The Slate 12-4-18

Commercialism has changed our view of Christmas, B1

SU students play last round of bingo for the semester, C1

Celtic Woman brings holiday spirit to Luhrs, D1

Field hockey again named national champions, E1

Please recycle

@ShipUSlate

Tuesday December 4, 2018

TheSlate @ShipUSlate 61 years strong

Volume 62 No. 12

theslateonline.com

Reporting truth. Serving our community.

Erdice resigns after 10 years with Women’s Center Abby Tiska Asst. News Editor Shippensburg University’s Women’s Center is looking for a new director.

Stephanie Erdice — “Steph” to those close to her, “The Vagina Monologues Queen” to some in SU’s Women’s Center and the former director of the Women’s Center to all — resigned in mid-October to take on a new position as the chief of programming at the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

“It was a really fast transition, a little faster than I had planned,” Erdice said of her departure.

Erdice was working in the Wom-

en’s Center since August 2008, when she was hired as the interim director before officially becoming director in the summer of 2010.

During Er- Stephanie Erdice, former Women’s dice’s time at Center director SU, one of her main roles was to help guide and lead the Women’s Center’s mission.

Although the official mission is listed on SU’s website, Erdice said the easiest way to describe the mission is “equality, empowerment and

ending violence.”

Katrina Howard, the office manager of the Women’s Center for the past eight years, said Erdice went above and beyond during her time as director, earning numerous awards, bringing in guest speakers such as Whitney Thore from “My Big Fat Fabulous Life,” and professional basketball player Chamique Holdsclaw, and even starting up the “Ship Says No More” campaign.

Erdice said Ship Says No More was born in the Women’s Center during the spring of 2014 among efforts to make the campus more motivated to end sexual assault.

“It was one of the things where we kind of started it, but then we had

to give it to campus. We couldn’t control it because it wouldn’t be as powerful if everything had to be approved,” Erdice said.

Since the introduction and implementation of Ship Says No More, faculty created a syllabi statement and, as Erdice said, “gave it the power of the whole campus.”

“I think that will go down in history as one of my favorite things in my whole career, even though, hopefully, I’m only halfway through with it. I think I’ll always have a special connection to that program at Ship,” Erdice said.

Erdice was also responsible for educational workshops and trainings for different groups on cam-

pus, the Tulip Planting Ceremony, the Vagina Monologues, Take Back the Night and other advocacy work.

She worked with students who were victims of sexual assault, intimate partner abuse or other types of violence, and would help provide victims with support and necessary resources.

“Steph was involved in so many things that if I was to name them all, I would be here for quite a while,” Howard said.

Erdice said two main factors went into her resignation.

See “ERDICE,” A2

Transgender Historians discuss Native American influence woman shares life experiences Marisa Cass Staff Writer “How you present yourself is how people perceive you, but it’s more than that,” TransCentral PA President Joanne Carroll said.

Carroll visited Shippensburg University on Thursday to express the concerns transgender people face in communities.

Carroll is a transgender female, and since she was 4 years old, she knew something was off about her gender identity.

“I just knew something wasn’t quite right,” she said.

She remembers going to family Christmas parties and wanting the same presents her female cousins were getting. They were opening dolls, while Carroll was getting tractors.

“As much as a 4-year-old might process, that made no sense to me,” Carroll said. “I

wanted to look the way they looked. I wanted to dress the way they dressed.”

People define gender as a social construct. Carroll explained that gender and sex are different. Gender is who you go to bed as, and sex is who you go to bed with.

Everyone has a sexual orientation, a gender identity and a gender expression.

Carroll joined the Air Force when she was 18 years old and retired in 1980. Later, she decided to go into the hotel business. At age 60, she transitioned from male to female. Afterward, her career in the hotel business ended and four months later she landed her first job as a female.

Carroll remembers hearing the first public story about a transgender person.

In 1952, the story of Christine Jorgensen was heard around the nation.

See “CARROLL,” A2

Amanda Mayer/The Slate

TransCentralPA President Joanne M. Carroll speaks about growing up as a transgender woman, as well as struggles the LGBT community faces.

INDEX

Ship Life C1

News

A1-3

A&E

D1-2

Opinion

B1-2

Sports

E1-4

Jessica Knapp/The Slate

Local historians speak about Native Americans’ influence on the United States, specifically in Pennsylvania.

During the lecture, they covered the topic of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, created in 1879.

Jessica Knapp Staff Writer Local history experts met in Orndorff Theatre Wednesday night to tell attendees of the influence that Native Americans have had on the United States.

According to Dickinson College’s Christopher Bilodeau, Shippensburg and its surrounding areas have been connected with Native American peoples for thousands of years.

Throughout Pennsylvania’s history, a wide variety of tribes have called the state their home, including the Iroquois, Susquehannock and the Tuscarora.

However, efforts to assimilate Native American people into an ever-changing society has resulted in the erasure of their culturally-rich history.

The need to assimilate led to the creation of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in 1879. The insti-

Weather Forecast

tution’s founder, Richard Henry Pratt, chose to build the boarding school in Carlisle, just a 30-minute drive away from Shippensburg, due to the lack of other Native American influence in the area at the time of its creation.

Its students not only learned information that would help them better assimilate into society, but practical skills that could be applied throughout their daily lives.

The school itself strictly followed the societal gender norms of the time, especially while creating their curriculum. Women learned crucial household abilities like cooking and sewing, while men were taught a more physical-based set of skills like carpentry.

“This prepared females to be domestics,” said Barbara Landis of the Cumberland County Historical Society.

Students were being

Tuesday

41/24 Wednesday

38/24

trained to fill specific roles — one that would either financially support the family or one that would nurture and take care of the family.

Out of the nearly 8,800 students who attended the Carlisle Indian Industrial School — until it was closed in 1918 — only 758 students graduated.

As reported in her student record, Julia Bent of the Cheyenne Nation did not attend the school on a continual basis. Despite this, she was able to graduate nearly 10 years after her arrival in 1890.

Following her time spent at the Carlisle Indian School, Bent attended the Cumberland Valley State Normal School in both 1892 and 1893, which later became Shippensburg University.

“You can see a lot of interesting records in these files,” said SU history/philosophy professor John Bloom.

Bloom spoke of one of the

most popular ways that students were able to unwind outside of the classroom — sports.

“Sports provided an anchor of pride,” he said.

Olympian Jim Thorpe attended and gained worldwide fame during his time at the school. Today, Thorpe is one of the most well-known attendees of the school. His resting place resides in Pennsylvania in a small town that bears his name.

Students who participated in sports not only provided other school attendees with a sense of pride, but also showed outsiders that they were more than capable of behaving in a respectable manner.

The school’s athletes used their time in the spotlight to dismantle harmful stereotypes against the Native American people, slowly breaking down the societal barrier over time, Bloom said.

Thursday

Saturday

40/26

37/26

Friday

Sunday

39/24

39/25

NEWS

A2

December 4, 2018

Engineering program hopes to fill jobs Abby Tiska Asst. News Editor Shippensburg University’s formerly-known department of computer science and engineering received an upgrade in September with the launch of the school of engineering.

The school, which is still under the College of Arts and Sciences, now boasts three separate departments and six different programs, including its newest programs — civil engineering and mechanical engineering.

According to professor Carol Wellington, the director of the school of engineering and department chair of computer, electrical and software engineering, the mechanical engineering program was approved in December of 2017 and civil engineering was approved this past May. Both programs are effective this semester and have students currently enrolled.

The creation of the school and its new programs is a response to the growing job market.

“The state system contracted an analytics firm to look at what they call the ‘demand gaps,’” said professor Tom Briggs, interim chair of mechanical and civil engineering.

“The demand for students looking for mechanical and civil programs versus the number of programs they have accessible to them was out of sync.”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts there will be 65,000 new engineering jobs added from 20142024.

While the bureau expects mechanical engineering jobs to grow at the average speed — around 9 percent — from 2016 to 2026, civil engineering jobs are expected to grow at 11 percent. The bureau also said that both jobs have an average pay of at least $90,000.

As the jobs continue to grow, so do admissions. Enrollment for the programs in the school of engineering went up 60 percent from last year to this year, according to Wellington.

Around 20,372 degrees were awarded for civil engineering in 2016, while 39,294 were awarded for mechanical engineering the same year, according to Data USA. These numbers are expected to grow moving forward.

Both Briggs and Wellington said they have received numerous phone calls from employers who are interested in the new program and are looking for students to fill positions.

“They’re like, ‘Wow! Ship has engineering, we’ll come and talk to your students,’” Wellington said.

The new school of engineering is expected to be more beneficial to students than the former singular department.

Wellington said there are now three department chairs instead of one, and it will allow faculty to be

more responsive when a student needs something. She added that separating into departments has allowed programs to become more specialized and serve particular students, as opposed to a broad student population.

