THE
Thursday, April 4, 2013 Vol. 43 Issue 27
Eagles start eleven game home stance pg. B1
SHIELD www.usishield.com
TWLOHA founder to come to USI By JESSICA STALLINGS Staff writer
of positions filled
of positions open
SGA elections leave seats empty By JESSIE HELLMANN News editor Student Government Association (SGA) elections, which wrapped up early Saturday morning, left 93 percent of positions open and had votes from 7 percent of the entire student population. Nine USI students ran for office and were elected, leaving 47 open positions, said newly elected SGA President Zack Mathis. He said a full administration would have 56 members, but that is with every college fully represented. “We definitely have a great opportunity to go out and get some new faces in our General Assembly,” Mathis said. “We will be talking to organizations on campus so that they have a stronger voice within SGA, reaching out to students that are interested in being involved in a great organization and are looking for something to develop their leadership skills, and we will have a strong outreach program to incoming freshmen this fall.” Adam Brothers, SGA chief justice, said he takes a
lot of the blame for the low voter turnout and lack of students running because he is in charge of elections. “This year was kind of chaotic in a sense because this is my first semester being chief justice, and we had a lot of computer problems,” Brothers said. “ All of the files from past elections, everything that I needed to use and go by was lost. So, I had to make everything from scratch.” Brothers, who will be SGA chief justice next year as well, said for the next election he will focus on more communication. “(We’ll focus) on communication and outreach and really engaging the students,” Brother said. “We do a lot of that now, but there’s definitely room for improvement.” He said the 7 percent voter turnout was probably because of the short election week, due to Good Friday and Easter. “It’s after spring break - people have spring fever,” Brothers said. “They’re not really involved.” ELECTIONS on Pg. A2
Julisa Gendren celebrated her one-year clean of selfinjury by getting a tattoo on her ankles that says, “Hope is real. Help is real.” “I never would have made it this far without TWLOHA,” said freshman French and German major and committee chair member of the USI group To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA). TWLOHA is a national, nonprofit organization which seeks to present hope to people with addiction, depression, self-injury and thoughts of suicide. TWLOHA’s founder, Jamie Tworkowski, will speak 8 p.m. April 11 in Jamie Tworkowski Carter Hall with a Q&A and an inWhen: April 11 troduction from musical quest Time: 8 p.m. SWIMM. Where: Carter Hall TWLOHA began in 2006 as Tworkowski’s attempt to help a friend and tell a story. He posted a blog on his website and began selling T-shirts as a way to pay for his friend’s treatment. Three years later, TWLOHA has the largest online audience of any nonprofit on Facebook, with over 700,000 followers. Gendren said she met with Tworkowski when USI’s chapter members took a trip to Nashville, Tenn., for “Heavy and Light,” an event sponsored by TWLOHA that included music and stories in an attempt to inspire people. “Hearing Jamie talk will change your life,” Gendren said. “It certainly changed mine.” Gendren said Tworkowski has so much love for every person that people can’t help but love themselves more after talking to him. “The best part about him is that he never meant to start something revolutionary, but he did,” Gendren said. “He just wanted to help a friend he barely even knew.” Erin Gillingham, junior social work major and founder and president of USI’s chapter, said the project to bring Tworkowski to campus officially started this past November. “We’ve wanted to bring Jamie to USI since our TWLOHA chapter was formed in 2011, but there have always been issues of funding, schedules, etc.,” Gillingham said. “This year we finally felt ready, as a group, to take on the responsibility.” Gillingham said the chapter reached out to various departments on campus. Marcia Kiessling and the Office of Student Affairs agreed to help fund the program. Once they had the funding available, TWLOHA reached out to Keppler Speakers, the group’s speaking agency, to start the process of filling out forms and planning. Gillingham said the Office of Student Affairs provided most of the funds, but they also received help from the Counseling Center and are still waiting to hear back from a Student Government Association (SGA) grant. “At the beginning of the semester, a close friend of our group passed away,” Gillingham said. “Her family asked for donations for TWLOHA, and we’ve put all of the money donated towards this program.” Gillingham said the chapter has held different fundraisers this semester, including a benefit called “Lyrics and Conversation.” TWLOHA on Pg. A2
Not ‘Getting the Edge’ campaign By JAMES VAUGHN Staff writer Some students are wondering why “Get the Edge” billboards are lingering close to home. Senior public relations major Paige Popham said students who go to high school in Evansville know what USI is. “If USI wants to lose the ‘West Side High’ title, they have to expand into other cities,” Popham said. There are billboards in Evansville for Indiana State University, Vincennes University and Indiana University. But for
now, USI’s billboards remain in the area. Popham said the university needed a new campaign that would bring in more students. As a public relations major, she said she feels like she should be able to see a campaign and feel engaged - but she’s just confused by it. “When I first saw it, I had questions - is this our new logo? What is ‘the Edge,’ and how does this brand USI?” Popham said. She said she’s heard a variety of explanations of what “Get the Edge” actually means.
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I don’t know if new students will understand how USI will bring them ‘the Edge. -Paige Popham Senior public relations major
“I’ve heard things like we are the ‘edge’ of Indiana or that we get extra ‘edge’-ucation,” Popham said. “I don’t know if new students will understand how USI will bring them
‘the Edge.’” Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Communications Kindra Strupp said “Get the Edge” can mean different things to everyone.
