Sept. 29, 2020 - Grad School Edition

Tuesday, Septermber 29, 2020 | Year 141, Issue No. 142

GRAD SCHOOL EDITION

Campus

2 | Tuesday, September 29, 2020

GAP YEAR

Advisers weigh in on taking a gap year between undergrad and grad school ON PAGE 3

GRAD SCHOOL

Passing through: Pass/no pass option poses risks for grad school admissions TESS WELLS Lantern Reporter wells.1442@osu.edu

W

ith the wave of new information regarding the pass/no pass class option comes a flood of graduate and professional school hopefuls who are beginning to think about the impact this option may have on their transcripts.

Students who wish to receive pass/no pass credit for semesterlong classes can consult with an adviser to switch from a standard letter grade scale before Nov. 20, but this option raises questions for students who know graduate and professional schools look at letter grades when determining admission.

The University Senate approved a resolution Sept. 17 to allow students to opt in to a pass/ no pass grading scale for their general education and elective courses. Under the resolution, individual colleges can decide whether to allow students to take major and minor courses for pass/

no pass credit, and the College of Arts and Sciences was the first college to do so Friday.

Alicia Bertone, vice provost for graduate studies and dean of the graduate school at Ohio State, said although pass/no pass can be a good option for students whose academics are negatively affected by COVID-19 or other extenuating circumstances, there are factors that students need to consider if they are contemplating post-undergraduate education.

“Some of the negatives are simply that if you look at the very high-level graduate education and the respective universities, [acceptance] is based on how much those students know about their field when they get out. Are they outstanding when they get out?” Bertone said.

Caroline Breitenberger, the director of the Center for Life Sciences Education and the honors biology major adviser, said although she thinks pass/no pass classes will have some effect on graduate school admission chances, the effect on professional school admissions could be even

CASEY CASCALDO | FORMER MANAGING EDITOR FOR MULTIMEDIA

Students looking toward graduate or professional school will need to weigh their options when deciding if they will take advantage of the pass/no pass credit option.

more noticeable. Applicants to professional schools, such as medical schools, are required to prove proficiency in many different subjects — often in the form of letter grades.

Despite the seemingly high stakes, Breitenberger urged students not to worry yet.

“Don’t panic. Don’t make a decision now that is going to hem you in later on,” Breitenberger said. She said the university extended the deadline to choose pass/no pass so students can more accurately gauge the letter grade they would receive by the end of the semester.

When discussing what grades

may warrant a student taking advantage of the pass/no pass option versus not, Breitenberger gave students the same advice she received from her dad when starting college: “B or better.”

“There are very few programs that really require you to have a 4.0,” Breitenberger said. “And if you get a B here or there on your transcript, it’s easy to get your grade point average pretty high.”

Breitenberger said even if a student gets a C in a course, two more A’s in different courses will bring the cumulative GPA above 3.0.

Bertone said something for students to consider is graduate

admissions offices often look at letter grades to ensure prospective students can succeed academically at their school. She also recommended that students applying to professional school check schools’ prerequisites for mandatory letter grades for some classes. Above all, she said to speak to an adviser before making any final decisions.

“Use your adviser, course instructors, people that are supportive of you and will spend some time with you to say, ‘Hey, for this career trajectory that you’re interested in, I would think that it would be better for you to do X, Y or Z,’” Bertone said.

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GRAD SCHOOL

Grad School gap years offer break amid COVID-19 uncertainty BELLA CZAJKOWSKI Patricia B. Miller Special Projects Reporter czajkowski.8@osu.edu

T

he already difficult decision of enrolling in graduate or professional school after completing an undergraduate degree is only made more hard in the face of the ongoing pandemic.

Upcoming graduates originally planning to transition straight into graduate or professional school may consider taking a year off, whether to work, study abroad or simply take a break before returning to school, due to the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19.

Julie Brim, director of admissions at the Ohio State College of Medicine, said she encourages students not to be afraid of taking a gap year before medical school and that it won’t hurt a student’s admissions chances.

“Take a good, long look at your application. And if you think you’ll benefit from having some extra time, then absolutely, there’s nothing wrong with it,” Brim said.

Brim said even before COVID-19, taking a gap year was not all that uncommon; only about 60 percent of applicants immediately

go to medical school after undergraduate school. She said medical schools like to see students pursue health-related activities such as volunteering or research during a gap year.

“We like to see them continuing to pursue those activities that are important to have in your med school application,” Brim said.

Brim said that whenever a student does decide to apply, the medical school will take the circumstances of COVID-19 into account. She said she understands that some health-related opportunities, such as volunteering, are still unavailable due to the pandemic.

“We’re looking for quality, not quantity,” Brim said. “We’ve just tried to remain really flexible.”

In order to enter medical school immediately after graduation without taking a gap year, students need to apply after their third year as undergraduates.

Aarshvi Bhatt, a third-year in health sciences, decided to take a gap year before going to medical school. She said she still needs additional research and volunteer hours to apply, which she couldn’t complete over the summer like she originally planned due to COVID-19.

Bhatt said the continued uncertainty around the pandemic makes her unsure

“...if you think you’ll benefit from having some extra time, then absolutely, there’s nothing wrong with it.”

