidder.

I did not want to allow myself to believe that refSlavery is real. It begins with weakening the ugees are being forced into slavery with chains on mind of a black or brown person to make him or their feet, being taken away from their families and her believe they are inferior. In reality, they are lynched like their ancestors. I did not want to allow superior. What makes the black or brown person myself to believe in 2017 — where information is superior is their ability to endure unexpected pain accessible everywhere you turn — slavery in Libya and still remain resilient. These Libyan refugees is alive and well. The reality is that slavery is real are doing just that by forcing the whole world to acand never ended, but rather transformed itself. knowledge their resilience. It is a true wake-up call.

Erica McKinnon Columnist

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Students received an email with the subject “Shipsgiving” from SU President Laurie Carter on Nov. 16.

In many respects, the content of the email was standard, offering wishes for a happy Thanksgiving, safe travels and expressing how great it is to be part of the campus community at SU. Do not worry, though. It did not beat around the bush too long with these sentiments. After the second paragraph, the reason for the message was clear.

“As I have consistently said, turning around enrollment and making positive change won’t happen without everyone pitching in and you have enthusiastically said and demonstrated that you want to take part,” the email reads. “To that end, I have a way you can help. All you have to do is tell your story. Today you will likely be getting this Shipsgiving [application fee] waiver coupon….”

All you have to do is tell your story… and do the thankless leg-work of peddling our waiver coupons. There are no kickbacks of any kind or recognition received for getting prospective students to apply and potentially enroll here.

It is simply expected.

The email goes on to say: “Hand over the coupon and tell your story of what Ship means to you.

With its holiday flavor, the coupon is perfect to take to friend/family gatherings over the next few weeks. While the fee waiver is great, what’s more important, is that it provides a conversation starter for you. It’s a way for you to tell our story in a personal way. Even if you don’t encounter any high school students, chances are, you know a parent or a relative of a high school student. Use the coupon to help us get the word out in the most personal way. Your Ship experiences and stories are our best recruiting tools. Share them with anyone who will listen.”

The model SU student must always be chomping at the bit to sell the university to their friends and family. So much so that they are in need of a pre-determined reason to bring the subject up during their Thanksgiving meal. Hopefully the “holiday flavor” will help everyone stomach your guerilla public relations work.

We digress, but this is where the problem lies. It is not that we object to the idea of being asked to help SU grow and prosper. It is that we object to President Carter painting this not as something we could possibly do to help out, but as an obligation.

SU has provided us with many great opportunities and an education onpar with major universities for a fraction of the price. A desire to help should spawn out of the great experiences we are afforded here, not out of a perceived responsibility.

Now, we understand the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) has fallen on rough times as of late. Enrollment across all 14 state-system schools has been either stagnant or falling since 2010, and the budget mess in Harrisburg means schools are operating with the same support they were getting 20 years ago, according to the Public Opinion. But, we fail to see how it is our problem as students.

Every single time there is an issue with PASSHE, state government or the university, we as students are the ones who are expected to take a heavier burden. We are the ones paying higher tuition rates. We are the ones who take a back seat when an agreement cannot be reached on professors’ contracts. Now we are the ones who have to turn around a problem with enrollment.

Sorry, but no. This is not our problem. There are people with full-time jobs and salaries to do this work. Last time we checked, we are paying the university, not the other way around. It is a two-way street.

If we decided to distribute these coupons and tell prospective students about our experience here, it will be because SU held up its end of the bargain in providing us with a quality education and valuable experiences, not because we feel compelled to do so.

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December 5, 2017

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‘Why now?’ is not one of the questions we should be asking sexual abuse victims Rachel Nazay Columnist The last year has been full of many changes.

From the election, to heightening tensions with North Korea, there was a huge shift in how we view our society now relative to how it was prior to November last year.

Amid all the political drama, there was a different type of shift that started in Hollywood. Countless men have been accused of either sexual harassment and assault or both, creating a domino effect of other survi-

vors sharing their stories. Many people have been supportive of the decision the survivor makes, while others have asked the question, “why now?”

Starting in the 1920s, women began taking on different roles in society, making it harder for them to be repressed. This then transitioned into a movement, creating a semi-decent equality structure within our culture.

Until the 2000s, sexual assault and harassment charges were not taken seriously, but still had a stigma attached. During that era, people who had been assaulted rarely spoke out because of fear, embarrassment or whatever other personal reasons they rightfully had.

The controversies surrounding President Donald Trump’s history of being accused of

sexual assault and harassment escalated the issue to a new level during the election last year. At the time, political ideologies were being espoused at an all-time high, bringing out the worst in us all. But it also spawned a call for equality, for action and standing up for beliefs.

The present is full of fighters, survivors, allies and storytellers. It is now accepted that people have feelings and want to be free from isolation and elitists. Brave individuals come out every day against their attackers, thus creating less of a stigma around the topic. This helps other victims in the process of healing.

Now to address the question of “why now?”

To be frank, survivors have the right to feel, do and act how they want within reason. Because of prior circumstances, these people

were unable to tell their stories and hold the people who hurt them accountable. None of these victims asked to be put into their situations. It was their attackers who decided to commit a selfish crime. The only questions we should be asking right now are, why now are these perpetrators not being held accountable? and why are we still victim shaming?

Our society is finally starting to hold people accountable for their actions, which is a good thing. We are starting to steer away from the stigma against victims of sexual assault and harassment.

The strong people who decided to tell their stories are able to choose their path and make their own choices. It is not necessary for them to have a reason nor an explanation for how they go about their healing process.

The library is a good resource all year long Daniel Norton Columnist Students flock to the library to study for final exams at the end of every semester.

The weeks before and during finals week are always the busiest time of year for the Ezra Lehman Memorial Library, with the top floor of the library packed with students.

While it is great that students use the library’s resources to study for finals week, it is a great place to study and get work done during the entire semester.

I admit I was one of those people who only used the library toward the end of the semester when cramming for exams.

However, after starting to go more throughout the semester,

I realized what a great place to study and get work done it is.

The top floor of the Ezra Lehman Memorial Library is the quiet section of the library. This is the section that is always the most crowded around finals week and for good reason. Every student knows how stressful finals week can be — including the week before when a lot of projects and assignments are due — and the quiet section is a good place to concentrate. For some students, such as myself, it is extremely helpful.

