Issue 9 spring 2015

The

PIONEER

ISSUE 9 | April 9, 2015 | Whitman news since 1896 | Vol. CXXXII

Food truck night serves up new tradition

by HANNAH BARTMAN Staff Reporter

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he first Food Truck Night of the season took place last Monday, April 6 and was welcomed with open hearts and mouths by many Whitman students and community members alike. The Food Truck Night, consisting of 15 different food trucks, will take place the first Monday of every month and will continue through October. This is only the second time that this event has taken place in its current location at Burwood Breweries near the Port of Walla Walla. The first time was last October, and it was met with the same success as this year.

“It was way bigger than any one of us could have ever imagined,” said co-coordinator and co-owner of Burwood Brewery, Laura Marshall.

“It was madness,” said other co-coordinator, Shane Johnson of food truck Why Not Pizza.

The initial Food Truck Nights began two years ago and took place in the parking lot of Bacon & Eggs.

After the venue at Burwood Brewing proved to attract a much larger crowd, the owners of Bacon & Eggs approached Marshall and Johnson about moving the Food Trucks permanently to the spot.

Food Truck Nights

Date: First Monday of every month from April to October.

Time: 5–9 p.m.

Location: Burwood Breweries

Food Truck Night’s kickoff event at Burwood Brewing Co. attracted a crowd, who sampled local offerings like voodoo fries from Andrae’s Kitchen. Photos by Dawson

see FOOD TRUCKS, page 4

Cryptid gets political with “Justice For” campaign

by LACHLAN JOHNSON News Editor

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ryptid Apparel, a studentrun printing collective, and Whitman’s Black Student Union (BSU) are organizing a day of action on police violence and modern racism to take place on Sunday, April 12. By using art to draw attention to issues of race, Cryptid and BSU hope to encourage conversation and provide an outlet of political expression.

The day of action will consist of two projects: the distribution of hooded sweatshirts, also known as “hoodies,” designed by Cryptid to draw attention to issues of racism and stereotyping, and the installation of a community art project using origami boats folded by community members.

“Issues of race are really difficult to discuss on Whitman College’s campus. I think it’s a subject a lot of students here are scared to broach and really get into with each other,” said sophomore Cryptid member Lily Monsey, who has helped organize the day of action.

“We’re hoping for this to be a way for student to talk about that ... lack of [racial] equality through art.”

Senior Cryptid member Audrey Kelly* has led efforts to organize the day of action, and she initiated the organization of the day of action when she discussed the topic of racial injustice at a Cryptid meeting last December. Though Cryptid normally sells its products for a profit, it has heavily subsidized the hoodies for the day of action. They are currently for sale online through an indiegogo campaign and will also be available Sunday afternoon in front of Penrose Library. Any profits beyond expenses will be donated to Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle, a grassroots think tank founded by Whitman alumnus Law-

rence Grandpre in Baltimore, Md. “Having a fundraising component allows for more conversation beyond buying a shirt and moving on from the topic. By giving the proceeds to an organization that helps black youth enables us to continue our efforts to fight back against racial profiling and support others who are doing the same,” said senior BSU member Alisha Agard in an email to The Pioneer.

According to Kelly, Cryptid views this sponsorship as a means of giving back to the Whitman community by promoting social justice.

“They’re really nice American Apparel sweatshirts ... so [people will] keep wearing them and they’ll be a presence on campus, even after the day of activism,” said Kelly.

Each hoodie has a list of names of African American men and women whose killers have either not faced trial or been found guilty, with a blank space at the top of the list to represent future victims. When the hood is put up, a crosshairs is revealed on the wearer’s back, which symbolizes how wearing hoodies leads to stereotyping which can make people a target. “[We wanted to make] the design and the sweatshirt discomforting enough to make people notice it and to provide opportunities for conversation,” said Kelly.

In addition to the sweatshirt project, participants in the day of action will be able to fold paper origami boats, which will be used to create an art installation in a yet-tobe-determined location on campus.

“Since it’s something that Cryptid is planning and we’re an art group, I wanted there to be an art element to it, particularly something people could do who aren’t a member of Cryptid,” said senior Natalie Shaw, who is organizing the installation. see JUSTICE FOR, page 2

Whitman skaters find new ways to express themselves

Tom Shellum ‘15 skates on a ramp he made in his backyard with help from found materials and YouTube. Photo by Clay

n a sunny Friday in March, seniors Zach Gordy and Tom Shellum were shredding curbs outside of North Hall.

Gordy caught some air and then swung a wide curve into the street.

“Car, car...” Shellum said, and Gordy stepped aside to let it pass.

Whitman skaters weren’t always such good citizens. There were some kids who graduated in 2014 — Shellum and Gordy wouldn’t say their names — who created traffic problems, and worse, left beer cans on the curb in front of North. The hooligans gave skating a bad rap and Whitman security cracked down.

In November of 2013, Gordy told Pioneer reporter Cole Anderson, “Historically, as long as we did not grind any ledges, we were allowed to skate on campus.

This year that has all changed.”

So in fall 2013, a group of about 10 Whitman skaters, Shellum and Gordy among them, tried to regain legitimacy through the creation of an ASWC recognized club. It never came together, but now Shellum and Gordy say they are glad it did not. Skateboarding, they feel, is independent and creative. It cannot be constrained by ASWC regulations.

“It’s really antithetic to skateboarding to organize very formally,” said Shellum.

Set free from ASWC control, Shellum and Gordy have

let their skateboarding give way to other creative outlets. The friends are also architects, candle-makers and musicians.

by ALLIE DONAHUE Staff Reporter

O

Building the skate ramp In August of 2014, Shellum and Gordy used Home Depot supplies to build a skate ramp in Shellum’s backyard. Their friend senior “Tall Paul” Eschbach helped out. The three builders didn’t really know what they were doing.

“We just slapped it together,” said Shellum. “It was experimental.”

Despite the amateur architecture, the ramp gets a lot of use.

“Random people in Walla Walla people have discovered it,” said Shellum.

see SKATING, page 6

News

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Sports

Opinion

Video

President Bridges prepares for his move to Evergreen State College, and Pio Past revisits Bridges’s move to Whitman 11 years ago.

Music reviewer Emma Dahl takes a look at the recently released Short Movie by Laura Marling.

For competitors and spectators alike, the annual Onionfest weekend did not disappoint.

Publisher Aleida Fernandez weighs in on the troubling trend of student protests starting strong and flaming out.

Behind-the-scenes footage from Food Truck Night at vimeo.com/ whitmanpioneer

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9 NEWS 2 As summer draws near, Bridges begins preparations for move to Evergreen State APR

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by NATALIE BERG Web Content Editor

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fter he completes his presidential term at Whitman College, George Bridges will turn over a new leaf as he takes the role of president at the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash.

When Bridges announced his decision to step down from Whitman’s presidency, he did not actively go in search of another presidential position.

“I was not seriously thinking about another presidency. Indeed, I really was thinking about other possibilities, one of which was ... to stay here and teach on the faculty,” said Bridges.

Bridges chose to pursue the position of president at Ev-

ergreen because of several of the college’s unique aspects, including its lack of a traditional graded collegiate course structure and its commitment to serving underprivileged or nontraditional students.

“The students are interesting, they’re bright, and yet many of them have really struggled just to get to the school and to afford it,” he said. “There’s a high percentage of students that are from very low-income families, and I’ve always enjoyed teaching and working with those students.”

Bridges also cited Evergreen’s involvement with local tribal communities as an attractive feature.

To be offered the position, which attracted a number of highly-qualified candidates,

Bridges had to appeal to the Evergreen State College as much as the school attracted him.

“His record of scholarship and advocacy for social justice is a good match with Evergreen’s values,” said Deputy to the President John Carmichael in an email.

“It was clear from our interviews and campus forums, and from speaking with his professional colleagues, that George will be a strong and effective advocate for Evergreen and its bold approach to interdisciplinary teaching and learning,” said Keith Kessler, chair of Evergreen’s Board of Trustees, in a statement released when the college announced their selection.

As Kessler suggests, Bridges has left quite a legacy at Whitman. Bridges credits his

Pio Past: Bridges announced as president For almost 120 years, The Pioneer has reported on news from the Whitman campus and surrounding community. Pio Past pulls old articles from past decades from the Penrose Library archives to give modern readers a glimpse of campus history.

Originally published Nov. 11, 2004

By Meghan Bunch Whitman announces Cronin’s replacement After 2,643 e-mails traded between the two chairs of the search committee, the presidential search is finally over.

President Tom Cronin can say goodbye to Whitman College as George Bridges, currently Dean of Undergraduate Education, Vice Provost and Professor of Sociology at University of Washington, will take over. Bridges has a B.A. from the University of Washington and an M.A. and P.h.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. After a unanimous decision by the board of trustees, Bridges will start as president in fall 2005.

Bridges’ partner, Dr. Kari Tupper, and their family will leave Seattle to come to Walla Walla. They have two children planning to attend Pioneer Middle School.

