The Slate 4-11-23

SGA candidates discuss accessibility, budget and engagement at election speeches

Ian Thompson Staff Contributor

Candidates for student government office gave speeches in favor of their election in McFeely’s Thursday. Senator elections are held every spring semester following the election of Student Government Association (SGA) officers.

Concerns have been raised over the lack of participation in student government elections. Of the 14 offices available for petitioning in this election, only three petitions were received for two positions — one for Class of 2026 Senator and two for Class of 2025 Senator. Each class has two senator positions representing them.

The officer elections — which wrapped up on March 15 — saw a similar deficit in participation. Five positions were open, and only two petitions were turned in — one for SGA President (Harun Pacavar) and one for SGA Vice President of Internal Affairs (Kennedy Holt).

The Vice President positions of External Affairs and Student Groups were filled in that election by write-in candidates — Joyce Suah and Justin Brajkovich, respectively. Although election results show a number of write-ins for the position of Vice President of Finance, no winner was announced.

Returning to the speeches, first up to speak was Lillian Sellers, a junior political science student who is running for the Class of 2025 Senator position. Sellers placed a strong emphasis on accessibility and open communication.

“One of my proudest achievements here at Shippensburg University is founding the Disability Advocacy Club,” Sellers said.

This topic of accessibility was one of the topics later discussed during the Q&A. “There’s a lot of focus at Shippensburg University on labels and awareness and not a lot on actions and what struggles are attached to those labels,” Sellers said.

Candidates also noted the lack of utilization of OAR — the Office of Accessibility and Resources.

Sellers also noted other accessibility issues on campus. “Right now, there’s no accessible dorm on campus that my chair can fit into. I go in straight, and cannot turn around.” They also noted Shippensburg University Police Department’s unwillingness to accommodate people with mobility issues and disabilities into their evacuation policies.

Next up to the mic was Malu Takahasi, also a junior political science major running for the Class of 2025, who currently serves as Commuter Student Senator.

Takahasi focused on student engagement with SGA, and encouraged students to vote, saying, “Your vote counts, your voice counts. It’s not only your civic duty, but also your right to express your vote.”

Ali Sina Sharifi was the last to give his speech. Sharifi is a sophomore political sci-

ence student, and is running for one of the two open Class of 2026 Senator positions. Sharifi also currently serves as the 2022-2023 International Student Senator. In his speech, he touted his experience — his student government experience began in first grade in Afghanistan.

Sharifi shared his experience as a student in Afghanistan, recalling an incident in which Islamic fundamentalists had attacked his school with stones and gas cans. Sharifi explained his reasoning for running, saying, “I want to help because of the help that I got, and the help I didn’t get in my home country.”

The SGA budget was also discussed which, due to a number of factors, currently has a six-figure deficit. The 2022-2023 budget allocates over 50% of its $3.2 million expenses toward Intercollegiate Athletics, compared to Student Groups, which received just $8,301.

“First and foremost, this is an educational institution,”

Takahasi said. “Half the budget to Athletics — that’s ludicrous in my opinion because it’s not half the campus.”

Sharifi proposed increased funding for department-related student groups like the Political Science Club.

Sellers suggested SGA needs to “look at what exactly that money is allocated for within sports, and why that budget is so high.” They also noted that student athletes receive scheduling privileges, something that students with disabilities do not receive.

Disinterest in SGA was another issue discussed in the Q&A session. “There is an unwillingness from the students toward the student government,” Sharifi noted. Referring to the spring 2023 officer elections, he questioned why SGA only received 68 ballots out of a student body of over 4,000. Attendance at the speeches, for example, was dire — only the three candidates, SGA President Kennedy Holt and I were in attendance.

“There needs to be much

more transparency,” Sellers noted. “We need to be more open, honest and personable in telling the students what’s going on.”

Sharifi suggested the idea of the 2023-2024 school year being a “Year of Befriending” — having SGA focus on outreach to both student organizations and the student body at large. He continued, “Part of leadership roles is not just sitting there in meetings or making speeches.”

Members of SGA have called the 2022-2023 school year a “year of rebuilding.” Subject to write-in candidates filling in positions, it seems SGA may enter the 2023-2024 school year in a similar state of disarray.

Polls opened Monday, April 10, and will close Thursday, April 13, at 4 p.m.. Students can find the link to vote in an email from Lisa Laughlin to their ship.edu email, or via QR codes placed around campus. Those elected will go on to serve the student body in the 2023-2024 school year.

Chambersburg sisters sentenced for assault

Jade Pennyman Guest Contributor

Two sisters were sentenced in Franklin County Court to three to six years in state prison Wednesday after being found guilty on charges of aggravated assault, criminal mischief, riot and simple assault.

Shakira Staten, 37, and Laketta Staten, 36, assaulted a woman, Fawn Baer, on March 7, 2021. The incident occurred at 757 E. Washington St. in Chambersburg at 1:35 p.m.

Patrolman Matthew Wade responded to the disturbance, where he witnessed the two sisters leaving the scene while the victim, Baer, was found with two large scratch marks across her neck and a bruise on her forehead. Baer explained to Wade that her ex-boyfriend and his three sisters were responsible for the fight and claimed her ex-boyfriend coerced the sisters to beat her up.

Baer argued with her ex-boyfriend before the incident over the phone, which resulted in her being followed around town, and within 15 minutes of her arriving at her friend’s house, Baer’s ex-boyfriend and the three sisters arrived. Baer called 911, and they initially backed off, but as she began to leave, Shakira and Laketta blocked her car in and ripped Baer’s door handle off, ultimately leading her to be dragged by the ankle and assaulted on the street.

Baer suffered a neck strain, a ruptured ear drum, a chip

to her hip bone and a rotator cuff injury. Since the incident, Baer had to undergo surgery for her injuries and is constantly stressed when she is driving due to always feeling the need to ensure no one is following her. During the day of sentencing, Baer and the Staten sisters were present, and all three were able to give testimonies.

Baer told Judge Mary Beth Shank that the Staten sisters deserve the maximum sentencing. Baer began to cry on the stand and said that she has forgiven the Staten sisters and her ex-boyfriend but believes the Staten sisters are not remorseful about what happened.

In a written statement submitted to the court, Baer claimed that since the incident happened, she has been diagnosed with severe PTSD and anxiety.

“Trying to heal from that trauma has been very difficult,” Baer said.

Laketta Staten was the first of the sisters to take the stand. Staten told Shank she is remorseful of her actions, and since the incident occurred, it has put a pause on her life.

“I had goals… I wish I could take that day back,” Staten said.

Staten revealed to Judge Shank that this was her first time being able to speak in court pertaining to the incident, and this was the first time she was able to share her side of the story. Staten told Shank that her brother did not coerce her to fight Baer. Staten asked Shank to be lenient towards people who lose their temper and claimed Baer had not been entirely

Edits to The Slate’s April 4, 2023 edition:

truthful to the courts about the incident.

“There are three sides of the story, hers, mine and the truth,” Staten said.

Shakira Staten was next to speak. Staten expressed that she was remorseful for what happened and Shank should consider the effect of her incarceration on her children. Staten is a single mother of four and does not have family to care for them while she serves time and does not want her children to be put into foster care.

Staten pleaded for Shank to give her the minimum sentence, so she could take care of her children and delay her incarceration date to August because she is pregnant.

“I’m guilty of being there; I’m guilty of not stopping Laketta,” Staten said.

Shank addressed the Staten sisters and expressed to them that the council made the right decision to find them guilty of the crime they committed.

Shank told the sisters she had considered their testimonies, but since the jury did not get the opportunity to hear their statements, it is not being accepted. Shank expressed sympathy for the children affected by the incident but stated, “I can consider it, but it is not my shoulders.”

Shank is willing to have a hearing for Shakira Staten’s delayed incarceration date. Until the hearing, Shakira Staten will spend time at the Franklin County Jail. The sisters are to have no contact with Baer.

The article “Senator elections to take place in April” states that “SGA announced plans for a trip to Philadelphia on Thursday, April 6, for a 76ers game against the Miami Heat.” It is corrected to “APB announced plans for a trip to Philadelphia on Thursday, April 6, for a 76ers game against the Miami Heat.” In addition, last week The Slate published “Give it a Thought: Students don’t know about events” instead of “Give it a Thought: University Master Event Calendar.” The correct article can be found in B2.

Photo courtesy of Lillian Sellers Junior political science major Lillian Sellers is running for Class of 2025 Senator.

Photo courtesy of Malu Takahasi Malu Takahasi, the current Commuter Student Senator, is also running for Class of 2025 Senator.