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Strupp has been with the university since January and within the past few months, she’s been walking around campus and asking people, “What does ‘Get the Edge’ mean to you?” “I don’t believe it’s meant to just be three words and it’s certainly not meant to be a pom-pom campaign slogan kind of thing,” she said. Her hope is that everyone will have a personal story to share about what their experiences while being at USI really mean to them, she said. “It should have some
sort of personal fulfillment,” Strupp said. “There should be something there that allows students to say, going forward, what about their college experience gave them ‘the Edge.’” As for the billboards, there are talks of branching out but the campaign is still in the early stages, having launched in November. She does not know how much money has gone into the campaign, considering that information predates her. “We’re feeling our way through this as we begin EDGE on Pg. A2
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Page A2 - The Shield - April 4, 2013
News Briefs T. Boone Pickens to speak in Carter Hall USI will present “A Conversation with T. Boone Pickens,” legendary entrepreneur and philanthropist, today at 6:30 p.m. in Carter Hall. The university will make a major announcement during the program. Seating is no longer available in Carter Hall, but live streaming will take place in Forums I, II, III. The event is free and open to the public. For more information contact David Bower at 812/464-1918. Posey County Young Democrats Organizational Meeting April 13, 2013 10AM-11AM Posey County Democratic Headquarters 217 W. 3rd. St. Mt. Vernon, IN 47620 Requirements: Resident of Posey County and age 18-35 Contact Janis at 812 430-6154 for more information
USI Security Incident Log 03/27-04/02 Illness Report Business & Engineering Center 3/27/13 12:24 a.m. Closed Illness Report Liberal Arts Center 3/27/13 4:13 p.m. Closed Alcohol-Public Intoxication Burdette – USI Bicycle Trail 3/28/13 4:52 p.m. Closed Injury Report Rec. and Fitness Center 3/28/13 7:19 p.m. Closed Issued in Error N/A 3/29/13 Closed Fire – Alarm – Cooking 819A McDonald Lane 3/29/13 4:51 a.m. Closed Suspicious Person(s) Broadway Sports Complex 4/1/13 10:00 a.m. Closed Illness Report 822B Moutoux Lane 4/1/13 12:19 a.m. Closed Illness Report 924B Eckels Lane 4/1/13 5:11 a.m. Closed
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ELECTIONS continued from Pg. 1 He said the winners will be inaugurated April 11, and afterwards, the president, Mathis, can open the floor for vacancy applications, which means students can apply for a position that wasn’t filled from the elections. There was only one contested position: vice president. Brian Anslinger, double major in business administration and marketing, was re-elected as executive vice president with a vote of 56 percent against candidate Travis Dickison, a
former SGA representative and health services major. The VP position was the only contested position in this year’s SGA election. “I would like to say thank you to all my friends, supporters and to all the students that voted for me in the SGA election,” Anslinger said in a statement on his Facebook account. “Next year is going to be a year of continued progress, and I will endeavor to continue to serve the student body to the best of my ability.” He said if any students
have questions or concerns to stop by his office. Dickison said he doesn’t have plans to return to SGA. Zack Mathis, 2012-2013 SGA College of Business Representative was elected SGA president in an uncontested victory. “I’m excited for this great opportunity and would like to thank everyone that participated in this year’s elections through candidacy and voting,” Mathis said. “While my position was uncontested, I appreciate all of the support I
had leading up to the election.” He said becoming SGA president has been one of his goals since coming to USI. “Now I will be able to be more effective in making positive changes for the student body,” Mathis said. “I encourage everyone to share any ideas or concerns they have so that we may work together to make USI an even greater place.” The rest of the winners can be viewed at http://bit. ly/17bCCmG
TWLOHA continued from Pg. 1 “The last few months have been spent preparing for the event, including promotion and advertising, fundraising and getting the word out,” Gillingham said. “We’re really hoping for a full house that night.” Gillingham said USI’s chapter believes in TWLOHA’s message of hope and community and she hopes that everyone attending will leave the event encouraged, inspired and comforted in the knowledge that they are not alone. “By just trying to help a friend,
Jamie ended up starting a worldwide movement that says it’s okay to ask for help,” Gillingham said. “People need to be reminded that they’re loved, and they don’t have to struggle alone.” Robbillie Stevenson, sophomore social work major and coordinator for the event, said during her time with TWLOHA she learned that not only the problems she struggles with, but others’ as well, will eventually get better. “Even in your lowest times, the
power of relationships with others and discovery of self-worth is real,” Stevenson said. Stevenson said she wants members of the audience to know that they are not alone. “Thousands of students and other people are struggling with the same things that they are. Reaching out for help doesn’t make you weak - it shows that you are stronger than the rest.”
EDGE continued from Pg. 1 marketing, and we’ll assess a right amount as time goes on,” Strupp said. Vice President for Finance and Administration Mark Rozewski said about $200,000 in non-state funds are being used by USI’s marketing department. He’s not sure how much of that money is being spent on the campaign. Fire and Rain representative David Chen said his agency helped develop the brand, the look, the feel and
the foundation. They worked with university officials and a lot of key leaders in the marketing industry. “Get the Edge” was a culmination of a lot of different discoveries and ideas, he said. “‘Get the Edge’ fits with where USI wants to go and the advantages the university offers on a regional landscape,” Chen said.