“Walla Walla will be interesting and different, but it also will be good because it will be safer,” said Bridges’ daughter Anna, who will be in the eighth grade. “Moving here will be strange; Seattle is so big and Walla Walla will be really different,” added younger sibling James, who will be in the sixth grade.

Tupper, who has a Ph.D. in English from UW, current-

ly teaches at the University of Washington (Gender Studies and CHID). She plans to join the Whitman faculty in fall 2006.

“Teaching is my passion. I have to teach,” said Tupper. “I am a good teacher–” “She is a great teacher,” added Bridges.

Bridges and his family plan to get to know the campus, students, faculty, community members, and the cultural traditions of Whitman and Walla Walla.

“I have a great sense of excitement and we are honored to be here,” said Bridges.

Bridges has focused on scholarship in the past, but has moved his main focus to student experiences and opportunities.

Bridges and Tupper consider students a huge part of their life. They recently had a visiting international student stay at their Seattle home for a week.

“Whitman has exceptional students, faculty, and a community focusing on undergrads,” said Bridges. He feels that at students are extremely luck to be at Whitman, one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country.

Current president Tom Cronin stresses that the Whitman community and Bridges need to work toward a “mutually collaborative embrace” of each other, in which the student body encourages and supports the new president in his efforts to acclimate himself to the college.

Filling the shoes of Tom Cronin will be difficult. “I don’t really have concerns, but meeting high standards will be a daunting task,” said Bridges. “For the first year, I will listen and learn.”

time as president of Whitman for his approach to leadership at small colleges, an approach he plans to expand at Evergreen.

Throughout his time at Whitman, Bridges has already faced the challenges of diminished funding and declining applications and enrollment, and he has reversed both of these trends.

“All of those challenges at a very strong college [like Whitman] are the challenges that are being experienced at many public institutions in our state and elsewhere, particularly the reduced funding. I believe that what I can bring to Evergreen, as a part of that community, is knowledge, skills and leadership for how to address those issues,” said Bridges. “I think in a way Whitman has provid-

ed me with an education in taking this new position, and I feel very honored to have been appointed the next president.”

As he and his family plan the move to Olympia, Bridges has joked about investing in a waterproof wardrobe. But as he leaves the sunshine of Walla Walla behind, Bridges admits that he will miss the students and alumni, as well as his colleagues at Whitman.

“It’s been an absolute honor to serve here at Whitman. I hope the work I’ve done with the team here has made a difference and improved some aspects of the school and strengthened it,” said Bridges. “At the same time, once you’re a part of Whitman, you don’t ever leave.

I don’t ever imagine not being, at least in part, a Whittie.”

‘Justice For’ combines social justice, artistry fromJUSTICE FOR, page 1

“I think having a community activity is something people will really enjoy, and it’s something that can be very powerful.”

Shaw’s installation is inspired by the Japanese tradition of folding peace cranes and the sym-

bolism of boats as vessels used to carry people on to another world.

“Whitman is full of really quality people that care about changing the way things are, so I’m optimistic that people will turn out — [despite] how awful April can be — to say that they

think [racism] is wrong and that our system’s wrong and that we want to make people feel uncomfortable about it to make the system change,” said Kelly. *Audrey Kelly is a production associate and staff reporter for The Pioneer.

Cryptid will print the above design on black hoodies for the “Justice For” day of action this Sunday. They chose this article of clothing to challenge the perception that it is threatening. Design by Natalie Shaw

Northwest News Editorial: Willamette must look past Greek system to combat sexual assault This story wasoriginally published in The Collegian of Willamette University in March of 2015 (dates and authors attached to each story.)

They are printed here through the Northwest News Network, a collaborative project between northwest collegiate newspapers.

EDITORIAL, March 18, 2015 This editorial is the composition opinion of the Collegian editorial board: Zane Sparling – Editor-in-Chief zsparlin@willamette.edu Elize Manoukian – Managing Editor emanouki@willamette.edu Maggie Boucher – Opinions Editor mboucher@willamette.edu We’re fed and angry;

up, frustratmore impor-

es, dorm rooms and private residences. It’s a problem everywhere.

Independent students surely have the best intentions, but by focusing their energies on the 33 percent of Greek-affiliated students at Willamette, they obscure the prevalence of the issue.

Moreover, they act like a Greek-free campus will magically cure Willamette of its ills; in reality, every woman can attest to the multitudes of creepy men who never pledge.

Fraternity members certainly aren’t blameless—but neither are independent men. Vociferous and vituperative attacks create needless division along arbitrary lines. If sex offenders can be found in any demographic at Willamette, then so can the survivors, advocates and allies who tireless-

ly combat this grave wrongdoing.

So let’s be clear: Willamette needs a united campus to stop sex without consent, assault and other gender-based crimes.

We can start by acknowledging the special responsibility all men have to stop sex crimes.

Because the overwhelming majority of cases of sexual violence are perpetrated by men—though not necessarily with women as their targets—all those who identify as male need to continue to engage in frank discussion and self-reflection of their actions, habits and words.

Real men understand that sex isn’t a contest with winners and losers. They don’t employ derogatory language with gendered connotations. If they drink or use other controlled substances, they do so for their own enjoyment, not

EDITORIAL

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Art Director Julie Peterson

Lane Barton, Jeremy Alexander, Christy Carley, Natalie Berg

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tantly, we’re wasting our time.

The Greek Housing Board’s ruling to approve on-campus residency for fraternities Sigma Chi and Beta Theta Pi has sparked more contention and controversy than any other topic in recent memory.

When the closed-door decision wasn’t publicly announced, the Collegian broke the story for unaffiliated students (“2 fraternities approved for housing on campus,” issue 19). Since then, we’ve published columns, letters to the editor and now two editorials on the subject.

But the fight between Greek Life and independent students has distracted us from the real issue— ending gender-based violence, rape and sexual assault on campus.

Sexual violence is persistent, pernicious and pervasive.

It occurs in Greek Life hous-

Managing Editor Serena Runyan News Editors Lachlan Johnson Andy Monserud A&E Editor Daniel Kim Sports Editor Cole Anderson Feature Editor Sarah Cornett Opinion Editor Sam Chapman Humor Editor Kyle Seasly Photography Editors Marra Clay Halley McCormick Illustration Editor Luke Hampton

Production Associates Maggie Baker, Christopher Belluschi, Yarden Blausapp, Kerr Ivan Cirilo, Audrey Kelly, Molly Unsworth Chief Copy Editor Matthew Nelson Copy Editors Rachel Needham, Jessi Anderson, Elliot Granath Illustrators Catalina Burch, Sophia Cooper-Ellis, Lya Hernandez, Asa Mease, Emma Rust, Tyle Schuh, Eric Rannestad, Daniel Whalen Photography and Videography Hannah Bashevkin, Rachael Barton, Anna Dawson, Denali Elliot, Tywen Kelly, John Lee, Annabelle Marcovici, Hayley Turner Emily Volpert, Anna von Clemm

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Producer Aleida Fernandez

to lower inhibitions or defenses.

Some independent students say fraternities incubate these polluted attitudes, but the sad reality is toxic masculinity and machismo can spring from anywhere. Meanwhile, if implemented properly, fraternal organizations can provide the ideal forum for introspective examination of male values and mores.

Secondly, students need to give administrators the benefit of the doubt. Our campus leaders may not be perfect—but they aren’t evil.

Stereotypes of administrators as heartless, venal and indifferent to sexual assault deny the sincere work of many University employees.

So let’s say it one more time. United, Willamette can end sexual assault, rape and gender-based violence.

Divided, we shall surely fall to it.

EDITORIAL POLICY

The Whitman College Pioneer is a weekly student-run newspaper published under the auspices of the Associated Students of Whitman College. The purpose of The Pioneer is to provide pertinent, timely news and commentary for Whitman students, alumni, faculty, staff and parents, as well as the Walla Walla community. The Pioneer is dedicated to expanding open discussion on campus about the issues with which students are most concerned. We provide coverage of Whitman-related news as well as featured local and regional events, and strive to maintain a standard of utmost fairness, quality and journalistic integrity while promoting freedom of the press. In addition, The Pioneer strives to be a learning tool for students who are interested in journalism. The Pioneer welcomes all feedback and publishes letters to the editor in print and online.

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Letters to the editor may be submitted to The Pioneer via email at editors@whitmanpioneer.com or sent to The Pioneer, 345 Boyer Ave., Walla Walla, WA, 99362. All submissions must be received by 4 p.m. on Saturday prior to the week that they are intended to appear. All submissions must be attributed and may be edited for concision and fluency.

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For information about advertising in The Pioneer or to purchase a subscription please contact business@ whitmanpioneer.com.

The code of ethics serves as The Pioneer’s established guidelines for the practice of responsible journalism on campus, within reasonable interpretation of the editorial board. These guidelines are subject to constant review and amendment; responsibility for amending the code of ethics is assigned to the editor-in-chief in conjunction with the editorial board.

The code of ethics is reviewed at least once per semester.