—Bryanna Stigger, College of Social Work outreach program coordinator

IVAN KOSTOVSKI | INFOGRAPHICS EDITOR

when she will be able to get back into a research lab or secure a volunteer position.

Taking a gap year puts less pressure on her to get all the requirements done in the next two semesters to apply to medical school in the spring, she said.

“Even if I applied at the end of this year, there’s still so much unsure, like when there will be a vaccine,” Bhatt said.

For students applying to different kinds of post-undergraduate schools, the impact a gap year will have on students’ chances is similarly low.

Bryanna Stigger, outreach program coordinator for the College of Social Work, said taking a gap year due to COVID-19 will not hurt a student’s admissions chances into the master’s program later on. She said historically, even before the pandemic, many students choose to take a break between undergraduate and graduate school.

“It’s really about evaluating your personal preferences and your goals,” Stigger said.

If students are looking to pursue graduate school immediately after graduation, Stigger said the College of Social Work allows them to choose between in-person and virtual instruction. Even the field-

placement component of the curriculum can be offered in a virtual format.

“Our program has already been an established online program, so it has been kind of attractive for lots of folks specifically in COVID,” Stigger said.

Stigger and Brim do not expect COVID-19 will decrease applications to the College of Medicine or College of Social Work professional or graduate programs. In fact, Brim said that the College of Medicine saw an increase in applications this cycle.

She said she expects that when students were sent home in March due to COVID-19, they were likely able to spend more time on their medical school applications.

“Normally, they’d be at school trying to juggle school and getting ready to apply for medical school,” Brim said.

Stigger said that ultimately, the College of Social Work wants students to prioritize their health and wellness in whichever decision they make regarding graduate school, even if that means taking some time off before enrolling.

“That gives people time to rest and relax, rejuvenate after completing an undergraduate degree,” Stigger said.

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GRAD SCHOOL

Three wrestlers pursue mastery of mat and degrees

I

JACOB BENGE For The Lantern benge.30@osu.edu

t’s one thing to be a master on the mat. It’s another to hold a degree to prove the title.

Ohio State wrestlers Kaleb Romero, Fritz Schierl and Zach Steiner entered graduate school this semester so they can do both. The three have a combined 10 Ohio State Scholar Athlete and seven Academic All-Big Ten recognitions.

“With wrestling being one of these sports that there’s not a lot of professional development after you’re done competing, it’s hard to really start up a career,” Romero said. “It’s nice to know that having all of these academic accomplishments will jumpstart us after we’re done wrestling.”

The trio have been teammates for the past three seasons. Schierl is a redshirt senior, while Romero and Steiner are redshirt juniors.

Head coach Tom Ryan said the basis of their academic success roots back to their discipline.

“They have an aerial view of their life, so they’re focusing on the now, but they’re also aware that their decisions now can actually control their future,” Ryan said.

“Ohio State wrestling can further that.”

Instilling a winning culture on the mat stems from a winning mindset off of it, and Romero, Schierl and Steiner contribute to that culture, Ryan said.

“I think examples are [our] greatest teacher,” Ryan said. “When you have young people come into your program and they see you’ve got a handful of guys that have already graduated and pursuing their masters, it sets the stage for the aim and the goal that everyone coming in should have.”

Romero earned Ohio State Scholar Athlete recognition — meaning he maintained at least a 3.0 grade point average for the year — all three years as a Buckeye.

He is in the Master of Human Resource Management program after he earned his undergraduate degree in marketing this spring, and he said he would like to intern with a pharmaceutical or medical sales company.

The redshirt junior holds a 30-13 career

“It’s cool to be a part of a university that takes their offthe-mat development a whole lot more serious than a lot of —Zach Steiner, other schools and Redshirt junior Ohio State wrestler programs do.”

COURTESY OF SAM JANICKI

Ohio State wrestler Fritz Schierl competes against Northwestern Feb. 9. Ohio State won 28-10.

record after going 19-7 last season and was an NCAA qualifier as the No. 6 seed for the 174-pound weight class.

Schierl achieved Ohio State Scholar Athlete recognition each year as an undergraduate student in addition to three Academic All-Big Ten distinctions going back to 2018. He entered the Master of Sports Coaching program after he earned his undergraduate degree in family and consumer financial services and said he plans to work for his family’s retail business.

On the mat, Schierl holds a 54-19 record and went 16-7 last season.

In July, Steiner was one of 1,526 Big Ten student-athletes who earned the Big Ten

Distinguished Scholar Award — awarded to student-athletes who maintain a 3.7 or higher GPA during the academic year.

He started the graduate program in the agricultural communication, education, and leadership department after he earned his agricultural communication undergraduate degree, and is contemplating going into the industry or returning to his family farm.

He wrestled to a 3-1 record before a lower-body injury at the Storm Open Nov. 24 at Lake Erie College prevented him from advancing.

“It’s cool to be a part of a university that takes their off-the-mat development a whole lot more serious than a lot of other schools and programs do,” Steiner said.

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The Big Ten Championships concluded at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Championships.