“I mean, it was really unusual to have civil engineering in the same department with computer science,” Briggs said. “As we start to have all the students start to pile in, I think having different programs helps the students have a different identity, but yet still stay within the same school.”

The current goal for the school’s new programs is accreditation by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET). The school’s computer science, computer engineering and software engineering programs are all accredited by ABET. The software engineering program is only one of 28 accredited in the world.

“ABET accreditation provides assurance that a college or university program meets the quality standards of the profession for which that program prepares graduates,” according to ABET. Another goal for the school is to begin construction on Shippensburg University’s former steam plant off of North Prince Street in order to transform the building into a workspace for students.

Wellington said the building will be used predominantly for mechan-

ical and civil engineering students and will have new labs.

“You have to imagine, you know, the civil engineers need to be able to make concrete beams and smash them. And so they really need big space,” Wellington said.

The goal for building renovations to be complete was fall 2019, but has since been pushed back a year.

“The real big rollout is going to be fall 2020,” said Briggs.

With the introduction of the new school, Briggs and Wellington said

that it has gained a lot of attention not only from employers, but from students, the local community and from media coverage.

“It feels like with these engineering programs we’re suddenly being discovered for the quality institution we’ve always been,” Briggs said. “And how often do you get to create a whole new school, and eventually, a college? It’s gonna be exciting.”

Abby Tiska/The Slate

The former steam plant off of North Prince Street will hopefully be used as a future workspace for engineering students.

SU student raises $11,000 through holiday fundraiser Shannon Long News Editor

Photo courtesy of Cindy Smolinski

The holiday book tree is located in the atrium of the Fredricksen Library in Camp Hill. The project began in 2013 and raises money for the library.

“ERDICE,” from A1 “So I worked in the position for 10 years, and I just, I mean, being the director of the Women’s Center was amazing. I’m gonna get choked up talking about it.

And I really wanted someone else to have that amazing experience in their profession,” Erdice said, her voice cracking. “I felt selfish holding on to the position for much longer. Like, I could’ve done this job the rest of my life and loved it, but somebody else needed to have that chance.”

Erdice said she also felt it was time to take the skills that she had learned and apply them to work on a larger scope in order to make even more of an impact.

“There was this position with the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and there was just no passing it up,” Erdice said. “It was a tremendous opportunity to work with a great team, to work in the state that I lived in and to really see the impact that we could have with working with all Maryland colleges and universities, and, you know, other areas of the state, and to learn from those folks as well.”

The Women’s Center is feeling some of the effects of

Erdice’s departure. Howard said the center has been a little short-staffed with only an office manager, a student worker, a graduate assistant and an intern.

“Without her, we had to decide what we’re going to concentrate on and what we’re not, so there are a couple programs we didn’t do this semester,” Howard said.

The search for a new director is underway. Howard said the center hopes to have the position filled by the spring semester, but that Erdice will always be remembered for the hard work she put in during her time as director.

“In regards to Steph herself, the type of person she is, the programs and the services that she provided and that she promoted, how she served as a mentor to a lot of students, I didn’t realize how many until she left. Then they were coming out of the woodwork,” Howard said.

One of those students, junior Ali Laughman ­— the current director of the Vagina Monologues and a volunteer in the Women’s Center — described Erdice as a superhero, “but in the sense of, she tries to do good and doesn’t ask for anything in return.

“My hope is that the per-

son they choose to stand where Steph has, has just as much room in her heart as Steph has,” Laughman said.

Despite the current challenge of not having a director, Howard assured the SU community that the Women’s Center is still working hard to continue advancing its mission of equality, empowerment and ending violence.

“The Women’s Center, I feel, should be held in such a way that… I wouldn’t let it drop,” Howard said. “We do too many important things.”

As for Erdice, she is keeping her doors open for opportunity, and emphasized her gratefulness for her time spent at SU, the relationships she has built and the opportunity she has to work in another position where she can do the work she believes she is destined to do.

“And maybe we won’t, in my lifetime, accomplish an end to sexual assault,” she said. “But if that’s the case, then I’m just gonna come back in my next lifetime and end it.”

The photo of Stephanie Erdice on A1 is courtesy of Shippensburg University.

Five years ago, an SU student had the idea to celebrate the holidays and raise money at the same time through a project at his local library.

Senior marketing major Joseph Smolinski began a holiday book tree project at Camp Hill’s Fredricksen Library in 2013 as part of his National Honors Society project.

The library was recycling old reference books, and Smolinski’s mom had mentioned the idea of a book tree.

He came up with the idea of creating a book tree, but also allowing people to donate money to have their name on the binding of the book.

That year, $1,500 was

raised. Half of the money went to the library and the other half went to Save the Children for Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

Until 2017 all of the money was donated to the library because of decreasing library funds, but last year the money was donated to hurricane relief for the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

“We saw all the devastation that the hurricanes brought,” Smolinski said.

So far this year, the library has raised almost $1,000, bringing the total money raised to almost $11,000.

The tree is made of about 300 books, and anyone can have a book dedicated to himself or herself for a minimum donation of $10.

Smolinski presented his book tree idea at the Penn-

“CARROLL,” from A1 “She went to Denmark as George and came back as Christine,” Carroll said. “If you thought Caitlyn Jenner’s story was big, back in that day that was huge.”

Carroll was 12 at the time, and after hearing that story, she realized there were others who feel the way she does.

She found out that there was a solution, but since sex reassignment surgery was unheard of, there was no information.

Carroll’s mother was her biggest supporter.

When Carroll came out to her, she asked why she waited so long to tell her. Carroll explained that there is a lot of guilt that comes with it. Her response was, “Why would you feel guilty about something you were born with?”

TransCentralPA is a non-profit organization that provides support and advocacy to transgender people and their loved ones. They are located in Harrisburg and have about 200 members.

They have 700 - 800 trans people from across the U.S., half of Canada and 12 from 15 foreign countries including Australia, Israel and South Africa.

“Advocacy work never stops,” Carroll said.

The transgender community has been fighting to pass the Fairness Act for Equality in Pennsylvania for the past eight legislatures.

The biggest complaint from people in the LGBT community is disrespect.

The bullying they receive usually leads

sylvania Library Association conference this year.

He spoke with hundreds of libraries from Pennsylvania, and provided them with pamphlets about how to replicate the fundraiser for their libraries.

Smolinski said he is open to the idea of doing a project like this at the Ezra Lehman Memorial Library on SU’s campus.

The tree’s purpose is not only to collect donations, but to warm people’s hearts for the holidays, Smolinski said.

“It’s supposed to be a positive image for the holidays,” he said.

Smolinski has been volunteering at the library since 2009, and has been working in the circulation department since 2012.

to suicide. About 40 percent or more of the transgender community attempts suicide, according to Carroll.

Another circumstance they deal with is low employment opportunities. The national unemployment rate is around 3.9 percent which affects about 19 percent of white trans people and 25 percent of colored trans people. Onethird of transgender people are paid an average of $10,000 a year. Forty-four percent of the community is underemployed, Carroll said.

“I have a friend who has a Ph.D. and lives in San Francisco, and the best job she can get is an assistant manager in a Burger King,” she said.

Carroll said the aging transgender population is affected as much, if not more, because they are on a fixed income.

She described what is called the starfish theory. A little boy found a starfish along the beach and threw it into the water to save it. Someone asked him why, because there were tons of other fish and he would not be able to save them all.

He said, “No, but I can save that one.”

So, when someone asked Carroll why she is in the business of what she does, she said, “It’s all about the starfish.

“If I can change one mind or change the life of one person in the course of a day, I’ve done something worthwhile,” Carroll said.

December 4, 2018

NEWS

A3

Your World Today Anti-Semitism must stop before history repeats Commentary

Jenna Wise Editor-in-Chief

File Photo/The Slate

Pennsylvania is currently deciding which new voting machines to buy and how to buy them. Gov. Tom Wolf is hoping for machines that will eliminate hacking.

Last summer, I traveled through Europe with a group of classmates.

While at dinner one night, my classmate — a devout Christian woman — began asking me questions about my boyfriend, who is Jewish.

When I said this, my classmate automatically voiced concern — because, according to her, my boyfriend would go to hell one day if he did not turn his life over to Jesus Christ.

My immediate reaction was dismay. How does one react to being told something like that?

As unnecessary as I may have found her comment at the time, it was nothing compared to the deliberate, anti-Semitic shift that has occurred in the U.S. in recent years.

Last Wednesday, for instance, a Columbia University professor was greeted by two swastikas outside her office door. Only a day later, two swastikas were spray-painted across black history murals along Crenshaw Avenue in Los Angeles. The symbol was also recently been sprayed on Goucher College’s Mary-

Crunch time nears in PA to buy new voting machines Marc Levy Associated Press HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — It’s getting down to crunch time for Pennsylvania’s counties to decide which new voting machines to buy, and how, as Gov. Tom Wolf presses them to switch to voting machines that leave a paper trail as a safeguard against hacking.

