The Shield April 7, 2016

THE

SHIELD

T h u r s d a y, A p r i l 7 , 2 0 1 6 | U s i s h i e l d . c o m | v o l . 4 6 i s s u e 2 8

Student to encourage assault awareness at event

‘PART OF ME,

NOT ALL OF ME’

by nick leighty ndleighty@eagles.usi.edu Two weeks are missing from Ellen Cooper’s memory — the two weeks following her sexual assault could have never happened for all she knows.

Cooper was 13-years-old when she and a friend went looking for alcohol.

Her friend knew an older man, who said he would give them alcohol for free. Cooper said she offered to pay.

But he didn’t want money, she said.

It is stories like Cooper’s that the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event is trying to bring awareness to.

During the annual event, participants wear high heels around a set course to raise awareness of gender violence, rape and sexual assault on and off campus.

Cooper, who works for The Shield, remembered the assault but has no memories of the two weeks following.

“They say trauma will really leave blank spots in your memory,” Cooper said. “I assume I was in so much pain I don’t remember (the two weeks).”

After the two weeks had passed, her family decided to throw a fish fry. She walked around her neighborhood with a cousin when she spotted her assaulter’s home.

“The guy that lives there raped me, ha-ha,” Cooper said offhandedly.

Her cousin knew something wasn’t right and contacted her dad immediately.

Her father contacted the police, who contacted Cooper’s parents.

“The reaction I remember most is my dad violently sobbing. I mean uncontrollably sobbing,” she said. “What really sticks with me how much it hurt him.”

Her parents decided to enroll her in Christian school.

As much as she hated it, she said it was extremely impactful.

“Definitely one of the biggest things that helped me to heal was being in a Christian school environment,” Cooper said.

After the incident, she wondered if telling the police what happened was the right thing to do because she stopped trying in school, had to attend court-mandated therapy and stopped practicing for the school orchestra.

TWLOHA speaker, students tackle mental health stigmas

Photo by Alyssa Smith | The Shield

Aaron Moore, a licensed mental health counselor, talks to Erin Gillingham, founder of the To Write Love on Her Arms university chapter at USI, and Robbillie Stevenson, the previous president of the chapter, after speaking at the organization’s event Tuesday in Carter Hall.

by Gabi Wy news@usishield.com @ShieldsterGabi At the age of 11, Patience Fehribach was lost.

She slept too much and lacked the energy to attend school. Doctors diagnosed her with depression, but as a young girl, she had trouble making sense of it all.

“You go through spells,” the senior nursing major said. “I recognized (severe depression) not when I had it, but I noticed when I didn’t have it anymore.”

More than a decade later, Fehribach said she’s graduating this month after the best semester she’s ever had.

“I’d like to say (depression’s) gone, but there are still days when it’s hard,” she said. “I’ve grown a lot as a person. I didn’t think I’d make it this far.”

As president of the university chapter of To Write Love on Her Arms, Fehribach worked with other officers to bring mental health counselor Aaron Moore to campus Tuesday.

To Write Love on Her Arms is a nonprofit organization “dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression,

addiction, self-injury and suicide.”

The initial group was founded in 2006, and the USI chapter was established in 2011.

Moore, an official counselor for TWLOHA in Orlando, spoke about the importance of open conversation concerning addiction and mental health.

% 31 of college students seriously consider attempting suicide According to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health

Moore is the most recent speaker since TWLOHA brought the founder of the national organization to campus three years ago.

“If we don’t have conversations, we don’t push people toward recov-

ery, and we sure as hell don’t help with prevention,” he said to an audience of about 30. “When we begin to find the freedom to be honest, that’s when we can provide hope to others.”

Students discussed stigmas surrounding mental health such as being labeled as “attention-seeking,” or others immediately trying to “fix the problem.”

“We don’t need an awareness of depression,” Moore said. “We need an awareness of real people and their stories.”

‘I wish I could’ve helped’ Junior John Fischer said his friend’s suicide several years ago “came out of nowhere.”

“I don’t specifically remember that last time I saw him,” he said.

“If I knew that was the last time I was going to see him, I would’ve made myself remember. I wish I could’ve helped him.”

The radio/television major said he’s doing everything he can to make things right. Fischer joined TWLOHA to help others who might be thinking about suicide.

According to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health, 31 percent of college students seriously consider attempting suicide.

TWLOHA, PAGE 3

Walk a mile, PAGE 2

Students arrested in campus drug bust by bobby shipman editor@usishield.com @ShieldsterBobby

Sheriff’s deputies arrested three students on drug-related charges early Monday morning at an on-campus apartment.

Freshman business administration major Quentin Gregory, freshman biology maWhitney jor Claire Edwards and sophomore business administration major Drake Whitney were identiGregory fied by authorities.

According to a Vanderburgh C o u n t y Sheriff’s Office arrest Edwards affidavit, investigators found sheets of suspected LSD-acid, glass bongs and pipes used to smoke marijuana, marijuana and a grinder inside the Jackson apartment building in McDonald West.

The apartment belonged to Whitney, 18, and Gregory, 20, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Public Safety received a tip about possible drug activity from residents who said they could smell the odor of narcotics, according to the affidavit. They then contacted the sheriff’s office to take over the drug investigation.

Public Safety reported the incident just before midnight.

Gregory reportedly said he was selling the acid found in the apartment.

Authorities seized his phone and more than $1,000 in cash on him at the time of the arrest, according to the affidavit.

Gregory faces preliminary charges of dealing a controlled substance, maintaining a common nuisance, possession of paraphernalia and minor consumption.

Whitney faces preliminary charges of maintaining a common nuisance, possession of both marijuana and paraphernalia and minor consumption.