I used to try to study and get work done in my room, yet I found that trying to study there was not very easy. I got distracted too easily. Often times, I would take far too long to finish papers and assignments because I got distracted with browsing the internet, looking at my phone, or just plain boredom. I found that going to the top floor of the library was a very good decision for me. I was a lot less distracted there, and my work was finished in a more timely and efficient manner.

Of course, the quiet section is not the only place to study that the library offers. The staff is always helpful with student

needs, whether it be looking for materials and books for assignments or anything else the student may need. Students who do not own a printer can use one of the various computer labs located throughout the library to print out papers and assignments, as well.

The bottom floor of the library is not a quiet section, but is good for studying with a group. It is also a great place to meet with a group for a group project to plan and work. Personally, I do not go down there too often. But, for someone who enjoys studying in a group or working with friends, it is a great place to get things done.

While I am sure most students would rather be somewhere else instead of studying in the library (trust me, I’d rather be at happy hour at Wibs, too) schoolwork is still important. Students who only use the library for studying for finals should give it a shot earlier in the spring semester. You might find that it could be a huge benefit.

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

C1

Ship Life

SU’s Global Village creates microcosm of world Jamison Barker Opinion Editor It takes a village.

That is the concept behind Shippensburg University’s Global Village, a program geared toward international students that aims to make their respective transitions to the U.S. a little easier by connecting them with the SU campus community.

The group does this by hosting social events and offering a safe place for students to vent about day-today struggles or simply what is on their minds.

“Here, we try to have fun,” said Eghonghon Omiyi, a graduate assistant (GA) in the clinical mental health program and international student from Nigeria. “It’s not a formal gathering.”

The group takes this free-wheeling attitude into each of its hour-long, bi-weekly Wednesday meetings, opening the doors to Room 234 in the Ceddia Union Building, and providing refreshments, a place to sit and open ears.

Some talk about travel experiences and their dream jobs after school, while others focus on the upcoming international-foods potluck

the group will be hosting.

Though the program is geared toward international students, domestic students are welcome, as well. According to Omiyi, one of the goals of the program is to connect international and domestic students because the adjustment to a new culture can be difficult.

“I remember when I first got here most of the friends I made were from Global Village,” said Omiyi. “You have the opportunity to make that connection in Global Village.”

For domestic student Hannah Rowe — who also happens to be a GA in the clinical mental health program — her participation has offered new insight. According to Rowe, the experiences of international students in the eyes of domestic students “are things we often don’t think about.”

Something as simple as a passing, “Hi, how are you doing?” may mean something totally different to people from other cultures.

“A lot of us, here in the United States, don’t actually stop to wait and actually listen to how someone is actually doing, whereas that is different in some other coun-

Jamison Barker/The Slate

International SU students meet weekly to discuss their cultures and experiences in America and at SU. tries,” said Rowe. “So, that may come off as ‘they don’t really care’ if you’re not used to that kind of interaction, which is common here.”

Other disconnects do not necessarily lie in small talk, but rather are related to the differences between the way of life of two distinct cultures.

“A lot bothers us as students, like academics,” said Omiyi. “The style of teaching

is different where I’m from.”

One of the main ways the group breaks down cultural barriers is through social events like going out to eat or hosting movie nights. All of this culminates in a feeling of inclusion.

“Just going out and putting myself out there can be scary,” said Omiyi, “but I did not have that happen because of the people [in Shippens-

burg] who are very friendly.”

Though, in many respects, taking the first steps toward connecting with a different culture may seem hard, to Rowe, the hard part is saying goodbye when friends graduate and move on.

“It’s sad when people leave, for sure, but we had people from all over that we got to connect with and get closer to. We made some

Inclusive basketball offers workout, friendships Jamison Barker Opinion Editor Everyone in attendance knows the weekly, hour-long Inclusive Basketball session has come to an end when social work and gerontology professor Marita Flagler shouts to gather up.

Slowly, but surely, all of its participants — many of whom with a layer of sweat and a smile on their faces — stop what they are doing and make their way over to the group so they can debrief.

For participants like 14-yearold Patrick Rogers, whether

is going to make the trip from Waynesboro the following week is not even a question.

“Being with my friends here, it’s great,” Patrick Rogers said.

Unfortunately, there are not a lot of similar inclusive programs in the area for him to participate in, according to Patrick’s mother, Deby Rogers. Though she helps Patrick stay involved with physical activities, like Challenger Division Little League Baseball and Therapeutic horseback-riding sessions at Wilson College, it is not always the easiest endeavor.

“We have to travel for a lot,”

said Deby Rogers. “So it’s nice that Shippensburg offers this.”

The lack of availability of programs is a common theme for a lot of people with disabilities who want to get active.

Only 56 percent of adults with disabilities reported any leisure-time physical activity on a 2010 survey, according to the Inclusive Fitness Coalition.

And — while there are fewer statistics regarding children with disabilities — they, as well, are less likely to get involved in physical activities, according to a 2012 research article published in the

Jamison Barker/The Slate

Inclusive basketball is open to students and community members with different skill levels.

A Raider’s View Raider Muse Staff columnist As we slide into finals week, we understand that all-nighters are a must to get the copious amounts of school work done before deadlines and due dates.

Although, not sleeping is obviously bad for your health, some do not actually know how bad lack of sleep is to the health of a college-age individual.

Loss of critical thinking skills is a huge downside to not getting enough sleep.

“Sleep plays a critical role in thinking and

really good friendships and we’re all Facebook friends, so hopefully we can stay in touch.”

Links The ‘How Are You’ Culture Clash - https://www. nytimes.com/2014/01/20/ opinion/the-how-are-youculture-clash.html Global Village - http:// www.ship.edu/international/

Upperclassmen offer finals week advice

International Journal of Pediatrics.

This leaves people with disabilities prone to developing chronic health conditions.

Availability of programs aside, though, there is a key difference between these aforementioned programs Patrick participates in and inclusive basketball. That being the inclusive nature.

Programs like Challenger Division baseball, Special Olympics and therapeutic horseback riding are meant for participation by only people with disabilities.

This is evidence of how American society has segregated this demographic, according to Flagler, who was inspired to start Inclusive Basketball almost 10 years ago by a bowling program for people with disabilities.

“For me, the idea was to have basketball not as a special-needs program,” said Flagler, “but have it as a program where people with special needs from the community would be playing with the people from the university.”

