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After weeks of surviving on vanilla pudding, instant oatmeal and grape juice, my vital organs and I were ready for some real food. So, on Sunday evening, my friend and I decided to treat ourselves and order something American from the greatest invention ever: Grubhub. We chose Dominator, because with a name like that, it has to be great. Because I obviously don’t care about my well-being, all I really wanted was cheese fries and maybe a milkshake. But I decided instead to order a philly cheesesteak sandwich for the sake of this review and for my mom who might read this. (Hi Mom!) I had the option to add lettuce, onions, peppers and extra cheese, but opted out. My friend ordered the chicken parmigiana special with a salad on the side. To top it off, we asked for Diet Pepsi. I put on my stretchy sweat pants and prepared for a meal of bliss. I was pleasantly surprised to hear banging on my front door only 30 minutes after we ordered. Shout out to the friendly delivery man who brought the food right to the door. For the $9.99 chicken parm,and the $5.99 philly cheesesteak, the amount of food we got was a great deal. My friend got bread on the side of her chicken parm, which was a nice bonus. She said the salad with ranch dressing was tasty, but nothing unusually spectacular. The chicken parm itself was drowning in spaghetti and tomato sauce and the container was leaking a little. The sauce was too sweet and the meat tasted soggy. The cheesesteak was lacking on the cheese to meat ratio and, as a result, was dry. I had to really dig to find the cheese. The side of fries closely resembled fast food fries, but without the overwhelming (yet delicious) amount of salt. Clearly, I don’t have anything against fast food fries, but if I don’t have a milkshake to dip them in, they are too soft for my liking. We agreed that the best part of the meal was the Diet Pepsi. Because the portions were so big and the food was only decent, we had enough leftovers for the week. I want to give Dominator the benefit of the doubt — these dishes were not their specialty. The chicken kebab sandwich, for example, is raved about on Grubhub. If you want a lot of food fast, Dominator is for you. Don’t be cheap and order that extra cheese on your cheesesteak. Even better, try the cheese fries for those of us who were too busy attempting to be “healthy” and missed out.
At the College, “Molly,” the slang term for the allegedly pure form of the illegal drug MDMA, is sometimes considered benign — a high without health risks. But “Molly” is not always who she seems. “Because it was pure MDMA, it made me feel like it was safer,” said a junior journalism student who has used the drug. “I think that there is no harm in it.” Formed in 1912, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a synthetic, psychoactive drug. The stimulant, used for psychotherapy patients in the 1970s, is the active ingredient in ecstasy, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. The nickname “Molly,” short for molecule, gained widename recognition when celebrities, including Kanye West and Miley Cyrus, referenced the drug. The term is sometimes used to refer to methylone and mephedrone, substances similar to MDMA. While ecstasy is usually a mix of MDMA and drugs like caffeine and LSD, “Molly” is advertised as straight MDMA, earning the reputation as a “safe drug.” “It makes you look crazy and feel awesome. Your eyes bug out and you do really crazy stuff,” said a sophomore nursing major who took “Molly” at a blacklight show. “I’m afraid of liking it too much,” she said. “I don’t want to rely on it.” MDMA releases serotonin, the chemical that controls mood swings and sex drive. Music sounds better, lights shine brighter, and dealers promise a night to remember. “In a club setting, where there are lots of attractive, friendly people and music that promotes dance, all you wanna do is dance and look at the lights,” said a senior English major. The euphoria may come at a price. Many doctors have expressed concerns about MDMA. The stimulant initially causes blurred vision, involuntary teeth clenching and increased heart rate and blood pressure. “I think the key phrase with Molly is that it’s not addictive,” said a senior criminology major. “People think you can stop at anytime, but that’s not always the case.” As with other drugs and habits, users can become addicted to MDMA if it is used regularly. Long-term use can cause memory loss, depression, insomnia, paranoia, psychosis and organ damage. “It can be deadly, as we have seen from E-Zoo,” said a senior international studies major. Last year during New York City’s Electric Zoo music festival, two