The Slate 8-29-23

President Patterson welcomes students back to campus

Charles Patterson President of SU

Dear Raiders, Each fall semester marks the return of the incredible energy and enthusiasm that our Raider students infuse into every corner of Shippensburg University.

The campus simply comes to life with the buzz of excitement, as fall marks the beginning of a fresh start filled with boundless possibilities, opportunities for individual growth, and the promise of creating memories that will last a lifetime.

At Ship, you are part of a vibrant learning community that supports your aspirations and celebrates your achievements. Your decision to pursue a Shippensburg University degree sets you apart from your peers and is a testament to your unwavering determination and commitment to your future.

Whether you are just beginning your journey at Ship or continuing your

journey as a returning student, Ship equips you with the knowledge and experiences that will shape your career aspirations.

As you begin the fall semester, be sure to set audacious goals for yourself, step outside of your comfort zone, and believe in your ability to overcome any obstacle that you encounter.

Our Ship faculty will guide you through transformative learning experiences that broaden your horizons and challenge your assumptions.

And our dedicated Ship staff are here to ensure your campus life is enriching and engaging, whether you are a residential student or commuter student.

Be sure to engage in discussions with faculty, collaborate with peers, and immerse yourself in the diverse experiences that Ship offers. As you navigate through your courses, seize every opportunity to expand your knowledge base, and accept that you will be challenged by the rigor of the coursework.

You may experience setbacks, but this is part of the learning and discovery process, and everyone experiences and overcomes them. Finally, be sure to take advantage of the many learning and wellness resources available to support you along you

Changes for SGA lead by new president Harun Pacavar

Elizabeth Peters Editor-in-Chief

Harun Pacavar, a senior political science major, is the president of the Student Government Association (SGA) at Shippensburg University for the 20232024 academic year.

Pacavar became involved in Shippensburg University’s SGA as a freshman and gradually became more invested as time progressed. In the spring semester of 2023, he became the Vice President of External Affairs and discovered he wanted to continue his involvement as president in the following semester.

“I always like to face new challenges,” Pacavar said.

weekly public meetings. He referred to these events as being more like “town halls,” in the sense that students would have time to voice their concerns. He wants the student body to feel more a part of the meetings and less like bystanders when it comes to discussing the issues impacting themselves.

Pacavar also acknowledged that with the incoming freshmen there will be a shift in what concerns the student body has about student life. He is prepared to find ways to help by listening and communicating, specifically at the public meetings and through campus-wide emails.

amazing journey.

Colleen and I wish you the very best and hope this academic year will be one of inspiration, personal growth, and achievement.

With great enthusiasm, Charles

First GOP debate highlights lesser-known candidates

The Republican Party held its first presidential debate in Milwaukee, Wis. on Aug. 23 without the frontrunner for the nomination, but the event was still rowdy and contentious despite former President Donald Trump’s absence.

As eight candidates debated for two hours at Fiserv Forum in front of a live audience and aired on FOX News, Tucker Carlson released a pre-recorded interview with Trump on his X, formerly known as Twitter, account.

The Republican Party required all debate participants to sign a pledge affirming their support for the nominee if it was not themselves. Trump trusted that skipping would not jeopardize his sizeable lead against other candidates, and he disavowed the pledge in an interview with Newsmax host Eric Bolling.

“They want you to sign the pledge, but I can name three or four people that I wouldn’t support for President. So, right there, there’s a problem,” Trump said.

While Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis entered Wednesday as the clear runnerup behind Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy was the source of the debate’s biggest highlights. Throughout the night, he argued with candidates and drew strong reactions from the audience.

He and former Vice President Mike Pence sparred first. Pence accused him of previously saying “a President can’t do everything.”

After Ramaswamy said, “This isn’t that complicated,” he summarized his positions on energy production, shrinking the size of government and welfare reform.

Moments later, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said, “I’ve had enough already tonight of a guy who sounds like ChatGPT,” before comparing Ramaswamy’s opening remarks where he called himself “a

skinny guy with an odd last name” to President Barack Obama.

In response to Christie, Ramaswamy said, “Give me a hug just like you did to Obama … and you’ll help elect me just like you did to Obama.”

When asked if they would support Trump if he became the Republican nominee, six candidates raised their hands to affirm. Christie and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson did not.