Wolf’s administration told county officials this week the Democratic governor wants the state to cover at least half the cost. The news came as counties assemble fiscal-year budgets and try out machines that are expected to be included in a state purchasing contract being finalized in the coming weeks.

Securing state aid will mean persuading the Republican-controlled Legislature to commit tens of millions of dollars toward what counties estimate will eventually be a $125 million tab.

In a statement, Wolf’s administration said it had just begun discussing the matter with top lawmakers and, while it had no firm commitments, it called the initial meetings “very positive.’’

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Stan Saylor, R-York, took a circumspect view of Wolf’s overtures, saying he’ll review the proposal and meet with Wolf’s top elections official, Robert Torres, to discuss it.

“Once again, the governor is committing the commonwealth to more spending without explaining how he

plans to pay for it,’’ Saylor said in a statement.

Without state aid, counties will have to use property taxes to foot the cost, as Wolf pushes counties to get new machines into service before the presidential primary election in 2020.

Pennsylvania is one of 13 states where most or all voters use antiquated machines that store votes electronically without printed ballots or other paper-based backups that could be used to double-check the vote, according to researchers at New York University’s Brennan Center for Justice.

Four in five Pennsylvania voters use machines that lack an auditable paper trail.

Pennsylvania is viewed as one of the most vulnerable states after federal authorities say Russian hackers targeted at least 21 states during the 2016 presidential election.

Wolf first gave counties a deadline of 2020 in April.

He is committed to asking lawmakers for state funding to cover at least half of the cost, on top of about $14 million in federal aid already available, according to an email sent Thursday to county officials by Kathy Boockvar, an election adviser to Wolf.

Wolf’s administration had just hours earlier settled a lawsuit accusing Pennsylvania of potentially violating the constitutional rights of voters if it continued using voting machines that were susceptible to hacking. In

September, U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond had denied the Wolf administration’s effort to dismiss the lawsuit’s claims.

In the settlement, Wolf’s administration formalized its commitment to ensuring every Pennsylvania voter uses a “voter-verifiable paper ballot’’ in 2020.

Boockvar told county officials that, without the settlement, the judge could have ordered a tighter time frame for counties to switch to the new voting machines.

Counties can buy the machines through a statewide purchasing contract that is expected to be posted by Dec. 31.

Meanwhile, counties are preparing to borrow money to pay for the machines, not knowing whether the state will kick in money, or how much.

In Montgomery County, Pennsylvania’s third most-populous county, commissioners are preparing a capital budget with $8 million set aside to replace machines that are more than 20 years old. Philadelphia has approved $22 million in its capital budget for voting machines, a spokesman for Mayor Jim Kenney said.

Westmoreland County expects the cost will be $7 million without outside help. County officials aren’t sure whether they will buy or lease the machines, but they are hoping the state will underwrite a portion of the cost, said Gina Cerilli, the commission’s chairwoman.

Fight brewing over prospect of nuclear power plant shutdowns Marc Levy Associated Press HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania lawmakers sympathetic to nuclear power plants are making a push for state action to rescue plants at risk of being shut down by their energy company owners.

Four lawmakers calling themselves the Nuclear Energy Caucus released a 44page report Thursday, calling for action to avoid plants shutting down and warning that shutdowns would devastate communities that depend on the plants’ jobs and property taxes.

The prospect of bailing out nuclear power plants is spurring a debate over why Pennsylvania ratepayers should foot the cost and whether nuclear power provides an environmental benefit in the age of global warming.

Three Mile Island’s own-

er, Chicago-based Exelon Corp., announced last year that the plant that was the site of a terrifying partial meltdown in 1979 will close in 2019 unless Pennsylvania comes to its financial rescue.

Earlier this year, Ohio-based FirstEnergy Corp. said it will shut down its Beaver Valley nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania _ as well as two nuclear plants in Ohio _ within the next three years unless Pennsylvania steps up.

Proposals in the report include requiring utilities to buy a certain amount of nuclear power or imposing a fee on carbon emissions, ideas designed to make the cost of nuclear power more competitive as it faces pressure from a booming natural gas industry.

Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat whose home is barely 10 miles (16 kilometers) from Three Mile Island, said in a statement from his office that

he is concerned about layoffs at the power plants. While he gave no promises about what he would support, he coupled that sentiment with his desire to advance the cause of cleaner energy.

“Governor Wolf believes we need a robust conversation about our energy economy and looks forward to engaging with the General Assembly about what direction Pennsylvania will go in regards to its energy sector, including the future of nuclear power and the value of lower emission energy for Pennsylvania’s economy and environment,’’ Wolf’s office said.

Nuclear power plants are being buffeted by a flood of natural gas plants coming online, relatively flat post-recession electricity demand and states putting more emphasis on renewable energy and efficiency.

land campus.

The Anti-Defamation League reported 1,986 anti-Semitic incidents in 2017 — a 57 percent increase from the year before.

The sad truth is the commonality of anti-Semites in the U.S. and around the world. At one point, an estimated 1.09 billion people harbored anti-Semitic thoughts, according to 2014 data from the ADL. Why, in 2018, does this continue to be such a large problem?

For one, many people do not have a clue about Jewish history. More than half of those surveyed had never heard of the Holocaust; out of those who did, two in three people did not believe historical accounts of the tragedy, according to ADL polling data.

But how often do you hear people referring to anti-Semitism as a “problem”? Or offering to create a safe space for Jews, as is offered to other minority groups?

Today’s society is complex. On one hand, there has been a rise in progressive Democrats who are intent on encouraging tolerance across the country.

At the same time, however, passionate groups of white supremacists have pushed for the exact opposite.

And while white supremacists have placed a target on their backs, the support Jews have needed from the rest of the U.S. has been largely absent.

For example, Twitter

did not shut down an account belonging to the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter in which he said he would not allow the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society to “bring invaders” into the U.S. or “watch our people get slaughtered,” according to a column in The Washington Post. This behavior alone points to a lack of knowledge or care about the Jewish community.

A common trend in Americans is a prioritization of discrimination.

“This” group or “that” group needs our attention. We must not tolerate THAT behavior.

Some who do not speak up do not have proper knowledge of the Jews’ centuries of mistreatment.

But some of the people who condemn these acts — including Christians and Muslims — also look down upon Jews, albeit on a smaller scale, because of their own religious beliefs.

The behavior by my classmate last summer was not surprising then or now. Choosing to condemn Jews because of your religion, however, is breeding the very intolerance that white supremacists feed on.

Unless Americans begin to educate themselves on Judaism, harmful stereotypes and behavior, I do not find it far from the realm of possibility that another large-scale anti-Semitic act could one day occur in our own backyard.

This Week on Campus Basketball Game

Study Abroad

APB Event

• SU women’s basketball will be playing Lincoln University on Wednesday from 7—9 p.m. in Heiges Field House.

• An informational meeting for students interested in studying abroad will be held on Tuesday from 3:30—4:30 p.m. in the CUB Room 232.

• APB will be hosting “Relax with APB” on Thursday from 7—10 p.m. in McFeely’s Coffeehouse inside the CUB.

The Sound of Music

Concert

Kwanzaa Event

• Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music” will be performed on Thursday from 7:30—9:30 p.m. in the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center.

• The Vienna Boys Choir will perform their “Christmas in Vienna” show on Saturday from 7:30—9:30 p.m. in the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center.

• The African American Organization will be hosting a Kwanzaa Celebration on Saturday from 3—8 p.m. in the CUB MPR.

Hat and Glove Drive • The Shippensburg Community Resource Coalition is collecting hats and gloves for K-12 Shippensburg students.

• Donations can be dropped off at the CUB Room 211 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Donations will be accepted through Dec. 15.

• Contact Troy Okum at vista@ship.edu with questions.

B1

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Opinion Trump’s decision-making destroying structure of U.S. government

Adam Friscia Staff Writer

For Christians, symbols of Christmas include the scene of baby Jesus in a manger or the three wise men who came bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, but for those who celebrate the gift giving of Christmas without its religious roots often forget where the holiday came from and its true meaning.

The Slate Speaks Christmas’ meaning stripped of religion, replaced with push for commercialism Christmas, the holiday originally seen as a day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, has been overcome by commercialism. Now, just about everyone celebrates it, but not for its true meaning.

Pew Research Center has been tracking this shift in Christmas since 2013, when it was said that 81 percent of non-Christians were celebrating Christmas.

In 2017, Pew did more research and found that 46 percent of adults see Christmas as a religious holiday rather than a cultural one, which is a pretty significant drop from the previous 51 percent.