Since the abrupt end of the season, the three wrestlers have taken a step back from wrestling and have come to understand the motives behind much of their passions.

“For me, what quarantine did was refine my view of chosen sufferings,” Romero said. “Obviously, we chose to come to Ohio State, we chose to wrestle. In quarantine, we couldn’t wrestle, we couldn’t do anything.

All three wrestlers said they and the rest of the roster have been taking initiative and working toward bettering their bodies for once the opening whistle signals go-time.

In the meantime, the “masters” are expressing gratitude for their academic achievements and passion for wrestling until they get back on the mat and do what they love.

“We’re not in the perfect situation, but we’re making the most of what we have,” Romero said. “Everyone’s coming in and working really hard every day, that’s all you can really ask for.”

Ohio State wrestler Fritz Schierl competes against Northwestern.

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LSAT review: Technological trauma

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PERSPECTIVE “Let’s just say, I’m definitely not getting into Harvard Law School, unless my mother miraculously transforms into Lori Loughlin or Felicity Huffman overnight. ” MAEVE WALSH John R. Oller Special Projects Editor walsh.607@osu.edu

“I

f you experienced severe emotional distress as a result of technical difficulties during the online version of the law school admission test, you may be entitled to financial compensation!”

I wish. Instead, I’m stuck with a mediocre LSAT score and the joy of looking forward to dropping $200 more on yet another standardized test that will allegedly dictate my success, or lack thereof, in law school.

I’m not entirely convinced.

After four months of mind-numbing logic puzzles, a deteriorating posture in addition to my already scoliosis-ridden spine and a blow to my bank account, I hunkered down in my 12th Avenue apartment complex Aug. 29 where, to my demise, the online LSAT-Flex patiently awaited.

It was 7:30 a.m. I went for a quick walk around the block to get the brain juices flowing, guzzled a cup of coffee from Starbucks and cooked myself breakfast.

A few yoga poses and deep-breathing exercises later, I was in the zone, prepared to conquer what I hoped would be the last standardized test of my life.

I was naive to think the online COVID-19 version of the LSAT — complete with three sections of logical reasoning, logic games

and reading comprehension designed to make you fail — would be foolproof.

Although the pandemic allowed me to dodge a bullet that is the in-person 3 1/2hour, five-section-long LSAT exam, I missed out on the sensation of power that comes with aggressively crossing out answer choices with a No. 2 pencil.

I finally garnered the courage to select the “Start Exam” icon on my laptop when a debilitating wave of panic overtook me.

“Google Chrome is unable to download the extension” flashed across my screen, just two minutes prior to my 9:10 a.m. exam start time.

Never have I been more compelled to punch a gaping hole through my drywall than on the morning of Aug. 29. Nor have I cursed Google Chrome more in my life.

My liberal arts brain can hardly handle technical difficulties on any given day of the week, let alone minutes before the start of arguably one of the most important tests of my life.

I frantically dialed the number of the IT support desk at ProctorU, the online proctoring platform for the LSAT-Flex, and over a stream of tears and muffled cries for help, I tried to calmly explain the situation to the poor man on the receiving end of my anxiety attack.

After a painstakingly long hour of troubleshooting, I finally got in touch with someone at ProctorU who knew how to handle the situation. He gained access to LSAT CONTINUES ON 13 IVAN KOSTOVSKI | INFOGRAPHICS EDITOR

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“My biggest mistake involving the GRE was taking it.”

I

OWEN MILNES Campus Producer milnes.12@osu.edu

haven’t taken geometry since 2013. I spent high school precalculus partaking in various shenanigans and engaging in contentious battles of wit with my teacher — I didn’t even need to take the GRE graduate school entry exam for my grad schools of choice.

And yet, Sept. 14, I found myself walking to Ohio State’s testing center at 7:30 a.m. on the first brisk fall morning of the year to take the GRE. I was on a roll for the first half of the test, and although I can’t disclose the contents of the test due to a nondisclosure agreement I signed, I can assure you that the chinks in my mathematical armor had not been exposed — until I saw a circle. And then I saw other various shapes I haven’t even thought about since the end of my freshman year of high school. Much like a math book, I suddenly had a lot of problems.

To be honest, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to go to graduate school immediately after undergrad; but, it sounded better than looking for a job in THIS economy, so I signed up on a whim about a month before I actually took the test.

After taking the GRE, I am still not sure I want to go to graduate school immediately.

My biggest mistake involving the GRE was taking it. I found out after signing up that I could have waived the test requirement for all of my top choices, thanks to my grandiose grade point average. But, since I am applying to journalism

IVAN KOSTOVSKI | INFOGRAPHICS EDITOR

schools, I sincerely hope they will not judge my reporting skills by my ability to calculate the area of a rhombicosidodecahedron. I give my foreknowledge a one out of five.

My second biggest mistake involving the GRE was how little I prepared for it. I was hoping my standardized test taking skills from the ACT would transfer four years after the fact, but comparing me taking the ACT in 2016 to me taking the GRE in 2020 is apt to comparing an athlete in prime physical condition to the washed-up version they become after retirement.