Joaquin and Julian Castro discuss politics, future of Texas The future of the Democratic Party might be right here in the red state of Texas. San Antonio’s twin politicians U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, and San Antonio mayor Julian Castro spent Tuesday evening at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs discussing their party’s role in Texas politics. The Castro brothers lobbied Monday at the Capitol for an extension of Medicaid, two hours after Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn denounced the extension. Texas Tribune Editorin-Chief and CEO Evan Smith said 28 million Texans are currently uninsured, and Julian Castro said there are millions of unpaid ambulance fees in San Antonio. In addition to raising concern over medical
costs, Julian Castro said Gov. Perry has not been properly prioritizing investments. Julian Castro said Gov. Perry should not have vetoed a tax initiative to increase funding to San Antonio preschools. Joaquin Castro said Texas and Alaska were the only states to decline to compete in Race to the Top, a program that offered states money to come up with the best practices to increase innovation in K-12 education. “It was, I think, a missed opportunity to set national standards with other states, to really come onto some new ideas and innovative policies,” Joaquin said. The interview was followed by audience questions. In response to a question, Julian Castro said the electoral college is fine the way it is. On the other hand, he said that
eliminating the Electoral College would be an opportunity for direct democracy. “There’s nothing more powerful than when folks themselves are motivated to participate in democratic process,” Julian Castro said. Julian and Joaquin Castro described their positions on gun control during the talk. Joaquin Castro said he thinks changes regarding guns can be made while still supporting the second amendment. Julian Castro said high-capacity magazines carry the element of surprise, which is not good public policy, but reasonable requirements can be put in place in certain situations, such as for self defense. Joaquin Castro also discussed immigration and said that currently the net
migration rate between America and Mexico is approximately zero because of the struggling U.S. economy, the increase of border patrol agents and a booming Mexican economy. “This is the moment that we should do comprehensive reform,” Joaquin Castro said. JuliaCastro said he thinks America is positioned to succeed in the next century as long as the country improves education. In order to do that, America must build up an infrastructure of opportunity, according to Joaquin Castro. Julian and Joaquin Castro first became interested in politics in 1994 when they ran for, and won, positions in the student senate at Stanford University, according to Julian. Story from UWIRE.com
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Life & Culture Mr. Southern Indiana with Kindra Q&A Strupp Page A3 - The Shield - April 4 2013
New Assistant & Vice President for Marketing of Communications comes back to Evansville BY JAMES VAUGHN Staff writer Newburgh native Kindra Strupp, a graduate of Castle High School, recently joined USI as the assistant vice president for marketing and communications. She double majored in journalism and psychology at Indiana University, where she earned both degrees in four years while also working a part-time job.
Photos by ALEXA BUELTEL/The Shield Top: James Haskett accepts his sash and crown after being named Alpha Sigma Alpha’s Mr. Southern Indiana 2013. Nine men, dressed as women, competed in a pageant that included casual wear, talent, swim wear and formal wear. Bottom: For the talent portion of the pageant, Chicody Mays, member of Sigma Tau Gamma, raps ‘Boyfriend,” by Justin Bieber. Mays was crowned Mr. Congenitally.
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Q: Where have you worked in the past? A: My first job out of school was at WEVV here in Evansville, back when they still had television news. Shortly thereafter, I went to WTVW (channel 7), which was Eyewitness News at the time. I was an on-air morning anchor and reporter for about six years. Then we moved to Indianapolis and I initially worked at an ad and PR agency that focused on manufacturing products. We did things like ball bearings - so imagine writing about those sorts of things. It wasn’t my cup of tea. When I got the chance to go to Eli Lilly & Co., I was really pleased to do that and had an outstanding 12 years with Lilly. I started out in corporate communications, working with the senior-most leaders. Then I spent the next many years working with various products. I worked with one called Zyprexa, which is a medication for things like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. As I noted, one of my degrees is in psychology, so being around the preeminent minds in the world relative to mental health was extraordinary. I also got a global view of the world because that was a global assignment. Q: Why did you decide to make the switch from TV to marketing?
A: I was in television for about six years and I decided to go to the agency life, which helped me get both the public relations experience as well as marketing. I straggled both lines at Lilly, where my primary job was dealing with media and being a liaison for our marketing team to the outside world. So I had the opportunity to do both. I still used a lot of my journalistic background. Q: Why USI? A: My husband and I are both from the area. We have two children, who are eight and 11. My parents and my husband’s parents spent a lot of time traveling to Indianapolis for things like soccer games and dance recitals and plays and the like. So we decided, as a family, that it probably made more sense to make a trip back home. So when this opportunity presented itself, we jumped. Q: What are some of your goals for USI? A: My husband has a degree from USI and over the years, I’ve heard people refer to USI as a hidden gem. I don’t think we need to be hidden anymore. We’re a bright, shining diamond that needs to be polished up a little bit for the world to actually see and put on display. We have a lot of great things that perhaps our own community and surrounding areas don’t even know about. I hadn’t been to campus in 20 years, and until I walked onto campus again after two decades, I didn’t realize the growth and the change that has evolved in this place. I want people within a 20-mile, 200-mile, even 2,000-mile radius, to get to know us for what we are. Our excitement, our enthusiasm and the affordability that we still offer makes a great package. So my primary goal is to get that word out to more and more people.