Edwards, who was visiting the apartment, reportedly informed investigators she brought a small amount of marijuana, which was discovered in her purse, and a bong to the apartment.

She faces preliminary charges of visiting a common nuisance and possession of marijuana and paraphernalia.

Adjunct arrested for DUI

Sheriff’s office announces new bike patrol program

by gabi wy

by James Vaughn

news@usishield.com @ShieldsterGabi

English adjunct instructor Kelley Ashby was arrested Friday after police pulled her Ashby over and found she was driving while intoxicated.

Ashby teaches one English 201 course.

She was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and endangering a person, operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration equivalent or more than .15 and unsafe lane movement without a signal.

Her license has been suspended for 180 days and she has been referred to The Drug and Alcohol Deferral Service (DADS), an early interven-

tion court program.

Ashby was released on her own recognizance, and a review hearing is scheduled for May 5.

The University Handbook states faculty are deemed to be adults “responsible for their own behavior and are expected to obey the law and university rules regarding drugs and alcohol.”

It states administration, faculty and support staff must comply with the government and “refuse to engage in actions that violate the ethical principles contained in (the handbook) or provisions of (the) law.”

The document provides specific guidelines for dealing with alcohol violations by faculty on campus, but charges occurring outside university-controlled property is not addressed.

The university had no comment on “the personal matter” of whether Ashby would still be teaching her English 201 course this semester.

2016 - 2017 EDITION OF

jrvaughn@eagles.usi.edu @JamesRLVaughn Students who utilize the USI-Burdette Park Trail may soon come across sheriff’s deputies on bicycles.

The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office announced a new Non-Motorist Safety program Friday at the Broadway Recreational Complex.

The goal of the program is to increase bicyclist and pedestrian safety throughout the county.

The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute approached law enforcement offices around the state last year and asked them to submit proposals that would increase bicyclist and pedestrian safety, Sheriff Dave Wedding said during a press conference.

“They’ve recognized over the years that we’ve had a number of people who were either injured or killed while walking and riding bicycles in the state, and convenient-

Photo by james vaughn | The Shield

The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office announced a new Non-Motorist Safety program Friday at the Broadway Recreational Complex.

ly we’ve had that happen in Vanderburgh County as well,” Wedding said.

USI Public Safety Director Stephen Woodall wrote a

Transitions

NEW STUDENT GUIDE

letter of support for the sheriff’s office’s proposal.

The criminal justice institute agreed to fund three bikes and any overtime owed

to deputies who use them.

Bike Patrol, PAGE 2

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Sanders rally promotes voter registration

by Nick Leighty ndleighty@eagles.usi.edu Rob Zaricki and other volunteers for the Southwestern Indiana for Bernie Sanders group held a rally March 31, in USI’s Free Speech Zone.

Zaricki said the goal for the rally was to get more students to vote and bring awareness to the Vermont senator’s political campaign.

The group also wanted to register students to vote, but was not allowed. Dean of Students Bryan Rush said this was because they were not a student organization and were clearly one-sided.

In order for an organization to register people to vote, it must be nonpartisan and student ran. If an organization receives an OK to register people, they are not allowed to hand out information about any political party or candidate.

“I think we as a campus want to be transparent,” Rush said. “We want folks to have the opportunity to have competing ideas and want it to be done in a civil way, but we certainly never want to censor unless it is harmful to others.”

There is currently a committee reviewing the Free Speech Zone policy. Rush said there is a good chance there will be a new policy in place next year.

The committee is looking at every aspect of the zone, from the location to the process of accepting off-campus groups visit, nothing is limited. The committee is cur-

rently in the early stages of analyzing the zone.

“We want to make sure that we don’t have too narrow a policy as it relates to free speech on campus,” Rush said. “We also want to make sure there are protections in place for the institutional mission and for the safety of our students.”

Zaricki was drawn to Sanders because the senator is vocal about universal health care, minimum wage and free college tuition. He said he feels it is important these issues are addressed on the political forefront, and Sanders has been on that same path for 30 years.

“He’s cut from a different cloth,” Zaricki said.

Sanders’ stance on returning veterans is also a strong point for Zaricki. He said currently, the U.S. does not take care of veterans when they come back and we should be ashamed.

He said Sanders is inspiring a whole generation of political activism, and called Sanders an “activist” president who needs the people fighting alongside him in his campaign.

Freshman Shawn Lewis, 36, said Sanders’ case for education reform is a big part of his decision. The computer information systems major has a family of two children and worries about student loans.

He was excited when former Secretary Hillary Clinton announced her presidential campaign, but after analyz-

Photo by alyssa smith | The Shield

Students and volunteers ask passersby if they have registered to vote during a Bernie Sanders rally Thursday in the Free Speech Zone. Although the group was told they were not allowed to do voter registration by the Dean of Students Office, the volunteers still handed out information about where and how to register.

ing her campaign, now says she is an “old white guy in a woman’s body” and is just like every other candidate.

He said he sided with Sanders because he speaks for everything he feels needs changed.

Senior psychology major

Ryan Welp said his reason for backing Sanders is because he has addressed the same issues for 30 years.

“I actually trust him,” Welp said.

He said the big thing about Clinton is her con-

stantly changing stances and policies. Sanders has had the same stance on climate change since day one, and while Clinton is on the same side as Sanders, she is actually adopting his thoughts and viewpoints, Welp said.

walk a mile continued from Page 1

bike patrol continued from Page 1

Looking back, she said she thinks her offhand response was a way her subconscious was trying to save her and is glad she made the remark.

Walk a Mile participants will walk through the Quad, around David L. Rice Library and the Performance Center and finally come back between the Orr Center and University Center East, finishing at the University Center Amphitheater.