Photo courtesy of Ali Sina Sharifi

Ali Sina Sharifi, the current International Student Senator, is running for Class of 2026 Senator.

Two members expelled from Tennessee House protesting

Members of the Tennessee House of Representatives voted to expel Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson on Thursday due to their involvements in a March 30 protest at the State Capitol.

The Republican supermajority expelled Jones by a 72-25 vote and Pearson by 69-26. Both representatives are Democrats.

A third Democrat, Rep. Gloria Johnson, avoided expulsion by a 65-30 vote, one shy from the two-thirds minimum requirement to expel a member of the Tennessee House.

The lawmakers protested inside the State Capitol building three days after a mass shooter killed three nine-year-old students and three adults at The Covenant School in Nashville. Protestors expressed their demands for stricter legislation on gun policy.

There were no reports of injuries, damages or arrests following the protest, but police officers needed to clear paths for lawmakers to access the chamber and other facilities.

The lawmakers, now coined “The Tennessee Three” by some, were among the protestors. They entered the House chamber and stood behind the podium while using a bullhorn. Protestors disrupted legislative procedures for 45 minutes before Speaker Cameron Sexton ordered security to clear the area.

In a radio interview on March 31, Sexton said the lawmakers tried to “cause an insurrection.”

“Representative Jones and Representative Johnson have

been very vocal about January 6th … and what they did today was at least equivalent, maybe worse.”

All three lawmakers lost ID access to the building and their committee assignments prior to the votes to expel them.

After Johnson was not expelled, cheers erupted from protestors as she spoke to them and media members. Johnson did not use the bullhorn while protesting, but she believed racism may have instead been the impetus for the differing outcomes.

“I’m a 60-year-old White woman, and they are two young Black men,” Johnson said. “I was talked down to as a woman, mansplained to, but it was completely different from the questioning that they got.”

Jones spoke to a crowd of supporters after his expulsion with Pearson and Johnson behind him.

“They thought they won today,” Jones said. “But they don’t realize what they’ve started.”

“We said, ‘We want a ban on assault weapons.’ They said, ‘We’re going to assault democracy.’”

Pearson defended his actions and claimed, “Sometimes … you’ve got to go to the well of democracy and demand that democracy be true for everybody, not just for rich white people in suits.”

Jones and Pearson promised to return to the House on Monday and urged protestors to join them.

Both members can return to office if their county commissions vote for them to be reappointed. They can also run for election in 2024, and their districts may hold special elections to fill the vacant seats.

Justice Thomas under scrutiny for GOP donor relationship

It was reported by ProPublica early last week that Clarence Thomas, the an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, has been secretly taking luxury trips provided bya major GOP donor Harlan Crow.

Crow is the chairman of Crow Holdings, a Dallas-based real estate business founded by Crow’s father. Crow is also a leading donoer to the Republican and conservative cause. The relationship of Crow and Thomas goes back to when Thomas was first appointed to the Supreme Court in 1991. Since then, Thomas has reportedly been showered with thousands of dollars in gifts for over three decades.

Supreme Court Justices are required to submit a public notice for all gifts they receive. Gifts are qualified as being over $415 of value without being fully reimbursed. One exception is if someone hosts a justice at their own property, free food and lodging do not need to be disclosed. Flights, however, were never part of the exception, and Justice Thomas has only reported one such notice in 1997 for a private flight from Crow.

There are many gifts which Thomas has not reported, which is concerning since he has accepted luxury trips almost every year. He accepted a fully paid trip to Flores, Indone-

sia, in 2019 that included his wife as well as Crow in attendance. Thomas also frequents Camp Topridge, which is invite only. He has been pictured there alongside a few lawyers.

According to ProPublica, during a July 2017 trip Thomas’ fellow guests included executives at Verizon and PricewaterhouseCoopers, major Republican donors and one of the leaders of the American Enterprise Institute, a pro-business conservative think tank.

Crow also gave Thomas a Bible that belonged to Frederick Douglass, which was valued at $19,000, and he has allowed Thomas to use his superyacht several times.

Justice Clarence Thomas’ statement on the matter includes stating that the Crows are long time family friends, and he has indeed joined them on many “family trips.” Regarding reporting the gifts he received, Thomas said, “Early in my tenure at the Court, I sought guidance from my colleagues and others in the judiciary and was advised that this sort of personal hospitality from close personal friends, who did not have business before the Court, was not reportable.”

Justice Thomas intends to disclose all future gifts as there are new guidelines on financial disclosure as decided by the Judicial Conference this past month.

SpaceX’s Starship seeks to change the space industry

Space fans are gearing up for what is sure to be an awe-inspiring event — the maiden orbital flight of SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket. All eyes are on the South Texas launch site from which Starship, and its Superheavy booster, will attempt to launch in the coming weeks.

The Starship program has its roots back in 2012, when SpaceX introduced a concept they dubbed “Mars Colonial Transporter.” In the years since, the program has gone through many changes in both technical details and complete design overhauls. One major change was a shift from building the rocket out of carbon fiber to using stainless steel. The vehicle also went through some name changes, but settled on Starship in 2018.

At its most simple, Starship and its booster are effectively 15-story tall tubes of stainless steel. This appearance has led some fans to nicknaming the various prototypes “giant grain silos.” Despite the similarities, as Nicki Minaj has remarked, “Starships are meant to fly.”

Contingent on an FAA launch license which has yet to be granted, that’s precisely what Starship is meant to do. The rocket —

which takes lessons from SpaceX’s current workhorse, Falcon 9 — is reportedly capable of launching 150 metric tons into Earth’s orbit. This is comparable to the Saturn V rocket on which the Apollo missions to the moon launched.

But Starship has a distinct advantage — it is fully reusable. Like its Falcon 9 predecessor, SpaceX hopes to perform propulsive landings of both Starship and the Superheavy booster, allowing the vehicles to be restacked, refueled, and launched again. This reusability is a massive cost-saving measure, which will allow SpaceX to launch a large amount of mass for effectively only the cost of the propellant.

Those advantages in mass-to-orbit, cost, and turnaround time have the potential to be game-changing for the space industry and space science. To illustrate this, let’s take a look at the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS is due to be retired in the coming decade, which will leave NASA, its international partners, and scientists around the world without an appropriate space station to operate on.

The interior volume of the ISS is roughly 1,000 m3, comparable to Starship’s payload volume. The ISS’s size was heavily limited by the cargo capacity of the Space Shuttle that launched its modules — a problem that Starship doesn’t have. Thanks to its size and

reusability, Starship could lift modules larger and more massive than those of the ISS, for a fraction of the price.

The same logic applies to satellites. The Hubble Space Telescope, which has been providing scientists with unmatched data and the public with stellar views of the cosmos, fits comfortably in Starship’s payload bay. While Hubble’s technology is more than 30 years old, imagine what scientists could do with a fleet of dozens of similar telescopes.

While it has huge potential, there are also risks. One huge threat to Starship’s success is SpaceX’s own CEO, Elon Musk. Musk has been in the news often lately, rarely for positive reasons. Musk’s well-established penchant for controversy jeopardizes SpaceX’s prospects, and in turn Starship. While some of his antics are inconsequential — his naming of a previous Starship design as “BFR” (Big F***ing Rocket), for example — other actions have had genuinely harmful effects on the program.

The December 2020 launch of Starship Serial Number 8 (SN8) was found to have violated the terms of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launch license. Many have attributed this violation to SpaceX’s policy of rapid testing and iteration, a part of their corporate culture spearheaded by Musk. The FAA investigation that followed the launch — and explosion upon attempt-

ed landing — delayed the testing campaign of the subsequent prototype, SN9. Musk’s insistence on speed and iteration above all else threatens Starship’s chances of making it through regulatory approvals.

Despite its CEO’s endangerment, SpaceX is pushing forward with the Starship program. The current testing article is labeled Ship 24, which will be paired with Superheavy Booster 7 for the orbital flight test planned for later this month. Assuming the FAA grants the launch license, spectators should be in for a treat as the rocket launches from SpaceX’s launch site in Boca Chica, Texas (nicknamed ‘Starbase’).

Details have yet to be publicly finalized, but current understanding points toward Booster 7 attempting either a landing back at the launch site or a soft-landing at sea to simulate such a landing. Ship 24 will then attempt its own soft landing off the coast of Hawaii, after circling the Earth at near-orbital speed.

Whether everything goes as planned, or we see one or more fantastical explosions, the event is expected to be a crowd-pleaser. Only time will tell, but Starship’s orbital flight test may be the first step in Starship’s revolutionary impact on how we interact with the cosmos.