Q: Is this job better for raising a family? A: It’s better because now we have immediate family near us to help out. At the moment, for example, my parents are picking up my sixth grader for track practice. Before, I didn’t have that option. That’s been a blessing and something we hadn’t experienced before. In corporate life, you’re kind of on-call 24/7 and so that part I don’t think is ever going to go away. I can’t tell you how many conference calls I’ve conducted from a baseball game or a practice of some sort, and that’s just a way of life in my family.
Q: What is one interesting thing about you that a lot of people may not know? A: When I was a college student I was home for the summer, and there were tryouts for the movie A League of Their Own. A lot of the movie was filmed in many different surrounding areas like Huntingburg and Bosse Field. And so I got to meet Penny Marshall (Lavern from Lavern & Shirley), who was directing the film, and audition for a part in the movie and I actually got a callback. They wanted me to play an extra, a third-baseman, in that movie. But I was still attending school at that time and decided not to sideline my academic career for the possibility of Hollywood lights. But it was a fun experience, nonetheless.
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Life & Culture
BY SHANNON HALL Life & Culture editor It’s common for USI students to wear T-shirts from the other universities - Purdue, Indiana, Louisville, Western Kentucky and Ball State University - due to USI being in close proximity to so many Big 10 schools. Student Government Association (SGA) will give students a USI shirt in exchange for their shirts from other universities beginning Monday. The swap can be made throughout the week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. beside the temporary bookstore on the ground floor of UC
East. “When you walk across campus, you’ll see some USI (shirts), but you also see a lot of other schools,” said Sarah Krampe, current SGA president. “We want to see more USI. We think this is a way (students) can show their allegiance and passion for USI.” The goal is to swap out all 500 shirts, but the USI shirts can also be purchased for $3. Students who wish to buy the T-shirts can pay cash or go to the bookstore and use flex money, credit or debit cards. “We prefer to swap the T-shirts, but we just want
people to wear them,” Krampe said. Krampe said a main reason for students wearing other university shirts is because students support athletic teams from these schools. “It’s important to support our athletics,” she said. “Students will say they want a football team - it’s something that is continually brought up. If we aren’t seeing the support at current athletic events, how can we know that the support will be there for our football team?” She said several USI athletics are performing well. Sophomore Brooke Harmening, pitcher for USI’s
softball team, pitched a nohitter against WisconsinParkside last month - and that wasn’t her first. In 2010, the USI men’s baseball team won the national championship. But sports do not make up the only reason students should be proud of USI. Despite having more than 30,000 alumni, Krampe said she doesn’t see nearly as many USI license plates as she does of the ones from the University of Evansville. “If you’re earning a degree from here, that should really hold something more to you than just the degree,” she said. “The
Page A4 - The Shield - April 4, 2013
name behind the degree is really important. “If you go out to a job interview and say that (you) have a degree from USI, if that doesn’t mean anything to you, why should that mean anything to an employer?” When Krampe goes to interviews, she wears her USI pin because she is proud of being from this community. “You should feel proud of your school because collectively, if we are all doing what we can to make the USI name better, it’s going to help everyone,” she said. Junior marketing major Zack Mathis will use the upcoming T-shirt swap to
add to his collection of approximately 25 USI shirts. “(USI is) a fantastic school and fostering more school spirit only improves our campus atmosphere,” he said. “The quality of our organizations, professors and courses is incredible.” He said USI professors’ availability and willingness to help students can be a rarity among universities. “They truly enjoy student life and provide many avenues to help us improve it,” Mathis said. “I love it here. Showing off your school spirit encourages a better school atmosphere and helps raise more school spirit. It's a positive feedback cycle.”
Sales Team competes nationally, internationally
BY ARIANA BEEDIE Staff writer
The sales team consists of a few business majors that have an interest in sales. Each year the university sends two representatives with two alternates to make a deal with a potential buyer, a simulation that each school practices months before the competition. The goal of the competition is to satisfy the buyer’s needs and adequately sell the product. In a 20-min-
ute span the representatives are graded on building rapport with the buyer, uncovering their needs and selling the product. USI Sales Team formed October 2012, and began practicing February 2013 for NCSC, the largest and oldest sales competition in existence. “It’s a good time, and it’s a good opportunity,” said Adam Kaps, Sales Team member. The team practice roleplays two to three times, every day until the compe-
tition. “You go into a room as an individual and talk to what they call a buyer,” the sophomore marketing major said. The practice room is complete with a desk and cameras so students can watch their own presentations. “Not only can you watch yourself which can be incredibly nerve-racking,” Kaps said. “But you can also make improvements based on your observations.”