The benefits of this are twofold, according to Flagler. For one, it provides participants an opportunity for physical activity, which has been shown to positively impact behavior.

Dear Freshmen, You’ve done it. You survived your first semester! The time has come to test what you’ve learned this semester. Amidst all the anxiousness you must prove that you retained the knowledge you were given.

Finals may seem like a lot of pressure, so here’s some advice from our upperclassmen to help you tackle finals head-on in true Raider fashion: Alexandria Hamill, senior, marketing major, theater minor: “Take a deep breath. Finals are hard but you’ve prepared yourself this entire semester so now it’s just time to finish out the semester strong. Grab some coffee with a friend, remember to get in some physical exercise and take care of yourself; finals aren’t the end of the world, you got this!”

Drew Lindsey, junior, psychology major: “The best way to do well on your finals is by studying the material well in advance. Always prepare early.”

Sean Castillo, senior, exercise science major: “For me, writing out the study guide with the questions and answers a week before finals helps me succeed on my exam. Do not go out the week before finals, get some buddies and have a study party instead. They can be just as fun.”

Read the full story at theslateonline.com

Read more upperclassmen advice at theslateonline.com

Phillip Young Staff Writer

Lack of sleep degrades mental abilities

learning. Lack of sleep hurts these cognitive processes in many ways,” according to WebMD. Not only does lack of sleep impair your attention span, concentration and problem solving abilities, lack of sleep also inhibits active sleep cycles, memories that you have during the day while studying, do not actually remain in your long-term memory. There are brain activities called “sharp wave ripples” that are “responsible for consolidating memory.

The ripples also transfer learned information from the hippocampus to the neocortex

of the brain where the long-term memories are stored,” according to WebMD. Lack of sleep also induces depression.

Insomnia is closely linked to depression, sickness and a reduction to your ability to use good judgment. It does not allow individuals to make decisions wisely.

Along with bad decision making, as most of us know, lack of sleep makes individuals irritable, and it is interesting to see the correlation between the aforementioned topics as being all interconnected with each other because of lack of sleep.

Most individuals need close to eight

hours of sleep at night. If you do not get that much sleep, you are at risk to some of the things previously in this article. So even though you are cramming for finals and trying to get everything done, remember that self-care is the most important thing to think about when you are stressed.

So instead of pulling an all-nighter, break up studying and working with breaks of leisure and possibly a nap to retain the information and to further allow you to concentrate better to finish the semester.

D1

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

A&E

SU Madrigal Singers hold annual Christmas dinner Abby Tiska Staff Writer

Photos by Meghan Schiereck/The Slate

SU’s Madrigal Singers keep tradition strong and lively with its annual Christmas dinner performance. The dinner concert was first introduced in the 1970s.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas with a little help from the Shippensburg University Madrigal Singers.

The harmonious sound of singing voices and the aroma of mouth-watering food filled Old Main as the Madrigal Singers hosted their annual Christmas dinner on Friday and Saturday evening.

The room buzzed with excitement prior to the dinner concert, capturing the hustle and bustle of Christmastime.

The tables were full and the well-dressed audience was eager to enjoy a night of music and fellowship.

To kick off the night the Madrigal Singers opened with “We Need a Little Christmastime” and swiftly moved around the guests seated at the round tables, creating an interactive experience.

“Wassail Song” was next and Madrigal Singers director Elizabeth Shoenfelt encouraged the audience to pick up their glasses of wassail and make a toast to fellowship during the song.

Wassail is a spiced ale or mulled wine drink that individuals commonly drink to celebrate Christmas. However, the clanging of the glasses did not take the shine away from the singers — rather, they sounded as if they belonged in the song.

Shoenfelt called the annu-

al Madrigal Singers’ Christmas dinner a “time-honored tradition.”

Blaine Shover, a professor of music at SU and the recently retired director of the Madrigal Singers, started the Christmas dinners in the 1970s. After the dinners took a brief hiatus, they reemerged in the ’90s and have been held every year since.

During the dinner some of the 21 Madrigal Singers showcased their individual talent by performing solos and duets. The songs ranged from classic Christmas hymns like “O, Holy Night” to more modern Christmas tunes like “Believe” by Josh Groban from “The Polar Express.” The clanging silverware and soft conversation was mere background noise as students belted out their songs.

The lights dimmed low and accentuated the blue lights of the large Christmas tree on the stage as the Madrigal Singers began their concert program following the dinner. The concert portion proved more formal and serious than the lighthearted introductory songs as the singers stood in place and glanced back and forth from their sheet music to the audience and to the cues given by their director.

“Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” by Ralph Vaughan Williams, a piece dated back to the Middle Ages, was the first song the Madrigal

Singers performed in their concert portion. The pace quickened by the third song, “Sing We Now of Christmas,” which was performed acapella.

The crowd erupted into applause after each song, and after the singers performed the Spanish piece, “A La Nanita Nana,” Shoenfelt warned the audience, “If our next two pieces don’t get you in the mood for Christmas, I’m afraid there’s no hope for you.”

The joyful songs Shoenfelt warned of were, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “The Christmas Song.”

The audience then joined in with the Madrigal Singers for a brief sing-along for a few songs with sheet music that was provided at each table before the singers descended the stage during “White Christmas.”

Before the two closing songs, Shoenfelt expressed her thanks.

“We look forward to this event every year,” she said.

“Take this as a blessing from us to you.”

Jenna Walton, a senior Madrigal Singer opened “Til the Season Comes Round Again” with a capturing solo, which was followed by a solo by senior Jacob Foster before the two sang together in a melodious duet.

Read the full story at theslateonline.com

The Raleigh Ringers ring in Christmas spirit at SU Melanie Llinas Guest Writer An audience of all ages poured into the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center on Sunday afternoon to hear the internationally recognized community handbell ensemble, The Raleigh Ringers from Raleigh, North Carolina.

Once the crowd was settled the house lights were dimmed and the stage lights highlighted the musicians as they walked onto the stage in a single file line. The women were dressed in all black floor-length dresses and the men were in black suits and white button-down shirts.

Director David M. Harris ignited the crowd as he led the ensemble into its first song, “Blue Christmas.” Following the first song, Harris took a minute to better acquaint himself with the audience. He asked whether the audience has played handbells before and who has gone to a Raleigh Ringers performance in the past.

Throughout the first half of the performance Harris discussed where the group has previously toured, how each handbell was designed and the materials they were made of.

