The Slate 4-4-23

Donald Trump indicted

On Thursday, the Manhattan district attorney indicted former president Donald Trump on the charge that he used his wealth to silence adult film star Stormy Daniels after she had accused him of having an affair with her.

The charges were brought forward by district attorney Alvin L. Bragg following a several year long investigation into the former president’s actions. It is the first case in history that a former president has been charged with a crime.

Daniels first went public with the story of her affair with Trump in 2016, when Trump was hot on the campaign trail. Investigators believe that to prevent her from going public with the story, which if widely known could have threatened Trump’s campaign, Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen used campaign money to buy her silence. In total, $130,000 was paid to Daniels to keep the story from going public, with the last payment being made in October of 2016

In 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty to using said campaign finances. While in court, Cohen shifted the blame onto his boss, claiming that Trump was the one who ordered him to make payments to Daniels.

The district attorneys agreed, and Cohen’s guilty plea brought attention toward Trump. The multi-year investigation following led to this week’s indictment of Trump.

What does Donald Trump being indicted mean? In simple

terms, indictment is when someone is formally accused of a crime. Trump’s indictment charge includes 30 counts related to business fraud, which include the situation involving Daniels. Further details on the charges are yet to be made public.

More will be known on Tuesday, when the former president is expected to voluntarily surrender and appear in court in New York. According to one of Trump’s lawyers, Susan Necheles, Trump has agreed to appear in court. Trump will be accompanied by one of his Secret Service agents throughout the trial.

Considering the polarized political climate of the United States, opinions on Trump’s indictment vary. Democrats claim that no one is above the law, and that the legal system has every right to investigate and charge the former president.

As former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi put it on Twitter, “The Grand Jury has acted upon the facts and the law.”

On the Republican side, opinions are strongly in favor of defending Trump. Trump himself has made a lengthy post on Truth Social, declaring his indictment to be an attack on the United States as a whole.

Supporters of the former president have taken a similar stance, believing the indictment to be politically motivated.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running against Trump for the 2024 GOP nomination, made an attack against district attorney Bragg, claiming that he was using the legal system to advance a political agenda.

One question a lot of people have is whether Trump will

face prison time or not. While it is still too early to tell, what is true is that Trump’s case will be a first for the United States. Because presidents keep their Secret Service protection for life, it is unlikely that Trump will be treated the same as a common prisoner throughout the lengthy process.

What many are also asking is if Trump will be able to run for president in 2024. Even if Trump is convicted, he will still be able to run for president. While the case is certainly a first in United States history, it does not bar Trump from being elected as president.

Some of the former presidents advisers believe that this case can even help Trump’s chances, as it shines the spotlight back on him and can be used to fire up his supporters.

While Trump may be able to use his indictment to drum up his most ardent support base, that may not be enough to help his chances in the 2024 presidential election.

According to political science professor Alison Dagnes, “The Republican party cannot bang the drum about their accomplishments. Instead, they must talk about Trump. It reminds everybody about what a chaos candidate Trump is.”

Dagnes also believes that this is only the beginning of the former president’s legal woes.

“He is going to drag the process out as long as possible,” she said. “For sure, there are more indictments coming in.”

More will be known on Tuesday when Trump appears in court in New York. A rundown of everything the former president is being charged with will be made public.

Senator elections to take place in April

Vice President of External Affairs Harun Pacavar announced that senator elections will occur on Monday, April 10, and SGA will be promoting the elections through social media. SGA also plans to have a table setup in the CUB for the election to get as much student involvement as possible.

Vice President of Student Groups Brea Neal shared insights from her recent trip to The Board of Student Government Presidents Conference in Pennwest, California.

“During the conference, I was able to network and connect with other passionate school SGA officers on their main discussions or issues that our schools are facing individually and collectively,” Neal said. “The sessions that I attended were building bridges, financial literacy, membership, budgeting for student clubs and student advocacy.”

Sen. Isabelle Schanaquer announced that President’s Hour will occur on Tuesday, April 4, in Naugle Hall’s MPR and that Relay For Life will occur overnight on March 31 from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Brajkovich announced that the office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will be holding an event on April 13 in the CUB MPR. For the event, the DEI office plans to have different tables at the event discussing empowerment, unconscious bias and mental health.

For board reports, SGA announced plans for a trip to Philadelphia on Thursday, April 6, for a 76ers game against the Miami Heat. Signups will start Monday, April 3, and there will be a $5 deposit.

SU’s Student Government Association also expressed frustrations with student media organizations during its public meeting on Thursday in the CUB MPR. During open discussions, members of SGA turned their attention toward student media, expressing dissatisfaction with how student media has been portraying them in past articles. SGA also accused the student media of a lack of fact-checking.

One of the concerns raised to SGA was how they pass fiscal decisions with only four Senators instead of six.

The SGA will hold its next meeting on Thursday, April 13, at 4 p.m. in the CUB MPR

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Come to our general meetings and learn more on Sundays at 2 p.m. in CUB 250. All majors are welcome!

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Former President Donald Trump was indicted on Thursday on the charge of using his wealth to silence an adult film star Stormy Daniels after she accused him of having an affair with her.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

In 2018, Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen (pictured) pleaded guilty to using Trump’s presidential campaign money to buy Daniels’ silence.

Evan Dillow Staff Contributor

PAGE Center hosts Trans Week of Visibility

The Shippensburg University Pride and Gender Equity (PAGE) Center hosted many events for Trans Week of Visibility, which took place from March 27 to 31. Throughout the week, various events including an open mic and game night, speakers and a potluck dinner took place.

To close out the week, the potluck welcomed students, staff and faculty to eat together and celebrate International Trans Day of Visibility.

The Trans Week of Visibility occurs annually during the week of March 31 — the International Transgender Day of Visibility. According to the PAGE Center website, the event was started in 2009 by Michigan-based transgender activist Rachel Crandall

as a way to elevate and celebrate the transgender communities and our many differences.

The PAGE Center central mission is to offer a focal point in making Shippensburg University a more inclusive, safer and more equitable environment for all university community members, particularly those in the LGBTQ+ community.

Jenna Cornell, a PAGE Center Peer Educator, said the PAGE Center is the combination of SU’s old Pride and Women’s Centers.

“We do a lot of advocacy work for students on campus who fall under these identities,” she said. “Furthermore, we are an educational resource/service and space that welcomes people of any identity.

“I assist in the planning, scheduling and presenting of

educational sessions in classrooms and at the center,” Cornell said. “Furthermore, I am a resource to students who may need help navigating our resources, or just need a peer to talk to. Lastly, as a peer educator I help make content for our social media accounts, the most popular being our Instagram (@shippagecenter). And I help in the coordination/ staffing of events.”

For the remainder of the spring semester, the PAGE Center plans to host queer prom on April 7, Take Back the Night on April 12, a sexual assault panel on April 20 and Lavender graduation on May 4.

The PAGE Center is located in CUB 232, and additional information can be found on its social media, @shippagecenter, or online.

Career Center hosts Internship and Job Fair

The Shippensburg University Career center hosted Career Week from March 23 to 30. The week was filled with professionally beneficial activities ranging from the Professional Dress Fashion show, the Dress Closet Open House, Resumania, DEI in the workplace and a Job and Internship Fair.

This year, the Job and Internship Fair took place on Thursday afternoon in Heiges Field House, where over 120 employers were present to accept resumes, hand out company swag, business cards, job offerings and more. Some of the more notable employer partners included Hershey Entertainment and Resorts, Northwestern Mutual and Clark Associates.

The event was well attended, although some students expressed interest to see more opportunities for education growth rather than career.

“The Internship and Job Fair was a great way to get prospects for my future, especially as someone who has no idea what they’re doing,” said Allyson Ritchey, a junior communication/journalism major.

