BOD MAGAZINE Fall 2018 vol. 11 issue 2
A STUDENT MEDIA PUBLICATION
Rising college costs
WHY? Washburn
Custodians share their stories
FALSE
representation of the LGBTQ+ community
Caring for your mental health
2
www.washburnreview.org
Bod Magazine Fall 2018
3
Letter Team Editor the
from the
editor-in-chief
Rachel Ciummo copy editors
Kraig Dafoe
Shayndel Jones Adam White advertising
Josey Trimble Kodee Christensen page design
illustrators
Rachel Ciummo photographers
Katie Brighton
Brandon Brownlee John Burns Shelby Hanson Shayndel Jones advisor
Regina Cassell
Rachel Ciummo writers
Brandon Brownlee Yash Chitrakar Anna Ciummo Joelle Conway Shelby Hanson Welcome to the Fall 2018 edition of the Bod magazine. I am so thankful for this opportunity to bring Washburn University’s culture and values to its students, faculty and alumni through the Bod Magazine. It is my hope that you enjoy the articles within its pages and that you look forward to the upcoming Spring edition. One article I’m especially excited about is titled, “Washburn’s Kyann Eslick.” I think she should be an inspiration for all of us whether we are working through another semester or already graduated. The magazine staff looks forward to bringing the next edition of the Bod Magazine to you and hopes to continue to reflect the values and culture of Washburn University. Sincerely, Rachel Ciummo
4
www.washburnreview.org
Shayndel Jones Wesley Tabor
ON THE COVER: Student Kyann Eslick. Photo by John Burns. The Bod Magazine is published in fall and spring by students at Washburn University. 1700 SW College Ave., Topeka, KS 66621.
Contents features
Custodians of Washburn share their stories pg. 6 Washburn custodians share a peek into their lives.
Washburn’s Kyann Eslick pg. 8 Ichabod exemplifies hard work and resilience even through setbacks.
society LGBTQ+ Representation pg. 16 Liz Derrington discusses harmful literary portrayal of the LGBTQ community.
Washburn helps first-generation students pg. 18 First generation students struggle to keep up with changing technology.
on the cover Kyann Eslick pg. 8
academic Rising college costs, why? pg. 12 Some Washburn students struggle to pay tuition. Why are costs rising? How can we fix it?
Music enhances education pg. 14 Music professors and a student share the life benefits of music education.
lifestyle Caring for your mental health pg. 20 Fellow Ichabods share struggles with mental health and how you can improve yours.
Students share music taste pg. 22 Bods talk about their high school playlist and what music means to them.
Mind the Gap I pg. 23 A poem. Bod Magazine Fall 2018
5
Custodians of Washburn share their stories
Preciosisima Smith, a custodian in Henderson Learning Center, moved from Asia to Topeka Kansas after marrying a Navy officer.
Andy Lukens, custodian in the Memorial Union, is known for his long beard and enjoys being around the students.
Darin Thomas, a custodian in Henderson Learning Center, has been working for Washburn University 13 years.
Story and photos by Brandon Brownlee There’s always that job that is required of every business. It has to be done so everyday activities can take place. They work behind the scenes and are rarely recognized for all their hard work. Those hard-working people are the custodians. These individuals work day and night to ensure that each building on campus is clean and that everything is set up for whatever might be going on in that building. Despite the hard work and lack of glory, many of these individuals enjoy what they do. They often talk with the students. “I enjoy the students. They’re always polite and are a joy to be around,” Andy Lukens said. Lukens works in the Memorial Union and can be recognized by his long beard. Darin Thomas works in the Henderson Learning Center and also likes being around the students on a daily basis. “I enjoy working with the students and everything. That’s always a good thing,” Thomas said. Darin grew up in Topeka and he has been running around Washburn’s campus ever since he was a kid. This is now Darin’s 13th year working at Washburn and he has always enjoyed the work environment. “I grew up just about a block east of here, so I used to run around all over this campus when I was a kid. I always liked being up here,” Thomas said. Preciosisima Smith also works in the Henderson Learning Center. As many of the university employees do, she also enjoys seeing the students succeed. “I like seeing students from different countries come here and learn about the history here,” Smith said. Smith has also been working at Washburn for 13 years but had a slightly different path to Washburn than Thomas. Smith is originally from Asia, but she moved to the U.S. when she met her husband overseas. Her husband was overseas in the Navy when they met and when the Navy moved him back to the U.S. they were sent to Topeka, which is where they have been since. There are many tasks each day that
must be completed and undoubtedly keep all of the custodial staff busy throughout the day. A normal day typically consists of making sure all of the doors are open by 7 a.m., entrances being clear of any debris or ice during the winter, bathrooms cleaned, floors vacuumed and cleaned, machine parts kept running, trash cans in every room emptied as well as cleaning all of the rooms. Several of these jobs have to be repeated multiple times throughout the day before the doors close for the night. Just because the doors close doesn’t mean the work is done. There is a night crew working while students and faculty are sleeping to ensure the buildings are looking spick and span when everyone shows up in the morning. One of the never-ending jobs Lukens faces in the Memorial Union is keeping up with burnt out light bulbs. Somewhere between five and 10 light bulbs burn out every day. With there being
“I grew up just about a block east of here, so I used to run around all over this campus when I was a kid. I always liked being up here.” -Darin Thomas such a variety of bulbs throughout the building, they must know what bulb they are dealing with before they go to the trouble to climb up and change it. Many times, no two days will be the same. The expectations remain the same and all of the daily assignments must still be completed, but some days bring extra work. Lukens said he enjoys setting up for events in the Washburn A/B room. Washburn hosts many special events and behind all those events someone is there to make sure it runs smoothly. It might be summer orientation, the Bowtie Fair or a guest speaker. Every event has its own way the room or building is set up, including any extra props the presenters may ask for such as podiums, white boards or stages. Although Lukens enjoys setting up for these events, it can be stressful at times.