I tried to hold on to the glory days of standardized testing prowess, but that really only proved the old adage that you can’t hold on to what’s gone.

Before taking the GRE, you should know if you actually need to take it or not. Also prepare.

Preparing would probably be good too.

As for during the test? Staying focused the whole time proved to be a challenge. I took my break after the first three of six sections, and after that, I zoned out. Not my best move, but very fitting considering the amount of preparation I gave.

After the test, I was completely brain-dead and starving. I recommend taking it on a day when you don’t have classes and work for the succeeding seven hours.

Overall, I would give my GRE experience a two out of five, even though my score was still “above average.” If you actually need to take it, please study and prepare; in which case, I hope you are able to have the full five out of five GRE experience you are looking for at the testing center of your choice.

GRE review: Geometry take two

PERSPECTIVE

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GRAD SCHOOL

COVID-19 reroutes graduate school exams

S

CLAIRE KRAFKA For The Lantern krafka.5@osu.edu

erena Ishwar is a very busy student.

On top of heavy involvement in several student organizations, a full course load and a part-time job, the third-year in political science also has to prepare for a test that will determine the fate of her law school education.

This is a familiar story for many Ohio State students, whose roads to graduate and professional school have taken a detour due to COVID-19. This impacts how they’ll take entrance exams, such as the Medical College Admission Test, the LSAT law school admission test or the GRE graduate school entry exam.

“In a normal world, I would’ve signed up to take group courses to prepare for the LSAT or found a tutor, but that is more difficult when social distancing is the new norm,” Ishwar said.

Jackie von Spiegel, program manager for Ohio State’s Dennis Learning Center, said students have resources they can utilize around campus in preparation for these tests, with more to come next semester. “[The Dennis Learning Center] is hoping to offer test-specific courses sometime in spring to give students extra preparation for whatever examination they plan on taking,” von Spiegel said. “But until then, the center offers plenty of general test preparation classes, helping students with test anxiety, managing stress, studying effectively and more.”

She said students can schedule an academic coaching appointment via Zoom

with the center to create a test-specific study plan or ask questions about study methods that have worked well for others in the past.

Prior to COVID-19, the LSAT was a six-section, in-person exam that included a writing sample. The virtual LSAT-Flex exam, however, consists of three sections and a writing sample taken at a later date, according to the Law School Admission Council’s website.

The standard LSAT clocks in at around 3 1/2 hours with a 15-minute break after section three, whereas the online LSATFlex is just under two hours with no breaks.

The MCAT has been shortened from 7 hours and 30 minutes to 5 hours and 45 minutes, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges’ website.

There is no tutorial before the exam, no survey after and the mid-exam break is shortened from 30 minutes to 10 minutes.

The test will still have the same number of graded questions.

Ishwar said she will travel home in search of a quiet space and stable Wi-Fi that campus can’t always provide.

Amid horror stories circulating about lost internet connections in the middle of tests, score delays and other difficulties, Ishwar says she is hoping for a smooth process.

“I just wish the resources were advertised better because I would appreciate all the help I could get,” Ishwar said.

Students can meet with an academic coach and explore other avenues of testtaking support at the Dennis Learning Center website.

OWEN MILNES | CAMPUS PRODUCER

Graduate and professional entrance exams have changed due to COVID-19, from how long the test is to where students can take their exams.

“In a normal world, I would’ve signed up to take group courses to prepare for the LSAT or found a tutor.”

—Serena Ishwar, third-year in political science

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Arts&&Life Arts

10 | Tuesday, September 29, 2020

WEXNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens showcase glass blowing artist Dale Chihuly ON PAGE 12

New exhibitions at Wexner Center ask deep questions amid divisive election season LAURA SMITH Lantern Reporter smith.11136@osu.edu

A

mid an incredibly contentious election season, the Wexner Center for the Arts has launched four new exhibitions that invite its viewers to think about voting and democracy.

The exhibitions — “Aggressive Witness—Active Participant,” “Remember Me,” “Assembled Audience” and “Love Rollercoaster” — opened Saturday and will be on display through Dec. 27. Although the exhibitions are not linked together in any way, Kristin HelmickBrunet, curatorial associate at the Wexner Center, said each one invites visitors to think deeply about their role in American democracy.

“I’m hoping that people will connect back to the fundamentals of our democracy and what makes America so important,” Helmick-

Brunet said.

“Aggressive Witness—Active Participant,” created by artist Gretchen Bender, is one of the more explicitly political pieces being shown, Bill Horrigan, curator-at-large at the Wexner Center, said. It consists of eight box-screen televisions playing live cable TV with graphics naming contentious topics — such as “Lesbian & Gay Rights,” “No Criticism” and “Class, Race and Gender” — overlaying them with four computer monitors displaying other graphics interspersed between them, Horrigan said.

Horrigan said the exhibition isn’t exactly a pleasant piece of art.

“It’s very kind of cacophonous and kind of willfully an assault of peace,” Horrigan said.

He said it asks the viewer to think about what the news does — and

COURTESY OF THE WEXNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS.

Artist Tomashi Jackson sits in front of the installation “Love Rollercoaster” at the Wexner Center for the Arts.

doesn’t — discuss.

