USI The Shield October 2021

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021 | USISHIELD.COM | VOL. 54 ISSUE 1

Falling for Student Organizations

THE SHIELD | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021 | USISHIELD.COM

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN INDIANA

COVID-19 TIMELINE APRIL 2020 1

24 Fall 2020 semester begins

Fail option for Spring

JANUARY 2020 31

AUGUST 2020

University enacts a Pass/

in person

22

Student becomes

Coronavirus is declared a

university's first confirmed

Global Heath Emergency

case of COVID-19

MARCH 2020 12 17

Spring Break is extended

31

COVID-19 dashboard

6

University campus reopens

University announces the year will continue virtually

8

University launches its

JULY 2020

17

FEBUARY 2021 Spring 2021 classes resume in person

JANUARY 2021 19

The Spring 2021 semester has a soft start, virtually

APRIL 20 7

University o

campus CO clinic

Spring 2020 Commencement is canceled

THE SHIELD | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021 | USISHIELD.COM

Loving student organizations is easy

E

BY SHELBY CLARK Editor-in-Chief

JUNE 2021 9

3

University drops mask mandate for vaccinated students

021

opens an on-

OVID-19 vaccine

JULY 2021 27

University mask mandate is reinstated indoors

Graphic by Maliah White | The Shield

After strict COVID-19 regulations, student organizations are booming with events, recruitment and involvement this semester.

The previous academic school year presented new challenges for student organizations. The university had strict COVID-19 regulations that inadvertently restricted student organizations and student involvement.

For the majority of the academic year, masks were required inside and outside while on campus. Six feet of social distancing was enforced, and events were limited to max capacities based on the limits set by the Vanderburgh County Health Department.

The maximum capacity and ability to hold an event in person could change at any point leading up to an inperson event. Planning events as a result was a challenge, not only for university organizations, but especially for student organizations.

Some student groups opted to meet online on Zoom or in too large of rooms for their organization size. Student organizations could not have meetings like they did in the past or do their annual events. Some student organizations did not meet at all.

Besides the physical restrictions, students were reluctant to get involved for fear of COVID-19. Mental health issues resulting from the trauma of the pandemic also limited student involvement.

Student involvement was low, and it was difficult for students to get involved. For instance, the Fall 2020 Student Involvement Fair was virtual. As a freshman at the time, I only knew about the event because of my University 101 course. Most students said they did not know there was a Student Involvement Fair Fall 2020.

The Spring 2021 Student Involvement Fair was in person in the Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center, but it was spread out over five days in order to ensure social distancing could be followed. I was there for one hour Feb 23, 2021 and saw no other students attend the event. I was there for two hours on Feb. 26, 2021 and only saw one student attend.

Student organization leaders talked about how they could not get students to participate in their organizations.

It was common to discuss how many people had quit or dropped out of student organizations.

This phenomenon was not limited to the university. Over the summer, I was reunited with my high school friends, and they all discussed how low student involvement was on their college campuses because of COVID-19.

Even with the low student involvement, student organizations worked through the pandemic challenges to host events throughout the school year. For example, Activities Programming Board planned in person and online events. In March 2021, they hosted the university’s first prom, and it was in person.

In Spring 2021, the COVID-19 vaccine came out and was administered to people who wished to receive the vaccine. The university hosted their first vaccination clinic in April, and students had the opportunity to get the COVID-19 vaccination.

The vaccine was hope.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines changed and COVID-19 numbers began to drop over the summer as a result of the vaccine. The university closely follows the guidelines of the CDC, so their guidelines adapted as well.

Individuals are still required to wear a mask indoors and follow three feet of social distancing on campus, but the energy is different. Events can be held outside and inside with higher maximum attendance.

Returning to campus in August brought a new feeling with it. People were excited.

Students are seeking involvement on campus. The Student Involvement Fair Sept. 1 only validated this feeling. Hundreds of students filled The Quad for three hours seeking student organizations.

The conversation now is about how student organizations are going to involve their new members.

Peoples’ schedules now include going to club meetings and events.

Student organizations like Active Minds, APB, Student Government Association, Students for Life, Sigma Tau Gamma, International Club, Spanish Club, Panamanian Association and more have hosted campus wide events, and it is only October.