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Undergraduate Conference fosters interdisciplinary thought

by CHRISTY CARLEY Staff Reporter

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or a brief period on Tuesday morning, the Hall of Science Atrium was transformed into a concert hall. Members of the Whitman community lined the stairs and scattered about the room listening quietly as students performed string quartets by Mozart and Onslow. A room full of fossils and plant samples echoed with classical music; the sciences shared a common space with the arts.

2015 marks the 17th year of the Whitman College Undergraduate Conference, a day devoted to appreciating the work of Whitman students and celebrating the interdisciplinary nature of a liberal arts education. Divided into four presentation sessions, one poster session and three musical intermissions, topics at the conference spanned every academic discipline and sometimes included more than one. This year’s conference included 31 panels with four to five presentations each, and 41 poster presentations.

“It’s a wonderful cross-pollination,” said Keith Raether, director of Fellowships and Grants, who coordinated the efforts behind the planning of the conference. “It also encourages a sense of community and a sense of academic citizenship ... that emotion of curiosity and inquiry that I think is a tenet of citizenship in general — in a way, an ethical responsibility.”

Beginning at 9 a.m., presentations at the conference ranged from an exploration of the rhetoric used to justify military action in Iraq to the impact of the cochlear implant on Deaf culture. The presentations of each session were grouped into panels with a common theme.

Raether spoke to the challenge of creating the panels once student proposals were received.

“We have to make panels of all of the proposals, and fitting them in thematically is sometimes difficult, recognizing that we have only a maximum of five spaces for each panel, and so there may be an odd proposal out,” said Raether. “As much as that’s a challenge, it’s also kind of a wonderful exploration because we can try to see how subject matter might resonate across disciplines. Some proposals in a panel seem like an odd mix, yet if you stretch a bit, you get a nice connective link across the disciplines.”

Some panels, like one entitled Reefer Madness, in which members of the debate team explored the implications of marijuana legalization, were already grouped together before presentations were proposed. Individual members of the debate team presented on different aspects of legalization, such as its interaction with constitutional law or international treaty law and how legalization may be seen in light of racial or queer theory.

“Our goal with these presentations is to give a small view of how all of these arguments also interact and do something unique in terms of focusing on a particular thing but coming at it from a bunch of different angles,” said junior Emma Thompson, a member of the policy debate team.

Junior Brynn Walund presented individually on research she did last summer related to the transmission

NUMBERS

IN THE NEWS

by ANDY MONSERUD

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News Editor

dead in massacre at a University in Garissa, Kenya

2,500

people protested Al-Shabab in Garissa following the attack

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Kenyans suspected of being connected to the attack have appeared in court

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gunmen were killed at the scene.

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al-Shabaab camps in Somalia were destroyed by the Kenyan air force on Monday in response to the massacre.

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Somali remittance firms, used

by Somalis living abroad to send earnings back to relatives still in the country, have had their licenses suspended by the Kenyan government.

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entities, including businessmen, money-transfer and bus companies, Muslim imams and a Muslim human rights organization have been put on a list and had their banks accounts frozen for being suspected of association with al-Shabaab SOURCE: AL-JAZEERA, BBC

Students presented findings from their various research projects at the 17th-annual Whitman Undergraduate Conference on Tuesday. Photos by Rachael Barton

of the HIV virus from mothers to infants through breast milk. Her presentation was included in the panel entitled Diseases and Vaccines.

Recognizing her own privilege, Walund said she wanted to help people who have fewer economic and medical resources.

“It’s something that I think can make a very visible impact,” said Walund. “[The disease] is something that I’ve never had any personal experience with ... but I don’t think that’s a reason not to focus on it.”

One well-attended panel at the conference, entitled Media and Message, included a presentation by senior Maria Ptucha that explored the reasons behind rewatching the popular TV series “Gilmore Girls.”

“There’s really no social capital that can be gained by watching Netflix by yourself,” said Ptucha to laugh-

ter and applause from the audience.

Ptucha’s presentation, based on her senior thesis in the Department of Film and Media Studies, emphasized the importance and value of emotional capital in the media. She said that she enjoys her major because it gives her the opportunity to both critically evaluate the media and in some cases, create media of her own. Ptucha sees the conference as an opportunity for students to share their hard work with their peers.

“A lot of people spend a lot of time doing really cool work, but because it’s either within a small class setting or its hunched over in the library until three in the morning ... it’s often kind of kept insular,” she said.

“You might have a friend who is really interested in what you’re doing, but there’s not always a ton of time to

really talk about what you’re doing.”

Senior Chelan Pauly, who has attended the conference all of her four years at Whitman, echoed this sentiment.

“I appreciate a celebration of what students are doing with student research,” said Pauly. “This is a great moment to recognize and appreciate all of the research and active academic pursuits that people are taking at Whitman. I think it’s cool for all of the students to go to different presentations and really support their friends.”

For Devyani Gupta, a senior Spanish and psychology double major, the opportunity to write and present her Spanish honors thesis was an avenue by which she could continue to explore a topic she fell in love with her sophomore year. Her presentation analyzed the power of

photography in preserving memories of the Argentine Dirty War. “I wanted to show how psychology can collaborate with the arts,” said Gupta in an email to The Pioneer. “When I found out I was going to write an honors thesis in Spanish, I bawled my eyes out. I seriously never thought in a million years that finding out I was going to write an 85-page thesis would bring me tears of joy.”

With a wide variety of topics explored at the conference, students had the opportunity to both explore what they love and challenge themselves to learn something new.

First-year Robin Rounthwaite did not present at this year’s conference but was inspired by what he saw.

“It gives me a great sort of perspective on what I could be doing in the future,” he said.

Seniors start lining up jobs

by JEREMY ALEXANDER Staff Reporter

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inding full-time employment is a challenge for many students, but a few lucky seniors in this year’s graduating class have already secured prestigious jobs.

Most Whitman graduates move to Seattle, Portland or the San Francisco Bay Area regardless of employment status. Finding full-time employment can be a challenge, so having a job lined up directly after college can provide security and direction.

Riley Foreman is graduating with a combined major in math and economics and will be moving to Bristol, Conn. to work at ESPN in production research.

“I have always wanted to work for ESPN. As a kid it was a dream of mine. I interned at ESPN last summer in production research and the previous summer with Major League Baseball (MLB) in New York City.

Working at [MLB] helped me learn that I did not want to be in business side of sports but the creative side.

[MLB] was a really valuable experience in that regard,” said Foreman.

At the end of last summer, Foreman received an offer from ESPN to return to work for them after graduation. This was a huge weight off her shoulders, as she knew she wouldn’t have to go through the stressful job search most seniors endure.

Several seniors are going into government work after graduation. Politics major Katie Myers will be moving to Washington, D.C. right after commencement, where she will work as a staff assistant for Senator Michael Crapo (R-ID).

“On [Capitol] Hill the job structure is pretty hierarchical. Hopefully I will move from an intern to staff assistant to legislative correspondent. I worked for Senator Crapo in his district office [last summer as an intern], which was a slower-paced environment,” said Myers.

Myers has seen a general pattern in how Whitman students spend time right after graduating.

“The most common trend for Whitman students the summer after graduation is to work at a camp, traveling or an internship. It is not too common for someone to jump right into career,” said Myers.

Joe Heegaard is majoring in environmental studies and politics and has two separate jobs lined up after graduation.

“I will be working as backpacking guide for three months after graduating. I will be going on a 50day trip in Alaska. After the summer I will work for a year at Green Corps in Boston as a campaign manager for them,” said Heegaard.

Green Corps is a post-graduate environmental program which lasts for one year. Students work on three to four campaigns while they work at Green Corps. Heegaard, whose specialty is renewable energy, will likely be working on a variety of energy campaigns. After students fulfill their contracts, Green Corps helps them find jobs.

“Weirdly enough, Green Corps actually called me. There was an article written in The Pioneer about a project I did installing solar panels on the Phi Delta Theta fraternity [house]. I looked into them very thoroughly. A friend recommended them to me. It felt

like the right fit,” said Heegaard.

Heegaard agreed that most classmates are excited or nervous about their plans for after college.

The Student Engagement Center (SEC) can be a valuable resource for any student trying to secure a prestigious job or internship after college. Myers used the SEC to

find past internships but not for her job after college. Heegaard used the SEC at the beginning of the year for assistance with his resumé.

Today it is very competitive to get a secure job in any industry.

Any Whitman student is very lucky if they can get a full-time job with a decent salary right after graduating.

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Walla Walla Food truck culture expands, grows in popularity

This month’s Food Truck Night offered a variety of food to the people of Walla Walla. The fun, energetic environment at the Burwood Breweries was helped in part by the good weather. Photos by Dawson from FOOD TRUCKS, page 1

While Marshall and Johnson are unsure why this particular venue attracted such a large group of visitors, they hypothesize that it is because it provides more access for parking, a nice grass area for customers to sit and a conducive environment for families.

“It reminded me of Portland’s food truck culture — just walking up and ordering and eating outside around everyone and seeing the people make the food. It was a nice atmosphere,” said junior Isaac Sappington.