The question preceded Trump’s arrest on charges related to his actions after the 2020 election in Fulton County, Ga. on Aug. 24. He was released after reaching a $200,000 bond agreement.

Ramaswamy was the first to raise his hand and claimed Trump was the greatest president of the 21st century. He then targeted Christie and said, “Your claim that Donald Trump is motivated by vengeance and grievance would be a lot more credible if your entire campaign were not based on vengeance and grievance against one man.”

The audience loudly booed Christie during his response, where he said, “Someone has got to stop normalizing misconduct … the conduct is beneath the office of President of the United States.”

Ramaswamy also raised his hand first when the candidates were asked if they would stop funding Ukraine in their war efforts against Russia.

He also took a nonverbal swing at DeSantis. As DeSantis blamed Europe for failing to “pull their own weight,” Ramaswamy fluttered his hand and licked his finger before pointing it upward.

When Ramaswamy answered, he called out other candidates who have met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Former South Carolina Gov. and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said, “(Ramaswamy) wants to hand Ukraine to Russia, he wants to let China eat Taiwan, he wants to go and stop funding

Israel...you are choosing a murderer over a pro-American country.”

Each candidate presented closing arguments and answered why they were the person who could inspire the nation to a better day.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Hutchinson said the country needed better leadership than President Biden’s. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott cited his humble beginnings to celebrate the individualist spirit of America, and Christie said he is the only candidate who can defeat Biden.

Haley discussed her husband’s military experiences and said, “If (soldiers) are willing to protect us from there, we should be willing to fight for America here.”

Pence claimed he has proven himself to “move a conservative agenda forward” and has faith in the American people.

Ramaswamy recited his 10 truths, the core of his presidential campaign. His truths range from “God is real” to “The nuclear family is the greatest form of governance known to man.”

DeSantis cited his political résumé and personal experiences as proof of his potential as president.

“In Florida, we showed it could be done. I made promises and I delivered on all of those promises.”

After the debate, CNN’s Gary Tuchman spoke with 15 Iowa Republicans, seven of whom believed Ramaswamy had the best performance.

“Vivek understands that young folks … don’t really love America, and if you don’t love it, you can’t protect it,” one voter said.

Results from a Washington Post, FiveThirtyEight and Ipsos poll featuring 775 Republican voters showed DeSantis as the best performer at 29 percent, with Ramaswamy receiving 26 percent.

Pacavar expressed a personal interest in advocating for better mental health assistance on campus. He discussed that when he initially ran for a position in SGA as a freshman, he heard a lot of students had issues getting access to these kinds of resources on campus.

“For me, mental health is something that is frequently looked past,” Pacavar said. “It is something I want to focus on to make sure students have access to on campus.

This coming academic year, Pacavar is looking to find ways to expand hours and better programs for more students to receive the help they need with mental health.

“Right now, the biggest focus is on restructuring the organization as a whole,” Pacavar said.

Last academic year, SGA had some issues with the structure of their organization coming loose as members left. To combat this, Pacavar said the Executive Leadership Committee has worked to reword their constitution to adjust wording to make requirements clearer.

Another shift Pacavar said SGA would be making is to the structure of their bi-

Going into the 2023-2024 academic year, SGA has quite a few openings for new students to get involved.

Particularly, the Executive Leadership Committee which includes the president and the four vice presidents of committees, still needs a student to step up for the roles of Vice President of Finance and Vice President of External Affairs.

“We are doing our due diligence, specifically for the VP of Finance, to find a qualified person to fill that role,” Pacavar said. Until a student is nominated, the Executive Leadership Committee will be filling in the gaps.

In terms of qualifications for a position within SGA, Pacavar encourages all students to run in the coming election. “Any position can be learned,” Pacavar said, as he noted that like any club on campus, SGA is meant for students to grow. Pacavar cited integrity and responsibility to be attributes he valued in a candidate. Roles within SGA require persons who want to take on leadership within their community, so having these qualities help a candidate stay strong, according to Pacavar.

Luke Rainey Copy Editor

Photo

Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy garnered reactions from the audience when he went against Mike Pence at the first presidential debate.

Adam Beam/The Slate SU President Charles Patterson speaks at the MLK March for Humanity last February.

The Slate Speaks: Hollywood Strikes!