Nicholas Behr Staff Contributor

Photo courtesy of rawpixels.com

The Capitol of Tennessee located in Nashville is where the House voted to expel Rep. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson.

Photo courtesy of Flickr

The Slate Speaks: Should Shippo be

our mascot?

Shippo the Hippo has been a fan-favorite choice for the new mascot of

On April 1, Shippensburg University social media posted a video message from President Charles Patterson making a “big” announcement. Patterson claimed that while searching the fourth floor of Old Main, ballots were discovered from the 2005 election that ultimately decided Big Red as the new mascot for the university.

The newly discovered ballots showed that the true winner was in fact the fan-favorite Shippo the Hippo, and that effective immediately, it would be taking over as the face of Shippensburg. Only one problem — it was one big April Fool’s joke. However, this re-ignited some of the passions that students have for Shippo, and many now want it to be genuinely considered as Big Red’s replacement.

There’s something about a hippo mascot that just feels so positive and welcoming, undoubtedly more so than a redtailed hawk (which everyone thinks is a parrot) that has teeth for some reason. Sure, the red-tailed hawk has ties with Shippensburg, but if interviewing 10 students, maybe nine

of them would tell me that Big Red is a parrot. Friends will claim that they would transfer schools if our mascot became a hippo, and in some ways, you can see where they’re coming from.

“The Shippensburg Hippos” doesn’t exactly have the most intimidating ring to it, but others would say that adds to the appeal. It makes sense to fully embrace the idea that we should keep Big Red and continue to be named the Shippensburg Raiders (although that title really only applies to student athletes) while Shippo and Big Red reconcile their beef and Shippo becomes Big Red’s first mate. Wake up America.

Many have no special allegiance to Shippo, but Big Red certainly has their issues. It’s been 17 years since we voted. Perhaps there should be another election. One that should be called to end Big Red’s tenure.

The notion of having a hippo as our mascot does raise some concerns. For starters, it looks ridiculous and unassertive (thinking of our representation in athletics). It looks way too

goofy and ridiculous. Also, what connection does a university in central PA have to hippos? The same could be asked for a red-tailed hawk pirate? Shippensburg, despite the university’s nautical theming, has nothing to do with ships. It’s named after Edward Shippen. Perhaps we should do away with the whole faux ship visage. Amongst athletes, some teammates say that they wouldn’t like to have a hippo as their mascot because it would be ridiculous. It could be funny to have Shippo as a second mascot, but not sure how well everyone would take it as the only one.

It should also be added that Big Red is more relevant to the school’s Raider theme because it is a pirate. Pirates and raiders are relatively synonymous with one another, and red is also one of our colors. Maybe the hawk does not have any valuable connection, but a hippopotamus really does not either, beyond a funny play on words. If you want a better ‘play-on-word’ mascot, perhaps the “Ship Shark” would be an interesting idea to explore.

Does Hollywood really have an originality problem?

Adam Beam Asst. Opinion Editor

So this week was an unusually big week for entertainment news. We had trailers for several new big releases like “Barbie,” “Blue Beetle” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider Verse.” On the flip side of things we also got news that we would be getting remakes of all seven “Harry Potter” books as an HBO Max series and a live-action remake of “Moana” with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson reprising the role of Maui. Unoriginality. That’s the word that many love to throw out when describing the state of Hollywood, and entertainment in general nowadays. Every big financial success in Hollywood has to be based on some pre-existing IP. Comic books, old TV shows, movies less than a decade old (“Moana” came out in 2016), nothing is original anymore.

Just take a look at the highest grossing films of all-time (not adjusted for inflation). Eight out of the 10 top films are sequels or entries in pre-existing franchises. Even if you look past the Top 10, the majority of films that have grossed more than $1 billion are not original properties.

Now, I am not here to deny that there is not a problem in Hollywood when it comes to original ideas. I get just as sick as everyone else when I see new remakes, reboots, sequels, sequels and even squeakquels. However, I am also not one to completely write off a piece of art just because it is not an entirely original piece.

Adapting existing properties is nothing new. Hollywood has been doing it since the very beginning. In 1910, Thomas Edison’s company made a 16-minute silent film version of Mary Shelly’s “Frankenstein.” Come 1931, “Frankenstein” by Universal Studios would be released, so technically, it is a remake. The 1931 version of the story is regarded as one of

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the greatest films ever made, and it is the version that many subsequent retellings would use as the template.

Not a horror fan? Then why not look at the film that cur

rently sits as the number one movie on the IMDB Top 250 list.

“The Shawshank Redemption” directed by Frank Darabont has been praised by critics and audiences since its release in 1994. Guess what, “The Shawshank Redemption” is not an original property, it is based on the novella of the same name by Stephen King.

Just because a story has been done before does not mean you cannot do anything new with it. If we were to cut off sto

ries at one and done, then we would not have greats like “The Empire Strikes Back,” “The Dark Knight,” “The Godfather” or the entirety of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. It undermines all the hard work that goes into filmmaking just because it is based on something else.

Sometimes, remakes or sequels can be better than the original films entirely. To look at a recent example, think about “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” Not only is it better than the original in every way, but it also stands as one of the best films in recent years. I’ll admit that I was skeptical about going in, mainly because it was a sequel to “Puss in Boots.”

The responsibility for a film to be good does not fall on whether it is an original story or not. The responsibility falls on the filmmakers to bring their own unique visions and tell these stories in interesting and entertaining ways.

Even if you are worried about no new ideas in Hollywood, this year’s Oscars showed that original ideas can still make a splash in this industry. “Everything Everywhere All At Once” showed that films can easily succeed without having to be part of recognizable IP. I feel completely confident that this film has opened the door for filmmakers to make genre films like this, and be given the critical praise they deserve.

Yes, I will continue to groan when something like the “Harry

Potter” series gets announced, but I don’t worry about Hollywood as a whole because there always will be those who can break the mold and make the next “Star Wars” or “Ghostbusters.”

Photos courtesy of Shippensburg University and pexels.com/Edited by Adam Beam

Shippensburg University since he was added to the ballot during the 2005 mascot elections.

Photo courtesy of Flickr

“Moana” was released in 2016 by Walt Disney Studios

Stop trying to avoid the news: Journalism matters

It seems like every time you turn on the news, all you see is the world on fire. Politicians would rather fight amongst themselves than propose any kind of solutions to issues like gun violence, climate change, economic disparities, racism, etc. However, as a journalism major, I have noticed a very shocking trend among people.

No one watches the news, and no one wants to talk about what is going on.

There have been several times when people have told me outright that they do not watch the news anymore because it is all upsetting. This is not just college students telling me this, but neighbors and family members have told me the same thing. For most this would seem harmless, and maybe some of you will even find this to be understandable. However, even putting my major aside, this is incredibly irresponsible and dangerous.

I am not going to deny that it can be a lot on any person to have what seems like an endless stream of news that gets worse with each passing day. Take it from someone who has to report on it for a career, but we cannot avoid them all together because things are not going to get better by ignoring it. We need to be informed, we need to be up to date and we have to know what needs to be changed so we can fight to make that change.

Take for example, gun violence. Following the tragedy in Tennessee, I had officially reached my breaking point when it came to any kind of softness on the discussion of common-sense gun laws. It was because of the news coverage, seeing this on a near weekly basis and being able to see how the politicians were responding to these events was the eye-opening moment for me. Now, I want to do more and fight more and speak more for those who have died because of inaction.

In January, my fellow opinion editor, Monika B. Lewis, wrote a terrific piece discussing “white fragility” and how white people are uncomfortable discussing race. Part of the reason why this might be the case is that they cut themselves off from what is going on in the world. Racism has always been and still is a problem in this country. As hard as it is to see the images of tragic police-involved killings of Tyre Nichols, George Floyd and countless others, those images should be clear evidence that there is a problem.

There is no denying it. Yet, whenever you discuss with a group of people about

either of these topics, you get shrugs, nervous looks and a genuine desire to change the subject. We cannot keep changing the subject. When researching this topic, I wanted to find what the logic was behind not watching the news and not partaking in the discussion of heavier topics. One that I found was on a website called medium.com, and was published by Moreno Zugaro.

Zugaro prides himself on teaching people self-improvement, and in particular teaching males to be “The Authentic Man.” He told his nearly 10,000 followers that he has not watched the news in six years. As he said after one year of his experiment: “Whenever I heard about one of the prophecies of doom broadcasted to the country, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Not because I’m evil and enjoy suffering, but because I began to see the bigger picture. When you realize most of the drama is nothing but smoke and mirrors, you don’t take it seriously anymore.”