“In some ways, it’s about how mass media, television in particular, constructs a certain kind of reality to the expense of others,” Horrigan said.

Moreover, Horrigan said the piece is an example of how its message — that television constructs a certain kind of reality at the expense of others — transcends time, as it was originally created in 1990 and is being displayed again for the Wexner Center’s 30th anniversary.

The exhibition “Remember Me,” made by filmmaker and

COURTESY OF THE WEXNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Over an entire year, Taryn Simon recorded applause at Columbus’ three largest venues to create the “Assembled Audience” exhibition.

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Tuesday, September 29, 2020 | The Lantern |11

“I’m hoping that people will connect back to the fundamentals of our democracy and what makes America so important,” Helmick-Brunet said.

COURTESY OF THE WEXNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Steve McQueen’s “Remember Me” assembles neon signs in the scripts of different people’s handwriting to spark different ideas in the minds of the viewers.

visual artist Steve McQueen, is a much gentler, more intimate piece, Horrigan said. It consists of numerous neon signs with the phrase “Remember Me” in different scripts and handwriting.

The exact meaning, however, is left up to the viewer, Horrigan said.

“You don’t know whether ‘Remember Me’ is a plea, an order, a request. It’s kind of ambiguous,” Horrigan said. “It’s very primal and quite meditative.”

The exhibition “Assembled Audience,” made by Taryn Simon, is different from the other exhibitions, as it is almost

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entirely an auditory experience, Helmick-Brunet said. Over the course of an entire year, she said Simon recorded applause from audience members at events in Columbus’ three largest venues: the Nationwide Arena, the Schottenstein Center and the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The events ranged from a Justin Timberlake concert to a political rally, and the exhibition includes a list detailing the date, event and name of every single person recorded.

Helmick-Brunet said the purpose of the exhibition is for us to question the nature of our

Editor in Chief Sam Raudins Managing Editor for Content Jasmine Hilton John R. Oller ME for Design Richard Giang Managing Editor for Multimedia Jack Long Copy Chief Trevor Simpson John R. Oller Campus Editor Sarah Szilagy Assistant Campus Editor Max Garrison LTV Campus Producer Owen Milnes John R. Oller Sports Editor Keaton Maisano Assistant Sports Editor Jack Emerson LTV Sports Producer Curtis Grube Assistant LTV Sports Producer Kevin Lapka Arts & Life Editor Ashley Kimmel

applause.

“Who are we giving our applause to? Are we doing it as a crowd or are we doing it as individuals? Is there any individual ownership in our applause? Are we influenced by others?” Helmick-Brunet said.

“Love Rollercoaster,” made by Tomashi Jackson, is a series of paintings exploring the history of voter disenfranchisement and suppression of African American communities, specifically in Ohio, Helmick-Brunet said.

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dust from both a local park and Athens, Greece, in her paintings.

The exhibition will also feature a playlist of background music from the Dayton, Ohio, band Ohio Players, which Jackson said she listened to while working on the paintings and from which she drew the exhibition’s title.

Interspersed with those songs will be excerpts from interviews Jackson had with Ohio residents on the topic of voter suppression, Helmick-Brunet said.

Helmick-Brunet said the original plan for the exhibition was to include voter registration and absentee ballot request forms for visitors to fill out. Due to not wanting ink pens so close to the paintings, Helmick-Brunet said the voter registration forms have been moved to the nearby “Free Space” exhibition, and absentee ballot requests can be found at the front desk of the Wexner Center.

Although “Love Rollercoaster” is Director of Student Media General Sales Manager Lantern TV Production

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definitely the most political of the new exhibitions, Helmick-Brunet said she hopes all of them remind people of the tenets of American democracy and how important it is to be a part of it.

“They have such a fundamental, important message, just for the basis of what American democracy is,” Helmick-Brunet said. “I think it’s very important to put that message back out there because it can get lost in a lot of the noise and the static.”

Beyond the political ideas is the broader hope that visitors will enjoy themselves and find meaning in the artwork, Horrigan said.

“We want people, mainly, to enjoy themselves, be entertained, have their minds provoked, opened a bit. We want the works to be provocative, helpful and memorable,” Horrigan said.

“Aggressive Witness—Active Participant,” “Remember Me,” “Assembled Audience” and “Love Rollercoaster,” will be on display through Dec. 27 at the Wexner Center for the Arts. The Wexner Center is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free for college students on all days with a valid ID, and for general members on Thursdays after 4 p.m. and on the first Sunday of every month.

For all other times, tickets cost $9 for the general public and $7 for senior citizens, Ohio State faculty and staff with a BuckID.

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12 | The Lantern | Tuesday, September 29, 2020

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Chihuly Nights: Bringing color to Columbus’ nightlife CLAIRE MCLEAN For The Lantern mclean.171@osu.edu

T

he Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is bringing light and color through the darkness of night — and of 2020 — with its “Chihuly Nights” exhibition.

“Chihuly Nights” showcases 19 art installations by glass blowing artist Dale Chihuly — all of which are lit up in the outdoor botanical gardens.