Sometimes they get everything set up and then find out the event has been cancelled or rescheduled, so they have to tear it all down. On days when these events take place, Lukens said keeping up with the cleaning around the building is one of the difficulties he faces on the job. Thomas and Smith have both seen many changes take place on campus during their 13 years. Thomas remembers seeing the LLC dorms along with Lincoln Hall being built. He also recalls the addition of the Bennett Computer Building to give students a larger space to get work done as well as having the use of printers. Smith has experienced much of the same change that Thomas has. Overtime, more and more organizations are formed on campus which attracts more students. Smith has enjoyed seeing all these many activities grow and take place during her time at Washburn as she loves to see smiles on the student’s faces, enjoying their time on campus while going to school. Seven years ago, Lukens began working on a temporary crew and then was hired on full-time shortly after. In his time working on campus there have been two major changes. One of those was the renovation of Morgan Hall, starting in February of 2014 and finished right before the 2015-2016 school year. This renovation added the new Welcome Center and Student One Stop services as well as some conference rooms, offices and a seating area for students and guests. The second big change during Luken’s seven years is the addition of the KBI building. This building is part of the science department as it is used by criminology students learning about crime scenes as well as other science departments with state-of-the-art interactive classroom facilities. Lukens and the custodians would like students to remember to be conscious about their messes. “Just clean up after themselves,” said Lukens. In fact, Lukens, Thomas and Smith said that being a little less messy and being conscious about what students are leaving behind is what helps them the most.
Bod Magazine Fall 2018
7
Washburn’s
Kyann Eslick
Kyann Eslick tore her ACL in 2014 when she was playing as an outside hitter for her high school volleyball team. It took her eight months to recover. She immediately started playing again, as her unabating love for the sport overruled her pain. In the subsequent four years, she went on to damage muscles in her knee three more times and spent a lot of her time in operation and recovery. Now she has had her ACL, MCL and LCL operated on. “The doctor who did my first operation had apparently made a mistake. There was still a screw left in my knee where calcium deposits grew,” Eslick said. Whatever the cause, she went on to play the sport again after wading through lengthy recoveries multiple times. It is the spirit of determination that she carries with her whenever she does any task. There are many including being the president of Phi Theta Kappa Alumni, an organization that helps students transition from a two-year college to university, and being a member of Christian Challenge, a ministry that works to engender faith in its members through various programs. She works in marketing for a real estate company where she mines client data and she does repacking work for Frito Lay. This heap of work means that Eslick’s day is composed completely of classes and work. She is rarely discouraged by the Herculean number of tasks as her optimism mitigates the stress.
“
“I believe that a good attitude is key to success. After so many setbacks, I began to believe that God had a greater plan for me.” -Kyann Eslick
Story by Yash Chitrakar Photo by John Burns Bod Magazine Spring 2019
9
Eslick has gone through a lot of stress. The knee ordeal was particularly testing. She had started her freshman year with the hopes of attaining volleyball stardom, however, coming in post-recovery after having torn her ACL as a junior in high school was always risky. In the second day of her practice as a college freshman, she tore her ACL, MCL and LCL, which are three of the four main ligaments in the knee. She lost eight months to recovery. After coming back through rigorous practice, she played halfway through her sophomore year until she got a concussion. “I went from being able to play almost perfectly to not even being able to hit the ball because my body balance was off,” Eslick said. She came back after the concussion to be stopped by another ACL tear. The screw that was mistakenly left had to be taken out by a tibial reconstruction in 2016. After all the surgeries, she accepted what had happened to her. She credits her acceptance and strength to God. “I believe that a good attitude is key to success. After so many setbacks, I began to believe that God had a greater plan for me,” Eslick said. Since then, Eslick has done more than cope. After transferring from Hutchinson Community College, she immediately joined the Phi Theta Kappa Alumni organization as she was getting scholarships from them. The transfer program was easy and the helpful people who formed the core of the group encouraged her to join. After two years, she is the president
of the association. She delegates tasks and heads meetings, which are geared toward organizing humanitarian programs. Their service work includes shoe and hygiene drives. They facilitate the transfer of promising students. They pair with sororities and other organizations like Family Service and Guidance Center to organize induction ceremonies and other programs like Trunk or Treat. “Trunk or Treat is basically our Halloween initiative designed to take children who don’t get to go trick-or-treating to do exactly that,” Eslick said. For the future, she wants PTK to attain more stability driven by stronger bonds between members, whereby everyone shares tasks and holds each other accountable. Through the stability, she hopes the organization grows and gets more involved in the Topeka community. She is also heavily involved in Christian Challenge. Every Thursday evening, she is present at worship time and listening to talks about fostering a relationship with God. “It is basically people coming together and growing closer in their walk with Jesus,” she said. “I think it’s important to go to church.” She is a member of the leadership team as well. Every Tuesday and Wednesday night they conduct Thrive, a Bible study group for any college student. Eslick leads one of these Bible studies made up of other college girls. “I have met so many wonderful people through this,” Eslick said. Her affinity toward people started blooming when she was young. Accord-
ing to her mother, Darlene Eslick, Kyann Eslick’s compassion has always been a significant part of her character. As a child, anytime she saw a person eating alone, she would tearfully inquire as to why there were doing so. “She always liked to surround herself with people she loved,” Darlene Eslick said. “She really advocated for the underdog.” Trying to bring people together through that intense compassion came naturally to Eslick. When she was in 7th grade, she found out that her friends were bickering. Desiring harmony, she, to the surprise of her mother, brought her friends over to her backyard to resolve the problem. “I overheard her saying, ‘I love you. Please don’t be mean to each other,’ before kind of bursting into tears,” said Darlene Eslick. Her compassion intensified as she grew up. The trials she went through as a child and as an adult carved her into who she is today. Apart from her multiple surgeries, she also had to go through a cochlear implant when she went completely deaf as a two-year-old. She now wears a walnut-sized device that translates air waves into radio waves, giving her brain the illusion of hearing. As a child, she used to grab people’s faces in an attempt to comprehend words. “I am not using the device to help my hearing, I’m using it to be my hearing. People ask me if it bothers me but I’m like, ‘no, it’s all I know because I was two. I don’t remember any of my journey. It’s my life,’” she said.