Smoke and mirrors, fake news, propaganda — those are the buzzwords that many will throw out as their reasoning to disregard journalism. Former President Donald Trump certainly popularized the villainizing of journalists and the media in general. However, the biggest culprit is the internet.

Despite having the whole of human knowledge in your pocket, for some reason people still refuse to do the bare minimum of fact-checking. Due to the growing distrust of media outlets and the refusal to accept information they do not like, people will turn to new sources that fit their agenda.

Trump has TruthSocial.com, NewsMax, AON, Daily Wire, Twitter, Facebook and more. So many people nowadays have decided that anything coming from the mainstream media is completely false and would rather blindly follow anything as long as it makes them feel more secure.

The truth of the matter is we are not secure, and we need to accept our insecurities and work through them rather than denying they exist at all.

Journalism will always have those who make mistakes and shake the integrity of their outlets, but the point of the matter is that where we are in history right now, we can no longer sit quietly and wait for everything to blow over. We have to do more, we have to be up to date and we have to be able to listen and handle things when times get tough. Without doing any of this, we are complacent to our own destruction.

United we stand, divided we fall

“Join hand in hand, brave Americans all. By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall.”

That is a quote from “The Liberty Song” from the pre-revolutionary war era, written by John Dickinson in 1768.

Now 255 years later with the upcoming 2024 election, that idea may become more important than ever. As a registered independent voter, I am not a Republican nor am I a Democrat for the record, and over the past three years there has been a single phrase I have heard repeatedly dominating conversations regarding politics — “The election was stolen.”

Former Republican President Donald Trump made the claims again at his rally in Waco, Texas recently. In Arizona, Republican Kari Lake continues to make the same claims after losing the race for governor last November.

Recounts have been done, independent third parties were brought in, protests were staged, years of claims were made, and the outcomes have all stayed the same. All of the evidence points to the fact that the election was not stolen.

Yet the claims are persisting. Now with the 2024 presidential election fast approaching, this issue is not going away any time soon, and more issues are on the rise. At CPAC last month, Trump made a statement and said, “I am your warrior, I am your justice and for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution.”

Retribution, the punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act. Many of Trump’s statements, along with statements made by other Republicans show this increasing focus on a hazardous “us versus them” mentality. Some Republicans

are not so subtle though in their suggestions. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a representative from Georgia, went so far as to even call for a “national divorce” between red and blue states on President’s Day.

In order to get better insight into this, I sat down with Alison Dagnes, a professor with the political science department at Shippensburg University, who teaches a class on campaigns and political parties.

“Politics has shifted from something transactional to something that is personal,” Dagnes said in the interview. “Politics is supposed to help people. Policymaking is dependent on compromise and sharing resources so that people can get what they want. When it stops being transactional like that, and becomes ‘us-versusthem,’ politics becomes someone’s entire identity. And that’s bad.”

And when it becomes their identity, the purpose of policies begin to change. No longer do politicians focus on what is best for their district, state or country. Nowadays, many politicians seem to focus on what sponsoring a bill says about themselves, their party is their identity.

With all of that said, then what is at stake for the future president who gets sworn into office in January 2025? Democracy. America’s entire future of politics. If we continue down this path of hostility and division, things are going to become worse in America.

You cannot vote simply based on the color of the party in this upcoming election. Red or blue, voters will need to consider who is truly best for the country, despite their party affiliation. Rather than voting for the loudest voice in the room, voting for the one who is willing to compromise for the good of the country as a whole.

However, unfortunately, that

is not the case with much of the Republican Party these days. In 2020, the Republican Party did not adopt any new platform changes from their 2016 variation, instead pushing that back until 2024.

Instead they said that the Party “enthusiastically supports President Trump and continues to reject the policy positions of the Obama-Biden Administration, as well as those espoused by the Democratic National Committee today.”

Rather than advocating for compromise, the Republican Party is pushing for division. It is pushing for that “Republicans versus Democrats” and “us-versus-them” mentality. It is not saying there is a compromise to Democratic policies, it is saying they are to be fully rejected.

Democracy is based on compromise. The entire Constitution, the document the country was founded on, was based on compromise. If we lose that, then what are elections truly accomplishing? It gives us two different sets of rules depending on the party in charge, rather than one unified nation working toward a better future.

It is why Donald Trump’s candidacy, along with the Republican Party as a whole, is growing increasingly concerned about independent voters like me. The violence, the accusations, the lies, it is creating a dangerous situation for America.

Above all else though, no matter what happens and who wins during election 2024, one fact will remain the same. United we will stand, as the United States of America. No matter which side wins, we need to come together as one nation and accept our win or our loss. Because without that there is one thing for certain.

Divided, we will fall.

Give it a Thought: University Master Event Calendar

Chase Slenker Staff Columnist

When a student wants to figure out what is happening on campus at any time, it is often a complicated and incomplete process. There is a weekly “On the Horizon” newsletter sent out by Campus Life that highlights some student organization events, Rec center events and classes, and information that they have had submitted to them for inclusion in the newsletter.

There are daily emails from various offices, academic departments and other areas of student life highlighting academic-related club meetings, department-hosted guest speakers and professional development opportunities.

There are weekly emails from the career center’s platform, Handshake, which cover networking and professional development opportunities.

For finding out weekly “fun” events, students typically turn to the dozens of Instagram pages including the Activities Programming Board (APB), Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA), SU athletics and Ship Recreation, among many others. Almost every club, sports team, club

sport, performing arts group and organization has their own Instagram page, among other social media platforms. Groups plaster posters across campus on bulletin boards, in stairwells and on the walls of residence halls. This fractured system has worked decently enough for years; however, it makes it challenging to gain an understanding of everything happening on campus at one time for a student or faculty member.

The university does maintain a “Master Calendar” on its website that has been recently modernized. This calendar has existed for years and most university departments do place events on it. When “spot-checking” events promoted elsewhere, the calendar was extremely accurate with only a few minor events missing.

The one caveat is that student organization events are rarely included on the calendar.

According to Megan Silverstrim, director of Communications and Marketing, “The success of campus events is dependent upon the willingness of campus groups and organizations to follow the practices outlined for event planning on the website and includes entering complete information into the calendar.”

The master calendar is a great tool that is very underutilized by both student organizations (to document and highlight their event) but also in terms of informing students. The calendar is rarely known when talking with student leaders about its existence. Students and many faculty and staff members do not know that this centralized calendar exists.

The university’s office of Communications and Marketing, student government and other entities involved in event planning should promote its usage and the availability of event information to all of campus. The process of finding out on-campus event information might become less of a headache and more user friendly.

The centralization of all the various promotion methods into a centralized master calendar would help make planning of student activities much easier and would result in less overlapping events and hopefully better attendance. The infrastructure already exists, groups and departments just need to use the calendar.

Give it a thought — how different might campus planning look if the master calendar was used and promoted?

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Carmine Scicchitano Multimedia Director

Ship Life

Give it a Thought: top six events at SU

Slenker

Chase

Columnist

Staff

Throughout my time at Shippensburg University, I have prided myself on attending all sorts of campus events and have certainly fully utilized my student activity fee. Shippensburg University truly has a diverse array of student organizations, programs and events that can provide engaging experiences for almost any student. Over my four years, I found myself returning to certain events year after year that have become a staple of my Shippensburg experience, not to mention many other students across campus. I recommend all students attend these six events, shows, performances and trips before graduating:

1. Crab Fest — Each fall, the African American Student Organization (Afro-Am) hosts “Crab Fest” in the Hockey Rink serving crabs, wings, ribs, desserts, mocktails and tons of other food options. Students usually pay $5 to attend and enjoy a DJ, delicious food and comradery.

2. Homecoming Tailgate — The only large tailgate hosted each year is the October Homecoming tailgate hosted

behind the Seth Grove Stadium by the Alumni Board of Directors and Homecoming Committee. Greek organizations, sports teams, university departments and other student organizations tailgate before and during the football game.

3. Sexy Bingo — Hosted by the Pride and Gender Equity (PAGE) Center and the Activities Programming Board (APB), Sexy Bingo is an annual competitive bingo event with large prizes, condom decorations, sexual health trivia and other related fanfare.

4. In-Motion Dance Troupe Recital — Each spring, the university’s In-Motion Dance Troupe hosts an annual recital in Memorial Auditorium featuring a variety of dance genres, lights, effects and vibrant costumes.