people died of apparent MDMA overdoses. MDMA interrupts the body’s ability to control temperature. On a busy heated dance floor, the addition of MDMA has led to fatal cases of hyperthermia. Research of the side effects is still ongoing. But dealers are rarely concerned with the authenticity of their products. Students said that they got the drug either through a friend of a friend or from dealers at concerts. “The people who are dealing these drugs at shows don’t give a shit what’s in the drugs,” said a senior English major who used a test kit before taking drugs sold to him. Produced in tablets or powder forms of varied shapes, sizes and colors, “Molly,” the so-called “pure” drug, is often laced with other substances. LSD, heroin or cocaine are repeatedly found in “Molly” capsules. “I parachuted it, but I also snorted it,” said a junior math major who enjoyed “Molly” the first time she took it in powder form. Her second experience was not as positive. She mixed the drug MDMA with alcohol and the prescription drug adderall. “I sat in my room thinking, this is horrible, I’m too fucked up,” she said. The effects wore off hours later. Mixing substances can be a dangerous business. Combining MDMA with other substances drastically increases health risks. “When we push ourselves chemically, we put ourselves at risk physically,” said Joe Hadge, the Alcohol and Drug Education Program (ADEP) director at the College. According to Hadge, records show that MDMA is not as prominent on campus as some students may think it is. “We tend to overestimate,” he said. “If five people come back from a party, we think 20 people did. That doesn’t mean it is not happening.”
State governments are gradually changing laws to allow same-sex couples to wed, and on Oct. 21, New Jersey became the 14th state to allow same-sex marriage. Many religions and cultures, however, do not condone homosexuality. Faisal Alam, an LGBTQ Muslim activist, presented “Hidden Voices: The Lives of LGBT Muslims” on Wednesday, Oct. 6, as a part of PRISM’s Queer Awareness Month. “We definitely took the feedback from last year to have a more ethnically diverse queer awareness event,” said sophomore nursing major Jordan Stefanski, the Queer Awareness Month chair. Alam shared his struggle growing up in a small town as a Muslim homosexual man and his ongoing efforts to promote gender equality and gay rights. “Oftentimes I was stuck in between two worlds,” said Alam, who moved to Ellington, Conn. from Pakistan when he was 10 years old. Growing up, he was taught that Islam condemned homsexuality. As a young adult, when he noticed the boy’s soccer team more than the cheerleaders, he was caught between the contradiction of his sexual orientation and the teachings of his faith. “Why would God make me gay and put these feelings in my heart if he was going to send me to hell?” he said. “I literally thought I was the only person in the world who was gay and who was Muslim.” When he left his small town for Northeastern University, he was surprised to discover a prominent gay community. For six months, he lived a double life, living as a poster child for the Muslim association at his university, while secretly exploring gay communities. But the duplicity soon became unbearable. “Somehow I had to bring these identities of being gay and being Muslim together,” he said. He began a quest to find other gay Muslim people. Alam joined several international Muslim email lists with the hopes of finding like-minded people. Soon enough, about 50 people joined the virtual Muslim LQBTQ group. In 1998, this email list prompted “Al Fatiha,” the first international Muslim retreat for LGBTQ people. Alam reached several people like himself, grappling with their religion’s disapproval of their sexual identity. Alam has continued to work on behalf of Muslim LGBTQ people who fear being ostracized by their families and neighbors. The disposition toward homsexuality in Islam is not surprising. Traditions of patriarchy throughout history have led to misogyny and sexism in religious communities, Alam explained. This history has contributed to Islamic religious leaders’ reluctance to allow gender equality and accept LGBTQ people. “Within Judaism, Christianity and Islam, there is such a hesitation to allow women in religious leadership positions,” Alam said. Yet, many Muslim activists, like Alam, are working from mosque to mosque to change the gender inequalities. “There is a growing religious revival,” he said. Students enjoyed learning about a different side of LGBTQ activism and experiences. “It’s not something I heard a lot about in the past,” said senior art major Sam Prowse. “It’s an important part of the LGBT rights movement.”