Hollywood has been at a stand still since the Writer’s Guild of America went on strike in

As of Tuesday, Aug. 29, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) has been on strike for 115 days and it’s been 47 days since the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) joined them on the picket line. This is the first time the WGA and SAG have been on strike together since 1960. This time, the crux of the strikers’ demands center around the payment of residuals in the age of streaming and the future use of AI in Hollywood.

While the demands of the writers and actors seem more than reasonable, studio executives continue to claim that things are not that simple.

The main issues — streaming residuals, AI regulation and minimums — have long been overlooked and ignored by studio executives. While A-list actors might get mil-

Ian Thompson Staff Contributor

While I cannot vote in the Republican primary thanks to my party affiliation, I always find the time to watch the debates. Perhaps it’s my penance for being a political science major. The first of the 2024 debates was held last Wednesday, and I can say without any exaggeration, it was the worst I have seen.

While this time around the field is not as crowded with 14 candidates versus a record 17 in 2016, it is unmatched in its ridiculousness.

Fox News and Rumble hosted the evening.

Fox, despite having a long history of hosting presidential primary debates, seems to have given up on the idea of moderated debate and instead decided to run a circus act.

The moderators barely moderated, candidates routinely ignored time limits and questions rarely received an actual answer.

The frontrunner for the primary, who did not attend the debate, was arrested the next day in Fulton County, Ga. According to FiveThirtyEight, as of Aug. 25, Trump was leading the polls at 52.4%. The eight candidates on stage last week added together made up 40.4%. Only DeSantis is in the double digits with 14.7%.

When asked if they would support Trump as a nominee even if he were convicted, Burgum, Scott, Haley and Ramaswamy immediately raised their hands.

lion-dollar paychecks, millions of actors and writers are barely scraping by because of corporate greed.

For example, David Zaslav, the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, earns $39 million per year as of 2022 while writers and actors who are entirely responsible for that paycheck cannot even keep the lights on or put food on the table.

Many actors have come out since the strike began revealing just how miniscule their residuals check have been in the wake of streaming. Mandy Moore, who played Rebecca Pearson on the hit-series “This Is Us” has revealed checks for as low as a penny.

Another example is Netflix and the series “Orange is the New Black.” Despite the show being easily one of Netflix’s earliest

and biggest success stories, the stars of the series have not seen any rewards for their hard work. Kimiko Glenn, who played Brook Soso, has earned a total of $27.30 for the 44 episodes she starred in.

On top of working demanding jobs that pay so little, now writers and actors must worry about AI making their jobs obsolete completely. The studio wants actors to have their appearances completely digitized, and after one single payment for the day of the scan, the studios would not have to pay them again and would essentially own their likenesses forever.

While the notion of AI writing an entire movie still seems a little far-fetched, the technology could eventually be advanced enough to at least perform rewrites and fin-

ish unfinished scripts as the strike continues.

Now there are some arguing that these strikes are going to disrupt the entertainment industry in terms of major releases. Films such as “Dune: Part Two” and “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse” have already been delayed into 2024 and the latter being indefinitely.

However, that’s the whole point of striking in general. It is meant to be disruptive. Sooner or later, studios will have to keep delaying films, and the well will dry up to the point where the studios will have to listen to reason and give the writers and actors what they want. In case you needed a reminder, they simply want living wages and job security, not an unreasonable request.

After a few moments spent looking around the room, so did DeSantis and Pence. Only Christie and Hutchinson dismissed the idea of standing behind a man convicted in a failed coup attempt. When co-host Martha MacCallum asked candidates to raise their hands if they believed climate change was impacted by human behavior, only Asa Hutchinson began to raise his hand before Ron DeSantis chided the moderator for treating the candidates like schoolchildren for asking a question during a debate.

Where’s your voice?

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

The unsigned staff editorial, “The Slate Speaks,” represents the views and opinions of The Slate as an organization. Participating editors help shape the staff editorial.

Custodians: The unsung heroes of Shippensburg University

Adam Beam Asst. Opinion Editor

In the four years I have spent living on-campus, I will admit I never got to know the custodians who worked in each of my buildings. My first-year was COVID-19, while sophomore and junior years kept me busy to the point where I practically lived everywhere but my dorm room. However, this summer was an eye-opener, and now I bring that message to all of you: Respect our custodians. For the past three months I have been working as a temporary custodian from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Monday, Thursday and Friday. Eventually, I was working Monday through Friday and even the occasional weekend overtime.