Falling in love with student organizations is easy to do this fall as student organizations rise after a year of strict COVID-19 regulations.

THE SHIELD | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021 | USISHIELD.COM

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Greek life involved with Fall Fest centennial, Art Club opts out

BY Josh Meredith

Cheif Photo Editor Campus Greek life returns to Evansville’s West Side Nut Club Fall Festival after taking a year off because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The festival celebrates its 100th anniversary this year after Fall Fest 2020 was cancelled due to COVID-19. For most of campus Greek life, Fall Festival helps fund most of their yearly events as well as their philanthropic work.

“It feels great to be back here on Franklin Street,” said Cooper Motz, director of member engagement for Sigma Tau Gamma.

Along with selling stromboli and honey buns at their booth, Sig Tau Gamma bikes “The S.M.I.L.E. Mile.”

S.M.I.L.E. stands for support, management, information, love and encouragement. For every dollar donated to the Special Olympics, members of Sig Tau ride one mile on the stationary bike outside their booth.

Because the festival was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19, Motz said there have been two generations of Sigma Tau Gamma brothers who have not participated at their Fall Fest booth.

“It’s really put a damper on the amount of stuff that we can actually do with our fraternity,” he said. “It’s been a lot of learning.”

Caroline Schultheis, vice president of administration for Delta Zeta, says that she’s excited to be back for her third and final year working the Fall Festival.

“Unfortunately, it’s my last year already, and it’s still not 100% back to normal,” Schultheis said. “It feels like my college experience has flown by.”

She said leading a chapter this year is different than leading last year during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Especially in an executive board position, I feel like you’re looked up to more when people can see your face,” Schultheis said. “Leading a chapter in person is a lot different than leading it virtually.”

Other chapters of university Greek life also attend Fall Fest, including Tau Kappa Epsilon, Lambda Chi Alpha and Alpha Sigma Alpha.

In addition to campus Greek life, Art Club usually has a booth at the festival. This is the first year Art Club has voluntarily opted out of its annual attendance in lot 38.

Emma Goodrich, president of Art Club, said they normally have a “buttered corn on the cob booth.” She said due to problems with the COVID-19 pandemic, the yearly corn supplier for the booth didn’t have a high enough yield this year for the Art Club’s booth.

“We were going to do something else, but we all felt that we should just stick to our tradition of selling corn,” she said. “If we can’t do that, we just aren’t going to do it at all.”

It typically takes seven people to run the corn booth.

With such a compact space it would be impossible to run the booth and keep a social distance.

Goodrich said she was thankful the money raised during the Fall 2019 semester was still unspent allowing the Art Club to do a smaller scale fundraiser this year.

Despite not being able to attend the Fall Fest this year, Goodrich is happy with the progress of Art Club since the start of the pandemic. She said membership is over 40 people this year.

“Every club wants growth,” Goodrich said. “I’ve never seen so many people in it, at least not since my freshman year.”

playpen Sept. 29, 2021. Students could pay $3 for a 30-minute session or $6 for a full day pass to play with the puppies. Over 200 students participated.

Abby Kerkhoff, a freshman engineering major, attended the event. “I love dogs,” Kerkhoff said. “It’s really helped the stress level go down.”

Alex Clark, director of community engagement for Sigma Tau Gamma, helped organize the event. Clark said not only can students pet a puppy in between classes to relieve stress, but students can adopt the puppies they meet at the event.

Clark said Pet-A-Pup aligns with Sigma Tau Gamma’s values of citizenship and brotherhood.

“Not only does it bring us closer together, but as far as citizenship goes, it helps us be better and be better people in the community as well,” Clark said.

Pet-A-Pup is one of Sigma Tau Gamma’s biggest philanthropy events of the year raising $1,375 for the Humane Society of Henderson County.

Clark said because COVID-19 restrictions made the

fraternity’s philanthropy work difficult during the 20202021 academic year, hosting a philanthropy event was extra exciting in Fall 2021.

“Seeing campus life coming back to normal and being able to have events like these is very, very special to us and special to other people,” Clark said.