The Board of Trustees met on Tuesday, Oct. 10 in Paul Loser Hall to discuss recent achievements, upcoming building initiatives and potential programs at the College. First, the Board swore in new trustees: Treby Williams and the alternate student trustee, junior chemistry major Ryan Boyne. “I think it is extremely important that representation extends all the way to the Board of Trustees, for it allows for student input,” Boyne said. “Although at times the students’ best interest may not be in the College’s best interest.” For the past 17 years, the U.S. News & World Report recognized the College as the No.1 public institution in the North. President R. Barbara Gitenstein shared her excitement, because this year the College was also ranked as No.1 in commitment to undergraduate education out of both public and private colleges in the North. “Last year was an extraordinarily successful year at The College of New Jersey,” Gitenstein said in her report. The College continues to build even with recent building projects having been completed. “The students are thrilled with the updates to Cromwell,” Gitenstein said about the recent renovations to the residence hall. The President is looking forward to the Campus Town project as well. “We’re very pleased to finally see shovels in the ground,” Gitenstein said. She expressed her pride in the students for their astounding attendance at the Campus Town groundbreaking ceremony with Gov. Chris Christie. “I was very, very proud of our student participation,” she said. Rutgers University only had 150 students show up for their College Ave. redevelopment groundbreaking ceremony, whereas the College had about 500 students attend. The College also continues work on the STEM building initiative and the Brower Student Center renovations. “The Brower Student Center project is still very preliminary, but it looks like its going to be very exciting,” vice chair Bradley Brewster said. The board approved a motion to raise the salary of Gitenstein. She will receive a one-time 3.172 percent salary increase due to her effective leadership last year in propelling the Campus Town plans to fruition. “I wouldn’t say that I would do it for nothing, but I do love this college,” Gitenstein said. The next Trenton State College Corporation meeting is scheduled for Oct. 17 at 8 a.m. in Loser Hall. John Castaldo, former executive director of Athletics was appointed to executive director of Alumni Affairs in September. This year, the Alumni Association plans to focus on volunteerism and encouraging undergraduates to get involved in the Association. Secretary Eleanor Horne listed the outstanding accomplishments of students at the College. This year, the College has 42 international students, 419 students studying abroad and 14 Fulbright Scholarship student applicants. The efforts, especially those of the Bonner Program, in the Community Engaged Learning program have vastly improved community and college relations, Horne said. The CEL Learning program involves 2,000 students each year in the Ewing Community. “Can you imagine living next to 6,000 students?” Horne asked. “That can be a really trying experience.” Athletes and coaches registered for fall sports were required to attend training sessions about the dangers of sex, drugs and alcohol. These prophylactic measures will continue for the spring semester. The College hopes to raise money by sending nursing faculty to some local hospitals to help train RNs to BSNs. The next public Board of Trustees meeting will be on Tuesday, Dec. 3.
[imagebrowser id=17] At the TCNJ SlutWalk on Friday, Sept. 27, students gathered in solidarity to raise awareness about rape culture and rape myths. In this culture, victim blaming is often accepted. It is a frequently accepted myth that if a woman doesn’t cover her red solo cup at a party or if she walks alone at night and doesn’t invest in a rape whistle or if she dresses like a “slut,” she is asking to be raped. In this culture, it is quite common for the rapist to dodge the blame, because the the rape victim was supposedly putting herself in danger. An international event, the SlutWalk began in 2011 when a Canadian police officer said women should “avoid dressing like sluts” for their own safety. Women in Learning and Leadership (WILL), along with other student activity co-sponsors, joined the movement and marched around the campus last week. “There are a lot of myths that surround rape,” said Amanda Parks, senior sociology major and executive chair of WILL. “We want to put the blame back on the perpetrators.” Marla Jaksch, the featured speaker of the event and a women’s and gender studies professor at the College, explained that our society spreads the message “don’t get raped,” rather than “don’t rape.” This message is regularly emphasized in the media and enforced through misogynistic language. “The idea