“I’ll never know why I’ve had four knee surgeries. I’ll never know why it was me that was deaf, but I am going to make a positive about it.” -Kyann Eslick 10
www.washburnreview.org
However, there are struggles she faces with the device as well. For example, when there is too much noise, Eslick finds it hard to clearly understand every word. The device itself fails sometimes, and it can be costly to replace the intricate, miniscule parts of which the price can fall in range of $1,000. The device wasn’t as compact as it is now either. It used to be attached to her waist and was as heavy as a soup can, and for a child of two, was a burden. The oddity of the device meant that people were prone to staring, pointing or whispering. “Some children used to make fun of her. Some adults isolated her too, which was really surprising. I always wondered how an adult could be so ugly,” Darlene Eslick said. There was also a time when a young boy yanked the multi-thousand-dollar device, while Darlene Eslick tried to save it. Even through this, Eslick persevered.
She consistently addressed leadership boards, she was involved in various other organizations as a high schooler and she was determined to overcome her afflictions. Her tenacity led to a second runner up place in Miss Kansas, the state title, in June. Winners get to participate in the Miss America pageant, the national title. To compete for the state title, she had to win the local title. She did so by winning the Miss Santa Fé Trail, one among the 33 other local pageants in Kansas. “It’s a commitment. There is a lot you have to do,” Eslick said. “You do fundraisers. You do service work. You prepare for talent.” Everybody has a platform. Some women choose to stand against drinking and driving. Some promote donation opportunities for Alzheimer’s. The newest Miss Kansas, Hannah Klaassen, dealt with mental health issues, calling her platform
“The Mind Matters.” Eslick named her platform “Be an Overcomer.” She counseled with people through loss, illness, surgery and any other difficulties as she channeled her pain and turned it into a tool for helping people. “She was a really fun, fun little kid,” Darlene Eslick said. Eslick displayed an athletic disposition even as a child, as she was the fastest runner among her peers, so much so, that her classmates called her “The Cheetah.” Her precocity with volleyball was also there, which is why her career-derailing injuries becomes even more poignant. Her attitude carried her through. “I am pretty big on God putting you through things that will bring you joy in other ways,” Eslick said. “I’ll never know why I’ve had four knee surgeries. I’ll never know why it was me that was deaf, but I am going to make a positive about it.”
Bod Magazine Fall 2018
11
Rising college costs,
Why? Story by Joelle Conway “I don’t remember anyone having huge student loans like they do know. You could work 20 [or] 30 hours a week and pay off your tuition,” said Tracie Eklund, a 1992 Washburn English graduate. Many ask why education has become so expensive. For one, state funding is down. In 2010, Washburn received a 5.5 percent reduction in state funding. Funding remained flat until 2017 when state cuts were made again. In 2019, an increase is being made but not enough to make up the difference. With inflation and cuts, Washburn has struggled to keep tuition from rising more than 2 to 4 percent each year, according to Rhonda Thornburgh, director of budget planning and analysis. Richard Liedtke is the executive director of enrollment management. He works directly with tuition prices. Maintaining a certain budget where facilities are maintained, payroll made, and investments are still being made are all important when setting tuition prices. Liedtke believes that cuts to state funding are the primary reason for higher prices. “When the state money goes down, we have to raise tuition to maintain that level of budget. But the problem is when it
12
www.washburnreview.org
“Since 75 percent of our costs are payroll related, just giving a modest wage increase to our faculty and faculty will push tuition higher.” Jim Martingoes down, state funding goes down, we have to raise tuition. Well, If it goes down 1 percent, our tuition is so much smaller than what the state funding is, we have to raise it say 2, 3 percent to make up for that difference and you will see that nationally. You will see a direct correlation to states not supporting higher education and they’re withdrawing their funding and then to keep up with the decrease, you have to raise tuition,” Liedtke said. According to Washburn’s 2017 financial statements, published in June 2017, operating revenues [for fiscal year 2017] were $40.9 million and operating expenses were $97 million, resulting in a loss from operations of $56.1 million. $137.9 million for one year may seem like a lot of money, but with so many buildings that need electricity, heat and water, the money adds up quickly. “Since 75 percent of our costs are payroll related, just giving a modest wage increase to our faculty and faculty will push tuition higher,” said Jim Martin, Washburn treasurer. Another reason for increases is that college education has become commer-
cialized. Campuses compete for prestige with the most beautiful campuses, resources and best professors. This costs more money. If a college has lots of prestige, people are willing to pay the price to go. For example, think of Harvard or Yale. Washburn does raise tuition prices when introducing new and expensive programs, such as forensics, according to Liedtke. Contrary to popular belief, tuition is not affected by other campus improvements such as buildings. “We have a capital fund to help with buildings. I’ll use the most recent one. We borrowed money for Morgan Hall. We use donor money for Morgan Hall. And then with most recent, the Lincoln Learning Center, that was a bond. There was money from donations and then investment from the university, but a bond is nothing more than a loan from the government. Buildings that are happening [are] not impacted from tuition,” Liedtke said. Students often have to make the decision between a “better” but more expensive education at a recognizable school or a cheaper, yet still effective schooling option. Small universities, community colleges or technical schools are a few of the cheaper alternatives. Schools know that students will still pay for expensive tuition. People are willing to pay for a quality education.