Over the course of those many early morning hours, I and a small ragtag team of nine experienced custodians made our way through nearly every residence hall on campus. Something I learned very quickly when working in this position is that college kids are filthy. Not to gross out any readers, but I saw it all. Dirty showers, dressers and drawers filled with hair and stains — many of which I chose not to identify for my own sanity — and enough crumbs and pieces of food in the

carpet to feed a small nation.

I do not consider myself a germaphobe, but some of these rooms nearly broke me, with a special shoutout to one room this year that easily racked up nearly $10,000 in damages. However, what kept me going through the long shifts and the disgusting messes of my fellow peers was the teammates who joined me along the way.

I want to give a special shoutout to Tiff, Chris and Ryan who really made me feel welcomed almost immediately when starting out. It took me a while to really start speaking up and show more of my extroverted self, but eventually I got to be me, and they seemed happy to have me around.

I learned just how much of this campus runs on the hard work of every custodian, and it’s a shame we currently have a much smaller staff than years past. Due to the fewer number of custodians, it requires teams to spread themselves out wider and wider across campus.

On some days, we would begin in Lackhove or Harley and eventually find our way to the CUB or even the entirety of Old Main. Somedays our team of nine would dwindle down to four or three. Some buildings only have two custodians working in them this year.

Read the full story at theslateonline.com.

Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

May. Negotiations between the Guild and executives have yielded no results.

The Republican Party is deeply unserious, but dangerous

Photo courtesy of Fulton County Sheriff’s Office

Ship Life

Housing renovations starting in Naugle Hall

Henry Mooney Guest Contributor

Naugle Hall received a fresh look over the summer with a new color scheme, updated carpets and easyto-clean furniture in the shared living spaces. This renovation is the first step in an ongoing process to update all the residence halls in the next few years.

Saying goodbye to orange and green, the walls of Naugle

Hall were repainted to match Shippensburg University’s colors of blue, red and gray. Additionally, the hall carpets were replaced to match and new blue vinyl couches and chairs were placed in the TV lounges. The first-floor lobby also has new high-top tables and chairs. The suites themselves kept the original hard furniture, such as desks, tables, bed frames and dressers.

However, the couches and living room chairs in C, D, E and F suites were replaced with the same blue vinyl seen in the TV lounges. The carpet was also updated with new carpet squares, which are easier to replace should they become over-worn. The computer lounge and study room furniture also remains the same, as it did not receive the same wear over time as the other parts

Summer wellness without being “aesthetic”

of the hall.

Housing and Residence Life is planning to extend the renovations to the other residence halls of campus over the course of the next few years. While an exact timeline for project is not set because of funding, they are intending to renovate either Seavers Hall or Harley Hall next, as they are the older residence halls.

August is slowly coming to an end, and college students know what that means: the beginning of a new semester. As this month begins to wrap up, I have been asking myself, “What have I done to take care of myself this summer?”

In the past year, wellness and implementing a healthy lifestyle have become very important to me. The topic of wellness has become a huge trend over the past few years, especially on TikTok. While this trend has many positive aspects, it can also pressure those looking to live a healthy lifestyle to do so as aesthetically pleasing as possible (think of the “that girl” trend).

each day. I aim to drink water first thing in the morning to rehydrate my body after a night’s rest. I also bought a cute water bottle to motivate myself to drink more water, as odd as that sounds. It does not have to be a fancy glass with lemon and cucumbers, but finding any way to motivate yourself to drink water works.

Naugle Hall receives a refresh with new furniture, carpets, and wall color in its entryway and T.V. lounges.

Shippensburg hosts 42nd annual Corn Festival

Madi Shively

Ship Life Editor

The town of Shippensburg gathered on King Street on the last Saturday in August for the 42nd annual Corn Festival. Craft vendors, food trucks and performers had a blast with an incredible turnout of over 25,000 people attending from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors came to admire the antique car show,

watch the corn eating contest and see what the over 270 exhibitors had to offer.

The Slate’s Adam Beam was one of the corn-eating competitors for this year’s contest. “I’ll admit I was nervous, since I had never done anything like that before,” Beam said. “But it was a blast. I ate four ears of corn and I know if they had gone the full three minutes, I could have gotten at least two more ears of corn.”