that you can protect yourself from rape implies that you messed up,” Jaksch said. This notion, defined as victim blaming, places fault on the victim of an incident rather than the perpetrator. When men and women are taught how not to get raped, they are simultaneously taught the false idea that if rape occurs, a person did not do enough to prevent or stop it. “We have to educate about rape culture if it is going to change,” senior early childhood education and math, science, technology double major Carrie Beth Hornberger said. The sad truths are hard to stomach. Statistically, most rape victims know their attackers. It is far easier to accept that perpetrators are random strangers or glamorized characters we see on “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.” “This message applies to your peers,” sophomore English major Jennie Sekanics said. “Rapists are not monsters,” Jaksch said. “Rapists are people who have done monstrous things.” Perpetrators reach across the board and hold many professions: college students, coaches, teachers, religious leaders, soldiers, husbands, wives, aunts, uncles, men and women. “Only 26 percent of rapes are ever reported to the police,” Jaksch said. SlutWalks worldwide endeavor to change the astoundingly low percentage and end the silence. In the past, members of WILL experienced some trouble planning the event. The College denied their request to host the event during an accepted students day or during alumni events. “We hope that we just get the message across that this is a positive event,” sophomore philosophy major Nicole Fasano said. “We’re trying to make light of a negative situation.” After listening to WILL’s presentation and Jaksch’s speech, students walked around the College with a renewed passion for the issue. “Real men don’t rape,” said senior biology major and Delta Epsilon Psi brother Kunai Chaudhary. “There is no excuse for men to ever think that they can take advantage of women.”
The 10th annual Helen Shaw Staff Excellence and Special Achievement Award was presented to Scott Sferra, supervisor to Lions EMS, and Dave Conner, assistant director for Fraternity and Sorority Life on Wednesday, Sept. 18. The award was created in January 2003 in honor of Helen D. Shaw, who graduated from the College in 1936. The award recognizes staff members for their exceptional efforts to advance and improve life at the College. After months of evaluating all of the accomplished nominees, the selection committee chose Sferra and Conner for the award. Sferra, associate director of Student Accounts, was commended for his service as supervisor of Lions Emergency Medical Service. When Sferra took over as head of Lions EMS, he jumped aboard a sinking ship. Joe Hadge, the Alcohol and Drug Education program coordinator, who presented Sferra with the award, explained how at the time, the program was at risk of being shut down. “Without Scott’s acceptance of leading, Lions EMS, it might not be here today,” Hadge said. Using experience from his 12-year membership at Pennington Road First Aid Unit, Sferra transformed Lions EMS for the better. Consisting of over 30 student volunteers, Lions EMS has become a vital aspect of the campus community. Last year, Lions EMS completed 205 emergency responses. “The ability to work with students who are well trained and who have the compassion to help others,” Sferra said, inspired him to work tirelessly for the program. Conner was also recognized, but for his achievement of improving and legitimizing Greek life at the College. Since he began his position, the participation of students in fraternities and sororities at the College has doubled, according to Hadge. When he established the President’s Ball, he solidified the position of fraternities and sororities in the College community. He also initiated the “5-4-5” program, which encourages fraternity and sorority life alumni to donate $5 for five years to Greek life at the College. “He is always available when we need him,” said senior history major Claire Huynh, a member of Theta Phi Alpha and the VP of Programming for the Inter-Greek Council. Conner, known to be social media-savvy, is appreciated by many students for his devotion and enthusiasm for the program. “(Conner) is by far the most dedicated and hard-working faculty that I have personally encountered,” said senior political science major and Phi Kappa Psi brother Parth Parikh. “When it is done right, Greek life is the best thing happening on any college campus,” Conner said. All of the nominees were applauded for their outstanding achievements. Carol Wells, the program assistant from the Department of Health and Exercise Science, as well as Lisa DeMarsico, Susan Hydro, Deirdre Queen, Regina Littwin and Danielle Reilly, from the Office of Graduate Studies, were all recognized for their exceptional commitments to excellence.