The event aims to help everyone understand they have a role in providing a solution to these issues.

“We want people to see sexual assault as an issue that everyone can be part of the solution,” said Catherine Champagne, assistant program director of student wellness.

Champagne said the event encourages people to recognize the red flags and warning signs of sexual assault and have the courage to intervene.

Before the walk itself, Cooper will speak about her personal experience and attendees will have the opportunity to take the white ribbon pledge to never commit, condone or remain silent on

“This is an overtime-funded event,” Wedding said. “It won’t be an everyday occurrence.”

The bikes will be used to patrol areas throughout the county that are “not really conducive for a deputy sheriff to be out in a car trying to interact with the public,” Wedding said, such as trailer parks, subdivisions and Angel Mounds.

Students listen to a presentation in Mitchell Auditorium before donning colorful high heels and traipsing around campus during last year’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes.

violence toward women.

The event had more than 100 participants in its first year. Now, the event attracts nearly 500 attendees each

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes 5:30 p.m. April 12

Carter Hall Free

Wedding said. “So they may be here one day. They may be at Burdette Park one day.

They may be out on the far eastside one day. They’re not going to be assigned a district to patrol.”

The number of patrol officers assigned to USI’s campus and the surrounding area will not change.

Photo by The Shield

FASt FACTS What: When: Where: Cost:

“We plan on being out at trails like here at the University of Southern Indiana,” he said. “We hope not only to interact with the public. We may be able to deter some crime.”

Wedding said the office is not assigning the bikes to any particular areas.

“We’ll just be selecting sites from time to time and putting the deputies out,”

He said he wants students to educate themselves on politics and where each candidate stands on each issue.

“He’s not running against anybody,” Welp said. “He’s running for us.”

year.

“In bearing my soul, chances are I will be helping another person,” Cooper said. “If I have to feel uncomfortable in order to do something good for another person, I would 100 percent be willing to do that. I care so much more about what good I can do for a fellow survivor than I do my own comfort.”

The Teacher Recruitment Fair is a job fair designed to introduce teaching candidates to poten al employers. School districts both locally and from all over the country a end the Teacher Recruitment Fair.

Tell me and I forget.

Teach me and I remember.

Involve me and I learn.

Benjamin Franklin

December 2015 Graduates are also welcome to attend!

Presented by

Contact Career Services for help with your resume a few weeks before the fair!

812-464-1865

www.usi.edu/careerservices

News

The shield | april 7, 2016 | Usishield.com

USI Security Incident Log

TWLOHA continued from Page 1 “I’m still kind of reeling from (my friend’s death),” he said. “It’s not something you really get over. It sticks with you.”

Fischer said though dealing with the death is painful, it made him more conscientious of how he treats others.

“I’m a more caring person,” he said. “I keep an ear out for people if (they) need to hear kind words.”

Moore told the audience he’s fortunate to have friends who check on him when he seems to disappear, and people need to be initiating those conversations to prevent tragedies like Fischer’s.

“You should always lean toward compassion,” Moore said. “Honesty without compassion is not honesty, and compassion without honesty is not compassion.”

‘One can find hope’ Moore said while there’s still a stigma surrounding mental health, it’s less than it used to be.

“There are still perceptions in all of us about those who struggle with depression,” he said. “In reality, it’s just a human thing.”

Katie Biggs got involved with TWLOHA after seeing her friend wear a bracelet in middle school. When she met others in the group, she realized her issues were indeed “a human thing.”

3

“I struggled with depression and self-injury in middle school,” the sophomore psychology and English double major said. “The bracelet started a conversation that opened a door to help others who struggle.”

Biggs said it was difficult at first to talk to her family about her feelings, but her years with TWLOHA have taught her “it’s OK to not be OK.” “Depression is like a coat you can never take off,” she said. “It’s a part of me, but it’s not all of me.”

Biggs said one issue she sees at the university is her peers not utilizing campus resources like the Counseling Center to reach out for help.

“There’s a magnificent quote from Harry Potter that basically says no matter how dark and dreary it is, one can find hope if they look for it,” she said.

Biggs said she’s overcome her struggles and is thriving as an honors student and TWLOHA’s event coordinator.

She wants other students to know it’s possible for them to cope, too, and encourages them to join TWLOHA or learn about its mission.

“There were days I didn’t think I would make it to 15, to 18, to 20,” she said. “I’ve done more than I thought possible, and I’m more than I ever thought I would be. Don’t ever give up.”

3/29/16 - 4/4/16 Alcohol Offenses Public Intoxication 8035B OʼDaniel Lane 3/29/16 2:15 a.m.

Alcohol Offenses Underage Consumption 8035B OʼDaniel Lane 3/29/16 2:15 a.m.

Fire - False Alarm Goodrich Building 3/29/16 11:23 a.m.

Criminal Trespass Broadway Recreational Complex 3/29/16 4:46 p.m.

Violation of University Policy Broadway Recreational Complex 3/29/16 4:46 p.m.

Criminal Mischief Recreation Fitness and Wellness Center 3/29/16 9:55 p.m.

Injury Report Campus Store 3/30/16 12:20 p.m.

Illness Report Childrens Learning Center 4/1/16 11:11 a.m.

Illness Report Varsity Drive 4/3/16 10:57 a.m.

Injury Report Parking Lot B 4/1/16 2:00 p.m.

Illness Report On Campus Property - Other 4/3/16 11:34 a.m.

Traffic Accident Parking Lot B 4/1/16 2:00 p.m.

Alcohol Offenses Underage Possession 823B Jarrett Lane - Jackson Building 4/3/16 11:17 p.m.

Battery - Simple Assault University Center East 4/1/16 3:03 p.m.