If you think about it, the practice of going to church on Christmas — which many older people cherish, has dwindled over the years — especially in the millennial generation. Millennials are becoming more secular and

are more likely to not identify with a religion, according to Pew Research.

Thirty-five percent of millennials are unaffiliated with religion compared to the millennials who identify with a religion. Just ask a college student the last time he or she was at church. For many, the answer will most likely be not recently. Although this is not the case for all millennials, it has become more of a trend over the years, even with the current generation of youth.

Christmas has also gone to the commercial world, and is shoved in your face from the minute the season grows near.

You see Christmas decorations filling some department stores before Halloween has even passed. It seems like it is becoming earlier and earlier each year that adver-

tisements fill email inboxes, television screens and billboards.

Many families take their corny Christmas card photos on Thanksgiving — breaking out the itchy matching sweaters before they can even carve the turkey. It is nearly a fact that one cannot escape the idea of Christmas nowadays — whatever the idea of Christmas is for one.

And we cannot forget about the humbugs of the world, who are the people who do not celebrate Christmas at all. They rightfully can decide that, but how can they escape the Christmas commotion when it is constantly being celebrated way before it is close to being the actual Christmas season?

Maybe they just want to be left alone around this time of year, but they cannot step out of their house without being

bombarded by the Christmas spirit.

Christmas can be a hard time for people, especially those without family or friends, so why rub the holiday in their faces and make it worse?

After all, shouldn’t Christmas be about peace and spending time with family?

This should be the case no matter what your religion is, or if you affiliate yourself with no religion at all.

The Christmas season has gotten out of hand in the sense of commercialization, but overall, the holidays should be a peaceful time to celebrate whatever you want.

And although Christmas might not be celebrated by only Christians anymore, it should be respected and valued for the sense of harmony and peace that it can bring people.

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.

Disclaimer •

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

In the 1978 film “Superman,” screen legend Marlon Brando warned of an imminent danger. To stress his sincerity, Brando espoused rationality and declared his aversion for hearsay, saying, “My friends, you know me to be neither rash nor impulsive. I’m not given to wild, unsupported statements.”

It is from the same perspective that I express my misgivings about the actions of President Donald Trump.

Throughout his presidency, Trump has criticized mainstream media outlets and demonized journalists as purveyors of fake news.

On Nov. 26, Trump upped the ante with an ominous statement published to his twitter account.

“While CNN doesn’t do great in the United States based on ratings, outside of the U.S. they have very little competition. Throughout the world, CNN has a powerful voice portraying the United States in an unfair....and false way.

Something has to be done, including the possibility of the United States starting our own Worldwide Network to show the World the way we really are, GREAT!” Trump tweeted The notion that an American president would suggest the implementation of a state-run news network is nothing short of dangerous. Until now, such networks exist as extensions of oppressive governments who seek to control public opinion by limiting the information that is disseminated. Moreover, these outlets provide biased reporting, which exclusively favors those in power while denigrating all who oppose them. But as disturbing as

Management slate.ship@gmail.com Jenna Wise.................Editor-in-Chief Molly Foster............Managing Editor

THESLATEONLINE.COM Reporting truth.

Serving our community.

Contact Us slate.ship@gmail.com (717) 477-1778 Mailing Address The Slate - Shippensburg University CUB Box 106 1871 Old Main Drive Shippensburg, PA 17257 Office Location Ceddia Union Building Room 250 Shippensburg University Adviser Dr. Michael Drager About The Slate The Slate is a weekly, volunteer, student-run newspaper published by the Gettysburg Times. Its print edition is published on Tuesdays and its website, theslateonline.com, is maintained 24/7.

Weekly meetings are held on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. in The Slate office. All are welcome to attend, but we ask you notify management ahead of time.

Staff positions are held on either a one semester or one academic-year term. There are no term limits. The Slate hires new members throughout the year based on its needs. The Slate does not

News slatenews@gmail.com Shannon Long................Editor Hannah Pollock.....Asst. Editor Abby Tiska.............Asst. Editor Opinion shipspeaks@gmail.com Ship Life slate.shiplife@gmail.com Hannah McMullan..........................Editor Justin Hawbaker......................Asst. Editor

Sports slatesports@gmail.com Nate Powles.........................Editor Matthew Gregan....................Asst. Editor Isaiah Snead..........................Asst. Editor Christopher Wurtz..................Asst. Editor

discriminate against anyone based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity etc. Undergraduate and graduate SU students are hired based on skill, dedication and loyalty to the values and principles of journalism.

Funding for The Slate is provided primarily by the SU Student Government. The Slate is required to payback a portion of its funding via the selling of advertising space.

Ads do not represent the position of The Slate in any manner. See our Advertising Media Kit for rules and policies on ads.

this is, there is more to the story.

On Nov. 29, The New York Times reported that federal workers have been formally warned by the government to refrain from criticizing Trump in the workplace. A document issued to employees stated that such actions could be considered a violation of the Hatch Act, which prevents federal employees from engaging in expressions of political partisanship.

The document stated, “We understand that the ‘resistance’ and ‘#resist’ originally gained prominence shortly after President Trump’s election in 2016 and generally related to efforts to oppose administration policies. However, ‘resistance,’ ‘#resist’ and similar terms have become inextricably linked with the electoral success (or failure) of the president.”

The message is clear.

Those who make disparaging comments about the president will be silenced.

Sadly, none of this should come as a surprise.

From the outset of his presidency, Trump has consistently demonstrated an affinity for authoritarian figures. And as time passes, he has become increasingly motivated to mimic their behavior.

By now, his intentions are obvious. Trump is determined to destroy the institutions of our government.

Think about it. He has accused the FBI of corruption and denounced the Mueller investigation as a deep state witch hunt designed to ruin him. Journalists have been categorized as enemies of the people and all who oppose Trump are vilified for having the temerity to question him.

As I process these troubling events, I appeal to my most rational senses. Much like Brando’s character, I am not prone to conspiracy theories. But, what Trump is doing is not speculative.

It is factual and it is happening. And we should all be very concerned.

A&E slateae@gmail.com Jonathan Bergmueller.......Editor Olivia Riccio.................Asst. Editor Michael Donegan........Asst. Editor Public Relations slate.circpr@gmail.com Breann Sheckells.....................Director Michaela Vallonio.............Asst. Director Copy shipcopy@gmail.com Ali Laughman...........................Editor Olivia Riccio..............................Editor Multimedia slatephotos@gmail.com Meghan Schiereck...........................Editor Amanda Mayer................Asst. Editor Dave Krovich...................Asst. Editor Arianna Logan..................Asst. Editor Advertising slate.adv@gmail.com Abrihet Zegeye......................Director Taren Swartz................Asst. Director Samuel Fegan.............Asst. Director

Copyright Notice All content on theslateonline.com and in the newspaper is property of The Slate, unless otherwise stated. No content may be taken, copied, retrieved, used or published elsewhere for any reason, unless where the law dictates it is acceptable. A signed and dated agreement must be made for Slate property to be used elsewhere, and attribution to The Slate and the appropriate staff member(s) must be given.

December 4, 2018

Ditch the ‘Hard Passes’ I’ve said this before, but my colleagues in media have either disagreed or simply ignored me. After Jim Acosta’s confrontation with the president at a White House press conference and the subsequent retaliation, it’s time for me to renew my call for all reporters who hold so-called hard passes to turn them in and abandon their post at the White House en masse.

Yes, it would be a gesture of defiance to a president and administration that uses reporters as props. There is nothing in the First Amendment that guarantees freedom of the props. Besides, the nation’s current chief executive demonstrates time and again his utter disregard for the entire Constitution.

Consider the tone of his postelection news conference, after the frayed Democrats were able to weave a takeover of the House of Representatives. That’s a big deal. Yet Trump somehow managed to twist the midterm results around into a “tremendous success,” because Republicans had ex-

panded control of the Senate.

The Senate wasn’t really in play, but whatever.

Once again, he hurled invectives at any media type who dared ask a tough question.

When CNN’s Acosta tried to ask whether the president had “demonized immigrants” with his campaign rhetoric, Trump rejected him out of hand, and a press-office intern tried to take away Acosta’s microphone. Jim held on to the mic and brushed the intern in the process.

He even said to her “pardon me, ma’am.” He then persisted with his line of inquiry, which Trump refused to answer except for a tirade: “CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person.” That was it. Just another day in White House paradise.

Except that the administration later decided to lower the boom on Acosta.

They pulled his press pass, denying him access to the grounds. That apparently is an unprecedented action, particularly when it was accompanied by a statement from press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders that it was really because Acosta was guilty of “placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern.”

How shall I say this?

That’s another Sarah Sanders lie. Various camera shots

OPINION showed that it was a lie. To make matters even worse, Sanders’ press office distributed a video that had been clumsily doctored!