Hairo Rivas, president of Sigma Tau Gamma, said being able to host events outside gives the chapter more flexibility. Even with strict COVID-19 guidelines last year, he said the chapter was able to reach “new heights.”

The university’s Sigma Tau Gamma chapter won the Edward H. McCune Distinguished Chapter award in their size category for the 2020-2021 academic year.

The award is given to the highest performing chapters in three predetermined size categories who demonstrate excellence in their chapter’s implementation.

“That trophy was a reflecting moment of everything we’ve been through,” Rivas said.

The university Sigma Tau Gamma chapter has won the award four times since its founding in 1973.

Photo by Josh Meredith | The Shield Tau Kappa Epsilon brothers work their Fall Fest booth Oct. 5, 2021.

Fraternity helps students destress with puppies

Photo by Josh Meredith | The Shield Students play with a puppy on The Quad Sept. 29, 2021.

BY Shelby Clark and Ian Young Sigma Tau Gamma helped students destress on The Quad Sept. 29, 2021 by providing puppies from the Humane Society of Henderson County.

The Sigma Tau Gamma brothers set up a puppy

THE SHIELD | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021 | USISHIELD.COM

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Students celebrate their heritage through student organizations National Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 - Oct. 15, celebrates hispanic heritage and culture. According to hispanichertiagemonth.gov, National Hispanic Heritage Month was enacted as an official month of observance Aug. 17, 1988. International Club, Panamanian Association and Spanish Club celebrated Hispanic Heritage month with a kickball tournament Sept. 30, 2021. The Panamanian Association won the tournament.

Photo by Josh Meredith | The Shield

Photo by Josh Meredith | The Shield

Photo by Josh Meredith | The Shield

International Club, Panamanian Association, Gamma Phi Omega International Sorority Inc. and Hispanic Student Union are focusing on bringing awareness to Latinx culture.

Latinx is a gender-neutral term for all Latin American descendants, according to Time.

Erick Luna Lopez, senior Spanish education major and French studies minor, is the president of International Club or iClub. Lopez said they want to make iClub a place where everyone can feel proud of their heritage.

“Just making sure that we’re proud of our culture, that we share a culture, that we celebrate our culture and where we come from,” Lopez said. “Because that’s what makes us international,” Lopez said they achieve this by creating a welcoming international community.

“We’re always welcoming new cultures,” Lopez said.

“They can feel part of something and we’ll always be there for them.”

Lopez said they plan to reach the university community by having the International Extravaganza and Murder Mystery in Fall 2021 and the Food Expo in Spring 2022. He said iClub was unable to host these events last year because of COVID-19, but he is looking forward to taking their day trips around the country again.

“Last year, we did not get to do any trips at all,” Lopez said. “This year, we are limited, but we are allowed to.”

Xenia Adames Chanis, junior mechanical engineering major, is president of the Panamanian Association known as Panas.

“Panas is a word we use in Panama to refer to a friend,” Chanis said. “We say like, ‘Hey Pana.’”

Chanis said they want to bridge Panamanian and American culture and help ease the transition into university life. “It will be helpful to have a club that reminds them of their home with the culture and activities we do,” she said.

Throughout the semester, Panas hosts volleyball tournaments, dancing competitions and cultural events to bring students in the university community together.

In November, they will celebrate Panamanian independence with Panas Connections. Chanis said this event will include traditional dances, presentations and a fashion show.

Chanis said they have a program called Spanish Speaking Friends where students can have informal conversations with one of the club members. “We hope it will be a safe place for you to learn Spanish.”

Jessica Carapia-Cortez, senior social work program major with a double minor in psychology and Spanish, is president of Gamma Phi Omega International Sorority Inc. Carapia-Cortez said she co-founded this organization in 2019. “We are the first and only Latina oriented, but not exclusive, sorority in Evansville,” she said.

Carapia-Cortez said their goals are academic excellence, community service, cultural awareness and sisterhood. “Far from the typical sorority image,” she said. “We are more

business oriented and confident boosting, a self-growth type of organization.”

To spread cultural awareness, GPhiO hosts game nights with games mainly from Spanish-speaking countries, Carapia-Cortez said.

Since COVID-19 has made planning in-person events challenging, for Hispanic Heritage Month, they will post interactive activities on their Instagram @usi_gphio as well as pass out flyers.