Code of Conduct - Co-Habitation 823B Jarrett Lane - Jackson Building 4/3/16 11:17 p.m.

Alcohol Offenses Furnishing to a Minor 913 Varsity Drive Baker Building 4/2/16 12:16 a.m.

Drug Offenses - Dealing/Manufacturing 823B Jarrett Lane - Jackson Building 4/3/16 11:17 p.m.

Alcohol Offenses - Incident 913 Varsity Drive - Baker Building 4/2/16 12:16 a.m.

Drug Offenses - Manufacture/Possession of Paraphernalia 823B Jarrett Lane - Jackson Building 4/3/16 11:17 p.m.

Code of Conduct - Alcohol Violation 913 Varsity Drive - Baker Building 4/2/16 12:16 a.m.

Drug Offenses - Possession 823B Jarrett Lane - Jackson Building 4/3/16 11:17 p.m.

Injury Report The Loft 3/30/16 2:00 p.m.

Drug Offenses - Manufacture/Possession of Paraphernalia 1720 Rochelle Lane - OʼBannon Hall 4/2/16 1:15 p.m.

Criminal Mischief Quad 4/4/16 8:00 a.m

Illness Report Public Safety Office 3/30/16 8:25 p.m.

Drug Offenses - Possession 1720 Rochelle Lane - OʼBannon Hall 4/2/16 1:15 p.m.

Violation of University Policy Quad 4/4/16 8:00 a.m.

Traffic Accident University Boulevard 4/1/16 7:55 a.m.

Fire - Faulty Alarm Business and Engineering Center 4/3/16 6:46 a.m.

Information gathered from USIʼs Public Crime Log, provided by USI Safety and Security.

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The shield | april 7, 2016 | Usishield.com

‘It’s like the Academy Awards’ Juried exhibition features 147 pieces of student artwork

by Megan Thorne features@usishield.com @ShieldsterMegan Families, friends and supporters stood shoulder to shoulder, smiling, hugging and congratulating student artists.

As they walked around the McCutchan Art Center/Pace Galleries, many stopped to look at “From Yesterday to Forever” by Ryan McKain.

The junior studio art major won “Best in Show” Sunday afternoon at the 46th annual USI Juried Student Art Exhibition. The show features 147 pieces of student artwork chosen from 397 submitted.

McKain won the award for a two-dimensional painting.

He said he has made more meaningful pieces lately that deal with bullying and getting picked on.

“They are either being picked on for a good reason or a bad reason,” McKain said. “So it deals with the ups and downs of what everyone goes through in life, good or bad.”

He said he felt weird receiving the award again after recieving it last year for a three-dimensional piece.

“Before I started taking classes, I would do a lot of painting and sculptures, but I was just self-taught,” he said.

“I really didn’t know the right ways of doing anything, even this painting. I think what I have learned through myself over time.”

Photo by Megan thorne | The Shield

John Pena, a senior finance major, looks at “From Yesterday to Forever” by junior Ryan McKain Sunday afternoon at the 2016 USI Juried Student Art Exhibition. “I see new faces everytime,” he said. “I wonder how long it took.”

He describes the painting as more of a mirage because of the detail and the way the painting covers the canvas completely.

“I stayed with five colors, so a solid color scheme, and it is easy to work with but hard to balance stuff out,” he said.

He said he worked on the piece on and off for a month last year and returned to it this year.

“(The painting) may not be finished,” McKain said. “But it is for now.”

Kathryn Waters, director of the McCutchan Art Center/Pace Galleries, said juror Jim Bryant, a graphic design professor and printmaker at Murray State University, did well when it came to selecting the art.

Waters said they awarded $9,000 in scholarships, merit

awards and some purchase awards, which will go into the university’s collection.

At one point, Waters said she was happy to see all the support the students had from families, friends and significant others.

“It was like the academy awards,” Waters said smiling.

Kiara Perkins, a senior studio art major, was awarded the Academic Achievement

in two-dimensional Studio Art scholarship. She said she appreciates anyone who ap-

preciates her artwork.

“It’s encouraging.” Perkins said. “It’s always good to make money off of what I really want to do.”

This is Perkins’ fourth year entering artwork into the show. This year, she entered a self-portrait titled “One Time I Ate My Feelings” and won a merit award for a painting of roses, titled “Vancouver Roses.”

“I took a trip to Alaska and Vancouver (in Canada) over the summer,” she said. “They have this big park with just so many roses. It’s just amazing.

I’m inspired by nature and food.”

Perkins said her drawing took more than 30 hours, which isn’t nearly as much time as she spends on other pieces.

“It’s really just about encouraging yourself and believing in yourself,” Perkins said. “Nobody is going to have your back like you do, and you really have to be your own No. 1 supporter.

It is exhausting, sometimes, and sometimes you don’t feel confident in your work, but you have to keep going regardless.”

FASt FACTS What: When: Where: Cost:

USI Juried Student Art Exhibition Open until May 1 McCutchan Art Center/ Pace Galleries Free

Musical to highlight ‘the oddity of childhood,’ involve audience by abigail suddarth acsuddarth@eagles.usi.edu Alec Willis will play Jesus for the second time in his life in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” His first time playing Jesus was in his high school’s production of “Godspell.”

“I always am very timid when playing Jesus because I don’t want to do something that is going to offend anyone, but also I want to play the character to the best of my ability,” the freshman said.

USI Theatre will show the musical comedy April 14-17 in the Performance Center.

During the spelling bee, the students have flashbacks about why they’re competing in the bee as other characters onstage play their family members.

“It just faces a lot of reallife problems but in a subtle way,” the theater arts major said.