“Linus and Lucy,” a fan favorite, was played and drove the audience to dance in their seats. As the musicians played the song, one of the bass handbell players played with a blanket as if he were Linus from Charlie Brown.

The group then played a tribute to the military with the “Armed Forces Salute” that included “The Army Goes Rolling Along,” “The Marines’ Hymn” “Anchors Aweigh,” “The Wild Blue Yonder” and “Semper Paratus.” Harris recognized all veterans and current military personnel by asking them and their families to rise.

As the crowd separated for a brief intermission it was encouraged to look at the various merchandise. There

were CDs with The Raleigh Ringers’ holiday collection and spring tour collection, as well as T-shirts, musical gloves used to play and handbells.

The concert quickly came to a close following a few more Christmas tunes. After the performance the audience was invited on stage to look at the handbells up close and see how much they vary from one another in size and weight.

Amanda Mayer/The Slate

David M. Harris leads The Raleigh Ringers through a precise performance of a variety of Christmas songs including “Blue Christmas” and “Linus and Lucy.”

Amanda Mayer/The Slate

Act V pays tribute to LGBT activist Harvey Milk in its performance of “Dear Harvey.” The play lets viewers in on the impact Harvey made during his life.

Act V Theatre Company presents ‘Dear Harvey’ Meghan Schiereck Asst. Multimedia Editor

Actors were huddled on stage and clustered in groups. Bright yellow lights illuminated their faces, and each person was poised with confidence. A sense of gloom and doom was blanketed over the audience as the cheerful pre-show music came to a stop. The first line echoed throughout Memorial Auditorium Saturday evening.

“I came out at 14. I came out at 14. Even though I lived at home for several more years, it has never been “home” again for me,” the ensemble on stage said.

Right from the start of the show, the harsh reality of LGBT Americans in the time of Harvey Milk was captured.

Milk was introduced through powerful monologues that were presented by his friends, coworkers, family and fellow LGBT activists.

Milk was the first openly gay elected official in the history of California and served 11 months in office in 1977 as a city supervisor in San Francisco. He paved the way for current and future LGBT legislators and was a bright light in a time of intense darkness for the LGBT community.

However, Milk was assassinated in 1978 along with George Moscone, the San Francisco mayor.

Throughout the show actors delivered speeches, anecdotes and thoughts on Milk and his activism. Several LGBT legislators and activists were featured in the story, such as Robin Tyler an activist and comedian

who called for the first National March on Washington in 1979 and one half of the first lesbian couple to marry legally.

“Harvey Milk was a great gay visionary whose politics extended way beyond the gay community,” Tyler said. “He was progressive, he was daring, he was unapologetic, he was forceful and he was right, most of the time.”

The accomplishments of other activists such as Cleve Jones a co-founder of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation are also highlighted in the play. Jones delivered a hard-hitting speech on the AIDS crisis, and how it was handled. The stigma against AIDS in the 1970s and 1980s was debilitating, and Jones brought the truth of the matter to the center of the conversation.

With a particular kind of grief that only those who suffered true loss understand, Jones said, “Now you have to understand, in those days gay men died and disappeared.

There were rarely obituaries, there were almost never funerals or memorial services — unless they were big deal people — because families were so ashamed of them.”

The audience watched in silence as actors and ensembles spoke about Milk. Praise was given, and secret thoughts were revealed through the actors.

Not all the stories about Milk were happy memories — some tales recounted hateful letters, protests and Milk’s assassination.

In the end, characters who were all real life politicians, came to peace with the death of Milk. Each would then go on to write their own story in honor of Milk.

A&E

D2

December 5, 2017

SU artist prepares for senior seminar with ‘Color Pop’

Answers to last week’s King Crossword puzzle and Go Figure!

Molly Foster/The Slate

Tasha Uliano Guest Writer “Color Pop” is a bright collection of artwork created by Laura Weikel, a Shippensburg University senior, that is currently on display in the Brindle Art Gallery.

Weikel’s “Color Pop” exhibit consists of eight watercolor paintings that share a common technique and style rather than a consistent theme.

The eight paintings are titled “Safari,” “Night Sky,” “Fiji,” “Dazed,” “Northern Lights,” “Orbit,” “Satellite” and Weikel’s personal favorite, “Lipstick Jungle.”

The paintings consist of layered bright colors to create depth in the painting. Rubber cement, matte medium and Indian ink were also used to make the artwork.

Weikel said she is using her “Color Pop” exhibit now as a trial run to experiment with colors before she presents her senior seminar project “Turmoil” in the spring semester.

“Turmoil” will also feature watercolors as well as various graphics, Weikel said.

Weikel not only creates artwork to grow and challenge herself as an artist, but she also is involved in putting the galleries together as a gallery assistant on campus.

“It’s nice to know how to hang artwork on your own as well as being able to create it,” Weikel said.

“Color Pop” will remain on display in The Kauffman Gallery through Thursday. The exhibit can be viewed during gallery hours from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or by appointment.

SU senior art majors display their artwork Tasha Uliano Guest Writer The Kauffman Gallery’s “Senior Exhibition” debuted the finest works of three Shippensburg University art majors last weekend.

The three SU seniors who had work on display in the exhibition were Allison Caudill, Bethany Inman and Kayla Reimold.

The display created by Caudill was spread out across three of the four walls in the Kauffman Gallery. Caudill’s portion featured various 10by-10 paintings that shared a common theme, some of which stemmed from her childhood creations.

Caudill began her artworks by layering bright colors and black lines. She then topped them with a white wash and kept repeating the sequence to create her art.

Caudill said she wanted her exhibit to resemble the aerial perspective of a map.

Inman created four sculp-

tures that sat in the middle of the gallery for her portion of the exhibit. The sculptures were made out of concrete and had delicate accents of thorns, roses, and butterflies.

Inman said the sculptures she created are representations of Christians who have been martyred all over the world. The roses in the sculptures were made from real roses that Bethany made into molds, which represented those who were martyred.

The thorns that came out of the concrete were representative of resurrection Jesus’ crown of thorns, while the imprinted butterflies on the concrete represented new life.

Reimold contributed to the exhibition with a series of 15 pieces that hung in a row on the right wall of the gallery. Reimold’s artwork consisted of mainly black, purple, gold and silver hues.

Reimold said her artworks were intended to have a tribal style to them and together

Allison Caudill focused on layering textures and materials in her artwork to fabricate a unique look.