“...Certainly tuition is going up unfortunately, but to maintain the quality that people are expecting, you’ll see the tuition go up...There is a value there for education, and I always think there will be. You’ll need learned people in society.” Dustin Wallace, senior mass media major, agrees that education is of value to him. “I hear stories all the time about people with plenty of experience that are overlooked because other applicants have a four-year degree. I just don’t want to be at a disadvantage one day,” said Wallace. Craig Riddell’s journal, “The Impact of Education on Economic and Social Outcomes” explains how higher educational attainment is related to the increase in more productive, skillful labor markets. Better-educated laborers receive greater pay, have larger lifetime earnings growth, work longer and encounter reduced occurrences of unemployment. Simply put, the more educated people become, the better off they and society will be (Riddell). According to an article on CBD College’s website, nine benefits of Earning a College Degree,” describes how achieving a higher education makes people happier. The likelihood of depression is reduced; the drive to exercise is boosted; the likelihood of becoming obese or having obese children is reduced. Degree holders are two and a half times more likely to vote; on average graduates live nine years longer than those who don’t graduate from high school; they donate money and time to organizations more than those who haven’t sought out higher education. Another benefit students attending universities also have is the opportunity to engage in organizations, clubs, Greek life and other social gatherings to build relationships with others. Connections made in college could lead to opened doors long after graduation. Social mobility is another benefit from having a college education. “My sorority has given me so many opportunities that I would not have had access to otherwise. It has shown me that I have more potential than I could have ever imagined and let me showcase my skills in an environment where everyone
only encourages my success. Most people think you just gets friends out of a sorority, but I got that and so much more,” said Reilly Peuser, junior mass media major. Although having a degree boasts unquestionable benefits, new students who are struggling to get by must weigh the trade-off between investing in their long-term education and paying living expenses like rent, food and utilities. Often, post-secondary education is pushed to the side to work full-time to make ends meet. This means that some will never get the opportunity to earn a degree. Dustin Wallace began college in 2012 at Kansas University. He flunked his first semester of classes and had to take out a large loan to pay it off. He is now debt free and is enrolled at Washburn full time. On top of this, he works full time, but at a great cost. “Here’s the thing about student debt and being a full-time student on top of working a full-time job, it sucks. You don’t win. You don’t get the traditional experience of meeting all of these new people, going to social or sporting events and exploring yourself,” Wallace said. “If you’re like me, then you pay approximately $3,400 every semester right out of your goddamn pocket so you don’t have to take out another loan. There is no way I’m taking out another loan as long as I have a way to pay as I go. And so I do. My
way is to buckle down and sacrifice my time now to not have to pay later.” Since government funding is not keeping up with inflation, universities will continue to raise their rates to support improvements and maintain a certain standard. It has become a repeated cycle that results in skyrocketed tuition. Until modifications are made, students will continue to build enormous debt and others will be unable to finance or attend college all together. The youth of today encompasses this nation’s future leaders, scientists, teachers, artists, businessmen and so on, yet the education programs are being defunded. Funding education should be thought of as an investment in our nation’s future. So, what is the answer to rising college costs? Should the government raise taxes? Students have to look at all the alternatives before choosing what path they will take. Should major universities offer satellite schools with no frills so students can get cheaper education, but still have the “brand name” of a major university? Reform starts with people coming together and expressing what they believe to be just. Vote for improvements. Participate in conversations. Protest when necessary. E-mail your governor with ideas and propositions. Educate others on the status of our education system.