Willis’s main character, Chip Tolentino, sings “Chip’s Lament,” a song about going through puberty, which Willis said is one of his favorite songs. “(Tolentino’s) starting to realize the changes of his body,” he said. “He’s starting to realize what can happen

when there’s an attraction of the opposite sex.”

He will also play a gay father in the show.

Willis’s close friend Emily March sings his other favorite song, “Woe is Me,” about the pressure her two dads (played

by Willis and Craig Belwood) put on her to be perfect, how friends at school judge her for having gay parents and how she just wants America to love her.

March, a freshman, plays Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, a liberal girl obsessed with politics, who wrote a Constitutional Amendment to lower the voting age to 10 and heads the Gay Straight Alliance at her elementary school.

Logainne’s last name is a combination of her two dads,’ Daniel Schwartz and Carl Grubenierre, last names.

“She’s very high-strung and she’s always super anxious about everything because of the pressure that her dad’s put on her,” the theater major said. “She always has to practice yoga because she has trouble breathing because of her anxiety.”

The musical is unconventional in every imaginable way, Director Eric Altheide said.

Much of the show is improvised, he said. The show is an ensemble, meaning each character has about equal time on stage and there is no real lead.

“There are four audience ‘volunteers’ that are brought on at the beginning of the show and they are forced to participate in the spelling bee,” he said. “There’s a lot of improvisation that builds around those audience members who are participating.”

The spelling bee pronouncer starts off giving these four audience members easy words such as “Mexican” or “bird.”

Before the show begins, the cast will instruct these audience members to always ask for the word’s definition and for the word in a sentence.

As the volunteers ask for definitions and sentences, the cast members will mock the volunteers and protest that they receive harder words than the audience members did.

Slowly, the audience members receive more difficult words and as each of them gets kicked out of the bee, the cast members will sing “Goodbye” to them.

The show has no official

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start signified by the house lights dimming and the pulling back of a curtain, Altheide said. It just begins.

“We’re trying to blur the lines between the audience and the cast even more, so there’s going to be a pre-show element to it whereas people are getting their tickets, they’re going to be seeing the kids registering for the spelling bee,” he said. “Also, if people are wanting to volunteer to be a part of the show, they need to get there early to do that.”

The theater chose the “Spelling Bee” because it’s lighthearted and a nice change from the last two musicals the theater has done, “Next to Normal” in 2014 and “Spring Awakening” in 2015, Altheide said.

“I’m beginning to realize that I guess as a young father, I tend to be drawn toward material that is about children and childhood,” he said. “I think that there was a kind of subconscious thing that drew me toward it.”

The characters in the play each have different tricks to help them spell words (such as writing out the words with their feet or using a puppet to spell out the words). Children in the real-life Scripps

Photo by Angela Moore | The Shield

Maggie Brown, a freshman theater major, and Nick Smith, a junior theater major, practice for “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”Monday night in the Technology Center. The musical comedy will be performed April 14-17 at the Performance Center.

National Spelling Bee have little tricks like that as well, he said.

“Even by the time students start joining college, they begin to conform to a standard, to a be normal, to not stand

FASt FACTS What: When: Where: Cost:

EDUCATING PHYSICIANS HERE

out, to not get picked on, to not get beaten up, to walk kind of a normal line,” he said. “The show at its depth is kind of a celebration of the oddity of childhood.”

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” 7:30 p.m. April 14-15, 2 p.m. April 17 Performance Center $10 for USI Students, $12 for USI employees, $13 for seniors (60+) and non-USI students, and $15 for adults

The shield | april 7, 2016 | Usishield.com

5

Nigerian student talks education FAR FROM FAMILIAR

by Megan Thorne features@usishield.com @ShieldsterMegan The Shield interviewed three international students to see how they were acclimating to life at a U.S. university. In this weekly series, The Shield revisits Souleymane Mamane Illia, a junior English major from Niger, to find out his opinion on U.S. education and language.

The Shield: What are some differences between U.S. education and education in Niger?

Illia: We have two different education systems: who can afford education and who cannot. Education from primary to university is free, like completely free, and that’s not the same here in America.

Here, you need to spend a lot of money and not everyone can afford college, but something to remember is the quality. We do have public and private schools and private schools don’t have problems because you pay money to go there. Even though the government is trying to give free education, it’s kind of hard sometimes. In the public schools, you will see some

difficulties. In Niger, teachers don’t get paid on time and there is no furniture in some schools, especially those that aren’t in the cities. Sometimes you can see primary children sitting on the ground to take a course.

The Shield: Do you think there are advancements in education in the U.S.?

Illia: I think it’s advanced when you compare our education to the American one.

All the schools here have technology and it’s really advanced. You can take the example of science students using technology. Sometimes they can’t find some items from the laboratory to make something and this is a very big difference. To be honest, the American system is really advanced compared to our educational system. Maybe that’s why it is expensive to be in college here.

The Shield: Is the tuition cost in the U.S similar to universities in Niger?

Illia: All the government universities are free. All you need to pay is inscription fees, which are like $20 for the whole year. For students who got good grades in high school, they get scholarships

Photo illustration by Alyssa smith | The Shield

from the government, which is a monthly stipend and free housing. But they have to pay for meals. We do have some public institutions and they are like colleges, but they also qualify as universities. But for acceptance into these institutions you need to get a very good grade in high school.

The Shield: Are the universities structured the same?

Illia: Our universities are so different from here, like the structure for the French

system (used in Niger) and English are so different. Even the way you see students interacting with the professors, in our system, most of the professors you don’t have a chance to stay and talk about a problem with. They are so strict and they kind of show they have an authority over people. When you take for example the campus, here, you can have males and females living on the same floor or in the same building, which is totally different in our universities.

