Mill Fest kick started Fest Season Saturday with hundreds of people flooding the front and back yards of Mill Street.
Among the crowd, Chris MacNeal, executive director of the Southeast Ohio Hope Center, said he wanted people to know there are resources available for those in recovery or those who need extra support throughout the weekend.
“We are out here offering harm reduction materials and free Narcan and fentanyl test strips,” MacNeal said. “We do have a space available if someone wanted to come hang out and get a little bit away from the chaos.”
This is the first year the Southeast Ohio Hope Center has partnered with the Collegiate Recovery Community, and they will also be providing resources at Palmer Fest. Fest weekends draw large crowds, creating the perfect scene for a successful fundraiser. Delta Zeta, a sorority with a house on Mill Street, sold pancakes to raise money for the Starkey Hearing Foundation.
: Fest Season returns
“We actually ran out of pancakes at one point,” Vivian Dennis, a sophomore studying psychology and sociology, said. “I would say this is our biggest fundraiser of the year.”
Partying is a huge part of the fest season. However, Emma Markins, a sophomore studying dance and health administration, said there is more to fest than just going out. As a member of Delta Zeta, she acknowledged fest season is a great time to showcase the best of Greek life through philanthropy.
“My favorite thing about fest is the opportunity to raise money for our national philanthropy,” Markins said. “It is a great way to get everyone on Mill Street and noticing that there’s a lot of good things about Greek life, like making money for our charities.”
Ava Hamilton, a senior studying political science pre-law, Alexis Cairney, a senior studying studio art, and Erin McEwen, an
Ohio University alumna who graduated last semester, were out enjoying the festivities early.
“It’s honestly just about the community,” Hamilton said. “Everybody is so welcoming, and everyone becomes friends with everyone.”
McEwen said although fest weekends can provide a sense of togetherness, not everyone is inviting and friendly.
“It’s a balance, though,” Cairney said. “We’re having fun, but at the same time, our friends just left a party because they were being called slurs.”
Cairney said it is important to call out this kind of behavior because people try to get away with hate speech in party settings such as fest weekends.
“It’s about the OU community and about being with your friends and having a good time,” Cairney said. “Not spewing hate speech.”
JD Lawrence, a senior studying accounting, gave some advice to first-time fest
Fest-goers answer trivia questions on Mill Street
The sound of music, laughter and the occasional ‘’OU, oh yeah’’ chant filled the air as thousands of fest-goers took over Mill Street for the legendary Mill Fest. On Saturday, students and party-goers flooded the renowned Mill Street to kick off Fest Season. With cups in hand and good vibes all around, this year’s celebration did not disappoint.
For many students attending OU, Fest Season is the time to foster memories that they will remember for years to come.
“We are feeling the vibes, we are ecstatic to be here,” senior Chloe Chesnick said as she was waiting for the crowds to pour in.
Between the music and festivities, reporters from The Post took the chance to test festival-goers with some lighthearted trivia, challenging them to recall basic knowledge. A mix of impressive answers, hilarious guesses and a few people who were just happy to participate.
The questions ranged from simple geographical locations to shapes of everyday objects. What stumped fest-goers the most were the questions about anatomy. When asked who had more bones, babies or adults, students struggled to answer.
“No babies have not that many bones, babies don’t have kneecaps, right?” Riley Shrimplin, a senior studying media arts production, said. “I don’t think that babies have knees, babies have less bones.”
A human baby is born with approximately 300 bones while their adult counterparts should have 206. When hearing the answer to the question, students were confused and bewildered.
Midway through the day, students were feeling confident, so it was time for geography. Fest-goers were asked, “What is the tallest mountain in the world?”
“The Himalayas,” freshman Hallie Whisler said. When asked which of the mountains lining the Himalayan mountain range was the tallest, she answered, “The one that people die on, Mount Everest.”
Aside from trivia, the day was full of highlights. A porch was transformed into a full DJ stage that kept the crowd moving, and even police officers got in
participants.
“Everyone’s here really just to party. Normally, people are scared of walking up and going to people they don’t know, but we’re all going to the same college, we’re all here to have a good time,” Lawrence said. “Seriously, don’t hesitate to come over and just hang out for a while.”
For upperclassmen, fest season also allows them to look back on the memories made at past fests.
Madison Sagerman, a junior studying business management information systems and analytics, said she attends fests every year. She said she enjoyed being able to experience something new after her first fest season freshman year.
“I missed Mill (my freshman year), so my first fest ended up being High Fest, and it was just really fun … everyone was just high energy and having fun,” Sagerman said. “It was really cool to be able to see it for the first time and experience it all new.”
on the fun reminding fest-goers to party responsibly.
As the sun set on another successful Mill Fest, it is only the start of the highly anticipated Fest Season here in Athens.
As attendees walk or stumble away with new memories, lots of stories and probably less confidence in their trivia skills.
ELIZABETH TALAGA & KAITLIN HOGG | FOR THE POST
MICHAEL DORWALDT | FOR THE POST
Watch full video here:
CONNOR EGLOFF | FOR THE POST
Healthier snack, meal options coming to students
DREW HOFFMASTER | NEWS STAFF WRITER
Ohio University partnered with FoodSpot to bring Microstores, food vending units offering a variety of healthy meals and snacks, to campus.
Operational this week, 13 units have been installed in Ping Recreation Center, Gordon K. Bush Ohio University Airport and soon at the Golf and Tennis Center.
Frank Pazzanese, the executive director of culinary services, said each unit will be stocked with food and drinks tailored to the clientele at each location.
“We get reports every day,” Pazzanese said. “At the end of the day, by midnight, we get a report on what they sold and what they didn’t sell. So we track them, and then we’ll kind of come up with a basic menu. We’re trying different things, but the people at the airport are different people than at Ping Center.”
Students can use their cards to connect to the machine. Then, the student can open the Microstore door and take their desired products.
Anything taken from the machine is tracked by a Radio Frequency Identification sticker that tells the machine how much to charge the student.
Pazzanese said the cheapest product in the machine is a bottle of water for around $2. The most expensive is a large sandwich for $6.75. Pazzanese said these sandwiches and salads are the same as in Boyd, Jefferson and Nelson markets.
“If you’re out (at Bush Airport) and especially if you don’t have a car, there is nowhere else to go and get something,” Pazzanese said. “We’re trying to provide a service for our students, and the goal is not to make a ton of money, just to provide a service.”
The university is trying to go with a Costco-influenced model, Pazzanese said. The model enables lower prices and
better values through maintaining low business costs.
The prices of the products in the Microstores are the same as what a person would pay at the other markets, and there has been a lot of interest in the machines, Pazzanese said.
“I was at Ping Center yesterday kind of just standing around looking at the machine,” Pazzanese said. “At least three people walked by, looked at it, read it and they’re like, ‘Oh, this is interesting. This is new. Maybe I’ll purchase it next time.’”
Issac Wu, co-founder and director of experience for FoodSpot, said the company has paired with other companies and universities to bring machines to them.
FoodSpot has previously worked with packaging facilities in rural Arkansas, the University of California Berkeley, Occidental College, Western Wyoming Community College and the University of Alaska.
The installation of 13 units at OU is the biggest campus launch the company has done. Wu said they had worked closely with the university during the launch by helping them set up the hardware, training faculty in using the machines and offering daily help sessions over Zoom.
“The analogy we like to use is we’re not just selling a toaster and saying good luck,” Wu said. “We’re saying, ‘Here’s the program, and let us partner with you on it to make it succeed.’”
FoodSpot is one of two companies that uses the RFID labels to track when products are bought, Wu said. Most other companies use either cameras or weight tracking for this, which is tougher to use because of a lack of accuracy and having to consistently calibrate them.
“We’re much larger from a shelf space standpoint, we’re much more premium
from a build quality standpoint, and we have higher security features,” Wu said.
Wu said the company’s biggest goal is to provide people with accessible fresh food. FoodSpot allows the owner of the machines to choose what products go into the machines and allow for the storage of healthy, refrigerated foods.
“(Students) need fresh food during all hours that programs can’t hire for all the time because maybe the demand is not so high and it is financially nearly impossible,” Wu said. “So in order to provide that fresh food accessibility without hiring a full staff, that’s why they look to smart vending.”
think that’s one of the best qualities.”
Davis Garner, a freshman studying business and an intern for FoodSpot, said surveys were posted online for students to give their opinions to decide what products were first put into the Microstores.
“We’re going to work on gathering some intel on what students might like,” Garner said. “(The machines) are going to be full of meals mostly. It’s going to be healthy meals with drinks most of the time.”
Garner said he is most excited for students to get food outside of the dining hall’s operating hours and in areas previously without food.
“Personally, that’s something I struggle with constantly almost on a daily basis because the dining hall is closed fairly early,” Garner said. “Now, when leaving Ping you can get a snack after the gym. I
CAMPUS EVENTS
Jacquelyn Middleton, a sophomore studying finance and business analytics, said she feels OU has a variety of different dining spots, but it is sometimes difficult to get food depending on where a student lives.
“After 8:30 (p.m.), you really can’t get anything besides Earl’s (Coop),” Middleton said. “I believe different places around campus it’s hard to get food, like Bromley, it’s very far from everything else. It’s not always very convenient.”
Pazzanese said the culinary department is currently considering requests to put the machines at other locations around campus such as Baker University Center, Schoonover Hall, the School of Music and the Kennedy Museum.