“However, I wish there were more about grad schools than just what Shippensburg University provides.”

According to the career center’s website, its mission statement is to “provide student/alumni-centered career and professional development programs, experiences and learning opportunities to assist students to develop and achieve personal and professional goals. The center will implement career and professional development program initiatives through service-learning, employer and alumni collaboration, and outreach on and off the university campus to foster campus and community partnerships.”

The center also shares a vision for the Shippensburg campus where the focus is on creating an environment of studentcenteredness exhibiting professionalism, responsiveness, reflection, social responsibility and collaboration in order for students to realize and achieve their professional potential.

On the career center website, students and recent alumni can find information for career planning, on-campus employment opportunities and an event schedule. The

next event hosted by the career center will be the virtual PA Bankers Internship Workshop at 4 p.m. on April 18. For more

information, visit the career center’s website or social media (@shipcareer).

SU welcomes Shippo the Hippo for April Fool’s

Shippensburg University embraced the spirit of April Fool’s Day this past weekend and replaced beloved mascot Big Red with Shippo the Hippo for the day. Shippo was revealed on the university’s social media accounts Saturday morning before interacting with students across campus throughout the day.

The prank started early on Saturday, with the university posting a video message from President Charles Patterson on each of its social media accounts. He discussed how the ballots from the 2005 Shippensburg University mascot voting process were discovered during a recent cleanup of Old Main. A recount of the ballots was done and discovered an error in the original tally.

Patterson then mentioned how the university is committed to honoring the student voice, both past and present, and that the error must be corrected. He then stated that Big Red was retired as of March 31, and Shippo the Hippo is now the campus’ new mascot.

Shippo then made its debut alongside Patterson in the video, before spending the day around campus. Shippo was seen in Reisner Dining Hall, the CUB and a few other spots on campus at different parts of the day. Some students took the opportunity to pose (“hippose,” if you will) for a picture with Shippo.

Shippo the Hippo managed to have a

decent online presence Saturday as well. The Instagram page for Big Red changed its username to fit Shippo, with a pair of posts featuring Shippo being uploaded on Saturday. Intriguingly enough, Shippo was not a brand new idea. Shippo was the runner-up of the 2005 mascot election, and the result was said to be very close, with reports mentioning the strong contingent Shippo had behind it. In fact, a brick outside Stewart Hall today still mentions how Shippo deserved to win.

A large majority of students quickly realized the announcement was an April Fool’s joke, but those playing along with the bit had mostly positive reactions. Commenters on the president’s video discussed how they wanted Shippo merchandise to be available and saying how cute they were, but a few others wanted justice for Big Red.

The university posted a second video on its social media Saturday evening, featuring Shippo waving at the camera before Big Red came in and pushed them out of the way. Big Red then essentially put his hands out to the camera and the text “April Fool’s!” appeared. Comments on this one were much more negative, with people wanting Shippo to return immediately.

Overall, the university did quite well with its joke, taking a simple concept quite far.

The change even got picked up by a few local news stations, including CBS 21 and ABC 27. It was a fun escapade where those involved will remember it for a while to come.

Do you prefer Big Red or Shippo? Don’t worry… it’s a purely hippo-thetical question.

Paige Shope Managing Editor

Mason Flowers Staff Contributor

Piper Kull / The Slate

Bruce Suders, pictured left (he/him), and Cynthia Dodd, pictured right (they/ them) sit in the PAGE center during the potluck for Trans Visibility week.

Photo courtesy of Shippensburg University Shippo the hippo poses with SU President Charles Patterson in the initial announcement video on Sunday, April 1.

Photo courtesy of Shippensburg University Career Center

The schedule for Career Week hosted by the Shippensburg University Career Center which took place from March 23 to 30.

Paige Shope Managing Editor

This country cares more about guns than us

As a journalist, they teach you to be impartial. They teach you to not show biases and to report the news without showing a political stance. But with the recent events in Tennessee, I have to ask: When did children being murdered become a political issue? When did people being murdered in mass numbers on a near weekly basis become a political issue?

On Monday, March 27, the tragedy that occurred at The Covenant School, a private Christian elementary school in Nashville, left six people dead. Three of them were 9 years old. Children are dying in the classroom and yet what is being done about it right now? Nothing. Don’t get me wrong — there’s fighting and debating, but if you think for a second it is about why anyone can easily get a hold of literal death machines, you would be so terribly wrong.

The discussion is now focused on the gender identity of the shooter. Certain news outlets and politicians do not see children sheltered in fear for their lives. They see just another reason to remove the rights of trans people and spread their baseless fear of the LGBTQ+ community.

Gender identity is not the problem — if gender was the problem, then they would note that in a study by the National Institute of Justice, 97.7% of mass shooting perpetrators were male. To take it one step further, that same study showed that 52.3% of those shooters were white. So, if gender really is the issue, then we should not be worried about transgender people. We should be worried about cisgender white males.

However, I must reiterate that gender is not the problem because a lot of politics

nowadays is discriminatory. Whether it be toward gender, pro-gun or anti-gun, red or blue, black or white, above all things you know what never discriminates? Guns. Guns will kill anyone, and they are going to keep killing everyone until the political rhetoric stops and proper action is taken.

Newsflash — that proper action is not arming teachers, putting more police in schools, and it especially does not mean more guns. In studies conducted by NBC News, graphical data clearly shows that as the manufacturing of guns has increased, so has the number of child deaths caused by guns.

In 2021, there were a reported 4,021 guns for every 100,000 people in the United States (thetrace.org). Amongst senators Mitt Romney, Richard Burr, Thom Tillis, Roy Blunt and Joni Ernst, they have received a collective $34,488,363 in funding from the NRA. But hey, I’m sure those million-dollar donations do not ever sway the decision making of any of those lawmakers whatsoever.

Look, I am not out here saying that banning guns outright is the solution, but we cannot keep going as a country without any kind of common-sense gun laws. Here are just some of the bare minimum gun laws that can be put in place that may seem like very small changes, but in the long-term would show a significantly positive decrease in gun violence.

For starters, requiring background checks on every purchase of a firearm. Having a three-day waiting period before that person receives their firearm after said background check. Enact Ethan’s Law, which is named after Ethan Song, who unfortunately lost his life in 2018 after a friend’s father had not properly secured a firearm. The law would make it a punishable offense for any injury or death of a minor due to a firearm not being

properly stored. Even if that is “too much” for some lawmakers to wrap their heads around, can we agree to put laws of any kind in place against assault weapons? There is no recreational or security use for assault weapons. That’s just how it is. These are military grade weapons designed with the sole purpose of killing, and that is what they keep doing. There are laws that would limit any ammunition magazine to no more than 10 rounds. Or, even a crazier idea — banning assault weapons outright.

Here’s the unfortunate truth of the matter — on top of the mountain of unfortunate truths we’ve discussed, a certain percentage of the country’s population still does not believe in this epidemic. They would rather make excuses and complicate things further.

Recently, the Shippensburg Borough Council approved an initiative by local law enforcement to have school resource officers in the Shippensburg Area School District. Many schools all over the country seem to be hiring these officers. Does no one see the problem here? We now have armed officers in elementary schools.

Some other schools have installed special barricades on doors, and there’s always the “classic” arming teachers argument. Heck, my high school had buckets filled with river stones put in every single classroom so students could arm themselves. Why do we feel the solution is to put more and more things into our schools when it is much easier if we pass laws that would keep the one thing we want out of our schools out?

I am 21 years old, and for half of my life now I thought I would not live to see the day, and with how little some people seem to care, I think it will be a miracle if I live to see my next birthday or the one after that. I have accepted now that at some point in my life I will

either be a survivor or a victim of one, if not multiple, mass shootings. I love to joke with people that the reason I do not want to have children of my own is because I hate them.