The quantity of food trucks available in Walla Walla is surprisingly large for such a small com-

munity, perhaps due to Walla Walla’s food and wine culture which provides a wealth of events and opportunities for food trucks. Approximately 25 trucks ranging from Mexican food to burgers and ice cream are available for events.

Trucks also obtain permits to occupy a certain parking spot in Walla Walla throughout the week.

According to Johnson, a food truck is a welcome alternative to a restaurant in that it does not require the certain overheads necessary to owning a physical area. Owners of a food truck do not have to pay to employ, for rent space or for utilities, and the mobility of a food truck allows for owners to move from space to space, not restricting

their customer base to one crowd.

“There’s more demand for food trucks [in Walla Walla] than what’s available,” said Johnson.

The presence of a food truck culture in Walla Walla is only growing, and the expansion of the wine industry and the success of nights such as the Food Truck Night will only increase that popularity.

Marling hits her stride again Particles on the Wall exhibit reflects on Hanford Program

by GEOFFREY LEACH Staff Reporter

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by EMMA DAHL Staff Reporter

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ight off the bat, I’m going to say that I can only hope that I’ll do Laura Marling’s new album Short Movie justice in this review. I’ll let you know right away that Short Movie is an incredible album. Laura Marling is an expert songwriter, and every single track on this album is a little microcosm of sincerity and sentimentality.

I mentioned in an earlier article that I thought that Laura Marling could be the heir to Joni Mitchell’s throne of female folk royalty.

But now I realize that Marling has eked out her own niche, something distinct from Joni Mitchell’s masterful sound. The beauty of Marling’s music lies in its simplicity and honesty; the singular plucked guitar, the repeating melodies, her glissando vocals and the universal themes of love and loss all combine to create an atmospheric space of emotion, frustration and discovery.

In Short Movie, her fifth fulllength album, Marling hits her stride.

While not entirely novel, the album firmly establishes her character and her voice. Through her past album releases, she’s consistently improved her storytelling and fine-tuned her musical ability. I shy away from saying that she’s reached her peak as a songwriter because I know that she’ll continue to make fantastic music and might even take a different approach later in her career, but Short Movie is a continuation of what works for her musically, and it works very well.

KWCW show of the week:

‘The Zest’

Short Movie is a continuation of themes established in 2013’s Once I Was an Eagle, themes that aren’t new to Marling’s repertoire. She sings of distrust, of testing relationships, of the joy of freedom but also the darker effects of being alone. Perhaps the main difference between Short Movie and her previous work is that her music tastes more mature; it’s a reflection of her growth as a person.

The discussions in her lyrics are heavier and more thoughtful, but at the same time a little more ethereal and posted at arms distance. She definitely sounds like a 20-something year old trying to sort everything out. Often her tone savors strongly of bitterness; every syllable of “Strange” stings as she berates a cheating partner. But sometimes her music is celebratory. “I’m yours and you’re mine, it’s divine,” she croons on “Divine.” She expresses her ability to get what she wants “How Can I” with the lyrics “I’m taking more risks now/I’m stepping out of line/I put up my fists now/Until I get what’s mine.” The range of emotion she covers on this album reflects the chaotic dynamics of being a young adult, on the brink of true responsibility and in a place of both fear and excitement of stepping out on your own.

Relatable, artistic and divinely beautiful, Short Movie is an album worth your time. Marling has once again crafted an organic and heartfelt stampede of expression, an exploration of the dynamics between masculine and feminine and an honest look at the way it feels to be young, afraid and excited all at once.

n April 2, the latest visiting exhibit opened in the Maxey Museum. The exhibit, Particles on the Wall, combines many different mediums to showcase a variety of reactions to the Hanford Nuclear Program and its aftermath. “[The Particles on the Wall] exhibit is a conglomeration of science, poetry and art, and it combines all of those to tell the story of what it was like to have the Manhattan Project going on right next to us,” said sophomore, student curator Emma Philipps.

While Philipps did not work on Particles on the Wall, she and senior Grant Rommel installed an exhibit on the second floor of Penrose Library. Called Community and Culture: The Diverse Roots of Walla Walla, the exhibit contains artifacts and information about three historically significant ethnic groups in Walla Walla: Chinese, French-Canadian and Italian. Rommel initially came up with the idea of exploring these communities.

“I was really interested in the immigrant history of Walla Walla because it’s something that’s not really visible anymore,” said Rommel.

As the pair began to create their exhibit, they began to realize that they were finding information and artifacts related to certain families. In this way, their exhibit slowly moved towards an exploration of families and individuals rather than the different communities in their entireties.

“As it went on, it kind of seemed we were really trying to almost trace families ... It became very much about what families were influential in Walla Walla,” said Philipps.

The entire project took around a semester to complete, and they installed it around Winter Break. To complete the project, they needed to research and find information about the com-

by DANIEL KIM A&E Editor

I

n his fourth semester as host of “The Zest,” sophomore John Reed ventures onward with his lifelong interest in R&B with his zesty radio show. The inspiration for this show came to him before his first year at Whitman when he got into DJ Road Chief, a side project of Mark McGuire who is a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist from Ohio. The idea of following pursuits similar to DJ Road

munities and obtain artifacts. The latter proved somewhat difficult. Even though the Maxey Museum has a wealth of artifacts in storage, Rommel found it hard to find artifacts from the Italian community. “[It was difficult] finding artifacts that would be specific to the Italian population in Walla Walla because we don’t really have any in our collection. I ended up finding photos,” said Rommel.

Even with the difficulties of finding Italian artifacts, they never ran out of information.

In fact, they had the opposite problem.

Philipps found it hard to compress all the information they found into one display case.

“It’s really hard to keep it concise.

Really what we offer is a pretty narrow view,” said Philipps.

Overall, the exhibit consists of artifacts from the Maxey Museum storage and the archives in Penrose as well as photos, all of which presents the information from various families with different backgrounds. The exhibit will stay up until the artifacts need to be returned, and a new exhibit needs a display.

Other current exhibits include Whitman College in the 1950s by junior Madeline Duppenthaler and sophomore Brenna Two Bears, and Hand and the Machine (Maxey Edition). Whitman College in the 1950s is located outside of room 108 in Maxey and Hand and the Machine is located in the Maxey West Foyer.

Particles on the Wall runs from April 2 to May 9 and is open from 6–8 p.m. on Wednesdays, Chief, having done several excellent R&B mixes for various magazines and radio stations, got Reed interested in pursuing an R&B radio show.

With the show’s title in mind, Reed likes to play a lot of zesty music, which itself means unstable and is constantly being rewritten, revised and revisited with its roots in R&B. Each show features music of traditional R&B, jazz, blues and R&B-heavy hip-hop, but recently has been changing it from week to week. At the current moment, Reed

12– 4 p.m. and 6–8 p.m. on Thursdays, 12–4 p.m. on Fridays and 12–4 p.m. on Saturdays. It will also hold several events in association with the exhibit. Tricia Pritkin will give a talk on April 15, while the Hanford State of the Site meeting will take place on April 29. Both events will take place in Maxey Auditorium at 7 p.m. Civil engineer and poet Kathleen Flenniken will also give a poetry reading of her most recent poetry collection, “Flume”, in Kimball Theatre on April 30 at 7 p.m. is playing grime type music but making sure that the R&B influence always works its way into the show.

Show: ‘The Zest’ Time: Saturdays, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Host: John Reed a.k.a.

DJ Yung Tuggboat

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Onionfest: An ultimate success

by RILEY FOREMAN Staff Reporter

F

Two Onionfest participants battle for the disk during a game on Ankeny Field.

Games were competitive but enjoyable for everyone involved. Photo by Bashevkin

or over two decades, Whitman has hosted the annual Onionfest Ultimate Frisbee tournament. Last weekend the event drew 24 teams to Walla Walla to partake in onion eating, an alumni reunion and, of course, Ultimate games.

Fans joined the players to kick off the festivities on Friday night with a men’s showcase game, featuring the current Sweets versus a team of alumni. The scrimmage was played all the way to the point cap, as the male alumni topped the active players 17-15.

Although O-fest is not a ranking tournament, senior Elliot Moskat notes that the men’s friendly match was fairly competitive due to the many alumni that continue to play at a professional level.

“The Friday game is pretty high-level Frisbee, and we treat it almost like we would treat any spring tournament game,” said Moskat.

The visiting teams had the opportunity to play in regular tournament games alongside Whitman for the remainder of the weekend. Saturday

culminated with a co-ed Sweets showcase, in which the alumni beat the current players again.

For both the young and old teams, the weekend elicited fond memories of joining the Sweets.

Senior Woody Jacobson was sidelined due to injury but recalled some previous Onionfests that contributed to his decision to play competitively this year.

“Onionfest is actually how I kind of got into joining the Frisbee team,” said Jacobson. “Freshman and sophomore year I didn’t really come out to fall practices, but I played O-fest those two years and had a great time.”

Many former and current Sweets acknowledged the more easygoing nature of the annual fundraising tournament, which contrasts the rest of the tough spring season. Recent alumnus Ben Cohen-Stead commented on taking the field with and against familiar faces.