The Rathskeller isn’t exactly Webster Hall. In such a small venue, it’s easy to accept low-key performances from the weekly CUB Rat shows. But last Friday night, it became clear that some bands can rock just about any size stage. Candy Hearts, a northeast-native band, opened the show, blending blaring bass and drum beats with the mellow vocal melodies of lead singer Mariel Loveland. Signed by Violently Happy Records/Bridge 9 Records, Candy Hearts had some established fans from the College come check out their show. “I really like the pop punk genre,” freshman open options major Olivia Higbee said. “I learned about Candy Hearts from a few of my friends.” Higbee said that although the band’s music is just starting out, they have a promising future. When Candy Hearts announced their single “Miles and Interstates,” a pumped fan proudly yelled, “Oh hell yeah!” Candy Hearts had some cool lyrics and the drummer was an Energizer Bunny, but by the time a guitar solo in “Tongue Tied” rolled around, the vocals that were intriguing in the first few songs sounded tired and repetitive. Meant to sound sarcastic, the vocals ended up sounding apathetic, and the enthusiasm of the night suffered because of it. Just in time to revamp the energy of the night, Mixtapes took to the stage. “We learned at Warped Tour that you’re supposed to scream at your fans,” band singer/guitarist Ryan Rockwell said. And so he did. From the first song, Mixtapes owned the spotlight. The four bandmates jumped to their songs like they were playing them the first time, and they flopped their heads with an infectious enthusiasm. Between songs, the crowd laughed as band members bantered about who was more talented. These Ohio natives, signed to No Sleep Records in 2012, were recognized for their dynamic performance. “I love how energetic they get,” sophomore early childhood education major Sharon Wetter said. Points for honesty, too. When a guy in the audience requested the song “Hey Baby,” Ryan sighed and said “I really don’t want to play this song, but I will for you.” The lyrics for “Hey Baby” are as fun and snarky as the band themselves. “I know ‘Teenage Wasteland’ is good, everyone says that, but that record sucks so grow up,” Mixtapes’ vocalist crooned. The show continued to highlight the great harmony between the two lead singers and varied bass and guitar riffs, interspersed with anecdotes of the band’s experiences. You could tell that Mixtapes was having a blast, and so was the crowd. In the end, Mixtapes gave the audience a show surpassing the price of any ticket. “We’re really good,” said Ryan, “but if we mess this up, I think this is free.”
Bert Steinmann rarely writes a speech. Comfortable in his own skin, the mayor of Ewing, New Jersey prefers to learn about a topic and rely on memory rather than a script. And there is no topic he is more familiar with than his small town on the outskirts of Trenton. “There is no place I would rather call home than Ewing,” Steinmann (D) wrote in his 2013 Mayor’s Message on the town website. Steinmann has lived in Ewing for 55 years. He did not run for mayor for the benefits. Instead, he sits behind the mayor’s mahogany desk because he loves the 15 square mile town where he has spent his life. In fact, he donates a portion of his salary as mayor to organizations such as the Mercer Cancer Society and the March of Dimes. Born in the Netherlands, Steinmann’s family immigrated to the United States when he was young. His family lived in Trenton for several years before moving to Ewing in 1959. The Ewing that he and his two siblings romped around in as children has since evolved. “It has changed drastically,” said Steinmann, dressed in a crisp black suit, square glasses perched on his his nose. But then again, so has Steinmann. After earning his associates degree in engineering from Trenton Technical Institute, he studied political science at Rutgers University before dropping out after two years. “Well I had a family,” said Steinmann, sitting at the conference table in his office. The sound of his desk phone ringing does not distract him. He found a job as a construction worker and eventually climbed his way to a business manager position. As his children grew, Steinmann became frustrated with some of the town’s policies and practices, particularly the poor maintenance of public parks. “If you want to do the complaining, then you have to do something about it,” said Steinmann. He was appointed to the township recreation commission and eventually won a seat on the town council, of which he later became president. After a decade on the council, Steinmann determined that to create change he needed to be top dog. “The guy at the top has all the power,” he said. An assertive councilman, Steinmann earned a reputation for speaking his mind. The Trentonian called Steinmann “a real Ball buster,” because he did not shy away from telling former mayor Jack Ball (R) to accept responsibility for the flaws in his municipal budget. A no-nonsense man, the mayor, two years into his term, has learned that being a leader looks simpler from the outside. Responsible for approximately 35,707 residents, he now views issues with “a different set of eyes.” Compromising was vital when navigating the tenuous relationship between Ewing residents and the College. When Steinmann ran for mayor he vowed to take a hard stance against underage drinking and public urination, prevalent in the area surrounding the campus. “I think TCNJ is an asset to Ewing,” said Steinmann, whose son attended the College. “You guys have