Representatives are ranked individually and as a team. Kaps ranked 55th out of 130 competitors. “Last year, we took three people, and I was the alternate,” he said. “This year we took four people with two alternates, but I was a competitor this time.” The competition isn’t only a sales competition, but it is also a large career fair. “Through the competition, I was offered five different internships through
four companies,” Kaps said. “A couple of them I decided not to do because I wasn’t as big of a fan of the companies.” USI has sent students to NCSC for a few years now. “This is the sixth year USI was represented,” said Chad Milewicz, the Sales Team faculty adviser. USI’s Sales Team beat Indiana University at the this year’s competition by a single point. Milewicz has coached students for the past four years, and he said he is al-
ways looking for new students across campus. The sales team is not restricted to business majors, any student who has an interest in sales can join, practice and compete. “All we ask is they have an interest in sales,” Milewicz said. The Sales Team will compete in international competitions when they will leave today for the International Undergraduate Case Competition at Royal Roads University in British Columbia, Canada.
Page A5 - The Shield - April 4, 2013
Life & Culture
English professor ‘makes department tick’ By HALEY FULK Staff writer Rebecca Evon, Jesse Daro and Sunny Hawkins have one major thing in common - they’re all names for the same person. Rebecca Evon, a young girl of a “sunny� disposition born to Pentecostal parents, grew up in Red Hill, Ill. Jesse Daro, author of “Skin,� “Blood� and “Bones,� a sci-fi trilogy of alien shapeshifters, and “Guarding Jericho,� a book written in two short weeks, earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in English at SIU Carbondale. Sunny Hawkins, a woman whose favorite book series are “The Lord of the Rings� and “Harry Potter,� converted to Wicca at 17 for its appreciation of nature. The individual behind these three personas is Sunny Hawkins, USI English assistant professor. Though she was born Rebecca Evon, she later legally adopted the name Sunny. “Sunny is a nickname I have been known by for years,� Hawkins said. “It’s one of those things that just kind of became me. It was like choosing an identity in a way you don’t get to when you’re born - when your parents just randomly name you - and it felt more like me. But (the name my parents gave me) was beautiful.� Hawkins grew up on a small family farm, where she learned to ride horses instead of bicycles. Beyond learning on the farm, her parents made it clear that education didn’t end upon graduating high school, and with their support, Hawkins was a first-generation college student. “My parents were never intolerant of people based on race, or gender, or sexual identity,� Hawkins said. “My dad always told me I could do anything I wanted to do, even though I was a girl.� So Hawkins started doing what she wanted to do with the encouragement of a very literate household. “I always loved to write stories,� Hawkins said. “When I was eight, my mom took out her old typewriter and put it in my room, and I started writing stories. Bless her heart - she read a lot of terrible, terrible stories as I was growing up.� Moving beyond a type-
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USI English Assistant Professor Sunny Hawkins teaches her English 491, The Writer at Work class. Some of her students refer to Hawkins as a hippie, she said, because she teaches in blue jeans with music in the background. “My shoes are the first thing to come off when I get into the classroom - I can’t teach wearing shoes,� Hawkins said. “I don’t know if that’s really unorthodox.�
writer, Hawkins digitally self-published four novels, which can be found under her pen name or alter ego, Jesse Daro, which she uses to separate her creative and academic work. Feeling at home in her English classes led Hawkins to earn a doctorate in English, even with the uncertainty of where it would lead her. “I had this sort of vague idea of going to New York City, living in Greenwich Village, and having a cat named Shakespeare while I wrote the next great American novel,� Hawkins said. Instead of Greenwich Village and Shakespeare, Hawkins chose USI and a dog named Isabella in 2007. USI was one of the first to offer Hawkins a job, she said. Hawkins interviewed at San Francisco State, the University of Texas and Rose-Hulman, but she said USI attracted her with its emphasis on teaching. “I love my research, but I think of myself primarily as a teacher,� Hawkins said. “USI is very focused on that and (is) focused on helping you develop as a teacher.� While Hawkins is proud of the growing campus, she also loves the type of students USI attracts. “I like that we have a lot of students who are willing to get outside of the box,� Hawkins said. “They are willing to experiment and take chances with their learning.� She said she thinks students do not work as hard when they attend private
universities because they are GPA- and performance-focused. “They are afraid to fail, and failure is a necessary part in learning,� Hawkins said. Some of her students refer to Hawkins as a hippie, she said, because she teaches in blue jeans with music in the background. “My shoes are the first thing to come off when I get into the classroom - I can’t teach wearing shoes,� Hawkins said. “I’m also a big fan of moving the chairs out of the way, and all of us sitting on the ground and writing, or going out and finding a nice place to write and coming back into the class and sharing. I don’t know if that’s really unorthodox.� Hawkins said she thinks her students also partially refer to her as a hippie because she is Wiccan, which Hawkins emphasized is not a form of devil worshiping, as it is often thought to be. She learned about the religion in high school and was attracted to its values. “It was just such a beautiful and peaceful religion, and I really liked that,� Hawkins said. “I liked the emphasis on nature. I’ve always been very much about (sustainability) - before sustainability was a buzz word.� Hawkins grew up on a farm and said she was always concerned about what people could do to protect the land. “I had seen what happens to the environment when we don’t take care of it,� she said. The Wiccan religion
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“I had this sort of vague idea of going to New York City, living in Greenwich Village, and having a cat named Shakespeare while I wrote the next great American novel,� Hawkins said.