There should no longer be a White House Correspondents’ Association, simply because there should no longer be any White House correspondents.

Then the crowd of self-respecting journalists, which includes many of them, will give up their access to the grounds and go back to their offices. They can work their phones -- I’m told they even have portable ones these days -- and do some old-fashioned reporting, mining that gold mine of corruption that defines this president and his accomplices.

Sure, if he wants to stage a news conference, we should go. If he wants to hold a rally, we should tape it, and the TV networks can decide whether he’s simply firing the same old ignorant, racist bullshot.

In any case, it’s time for them all to escape the White House prison and do journalism to explore whether it’s the president who is the “enemy of the people.”

Bob Franken is an Emmy Award-winning reporter who covered Washington for more than 20 years with CNN. (c) 2018 Bob Franken Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

B2

Interested in writing for The Slate’s Opinion section?

The Slate is currently accepting applications for:

• Opinion Editors • Asst. Opinion Editors The Slate is also looking for individuals interested in working at The Slate as regular columnists. Possible writing topics include (but are not limited to) politics, social justice and on-campus changes.

Applications for the editor positions can be picked up at The Slate office in CUB Room 250.

Questions about the editor and columnist positions can be emailed to slate.ship@gmail.com.

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

C1

Ship Life

SU students win prizes at winter wonderland bingo Chaela Williams Staff Writer

Dave Krovich/The Slate

Big Red makes an appearance during the winter wonderland bingo on Friday night as part of the “Where’s Big Red” weekend hosted by APB.

A Raider’s View

Relieve stress as the semester ends

Shippensburg University students spent the evening playing rounds of bingo to win prizes at the Ceddia Union Building (CUB) Multipurpose Room (MPR) on Friday night.

SU’s Activities Program Board (APB) hosted the winter wonderland-themed event, at which students were served Dunkin’ Donuts while listening to Christmas music.

The prizes won during the night were Bath & Body Works gift baskets, gift cards and a flat screen TV. During bingo breaks, the APB members played raffles that included winning a free month of boot camp and sports training. One of the most exclusive prizes of the night was two tickets to

attend APB’s Xperience concert featuring music artists Bazzi and Bryce Vine.

One of the participants, sophomore Megan Windall, regularly attends bingo night in hope of winning a flat screen TV.

“The prizes won during the night were Bath & Body Works gift baskets, gift cards and a flat screen TV.” Chaela Williams Staff Writer “I get excited to play [bingo] even though I don’t win anything,” Windall said. “I think it’s fun to go to this event and meet new people; it gives me something to do than being in my dorm.”

Although the event was

tense with competition, many believed the game should have been more entertaining, and thought that it went on for too long.

Within an hour, many students left due to the late hour and disappointment from not winning prizes.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love playing bingo, but tonight it wasn’t as interactive as it was in the past, like [with] breakfast bingo and homecoming bingo,” Windall said. “It was a little boring.”

SU’s mascot, Big Red, made an appearance as part of “Where’s Big Red” weekend.

Winter wonderland bingo was one of the last remaining activities for the end of the semester, including APB’s movie showing of “Incredibles 2” and a “Relax with APB” event.

APB helps students ‘Zen out’ before finals

Raider Muse Staff Columnist

There is no doubt finals week is most students’ kryptonite. Believe it or not, there are some tips and tricks we seem to forget about when it is crunch time and we are all stressing out.

Sometimes we forget that although grades are important, our mental and physical health is just as, or more, important to take care of in the long run.

• Stay hydrated: Sometimes when we are studying, we forget that our bodies need breaks. Staying hydrated can curb headaches and keep your body alert during long study hours. Drinking water while studying is also said to have effects on curbing anxiety while taking exams, according to Dr. Chris Pawson from the University of East London. The body should stay hydrated to keep mental function at a higher level than when the body is dehydrated.

• Taking breaks: Although it may seem inefficient, taking breaks when studying allows your mind to rest, and gives you time away from screens or words in books.

Planning breaks in your studying also gives you something to work toward.

• Sleeping: Students are known for pulling all-nighters and staying up for hours on end to finish assignments.

However, sleep deprivation actually harms cognitive performance and is synonymous with poor academic success, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

• Staying motivated: We all tend to hit walls in our studying, writing papers or doing projects. Staying motivated ensures the work you are doing is the best you can produce.

• Asking for help: If you are not understanding a concept, it is never too late to ask your professor for a refresher course in whatever you are having trouble in.

When cramming for finals, as many do, those tips can come in handy when faced with a hurdle that separates you and the end of the semester. But, keeping your body and mind under control, staying healthy and developing good habits over time can be the key ingredients that carry you to winter break.

Meghan Schiereck/The Slate

SU students spend their Thursday night unwinding by creating their own Zen garden succulent plant as the semester comes to a close. APB created the event to help students relieve stress.

Lorraine DiMauro Staff Writer What is a better way to spend a Thursday night than by testing your creative side by making a Zen garden with friends?

APB hosted an event at which students could come and make their own Zen garden on Thursday night in the Ceddia Union Building (CUB).

The CUB Multipurpose Room was flooded with students ready to get away from the stresses of schoolwork for the night and embrace their inner Zen. APB went all out and had many different choices so

students could put their own personal touch on their gardens. The tables were set up for people to go down the line to different stations to create Zen plants and choose from several different pots and plants.

After the plants were put together, students decorate their gardens by adding rocks, flowers, moss, lights, stickers and more. The room was filled with good vibes as people enjoyed personalizing their plants with good music, snacks and fun with friends.

Although some students may shy away from a relaxing night on a Thursday, many seemed to think the event

was a hit, including junior Shana Louden.

“Who knew making Zen plants with friends could be so fun?” Louden said.

Students could not wait to

show off their creativity and newly made Zen gardens.

“This is super artsy, that’s going on my VSCO,” sophomore Tianna Morressi said

Meghan Schiereck/The Slate

SU students make succulent plants with friends.

D1

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

A&E

Celtic Woman reawakens the Christmas spirit at Luhrs with ‘The Best of Christmas’ Molly Foster Managing Editor Much like Santa Claus who is said to trek the world by sleigh every Christmas Eve, making many stops to deliver bow-topped gifts to children young and old, Celtic Woman, on its “The Best of Christmas Tour,” made a stop in Shippensburg on Thursday to deliver the gift of music to the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center.

While the temperatures dipped below freezing outside, cozy Christmas sweaters — which were the outfit of choice among many audience members — and the familiar tunes of Christmas carols kept Luhrs radiating with warmth and holiday cheer.

As Celtic Woman, comprised of Irish-native musicians Mairéad Carlin, Éabha McMahon, Tara McNeil (on violin) and Megan Walsh, stepped foot on the stringlight adorned stage, their angelic voices and the sweet shrill of violin intertwined in an effortless harmony.

The show’s set list covered its grounds with classics, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” “Silent Night,” “White Christmas,” “We Three Kings” and “Joy to the World,” as well as lesser known songs in the United States, such as “The Wexford

Carol” and Irish carol, “Ard Uí Chuain / Sadhbh Ní Bhruinneallaigh.”

The addition of traditional Irish tunes gave Celtic Woman the opportunity to highlight an aspect of their Irish culture, and though the crowd did not know the words to sing along, they happily clapped to the music.

However pleasant-sounding Celtic Woman may be unaccompanied, they would not have been able to attain the delicate balance between layers of voice and instruments without the 46-piece orchestra that formed a crescent behind them.

Since Celtic Woman does not have its own orchestra that travels with them, they recruit locally for each performance, with this show’s being the Shippensburg Festival Orchestra.

Among the many locals in the orchestra was percussionist Spencer Zembrodt, who did not travel quite as far as Ireland for the show, but still had quite the trip to Shippensburg from Florence, Kentucky, which is his hometown.

This was Zembrodt’s second time playing with Celtic Woman.

“It’s always fun to play with a group like Celtic Woman,” Zembrodt said.

“They bring a different qual-

ity to the music, I think, than what you would get at a regular symphony concert hall.”

Unlike other orchestra performances, Zembrodt said a challenge of performing with Celtic Woman, although rewarding in the end result of a natural and authentic sound, is that the orchestra only rehearses together once before the show — the day of its performance.

Despite the pressure that Zembrodt referenced in having limited group preparation, the orchestra’s instruments danced together without stepping on each other’s feet and blended well with Celtic Woman from its beginning to closing songs, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and “Auld Lange Syne,” which translates to mean “days gone by.”

Following a standing ovation, those in attendance left with a youthful sparkle in their eyes that only the “magic” of the holidays and the power of music can explain.

“We live in a place where there is always something bad happening,” Zembrodt said. “To be able to come in and say, ‘for the next two hours, I don’t care about anything else. I am here to heal, I am here to think about something else,’ is a gift in itself.”