5. Harmonic Voices of Truth (HVT)

Performance — The Harmonic Voices of Truth gospel choir performs semi-regularly at St. Peters AME Church in town and holds occasional performances on-campus throughout the year. This group is truly amazing, performing a wide variety of gospel and contemporary Christian songs with their own mix. You can feel the music as you watch

(and clap and/or dance along) the choir and at least one of their performances is a must-see on-campus.

6. APB Bus Trip — APB hosts a variety of bus trips throughout both semesters to a variety of places including New York City, Eastern State Penitentiary, Six Flags New Jersey and professional sports games, among other destinations. These events are either free or have a small ticket price (which pales in comparison to the actual value of the trip) and provide transportation and often tickets to entertainment at the trip’s destination. I have attended a few APB bus trips and every single one was fun, a great deal and a great way to travel to new places with friends for a very affordable price.

These are my top six recommended events on-campus over my four years at Shippensburg and I encourage all students, faculty and staff to check them out in their remaining time at Shippensburg University. Each person’s opinion will vary and there are many other amazing and worthwhile events at Shippensburg University — these are merely my top six recommendations.

A bit of biology: fungi

Vivian Ulsh

Staff Contributor

From rich soil to a dead tree or even your own skin, fungi thrive in many locations and continue to grow by spreading spores through the air like pollen.

Fungi can provide us with many resources such as medicine, biofuel, food and textiles, but it can also spread deadly diseases and weaken our immune system. Fungi are unique because they take apart their habitat to create something new that can be beneficial or harmful to humans.

The body of a fungus is called the mycelium, which is made up of interwoven, thread-like filaments called hyphae. Hyphae allow the

mushroom to expand in all directions, giving it more area to spread its spores.

Fungi have a secure cell wall made from chitin that forms everywhere on the fungi except the hyphae. Chitin can be found on insects and crabs to strengthen their exoskeleton like armor. The fungi’s cell walls secrete an enzyme which allows the mushroom to feed externally on its surroundings by absorbing nutrients.

the mycorrhizae. Mycorrhizae sprouts thin white roots that intertwine and expand the saplings roots, which allows the plant to get more nutrients and water from the soil into its system.

Slowly But Shively: Nothing to do with you

Madi Shively

Asst. Ship Life Editor

The past couple of days have been tumultuous to say the very least. I learned to never underestimate how hateful the internet (and people) can be. I could not shake a constant feeling of anxiety and lost a lot of sleep. Though high school is in the past, I’ve found many college students like to resurrect petty habits. As much as I tried to deflect and laugh it off, the words I read struck my heart and made my hands tremble.

the truth speaks volumes. Other people’s opinions of me do not constitute who I truly am.

mension is open. However it may be seen, a fairy circle is generally a good indicator of a healthy fungi system.

On one shaky hand, I kept in mind that these are people who have nothing better to do with their time than spread hate. On the other hand, I could not help but remember that real people conjured the hurtful words that were said. There is, of course, a piece of me that constantly yearns for the approval of others.

This mindset begs the question — who am I, truly? In order to fend off negative opinions, we must stand firmly in what we believe in. This requires empowering yourself to know that you are a good person. I could easily see myself spiraling into a pit of despair if I had ignored who I am and what my intentions are. I remind myself that I am kind and creative, I enjoy helping people and I want what is best for people.

Fungi can sprout in many locations across the world, decomposing organic matter and releasing valuable nutrients from their core to the soil. Fungi also assist in the growth of new plants by stimulating the plant to grow more roots. One fungus that helps in root growth is called

Fungi grow underground using a network of roots that spreads through the soil. When it is healthy and ready to reproduce, it will sprout above the soil and release its spores.

Some mushroom systems create a phenomenon known as a “fairy circle” which is when mushroom sprouts circle around each other. Some cultures see the circle as sacred, saying that if you break the shape, bad luck will haunt you. Others use it as a sign to tell when fairies are nearby or that a portal to another di-

I know I have an irrevocable need to constantly be perceived as “good.” This need is realized when I hear enough negativity in my direction, and I cannot help but begin to believe it. Am I playing the victim, oblivious that I may be the horrible person I am believed to be?

It is during these times when I refer to a saying my mother has drilled into my psyche for years: “What other people say has nothing to do with you.” When she first offered me this advice years ago, I rolled my eyes. “They have everything to do with me,” I thought to myself, because I firmly believed that other people’s perceptions of me equated to whether or not I was a valid person.

Over time, her advice finally started to register: what is said about me does not define who I am, but rather defines the character of the person speaking about me. Even further, those who choose to believe those words rather than

Something that helped me was to “zoom out and time travel.” Whenever things get tough, I like to imagine when I will be at a point where everything is OK again, because everything will be OK again. No matter how tough the situation, things have always become OK again. I think about other times when similar things have happened and I had thought it was the end of the world for me, and I am now able to look back and recognize the lessons that I had learned, maybe even laughing at how seriously I took it. Most times, we believe negative circumstances (that are bound to eventually enter our life) to be the end of our world because we have yet to discover how much better it gets in the future.

So, when people start to talk and word gets around, remember that you cannot control a situation, only how you decide to react to it. Will you let the evil get to you and make the world feel your wrath, or keep your head held high and prove them wrong with your kindness?

The choice is yours to make. In the meantime, be secure in knowing who you are to help prevent the negativity from affecting you. Know you are too worthy to let the words of others get you off track.

Cream of mushroom soup recipe

Some mushrooms, such as the devil’s tooth, can release sweat from their cap that can be extremely beneficial for developing effective antibiotics. Artificial antibiotics created in labs will often cause the disease to be resilient to them, but with some species of mushroom, its sweat can evolve with the virus and effectively eliminate it every time. This process is also useful for diseases that are unknown and cannot be treated with modern medicine. Myco-medicine may be an evolving practice, but its discovery changes medicine as we know it. Madi

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

• 1/4 cup chopped onion

• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth

• 1 cup half-and-half

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat; sauté mushrooms and onion until tender.

2. Mix flour, salt, pepper and 1 can broth until smooth; stir into mushroom mixture. Stir in remaining can of broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in cream. Simmer, uncovered, until flavors are blended, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of pexels.com

Gender and fashion in the 1940s and ’50s

Piper Kull Editor-in-Chief

Pants were just beginning to come into style in the 1930s, going from socially unacceptable and immodest to something modern, stylish women wore. The ’30s saw the rise of women’s trousers in the public eye thanks to movie stars like Katherine Hepburn, but they were still not as prevalent or acceptable as they are today. The 1940s saw a major change.

The beginning of the 1940s was dominated by World War II. According to the US National Archives, the United States experienced an extreme — although temporary — shift in gender roles. Nearly one in three men left to serve in the military between 1941 and 1945, so women were left to take up the work that was still left to do. Women managed households, but also worked in factories, labs, government and military auxiliaries.

The war meant that fashion’s development slowed. Men and women alike were seen in uniform, and those outside the war wore styles dictated by rationing and work. The style that was adopted by women in the ’40s became like that of the masculine military uniform or was dictated by where they worked. The US National Archives notes that blouses and jackets became militarized through shoulder pads, and hats worn resembled the military beret. Utility clothing became popular. To conserve fabric, skirts became shorter, and silhouettes became slimmer. Women’s utility dresses featured, according to Fashion History Timeline, “padded shoulders, a nipped-in waist and hems to just below the knee.”

The 1940s were when pants finally became more widespread. Rosie the Riveter was introduced in 1942, showing that workwear was in. Women were now in more labor-intensive positions, meaning that women were less concerned with glamor and style and more with practicality and safety. Working in factories called for a sturdy pair of trousers. Rather than flowy silk pants and high heels, women wore blue jeans and wraparound dresses, pinning back their hair so it did not get caught in machinery.

Trousers became more common for a few reasons. Many women wore them out of necessity and practicality when working. In the United Kingdom, women were faced with clothing rationing, which led them to wear their husband’s clothing. FamilySearch also points out the shortage of stockings, which gave women another reason to choose pants. Despite adoption by many working women, pants were still not acceptable for evening wear or parties.

While women of the ’40s held down America and blurred

gender boundaries with pants and shoulder pads, the 1950s showed a clear gender divide. In 1947, Christian Dior introduced the “New Look,” which played on ’40s trends but was ultimately more feminine. Fashion History Timeline notes the New Look’s nipped-in waist and full skirted silhouette. This look became very popular in the early 1950s, and even as the style evolved, its core remained focal through many styles of the time.

As the ’50s progressed, the silhouette became slimmer and straighter. As women began to look to the “teenager” for inspiration, Fashion History Timeline points out that the earlier elegance of past decades began to fade. Even though there was a shift away from this formality, fashion for women remained feminine and romantic, with big circle skirts and sundresses.