“At tournaments it’s a lot more structured,” said CohenStead. “When you’re not playing your friends, you are a lot more focused on winning. When you’re playing your friends, you’re more focused on having a good time and seeing them do cool things.”

While O-fest is certainly a good time for all participants, sophomore Margo Heffron began planning logistics many months ago in order to make the weekend a success. As the tournament approached, each member of the Sweets was assigned a task, whether it was setting up fields, placing a 300-burrito order with a local food truck, or bringing the team’s Jambox to the games. As a club sport, Ultimate requires a much more student-driven approach to the behind-the-scenes aspect of hosting a 400-player tournament.

“It definitely involves a lot of time and effort to plan an event this big,” said Moskat.

Heffron’s effort is much appreciated by her peers, and especially the alumni, who consistently return to their alma mater for the tournament. Although this year marked CohenStead’s first O-fest as an alumnus, he plans on returning for many more in years the come and encourages others to do the same.

“There’s never a good time to bail on life for a few days and come hang out with your friends, but once you do it you feel better. That’s a good enough reason all on its own,” he said.

Duke conquers March Madness Select men’s swimmers compete at Nationals

by DYLAN SNYDER Staff Reporter

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arch is always the time in which even the most casual sports fan hits a fever pitch of excitement as there is more basketball that can physically be watched for two weekends. This year was different though, as the tournament had several other enticing aspects to follow. Obviously there was the undefeated superteam from Kentucky, but in a lesser-known aspect this year a huge move in sports betting was made. That doesn’t even mention the fact that Duke was able to bring home their fifth title.

John Calipari has made his mark on college basketball by being one of the best recruiters of all time, but rarely do his players stick around very long. The use of oneand-done athletes has been the ire of some, but the results are undeniable. The difference this year was that a group of sophomores decided to stick around, creating one of the most promising teams in the history of college basketball. The Wildcats tore through the tournament and delivered record-setting television numbers to boot. They were dropped in the Final 4 by Wisconsin, but to pretend this tournament wasn’t riding on the backs of Kentucky’s pursuit of a 40-0 perfect season would be absurd. Kentucky’s Elite 8 and Final 4 games became the most watched college basketball games ever, and the empire that Calipari has constructed was clearly the main force behind those games.

After Kentucky lost, the chance to witness history was pretty much eliminated this year. Coach Krzyzewski (“K”) of Duke is closing in on several records, but they all appear to be a few years away. What could be altering the sports landscape on a historic level soon, however, is le-

galized gambling. New Jersey is already in a battle to legalize gambling, and with new pioneers in the field there is reason to believe its only going to grow. New NBA commissioner Adam Silver is actually in favor of legalizing sports betting on a national level, and given some of the numbers that Silver is able to draw upon, it is hard to keep the argument against sports betting alive.

Silver’s main claim was that sports betting is already rampant, but the government and sports leagues just aren’t taking advantage of it. This seems to be an easy copout for a

league attempting to boost viewership, but Silver’s claim that more people filled out online NCAA tournament brackets than voted in the last general election makes it hard to deny that legalizing sports betting is a logical step in creating a more fan-friendly sports experience.

As for the tournament in general, it was its usual craziness, with 3-seeds Baylor and Iowa St. dropping in the first round. Then we saw 1-seed Villanova fail to get to the Sweet 16. Wichita St. continues to be a tournament darling and

Kansas can’t seem to get a grasp on the Missouri Valley Conference as they fell victim to the Shockers in the third round. Bob Huggins’ full court press and intensity on the offensive glass shocked Maryland into several turnovers, but West Virginia played an embarrassing game against Kentucky in one of the worst blowout losses in the tournament’s history.

The madness ended on Monday night in

what will go down as one of the most frustrating NCAA finals in recent memory. With Duke star Jahlil Okeafor battling foul trouble the entire game, Wisconson was able to hold a small lead for the majority of the second half. Then two brutal missed calls gave Duke two extra possessions near the end of the game and make the victory that much easier for the Blue Devils to hold on to. Claiming Duke doesn’t win without those calls is far from my intent, but you never want that “what if” hanging over your title.

Women’s lax exceeding expectations

Captain Bea Sheffer ‘16 moves the ball downfield in a recent practice. Sheffer’s experience has been a crucial part of the team’s transition to the varsity level. Photo by Kelly

by KYLE FLANNERY Staff Reporter

W

ith two games left in their inaugural season, the Whitman Women’s Lacrosse Team is still searching for an elusive second win. After registering first in their opening match of the year, the program still faces the steep learning curve of transitioning from club to varsity status. At times, however, they have revealed the potential to compete with the best teams in the conference, including a 13-15 loss to undefeated Pacific and a near-rally this past weekend against UPS in an eventual 10-14 defeat. They now sit at 1-5 in the NWC. Despite initial concern from returning players over the transition to varsity, Whitman aptly selected someone that would be conscious of

those opinions. Having played at the Division III level at Catholic University in D.C., newly appointed Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach Kate Robinson understands what it means to be a student-athlete with an emphasis on “student.” She believes that her own undergraduate experience is helping her develop a successful and fun culture, but not one that is overwhelming or detracts from the overall life of her players. It is a philosophy conducive to Whitman as a whole and also one that can be tough to balance when varsity status is attained. The general consensus is that the transition has been a smooth one, and everything bodes well for the future of women’s lacrosse here at Whitman.

“Academics, going abroad — these are all important aspects of a collegiate lifestyle,” said Robinson.

The transition also marks an in-

flux of lacrosse culture into the Pacific Northwest. Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport at the high school and collegiate level, and Kate Robinson is excited to develop this program from the ground up and be a part of the shift in culture. Robinson spoke about the prospects for the young team.

“This year we’re doing really well. I think people in the conference are seeing that. I’m so happy because I lucked out with the talent that I got. I think we’ll be a top team in the NWC soon,” said Robinson.

As for the group of women that Robinson is speaking of, not all of them have even had prior lacrosse experience. One such player, senior Jade Anderson, explains how amazing her introduction to the sport has been.

“The team atmosphere is really incredible in a lot of ways.

The more experienced players are really supportive, really encouraging,” said Anderson.

While it is rare to have such a large range of experience on a varsity team, everyone is excited to learn from each other. Furthermore, having more experienced people to model play technique has allowed the less-experienced to adapt to the sport quicker. Leading goalscorer and junior Captain Bea Sheffer commented on the positive attitude that greenhorns have brought to the team.

“Most of the time the new players bring the most energy and innovation to practice and games,” she said.

The team’s goals for the rest of the season are to grow and learn from every single game, which Robinson believes they are doing. They would like to contin-

s everyone on the Whitman campus headed back home or took their two week destination vacation for spring break, five swimmers (Karl Mering, Sam Starr, Sean Terada, Clark Sun and Loic McGiverin-Ideide) made their way to Shenandoah, Texas. There, at the Conroe ISD Natatorium, they competed in the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving National Championships. They were invited to compete in Whitman-earned invitational spots in all three freestyle relays — 200, 400- and 800-yard — and were on the optional entry list for the 200- and 400-yard medley relays.

Karl was the only one of the five swimmers to return to nationals for a second time, so the individual goals of the four others were much different from his.

“For us, we just wanted to have fun and go with whatever we were given, and see what happened,” said Terada, a sophomore on the team.

Coach Jennifer Blomme was excited at the opportunities offered to the team in Texas.

“Going into Nationals we were so elated to have relays qualified in addition to our individual opportunities. Getting a relay invited to the meet has been a goal of ours for several seasons and we’ve gotten so close,” said Blomme.

Bringing a relay team increased the team scoring potential, where relays are worth double the points of individual races. The team had hoped to improve their highest national finish, 17th place in 2013, which in fact they did.

The relay team including Mering, McGiverin-Odeide, Starr and Sun placed 12th overall, with a time of 1 minute, 22.5 seconds. McGiverin-Odeide led off with a 21.54-second split, followed by Starr and Sun who swam almost identical times of 20.74 and 20.75 seconds.

After the relay, Mering looked to his own individual events. The defending champion finished in 47.56 in the 100 butterfly, beating his winning time

from last year by .4 seconds and taking second to the top seed.

Fifteen minutes later, he pulled out a third-place finish in the 200 free with a time of 1:37.60. Both of his swims set new Northwest Conference and Whitman school records.

Going into his races, Mering worked to keep his mind focused on the task at hand.

“My biggest personal goal was to simply just go out and perform every race with as much intensity as I could bring to it at any given moment, and not worry about how swim one will affect swim seven,” said Mering.

Coach Blomme was pleased, but not surprised by Mering’s efforts.

“Not only was the physicality of what he did so impressive - the sheer strength and endurance. But the mental strength to have the confidence to pull that off, to be willing to step up on the blocks feeling tired and trust your body would be able to do what you were about to ask of it that is something really special,” said Blomme.

True competition and an overall team success was on the mind of Senior Karl Mering the entire race.