“I just think (the Microstores) are something that, if proven successful, we’ll deploy more,” Pazzanese said. “But, that’s up to the folks. Do (students) want these on campus? People vote with action.”
March 25th - April 4th
Social Engagement & Student Org Events
Wednesday, March 26
Amnesty International Meeting
5:00 - 6:00 pm Porter 108
DJ Premier Event - Music Industry Summit hosted by: Brick City Records
8:00 - 10:00 pm Baker Ballroom
Thursday, March 27
Mindfulness Through Eating
6:00 - 7:00 pm Morton 126
Friday, March 28
Community Shabbat
7:00 - 9:00 pm
Chabad • 33 N Court St.
CSEL MOVIE SERIES: Moana
8:00 pm Baker Theatre
Saturday, March 29
Tabletop Gaming- ALL DAY hosted by: Bobcat Tabletop 10:00 am - 10:00 pm Living Learning Ctr.
BOBCATHON - Dance Marathon
10:00 - 2:00 pm Ping Recreaton Center
BASEBALL- Morgan's Message Game hosted by: Bobcat Tabletop
2:00 - 4:00 pm Bob Wren Stadium
Monday, March 31
Recovery Ally Training hosted by: Collegiate Recovery Community
1:00 - 2:00 pm Baker 313
De-Stress with Dogs 2:00 - 4:00 pm Living Learning Center
Wednesday, April 2
Amnesty International Meeting 5:00 - 6:00 pm Porter 108
Midweek Bible Study hosted by: Encompass Campus Min.
7:00 - 9:00 pm Baker 503
Thursday, April 3
Community Engaged Leadership Series: How to find your Community Partner
5:00 - 6:00 pm Alden Library
Friday, April 4
Community Shabbat
7:00 - 9:00 pm Chabad • 33 N Court St.
Friday's LIVE Season 54 E04 hosted by Sarah Cooper 8:00 pm Studio C (RTV 515)
ELLE MALTRY | FOR THE POST
University provides food accommodations during Ramadan
ZOE WAYAND | FOR THE POST
As Ramadan continues, Ohio University has made sure to provide quality meals and support services to Muslim students who need them.
In the Islamic religion, Ramadan is a holy month of fasting where observers are expected to refrain from food or drink during daylight hours, sexual activity and other “immoral” behavior. Observers are also expected to engage in communal prayer and readings of the Quran, Islam’s holy book.
This year, Ramadan lasts from the evening of Feb. 28 to the evening of March 29.
Although Muslim students make up a small percentage of students, the university has instituted several dining hall policies to ensure these students have access to food that fits their needs.
Isatou B Secka, an international Muslim doctoral student focusing on educational leadership, said resources including the Cats Cupboard and Community Food Pantry have been useful during this time.
Mutarr Jallow, the culinary services production manager, said the options available to students who need a meal before dining halls open.
“One of the accommodations includes the provision of a pre-fasting meal (Suhoor),” Jallow wrote in an email. “Students can make arrangements with
the dining hall to receive a fresh, readyto-pick-up meal early in the morning, as it is essential for Muslims to eat before sunrise.”
Islam also has dietary laws, known as Halal, which require Muslim people to eat only animals that have been slaughtered humanely and refrain from eating pork or pork products.
Jallow explained that Halal food is easy to find and available to any student with a meal plan.
“Muslim students have the option to request Halal meals in advance, which are freshly prepared and ready to pick up,” Jallow said. “Furthermore, at Central Foods Facility, we ensure that pork and pork-related foods are clearly labeled, as they are not permissible for Muslim students.”
Jallow said Muslim student employees are also given time and a space to pray during their shifts if needed.
Secka emphasized how beneficial she thinks dining hall Ramadan provisions are to students who observe it.
“It is really commendable because that (helps) Muslim students to have that opportunity for them to somehow find what they would want to eat,” Secka said. “That is a very good initiative, and it is also a way of including Muslim students into the menu plans.”
Since coming to OU, Secka said university staff have consulted her on how to best approach Islamic dietary restrictions and provide parts of international students’ homes to the university.
Secka also said the food pantries on campus are great for providing Muslim students with Halal dietary options that do not cost money, whether during Ramadan or not.
Going forward, Secka said she would like an orientation for Muslim students new to the university where dining hall staff can explain what unfamiliar foods may have pork products or do not align with Halal dietary standards.
“(I) do not know that pepperoni is made out of pork,” Secka said. “It’s a little bit later that you would know (the ingredients of unfamiliar foods), or you could meet with someone, and they will tell you, ‘OK, you arrive here when you go to the dining hall. Don’t eat this. Don’t eat that. Don’t do that.’”
Overall, Secka said OU has been an extremely accepting and welcoming place where she and other Muslim students feel comfortable praying and openly practicing their religion.
“I think I feel more comfortable in my hijab at Ohio University than anywhere in the U.S.,” Secka said. “Even sometimes when you are invited for dinner or when
Police Blotter: Perfect time for a walk, an electrifying crime
DREW HOFFMASTER | NEWS STAFF WRITER
14 Fri _________________________
Perfect time for a walk
A man was reported walking in the middle of state Route 682 near the Waltz Bar, according to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded and made contact with the man. It was determined the man was under the influence and was arrested for disorderly conduct by intoxication and underage consumption. The man was then transported to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail without incident.
Funny prank gone wild
According to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to Carl Drive in The Plains for a person needing assistance with unlocking finger cuffs.
Once on the scene, the deputies met with the person with the cuffs on and attempted to unlock it with their handcuff keys. The person was then advised to visit the emergency room to remove the finger cuffs.
15 Sat_________________________
“Baahhh” time
Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of goats escaping their pen at Rock Street in Coolville.
After speaking to the owner, deputies discovered the goats were put back in their pens.
Out of sight, out of mind — unless it’s in my garage
A breaking and entering occurred on state Route 13 in Glouster and deputies
were dispatched to the scene, according to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies arrived to find two individuals in a garage and spoke to them and the caller. An investigation then took place, and it was discovered the matter was civil.
Before returning to patrol, the deputies explained the proper steps to all parties.
16 Sun __________________________
An electrifying crime
Ohio University Police Department officers went to Crawford Hall for the theft of an electric bike.
A report was taken, and the incident was cited as a theft offense.
Drug deal
According to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, a request for assistance was received from the Perry County Sheriff’s Office for a drug deal.
Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies went to the village of Corning to discover a man with several active warrants was involved.
After speaking to residents, the complainants and neighbors, deputies could not locate the wanted man.
17 Mon __________________________
Shortcuts aren’t always good
Around 9 a.m., a woman was issued a citation from an OUPD deputy for failing to stop at a stop sign on South Green Drive.
The incident and offense type was listed as a traffic stop.
Too many strikes
A man was arrested at Irvine Hall for
you are invited for certain events, the consideration is done as to what you should eat, making sure that you don’t eat pork, so sometimes people go out of their way just to make you feel so comfortable, even at their own discontent.”
ZW211923@OHIO.EDU
having outstanding warrants, according to a report from OUPD.
The incident occurred around midafternoon, and the individual was transported to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail.
18 Tue __________________________
Size does matter
While on patrol on Mine Road in Carbondale, Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies saw a trailer frame blocking the public roadway.
The property owner said he was trying to find a large enough vehicle to tow the trailer frame. No further action was needed.
Holding it for a friend
According to an Athens County Sheriff’s Office report, an abandoned cell phone was located at a property on Carol Lane in The Plains.
The phone was then collected by deputies and put into evidence.
19 Wed __________________________
Nevermind
A car crash occurred on Houston Road
in Coolville, and the Athens County Sheriff’s Office was called to help the Ohio State Highway Patrol investigate the crash where a person was causing problems.
According to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, the help request was canceled while en route. Deputies went back to patrolling.
20 Thur _________________________
Triple whammy
While Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies patrolled Oakdale Road in Glouster, a vehicle was observed being driven with expired registration.
Units then conducted a traffic stop and found the driver had active felony warrants in Licking County. The driver was then arrested without incident.
A subsequent search of the vehicle then followed with a stolen firearm being located. At the time of the Athens County Sheriff’s Office’s report’s release, additional charges were being requested.
A Ramadan sign set up inside of Nelson Court on South Green in Athens, March 23, 2025. (ELLE MALTRY | FOR THE POST)
Student Senate revises documents to improve transparency
DREW HOFFMASTER | NEWS STAFF WRITTER
Student Senate’s Rules and Procedures document, which outlines how the Student Senate works, has undergone significant reforms this year.
Senate President Dan Gordillo said a special committee to revise the R&P, composed of the general body voting members and Judicial Panel members, was created to reform Senate.
“Fact of the matter is that the Rules and Procedures are a living document,” Gordillo said. “There are going to be scenarios that R&P doesn't cover long after I am gone. There should be a way to handle that, and there should be a permanent way of handling it.”
Governmental Affairs Senator Mark Vitelli said the current copy of R&P was written during the 1990s and still had aspects from then needing fixed. For example, Vitelli said the previous R&P listed the Environmental Commission as having three vice commissioners instead of the usual single commissioner.
“Each section was almost written in a
different language, so we went through what is called ‘commission parody,’” Vitelli said. “We took all of them into a standardized form, and I think that has shown some success.”
According to a previous report from The Post, former Student Senate Treasurer Reagan Farmer, who was initially supposed to be the president for the 2024-25 academic year, was impeached and transparency issues occurred.