Justin Lee/The Slate

Bethany Inman addressed the issue of the persecuted church in her “Senior Exhibition” display. The theme can be seen above as the thorns emerging from the cement sculpture represents martyrdom. make up a narrative of the world and the balance of light and dark.

“There is more darkness than light so we need to combat all the darkness in this world,” Reimold said.

The idea for her series came from her passion for writing and the characters she has created in her stories.

She said she generalized the characters into the light and dark, and good and evil that is displayed in her art.

The “Senior Exhibition” will remain on display in The Kauffman Gallery through Dec. 14. The exhibit can be viewed during gallery hours from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or by appointment.

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Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Swimming sharp at Bomber invite, E3

E1

Sports

Basketball drops weekend games, E3

Raiders sweep weekend PSAC West matches William Whisler Sports Editor

Photo courtesy of Bill Smith/SU Sports Info.

SU’s John Castello puts up a shot against Gannon University in Saturday’s win.

Women’s T&F excels at Bucknell

After dropping games to Edinboro University and Wilmington University of Delaware last week, the Raiders returned home to face Gannon University and Clarion University over the weekend.

Shippensburg University’s men’s basketball team was reminded that there is no place like home — where it has won 30 of its last 33 games at Heiges Field House — as the Raiders dominated, never trailing in backto-back Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) victories last weekend.

“It’s nice to be back on home turf,” SU head coach Chris Fite said. “Guys can sleep in their own beds and play in an environment they are comfortable in. In saying that, there is no excuse for us not to play the same way on the road, but I think they were energized and excited to get back home and put on a good performance.”

SU (5-2, 2-1 PSAC) got things started early on Saturday against Gannon University (4-4, 1-2 PSAC), as the Raiders started the game on a 14-2 run in the opening minutes and sustained it in a 65-48 victory.

“It was nice to finally play a game that felt like Shippensburg basketball,” Fite

said. “We had a solid game on both ends of the court.

Defensively, I thought we were excellent and offensively guys made shots. That’s a good recipe for success.”

John Castello was hot early, as he scored eight points, including two shots from 3-point range in the first six minutes to put the Raiders on top.

Shippensburg went 4-of5 from 3-point range in the first four minutes and led by double digits for the remainder of the game.

“It was really awesome,” Castello said. “It’s really exciting watching everyone knocking down shots and getting the crowd going.

That’s how we want to start every game.”

The Raiders carried that momentum throughout the contest, pushing the halftime advantage to 42-23.

“We came out and guys were ready to play,” Fite said.

“It’s nice to see those first shots go down and everyone relaxes and plays up to our ability.”

SU played suffocating defense to limit Gannon to just 36 percent shooting from the field, including a 1-of-11 mark from 3-point range.

The Raiders survived a strong push by the Golden Knights as they tried to get back in it, holding SU scoreless for 7:29 in middle of the second half, but SU respond-

ed with a 10-3 run that included 3-pointers from Justin McCarthur and Castello to put the game away.

Castello finished with 16 points and nine rebounds, while knocking down a career-high four threes on 4-of8 shooting.

“I’ve had a couple good days in practice and have been shooting the ball well, but it really is just about my teammates getting me open,” Castello said. “Especially Clay [Conner]. He’s really started the offense and with everyone driving and kicking and they make my job easy.”

SU forward Dustin Sleva tallied 13 points while pulling in 13 rebounds and blocking three shots. McCarthur and Antonio Kellem each had 12 points, while point guard Clay Conner had eight points and five assists.

On Saturday, the Raiders (6-2, 3-1 PSAC) picked up right where they left off, using a strong start to clip the Golden Eagles of Clarion (27, 0-4 PSAC), 78-65.

The Raiders used a strong run in the first half that included 12 points from Conner in the opening minutes and never looked back. SU led 36-14 with 5:19 left to play in the opening half, and pushed the lead to 43-24 by halftime.

See “MBB,” E2

SU mourns loss of stellar student-athlete

Blair Garrett Asst. Sports Editor Despite the loss of a cherished teammate, the women’s indoor track-and-field team came flying out of the gates at the Bison Opener at Bucknell University.

The Raiders pushed through an emotional weekend following the death of the team’s record-holding thrower and senior leader Tamara Ovejera.

The group stepped up big for its teammate, posting 16 PSAC qualifiers and two NCAA-provisional marks.

Knocking off a five-yearold record to kick off the weekend was senior Kali Hepner, who broke open the 2017-18 season by taking flight in the pole vault to beat Megan Breski’s 2012 record, clearing 12 feet for just the second time in her career.

Hepner’s vault of 12 feet, 3 1/2 inches was good for an NCAA provisional qualifier and first place at the meet.

Hepner was not the only Raider to make a statement at the start of this season, though.

Sophomore Sarah Bourdon made her debut with Shippensburg, clearing league standard height with her jump of 10 feet, 10 inches and grabbing her first PSAC qualifier with SU. Rounding out the jumps was Danielle Sciremammano, who took third in the long jump and her first PSAC qualifier of the season, just besting 18 feet with a jump of 18 feet, 0 1/4 inches in her first meet of the year.

See “T&F,” E2

Photo courtesy of Bill Smith/SU Sports Info.

Tamara Ovejera competes at the 2017 Third Annual Ship U Invite. Ovejera holds four school-records in multiple throwing events.

Nate Powles Asst. Sports Editor Shippensburg University lost a big-hearted member of the Raider family this week.

The university announced on Friday via email that Tamara Ovejera, a senior student-athlete on the women’s track-and-field team, had passed away. The university did not share details of her passing, but the news rocked the campus, leaving many in shock over the loss of such a warm and friendly character and a superb athlete.

Ovejera transferred to SU from Clemson University in 2014 and immediately became a star for the track-and-field team.

She quickly became the school record-holder in the shot put in indoor (48 feet, 0 1/2 inches) and outdoor competition (47 feet, 11 1/4 inches), as well as the SU record holder in the discus (159

feet, 6 inches) and hammer throw (169 feet, 7 inches) over her three years on the team.

She brought an air of excitement to track meets for the Raiders and spectators were always immediately focused on Ovejera when she stepped up for her throws. Every throw felt like it had the potential to break another school or national record.

She is the reigning Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) indoor champion in the shot put and she earned a spot on the All-America Second Team at the end of last season.

Her personality, however, was not just based on the field. She had one of the biggest hearts and biggest smiles on campus.