This year, the Corn Festival donated its profits to projects that aid in funding historic preservation or beautification of the Shippensburg community. The Corn Festival committee provided $1,200 for Ship Kids Event Committee for beautification of the Gazebo, $1,000 to the Ship Garden Committee to help plant flowers and $1,672 to Christ Among Neighbors to help with necessities such as food

and rent. The Shippensburg Corn Fest committee also has pledged $30,000 over the next three years towards the proposed stage at Library Square.

The 2024 Shippensburg Corn Fest will be hosted on Aug. 31, the last Saturday of the month. Look for more details about the event in the coming months.

See Gallery on F1 for more photos

I have found myself under this pressure while trying to implement wellness into my daily life. However, over the past few months, I have learned that it does not matter how it looks, all that matters is how it feels. What works for me, this means getting sunlight early in my day, drinking lots of water, journaling and caring for my skin.

Over the summer, I started my day by catching some sunlight early in the morning. Not only does this part of my routine help me get up early each day, but it also feels good. I read somewhere online that getting sun in the morning helps with energy and mood, and whether or not science backs that, going outside has really helped me feel more centered throughout my day. Getting outside before the heat is unbearable has been super refreshing too, as I do not feel pressured to get all sweaty to feel good.

This next method is simple – making sure I am drinking enough water

Another way I have been keeping up with wellness has been journaling. I am a little less consistent with this one, but braindumping right before bed has never failed to make me feel at least a little bit better. It does not have to just be brain-dumping either. It could be gratitude journaling, short creative pieces or even just small things you think about. You hold the pen, so you decide what you write. Do not worry about your handwriting because this is supposed to be just for you.

The final way I will be talking about may be geared towards a specific audience, but it really could apply to anybody: having a skincare routine. I personally love having a specific routine for morning and for night. Since everyone’s skin is different, finding what works for you will probably not look the same as it does online. Once again, you do not need special products or to break the bank, just a little routine that gives you a fresh face to start and end the day. I, without fail, feel ten times better after going through this routine. For me, healthy skin equals a good day.

Wellness is an incredibly important part of many lives, including my own. Taking care of yourself is one of the best things you can do, even if it looks different from how it appears on social media. It does not have to be “aesthetic," it just has to feel good.

Elizabeth Peters / SU Slate

Lydia Elmy Staff Contributor

Adam Beam / SU Slate Cornfest attendees enjoy cobs of corn along with other delicious foods.

‘Barbenheimer’ or ‘Oppenheimer’: Both valid choices

This past July, I had the pleasure of seeing two fantastic movies back-to-back not once, but twice. Those movies — of course — were Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”

My first viewing was at the AMC Aventura in Miami, where I watched “Oppenheimer” then “Barbie” — a combination called “Oppenbarbie.” When I got home, I saw the reverse (‘Barbenheimer’) at the local Carlisle R/C.

Both films were great. I would suggest seeing Oppenheimer in IMAX if possible. Regardless of your opinion on whether “Oppenbarbie” or “Barbenheimer” is the correct order, I enjoyed both and can highly recommend both movies.

Barbie “Barbie,” which recently overtook “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” to become 2023’s highest grossing film, is a fun and engaging

summer blockbuster. Gerwig’s creative freedom allows her to make some choices like poking fun at Mattel’s less-than inclusive history that elevate this film.

In the film, Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) embark on an adventure to the “Real World” and leave “Barbie Land” to help straighten out a rift between the two worlds. A stacked supporting cast, including Will Ferrell, Michael Cera, America Ferrera and Ariana Greenblatt are joined by over a dozen others, most portraying Barbies and Kens.

Margot Robbie is about as perfect casting for “Stereotypical Barbie” as one can get. Robbie’s portrayal of the kids’ doll coming to life is engaging, and it is clear that the actress had fun in this role. Her range is used to great effect when the movie takes the occasional turn from spirited romp to emotional deep-dive.

Ferrera and Greenblatt play a mother and daughter duo who, while at first are at odds, mend their relationship and help Barbie fix things at home with the intervention of Rob-

Grace’s Weekly Record: ‘We’ll All Be Here Forever’

*Trigger warning: addiction, mental illness*

The places we grow up in have the power to affect our lives forever. Noah Kahan’s folk album “Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever)” describes the bittersweetness of being stuck in your hometown and what can happen when you finally leave it.