“Last year, we saw a complete almost breakdown of the Senate, and when we came out of it, we were on our last legs,”
Gordillo said. “We had to reform our Rules and Procedures so we can more effectively advocate for students because that's what we're here for–effectively advocating for students, nothing more, nothing less.”
Governmental Affairs Commissioner
Donald Theisen said the previous election laws were not conducive to a well-functioning process, leading to negative campaigning. To help fix this, the committee
introduced a runoff election for ties and worked with the Judicial Panel to introduce a two-strike system where a ticket or candidate is removed if they violate the election procedure twice.
“People will do what they think they can get away with,” Theisen said. “If you can properly define what is and is not acceptable and have the proper systems for recourse, then it's less likely to happen.”
Previously, a candidate or ticket would be fined for any violation. Theisen said the fine was between $2-$300 depending on the violation’s severity.
In addition, the campaigning spending limit was lowered to $500 from the original $1,000 in the new R&P. Theisen said lowering the amount was fairer and still allowed for an effective campaign.
“If I've got serious money to spend on this campaign, I might just decide, screw it, I'm gonna do what I want to do, and I'm gonna get away with it because I can afford it,” Theisen said. “I'm speaking hypothetically, but if a candidate were to say that under the old system, provided they never did the highest tier of offense, they would never be removed.”
Theisen and Vitelli noted several additional changes unrelated to election laws, including the elimination of unfilled positions and commissions, changes in role titles, clarification of violation types, the introduction of a chief investigator position, revisions to the Judicial Panel and trial processes, and the establishment of transparency laws.
Many of the changes were small language changes. Gordillo said the definition of a word matters to the law’s interpretation and helps determine how to carry out the law.
“Exact verbiage is so important because (R&P) is supposed to be for the future,” Gordillo said. “Ten years from now, none of the people that are in this office are
“That’s what we’re here for – effectively advocating for students, nothing more, nothing less.”
– Dan Gordillo Senate President
going to be here. Ten years from now, a student cannot ask us and say, ‘What did you mean by this?’”
Gordillo said he is happy with the changes to the R&P. Even though most of the changes to the R&P have not been flashy, he believes it will help ensure Senate stays stable.
“If you find yourself asking, ‘Wow, I haven't heard any drama from the Senate recently,’ now you know why,’ Gordillo said. “It’s because we've changed.”
Chief of Staff Olivia Barnes said the committee has come out with two to four R&P changes every week and hopes to see the committee become a permanent standing committee in the Senate. If made permanent, it would meet once or twice a semester for general maintenance.
“The reason that the Rules and Procedures got so out of whack to begin with is because there was no one maintaining it,” Barnes said. “With the success of our very active committee this year, we believe that we should be able to continue the committee in a smaller capacity going forward.”
@DREWHJOURNALIST DH384223@OHIO.EDU
A member of Student Senate at the Student Senate meeting in Walter Hall in Athens, Feb. 19, 2025. (ETHAN HERX | FOR THE POST)
Athens’ past stays alive through commission efforts
RENAE
HEFTY | FOR THE POST
The responsibility of the Historic Preservation Commission is to ensure the city’s historic architecture is respected and the character of Athens is preserved.
Cyrus Moore has been on the commission since it was formed in 2013. Moore said the role of the commission is constantly evolving and matching the needs of historic locations and sites in Athens.
“It’s challenging because there’s not a prescribed, single way to (preserve Athens’ history),” Moore said.
Meghan Jennings, who has been the city planner and representative for the city on the commission for about a year, believes caring for historic structures shows respect for the people who built them.
“There are a lot of people in our past that have made very significant contributions to what we see as Athens today,” Jennings said.
The commission advises on any project in the City of Athens’ Uptown Historic District. According to the nomination form filed in September 1982 to admit Uptown Athens into the National Register of Historic Places Inventory, “The Athens Downtown Historic District includes most of Court Street, which is the main street of the city, and four other streets which run east and west from Court.”
Any rehabilitation, addition or demolition that alters the facade of a building in the Historic District needs to be evaluated by the commission. Once the designs are evaluated, they receive a Certificate of Appropriateness and the City Council approves the project.
However, if the developers don’t have a building permit or a Certificate of Appropriateness, the city can file legal citations against them. According to Jennings, the repercussions normally start as notifi-
cations which can escalate into the city taking the developers to court.
Timothy Anderson, who has been on the commission for about a year, said the commission has recently been involved in plans to replace the brick crosswalks at the corner of Court Street and Union Street to make them more accessible. The crosswalks will have a layer of concrete made to look like brick.
Not all historic buildings are in the Historic District. The commission can also designate any place or structure as a historic landmark. The criteria for that designation are listed in Title 45.11 of the Athens Code of Ordinances.
For example, the Mount Zion Baptist Church Preservation Society is just outside the district. Nevertheless, the designs for elevators in Mount Zion Black Cultural Center had to be reviewed.
“Because it was an addition to a historic structure, the Zion group had to come to the Historic Preservation Commission for review and approval and an issuance of that Certificate of Appropriateness,” Jennings said
The commission is also discussing what the city should do with the Historic Mansfield House because the Athens County Visitors Bureau will be moving to a new location in the summer. Moore is also working with the Southeast Ohio History Center to design exhibits that will be in the Athens Armory.
When the commission advises on a project, they consider records and photographs to understand what the look and materials of the place were in the past. They must also communicate with the architects and engineers working on the project.
This year, the commission will be setting up a memorial for Paul Logue, the
ervation Commission receives an annual budget of $2,000 from the city for its projects.
a plaque, but the location is still being decided. Jennings said Andrew Chiki told her the Armory Park is likely to work as the memorial’s location.
Though the members of the commission are volunteers, the Historic Pres-
Hellbender Jazz Organ Trio sounds sweet as hell
RENAE HEFTY | FOR THE POST
The sounds of creativity flowed through Little Fish Brewing Company Friday as musicians in the Hellbender Jazz Organ Trio traded improvisations with Jocelyn Gould, and the good energy was felt throughout the crowd in the back dining room.
The Hellbender Jazz Organ trio started playing together in 2023.
“We’ve played together before … in different incarnations,” Sean Parsons said.
All three main members of the trio –Parsons, Roger Braun and Matthew James – are faculty at Ohio University. Parsons is an associate professor of instruction at the School of Music. He also leads the Contemporary Music and Digital Instrument program. Roger Braun is a professor of percussion and director of studies for HTC Music. James is director of Jazz Studies and a professor of saxophone. Parsons said he likes playing jazz because improvisation gives him a chance to be the most creative. He’s been playing the piano since he was a kid and now plays the jazz organ in Hellbender Jazz Organ Trio.
The band got its name from the hellbender salamander, the largest salamander in the U.S. It’s also endangered and native to Ohio. Someone recommended it as a band name to Parsons on Facebook.
Eli Chambers filled in for the sick Roger Braun on Friday. He is an adjunct professor of percussion. John Horne, Gould and
five university students also joined the band.
Horne has been playing the guitar since he was a freshman in high school and is now an adjunct professor of guitar/jazz studies.
“Sometimes when one of those guys can’t make it, I’ll fill in and other people will fill in as well,” Horne said.
Horne described playing with the Hellbender Jazz Organ Trio as “exciting, complex and fun.” Horne said he likes improvising with the Hellbender Trio because
there’s a lot of listening and responding to one another in the moment.
Gould, a jazz guitarist, was visiting Athens for a couple of days for the 2025 Athens Jazz Festival. She’s from the Canadian city of Winnipeg, but travels on tour for about 10 months out of the year.
Gould has released four albums, and her album “Elegant Traveler” won the 2021 Juno Award for Jazz Album of the Year: Solo. She also won the 2018 Wilson Center International Jazz Guitar competition.
“Changes are going to happen . . . but you can still keep the place looking like it always has,” Anderson said.
Not everything can stay the same, but the commission preserves what it can in Athens.
RH919022@OHIO.EDU
“Organ trio is a really cool, unique configuration for guitar players,” Gould said. “I don’t get to play with organ that often.” She most often plays with a quartet of upright bass and piano. Her favorite kind of music to play is “swinging, soulful blues.”
“We speak the same language,” Parsons said before performing with Gould for the first time.
For one of the last songs of the night, Chambers, James, Horne and Parsons cycled out students from OU could play with Gould. Ben Trimboli, a junior studying English pre-law, played the tenor sax. Philip Wilfong, a graduate student studying trumpet, played his instrument of study. Conrad Burt, a sophomore studying music, played the drums. Landon Elliot, a senior studying CMDI, played the guitar. Zachary Winkleman, also a senior studying CMDI, played the organ.
On Saturday, Gould performed with the Jazz Ensemble I and the Jazz Percussion Ensemble. Before that, she led a Jazz Masterclass, and both events were at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.
The Hellbender Jazz Organ Trio occasionally plays at other locations besides Little Fish Brewing Company, but no other events are scheduled at the moment. For the summer, they will be playing at Little Fish once a month.
former City Planner and a founder of the Historic Preservation Commission. The memorial will be a newly planted oak tree and
The Historic Preservation Commission assisted with renovations to the Mount Zion Baptist Church Preservation Society.
(RENAE HEAFTY | FOR THE POST)
Special guest, Jocelyn Gould’s (left) and John Horne’s (right) guitars complemented each other.