Ovejera was a friend to almost anyone she met and she had a welcoming and friendly air about her. Friends said that she was one of the easiest people to talk to, no matter the topic. She was understanding and always willing to listen.

“Every moment we spent together, she made me feel like I was important to her,” former trackand-field athlete and SU alumna Erin Doherty said. “That was one of her strongest characteristics; she developed that type of relationship with almost every person she talked with.”

Doherty said that from speaking with Ovejera’s friends from high school and from her time at Clemson, it was easy to see that Tamara’s focus was always on her friends and family. She was more concerned about others rather than herself, always trying to do whatever she could to help those around her.

Another friend who spent a lot of time with Ovejera is SU record-breaker and alumnus Caleb Bartlett. Bartlett was always around Ovejera, whether it was in the weight room or on the field, and said there was never a dull moment.

See “OVEJERA,” E2

SPORTS

E2

December 5, 2017

Photo courtesy of Bill Smith/SU Sports Info.

Clay Conner had a great showing Saturday, scoring or assisting on 30 points.

From “MBB,” E1 The Raiders capitalized on mistakes in the opening half, scoring 18 points on 15 Golden Eagle turnovers.

“I thought we had another great showing on the defensive end, our half-court defense was excellent,” Fite said. “We didn’t rebound the ball tonight at all, but all that aside it was a good overall game, and we’re happy to get the win.”

SU came away with the 13-point win, but the game was not as close as the score indicated. The Raiders held the advantage throughout the contest, despite allowing 19 offensive rebounds.

Multiple players stuffed that stat sheet for SU, as Dustin Sleva recorded a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Sleva was extremely efficient, shooting 6-of-9 from the field and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. He also recorded four assists and two blocks, while surpassing the 1,500-point plateau, becoming the sixth Raider to do so.

McCarthur finished with 16 points, while Kellem added 12 points and four assists on 3-of-4 shooting from 3-point range. Reserves Jake Biss and Manny Span both produced, as Biss scored five points while Span grabbed five rebounds.

“I’ve never ever been concerned about the offensive ability of this team,” Fite said.

“We’ve got a lot of guys who can score and

they really share the basketball and they take pride in our system and playing together. All weekend we made shots and made good decisions so I’m glad to see that.”

It was an excellent weekend for Conner, and on Saturday he shined, scoring 15 points and six assists, while scoring or assisting on 30 of SU’s 78 points.

“It was definitely fun when we get it going like that,” Conner said. “We are a really unselfish team and everyone was sharing the ball. It was really great to grab two wins this weekend.”

Clarion’s Mason Mraz led the Golden Eagles with 14 points while Israel Atkins had 12 points. Cameron Grumley had 10 points and nine rebounds.

For the Raiders, the wins put SU back on track as it continues PSAC play against California University of Pennsylvania on Saturday, Dec. 9.

“In the season, you kind of learn each night that you’re out and just try to keep getting better and hopefully you peak at the right time,” Fite said. “It’s unfortunate that we dropped a couple games we thought we shouldn’t have, but you learn from those mistakes. I think we’re a better team than we were two weeks ago and we’re going to keep trying to get better.”

The Raiders and Vulcans will tipoff at 3 p.m. at Heiges Field House on Saturday.

Photo courtesy of Bill Morgal/SU Sports Info.

Ovejera competes in the shot put at the 2017 NCAA championships for SU. From “OVEJERA,” E1 “We trained as athletes together, studied as students together and laughed and goofed around all the time,” Bartlett said.

“She had a kind heart towards others, a fun-loving personality; [she was also] someone you could trust to be a straight shooter.”

What made the situation even more surreal was that the majority of the team had spoken to or seen Tamara in the previous couple days before the announcement, according to Bertlett. Everyone was still in shock and caught off guard by the suddenness of her passing.

Doherty came back to SU after Ovejera’s death to spend time with the track-and-field team and even went to the team’s opening meet of the indoor season at the Bison Opener at Bucknell University this weekend.

“It was nice being around people who knew her,” Doherty said.

Doherty was very thankful for Ovejera’s friendship and for all the times she could talk to Tamara about problems she was having and they would work through them together.

“She gave herself fully to her friends and family, something you don’t see a lot of in this day and age,” Doherty said. “That’s the hardest part of it all, really. I hate that I have to rely on a cliché – Tam hated clichés – but

she truly changed the lives of everyone she interacted with.”

Before Saturday’s basketball games at Heiges Field House, SU honored the life of Ovejera with a moment of silence.

The 2017-18 indoor track-and-field season began on Saturday at Bucknell University, and it was SU’s first event without its conference champion.

The Raiders received support from numerous teams across the conference, as Slippery Rock University’s throwers took a moment of silence to reflect on the life of Ovejera, who they competed against every year at the conference meet.

Ovejera will go down in SU history as one of the school’s greatest female field athletes.

Her contributions to the track-and-field team are insurmountable, but she contributed to the campus community as well with her understanding and cheery personality.

She was always found across campus at a variety of events, and was always cheering on other team’s at SU. Sports Editor William Whisler contributed to this story.

If you would like to share a memory of Ovejera’s life to be posted online with this article, please email William Whisler at slatesports@gmail.com.

SU to hold football tryouts

Photo Courtesy of Bill Morgal/SU Sports Info.

SU’s Kali Hepner competes at the 2017 NCAA National Championships in Bradenton, Florida. She broke the SU record in the indoor pole vault Saturday.

From “T&F,” E1 Sciremammano was not finished with PSAC qualifiers there, though, as the redshirt senior grabbed the second fastest time in the 60-meter hurdles, locking in a PSAC-qualifying finish of 8.86 seconds to lead the Raiders.

The team took over in sprints, with four different runners breaking the PSAC-qualifying mark in their respective events. In the 60-meter dash, Jill Bertino led the way taking second place. The Raiders went on to take three of the top five spots in the 200-meter dash, including both first and second place. Bertino again led

the charge, taking first place in the 200-meter dash with a time of 26.48 seconds, good for her second PSAC qualifier on the day.

Shippensburg’s Dior Alston blazed the trail for SU, registering a first-place finish for the Raiders in the 400-meter dash with a time of 59.19. Alston was the only Raider to beat the one-minute mark in the 400.

Redshirt Senior Paige Shirk stepped up huge for SU in the shot put and weight throw, dominating both events to get two first-place finishes for Shippensburg.