The Shippensburg University Fashion Archives showcased this pale blue party dress in its collection focused on Shippensburg fashions. Darby Daniels Muggio wore this dress to her high school’s prom and then again to SU’s first Women’s Athletic Association dance in 1956. The dress was purchased from a shop in Harrisburg. The dress showcases not only the less formal style of dress, but the frilly femininity that was pervasive.

In the ’50s, a woman’s main goal was to be a good girlfriend, wife and mother. After a decade of turmoil, many people wanted to turn inward to their family life. 20th Century History Song Book mentions that a woman would be called an “old maid” if not married by 25. This was reflected in the feminine fashions of the time and a general idea that women needed to appear put together at all times. Women strived to look like the perfect housewife, far different from how women dressed for practicality and work in the ’40s. The ’50s were thus obsessed with excess fabric that could not be obtained in the ’40s, says 20th Century History Song Book.

So where did pants fit in? Women did not give up trousers in the ’50s, but the style evolved from the ’40s wide leg pant. The ’40s style was meant to mimic a more masculine style, but the femininity of the ’50s called for a new trouser for women. Pants were still not seen on television or often outside of the home, but more were seen in advertisements and magazines. The most popular style was likely “cigarette pants,” notes Vintage Dancer, which featured a high waist, full hips and a skinny fit through the leg, ending just above the ankle. Capri pants were very popular, with pedal-pushers coming into style. Dark blue denim jeans also emerged for fashion purposes, coming in both long and capri styles. Overalls or dungarees were both very popular looks.

The ’40s and ’50s led to a lot of social change in terms of

PRSSA to host Networking Night for CJM Students

Anna Garmen

Asst. Public Relations Director

SU’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) will be hosting its second annual networking night on April 13. The event will take place after CJM Day from 5:30-8:00 p.m. at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel by the baseball fields just off campus.

PRSSA wants attendees to feel their best, so they should wear their best business casual outfit. Food and drinks will be provided. Networking night will give all CJM students an opportunity to network and connect with professionals from all professional concentrations.

“I’m so grateful that PRSSA was able to host networking night again, and I hope that this will continue to happen for future PRSSA groups,” PRSSA President Madison Griffith said. “This is a great opportunity for all of the students in the communications/journalism department to network with professionals. I enjoy getting together with other students and professionals for a fun-filled night.”

For more information on networking night, contact Madison Griffith at mg4099@ship.edu or any PRSSA member.

fashion, with women coming out of the home and into the spotlight in the ’40s to perform “men’s work.” While the ’40s proved that women could work, the ’50s were more about settling down with a husband. By the end of the war, people were looking for a return to normalcy, which brought about a focus on the nuclear family. With a heavier emphasis on femininity and attracting a husband, pants had faded again, or at least become more feminine. Gender divides were severe in the ’50s, and this was reflected in fashion at the time. Pants had gone from acceptable to somewhat taboo again.

Academic culture in South Korea

Elizabeth Peters Managing Editor

In South Korea, school is even more serious than it is in the U.S. The structure of Korean life revolves around studying hard and doing well, which in some ways is harmful when it comes to students planning for a future outside of academics.

Studying is crucial for learning in college in Korea because your classes only meet once a week. For example, I have my Korean Speaking class every Monday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The rest of the week, it is on me to practice what we learned to be prepared for next week. In the U.S., the same class would probably meet three times a week for one-hour increments. In my personal experience, I found that spacing out classes allows me to learn on a more direct path. In Korea, by the time I meet for my class again, I have kind of forgotten where we left off.

With this in mind, and remembering how serious grades are, I was not surprised to find that every café has areas for students to study. No matter the day, time or town, every coffee spot I have been to over these past two months has had people studying. One cafe directly off my campus even has areas for students to study where you can take your shoes off and sit on the floor, mimicking a living room table.

Even things like fashion trends have a strong academic influence. Korean fashion is by and large more conservative than the US, leaning toward a clean-cut image. Some of the outfits I see people wearing follow my Catholic high school’s dress code to a T — gray skirts and white shirts and all.

Another big trend is university sweatshirts, or really any word printed in a serif font that is meant to look like something out of a campus bookstore. Some of my favorite word choices so far are the gibberish letters, such as “NMFC” or “SMTH.” I also really love my

roommate’s sweatshirt that says “PITAPAT” on it. Don’t get me wrong, I also see loads of Harvard and Yale shirts, but I think it says more about the trends that the style goes deeper than just the words. It is the academic aesthetic, whether the words make sense or not.

My final and favorite fashion trend is the university letterman jackets. In the U.S., letterman jackets are for high school athletes, but every college student has one in Korea. These letterman jackets have their major written on the back (in English) and a year on the sleeve that either correlates to the year the major was started or their academic year. I think these jackets look super cool, and I am not exaggerating when I say everyone has one. In my travels, I have seen so many different universities, but all the jackets follow the same format. I even get one for my one semester of being here.

A ton of things American teens do in high school are done in college in Korea. In the U.S., high school students play sports, have after school activities, hang out with friends and study. Korean students do significantly less outside of school until they get to college as their studies are all working towards one massive milestone: The Suneung.

The Suneung is like the SAT — but three times as long — and is the biggest factor in a student’s ability to get into college. The test is so serious that taxi drivers offer free rides to high schoolers on exam day, and no flights leave the country. My suitemate Luna said that because all of her high school was spent focusing on academics, she never thought about what job she would want to do after school. She said most Koreans felt the same and lacked any dreams or aspirations beyond academic success.

In the U.S., most people view their major as a stepping stone toward their future career. For example, I chose to be a communication, journalism and media major because I wanted to have a

job that involved communicating with other people. In Korea, students chose their majors based on what sections they did well on in the Suneung.

From what my Korean roommates have told me, a lot of Koreans do not even like their major by the time they are graduating. They either have no passion for what they are studying or lost their interest early on as they decided based on what a test said, not what they actually want to do. With a society so built around academic success, it is not surprising that the students have a hard time imagining what to do once school is over.

Even with such high expectations for academics, my roommates — and I assume other Korean students — find time to have fun. While they may not be in love with their major the same way students in the U.S. can be, they make it through and into the workforce. There is something to be gained in working so hard, but as an American, I think the work would be more worth it if the end goal was more exciting.

I prefer the U.S. way of learning but have gained a lot of skills in self-studying while I have been here. I think I am way more in touch with my own specific needs for learning, as I have had to find a way to learn on my own. For me, flash cards and handwriting my notes are the key to my success. I often practice writing by tracing my finger through the steam on the walls in the shower, which can be a little surprise for my roommates when I forget to wipe it away. Not a ghost, just an American trying to learn Korean.

I will definitely be taking these skills with me when I return to the U.S. next semester, and will miss having quiet coffee shops so available.

To follow along with the experiences in South Korea, follow my travel Instagram @eap_travels for weekly updates on Fridays at 8 a.m. EST.

Courtesy of SU Fashion Archives

This dress was worn to SU’s first Women’s Athletic Association dance in 1956 by Darby Daniels Muggio.

Courtesy of PRSSA

Jeremy Satyawan Putra and others speak with Communication/Journalism professionals at the 2022 CJM Networking night.

A Ship shape exhibit by Fashion Archives

Allyson Ritchey Asst. Multimedia Director

The Fashion Archives and Museum of Shippensburg University opened its doors to the public to unveil a new exhibit, “(Re)Shaping the Body,” on Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The collection explores the current fashionable ideals of each moment in time and the various engineered underpinnings and optical illusion tailoring utilized to fit in with these historical fashion standards. From corsets, bustles and cages to fully mounted garments, the exhibit displays something for every fashion enjoyer.

When one first walks in, one is greeted with a wall of brassieres — the oldest one being a bosom enhancer worn in Shippensburg dated 1800-1850. This “booby trap” draws visitors in for more displays including sleeve pumpers from the 1830s and stays from the 18th century.

“Working at the Fashion Archives is defi-

nitely one of the highlights of my first year here at Ship. I’m getting real experience in the museum field alongside many wonderful people,” JJ Miller, a freshman history major said of their time so far with the Fashion Archives and Museum.

SU’s Fashion Archives provides a unique learning experience with its hands-on educational laboratory with a donation-driven collection of 15,000 items for students.

“I’m super happy with how our exhibit turned out, and I hope everyone can get the chance to come see it,” Miller said.

“(Re)Shaping the Body” will be on display Monday through Thursday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. until Nov. 21. Admission for adults is $5 and free for Shippensburg University students, faculty and staff with a valid university ID. The Fashion Archives and Museum of Shippensburg University is located at 501 North Earl St., near Stone Ridge and College Park. For more information, visit fashionarchives.org or call (717) 477-1239.