does not believe in proselytizing, and the only way Hawkins’s religious beliefs are manifested in her classroom is through her “hippie� disposition, she said. Hawkins bases her lessons on the needs and nature of her students. “I very much believe in teaching to students rather than teaching material,� she said. “I try to design my classes around the people who are in them and figure out what the students need to learn.� Hawkins said when students are in high school, there’s a lot of structure, and the focus is on repeating back information they’ve been told. “Once you get to college,
the idea behind writing is that you have your own ideas and something that you need to say,� she said. Because of this change of ideas, Hawkins doesn’t limit topic choices, including those of abortion, legalizing marijuana and the death penalty. “(Hawkins) helped me see that writing is more than writing to show off what you know, but that it’s a process of discovering what you know, too,� said Jake Kohlmeyer, senior English major. Kohlmeyer has known Hawkins for around a year, having taken two of her writing courses. “Dr. Sunny will take the time to listen to any-
one,� Kohlmeyer said. “She’s probably the most open-minded and unique professor on our campus. Through her classes and getting to know her, I believe she’s taught me to be more open and more accepting of things - to really get out of my comfort zone. That applies to life and writing. Just as life isn’t always neat, writing doesn’t have to be neat.� Hawkins is upfront and honest with her classes and doesn’t neglect her students, even when ill, Kohlmeyer said. For over a decade Hawkins has lived with non-Hodgkins lymphoma - a form of cancer which originates in the lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell - and has experienced several remissions. “Any student interested in learning something new, not just about writing, but about life and how we perceive the world will enjoy a class with Dr. Sunny,� Kohlmeyer said. “Sunny is challenging, but she cares. I can’t imagine a USI English department without Dr. Sunny. She is a key part of what makes that department tick.� Amy Montz, English assistant professor, said Hawkins is her “bestie.� Montz remembers seeing Hawkins’ smiling face in the back of the classroom while she presented research as part of her initial interviewing process at USI. Though Montz and Hawkins were friends before, they became closer during the past summer. “We go and meet at Barnes & Noble a lot and have coffee,� Montz said. “It’s very rare that I’ll go through a day without talking to Sunny. She has a really great laugh, and you can’t not laugh when Sunny is laughing.� Hawkins’s ability to embrace the world inspires her, Montz said, and Hawkins is the friend she can always call for help. “She is fearless,� Montz said. “When she believes in someone and when she believes in something, she will defend it with teeth and nails. She is the person you want in your corner. She will support you. She will be there for you.�
Puzzle answers from page 2
Page A6
The Shield - April 4, 2013
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B1 - The Shield - April 4, 2013
Sports
Photo by JIMMY PYLES/The Shield
Sophomore pitcher Ben Wright releases a pitch during USI’s game against KWC. Wright threw just 84 pitches, had just five hits with zero earned runs lowering his era to 2.09 after seven innings of work.
SNAPPING A STREAK Eagles start 11 game homestand with win over KWC By JIMMY PYLES Sports editor The Eagles looked to be back into early season form after it’s 6-1 win against Kentucky Wesleyan College Tuesday night. USI (13-10 overall, 4-9 in the GLVC) who have been struggling to find success after a strong season opening, won the first of it’s 11-game homestand. Sophomore pitcher Ben Wright took the mound after just three days after pitching eight innings against Saint Joseph’s University. “Usually as a starting pitcher, you get five to six days rest which helps out a lot,” Wright said. “But when coach says you’re throwing, you go out there and throw. You don’t have to time to worry about it.” After KWC collected four of its six hits in the
first two innings, Wright settled down on the mound throwing three hitless inning. Wright threw 84 pitches, had five hits with zero earned runs, lowering his era to 2.09 after seven innings of work. “I just wanted to go out throwing strikes and basically get themselves out,” Wright said. “Today that worked out. Offspeed mixed well today, I was able to put strikes where I wanted to, so all in all it was a good night.” The Eagles put three points on the board in the fifth inning, which started off with a leadoff double from freshman first baseman Andrew Cope who later scored off a single from senior right fielder B.J. Willis. Willis would later score off a single and second baseman Kyle Niemeier would score off a wild pitch to end the rally.
“I was just trying to see pitches and go with our approach with trying to hit balls the other way.” Cope said. “We try to come out and attack every inning because every team in this conference is tough.” The team’s approach at the plate has been better than some of the previous games, said Baseball Head Coach Tracy Archuleta “More games like this will get us back on track,” Archuleta said. “It’s all about getting confidence in our guys and being able to put some wins together.” USI takes on the University of Indianapolis in a three-game series this weekend as a part of its homestand. “Being able to play at home over this many games is great,” Archuleta said. “
Photo by JIMMY PYLES/The Shield KWC catcher Nolan Ray slides into home plate as USI catcher Colton White tries to tag him out. Ray scored the only run for KWC in their 6-1 lost to the Eagles Tuesday night.