Shirk’s monster throw of 45 feet, 4 1/2 inches in the shot put the Raiders on top, but SU continued showing its

depth in the event with Ava Bonetti’s PSAC-qualifying throw of 43 feet, 4 1/4 inches.

Shirk and Bonetti teamed up again in the weight throw, with both notching PSAC qualifiers in the process. Shirk’s throw was good enough for first place again, with Bonetti grabbing fourth for Shippensburg.

SU finished the meet with eight Top-2 finishes over 10 events. The team heads back to Shippensburg with some time to continue training and prepare for the next meet.

Track and field regroups again to head back to Bucknell to compete in the Gulden Invitational Saturday, Jan. 20.

Kayla Brown/The Slate

The SU football team will hold tryouts on Feb. 5, 2018, for the 2018 season.

William Whisler Sports Editor The Shippensburg University football team, fresh off a 10-2 season, is holding its annual winter tryouts on Feb. 5 at 6:15 a.m.

In order to tryout, participants must first sign up at www.shipraiders.com/ tryout, where the student will be prompted to fill out paperwork.

All of the paperwork must be submitted by Jan. 22. Anyone wanting to tryout must be in good academic standing.

The Red Raiders had their most successful season in recent memory, as SU recorded its first 10-

win season since 2012 and made an appearance in the 2017 NCAA playoffs, before falling to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division rival West Chester University.

The Red Raiders graduate 12 players from last year’s team, including starting quarterback Ryan Zapoticky, running backs Cole Chiappialle and Colin McDermott defensive backs Kevin Taylor II and Chavez Cheatham, kicker Billy Deane and defensive lineman Austin Rosenberry.

SU has been extremely successful under head coach Mark “Mac” Maciejewski in the past seven seasons, as Maciejewski has

compiled a record of 56-24 at his alma mater.

SU has also been excellent on offense with Maciejewski at the helm, averaging more than 39.5 points per game, through 2016, which leads the PSAC. The team also has recorded 182 sacks through 2016 under Maciejewski.

The Red Raiders have also excelled at Seth Grove Stadium in recent years, posting a record of 30-10 in Maciejewski’s tenure.

For more information on SU football tryouts or any questions regarding tryouts, contact the football office via email at RedRaidersFootball@ship.edu, or by phone at (717) 477-1758.

SPORTS

December 5, 2017

E3

Swimming makes push at Bomber Invitational Shawn Rapp Guest Writer

The Shippensburg University men’s and women’s swimming teams put together multiple strong performances at the 2017 Bomber Invitational hosted by Ithaca College.

The men’s team opened the invitational on Friday by setting multiple records.

Freshman Hunter Keck became the first Raider to break the 22-second mark in the 50-yard freestyle this season with his time of 21.66 seconds. His PR was good enough for 17th place, pacing the Raiders on the night.

Sophomore Nick Bloom placed fourth in the 200-individual medley (IM) and finished 11th with a new collegiate best time of 1:57:30.

Multiple swimmers had strong performances during Saturday’s finals session.

Jeff Beyer, Joe Deemer, Emmett Langan and Keck took fifth in the 200-yard free relay with a time of 1:28:43, while Beyer (fifth), Keck (15th) and Bloom (16th) all finished in the Top 20 of the 200-yard free.

In the third session, Eric Zimmerman (15th), Deemer (16th) and Bloom (18th) also finished in the Top 20 for the 200-yard fly.

The men continued to set records on Sunday as they had 10 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) qualifiers. Beyer finished fifth in the 1,650-yard free and senior Quinton Beck came in 13th.

Bloom captured sixth in the 100 IM and set a school record with his time of 53.80 seconds. Three other Raiders

Photo courtesy of Bill Smith/SU Sports Info.

Shippensburg’s Eric Zimmerman takes a breath to make the final push in the 200-yard fly. Zimmerman finished 15th in the event. qualified for the PSAC meet in the 100 IM, including Keck, Langan, and Zimmerman.

Sophomore Callum Hamel made the 200-yard back cut and also placed 21st in the 200-yard breaststroke.

The women’s team also started strong on Friday.

Senior Jeanette Welch paced 10 Raiders in the 50-

yard freestyle and posted a PR of 24.86 seconds. Freshman Mari Reott became the fifth Raider to make the conference cut in the 200-yard IM, posting a time of 2:17.89.

Reott, sophomore Gabriella Johnson, senior Rhyan Rodriguez and Welch swam their way into third overall with a 200-yard medley relay of 1:49.92.

Gracee Tothero, Welch and junior Kadie Weaver all set new PRs in the 200-yard free.

In the third session, Tothero (ninth), Johnson (eleventh) and senior Sarah Strause (13th) finished in the Top 15 of the 100-yard breaststroke and Rodriguez finished 18th in the 100yard backstroke with a time

of 1:02.16 qualifying for the conference meet.

The success continued Sunday as three Raiders finished in the Top 10 for the 100 IM. Welch claimed third place, posting a time of 1:02.89 which is seventh best in SU history. Rodriguez finished fifth at 1:03.49 while Strause got eighth at 1:03.78.

Four other Raiders made

the conference cut in Sunday’s races. Tothero made the 100-yard free cut, Reott and freshman Erika Rundquist made the 200-yard backstroke cut and Johnson made the 200-yard breaststroke cut.

Both teams return to action Friday, Jan. 12 when they head to Gannon University for a PSAC meet.

Women’s basketball has rough weekend, drops two PSAC games Matt Gregan Staff Writer The Shippensburg University women’s basketball team dropped two close games to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) competition on the first weekend in December.

The Raiders’ weekend began with a game on Saturday afternoon against the Gannon University Golden Knights (5-3, 3-0 PSAC).

Shippensburg got off to a slow start on Saturday afternoon, and Gannon took advantage, taking the

contest 69-60. The Golden Knights played tough defense, resulting in five Raiders turnovers and a meager 14 percent field goal percentage for SU after one quarter of play.

The Raiders began the second quarter down 14-5, but they did not give up. Led by senior center Kristin McGeough and freshman guard Ariel Jones, SU began to fight back.

However, for every run that Shippensburg put together, Gannon had a response. Gannon shot 4-11 from 3-point range in the first half, and that played a big part in why they went into the half, up 29-21.

The third quarter was much of the same, as SU kept trying to get back into the game just for Gannon to hit a couple of shots in a row to widen the deficit. The Raiders went into the final quarter of play down 45-38.