(RENAE HEAFTY | FOR THE POST)
Hourglass brings new sound to Athens music scene
ed to transform their already established friendship into a jam session, producing alternative, indie rock and folk music.
The clock was ticking for members of Hourglass Friday night as they eagerly waited to make their debut at The Union Bar, located at 18 W. Union St. The Union is home to several music fanatics and offers opportunities for those looking to their debut. Hourglass formed in 2024 after Kate Tocke, Carl Mccutcheon, Anna Scott and Jake Rickman decid-
Each member shares a background in and passion for music, with years spent playing piano, learning from grandparents, singing competitively and participating in musical theater.
“I played piano and took lessons for about 12 years (and) it is still a very big part and instrument in my life,” Mccutcheon, a junior studying journalism and
Hourglass’s drummer, said. “A lot of my music came from my dad, we would always travel (and) listen to music together … I bought a Facebook marketplace drum set about a year ago and I have been teaching myself.”
Similarly to Mccutcheon, Tocke, a junior studying journalism, has been teaching herself how to play the bass for three years.
“I just listened to a lot of music and originally started writing music … there are definitely certain bands and artists who influenced me, but that was my starting point,” Tocke said.
Hourglass was one of two original band name ideas, but after Rickman proposed the name Huh, Tocke said she and the others claimed Hourglass with pride and excitement.
The band has yet to perform publicly in Athens, as the band’s first live shows were at Cafe Bourbon Street in Columbus and at Tocke’s house. As the sun set on Union Street and attendees made their way into the dim yet inviting bar, Hourglass was determined to provide a thrilling and electric debut.
It was not until after Zappers and Merchant Market rocked the house that Hourglass took the stage, drowned out by the cheers of friends and other audience members.
“Luckily nerves kind of settled, one way or another,” Rickman, a graduate student studying social work and the band’s guitarist, said. “We just had fun … it was a lot of pressure, but I had fun.”
After playing some of their originals, including “Penny,” “Head Full of Flowers” and “Bones,” Hourglass saw the energy of the crowd and only grew more confident on stage.
“I have performed a lot and I feel like it is very important to just be yourself (and) kind of listen to music, listen to the
audience,” Scott, a junior studying music production and recording industry, said. “I also believe fan engagement is really important, so I tried to pick out certain people in the audience who I felt were giving good energy.”
Scott sings and plays the tambourine, contributing to Hourglass’s upbeat and catchy sound and said as the performance continued, the band’s energetic stage presence was contagious, catching the eyes of both new and old listeners.
Erin Baumann, a junior studying ceramics, is friends with Hourglass members and said it was hard to contain excitement before the show.
“Their energy together was just so incredible and it is just so awesome to see people that I know so well just so happy to do something they are so talented at,” Baumann said.
Baumann said the band later revealed the lyrics to one of their new songs, “Bones,” was improvised during the performance; however, attendees never would have guessed.
“I have seen a lot of people perform music here throughout the years and you just know a good band when a good band is playing,” Baumann said. “They know what they are doing (and) I feel like they all just have been so talented in their own ways.”
Although Hourglass’s music is not yet available for streaming, Athens’ residents and Bobcats are invited to attend their upcoming show on April 3 at The Union.
“I have been going to The Union since my freshman year and I never would have ever imagined myself to be in a band … it was just a sweet moment,” Tocke said.
GINA NAPOLI HUMAN INTEREST STAFF WRITER
ACRN hosts Punk Prom at the Union, Feb. 15, 2025. (PEARL SPURLOCK | FOR THE POST)
Devil’s Kettle Brewery supports local farms, customers
STAFF WRITER
Nestled on the east bank of the Hocking River, Devil’s Kettle Brewery, located at 97 Columbus Road, serves a variety of pierogies, German sausages and craft beers. Neighboring businesses can hear the laughs of happy and satisfied customers, inviting others to relish in the relaxing atmosphere.
Devil’s Kettle opened in 2015 after Cameron Fuller, owner and brewer, took a leap of faith and bought the space. Not long after the purchase, Fuller transformed what used to be Southeast Imports, a used car lot, into his dream brewery with a taproom and large outdoor patio.
“I just thought it was a cool spot for a brewery … and then it stayed vacant for a while, to the point where I kind of knew that it had been foreclosed on and the bank was probably somewhat desperate to get rid of it,” Fuller said.
Leaving California and moving 2,480 miles away was not Fuller’s original plan, but after pursuing a career in custom guitar building, he packed his bags and settled in Athens in 2010.
Living with his aunt who was a previous classics and world religions professor at Ohio University, Fuller worked for Stuart-MacDonald Manufacturing. Founded in 1986, StewMac is the “world’s largest e-tailer of specialty tools and parts” for those looking to repair, construct or modify their guitars, AmherstPartners claims.
During his time with StewMac, Fuller joined the HomeBrew Club in Athens, a worldwide organization with over 1,900 registered clubs. Fuller said he was a member in California and each club teaches “like-minded people” about zymurgy, the study of brewing.
“I homebrewed a little bit before I moved here and I met the people in that community (and) I got more and more serious about brewing,” Fuller said. “It is just a nice community around craft beer, I really studied and practiced a lot, as much as I could as a home brewer.”
Brewing is no easy task and it takes several steps to create a refreshing beer. Fuller delivers pallets of malted barley and mixes them into a large mash tun, or kettle, at a specific temperature, which activates the enzymes inside the grain.
The starches in the grain are then converted into sugars, filtered to create sweet malt syrup, transferred and boiled with hops, or flower cones, cooled and trans-
ferred to the fermenters. After adding the yeast, which eats the sugars, a brewer is left with alcohol and carbon dioxide.
After the process is complete, grain can be left over as the perfect treat for cattle. Instead of discarding the grain, Devil’s Kettle donates it to local farms.
Wildcat Ridge Farms is a local and family-owned farm in nearby Shade, Ohio, producing “quality, homegrown, livestock products.” Paula Compston opened the farm with her husband in 2016 and said they decided to use “spit brewers grains” from different breweries to feed the animals.
“(Spit brewers grain) is what (Fuller) has removed during the brewing process, but it could be rye or wheat,” Compston said. “We feed it to the cattle because, in turn, he is saving a landfill fee or hauling fee.”
Compston said although the cows are almost 100% grass-fed, the grains are a supplement and she is grateful for Fuller’s kindness.
feel welcomed by Fuller and the Devil’s Kettle staff, and he looks forward to each performance.
“We have played there two or three times and we always have a great time,” Wetzel said. “You meet people doing that and just a different crowd hangs out there and it is a nice place.”
Wetzel said his favorite drinks are the Helles Awaits and Helles Lager, and the House Pierogi for $10 and Special Pierogi for $12 are also a must-have. The House Pierogi is stuffed to the brim with potatoes, onions and cheese while the Special changes flavor.
“It is different from all the others,” Wetzel said. “It is unique … and the beer is good, the food is good, just a fun place to be.”
For those looking for food, fun and freshly brewed beer, Devil’s Kettle is open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 4-10 p.m., Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.
“Before I started the brewery, I did not feel like I was truly part of Athens, but running the
brewery, I know I am definitely a part now,”
– Cameron Fuller, Owner and brewer
“We just enjoy working with him, he has used some of our products in his kitchen,” Compston said.
In addition to supporting local businesses, Devil’s Kettle provides a relaxed setting where both customers and local musicians can connect. Live music is a staple in the Devil’s Kettle experience and several Athens musicians have performed, including Chris Monday, John Healy, Tim McKenna and the band Fine Business.
Fine Business is one of Devil’s Kettle’s consistent cover bands and performs a variety of folk rock, country and blues songs. The members, John Wetzel and Angela Opell, met in 2019 at Casa Nueva’s open mic night, but officially formed the band in 2024.
Wetzel, the band’s guitarist, said he and Opell always
Fuller said it is the Athens locals, families and students who make him feel at home and encourage him to keep the business running.
“After being here for five or six years before I started the brewery, I did not feel like I was truly part of Athens, but running the brewery, I know I am definitely a part now,” Fuller said.
GN875322@OHIO.EDU GINA_NAPOLI_
GINA NAPOLI | HUMAN INTEREST
Devil's Kettle Brewing at 97 Columbus Road in Athens, March 20, 2025. (ETHAN HERX | FOR THE POST)
Swimming & Diving: Szoke
Zita Szoke announced All-American, first Ohio swimmer with honor since 2000.
LOGAN ADAMS | SPORTS EDITOR
Sophomore Zita Szoke had a historic weekend, breaking Mid-American Conference records in Federal Way, Washington, at the NCAA Tournament. Following the NCAA Tournament’s close Saturday, Szoke was named an All-American, the first Ohio swimmer to be named among the nation’s best in 25 years.
Szoke finished 20th in the 200-yard freestyle Friday and eleventh place in the 100-yard freestyle Saturday, the highest in an NCAA event by an Ohio swimmer since 1995. Her time of 47.62 seconds in the latter broke both Ohio and MAC records, something Szoke has made a habit of.
Szoke, a native of Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary, has been a record-breaker since she first stepped foot in Athens in 2023. Her freshman season was capped off with several pool records at the Aquatic Center in Athens, winning the MAC Championship in the 200-yard freestyle before being named All-MAC First Team, MAC Freshman Swimmer of the Year and an NCAA qualifier — the first Bobcat to do so since 2014.
Although her record-breaking ways haven’t changed, Szoke’s continued ascension is not without goal-setting and attention to improvement.