The sad truth is, why would I want to raise a child in this world knowing that I could lose them one day to gun violence? If I am going to have a child, I want to have them in a world in which I can put them on the school bus and not have to worry if the next time I’m going to see them is on a slab.

If you do not like hypotheticals, then here is a real situation for you. My father is an officer for the Pennsylvania State Police. For any member of law enforcement, the deadliest call you can respond to is a domestic dispute. According to Sanctuary for Families. org, three women are killed every day by an intimate partner, and “abusers with guns are five times more likely to kill their victims.” As of 2017, domestic disturbances are also the leading cause of death for police officers. Can you see why I am constantly living in a perpetual state of fear? I not only have to worry about my life but the rest of my family.

The worst part about all of this is that this article is going to change nothing. I could write 10 pages, or I could write 100 pages, but the state of denial and numbness we have damned ourselves to is irreversible. The discussion of the tragedy in Tennessee will fade. Innocent blood will keep being shed. Lawmakers will come and go, false promises of change will fall on deaf ears of those in power and we will keep spinning in circles until we are all just another statistic to be ignored. If there is one glimmer of hope to be had, it is this — remember the names of those in Tennessee and everywhere else.

Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, William Kinney, Katherine Koonce, Cynthia Peak and Mike Hill.

The U.S. is following Germany’s pre-war footsteps

Last year, I drew a comparison between the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol to the Munich Beer Hall Putsch of 1923 in Germany. Since writing that article, I have found myself noticing other similarities between our modern predicament and the history of Germany in the interwar period.

The Beer Hall Putsch was the Nazis’ first attempt at seizing power in Germany. Nazi paramilitary soldiers marched from a beer hall in central Munich to the city center in an attempt to seize the Bavarian Defense Ministry. The mob was stopped by a group of just 130 soldiers, and many of the perpetrators — including Adolf Hitler — were arrested and convicted of treason.

A decade later, in 1933, the Nazi Party won a majority in the German parliament, cementing their rule. Just a few months later, that government outlawed all political parties except for the ruling Nazi Party. Thankfully, we have not reached that point yet. But we are inching closer.

Far-right elements of the Republican Party have exhibited such intentions. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has suggested stripping Democrats of their voting rights if they move to a red state. Florida Republicans have even introduced a bill that would ban the Democratic party.

This past week, our nation experienced yet another tragic school shooting. There is plenty to be said about such events and their frequency, but that is its own article. Instead, it is the identity of the shooter that is of concern. As conservative media has been unrelenting in reporting, the assailant was transgender.

Conservative pundits like Tucker Carlson have jumped on this fact, using it as an opportunity to further anti-trans rhet-

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oric. Carlson described the “trans movement” as militant and dangerous, and suggested that it was the “natural enemy” of Christianity. When Dylann Roof — a neo-nazi and white supremacist — killed nine people in a predominantly Black church in Charleston in 2015, there were no such claims of an attack on Christianity.

The reason is clear enough — the right is already targeting transgender people, and for them, this latest tragedy is a perfect opportunity to capitalize on. By attributing the shooter’s motives to their “trans-ness,” conservative commentators hope to advance their inquisition against the trans community.

When I saw how the right was reacting, I was reminded of another event in Germany’s interwar history. In November 1938, a German-born Jew named Herschel Grynszpan shot and mortally wounded Ernst vom Rath, a German diplomat. Nazi leadership seized the moment to further their persecution of Germany’s Jewish populace.

The shooting of vom Rath was used as the pretext for what became known as Kristallnacht — the Night of Broken Glass. Across Germany, thousands of Jewish stores, homes and synagogues were vandalized, burned and destroyed. Over 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps. Returning to the present, it would appear that we are aimed in a similar direction. Republican lawmakers and commentators have already begun to act. Rep. Greene has suggested that hormone replacement therapy was to blame (there has been no evidence that the Nashville shooter was taking HRT). Charlie Kirk, founder of the far-right group Turning Point USA, suggested banning gender-affirming care as a reaction to the shooting.

Like the Nazi’s exploiting the death of vom Rath, the Republican Party wants to exploit this opportunity as pretext to enact collective punishment on a vulnerable group because of

an individual’s actions.

In another article last year, titled “The Right is Laying the Foundation for Genocide,” I argued that elements of the farright were pushing the Republican party toward genocidal intentions against the queer community, especially trans people. The recent events in Nashville seem to support such an idea. I mentioned in that article that we had not progressed to the “Preparation” stage — now we have. The right is framing their acts and intentions as self-defense, just as was done in Germany. We are at a dangerous crossroads as a country. It may already be too late to stop us from continuing down our current path, following in Germany’s footsteps. If we want to avoid such horrors, we as a country need to unite against the bigotry the right represents.

Photo courtesy of Ted Eytan GOP lawmakers have targeted many transgender rights.

Adam Beam Asst. Opinion Editor

Ian Thompson Staff Contributor

One of the worst things for me as a writer, and especially as a creative writer, is the infamous case of writer’s block.

For those of you who do not know, writer’s block is basically the absence of ideas for a writing piece — whether it be for novels, songs, poems or even articles in a journalist’s case. The overarching question when it comes to writer’s block is, “What do I write?”

I find myself asking this question a lot with both my articles and my creative writing. For the past month and a half, I could not think of a single thing to write about. Then, it hit me. I thought to myself, “I’ll write about what’s been keeping me from writing.”

However, I am not here to just write about writer’s block. Over the years, I have learned a few tips and tricks on how to get back on my feet and start writing again.

The first tip I have is to just start writing. It does not have to be perfect. It does not even have to make that much

How to combat it

sense. Just. Start. Writing. Slap your ideas onto a piece of paper or Word document. Get your hands moving, get your brain working and worry about the details later. I have found that this works a lot with my creative writing.

The second tip I have is to ask around for some ideas and build your own off of those. I cannot even begin to say how many times I have asked my boyfriend or my friends what I should write about. When it comes to asking for ideas, I like to build my own idea based off of those ideas. It is always good to ask for some help.

The third and final tip I have is simple: music. Music always gives me inspiration to write, especially anything fantasythemed. Listening to music gets my brain moving and thinking of ideas. This really only works for me when it comes to writing stories, but it could be helpful in writing articles, too. While these tips were rather short and simple, they can be very helpful when dealing with writer’s block. Get those ideas flowing, grab your laptop or a pen and get to writing.

Hear Me Out: ASL Education is necessary for everyone

Shively Asst. Ship Life Editor

During my year of community college, I was lucky enough to be offered the opportunity to take an American Sign Language (ASL) course. I had taken ASL classes in high school before, though my class was taught by a hearing teacher, so it was not as immersive. However, during my year of ASL taught by a deaf professor, I consider it to be the class that has educated me most. I was able to learn about the history of an entire culture and gain perspective for their way of life. While my ASL course was certainly the most enriching one I have taken, I continue to wonder how different would the world be if they knew what I had learned?

The most important piece of knowledge that has stuck with me is this — deaf people do not need your sympathy. The deaf community is an immersive community in which members can befriend those with shared experiences. They have their own humor, traditions and stories. While they are without their sense of hearing, they celebrate what makes them different. They could, however, use a breath of fresh air for the way the hearing world treats them as outsiders. This is mostly due to the lack of deaf education in schools.

While it is important to learn about the experiences of those who are different from us, I have experienced many instances in which the use of ASL could be extremely help-

Being a woman is... so much more

Paige Shope Managing Editor

Recently, The Slate published an article in the Ship Life section detailing what “Being a woman is…” for Women’s History Month. As I read the article, I noticed a trend where women were boiled down to outfits, makeup, chick-flicks, jewelry and period problems. To me, being a woman is so much more than the stereotypical cliches that people are so used to pinning to women’s chests.