The Shield: You mentioned previously about speaking different languages. How is language taught in Niger?

Illia: We are taught different languages at school, like English, French and some Arabic, and we have our native languages. For students who usually go to school, you will see someone speaking two or three languages. So I mean, they are doing it just to make you open to the world and to know about other countries cultures and civilizations. I think that’s the idea behind

teaching different languages.

The Shield: Do you think the U.S. has a language barrier because it’s common to know only one language?

Illia: Most people in the U.S. only know English.

Some people know Spanish, and I think it’s not enough in order to know about the world or the culture. I think you should learn people’s languages because language is a part of the civilization.

‘Down to earth’ Bennett answers questions by abigail suddarth acsuddarth@eagles.usi.edu SGA President Alexa Bueltel was nervous that after the civility speakers gave their presentations, the campus wouldn’t continue the civility discussion.

President Linda Bennett was already working on a plan when the senior management major voiced her concerns at the 27th annual Breakfast with the President.

The Student Alumni Association held the event for students, faculty and community members to ask Bennett questions regarding the university March 30, in Carter Hall.

Questions ranged from how students can get involved in civility to the future of the university’s graduate programs.

Bennett told Bueltel about a month ago she began working with the diversity committee to find ways people can discuss their different viewpoints civilly.

Junior Shelby Heck asked

what the university plans on doing in response to AB Brown’s unsafe sulfur dioxide emission levels.

AB Brown is the nearby branch of the utility company Vectren.

“Sulfur dioxide can cause an asthma attack in as little as five minutes,” the philosophy major said. “I’m just concerned about the incoming students and what they might be facing.”

Bennett said the university has “limited control” over the air quality.

“I think that USI has a responsibility to the students to let them know at least, or pressure Vectren to fix their AB Brown plant, or have it at lower levels so USI students aren’t subjected to these high sulfur dioxide levels,” Heck said.

Heck said she didn’t know the AB Brown plant wasn’t meeting the EPA’s level for safe sulfur dioxide emissions when she chose to attend the university.

“It’s the poison you can’t see,” she said.

Outgoing Activities Pro-

Photo courtesy of photo services

Outgoing Activities Programming Board President Andrew McGuire asks one of the several questions directed at President Linda Bennett by students attending the 27th annual Breakfast with the President March 30 in Carter Hall.

gramming Board President Andrew McGuire asked if there was a way student organizations could hire caterers other than Sodexo to save money.

“You can’t really expect one company to always offer the most competitive prices or always have the widest variety of foods,” the junior computer information systems major said. “Sometimes,

it would be nice to have flexibility to go outside one company and reach out to another to most efficiently use the student activity funds.”

The university contract with Sodexo states that only Sodexo can cater events on campus, Bennett said. She suggested he and other organizations speak with Sodexo to negotiate prices.

McGuire doesn’t want to

speak ill of Sodexo, he said.

They’ve always been flexible with their menus and prices for catered events.

“I think at this point, it’s maybe less about the immediate solutions,” he said. “But maybe long-term, when they renew the contracts, whenever that term comes up.”

Student Alumni Association President Alexander Martens was in charge of inviting alumni and community members to attend the event as well as students and faculty.

He also encouraged questions from the students. “(Bennett) is probably one of the most down to earth people when it comes to serving as an administrator and I love seeing her personality shine when we have these gatherings like this,” the senior history major said.

Martens recommends students visit the Student Development Office or the Dean of Students Office when they have problems the rest of the year.

“Students should feel free to go to administrators and

ask questions if they need help with something if they have a concern,” he said.

About 90 students attended the event, said Assistant Director of Alumni and Volunteer Services Caylin Blockley. Attendance was up about 30 people compared to last year.

“I’m not really sure what other universities do in regard to this, but we definitely have a very positive president who’s always willing to answer any questions and help in any way possible,” the alumnus said. “This is her giving up her time, taking time out of her busy schedule to really just put herself out there.”

In the future, Blockley said he hopes to find a way to make the event longer so more people can ask questions. “(Bennett’s) never going to turn down a question,” he said. “She makes you feel very comfortable, so we’re very lucky to have a president like that.”

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Opinion

6

The shield | April 7, 2016 | Usishield.com

Screagles Call Question: “What do you think of political campaigning on campus?”

Name: Hannah Arbuckle Major: Elementary education Grade: Freshman Answer: “You do you.

I don’t really care. It’s good to fight for what you believe.”

Feel the birndie | Carlos Baquerizo | The Shield

Fight gremlins, save classtime

by Osman Bien Aime orbienaime@eagles.usi.edu Class ends in five minutes and we can’t hear the video my professor wanted to show us. Even as I pack my bag, anticipating her running out of time before she figures out the volume was muted, I can’t help feeling bad about not telling her.

We like to believe our professors are infallible, but errors happen and we owe it to ourselves to offer assistance. Even pointing out that a volume slider is muted or a plugin isn’t installed will save time and help out.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen tech support get involved over something like a detached cable or an incorrect button press. The class I mentioned earlier is now having its next exam a week late because of an accumulation of these little gremlins.

It’s because of this I am no longer interested in milling around when I know I can help.

I haven’t always taken that initiative.

Sometimes, I’m exhausted from all-nighters and would rather avoid mentioning the projector’s on the wrong channel if it means less to write down before class ends. Other times, the bystander effect

has me waiting for someone else to act.

But when the consequence of my complacence is an exam being pushed back to the same day as several other major assignments, that’s when I need to reconsider my choices.

I know F11 full sizes your screen and makes the start menu disappear. When my professor presses it accidentally and suddenly can’t find their minimized programs, it would be negligent not to speak up.