“I think for me the number one thing I am taking away from this is that despite the fact that I didn’t win any individuals, I was the fastest split out of the entire field in each of the relays I participated in. I have never been able to be so consistent over an entire meet, and I take a lot of pride in the fact that I was able to be the best (free) relay swimmer at this meet.

I did my best in the moment, and was blessed to get a best time in all the events I swam,” said Mering.

Next year will undoubtedly be different than this year in terms of the team dynamic, especially without the presence of senior leader Karl Mering. His legacy will forever be etched in Whitman’s history, however, with all the hard work that the team put in this year as well as the leadership that has been passed through this historic swim team. The road to Northwest Conference Championships and National Championships has been paved and will be followed for years to come.

ue to have fun and work hard.

“It’s so simple, but positivity and work ethic can make such a difference on the field and is probably why we are doing so well this season. We have a great group of players and a fantastic coach. I am excited to finish this season and for next year,” said Sheffer.

This team seems to have already exceeded expectations and surprised opponents in their ability to compete so quickly. With a few years of solid recruiting, something Whitman has been traditionally strong with, as well as a larger Northwest pool to draw from, women’s lacrosse here at Whitman is poised to take off.

by KENDRA WINCHESTER Staff Reporter

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through their senior years

Zach Gordy ‘15 skates on loading dock near Olin Hall. Gordy, Tom Shellum ‘15 and others typically skate together across from North Hall every afternoon. Photo by Clay

from SKATING, page 1

“I’ll come home and there’ll be people I’ve never met skating in my backyard.”

Shellum is happy to share the ramp. He even posted about it on the Walla Walla skateboarding Facebook page.

“We built it for everyone,” said Gordy.

Making candles It makes sense for skateboarders to build a ramp. But Shellum and Gordy think beyond the basics: They have also delved into candle-making to enhance their skate experience.

To do curb tricks, the curb needs to be frictionless. Any kind of wax, even the coating of a juice box, can help slick it up. While skate stores do sell specialized wax, Shellum and Gordy prefer candles.

However, the size they needed, Gordy said, was expensive.

“I realized that we should be making candles,” he said.

They messed around the kitchen of Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE), where Gordy is a member, trying out a few colors. They even found some people who said they would buy the candles.

Candle-making never really got off the ground, though.

“We chose not to follow through on this idea,” said Shellum.

Blues music got in the way.

Playing the blues In February of 2015, Shellum and Gordy formed The Blues Collective. Shellum plays the harmonica and Gordy plays the guitar.

It started because of Gordy’s Christmas present to Shellum in December of 2014.

While Shellum got Gordy candle-making supplies so that they could expand their candle program, Gordy branched out and got Shellum a harmonica.

“I was pretty much like, ‘Let’s do your

In addition to skating, Shellum (above) and Gordy play blues music together. Photo

by Clay

thing,’” said Shellum.

“Sometimes I still make candles,” said Gordy. “But it’s just not gonna be a thing, you know? Sometimes you’re making candles and you’re like, ‘Oh fuck, I gotta sing the blues, and then it’s just like ... ‘you never finish the candle.’”

Shellum and Gordy play the blues all the time.

“Tom and I are the glue,” said Gordy.

Otherwise the members of The Blues Collective change from day to day. “Tall Paul” Eschbach often adds percussion, and when the Collective plays at parties or on the TKE porch, singers, snappers and foot-tappers usually join in.

Although the Collective has only been around since February, in early March Shellum and Gordy estimated that they had played together over 20 times.

“We’re not just casually interested,” said Gordy.

“I’ve definitely played the blues when I should be working on my thesis,” said Shellum.

Gordy imagines Shellum practicing the blues at his house.

“He sits on the ramp and plays the harmonica to the moon,” he said. “Like a wolf ... like a howling wolf.”

It makes sense that Shellum would play the blues on the skate ramp because for Gordy and Shellum there is little division between the blues and skating.

“You’ve got to understand that all these things connect. The blues thing’s part of the skating thing. Every aspect somehow permeates the other,” said Gordy.

However, Shellum wonders if their friendship is actually the only connection between the blues and skating.

“I don’t know if there’s something intrinsic that actually ties the blues and skating together or if their relating factor is shit that Zach and Tom happen to be into,” he said.

Gordy disagrees.

He thinks that skating and the blues are similar art forms.

“The blues came from very simple roots,” he said. “A lot of blues sound the same. So it’s really about how you play versus what you play. In skating everyone does the same tricks. Like the Ollie ... everyone does that.

So it’s about how you do it.”

“The bottom line,” said Shellum, “is that we really like to use our free time for things that involve creative expression.”

“We think it’s really important,” Gordy added quickly.

For Gordy, both skating and the blues help him connect with people on a deeper level.

“I want to be able to communicate with my friends in a way that transcends words,” he said.

Sharing the art Shellum is not the only person Gordy communicates with creatively. The friends are adamant about remaining open to anyone who wants to participate in either skating or the blues.

“We always make it clear to people that we’re not judging them,” said Gordy. “Like if they can’t sing and if they want to sing, who cares?”

“It’s the same with skateboarding,” he added. “You can really be bad at skating. I just want to ride around with people.”

The afternoon of the interview, junior Eric Underwood was skating in front of North too. He just started skating with Whitman kids last year. Shellum and Gordy frequently broke off mid-sentence to compliment his moves.

The friends are part of a group that skates in front of North almost every day from about 4 to 5 p.m. They emphasize that anybody is welcome to join them.

On Thursday before the interview with The Pioneer, Gordy was skating in the science building parking lot. A student made a beeline towards him. “‘Is that hard? Can I see it?’” Gordy remembers him asking. “‘Can you do tricks?” Gordy showed him some tricks.

“I’m gonna get a skateboard,” the student said.

Burning the blues candle The Whitman epoch is drawing to a close for Shellum and Gordy. It’s clear, though, that skating, the blues and their friendship will live on.

When he graduates, Shellum will travel to China with the Whitman in China program to teach English at Yunnan University in Kunming.

“I’m definitely bringing my skateboard,” he said.

“And your harmonica,” Gordy reminded him.

Gordy will return to his dad’s home in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle.

“I’m probably going to work and skate and play music,” he said.

While Gordy’s plans may sound a bit amorphous, one thing is certain.

No matter what, he said, “There’s always a blues candle in my room.”

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Student protests require more action, less drama

by ALEIDA FERNANDEZ Publisher

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t is time Whitman students stop small-scale, apathetic protesting. In the last four years, there have been multiple student-led protests against perceived administrative faults or injustices. Each begins with primarily justifiable reasons, each riles up the majority of the student body, but each ends two weeks later. It’s these types of short, angry flare-ups that leave me frustrated, both by the lack of visible change on campus and the pattern of

ineffective protesting. Too many Whitman protests are quick and uneven, making it easier for administrators and other students to tune out and silence important issues while diminishing the credibility of all student protesting.

Students have the ability to enact real change on campus, so it’s important to continue to have student voices heard. Too often, however, the public conversation ends with the protest. Look at the protests surrounding our mascot, The Missionaries. Every few years, a group of students take on the issue of changing our mas-

Letter to the Editor: Whitman culture is normalizing sexual assault

A

s a freshman, I entered school this fall in the usual chaotic haze of new people, no parents and unlimited meal swipes. I never drank in high school, and entering college gave me access to a world I had only glimpsed in movies. One night I lost my friends and ended up drinking too much at a party. Instead of walking home as usual, a guy I never met before suggested we go back to his room to watch a movie, which seemed normal to me at the time. Instead, he lay down on top of me on his bed, pressing his erection into my stomach.

When I showed reluctance, he gave me a long speech explaining how sex wasn’t a big deal in college and “everyone does it.” I was drunk and alone in a frat with an upperclassman I had never seen before that night. When I tried to express how uncomfortable I was, he tried harder to persuade me. He told me this was just a small thing that would make us happy, that this is something everyone does, just something that happens at college. Words could never capture my fear and self-loathing in that moment. He was older, bigger and stronger. I felt I had no choice but to let him do what he wanted. For months after I believed it was all my fault. I was the one who went back with him, I was the one who couldn’t push him off me, who couldn’t run away, who couldn’t just sink into the floor and disappear.

It shouldn’t have taken two months to acknowledge that what transpired wasn’t consensual drunken sex; it was rape. But I was confused by what happened. I did not want to have sex that night — period — yet I still felt shame and responsibility. I thought since I hadn’t been able to stop him, I MUST have wanted it. But none of that is true. I had never wanted it. I didn’t ask for it. I didn’t deserve it. He coerced and manipulated me, using my own weaknesses and insecurities against me. I should not be afraid to acknowledge the incident, yet writing this is one of the most difficult things I have ever done.

I didn’t write this article to share the private details of my life with the entire campus, but rather to address this growing problem. The Whitman bubble is a real thing, and the prevalence of sexual assault on our campus is due in part to our continuing ignorance. This is a difficult topic to think about and even more difficult to discuss. But silence is teaching vic-

tims that this is normal and that allowing perpetrators to believe what they are doing is O.K. Rape and sexual assault can come in many forms, but one thing they all have in common is a lack of consent. As a campus, we can do much more to change this.