“She came to (the NCAA Championships) as a freshman and said, ‘Hey, here are the things I need to improve on,’” Ohio coach Mason Norman said in a social media post shared by Ohio Athletics. “She was able to do all that. She checked every box she wanted to check this year.”
Last season, Szoke recorded impressive personal numbers in each
event she competed in. Her freshman times of 22.42, 48.04 and 1:45.87 in the 50-yard, 100-yard and 200-yard freestyles, respectively, are all school records. She’s even dropped time in a handful of events, a testament to her development.
“It’s a process, right?” Norman said. “I think she’s really developed in her starts and her turns this year, that’s been the biggest piece … (Szoke’s) getting faster throughout the year. She went faster at NCAA’s than she did at MAC’s last year. She went faster in-season than she did at NCAA’s last year, and so obviously the next step is to go faster at NCAA’s than she did at MAC’s this year.”
In the 2025 MAC Championships, held in Buffalo from Feb. 26 to March 1, Szoke was again a Champion. She placed first in the 50-yard, 100-yard and 200-yard freestyles, breaking MAC Championship records in the latter two, as well as finishing first as a participant in Ohio’s 200-yard medley relay team. Her performance earned her her second All-MAC First Team selection in two years.
Szoke’s career through just two years in Athens has already put her among the greatest to swim for the Bobcats. At just 21 years old, there isn’t a record that seems out of reach for the sophomore sensation, and with her unending motor to continue improving, the places Szoke will look to take Ohio are as high as she wishes them to be.
“It’s a privilege to be able to coach an athlete like Zita and get Ohio to this stage,” Norman said.
@LOGANPADAMS LA486821@OHIO.EDU
Softball: Dominates Buffalo in first MAC win
CHARLIE FADEL | SPORTS STAFF WRITER
Ohio (20-8 overall, 3-0 Mid-American Conference) opened its conference schedule with a doubleheader Friday against Buffalo (5-20 overall, 2-4 MAC). The Bobcats were oppressive, winning both games by a combined score of 18-0.
The MAC’s preseason No. 1 team started the season well in non-conference play and looks to keep the good play going after trouncing their first MAC opponent.
GAME ONE
Freshman lefty pitcher Anna Wise got the start for the first game of the doubleheader and wasted no time getting to work, sitting down the first three Buffalo hitters with ease after two groundouts and a strikeout to end the inning. All it took was one inning of work for Ohio’s explosive offense to blow the game wide open as the Bobcats brought home a whopping 8 runs in the first inning.
What makes Ohio’s wild inning even more impressive is the fact that it started with leadoff hitter Lauren Yuhas popping out, giving Buffalo’s defense a quick out. It would take the Bulls a long time to get another out, as the scoring rampage started shortly after Yuhas’ pop cly, with outfielder CiCi Keidel and infielder Brenna Farmer each getting singles to set the table for an catcher Emma Hoffner single that brought home Keidel.
The very next at-bat was for outfielder Maddie Wilcox, who nearly brought
everyone home with a two-RBI double off the center field fence that was only a few feet away from being a home run. Ohio would go on to score 2 more runs before Buffalo made a pitching change with just one out in the first inning, bringing in Emily Watters for Olivia Russ. Watters was able to get out of the inning but not before allowing Ohio to have another 3 runs, giving the Bobcats an 8-0 lead after the first inning. The first-inning lead of 8-0 was enough for a run rule if Ohio was able to keep it, and that is exactly what they did as Wise allowed just three more Buffalo hits on the day and
was able to end the game in five innings.
“I’d say it’s a big relief knowing that (the offense) can put up runs like that,” Wise said. “It takes a lot of pressure off.”
GAME TWO
Just 30 minutes after game one ended, the two teams were back on the field, and this time it was Miller in the circle for the Bobcats.
Miller allowed two baserunners early in the first, but she was able to get out of the inning without any damage.
The runs for Ohio in the second game were much more spread out, but the
team was able to get on the board first after a wild play that saw Yuhas score from first after a series of errors.
Miller followed up the offense’s opening run with a quick one-two-three inning that included her second strikeout of the game. The offense for the Bobcats came alive in the second inning as well, as freshman infielder Sydney Young hit her first career home run to put Ohio up 3-0.
“I mean, we’ve got enough in our lineup, and then also a lot coming off the bench,” Ohio head coach Jenna Hall said. “(Young) has been doing really well with her pinch hits. She’s been ready.”
Farmer tacked on another run with a two-RBI single before the inning ended, giving the ball back to Miller, who had another quick scoreless inning to protect Ohio’s 5-0 lead. Outfielder Belle Hummel and Yuhas added two more runs with RBI singles to put the Bobcats back in striking distance of the run rule.
In the fourth inning, Miller walked two Buffalo batters but didn’t give up a hit, keeping her shutout and making way for 3 more Ohio runs from the offense. The highlight of the 3 runs was pinch hitter Colleen Bare’s first home run for Ohio, a solo shot over the left-field fence.
That was the nail in the coffin for Buffalo; the team wasn’t able to score before the game ended in just five innings once again, this time with 10-0 projected on the scoreboard.
@CHARLIEFADEL CF111322@OHIO.EDU
Hockey: Barry Schutte reflects on volatile 2024-25 season
Despite many challenges, the Bobcats were able to make it to Nationals and complete the season with a winning record.
EMMA ERION | SLOT EDITOR
Unpredictable, tumultuous and exciting: These are just a few words to describe Ohio’s 2024-25 season which was nothing short of memorable.
The team did not back down in the face of many challenges, including not having home ice until January, having to practice nearly an hour away and, perhaps most notably, adapting to playing under a new head coach.
Ohio coach Barry Schutte served as a guiding force through the many battles his team had to fight. Holistically, Schutte has a positive outlook on the season and is ready for whatever may come in the next season.
The first half of Ohio’s season left quite a bit to be desired in terms of being a smooth road to the postseason. From uncertainty about weekends and traveling for every single game, it was not an easy transition for the team or Schutte, but the Bobcats rose above.
“I was most proud of our team’s composure and ultimately, their resilience,” Schutte said. “You know with the adversity we faced from a facilities standpoint … it could have given the guys lots of reasons to quit on the season, or quit on the team or quit on themselves or each other, and they didn’t.”
The issues at the start of the season presented mental and logistical challenges as Ohio attempted to preserve some normalcy. The ACHA has a 20-game minimum requirement in order to be eligible
for the National Championship, and with the many series that had to be canceled, not even a magic 8-ball could provide an outlook on the rest of the season.
“We were just thinking about ‘How can we put some form of schedule together?’ in order to get us to 20 games to not deny
these student-athletes, and particularly our seniors, the opportunity to compete for the title,” Schutte said.
Despite falling to Adrian in the National Quarterfinals, Ohio still ended with a winning record. The players are hopeful some normalcy next season will give
them a chance to show who they can be under Schutte.
Additionally, with an impressive crop of returning players, Schutte is ready to utilize the weapons he’s been given. The team isn’t losing any of their current forwards but is losing some of their key defensive players, so recruiting will persist as a large part of Ohio’s success.
“We will go as far as our seniors and our upperclassmen take us, but at the end of the day we need contributions from everybody,” Schutte said. “The next couple of months will be focused on recruiting and adding some key pieces to the lineup.”
Of course, the main goal for next season is obvious: win a National Championship. For Ohio, the work is already starting up again.
“Hopefully we’re on the right side of this game, and that’s going to come from within,” Schutte said. “They’re going to get frustrated enough with the results … that they’re going to do something about it. That’s going to start in two weeks’ time with our 2025-2026 spring training, and how serious of an approach do they take to it?
“My goal will be to help set the standard and expectations that a championship team program wants to operate under.”
The Bobcats celebrate after forward Mathieu Ovaert (19) scored to tie the game 5-5 and send it into overtime against Minot State at Bird Arena in Athens, Feb. 15, 2025. Ovaert had one goal and one assist. (ETHAN HERX | FOR THE POST)
Ohio University Junior Skipp Miller pitching against Buffalo, Mar.21, 2025 at the Ohio Softball Field in Athens Ohio. (AMBERLEE GLADWELL | FOR THE POST)
District 6690
FOUR-WAY TEST SPEECH CONTEST
The Four-Way Test has captured the imaginations of generations of Rotarians as a simple checklist to help ensure that we are applying this positive and powerful code to how we try to live our lives and serve others. Rotary’s annual Four-Way Test Speech Contest competition offers students the opportunity to learn, understand and articulate their views on the value and power of the Four-Way Test.
What is the FOUR-WAY TEST?
Not based on culture or religion, The Four-Way Test has been translated into more than 100 languages and asks the following essential questions of the things we think, say or do:
1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. WIll it build goodwill and better friendships?
4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned
Open to: Athens County High School students (freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors) are eligible to participate. deadline: Monday, April 7, 2025
Questions about how to submit? Michael Noel, Athens rotary Chairman mike.noel5050@gmail.com
Inconsistencies continue in third-straight series loss
Baseball: Ohio’s struggles have continued, now losers in all three of its last MAC series. An unsuccessful 2-1 weekend at Toledo drops Ohio to 2-7 to begin MAC play.
ROBERT KEEGAN III | SPORTS EDITOR
Through three series against Mid-American Conference opponents, Ohio (6-16, 2-7 MAC) has yet to establish a true identity. After dominating game one of a three-game series with Toledo, Ohio fell apart and lost the next two games for its third straight series loss to begin conference play.