Kahan released his third studio album “Stick Season” on Oct. 14, 2022. Kahan wrote the album during the COVID-19 lockdown while living in his childhood home in Vermont. The album is a tribute to the small Vermont town he grew up in and how it has shaped him into the person he is today.

The term “stick season” refers to the period of transition between fall and winter in New England when the leaves have fallen but the snow has yet to come. The theme of transition recurs throughout “Stick Season” as Kahan reflects on his struggles with addiction, mental illness and feeling homesick for a town he has lived in all his life.

Nearly eight months later, the deluxe album “Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever)” was released on June 9, featuring seven new songs. “We’ll All Be Here Forever” feels like closure for the original “Stick Season” album. You can tell Kahan no longer has bitterness toward his hometown and the people who could leave it. Instead, Kahan encapsulates how to let go of that resentment and find peace in staying.

“Let’s go back to New England, or the Midwest, or wherever we’re from and romanticize our hometowns.” Kahan tweeted to his fans on the release date of his deluxe album. “Let’s shed our shame and our guilt and our pain and return to ourselves for a little while. Let’s all be here forever.”

In “Your Needs, My Needs,” Kahan describes a relationship in which the other person left him. He describes putting the other person’s needs before his own and accepting that the relationship is over. The bridge is chilling, as he shouts, “Your life, your dreams/Your mind, your needs/My needs.”

“Dial Drunk” was one of the most anticipated songs from the deluxe, as it gained popularity on TikTok. In the song, Kahan describes being in jail for an alcohol-related incident. He admits his faults, saying,

“I ain’t proud of all the punches that I’ve thrown/In the name of someone I no longer know.” When he tries to call the subject of the song, they reject the call. “Even the cops thought you were wrong for hanging up/I’ll dial drunk, I’ll die a drunk, I’ll die for you.”

In “Paul Revere,” the theme of Kahan wanting to leave his hometown is apparent. He talks about how his hometown has changed for the worse and how he has grown to resent it.

He describes how he is going to finally leave someday: “One day, I’m gonna cut it clear/Ride like Paul Revere.” However, in the outro of the song, he reminds himself he will always be stuck in this town, whether physically or mentally: “If I could leave I would’ve already left.”

“No Complaints” is one of the many examples where Kahan opens up about his mental illness. He describes the numbness that can come with antidepressants: “And now the pain’s different/It still exists, it just escapes different.” He is fighting with himself in the song, wondering why he is still complaining if he is finally happy: “I filled the hole in my head with prescription medication/Then forgot how to cry/Who am I to complain?”

In “Call Your Mom,” Kahan communicates with his loved one who is suffering with mental illness. He tells them that there is still hope: “Don’t let this darkness fool you/All lights turned off can be turned on.” Kahan expresses that he has been through the same struggles, so he knows how it feels. He offers a helping hand, saying, “I’ll drive all night/I’ll call your mom.”

Although the contents of “We’ll All Be Here Forever” can be heavy, Kahan offers a glimmer of hope in the penultimate song “You’re Gonna Go Far.” In the song, Kahan is speaking to someone who gets to leave his hometown: “It makes me smile to know when things get hard/You’ll be far from here.”

Although he may be jealous they get to leave, he assures them that it is OK and the town will still be there for them when they are willing to return. “The birds will still sing/Your folks will still fight/The boards will still creak/The leaves will still die.”

bie’s Barbie. Ken is also there. Jokes aside, while the movie and the world tends to ignore Ken in favor of his better half, Gosling’s Ken actually serves as an excellent lens to focus on a core theme of the film: how patriarchy fails both women and men.

Without getting into too many spoilers, for those of you unlucky to have not seen it yet, in the real world, Ken finds a society dominated by men in stark contrast to his own experience playing second-fiddle to the Barbies. When he returns, he overthrows the matriarchal society and institutes a system that is designed to benefit the Kens.

Some, especially on the conservative end, have criticized the film for being “anti-man,” but that claim couldn’t be further from the truth. The film is decidedly anti-patriarchy, but not anti-man. The furnishings of patriarchy that Ken brings from the real world such as horses, trucks and ostentatious clothes do not make the Kens happy, but rather give them a false sense of power.

When that power is stripped away, they’re

forced to recognize that their masculinity and sense of self cannot be made up of the things they own or the people they interact with, but developed from their own identity.

While on the surface the film is a fun, comedy-filled summer bash, it also contains some heartfelt and sincerely feminist critiques of patriarchy.