The average median family (Credit: Is college tuition really too high? by Adam Davidson, Washburn archives)
Year:
1970
2017
WU credit hour
$17
Up 1618%
$292
House
$36,000
Up 400%
$174,000
Car
$4,500
Up 400%
$21,300
Income
$13,000
Up 400%
$62,000
Bod Magazine Spring 2019
13
Music enhances
education
Story by Shayndel Jones
M
usic education is more than simply listening to music, playing an instrument or singing. It combines multiple skills and qualities that no other subject encompasses. It teaches students about the importance of time management, it teaches patience, it teaches humble accomplishment and it encourages students to think creatively and to be themselves, something often ignored by other fields of study. There
14
www.washburnreview.org
are few subjects that encompass all of these qualities. Music inspires students to test their limits, to practice until they can hit that high note that they’ve been working all year to accomplish. It involves many hours of preparation and hard work to be embraced by a long list of forever friends and instructors who encourage every single student to be the best version of themselves that they can be. According to an article by Laura Lewis Brown from PBS.org, research has found that learning music facilitates learning other subjects and enhances skills that
children inevitably use in other areas. It involves more than the voice or fingers playing an instrument; a child learning about music has to tap into multiple skill sets, often simultaneously. These skill sets include mathematics, art, language and even science. Professor Craig Treinen, chair of the music department, has been a professor at Washburn University for 14 years. He received his undergraduate degree in music education and music performance from Washburn University. After graduating, he went into the Air Force band for eight years.
After finishing there, he received his masters and doctorate degrees from Kansas State University. Treinen plays saxophone, flute, clarinet and some piano and bass. “I think, for several reasons, music has a way of teaching you about life. In music, it allows those individuals that may not be as athletic to find a place. It allows people to share music with people of different backgrounds, culture, social status,” Treinen said. “I think it teaches you how to be respectful of all those different types of cultures. It also teaches you how to work with people older than you, younger than you and it teaches you about the social being of a human.” Music benefits people of all ages. For early childhood development, music expands beyond the schools. It’s more than a child going to music class and sitting around in a circle singing “Kumbaya.” It teaches them how to express themselves in a positive light, and it teaches them how to memorize and practice a new skill. The very beginning of education starts with learning how to practice a skill until you get better, and music helps develop that skill. It gives children and adolescents who may come from poor
living conditions or abusive families a place to be free from the negativity. They can fully express themselves and be welcomed with open arms by those in the music community. “This is a chance for you to be who you are and to be accepted, how you play or what you play by many,” Treinen said. “For many, it’s a chance for young students to interact with a large group of students. It’s a much different atmosphere.” If music education wasn’t offered in public schools, we would lose the creative aspect of the human soul. Students that may not necessarily be athletic would not be able to express themselves in any form. In addition to that, the creative process also works towards the sciences and learning how to be creative and experimenting, as well as entrepreneurship. Music is all around us in movies and television, advertisements and it adds emotion to society. Imagine walking around and never hearing your favorite song or never hearing a strum of a guitar, the keys of a piano or the smooth sound of a saxophone. Professor Christine Hunt, director of music education at Washburn University, has been at Washburn for 15 years. “People shouldn’t have to justify it because the fine arts are important,” Hunt said. “I think participating in the arts, going to concerts and going to museums helps people in a lot of different ways.” Hunt believes we don’t see the world in one way. We go and we study the arts and the music of a culture. You start to understand the culture better and more fully. You begin to understand what people thought and how they were created. It adds to the understanding of people
and culture, because it reflects what they think. “Only the arts can express that kind of understanding,” Hunt said. “I think we would lose a lot of the abilities that bring people comfort and joy if we didn’t have the arts. And, what are you going to do instead?” Senior music education major, Alicia Schoenberger, decided to study music education because she realized she had always enjoyed music-related activities. “I sat in on the wind ensemble rehearsal, which was September of my senior
(Music) allows people to share music with people of different backgrounds, culture, social status. I think it teaches you how to be respectful of all those different types of cultures.” -Craig Treinen year. After that, I thought about it and looked back on my past, it was like ‘ok, this is what I want to do’,” Schoenberger said. “Originally, I wanted to do nursing, but when I came to Washburn, I realized I had always done music things.” Music is shown to be beneficial in four major areas: in society, school, developing intelligence and in life. Not only that, but it also helps students develop their identities. Without music, many wouldn’t know how to express themselves. Music gives them that ability to express how we see the world and how we feel about various events in life. “There are so many social norms that are taught through music that without it we probably would walk around like a bunch of robots,” Treinen said. “Here’s the thing, without it in the public schools, imagine going to a movie and not having any music, or driving your car down the road without being able to listen to music, how long do you think people would stay sane?” Music education offers a world that no other subject can really compare to. It can be tough and it can be a subject that is overlooked by so many, but the meaning of music education and it’s role in schools is beneficial for children, adolescents and adults in indescribable ways.
Bod Magazine Fall 2018
15
LGBTQ+ Representation
Story by Shelby Hanson Representing the LGBTQ+ community in literature has been a hot topic among many authors. Professor Liz Derrington has spent time researching LGBTQ+ stereotypes as well as writing her own novels in the process. As an experienced writer, professor Liz Derrington has become familiar with how the changing world atmosphere af-
16
www.washburnreview.org
fects literature and the people who read and write it. Derrington is a lecturer for the English department here at Washburn, and she is also the faculty advisor for Queers and Allies, an LGBTQ+ organization for Washburn students. In her classes, she covers an array of subjects: composition, fiction and non-fiction creative writing, and fantasy film and literature. She also specializes in Queer literature and popular culture. In the spring 2018 semester, she taught a course over Queer representation in literature and film. Her interest in Queer literature
began early in her career when she studied works by LGBTQ+ writers. “I started exploring the subject when I was in graduate school, with encouragement from a couple of excellent professors and mentors, primarily because at the time I was struggling with figuring out my own sexuality. I identify as Queer, so the subject has personal relevance, of course, but beyond that, the community has created so many vibrant and fascinating works, and so many of them deserve wider recognition and deeper study,� Derrington said.