Game One was promising for the Bobcats, who scratched across 16 runs en route to a run-rule victory. Eight of Ohio’s nine batters tallied hits in the game while senior starting pitcher Blake Gaskey turned in another win-worthy appearance.
Sophomore outfielder Ben Slanker, who has established himself as Ohio’s top offensive threat, tallied his ninth home run of the season in the contest. As a sophomore, Slanker ranks in the top 30 in the NCAA in home runs this season.
Sophomore shortstop JR Nelson has caught fire in recent games, including a three-hit game during Friday’s matchup. Nelson has increased his batting average over the last few months from .174 before MAC play started to the .283 mark.
Gaskey delivered his second consecutive start of allowing 2 or fewer runs in MAC play during Game One after delivering six quality innings for the Bobcats.
After Friday, where Ohio looked unstoppable, the team never quite returned to form. For Game Two, bullpen pitching was the culprit in the loss. For Game Three, the offense couldn’t scratch across a single run in a nine-inning shutout.
Ohio got off to a good start Saturday, taking a 2-run lead into the sixth inning. The Bobcats scored in the third and fifth innings using some small ball to score runs via a sac fly and a single.
Starting pitcher Hudson Boncal has an equally impressive start for Ohio. Boncal, a senior, tallied six innings of scoreless baseball, doing all he could to keep Ohio in the game. Despite what would be a lopsided 7-3 loss, Boncal turned in the best start of the weekend by Ohio pitching.
Things turned bad for Ohio, as it has at so many other points this season when it turned to its bull-
pen in the seventh. Entering with a 2-2 tie thanks to 2 unearned runs against Boncal, senior Dylan Eggl took the mound and immediately surrendered the lead by allowing a hard-hit double down the line to score a run.
After Eggl, Kolby Pascarelli took the ball to try and limit the damage but did the exact opposite. What was a narrow 1-run deficit quickly turned into a 5-run Toledo lead after Pascarlli surrendered 4 quick runs in the eighth before being taken out with two outs.
Game Three featured perhaps the best allaround pitching the Bobcats have received this season, yet they still could not capitalize and get a win.
Starting pitcher Dillon Masters delivered another quality start for Ohio, going six-and-one-third innings and allowing only 1 run. Masters started his day with five straight scoreless innings. As a whole, Ohio starting pitchers combined to allow only 3 earned runs all weekend.
While Masters pitched well, Toledo’s Jackson Bergman pitched better. Bergman went five-andone-third innings, allowing just two hits while striking out four.
Ohio’s two hits against Bergman were the only hits it would tally throughout the game’s nine innings. The Rocket bullpen delivered three-andtwo-thirds hitless innings to end the game.
The game’s only run was scored by Toledo in the sixth when third baseman Troy Sudbrook singled to drive in a run.
In three games, Ohio showed glimpses of a great team. At times, the team delivered exceptionally off the mound, and at other times, the team hit the ball at an elite rate. The series loss, however, can ultimately be credited to Ohio’s inability to put it all together and deliver a winning product.
Ohio Bobcats catcher Jackson Cauthron (25) bats against Butler at Wren Stadium in Athens, March 2, 2025.
(ETHAN HERX | FOR THE POST)
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Trump’s Kennedy Center overhaul prompts resignations, canceled shows
ELIZABETH TALAGA | SLOT EDITOR
Television producer Shonda Rhimes stepped down from her role as treasurer of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Feb. 12. Ben Folds, artistic advisor of the National Symphony Orchestra housed in the center, also stepped down from his role.
Actor and writer Issa Rae canceled her sold-out show at the center, and Jeffery Steller, producer for the hit musical “Hamilton,” announced the musical’s anticipated 2026 run at the center has been canceled March 5.
These resignations and more follow the appointment of President Donald Trump as the chairman of the Kennedy Center Board. Deborah F. Rutter was fired as the center’s longtime president along with board members who did not share Trump’s personal vision for the center.
“Some institutions are sacred and should be protected from politics,” Steller wrote in a statement posted on X. “The Kennedy Center is one such institution.”
Since 1971, the Kennedy Center has connected artists, musicians and people across the nation through a celebration of creativity, arts and a general sense of togetherness. The center’s vision is to “share, inspire, and celebrate the cultural heritage by
which a great society is defined and remembered.” The center welcomes 2 million visitors each year with around 2,200 events.
Following a visit to the center March 17, Trump promised a complete overhaul of the center. He said the center “represents a very important part of D.C., and actually our own country.”
“The Kennedy Center has learned the hard way that if you go woke, you will go broke,” Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal.
Leavitt’s statement went on to say Trump and other newly-appointed members of the center, including Richard Grenell as interim president and second lady Usha Vance, will work to rebuild the center and the changes will reflect “America’s great values and traditions.”
According to The New York Times, a board member said the center will host some shows not affiliated with Actors’ Equity, the labor union of American actors and stage managers in theater, to allow for more options for performances and to make more money.
Although no changes other than the shakeup of the board have taken
place yet, Trump proposed a revision of the Kennedy Center Honors, an annual televised gala honoring the achievements of those who have made a significant impact through performing arts. Trump did not attend the ceremony during his first term and said the honors celebrate “radical left lunatics.”
Trump toyed with the idea of giving posthumous honors to the likes of Elvis Presely, Babe Ruth and Luciano Pavarotti, and expanding the honors to recognize those in sports, politics and business. The board proposed the center should honor Celine Dion, Sylvester Stallone, Andrea Bocelli and Johnny Mathis.
Trump also commented on the structure of the center, saying the concept for recent work was poor and built terribly.
The long term future for the center is unclear, but Trump’s comments and proposed changes promise many shakeups ahead for the entertainment industry. It is clear, however, that the Kennedy Center Honors will look different this year than in years past, and other changes to the center remain uncertain.
IN PERSON Baker Center 325 ONLINE thepostathens.com/letters
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Role Model strikes perfect chord in Columbus
GRACE SCHMIDT | FOR THE POST
On March 22, Role Model, the stage persona of Tucker Pillsbury, performed at The Bluestone in Columbus as the 17th stop on the North American leg of his cross-country No Place Like Tour. Pillsbury’s career has been on a continuous uphill climb after the release of his album “Kansas Anymore,” and his tour has made huge contributions to his success.
Before the show even began, the songs playing in anticipation of Pillsbury’s entrance were popular hits from artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Lizzy McAlpine. The song selection got the crowd singing along together and dancing before the show began, displaying how Pillsbury knows his audience.
Pillsbury show was hosted at The Bluestone, a beautifully renovated churchturned-concert venue packed with fans. Once he entered the stage, he began his performance with his upbeat album opener “Writing’s On The Wall” The song had the crowd jumping to the beat along with screams of excitement for the start of the performance.
Many fans waited outside the venue hours before the doors opened at 7 p.m. in the hopes of getting a front row spot. Pillsbury’s performances are known for his crowd work, and he frequently acknowledges fans and the signs in the crowd. Many fans find the waiting worth it.
Pillsbury is known for his persona on the internet. He is clearly well versed in pop culture references and often engages with it on his social media platforms. He successfully brings that persona to the stage, even after joking around with his fans after clarifying how much he appreciates them.
“I know I can be a d---head on the internet, but I really appreciate you guys coming here tonight,” he told the Columbus crowd.
The setlist stays consistent throughout all his shows. A majority of the songs are from his newest album, paired with his older hit “blind” and cover of The 1975’s
song “Somebody Else.”
A recent segment of his show he has been doing since the release of his song “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out” has been to bring one lucky fan or celebrity guest to join him on stage during the bridge. Notable “Sallys” have been podcaster Jake Shane and comedian Grace O’Malley.
In Columbus, “Sally” was a lucky fan who came on stage with flowers for the singer and captioned her TikTok with, “The man that got me through chemo! I love you.”
Despite Pillsbury’s cold, which he clarified at the beginning of the show, his energy was still vibrant on stage. He danced along with fans and handed the mic to the crowd when his voice was giving out.
Pillsbury’s opener, Debbii Dawson, was another highlight of the show before he even stepped on stage. With her bedazzled equipment and smooth voice, she perfectly set the tone for the night and got the crowd excited.
The show ended with Pillsbury’s lead single “Deeply Still In Love” as an encore. The crowd spent the last of its energy singing along with Pillsbury as he ended the song saying “I’m deeply still in love with you Columbus!”
Superhero costumes improve in recent films, TV
JUDE HANNAHS | FOR THE POST
A trend that may have gone under the radar for some comic fans is how comic-accurate some recent superhero costumes have been in mainstream movies and television. A new example of this is Hugh Jackman’s role as a Wolverine variant in Shawn Levy’s “Deadpool and Wolverine” (2024).
In that particular film, Wolverine wears the classic yellow and blue suit that is straight out of the comic books the character originally was featured in. He also wears the cowl with the large white eyes near the climax of the film.
Jackman’s co-star Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) actually makes a joke in the film relating to how long it took to finally have a comic-accurate Wolverine suit on the big screen. Before he was resurrected in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jackman’s first time playing Wolverine was when 20th Century Fox still owned the rights to the character.