Softball team finds leadership in Harmening By ZANE CLODFELTER Sports editor
Photo courtesy of Photo Services
The fact that Head Coach Sue Kunkle doesn’t have a senior on her USI softball roster doesn’t mean that her team lacks veteran leadership. In fact, she has plenty of leadership, most of which comes from sophomore Brooke Harmening. “She is just the ideal teammate,” Kunkle said. “She is a great supporter of our other pitchers as well, and as a staff everyone is coming together.” Not only is Harmening a good leader, but she has established herself as one of USI’s best pitchers after pitching a no-hitter against Wisconsin-Parkside in a 3-0 USI victory last month. The no-hitter milestone is the second of her brief collegiate career, and she accounts for both no-hitters for USI since 2006. “She is pitching at her peak moment right now,” Kunkle said. For Harmening, excitement is generated, not because of personal accomplishments, but for the
excitement that her teammates exhibit. “It was exciting - my teammates made me even more excited because of their energy,” Harmening said. “They were so happy for me.” Harmening did accomplish a career first this past week, being named the GLVC Player of the Week in softball, following a 3-0 record and 0.23 ERA in four games last week. The Whiteland, Ind., native pitched 30.1 of the Eagles’ 31 innings on Friday and Saturday, and did even more damage offensively, accounting for nine of the Eagles’ 12 runs during the week while hitting 0.571. “I’m just trying to make things happen for the team,” she said. “You have to have confidence in yourself and you have to have the right mentality.” For the season, Harmening leads USI (16-9, 6-6 GLVC), pitching with a 12-3 record and 1.01 ERA while offensively hitting .388 with six home runs and 27 runs batted in. Stats and numbers don’t define Harmening, though
- her leadership abilities do. “Being a pitcher, you have to develop those leadership roles early on, no matter what age or grade you are,” Harmening said. “Since you are a pitcher, you have to have more of a leadership role.” Harmening and her teammates return home this weekend, with two doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday against St. Joseph’s and Indianapolis, respectively. USI will wear pink jerseys against UIndy Sunday to help raise awareness for breast cancer research. This is the second straight season the Eagles will wear the pink uniforms. While junior pitcher Kelsey Jankowski doesn’t have family members who have been affected by breast cancer, she enjoys having the opportunity to raise awareness for a disease that is the second-leading cancer killer among women. “It’s nice to be a part of something that supports an important cause,” Jankowski said.
Sports
B2 - The Shield - April 4, 2013
Sports Briefs
Men’s basketball: DeWitt earns AllAmerican honor Senior center Keith DeWitt was named an honorable mention AllAmerican by the DivisionII Bulletin, becoming the 20th player in men’s basketball history to be awarded All-American status. This past season, DeWitt was a two-time GLVC Player of the Week and was also a first-team All-GLVC selection averaging 14.9 points per game.
Outdoor track and field: Jordan and Wilson earn first place finishes Senior Michael Jordan won the 3,000-meter steeplechase this past weekend at the Washington University Invitational in St. Louis, setting a NCAA provisional time with a mark of 9:02.66. Also setting an NCAA provisional time was junior Erika Wilson, who won the 5,000-meter event with a time of 17:10.17. In the team standings, the men finished eighth with 38 points while the women tied for 12th place with 18 points.
Men’s tennis: Eagles win fifth straight Head Coach Chris Crawford and his Eagles won their fifth straight match after beating Bellarmine 8-1 Saturday, improving USI’s overall record to 10-4 (2-0 GLVC). USI, currently ranked 40th in the ITA rankings, is led by senior Ben Boesing, who won his 13th straight match with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Carlos Antonioli of Bellarmine. Boesing was also named GLVC Player of the Week for the second time in as many weeks.
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Opinion
DODGEBALL? B3 - The Shield - April 4, 2013
A New Hampshire elementary school recently banned dodgeball because of its “violent nature,” following a trend in many American schools. Is dodgeball really violent? Does it foster bullying? Staff members reflect on their own childhood experiences about the game.
Life & Culture Editor Shannon Hall lc@usishield.com Opinion Editor Jake Tapley opinion@usishield.com Sports Editor Zane Clodfelter sports@usishield.com Copy Editor Alexandra Everley copy@usishield.com Visual Editor Kelsey Turner visual@usishield.com
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Don’t hit me: PE should be fun
By JAMES VAUGHN Staff writer
Dodgeball – the word I feared more than anything when I walked into my elementary school gym. And I’m positive I’m not the only one. I rarely ever tried actually dodging what was coming at me. When the whistle blew, I’d just stand there shielding myself while two or three balls flew toward me. After what seemed like a second - BAM! I was out. Board members at Windham, a school in New Hampshire, voted 4-1 to ban the activity in their district. “We spend a lot of time making sure our kids are violence-free,” Windham Superintendent Henry LaBranche told the Eagle-Tribune, which covers news in southern New Hampshire. “Here we have games where we use children as targets. That seems to be counter to what we are trying to accomplish with our antibullying campaign.” The National Association for Sport and Physical Education has also recommended banning such activities. Therefore, the school district made the right decision. For those of you who loved dodgeball in elementary school, take a moment to think back to the times you spent playing dodgeball. Think deeper. Deeper. Do you hear a soft voice saying, “Please don’t hit me?” That kid was probably embarrassed
enough on a daily basis. Why did he have to go through it in class, too? Why should any student have to be embarrassed in order to get a good grade? Dodgeball can be an exciting activity, but it should not be a required class activity. Being the runt of the litter - like I was - is not fun when educators are practically giving bullies permission to attack. It’s like handing a convicted murderer a gun and saying, “Now, you play nice.” It’s probably not going to happen. Because not all students are at the same physical level, dodgeball cannot be played equally. The weaker ones are going to get hit first, leaving them partaking in less physical activity than the others. These students are also presented with at least 20 minutes of embarrassment while they sit in the corner of the gym watching the bullies be celebrated for their success in knocking people out. I would have much rather spent my gym time reading a good book or writing a masterpiece. But that’s just me. I understand that a physical education is necessary, but it’s not healthy when it seems more like a punishment. Punishment for what? Being weak, I suppose. For those of you who are outraged by the decision and think dodgeball is awesome, I’ll give you that - but only if it’s played among friends who like one another.