Being a woman is growing into strength and having compassion. Being a woman is showing up for other women and having their backs. It is making sure you watch as your girlfriend gets out of the car and enters her apartment safely. Being a woman is when you notice the eyes of another woman speaking back to you on the subway, on the street, in class sharing something only you two could understand. In Well and Good’s article, “13 Women open up about what being a woman in 2020 means to them,” 49-year-old Melody Maia Monet, a trans woman, expressed that being a woman, “is a living, breathing, undeniable force that lies deep within me.”

Being a woman is not about what you wear or what movies you watch or how

your makeup looks. Being a woman is loving and dancing and singing and being unapologetically yourself. Being a woman is a mindset. A mindset where you know that the world is fighting against you, but you continue to be resilient and relentless pushing yourself and proving yourself to others while rising with your fellow sisters.

In the same article by Well and Good, 27-year-old Sarah Barrett expresses: “I think being a woman…is breaking all those stereotypes and not being what everyone expects a woman to be. As someone who identifies as so many things, you can’t put me in a little box that other people might think ‘Oh she’s this or that.’ I’m a multifaceted person.”

Being a woman is so much more than giggling and obsessing over boy bands. Being a woman is the journey from childhood to adulthood. It is the lessons you learn, and the mistakes you make. It is growth, triumph, denial and failure. Being a woman is not wearing lip gloss and wearing an excessive amount of pink, (not to say that it cannot be), but knowing that the things we like, and wear do not define our person. Being a woman is strength in sisterhood and claiming ownership of that title, a title that carries so much power. Being a woman is so much more.

ful. For example, one weekend I was with a friend of mine at a function that was playing some (very) loud music. Any attempt to speak to one another would have resulted in some strained vocal cords.

The friend I was with knew some basic ASL. At one point in the night when we were separated from one another, I caught her eye and she signed to me from across the room, “You OK?” I nodded and signed back “Yes, I’m fine. You?” She nodded. We then discussed our plans for the rest of the night without having to make our way over to one another. I was able to use signing to ensure my friend was safe from across the room using just as much effort as speaking.

There are many other instances in which using sign becomes convenient, such as discussing something important in a movie theater or talking while eating. Another friend recently lost her voice and could only communicate through texting, nodding or shaking her head, to which I joked to myself, “hm-m-m, if only there were a faster way for her to communicate with me without using her voice.”

There are also many thrilling tidbits of knowledge within deaf culture. Did you know that the American football huddle was created by deaf players?

The circular huddle began at Gallaudet University in 1894 when the team realized while communicating with each other, the opposing team may be able to see their signs. Thus, the huddle was invented so

they could sign to one another in secret.

Another reason why people should learn ASL is because signing is so inherently beautiful. There are signs I have learned that make me smile simply because they look exactly how the word sounds. For example, the phrase “I’m confused” is shown by touching your fingertip to your temple and then moving your hands in front of you in opposite directions, signaling that your brain is hazy. As someone who is often fearful of choosing the wrong words, I feel I can articulate what I am trying to say more easily through ASL. I can confidently infer that babies feel the same way. Studies have shown that learning signs and gestures can have many benefits for young children. A study conducted by Michigan State University concluded that most babies have the physical dexterity and cognitive ability to learn some form of sign language at about eight months. This allows young children to express needs and thoughts and reduces frustration due to communication barriers.

Overall, normalizing the use of American Sign Language not only is a convenient way for people to communicate with one another, but is also a great opportunity for society to gain a deeper understanding of one another by making each other feel included. In normalizing the use of ASL, we can break down the invisible barrier between the deaf and hearing worlds.

Give it a Thought: Students don’t know about events

Chase Slenker Staff Columnist

Many students, particularly firstyear students, often remark how they feel there is little to do on campus during the weekends or on evenings in general. Upon first arriving at Shippensburg, I felt the same way; however, upon learning more about our campus and getting involved in many organizations, I have learned there is actually an astronomical number of activities in which to participate.

Three main reasons exist for why students do not know about events. Firstly, students do not know where to find out about events on campus. Secondly, students often ignore the various advertising around campus. Finally, students are often hesitant to try something new or to get involved in the life of the campus, so they feel as if there is never anything to do.

My realization on this whole situation came from an email I received from a first-year student asking me to try and coordinate more events on campus, as she felt there was never

anything to do but to party on weekends. My email response included how I sympathized with her that there was never a clear outline to first-year students that outlined how to find out about events on campus; however, I outlined many different ways to “get in the loop.”

First, I pointed out that many of the main programming organizations (APB, MSA, RHA, etc.) have social media accounts where they regularly promote their events. Additionally, campus media and SGA frequently share various campus events including athletic events. Secondly, I directed her to the campus online-event page (https://www.ship.edu/events) and to the campus master calendar.

In addition to these online resources and promotions, thousands of posters abound across campus that promote events all the time.

Campus is covered with advertisements for events, yet students claim that they have no clue of events going on across campus. How can this be?

The student population walks right past the advertisements, tunes out the

announcements and scrolls right past the Instagram post. We as students are often part of our own dilemmas. Students, including myself, often hesitate to try something new. We find our niche and we stay in it. It is human nature for us to stay where it is comfortable. If our niche is not doing something on a Thursday evening, one might be bored and wonder what there is to do. However, they tuned out the other 20 different things going on that evening, not to mention the many events and programs that run throughout the semester like open swim at the pool, intramural sports, book clubs, guest speakers, religious services, musical groups, cooking classes, video game competitions and so much more.

Despite what some believe, there is so much to do on our campus every day. We just do not all know where to find out about events. We tune out the advertisements and are hesitant to try something new and break outside our comfort zones. I encourage you to try something new — read a poster and get involved.

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Ship Life

Residence Hall Association hosts movie-themed Mocktail Night

Joel DiFilippo Staff Contributor

Various Shippensburg

University groups gathered in the Ceddia Union Building Multi-Purpose Room

Wednesday to participate in the Residence Hall Association’s annual Mocktail event for bragging rights and hundreds of dollars in prizes.

The participating groups each concocted their own non-alcoholic mocktail based on a movie of their choice. They set up their own tables before doors opened for students to taste test the drinks alongside the volunteer judges. “The theme for the event overall is movies because we wanted to pick a topic that was fun, but it was also broad enough that students could also be creative with whatever they decided to go with for their individual tables,” RHA President Adam Beam said.

Other participating or-

ganizations showed a great display of creative mocktails as well, some even inventing their own original drinks.

The Shippensburg University Acting Group, who invented their own original mocktails for the event with “The Bee Movie” in mind as a theme. According to Shamus Landis, secretary of the Acting Group, “The one over there is made by Emma (Barrow); Honey lemon, Simple syrup with club soda; and the one over here is my own concoction. Lemonade, a bit of soda water, ginger beer, lemon juice, and tabasco.”

There were many other eclectic drinks displayed during the night, including a “Bend and Snap” inspired by “Legally Blonde” from the Criminal Justice Club, a “Jaws” Bloodbath drink presented by Naugle Hall, and SUTV (Shippensburg University Television) brought a sense of nostalgia with a “Napoleon Dynamite” themed

Virgin Mai Tai.

Lastly, The Slate held a “Twilight” vote between Team Edward and Team Jacob, each with their own respective drink. For Team Edward, a drink composed of cranberry apple juice, ginger ale and luster dust for an extra shine. Whereas for Team Jacob, a darker drink from blackberry and pomegranate, with raw sugar coating the rims of the cups was made.