a lot to offer.” Unfortunately, he explained, “a few knuckleheads,” ruin the College’s reputation with the townspeople. Ewing residents, especially the senior citizens living near the College, have complained about rowdy students urinating on their lawns, holding drunken parties till the wee hours of the morning and noisily walking from school to off-campus residences. Steinmann has ordered police officers to strictly enforce the law. But the mayor, who remembers when Ewing had more fields than buildings, said he is not out to get students. Quite the contrary, he said that he is concerned about the safety of students walking back and forth between off campus houses at night. He encourages students to use the buddy system and walk in groups, but be respectful of the residents surrounding the school. “His approach is very respected,” said Kevin Baxter, Ewing council vice president. “I admire the way he is not afraid to be a leader.” Baxter noted that Steinmann has opened the lines of communication between the College and town, something former mayors failed to do. Steinmann believes that the relationship between the College and town is “50 percent better than what it was.” Council President Hilary Hyser and the College president R. Barbara Gitenstein have created a partnership to foster positive relations between the College and Ewing. But the College is not Steinmann’s only concern. The mayor makes it his business to maintain the image of his suburban domain. He regularly drives around town and notifies public workers when the trash is overflowing or one of the 14 Ewing parks could be cleaner. At first, workers were frustrated with his attention to detail. Today, workers have developed a respect for Steinmann, and the dedication he shows to his job. “They think I’m a stern guy, but a fair person,” said Steinmann, the man who could have invented the steely expression. He said that his fairness has changed the attitude and productivity of his administration for the better. The mayor plans to create a Ewing that is not only beautiful, but economically strong. “I’m happy to say that we are now in a really good spot as far as business goes,” he said. Since his election, Fortune 500 companies, such Church & Dwight have opened locations in Ewing. “Ewing is a workingman's community that still has a lot in it to make a difference in people’s lives,” said Steinmann, who with his wife, raised his three children in Ewing. “It’s been good for me.” Steinmann will be 68 years old at the end of his term in 2014. Although, he’s feeling his age, the mayor does not intend to slow down. He plans to keep moving his legacy as mayor forward. His only regret is that he did not begin his political career at a younger age. “Certainly,” he said, “no one can say that I sat on my ass."
Islamophobia, the irrational fear of Muslim people, is present in American society. According to a 2010 survey, 43 percent of Americans admitted that they are prejudiced against Muslims. “Where racism is no longer tolerated in the U.S., anti-Muslim attitudes are acceptable and, in fact, are seen as measures of U.S. patriotism,” Princeton University professor of politics Amaney Jamal said. Jamal presented “Muslims in America: Identity, Integration, or Exile,” on Thursday, April 18, in the packed Library Auditorium. It was the final lecture in the “Social Justice and the Politics of Dissent in the Muslim World Lecture Series,” organized for the College this year. Junior biology major, Ryan Moazamian, said he was intrigued to hear about “the structural forces that played a role in creating Islamophobia.” The United States is no utopia. Yet some of our civil rights policies and social justice practices have improved since the founding fathers signed their John Hancock. “In the last several decades we’ve developed social desirability,” Jamal said. “It turns out there is no social desirability when it comes to Muslims.” After the tragic events of 9/11, Jamal said that 80 percent of Muslim Americans were monitored by the FBI. “The assumption was that terrorists were hiding out in the Muslim community,” she said. Jamal explained that the truth is that most terrorist activity is abroad. “There are not the links to the domestic Muslim (American) community and terrorists abroad,” Jamal said. But many Americans believe that this connection is present. Because of this ignorance, Muslim American people have a negative stigma associated with them. They are viewed as foreigners and threats to the safety of United States. This attitude has resulted in discrimination, racial profiling and unjust United States government supported monitoring of the Muslim-American population. Muslim-American activists have endorsed several campaigns to attempt to eliminate the stereotype. “They’re just not winning the public relations war in the U.S.,” Jamal said. They are not going to succeed on their own. For discrimination against Muslim Americans to decrease, the treatment of Muslim Americans must be seen as an American issue, not just a Muslim problem, according to Jamal. “It was eye-opening,” said Sara Cook, junior political science major. She learned that “all Americans are responsible for ending Islamophobia.” The lecture was sponsored by the Culture and Intellectual Community Program Council, the JP Goelet Foundation, the Humanities and Social Sciences Dean’s Office, the Freshman Seminar Program, the Departments of History and Political Science, the International Studies Program, Eurasia/Middle East Society and the Alan Dawley Center for Social Justice.