Dodge the ball: It’s just a game
By JIMMY PYLES Editor-in-Chief
Two teams divided by a line on the floor, each individual equipped with a rubber ball to throw at opposing members, the aim being to eliminate the other team’s players while trying not to be eliminated yourself - in other words, a gradeschool game known only as dodgeball. The game is slowly being taken out schools across America, having most recently been banned from a New Hampshire school because parents and school officials were concerned about the game’s violent and bullying nature. What it all comes down to is effort. Looking back on my elementary school years, most of the kids who got knocked out of the game first were the ones who just stood there and made no effort to stay in the game. These kids are being targeted because they are standing still and not actually trying to play the game. If you don’t want to get hit, then dodge the ball - it’s in the name of the game. It’s not called “stand still and get hit in the face ball.” I didn’t try in math, but I never asked my dad to take math out of schools because the math teacher would single me out for not doing my homework. If a school board is going to take dodgeball out of the school, then those same schools should stop teaching students
about WWI and WWII - those events are also violent. Hell, they might as well stop teaching students about Darwin’s theory of evolution because dodgeball is just that - survival of the fittest. Pretty soon, limiting or removing all the fun games in school is going to stop kids from wanting to exercise. Some students are just violent. Bullies are going to pick on other kids regardless of whether or not dodgeball is banned. Besides, it’s the teachers’ job to regulate the game and make sure students aren’t injured or ganged up on. Getting rid of these games isn’t going to stop bullying. Students have been mean to each other since the beginning of school and will not stop until major changes are made changes beyond just removing one simple game. It’s hard for me to think of dodgeball as a form of bullying. When I played it in gym class, it wasn’t about hurting anyone else or singling them out because they’re different. It was about being the last person standing. Taking this game out of school for the sake of the kids who are being targeted doesn’t help them. The kids being bullied will know this game is being banned only to protect them, and they will continue to expect this treatment growing up. Babying students in this way will only harm them in the long run.
Perpetuating a cycle
Guest Commentaries
Evansville is eighth ‘Most Miserable City in America’
Signed opinions represent the views of the author and not the views of this newspaper.
By JAKE TAPLEY Opinion editor
Opinions expressed in unsigned editorials represent a consensus opinion of the editorial board
According to an article on BusinessInsider. com, Evansville has been ranked eighth on “The 11 Most Miserable Cities in America.” This is way more disappointing that the obesity and the meth labs we’re usually known for. We are trailing far behind in “the pursuit of happiness.” Business Insider cites
their source as the Gallup Well-Being Index, which takes physical, psychological, emotional and environmental factors into consideration. This, unfortunately, legitimizes their claim. And it makes sense, if you think about it. Evansville is a city that encourages its future generations to follow the footsteps of past generations. The majority of people around here get married
young, have babies and live working class lives. Now, I’m not trying to say that all of these people are unhappy. Of course, that is not the case at all. I just think this is a very limiting lifestyle that many people get trapped in. And it’s not just an Evansville thing – it’s more of a cultural phenomenon. We live in a society that discourages youth and individuality. From a young age, we are led to believe
that, to be happy, we need to grow up and fall in love. And while these are both great life experiences, they aren’t the keys to happiness in and of themselves. We’re so used to having to think about the future and work out the details of our lives that we get stuck in this state of perpetual progress. Slow down, take it easy and do your own thing. Put happiness first because, in
the end, its value exceeds all monetary value. If you end up with the same life as that of your parents, so be it. But make sure you’re doing it to satisfy yourself and not anyone else. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box, and don’t be afraid to let people down. This is your life, and although you’re more than a statistic, you’re also potentially part of one.
Page B4
The Shield - April 4, 2013
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planning ahead considering staying on campus this summer? Summer housing applications are availble now! Need a job on campus this summer? We have current openings for Conference Assistants and Residence Assistants. Deadline to apply for a position is April 5. For more information, please visit https://orgsync.com/46768/custom_pages/8899
on campus opportunities: Looking for a way to get involved on campus but don’t have a lot of time? Want some great leadership experience and a chance to make a difference at USI? Apply now to become a Welcome Week Leader! Welcome Week Leaders are undergraduate student leaders who provide positive peer assistance for new USI students and their families during Welcome Week. This is a volunteer position, and Welcome Week Leaders will attend training prior to Welcome Week in addition to Welcome Week itself. Welcome Week Leader applications are available now and are due by noon on Monday, April 15, 2013. For more information about the XW[Q\QWV JMVMÅ\[ IVL Y]ITQÅKI\QWV[ KPMKS W]\ \PM IXXTQKI\QWV I\ P\\X[" WZO[aVK KWU ! NWZU[ 1N aW] PI^M IVa Y]M[\QWV[ please contact the Office of Student Development Programs at 812/465-7167 or getinvolved@usi.edu.