Recently, there has been a surge in LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream media and current works. Sarah Miller, junior mass media major and member of Queers and Allies, said,“...it’s good to have representation of white gay males, but there’s a lot of other aspects of the community. You could have an asexual person of color or a transgender person actually played by a transgender actor would be amazing. I just feel like we’re getting representation, but the representation isn’t complete. Then, when we complain about it they’re like ‘well you have representation, so what are you still complaining about?’ It’s not the same- it’s not complete.” Derrington also spoke about why it matters so much that people feel represented in various forms of media like movies, TV shows and books. “Back in the 70s, Harvey Milk encouraged his ‘gay brothers and sisters’ to come out of the closet, in order to ‘break down the myths’ and ‘destroy the lies and distortions’ about LGBTQ people -- and I believe that’s exactly what growing Queer representation is accomplishing. Representation of people from marginalized backgrounds is important because everyone--but especially young people--deserves to see reflections of themselves on the screen and the page. It’s affirming and encouraging, and it’s more realistic than showing a world where everyone is straight, or white, or rich. The best Queer representation in media helps show LGBTQ people’s humanity, and the more all of us recognize our shared humanity, the more harmony we can bring to the world,” Derrington said. A member of Queers and Allies, Vinyl Anderton, spoke about how she feels that representation of LGBTQ+ people can be faulty when it isn’t direct or is unclear. “We’re trying to claim this representation after the fact. That’s not really representation. The whole point of it is that we need the representation to be obvious. I’m not saying you have to wear stilettos and wave a flag in my face, I’m just saying that I need confirmed gay characters, whether you want them to be flamboyant, or you want them to be like a butch lesbian- give me a confirmed Queer character,” said Anderton, junior
film major. As a write, Derrington has been affected by the growing LGBTQ+ community and its presence in literature. She is much more aware of tropes and how they can also stunt representation. Tropes are similar to stereotypes in that they are common formats that characters from specific backgrounds are placed into, and they usually paint these characters in a negative way. One example of a common trope is the “damsel in distress.” In many movies, books and TV shows, women are portrayed as being helpless or clueless in dangerous situations relying on others for safety. This is a trope because since historically it occurs much more often than narratives that depict women who are intelligent and resourceful under stress. It can also exacerbate an idea in society that most women are innately helpless. “I don’t want all of the characters that I can barely identify with to just die. That’s the most popular known, at least what I’ve seen, is ‘bury your gays,’ which is where all the Queer characters die, it’s setting us to leave it [the written work], and we don’t get that happy ending. Even if we’re not just going to die, we don’t get to continue our story. It’s not important enough to be continued,” Anderton said. This trope made its way into Derrington’s own writing, and she explained how changing the piece actually improved her story. “I have a published story that features a lesbian shape-shifter in Bleeding Kansas, and in an early draft the incident that drove the shape-shifter to Kansas from Connecticut was the death of the woman she loved. An editor noted that I was engaging in the same harmful trope as far too many writers before me, and when I revised the story accordingly, the story was much better for it,” Derrington said. Being aware of tropes doesn’t mean that writers can never include a tragic scene in their works or that everything must have a happy ending to please society. What takes an emotional and dramatic scene and makes it into a trope is the absence of an alternative. The key to avoiding tropes is finding and maintaining balance to ensure a fair and accurate depiction of any demographic is being portrayed to society.
“I think a lot of writers, in wanting to include LGBT voices, whether they be LGBT themselves or not, write Queer characters who are not real. They’re without flaw. You get this sense that they included them to check off a box, to say ‘oh I’ve got representation there.’ But, we’re people who are not above being bad people at times. Of course, I understand why we would want to move away from the trope of ‘oh, we’re always the villain,’ but I think you do a disservice if you ignore the complex humanity that Queer people have,” said Michael Anschutz,
Photo courtesy of Liz Derrington Liz Derrington, English professor and faculty advisor of Queers and Allies, discusses representation of the LGBTQ community.
senior English major and member of Queers and Allies. Ultimately, people can be difficult to portray accurately in fictional works because people as well as their experiences are unique and complex. There is also such a wide array of different cultures, genders, identities and ethnicities throughout the world that it can be hard to make sure everyone has a voice. Including Queer characters in the millions of creative pieces out there and working to maintain balance and avoid tropes will mean that the LGBTQ+ community has played a part in our written history as much as it has played a part in our current history.