Domestic violence threatens the physical, emotional and psychological health of countless individuals, but, according to a speaker at the College, these situations can have factors as unlikely as soap opera plots. “There is tremendous power in creating and telling stories for new realities,” said Arvind Singhal, a professor of communication studies at the University of Texas - El Paso. Singhal, an expert in the field of entertainment education, presented his research about using fictional stories to transform social realities on Thursday, April 4. The lecture, “Entertainment Education: Saving Lives by Surprise,” was sponsored by several groups at the College, including the Public Health Communication Club. “Entertainment education really has an effect on communities,” said senior communication studies major Ashley Fisher. “Radio and TV programs can truly make a difference.” Singhal has travelled across the globe studying the field of entertainment education. The idea, he explained, is to use fictional stories and media to positively impact the lives of communities. “If you’re trying to change a community norm, then you have to show a community modeling it,” he said. The practicality of entertainment education was tested when Singhal applied his research to the 1999 popular South African soap opera, “Soul City.” He noted that domestic violence in many South African homes shared a consistent narrative. “Stories are passed down,” Singhal said. Men and women learned their roles in the household from previous generations. Young men learned from their fathers that husbands were entitled to absolute authority in their homes. Mothers taught daughters that wives should submissively endure abuse. Society encouraged outsiders who noticed the domestic violence of their neighbors to mind their own and stay out of private affairs. “The pen can move in any direction it wants,” said Singhal, who shared his studies of entertainment education and domestic violence with the writers of “Soul City.” The plot of the soap opera chronicled the domestic violence experienced by a woman. In the show, neighbors unite to take a stance against the violence by banging pots together outside of the abuser’s home. This action, Singhal said, made the private matters of the home public and told the abuser that the community did not approve of his actions. “The magic really begins after you switch off the radio or TV,” Singhal said. “Stories travel fast, especially if it is a good story.” Singhal was not surprised to hear of real accounts of neighbors protesting abuse in their towns by slamming pots and pans together outside of houses. Some students found Singhal’s research enlightening. “You don’t think of fairy tales as being informative, let alone (stories that can) change social norms,” said Vincent Wase, senior communication studies major.
President Barack Obama kissed her on the cheek. She chatted with Stephen Colbert and annoyed Bill O’Reilly. She spoke at the Democratic National Convention. And she is a nun. “Catholic sisters are not interested in shoving the spotlight on ourselves,” said Sister Simone Campbell, director of NETWORK, a Catholic social justice lobbying group. Yet, Campbell is no stranger to the limelight. On Wednesday, March 27, she shared her passion for ending economic injustice in the United States with students at the College. Her lecture, “Hearts on Fire: Spirituality and Activism,” was an event sponsored by the women’s and gender studies department for Women’s History Month. “It was fantastic to see women’s leadership,” said senior women’s and gender studies major Chaya Himelfarb, who thought Campbell was “definitely a good role model.” “Within the Catholic church, women have not been seen as leaders for a very long time,” said Campbell, who opted to wear a black blazer and dress pants instead of the traditional religious sister’s habit. In April 2008, Campbell and her fellow sisters garnered media attention, when the Vatican released a statement chastising their promotion of “radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith.” Campbell said that their opinions on healthcare reform troubled many leaders in Catholic church. “They’re saying we’re a bad influence,” Campbell said. “We do fine work, working with the poor and keeping quiet, but they don’t like that we are speaking up for the poor.” This past summer, Campbell traveled to nine states on a tour called Nuns on a Bus, intended to persuade voters against Congressman Paul Ryan’s budget plan, which she said would hurt impoverished citizens of the United States. On the steps of the Education Building lecture hall, Campbell organized five student volunteers into a human bar graph, to illustrate the change of income between classes over the last 30 years. The activity showed that citizens who have the highest income each year, the top 20 percent of society, have seen their incomes dramatically increase over the last three decades, while the bottom 20 percent — known as the working poor — have seen their yearly incomes significantly decrease. “The fact is, it doesn’t have to be this way,” Campbell said. “Tax policy can make a difference, but it is not enough.” Change, she said, “calls for us to be bold.” “The bar graph was a great way to show how disconnected we are,” said junior biology major Stephanie Cervino. “We don’t really focus on the lower half.” Campbell emphasized that in order to create change, we need to develop empathy and understanding of those in our country who identify in the lower half. “How do we the people form a more perfect union when we’re so far away?” Campbell said.