The series, which started in July, was originally scheduled to occur on the second Saturday of each month through Oct. 10, but has since added two additional Friday dates for Oct. 9 and Nov. 6, according to the Franklin Park Conservatory Facebook page.

The Oct. 9 event kicks off at 7 p.m. and a food truck will be on site, with wine, beer and food available for purchase, according to the conservatory’s website Although the pieces exhibited during the event are available for daytime viewing, “Chihuly Nights” offers visitors a unique

experience with glowing, radiant colors, enlivened by professional lighting, Bonnie DeRubertis, associate director of exhibitions at the conservatory, said.

“There’s just something incredibly spectacular about seeing the collection at night,” DeRubertis said.

“His work is beautiful during the day, but when you see it at night it’s just so breathtaking.”

Jennifer Wilson, director of marketing and communications at the conservatory, shared similar sentiments about the beauty of Chihuly’s work against the night sky.

“The way it’s lit at night, it really brings out the vibrance of the glass, and it looks completely different than it does in the day,” Wilson said.

Dale Chihuly has had a strong relationship with the Franklin Park Conservatory over the past couple of decades, dating back to his original installment at the conservatory in 2003, DeRubertis said.

A Chihuly glass piece lit at night on Franklin Park Conservatory’s rooftop.

The exhibition was wildly successful, leading to more of Chihuly’s works being added. Since 2009, only a few of his pieces were on display to the public, but in 2019, his full collection became available for viewing, including his exhibition “Chihuly: Celebrating Nature.” The full collection has stayed since then and will be displayed during the event.

DeRubertis said the staff has taken visitors’ safety very seriously over the past few months and has implemented many precautionary measures due to the pandemic.

She said the garden has stickers encouraging social distancing, hand sanitizer stations and a one-way route through the conservatory to ensure that

guests limit contact with one another. Additionally, guests are required to sign up for an arrival time when purchasing a ticket to eliminate the flow of traffic for the event to facilitate social distancing, according to the Franklin Park Conservatory website.

COURTESY OF BONNIE DERUBERTIS

The next “Chihuly Nights” will take place Oct. 9 from 7-10 p.m. at the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, located at 1777 E. Broad St. Ticket costs vary and must be reserved online in advance due to government mandates.

COURTESY OF BONNIE DERUBERTIS

The Paul Busse Garden Railway adds a playful touch to every Conservatory visit.

thelantern.com LSAT FROM 6

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my computer, did some fancy computer science maneuvers, and at last, I was connected with a proctor to begin the exam — more than an hour after my original start time.

So much for my calming morning routine.

With puffy red eyes and tissues scattered around my room, I finally acquired some semblance of calm to begin the two-hour exam. I popped in my blue foam ear plugs from Target and prayed that the three 35-minute randomized sections ahead of me would be kind.

First up: logic games. A cruel series of puzzles designed to confuse you. Extensive diagramming and process of elimination required.

I breezed through the first three games, but the familiar sense of panic I experienced just 30 minutes before began to creep in.

No doubt about it — I bombed the last game. Moving on.

A quick side note: My upstairs

neighbors decided to start vacuuming their living room at 10:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning.

My $2 foam ear plugs could only get me so far. I was thrown out of focus for a few minutes, mentally cursing COVID-19 and my noisy neighbors.

Next up: logical reasoning.

The absolute death of me and my worst section by far. There are 25 multiple-choice questions, with about 90 seconds per question. First, you have to read a short passage — also known as the stimulus, if you prefer the elitist LSAT writer terminology.

Included in the stimulus is either a set of facts or an argument.

Then you’ll answer a question about the stimulus, which includes identifying anything from a flawed method of reasoning to the main point of the argument, each of which has a specific strategy in terms of approaching the correct answer.

To my surprise, I felt fairly confident on what is typically

Tuesday, September 29, 2020 | The Lantern | 13

my weakest section. In hindsight, now that I have my LSAT score, I’m going to take a guess that the confidence I felt was likely me selecting all the sucker choices.

And lastly, the third and final section: reading comprehension.

Regardless of how quickly I breezed through the “Harry Potter” series as a kid, the LSAT writers are quite talented when it comes to making you question your literacy.

Nevertheless, I felt fairly confident with the first three passages, and similar to logic games, I bombed the last passage — an extremely scientific article about bees and their flight patterns. Are you joking?

And just like that, time was up, and the exam was over.

Good riddance. Reeling from the emotional and mental labor I just endured, I admittedly grabbed a beer from my fridge and went back to bed. It was noon.

Let’s just say, I’m definitely not getting into Harvard Law School

unless my mother miraculously transforms into Lori Loughlin or Felicity Huffman overnight.

To make matters worse, I received my mediocre LSAT score Sept. 18, the same day that my beloved inspiration and Columbia Law graduate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died. Are the LSAT gods trying to tell me something?

Is it too much to ask for a 5-point score boost given the trauma I endured prior to starting my test?

Anyway, I’m sticking with the clichéd reassurance that “a number doesn’t define me” and am thankful that I have the financial means to retake the exam at a later date.

I can’t forget to mention the outlandish costs of even online LSAT prep courses, let alone the $200 just to register for the exam.