Ultimately, Women’s Rugby earned the fan favorite award for their “Inside Out” themed drink.

Additionally, the firstplace prize went to McCune Hall, who brought the “Lorax” to Shippensburg in the form of a Plushie as well as the Truffula tree with their drink “The Truffula Tree Drop.”Student Ambassadors earned the runner-up title with a creative “Inside Out” theme, complete with costumes and drinks based on a flavor coinciding with each of

the moods.

In third place, WSYC had a Peaches and Crème drink from the movie “Call Me By Your Name.”

The Mocktail event overall had the MPR very lively with many organizations showing up to have fun showing off their creative mocktails with great enthusiasm toward the theme.

This year’s mocktail event, all in all, had a much more successful turnout than the last.

“It was a topic we really thought any student group that competed would be both interested in and that they could do some creative stuff with it. We didn’t want to do anything that was too niche. Like last year we did 2000s nostalgia, and we didn’t really get a lot of participation, but this year we had such a great turn out, and I think it was because we picked a topic people can get a lot more creative with,” Beam said.

SU Foundation hosts 30th annual scholarship dinner

The Shippensburg University Foundation hosted the 30th annual “Spirit of Generosity” scholarship dinner March 28.

Over 300 individuals were gathered in the Tuscarora Room in Reisner Dining Hall to honor scholarship benefactors and 2022-2023 SU scholarship recipients.

The ceremony began with an introduction by Director of Major Gift, Lani Longarzo and a beautiful invocation by Reverend Larry Hummer. Afterwards, scholarship recipients, faculty, administrators and benefactors enjoyed a delicious meal and mouth-watering chocolate cake provided by Aramark Food Services.

Concert Choir to make SU history with Baltics trip

Shippensburg University’s Concert

Choir is preparing to embark on a 10day trip this May across the Baltic states of Eastern Europe: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

The group of 35 (21 students, along with various guests) will be led by SU Professor and Choir Director Elizabeth Shoenfelt Aragunde. On May 9, they will fly from D.C. to Frankfurt, Germany, and then to Tallinn, Estonia.

The trip will mark the farthest east any SU ensemble has traveled.

The choir will spend about three days in each country and will perform one song in each country’s native language. This is a solo trip for SU, so they will be the only group performing in a number of concert halls and churches.

“We are the only people in concert, and we expect the venues where we’re singing will be really full because they love hearing American choirs,” Aragunde said. “We are doing a lot of American music…some gospel, one piece each in Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian. They want to hear us do our stuff. They want to hear happy-clappy gospel.”

Logistically, the trip comes with a price tag of about $150,000. There has

been some support from the SU Foundation and small-scale fundraisers, but the trip is almost entirely student funded. Each student will pay roughly $2,500.

The SU Concert Choir has a storied history of taking international trips every four years, and after visiting Ireland in 2019, Aragunde was drawn to the Baltics and their unique musical history.

“They were under Soviet rule for many, many years. Very violent times, lots of oppression, and the arts were dramatically impacted. They were not allowed to sing anything in their own languages,” Aragunde said.

In the late 1980s, hundreds of thousands of Estonians gathered together in song to defy Soviet rule and eventually declare independence.

“While there were other forces at play, the simplified version is that Russians saw this and stopped their tanks. They were able to peacefully, without any bloodshed, gain their independence,” Aragunde said. “Every year in the Baltic states, there are huge singing festivals with choirs of 20 to 30 thousand people singing in these huge amphitheaters that are dedicated to promoting song and promoting the choral tradition. It is an intricate part of who they are and their history.”

There is a unique geopolitical aspect to the choir’s trip, as the countries they will visit are either direct neighbors of or near both Russia and Ukraine. When Aragunde visited the region to scope out locations last July, she could feel the “very palpable anti-Russian sentiment.”

“‘Go ahead and try’ is kind of the attitude in the Baltics. You really wouldn’t know how close you actually are, except for the fact that you’re seeing Ukraine flags everywhere. Life is essentially unaltered except for the very open hatred toward Russia,” Aragunde said.

When they aren’t performing, the Concert Choir will have plenty of time for sightseeing, including taste testing Latvian chocolate that is so good “you would punch a nun for it,” Aragunde said.

“I’m very excited because, as a college student, being able to go abroad in a way that’s relatively cheap, especially not having to plan any of it yourself, and it works perfectly with your academic schedule – those are things you don’t really get. In terms of ease, this is phenomenal,” Concert Choir PR Director Sophia Smith said.

To prepare for their upcoming performances, the SU Concert Choir will host a concert at the Shippensburg First Church of God on April 17 at 8 p.m.

During the dinner, scholarship recipients were seated with their benefactors. This allowed recipients the chance to meet their benefactors and personally thank them for their gifts.

“Having the opportunity to sit and actually meet with the person that is responsible for funding my scholarship is an incredible experience,” junior Lindsey Foor said.

After the conclusion of the dinner, the Shippensburg University Foundation invited three SU scholarship recipients to say a few words as a way to thank the benefactors for their continuous generosity and support of Shippensburg students over the last 30 years. The speakers were senior business administration major Erica Weaver, senior electrical engineering major Christopher Higgins and senior special and early childhood education major Courtney Graf.

Weaver received the Boyer & Ritter LLC Impact Scholarship as well as the

Ken and Ginny Gill Scholarship for Business Related Degrees. Higgins received the Skills Excavating Inc. Brandon E. Skiles Memorial Scholarship. Graf received the Dr. Kimberly L. Bright Scholarship, the Class of 1908-Earle H. Schaeffer Scholarship and is a part of the Shippensburg University Foundation Scholars Program.

In addition to the scholarship recipient speakers, the Shippensburg University Foundation was excited to invite benefactors Gary and Mary Jo Grove to the stage. The Groves have been active leaders and gift givers within the Shippensburg University community since the early 2000s. The couple has dedicated much of their time and personal finances to supporting SU students and scholarships.

“We feel that Shippensburg is a part of our family and we want to help them in any way we can,” Mary Jo said.

More specifically, the couple created not one but two new scholarships in order to support Shippensburg STEM students.

The Gary L. Grove STEM Scholarship and the Mary Jo Kreider Grove STEM scholarship are full-tuition scholarships that are awarded to a male and female student who is majoring in engineering, technology and mathematics.

Alongside the Grove family scholarships, the Shippensburg University Foundation announced ten other new scholarships that were awarded to students for the first time this year.

The Spirit of Generosity scholarship dinner continues to be a special tradition for Shippensburg University and many who were present stated that they look forward to the reunion again in 2024.

Who wears the pants? Gender and fashion in the 1920s and ’30s

Piper Kull

Editor in Chief

Pants are certainly a staple in anyone’s wardrobe these days –especially jeans. Yet, trousers were not always for everyone. Before 1930, it was unacceptable for a woman to wear true pants unless they were a specific type of pant meant for sleeping, work or sports activity. Such garments were not worn in the public eye and considered immodest. Many articles of clothing that women wear today were somewhat socially restricted and only meant for men’s use. The 1920s saw the beginning of change.

At the beginning of the 20s, women were given the right to vote. This legislative decision led to many women feeling more empowered and in charge of their lives.