Carapia-Cortez said the recruitment is still open to all university women. “We don’t have a limited time frame on when we recruit members,” she said.

Franchesca Laurencio, senior health informatics and information management and Spanish studies major, is the president of the Hispanic Student Union. Laurencio said the HSU wishes to create events to educate the public on the Latinx community.

“We intend to create a strong voice on campus to make an impact on the decisions regarding students,” Laurencio said.

The HSU hosted Latinofest on Oct. 13 in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. She said the event included informational tables about Latinx culture, human jenga and other games and free food.

“Last year and this semester, we haven’t been very involved because we’ve been very low on numbers,” Laurencio said. “So we’re trying to have events to catch the students’ eyes so they can join us.”

BY CASEY CLARK

Cheif Copy Editor

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THE SHIELD | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021 | USISHIELD.COM

Student Organizations

95.7 The SPIN Accounting & Professional Services Club Active Minds at USI Activities Programming Board AIGA USI Student Group Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Alpha Kappa Psi Alpha Mu Gamma Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Alpha Psi Omega Alpha Sigma Alpha Alpha Sigma Tau American Chemical Society Student Chapter American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA) American Dental Assistants Association American Dental Hygiene Association American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Anthropology Club of Southern Indiana Art Club Association for Computing Machinery Student Chapter at USI Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Association of Future Professionals Association of Nursing Students Authentically Me Hair and Culture Club Bachelor of Social Work Club Be The Match on Campus Best Buddies Beta Alpha Psi Biology Club Black Student Union Bullet Journal Babble Campus Outreach Chi Alpha Campus Ministry

Climbing Club @ USI College Democrats College Life College Republicans Communication Studies Club Community Faith Continue Cyber Security Association at USI Delight Ministries Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Delta Zeta Disability Coalition Eagles Bass Fishing Team Eagles in Action Engineers in Action Esports at USI Exercise Science Club Feminist Campus First Love - USI Food Nutrition Student Organization French Club Gamma Phi Beta Gamma Phi Omega International Sorority Incorporated Geology and Environmental Science Club German Club Global Awareness Project Health Informatics and Information Management Hispanic Student Union/Latinos Unidos History Society-Phi Alpha Theta Hockey Honors Student Assembly IEEE of USI Impact Campus Ministries Indiana State Teachers Assoc. (ITSA) - Aspiring Educators Interfraternity Council

International Club Japanese Club Kappa Alpha Order Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society Lambda Chi Alpha Lambda Nu Theta Chi Light Collective Love Unites, Love Avails (LULA) Marketing Club MSW Social Work Club Mu Gamma Pi Muslim Student Association NAACP National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) National Society of Collegiate Scholars Newman Catholic Community Optimist Club Order of Omega Panamanian Association (PANAS) Panhellenic Council Philosophy Club Pre-Law Club Pre-Professional Health Club Psychology Club Public Relations Student Society of America Romain College of Business Student Advisory Board RT Student Organization Rugby Club Screagle® Step Team SETV12 Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA) Sigma Iota Rho Sigma Pi Sigma Sigma Sigma

Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society Sigma Tau Gamma Society of Automotive Engineers (BAJA) Society of Future Actuaries (SOFA) Society of Women Engineers Sociology Club South Asian Student Association Southern Indiana Economics Southern Roots Student Growers Spanish Club Speaking Eagles Toastmasters of USI Sport Management Club Student Alumni Association Student Ambassador Organization Student Christian Fellowship Student Government Association Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) Student Veterans Association of USI Student Writers Union Students for Gender Violence Awareness Students for Life at the University of Southern Indiana Sustain-Ability Table Top Club Tau Kappa Epsilon Thirst Project @ USI Timmy Global Health USI Chapter Ultimate Frisbee Vegetarian Club Westwood Student Ministries Women’s Rugby Club Young Life

Photo by Josh Meredith | The Shield Madison Gerbig, vice president of Active Minds, speaks in the parking lot of the Griffin Center before the The Suicide Awareness Memory Walk Sept. 25, 2021

Photo by Josh Meredith | The Shield Members of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority stick their heads out of their Fall Fest booth Oct. 5, 2021.