Matt Weisbecker/The Slate

The newest member of Celtic Woman, vocalist Megan Walsh, steps onstage to highlight her vocals with a solo song. The three other members of Celtic Woman had their share of solo performances throughout the night too.

SU Madrigal Singers keep up tradition with annual Christmas concert dinner

Arianna Logan/The Slate

The SU Madrigal Singers give their audience a musical performance with their dinner. Each year the singers perform their Christmas concert in Old Main Chapel.

Michael Donegan Asst. A&E Editor The Shippensburg University Madrigal Singers opened up the Christmas season with their annual Christmas concert Friday, Nov. 30. Dinner was also provided, and the Old Main Chapel was packed for both the Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 shows.

One of the many things that was notable about the concert was the venue. The space was able to set the tone for the evening, as it was decorated with a huge Christmas tree, as well as other items to really give off a warm holiday vibe.

Elizabeth Shoenfelt, the director of SU’s choir and

madrigal singers, made sure her singers put the effort in so they could perform the best show possible.

“The ensemble meets every week for two hours. We have been rehearsing for these dinners since the second week of classes,” Shoenfelt said. “During concert week, we rehearse towtothree hours a day almost every day.”

Preparing and practicing for such an event could prove stressful to some. For Shoenfelt, however, the choir and Madrigal singers’ director since 2014, preparing for the concert was an exciting experience and only got more so as the show dates got closer.

“I love hearing how the music really starts to take

shape and come to life during concert week,” Shoenfelt said. “It seems that as soon as we start rehearsals in Old Main Chapel the week of the concert, the students start to get excited about the concerts, and it impacts their sound. It’s fun once we are in the concert space and can add our choreography and props.”

The members of the Madrigal singers can certainly attest to this. One of those singers is sophomore Erika Otthofer. Otthofer, a dual major in international studies and political science, believes teamwork is a prime part of preparing for a concert.

“Preparing for a concert is a lot about teamwork, defin-

ing musicality and how you can blend with other members of the group,” Otthofer said.

Otthofer was one of several singers who performed a stunning solo during a night full of beautiful music all around.

One major component of the concert was how both the singers and the audience members interacted with one other.

Throughout the performance, the singers often performed among the audience, which gave the show an intimate and personal touch.

On top of that, the audience members were also given a list of lyrics to sing along for a few songs.

“I’m looking forward to

sharing my love for music with people of all ages.

There’s people old and young that come. There’s also alumni that come, and students from the Shippensburg community,” Otthofer said.

“They all just want to feel the warmth of Christmas.”

While watching the concert, it was clear that there was a strong sense of unity within the group — both between the singers and the director.

“The support system in our ensemble is really great,” Otthofer said. “[Shoenfelt] is really upbeat. She gives us really good feedback for how to make our pieces come alive.”

The songs performed during the concert change from year to year. However,

it serves as a custom to perform some of the same songs every year.

“We begin and end the program every year with the same songs,” Shoenfelt said.

“They have been traditions for decades and decades, and the audiences definitely expect us to honor those traditions.”

The concert is a one-of-a kind showcase that truly gets people in the holiday spirit as a great way to spend a night.

“It’s always exciting to see the chapel full of eager audience members and beautifully decorated for Christmas,” Shoenfelt said. “This is such a unique event — unlike any other concert that occurs at Ship — and we all love the festive feeling.”

A&E

D2

December 4, 2018

Cirque Mechanics brings big top to Luhrs Jessica Knapp Staff Writer Saturday night’s performance of “42 ft. — A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels”

by Cirque Mechanics brought the energy of the big top to Shippensburg University’s H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center. The ensemble that came to life in 2004 showcased its ability to entertain like no other.

Inspired by the idea of modernizing a traditional circus experience, Cirque Mechanics creates a unique blend of performance and storytelling that left attendees on the edge of their seats.

The Luhrs Center’s stage was transformed into the big top for one night and one night only. The set consisted of heavy-duty equipment or mechanical marvels which were designed to safely support performers as they did traditional circus stunts and shenanigans for the crowd.

From mid-air acrobatics to tightrope walkers and jugglers, the ensemble amazed with each act.

The show itself followed the journey of an ordinary man who quickly became captivated by the marvels of a visiting circus that goes by the name of Circus Magnificus. After following an array of flyers advertising some of

the show’s top acts, he finds himself peeking through the tent’s flaps to catch a glimpse of the performance.

Bombarded by the mass amount of performers adorned in extravagantly colorful outfits crammed into the big top, the story’s protagonist stood in amazement after each act took its turn in the spotlight.

Left in complete awe of the circus and its death-defying acts, the man spends a majority of the show honing his skills until he is discovered by members of the circus and welcomed into the Circus Magnificus family.

“I was filled with a sense of childhood nostalgia that I had not felt in years.”

Jessica Knapp Staff Writer

It almost felt as if the audience was accompanying him on his journey. One could not help but root for the outsider after each failed attempt to find where he belonged within the ensemble.

Although he was technically not part of the show just yet, the performer did a phenomenal job portraying his excitement without even hav-

ing to speak.

One of the funniest parts of the skit was when Circus Magnificus first allowed him to help.

Since he did not discover his special talent just yet, he started out by putting up signs for the show all around town. In the beginning of the show, the audience is shown how effortlessly posters were hung up for the show’s previous performance, but when the circus’s newest assistant stepped up to bat, hilarity ensues.

At one point in his attempt to keep the flyers from falling, he is holding up two of them with his hands and the last one with his foot, just hoping for the glue to dry faster.

After several attempts, he finally gets all of the posters to stay put, but upon leaving the stage, all of the posters slowly slip off of the fence and onto the ground where no one will see them.

I think that I speak for the whole audience when I say that I was filled with memories of my childhood during the performance.

I vividly remember my family taking me to see the circus when I was younger, and after viewing the show put on by Cirque Mechanics, I was filled with a sense of childhood nostalgia that I had not felt in years.

Meghan Schiereck/The Slate

The Cirque Mechanics performers do a gravity-defying stunt. According the Cirque Mechanics website, cirquemechanics.com, the show’s storylines “are wrapped in circus acrobatics, mechanical wonders and a bit of clowning around.”

Movie Showtimes Showtimes for Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 4 and 5 at AMC Classic 7 in Chambersburg

Show

Times

1. Ralph Breaks the Internet

7:15 p.m.

2. The Grinch

6:50 p.m.

3. Creed II

7:00 p.m.

4. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

7:00 p.m.

5. Instant Family

7:10 p.m.

6. Robin Hood

7:30 p.m.

7. The Possession of Hannah Grace

7:30 p.m.

Billboard Top 10 1. Thank U, Next - Ariana Grande

6. High Hopes - Panic! At the Disco

2. Sicko Mode - Travis Scott feat. Drake

7. Mo Bamba - Sheck Wes

3. Happier - Marshmello & Bastille

8. Girls Like You - Maroon 5 feat. Cardi B

4. Without Me - Halsey

9. Drip Too Hard - Lil Baby & Gunna

5. Lucid Dreams - Juice WRLD

10. ZEZE - Kodak Black feat. Travis Scott & Offset

Field hockey gallery, E4

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Sports

E1

Men’s basketball, E2

Three-peat champions Field hockey claims national title over East Stroudsburg

Photos by Nate Powles/The Slate

SU’s field hockey team celebrates its third consecutive national title, and fourth in six years, after taking down PSAC rival East Stroudsburg Saturday in Pittsburgh.

The team ground out the win in a defensive matchup that went to overtime, but was able to capitalize on one critical opportunity to capture the championship.

Matthew Gregan Asst. Sports Editor The Shippensburg University field hockey team brought home its third consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship when it defeated Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) rival East Stroudsburg University 1-0 in overtime on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Duquesne University’s Arthur J. Rooney Field.

The game was extremely close from beginning to end, with neither team being able to generate much, if any, offense. The Raiders came out on top in a grind-it-out game, the teams combining for seven total shots on goal — the lowest total ever in the championship game.

The title game went into overtime for only the sixth time in Division II field hockey history. Less than two minutes into extra time, the Raiders found themselves with a golden opportunity — and sophomore Emily Stauffer jumped on it.

The goal was Stauffer’s 10th of the season, and came on a redirection from a shot by freshman Adrienne McGarrigle. Stauffer — a player who only appeared in two games in her freshman season — came up clutch when the team needed her. Her hard work paid off this season, earning a starting role, and scoring 10 goals with three assists in 23 games.

“It was like slow motion. Adrienne got an amazing shot off with two defenders on her,” Stauffer said. “I was just there with my stick ready to go. Slow motion over the goalie, I watched it go in and then just the emotion after it. I was freaking out.”

“This is a player that never played last year and her goal was to come out and earn a starting job and make a difference,” coach Tara Zollinger said of Stauffer. “We want this to happen — she scored a goal in the national championship game, which is truly amazing.