‘TheSuper Mario Bros. Movie’ review

Abbygale Hockenberry Staff Contributor

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” brought back tremendous memories from growing up playing the games. Everything from the characters, mannerisms, catchphrases, trademark sounds and the vibrant colorful world was a super nostalgic experience.

The film follows Mario (Chris Pratt), Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) on their journey to find Luigi (Charlie Day) and stop Bowser (Jack Black) and his army from destroying the Mushroom Kingdom. Peach leads the group to the Jungle Kingdom to form an alliance with Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen).

The movie opens with an advertisement of Mario and Luigi’s plumbing company. Mario asks Luigi, “Was the accent too much?”

— in the commercial they were using an Italian accent. The brothers reside in Brooklyn, New York, which explains why they do not have that accent. Many fans were concerned, prior to the movie premiering, that Pratt was not the right actor to voice Mario, because he does not have an Italian accent. This takes away from the beloved character; being Italian is a profoundly known trait to Mario. One could argue when Pratt says the famous catchphrase “It’s-a-me, Mario!” the accent was delivered. Although, it remained inconsistent throughout the film.

Jack Black does a phenomenal job voicing the villainous Bowser. The character’s

Commentary: Is there diversity in directing?

Natalie

In the film industry, white male directors are statistically less likely to work with a diverse cast. However, that subsection of directors is also the most likely to helm high-budget films. As understanding of the importance of diversity continues to skyrocket, there is a growing concern around the rigidity of white male directors. What is it that makes the least flexible and diverse demographic the most likely to receive the most funding? The answer may lie in the “everyman” market of relatability.

In the media of the early 2000s, the most marketable protagonist was one who was easy to relate to. This led to the birth of Hollywood’s default character for the next many years — a middle-aged white man with no shortage of beautiful, personality-bleached women and irrationally well-developed muscles. The life of this everyman character would often be deeply unobtainable. However, he was just relatable enough that the cisgender, heterosexual white male audience was able to find a way to project onto him. This led to the creation of a holy grail marketing demographic, which would live on to become the unnecessary focus of shows that have nothing to do with it.

Up until the pandemic, there was a very direct and intentional lack of interest in expanding this character default. This con-

tinued restriction of the relatability market created bland content at best and alienated large swaths of viewers at worst. However, it would seem that this was changed, as with many things, by the pandemic.

With a lack of access to theaters, families turned to streaming services. While most POC and women directors are given smaller budgets to work with, they are able to find better footing in streaming services than they are in theatrical releases. Thanks to the pandemic, new and rising directors were able to release their work to the most literal form of a captive audience the film industry has seen in years. Through success and exposure, public demand for diversity has grown. The opportunities held by marginalized communities to create public media have never been higher — however, there is still the roadblock of funding.

Even as diverse casts become more popular, white male directors continue to get millions more in funding. Through surveys and statistics, it becomes fairly obvious that white men are the least likely to seek out varied and inclusive castings. If the public value continues the way it is, the future seems to be rather clearly written. If these higher-paid directors continue to fail to let go of the strategies of the past, they and their works will be left in the dust. Change is essential to reflect the morals and values of the present, and it is up to the ex-paragons of relatability to accept the changing future.

goal and purpose was clear to the audience — marry Princess Peach and destroy Mushroom Kingdom. Black successfully captures and voices the character in an accurate way that aligns with the games. The audience gets a laugh at Bowser playing the piano and singing a ballad called “Peaches.” The song is available to listen on streaming platforms.

It was evident that the production teams, Universal Pictures and Illumination, put in clear effort to make the movie worth watching. At different moments in the film, you could hear the classic Mario theme song being played. Other times, different original soundtracks were slowed down and the tone was changed to fit the mood. Not to mention, there were 2D shots here and there. It reminisced the same 2D effect from the original games. At those shots, it felt like watching a gameplay rather than a movie, acting as a reminder to the origins.

Even if you have not played the “Super Mario Bros.” video games, the movie included other games in the franchise too. My favorite was the “Mario Kart” sequence. Mario and his allies battle it out on “Rainbow Road” with the Koopa Troopas. The characters pick out their karts, tires and gliders, just like you can in “Mario Kart 8.” Once they are battling, they use power-ups such as the banana peel, shells, rockets, boosts and drifting, all in direct correlation to the game.

When Donkey Kong was first shown, it was hard not to forget who the voice belonged to. Was I laughing because Seth Rogen is funny?

Or was I laughing because of the character?

For instance, with Toad, it was easy to forget that Keegan Michael-Key was the voice behind Toad because the voice sounded more like Toad than it did like the actor’s voice. One could argue that Donkey Kong does not even speak in the games so there is no distinct sound to even go off of. Either way, Rogen voicing Donkey Kong added that element of comedy and personality to the character that worked in their favor.

The overarching message to the movie is that sibling love can conquer anything. “Nothing can hurt us as long as we’re together,” is a reoccurring statement said by the brothers. Luigi says that to Mario as they are battling Bowser. They show their strong love for each other several times. The brothers get separated from each other for most of the film, and they express worry about the other’s safety. We see the brothers work in unison to defeat Bowser. It is heartwarming for viewers of all ages.

There is no other way to describe this movie other than it is a watch for the fans. Everything that Mario is known for was present in the film. It is like one huge montage of all the different features you can do as a player in the games.

Overall, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is a great movie to watch if you love the Mario franchise and enjoy playing the games. And stay tuned — the film includes two post-credit scenes.

Allyson Ritchey/The Slate

The Fashion Archives and Museum presented its exhibit “(Re)Shaping the Body” at an opening reception on Thursday, April 6, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m..

Nichols Guest Contributor

Photo courtesy of Trusted Reviews

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” premiered in theaters April 5. The film features voice acting from Chris Pratt and Charlie Day as Mario and Luigi.

Baseball Drops 2 of 3 to Lock Haven on Alumni Weekend

Junior Austin LaBarre allowed four runs and eight hits in a losing effort in Saturdays’ double header against Lock Haven.

Alumni Day. Game 1 went to the Bald Eagles by a score of 4-3. It was a seven-inning contest, and all seven runs in the game were scored in the fifth inning.

went two-for-four, including an inside-the-park home run in the eighth.

Shippensburg University baseball dropped the first two games of its series against Lock Haven this past weekend before picking up the win in the finale. The result puts the Raiders at 19-17 overall and 7-8 in PSAC East play, putting them sixth in the division.

The series got underway with a road game on Friday, where Lock Haven got out to a hot start on their way to a 6-2 victory for the Bald Eagles. Lock Haven picked up four runs in the first inning, and was up 6-0 by the end of the fourth. The Raiders picked up a run in the sixth and eighth innings, but it wasn’t enough.

Graduate Noah Nabholz started on the mound for Shippensburg, allowing six runs (four earned) in four innings of work. He also allowed 11 hits and two walks while striking out four. Freshman Brendan Anderson followed in relief and pitched four scoreless innings while allowing only two hits and two walks.

Graduate Justin Byler led the way offensively for the Raiders, going two-for-four with a triple, along with an RBI and a run scored.

Games 2 and 3 of the series were in Shippensburg, with both being played on Saturday as the Raiders celebrated

Junior Jackson LoBianco went 4.2 innings in his start, giving up four earned runs on eight hits. He walked two and struck out one batter, and got his first loss of the season, dropping to a 3-1 record.

Freshman Mike Heckman went two-for-three on offense including a three-run double in the bottom of the fifth inning that brought the Raiders back into contention. Sophomore Carter Arbuthnot also went two-for-three with a run scored.

Shippensburg picked up an 8-6 win in a back-and-forth series finale. Lock Haven picked up three runs in the top of the first before the Raiders responded with three of their own in the bottom of the second. The game was tied at six after five innings before the Raiders grabbed the go ahead run in the sixth thanks to a Heckman single.

The Raiders had three pitchers each go three innings in this one, with freshman J.T. Weaver getting a no decision after his start, allowing four runs (two earned). Redshirt freshman Eric Bohenek got the win after allowing two earned runs in the middle three innings. Junior Austen LaBarre got the save after pitching three scoreless innings.

Shippensburg had a very balanced offense in this one, with six players getting at least one RBI. Arbuthnot led the way with a pair of runs driven in, and sophomore Jaxon Dalena

This week’s baseball schedule features a solo road game at IUP on Tuesday before a weekend series against Millersville. The series once again starts with a road game on Friday before a home doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon.