Considering how even a small setback like a video not playing or a link not supporting a certain browser can cause a class to fall behind schedule, it’s totally unfair for both professors and students.

We take for granted our vast knowledge of computers, despite being the first generation to really grow up with them. Not to disparage our professors, but sometimes they experience unexpected tech issues they can’t deal with alone, and we’re all prone to human error.

Students and their professors both want the semester to go smoothly, and nothing helps that along quite like giving them a hand when a technical difficulty arises rather than sitting idly. This isn’t just for your professor’s sake — you’d be doing yourself and your classmates a huge favor as well.

THE

EAGLE EXAMINER

Which day of SpringFest are you most excited for?

Wednesday

25%

Thursday

0% 75%

Friday

4 people responded to this week’ s Eagle Examiner.

Watch The Shield’s Twitter @usishield for the next poll.

.

Have an opinion? Write a letter to the editor at shield@usi.edu

Stay together despite distance

by Ellen cooper fecooper1@eagles.usi.edu If long distance relationships had a theme song, it would be Coldplay’s “The Scientist,” because “nobody said it was easy.”

Everyone told me how difficult long distance relationships are. Many of my friends advised avoiding getting involved with someone who lived far away.

But as usual, I didn’t listen.

I met him through Tinder (don’t scoff, it’s not all about hookups). We matched because we were visiting family in a similar location. Conversation with him was easy and wishful.

We talked about our futures and how they could so easily meld together.

But we quickly felt the burdens of distance on our relationship. Financially, it was difficult to save the money to drive the eight-hour round trip. It was also time consuming. We only got to see each

other for a short weekend every month.

Keeping in touch during the week was its own major struggle.

We both were in school full time and worked multiple jobs. Although we texted sporadically throughout the day, we would often go several days without hearing one another’s voice.

Modern conveniences such as Skype and Facetime were helpful for keeping in touch, but by the time we would both be free to talk it was often too late at night.

Despite these issues, we persevered. Although we were lonely and missed one another often, we were happy and healthy in our relationship.

Our relationship recently ended on good terms.

We didn’t do all we could to make a long distance relationship work. Rarely getting to spend time with a person is not good for any relationship.

This meant a majority of our conversation was through

text, phone calls and Skype.

As much as I knew the basics about him, such as his love for Mexican food, I didn’t know who he was when he wasn’t trying.

For this reason, our relationship grew to be serious quickly and under false pretenses. Eight months later, I realized our connections were created by our desire to be together, not by natural affection.

If you are contemplating getting into a long distance relationship, my advice to you is this: do it.

It will be difficult, but you have to find the time to make it work. Do your part in the relationship by keeping up communication and staying involved in the other person’s life.

Make sure you get to know who the person truly is and don’t let things progress too quickly. Long distance relationships may be hard, but with the right person, they are worth it.

Grade: Sophomore Answer: “I think it’s good.

It gives people a chance to get to know what each candidate stands for.”

Name: Kennedy King Major: Theater Grade: Freshman Answer: “I think it should be here, just not in the open. Some people get offended. It should be indoors.”

THE

SHIELD Editorial Board Bobby Shipman Editor-in-Chief Gabi Wy News Editor

Unauthorized Advice

by Gavin Gaddis

Blow hard, achieve little During a particularly strong gust of wind in the University Center breezeway Monday, I blurted out, “Wow, it’s blowing hard today, didn’t know Trump was on campus.”

It was a cheap joke with no lead-up, a poorly conveyed message that fell flat.

Unbeknownst to me, someone else’s message was falling flat in an epic way elsewhere on campus.

It appears, under the cover of darkness, an unknown entity decided the best way to grab attention for a presidential candidate would be to write their name with pink chalk in massive letters in front of the Liberal Arts Center (and to a lesser extent on the 50th anniversary statue).

Stop the presses, call CNN, all of Indiana just changed their vote firmly to Trump. A word written in a temporary medium reminded us a candidate exists.

Now, the joke that presidential candidate Donald Trump and his supporters are blowhards has become somewhat overused these days, yet

Name: Cameron Lusk Major: Communication studies

sible for this: Trump 2K16 is the best you have to offer for controversial chalk art? Not “Make America Great Again” or a quote. One could have drawn an image of the man or used multiple colors.

Slipping the letter K into a date is something predominately used in an ironic sense online, using it unabashedly in what barely qualifies as a political message is, frankly, accidentally funny.

For the rest of us, this incident should be filed away as a perfect lesson in how a message can fall flat on its ass.

Whether the messages were meant to show people Trump support is real or piss off those who dislike Trump, #TheChalkening2K16 has failed spectacularly.

T h e chalk’s gone, the usi_snaps post about it has expired Illustration by Philip Kuhns | The Shield and nobody at a black protestor, a woman will care by next week. All saying she’ll punch a guy of- the perpetrators have done is fering free hugs if he doesn’t add more anecdotal evidence vote for Trump and a veteran to the stereotype of Trump throwing up a Nazi salute at supporters who make rash, a Sanders supporter… you stupid decisions.

I find it hilarious. have to work harder than some crappy chalk art.

Listen, person(s) responas some anonymous agents proved Monday, somewhat justified.

Writing “Trump 2K16” in giant chalk letters isn’t even an honorable mention for the most offensive things Trump supporters have done.