Jackman played Wolverine in 10 total films over 17 years of his acting career, from Bryan Singer’s original “X-Men” (2000) to James Mangold’s Western-themed “Logan” (2017). During his time in the Fox universe, “The Wolverine” (2013), also directed by Mangold, teased that Jackman would put on the Wolverine suit fans all know and adore. Flash forward one year to Singer’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past” (2014), and there was zero sight of Jackman in the original costume like the previous film promised.
Many fans have started to wonder why so many films and television shows do
not feature superheroes in their actual costumes.The largest producer of superhero content is none other than Marvel Studios, and the studio has been accused of this for some of its characters.
It is important to note that most of the MCU’s character designs do closely resemble that of their comic book counterparts. There are some that stick out, such as the villain Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) in Cate Shortland’s “Black Widow” (2021).
Taskmaster’s look caused backlash from fans since the original Taskmaster from the comics is depicted as a man whereas
Taskmaster’s on screen depiction is that of a woman.
Ever since his arrival on Netflix back in 2015 and then his gradual ascend to make his debut in the MCU, Charlie Cox’s Daredevil has been criticized for his character not having the iconic double d’s on his chest.
The most recent suit Cox puts on in “Daredevil: Born Again” (2025) is without a doubt the best-looking live-action Daredevil costume to date, with its shade of the color red closely resembling how it looks in the comics.
On that same note, James Gunn’s highly anticipated “Superman” (2025) starring David Corenswet will feature the Last Son of Krypton donning a suit that draws inspiration from various different and colorful Superman suits.
Gunn is clearly a director who leans in more with how the characters look on the page he's when depicting them on the big screen. “The Suicide Squad” (2021) and his “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy (20142023) prove this.
Marvel Studios looks to now be going into a direction that shows what these superheroes and supervillains actually look like even if they are a little goofy.
In July, audiences will finally get to see Marvel’s first family wear their campy yet glorious blue and white costumes. “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (2025) already looks better than any previous film iteration of the superhero team.
The question of why film studios are veering toward having more comic-accurate looking characters now this late in the game is a question most probably don’t have an answer for. Perhaps the studios have listened to what the fans were telling them and delivered as a result.
Production companies like Marvel Studios and DC studios are clearly not ashamed to be making movies based on comic books originally intended to be for little children.
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Athletes dive into the world of pop culture
with many brands, including Adidas, L'Oréal and Paula’s Choice.
Athletes are no longer just players of the game; they are influencers, brand ambassadors and movie stars. The growing convergence of sports and pop culture is pulling athletes from the court and into the world of entertainment.
FASHION
Athleisure, a growing fashion trend combining comfort and athletic wear, is expected to reach a market value of $257.1 billion by next year. The sportswear market has never been so competitive, and newer brands are coming out on top. Older activewear brands are running to athletes in an effort to promote their products and compete in the marketplace.
Athletes acting as walking billboards is not a new phenomenon. It all started with Micheal Jordan’s Nike partnership completely transforming the way brands partnered with athletes and sports teams.
Jordan’s first Nike deal, signed in 1984, was a five year contract for $2.5 million. Half a year later, the Air Jordan 1 was released to the public and changed the sportswear shoe industry forever. Within the first year, Nike made $100 million in sales on the shoes.
Jordan’s deal did not just change the fashion industry, it also revolutionized how consumers interact with athletes. The power of a loyal fan base was realized and athletes suddenly became cultural icons.
CULTURAL ICONS
In the world of sports, athletes go down in history for their game. Among these legendary players are Lebron James, Serena Williams, Jackie Robinson, Simone Biles, Tom Brady, Tiger Woods, Micheal Jordan, Magic Johnson, Wayne Gretzky, Katie Ledecky, Lionel Messi, Dale Earnhardt and Megan Rapinoe.
Being a cultural icon is not an easy job, especially now. Many athletes are active on social media, and even consider themselves influencers outside of their work.
Ilona Maher, an American rugby player, rose to fame during the 2024 Olympics when she led Team USA to win bronze. She currently boasts 4.9 million followers on Instagram.
Since gaining her following, Maher has brought attention to social issues, promoted body positivity and challenged traditional gender norms. She has partnered
Outside of brand deals, Maher frequently posts entertainment content on her Instagram and TikTok. She joined “Dancing with the Stars” (2024) and placed second with dancing partner, Alan Bersten.
Stephen Nedoroscik, an American gymnast who gained a following during the 2024 Olympics, also appeared on the 33rd season of “Dancing with the Stars.”
ON SCREEN
Commercials, movies and TV — athletes are appearing on the big screen in every genre.
Shaquille O'Neal, former basketball player and sports analyst, appears on screen during nearly every ad break. He has appeared in commercials for everything from Icy Hot and Pepsi to Epson Printers and Papa Johns Pizza.
Many other athletes star in commercials, especially during major sports events, such as the Super Bowl.
During Super Bowl LIX, football player Peyton Manning starred alongside rapper Post Malone and comedian Shane Gillis in a commercial for Bud Light. Soccer player David Beckham promoted Stella Artois alongside Matt Damon. Actors Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara were joined by basketball player Sabrina Ionescu, Football wide receiver Randy Moss and track and field athlete Ryan Crouser to advertise Michelob ULTRA.
While brand deals are one of the ways athletes appear on screen, they also are featured in films of their own.
“LFG” (2021), “Senna” (2010) and “Sprint: The World’s Fastest Humans” (2024) are a few recent documentaries that highlight the life and work of athletes from around the sports world.
However, the appearance of sports on screen does not always have to be rooted in reality. “Space Jam” (1996) and “Challengers” (2024) are both considered sports movies, but build off of the world of sports in creative ways.
As the line between sports and pop culture continues to blur, the role of athletes in popular media will only grow stronger. Players are no longer defined just by their presence on the court or field, they are also judged based on the content they create outside of the stadium.
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ALEXANDRA HOPKINS | FOR THE POST
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Sassy Cassie: ‘Drive To Survive’ success cannot be replicated
Netflix can not replicate the success “Drive to Survive” had with other sports docu-series.
CASSIE DYE | FOR THE POST
In 2019, Netflix launched a docu-series show called “Drive to Survive.” The first season followed the 2018 Formula One calendar. Although the sport is incredibly popular in other countries, it had not found its footing in the U.S. until after the show premiered. The show’s success is shown through the growth in viewership in the U.S., and it is almost impossible for other sports to replicate.
“Drive to Survive” is a docu-series similar to the likes of “Hard Knocks” or “Quarterbacks,” in which a team or athlete is followed to showcase them on and off the track. Season Seven was recently released and viewership numbers are not available for the latest edition yet. However, at the show’s peak in season four, it reached the number one show spot on Netflix in 33 countries. Season Six’s premiere had 2.9 million viewers within the first three days of release. F1 before “Drive to Survive” had a primarily European audience, but Netflix’s series pushed the sport into the American market.
The show is so successful because it was made with everyone in mind. The show doesn’t dive deeply into the complicated rules and regulations F1 has, instead focusing on the mental struggle drivers face and the budget constraints teams deal with. It relies heavily on the personalities of drivers and team principles to explain what is happening. This new approach to the show drove up viewership for the actual sport. The average age of fans dropped from 36 to 32, and female viewership is up.
With the success of “Drive to Survive,” Netflix decided to make similar shows but for different sports. There are now shows
like “Six Nations: Full Contact,” “NASCAR: Full Speed,” “Break Point” and “Full Swing.” The NHL even released its own version of a docu-series called “FACEOFF: Inside the NHL.” This show is on Amazon Prime and it recently got renewed for a second season.
Some of those shows have been successful. “NASCAR: Full Speed” brings in new fans to the sport, and “Full Swing” is contributing to the rise in popularity of golf. Other shows have had lackluster viewership and haven’t been able to break into the American Market.
“Six Nations: Full Contact” follows the rugby men’s Six Nations championship. Similar to F1, rugby is not too popular in the U.S. The show debuted among the top three shows on Netflix in the UK but has not shown significant ratings in the U.S. “Break Point,” a show about tennis, was cancelled after two seasons due to lack of success.
With the success of “Drive to Survive” producers thought there would be more demand for similar sports docu-series. However, using the same format of “Drive to Survive” lacked passion and originality. The personality of Daniel Riccardo, the looks of Charles Leclerc and the dramatization of rivalries is what make “Drive to Survive” so special. No sports docu-series will be able to replicate what “Drive to Survive” did for the growth of F1.
Cassie is a junior studying communications at Ohio University. Please note the views expressed in this column do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Cassie? Email her at cb086021@ohio.edu.
The Lo-Down: Unrivaled league professional basketball’s best innovation
LOGAN ADAMS | SPORTS EDITOR
Women’s professional basketball has ascended to the forefront of sports with an expanding roster of front page stars and endless personality for fans to latch onto. The foundation of Unrivaled, the sport’s newest, most innovative frontier, is proof that there is still so much room for growth to come.
Unrivaled is a new take on professional basketball. Founded by 2024 WNBA MVP finalists Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, the league features a three-onthree format with six teams filled to the brim with some of the WNBA’s biggest stars.
One of the major contributing reasons to Unrivaled’s creation is the opportunity for players to get paid. The average salary in the WNBA as of 2023 was $147,745, around 12% of the NBA’s minimum salary of $1.16 million.
With Unrivaled, the league played with an $8 million salary pool for the 2025 season distributed among the league’s 36 players, as well as a $250,000 reward for the winner of the in-season one-on-one tournament. Adding to that, the league’s inaugural roster was awarded a stake in the league, with an “equity pool that will vest over (four years).”