Softball sweeps Mansfield and splits against Kutztown

This week, the Raiders traveled to Mansfield and swept the Mountaineers. The Raiders then hosted Kutztown University.

The Raiders took the first game of the series and dropped the second game of the double header.

In the first series, the Raiders bats came to play. The Raiders scored two runs in the first inning. The first run came when Morgan Lindsay grounded out but allowed a runner to score the Raiders to a quick 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, Kaitlyn Minney hit an RBI Single and Hannah Marsteller scored to put the Raiders at 2-0.

After a scoreless second inning, the Raiders scored five runs in the third. The runs extended the Raiders’ lead to 7-0.

The Mountaineers responded with two runs of their own on single and a double.

In the Raiders half of the fourth inning, Marsteller hit a homerun that extended the Raiders’ lead 8-2. The Raiders scored one run in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.

The Raiders went on to beat the Mountaineers in the first game of the

double header, 12-3.

In the second game of the Friday double header, the Raiders scored first when Myers scored on a throwing error in a ground out by Marsteller. Later in the inning, the Raiders scored again when freshman Caitlyn Martell scored after Lindsay reached first base on a throwing error.

In the bottom of the first inning, Melissa Demo hit a single to center field, and one runner scored and cut the deficit in half 2-1.

In the top of the second, Martell hit a double and one run scored, which gave the Raiders a 3-1 lead. In the third inning, the Mountaineers tied the game up at three when Kiley hit a single and scored the two runners on base.

The Raiders scored runs in the fifth sixth with no answer from the Mountaineers. The Raiders scored three runs in the seventh inning and completed the sweep of the Mountaineers, 9-6.

On Saturday, the Golden Bears came to town for a double header.

In the first inning, the Golden Bears scored three runs with three singles that all scored one runner each. In the bottom of the first, Lindsay hit a three-run

homerun to left field. The Raiders tied the game at three.

In the second inning, Marsteller broke the tie with a single that allowed Martell to score and gave the Raiders a 4-3 lead.

In the fourth, the Raiders scored a total of five runs, all of which were from base hits.

The Raiders scored two more runs in the fifth inning, held off the Golden Bears and won the first game of the Saturday doubleheader.

In the second game, the Raiders struck first again and scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning. In the top of the second, the Golden Bears scored five runs. The Golden Bears led the Raiders 5-2 at the end of the second inning.

In the third inning, Marsteller hit a solo home run and cut the lead down to 5-3. The Raiders were not able to close the gap and lost the game 6-3.

The Raiders will be on the road this week and play three double headers against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) opponents Shepherd University, Bloomsburg and East Stroudsburg. The Raiders play the Rams on Tuesday. The first game will start at 1 p.m.

Andrew Miller/ SU Sports Info

Mason Flowers

Staff Writer

Jack Ansley

Asst. Sports Editor

Andrew Miller/ SU Sports Info

Graduate student Hannah Marsteller went 2 for 2, had one RBI and scored two runs in Saturday’s 11-5 win against the Golden Bears.

Freshman Kaitlyn Martell scored three runs.

This weekend SU Baseball Alumni returned for alumni weekend for the games against Lock Haven.

Track and field delivers strong field performances at York Twilight meet

good performances on the track.

Shippensburg University’s track-and-field team competed at the York Twilight Meet, hosted by York College, on Wednesday and recorded multiple strong performances, especially in the field.

Reigning Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Men’s Field Athlete of the Week for the past two weeks, Josh Herbster, once again improved his personal best in the hammer throw. Herbster won the competition with a throw of 201 feet, 7 inches (61.44 meters), a distance that counts as provisional qualifier and ranks him sixth in the nation for NCAA Division II.

In the men’s high jump, Kenny Rhyne cleared the bar at 6 feet, 8 inches (2.03 me-

ters), which is a new personal best and just narrowly misses the NCAA provisional qualifying mark by a quarter of an inch. Donovan Hart equalized his personal best and secured a PSAC qualifier with his clearance of 6 feet, 2.75 inches (1.90m).

SU also had strong performances in the women’s high jump. Ariel Jones, who broke multiple conference and NCAA records for women’s basketball this season, had her first bar clearances of the season. Jones cleared the bar at 5 feet, 7 inches (1.70 m), a personal best and NCAA provisional mark. Allyson Richwine cleared 5 feet, 3 inches (1.60 m) and Norah Vallon cleared 5 feet, 1 inch (1.55 m), both satisfying the PSAC qualifiers.

In the women’s javelin, Abby Reasoner improved her personal best and NCAA qualifying mark from the beginning of the season to

138 feet, 5 inches (42.20 m). Maddie Sieg also enhanced her personal best with a throw of 125 feet, 10 inches (38.35 m).

Makayla Decker hit the PSAC qualifying mark in the women’s discus with a mark of 123 feet, 10 inches (37.75m).

Sasha Lee won the women’s triple jump with a mark of 39 feet, 1.75 inches (11.93 m), a personal best and just narrowly missing the NCAA provisional qualifier (11.96 m). Lee also placed first in the 100-meter hurdles with a season best time of 14.70 seconds.

Sara McKean won the long jump with a mark of 18 feet, 7 inches (5.66 m), a PSAC qualifier, and the 100-meter dash in 12.86 seconds. The long jump, as well as the sprints were affected by strong headwinds down the homestretch.

Despite the strong headwinds, SU still had

Leah Graybill won the women’s 200-meter dash in 24.47 seconds, and Eric Kirk won the men’s 200-meter dash in 22.49 seconds.

The women’s 4x100-meter relay, consisting of Aliyah Serrano, McKean, Dalhouse and Graybill, won the race with a time of 46.77 seconds, just 0.14 seconds slower than their school record from the meet before.

On the men’s side, Robbie Hrabosky II won the 400-meter hurdles in 54.46 seconds and Edis Korkutovic ran a personal best of 57.34 seconds in the same event, both athletes surpassing the PSAC qualifiers with those times. Shippensburg’s track-and-field team will return to action Friday through Sunday this weekend, as it competes at Bucknell University’s Bison Outdoor Classic.

Women’s tennis falls to Lock Haven

Shippensburg University’s women’s tennis team lost in a Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchup to Lock Haven at the LHU Tennis Courts, 6-1.

Junior Brighid Cantwell

was successful in her No.4 singles matchup, which she won against Lock Haven’s Delani Wolever, 6-0, 6-4. Cantwell also won her No. 2 doubles match with her partner, sophomore Kendall Winters. Cantwell and Winters won 7-5, while Shippensburg’s No. 1 doubles team, made up of freshman Corinne Markovich and sophomore Brooklynn Rupert, and the No. 3 doubles

team, made up of freshmen Avery Wissinger and Katelyn Hanft, both dropped their doubles matchup, 6-3.

In the singles, Markovich won five games, but dropped the No. 1 singles match to Maddy Reeves from the Bald Eagles, 6-2, 6-3.

Rupert battled to win three games, but fell in the No. 2 singles match to Mia Shuler, 6-1, 6-2.

Winters showed resistance in her No. 3 singles matchup against Olivia Anastos, after losing the first set, 6-1. She came back and took the second set, 7-6, which sent the match into a 10-point tiebreak in the third set. In the tiebreak, Winters then lost 10-7.

Wissinger kept the first set

in her No. 5 singles matchup against Mary Kathryn Hillman close, but ultimately lost it, 7-5. Then, she fell in the second set, 6-2, but won seven games overall.

Hanft also battled in her No. 6 singles matchup against Christy McLean and won four games, but lost the match, 6-1, 6-3.

SU’s women’s tennis now has an overall record of 1-7, and 0-3 in PSAC East play.

The Raiders’ women’s tennis team will return to the court on Tuesday to host East Stroudsburg at Robb Sports Complex at 3 p.m. Then they are set to host Shepherd on Wednesday at 3 p.m. and Bloomsburg on Saturday at noon.

Bill Smith / Sports Info

Josh Herbster throwing hammer at a meet. Herbster won the hammer throw competition at the York Twilight Meet with a distance of 201 feet, 7 inches.

Kenny Rhyne, High jump Ariel Jones, High jump

Abby Reasoner, Javelin throw

Sasha Lee, 100-meter hurdles, triple jump

Sara McKean, 100-meter dash, long jump, 4x100-meter relay

Pearllan Cipriano/

Eric Kirk, 200-meter dash

Nicola Pugge Asst. Sports Editor

Nicola Pugge Asst. Sports Editor

Brighid Cantwell and Kendall Winters win their double match against West Chester last Tuesday.

Photos courtesy of SU Sports Info

Spring Photo Gallery

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Elizabeth Peters / The Slate

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