This presents severe financial barriers for low-income students and puts those who cannot afford to pay for prep classes at a serious

disadvantage.

I guess the ridiculous fees are the Law School Admission Council’s sweet reminder of the crippling vortex that is the cost of tuition for law school, sinking me deeper into the abyss of student debt.

In the meantime, I will be returning to the LSAT prep drawing board — this time with Khan Academy’s free LSAT prep course — and enjoying my final semester at Ohio State before entering the world of adulthood!

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14 | The Lantern | Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Football: Ohio State’s young offense looks to reach full potential JACK EMERSON Assistant Sports Editor emerson.131@osu.edu

AMAL SAEED | FORMER PHOTO EDITOR

Ohio State then-sophomore quarterback Justin Fields (1) runs the ball down the field during the first half of the game against Penn State Nov. 23, 2019. Ohio State won 28-17.

I

n 2019, the Buckeyes boasted the Big Ten’s top offense, and although they have lost key pieces at their skill positions, Ohio State’s expectations are set to exceed the bar set by their predecessors from a season ago.

With the losses of running back J.K. Dobbins and three of its top five receivers, Ohio State’s offense is much younger and more inexperienced than

last year’s group. Despite the turnover at the skill positions, senior tight end Jake Hausmann said that this offense has the potential to be the best he’s played with in his Ohio State career.

“We have all the weapons we need to be putting up crazy numbers and winning games by as much as we want to,” Hausman said Friday in a conference call.

The Buckeyes will look to fill the void left by Dobbins with a committee approach with graduate transfer Trey Sermon and redshirt sophomore Master Teague.

Teague used the offseason to return from an Achilles injury that he sustained during the opening spring practice in March while Sermon has come in from Oklahoma looking to carve himself a role.

“Master Teague has done an unbelievable job of getting himself healthy again in such a short period of time,” head coach Ryan Day said Sept. 17 on “The Ryan Day Show” on 97.1 The Fan. “Getting Trey (Sermon) in here is really great for us. He’s a really good young man who understands football.”

One of the constants in this offense is junior quarterback Justin Fields, who is coming off of a stellar 2019 campaign in which he finished third in Heisman Trophy voting.

With the extra year to develop, Fields is expected to make another strong case for the Heisman Trophy. However, his on-the-field development pales in comparison to the strides he’s made as a leader for the team.

“Definitely physically, he’s doing anything and everything he can to get better,” senior tight end Luke Farrell said. “He’s made huge strides in being an outspoken leader of our offense and on our team and I think that has just rallied everybody around him.”

In terms of on-the-field improvement, offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said that Fields looks much more comfortable and that he’s turned to a vegan diet in order to be leaner and maximize his ability on the field.

“Here’s a kid that wanted to become a great player and part of that was taking care of his body,” Wilson said. “He made a commitment because he wanted to be leaner, take care of himself even better.”

Tasked with protecting Fields is the Buckeye offensive line which lost an interior presence in left guard Jonah Jackson and help on the outside in Brandon

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Bowen at right tackle. The previous incarnation of the offensive line led the Buckeyes to the most rushing yards per game in the Big Ten as well as a 2,000 yard season for Dobbins.

Freshman tackle Paris Johnson Jr. is battling redshirt sophomore Nicholas Petit-Frere and sophomore Dawand Jones for the starting tackle spot, while sophomore Harry Miller looks to lock down the left guard spot with sophomore Matt Jones expected to make a run at the position. However, Day said that competitions on the offensive line are still largely undecided due to the fact that the Buckeyes are yet to participate in a padded practice this season.

“Once we get the pads on we’ll have a better feel. It’s been hard because we haven’t really hit since the Clemson game,” Day said. “We’ve been doing stuff with helmets, but as you know, with the O-line, you don’t really know until those shoulder pads come on.”

Ohio State also held onto their top three tight ends heading into this season, as the trio of Farrell, junior Jeremy Ruckert and senior Jake Hausmann all returned to Columbus.

Wilson, who also serves as the tight ends coach, said that the unit has shown growth over the offseason in both physical and mental aspects, especially in their confidence.

“They’re all older. They’re more confident,” Wilson said.

“It’s a great group of guys and I just think you’re going to see them playing faster.”

Alongside the tight ends in the passing game is Ohio State’s new-look receiving corps which is headlined by returning junior Chris Olave and sophomore

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Tuesday, September 29, 2020 | The Lantern | 15

Garrett Wilson.

The headliners are also supported by a deep cast of young talent in sophomore Jameson Williams and four true freshmen – five-stars Julian Fleming and Jaxon SmithNjigba and four-stars Mookie Cooper and Gee Scott Jr. Day said that the freshmen have been impressive to this point in the preseason.

“The young guys have really shown out, seeing some of those guys come in and step in,” Day said. “It’s a good group.”

While the offense bolsters plenty of individual talent, Kevin Wilson said that if the group wants to reach the next level, they’ll need to buy in and play together as a unit rather than individuals.

“We had a lot of guys opt in. The key is guys need to make sure we keep buying in because I think that’s the key, buying into what it takes to play as a group,” Kevin Wilson said. “We’re trying to convince the guys, ‘If we can play as a group collectively, you can always get more than you will individually.’”