When your competition is a 20-something white man yelling “go back to Africa”

Megan Thorne Features Editor Gavin Gaddis Opinion Editor Sarah Loesch Sports Editor James Vaughn Chief Copy Editor Jessica Stallings Visual Editor

S ta f f Alyssa Smith Chief Photographer APPLY NOW Community Engagement Manager Brian Tenbarge Page Designer Philip Kuhns Page Designer

Sales & Marketing S ta f f Anthony Ross Sales & Marketing Director Olivia Meyer Business Manager APPLY NOW Marketing Manager Danielle VanHooser Layout & Design Manager Gavin Gaddis Circulation Manager Jonah Breeden Sales Consultant Rob Rich Sales Consultant Opinions expressed in unsigned editorials represent a consensus opinion of the editorial board

Sports

The shield | april 7, 2016 | Usishield.com

7

That ‘a-ha moment’ Dance team combines multiple styles, heads to nationals

by Sarah loesch sports@usishield.com @ShieldsterSarah The dance team struggled with unity at the beginning of the year.

“It’s a very young team.

We have a lot of new members this year,” Jennifer Guebert said. “They are each individually very talented, but the goal is to get them to all look like one unit.”

More than half of this year’s dance team consists of new members. The team had no seniors, and captain responsibilities fell to two juniors.

“There were challenges in the beginning to mesh as one,” said Guebert, the team’s head coach. “They have come together really well.”

The team will compete in the first round of National Dance Alliance College nationals Thursday. If the team passes the first round in the top half of the Division II teams competing, it will move directly to finals.

If they would fall in the bottom half, the team still has a chance to advance by performing in the Challenge Cup. After an exhibition performance for friends and family Sunday afternoon, Guebert said the team is confident in its ability to finish in the top half.

Guebert said some members of the coaching staff were in tears after the performance because they felt that “a-ha moment,” where everything falls into place.

“The girls feed off our energy,” she said. “They know by our faces whether we are pleased or not.”

The team began to prepare its black widow-themed routine at the start of winter

Photo by The Shield

Senior psychology major Audrey Beckerle and junior nursing major Krista Zieg warm up with leaps at the beginning of dance team practice last October in the Physical Activities Center. The team will compete in the National Dance Alliance College nationals Thursday in Daytona, Florida.

break.

The team will perform in the team dance category, which requires 30 seconds of three dance styles: jazz, pom and hip-hop.

Guebert said the routine is hard-hitting, sassy and utilizes moves that invoke a spider-like quality.

The uniforms feature a red, hourglass shape like the markings of a black widow.

The nationals routine should be tougher than any of the other routines per-

formed during the year, Guebert said.

She said if it isn’t challenging for the team when it first begins to rehearse, they know it won’t make an impact on the judges.

Once basketball season begins, the team does not have a lot of practice time to dedicate to the routine.

Alexa Snow said the team ran through the routine once or twice a practice during basketball season, but once that ends, they dedicate all

three hours to nationals.

The team practices weekly on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, and Snow said when practice is entirely dedicated to nationals, they pick apart each aspect of the routine.

“I would say this year we started out really, really strong,” Snow said.

“But none of us really knew where the year was going to lead us.”

The junior captain said the nationals routine high-

lights all of the dancers’ abilities.

She said all the dancers come from backgrounds with different styles, but they all managed to pull together for their routine.

“We are very ready. We know that we are in it for the long run,” Snow said. “We know we are in it to make it straight to finals.”

She said she feels good about the team’s chance at beating its previous records.

This year, every member

of the team will compete in Daytona because no alternates were named.

“I think this year having no alternates helped us a lot with the unity,” she said, “bringing everyone together.”

Snow said everyone being able to compete stopped the fear of who would have to fill an alternate position.

“I think throughout the season we were consistent,” she said. “I think nationals is our high point.”

University of Southern Indiana Theatre presents

The 25 annual putnam th

county spelling

bee Music & Lyrics by William Finn Book by Rachel Sheinkin Conceived by Rebecca Feldman Directed by Eric Altheide

April 14 - 17 Thursday - Saturday 7:30 p.m. @ Performance Center Sunday 2p.m. @ Performance Center USI Students $10, Employees $12, Adults $15, Seniors & Non-USI Students $13 For ticket information, go online to www.usi.edu/theatre or call 812-465-1668

8

The shield | April 7, 2016 | Usishield.com

scoreboard Baseball April 2 9-8 April 2 1-5 April 3 1-9 April 3 1 - 14

softball

Upcoming Games Men’s baseball Noon April, 9 | 10 Kenosha, Wisconsin U. of Wisconsin-Parkside 2 p.m.

April, 12 Owensboro, Kentucky Kentucky Wesleyan College

Men’s golf

April 2 2-1

All Day April 10 | 11 Noblesville, Indiana Midwest Region Spring Inv.

April 2 3 - 12

Men’s Tennis

April 3 1-5 April 3 1-5 April 3 4-5

men’s tennis April 2 0-9 April 3 1-8

Women’s tennis April 2 1-8

men’s golf April 2/3 The Jewell Tie for 21 of 25 teams

women’s golf April 2/3 Maryville Spring Invitational 1st of 7 teams

2 p.m.

April 8 USI Tennis Courts McKendree University

woMen’s golf All Day April, 10 | 11 St. Louis, Missouri Triton Spring Inv.

Softball Noon | 2 p.m.

April, 9 Romeoville, Illinois Lewis University Romeoville Noon April, 10 Somers, Wisconsin U. of Wisconsin-Parkside 2 p.m.

April, 10 Somers, Wisconsin U. of Wisconsin-Parkside

woMen’s Tennis 2 p.m.

April, 8 Evansville, Indiana McKendree University 2 p.m.

April, 9 Evansville, Indiana IN Wesleyan University

Staying for Summer?

If you are a current USI resident and are staying for the summer, you do not have to move from your room. You need to have completed a summer housing contract. HRL staff will contact you when you can move to your summer housing assignment.

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Questions about spring closing? Visit www.usi.edu/housing/2016-spring-closing-information