In previous years, WNBA players have turned to overseas competition to earn money during the off-season. One prominent location was Russia, but with the situation that led to current Unrivaled star Brittney Griner’s arrest, a domestic option became necessary. The league’s eight-week span extends from January to March, centered in Miami with about two months between the end and beginning of the surrounding WNBA seasons.
The league’s player-owned persona has also drawn in a long list of brand partners and notable personal investors, among them Alex Morgan, Carmelo Anthony and
Steve Nash.
“The investor list is a prominent list, but what we’re most excited about is that these people are active,” Unrivaled President Alex Bazzell said.
Unrivaled’s format is like nothing else in basketball. The three-on-three format combines traditional professional basketball with some pick-up aspects. Each game is played in quarters, with the first three spanning seven minutes while the fourth features an Elam ending. In this ending, both teams compete to reach a target score of 11 points higher than the leading team’s total entering the quarter. On top of its current success, Unrivaled is already starting to invest in its future. The league has already inked NIL deals with prominent women’s college basketball stars Paige Bueckers and Flau’jae Johnson, with the two expected to make their debuts in 2026, following their WNBA rookie seasons.
Through promoting its players as the leading members of the league’s organization and production, as well as allowing them the opportunity to make top dollar, Unrivaled has presented a fresh, creative take on basketball, building on a landscape that female stars have started to dominate. As the league grows in tenure and popularity, recruiting star players and headlining investors along the way, women’s basketball will only continue to grow in popularity as a product of this new frontier.
Logan Adams is a junior studying journalism. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Logan know by tweeting him @ LoganPAdams.
Kendall Unfiltered: Stop leaving friends alone, especially when drunk
KENDALL TIMMS | DIRECTOR OF MULTIMEDIA
It’s sunny and 85 degrees every day, you’re on that spring break trip you’ve been planning with your best friends for months, sipping drinks and lounging by the pool. But then the unimaginable happens. One of those friends goes missing. Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student, went missing during the early hours of March 6 while on spring break in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. A body still has not been found.
According to NBC News, Konanki and her friends were out drinking with people they met on the trip, enjoying their night, and decided to cap off their evening with a trip to the beach around 4 a.m. Security camera footage shows Konanki’s friends leaving the beach to go back to their room, but Konanki was never seen again. Joshua Riibe, a 22-year-old, was the last person to see Konanki before she vanished. They were not friends before the trip, so they didn’t know each other well. The New York Post explained Riibe was never named a suspect, just a person of interest in the case because he was the last person to see Konanki, but that doesn’t eliminate people’s suspicion of him.
CNN reported Riibe said they “were jostled by an intense wave, he helped her back toward the beach, and last saw her walking in knee-deep water before he fell asleep on a beach chair.” Despite multiple versions of what Riibe said floating around social media, NBC4 Washington reported they were in the water together, a big wave hit them, and Riibe was able to get out of the water, but Konanki was not. Riibe claimed he threw up from alcohol and swallowing too much salt water, and then immediately passed out on a beach chair. He told media he assumed Konanki got out of the water, but she never made it out.
As the hunt for Konanki deepened, they searched the beaches and reefs; they had helicopters, boats and divers searching for her in the water but found nothing. Authorities said this is not a criminal case and there were no signs of blood or aggression, so it’s classified as a missing persons case.
At first, Konanki’s parents wanted authorities to look into the possibility of Konanki being kidnapped or abducted, but as of March 18, they asked for authorities to officially declare her dead.
According to TODAY, Konanki’s parents said they 100% believe in the authorities’ investigation. “It is with deep sadness, sadness and a heavy heart, we are coming to the terms with the fact that our daughter has drowned,” father Subbarayudu Konanki said, his voice breaking as he spoke. “This is incredibly difficult for us to process.” The parents also said authorities showed them how high the ocean waves were at the time she was in the water, which made them believe she drowned.
It’s also worth mentioning the power was out at the resort the group was staying at, which should have meant the friends would’ve been more aware of where their friends were. Uncertainty rose after NBC News said, “Konanki’s friends went on an excursion Thursday and didn’t realize she was missing until about 4 p.m. that day.” This is a good reminder to keep track of your friends, especially women, and especially in a foreign country.
It can be argued that Konaki’s friends should have never left her alone on the beach in the middle of the night where the waters were rough while she was under the influence. If Konanki’s friends didn’t leave her alone, the situation may
have ended differently. It has been declared by authorities that Konanki drowned, but The Daily Mail reported Stephen Leatherman, a professor of Earth and Environment at Florida International University, said her body should have recovered at this point if she did drown. He and other people speculating on social media still believe she is alive and something else may be at play here. We may never know the final answer, but we need to control what we can, which is to stop leaving our friends alone.
Whether you’re at the bars here in Athens or in a different country, always keep track of your friends, don’t let them go off with random people and constantly check in with them. You never think a tragic situation like this one will happen to you until it does.
Kendall Timms is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Kendall Timms about her column? Email her at kt353720@ohio.edu.
Editorial: Dismantling DOE will have devastating consequences
POST EDITORIAL BOARD
On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.
According to the DOE website, the department was created to “collect information on schools and teaching that would help the States establish effective school systems.” Among other things, the department is responsible for overseeing educational policy and ensuring equal access to education across the country.
Adequate education is essential, and that is why there is a need for the department. The long-term ramifications of such a decision will be deeply damaging to the educational system and to the future of American society.
Without the DOE, inconsistencies might form in education quality across
LOONEY TUNES
state lines, and there would be especially reduced support for low-income students and those with disabilities. Every person, regardless of their background or social status, is equally deserving of access to quality education. In dismantling the department, Trump is prioritizing a system that benefits a select few while harming the millions of Americans who rely on the department’s funding.
One of the key functions of the DOE is to oversee and enforce laws such as Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The department is also responsible for enforcing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which ensures students with disabilities receive appropriate accommodations. If Trump gets rid of the DOE, those protections could be at risk.
The department also plays a vital role in providing federal funding for K-12 schools and higher education institutions. Specifically, it administers financial aid programs such as Pell Grants and student loans, which make college accessible for millions of students who would otherwise be unable to afford higher education. According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 10 million college students receive some sort of federal aid each year. The loss of those funds would lead to decreased access to higher education and, in turn, could decrease college enrollment in general.
Aside from the devastating effects Trump’s order is certain to have, dismantling the DOE is also unconstitutional in nature. It is a direct threat to the foundation of public education. Although Trump is framing his decision as an attempt to return power to local governments and give parents “universal school choice,” the reality is far more dangerous. Eliminating the DOE would jeopardize educational equity, get rid of necessary protections for vulnerable students and undermine the constitutional separation of powers.
The Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to create and eliminate federal agencies. The department exists because of a law Congress passed in 1979. That means only Congress can get rid of it. Trump’s executive order goes against everything the U.S. is built on. If he can dismantle an entire government department, then there is nothing stopping him from eliminating other essential agencies that protect things such as public welfare and civil rights.
Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post’s executive editors: Editor-in-Chief Alyssa Cruz, Managing Editor Madalyn Blair and Equity Director McKenna Christy.
JACKSON PENNINGTON | COMIC ARTIST
From the Editor’s Desk: Move forward this Women’s History Month
This Women’s History Month, it is crucial to advocate for loved ones and strangers who are being targeted for their background and identity.
MCKENNA CHRISTY | EQUITY DIRECTOR
Women’s History Month felt different this year as President Donald Trump and his administration continue to attack women and minorities and their access to self-determination. However, this year’s theme inspires people to look back at the accomplishments of trail-blazing women and use their courage to keep moving forward.
This Women’s History Month’s theme is “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations.” Late President Jimmy Carter first issued a Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8, 1980, as National Women’s History Week, according to the National Women’s History Museum. In his proclamation, President Carter wrote, “Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.”
In looking to the past, it is clear Ohio University has its own group of women who have made history and paved the way for a future that welcomes students, faculty and staff of all backgrounds. From Margaret Boyd, the first woman to graduate from OU in 1873, to Matha Jane Hunley Blackburn, the first Black woman to graduate from the university in 1916, the people who walk these bricks are reminded of the women who never cowered in their missions to achieve their dreams.
This month at OU, we can’t forget the accomplishments of people such as Francine Childs, who became the first tenured Black professor at the university in 1977 and was crucial in establishing the African American Studies Department, according to OU’s Ping Institute. We are also reminded of the accomplishments of Beverly Price Jones, the first woman to earn a MBA at OU, whose document called the “Report on the Status of Women at Ohio University,” which inspired an increase in funds toward women’s athletics, the admittance of women into the Marching 110 and the implementation of Title IX at OU, wrote the Ping Institute.
While many may read these names and already know their significance, it is necessary to remember the challenges those women faced and how they overcame them. In President Trump’s Women’s History Month proclamation, he wrote, “The First Lady and I honor American women from all generations and all backgrounds who have been integral to our prosperity and productivity.” Yet he seeks to directly harm certain groups of women, particularly transgender women, by banning transgender service members in the military, prohibiting transgender girls from playing for their high school sports teams, “directing agencies to take action to prevent gender-affirming care” and more, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
With the removal crucial resources from women and enforcement of dangerous orders with the intent of harming women, this Women’s History Month serves as an opportunity to advocate for those being targeted by certain laws, political officials and administrations, and to look back for guidance from inspiring women while moving forward to build an inclusive and a loving future suited for all.