The whole team did this all year long; this is why we are here. Every single day, every single practice, every single game. We have to believe in ourselves, we have to believe in the magic we can create together. Today our 27 athletes created magic.”

Saturday’s game was close, partially because of the experience that the two teams had playing each other this season. This was the fourth matchup of the season between SU and ESU. The Warriors emerged victorious in both regular season contests before the Raiders beat them in the PSAC tournament, and then in the national tournament to win the

championship.

“East Stroudsburg is truly a great competitor. We’re conference rivals. This is the fourth time playing each other and we knew going into it that it was going to be an absolute battle,” Zollinger said. “When we saw that we were going into overtime, we weren’t surprised because the opponent that we faced.

We were very confident going into overtime because we’ve had two wins this year in overtime so we knew we did it during the regular season and we could do it again in the postseason.”

The Raiders’ defense on Saturday played a big role in getting the team its third consecutive national championship. Holding East Stroudsburg to only two shots — both of which were on goal — was impressive. It was made possible because of the chemistry and hard work between the goalkeeper — senior Ally Mooney — and the back line of the defense.

“We want to deny the attackers the ball in

the circle,” Mooney said. “We step out, we limit our fouls, we do what we need to do to get the ball going forward where we want it.”

“We have to believe in ourselves, we have to believe in the magic we can create together. Today our 27 athletes created magic.”

Tara Zollinger SU Field hockey coach Mooney, the team’s lone senior, played a big role for the young Raiders squad. In her final season at Shippensburg, Mooney compiled a 1.20 goals against average to go along with a .790 save percentage and a 19–4 record. However, what she does off the field is arguably the most important aspect of her contribution to the team.

“Mooney went above and beyond to teach

them [the underclassmen] first off the field: this is how we act, this [is] our standards.

This is what we do and this is what we don’t do,” Zollinger said. “On the field [she] started teaching them, all right here’s our tactics. She instilled the standards and she instilled the belief that she had in them first, so that they could then buy into what we are all about and help us get where we were today.”

The Raiders are a young team that had to fight through an overall lack of experience against some of the other teams in the PSAC. One of the ways that they overcame these obstacles to win the national championship was through the big effort from sophomore Jazmin Petrantonio. Petrantonio went from more of a playmaker in the assist column to being one of the team’s most dangerous weapons in terms of scoring goals. The sophomore led the team in goals with 28, and set multiple records with her four-goal game against West Chester University.

See “CHAMPIONS,” E2

Jazmin Petrantonio was still a constant threat in East Stroudsburg’s half despite the fact that she was double-teamed.

SPORTS

E2

December 4, 2018

Men’s basketball grabs two PSAC wins Noah Shatzer Staff Writer

Photos by Noah Shatzer/The Slate

John Castello finishes with 16 points in the win over Seton Hill.

John Castello has been one of the team’s top players so far this season. He is averaging 14.9 points and 8.4 rebounds.

From “CHAMPIONS,” E1 ESU seemed to come into the game with a plan to shut Petrantonio down. The Warriors’ defense was double-teaming Petrantonio for most of the game, but other key players stepped up and had their best performances possible when called upon.

The Raiders had to fight through adversity all season long, and that included the national championship game.

“Our athletes face so much adversity,” Zollinger said. “We faced a lot of adversity off the field and that made our group come together even stronger, and we learned how to persevere through it because we kept believing. We knew we had this goal in mind, and we had to persevere and keep moving forward and keep pushing forward day after day, week after week, game after game and continue to believe in ourselves and believe in what we can accomplish.”

The win for Zollinger was important in many ways.

Zollinger — a native of Jean-

nette, Pennsylvania — was able to taste success once again, but this time in her backyard of Pittsburgh.

“It’s cool being close to home,” she said. “It’s amazing, I never thought that this would happen. It’s pretty special, my first ever field hockey coach was here. It’s really special to be able to win in my hometown.”

As soon as Stauffer’s shot hit the back of the net, the entire squad threw its sticks to the ground and rushed to form a circle around Stauffer in front of the goal.

While the team has experienced success the last few seasons, the emotion was still there, especially for newcomers like McGarrigle and Jenna Sluymer.

The Raiders, after ending their 2018 season on the best possible note, will look to enjoy a brief break and soak in their season accomplishments.

They will then head back to the practice field in preparation for next season and the quest for their fourth title in a row.

The No. 20-ranked Shippensburg University men’s basketball team improved to 8–0 over the weekend, opening Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play with hard-fought wins over the Seton Hill Griffins and the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Mountain Cats.

SU’s 84–70 win over Seton Hill played out in typical fashion, with the Griffins (1–5) hanging around through the first half and in the early second half, until the Raiders turned on the burners and went on a run.

The Raiders led by seven points with 10:40 remaining in the second half before ripping off a 7–0 run to push the lead into double-digits and out of the Griffins’ reach.

Senior guard Antonio Kellem scorched the Seton Hill defense, tying his career-high with 25 points on 10-20 shooting. Kellem also finished with a team-high five assists in addition to four rebounds and two steals.

“We need Tone [Kellem] to be that player,” coach Chris Fite said.

“We need him to be very aggressive and be in attack mode that whole time, because it creates opportunities for everybody else on the team.”

Junior forward John Castello ended the game with his second double-double of the season, pulling down 11 rebounds and scoring 16 points.

Sophomore guard Jake Biss tallied 16 points, cashing in on a team-high eight free throws made on nine attempts, while red-shirt senior Manny Span continued his dominance on the offensive boards, grabbing six offensive rebounds on his way to a near double-double of eight points and nine rebounds.

As a team, the Raiders pulled down 21 offensive rebounds, leading to 23 second-chance points,

The Shippensburg University women’s swimming team started off a three-day weekend at the Eighth Annual Bomber Invitational Friday night with several strong performances, most notably in the 200-yard medley relay, in competition from Ithaca College.

The quartet of senior Carly Alvarado, junior Gabriella Johnson, freshman Tomomi Nakano and senior Claire Koons completed the 200yard medley relay in a sec-

ond-place time of 1:46.13 — the No. 2 performance in the event all-time by the Raiders.

Last year, it was Alvarado, Johnson, Stephanie O’Toole and Jeannette Welch who swam 1:45.71 to placed third at the conference championships and achieve All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) honors. Prior to that swim, the record had been 1:46.52 at the 2012 PSAC Championships.

“We finished a strong first night on a great note with our relays,” head coach Tim Verge said. “To be only fourtenths off our school record

of the team’s strong play down the stretch. “Every game we give 110 percent, so I feel like that shows, especially when we’re down. Hopefully, later in the season, we don’t have to worry about that, but if we do, we’ve been in that situation before.”

Junior guard Lamar Talley tied Kellem with a team-high three three-pointers on his way to 14 points — narrowly missing a double-double with nine rebounds — while Castello grabbed 11 rebounds and 11 points on his way to his third double-double of the season. Biss rounded out the double-digit scorers for Shippensburg, finishing with 10 points.

Span single-handedly terrorized the Mountain Cats on the offensive glass, nearly equaling UPJ’s offensive rebounding numbers on his own. Span finished the game with 12 rebounds, nine of which were on offense, while the Mountain Cats finished with 11 offensive boards.

“I just think it comes down to wanting something more,” Span said of his offensive rebounding numbers this season. “Obviously I know people are bigger, stronger, better than me; you know, I might not fill out the stat sheet, but I know I can do one thing — rebound — or at least play hard. Keep doing what I can do, never do too much, never do too little, just do me.”

The Raiders ended up out-rebounding UPC 47–31 and also held the Mountain Cats to 71 points, nearly 22 points less than their season average of 92.7 points per game.

Redshirt-freshman Dom Sleva and junior Daylon Carter combined for eight rebounds, and chipped in seven points each in the victory.

The team will return to the court tomorrow at Bowie State University to take on the Bulldogs in a non-conference matchup in Maryland. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.

Nate Powles/The Slate

The players celebrate after the final whistle of the title matchup while receiving their championship gear.

Women compete at Ithaca Courtesy of SU Sports Info.

compared to just four offensive rebounds for the Griffins.

“We have a tough group — they play hard and they really pursue the ball,” Fite said. “It’s a mindset; it sounds like a cliché, but it really is.

Our guys almost have a competition among themselves, they all want to go after it and get offensive boards and talk about it after the game.”

Shippensburg also held Seton Hill’s leading scorer, Trevor Blondin, to 10 points on nine shots — 13 fewer points than his season average.

The squad followed that dominating performance with a narrow 76–71 victory over the Mountain Cats on Sunday, showcasing some of SU’s best basketball of the season, but also exhibiting some of the team’s worst, with UPJ storming back in the second half to threaten SU’s win streak.