Dresses became more simplistic so that women could dress themselves; they also became notably shorter and sleeveless to show off the legs and arms when dancing. Sportswear also became stylish off the court for women, where it had only been acceptable for men before. At Shippensburg University, or the Cumberland Valley State Normal School, sportswear was also in style. The Fashion Archives

highlights some of these styles. Myrtle M. Shipp was a part of the Girls Athletic Association and wore the gym outfit pictured on the right during her time at the school. The outfit on the left belonged to Helen Drais, who graduated in 1921. While women did not wear pants, bloomers like those on the left were acceptable sportswear. The sailor-style blouse, or middy, also reflects the inspiration taken from men’s styles in the 20s. 1920s style focused on obtaining a gamine body type through somewhat boxy dresses and bobbed hair. This style was nicknamed “La Gar-

conne,” from the French for “boyish.” La Garconne fashion pushed the boundaries of what was appropriate for women, which also fell in line with ideas about the “New Woman” of the 20s. These women drank, smoked, danced, and dated somewhat freely; activities that were not seen as ladylike. 1920s Fashion and Music jokes that “women of the 1920’s knew how to infuriate their mothers and grandmothers and the La Garconne style was an apt way to achieve this.”

The style consisted of more masculine styles and integrated androgynous aspects. While women

still sported strings of pearls and lipstick, they also embraced ties, hats and dresses that resembled suits. Coco Chanel introduced the first suit for women in the 20s, and this encouraged women to take even more charge over their lives in the workforce, another male dominated area. Where the 20s were daring and raucous, the 1930s were more conservative. The bias-cut ruled evening wear, creating a body-skimming fit.

Adam Beam/The Slate

McCune’s mocktail team stands beside its Lorax themed table.

Olivia Faenza/The Slate

From left: CJM students Bailey Cassada, Allyson Ritchey, Olivia Faenza, Madison Griffith, and Ryan Cleary.

Olivia Faenza PR Director

Connor Nizczak

Asst. Copy Editor

A draw-dropping Senior Art Exhibit

soaked a white towel in the red liquid and began wiping it all over her skin and white dress.

Braet later spoke about the performance.

roy. Both paintings were of places he has been — “Columbia” of his hometown and “Bermuda” of a picture he took on vacation with his family.

The Senior Art Exhibit opening reception took place Saturday at the Kauffman Gallery in Huber Arts Center.

The gallery featured senior art and design majors Heather Barley, Kimberly Braet, Cameron Conroy, Kaitlyn Durff, Mariana Espinosa, Sarah Lieberman, Carlos Mora-Fallas and Alexis Woodring. Each artist was given the chance to speak about their work that they had shown.

Braet displayed a remarkable performance piece called “Cleanse.” The audience watched as Braet picked up a white pitcher and poured red liquid into a bowl placed beside her. She

“I love the red and white contrast.” Braet said. She told the audience her primary focus was to represent “trauma, abuse and violence.”

Other seniors, such as Espinosa and Durff, wanted to bring attention to the environment and real-world social issues. Durff used secondhand recycled material in her artwork to show that “nature can reclaim itself.”

The audience could be heard giving “oohs” and “aahs” when carefully observing the many pieces. Some of those expressions were directed toward the oil paintings “Columbia” and “Bermuda” that were presented by Con-

“They represent more of a broad scale of human life. We often overlook detail,” Conroy said.

Graphic design major Lieberman uses her creativity as her motivation to create artwork. She had on display pictures of mini scenes and mini replicas that each had gravely intricate detail.

“There is an emotion and story into each piece if you look close enough to each one,” Lieberman said.

She discovered at a young age that art was her passion. Audience members often got

close to her pieces to detect the detail placed into her unique tiny art.

“To me, this is how I feel happy and makes me feel like a free spirit,” Woodring said during her presentation of her astonishing digital photography. Her photos consisted of a nature theme that the audience was receptive to.

Mora-Fallas’ pieces were “aimed to understand the relationship that space has on us.” His goal was to capture how the space around us affects us.

All the artists put in plenty of effort and took extensive time to create their variety of works. The Senior Art Exhibit will be open until April 7 and available online April 17, 2023 – March 1, 2024.

SU students participate in the SUAG Improv

on April 1.

SUAG brings laughs to Orndorff Theatre

Carmine Scicchitano

Multimedia Director

SU students took part in the SUAG Improv Show on Saturday night, where everything was made up and the points did not matter.

Starting at 7 p.m. in Orndorff Theatre, the six students did their best to come up with skits on the spot to entertain audiences.

Inspired by the game show “Whose Line Is It Anyway,” which debuted in 1998, the improv group played several different styles of games to test their improvisational abilities.

And while it may not have featured the cast’s main members like Wayne Brady, Ryan Stiles or Colin Mochrie, the students still tried their best to create entertaining scenes for the audience.

The games they played included the questions game, scenes from a hat, the dating game, sixty to ten and more.

The audience even had chances to get involved, shouting out scene suggestions they wanted to see acted out.

During the dating game, the scenes ranged from simple ideas, such as a contestant being the host’s father, to more unique ones like the contestant falling in love with a chair.

If you’re interested in more improv comedy, then you are in luck. The Whose Live Anyways tour — featuring Colin Mochrie, Ryan Stiles, Jeff Davis and Joel Murray — will be coming to the Luhrs Performing Arts Center on April 28.

Abbygale Hockenberry

Staff Contributor

Grace Harbour / The Slate

Cameron Conroy’s oil painting of his hometown, “Columbia,” and Heather Barley’s styrofoam, tissue paper and acrylic paint sculpture, “SLEEPER 01.”

Carmine Scicchitano / The Slate

Show

Boygenius performed at the WFUV Public Radio studio in November 2018. Boygenius released their debut album “The Record” on March 31.

Boygenius’ ‘The Record’ is an ode to friendship

The indie-rock trio Boygenius released its debut album “The Record” on Friday — its five-year comeback after releasing a self-titled EP in 2018.

Boygenius consists of singer-songwriters Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. Baker and Dacus met in 2016 after Baker spotted Dacus in the dressing room of a venue reading “The Portrait of a Lady.” They immediately bonded over literature and their Southern roots. Baker and Bridgers met a month later and exchanged literary recommendations in an email thread.

After the trio was booked together on a triple bill, they decided to head into the studio. What they thought would be just one song, turned into six. The six songs then became the Boygenius EP.

“It was not like falling in love,” Bridgers said to Rolling Stone. “It was falling in love.”

Boygenius went on a small tour in November 2018 before the trio continued to pursue their own solo ventures. Since then, the trio was

constantly asked if they would ever reunite. During the 2020 pandemic, Bridgers sent the demo of “Emily I’m Sorry” to her bandmates, asking them, “Can we be a band again?”

They worked on writing in April and August of 2021, and went into the studio in January 2022 to record what would be their debut album, “The Record.”

“The Record” opens with an oldtimey, acapella melody led by Dacus. “Without You Without Them” captures the longing of wanting to be part of someone’s life — “Who would I be without you, without them?”

Boygenius released three songs from “The Record” in January: “$20,” “Emily I’m Sorry” and “True Blue.” Each one of the songs has a different feel, unique to each one of the boys.

“$20” is evidently a Baker song, with the soft punk and rock vibes. Baker told Rolling Stone that the song is about the “wanting-to-pokethe-bear impulse” she is trying to mitigate, and it is also inspired by Bernie Boston’s Vietnam protest photograph “Flower Power.”

“Emily I’m Sorry,” led by Bridgers, is a melancholic song about

asking someone for forgiveness. It is reminiscent of a song that would appear on Bridgers’ 2020 album “Punisher.” This feeling also comes across in the song “Revolution 0.” Baker and Dacus join Bridgers in the chorus, and it’s almost like they are comforting her as they sing along.

“True Blue” is Dacus’ expression of love to Baker and Bridgers — “It feels good to be known so well/I can’t hide from you like I hide from myself.” It describes how you become your best self around the ones you love. The definition of “true blue” itself is “unwavering in one’s commitment; extremely loyal.”

“Cool About It” is a dreamy, folky tune inspired by Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Boxer.” It describes a relationship in which one person wants the other to be honest about their lack of feelings: “Wishin’ you were kind enough to be cruel about it.”