Midway through the final quarter of play, the Raiders made their last effort to get back into the game.

Freshman forward Kryshell Gordy, who finished with seven points and 10 rebounds, hit two key shots to bring the Raiders within five. However, senior guard Maggie Mitchell hit a three pointer for

Photo courtesy of Bill Smith/SU Sports Info.

SU’s Victoria Blackburn torched the Gannon, nearly matching her career-high of 18 points.

Gannon with six minutes remaining that put their lead back at six. SU never got the game back to within six, as they fell to Gannon by the final score of 69-60.

Jones tallied 24 points and McGeough finished with a tremendous 11 points and 15 rebounds in the loss. SU never held a lead in the game, and they struggled to control the ball throughout as they turned the ball over 20 times.

The Raiders hoped to bounce back on Sunday afternoon when they took on the Golden Eagles of Clarion University (3-4, 0-3 PSAC).

SU got bit once again by the slow start, this time getting outscored 18-7 in the first quarter.

The second quarter was much of the same for the Raiders, who just could not get much going offensively. The Raiders finished the half shooting just 21 percent from the field. They went into halftime down 31-16.

SU came out of the half on fire as it quickly began to cut into the deficit. Senior guard Victoria Blackburn blocked a shot and then followed it up with a layup to make the score 36-26 Clarion midway through the third quarter.

Jones followed with a made basket while getting fouled, made the free throw and got the game back to single digits for the first time since early in the second quarter. Led

by Blackburn’s strong effort in the quarter, Shippensburg outscored Clarion 22-15 and cut the Golden

Eagle lead to eight points.

The Raiders continued their momentum from the third quarter, going on a 7-0 run to make it a onepoint game. However, the offense began to sputter, but the defense kept them in the game. With five minutes left to play, the Raiders were down only three.

Jones continued her scoring outburst when she made a key shot at the end of the shot clock to cut Clarion’s lead back to one with less than four minutes remaining.

Clarion guard Jordan Bekelja made a three to push the lead to 5347 and then a free throw battle ensued. With both teams in the bonus and playing tight defense, a lot of fouls occurred on both sides, sending both teams to the free throw line repeatedly.

The Raiders cut Clarion’s lead back to four, but their cold shooting in the quarter ended up being their doom. Shippensburg finished the game on a 2-of-8 shooting slump as they lost to Clarion by the final score of 65-59.

Jones’ 22 points and eight rebounds, Blackburn’s 17 points and three assists, and McGeough’s 10 points and 13 rebounds led the Raiders in the losing effort.

Shippensburg (1-8, 0-4 PSAC) will look to turn it around when they take on California University of Pennsylvania next Saturday at Heiges Field House.

SPORTS

E4

December 5, 2017

Men’s track and field soars at Bison Opener

Photo courtesy of Kyle Ross

SU’s Tra-C Davis had a banner day, kicking off the indoor season with a personal record in the high jump with a jump of 6 feet, 11 inches on Saturday at Bucknell.

Nate Powles Asst. Sports Editor David Brantley won the heptathlon with a new PR (4,593 points); Bryan Pearson took first in both the shot put and weight throw, in which he earned a new PR (59 feet, 7 1/2 inches); and Tra-C Davis also posted a PR in the high jump (6 feet, 11 inches) for the Shippensburg University track-and-field

team at the Bison Opener at Bucknell University this weekend.

The meet was the first of the season for the Raiders and it was an emotional one following the passing of teammate Tamara Ovejera of the women’s squad during the week. The team put in a great effort and earned multiple first-place finishes at the meet, as well as 10 Pennsylvania State Athletic Con-

ference (PSAC)-qualifying marks and three NCAA-provisional marks.

Brantley took the spotlight on the first day of the meet, as he entered Saturday with the lead in the multis. He finished the event early Saturday with a PR of 4,593 points to take first. Teammate Colin Mondi also performed well in first multis, finishing in fourth with 3,683 points.

Austin Padmore had an

impressive showing in the 800 meters, placing first with a time of 1:58.73, good enough for a PSAC qualifier. Alex Balla continued his dominance from the cross-country season with a win in the 5K with a PSAC-qualifying 15:22.08.

Davis picked up where he left off last season with a first-place finish in the high jump with a NCAA-provisional jump of 6 feet, 11 inch-

es, a centimeter better than his previous PR. Shaquille Mitchell excelled in his collegiate debut, taking first in the triple jump with a PSAC-qualifying distance of 46 feet, 8 3/4 inches.

Pearson outpaced the competition by a mile in his two events. He took first in both the shot put and weight throw, earning NCAA-provisional qualifiers in both. His distance of 56 feet in the shot

put was almost six feet better than the closest competitor, who happened to be teammate Jacob Gieringer with a throw of 50 feet, 0 1/2 inches. The weight throw was a new PR of 59 feet, 7 1/2 inches for Pearson, who looks to repeat his NCAA Championships-qualifying performance from last season.

The team will return to Bucknell for the Gulden Invitational on Jan. 20.

Jones recognized by PSAC SU Sports Info

Shippensburg University guard Ariel Jones was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Week for the third consecutive week on Monday afternoon by the league office.

It is the fourth consecutive week that Jones has received a PSAC award through four weeks of the season. She was named the inaugural PSAC Eastern Division Athlete of the Week on Nov. 13 and has since earned the PSAC Eastern Division Freshman of the Week honor on Nov. 20 and Nov. 27.

Jones continued her impressive start with three more games of 20 or more points this week.

She averaged 25 points and four

rebounds per game while shooting 42 percent from the field and 92 percent (23-of-25) from the free-throw line.

Against Goldey-Beacom, Jones scored a game-high 29 points – 24 in the second half. Jones scored 24 points against Gannon, including 18 in the second half. On Sunday against Clarion, Jones scored 22 points, making 8-of-9 from the free-throw line, to go along with a career-high eight rebounds, and hit a pair of three-pointers, playing all 40 minutes.

Jones has scored at least 22 points in 7-of-9 games this season and ranks second in the league in scoring, averaging 23.4 points per game.

Shippensburg hosts CaliforPhoto courtesy of Bill Smith/SU Sports Info. nia (Pa.) at 1 p.m. Saturday from Ariel Jones leads the team in scoring this season, averaging 23.4 points per game in her career.

Heiges Field House.