The last time Whitney McMullan was at the College, she was playing girl’s lacrosse for Drew University. Soon after, McMullan began treatment for anorexia and post-traumatic stress disorder. “Secrets keep you sick,” McMullan said, sharing her personal account of her battle with anorexia on Wednesday, Feb. 27 in the Library Auditorium. The lecture was a part of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, which was organized by a host of cosponsors including CAPS Peer Educators and Delta Phi Epsilon. The goal of the week was to reduce the negative view of mental illness, which often stops people from getting help. McMullan’s glory days were during college. She fell in love, was a talented athlete, and was a straight-A student. “Everyone on the outside thought, ‘she’s perfect,’” McMullan said, but on the inside, she was falling apart. “I was angry. I was hurt. I was broken,” McMullan said. She worked diligently to maintain an image of perfection for the outside world, yet she struggled to repress the feelings of pain and hurt she experienced in her childhood. Unable to cope and put her feelings into words, she isolated herself from her friends and showed her pain by hurting herself. “My body was just kinda wasting away,” McMullan said. Eventually she decided to seek help. However, treatment was not an easy process for McMullan. She was reluctant to change her habits and tried many different programs before going to Timberline Knolls, a treatment center outside of Chicago, where she eventually developed the skills needed for her recovery. “The great news and the terrible news is only you can help yourself,” McMullan said. Today a therapist, McMullan says that often people expect her to thrust her fist in the air and shout “women are beautiful,” when she shares her story. “I still struggle,” McMullan said, “but it is so much easier.” “Her story of resilience was so inspiring,” said junior psychology and education double major Carrie Fippinger. Fippinger, a CAPS Peer Educator, explained that CAPS chose McMullan to come speak because “a lot of people could identify with her.” McMullan is not alone in her struggle. The pressure to be thin is inherent in our culture today. According to NEDA’s website, eating disorders among college students have risen from 10 to 20 percent for both men and women in recent years. A chilling documentary about the media’s influence on our body image, “Miss Representation,” was screened in the Library Auditorium on Thursday, Feb. 28. “Miss Representation” cites several depressing statistics about the media’s depiction of women. It is common to see women portrayed in film in television as one-dimensional characters who use their bodies and sexuality to get ahead. Unattainable ideals of perfection in magazine and film ads seduce viewers to buy their products. “People need to be aware of what they are watching,” said senior graphic design major Emma Kapotes. “It is entertainment, but people put it into their real lives.” On Monday, Feb. 25 and Tuesday, Feb. 26, CAPS Peer Educators and DPhiE sisters collaborated to create an interactive poster titled, “Tell Us What YOU Think is Beautiful.” Student written phrases such as “not Barbie” and “screw the media” were posted on the middle of the trifold surrounded by pictures of photo-shopped models versus pictures of real beauty. “Beauty is confidence,” said sophomore urban education and women’s and gender studies double major and DPhiE sister Tatiana Campos. “You have to feel beautiful.”
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