Oppenheimer “Oppenheimer” serves as the more somber half of this double feature. Writer and director Christopher Nolan brings his usual magic to this historical drama depicting the eponymous scientist.

Following a trend in Nolan’s work, “Oppenheimer” uses time as a plot device. The film shifts between several points in time, using a Senate confirmation hearing and a security clearance hearing as anchors to recount Oppenheimer’s story as the creator of the atomic bomb, a project that changed the field of physics and the nature of war.

Luhrs reveals fall ’23 lineup

The H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center has unveiled over a dozen acts that will be included in its 2023-2024 performance lineup.

The first show of the academic year is “Hotel California,” an Eagles tribute band that will take to the stage on Friday, Sept.

8. Other musical acts this fall include multi-Grammy-winning country music star Tanya Tucker on Sept. 15, “The Concert,” an ABBA tribute band on Oct. 6, and Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee Chicago on Nov.

10. Comedian Brian Regan, known for his three decades in the industry and eight hour-long specials, will perform on Sept. 10. Acclaimed ventriloquist and inaugural “America’s Got Talent” winner Terry Fator will perform “A Very Terry Christmas” on Dec. 14. A full lineup of Luhrs Center events can be found at https://luhrscenter.com/ events/ or by contacting the box office at 717-477-7469. As in years past, Shippensburg University students receive a $5 discount when purchasing tickets at the box office.

Ian Thompson Staff Contributor

Grace Harbour

Asst. A&E Editor

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Folk singer-songwriter Noah Kahan released the deluxe version of his album “Stick Season” on June 9, titled “We’ll All Be Here Forever.”

Photo courtesy of Carmine Scicchitano

The H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center revealed its 2023-2024 lineup.

Read the full story at theslateonline.com.

Connor Niszczak Managing Editor

SU football hopes to improve in 2023

ShipRec offers club and intramural sports for fall semester

ShipRec will be hosting a variety of club and intramural sports available to all students, athletes or not, for the fall semester. Club sports compete against clubs from other colleges, while intramural sports are mainly just against fellow Shippensburg students.

Club sports meet yearround, whether it is weekly practices or competing against other schools. Intramurals last anywhere from one to three months, only meeting for matches with all events taking place on campus.

All club sports offered in 2022-23 return for this year, with ice hockey making its debut. Clubs allow students to join regardless of experience level, offering a friendly environment for everyone to learn, enjoy and compete.

Shippensburg’s football team is hopeful to play a successful 2023 campaign and to be able to celebrate again.

Shippensburg University’s football team is looking to improve on a disappointing 2022 campaign, where they had an overall record of 5-6 and 3-4 in their conference, according to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East.

SU´s head coach Mark Maciejewski said that last season “didn´t go well.” The team battled many injuries and “if it could go wrong, it kind of went wrong last season,” Maciejewski said. Despite the odds, the team did not stop fighting, and was able to defeat the playoff team Gannon in their last game of the season, according to Maciejewski

Going into the new season, the team is feeling better with where they are at this point of the season compared to last year and that they are excited for the new season, said Maciejewski. The most important things for a successful season are trying to stay healthy, focusing on their job on the field and ignoring the outside noise said Maciejewski.

Maciejewski is leading the Raiders into his 13th season as a head coach, and his 23rd overall season at Shippensburg. His expectations for the new season are “to play hard, to play as a family and play for 60 minutes, and ultimately we want to become closer as a group, and where everybody does their job, and we win games,” Maciejewski said.

The Raiders did naturally lose a few players over summer, some to graduation, others to injury, but they are returning with many key players for the new season.

For the offense, quarterback Joey McCracken is returning from injury and looked good during the preseason, according to Coach Maciejewski. Jake DeLuccia is returning as running back, and Redd Douglas, who recently got named to 2023 Lindy’s Preseason All-America Football Second Team, is returning as wide receiver. The offensive line is returning most players as well.

For the defense, Jacoby Sherard is returning and had a tremendous camp, and in the secondary Brandon Holt and Isaiah Gilmore are returning as good leaders, Ma-

ciejewski said.

The 2023 PSAC Preseason Coaches´ Poll lists SU as sixth team in the PSAC Eastern Division with no first-place votes. Shepherd University, last season the NCAA Division II semifinalists, ranks first in the poll. According to Maciejewski, the poll is going to be a motivation for the team.