Shippensburg (8–0) came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders, quickly jumping ahead to a 17–4 lead over UPJ (5–3) in the first four minutes of the game. The Raiders went into the half with their largest lead of the game — 16 points — but the Mountain Cats countered in the opening minutes of the second.

UPJ ripped off a 16–5 run to get back into the game, eventually whittling SU’s lead down to just four with less than two minutes in the game.

With momentum in the Mountain Cats’ favor and the game reaching its climax, Kellem once again came up clutch for the Raiders, seizing UPJ’s momentum and crushing it with two dagger three-pointers to push the lead back up to nine. Kellem would finish with a team-high 22 points — 17 of which came in the second half — and also led the team in assists, tying his career-high with eight.

“I think it’s just kind of how we’re built and what we’re working towards this season,” Kellem said

at this meet is an incredible accomplishment to just get up and push the way they did.”

Shippensburg posted seven PSAC cuts on the night.

Pacesetters included freshman Olivia Guthy completing the 500-yard freestyle in an 11th-place time of 5:19.09 and sophomore Mari Reott finishing the 200-yard individual medley (IM) in a 15thplace time of 2:15.51.

In the 50-yard freestyle, sophomores Kayla Sudbrink and Neena Gollub hit PSAC cuts with respective times of 25.42 and 25.48 seconds.

Wrestling falls to Mercyhurst Courtesy of SU Sports Info.

The Shippensburg University wrestling team opened its 2018-19 season Saturday night with a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Division II dual meet against No. 21 Mercyhurst, claiming four decisions in a 25-12 setback to the Lakers from Heiges Field House.

Shippensburg (0-1, 0-1 PSAC) won the last three bouts after junior Cole Rush had earlier claimed a 6-4 decision at 141 pounds. Mercyhurst (2-0, 2-0) got pins at

149 from Mike Clark and 174 from Gavin Wilkerson, along with a major decision at 165 from No. 12 Logan Grass, to achieve pivotal bonus points to pull away for the dual meet victory.

Junior Ryan Narber claimed a 1-0 victory at 184 pounds after riding his opponent, Trever Begin, for the entirety of the third period.

Narber earned a late escape in the second period and erased a riding-time deficit with his third-period rideout.

Redshirt-sophomore Alexi Castro won his opening dual of the season with a 5-2 de-

cision at 197 pounds. Castro scored a takedown in each of the last two periods and also earned a riding-time point in his victory.

The most riveting match of the night was the conclusion, as junior Derek Berberick scored an upset of No. 6 Jake Robb with a 5-4 decision in which he scored a takedown on the edge of the mat in the final second of the match.

Berberick scored two takedowns in the final minute to secure his important regional victory.

SPORTS

December 4, 2018

E3

Women’s basketball grinds out PSAC wins The team captures impressive wins over Seton Hill and Pitt-Johnstown Isaiah Snead Asst. Sports Editor The Shippensburg University women’s basketball team opened Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play with a double-digit win over Seton Hill University (77–67) in a back-and-forth contest.

After falling in a tightly-contested matchup with No. 12-ranked University of the Sciences at home on Wednesday, SU (3-3, 1-0 PSAC) came back strong, as the Raiders and Seton Hill (3-2, 0-1 PSAC) each went on a bundle of large runs throughout the game.

The game featured 99 rebounds combined between the two teams, as well as 41 points from turnovers.

The Raiders led by 11 in the third quarter, but without warning, Seton Hill mounted a furious 19–6 run to take a 46-44 lead.

SU answered back with a run of its own, ripping off 15 unanswered points on the way to a 59–46 advantage with 8:24 left in the fourth quarter.

The Griffins would not go away, however, as they unleashed a 13–1 run in under three minutes to make it a one-point game.

SU finally put the Griffins away with a late 9–0 run in the final two minutes, with eight of the nine points belonging to sophomore phenom Ariel Jones.

Freshman Aunbrielle Green followed up her previ-

ous 21-point and 13-rebound outing with a similar stat line of 21 points and 14 rebounds.

Fellow freshman Lauren Mills posted a career-high 16 points, scoring 12 points early on in the first quarter.

Jones paced the Raiders with yet another 20-plus outing, this time contributing 22 points while shooting 8-of-14 from the field in only 23 minutes of action. Junior Gianna Locker brought energy off the bench, scoring five points and dishing out two assists.

Freshman Lauren Pettis posted just seven points, but snagged a career-high 18 rebounds, the most by an SU women’s basketball player in a game since Nov. 13, 2015.

Pettis is having a good rookie season for the Raiders. She is averaging 7.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in 28.4 minutes per game. The freshman is currently leading the PSAC in rebounds per game.

The team could not get enough of tight contests, as the Raiders narrowly defeated the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown at home on Sunday, 69–68, to improve to 4–3 on the season.

Shippensburg scored 20 points in the final four minutes to complete the comeback. Jones again led the way with 34 total points in the game, including 14 in that four-minute span. Jones is currently second in the PSAC with 25.4 points per game.

UPJ played tough, shooting 88 percent from the freethrow line. Gabrielle Smith

led the way for the Mountain Cats with 32 points, five rebounds, five assists and four blocks.

Down two points with 11 seconds remaining, Smith missed a free throw for UPJ. Pettis grabbed the rebound and fished it to Jones, who sprinted down the court and finished a layup after a foul for a successful and-one, taking the lead back for the Raiders.

After the free throw, Jones stole the inbound pass, sealing the deal on the comeback win for SU. Pettis posted her first career double-double with 10 points and 16 rebounds.

Green could only manage two points but snagged 11 rebounds.

Sophomore Kryshell Gordy finished 6-of-9 from the field for 15 points. Gordy has done a good job so far this season, upping her scoring from 7.8 points per game in her freshman season to 10.6 so far in her sophomore season.

Shippensburg did a good job stopping a powerful UPJ offense that features two of the top four scorers in the PSAC. The Raiders held UPJ just under its average points per game. UPJ averages 71.4 points per game and Shippensburg held the Cats to 68 points in the victory.

The Raiders will return to the floor Wednesday at 7 p.m. when they take on Lincoln University at Heiges Field House.

Photos courtesy of Bill Smith/SU Sports Info.

Sophomore Ariel Jones totals56 points over the two wins this weekend.

Lauren Pettis was a force on the boards against UPJ and Seton Hill, grabbing a career-high 18 against the Griffins and another 16 against the Mountain Cats.

Track-and-field opens indoor season with strong showing at Bucknell Christopher Wurtz Asst. Sports Editor The Shippensburg University men’s and women’s indoor trackand-field teams had a strong showing on Friday and Saturday at the Bison Opener at Bucknell University.

SU had six athletes — three men and three women — reach NCAA provisional-qualifying marks on the indoor season’s first weekend.

On the women’s side, senior Kali Dawson won the pentathlon Friday evening with a provisional-qualify-

ing score of 3,262 points. She was 38 points short of her career-best.

Her best performance came in the shot put, where she set a personal best of 29 feet, 6 3/4 inches. She also reached 17 feet, 5 1/2 inches in the long jump, which was nearly a personal best.

The Raiders had another impressive finisher in the event, as senior Erica Helm grabbed third with 3,019 points. Her performance was similar to that of Dawson, earning a new career-best in the shot put with a 34 feet, 8 1/4 inches throw.

Redshirt-senior Abby Wagner

won the triple jump with a provisional-qualifying mark of 38 feet, 8 3/4 inches. Her impressive long jump mark of 18 feet, 3 1/4 inches was just short of the provisional qualifier as well.

SU’s final provisional-qualifying mark for the women’s squad came from junior Zarria Williams — a transfer junior making her Raider debut. She placed sixth in the long jump with a best jump of 18 feet, 8 1/2 inches.

The SU women totaled 10 performances that met the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)

qualifying standard. Sophomore Ali Wyland grabbed two PSAC qualifiers in the 60-meter dash (7.78 seconds) and the 200-meter dash (26.31 seconds).

The men impressed in the sprints, hitting two provisional-qualifying marks in the 60-meter hurdles.

Redshirt-junior Ori Rinaman posted a time of 8.16 seconds, while fellow redshirt-junior Charles Bowman followed close behind in 8.18 seconds.

SU’s other provisional qualifier came from freshman Edner Dorwil, who won the long jump with a mark

of 23 feet, 4 3/4 inches in his collegiate debut. He also ran a time of 6.96 in the 60-meter dash.

Freshman Jordan Winslow performed well in his collegiate debut, claiming the win in the high jump.

His best jump (6 feet, 5 inches) was good enough for the PSAC mark.

The SU men posted 18 performances that hit the PSAC qualifying standard.

Both the men’s and women’s teams will compete next on Jan. 19 at the Gulden Invitational, also at Bucknell University.

E4

SPORTS

December 4, 2018

SU crowned champions

Photos by Nate Powles/The Slate