On a campus our size, sexual assault will always be to close to home.

I guarantee you are close friends with a victim or perpetrator and have interacted with many more. Sex is awkward, and trying to stop two people from leaving a party together is never going to be fun or easy. Watching two people stumble out of a party has gotten too familiar, and as a campus we have become far too comfortable with the concept of drunken hook-ups.

I am not suggesting hooking up after drinking is always terrible — because it’s not. But the state of familiarity and normality our campus has associated with drunken hook-ups is extremely disturbing. As the new school year — with new freshmen — comes closer, I worry what happened to me will happen to others as well. The transition to college is scary and overwhelming at best; to be raped in your first months is a heartbreak I would never wish upon anyone.

I spent months going through a Title IX investigation, having to relive the worst night of my life and share intimate details with investigators I had never met before. The process was anything but easy; however, the support I received from my friends, sorority and even the administration was incredible. But the legal process of an investigation will always be unbelievably difficult, and there is never a guarantee of finding the offender responsible. Despite my best efforts, this experience has defined my freshman year.

Whitman is still my dream school, but there is plenty of room for improvement. Greek organizations should continue to find ways to make their parties safer for everyone. As a campus we need to face this head on because silence is allowing these patterns to continue. Being silent will not accomplish our goals; we need to remove the shame placed on victims and start meaningful conversations about this continuing problem. Parties can be fun. Hooking-up can be fun. But sexual assault is never fun and our campus is supporting an atmosphere that makes it too easy.

- Molly Unsworth

cot to a less “colonial” and “genocidal” one, yet our mascot remains the same and the debate surrounding it has become a campus-wide punch line.

Many times the conversation ends because students don’t fully understand the issue or feel uncomfortable voicing their opinion. They may fear they will look ignorant or be met with the dreaded label of having too much “white privilege.” We as student activists can prevent this. We need to listen to those voices that perhaps don’t fully understand the protest at hand and not meet them with anger or annoyance, but with understanding and compassion. Not every Whitman student understands what it’s like to live without privilege, but every Whitman student is willing to try to understand if given the opportunity.

Other times protests at Whitman end because of student apathy.

Many protests on campus don’t concern the majority of campus, so they lack the wherewithal to keep the pressure going when the elaborate demonstrations start to fade. I believe that this is because many of the student protests on campus have revolved around what the Whitman Administration should or should not be doing. There has only been one notable example in four years — the racism rallies in the

fall 2013 semester — that asked the student body to reflect on their own assumptions and beliefs. Throughout the fall, students held multiple teachins around campus and advocated to have classes canceled during the annual Power and Privilege Symposium to increase attendance. As a result, the conversation surrounding racism and privilege on campus has continued and there were multiple institutions put in place to keep it from dying.

These all-campus and studentdriven efforts prevent all-campus apathy. The Whitman Administration is an elaborate bureaucracy, and it takes them years to make noticeable change. Yet through student-led efforts, we can be the change we want to see on campus.

The administration can botch multiple Title IX investigations, but it’s the students that can prevent an investigation from ever needing to happen in the first place. It’s time for Whitman students to ask not what Whitman can do for them but what they can do for Whitman.

Let’s pick a cause that challenges us, not the higher ups, to make a difference.

In April of 1968, students at Columbia University occupied multiple university buildings after students discovered links between Columbia’s institutional apparatus and the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, as well

as their concern over the construction of a segregated gymnasium in the nearby Morningside Park. For two months the students protested, even as 30 students were suspended by the administration and as protesters were met with violent clashes with the local police. In the end, however, the student protesters achieved their stated goals: Columbia disaffiliated with the Institute for Defense Analytics and they scrapped the controversial gym plans.

The Columbia University protests illustrate how student protests can have a positive effect on university politics.

They had large and passionate numbers and they did not give up when times became hard. It’s important for Whitman students to stand up for what they believe in; many of the issues that have been raised through student protests are issues that the college and its administration should be addressing.

But it’s also important to ask ourselves how the student body can be a mechanism of change. We need to organize, to plan and to execute a protest so that it does not become one in a long list of other grievances or part of a joke. Protests are about sustained discontent, and just like the Columbia University students, Whitman students should advocate for change in a manner that inspires a real difference on campus.

Right to health is Whitman issue ANU LINGAPPA Senior

THE QUIBBLER

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ver spring break I had the opportunity to attend a conference for students passionate about becoming positive agents of change in the fight for global health equity. I spent the weekend talking to other students, established activists and advocates, and medical professionals who were all committed to fixing the social conditions that foster disease. The highlight was an address

by Dr. Joia Mukherjee, a professor at Harvard Medical School who has been the medical director of Partners in Health since the year 2000. During the conference I felt inspired and excited. It was clear that achieving a universally recognized “right to health” is a movement gaining strength.

A movement that I am part of!

When I returned to Whitman after break, I came down from my health equity high with the sobering realization that this movement isn’t present on the Whitman campus. It’s happening in big cities like New York and Chicago, where large groups of people can be mobilized, not on small colleges in small towns. As president of the GlobeMed club, I’ve tried to motivate my peers to challenge these issues. I know there are a lot of students here who do care about chang-

ing health care politics. I’ve also become intimately familiar and frustrated with the problems in our campus culture that hold people back.

Whitman is, generally speaking, a very healthy community. Most people exercise, eat nutritious food and aren’t noticeably struggling with diseases. Unfortunately a lot of stigma surrounds mental health disorders on campus. I think that sentiment may also be indicative of how students characterize other illnesses as well.

We study diseases, but we don’t struggle with them, at least not long term.

People get sick, but they always get better. Most Whitman students have probably known someone with a serious or chronic disease, but these stories are too uncomfortable to be talked about openly in our happy, healthy community. Whenever I tell people stories about the badly timed fainting spells I had for a couple months after contracting dengue fever or how crazy it was to cough up blood when I though I had tuberculosis, I always preface with “but I’m totally fine.”

Not being fine is not really acceptable in this community, even if it’s due to a disease outside of anyone’s control.

Since most Whitman students come from families and communities that have access to insurance and quality health care, health problems like the flu or a bad cut are minor setbacks, not serious conditions. However, for people without good health care, small problems can escalate into life-threatening conditions very quickly. Even if problems are easily treatable, people learn to live with miserable conditions because they don’t have health insurance or they can’t afford to see a doctor if it means missing work. We don’t see this happening on the Whitman campus.

Before I started working in a county hospital, I had no idea how many sick people were out there. I now know that the myriad of cases seen by the hospital barely scratches the surface even in one city because inherent injustices in our health system means that there are so many people who do not have access to treatment. On the Whitman campus we are stuck in our sterile community, detached from the world, forgetting how much suffering happens in the world due to inadequate health care access.

We also forget that we can do anything to help alleviate that suffering.

One of my big takeaways from the conference was that discussing issues is not enough. When it comes to issues that affect people’s health, there is no time to wait. It’s matters of lifeor-death on a huge, global scale. Taking action is critical. At GlobeMed we’ve tried writing letters, going to protests, volunteering at free clinics, fundraising for medical supplies and youth education initiatives. The right to health needs to be a movement, even on the Whitman campus.

Latin American ‘democracies’ continue to target whistle-blowers JOSE CORONADO First-year

VOICE OF LATIN AMERICA

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n March 15, the Mexican journalist Carmen Aristegui was fired from MVS Network, one of the main TV and radio networks in Mexico. The day after Aristegui was fired, millions of people backed the journalist on social media, and some signed a petition for her reinstatement.

The firing of Aristegui became so popular because she and her team of journalists discovered that the Mexican first lady owned a mansion worth seven million dollars; this house was given to her by a construction corporation in order to obtain more contracts from the Mexican government.

Aristegui and her team had always been critics of the government.

On her show, Aristegui denounced corruption among government officials and corporations. A couple of months ago they discovered that the leader of the PRI (Mexico’s most important political party) was running a prostitution ring in Mexico City. As we can see, Aristegui and her team had many enemies who wanted her off the air. According to MVS Network, she was fired because of inappropriate conduct and contract violations.

I do not want to accuse the Mexican government of pressuring the MVS network to fire Aristegui, but there are enough stories of censorship to make this plausible. Aristegui is very popular, and I am sure she will either find another job or move to the United States to continue reporting about Mexico. Many other reporters from Latin America have done the latter after having problems with governments or major networks in their countries. Government censorship in Latin America shows that individual rights and free speech are not protected and that

the region is still not all democratic.

The case of Carmen Aristegui is the latest major case of censorship in Latin America, a region well-known for corrupt governments and powerful drug cartels who want to keep the population ignorant. Fortunately government control of the media in Latin America has decreased since the Internet came to the region. Now people can organize and learn what is happening in their countries from independent sources. People have become reporters and often upload videos and pictures of the injustices around them.