“We´re going to use that as a motivation for us, you know, as a football family, Maciejewski said. “Our guys understand that we need to fix that, and it is still a preseason ranking, so it doesn’t really matter at the end of the day, but yeah, we´re going to use that for motivation.”

This year’s schedule features home games against Newberry, Bloomsburg, West Chester, Millersville,

Lock Haven for Homecoming and Gannon for the last regular season game. The Raiders are also scheduled to play Seton Hill, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and PSAC opponents Shepherd, Kutztown and East Stroudsburg on the road.

The first game of the season will be against Newberry, a team that is ranked in the top 25 of the country, at home on Sept. 2. According to Maciejewski, it is going to be a tough game, but his team will be well prepared.

The Raiders will start their 2023 campaign with a home game against Newberry in the Seth Grove Stadium on Saturday, September 2 at 12 p.m.

SU’s field hockey team plans to finish the job after coming close in 2022

Many would describe the Raiders’ 2022 field hockey season as phenomenal.

But for a team that had won four of the past five national championships, losing to East Stroudsburg in the title game was a disappointment.

This year’s main goal is simple — go all the way.

The team went 16-4 last season, going 15-2 in the regular season and only losing to Kutztown and Millersville.

They then lost to Millersville again in the PSAC semifinals but were still awarded the 2 seed by the NCAA selection committee. This honor sent

the team to Renton, Washington, where the Final 4 was held. Shippensburg beat West Chester 4-2 in the semifinals before losing the championship 1-0.

The Raiders are shaping up to be a stronger force this year, losing only three seniors and returning their top seven goal scorers from 2022. This includes two first team NFHCA All-Americans, being sophomore forward Agus Garibaldi and junior forward Tess Jedeloo. They also return a trio of second team all-PSAC players in Jedeloo, junior midfielder Emilia Conners and sophomore back Savannah Silvestre, with Garibaldi being named first team all-PSAC.

Shippensburg was picked second in the PSAC preseason coaches’ poll, receiving 2 first-place votes. East Stroudsburg was first with six first place votes, and Kutztown was third and received two first-place votes.

This year’s out of conference schedule features home games against Mount Olive, Belmont Alley, IUP, and Frostburg State, along with road trips to Saint Anselm, Assumption, and Mansfield.

The first two road games will be a challenge for Shippensburg, with Saint Anselm finishing #2 in the final east region NCAA rankings for 2022, only behind Assumption. The Raiders play these two teams back-to-back, fac-

ing St. Anselm on Sept. 9, before travelling to Assumption the next day.

The conference schedule shapes up unfavorably, getting both Kutztown & East Stroudsburg on the road.

They do host Millersville and West Chester, both top 5 in the preseason poll, however.

The Raiders have the talent to make another run this year if they can put it all together. Head coach Tara Zollinger is entering her seventh season, and with three national championships under her belt already, she knows what it takes. Saint Anselm hosts this year’s title game, and Shippensburg plans on being there.

The club sports available for 2023-24 include bass fishing, boxing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, ice hockey, in-motion dance troupe, men’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, men’s volleyball, men’s and women’s rugby, street hockey, table tennis and men’s and women’s ultimate frisbee.

Many of the clubs will be present at the 2023 Club Fair held on Aug. 31, and most have social media pages where those interested can learn more and contact the clubs.

There are six intramural sports being offered for the fall semester, with four returning from last year, being soccer, softball, spikeball and dodgeball. Sand volleyball and chess are being offered for the first time this semester.

Signups for all fall intramurals are open now, with volleyball being the first to close its registration, ending Aug. 31. Chess, soccer, and softball all end their signups Sept. 12, followed by dodgeball and spikeball closing Oct. 24.

Signups are done at imleagues.com/ship. All intramurals are coed, and students can sign up as a team or as a free agent, upon which they will be placed on a team.

Nicola Pugge Sports Editor Mason Flowers Staff Writer

Mason Flowers Staff Writer

Andrew Miller/SU Sports Info

Pearllan Cipriano/SU Sports Info

The field hockey team is looking to continue their successful work in the 2023 season.

Corn Fest Gallery

Photos courtesy of Mavis Anderson, Adam Beam, Allyson Ritchey

Last Saturday, King Street in Shippensburg became a sea of vendors, visitors, food and entertainment for the 42nd Corn Festival.