“Not Strong Enough” is a nod to Sheryl Crow’s “Strong Enough.” In the song, Boygenius describes how they lack the ability to be what another person needs: “The way I am/ Not strong enough to be your man.” The song could also be a nod to

Will Marvel actor’s arrest impact the MCU?

Abbygale Hockenberry Staff Contributor

Actor Jonathan Majors was arrested Saturday, March 25, and faces alleged harassment and assault charges. This caused the actor to receive backlash from fans and the public. The investigation is still taking place. Majors’ team is currently collecting evidence to prove his innocence and clear his name.

Majors’ most recent appearances are in “Creed III” and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as Kang the Conqueror in “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania.”

Other news sources have revealed that Marvel has spoken to Majors’ team about what will happen once more evidence is found. As of right now, Marvel is unable to do anything in response to his arrest, as the case is still pending. Marvel is taking the “innocent until proven guilty” approach. If evidence proves that he’s innocent, most likely he will continue to play his role as Kang and they will work on clearing his name. If evidence proves that he is guilty, most likely his signed contract with Marvel will cease.

Since Marvel is owned by Disney, it would be no surprise if they fired Majors if it is confirmed that he is guilty. In the past, Disney has fired several actors apart

of scandals due to the fact that it would gain negative fallout.

Marvel fans are on the edge of their seats waiting to hear the results of this case. This will heavily impact the MCU. Majors plays the role of the new “big bad” of Phases 5 and 6. Marvel has centralized and planned its upcoming movies and shows around his villainous character. Majors plays a huge role in the MCU, and his arrest will obviously affect the future movies if he gets fired from his role.

It is uncertain as to what plan of action Marvel might do if he is fired, but it has replaced actors in the past. In “Iron Man,” actor Terrence Howard, who played James Rhodes, was replaced by Don Cheadle in the sequel. Jonathan Majors has only appeared twice as Kang in “Loki” and “AntMan and the Wasp: Quantumania.” With only two appearances, it is plausible that Marvel could replace the actor without much indemnification; although, it has been confirmed that the entire cast will reprise their roles in Season 2 of “Loki.” That goes without saying that Season 2 has already been filmed with Majors included. If Majors gets terminated from his role, it will create an immense domino effect on the entire MCU, and it may be the start of the downfall of the beloved fan base.

their band name, which they coined based on the high praise that male artists receive over women. The bridge repeats the words “Always an angel, never a god.”

In “Leonard Cohen,” Dacus describes a drive she took with Baker and Bridgers. Bridgers showed them a song and she got so passionate about it that she started driving in the wrong direction. Baker and Dacus did not have the heart to tell her until the song was over. “You felt like an idiot adding an hour to the drive/But it gave us more time to embarrass ourselves.”

Dacus refers back to “True Blue,” saying, “I might like you less now that you know me so well.” The song feels like another love song to her friends, like “True Blue” is. It concludes with all three of them singing the words “I never thought you’d happen to me.”

“We’re In Love” is another love ballad to Baker and Bridgers from Dacus. She begins the song by saying, “You could absolutely break my heart/That’s how I know we’re in love.” At the end of the song, she asks, “If you rewrite your life, may I still play a part? /In the next one, will you find me?” Dacus is saying

that even if they hurt her, she still loves them and will look for them.

The album concludes with the song “Letter To An Old Poet,” in which Bridgers describes wanting to get over a toxic relationship. There is a moment at the end of the song where it parallels “Me & My Dog” from their self-titled EP. For longtime fans of Boygenius, it was a full circle moment to hear Bridgers sing the same melody from “Me & My Dog” with different lyrics.

All three members of Boygenius are amazing on their own — Baker with her gritty vocals, Bridgers with her “mellow” lyricism and Dacus with her songbird way of telling stories. However, when you combine those three elements, it turns into something magical.

“The Record” sends a powerful message of friendship. Each member has their own story to tell, but you can sense that they are cheering each other on. Boygenius tells the story of how they truly know one another — and choose to keep loving each other anyway.

Tricky Sudoku

Grace Harbour

Asst. A&E Editor

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Graybill’s record highlights track and field’s weekend

The Shippensburg Univerity Raiders track-and-field 4 X100 relay team broke a school record with a time of 46.63 over the weekend.

Nicola Pugge Asst. Sports Editor

Shippensburg University’s track-and -ield team achieved multiple records and NCAA Division II provisional qualifying marks at their meets this weekend — some at the Colonial Relays hosted by the College of William & Mary and some at the Millersville Metrics hosted by Millersville University.

Leah Graybill was the standout performer of the weekend, breaking the all-time 200-meter dash Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) record, enhancing her own school record in the 100-meter dash and helping to improve the school´s 4x100-meter-relay record.

Graybill smashed her personal record (PR) and the old PSAC record by running 23.65 seconds in the 200 meters at the Colonial Relays. The old PSAC record was 23.83 seconds and set by Amber Plowden from IUP in 2002. This time, an improvement of her PR by 0.78 seconds ranks Graybill third in the nation for Division II after this weekend.

Graybill also shattered her 100-meter PR and the school record by running 11.68 seconds: 0.23 seconds faster than ever before. Then she teamed up with Aliyah Serrano, Sara McKean and Kayla Dalhouse to run 46.63 seconds in the 4x100-meter relay, which improved the old school record by almost 0.2 seconds.

The men at the Colonial Relays also had strong performances.

Ian Sherlock improved his PR in the 3,000-meter steeplechase by more than eight seconds to 9:09.64 minutes at his first race in the 3,000-meter steeplechase this season. This time also met the NCAA D2 provisional qualifying standard.

Eric Kirk ran a convincing time in the 100-meter dash, running 10.75 seconds, and in the 200-meter dash with a new PR of 21.75 seconds in the 200. Mo Whittle ran 10.74 seconds in the 100-meter dash. Whittle and Kirk were part of the meet-winning 4x100-meter relay, running 41.06 seconds together with Mason Boyd and EJ Dorwil.

At Millersville, the throwers provided good results.

Josh Herbster won the hammer throw with an PR of 60.16 meters (197 feet, 4 inches), a distance that ranks him sixth in the nation for Division II after this weekend.

Pat Maloney placed second in the hammer throw with a huge PR of 58.24 meters (191 feet, 1 inches), won the discus with a NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 50.82 meters (166 feet, 9 inches) and placed second in the shot put.

for the women, Payton Bauer enhanced her PR in the shot put with a toss of 12.70 meters (41 feet, 8 inches), which ranks her fifth for the event in the PSAC. Shippensburg’s track-and-field team will return to action on Wednesday afternoon at the York Twilight meet.

Softball Sweeps Bloomsburg and splits series with Shepherd

The Shippensburg University softball team played two double headers this week against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference opponents Shepherd and Bloomsburg.

The Raiders split the first doubleheader on Tuesday against the Rams. Wednesday, the Raiders hosted the Huskies and won both games of the double header.

In the first game of the Tuesday doubleheader, the Rams struck first in the first inning. Hannah Beeler hit a double to left center field, and Nicole Purtell scored. The Rams took a 1-0 lead.

The Raiders struck back in the third inning when Taylor Myers hit a single that got into left field. Hannah Marstellar and Caitlyn Martell scored, and the Raiders took the lead 2-1.

After a scoreless fourth inning, the Rams scored again with an RBI single to tie the game 2-2. In the sixth, the Raiders broke the tie when Katelyn Minney hit an RBI Single and Kaira Zamadics scored the go-ahead run. The Raiders took the first game of Tuesday’s double header 3-2.

In the second game, the Rams scored two runs in the first inning. Purtell hit a homerun to left field which gave the Rams an early 1-0 advantage. The Rams scored one more time when

Caitlin Donnelly hit a single to right center field the runner on third base came across and extended the Rams lead 2-0.