Bod Magazine Fall 2018
17
photo courtesy of freeimages.com
18
www.washburnreview.org
Students from families making $20,000 or less
27%
first generation
First-generation students often face obstacles that are unique to their situation. Fortunately, both on and off campus resources have been established in Topeka to assist students struggling with college-related stress, whether the stress is related to technology, transportation or the more practical culprit, time management. “Family income tends to be relatively lower than average, causing families to stretch their budget,” Jenny Lieurance said, a 2018 summer intern at the Center for Student Success. 27 percent of first-generation students come from households making $20,000 or less, compared to 6 percent of continuinggeneration students, according to a 2017 report by the National Center for Education Statistics. These budgetary limitations impacting all family members make it extremely difficult for first-generation college students to maintain a full four-year commitment at a university. Lieurance explained that lack of accessibility is the most pressing issue facing first-generation students and for most first-generation households.
continuing generation
Story by Wesley Tabor
The unfortunate realization is that some students become unconnected as soon as they leave campus and don’t have access to internet at home. “I’ve seen many students type out papers on their cellphones because they don’t have access to a home computer,” said Lieurance. Today’s digital age requires constant connectivity for the 21st century college student. From the classroom to the library and to the office desk at home, college students are hauling their own
6%
information courtesy of National Center for Education Statistics
personal laptops to fulfill the daily tasks required by instructors. Current and future students are being exposed to, and adapting more quickly, to technological advances because these
systems are keeping them connected. This concept of using online learning systems has been categorized as “distance learning” or “distance education.” According to a 2007 study by the American Association of Community Colleges, the idea of utilizing online learning systems originates from the concept of an ever-evolving consumer or producer market that has made consumer products instantly available. Unfor tunately, online learning systems can be sophisticated and most universities are discovering that many students are struggling to navigate through these online servers. In turn, this impedes on one’s time-management because the student spends extra time trying to comprehend the interface. This comprehension gap not only appears with Washburn’s D2L space, but is also widespread when it comes to the FAFSA process. “We are first generation students and most of our parents have never experienced FAFSA and a lot of the associated struggles include navigating the website,” said Jessica De La Rosa, president of We Are F1rst. “I also had a lot of people navigating to the new MyWashburn website because it’s really hard to find the course catalog and major requirements… that’s a big one.”
Gema Rodriguez, sophomore computer science major, is one of many individuals impacted by the flaws with the FAFSA process. “I had to get verified for my FAFSA, and I worked on it over the summer and then I didn’t know what papers I needed,” said Rodriguez. “I missed a couple grants and I almost lost a scholarship, so that was stressful.” Washburn University provides students with various workshops and guidance when it comes to applying for FAFSA. If you need assistance with the FAFSA process then we suggest reaching out to the Washburn University Finance Office at 785-670-1156 or visit Mabee library and ask the front desk for assistance regarding the FAFSA application process. “If you’re struggling, come ask for help. Just walk in the front door at Mabee library, walk up to the front desk and tell the librarian you need help,” Alan Bearman said, dean of university libraries and Center for Student Success and Retention. “It doesn’t matter what kind of help you need, the librarians are here at the library from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. so just come ask for help and they’ll get you pointed in the right direction.” Although Washburn has Mabee library opened most of the time, due to transportation issues, time management is crucial to a struggling first-generation student. “Time management is probably the number one problem Washburn students face, even more than money,” Bearman said. “When the library is open 24/7, I have stayed a couple nights here because I didn’t want to miss a test because of the transportation issues,” said Gema Rodriguez, sophomore computer science major. “I would stay the night at school.”
including the FYE (First Year Experience) office, a mentoring program as well as a student organization called WE ARE F1RST. In addition, a First-Generation Student Specialist position has been added to assist first-generation students with questions or concerns regarding university resources as well as helping students navigate through the transition from high school to college. According to the official webpage of Washburn University, the specialist can be reached at mario. porras@washburn.edu or 785-670-1941. For additional information regarding the mentoring program, FAFSA application process and the student organization, WE ARE F1RST, contact Director of Undergraduate Success Initiatives James Barraclough via email at james.barraclough@ washburn.edu or 785-670-1378.
“I’ve seen many students type out papers on their cellphones because they don’t have access to a home computer.” -Jenny Lieurance For Rodriguez, the imbalance involved a lack of transportation and travel time. Rodriguez isn’t the only one facing these stress factors. For Freddy Gonzalez, a sophomore who is undeclared, the stress was from issues with technology. “I really only have one device and for some reason it stopped charging,” said Gonzalez. “I was talking to I.T. a whole lot because I didn’t want to get a new laptop since I wasn’t done paying off my old one. We went through a process of elimination and come to find out the little charge port broke so I had to get an entirely new laptop. I had a warranty. It’s an amazing thing. The warranty saved my life. At that same time, it was scary since my laptop was unreliable.” Fortunately, both on and off campus resources have been established in Topeka to assist with college related stress. According to the official page of Washburn University, the Center for Student Success was established in July of 2011 with the goal to help assist students through their studies. Since then, the program has grown to establish a plethora of initiatives,
Bod Magazine Fall 2018
19
Caring for your mental health
Story and photo by Shelby Hanson College students are at a great age to begin building successful careers. However, they also represent a demographic with high stress levels, anxiety, depression and the onset of disorders like bipolar and schizophrenia.