Photo by Josh Meredith | The Shield Hairo Rivas, president of Sigma Tau Gamma, asks an attendee to sign in for contact tracing. Around 200 to 300 students attended the Pet-A-Pup event Sept 30, 2021.

Photo by Josh Meredith | The Shield Members of the Art Club design buttons for an organization fundraiser Sept. 30, 2021.

Photo by Josh Meredith | The Shield Savannah Schaufelberger, junior finance major, presents USI’s chapter of Delight Ministries at the Student Involvement Fair Sept. 1, 2021.

Photo by Josh Meredith | The Shield Student Government Association takes a tour of the new Screaming Eagles Complex Sept. 16, 2021.

THE SHIELD | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021 | USISHIELD.COM

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The Shield enters a new era during the pandemic

BY SHIELD EDITORIAL STAFF After a year of operating under a pandemic, The Shield has recently made changes and is looking at a bright future.

Since the start of the pandemic, The Shield has had five Editor-in-Chiefs, a record low editorial staff of three in Spring 2021 and the resignation of two long-term advisers.

Hayden Olberding was named Editor-in-Chief in Spring 2021 after serving as interim EIC for a month. Olberding graduated in May of 2021 paving the way for our current EIC, Shelby Clark.

Clark, Olberding and Chief Photo Editor, Josh Meredith, were the only members of the editorial staff for a two-month period in Spring 2021. Through their combined efforts, The Shield was able to operate under the challenges the pandemic presented.

Clark, a sophomore marketing major, was named Editor-in-Chief in May 2021. She previously worked as a staff writer in Fall 2020 and Digital Editor in Spring 2021.

Kenna Griffin, outside student publications adviser, resigned at the end of the Spring 2021 semester citing a change in career.

Erin Gibson, faculty student publications adviser, resigned suddenly mid-July due to challenges caused by the pandemic and a different career opportunity. Gibson was The Shield’s faculty adviser for 14 years.

Though The Shield staff was sad to see them go, we are grateful for the guidance of Griffin and Gibson.

The Shield is working with interim advisers Chad Tew, associate professor of online journalism, and Greg Blair,

assistant professor of art and design, until the student publications adviser position has been officially filled.

The Shield is in a season of transition as we enter into a new chapter with new leadership and advisers.

During this season of transition, Clark has worked tirelessly with the interim advisers and the editorial staff to grow The Shield.

Since the start of Fall 2021, The Shield team has grown to over 20 members. In addition, The Shield has over 20 more recruits.

The new EIC, leadership team, interim advisers and staff members have brought a refreshing energy to The Shield. The mood of The Shield staff has transitioned from panic in survival to excitement in growth.

The Shield will continue to publish The Shield Source, the weekly email newsletter, every Thursday at noon.

Since printing stopped in Fall 2020, The Shield resumed its monthly themed print editions with the October 2021 edition “Falling for Student Organizations.”

With a larger staff, The Shield can uphold our mission to serve the students and the campus community with factual information, entertaining content and a forum for discussion. We will reflect their unique interests and concerns at a greater level than before the pandemic.

The staff will continue to make adjustments throughout the semester as we transition from a pre-pandemic Shield to The Shield’s future. It is our joy to be a part of this historic moment for The Shield.

As The Shield enters its 54th year of publication, the future of The Shield is bright and hopeful.

FIND US ONLINE

Photo by Josh Meredith | The Shield Shelby Clark, Editor-in-Chief, stands beside The Shield’s booth at The Student Involvement Fair Sept. 1, 2021.

Photo by Josh Meredith | The Shield Shield staff members Cobi Schieferstein, Casey Clark, Maggie VanZant, Shelbi Frank and Ian Young talk about how much they love Sydney Lawson and Tegan Ruhl’s movie reviews Sept. 28, 2021.

Photo by Shelby Clack | The Shield Josh Meredith, Chief Photo Editor, films the Explore Evansville Fair Aug. 19, 2021.

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Photo by Josh Meredith | The Shield Shelby Clark, Editor-in-Chief, Maliah White, Staff Designer, and Greg Blair, interim adviser, plan October’s print issue on Sept. 29, 2021.

THE SHIELD | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021 | USISHIELD.COM

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