However, not even they escape from government censorship. In Venezuela, people began to videotape long food lines and the markets empty because of a food shortage. The government of Venezuela, in an attempt to hide the economic and political crisis, has made videotaping of long lines and markets without products a crime that can send you to prison.

Bloggers and independent reporters are also censored and attacked in Mexico. Maria Fuentes was a Mexican blogger that in 2012 began to write on a Facebook page

Voices from the Community

named Valor por Tamaulipas which gave information about the actions of drug cartels in her state. In October of 2014, Maria was murdered by members of a drug cartel. I feel proud that there are people worried about the situation of their countries and risking their lives and liberty to show the world the problems around them.

A government that restricts the rights of freedom of speech is a dictatorship. This case is more clear with Venezuela, where the government puts citizens in prison just because of their opinions. The cases of Mexico, and other countries where cartels control entire regions, are similar. When the government is not protecting the freedom of speech of its citizens, it is a sign that this country is becoming a failed state because of its incapacity of protecting individual rights.

I feel sad that people willing to tell the truth have to hide their faces in order to avoid attacks from the government or cartels. Unfortunately they have limited options. They can’t go and de-

nounce the aggressions they suffer because police in Latin American countries are often corrupt and inefficient. Their best option for now is to continue reporting anonymously and to unite with others that do the same.

Censorship shows us that apparently living in democracies does not mean that Latin America is democratic and that individual rights are not fully protected.

No one should have to risk being shot because of his or her opinion.

What did you learn from the Whitman Undergraduate Conference this year? Poll by RACHAEL BARTON

T.C. HEYDON

HALEY CASE

JARED SEARS

PAIGE ORGANICK

Junior

Sophomore

First Year

Sophomore

“I think that the Undergrad Conference allows me to see my classmates in settings outside of the classroom and appreciate aspects of their life and interests that aren’t as visible in everyday life at Whitman.”

“I love how campus comes alive with intellectual curiosity in diverse fields! The critical engagement with profoundly important topics such as Title IX and discrimination in debate represents empowering reclamations of oppressed discourses.”

“I think the best pert is seeing people present things that they are genuinely passionate about. It’s fascinating to see the range and specificity of the topics included.”

“I went to the session about ethical judgements. In one presentation, I learned about the Deaf Community and the controversies and the concerns about ethnocide of Deaf culture due to the prevalence of the cochlear implant.”

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2015

Whitman College Poetry Society presents: Heedson Redrick’s brilliant ‘Poems of Punishment’ Sincerity A concept so important Yet so rarely true When you sit down on a stump to think Does the term really describe you?

One’s own ego tends to create a stink Only in small doses Sincerity tries to show

A lawyer needs to quarrel So there are politicians that break their own laws A couch potato needs to relax So there is the National Relaxation Day By creating specific aspects of society, Each person targeted to be fulfilled at least one day a year Deep Questions

If you had cups on your feet, do you think you could fill them with your sweat?

Is a hangnail inutile?

Can you fit 10 toothpicks in your mouth? I can.

Why do humans have two nostrils when we only have one mouth?

Who decided nose picking was wrong?

grips man And is abused by woman Such a powerful idea That only humans use it The other creatures’ intelligence

Especially when it’s so brob

Are you living?

How did things get here?

What is love? What is life?

dingnagian When you try to shoot it, Does the bullet automatically miss?

I want to meet Sasquatch

itself Fluctuating between real and fake The idea of it flummoxes me One shall feel themselves Before being able to feel other’s Deceit Fulfillment The completeness of human is an important aspect of life A larrikin needs to be foolish So there is April Fool’s Day A politician needs to argue So there is a division of political parties

Do feel the energy from the aura?

Who are you?

Where are you and where did you go?

How does life make you feel?

Are you happy or sad?

How was your break?

If a body shook, can you feel the vibrations?

How many shoes does it take to make your feet hurt?

Does not allow for them to use it And that is why they will survive While we rot with our green Sasquatch Spondulicks The destroyer and creator of lives The element that only

The protector of the Pacific Northwest It evades people Unless it is blurry Then we should be very terrified How do you kill a blurry beast?

The Beach Everyone loves the beach Soaking up the UV rays Feeling the cool breeze Relaxation Funny alcoholic beverages With little umbrellas to keep them in the shade The soft sand and dirt Slipping through the toes Boy do I love?

Sitting in my bathtub With the window open, Fan blowing, Sand in the tub Oh my, I love the outdoors

Whitman College Pioneer given national comedy nods due to Jack Issue’s success

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pringtime is recognized around the world as a season of rebirth, fresh beginnings and a renewed sense of nymphomania. This spring, however, greeted many Backpage writers with the bitter taste of failure — similar to the taste of octopus droppings (although some cultures do regard this as a delicacy).

Indeed, it was to the surprise of many Backpage writers that the Whitman Pioneer’s “Jack Issue” was universally heralded as a stunning success, marking a milestone in the era of comedy. Will Ferrell, in a personal interview with the Backpage staff, lamented: “I have no idea how to describe the Jack Issue, except as to say, it’s redefined comedy forever. I can’t compete with this level of humor. I can’t even think of a humorous way to spin this.”

Bill Hicks, Mitch Hedberg and Andy Kaufman also made a statement from the grave us-

ing recently developed technology.

“We congratulate the Jack Issue of The Pio. They know comedy better than we ever did or possibly could have. Tell Michael Stipe to write a song about that issue,” said the three men.

The “Jack Issue,” distributed annually as an April Fool’s edition of The Pioneer, received nods from the American Comedy Association, an offer from HBO to adapt one of the articles into a series and the Nobel Prize for Comedy.

Although most of the Pioneer staff is generally regarded by 74 percent of campus (who has had one or two drinks) as “pretty humorless,” this showing of untapped talent caused 100 percent of the staff on the Backpage to resign. None of the Backpage writers had written for the “Jack Issue.”

“What’s the point?” asked one former Backpage writer. “If the rest of the staff can come in

Mease not Mooses by Asa Mease

and just be funnier than us, than why even do this? I almost died laughing when I read the ‘Jack Issue,’ but I couldn’t bring myself to sue The Pio. I’m just a failure.”

What will these unemployed clowns do now? They tried each week to bring a bit of joy the tiny Whitman campus — only with their dreams to be squashed by an apparently gut-wrenching staff.

One staff member, who goes by many pseudonyms, including “the poet laureate of the Backpage,” had something to say.

“I thought my poems would bring joy to all. Like a goat bloodgutting on a full moon in November, or reciting of all of Lamentations during an All Saints Day vigil. But perhaps my ideas were too abstract. I thought poetry would be an outlet for creative expression, but it just turned out to be an outlet for failure,” he said.

The poet laureate took the

news especially hard, dropped out of Whitman, and as a last ditch effort at both poetic and comedic justice (as well as reference), became a crossdressing lumberjack.

Another member of the staff, Lewis Trevors, began a silent protest by sitting outside naked of Penrose Library while wearing cat whiskers, but this too was a failure.

“I’m a failure!”

Trevors yelled, as if he was speaking to the abyss. He soon returned to his fraternity to hibernate among other brigands and beasts.

With the Backpage leaderless and staffless, The Pio announced they would be just be printing a blank page — to commemorate the failures of the said page.

Local man wants to settle down and get divorced

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n these uncertain times of almost 50 percent of marriages ending in death, it can be easy for some to lose faith in the sanctity of divorce. Luckily, hope springs eternal. This is especially the case for local fishmonger and ranch dressing enthusiast Rob Fenderman.

Ever since he can remember, Rob has wanted to meet that special someone, start dating, move in together, get married and eventually (provided the time is right) have that marriage implode in a quagmire of misunderstanding, jealousy and pure, searing hatred. However, despite his noble intensions, things have not been easy for this hopeless romantic.

“I just can’t seem to find a woman who is committed enough to share and then split all our belongings in an emotionally and financially costly divorce,” he said.

Call him a traditionalist, but Rob wants to get divorced the same way his parents did.

“I might be old-fashioned but I just feel like there’s something missing from these newfangled divorces,” he said. “I can still remember the day my mother roused my father from his drunken stupor with a kitchen knife in one hand, le-

gal papers in the other and an insane glare in her eye which said ‘you fucked your secretary’ so loudly that she never had to. That’s what I want for my divorce. Hell, I may even try to do it in the same spot. I’m sentimental like that.”

Social pressures have not been easy for Rob to navigate. Rob admits that he is the last one out of all of his friends and coworkers to get divorced.

“I mean, just the other day while hawking flounder on the street corner and pounding enough ranch dressing to kill a small water buffalo, I saw a friend who’s been divorced for almost 10 years now,” said Rob. “I could see the soulcrushing weight that an entire decade of alimony and regret had placed upon his now sad, feeble frame and I thought to myself, ‘I want that.’”

Rob, however, is no starry-eyed idealist. He acknowledges that, if he wants to make his divorce work, he’ll have to put in a lot of effort and get a little bit lucky.

“I mean, It’s scary to think that, in the end, fear of being alone might overpower my sheer disgust with every aspect of my wife’s existence, but sometimes those are the risks that you have to take,” he said.