20
www.washburnreview.org
To most students, the high rates of anxiety and depression in college are not surprising. Many students site symptoms such as lack of sleep, feeling overwhelmed and even headaches as an inevitable part of juggling their many roles as an involved student and avid worker. Students fufill these roles while underlying issues might be furthering the problem. Though not ideal, many see this as simply a part of growing old-
er and beginning their careers. But, why do college students have higher rates of mental disorders when compared to other demographics, and how do we cope with these issues while still maintaining productivity? First, we’ll take a look at the research to find out what’s happening on college campuses across the nation, including here at Washburn. “I wish my high school did more to help me understand what mental health
ited staffing and budgets,” said Leming. A new resource for Washburn this is 24/7 access to a counselor by phone. She said that, while this won’t replace in-per-
Crystal Leming, director of counseling services at Washburn University, discusses what students can do to better their mental health.
actually was, and to show the side effects and symptoms of that stuff. I just learned from my family. Growing up, I watched a parent go through depression and mood swings, and it was always confusing to me what that was, but now, as an adult, I see myself going through the same thing. My first semester was really rough. But, when I went home and got more help, as well as campus help my second semester, it began to get better. It’s not easy going to college with a pre-existing condition, but you make it work to get a degree,” said Sierra Hendrickson, sophomore psychology major. The Director of Counseling Services here at Washburn, Crystal Leming MA, LCP, CA, knows a lot about what mental health looks like here on Washburn’s campus. She also noted an increase in anxiety and depression. However, she also pointed out that more and more students are arriving on campus with more knowledge about the services provided. Students also have “less internalized stigma about utilizing those services.” Leming stated that many campuses are working to accommodate the increase in needed services. “Washburn is not alone in having a small counseling staff. Campuses are looking for new and innovative ways to meet the increases in demand with lim-
professors understood that,” Hendrickson said. “Everybody is different and has different coping mechanisms. I like running, listening to music and cleaning helps me relieve stress. I find it important to care “First and foremost, about mental health because it’s just as it’s important to act important as physical health. Growing on symptoms early, as up with a parent who also has a pre-exsymptoms will have a isting condition makes you see that it’s an greater impact the longer it issue that no one is really talking about, takes to begin healing.” and as my parents coped with their con-Crystal Leming ditions, I learned healthy ways to cope with my own. I don’t have it completely son sessions with counselors, it can mean figured out; it’s a work in progress,” Henimmediate help for students who need it. drickson said. You can call (785) 670-3100 at any time As for Washburn students, Crystal to connect to a counselor. Leming shared our campus counseling According to Lemming, it’s important, services mission, and what services are first and foremost, to act on symptoms available to students this academic year. early, as symptoms will have a greater im“Washburn as a whole is very student pact the longer it takes to begin healing. centered and all of the services and proSecond, she suggests getting involved grams a student will interact with on and talking to other students, as many campus share the goal of helping our students will feel the same way. Being students grow and succeed. Counseling able to build connections with people is one of many ways our community is going through similar circumstances is committed to our students. If you’re not a great way to improve symptoms and sure where to start or who to connect to, overall well-being. come talk to us.” “It is obviously a very large issue, with This year, counseling services will be the stress that people put on themselves, available in Spanish, Arabic and Portuwhich causes a lot of mental health issues. guese in addition to English. Services You take 15 credit hours, while balancing offered include individual counseling, a job, while balancing student loans and ADHD assessment, Advocacy and Case getting involved on campus- that would Management and, upon request, presenmake anyone be a little stressed out. It is tations for student groups or classes. VisThese fonts areWhile Mermaid and Roboto from dafont.com the start of their future. it is promit the counseling services page at Washinent, it makes sense, and I wish more burn.edu for more information.
Resources 24/7 Washburn Phone Counseling
(785) 670-3100
Valeo 24 hour crisis line
(785) 234-3300
Valeo 24 Hour Detox line
(785) 234-3448
LGBT Helpline
1-866-488-7386
YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment 1-888-822-2983 National Suicide Prevention Hotline
1-800-273-8255 or text 741741
Campus Police
(785) 670-1153
Bod Magazine Fall 2018
21
Students share musical taste Story by Shayndel Jones
Photos by Katie Brighton and Shayndel Jones
Could you live without music? “I could live without it if I had to. It would probably make me slightly depressed, but life would still go on.”
How important is music to you? “Music means a lot to me because it makes my days brighter, especially if the right song comes on. Music classes also brought my husband and I together so I am thankful for it.” What genres of music do you prefer? “I love pop, R&B, Gospel and anything Beyonce. They are my favorite because pop makes me want to dance, R&B puts me in my soul, gospel makes me want to shout and Beyonce gives me life. I also enjoy classical music.”
Tharin Brown
Gabrielle Rollins
senior industrial technology major
Alyssa Hatch
sophomore chemistry major
junior fine arts major
Victoria Smith junior music major
How important is music to you? “Music significantly improves my mood when I’m feeling down and it genuinely gets into the root of my emotions at times. It is as much a tool as it is an art. Good music at the right time in the right place can speak to the soul in a way that can change your life. It is exceedingly important to me.”
22
www.washburnreview.org
Bailey McCall
senior psychology major
Has your music taste changed since high school? “Yes, it has changed considerably since high school. I have opened myself up to classical music more than I have in the past, mostly because I decided that it was what I wanted to do in life.”
Poem by Anna Ciummo
M
ind
the Gap I
If you happen to leave the university at precisely 6:56 PM, make sure to take twenty-first street home. Notice that single, country-gravy-thick cloud, ovallish, something you might have diagrammed in freshman geometry. Drive a mile longer, and the sun will peak from the soft corner of cloud. Its frilly wound will directly align with the street, your shielded eyes, and reside adjacent to the roundabout. It’s necessary to account for the outgrowth.
Bod Magazine Fall 2018
23