In the Raiders’ half of the inning, Marstellar hit a two-run homerun to left field to tie the game 2-2. In the top of the second inning, the Raiders’ defense held the Rams scoreless. Then in the bottom of the second, Emilee Sullivan scored after Weaver reached on a throwing error. The Raiders took the lead 3-2.

In the third, the Raiders scored twice with a base hit that scored a run and a walk with the bases loaded. The runs gave the Raiders a three-run advantage. In the fourth inning, Marsteller hit another two-run home run her second homerun of the game. After the two-run blast, the Raiders led the Rams 7-2.

From that point on, things started to take a downward turn for the Raiders. The Rams scored three runs in the sixth inning, the first of which was driven in when Mantz doubled to right center field.

Lauren More scored and the Rams cut the lead down to 7-3. Later in the inning Purtell hit a single that got through the right side of the infield two runs scored and the lead was cut to 5-7. The Raiders’ defense was able to get out of the inning and held a two-run lead into the seventh inning. In the top of the seventh inning, the Rams took the lead and scored four runs.

Alex Mantz doubled to right centerfield. The tying run came across home plate, and the game was tied 7-7.

The Rams took the lead later in the inning on a defensive error, and Isabella Forte reached base on an error by the Raiders’ third basemen. The error allowed Mantz to score and the Rams to an 8-7 lead. The Rams scored one more run in the inning when Liciardello scored on a wild pitch. The Rams ended up taking the second game of Tuesday’s double header 9-7.

On Wednesday, the Raiders hosted Bloomsburg Huskies. In the first game, the Huskies struck first when Emma Little hit a single, which allowed one run to score and gave the Huskies an early 1-0 lead.

In the sixth inning, Marsteller hit a homerun to left to tie the game up at 1-1. The score remained 1-1 through the seventh inning and went into extra innings. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Taylor Myers tagged up and scored the winning run from third. The Raiders won the game of the double header 2-1.

. The Raiders were scheduled to play Holy Family on Sunday, but the games were canceled. The Raiders will travel to West Chester on Tuesday for double header against the Rams first pitch is set for 1 p.m.

Andrew Miller/SU Sports Info

Graduate student Hannah Marsteller hit three home runs this week against Shepherd and Bloomsburg.

Jack Ansley Asst. Sports Editor

Photos courtesy of Mark Palczeqski

Lacrosse struggles against No.14 East Stroudsburg

It was rough week for the Shippensburg Women’s Lacrosse team.

The Raiders had two losses to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference opponents (PSAC). On Wednesday, the Raiders traveled to Indiana University of Pennsylvania. After an opening goal by Graduate Student Hannah Seifried, the Raiders found themselves in a two-goal hole at the end of the first half.

In the second half, the Raiders continued to struggle offensively and allowed seven goals in the entirety of the third and fourth quarters and lost the game 11-5.

The Raiders returned to their home turf of Robb Sports Complex Saturday to play the 14th ranked team in the country, East Stroudsburg University.

The Warriors got on the board first in this one when Campbell Heller scored her 16th

goal of the season. The Raiders tied the game about a minute later when Seifried scored her ninth goal of the season and tied the game 1-1.

After the tying goal, the Warriors scored eight unanswered goals to end the first half had 9-1. In the second half, things did not get any better for the Raiders as the Warriors continued their scoring run and scored five more unanswered goals in the third quarter.

The Raiders finally broke the scoring onslaught with just under seven minutes to go. In the fourth quarter, freshman forward Sydney Fowler scored her first goal of the game, and the Raiders cut into the lead 16-2.

Each team scored one more time, and the Raiders fell to the Warriors 17-3. Seifried scored her once again for the Raiders for her 10th goal of the season.

The Raiders will look to rebound after the losses this week when they travel to Bloomsburg on Friday. They will then be on the road against Kutztown for a Saturday 1 p.m. game.

Baseball picks up series win against Shepherd

Raiders baseball moved to .500 in PSAC East play this weekend, taking two games out of three against the Shepherd Rams. Shippensburg won a pair of one-run games to open the series before dropping the finale. This result comes after a 12-8 loss to Frostburg State on Tuesday.

The first game was on the road Friday, with the Raiders holding on for an 8-7 victory. SU’s offense had a hot start, acquiring a 7-1 lead after six innings. They added one more in the seventh to take an 8-2 lead, then Shepherd scored five in the bottom of the inning. The Raiders bullpen hung on from there to secure the win.

Graduate student Justin Byler led the way offensively for the Raiders, going three for five with a trio of RBIs, also scoring a run. Junior Morgan Wyatt also picked up three RBIs while going two for five, with sophomores Jaxon Dalena and Bryce Herb each driving in a run as well.

Graduate student Noah Nabholz grabbed the win to move to 4-3 on the season, going six innings in his start. He gave up four earned runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out six. Dalena picked up his first save of the season to finish the game.

The series then moved to Shippensburg for a doubleheader on Saturday, with the Raiders winning game one 3-2. It was a seven-inning game, and all the scoring occurred in the first three innings.

Junior Jackson LoBianco was the star of

this contest, going the distance on the mound and grabbing his third win of the season. He allowed a pair of earned runs, both coming in the third inning. The other six innings were perfect, facing three batters in each for a very clean performance.

Byler picked up two more RBIs in this one, part of a 2-for-3 day. Freshman Mike Heckman also had a pair of hits, with Wyatt picking up an RBI as well.

The second game Saturday went a full nine innings and was a 10-5 win for Shepherd. The Rams struck early with a four-run third inning before picking up a pair in the fifth and cruising from there.

Freshman J.T. Weaver got the start for the Raiders, giving up four earned runs in 2.2 innings. He only allowed one hit but walked four and hit a pair of batters. Junior Austin LaBarre pitched 4.2 innings in relief, giving up four earned runs as well.

Wyatt continued his hot series offensively, picking up three more RBIs with a double and a home run in the game. Junior Austin Baal and redshirt sophomore Brock Piper each an RBI along with two hits a piece.

The Raiders return to action on Tuesday with a home game against Pitt-Johnstown at 3 p.m. A weekend series against Lock Haven follows, with one game on the road Friday and a home doubleheader on Saturday. The doubleheader is also Alumni Day for Shippensburg baseball and starts at noon.

Raider of the Week

Senior Infielder Hannah Marsteller

Shepherd and Bloomsburg

Mason Flowers Staff Writer

-Three home runs in four games against

Andrew Miller/ SU Sports Info

Graduate student Hannah Seifried scored two of the Raiders’ three goals in Saturday’s game against No.14 East Stroudburg.

Quehanna Coble/ The Slate

After this week’s games, the Raiders have a record of 18-14 and are 12-7 at Fairchild Field.

Bill Smith/SU

Jack Ansley Assistant Sports Editor

The Raiders Jamie Carvin (21) goes on the offense.

Relay for Life Gallery

Relay for Life

Relay for Life took place from 6 p.m. March 31, to 3 a.m. April 1 in Heiges Field House to help raise money and awareness for cancer.

With activities every hour, students had fun face painting, watching performances from the SUMB and the Dance Troupe, karaoke and much more. The annual event aimed to help communities fight back against cancer.

CAC’s (Colleges Against Cancer) mission statement can be found on their website and is as follows, “American Cancer Society Colleges Against Cancer is a nationwide collaboration of college students, faculty, and staff dedicated to eliminating cancer by initiating and supporting programs of the American Cancer Society in college communities.”

More information about the organization and future events can be found online at https://ship.campusgroups. cin.cac.home/ or social media @shipu_cac.

Photos by Allyson Ritchey