AMAL SAEED | FORMER PHOTO EDITOR

Ohio State then-redshirt freshman running back Master Teague III (33) evades a Miami (Ohio) defensive player during the first half of the game on Sept. 21, 2019. Ohio State won 76-5.

CASEY CASCALDO | FORMER MANAGING EDITOR FOR MULTIMEDIA

Ohio State then sophomore tight end Jeremy Ruckert (88) runs the ball in for a touchdown in the first half of the game against Florida Atlantic Aug. 31, 2019.

Ohio State won 45-21.

The decision to go forward with the Big Ten season was announced Sept. 16.

A year ago, Ruckert, who entered his sophomore season with only one catch, flashed the best receiving performance of his career in Ohio State’s 2019 season opener against Florida Atlantic.

In the game, Ruckert posted career highs with four catches, 38 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Ruckert entered the 2019 season as the lone sophomore contributing amongst a trio of upperclassmen.

With former tight end Rashod Berry now departed from the

team, seniors Luke Farrell and Jake Hausmann remain as the elder statesmen in the position group.

Even though he was a key contributor a year ago, Ruckert said he still learns from the two players above him.

“If you just watch them do all the little things right –– whether it’s on the field or even just in the classroom or outside the field,” Ruckert said. “Really I just go to them if I have any questions. They have always been really good to go to and talk to about stuff. We’ve gotten really close this year.”

The 2020 season could prove to be a stepping stone for the

No. 2 tight end recruit in the 2018 class, but although he has worked on personal improvement throughout the offseason, his focus is on team success as the season opener against Nebraska approaches.

“My main goal is just to do whatever we can do to help win the national championship and beat Nebraska right now,” Ruckert said.

Sports

16 | Tuesday, September 29, 2020

CORI WADE | PHOTO EDITOR

Ohio State then-sophomore tight end Jeremy Ruckert (88) catches a touchdown pass in the second half of the Big Ten Championship game against Wisconsin Dec. 7. Ohio State won 34-21.

Football: Jeremy Ruckert among improved, overshadowed tight end group

W

ith a plethora of young weapons set to catch Justin Fields’ passes on the outside, Ohio State may benefit from its experience at the tight end position.

In a position group with four

KEATON MAISANO John R. Oller Sports Editor maisano.2@osu.edu upperclassmen, Jeremy Ruckert is the lone junior and accounted for 56 percent of catches from the 2019 tight end group. Hauling in 142 yards and four touchdowns his sophomore season, the New York native has prepared through

an unusual offseason to take the next step in his maturation.

“I just want to keep improving as an all-around tight end,” Ruckert said Sept. 25 in a Zoom call. “Feel like I’ve gotten a lot stronger this offseason, so hopefully that will

FOOTBALL

Buckeyes’ offense looks to build on past successes.

ON PAGE 14 be put on display this year in my blocking and everything like that, and I really just want to step it up in all three aspects.”

In order to improve all facets of his game, Ruckert said he has turned to improving his understanding of the game.

Entering his third season, Ruckert said his grasp of the offense and specific techniques has allowed him to focus on expanding his football knowledge.

“I think the main thing I’m trying to look at this year is really understanding defenses and coverage and fronts and all that,” Ruckert said March 4.

Due to a greater understanding of the game and increased physical maturity, Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said there is a difference in the group from a year ago: speed.

“And with that, I think the quarterbacks are getting more confident and comfortable in making sure as they go through the progressions, they are giving them a right peek as long as it fits the time and the play and all that,” Wilson said Sept. 25 in a Zoom call.

Wilson, who has coached the Ohio State tight ends since 2017, said the group looked to the NFL to see what improvements each player could make. Ruckert said the group looked at the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens, two teams that utilized the tight end a lot during the 2019-20 NFL season.

“In the NFL, the biggest play that they always convert on is the tight end over the middle,” Ruckert said. “We’re doing a lot of everything right now.”

Ruckert said he could see the tight end over the middle being

integrated more in the 2020 offense.

Like the other members of the Ohio State football team, Ruckert was forced to prepare for the football season away from campus in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ruckert, who had been working out with one of his friends back home, said the amount of COVID-19 cases in Long Island, New York, forced him to work out on his own.

In order to work out at his home, Ruckert said he and his dad decided to build their own squat rack by acquiring wood from the store and watching tutorial videos.

“Not only was it good for me to keep getting workouts in and be safe, but it was cool to really do that with my dad and my brothers and get to spend some family time that normally we really wouldn’t get,” Ruckert said.

Ruckert said that he still uses the squat rack whenever he goes home.

Although unorthodox, the training prior to mid-August was in anticipation of a fall football season, a payoff that temporarily vanished when the Big Ten decided to postpone the season Aug. 11.

“We just wanted to know when and who we were playing against and to really focus on that to just give you something to look forward to. It was kinda rough just working and doing workouts in practice when you didn’t really have an idea of when we were playing,” Ruckert said. “Getting the green light to go really lifted up a lot of guys. Feel like the energy has been really good these last couple of practices.”